FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 16, 2018 • WELLNESS • THE QUEENS COURIER 39
wellness
5 reasons to snack on strawberries
Th e perfect snack needs to check off
three boxes: It should be fi lling enough to
get you to your next meal, provide nutrition
that fi ts into your balanced diet, and
satisfy cravings, whether sweet or savory.
Not an easy task, but juicy California
strawberries are up for the challenge.
“Strawberries are an ideal snack because
not only do they taste great, they’re also
heart-healthy and an anti-infl ammatory
food,” says Manuel Villacorta, registered
dietitian and author of Flat Belly 365. “I
love to pair strawberries with yogurt, peanut
butter on rice crackers, or cottage
cheese. Strawberry smoothies are also a
favorite.”
Naturally sweet, yet low in sugar
Many people get the urge to graze
around that 3 o’clock slump. By reaching
for something that has natural sweetness,
you can fulfi ll that craving without excess
calories and sugar. In fact, one serving of
eight strawberries has only 50 calories and
eight grams of sugar.
Bursting with nutrients
Another reason to love strawberries?
“Th e combination of fl avonoids, antioxidants
and fi ber can help reduce cholesterol
levels,” Villacorta says. “Plus, strawberries
are full of potassium, which can
help manage blood pressure and prevent
strokes.” Strawberries don’t stop there; a
single serving has more vitamin C than
an orange.
Boost your brain
According to a study in the Annals of
Neurology, eating strawberries at least
twice per week may delay cognitive aging
by two and a half years, which includes
improvement in memory and motor
function. Add in a daily sudoku or crossword
puzzle and you’re on your way to a
sharper mind!
Great for diabetes
management
Nutrient-packed strawberries are a
great option for those with diabetes. In
fact, the American Diabetes Association
lists strawberries as a top superfood for
diabetic meal plans. “Th e anthocyanins
found in strawberries may help improve
insulin resistance, which means you can
regulate blood glucose better,” according
to Villacorta.
Snacks anyone will love
Both kids and adults love a good strawberry
snack. Try a strawberry oat bar,
peanut butter yogurt dipped strawberries,
strawberry almond butter snackwich
or even strawberry turkey pinwheels to
switch things up in your aft ernoon routine.
From quick and kid-friendly to fancy
appetizers, visit CaliforniaStrawberries.
com for snacks perfect for all ages and
occasions.
Snacking can be fun for the whole family
with bright colors, simple recipe ideas,
unexpected fl avor combinations and a little
creativity. And if your snacks are full
of vital nutrients and health benefi ts, even
better!
What are you waiting for? Pick up some
strawberries and get snacking today.
Courtesy BPT
Do you know how that new supplement will
aff ect your existing medication regimen?
Mahatma Gandhi once famously said,
“It is health that is real wealth and not
pieces of gold and silver.” If you count
yourself as a believer in this statement,
your health is more important to you
than any material possession and you do
your best to protect it every single day.
Th at’s why you eat right, exercise regularly
and support your total health with supplements.
But did you realize that, if you are
already taking medications for an existing
condition, the supplements you mix with
these medications could actually be hindering
your overall health instead of helping
it? It’s an all-too-common occurrence
and one many people are unaware of.
“Nutrient defi ciencies and diagnosed
health conditions oft en require the use of
vitamins and prescription medications,
but they can interact. It is critical that
users understand potential interactions,”
said Michael Roizen, M.D., chief wellness
offi cer, Cleveland Clinic and Persona
medical advisory board chair.
Research from Persona, the leading
personalized nutrition brand combining
smart science, data and the highest quality
supplements, shows that nearly 40 percent
of survey participants - those already
taking vitamins alongside prescription
medications - did not know vitamins
and supplements can impact the eff ectiveness
of their medications. Forty-fi ve
percent assumed they didn’t need to tell
their doctor before they started taking a
new vitamin or supplement. Th is eliminated
the possibility for doctors to warn
them of potential negative eff ects of the
two interacting.
Examples of common
negative reactions
Th e market is fl ush with myriad medication
and dietary supplement solutions
and while many will not interact
with each other, those that do cannot be
ignored.
One common area for a negative reaction
is with those who take a blood pressure
medication and combine it with an
iron supplement. In many cases taking
the supplement two hours before or aft er
the medication can decrease its absorption
rate signifi cantly, making the prescription
med less successful.
People who take a synthetic thyroid
hormone should also be wary of taking
their medication in conjunction with any
supplement containing soy, iron or calcium.
Taking both the medication and supplement
within four hours of one another
will decrease the absorption rate and
eff ectiveness of the thyroid hormone.
Identifying situations where
the pairing is successful
Combining a supplement and a medication
isn’t always a hindrance; it can
be successful as well. For example, if
you are taking a statin, you will want to
add Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) because the
average blood concentration of CoQ10 in
blood plasma decreases.
In another instance, if you take medication
to treat allergies or infl ammation,
adding a vitamin D and calcium supplement
will support bone health and calcium
absorption.
Finding the right supplement
solutions for you
With so many supplement options
available, it can be diffi cult to determine
which choices are right for you, and if you
are already taking a medication, choosing
the proper supplement becomes even
more important.
Persona can help by cross-referencing
more than 650 prescription medications
when making supplement recommendations.
Th is thorough cross-referencing
ensures you’ll receive the full benefi
ts of the supplement without having to
worry about negative reactions. In addition,
Persona’s customer service team of
dietitians and nutritionists will work with
you to determine the right supplement
plan for you based on your needs and
medical considerations.
With a single subscription service,
Persona delivers customized vitamins
and nutritional supplements to you in
daily packs based on needs and it all
starts when you take your free Nutritional
Assessment. Visit www.personanutrition.
com to learn more, because you should
expect your supplements to support not
only your existing medications but your
total health goals as well.
Courtesy BPT
/www.personanutrition
