Trail Mix – Seeds of Health

Private Home Care also loves the nutritious seeds included in trail mix! Here are health benefits of eating superfood seeds:

-Essential Fats: All seeds are high in essential fats like omega-3, which is excellent for heart and brain function and often lacking in most diets.

-Protein and essential amino acids: Seeds are generally an excellent source of protein. Quinoa, amaranth, chia and hemp seeds are particularly noteworthy since they offer complete proteins, meaning that they contain all 9 essential fats required for optimal health.

-Nutrient dense: Eating a variety of different seeds will ensure that you receive a healthy dose of phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, manganese, zinc, iron, copper, B vitamins, vitamin K and antioxidant rich vitamin E (and more). All of these nutrients are essential for supporting health on multiple levels.

-Excellent source of fiber: Seeds are naturally full of fiber. Fiber is good for blood sugar control, helping to slow the breakdown of carbohydrates and absorption of sugar. It is also great for promoting healthy bowel movement, heart health and weight-loss management.

-Lower cholesterol and blood pressure: Seeds possess important cholesterol-fighting fiber known as lignans, which in turn lower blood pressure.

-Antioxidant Rich Seeds: All seeds have a beneficial level of antioxidants

National Lemon Juice Day

National Lemon Juice Day was August 29th.

Lemon juice is also a wonderful, healthy seasoning! You can use lemon juice as a replacement for unhealthy ingredients or high amounts of salt. Instead of salad dressing, sprinkle Lemon juice over a salad to instantly brighten it up, and squeezing some over seafood or fish enhances the flavor. It is also great to use in cocktails when you are watching out for calories!

There are many uses for lemons and lemon juice around the house as a fresh, natural alternative to chemical cleaners! Slice a lemon in half to shine pots and pans, remove stains from marble countertops, as an air freshener and deodorizer for the garbage, polish wood, remove stains from dishes, remove rust of mildew stains, brighten laundry and remove stains, repel insects, descale tea kettles and coffee pots, remove rust, and more!T

o get the most lemon juice out of a lemon, roll it on a hard surface before you cut it to loosen up the juices. Dealing with a particularly tight lemon? Pop it into the microwave for a few seconds!

Use National Lemon Juice Day to enhance your day and make lemonade out of lemons!

Nuts About Trail Mix

At Private Home Care, we are nuts about healthy ingredients in trail mix! Trail mix can be a very healthy snack. Traditional trail mixes are loaded with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.

Why we love nuts:

-High in monounsaturated fats

-Nuts may significantly lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. Eating nuts decreases “bad” LDL particle size and triglycerides while boosting “good” HDL cholesterol, which improves artery function.

-Good sources of dietary protein

-High in dietary fiber. This means that eating nuts can reduce disease risk, aid in weight loss by helping keep you full, decrease calorie absorption, and improve gut health.

-Rich in antioxidants, including the polyphenols in nuts, which can combat oxidative stress.

-Rich in vitamins E, B6, niacin and folate; and they provide minerals such as magnesium, zinc, plant iron, calcium, copper, selenium, phosphorus and potassium.

-Eating nuts may help reduce inflammation! Nuts have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is your body’s way of defending itself from injury, bacteria, and other potentially harmful pathogens. However, chronic, long-term inflammation can cause damage to organs and increase disease risk. Research suggests that eating nuts may reduce inflammation and promote healthy aging!

National Trail Mix Day

It is National Trail Mix Day! Trail mix is a combination of dried fruit, grains, nuts, and sometimes chocolate, developed as a snack food to be taken along on outdoor hikes. It can be considered an ideal snack because it is tasty, lightweight, easy to store, and nutritious, providing a quick boost from the carbohydrates in the dried fruit and/or granola, and sustained energy from the mono- and polyunsaturated fats in nuts.

Two California surfers claim the creation of trail mix. In 1968, they blended peanuts and raisins for an energy snack. However, in the 1958 novel The Dharma Bums written by Jack Kerouac, the two main characters mention trail mix when planning meals for their hiking trip. Trail mix is not just for hikes! It is a super snack to help you get through your day. A handful of good, nutritious trail mix can help you power through the rest of your workday during an afternoon slump. Trail mix is also a great go-to portable snack to stash in the car, and it does not spoil easily because most of the ingredients are dried. The mix of hearty superfoods (nuts and seeds!) usually found in trail mix also help to keep your blood sugar stable.

Health Benefits of Going to the Beach!

Private Home Care loves to enjoy the beach any time of year – going for a walk on the beach in fair weather, collecting shells, or even just driving to the beach and watching the waves while sitting in your car are year-round ways that you can enjoy the coast.

There are health benefits of going to the beach!

Stress Relief – Nothing is more relaxing than taking in a beautiful beach view! Listening to the sound of the waves is also very calming both because of the rhythmic sounds and our brain’s association with it as a non-threatening environment. Watching a beautiful beach sunset or sunrise is particularly helpful for stress relief! Being in an environment that promotes stress relief helps to lower blood pressure, as well as improve mood and overall well being.

Vitamin D – Spending just 10 minutes at the beach can help you get the recommended daily value of Vitamin D for the day! Vitamin D is an important nutrient but is difficult to get a sufficient amount through your diet, so it is important to get a little sunshine at a great place like the beach! Vitamin D promotes stronger bones, healthier teeth, and helping your immune system function properly. It is important to remember that a little bit of sunshine can go a long way. Always practice beach sun safety, even in cold weather!

Improves sleep – The sea air is stocked with healthy negative ions, which accelerate our ability to absorb oxygen. This effect, in addition to the relaxing qualities of the beach, leads to better sleeps!

Heals wounds – The saltwater of the ocean has antibacterial properties and helps to clean cuts and help them heal faster! It may sting at first going into the salt ocean with an open cut, but it’s worth it because it will heal better!