Health Podcast: Stress Eating; Winter Asthma; Snake Oil.

In this episode we feature:

Play Scrabble for an Immune Boost

Ski into sleep.

Marry Yourself to Sleep.

Garden for your Brain.

And more ways you can improve your health today!

For more information, and to sign up for our private coaching, visit tesh.com

Our Hosts:
John Tesh: Instagram: @johntesh_ifyl facebook.com/JohnTesh
Gib Gerard: Instagram: @GibGerard facebook.com/GibGerard X: @GibGerard

Transcript

Unknown: 0:07

Gib, hello and welcome to another episode of the podcast. I'm Gib Gerard, here with another special intelligence for your health, with Connie Celica, edition of the show. Very excited to bring this to you. This is where we take intelligence for your health, our weekly health related radio show, we handpick the pieces and we present them to you in the podcast format, so you can take it with you in your pocket wherever you may go. So here for your healthier life, without further ado, is intelligence for your health. With Connie Celica, if you want to live longer, it is crucial to get more exercise than what's currently recommended, a lot more right now, the World Health Organization suggests adults get about 20 minutes of moderate physical activity every day, like walking briskly, playing pickleball or gardening. But apparently that's not enough for this study, Harvard researchers analyzed decades worth of data on 100,000 adults, looking at the intensity and amount of exercise they got, the result people getting over 80 minutes of vigorous exercise a day, which is three times the current recommendation with activity that's more intense lived seven years longer than those who exercised less or at a lower intensity. That may sound overwhelming, but short bursts can add up. You don't have to do 80 minutes a day in one solid chunk. If that still sounds daunting, try increasing your exercise even a little. Studies show people live longer by adding just 11 extra minutes of exercise to their daily life. That can look like a quick walk, a few push ups, or dancing to a couple of upbeat songs. That's doable, right? And whether you do an extra 11 minutes or work your way up to 80 minutes a day, you'll add years to your life. We know herbs and spices are good for our heart health, but do we have to use fresh ones? No dried spices provide the same health benefits as fresh ones, but if you won't be using up your bottle within three months, put it in the freezer to keep the active compounds more potent longer. Dehydration isn't just a summer hot weather thing. The University of New Hampshire found an increased risk for dehydration in the winter months, but we're less likely to realize it, and that can make it even more dangerous. We're more likely to be dehydrated in cold weather, because our thirst response is diminished by up to 40% and when we're cold, our blood stays more in our core to protect our organs. And when our body is conserving heat, this way, it stops regulating our fluid balance, so we start peeing more, and we get dehydrated faster. Plus, you know how you can see your breath in cold weather, that's fluid leaving your body, and the colder the weather, the more fluid we lose that way. So this is your reminder to stay hydrated. If you get migraines, get some lavender oil. Research in European neurology shows the scent of lavender reduces pain or provides complete relief for 70% of migraine episodes within two hours, it's down to the active ingredient linalool, which passes through your nose's mucous membranes and blocks pain receptors for even faster relief, sniff lavender using 478 breathing, that's where you inhale for four seconds through one nostril, hold for seven seconds, then exhale through your mouth for eight seconds, then repeat with your other nostril by itself, 478, breathing cuts levels of hormones that trigger migraine pain, so combining that with lavender essential Oil knocks pain out. Do you have a favorite fitness instructor? Skip their class and take one from another instructor, and that goes for mastering any skill from dance to guitar to learning a computer program, you'll become better faster by taking lessons from different teachers. That's according to the University of British Columbia, they found that sticking with the same instructor holds us back. That's because, even if you're being taught the same material or techniques, each instructor adds something new to the experience. They give us a different way of thinking about things, and that speeds up learning and mastering a skill when we fall asleep in front of the TV. That may be the reason we're gaining weight. A study was done by the National Institutes of Health, and it looked at the connection between artificial light at night and weight gain over time. The result, the people who fell asleep with the TV on were more likely to have gained an average of 11 pounds over the course of the study. That's because, from an evolutionary perspective, we're supposed to be sleeping in a dark place at night, but the exposure to life from the TV leads to restless sleep and limits the time spent in deep sleep, and that in turn, increases hunger hormones and slows down our metabolism. Again, the latest research shows that falling asleep. Keep in front of the TV is a factor in weight gain. Here's an email I received at Connie at intelligence for your health.com, it comes from Wayne henecky, who writes, whenever I take pills, I just pop them in my mouth and swallow. That makes my wife crazy. She insists I need water. Who's right? Wayne, I'm with your wife on this one, I would have this argument with my mom when I was caring for her, and that's backed up by Matthew Britt, a pharmacist at the Cleveland Clinic. He says it is important to take oral medications with water to make sure the drug gets all the way down to your stomach and small intestine that allows the medication to be absorbed properly in the body and ensures it doesn't get lodged in your throat. Brits says certain medications can cause irritation or damage to the esophagus or your intestines unless you take them with water, in some cases, dry swallowing pills can lead to ulcers in the digestive system. When this happens in the throat, it is called pill induced esophagitis, and almost every kind of drug can cause this type of ulcer, including antibiotics and over the counter pain relievers like aspirin, ibuprofen and acidomedofin. So make sure you always have a glass of water ready when you take any medication to ensure it gets where it needs to go and gets absorbed properly. Thank you for your email. Wayne, I'm sorry. I'm with your wife. Remember the term snake oil, the derogatory term that got its start back in the 1800s when shady tonics that didn't contain any actual snake oil were sold by traveling salesmen promising to cure everything from colds to chronic pain, and selling bogus snake oil was one of the earliest forms of health care fraud. However, we just found snake oil, the real stuff does work. It's been used for centuries in Chinese medicine, and now it's making a comeback, and there's legitimate science behind it. According to the Western Journal of Medicine, real snake oil, harvested from species like water snakes, is a good source of omega three fatty acids, because, just like cold water fish are a good source of Omega threes, so are snakes, which are cold blooded creatures. In fact, water snakes have more omega three fatty acids than salmon. For example, when used as a topical treatment, snake oil has been shown to reduce inflammation and help relieve pain associated with joint stiffness and arthritis. Also, since fats are an important building block for healthy skin, applying snake oil can help moisturize the skin. There's also evidence that snake oil massaged into the scalp can keep hair follicles healthy and help delay hair loss. And now you can find real snake oil in high end cosmetics and even in vials sold at Walmart, your favorite hobby is good for your health, for example, gardening or even just caring for plants inside your home, increases your heart rate, challenges your muscles and improves joint Mobility. Playing backgammon or scrabble spurs new connections between brain cells, reducing your risk of dementia. The rhythmic movement of knitting relaxes you the same way meditation and yoga do, and scrapbooking stimulates areas of the brain responsible for intelligence and memory. The foods you eat have a huge impact on your life span. In fact, a study from the University of Michigan found that even one serving of some foods can increase your life span by up to 80 minutes or decrease it by over an hour. The researchers developed a nutritional index ranking nearly 6000 foods based on their impact on our life expectancy right down to the minutes gained or lost of healthy, good quality, disease free life per serving overall sugary drinks, fried foods and processed meats like ham, bacon and hot dogs were linked to the most minutes of healthy life lost. For example, a serving of chicken wings translated to three minutes of life lost from the sodium and trans fats and a single beef hot dog translated to 36 minutes lost, mostly from the detrimental effects of processed meat. At the other extreme, fish, fruit, vegetables and whole grains were linked to the largest gains in longevity, for example, baked salmon or rice and beans added about 12 minutes to a healthy life, and a serving of nuts added about 33 minutes. So what's the easiest way to eat your way to a longer life? The researchers say trading just 10% of your daily calories from junk food and processed meats for fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and fish, could add 48 minutes to your lifespan every single day, time to book that ski vacation. According to research, skiing makes people happier and healthier. The study was published in the journal applied research in. Quality of Life, and it found that the pleasure gained from a ski trip is enough to improve a person's overall happiness, even if they only get to the mountains. Occasionally, the skiers who got the most benefits were those who became most engaged in the activity and who forgot everything else in their lives while they were on the slopes. The researchers found that even a one time ski trip had a positive impact on participants. They also found that skiers showed a greater level of enjoyment in their activity than snowboarders. How do you normally spend the last hour of your day, before bed, watching TV, reading, checking email? You may want to adopt what sleep expert Michael Bruce calls a power down hour. It refers to breaking up the last hour before bed into three crucial 20 minute segments. First, spend 20 minutes preparing for the next day, say, by packing lunches for your kids, choosing the outfit you'll be wearing, and writing down a list of the top tasks you'll need to conquer. Dr Bruce says, The more prepared you feel before bed, the more relaxed you'll feel in bed. Also devote 20 minutes to personal hygiene that includes brushing and flossing, showering and any other routine that helps you feel your best before bed. Having a wind down routine primes your brain to get into sleep mode. Finally, Dr Bruce recommends devoting the last 20 minutes of your power down hour to relaxing, whatever that means to you, from reading to meditating to not watching the news. So again, from sleep. Dr Michael Bruce, devote your power down hour to 20 minutes of preparing, 20 minutes of hygiene plus 20 minutes of relaxing. Here's a fun way to boost your immune system play a game like Scrabble. According to a UCLA study, your body sees competition, even in a board game, as something it might need to defend itself against. That increases immune cell function, making them more active. So immune cells move more quickly into the bloodstream, where they spread throughout your body, and that protects you from illness causing pathogens. So play a friendly game against someone to boost your immune system. Should you cover a cut or let it breathe? Cover it. So says a report from the Academy of Dermatology, they found cuts heal 40% faster when they're covered with a germ killing ointment and a bandage. If cold weather is getting to you, you can warm up by increasing your circulation. Here are three ways to do that. First, you can warm up with a cup of hot cocoa, not just because it's physically warm, but because the cocoa boosts circulation, according to Harvard researchers, study participants who did nothing but sip a mug of cocoa every day, increased their circulation by 10% in two weeks. Cardiologist Dr Stephen Gundry says it's due to the polyphenols in cocoa powder, which dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow from your toes to your brain. Another way to warm up, watch a comedy. The University of Maryland School of Medicine says laughing increases blood flow by 35% which is similar to an aerobic workout. One final way to get your circulation going and warm up, eat some pomegranate seeds. The antioxidants in the seeds increase blood flow by 17% all you need is a half cup of seeds, or three ounces of pure pomegranate juice a day. A big reason a lot of people have trouble falling asleep is that they put too much pressure on themselves. It's known as learned insomnia, and it happens when you worry so much about whether or not you'll be able to fall asleep that you can't. Then the next night, you start worrying again, leading to increased stress before bed. Pretty soon, it becomes a conditioned psychological response, and every time you even think about going to bed, it ratchets up your stress. So stop pressuring yourself to fall asleep. In fact, force yourself to stay awake. When you focus on staying awake, it frees you from sleep anxiety, and people who use that technique fall asleep faster than those who don't. The next time you're side lined by a headache or backache, take some ibuprofen and listen to classical music. The Journal frontiers in neurology found that combination increases the effects of over the counter pain relievers by 93% study subjects who took a pain reliever and listened to Mozart had a greater reduction in their pain response, and it worked faster. The experts say it works because classical music boosts the production of a brain protein called B, D and F that reduces pain sensitivity, plus classical music taps into our parasympathetic nervous system, lowering heart rate and blood pressure and stable. Blood sugar. So classical music makes it much easier for our body to absorb medications, which makes them more effective. So try some ibuprofen with a side of Mozart the next time you need to stop a headache, cold. Here's an email I received at Connie at intelligence for your health.com. It comes from Dave Burke, who writes, I joined a gym for the new year. What is the best machine to use for overall fitness? I want to make the most of my workout. Well, Dave, experts from Ohio State University say the rowing machine gives the best workout at the gym. First, you don't have to already be in shape to use it. You can adjust the resistance to your preference, another benefit of a rowing machine. It's an all over body workout that boosts your cardiovascular health and endurance. Other machines target just your arms or legs, but the rowing machine works your shoulders, your chest, arms, back, core, glutes, quads and calves all at once. So it's a great machine to use if you're short on time and want to maximize your workout. Rowing burns roughly 500 calories an hour. That's about double what you'd burn walking on a treadmill, and even though it works out your entire body, it is gentle since you're sitting, it's low impact and doesn't stress your joints, plus it's good for stress rowing at a moderate pace of seven miles per hour relaxes muscles in a way that counteracts tension. If you reach for high fat comfort foods when you're stressed, you are not alone, but we now know that eating high fat foods when you're stressed can lead to more weight gain than eating those very same foods when you are not stressed. That's according to a new study in the journal Cell Metabolism. What happens is this, when we're stressed, our brain increases production of a molecule that prompts us to not only eat more, it also reduces the amount of calories we burn for energy. In short, this stress induced molecule leads us to gain weight, so save comfort foods for when you're feeling good and relaxed and when you're stressed. Reach for foods that give your body the nutrients it needs to battle tension, like fresh produce. In fact, a study in the journal Social Science and Medicine found that getting one extra serving of produce every day has a powerful soothing effect, and people reported higher mental well being after eating one extra serving of produce. So the true comfort food is produce, and it won't make you gain weight. When you're stressed, if you're feeling sore and achy, practice a type of mindfulness called feather breathing. That's where you imagine there is a feather sitting right in front of your nose. The goal is to inhale deeply and exhale slowly, without disturbing the imaginary feather or blowing it away. Research at the Wake Forest School of Medicine found just 10 minutes of feather breathing a day can decrease pain signals in the brain by 27% that's about as much as many over the counter pain killers, so try 10 minutes of feather breathing to reduce pain. Will a roaring fire keep you warm only if you're within three feet of it. That's because a fireplace acts like a vacuum, drawing warm air out through the chimney and leaving behind lung damaging particles. The fix burn hardwoods like Ash and beach, which emit fewer damaging particles and use glass fireplace doors, they radiate heat into the room, eliminate the vacuum effect and shield you from smoke. Does your nose start to run the minute you're outside in cold weather, that's a good thing. University of North Carolina Research shows a 10 Minute outdoor walk in brisk air can clear your sinuses faster and more effectively than an over the counter decongestant and draining your sinuses with a chilly walk can cut the length of a head cold by 57% that's because the combo of cold air and exercise produces adrenaline, which reduces sinus swelling and inflammation and increases the production of immune cells. So grab a few tissues, put them in your pockets and get out there and take a walk. Here's a benefit to marriage. You may not have considered married people get more sleep than single people. A study from the CDC found that 67% of married people get the recommended seven hours of sleep each night, 11% more than people who have never been married or are divorced. So why do married folks get better sleep? Part of it is simply knowing someone is there and has your back if you need help, there's a feeling of safety and security that comes from having someone else in the room when you're most vulnerable. To improve your heart and lung health, crank up the music and sing, because singing requires controlling breathing, where you're forced to exhale while you sing and inhale during pauses. That breath work during singing works major muscle groups in the upper body and helps improve lung and cardiovascular health. Singing also provides the same relaxation effect as yoga breathing, so turn up the radio and sing. So if you're thinking of skipping your daily workout, think twice, because according to exercise physiologist Pete McCall, skipping just one workout raises the odds that you'll skip another one the following week by over 60% so if you're pressed for time or not in the mood, don't blow off the whole thing. Do a shorter workout instead, even just 10 minutes of jumping jacks, push ups and squats is enough to keep you fit and provide a total body workout. The only times you definitely should skip a workout are when you're really sick or really sore, because a study from Western Kentucky University found that it can take three days of rest between workouts for full muscle recovery if you want to start working out more, tell yourself I'm an exerciser or I'm a runner, instead of telling yourself I'm going to exercise or I'm going to run according to the journal self and identity, when people used that strategy, they were better at sticking to an exercise regimen. That's because you're giving yourself an identity, not just a command, and that makes you feel like exercising is part of who you are. It also makes you feel like you belong to a community of exercisers or runners, and feeling that you're part of an active tribe makes you more motivated to keep up so you blew your diet and had three pieces of pizza for lunch. Cut yourself some slack and move on. Research in the Journal of Consumer Psychology found that beating yourself up about diet mistakes increases the chance that you'll repeat the mistake by over 20% that's because when we dwell on our slip ups, it creates self doubt. We see it as a personal flaw, and that depletes our willpower, so we're more likely to eat half a gallon of ice cream after that pizza binge. So acknowledge your mistake, forgive yourself and move on. You'll be less likely to do it again if you're outside in frigid weather, protect yourself from an asthma attack. Dr James wedner is an asthma expert at Washington University in St Louis, and he says there's such a thing as winter asthma, and for many people, asthma attacks may happen more often in the winter. That's because cold air can narrow the passageways to your lungs, and cold dry air can make the muscles inside your throat start to spasm. So wear a scarf around your mouth and nose that'll heat up the air before it gets into your lungs, so it won't shut down your airway. This is intelligence for your health, and I'm Connie seligka. That's it for our show today, our special intelligence for your health with Connie Celica. Edition of the podcast. I'm Gib Gerard. Don't forget to rate, comment and subscribe on Apple podcast. Spotify, wherever you get your podcast. It helps us out a lot. And also you can reach out to us on so reach out to us on social media. All of our links are listed down in the show notes. We try to respond to every DM, every mention of the show, because ultimately, we do the show for you guys. So thank you so much for listening. You.