Category: Health

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10 Interesting Facts for You to Take a Look At

This is a fast-paced world where it can be hard to get any free time and learn new information.

But you should always make time for our fact sets! They’re filled with fascinating information that will stick in your head long after you’re done reading them.

Here are 10 such facts for you!

1. That’s a relief.

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2. Women are strong.

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3. What a great idea.

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4. That’s the backstory.

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5. Time for a name change.

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6. Take me down to Octopus City.

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7. Ugh, that’s not good.

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8. Another reason not to like Mondays.

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9. Get to the Hummer!

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10. Everybody needs to take notice of this.

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We hope you enjoyed those 10 facts!

Follow THIS LINK to explore a whole lot more.

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Good News! Eating Cheese Every Day May Actually Improve Your Health.

Here’s some good news for you!

No longer will we be shamed for eating cheese on a regular basis.

It turns out that eating cheese might actually protect us from the some of the dangers associated with a diet too high in salt.

Now, we all need some salt, but too much can lead to things like high blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, and even dementia. Avoiding it can be difficult in our over-programmed, fast-food infested worlds, so the idea that just eating more cheese might help is pretty darn appealing.

Lacy Alexander, a professor and co-author of the study published in the Journal of Nutrition, explains.

“Studies have shown that people who consume the recommended number of dairy servings each day typically have lower blood pressure and better cardiovascular health in general. We wanted to look at those connections more closely as well as explore some of the precise mechanisms by which cheese, a dairy product, may affect heart health.”

The study included 11 people with salt-sensitive blood pressure, all of whom followed different diets for a prescribed amount of time. They were low salt and no dairy, low salt and high cheese, high sale and no dairy, and high salt and high cheese.

At the end of the study, researchers assessed the blood vessel function of of each volunteer by injecting a small amount of a chemical that relaxes the vessels under their skin.

What they found was that the volunteers that had consumed the high salt, high cheese diet seemed to have some kind of protective effect against any kind of impairment to the vessel.

Scientists need to do more research, but they think it might have to do with antioxidants found in cheese.

“There is scientific evidence that dairy-based nutrients, specifically peptides generated during the digestion of dairy proteins, have beneficial antioxidant properties, meaning that they have the ability to scavenge these oxidant molecules and thereby protect against their damaging physiological effects,” said lead author Billie Alba.

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Happy national #Moldycheese day!! To celebrate, Two of my many favorite #funkycheeses. #ShropshireBlue is a #Scottishbluecheese made from pasteurised cows' milk using vegetable rennet. The orange colour comes from the addition of annatto, a natural food colouring. Penicillium #roqueforti produces the veining. #Cypressgrove- #HumboldtFog is a California #goatmilk, mold-ripened cheese with a central line of edible white ash much like Morbier. The cheese ripens starting with the #bloomy #mold exterior, resulting in a core of fresh goat #cheese surrounded by a runny shell. As the cheese matures, more of the originally crumbly core is converted to a soft-ripened texture. The bloomy mold and ash rind are edible but fairly tasteless. The cheese is creamy, light, and mildly acidic with a stronger flavor near the rind. ##ilovecheese #cheeseplease #moldycheeseday #cheeseboard #makeamericagrateagain @cypressgrovers

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The study was small, which means its results will need to be replicated, and no matter how much cheese you eat, you probably can’t guzzle salt like it doesn’t matter.

And even if it helps protect your blood vessel from salt damage, cheese is high in saturated fat and salt, too.

Now that the reasonable warnings are out of the way, let’s celebrate!

With a cheese plate. Obviously.

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New Research Finds That Running Might Actually Be Good for Your Knees

Contrary to popular wisdom, running might not be so bad for your knees after all. In fact, it may actually improve your knee health.

One reason that running is assumed to be bad for your knees is the existence of “runner’s knee,” or patellofemoral pain syndrome. It’s fairly common for runners to experience knee pain, especially those who are new to the sport. That pain is often due to muscle weakness, overextending yourself, or running with old shoes.

But studies have shown that running is not associated with knee arthritis or other types of degenerative joint disease. In fact, it may be good for your knee joints, helping to protect the knee and keep it working smoothly.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

In one 2016 study, male and female runners either ran on a treadmill for 30 minutes or sat quietly for 30 minutes. Then they did the opposite activity on the next day. Before and after each session, the researchers drew blood from their arms and synovial fluid from their knees. They measured it for cells linked to inflammation and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), the substance that marks arthritis.

After 30 minutes on the treadmill, participants had lower levels of inflammation and lower levels of COMP. Sitting for 30 minutes increased those same levels. The study’s author Robert Hyldahl concluded that moderate runs are “not likely to harm healthy knees and probably offer protection,” per the New York Times.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

So you definitely shouldn’t let the fear of bad knees keep you from running.

Still, it’s important to practice good etiquette to avoid messing up your knees — wear proper running shoes, and don’t push yourself too far too soon.

Happy trails!

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Starving Before Bed? Try These 7 Nutritionist-Approved Snacks.

There is a laundry list of dos and don’ts for losing weight. There’s always a flavor of the month or fad diet, and you would be forgiven for being confused. A lot of diets even contradict each other.

Take Atkins: eat fats and protein but no carbs.

But straight eating clean: get in those complex carbs, veggies, and protein.

And don’t get me started on keto.

Sure, depending on your body type, blood type, etc, more than one or all of these diets could work. But the one thing these all have in common? Don’t eat before bed! Gasp!

But I’m hungry!

Me too. So what’s the deal? Do you chug a glass full of water to fill your stomach and suffer through a Netflix program until you fall asleep? Or do you have a snack?

Buzzfeed may have the answer. They recently checked in with “registered dietician Abby Langer and Despina Hyde, a diabetes expert at NYU Langone Weight Management Program, to find out.”

Apparently, it is okay to eat before bed! Whew…what a relief. It’s just what you eat that counts. Having a bucket of KFC is probably not a good idea. But fruit, crackers, or avocado toast (yum) could get you the nutrients you need PLUS settle that roaring stomach.

“Sure, your metabolic rate slows down a bit, but it doesn’t stop, says Langer. Yes, when it comes to weight management, it’s better to eat your biggest meals around the time of day you’re most active, but in general, your total calories matter more than the timing. And a reasonable snack that satisfies your hunger before bed isn’t enough to derail your healthy eating efforts.”

But I’m hungry every night before bed

If this is a consistent issue, chances are you’re not eating enough calories during the day. Also, check out your protein intake. If you’re eating a ton of carbs and fatty foods, this can cause your body to burn off energy too quickly, leaving nothing in your reserve while converting those calories to fat. Yuck. 

“Avoid a too-big meal, since your body will have to work harder to digest, which might actually keep you awake. But if your schedule leaves you with no choice but to eat dinner close to bedtime, Hyde suggests something that’s about 40% veggies, 40% carbs, and 20% protein.”

So what types of snacks are good to eat at night?

High fiber Cereal

Who doesn’t love Babybel?

 

Avocado or hard-boiled egg toast

 

Bananas with peanut butter

 

Greek yogurt with granola or fruit (or both!)

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special k granola, strawberry activia, and almonds

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A simple cup of cottage cheese with fruit, nuts, or crackers

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Snack break #cottagecheese #triscuits

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Fruit and nuts are perfect for a sweet craving

 

So no matter the diet, remember: it is important to space out meals, get the proper caloric intake, and eat (healthily) when hungry at night!

After all, no one likes a cranky Netflix partner.

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This Is How You Can Deal with Excessive Sweating

I sweat a lot. Probably too much, but what can I do about it?

Turns out there actually are some steps I can take to try to prevent over sweating. That’ll teach me to give up!

One easy thing you can try is to put on an antiperspirant before you go to bed at night. You should also try to avoid certain foods and drinks during your daily routine—for instance too much coffee can have an effect on your central nervous system and cause you to sweat more than usual. Drinking hot coffee might even make it worse because the heat of the drink increases your body temperature, which might make you sweat even more.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Other foods you might want to avoid: spicy foods. This one is tough for me because I love Indian food, Mexican food, and Vietnamese food, but if this is the price of less sweat, I suppose I can manage.

As Scientific American explains:

“Spicy foods excite the receptors in the skin that normally respond to heat. Those receptors are pain fibers, technically known as polymodal nociceptors… The central nervous system can be confused or fooled when these pain fibers are stimulated by a chemical, like that in chili peppers, which triggers an ambiguous neural response. The central nervous system reacts to whatever the sensory system tells it is going on. Therefore, the pattern of activity from pain and warm nerve fibers triggers both the sensations and the physical reactions of heat, including vasodilation, sweating and flushing”

Photo Credit: Pixabay

If your excessive sweat results in body odor, there are other things you can do to try to keep that under control. Besides using deodorant, you should avoid foods that cause people to stink, like cabbage, broccoli, onions, garlic, and cauliflower. Alcohol also smells when you sweat it out, so you might want to cut down on the booze (that’s really not a bad idea for any person).

If you’ve tried everything, but you still sweat all the time, you can wear certain colors to hide your sweat (it’s not idea, we know). Very dark clothes and very light clothes hide sweat pretty well, so you can wear black, dark blue, and even white. You should avoid grays and bright colors if you’re gonna be out in the sun or somewhere you know you’ll be sweating because those colors practically highlight sweat stains. You could also consider wearing more athleisure, as it tends to be made from sweat-wicking textiles.

Try these tips out and see if they do the trick for you. If all else fails, go see your doctor. There are some genuine medical issues associated with excess sweating, although they are rare.

Good luck out there and stay cool!

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Do You Have Cockroaches in Your House? Keep Them Away Using Peppermint Oil.

This sounds gross, but there are cockroaches all of the place where I live. Huge, nasty bugs that move a million miles an hour and (obviously) have no regard for my personal space. I live in North Carolina, and when I first relocated here, I was shocked at how many there were (people here misleadingly call them “Palmetto bugs”), but now I guess I’ve gotten used to it.

If you’re in the same boat as me (and you probably are if you live in certain parts of the country), here’s a home remedy you should consider to keep those pesky bugs out of your house and out of your life, especially if you prefer to use non-toxic products.

Researchers from Auburn University released a study that shows that a mix of peppermint oil and white vinegar will keep roaches (and spiders) away.

Here’s what you should do: put 10 drops of peppermint oil into a spray bottle along with two parts water and one part white vinegar. Spray the mixture around your cupboards, along your baseboards, under your sink, near door entrances, and anywhere else you think roaches might be lurking. This will not kill the roaches, but it will keep them away from the sprayed areas—and hopefully out of your hair (sometimes literally).

Another tip: you can also use peppermint oil by itself to wipe down countertops.

Give this a shot and see how it works for you—I know I’m going to. If you’re not seeing any improvement, it might be time to call in an exterminator.

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The Guy from the ‘Blinking White Guy’ Meme Is Using His Stardom to Fight Multiple Sclerosis

Some people these days are instantly recognizable because they’ve become the subject of memes that blow up worldwide.

Like the “blinking white guy meme.”

You’ve seen this meme a million times, and you’ve seen it used in a million different ways.

You know the one:

Here’s another one.

Well, as with every meme that hits the big time, there’s a real person behind the magic, and this one’s name is Drew Scanlon. And he’s using his meme stardom to fight for a good cause.

Scanlon is asking for donations to help fund multiple sclerosis research. He’s raising money by participating in a national bicycle ride called Bike MS. And since he has a slightly wider than normal reach, he put out this call:

Scanlon wrote on his Bike MS page, “I’m not usually one to toot my own meme horn but in this case I’ll make an exception. You see, two close friends of mine and members of their families suffer from MS, a debilitating disease of the central nervous system that interrupts communication between the brain and the body. If a fraction of those who have seen my goofy face donated to MS research, I have a feeling we could kick this thing in no time!”

He even provided his Twitter followers with some videos from the road during his big bicycle adventure.

Scanlon’s bicycle ride ended on September 22, but he will be accepting donations until November.  As of this writing, he has raised more than $32,000 for his cause. Click HERE to make a donation and help end MS once and for all!

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Ireland Plans on Planting 440 Million Trees to Help Fight Climate Change

Climate change is altering the world. Some of these changes we can anticipate, but others we are learning about in real time. And even though everyone who’s examined the evidence knows that climate change is occurring and that it is bad, some nations are sitting idly by and acting like their hands are tied.

Others are fighting for the future.

That is exactly what the country of Ireland is trying to do. Over the next 22 years, Ireland has committed to planting 22 million trees each year, totaling to 440 million trees by the year 2040.

Many believe that “revegetating” the natural environment can help to reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. The tree-planting initiative is part of the Irish government’s overall plan to combat climate change, which involves getting to carbon neutral by 2050.

The plan calls for farmers to plant trees, and they will be incentivized for doing so. It’s a bit tricky: some argue that farmers should not be required to plant trees on their own land because it will take away property from their economic crops and cattle. Others have suggested that farmers let land revegetate on its own, so forests can develop naturally.

While there would be greater species diversity if a forest naturally revegetated, it would also take longer for trees to mature that way.

It’s estimated that there are about 3 trillion trees on Earth and that roughly 15 billion are cut down every year by humans.

The action plan from the Irish government says:

“Taking decisive action to confront climate disruption will be a major challenge to every dimension of our society, but the benefits are huge – warmer homes, cleaner air, a sustainable use of the world’s scarce resources, more connected communities, authentic values, and quality jobs in enterprises which can compete in a decarbonised world. This is everyone’s journey. From Government to businesses, communities to householders, climate action is collective action. The Climate Action Plan sets out the Government agenda; see what you can do to play your part.”

If Ireland can do it, it seems like the United States could manage the same, don’t you think?

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Your Daily Cup of Tea Might Contain Billions of Microplastics

Let’s start off by saying this: there is no science, as of today, that proves (or disproves) that microplastics are harmful to human beings.

As of today is a pretty big qualifier here, though, and most people believe that inhaling, touching, and/or ingesting tiny plastics all day every day can’t be the best thing in the world.

So your tea? It might be trouble, my friends.

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PLASTIC FREE TEA ANYONE? ?‍♀️?‍♂️? . For any tea lovers, we always recommend to have your tea loose and brewed with stainless steel (or other food-grade metals), glass, or ceramic strainer. . Why? Because most of the tea bags sold in the stores are made of plastics and they are releasing billions of micro & nano plastics when came in contact with hot water. Afterall, all we want is a nice cup of tea, not a cup of microplastic brew, don't we? . Both loose tea (with many variants!) and stainless steel tea strainer are available in our stores. You can pop by to see our selections or simply visit our web to have yours delivered right to your doors with our #refillservice! Ps. Keep an eye out on tomorrow #igstories as I will be heading to one of our organic tea garden supplier ? . ? @easyecotips . #zerowastebali #zerowastefacts #plasticfacts #plasticteabags #breakfreefromplastic #balibulkfood #loosetea #naturaltea #plasticfree #teaaddict #tealover

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Recently, many tea manufacturers have begun replacing paper teabags with plastic (silken) ones that are both terrible for the environment and, it turns out, capable of releasing loads of microplastics.

Microplastic particles are around 100 nanometers to 5 millimeters in size, and when they get into your teach, you eat them.

The report was published in Environmental Science & Technology by researchers from McGill University in Montreal, and their findings came from examining 4 different types plastic teabags. They heated the bags in water around 200 degrees F (after emptying the bags of tea) and then used electron microscopes to analyze the contents of the water.

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Tea drinkers beware!! Coincidently after drinking this tea last night (a single bag in my tea collection), and article came out today about how some tea bags are made with plastic, and that at a brewing temperature of 95 degrees releases 11.6 billion microplastics into a single cup. ?While the #worldhealthorganization says there is no evidence of microplastic having health risks for humans?a research team from McGill University in Montreal ??believes more research has to be done. (We agree!!!) Just because there is no ‘evidence’ – we’ve seen the effects on marine life…it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine this certainly can’t be a good thing!! I’m going to stay away from plastic tea bags (#Teavana, #Tazo) and check for compostable tea bags – thankfully my normal brands(#traditionalmedicinals, #numitea, #yogitea, #stashtea and others, check packaging!!) or use loose leaf in a metal infuser…?just in case?Full article : https://www.newscientist.com/article/2217483-plastic-tea-bags-shed-billions-of-microplastic-particles-into-the-cup/ #beachrelief #tea #plasticteabags #compostableteabags #teatime #cupofplastic #cupoftea

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An average of 11.6 billon microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics were in the water.

The bags are made of a blend of nylon and polyethylene, a form of plastic that’s also found in water bottles.

Like I said up front, the potential effects on human health aren’t known, and the WHO has said that microplastics in drinking water probably won’t harm our bodies…at least not “based on the limited information we have.”

“To date, the health effects of consuming micro- and nanoplastics to humans are still unknown, while the sublethal effects observed in the present study and in other animals (e.g. algae, zooplankton, fish, mice) give an early warning of both environmental risk and possible human health risk,” say the researchers.

That said, scientists around the world have concerns.

“One of the main potential human exposure pathways of micro- and nanoplastics is likely via ingestion, and particle uptake may occur in the digestive tract. Once inside the digestive tract, cellular uptake and subcellular translocation or localization of the ingested particles may occur.”

If you want to try avoiding microplastics just in case, well, good luck. They’re everywhere, from rainwater to snow, in your food, your water, the soil, and so on.

A 2019 study found that the average American consumes over 74,000 of the particles every year.

Which I guess wasn’t accounting for any cups of tea consumed.

I guess we’ll find out eventually whether they’re harmful or not. Hopefully not in the worst way possible.

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These Dandelion Health Benefits May Convince You Not to Treat Them like Weeds Anymore

They’ve long been touted for their healing and restorative powers in the naturopathic community. Now, even the more scientific minded are starting to take notice of this humble backyard flower.

Also known as Taraxacum spp., with Taraxacum officinale the most common variety, these plants are typically dismissed as weeds. Homeowners hate them and will go to great lengths to get rid of them.

But dandelion are slowly showing us they are worth keeping around. So scroll through these 7 reasons why you should put away the weed killer and discover the potential benefits of dandelion.

1. They are good to eat.

This one doesn’t need any additional evidence—people have been eating dandelions for ages. The plants and flowers are full of nutritients, including vitamins A, C, K, E and small amounts of B vitamins (like folate), as well as antioxidants, like beta-carotene.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

2. They may fight inflammation.

Some studies have shown a reduction in inflammation markers in cells when dandelion compounds are applied—although these results haven’t been verified in humans yet.

3. They may help control blood sugar.

Studies show compounds found in dandelions can improve the pancreas’ insulin secretion and improve the absorption of glucose, or sugar, in muscle tissues.

Photo Credit: Pexels

4. They could help improve cholesterol levels.

Studies with mice and rabbits have shown that test animals that have been fed a diet high in cholesterol and then treated with dandelion extract ended up with lowered cholesterol levels.

5. They may help reduce blood pressure.

Dandelion is a known natural diuretic, and Western medicine credits reducing fluids in the body as a way lowered blood pressure. Also, dandelion is rich in potassium, which is also known for lowering blood pressure.

Photo Credit: Flickr

6. They may keep your liver healthy.

Animal studies show dandelion extract reduced the levels of excess fat stored in the liver and defended against oxidative stress in liver tissue.

7. They may help with losing weight.

Dandelion could possibly help with weight loss by improving carbohydrate metabolism and reducing fat absorption. Chlorogenic acid, one of the compounds found in dandelion was shown to aid with reducing body weight and levels of some fat-storage hormones in obese mice.

Photo Credit: Flickr

Though these results are exciting, many of these studies were done on animals or cell cultures in petri dishes—very few involving any testing on humans. Much more research is necessary before medicine declares the dandelion a miracle treatment, but the preliminary findings are showing there are benefits of keeping dandelion on hand.

Or in your lawn.

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