Download March 2011 - Tasmanian Conference of the Seventh

The Happy Apple
ADVENTIST
HEALTH
April 2011
Welcome to the first Happy Apple for 2011. We hope that you
find some helpful information in this leaflet.
Because this is The Happy Apple, did you know that
Happiness is Infectious?
Science often confirms what we have all long suspected and
recent research in the British Medical Journal continues
that trend. It appears happiness is not just an individual
experience or a simple choice. Your happiness depends in
part, on those with whom you are connected. Researchers
from Harvard Medical School and the University of California
analysed data collected in the Framingham Heart Study to
find out if happiness can spread from person to person and if
clusters of happiness form within social networks.
By following 4739 participants over 20 years they concluded
that:
A happy friend or relative who lives close by increases
your contentment by 25%
A happy next-door neighbour boosts your likelihood of
life satisfaction by 34%
You are 8% more likely to be happy if your spouse is
happy too
Happy sibilings who live close by increases your
likelihood of happiness by 14%
If your friends and relatives are happy...... it’s good for
your health!
consuming more calories, fats and sugars. A healthy breakfast with
lots of carbohydrates and some protein - things like Bircher muesli
or an omelette with wholemeal toast - will also help to give you a
good range of vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre.
2
Eat less bad stuff, eat more good stuff - Regularly
eating food that’s high-calorie, high-fat, high-salt and
high-sugar can cause siginficant health issues, as can
skimping on vegetables and fruit. Instead of stocking up
on food that’s bad for you, eat more healthy foods. The occasional
indulgence isn’t going to make the world end, so don’t feel like
you’re going to have to live on Brussel sprouts alone.
Drink more water - The kidneys can’t function properly
unless we drink enough water. It’s also better for you
than drinking other things that have calories in it, like soft
drinks. It’s recommended that we drink eight glasses of
water per day. Dehydration can make you feel tired, which can lead
to snacking in an attempt to boost energy levels.
3
4
Brush your teeth - Gum disease has been linked to all
kinds of other health problems like chronic inflammation
and a higher risk for diabetes. Brushing your teeth can
also mean less visits to the dentist, which is great if
you’re dentist-phobic.
Exercise - You don’t have to be climbing Mount Everest
every morning before jogging the length of the Midland
Highway, but moving a little more will be better for you
than not exercising. This can be things like taking the
stairs, trying to include more walking in your daily life and doing 30
minutes of some sort of exercise.
5
6
Rest - Rest isn’t just about getting a good amount of
sleep each night, which is important. It’s also about
taking breaks and having some time for yourself. Skipping
holidays isn’t a good thing, as it’s important to have time
to do different things, unwind and relax.
Eight Top Tips for Healthy Habits
1
7
Have breakfast - If your new year’s resolution was
to lose weight, one of the best ways to start that is by
eating a good breakfast. People who skip breakfast are
more likely to snack during the day, which can result in
8
Stress less - Chronic stress, anger or worry have
significant impacts on the body and its functions. If you
are able to, remove yourself from situations causing you
stress. Otherwise, speak with a health professional to get
tips for dealing with stress in daily life.
Connect with the people you love - Spend more time
having fun with family and friends. Proverbs 17:22 says a
cheerful heart is good medicine. Having fun with people
you like to spend time with can’t be a bad thing.
Newsletter: Health Department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
People who consume a
diet high in soy products
also enjoy a better
recognition and recall ability in
memory testing compared to
those on a low-soy diet.
Aging women experience
less cognitive decline when
they consume higher amounts
of green, leafy vegetables and
cruciferous vegetables such as
cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli.
Iron deficiency in
children has been found
to be associated with poor
attention, altered learning
and memory, and behavioural
disturbances.
Regular aerobic exercise,
such as brisk walking, is a
sure way to improve blood
flow to the brain and enhance
memory. Men over 70 who
remained as active as they had
been earlier in life were shown to
stay more mentally alert.
People who consume a
higher than average fruit
and vegetable intake, have
denser bones and less fractures.
Information above taken from:
‘Flavonids, Food and Your Future’ by
Winston J Craig, PhD, RD
The Happy Apple is a publication from
the Health Department of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
(Tasmania) Pty Ltd.
157 Main Rd, Moonah, Tas, 7009
PO Box 253, Moonah, Tas, 7009
Ph: 03 6273 6277
[email protected]
Editor: Pr Robert Granger
Health Myths Busted!
1. YOU TASTE WITH YOUR TONGUE
HALF-
TRUE
Although your tongue is covered in approximately 10,000
taste buds, these receptors can really only detect bitter,
salty, sweet and sour flavours. Most of your ability to determine the taste
“vanilla ice-cream” actually comes from your nose (as much as 75%). When you put food
in your mouth, odour molecules from that food travel through the passage between your nose
and mouth to olfactory receptor cells at the top of your nasal cavity. The brain then combines
this smell information from the taste buds as well as the texture and temperature to determine
the taste of what you are eating. But because this all happens within an instant of putting food in
your mouth, we tend to assume the taste must come from our taste buds.
2. YOU USE ONLY 10% OF YOUR BRAIN
Unfortunately, this is definitely a myth. It is sometimes attributed to Einstein but is more likely
to have originated with William James (an early psychologist). Functional Medical Resonance
Imaging studies have demonstrated that there is no part of the brain that remains unused.
Depending on the activity, every part of the brain has a role to play. Other studies of brain injury
patients have also shown there is no part of the brain that can be damaged without some form of
functional or behavioural consequence. But do you use your brain to it’s full
potential? Well that’s a question only you can answer...
FALSE
3. CROSSING YOUR LEGS CAUSES VARICOSE VEINS
WRONG
This myth appears to have a long history. but is not true. Varicose veins
happen when blood that is supposed to flow toward the heart instead flows back into the vein.
The blood fills the vein, stretches it and causes it to become enlarged and swollen.
This happens because of weakness in the veins (genetic), wearing stilettos, being inactive, having
high blood pressure, being overweight, smoking or standing for long periods.
There is some evidence that pre-existing varicose veins can be exacerbated by crossing your legs
but despite extensive research, no causal link has been established between the two.
4. CRACKING YOUR KNUCKLES WILL GIVE YOU ARTHRITIS
Many parents have used this excuse to stop their children cracking their knuckles but it simply
isn’t true. Inside every joint is a fluid called synovial fluid, which acts as a joint lubricant. Synovial
fluid contains dissolved gases - oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. When you crack your
knuckles or when pressure is applied to a joint, the joint expands but the expansion is limited
by how much synovial fluid is contained in the joint. Synovial fluid cannot expand unless the
dissolved gases can
escape out of the fluid.
Studies examining the long term effects of knuckle cracking have
found no links to arthritis but some associations have been found with
increased ligament damage and decreased grip strength.
E
UNTRU
Blueberry & Almond Slice
This slice makes a delicious treat in the lunch box
Ingredients
Base
1/2 cup plain wholemeal flour
1/2 cup plain white flour
1/4 cup castor sugar
125g margarine
Topping
2 eggs
1/2 cup castor sugar
125g almond meal
1/4 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup blueberries
1. To make the base, place flours, sugar & margarine into a food processor and process until
mixture forms a ball (or rub margarine into dry ingredients with fingertips). Press mixture onto
a lightly greased and lined 19cm x 29cm lamington tin. Bake in a moderate oven (180 C) for 25
mins.
2. To make the topping whisk eggs and sugar together. Stir through remaining ingredients, except
blueberries. Fold through blueberries.
3. Spread topping over base and return to oven and bake for a further 40 mins. Cut into 20 slices.