Fix It With Food

Millions of people have painful knees caused by osteoarthritis. Remedies range from losing
excess weight to steroid injections and even surgery. But research suggests there is a tastier route
to improvement:
Fruit In a Melbourne study, researchers found that eating fruit reduced the risk of developing
bone marrow lesions – a marker for knee osteoarthritis. Knee-friendly fruit appeared to be those
filled with vitamin C, including oranges, kiwifruit, mangoes, grapefruit and papaya.
Soy People reported less knee pain and used less medication after eating soy products,
according to a research. Participants drank a powdered soy drink containing 40g of protein,
and the same benefit can be derived from soy milk, soy beans and soy burgers.
Fish A study suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may block not only the chemicals that cause
inflammation in osteoarthritis, but also the proteins known to wear down knee cartilage. Eat two
servings a week of oily fish, such as mackerel or salmon, or take 1g of omega-3s in capsule form
every day.

Shine The Light On Spinach

When next shopping for leafy greens, choose those under super-market lights. New research by the US Department of
Agriculture has shown that spinach packed and refrigerated under bright light for three days had significantly higher
levels of vitamins C, D E and folate. It also has higher levels of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin.
In contrast, spinach leaves stored in darkness had declining or unchanged levels of nutrients.
Leafy greens continue to photosynthesise even after they’re picked. The super-market is a perfect environment,
especially when the lights are on 24/7.
The good news also applies to other leafy vegetables. If the light is sufficient for photosynthesis in spinach it is likely to
be for all salad greens.

10 Easy Ways To Be Your Own Doctor

1. Have A PERF-ect Day Essentially, there are four things you should monitor every day to make sure you are living
healthily: the amount of fruit and vegetables you ate that day (fresh Produce), whether you walked and were active
(Exercise); whether you got at least 15 minutes of laughter and fun time for yourself (relaxation); and whether you got
enough beans, grains and other high-fibre foods (Fibre). If you can say you did well on all four, your day has been
extremely healthy.

2. Conduct A Head-To-Toe Skin Check Conduct a head-to-toe skin check, looking for any new moles, changed moles,
suspicious spots or rashes. Be sure to check your scalp, between your toes and fingers, and also the underside of your
arms. If you find anything worrying, see your doctor.
Do the ABCD test when checking moles, looking out for these possible danger signs:
ß Asymmetry: the two halves don’t match.
ß Border irregularity: the edges are jagged.
ß Colour: uneven. Different shades of black, brown or pink can be seen.
ß Diameter: more than 6mm.

3. Monitor Your Sleepiness There are three good ways to tell if you’re not getting enough sleep. First, do you become
drowsy in the afternoon to the point that it affects what you’re doing? Third, do you doze off shortly after eating dinner?
If the answer to any of these is yes, you need more sleep. And if you’re getting enough sleep (about eight hours) and still
have these troubles, talk to your doctor about your low energy.

4. Measure Your Height Every Year After You Turn 50 This is especially important for women as a way of assessing
posture and skeletal health. A decrease in stature can be as informative as a change in a bone density test for monitoring
your overall bone health. If you’re concerned, speak to your doctor.

5. Keep A Mental Colour Chart Of How Dark Your Urine Is It may sound weird, but it’s a useful health indicator. Your
urine should be a clear, straw colour, if it’s dark or smells strong, you may not be getting enough fluids. If it stays dark
coloured even after you increase your liquid intake, make an appointment to see your doctor. If it’s bright yellow, it may
be the B vitamins in your multi-vitamin tablets (if you take them).

6. Check Your Heartbeat After You Exercise

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that women with poor heart rate recovery
(HRR) after exercise had twice the risk of having a heart attack within ten years as those who had normal HRR. Next
time you exercise, like a strenuous 20-minute walk or a jog, count your heartbeats for 15 seconds immediately
afterwards, then multiply the result by four to get your heart rate. Sit down and wait two minutes before checking again.
Subtract the second number from the first. If it’s under 55, your HRR is higher than normal and you should consult with
your doctor.

7. If You Have Diabetes, Check Your Feet Every Day You will be susceptible to foot damage, so examine your feet
carefully for any blisters, fungus, peeling skin, cuts or bruises. Because people with diabetes often have some nerve
damage in extremities such as the feet, these daily self-examinations give critical clues as to how well you’re monitoring
your blood sugar and if you might have nerve damage.

8. Have A Cardio-Vascular Check

If you’re over 40, you can request a full car-diovascular screening assessment (for future heart attack and stroke risk)
with your doctor. You can also request one if you’re under 40 with a strong family history of heart attack or stroke.
Blood cholesterol levels are just one of several factor that need to be measured and assessed, along with smoking statues,
blood glucose level, ECG results and blood pressure. Measuring cholesterol alone is not enough, as other risk factors
may be missed; normal cholesterol levels do not necessarily mean that your over-all cardiovascular risk is normal.

9. Check Your Blood Pressure Every Six Months Check with a home blood pressure monitor, or at a clinic. If the top
number is more than 140 (130 if you have diabetes) and the bottom number is higher than 90 (80 for diabetics), wait a
day, then check it again. If it’s still high, make an appointment with your doctor.

10. Check Your Hairbrush If your hair’s falling out, ask your doctor to check your levels of blood ferritin, an indication
of how much iron your body is storing. Some studies suggest low levels may be related to unexplained hair loss. Thyroid
disease is another fairly common cause.