HealthyLife Articles

Category: Uncategorized

  • Slow Cooker Harvest Beef Stew

    HEALTHY EATING

    A bowl of beef stew.

    Ingredients

    *  1 pound bottom round beef roast (cut into 1-inch cubes)

    *  1 large russet potato, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 cups)

    *  1/4 cup all-purpose flour

    *  1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1/2-inch dice  (about 2 cups)

    *  2 cups thinly sliced carrots

    *  10-ounce package frozen pearl onions

    *  14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

    *  14.5-ounce can fat-free, low-sodium beef broth

    *  1 cup water

    *  3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

    *  1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

    *  10-ounces frozen peas

    *  2 tablespoons dried parsley

    Directions

    1.  Add the beef, russet potato, and flour to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, stirring well to combine.

    2.  Add the sweet potato and carrots to the slow cooker. Top with the onions, tomatoes, broth, water, thyme and pepper.

    3.  Cook, covered, for 10 to 12 hours on low heat or 5 to 6 hours on high heat. Just before serving, quickly stir in the peas and parsley. Re-cover. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes.

    Note: You can use other lean cuts of beef like bottom eye roast, lean stew meat or top round.

    Nutrition Facts: 6 servings. Calories 311; Total fat 4 g; Saturated fat 2 g; Sodium 211 mg; Total fiber 7 g; Protein 24 g; Carbohydrates 42 g.

    Source: American Heart Association

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Food For The Brain

    HEALTHY EATING

    Women in kitchen with fresh food on counter.

    Mental health may seem like it’s all about thoughts and feelings, but your diet plays a role in how your brain functions. Your food choices may contribute to declining mental health. On the flip side, a quality diet may help manage mental health struggles. For optimal mental health, what you eat matters.

    Good nutrition helps

    A wealth of research supports the benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet for optimal health. This applies to mental health, too. When you choose a plant-based diet, your brain works at its best. A quality diet:

    *  Provides necessary nutrients for normal brain function

    *  Supports the health of the gut microbiome, which connects to the brain and influences mood

    *  Promotes resilience to stress

    *  Provides consistent energy to feel alert and productive

    *  Supplies essential nutrients to produce hormones and neurotransmitters that influence how you feel

    Poor nutrition can hurt

    The average Western diet is high in saturated fats, added sugars, and processed foods. These foods negatively impact your health and, over time, increase your risk of chronic diseases, including mental health conditions. Too much poor-quality food and too little nutritious food is bad for your brain. Poor diet:

    *  Promotes a chronic inflammatory state in the body

    *  Contributes to oxidative stress in the brain

    *  Worsens mood disorders

    *  Disrupts the balance of mood-boosting hormones

    *  Increases appetite and food cravings

    Good nutrition for your brain

    In a plant-based diet, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils should form the base of your meals. Lean animal foods such as chicken, fish, eggs, and low-fat dairy provide healthy protein in small portions.

    Try these tips to eat well for your brain:

    *  Begin your day with a high-fiber bowl of oatmeal or other whole grain with fruit.

    *  Snack on raw vegetables, fruit, or a small handful of nuts or seeds.

    *  Choose healthy oils when cooking, such as olive and avocado oil.

    *  Limit sugary beverages and choose plain or flavored water most often.

    *  Add dark leafy greens to salads, soups, smoothies, and entrees for a boost of nutrients.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Save At The Supermarket

    FINANCIAL HEALTH

    Couple at the grocery store.

    While the cost of food is out of your control, smart shopping habits will help keep your grocery bill more manageable.

    Tips to save on groceries

    Shop with a list

    Grocery stores know just how to tempt you to make impulse purchases. With eye-catching end cap displays and strategically placed snack foods, it’s easy to end up bringing home more than you intended. Instead, make a detailed list before you go and stick to it.

    Check the cabinets

    How many times have you purchased an item only to find you already have it hidden in the back of your pantry? As you make your shopping list, carefully check your current food supply to make sure you really need the ingredients.

    Buy in bulk

    When possible, purchase family-sized or bulk items for your most commonly used ingredients. This works especially well for meats, beans, rice, grains, and pasta. When you get home, promptly freeze or store the extra. You can also join a wholesale club to get better prices on bulk food.

    Eat seasonally

    Fruits and vegetables are cheapest when in season. For example, berries are more expensive in the winter than during peak berry season in the summer. Oranges and other citrus are usually cheapest during the winter months. Opt for in-season produce whenever possible.

    Stock up

    Buy more than one when your favorite foods go on sale. Dry goods generally keep for a long time, and many fresh foods can be frozen for longer storage. Keep in mind that you should only stock up on ingredients you regularly use.

    Low-cost recipes

    How you choose to eat is a major determinant of your food budget. If you like to cook gourmet, you’ll need fancier ingredients that cost more. Instead, find tasty recipes that use inexpensive ingredients. Examples include beans, rice, frozen vegetables, tuna, potatoes, and eggs.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Declare Your Independence From Credit Card Overuse

    Financial Health

    Credit cards fanned out on table.

    *  Limit your number of credit cards.

    *  Use 1 or 2 major credit cards that have low interest rates. Individual store and gas cards have very high interest rates.

    *  Only charge what you can pay in full when you get the bill. Or, aim to keep the balance to less than 25 percent of the total amount you can charge.

    *  Pay with cash. If you are an impulse buyer, leave your credit cards at home when you shop. Avoid or limit shopping online and through TV shopping channels.

    Dos

    *  Make payments on time to avoid late fees and a possible increase in your interest rate.

    *  Make more than the minimum payment.

    Don’ts

    *  Don’t open new credit cards to save 10 or more percent. For each new card you open, your credit score could go down 10 points.

    *  Don’t use your credit cards for cash advances.

    ays to Well-Being book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Flu Shot Faqs

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Flu vaccine in bottle.

    Every year, millions of people get the flu. Some get very sick and need to be hospitalized. Thousands of people die from the flu every year.

    This year as we battle COVID-19, getting a flu shot is more important than ever. Flu shots decrease the chance that you will be hospitalized or die from the flu. This helps ensure that hospitals will not become overwhelmed with flu and COVID-19 patients.

    Won’t last year’s shot help me?

    Everyone needs to get a flu shot every year. There are two reasons why:

    *  Your immune system’s protection from the shot gets weaker over time.

    *  Flu viruses are always changing, so you need a shot that has this year’s flu strains in it.

    Will a flu shot increase my risk of getting COVID-19?

    No. Studies have shown that a flu vaccine will not put you at risk for COVID-19. But it will help protect you from the flu, which also protects your loved ones and people around you!

    Will the flu shot give me the flu?

    The flu shot is made from inactivated flu virus. An inactivated virus cannot give you the flu. Some people notice side effects from the shot like aches or a mild fever. These side effects last only a day or two. This is much milder than getting the flu, where fever, aches and other symptoms last a week or longer.

    What if I’m not high risk?

    Everyone 6 months of age and older should get the flu shot, even if they have no health problems. Even young, healthy people – including children – can become very sick with the flu.

    When more people get the flu shot, we help protect people who are high risk, including babies, older adults and people who are allergic to the shot.

    Is it too late to get a flu shot?

    Even if you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, it’s not too late. After getting the shot, you won’t have immunity right away. It takes about two weeks for your body to develop antibodies to the flu.

    Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Questions About Metabolism

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Women flexing arm while holding a fork in the other hand, with the word "Metabolism".

    Your body has a process for taking food and turning it into energy. This is known as your metabolism. Some diets and exercise plans claim to raise metabolism so you can lose more weight. How does this work, and is it even true?

    Does exercise boost metabolism?

    Exercise burns calories, and you’ll continue to burn some more calories after you’re done. But don’t count on exercise to rev up your metabolism so you can eat much more than usual.

    If you exercise and then eat a lot of calories, this can lead to weight gain. Even if your workout is long and hard, watch out for high-calorie foods and drinks if you’re trying to lose extra pounds.

    Use exercise for its amazing health-boosting powers. But be careful about how many calories you eat. Exercise can’t drastically change your metabolism.

    Does muscle burn more calories than fat?

    Having more muscle can boost your metabolism a little. But it’s only a small amount. Most of your metabolism is controlled by other organs like your brain, kidneys, liver, heart and lungs. Building muscle mass is still valuable. Lifting weights boost bone health. It can help you with everyday tasks and balance. Just don’t count on it to change your metabolism very much.

    Can certain foods boost metabolism?

    Green tea, caffeine or hot peppers can boost your metabolism for a short time. But it’s not enough to help a person lose weight.

    Green tea has health benefits but be careful with caffeine. The Food and Drug Administration says adults should get no more than 400 mg of caffeine each day. That’s about three or four cups of coffee. Some people are sensitive to caffeine and should get much less than this amount. Remember, caffeine can also be found in tea, energy drinks and some sodas.

    If I eat regular meals, does that speed up metabolism?

    There are some benefits to spreading your meals out each day. You want to eat on a regular schedule so you don’t get too hungry. If you’re famished, you’re more likely to overeat and take in a lot more calories.

    But there isn’t any evidence that says eating regular meals will help boost metabolism. Instead, follow your hunger cues. Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you start to feel full and satisfied.

    Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • What Is ‘Lazy Eye’?

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Young child at the eye doctor office.

    Lazy eye, also known as amblyopia, is the most common cause of vision impairment in children.

    Amblyopia

    Amblyopia means that the vision in one eye is reduced because of a problem with the brain and eye communication. Amblyopia is not a disease, but is a result of another vision problem. Usually, amblyopia can happen when a child has:

    *  Strabismus, which is when the two eyes can’t work together to focus on one object. They may point in different directions. Strabismus may cause a crossed eye, known as esotropia. It may also cause one eye to turn outward, known as exotropia.

    *  One eye that is more nearsighted or farsighted.

    *  One eye that has an astigmatism and can’t see as well as the other eye.

    *  A cataract in one eye that causes blurred vision.

    In all of these cases, the brain can start to “ignore” the signals it gets from the weaker or blurred eye. It starts using the stronger eye by itself.

    When the brain doesn’t use one eye during childhood, the eye and brain connection doesn’t develop well. Over time, the vision in the weaker eye gets worse because the proper brain connections were not formed.

    Steps you can take

    All children should get an eye exam before age 4. If there is a family history of amblyopia, childhood cataracts or other eye problems, get their eyes checked during infancy.

    Treatment for amblyopia usually involves the child wearing an eye patch. They wear the patch over the stronger eye, forcing the brain to use the weaker eye. Your child’s eye doctor will tell you how and when they should wear the patch.

    It can be difficult for a child to get used to the eye patch. Try these tips:

    *  Use positive words to explain that the patch will help them see better.

    *  Allow them to pick out a color or design for their eye patch that they like.

    *  If the patch isn’t a good solution for your child, ask the eye doctor about special drops that blur vision in the strong eye for the same effect. The blurring effect is temporary.

    Don’t wait! Getting amblyopia treated during childhood can help your child have good vision as an adult.

    Sources: American Academy of Ophthalmology, National Eye Institute

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Health News: Sorting Fact From Fiction

    WELL-BEING

    Older man on reading on a tablet.

    Misinformation is rampant in the internet age. While technology allows us to stay up to date and connected, it can also amplify false information and spread confusion.

    Finding reliable health information is especially important as you want to make good choices for your long-term health. But, it is all too easy to get tripped up by pseudo-science and unqualified individuals who present themselves as experts.

    So, how do you sort fact from fiction?

    Know how to spot reliable sources

    *  Look for .gov, .org, and .edu websites as most reliable.

    *  Check the authors’ credentials.

    *  Compare suspicious information to the information onmedlineplus.gov.

    *  Be skeptical of information on social media or .com sites that you can’t verify from a more reliable source.

    Ask good questions

    *  Does it sound too good to be true?

    *  Is the source linked to a reputable national or global health institution?

    *  What is your emotional reaction?

    *  Are the headline and content straightforward or sensationalized?

    *  Can the information be verified by other trusted sources?

    Dig a little deeper

    A quick internet search can tell you know the kinds of websites that are sharing the information. Check for .gov, .org, or .edu sites on the first page of results. You can also go to a fact-checking website such as:

    *Snopes.com

    *Factcheck.org

    *Quackwatch.org

    *Healthnewsreview.org

    Keep an open mind

    We all have a health philosophy that guides our choices. This can be useful, but it becomes a problem when we only believe information that aligns with our bias. This prevents us from learning and growing, and from changing our minds if our bias turns out to be incorrect.

    Instead of immediately accepting or rejecting new information, stay curious. Be open to the possibility there is more to learn.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Step Up To A Longer Life

    WELL-BEING

    Elderly couple walking.

    Could something as simple as walking help you live longer? Some recent research says it’s possible. Here’s what to know:

    1.  Researchers had 17,000 older women wear a device each day to count their steps.

    2.  They tracked the women for four years.

    3.  Those who took between 4,400 and 7,500 steps each day were less likely to die during those four years.

    4.  Walking more than 7,500 steps is also good for your health!

    Researchers said this is helpful for people who may think that 10,000 steps is overwhelming. Try to walk 4,400 steps or more each day, and you could see some important health benefits.

    Sources: Journal of the American Medical Association, National Institutes of Health

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine