Pinto Beans vs Soybeans – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing pinto beans to soybeans, we picked the soy.
Why?
Both are great, but there’s a clear winner:
In terms of macros, pinto beans have 3x the carbs and slightly more fiber, while soybeans have more than 2x the protein. While we tend to prioritize fiber over protein, the margins of difference involved here make the protein the more relevant consideration in this case, so we call this round a win for soybeans.
In the category of vitamins, pinto beans have more of vitamins B1, B5, B9, and E, while soybeans have more of vitamins B2, B3, B6, C, and K, so that’s already giving soy a marginal here on strength of numbers, and it’s additionally worth noting that the vitamin K difference is by far the biggest, which is another point in soy’s favor.
Looking at minerals, pinto beans are not higher in any minerals, while soybeans have more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc, winning overwhelmingly in this category.
Adding up the sections makes for a clear overall win for soy, but by all means do enjoy either or both (unless you have a soy allergy, in which case please stick to the pinto)!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
Edamame vs Pinto Beans – Which is Healthier? ← noteworthy as edamame are young green soy beans, and while completely the same plant, have a somewhat different nutrient profile
Enjoy!
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How To Unchoke Yourself If You Are Dying Alone
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The first things that most people think of, won’t work. This firefighter advises on how to actually do it:
Steps to take
Zero’th step: he doesn’t mention this, but try coughing first. You might think coughing will be a natural reaction anyway, but that tends only to happen automatically with small partial obstructions, not a complete blockage. Either way, try to cough forcefully to see if it dislodges whatever you’re choking on. If that doesn’t work…
Firstly: don’t rely on calling for help if you’re alone and cannot speak; you’re unlikely to be able to communicate and you will just waste time (when you don’t have time to waste). Even if you call emergency services and they trace your location, chances are that, at most, a cop car will show up some hours later to see what it was about. They will not dispatch an ambulance on the strength of “someone called and said nothing”.
Secondly, it is probable that will not be able to perform an abdominal thrust (also called Heimlich maneuvre in the US) on yourself the way you could on another person, and hitting your chest with your hand will produce insufficient force even if you’re quite strong. Nor are you likely to be able to slap yourself on the back to way you might another person.
Instead, he advises:
- Find a sturdy object: use a chair, table, countertop, or another firm surface that has an edge.
- Use gravity to perform self-Heimlich: position yourself with the edge of the object just below your sternum (he says ribcage, but the visuals show he clearly means the bottom of the sternum, where the diaphragm is, not the lower ribs). Fall onto the object forcefully to create pressure and dislodge the obstruction. This will not be fun.
- If it doesn’t work indoors: move to a visible outdoor location like your yard or a neighbor’s lawn. Falling visibly on the ground will likely alert someone to call for help.
While doing the above, remain as calm as possible, as this will not only increase the length of time you have before passing out, but will also help avoid your throat muscles tightening even more, worsening the choking.
After doing the above, seek medical attention now that you can communicate; you’ve probably broken some ribs and you might have organ damage.
For more on all this plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:
Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!
Want to learn more?
You might also like to read:
How To Survive A Heart Attack When You’re Alone ← very different advice for this scenario!
Take care!
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How To Feel 10 Years Younger
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Will Harlow, over-50s specialist physio, shows us how to turn back the clock:
Reach for youthfulness
Most of mobility is lost through lack of use. If we’re afraid of stretching fully, we’ll stop a little short, and then our body will adapt, and the shorter reach becomes our new maximum reach. This process continues until such a time as we are completely stiff.
So, never has “use it lose it” been so critical! With this in mind, here are 5 exercises to take your range of motion back to its previous levels:
- Open the gate: stand tall holding a wall or similar support, shift your weight onto one leg, lift your other knee, and move it up, out to the side, and around in a smooth circle before placing your foot back down; keep your back upright throughout to gently mobilize your hips and wake up the surrounding hip muscles, supporting long-term hip joint health.
- Dynamic hamstring sweep: stand with one foot forward and your heel on the floor, keep your front leg straight and your back knee slightly bent, then hinge down as you sweep your hands along your front leg and return upright; move in and out of the stretch in a controlled way to warm up your hamstrings before activity (but skip this one if you have sciatica, like we mentioned yesterday).
- Overhead reach: sit upright away from a chair back with your feet flat on the floor, interlace your fingers or stack them together, reach your arms overhead, turn your palms upwards, and push gently towards the ceiling; this opens your chest, improves your shoulder mobility, and helps counter stiffness from ergonomically unfriendly phone use, poorly angled typing, and other daily bad posture habits.
- Seated side bend: sit tall with your hands crossed over your chest, keep your head aligned with your shoulders, and slowly lean your whole torso to one side without lifting your hips, then return to center and switch sides; move slowly and with control to explore your spinal range of motion without forcing it.
- Towel shoulder stretch: hold a towel overhead with one hand and grasp it behind your back with your other hand, keeping your back upright as you gently pull upwards to lift your lower arm until you feel a stretch in the front of your shoulder, then lightly guide your elbow forwards; hold comfortably, ease off slowly, and repeat on the other side to improve shoulder range of motion for everyday reaching tasks.
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:
Four Easy Ways To Better Shoulder Mobility
Take care!
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Why do I seem to get sick as soon as I take time off?
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You’ve been hanging out for a break, getting through the busy last weeks of work or class. You’re finally ready to relax. And then tiredness descends, you feel the tickle in your throat, and you realise you’re getting sick.
Why does this always seem to happen just in time for a holiday or the weekend?
Some call this the let-down effect or leisure sickness.
But is it real? While you may hear about leisure sickness online and anecdotally, studies on this phenomenon are very limited and often not well designed.
So let’s take a look at the evidence – and what you can do to stay healthy.
SolStock/Getty What the evidence shows
Leisure sickness is a term coined by Dutch researchers in a 2002 study. It refers to people who are seldom ill during the working week but get sick relatively often on weekends or holidays.
The researchers surveyed 1,893 people and found roughly 3% reported leisure sickness. Symptoms typically included headaches, tiredness, colds and flu, muscle pain and nausea. People were more likely to develop infections on vacation rather than weekends, and symptoms were most common during the first week of their holiday.
However, this research relied on people’s recall, and memory can be unreliable. The definition of leisure sickness was also vague. For example, one person’s idea of “seldom” and “relatively often” may differ from another’s.
Another 2014 study investigated “let-down headaches” by asking 22 participants who regularly experienced migraines to keep a diary of their stress levels and migraine onset.
It might seem counter-intuitive, but reducing stress seemed to trigger the migraine. When they recorded a reduction in stress on one day, they typically developed a migraine within the next 24 hours. If work was the stressor, this could mean a pattern of migraines on their days off.
Some evidence suggests strokes are also more common on weekends than weekdays in some groups. There is no clear cause, but the study authors suggested strokes could be triggered by lifestyle changes on weekends.
So, what’s going on?
The lack of quality research on leisure sickness means we don’t fully understand its potential causes. But there are some theories.
People often travel during vacations, and sit in enclosed, crowded spaces such as planes, increasing their exposure to germs. Travel to distant locations can also expose us to strains of germs we’re not immune to.
On holidays we may also drink more alcohol, which can reduce immune function. And we may be pushing our body to do things we don’t normally do, putting stress on it.
Another theory is that being busy at work makes us distracted and less likely to pay attention to symptoms. On leave, symptoms such as muscle pain or a headache may become more obvious – and we can’t blame it on work. So we may notice sickness more.
We may notice symptoms such as fatigue when we’re not distracted by work. Christopher Lemercier/Unsplash But isn’t relaxing good for your health?
There is a complicated relationship between stress and the immune system.
Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and makes our bodies release hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
Chronic stress can mean our cortisol levels are sustained at high levels. Over time, this reduces how well our immune cells respond to infection, so we are more likely to get sick if we come into contact with viruses or bacteria.
But in the short term, both adrenaline and cortisol can actually enhance how well some parts of the immune system work. This means acute stress can temporarily improve our resistance to infection, which is why we may feel busy and stressed but not fall sick. Cortisol’s anti-inflammatory properties can also relieve pain.
But when the acute stress stops – for example, when we finally get a chance to rest – there may be a sudden transition. We no longer benefit from the temporary immune boost or cortisol’s pain relief. So this is when we might fall sick, and feel symptoms such as headaches and muscle pain.
How can I avoid getting sick?
There’s still a lot we don’t understand about how or why leisure sickness might happen. But we know staying active, getting enough sleep and eating a healthy, balanced diet – even when you’re busy – can help boost your immune system.
One Finnish study examined more than 4,000 public employees who were physically inactive. It found those who took up regular exercise, particularly vigorous exercise, were less likely to take sick leave than those who remained inactive.
Given the link between chronic stress and multiple chronic diseases, it is also sensible to manage your workplace-related stress.
There is good evidence that meditation, mindfulness and relaxation techniques can help reduce stress.
There are also steps you can take to reduce the risk of respiratory infections on vacation, so you get to enjoy the whole holiday. Consider keeping up to date with flu and COVID boosters, and taking other precautions, such as wearing an N95 mask on planes and in airports.
Thea van de Mortel, Professor Emerita, Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Carrots vs Zucchini – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing carrots to zucchini, we picked the carrots.
Why?
Both have their merits! But…
In terms of macros, carrots have 3x the fiber and carbs, for approximately the same (minimal) protein, winning in this category.
In the category of vitamins, carrots have more of vitamins A, B1, B3, B5, and K, while zucchini have more of vitamins B2, B6, B9, and C, meaning carrots win a second round.
Looking at minerals, carrots have more calcium and potassium, while zucchini have more copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and zinc, winning a round finally.
Adding up the sections makes for an overall win for carrots, but by all means do enjoy either or both, as both are great and diversity is good!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
What’s Your Plant Diversity Score?
Enjoy!
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Ready… Set… Flow!
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Time to make your new year plans? Or maybe you’ve already made a list, and you’re checking it twice. If so, now’s the time to make sure that your new year’s plans will flow:
“Flow”, as you may be aware, is the psychological state generally defined as “a state in which we feel good about what we’re doing, and just keep doing it, at a peak performance level”; the term was coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and has risen to popularity since.
We wrote about it a little before, here:
Morning Routines That Just Flow
The above article details how to start the perfect day, but how to start the perfect year? Firstly, it’s good to get the jump on the new year a little; see:
The Science Of New Year’s Pre-Resolutions
…and we also agree with Dr. Faye Bate, who preaches taking the path of least resistance when it comes to healthy habits:
How To Actually Start A Healthy Lifestyle In The New Year
Because…
Getting into the flow
The most hydrating drink is the one that [contains adequate water and] you will actually drink. The best exercise is the one you’ll do. The best sleep is the sleep you can actually get. And so on.
We see this—or rather its evil counterpoint—a lot in diet culture. People frame their willpower against the temptations of donuts and whatever, and make Faustian bargains whereby they will eat food they find boring in the hopes it will bring them good health. And it won’t. Because, they’ll give up quickly.
Instead, each part of our healthy life has to be engaged with with a sense of flow. Again, that’s: “a state in which we feel good about what we’re doing, and just keep doing it, at a peak performance level”
So we need to find healthy recipes we like (check out our recipe section!), we need to find exercise that we like, we need to find an approach to sleep that the Geneva Convention wouldn’t consider a kind a torture, and so forth. And, ideally, not just “like” in the sense of “this is tolerable” but “like” in the sense of “I am truly passionate about this thing”.
And that’s going to look different for each of us.
Running is a great example of something that some people truly love, whereas others will do almost anything to avoid.
And food? We’ve written before about the usefulness of a “to don’t” list; it’s like a “to do” list, but it’s things we’re not going to even try to do. For example, a person with two addictions is usually advised to quit one at a time, so quitting the other would go on a “to don’t” list for now. The same goes for food; you need to enjoy what you’re eating or you won’t “feel good about what we’re doing, and just keep doing it”, per flow. So, do not deprive yourself; it won’t work anyway; just pick one healthy change to make, and then queue up any other changes for once the first one has started feeling natural to you.
For more on “to don’t” lists and other such tricks, see: How To Keep On Keeping On… Long Term!
Staying in the flow
…is not usually a problem, you would think, because “…and just keep doing it, at peak performance level” but the fact is, sometimes we get kicked out of our flow by something external. We covered some of that in the above-linked “How To Keep On Keeping On” article, such as figuring out showstoppers in advance (for example, “if I get an injury, I will rest until it is healed”) and ideally, back-up plans.
For example, let’s say you have your dietary plan all worked out, then you are invited to someone’s birthday celebration a couple of weeks in, and you don’t want to rain on their parade, so you figure out for yourself in advance how you are going to mitigate any harm to your plans, e.g. “I will simply choose the healthiest option available, and not worry if it doesn’t meet my usual standards” or “I will simply fast” if that’s an appropriate thing for you (for some it might be, for some it might not be).
For more on this, see:
How To Avoid Slipping Into (Bad) Old Habits
Take care!
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Applesauce vs Cranberry Sauce – 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 applesauce to cranberry sauce, we picked the applesauce.
Why?
It mostly comes down to the fact that apples are sweeter than cranberries:
In terms of macros, they are both equal on fiber (both languishing at a paltry 1.1g/100g), and/but cranberry sauce has 4x the carbs, of which, more than 3x the sugar. Simply, cranberry sauce recipes invariably have a lot of added sugar, while applesauce recipes don’t need that. So this is a huge relative win for applesauce (we say “relative” because it’s still not great, but cranberry sauce is far worse).
In the category of vitamins, applesauce has more of vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, and C, while cranberry sauce has more of vitamins E, K, and choline. A more moderate win for applesauce this time.
When it comes to minerals, applesauce has more calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium, while cranberry sauce has more iron, manganese, and selenium. Another moderate win for applesauce.
Since we’ve discussed relative amounts rather than actual quantities, it’s worth noting that neither sauce is a good source of vitamins or minerals, and neither are close to just eating the actual fruits. Just, cranberry sauce is the relatively more barren of the two.
While cranberries famously have some UTI-fighting properties, you cannot usefully gain this benefit from a sauce that (with its very high sugar content and minimal fiber) actively feeds the very C. albicans you are likely trying to kill.
All in all, a pitiful show of nutritional inadequacy from these two products today, but one is relatively less bad than the other, and that’s the applesauce.
Want to learn more?
You might like to read:
From Apples to Bees, and High-Fructose Cs: Which Sugars Are Healthier, And Which Are Just The Same?
Enjoy!
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