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Your Healthy Polk
Publisher
Contributors
Sergio Cruz | sergio@polkmedia.com
James Coulter Donna Kelly Marilyn Lacey Jai Maa Elizabeth Morrisey Jeff Roslow
Editor Andrea Cruz | andrea@polkmedia.com
Art Director Alejandro F. Cruz | alejandrocruz.com
Cover Designer Deborah Coker
On the cover CBD oil may come from the Cannabis or marijuana plant but it does not make one “high.� Learn more about other misconceptions, uses, and the legality of CBD starting on page 12. Photo: 123rf.com/Denise Hasse
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Letter From Editor / Publisher
W
e can all agree that education is generally a good thing—even if what is learned means that there’ll be a swallowing of pride and changing of a long-held opinion. And while this kind of ego-releasing change is often particularly difficult, holding onto an opinion or decision that is slowly proven to be untrue can ultimately be an unhealthy thing. This issue we aim to educate on Cannabidiol or CBD, which comes from cannabis (commonly known as marijuana) plants. There are many misconceptions about CBD, such as the biggie—it’ll get you high. It definitely won’t. Turn to page 12 and find out more about other long-held misconceptions, the uses and legality of CBD. The uses of vinegar are many, as are the types, and benefits of each. Whether it’s used to clean, deodorize, or consumed internally for health reasons, the various vinegars are like the Swiss army knives of a household. Page 10 is where you want to go to learn how vinegar can be helpful. A new med spa in Davenport—Elements Rejuvenating Med Spa—is ready to help you be your best self, using science-based procedures and products. They’re in-the-know on the latest aesthetic knowledge that is both healthy and safe. Elements Rejuvenating Med Spa is where science meets beauty. Plus, they’re super nice gals. Read more about the new med spa starting on page 6 and see their ad on the back cover. On page 18 Jai Maa clues us into being more aware of what type of media we’re consuming—she calls it “mind food.” She once binge watched only scary and murder-type shows while trying to recover from a physical illness. She felt the energy of those shows and it was a slow recovery. She urges us to be mindful and possibly make some different decisions about what medias are consumed. Speaking of consuming… eat breakfast. Page 23 has the good news about why the old adage about breakfast being the most important meal of the day is actually true. And page 19 has the lowdown on parabens. Namely, what the heck are they and why should you try to avoid them. Be healthy. Be happy.
/ andrea@polkmedia.com Sergio Cruz / sergio@polkmedia.com
Andrea Cruz
Your Healthy Polk Be healthy. Be happy.
Your Healthy Polk is a product of Polk Media, Inc. A mind, body, soul magazine focused on the local health industry, Your Healthy Polk endeavors to bring the best of Polk’s locally-sourced good news about good health. For more info visit PolkMedia.com or YourHealthyPolk.com. Polk Media is a woman- and minority-owned business.
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Your Healthy Polk
123rf.com/Balint Roxana
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Letter from Editor / Publisher
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Elements Rejuvenating Med Spa: Where beauty and science meet
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Vinegars have many household uses and health-related benefits
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Cover: The CBD dialogue has begun: Legality, uses, and misconceptions
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Spring 2019
Brain Strain crossword puzzle theme: Popular Pastimes
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Mind food: What you consume of the media may play a role in health
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Parabens: What are they and should we care if they’re in cosmetics?
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Why breakfast really is the most important meal of the day
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123rf.com/ocusfocus
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Photo source: Statepoint.net
Depositphotos.com/pathastings
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Your Healthy Polk
Elements Rejuventating Med Spa
“
Where beauty and science meet. We want people to remember what it feels like to take care of themselves. — Trista Pavelski
Elements Rejuvenating Med Spa owner
By Liz Morrisey
E
lements Rejuvenating Med Spa is where the beauty of nature and the power of science collide. Whether you are looking for a relaxing facial or wanting to sculpt your body with non-surgical lipo, Elements offers many different services, as well as skincare products. Owner Trista Pavelski wants customers to leave feeling like they can accomplish anything. “We want people to feel happy, warm, welcome and taken care of when they leave,” says the mother of three. After working with her husband in the medical field, she realized there was a gap between medicine and holistic health. “There is a lack of wellness in medicine. We want to connect people to their health and wellness in a comfortable environment.” Pavelski can tailor packages to help clients reach their goals, from better looking skin to an overall healthier lifestyle. When it comes to maintaining beautiful skin, Elements, located in Davenport at 141 Webb Drive, Suite 100, offers an array of different facials from calm skin to age corrective and ranges in price from $60 to $90. Elements uses two lines of products—Eminence and SkinCeuticals—to pamper its clients. Eminence is an organic skincare line with masks, cleansers and moisturizers. SkinCeuticals has medical grade products for skincare with chemical peels to help with wrinkles and sun damage.
Elements Rejuvenation Med Spa aesthetician Emma Walterstrom works on a client. Photo provided to Your Healthy Polk.
Madison Speyerer enjoys the relaxing and quiet environment at Elements. She has been a client of Emma WalContinued pg. 9
Spring 2019
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Element Spa, from pg. 6
terstrom, the spa’s aesthetician, for many years before she came to work at Elements. “These facials are the best I’ve ever had,” says the Winter Haven resident. “They are a very good price for what you get.” Customers can also sign up for treatments from the Venus Versa. The Venus delivers multi-polar radio frequency and pulsed electro magnetic fields to produce uniform heat on the skin. They increase collagen and help reduce wrinkles, laugh lines, smoker’s lines, acne scars, crow’s feet and is pain-free. Treatments, which include photo rejuvenation, skin resurfacing and anti-aging wrinkle reduction, start at $200.
with our clients. We want people to remember what it feels like to take care of themselves.” Elements will have its grand opening March 28. Currently, the spa is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more info visit SkinAndStem.com. See ad opposite page.
“I decided to offer the treatment because I was extremely impressed with the dramatic results and the multifunctional capabilities and ability to pair with stem cell and platelet rich plasma services,” says Pavelski. Show off those beautiful faces with the Jane Iredale all natural makeup line. It’s pure, mineral makeup filled with antioxidants, offers natural sun protection and is cruelty free. It’s available for purchase at Elements. Products range from $17 to $52. Elements can also help clients focus on their entire body with SculpSure—non-surgical body contouring. Veronica Fitzgerald, spa manager, says the non-invasive lipo destroys fat and helps sculpt the body getting rid of stubborn bra, stomach, thigh or neck fat. Before and after pictures are taken so customers can see the results. “There are certain requirements that go along with using SculpSure and it should be paired with a healthy lifestyle and appropriate consultation,” Fitzgerald explains. SculpSure body treatments start at $1,200. SculpSure raises the temperature of fat cells and damages their structural integrity. The damaged fat cells are then removed from the body. There is no down time or recovery period after the 25-minute treatments and some patients start to see results in as early as six weeks. Along with facials and body sculpting, Elements will soon have relaxing massages starting at $85 for one hour as well as waxing services. “Our services and products are for any age,” says Pavelski. “Our target is people who are lacking wellness in their lives.” Elements is more than just aesthetics, however. Pavelski, who was a flight medic in the Air Force, is a certified holistic health coach and wants to help people meet their lifestyle goals. She looks at the patient’s medical history and identifies what behavioral changes need to be made. Pricing hasn’t been established, but it will be offered in a six-month series. “I don’t want it to feel like it’s an in and out medical practice,” she says. “We want to listen and have a relationship
Above: The Venus Versa machine at Elements Rejuvenation Med Spa in Davenport treats wrinkles, acne scars, and other skin issues, all painfree. Below: Eminence is an organic skincare line sold at Elements with masks, cleansers and moisturizers. Photos provided to Your Healthy Polk.
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Your Healthy Polk
Vinegar:
Its Uses and Benefits Whether it’s white, red, or the apple variety, vinegar has its place in the home as a household cleaner, odor killer, stain remover, blood sugar level controller, and taste enhancer on certain foods.
By James Coulter
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hances are you have somewhere in the back of your kitchen pantry a bottle of vinegar. Maybe you spray a little bit of it on your salad, or perhaps you use it to clean out stubborn stains. Or maybe you have it because it’s one of those items every kitchen needs like an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator. Aside from being used on salads or stains or simply to take up space within your pantry, vinegar provides many health benefits. In fact, many people insist that vinegar, especially apple cider vinegar, is a miracle cure for everything from obesity, diabetes, and even cancer. How many of these claims are true? How many of them are old wives’ tales as old as that box
of baking soda in the back of the fridge? Here’s everything you need to know about vinegar and its alleged benefits.
White Vinegar: The White Knight Vinegar, as defined by Merriam Webster, is a sour, clear solution created through the “fermentation of dilute alcoholic liquids,” most commonly grain alcohol. This solution usually consists of 4 to 7 percent acetic acid, though, as the medical resource website Healthline explains, “types with higher acetic acid content are available for agricultural or cleaning purposes.” As a culinary ingredient, vinegar is used in marinades, pickling, and cheesemaking. However, it’s also been used medicinally. Even Hippocrates, the father of medicine, used vinegar to clean the wounds and treat the ailments of his patients. The acid within vinegar can be used to kill bacteria and other harmful pathogens. This is why the solution has commonly been used as a disinfectant in both medicine and household cleaning. Vinegar can also help control blood sugar levels, especially for people with diabetes or pre-
Many swear by treating slight burns with properly diluted apple cider vinegar. Photo source: 123rf.com/thamkc.
Spring 2019
diabetes. According to Healthline, vinegar “improves insulin sensitivity during a high-carb meal by 19–34% and significantly lowers blood sugar and insulin responses,” as well as “reduces blood sugar by 34% after eating 50 grams of white bread.” The acidic content within white vinegar lends itself to many health benefits. However, anything white vinegar can do, its darker cousin, apple cider vinegar, can do—perhaps even better.
Vim And Vigor Of Apple Cider Vinegar While white vinegar is created from fermented grain alcohol, apple cider vinegar, true to its name, is created from fermented apple juice. As with its white cousin, apple cider vinegar has often been considered a natural home remedy. Many researchers have looked into the claims surrounding red wine vinegar, from controlling blood sugar level to weight loss. While many of these claims have proven to be old wives tales, with very little scientific evidence behind them, others are
relatively true. For example, one study, published in the Journal of the American Association of Diabetes in 2004, analyzed the blood glucose levels of patients, who were administered 20 grams of apple cider vinegar after eating a meal of orange juice and a bagel with butter. Their findings? As reported by Edwin McDonald IV, MD from the University of Chicago Medicine: “They [researchers] found that ACV (apple cider vinegar) significantly lowered post-meal blood glucose levels. Several other studies report similar findings.” He concluded: “ACV won’t cure diabetes, but it may moderately lower blood glucose levels. It won’t take the place of any medications for diabetes, but it’s a safe enough addition to a diabetes treatment plan.” Many studies have also shown that consuming vinegar can help with weight loss by increasing the feeling of fullness, thus helping curb appetite and allowing people to consume fewer calories. Continued pg. 21
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Depositphotos.com/VictoriaBee
“
THC is what gives you a stoner high feeling. CBD on the other hand is what takes away pain and heals you from the inside out. - Toni Harrison, Winter Haven resident whose use of CBD relieved pain and severe anxiety.
CBD: CBD: Legality, Legality, Uses, Uses, & & Misconceptions Misconceptions
CBD can Help Pain, but Fear of it Continues Story by Jeff Roslow with research by Donna Kelly
M
edical research has backed up the fact that Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the two active ingredients in cannabis, does not change a person’s state of mind, but it does alter the body in some helpful ways. Because of this, CBD use is rising in both the amount of its use and how it is consumed or used.
CBD, however, does not induce the same “high” effect as with marijuana’s active ingredient, THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). CBD is not psychoactive, which means it is not intoxicating. But research has shown that it does have the effect all cannabinoids have, making changes in the body by attaching itself to certain receptors.
Last year Hempworx, a CBD distributor, made $600 million. CBD is projected to be a $22 billion industry by 2022, Forbes magazine reported.
On its own the human body produces cannabinoids. There are two receptors for cannabinoids, one is called CB1, the other CB2. THC bonds with CB1 receptors, which effects the brain, specifically coordination and movement, pain, emotions, mood, thinking, appetite, and memories. CBD bonds with CB2 receptors, which affects inflammation and pain. It can reduce symptoms of substance abuse, anxiety, pain,
With it being relatively new to relieve pain and with it being a derivative of cannabis (commonly called marijuana) there is plenty of apprehension and fear out there.
Continued pg. 14
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Your Healthy Polk CBD: Legality, Uses, & Misconceptions, from pg. 13
insomnia and even cancer. Florida is one of 46 states that allow CBD for medical use. The state allows only use for medical CBD oil use and it cannot contain any more than 0.3 percent THC. Lake Wales resident Lisa Andrews, 52, took to CBD oil after a mastectomy of her left breast late last year. She used Vicodin but complained it did not control the pain that has left a scar from the incision on her back, under her arm and halfway across her chest. Her daughter did some research on CBD and discovered there may be some hope in it. “What I have found is, though I cannot say it works directly on the pain itself, what it did for was relax me enough to sleep and finally get some much needed rest. There is a calming affect that I find very beneficial in a stressful time like going through cancer and treatment.” While clinical tests of CBD treatments
have shown that cancer has stopped spreading in patients and has some detoxification effects, Andrews herself is hesitant to say CBD should be one’s only treatment path. She does say, however, that it has been a great alternative and would recommend it. “From all the research we have done on the oil, I would have to say I would recommend using it along with conventional treatment but not in substitution of,” Andrews says. “I believe it has helped with my state of mind in dealing with this because the mental relaxation and physical rest are so vital in healing.” Tori Harrison of Winter Haven also saw first hand advantages of CBD oil. “I was in severe pain and had crippling anxiety,” she says. “I was one of those people who would talk myself out of going to the grocery store because I was so anxious.” But since starting on her CBD regimen, she says, “I no longer have anxiety and
my pain is gone. This she says has made her a happier person, and “free to move as I please because the pain is gone.” She adds, “THC is what gives you a stoner high feeling. CBD on the other hand is what takes away pain and heals you from the inside out. I recommend CBD to any person experiencing this type of issue.” Country Primitives Vintage Market, located at 251 Avenue A SW in Winter Haven, dispenses CBD oils in the vendor space rented by Winter Haven resident Marilyn Lacey. Lacey, who makes natural products like soaps and lotions, is now getting into selling CBD oil. Her company, HomeRemeCBDy, sells topical salves, tinctures, sublingual and other products to customers for back pain, neck pain, arthritis, cysts, anxiety and diabetes. Lacey also sells CBD products for pets.
Educate Yourself About CBD
A CBD store inside Winter Haven’s Country Primitives Vintage Market has topical salves, tinctures, sublingals, and other items for sale. See ad to the right. Photo provided to Your Healthy Polk.
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With CBD no longer being a Level I drug and now OK’d in last year’s Farm Bill, CBD is not regulated by the federal government. Lacey says that puts a burden on people to find out about the specific variety of CBD oil they are taking. “When purchasing CBD, customers should ask, where is it grown? And, may I see your certificate of authenticity?” Lacey says. Last year, she points out the Food and Drug Administration OK’d CBD use for epilepsy. She says CBD is a natural substance that causes no harmful side effects and it is not addictive. “CBD has been shown to be very safe. In fact, even kids and pets can take it.” Jenny Seay (not her real name), 35, a former Polk County school teacher, says she used CBD for her shoulder pain and also gave some to her chihuahua to help with aggressiveness. “I did try legal cannabis in a legal state, but I don’t like how it made my head spin,” she says. She gave some to Mika, her 12-year-old dog who was grumpy around other dogs.
Depositphotos.com/Zerbor
“It helped her to calm down and not growl so much,” Seay says. With much positive feedback coming from its use, Dr. Ana Lipson who owns Central Florida Pain Management in Winter Haven, says people should not be so quick to sing its praises. It is still new. While side effects have not been found to date, people should take caution as anyone should with a new medication.
and determine the risks and benefits. “With CBD there is no clear indication and there is a lot of research going on. We know it may have certain aspects of anti-inflammatory properties,” she says. She suggests that those in the medical field would do well to get to know more about CBD because popular interest is rising and education is key to understanding what CBD is and what it’s not.
“We’ve been going on a year and a half. Conversation started happening ever since Amendment 1 passed,” she says. “I have been exploring CBD and educating myself on it.”
According to Lipson, recent studies have shown up to 70 percent of patients want to know more about this subject. She has seen confusion and apprehension in her patients.
Dr. Lipson does not prescribe CBD, but she tells her patients to explore it
“Most patients tell me they think mediContinued pg. 20
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Brain Strain Theme: Popular Pastimes
47. Ornamental carp 48. Harvest helper 50. Chalupa alternative 52. Virginia Slim, e.g. 56. *What football and baseball have in common, pl. 57. “Put a lid ____ ____!” 58. *Hang out on the ocean or online 59. Lock horns 60. Eyeball 61. Hissy fit 62. Michael Myers’ move 63. “To Kill a Mockingbird” author 64. Thanksgiving tubers
ACROSS
1. Smoothing tool 5. Fireplace mess 8. *Make a scarf, then a sweater 12. Nasal input 13. Crunched info 14. Like a snicker 15. Cautionary offering 16. *Caddie’s offering 17. Ringworm 18. *Current game 20. Bookkeeping entry 21. Express November sentiments 22. Big bang maker 23. Beach Boys: “Be True to Your ____” 26. Deducible 30. COI, OSS, SSU, CIG, ____ 31. *Interlocking challenge 34. ____ of the game 35. Legal excuse 37. Acorn maker 38. Poet Nash 39. Spanish surrealist Joan 40. Tolkien’s “The Two ____” 42. Denotes financial loss 43. Kickbacks 45. Ducks with valued down
1. Campus drillers 2. Month before Nisan 3. Stag 4. Faster than allegro 5. Hammerin’ Hank 6. Delivery bird? 7. 3rd H in 4-H, sing. 8. *Needlecraft 9. *Half a round 10. Footnote word 11. *Afternoon’s high 13. Hindu Festival of Lights 14. The Police lead singer 19. Japanese room divider 22. Parker’s angst 23. Little rascal 24. Locomotive hair 25. Like Bigfoot 26. *You fly fish in it 27. Core of personnel 28. Independent African ruler 29. Gives a helping hand 32. Messy substances 33. Horror movie franchise 36. *Bibliophiles’ get-together 38. Willow twig 40. *____ Chi 41. Make a connection 44. Opposite of tea bag 46. Black-tie 48. *Watch a season in a week, e.g. 49. Catlike 50. Queen of Hearts’ pastry 51. Aquatic plant 52. Fairly cold 53. Blackfin or Yellowfin 54. Barbershop request 55. Newts in terrestrial stage 56. Art degrees
Solution on page 21.
DOWN
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Your Healthy Polk
Realities of
Mind Food
Break Through Your Threshold by Jai Maa
What we put in our bodies is not limited to what foods and drink we consume. Indeed, what we put in our minds, in terms of media consumption, is also a factor of good health.
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y partner, who is usually never sick, came down with his first head cold when we moved back to Florida. Apparently, I love him so much that I joined him in the bedridden state of snotty tissues covering our floors while dishes piled up. Who wants to do dishes when you feel like you’ve been hit by a bus? Not us. Instead, we binge-watched movies and stayed in our pajamas for days eating homemade organic chicken broth and a variety of citrus picked from three of our friends’ backyard trees. Thank God neither of us had to work for the next few days and had time to recover. In our endeavor to be healthy again, we were conscious of what we put in our bodies, but neglected our minds. We scrolled through Netflix and found documentaries of serial killers and scam artists, and a few intriguing horror movies. Though neither of us ever watch anything that is scary, we decided to experience hour upon hour of “entertainment” that tasered our psyches. We were so sore from clinching our muscles witnessing the unbelievable atrocities that we both felt in need of a healing massage. For those nights, I was bombarded by the most bizarre nightmares of a serial killer, scam artist, and nefarious figures from my past. I woke up each day feeling depleted from the ruthless dramas in my dream state. I ate healthy food and took it easy until I felt better, and then settled back in for the night watching exciting, hell-on-earth movies again. Finally, something clicked. Why am I feeding my mind this crap? Are there bad things out there in the world? Yes. Do I need to force-feed my mind with it? No. Do you know those kinds of people who always seem happygo-lucky, like snuggly things, wear bright colors, and always have a smile on their face? I’m pretty sure they are not watching serial killer documentaries. They watch Hallmark movies and SpongeBob. And we can say, “Oh, but you need to know what is going on in
the world! These things are really happening!” Yes, they are. But do we need to feed our minds with chaos and addict ourselves to drama? Imagine there are two pools of water. One is from a sewage tank and the other is from a natural spring. No matter which pool you choose to drink from, both exist in our reality. The one who feeds their mind with a reality of mayhem is likely to believe the sewage water is the only available pool to drink from. The one who keeps a clean mind and positive outlook on life chooses to drink from the natural spring, even though they are aware the sewage water is also a choice. What we put in our body has an effect on our physical health, and what we put in our mind has an effect on our mental and emotional health. Which pool do you drink from? If you have chosen to drink from the sewage tank, do you perceive those who drink from the spring as naïve or living in La-La-Land? Do you try to convince them to “understand the reality out there”? It is all a reality, both the garbage and the purity. It is up to you to decide what to draw into your experience. What I love about my relationship with my partner is how in sync and committed we are to self-realization. We are not perfect, but conscious and willing to shift and remain in an ongoing upward spiral. We talked about how our choice of movies was influencing our mental disturbance, and we decided to heal both our bodies and minds. We stayed in our pajamas with our bowls of chicken broth and oranges, but this time, we watched comedies, cartoons, and uplifting documentaries instead. We healed instantly. Enlightenment Challenge: What kinds of media are causing you to become mentally or emotionally disturbed? Try a media-detox for a week and only feed your mind information that is uplifting.
Jai Maa is an author and enlightenment facilitator who inspires others to create their visions with no compromise. An interfaith minister and native of Polk County, she travels around the country in a glamped-out RV with her cat companions teaching others how to co-create with God and live their own version of Heaven on Earth. More info: BreakThroughYourThreshold.com.
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What are they and why should we care about them? By Marilyn Lacey of LavenderLilac.com
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123rf.com/Balint Roxana
PARABENS:
arabens are chemical preservatives found in many beauty products meant to prolong shelf life. Just as you absorb the preservatives in food, your scalp and skin absorb the ingredients of haircare and skincare products you use, including those preserving parabens. While parabens haven’t been proven to cause breast cancer, they have been found in breast tissue of women who have breast cancer. They mimic estrogen and too much estrogen can cause breast cancer.
Look for “paraben free” type labeling as you’re not likely to see “contains parabens” as a warning. Study the label ingredients of your favorite products and look out for the following: butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben—these are the most commonly found parabens.
Parabens are also harmful to animals in marine life as they are flushed into the sewage system and released into the environment.
There are natural alternatives such as Optiphen and Germall Plus that are not only better for your skin but better for the environment. Now you know. Check those labels!
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Your Healthy Polk CBD: Legality, Uses, & Misconceptions, from pg. 15
cal marijuana is like recreational marijuana. It’s not and that has to be clear,” she says. The numbers of patients using CBD oil have been steadily growing in the last few years. But, Gwen Phelps of Hempworx, says patients have to look at the alternatives and will probably find what they are seeking. She also has seen some of the hesitation and fear lessening. “I believe that we as a society, are beginning to see the difference between hemp and marijuana. The 2018 Farmers Bill was a massive movement and it has opened the door for many to find a more natural alternative to aid with their ailments,” Phelps says. In order to be able to take this oil, she says, look at the ingredients of the products. “Many companies claim to be full spectrum or broad spectrum or THC-free, but do not supply the testing to prove it. It’s also been noted that several companies who do test, may not test on the final product or test higher or lower levels of
THC and CBD milligram strength.” At the heart of the matter is the question of legality. In Florida CBD is legal. Federally, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration still considers marijuana (not CBD) to be on the level of heroin or ecstasy, while hemp, is legal as long as the THC content is low. The Department of Agriculture doesn’t test for CBD but it does for THC, therefore giving companies the ability to get away with selling products they say have CBD. This causes a gray area, and can mislead consumers. Lacey reiterates that consumers should ask questions and know what they’re buying. However, dialogue is happening and people—medical experts and consumers alike—are educating themselves. “It’s OK to talk about CBD,” Lacey says. “Now that it’s been removed from the Schedule 1 narcotic list on a federal level, it should no longer have a bad stigma about it. It’s not the marijuana a lot of us grew up with. We can say yes to CBD.”
Spring 2019 Vinegar Uses & Benefits, from pg. 11
Try substituting white vinegar for harsh chemical cleaners. Photo source: Depositphotos.com/pathastings.
Not A Miracle Cure While white and red cider vinegar have proven to show several health benefits from killing germs to lowering blood sugar, many “natural health” websites have overblown these health claims, peddling vinegar as a “miracle cure” for everything, including cancer. Many of these sites even recommend drinking vinegar straight, often publishing recipes that involve mixing apple cider vinegar with water, often mixed with honey or cranberry juice. These sites claim drinking vinegar this way will help with weight However, drinking vinegar is not recommended. The acid within it can wear away tooth enamel and the lining of your esophagus and stomach, thus upsetting your stomach and damaging your teeth. If you want to add vinegar to your diet, consider sprinkling some on your salad and vegetables, or adding it to your marinades and sauces. Just don’t drink it like a beverage. Furthermore, while vinegar has been proven to have some health benefits, other alleged benefits, from controlling blood pressure to curing esophageal cancer, have little to no scientific evidence to support them. As Dr. McDonald explained: “Like any supplement, ACV won’t replace a healthy lifestyle. It may have some benefits to our bodies, but overall, we need more studies to truly understand the health benefits and side effects associated with ACV.” Bottom line? Vinegar tastes great on food, kills germs, and can even help curb blood sugar and appetite, but don’t expect it to be a cure-all for everything—and by all means, don’t drink it.
loss and other ailments.
Crossword on page 17.
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Why Breakfast Really Is The Most Important Meal of the Day
Y
ou’ve probably heard the saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” While there is some conflicting research that questions the importance of eating breakfast for weight loss, many other researchers conclude there are, in fact, many benefits for starting your day with a morning meal.
Briana Rodriquez, a Registered Dietitian with Jenny Craig, offers the inside scoop on breakfast and why there’s still truth in that old saying, especially for those trying to improve their health.
Breakfast Basics “Breakfast literally means ‘breaking the fast,’” Rodriquez explains. “Blood sugar, also known as glucose, powers your muscles and brain. After 7-9 hours of sleep, blood sugar is naturally low and you need to replenish your energy stores.” But what if there’s no time to spare in the morning? Rest assured, there are quick, easy breakfasts you can grab on-the-go.
Why Breakfast Matters Although skipping meals or eating very little in the morning may seem like a
sure-fire way to lose weight, Rodriquez explains it’s not so simple. “When you skip breakfast, you’ll likely overcompensate later, eating your largest meal at night because you’re extremely hungry. And that’s not good if your intention is weight loss.” Making breakfast your largest meal of the day, also known as “front-loading,” can lead to a healthier weight. “Since digestion slows during sleep, late-night calories are less easily metabolized and will likely be stored instead of used as energy,” Rodriquez explains. “A balanced, substantial breakfast works with your metabolism at its peak, helping support weight loss efforts naturally.” An added bonus? Weight loss isn’t the only potential benefit of having a good breakfast; a 2013 study published in “Obesity” suggests other health gains in addition to weight loss, such as decreased risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
How Should Your Day Look? The quality of food you eat also matters. Here’s an example of what Rodriquez suggests a typical day look
Photo credit: Statepoint.net
like: • Breakfast and lunch should be satisfying, protein-rich and include a small amount of healthy fats and carbohydrates. Think: an egg and veggie scramble with a piece of fruit for breakfast or chicken with veggies and pasta alongside a green salad for lunch. • Dinner should be light and include a lean protein and lots of non-starchy vegetables. Rodriquez suggests decreasing carbs in the evening. Think: meatloaf with veggies or something like Jenny Craig’s Three Cheese Macaroni with Broccoli and Carrots. • Snacks are an important part of the equation too. Rodriquez recommends snacks under 200 calories, spaced between meals. Choose something with protein and fiber to help keep you feeling full. Think: a small apple with a teaspoon of nut butter, or nonfat Greek yogurt with a handful of berries. Consider weight loss programs that embrace the science around the body’s natural circadian rhythm, such as Jenny Craig’s newest program, Rapid Results, to help optimize metabolism and accelerate weight loss. Also, look for programs that offer satisfying breakfasts with just the right amount of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The Jenny Craig program offers over 20 chef-crafted, nutritionist-designed breakfast items. For more information, or to book a free appointment with a personal weight loss consultant, visit jennycraig.com. Eating breakfast may improve your health in more ways than one. The next time you’re rushing out the door in the morning, don’t forget to grab something good to eat -- your body will thank you. Article credit: Statepoint.net.