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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Nutrition and Stress

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The Foods You Eat Can Help You Manage Stress

Too rushed or stressed to eat well? Think again!! Good nutrition is an important stress management tool. When our bodies are poorly fed, stress takes an even greater toll on our health. Nutrition and stress are interlinked. Here are some tips to eat well for academic success:

    1. Eat regularly. Your brain needs glucose to work at its best. Eating regularly throughout the day helps keep your blood glucose stable. Studies have shown that more stable blood sugar levels are associated with better academic performance.
    2. Get your healthy fats. Omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts, flax seed and fish oil are associated with brain function. Deficiencies of this fatty acid can result in depression and/or anxiety.
    3. Eat your veggies. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals like copper, zinc, manganese, and vitamins A, E and C. Leafy greens are especially good for you. These vitamins and minerals work to neutralize harmful molecules produced when your body is under stress.
    4. Add high-fiber foods. High fiber intake has been associated with greater alertness and decreased perceived stress. So add fiber-rich foods like oatmeal, nuts, beans, fruits and vegetables to your diet.
    5. Trade caffeine for more sleep. Caffeine leads to increased blood pressure and may make you anxious, especially if you are already prone to anxiety. While consuming caffeine may seem to help you concentrate better, some studies show that caffeine only restores what is lost through lack of sleep. Instead of turning to caffeine, try the natural grade booster – sleep!  
    6. Stock up on healthy snacks. If you know that a stressful or busy time is approaching, prepare by stocking up on quick, healthy snacks. Healthy snacks are high in protein and/or fiber. Some examples are granola, almonds, peanuts, carrots with hummus or yogurt with fresh fruit.

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ When & What You Eat Can Help Protect Your Skin from Sun Damage

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Regularly Eating Breakfast Turns on Your Skin Clock

Diet is an often-overlooked part of how we adapt to our external environments throughout the seasons. The first meal of the day can prep and protect your healthy summer glow.

Why eating these ingredients in the daytime is important

Turns out we have a “skin clock,” says Joseph S. Takahashi, PhD, chairman of neuroscience at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute. In his 2017 studyTrusted Source, Takahashi and his team found that an enzyme that repairs UV-damaged skin has a daily cycle of production that can be altered by eating food at unusual times.

“It is likely that if you have a normal eating schedule, then you will be better protected from UV during the daytime. If you have an abnormal eating schedule, that could cause a harmful shift in your skin clock,” he said in a press release.

So rather than a midnight snack, try incorporating these skin-loving foods into your smoothies to add a little extra sun protection into your diet:

        1. Blueberries
        2. Watermelon
        3. Nuts and seeds
        4. Carrots and leafy greens
        5. Green tea
        6. Cauliflower

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Why Is Folic Acid Important?

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Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9) Is Important for Health

Folate (vitamin B-9) is important in red blood cell formation and for healthy cell growth and function. The nutrient is crucial during early pregnancy to reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spine. A diet lacking foods rich in folate or folic acid can lead to a folate deficiency. Folate deficiency can also occur in people who have conditions, such as celiac disease, that prevent the small intestine from absorbing nutrients from foods (malabsorption syndromes).

Folate is found mainly in dark green leafy vegetables, beans, peas and nuts.Fruits rich in folate include oranges, lemons, bananas, melons and strawberries. The synthetic form of folate is folic acid. It’s in an essential component of prenatal vitamins and is in many fortified foods such as cereals and pastas.

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ What is the Best Tea for Overall Health?

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Best Tea for Overall Health: Green Tea

When it comes to tea, green tea gets the gold. “Green tea is the champ when it comes to offering health benefits,” says dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD. “It’s the Swiss Army knife of teas. It covers a lot of territory.”

A medical literature review offers a snapshot of those benefits, linking the consumption of green tea to:

  • Cancer prevention.
  • Fighting heart disease.
  • Lower blood pressure.
  • Anti-inflammatory treatment.
  • Weight loss.
  • Lower cholesterol.

The healing power of green tea is linked to catechin, an antioxidant compound found in tea leaves. It helps protect your cells from damage caused by out-of-hand free radicals reacting with other molecules in your body.

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Positive Words are a Health Benefit

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The Words You Use Can Affect Your Health

Seeing a list of negative words for a few seconds will make a highly anxious or depressed person feel worse, and the more you ruminate on them, the more you can actually damage key structures that regulate your memory, feelings, and emotions. You’ll disrupt your sleep, your appetite, and your ability to experience long-term happiness and satisfaction. . . . Choose your words wisely and speak them slowly. This will allow you to interrupt the brain’s propensity to be negative, and, as recent research has shown, the mere repetition of positive words like love, peace, and compassion will turn on specific genes that lower your physical and emotional stress.  You’ll feel better, live longer, and build deeper and more trusting relationships with others, at home and at work.

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Is Watermelon Rind Nutritious?

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Wondered if the Watermelon Rind was Eatible?

It sure it. And, it has beneficial nutrients. Watermelon rinds have an amino acid called citrulline. It can help get rid of nitrogen in your blood and can also help ease pain if you have sore muscles. In fact, the rind has more citrulline than the juicy flesh. If you’re not keen on eating the rind raw, there are other ways to prepare and eat it. You can pickle it, juice it, or stir fry it like a vegetable.

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If you plan to munch on a watermelon rind, make sure you wash it thoroughly. I wash my watermelons before I slice them. If you don’t wash them first, your knife could carry bacteria from the watermelon’s surface to area the knife passes through.

 

🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Strawberries are a Nutritional Powerhouse

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Nutritional Benefits of Strawberries

The heart-shaped silhouette of the strawberry is the first clue that this fruit is good for you. These potent little packages protect your heart, increase HDL (good) cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, and guard against cancer. Packed with vitamins, fiber, and particularly high levels of antioxidants known as polyphenols, strawberries are a sodium-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie food. They are among the top 20 fruits in antioxidant capacity and are a good source of manganese and potassium. Just one serving — about eight strawberries — provides more vitamin C than an orange. . . .Choose medium-sized berries that are firm, plump, and deep red; once picked, they don’t ripen further. 

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ 3 Ways to Make a Baked Potato a Healthy Choice for Dinner

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Amping up Your Baked Potato

Vegetarian Chili – Packed with fiber and protein, vegetarian chili on a baked potato can make for a satisfying meal. Make your own from fresh ingredients rather than using canned chili for the healthiest result. Much healthier than beef, 1 cup of kidney beans provides over 13 grams of protein as well as over 13 grams of fiber. The tomato, pepper and onions, and any other veggies you decide to add, will supply abundant phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals for minimal calories.

Mexican-Style – Black beans, salsa and guacamole are delicious as well as nutritious toppings for a baked potato. Black beans are loaded with antioxidants, fiber and protein. Salsa is low in calories and high in antioxidants. Guacamole supplies heart-healthy fats along with fiber, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin and beta-carotene. Consuming high-fiber foods may help reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Antioxidants help prevent free radical damage that can lead to cancer and other diseases.

Hummus – Not just for dipping carrots and crackers, hummus can make a flavorful dressing for a baked potato. You can quickly and easily make hummus in a food processor with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and spices, or you can purchase it pre-made at the store — but look out for extra fat and sodium in store-bought hummus. Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein and fiber, while the tahini — sesame seed paste — offers healthful fats. Spoon a few dollops on your potato in place of sour cream.

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Kissing Has Substantial Health Benefits

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Kissing Is Good for Your Health

  1. Turns out that kissing — even your family and friends — has loads of mental and physical benefits that make getting your smooch on totally worth it. Here’s what the science says.
  2. Kissing boosts your happy hormones – Kissing triggers your brain to release a cocktail of chemicals that leave you feeling oh so good by igniting the pleasure centers of the brain.
  3. Kissing helps you bond with the other person – Oxytocin is a chemical linked to pair bonding. The rush of oxytocin released when you kiss causes feelings of affection and attachment.
  4. Kissing can reduce your cortisol levels — potentially improving your feelings of self-worth.
  5. Kissing relieves stress – kissing also lowers cortisol levels and stress. Kissing and other affectionate communication, like hugging and saying “I love you,” impacts the physiological processes related to stress management.
  6. Kissing can improve your immune system – Swapping spit can boost your immunity by exposing you to new germs that strengthen your immune system. One 2014 study found that couples that kiss frequently share the same microbiota in their saliva and on their tongues.
  7. Kissing, regardless of whom you’re kissing, can have a positive impact on your emotional and physical wellbeing.
  8. Kissing makes both parties feel good about themselves and can help strengthen relationships of all kinds, so kiss and kiss often. It’s good for you!

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🍎 Today’s Health Tip ~ Air Pollution, Exercise, and Staying Healthy

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To stay as healthy as possible while you exercise, focus on ways to minimize your exposure to air pollution. You can limit the effects of air pollution when you exercise in many ways, including:

  • Timing your workouts carefully. Avoid outdoor physical activity or reduce the intensity and duration of your outdoor exercise when an air quality alert has been issued. Air pollution levels tend to be highest near midday or in the afternoon, so try to avoid outdoor exercise during these times of the day.Exercising during rush hour can expose you to higher amounts of pollution. If you can, avoid exercising near roadways where there is heavy traffic.

  • Avoiding high-pollution areas. Pollution levels are likely to be highest within 1/4 mile (400 meters) of a road. Urban environments and outdoor smoking areas also have higher pollution levels. If possible, avoid these kinds of areas when exercising.

  • Exercising indoors. Vary your routine with occasional indoor activities, especially on poor air quality days. Take a fitness class, check out a local gym or run laps on an indoor track.

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