Smart Sex – by Dr. Emily Morse
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First, what this isn’t: this isn’t a mere book of sex positions and party tricks, nor is it a book of Cosmo-style “drive your man wild by using hot sauce as lube” advice.
What it offers instead, is a refreshingly mature take on sex, free from the “teehee” titillations and blushes that many books of the genre go for.
Dr. Emily Morse outlines five pillars of sex:
- Embodiment
- Health
- Collaboration
- Self-knowledge
- Self-acceptance
…and talks about each of them in detail, and how we can bring them together. And, of course, how we or our partner(s) could accidentally sabotage ourselves or each other, and the conversations we can (and should!) have, to work past that.
She also, critically, and this is a big source of value in the book, looks at “pleasure thieves”: stress, trauma, and shame. The advice for overcoming these is not “don’t worry; be happy” but rather is actual practical steps one can take.
The style throughout is direct and unpatronizing. Since the advice within pertains to everyone who has and/or wants an active sex life, very little is divided by gender etc.
There is some attention given to anatomy and physiology, complete with clear diagrams. Honestly, most people could benefit from these, because most people’s knowledge of the relevant anatomy stopped with a very basic high school text book diagram that missed a lot out.
Bottom line: this book spends more time on what’s between your ears than what’s between your legs, and yet is very comprehensive in all areas. Everyone has something to gain from this one.
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Broccoli vs Okra – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing broccoli to okra, we picked the broccoli.
Why?
Both have their merits!
In terms of macros, broccoli has slightly more protein for approximately the same fiber and carbs, for a modest first-round win.
In the category of vitamins, broccoli has more of vitamins B2, B5, B7, B9, C, E, and K, while okra has more of vitamins A, B1, B3, and B6, giving broccoli a 7:4 win here.
Looking at minerals, broccoli has more iron, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium, while okra has more calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, and zinc, giving a marginal win to okra in this round.
In other considerations, both are great sources of polyphenols, but broccoli also contains sulforaphane, so we say broccoli wins this round.
Adding up the sections makes for an overall win for broccoli, but by all means enjoy either or both, as diversity is best!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
Broccoli Sprouts & Sulforaphane
Enjoy!
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Cannellini Protein Gratin
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A healthier twist on a classic, the protein here comes not only from the cannellini beans, but also from (at the risk of alienating French readers) a béchamel sauce that is not made using the traditional method involving flour and butter, but instead, has cashew protein as a major constituent.
You will need
- 3 medium potatoes, chopped (no need to peel them; you can if you want, but many of the nutrients are there and they’re not a problem for the recipe)
- 1 can cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 carrot, chopped
- ½ bulb garlic, minced (or more, if you like)
- 1 jalapeño, chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
- Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
For the béchamel sauce:
- ½ cup milk (we recommend a neutral-tasting plant milk, such as unsweetened soy, but go with your preference)
- ⅓ cup cashews, soaked in hot water for at least 5 minutes (longer is fine) and drained
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
Method
(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)
Note: it will be a bonus if you can use a pan that is good both for going on the hob and in the oven, such as a deep cast iron skillet, or a Dutch oven. If you don’t have something like that though, it’s fine, just use a sauté pan or similar, and then transfer to an oven dish for the oven part—we’ll mention this again when we get to it.
1) Preheat the oven to 250℉/175℃.
2) Heat the pan, adding some oil and then the oven; fry it for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
3) Add the potatoes, celery, carrot, garlic, and jalapeño, stirring for another 2 minutes.
4) Add the tomato paste, along with 1 cup water, the chia seeds, and the black pepper, and cook for a further 15 minutes, stirring occasionally as necessary.
5) Add the cannellini beans, and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally as necessary.
6) Blend all the ingredients for the béchamel sauce, processing it until it is smooth.
7) If you are using an oven-safe pan, pour the béchamel sauce over the bean mixture (don’t stir it; the sauce should remain on top) and transfer it to the oven. Don’t use a lid.
If you’re not using an oven safe pan, first transfer the bean mixture to an oven dish, then pour the béchamel sauce over the bean mixture (don’t stir it; the sauce should remain on top) and put it in the oven. Don’t use a lid.
8) Bake for about 15 minutes, or until turning golden-brown on top.
9) Serve! It can be enjoyed on its own, or with salad and/or rice. See also, our Tasty Versatile Rice Recipe.
Enjoy!
Want to learn more?
For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:
- What Matters Most For Your Heart?
- The Many Health Benefits Of Garlic
- Easily Digestible Vegetarian Protein Sources
- Is Dairy Scary?
- Cashew Nuts vs Coconut – Which is Healthier?
- Black Pepper’s Impressive Anti-Cancer Arsenal (And More)
Take care!
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Bold Beans – by Amelia Christie-Miller
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 all know beans are one of the most healthful foods around, but how to include more of them, without getting boring?
This book has the answer, giving 80 exciting recipes, divided into the following sections:
- Speedy beans
- Bean snacks & sharing plates
- Brothy beans
- Bean bowls
- Hearty salads
- Bean feasts
The recipes are obviously all bean-centric, though if you have a particular dietary restriction, watch out for the warning labels on some (e.g. meat, fish, dairy, gluten, etc), and make a substitution if appropriate.
The recipes themselves have a happily short introductory paragraph, followed by all you’d expect from a recipe book (ingredients, measurements, method, picture)
There’s also a reference section, to learn about different kinds of beans and bean-related culinary methods that can be applied per your preferences.
Bottom line: if you’d like to include more beans in your daily diet but are stuck for making them varied and interesting, this is the book for you!
Click here to check out Bold Beans, and get your pulse racing (in a good way!)
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Do These 4 Stretches Every Day If You’re Tight
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Liv Townsend, flexibility coach, advises:
What to do
We’ll get straight to it:
- Wall dog stretch: place your hands on a wall or countertop in line with your hips, hinge your hips backwards into an L shape, tilt your pelvis into an anterior tilt, push through your hands, and reach your chest towards the floor, to lengthen your hamstrings, shoulders, and spine.
- Spinal twist: lie on your back, lift and slightly offset your hips, bring your knees over your hips, drop your knees to one side, extend your arms in a T shape, and turn your head the opposite way, to create a controlled spinal rotation.
- Hip flexor lunge stretch: kneel into a lunge with padding under your back knee, tuck your tailbone under into a posterior pelvic tilt, squeeze your glutes, and drive your hips forwards and downwards, reaching your arms overhead to deepen the stretch if you like.
- Side squat adductor stretch: start in a tabletop position, extend one leg out to the side with your toes forwards, tilt your pelvis anteriorly, tuck your back toes underneath to engage the sole of your foot, then shift backwards into a side squat, while pushing your hips backwards and your knee wide, to stretch your inner thigh and fascia.
Aim for about 30–60 seconds per stretch, but any duration (even just once per week) is enough to start improving your mobility if done consistently!
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:
Feel The Difference: Mobility Mistakes That Are Making You Tighter
Take care!
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The China Study – by Dr. T Colin Campbell and Dr. Thomas M. Campbell
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This is not the newest book we’ve reviewed (originally published 2005; this revised and expanded edition 2016), but it is a seminal one.
You’ve probably heard it referenced, and maybe you’ve wondered what the fuss is about. Now you can know!
The titular study itself was huge. We tend to think “oh there was one study” and look to discount it, but it literally looked at the population of China. That’s a large study.
And because China is relatively ethnically homogenous, especially per region, it was easier to isolate what dietary factors made what differences to health. Of course, that did also create a limitation: follow-up studies would be needed to see if the results were the same for non-Chinese people. But even for the rest of us (this reviewer is not Chinese), it already pointed science in the right direction. And sure enough, smaller follow-up studies elsewhere found the same.
But enough about the research; what about the book? This is a book review, not a research review, after all.
The book itself is easy for a lay reader to understand. It explains how the study was conducted (no small feat), and how the data was examined. It also discusses the results, and the conclusions drawn from those results.
In light of all this, it also offers simple actionable advices, on how to eat to avoid disease in general, and cancer in particular. In especially that latter case, one take-home conclusion was: get more of your protein from plants for a big reduction in cancer risk, for example.
Bottom line: this book is an incredible blend of “comprehensive” and “readable” that we don’t often find in the same book! It contains not just a lot of science, but also an insight into how the science works, on a research level. And, of course, its results and conclusions have strong implications for all our lives.
Click here to check out The China Study, to know more about it!
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The Underrated Full Body Exercise (That Looks A Little Silly)
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Sometimes, the best exercises don’t look very impressive, but this one’s a good one:
Shake it up!
You’ll want a heavy blanket of some kind, or a thick towel. Something that won’t whip/snap.
Then:
- Set your stance: stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and core braced. Hold one end of the towel in each hand.
- Start shaking: explosively shake the towel up and down with both arms, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Focus on powerful, quick movements.
- Add footwork: shuffle side to side, step forwards and backwards, or move in small circles while continuing to shake the towel. Keep your upper and lower body working together, but independently.
- Mix movement planes: alternate between vertical shakes (up and down), horizontal shakes (side to side), or diagonal motions to engage more muscles.
- Adjust intervals: do short bursts (10–20 seconds) going for all-out for conditioning and power; use longer rounds (1–2 minutes), at 65–75% effort for endurance.
The main advantage of this is that it works the body in every direction—lateral, forward, backward, rotational—unlike running, biking, or even burpees that stay in one plane.
It conditions shoulders, arms, and core while improving strength, endurance, balance, and stability. It’s also a good option if lower body impact needs to be reduced (e.g. due to injury, joint problems, etc).
For more on all of this plus a visual demonstration, enjoy:
Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!
Want to learn more?
You might also like:
Take care!
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