The Daily Mind
Daily Steps To Mindful Living
After yesterday’s post on how to quit coffee using meditation I thought it would be interesting to learn how many cups of coffee readers are actually drinking. I have created a little poll in the sidebar where you can leave your answer and let us all know.
If you are reading this in a feed reader or by email please stop by the site and cast your vote. The results could be interesting!
Originally posted on June 25, 2008 @ 7:53 am
Every Monday is Health at Work day here at The Daily Mind.
Today I want to tell you about the benefits of freshly made fruit and vegetable juice. Many years ago I got into freshly made juice when I was on a health kick and now I really take for granted how good this stuff is for me. This morning, however, I was meeting a friend in the city central markets before work and as usual I grabbed a fresh juice. I suddenly remembered you guys I decided that I would try and convince you to try some fresh juice on your way to work tomorrow.
When I say fresh juice I am talking about juice that has been juiced right in front of you. Many health food stores sell this stuff when you can get a combination of vegetables and fruits juiced right in front of you. This type of juice is one of the best things you can do for your health.
What I am NOT talking about is bottled juice from the store. This stuff has been heated up and had so many preservatives added to it that it can no longer be classified as a health drink.
There have been numerous studies done on fresh juice and they have all shown that it is an extremely healthy thing to do. Some of the main reasons include:
One of my favorite benefits, however, is the sheer variety of vegetables and fruits that you can get in one sitting. This morning I had a delicious juice with beetroot, ginger, apple, carrot, celery and wheatgrass juice. There is no way I would be able to eat all these for breakfast without the juicing!
One of the main reasons I get fresh juice on a regular basis is simply because it makes me feel good. After a big cup of fresh juice I always feel lighter and much more energized and that energy seems to last for a lot longer than regular foods and drinks. It certainly makes me feel better than a coffee.
Other benefits include: [Read more…] about The Benefits of Freshly Squeezed Fruit and Vegetable Juice
Originally posted on May 27, 2008 @ 4:21 am
Last week we looked at foods that help you concentrate and today I want to take a look at foods that make you stressed, anxious and depressed. I am a firm believer that what you eat has a big impact on how “healthy” your mind is. If you have been feeling unusually stressed lately and aren’t sure why then maybe it has something to do with your diet.
The first one on the list is going to be the most controversial but I am willing to argue my point. Coffee is one substance that makes you stress and sometimes even depressed.
The reason for this is simple and it has to do with the sugar and the caffeine that comes in coffee. When we drink a coffee we usually get a caffeine hit and a sugar rush. This picks us up for a few minutes or perhaps even an hour but then comes the inevitable low. The crash. This is when we start to get feelings of sadness and stress and we cannot figure out why we are feeling so bad.
Test it out for yourself. See how you feel before a coffee, immediately after a coffee and then about two hours after a coffee. You might be surprised.
When I started eating a vegetarian diet I was absolutely shocked at how happy and “light” I felt all the time. I decided that I was going to do some research in to the matter and see whether eating meat causes stress or depression and it turns out that many ancient medical practices believe that it does. Every time I eat meat now I feel heavy and quite sick.
Many people in the East will tell you that feeling depressed after eating meat is due to the negative karma that is accrued due to killing an animal. Some more modern science, however, tells us that it might be due to the damage meat can cause your insulin levels as well as several other systems in the body. Meat has been linked to cancer, diabetes and other serious illnesses. One study even showed that vegetarians are happier than meat eaters!
Alcohol has been shown to change the chemistry of the brain and make you more likely to experience long term depression. With alcohol we are not talking about a depression that lasts a little while – it is one that lasts a long time and usually leads you to your next drink. You then need to drink more than you used to to feel better and end up in a fast downward spiral. This is called tolerance and is a big part of why alcohol and any other drug is so addictive.
The sad thing is that people who are already feeling a bit depressed use alchohol to treat the depression. This just makes them feel even more depressed and doesn’t really get you anywhere.
A few months ago I was lucky enough to be the personal attendant of a very high Buddhist Lama when he visited Australia. During this special week we spent lots of time discussing buddhism and talking about all aspects of life. Every night we would go out for dinner and I would try to take him to places that only made clean and healthy food. After a while we got on to talking about fast food joints like Maccas, KFC and Burger King. He told me that if you want to get a serious disease and have a depressed mind you should eat them often.
I have always thought that these foods were bad. They are full of preservatives, salt, sugar, saturated fats and a host of other horrible chemicals. Think about all the antibiotics and hormones that KFC pump in to their meat before they lace it with salty bread crumbs and deep fry it. No wonder you feel heavy after you eat it.
Try and avoid these foods at lunch time if you are feeling stress and anxious and depressed. This will also distract you from your work because you will feel full and sick.
The best thing you can do for your health is eat a natural diet that has as little man-made foods as possible. A diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, raw milk, eggs and other natural things will leave you feeling lighter, happier and full of long lasting energy. Avoid foods that are overly processed and full of refined sugar, salt and saturated fats.
Does anyone have any experiences with food making them feel terrible?
top image:
photo credit: cortnie dee.
Originally posted on May 22, 2008 @ 8:57 am
I have decided to make every Monday “Healthy Work” day here at The Daily Mind.
Today we will be looking at all things “tea”. I want to tell you about the different types of tea, where it came from, the health benefits and problems associated with tea as well as a few tricks I learned about tea in India. If you drink tea everyday but don’t really know much about the effects it has on your body then this article is for you.
I am going to structure this article like this:
Tea origins
Tea is the most popular drink in the world. It has been drunk for thousands of years and is thought to have originated in China when some tea leaves fell into the Emperors water. Since that time tea has been used in many different ways and at some points in history it was so valuable that it was used as currency. It has been used by doctors to treat disease and is thought to improve longevity, vitality and general well-being.
Types of tea
Many people do not realize that tea comes in five main types:
All of these teas come from the same plant called the Camellia sinensis and are given different names only after certain cooking or preparation methods are carried out. Green Tea is pan fried or steamed to prevent the leaves from oxidizing or fermenting. Oolong Teas are the most expensive because they are semi-fermented and made in a more elaborate method. The color of this tea is usually a light yellow. Black Tea is the strongest tea of them all the the type we are most used to drinking in the west. It is fully fermented and has up to three times as much caffeine in it than the other teas. White tea is quite rare and is made from the white buds of the tea plant as opposed to the green tea leaves. It is a clear white color and much finer. Pu Erh Tea is chinese tea that has been fermented twice and then left to grow mold on it. It is said to have strong medical properties.
There are also herbal teas like you find in a Chinese Doctors Shop but these are not really teas as they are not usually made from tea leaves but other types of plants. There are now also some infused blends of tea where other flavors have been added.
photo credit: Jeff Weston
Scientists, doctors, mystics and even our grandparents all talk about the health benefits that come from drinking tea. Many of us have the general idea that tea is good for us but don’t really know what it specifically does. It is also good to know that different types of tea have different effects on the body. Here are some health benefits of tea:
1. Tea is an anti-cancer plant
The studies are now pretty clear – if you drink a lot of tea you are less likely to get cancer. And not just a little bit less likely, a lot! If you drink about four cups of tea a day you are up to 60% less likely to get cancer thanks to the antioxidants in tea leaves. That is an amazing statistic.
The studies have really only been done with Green Tea but others are currently underway. White Tea is supposed to be even more effective from a traditional point of view and there is some scientific evidence to support this fact. I personally would love to see more studies done on Oolong Tea as it has the added benefits of the mold growing on it.
2. Tea boosts your brain
One of the notable effects of tea is that it helps you concentrate and focus. This is important for all of us who are sitting on a computer trying to stay on track with some really boring data analysis.
This effect is said to be due to the amino acid L-theanine which gets absorbed in your gut and travels in the blood to your brain. This results in a more awake you! The thing that is really cool about this is that tea doesn’t make you get all hyper like coffee does. It is a calming drink that wakes you up without over stimulating.
3. Tea helps you fight off illness
Tea is supposed to be a very strong immune booster. Those people who drink tea on a regular basis are supposed to be more immune to the cold or flu that is going around at work as well a some other minor health problems such as infections.
4. Tea beats stress
If you are reading this post at work then chances are you are pretty stressed. The good news is that a cup of tea helps you fight the physical signs of stress by reducing the stress hormone in your body. For more ways to beat stress at work head over to our stress section.
5. Tea can help you lose weight
Many studies have confirmed what the Chinese doctors have been telling us for centuries – tea boosts your metabolism and helps you lose weight. Drinking a few cups of green tea at work (without the sugar) can have a really good effect on your waistline.
Now that we have look at all the nice things tea can do it is a good idea to take a look at whether tea will cause your body any harm. Before making any decision about your health it is important to weigh up the pros and cons of the argument and then make a decision based upon good information. To rant on about the magical qualities of tea without talking about the potential drawbacks would be irresponsible.
1. Sleep problems
Many people (myself included) are very sensitive to the effects of caffeine. If I have a tea or a coffee within four or five hours of my bed time I will have a lot of trouble getting to sleep.
If you are having sleep problems already it might be a good idea to take a look at how many teas you are drinking. Many people do not realize that tea is quite high in caffeine and too much tea can affect how well you sleep. However, your sleeplessness might be caused by other things. Take a look at this post about stressed sleep.
2. Kidney damage
Some scientific studies have shown that the oxalates in tea can cause some kidney damage. However, this has only been shown in people who drink a lot of tea – a lot more than most of us drink.
Although there other drawbacks associated with tea none of them have been definitively proven by science. The main message is that excess is not a good idea. If you are drinking more than about four cups of tea a day you are more likely to have some negative effects.
Here are some other tips I have picked up about how to make sure your tea works well for your health.
1. Don’t add milk
Scientists have found that adding milk to your tea actually detracts from the health benefits. The article in New Scientist is here.
2. Get your tea from a clean area
One of the best things you can do if you are serious about your health is research where your tea comes from. I learned this trick in India and I think it makes a lot of sense. Pollution in the air and soil has a massive effect on how healthy your tea is – places like China and India have a lot of air pollution. Try to source your tea from remote provinces in China and India – places higher in altitude. As a general rule Chinese Green Tea’s grow in higher areas.
3. Don’t add sugar
Sugar is like a leech. It has so many negative effects on the body and you should avoid it at all costs. If you can cut out or reduce the amount of sugar that you put in your tea you will be doing your body a big favor.
I thought I would show you my favorite tea. If you haven’t ever tried it I encourage you to give it a go.
Dilmah Green Tea for ethics
I always buy Dilmah if I can because they are one of the most ethical companies on the planet. I heard a lot of good things about Dilmah when I was in India and then again when I was in business school. Dilmah is a family owned company and is run very strictly by five pillars – Quality, Tradition, Ethics, the Customer and Integrity. They never put profit making before these pillars. And… the tea tastes excellent! They also put a lot of money into the local community, their workers and the medical community.
You can buy some Dilmah green tea here.
They make all types including fusions. My favorite is the Jasmine Infused Green Tea.
I would love to know how much tea the readers of The Daily Mind drink. I myself usually only have one or two cups a day because I find that too many more affects how well I sleep. That being said, I am a very big advocate of tea and would encourage everyone to start drinking more. Leave us a comment and tell us how many cups you drink and what type of tea is your favorite?
Originally posted on May 19, 2008 @ 10:17 am
Ginkgo biloba, ginseng, caffeine… there are a whole range of foods out there that are supposed to help us concentrate more. But do they really do anything? Do these substances really affect how well you can concentrate or how well you can retain information?
In this article I want to take a look at some foods that are commonly thought to help improve concentration and then look at whether they do anything at all.
1. Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo Biloba is probably the most famous concentration food around. It is actually from the oldest tree species on the planet and is used to treat concentration problems, dementia, etc. The good thing about Ginkgo is that there are quite a few solid scientific studies that show that Ginkgo actually does work as a “brain herb”. The way it does this is by increasing blood flow to the brain and nourishing the cells and so on.
2. Ginseng
photo credit: Jean-François Chénier
Ginseng is probably the most famous Chinese herb and is derived from a Greek word which means “all healing”. According to ancient literature this herb will work wherever it is needed. If someone has a high temperature it will lower it. If you have a low temperature it will increase it.
Ginseng is also supposed to be good for concentration and memory function. Some studies have shown that the properties in some ginseng strands increased protein synthesis in the brain and thus concluded that it is good for memory and concentration. However, these studies were carried out in the 60’s and many believe they were flawed. Recent studies have shown that ginseng does absolutely nothing for energy, concentration or memory.
Ginseng has been used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine. I have a lot of respect for this discipline and feel that there must be some benefits if these doctors continue to use it. Scientific studies are often very narrow and limited. If you are going to use ginseng I would suggest only doing so on a Chinese doctors recommendation.
3. Coffee
Coffee. The most popular drug in the world. Millions of people around the world enjoy a cup of coffee every morning because they believe that it wakes them up and helps them stay alert and awake at work. And they are right. Coffee has caffeine and antioxidants that, when combined, improve alertness and as such concentration and better information retention.
However, recent studies have shown that the more often you drink coffee the less effective it can become. Doctors now say that it is better to have a cup when you feel like you need it and not have it every day just because it is a habit. This will ensure it wakes you up when you need it to.
4. Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri)
Now this is one herb that I personally vouch for. I am not saying it is safe or effective for everyone, but it has worked for me.
Bacopa monneieri is an Indian Ayurvedic medical herb that is used to treat anxiety, stress and as an intelligence booster. It is said to improve concentration as well as nourishing the brain. And scientific studies (although rare) have supported this information. It has been shown to improve brain function.
I have been using it for about two month and have noticed a tangible difference in my stress levels, concentration ability and general wellbeing. Perhaps if you are after some of these benefits you might want to give it a go. Here is the brand I have been using.
5. Fish
The omega-3 fatty acids in fish as supposed to help improve your brain function over the long term. Like most of these substances, the effects usually take a long time to build up. Some foods will help you concentrate in the short term (coffee) and others take a long time (fish, brahmi, etc.).
The downside on eating fish is that the omega-3 rich fishes usually are those that live in the deep sea. These fish are nowadays often laced with mercury thanks to the pollution of the sea and are thus not all that healthy. For this and a few other personal reasons I rarely ever eat fish.
The subject of concentration foods is really tricky. Some people swear by them and other people say that it is all nonsense. The hard part is that the science is conflicting – there is no right or wrong answer. In situations like this we often have to turn to experience – testing it for ourselves.
Have you got any experience with these foods? Let us know.
top image: photo credit: Electric Spam
Originally posted on May 12, 2008 @ 3:29 am
A lot of people blame their weight problems on their work. How many times have you heard and overweight friend say “I don’t have time for a healthy lunch” or some similar excuse? I hear it often. This post will look at some simple ways you can eat cheap and healthy at work every single day.
1. Start shopping at the local market
The supermarket and regular shops you go to are run on massive profits. Here in Australia we have Coles/Myer which is one of the biggest publically listed companies in the nation.
Their food stores make a big profit. The prices aren’t the best.
If, however, you go to the food market on a Saturday or Sunday you can pick up all the food the big guys sell but at cost price. It is fresh and healthy. Stock up on fruits and vegetables and things you can snack on at work.
2. Buy a big thermos and learn to make soup
Vegetable soup made from the vegetables you bought in the market is a great way to eat on the cheap and it is very healthy. Tomato based soups are particularly good for you as the cooked tomoatos have lots of cancer fighting properties. The thermos keeps it hot all day and you can have as much as you want without worrying about getting fat.
If anyone has any killer soup recipes I would love to see them. Surely some people in the cold US states make great soups?
3. Switch from Starbucks coffee to market Green Tea
My local Chinese Market in China Town has about 1000 varites of important teas. There is one for every health problem you can think of. You can buy a packet of about 100 tea bags for $5. That is nothing. That is as much as one coffee for some people! This strategy is good because you still get your caffiene fix whilst saving money, getting healthy antioxidants and cutting out sugar.
4. Remember the old sandwhich
What the hell happened to the days when people took a sandwhich to work? Society is so pleasure driven now that a killer triple decker sandwhich with salad and fresh goodies seems like food for a homeless person. Most people at work I know go out for a sirloin steak for lunch.
Whatever!
Get back to the simple days when healthy food was exciting and made you feel good about yourself. Packing a sandwhich (or three!) before work saves money, time and will keep you feeling better after lunch time.
5. Make enough dinner for leftovers
If I am making a dinner I know I am going to love and I know will last tomorrow I usually make enough for an extra meal. Pack it in the fridge in a container and grab it on your way out the door in the morning. Zero preparation time other than what you normally have for your nightly dinner. 9 times out of 10 your dinner will be a lot healthier than the stuff you buy for lunch so why not have it again if it is easier for you?
6. Check the fast food alternatives
So Subway might be better for you than KFC but is it cheaper than the sandwhich you could get at the local Deli? If you want to eat healthy and save some cash try the local corner store’s lunch specials. Quite often they are thrilled to have your business and you end up with a fresh made sandwhich or a nice home cooked meal. I love these “underground” places.
7. Discover healthy snacking
Normally at work you would snack on soda, candy, chips, coffee, tea and other things during the day. Instead, try taking a bag of mixed nuts or mixed sprouts to work and snack on them whenever you want. The protein will keep you feeling full so you will eat less of a junkie lunch and they replace the less nutritious snacks that you were eating before.
Does anyone have any other tips on eating healthy and cheaply at work?
Originally posted on February 22, 2008 @ 4:32 pm
