Spotlight on Wellness
Greening Your Cleaning
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Is that all purpose cleaner making you sick? While products purport to "clean" your home, they may be filling your environment with toxins. This is the third article in our series of removing or reducing toxins in our lives. In April, we focused on the importance of
removing toxins from your living spaces
and this month we'll delve deeper into the products used to keep our home clean.
Dusting, mopping and cleaning windows should be boring, but definitely not dangerous. How do you know if your product might be harming you? First, we suggest you
consult this household products database to purchase items that cause the least amount of damage to you and our environment. The site allows you to search by product name and then type. As an example, we looked up Mop & Glo Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner and found that it's rated with a 2 for only being found to cause slight health concerns. Environmental Working Group has also created a guide to learn more about the ingredients in your favorite cleaning products.
If you're more of the "do it yourself" type, you can always opt for numerous natural alternatives that can be used safely and at a cost savings. For instance, try mixing water, rubbing alcohol, essential oil and natural dish soap to make an all-purpose cleaner. More make at home cleaners can be found here.
In June our series will continue with a look at sunscreens and other skin products to guide you on the path to reducing exposure to parabens and other known toxins that you may inadvertently be rubbing into your skin.
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Food For Life
Go for the King to Reduce Inflammation
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One of our go-to sources for healthy living is Dr. Andrew Weil. In a
recent blog post
, he explained why the most common fish found in cooking today should be substituted for the "king" fish. (Hint: it's one that Dr. Levitt eats very frequently.)
Dr. Weil says tilapia's use has become common because its inexpensive to harvest when farm raised. The downside, however, is that it has very low levels of the beneficial omega-3 fats that you should be seeking to integrate into your diet, especially when compared to the content of omega-6 fatty acids. Though some of this is essential, we get enough omega-6's in our typical American diet. An overabundance of it could cause inflammation and that's an outcome we want to avoid.
So what's the king fish? Salmon, and specifically the variety that is wild caught. You'll want to avoid farm-raised fish of any type which are usually subjected to antibiotics and synthetic compounds. So add this healthy and easy recipe to your rotation:
One Pot Salmon and Snap Peas
. It contains 32 gram of protein and only 19 calories from fat. It's loaded with omega-3 fats and just the kind of quality protein you should focus on for your regular diet.
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Healing Therapies
Women's Health Week
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May 14-20 is National Women's Health Week and Innovative Primary Care encourages you to use that week as a reminder to do all you can to maintain your physical and mental health and prevent accidents or illnesses.
But what does that really mean? For beginners, review this list of preventative and health behaviors:
- If it's been more than a year since you visited your IPC provider, schedule a visit today for a well-woman checkup and preventive screenings.
- Get active. No matter what age, physical activity boosts physical and mental well-being. With the summer months upon us, limit your outdoor activities, but don't stop moving. Take a visit to your favorite mall and walk, jump in the pool and get moving or visit a local recreation center. Your local gym is always a great alternative during Arizona's hotter months. Mix up your cardio with use of the treadmill, elliptical, bike or other offerings.
- Eat healthy. Take advantage of the great fruits available during the summer months. Smoothies made at home help you skip the sugar and offer an opportunity to add in fiber and good fats. Try some of these the next time you are looking for a healthy meal alternative or snack.
- Pay attention to your mental health. Keeping your stress levels under control should take just as much of an investment of time as your muscles, bones, skin and other areas we focus on. Get enough sleep too.
- And when you can break the bad habits, do. Big gains will come with quitting smoking, avoiding soft drinks and focusing on teas or water. Commit to not texting while driving, always wearing a seatbelt and making sure you use protective gear like bicycle helmets when out exercising.
The US Department of Health and Human Services has
created an excellent website
that includes everything from health and nutrition resources to guides for optimal health by the decade of life - from the 20s to the 90s.
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Supplement Support
Cool Down with a Healthy Boost
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Summertime is one of the best times to pull out the blender and mix up your own smoothies. Add a serving of FIT Food Vegan-Vanilla to the mix and you'll gain a soy and dairy-free source of high quality protein. In addition to protein, the FIT Food Vegan-Vanilla mix supports immune and gastrointestinal health.
Feel free to visit our office to learn more about the featured supplements or ask your IPC provider for more details at your next visit. You can place an order by calling us at 480.776.0626. Payment is required at the time the order is placed.
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