BLOG 243 BEER
Beer is one of the oldest and widely consumed alcohol beverages in the world. Brewing different types has become increasingly popular. Beer is brewed from cereal grains which include malted barley, wheat, maize (corn), and rice. This brewing process is called fermentation. This produces starch sugars, ethanol, and carbonation, which results in beer. Today’s beer is brewed with hops, which creates the flavor and bitterness. Sometimes other items are added instead of hops for flavoring which includes fruits and herbs.
Alcohol in any form can have health effects, especially considering the amount (regardless of the type). In a world that classifies moderate drinking as one drink per day for women and two for men, overconsumption is commonplace. Beer is empty calories when it comes to nutritional consideration. Most beers contain between 140 and 200 calories. A light beer might have about 100 calories. These added calories and the fact that alcohol causes the body to burn less fat for energy, can lead to weight gain and difficulty losing weight. The body will burn acetate instead for energy. Beer also effects blood sugar levels. Alcohol interferes with the liver converting glycogen into glucose. Beer also is a diuretic which can cause fluid loss and dehydration. It can interact and interfere with certain medications. Because it is made with wheat and barley, anyone with gluten intolerance can be affected.
Craft beer has become the popular type on tap. Sales have reached a new record. Craft beer is a small and independent particular type of beer. Craft beer still only makes up about 10% of the beer industry when this includes major sellers like Coors or Anheuser-Busch, but there are close to 2,500 craft breweries popping up across the country. Baseball stadiums are carrying it too. The fan favorite Bud Light just isn’t cutting it for everyone anymore. Beer lovers are starting to turn towards fun, new flavors. Indian Pale Ales have grown 40% in the past three years. Beer drinkers are experimenting, and beer makers are experimenting at the same time. New innovative styles are being made every day. Sampling rooms are a new trend to try different types and give new brewers a chance to pilot launch their products.
The market is planning to expand and has started to make it portable. Golf courses and markets are starting to carry them. Wholesalers and retailers are catching on and carrying lines of new brews more and more. People’s habits change and craft beer is the new evolution of one of the world’s oldest alcohol beverages.
BLOG 242 LEG CRAMPS
When your muscle suddenly becomes hard and tight or you feel a quick sharp pain in the calf, a muscle cramp has struck. It can happen while in motion when out for a run or even during a night’s sleep. This type of involuntary contraction is a spasm we would rather forgo. Without warning, the onset of a “Charley horse” (cramp that occurs in the calf area), is marked by temporary pain that we want instant relief from. Cramps are never fun to endure, and one just has to breathe through it, stretch, and massage out the area until alleviation kicks in.
There are a number of triggers that can cause muscle cramps. In order to avoid future spasms, knowing the causes becomes important. A cramp can be the result of poor blood circulation. Exercise related stress can bring on a cramp. Being dehydrated or deficient in magnesium and/or potassium, can be causes. Hot temperature is also a culprit, especially when being active. Not stretching enough can also lead to cramping. There are also medications that can lead to cramping. These include diuretics, certain Alzheimer’s medications, statin medications for cholesterol, as well as some osteoporosis and high blood pressure medications. Nerve compression can also cause a pinch that produces a cramp. Muscle mass lessens with age so what muscle is working may be more stressed than normal and overworked much more easily which can cause cramping. Muscle cramps are common during pregnancy as the body is undergoing a lot of changes. Certain medical conditions like diabetes, liver, or thyroid disorder can also heighten the risks of cramping.
Prevention includes staying hydrated, properly stretching, and making sure to eat healthy foods with nutrients. These include vitamins, minerals, potassium, and calcium. Potassium is found in many choices including vegetables, bananas, berries, potatoes, melon, citrus, meat, fish, and milk. Caffeine found in coffee, soda, and other beverages does affect fluid hydration in the body so be sure to replenish with water. Exercise and activity that lasts over 60 minutes can lead to glycogen depletion which can lead to fatigue which can lead to cramps.
Although only a temporary sensation and typically harmless, an unexpected bout of pain never feels good. It is important to seek a doctor’s help if these cramps are reoccurring or persistent. A nutrient imbalance may not be readily noticeable. Finding the cause can help avoid future incidences. Muscle cramps happen to almost everyone, few and far in between, but when they strike, they aren’t forgotten. The healthy folks of Bonsall and Fallbrook know that less is more when it comes to “Charley horses”.
BLOG 241 CONFIDENCE BOOSTERS
Self confidence attributes to a happy personality. Low-self confidence attributes to depression, influences how you view yourself, and hinders how you interact with others. It is an important piece to the happiness pie. Maybe your daily routine could use a few small changes to boost your self- confidence.
1. Smile: This can lead to positive emotions. The physical act of smiling tells your brain to feel secure and upbeat.
2. Do a good deed: You feel better about yourself when you brighten someone else’s day. Send a card, compliment someone, or bake someone their favorite dish. Your mood will improve.
3. Volunteer: Meaningful giving can help you feel connected to others and better about yourself for helping someone else.
4. Dress: Clothing can affect how you feel. Your outfit says something about you. It doesn’t matter if you sit at a desk all day and no one sees it, because you still hold judgment about yourself.
5. Learn something new: Taking a class or enlightening your mind with new information can perpetuate self confidence as you know you are doing something positive.
6. Exercise: This can improve your mood, relieve stress, and help the way you feel about your appearance. Self-discipline and reaching fitness goals can be uplifting.
7. Eat right: Eating healthy helps your appearance and helps your mood. This leads to more energy and more self-confidence.
8. Posture: Standing up straight displays self-confidence. There are physical benefits to this, but it also communicates that you feel you belong and should be where you are in the moment.
9. Get organized: Managing small pieces of your life helps you feel in control.
10. Others like you: Assume that people like you instead of worrying what everyone else thinks. People don’t always focus on your flaws the way that you do about yourself.
11. Ignore your inner critic: Stop telling yourself that you are not good enough or not worthy. Give yourself some credit.
12. Avoid the mirror: Stop being addicted to looking at your physical imperfections. You are your own worst critic.
13. Make eye contact: This is a confidence radiating mannerism.
14. Stop procrastinating: Creating stress does not make you feel good about yourself.
15. Have me time: Spending time on just you is important. Get a facial or your nails done. Go play golf. You are telling yourself you are worth taking time for.
We all want to be confident about who we are, what we do, and our presence on this Earth. Self-confidence is a personality trait that must be fulfilled for happiness. You can be happy, and it starts by believing that you are enough.
There are four main types of blood: A, B, AB, and O. Blood type is determined by antigens found on red blood cells. Each letter refers to a type of antigen. A blood type is also called a blood group. Which type a person has is determined by the genes they get from their parents. Every person’s blood is unique because they have their own set of antigens and antibodies. Most people have 4-6 liters of blood in their body. The cells that float in this liquid are called plasma. In 1901 the Austrian scientist Karl Landsteiner discovered that there are in fact different blood types. Before that, doctors thought that all blood was the same.
Red blood cells deliver oxygen to different tissues in the body and remove carbon dioxide. White blood cells destroy bad invaders and fight infection. Platelets help the blood to clot.
Blood type is based upon two different antigens: A and B.
Group A has the A antigen and B antibody.
Group B has the B antigen and A antibody.
Group AB has A and B antigens but no A or B antibodies.
Group O doesn’t have A or B antigens but has A and B antibodies.
Rh factor determines if a person’s blood is positive or negative. Positive means you have Rh and negative means you do not. Rh is another type of antigen. Therefore, a person can have A positive or A negative, B positive or B negative, AB positive or AB negative, or O positive or O negative blood.
Blood type is important because is two different blood types mix, they can clump and this can be fatal. This can cause a toxic reaction. During a blood transfusion, the donor and recipient must have the same blood types. Blood types don’t always have to be an exact match to be safe. In fact, type O has been referred to as the universal blood type because it used to be thought that it could be donated to anyone. That is not always one hundred percent true. However, type O is considered the safest to donate in times of emergency or when there is limited supply.
Recently there have been claims that people can eat to their blood type to achieve better weight loss results. There is not enough scientific evidence to this claim yet.
Blood is part of all of us and knowing our type is important in case we ever are in a crisis or can help someone out who is in one. When we can safely share and help one another in times of need, but blood is not meant to be freely shared. If you don’t know your blood type, ask you doctor and find out. You never know when this information can come in handy.
BLOG 239 ASPIRIN
Aspirin is a salicylate (derived from a plant) and is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). The earliest uses of this drug date back to the Greek physician Hippocrates in the 5th century B.C. He used a powder extracted from willow’s bark. It works by blocking a certain natural substance in your body to reduce pain and swelling. Today you can walk into most any store and purchase this product. Almost anyone and everyone has used it, but when it comes to kids, it is important to consult your doctor before treating a child younger than 12 years. Aspirin is a home remedy or doctor prescribed treatment for so many different purposes. It’s that easy remedy we turn to first at the sight of pain or discomfort.
Aspirin is the fixer upper solution to many conditions. The most common uses include trying to reduce a fever, making a headache go away, reducing pain and swelling, and to helping alleviate symptoms of a cold. Aspirin in also a blood thinner. Often times a doctor will prescribe its use to help prevent blood clots. This is especially true prior to a surgery, when a doctor might prescribe a low dose of aspirin to help ward off blood clots in the process. This can also help with the prevention of heart attacks, strokes, and help reduce chest pain. A doctor might recommend the daily use of aspirin as a preventative method.
It is used to aid muscle and tooth aches. When taking at your own will, always read and follow the directions. The dosage is dependent upon the condition but it important to not exceed amounts outside of the recommended directions within a 24-hour period. Everyone’s body responds differently to aspirin, but some of the less serious side effects include heartburn and an upset stomach. More serious side effects include kidney problems, vomiting, bruising, bleeding, ringing in the ears, dizziness, or feeling constantly tired.
It is always important to consult a doctor at the first indication of any of these adverse effects. It is important to avoid aspirin if the person has a bleeding disorder, particularly stomach or intestinal bleeding. Aspirin poisoning is one of the common forms of accidental poisoning in children. Inappropriate dosages to children and elderly cause this poisoning too. The first signs of poisoning include ringing in the ears, rapid breathing, and dehydration.
Aspirin is a drug and it is always important to address any medical attention that goes beyond the scope of self care with a doctor. Aspirin seems to fix about any symptom, but only temporarily. Listen to the body and when over the counter isn’t effective, a doctor should be advised. Pain is not meant to last, but don’t keep masking. Take aspirin as needed in the advised amount and it may just fix what needed a little attention.