Andrew Weil's Blog: Dr. Weil's Healthy Living Blog, page 19

Video: 6 Simple Ways To Destress Right Now

Stress is not all bad – we need stress in order to react to situations, such as in “fight or flight” situations, when acute stress can help. But some stress, such as chronic stress, can be mentally and physically harmful. Chronic stress can lead to heart disease, stroke, a depressed immune system, weight changes, insomnia and migraines.

While situations that can lead to stress are unavoidable, you can control how you react to these situations – and help to keep your body and mind healthy. Learn more about ways to keep stress in check with our video “6 Simple Ways To Destress Right Now.”

Video Transcript

Dr.Weil.com Presents: 6 Simple Ways To Destress Right Now

Situations that can create stress are unavoidable, but we can control how we react. Learning how to properly deal with unhealthy stress can go a long way for your health. Consider these six healthy ways to address stress, naturally:

Journaling. Organizing anxious thoughts, worries and symptoms in a journal can help reduce stress by facilitating problem-solving and “releasing” these negative thoughts.
Regular daily exercise. Brisk walking and moderate strength training can reduce stress and anxiety, and offer a healthy distraction from negative thoughts.
Taking a “ media break .” Taking periodic breaks from the news can promote mental calm and help renew your spirits. This can minimize the anxiety and overstimulation catalyzed by the media.
Reduce sources of caffeine. This is especially helpful in those who are stimulant sensitive. You may need to do this gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms like headaches.
Breathing exercises. Controlling breathing and breath work exercises can offer an immediate lessening of anxiety and a sense of empowerment.
Clean out clutter. A low-maintenance home can provide calm after a day of hectic meetings, errands and chores.

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Video: 8 Low-Glycemic Sources Of Vitamin C

Both vitamin C and low-glycemic foods can be helpful for promoting optimal health. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and vitamin that can help to protect against heart disease and some cancers, and help to minimize the duration and affects of the common cold. The glycemic index is a way of ranking carbohydrate foods on how they affect glucose (or blood sugar) levels. By moderating your intake of high glycemic index foods, you can help to minimize spikes in blood sugar, which may lead to insulin sensitivity – possibly a precursor to insulin resistance, which is linked to high blood pressure, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

The good news is that you can get your vitamin C intake through a variety of foods, including some that are low on the glycemic index. Watch the video, 8 Low-Glycemic Sources Of Vitamin C, to see what foods to add to your shopping list.

Video Transcript:

Dr.Weil.com Presents: 8 Low-Glycemic Sources of Vitamin C

The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate foods on the basis of how they affect blood sugar (glucose). This is important because high glycemic foods produce spikes in blood sugar; can lead to insulin resistance, which is associated with obesity, high blood pressure and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Some popular sources of vitamin C score high on the glycemic index, but the following eight vitamin-C rich foods are considered low on the glycemic index. Added bonus: they are good alternatives to more well-known vitamin C sources!

Broccoli – 1 cup of chopped broccoli provides 81.2 mg of vitamin C.

Raspberries – 1 cup of raspberries provides 32.2 mg of vitamin C.

Cabbage – 1 cup of chopped cabbage provides 32.6 mg of vitamin C.

Red Bell Pepper – 1 cup of chopped red bell pepper provides 190.3 mg of vitamin C.

Kale – 1 cup of chopped kale provides 81.2 mg of vitamin C.

Cauliflower – 1 cup of chopped cauliflower provides 51.6 mg of vitamin C.

Parsley – 1 cup of chopped parsley provides 79.8 mg of vitamin C.

Tomatoes – 1 cup of sliced tomatoes provides 24.7 mg of vitamin C.

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Video: 9 Green Teas To Try

Green tea is one of Dr. Weil’s favorite drinks, and for good reason: it is not only delicious, but is healthy as well. Made from the unoxidized leaf of the Camellia sinensis plant, green tea is rich in the polyphenol EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). This antioxidant most likely helps to protect the cardiovascular and neurological systems, as reported in a variety of studies.

While green tea may be high on Dr. Weil’s list of favorite teas, it may take some people a while to warm up to the unique taste that green tea provides. The good news is there are a variety to choose from each with a different taste and aroma. There are thousands of varieties of green tea – we put together nine green teas that are easy to find in natural foods stores and supermarkets. Give them a try and see what you like best learn more in the new video Dr.Weil.com Presents: 9 Green Teas To Try.

Transcript

Dr.Weil.com Presents: 9 Green Teas To Try

Green tea provides EGCG, a polyphenol than may help to fight inflammation, lower cholesterol, prevent cancer and boost the immune system. Learn more about the different types of green tea, including Dr. Weil’s favorite at the end of this list! Sencha. Refers to a broad category of loose-leaf green tea meant to be infused. Gyokuro. This tea’s name means “jade dew,” and refers to the deep green color of its leaves. It is intensely rich in flavor and low in astringency. Kabusecha: Its flavor lies between sencha and gyokuro, offering a mild sweetness and depth of character. Bancha This tea is mellow, low in caffeine yet high in antioxidants, making it an ideal daily tea. Genmaicha. A mix of roasted rice and either sencha or bancha tea, creating a smooth and nutty taste. Hojicha. This tea is created when finished tea leaves or stems are roasted for a few minutes, turning them a dark brown. The result is a smooth tea with no astringency. Kukicha. This tea is made mainly of stems, or kuki. Its flavor is vibrant but mild in astringency. Konacha. Made from from fine, powdery tea leaves, it brews a vibrant green and yields a clean, brisk taste, great for cleansing the palate. Matcha. Matcha bursts with a bold, rich herbaceous flavor in the mouth. This is Dr. Weil’s favorite type of green tea! Thanks for watching!

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