Oat Meal with Flax Seek, a Great Breakfast! (Video, Eng)

‘Healthy Foods’ with Layane Makarem

Layane Makarem opened with her friend Sabine the first certified organic store in Lebanon. Located in Achrafieh, Beirut, A New Earth opened its doors in 2009 offering a wide selection of organic and healthy foods.

In this video, Layane tells us about the great benefits of eating Oat for breakfast. Sprinkle your oat with crushed flax seed (2 spoons give you your omega3 needs), add some dry fruits or honey, hot water (or rice milk) and you got yourself a super breakfast high in fibers, rich in proteins, essential fatty acids, and anti-oxidants.

You can contact Layane by email and join her Facebook page.

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Cold or Heat? Which Therapy Do I Use, and When?

 I often hear this question. Most people know that applying heat or cold can be beneficial but they are not sure when to use what. In this post I will try to answer this question. Let’s start with cold therapies.

Hot or cold? 

One simple thing to remember:

 Touch the area of pain or injury. 

If it is warmer than the rest of 

your body don’t put heat on it. Use cold.

Using cold

Cold therapy is commonly used during the first 48 hours of an injury (presence of inflammation). The application of cold can take many forms: cold packs, cold cloth, crushed ice compress, and ice baths. When cold therapy (also called cryotherapy) is used, the blood vessels narrow, which will decrease the blood flow to the injured area, thus reducing the swelling. By its numbing effect, cryotherapy also reduces pain. In addition, cold can help ease a muscle spasm.

Use cold safely

- Use it for an average of 20 minutes (don’t exceed 30 minutes). Wait a minimum of two hours before reapplying cold to allow the skin to regain normal temperature and prevent frostbite.

- Wrap the ice packs in a towel before applying to skin.

- The normal sensations are in this sequence: cold, burning, aching, numb.

When to not use cold

- If you feel your heart racing with a cold application.

- On open or infected wounds.

- When there is already numbness in the skin.

- With Poor circulation.

Hot therapy

Moist heat (wet cloth, warm bath) 

is more effective than dry heat.

Heat is indicated in sub-acute and chronic conditions (after 48hrs when there is no more swelling). The heat (applied through electric pads, hot water bottles, hot gel packs, or via a warm bath) dilates blood vessels, which promotes an increased blood flow.  This will bring nutrients and oxygen helping with the healing process. It also help to decrease pain, muscle spasm and tightness, and joint stiffness. Moist heat (wet warmed cloth, warm bath) is more efficient than dry heat because it reaches deeper within the body tissues.

Heating up carefully

- Put a towel between the hot pack and the skin to prevent skin irritation and burns.

- Apply hot packs for 15 minutes (20 minutes maximum).

- If you experience strong discomfort, discontinue treatment.

- Don’t sleep with it.

When to avoid heat

- During the acute phase (if the zone is warm to touch don’t heat it)

- Impaired circulation.

- On injured skin (bruised areas).

- Decreased sensation to heat.

- Infected areas.

- Areas of numb skin

Alternating cold and hot

Passed the acute phase (only cold), you can do a session of alternating cold and hot. Try two minutes hot followed by two minutes cold and repeat 6 times. That will help to stimulate circulation. It will flush the waste material and bring the elements necessary for healing. I like this third option.

Now that you have the basics you can safely use this effective thermal therapy. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comment box.

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Green Tea & Obesity in Lebanese University Students

Among university students at the Lebanese American University, 37% of males are overweight while 13,6% of females are overweight¹.  In 1996, figures were 23,4% of boys and 19,7% of girls². This evolution (increase in boys while a reduction in girls) may be explained by the societal pressure on girls to be thin, while it is not perceived to be as important for boys.

Knowing the many health problems associated with being overweight, it is essential for BOTH boys and girls to be attentive to their body. In addition to exercising and a healthy diet, drinking green tea seems to help regaining a proper weight.

A study³ conducted at the Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh observed the effects of green tea consumption. A group of students between the ages of 19-37 were asked to drink 4 cups of green tea per day without changing their usual diet. After 14 days, the students showed a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, in total cholesterol, in body fat and body weight. This may be explained by the high levels of polyphenols and other antioxidants contained in green tea.

Try jasmine green tea and let me know what you think.

You may also be interested by this article on preschoolers’ obesity: Overweight Children in Beirut.

References:

1) Yahia et al., Najat (2008). Eating Habits and Obesity among Lebanese University Students.

2) http://www.iaso.org

3) Emad Al-Dujaili, Jon-Paul Bradley, Suzana Almoosawi & Lorna Fyfe (2009). "Effects of green tea consumption on blood pressure, total cholesterol, body weight and fat in healthy volunteers". Endocrine Abstracts 20: P470.

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Vitamin C for Smokers

A daily supplement of vitamin C helps limit the oxidative stress inflicted by smoking. In the US one person in five is a smoker, in Europe it is one in three, while Lebanon figure is one in two. Due to the toxins contained in cigarettes, the oxidative stress (causes cancers but also premature skin aging and hair thinning) levels on smokers are significantly higher than in non-smokers.

In smokers, healthy antioxidants such as vitamin C and E, are quickly depleted. A study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine (Vol. 40) reveals that taking 500mg of vitamin C twice per day helped maintain healthy levels of this vitamin and also helped protect the vitamin E that is usually destroyed in large quantities by the cigarettes toxins.

The lead research of the study, Richard Bruno noted that it took about two weeks of vitamin C supplementation to observe the benefits.

Another study published in the American Journal of Public Health (Vol. 79)* reveals that smokers eat generally less food rich in vitamins than the non-smokers. In other words, they have an already low amount of the needed vitamins to start with, and through smoking they burn it away. 

As long as you smoke you cannot afford not supplementing with vitamin C.  

In which foods do I find vitamin C?

Dietary sources

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Introduction to Organic Food

Aude Richard
Owner and Manager of Biodelices in Embrun, France

In Lebanon, the number of people buying organic food is steadily growing. However, many Lebanese are still not familiar with what is organic food. I remember an interview I did in the mid-2000s in France. At the time, organic food stores were starting to blossom throughout the country. The comments and advises I got from Aude Richard, who has been running an organic food store in the French Alps since 2002, could apply to today’s situation in Lebanon.

Aude and her life partner opened ‘un magasin bio’ in the early 2000 in the city of Embrun in the Alps. Audes notes that from the beginning the essential of her work was to advise her clients on proper nutrition and the use of supplements when needed. “Some people know exactly what they want, but most new customers would like to eat organic food for their health, but they are not sure where to start” Aude adds that “I also often see young mothers who want to provide the best food for their baby. Our role is to explain why it is beneficial to eat organic food (untreated and grown on clean soil): To have a healthy body, but also to limit the damages from pollution and chemicals found in most industrial foods.”

I asked Aude what are the basics of organic food? She advises 5 products for people who want to start eating organic.

- Unrefined sugar cane, which is rich in vitamins and minerals. White refined sugar should be avoided because it has been linked to obesity and onset of diabetes type II. Note that what is referred to ‘brown sugar’ is usually white sugar with molasses added to it; to be avoided as well.

- Bread, made out of whole grain (or half-whole-bread to gradually get used to it). There are many types of breads other than the regular white wheat bread: oat bread (you may want to read 4 good reasons to eat Oat Bread), flax bread, sunflower bread…all offering a healthier alternative to white bread.

- Oils, extra-virgin, cold pressed. Only olive oil can serve for cooking. The others (colza, hempseed, flax) should be used as seasoning on crudité or on fish filet.

- Vegetables and fruits are the foundation of organic consumption. They are healthier (richer in Vitamins and minerals) and so much more savory and tasty!

Are you considering organic food? Are you already a regular consumer or are you an occasional one? Share your experience!

Interview published in Vi-be Mai-Juin 2006.

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Yoga in Beirut : Prenatal Yoga

Prenatal Yoga

Yoga, which offers many benefits on the physical and mental level, is a great choice for pregnant women. If you haven’t practice it before, the pregnancy period is a perfect time to start practicing.

Duna, a sivananda yoga instructor, has been trained to teach pregnant women.

Here is the introduction to her work:

“Each session is designed to help you connect with your changing body while preparing you for labor and birth. Incorporating safe postures, meditation and breathe-work in a flowing sequence, prenatal yoga focuses on simultaneously strengthening and relaxing your body and mind. Set in a peaceful environment, these classes will help strengthen the uterus and pelvic muscles, improve circulation, support the spine and relieve backache, aid in digestion and ease overall discomfort.”

You can contact Duna by email or visit her Facebook page : Yoga Duna

Here are three articles relating to prenatal yoga you may want to read:

- 10 Benefits Of Yoga For Pregnant Women

- Benefits of Yoga During Pregnancy Reviewed by James W. Brann, MD

- The Benefits of Yoga During and After Pregnancy

Have you tried it? Please leave your comment to share with others your experience. Thanks!

Oh, one more thing… Have you joined my Facebook Page? Get useful tips for a healthy living! (Right there, in the right column). Thanks for your support.

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Oat Bread

4 good reasons to eat oat bread

In addition to the usual white Arabic bread made out of wheat, there are now on the market many other types of bread using different cereals. One of them is oat bread and it offers several health benefits.

1. Stronger heart

A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that eating high fiber foods, such as oats, helps prevent heart disease (1). Oats, via their high fiber content help remove cholesterol from the digestive system that would otherwise end up in the bloodstream. The latest research suggests they may have another cardio-protective mechanism. Antioxidant compounds unique to oats, called avenanthramides, help prevent free radicals from damaging LDL cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, suggests a study conducted at Tufts University and published in The Journal of Nutrition.

2. Enhanced Immune Response to Infection

In addition to being beneficial to the cardio-vascular system, oat reinforces the immune system. In laboratory studies reported in Surgery, beta-glucan found in oat significantly enhanced the human immune system's response to bacterial infection.

3. Stabilize Blood Sugar

Studies also show that beta-glucan has beneficial effects in diabetes as well. Type 2 diabetes patients given foods high in this type of oat fiber or given oatmeal or oat bran rich foods experienced much lower rises in blood sugar compared to those who were given white rice or bread.

4. A Well-tolerated Wheat Alternative for Children and Adults with Celiac Disease

Although treatment of celiac disease has been thought to require lifelong avoidance of the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley and oats, recent studies of adults have shown that oats, despite the small amount of gluten they contain, are well-tolerated. Now, a double blind, multi-center study involving 8 clinics treating 116 children newly diagnosed celiac disease suggests oats are a good grain choice for children with celiac disease as well. The children were randomly assigned to receive either the standard gluten-free diet (no wheat, barley, rye or oats) or a gluten-free diet with some wheat-free oat products. At the end of the study, which ran for a year, all the children were doing well, and in both groups, the mucosal lining of the small bowel (which is damaged by wheat gluten in celiac disease) had healed and the immune system (which is excessively reactive in celiac patients) had returned to normal.

These are many good reasons to try oat bread. It tastes a bit different than the ‘regular’ bread but you will enjoy it. You don’t have to fully give up on the white pita, just alternate with other types of bread.

Source: The World’s Healthiest Foods (http://www.whfoods.com)

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Burden of air pollution in Lebanon

In numbers, the burden of air pollution on Lebanon due to smoking and car pollution

58, that’s the Lebanon air pollution in mg of nitrogen dioxide/m3 compared to the WHO maximum allowance of 40.

100 000 new cars come join the Lebanese fleet each year.

50% more asthma cases in Lebanon than in Europe and the US.

327 million dollars/ year. That’s what smoking is costing the state.

1,30 dollar. That’s the average cost of a pack of cigarette. If taxes on cigarettes were raised, it could reduce smoking in the youth population.

53% of Lebanese adults do smoke. 

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Cranberry Juice to Prevent Bladder Infection

Urinary tract infections also called cystitis are caused by bacteria that travel from the urethra up into the urinary bladder. It can be quite painful. Women may have burning pain while urinating and feel like they need to urinate frequently. Some women tend to develop recurrent cystitis. In that case, drinking cranberry juice is very helpful as a preventive measure because a substance present in that fruit prevents bacteria from adhering to the walls of the bladder decreasing the chance to develop an infection. 
Putting it into action: 
It is advised to drink about 20 cl (7 ounces) of cranberry juice daily. Make sure it’s 100 % juice. If you find it too sour tasting, cranberry capsules do exist, and the research has shown that it is also effective. During the infection, drink lots of water in addition to the cranberry juice and prefer showers to baths.

Source:

Jepson RG, Mihaljevic L, Craig J. "Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections."

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(1):CD001321. 
Stothers L. "A randomized trial to evaluate effectiveness and cost effectiveness of naturopathic cranberry products as prophylaxis against urinary tract infection in women." Can J Urol. 2002 Jun;9(3):1558-62.

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Healthy Feet for a Healthy Posture

Our feet, these relatively small features of our body, significantly affect our posture. Most people never exercise them (and often abuse them in tight shoes) leading to problems in the mid-foot arch, which is going to be excessively rigid or on the contrary can collapse leading to flat feet. In both cases, walking becomes affected. Instead of propelling from the front of the foot and toes in a smooth movement, most people grab the floor with their toes as they walk. This is why so many people develop misshaped toes. Let’s discover how that happens and what you should do to keep your feet (and posture) in good shape.   


First of all, try this little movement to feel how your feet affect your posture. Standing up, bare feet, have one foot rolled inward and the other rolled outward. Did you notice how your pelvis has to twist to adapt to this faulty foundation? Now imagine how thousands of steps done with abnormal foot mechanics can affect your over all body posture. This is why taking care of our feet will not only be good for them, it will benefits our entire structure.   


If we study the anatomy and function of the foot we discover that the mid foot serves, through its arch, as a shock absorber allowing us to adapt to changing pressures and surfaces. When the mid foot becomes too rigid or looses its arch, it cannot absorb the walking impacts anymore. Other parts of the body like the knees, pelvic joints, and back muscles have to stiffen to accommodate for the loss of proper foot function. That will eventually leads to problems and faster aging in these areas.   If you often have painful feet, start to develop a bunion, and you feel that you’re not using your feet properly, it is advised to consult a health professional (chiropractor, physical therapist, osteopath, or orthopedist) trained in postural rehab who will examine your posture, and advise you on proper exercises and the need for insoles. You should also do this simple yet very effective exercise. 

Tennis Ball Massage 
You’ll need to go to your sport shop and buy a box of tennis balls. Standing straight, step on one ball with your right foot. You can hold yourself to a chair or the wall to keep your balance. Bend a little bit your right knee to keep your pelvis balanced. Now massage the bole of your foot by rolling the ball under. You will feel painful areas indicating soft tissue tightness. Be gentle but be sure to go over all the areas: the heel, the mid foot, and the front foot and toes without forgetting the sides. Do that for duration of ten full breaths. Then, before you proceed to the left foot, and this is important to do, lay your right foot on the ground. Feel how the heel seems to be larger, the arch more relaxed and the toes more into contact with the floor. Now do the left foot. If you do this exercise 3 times per week for 3 weeks, you will loosen up your feet. It is then up to you to found the right shoes to keep your feet comfortable and healthy.   


Source: The New Rules of Posture by Mary Bond. Healing Arts Press.

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Body Scan of Overweight Person

Body scan of a 113kg woman and a 54kg woman. Look at the size of the intestines and stomach; how the knee joints rub together; the enlarged heart; and the fat pockets near the brain. It is interesting to note that the size of the muscles is not that different. This excessive fat is a drain on the body, and we can easily understand how it will become harder on the organism as the person ages. If it may be challenging for many people to loose weight, they need to persevere for their own health and well-being.Thanks to Rick Shepherd, Randy Moe, HealthEnthusiast Dawny and Donna Shepherd.

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Misconceptions about Narguile

The water is NOT a good filter.

Many people think that the smoke that goes through water is less harmful. This is a misbelief. Research has shown that the water does not filter the toxic substances from the tobacco smoke that is inhaled. It actually makes the problem worst because the water cools down the smoke which has for result a longer and deeper inhalation. If you doubt this put an absorbent tissue between the end of the pipe and your mouth, and you’ll feel the difference!

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Overweight Children in Beirut

Turn off the TV, and put away the playstation. A study (1) conducted on 234 children (aged 6-8 years old) in Beirut revealed that the prevalence of obesity was 7% in boys and 6% in girls. The researchers noted that reduced physical activity was the most significant factors associated with childhood overweight. If we are still far from the 15 % of obesity among pre-schoolers in the US (2), we need to be careful the situation doesn’t worsen in Lebanon.



Ref :
1) P. Jabre, P. Sikias, B. Khater-Menassa, R. Baddoura and H. Awada. “Overweight children in Beirut: prevalence estimates and characteristics” Children Care Health Development 31(2):159-165, 2005


2) CDC analyzed the 1998−2008 Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System (PedNSS) data

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Orthopedic Pillows, Are They Useful?

36 adults suffering from neck pain have participated in a study evaluating the benefits of orthopedic pillows (OP). 17 were put in the placebo group while 19 used the OP. The study that lasted 4 weeks has shown that the people using the OP had a lower intensity of pain mainly in the morning time. 

My take on it?
OP can be of great help. Nonetheless, the body goes through different cycles, and sometime you may feel more comfortable with a different pillow or even with no pillow at all. It’s a matter of being attentive to your body and to avoid, when possible, going to bed with a tight back. A 5 minutes stretch with deep breathing before bedtime can go a long way in improving the quality of your sleep.

Source: The Canadian Chiropractic Association Journal (issue 48).

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10 Great Foods For Men

According to the Canadian publication Alive, these 10 foods offer great benefits to men’s health. Needless to say that they are also great food for women.

1. Almonds

They are rich in calcium, fibre, iron and magnesium; they help lower cholesterol.

2. Bananas

A good source in potassium, bananas help regulate blood pressure.

3. Blueberries

They are loaded with vitamin C. They also contain phytonutrients that promote healthy aging and improve short-term memory.

4. Broccoli

Eating apples help to lower blood cholesterol and glucose

Rich in phytonutrients and vitamins A and C, broccoli may help prevent heart disease and diabetes.

5. Salmon

It offers an excellent source of omega 3  which is essential for a healthy heart.

6. Spinach

A great source of vitamins A and C and folate (vitamin B9), spinach boosts the immune system and help protect against macular degeneration.

7. Cooked Tomatoes

Lycopene in tomatoes has been associated with a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer. Adding fat (like extra-virgin olive oil) to cooked tomatoes, increases lycopene absorption by 55 percent.

8. Apples

They contain vitamin C and pectin, a soluble fiber that helps lowering blood cholesterol and glucose.

9. Wheat Germ

Full of nutrients including thiamine, folate, magnesium, and zinc, and a good source of fibers.

10. Sweet Potatoes

Rich in beta carotene that helps slow the aging process and reduces the risk of certain cancers.

Source: Alive, March 2012, Issue no 353

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