Health Affixed

Health Is Limitless

Thoughts of a Burger

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Ah, the classic burger and fries. Burger is a bad word and a bad thing for your waistline especially when coupled with fries, but it is an American classic and some would say it is unpatriotic to denounce the burger. So, let’s not denounce the burger. Let’s improve it.

First, does one truly need a patty larger than 4 ounces on a burger?

Second, does one need the bun?

Third, does one need two different meats?

Fourth, does one need multiple cheeses?

Fifth, does one need multiple sauces?

Sixth, does one need all of the above?

The real classic American hamburger consists of a beef patty served inside a sliced bun and typically garnished with condiments. So, the only required items for an American hamburger are a patty and a bun; everything else is un-American. Ok, that’s extreme, but you get the gist. A burger does not have to be the caloric monstrosity that it has become.

Let’s opt for a healthier hamburger – a normal sized beef patty, a veggie patty instead of beef, one slice of cheese, lettuce buns instead of bread rolls, etc. There is an infinite amount of ways to simplify a restaurant burger and avoid eating one sandwich that contains the total caloric intake for a whole day.

Fitness Trackers: All the Rage

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If you aren’t wearing a fitness tracker, did you really workout? A fitness tracker gives you an idea of your intensity level while exercising. More importantly, it helps to keep you motivated to exercise by keeping track of your workouts and the amount of calories burned during your sweat sessions. Weight maintenance is a numbers game and fitness trackers keep you aware of the numbers. Some trackers offer additional tracking features like sleep and water intake.

The bottom line is that fitness trackers make you feel “some type of way.” When you look at the tracker and it shows that you worked out every day for the last month, you feel a sense of accomplishment and you feel motivated to keep the streak going. When the tracker shows that you only worked out twice in the last month, you feel disappointed and want to get back on track especially when you consider that, a month ago, you exercised every day of the month and survived!

Invest in yourself by purchasing a decent fitness tracker and start tracking your workouts. You won’t regret it.

Developing Healthy Habits 101

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The time to start is now, but how long until the healthy habit sticks. They say it takes 21 days to form or break a habit, but I don’t believe it. A healthy habit that fits your lifestyle takes time to develop and 21 days is not enough time.

Remember, it’s only through trial and error that we can truly figure out what works for us. In fact, forcing yourself to do something consistently will seem forced and anything that feels forced tends to feel more punitive than rewarding. So, forget the 21-day rule.

First, figure out what healthy habit you would like to start or what unhealthy habit you would like to reduce.

Second, think long term, not 21 days. You want to develop this habit over your lifetime – not in 21 days. After all, there is no deadline.

Third, keep it simple and hassle free.

Fourth, keep is positive. Always think of what you can add to your life to develop the healthy habit or reduce a bad habit; do not tell yourself that you have to subtract or give up something.

Examples

1. You want more sleep. Q: how are you sabotaging your sleep time? Example A: you stay up too late to watch your favorite shows.

Solution: consider adding a DVR service.

2. You eat out too often. Q: why are you eating out so much? Example A: you work crazy hours.

Solution: consider adding a meal prep/plan service to your busy lifestyle.

3. You want to exercise more frequently. Q: what is keeping you from exercising? Example A: I work crazy hours; I don’t know how to exercise; I don’t have time/money for a gym; I am lazy.

Solution: consider working out in the AM before your work day starts; consider hiring an online coach or following exercise professionals on social media; YouTube has a ton of quick workouts ranging from beginner friendly to advance and you can play the videos on your television; join a challenge with a friend or co-worker to help motivate you.

4. You want to reduce the number of cigarettes that you smoke per day. Q: what are some of your triggers? Example A: stress at work; nicotine craving; hand to mouth motion

Solution: consider joining a counseling group; try using nicotine patches; keep gum to chew

5. You want to reduce the amount of coffee you drink daily. Q: how many cups of coffee do you drink throughout the day? Example A: Two to Five

Solution: after each cup, drink one 12 oz bottle of water before heading for a coffee refill.

GMO Labeling

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When you read the back of a candy bar, does it say: “partially produced with genetic engineering?” If so, do you care?

Well, this GMO labeling was a big deal in at least one state: Vermont. Vermont passed laws to make GMO labeling mandatory where crop modification techniques were used in the creation of a food product. GMO technically means genetically modified organisms. Specifically, it’s altering the genetic makeup of a living thing to make it different than it is naturally.

Apparently, selective breeding is one type of genetic modification that humans have been using for a very long time. In the selective breeding process, foreign genetic material is not added; instead, certain genetic material is separated or concentrated and/or combined with other selected genetic material. Generally, selective breeding was accomplished by carefully breeding parents that show the desired characteristics. For example, via natural mutation, a seedless grape was born; basically, due to a genetic defect, the seeds in the grape did not harden so the grape was essentially seedless. Our ancestors took the seedless grape and cross bred it with other grapes to create more seedless grapes. Thus, today, we have all types of seedless grapes which are the by-product of selective breeding.

Another type of genetic modification is genetic engineering which is mentioned on most mainstream candy bars and food items. Genetic engineering is the splicing, dicing, adding, and manipulating of genes to create a desired by-product. It is much faster than the cross breeding method used for many years by our ancestors. You basically remove a desired gene from plant one and add it to plant two so that plant two will have the desired gene found in plant one. It definitely seems to be a lot more unnatural than the selective breeding method; the genetic engineering process may create a risk of potential unforeseeable side effects. Yet, it is difficult to know if these side effects will be harmful, helpful, both, or wholly dependent upon the consumer.

Bottom line: knowing that genetic engineering was used to create the food item allows you to choose whether to eat or skip the item, and choice is the basis of free will. GMO labeling gives you that choice.

If you don’t care, then you don’t have to read the label. However, for those of us who want to know these things, I applaud Vermont for its laws mandating the label, and I hope that other states follow suit.

Better Beverages: Herbal Teas

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Hot chocolate is great, but it doesn’t have the health benefits that herbal teas offer. The health benefits gained from herbal teas include reduction of anxiety and restlessness; cough and sinus relief; relaxation of stomach muscles; nausea and indigestion relief; headache prevention and relief; as well as reduction of night sweats and sleep irregularity. Some herbal teas have visible effects on the body like protecting the body from ageing and reducing inflammation.

The next time you are in the coffee, tea, and hot chocolate aisle of the grocery store, read a few of the herbal tea boxes to see if you could benefit from any of the health benefits listed on the box. If so, grab the box and consider adding the herbal tea to your nightly routine every once in a while.