The Power of Fasting, Doing Nothing, and Avoiding Alcohol

 

Holistic Habits by Cheryl A. Mothes, Ph.D. Natural Health Nutrition Counselor

Content is a daily radio script from my KHIS radio spot - tune in at 6:15 (CST) every morning to Justin and Meredith’s morning show on 89.9 FM.

 Malnutrition has been thought to increase the risk of disease and death—but does eating less make you sicker, or does being sick make you eat less? Many studies found that being well nourished as a patient has little effect on clinical outcomes and sometimes it can make things worse! Maybe a body loses its appetite on purpose. Ever since Hippocrates, fasting has been offered as a treatment for acute and chronic diseases, based on when people get sick, they frequently lose their appetite. Along with fever, decreased food consumption is indeed one of the most common signs of infection– seems undesirable, but it’s an active, beneficial defense mechanism. Data suggest that in the short-term, immune function can be enhanced by lowering food intake.  Stay tuned for more on this - and have a marvelous Monday!

 Researchers fasted people for two weeks on a VERY low diet, and their white blood cells showed a boost in bacteria-killing ability, a boost in antibody production, and natural killer cell activity increased by an average of 24 percent - all positive outcomes. That’s especially interesting because our natural killer cells don’t just help clear infections, but also kill cancer cells. Two weeks of fasting boosted their bloodstream’s ability to kill off leukemia cancer cells by 24 percent. Maybe fasting stimulates the appetite of the immune system for cancer.  Until recently, fasting therapy was not considered to be a treatment option for cancer, since a common goal in cancer treatment is to avoid weight loss. But the research is helping us understand the incredibly interesting topic of fasting.  Have a terrific Tuesday everyone! 

 Believe it or not, doing nothing, with a purpose to do nothing, may help decrease anxiety, bring creativity to the surface, and boost productivity. The Dutch are some of the happiest people on earth and they have a simple practice "Niksen", where you allow your brain to rewire from stress by doing nothing.  In the Blue Zones, where people live longest and best, they find ways to downshift like this daily. Another buzzword "hygge" comes from Denmark and refers to being cozy and full of contentment - like family members cuddled up in blankets by the fireside to enjoy simple pleasures. In Sweden, they value a healthy work-life balance, with a philosophy built on "enough" - “Not too little. Not too much. Just right.”  In this busiest of seasons, set a time every day to just "be", to sit and stare out a window or relax under the stars, leaving cell phones and other distractions behind, to live longer and live stronger!  And have a wonderful Wednesday!

Last week we mentioned "Dry January" where you give up alcohol for a month, which may lead to longer, like forever.  We mentioned ways to prepare for it, which is so important.  It's also important to know the health benefits.  It's no secret that alcohol can have negative health effects - we usually think of liver disease - but there are so many more detrimental health issues, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleeping disruption, breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke.  Yet no one really tells us these things.  Alcohol consumption can't be a part of a healthy lifestyle due to the short- and long-term bad consequences, and now's the time to start planning for Dry January, giving yourself the opportunity to see how good you can feel without alcohol!  More to come in the weeks ahead!

 It's FIX IT FRIDAY and how about some nutrient-packed African Peanut Soup?

 Ingredients:

1 diced medium onion

2 diced stalks of celery

1 chopped carrot

1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp curry powder

3 cups vegetable broth

8 ounces of sweet potatoes, cubed

1 diced tomato

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 can drained and rinsed black beans

1/2 cup oat milk or almond milk

cilantro, chopped for garnish

 In a large pot, sauté the onion, celery, carrot, ginger, and garlic in water and cook for about 4 minutes over medium heat.  Stir in the curry powder, then vegetable broth, sweet potatoes, and tomato, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and add the peanut butter, beans, and oat milk then simmer for 15 minutes.  Put half of the soup in a blender when cooled a bit and blend until creamy then add back to the pot.  Serve it up with chopped cilantro on top and enjoy!  Find this recipe, and lots more in the "Be a Plant-based Woman Warrior" cookbook, and search for Jane Esselstyn and Ann Crile Esselstyn's videos - they're great!

 References:  NutritionFacts.org and Be a Plant-based Woman Warrior Cookbook

 And last year's, For Your Health!

 Sometimes in our 40s, women begin to experience hormone changes that lead to menopause.  Menopause is not an illness and even though its effects can be difficult to deal with, much can be done to help alleviate and even prevent them.  The mean age of menopause is 51, and the resulting changes alter our gut microbiomes and insulin resistance.  Here's exciting news:  the greater the adherence we have to positive health behaviors, the lower the incidence of symptoms!  Nutrition is key - a study of women who had hot flashes reduced them by 79% by eating a low-fat, vegan diet.  Refined sugar and processed foods cause sharp rises and fall in blood sugar, which certainly doesn't help when hormones are also swinging!  Whole food, plant-based diets with all of those good carbs, fats, and proteins are what our bodies were built for, and surprisingly, keeping a regular meal schedule throughout the day is important - skipping meals or irregular meal patterns messes with our hormones as well.   On this meatless Monday, consider how going plant-based can help with balancing out our hormones!  

 This week we're focusing on hormone changes for women and the resulting symptoms.  Higher body weight means higher symptom rates.  One study showed that women who lost 10 pounds were more likely to eliminate symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats.  Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight not only can help alleviate symptoms, but it also helps prevent a myriad of diseases as well.  Certain foods may trigger hot flashes, night sweats, and even changes in our moods ... and some more so when we eat them at night.  Caffeine, alcohol, and sugary and spicy foods are common triggers.   You can keep a journal of foods and see if you can connect the dots on your own triggers. Have a terrific Tuesday and plantify your plates to maintain a healthy body weight!

 As women move into the years of hormonal changes, usually in their 40s and 50s, adequate Vitamin D and calcium reduce the risk of bone loss that can occur.  Green, leafy vegetables like kale, collard greens, and spinach have loads of calcium and are plentiful in tofu and beans.  Higher phytate levels give us stronger bone health, so make sure you eat nuts, seeds, lentils, and whole grains.  Sunlight is our main source of Vitamin D but as we get older, our skin gets less efficient in making it, so we need to take a good supplement.  And of course, it's very important to engage in weight-bearing and resistance exercises for bone strength.  Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone! 

 Regular exercise has many benefits in regulating our hormone levels - it improves our energy and metabolism, gives us healthier joints and bones, and helps us manage stress better, and sleep better.  It reduces anxiety, boosts our moods, and alleviates fatigue.  Exercising just three hours per week for one year improved physical and mental health, and overall quality of life for menopausal women.  It also protects against conditions such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis.  Live longer and live stronger by getting some exercise today!

 Eating more foods that are high in phytoestrogens - naturally occurring plant compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen in our bodies, can help balance hormones.  It's believed therefore women in Asian countries have so few symptoms.  These foods are soybeans, such as edamame, and soy products like tofu and tempeh, as well as flax seeds, sesame seeds, and beans.  Diets high in soy are also associated with reduced hot flashes and night sweats, not to mention cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.  Also, staying hydrated may be a key to reducing the effects of hormonal changes - decreases in estrogen levels cause dehydration.   You may recall it's essential to eat foods that are hydrating instead of foods that are dehydrating.  Compare a big bowl of vegetable soup and salad to a burger and fries...not only are the burger and fries dehydrating on their own but they are loaded with salt which makes them even more dehydrating.  And drinking more water as your hormones change is important as well - 10 glasses a day is a good goal.  Have a fantastic Friday everyone!