Tag Archives: #healthandwellness

Organic Aroma Essential Oil Diffusers: Healthy and Beautiful!

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As someone who lives as healthy a lifestyle as possible….but also tends to burn the candle at both ends between working, momming, blogging, and trying to actually spend quality time with my husband, relaxation is super important to me. Even finding 10 minutes to meditate early in the morning with my essential oils while everyone is still snoozing (because I can’t run at 9.5 months pregnant), but before I get ready for work is huge for me, and it helps to keep me in check all day.

I was approached by the folks at Organic Aromas to try out their product, and I am always pretty hesitant with new products claiming to be healthy, as many “healthy” products on the market aren’t usually all they claim to be, but I kept and open mind, and am so glad I did! Organic Aroma essential oil diffusers are nebulizing oil diffusers; they use no candles, no open flames, and no water. I really don’t have open flames in my house at all (mostly because I have a toddler running around), but I also don’t like the idea of breathing in fumes of any sort, for me, my kids, my husband, or my pooches. IMG_3192

So how does it work?

On a very basic level, pressurized air from the base of the product, using air current and pressure from a smaller glass tube filters into the larger glass reservoir, from the solid wood base, and out the top of the diffuser. The essential oils are atomized (nebulized) and come out of the top of the diffuser in a light mist in their pure form. On the wooden base of the diffuser, there is a knob to diffuse the oils higher or lower, based on your personal preference, however I find that diffusing on the lower end is perfect for my personal use because the oils are use din a concentrated form.

Why is this beneficial?

Using these diffusers is a cleaner way to aerate your essential oils. There is no dilution of your essential oils (they are pure) and not heated to change the chemical composition, and there is no contact with any plastics that could emit other fumes or change the oils in any way. You are getting air with lightly diffused essential oils, and you can decide if you want the scent lighter or heavier, but either way, it is a cleaner way to utilize essential oils. Some people argue the benefits of essential oils, I am not looking to argue, I believe in their use and benefits, and using them in their purest form is the best way to utilize them.

Added benefits?

The diffuser is super easy to clean, and it is gorgeous. I love the addition of my diffuser to any room I put it in. It usually stays in the living room, but on those unicorn days (when I have time to take a real life bath and truly relax) I bring it in to the bathroom and I use my Eucalyptus oil and I feel like I am in the spa…and I pretend that I don’t hear anyone asking for mommy or practicing their knocking on the bathroom door (at least for a few moments!) Diffuser

I love the morning bloom blend of oils from Organic Aromas, is my morning go to for meditation. It is a mix of sweet orange, Ylang Ylang, Egyptian Geranium, Jasmine, Elemi, and Palmarosa, and it helps to jump start my day.  I feel mentally prepared and ready to attack my day and the challenges ahead after my meditation, and the morning bloom has been a much loves addition! Of course, you can always use your own mixes and favorite essential oils, but you do want to make sure that they are pure and organic. After all, you are using the cleanest way to nebulize your essential oils, so you should use the cleanest and purest oils that you can.

If you are looking for ways to be healthier at home, or add the use of essential oils to your home life, I really encourage you to check out these great products at Organic Aromas, and start to see the life changing benefits of pure essential oils!

Yours in Good Health,

B

Smoothies to start your day in 2015

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There is no doubt that starting your day by doing something healthy for your body, not only makes you feel good, but it leads to you making healthy choices throughout the day. One of the best ways to start your day on a healthy note is to drink your morning meal in the form of a smoothie. They are also great for an afternoon pick-me-up snack, or sometimes, as an alternative for a calorie-heavy dessert because there are so many different “recipes” to make your smoothies that meet your dietary needs. If you are someone that normally buys your food instead of making it, there are smoothie places all over the place, but make sure that they aren’t adding calorie heavy ingredients to your smoothies (like ice cream!), and you may want to invest in a blender and make your own so you know what is going into them and you can experiment with your recipes, and save yourself some money along the way. You can cater your smoothies to your dietary needs: high protein, Omega-3 supportive, heavy on fruits, a green veggie power pack, or whatever else you might want to add in. Here are some options for smoothies for specific dietary needs, but feel free to mix and match, to make it the consistency you want (adding ice might make it colder and thinner versus adding fat free yogurt can help to thicken it up), and taste the way you want (adding agave can add a low glycemic index bit of sweetness). Also, remember that if you live in an area where fresh fruits and veggies aren’t readily available all year round, as I do, the best option is to buy fresh frozen fruits and veggies as they are usually flash frozen and still full of vitamins and nutrients that canned or less than optimal fruits and veggies won’t have.

 

The top 10 trends to optimize your smoothies:

  1. A focus on nutrition, instead of calories (i.e. higher calorie smoothies with avocados, nut butter, yogurt are OK as long as we are using them as a meal replacement)
  2. Packing smoothies with various veggies (think: spinach and kale)
  3. Chia seeds should be an for protein
  4. Oatmeal addition for fiber, flavor, and antioxidants
  5. Nut butters as protein boosters
  6. Maximizing antioxidant ingestion through a mix of veggies and fruits
  7. Keeping a mix of fiber, fat (the good kind!), and protein in each smoothie
  8. Flaxseed should be a staple addition for fiber, antioxidants, and Omega-3 additions.
  9. A little agave or honey can sweeten your smoothie with health benefits and they will be easy on your waistline
  10. Don’t be afraid to be creative to meet your taste AND nutrition needs!!

A few of my favorite smoothies are below, to give you some to try, and you can always get fancy and make additions.

For a Protein Boost:

Nut Butter, Oat, and Banana:

1 ½ cup Milk

¼ cup peanut butter (or almond, cashew- whichever you choose)

1 banana

2 teaspoons rolled oats

*1 teaspoon honey (optional for added sweetness)

*1 teaspoon chia seeds (for added protein)

Add all ingredients to a blender, add water or milk to change the consistency, and you have a power packed protein punch!

Citrus and Blackberry Protein Smoothie:

1 cup blackberries

1 banana

1 orange (peeled)

¾ cup Greek yogurt (I use 0% Fage because I think it has the nest consistency)

Put all of the ingredients in a blender, and you can add some orange juice or more yogurt to change the consistency to your liking. This is a great morning smoothie and a way to get protein without a nut source if you have allergies or just don’t wanted the added fats!

Get Your Daily Fruit Fix:

**To add a bit of extra Vitamin C and some protein, a good base is 200ml of Orange Juice and milk (whichever type of milk you prefer- soy, cow, almond, etc.) and then start to add your fruits and fiber on top of it!

Mango Berry Mix:

Create the base (from above)

Add mango pieces (1/4 mango)

4 strawberries

1/4 cup blueberries

2 teaspoons ground flaxseed

4 teaspoons oatmeal

Blend until smooth and drink up the fruity and fiber filled blend!!smoothie 2015

Antioxidant Mix:

¼ cup pitted sweet cherries (frozen are easiest)

¼ cup strawberries

¼ cup raspberries

¼ cup blueberries

1 cup pomegranate juice

Blend them all together, and you can add water or more pomegranate juice to adjust the thickness, to get an antioxidant packed start to your day…or to make the most of your afternoon snack as a yummy pick-me-up!

Add Veggies to Your Daily Routine:

Green Power:

1 granny smith apple cored and sliced (leave the peel on)

1 ½ cup green grapes (you can go with red, but it makes the color a little funky)

½ cup apple juice

1 cup baby spinach or baby kale (packed tightly)

½ cucumber

Throw all ingredients into a blender, adding more apple juice for a thinner consistency, and drink your veggies down.

Carrot Cucumber Smoothie:

1 cup carrots (I use baby carrots….but if you don’t have a Vitamix or a Ninja, you may want to opt to use carrot juice to save your blender from over working it’s blades and motor!)

1 cucumber

1 cup apple juice

Mix them all up until smooth, adjusting the consistency with apple juice, water, or carrot juice and get your days servings of veggies all in one delicious drink!

Added tip: Think about adding some flax seed or chia seeds to any recipe to add Omega-3’s for heart health, and you can also think about adding a scoop of protein powder (think: whey) to any of the smoothies to add protein, especially if you have had a hard workout to help and support muscle re-growth.

From start to finish, making a smoothie, to cleaning up your blender, is about a 15-minute process that can add loads of nutrition to your diet, in a simple and delicious way. Whether you are trying to stick to a healthier diet, looking to lose weight, or support a healthy pregnancy, smoothies are the best way to add a power boost of nutrition that is filling and satisfying. Start adding a smoothie into your daily routine, and omit a high calorie snack or meal (like breakfast), and start to feel the healthy difference!

Yours in Good Health

B

Happy New Year! What’s Your Resolution?

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I love the excitement that surrounds the holiday season and culminates with New Years Eve! Granted, I am not a particular fan of going out on the town to celebrate New Years Eve because there tends to be a little too much excitement on some people’s behalves, prices are twice what they normally are, and it is either the most amazing night, or you set your expectations too high, and the night is ruined by something silly (or someone crying.) I’d rather wage my bets and be with loved ones and close friends, which may go hand in hand with my decision to not make resolutions for the New Year.new-years1

It’s not that I think I am someone who is above reflecting upon that last 12 months and finding ways to improve myself, or my life in some way, we can all find ways to make positive changes, but that is more of a process that I do a few times a year, on dates that are important to me (a few random dates that would mean nothing to anyone else annually and my birthday.) I think it is great when people feel the excitement that comes with ending one year and beginning another, and with that fervor comes the decisions to make some changes that are deemed resolutions that they will keep up all year…and usually fade away a couple of months later.

Some of the most common New Years resolutions that I hear year after year:

 “I will go to the gym every day.”

No, you won’t. It’s actually not healthy for you to train 7 days a week; you will actually over train, your body will need a break, and you will take that break, feel guilty about it, and by the end of February and beginning of March your resolution is caput. A lot of people tend to stay away from the gym when they feel guilty, instead of getting back on the horse and getting to the gym, stay away from the gym. Don’t be that person, set a more realistic resolution, like getting to the gym 3-4 times a week or try to get 20 minutes of exercise a day 5 days a week, which can include walking a couple of miles, doing yoga at home, walking stairs, really any type of exercise that you don’t have to go to a gym to do; you won’t always have the time to get to a gym, it’s a fact of life. Set a realistic goal that you actually know you can attain, and you will get in shape and feel better about yourself.

 

“I am going to only eat healthy foods. No more snacks and unhealthy food.”

This is a great resolution, but it is really tough to maintain. People start off awesome with this one: preparing healthy snacks and lunches for work, the night before, they feel good about being healthy and make time for it, then as there is a deadline or need to work late, or the winter blues get you down, you don’t have the energy at night one night to stay up and prep those meals, and there goes the healthy cycle. For women, there is that monthly draw to sweet or salty foods as part of our hormonal flux, which is unfortunate, but VERY real. And, it is OK to indulge in sweets every now and again. Because if you deprive yourself of those snacks that you crave, instead of just allowing a small indulgence every now and again, you end up craving more and more and you tend to over indulge. Eating healthy is an awesome goal, and I think that more people should make it a habit/goal, but set your sights to something realistic, which allows you small cheat meals every now and again. Even the people you see in Men’s/Women’s Health magazine allow themselves a cheat day, and sometimes you can trick yourself with fruits and veggies to curb your sweet tooth; just plan ahead and know that you will want a sweet or salty nosh at some point, so plan to make some baked sweet potato “fries” with some sea salt to satisfy your salt craving, or have fresh fruit already cut up to kill off your sweet tooth…and have some chocolate on hand just in case of emergencies! When you eat healthy, you tend to feel better about yourself, so while I fully support this resolution, don’t just say it, do it!

 

“I am going to get more organized.”

Some people are inherently organized, some people aren’t. This is something that a quick stop to the Container Store and $500 won’t fix. This is a true lifestyle change that takes time and effort. I applaud all of you who want to get organized: having an organized brain and home is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle and it helps you stay on track with every other goal you set for yourself. Part of getting organized can be prepping healthy meals for you and your family, making a schedule to get to the gym, or de-cluttering your home. Setting a resolution with lots of opportunities gives you more opportunities to succeed!

Set yourself up to succeed in the New Year, don’t set yourself up to fail! If you hit your goals and keep going, you will only feel better and better about yourself and keep moving forward. So, Cheers to 2015 and the year of setting goals and creating resolutions that we can actually attain towards a healthy lifestyle!

Yours in Good Health

B

Healthier Holiday Meals: Trim the Fat to Stay on Point this Holiday Season!

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Usually during the holiday seasons we are bombarded with candy, baked goods, holiday parties laden with fattening comfort foods, and combined with cold weather that makes most people less active, we are in a dieter’s nightmare. Come January 1st everyone is looking to get back on their healthy tracks and get back into shape and work off all of those indulgent foods, but what if we never fell into the Holiday food trap? There are ways to make those comfort foods that you love, but just make them healthier and equally as good (if not tastier!). Get the scoop and the fixes here on Amerikanki.com

Yours in Good Health

B

Organic Veg

Tick Repellents for Humans and Dogs: Made at Home!

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After writing about Lyme Disease and the transmission, I thought that I should also share some alternative tick repellents that you can make at home that are chemical free, as opposed to those that are costly, based off of chemicals, and can be ruin your clothes….and get all over the house (especially with pets!!) Here are a few tick repellents that you can make at home, and these primarily are for ticks and may/may not prevent against fleas and mosquitos, but so worth the few minutes it will take you to make them to ward off nasty ticks! These can be used on their own (a few drops between your dogs shoulder blades and at the base of the tail can ward off ticks for the days adventure, and a few drops around your ankles, inside your wrists, and behind your ears, will not only smell good but can prevent those nasty ticks from hopping onto you and biting your skin) OR mixed and placed in a spray bottle with 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and 1 cup of water and add about 20 drops of these oils:

1. Rose Geranium Oil: a natural tick repellent, do not use on cats, but dogs and humans can have at it!

2. Eucalyptus Oil: relaxing and refreshing, eucalyptus oil can also naturally ward off ticks and fleas.

3. Peppermint and Citrus Oils: When mixed together, it gives off a very clean but intense scent that can ward off ticks. TickRepellent

These oils mixed with the vinegar/water solution can be sprayed on hair, clothes, and skin, of humans (adults and children alike) to repel ticks and can be reapplied liberally.  You can also spray on your dogs, I would check with a vet before using any of these on pregnant animals (I am obviously an animal lover but it’s not my area of expertise!) The oil and essential oils cut the vinegar smell for us, but the ticks can still smell it and they will be repelled. You can also add the essential oils just to an oil base (almond or olive oil) but there is a risk that you can ruin clothes, so stick to just spraying your hair and skin (and beware of nut allergies with children- so if you use on your animals, make sure to warn people before letting their children pet your animals!)

Give it a try, it is way better than putting chemicals all over your family, and furry family members too!

Yours in Good Health

B

Lyme Disease: What you need to know

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Lyme disease is a bacteria infection, Borrelia burgdorferi, which commonly spread through bites from tiny ticks, most commonly the deer tick in North America and Europe, as the deer ticks.  Living in areas with lots of tall grasses and woods puts you at high risk, even if those areas are by the ocean; many times people feel like ticks cannot live near the ocean…but they can, so you need to be careful even in tall marsh grasses. If caught early enough, lyme disease symptoms can be reversible, but it’s all about knowing the signs and symptoms, prevention, and early treatment that are key.

What are the signs of Lyme Disease?

Just like any other disease, unfortunately, sometimes the initial symptoms are completely silent, meaning many people don’t know they have been infected with the bacteria for a while. Immediately after a tick bite, you can see a red bump where you were bitten, and sometimes, over the next few days, redness spreads to look like a bull’s eye, but the deer tick usually needs to be attacked for 36-48 hours to spread Lyme Disease. When I was 21, I had a tick bite that was the classic bulls eye…and that was the only reason I went in for treatment! A few days after the bite and the infection starts to spread, you may feel some flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, body aches) that can go away.

a tick embedded with classic bulls eye rash

a tick embedded with classic bulls eye rash

Later on in the disease, you can get joint pain and swelling, without any other symptoms. Or, you can start to have some neurological symptoms such as numbness or weakness in  your arms and/or legs, a temporary paralysis of one side of your face (known as Bell’s palsy- which can be mistaken for a stroke.) You might also notice that you have extreme fatigue, a fast and/or irregular heart rate, redness/inflammation of your eyes, and you may be told that you liver enzymes are elevated from a hepatitis syndrome.

If you live in a heavily wooded area or around high grasses, and have any of these symptoms, even if they come and go, you should be seen by a Healthcare Practitioner (HCP.)

What is the treatment?

The good news is that Lyme disease is very easily treated, IF caught early, and usually a 14-21 day course of antibiotics can kill off the lyme bacteria and reverse all symptoms. Usually doxycycline or amoxicillin are used as the first line antibiotics; they are cheap and tolerated by most people when taken on a full stomach, however the doxycycline can cause pretty severe reactions in the sun, so stay out of the sun as much as possible during treatment! If you do not respond to oral drugs, you may have to go on a course of intravenous (IV) infusion drugs to get higher levels of antibiotics available to kill off the bacteria. IV antibiotics can be much more difficult to tolerate, as the side effects are stronger, and you have to be under the supervision of an HCP during treatment to ensure that your blood levels are stable.

There is alternative IV treatment with a drug called bismacine, however it is not supported by the FDA and can cause bismuth poisoning, as it has high levels of metals present which can cause liver and kidney dysfunction.

How do I prevent tick bites?

1. Wear long sleeves and long pants when in heavily wooded areas: I know, just what you want to do in the summer, but it prevents those ticks from latching onto your skin and biting you!

2. Insect repellent: yes, some people have issues with using chemicals (check out some alternative to chemical repellents!!)  however, they can be effective! Repellents with at least 20% DEET should be applied, according to directions, to adults and children alike (avoiding hands, face, and mouth!)

3. Check yourself and your children/animals regularly: When outside a lot, children and animals can play anywhere…and so can ticks, so make sure to check them and remove ticks with tweezers, right behind the head, and firmly pull off the skin, making sure that you have removed the entire tick, and then destroy it. (Sorry, I don’t mean to be harsh, but if it’s a ticks life over mine or my dogs, sorry tick!)

If you are worried you or a family member have been exposed, it is best to go get checked out and while the blood tests for Lyme are not always reliable, it is better to be treated early than to wait until you may have more exaggerated symptoms. Prevention is key when it comes to Lyme so be proactive for you and your family and stop Lyme Disease before to even starts!

Yours in Good Health

B

Can You Live Off of Soup Alone?

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There are so many different soup “diets” talked about, and people make claims of losing tons of weight and maintaining the weight loss by basically only eating soup. I’ve been asked if this is healthy, and if you truly can live off of a diet like this without missing any key nutrients and vitamins.

The Scoop on Soup:

Honestly? My first thought was, no way can you hit all of your nutritional needs by eating solely soup. But then I actually started reading up on a few of these diets, the soups they suggest for all meals, and many of them suggest different soups for fast weight loss, and then maintenance. The theory is that you are getting nutrients and electrolytes from various vegetables, proteins in the form of meats, tofu, etc., along with fiber from the veggies and grains (that you can add once you get to the maintenance phase). And you are taking in fluids, so part of your daily water intake, while you are getting your nutrition from food; their theory is that soup is “one stop shopping” for nutrition in a bowl, which it can be.  But, you need to remember that just like any foods, soups can be healthy because they can be filled with vegetables and lean proteins…but they can also be really high in sodium (salt) content, have heavy fats and creams in them, and be light on vegetables.

The key to a healthy diet is getting varied vitamins and nutrients through your food, and as much as I hate to admit it, humans are creatures of habit, so if we like something (i.e. a certain food) we will tend to eat it more frequently….if you do that with this soup diet, like eating chicken soup morning for every meal, you could be missing some major parts of your diet.

Fresh ramen made from scratch

Fresh ramen made from scratch

You really need to make you own soups; store-bought tend to be high in sodium and fats (from butter or dairy), and if you make your own from scratch, you can control the ingredients and know exactly how healthy and fresh your ingredients are. For example, I don’t eat pre-prepared soups with meat in them, I have no idea where that meat came from, but I can pretty much guarantee that it is not antibiotic and hormone free, so in making your own soup, you will know the source of all your ingredients, which is a great feeling. We made some amazing ramen from scratch incorporating spinach, mushrooms, corn, bamboo, bean sprouts, garlic, fresh noodles, poached eggs, and non-GMO non-MSG Miso (soy paste); we hit most of our major food groups, so it was a pretty well-rounded meal, low on sodium, and literally 1/10th the fat and calories of the ramen in a package! I could eat that every day, but you need to remember to change-up your diet and the soups so that you are getting varied veggies (for different vitamins and nutrients), proteins, grains, and fruits.

It is tough to get key nutrients like calcium and vitamin D through soups, plus many of the other nutrients in the fruits and veggies can cook off when making the soups. I would get bored with eating soup three times a day (seriously, soup for breakfast too? I think putting my morning smoothie in a bowl could count as breakfast soup, right?); wouldn’t you want to just bite into a sandwich or chew on some roughage at some point? But hey, that’s just me!

If you are able to change-up your diet, learn what your nutritional needs are, meet them, and you don’t get bored, I think that it is a valid diet option for someone who might normally not eat a well-balanced, healthy diet. It is labor intensive (making soups all the time), and I would have a tough time sticking to it, but if you really love soup, and are committed to hitting all of your dietary needs by switching up your soup bases (veggies, proteins, and grains), then have at it!

Yours in Good Health

B

Already Faltering with Your New Years Resolutions?

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I’ve heard of so many people that made these really intense New Years resolutions related to health, fitness, weightless goals, etc. which I give kudos for, and I think is awesome, however some of you all have set yourselves up for failure. Now, I am never someone who will tell you not to shoot for the stars, however, I am a realist, and I want people to make attainable goals, so that you set yourself up for success. Success and feeling positive about a change, is the key to it sticking, so set some goals you can keep up in the dawn of this New Year.

New Year SkyOverzealous weight loss goals?

It’s super easy to put in your head that you can lose 3, 4, 5 lbs a week so you can hit that magic number by the time you take your winter holiday in someplace tropical and warm and you get to wear your bathing suit. The reality is that with working out, and eating a healthier diet to cut down your caloric intake to a safe and healthy level (for most women the lowest you should go is around 1500 calories per day), you should be losing around 1 lb a week for sustainable weight loss. Plus, anyone who has read my blog before knows that I am not a huge fan of people having set weight goals; I truly believe that you should set your goals based on your clothes, and shoot for looking fly in those skinny jeans, as opposed to staring at a number on a scale, which is bound to disappoint some days due to normal weight fluctuations. So don’t get bummed because of a number, feel good because you look awesome in your clothes, and they slip on just a little bit easier now!

Hardcore Workout Regimens:

Making mental commitments to working to 7 days a week, or jumping in with 4am workouts every day when you normally work out at in the evening….or not at all, can also backfire!  Although, this one can go either way; some people feel a total addiction to working out and love that endorphin rush and make a complete life change, which is great, but others can get totally overwhelmed, not get that endorphin rush, and completely give up on their goals or feel like a failure if they can’t hit that mark every day.  So set your goals based on what you actually can add into your life based on your current life schedule with work and life commitments: if you can only get to the gym 5 days a week, or you go some mornings and some afternoons, it should be considered a win! And you do need to be careful about jumping in too fast and over-training, you put yourself at risk for injury, so listen to your body!

Cleanses and other Radical Diet Changes:

People hear about “nutrition” or weight loss fads all the time and decide they are going to do it, because some random celebrity lost 10, 20, 30+ pounds adding/deleting something form their diet.  I know that you all know this is the truth: fad diets don’t work! If you want to change something about your diet to be healthier or lose weight, it needs to be a lifestyle change that you are actually able to commit to and stick with, otherwise it is completely pointless. Do you really want to cut out all sugar from your life? Or do you really want to be vegan? Do you know the implications and you can commit to that? Well then, as long as it’s been well thought out, and what you want to do, I stand behind you and will cheer you on, but don’t make changes because of some silly trend you read about.

The best New Years Resolutions for health and weight loss are those that you can actually attain, and that you feel positive about. Set goals that will make you feel good, and keep you motivated all year long, so next year you can make another goal that will lead you into an even healthier lifestyle! Lifestyle changes take time to get used to, as you are changing learned behaviors and patterns; allow yourself a few mess ups, but get right back at it, and keep positive! Plus, it helps if you have a friend or loved one that supports you and is actually making the changes with you! Plus, there is no rule that you can’t alter a resolution for which you may have set the bar too high…you will meet your goals, just stay positive and set yourself up for success: It’s a New Year, so be a New YOU too!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Go Nuts Today…and Every Other Day Too!

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For ages the adage has always been “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” but a couple of recent studies from Harvard may make us all rethink that saying! Of course, if you have a nut allergy, you can disregard all of this information…because eats nuts will certainly send you right TO the doctor and ostensibly shorten your life span altogether!

How can Nuts Improve your Overall Health?

The studies showed that nut eaters (and for these studies peanuts were considered nuts, even though they are actually legumes, and part of the bean family) who had at least a serving of nuts every day, were much less likely to die of cancer (in general), respiratory disease, and cardiac (heart) disease. And they found that over the 30+ years that the studies were being done, daily nut eaters had a 20% reduced risk of dying than those who did not eat nuts every day. This data came from, as stated earlier, an over 30 year research study assessing the nutritional and health status of over 120,000 Nurses and Physicians starting in 1980. A different study found that eating nuts actually helps to decrease the amount of Low Density Lipoproteins (LDLs) which are also known as the “bad” cholesterol, along with lowering your blood pressure and your blood pressure in response to stressful situations. Eating nuts actually helps to protect your heart by decreasing the circulating bad cholesterol, and decreasing your inflammatory response, which can cause plaques to build up and lead to heart attacks or long-term cardiac disease.

NutsNuts are High in Fat and Fat is Bad?

The studies actually found that people who tend to eat more nuts, had lower incidences of gaining weight during the study periods, because nuts are a perfect blend of protein and fiber which helps to delay absorption and makes you feel full longer. So, as long as you stick to a serving of nuts a day, and try to stick to the unsalted version, you shouldn’t see any weight gain, and the health benefits are astounding! The studies found that all nuts are beneficial, so no nut is considered better than another. So feel good about adding nuts to salads, eating them plain as a snack, putting nut butter on an English muffin/bagel for breakfast (ditch the cream cheese or butter), and try making nut crusted proteins (i.e. chicken or fish) as your main dish for dinner to super protein boost your meals!

Yours in Good Health

B

Snow Storm Safety!

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For all those, like me, who are affected by snowstorm storms during the winter, and possibly confined to their homes because of it, I just wanted to drop a reminder a few ways to keep yourself safe:

1. Make sure to get food and some water before the storm hits!  Whatever food you can eat, and plan on possibly losing power, so you may have to eat PB&Js for a couple of days, or canned goods, just make sure that you have enough food to eat and fresh water to drink.  You don’t want to have to go out during the storm (plus, stores won’t be open!)

2. Snow falling can be gorgeous, and you may want to go out for a walk in it, but please do not stray too far out heavy snowfall alone; with poor visibility, it is easy to get lost especially in poor lighting (dusk and nighttime.)

3. The same goes for your animals, off leash, they can easily get lost with poor visibility and poor lighting. If you have small creatures, like mine, they can fall below the snow line, so keeping them on leash ensures their safety. It can also be harder for you to hear them with snowfall and plows around, so you may not be able to visualize them OR hear them. snowpups

4. When shoveling, take breaks: the exercise when shoveling is a lot more exertion than people think, and it is easy to strain muscles and/or exert yourself to the point of heart attack (we see a lot of cardiac arrests during snow storm shoveling).  So please take breaks, and ask for help, or if you have a plow, do a favor for someone who might not be able to shovel themselves out. If you have the means, maybe call a company to help plow you out in heavy snow.

5. Be careful with snow blowers: they can get clogged up, sometimes requiring you to pull out rocks, branches, etc. but make sure that the motor is off and the blade has stopped spinning. There are always some pretty nasty snowblower accidents that come into the Emergency Department every snowstorm! Even though it isn’t as exerting as shoveling, take breaks! Being exhausted and operating any sort of motorized equipment is as unsafe as being under the influence of alcohol, so please be safe and take breaks as you can.

6. If you have chronic medical conditions, or are unwell, have a plan to get to medical assistance if necessary. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will be up and running, but they need to be safe getting to you, so times may be slightly delayed, and it is something to keep in mind.  If you have someone driving you to the hospital, give yourself ample time and drive slowly and safely to get there. For example, if you are pregnant and due to give birth during a predicted snowstorm: have a plan in place!

7. Please be mindful of driving bans, it’s for your own safety! if you HAVE to drive, for emergency purposes (and no that doesn’t mean you forgot extra wine) be careful and take your time.  Make sure that you have a cell phone, or a way to contact EMS or roadside assistance if you need to, but please use good common sense, you do not want to be one of the statistics.

8. Use common sense, it seems fun to go out and do crazy things in the snow, but temperatures are cold, visibility is low, snow drifts are higher than expected, and transportation can be really difficult. So, if you have to get your crazies out, bring a cell phone and a friend, and let people know what you are up to/when you are going. Especially if you have been drinking to pass the time (remember to eat and to hydrate well!)

9. General winter warning: Don’t go skating on ponds unless it is posted that it is safe to do so. Many times ponds/lakes appear more frozen than they are!

10. To stay healthy? Remember you don’t need a gym to get exercise when you get stir crazy, you can always rock out with some yoga, jumping jacks, burpees, squats, etc. there’s way to keep moving even when confined to your home.

Otherwise, enjoy the snow, have fun, and hopefully you will be able to escape your homes safely soon enough!  Remember: Helping someone out is a good feeling, so if you are fit and have the means (a plow/snow blower/shovel), help someone who might be completely snowed in and unable to get themselves out. Pay it forward and keep it safe!

Yours in Good Health

B