CHEESE FOR STRESS

Since we are into October with November and December not very far away, how about a solution to holiday stress? Most people tend to feel stress during the holidays with so many little details to deal with. However. am easy solution to some of that stress could be as simple as grabbing an ooey-gooey cheesy treat. Would you believe a review of 65 studies suggests enjoying one or two servings of full-fat dairy daily can halve the risk of blue moods and even chronic stress. If you are wondering how, here is the explanation given. A unique compound in dairy fat, known as trans-palmitoleic acid, helps prevent anxiety-triggering blood-sugar lows and dairy's rich stores of tryptophan which is an amino acid the brain uses to produce mood-steadying hormones. Notice that is full-fat not low-fat. By the way, I also had a doctor specializing in diabetes say that diabetics should eat full-fat dairy daily.

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ARE EGGS CONSIDERED A HEALTHY FOOD?

Even though eggs have sometimes gotten a bad rap, they are among the healthiest, most nutritious foods on the earth. Following are a couple facts you may not know about eggs.

• One egg has 6 grams of protein with all 9 of the essential amino acids. The amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and the body cannot make them by itself.  Note that the egg white holds around half that protein while only holding a small amount of fat and cholesterol.
• Eggs are nutrient dense foods, meaning they contain more vitamins, minerals and amino acids, per calorie than most other foods. When you eat an egg, you get high quality protein, phosphorus, selenium, choline, vitamin B12 and multiple antioxidants.

So, enjoy your eggs. Of course, we know to eat all things in moderation. It's probably not a good idea to eat six fried eggs every morning like my grandpa did. He did die pretty healthy in his nineties, though.

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ENDOCRINE SYSTEM? WHAT IS THAT?

Endocrine system is not a term we are familiar with, in most cases. It is a collection of glands that regulate our body's important functions. These functions include growth, metabolism and sexual development, pretty important functions. The glands produce chemicals called hormones, which are directly released into the bloodstream. From there they travel to the organs they are targeted to work with. Each hormone's shape is specific to the target cell it affects, binding to hormone receptors on the cells.

The three classes of hormones, defined by their chemical structures are:

• Amino acid hormones, ie serotonin, adrenaline, and dopamine
• Peptide hormones, ie growth hormones, insulin, prolactin
• Steroid hormones, ie cortisol, testosterone, DHEA

Some fish in the great lakes and birds that eat these fish have been found to have problems caused by endocrine disrupters in their environment, as have some alligators in the Florida Everglades. Dr. David Brownstein believes our environmental surroundings may be affecting us humans, too. He believes over 60% of our population is currently suffering from some kind of thyroid problem. And he has no doubt one of the reasons we are seeing such an epidemic of thyroid problems is due to our toxic overload of various chemicals, including endocrine disrupters. Tomorrow we will do into some detail of what he believes these are.

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TEA

Reposting this article from 2011.

Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of liquids is important to our overall health. Tea is a great beverage choice as it basically has no carbs, protein or fat. It is tasty, is a natural source of amino acid and antioxidant catechins. It is available in several forms and is tasty both as a hot drink or iced. Note that we are talking about true tea here. Herbal teas usually contain no actual tea leaves but infusions of fruit and/or herbs. Therefore, this post is not about herbal teas.

True tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis evergreen plant commonly known as the tea bush. The tea bush grows mainly in tropical and sub-tropical climates. This plant or tree prefers acidic soil and requires an annual rainfall of at least fifty inches. Camellia Sinensis plants can grow into trees but are usually kept cropped to about waist height to make cultivation easier. Only the leaves from the top 1-2 inches are picked. Many of the top-quality teas, such as darjeeling, are picked from plants grown at elevations of about 5,000 feet. This causes the plants to grow slower thus acquiring a better flavor.

There are four basic types of true tea common to us today. They are black, green, white and oolong. Each is unique but they all come from the same source. The difference occurs in the processing. Briefly, here is a description of each type and what makes it unique. Green tea leaves are unwilted and unoxidized. White tea leaves are wilted and unoxidized. Oolong tea leaves are wilted, bruised and partially oxidized. Black tea leaves are crushed and fully oxidized. Because of the oxidation process, white and green teas have a higher concentration of the antioxidant catechins.

Proper preparation also differs for each of the tea types. For black tea, boiling water should be used. Many of the active substances in black tea won't develop at lower temperatures. This is the most common mistake made when brewing black tea! For optimum results, black tea should be brewed about 4 minutes and never longer than 5 minutes. Longer brewing will cause the tea to taste bitter.

Green tea should be brewed at a lower temperature, approximately 180-185 degrees which is below the boiling point. Hotter water will burn the green tea leaves causing a bitter taste. When brewing green tea, it is best to pre-warm the mug or teapot you will brew in. This will keep the tea from cooling immediately before it is fully steeped.

Oolong tea should be brewed at about the boiling point in a pre-warmed mug or pot. For oolong tea, it is best to use spring water. The minerals in the water tend to bring out more of the flavor in the tea. High-quality oolong tea leaves can be brewed several times. It actually improves with reuse. Many believe the third brewing actually produces the best tea.

To keep your teas fresh and flavorful, store them in a dry, dark, cool place inside an airtight container.
The health properties of tea are constantly in debate. Many believe drinking tea will help to prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. One thing we know for sure is that tea contains both antioxidant and amino acid properties. It also doesn't add to our daily carb, protein or fat and calorie count when drank in it's natural state without adding sugar, milk, etc. And it tastes good. If you aren't currently a tea drinker, become one. It sure won't hurt you and it just might be healthy for you. Note that tea is not recommended for someone who is dehydrated.

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QUINOA IS A VERY HEALTHY GRAIN

If the ancient grain quinoa isn't currently a part of your diet, maybe it should be. Below are a few reasons why:

• Rich in magnesium which plays a key role in the body's regulation of blood sugar.
• Has 8 essential amino acids, antioxidants, minerals
• Helps to prevent mood swings

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DR ANDREW WEIL ON ANXIETY

Dr Weil, famous for his health and nutrition advice, said the following about fighting anxiety: "Sip green tea."  The reason:  The amino acid L-theanine, which gives green tea its unique flavor, also has calming effects.  Studies show it increases alpha brain waves, which are linked to increased relaxation.  He suggests drinking green tea throughout the day and says not to worry about "the jitters."  Green tea is naturally lower in caffeine than regular or black tea and L-theanine seems to neutralize the caffeine effect.  Decaf green tea is fine, too.

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