Red and Blue Lines Blur

I intern at Street Sense, Washington, D.C.'s homeless newspaper. We rarely break news. But we did on September 26, when we wrote about the federal government's plans to cut food stamps, the program commonly known as SNAP, across the board.

"In the District, more than 144,000 people participate in the program, up 3,353 beneficiaries (or 2.4 percent) from the previous year," reported Ramanda Lazaris, my friend and coworker.

More than a month later, the Washington Post picked up the idea that we first broke, in Brad Plumer's article:

First up is a big automatic cut to SNAP scheduled for Nov. 1. This is happening because the food-stamp program was temporarily expanded in 2009 as part of the Recovery Act. That bill spent $45.2 billion to increase monthly benefit levels to around $133, on average.

Homeless advocates (many of the people I work with at Street Sense) and the urban poor are quick to blame the GOP for these cuts, painting the political right as haters of the homeless and the poor.

I didn't really know how to deal with this as a defiant of political stereotypes. I'm a Christian, who was homeschooled--stereotypical of a Republican. I'm also half-black, lower-middle class (just a half step above receiving food stamps), and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area--stereotypical of a Democrat.

I don't align myself with either political party, but I'm wary of hasty blame tossing. My skepticism was confirmed by the news that Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign may be a reason that food stamps are being cut.

Andrea Peyser reported November 11, on the New York Post:

The great food grab began in 2010, when President Obama, with Michelle and US Department of Agriculture honchos at his side, signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. At the time, he admitted taking cash from one pocket to feed the other. "Some of the funding [for the lunch program] comes from rolling back temporary increases in food-stamp benefits," he said, starting in the fall of 2013.

The kids who qualify for lunch programs in schools are usually from families who receive SNAP discounts. Essentially, children's dinners are being taken away so as to give them a "healthy" lunch.

This might be justifiable if the overall health of American kids were improving as a result, and Michelle's "Let's Move" campaign was achieving its desired goals. But one report from Bizpac Review indicates otherwise:

Students complain they are still starving after the small lunches and say the food is just downright disgusting. "They say it tastes like vomit," one board member, Myra Mosley, said, according to the Enterprise. "Kids can't learn when they're hungry!" parents reportedly shouted to the assembled board (from Janeen Capizola's article "School kids to Michelle Obama: Our lunches 'taste like vomit'").

So let's keep this straight...families now have less money to spend on groceries, and healthy foods are being wasted in schools because kids can't stand them. No matter where I turn, I see evidence that the government cannot fix all the problems of our nation or make choices for its citizens--we need the freedom to make those choices for ourselves.

Advocates will point to the heartbreaking stories of people who are going hungry because of the SNAP cuts, instead of the abusers using food stamps to purchase contraband and commit fraud.

There are two sides of the coin, and I don't claim to have an answer to the question: how do we feed people without wasting millions of taxpayer dollars?

It's complicated. Is this a Republican problem? Is this a Democrat problem? No, but it is an American problem. And all voting Americans need to put some thought into the food stamp dilemma before passing more legislation or electing someone who makes big promises with hidden drawbacks.

Cartoons and pumping or eating iron

Anyone else watch Popeye as a kid? His daring feats, made possible by strength-enhancing spinach (in a can, mind you) thrilled my young mind.

However, you're not going to get anything close to Popeye's results from a canned vegetable. The nutrients just aren't the same or as potent after being processed.

What you really want are some of these guys. Fresh spinach is rich with the vitamins and antioxidants that you need.

Did you know that spinach can help cure acne? Neither did I!

It also strengthens your bones and prevent cataracs. This little superfood can do a host of other things for your health as well.

I wish spinach would give me superhuman strength like Popeye, but alas, I don't live in a cartoon world. However, spinach is high in iron which is known to improve blood flow and muscle strength on a small scale.

So hey, it could make you strong after all.

Do you even?

Too precious not to share!

Well do you?

Following the Fads

If a celebrity is seen doing it, everyone else wants to as well. From fashion to food-choices, we are a people who follow trends.

When it comes to diets, celebrities endorse the latest fad, and people flock by the thousands to imitate.  Some of these fad diets do legitimately work for those who faithfully stick to the regimen.

The less faithful (guilty as charged) will jump from diet to diet claiming they're just big-boned, or genetically unable to lose weight.

We've heard it a million times: everything in moderation.  And it's almost as if healthy, or clean, eating has become its own trend to counter the fad diets circulating the world.  The Times of India reported about a study by Alpro, a manufacture of soy-based food and drink products:

Out of half of the respondents who regularly diet, Alpro found that two out of five dieters quit within the first seven days.  One out of five people are able to sustain it for a month, and the same number make it to the three-month mark, while the remainder stay dedicated for at least six months.

I would argue that this is largely because we (at least in America, I can't speak for the rest of the world) live in an instant-gratification culture.  We fall prey to infomercials and advertisements that guarantee our happiness with just the swipe of a credit card.

I'll be the first to admit that I approach weight loss and fitness with this same mentality.  I'm always motivated and dedicated to cut sweets out of my diet, or go jogging five times per week, until I don't see the desired results within a few days and I give up.

I'd argue along with Janet Lee's article "Should you try these fad diets," as reported by Fox News, that many of these diets can actually be very effective for weight loss...if only people would find the determination to stick to them.  This article explains the health benefits of nine fad diets or food items with expert opinions. 

Some of these fads are unnecessary.  For example, the gluten-free diet.  Gluten is dangerous for those with celiac disease, and it doesn't agree with some people's stomach's, but it isn't necessarily the evil that so many people believe it to be, as Michael Boyle of Bloomberg reported on Nov. 12:

Less than 1 percent of Americans have the disorder that requires a gluten-free diet, yet almost one in three now eschews gluten according to trend watchers NPD Group, influenced by bestselling anti-gluten books and celebrity endorsements. The U.S. market for gluten-free foods will climb from $4.2 billion in 2012 to $6.6 billion by 2017, according to researcher Packaged Facts, as bread bakers, craft-beer markers and eateries from Hooters to Michelin-starred Hakkasan embrace the trend.

If you have the self-control to cut out gluten, you have my respect, and you're probably a healthier person for it.  But gluten-free alternatives often have just as many calories, and are usually twice as expensive.  Going gluten-free may not help you lose weight in the long run because there are so many alternatives on the market.

Caution and research are wise additions to any new diet.  The Atkins low-carb diet got a lot of attention when I was a kid.  My dad was an avid Atkins-preacher, but like most people, he didn't lose much weight because the limit of 20 grams of carbohydrates per day is nearly impossible!  It even cuts out many healthy fruits and vegetables.  Madeline Gordon reported on Collegiate Times that this diet may actually be dangerous:

In fact, according to the American Dietetic Association, people need a minimum of around 150 grams of carbohydrates for our bodies to function efficiently. In addition, according to WebMD.com, it may actually promote heart disease.

Despite the medical evidence opposing this diet, it recently gained attention as Kim Kardashian used it to help her lose her baby-weight.

Despite the many failures of the "fad diet" trend, I have one.  My go-to is the juice fast.  No, I didn't pick it up because celebrities like Colin Farrell like to juice.  I was convinced after watching "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead."  Granted, I'm not a scientist, and it hasn't really been around long enough for there to be pages upon pages of research on it yet.  On top of that, you'll hear that supposed experts oppose it.  But Joe Cross's results are hard to beat.  My dad's results are hard to beat.

I juice fasted over spring break, losing 10 lbs. in 10 days.  It was rough.  My body was detoxing from all the junk I've dumped into it my whole life, and especially during my college career.  I couldn't maintain it because dorm life, the abundance of junk food and crazy class schedules are not conducive to the time-consuming process of juice preparation.  Yes, I gained the weight back within a few weeks because I didn't eat salads and clean food, I ate pure junk.

Knowing that it works if you have the self-control and a variety of ingredients, I cringed when I read what Sara Lepley wrote in Collegiate Times:

I settled for a quasi-juice cleanse by drinking only Naked juice, all natural Ginger-lemon juice, plain chicken broth (yes, plain) and copious amounts of tea and coffee. Because an overwhelming amount of the juice diets demanded that participants eat at least one solid thing at night, both nights I had half a cup of steamed broccoli, and they were glorious.

Well no wonder she was exhausted, tired, and headache-ridden!  She wasn't getting nearly enough nutrients from her limited sources of juice.  By the way, an easy label reading of Naked juice will reveal that it's mostly fruit, meaning mostly sugar, not a source of sustaining energy or weight loss.  When your body detoxes from sugar, you'll crave it and have mild drug-withdrawal symptoms for the first few days.  Once that passes, it's a piece of cake...or a piece of kale (that's probably a more appropriate cliche).

Eating well in winter

The winter months are not especially conducive to healthy eating.  During summer, my cravings usually lend more towards salads and fruit smoothies.  But when it's cold out, all I want is noodle soup, baked goodies, and hot chocolate.

The problem is not that we don't know what foods are healthier than others, according to Jana Frawley of Taste.com in her July 2 article "How to get the most from winter vegetables":

The problem lies in breaking old habits. Sure, our dinner vocabulary these days is not limited to meat-and-three-veg, but when one of the kids asks "what's for dinner?", chances are the response will be chicken, lamb, steak, fish, pork or sausages... Risotto or pasta may get a look in, but it would be a rare night when you'd breezily answer cauliflower or eggplant.

A big concern, every time, is the cost of the food you buy.  Generally speaking, veggies are cheaper than meats.  If you can only afford one, the veggies are your best bet.

Despite the cold weather, there are plenty of options in most super markets.  Check to see if there are any farmer's markets open year-round near where you live. From my apartment in Northeast D.C., I have access to Eastern Market's weekend farmer's market as well as the inexpensive grocery store Aldi and therefore, I have no valid excuse to eat unhealthy.

Yanjun of NaturalNews.com said it well in a concise post, "Nine healthy winter foods to include in your diet," on November 8:

Being able to get fresh fruits and vegetables, even in the dead of winter, is a great advantage in today's world. Fresh fruits and vegetables are available year round, and these are the foods that are most likely to ensure health and wellness, as they impart vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances to the body.

The nine foods that Yanjun thought important enough to base the post on are: Brussels sprouts, leeks, beets, kale, pomegranate, kiwifruit, persimmon, guava and pomelo.

One important addition to this list that I (and Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D., Associate Nutrition Editor of EatingWell Magazing) would make is all things citrus:

Citrus fruits, including lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit are at their juiciest in the wintertime and can add sunshine to the dreary winter. Citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C--one medium orange delivers more than 100 percent of your daily dose (from the article "5 of the Healthiest Winter Foods").

This is precisely the time when your body needs as many vitamins and nutrients as it can get to fight off those inevitable bugs that spread like a winter wildfire.

Soups are a fantastic go-to in the winter.  They are warm, comforting, filling, simple enough to prepare and just perfect for those chilly days.  A variety of recipes will clear out all those unwanted or old (but not yet rotten) veggies in the bottom of your fridge.

Don't neglect good health simply because it seems so much more fitting to bake cookies.  You and I both can begin winter healthy, happy and satisfied--and sustain that through the months ahead.

Food Spotlight: Sweet Potatoes

Not the pie, baked to sugary perfection and topped with marshmallows around the Holidays.  As good as those taste, they won't do much for your health. Sweet potatoes, in and of themselves, taste fantastic and add some incredible nutrients to your body.

In a time pinch, I bake my sweet potato in the microwave for a few minutes (depending on how big it is), top it with ground cinnamon (also great for your regulating your blood sugar), and enjoy it by itself or on the side of a protein source.

Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, filling you up and giving you sustained energy through the day.  They contain magnesium to relax you, and potassium to reduce swelling.  You can get iron and many essential vitamins like B6, C and D.  On top of that, they might even prevent cancers from taking up residence in your body.  The health benefits are seemingly endless!

By no means a boring vegetable, the sweet potato can be consumed in many forms, including chips (a personal favorite).  They can be purchased at some stores, or made at home.

Squat Til You Drop

Unless you have loads of time on your hands, when you need to work out it had better be quick and effective.
Ladies and gents:

Squat.

Squats work all of the muscles in your legs simultaneously, giving you more bang for your buck.  Because you're bearing your whole weight while you perform the squat, you're also burning calories.

Studies have been done to dispel the convincing myth that in order to lose fat you have to do hours upon hours of cardiovascular training (i.e. running, cycling, swimming).
So if you don't have hours upon hours (really, who does?) then just take a few minutes and do this squat challenge:

The song is slightly annoying...the instructor is slightly annoying...but the 3 minutes and 13 seconds of squatting will tone your legs, burn calories, build muscle, and all those other wonderful things that keep your body in good health and good shape.

If you want to be a nerd about it, you can even calculate a close estimate of how many calories you burn while you're squatting.

What some famous people have to say about health

The Greatest wealth is health.
~Virgil

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.
~Doug Larson

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
~World Health Organization, 1948

In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired.
~Author unknown

He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors.
~Chinese proverb

We drink to one another's health and spoil our own.
~Jerome K. Jerome

A healthy body is the guest-chamber of a soul; a sick, its prison.
~Francis Bacon

The best six doctors anywhere
And no one can deny it
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
Exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend
If only you are willing
Your mind they'll ease
Your will they'll mend
And charge you not a shilling.
~Nursery rhyme quoted by Wayne Fields, What the River Knows, 1990

Juice for Your Health's Sake

He's beautiful, he has an amazing voice, and he juices. Ladies and gentlemen, it doesn't get much better than Adam Lambert.  But what you or I think about him really doesn't help us get through the ups and downs of life and its inevitable medical problems.

However, juicing does.

It's a popular fad for weight loss.  Nowadays, everyone is trying a juice detox. I was so motivated last spring that I invested in a good juicer and went on a 10 day fast.  I lost 10 lbs. in that time.  It was brutal, but my body felt wonderful.

The truth is, whole body well being is more important than shedding a few pounds for cosmetic reasons.  If you clicked on that link to the juicer I bought, you might be thinking what I was initially thinking--this thing is too expensive and I just don't have the money for that.  Besides that, fresh produce can get pretty pricey.  Understandable.  I'm a broke college student.  I had to pay off that juicer over several months.
Think of it in this way: you also can't afford medical issues that will lead to hospital bills and medications.  This is especially true if you lack adequate health insurance.

One mother told the story about her three-year-old daughter Desiree who was so plagued by her asthma that she was hospitalized regularly even while taking prescribed steroids, medications, and a rescue inhaler daily.  These medical treatments did nothing to cure this little girl--they may have even made her worse.  Natural News reported:

Fortunately, Desiree's family was able to find comfort through a lung specialist willing to listen to their story and, more importantly, who was open-minded about introducing their daughter to a raw food diet. Desiree went 100% raw and began juicing. Her mother says, "[F]rom day one, she has not had another asthma attack. She has not had another seizure.... She's had no asthma-related problems since then."

The up-front costs of juicing are comparable to purchasing health insurance which can prevent your body from developing ailments and potentially cure it of existing ailments.

My own father, who has been overweight for my whole life, lost more than 50 lbs. (from 420 lbs. to 370 lbs.) in about three months through a combination of juicing and eating healthy solid meals.  He did it because he had to--an infection in his leg, exasperated by his weight, made him nearly bedridden and racked up the bills for a week's stay in the hospital.  He couldn't afford to repeat that mistake, took his health seriously and is still losing weight and becoming healthier by the day.

Most of the nutrients for fruits and vegetables are found in its juice, so you aren't losing much by getting rid of the fibrous pulp.  Taking in the nutrients in a mostly juice form makes digestion much easier on your body and gets those cleansing agents where they need to be in half the time.  Manuel Apreku, author of a natural home remedy blog, said:

Let me remind you first that, nutrient from fresh juice is quicker to be absorbed by your body than eating fruits and vegetables. Fresh juice contains an abundance of nutrients that will help you fight disease, build your health and energize your body...vitamins, minerals, soluble fiber and carbohydrates.

Allow me to reiterate, juicing is not easy.  Most of our bodies are so addicted to sugar and fast food, that juicing for a week might feel (on a smaller scale) like detoxing from a drug addiction.  The juice cleans out all the toxins--a potentially unpleasant process.  However, that process is worth it if it also cleans out any of these ailments that you suffer from.

Sometimes a pure fruit and vegetable juice fast is more than a body can handle, said Lori Corbin, in an ABC7 article, "Juicing responsibly; Diet, cleanse with energy."

But there is a way to juice responsibly so you can perform everyday tasks like taking a test, attending social events, and yes, exercising.  For instance, try blending juice with extras.  "You need a little more than the vegetables, so put a scoop of whey protein in there, put a scoop of almond butter in there," said [Ky] Evans.

So use some discernment, don't overdo it, but definitely don't be too afraid to try it.  As a college student, it's hard to find the time and motivation to juice.  For this semester in D.C., I had to leave my precious juicer in California with my family because it wouldn't fit in my suitcase.  I can't wait to use it when I go home for Christmas break.  Experiment with recipes to fight particular ailments or for your favorite fruits and vegetables.

Happy juicing!  And happy healthy living!

10 Reasons to Try Yoga at Home

Think that yoga is something that only 30-something, upper-middle class women practice?  Think again!  "The Eastern practice of yoga has become a modern-day symbol of peace, serenity and well-being in the West. More than 20 million Americans practice yoga..." said Carolyn Gregoire of the Huffington Post.

Whether you're male, female, old, young, middle aged, flexible, inflexible  athletic, or never exercised a day in your life - you are capable of doing yoga, and your body will thank you for it.
If you can't afford the expensive classes, or don't have time to exercise out of the house, YouTube has plenty of workout videos to choose from.
But why yoga?  There are a plethora of benefits.  Here's 10 of them:

1. Lower stress levels.
You'll see these results immediately.  Ain't nobody got time for stress.  Stress makes you gain weight, gives you headaches, and makes even the simplest of tasks seem like climbing Mount Everest.  Calm your mind and kill that stress with a little stretching.

2. Increased flexibility.
You'll see these results immediately.  If you're not into exercising, you might not see the value in stretching.  But you're also not into injuring yourself, right?  Supple, flexible muscles don't tear easily and support your whole bone structure to prevent injury.  Even if you're inflexible, start where you can and slowly push your limits.

3. Stronger bones.
You'll see these results after some years.  The fact is, you can't see your bones - obviously.  But studies have shown that yoga increases bone density, especially in older adults.  You need those bones to stay active.  And those bones need you to do yoga.

4. Relief from chronic back and neck pain.
You'll see these results after a few months.  Self-explanatory.  Loosen up.  I should do yoga more often since I'm always complaining about my back and neck pain and lack of chiropractic insurance.

5. Healthy Weight.
You'll see these results after a few years.  Yoga definitely isn't a go-to when you want to drop a few pounds.  Its benefits take effect over time.  Its purpose is to improve your quality of life for years to come, not help you fit into those skinny jeans (or tighten up your belt a notch or two).  But I can tell you, from the one official yoga class I've taken, that it is a workout.  You sweat.  You burn calories.  You might be sore the next day.  Believe it - yoga will help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

6. Anxiety relief.
You'll see these results after a few months.  For many people, yoga is a cheap (or free) therapy from all the crap that life is going to throw your way.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.  And let the burdens fall from your shoulders.

7. Lower blood pressure.
You'll see these results after a few months.  Compared to other forms of exercise, a study has found that yoga successfully lowers certain types of blood pressure.  Doctor's appointments and medications are stressful and expensive.  Yoga is relaxing and cheap.  You can't lose with it!

8. Lower risk of heart disease.
You'll see these results after a few years.  Or maybe you won't see these results specifically, because you won't be going to the hospital for major surgery.  Wouldn't that be fantastic?  Don't trust me - I'm no pro, listen to Harvard on this topic.

9. Improved sense of balance.
You'll see these results after a few months.  Balance is a no-brainer, but the benefits of it might not be so evident.  Dancers and gymnasts aren't the only people who need balance.  Anyone who doesn't want to fall and break something needs balance.

10. Improved brain function.
You'll see these results immediately.  Some forms of yoga improve your focus and memory.  No matter who you are, college student, mother, blue-collar worker, retiree, the list goes on and on - you need your brain to operate at full capacity so you can do whatever it is you need to do effectively and efficiently.

With luck, you might even be as beautiful and inspiring as this guy.  The sunset and the water help.