December 23, 2019 | Silver Magazine

Health

Health benefits of blue cheese

An ancient cheese, unlike some mass-produced cheeses, blue cheese has some excellent health benefits. Let’s take a look! It’s called blue cheese because of the molds that grow in it; they’re blue in colour. This is the bacteria present in all cheeses and in this case, a special kind that makes that colour. There are various kinds like Roquefort, Danablu, Gorgonzola and Blue Stilton. Blue cheese is low in calories yet is full of various nutrients that are essential for our body Good for the heart Blue cheese has been shown to reduce cholesterol and help reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease. But like all foods, don’t over-indulge! Fights Arthritis Research has shown that the molds in blue cheese have very powerful anti-arthritis benefits as it fights inflammation in the body. If you have arthritis, blue cheese can help fight it as well as prevent it. Fights Osteoporosis As we

Giles Crouch December 23, 2019

Health

Sleep cleans your brain? Yes.

We all love a good night’s sleep and nothing feels better than feeling rested and pumped for the day. We know that sleep is important for us too and now new research could show just how important sleep is! When we sleep, we go through several phases starting with light, then deep then REM (Rapid Eye Movement) which many of us are familiar with. Until now, not much research has been done on the deep sleep phase. And what this research reveals is very interesting indeed! Turns out, that essentially, our spinal fluid goes into our brain and cleans out the toxins that get into our brains during the day! The research was conducted by Dr. Laura Lewis of Boston University and her research was released in the journal Science on October 31st. Dr. Lewis studies deep sleep or the non-REM phase. Research believes that during the non-REM phase, the

Giles Crouch December 23, 2019

Travel

The art of survival with Les Stroud

Les Stroud has been bitten by sharks, chased by a rampaging bull moose, survived solo adventures in extreme conditions across the planet, and undergone shamanic rituals in the darkest jungles. Through it all, he strives to follow one simple rule: Remain calm. Les Stroud has led a life of extremes, but he’s not an extreme guy. As the star of Survivorman, he pretty much invented the genre of solo adventure TV, but he grew up in the city of Toronto. A former outdoor guide, he and his (now ex-) wife lived far off the grid, experimenting with a Paleolithic existence. On his latest TV show, Beyond Survival, he joins in rituals among indigenous peoples across the globe, but he also teaches survival skills to elite members of the Canadian Forces. A member of the prestigious Manhattan-based Explorers Club, he also refers back to what he learned as a garbage collector.

David Holt December 23, 2019

Fitness

Exercise your smile! Seriously!

There are over 40 muscles in the human face, but you’ve likely never thought of exercising them. From cheek push-ups to chin presses there are plenty of facial workouts you can do while sitting on the couch. Meghan Markle the Duchess of Sussex has said she performs facial exercises that sculpt her face and now, a Northwestern University study is backing her up. The study reports that women who followed a 30-minute facial exercise program ended up appearing younger with fuller upper and lower cheeks. Before and after photos of the women were rated by a panel of independent dermatologists. On average the panel found the women looked three years younger in the after shots. The group of participants, aged 40 to 65, were taught 32 exercises to be performed for about one minute daily at first then every other day for five months. “The exercises enlarge and strengthen the

Payge Woodard December 23, 2019

Health

A different approach to goal setting

Traditional goal setting often doesn’t work. The mindfulness you learn from yoga can help. We begin with the best intentions, whether our goal is to lose 10lbs, run a marathon or work out five times a week. Recent research has emphasized creating SMART goals: goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. However, even these goals have a high failure rate. The statistics are dreary, with 80% of us not achieving our new year’s resolutions. What are we doing wrong? When we create goals focused on a singular outcome, they by their very nature set us up for failure. These outcome-focused goals can trigger resistance and frustration because we are constantly fighting against learned behaviours, old habits and prior experiences that create “negative chatter” in our minds. Instead of persevering when we miss the mark, we give up. Adopt a yoga mindset When we adopt the yoga mindset off

Anne Green December 23, 2019