Back pain prevention

27 Friday Nov 2020

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

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back pain, back pain prevention, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, eat more fiber, eat more vegetables, fiber, go to the bathroom, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife

85% of North Americans will have back pain at some point. And here’s a surprising cause you may not be aware of: You’re not “regular,” in the bathroom sense. Blockage in the lower intestine can cause pressure in the lower back. And the longer you’re blocked, the worse the pain gets. The fix? Eat more fiber from vegetables, fruit, and whole grains – and exercise to prevent constipation.

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Want to make it easier to lose weight?

29 Thursday Oct 2020

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Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, diet, eat more fiber, eat more whole grains, eat oatmeal, fiber, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, lose weight, oatmeal, weight loss

Eat more fiber! Research at Tufts University found that whole grains, like wheat, brown rice, and oatmeal, contain about double the fiber as processed foods, like white rice, white bread, and crackers. The researchers also found people who get plenty of fiber consume fewer calories overall. People who eat lots of fiber also have a faster metabolism. Bottom line: Replacing processed grains in your diet with whole grains, and adding more fiber from produce, can help you lose weight and keep it off just as effectively as a brisk 30-minute walk every day.

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Do you have gastrointestinal issues – like bloating and indigestion?

01 Wednesday Jul 2020

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Eat more beets! Whether they’re red or yellow, beets contain inulin, a type of fiber that boosts production of digestive enzymes. And French researchers found they help keep food from hanging out in your gut, producing gas and triggering discomfort. In fact, just a half-cup of beets can help relieve bloat and indigestion within 30-minutes, and cut your risk of heartburn in HALF.

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Eat beans before bed to sleep better!

21 Thursday Mar 2019

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It turns out, the more fiber in your diet the better you’ll sleep. According to the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, people who munch more high fiber foods – like beans – spend more time in the deep, restorative stages of sleep. And in the study, people eating more fiber cut the time it took to fall asleep in half. And it only took one day for the changes to take effect. So why does fiber help us sleep better? Because it takes longer to digest, so the nutrients are released more slowly into the bloodstream. And that helps the body have an easier time winding down at night.

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Are you poop-shy?

11 Friday May 2018

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Time to get a little personal about bathroom behavior… and this is important.

So, here’s the scenario… You go to the restroom at work – and all the stalls are occupied but one. You turn around and head back to your desk because there’s no way you’re going number 2 in a crowded bathroom right?
So, is it a problem to “hold it”? Internist Dr. Keri Peterson says it’s not a great idea. If you feel the urge to go and ignore it, it can cause chronic constipation and that can lead to other more serious problems. Let’s just leave it at that. So what can you do if you’re, how should we say it… poop-shy?

Dr. Peterson recommends exercising in the morning. That usually will move things along in your intestine so you go to the bathroom before work. Also, make sure your dinner has plenty of fiber. It’ll not only help you sleep better – but you will likely wake up with the urge to go.

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Feel fuller, longer!

19 Monday Jun 2017

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beta-glucan, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, digestion, drink a smoothie, feeling full, fiber, full, hunger, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, oat bran, satisfied, smoothie

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If you’d like to feel fuller, longer after you drink a smoothie – just add some oat bran to the mix… about 1/3 of a cup.
When volunteers drank smoothies, they felt significantly more satiated when it contained beta-glucan – a fiber found in oat bran… That’s compared to people who drank plain juice. Research says it’s because the fiber absorbs water, and slows digestion… And the slower we digest, the longer it takes to feel hungry again.

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Ever wonder WHY it’s healthier to have a big butt, than to have a beer belly?

23 Tuesday May 2017

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abdominal fat, aerobic exercise, aerobics, beer belly, belly, belly-fat, blood sugar, cholesterol, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, diabetes, fatty acids, fiber, healthy, heart disease, heart health, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, padding, University of Oxford, unsulin, visceral fat

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Here’s the answer, courtesy of researchers at the University of Oxford. Belly fat – also known as abdominal fat or visceral fat – is dangerous because it often surrounds vital organs and releases inflammatory chemicals into your system on a consistent basis. And those chemicals have been linked to heart disease, insulin resistance, and diabetes. But extra padding around the hips and thighs produces beneficial hormones that trap fatty acids, which boosts heart health and keeps blood sugar spikes in check. So what should you do if you have more abdominal fat than lower body fat? Eat fiber-filled foods to lower insulin and cholesterol levels. You should also do aerobic exercise – at least 30 minutes a day – to lose the fat. And get your blood sugar and blood fats tested to check for abnormalities.

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If kale gives you the runs, there’s a reason.

13 Monday Feb 2017

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Actually two reasons. The first is the fiber. Kale has the insoluble kind, which means it doesn’t break down – it passes right through you. The other reason is a carbohydrate it contains called raffinose. Our bodies can’t break that down either during digestion. That’s according to the Johns Hopkins Digestive Center. Instead, the fiber and raffinose go straight to your colon where they ferment and send you running for the restroom. So lay off the kale if you won’t be near a bathroom for a while – or you’re on a date.

Which is more nutritious: Almonds or almond milk?

26 Thursday Jan 2017

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Whole nuts are better. Almond milk is mostly water – with just enough almond meat to add flavor. Plus, a handful of almonds has 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber – while a whole cup of almond milk only has 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of fiber.

Did you parents smoke when you were a kid?

23 Monday Jan 2017

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antioxidants, apple, apples, blackberries, child, children, cigarette, cigarette smoke, cigarettes, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, fiber, inflammation, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, lungs, parents, pear, raspberries, secondhand smoke, smoke, smoker, smoking

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If you grew up in a home with a smoker, eat two apples a day. A study of 35,000 people by the National Institutes of Health found that it reduces lung irritation and helps prevent respiratory problems caused by secondhand smoke in childhood. So why do apples help protect and repair the lungs? Fruit-based fiber. So, a cup of raw blackberries or raspberries could get the same results. Or an apple and a pear. It turns out, the fiber in fruit benefits the lungs by reducing inflammation, and improving the body’s ability to process antioxidants.

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Tag Archives: fiber

Back pain prevention

Want to make it easier to lose weight?

Do you have gastrointestinal issues – like bloating and indigestion?

Eat beans before bed to sleep better!

Are you poop-shy?

Feel fuller, longer!

Ever wonder WHY it’s healthier to have a big butt, than to have a beer belly?

If kale gives you the runs, there’s a reason.

Which is more nutritious: Almonds or almond milk?

Did you parents smoke when you were a kid?