Epoch Health 4-24-2015

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B1 April 24–30, 2015

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YOUR PAIN RELIEVER May Also Be Diminishing

YOUR JOY

Ohio State University esearchers studying the commonly used pain reliever acetaminophen found it has a previously unknown side effect: It blunts positive emotions. In the study, participants who took acetaminophen reported less strong emotions when they saw both very pleasant and very disturbing photos, when compared to those who took placebos. Acetaminophen, the main ingredient in the over-the-counter pain reliever Tylenol, has been in use for more than 70 years in the United States, but this is the first time that this side effect has been documented.

Previous research had shown that acetaminophen works not only on physical pain, but also on psychological pain. This study takes those results one step further by showing that it also reduces how much users actually feel positive emotions, said Geoffrey Durso, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in social psychology at The Ohio State University. “This means that using Tylenol or similar products might have broader consequences than previously thought,” Durso said. “Rather than just being a pain reliever, acetaminophen can be seen as an all-purpose emotion reliever.” Durso conducted the study with Andrew Luttrell, another graduate student in psychology at Ohio State, and Baldwin Way, an assis-

tant professor of psychology and the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center’s Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research. Their results appear online in the journal Psychological Science. Way said people in the study who took the pain reliever didn’t appear to know they were reacting differently. “Most people probably aren’t aware of how their emotions may be impacted when they take acetaminophen,” he said. Acetaminophen is the most common drug ingredient in the United States, found in more than 600 medicines, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, a trade group. Each week about 23 percent of American adults (about 52 million people) use a medicine containing acetaminophen, the CHPA reports.

Two Studies There were two studies of college students. The first involved 82 participants, half of whom took an acute dose of 1,000 milligrams of acetaminophen and half who took an identical-looking placebo. They then waited 60 minutes for the drug to take effect. Participants then viewed 40 photographs selected from a database (International Affective Picture System) used by researchers around the world to elicit emotional responses. The photographs ranged from the extremely unpleasant (crying, malnourished children) to the neutral (a cow in a field) to the very pleasant (young children playing with cats). See Pain Reliever on B2

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Do you brush and floss regularly, but your teeth keep getting stained between dental cleanings? Here are some tips for keeping teeth whiter between visits. Top Staining Foods and Drinks Wine will definitely stain your teeth. It’s acidic, which can cause your enamel to temporarily soften and become more vulnerable to staining. It contains tannins that can etch into teeth and stain them. Coffee and tea also contain tannins that are teeth-staining culprits. Fruits and veggies are a surprising source of tooth stain, but in large quantities, they

can stain teeth. Colorful fruits and veggies will stain more, while acidic fruits can erode the enamel, making your teeth more susceptible to stain. Colored sauces like soy sauce and tomato sauce can also stain teeth. Sports drinks and sodascontain acids and dyes that lead to serious stains.

increased staining and wear. Whitening is an option for those who are good candidates. You may not be a candidate if you have large fillings on your front teeth, if your teeth are very sensitive to cold air, or if your teeth have more of a gray rather than a yellow stain.

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After viewing each photo, participants were asked to rate how positive or negative the photo was on a scale of -5 (extremely negative) to +5 (extremely positive). They then viewed the same photos again and were asked to rate how much the photo made them feel an emotional reaction, from zero (little or no emotion) to 10 (extreme amount of emotion). Results in both studies showed that participants who took acetaminophen rated all the photographs less extremely than did those who took the placebo. In other words, positive photos were not seen as positively under the influence of acetaminophen and negative photos were not seen as negatively. The same was true of their emotional reactions. For example, people who took the placebo rated their level of emotion relatively high (average score of 6.76) when they saw the most emotionally jarring photos of the malnourished child or the children with kittens. People taking acetaminophen didn’t feel as much in either direction, reporting an average level of emotion of 5.85 when they saw the extreme photos. Neutral photos were rated similarly by all participants, regardless of whether they took the drug or not. These findings seem dramatic, but one possibility is that acetaminophen changes how people judge magnitude. In other words, acetaminophen may blunt individuals’ broader judgments of everything, not just things having emotional content, Durso said. So the researchers did a second study in which they had 85

People who took acetaminophen didn’t feel the same highs or lows as did the people who took placebos. Baldwin Way, assistant professor of psychology, The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center people view the same photos and make the same judgments of evaluation and emotional reactions as in the prior study. Additionally, participants in this second study also reported how much blue they saw in each photo. Once again, individuals who took acetaminophen (compared to placebo) had evaluations and emotional reactions to both negative and positive photographs that were significantly blunted. However, judgments of blue color content were similar regardless of whether the participants took acetaminophen or not. The results suggest that acetaminophen affects our emotional evaluations and not our magnitude judgments in general. Unknowns At this point, the researchers don’t know if other pain relievers such as ibuprofen and aspirin have the same effect, although they plan on studying that question, Durso said.

Acetaminophen, unlike many other pain relievers, is not a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID. That means it is not thought to control inflammation in the body. Whether that fact has any relevance to possible emotional effects of the drugs is still an open question, Durso said. These results may also have an impact on psychological theory, Way said. An important question in psychological research is whether the same biochemical factors control how we react to both positive and negative events in our lives. A common theory is that certain factors control how we react to the bad things that happen in life—for example, how devastated people feel when they go through a divorce. But this study offers support to a relatively new theory that says that common factors may influence how sensitive we are to both the bad as well as the good things in life. That means the person who is more devastated by a divorce may thrive more than others when they get a promotion at work or have some other extremely positive event happen. In this study, acetaminophen may have tapped into the sensitivity that makes some people react differently to both positive and negative life events. “There is accumulating evidence that some people are more sensitive to big life events of all kinds, rather than just vulnerable to bad events,� Durso said. From Newswise Disclaimer statement: The licensed photo material for this story is being used for illustrative purposes only. Any person depicted is a model.

Health & Fitness

B3 April 24–30, 2015

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Calories, Energy, and Chinese Medicine By Lynn Jaffee t’s not uncommon to see patients in my acupuncture clinic who are struggling with poor energy. Some sleep well, but wake up tired. Some wear out over the course of the day, others fluctuate during the day, and still others are just plain exhausted from morning to night. I ask about their energy because in Chinese medicine, energy is the all-important ingredient in moving your body, transforming food into nutrients, protecting you from outside pathogens, keeping you warm, and all the other day-today things that you want to do. When I ask my tired patients what they’re eating, they almost always tell me that they’re eating healthfully–lots of fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately they’re eating all those good foods raw, which is only aggravating their poor energy levels. How is their seemingly wonderful diet a problem?

Well, the ancient Chinese knew that while you derive your energy from the foods you eat, it also takes a certain amount of energy to digest those foods. For years, I’ve been telling my patients who struggle with fatigue or digestive problems to cook their vegetables and fruits, as they’re easier to digest and it takes far less energy to do so. In addition, I’ve advised them to avoid very cold foods, as their body has to heat the food to body temperature before it can be properly broken down and digested. While this may sound far-fetched, food scientists are now telling us essentially the same thing. Wait … what? A calorie is a calorie is a calorie, right? Well, technically yes, but according to a recent article in Scientific American, it turns out the calorie counts you see on food labels are merely estimates. In fact, nutrition scientists are now finding that how much energy you get from your food is far more complicated than we ever

thought. The actual caloric content of a particular food can vary, depending on a number of factors. A calorie is a scientific way to measure the amount of energy available in food. A gram of fat provides about nine calories, because it’s easily digested and provides more energy than a gram of protein (four calories), which is harder to digest. In other words, it takes more energy to digest protein, so you give up a little energy in the process of digesting and gain fewer calories. A gram of fiber only gives you about two calories, because it takes even more work, or energy, to digest. A gram of carbohydrate also gives you four calories, but that said, all of these counts are just approximations. For example, because heat does some of the work of digestion for us, there are more calories in a cooked food than the same food that is raw. In addition, it takes more of your energy to digest a food SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

How foods are cooked or combined also impact how beneficial they are to your body and how much energy they provide.

with a high fiber content than it does for a food with little fiber. And the bacteria in your gut affects how efficiently you digest food too, which affects how much energy you extract from what you eat–meaning that each person derives a different amount of calories from eating the exact same food. One of the foundations of Chinese food therapy is that the ideal diet is different for each person. Therefore, a person who is ill or has digestive problems would benefit from a very different diet than a healthy person with good digestion. In Chinese medicine, foods are chosen according to their inherent warmth or coolness and their action on the body. In addition, how foods

are cooked or combined also impact how beneficial they are to your body and how much energy they provide. The bottom line is that the calorie count in foods are not created equal. How you cook a particular food and what your body does to digest it has an impact on how much energy you’ll get from it. So if you’re struggling with fatigue or poor energy, there are ways to get a little more of a boost from what you’re eating. Lynn Jaffee is a licensed acupuncturist and the author of “Simple Steps: The Chinese Way to Better Health.” This article was originally published on AcupunctureTwinCities.com.

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If you struggle with fatigue, cooked food may be better for you than raw food.

Can Arts, Crafts, and Computer Use Preserve Your Memory? American Academy of Neurology MINNEAPOLIS—People who participate in arts and craft activities and who socialize in middle and old age may delay the development in very old age of the thinking and memory problems that often lead to dementia, according to a new study published in the April 8, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. People age 85 and older make up the fastest growing age group in the United States and worldwide. “As millions of older U.S. adults are reaching the age where they may experience these memory and thinking problems called Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), it is important we look to find lifestyle changes that may stave off the condition,” said study author Rosebud Roberts, MB, ChB, MS, of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and a member of the American Acad-

Participants who engaged in arts in both middle and old age were 73 percent less likely to develop Mild Cognitive Impairment. emy of Neurology. “Our study supports the idea that engaging the mind may protect neurons, or the building blocks of the brain, from dying, stimulate growth of new neurons, or may help recruit new neurons to maintain cognitive activities in old age.” The study involved 256 people with an average age of 87 who were free of memory and thinking problems at the start of the study. The participants reported JUHAN SONIN, CC BY 2.0

People who participate in arts and craft activities and who socialize in middle and old age may delay the development of thinking and memory problems.

their participation in arts, such as painting, drawing, and sculpting; crafts, like woodworking, pottery, ceramics, quilting, quilling, and sewing; social activities, such as going to the theater, movies, concerts, socializing with friends, book clubs, Bible study, and travel; and computer activities, such as using the Internet, computer games, conducting web searches, and online purchases. After an average of four years, 121 people developed mild cognitive impairment. Participants who engaged in arts in both middle and old age were 73 percent less likely to develop MCI than those who did not report engaging in artistic activities. Those who crafted in middle and old age were 45 percent less likely to develop MCI, and people who socialized in middle and old age were 55 percent less likely to develop MCI compared to those who did not engage in like activities. Computer use in later life was associated with a 53 percent reduced risk of MCI. On the other hand, risk factors such as having the APOE gene, having high blood pressure in middle age, depression, and risk factors related to blood vessels increased the risk of developing MCI. The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging, the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, and the Rochester Epidemiology 53 Project. To learn more about cognition, please visit AAN.com. From Newswise

Health & Fitness

B4 April 24–30, 2015

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Chocolate Compound Better for Teeth Than Flouride By Sivan Finkel

A compound in chocolate helps rebuild tooth enamel.

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compound called theobromine, found in chocolate, is better than fluoride at hardening and remineralizing tooth enamel, according to a 2013 study in the journal Caries Research. Theobromine enlarges the crystals that compose tooth enamel to four times their original size, making teeth more resistant to the acidic attack that leads to cavities. In the study, when simulated lesions in enamel were treated with theobromine and fluoride, re-mineralization (new enamel growth) occurred at a greater rate for the theobromine group. As far as oral hygiene implications, theobromine may be superior to

Why Not Just Eat Chocolate?  Is this enamel-building quality true of all chocolates or just dark chocolate? Chocolate contains sugar, which is the culprit of tooth decay to begin with. Cocoa itself is actually bitter, so most chocolate contains large amounts of fat and sugar to mask the taste. Dark chocolate actually does contain more theobromine than milk chocolate, although simply eating something con-

taining the compound won’t have the same effect as applying it directly to the teeth as a paste or a mouthwash. And don’t throw out your fluoride toothpaste just yet. Remember that the fluoride controversy mainly concerns systemically delivered fluoride (as in drinking water), not fluoride topically applied to the teeth. But stay tuned for an increase in theobromine-related oral hygiene products as the market for holistic products expands. Sivan Finkel, DMD, is a cosmetic dentist at The Dental Parlour in Manhattan. He is also a clinical instructor at NYU College of Dentistry and an active member of the Academy of General Dentistry and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. For more information, visit DentalParlourNYC.com.

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fluoride because it is less toxic—there is certainly a lot of controversy about the widespread use of fluoride, especially systemically. Theobromine, conversely, is readily absorbed and metabolized by our bodies. Before we can call theobromine a replacement for fluoride, however, many more studies will have to be done.

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MAINZ, Germany—Can you indulge your sweet tooth and lose weight at the same time? If it’s chocolate you crave, then the answer seems to be yes. That is the surprising conclusion of a study by German researchers published in the International Archives of Medicine. Confusion reigns in the diet world, with conflicting recommendations for diets that range from high protein to low carbohydrate and even high fat. According to many nutrition researchers, the problem is that these tools are too blunt. “What is important is the specific combination of foods in your diet,â€? says lead author Johannes Bohannon, research director of the nonprofit Institute of Diet and Health. “Just lowering the proportion of carbohydrates is not a reliable weight loss inter-

vention because it has different physiological effect depending on the bioactive compounds in your diet.� Chocolate is a rich source of bioactive compounds, particularly a group of molecules called flavonoids, plant compounds associated with several positive health impacts. But teasing out the possible effects of such compounds in your diet, and how it may interact with various diet interventions, is rarely studied. It could be that simply consuming chocolate in combination with dietary interventions has no effect, or it could make such diets even more effective in the right dose. To test the idea, the researchers divided volunteer human subjects aged 19 to 67 into three groups: One group followed a strict low-carbohydrate diet, another group followed the low-carbohydrate diet and also consumed about 1.5 ounces (42 grams) of dark (81 percent) chocolate per ZOONAR RF/ZOONAR/THINKSTOCK

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interventions known as the “yo-yo effect.� The chocolate group also reported better sleep and well-being, and their blood cholesterol levels were significantly reduced. “To our surprise, the effect of chocolate is real,� Bohannon says. “It is not enough to just consume chocolate, but in combination with exercise and reduction in carbohydrates, our data indicate that chocolate can be a weight loss accelerator. “The researchers suggest that highcocoa chocolate has the potential to enhance other diets as well. “The best part about this discovery,� Bohannon says, “is that you can buy chocolate everywhere, cheaply, and without having to believe diet gurus or purchase expensive nutrition products over the Internet.�

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In combination with exercise and reduction in carbohydrates, our data indicate that chocolate can be a weight loss accelerator. Johannes Bohannon, research director, Institute of Diet and Health, Germany

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day, and a control group followed their status quo diet. Besides tracking their body weight and measuring blood chemistry before, during, and after the intervention, subjects filled out questionnaires to assess sleep quality and subjective well-being, a key predictor of dietary compliance. As predicted, the low-carb group lost weight compared to the control. But surprisingly, the low-carb plus chocolate group lost 10 percent more weight. Not only that, but the weight loss persisted, compared to the low-carb group, which saw a return of the weight after three weeks—a classic problem in dietary

Study participants who ate a low-carb diet and dark chocolate lost 10 percent more weight than those who just ate a low-carb diet.

From Newswise

Health & Fitness

B5 April 24–30, 2015

www.TheEpochTimes.com WORKOUT OF THE WEEK

Quadruped Sequence By Emma-Kate Stampton

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ust making the decision to exercise is a big hurdle for many fitness newbies to overcome. I always keep empathy and compassion in mind while helping people incorporate exercise into their weekly routine. The last thing new people in my class need is to be overwhelmed with movements too difficult to maneuver or exercises beyond their capabilities. Changes can be small and incremental, even gentle, and still be highly effective. It is also very important to build fitness on a solid foundation. Without that founda-

tion, you will be prone to injury, incorrect form, and less than satisfactory results overall. If you are thinking of getting started on your fitness journey, one thing to keep in mind is that it is never too late. Starting with some one-on-one Pilates, or even small group sessions, will help build your core and overall body strength, eliminate imbalances between certain muscle groups, and improve your posture. This basic fitness will give you a strong foundation for more intense forms of exercise such as boxing, running, or step classes. The list is limitless. This week’s movements may look and even feel easy. They are not

meant to be complicated. Instead, they provide you with an opportunity to focus on balance, stability, and subtle, deep abdominal recruitment. I adore quadruped extensions for all these reasons. They are a great start or finish to the day. It is all about aligning your hips, spine, and shoulders, and they are gentle but effective. Keep in mind that change doesn’t have to be drastic to be effective. In fact, if there is too much change at the start, you are less likely to stick with your new fitness schedule. Keep it simple, easy to follow, and easy to maintain. When it comes to well-being and healthy lifestyle, consistency is the key.

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Position your body on all fours. Your hands are under your shoulders, and your knees are directly under your hips. Extend your right arm and left leg away from your body at the same time. Repeat four times and then hold your arm and leg extended. This is good for core stability.

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Bent Knee and Elbow Bend at the elbow and knee as you bring your limbs underneath your body. Repeat eight times. The aim is to keep your back from moving. This is great for challenging whole-body stability and core strength.

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Donkey Kicks Put your hand back on the floor and bend your right leg so your foot faces the ceiling. Lower and lift your whole leg up and down 16 times. This is called a donkey kick and will work your glutes and the back of your thighs (hamstrings). Try to keep your body still, with-

out arching or sinking through your back. This makes it super challenging. Repeat the whole set on the other side with your left arm and right leg. A set consists of four times for opposite arm and leg reaches, eight times for bent elbow and knee, and 16 times for the donkey kick.

Focus Points The essence of the quadruped sequence is stability. Imagine you have two cups of tea resting on the back of your hips and two more resting on your shoulders. Try not to spill any of your imaginary tea. By keeping your body still, you will work your stomach muscles. This will also strengthen the mus-

cles along your spine and around your shoulders. Emma-Kate Stampton certifies Pilates instructors and is a certified personal trainer. With 12 years of industry experience, she is passionate about sharing the gift of health and well-being. She is based in Brisbane, Australia.

Health & Fitness

B6 April 24–30, 2015

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Breaking the Sugar Habit: 5 Simple Strategies TANJICHICA7/ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK

By John Rosania ne of the most common issues my clients reveal to me is this: “I am a sugar addict.” Why is it so challenging to curb our sugar use? The answer may be found by taking a closer look at our biology. Our Biology In a 2007 study at Université Bordeaux in France, researchers found that given the choice between sugar water and cocaine, rats chose sugar water every time. It doesn’t matter whether this sugar is natural, like an apple, or artificial, like saccharin. Astonishingly, when researchers increased the concentration of cocaine, the rats still chose more sugar water. What conclusion can we draw from this? We are hypersensitive to sugar. When the sweet receptors in our brain are overstimulated by sugar-rich diets, the sugar easily overrides our mechanisms for self-control. After that first bite of ice cream or brownie, it’s an uphill battle for most of us to stop. Our brain is literally telling us to eat more.

Sugar cravings often arise because of dehydration. A good health habit is to start your day by drinking water and having a smoothie for breakfast.

1. Eat Low-Sugar Whole Foods Daily When we don’t eat enough lowsugar whole foods during the day, our body naturally craves calories. Guess which type of food our body knows has calories? Sweet foods. Remember that late afternoon cookie binge? How about snack-

Five Ways to Break the Habit So if sugar easily overrides our self-control, what are some actions we can take that work with our body’s natural desire for sugar?

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ing on junk food when you get home from a hard day’s work? Eating sufficient amounts of low-sugar whole foods is the simplest and fastest way to reduce cravings. When you’re craving sugar, check in with yourself to make sure you’ve eaten enough during the day. Did you skip breakfast or have only a small lunch? Eat whole foods like grass-fed meats, wild fish, vegetables, and greens, non-gluten grains like quinoa and millet, and good fats like avocados and coconut. Adding sufficient amounts of these whole foods into your daily regime will dramatically cut your cravings for sugar. Simple trick is to have a green smoothie as soon as you get home from work to curb cravings for junk food. 2. Hydrate Sugar cravings often arise because of dehydration. When you feel a craving, first drink a few glasses of water. A good health habit is to start your day

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by drinking water and having a smoothie for breakfast. This practice will hydrate your system, give your body easily digestible nutrients, and set you up for healthy eating for the rest of the day. Look to incorporate about eight 8-ounce cups (two liters) of water into your daily regime. 3. Eat Fruit or Use Stevia When you desire something sweet, eat fruit or use stevia exclusively. Stevia is a plant with

4. Eat Sour and Fermented Foods This is the trick of the trade. When you crave the sugar taste, hit it with its opposite. Eat sour and fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchee. These foods give you a blast of probiotics and nutrients and cut sugar cravings. Look for unpasteurized sauerkraut at your health food store or easily make them at home.

5. Take a Daily Probiotic When our gut bacteria is out of balance, we crave sugar. Probiotics help replenish intestinal flora and restore balance to the gut system. They help tip the scale back toward good bacteria and away from bad bacteria, fungus, and yeast. Consider taking at least 15 billion active bacteria daily. Remember, your body is naturally hypersensitive to sugar. Don’t fight it. Work with it. Start now incorporating these doable strategies into your life rather than depending on will power alone. It’s not your fault. You’re amazing. The sugar monster can be curbed. John Rosania is the director of content for the Clean Program founded by Alejandro Junger, M.D. He is a contributing writer to the New York Times best-selling books “Clean Gut” and “Clean Eats.” This article was originally published on CleanProgram.com.

Sprout Your Way to Better Health

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Eating sufficient amounts of low-sugar whole foods is the simplest and fastest way to reduce cravings.

sweet leaves. It is often used as a low-carbohydrate, low-glycemic sugar that doesn’t feed yeast or fungus in the body or cause cravings. You can add stevia to teas, smoothies, or deserts. Make a commitment to eating only fruit and using stevia for two weeks. It may be more challenging to reduce sugar when eating at restaurants, so make a commitment to eating only fruit and stevia at home. For a simple, sweet drink, add a dash of stevia and apple cider vinegar to water.

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about these amazing foods and why they’re such an important part of your menu. Sprouts are raw, natural, and unprocessed, and many varieties have enough essential amino acids to be considered complete proteins. This living food is the most reliable year-round source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and many B vitamins—all of which are usually in short supply in colder climates around the Northern Hemisphere. Sprouts are also highly alkalizing, which help to bring the body’s pH back into balance, and are very useful in neutralizing acidic states in detoxification. Varieties of sprouts such as alfalfa, mung bean, chick pea, red clover, dandelion, sunflower, wheat berries, wheat, buckwheat, spelt, and other nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains are the most commonly found. They can be eaten alone, in salads, as breakfast cereals, and made into wholesome dips, breads, and bars. During the sprouting process, a chemical process releases enzymes, making the food naturally easier for you to digest, therefore making the nutrients in each sprout more bioavailable to your body. Sprouts are highly efficient that way; you can eat less food but have more nutrients received by your cells. Such rich enzyme concentration can increase enzyme activity in your metabolism, leading to regeneration

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The sprouting process releases enzymes that make food naturally easier to digest.

Sprouted grain breads are extremely helpful for anyone who has issues digesting wheat. of vital organs and blood and helping to decrease nutritional deficiencies. Sprouting almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and chia all help break down the hard to digest enzymes and release important nutrients into the bloodstream. Also, sprouted grain breads are extremely helpful for anyone

who has issues digesting wheat as the sprouts help break down the gluten content and improve vitamin B12 and other B vitamins, vitamin E, and fiber content. Sprouted foods help increase energy, boost stamina, elevate immune response, improve brain function, decrease inflammation, and help digestion. Sprouts are extremely inexpensive, easy to cook, and a great way to boost your health status. Start sprouting today! Katrina Bertol is a registered holistic nutritionist, certified personal trainer, and Pilates instructor. She has an undergraduate degree in fitness and nutritional sciences and an advanced diploma in holistic nutrition. This article was originally published on NaturallySavvy.com.

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These little green gems can do so much to help keep you well from head to toe.

Avocado, the Superfood You Should Eat Every Day By Frank Lipman It’s no secret that I love to eat. My favorite food of all? Avocados. I’m bananas for them. Avocados are truly one of nature’s little miracle foods, and I encourage you to enjoy them several times a week. These little green gems can do so much to help keep you well from head to toe, that they’re simply too good to pass up. Here are a few thoughts on why you need to get to know them better and eat them more often. Avocados Won’t Make You Fat The heyday of food-fat phobia is over. If you’re still avoiding avocados because of some misguided, leftover-from-the-‘80s belief that avocados will make you fat, you’re barking up the wrong tree. You’re also missing out on an excellent source of monounsaturated fat—the good fat also found in olive oil— which helps boost heart health. What’s more,

those good-fat and fiber-rich avocados can also help curb hunger. Studies indicate that meals that include avocado tend to increase feelings of satiety for longer than those without, so consider adding a few avocado slices to your daily diet to help tame between-meal munchies. A Creamy, Delicious Nutrient Bomb As with many superfoods, it’s what’s inside that counts, and avocados are a nutritional gold mine. In addition to “goodâ€? monounsaturated fat, avocados pack plenty of healthboosting nutrients to help your body thrive. Underneath the tough green exterior lie over 14 minerals; complete protein with all 18 essential amino acids; soluble fiber to trap excess cholesterol and send it out of the system; phytosterols; polyphenols; carotenoids; omega 3s; vitamins B-complex, C, E, and K, to name a few.

Why Avocados Are a Superfood Watch out heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes—avocados are coming for you! Avocados are packed with nutrition, but what does it all mean in practical terms? It means a belly that feels full longer; a brain that’s being well-supplied with the nutrients needed to function optimally now and down the road; and a body that’s receiving the nutrition it needs to help protect it from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and degenerative eye and brain diseases. What’s more, all those nutrients, good fats, and fiber in avocados can help naturally lower LDL and raise your good HDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar, and tamp down inflammation throughout the body

Meals that include avocado tend to increase feelings of satiety for longer than those without. and brain. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why it’s called a superfood. Include Avocados on Your Plate With their distinct fresh, green flavor and creamy (dairy-free!) texture, avocados play well with lots of the other foods on your plate. What’s truly remarkable, though, is that the research indicates that avocados can help with the absorption of carotenoids, the compounds found in orange and red fruits and veggies that can help protect against cancer. So while they may seem a bit indulgent, avocados could turn out to be lifesavers. Here are a few ways to dig in: D Add a quarter of an “avoâ€? to your morning shake or try my Chocolate Avocado smoothie. D Enjoy an avocado half as a

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nutritious side dish with your morning eggs instead of potatoes or toast. Spread a few avo slices on toasted paleo bread for a quick pre-workout or midday snack. Add half an avo to your lunchtime salad to keep you full till dinner—and hold the mayo. Add as a delicious “mix-inâ€? for quinoa, beans, or wild rice. Top hot or cold soups with chunks of avo to add fiber and “supersizeâ€? the nutrients in your bowl. Blend with lemon juice, water, vinegar, and spices and whip into a nutritious creamy salad dressing, or blend in a touch more liquid and drizzle the zesty sauce over chicken and fish dishes. Top burgers, egg dishes, chicken, or fish with avo slices or mash into guacamole. Blend up your own supernutritious homemade baby food by combining avocado with fruits and veggies to get little ones off to a healthy start.

How to Ripen Avocados At times it can be tricky to find an avocado that’s ready to eat with tonight’s dinner, so a little advance planning is necessary. Avo aficionados recommend buying a few firm ones at a time and then strategically staggering the ripening process so the avocados are ready when you are and don’t all turn ripe at the same moment. To expedite ripening, AvocadoCentral.com suggests sealing one or two avocados at a time into a brown paper bag along with an apple or banana. Over the course of two to three days, the brownbagged fruit will release gasses, which will aid the ripening process. Remove the ripe, readyto-

eat avo, replace with a firm unripe one, reseal the bag, and repeat. Oops! Cut into your avocado before it’s fully ripened? Spritz the exposed fruit with lemon juice, cover or wrap tightly, and let it ripen in the fridge for a day or two. If that’s not enough, salvage the fruit, cut into chunks, and add to your next smoothie. Be-well Bonus Buying avocados? The good news is that conventionally grown avos make the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 List, meaning they’re relatively free of pesticides and are OK to eat as an alternative to organic versions. How you cut and peel your avo matters more than you might think. To do it right, wash the outer skin and pat dry. Cut in half lengthwise. Pop out the seed with a spoon, or tap a knife into the top of the seed to slightly imbed the blade (be careful not to hit your fingers), and then twist. Instead of scooping out the fruit, peel the skin off gently with your fingers to get the maximum nutritional bang for your buck. The dark-green fruit closest to the skin is the most nutritious. Need more tips and how-to’s on just about everything avocado? Take a look at AvocadoCentral.com. For more ideas on superfoods that we all need to eat more of, read my post on the Top 9 Superfoods. Dr. Frank Lipman is the founder and director of the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City. This article was originally published on DrFrankLipman.com.

In addition to ‘good’ monounsaturated fat, avocados pack plenty of health-boosting nutrients.

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Circulation: Myths and Realities By Lev Khitin The circulatory system is very complex. Our blood travels through 100,000 miles of veins, arteries, and capillaries—more than four times the circumference of the earth. With all this travel, eventually about half of the people in the United States will have at least a minor dysfunction in their veins. Here are a few of the most popular and prevalent misconceptions about vein problems and treatment that I’ve come across in my practice. Myth. Varicose and spider veins always come back after treatment. Reality. It is true that spider and varicose veins come back if treatment is directed only at these veins instead of the condition responsible for their appearance. Often a condition called chronic venous hypertension is behind varicose and spider veins. Accordingly, treating the venous hypertension not only eliminates existing varicosities and spider veins, but also prevents their development in the future. Myth. Nature gave us veins for a reason. It would, therefore, be wrong to pull them out. Reality. Leg veins do serve an important physiological function in the human body, as does the appendix—that is until you have appendicitis. Left untreated, appendicitis evolves into sepsis and even-

tually death. Similarly, without treatment, diseased veins lead to ulcers, infection, bleeding, and blood clots. Additionally, stopping blood flow through a diseased vein makes the work of healthy veins much easier because diseased veins drain blood backward, making even more work for healthy veins. Myth. Swollen legs mean you have a weak heart or weak kidneys. Reality. It is that true cardiac and renal failure do cause the legs, as well as the rest of the body, to swell. They are, however, never responsible for swelling limited to the legs only. When the heart is too weak to pump blood, or the kidneys fail to filter out water, it leads to excessive water retention that is evenly distributed across the entire body. When the legs are swollen, but the rest of the body is normal, the problem is not in retention of the water, but in its uneven distribution between the rest of the body and the legs. Uneven distribution is almost always caused by vein disease. Myth. Water pills help swollen legs. Reality. Diuretics, or water pills, are not indicated for the treatment of swelling limited to a part of the body, such as lower extremities, for example. Furthermore, they are actually strictly contraindicated. First, diuretics are not effective when given in moderate amounts since our kidneys, being surrounded by a

normal amount of water, resist their action. Secondly, given in much higher doses, diuretics do reduce leg swelling, but simultaneously cause dehydration of the rest of the body, which can easily shut down the kidneys. Myth. Swelling of only one leg means lymphatic blockage. Reality. Retention of lymphatic fluid, often referred to as “lymphedema” or “lymphostasis,” is an extremely rare condition in the United States and is nearly always a consequence of surgical lymph node dissection, which used to be done routinely during cancer treatment. Constant swelling of one leg is almost always due to vein disease.

while you’re sleeping at night, it may be due to venous insufficiency, and you should get it checked out. Dr. Lev M. Khitin is board-certified in general vascular, cardiac, and thoracic surgery. He is the founder and president of the New York Vein Treatment Center, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to complex evaluation and comprehensive treatment of circulatory disorders in the lower extremities.

Reality. While foot ulcers are for sure one of multiple classic complications of advanced diabetes, these days, diabetic ulcers almost do not exist in the United States. Contrary to common belief, the overwhelming majority of foot and leg ulcers are caused by bad circulation in either arteries or veins and, therefore, should be treated as such. Myth. Leg cramps are from bad nerves.

Dr. Lev Khitin.

Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup: Clean and Detoxing By Christine Beal Dunst & Sandra Shields Enjoy this 20-minute, onepot, clean-eating, and detoxing soup. One medium carrot contains 204 percent of your daily recommended value of vitamin A, which is the vitamin responsible for maintaining the health of your eyes. Carrots are also

The vitamin C in carrots combats free radicals, which leads to vibrant, glowing skin. a good source of vitamins K and C. Vitamin K aids your blood’s ability to clot and contributes to bone strength and kidney health. Remember that vitamins A and K are fat soluble, so be sure to pair your carrots with some form of healthy fat to ensure absorption. The vitamin C in carrots combats free radicals, which leads to vibrant, glowing skin. Vitamin C also helps main-

tain a healthy immune system, strong teeth and gums, and helps your body absorb iron from plant foods. Eat up! Ginger has been used as a natural remedy for many ailments for centuries. Fresh ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory superfood. It enhances immunity and also helps with nausea, among many other benefits. We love ginger in soups, smoothies, tonics, dressings, and teas. Enjoy this vegan and glutenfree soup hot, or enjoy it cold right from your mason jar as a savory grab-and-go treat. This soup also freezes well, so make a big batch and store it in your freezer for a quick and healthy meal in no time. Recipe: Use organic when possible. @ 5 full-size carrots, washed and chopped @ 1 quart (32 ounces) of organic vegetable stock @ 1/3 cup red lentils, uncooked @ 1/3 cup of homemade almond milk, unsweetened @ 1/2 purple onion, chopped @ 2 inches fresh ginger, remove skin and toss in @ 1 tablespoon of Braggs Liquid Aminos or Raw Coconut Aminos (both are soy sauce alternatives with no soy) @ Himalayan sea salt to your liking

Garnish: Sesame oil to drizzle, microarugula, raw organic sunflower seeds, and Himalayan sea salt to your liking. In one pot, add all ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes on low/medium heat. Pour into high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with sesame oil, micro-arugula, sunflower seeds, and Himalayan sea salt. To make it more hearty, add quinoa or coconut black rice.

Christine Beal Dunst and Stephanie Rapp are the cofounders of Embody Wellness Company, specializing in creating customizable holistic wellness and nutrition programs targeted at life’s most important milestones: marriage, children, and career. For more information, visit EmbodyWellnessCompany.com.

Enjoy the simplicity and clean ingredients! Go ahead and embody wellness. IC LUNAT

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Myth. Foot ulcers are from diabetes.

Reality. Muscle cramps that happen during physical activity can be caused by an endless list of pathological conditions, but also can be a normal reaction to strenuous exercise. If your leg cramps up

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