January 2012 Archives

Next time you are out at the grocery store or the mall, take a look at the people around you:  one third of everyone you see has high blood pressure, according to recent findings from the American Heart Association (AHA). You may even want to take a look in the mirror: hypertension can happen to anyone-it is often a slow, silent disease, that does not make itself know until obvious symptoms occur, such as chest pain and night sweats.

High blood pressure (otherwise known as hypertension) is not just for your grandparents anymore. A whopping one in three Americans now have it. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), hypertension is now common in ages ranging from toddlers to college students to baby boomers. How frightening is that?

Hypertension is the condition of blood pumping too forcefully through the body's blood vessels. The great push of blood stretches veins and arteries out of shape. The vessels then tear and develop scar tissue as they try to heal. Primarily in the arteries, these scars act like burrs on which cholesterol gets caught and builds up. The more closed off the arteries become, the more likely the chance for a heart attack or stroke.

Your doctor will always take your blood pressure upon a visit, but this can sometimes create an elevated reading (known as "white coat syndrome") from nerves and anxiety; still, it is always better to have it checked regularly. You can test at home by purchasing home blood pressure equipment at pharmacies or in the health departments of larger retail stores. Pharmacies will sometimes have a machine on site where you can sit and test your blood pressure. If you find one, bring the whole family along for testing. Think of it as a group field trip...

In our standard American diet (or SAD, as it's often referred to), we eat far too much sugar, fat, caffeine and processed food. We are also overworked and under stress on all fronts. The fact that hypertension is appearing in children and teens now should scare us all straight about what our diets and lifestyle are doing to ourselves and our families.

Change can be simple, but not necessarily easy. Adding in fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to you and your family's diet, and reducing/eliminating the consumption soda and junk food can make a world of difference. So can getting up and outside instead of sitting in front of the t.v. to watch another show or play another video game-what do these things really add to the value of our lives anyway?

Think big, start small, and change can happen.

Recipes for green juices and smoothies are "cropping up" all over the place, and slowly these beverages are becoming a popular approach to fast, healthy eating and detoxification for the body. They are certainly good for you. But is one better than the other? Here is a brief list of the advantages and disadvantages to help you compare the types of green beverages available.

You may also want to consider what you have available already at home: Many people already own a blender, and purchasing a quality juicer can cost you well over $100. Fortunately, purchasing produce in its raw form is often much less expensive than buying prepared juices, so you can save money that way by juicing or blending at home.

When it comes to green beverages, whether you prefer smoothies or juices, the fact of the matter is it's hard to go wrong. Even if you only juice/blend one drink a day (or a week), that's a fabulous start. Just pick your favorite vegetables, and juice or blend to your heart's content. Trust me, your body will thank you for it!

Green Juice

What you need: Juicer, 1 to 2 pounds of your favorite green vegetables

Advantages: Juicing is great because it extracts all of the water and nutrients from vegetables, leaving behind only the plant fibers. This means your body is better able to absorb the nutrients without having to digest the dense bulk of the plant. Plus, you can fit an incredible quantity of vegetables into a single glass of green juice, leaving you with a simple, smooth and delicious drink that packs an incredible nutritional punch!

Disadvantages: Juicers can be very expensive as I mentioned, and hard to take care of. They need to be thoroughly cleaned after every use to prevent rusting. Repeatedly shopping for enough fresh, organic vegetables to make daily juices can also be somewhat expensive. Although they are very high in nutrients and vitamins, juices can't keep you full for long because your body processes the liquid so quickly.  Finally, it's worth noting that though green juices typically are usually low in sugar, several store bought juices can have a very high glycemic load and may cause blood sugar imbalances.

Green Smoothie

What you need: Blender, ½ to 1 pound of your favorite green vegetables, 1 cup of ice.

Advantages: The biggest advantage to making smoothies is that the only equipment you need is relatively inexpensive - a blender. Smoothies also tend to be a little bit more filling since the plant fibers are present (but still easy to digest because they are broken down, compared to raw whole vegetables.)

Disadvantages: Compared to digesting juice, your body will have to work a bit harder to digest a smoothie and absorb the nutrients. Also, because it's difficult to pack in the same volume of vegetables into a blender, your smoothie won't be as nutrient-dense as your green juice. Using a high quality blender, such as a Vitamix, will lead to smoother, more enjoyable smoothies, but the price is comparable to a juicer.

For either juicing or blending, try this fantastic recipe:

Green Juice
(Original recipe by Anna Monette Roberts)

If you don't have a juicer, you can still make a smoothie using a blender. It should be noted that the smoothie will definitely be fiber-filled! You can store leftovers in the fridge, but try to drink the juice within a day. The longer the juice is exposed to air, the more it oxidizes and loses those precious nutrients.

Ingredients

1 handful parsley
2 apples
1 handful spinach
1 cucumber
1 lemon
1-inch piece ginger

Directions

To make juice: In a fruit and vegetable juicer, juice all ingredients. Discard solids. Pour juice into glass and add a few ice cubes if you prefer a colder beverage.

To make smoothie: Prior to blending, chop apple and discard the core. Chop cucumber. Peel and chop ginger. Zest and juice lemon, throwing out remaining rind. Combine all ingredients, and blend until smooth. Add water and a few ice cubes to help thin smoothie out for better blending results.

From obesity to hypertension and even heart attacks, trans-fats have gotten a reputation for causing body-deteriorating conditions.  And now, a new disease is being added to the list: Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's disease, also known as senile dementia, is essentially the loss of brain function that gradually gets worse over time. Its devastating effects destroy memory, thinking, and behavior.  According to a new study, people with high levels of trans fats in their diets showed poorer memory, attention, and language and processing skills compared to those in the study who did not consume trans fats.

While the research is still relatively new, it could mean that trans fats (commonly found in fast food) not only cause inflammation of the arteries, affect heart function, and increase the risk of heart attack, but could also be detrimental to our brains.

On a more positive note, according to The Canadian National Newspaper, the study also found that "people who consumed diets high in vitamins B, C, D and E and rich in omega fatty acids were reported to have larger brains and showed cognitive abilities that correspond with the brain and its healthy blood vessels."

Hopefully, as this research continues to become more concrete, people will think twice before ordering a Big Mac and opt for salmon and fresh fruit instead! 

If your resolution for the New Year is to lose weight, you might want to think twice before you announce your plans to your family and friends. Doctors are taking a closer look at effective diet plans, and some are recommending that their patients keep their weight loss intentions to themselves.

Dr. John Walz, who specializes in weight loss, tells CNN that a big part of why he tells his patients to not let others in on their plans is because, by human nature, we tend to spend our time with like-minded people. Obese people generally associate with other obese people, so when one person decides to lose weight they are met with discouragement and judgment from their peers. 

"Deliberately or not, the family, the friends, the other people who are part of that individual's culture will resist the change," Dr. Walz says. "(They) will try to change them back to what the culture tolerates."

Another argument for weight loss secrecy is more personal. Dr. Peter Gollwitzer, a professor of psychology at New York University, studies the correlation between telling people what your goals are and actually achieving them. In his research paper "When Intentions Go Public," Gollwitzer says that the praise we receive for setting goals satisfies us to the point where we don't feel the need to actually achieve them.

The solution, Dr. Gollwitzer says, is simple: "You can keep your mouth shut," or "Form different kinds of intention - not only say what you want to do but also when, where and how you want to do it."

The idea of losing weight on your own goes against what many popular weight loss companies, such as Weight Watchers, preach. They claim that the support of losing weight with a group is what makes their program so successful.

Setting goals for change, whether it's for weight loss or something else entirely, is a very personal experience. In reality, what works for one person might not work for someone else. For some people, a group mentality might be exactly what they need to lose a few extra pounds, while others might be more successful if they do it on their own.

"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence" - Aristotle

Happiness is elusive for some, natural for others. But it is the primary goal of all humans and animals.

A recent article in Men's Health magazine suggests that where you live is an indication of how happy you are. Honolulu, Hawaii, as it turns out, is where the happiest people live. For those of us who struggle through the long winters here in the Northeast, this isn't surprising news. But if a tropical area with oceans and beaches is the key to happiness, how did Boston, Manchester, and Fargo end up with high happiness grades?

St. Petersburg, Florida, was named the saddest city. Detroit, Memphis, Tampa, Louisville, and Miami all received an "F" as well. According to Men's Health, Florida is a pretty depressing place to live, so sunshine certainly isn't a factor in the happiness score.

Cities were graded on a few different metrics including suicide rates, unemployment rates, and the percentage of households taking antidepressants. The magazine also factored in the "number of people who report feeling the blues all or most of the time."

While external conditions like your environment and a job can impact how happy or sad you are, finally it's your response to your conditions and feelings of connection to others in your relationships that are the real sources of happiness. Include a regular exercise routine, a spiritual practice, and a healthy and nutritious diet, and you have a grade A+ for a happy mind. People who lead a healthy lifestyle are happier.

With positive lifestyle changes, anyone can achieve the happiness they are looking for. Try these five tips to turn that frown upside down:

• Find work you love or a way to love the work you have.
• Have healthy relationships that support you.
• Exercise regularly.
• Eat more whole organic foods.
• Develop a spiritual practice.

Whether you live in the happiest or saddest city, these methods for increasing your primary food will definitely help you to be happier and healthier in 2012!