Weekly Wellness
Issue 309
Featured Article
Keeping Your Skin and Pores Healthy Tips on how to keep your skin healthy and youthful!
Fitness Tip
Mood Swings, Depression and Omega-3 Findings
Mood swings can lead to bring-on-the-brownies moments that will sabotage your efforts to lose weight. Omega-3s may help by stabilizing your moods, according to research at the University of Minnesota's Academic Health Center. It is suggested you take a high-quality supplement for 30 days. If you do not notice an improvement, increase your dosage. Another form of omega-3s known as DHA makes up 25 percent of your body's brain fat and manages the production and flow of the feel-good chemical serotonin. People who battle depression seem to be DHA-deficient. Researchers believe a DHA supplement may be a gentler and more effective alternative to anti-depressants.
Nutrition Tip
Bananas
Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 -- and very early research suggests that high levels of B6 may protect against Parkinson's. Still, the news needs more research before any definitive claims can be made. The benefit applied only to smokers in the most recent study. But bananas and B6 do your body good in many other ways.
Quip or Quote of the Week
Quip:
Nine boxes of JELL-O gelatin are sold every second in the United States.
Quick Recipe
Grab-and-Go Breakfast
The key to any healthy grab-and-go meal is a balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates. For a quick and easy breakfast, stuff half a whole-wheat pita with cottage cheese and sliced peaches or pears. Other ideas: Add fresh fruit or bran flakes to a cup of nonfat fruit yogurt, or spread 2 tablespoons of hummus onto half a whole-wheat or pumpernickel bagel.
Tidbit(s)
Dry Eye Syndrome
About 20 percent of Americans have "gritty" eyes, or a burning or itching that can lead to vision loss. But eating lots of the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids in fish cut dry-eye risk 17 percent in a Harvard study. Those who ate tuna at least five times a week cut the risk up to 68 percent. (Salmon is apt to do the same). Dry eye syndrome was 2.5 times more common in those who ate the least omega-3 and the most omega-6 (margarines, processed foods).
Food Fixes
Toss unpeeled apple chunks with pecans or walnuts into a green salad and top with your favorite salad dressing.
Purchase dried beans that are bright in color, which is an indication of freshness, and uniform in size and shape so they'll cook evenly.
Add a little milk while cooking cauliflower if you want to keep it bright white.