Happy November! This month I’ve got 4 tips for you that are practical and easy ways to maintain and improve your wellness. Let’s dig in.
1. Would it surprise you if I said a tuna melt will keep you breathing freely?
And the oilier, the better.
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids should have a starring role in what you eat. In particular, two powerful anti-inflammatory fats found in oily fish like albacore tuna and salmon – docosahexaenoic acid (“DHA”) and eicosapentaenoic acid (“EPA”) – can protect you from heart disease by keeping plaque from building up in your arteries. Chronic inflammation can lead to lung disease, not just cancer or cardiovascular disease.
A recently released study makes this link clear.
It was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Researchers followed more than 15,000 healthy Americans, aged 56 on average, for several years. They found that higher levels of omega-3s from fatty fish (namely, DHAs) in the blood were associated with both a lower rate of decline in lung function and improved lung function.
And a different study published earlier this year reported a link between eating omega-3-rich seafood and an 8% lower risk of developing kidney disease.
If salmon, which we all tend to think of as a go-to fish for omega-3s, is too expensive for you, try tinned sardines. But get the kind without added salt and packed in olive oil for an extra boost of omega-9, omega-6, and omega-3 fatty acids.
I love sardines. Not a fan of a strong “fishy” taste? Drain the oil and add fresh extra-virgin olive oil instead. And use acidic ingredients like tomato, lemon juice, or vinegar to counteract the “fishy” flavor.
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2. Here’s a great nurse’s trick to relieve nausea fast.
Whether you travel by land, air, or sea, if you’re one of the 33% of people whose stomach lurches at the thought of being in a moving contraption, try taking along this lightweight, pocket-friendly solution.
Ripping open a couple of alcohol wipes and sniffing them can relieve nausea. Several small studies have shown the effectiveness of this odd form of aromatherapy.
A 2021 survey of emergency department nurses who treated 104 patients over several months found that “isopropyl-alcohol therapy” decreased the need for antiemetic (that is, anti-nausea) medications like ondansetron and metoclopramide.
Patients each received three isopropyl-alcohol swabs to use within 15 minutes. If patients still reported feeling nauseous, antiemetics were administered. And a 2020 study that surveyed 231 certified registered nurse anesthetists found that 92% of nurses used the isopropyl-alcohol trick for postoperative nausea and vomiting.
The mechanism is still unclear, but scientists have a couple of ideas. Isopropyl alcohol could affect how neurotransmitters activate the part of your brain that controls nausea and vomiting. Other theories include that the controlled, slightly deeper, and slower breathing method or distracting yourself with a new scent could be the reason why this works.
Certainly worth packing some alcohol swabs though, right?
3. Sight has a profound impact on your experience of life.
Sight protects you from getting hurt and allows you to take care of yourself with ease. You’re able to see your toothbrush and toothpaste at the sink in the morning, so you know exactly where and how to reach for them.
Turns out, more than 3 in 5 Americans aged 40 and up have vision problems. Cataracts are associated with a higher risk of bone problems, like osteoporosis and experiencing bone fractures.
Studies show that vision loss leads to lower quality of life and a significant loss of independence. When you’re suddenly unable to see as you once did, it’s easy to understand how that could be isolating.
In order to improve your eyesight, I have a few tricks for you to try.
**Feed your eyes nourishment.
**Eyes thrive on a well-balanced diet. Make sure your diet includes plenty of vitamins A, C, and E, which sharpen your ability to see. Antioxidants like beta-carotene and lutein help protect your eyes from sun damage. And omega-3 fatty acids help keep your eyes lubricated.
Reach for whole foods and brightly colored fruits and vegetables for these nutrients.
Think avocado, broccoli, corn, orange bell peppers, almonds, fatty fish, watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries, carrots, kale, pink grapefruit, legumes, spinach, kiwis, mangos, tomatoes, onions, apples, and whole-wheat pasta.
**Keep your eyes moist and in good shape.
Drinking plenty of water and other fluids, using nonpreserved, thick gel eyedrops at night for dryness, and taking good care of your contacts (not sleeping in them or using them past their recommended life) will help your eyes perform at their best.
Additionally, you can strengthen the muscles in and around your eyes by doing a few easy exercises each day:
Roll your eyes around, looking up, then to the side, then down, then to the other side. Repeat this move 15 times.
Focus on an item in your hands. Move the item close to your face and then far away.
Keep your eyes focused the entire time. Place the object down and walk away from and then back to it, still maintaining focus throughout the exercise.
Do what I do and look off in the distance for 15-30 seconds (this uses the muscles around the lens) and then look at your hands up close for 15 seconds (this relaxes the muscles) repeatedly for 10 to 20 times every day.
Stand facing a wall and use your peripheral vision to identify objects to your left and to your right, without moving your head. Repeat this move every few days until your field of vision expands.
Get choosy about the light around you.
Harsh fluorescent lights in your office and blue-light rays from your phone and computer could damage your eyes over time. And studies show that, depending on the intensity, exposure to blue light can damage the structures of your eyes.
Be sure to look outside throughout the day, forcing your eyes to take in natural lighting. Wear sunglasses on particularly bright, sunny days. And researchers in Japan have shown that wearing blue-light-filtering glasses for two hours before bedtime improved sleep quality for people who were on their devices before heading to bed.
Once the sun goes down, the normal human rhythm from wakefulness to sleep kicks in. Blue light blocks this process, stopping the body’s production of a critical health hormone called melatonin. Without melatonin, you’re almost guaranteed a poor night’s sleep.
4. Nearly one-third of adults in their 70s and older have some degree of hearing loss.
Hearing is closely tied to people’s mental health. A recent study found that people who wear their hearing aids are more likely to avoid dementia than those who avoid them. Another study closely linked hearing loss and depression. Adults fighting deafness are 47% more likely to experience symptoms of depression, compared with those who can hear.
So keep yourself healthy and boost your hearing with these three tips.
Drink red wine.
I know this tip isn’t for everyone, and that’s fine. A few years ago, an intriguing study found that an antioxidant in wine, resveratrol, improved and protected hearing in mice. Admittedly, we’re not mice. But do some research and see if these resveratrol findings prove to be worth the red wine intake 🙂
Eat for your ears.
Another antioxidant called quercetin helps prevent something called oxidative stress, which is when your cells age and die prematurely. Oxidative stress can damage the sensitive hair cells in your ears, making it much harder for you to hear. Quercetin is in citrus fruits, onions, tea, and red wine as well.
Another good nutrient to protect your hearing is omega-3. The fatty acid improves blood flow to your ear canals, which aids hearing. Look for omega-3s in fatty fish like salmon. Zinc also helps fight off inflamed and swollen ear canals. Zinc can be found in meat, shellfish, and legumes.
Studies show that eating nuts, seeds, seaweed, fruit, and foods rich in vitamin A is associated with better hearing. And make sure to eat your folic acid. Turns out, folic acid deficiency is linked to hearing loss, the result of oxidative stress.
Listen to music, but stay away from loud sounds.
Just mowing your lawn can expose you to sound loud enough to damage your critical hairlike cilia cells, which are located in your inner ear.
That’s why I recommend investing in a pair of noise-canceling headphones to protect your hearing.
I wear these whenever I am on an airplane, and I always sit in front of the engines to avoid too much sound stress.
You can also boost your hearing by listening to music at a medium to low volume. It will challenge your perception to listen closely and exercise your hearing system. And if you listen to music that features just one or two instruments at a time, do what I do and practice picking out the distinctions in each piece of the song.
Hope these 4 areas I’ve written about have provided useful and actionable tips for you. Let me know.
Enjoy your month of Thanks Giving. I give thanks for all my wonderfully supportive readers……….that’s you!
shelli
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