H E A LT H + F I T N E S S
3 SUPERFOODS YOU SHOULD DISCOVER
WHEN DO YOU NEED SUN PROTECTION Most Australians need sun protection when the UV Index is 3 or above. The UV Index is an international standard measurement of the strength of UV radiation from the sun at a particular place on a particular day. UV levels are low in the early morning as the sun comes up, gradually increasing to a peak around the middle of the day when the sun is at its highest, and then decreasing slowly as the sun gets lower in the sky. In our northern parts of Australia, UV levels are above 3 all year round and reach extreme levels of 14+ in summer, so sun protection is needed daily. www.cancerqld.org.au
Here are our first 3 superfood picks. Some are ones our ancestors used to keep their vitality but all of them are all now on trend.
1. SACHA INCHI While it may look like a peanut, the Peruvian super food, Sacha Inchi is a seed that can be eaten whole or pressed into a rich oil. It’s powerful because of its omega-3 content–50% of the fat content is omega-3s. The seed itself is a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids. And the benefits don’t stop there: It’s believed that this power food enhances brain function, memory, mental health, and alertness.
2. BEE POLLEN It may not even sound like a food, but Bee pollen is stacked with nutrients. It’s got a bit of everything, from vitamin B12 and all 22 amino acids, to protein and antioxidants. Bee pollen can be bought in granule form and is incredibly high in protein–about 40%. It’s also a great energy booster. Mix into oatmeal or yogurt or drop a spoonful into your smoothies.
3. THE PICHUBERRY The Pichuberry (aka aguaymanto or Inca berry), is Peru’s exotic fruit that yields a small, smooth berry. While it’s closely related to the tomatillo, the Pichuberry has many health benefits. Among all fruits and plants, it’s one of the most abundant sources of vitamin C–as much as 20 times that of an orange.
SANDBAGS VS DUMBBELLS The natural and sometimes dirty sandbag has been found to be more effective than dumbbells, according to scientists at the University of Wisconsin. The findings revealed people who exercised with the earth-filled bags registered higher heart rates and burned more kilojoules than those who did the exact same routine with dumbbells. According to fitness experts, the unpredictable shifting weight in sandbags activates muscles that may otherwise be neglected in exercise routines. So drop that dumbbell and grab a sandbag to get a more effective workout today! For your nearest stockist visit www.ultimatesandbagtraining.com
(Source: Cancer Council Queensland)
UP24 JAWBONE FITNESS BRACELET
This state of the art fitness bracelet and smartphone app combine to gain insight into patterns in your dayto-day activities, track calories burned, your sleeping habits and even tracks your food – just scan the barcode of the product! UP24 is always connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth® Smart, helping you achieve your goals with real-time updates on your progress and notifications when you need them.UP helps you understand how you sleep, move and eat so you can make smarter choices. The new app displays movement and sleep details from your UP24 or UP band and delivers insights, celebrates milestones, and challenges you to make each day better. Available from JB-HIFI and Harvey Norman, $179.99
GREEN TEA IMPROVES MEMORY
Feeling forgetful? Green tea, known for its positive health effects, has recently been found to enhance cognitive functions, in particular the working memory. Researchers at the University of Basel found that green tea extract increases the brain’s effective connectivity, meaning the causal influence that one brain area exerts over another. This effect on connectivity also led to improvement in actual cognitive performance: Subjects tested significantly better for working memory tasks after the admission of green tea extract. Time to brew a pot of green tea goodness and forget only your troubles!
32 DUO MAGAZINE MAY 2014 duomagazine.com.au
COCONUT OIL TREATS ALZHEIMER’S The natural oil has a variety of health benefits, including levelling oral hygiene, protecting and healing skin, boosting the metabolism and many more. New research is now suggesting coconut oil is also a treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease. Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), the primary type of fat in coconut oil has been found to improve cognitive function in older adults suffering from memory disorders. Just a small dosage (40ml or a couple of tablespoons) of coconut oil can immediately increase brain activity and counteract breakdowns in energy production. WHAT IS VITAMIN D AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Vitamin D forms in the skin when it is exposed to UVB radiation from sunlight. Some foods, such as oily fish and eggs also contain small amounts of vitamin D, while margarine and some types of milk have added vitamin D. However, food only makes a small contribution to the body’s overall vitamin D levels and it is difficult to get enough from diet alone. We need vitamin D to maintain good health, in particular to keep bones and muscles strong and healthy. Daily exercise will also assist your body with the production of vitamin D. www.cancerqld.org.au (Source: Cancer Council Queensland)