In other cultures, a siesta or mid-day nap is culturally accepted as the norm. However, over here in the United States, it is taking a bit longer for us to catch up on understanding the essential benefits of a midday rest. John F. Kennedy, Thomas Edison, and Eleanor Roosevelt all enjoyed a midday snooze, so there must be something gained from “taking it easy.”
And there is. As the afore mentioned great thinkers may demonstrate by the accomplishments in their lives, napping during the day can keep your brain activity high, while not taking nap will result in a steady decline in brain activity throughout the day. Taking a power nap during the day can increase memory retention, improve learning functions, and reduce stress levels.
If you want to take a nap, it is essential no to sleep more than an hour, nor sleep after 4PM, as breaking both of these rules can result in disrupting your natural circadian rhythm and make nighttime sleep difficult. So basically, make sure to nap earlier in the day, and not for too long.
There is no such thing as a miracle food. Anything consumed in excess can pose a hazard to your health. Soy does have many wonderful attributes, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, but has also been marred by claims that range from feasible (soy may block essential nutrients from being absorbed in your digestive track) to ludicrous (claims that soy can make children gay or that soy can shrink the size of your brain). So what is the wonder that is soy?
Meet Soy
In 1999 the FDA started to allow soy food products to feature labeling promoting the claim that soy decreased cholesterol and risk of heart disease. The soybean is the most widely grown and utilized legume in the world, and traces its roots to 11th century BC China. Soy is widely regarded as “health” food due to benefits associated with soy’s high protein content, being rich in vitamins and minerals, containing essential fatty acids, and being high in fiber.
The Good
Even though soy is not a miracle food, research has shown that soy may be effective in alleviating the risks of breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, as well as making the transition of menopause easier. Protein rich soy is also a healthy alternative to eating meat, especially since soy lowers cholesterol whereas meat products tend to increase cholesterol levels.
The Bad
Soy contains phytic acid which may block the absorption of certain minerals, including magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc. Soy may also contain enzyme-inhibitors which may inhibit normal digestion. Proponents of such claims insist that only after fermentation of soy, as in the case of miso or tempeh, do the benefits of soy become available for human consumption. The nature of isoflavones in soy, while attributed to alleviating the risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis, is also cited as behaving too much like estrogen and posing a risk to children if substituted with milk.
The Wonder of Soy
The reality of soy is that there is that the jury is still out on both the good and the bad, and how soy will benefit your individual diet is largely dependent on your own physiology and what you require and can handle in your diet. Do research on how soy affects whatever condition you want to target through adding to your diet, and decide for yourself if it is appropriate for your nutrition needs. Soy is found in a wide array of foods and supplements, and nutritious additions to you diet can include miso, tempeh, tofu, edamame, soy milk, or soy yogurt.
When I saw this commercial from Lyrica I was a bit taken aback. I had heard about Fibromyalgia (FM), but was unaware of the enduring and widespread pain associated with the condition, nor was I aware that the FDA only recently approved prescription Lyrica to help manage fibromyalgia. So I did a bit of poking around on the Web to determine what exactly is Fibromyalgia, and why getting a prescription drug on the market took so long.
What is striking is that the woman in the commercial has to insist that fibromyalgia is a real condition, which hints at an existing debate over the reality of the disease. The NY Times article examining the use of Lyrica took such a tone, putting the validity of the very existence of fibromyalgia into question. What the NY Times pointed out somewhat ominously, was that even if fibromyalgia is not real, the potential side effects of the drug Lyrica, which include sleepiness, dizziness, and weight gain, are real.
We all have odd pains from time to time, but what sticks out in fibromyalgia sufferers is widespread musculoskeletal aches, stiffness of joints and limbs, generalized pain, skin tenderness, and fatigue. While not trying to belittle the seriousness of the disease, it sounds as though the pain is analogous to doing trying physical labor, then running a marathon, getting a bad sunburn, and not sleeping for days on end; all these things taken together may give an idea of the level of pain we are addressing when discussing fibromyalgia sufferers. It is no small wonder then, that fibromyalgia can seriously impede the quality of life of those diagnosed. However, diagnosis of the disease can take upwards of over five years since the origins of the disease are unknown, and the symptoms typically overlap with other diseases or conditions.
Fibromyalgia is not a life threatening illness, and there is no evidence supporting that the disease gets worse over time, although sufferers often experience a waxing and waning of symptoms, and at times even remission of the disease. FM afflicts more women than men, and the disease may afflict as many as 6% of the U.S. population.
Researchers now believe that genetics play a major role in an individual’s predisposition to fibromyalgia. Other research including brain analysis has determined that those with fibromyalgia have a nervous system that interprets pain abnormally, which can be a valuable piece in helping to unravel the mysteries of fibromyalgia.
With Lyrica introduced into the market, there is even more hope for fibromyalgia sufferers, although Lyrica is not necessarily a silver bullet for managing the disease. There is still a long way to go to understand fibromyalgia, and probably other paths on the horizon to managing the condition.
Quite frankly, I don’t think much about nor consume ginger outside of topping my sushi with it. A friend offered me a ginger mint the other day, and feeling a touch of motion sickness from our car ride, found the ginger killed any queasiness I was feeling. Apparently alleviating motion sickness is just one of many medicinal properties ginger (also known botanically as Zingiber Officinale) has been attributed with, others qualities being anti-inflammatory in nature, aiding circulation, easing migraines or headaches, as well as having mood enhancing properties. In addition, ginger is a good source of vitamin B6, copper, manganese, magnesium, and potassium.
Folk medicine has often referred to ginger for its ability to alleviate nausea, vomiting, and motion sickness. The digestive properties can be attributed to the presence of gingerols and shogaols, both of which are known to stimulate the right digestive juices in our stomachs and digestive tracts. Pregnant women with motion sickness often turn to ginger to alleviate symptoms when other methods fail.
The flavor of ginger, and most of its powerful properties, is due to ginger containing gingerol. Gingerol is an anti-inflammatory, and when all else fails, those afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis have turned to ginger, finding that regular consumption of ginger provides relief. Gingerol may also help prevent the growth of colorectal cancer. Ginger also contains cineole which is thought to be able to reduce stress.
Ginger is known as to possess “warming” properties, and consumption of ginger may promote sweating. This in turn promotes circulation and this has been thought to “flush” out the system when fighting a cold or flu.Ginger may also block the effects of prostaglandin. Prostaglandin causes inflammation of blood vessels in the brain which can lead to headaches or migraines.
If you want to harness all of these powerful properties ginger possesses, it is best to seek fresh ginger over dried ginger. Fresh ginger will contain higher concentrations of gingerol, which is like ginger’s superpower. Ginger can be found in the produce sections of most grocery stores, and healthy ginger will be firm and smooth. Ginger is often found in fusion and recipes with a modern flair, so poke around to find out how you can incorporate the super-powerful ginger into your diet.
