Tag: variety

Is Change as good as a Holiday?

Todays post is about Change or Holidays, a continuation on the topic of mental health.

We have all heard or used the saying ‘ a change is as good as a holiday’, or as Winston Churchill said, ‘a change is as good as a rest’.

Well is it? I decided to do some research and see if there is any scientific basis for this theory.

It turns out that a couple of studies have been conducted and a few scientific papers have been written on the subject.

So I have put together some of the facts for you.

First there is stress

Now stress is actually a process, not a diagnosis. We all experience stress when there is an imbalance between the demands being made on us and whether we are able to cope with those demands.

The level and extent of stress a person may feel depends a lot on their attitude to a particular situation. An event that may be extremely stressful for one person can be a mere hiccup for another person.

Stress is not always a bad thing. Some people thrive on stress and even need it to get things done. When the term ‘stress’ is used in a clinical sense, it refers to a situation that causes discomfort and distress for a person and can lead to other mental health problems,

Generally, continuing stress in the work place has a detrimental effect on people’s health. It is well recognised that sufficient recovery is necessary to counteract negative stress reactions.

Is a holiday the answer?

One study concluded that a holiday for at least seven consecutive days provided an efficient recovery strategy. Another study conducted in 2017, supports this theory. The results indicated that one single short-term holiday, has a large, positive and immediate effect on perceived stress, recovery, strain, and well-being. Interestingly, escaping daily routines and the usual environment do not seem to be crucial for recovery.

For the study participants, the effects were still detected at 30 days (recovery) and 45 days (wellbeing and stress) post-holiday.

Or is change the answer?

Research conducted by New York University; found that daily variability in physical location, along with new and diverse experiences is linked to enhanced happiness. The results suggest that people feel happier when they experience variety in their daily routines.

However simple the change, there’s a neurological reason why variety makes us happy.

Two parts of our brain, essential for mood, are stimulated by change.

The hippocampus, which is a part of the brain that is involved in forming new memories, emotions and learning, is also sensitive to the novelty of new environments.

Another part of the brain, called the striatum, helps us to evaluate our environment and processes reward.

The activity in these areas of the brain tends to be more synchronised in people who explore new things daily. This has a stronger influence on their mood.

Something as simple as introducing a little bit of variety into our day may be enough to increase our sense of well being.

So, it seems that a far as our physical reaction to stress is concerned, science does support the adage that a change is as good as a holiday. Either option has the ability to improve our mental health.

I hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

 

Live clean n prosper.

(Sources – National Library of Medicine –New York University publications– CNBC Make It – )

Good skin starts with our diet.

Today I’m writing about diet and the skin. Our skin is the human bodies largest organ.

Many people spend thousands of dollars trying to preserve it, especially on their face. However, few people consider that our diet shows on our face.

Beautiful skin starts with nourishment from within.

There are hundreds of steps involved in the cycle of skin renewal, of which the foods we eat are components. The body, skin included, is constantly under construction and it uses vitamins and nutrients from food to repair and rebuild, Older cells are constantly shed and replaced by younger ones and a steady supply of key nutrients is essential to support this rapid growth. Eating the correct balance of foods feeds our skin the vital nutrients it needs to help it stay soft, supple and blemish-free.

That said, as much as we may try to resist it, our skin does naturally age. Wrinkles and age spots are the inevitable result of time, but this ageing may be sped up by overexposure to the sun, strong soaps and chemicals, as well as poor nutrition. Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking both also age the skin.

 Start with simple changes.

By eating a variety of antioxidant-rich, fresh fruit and vegetables, healthy fats from oily fish and nuts, and a varied, balanced diet. This should give optimal levels of the nutrients that are crucial for radiant skin, including beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, zinc and selenium.

Fruit and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants that help to protect skin from the cellular damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals along with smoking, pollution and sunlight, can cause wrinkling and age spots. Beta-carotene, found in carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin, and lutein, found in kale, papaya and spinach are potent antioxidants, important for normal skin cell development and healthy tone.

 Just add water

Skin needs moisture to stay flexible. Even mild dehydration will cause it to look dry, tired and slightly grey. Water helps hydrate your body and leads to plump, healthy skin. Adequate hydration helps flush out toxins that can cause skin problems. It is also essential for skin metabolism and regeneration.

Drink plenty of water each day – all fluids count towards our daily allowance, but water is the best. We have all heard of the recommended 6 to 8 glasses a day. However, there is a simple scientific formula to work out how much water you need. Your weight in kilograms x .03 = daily requirement of water (e.g.; 60 x .03 = 1.8 litres).

Herbal, caffeine-free teas are good too. Some fruit and vegetables, such as watermelon and cucumber, also contribute fluids – the added benefit is that the minerals they contain will increase the rate you hydrate your body and skin.

Overall, promoting healthy skin with diet is all about adopting good nutritional habits.

So, while the Christmas season is a time of celebration with friends and family, it is also a time of food and drink. In order to put your best face forward for the new year, try to make good food choices.

Drink lots of water to counter act the effects of alcohol and remember to laugh.

To all my readers, thank you for your support and have a Merry Christmas.

I hope all my subscribers enjoy their Christmas recipe.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

(Sources – www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.  www.webmd.com.  www.bbcgoodfood.com

Our Home Grown Vegetables

Today I decided to write about vegetables, to be specific, our home-grown vegetables.

A couple of years ago Scott created a vegetable garden in a neglected garden bed along our fence line. Once the plants got established, we have enjoyed lovely home-grown, chemical free, vegetables.

How successfully….

Scott has tried growing several different things, some with success, some not so successful.

We have had success with Heirloom Carrots. The first time we harvested some we were quite surprised at the variety or colours that we had. Apart from the common orange, we had yellow, red, white & purple carrots, they really add colour to the plate. We continue to plant these seeds so that we always have some carrots.

Sweet potatoes have been a challenge. We planted 2 varieties, the common ‘Gold’ and the less common ‘Hawaiian’ sweet potato. The plants were quite large and healthy, but the crop was small. Hopefully next time around the results will be better.

Scott has had some great success with growing zucchini. We have had some large enough to stuff and roast.

We have not had success with growing cauliflower. As we don’t use any chemicals on our garden, our cauliflower plants were attacked by bugs and died.

At the beginning of winter Scott planted Purple Sprouting Broccoli seedlings and this week we harvested the last head of broccoli. It was quite large and really purple. It is also quite good for us.

A bit about the Broccoli,

There are differences in the nutritional values of green and purple broccoli.

The purple broccoli has higher levels of vitamin C, folate, iron, calcium, isotonic, glucolin, and anthocyanins.

Purple sprouting broccoli also contains the phyto chemicals ulphoraphane (thought to help prevent cancer) and may provide resistance against heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes. Overall, purple sprouting broccoli was found to contain higher contents of antioxidant compounds than green broccoli.

After cooking, the purple sprouting broccoli retains higher levels of antioxidant. (Sources; https://academic.oup.com/biohorizons/article/ ; https://drizzleazure.wordpress.com)

We have also had a pumpkin vine growing in our garden. It is growing quite well, taking up lots of space, and we have been looking forward to harvesting some pumpkins. However, we are not having much success.

The pumpkins are forming but don’t mature.

Scott was ready to pull up the plant. He spoke to one of his Uni lecturers who advised that the little immature pumpkins were quite good steamed.

We have since tried steaming them and they taste like button squash. So, I guess the pumpkin vine isn’t a complete failure. We are continuing to harvest the tiny pumpkins and are also going to try roasting them.

All in all, our garden is providing us with some lovely, chemical free, whole foods. By trying to grow different varieties, we eat a more varied diet.

Till the next post,

 

Live Clean n Prosper