Category: Health and Wellness

Ever heard of the expression less is more?  Well, when it comes to food, it just may be the case…that less is more!  After reading an article in the April 2017 edition in Taste For Life magazine, I now feel compelled to give fasting a try.  Here’s what I got from it…

Taking the time to fast has shown to decrease inflammation and to prevent the occurrence or recurrence of some diseases, including some dreadful “C’s”.  One study, where over 2,400 women were followed in August 2016 and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), showed that women who fasted an average of 13 hours overnight, decreased the chance of breast C from recurring.  Researchers concluded that it was most likely due to more regulated glucose levels and sleep.

Apparently, Indian women have used fasting therapeutically for thousands of years, ‘echoing the disease-prevention benefits of intermittent fasting.’  Fasting showed to ‘starve tumors of the blood supply that they needed for growth’.  Interesting.

Fasting can have several other health benefits for the body:

• improves reproductive features – menstrual cycle, ovulation and fertility
• improves metabolism
• pain and stiffness relief from rheumatoid arthritis
• lowers high blood pressure and cholesterol levels – arteries become less inflamed

When we fast, our cells become mildly stressed, which forces our bodies to deal with the stress and ward off certain diseases.

Dr. Toledo, MD, medical director of the Buchinger Wilhelmi clinic in Germany and Valter Longo, PhD, of the University of Southern Californa both agree that when we fast for three days, our body can “reset” the immune system and ‘trigger the production of new white blood cells, helping to ward off disease’.  Some studies have even showed that fasting can help to ‘mitigate the toxicity of chemotherapies used to kill C’s.

So, what are the ways we can fast?  Here are three techniques:

• Every-other-day-fasting – limit ourselves to only 500 calories (600 for men); we have to be sure to eat nutrient-rich foods, such as lean proteins and fresh produce
• Half-day fasting – 12 hours on and 12 hours off; over time we may find that we can increase our fasting to 16 hours; health benefits can come when we limit our eating to eight hours per day.
• 5:2 fasting – eat normal for five days a week and, then limit our caloric intake to 500 calories the other two days.

*Please note:  Fasting is not recommended for people with diabetes, those whom struggle with eating disorders, women who are pregnant or nursing, the elderly, and children. Always check with your doctor before beginning any fasting regimen.

You think you want to fast?  I think I’ll try it!

Love,

Lisa

Ahhh, the power of water.  After reading the article in Good Housekeeping, written by Lisa Mulcahy, I learned some new things about the importance of drinking H2O.  I’m hoping that we can come together and commit to increasing our daily water intake. Whaddya say?!

Reason number…

1. Water boosts our mood.  When researchers asked study participants to increase their daily intake from 5 cups to 10 cups per day, they reported feeling calmer and more satisfied with their life after about 5 days.  🙂

2. We may heal faster.  If we get a cut, treat the wound and, then sip 16 ounces of                   water.  Drinking water ‘improves microvascular circulation in our skin – important           for healing – in just 30 minutes.’

3. It can lower our odds of a stroke.  A study conducted at Johns Hopkins Hospital                   showed that 44% of people whom suffered a stroke were found to be dehydrated.               Being dehydrated can cause our blood to thicken, making it harder for our blood               to pass through our blood vessels.  Recovery was better for these stroke patients                 when they were hydrated.

4. We won’t ruin our workout.  According to the American College of Sports Medicine,            having water before, during and after our workout can prevent problems such as              heat stroke and painful muscle cramps.

5. It can quiet a headache.  The next time our forehead starts pounding, let’s drink                 anywhere from 1 to 6 cups of water.  We could be pain-free in as little as half and               hour!

6. We’ll drive better.  When we drive dehydrated, we are more likely to make more                 mistakes behind the wheel.  It’s a good idea to sip 16 ounces of water before take-off           and have another 7 ounces every hour we’re on the road.

7. It increases our brainpower.  ‘Even mild dehydration can suppress blood vessels in           our brain.’  ‘This will result in short-term memory problems, poor attention and                 slow reaction times.’

Learn something new?  Hope so!  🙂

Happy agua drinking,

Lisa

It sure isn’t fun when we’re feeling bloated and uncomfortable, especially, if we’re out at a dinner party, and, all we want to do is get into our yoga pants and, get comfy.  What was it that I ate this time?

Our hormones are to blame.  And, us women, are ‘hit hardest by “functional” gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, such as IBS and acid reflux’.  “Estrogen and progesterone may make women more sensitive and cause their systems to work more slowly,” says Kyle Staller, MD, a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

But, then, it’s also the foods…another culprit…”FODMAP” foods…’an acronym that stands for a group of rapidly fermented, poorly absorbed carbs and sugars that can wreak havoc in our gut’.  ‘The bacteria in our gut will ferment the raw sugars and carbs, which can lead to bloating and discomfort,” says gastroenterologist Brian Bosworth, MD, chief of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center.

Steer away from these guys to combat ‘gastro drama’:

• apples and pears – stomach no likey the fructose and sugar alcohols
• artificial sweeteners – these only stir up bloating and gas
• snack bars –  the ‘fermentable fiber additives’ will do it
• garlic and onions – high in FODMAP carbs

Instead, let’s eat these!:

• raw carrots – has soluble fiber, which is easier to digest
• peanut or almond butter – protein, healthy fat, and nearly zero FODMAP sugars
• cooked vegetables – cooking any veggie helps to break down the toughest fibers
• oatmeal – soluble fiber and low in fructans, a type of sugar that the belly doesn’t like
• sourdough bread – before baking, the bacteria and yeasts eat up most of the fermentable carbs
• ancient grains – quinoa, millet, amaranth, and sorghum, rather than pasta
• berries – strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are low in fermentable carbs
• lean, whole proteins – fish and turkey, low-fat cuts of beef, if that’s the craving
• sweet potatoes – rich in nutrients; 1 cup has 4 grams of soluble fiber

Ladies and gentlemen, for those of us that didn’t know any of this, we can do this!  We will combat our bloating episodes!  😛

Love you lots,

Lisa

P.S.

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