Healthful Bites

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve done my usual Good for you news post—it’s about time to get with it, don’t you think? Away we go!

Nod Off Noshes

Over the years, you’ve probably heard countless tips about foods that will induce sleep. That Thanksgiving feast makes you drowsy? Must be the turkey! Can’t put your mind to rest at the end of the day? Sip on a tall, warm glass of milk. While this advice won’t harm you, it is sometimes not based in science.

A Washington Post reporter recently delved into this topic and discovered that many more foods keep us awake then put us to sleep. The women involved in a recent Sleep Medicine study who ate more fat in their diets slept less at night, took more naps and racked up fewer minutes of restful sleep during the experiment than women who took in less fat. Being obese was also associated with fewer quality zzz’s, possibly linked to a case of sleep apnea, researchers said.

Here are a few tricks to remember so your sleep comes easier:

• Avoid caffeine if you are sensitive to it. Some forms can stay in your system and affect sleep up to 12 hours after consumption!
• Ditch the alcohol if you need restful slumber. It may interfere with restorative REM sleep.
• Popping a cup of red grapes may boost melatonin (an important hormone involved in sleep) levels a bit.
• Warm beverages such as herbal teas or heated milk will probably help you feel more relaxed, but probably don’t have any chemical components that make you nod off.
• You would need to consume about one full pound of turkey to accumulate a siesta-inducing amount of tryptophan. 

Exercising often and strenuously is a sure-fire way to help me to doze off in a short amount of time. What works for you?

 (Image from Karrels)

I could not stop laughing at this! Holy smokes, could this puppy be more adorable?!?

Chubby Connotations 

England’s public health minister is on a mission to ban “obese” from the vocabulary of health professionals, the BBC reports. Anne Milton says that “fat” is more likely to initiate action to improve health than obese, which she claims is less direct, more medical and less likely to encourage “personal responsibility.” It’s all about connotation, isn’t it?

Opponents have fought back, asserting that calling someone fat is more likely to offend them than to spur them to action. Obesity is a condition, while fat is an adjective describing an individual, one public health professor says. 

With all of the focus on political correctness these days, what is your opinion on this topic? Should doctors be very direct and possibly stigmatize their patients by saying fat or stick with the more clinical term obese?

 (Image from Zazzle)

I guess it’s all about the way you think about it! Either way, this guy certainly is in no need of this shirt…

Water cooler conversation starter: In an attention-seeking shocking health news story, a U.K. study has declared that cell phones are, on average, 18 times dirtier than public restroom flushing handles. While the germs on either generally don’t make us sick right away, they do illuminate areas that display poor hygiene of the user(s). Researchers claim that about one in every four cell phones in the U.K. could actually make the owner sick. 

I’ve taken to giving my phone a quick wipe with a disposable disinfectant wipe every few days (avoiding all electronic in/out holes), especially now that I am often grabbing subway handles and other grimy items around the city. Do you pay attention to the cleanliness of your electronics, or just hope that the bugs will die off eventually/ be too weak to cause illness?