Tag Archives: #healthandwellness

Make Sure You are Safe to Drive Home!

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The holiday season is upon us, and that means office parties, parties with friends and family, and the opportunity to overindulge and possibly drive. If you live in a large city, it’s not really an issue, you can always leave your car for a few extra hours and catch a cab home, or public transportation (depending on the time). But if you live in the Suburbs or somewhere where the options of getting home are minimal, other than driving or staying over, many people overestimate their ability to drive, and they head on home. That isn’t very safe or smart, but for there is a smarter choice: Personalized Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) testers, also known as Breathalyzers.

I know it seems a little odd, but I recently started thinking about an acquaintance that was court ordered to have a breathalyzer attached to her ignition, so that she can’t start her car without being below the legal limit for driving. Since we have such a huge issue in the United States with drinking and driving, why isn’t that standard on all cars? If you don’t normally drink too much, it’s not an issue, and if you do, it prevents you from a possible arrest (or hurting yourself or others).

What are the options for personal Breathalyzers/BAC tests?

– If you aren’t ready to drop cash and carry around an actual breathalyzer, and if you have a smartphone, you can download an app called “DrinkTracker” which you can create profiles for up to three people (height, weight, gender, etc) that takes into account their bodies and how they might actually metabolize alcohol, you can document how many drinks you have, and at what time, and it estimates your BAC. It’s not 100% accurate, but its a pretty good trick to use on the sly, so you can figure out how many drinks you have, and how you feel….while still being under the legal limit. You can set the BAC that you want  to get to, and it gives you a timer to length of time to get to that level (in other words, when to stop drinking and when you should be able to drive home!) There are quite a few other features, to help you call a cab, and the risks of alcohol ingestion…all for only $1.99.

-If you have an iPhone, iPad, or an iPod there is also a BACtrack BT-M5 Breathalyzer Smartphone Alcohol Tester.  It is a mini Breathalyzer tester that comes with 3 mouthpieces that are reusable, and it connects via bluetooth to your iPhone (or other iProduct) to give you an accurate BAC reading. It also graphs your alcohol intake throughout the night, and estimates when you will be back to below the legal limit. Most importantly, it tells you how the BAC that you currently have effects your body (vision, motor skills, coordination, etc.) so not only might your BAC be above the legal limit, but also shows you why you shouldn’t drive. It’s small enough to be kept in a clutch or a pocket…and it keeps you safe, but it does cost around $149.99.Bactrack_btm5_img3Bactrack_btm5_img4

You can also purchase a real life breathalyzer that law enforcement would use, and have that hooked up to your car, or just carry it around when you go out, for roughly the same price as the BACtrack with smartphone compatibility. I have no interest or backing by either one of these products, I just really happen to think this is a good idea, and it gives people one more reason to think about an alternative to driving themselves when they will be drinking, and it lets you know when you’ve had too much.  It’s a great way to double check yourself, and enter into a safe holiday season!

Yours in Good Health

B

A Divorcee’s Guide to Online Dating- Bloom!

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Some tips for those new to the dating world: it is truly a whole new world with online dating.  It can be scary, fun, and you will have some of the best and worst experiences of your life!

Check out Nurse Bridgid featured on Bloom!Bloom Flower

 

Yours in Good Health

B

Get your Sprout on!

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Bean sprouts have all sorts of benefits as a source of food, and a food you can really feel good about eating! There are all sorts of sprouts too: mung, sunflower, lentil, alfalfa, etc. which are all equally healthy for you, and really should be a mainstay of your diet. I try to get them into my diet as much as possible, and eat full sprout salads a few times a week because of their amino acids, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

My favorite mix of Bean Sprouts

My favorite mix of Bean Sprouts

Why are Sprouts so good for you?

They are low in calories, around 31 calories in 1 whole cup of raw sprouted beans (one serving size), and very low in fat, almost 0.2g.  With 3.2g of protein, which is 11% of your recommended daily amount (RDA), available and around 2g of fiber (8% RDA),they have a decent potassium content (4% RDA) , while being low in sodium, and contain 22% of your RDA of Vitamin C. These sprouts are truly a dieters dream; they fill you up with their fiber content, and you stay full longer because they have protein in them to keep you satiated.

Putting a few different types of bean sprouts together in a salad is awesome because you can get such a great mix of flavors, and power packed with nutrition. They can have more crunch, if you want to eat them raw, or softer if you want to steam or cook them, and you can also mix raw and cooked together, along with adding some other veggies to mix up flavors and add even more nutrition.  My favorites? A mix of alfalfa, sunflower, garbanzos, red lentils, green lentils, radish, peas, and azuki. I love the mixture of flavors, and I eat them sprouted raw!

They are versatile, filled with flavor, and packed with nutrition, all while low on fat and calories, and I see no downside to adding more to your diet….and I bet you will see some benefits and feel better!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Do you know Molly? Word is she’s all around these days.

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Molly is another street name, along with ecstasy, for MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) which can be ingested in powder, pill, or capsule form and it is taken orally. MDMA has been around since the early 1900’s when it was created as a weight loss drug, but it was found to create an intense sense of euphoria and some psychedelia (seeing and/or hearing things that may not be there). It regained popularity in the 1980’s in the psychiatry world when it was looked at to treat anxiety and various other disorders…but it also started becoming bigger on the streets in the 80’s and 90’s and started showing up at parties (raves), and started becoming more of a commonly used drug in the 2000’s.  There are some really legitimate reasons this drug is being studied for scientific use, even currently, but there are also some legitimate reasons that people should be wary of taking it as a street drug.Ecstasy_monogram (1)

What is the deal with Molly?

In its purest form, Molly (AKA MDMA), starts to hit within about 30-45 minutes after ingestion, peaks in about 120 minutes, and lasts usually a total of 3.5-5 hours (depending on dose, metabolism, and if you ingest other drugs as well). It creates this intense euphoria, truly the happiest you’ve ever been, with virtually no anxiety response, no fear of strangers, and actually you feel like you know people, it’s almost a false sense of intimacy. The feeling of touch is enhanced, so things feel much better when you touch them and when you are touched; many people use this as a foray into sexual enhancement and encounters they may not normally have/feel.  It is not a drug that people have no control over their actions, they are just very carefree without a worry in the world…one can understand the draw of that! There are many studies underway looking at the use of MDMA in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to help prevent some of the effects of the disorder, and work through the anxiety that can occur. It has also been studied to look at sexual dysfunction and to assist in marriage therapy/counseling.

What’s the Downside?

Because the drug boosts your serotonin levels and enhances all of your happy/good time feelings, the risk is that many people don’t know they are headed for an overdose, because they feel so good, their heart rate is increased, their blood pressure is elevated, and they are usually at concerts or parties where the “vibe” is so up they don’t think anything is wrong with them. An overdose on Molly can come on pretty quickly and be tough to reverse if it’s not treated in time. Also, because you feel so amazing when you’re on it, the next day is a total downer, and people report intense depression, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, paranoia, lack of attention/motivation, GI upset, loss of appetite, and severe exhaustion. And long-term use can lead to severe depression and anxiety.

Drinking alcohol, or using other drugs along with MDMA can make it very difficult for users don’t know that they may be overheating, or losing too much sodium from excessive sweating (which can cause some serious issues in your brain and lead to death), but because the drug lasts 3.5-5 hours, many users with use other drugs along with it to enhance the “high” or make it last longer. It is a deadly combination to mix MDMA with other drugs (even alcohol) and with MDMA use estimated to be around 25 million people annually, there are a LOT of people at risk of overdose, and from the long-term side effects.

Signs of Overdose:

Disorientation, extreme confusion, hallucinations, convulsions, muscle stiffness, chest pain, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, headache, loss of consciousness, kidney failure, and coma leading to death.

The Bottom Line?

In the early summer 2013 there were three deaths within one week of each other from presumed MDMA overdose alone by college age people, and overdoses aplenty at the eletronica music festivals over the summer months, leading to some of them being cancelled….and not to mention the fact that many music artists are referencing the drug in their lyrics, it seems like Molly is only gaining in popularity. And there is NO chance I am telling anyone that MDMA is healthy to use!

Be aware of the signs of overdose and seek immediate help if you think you are overdosing, tell someone, and if you see someone you think needs help, get them the help they need by calling emergency services (911 in the US). And parents?  Talk to your college age children about the drug and the risks, it seems that among college-age students, this drug is on the rise, and is used with almost the same frequency as marijuana. If you are thinking about trying the drug, read up first, know signs of overdose, don’t take other drugs, make sure to hydrate properly, and be in a safe environment….OR just skip doing drugs, and live a clean lifestyle, truly the choice is yours!

Yours in Good Health

B

A few reasons Pumpkin is a True Super Food!

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I love summer, and I always get really bummed when the weather starts to cool off, and I know that Fall will be here…and then the dreaded winter. I digress. The fall can be such a great time and some of my most favorite foods are available: Macintosh apples, apple cider, pumpkins, and tons of different squashes pop up at my local farms. I love pumpkin baked goods, but I don’t like fake pumpkin, so I get really excited when sugar pumpkins are available so I can roast them and use fresh pumpkin in my recipes and get all of the nutritional benefits! Pumpkins aren’t only pretty and yummy, they really are good for you.

What makes Pumpkin a Super Food?

For one thing, it is low in calories: 49 calories in a cup of pumpkin, which also contains 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, and lots of vitamins and nutrients!  One serving of pumpkin contains almost double the recommended daily dose of beta-carotene, also known as Vitamin A, which can help to prevent free radicals (presumable prevent certain types of cancer), improve eye sight/vision, tighten skin (or prevent wrinkles), and also protect against heart disease. They are also rich in Zinc, Magnesium, Calcium, Folate, Vitamin C, and Potassium (way more than bananas which can help to replace electrolytes lost during workouts.)

That whopping dose of fiber can help to make you feel fuller faster, and with lower calories in the pumpkin, it can also help with weight loss.  That much fiber can also help keep your bowels more regular (if you are in need of that!)

One of the amino acids present in pumpkins, and pumpkin seeds, can boost your serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that improves your mood and makes you feel happier. Maybe there is some reason I feel like I am a pumpkin addict: it makes me happy! I do feel like people who like pumpkin go pumpkin crazy as soon as it’s available, and maybe there is some science to that.

How to Roast Your Own?

pumpkin collageIt couldn’t be easier:

1.  Get a sugar pumpkin and wash the outside to remove all dirt.

2. Cut your pumpkin in half.

3. Scoop out the seeds and inside strings with a spoon. You can save the seeds, dry them and roast them separately or just toss them.

4. Flip the pumpkins so the skin side is up, and poke a few fork holes in the skin to allow steam to escape when roasting and roast in your oven, in a roasting pan, for around 45-50 minutes on 375F.

When they are done roasting, let them cool, and the pumpkin flesh should be really soft and scoop right out. You can add this to any dish that calls for canned pumpkin in the same amount, and just add your own spices.  It is SO easy, and so much better tasting, plus there are no preservatives…I see no negatives!

So feel good about it, go get your pumpkin on, and feel good about indulging in Fall’s favorite Super Food!

Yours in Good Health

B

Is it Time to “Pencil In” Sex? As seen on Bloom!

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Check out my post on Bloom Enjoy Yourself and their new site, about why sexual health is as important as many of the other things us Healthcare Practitioners are telling you to do as part of a healthy lifestyle (i.e. exercise!) More sex means a healthier life? Read on!

Schedule Sex- Bloom I think the ladies will have a new reason to get their motors running, and fellas, you are WELCOME!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

 

Tips to Prevent Travel Anxiety

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Do you ever get really excited to go away on vacation, or go away for a long weekend, and then become totally seized with anxiety right before it’s time to go? Whether your anxiety is due to flying, packing, leaving your kids/family, animals, plants, or whatever makes your freeze up, it is a real life issue and more people than you might realize are affected by these fears, even if they don’t have a diagnosed anxiety disorder.  There are some tips that you can use to help to decrease your anxiety and make trips and traveling MUCH more enjoyable.

Pack early and prepare!

Pack early and prepare!

1. Organize: Make lists of what you need to pack and everything you need to do before you go. You will feel more in control if you know that, in advance, you made a list of everything that needed to be completed, and you took care of all of it. So you can be ready and leave for your trip, assured that you are totally prepared.

2. Medicate: If you have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, and take medications to treat it, discuss with your Healthcare Practitioner (HCP) the possibility of increasing your medication dosage in times of high stress, or when the appropriate time to dose your medication is, so that you remain calm and clear when traveling.

3. Avoid Caffeine: Caffeine can make you more anxiety ridden, even though it helps to keep you awake and give you more energy.  That extra bit of stimulant can help you finish all of your last-minute errands, but it can also cause some anxious moments.

4. Know your Triggers: What causes your anxiety?  What are your triggers?  Maybe it is that last-minute frenzy, or saying goodbye to your family….realize that and plan accordingly.  If you need more time to say goodbye, plan for it. If you need to pack way ahead of time, to ward off panic attacks and anxiety, pack two weeks ahead.  Whatever makes you the most nervous, plan for it, because you will be less anxious if you are prepared, and no one knows you better than yourself.

5. Try to Relax: Easier said than done, but try to meditate, listen to white noise, go for a long run (or whatever your preferred choice of exercise is) that morning to help clear your head. Take a bath with lavender essential oils, or get a massage; whatever techniques work for you to help ease your mind and slow/prevent anxiety attacks.

6. Be Open: Most importantly, don’t suffer alone.  If you are traveling with others, let them know that sometimes you get anxiety when traveling and let them know what they can do to help you (if even it is to leave you alone to figure it out yourself.) That way, they know what may be causing you to act a little different from your normal self, and you don’t have to feel like you are hiding anything….which can cause anxiety in and of itself!

I don’t really get anxious….unless I’m late for my flight/missing my flight; that can cause me to lose my cool! I also always feel really guilty leaving my dogs. It is totally irrational guilt because they love staying with their trainer, and they have no idea what’s going on; the stress is all me, and I project it on them, but I’ve come to realize that I do it, SO I prepare and make sure that I have them all situated, then I get back to finish packing and head to the airport with plenty of time, and I am cool as a cucumber.  All that stated, I don’t have an anxiety disorder, just normal stress, but I have learned what causes me undue stress and I work with it to decrease it as much as possible.

Traveling is never easy, but knowing what causes you to lose your cool, and preventing it, is one way to make the experience a LOT better.  And if you are someone who really freezes when traveling (due to fear of a plane, flying, etc) you can work with your HCP to try hypnotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or talk therapy and see what will best fit your needs and re-train your thinking, to make traveling a breeze.

Yours in Good Health

B

The Fasting Diet: A good long-term diet option?

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There has been a lot of press recently about the Fasting Diet, and that Physicians in the UK highly encourage patients to adapt it into their current diets. But, there is also a lot of confusion regarding what it actually entails and how it works. It sounds pretty scary, and something that you couldn’t imagine making a part of your lifestyle, but once you learn a little more about it and the benefits, you may be a little more willing to give it a try.

Clean DietWhat is the Fasting Diet?

Basically, it sounds like you are starving yourself, right? It does, but that is not actually the diet. The Fasting Diet is also known as the 5:2 diet, where you eat a healthy diet 5 days a week, and then two days a week cut your calories to 500-1,000 per day. Micheal Mosley is a Healthcare Provider (HCP) in the UK that has both written a book and made a documentary on this diet, so he is obviously a huge proponent of the Fasting Diet. The diet was first researched on rodents, and it was found that they maintained a lean body type and lower body weight when they intermittently fasted, which allowed for improved (steady) blood sugar levels and cognitive function in various tasks. After the results of the rodent study, the human researcher started following the diet himself and found similar results, and felt more productive and focused.

A controlled study was also done on 100 women in the UK that were overweight, that were given a standard Mediterranean diet 5 days a week, and they cut down to the lower calorie days twice a week in which they cut out carbohydrates and ate lean proteins (think fish, chicken, etc).  At the end of the study the women on this “fasting” diet lost more weight than those that ate calorie restricted diets throughout the week and never flexed their food or calorie intake. Many of the women who were a part of the fasting diet group reported feeling better about themselves and more energized, so they felt it was easier to stick to the diet, and most of the participants continued on the diet even after the study was completed.

I know that this fasting diet will sound extreme to some people, but 1,000 is easily doable, as long as you plan for it, by drinking lots of water, and plan your meals, you can easily feel satiated on 1000 calories, as long as you spread small meals throughout the day.

Do you think you can rock it?

There are a couple of schools of thought: you can eat almost the same exact thing every day making your body into a well oiled machine, or you can flex your diet and calories to constantly challenge your metabolism by doing this fasting diet.  The results are interesting, that people actually report feeling better, lose healthy amounts of weight, keeping a lean body, and have improved blood sugar levels. It is a lifestyle change more than a diet, and you do need to plan for it, but I think it is something that can be easily obtained, once you get over the mental aspect of the two low-calorie days.

Along with eating a clean diet, and exercise, you may surprise yourself and find this is a lifestyle change that works with you and helps you feel better overall and healthier! Of course, with any major lifestyle change, especially if you have any health issues, you should check with your HCP before starting.

Yours in Good Health

B

Some foods you THINK are good for you, but they aren’t!

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I think we all know to lay off the Crisco, use less added fats to meals, and steer clear of processed foods as much as we can, but there are some foods that are touted (and erroneously labeled) as “healthy” that really aren’t all that good for you!  Have you fallen victim to any of these?

1. Juice:

Fruit juice, even if made from real fruit and not from concentrate, is full of sugar, and you are losing many of the vitamins and almost all of the fiber from the fruit which is one of the best parts for you.  If you make your own juice, you are all set, but almost all store-bought juices are not good for you.

2. Fish:

So, please do not get me wrong, I LOVE fish and the omega 3’s, 6’s, and 9’s that you get from fish are so great for you, the problem, just like when buying meat, is the source of the fish. When fish are farmed, there are heavy loads of antibiotics added to the water that they live in because so many fish are corralled in the farms, so to keep them healthy in less than optimal settings, they pump in antibiotics to keep them healthy, but we end up ingesting them when we eat the meat of the fish! Make sure to get wild fish and fish that are low in mercury.

3. Gluten-free:

If you have a gluten allergy, gluten-free snacks, breads, etc are the best thing that has ever happened to you, because you can finally purchase gluten-free staples for your diet which is awesome! For those of us who can tolerate gluten, make sure to read those labels; the gluten-free snacks may be highly processed and have lots of extra sugars to make it up for the lack of gluten in the products.

4. Granola/Granola Bars:

Not all granola is bad for you, but many of the commercial granolas have extra sugar and fats added, along with chocolate and other candies to make them taste yummier, whereas that all offsets the whole grain goodness and oats that is the basis of all granola. Make sure to read the labels and see what is added besides the whole grains, and see if any dried fruits have sugar-coating.  The best bet? Make your own!

veggie chips

5. Veggie Chips:

People tend to eat veggie chips thinking that they are eating a much better snack than regular potato chips, but unfortunately most of the brands of veggie chips that were tested were found to have a primarily potato base with small amounts of vegetable powder added as a supplement. I guess they are better for you than potato chips but they are not much better for you and they will certainly not help to loosen your belt loops at all!

6. Muffins

I have always said that muffins are just breakfast cake treats.  Even if you get a high fiber, all wheat/whole grain muffin, it is fiber/grains added to cake batter.  They may taste yummy and seem to good to be healthy, because they are! They are not low in fat or calories and you are better off grabbing some fruit, a smoothie, or oatmeal to start your day  rather than munching on a muffin.

7. Yogurt covered dried fruits:

Yogurt covered raisins are so yummy because the “yogurt” is actually dried milk with added fats and sugars to make them tasty. So, while you may be getting some nutrition from the dried fruit itself, that thick coat of yogurt more than offsets all of the goodness of this snack.  You are better suited just having some dried (or fresh) fruits, and adding them to your favorite yogurt, it won’t taste the same, but your body will appreciate the nutrition!

8. Vitamin/nutrient beverages: 

They are filled with sugars! Yes they do have essential vitamins and nutrients added, but the sugars added are pretty significant and that adds loads of calories to your day.  If you do really want one of these beverages, cut it with water to a 50/50 mixture and you will still be getting some sweet and some of the vitamins/nutrients but with way fewer calories and with more water!

Really the key is to read labels, not the packaging, and don’t be fooled by new trends! And follow that golden rule that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is; so stick to foods on labels you can pronounce and actually know what they are, it usually means the foods are less processed and better for you!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Overnight contacts for perfect daytime vision?

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A lot of people with vision problems don’t like wearing glasses, and they get annoyed with the responsibility of contacts…but you need to maximize the vision you have, right? So you either need to wear glasses or pop in those contacts and deal with the irritation that can occur, things getting stuck in your eyes, the itching, etc. If you have had poor vision from birth, this new trick won’t really help you, but if you are one of the many people who start suffering from presbyopia (the age-related loss of near vision), this new research can benefit you!

Who can benefit?

Most people by middle age suffer from some form of presbyopia. As we age, the lens of our eyes tend to have less elasticity and less ability to tighten and loosen, making it more difficult to tighten to view things near you. This is why you will see some middle age people holding menus out at arm length to read them, and needing reading glasses to view things right in front of them.  And the people who suffer from presbyopia, can most benefit form this new research.

contactsWhat is the latest study?

Some research out of Australia suggests that a new therapy called hyperopic orthokeratology (OK), which is a special contact lens that you wear only at night to help flatten your cornea at night, and the results last throughout the day. The study was performed on 16 middle-aged (43-59 years old) and one eye was treated with the lens at night and the other wasn’t.  It was found in all participants that they treated eye, had near perfect vision all day without the need for a contact lens; after one night vision was improved and it only got better each day of the study (which lasted a week). These lenses help to change the shape of the cornea so you have better vision, very similar to wearing a retainer to help shift/change placement of your teeth; it works great in short periods of time off (i.e. during the day) but if you stop wearing your retainer (or these special OK contacts) your eyes will return to their natural state within a week, so it is a commitment to wear them at night. Plus, it is a great alternative for those afraid of having eye surgery to treat their vision changes!

It is an interesting treatment plan, and it is still a commitment, but I think it is truly a benefit that you can sleep with the lenses in place, and then need nothing to treat your vision all day, and there is no need to go under the knife, if you choose not to.  Plus, it is a huge statement that all of the participants in the study saw a benefit.  If you suffer from presbyopia, then talk to your Healthcare Provider about the benefits of OK therapy, and if it might work for you!

Yours in Good Health

B