Healthy World Digest, #15, June 2010

"Healthy nuggets of information to keep your motor humming."

Welcome to the 15th issue of our newsletter.

In this issue:

June, 2010 * Using lemon as an herbal remedy, part 2

* Split exercise workout sessions burn off 2x the calories

* Exercise bests meal manipulation for weight control

* Sex and the sun

* Herbal remedies for under arm perspiration, odor

* Spring tune up for your body

* 3 Quick summer {health|wellness|health tips

* Fibre for longevity

* Recipe - Cooking with fresh parsley

Just a reminder, getting and staying healthy isn't revolutionary. It's evolutionary. A little change here. A little change there,. Be persistent. Be consistent. Be patient. You'll do just fine.

* Using lemon as an herbal remedy, part 2

We've written in past issues on how to use your humble lemon as an herbal remedy I just love these juicy, dimpled, yellow globules.

So, we wrote another page up on even more uses and health benefits of lemon

Here's a good one. Use it as a condiment instead of unhealthy flavor enhancers and table salt. Just mix up equal parts lemon zest, garlic & parsley. You can even add fresh basil for even more flavor.

Flavor vegetables, chicken and fish with this healthy, delightful flavor enhancer.

P.S. Oh, and you get the numerous health benefits of garlic and parsley and basil to boot.

P.S. #2 You get lemon zest by scraping skin of clean lemon

* Split exercise workouts uses up 2x the calories

That's right. Splitting your 1 hour of cardio into two half hour sessions, done several hours apart, uses 2x as many calories as the 1 hour session.

I can think of several reasons for this. The biggest reason is that the split sessions boost your metabolism for many more hours than the one longer session.

That's one reason I do a few short work out sessions throughout my sedentary days spent reading, on the computer and otherwise sitting on my caboose. I just do some squats, push ups, sit ups, yoga stretches. Takes 5 minutes. I call these mini workouts, Metabolic Boosters.

* Exercise bests meal manipulation for weight control

And we have the studies to prove it.

You must know, by now, that chomping smaller meals, several times a day will rev your metabolism, and keep it revved up which helps burn more calories throughout your day. Sounds reasonable, right?

But the New York Times points out that while some studies have found modest health benefits to eating smaller meals, the research usually involved extremes.

Many fad diets and weight loss books point to 6 meals a day as a more realistic approach. But does this meal manipulation really make a difference?

Not according to the NYT.

"As long as total caloric and nutrient intake stays the same, then metabolism should stay the same... One study in 2009...involved groups of overweight men and women randomly assigned to very strict low-calorie diets for eight weeks. Individuals consumed the same number of calories per day, one group took in three meals a day...the other six.

Both groups lost significant and equivalent amounts of weight. No difference between them in fat loss, appetite control or measurements of hormones that signal hunger and satiety. Many other studies support results."

However, The NYT observed that exercise seems to effectively increase metabolism according to research.

So, yes, diet matters but exercise is King!

* Sex and the sun

As many of us head into the warm months, new research finds that an hour of sunbathing heightens male testosterone by 69%. The key is vitamin D. And, no I didn't just make up the 69% - that's just an eye-arching coincidence.

Go for 20 minutes of sunshine and use your judgement when it comes to need for sunscreen and limitations on sun exposure.

* Herbal remedies for under arm perspiration, odor

I don't sweat like a big, fat pig. Well, maybe in the summer. Unfortunately, I can't use most anti-perspirants because they cause my skin to break out horribly.

Remember, they usually contain aluminum which serves to clog the pores. Could you imagine, dealing with sweat by clogging pores with heavy metal?

Here are some better alternatives.

Use witch hazel. Native Americans and early settlers used witch hazel in many home remedies to treat aching muscles, skin inflammations and bruises.

Witch hazel's astringent properties also make it a terrific odor fighter. It tightens skin tissues which reduces sweat production. The pleasant scent of distilled extract of witch hazel also helps fight armpit odors.

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is also often used as a cleanser and natural deodorizer.

Many people find that baking soda cuts through armpit odors. It doesn't stop perspiration, but it breaks down the bacteria into something more like water.

Dust liberally with baking soda after showering. You can also put baking soda on a clean, wet washcloth and apply to underarms.

Caution: Persistently bad underarm odor may be a signal for medical attention. Body odor can be a sign of various medical concerns including kidney and liver disease. So do consult your doctor if simple measures do not work.

* Spring cleaning for your body

That's what a targeted body cleanse can do for you.

Here's a quick and easy strategy. Take in much more fiber to clean out the colon and some aloe to help ease it out. I like a tablespoon of fresh aloe right from the plant. For fiber, a few bean dishes should do the job.

* 3 Quick summer health tips

Are you dragging on well-meaning intentions to improve your health? Well here's a big 'Let's go!?

Start with three easy to implement tips.

1) Drink more water, especially in the morning

2) Having 3 - 4 small meals and a snack or two every day? Make one meal a low carb, high value meal. I toss a can of tuna in a good salad. Or have an Atkins peanut butter crunch bar with a diet cola. (I know cola's not a health food but I never said I was perfect.) Or have part skim cheese with some crunchy celery. The options are endless.

3) Again, exercise. Start now. Start at any level. Just make sure to increasingly progress.

* Fiber for life

Maybe this item should have been added to tips above. Add 10 grams of fiber to your daily diet, cut mortality by 9%. It also reduces percentage of death from coronary disease by 17%.

* Recipe - Using fresh parsley

Here's a recipe, sort of.

Fresh parsley is really, really good for you. Full of nutrients, it also helps you lose excess fat and is good for kidney stones.

But really, apart from a little sprinkling of parsley in various recipes, how can you incorporate enough parsley so you get its health benefits?

My family had no problems using a whole lot of fresh parsley. Some examples:

Add some chopped parsley to scrambled eggs. They go great together. I like to saute half an onion first, then fold in parsleyed, scrambled eggs. Salt and pepper to taste.

My dad loved making a chunky mashed potato dish with a whole lot of chopped fresh parsley. The key is to simmer peeled diced (2 - 3 inches) potatoes, with parsley, in just enough milk to almost cover potatoes. Cover and simmer until tender. Add a little salt, butter or extra virgin olive oil. Mash enough to thicken dish but leave chunky consistency. salt and pepper to taste. The aroma, the taste. Yummy.

Finally, if you juice, add some parsley to the apple, celery and carrot combos.

See you next month.

Comments? Ideas? Feedback? I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to Healthy World Digest and tell me what you think.

See you next month!

Sal

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