🍎 Health Hack: I’m Going to Have A Slice of Sourdough

Sourdough Bread

There is perhaps no more delectable bread than the fermented kind that, when done correctly, has the perfect crust and chew of sourdough.

And because it’s fermented, it’s actually very good for your gastrointestinal health.

“Researchers at MIT have shown that Lactobacillus reuteri (found in fermentation) can stimulate and boost the immune system, reduce the development of breast and colon tumors, speed up healing of skin wounds, and even stimulate the brain to release the social hormone oxytocin,” Li explained.

And that’s just your regular sourdough. If you search out whole grain, you’re getting a super bread that not only tastes great but is great for you.

“If the traditional sourdough method is used and it’s made with whole grains, sourdough bread provides the nutrition of whole grains plus the benefits of fermentation, which lowers the bread pH,” Mowrer said. “This means more vitamins and minerals are absorbed. Plus, it has a lower glycemic index, so there is less of a blood sugar spike.”

Source: HuffingtonPost

🍎 Health Hack: Energy Drinks & Your Heart

Watch What You’re Drinking

Here’s more evidence for why you should limit your consumption of caffeinated energy drinks, especially if you have elevated cardiovascular risk: Drinking large volumes of them not only raises blood pressure but can also prolong the heart’s QT interval, a measure of electrical activity that’s linked to dangerous arrhythmias that can lead to sudden death, according to a recent study.

Source: BerkeleyWellness

 

🍎 Health Hack ~ The Way to a Healthier You

Health Benefits from Exercise

Millions of Americans simply aren’t moving enough to meet the minimum threshold for good health — that is, burning at least 700 to 1,000 calories a week through physical pursuits. The benefits of exercise may sound too good to be true, but decades of solid science confirm that exercise improves health and can extend your life. Adding as little as half an hour of moderately intense physical activity to your day can help you avoid a host of serious ailments, including heart disease, diabetes, depression, and several types of cancer, particularly breast and colon cancers. Regular exercise can also help you sleep better, reduce stress, control your weight, brighten your mood, sharpen your mental functioning, and improve your sex life.

Harvard Health

🍎 Health Hack: Cut the Risk of Heart Attack

If you exercise regularly, your overall risk of a heart attack is about half that of people who are sedentary and out of shape. Regular exercise reduces risk of death from all causes, including heart disease and cancer. With routine exercise, you may reach a level of physical fitness comparable to an inactive person 10 to 20 years younger.

How exercise promotes longevity

Regular exercise may help you live longer by:

• Increasing the size of your coronary arteries and reducing atherosclerosis

• Decreasing the level of cholesterol in your blood

• Lowering blood pressure slightly

• Helping to control weight

Source: 8 Ways to Lower Your Risk of Heart Attack or Stroke, 2002, p15. 3p

🍎 Health Hack: Know What to Eat Before a Workout?

Gym bag packed, water bottle ready, both shoes found (score!) … When it comes to working out, eating before you go can keep your blood sugar steady. . . .  Nutrition tip: Mix protein, healthy fats and a bit of good carbs. And sure, throw in some healthy desserts after (you’ve earned it!). Here are our top picks for what to eat right before a workout.

1. Whole grain toast, peanut or almond butter and banana slices

2. Chicken thighs, rice and steamed vegetables

3. Oatmeal, protein powder and blueberries

4. Scrambled eggs, veggies and avocado 

5.  Protein smoothie 

Source

🍎 Health Hack ~ 1st Step to Losing a Few Pounds

The easiest way to lose weight and improve your health? Ditch the white stuff! Most white foods (bread, rice, pasta, sugar, flour) are primarily made up of refined carbs and empty calories, so cutting them out of your diet is one of the quickest ways to shed pounds and improve your well-being, Dr. Oz says. There are a few exceptions to the rule, including egg whites, cauliflower, and fish, he says. Those are the only white foods you should have on hand.

Source: Shape.com

🍎 Health Hack: Get A Flu Shot – Amazing Benefits

Individuals who get an annual flu shot have half the risk of having a heart attack or dying of heart disease. The best time to get a flu shot is between September and the end of November, which should protect you for the entire flu season.

Heart attacks are more common in the winter, and this rise could be due to an increase in cases of the flu. People may be more likely to have ruptures in plaques in their arteries when they have a respiratory infection.

Source: Heart Attack Prevention. 2015, p34-45. 12p.

🍎 Health Hack: Burn Away the Tension

Burn off tension. Exercise is a crucial component of stress management, because physical activity can actually reduce cortisol levels. But you will find excuses to avoid workouts if you dread them. Finding an activity you love — your “soulmate workout,” as Dr. Stanford calls it — can help you maintain the regular physical activity you need in order to dissolve daily stress. For some people it might be yoga, for others, high-intensity exercise — or a combination of the two.

Source

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