Why is Chicken Soup Healthy?

by Head Health Nutter on August 31, 2010

Editor’s Note: Ever wonder why chicken soup is the #1 most prescribed cold and flu folk remedy? Read today’s guest post by Leah Martins!

Before chicken soup was for the soul, it was used by mothers everywhere as the best course to treat physical maladies of all types (although it’s best known to remedy the common cold).  But what is it about chicken soup that makes it such a health-booster?

If it was snake oil, it would have gone out of fashion long ago, but it continues to be used generation after generation by concerned and conscientious caregivers. Every child has fond memories of being bundled in a mountain of blankets to sleep away the latest cold, with a steady diet of soup and crackers arriving periodically on a tray.

Is it just an old wives tale, or does chicken soup really have some magical healing properties to sooth and subjugate an array of ailments?

Well, it’s no magic potion in this day and age, but it may as well be. Chicken soup has several properties that make it useful in the treatment of certain illnesses:

  • Cleansing. “Plenty of fluids” is often advised when you’re ill. A body full of attacking allergens (like a virus) and battling antibodies needs to be flushed in order to get healthy. To that effect, the abundant broth in chicken soup performs aptly.
  • Disinfecting. Chicken soup is generally fairly salty (with lower-sodium versions), so that when it goes down your throat it acts in much the same way as gargling warm salt water. In other words, it removes bacteria in the throat, mouth, and tonsils.
  • Clears sinuses. Much like other warm liquids (for example, tea), it can help to clear the sinuses with steam.
  • Strengthening. The lean protein in chicken and nutrients from added vegetables work to bolster your strength when your body is feeling drained of energy.

These self-explanatory health benefits alone should convince anyone to suck down some chicken soup when they get the sniffles!

More Reasons Why Chicken Soup is Healthy

Studies have also shown that chicken soup affects you on a much deeper level.

For starters, it has been shown to inhibit the production of neutrophils, white blood cells that eat bacteria and cause inflammation and mucus production (i.e. stuffy nose, sore throat, phlegm, etc.). This is important because while neutrophils kill pathogens, their antimicrobial products damage host tissues.

Theoretically, chicken soup can also be used in this capacity in cases of asthma, emphysema, and even accidents where swelling occurs, to ease inflammation of targeted areas!

Further, each ingredient in chicken soup has its own special healing properties:

  1. Chicken, while filling, is good for more than just a meal. It contains cysteine, an amino acid that is thought to help thin mucus in the lungs, making it easier to expel.
  2. Carrots (which contain beta-carotene) and celery (which contains vitamin C), both of which help to bolster the immune system and fight infection.
  3. Onions in your chicken soup provide the benefit of antioxidants that reduce inflammation and act as an anti-histamine.

Besides all of the physical benefits of ingesting chicken soup, there is an added psychological reason to take it. For many people, it is either administered by a caring relative or it brings with it fond and comforting memories of home.

Either scenario will allow a patient to relax and let the soup do its work to treat the symptoms. And really, we all know the best remedy is a good attitude and plenty of rest.

About the Author

Leah Martins is a writer for the popular self defense website Hertao, where you can find great tips and advice from the pros.

Depending on your ingredients (check this post for a chicken soup recipe), like additional veggies and herbs and spices, it would increase the already prominent health factor of this home remedy! What do you put in your homemade chicken soup?

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Cocoa Pina Colada Smoothie

by Head Health Nutter on August 28, 2010

This weekend is wonderfully warm in Toronto and I’ve got a hankerin’ for a healthy pina colada. If your looking for a nutritious spin on a yummy tropical cocktail, try this smoothie on for size!

Who doesn’t love pineapple and coconut all blended up into a delicious meal you can drink?

This smoothie was inspired by Bindu Grandhi’s last two guest posts about how to eat to beat the heat and the health benefits of coconut water.

I added cocoa powder, thinking of how tasty Mounds bars are, and I thought it turned out great! But if you’re iffy, try this smoothie recipe without the chocolate first, then try experimenting.

Cocoa Pina Colada Smoothie

Makes: 1 serving (18 oz approx.)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
  • 1 tbsp raw coconut flakes
  • 1tsp raw cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • 1/2 cup coconut water
  • 1/2 cup almond milk, original (or to desired consistency)

Preparation

Blend and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

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What Makes a Healthy Computer?

by Head Health Nutter on August 26, 2010

We’re always talking about healthy living for the body, mind and soul here on Live Lighter, but what about  the health of our possessions? In today’s post, we learn about what makes our computer sick and how to boost its immunity!

Just as there are dangerous viruses and bacteria floating around the world looking for a host to feed on, there are computer viruses and spyware lurking on the world wide web for a host to infect. Unfortunate but a fact of life, we must protect our computers from mischievous individuals using the web for selfish, harmful agendas.

Last week (shortly after I became ill and dreamed up the perfect healthcare system), my computer was hit with a trojan horse. This is a type of malicious software (a.k.a. malware) and as the name from Greek mythology suggests, appears to be helpful but actually allows unauthorized access to your computer.

As an analogy, this would be like you welcoming a thief disguised as a friend into your home and, on the sly, he opens a door or window to your place so his buddies can get in and rob you blind.

And the trojan horse doesn’t only allow hackers to access one’s personal computer! It also can access a website you upload content to from your computer (like a blog) and also to the server hosting it (posing a risk to other websites on the same server) where the hackers can then upload other types of malware!

As you can imagine, I was upset. But I had to remind myself things happen for a reason. Perhaps the Universe was telling me it’s time I found out for myself about maintaining a healthy computer, and share this info with other technologically-challenged people like me?

#1 Lesson for a Healthy Computer

Although my computer was secured, one little oversight allowed the trojan in: the automatic updates weren’t turned on in my security software! This trojan was new and without the updated version, my security software was unable to detect the threat. Doh!

The rest of the post explains the basic security you need to maintain the health of your computer, but please don’t forget this one lesson and turn on your automatic updates (as well as automatic scanning) on all the security software you install.

Boosting your Computer’s Immunity

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Nuts about Coconut Water!

by Head Health Nutter on August 24, 2010

Editor’s Note: Live from Bangalore, India, Bindu Grandhi (flexitarian cookbook author and regular Live Lighter guest blogger) shares with us the health benefits and earthly pleasures of consuming fresh coconuts.

One of the greatest pleasures I seek every time I visit Bangalore is drinking fresh coconut water. Not only is it nature’s health remedy to just about every problem you can think of, its amazing taste is totally refreshing and cools you down.

The coconut vendors – mostly men with 50+ green coconuts strapped to their bikes – strategically position themselves on street corners, by the parks, basically where ever there are crowds.

So here I am at Rose Garden Park waiting for the vendor to select a coconut using a special technique of tapping and swirling. He then uses a “mochhu” (a small sickle) to chop off the top of the coconut, inserts a straw and I sip away!

After drinking the water, the vendor breaks open the coconut and scoops out the inner coconut flesh. (The younger the coconut the more thinner and tender the flesh, while mature coconuts have thick flesh which can be used in cooking.) It too is so delish and I hand the empty coconut shell to the vendor who throws it into a pile.

Those empty coconuts will be recycled into making hand bags, coir floor mats, rope, scrubbing pads (like brillo), stuffing for mattresses and a whole lot more. The entire process is so eco-friendly!

Coconut water is extracted from a coconut that is too young to have formed milk. Besides being so tasty, the water has loads of nutritional benefits. It is low in calories, fat free and packed with electrolytes and natural sugars unlike processed sugars found in juices.

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Fasting, Health & Emotional Stress

by Head Health Nutter on August 22, 2010

Do you think physical health is directly linked to emotional health? Would it be comforting or scary for you if you found out that most (if not all) of our physical aches and pains originate from negative thoughts and emotions?

This week we talked about some of the health benefits of fasting and dreamed up the perfect healthcare system with programs to help people manage daily stress (including the emotional kind). I’d like to wrap these two posts together in today’s post.

To help me do this, I’d like to share last Monday’s www.RenegadeHealthShow.com video where v-blogger, Kevin Gianni, just finished a 5-day water fast experiment at True North Health Center. He shares a fascinating interview with Dr. Michael Klaper who talks about the emotional/mental benefits of fasting:

While Dr. Klaper speaks specifically about the increased self-esteem one gets after successfully completing a challenge like a water fast, at the end of the interview, Kevin asks him about his thoughts on the psychological contribution to disease and illness.

Is it possible that a lot of our emotional stress is caused by negative beliefs we hold and the identities we create for ourselves?

Do you think negative beliefs (like low self-esteem) and reoccurring thoughts that perpetuate these beliefs might help create ill-health? Does this idea empower or depress you?

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The Perfect Healthcare System

by Head Health Nutter on August 20, 2010

Who’s got a beef with their country’s healthcare system? If you do, read this post and help me dream up the perfect healthcare system!

Canada’s healthcare system is one of the best in the world and while I’m grateful for it, it leaves a sour taste in my mouth and a strong resistance to seeking health assistance (which I commented on in the post, “Healthcare? Or is it really Sickcare?“).

One day this week I became ill and not only was I in pain, the entire day was shot for fun and productivity. Poo.

On the positive side, I had some time to contemplate and imagine a healthcare system designed to promote health and well-being, rather than a reactive response to illness and disease.

Here are a few aspects of my healthcare nirvana:

  1. More life skills, less algebra. Who really uses algebra in adulthood? Why spend precious hours in school learning reams of useless, impractical information when we could be learning how to cope with daily life? Illness and disease is directly related to stress so I say let’s start teaching younger generations things like: social skills, conflict resolution, money management, healthy living practices (nutrition & exercise) and healthy stress management techniques.
  2. East meets West approach. The inherent wisdom of the East is severely lacking in contemporary medicine. I’d love to see the day where our entire healthcare system combines what works in western medicine with what works in natural medicine.
  3. Replace General Practitioners (GPs) with Naturopathic Docs (NDs). This might be a little out-there for most people but what I mean is reserving the skills of Medical Doctors (MDs) for life-threatening instances, such as emergencies and surgeries, as well as illnesses and diseases that have gone too far. This would leave diagnosing the early stages of illness and disease, as well as treating core issues causing them, up to the skills and knowledge of Naturopathic Doctors. [click to continue…]

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What Can Fasting Do for Your Health?

by Head Health Nutter on August 18, 2010

Editor’s Note: Thinking about a fast? Before you tackle this challenge, please read this guest post by Carol Montrose as she shares some info and advice. She explains what fasting is and why you might want to try or avoid it.

Fasting has long been the providence of religious enthusiasts looking to reach a higher state of enlightenment through the denial of worldly pleasures (or purify, cleanse, and invite visions) as well as political activists looking to draw attention to their cause.

However, you don’t have to be a Siddhartha or Mahatma Gandhi to realize some of the benefits of depriving your body of food.

The concept of improving your health by denying yourself the very nutrition that keeps you alive is a strange one, to be sure. But when you consider all of the toxins that modern man ingests, whether from processed and refined foods or chemically treated produce, it only makes sense that flushing them out of your system will lead your body to feel and function better.

But what is fasting?

There is a fine line between a healthy fast and starvation or an eating disorder, so it pays to do a little research before you simply decide to stop eating.

A fast begins and ends with carbohydrates, which your body stores as fat. The carbs that you ingested most recently turn into glycogen, which is burned off pretty quickly if you have a high level of activity.

But in general, carbs become sugar, which is either eliminated as waste or transformed into the fat that your body stores to burn as energy in case of a lack of fuel (as when you fast). So, when your body begins to burn your fat stores (generally during the first day of food deprivation), your fast has technically begun.

However, at some point your body is also going to start dipping into stores of protein, which means you will begin burning muscle instead of fat. At this point, your fast has ended and starvation has set in. The amount of time it takes to reach this point varies from person to person, so you may want to check with your doctor or nutritionist to find a safe window of time for practicing your fast.

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How to Thrive in Changing Times: Book Review

by Head Health Nutter on August 12, 2010

Would you like to help make the world a better place and become healthier in the process? What if you could learn how to do it with the power of your mind, heart and a little fun?

If you subscribe to the belief that perception creates reality, and you’d like to learn how to control your thoughts and feelings better, then “How to Thrive in Changing Times” may be the workbook for you. It’s chocked full of fun, practical exercises you can do by yourself or with others to increase awareness and energetic vibration!

About the book

“How to Thrive in Changing Times” is the new book by acclaimed author, teacher and shamanic researcher, Sandra Ingerman. Subtitled “simple tools to create true health, wealth, peace and joy for yourself and the earth,” Ingerman’s seventh book combines the ancient wisdom of shamanic ceremony with modern psychological practice.

An excerpt from the book, entitled “The Magic of Words,” is available at http://tinyurl.com/yh4zo7m. It discusses the power of words to manifest reality, such as the word “abracadabra,” which translates to “I create as I speak.”

The book shows how individual and group practice can manifest global transformation. As such, it is a call to action for those who feel powerless to change their own situation or heal the Earth.

Review

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The Best H20

by Head Health Nutter on August 10, 2010

If there’s a quality difference found between foods based on source and processing, it’s safe to assume the same holds true for water. Jessica Ryan tells us what type of water is the healthiest for us in today’s guest post!

Everyone knows that water is essential to the human body. It hydrates us, protects our organs and provides our nutrients with a road to travel. These days just about everyone realizes the necessity of ample water intake.

With so many people reaching for healthier options, there are more choices than ever when choosing our H2O. Here is the lowdown on all the basic options available and their varied affects on our health:

Sparkling

While favored heavily in most of Europe and used throughout the bottling industry, this type of water is the least healthy. Sparkling water is still water but with a high concentration of carbon dioxide. The fizz and carbonation in sparkling water is the same acidic mixture used in sodas.

Long term use of sparkling water can present a health risk, particularly for dental health.

Distilled and Reverse Osmosis

This is 100% H2O, making distilled water (or deionized water) the purest option.

The drawback here is that there is no nutritional value. The extra minerals that come as part of the regular H2O package are not present due to the evaporation of the water which completely removes everything `heavy’ to become a gaseous state.

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Sweet Pepper & Avocado Detox Drink

by Head Health Nutter on August 8, 2010

Summer is the best season to lose weight. We’re naturally more active because of increased daylight hours. Also, the heat of the sun helps us detox through our sweat glands, we’re more inclined to drink water and eat healthy foods to stay cool.

If you’re tired of salads and hurting for some variety in your light, summer meals, try a few of the many Live Lighter detox blender meals. They’re packed with vitamins and antioxidants from veggies, have nuts for protein (to make you feel fuller longer), and so easy to digest that they’re perfect for the hot weather.

Today’s green drink recipe was inspired by the fresh, green peppers growing my garden. It’s my first garden (thanks to our first home purchase) and you could knock me over with a feather because the plants are actually producing veggies! (You should see the prehistoric leaves on the zucchini plants!)

Have you ever noticed how fresh garden veggies taste? They explode in your mouth! That’s what you can expect with today’s green detox drink if you use veggies from your garden or a farmer’s market.

Sweet Pepper & Avocado Detox Drink

Makes: 1 serving (approx. 18 oz)

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight
  • 1 & 1/2 cups fresh kale, washed & de-stemmed
  • 1 small green bell pepper, de-stemmed & seeded
  • 3 tbsp ripe avocado
  • 1 small apple, seeded & quartered
  • 1 cup filtered water, or until desired consistency

Preparation

  1. Blend almonds.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and blend together.
  3. Pour and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

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