health briefs
Lose Weight with Small Calorie Reduction
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A reduction of just 200 calories a day combined with aerobic exercise four times a week produced greater weight loss and better heart health in obese, sedentary adults than exercise alone or a 600-calorie reduction plus exercise, reports a new study in Circulation. Researchers from the Wake Forest School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, tested 160 adults ages 65 to 79. Those that combined exercise with 200 fewer calories a day lost 10 percent of their weight, about 20 pounds, over five months. They had a 21 percent average increase in the aorta’s ability to expand and contract, a key indicator of heart health. Measures of aortic stiffness did not change significantly for the exercise-only group or the 600-calorie-reduction-plus-exercise group. Weight loss was similar for both calorie-reduction groups, even though one group consumed nearly three times fewer calories per day.
Boost Kids’ Learning Abilities with Exercise yulianto poitier/Pexels.com
The right kind of exercise can help kids learn vocabulary better, suggests research from the University of Delaware. An article published in the Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research reports that when 48 children between 6 and 12 years of age were taught new words before swimming, they scored 13 percent higher on a test of the words than children that did CrossFit-like exercises or colored pictures. Lead researcher Maddy Pruitt says that exercise is known to increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein she describes as the “Miracle-Gro of the brain.” Swimming made a difference, she says, because it is an automatic movement, while the CrossFit exercises were new to them and required mental energy. 6
Pittsburgh, PA
NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com
Herbal Teas for Winter Lung Health In preparing our bodies for the upcoming cold season, there are steps we can take to boost lung wellness, such as having a few beneficial blended herbal teas on hand. One herbal ally is mullein, (Verbascum thapsus). Common names include feltwort, flannel leaf, Indian tobacco and lady’s foxglove. This tall. weedy biennial grows upwards of seven feet tall. The flowers are yellow and arranged on a long, club-like spike. This figwort family species blossoms from late June to September, growing in rocky areas on roadsides, embankments and pastures. The leaves have been used for years in Appalachia for treating the common cold. If wildcrafting use caution, as the leaves can cause skin irritation. Simple herbal tea infusions can be made by steeping the dried herbs and straining the liquid. No fancy equipment is required other than a pot, water and a heating source.
Congestion Tea Blend 2 parts elderflower 1 part yarrow 1 part sage ½-1 part horseradish
Achy Throat
2 parts licorice 1 part mullein 1 part slippery elm 1 part plantain
Healthy Lung Tea 2 parts mullein 1 part hyssop 1 part sage 1 part peppermint
Sweeten the tea with honey or choice of sweetener. Drink either hot or chilled, then refrigerate. Diet is crucial in the effectiveness of plant-based remedies. To receive the most significant benefit, consult with a nutritionist or health coach for a dietary plan to complement the herbs.
April Smith is an herbalist in Morgantown, WV, and owner of Native Holistics. See ad, page 23.
