Do Breathe – by Michael Williams

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Have you ever felt you could get everything in your life in order, if you could just get a little breathing room first?

Notwithstanding the title, this is mostly not a book about breathing exercises. It does cover that too, but there’s a lot more.

The author’s advices draw from a variety of high quality sources. Well-read readers will certainly recognise sections that are straight from David Allen’s “Getting Things Done”, and Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi’s “Flow”, for example, as well as Francesco Cirillo’s “Pomodoro Technique”, and James Clear’s “Atomic Habits”.

We also learn about how even simple yoga can help us, and good sleep, and a healthy diet.

In short, if you’ve been reading 10almonds for a while, you might not actually learn much new! But it’s very nice to have all these things in one book, for sure, and it’s a pleasant, easy read too.

Bottom line: if you’d like to streamline your life and not have to buy a whole stack of different books to do it, this book is a great composite that will enable you to get the job done efficiently.

Click here to check out Do Breathe, and simplify your life!

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Recommended

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  • Fennel vs Onion – Which is Healthier?
    Fennel outshines onion with twice the fiber, more protein, and superior vitamin and mineral content—making it today’s victor in the produce showdown.

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  • How to Eat 30 Plants a Week – by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

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    If you’re used to eating the same two fruits and three vegetables in rotation, the “gold standard” evidence-based advice to “eat 30 different plants per week” can seem a little daunting.

    Where this book excels is in reminding the reader to use a lot of diverse plants that are readily available in any well-stocked supermarket, but often get forgotten just because “we don’t buy that”, so it becomes invisible on the shelf.

    It’s not just a recipe book (though yes, there are plenty of recipes here); it’s also advice about stocking up and maintaining that stock, advice on reframing certain choices to inject a little diversity into every meal without it become onerous, meal-planning rotation advice, and a lot of recipes that are easy but plant-rich, for example “this soup that has these six plants in it”, etc.

    He also gives, for those eager to get started, “10 x 3 recipes per week to guarantee your 30”, in other words, 10 sets of 3 recipes, wherein each set of 3 recipes uses >30 different plants between them, such that if we have each of these set-of-three meals over the course of the week, then what we do in the other 4–18 meals (depending on how many meals per day you like to have) is all just a bonus.

    The latter is what makes this book an incredibly stress-free approach to more plant-diverse eating for life.

    Bottom line: if you want to be able to answer “do you get your five-a-day?” with “you mean breakfast?” because you’ve already hit five by breakfast each day, then this is the book for you.

    Click here to check out How To Eat 30 Plants A Week, and indeed eat 30+ different plants per week!

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  • Kiwi vs Lime – 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 kiwi to lime, we picked the kiwi.

    Why?

    Looking at the macros first, kiwi has more protein, more carbs, and more fiber. As with most fruits, the fiber is the number we’re most interested in for health purposes; in this case, kiwi is just slightly ahead of lime on all three of those.

    In terms of vitamins, kiwi has more of vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, B9, C, E, K, and choline, while lime has a tiny bit more vitamin B5. As in, the vitamin that’s in pretty much anything and is practically impossible to be deficient in unless you are literally starving to death. You may be thinking: aren’t limes a famously good source of vitamin C? And yes, yes they are. But kiwis have >3x more. In other big differences, kiwis also have >6x more vitamin E and >67 times more vitamin K.

    When it comes to minerals, kiwi has more calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, while lime has more iron and selenium. Another easy win for kiwis.

    In short: enjoy both; both are good. But kiwis are the more nutritionally dense option by almost every way of measuring it.

    Want to learn more?

    You might like to read:

    Top 8 Fruits That Prevent & Kill Cancer ← kiwi is top of the list; it promotes cancer cell death while sparing healthy cells

    Take care!

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  • Tinnitus: Quieting The Unwanted Orchestra In Your Ears

    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.

    Tinnitus—When a “minor” symptom becomes disruptive

    Tinnitus (typically: ringing in the ears) is often thought of less as a condition in and of itself, and more a symptom related to other hearing-related conditions. Paradoxically, it can be associated with hearing loss as well as with hyperacusis (hearing supersensitivity, which sounds like a superpower, but can be quite a problem too).

    More than just ringing

    Tinnitus can manifest not just as ringing, but also as whistling, hissing, pulsing, buzzing, hooting, and more.

    For those who don’t suffer from this, it can seem very trivial; for those who do… Sometimes it can seem trivial too!

    But sometimes it’s hard to carry on a conversation when at random moments it suddenly sounds like someone is playing a slide-whistle directly into your earhole, or like maybe a fly got stuck in there.

    It’s distracting, to say the least.

    What causes it?

    First let’s note, tinnitus can be acute or chronic. So, some of these things may just cause tinnitus for a while, whereas some may give you tinnitus for life. In some cases, it depends on how long the thing in question persisted for.

    A lot of things can cause it, but common causes include:

    • Noise exposure (e.g. concerts, some kinds of industrial work, war)
    • High blood pressure
    • Head/neck injuries
    • Ear infection
    • Autoimmune diseases (e.g. Type 1 Diabetes, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis)

    So what can be done about it?

    Different remedies will work (or not) for different people, depending on the cause and type of tinnitus.

    Be warned also: some things that will work for one person’s tinnitus will make another person’s worse, so you might need to try a degree of experimentation and some of it might not be fun!

    That in mind, here are some things you might want to try if you haven’t already:

    • Earplugs or noise-canceling headphones—while tinnitus is an internal sound, not external, it often has to do with some part(s) of your ears being unduly sensitive, so giving them less stimulus may ease the tinnitus that occurs in reaction to external noise.
    • White noise—if you also have hyperacusis, a lower frequency range will probably not hurt the way a higher range might. If you don’t also have hyperacusis, you have more options here and this is a popular remedy. Either way, white noise outperforms “relaxing” soundscapes.
    • Hearing aids—counterintuitively, for some people whose tinnitus has developed in response to hearing loss, hearing aids can help bring things “back to normal” and eliminate tinnitus in the process.
    • Customized sound machines—if you have the resources to get fancy, science currently finds this to be best of all. They work like white noise, but are tailored to your specific tinnitus.

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Related Posts

  • Glucose Revolution – by Jessie Inchauspé
  • Fasting Without Crashing?

    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.

    Intermittent Fasting: What’s the truth?

    Before we get to facts and fictions, let’s quickly cover:

    What is Intermittent Fasting?

    Intermittent Fasting (IF) is an umbrella term for various kinds of time-restricted fasting, based on a schedule. Types include:

    Time-restricted IF, for example:

    • 16:8—Fast for 16 hours, eat during an 8-hour window
    • 18:6–Fast for 18 hours, eat during a 6-hour window
    • 20:4—Fast for 20 hours, eat during a 4-hour window

    24hr fasting, including:

    • Eat Stop Eat—basically, take a day off from eating once a week
    • Alternate Day Fasting—a more extreme version of the above; it is what it sounds like; eat one day, fast the next, repeat

    Non-fast fasting, e.g:

    • 5:2—Eat normally for 5 days, have a very reduced calorie intake (⅓ of normal intake) for the other 2 days
    • Fruit Fasting—have a small amount of fruit on “fast” days, but no other food
    • The Warrior Diet—as above, but include a small amount of non-starchy vegetables

    Why IF?

    While IF is perhaps most commonly undertaken as a means of fat loss or fat management (i.e., keeping fat down when it is already low), others cite different reasons, such as short term cognitive performance or long-term longevity.

    But… Does it work?

    Here we get into the myth-busting bit!

    “IF promotes weight loss”

    Mix of True and False. It can! But it also doesn’t have to. If you’re a bodybuilder who downs 4,000 calories in your 4hr eating window, you’re probably not going to lose weight! For such people, this is of course “a feature, not a bug” of IF—especially as it has been found that, in an acute study, IF did not adversely impact muscle protein synthesis.

    “IF promotes fat loss, without eating less”

    Broadly True. IF was found to be potentially equal to, but not necessarily better than, eating less.

    “IF provides metabolic benefits for general health”

    Broadly True. IF (perhaps counterintuitively) decreases the risk of insulin resistance, and also has anti-inflammatory effects, benefits a healthy gut microbiome, and promotes healthy autophagy (which as we noted in a previous edition of 10almonds, is important against both aging and cancer)

    However, results vary according to which protocol you’re observing…

    For what it’s worth, 16:8 is perhaps the most-studied protocol. Because such studies tend to have the eating window from midday to 8pm, this means that—going against popular wisdom—part of the advice here is basically “skip breakfast”.

    “Unlike caloric restriction, IF is sustainable and healthy as a long-term protocol”

    Broadly True. Of course, there’s a slight loophole here in that IF is loosely defined—technically everyone fasts while they’re sleeping, at the very least!

    However, for the most commonly-studied IF method (16:8), this is generally very sustainable and healthy and for most people.

    On the other hand, a more extreme method such as Alternate Day Fasting, may be trickier to sustain (even if it remains healthy to do so), because it’s been found that hunger does not decrease on fasting days—ie, the body does not “get used to it”.

    The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition wrote:

    ❝Alternate-day fasting was feasible in nonobese subjects, and fat oxidation increased. However, hunger on fasting days did not decrease, perhaps indicating the unlikelihood of continuing this diet for extended periods of time. Adding one small meal on a fasting day may make this approach to dietary restriction more acceptable.❞

    American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

    “IF improves mood and cognition”

    Mix of True and False (plus an honest “We Don’t Know” from researchers).

    Many studies have found benefits to both mood and cognition, but in the short-term, fasting can make people “hangry” (or: “experience irritability due to low blood sugar levels”, as the scientists put it), and in the long term, it can worsen symptoms of depression for those who already experience such—although some studies have found it can help alleviate depressive symptoms.

    Basically this is one where researchers typically append the words “more research is needed” to their summaries.

    “Anyone can do IF”

    Definitely False, unless going by the absolute broadest possible interpretation of what constitutes “Intermittent Fasting” to the point of disingenuity.

    For example, if you are Type 1 Diabetic, and your blood sugars are hypo, and you wait until tomorrow to correct that, you will stand a good chance of going into a coma instead. So please don’t.

    (On the other hand, IF may help achieve remission of type 2 diabetes)

    Lastly, IF is broadly not recommend to children and adolescents, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, and certain underlying health conditions not mentioned above (we’re not going to try to give an exhaustive list here, but basically, if you have a chronic health condition, we recommend you check with your doctor first).

    WHICH APP?

    Choosing a fasting app

    Thinking of giving IF a try and would like a little extra help? We’ve got you covered!

    Check out: Livewire’s 7 Best Intermittent Fasting Apps of 2023

    Prefer to just trust us with a recommendation?

    We like BodyFast—it’s #2 on Lifewire’s list, but it has an array of pre-set plans to choose from (unlike Lifewire’s #1, Zero), and plenty of clear tracking, scheduling help, and motivational features.

    Both are available on both iOS and Android:

    See the BodyFast App / See the Zero App

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  • Planning Festivities Your Body Won’t Regret

    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.

    The Festive Dilemma

    For many, Christmas is approaching. Other holidays abound too, and even for the non-observant, it’d be hard to escape seasonal jollities entirely.

    So, what’s the plan?

    1. Eat, drink, and be merry, and have New Year’s Resolutions for the first few days of January before collapsing in a heap?
    2. Approach the Yuletide with Spartan abstemiousness and miss all the fun while simultaneously annoying your relatives?

    Let’s try to find a third approach instead…

    What’s festive and healthy?

    We’re doing this article this week, because many people will be shopping already, making plans, and so forth. So here are some things to bear in mind:

    Make your own mindful choices

    Coca-Cola company really did a number on Christmas, but it doesn’t mean their product is truly integral to the season. Same goes for many other things that flood the stores around this time of year. So much sugary confectionary! But remember, they’re not the boss of you. If you wouldn’t buy it ordinarily, why are you buying it now? Do you actually even want it?

    If you really do, then you do you, but mindful choices will invariably be healthier than “because there were three additional aisles of confectionary now so I stopped and looked and picked some things”.

    Pick your battles

    If you’re having a big family gathering, likely there will be occasions with few healthy options available. But you can decide what’s most important for you to avoid, perhaps picking a theme, e.g:

    • No alcohol this year, or
    • No processed sugary foods, or
    • Eat/drink whatever, but practice intermittent fasting

    Some resources:

    Fight inflammation

    This is a big one so it deserves its own category. In the season of sugar and alcohol and fatty meat, inflammation can be a big problem to come around and bite us in the behind. We’ve written on this previously:

    Keep Inflammation At Bay

    Positive dieting

    In other words, less of a focus on what to exclude, and more of a focus on what to include in your diet. Fruity drinks and sweets are common at this time of year, but you know what’s also fruity? Fruit!

    And it can be festive, too! Berries are great, and those tiny orange-like fruits that may be called clementines or tangerines or satsumas or, as Aldi would have it, “easy peelers”. Apple and cinnamon are also a great combination that both bring sweetness without needing added sugar.

    And as for mains? Make your salads that bit fancier, get plenty of greens with your main, have hearty soups and strews with lentils and beams!

    See also: Level-Up Your Fiber Intake! (Without Difficulty Or Discomfort)

    Your gut will thank us later!

    Get moving!

    That doesn’t mean you have to beat the New Year rush to the gym (unless you want to!). But it could mean, for example, more time in your walking shoes (or dancing shoes! With a nod to today’s sponsor) and less time in the armchair.

    See also: The doctor who wants us to exercise less; move more

    Lastly…

    Remember it’s supposed to be fun! And being healthy can be a lot more fun than suffering because of unfortunate choices that we come to regret.

    Take care!

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  • Indistractable – by Nir Eyal

    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.

    Have you ever felt that you could accomplish anything you wanted/needed, if only you didn’t get distracted?

    This book lays out a series of psychological interventions for precisely that aim, and it goes a lot beyond the usual “download/delete these apps to help you stop checking social media every 47 seconds”.

    Some you’ll have heard of before, some you won’t have, and if even one method works for you, it’ll have been well worth your while reading this book. This reviewer, for example, enjoyed the call to identity-based strength, e.g. adopting an “I am indistractable*” perspective going into tasks. This is akin to the strength of, for example, “I don’t drink” over “I am a recovering alcoholic”.

    *the usual spelling of this, by the way, is “undistractable”, but we use the author’s version here for consistency. It’s a great marketing gimmick, as all searches for the word “indistractable” will bring up his book.

    Nor is the book just about maximizing productivity to the detriment of everything else; this is not about having a 25 hours per day “grindset”. Rather, it even makes sure to cover such things as focusing on one’s loved ones, for instance.

    Bottom line: if you’ve tried blocking out the distractions but still find you can’t focus, this book offers next-level solutions

    Click here to check out Indistractible, and become indeed indistractable!

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