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Health & Fitness

Can You Prevent a Virus with Zinc?

There is a lot of bad information going around about virus cures. One meme going around is that zinc will prevent Coronavirus. This has led to a run on Cold-EEZE lozenges. The idea behind these lozenges is that if you eat them regularly right at the beginning of a cold, the zinc in them will reduce the time and severity of a cold. There is science to back it up, although it is not a magical cure and it does not prevent you from getting sick in the first place.

The rumor that zinc can prevent Coronavirus (COVID-19) started because someone shared an email that a doctor sent to his family and close friends. He gave all the good advice you hear about avoiding crowds and washing your hands, and one point in his letter suggested that zinc could help.

This is probably good doctorial advice, but not specific to lozenges and it is not advice from the leading expert on coronavirus. Just decent general advice to fight any cold or flu.

I am not a doctor. But I like to write about (and cook) (and eat) food and it seems like a better strategy might be to have healthy amounts of zinc in your diet at all times to ward off any type of illness. The last thing you would want to do is buy those lozenges and be sucking on them every day. Instead, getting more zinc in your diet from your daily food would be a great way to improve your defenses.

Which Foods Have High Zinc?

The highest levels of zinc in foods are red meats and shellfish. The problem with this is that eating them every day would not be good for you. During any cold and flu season though, maybe a few more meals with those things could help.

However, I want to be at a good, even level of zinc in my body all the time and I cannot do it with shrimp and burgers. (wish I could) Instead, there are a number of things that are easy to eat every day and when done regularly will sustain your zinc levels at a higher level.

Beans, Lentils, And Chick Peas Are High In Zinc

Black Beans, Chick Peas and Lentils are the 3rd highest common foods that contain zinc. You need several helpings a day, but it is fairly easy to eat beans with your breakfast, a cup of lentil soup with your lunch and beans as a side dish at dinner. We always have 2-3 helpings a day in our family. It is important to soak the beans before cooking to improve the digestibility and absorption of the zinc. See our easy black bean recipe here.

Seeds Are High In Zinc

Next is seeds. The funny thing about seeds is you can toss them into many dishes to add a health boost. That recipe I just mentioned for healthy black beans has flaxseeds added to them. Talk about packing a zinc punch. Black beans and flaxseed are full of zinc. Other seeds that can be even better are help seeds, squash and pumpkin seeds. These are a bit harder to eat but high in zinc. Sesame seeds are also high in zinc and they can be sprinkled on top of a lot of dishes to make them look great and add benefits.

Nuts Are High In Zinc

Nuts are also a great option for zinc. Peanuts, pine nuts, cashews, and almonds are all good sources of zinc and they can be eaten as a snack between meals or added to salads or sauces. Another option is a serving of peanut butter, which has 0.85 mg of zinc. That is 7.7 % of the recommended daily intake for men and 10.6 % for women.

Beyond that, zinc levels go down but you do get some from dairy and eggs. Some vegetables, like potatoes and sweet potatoes, are high in zinc.

Lastly, it might be time to indulge in some sweets. Dark chocolate which is less sweetened can contain a high amount of zinc, but also has a lot of calories that make it something you do not want to try to use as your exclusive source of zinc to fight off the coronavirus or other illnesses.

Viruses going to be a major concern to people, but the advice in this article is good for getting better levels of zinc from natural sources which has been proven to improve health and fight off viruses or at least reduce their severity. And most of the food listed here is great for you anyway.

Is Coffee Really Good For You?

Many people, from adults with full-time jobs, or college kids with packed schedules, rely on coffee as a source of energy. People not only depend on the effects from the caffeine, but genuinely enjoy the flavor. Coffee can be comforting, especially during the cooler months, when it feels even better to sip on something warm. According to an analysis by the European Journal of Epidemiology and a study conducted by the McGill University Health Centre, coffee’s benefits outweigh its risks.

  1. Coffee consumption helps prevent against cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
  2. Smoking decreases the benefits that coffee has for your body.
  3. Despite popular belief, there is no correlation between coffee and its link to the probably of getting gastric cancer.
  4. Can help prevent diabetes by increasing plasma levels and boosting your metabolism.
  5. Can aid/prevent damage in the liver.
  6. Drinking coffee can help stimulate the central nervous system which can protect against neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
  7. A single cup of coffee also contains many nutrients such as Riboflavin, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and niacin.
  8. According to a 2011 study conducted by Harvard School of Public Health, women who drank at least four cups of coffee per day, were 20% less likely to become depressed.

When coffee might not be the right call for you…

  1. There is a very small link between coffee and miscarriage, so if you’re expecting, coffee might not be your #1 go to beverage.
  2. Caffeine can raise LDL cholesterol, however proper filtration of the coffee grounds can help eliminate most of the risk.
  3. If you have trouble sleeping at night, or suffer from anxiety, coffee might not be the right drink for you.

In conclusion, although coffee has a multitude of benefits, those benefits can also be overshadowed by how you drink it. Many of the pros that are related to coffee are not included in high-calorie options from popular coffee shops. When drinks contain more milk, than coffee, it is likely that you are just getting more sugar and fats than any real health advantages. Be wary of flavored creams and artificial sugars, instead, opt for a splash of milk, or even some honey or agave nectar for added sweetness.

Which Food to Shop For a Healthy Liver

Still trying to get healthy for the New Year?  Today we focus on the second largest organ in your body – the liver. Considering that your liver has to work overtime filtering chemicals from the blood, you shouldn’t take this particular organ for granted. Like everything else in your body, the key to ensuring that your liver stays healthy is eating healthy and not indulging in substance abuse. As a part of the whole digestive process, everything that you consume, whether it may be food, drink or medicine, goes through your liver. This means that when you put too much harmful stuff into your system, your liver will have to filter those through and prevent those from coming into your bloodstream. Do note that while the food listed below will help in ensuring that this vital organ remains healthy, everything will be useless if you make your liver work overtime when you consume harmful substances for your body. With that in mind, let’s begin our list of food for a healthier liver.

  1. Turmeric. The Global Healing Center has named turmeric as the “liver’s favorite spice”. Turmeric helps the body process fats and will encourage bile production. Adding turmeric into your diet will help your liver detoxify by getting rid of carcinogens.
  2. Green leafy veggies. Remember when your mom would force you to eat your green veggies and you grudgingly obey? Well, as it turns out, that simple act done regularly will help you avoid issues with your liver later on in life. It’s even better if you consume organic products. Why so? Well, as previously mentioned, you liver filters everything you put in your mouth, including some possible leftover pesticides that may have been left there from non-organic veggies. Leafy vegetables have a neutralizing ability, which will help your liver when it encounters metals, chemicals and pesticides that you have consumed through food.
  3. Cruciferous vegetables. You can almost never go wrong with veggies. Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower belong to this category. Cruciferous vegetables are rich in compounds called glucosinolate, which helps the liver get rid of toxins you have ingested into your system.
  4. Grapefruit. This is not the first time that eating vitamin C rich food has proven to help your body. Grapefruit contains vitamin C and glutathione, which has been found to be helpful in aiding the liver do its job of filtering harmful toxins in the body.
  5. Walnuts. Fond of munching on these? Like grapefruit, walnuts are rich in glutathione, which as mentioned above, will help your liver do its job. Plus, walnuts also contain Omega-3 fatty acids, so consuming it will not only ensure your liver’s health, but also that of your heart.

With the many unhealthy food and substances we tend to consume daily with our diet, you can imagine how much a football-size organ has to do in order to filter those from our bloodstream. Remember, eating food such as the ones mentioned above in a regular basis is only a part of the whole process in ensuring that your liver remains healthy. With proper diet and avoidance of harmful substances as much as we can, there is no reason why we cannot save ourselves the trouble of dealing with liver disease in the future.

Boxing and Kickboxing

For a lot of people, boxing paints a mental image of two individuals beating each other into a square ring on national TV. Recently however, the sport of boxing has become more available and tapered to any kind of individual. Kickboxing first seemed to spur the initial boxing trend, but then eventually, boxing and kickboxing clubs started popping up everywhere. On social media, you began to see your favorite stars donning boxing gloves and posing by bags. It’s all for a good reason too, boxing has some major mental and physical benefits that can burn a ton of calories as well.

  1. Boxing helps lower stress levels. The amount of adrenaline you get from punching a bag after a long, stressful day is incredibly rewarding. The hormones and chemicals released afterwards are a great way to boosting your mood and feeling incredibly productive.
  2. Boxing is a great workout, and works the entire body. Not only does it work your arms and shoulders. But continuously hitting the bag, and rotating your body, works out your entire core, and makes your heart rate skyrocket. All of this results in a killer workout for your entire body, and ends up burning a ton of calories. This is also great for keeping a healthy heart and mind.
  3. Boxing is a great way to improve hand-eye coordination. Many of the moves in boxing require a focused eye and a good mind and body connection. Constant drills, and routines that have set moves are great for this, and continuous practice will really help improve these skills.

Now that boxing has become more available, and friendly for everyday people, it is a great way to mix up your workout routine, and get yourself in a friendly environment with people who are trying something new, and trying to improve themselves.

Remember to check with your doctor before trying anything new like boxing or kickboxing.  You want to be sure you are ready for a good workout and you do not have any issues that might be made worse by the repetitive motion or the types of movements you will be making.  Most clubs ease you into the sport and make sure you are ready, so do not worry that you are going to be fighting people.  You move at your own pace.

How To Keep Your Children Healthier This Year

Many parents around the country try successfully or unsuccessfully to keep their children healthy. Eating well, and reminding them to wash their hands, are some of the many things we as parents remind our children to do.  But, one of the things that researchers know that can benefit your child now and in the future is getting enough sleep. Researchers have found that children with late bedtimes are more likely to be obese as adolescents than those with early bedtimes (8:00 pm) http://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(16)30361-4/abstract. The difference between early bedtimes and late bedtimes for children’s obesity in their adolescent years is approximately 13%.  Turning off the TV and electronic devices to ensure proper rest for our children seem to be something we can do as parents that will benefit our children all their lives.

For preschoolers and kindergartner children an 8:00 p.m. bedtime is feasible, but for older children, the idea of sending them to bed at 8:00 p.m. seems a bit ridiculous.That’s why the new recommendation guidelines from The American Academy of Sleep Medicine breaks down children by age and the recommended amount of sleep children should get daily.

  • Babies 4 months to 12 months should get 12 to 16 hours
  • Children 1 to 2 years old should get 11 to 14 hours
  • Children 3 to 5 years old should get 10 to 13 hours
  • Children 6 to 12 years old should get nine to 12 hours
  • Teenagers 13 to 18 years old should get eight to 10 hours

Many researches agree that not only early bed times are important, but the number of hours of sleep children get on a daily basis. Letting our children’s bodies get the rest they need improves their capacity to concentrate at school, and researches have found that getting enough sleep benefits their mental health as well.

Next time before turning on the TV at night, ask yourself if that is really a good choice for your family. Read a book, do a puzzle, or any other activity that will keep your children on a good bedtime schedule.

 

Protect Your Family – Home Dangers

Carbon Monoxide – The silent killer

During the winter months, doors and windows remain closed at all times and the chance of fresh air circling in your home in great quantities is null. Not only is fresh air a problem during the winter months, but the furnace in constant use makes Carbon  Monoxide gas in your home a bit more likely.

A very inexpensive carbon monoxide detector can cost you less than $10 dollars at your local Target, Walmart, Lowe’s or Home Depot store. You can purchase a  battery operated detector or an electric one, but either choice is an inexpensive safety choice that can be a lifesaver for you.

Smoke Detectors

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends testing your smoke detectors monthly to make sure they are working properly. They also recommend changing the batteries in your smoke detectors yearly.  Keeping a regular schedule-say every October, or every thanksgiving-to change the batteries in the smoke detectors of your home should make it an easy thing to do every year.

Every ten years, the National Fire Protection Agency recommends changing the smoke detectors in your home.  Every floor in your home should have a smoke detector, including the basement and the attic.  The smoke detectors should be installed in the hallways, and outside and inside the bedrooms. Make sure to place a smoke detector close to the kitchen as well. For more information about fire prevention, check your local Fire department website.

Poisoning

According to National Council Safety’s website, unintentional poisoning is one of the leading causes of deaths in the adult population in the United States. Gases, households chemicals, lead poisoning and button batteries are some of the dangers lurking in your home that can be fatal for your young kids. Have you childproofed your home lately? Household cleaning products pose a risk to small children if they are not kept safely away from them.  Some of the products that experts recommend you check are laundry packets, paints, drain and toilet cleaners, and all cleaners you use in and around the home and keep in the house or garage.

Medicine kept in the bathroom cabinets are easily available to your child and can be abused. A Scholastic study found that children self-medicate as early as 11 years old. And according to the study, more than 10,000 minors are admitted into hospitals for overdosing on over the counter medications.  Keeping an eye on what you have and making sure you talk to your kids about the dangers of self-medicating can go a long way in preventing an overdose.

Keep your family safe by being proactive.

Teaching Your Kids Proper Dental Care

The habits you teach your kids as a young age will shape their entire future.  This is especially true with dental care.  Having all your teeth at a more advanced age depends on the habits you have practiced your entire life.  While it may seem strange to be thinking about your young ones being elderly people, that is kind of the goal, is it not?  And having teeth versus having dentures or missing teeth come down to what you are teaching them now.

Based on multiple dental sources, we have assembled this guide to helping parents teach their kids the best dental habits that will serve them well their whole life.

The at-home basics are as follows:

  1. Brush twice a day – morning and night. Use a soft bristled toothbrush and appropriate toothpaste for the age of your child.  Also, get a mini hour glass that times 3 minutes so they can time their brushing.  Kids love to do this and even when they are much older they may still keep using the timer.  You can buy these on Amazon or your dentist may have them.
  2. Floss once per day – If you buy the floss on small plastic holders it is much easier to do. This is probably the most under-taught habit as many adults do not fail to brush but skip flossing frequently.
  3. Use mouth rinse – There are kid appropriate rinses (read labels) which get them into the habit of using this as well. The American Dental Association does not recommend kids under 6 use mouthwash unless directed to by your dentist. The reason is they may swallow the liquid which is not good for them.
  4. Limit sugary snacks and hard, tacky candies which can stick to the teeth.

Finding a local area Dentist

If your kids are doing a good job of taking care of their teeth should find going to the dentist enjoyable.  Any cleaning should be minor and hearing praise for what a good job they are doing never gets old.  If you are going twice a year as recommended, it is unlikely there will be a sudden issue.

Often schools will have programs and there may be low cost or free dental services to help people who may not be able to afford normal costs for seeing a dentist.  Search free “city” dentist or low cost “city” dentist to find some of these resources if you need services.

If you have not been seeing a dentist regularly it is a good idea to talk to friends for referrals.  Pricing and service vary greatly and going to any random dentist could be pricey.

How To Keep Germs Away This Flu Season

During a school flu outbreak, it is very likely your child will come home sick and will get the other members of your home sick as well. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/everyday_preventive.pdf offers some guidelines to help you deal with a flu outbreak at school or at work, and here are 7 concise easy steps to follow if you are home with a sick child or spouse.

  1. Wash your hands and your children’s hands with soap and water every time you enter your home. Keeping germs away from the outside world is a good tip for anyone dealing with small and school age children.
  2. Change linens and bathroom towels daily when you are sick. Contaminating each other by using the same towels or sharing a pillow will ensure that everyone gets sick, and stay sick for a longer period of time.
  3. Disinfecting kitchen and bathroom counters thorough out the day will ensure that you’ll encounter less germs going forward.
  4. Believe it or not, feeding your children chicken noodle soup will get them through their illness a bit faster
  5. Covering their mouths on their sleeves instead of their hands should decrease the number of germs they spread around the home.
  6. Cleaning door knobs around the home will greatly decrease the germs that get passed around.
  7. A diet full of fruits and vegetables can do a lot of good to your child. The old saying of “An apple a day will keep the doctor away” hasn’t survived this long for no reason.

Whether you are in a warm climate or cold, this is great advice.

For more about flu outbreaks and what to do about them, check the CDC for more information.

Tis the Season to Be Stressed

There are a lot of articles written and advice given during the holidays about how to handle stress.  Google “holiday stress” and there’re thousands of pages of information. While the holidays can be a difficult time stressful situations occur throughout the year and it’s important to develop a long term plan for dealing with them.

The best strategies to use while the stressful situation is occurring are ones which can be done anywhere at any time.  They’re simple, immediately applicable and unobtrusive.

The best way to handle stressful times is to find out what works for you, practice it and do it consistently.  People are unique and different things work for different people. There’s no one size fits all strategy.  In some combination use the following ideas to craft an individualized plan.

* Breathe – Inhale for a count of 5.  Hold for a count of 5.  Exhale for a count of 5. Hold for a count of 5. Repeat 5 times.

* Physical activity – Do something physical, it’s a great way to relieve tension.  Bathrooms are great places to do toe touches, jumping jacks or run in place.

*Affirmations – Create a few short, positive sentences you can keep repeating to yourself.

* Quiet Time – Take a 10 – 15 minute time out.  You can find quiet places once you start looking for them.

* Gratitude List – Make a mental list of the things you’re grateful for right at that moment.  Don’t complicate it, look for small things.  Gratitude lists don’t have to be full of big life affirming issues, being grateful for a comfortable pair of shoes is good too.

Remember, the idea is to find the right combination of techniques which work for you.  You’re trying to establish a strategy for a lifetime, so be patient and give them a fair trial over a reasonable period of time. If none of them work there’s always the Internet.

– – Article contributed by Nicole Abbott – writer, educator and psycho-therapist.

Winter Depression – How To Pep Yourself Up

During the spring and summer months, do you feel happier than usual?  Do you feel like there are more possibilities? Do you feel like life doesn’t suck as much? The abundance of natural sunlight during the spring and summer months is wonderful for our body and spirit.

But, as the fall and winter months approach,  do you feel sad  or more gloomier than usual with no apparent reason to the mood change? Then, according to the Mayo Clinic, you may be suffering from Seasonal affective disorder (SAD.)

Fall  and Winter SAD it’s a condition that comes as the chilly weather approaches and natural sunlight becomes more scarce. Some of the symptoms associated with this condition are:

  1. Irritability
  2. Tiredness
  3. weight gain
  4. appetite changes and
  5. Oversleeping

Although these are some of the symptoms also associated with major depression, SAD

symptoms can come and go as the seasons change, so it’s easier for people to note the changes and seek medical advise if necessary.  Spring and Summer SAD is also a condition and should be treated accordingly.

All of us have good and bad days. Those are some of the free perks we get by living life. Major depression though, is a serious illness than should be treated seriously and promptly. It is a serious illness that can be fatal if leave unattended. 

Now,  if you have notice mood changes or your doctor has diagnosed you with SAD, what can  you do to combat it?

 There are very simple, economical ways to keep yourself upbeat.

  1. Exercise regularly and get outside.  
  2. Go for a long walk by yourself or with your dog 
  3. Read a book outside. 10 minutes of sunlight can uplift your mood for the day
  4. Spend some time in your garden. Planting a mum or two for your garden can help you with your moods and your home’s curb appeal.
  5. Take a hobby 
  6. Eat healthy foods

Keeping active during the winter months is hard for people living in the North, but it does not necessarily mean it’s impossible. There are groups of joggers that run all year long.  They jog when raining, snowing or in windy conditions.  The only time they don’t jog is when there’s lighting or thunder.  In the United States, there are many trails, parks and neighborhoods where a walk is just a few steps away. Take advantage of them, and live a healthier life!