Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Over the past few years, there has a strong public push to increase intake of omega 3 fatty acids. But why? Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to our bodies because we cannot synthesize them. Our body only has the capability to make fatty acid chains up until the Omega-6 position. But that still doesn't answer why omega 3's are good for us.

Omega-3 fatty acids, otherwise known as alpha-linolenic acid, get broken down into eicosinoids, which further break down into nutrients known as EPA and DHA. DHA is the most prevalent fatty acid is the brain and retina as increased intake can help improve brain and eye function. Dietary DHA may reduce the risk of heart disease. Studies have shown that low levels of DHA have been associated with Alzheimer's disease. Some milk manufactuers advertise their products as containing DHA and Omega 3 fatty acids for this reason. The eicosinoids derived from omega-3 fatty acids also act primarily as anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulants. 

The only downside of omega-3's is if you are having surgery. Avoid intake of omega-3's prior to surgery because you will have a decreased ability to clot your blood. But otherwise, look to increase your intake of salmon and other omega-3 rich foods.

Why do we need sleep?

Why do we need so much sleep? We spend 1/3 of our lives asleep, yet we still do not know the primary reason for sleep. What I know is that sleep allows our body to repair and recharge. Think of sleep as our body's daily tune up. Without that daily tune-up, our bodies and minds will begin to malfunction. I came across a great article on bigthink.com that discuss the mysterious topic that is sleep. The article presents an experiment by Columbia neuropsychologist Yaakov Stern. In his experiment, Stern and his crew concluded that the areas of the brain that were affected by sleep deprivation could be stimulated to preform at higher levels when stimulated. Although this does not answer why we need sleep, it certainly provides hope for a mild cure of sleep deprivation. The article continues to discuss dreams and includes a video clip of sleep psychologist, Shelby Harris. Harris concludes that "dreams are the brain's method of sorting memories and experiences from the previous day, deciding which ones to retain and which ones to discard". 


http://bigthink.com/ideas/23035

Worst Foods in America

I came across this interesting article a few days ago and thought I would share. Men's Health magazine put together a top 20 list of the worst foods in America (health wise, not taste wise). Some are no brainers, but some will surprise you. For example, the worst drink in America is concocted at your local, health conscious Jamba Juice.

http://www.menshealth.com/20worst/worstfood.html

-- In trying to eat healthier, remember to watch your sodium intake, as high sodium has been linked to hypertension, or high blood pressure. The RDA, recommended daily amount, of sodium intake for a healthy individual should be around 2400 mg per day. That's not much considering some of the items on that list top 4000 mg per meal.

-- Also, watch those saturated fats (fats that contain carbons completely surrounded by hydrogen atoms)  that are found in most animal based products. These saturated fats solidify at room temperature and can raise LDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol) in your blood.

-- Another key is to avoid intake of too many carbohydrates. Carbohydrates in your body will raise insulin levels, which actually signal the liver to produce more saturated fat! Also, carbohydrates are broken down into glycogen, which serves as an excellent reservoir for water to attach to. So a reason why you may be gaining weight, or rather water weight, is your intake of carbohydrates.

So, when you are looking at the nutritional facts, look for the amounts of sodium, saturated fats, and carbohydrates, as high intakes of those three can be a serious detriment to your health.

Bruce Lee once said...

..."a strong body leads to a strong mind". Exercise is absolutely vital both our mental and physical health. Whether you run 12 miles a day or play Wii Tennis to get your daily fix of physical activity, there are things that we can all improve. Instead of taking the elevator to the 2nd floor, why not take the measly 10 or so steps. The way I see it, whenever an opportunity to exercise presents itself, take it! No matter how small, it all adds up in the end. Try to find ways to integrate exercise into your daily routines, even if that means walking to the post office, or God forbid, parking  further from a store entrance.
  

Hot Pockets? No thanks. Get me some FIBER

Fiber is one of the most beneficial substances/nutrients/ things we can put into our body.  It not only prevents many diseases such as heart disease and colon cancer, it can also help reduce the risk of diabetes. Amongst a multitude of benefits, fiber can add bulk to your diet, making you feel full faster, which can reduce appetite. Fiber also slows the absorption of glucose (lower blood sugar) and lowers LDL(low-density lipoproteins)-aka bad cholesterol.  Fiber can be split up into two groups, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber provides some sort of nutritive value, around 2kcal of energy, while insoluble fiber provides no nutritive value. The benefits, however, of insoluble fiber are that they ease and speed the passage of food within the digestive system, helping relieve the stress on the colon (reducing chances of colon cancer).

Fiber, like hot pockets, can definitely help clean out your digestive system.



Although there are so many widely publicized benefits of fiber, both American men and women are severely lacking in their daily fiber intakes. Most Americans consume only 20-40% of fiber deemed necessary for good health. The RDA, or recommended daily amount, which covers 97% of the society's nutritive needs, suggests that men should consume an average of 38 grams of fiber a day and women should consume an average of 25 grams of fiber a day.

Great sources of fiber include apples, oats, barley, whole grains, flax seed, and foods containing pectin. So the next time you are shopping at the local supermarket, put down those salty snacks full of saturated fat and instead look for the flax seed cereals and whole grain granola mixes.

In conclusion, fiber can help you live a healthier and longer life. Fiber is awesome.      

Health Care/Insurance Reform

How do we have "The Best Health Care System in the World", but aren't able to treat around 40 million Americans? Is the problem our technology and medical training? No, people from all over the world travel to the United States to receive groundbreaking treatments and life changing surgeries. The United States is consistently at the forefront of medical advancement.  We spend about 17% of our GDP on health care yet, how is it that our preventable death rates are the highest of all developed nations? The simple problem lies in the lack of access to health care. To find the answer, we must turn to the insurance companies that essentially run health care in the United States. Insurance companies can pick and choose who they want to grant access to health insurance. They deny insurance claims  simply because they can. When they have to pay someone back from getting a surgery that saved his/her life, they refer to it as a loss. In no other developed nation is access to health care even an issue. Germany and France spend far less that the US does on the health care system, yet are able to provide access to all citizens, employed and unemployed. Citizens in foreign countries never have to face the brunt of any medical bill. In the US however, people would rather have their child's cough persist for 2 months than visit their pediatrician for fear of declaring bankruptcy due to excessive medical costs. The new Health Care Reform of 2010, or Obamacare plan, expands the access to health care by limiting the requirements for health insurance (which is fantastic!) and forbids private insurance companies to deny an insurance applicant based on preexisting conditions.

No matter what the proposed solution to our health care/insurance reform, there will always be unhappy campers. People will always disagree.  My solution to the health care crisis in our country is to somewhat model our system after those of Germany and Japan. 

Like US citizens, Japanese citizens buy into private insurance plans, with their employers splitting the premium. Yet, when a Japanese individual loses his./her job, they are still covered under insurance through a government fund. In America, we cut health insurance once an someone loses their job. Isn't that a little cruel? We are essentially kicking someone when they are down and need help the most. Now you may be asking, "Where are you going to get the money for this fund without raising taxes?" And my answer to you would be to implement a law that requires all citizens to buy into some sort of health insurance fund. Of course, you would need government regulation of the prices of the insurance plans presented by the private insurance companies in order to keep insurance plans affordable to everyone. 

The next step would be to target the providers of medical care (physicians and hospitals). Physicians in other countries make far less than their counterparts in the US, but do not have to pay a single cent for their medical school training. If and only if we can somehow lower tuition for all medical schools, paying physicians less would be justified. Furthermore, physicians in other countries do not fear being sued. In America, physicians will order unnecessary tests to cover all the bases just in case they get sued. All this money spent on expensive tests and procedures greatly increases our national spending and debt. 

I feel that with these guidelines will drastically reduce the cost of medical care in America and at the same time, increase access to health care. Health care is a right, not a privilege. People should not have to worry about being ruined financially when they are sick.      

Explanation of the 3 E's

Throughout my 22 years here in the United States, I have noticed three major problems.

1) Eating poorly

We are eating ourselves to death. As our huge portions become impossibly larger, so too do our waistlines. Do we really need 2 liters of processed, sugary purple drink (made of sugar, water and of course, purple)? Although absolutely delicious, do we really need 3 pounds of Kansas City BBQ to make us feel content? Obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure are some of the leading causes of preventable death in our wondrous country.  We, as a nation, are obsessed with increasing the longevity of our lives, yet we still fail to make small changes that will make a world of difference. Instead of improving our health by something as simple as changing our diet, we opt for cheap convenience. This leads us to problem number 2.

2) Lack of Exercise

I know walking 30 steps from the parking lot into the local McDonalds is incredibly hard work, but maybe it's something we can all consciously try instead of using the oh so awesome drive-thru. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise improves mood by releasing endorphins. Exercise can also help help combat chronic diseases and help maintain a healthy weight. Lastly, and yes, most importantly, exercise can help reverse the negative effects of fatty, greasy food we put in our bodies and in turn, allow us to live the long lives that we so desire. Exercise will not only make you look fantastic, it will make you feel great both emotionally and physically. You can't lose when you exercise. 

3) Lack of Education 

A major contributor to the poor health of millions of Americans is not a lack of motivation, but rather a lack of information to the general public. We need more programs devoted to preventative health.  We need to design campaigns that not only educate, but also motivate individuals to make positive changes in their lives. 

And with that, I hope that this blog will provide some information to improve the well-being of others and most importantly, improve the quality of life of others.