Bringing wholesome healthy tips
It’s common knowledge that diabetes, like most other chronic illnesses, puts you at a greater risk for developing a severe case of COVID-19. And if your blood sugar is poorly managed, it could hypothetically put you at a greater risk of contracting the virus as well. That’s because having high blood sugar (think over 200) can hamper your immune system’s ability to mount an attack against pathogens. Diabetes, more specifically,…
Mahatma Gandhi is said to have lived by the saying, “drink your food and eat your water.” In fact, Indian tradition says that we should chew each bite 32 times, corresponding to the 32 teeth in our mouth — a great way to keep the act of chewing foremost in our minds as we eat. So, you see, “chew your food properly” isn’t just something your mother preached. It appears…
The coronavirus pandemic has come with many challenges… from long days stuck in your home to lack of time with friends, not being able to get to the gym, your favorite restaurant or movie theaters. And for many of us, it’s also led to the “Quarantine 15” or the “Lockdown 15” — a term reminiscent of “Freshman 15,” — that refers to the weight gain many of us are starting…
Everyone loses some bone mass with age, but women going through menopause lose the most by far. Why? Because during menopause, your body’s production of the hormone estrogen drops dramatically… and estrogen plays an important role in protecting bones. More specifically, estrogen encourages the activity of osteoblasts (cells that create bone). Without enough estrogen, these cells don’t create bone as effectively. As a result, menopausal women are prone to severe…
Your knees are a feat of architectural engineering, requiring multiple muscles, tendons, ligaments, meniscus and bones to work to support you while providing a free and easy range of motion. It’s no wonder then, with this complicated “machinery,” that knee issues are so common. It’s estimated that a whopping 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain in the knee joints and many turn to dangerous NSAID pain relievers and surgery…
Research has recently discovered that Vitamin D is good for a lot more than just strong bones. In fact, getting enough Vitamin D now could help you if you’re ever faced with chemotherapy for cancer. Cancer cells are notorious for “hiding out” in our bodies and avoiding attack by chemotherapy and other drugs. They grow from our own cells, unlike bacteria or viruses, so our immune system doesn’t always see…
Yesterday, I ordered myself one of those standing desks. My lower back is starting to feel the ill effects of sitting in front of my computer all day long. I try to get up every hour or so and walk a bit but it doesn’t always happen. But after reading some recent research on cancer and living a sedentary lifestyle, you can bet I’ll be taking that walk or doing…
Want to protect your heart? Start in your gut. Research shows that the bacteria in your gut impact your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, arterial health and other factors that play into your risk for heart disease. How is that possible? Well, when the microbes in your gut feed on the nutrients you put inside your body, they release substances called metabolites. These substances are proven to play into a variety…
Since we’re living through the worst pandemic in over 100 years, most of us are using a lot of hand sanitizer… even if we don’t normally touch the stuff. I’ve always been someone who avoided hand sanitizer because I know, just like antibiotics, it kills the good microbes along with the bad ones. But I’m a firm believer in weighing the benefits and risks of the choices you make for…
Over the past year, I’ve made the choice to gradually eliminate red meat from my diet. It started with my research about a year ago, which said that even a little meat could be too much if I truly wanted to avoid heart disease, diabetes and cancer as I got older. One study even showed that eating a lot of red meat and few fruits or vegetables could increase my…