Jokes

- What’s your eyesight?
- -5
- That must be cold..

News Headlines 31 Aug. 2016

1. Deadly strep infection in infants could be prevented with breast milk sugars. (Science Daily)
2. New hope for Zika treatment found in large-scale screen of existing drugs. (Medical News)
3. Mediterranean diet may be more helpful than Statins.
(CNN Health)
4. Obesity-Cancer link reaffirmed.
(CNN Health)  

Weight loss benefits of banana peels

BANANAS SKINS WITH BLACK-EYED PEAS:

 -4 green banana peels
– 1 teaspoon turmeric
– Salt
-2 teaspoons coconut oil
– ½ c black-eyed peas (if using fresh, soak overnight)
– ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
– 2 tablespoons unsweetened grated coconut
– Juice of one lime

1. Chop peels into small pieces and boil in water with turmeric and dash of salt. To prevent sap from sticking to your pot, add a few drops of oil to the water. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until skins are tender. Drain, reserving water for a later use (we like to use it to cook rice or as a base for soup).

2. If using fresh black-eyed peas, boil until tender. If using canned, rinse and drain beans.

3. Heat coconut oil in skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop.

Add boiled peels and black-eyed peas, stir, and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in coconut. Add salt to taste and finish with lime juice. Serve.

GREEN OR YELLOWBANANA PEEL?

Cancer fighting characteristics are more present in ripe bananas and they can help your body create white blood cells.

But if you want  to lose weight, green peels are better because they contain more probiotics. Probiotics help your digestive health. Also, it has been shown that green peels increase the levels of serotonin and dopamine.

I know it would be hard for you to eat the peel, but there are some ways you can do that.

Credit:  

http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Marchione_071113.jpg

http://tipsmill.com/2016/08/read-will-never-throw-away-part-banana

Six Tips For Better Napping

But what’s the best way to grab some extra zzz’s during the day? Here are some tips from the experts:

1. Don’t nap too long, especially if it’s a week day and you’re working. Experts warn that the longer the nap, the more likely you’ll wake up groggy, a feeling that can last up to 30 minutes. So what’s the sweet spot to feel the benefits of a nap? As little as 10 to 20 minutes will leave you refreshed, energetic and mentally sharper. On the weekends when alertness is less important, longer naps are ok, but try to avoid ones that last more than an hour so they don’t interfere with nighttime sleep.

2. Avoid napping too close to your bed time. A late nap could interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night. Researchers aren’t sure what exactly the ideal time of day to nap is, but they say the afternoon – roughly 1 to 4 p.m. – is when our body’s circadian rhythms make us most likely to feel sleepy. (Tell that to the boss!)

3. Napping can be done anywhere where it’s comfortable, be it a parked car, under your desk or a chair. For some, a quiet, dark place may be necessary but for others a subway or airplane seat works just as well. One tip: If you’re trying to stick to a short nap it may help to be partially upright. Studies have found that if you lie supine you’re more apt to fall into a deeper sleep.

4. Napping is a no-no if you suffer from a sleep disorder like insomnia or sleep apnea. It will only make the disorders worse.

5. Catch yourself dreaming during a short power nap? That’s a sign that you’re sleep deprived because you’re quickly slipping into rapid eye movement sleep, which is supposed to be the final stage of the roughly 90-minute sleep cycle. Try getting more sleep at night.

6. Finally, don’t use napping as a substitute for getting a full night’s sleep. In an ideal world where everyone gets adequate sleep at night and wakes up well rested, napping shouldn’t really be needed at all.

Source: http://m.us.wsj.com/articles/BL-HEB-49604?ref=/blogs/health

Question-Answer Week

Ask all your health related questions and get instant answers and suggestions.

Build Strong Feet and Improve Balance

Our feet are the most used & abused part of the body. The arches of the feet provide us with flexibility, help to absorb shock, distribute the weight of the body, and assist the feet in adapting to surface changes when walking, running, & climbing. Lack of proper foot and/or arch strength & flexibility can contribute to fallen arches, ankle, knee, hip, back, shoulder, & neck problems, and potential pain or injury. Good balance and body control is necessary for daily living activities as well as sport performance. Our feet play an important role in maintaining posture and health and strong feet will be less likely to suffer injury.

If you are looking to strengthen your biceps you do some curls with weights but how do you strengthen the muscles in your feet? There are some simple exercises that you can do at home that will make a big difference.

1. Place your barefoot flat on the floor and simply curl your toes by pressing the ends of your toes into the floor. This helps to strengthen the metatarsal arch and long muscles (lumbricals) of the forefoot.
2. Try to pick up a pencil or towel with your toes. This will help to strengthen the flexors and also calls on other intrinsic and extrinsic muscles to perform this task.
3. Spread your toes apart as far as you can. You can use toe separators to help train your toes to spread. The toes should be as flexible as our fingers.
4. Attempt to move only your great toe medially, away from the rest of your toes. This will strengthen the abductor hallucis which is the most difficult muscle to activate. Don’t be surprised if you can’t do this one right away.
5. Calf raises. Standing with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart, raise up onto your toes. This will activate all of the flexors, specifically the tibialis posterior and perineals. If you have stability issues please hold onto the wall while you do this exercise.
6. Holding your leg out in front of you spell the alphabet in the air with your feet. This will help to improve range of motion.

Today's Tip

Intense exercise in humid weather puts you at risk of heat cramps. Stay well hydrated and stop if it gets too uncomfortable.