In today’s world, you rarely hear good news. Still lingering COVID-19 pandemic, the skyrocketing cost of living, growing fear of job loss, and an increasingly uncertain future. Nowadays you often feel overwhelmed or down with increasing stress. Although stress is part of our daily lives, we always wish we could find a way to deal with it better.

Here are simple steps to manage your stress according to some medical doctors and health experts.

Exercise physically

Physical exercise reduces your body’s stress hormones (including cortisol) while stimulating your body by releasing endorphins and endocannabinoids that help block pain and improve mood and sleep.

Get sleep

Lack of sleep adds to your stress level since insomsomnia can cause a vicious cycle of stress. To sleep well, you should develop the following habit:

• Maintain a regular sleep cycle
• Maintain a comfortable temperature (e.g., 65 F degree)
• Avoid eletronics that emit a bluelight 30-60 minutes before sleeping
• Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine
• Keep bedroom lights dim or dark
• Avoid large meals before bed
• Try meditation at bed time.

Try square or deep breathing

Dr. Michael Hunter, oncologist, suggests the following steps:

1. Breathe in as you count to four slowly. Feel the air fill your lungs.
2. Hold your breath for four seconds
3. Breathe out slowly through your mouth four seconds
4. Hold for four seconds
5. Repeat these steps until you feel centered.

According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, food waste is estimated at between 30-40 percent of the food supply in the United States.  National Institute of Health (NIH) also reported that Americans today wasted 50% more food than they did in the 1970s. In 2010, the US Department of Agriculture found that every year approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food was lost or wasted in the U.S. alone. Food waste often arose from untimely harvesting, over production, poor storage, confusing expiration labels, unnecessary (“super”) large portions for the restaurant meals, etc. Due to its perishable nature, it is difficult for you to avoid spoilage and subsequent waste. Food waste not only pollutes our living environment, but also increases our grocery bills. Single people living in America are spending hundreds of dollars a month on food. The average cost of groceries each month for one American ranges between $165 and $345, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

To keep you from eating unhealthy or spoiled food and better control your monthly grocery bills, you should understand clearly how long your food last in either the refrigerator or the freezer. First of all, you must correctly decipher what the product expiration label indicates.

• Sell by: Tells the store how long it can display the product in the shelf. Although food may be still good after the purchase, its purchase before the expiration date is recommended.
• Best if used by & Best before: The purchase by or before the designated date is recommended to maintain best flavor or quality.
• Use by: The last date recommended by the manufacturer for use of the product while at peak quality.
• Closed or Coded dates: Packing numbers for use by the manufacturer. These dates are rarely seen.

The following is a list of food with its typical freshness life span when it was refrigerated or frozen.

Food	Refrigerated	Frozen
Eggs	3-5 weeks	Not to be frozen
Poultry (fresh)	3-4 days	12 months
Beef (fresh)	3-5 days	3-4 months
Pork (fresh)	3-5 days	4-6 months
Ham (whole or cooked)	7 days	1-2 months
Roasted beef, lambs, or pork	3-5 days	6-12 months
Steaks: Beef, lamb, pork	2-3 days	6-12 months
Bacon (fresh)	7 days	1-2 months
Sausage (fresh)	1-2 days	1-2 months
Lunch meat	one week when opened, 2 weeks if unopened	1-2 months
Hot dogs	one week when opened, 2 weeks if unopened	1-2 months
Meat, poultry casseroles	3-4 days	2-4 months
Fresh seafood	1-2 days	3 months
Lean fish (cod, trout, perch)	1-2 days	6 months
Fatty fish (e.g., salmon, tuna)	1-2 days	2-3 months
Salads with egg, macaroni, tuna	3-5 days	Not intended to be frozen
Broccoli	7-14 days	8-12 months
Carrots	1-2 weeks	8-12 months
Cucumbers	1 week	8-12 months
Green beans	1 week	8-12 months
Margarine	4-6 months	12 months
Bread (fresh baked)	1-2 weeks	2-3 months
Mayonnaise	2 months, if opened	Not to be frozen
Soups and stews (vegetable or meat added)	3-4 days	2-3 months
Pizza (Leftover)	3-4 days	1-2 months

Sources: USDA, foodsafety.gov (https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/cold-food-storage-charts)

To figure out how long leftovers will last and when to throw them out, please check https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/Resources/when-to-throw-it-out-leftovers.

Although wrinkles are natural part of the aging process, wrinkles make you look older. Beginning at the ages of 18-21, human skin’s collagen levels starts to decline. By age 40, the loss of collagen levels accelerate (typically 1% per year) and thus skin hollows out and wrinkles appear as skin gets thinner, drier, and less elastic, and less able to protect itself from damage. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light speeds the natural aging process and is the primary cause of early wrinkling. According to Crunchmoose.com (http://thecrunchymoose.com/natural-ways-prevent-wrinkles/ ) and WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/23-ways-to-reduce-wrinkles#1), there are a number of ways to prevent or reduce wrinkles.  These include:

• Take a gelatin supplement that was made from cooked collagen (from pigs and cows)
• Sleep well. While we are sleeping, our bodies produce HGH (human growth hormone). This hormone is what induces growth and cell reproduction (including skin cells).
• Take the fermented, vitamin rich cod liver oil. Fermented cod liver oil is the most important supplement for sun protection.
• Moisturize & detox face mask frequently. Use a moisturizer everyday, especially right after bathing, applying it to damp skin.
• Use a non-toxin sunscreen. Notice that toxins and free radicals are a big source or wrinkles.
• Eats a lot of saturated fat such as grass-fed butter, avocados and coconut oi, since Saturated fat makes your skin more elastic and more resistant to the Oxidative damage from the sun.
• Use coconut, Argan, jojoba, grape-seed, and olive oils instead of commercial lotions and creams.
• Eats lots of antioxidants such as blueberries, spinach, kale, walnuts, artichokes, cranberries, beans (red, kidney, pinto), prunes, kiwis, and other fruits that contains Vitamins A, C, & E, and beta carotene.
• Stay hydrated with water, coconut water, and green tea.
• Do not smoke.
• Avoid too much facial expressions (laughing, squinting, etc.)
• Avoid using straws when drinking juice or a glass of water.
• Eat more fish — particularly salmon. Not only is salmon (along with other cold-water fish) a great source of protein — one of the building blocks of great skin.
• Don’t be obsessively clean. Wash your skin as little as possible, using warm – never hot – water, since hot water dries your skin. Take short showers and use soap that contains a moisturizer.
• Use tretinoin (Retin-A) regularly or topical vitamin C to help stimulate collagen and minimize superficial wrinkles, liver spots and scaly areas. Also, Alpha-hydroxy acids may improve skin texture and reduce fine lines.

 

Preventive health care tips

http://www.healthylife.com