This 'n That Thursdays: My (Very) Minimal Winter Skin Care Routine

From UC Health

I have never been one to fuss very much about my appearance.  I am more interested in staying healthy  than being pretty (I almost never wear makeup or other beauty products), but as I age I know that my body needs better care than it did when I was younger.  My skin was on the oily side when I was young, so I never worried much about dryness, but now that I am older and live in a very dry climate, I do need to pamper my skin more, especially in the winter.  The tips listed above help to combat dry winter skin (check out the website for more details) but I am still not great about using moisturizing products.  That said, I do use three products to keep my skin hydrated and healthy in the winter, so I thought I would describe these items today as they have worked so well for me.

As a general moisturizer, I could not live without my Amlactin Intensive Healing Body Lotion ($25.34 for a 14.1 oz. bottle) in the winter.  If I don't use this lotion, the skin on my legs becomes dry and flaky, my heels start to dry out, and I develop painful, bleeding cracks around the cuticles of my fingernails, especially on my thumbs for some reason.  I even use this lotion on my neck and face, although I have to be careful not to get it in my eyes as it is irritating.  I have tried other lotions in the winter but they are either not moisturizing enough or they feel too uncomfortably greasy.  Whenever I wash my hands I make sure to reapply this lotion, and I never wash dishes without gloves in the winter as my cuticles will dry out and crack if I do.  I go through two bottles of this lotion every winter but it is so effective that it is worth it.

For my lips, I swear by Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick + Sunscreen ($16.28 for a package of four).  I actually use this product all year round.  It moisturizes and heals dry lips as well as protects them from sun damage with an SPF 30 sunscreen.  I am prone to cold sores if my lips get sunburned, and this sunscreen lip balm helps to prevent this problem as well.

The last product I use for facial skin care is Aveda Purifying Creme Cleanser ($22.00 for a 5 oz. bottle).  It is pricey but I only need to use it once a day in the shower and only a small amount is needed for each washing, so the bottle lasts a long time (probably almost a year for me, and I use it every day).  This product moisturizes my face without leaving any greasy residue.  The small amount I use also covers my neck and even my arms!  I have been using this product for decades now, and I hope Aveda never stops making it because it is the most effective facial cleanser and moisturizer I have ever used.

❄️❤️❄️❤️❄️❤️❄️❤️❄️❤️❄️❤️❄️❤️❄️❤️❄️❤️❄️❤️❄️❤️❄️❤️❄️

February is starting off with unusually mild weather, but that is supposed to change tonight with cold weather returning for the weekend, so I will be faithfully following my minimal but effective winter skin care routine for this month and probably most of March as well.  Stay healthy and moisturized for the rest of this winter, everyone!

On the Homefront: Be Careful if You Give Your Dog Fish Oil Supplements

Ruby seems comfortable now - her belly was shaved for an ultrasound.

Once again I have been MIA on by blog, but again it was for a good reason.  My old dog Ruby had a health issue relapse, and I have been working hard to get her back to good health.  Fortunately she does seem to be recovering, and I thought this would be a good time to let everyone know what has been happening and how I think we have finally figured out why she was getting sick.

In early October Ruby had a bout of severe pancreatitis, which required several days on IV fluids at the vet hospital.  She also developed a secondary abdominal infection which prolonged her stay and meant she had to be on two different types of antibiotics.  She has had slightly elevated liver values for a few years and is on a prescription low-fat diet, but the pancreatitis sent those values soaring and it took a while to get them to start coming down.

I brought her home and for a few weeks she seemed to be doing well, but in early November she had a relapse.  Of course this happened on a Sunday when her regular vet office is closed, so I had to rush her to an emergency vet 45 minutes away.  She spent the night there and they were afraid her gall bladder might rupture but fortunately she made it through the night and I transferred her to her regular vet.  There they did an ultrasound and decided that her gall bladder was not in danger of rupturing, but several of her blood values (liver, pancreas, and gall bladder) were even higher than the first time.  Once again she spent several days on IV fluids (the only treatment for pancreatitis is supportive care which cannot be given at home).  She finally came home the week before Thanksgiving, and she has been slowly but surely improving ever since.  In fact, she is pretty much back to normal now, although her blood values need to be checked again in a few days to see if they have come down more.

So why did she have the initial attack of pancreatitis, and why did it recur?  The vets could find no significant problems - they even did a liver biopsy to rule out cancer and the result was negative.  As I mentioned above, Ruby's liver values have been slightly elevated for a few years.  We found her as a stray and I am not sure but I think she may have been hit by a car before we found her - not a direct hit but a glancing blow.  She had a cracked molar on the right side which had to be removed, and has developed significant arthritis in her right elbow as she has aged.  The liver is on the right side of the body and any trauma to the liver is known to affect its function, which may be why her liver does not function completely normally.

With no obvious cause for the pancreatitis, I started to double check everything that Ruby ingests in a normal day - all foods, treats, medications, and supplements - and I began to suspect her fish oil supplement.  This was the most recent addition to her diet (she has only been on it for a few months), and was recommended by the vet as the omega-3 fatty acids are thought to be beneficial in reducing her arthritis pain as well as for her liver issues.  What they did not tell me, however, was that too much fish oil is actually harmful and can cause pancreatitis in dogs with compromised liver function.  A few days after I started her back on her fish oil supplement after the first bout of pancreatitis she had her second attack - nothing else new had been added to her diet in over a week, so that in itself was suspect.

The more I read about fish oil supplements for dogs the more I became convinced that the dosage recommended for a dog her size was actually too much for her, especially since her prescription food also contains fish oil.  I walk my younger dog with a neighbor and her dogs, and when I mentioned my suspicions about Ruby's fish oil supplement to her, she told me that she had tried to give fish oil supplements to her two older dogs, both of whom had normal liver function, and both of them subsequently developed high blood liver values which went back to normal when she took them off of the supplement.

Needless to say, I will no longer be giving Ruby any more fish oil!  I mentioned my suspicions to her vet and they were non-commital as they had never encountered such a problem before, but Ruby is doing so well right now minus the fish oil in her daily diet that I am convinced this was the main culprit.  Usually when I start Ruby on a new medication or supplement I research it carefully and try to start her out on a half dose rather than the full dose, but for some reason I did not do this with the fish oil - how I wish I had!

My recommendation to anyone who is thinking of putting their dog on a fish oil supplement is to be sure that your dog really needs it.  Also, remember that some pet foods have added fish oil, so you may want to lower the dosage you use.  If you want to try it, make sure your dog's liver function is normal, and try starting with a half dose (I believe that most dosage recommendations for supplements are on the high side - after all, the makers of these products would like you to use as much as possible).

If you see no improvement in your dog's health and/or if their liver values start to increase, take them off of this supplement.  My neighbor tried switching to an omega-3 supplement that was not fish oil-based for her dogs, and they are doing fine on that.  I am certainly no expert, so do your research before making a decision for your own dog - you know your pup better than anyone, so when it comes to supplements in particular you are in the best position to make any decisions.

Hopefully with careful attention to her diet Ruby will have no more problems with pancreatitis - it is a very painful condition and can lead to complications, so I will be doing my best to make sure it does not happen again.  I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and I hope that December will be a better month for Ruby so that I can get some more posts done before the end of the year!

This 'n That Thursdays: Life in the Time of COVID-19

Meet the enemy - the COVID-19 virus magnified
(from Cedars Sinai)

Our nation is in the grip of a very serious pandemic, and we must all do what we can to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.  We can do this, everyone, as long as we are careful and try to follow all of the recommendations as well as we can.  Here is how my little New Mexico family is adhering to the rules:

Please do try to at least look happy about this, girls!

1) Sheltering in place: We are lucky that our home in Santa Fe is located in a remote rural area.  I only go into town once a week for essentials, and I am going to try to decrease that to once every two weeks.  The rest of the time I am at home, but I can go out on to our property any time, and I can still walk my dogs on our road twice daily.  It is quite easy to practice the second recommendation:

I think my girls take this recommendation to extremes -
they are way more than 6 feet away from me and each other!

2) Social distancing (approximately 6 feet apart): We rarely encounter our neighbors when we walk, but when we do it is not hard to practice social distancing.  This is a very important rule to follow for humans, but one that my girls do not understand at all - except when it comes to me!  They gladly run right up to any other humans and their dogs, but prefer to wander as far away from me as I will let them!

Ruby kindly agreed to pose despite not really caring for this procedure.

3) Frequent paw hand washing: I do this diligently, especially after my weekly trip to town, but the junior members of the family are not enthusiastic about this rule.  Luckily they do not go into town or otherwise expose their extremities to virus-infected environments!

Patient resignation from Ruby as she tolerated posing for a rule
that does not even apply to her.

4) Work from home: This rule does not really apply to us, but we do whole-heartedly endorse this recommendation because it does apply to my family members in other states.  I wish my doctor brother could do this as well, but he must go to his workplace, so I hope that PPE supplies for those putting themselves at risk become more readily available as soon as possible.

Madison posed for this one, even though she vastly prefers close personal
contact (is that a touch of disgusted disbelief I see in those eyes?).

5) Keep in touch virtually with loved ones: Even though we must distance ourselves socially, we can still keep in touch and support one another via phone calls and texts, plus a vast array of social media and other internet connections (my husband is a recent convert to Zoom, and I suppose I should check it out).

🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶

Recently I found the first spring blooms on our property.  Our weather is now much milder, and spring is definitely in the air!  Even though it looks as though the sheltering in place recommendation here in New Mexico will be extended until the end of April, the girls and I are happy to comply.  We will enjoy our first spring here and wait patiently in hopes that all of the rules we are asked to follow will help to bring COVID-19 under control.  Stay safe and healthy, everyone, and stay optimistic that we will come through this and get back to a more normal world sooner rather than later.
             

This 'n That Thursdays: Eating for Brain Health

From The Health Bowl

The benefits of the Mediterranean diet made the news again recently.  According to a new study, eating the Mediterranean diet for just one year changed the gut microbiome of elderly people in ways that led to increased longevity as well as increased brain function.  The evidence seems to be overwhelming that this diet is as close to ideal as one can get.  If you want some tips on how to switch over to this healthy lifestyle change, read this article.  And for recipes ideas, this site has some excellent suggestions.

If you are particularly focused on increasing brain function, AARP recommends five foods that are closely linked to better brain health - leafy greens, berries, fish, nuts, and (hooray!) cocoa (one more food you might want to consider adding to this list - mushrooms!).  Read the article for more information and ways to incorporate these foods into your daily diet.  Who wouldn't want to switch to a diet that encourages the consumption of chocolate?

From HealthWayRI

             

This 'n That Thursdays: Some New Products I Am Loving Right Now

Since moving to New Mexico I have discovered a few new products that I cannot seem to live without now, so I thought I would share my finds.  First up, you may recall that I was searching for a butter substitute that would replace my favorite butter/canola oil blend in an effort to reduce my saturated fat intake.  The avocado oil spread I tried was good, but did not have the true buttery taste I was looking for.  I tried the spread by Earth Balance, and while the flavor was better the texture was too crumbly and it did not melt easily on toast the way my favorite butter spread did.  Recently I discovered Country Crock Plant Butter with Almond Oil, and it is perfect!  The taste is so similar to butter, and it melts just the way it should when spread on toast.  I also purchased it in stick form so that the next time I bake I can substitute it for real butter.  I will let you know how successful this substitution is when I try it!

New Mexico's climate is much drier than that of Georgia, of course, and when the temperatures drop my skin can get really dry.  For my lips, I discovered that the best treatment is Aquaphor Lip Protectant with Sunscreen (the sun is also very intense here).  I find that I only need to apply it once a day, in the morning, and my lips do not dry out and crack at all.

For my hands, I need an emollient-rich cream to prevent the skin from cracking and bleeding, since I am outdoors several times a day to care for my horse and often must remove my gloves to get my chores done.  The first time it got very cold here I ended up with four bandaged fingers at once thanks to deeply cracked and bleeding cuticles that took quite a while to heal.  The best cream I have found is one my husband got for me a while ago but was too rich for me to use in Georgia.  The Soap & Paper Factory Classic Hand Cream in Lavender has worked so well that I have had not problems with dry hands since I started using it, and the lavender fragrance (my favorite scent) is an added bonus.

New Mexico is known for its southwestern food, and that means chiles, so I have been learning to love chiles!  I got here a little too late for peak Hatch chile season, but I have found a favorite bottled variety that is a good substitute when the fresh chiles are not in season.  I have added 505 Southwestern Flame Roasted Green Chile to my favorite chili recipe as well as soup, corn muffins, and dips, and my husband has been adding them to just about everything!  We both love the smoky, earthy flavor and subtle heat they add to any dish.

If you do make green chile corn muffins, you may want to save some for breakfast and spread them with Heidi's Raspberry Red Chile Jam.  I was afraid that the jam might be a bit too hot for me, but the heat is subtle, not overpowering, and complements the green chile in the muffins quite well.  (As you can tell, we are eating quite well here in Santa Fe!)



As I continue to settle in to our new location I am sure I will discover more useful products, and I will continue to post my finds here.  I still have some unpacking to do, but hopefully I am back on a more regular blogging schedule now!
             

This 'n That Thursdays: New Food and Beverage Products I Am Loving Right Now

From CAPHCC

Every summer I seem to find new food and beverage products to try that are both tasty and relatively healthy.  Below is a list of the ones I discovered this year, and which are now regular inclusions in my weekly shopping cart:

From Mommyish

1) La Croix Cerise Limon Sparkling Water

I am obsessed with all the no-calorie flavored seltzer waters available right now, even though I am one of those people whose throats are irritated by carbonated beverages.  I will try any and every flavor (except blackberry cucumber, because EEEWWW!), but my favorite at the moment is La Croix Cerise Limon (Cherry Lime) Sparkling Water.  Seltzer water is so refreshing on a hot day, and the slight hint of flavor added to these zero-calorie, zero-sodium, zero-carbohydrate beverages adds just enough interest to keep me buying more!

From Bustle

2) Chobani Nut Butter Yogurts

As someone who must stay on a low-carbohydrate diet, I end up eating a lot of nut-based foods.  Fortunately, I love nuts!  Recently Chobani introduced a line of nut butter yogurts which are relatively low in carbohydrates, cholesterol, and sodium.  They are also quite tasty, and a healthier alternative to sugary fruit-flavored yogurts.  They have now become a regular addition to my diet, either plain or with an added handful of blueberries.

From Instacart

3) Chobani Madagascar Vanilla & Cinnamon Less Sugar Greek Yogurt

I like to buy vanilla yogurt in the 24-ounce size rather than as individual servings, and the best that I have found in terms of flavor as well as nutrition is Chobani Madagascar & Cinnamon Less Sugar Greek Yogurt.  It is so good you cannot even tell that it is low in sugar, and this flavor is the absolute best served my favorite way with a handful of blueberries.  It is so popular that our local Publix has trouble keeping it in stock, so do give it a try if you can find it in your own supermarket!

From BrickSeek

4) Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original Almondmilk Creamer

My cholesterol has recently started to creep up as I get older, so I am always looking for ways to reduce my consumption of products with too much saturated fat.  I love to drink my morning tea with half 'n half, but recently discovered Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original Almondmilk Creamer, which is just as delicious in tea but has no saturated fat.  At just 10 calories and one gram of fat per tablespoon, I can enjoy this creamer every morning without worrying about adding saturated fat to my diet.

From Califia Farms

5) Califia Farms Unsweetened Creamer

Another excellent alternative to half 'n half is Califia Farms Unsweetened Creamer, but only if you like the flavor of coconut.  This nondairy, low-sugar creamer has just a smidgen of saturated fat, but its rich and creamy flavor is just as satisfying as real half 'n half.  Save this creamer for unflavored hot beverages, as the coconut taste will overwhelm any added flavorings.

From Instacart

6) Pure Blends Avocado Oil Plant-Based Butter

I love butter, despite all of its saturated fat.  I usually stick to a butter and canola oil blend as a bread spread, but lately have decided that, with my cholesterol level beginning to rise, I need to eliminate even this source of saturated fat from my life so that I can still eat cheese, which is one food that I would have a very hard time giving up.  This year I discovered Pure Blends Avocado Oil Plant-Based Butter and decided to give it a try.  While butter substitutes will never be as satisfying as the real thing, this spread is not bad, although it does include a couple of ingredients (palm and palm kernel oils, monoglycerides) that are not nutritionally ideal.  I am just starting to explore the world of butter substitute spreads, so I may find one I like more, but for now I am switching to this avocado-oil spread.

🍸🍨🍸🍨🍸🍨🍸🍨🍸🍨🍸🍨🍸🍨🍸🍨🍸🍨🍸🍨🍸🍨🍸🍨🍸

Have you found any new food or beverage products lately that you cannot live without now?
             

This 'n That Thursdays: Sensible Lifestyle Changes to Achieve a Healthy Weight

From Harvard Health Publishing

Like most people, I am always looking for tips on how to live a healthy lifestyle.  And like most people, I prefer these tips to be simple and easy to understand and follow.  The infographic from The Every Girl shown below provides some straightforward ideas, mostly about diet, that would not be difficult to incorporate into my daily routine (although 80 ounces of water a day might be pushing it for me - that's a lot of water!).  I follow some of these rules already, but I do need to keep reminding myself to consume a greater variety of fruits and vegetables, as I have a tendency to eat the same favorite few all of the time.  Is it time for you to start tweaking your healthy lifestyle rules as well?

                

This 'n That Thursdays: Should You Let Your Dog(s) Sleep on Your Bed?

From AKC

Do you let your canine companion(s) sleep on your bed with you?  If so, you are certainly not alone.  A recent study of almost 1,000 women found that 55% sleep with at least one dog in their beds (for comparison, 57% share their sleeping space with another human!).  As to whether this habit is healthy, check out the infographic from an article on the Casper website shown below:

Read the Casper article for a more in-depth discussion of these benefits.  Of course, not everyone agrees that allowing a pet on your bed at night is a good idea.  Ultimately, it is up to the pet owner to decide what works for their own lifestyle.  In our house, both of our dogs get to decide where they prefer to sleep - sometimes they like to be on the bed, but sometimes they would rather sleep somewhere else, and not necessarily even in the same room.  They do not like to be on the bed at the same time so we never have more than one dog sharing our space, and that works out well for us!

                

This 'n That Thursdays: How Much Sleep Does Your Dog Really Need?

From Daily Mail

This dog sleep infographic is pretty self-explanatory.  The main point to take away from this summary is that dogs require more total sleeping time than humans because they spend a relatively smaller portion of their sleep time in restorative REM sleep than we do.  The old adage about letting sleeping dogs lie really does have a basis in fact, so let Fido rest as much as he/she likes for better health!

This 'n That Thursdays: Food Guides from Around the World

Canada's new food guide (from Blue Zones).

Not long ago Canada updated its official food guide to the one shown above.  Their new guidelines image got me curious about how other countries depict dietary recommendations, so I searched online for images of food guides from various nations.  Below I have listed some of my favorites, and why they appeal to me:

1) Iceland

From Mic

What I like most about this food guide from Iceland is the fact that various forms of exercise are suggested in the ring around the dietary recommendations.

2) The Bahamas

From The Dietician's Pantry

This unique food guide from the Bahamas also recommends exercise as well as smart dietary choices, but all within an image of a goat skin drum!

3) China

From Mother Nature Network

Not only does this food guide from China (translated of course!) feature a lovely decorative pagoda as its dietary pyramid, it also recommends specific amounts of food as well as exercise.

4) Sweden

From CBC

What I love about the food guide from Sweden is its exquisite simplicity, where all of the information is brief but gets straight to the point, making it very easy to follow.  This is probably my favorite of all the global food guides I found.

5) United States

Image from Integrated 4x

The most recent dietary guidelines image from the United States has been greatly simplified, and is a big change from the food pyramids of past years.  However, it is perhaps a bit too lacking in specifics (no suggested amounts), does not include any information about fats, sweets, or beverages other than dairy, and there is also no mention of exercise.  I do like all of the bright colors, though!

🍅🍆🍇🍈🍉🍊🍋🍌🍍🍎🍏 🏊🏂🏃🏄🍐🍑🍒🍓🍗🍞🍠🍣🍤🍵🍶

So what do you think about the different dietary guidelines images from around the world?  Do you have a favorite, either from these choices or perhaps a different nation?  Despite their differences, all of them do have very good advice to offer, and hopefully people will heed their suggestions!
               

This 'n That Thursdays: Five Daily Habits of Healthy People

From The Black Snapper

There are all kinds of healthy habits lists on the internet, but I thought I would share some of the ideas that I find most reasonable here.  I never like to start life changes at the very beginning of the year as that strategy always seems doomed to failure.   Now that we are well in to 2019, however, I decided to take a look at some suggestions for a healthier lifestyle and pick a few that I could easily add to my own life.  Here is my list of some of those recommended healthy habits:

From News from Brown

1) Get adequate sleep!

Seven to eight hours of sleep a night is the recommendation, but most people often do not get that amount.  Lack of sleep can lead to a variety of health problems, including weight gain, depression, cardiovascular disease, and even diabetes.  If possible, it is best to go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning.

From UIC Dentistry

2) Drink lots of water!

Adequate hydration is essential for a healthy body, and water is our most essential dietary nutrient.  Quite literally, our bodies cannot function at the basic biochemical level when dehydrated.  The recommended amount of daily water intake is 64 fluid ounces (eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day).  A more personalized amount can be calculated by dividing your body weight (in pounds) by half, and drinking that many ounces of water every day.  For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, try to drink 70 ounces of water daily.

From PayrollBozz

3) Take tech breaks!

Our lives are so full of high-tech gadgets that we can end up spending more time during the day looking at screens than anything else.  Taking time away from your gadgets can actually improve productivity as well as relieve stress.  Getting up and moving for a few minutes every hour will improve cardiovascular circulation, which is good for both your body and your brain.

From CrumbLink

4) Eat real food!

Consumption of whole, non-processed foods raised with as few chemicals as possible is highly recommended for a healthy diet.  The healthiest diets include mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins.  The more colorful the produce, the more nutrient dense it will be, so choose fruits and veggies in all the colors of the rainbow!  The Mediterranean diet, which endorses all of these principles, was recently awarded the 2019 top spot as the best overall diet.

From SilverSneakers

5) Get moving!

A sedentary lifestyle is now considered to be almost as harmful to your health as smoking (although smoking is still worse!).  There are so many benefits to physical activity that it should be a priority every day.  At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a day is ideal, but doing any type of movement is better than none at all.  If possible, incorporate exercise into your daily routine, like walking instead of driving, taking stairs instead of elevators or escalators, parking farther away from stores to increase walking distance, etc.  Every little bit helps!

💤💦💻🍲🚴💤💦💻🍲🚴💤💦💻🍲🚴💤💦💻🍲🚴

I need to work on improved sleep habits and could easily change mine for the better.  I can also always find ways to tweak my diet, and in winter especially I need to be mindful of drinking enough water, getting up from the computer more frequently, and maintaining my activity level despite sometimes uncooperative weather.  One bit of wisdom I have learned with age is that, with any lifestyle change I wish to make, I do not have to be perfect.  No goal is an all-or-nothing proposition, and if I happen to slip up once in a while all is not lost.  I can forgive myself for a misstep and get back on track, rather than just giving it all up as a failure.  All of my goals are easily achievable, and I intend to work on them as soon as possible.  Or at least right after I finish off or give away all of the Valentine's Day goodies, that is - okay just (sort of) kidding!

Happy (and healthy) Valentine's Day!

             

This 'n That Thursdays: FARE's The Teal Pumpkin Project

From Delish

Did you know that setting a teal pumpkin in front of your house on Halloween is an indication that non-food goodies (such as small toys or cute trinkets) are available for trick-or-treaters who may have food allergies?  I had no idea until I saw it mentioned in the October issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  FARE (Food Allergy and Education) came up with the idea for The Teal Pumpkin Project as a way to help raise awareness about and improve the quality of life for those who suffer from food allergies.

Teal is the color of food allergy awareness, so by placing a pumpkin painted teal on your porch you can signal to potential trick-or-treaters that you are participating in the project and have goodies that are safe for young ones with food allergies (some suggestions can be found here).  If you do not have the time to decorate a pumpkin, you can simply print out one of the free signs available from FARE here and display it in front of your home instead.  (Or you could check out some of the teal pumpkin décor available now at Target.)  For more information about the Teal Pumpkin Project, read the FARE FAQs section.  Halloween should be a safe and fun holiday for all children, and this project is one way to help achieve that goal!

             

This 'n That Thursdays: The Eating of the Greens (and Mushrooms) Is Good for You!

Stir-Fried Collard Greens with Mushrooms
(from Season with Spice)

Two recent articles (here and here) have advocated the health benefits of adding more leafy greens and mushrooms to your diet.  Apparently vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and the now ubiquitous kale help to protect the brain.  A study published in the journal Neurology found that healthy seniors who ate daily servings of leafy green vegetables had a significantly slower rate of cognitive decline compared to those who ate little to no greens.  These vegetables are packed with a range of nutrients and bioactive compounds, which may explain their positive impact on the maintenance of brain function.

Mushrooms are a healthy addition to the diet because they too contain a number of beneficial nutrients, including beta glucans which help to fight inflammation.  In fact, some types of mushrooms are now being studied for their potential in mitigating human health issues such as cancer, diabetes, and even obesity.  As yet there are no definitive studies on the benefits of mushrooms for medicinal purposes, but adding them to your diet is a good idea for nutritional reasons alone.

In our first world society it is far too easy to over-consume processed foods and neglect eating more sensible choices.  And yet one of the easiest ways to lead a healthier lifestyle is by making dietary changes.  Even small changes can lead to big health benefits.  If you want to boost your immune system, decrease inflammation, and increase your chances of living a longer and healthier life, it certainly can't hurt to add more greens and mushrooms to your diet.  Best of all, there are numerous recipes on the internet for greens and mushrooms dishes, so all you have to do is find the ones you like and give them a try!

Gnocchi with Spring Greens and Crimini Mushrooms is a recipe I will try
(from Teaspoon of Spice).

           

This 'n That Thursdays: Surprising Weight Loss Factors

From AARP Maryland

Have you made any resolutions for the New Year?  Does your list include losing weight as one of your goals?  I recently read about a few factors that seem to influence whether or not you will be successful (see articles here and here), and they may not be what you think!  Below is a short list of unusual influences that you may not have considered when deciding to shed those pesky extra pounds:

From Odyssey

1) Living in close proximity to a gym (less than half a mile) increases your chances of weight loss success, especially for women and those with higher incomes.

From The Tub Connection

2) People who fidget a lot are more likely to maintain an ideal weight - this spontaneous physical activity includes walking, standing, cooking, gardening, and other non-exercise activities.

From Modern Salon

3) The consumption of spicy foods seems to be correlated with a lower incidence of obesity as well as better health, possibly due to the capsaicin found in hot peppers which modestly increases metabolism (and other spices such as ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric may also help keep weight under control by reducing inflammation).

From Colorado.com

4) Living at higher elevations seems to reduce obesity incidence, perhaps because of the higher metabolic demands of lower oxygen levels and/or reduced appetite caused by increased sympathetic nervous system activity.

From trace|work

5) Those who live in big cities (populations of one million or more people) may be less likely to carry excess weight, although other studies have found just the opposite to be true, so more work is needed in teasing out just what is healthy about living in a large metro area (increased walkability and/or better diet?) and what is not (easier access to high-calorie fast foods and/or less work-related physical activity?).

Image at left from NetCost Market Philadelphia;
image at right from Discover Magazine Blogs.

6) Eating foods as a sit-down meal rather than as a stand-up snack leads to lower calorie consumption and thus a greater likelihood of maintaining a healthy weight (those who ate more food as a snack consumed up to 50% more calories in a day than those who sat down to meals!).

🏃🍲🏃🍲🏃🍲🏃🍲🏃🍲🏃🍲🏃🍲🏃🏃🍲🏃🍲🏃🍲🏃🍲🏃

Obviously most people are not in a position to change a lot of these factors in their lives.  In a more general sense, however, these findings suggest that a more active lifestyle and a focus on healthy food choices, both simple common sense rules, are the best way to increase your chances of achieving your weight loss goals for 2018.  Give it a try, and good luck!