Sugar here, sugar there, sugar, sugar everywhere! Halloween originated as a celebration dedicated to remembering the dead. One of today’s Halloween traditions is for kids to dress up in costumes of their favorite heroes and characters, and as soon as the sun goes down, go out trick-or-treating, which essentially means that they knock on doors and ask for a treat (typically candy) and threaten a trick (prank) if they don’t get a treat.

So here’s my dilemma: I love all the trick-or-treaters that come to my house in all their cute little costumes, and I love to give them treats! However, I know that sugar is highly addictive, makes people fat, rots teeth, and is detrimental to good health. So how can I feel good about handing out individually-wrapped sugar bombs? Sure, I can say that it’s all in good fun. They’re not my kids. I won’t have to deal with the sugar highs and crashes. C’est la vie.

I can give out healthier treats, but that most likely would have to be something I make myself. And what parent in their right mind would let their kids eat something that’s homemade and given to their kids by a complete stranger? Besides, I remember when I was kid. Those were the kind of treats that I didn’t want anyway. So that’s out.

As I was searching the seasonal candy isle in my local grocery store and about to give up because I couldn’t find any sugar-free candy, I found YumEarth Organics Organic Pops. Hmmm. “Made with Real Fruit Juice”. Hmmm. According to Phil Lempert, TODAY Show food editor, “The BEST Lollipop I’ve ever tasted”. Hmmm. “No High Fructose Corn Syrup”. I like that!

The ingredient list includes organic evaporated cane juice, organic brown rice syrup, non-gmo citric acid from beet (not corn) sugar, natural flavors, organic black carrots, organic black currant, organic apple, organic carrot, organic pumpkin, and ascorbic acid.

Ok, I know, the first two ingredients are sugar, and that’s still a lot of sugar. However, these pops use unrefined sugars that have a lower glycemic index (55 and 25 respectively) than white sugar (64) or high fructose corn syrup (62), meaning they have less of an effect on blood sugar levels. Of course, I would prefer to have found candies with an even lower glycemic index rating. Maybe next year.

I decided to try one. You know, test it out before giving it out. OMG – these are REALLY GOOD!!! I won’t feel like I’m tricking the kids tonight with something they’re not going to like!

Other alternatives include peanut M&M’s, preferably with dark chocolate, since the peanuts have protein, fiber, and other nutrients, and dark chocolate has antioxidants. Or Planters sells boxes of individually-wrapped nuts, which have protein, fiber, and nutrients, without the sugar.

I’d love to hear what healthier alternatives you’ve used for trick-or-treaters! Please leave a comment.

Happy Halloween!

Resources

• http://www.fitsugar.com/Glycemic-Index-Where-Do-Sweeteners-Fall-3031565
  

The answer to that is: it depends. Being vegan does not automatically mean being healthy. Being healthy comes down to making healthy choices. If you’re vegan, it means that you’ve eliminated all animal-based foods, including meat, fish, dairy, and eggs. And that in turn means that you’ve minimized any health risks associated with consuming cholesterol and saturated fat from animal-based foods.

So we just talked about what vegans don’t put into their bodies. What about what vegans DO put into their bodies? There are lots of foods available that are vegan and are not healthy, and these are foods that are considered vegan junk food. Like non-vegan junk food, vegan junk food contains lots of fat along with highly processed sugars and grains. In other words, vegan junk food is loaded with fat and bad carbohydrates, the kind that are stripped of nutrients and make you fat. The only difference between vegan and non-vegan junk food is that vegan junk food is made without any animal-based foods such as eggs or milk. They are both just as bad for you.

On the other hand, vegans who consume mostly whole, plant-based foods tend to be very healthy and thin, and younger-looking. In other words, those who choose to consume a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and other legumes see the most benefit. That’s because whole, plant-based foods are loaded with nutrients and are low in calories and fat, and have no cholesterol. The calories in whole, plant-based foods are nutrient-dense, and promote excellent health.

I am aware of some vegans who are obese and gave up animal-based foods to lose weight and improve their health. They started off losing weight, and then their weight loss leveled off, which tells me that they are not consuming enough whole, plant-based foods, because if they were, they would have lost significantly more weight. Instead, it’s likely that they’ve merely replaced their old junk food with vegan junk food. However, they have not replaced the bad habits that caused their obesity and poor health in the first place.

So just because a food is labeled as vegan does not mean that it will promote good health. The best way to ensure that the foods that you eat will promote good health is to choose whole, plant-based foods as much as possible. When you do choose packaged foods, be sure to read the label and look for fresh, whole foods such as whole grain to be listed as the first ingredient. Try to limit yourself to packages that list only five or less ingredients. And rather than changing your junk food, you might try changing your habits and see what happens!

Minimally invasive compared to surgery and other procedures, acupuncture involves puncturing of the skin with small, thin needles. The principle of acupuncture is that stimulating specific acupuncture points corrects imbalances in the flow if qi (pronounced “chi”, natural energy or life force) through meridians (channels), according to traditional Chinese medicine.

There are 14 major meridians that form an invisible network connecting the body surface with the internal organs according to traditional Chinese theory. Acupuncture assumes that bodily functions are regulated by qi, which flows through the meridians.

Disease and pain are thought to be caused by imbalances or blockages in the flow of qi through the meridians. Acupuncture is believed to correct those imbalances by removing blockages and restoring the normal circulation of qi. To accomplish this, acupuncture points (acupoints) are stimulated by puncturing the skin with thin metal needles that are manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation.

Meridians are thought to connect to bodily organs, and acupoints are mainly, but not always, found along the meridians at specific locations. “Extraordinary” points are acupoints that are located outside of the meridians and are believed to have special therapeutic properties. “A-shi” points, which do not have fixed locations, represent tender or reflexive points that appear when there is pain.

There has been considerable variation in the actual number of acupoints over time. Initially there were thought to be 365 acupoints, symbolic of the number of days in the year and at one time believed to be the number of bones in the body. More recently, the total was believed to be 670. However, interest in ear acupuncture and treatment of other conditions has expanded that total.

Treatment is based on identifying and correcting problems in the body’s energy. Acupuncturists make a diagnosis by observing and questioning the patient in order to decide which points to treat.

The needles are usually made of stainless steel and typically disposable. Reusable needles may also be used and require sterilization between uses. The needles are typically about ½ - 5 inches (0.51 – 5.1 mm) in length and about 0.16 – 0.56 mm in diameter. Shorter needles are used around the face and eyes while longer needles are used in more fleshy areas. Thicker needles are used on more robust patients.

Acupuncture can be painful, and the skill level of the acupuncturist can determine whether or not needle insertion is painful. Skilled practitioners are more likely to insert needles with little or no pain.

Does acupuncture actually work? Scientific investigation of acupuncture has grown dramatically due to its popularity. Many new studies are reported on a weekly basis, and the results have been mixed. Part of the reason is that a double-blind placebo-controlled study is required to prove that a treatment is effective. This is a challenge for acupuncture due to the difficulty in designing a placebo-form of acupuncture. Another challenge is keeping participants and practitioners in the dark as to who is receiving real acupuncture and who is receiving fake acupuncture. Also, there is a very strong placebo effect caused by acupuncture that reduces the difference in results between the treatment and placebo groups.

The only time I’ve had acupuncture was last August after I twisted my knee and went to a traditional Chinese doctor (for more about that entire experience, go to http://www.bethehealthyu.com/1/post/2013/08/twisted-knee-meets-traditional-chinese-doctor.html). The doctor inserted several needles around my knee. I felt little pricks when the needles were inserted that were less intense than when I’ve had needles inserted to draw blood for blood tests. While I could feel it when the doctor manipulated the needles, it was not painful. Probably what fascinated me the most was when the doctor massaged my neck, upper back, and shoulders to remove blockages in my qi, I felt a tingling sensation around the needles in my knee when he worked certain spots. Somehow parts of my neck, upper back, and shoulders must be connected to my right knee or I would not have felt those sensations in my knee! Not only did my knee feel better following the treatment, it is now completely healed and I’m back to walking and running on it!

I would love to hear about your experiences with acupuncture. Has it helped you? Please leave a comment!

Resources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acupuncture
  
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi
  
• http://www.healthcoachingu.com/Default.aspx?tabid=9861
  

You just got your hands on that frozen treat you’ve been craving, or maybe it’s a tall, icy-cold beverage or a smoothie. Down it goes, fast, bite after bite or sip after sip. Suddenly you have a brain freeze, a short-term headache also called an ice-cream headache, a cold-stimulus headache, or technically, a sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia.

Brain freezes commonly happen when something cold touches the roof of the mouth (your palate), which in turn causes your blood vessels to dilate rapidly to let blood flow to the area to warm it up. It’s the dilation of the blood vessels that triggers the headache pain, which shows up after only about 10 seconds and lasts 20-30 seconds.

You can prevent having a brain freeze by eating or drinking your cold treat more slowly. It’s also helpful to keep the cold substance in your mouth long enough for your mouth to become used to the temperature.

Once you have brain freeze, you can get rid of it by quickly warming the roof of your mouth by pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth or drinking something warm. You can also place your hand over your mouth and nose and warm your mouth by breathing quickly into your hand.

So even though the weather is turning cold, as long as you quickly eat or drink something very cold, your brain freezes will not go out of season.

Resources

• http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingsworkfaqs/f/how-brain-freeze-works.htm
  
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice-cream_headache
  
• http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Brain-Freeze
  

Want relief from nasal or sinus congestion? Here’s something you may not have tried before: nasal saline irrigation, a therapy that flushes out the nasal passages using a saline solution. A very popular method for nasal saline irrigation is using the Neti pot, originally from the Ayurvedic medical tradition.

A Neti pot is a small, ceramic pot that can look like an Aladdin’s lamp or a teapot. Warm saline solution is placed into Neti pot. With your head tilted and over a sink or basin, you place the spout of the Neti pot into the upper nostril and let the saline solution flow in that nostril, through your sinus cavity, and out of the lower nostril into the sink or basin. The warm, saline solution does not burn in your nose as would plain water.

Flushing the nasal passages with the Neti pot thins mucus and helps flush it out. Cilia, or tiny hair-like structures inside the nasal and sinus cavities, wave back and forth, pushing mucus to the nose or to the back of the throat. Flushing with saline solution helps the cilia to more effectively remove allergens and other irritants from the sinus cavity.

I love my Neti pot and use it regularly! I make my own saline solution by adding 1 teaspoon of sea salt and ½ teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to 1 liter (~1 quart) of boiling water, then allowing it to cool. When I’m ready to use the saline solution in my Neti pot, I heat it up in the microwave oven until it’s warm to the touch.

To see a demonstration and what Oprah and Dr. Oz have to say about the Neti pot, click on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e22Ta7iRgks.

Have you ever noticed how great a good hug feels, especially when you hug someone you know and love such as a parent, your child, your spouse or significant other, a family member, or a great friend? According to neurophysiologist Jürgen Sandkühler, Head of the Centre for Brain Research at the Medical University of Vienna, hugging someone you know and trust can help reduce stress, fear, and anxiety; lower your blood pressure; promote wellbeing; and improve memory performance.

Hugging stimulates our brain to release oxytocin into our blood, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that lowers blood pressure, reduces stress and anxiety, and can improve memory. Oxytocin is known to increase bonding and closeness between parents, children, and couples.

Hugging also stimulates our brain to release dopamine, the pleasure hormone. Dopamine is released as a result of rewarding experiences. And long hugs increase serotonin levels, which elevate mood and create happiness.

There are even more benefits to hugging those we care about. Our self esteem is boosted because a good hug shows us that we’re loved and special. Hugs relax muscles and release tension. And hugs enrich relationships.

And by the way, those same benefits apply to hugging your pet.

Have you had your hugs today?

Resources

• http://www.meduniwien.ac.at/homepage/news-and-topstories/en/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=3197&cHash=2fde5afa0b
  
• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2266373/Hugging-lower-blood-ressure-boost-memory.html
  
• http://ccn.aacnjournals.org/content/24/3/8.full
  
• http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5756/10-Reasons-Why-We-Need-at-Least-8-Hugs-a-Day.html
  
• http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/hugs-are-awesome-and-good-for-your-health-too
  

The same way that the cows that non-vegans eat get their protein. From plants! That’s because the plant kingdom is loaded with protein-rich foods! Okay, but do plants have enough protein? To answer that question, first let’s look at how much protein we actually need.

Of all the macronutrients we consume (protein, carbohydrates, and fats), proteins, which are made up of amino acids, are the only macronutrients that contain nitrogen. We can measure nitrogen loss, which tells us how much protein our bodies eliminate every day. At a minimum, we need to replace the amount of protein that our bodies eliminate every day, which experimentally is about 0.5-0.6 grams (g) of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight per day. This is the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR).

Because the EAR was determined for a only small portion of the population, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) increased this amount by two standard deviations to 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight per day to represent 98% of the population. In other words, for most of us, 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight per day is more protein than we actually need.

Since the RDA has been adjusted upward from the minimum requirement, the RDA is not at all the minimum requirement, as many believe. If you’re consuming the RDA for protein, you are getting plenty of protein and don’t need to increase that amount!

In terms of calories, 0.8 g of protein per kg body weight per day is equivalent to about 8-10% of total dietary calories. This amount is readily provided by all plants!

To confirm this, I went to the USDA National Database and looked up the calories and protein (in grams) for 60 different plant-based foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds. Knowing that every gram of protein has four calories, I converted grams of protein into calories, and used that to calculate the percent of protein in each of the 60 plant-based foods that I looked up. Here’s what I found in order from highest to lowest percentage of protein:

• White mushrooms – 56.2% protein
  
• Spinach – 49.7% protein
  
• Bok choy – 46.2% protein
  
• Mustard greens – 42.4% protein
  
• Mung beans, sprouted – 40.5% protein
  
• Portabella mushrooms – 38.4% protein
  
• Swiss chard – 37.9% protein
  
• Collard greens – 37.8% protein
  
• Kale – 34.9% protein
  
• Broccoli – 33.2% protein
  
• Lentils – 31.1% protein
  
• Cauliflower – 30.7% protein
  
• Romaine lettuce – 28.9% protein
  
• Zucchini squash – 28.5% protein
  
• Kidney beans – 27.3% protein
  
• Black beans – 26.8% protein
  
• Pinto beans – 25.2% protein
  
• Pumpkin seeds – 21.6% protein
  
• Summer squash – 21.3% protein
  
• Cabbage – 20.5% protein
  
• Multigrain bread – 20.2% protein
  
• Tomatoes – 19.6% protein
  
• Peanuts – 18.7% protein
  
• Cucumber – 17.3% protein
  
• Celery – 17.3% protein
  
• Garlic – 17.1% protein
  
• Radishes – 17.0% protein
  
• Eggplant – 15.7% protein
  
• Pumpkin – 15.4% protein
  
• Sweet, yellow corn – 15.2% protein
  
• Buckwheat flour, groats - 15.1% protein
• Beets – 15.0% protein
  
• Quinoa, cooked - 14.7% protein
• Buckwheat groats, cooked - 14.7% protein
• Almonds – 14.6% protein
  
• Cooked oats – 14.3% protein
  
• Sunflower seeds – 14.2% protein
  
• Hulled barley – 14.1% protein
  
• Cashews – 13.2% protein
  
• Blackberries – 12.9% protein
• Red bell peppers – 12.8% protein
  
• Jalapenos – 12.6% protein
  
• Sesame seeds – 12.4% protein
  
• Millet, cooked (porridge) - 11.8% protein
• Onions – 11.0% protein
  
• Baked potato – 10.8% protein
  
• Walnuts – 9.3% protein
  
• Raspberries – 9.2% protein
• Carrots – 9.1% protein
  
• Baked sweet potato – 8.9% protein
  
• Butternut squash – 8.9% protein
  
• Strawberries – 8.4% protein
• Brown rice, medium-grain, cooked – 8.3% protein
  
• Kiwifruit – 7.5% protein
  
• Oranges – 7.4% protein
  
• Pearled barley – 7.3% protein
  
• Mango – 5.5% protein
  
• Blueberries – 5.2% protein
• Bananas – 4.9% protein
  
• Avocados – 4.7% protein
  
• Pineapple – 4.3% protein
  
• Persimmons – 2.5% protein
  
• Apples – 2.0% protein
  

With the exception of some fruit, all other plant-based foods on this list meet or exceed the RDA of 8-10% calories from protein. I’ll bet you’re surprised that many vegetables have more protein than beans, nuts, and seeds!

As you can see from this list, consuming a whole, plant-based diet is how vegans get more than enough protein!

With Halloween quickly approaching and pumpkins all around, I thought this would be a good time to look at the health benefits of eating pumpkin.

Pumpkins are loaded with vitamin A. One cup of fresh, cooked, mashed pumpkin has more than a full-day’s supply of vitamin A. And the vitamin A in one cup of canned pumpkin is concentrated to more than twice the vitamin A of fresh pumpkin. Vitamin A helps protect vision, providing protection against age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease.

The bright orange color in pumpkins is produced by carotenoids, including beta-carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin, and xanthophyll. Carotenoids can be converted into vitamin A and protect the eyes. Carotenoids can also act as antioxidants, helping to prevent cancer and other degenerative diseases as well as slow aging and keep your skin looking younger.

Pumpkins have lots of fiber, with one cup of canned pumpkin having a third of the daily requirement for fiber. Fiber fills you up, satisfies, helps you absorb more nutrients, cleans your intestinal tract, and keeps you regular.

Pumpkins can help you lose weight because they are low in calories and fat in addition to being high in fiber.

One cup of pumpkin has more potassium than a banana. Potassium helps restore electrolyte balance after a workout and keeps muscles functioning at their best.

One cup of pumpkin has 15% RDA for vitamin C, which helps boost the immune system.

Canned pumpkin is pureed, cooked, and concentrated down, which concentrates nutrients. Canned pumpkin has approximately double the amount of protein, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamin A compared to fresh pumpkin.

Pumpkin seeds are rich in protein, iron, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorous. A couple of handfuls of pumpkin seeds (~¼ cup) have approximately a quarter of the daily requirement for protein, iron, and zink, and roughly half the daily requirement for magnesium and phosphorous.

Pumpkin seeds have phytosterols, plant compounds similar to cholesterol that reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Pumpkin seeds have tryptophan, an amino acid that is important in serotonin production. Serotonin is a brain chemical that helps create a feeling of well-being and relaxation. High serotonin levels are linked to better moods, better sleep, and higher pain tolerance.

Pumpkin bread. Pumpkin soup. Pumpkin muffins. Pumpkin pancakes. There are so many delicious ways to eat pumpkin!

What's your favorite way to eat pumpkin? Please leave a comment.


Resources

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/05/pumpkin-health-benefits_n_1936919.html
  
• http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-tryptophan
  
• http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3189
  
• http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3660
  
• http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3190
  

Native to China, this sweet, delicious, yellowish-orange to orange-red fruit is loaded with healthy vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients essential for good health.

Astringent persimmons, commonly known as Hachiya persimmons and cultivated in Japan, are high in tannins and must ripen fully until it has a jelly-like soft consistency before eating, otherwise it will be very bitter. Non-astringent persimmons, commonly known as fuyu persimmons have less tannins and can be eaten while still crisp either with or without the skin.

Persimmons can be eaten fresh, dried, or cooked. Fresh persimmons range from firm to soft. Dried persimmons can be used in baked goods, puddings, fruit salads, and over breakfast cereal. They can also be roasted, giving them a mild, pumpkin-like flavor.

Persimmons have higher levels of dietary fiber, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and manganese than apples and also contain vitamin C, vitamin A, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, and other antioxidants, including catechin, gallocatechin and anti-tumor betulinic acid. Together these antioxidants help protect vision, have anti-inflammatory properties, and protect against free radicals, which help protect against cancer.

I tried my first persimmon about a week ago, a fuyu persimmon, and now I’m hooked! I ate it peeled and quartered, and while it looked like an orange tomato, the texture was similar to that of an apple, crisp and crunchy. And it was very sweet! I’ve since bought a box of about a dozen fuyu persimmons. I’m looking forward to trying them in my morning green smoothie!

In my post last Friday I wrote about what it means to be present and mentioned my intention to be fully present at a black tie event that I was about to attend at the Nixon Library. In this post I am going to follow up about how being present turned out (you can see the original post at http://www.bethehealthyu.com/1/post/2013/10/be-present.html).

Before leaving for the event, when I slipped out wearing shorts and a tank top, and then re-appeared in my beautiful, midnight-blue gown, my friends called me “Cinderella”. And I truly felt transformed! I was very aware of how beautiful and confident I felt when we arrived at the Nixon Library and as I basked in complements throughout the evening. I was also very aware of my surroundings. I noticed the displays, the smells, the lighting from the sun coming in through the windows, the roses in the outside gardens, the flags in the long hallway, the lighting in the dining room, the layout of the rooms, and how beautiful everyone looked all dressed up.

As I spoke with several people that evening, I kept my smart phone in my purse with the ringer off and focused on being present in every conversation. That was not easy given the many distractions, even without my smart phone. The photo above shows me engaged in one such conversation. In fact, I was so engaged that I didn’t even realize that the photo was being taken! By maintaining eye contact, I was able to focus on the person with whom I was speaking and I learned some very interesting things!

The point is that by going into this event with the intention of being present, I was more aware than I otherwise would have been and noticed things that I otherwise would probably not have noticed. And by not scanning the room to see who else was there or checking my smart phone for messages, I had deeper conversations, made better connections, and actually learned some interesting and valuable things. And because I noticed so much more, I am likely to remember even more about this special event than I otherwise would have remembered.

If you’ve ever been someplace or experienced something, and later don’t remember it, maybe it’s not because you have a bad memory. Rather, it could be because you were not present. How could you remember something if you didn’t notice it in the first place? Be present and notice your life.