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- š§ Elmoās a Therapist, Tainted Cinnamon, and the Mind-Gut Connection
š§ Elmoās a Therapist, Tainted Cinnamon, and the Mind-Gut Connection
Should you eat more of these 5 foods?
HBN Team
March 18, 2024
Highlights of this Weekās Edition
š° More & More Our Water Supply Looks Less & Less Safe
š« Elmo is a Therapist: Feel Better Fast
š„¬ 5 Foods You Should Probably Eat More Of
š§ Feature Article: the Mind-Gut Health Connection
š¤ This Weekās Health Hack: The REACHER Sunrise Alarm Clock
š² From Our Kitchen to Yours: Grain-Free, Paleo Friendly Breakfast Porridge
 | ARE YOU A HEALTH GURU?What percentage of men and women claim to have good or excellent gut and digestive health? [ Answer at bottom of email ] |
Recent Breaking News
How Safe is American Tap Water? Report Raises New Concerns
There have been 214 disease outbreaks, 184 due to the bacteria Legionella- that have resulted in 786 illnesses and 86 deaths between 2015 and 2020 according to a recent report, and the cases are attributed to public water systems that supply water to homes, businesses, and health facilities. Other issues such as contamination like that found with lead in Flint, Michigan 6 years ago are well documented. The report encourages municipalities to shore up their detection systems for bacteria. Our take: we received the water report from our county last week which indicated traces of lead and fluoride, but all āwithin normal levels.ā The local system also uses chlorine, which is quite typical. We filter all of our drinking water but are considering purchasing water filters for all of our indoor taps. We recommend requesting your local water reports, knowing your water source, and consider purchasing water filters as well. (CDC.gov)
Concerns Over Lead in Cinnamon Sitedā¦ Again
For the second time in the last 6 months, the FDA has issued an advisory of multiple brands selling cinnamon due to concerns of abnormal amounts of lead. This comes after a November 2023 recall by the FDA of cinnamon applesauce pouches due to high levels of lead contamination found after numerous customer complaints. Most of the complaints and recalls have come from brands found at discount grocery stores and dollar stores. Itās a reminder that we need to really scrutinize the source of our food, water, and other products we consume. Find out which cinnamon brands and stores may be impacted (NPR)
Dance Your Way Out of Depression
In a recent meta-analysis (across multiple studies), findings from a recent British Medical Journal article found that dance can reduce depression outcomes by as much as 96%, though the sample size was small. The authors conclude that āexercise is an effective treatment for depression, with walking or jogging, yoga, and strength training more effective than other exercises, particularly when intense.ā Exercise was found to be about just as effective as psychotherapy and pharmaceutical therapy (British Medical Journal).
WEEKLY FEATURE
Unlocking the Secrets of Your Second Brain: The Gut-Brain Connection and Its Impact on Well-being
Dr. Sumi Says:
More than 2000 years ago, Hippocrates supposedly declared that āall diseases begin in the gutā. There is growing evidence now that supports the connection between gut health and brain health. The healthier our gut is, the more stable our moods and the less likely we are to suffer from anxiety and depression.
It isnāt uncommon for clients that I work with to list āimproved mental healthā as one of their top concerns. When we treat a personās gut, we are likely to have greater success with mental health symptoms as compared to treating their symptoms with conventional medication alone, which has a less than 50% chance of success. Click here to read the full article >
This Weekās Top Picks & Trends
5 Essential Foods to Eat Regularly for Optimal Health
Recently several top nutritionists, doctors, and longevity experts were interviewed to determine what foods they ate regularly to achieve optimal brain, heart, longevity and overall wellness and there were some common themes. The top 5 foods: leafy greens, berries, fish and other lean proteins, legumes, and nuts and seeds. Find out why these key foods are so important and why you should probably eat more (CNBC)
Elmo Inspires 15 Ways to Help You Feel Better Fast
Elmo, the beloved Sesame Street character, posted on his account asking how people were feeling and was surprised by the response, inspiring TotalWellness to write a quick reminder to us all about 15 ways to snap us out of the blues when weāre feeling less than par (TotalWellness)
This Weekās Health Hack
MAKE WAKING UP EASIER WITH A SUNRISE ALARM CLOCK
Our daughter isnāt a morning person and wanted to avoid the agony of waking up early to darkness and an obnoxious sounding alarm. So after doing a little research, we bought her the REACHER Sunrise Alarm Clock. The clock has a number of cool functions including the ability to gradually bring on the light from faint to bright slowly, mimicking a sunrise, and it has a white noise maker to help make falling asleep easier, multiple alarm sounds and nature sounds, and even has different colored lights which work well for a little evening mood setting. I may try it soon to see how it helps with those newly discovered dark early mornings thanks to the time change. I enjoy waking up to gradual light much better than sound, and it may be the next best thing to waking up to natural daylight. You can check out the REACHER Sunrise Alarm Clock on Amazon here >>>
From Our Kitchen to Yours - Recipe of the Week
Grain-Free, Paleo Friendly Breakfast Porridge
(Serves 1, 10-15 minutes of prep time)
This recipe was inspired by a friend of mine who wanted to eat healthy, but isnāt into eating oatmeal. Itās an easy go-to breakfast and I eat it a couple of times a week.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp of Chia Seeds
1 tbsp Pumpkin Seeds
1 tbsp Roasted or Raw Almonds
1 tbsp Roasted or Raw Pecans
1-2 tbsp of Dried, Shredded Coconut
1-2 tbsp of Coconut or Greek Yogurt
(optional) 2-3 tbsp of berries or other fruit (adding fruit may not be keto-friendly)
(optional) 1 tbsp of nut butter or sunflower butter
(optional) coconut milk, rice milk, macadamia milk, or dairy milk to cover
āā
STEP-BY-STEP
Soak chia seeds and pumpkin seeds for at least 2 hours or overnight. Strain before mixing.
Grind up pumpkin seeds, almonds and pecans in a coffee grinder or food processor.
In a sauce pan or small pot, add chia seeds and mix of pumpkin seeds, almonds, and pecans. Add coconut flakes and nut butter (optional) and cover with water.
Bring to a small boil and quickly cut down to a simmer while stirring until mixture is thick.
Pour porridge mixture into a bowl. Add coconut yogurt or Greek yogurt and berries or other fruit as desired.
Add a little coconut milk, rice milk, macadamia milk, or dairy milk to slightly cool it and to moisten it.
Get a spoon and dig in.
Enjoy!
The answer to todayās Are You a Health Guru? is 74% of men and 59% of women claim to have good or excellent gut and digestive health (Source: Ipsos Health Poll)
Wishing you the best of health,
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 NatureĀ® 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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