on my mind monday 01.28.13

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.

Aspirin use linked to macular degeneration - While not definitive, it appears that there may be some connection between regular levels of aspirin use and macular degeneration.  
The first thing that comes to mind is why there would be a high need for aspirin use in the first place.  Second would be to nutritionally support ocular health. Lutein and zeaxanthin are both recognized as antioxidants that appear to reduce the risk of certain eye diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) but I believe would also be supportive for overall ocular health. These carotenoids can be found in dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and collard greens as well as in eggs. Vitamin C is another antioxidant that is good for your eyes; it can slow the progress of loss of visual acuity as well as AMD Vitamin C is available in fruits and vegetables especially red bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes and dark leafy greens. Zinc, a trace mineral, is also important as it helps to create melanin, a protective pigment; it can be found in spinach, sea vegetables, basil, thyme, and pumpkin seeds.

Eating hot foods off melamine plates may increase risk of kidney stones - Yes, those melamine plates and bowls may be cute, but, as with any plastic-type material, when they are exposed to hot foods some of the substance can migrate into the food.  And once it's in the food, if you eat it, it's in you.  Of course styrofoam is one of the worst offenders but how many of us remember to take our own to go boxes to the restaurant with us?  I'm trying to get better at this.  And I have gotten rid of all non-glass or ceramic dishware.  Well, except the sentimental pieces such as the bowl my daughter made in second grade.  But I am careful not to use them for hot things.  And I keep, little by little, chipping away at the amount of plastic that comes into contact with my food.  Now to just remember to bring those glass containers to the restaurant....

Ramen bowl iPhone doc - I'm not a huge fan of this product.  One I'm guessing it's made from melamine (see the article above).  Two, this kind of product encourages people to be more focused on their phone.  It's a proven fact that if we are engaged in another activity when eating, such as watching television, or in this case, being on the phone, we tend to eat more.  We are not mindful about what we are eating nor are we nourishing ourselves properly.  We're distracted and less aware of what and how much we are eating.  This product isn't available yet but I hope it doesn't come to market too soon.

Technology fasting - This is a great idea.  A few years ago I had heard of the concept of news fasting.  Taking a break from the overwhelmingly negative news feed that occupies us and is more and more readily available.  It stresses us out, but somehow we can't seem to help ourselves.  But by taking a break we de-stress, just a little bit.  Now is the idea of a technology fast.  I admit this is a hard concept as I find myself regularly interacting with technology.  But I'm planning to give it a try.  To take an entire day where I spend no time on the computer and plan to only use my phone for phone calls.  I'm willing to bet that, just as with a news fast, a technology fast is going to feel pretty good.

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photo: mconnors