Robert Wagner Insurance March 2023 Newsletter |
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6 Ways Pets Can Improve Your Health |
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| From WebMD
Have you ever noticed that you feel better when you're around your pet? It's true. Spending quality time with a dog, cat or other animal can have a positive impact on your mood and your health. Pets can be calming stress-fighters. "Pet owners, on average, were better off than non-owners, especially when they have a higher-quality relationship with their pets. |
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"A meaningful relationship varies from person to person” according to Allen R. McConnell, PhD professor of psychology at Miami University. For some active people, it includes playing ball or Frisbee in the park. For others who can’t get outside, just petting your dog can help you feel connected.
Pets can help you in other ways, too. -
A Healthier Heart - Your dog may make you less likely to get heart disease. Why? Dog owners walk more and have lower blood pressure than people who don't have dogs. Pets can also be good for you if you already have heart problems. Heart attack survivors and people with serious abnormal heart rhythms who own dogs live longer than people with the same heart problems who don't have pets, studies show.
Stress Soothers - Petting your cat or dog feels good. It can lower your blood pressure, helps your body release a relaxation hormone, and cuts down on levels of a stress hormone. It also soothes your pet, says Alan Beck, ScD, director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University.
Social Magnets - Pets, especially dogs, can help you connect with other people.
"If I saw you walking down the street, I couldn't comfortably start talking to you if I didn't know you, but I could if you had a dog," Beck says. "It's an acceptable interaction that otherwise wouldn't be possible." <Read More>
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Osteoporosis: Risk Factors, Signs, and Treatment |
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Osteoporosis is one of those conditions that’s commonly heard of but rarely fully understood. When most people hear the word, they connect it with the elderly and weak bones. However, there’s a lot more to it than that. Roughly 54 million Americans either have osteoporosis or are at an increased risk of being diagnosed, with some more at risk |
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| than others. What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens the bones over time, which puts those experiencing it at an increased risk of fractures or broken bones. As the condition progresses, your bones could be so compromised that something as mild as bending over or coughing could cause a fracture. While it may not seem like it, bone is living tissue that grows to replace old bone tissue that’s reabsorbed by the body. When the body isn’t able to create enough newer bone tissue to replace the old tissue (such is common with osteoporosis), the bone structure weakens, and you have an increased risk of fractures.
An increased risk of fractures presents several concerns for seniors. Chiefly, a fracture can be painful and expensive to recover from. Then there is also decreased mobility or function (depending on where the fracture is) to worry about. Perhaps most troubling are the studies that show broken bones increase the risk of death in seniors for up to 10 years after the fracture.
Who is Most at Risk? <Read more> |
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Is Dark Chocolate Really Healthier? |
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| The short answer is yes and it’s all thanks to the flavanol-rich cocoa solids. Dark chocolate has the highest percentage of cocoa solids at 50-90% whereas milk chocolate contains somewhere between 10-50%. The higher the cocoa |
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solids, the lower the sugar content which is what makes dark chocolate more bitter. Any white chocolate fans? While it is delicious, unfortunately, this type contains no cocoa solids only cocoa butter, milk, and sugar so you won’t be getting any of those amazing flavanols. What’s a Flavanol?
Flavonoids are a type of antioxidant.
All types of antioxidants are important nutrients to incorporate regularly into your diet because they help protect your cells from free radical damage. This further prevents oxidative stress, which may help keep your body’s inflammation levels lower.
The specific type of flavonoids found in dark chocolate are called flavan-3-ols. These can also be found in other foods too, like green tea, apples, red grapes, black grapes, blueberries, and strawberries. Is Dark Chocolate Good for Your Heart Health?
Research has shown that it may, in fact be good for your heart. A 2015 randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind study found that consuming 25 grams of dark chocolate for eight weeks improved triglyceride levels, decreased blood pressure, and decreased fasting blood sugar readings in hypertensive patients with diabetes. It was concluded because of dark chocolate’s high polyphenol content.
Dark chocolate, when consumed in moderation, can be beneficial for heart health due to its antioxidant content. To ensure you’re getting the health benefits, choose one with at least 70% cacao content. <Read more> |
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Which is Better: Natural or Artificial Sweeteners? |
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Many people have a sweet tooth, but if you're trying to be healthier, it may be tempting to cut back on your sugar a bit. But what's healthier, natural sugars or artificial sweeteners? Let's find out! To appeal to people who want to reduce their sugar intake, companies have developed artificial sweetener products |
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that you can now find in many diet foods and drinks. But are they any better than actual sugar or sugars found naturally in whole foods?
Let’s compare natural vs. artificial sweeteners, including the benefits and pitfalls of both, so that you can make an informed decision for your diet and sweets! Natural Sugars
Natural sugars come from natural or organic sources. You may be thinking sugar cane, but natural sugars are also found in dairy products (lactose), fruits (fructose), and even grains (maltose). Often, the suffix -ose shows the nutrient is a natural sugar. Why You Should Use Natural Sugars
The main upside of getting your sugar naturally is that different types of natural sugars come with other nutrients that can be part of a healthy diet. Think about milk, which contains lactose. Not only are you getting that lactose, but also calcium, proteins, magnesium, potassium, and others. The same is true for fructose. For example, apples have fructose, but also are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and other vitamins, and minerals. Even something like honey, which is a natural sweetener and granulated sugar-alternative, has key nutrients and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc.
Why Natural Sweeteners Aren’t Always Better <read more> |
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