health education | wellness

Category: Healthy lifestyles

Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Inflammation, as part of the human’s natural defense system, brings extra nutrients and immune cells to a diseased, infected or otherwise injured area of our body. In this way inflammation protects us and helps to repair damaged tissues. But when inflammation becomes chronic due to an overstressed, overweight or nutrient-deficient body, then it not only stops defending, but it also creates a higher risk of inflammatory associated diseases, including heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and allergies.

Foods that exhibit a high level of phytonutrients and anti-inflammatory properties, when combined with a healthy lifestyle, may reduce chronic inflammation and lessen your risks of disease (Hu, 2014).

Here are our top 10 anti-inflammatory foods:

Beets – Beets contain phytonutrients called betalains, which have potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Sliced thin and lightly steamed (for 15 minutes or less), or grated raw in a slaw, beets combat inflammation and provide essential vitamins and minerals.

Flax Seeds – This plant-based source of omega-3’s has a normalizing effect on blood pressure and helps maintain cholesterol levels, soothing inflammatory conditions. A tablespoon of the ground seed can be added daily to any grain recipe, such as oatmeal or muffins.

Collard Greens – The high level of glucosinolates found in collard greens can help lower your risk of chronic disease by supporting the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory system. One to 2 cups several times per week is suggested.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Since olive oil contains an anti-inflammatory specific enzyme, oleocanthal, you can replace butter, lard, and vegetable oils with this naturally anti-inflammatory oil and enjoy its inherent pain relieving capacities.

Oranges – This beautiful, delicious fruit packs in over 170 different phytonutrients, many of which directly affect inflammation. Oranges mediate the inflammatory response to help treat and prevent chronic disease.

Berries – All berries, from blueberries and raspberries, to strawberries and blackberries, contain polyphenol compounds, which have direct anti-inflammatory effects on a cellular level. Adding up to a cup of berries per day can boost your chronic disease defenses.

Ginger – Valued for centuries for its anti-inflammatory properties, ginger mimics the actions of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like Ibuprofen) without the harmful side effects. Grated fresh ginger can easily be added to soups and stir-fries.

Shiitake Mushrooms – Because they are rich in bioactive compounds, shiitake mushrooms help block the inflammatory stage associated with cholesterol build up while protecting blood vessels. Sautéed or added to soups, shiitakes make a nutrient dense addition to any meal.

Lentils – Often characterized as the perfect staple food, lentils contain phytonutrients that help lower c-reactive protein levels (CRP), which are used to indicate the extent of inflammation. Lentils make a satisfying meal in a hearty soup, or simmered in curry spice.

Walnuts – Walnuts contain a unique phytonutrient called quinone juglone, which detoxifies cells and provides circulatory protection with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Also high in omega-3’s, a small handful of walnuts each day may work to calm chronic inflammation.

References

Hu, F. (2014). Foods That Fight Inflammation. Retrieved July 2015 from http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation

July 22, 2015
Benefits of Sprouting: How to Sprout Seeds, Grains, and Greens
There is an expression that good things come in small packages and sprouts are a perfect example of that—a nutritional powerhouse tucked inside a seed.

The process of sprouting involves germinating seeds, which “sprout” or grow into tiny nutritious plants, and are then eaten raw or cooked. Many different kinds of grasses, grains, beans, and greens can be sprouted. Some of the most popular sprouts are mung beans, alfalfa, broccoli, and clover, as well as “ancient grains” and chickpeas. If you look, you can find some of these common sprouts in the produce section of many grocery stores.

Nutritional Benefits of Sprouting

Sprouting can provide many health and nutrition benefits. Back in the 1920s an American professor named Edmond Szekely championed what he called “bio-genic” nutrition saying that sprouted seeds and baby green were the most nutritionally beneficial foods that support cell regeneration (Sprouts-as-Medicine, 2008).

Sprouts are widely praised for being high in dietary fiber, B complex vitamins (particularly B2, B5, and B6) and protein. In addition, germinating seeds produces high levels of vitamin C and increases beta carotene levels.

The changes that that occur during the sprouting process make it easier for the body to digest and derive nutrients from sprouted seed, legumes, and plants. For example, sprouting breaks down complex sugars into simpler glucose molecules and neutralizes enzyme inhibitors allowing for easier digestion. (Harris, 2009) And, sprouting whole grains reduces the amount of starch they contain and boosts their nutritional value.

There are even some claims that particular sprouts have specific benefits such as clover (for menopause symptoms in women), mung beans (for heart and blood health), and cress (for clean skin and blood purification) (Sprouts-as-Medicine, 2008).

How To Sprout

For beginners the sprouting process can seem complicated and intimidating, but once you get acclimated, it is fairly straightforward. The basic process is as follows:
1. Fill a Mason jar 1/3 with seeds and the rest with filtered water.
2. Soak seeds* in a Mason jar with mesh or a screen in place of the metal lid insert.
3. Drain, rinse, and refill with the seeds and 2-3 times fresh water. Repeat this step every few hours or at least twice a day.
4. Flip the jar and/or invert to allow for air circulation.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for as long as necessary until the seeds start sprouting.*
*Soaking times and sprouting times vary for different seeds/plants. There are myriad charts available online (Vegetarian Times) that detail the specific lengths of time required. Generally, most seeds require soaking times between 6-12 hours and the majority sprout within 1-4 days. For example, alfalfa sprouts in 2-5 days, while some plants will begin sprouting in less than a day.

Once the seeds have sprouted, be sure to give them a final rinse and dry them out to inhibit bacteria growth. This is often done by placing in a sunny spot for a few hours, which also helps the plants get greener. Any harmful components that nuts or seeds may contain are eliminated during the initial soaking period, which takes place prior to sprouting.

For more information and reources, we recommend checking out SproutPeople.

References

Harris, Kimberly (2009). Why Sprout? retrieved on July 13, 2015 from www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/01/why-sprout.html.

Masters, Tess (2013). How to Soak and Sprout Nuts, Seeds, Grains and Beans retrieved on July 13, 2015 from www.vegetariantimes.com/blog/how-to-soak-and-sprout-nuts-seeds-grains-and-beans/.

Sprouts (2008). Retrieved on July 13, 2015 from www.sprouts-as-medicine.com.

Hot to Sprout: Seeds, Beans, Grains (n.d.). Retrieved on July 13, 2015 from http://tasty-yummies.com/2014/04/22/how-to-sprout-seeds-beans-grains/.
July 20, 2015
Reasons to Eat More Green Foods

Keeping track of what to eat and what to avoid can seem like a full-time job, particularly when you are preparing meals for an entire family. That is especially true in this day and age when so many processed foods and unhealthy choices are on menus and grocery store shelves. But one of the ways to simplify all of that is to always include plenty of green foods in your diet or with your meals.

Nature has basically given us a color-coding system to help us make smarter food choices. Select the fresh green vegetables and you really cannot go wrong, because they are one of the single most important parts of a healthy diet. Not only are they low in calories and sugar-free, but they contain concentrated amounts of helpful vitamins and minerals.

Why Green Foods?

Why are green foods like kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, asparagus, and peas so reliably healthy and good for us? For starters, they are all green for a reason, because they are high in chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the agent that turns plants green and is essential to the process of photosynthesis. In grade school, students learn that photosynthesis helps purify the air and produces oxygen.

Likewise, eating green foods boosts your body’s oxygen supply so you have more energy and a stronger immune system. Without an adequate amount of oxygen, on the other hand, your blood is weaker and the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other vital organs have to work overtime. Your muscles need oxygen, which is why strenuous exercise makes you breather harder, and the brain actually uses about three times as much oxygen as the muscles do. So eating greens makes you both stronger and smarter.

Green foods also contain important cellular salts, digestive enzymes, and essential minerals like potassium. Eating more greens is also a way to improve your digestion!

July 16, 2015
Super Easy Mind-Body Techniques for Hospital Workers

Hospitals are a culture unlike any other. In many ways they function just like any other workplace environment. But anyone who even visits a hospital can quickly recognize that the work done there by staffers requires a special kind of person and an extraordinary commitment to the health care profession. The rest of the population shows up at hospitals to receive acute care, potentially life-saving treatment, or reassurance that they and their loved ones are properly looked after, 24/7.

That puts a huge demand and responsibility on the shoulders of hospital workers, who must maintain a calm, patient, highly professional demeanor – even when under great duress. So here are some helpful mind-body techniques that are very easy to do and can give you wonderful relief from the stress you may experience on the job.

Super Easy Mind-Body Techniques

Remind Yourself to Breathe!

Whenever you feel your blood pressure rising and the stress accumulating, remember to breathe. Pay attention to your diaphragm, breath slowly and deeply. That simple act can instantly help you find your “center” and feel grounded and calm.

Use Visualization Techniques

As you breathe those calming breathes visualize all of the stress you feel on the in-breath. Then, as you slowly exhale, visualize all of that tension and mental agitation leaving your body and evaporating. It may sound very “new age,” but even Navy SEALS use this kind of effective technique.

Nourish Yourself with Solitude

Wherever you work, find a personal sanctuary. Maybe it’s in the hospital chapel or on the roof, or just a quiet corner of a stairwell. Retreat there when the chaos becomes too much and treat yourself to a few precious minutes of pure solitude.

Calm Down Your Diet

You are what you eat, so to ensure healthier mind/body alignment eat a balanced, nutritious diet. But avoid the sugars and caffeinated drinks because those can cause irritating spikes in blood sugar, dehydration, and an elevated heart rate – all of which make you antsy and less able to stay cool, calm, and collected.

As the old saying goes, “physician, heal thyself.” Whether you are an actual physician or work in a hospital setting in some other capacity, you need to take care of yourself – for the sake of your own wellness and work/life balance. So consider incorporating these mind-body techniques into your lifestyle as a daily habit. You’ll feel better and be able to perform at your best for the betterment of your entire hospital team and the patients whom you serve.

July 15, 2015
Healthy Diet Can Create A Healthier Gut Microbiome

There are colonies of bacteria or microbiome inside our digestive tract that can aid in good digestion and better overall health. In fact, there are more bacteria living in our intestines that our own human cells! The so-called “good bacteria” can also be cultivated by making better dietary choices and create a healthier gut microbiome.

Microbiome responds to diet

In 2014, Scientific American published an article describing research that showed that the gut microbiome can respond within just a matter of days to changes in your diet. Researchers at the University of Chicago specializing in gastroenterology, discovered that the body is highly sensitive to dietary changes, and they reiterated that the connection to diet and health is critical. By paying closer attention to what we eat, we can avoid many common ailments and help to minimize problems such as indigestion, inflamed bowels, and even obesity and anxiety.

Dietary fiber is thought to promote this healthy microbiome, and some researchers say that by following a diet that contains too little fiber, it may be possible to starve that bacteria. With nothing else to subsist upon, the bacteria may attack the lining of the intestines. That can cause discomfort, irritation, and illness. But when the microbiome is healthy, it contributes to the digestive process and helps us make the most from our nutrition. Some of the best fiber comes from vegetables, so extra servings of fresh vegetables as a daily habit is recommended for most people.

A healthier gut microbiome with probiotics

Eating fermented foods is an an easy way to introduce healthy probiotics to the diet. A few examples of fermented foods include naturally-made yogurt (without added sugars or artificial ingredients), miso soup, kimchi, and sauerkraut. Some evidence indicates that probiotics have a positive effect on the composition of our gut microbiome, which is why many health providers recommend probiotics supplements or fermented foods after taking a course of antibiotics.

While antibiotics are important for certain infections, they may also wipe out colonies of good bacteria in the process, and restoring the balance of our microbiome is an essential step in the healing and restorative process.

When it comes to creating healthy digestion and a healthier gut microbiome, everyone’s body is unique, and we all have individual dietary needs that should be thoughtfully addressed in order to ensure our health and well being.

June 28, 2015