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7 Reasons Seniors Should Try Fasting

Intermittent fasting is a hot trend. Going 16-18 hours a day without consuming any calories does not sound that easy, but it can be. Recent studies show that there are long-term benefits to intermittent fasting, such as lowering belly fat, boosting brain function, and helping you live longer by reducing your risk for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. But is this a safe practice for seniors? Absolutely!

smooth for fasting with seniors — *As long as you’re getting your daily calories and nutrients, you should be safe to fast.*

1.Reduced Insulin Resistance

During the fasting period, lower insulin levels improve fat burning in the body. Not only will it improve fat burning, but the lowered insulin levels will help encourage muscle growth. Studies show that fasting reduces insulin by 20-31%.

2.Detox The Body

When you fast, your body removes toxins. One way this occurs is from shedding weight. When you intermittent fast, your body will burn fat, using it for the energy it’s not getting from food. The fat cells are the usual culprits for toxin storage, keeping it from what we eat and breathe.

When you cleanse your body from toxins, you will find that you have more energy, stamina, clear skin, better brain function, and restful sleep patterns.

3.Lose Weight

Because your body lowers it’s insulin levels, your body burns\ the fat for fuel, and it no longer receives the signal to store extra calories as fat. Intermittent fasting can increase norepinephrine, a hormone and neurotransmitter that can boost your metabolism! That way, your body will burn calories throughout the day.

4.Improved Gut Health & Mood

Not only does your body burn more, but your gut health improves. Your mood and mental health go hand in hand with your gut microbiome. So, when your gut reboots due to intermittent fasting, your stomach and your mood are overall happier.

5.Heart Function

At least one study indicates that people who follow a fasting diet may have better heart health than people who don’t. When you fast, your levels of hemoglobin, red blood cell count are affected, in a good way. This improves heart health.

senior woman feeling better from fasting — *Feel good about yourself no matter what your age! What you eat plays a huge part in your energy levels.*

6.Autophagy

The process of cells eating themselves to get rid of damaged cells, and recycle into better, more youthful ones is called autophagy. Viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens are destroyed in this process. The simple way to activate this is by fasting. Damaged cells are removed, and cellular and tissue rejuvenation occur.

7.Brain Function

Your body will burn glucose reserved in your blood and liver when you are fasting. The liver will turn the fat into ketones and use them for fuel. Your brain prefers ketones over glucose, and in turn, will work better and increase your ability to learn and think.

As you’ve read, intermittent fasting has many great benefits, even for those who are over 50 years old. The important thing to note is that what you eat still matters.

When you are done fasting, remember to stick to nutritional foods that will fuel our body and mind. Stick to vegetables, fruits, and protein. If you feel weak, or light-headed, then stop fasting and seek advice from your doctor. If you have chronic conditions such as heart problems, or diabetes, contact your doctor before beginning intermittent fasting. If done right, there can be many benefits obtained from fasting, including living a longer healthier life.

Get All The Benefits Of Bone Broth–In A To Go Cup!

Bone broth or liquid gold?

Drinking bone broth offers many health benefits. Want a better digestive system? Drink some bone broth. Something to help ease the joint pain? Drink bone broth! When added to a health diet the health benefits of bone broth are endless.

nona lim broth cup with leaves in the background — *One great cup with so many health benefits!*

Bone broth’s inflammation reducing qualities come from the high amount amino acids in every cup. These special acids provide glycine which helps you sleep better, can reduce inflammation, increase stomach health, and can even aid a healthy weight-loss routine.

In addition to keeping your stomach healthy, the high protein content decreases hunger cravings. No more late-night snacks full of empty calories!

Bone broth is also pumped full of collagen! Have wrinkles? This nutrient-dense liquid does wonders for the body and wonders for your look! Collagen has been known to fight the signs of aging it keeps you looking, and feeling, younger longer!

With all the vitamins, nutrients, and amino acids, no wonder we call it “liquid gold.”

Bone Broth Has Been Known To

Boost Immunity – Studies have shown that bone broth boosts immunity in humans and animals.
Fight Inflammation – Amino acids such as cystine, histidine, and glycine, reduce inflammation.
Build Muscle – The amino acids found in bone broth can stimulate muscle protein synthesis.
Strengthen Bones & Teeth – Bone broth provides all the necessary vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, protein, magnesium, vitamin D, zinc, and more, for bone health and formation.
Improve Hydration – Electrolytes and carbohydrates from vegetables added to bone broth can rehydrate better than water alone.
Improve Mood – When your gut is happy, then you are happy. Bone broth supports a healthy gut biome. The broth reduces gut inflammation and fosters more healthy bacteria. When the gut is healthy, it sends happy signals to the brain, elevating your mood.
Fight Aging – The collagen from the bone reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and promotes healthier hair, skin, and stronger nails.

These are just some of the benefits that bone broth offers. The list goes on! However, it is difficult to get good quality broth without some effort. We think we found something good in Nona Lim.

*Nona Lim offers a variety of easy to heat and sip bone broths!*

If you know anything about bone broth, you probably also know the amount of time it takes to make. Roasting and boiling bones to draw out the flavor and nutrients can take hours! And while it is definitely worth the wait, there is a better way to reap the benefits!

If you don’t have 10+ hours to steep good broth, we have found the perfect thing- Nona Lims Heat & Sip Cups.

Our team snagged a few different broth flavors from Nona Lim, a company providing bone broth cups. The company’s owner found inspiration in her Asian heritage, using fresh, high-quality ingredients to bring the magic of bone broth to people who don’t have the time to make it themselves.

Nona Lim Reviews:

The Ease

Need a snack? Or in a time crunch and need something warm? These Nona Lim soup cups are what you are looking for.

The recyclable (or reusable) cup is environmentally friendly and easy to hold. The design resembles a coffee cup and lid with a cardboard sleeve, making it easy to hold in one hand and sip.

It’s a simple process to enjoy:

First, you shake up the contents in the cup.
Then you remove the lid and seal.
Microwave for 3 minutes.

3 minutes and done! Place the lid back on the cup, let it cool, and then begin enjoying the benefits of delicious bone broth!

to-go cup of nona lim bone broth — No need for a spoon! Just heat and sip!

The Taste

The company offers 8 different soup flavors, and 4 of them are bone broth. We tried 3 flavors: Ginseng Chicken Bone Broth, Turmeric Chicken Bone Broth, and Shiitake Beef Bone Broth.

And we did find a company favorite. The Turmeric Chicken Bone Broth was most loved by everyone. This flavor contained a great set of simple organic ingredients: chicken bone broth, water, goji berries, ginger, kosher salt, and turmeric. It was the perfect balance of spices, not overwhelming at all. One coworker stated it was “full-bodied and the most flavorful.” It definitely left us wanting more.

The company prides itself on using the best ingredients without additives or preservatives, and it shows.

The Rates

When it comes to the ease and comfort of these cups, everyone agreed they were convenient.

taste testers for broth in an office — *Bottom line? Nona Lim is a tasty addition to a cupboard, but maybe not so much for the wallet.*

While the bone broth was great by itself, everyone agreed it would make a fantastic soup base, adding more ingredients like fresh carrots, garlic, and noodles to enhance the benefits (and the tastiness).

The consensus was that it was a bit costly in organic for an every day addition but definitely worth it once in a while. Luckily we later learned that Nona Lim can be found at more affordable retailers, like Walmart, for a much better price that makes these cups a no brainer!

It was amazing to discover that bone broth had so many benefits for your joints, aids in sleep, promotes weight loss, and more. Everyone wants to be healthier quicker and Nona Lim’s broth can help.

In Remembrance of Pearl Harbor

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” –Franklin Delano Roosevelt, addressing the US Congress

USA Hawaii O'ahu, Pearl Harbor, Arizona Memorial. — *People from all over the world come to visit this memorial.*

Pearl Harbor is a US naval base in Hawaii. Many people lost their lives that December, and we hold the 7th in remembrance of the dead. However, we understand the attack only from a romantic version of those events–either through short lessons in a history book or from the feature film. If you look closer, the event is much more complicated.

Before the Attack

The US and Japan had strained relations before any aggressive action was taken. In 1937, Japan showed hostility towards China, and in response, the US put trade embargos in place to show that we didn’t support those actions.

While both Japan and America engaged in peace talks, neither would budge on their position.

The US put their Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. Even though it was an improbable target (The island is 4,000 miles from Japan.), there were cautions from inside the American navy.

Theoretical naval games were played years earlier, and the results were that Pearl Harbor was a dangerous weakness. Admiral James Richardson took information from these games and protested when the entire Pacific Fleet was moved there. However, President Roosevelt went ahead anyhow, going so far as to remove the Admiral from his office.

Honolulu, USA - January 13, 2014: USS Arizona Memorial Entrance, Pear Harbor, Hawaii, USA — *The Arizona sustained the most damage–and the most loss of life.*

The Japanese sent a message to their American embassy 30 minutes before the attack. This was to declare war on America, thereby removing the evils of a surprise assault. However, the message was not only translated too late, but it was also confusing in its meaning:

“Thus the earnest hope of the Japanese Government to adjust Japanese-American relations and to preserve and promote the peace of the Pacific through cooperation with the American Government has finally been lost.

The Japanese Government regrets to have to notify hereby the American Government that in view of the attitude of the American Government it cannot but consider that it is impossible to reach an agreement through further negotiations.”

We can infer this meaning retrospectively, but the last two paragraphs of the message still seem deliberately unclear.

What Happened

The plan was to destroy the American Pacific Fleet, or at least cripple it enough that Japanese interests in the South Pacific would be unbothered.

The attack started at around 8 a.m. and continued for around 2 hours. Because of their intelligence gained from a spy, the Japanese knew where to strike and planned accordingly. Three waves came in, prioritizing targets like the battleships and the airfields.

The most devastating losses were sustained by ships like the USS Arizona. An 1800 pound bomb struck the ship, detonating their forward ammunition magazine. The ship sank with over 1,000 people trapped inside.

That was only one large event in a catastrophic attack. Twenty ships sustained intense damage and over 300 planes were destroyed. Even worse, 2403 people lost their lives that day.

The Aftermath

pearl harbor veterans talking at a memorial event — *Veterans fought on the front lines and experienced so much. Take time to thank a veteran you know on their memorial event.*

Pearl Harbor recovered from the assault quickly. While the military fleet was crippled, the support facilities were relatively untouched. (The repair docks, shipyards, and oil storage) Another strange stroke of luck was the strength of our aircraft carriers. They ended up being a huge asset during the war, and most were absent during the attack.

The most influential part of this day was the US entering World War II.

The attack unified the US, giving a solid reason for joining the war effort. The next day, President Roosevelt got the go-ahead from Congress to declare war on Japan. As Japan’s allies, Germany and Italy retaliated by declaring war on America. With this domino effect, we entered one of the world’s darkest conflicts.

Men’s Health: Where to Begin

It’s Men’s Health Awareness Month, and guess what–a majority of men don’t prioritize their health. As a man working on this, I’ve found this problem stems from a low prioritization of our own bodies. We take care of our careers, our family members, and our relationships first, but we place our own physical health last. This even extends to gym-goers and bodybuilders. Sure, we have Crossfit and a mountain of protein supplements, but many people get critically injured with Crossfit, and many of those vitamin supplements are still full of sugar or dairy–things that contribute to poor health.

jogger running for men's health down a street — *Jogging is a great way to stay fit. If you don’t like this, swimming, cycling, or rowing are great cardio substitutes.*

Statistics show that on average, men die five years earlier than women. This has to mean something, if not a warning sign to take care of ourselves. (Or it’s evidence that women are truly the strong ones, but we won’t get into that here.)

People are dying in droves because of poor health; we just aren’t aware of how bad our habits are. First, we have to look at what exactly is killing us, then we can take steps to prevent it.

What Is Killing Us?

Modern technology has eliminated many threats that killed us even 50 years ago. Unfortunately, these are the main issues that we still have to worry about:

Diabetes
Suicide from depression
Prostate cancer
Cardiovascular disease

Not the sexiest list, is it? When men talk about how they want to die, it usually doesn’t involve taking their own life or a sudden heart attack. However, we don’t have threats in contemporary life like wars or fighting off bears. (If we must look at traditional “masculine” ways of dying) Our new enemies are food and mental illness.

doctor doing blood pressure for men's health — *It’s better to take preventative measures than to visit a doctor when it’s too late.*

Do you know which on this list is killing one-entire-third of Americans? It’s not diabetes, which is what all of our commercials seem to talk about. It’s heart disease. However, we don’t see that on the news. While cardiovascular health is an issue for both men and women, for now, we’ll focus on what men can do to stave off this incredible killer.

Luckily for overall men’s health, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression are connected. Scientists are finding that our gut flora, the bacteria living inside our digestive system, has a role to play in our mental health. So, taking care of what we eat can influence our mental wellbeing. This will simultaneously solve most of these issues except for prostate cancer.

Besides the digestive issues, we really need to start talking about our feelings and teaching these habits in our male children. It’s no longer okay to brush off serious mental illness as stoicism. Masculinity can be just as powerful when we take our emotions in hand and learn to deal with them in healthy ways.

For the prostate problem, we have another solution here that we think you’ll like.

So, we know now that the fight for our lives resides on our dinner plates. What’s next?

What Can We Do?

It’s not just our diets; we must get involved with overall well-being. This means not only watching our diets and exercising regularly but also taking our mental health and emotional intelligence in hand. It’s no longer excusable to blame others for our vices.

This means scheduling doctor visits, both to a physician and a therapist. It also means not eating all those wings and drinking 70 beers (At least not every week, you can keep Superbowl Sunday. We’re not heartless.) While your buddies may look at you funny for ordering a salad every other party, your heart health is more important than fitting in. If they are truly your friends, they’ll support your healthy habits.

man squatting heavy weight and straining for men's health — *Lifting weights teaches a good lesson: strive for failure for that is how you improve.*

And you should get them involved too! Maybe schedule gym visits all together and work out with fitness in mind, not just huge biceps and washboard abs. While they are nice to look at, your external muscles need to be built well. With so many exercise and men’s health programs out there, you can afford to be choosy. Look into which ones support a whole-body experience and not just getting you ripped as soon as possible. Look for workouts like this one here.

The bottom line for men’s health is this: get to a doctor and ask for a no-nonsense laundry list for what you need to improve your health. Most likely, this is going to involve throwing some green stuff onto your plate and generating a sustainable workout routine at the gym. You can do Crossfit if you want, but seriously be careful with that program. After that, read some books over emotional intelligence, you’ll be surprised at what you can learn. Involve a therapist if you believe professional help is necessary, but most likely, just understanding how you think can make a huge difference. We can make our society a healthier place, as smarter, more aware individuals, and as men.

How To Cut Down On Sodium

Usually we are unaware of how much salt we consume in a day. Around 75% of the things we eat already have salt in it, even things like bread, and cereal. It is important to keep an eye on our salt intake in order to prevent any serious health conditions. High sodium intake can cause high blood pressure, water retention, and can lead to heart disease. Everything is good in moderation, and salt is no different. The problem is that most of us do not realize exactly how much salt we consume or what to do about it. We have compiled a few helpful tips to help you keep track of how much salt you are actually eating, and how to cut down if you realize you’re getting way too much!

Cooking

When cooking, we throw in a handful of salt or a pinch here and there out of habit. Sometimes the amount of salt we add is a lot more than needed and in the long run will hurt our bodies. There are many different seasonings that can be used to bring flavor to our food that are not as harmful to your health and help cut down on salt. Fresh herbs can be used on vegetables and meat such as garlic and ginger, both are beneficial to your health. Ginger and garlic can lower your blood pressure, fight infections, help you lose weight, and is anti-inflammatory.

Shopping

When you are out shopping for foods, it is important to check the milligrams of sodium on label. Compare labels and try to cut the salt by choosing cereals, condiments, and snacks that have lower salt. Ham and packaged meats can be high in salt, as well as fish, so try to stay away from them as much as possible, go for the fresh options instead. Canned foods and sauces can be high in sodium too, so keep an eye on those as well. Buying products with less salt doesn’t necessarily mean less taste. Fresher ingredients give you the opportunity to adjust ingredients, try new flavors, and experiment with new cooking styles introducing you to meals you may not have tried before, and giving you body a much better balance of nutrients.

Eating Out

A lot of food that is made at restaurants or fast food places can be full of sodium because they are made of frozen and ready made ingredients. When eating out try to opt for a fresh salad, this is much better for your digestive system, has less frozen ingredients, and will cut down on the amount of unnecessary chemicals and sodium you are taking in. Even salads can have unnecessary amounts of salt if you are not careful, be mindful of salad dressings, and extra toppings they can be full of salt and fat. If you feel the need for pasta or a burger, there are ways to make it healthier. You can limit the condiments on burgers that are full of salt, and stick to cheese and vegetables. With pasta, choose a healthier tomato sauce instead of alfredo, and add vegetables to the pasta. If ordering a sandwich, go for something other than ham because it is generally full of salt, try something like grilled chicken with vegetables.

Our kidneys have a hard time trying to keep up with the amount of salt we take in on a daily basis. The body ends up holding the water in, increasing blood volume, which in the end forces our hearts to pump harder. Over time, the work the heart has to put in can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. High blood pressure is the leading cause of heart disease. It is very important to examine the our salt intake every day to avoid these issues. All it takes are a few simple switches to turn a high sodium meal into a healthier choice, and we do not have to miss out on flavor while doing so. We only have one heart, so we should try to keep it as healthy as possible.

Tag: lifestyle