Healthy World Digest, #20, November 2010

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

Welcome to the 20th issue of our newsletter.

In this issue:

November, 2010

* Herbal remedy for increased focus

* Understanding health research

* Removing pesticides from produce

* Best time to exercise

* Eat this for breakfast

* Herbal remedy for increased focus

* Don't forget the vitamin D, revisited

Go right on ahead and enjoy that feast. But do yourself a favor. Have a nice glass of water and some veggie sticks before the feast. Also, go for a gentle walk with loved ones. Keeps your circulation up, muscles active and burns off stress.

* Herbal remedy for increased focus

Losing focus? Many of us just go for that coffee, chocolate bar or cola. Works for a very short time and then, an hour later, effects vanish, performance goes down.

But, a cup of peppermint tea can improve concentration and performance according to research. Oh and it's delicious.

I drink a peppermint-chamomile tea before bed to relax and soothe self to sleep.

* Understanding health research

HWD presents advice that is based on research studies. Problem is, research is often confusing, conflicting, overwhelming.

Remember when coffee was unhealthy? When margarine was healthy?

Most research is simplistic. Like, well, coffee = heart disease.

A good deal of research just begs more questions.

Oh, coffee leads to heart disease? For who? How much? What kind & how strong. Taken at what time of day? All coffee?

See what I mean?

Here is what you must remember about studies. It rarely includes the whole of your body over the course of your lifetime.

Fact is, our bodies are units. The parts are unified.

What impacts one system will effect much more, for better or for worse.

Gum problems lead to tooth loss. Obvious, right? But it can also lead to heart disease. Inflammation can lead to cancer. Exercising might effect the appearance of nails and hair. Stress levels effect everything.

Hey, it's complicated.

Just remember that particular problems can have many consequences so rather than obsessing over specific connections, make sure to take care of yourself where you can and to nip major, broad health issues in the bud or there's no knowing where they may lead.

Let me offer a personal example. I'm pretty sure that getting some sunshine and vitamin C are two things that are very helpful to our health. I could and have obsessed over just how much, what kind, at what time.

But now, hey, I just get an hour of sun when I can, sporting just shorts. In fall and winter, I make sure to get out and get some sun even if it's over only a fraction of my body.

As for vitamin C, I don't obsess over how much is being cooked out of foods or gulping mega doses. I chew a C tab or two, on most days, get some natural C in oranges and lemons. A little more in my multivitamin. I might get some more supplemental C if I feel a cold coming on. Just commonsense stuff.

* Removing pesticides from produce

I wish that I had only organic produce and other foods. Here too, I'm pretty sure that chomping all of those pesticides simply can't be good for you. Much of the food I eat is organic but not close to all.

A good deal of the pesticide load is absorbed by the produce. Unless we buy only organic stuff, it will be hard to avoid all pesticides.

Luckily, much of the pesticide lies on the surface of the produce, where we can remove it.

You can just peel certain items like apples. But I don't ordinarily like to peel off a part of the fruit that contains lots of nutrients.

I often scrub produce that harbors pesticides on skins, like apples or potatoes.

Another approach is to purchase a produce spray from a health food store. Simply spray it on produce to loosen surface pesticides. Follow directions.

You can even make a good, all-natural produce spray which loosens pesticides.

In a spray bottle, mix:

1 cup water

1 cup distilled vinegar

1 tbsp baking soda

juice of half a lemon

Spritz on produce, let sit for 5 minutes, rinse off. Keep spray in refrigerator.

* Best time to exercise

So what time of day is it best to exercise? When will exercise bestow the most benefits? Incur the fewest costs?

Short answer. The afternoon.

That's when muscles are warm, hormone levels and body temperatures peak. But there is much more to the story than that.

Look through Healthy Exercise World's new pages on topic for more.

Morning as best time to exercise

Noon as best exercise time

Afternoon as best time to exercise

Evening as best time to workout

* Eat this for breakfast

You all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So, what to have, that bacon or ham and fried eggs or pancakes, or a bagel with cream cheese?

Yes! Real foods win again. Eggs and bacon or ham will make you feel full all morning, the protein will make it easier to exercise control over eating habits and the protein in the eggs will relax your blood vessels.

The pancakes or bagel made with refined flour? The carbohydrate load will cause your blood sugar to skyrocket, you'll feel energized initially, but then crash a few hours later and need a pick me up before lunch. Go for the eggs and meat.

* Don't forget the vitamin D supplements, revisited

We've noted the importance of vitamin D (old site being updated), especially the natural kind from the sun. But now, for many of us, the days of getting vitamin D from sunbathing are several weeks in the rear view mirror.

So now is the time to take vitamin D supplements. Could turn around your mood and health profile for many months until spring rolls along.

That's all for now. Be well.

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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