PULLING UP DAISIES
Cultivating the right microflora is key to health, fortunately you can trust your gut to make the right selection, but antibiotics do pull out some of the blooms in your gut garden out. Spending time in a garden will help you feel better, so will co-ordinating your diary with your body's schedule. Make sure to include time for choir practice and exercise time in your schedule as you climb the corporate ladder. If you want a good night’s sleep, you NEED a corner office, get a few pointers on how to win, from the winners of MOUSE SURVIVOR. To everyone in the Southern Hemisphere, HAPPY SPRING ! To those in the Northern Hemisphere – hope you’ve stocked up on your vitamin D.
The E-spoons E-zine is a monthly compilation of stories appearing on Better Body Chemistry blog. The stories are based on the latest science tit bits and will help you become a little healthier, wealthier and wiser by explaining the why. As a friend of Spoonful of Science you have been included on our mailing list – should you wish to unsubscribe follow the link at the bottom of the E-zine.
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Trust your gut to make the right selection
When it comes to decision making, we’re often advised to “TRUST YOUR GUT”, of course, listening to your gut when it comes to deciding whether you should have a second piece of chocolate cake, can back fire.
But for the most part……….. gut decisions are winners, it makes sense, a gut decision is collective wisdom, based on the input of a trillion or so bacteria. Of course collective wisdom is only as good as the collective !
Luckily, the cells lining your gut have got you covered. This is the conclusion of a group of researchers from Oxford University. Who winds up taking up residence in the gut - is not just a matter of chance.
Gut gardening begins early and is an on going process, the garden is meticulously maintained by the cells lining the gut.
Click here to read more about what it takes to create a tranquil gut garden, which is free of WEEDS.
Your gut cells will do their best to keep the garden well maintained. But they need your help keeping your gut garden in tip top shape…..
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protect the seed (microflora), only use antibiotics when absolutely necessary,
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provide good seed (microflora), eat fermented foods and live a little dirty,
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feed your gardeners, by eating nutrient dense not calorie dense foods and
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create a tranquil environment.
HAPPY GARDENING.
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The antibiotic hurricane leaves your gut flora flattened
Bacteria are typically regarded as THE ENEMY. As the ENEMY, exterminating them makes a lot of sense. But technology has allowed us to dig a little deeper into our microbial world. And what a world….. click here to learn more about the your microbial world.
We now know, taking an antibiotic is the equivalent of a hurricane blowing through your gut garden. It is seriously destructive. But, up until now, measuring the destruction has typically focused on numbers. But it is not just a numbers problem.
Hurricanes disrupt the routine.
When a team of European researchers, used -omics technologies to keep tabs on the gut flora following antibiotic treatment, they found…. some species of bacteria were more sensitive than others.Surviving required the bacteria to make major shifts in their metabolism - and the “stressed out” bacteria, stopped doing all those little metabolic jobs, they routinely performed. And 40 days later, things are still not back to normal.
The take home message, think before you take an antibiotic, they may not harm you, but they do upset your trillion little helpers, and when your bacteria are off their game, all sorts of problems can arise. And if you must take an antibiotic, your gut bacteria will need TLC for a long time afterwards, at least 40 days.
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There is more to health than eating less and exercising more. Discover how small lifestyle changes can improve your health, so you create BETTER BODY CHEMISTRY. To book your body audit, drop me an e-mail at drsandy@spoonfulofscience.com
Delight your brain today by having a green moment
“Green” breaks are relatively easy to schedule, but as the world goes online, for many, the green world has become increasingly redundant.
At face value, battling dragons in a virtual world, hooking up with friends in the cloud etc. seems like the THING TO DO. Brain’s like the non stop buzz of the digital world and that little cell phone ping, drops a dollop of feel good dopamine, pretty much every time it pings.
Science is discovering, the human brain also needs a dose of the real world, to truly be healthy.
Read more about the importance of giving your brain green moments.
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It is time to co-ordinate your diary with your body’s schedule (video)
You have a TIGHT schedule. Every moment of your day is planned and your activities are directed by the clock.
At 6 am the alarm clock demands you get out of bed and start……….RUNNING. It is a scramble to get yourself and the rest of the family ready. The school run MUST start by 7.22. A minute or two later and the traffic situation will make EVERYONE late.
You MUST clock into work by 8.30…..………………
Modern living is CLOCK LIVING.
Watch this video, to discover how important getting the timing right is to your health.
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Got a case of bad body chemistry due to metabolic syndrome ?
Enrol in our free e-course for Tips and Strategies that will help improve your body chemistry
or book a session with Dr Sandy. E-mail drsandy@spoonfulofscience.com or phone 083 262 5023.
Singing in the choir gets hearts beating more harmoniously
If you are not a big fan of the gym, preferring more civilized pursuits… then research from Sahlgrenska Academy will get you singing with delight, quite literally.
The Swedish team have discovered tralla lala laling together in a choir, does not just create pleasing music for the ears that behold it. It is creates harmonious heart beats for the singers too.
And hearts that are beating together, have a powerful presence, contributing to heart health.
Click here to read more
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Exercise can make-over your fat cells even if you’re not losing weight
You joined the gym………. the fitness instructor promised the hopping and bopping, would see you looking skinnier.
It has been 3 months.
The scale suggests the sacrifice has not been worth it. You are 100 g lighter than when you started.
You’re ready to give up. What is the point of exercising ?
WAIT – the real benefit of exercise has nothing to do with what you look like on the outside, it’s what is going on INSIDE, that counts. And things, important things, are happening on the INSIDE.
You fat cells are getting a make-over. This is the finding of researchers from Lund University in Sweden. They discovered that moderate physical activity changes your fat cell’s genes.
Click here to read more. Drop me an e-mail,
drsandy@spoonfulofscience.com, to learn more about how you can “Cheat those Fat Genes”.
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If you want a good night’s sleep, you NEED a corner office
On second thoughts, just aim for an office with a window, the bigger the better. That corner office may have two windows, but it typically comes with a whole lot of extra stress, which makes it less likely you will climb into bed at all. A good night’s sleep requires both quantity and quality – pulling an “all nighter” on a regular basis IS NOT A HEALTH MOVE.
Researchers from Northwestern University of Chicago discovered an office window is the key to workplace health and happiness. Quite literally.
Click here to discover how having an office window can make such an impact on your health.
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The winners of MOUSE SURVIVOR don’t eat added sugar (video)
Watch this episode of MOUSE SURVIVOR to learn what it takes to win MOUSE SURVIVOR.
Instead of placing genetically identical lab mice in a warm cosy cage, researchers took genetically different wild mice and put them in a big room with “mouse barns”. The barn was divided into six distinct “territories” – separated from each other with wire mesh. Each territory had a nest box, a feeding station and drinking water.
Not all territories within the barn were “optimal” - 4 were nice and cosy, 2 were so-so. Each rendition of “Mouse Survivor” kicked off with 26 mice : 8-10 males, competing for 6 territories and 14-18 females.
To win, the mice had to survive and reproduce. To make it more interesting, the researchers manipulated the diets of the contestants. They all got the same amount of calories, but how they got those calories differed.
If you want to be the SURVIVOR in your world, learn from MOUSE SURVIVOR – cut the sugar.
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Need some help cutting your LOVE OF SUGAR. You need to Trick or Treat your SUGAR GREMLIN.
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Click here for more Tips and Strategies that will help improve your body chemistry or book a session with Dr SandyOther stories from the blog this month..............
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Next month we will be MOON WALKING. Look out for the next edition of E-spoons in your inbox on 2 October 2013 (the first Wednesday of the month).
Yours scientifically
Dr Sandy
Phone : +27 (0)11 452 2207
Cell : 083 262 5023
E-mail : drsandy@spoonfulofscience.com
The cartoons were drawn by Guy Alain Ngangob – drop him an e-mail if you need a cartoon or two. If you want to access the science articles used to compile the newsletter, visit the relevant pages on the blog and follow the link.
Copyright © 2013 by Sandra Evans. YOU ARE WELCOME TO COPY the e-Zine's contents for use in your own newsletter, company or club publication, BLOG or website. Please give proper credit and a link back to http://www.betterbodychemistry.com.
Disclaimer : The e-zine is provided as a service. Dr Sandy’s reports and opinions are for information only, and are not intended to diagnose or prescribe. For your specific diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor or health care provider.
