Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 2020)
20 Wednesday, January 22, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Fit For Sisters Andrew Loscutoff Columnist Live healthier in 2020 Diet like a caveman, meditate like a monk, sleep like a baby, workout like an athlete. Sky¾s the limit and the Internet has no shortage of tips and tricks to help someone “live their best life” in 2020. As many people have learned, a complete overhaul often proves impossible to sustain. Here are 10 simple ways you can improve your health without needing to reinvent yourself. 1. Go for a walk. Walking has a long list of benefits, from simply being gentle aerobic exercise easy on the joints, to the relaxing and almost meditative state it creates. It reduces stress, and gives a good exercise to the heart. In one study, 56 people walked for 30 minutes three times a week during their lunch break. This improved their enthusiasm and relax- ation at work, while also reducing nervousness. 2. Put down the phone after 8 p.m. Our eyes interpret the envi- ronment, and the body reacts to the interpretation intuitively. These natu- ral systems recognize the brightness of the world around us, and bright light infiltrates and fools these sys- tems into keeping us wired, and sleeplessness is common. Try turn- ing the lights down when the sun is down and keeping phones and bright screens on low brightness to improve sleep quality. 3. E a t mo re v e g e ta b le s. According to Harvard¾s nutrition program, a diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of can- cer, lower risk of eyesight problems, digestive problems, and have a posi- tive effect upon blood sugar. Eating more vegetables and fruits may even promote weight loss. Their low gly- cemic loads prevent blood sugar spikes that can increase hunger. This keeps people feeling full for longer. 4. Cook at home. People eat- ing home-cooked meals every day consumed nearly 1,000 fewer calo- ries a week than those who went with home-cooked once a week or less. Home-cooked meals have less sodium, and a home cooked meal can feature more healthful fruits and vegetables. 5. Eat smaller portions. Americans eat enormous portions. One study found that eating from larger plates and bowls increased the amount of food people ate by 56 per- cent. Try filling a plate with color; this has been known to keep the por- tions down because food of all one hue becomes boring to eaters. 6. Weight train once per week. Not only will you find yourself with more energy and confidence, less stress and anxiety, and a better over- all mood, but you will actually begin to think better (resistance training has been proven to help increase cogni- tive function). Strength training helps correct issues relating to cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabe- tes, and inactivity — all factors for heart disease. Weight loss is another benefit. It takes your body more calo- ries to maintain muscle than it does to maintain fat. Strength is important for surmounting everyday obstacles like outdoor yard work, stairs, bend- ing and lifting, and will help you remain injury-free and enjoy recre- ation more. The key is all these ben- efits take just a session per week for beginners. 7. Go outside. According to the University of Minnesota¾s health and wellbeing department, being in nature — or even viewing scenes of nature — reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes a person feel better, it contributes to our physical well-being, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. 8. Relax, meditate, enjoy the quiet moments. An analysis of 47 studies with over 3,500 people dis- covered that mindful meditation helped reduce anxiety, depression and stress. This doesn¾t have to be the traditional Eastern style of legs- crossed-eyes-closed meditation many people associate it with. Even relax- ing and watching a nature documen- tary has given people similar results. 9. Avoid sugary drinks. A can of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams or 10 teaspoons of sugar. Replacing this with an alternative saves 156 calo- ries. This done multiple times a week can lead to meaningful weight loss. 10. Drink more water. Water is important for your health. Drinking water can help maintain healthy brain function, concentration and a posi- tive mood. It helps someone feel full and may reduce mindless snacking. Do any of these seem feasible? Try a few per month and see what sticks. Implementing any of these will lead to a healthier and happier 2020! Rethink Waste: Microplastics Single-use plastic bags are banned in grocery and retail establishments. Here are some related things to remember: • Make it a habit to bring your own bags. The carbon footprint of one single-use plastic bag is equivalent to a paper bag used seven times. • Plastics break down into microplastics, which can end up in our environment, in our water, and in our bodies. Some plastics contain chemicals like Bisphenol-A and Pthalates that have been linked to a whole slew of human health issues. Aging cloth- ing made of synthetic material derived from petro- leum breaks down into microplastics, especially in the wash. The “Cora Ball” shown above goes in with your laundry to catch microplastics and keep them from ending up in the water supply. Learn more about microplastics at www. RethinkWasteProject.org/Microplastics! Wholistic Natural Health RESTART PROGRAM — Starts January 29 — ✓ Whole Food Challenge ✓ Sugar Detoxifi cation ✓ General nutrition tools to improve digestion, blood sugar, weight & hormones Molly Zarnick, FNTP 541-719-8863 molly@wholisticnaturalhealth.com www.wholisticnaturalhealth.com Do you struggle to get enough sleep each night? Experience joint pain, digestive issues, headaches or brain fog? Or are you just feeling less than optimal? Let Molly Zarnick, a functional nutri- tional therapy practitioner with Wholistic Natural Health, help you feel your best. Molly bases her practice on the belief that whole food nutrition with nutrient-dense food, lifestyle and practices that heal and support gut health is the basis of good health. She offers private nutritional and lifestyle evaluations including specific nutri- tional health concern support, and group educational programs, such as the Restart Program, a whole food challenge and sugar detoxification program. Restart, reset, feel better. The next Restart Program starts January 29 and includes five in- person educational modules and an easy-to-follow three-week sugar detox. Learn about how general nutrition impacts digestion, blood sugar, weight, and hormones. Come away with tools to start your year feeling better than ever!