More Bananas, Less Salt

Chocolate (death) cake--at least for my dad.

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When I was in junior high, my dad was diagnosed with a rare inner ear disease called Meniere’s. He would get terrible bouts of nausea and vertigo, and in the early days of his diagnosis we had to rush him to the emergency room after he had fallen down and literally couldn’t get back up. We found out that what he ate had the potential to set him off at any moment, and absolute no-nos included chocolate, sweets, caffeine, and salt.

Miniscule amounts of those foods and others were usually all right to eat—except chocolate, which made him sicker than a dog—but after a few trips to the hospital and more than a few bouts of sickness at home, those foods were simply no longer appealing. His diet changed, and largely so did mine.

We stopped buying frozen meals and prepared food and started cooking meats and vegetables fresh. Everything that went into the cart was first checked for sodium content, caffeine, chocolate, or high amounts of sugar. We bought more fresh fruit and vegetables, and fewer muffins and pastries. I knew my diet had changed, but I really noticed when I went off to college and would take a bite of food and find that all I could taste was salt—or get a slice of cake and only be able to eat half of it before I was overloaded with sugar.

Salt is another no-no. Most Americans consume far too much of it.

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Those shopping and cooking habits have stuck with me into adulthood, and even now I only use salt and sugar sparingly. I never realized until I grew older and more interested in health that the reason my dad couldn’t have salt, caffeine, or sugar was because it increased his blood pressure and fluid retention—both of which worsened the effects of his Meniere’s disease.

My dad’s experiences with Meniere’s have been hard on him and on our family—repeated doctor’s visits, frequent nausea and vertigo, lifestyle changes, and more have become regular occurrences in our lives. But one thing I’m grateful for is the fact that it taught me early to eat healthy. Consuming less sodium can reduce blood pressure in adults. And eating bananas, which is my dad’s favorite fruit to buy, may also reduce blood pressure because of its high potassium content.

Bananas are some of Dad's favorites. Mine, too!

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High blood pressure has been linked to stroke and other seriouscardiovascular problems, yet most people in the U.S. and the U.K. exceed the recommended maximum intake every single day. But just a small dietary change—less salt intake and more potassium intake—can make a huge difference in the long-term.

So I’m saying thank you to my dad for passing those habits on to me at an early age, even though it wasn’t exactly his choice. And now I’m trying to do that same favor to others—so pass it on: more bananas, less salt.

Fast Food Accounts for 11% of American Diet

Fast food accounts for 11% of the American diet

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We try to eat healthy as much as possible at home. We consume far more fresh produce than I ever did in my youth (when most of my veggies came from cans) and most of our meals consist of about 75% veggies and 25% meat. Sugar, salt, butter, cream, and all those delicious but overly-used additions are used sparingly. And while we might order the occasional pizza on a Saturday night, I honestly can’t remember the last time we made our way through a fast food drive-thru.

I count myself lucky in that fast food has never settled well with me. My stomach is especially sensitive and I’m a picky eater, so even as a teen I didn’t usually find fast food all that appetizing. But we still ate it from time to time because it was cheap and easy to come by.

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We are still a "Fast Food Nation"

But the sad truth is that many don’t feel the same, or they can’t afford to. Fast food accounts for more than 11% of the total American diet, according to federal health officials. And though that’s down two percent from a few years ago, that’s still a frightening amount, especially for young people.

The decisions we make as young adults can affect our health for the rest of our lives, and struggling with obesity in our 20s can put us at a high risk for metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and abdominal fat), diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, among others.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), people aged 20 to 39 got 15% of their daily calories from fast food, while those older than 60 came in at just 6%. Young black people aged 20-39 were even higher, with 21% of their daily calories coming from fast food.

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FRUIT is fast food!

And it seems that obesity only compounds the issue, as a survey of weight groups revealed that obese young adults got the highest percentage of calories from fast food—18%. For the most part, income didn’t seem to have much effect on how much fast food people ate. That means at this point it’s more a battle with bad habits and ease of obtainment than anything else.

I’m all for having food that’s available quickly, especially since sometimes I’m on the road or in a hurry and need a quick bite. I’ve been happy to see some fast food establishments offering more healthy options in the past few years, and I hope that trend continues. Obesity is a dangerous problem that should be addressed, particularly by those establishments that are largely responsible for the issue.

Do you eat fast food? If you do, do you choose to do so because it is 1) inexpensive, 2) quick, 3) easily obtained, or 4) because you enjoy it?

Foods That Reduce Stress

If you’re like me, you get hungry when you’re stressed out. And with how much I’ve let stress pile on in the past, it’s quite literally a miracle that the pounds didn’t also pound on. I go for the chocolate, particularly hot chocolate, cookies, and sugary coffee drinks when I feel the need to relax a little. And while some studies have shown that some dark chocolate can be good for you, I don’t think they meant in the amount I want to consume it in.

Lots of people go for sugary snacks when stressed, myself included.
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My main concern isn’t the chocolate itself, anyhow. It’s the sugar that it comes loaded with—and which can actually exacerbate stress, gives me headaches, and is overall a bad thing to have too much of. In fact, many “fast,” “easy,” and “convenient” foods that people turn to when eating out of stress are incredibly unhealthy, the eating of which can contribute to stress levels.

Since I like to munch on something when I’m stressed or working a lot, I try to surround myself with healthy snacks. And I was super excited when I found this list of foods that can actually help reduce stress levels. Who knew I’d be able to use my snacking habit to combat stress in a healthy way? Consider eating these foods when you’re stressed (or when you want to prevent stress):

The Vitamin C in oranges could help reduce stress.
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Oranges—Vitamin C can reduce stress and regulate blood pressure and cortisol levels, which often rise when you’re stressed. It also keeps your immune system healthy so you don’t get sick, something I have a tendency to do when stressed.

Sweet Potatoes—Besides being one of my favorite foods ever, sweet potatoes make me feel like I’m eating sweets and carbs when really I’m packing my body with vitamins, betacarotene, and fiber.

Dried Apricots—These delicious little guys are full of magnesium, a natural muscle relaxer and stress-reducer (just don’t eat too many, since they’re pretty sugary).

Almonds, Pistachios & Walnuts—Almonds have high levels of B and E vitamins, and pistachios and Walnuts have been found to reduce blood pressure.

Turkey—L-tryptophan, an amino acid, is found in turkey. It tells the body to release serotonin, which is a natural mood booster and relaxer.

Green vegetables are full of stress-reducing vitamins.
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Spinach—Like apricots, spinach is packed with magnesium. If you don’t get enough magnesium, it can trigger migraines and fatigue, both bound to increase stress levels. So eat up!

Salmon—I was never a huge fish fan, but I do like Salmon. That’s a good thing, since it’s full of Omega-3 fatty acids, which help fight heart disease and regulate stress hormones, cortisol, and adrenaline.

Avocados—Avocados are a great source of monosaturated fats and potassium, which can help lower blood pressure. It can also prevent symptoms of stress like muscle twitches and spasms.

Green Vegetables—Any dark green vegetable, such as spinach, broccoli, kale, and beans, is full of vitamins. When we get stressed out, our bodies are sapped of vitamins and energy. Remembering to eat healthy greens when stressed can go miles in keeping stress under control.

10 Perks of Drinking Beer

Drinking beer can be good for your health.
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Most people know all about the harmful effects of drinking too much beer, but did you know that there are some great benefits that come with drinking beer in moderation? Just like a glass of red wine a night can be good for your health, so too can drinking a nightly brewski.

While keeping in mind that bingeing on any type of alcohol has more negative effects than positive, consider the following benefits:

Because beer has high levels of silicon (especially pale ales) drinking it in moderation can help strengthen your bones. This is true for up to two beers a night. Beware, though: those who drank more than two beers a night actually had a higher risk for fracturing bones. 

Like wine, beer can also contribute positively to heart health. A pint of beer daily has been shown to reduce the risk for heart disease, though bingeing increases the risk. It’s also been shown that moderate drinking reduces the risk of heart attacks and death from cardiovascular disease by up to 40%. This is because beer contains HDL, which can help raise good cholesterol and prevent artery clogs. This also means a lower risk of stroke.

Benefits of drinking beer include a lower risk of stroke.
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A brewski or two a night can also boost kidney health. The risk for kidney stones can be reduced by nearly 40%, though researchers are unsure whether this is due to alcohol’s high water content or the hops’ ability to slow calcium leeching from our bones.

Drinking beer also helps prevent brain health problems like Alzheimer’s and dementia by up to 20 percent. Moderate drinkers also have a reduced cancer risk, since beer and wine are both high in antioxidants. Beer-marinated steak was found to have 70% fewer carcinogens as well, which researchers theorize is due to the beer’s sugars.

Beer can reduce the risk of developing
Alzeheimer's & dementia by up to 20%.
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Since beer contains high levels of vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid, drinking one or two a night leads to boosted vitamin levels. Drinking small amounts of alcohol also increases insulin sensitivity, so adults who have one or two per day have a 25% reduced risk for developing type 2 Diabetes.

Lastly, drinking beer helps lower blood pressure, meaning a lower risk for heart attack and other stress-related problems. Moderate drinkers tend to live a longer life as well, since they are at a reduced risk for so many health problems.

This is good news for the people who are involved in ownership of the big brewery companies.  People like Peter Coors and Eric Molson are still involved in the family companies that bear their names. Brian Grossman is heavily involved in his father’s Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, and breweries like the Bavaria Brewery often act as important parts of the portfolios of families like the Santo Domingos (which include members Tatiana and Andres Santo Domingo.)

All of these effects are relevant only for one or two drinks per day. Drinking more than that often has an adverse effect, putting beer drinkers at a higher risk for some problems. But for moderate drinkers—rejoice (and don’t feel bad for having a pint or two)!