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- Floss for your heart
Floss for your heart
Plus demystifying meat on gut health and golden words.
Issue 45 | February 7, 2025
image credit: freepik
Happy Friday!
February is American Heart Month. We’re kicking it off with a reminder to floss, which will make sense in a minute.♥️
In today’s issue:
Flossing for a better heart rhythm
You can eat meat and be healthy
How processed is your food, actually?
and more…
We love to hear from you—our community. Please share your feedback, stories, questions, testimonials, ideas, and more with us at [email protected].
👁️🗨️SPOTLIGHT
Flossing for healthy heart rhythm
image credit: freepik
Flossing just one day a week may also reduce the risk of stroke.
🧵 Flossing keeps your gums healthy and teeth pretty, and it can also reduce the risk of stroke and irregular heart rhythm caused by atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to preliminary research presented at the International Stroke Conference.
In a large-scale study, a person’s 25-year risk of stroke or atrial fibrillation was lower if they flossed at least 1x/week, versus not flossing.
22% lower risk of ischemic stroke in flossers
44% lower risk of a cardioembolic stroke
12% lower risk of AFib
Flossing did not reduce risk of thrombotic stroke.
🦷 The teeth/heart connection
Oral hygiene has long been associated with whole-body wellness, and a few key theories have emerged, Harvard Health reports.
Bacteria: After infecting the gums, it can travel to other blood vessels and cause inflammation, which eventually cause blood clots, heart attack or stroke.
Inflammation: Increases risk of heart disease and stroke, rather than the bacteria themselves.
A third factor: This may increase risk of both oral infection and cardiovascular disease—smoking, genetics, or limited access to health care.
Lifestyle+: Healthy blood pressure, low cholesterol, healthy weight, physical activity, proper nutrition, and sleep can all reduce risk of stroke.
➕ LIVE MORE
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WELLNESS WATCH - Nutrition
If you think eating meat is less healthy, consider this first
image credit: freepik
Gut health reflects overall health, and eating meat doesn't necessarily equate to worse health.
Eating more fruits and vegetables helps you live longer. Does that mean you should give up eating meat?
Not necessarily.
You can eat meat and have a healthy microbiome, so long as you incorporate enough plant-based foods into your diet, according to NPR. 🍗+🥗
During a recent study, researchers compared the gut microbiomes of vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores.
Vegans had a high ratio of good bacteria, as they ate more plant-based foods.
Omnivores had a higher population of bad bacteria, linked with inflammatory bowel disease and risk of colon cancer.
BUT…despite the increased risk linked with meat consumption, omnivores who ate a diversity of vegetables maintained a healthy gut.
In fact, omnivores who ate a heathy dose of vegetables had a similar gut microbiome to that of a vegan.
Big picture
Plants feed good gut bugs: This is linked to less inflammation, better immunity, and overall health and longevity.
Aim to eat 30 different plants a week: This includes whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and is proven to lead to the healthiest gut outcomes.
📰 IN OTHER NEWS
How processed is your food?
Researchers created a new database tool called GroceryDB to help consumers determine how processed a food is, ranking 50,000+ grocery items sold at three major US grocer chains (Target, Walmart, and Whole foods).
Same food, different story: The database exposes stark differences between the quality or level of processing of categorically similar items (bread, for instance) across retailers and brands. 🍞 ≠ 🍞
Researchers hope this “catalyze[s] a global effort” and helps people make healthy food choices or achieve nutritional security, says study co-author Dr. Giulia Menichetti of Harvard Medical School.
GroceryDB powers True Food, the actual website used to compare food items.
Quick reads
LONG-LEVITY
Three golden quotes from a healthy 100-year-old
At 100 years old, Jack Weber drives a car, plays golf, and is sharp as a tack. In a recent interview, the centenarian offers life advice for the next generation[s], and it’s not just ‘I’m lucky’ or ‘I’ve smoked three packs a day for 70 years.”
This advice is about changing your approach to life. It’s something I hope to take with me until I am 100 too.
“Open your heart, open your eyes. There’s a whole world out there around you.” 🌍
🫂 “You can’t get anywhere in life until you start doing things for other people.”
“I play each day, one day at a time. I enjoy that day. Keep a smile on my face. And I don’t let the old man get in my head.” 😊
Know anyone who has reached a 100-year milestone? Reply to this email with your favorite quote of theirs.
Share the love with a Valentines Day Menu
image credit: freepik
The holiday of love is right around the corner.
Show appreciation to your significant other, family, or friends with a home-cooked, elegant, and indulgent meal packed with nutrients and wholesome ingredients.
Get inspired with this sample menu. Feel free to make substitutions as desired.
Appetizer
Beet hummus with vegetable charcuterie and whole wheat pita chips; Spinach and feta stuffed mushrooms
Main
Persian salad with pomegranate; Seafood pasta with shrimp and scallops; Tuscan white bean skillet
Dessert
Baked pears with honey and ricotta; Dark chocolate-covered fruit
Drink
Non-alcoholic strawberry lime spritzer
LIVELONG+
Livelong Bookshelf: These essential longevity books will kickstart your path to health, vitality, and longevity in 2025.
☝️ Find your next transformative read here.
Podcast: Stay fit for decades with Dr. Vonda Wright, and build a better gut microbiome with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz.
What’s next?
➡️ Share this newsletter — you can support other health journeys by sharing our newsletter with your friends and family.
🌱 Our most recent edition — From Fire to Ice: Sauna for Lifespan.
🦉 WISDOM FOR LIFE
Don’t think old; think young. Because that’s what will keep you young.
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