December Veggie Pick

Try brussel sprouts this month! One cup of brussel sprouts has only 38 calories, but packs in a whopping 75mg Vitamin C, 342mg potassium, and 54mcg folate.

What's Your Life Expectancy?

Check out www.eons.com/calculator to find out what your current life expectancy is and how you can prolong it.

Can Your iPod Cause Hearing Loss?

The Archives of Internal Medicine show 15% of 20- & 30-somethings have early-stage hearing loss. What's the cause? You may not have to look further than your iPod or mp3 player. Dr. Ronald Amedee at Oschner Health System says, "frequent exposure to loud noises, like music, causes damage to the hairs in the inner ear that register sound. That may lead to irreversible hearing loss." Protect your ears by lowering the volume on your mp3 player to no more than 50% of its maximum level.

Do you have more than 1 drink per day?

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that women who drank more than 1 alcoholic drink per day increased their chances of acquiring metabolic syndrome (which includes a series of risk factors that can lead to heart disease).

A Healthy Mouth Contributes to Overall Health

BMC Health Services Research has found that regular preventative dental care is associated with a variety of diseases and chronic health conditions:

• Oral infections
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Lung disease
• Stroke
• Low birth weight
• Premature birth

Routine dental visits are linked with a lower rate of heart disease, lower blood sugar, and they provide the opportunity to screen for oral cancer.

Lose Weight by Eating Fruit?

A new study out of Brazil showed that women who snacked on fruit instead of high fiber cookies lost 2 pounds over 10 weeks (while the cookie eaters gained 2 pounds over the same amount of time). Both snacks contained 200 calories and 6 grams of fiber. Researchers say that the high water content and low energy density in the fruit helped keep the women feel more satiated...which led to less eating throughout the day.

Too Stressed To Sleep?

Use these tips to get a better night's sleep:

• Do regular cardiovascular exercise - studies have shown that people who do 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (e.g., cycling, brisk walking, jogging, swimming, etc.) at least 4 times per week slept better than people who don't work out.
• Clear your mind - release your feelings or worries in writing for 20 minutes before you go to sleep. Doing this will help decrease your stress levels and allow for a more restful sleep.
• Schedule a bath - after a bath, your body cools down, which makes you drowsy.
• Use aromatherapy - essential oil of lavender has been shown to significantly increase deep/slow-wave sleep (the most restorative phase of sleep).
• Turn off the TV (and turn on some mellow music) - TV is a stimulant and the light cues your body clock to stay awake. Additionally, negative images and violence on TV increase anxiety and tension. On the other hand, mellow music has a soothing response on the body and mind.
• Make love in bed - having sex releases endorphins and oxytocin in the brain. These chemicals calm you and promote sleep.
• Use visualization - stop counting sheep! Instead, imagine a tranquil scene, like a waterfall or a sunny beach. In an Oxford University study, subjects who used visualization fell asleep 20 minutes sooner than usual.

Source: Caring Today magazine