🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Is Pumpernickel Break a Healthy Choice?

Pumpernickel Bread is Gut Friendly

Pumpernickel is a traditional German bread with a heavy texture and distinctive flavour. Made from wholegrain rye flour, pumpernickel is packed with stress busting B vitamins, plant compounds called lignans, as well as fibre. Traditionally made from a sourdough starter and a coarse wholegrain rye flour, pumpernickel is rich in resistant starch which supports gut health and lowers the bread’s glycaemic index. Check labels, because many commercial varieties include wheat flour, molasses and yeast.

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~Making a Healthier Pasta

How can I make pasta healthier?

Recent research found that cooking pasta and then cooling it changes its carbohydrate structure, and increases a type of starch called ‘resistant starch’. This starch is resistant to our digestive enzymes, which are responsible for breaking them down to release glucose – this normally causes an increase in blood sugar.  Dr Denise Robertson, from the University of Surrey says that cooked-then-cooled pasta acts more like fibre in the body. This creates a smaller glucose spike (resulting in better blood sugar control), helps to feed the good bacteria in the gut and also means you absorb fewer calories from the same quantity of pasta. When the leftover pasta in the study was reheated it became even richer in resistant starch, reducing the rise in blood glucose by an impressive 50%.

Is pasta safe for everyone?

When eaten in moderation, pasta may be enjoyed as part of a varied, balanced diet. However, pasta is made from wheat and therefore contains gluten, this means if you have coeliac disease or non-coeliac gluten intolerance you should avoid regular pasta and look for products which are specifically labelled ‘gluten free’. Such products are typically made from brown rice, chickpea, green pea or buckwheat flour.

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Need an Energy Boost? Try Sunflower Seeds

Studies link the consumption of sunflower seeds to a number of health benefits, including lowering your risk of developing diseases like high blood pressure or heart disease. They also contain nutrients that can support your immune system and boost your energy levels. .. . Sunflower seeds contain vitamin E, flavonoids, and other plant compounds that can reduce inflammation.Sunflower seeds are a source of many vitamins and minerals that can support your immune system and increase your ability to fight off viruses. These include both zinc and selenium. While the high levels of protein in sunflower seeds already help boost your energy levels, other nutrients like vitamin B and selenium can help keep you energized. 

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Eating Papayas May Help You to Live Longer

Papaya is a tropical fruit that provides antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that contribute to a longer, healthier life. It is one of the best fruits to eat on a regular basis. Its vitamin A, C, and E content help manage inflammation, as well as an enzyme it contains called papain. Papain has been known to help aid in digestion and has been used medicinally to help relieve constipation and bloating. Papayas also contain beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant known to have many health benefits. One study.  . .  found that beta-carotene-rich diets may help men prevent prostate cancer. Papayas are also rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin K, and choline. These nutrients and vitamins give papaya its power in helping to lower inflammation, aid in managing diabetes, helping to reduce cancer risk and risk of heart disease, and helping to fight age-related macular degeneration.

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ What Foods Help Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with invasive breast cancer affecting 1 in every 8 women in the United States during their lifetime. DNA damage and genetic mutations may cause this disease. Inheriting certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, can likewise increase your risk, as can having obesity. Lifestyle also plays a critical role, with research linking heavy drinking, smoking, estrogen exposure, and certain dietary patterns — including Western diets high in processed foods — to an increased risk of breast cancer.Notably, studies associate other eating patterns like the Mediterranean diet with a reduced risk of breast cancer. Moreover, specific foods may even protect against this illness.

Here are foods to eat to help reduce your risk of breast cancer

Leafy greens, citrus fruits, fatty fish berries, fermented foods, allium veggies (such as garlic, onions, and leeks), peaches, apples and pears, beans, cruciferous veggies.

 

🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Grapes are a Healthy Snack

Nutritional Benefits of Grapes

Grapes are a rich source of copper and vitamin K. Copper is an essential mineral involved in energy production, while vitamin K is vital for blood clotting and healthy bones. Grapes also provide good amounts of B vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, and B6. Both thiamine and riboflavin are needed for growth and development, while B6 is mainly required for protein metabolism. Compounds in grapes may protect against heart disease by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Grapes are rich in antioxidants, which are beneficial plant compounds that may protect against chronic health conditions. Resveratrol, which is found in grapes, has been shown to activate genes associated with slower signs of aging and longer lifespan.

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~Losing Hair? These Foods Can Help

Hair growth is contingent upon getting an adequate total caloric intake. Prolonged dieting, especially in conjunction with insufficient protein consumption, causes the body to shut down hair cell turnover. There are several other nutrients vital for keeping hair follicles healthy and stimulating new hair growth, such as biotin, zinc, vitamin C, and selenium. If you’ve been anxiously noticing a thinning of your hair, or are eager to stave off a receding hairline, incorporate the following foods that can prevent hair loss into your diet.

Spinach – eggs – soybeans (tofu, tempeh, edamame) – pumpkin – avocado – fatty fish (salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel) – walnuts – red peppers – seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, chia) – beets and beet greens – chicken breast – oysters – gensing.

 

 

🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Don’t Let Stress Get You Down

Manage Your Stress

Stress is a known trigger for many illnesses from migraines to heart problems. Find ways to relieve stress, whether it’s watching a funny movie, painting, going for long walks, working in the garden, listening to music, or soaking in a bubble bath. 

Another effective way to get out negative thoughts is to talk to your friends and family members. Sharing how you feel with people you trust can provide immediate stress relief and help you let go of tension.

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ The Weather is Heating Up – Stay Hydrated

It’s summer in south Texas. The temperatures are stuck in the mid 90’s and flirting with going over 100 (32 – 38 C). It’s important to stay hydrated. 

Stay Hydrated

Remember to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Your body is made up of 80% water, and water is necessary for regular bowel function, optimal muscle performance, and immune and skin health. Not drinking enough water can cause dehydration, fatigue, headache, dry skin, and weakened immunity.

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Fight Inflammation with the Right Foods

Doctors are learning that one of the best ways to reduce inflammation lies not in the medicine cabinet, but in the refrigerator.  By following an anti-inflammatory diet you can fight off inflammation for good. . . . One of the most powerful tools to combat inflammation comes not from the pharmacy, but from the grocery store. “Many experimental studies have shown that components of foods or beverages may have anti-inflammatory effects,” says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Anti-inflammatory Foods

  • Tomatoes
  • Olive Oil
  • Green leafy veggies like spinach, kale, and collards
  • Nuts like walnuts and almonds
  • Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines
  • Fruits like strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges

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