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- 📻 Best Medicine for IBS, Taylor Swift Effect + Exercise & Anti-Aging
📻 Best Medicine for IBS, Taylor Swift Effect + Exercise & Anti-Aging
+ Exercise improves core features of autism: This week’s favorite podcast
HBN Team
April 22, 2024
The dogwoods are blooming, everything is greening up, and festival season has returned here to our hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. Most of us are music lovers here at Healthy by Nature and last Friday night’s downtown hoedown makes me look forward to all things summer coming to our neck of the woods, including music festivals. What are you looking forward to most this summer? Outdoors, travel, music? If you want to catch the summer festival fever, check out this comprehensive list of US festivals from coast-to-coast. And don’t forget to check your local area for the smaller events!
Highlights of this Week’s Edition
⚕️Treating IBS: Diet is the Best Medicine
📻 Beyond the Music: the Taylor Swift Connection
⚖️ Calorie Counting or Time-Restricted Eating for Weight Loss?
💪 More Evidence That Exercise May Counter The Effects of Aging
📱Feature Article: Raising Kids - How to Be Intentional with Technology
🥘 From Our Kitchen to Yours: Savory Southern Purple Hull Peas
 | ARE YOU A HEALTH GURU?What plant is used as an herbal remedy in Europe as a treatment for cancer? (Hint: it starts with the letter ‘M’) [ Answer at bottom of email ] |
Recent Breaking Health News
Treating IBS: Diet May Be More Effective than Meds Study Finds
Findings from a new study published April 19th in the The Lancet suggests that dietary changes may be the first course for treating Intestinal Bowel Syndrome or IBS and may be more effective than common medications that are often prescribed by medical physicians. IBS is an often difficult to remedy condition that impacts about 6% of Americans and can be debilitating due to symptoms of bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. FODMAP and low-carb diets were both found to be effective in providing relief. Find out more about what diets have been found to be effective for treating IBS (HealthDay)
Calorie Counting or Time-Restricted Eating For Weight Loss? It’s a Toss Up
More recently, it seems there is more of an emphasis on diets that include intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating vs. the traditional calorie restriction diets. But is one method better than another? Well, it probably depends. A new study indicates that over a three month period comparing groups of people sticking to both methods, the results were quite similar. The bottom line: it’s probably the quality and quantity of the food you eat that makes the biggest impact and some people may find that one method suits them better in cases where they may be trying to lose weight (MedicalNewsToday)
New Study Highlights the Importance of Exercise to Combat Aging
Most people are aware that older age is often linked to higher levels of bad cholesterol, which is associated with higher risk for heart, liver, and kidney disease, as well as many metabolic disorders. A recent study in Nature Aging now suggests that exercise may mitigate the effects in older persons. A biomarker known as BMP for short has been found to be present in higher amounts in the average older individual, with older women finding progressively lower levels as a result of implementing a regular exercise routine. Another great reason to stay active (healthline)
WEEKLY FEATURE
Raising Kids: The Importance of Being Intentional with Technology for Children and Adolescents
Dr. Sumi Says:
Being a parent and a child in this digital era has its benefits and challenges. Today's child is exposed to digital devices at a younger age and with increasing exposure time. While devices have some educational benefits, the dangers of early excessive exposure to mental, emotional and physical wellbeing is well documented and on the rise. What can parents do to protect our kids from the harms of excessive screen time? Click here to read the full article >
This Week’s Top Picks & Trends
The Taylor Swift Connection: Why She Hooks So Many of Us
Maybe you’re a Swiftie, maybe not, but chances are one of your kids or someone you know is. This week’s release of Swift’s new album titled The Tortured Poets Department brings Swift Fever to an all-time fever pitch. This recent Time article explores why so many connect with her music, with a big part being how relatable and vulnerable she is by covering themes we all experience- including love, loss, betrayal, self-doubt, and depression, helping us feel more connected to ourselves and others (Time)
Favorite Podcast Topic of the Week: Exercise Can Improve the Core Features of Autism
Dr. Mark Hyman is one of the leading experts in the field of Functional Medicine and this week he interviews Dr. Suzanne Goh, a pediatric neurologist who discusses the benefits of exercise for autism. Click the link to view the short and to take a deeper dive (Mark Hyman, MD on YouTube)
From Our Kitchen to Yours - Recipe of the Week
Savory Southern Purple Hull Peas
(Serves 6, 20 minutes of prep time)
Growing up, I used to always love going to my grandmother and grandaddy’s because they had a fresh vegetable garden. Oftentimes they would have purple hull peas and sometimes they were so fresh that we would have to shell them before cooking and eating them. Purple hulls are very similar to black eyed peas except they have a dark purple color and aren’t quite as mushy. If you can’t find purple hull peas where you live, you can substitute black eyed peas and it will be just as delicious! This recipe is vegetarian and contains no gluten.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound frozen purple hull peas (or fresh)
1 cup diced onions (white, red or yellow)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium sized carrot, chopped
1 medium jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
2-3 tsp minced garlic
dash olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water (optional, if needed)
STEP-BY-STEP
Rinse your peas and remove any stems or leaves
Chop onion, bell pepper, and celery
Finely dice jalapeno
Mince garlic
Heat a little bit of olive oil in a pot over medium heat
Saute onions for 4-5 minutes until translucent
Add garlic and saute for additional minute
Add peppers, celery, and carrot to the pot with salt and pepper
Allow vegetables to soften somewhat enough to release the flavors.. You do not have to brown them or cook them until completely soft.
Stir in purple hull peas
Stir in approximately 4 cups vegetable broth. The peas and vegetables should be fully covered with about an inch of liquid over them. Add more liquid if necessary to fully cover.
Bring the mixture to a boil uncovered
Turn the heat down so that the peas are at a gentle simmer. Cover the pot but leave it partially cracked for steam to escape.
Cook for about 45-50 minutes.
Check during the cooking process to make sure there is still plenty of liquid on the peas. Add more if necessary.
Taste after 40-45 minutes of cooking. The peas should be tender, but not mushy when done. Cook longer if necessary. (Fresh peas may take much longer than frozen).
Bon appetit!
The answer to today’s Are You a Health Guru? is Mistletoe (European). European Mistletoe has been traditionally used in European folk medicine for its potential anti-cancer properties. European Mistletoe extracts have shown to have cytotoxic effects on cancer cells and stimulate the immune system, demonstrating the ability to help improve quality of life and reduce side effects of cancer treatments. However, it is important to note that further research is needed to fully understand its effectiveness and safety in cancer treatment. (Source: ProProfs)
Have a great week and don’t forget to be festive!
Mark & the Healthy by Nature Team
*Disclaimer: information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Healthy by Nature® does not endorse or provide medical, professional or licensed advice. We advise you to consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner for your individual health and fitness needs.
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