How much water did you drink today?

This was the question I asked three of my fellow colleagues at work the other day. So how much did they drink? Let’s just say their response led me to take immediate action and write this blog post. I dedicated this post to their H₂O health, cheers!

Staying properly hydrated is one of the most important things you can do for your health; it’s right up there with getting more exercise and sleep. Water boosts energy levels, lowers stress, supports muscle growth, nourishes your skin, strengthens your immune system, regulates digestion, reduces kidney stones, and can be your secret weapon in mitigating bad hangovers 🙂 Oh and most importantly, it keeps you alive! Did you know that without water we can’t survive more than a few days? It is more detrimental to our survival than food, which we can actually go weeks without. How many weeks? Well if you’re Gandhi, about 3 weeks. He survived 21 days of total starvation while only allowing himself sips of water, but others have made it even longer, anywhere from 28-40 days.

Up to 60% of the human adult body is water, the brain and heart are about 75% water, lungs 83%, skin 64%, muscles and kidneys 79%, and even our bones are watery at 31%. A mere 2% drop in our body’s water supply can trigger signs of dehydration: fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on smaller print, such as a computer screen. Mild dehydration is also one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue. An estimated 75% of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration. Yikes! Hopefully that’s not you. I think you get my point by now…water is ridiculously important.

How much should you drink?

You’ve heard of the standard rule of drinking eight glasses a day. This is actually a good metric, BUT, please remember this is eight 8-ounce glasses, and all fluids count towards your daily total, yes even certain foods. So, go with this rule instead: “Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day.” Another helpful metric is one cup for every 20 pounds of body weight.

However, one’s water needs depends on other factors as well, so eight 8-ounce glasses might not be enough. What other factors you ask? Well, do you exercise, fly, drink coffee/tea (or anything with caffeine), enjoy a glass of wine at night, and maybe a few cocktails during the week? Do you live in hot and humid climates, or were you in the sun all day? Did you go the day with very little fruits and vegetables? Have you been eating salty, sugary, or fried foods? If you answered yes to any of these, then you need to be taking in more water. Of course there are also medical conditions and factors to consider, but I’m covering water basics for the average Joe (or Joan). Here are a few facts and tips to help you determine your daily water needs:

• Flying dehydrates you. Drink 1 cup of water for every 1-hour in flight.
• Caffeine is a diuretic. Balance 1 cup of coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverage (e.g., coke) with 1 cup of water.
• Alcohol is a diuretic too! Drink 1 cup of water with every alcoholic beverage.
• Your body is a great indicator. Thirst, weakness, fatigue, reddened skin and dry mouth are all signs that you need to consume more water, regardless of how much caffeine you ingest.
• Use visual analysis to determine whether you’re well hydrated. Use this chart.

Alright, now you know the basics, so “water” you waiting for? Get to hydrating!

And I’m out,

Ida

Got a bun in the oven?

No I’m not expecting, but I have a few close friends that are, so I wanted to share some information I learned through my coursework at Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN).

There is so much pregnancy information out there, and I can’t even begin to identify what the best, better or perfect book, author, or advice is. But, I can tell you that I really enjoyed what I learned from Nina Planck, food writer and farmer’s market entrepreneur. During one of my course modules, Nina, spoke for a few minutes about foods for pregnancy. I made sure to take good notes, as I figured they might come in handy at some point, and here we are!

My class notes are here, but of course these are only a summary. For far more details, I recommend reading her book, Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating For Two, and Baby’s First Foods. The fundamental premise of the book is sound: pregnant women’s diet should consist of mainly whole, unprocessed food. In fact, I think we can all agree that replacing the words “pregnant women” with any other word that describes the human species (and perhaps other species) would also hold true here.

If you want to get to know Nina a bit better, learn more about her food philosophy, and hear some of her advice and insights on food and fertility you can watch this video or read the transcript (it’s included on the site). Watch from minute 30:17 to 38:00 for pregnancy specific information.

Interestingly (although not surprising), while I was doing some research on what and how to eat while pregnant, I found a lot of the recommendations are the same as those provided for healthy eating. These include (and this is by no means comprehensive):

• Drink plenty of fluids, primarily water
• Incorporate ginger in the diet to subdue nausea and ease digestion
• Drink 30 minutes before and/or after eating, as opposed to with food
• Eat small meals throughout the day
• Stick to vegetables, fruits and lean meats
• Get plenty of omega-3s
• Don’t over drink or overeat
• Minimize heavy, greasy foods
• Trust your stomach; not what others tell you works for them, as you may find certain habits work well for you & that you crave something that your body (and in this case, your baby) needs

And I’m out,

Ida

What’s the avoidable cost of chronic disease in the U.S.? More than $1 trillion annually.

In 2007 the Milken Institute published a groundbreaking study on the economic and business burden of chronic disease in America. It was the first of its kind to quantify the avoidable costs if a serious effort were made to improve Americans’ health. According to the study, seven chronic diseases – cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, pulmonary conditions and mental illness – have a total impact on the economy of $1.3 trillion annually. Of this amount, $1.1 trillion represents the cost of lost productivity.

In 2014 they published an updated report “Checkup Time: Chronic Disease and Wellness in America” that looks at the economic burden of five out of seven of the diseases. Turns out, chronic disease costs were $28 billion greater than they had predicted. Aside from heart disease, for all other diseases, the number of reported cases rose beyond the projections, and actual treatment costs and productivity losses exceeded estimates.

So what does one do? You can read about it in the latest report. It also includes some recommendation to improve outcomes and reduce costs. On the bright side, there is a lot happening today, and there is also a lot of power in the hands of the individual. There are simple behavioral changes we can all make – eat well, sleep plenty, hydrate often, stay active, breath daily, manage stress, make time to do the things you love – albeit not always the easiest to consistently put into practice, but well worth it when you do.

There are several reasons why I prioritize my health, and the next time someone asks me how I stay motivated, I will add “because it also helps the economy.” 🙂

And I’m out,

Ida

 

 

How Food Affects Your Brain

If we want happier, smarter, more resilient, more productive people at work or at home, we have to create a brain that is wired to do so. We must feed our brains the fuel that allow it to operate at its max level. This starts by counting nutrients, not calories. Are you feeding your brain the nutrients it needs to thrive?

Why does what you eat impact your overall brain health? Well, probably because the human brain consumes 420 calories every single day. Just 2% of your body weight consumes 20% of everything you eat. Mood, anxiety, memory, focus, energy, sleep, learning agility, and more; all of these depend on the right brain chemistry. If we begin to consider food first, we are more likely to get that chemistry right.

So, how does one feed its brain with the right foods? This great talk by Dr. Drew Ramsey covers the importance of a well-nourished brain, and what nutrients and foods help to build a better brain. He also talks about a cool brain protein called BDNF, which is extra special because it enables the brain to grow, by producing more brain cells. When we are under stress and exposed to toxins in the environment, our brain cells are more apt to survive when exposed to BDNF. Unfortunately, the modern American diet has caused BDNF levels to go down. Time to make sure you are increasing, rather than decreasing, those levels.

Watch, learn and eat right.

And I’m out,

Ida

Seaweed Chip Deliciousness

Following on from my recent post, I thought it only appropriate to share with you one of my favorite seaweed snacks at the moment – Ocean’s Halo Seaweed Chip. I personally LOVE the taste, and the crunch, but I am also very impressed by how nutrient rich these little chips are. Tasty and healthy! I can’t really ask for more. Try them out (if you haven’t already), and let me know what you favorite flavor is. I like a few flavors depending on what I am in the mood for. So far the front-runners are chili lime, sea salt, and hot & spicy. Oh and I just discovered you can get $1 off, so be sure to use the coupon!

And I’m out,

Ida

What to do when you see weed

No, not the plant kind 😉 I mean the sea kind! So, usually when I see seaweed, I buy and eat it, but I recently discovered disturbing ingredients in mainstream seaweed salad, which sparked my interest. Unfortunately, these ingredients make their way into other sushi dishes as well. This a big bummer…

I really like seaweed. It has whole host of benefits. I personally like the taste, but I also like that it makes my belly feel better, and provides me with a big punch of calcium. I hardly eat any dairy, so this is a big benefit for me. I feel cleansed and balanced, which is due to its toxic fighting and neutralizing properties.

So, here is the bad news. Mainstream seaweed salad (and other sushi ingredients), have several chemicals and additives, most notably food dyes. In the case of seaweed salad, you will find blue #1 (which has caused brain cancer in lab animals), and yellow #5 (which has the strongest link to severe allergic reactions). Furthermore, food dyes have been linked to numerous social and behavioral disorders in children and adolescents.

So what you thought was healthy, may not be. You can tell by simply looking at the food. Is it very bright green? Almost neon looking? Turns out, many restaurants and stores order their seaweed salad (and other products) in bulk from distribution companies who then deliver it pre-made. You can read about scary sushi ingredients here. I suppose I should have known there was food coloring, but I didn’t think about it until I read the back of the container.

Speaking of, this is a great example of how companies strategically call-out benefits on the front of packaging, while minimizing more harmful facts on the back (or bottom, or side).

So will I continue to eat seaweed salad and sushi? Yes, but I am going to be extra careful about where I eat and where I buy from. I would recommend asking the restaurant or store about the ingredients in their sushi.

And I’m out,

Ida

Trust in the Good, Trust in the Bad

I have a slight modification to my recent post on cultivating trust in one’s life. One of my best friends emailed me after reading my post, and told me she liked the post, and that she was trying to cultivate gratitude in her life. So, I wrote her back, and said, “Well why don’t you turn it into a gratitude box instead? Just write down things you are thankful for and slip it into the box.” She emailed me back and said “Okay, I will.”

Shortly after, I went through something kind of upsetting, and once it was over, I reminded myself to trust that all would be okay and to let it go, AND unexpectedly I also felt thankful. I was happy because of the immense support I had during the incident. So, I took out a piece of paper, and wrote “I am thankful for my friend, and her unconditional love, support and understanding,” and slipped it into my trust box.

When it comes to trust, I believe we need to trust in the good and the bad that happens in our lives. Often we fixate too much on the bad, and too little on the good, but it is unfair to give so much of our attention and energy towards the bad incidences. There is so much good that comes our way, and recognizing and appreciating that good is just as (if not more) important as letting go of or moving on from the bad.

SO, I would like to revise my trust box directions slightly, and suggest that you also use the box to practice gratitude. I started doing this, and have found that in times of strife, when I can also see the good, it helps boost my mood, calm my worries, and of course build my trust muscle even more! Also, it reminds me to be appreciative of all the good that I have in my life, which I admittedly tend to forget.

Here’s how it works:

• On a small piece of paper, write down something good that happened recently or in the past, or something you are thankful for.
• Then, fold the paper up, and put it into your trust box. Practice the act of identifying the good in your life, and appreciating the positive things that come your way.
• Every day take time to write it down 1-3 things that went well, and put into the box to help build your trust muscle and to energize yourself.

And I’m out,

Ida

Food Label Reading 101

Food Label Reading 101.

How To Cultivate Trust in Your Life

If you are anything like me, you struggle with trusting people. I hadn’t really realized this until now, but my lack of trust in people has developed into a lack of trust in the universe. Uh oh, this is not good, especially because I constantly preach that everything happens for a reason. Yes, I do strongly believe this to be true, but I suppose I have forgotten to remind myself more often to trust that the universe has got my back. To remember that when things go wrong, I am simply getting rerouted into the right path. When times are good this is of course much easier to do, but when times are bad that pessimistic voice enters the mind. So it is time to take action…or try to. Join me?

If you can’t already tell I don’t like uncertainty, and I love to have control over situations J But of course this is not realistic, and ultimately results in feelings of worry, anxiety, stress, and perhaps depression. So, I was listening to a lecture the other day, and I loved the idea of creating a “Trust” Box. Say whaaat?

Okay, here is how it works:

• On a small piece of paper, write down something you want or that you’re concerned about.
• Then, fold the paper up, and put it into your trust box. Practice the act of turning it over to the universe and releasing the need to control.
• Every time you have a desire, concern or worry, write it down and put into the box to help build your trust muscle and to calm yourself.

This also works great for worrywarts, another lovely characteristic I possess. For some, there may be several papers to fold up and throw in the box in the beginning. That is okay. The point is you are practicing the act of building trust and letting go. Will it work? I don’t know, but I am on Day 3, and it seems to be helping. It feels good to write down my worries, and turn it over to the universe.

Now, let’s not go crazy here and start handing everything over. No, your laundry will not wash itself. But, there are some things, we can only put our best effort into doing, and trust that the ultimately things will unfold as they should.

You can use a shoebox, a small gift box, or whatever you desire. Place the box somewhere special and visible (as a cue and reminder for yourself). Decorate it, keep it plane, do whatever your heart desires. It’s your box. Now get to writing and start building your trust muscle. Here’s hoping the tactic works for you and for me.

And I’m out,

Ida

Could death from drug resistance be solved through food?

I was browsing through twitter last weekend, and saw the headline “Drug resistance deadlier than cancer by 2050.” I thought I would read something about how our dependence on drugs may not be quite as dependable as we thought. So, this is sort of true.

The resistance in the article pertains specifically to antimicrobial drugs, which help to fight off infections such as strains of E. coli, malaria, and tuberculosis to name a few. However, antibiotics are also used as part of many medical treatments, like hip replacements, Caesarean sections, and chemotherapy. Drug resistance is estimated to have caused about 700,000 deaths this year, and at this rate would cause 10 million by 2050. Yikes!

Not sure what actions will be taken, but I have a potential solution. How about the rice diet? Joking slightly, but I actually learned about a Japanese man (George Ohsawa) that fought off both tuberculosis and malaria through rice and diet. Some of you may have heard of Ohsawa and macrobiotics, the diet he pioneered. No, I am NOT recommending we all start following the macrobiotic diet. My point is that the answer could and likely does lie in what we eat, including where it’s sourced and how it’s processed.

2050 is quite a ways away, so I hope we come up with some good solutions to this deadly issue fairly soon. In the meantime, you can take matters into your own hands and keep your immune system strong by eating smart.

And I’m out,

Ida