on my mind monday 10.15.12

It's never the same two weeks in a row.  A collection of what I find interesting in the world of food, nutrition, and holistic health.  Here's what's on my mind.

Dehydration can affect your thinking - In addition to all of the other ill effects of dehydration now there's one more to add to the list.  It can affect your cognitive processing.  This can become an issue as we age since our thirst mechanism can decline over time.  As the saying goes, "If you're thirsty, you're already down a quart."  While that may or may not be entirely accurate, it is true that by the time you feel thirsty your body is already somewhat dehydrated.  Avoid this by getting into the habit of sipping throughout the day to stay well hydrated and healthy.

Seven Steps For Instant Calm - In our busy, over-scheduled, modern lives we often find ourselves feeling overwhelmed and stressed out.  Here are some simple tips to remind us of those small things that we can do to help us recenter.

Why We Get Colds - There are actually a number of reasons why this happens, we're run down or our immune system is low, we're overweight, or we consume too much sugar (it suppresses the immune system).  It turns out that cold viruses also do better when humidity levels are low.  To help support the immune system consider adding more garlic to your diet, getting off the couch, checking your vitamin D levels, and cutting back on sugar.

Sugary drinks cause weight gain - I'm a little surprised that anyone thinks we still need to do studies on this.  Sugary drinks are nothing more than liquid candy.  They represent empty calories that do are not filling and contribute excess intake without any nutritional content whatsoever.  I wonder if they keep doing studies on this because so many of us are so addicted to our sugary drinks that we keep hoping for a different answer.

An old-fashioned drink is back in style - Mead is making headlines.  Made from a honey base it has a unique flavor, just like wine or beer, depending on where it's made and the ingredients that go into it.  While I've not made it nor tasted it, this certainly sounds interesting and I'll be watching to see if this is another locavore food trend that spread across the country.


photo:  mconnors