The name says it all. The body must source essential fatty acids from foods, since it can’t manufacture them on its own.

Omega-3 fatty acids are important in all phases of life, beginning in the womb and continuing through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. There are three types: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), both of which come from fish, and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which comes from flax, flaxseed oil, nuts, and dark green, leafy vegetables.

Omega-3 benefits

The many critical health-promoting functions of omega 3s include the following:

• Cardiovascular

  Modulates heart rate and blood pressure, improves the condition of blood vessels, and helps prevent cardiac arrhythmias.   

• Mental Health

  Improves attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children; modulates symptoms of depression and other disorders in adults.

• Cancer Prevention

  May reduce risk of breast, colon, and prostate cancers.

• Joint and Bone Health

  Potential reduction of risk of arthritis and osteoporosis.

• Autoimmune Conditions

  Contributes to lower risk of asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and gastrointestinal conditions including colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Who needs to supplement?

Whole foods, especially fatty fish, are the best sources of omega 3. But those who don’t eat fish at least twice a week and anyone who is deficient in this critical nutrient may benefit from taking a supplement.  One clinical trial involving more than 25,000 subjects found that a supplement dose of 1 gram per day led to a 28 percent reduction in heart attack risk.

Benefits of omega-6 fatty acids

Omega-6 fatty acids, primarily linolenic acid found in vegetable oils, for years suffered a bad reputation until the American Heart Association released an advisory that turned it around. Instead of causing inflammation, omega-6 fats either reduce inflammation or have no effect.

“Omega-6 fats are not only safe, but they are also beneficial for the heart and circulation,” according to Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, coauthor of the advisory. Rather than cutting down on consumption of omega 6s, it’s enough to increase intake of omega 3s to balance the ratio of the two fats in the diet.

We’re all familiar with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors. But did you know there’s a fifth one?

It’s umami and it adds a savory component to cooking, particularly Asian cuisine.

How can you add this unique flavor to food? One of the easiest and healthiest ways is with miso.

What is Miso?

Typically made from a fermented combination of soybeans in a base of salt and the starter culture koji (typically derived from rice), miso can be added anywhere a salty, savory, and satisfying flavor is desired.

With its thick, paste-like consistency similar to peanut butter, miso can be easily mixed into many dishes.

Origins of Miso

Miso is not a new culinary trend. Originating in Asia over a thousand years ago, it was brought to the West in the 1960s through the macrobiotic diet.

These days miso’s beloved throughout Asia for its unique flavor profile. In fact, the Japanese love it so much there are more than 1,500 manufacturing plants in Japan alone!

Benefits of Miso

• Digestion

  Miso can help with digestion, since it’s a fermented food. Some brands even contain beneficial bacteria.

  Research has found that the probiotics present in miso can help lessen symptoms from digestive issues like inflammatory bowel disease.

• Diabetes

  Other studies find that consuming fermented soy products like miso can delay the onset and progression of Type 2 diabetes.

• Other Diseases

  Research even indicates that consuming miso every day may help lower risks of heart disease and stomach cancer.

  The benefits don’t stop there. Miso has been associated with reducing cancer cell growth and the ability to lower cholesterol levels.

• Nutrition

  One ounce of miso offers 12 percent of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of manganese, 10 percent of vitamin K, and 5 percent of zinc.

  Miso offers some protein and fiber, as well as other nutrients, like:

  • copper
  • phosphorus
  • vitamin B2
  • vitamin K

• Fermentation

  Because miso is a fermented food, its nutrients are more easily available to the body.

  Keep in mind that nutritional benefits vary depending on fermentation times and ingredients used.

• Sodium Warning

  Miso is high in sodium, so if you’re watching your salt intake you may want to use small amounts.

  Research shows that miso does not seem to affect the cardiovascular system the way other high-sodium foods can.

Types of Miso

Brands offer their own flavor profiles due to the amounts of soybeans, salt, and other ingredients used.

Here’s a basic breakdown of what you may find when shopping for miso.

• Red Miso

  With its long fermentation time, this variety is darker in color. Hues range from red to brown. Red miso is stronger in flavor and tastes saltier than other varieties.

• White Miso

  A traditional choice, this is generally the least salty of the misos. A shorter fermentation time creates a mellow, mild, and sweet flavor.

• Yellow Miso

  Stronger in flavor than white miso, the yellow variety is still mild tasting with earthy undertones. Yellow miso is a commonly purchased type.

• Chickpea Miso

  While not a traditional offering, chickpea miso is a good choice if you wish to avoid soy. It tastes similar to white miso.

How to Use Miso

Many know pungent miso for its starring role in miso soup, but it can be used for so much more.

Miso adds depth to:

• roasted vegetables
• broths and soups
• noodles (ramen, soba, etc.)
• sauces and spreads
• glazes
• marinades
• dressings
• grain bowls
• Asian dishes
• vegan cheese

Use lighter miso varieties for:

• sauces
• spreads
• soups

Misos that are darker in color work better in:

• grilled foods
• noodle dishes
• veggie burgers
• stir-fries

Since miso is a salty ingredient, recipes typically call for small amounts of it such as a few tablespoons.

Cooking with Miso

Since miso can have a beneficial probiotic content, add it to a dish once cooking is complete.

This applies to miso soup, too: stir miso into the soup when it’s no longer boiling and has been taken off heat.

Ideas and Inspiration

• Make Miso Butter

  Blend miso into butter to top your favorite protein or roasted vegetable dish.

• Use to Glaze Fish

  Miso’s savory quality pairs particularly well with salmon.

• Mix Into Cookies

  Take peanut butter cookies up a notch with the addition of a tablespoon or so of miso.

• As a Salt Replacement

  In a pinch, miso can be used as a replacement for soy sauce or salt.

• In Salad Dressing

  For an easy miso-based salad dressing, whisk together white or yellow miso with:

  • rice vinegar
  • chopped ginger
  • chopped garlic
  • honey
  • olive oil
  • toasted sesame oil

Shopping For Miso

• Avoid GMOs

  If you want to avoid GMOs, shop for certified organic varieties. Or purchase miso that’s been made without genetically modified soybeans.

  Almost all soy crops in the United States are genetically modified. The misos coming from Japan or Korea are less likely to be derived from genetically modified organisms.

• Where to Find It

  Find miso in the refrigerated section of Asian markets and many large grocery stores. Miso comes packaged in tubes, bags, glass jars, and plastic containers.

• Fermentation

  Look for brands that have fermented their ingredients at least 180 days.

  Keep in mind that unrefrigerated varieties won’t offer the same beneficial probiotics found in chilled versions.

• Storage

  When you get miso home, store it in the fridge where it will keep for months.

Precautions

Individuals with a soy allergy should avoid soy-derived miso.

If you avoid meat and other animal products, what do you do when it comes to supplements?

Anyone following a vegan or vegetarian diet who wants to supplement certain nutrients needs to read labels carefully.

Plant-Based Enzymes

When digestive enzymes are in balance, the body does a better job of extracting nutrients from food and eliminating what the body cannot use. The three types of digestive enzymes work their magic on proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

Medical researcher and vegan chef Suzannah Gerber adds, “When combined with certain probiotics, enzyme supplements can improve immune function.”

Studies that recently compared plant-based and animal-based enzymes, Gerber says, have found that “supplemental enzymes from animal sources are pH-sensitive."

"Plant-based enzyme supplements are more effective because they can withstand the acids in our stomachs,” she says.

Important Nutrients for Vegans

In general, vegetarians and vegans need to be sure they are getting enough of the nutrients commonly provided by meat, fish, and dairy foods:

• vitamin B12
• vitamin D
• calcium
• iodine
• iron
• omega-3 fatty acids
• zinc

While some of them are provided by plant foods, and by fortified plant foods, supplementation may be necessary.

Recommended Supplements for Vegans

• Vitamin B12

  To avoid vitamin B12 deficiency, vegans may need to supplement two to three times a week.

• Calcium

  Calcium can be another tricky nutrient for vegans who don’t get enough from their diets: many supplements get their calcium from oyster shells, and others come in gelatin capsules.

  It’s worth looking for a vegan calcium supplement with magnesium and vegan vitamin D.

• Omega 3s / DHA

  Since most omega 3s come from fish oil, look for vegan forms of their constituent fatty acids, DHA and EPA (docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid), which come from algae.

Precautions

• Consult Your Healthcare Provider

  Discuss with your healthcare provider any nutrients you are considering taking in supplement form. Have your blood levels checked if deficiency is suspected.

• Always Read The Label

  Learn to read labels to avoid animal products, and buy vegan supplements only from reputable suppliers.

You may not give much thought to your pelvic floor.

But consider whether you’ve had any of the following:

• urgent need to get to the toilet
• difficulty emptying your bladder or bowel
• pelvic pain, including during sex
• urine leakage when you:
  • laugh
  • exercise
  • sneeze
  • cough

Or perhaps you’ve had a diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse (POP), a hernia that happens with weakening of the ligaments and muscles that hold the pelvic organs—uterus, bladder, rectum—in place.

Causes of Pelvic Floor Problems

Going back thousands of years, childbirth has been documented as a cause of POP. But it’s not the only cause.

Other risk factors:

• obesity
• family history
• growing older
• hysterectomy

...as well as chronic conditions that increase pressure in the abdomen, including:

• constipation
• asthma

Treatment for Your Pelvic Floor

Short of surgery, there are changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle to improve the condition of your pelvic floor.

• Take Supplements

  “Postpartum women who received a specially formulated postpartum recovery supplement had improved recovery of the pelvic floor after vaginal delivery,” wrote the authors of a report published in Obstetrics & Gynecology Sciences.

  In addition to a prenatal vitamin, study subjects took a supplement formulated with zinc, leucine, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which contribute to muscle strength and regeneration.

• Avoid Constipation

  Reduce straining when moving your bowels by eating a diet rich in fiber and staying well hydrated.

• Increased Exercise

  It’s not all about Kegels: several exercises help strengthen the pelvic floor easily, including lunges, yoga stretches, and breathing techniques.

  But Kegels are important, too, since the contracting and releasing of the pelvic floor muscles strengthens them.

  Contact a healthcare provider if you’re not sure if you’re doing them correctly.

• Maintain a Healthy Weight

  Obesity affects pelvic floor dysfunction. If you need help to lose weight, ask your healthcare provider.

Though it has a long history of traditional use for a wide variety of health conditions, apple cider vinegar has remained under the radar in scientific research.

That’s begun to change, and recent studies have explored its effectiveness for weight loss, skin conditions, blood-sugar control, and more.

History of Apple Cider Vinegar

Vinegar first appeared as a food source about 7,000 years ago in Babylonia. It was derived from dates and used as a preservative.

ACV was used extensively in ancient Greece. It was often mixed with honey and prescribed as a treatment for coughs and colds, among other maladies.

It also has a long history of medicinal use in Africa and in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

• As an Antimicrobial

  Research has shown that ACV has strong antimicrobial properties.

  Tests support its effectiveness against:

  • Escherichia coli (E. coli)
  • Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (Staph infections)
  • Candida albicans fungi

  All three are major causes of infections in humans.

• For Eczema

  ACV has a cooling and toning effect on eczema.

  It works best diluted in water or green tea but should not be used on open cuts (it will burn).

  Try adding a half cup to a lukewarm bath and soaking in it.

• For Acid Reflux / Heartburn

  A spoonful of ACV can help ease acid reflux or heartburn.

  Don’t overdo it: ACV has a high acid profile, and can cause an stomach upset.

• For Hair Care

  You can tame frizzy hair with a rinse made from equal parts ACV and water.

  Rinse the hair with the mixture after shampooing.

Precautions

A typical daily dose is less than 2 tablespoons.

Check with your healthcare practitioner before adding it to your regimen.

• Potassium Deficiency

  Ingesting too much ACV may cause a reduction in potassium levels.

• Dental Health

  Because of its high acidity, ACV can also erode tooth enamel if overused.

• With Medications

  ACV might affect the work of certain medications, including insulin.

Once again, it’s an overtime day and a fast-food dinner.

You’re so frazzled, even days off feel like work, and forget about a decent night’s sleep.

If only you could wind down and unplug!

Enter qigong (say “chee-gong”), a type of moving meditation.

What Is Qigong?

Similar to yoga, this practice from traditional Chinese medicine combines thousands of simple and repetitive postures and slow gestures with relaxed and purposeful breathing and a present-focused mind.

While doing qigong, you can remain perfectly still or you can move—from ever so slightly to dancerly.

How you position your body informs your state of mind (and vice versa), while your body and breath improve your physical health.

You can do qigong anywhere, whether sitting, standing, or lying down. And yes, you can make time for it!

Benefits of Qigong

Just two minutes of qigong here and there throughout the day can reduce stress and help with depression and anxiety. It also helps you manage chronic conditions and prevent illness, and it encourages healthy aging.

“Qigong creates functional changes within the body to produce the most profound medicine ever discovered,” says Roger Jahnke, a doctor of Oriental medicine and director of the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi, in Santa Barbara, CA. He’s the author of The Healing Promise of Qi: Creating Extraordinary Wellness Through Qigong and Tai Chi.

For starters, qigong (qi for “life force” and gong for “practice”) mobilizes the blood and other body fluids, including those related to the lymphatic system, joints, brain, and spine. It also increases blood-vessel elasticity, so the heart pumps more easily.

“The blood carries in more oxygen and nutrition, and lymph more effectively flushes out toxic byproducts through the elimination system,” Dr. Jahnke explains. This, in turn, enhances the immune system, cell metabolism, and tissue regrowth.

How Does Qigong Work?

The body loves qigong. It’s why millions of people worldwide do this practice that originated before recorded history. You can’t help but feel calmer, given your relaxed yet alert posture, abdominal breathing, and mindful attention.

“These are the ‘three treasures,’ in an internal conspiracy of cooperation that the Chinese call ‘the qigong effect,’” Dr. Jahnke says. “When you slow down to the length of a deep breath and link it to the gestures, it triggers the body’s relaxation response.”

Instead of the fight, flight, or freeze typical of the sympathetic nervous system when you’re under stress, qigong releases parasympathetic hormones. Heart rate and blood pressure decrease, immediately calming you and sharpening your mental focus.

“When you do qigong, you stop doing everything else,” Dr. Jahnke said. “You stop being busy and worrying about the past or future, and you tend not to catastrophize or ruminate."

"You also are, then, more aware of what your body is doing, in movement or stillness, and how you feel within your body.”

Getting Started with Qigong

You can try qigong right now:

1. Stand or sit upright, or lie down stretched out.
2. Like a tree rooted firmly in the ground with its leaves fluttering, imagine being pulled from the base of your spine down into the center of the earth with your head lifted way up into the sky.
3. Slowly breathe in through your nose into your belly, hold for several seconds, then slowly exhale, letting yourself increasingly relax. Picture clouds drifting by or a stream bubbling through the forest.
4. Then notice what your body is doing and how it feels.

It can begin that simply!

In the midst of racing around and getting stressed out, qigong invites you to ease up and chill out. Enjoy those moments of quietude and relief, and get to know the healer within.