Why Is Breathing So Important?

Looking for a simple, healthy way to help deal with the day to day? Try breathing! Breathing exercises are a quick and effective way to reduce stress, maintain focus, and feel energized.

Exhaling completely is a basic breathing exercise that requires little practice and can promote deeper breathing. Give it a try: Simply take a deep breath, let it out effortlessly, and then squeeze out a little more.

Doing this regularly will help build up the muscles between your ribs, and your exhalations will soon become deeper and longer. Start by performing this exercise consciously, and before long it will become a healthy habit. Here are simple instructions for three breathing exercises to try. 

4 Healthy Holiday Appetizers

Yesterday we went over four appetizers to steer clear of this holiday season – today we serve up healthy options for your cocktail plates!

1. Crudités. The fiber in veggies will help fill you up, and they provide a nice, satisfying crunch. Choose a spectrum of colors (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots are good choices) and serve with low- or non-fat plain yogurt. Add some fresh herbs and seasonings for flavor.
2. Mixed nuts. When eaten sparingly, nuts are a terrific snack. Walnuts are among my favorites, as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds and roasted soy nuts are also good choices. Nuts can be high in calories and fat (even if it's the healthy monounsaturated kind) so don’t overindulge.
3. Smoked salmon. Salmon (especially my favorite, wild Alaskan Sockeye salmon) provides omega-3 fatty acids, the anti-inflammatory, essential fats our bodies need for optimum health.
4. Grilled figs and blue cheese. Figs are high in fiber and antioxidants, and when combined with a bit of bleu cheese, provide calcium and protein - all in a delicious, easy-to-eat package. 

4 Holiday Appetizers to Avoid

Holiday parties are notorious for finger foods filled with high-glycemic carbohydrates and unhealthy fats. To help guide you to better nutrition choices this holiday season, follow the advice in Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid, and use this list of appetizers to avoid:

1. Dips. Skip the creamy, cheesy dips and opt for low-calorie, low-fat fresh salsa instead.
2. Cocktail franks and mini-meatballs. Neither are a good source of lean protein and both can pack a big serving of calories, sodium and saturated fats. Choose peel-and-eat shrimp or sushi instead.
3. Anything fried. From mini-eggrolls and quiche to chicken wings, deep-fried foods contain altered fats that are detrimental to the body. Wholegrain crackers and a small slice of low-fat cheese can satisfy a savory craving with far fewer calories and fat.
4. Foie gras. Its controversial origins aside, foie gras is a high-fat spread that has little nutritional benefit. Give it a pass and choose hummus instead - an animal-friendly source of soluble fiber. 

Here are some healthy appetizer recipes to try.

Heating Pads and Cancer

In the cold winter months it's tempting to pull out the heating pads and electric blankets to help keep warm and alleviate minor discomforts. But are they safe? Heating pads, used correctly to create moist heat, can provide temporary relief from mild aches and pains such as pulled muscles, menstrual cramps, and stiff joints. However electric heating pads, along with other household appliances such as electric blankets and mattress covers, hair dryers, computers, and coffeemakers, all generate electromagnetic fields (EMFs). These invisible lines of force surround electrical equipment, power cords, and power lines, and their potential effects have been in the center of controversy surrounding a possible link to the development of cancers.

Research has not concluded whether EMFs disrupt the cellular systems that control the normal growth and development of tissues. Interfering with these processes might increase the risk of cancer, and the possibility of an EMF/cancer connection hasn't been definitively ruled out. Because we can't say for sure that EMFs are harmless, I recommend using a non-electric heating pad, such as one that you warm up in a microwave oven, or that uses hot water.

Learn more about heating pads and cancer.

Belly Dance For Better Health

If the treadmill has become tedious and the bike boring; why not liven up your fitness routine with something a little different? Try belly dancing! This form of dance has evolved from traditional expressive movement to heart-pumping workouts offered in gyms across the country. Aside from working muscles that most people don't exercise in regular workouts, belly dancing is a great opportunity to learn about the music and traditions of unfamiliar countries and cultures.

In general, dancing of any kind is wonderful for your body. Aerobic exercise promotes general fitness, conditions your heart and respiratory system, stimulates immunity and increases stamina. It also tones your nervous system, reduces stress, helps with balance and coordination, increases oxygen flow throughout the body and gives you a sense of well-being and empowerment. Dancing is one of the best aerobic activities of all because it's upbeat and enjoyable, and provides a thorough workout. 

The Benefits of Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a sweet spice that is not only delicious in baked goods, but can help soothe a queasy stomach, may have a beneficial affect on blood sugar levels, and may help lower cholesterol. Keep in mind that cinnamon in large doses - that is, at dosage levels beyond what might normally be consumed in cinnamon-spiced foods - may be toxic, but there's no harm, and potentially a lot of good, in sprinkling cinnamon on your oatmeal, enjoying a cinnamon stick in your coffee, or using it in cooking.

Try this holiday-friendly recipe: Ginger Cookies

Copper Sink Fixtures Kill 95 Percent of Superbugs

I have long been concerned about the proliferation of antibacterial chemicals in our hand-soaps and household cleaning products - these accumulate in the environment and give rise to ever more virulent "superbugs."

So I was pleased to learn of a trial that indicates that making door handles, sink fixtures and light switches from copper could help to keep hospitals sterile. 

A study found that copper fittings rapidly killed microbes on hospital wards, succeeding where other infection control measures failed. In the trial at Selly Oak Hospital, in Birmingham, England, copper sink fixtures, toilet seats and push plates on doors all but eliminated common bacteria. Lab tests show that the metal kills off the deadly MRSA and C difficile superbug.

During the ten-week trial on a medical ward, a set of sink fixtures, a lavatory seat and a push plate on an entrance door were replaced with copper versions. They were swabbed twice a day for infectious agents and the results compared with a traditional sink fixture, lavatory seat and push plate elsewhere in the ward. 

The copper items had up to 95 per cent fewer germs on their surfaces whenever they were tested.

This is a fascinating study, well worth replicating (this one was funded by the copper industry; I'd like to see confirmation from an independently funded laboratory). If it holds up in future tests, copper surfaces may become the norm in hospitals and even some homes, and our health will be the better for it.

An Herb for the Winter Months

If the cold weather and reduced sunlight of the winter months is getting you down, consider trying St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). This extensively researched herb is an effective treatment for a range of conditions, including:

• Mild to moderate depression
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
• Nervousness
• Insomnia
• Anorexia
• Skin irritation, including herpes simplex

Available in tablets, capsules, tinctures, fluid extract, powdered extract and oil, I recommend products standardized for hyperforin and hypericin. Take 300 milligrams three times a day. As an antidepressant, it may take six to eight weeks to work. If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, you may want to use St. John’s wort in conjunction with a light box or other type of bright-light therapy commonly used for SAD.