Feel-Good Productivity – by Dr. Ali Abdaal
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“Rise and grind” is not a sustainable way to live. Yet for most of us, there are things we do have to do every day that we don’t necessarily do for fun. So, how to be productive with those things, and not feel like we are constantly compromising and sacrificing our time on this earth for some intrinsically trivial but extrinsically required activity that’ll be forgotten tomorrow?
And most of us do also have dreams and ambitions (and if you don’t, then what were they before life snatched them away from you?), things to work towards. So there is “carrot” for us as well as “stick”. But how to break the cycle and get more carrot and less stick, while being more productive than before?
Dr. Abdaal frames this principally in terms of neurology first, psychology next.
That when we are bored, we simply do not have the neurochemicals required to work well anyway, so addressing that first needs to be a priority. He lays out many ways of doing this, gives lots of practical tips, and brings attention to the ways it’s easy to go wrong (and how to fix those too).
The writing style isdeceptively relaxed and casual, leading the reader smoothly into understanding of each topic before moving on.
Bottom line: if you want to get more done while feeling better about it (not a tired wreck), then this is the book for you!
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The Calorie Myth – by Jonathan Bailor
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First we’ll mention: the author is not a doctor, but the book is endorsed by assorted well-known doctors in the field, and the science described is consistent with current scientific consensus (and, for that matter, consistent with what we wrote in our mythbusting feature: Are You A Calorie-Burning Machine?).
It’s often (correctly) said that “not all calories are created equal”, but how should we quantify them? He proposes his “SANE solution”, which is based around the ideas of:
- Satiety: how quickly calories fill us up
- Aggression: how likely calories are to be stored as fat
- Nutrition: how many micronutrients calories bring with them, and how much
- Efficiency: how easily calories are converted
To this end, he recommends a diet high in foods that score well on his “SANE” factors, and provides such things as recipes, meal plans etc to help, as well principles for exercising more usefully in the context of metabolic base rate, and moving (rather than fighting) one’s “set point”, which is usually associated with one’s weight but it really has more to do with metabolic base rate. In fact, Bailor recommends throwing out the bathroom scale and focusing on pursuing good health itself, rather than obsessing over changing one’s relationship with the Earth’s gravitational field.
Yes, it says “lose weight” in the subtitle, but the idea is that this will be a by-product rather than the thing actively pursued. After all, we can control our actions, so that input variable is where we should put our focus, not the output variable of the numbers on the scale which can often be misleading (muscle weighing more than fat, tendency to water weight fluctuations, etc).
The style is a little flashy and salesy for this reviewer’s personal taste (a lot of references to his own businesses and neologisms associated with such), but it doesn’t take away from the quality of the content, and in terms of science, study references come at a rate of about one per page on average.
Bottom line: if you’d like to rethink your relationship with calories, then this book can help give you a much more practical angle.
Click here to check out The Calorie Myth, and take control of your metabolic base rate!
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How To Dodge The “Keto Flu”
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.
We have written before about the ketogenic diet, in one of our mythbusting editions:
Ketogenic Diet: Burning Fat Or Burning Out?
The answer to the titular question there, by the way, is both: keto is good for short-term weight loss, but long-term adherence can bring health risks that may make it not worthwhile.
To this end, we could flippantly say that the best way to dodge the “keto flu” (the unwanted symptoms commonly associated with the transition to a ketogenic diet) is to not do keto, but the fact is that there are valid reasons why some people will want to do keto, e.g:
- to do it short-term, enjoy the weight loss, and then keep the weight off with a more rounded diet (such as the Mediterranean diet)
- to do it long-term, in order to manage refractory epilepsy symptoms (the only reason the ketogenic diet was first created and popularized)
- to do it long-term, despite the health risks associated with such (because we’re not the boss of you, and you get to decide for yourself which risks are worth it and which aren’t)
So, with that in mind…
What is the “keto flu”?
The “keto flu” is not in fact a flu of any kind (“flu” gets bandied around a lot in general parlance, but really the term should only be used to refer to variants of the influenza virus), nor indeed even an infection of any kind.
Instead, it’s a collection of symptoms that typically appear a few days into starting the ketogenic diet, and usually continue for a few weeks to a month or so.
The most commonly-reported symptoms are fatigue, brain fog, headache, mood changes, lightheadedness, bad breath, muscle cramps, reduced exercise capacity, constipation, and/or diarrhea.
About those latter two, you may be wondering “how can you have both constipation and diarrhea?” and the answer is that often people will get one of them and try to treat it, and now find they have the other and so they try to treat that, and so oscillate between the two for a bit. Which we cannot imagine is fun, but it’s a pattern that does play out a lot.
A big reason for this is that any sudden change in diet will cause a commensurately sudden change in gut microbiota, which will have many effects on the rest of a person’s health.
There are other reasons too, though, including hypoglycemia (very common when suddenly drastically cutting carbs, for obvious reasons of: fewer carbs in means less sugar in the blood) and electrolyte loss.
In a recent large review of studies found that symptoms like halitosis, constipation, nausea, and vomiting were the most frequently reported; children experienced more issues like hypoglycemia and vomiting, while adults reported dizziness and fatigue. Kidney stones were rare in short-term studies but occurred in an average of 14% of long-term ketogenic diet adherents:
How to avoid it (aside from “don’t do keto”)
There are several main things to consider:
- a more gradual shift into a ketogenic diet, rather than doing it overnight, will allow the gut microbiota to change more gradually, which will avoid many of the symptoms associated with gastrointestinal upset
- electrolyte replacement (sodium, potassium) and again, doing a slower transition, can help avoid the symptoms associated with electrolyte loss
- medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplementation helps maintain ketone levels and may ease symptoms (though may cause—rather than alleviate—gastrointestinal problems if not introduced gradually)
About those electrolytes:
Are Electrolyte Supplements Worth It? Here’s When To Take Electrolytes (And When We Shouldn’t!)
And about those MCTs:
How Beneficial Is MCT Oil, Really?
Not sure if keto’s for you?
Check out:
Which Diet? Top Diets Ranked By Experts ← this is great for comparisons of the various dietary approaches
Or if you prefer to do things your own way, then consider:
What Macronutrient Balance Is Right For You? ← this one’s really quite comprehensive, if you’d like to figure out your own best approach in a personalized fashion.
Enjoy!
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Aging For Beginners – by Ezra Bayda & Elizabeth Hamilton
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This one’s not about how to avoid aging, but rather, how to be at peace with whatever aging may be happening, perhaps despite our best efforts.
The book is dedicated:
❝To all the starving and suffering children throughout the world, with the wish that they may someday have the opportunity to experience the life of a contented geriatric❞
It’s a stark reminder that old age is a privilege that many do not get to enjoy, thanks to poverty, disease, wars, and accidents and incidents along the way.
So, how to go about making the very most of what we have, for those of us who are perhaps going gray in a comfortable, safe environment?
The answer may surprise you: the authors tackle things head-on without dressing old age up in euphemisms or platitudes—they cover not just the physical decline that typically occurs eventually, but also the impact of the physical pain that this may bring, the way this may play into loneliness and helplessness, and perhaps anxiety and/or depression. And, of course, the topic of grief and loss, that for most of us becomes all the more part of our lives as we get older. For that matter, our own mortality is also something the authors come back to from start to finish.
Thus, this is not necessarily a cheerful book—but it gives the tools such that we can be cheerful about life in general, in the face of all the aforementioned things, without pretending that things that are not good are good, just, making our peace with what is, and making the most out of what we have.
The authors are Zen teachers with decades of experience, and this book is heavily influenced by Zen principles. And yes, it does teach meditation too, but that’s just one tool in the toolbox.
The style is deep and yet very readable, heavy of tone and at the same time inspiring of lightness of heart.
Bottom line: if you’d like to worry less about aging (while still doing all you want to stay young), this book can certainly help with that.
Click here to check out Aging For Beginners, and be at peace with yourself.
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6 ways to talk to your teens about sex without the cringe
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Parents play an important role in teaching their children about sex and relationships. But our new report shows many parents – fathers in particular – find it mortifying.
Our national survey of 1,918 parents shows they are most likely to be very confident talking with children about body image (45%) and puberty (38%) and least confident talking about masturbation (12%) or sexual satisfaction (13%).
Mothers are more likely than fathers to start discussions about sex (32.3% vs 23.9%).
Our survey confirms the most common barriers to discussing sex with children are children feeling uncomfortable or refusing to engage. But parents are uncomfortable too, fearing they’ll say the wrong thing, and not knowing how to start the conversation.
But if a teenager knows their parents are up for non-judgemental discussions about sex, they’ll be more likely to share what is happening in their lives, ask questions and seek help when they need it.
Here’s how to start those discussions, even if you feel awkward.
Kamonwan Wankaew/Getty Our top tips for talking about sex
1. Start when children are young. “The sex talk” is not one single conversation. Parents should aim to open the door to ongoing, age-appropriate dialogue about issues related to bodies, reproduction and puberty when children are young. Even children under five should be learning about their bodies and the basics of reproduction.
Starting conversations when kids are young will make it easier to continue into the teenage years. But it’s never too late. Children will benefit from parents engaging with them on these issues at any age.
2. Find everyday opportunities to ask questions. Television, movies and radio mention sex and relationships all the time.
For instance, issues relating to young people viewing pornography or the impact of social media are regular features on the news. Use these opportunities to ask teenagers what they understand, know or think. Show interest in your teenager’s opinion and ask questions about how this portrayal fits with their experiences or that of their friends.
The conversation doesn’t need to lead to a specific message or outcome. The purpose is to talk and listen.
3. Try not to lead with what not to do. Telling a young person not to have sex or watch pornography is unlikely to stop them doing it and may shut down future conversation. Many young people become sexually active from around 15 to 17 years of age and a majority have viewed pornography at least once by this age.
The best we can do is support them to think carefully and critically about what they need to stay safe. Let them know you can help with things such as finding a good doctor if they need advice on contraception or sexual health care.
4. Tell your teenagers stories about yourself. Young people don’t always appreciate being reminded their parents were once teenagers, but they might be interested in a story about your first relationship, first kiss or an embarrassing date. Showing your own vulnerability may help open dialogue on these topics.
If you aren’t comfortable telling stories about yourself, perhaps tell stories you have read or heard about in the news.
5. Own your embarrassment. It is hard to talk about intimate or embarrassing topics. For some people even saying the word “masturbation” is uncomfortable, let alone speaking with children or teenagers about it.
Keeping it light and being prepared to laugh at your own awkwardness can help break the ice for both you and your teenager.
6. Do some reading and practise talking about it. Most of us don’t have a lot of experience talking intimately about sex or relationships. Do some research on topics you would like to speak with your teenagers about and then have a chat to your partner or a friend about it.
The aim is to get more comfortable talking about things we don’t often talk about. You don’t have to be an expert, you just have to give it a go.
Will talking about sex encourage my child to do it?
Parents are often told they need to be “sex positive” when talking to teenagers about sex. This doesn’t mean avoiding talking about risks and responsibilities. Rather, it means holding the perspective that, in the right circumstances, sex can be a safe, enjoyable and positive part of a young person’s life.
Talking about sex will not encourage a young person to have sex before they are ready.
Teaching young people about sexual consent relies on valuing pleasure. If someone can understand, and articulate, what they like and want, they will be in a stronger position to assert what they do not want. Young people should be encouraged to tune into what they, and their partner, enjoy and value when it comes to sex.
Sexual health messages for young people often focus on dangers and negative outcomes. It can be easy to forget that sex education should also be about supporting young people to have safe and enjoyable sex when they are ready. Parents play a key role in delivering this message.
Talk soon. Talk often: A guide for parents to talk to their kids about sex helps parents judge age-appropriate information and how to talk about it.
Jennifer Power, Principal Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University; Alexandra James, Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, and Thomas Norman, Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Okra vs Rhubarb – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing okra to rhubarb, we picked the okra.
Why?
It wasn’t close:
In terms of macros, okra has more fiber, carbs, and protein, making it the most nutritionally dense option in this category.
In the category of vitamins, okra has more of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7. B9, C, E, and K, while rhubarb is not higher in any vitamins—a complete win for okra.
Looking at minerals, okra has more copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus potassium, and zinc, while rhubarb has (slightly) more calcium and selenium. Another easy win for okra.
In other considerations, both are good sources of polyphenols, but okra has more, scoring it a fourth win in a row.
Adding up the sections makes for a clear overall win for okra, but by all means enjoy either or both, as diversity is good!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
What’s Your Plant Diversity Score?
Enjoy!
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Green Beans vs Zucchini – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing green beans to zucchini, we picked the green beans.
Why?
In terms of macros, green beans have more than 2.5x the fiber, as well as slightly more protein and carbs, winning on nutritional density in this category.
In the category of vitamins, green beans have more of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, E, and K, while zucchini has more of vitamins B5, B6, B9, and C, yielding a modest 6:4 victory for green beans here.
Looking at minerals, green beans have more calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, and selenium, while zucchini has more copper, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, giving green beans a marginal 5:4 win in this round.
Adding up the sections makes for an overall win for green beans, but by all means do enjoy either or both, as diversity is best!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
Level-Up Your Fiber Intake! (Without Difficulty Or Discomfort)
Enjoy!
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