Author: Andreas

Sunday Health Hack No. 8 – Every morning in the bathroom, while you maybe still have your toothpaste in your mouth, put some lukewarm water in the palm of your hand, put one nostril into your palm (in the water), breathe in (through your nose) and suck the water up. Repeat the procedure with the other nostril.

I learned this “nosy” trick from my first scuba diving teacher. On the first day she explained to us the importance of the frontal sinus system for pressure equalisation (not so much the “ears” as everyone might think, though an ear-infection can be painful too of course). And to keep that nasal sinus system clean and healthy from day one for enjoying a nice vacation and great dives she recommended to go to the beach at least every morning and pull a bit of salt water up our nose for cleansing the frontal sinus, keeping it free from any potential bacteria or other stuff (dirt, dust, mucus, you name it) which could lead to an infection.

Over the years I got so used to it I continued to do this little procedure not only during my scuba diving vacations but also at home. We constantly breath in so much “dust” when on the street, in the office or at home, which clogs our sinus system, it made sense to get rid of that not only during a sunny vacation.

Much later I then learned that “nose-pulling” is actually an old Ayurvedic medicine tradition as well, called “Neti”. But it is primarily applied only when you are already kinda sick. “Illnesses” in Ayurvedic medicine are principally in association with an “imbalance” of your “Doshas”. In this case an elevated Kapha Dosha can lead to excessive mucus, which then settles in the typical Kapha regions such as the head and chest area. Neti is intended to loosen this phlegm so that we feel free and more relaxed all over again (balancing the Doshas).
Kapha is based on earth and water. It can be described as steady, stable, heavy, slow, cold, and soft. But too much “cold” (winter) and too less “fire”, the “Pitta” Dosha, a Dosha imbalance and thus a congestion of the nasal sinus can be the result.

But then it’s getting complicated. In Ayurvedic medicine you’ve got to use a “Neti” ceramic pot which looks like Aladdin’s magic lamp. If you are not up for an Ayurvedic “deep-dive”, forget it. It’s a mess, spilling water all over your face and bathroom floor if not done properly!
Keep it simple. As mentioned above, just put some lukewarm water in your hollow hand and pull it up through your nose.

In Ayurveda they also use salt-water. That has quite a “burn” effect which is helpful if your sinus is already totally plugged (sniffles, common cold, sinusitis). But on a “normal” daily basis, you don’t have to go through that “extra torture”.

And be “gentle” in the beginning. Don’t go full force right away when sucking in the water. Most are so clogged, their sinus system, it will take a while til “things” loosen up again and the “old dirt” is gone.
No one is rushing you, take your time, and eventually you will have the sensation that the water will go all through and run down the back of your throat.
And have some tissues ready as well. Blow your nose before you suck in the water and then you definitely will have to afterwards, as some water will find its way back too, this time with some “residue”. Which is good!

The first beneficial side-effect you will notice is that you get the feeling that you can “breathe” much better and deeper afterwards (which is correct). And if you haven’t been awake at that time nose-pulling will certainly do the trick, as it also stimulates a little “explosion”, starting at your forehead, evolving into your brain, sort of firing up the brain neurons.

Another (huge) health benefit is that the “membranes” in your nasal system get “flexible”, active and strong again.
Your nasal system is your “first line of defence”. Most viruses are “airborne” and are transmitted via aerosols, entering our body primarily through your nasal system, not the mouth (cavity) as this is a much too long, acidic way for the viruses to get through.
And most often, the viruses can just pass through without any hindrances, when the nasal system is stiff, without activity, and even busy with mucus, dirt and dust.
And then it’s up to the immune system of the body whether and how it can handle the virus load coming in.
A “clean”, active and strong sinus system is of major importance to your overall health. It won’t prevent that no viruses or bacteria enter your system in the first place, put it will put up a good fight.

We all have learned and read that the severeness, eg. of the COVID-19 implications, are in close relation to the “virus load” people took in. Well, if you had been exposed by a virus truck-load but most weren’t able to pass through your active and strong nasal system, your chances majorly improve for not ending up in the hospital.
But it’s not only because of Covid again. The flue virus has got hardly any chance either. And say good-by to common colds (which are also caused by all kinds of different viruses). Sinus infections are also a thing of the past as bacteria have no chance to settle down in this “clean” environment. And so on.

After a while you will notice that you generally can breathe (through the nose) much better. And the intake of oxygen when you breathe through the nose is much higher as if you breathe through your mouth. Your cognition, concentration and focus improve, as does your energy level.
But “the art of breathing” will be another extra hack somewhen in the future.

Extra tip for “snorers”: Maybe an even more important reason for some to at least giving it a try – it helps in many cases against “snoring”. “Snoring” has multiple causes but there are two major ones. One is that most “snorers” breathe through their mouth and the reason for that is most often that their nasal system is totally plugged. The other one is that the whole nasal system is totally hardened, it’s like cement, like creaking oak.
By making it “flexible” again, by increasing the blood circulation in your nasal system again, by being able to “breathe” again (through your nose), many of the root causes of snoring can be eliminated.

Dive & breathe, Yours  Andreas

Sunday Hack Quote
Pause. Breathe. Repair the universe. Repeat.

Sunday Hack Music
A (icon) tonic vibe for the (Sunday) morning bathroom, thrusting you in the right mood for a “chilled” day ahead.

Sunday Health Hack No. 7 – Simply add a spoon of turmeric powder in your pasta water.

The four elements of western culture are: EARTH, AIR, FIRE, and WATER. So let me add a 5^th one to it – TURMERIC.

I am only kinda exaggerating. Turmeric is such a powerful spice with multidruple health benefits which is why i.a. it has been one of the main pillars of Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years.
Many are already aware about the health benefits of pepper or curry but unfortunately turmeric is still often overlooked by many in the Western world.
One reason might be for not being sure how / where to use turmeric in the diet because of its distinctive bitter, black pepper-like flavour and earthy, mustard-like aroma which is not everyone’s favourite.

So, Sunday Health Hack No. 7, an easy way to incorporate turmeric into your diet is that you add a tablespoon of turmeric powder into your (boiling) water when cooking pasta, quinoa, or rice (in combination with Himalayan salt).

During the cooking process, the “cells” of the pasta (quinoa or rice) are opening up, absorbing the turmeric (and the salt), which is why they then also get a slight “yellow/orange” colour from the turmeric. But the “earthy” taste is gone, still all its benefits remain.
Of course, you can (should) put turmeric also maybe in your soups or any kind of extra sauces you prepare for meals too. You can sprinkle it onto your sandwich or – very trendy – put some even into your coffee. The more, the merrier.
But this is about what’s the easiest way how to integrate turmeric (sufficiently) as a fix staple in your daily nutrition.

So, let’s get to the good (health benefits) part. On purpose I like to combine turmeric with carbohydrates (like pasta). Every time you eat, your blood-sugar-levels rise, even more so if sugar or carbohydrates are involved. One of the most important functions of the pancreas is to produce sufficient insulin for bringing down the blood sugar level. Stress (too much food or too many meals during the day) and inflammation in the pancreas can negatively affect production of insulin and blood sugar control. The second most important function of pancreas is to produce digestive enzymes which break down fat and protein. Not having sufficient digestive enzymes to break down carbs can make you gain weight and feel sluggish.
Turmeric (more precisely the “curcuminoids” in the tumeric) now supports and works hand in hand with the pancreas to stabilize blood sugar (glucose) after every meal. Which then gives the liver a break for doing its job even more efficiently (filtering the glucose out of the food and storing it as glycogen, breaking down the fats etc.).
The liver is arguably the most dynamic and essential organ in the body (and unfortunately often the most neglected). Think of it as the master filtration and detoxification system of your body. And studies have shown that turmeric not only actively supports the liver in its detoxification process but also even acts like a little “safeguard” at the doorstep to the liver, already eliminating many of the “bad stuff” which wants to pass through the liver.
That’s because of the turbo anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of curcumin. Yes, there are other foods, herbs and spices which are potent antioxidants too. But turmeric specifically supports and protects your most important organ, the liver.

Another “organ” which benefits immensely from these anti-inflammatory activities is your “brain”. Yes, issues like “environmental / business / private stress” (or lack of sleep) put your brain neurons on constant fire which has a negative effect on cognition, memory, focus or alertness. So think turmeric as your brain-firefighter.

And the list goes on and on – Turmeric drives autophagy, the recycling process of “dead” cells and waste in your body, cleaning your “system”. Turmeric improves the function of your mitochondria, your cell’s “energy power plants”. Or in Ayurvedic medicine turmeric is also used as a great “skin healer”, applied topically, for all kind of issues, from acne to wrinkles, as it enhances collagen synthesis and significantly speeds up tissue repair.

Special for vegans / vegetarians – Turmeric dramatically increases the enzymes needed for converting plant-based omega-3s (like eg. in flax seeds).

Special for gym-rats – Put some turmeric in your “post-workout-shake”. Due to its potent anti-inflammation attributes, it speeds up the “recovery” (healing) process and helps with the soreness.

Special for today’s Corona situation – Studies have found that curcumin is a promising compound for complementary COVID-19 treatment. Emphasis on “complementary” of course but still, the antiviral activity of curcumin has been long established against a variety of viruses including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), Influenza A, and now the respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS).

But primarily, please remember turmeric as the best friend of your liver and your brain, your two most important “organs” for keeping you healthy and wise.

Tip – I buy turmeric in a “bulk”. Most Indian shops do have (organic) turmeric powder in 500gr or 1.000gr bags. Or I order it online directly from a trusted source like Azafran (in Germany).
https://bit.ly/3IOdkRT
Emphasizing once again, that I have no relation and no affiliation with this company. But people keep on asking for recommendations, and I don’t want to let them buy some junk either.

Extra-hack – Add some black pepper into the mix (eg. the pasta water). Each, turmeric and black pepper, have immense health benefits on their own, due to the compounds curcumin I mentioned above and piperine in black pepper. But combining these two spices magnifies their effects, as piperine enhances curcumin absorption in the body by up to 2.000%!

Love & spices – Andreas  

Quote
Consistency is more important than perfection.

Music
An homage to Milla Jovovich in the 5^th Element movie. Not only matches her hair the colour of turmeric 🙂 but metaphorically the way how she kicks ass is what turmeric does to the “bad guys” in your “system”.

Sunday Health Hack No. 6 – Take 5.000 IU of Vitamin D with your morning drink.

I am sure many already read somewhere in these Corona times that Vitamin D is a great virus killer. Which is true but its importance for our health is so much more which is why, besides Vitamin C, I want to reference it early on.

Still I want to reference a few interesting studies and findings regarding Vitamin D and Covid-19 –

• 80% of all COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms, hospitalisation or who passed away had a major Vitamin D insufficiency
• Or COVID-19 patients with an adequate Vitamin D level had a 50-70% lower risk (depending on the studies, still significant) of serious complications and also recovered much faster

So Vitamin D should definitely be part of your daily “health stack” in these days, but, again, for many more reasons too.

Though, for arguments sake, let me emphasize again – Vitamin D doesn’t protect you from “catching” the Corona virus but it’s a powerful tool in your arsenal to fight off the worst of it!

As you know, Vitamin D is also called the “sunshine” Vitamin. A quick, little bit of science to that –
When your skin is exposed to sunlight, the (7-dehydro) Cholesterol in your skin absorbs the UVB radiation and is converted to the pre-Vitamin D3 which in turn isomerizes into vitamin D3.
The problem is that most of us are stuck in the (home) office all day, and if we do not live somewhere in a “sunshine state” even the weekends are murky half the year.
So almost impossible to get your healthy dose of sunshine, around 20min (depending on the skin “colour”), on a daily basis to keep your levels up. Especially in the “dark” winter times when the immune system is under constant attack anyway and needs all the support it can get.

Speaking of – let’s take a quick look regarding the overall health benefits of Vitamin D. Without getting too deep into the science (about how Vitamin D does this and what’s happening in the body) we already established that Vitamin D is a potent “virus killer” supporting the immune system to fight off viral infections such as influenza and corona (virus), especially reducing the risk of acute respiratory infections.
Next, Vitamin D is famous for its bone-building and strengthening powers. Vitamin D promotes absorption of calcium in your gut, which ultimately allows for normal mineralization of your bones.
Low Vitamin D levels are consistently associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension (high blood-pressure) and cardiovascular diseases, though the exact “why” and the chemical processes are not yet clear to science. Still, even more reasons to keep your Vitamin D levels up.
And like “sunlight” Vitamin D has got a major influence on regulating your “mood”. Again, studies have shown that low levels of Vitamin D are a huge risk factor for severe fibromyalgia symptoms (fatigue and sleep disturbances), anxiety, and depression.
One reason is that Vitamin D helps your mitochondria (your cell power-plant) to use oxygen even better for powering various parts of the body, including your brain or muscles.

But let me stop here, many more (pro health) arguments could be made, let’s focus on the two, three take-aways to remember, A) Vitamin D is a potent virus killer, B) you need Vitamin D for strong bones (which hold you together until old age), and C) it’s a brain, mood and energy booster.

By the way, that’s where walking (Sunday Health Hack No. 5) comes into play as well. At home or in the office you have a “light exposure” of approx. 500 lux. A cloudy day still offers you at least 2.000 lux, nevertheless 4x as much. Nothing compared to bright sunlight though, pleasing you with around 100.000 lux. Still, being outside, and even just for a quick walk around the block before and after meals, will add to healthy Vitamin D levels too.

Unfortunately, “food” is no real source this time to make up for any deficiencies. Yes, “meat eaters” claim that there is (some) Vitamin D especially in “fish” products (salmon, herring etc.) but still you’d have to consume tons of it (daily) to get to the levels of an 20min sunlight exposure.
So supplementing Vitamin D on a daily basis is the best way to support your health in these mostly “grey” autumn, winter and spring times.

I know, many sneer about or are reluctant of taking “extra supplements”. But as mentioned, “food” is not an option in this case, and unlike our ancestors we are not outside on the field (or hunting) all day any more.

Study intake recommendations are all over the place, ranging from 1.000 IU (study with obese people) to 40.000 IU daily (study with severe Covid cases).
An established baseline offering the most “health benefits” seems like 5.000-10.000 IU per day. And a good supplement product combines D3 with Vitamin K2. As I’ve mentioned in my “Sauerkraut” hack, K2 plays a major role in “processing” Calcium, “distributing” it to all the right placed needed. So if D3 intensifies the absorption of Calcium from your gut, K2 should stand by right away.

Sunday Health Hack No. 6 – Take your Vitamin D3/K2 supplement right in the morning with your “morning drink” (quality water, some lemon spritz, some apple cider vinegar).

And again, quality matters. Don’t buy just “any” Vitamin D product in the supermarket. Vitamin D3 is inexpensive, so it’s worth to spend a bug more or so.

A trusted source I found in Germany for many of my supplements is “Sunday Natural”. Emphasizing again, that I have no relation and no affiliation with this company. But people keep on asking for recommendations, and I don’t want to let them buy some junk either.
https://bit.ly/3qQxyUX

Love & sunshine – Andreas

PS: And just for “clarification” – I am talking about a 20min sun exposure, not “roasting” for hours on the beach!

Quote
I can’t “teach” you anything but I can make you think. (Socrates)

Music
Of course it has to be THIS track, and in case you’ve missed Notting Hill to watch during the Christmas days, now is still a good “grey Sunday” couch time.