The surprising benefits in your own kitchen

You are what you eat—literally. The food we consume provides us with many things, some beneficial, and others harmful. In general, food provides us with calories, which increases energy. But there are many things that people don’t realize about the food they eat, including the surprising health benefits of many common kitchen staples. 

5 Common foods and their amazing benefits

Cinnamon

Not only is cinnamon a delicious and versatile spice used in many recipes and on it’s own, but it is also a powerful source of antioxidants. One ounce of cinnamon contains manganese, calcium, iron, vitamin K, copper and magnesium. Cinnamon also provides anti-inflammatory effects, which can decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer and brain function decline. 

Pineapple

Pineapple contains a large amount of beta-carotene, a nutrient that can help prevent the development of asthma. It is also a great source of vitamin C, which is one of the most essential vitamins for maintaining good health. Vitamin C helps prevent the formation of free radicals that can cause cancer. It can also increase overall skin health, including skin that has suffered damage from the sun, reduces wrinkles, and aids in the formation of collagen—the skins best friend. 

Spinach

Ever think of becoming vegan or vegetarian? Spinach is one of the best plant sources containing calcium and iron. It contains antioxidants that aid in the management of diabetes by lowering glucose levels and increasing insulin sensitivity. Spinach greatly improves bone health by providing significant doses of vitamin K, which improves the absorption of calcium, and helps reduce the excretion of calcium through urination. 

Peaches

Peaches contain a large quantity of potassium, a nutrient that is essential in the maintenance of heart health. The consumption of fruits in general, including peaches, can decrease the risk and slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration. Not only are peaches very beneficial, but they also make a very convenient and delicious on-the-go snack. 

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are an overall “superfood” in the sense that they provide just about all the benefits as the above mentioned foods. Not only do tomatoes aid with skin health, heart health, diabetes and healthy blood pressure, but they also contain a plethora of cancer-fighting antioxidants. In particular, they provide 80 percent of dietary lycopene, a plant compound that has been linked with the prevention of one type of prostate cancer. 

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Alicia Feizo has always loved literature and the endless possibilities of using words as creative expression. Her passions include poetry, magic realism and living an authentic life. 

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Laughter is no joke

Laughing feels good; no one can deny this, except perhaps the occasional accompanying muscle cramp caused by laughing for long periods of time. Laughing releases endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good drug. This is likely why good humour is so sought after, and why stand-up comedy is one of the only careers you don’t need to become officially certified in. 

Laughter improves your mental well-being

Laughing is one of the quickest and most effective ways to diffuse anxiety. You could even say it is the opposite of being in an anxious state. Laughter dilutes the seriousness of our worries, and creates a more calm space for us to then tackle our challenges from a centred state of mind. Stress is one of the biggest drainages of both mental and physical energy, and can actually shorten your lifespan if left unchecked. The good news is that laughter can in fact increase your lifespan by increasing energy and lifting your mood. If your mental health is in good shape, then you are likely to manage your physical health in a more conscious way. 

Laughter improves your physical health

Not only does laughter release endorphins, but a long, whole-hearted laugh can decrease muscle tension, which can leave your muscles relaxed for up to forty-five minutes. There is a great deal of truth behind the expression, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Laughter can, in fact, boost your immune system, increasing immune cells and antibodies which keep you physically fit to ward off disease and infection. Laughter also lowers blood pressure (in a good sense) which reduces the risk of stroke and heart attacks. It can even provide you with a moderate work out: laughing burns nearly the same amount of calories per hour as walking at moderate pace. 

Not only is laughter extremely beneficial to your own mental and physical well-being, but it can also be used as a tool for human connection. When you laugh with someone, there is no need for words—there is a deeper connection in that moment that supersedes the need to fill the silence. Laughter can also decrease tension between people, allowing them to be more open to forgiveness rather than judgement.The most common element that comedians share in their skits is the truth behind their jokes. People often laugh at jokes that they can connect and identify with. Being able to laugh at the absurdity of life is what makes it a joy to be alive. 

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Alicia Feizo has always loved literature and the endless possibilities of using words as creative expression. Her passions include poetry, magic realism and living an authentic life. 

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Make it or break it: A guide to breaking bad habits with good ones

It’s Monday morning and your alarm is going off. And then the second. You go through your morning routine, checking off each necessary evil as you look forward to being back in your bed. But the days are long, and five back-to-back days is a stretch. You look forward to the little things that can feel like salvation—a break from the chaos in your everyday grind.

For some, it’s a cigarette, or a bag of Miss Vickies Salt n’ Vinegar chips. For others, it might be a casual gossip session between classes. These habits become so natural, they almost seem necessary in order to maintain structure. When these habits become collective among social circles, they may be even more difficult to break. It almost feels as though without the habit, something would be missing. 

There are many tactics that can be used to break bad habits, but here I will focus on a strategy for long-term success. As difficult as it is to kick one, adopting healthier, more productive habits can be just as difficult. Therefore, introducing a new, positive habit in place of the previous, harmful habit is one way to counteract the learned behaviour, while simultaneously feeling good about moving forward. This should also help erase the feeling that something is missing from your daily routine.

Once a habit is formed, we begin to make associations, whether subconscious or knowingly, that revolve around the habit. In the case of smoking, oftentimes if someone has a coffee while they smoke, they may feel the impulse to have a cigarette any time they go for a coffee. A possible way to redirect their attention when the impulse arrises could be to instead read a book, or review things that need to be accomplished that week. 

Other common factors that can be challenging when trying to break a habit is when a person finds themselves in particular states of uneasiness. This might be tied to particular people or situations in their life. Obviously you can’t always avoid particular people or places; the point of breaking this habit is so you can live a successful and fulfilling life without unnecessary struggle. An immediate, short-term tactic when in the prescience of someone that sets you off is to focus on your breathing. As trivial as it may sound, if you’re aware of your breathing during the interaction, it may help keep you rooted in the moment, deterring your thoughts and feelings from being carried away. 

If you aren’t quite sure of when you are most tempted to fall back into old patterns, or you find you can’t make new ones stick, it might be worth seeking help. In many cases, simply knowing why you’ve formed this habit in the first place can help stop it from taking over your life. Don’t suffer if you don’t have to—make a change.

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Author Bio

Alicia Feizo has always loved literature and the endless possibilities of using words as creative expression. Her passions include poetry, magic realism and living an authentic life. 

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