Avocado Oil vs Olive Oil – Which is Healthier?

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Our Verdict

When comparing avocado oil to olive oil, we picked the olive oil.

Why?

Avocados and olives are both very healthy foods. However, when they are made into oils, there’s an important distinguishing factor:

Olive oil usually retains a lot of the micronutrients from the olives (including vitamins E and K), whereas no measurable micronutrients usually remain in avocado oil.

So while both olive oil and avocado oil have a similar (excellent; very heart-healthy!) lipids profile, the olive oil has some bonuses that the avocado oil doesn’t.

We haven’t written about the nutritional profiles of either avocados or olives yet, but here’s what we had to say on the different kinds of olive oil available:

Is “Extra Virgin” Worth It?

And here’s an example of a good one on Amazon, for your convenience 😎

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  • How To Stay Alive (When You Really Don’t Want To)

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    How To Stay Alive (When You Really Don’t Want To)

    A subscriber recently requested:

    ❝Request: more people need to be aware of suicidal tendencies and what they can do to ward them off❞

    …and we said we’d do that one of these Psychology Sundays, so here we are, doing it!

    First of all, we’ll mention that we did previously do a main feature on managing depression (in oneself or a loved one); here it is:

    The Mental Health First Aid That You’ll Hopefully Never Need

    Now, not all depression leads to suicidality, and not all suicide is pre-empted by depression, but there’s a large enough crossover that it seems sensible to put that article here, for anyone who might find it of use, or even just of interest.

    Now, onwards, to the specific, and very important, topic of suicide.

    This should go without saying, but some of today’s content may be a little heavy.

    We invite you to read it anyway if you’re able, because it’s important stuff that we all should know, and not talking about it is part of what allows it to kill people.

    So, let’s take a deep breath, and read on…

    The risk factors

    Top risk factors for suicide include:

    • Not talking about it
    • Having access to a firearm
    • Having a plan of specifically how to commit suicide
    • A lack of social support
    • Being male
    • Being over 40

    Now, some of these are interesting sociologically, but aren’t very useful practically; what a convenient world it’d be if we could all simply choose to be under 40, for instance.

    Some serve as alarm bells, such as “having a plan of specifically how to commit suicide”.

    If someone has a plan, that plan’s never going to disappear entirely, even if it’s set aside!

    (this writer is deeply aware of the specifics of how she has wanted to end things before, and has used the advice she gives in this article herself numerous times. So far so good, still alive to write about it!)

    Specific advices, therefore, include:

    Talk about it / Listen

    Depending on whether it’s you or someone else at risk:

    • Talk about it, if it’s you
    • Listen attentively, if it’s someone else

    There are two main objections that you might have at this point, so let’s look at those:

    “I have nobody to talk to”—it can certainly feel that way, sometimes, but you may be surprised who would listen if you gave them the chance. If you really can’t trust anyone around you, there are of course suicide hotlines (usually per area, so we’ll not try to list them here; a quick Internet search will get you what you need).

    If you’re worried it’ll result in bad legal/social consequences, check their confidentiality policy first:

    • Some hotlines can and will call the police, for instance.
    • Others deliberately have a set-up whereby they couldn’t even trace the call if they wanted to.
      • On the one hand, that means they can’t intervene
      • On the other hand, that means they’re a resource for anyone who will only trust a listener who can’t intervene.

    “But it is just a cry for help”—then that person deserves help. What some may call “attention-seeking” is, in effect, care-seeking. Listen, without judgement.

    Remove access to firearms, if applicable and possible

    Ideally, get rid of them (safely and responsibly, please).

    If you can’t bring yourself to do that, make them as inconvenient to get at as possible. Stored securely at your local gun club is better than at home, for example.

    If your/their plan isn’t firearm-related, but the thing in question can be similarly removed, remove it. You/they do not need that stockpile of pills, for instance.

    And of course you/they could get more, but the point is to make it less frictionless. The more necessary stopping points between thinking “I should just kill myself” and being able to actually do it, the better.

    Have/give social support

    What do the following people have in common?

    • A bullied teenager
    • A divorced 40-something who just lost a job
    • A lonely 70-something with no surviving family, and friends that are hard to visit

    Often, at least, the answer is: the absence of a good social support network

    So, it’s good to get one, and be part of some sort of community that’s meaningful to us. That could look different to a lot of people, for example:

    • A church, or other religious community, if we be religious
    • The LGBT+ community, or even just a part of it, if that fits for us
    • Any mutual-support oriented, we-have-this-shared-experience community, could be anything from AA to the VA.

    Some bonus ideas…

    If you can’t live for love, living for spite might suffice. Outlive your enemies; don’t give them the satisfaction.

    If you’re going to do it anyway, you might as well take the time to do some “bucket list” items first. After all, what do you have to lose? Feel free to add further bucket list items as they occur to you, of course. Because, why not? Before you know it, you’ve postponed your way into a rich and fulfilling life.

    Finally, some gems from Matt Haig’s “The Comfort Book”:
    • “The hardest question I have been asked is: “How do I stay alive for other people if I have no one?” The answer is that you stay alive for other versions of you. For the people you will meet, yes, but also the people you will be.”
    • “Stay for the person you will become”
    • “You are more than a bad day, or week, or month, or year, or even decade”
    • “It is better to let people down than to blow yourself up”
    • “Nothing is stronger than a small hope that doesn’t give up”
    • “You are here. And that is enough.”

    You can find Matt Haig’s excellent “The Comfort Book” on Amazon, as well as his more well-known book more specifically on the topic we’ve covered today, “Reasons To Stay Alive“.

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  • The Sardinian Cholesterol Paradox

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    Broadly speaking, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, is generally considered to be… Well… Bad. Specifically because of how it can functionally narrow arteries, causing bits of floating detritus to get stuck in it, narrow it further, and eventually harden into atherosclerotic plaque, at which point it becomes even harder for the body to clear out.

    We wrote about the process here: Demystifying Cholesterol

    When it comes to cholesterol, the most common lay understanding (especially under a certain age) is “it’s bad”.

    A more informed view (and more common after a certain age) is “LDL cholesterol is bad; HDL cholesterol is good”.

    A more nuanced view is “LDL cholesterol is established as significantly associated with (and almost certainly a causal factor of) atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and related mortality in men; in women it is less strongly associated and may or may not be a causal factor”

    We wrote more about that, here: Statins: His & Hers? ← despite most research being on men, statins have very different effects (and side effects) for women, often being relatively less useful, and more dangerous. There are exceptions (for some women’s specific profiles they can still be worthwhile), but the trend is certainly troubling.

    What, then, of Sardinia?

    Sardinia is well-known for being one of the “Supercentenarian Blue Zones”, a place whose inhabitants enjoy (on average, statistically) unusually healthy longevity. These places have been looked to for clues as to how to live the healthiest life.

    For example: From Blue To Green: News From The Centenarian Blue Zones

    However, researchers recently were investigating life in a region of Sardinia where a lot of people are aged 90+, and followed the health of 168 of them for up to 6 years (because in the case of those who died during that time, obviously the time was less than 6 years).

    Note: because this was specifically a Blue Zones study, they only included participants of whom all four grandparents were born within the Blue Zone—so not, for example, looking at the health of someone who just moved there from New York, say.

    They collected a lot of interesting data (of course), but what we’re talking about today is that they found that participants with LDL levels above 130 mg/dL had a significantly longer average survival than those with LDL levels below this threshold. Specifically, a 40% lower mortality risk.

    This is interesting, because LDL levels ≥130 mg/dL are considered moderate hypercholesterolemia (i.e., the LDL levels are a bit too high).

    However, if the same participants had total cholesterol levels over 250mg/dL, they got no extra survival benefits, and very high cholesterol was still linked with shorter survival.

    You can read the paper here: The Cholesterol Paradox in Long-Livers from a Sardinia Longevity Hot Spot (Blue Zone)

    But before you reach for the butter…

    The researchers have several hypotheses about why these results could be so, including:

    • The longevity has less to do with LDL itself, and more to do with the diet, with the ratio of grain to olive oil.
    • Most of the participants with higher LDL cholesterol were on antihypertensive drugs, which a) will obviously have a cardioprotective effect, and b) means that their heart health is probably enjoying greater scrutiny, and medical scrutiny can also have a protective effect (indeed, that’s the point of it).
    • It was also speculated that the locals of that region may have a genetic defense against the harm of moderate hypercholesterolemia, due to historical exposure to malaria meaning that naturally slightly higher cholesterol levels without increased cardiovascular risk may have been naturally selected-for (i.e. those without it were more likely to die of malaria and not pass on their genes).

    Thus, it may be that it’s not so applicable more generally. However, it is still reason to at least re-examine how bad LDL cholesterol actually is, and whether for some demographics it could have a protective factor (much like “overweight” BMI is a protective factor for people over 65).

    Still, if you’d like to keep on top of your cholesterol levels, check out:

    How To Lower Cholesterol Naturally, Without Statins

    Enjoy!

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  • Figs vs Plums – Which is Healthier?

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    Our Verdict

    When comparing figs to plums, we picked the figs.

    Why?

    In terms of macros, figs have more protein, carbs, and fiber; the glycemic index is about equal so we’ll call this category either a tie, or a nominal win for figs (as the “more food per food” option).

    In the category of vitamins, figs have more of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and choline, while plums have more of vitamins A, C, E, and K. We may subjectively prefer one set of vitamins or the other (depending on the rest of our diet, for example), but by the numbers, this is a 7:4 victory for figs.

    When it comes to minerals, figs have more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc, while plums are not higher in any minerals. An easy win for figs here.

    Of course, enjoy either or both, but if you’re going to pick one for nutritional density, we say it’s figs, as illustrated scientifically below:

    Want to learn more?

    You might like to read:

    Which Sugars Are Healthier, And Which Are Just The Same?

    Take care!

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  • The Seven-Day Sleep Prescription – by Dr. Aric Prather

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    You probably already know about sleep hygiene. So, what does this book have to offer?

    Dr. Aric Prather offers seven days’ worth of adjustments, practices to take up, from when you get up in the morning to when you lay your head down at night.

    Some you’ll surely be familiar with, like avoiding blue light and social media at night.

    Others, you might not be familiar with, like scheduling 15 minutes for worrying in the daytime. The rationale for this one is that when you find yourself inclined to worry at a time that will keep you awake, you’ll know that you can put off such thoughts to your scheduled “worrying time”. That they’ll be addressed then, and that you can thus sleep soundly meanwhile.

    Where the book really comes into its own is in such things as discussing how to not just manage sleep debt, but how to actually use it in your favour.

    Nor does Dr. Prather shy away from the truths of our world… That the world these days is not built for us to sleep well. That there are so many other priorities; to get our work done, to succeed and achieve, to pay bills, to support our kids and partners. That so many of these things make plenty of sense in the moment, but catch up with us eventually.

    Bottom line: what this book aims to give is a genuinely sustainable approach to sleeping—controlling what we can, and working with what we can’t. If you’d like to have a better relationship with sleep, this book is an excellent choice.

    Click here to check out the Seven-Day Sleep Prescription, and improve yours!

    Don’t Forget…

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    Learn to Age Gracefully

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  • Why Fibromyalgia Is Not An Acceptable Diagnosis

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Dr. Efrat Lamandre makes the case that fibromyalgia is less of a useful diagnosis and more of a rubber stamp, much like the role historically often fulfilled by “heart failure” as an official cause of death (because certainly, that heart sure did stop beating). It’s a way of answering the question without answering the question.

    …and what to look for instead

    Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic pain, tenderness, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and other symptoms. It’s often considered an “invisible” illness, because it’s the kind that’s easy to dismiss if you’re not the one carrying it. A broken leg, one can point at and see it’s broken; a respiratory infection, one can see its effects and even test for presence of the pathogen and/or its antigens. But fibromyalgia? “It hurts and I’m tired” doesn’t quite cut it.

    Much like “heart failure” as a cause of death when nothing else is implicated, fibromyalgia is a diagnosis that gets applied when known causes of chronic pain have been ruled out.

    Dr. Lamandre advocates for functional medicine and seeking the underlying causes of the symptoms, rather than the industry standard approach, which is to just manage the symptoms themselves with medications (of course, managing the symptoms with medications has its place; there is no need to suffer needlessly if pain relief can be used; it’s just not a sufficient response).

    She notes that potential triggers for fibromyalgia include microbiome imbalances, food sensitivities, thyroid issues, nutrient deficiencies, adrenal fatigue, mitochondrial dysfunction, mold toxicity, Lyme disease, and more. Is this really just one illness? Maybe, but quite possibly not.

    In short… If you are given a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, she advises that you insist doctors keep on looking, because that’s not an answer.

    For more on all of this, enjoy:

    Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

    Want to learn more?

    You might also like to read:

    Take care!

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  • Celery vs Chard – Which is Healthier?

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Our Verdict

    When comparing celery to chard, we picked the chard.

    Why?

    In terms of macros, chard has more fiber, carbs, and protein, making it the more nutrient-dense option and thus the winner of the macros category.

    In the category of vitamins, celery has more of vitamins B5 and B9, while chard has more of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, E, K, and choline—another win for chard.

    When it comes to minerals, celery is not higher in any minerals, while chard has more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc. One more very clear win for chard!

    Looking at polyphenols, celery has very little to boast, about 3mg/100g furanocoumarins and nothing else, while chard has an impressive array of polyphenols, with 9mg/100g kaempferol and 7.5mg/100g quercetin atop the list of 12 polyphenols. Yet another win for chard.

    Adding up the sections is not difficult arithmetic today: chard sweeps every category. But by all means enjoy either or both; diversity is good!

    Want to learn more?

    You might like:

    Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen ← the “dozen” in question includes getting a good amount of of leafy greens per day

    Enjoy!

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

    Learn to Age Gracefully

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