Publicity for 16 yo and Under
https://www.heartandstroke.ca/16andunder
Colorfull Bell Peppers
Since we are still in Vision Health Month, we cannot avoid to mention Bell peppers.
But, did you know?
A green bell pepper is just an unripe yellow pepper, which is just an unripe red pepper (though some varieties ripen to yellow, not red).
Benefits? yes! plenty:
Whatever to color they have they all have many nutrients that are good for you, Vitamin C, B6, Capsaicin, and certain enzymes. One of those, lutein, protect the eyes from cataracts and macular degeneration later in life.
Now, How do I eat them?
Ideally raw, you keep lutein and all the vitamins undamaged. If you rather cook them try to chose a light sautee in a pan, until they are somewhat crispy still.
To find a list of worth trying recipes click here and enjoy! at least, ideally, twice a week.
May is (also) Vision Health Month
Even though we are at the very end of the month I thought it would be worth to be aware of May being National Vision Health Month.
When we talk about Vision Health we are not talking about eyes only. We are referring to the health of our body’s vision system; the eyes are one part of this system. For vision, other factors are also involved. For example, the brain processes light received by the eye into images we can understand. However, problems with vision often arise from eye related health conditions which can sometimes be avoided.
Protect your vision:
Schedule regular eye examinations:
By the age of 3 every child should at least have had one eye exam. Later one, the recommendation is to do it yearly. In early ages it is important to detect any problem/s related to vision as it can interfere in their early development and school work. As we age there are other issues that may come up and they all have ways to be corrected if we know we have them and we can prevent them
Protect Against UVA & UVB Rays:
Sun damage is linked to the two most common vision health conditions in Canada: age related macular degeneration and cataracts. People can protect their eyes from harmful UVA & UVB rays by wearing sunglasses when appropriate.
Healthy Lifestyle:
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can also promote vision health. Healthy lifestyle practices include quitting smoking, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet.
Weekend ahead, you running? meditating? or both!?
For all those out there that love to run this feels like the perfect time to do it. Perfect temperature and sunny. Running fairly long distances can play tricks on your mind. After a few miles the mind/body fight starts: “cannot keep going”, “legs hurt”, “there is a big hill coming up, better stop” and countless of other negative thoughts may come up.
There is a different strategy worth trying: Running Meditation. You can read a full article on this here.
Meditation is not sitting still, it is all about being aware. You can bring that awareness to your running. Whether you decide to listen to the stomp of your feet on the ground, your heavy breathing rhythm it is all about being aware. At the beginning it can be hard to maintain this awareness for long period of time, I would suggest start for 2-3 mins at a time, until it becomes a habit, an awareness that starts immediately after a few steps, after a negative thought
Happy exercising!
Cholesterol: Simple Explanation in a Short Video
We commonly come across people wondering about Cholesterol, those who try to avoid it by all means, those who don’t however everybody wants to know where comes from, why we need some. We are going to talk about meals, foods that contain cholesterol later one, but….what is really cholesterol?
This short video about what really is cholesterol will answer that question.
Comfort Food for Rainy Day Dinner
As the rain seems to stay with us for the rest of the day it wouldn’t be fair to take time from what we decided to do today. Whether is reading a new book, using the treadmill at home, having to go to work, you can give yourself a little bit of extra time today and prepare this light version of comfort food Lasagna
If you want and have one, use a crock pot, will make it even easier on you a fill the kitchen with a nice smell everyone will like
What you need:
4-5 Zucchini (or eggplants, or whole wheat lasagna pasta)
3 Ripe tomatoes (or a can of tomato sauce)
1 cup Mozzarella cheese (or ricotta)
1 cup firm tofu (cooked) or ground meat or chicken
The how to:
Finely cut the zucchini length wise. About 1/2 inch thick and arrange in the base of your crock pot
Add tomatoes or tomato sauce to cover
add more layers of zucchini and tomatoes and intercalate with cheese and one or two layers of tofu
Make sure last layer is tomatoes and they cover your zucchini, eggplants or pasta very well
Set to cook in high for 2-3 hs
‘You can serve with a green salad or pita bread
Rainy Days Are an Opportunity
Evidence shows that rainy and grey days have a huge impact on people mood. Depression consults escalate and, mostly women, report to eat more “junk” food and move less.
There is a basic truth we have to remember today:
YOUR MOOD IS YOUR CHOICE.
I struggled with this idea for a long time until I could find no resources, no evidence, no paper, no psychologist, no friend that would tell me it wasn’t true.
Yes, YOU decide HOW you feel
And for most of us, it is not easy. It takes time and practice to learn how to make that decision. We have many learnt patterns of feeling and thinking however it is possible to change them to what we want to be now.
It may even work as a mantra, that phrase that you repeat to yourself when stuck in a question during an exam, that say you repeat before entering work every day, that thought that allows you to move one step further in your morning run.
Start off your day with your own “mantra”. Start every raining grey day deciding it is going to be a good one, a happy one. It is an exercise, takes time and practice. You can start today!
A Healthy Oil to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
With a rich and strong flavour, Olive oil has its fans and some hates.In one study, scientists at the University of Louisiana College of Pharmacy tested a component of olive oil called oleocanthal on the brains of mice that had been bred to develop a disease resembling Alzheimer’s in people. The substance, they found, appears to help speed up the removal of beta-amyloid, the toxic protein that builds up in the brains of Alzheimer’s victims, forming gummy plaques. Oleocanthal is present in olive oil.
German researchers recruited 120 healthy volunteers and had them eat yogurt every day for three months. Unknowingly, some ate yogurt laced with butter, lard, olive oil or canola oil, another heart-healthy fat. They found that unlike the other groups, those eating the yogurt containing olive oil tended to eat fewer calories the rest of the day and did not gain weight.
The findings may help to explain why a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, along with fruits and vegetables and modest amounts of red wine, may help to promote good health. Other studies have shown that keeping weight down in middle age lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s in old age.
Many factors may contribute to problems with thinking and memory in old age. Food and diet is likely just one contributing factor. But a growing body of evidence that people who follow a Mediterranean diet may lower their risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, as well as heart attacks, strokes and other illnesses as well.
Office Exercise, really?
Yes, really. It is doable, It is possible.
Give it a thought, allocate some time to decide what is what best fits you and your schedule and type of work and try to incorporate 1-2 of these tips to your routine.
You can read Mayo Clinic latest article about office exercise and great tips here.
Adding a walk at lunch or substituting a bus for a walk is a great way to bring exercise to your workday
Red Bell Pepper: Is it a Veggie or a Fruit?
