Health Affixed

Health Is Limitless

The Environment v. The Straw

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Another losing battle…

It is becoming more and more evident that it is highly unlikely that the state of the environment will ever improve. Perhaps, evolution is to blame. The more we “evolve,” the more we value convenience and the finer things in life. Technology is at our fingertips and the possibilities are endless. We are wowed daily by the sheer magnitude of how far the digital age has come; it has surpassed the imaginations of most everyday people and it’s even more shocking to think that we may only be at the tip of the digital iceberg. If the earth is seemingly suffering now, what will happen when we make unworldly strides in technology?

Well, if the Florida Legislature’s decision to prohibit the cities from banning plastic straws is any indication, then the earth, and the everyday people living on it, are likely screwed. Deerfield Beach was among the cities that fined restaurant owners if they were caught dispensing plastic straws. As a result, some restaurants stepped up their game by using paper straws and some stopped using straws all together. Given the polluting effect (even if only 1%) of a plastic straw and the availability of an alternative, it would seem that banning the use of a plastic straw would be a reasonable and astute solution to the problem. In my humble opinion, replacing a plastic straw with a paper one is an insignificant step and any increase in cost to the restaurateurs should be outweighed by the importance of preserving the environment as much as we can for the generations to come.

On the other hand, what’s the point of giving up a plastic straw when nuclear warfare is a real possibility and the inevitable price of technological convenience is degradation of the environment? Really, should we worry about the fact that, by 2050, fish might have to swim through straws or should we just cherish today and sip from our plastic straws because tomorrow isn’t promised and 2050 may be too optimistic?

New Year, Old Me

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Like sand through an hourglass…

On New Year’s Eve, while thinking of what 2019 may bring, I realized that time is relative. Dates, hours, minutes, years, age…it’s all relative. Time is constant and never ending. The only things going through a cycle are living things. Living things decay – wither and die. Time was invented to keep track of humanity’s decay, to remind us that we don’t last forever and that we are decaying at every moment. Every second we become one second older. Those seconds add up to minutes. Those minutes add up to hours. Those hours add up to days. Those days add up to years. If we are lucky, those years add up to an age at which death is acceptable (death via natural causes/old age). Time is simply in place to measure lifespan. Human beings created time and we push the boundaries of time using science.

Regardless, 2019 is here and just like 2018, it too will pass. The focus should not be how many years have passed or what the future years will bring, but how we are treating our decaying bodies at this very second. How we are treating others and what legacy we are building to leave behind when we are gone. Are we prolonging life or shortening it by our actions and habits? Regret is a dirty word that brings sorrow only to those who failed to recognize that they were in control of their circumstance all along.

What are your thoughts on time?

Soda: A Closer Look

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I drink soda, on rare occasions. With a slice of veggie or margherita pizza, I may get a Sprite or Sierra Mist. If I see Ting on the shelf at the grocery store, I might get it. It all depends on my mood. I tend to stick to clear soda instead of dark soda or the fruity versions. Definitely never really drank Coke or Pepsi and don’t really make a habit of drinking orange soda. It makes me wonder if all sodas are created equal; is my Ting or Sprite better than Coke or orange soda?

According to Soda King, the first naturally carbonated drink came on the scene in England around 1265. In the 18th century, manmade carbonated water was introduced to the world by Joseph Priestly’s method of infusing water with carbon dioxide. It was only a matter of time before flavors and other elements were added to create the sodas we all know today.

According to CNN, the biggest health risk for regular soda drinkers is the added calories which are devoid of any actual nutritional value. The calories in soda come from its sugar content and, as a result, habitual consumption of soda has been linked to health issues like obesity, tooth decay, bone thinning, and diabetes. Also, the diet version may be better calorie wise, but not health wise because diet versions carry many of the same health risks and have also been linked to depression in women.

So, the general idea is that sodas should only be consumed on rare occasions because they are not good for overall health. If you are ok with the rare occasion, which soda should you opt for – light, dark, or fruity? Eat This, Not That! analyzed 50+ sodas and selected the top 32. On the website, Sierra Mist was ranked #1 as the best soda out of the 32, Sprite was #6, Coca-Cola Classic was #8, Crush Grapefruit was #15, Fanta Orange was #19, and Fanta Grape was the worst at #32. In the end, it appears that the fruity sodas should be avoided, but, when it comes to light v. dark soda, you can go with personal preference. The main goal is that you drink soda on rare occasions because it is not good for your health. It’s difficult to quantify “rare occasions,” but it’s something that does not happen often which to me would fall into the realm of about once every two or more months.

If you want to get even healthier with your soda choices, Rodale’s Organic Life highlights these options: organic soda syrup, Steaz Sparkling Green Tea, Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew, Virgil’s Root Beer, Bionade, Oogavè, GT’s Enlightened Organic Raw Kombucha, HotLips Real Fruit Soda, and Fizzy Lizzy.

Of course, the healthiest soda may be the one that you make at home; you can find many homemade grapefruit soda recipes online. Search the THA Recipes page as well to see if a soda recipe is available.

Food Quality: Snack Upgrades

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I used to be there; my snack foods consisted of peanut M&Ms, blue Doritos, cookies, and potato chips. My snack world was extremely limited because I was a creature of habit and those snacks were the snacks that I tried and knew that I liked so I didn’t bother looking elsewhere.

However, starting a journey to health forces you to examine your choices, and an examination of my choice of snack was long overdue. So, we all know that fruits make great snacks, but sometimes you don’t want fruit, nuts, or any other “healthy” snack. Sometimes you want something sweet like chocolate, search this website for the post called “Weakness: Chocolate” for some tips. Sometimes you want a bag of chips or other salty snack. One of the highlights of eating in 2018 is that you have a ton of healthier snack options; it seems that the demand for healthier snack options is at an all-time high and corporations are competing for the number one spot.

The end result is that you are no longer limited to the options that you once treasured growing up. Explore the new snack world which is filled with more “healthier” options than ever before.

THA Challenge: Try a new healthier snack that is in the same category as your treasured snack; love popcorn? Try a healthier brand or popping method. Love chips? Try a different type of chip like plantain chips. Love cookies? Try crispy thin cookies instead of thick chewy cookies.

Breakfast: A Closer Look

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According to Wikipedia, the word breakfast comes from the Old English word disner which means to break a fast. The word was used to describe the first meal eaten in the day. Then, in the 15th century, the word “breakfast” came into use and was known to mean breaking the fasting period of the prior night. Now, we associate breakfast with the first meal of the day that is eaten before noon.

According to Priceonomics, breakfast began as a morning ritual during the Industrial Revolution once people stopped farming and started working as employees; because people were no longer in control of their time, breakfast allowed them to work longer hours for the employer. Then, there was a period of time where breakfast was more like dinner in that it was a heavy meal consisting of meat, potatoes, cakes, and pies. In the 1800s, that hefty breakfast ritual led to complaints of chronic indigestion. A healthier breakfast trend developed with the advent of graham crackers, granula, and corn flakes from 1827 to the 1890s. As you know, however, those healthier options were soon overrun by sugary options.

Arguably, one can say that, at this point in time, breakfast is anything you want it to be. Whether that’s a healthy cereal; oatmeal; pop tarts; country fried potatoes; hash browns; corn beef hash; quiche; eggs; steak and eggs; sausages and eggs; bacon; muffins; bagels; pastries; etc., as long as it is eaten before noon, it is considered breakfast.

However, the food eaten before noon and used to break the fasting period of the prior night does not have to be grain or meat friendly. Why not start the morning with a fruit? Break the fast of the prior night with a healthy and light fruit before eating your cereal, bagel, eggs, fried potatoes, sausages, or bacon. One fruit and then proceed with your “breakfast” ritual.

THA Breakfast Challenge: 1 fruit in the morning before any other food item or your breakfast ritual.

Let’s go!