Does Where We Live Affect Our Health

I recently watched this video on YouTube. It was very informative on diets and healthstyle in Japan, and got me wondering about the US. Yes, we know that the US tops the World charts for obesity, but are there areas around the US that are better or worse? And where should I live if I want to diet successfully? Turns out that the answers to all of these questions were just a few searches away. Oh internets, what did we ever do without you?

As far as demographics for BMI in the US, that one is pretty easy. States were ranked depending on the percentage of people who fell into the "obese" category for the Body Mass Index.  A healthy BMI is between 18.5%-24.9%, overweight is 25%-29.9%, and obese is anything 30% and above. If you do not know your BMI, click here for a quick calculation. Although no state is the US has below 20% of the people being obese, there were quite a few with 20%-25% of people being over 30% BMI. As of 2010, those with the best score included California, Colorado, Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and Utah. In 2009, Colorado was the only state to have below 20% of the population fall into the obese category.

States with the highest percentage of obesity (more than 30% of the population) were Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and West Virginia. The state with the highest percent of obesity was Mississippi at 34%.

Although these numbers by no means say that certain states have all unhealthy people in them or are, overall, less healthy than others, it is very interesting to look at which states fall into each category. Obviously, states where health and fitness are highly encouraged (like California, Colorado, and New York) have lower percentages of obesity. These states are also less accepting of fast and preservative filled foods.

Whether we are healthier or less healthy depending on our area is a completely new thought in many research fields. Researchers are currently finding that everything from the UV index of your area to the altitude at which you live can affect your health. Those who live closer to chemical plants, smog, and fast food restaurants tend to be less healthy than those who live near fresh produce groceries and even those at higher altitudes.

Personally, I know that when we go up to Michigan (a red state in obesity), I tend to gain between 2-3 pounds per summer. Then, I come home and it is gone within two months. This is not to say anything terrible about Michigan, I just do not eat as healthy as I do at home even though we work to eat healthier every summer we are away!

P.S. For a super detailed list of obesity depending on state, check out the link here. The CDC also has some fantastic info on obesity. Most of my numbers were taken straight from this article along with tidbits from here, and here, and here... Just in case there were not enough random numbers for you to look at ;)

Grape Seed Oil vs. Olive Oil

{via}

There has been a lot of hype about grape seed oil over the past year. You can use this oil with pretty much anything that you use olive oil for, and it also boasts a slightly higher smoke point than olive oil. We ran out of extra virgin olive oil a few nights ago, so I decided to use the grape seed hidden in the cupboard instead. This led me down the rabbit hole in thinking about which is actually better for you, and if there is really a difference between them? Turns out, there is a rather large difference and a pretty obvious winner.

Grape seed oil is exactly what it's name describes... oil that is from a grape seed. This oil is collected through a hefty mechanical process that uses the grape seeds that the wine industry produces but discards. Until recently, this type of oil was not harvested since grape seeds have very little oil content and the process to get the small amounts of oil out is quite advanced. 

The good thing about grape seed oil is that it is chalk full of vitamin E. Every tablespoon of grape seed oil has about 20% your daily recommended vitamin E. One of the greatest boasts for those is support of grape seed oil is that it has no cholesterol. That's right, grape seed oil does not even have the good kind of cholesterol.

Unfortunately, grape seed oil has extremely high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically omega-6. Grape seed oil actually has more PUFA's than cotton seed oil, corn oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil. This form of PUFA is not the most stable and will easily incite oxidation (especially when cooked). Although one of the great health benefits of PUFA's is the anti-inflammatory effects, grape seed oil's intense industrial production gives it high amounts of free radicals, causing inflammation and damage to our bodies on the cellular level.

Yes, grape seed oil does have high levels of vitamin E, but compared to foods like spinach, it is still quite low. Grape seed oil may be a new fad, but the tried and true extra virgin olive oil is still the best choice.

 

Healthy Drinks for Cleansing Your Body

We had a Christmas party at our place last night. Yes, there were cookies- multiple kinds, actually, and cheese, and dips, and about 50 other things that were delicious but far from good. Now, all I want is kale juice with ginger, lemon, cucumber, and anything else wholesome that will fit in our juicer.

Thankfully, I planned ahead for this for the first time ever and have all those amazing, juicable, fruits and veggies in the fridge already. This is the first time I have ever really planned food for the day after a party and it's kinda a big deal. Here are a few of the detox drinks we will be having today and tomorrow!

This article on different types of cleanses is also pretty neat!

The Mean Green

{via}

When it comes to juicing, this one is as common as bread and butter, but is oh so much healthier. The mean green would have to be my favorite detox juice. Juice:

• 1 cucumber
• 4 stalks celery
• 2 apples
• 8 kale leaves
• 1/2 lemon
• 1" ginger root

Autumn Gold Rush

{via}

Just look at the ingredients and tell me it does not sound amazing. This may also be the best juice cleanse party drink ever! This site has some other incredible looking recipes for your perusal as well. Juice:

• ½ medium sweet potato
• 3 carrots
• 1 cucumber
• ½ inch of tumeric root
• Can also be served with cinnamon sprinkled on the top and sparkling water.

Popeye's Green Juice

{via}

I cannot wait to drink this one up! It sounds great and is also the first to have parsley- a delicious and healthy juicing component. Here is a quick sum-up of why parsley is so healthy. Juice:

• 1 bag of organic baby spinach
• ½ bunch parsley
• ½ cucumber
• 1 pear
• 1 lemon
• 1” ginger root

A Green Anytime Smoothie

{via}

These are all great options for those who have a juicer, but if you don't, do not fret. There are some fantastic smoothie recipes as well. One of my absolute faves and daily foods is a kale, banana, and strawberry smoothie. Just put this in a blender and enjoy!

• 2 cups kale
• 3 sliced strawberries
• 1/2 a banana, sliced
• 2 tablespoons water
• Ice cubes, optional

Why Women Need a Calcium Supplement

{via}

Watching my Grandmothers, Aunts, and older friends go through bone density issues shows me that women sure do need calcium- and more than we get in our diets alone. Calcium is key to strong, healthy bones that can support us and the rigors we put them through. As women age, our bodies have much less bone density than that of men. Not fair, I know, but true. It is easy to think that we can handle dealing with the bone density bridge when we cross it (guilty), but there are things we can do now that can offset osteoporosis in our older years. To help offset osteoporosis and the issues that come with brittle bones, us women need a calcium supplement. 

1. Osteoporosis
If saying the word "osteoporosis" would cover the whole reason women need a calcium supplement, we would be covered and finished. Unfortunately that is rarely enough. Osteoporosis is the inability for new bone growth to keep up with the removal of old bone. This makes bones brittle bones that break easier and arthritis. Caucasian and Asian women over the age of menopause are at a much greater risk than any other group of people. Thankfully, a diet high in calcium from a young age can significantly reduce the risks. 

2. Acidity 
When we eat acidic meals or have a diet rich in acidic foods (pasta sauce, anyone?) our bodies use calcium to reduce the acidity. Calcium is usually supplied be the blood, but when that is too low, it is taken from our bones. By taking a calcium supplement, we are ensuring that our bodies have enough calcium reserves and will not need to deplete what are bones already have. 

3. Our Diets
Even the greatest foodies out there who only eat organic, locally grown magic vegetables will have a hard time getting all the nutrients they need everyday. Doctors recommend women between the ages of nine to seventy-one recommend getting between 1,000 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day. Most people do not even break the 700 milligram mark. Take the stress off of your diet by taking a calcium supplement twice per day. 

4. Our Bodies
When it comes to calcium production, our bodies give us no help. Calcium cannot be created internally, but must be absorbed through our diet. If we are not getting enough calcium from outside sources, we are not getting enough calcium at all. Even worse, diets high in sodium and proteins will increase the body's secretion on calcium so we are possibly getting less calcium than we think. 

5. Bonus Health Benefits
New research is showing that calcium will decrease fat retention. Anywhere between 2-3 servings of calcium per day are recommended to keep those unwanted fats away. Likewise, calcium can decrease the risks of cardiovascular disease and hypertension. 99% of calcium is stored in our bones and teeth, but the other 1% is used for proper nervous and muscular function. Keeping the right amount of calcium in our bodies can increase  the proper functioning of our bodies. 

Although calcium supplements are great for us, too much calcium can lead to health risks including heart issues. Doctors recommend taking no more than 2,000 milligrams of calcium per day. Most doctors recommend two servings of calcium a day, neither being more than 500 milligrams since that is all our bodies can absorb at one time. When you take calcium depends one what type of supplements you have. Calcium citrate is better for those with lower stomach acidity and can be taken with or without food. Calcium carbonate is best taken with meals since the acid in our stomachs helps break it down.