Eating For Health

So many of us are doing everything we can to kill bacteria and have a cleaner home.   But did you know there are “good bacteria” that are actually good for our health?   We want those “good bacteria” to multiply in our gut so we can have a healthier gut. What are the “good bacteria”?   It actually doesn’t sound too healthy but good bacteria are good for a healthy gut.   NIH defines the healthy bacteria in your body as all the bacteria, fungi and viruses that live on or inside our bodies.   NIH notes this “microbiome” actually contributes to our health in many ways including:   protecting us against bacteria that can cause disease, helping your immune system, and helping our bodies digest food.   Dr. Mullin from Johns Hopkins University notes , “Your gut bugs help determine your overall health in a good way – or a bad way.” Can you change the population of “good bacteria” in your gut?   Yes, you can and diet is one way to do so.   The foo...

Some interesting nutrition articles in the news this week.   Last week we talked about avoiding sick days and how healthier habits can prevent getting sick this winter.   Well, here are some other habits to think about this week and this winter season.    Touch screens and bacteria Who doesn’t like to order food at those convenient touch screens?   So many fast food restaurants are adding these touch screens.   You can walk up to the screen, order what you want and your order begins to be processed.   Usually no line waiting to use the touch screen.   However, before you take your first bite into the food you ordered this way, you may want to wash your hands.   Or, use the handy hand sanitizer I recommended you take with you wherever you go.    Researchers in London swabbed touch screen kiosks at eight different restaurants in the United Kingdom.   Unfortunately, they found bacteria on every kiosk.   ...

Who hasn’t used the 5 second rule?   You drop some food on the floor and if it is less than 5 seconds, is it safe to eat?   If it is on the floor longer than 5 seconds, is it really more contaminated?   Does the type of floor matter?   The type of food?   Is the 5 Second Rule another food myth?    Believe it or not, researchers have actually studied the 5 second rule.   What foods did they drop and what did they find? A number of researchers have studied the 5 Second Rule the most recent study about Myth Debunked , was published in September in the journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology.   Previously, a high school student studied gummy bears and fudge-striped cookies dropped on a floor contaminated with E. coli.   He found that food was contaminated in less than 5 seconds.    So, what did the 2016 researchers find? What is the 5 Second Rule – the belief is if you drop any food on the ground/floor and pi...