Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Sassy Health Tips

Hi-ya. So here I am again. Still a bit saggy... although personally, I prefer to think of it as more of a relaxed fit... and hopefully, still sassy and savvy enough to provide you with some worthwhile wellness tips. Some of these may be old-hat to you, some may be new, and some may even be a bit counter-intuitive, but I'm going to try not to be such a smart ass today. This stuff's as real as the mildew growing under my boobs. Okay, so I totally made that part up. (Just a few squirts of X-14 keeps the mildew problem down nicely.) Okay, another lie. Sorry. But trust me, these tips are on the up-and-up. (Unlike my boobs...)
  • Want to  amp up a twenty-minute nap so it does a better job kicking fatigue in the keister? Have a cup of coffee first. Really. Downing approximately 200 mg of caffeine immediately before catching a few zees is all you need to turn your mini- nap into a super nap. That's because of something called adenosine, which is a natural byproduct of being awake and active. The higher its level, the more fatigued we feel. Makes sense, right? Well, a nap clears that stuff out of our system, and caffeine is an adenosine-blocker, so just as you're waking up from that nap, the caffeine is kicking in, and... ta-DA!... it effectively amplifies the benefits of that nap. 
  • Are you one of those people who is so conscientious about brushing your pearly whites immediately after every meal that you carry a toothbrush in your purse? Hold on. You might want to rethink that, because you may not be doing something quite as good as you think you are. Especially if your meal includes something acidic... like citrus fruit, tomatoes, sports drinks, or sodas. Acid temporarily softens tooth enamel, so brushing too soon, when your teeth are at their most vulnerable, can actually cause damage to your teeth. Bottom line? If you want to still have your choppers when you're as old as I am, best to wait 30-60 minutes before pulling out your toothbrush.
  • Those snack products marketed in 100-calorie packages seem to be a great idea, right? I mean, they control our portion size, and essentially save us from ourselves. (Assuming we have enough willpower to only eat one of them, that is.) The thing is, that small portion of carbs may spike your blood sugar a tad initially, but then you're too soon hungry again... for more carbs. It'd be better in the long run to pass on the carb snacks altogether, and reach for proteins. Something like peanut butter or cheese and apple slices. More calories per serving, yeah, but you'll feel full faster, and stay full longer. That means you won't be tempted to stuff your face with something else, and will end up eating fewer calories overall. 
  • Are you hooked on energy drinks? If you drink them, you probably are. One of those hopped-up beverages has five times more caffeine than a comparable amount of coffee, so no wonder it leaves you feeling nervous, jittery, and irritable, and makes your heart race. In addition to that mega-dose of caffeine, it also contains aurine, a central nervous system stimulant, and upwards of fifty grams of sugar. (That's a whopping thirteen teaspoons!) Yeah, that'll provide a rapid spike in blood sugar, all right, but it'll also lead to an inevitable hard crash, which will leave you fuzzy-headed, groggy, and... in need of another energy drink. 
  • It may sound counter-intuitive, but when you're dragging, exercise can re-energize you. Just thirty minutes of moderate exercise is enough to lessen your fatigue, improve your mood, and get those juices flowing again. Unfortunately, blog-hopping, jumping to conclusions, flying off the handle, carrying things too far, dodging responsibility, pushing your luck, and doing diddly squats don't count as exercises.
  • Would you believe there's no evidence that antibacterial soap is any more effective than regular soap? In fact, long-term usage of anti-bacterial products can actually be detrimental to your health. Some of the ingredients in them, particularly something called tricolsan, can lead to hormonal changes in users, and to bacteria with a  higher resistance to antibiotics. Getting the optimal amount of effectiveness from a regular bar of soap requires a certain amount of lather time. A simple trick: To reach that optimal time while washing your hands, sing Happy Birthday in your head... twice.  Well, I suppose you could belt it out loud, but it might get you some strange looks if you do it in a public restroom. Not that (ahem) I know anything about that from personal experience, of course... 
  • Smelling a green apple can help ease the severity of migraine headaches. Certain scents naturally help us relax and reduce tension, and studies have shown the green apple scent to be particularly effective. A chilled cut lime is also reported to reduce headache pain, both by smelling it, and by rubbing it on the forehead or temples. For a select few, squeezing it into a margarita may also be beneficial.
  • Honey is a powerful antibacterial. Just a little dab will do ya before applying a bandage. If you suffer from hay fever, a teaspoon of honey a day is also reputed to reduce those miserable symptoms. Sweet, huh?
  • Cut yourself in the kitchen? (In a minor way, that is; I'm not talking about a to-the-bone debacle.) Rinse the area with cold water, (Use soap if you were handling raw meat.) sprinkle on some black pepper, and  then apply pressure until the bleeding stops. Who'd a thunk it? Good old black pepper has analgesic, antibacterial, and antiseptic properties. How 'bout that? (Doesn't sting, either!)
  • Looks like I need to increase my intake of spearmint tea. Just two cups of it a day are supposed to help with hormonal problems, like acne or excess hair. It accomplishes this by reducing the level of male hormones in the body. (I'm reeeeeally getting tired of having to shave my darned face!)
  • Having trouble regulating your blood sugar level? Drink slime water! I don't mean you have to sneak out in the middle of a moonless night and skim muck off the top of a dirty ditch, or anything. Nope, you can make your own slime water. I do. Every evening, I wash three pieces of okra, slice off the ends, cut the larger pods in half, and cover all of the pieces with about half a cup of water. (You could use more, but the more you make, the more somebody has to drink.) Refrigerate overnight and in the morning, remove the okra, and drink the slimy water. My husband is the one who saw the tip online, and after investigating it on multiple medical websites, I ascertained that it could help, and most important, it couldn't hurt, so we decided to give it a try. Guess what? At least, for my husband, it has made a difference. Okra water doesn't negate the need for regular diabetes medications, but it has kept his numbers on a nice even keel. (If you try this, drink it all down at once. Then the slime isn't even noticeable.) (So he says...)
Th-th-th-that's all, folks, Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.
Best wishes from Susan, long-time housewife, and visiting SOB (Sassy Old Broad)

One of the best things about being an old broad is... grandchildren. Susan and Smarticus have thirteen of them, ranging from three to eighteen, but since they can't all fit on her lap at one time, here's three of the younger ones who do fit. Most Fridays, Susan blogs at I Think;Therefore, I Yam Y'all are cordially invited to come visit her. No telling what the topic might be on any given week. Her body may not be flexible anymore, but her interests still are.

27 comments:

  1. Awesome tips! I had no idea pepper could be used that way. I would think it would burn. I also like the slimy water suggestion. My mom agrees that best thing about being old is grandchildren!

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    1. Thanks. I'm glad you liked 'em. As for the slime water, my hubby stopped drinking it in the interim since I wrote this post last year. Not sure, but hearing me refer to it as "slime water" MAY have turned him against it. :)

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  2. Fun tips, but I am going to pass on the slime water. May try that lime in the margarita tho...

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  3. Healthy, tip-worthy blog and bucket of giggles for my day! Thanks Sassy! Say hi to Smarticus !

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    1. :) Glad ya liked 'em, Karen. Friday will be my last day guest blogging here. (But you're always welcome to pop in at my "home" blog.)

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  4. Those one hundred calorie packs don't work for me. I eat all the packages in the box.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Ditto. Kinda like a box of Girl Scout cookies... you mean the box isn't a single serving...?

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  5. These are AMAZING. And mostly all new to me. Thanks! Sharing! Christy

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  6. Gorgeous little sweethearts. I only have five grandchildren aged between 12 and 23. All good tips today, except for the slime water. You can keep that.

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    1. Thanks. We think they're gorgeous, too, but don't all grandparents feel that way about their kiddies? Five grandchildren is perfect... much easier to keep track of that many birthdays. :)

      No thanks. I'll pass on the slime water, too.

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  7. Some great tips there Susan. One of the owners at the bowling alley suffers badly from hayfever so I will pass that along. I was also told using antiseptic soaps was bad for the environment. I must try the green apple trick next time I have a bad head too. Thanks.

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    1. Super. I hope honey helps make hayfever season a little more tolerable for your friend.

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    2. I passed on the tip. By the way, did you mean green apple as in colour or as in unripe?

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  8. I didn't know any of those things, and they are all awesome. Thanks!

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  9. Hi Susan - I meant to comment on vinegar being a good cleaning agent in your last post here .. but forgot - the sassy grey cells were sagging! I've passed on the green apple idea .. and that black pepper -I must remember that.

    Most convenience food is bad ... and burnt, crispy potatoes not good - and sausages and salamis, bacon etc ... I've tried to cut down on them ... thankfully I'm not a fizzy drink fan ... cheers - great ideas for people to try ... 'slime': no thanks, but luckily no need ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Hi-ya, Hilary. You're right. Vinegar works well (and cheaply) for a lot of different cleaning purposes. Drinking a small amount of it each day is supposed to be good for your health, too.

      I don't drink a whole lot of fizzy drinks, other than ginger ale every once in a while, but I've found another drink that floats my boat. It's put out by Juicy Juice and is called a Teaser. It's decaffeinated tea infused with fruit juice. My favorite is peach.

      Cheers back atcha. Have a super weekend!

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  10. Does tossing and turning all night count as excercise? If so, I think I hold the Olympic world record. Also need to try the spearmint tea. I could knit 2 jumpers, 3 scarves and a bobble hat from all the hairs I shave off my face.

    I've really loved reading your posts for The Really Real Housewives. Have a fantastic weekend Susan. :)

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    1. Tossing and turning SHOULD count as exercise! Sorry for laughing at your comment, but it's good to know I'm not the only gal turning into a hairy beast.

      Thanks, Lily. I'm glad you enjoyed them. You have a wonderful weekend, too. :)

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  11. Love the pepper tip! And the pre-nap cup of joe. Not so sure about the slime water. Do they even sell okra up north? LOL

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    1. For your info Liz, we can buy okra in Canada.

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    2. I think okra's available just about everywhere nowadays. (I never even HEASD of it when I was a kid.)

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