Spring has sprung! With the weather warming, we’ve been hitting our local farmer’s market the last few weekends. Although most of the local produce won’t arrive until later in the spring, we’ve enjoyed discovering many local vendors who have amazing and delicious offerings.

Here are some of our favorite finds the last couple of weeks: two amazing homemade quiche vendors, Lebanese zaatar bread, delicious hummus and tasty bitters (oxymoron?). We always show up at the market hungry, contrary to popular advice.

We were even treated to a surprise visit from a little girl’s pet chicken who seemed perfectly content to go for a ride in a space aged looking backpack for pets. We encourage you to check out your local farmer’s markets this spring to make your own discoveries and read on below to catch this week’s latest news including part 1 of a 4-part series from Dr. Sumi on Spring Cleansing.

Highlights of this Week’s Edition

🍓 The 2024 Dirty Dozen List is Topped with Strawberries

👄 Mouth Bacteria Linked to Increased Risk of Colorectal Cancer

♨️ Angry? Take a Deep Breath

👣 Your # of Steps Per Day Keeps the Doctor Away 

🧠 Feature Article: Spring Cleaning Detox (Part 1 of a 4 Part Series)

🤓 This Week’s Health Hack: The RENPHO Smart Weight Scale

🍲 From Our Kitchen to Yours: Delicious Paleo-Friendly, Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

Recent Breaking News

Strawberries and Spinach Top This Year’s Dirty Dozen List

Each year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases its “Dirty Dozen” list, or a list of the Top 12 conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that contain harmful pesticides. At the top of the list this year are strawberries, spinach, greens such as kale and collards, and grapes and peaches. The group also releases a “Clean 15” list of the fruits and veggies that have the lowest amount of detectable pesticides in non-organic form. The list is created to encourage consumers to make smart choices on which foods to consider buying organic vs. ones that are quite safe being consumed from conventional sources. Read on to discover which fruits and veggies you can feel good about and which ones where you may have a little more caution  (CNN.com)

Bacteria Found in the Mouth Linked to Colon Cancer

In a recent study published in the journal Nature, researchers discovered that the bacteria fusobacterium nucleatum, microbes typically found in the mouth, were linked to 50% of cases of people diagnosed with colorectal tumors and cancer.  With recent data showing that colorectal cancer rates are increasing among young people, the findings place renewed emphasis on the link between the gut microbiome and serious health conditions such as cancer, while bringing up the question of what role overuse of antibiotics may play (MedicalNewsToday). 

Research Busts Myth that Venting Helps Rage

Researchers recently investigated the long held belief that catharsis, or venting emotions via physical activity or overt expression and found that instead, it’s much more effective to reduce arousal levels via techniques known to reduce stress such as deep breathing, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, or even counting. They also found that jogging was the activity most likely to increase anger. You may want to remember that the next time you put on your running shoes (Ohio State University News).

WEEKLY FEATURE

Just in Time for Spring Cleaning: The Ins & Outs of Detox & Cleansing

This Week’s Top Picks & Trends

The Number of Steps You Take a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

The popular notion that “10,000 Steps a Day” is linked to better health outcomes is attributed to Japanese marketing of pedometers, but is it true? Researchers from a recently published articles conclude that a step count above 2,200 per day was linked to lower mortality and cardiovascular incidents, while totalling 9000 to 10,500 steps per day is associated with the lowest mortality risk. My average this year so far is 5,550/per day. Time to step it up   (British Journal of Sports Medicine)

Nature’s RX: Doctor Food Prescriptions Help

In the last several years, several federal and community programs have sprung up taking a novel approach: physicians and dieticians prescribing fresh fruits and vegetables instead of just peddling pharmaceuticals. But is it effective in increasing health outcomes? Apparently, yes. Research so far shows that prescriptions of fresh produce are associated with numerous positive health outcomes including lowering blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and decreasing weight loss in obese individuals. Maybe it’s high time we put more money where our mouth is (NBC News)

This Week’s Health Hack

MAKE TRACKING WEIGHT LOSS & BODY COMPOSITION EASY WITH A SMART SCALE

Last year, one of my new year’s resolutions was to put on muscle, be more active and drop some weight. I was definitely successful with the first two, but losing weight was slow, up and down, and I was tracking it several times a week in a spreadsheet. Then in the Fall I purchased the RENPHO Smart Scale. You can download an app on your smart phone, connect it to the scale, and it will track your body weight and estimate your BMI and Body Fat % using some kind of technomagic that I don’t really understand. It definitely makes tracking progress much easier and I find it quite motivating. You can check out the RENPHO Smart Scale on Amazon here >>>