Health is Wealth
LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice
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Swap regular fries for these delicious, and nutritious, potato wedges
These crispy sweet potato wedges come out Cajun spicy and sweet. Don’t tell anyone but they’re also really healthy. They’re loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients and are a great source of beta-carotene. Another plus? As complex carbs, they digest slowly and raise blood sugars gradually — keeping you from a spike and drop-off.
Serving = 1 cup
Calories: 110
Total fat: 5g
Saturated fat: 0.5g
Trans fat: 0g
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrate: 16g
Dietary fiber: 3g
Sugar: 5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 57mg
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For less stress, keep outside in mind! Spending time in nature can help lower stress and anxiety, improve your mood, and boost feelings of happiness and well-being.
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Strawberries are an iconic summer fruit — delicious in lemonade, on shortcakes or just straight out of the basket. And it turns out they may be the sweetest way to stay healthy, too. Registered dietitian Bailey Flora, MS, RDN, LD, explains the benefits of strawberries and what nutrients they contain that make strawberries so good for you.
“Strawberries give you a lot of nutritional value for very few calories,” says Flora. “They’re tasty but naturally low in sugar. That’s a combination that’s hard to beat.”
For starters, strawberries are loaded with vitamin C. Eight medium strawberries contain 160% of your daily recommended amount — the amount that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends you eat every day. That’s more vitamin C than you get from an orange, the fruit famous for its vitamin C.
Strawberries are also packed with antioxidants, which protect cells from damage. The primary antioxidant in strawberries is anthocyanin, which gives the fruit its color. The amount of anthocyanin in strawberries increases as the fruit ripens. So, the redder the berry, the more antioxidants it contains.
Strawberries also have fiber and several other important vitamins and minerals, including manganese, potassium and folic acid. And strawberries have less natural sugar than other popular fruits such as apples and bananas.
Strawberries are a nutrient-rich snack that can:
As your brain ages, it can lose some of its mental sharpness. But according to research, eating strawberries protects your brain’s processing powers as you get older.
The Nurses’ Health Study measured brain function in more than 16,000 participants over six years. It found that people who ate the most blueberries and strawberries had less cognitive decline — their thinking and processing abilities didn’t weaken as much. They had the brain power of someone up to two and a half years younger.
In more good news for strawberry lovers: The results of the Rush Memory and Aging Project showed that people who ate strawberries were 34% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers believe the protective effects are due to the antioxidants that safeguard cells. Some of the antioxidants in strawberries also reduce systemic inflammation, when your body is in a state of constant inflammation (swelling and irritation). Systemic inflammation is a key factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which you need to get from food, as your body can’t produce it. In rare cases, people who don’t get enough of this crucial vitamin develop scurvy, a disease that causes bleeding, bruising and anemia.
Vitamin C plays an important role in wound healing. And it may prevent and treat respiratory and systemic infections too. Research shows that vitamin C increases the production of:
Vitamin C is also anti-inflammatory, lowering your stress response triggered by illness or just your busy life. To ward off germs, researchers suggest getting 100 to 200 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C a day — and more when you’re sick. As eating eight medium strawberries gives you 160 mg, it takes just a handful of berries to help keep your immune system in good shape.
“There isn’t enough evidence to say whether vitamin C can prevent colds and the flu,” says Flora. “And it can be more beneficial to choose vitamin-C-rich foods like strawberries over vitamin C supplements, as you get additional health benefits. With strawberries, that includes fiber and other phytonutrients and vitamins that cannot be replicated in a vitamin supplement.”
Flora says that popping a few strawberries in your mouth isn’t just a way to stave off hunger — it’s also a heart-healthy food choice. Research shows that strawberries can help prevent several conditions that can lead to heart disease and stroke, as well as diabetes, which increases the likelihood of heart disease. Eating more strawberries can help you:
In one small study, participants consumed two drinks a day, each made with 25 milligrams of freeze-dried strawberry powder blended with water. That’s about the same as eating 3.5 cups of fresh strawberries a day. After a month, the participants’ total cholesterol was 5% lower.
The cholesterol-lowering results of that study were echoed in another study that gave participants the same amount of freeze-dried strawberry powder. But this time, they consumed the drink for two months. Researchers compared the results to a group that just drank more water. Those who sipped the strawberry drink saw their cholesterol decrease by 10%.
Triglycerides are fats found in your blood. Having high triglycerides increases your risk of heart disease. And when triglycerides break down, they leave byproducts that trigger inflammation, attracting sticky deposits to blood-vessel walls. That material can clog your arteries (atherosclerosis), explains Flora.
But eating a pound of strawberries a day may reduce triglycerides by 20%. That’s the result of one study, which also found that strawberries reduced total cholesterol by 8%.
Widespread internal inflammation contributes to multiple diseases, including heart disease. Lifestyle factors like a poor diet, low physical activity and smoking can lead to inflammation.
Eating more strawberries is a step in the right direction to boost your heart health, says Flora. That’s because the most prevalent antioxidants in strawberries are anthocyanins, known for their anti-inflammatory effects.
Too much glucose (sugar in your blood) is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, making you more likely to develop heart disease, too. If you’re watching your blood sugar levels, strawberries are a good way to satisfy your sweet tooth.
In a Finnish study, people who ate strawberries with a piece of white bread released 26% less insulin compared with eating bread with a cucumber. Participants also ate the bread with other berries, including raspberries and cranberries. Only strawberries weakened the post-meal blood sugar spike.
Strawberries are a great addition to a healthy diet, especially when you eat them on their own — Flora advises laying off the calorie-laden whipped cream, cake or ice cream. (Sorry!) They’re delicious, full of good-for-you nutrients and low in sugar. Try this strawberry smoothie. (Surprise — it’s green!) And for a strawberry treat that’s not too sweet, make these strawberry pretzel squares at your next get-together.FACEBOOKTWITTER
Did you know Greek yogurt has almost twice as much protein as other yogurts? It takes longer to leave your stomach, keeping you satisfied longer. Plus, you burn more calories digesting protein than carbs. https://wb.md/3BbzYB7
You’re putting your skin at risk of sunburn and even skin cancer when you pour on the beer
There’s a good chance you think a golden tan makes you look more youthful, healthier and more attractive. And while there are many ways to achieve a faux bronzed glow — think bronzers and sunless tanners — you might be tempted to try an unsafe way to get a suntan.
One of those dangerous trends is beer tanning (yes, you read that right!). The idea is that slathering your skin with beer will help you achieve a darker, richer color.
You can thank social media for spreading the concept of beer tanning. But just because TikTok or Instagram influencers are touting the results of something, doesn’t mean it’s not without its risks (Exhibit A: nasal tanning sprays).
Dermatologist Shilpi Khetarpal, MD, explains how beer tanning can harm your skin and why it’s so important to protect your skin.
Instead of using sunscreen, people use the alcoholic beverage like a tanning lotion. The thought process is that hops — one of the main ingredients in beer — increase your skin’s melatonin.
But Dr. Khetarpal wants to be very clear: There’s no scientific evidence to support this theory. And you’re leaving your skin in a vulnerable state with no SPF protection at all.
“There are many issues with this idea of beer tanning,” she continues. “The first is that if you’re not applying sunscreen, the skin is not protected. It can also increase the chance of getting a sunburn and lead to an increased risk of skin cancer.”
Just like tanning beds and using tanning oil, beer tanning is NOT good for you or your skin.
Beer tanning essentially leaves your skin unprotected. Exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays can lead to:
And what might be most concerning is who is following this unsafe idea.
“The age groups that are following these trends are 15- to 34-year-olds — and it’s also the same age group that has a disproportionately high incidence of skin cancer and that’s on the rise,” says Dr. Khetarpal. “We’re going to see that number go up as this population ages.”
The facts on skin cancer — the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. — paint a scary picture. Here are just some of the alarming stats:
“We get most of our sun exposure during childhood, so it’s important to wear sunscreen every day even if you’re not outdoors,” stresses Dr. Khetarpal. “The increase in UV exposure and tanning beds is why there is an increase in skin cancer that we’re seeing today.”
Dr. Khetarpal can’t over-emphasize the importance of protecting your skin when you’re outside. So, what should you do? Here are her tips:
“Protect your skin by wearing an SPF 30 or higher daily, regardless of the weather and reapply every 2 hours when outdoors,” reiterates Dr. Khetarpal. “You can also look for UPF-protected clothing and seek shade during peak sun hours, which are typically 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.”
Sure, we get it — our society is somewhat obsessed with suntans and having a bronzed look. But as with most viral trends, beer tanning can do more harm than good. Ask yourself: Is having a tan worth the potential for skin cancer down the road?
And if you’re like us and Dr. Khetarpal, not only is it not worth the risk of sunburn, heat exhaustion and skin cancer, but it’s also not worth the mess it creates.
“Besides everything we know about ultraviolet exposure and putting yourself outside without sunscreen, why would you want to put something sticky and messy all over your body?” asks Dr. Khetarpal.
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