By Drew Mulvey MS, CDN, CNS, CLT, CPT, PNL1
It’s a brand new year and many of us are thinking about improving our health in some way. Whether it be signing up for that gym membership or a race, planning out a dietary regimen, or even making it a goal to pour more into your wellness this year, we are all making some sort of list of goals! With the weather getting colder and the bugs starting to lurk, it is important that we focus on taking care of our bodies this month. Here are some tips on how you can nourish your body and celebrate national days this January!
National Oatmeal Month
Enjoy All The Health Benefits of Oats
One of the simplest ways to get great nutrition and add low glycemic whole grains in the morning. This is also very versatile as it can be blended up into flour and used in pancakes, cookies, and other baked goods or it can even be used in savory dishes. Why are oats so great for those cold winter mornings?
Contains antioxidants such as apigenin which may help with lowering LDL levels.1
Is a rich source of vitamin B6 which can help with the production of serotonin, dopamine, and melatonin. That’s a nice blend of “feel good” neurotransmitters.1
Contains fiber, particularly prebiotic fibers, that act as a direct fuel source for beneficial bacteria in the colon and thus can help improve immune, digestive and brain function as well as improving mood. Oats also contain insoluble fiber which helps with the prevention of constipation and detoxification.1
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, oats are warm in thermal nature and very good for the Qi, or the body’s vitality. When this is in line the person is happy, digesting well, vibrant, and less anxious. Couple this with warming spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric along with carrots or pumpkin (think pumpkin spice and carrot cake oats) to deliver a very warming and nourishing meal.2
Other nutrients found in oats are minerals such as zinc, iron and copper which can help with energy production and immune function. (Note: to make these nutrients more bioavailable, soak your oats in water and apple cider vinegar or buy them sprouted.)1
What other ways can you use oats? Use them in place of breadcrumbs in meatloaf!
One question I get a lot is “Are steel-cut, rolled oats, or quick oats better?” Check out my blog post “Rolled Oats vs. Steel Cut Oats.”
National Blood Donor Month
This is something that I take into account very much. This is all the more reason to stay in shape and healthy. I once made a joke with someone that the antioxidants in my blood may even be helping someone else! I don’t really know if that is a thing but I’d like to think that. Did you know that giving blood is not only saving someone else’s life but yours? Check out the benefits of giving blood.
Giving blood can decrease your risk of developing a heart attack. Why is that? Letting go of blood can decrease your risk of clotting. Giving blood can also improve your antioxidant status! We think that we need to eat a lot of plant-based foods to increase antioxidant status in the body, right? Check this out! A recent study done on 96 participants found that donating blood increased enzyme superoxide dismutase, the very enzyme that helps to break down harmful oxygen molecules in the body. In fact, results demonstrated a significant decrease in hsCRP (C-reactive protein), an inflammatory molecule commonly elevated in heart, inflammatory, autoimmune, and neurodegenerative diseases; and an increased amount of nitric oxide, important for the dilation of blood vessels but also acts as an important antioxidant.3
National Soup Month
This is perfect for those cold days! Not only does your body crave this but it offsets the cold from the outside.
Why is this also important for health and fitness goals? Soups are predigested which means their nutrients are easily assimilated. This can increase energy, mood, focus, and performance! If the gut needs a little love, these soups can be very warming which, according to Traditional Chinese medicine, can stimulate the Qi, or one’s vitality.
Why else do I love them? They are probably the easiest way to incorporate fruits and vegetables! They call onions, celery, and carrots the ‘trinity of soups’ as they are commonly used as a base in several. They can also be extremely beneficial!
Celery contains compounds known as phytoestrogens, which can be beneficial for hormonal balance. It is also an excellent source of chloride. Chloride is responsible for the production of hydrochloric acid, or stomach acid. Digestion and assimilation of nutrients are essential for optimal health or one runs the risk of vitamin deficiencies.
Carrots are excellent for balancing hormones, particularly progesterone and estrogen. They are rich in antioxidants such as beta carotene, which may play a potential role in hindering cancer progression.
Onions contain specific fibers, known as prebiotic fibers, that acts as fuel for the beneficial bacteria in your gut and help to further multiply and diversify them.
Didn’t think you would be getting all those health benefits from these common soup staples, did you? That’s pretty amazing!
When I think of my favorite soups I definitely love using the root veggies and squashes! To name a few, butternut squash and carrot ginger are amongst my top favorite soups! I have to say, this is nothing like a good old chicken and vegetable soup.
National Hot Tea Month
I love a good cup of tea when the weather is less than optimal outside (or I am sitting and enjoying the snow.) Whether it be herbal tea or green tea, each can provide its own set of health benefits. Here are some of my favorites.
Licorice Tea:
This bitter and pungent tea helps with the breakdown of protein and the stimulation of hydrochloric acid. Licorice tea has also been used as a powerful antiviral which may be beneficial for keeping those nasty bugs away.4
Ginger Tea:
Helps with better digestion, nausea, and PMS symptoms. Its effect on PMS is due to its effect on prostaglandin production, the compound commonly linked to the severity of PMS symptoms.5 GInger is also an adaptogen, a compound responsible for allowing the body to adapt to outside stressors and potentially improving immune function.
Green Tea:
This is one of my favorites, particularly matcha! Why do I like it so much? It contains less caffeine than coffee to still give you a little energy but unlike coffee it is alkalizing. Why is alkalinity so important? When the body is too acidic, which can be caused by eating too many processed foods, sugar, meat, and grains, the energy powerhouse of the cell is not able to produce the body’s natural energy molecule ATP effectively which can affect every other process in the body. Need a little pick me up? Add in some green tea.
Another reason why I like green tea, it may help with metabolism! In a study done in 2013 on T2D patients, drinking 4 cups of green tea per day helped to decrease diastolic blood pressure and waist circumference in comparison to the control group.6 Granted this study may have some confounding factors, green tea may just help to give you that little boost.
References:
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Reinhard, T. Super Foods: The Healthiest Foods on the Planet. 2nd Edition. Firefly Books. Buffalo, New York. 2014.
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Pitchford, P. Healing with Whole Foods. North Atlantic Books. Berkeley, CA. 1993.
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Yunce M, Erdamar H, Bayram NA, Gok S. One more health benefit of blood donation: reduces acute-phase reactants, oxidants and increases antioxidant capacity. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2016 Nov 1;27(6):653-657. doi: 10.1515/jbcpp-2015-0111. PMID: 27089416.
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Wang L, Yang R, Yuan B, Liu Y, Liu C. The antiviral and antimicrobial activities of licorice, a widely-used Chinese herb. Acta Pharm Sin B. 2015;5(4):310-315. doi:10.1016/j.apsb.2015.05.005
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Khayat S, Kheirkhah M, Behboodi Moghadam Z, Fanaei H, Kasaeian A, Javadimehr M. Effect of treatment with ginger on the severity of premenstrual syndrome symptoms. ISRN Obstet Gynecol. 2014;2014:792708. Published 2014 May 4. doi:10.1155/2014/792708
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Mousavi A, Vafa M, Neyestani T, Khamseh M, Hoseini F. The effects of green tea consumption on metabolic and anthropometric indices in patients with Type 2 diabetes. J Res Med Sci. 2013;18(12):1080-1086.
