The New Yorker

Big news this week: my letter to the editor was published in the New Yorker. If you're like me, you get sucked into reading The Mail every week, so by the time the next issue arrives, you've barely made it to Talk of the Town. When I heard that my letter might be included, I was over the moon - especially because it's such an important topic.

My original letter was heavily edited, so I've included the first draft below.

In case you're wondering what prompted my response, here's the original article. The author is thisclose to hitting the nail on the head, especially when she's quoting Tom Wadden and William Dietz, but never quite gets to what I think is the crux of the matter; namely, that we have created a society where weight loss is nearly impossible - and more importantly, that we have the power to change that!

The problem starts at the highest echelons of government and trickles down through conventional medical education all the way to the obesity epidemic. All is not lost yet, but without change on every level, the article's hypothesis may very well come to pass.

I think we can do much, much better. And I'm committed to doing my part to see it through.

xo
E

***************************

from: emily wade
to: themail@newyorker.com
date: Tue, Oct 4, 2016 at 9:30 PM
subject: Letter to the Editor re: "Bariatric Surgery: The Solution to Obesity?"

Before we all rush off to get bariatric surgery, it would be smart to examine exactly why diets and exercise don't work for obese patients.

First is a systemic problem with medical education. Many doctors are trained to treat symptoms instead of uncover the root cause of disease, and nutrition education in medical school is often minimal. 

Second, patients need more support in making these tough lifestyle changes. Doctors might advise their patients to eat right and exercise, but without any follow-up or a clear plan of action, success is unlikely. 

In addition, patients need more tests, and insurance needs to cover those. Obese patients are often battling dysbiosis, psychological issues, food sensitivities or addictions, or hormonal imbalances, all of which can contribute to the inability to lose weight. Without diagnosing and addressing these contributing factors, patients are more likely to struggle. 

Finally, the biggest hurdle: the food system in the US. People are eating foods that contribute to obesity because these foods are accessible, cheap, easy to prepare, tasty, addictive, and because people are largely misinformed about what's healthy (the low-fat movement discussed in the article is just one such example). 

Obese patients need a holistic, personalized program in conjunction with ongoing support so they can make lasting behavioral change without feeling overwhelmed or giving up. Diets & exercise do work, but there is not a one size fits all solution, and we need to provide patients with not only a strategy, but also the support to help them see it through.

-Emily Adams, Certified Nutrition Consultant

Eating for Mental Health

This is part 4 of a 4-part series designed for Bend + Bloom Yoga's May Challenge. Click to read Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3.

Just as the final limbs of yoga highlight the unity of the Self & the Divine, there is a very close link between your gut and your brain. Supporting your gut through proper nutrition can improve general mental health, and may facilitate the mental fortitude necessary to explore these advanced yogic techniques.

Probiotics are "friendly" gut bacteria that help nourish our gastrointestinal tract and protect against the bad bacteria that comes from excess consumption of sugar, processed foods, alcohol, or medications. Probiotics are found in naturally fermented foods like real pickles, kimchi, kombucha, or real sauerkraut (not the fake stuff with vinegar).

Homemade Sauerkraut

1 head green cabbage

1.5 T. salt

1 T. pickling spices (optional)

Large glass jar

A weight that fits inside your glass jar (e.g., a smaller jar filled with pie weights)

Cheesecloth & rubber band

Chop cabbage into thin slices. Mix the cabbage and salt together in a big mixing bowl and massage it together with your hands until it wilts & gets juicy, about 5 minutes. Fold in optional pickling spices and transfer cabbage (and its juices) to a large glass container, pushing it down as you go. Place a weight on top of the cabbage. Place cheesecloth over the mouth of the glass container and secure it with a rubber band.

Over the next 24 hours, press down on the weight every so often until you end up with a layer of liquid on top of the cabbage, completely submerging it.

Keep the cabbage on a countertop away from direct sunlight. After 5 days, taste the sauerkraut. You’ll know when it’s done by how it tastes - it could take 10 days or more. Once it’s done, pop a lid on the glass container and transfer it to the fridge.

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Eating for Respiratory Health

This is part 2 of a 4-part series about healthy eating as it relates to yogic principles, designed for Bend + Bloom Yoga's annual May Challenge. Click to read Part 1, Part 3, or Part 4.

You’ll be breathing a lot this week, so take good care of your lungs! Here’s how:

1. Take a deep breath before you eat: this shifts your nervous system into a parasympathetic state ("rest & digest"), crucial for optimal digestion. Yep, that's right: your lungs help you digest!
2. Pump some iron: Iron is essential for transferring oxygen in your blood from the lungs to the tissues and storing oxygen. Spinach is a great plant source of iron.
3. Stop the sneeze: Just like pollen, allergenic foods can have respiratory effects. The Big 8 allergens are wheat, dairy, corn, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, and soy. In addition, inflammation from eating foods like refined carbohydrates (flour, sugar) and alcohol can negatively impact lung health.
4. Add antioxidants: counter the oxidative effects of air pollution and smoke by consuming antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds.

Support your lung health with this antioxidant-rich, hypoallergenic smoothie bowl.

Smoothie Bowl

It’s amazing what you can throw into a smoothie! I like to add whatever I have lying around that may not get used otherwise: carrots, ½ avocado, ½ apple, nut milk, nutritional yeast, seaweed flakes… the list goes on!
½ c. filtered water
½ banana or mango
½ c. frozen organic berries
Big handful organic spinach (baby spinach is OK too!)
Small handful nuts of your choice (omit if
1 T. chia seeds
Top with shredded coconut, toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or nut butter

Place water into blender. Add next 5 ingredients and puree to desired consistency, about 15-30 seconds. Pour into a bowl, add toppings, and enjoy!

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Sources:
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/hemoglobin_and_functions_of_iron/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=70

Nutrition for Inner Strength

This is part 1 of a 4-part series about healthy eating as it relates to yogic principles, designed for Bend + Bloom Yoga's May Challenge. Click to read Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

What we eat directly affects how we feel mentally, emotionally, and physically. Proper nutrition can strengthen our bodies and minds.

On a physical level, protein is responsible for building muscle. It is also a slow-burning energy source, which means that eating protein helps us feel satiated for a long time. Hunger can derail health, and protein is one of our best defenses against it.

Animal foods are the best source of protein because they are complete (meaning they contain all of the essential amino acids), but we must take care when choosing animal foods due to health, ethical, and environmental concerns. Pastured eggs are sustainably farmed and provide optimal health because hens roam free and graze on natural feed. The nutritional benefits are obvious in the orange color and robustness of the yolks, which are rounder and more orange than factory-farmed eggs, signifying a higher beta-carotene content and an overall healthier egg.

Starting your day with an egg breakfast is an excellent way to stabilize blood sugar, prevent hunger, and give your body the protein it needs for inner and outer strength. This easy recipe takes just a few minutes to prepare and can be adapted based on what you have on hand.

Easy Egg Breakfast

The simplest way to enjoy this breakfast is to follow the below recipe as-is, but it’s also super-easy to jazz up and enjoy for lunch or dinner, too. Serve over ¼ cup of rice, beans, lentils, grains, or a sprouted organic corn tortilla. Fake a shakshuka by placing eggs over warm crushed tomatoes. Top with Sriracha, hot sauce, a sliced avocado, sprouts, chives/scallions, paprika, microgreens, and/or toasted sesame seeds. Pair with pastured bacon on the weekends. #putaneggonit! You can pair this with almost anything - be creative!

Extra-virgin olive oil, more if needed
Pastured butter
2-3 pastured eggs (organic or free-range are good too if you can’t find pastured)
Handful of organic dark green leafy vegetable like kale, chopped as needed (I get boxed baby kale for easy grabbing - no chopping necessary)

Salt & pepper

First, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot (about 1 minute), turn the heat down to just over medium, and melt a few swirls of olive oil with a pat of butter. Once the butter is fully melted, gently crack the eggs directly into the pan. Cook for 1 minute and move to the side of the pan so you can add the greens to the pan (you may need to add a bit more olive oil). Cook until greens have wilted, about another minute or so. At this point I flip the eggs and turn off the heat, cooking them just until the whites are set. Season with salt & pepper, transfer to a plate, and serve immediately.

Sources: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20048505

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Caffeine

Photo by Slawek Lukjanow

So many of us love our daily cup of joe. Whether it's the ritual of enjoying a warm mug in the morning, or the physical jolt that we get from the caffeine itself, giving up coffee is usually a challenging task. 

I don't include caffeine in my programs because of its health risks. Here's why - and what your options are instead.

There are lots of good medical reasons to reduce or eliminate caffeine intake, especially while trying for a baby. Caffeine's link to infertility - even decaf! - has been well-documented in scientific literature. Caffeine is also associated with increased incidences of miscarriage, low birth weight, and delayed conception. In addition, caffeine's toll on your adrenal health is suspected to degrade your baby's adrenal health as well - and low adrenal function could mean poor metabolism, healing, and stress response.

So what's an addict to do? Well, my programs provide a strong foundation to explore a few options:

1. If you want to try to break the addiction, you may experience up to 3 days of headaches. Knowing that in advance (and planning for it) can make dealing with the withdrawal symptoms easier. Drink lots of filtered water, rest, and distract yourself if possible.
2. If you don't want to kick the habit cold turkey, I recommend weaning yourself down or replacing your coffee with a less-potent form of caffeine such as green tea. If you choose to do this, make sure to drink extra water, as caffeine is a diuertic. 
3. Try going to bed 30 minutes earlier than normal and see if that helps to mitigate the need for caffeine in the morning. 

Test yourself to see how little caffeine you really need to "make do." And, if you're simply drawn to the ritualistic aspect of having a warm drink in the mornings, an herbal tea or hot water with lemon might be an easy replacement. 

Whatever happens, don't beat yourself up. Do the best you can, try different things, and be proud of yourself! Even just making a small change like this can switch up your routine and give you some good insights about what works best for your body.

What's your favorite non-caffeinated healthy beverage? Share your tips on our Facebook page.

Eat more, weigh less

When it comes to weight loss, cutting back on calories has been the go-to strategy for decades. In order to lose weight, you just need to eat less and exercise more, right?

Well, not really.

If you’ve ever tried counting calories yourself, you know that it’s nearly impossible to maintain. And the proof is in the pudding: the US is now facing an obesity epidemic, despite these well-known recommendations.

It seems to make sense on the surface: eat less, weigh less. So why doesn’t it work?

Well, when it comes to eating, not all calories are created equal. Our bodies digest different foods in different ways, some of which are more prone to fat storage.

In addition, calories aren’t usually the problem in the first place. Nearly all of the clients I coach for weight loss are already eating fewer calories than their Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) when adjusted for activity level. According to the conventional recommendations, this means they should be losing weight - but they’re not.

Finally, calorie restriction doesn’t take your satiety into account. If you’re hungry and you don’t eat enough, your body will do what it needs to do to protect against starvation - it’s a simple survival mechanism. Hunger will win every time.

In many cases, the most effective weight loss strategy may actually require you to consume more calories. But instead of focusing on the quantity of calories, it’s important to focus on their quality.

For example, refined carbohydrates spike blood sugar and insulin levels, signaling the body to store the excess blood sugar as fat. Complex carbohydrates, clean proteins, and healthy fats, however, don’t provoke a dramatic insulin response, and therefore the body has a better ability to convert them into energy or muscle. When we shift our diet accordingly, we can eat more calories and still lose lots of weight.

In addition, snacking is crucial to weight loss. If you’re hungry, your blood sugar is lowered, and your body craves quick energy that will raise blood sugar immediately - like refined carbs. Snacking helps stabilize your blood sugar throughout the day so you don’t reach for that cupcake at 3pm.

When we approach eating this way, we have more energy and better control over our mealtime decisions. It’s a more delicious, satisfying, and enjoyable dining experience than portion control and restriction.

And better yet, we have a better chance at keeping the weight off for good.

Need help changing your diet and balancing your blood sugar? Check out The Last Diet, or work with me one-on-one.

Are You Folate-Deficient?

Last week, I had my blood drawn. (We just moved to New York so we're setting up all our baseline
preventative appointments here. It took me a while, but I finally found a MD trained in functional medicine who accepts our insurance.)

I had been feeling a bit sluggish and down since our cross-country move. At first, I thought it was diet-related - it's not as easy to get fresh, healthy food on the East Coast as it was in San Francisco. But after a few months of clean eating, I felt only marginally better. I started exercising more, but that didn't help much either. So, it was off to the doctor's office to see if we could figure out what was up.

I got my results back and was jaw-droppingly shocked to find out that I had hyperhomocysteinemia (too much homocysteine). Homocysteine is a byproduct of protein metabolism that can wreak total havoc on our health. Symptoms of high homocysteine range from depression to Alzheimer's Disease to serious cardiovascular issues to osteoporosis to Down's Syndrome and more. It typically results from diets too high in animal protein and too low in B vitamins (found in legumes and dark green, leafy veggies).

Now, considering that I had just finished a fertility program designed to be particularly high in folate and other B vitamins, and leafy greens are a part of my everyday diet, that seemed impossible.

But there's a catch! (And this is where it gets super-important for YOU!)

Up to 50% of people have a genetic mutation that limits or prevents their absorption of folic acid (MTHFR).

This is one of the reasons why I recommend against supplements that use folic acid instead of folate.  

But if you have the genetic mutation, even if you're eating a folate-rich diet, additional supplementation with the naturally absorbable form of folate (5-MTHF) is needed.

You all probably already know how important folate status is during pregnancy. Deficiency in the early stages of pregnancy can cause neural tube defects like spina bifida. That's why it's essential to get enough folate before you conceive.

How much is enough? It is difficult to consume too much folate. In fact, one of the only concerns about excessive folate intake is that it can mask a B12 deficiency. If you're already taking a good prenatal multi that includes the methylcobalamin form of B12 (as found in the prenatal supplements that I carry), you shouldn't need to worry about that.

With that in mind, I just added L-5-MTHF capsules to my dispensary on Emerson Ecologics. Head on over to pick some up along with your prenatal multi. To set up your account, you'll just need the code natal3 and my zip code, 11201. Click here to buy products.

Connecting the dots...

Photo: Brandon818

Part of my job as a holistic nutrition consultant is to try to uncover the root cause of a health issue.
But in most cases, by the time we're sick, we can't even remember what led up to that point, and we just want a solution ASAP.

Trying to connect the dots can also make us crazy, because we'll never know for certain if one health issue led to the next.

Still, I find it important to explore the possibilities in my practice, because discovering the root cause of an illness is going to lead to the quickest and most effective healing.

One of my clients had chronic heartburn, was overweight, and had psoriasis. He was a workaholic and was popping TUMS nearly every hour. A few easy tests pointed to hypochlorhydria - low stomach acid. Since the symptoms of low stomach acid are similar to the symptoms of high stomach acid, and since the common wisdom is to treat high stomach acid, he turned to the TUMS, which made his problem worse. And, because proteins were leaving his stomach and passing into his intestines without being fully digested, his body was getting confused - a possible cause for the autoimmune psoriasis. By getting his stomach pH up to a healthy level and eliminating/rotating gluten (which is a long protein that can also confuse the body's immune system), he lost 20 pounds in just two weeks and has only had heartburn once in the past three years - after a weekend of eating bread, beer & pizza with friends.

In my own case, I had a genetic predisposition for my autoimmune disease. But I never had a flare-up until I used the birth control patch (the pamphlet for which clearly stated that colitis was a reported but unconfirmed side effect). So in my case, the trigger for my illness was the birth control patch, but it was really just the last thing my body could handle - meaning that there was a haystack of other contributing factors beneath this final straw. This concept of "total load" can certainly make things confusing when trying to help heal bigger health issues.

Me - before. Puffy! Ugh!

I had never paid attention to what I ate, relying heavily on pizza and pasta. I drank beer, wine, cocktails - anything that would give me a buzz. I had a serious sweet tooth and kept bags of candy in my drawer at work. I had been on antibiotics at least ten times in my life, and had taken a multi-year course of acid-blockers. All of these contributed to the demolition of my GI tract, and all of them had to be eliminated, changed, or fixed in order for me to decrease the rampant inflammation in my body.

I finally got to the point where my colonoscopy results showed no signs of disease, but it took a lot of trial and error and serious commitment. And, the truth is, I still have gut issues sometimes, and I'm still in the process of figuring out what causes them.

My husband can vouch for the fact that I'm always trying new diets to figure out what works for me - and what doesn't. Three years ago I learned that I have a mild allergic reaction to red wine. Last year I did an elimination diet and its results were inconclusive, so this year I'm planning to try the Paleo, GAPS and/or SCD diets.

In addition to helping me learn more about my body, this personal testing also helps me explain the benefits and drawbacks of each diet firsthand to my clients.

So - how can you connect the dots?

Ask yourself what was going on when your health issues first began. Consider your career, family, and other health issues. If there were other health issues or medications present, repeat the process for them. What was the first health problem you can come up with - the one that seemingly started the domino effect?

See what comes up for you, and then let's talk about how to address the symphony of symptoms that is your own unique body.

Boosting Immunity

Photo: Anita Berghoef

My husband came down with the flu last night, so I've been focusing a lot on immunity lately.
Thought I'd share it with my tribe here!

What to do when you're feeling under the weather? I use a 4-pronged approach:

1. Rest
2. Let your body do its job
3. Healthy foods & beverages
4. Targeted supplements

Let's discuss each one in a bit more depth:

Rest
Luckily, we're on break at the moment so my husband can take full advantage of this recommendation. For worker bees, however, this is notoriously challenging. Some companies only provide a certain number of sick days, so illness comes to (and permeates) the workplace. If you can work from home, that's a great first step. If you can't, take a sick day. If you can't take a sick day, make sure that you allow for at least nine hours of sleep a night, and take a 10-minute break every hour to escape the hubbub of the office, close your eyes, and take a few deep, relaxing breaths. Your body is telling you to slow down - listening and respecting it will help you feel better in the moment as well as heal faster.

Let your body do its job
Most people reach for the medicine cabinet the minute fever hits. But fever is one way the body heals itself. Some viruses can't survive at certain temperatures, so a fever can kill them off. Or perhaps you're groggy and want to take a Sudafed so you can power through the day. But powering through the day can just prolong your agony, as you aren't giving your body the rest it's trying to demand (see above). I personally try to only use OTC medications if my symptoms are keeping me awake at night. Otherwise, I allow my symptoms to slow me down so I can heal faster.

Healthy foods & beverages
I've got a lot of tricks up my sleeve here. Some foods will make you feel better immediately, and some can help boost your immunity so you heal more quickly.

Homemade bone broth is an excellent, nourishing tonic for the sick. It's rich in minerals and amino acids that support the immune system. In addition, heated beverages provide immediate relief for postnasal drip and dry mouths.

Did you know that up to 80% of your immune system is located in your digestive tract? Probiotics nourish your gut, so eating foods that are high in probiotics is a great choice when you're sick. These include fermented foods such as real sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, kombucha, and yogurt.

Another great immunity-boosting food is mushrooms. Asian mushrooms like maitake are particularly well-known for their ability to rally white blood cells to fight infection.

Garlic has a long history of medicinal use - it's naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial. Chop up raw garlic and swallow the pieces with water, as if you're taking a few pills. (You'll have the added benefit of fending off vampires).

And my secret weapon? A non-alcoholic hot toddy: hot water with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, sliced ginger coins, a sprinkle of cayenne, and a tablespoon of honey. Sooo yummy and so soothing on a sore throat!

Targeted supplements
Everyone knows that echinacea is great for immunity. Keep some of that in your pantry and take as directed on the bottle.

In addition, Zinc is crucial for immune cell function. In addition, it is one of the most-needed minerals during preconception and pregnancy, due to its important role in reproductive function. Chelated forms of Zinc, such as Zinc picolinate, are the most absorbable.

Probiotic supplements can also help improve gut flora and support the immune system.

Curcumin (turmeric) is anti-inflammatory. I always take capsules of supercritical extract when my joints ache or any part of my body is feeling raw. There is not enough research on the effects of curcumin supplementation during pregnancy. Therefore, I recommend that pregnant women who want to get more curcumin simply sprinkle turmeric into soups or spice rubs.

If you are prone to cold sores, you're more likely to get them when you're run down. Try taking L-Lysine to prevent an outbreak.

What is your best natural secret for kicking winter illness to the curb?

How to Dine Out ... and Stay Healthy

Photo by Andreas Krappweis

Dining out is an integral part of a busy person's schedule. Between work, errands, and raising a
family, it's an easy way to make life easier while giving yourself a little 'treat.'

That said, it's well-known that dining out isn't always the most healthy or affordable option. Many people turn to cheap takeout like pizza or even fast food restaurants to ease the burden on their wallets, but those kinds of places are usually the least healthy to eat.

So what's a health-conscious person to do?

There's no perfect answer, but here are four easy steps I take to make sure I can enjoy a night out without sacrificing my healthy eating:

1. Refuse the bread basket. When you're hungry and it's in front of you, it's impossible to resist. It's much easier to tell your server no, and have them take it away. Remember: refined carbohydrates like those found in bread spike your blood sugar and signal your body to store fat! (Not to mention the problems caused by gluten sensitivities). Just say no!
2. Always start with a healthy salad. Make sure you get your vegetables!!! This is so crucial. Leafy greens are excellent, but the other night while I was out, I enjoyed a raw shaved beet salad that was divine, too. If there is a seasonal option, go for it. But even if it's just the standard iceberg and tomato salad that the local pizza joint offers, GO WITH IT. It will fill you up with healthy complex carbohydrates and lots of good-for-you nutrients. Sure, cost-wise it may seem counter-intuitive, but think about it this way: you'll eat less after you've finished a salad. For example, after my beet dish, I was happy to finish my meal with just another appetizer. So my dinner bill was actually about the same as if I had only ordered an entree.
3. Order a side dish of vegetables. Yet another great and yummy way to get in your greens or a seasonal veggie. And have you noticed how delicious they always sound? We had a brussels sprout side dish the other night that was amazing. What if your takeout place doesn't offer side dishes? You can always try adding veggies to your order - for example, pizza topped with mushrooms, olives, peppers, onions and tomatoes.
4. Choose fish. Fish is usually the healthiest option on a menu - unless it's a fried fish-wich or fish & chips, that is. If you don't like fish (like me!), head for grilled chicken or pork. Those are lean options that are guaranteed to be hormone-free.

Got other ideas on how to eat healthily while you're dining out? Leave a comment on the Facebook page to share your best tips!

Happy holidays!

The Importance of Seasonal Eating

Photo courtesy of Can Can Cleanse

Initially published on Can Can Cleanse:

Reasons to Eat With the Seasons

Watermelon. Raspberries. Zucchini. Tomatoes. Summer’s gardens are a veritable bounty of mouth-watering fruits and vegetables, bursting with flavor and nutrients. But now that we can get these foods year-round, why should we bother stocking up on them now?

Eating seasonally is one of the pillars of designing a healthy diet, and for good reason. Nature provides the nutrients we need exactly when we need them to ensure optimal health. Before we were able to enjoy peaches in February, we had a very limited time to indulge in these delicious sweets. And guess what? We didn’t suffer as many preventable health problems as we do today.

Perhaps that’s because most of our summer foods do an excellent job of preparing us for winter. Chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, these fruits & veggies exert potent antioxidant power to get our immune systems in tip-top shape and protect our cardiovascular systems. The complex carbohydrates so plentiful in summer used to help fatten us up for impending fall & winter, when we were forced to rely on limited amounts of wild game, root vegetables, nuts, seeds, and traditional storage techniques (root cellars, pickling, canning and iceboxes).

In-season foods improve health because they have more nutrients. Many vitamins and phytonutrients are denatured with exposure to oxygen, light or heat. So the longer you have to wait to eat a vegetable after it’s been picked, the fewer nutrients it offers. One of the benefits of eating seasonal produce is that it can be grown & sold locally, which cuts down the time between harvest & a fresh salad on your plate. And many local growers choose not to use harmful pesticides, so even non-organic seasonal foods can be safer. Plus, as anyone who has ever tried to eat a tomato or avocado out-of-season can tell you, the taste of fresh produce is beyond compare.

Seasonal foods also provide a perfect counterpoint to the climate. When it’s hot out, a big sweet potato or winter squash just isn’t appealing. But berries, cucumbers, and mint? Bring it on!

Besides being a healthy way to eat, eating seasonally is usually less expensive. Take watermelons, for example. Watermelons can be grown nearly anywhere in the summertime, but if your craving occurs in winter, your watermelon will likely be shipped in from a warmer locale. Shipping requires fuel, and we all know how expensive that is nowadays! In addition, foods grow well when they’re in season, so there is a greater supply available, which also drives the price down.

Affordable, healthy & better-tasting? Sounds like three great reasons to dive into summer produce with abandon. Enjoy!

2 Important, Low-Profile Health Factors

As you may know, I've been doing a ton of writing for Can Can Cleanse. I approached them with a
bunch of topics and this was one of their favorites. We rarely think about these two things, but they are both so important to our health!

*******
A Deep Breath & A Glass of Water 

Amid today’s onslaught of fad diets, superfood fanaticism, food allergies, and - yes - even cleanses, sometimes it’s easy to forget two of the most health-promoting basics: oxygen & water.

The body can’t store oxygen, which is why we must breathe continually. With each breath, oxygen travels through the lungs to the bloodstream and to every cell in the body. Inside the cells, oxygen is required to produce energy so we can think, move, see, feel ... in short, so we can live. Without oxygen, brain damage or death can occur within minutes.

According to Dr. Andrew Weil, “The more air you move, the healthier you will be, because the functioning of all systems of the body depends on delivery of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide.” (1)  Research supports his statement, which is why aerobic exercise is so important.

During aerobic exercise, increased oxygen helps remove more waste products (like carbon dioxide and lactic acid) and release more feel-good endorphins. Over time, aerobic exercise helps us reduce the risk of many health problems, lose weight, boost immunity, feel good, and it can even help us live longer. (2)  

Deep breathing exercises are another way to get more oxygen into the body.

When it comes to water, you’ve probably heard that you should drink 8 glasses a day. Some people need even more!

Water accounts for roughly 60% of body weight. A healthy person may be able to survive for 3-5 days without water, but more fragile compositions (like those of babies) might only survive a few hours without water.

In the body, water is essential for detox because it flushes dangerous compounds from our bodies. In addition, the same energy production cycle that requires oxygen also requires water. “Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired,” according to the Mayo Clinic. (3)

Water also helps make nutrients more accessible to the cells. For example, Vitamins B & C are “water-soluble,” meaning that they can’t be absorbed or used without water to help dissolve them.

The easiest way to measure if you’re drinking enough water? Your urine should be almost colorless.

In short, while you may be able to live without trying the latest superfood, you simply can’t survive - or thrive - without oxygen & water. What’s more, you can easily increase your health as you increase your intake of oxygen and (in many cases) water. So go ahead and fill your lungs & your water bottle. It might just help your health even more than that cabbage soup diet.

-Emily Wade Adams, Natal Nutrition

Sources:

(1) http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART00520/breathing-basics.html

(2) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aerobic-exercise/EP00002

(3) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283