Mindfulness – by Olivia Telford
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Olivia Telford takes us on a tour of mindfulness, meditation, mindfulness meditation, and how each of these things impacts stress, anxiety, and depression—as well as less obvious things too, like productivity and relationships.
In the category of how much this is a “how-to-” guide… It’s quite a “how-to” guide. We’re taught how to meditate, we’re taught assorted mindfulness exercises, and we’re taught specific mindfulness interventions such as beating various life traps (e.g. procrastination, executive dysfunction, etc) with mindfulness.
The writing style is simple and to the point, explanatory and very readable. References are made to pop-science and hard science alike, and all in all, is not too far from the kind of writing you might expect to find here at 10almonds.
Bottom line: if you’d like to practice mindfulness meditation and want an easy “in”, or perhaps you’re curious and wonder what mindfulness could tangibly do for you and how, then this book is a great choice for that.
Click here to check out Mindfulness, and enjoy being more present in life!
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3 Tweaks To Cut Diabetes Risk By 1/3
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Today, the research we’ll be highlighting builds on the Mediterranean diet, by adding some extra interventions. We’ve written before about the Mediterranean diet, here:
The Mediterranean Diet: What Is It Good For? ← What isn’t it good for?
The Mediterranean diet’s strengths come from various factors including its good plant:animal ratio (leaning heavily on the plants), colorful fruit and veg minimally processed, and the fact that olive oil is the main source of fat:
All About Olive Oil ← pretty much one of the healthiest fats we can consume, if not healthiest all-rounder fat.
This is not the first time we’ve talked about making the Mediterranean even better; see: Four Ways To Upgrade The Mediterranean Diet ← to make it even more anti-inflammatory, even more gut-healthy, even more heart-healthy, and even more brain-healthy, respectively.
Med+
Researchers (Dr. Dolores Corella et al.) wanted to know the effectiveness of adding further interventions on top of the already-healthy Mediterranean diet.
Specifically, the Mediterranean diet, plus:
- Caloric restriction (600 fewer calories per day)
- Moderate exercise (brisk walking, strength, balance)
- Professional weight-loss support
On which note, the study participants were 4,746 adults (ages 55–75) categorized as overweight or obese, with metabolic syndrome but no diabetes at baseline, followed for six years.
With this in mind, the method may not be applicable to all people—if you are already exercising moderately, do not have extra weight to healthily lose, and are eating maintenance calories only, then cutting your caloric intake drastically will probably not be healthy or sustainable.
For more on the science of caloric restriction (including the pros and cons), see: Is Cutting Calories The Key To Healthy Long Life?
As for the study, the intervention group (Mediterranean diet plus those three things) and the control group (Mediterranean diet only) saw the following results after 6 years:
- Intervention group lost 3.3kg (7¼ lbs); control group lost 0.6kg (1⅓ lbs)
- Intervention group lost 3.6cm (1½ inches) waist circumference; control group lost 0.3cm (⅛ inch)
- Intervention group had 9.5% absolute risk of diabetes; control group had 12% risk
The overall reduction of diabetes incidence, however, was 31% lower for the intervention group than the control group
You may be wondering: since 9.5 is about 21% (not 31%) of 12, where did the 31% figure come from?
And the answer is: this is one of those places where absolute risk reduction, relative risk reduction, and hazard ratio-based incidence reduction get easily mixed up:
- Absolute risk reduction (ARR) = we take the cumulative risk in control and subtract the cumulative risk in intervention, so here, that’s 12.0% – 9.5% = 2.5 percentage points ARR
- Relative risk reduction (RRR) = we take the ARR we just calculated, and subtract the cumulative risk in control, so here, that’s 2.5/12 = 20.8% RRR
- Hazard ratio-based incidence reduction = what happens if we apply the resultant hazard ratio to person-years, i.e. instead of of looking at just those 6 years (and not caring if someone gets diabetes in 7 years, say), we take each participant’s 6 years and stretch them all end-to-end, so that we can see more accurately what incidence rate will be over more time. We then take the number of person-years generated (in this case, 6 years x 4746 people = 28,476 person-years, which is a lot of data), look at the reduction rate, and then scale it back down (keeping the same ratio) to a number that makes for a clearer representation that’s easy to apply to other models, in this case, 1,000 person years, using the same hazard ratio as we found from the 28,476 person-years. The result of this calculation, in this case, is a 31% lower incidence rate. This is more or less what we might reasonably have expected from a glance at the data—we could expect that it would be higher than the RRR, because this time we get to factor into the equation the people who will get diabetes in year 7, year 8, year 9, etc, from only a 6-year study, because of how we laid everyone’s 6 years end-to-end.
You can find the paper itself, here: Comparison of an Energy-Reduced Mediterranean Diet and Physical Activity Versus an Ad Libitum Mediterranean Diet in the Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes
Is it worth it?
If you have those 7¼ lbs and 1½ inches to lose, then a 31% reduction in diabetes risk is a big benefit.
If, on the other hand, you don’t, then as we say, probably skipping 600kcal per day is not so good an idea for you.
For everyone, meanwhile, moderate exercise is of course great.
As for the professional weight loss help? Well, that depends on the nature of the help, and this study didn’t separate its effects (if any) from the effects of the caloric reduction and moderate exercise. So, honestly we think it’s unhelpful that they included it with doing a separate control for it.
Want to reduce diabetes risk without reducing calories?
Check out:
How To Prevent And Reverse Type 2 Diabetes: Turn Back The Clock On Insulin Resistance!
Take care!
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Skin Care Down There (Incl. Butt Acne, Hyperpigmentation, & More)
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Dr. Sam Ellis, dermatologist, gives us the low-down:
Where the sun don’t shine
Common complaints and remedies that Dr. Ellis covers in this video include:
- Butt acne/folliculitis: most butt breakouts are actually folliculitis, not traditional acne. Folliculitis is caused by friction, sitting for long periods, or wearing tight clothes. Solutions include antimicrobial washes like benzoyl peroxide and changing sitting habits (i.e. to sit less)
- Keratosis pilaris: rough bumps around hair follicles can appear on the butt, often confused with acne.
- Boils and abscesses: painful, large lumps; these need medical attention for drainage.
- Hidradenitis suppurativa: recurrent painful cysts and boils in skin creases, often in the groin and buttocks. These require medical intervention and treatment.
- Ingrown hairs: are common in people who shave or wax. Treat with warm compresses and gentle exfoliants.
- Hyperpigmentation: is often caused by hormonal changes, friction, or other irritation. Laser hair removal and gentle chemical exfoliants can help.
In the event that the sun does, in fact, shine on your genitals (for example you sunbathe nude and have little or no pubic hair), then sun protection is essential to prevent further darkening (and also, incidentally, reduce the risk of cancer).
For more on all of this, plus a general introduction to skincare in the bikini zone (i.e. if everything’s fine there right now and you’d like to keep it that way), enjoy:
Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!
Want to learn more?
You might also like to read:
The Evidence-Based Skincare That Beats Product-Specific Hype
Take care!
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Morning Routine To Feel Like You’re in Your 20s Again
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Spoiler: it’s not “sleep until midday and eat cold pizza” (for those for whom that was their routine in their student years).
Rather, it’s about getting the body to behave a certain way:
A good start, every day
Mobility coach Marina Sarenac makes the observation that stiffness in the morning makes your posture, energy, and overall movement feel older, whereas a short routine wakes up your muscles, improves circulation, and prepares your body for the day.
First, she advises to breathe correctly. Deep belly breathing calms your nervous system, lowers morning stress, and prepares your body for smoother movement. So, place one hand on your chest and one on your belly, keep your chest still, inhale through your nose, and let your belly rise (and repeat).
Then move onto some mobility drills. Here’s her advice on how to do that:
- Ankle mobility movements: move your ankles slowly through dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, and controlled circles to wake up your lower body and support healthier knees, hips, and posture.
- Alternating spinal twist: lying on your back with your knees bent, let your knees fall gently side to side so gravity loosens your lower back and releases your hips.
- Modified cobra with hip opener: lying on your stomach, place your hands under your shoulders and bring one leg out to the side at 90°; lift your chest gently to open your hips and reduce tension in your lower back.
- Thoracic rotation: in a kneeling position, place one hand on the floor and the other behind your head; rotate your upper body upwards to loosen your middle spine and help your posture and breathing.
- Neck mobility movements: with a tall spine and relaxed shoulders, move your neck gently through flexion, extension, rotations, and a light side stretch to ease any stress-related stiffness and reduce tension.
For more on all of this plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:
Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!
Want to learn more?
You might also like:
10 Tips To Reduce Morning Pain & Stiffness With Arthritis
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Pistachios vs Cashews – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing pistachios to cashews, we picked the pistachios.
Why?
In terms of macros, both are great sources of protein and healthy fats, and considered head-to-head:
- pistachios have slightly more protein, but it’s close
- pistachios have slightly more (health) fat, but it’s close
- cashews have slightly more carbs, but it’s close
- pistachios have a lot more fiber (more than 3x more!)
All in all, both have a good macro balance, but pistachios win easily on account of the fiber, as well as the slight edge for protein and fats.
When it comes to vitamins, pistachios have more of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, C, & E.
Cashews do have more vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid, pantothenic literally meaning “from everywhere”. Guess what’s not a common deficiency to have!
So pistachios win easily on vitamins, too.
In the category of minerals, things are more balanced, though cashews have a slight edge. Pistachios have more notably more calcium and potassium, while cashews have notably more selenium, zinc, and magnesium.
Both of these nuts have anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer benefits, often from different phytochemicals, but with similar levels of usefulness.
Taking everything into account, however, one nut comes out in the clear lead, mostly due to its much higher fiber content and better vitamin profile, and that’s the pistachios.
Want to learn more?
Check out:
Why You Should Diversify Your Nuts
Enjoy!
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Healthy Butternut Macaroni Cheese
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A comfort food classic, healthy and plant-based, without skimping on the comfort.
You will need
- ½ butternut squash, peeled and cut into small pieces (if buying ready-chopped, this should be about 1 lb)
- 1 onion, chopped
- ¼ bulb garlic
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 12 oz (or thereabouts) wholegrain macaroni, or similar pasta shape (even penne works fine—which is good, as it’s often easier to buy wholegrain penne than wholegrain macaroni) (substitute with a gluten-free pasta such as buckwheat pasta, if avoiding gluten)
- 6 oz (or thereabouts) cashews, soaked in hot water for at least 15 minutes (but longer is better)
- ½ cup milk (your preference what kind; we recommend hazelnut for its mellow nutty flavor)
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
- ½ tsp MSG, or 1 tsp low-sodium salt
- Optional: smoked paprika, to serve
Note: if you are allergic to nuts, please accept our apologies that there’s no substitution available in this one. Simply put, removing the cashews would mean changing most of the rest of the recipe to compensate, so there’s no easy “or substitute with…” that we can mention. We’ll have to find/develop a good healthy plant-based no-nuts recipe for you at a later date.
Method
(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)
1) Preheat the oven to 400℉ / 200℃.
2) Combine the butternut squash, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, in a large roasting tin, tossing thoroughly to ensure an even coat of oil. Roast them for about 25 minutes until soft.
3) Cook the macaroni while you wait (this should take about 10 minutes or so in salted water), drain, and rinse thoroughly in cold water, before setting aside. This cooling increases the pasta’s resistant starch content (that’s good, for your gut and for your blood sugars, and thus also for your heart and brain), and it will maintain this benefit even when we reheat it later.
4) Drain the cashews, and tip them into a high-speed blender with the milk, and process until smooth. Add the roasted vegetables and the remaining ingredients apart from the pasta, and continue to process until again smooth. You can add a little more milk if you need to, but go easy with it.
5) Heat the sauce (that you just made in the food processor) gently in a saucepan, and refresh the pasta by pouring a kettle of boiling water through it in a colander.
6) Optional: combine the pasta and sauce in an ovenproof dish or cast iron pan, and give it a few minutes under the hottest grill (or browning iron, if you have such) your oven can muster. Alternatively, use a culinary blowtorch, if you have one.
7) Serve; and if you didn’t do the optional step above, this means combining the pasta and sauce. You can also dust the top with some extra seasonings if you like. Smoked paprika works well for this.
Enjoy!
Want to learn more?
For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:
- Butternut Squash vs Pumpkin – Which is Healthier?
- Cashew Nuts vs Coconut – Which is Healthier?
- The Many Health Benefits Of Garlic
- Black Pepper’s Impressive Anti-Cancer Arsenal (And More)
- Sea Salt vs MSG – Which is Healthier?
Take care!
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1 in 8 households don’t have the money to buy enough food
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Around one in eight (1.3 million) Australian households experienced food insecurity in 2023. This means they didn’t always have enough money to buy the amount or quality of food they needed for an active and healthy life.
The data, released on Friday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), show food insecurity is now a mainstream public health and equity challenge.
When funds are tight, food budgets suffer
The main driver of food insecurity in Australia is financial pressure.
Housing costs and energy bills expenses consume much of household income, leaving food as the most flexible part of the budget.
When money runs short, families cut back on groceries, buy cheaper but less nutritious food, skip meals, or rely on food charities.
These strategies come at the expense of nutrition, health and wellbeing.
Inflation has added further pressure. The cost of food has risen substantially over the past two years, with groceries for a family of four costing around $1,000 per fortnight.
Who is most affected?
Not all households are affected equally. Single parents face the highest rates of food insecurity, with one in three (34%) struggling to afford enough food.
Families with children are more vulnerable (16%) than those without (8%).
Group households, often made up of students or young workers, are also heavily affected at 28%.
Rates are even higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households, where 41% report food insecurity.
Income remains a defining factor. Nearly one in four (23.2% of) households in the lowest income bracket experience food insecurity, compared with just 3.6% in the highest.
These headline numbers are only part of the story. Past research shows higher risks of food insecurity for some other groups:
- rural and remote communities face higher food prices and limited outlets. Some areas are becoming “food deserts” where affordable, nutritious food simply isn’t available
- university students and young adults juggle unstable work and housing costs while studying
- temporary residents are often excluded from available supports
- culturally and linguistically diverse households can struggle to access affordable, culturally appropriate food.
While the ABS survey can not provide local breakdowns, it will also be important to know which states and territories have higher rates of food insecurity, to better inform state-level responses.
What are the impacts?
Food insecurity is both a symptom and a cause of poor health.
It leads to poorer quality diets, as households cut back on fruit, vegetables and protein-rich foods that spoil quickly. Instead, they may rely on processed items that are cheaper, more filling and keep for longer.
The ongoing stress of worrying about not having enough food takes a toll on mental health and increases social isolation.
Together these pressures increase the risk of chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
For children, not having enough food affects concentration, learning and long-term development.
Breaking this cycle means recognising that improving health depends on improving food security. Left unaddressed, food insecurity deepens existing inequalities across generations.
What can we do about it?
We already know the solutions to food insecurity and they are evidence-based.
Strengthening income support by increasing the amount of JobSeeker and other government payments is crucial. This would ensure households have enough money to cover food alongside other essentials.
Investment in universal school meals, such as free lunch programs, can guarantee children at least one nutritious meal a day.
Policies that make healthy food more affordable and available in disadvantaged areas are also important, whether through subsidies, price regulation, or support for local retailers.
Community-based approaches, such as food co-operatives where members share bulk-buying power and social supermarkets that sell donated or surplus food at low cost can help people buy cheaper food. However, they cannot be a substitute for systemic reform.
Finally, ongoing monitoring of food insecurity must be embedded in national health and social policy frameworks so we can track progress over time. The last ABS data on food insecurity was collected ten years ago, and we cannot wait another decade to understand how Australians are faring.
The National Food Security Strategy is being developed by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry with guidance from a new National Food Council. It provides an opportunity to align these actions, set measurable targets and ensure food security is addressed at a national scale.
Food insecurity is widespread and shaped by disadvantage, with serious health consequences. The question is no longer whether food insecurity exists, but whether Australia will act on the solutions.
Katherine Kent, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Wollongong
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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