woman athlete drinking water with electrolytes

woman athlete drinking water with electrolytes

Whether you’re an avid cyclist, a recreational jogger, or just someone who exercises from time to time, you’ve probably had someone tell you that you need to replenish your body’s electrolytes. And the conversation probably stopped there. Electrolytes are typically discussed in vague terms. Most active people can tell you that electrolytes are linked to hydration, sweat, and exercise, but can’t dive into the specifics.

That’s where this article comes in. Read on for an in-depth breakdown of what electrolytes are, why your body needs them, and what you can do to ensure your body has enough of them.

What Are Electrolytes?

If you immediately noticed the similarities between the words “electrolyte” and “electricity,” you’re actually on to something. Electrolytes are substances that have a positive or negative electrical charge when they are dissolved in water. (That’s where the prefix “electro” comes from.) The human body is about two-thirds water, so electrolytes can be found in most of your cells.

It’s important to note that the electrolytes in your body are not all the same substance, but rather a variety of substances, such as sodium, magnesium, and potassium. These substances all have either a positive or a negative charge, and you need all of them to maintain a healthy electrolyte level.

Electrolytes can be found in most fluids in your body, including blood and urine, as well as other body tissues. As your body fluid levels change, so do your electrolyte levels. This means that processes such as sweating and urinating naturally deplete your body’s electrolytes—and those electrolytes need to be replaced. But more on that later!

What Do Electrolytes Do for Your Body?

At this point, you probably have one big question: what do electrolytes actually do? And the answer might surprise you. All electrolytes do the same thing—conduct electrical charges. But this simple function plays a part in a wide variety of body processes including muscle contraction, the transmission of nerve signals, balancing fluid levels, and maintaining a natural pH level within the body.*

Naturally, not all electrolytes fulfill the same role. The list below breaks down some of the most common electrolytes found in the body and the processes they help maintain:

  • Calcium: When it comes to muscle function, calcium is a star player. This mineral, which carries a positive charge, helps muscle fibers slide as the muscle contracts. It’s also a building block for your bones and teeth, helps regulate your heartbeat, and send nerve signals.*
  • Magnesium: This electrolyte is a bit of an all-arounder, playing a part in muscle function, DNA and RNA production, and it supports an already healthy immune system.*
  • Sodium: The big thing most people discuss when they talk about sodium is blood pressure. Sodium plays a major role in regulating the amount of fluid in your body which, in turn, impacts your blood pressure. As with many other electrolytes, sodium also plays a role in muscle and nerve function.
  • Potassium: Potassium plays a big part in muscle and heart function. If you have too little, you might experience muscle fatigue, weakness, and even cramps. And, once again, potassium also helps with the transmission of nerve impulses.
  • Chloride: This electrolyte helps your body maintain its pH levels—in other words, it balances acidity and alkalinity. Chloride also plays a part in balancing your body’s electrolyte levels.*
  • Phosphate: Like calcium, phosphate helps your body build—and maintain—strong bones and teeth. It also helps produce the energy that your body puts towards growing and repairing tissue.*
  • Bicarbonate: Through the process of respiration, you breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. But some of the carbon created during that process stays in your body in the form of bicarbonate. This electrolyte helps maintain heart function and balances the pH levels of your blood.*

Maintaining Electrolyte Levels

Most people first hear about electrolytes through product marketing. Between electrolyte drinks and other supplements, there are a lot of products marketed as solutions for maintaining healthy electrolyte levels. But are these supplements necessary? It depends.

The best way to ensure you are getting all of the electrolytes you need is by eating a well-balanced diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of potassium and, in the case of leafy greens, calcium. You can also find calcium in dairy products such as milk and cheese. Sodium can come from a variety of sources including pickles, cheese, and smoked or canned meats. Seeds and nuts, on the other hand, are rich in sodium.

As you can see, the various electrolytes can be found across a variety of food groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and proteins. If your diet includes appropriate portions of each food group, your electrolyte levels should be in a good place—if you’re not performing high-intensity exercise.

But what if you are an athlete? Or an occasional 5k runner? Or you spend several hours doing yard work in the hot sun?

This is where electrolyte supplements come in. Remember how you can lose electrolytes by sweating? Well, if you are engaging in an activity that causes you to sweat more than normal, you are losing more electrolytes than normal. And your regular diet may not be enough to quickly replenish your electrolyte levels. By drinking an electrolyte beverage or taking another electrolyte supplement, you can get a leg up on recovery and ensure you are keeping your electrolytes at a healthy level.

Just remember: it’s always good to read the nutrition label. Many electrolyte beverages contain a lot of sugar. A little bit of sugar will help your body in the absorption of the electrolytes, but a lot can throw off an otherwise balanced diet.

It’s All About Balance: The Woes of Too Little or Too Many Electrolytes

Unfortunately, it is possible to have too much of some good things. And electrolytes are one of those things.

Remember all of those body processes that electrolytes support? If you have too few of any given electrolyte in your system—a set of conditions denoted by the prefix “hypo”—you run the risk of those processes not functioning correctly. Too little sodium, for instance, is a condition known as hyponatremia, and too little calcium is known as hypocalcemia.

When you have too much of any given electrolyte, it can be similarly detrimental for your health. (These conditions all have the prefix “hyper.”)

With a healthy diet, it is unlikely that you will hit these electrolyte levels. If you do take a supplement, follow the labelled directions. But, as always, it’s best to consult a doctor if you are in doubt.

The Bottom Line

On a day-to-day basis, you don’t necessarily need to be thinking about electrolytes. Focus on eating a variety of foods from the various food groups and try to steer clear of overly processed foods. If you find yourself experiencing unusual symptoms a doctor may recommend blood tests that can help identify electrolyte imbalances.

And if you know that you’re losing a lot of electrolytes via sweat, it’s not a bad idea to sip on an electrolyte drink during or after your exercise.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/21790-electrolytes.

https://www.roswellpark.org/cancertalk/201808/electrolytes-what-are-they-what-happens-if-you-dont-have-enough

https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-electrolytes

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK218740/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/electrolytes

Fresh vegetables

Fresh vegetables

In today’s world, you can find just about any food in stores year-round. And while there are certainly benefits to the widespread distribution of produce—like being able to make avocado toast on any given Sunday of the year—these food distribution networks have also had other unintended consequences, some good, some bad.

One such consequence is the disappearance of seasonal eating. Throughout the world, many people have access to the same foods throughout the year. This, in turn, means that many people keep their diet consistent regardless of the season. While there’s not necessarily anything wrong with this, it does raise another question: should we be adjusting our diets based on the season?

The short answer is yes—and there are a variety of reasons why. But let’s get into the long answer.

Seasonal Nutrition and Sunlight: Why Your Diet Needs More Vitamin D in the Winter

Whether you’re conscious of it or not, your body responds to and interacts with its environment in a number of ways. One example of this is the way your body converts sunlight into vitamin D. The process starts with UVB radiation, which the sun emits constantly. When this UVB radiation hits the skin it is absorbed by a compound known as 7-dehydrocholesterol. UVB converts this compound into previtamin D3, which eventually becomes vitamin D3—a vitamin that can help support healthy bone development, and energy levels.

So what does this process have to do with the seasons? It’s simple: in the winter months, most people get less sun. And this means they are also getting less vitamin D.

Vitamin D isn’t naturally found in high concentrations in most foods, so picking up the slack during winter months requires a little bit of planning. Here’s the good news: many foods are fortified with vitamin D, so you have options. If you’re trying to add a little vitamin D to your diet to make up for lost sunlight, try eating a breakfast of milk and cereal—both of which are often fortified with vitamin D. Just check the label to make sure this is the case!

If you’re a fan of seafood, you’re also in luck. Vitamin D is found naturally in salmon, tuna, swordfish, and sardines.

Additionally, vitamin D supplements are always an option—just include them with your daily multivitamins.

Seasonal Eating and Nutrition

As outlined above, adjusting your diet depending on the season can have a variety of health benefits. But many people adjust their diet seasonally for a different reason: they want to practice seasonal eating. This is exactly what it sounds like—that is, eating fruits and vegetables that are “in season.”

For many, seasonal eating is about the environment. Food that has to travel halfway around the world to get to you has a much greater carbon footprint than food that is grown just down the street. But it turns out there can be health benefits to seasonal eating too!

By eating fruits, vegetables, and other produce that is in season and locally grown, you naturally vary your diet. After all, not too many foods are in season year-round. A varied diet can help you get a good balance of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your body needs to thrive. Additionally, some studies suggest that locally grown produce is more nutrient-rich than its imported counterparts. This is because the longer some produce is stored, the more some antioxidants can break down. This isn’t to say imported produce is inherently bad, just some food for thought.

Holiday Snacking: Striking the Right Balance

Fall and winter food

As the weather takes a colder turn, your diet may change for another reason: the holidays. Between Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the winter holidays, there’s plenty of opportunity for snacking. The rhetoric surrounding holiday eating often paints this as a bad thing, but it all depends on how you approach it.

First things first, there’s nothing wrong with snacking. And there’s nothing wrong with indulging in your favorite treats around the holidays. What’s important is that you are mindful of your own nutritional goals.

If you feel like you often replace nutrient-rich foods with salty and sweet holiday snacks, try setting out some veggies with the other snacks. This is a simple option that can help you maintain variety in your diet and provide your body with much needed vitamins and minerals.

As you’re eating, remember to slow down. Snack foods have the tendency to go down faster than our bodies can register them, meaning you won’t actually realize you’re full until several handfuls of popcorn too late (or whatever snack you happen to be eating). By slowing down, you can counteract this tendency and allow yourself to really savor and enjoy the food.

Aligning Seasonal Nutrition with Your Nutritional Goals

There’s no “right” way to approach seasonal eating and seasonal nutrition—it all depends on what your nutritional goals are. If you’re trying to eat a varied diet that includes many fresh fruits and vegetables, you may want to try the wide variety of locally-grown produce available each season in your area.

https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-seasonal-eating.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/seasonal-food#health-benefits

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25027288/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7982591/

https://www.skincancer.org/blog/sun-protection-and-vitamin-d/.

beautiful skin in the snow

beautiful skin in the snow

For many, winter conjures images of beautiful, frozen landscapes: snow covered trees, icicles, all that good stuff. For others, the associations are less pleasant: cracked skin, chapped lips, and endless applications of moisturizer.

Love it or hate it, winter can wreak havoc on your skin. And the same is true of summer, though its effects on skin are of a different variety.

If you already have a skincare regimen in place, these seasonal changes can be frustrating. Who wants healthy, hydrated skin three seasons a year, only to have dry skin all winter? No one does. Fortunately, most of these seasonal skincare fiascos can be avoided. All it takes is a little foresight and some slight adjustments to your existing skincare routine.

Skincare and the Seasons: How the Weather Affects Your Skin

Your skin is your body’s first line of defense against the elements. And so it’s only natural that your skin changes as the weather shifts. Most of these changes have to do with the amount of moisture in the air.

During the winter, the air is cool and, for the most part, dry. Because the air is less humid than in the summer, your skin dries out much faster. This can lead to chapped and cracked skin, both of which you probably want to avoid altogether. The good news is that these effects can usually be mitigated with a slight adjustment to the moisturizing step of your skincare routine—but more on that later!

The summer typically has the opposite effect on skin. In the warmer months, the air is far more humid than it is during the rest of the year. High humidity can cause your sebaceous glands—which produce the oil on your skin—to overproduce oil. This often results in excessively oily and shiny skin.

Your seasonal skin care needs will also depend on your skin type. If you have oily skin, for example, you may find that the winter doesn’t dry your skin out too much. Summer, on the other hand, might compound and increase your skin’s natural oily tendencies. Similarly, if you have naturally dry skin, it may be perfectly hydrated during the summer, but cracked and dry during the winter.

Knowing your skin and the way it’s affected by the weather is the first step in maintaining healthy skin year-round. The second step is adjusting your skincare regimen accordingly—which we’ll dive into in the next section.

Seasonal Skincare Regimen for Oily Skin

If you have oily type skin, your usual skincare regimen should have you covered three seasons a year. That is, during winter, spring, and fall, you shouldn’t have to stray from your usual cleanser, toner, moisturizer, or SPF protection. It’s the summer weather—heat and humidity—that could throw off your skin’s balance.

As you probably know—either from research or personal experience—oily skin doesn’t do well with heavy cream and lotions. Though they cleanse and moisturize just fine, these types of products tend to exacerbate the oiliness of already oily skin. And so your skincare routine for oily skin probably includes lighter, thinner products: gels, liquid cleansers, etc.

During the summer months, you may have to make some adjustments to the moisturizing and protecting steps of your routine. If you find your skin becoming excessively oily and shiny in the heat of the summer, start by adjusting your moisturizer. Are you using a moisturizing lotion? If so, you might try switching to a gel moisturizer for the summer. Or if you are using a moisturizer and a separate product for SPF protection, consider consolidating the steps and using a moisturizer that also provides sun protection.

Remember, you’re not reinventing the wheel. These adjustments to your skincare routine don’t have to be huge. Give yourself a week to see results and then check back in. If you’re still struggling to control oily skin, make some more adjustments.

Seasonal Skincare Regimen for Dry Skin

If your skin is naturally on the dry side, you likely have what’s known as dry type skin. For most of the year, your skincare routine should stay pretty consistent: a cream cleanser, your toner of choice, a cream or lotion moisturizer, and a layer of moisturizing SPF protection. During the winter, however, you may need to take the moisturizing step of your skincare regimen to another level.

Typically, this means using a heavier cleanser. And in the world of skincare products, heavier means thicker. If you usually use a moisturizing lotion, but find it insufficient during the winter months, try a cream moisturizer.

A facial oil is another approach you can try to help tackle dull and dry skin. It can be applied after your normal moisturizer to help lock in hydration and condition the skin.

More Sun Means More Protection

The final step of a well-rounded skincare routine is applying protection. This comes in the form of products with an SPF—or sun protection factor—rating. Typically, this is sunscreen, but these days many moisturizers and even makeup products provide some sun protection.

Now this might seem like a no-brainer, but it needs to be said: the more sun you are getting, the more you need to protect your skin.

If you spend hours on end in the sun during the summer months, ramp up your UV protection. This could mean using a stronger sunscreen (you should be using at least SPF 30) or reapplying more frequently throughout the day. And ideally you should be doing both.

Skincare Changes to Avoid

Adjusting your skincare routine can be scary, even when it’s necessary. Finding the perfect combination of products takes time and consistency—and changes often seem to threaten that delicate balance. So how can you adjust your skincare routine with the seasons without throwing off the balance you’ve worked so hard to maintain?

It’s not as hard as it sounds. You just have to focus on small changes. If you make multiple changes to your current routine, it will be difficult to determine which product is the problem if the new routine doesn’t work for your skin type.

Any new moisturizers or other products that you try, should only be added one at a time. If the individual change to your skincare routine gives you healthy, vibrant skin, it’s a good sign that you’re giving your skin the nutrients and care it needs.

Consistency is Key

If you have a regular skincare routine, you know that consistency is key. The same is true for your seasonal skincare adjustments. Any change you make is only as good as the consistency with which you implement it. Sure, sunscreen one day a week is better than no sunscreen at all, but only just. So buckle down and commit to your changes. If something works, stick with it. If you don’t see the results you want, try something else. And if all else fails, consult a dermatologist.

https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/beauty/get-skin-ready-for-summer-swimwear

https://www.dermstore.com/blog/skin-for-all-seasons/

https://health.mountsinai.org/blog/should-i-change-my-skin-care-routine-with-the-seasons/

https://www.vogue.com/article/winter-skin-care-products

https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/what-to-do-about-dry-skin-in-winter

https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/the-ultimate-summer-skin-care-routine-in-8-simple-steps#moisturize

skincare application

skincare application

Skincare is often approached from an aesthetic standpoint. After all, most people want to feel good about the way they look. And healthy-looking skin is a great place to start.

But skin does so much more than simply dictate the way we look. Skin is the largest organ in—or on—your body. It protects you from bacteria, environmental factors, and the sun’s UV rays. It gets cut and scraped and stands up to the wear-and-tear of daily life. Needless to say, skin plays a pretty important role in your day-to-day health.

Here’s the good news: there are countless skincare products on the market. For those of us new to the skincare world, however, this can be a little intimidating. If you’re looking to start caring for your skin but don’t know where to start, look no further. This crash course in skincare will have you crafting a personalized skincare routine in no time.

The 4 Basic Skin Types

Before selecting products to improve your skin’s appearance, it’s important to know what you’re working with. Everyone’s skin is a little bit different, but it usually falls into one of four general categories: normal, oily, dry, or combination.

  • Normal Skin Type: As the name suggests, the normal skin type is, well, pretty normal. It’s not too dry, not too oily, and doesn’t have many noticeable imperfections. Additionally, normal type skin doesn’t have any particular sensitivities.
  • Oily Skin Type: If your skin is shiny or has a dull sheen to it, there’s a good chance you’ve got oily skin. Other hallmark features of the oily skin type are enlarged pores and blackheads. There’s also a good chance your face will feel slightly oily to the touch.
  • Dry Skin Type: As opposed to oily skin, dry skin has small pores and almost no shine to it. It may feel rough to the touch, have more wrinkles and creases in it, or be slightly less elastic than other skin types.
  • Combination Skin Type: As you read through the skin types above, did more than one seem like it described your skin? If so, you’ve probably got combination skin. This skin type refers to any combination of the skin types listed above. It’s very common to have an oily T-zone (the forehead, nose, and chin), for example, while the rest of your face is normal or even dry.

Once you’ve identified your skin type, it’s time to start thinking about your skincare goals. But more on that in the next section.

Identifying Your Skincare Goals

You wouldn’t take cough syrup to treat a broken foot—it’s not the right tool for the job. Similarly, your skincare products should align with both your skin’s needs and your personal skincare goals. Are you trying to clear reduce the appearance of wrinkles? Or simply keep your skin clean and hydrated? Whatever your end goal is, it will determine how you build your skincare routine.

Finding the right products can be tricky, but most skincare routines should follow the same four basic steps: clean, tone, moisturize, and protect (in that order). Within each of those four steps, there are countless products to choose from. As you select products for your skincare routine, pay attention to the active ingredients in each item you select. Different ingredients will have different effects—and you will want to choose ingredients that have the effect you want.

So what does this look like in practice? If you are creating a skincare routine for dry skin, you will want to choose a cleanser that’s gentle and can clean without removing all the oils on your skin. Similarly, you would want to stick to non-comedogenic products, which are specifically designed to avoid clogging pores. After all, using a pore-clogging skincare product would be a little counterintuitive, wouldn’t it?

How to Build a Skincare Routine: A Step-By-Step Guide

You’ve got the basics down, now let’s put it all together. How do you take all of this information—your skin type, your skincare goals, etc.—and create a personalized skincare routine? Just like anything else in life, take it one step at a time.

Step 1: Cleanse

Cleansing is the process of removing dirt, grime, and other impurities from your skin. Some cleansers are gentler than others, meaning they dry out the skin less and are less likely to cause skin irritation. If you have sensitive or dry skin, you will probably want to stick to a gentle cleanser, such as the Celvive Gentle Milk Cleanser.

A quick rule of thumb for cleansers: if you have dry and sensitive skin, use a cleanser that comes as a lotion or cream; if you have oily skin, use a foaming cleanser. As mentioned above, the active ingredients in cleansers vary from product to product, so be sure to review the active ingredients before purchasing cleanser.

Step 2: Tone

Toning is a loosely defined step in skincare routines. It is sometimes described as the process of “balancing” the skin—that is, giving your skin any nutrients it is missing. Some toners include active ingredients that act as additional cleansers, helping to remove debris and unclog pores. Because the cleansing process can be a bit abrasive for your skin, many toners include botanical ingredients that help soothe the skin.

Step 3: Moisturize

Just like staying hydrated is an important part of staying healthy, keeping your skin hydrated is an important aspect of skin care. And the best way to keep your skin hydrated is by including a good moisturizer in your daily skincare routine.

The most effective skin moisturizers tend to use plant-based oils to hydrate the skin. Different skin types do best with different types of moisturizers. If your skin is oily, you should use gel moisturizer. These tend to be mostly water-based, as opposed to oil-based. If you have dry or combination skin, opt for a moisturizer that comes as a lotion or cream.

Step 4: Protect

When it comes to skin damage, one culprit is usually responsible: the sun’s UV rays. Even on cloudy days, your skin is exposed to UV rays that can dry it out and damage it. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution: sunscreen or other SPF rated products.

Most experts recommend wearing a sunscreen of at least 30 SPF daily. This will help keep your skin protected throughout the day, reduce visible wrinkling, and help keep in moisture. (For your nightly skincare routine, you can skip the SPF.)

Consistency is Key

Like most health-related processes, skin care requires consistency. You can’t slap some cleanser and lotion on your face one night and expect to see immediate results—it takes time. As you build your skincare routine, be sure to implement it daily. If you aren’t seeing the results you want, give it a couple of weeks. (There is an exception: if a product irritates your skin, don’t hesitate to swap it for something else.)

Once you have practiced your skincare routine consistently for two to three weeks, evaluate the results. If you aren’t seeing progress towards your goals, it might be time to re-evaluate the products you are using. And remember, be gentle with yourself. If you miss a day, there is always tomorrow to start again!

https://www.webmd.com/beauty/whats-your-skin-type
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965206X16000280?via%3Dihub
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/tmagazine/skincare-routine
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/27/1049607370/build-a-basic-skincare-routine-in-three-steps
https://askthescientists.com/science-of-skincare/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/acne/in-depth/acne-treatments/art-20045814

eating bugs

eating bugs

If eating bugs makes your skin crawl, you might be in the minority.

With more than 1,900 species of edible insects on Earth, bugs are a regular item on the dinner menu. Two billion people regularly munch on insects. Entomophagy (the practice of eating bugs) is common in Africa, Asia, and South America. Insects are even considered local delicacies in tropical paradises.

So reprogram your taste buds because insects are actually quite nutritious—and even delicious. Bon appétit!

Eating Bugs is Part of Our Human History

Humans have been eating bugs for ten thousand years. Entomophagy (the practice of eating bugs) was first done by hunter-gatherers to survive when resources were low. They learned which bugs were edible by observing animals. This helped them steer clear of poisonous insects and spiders. Bugs quickly became a regular source of nourishment—one that has persisted to this day.

At first glance, insects do not seem to make a great meal. But when compared to other protein sources, those tiny bugs offer more than meets the eye. Grasshoppers are more densely packed with protein than beef. And they differ from beef in two other categories: fiber and fat. Per ounce, grasshoppers have less fat and more fiber.

Grasshoppers are not the only insects worth mentioning. There are several other bugs on dining tables throughout the world.

People Eat Insects All Over the World

South America and Africa

Beetles are a favorite snack of people living in the Amazon basin and parts of Africa. They are richer in protein than other insects. Beetles are also great at turning cellulose (plant sugars) into digestible fats.

Australia

Ants are tiny but they have a lot to offer your body. Aboriginal peoples in Australia eat honeypot ants as a sweet treat, because these ants’ bellies are chock-full of a nectar-like substance. In Colombia, a type of leaf-cutter ant is toasted and eaten as a snack.

Thailand

Red ants are often cooked or added to salads in Thailand. One-hundred grams of red ants provide more protein than 100 grams of egg (about two boiled)—approximately 14 grams for ants to 12 grams for eggs. Ants are low in calories and carbs, so they’re a real bargain for the calorie-conscious.

Latin America, Asia, and Africa

Crickets, grasshoppers, and locusts are the most commonly eaten insects. This could be because they are easy to find and catch. Many people say that roasted crickets taste nutty. These bugs pick up the flavor of whatever they are cooked with and are popular in stir-fries and curries.

Bees are already sources of a crowd favorite—honey. But bees themselves are eaten, too. The indigenous peoples of Africa, Asia, Australia, and Mexico eat bees when they are still young. The egg, larval, or pupal bee brood taste like peanuts or almonds. Watch out for adult bees. They can sting.

South Africa

Stinkbugs are hidden treasures of insect cuisine. Consumed in Zimbabwe and parts of South Africa. They are said to add an apple flavor to your cooking and are a rich source of iodine.

Food of the Future: Insects Are a Sustainable Protein Source

The current world population is seven and a half billion. To feed their growing populations, many world leaders are looking for sustainable sources of protein. Eating bugs provides a solution.

Insects made headlines in recent years because raising them is cheap to grow and easy on the environment. Crickets for example, take up very little space, reproduce quickly, and can sustain themselves with composting scraps and a little bit of water. Many call bugs “eco protein” because of their efficiency in converting plants to protein.

This makes insect farming more efficient than raising cattle.

Bugs require less water than livestock and take up less space. One-hundred pounds of cattle feed is required to produce 10 pounds of beef. But the same amount of feed yields 45 pounds of cricket.

Fans of “eco protein” are also excited about eating bugs as a method of pest control. Harvesting insects may be a more environmentally conscious solution to controlling the pests that destroy crops. That’s why insect cuisine is gaining traction as an alternative to pesticides.

Protein—Bugs or No Bugs—is Essential for Your Health

Whether you eat bugs, beef, chicken, fish or vegetable sources, quality protein in your diet is a must. Protein is essential to physical fitness. Most people understand that protein builds muscle, but it does much more than that. Your connective tissues are rich in protein. Hair, antibodies, blood, and enzymes all require protein to function properly.

Dietary protein is often misunderstood—with many not understanding the current recommendations and guidelines.

Current dietary recommendations say you should get 10 to 35 percent of your daily calories from protein. There are lots of ways to do that. Animal meat is a good source, but so are Greek yogurt, milk, beans, cheese, nuts, and eggs.

And you can consider insects in that list of protein sources, if you are brave enough to try eating bugs.

Are There Cons to Eating Bugs?

Every big change has pros and cons. There are great reasons for eating insects, but let’s touch on a few downsides to consider before adding bugs to your diet.

It’s important to note that all the “cons” listed here only present a very small risk, no greater than the risks associated with the foods we already consume. Experts agree that the benefits of eating bugs significantly outweigh the risks.

Food Allergies

While insects have been consumed for centuries, modern science knows very little about how they affect our bodies.

One study found that insects have the potential to trigger the same kind of allergic reaction that shellfish (like shrimp and lobster) do.

Insects and shellfish are both classified as arthropods, which means they have an exoskeleton. This similarity in anatomy and physiology could be related to the possibility of allergens.

If you know you have a shellfish allergy, you may want to pass on the roasted grasshoppers.

Bacteria

Insects should always be raised in a clean environment. If the farm isn’t hygienic, there is a chance for a small amount of spore-bearing bacteria, or a parasite to find its way in.

Regulating the conditions in which bugs are farmed would likely be enough to eliminate this risk entirely.

Pesticides

There is very little research on pesticide use in insect farming. One study found very low levels of certain harmful chemicals in raised bugs. However, these levels were no greater than what we find in our animal-based foods already.

Toxins

Ants, bees, and many other insects produce toxins as a defense mechanism for predators. These toxins can be dangerous to humans if consumed. Some can even kill you.

You should have some knowledge of which insects are safe to eat. This risk is much higher with eating insects in the wild as opposed to bugs raised by an insect farmer.

How To Start Eating Insects

If you’re sold on the benefits of eating bugs, you’re probably wondering how to get started. The retail market for insects is small, so you’ll likely be purchasing them online.

One of the least shocking ways to start is with cricket flour. This can be purchased ready-to-use and added to baked goods, salads, soups, and smoothies.

You can also order dried and prepared crickets. But remember that these bug snacks are akin to eating beef jerky. The texture and consistency are nothing like an actual steak.

The tastiest way to start eating insects is to order them live, directly from an insect farm.

Freeze your live bugs for 2-10 hours. Wash them well. Then prep and cook them like you would any regular meat. You can sauté them with garlic or vegetables, or bread them with flour and fry them in oil or add them to pasta. There are plenty of recipes online for inspiration.

Grow Your Own Bugs

Once you order some bugs, you’ll probably realize that they’re just as delicious as a lot of other foods! The most environmentally and financially sustainable way to incorporate bugs into your diet is to raise your own bugs at home.

Crickets, mealworms, and waxworms are some of the most available bugs and require as little as two square feet of space. The size of a plastic bin. You can purchase a pre-built hive, or download a plan and build your own habitat.

Eat a Bug, They’re Good for You

If you’re looking to spice up your diet, look no further than the bugs outside. Eating bugs is perfectly safe—as long as you get the right ones—and it’s an excellent source of protein. Your body needs protein to keep you healthy and active.

But if you’re nervous about trying a bug with your next meal, consider the positive environmental effects associated with bug farming. And you won’t be alone. Join the billions of people who make insect protein a regular part of a healthy diet.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/07/0715_040715_tvinsectfood_2.html

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130514-edible-insects-entomophagy-science-food-bugs-beetles/

https://foodandnutrition.org/september-october-2013/bugs-new-beef/

https://www.terminix.com/blog/whats-buzzing/eating-bugs-an-environmental-solution

dieting app

dieting app

When you hear the word “innovation,” your mind probably jumps to technology. After all, technology has come a long way in the past 30 years—not to mention the entire 2 million years of human existence. But here at USANA, as we approach our 30th anniversary as a company, we’re thinking about a different type of innovation: nutritional innovation.

Three decades is a milestone that calls for reflection. The field of nutrition has come a long way in the past 30 years, and USANA has been there the whole way. With that in mind, we’re looking back at the top innovations in nutrition and wellness of the last 30 years. Read on for a crash course on the best nutritional research, products, and technological advances in recent history! (The following list is in no particular order.)

  1. Food Fortification

There are two types of nutrients that the body needs: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients include proteins, fats, and carbohydrates—all of which the body needs in relatively high quantities. Micronutrients—vitamins and minerals—are needed in smaller quantities.

Vitamins and minerals help with a variety of vital body functions but, unfortunately, many people do not consume the necessary amount. To help combat vitamin and mineral deficiencies among the general population, scientists developed the process of food fortification. The idea behind fortification is pretty simple: because people aren’t getting enough micronutrients, scientists developed ways to add micronutrients to foods. It is an especially common practice with staple foods, such as grains and dairy products.

Food fortification isn’t a new process—it’s been common practice in many countries since the 1920s. So why does it make our list of recent nutrition innovations? The answer is simple: food fortification is still a relatively new process in many developing countries. In 1970, for instance, only 20% of households around the world consumed iodized salt. By 2008 that number rose to 70%.

  1. Microbiome Research

New research is constantly shaping the way scientists understand the human body. And recently, some scientists have turned their attention to the gut. Or, more specifically, to the microbiome—the trillions of microorganisms that live in the small and large intestines.

Your microbiome plays a crucial role in helping your body process toxic food compounds, process and produce micronutrients, and break down complex carbohydrates. In short, the microbiome helps protect the body and digest food—both of which are vital to your health.*

So where does nutrition come in? Of the trillions of microorganisms that make up your microbiome, each play a different role. When everything is working smoothly—when your microbiome is “balanced”—these various microorganisms coexist without causing any problems. Recent studies have shown that a variety of factors can affect this balance. One such factor is diet.

There are a number of dietary factors that can influence the variety of organisms in your microbiome. If you’ve heard about prebiotics and probiotics, this is what they’re all about. Probiotic foods and supplements contain live bacteria (the good kind!) that help replenish and maintain balance in your microbiome.*

  1. Macro- and Micronutrient Tracking

As mentioned above, your body requires both macronutrients and micronutrents—and it needs specific quantities of each. (This is why there are percent daily values (DVs) listed on nutrition labels.) Here’s the problem: your body is unique and so are its nutritional needs. Sure, there are baseline levels of nutrients that everyone should be consuming, but beyond that, your required nutrient consumption will depend on your body, your activity levels, and your health and wellness goals for yourself.

Here’s the good news: thanks to a wide variety of fitness and nutrition apps, tracking your macro- and micronutrient consumption is easier than ever. Whether your goal is to build muscle, shed a few pounds, or simply maintain your current level of health, these apps can help you set goals, track a variety of data points related to your nutrition, and identify dietary changes that will help you meet your goals.

These apps—which are often used in coordination with wristbands that monitor heart rate—are a perfect example of the way technological advances and innovations can intersect with the field of nutrition.

  1. Allergen Awareness

Food allergies and sensitivities are far more widespread than previously acknowledged. This has caused a boom in allergy-safe products. Whether you’re lactose intolerant, allergic to gluten, or have a tree nut allergy, there are more and more products hitting the shelves each year that are safe for your consumption. Here at USANA, we jumped on this early, providing a wide variety of allergy-safe products from the get-go.

  1. Vitamin D Dosage

When it comes to healthy bones, your body relies heavily on two micronutrients: vitamin D and calcium. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, but it does a whole lot more, from supporting a healthy immune system to promoting proper muscle function. Needless to say, it’s an important part of your diet. And for years, scientists and dieticians underestimated just how much vitamin D your body needs each day.*

Many sources recommended between 600 and 800 international units (IUs) of vitamin D daily, but these levels may not be enough to prevent vitamin D deficiency. When you’re not getting enough vitamin D, you may not be feeling your best. Vitamin D helps with maintaining energy levels and supporting mood.*

At USANA, we reformulated USANA CellSentials and our vitamin D supplement to contain higher levels of vitamin D before anyone else made the switch. This level of vitamin D intake daily can help your body maintain proper levels of vitamin D, even when you aren’t spending lots of time out in the sun.

  1. Widespread Adoption of Traditional Chinese Medicine

In recent years, Traditional Chinese Medicine (or TCM) has experienced growing popularity in the United States and Europe. This alternative framework for approaching health and wellness focuses on keeping the body balanced and includes a variety of practices such as acupuncture, forms of massage, and cupping. There is also a dietary aspect to this medicinal framework.

These practices and others have been adopted by some health practitioners in the United States and integrated with Western medicine. This isn’t an innovation per se, as TCM has existed for centuries, but it is being used in innovative ways alongside other medical frameworks.

  1. Upcycling Grape Seeds

Grape seeds

It’s no secret that there’s a lot of waste in the food industry. Naturally, people are always looking for ways to reduce that waste—or ways to put waste products to good use. That’s exactly what USANA did with grape seeds.

The story starts with polyphenols, a category of micronutrients found in plants. Polyphenol consumption is associated with a number of health benefits—so naturally, people want to maximize their polyphenol consumption. Many supplements sourced their polyphenols from maritime pine bark, which is a limited resource. Here at USANA, our scientists found that grape seeds contained similar levels of polyphenols, as well as additional polyphenols not found in pine bark. And that’s not even the best part. Grape seeds are typically a form of food waste—by sourcing polyphenols from those seeds, USANA is cutting down on that waste.

  1. Higher Protein Consumption

Most people—especially gym-goers—are familiar with the benefits of eating protein-rich foods. Protein is good for your brain and helps your body build and repair muscle tissue. The amount of protein typically recommended for daily consumption is between 0.8 and 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

That being said, recent studies suggest that there are certain advantages to consuming more protein per day—especially for individuals looking to shed a few pounds. High-protein diets (that is, diets that include more protein than the previously recommended amount) have been shown to help with weight management and promote the synthesis of lean muscle mass.

  1. Meat Substitutes

As most long-time vegetarians can attest, meat substitutes—plant-based products that simulate the flavor and texture of meat—have been around for a long time. For years, however, these products were not very meat-like nor nutritious. Recent products have changed the game entirely.

Nowadays, vegetarians, vegans, and those simply avoiding red meat, have a variety of meat-substitutes available at most grocery stores. These recently developed nutritional products contain similar levels of protein to ground beef, but less fat and cholesterol. What’s more, the flavor and texture is closer to real meat than ever before.

  1. Glycemic Index

When you eat carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels rise. This isn’t necessarily a problem—carbs are an essential nutrient, after all—but it is something to keep in mind. And, as it turns out, some foods raise your blood sugar more than others. Enter the concept of glycemic index. This is essentially just a way of measuring the amount of carbohydrates in a food and the rate at which they raise your blood sugar levels, and assigning that food a numerical value accordingly.

So foods that range from 1-55 on the glycemic index (GI) are considered low-glycemic. Foods in the 56-69 range are moderately glycemic and anything above that is considered high-glycemic.

Using the glycemic index as a guide, some people follow what is known as a GI diet. This diet focuses exclusively on the GI value of foods. At USANA, we take glycemic index into account while developing food products, working to ensure that our products are low-glycemic.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/food-fortification

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8066912/

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/microbiome/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792

https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-polyphenols

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/chinese-medicine.

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/everything-you-want-to-know-about-impossible-and-beyond-burgers-5190889

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/glycemic-index-diet/art-20048478

Family going to holiday on summer vacation

Family going to holiday on summer vacation

Travel with family means a lot of baggage—literally and figuratively. It’s enough to deal with the regular stress of making sure everyone packed the right clothes, has their tickets and identification, are properly fed, and not actively crying. The last obstacle you need thrown in is a health challenge of any kind.

There’s no sure-fire way to avoid illness and injury while traveling. But there’s good news: you can take certain steps to help you and your family stay safe and healthy on your next adventure. All it takes is a little bit of planning. So before your next vacation or road trip, utilize the family travel tips you’ll read below.

Prevention is the Best Medicine: Preparing Your Family for Travel

Before embarking on a trip with your family—whether it’s a short road trip or a transoceanic flight—it’s important that everyone is already healthy. If you (or your children) haven’t been to the doctor for a checkup in a while, it’s a good idea to go in for an appointment before any major travel. This is especially true if your upcoming travel will take you into remote areas or countries with developing healthcare infrastructure.

Additionally, traveling—especially to a new country—can expose you to different diseases and put you at greater risk for contracting various illnesses. Thanks to modern medicine, numerous vaccines are available to help protect you. Before traveling abroad, it is important that you and your family are up to date on your vaccinations. Your doctor may also recommend additional vaccinations or prescription medications to further protect your health. Because many of these prescriptions require several days to operate effectively, plan ahead and consult your doctor as early as possible.

If you are traveling with young children, there is a chance they will not have completed their routine vaccinations. Before going on your trip, be sure to talk to their pediatrician. In some cases, the doctor may recommend a slightly accelerated vaccine schedule for your child or advise against travel entirely.

What to Bring to Keep the Family Healthy While Traveling

You’ve booked your tickets, planned your route, secured accommodations, and consulted your family doctor. Now it’s time to pack. Everyone will need to bring appropriate attire for the trip, but some other travel essentials may be less obvious. Check off items on the list below to make sure you have your family’s health essentials covered.

  1. Sunscreen: Sun exposure is nearly impossible to avoid. If you go outside, you’re going to catch some rays. But there’s also a downside to sun exposure: sunburns, dehydration, and—in intense heat—heatstroke.
    To protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun’s rays, it’s important to wear sunscreen throughout the day. If you’re out in the sun for extended periods of time, remember to reapply your sunscreen every few hours. Otherwise, you might run the risk of a nasty sunburn!
  2. Medications: Naturally, if there are any medications or prescriptions you or other family members take on a regular basis, you should pack them when you travel. You should also bring emergency medications—such as those prescribed for acute anxiety or EpiPens—if there is any chance you’ll need them.
    Certain medications may have restrictions on how much you can travel with, so do your research beforehand. It’s also a good practice to bring documentation for your prescriptions. You might not need it, but if someone starts asking for proof, you’ll be glad you packed it!
  3. Water Bottles: Dehydration is one of the most frequent health challenges people face. Fortunately, it also has one of the easiest solutions: drink more water. There are several ways to keep you and your family hydrated (more on that later), but a great starting point is packing water bottles. If you’re flying, remember that you won’t be able to bring liquids through security in some countries—so pack reusable bottles and fill them once you’ve made it past the checkpoints.
  4. Healthy Snacks: Food is fuel—it gives your body the energy it needs to perform essential functions on a day-to-day basis. Nutritious food can help you feel satisfied, energized, and can even support quality sleep. And all these things are important while traveling.Most of your food intake, even when you’re on the road, should come from full meals. (If you’re looking for tips to eat healthy while traveling, check out this article!) That being said, it’s not always possible to sit down and enjoy a meal. Sometimes you need a snack to hold you over for a few hours.
    As you pack snacks for your trip, your focus should be nutrition. High-protein foods and whole grains will leave you feeling full and energized for longer than sugary, processed foods. If any family member experiences motion sickness—either in a car or on a plane—pack bland foods that are easy to keep down. These will come in handy if you or one of your kids is feeling nauseous but still needs to eat.
  5. Protective clothing: Clothes can protect you from your environment—whether that’s toxic plants on a hike or temperatures well below freezing. As you plan for your trip, consider the environmental factors you might face. Will it be hot? Cold? Raining? Your wardrobe choices should reflect the environment and weather.While it can be fun to buy new clothes for vacation, it’s also a good idea to bring along some old, reliable outfits—those you know you can walk in comfortably for several miles. There’s nothing worse than gearing up for a day of exploring a new place, only to have your clothes chafe or tear.

Hydration on the Go for You and Your Kids

When it comes to healthy travel (and health in general), it’s hard to overstate the importance of water and hydration. Water seems to do it all for keeping your body running smoothly. So getting inadequate amounts of liquid can cause all sorts of health difficulties.

Staying hydrated at home can already be a challenge—and, when you’re on the road, it doesn’t get any easier. This means hydration should be a priority when you travel with family. There are many ways to ensure everyone stays hydrated, and your approach will probably depend on how you’re traveling.

  • Hydrating on planes: The prohibition on bring bottles of water through airport security can pose a problem for people trying to stay hydrated without paying ridiculous airport prices for a bottle of water. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution: pack reusable water bottles for every member of your family. Once you’re through security, you can fill them at a water fountain and bring them on your flight.
    Once on the plane, your water supply can be limited. You can’t just fill the bottle up at a fountain. To avoid getting dehydrated, especially on long flights, limit the amount of alcohol and caffeine you drink. Replace it with plain water instead.
  • Hydrating on road trips: Nothing says summer like a multi-day road trip. Traveling by car isn’t the fastest option out there, but it does give you the ability to bring a lot more with you. And when it comes to hydration, this is a plus. Reusable water bottles are still a great option for road trips, but you should also have a large supply of emergency water in your trunk. Long car rides can take you through remote areas, so if the car breaks down, you’ll need enough water to keep everyone hydrated until help arrives.
    It might seem counterintuitive, but your water intake doesn’t have to only come from water. You can also help keep your body hydrated by eating foods with a high water content. A cooler full of watermelon, oranges, or pineapple chunks makes for a healthy, hydrating snack on a road trip.

Bring Everyone into the Travel Conversation—Even Your Kids

You know your body and your needs better than anyone else. Similarly, you know what keeps you feeling your best mentally and physically. The same is true of your partner, your children, and anyone else you may travel with. You can only do so much planning and preparation for other people’s health—at a certain point you’ll need to bring them into the conversation.

As you prepare for your trip, talk to your kids. Ask them what you can bring that will help them feel relaxed, comfortable, and happy. This could mean packing an extra book, a tablet for movies and games, or music they want to hear on the trip. Try to pack snacks that are nutritious, but well-liked by your travel buddies.

And, of course, don’t forget to take care of yourself and have fun. Looking out for everyone else’s health is exhausting. Ask yourself what you’re doing for your health. Take time to practice self-care and kick back a little bit—after all, travel and vacation should be a time to blow off a little steam.

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/family-travel.html

https://travelmamas.com/how-to-stay-healthy-traveling-kids/

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/children

https://www.penguinpediatrics.com/blog/7-tips-for-keeping-your-kids-healthy-during-holiday-travel

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/travelling-with-children

sleeping on a plane

sleeping on a plane

There’s nothing quite like sinking into your own bed after a long, exhausting day. Unfortunately, this luxury isn’t an option when you’re traveling. But this doesn’t mean you have to give up on quality sleep on the road.

Getting high-quality shut-eye on a flight, during a road trip, or in a new time zone can be challenging. And everybody seems to have a different solution—supplements, prescription sleep meds, a game-changing neck pillow, specific sleep schedules, and the list goes on.

Before jumping to solutions, however, it’s important to understand the problem. Why, exactly, is it so hard to sleep while you travel? The following sections break down the science behind your body’s sleep patterns and offer a variety of travel sleep tips, giving you the tools for sleeping better on the road.

Circadian Rhythms are Key to Understanding Your Body’s Internal Clock

Daily, your body converts food into energy, excretes waste, responds to complex stimuli, fights to keep you healthy, and much more. And fortunately, most of these processes are carried out automatically. You don’t have to think about them, they just happen.

One of these processes is the sleep-wake cycle. Most people naturally get sleepy in the evening, sleep during the nighttime hours, and then wake up some time in the morning. So how does the body know when to start sleeping and when to wake up? The answer is surprisingly simple: circadian rhythms.

You may have heard it called the body’s internal clockwork. And that’s a good description. Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that regulate a variety of bodily functions, from digestion to sleep. These cycles are controlled by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is located in the hypothalamus (a part of the brain tucked right above the brainstem). The SCN is affected by numerous stimuli, one of which is light. Naturally, this is an important factor in your sleep-wake cycle.

As the sun begins to go down in the evening, the SCN starts sending signals to prepare your body for sleep. In response, the body releases melatonin, a hormone that causes drowsiness. When the sun comes up, the SCN does the opposite, sending neurological signals to wake the body up.

At this point, you might be wondering what this has to do with travel. As it turns out, traveling often interrupts your body’s sleep-wake cycle. But more on that in the next section.

Travel and Sleep

There are several factors that may affect your sleep during travel. Identifying the ones that apply to you will help you choose an effective solution. The first factor to consider is comfort. An airplane seat is hardly a bed. And the seats in cars aren’t much better. If you’re flying or driving through the night, your internal clock will tell your body it is time to sleep, but the physical limitations of your space might make quality rest nearly impossible.

The second factor to consider is time zone. If you have jumped into a time zone that is more than a couple of hours different from your home, your body’s sleep-wake cycle will be off by several hours. It may be the middle of the day in your destination, but your body’s internal clock is telling you it’s time for bed.

Finally, there’s the element of familiarity. The human body has come a long way thanks to evolution, but there are still some instincts hardwired into your system from previous stages of human history. And, it turns out, one of these might be responsible for your difficulty sleeping in new or unfamiliar places. The body instinctively stays on high alert when you’re sleeping in a new place—it’s a survival instinct designed to keep you safe from threats. Unfortunately, high alert and quality sleep don’t exactly go hand-in-hand.

Each of these factors can influence the quality and duration of your sleep (or lack thereof). These interruptions to your sleep cycle can further throw off your internal clock. So whatever sleep challenges you face while traveling, your goal should be settling your body into a new sleep-wake cycle—and one that matches the time zone you’re in.

Melatonin 101: An Introduction to the Hormone and Sleep Supplement

As mentioned above, melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by your body to cause drowsiness. In dark environments, your brain signals the pineal gland, which releases melatonin to promote sleep. When your body is exposed to light, this production stops, helping you wake up.

Within the body, melatonin is produced by the pea-sized pineal gland in your brain, but it can also be created synthetically. This lab-made melatonin—known as exogenous melatonin—is often put into tablets, capsules, or gummies and sold as a sleep supplement. When consumed this way, it aims to support healthy sleep.

At this point, you hopefully understand the basics of why melatonin supplements work. But you may still have a lot of questions about how it relates to your travel sleep. Luckily, answers await from some common queries:

  • When should I take melatonin? If you take a melatonin supplement, it’ll take between 30 minutes and an hour for the levels of melatonin in your blood to rise. In other words, it’ll take at least 30 minutes for the drowsiness to kick in. So plan accordingly. If you know you’ll be sleeping in a hotel or an unfamiliar bed, you can try to circumvent the restlessness and take melatonin roughly 30 minutes before you go to bed. Taking melatonin in the middle of the night can cause it to stay in your system too long, leading to daytime drowsiness the following morning.
  • How much melatonin should I take? The correct dosage for melatonin will vary from person to person, but typically falls between 1 and 5 milligrams. Naturally, you’ll want to read the packaging on any melatonin product to see the recommended dose. When in doubt, start small and increase the dose until you find a level that works for you.
  • How long do the effects of melatonin last? Everybody’s body is different, and so everybody processes melatonin at a different rate. You can assume melatonin stays in your system for about five hours.
  • Is melatonin safe? Melatonin is naturally produced by the body and safe to use. Obviously, melatonin supplements will cause drowsiness—that is the point, after all—so you should be cautious and avoid driving after taking them. Melatonin can also interact with other medications—such as birth control, immunosuppressants, and antidepressants—so consult your doctor before taking melatonin supplements.
  • Can you develop a dependency to melatonin? With short-term melatonin use, it’s highly unlikely you will develop a dependency. Similarly, you won’t develop a “tolerance” for it—that is, you won’t need to take more to feel the same effects.
  • Are there any side effects to taking melatonin? In addition to drowsiness, you might experience headaches, nausea, or dizziness after taking melatonin. Less common side effects include brief feelings of depression, cramps, anxiety, and low blood pressure. If you experience these side effects, it’s best to consult your doctor before continuing to take a melatonin supplement.

How to Beat Jet Lag

If you’ve ever traveled between time zones, you’ve probably experienced jet lag to some degree. This phenomenon occurs when your body’s internal clock does not match up with your current time zone. Your circadian rhythm might be telling your body one thing, but environmental factors—such as sunlight—telling a completely different story. This can very easily throw off your sleep-wake cycle.

When people talk about beating jet lag, they typically mean adjusting to the new time zone as quickly as possible. This will help you feel energized throughout the day, sleep through the night, and have more time to enjoy your time abroad. Of course, it’s easier said than done.

The best way to overcome jet lag is to force yourself to follow the schedule of your new time zone—even if your body isn’t feeling it. So when 10 p.m. rolls around (or whatever your bedtime usually is in your home time zone), start your bedtime routine: brush your teeth, read a book, and, most importantly, hop in bed.

If you’re having trouble feeling sleepy, use environmental factors to your advantage. Be sure to turn out the lights, shut the blinds, and use an eye mask if necessary. Remember: your internal clock is easily affected by light cues. Additionally, you can take a melatonin supplement 30-60 minutes before bed. The presence of melatonin in your body will help your circadian rhythm adjust to its new schedule.

In the morning, it’s crucial to get up at a reasonable time. Sleeping until the afternoon will only make it harder for your body to adjust. When your alarm rings, open your blinds, and go out into the light. A morning walk in the sun will help tell your body it’s time to wake up.

Technology and Sleep: How Electronic Gadgets Can Help or Hinder Your Rest

In today’s world, technology can be used for almost anything—and aiding your healthy sleep on the road is no exception. When you sleep in an unfamiliar or uncomfortable place, there are a number of gadgets you can use to help you have a restful night.

On long flights, ear plugs and noise-canceling headphones are an absolute game changer. The recommended decibel level for white noise while you’re sleeping is between 40 and 50 decibels. Inside of airplanes, the noise level sits right around 80 decibels in flight—a volume that isn’t conducive to sleep.

Noise canceling headphones can reduce incoming sounds by up to 45 decibels, bringing airplane noise down to a comfortable level. Whether listening to soft classical music, white noise, or simply using the noise-canceling function without sound, these headphones can help you nod off in an otherwise uncomfortable environment.

If you’re sleeping in a new environment, your body is instinctively on edge. This means it is extra tuned in to the sounds in your environment—even while you’re asleep. In this state of heightened sensitivity, it may take less noise than usual to rouse you from your sleep.

To tune out sounds that could interrupt your shut-eye, consider trying a white or pink noise machine. Both machines create constant, ambient noise to block out other sounds in your environment and help you sleep through the night. (White noise has slightly different qualities than pink noise, hence the distinction, but the two machines work very similarly.)

Even though technology can help you achieve a sound sleep while you travel, there are things to watch for. Bright screens—from a TV, tablet, or phone—aren’t a good idea right before sleep, no matter what time zone or bed you occupy. Good sleep hygiene practices suggest you shut down your screens up to two hours before you plan to fall asleep.

Incorporate Travel Sleep Tips on Your Next Trip

Vacation is a time for relaxing, recreating, and recovering from the daily hustle and bustle. Sleeping well away from home is a big part of feeling refreshed and rejuvenated—not to mention energetic enough to have a proper adventure. Use the information about your internal clock and the travel tips—which work at home, as well—to tuck in for the best vacation sleep of your life.

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-melatonin-last#how-to-use

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/melatonin-side-effects/faq-20057874

https://forbes.com/sites/christopherelliott/2019/11/23/how-to-sleep-on-a-flight-like-a-pro/?sh=5374183b4d7a

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/how-to-sleep-better-traveling

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/travel-and-sleep/how-to-get-over-jet-lag

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/melatonin

https://www.soundsleephealth.com/why-is-it-hard-to-fall-asleep-away-from-home/

Cute baby boy drinking from bottle

Cute baby boy drinking from bottle

Nearly half of all child deaths around the world are due to undernutrition. It’s often overlooked, but infant and child nutrition is crucial to public health. Correct feeding throughout the first two years of development reduces the risk of chronic illness and morbidity for the rest of a person’s life. This one component of public health could improve quality of life markers in any country. Developed countries that have the resources should be especially interested in improving infant and child nutrition. Better nourishment in those early years reduces health costs over time and provides economic gains for both the nation and the individual family.

For years, this conversation was confined to the top infant formula manufactures. But it’s time for more of us to ask, what’s going on in the world of infant and child nutrition?

The best way to nourish infants is of course, breastfeeding. It provides all the right nutrients in the most bioavailable forms for babies’ digestive systems. But about 38% of new mothers choose not to breastfeed or are unable to produce enough milk to feed their babies. For these families, quality baby formula is crucial for the proper nourishment of infants.

Key Nutrients for Infants

Every single infant and child has the right to adequate nutrition. Since babies can’t properly nourish themselves, they depend on their parents, family, and society to support their health and development. Here are a few of the important nutrients that modern science has identified as essential for infants.

  • Protein – Infant growth and development is largely supported by protein synthesis. This process can’t happen optimally without the regular consumption of essential amino acids.
  • Calcium – This mineral is responsible for supporting the formation and growth of infant bones, as well as muscle contraction, heart function and other biological functions.
  • Iron – Brain development depends on iron because it plays a key role in synaptogenesis (formation of synapses), myelination (insulation of the neurons in the brain), energy metabolism, and more.
  • Vitamin A, B, C, and E – These vitamins help with a variety of development needs, such as vision, skin health, immunity, cognition, and more.
  • Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for infant development, but DHA has become famous recently as a baby brain food, playing a crucial role in vision and cerebral development.

However, the reality of infant nutrition is much more complex than a list of nutrients. For example, breastmilk has a specific ratio of different proteins, and the nutrient composition of breastmilk changes over time based on the needs of the developing infant. It’s also completely bioavailable for absorption by the baby’s digestive system.

Nature’s “liquid gold” has set the bar high for infant formula. Developing a product that reaches the standard has been a long, complex process that continues to this day.

A History of Infant Formula Development in the U.S.

Before any kind of infant formula existed, there was wet nursing. Women—that belonged to wealthier families—who were unable to breastfeed or chose not to, hired a wet nurse to breastfeed their baby for them. Orphanages and lower-class families would often feed infants donkey’s milk or other animals’ milk when breastfeeding wasn’t an option. But without knowledge about germs and sanitation—let alone regulated formula options—a third of infants who weren’t breastfed died before their first birthday.

Fortunately, the situation changed a lot during the 1800s.

The first commercial infant formula was developed in 1860 by German chemist, Justus von Leibig. It was a powdered formula based on wheat flour prepared with cow’s milk. Shortly after, pasteurization was discovered. The process of using heat to eliminate bacteria would eventually reduce microbe-related infections and diseases. Pasteurization also made it easier for unrefrigerated milk to be transported without spoiling.

By the late 1800s, “Nestle’s Infant Food” was being manufactured from wheat flour, malt flour, sugar, and cow’s milk. But due to the relatively high cost, the company didn’t enjoy widespread sales of their early infant food.

The invention of evaporated milk changed the trajectory of infant formula. It could be transported even more easily without spoiling, which is why it was initially used to feed soldiers during the Civil War. By the 1920s, multiple studies had been published showing that evaporated milk was more digestible for infants and more comparable to breastmilk. Physicians and parents were sold. Evaporated milk became a standard ingredient for infant formula preparation.

After the 1950s, commercial formula exploded in popularity. Similac and Enfamil entered the market and practically replaced the previous homemade evaporated milk formulas. But the widespread acceptance of these new formulas wasn’t completely organic.

To build public trust in their products, manufacturers provided their formulas to hospitals for free or at low-cost. The strategy was quite successful. Many women believed commercial formulas were “medically approved” for optimal nutrition and continued to feed their babies commercial formula after coming home from the hospital. It was also inexpensive and easy to prepare. Modern commercial formula had cemented its place in the market, but without any regulation, some infants experienced adverse health conditions resulting from the consumption of certain formulas.

The Infant Formula Act, passed in 1980, set maximum and minimum standards for some of the common nutrients in infant formula. Around this time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began requiring testing and other standards for manufacturing facilities.

In the modern era, iron fortification of infant formula became more standard, and the whey-to-casein protein ratio was modified to resemble human milk. Specialty formulas like lactose-free, and rice starch options were also developed by bigger manufacturers (Ross and Mead Johnson).

Today’s most popular commercial formulas are a night-and-day difference from the first infant food produced in 1860. Infant and child nutrition has undoubtedly come a long way. So, is there a perfect alternative to human breastmilk now? Not quite, but some scientists say the European Union (EU) is on track to achieving that goal sooner than the U.S.

Comparing Modern Infant Formula in the EU and U.S.

In the U.S., the federal nutrition requirements are outlined in the Infant Formula Act, which was last amended in 1986. Some manufacturers choose to exceed the requirements, and parents will likely notice these variations in quality across formula options in the U.S.

Europe has done things a little differently. Physicians and scientist’s opinions are more integrated with EU regulations, and they are updated every few years. Compared to the FDA, the EU Commission is more prescriptive, and there is ultimately little variation between formula options in the EU.

Here are some examples of how the EU has implemented new findings from infant and child nutrition research.

Formula for Each Phase of Development

The EU has different stages of formula. Stage 1 is for 0-6 months, and Stage 2 is for 6-12 months. The difference lies in the balance of milk proteins, and the increased amount of iron that babies need after six months.

Exclusions and Inclusions

There are specific ingredients listed in the EU that infant formulas must not contain, like corn syrup, guar gum, and others. The European Commission has also listed mandatory inclusions, such as the essential fatty acid, DHA. This requirement was adopted in 2020 after a growing body of research showed the benefits of DHA to support brain development. Various amino acids and probiotics are also included in EU formulas, like Lactobacillus, which is a component of breastmilk that has been shown to support a range of infant health benefits.

Since the beginning of commercial formula manufacturing, through today, European formula can’t be legally sold in the U.S. The policy essentially bifurcated the path of research, development, and regulation of commercial infant formula between the two continents. That separation has led to some big differences in infant and child nutrition today.

The Future of Infant and Child Nutrition

Generations of work and scientific discovery have produced amazing achievements. But there’s still a ways to go to provide families with the best alternatives to breastmilk that science can offer. The next phase of progress would likely require collaboration between physicians, scientists, health professionals, and regulatory agencies who could continuously implement new research findings.

As a crucial component to public health, infant and child nutrition deserves more attention, education, and resources. Many of us depend on baby formula as a life-saving alternative to breastmilk. So it’s important to educate ourselves and raise awareness. Start conversations and share resources with others around you. There are people at your workplace, church, and neighborhood that could be participating in this conversation. It’s up to all of us to influence the direction of the future.

staying hydrated on airplane

staying hydrated on airplane

For even the most seasoned traveler, navigating new places can be a bit stressful. Juggling luggage, reservations, activities, and more makes it hard to remember one of the most overlooked aspects of travel health: staying hydrated.

Drinking enough water is difficult enough on a day-to-day basis. Throw in the hustle and hurry that comes with travel, and it becomes even harder to maintain healthy hydration levels. But you don’t have to let dehydration throw off your next trip.

Use these tips to stay hydrated on the road. Taking care of your hydration levels will help you spend less time stressing about your health and more time relaxing, working, or simply enjoying your trip.

The Importance of Staying Hydrated and How to Assess Your Hydration Level

The human body can go a surprisingly long time without food—sometimes over two weeks. Without water, however, you can only survive for about three days.

This isn’t too surprising when you consider the fact that your body is roughly 60% water. Also, so many bodily processes depend on water, including, but certainly not limited to:

  • maintaining healthy temperature regulation
  • supporting healthy joints
  • helps in transporting nutrients to cells throughout the body
  • maintaining healthy organ functions
  • supporting your immune system in its fight to maintain your health

You get it—water is good for you. So how can you tell when you haven’t been drinking enough? The tell-tale sign is your urine. When you’re well-hydrated, your urine color should fall somewhere between light yellow and clear. Darker-colored urine often indicates you’re not well hydrated.

Other symptoms of underhydration include headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and light-headedness. Studies have even linked dehydration to increased cortisol levels. Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone and increased levels can cause an elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, and other fight-or-flight responses in the body.

The Challenges of Staying Hydrated Away from Home

In the comfort of your home, hydration is a simple matter: if you’re thirsty, you grab a glass of water. When you’re on the road—whether it’s a trip out-of-town or a day spent running errands—hydration isn’t so easy. It is, however, still vitally important. There are several travel-related factors that can increase your chances of falling short of your hydration goals.

The first is your access to clean water. In your home, you probably have unlimited drinking water on tap. This luxury isn’t always available on the go. You can, of course, bring water with you. But if you’re traveling by plane, you won’t be able to take a full bottle of water through security. Additionally, you might not be able to find places to fill your reusable bottle as frequently as you’d like.

Then there’s the stress of travel. As mentioned above, lacking proper hydration can cause stress by increasing your cortisol levels. But the inverse is also true. Stress—and increased cortisol levels—can cause dehydration. Stress can cause you to sweat more, breathe faster, and can increase your heart rate. All these bodily responses increase the amount of fluid you lose. That means you need to drink more water to maintain a healthy level of hydration.

Finally, there’s the little-known phenomenon that airplanes actually dehydrate you. If you’re traveling by plane, some of the air you breathe in flight is pulled from the surrounding atmosphere. And at 30,000 feet, there’s very little moisture in the air. This may not seem like a big deal, but you may notice your eyes, skin, mouth, and throat feel drier than usual. This can be a sign you’re a little underhydrated.

How to Stay Hydrated on the Go

At this point, hopefully you’ve learned two things. First, hydration is important. And second, travel can adversely impact your attempts at healthy hydration in a variety of ways.

So what can you do about it? Use these tips and tricks to stay hydrated on any journey.

  1. Carry a reusable water bottle: If you don’t have a reusable water bottle, buy one. You’ll be able to fill up on water at any fountain, restaurant, or sink. Some bottles are insulated, keeping the water cold for hours. This is also an environmentally friendly approach to healthy hydration since you’re ditching single-use plastics. Just make sure the water you are filling up on is safe to drink!
  2. Eat fruits and vegetables with a high water content: Most people think of hydration in terms of drinking fluids. But you can also eat your water. Fruits and veggies are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but many are also supply you with water. Cucumbers, watermelon, oranges, and celery are just a few snacking options to help keep you hydrated. If you’re in an area without safe tap water, you may want to stick to thick-skinned fruits such as bananas, avocados, and pineapples.
  3. Pack a water filter in your bag: When you’re camping or traveling in an area without safe drinking water, a water filter is a must. Some allow you to pump water through a filter and out a hose, essentially giving you a portable faucet of drinking water. All you need is a stream, lake, or other source of water. You can also find water bottles with built-in filters. You simply fill the bottle and, as you suck the water through the straw, it’s pulled through a filter before you drink it. Additionally, you can try other water-purification methods, such as purifying tablets and UV water purifiers.
  4. Add chia seeds to your water: Chia seeds are popular among long-distance runners and other athletes because they’re often touted as an energy-boosting food. So what do they have to do with hydration? When added to water, these seeds absorb up to 12 times their weight in water. As a result, drinking water mixed with chia seeds can help you feel hydrated for longer stretches of time. Chia seeds are also rich in antioxidants, making them a great addition to your diet!
  5. Limit your coffee intake: While it’s mostly water, you shouldn’t rely on coffee for hydration. Coffee contains caffeine, and caffeine is a diuretic—meaning it makes you urinate more. And the more you urinate, the more fluid your body is losing. If not replaced, this can lead to dehydration. The same is true of other caffeinated beverages.
  6. Drink coconut water: Many people rely on sports drinks to stay hydrated. There’s just one problem: these beverages are often full of sugar. Enter coconut water, a natural beverage that is rich in electrolytes and will help you stay hydrated on the go.
  7. Limit your alcohol consumption: Alcohol, like caffeine, is a urine-inducing diuretic. For this reason, alcohol can dehydrate you very quickly. If you’re drinking at the airport or on vacation, be sure to drink plenty of water to keep your fluid levels up.

https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/water-stress-reduction

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/the-importance-of-hydration/

https://www.ncoa.org/article/10-reasons-why-hydration-is-important

https://www.everydayhealth.com/dehydration/smart-tips-for-staying-hydrated-throughout-the-day/

https://elitelv.com/staying-hydrated-while-traveling/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-stay-hydrated-whil_b_7505476

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dehydration-exhaustion-and-gas-what-flying-on-an-airplane-does-to-your-body/

https://www.mdanderson.org/patients-family/diagnosis-treatment/emotional-physical-effects/dehydration.html

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-cortisol

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/