Your immune system keeps you healthy by protecting you from disease – or, if you do get sick, helping you fight off illness. Neha Vyas, MD, shares tips on how to boost your immune system. Listen for more tips: https://t.co/nIAHjn5xvlpic.twitter.com/QXXKZC62lZ
Your immune system keeps you healthy by protecting you from disease – or, if you do get sick, helping you fight off illness. Neha Vyas, MD, shares tips on how to boost your immune system. Listen for more tips: https://cle.clinic/3s5EVc1
Here’s a fact that may surprise you: By the year 2020, depression is projected to be a leading social and economic burden worldwide — second only to coronary artery disease! Psychotherapy and antidepressants are effective but aren’t for everyone.
But there’s another treatment for depression that’s free and available to everyone: exercise. It will also lower your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol profile, help control blood sugar, and reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and common cancers. And, of course, help you achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
Try our lighter carrot cake, which the entire family will love. It has just the right texture, like a slightly sweetened, light corn bread. It’s great on its own or with a dollop of frozen whipped topping or nonfat ice cream.
Ingredients
No-stick baking spray with flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup granulated sugar substitute
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup nonfat dry milk
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ cup canola oil
1 large egg
¾ cup egg substitute
1 ½ cups finely grated carrots
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons golden raisins
One 6-ounce can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 10-inch pan with baking spray.
Sift the white and whole wheat flours into a large bowl. Add the sugar substitute, brown sugar, dry milk, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Stir to mix well. Using the medium setting of an electric mixer, beat in the oil, egg and egg substitute until the batter is smooth. Fold in the carrots, walnuts, raisins and pineapple.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan. Remove the outer ring of the pan and sift confectioners’ sugar over the top, if desired. Serve at room temperature.
Dietitian’s Note: Never has carrot cake tasted so good, and been so guiltless! When compared to traditional carrot cake with icing, you save 180 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 4 grams of saturated fat.
Too much refined sugar can cause a cascade of medical problems; too much social media can also affect health — especially mental health, writes #HarvardHealth contributor Sharon Levy. Here’s how: https://bit.ly/3EI7ijy
Most people understand the basic health benefits of yoga: flexibility, stress relief and muscle strength, just to name a few. But why is it different when you turn up the heat? Is the increase in degrees a gimmick or is it actually beneficial to your health?
What is hot yoga, anyway?
Hot yoga is exactly what it sounds like — yoga practiced in a hot environment. Most hot yoga classes have an increased room temperature set anywhere between 90 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s quite a difference compared to normal room temperature (68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit). Why so hot? The heat helps lubricate tendons and ligaments, making it easier to fold into certain stretches and poses. “The heat allows participants to get a deeper stretch because their body is warmer and they can move into the poses a little deeper,” says yoga instructor Jennifer Sauer.
The potential pros of hot yoga are:
Increased flexibility.
Muscle-building.
Body-toning.
Reduced stress.
Detoxification.
Weight loss.
Reduced pain.
On the flip side, it can also be easy to overdo it in a hot yoga class. Because of the high temperature in the room, you might not realize how hard you’re working and you could end up taking stretches too far before your body is ready.
The potential cons of hot yoga are:
Dehydration.
Higher risk of injury.
Dizziness.
Lightheadedness.
Trouble breathing.
Hot yoga should be something that you ease into. So taking some regular yoga classes first and getting an idea of your current flexibility level is recommended. Beginner yoga classes also help build on your knowledge of the poses and sequences.
“While people have reported pain relief, detoxification and weight loss from hot yoga, scientific research is limited,” Sauer says. “It’s safe to say that hot yoga is more vigorous than traditional practices,” she notes, “but the jury is still out on overall calorie burn and weight loss.”
When you combine hotter temperatures with extra exertion, your body is working harder and therefore increasing your heart rate. So, ultimately, you are burning a good amount of calories during your hot yoga session — the data just doesn’t exist yet for hot yoga specifically.
Who should avoid hot yoga?
Like other types of exercise, hot yoga isn’t for everyone. Hot yoga is not suggested for those who are pregnant or have a heart condition. The heat can also aggravate asthma.
Sauer recommends looking out for side effects such as dizziness, lightheadedness and not being able to take a deep breath in. “If that happens, return to a stable position or leave the studio until you feel better,” she says. “It’s important to stay hydrated and listen to your body.”
Think you’re ready to give it a shot?
When it comes to hot yoga — try attending a few basic or beginner yoga classes first. Then when you feel comfortable, try incorporating a heated class.
“There are different styles of yoga, so if you try a class that doesn’t appeal to you, try another type of yoga or a different instructor,” Sauer says. “The heat isn’t for everyone — and that’s perfectly OK!”
Moderate-to-vigorous exercise appears to boost cardiorespiratory fitness, which quantifies how well the heart & lungs supply oxygen to the muscles. Higher CRF during midlife is linked to a lower risk of heart disease later: https://bit.ly/3rEwvXe#HarvardHealth
Your immune system keeps you healthy by protecting you from disease – or, if you do get sick, helping you fight off illness. Neha Vyas, MD, shares tips on how to boost your immune system. Listen for more tips: https://t.co/nIAHjn5xvlpic.twitter.com/QXXKZC62lZ
Your immune system keeps you healthy by protecting you from disease – or, if you do get sick, helping you fight off illness. Neha Vyas, MD, shares tips on how to boost your immune system. Listen for more tips: https://cle.clinic/3s5EVc1