Anxiety Alert
The constant stream of corona virus news, the many questions swirling around in our minds plus the fact we’re in uncharted waters means anxiety is rife right now. The soothing herb valerian can help to keep you calm while St John’s wort can help to lift your spirits.
Meanwhile, AnxietyUK[i] suggests practising the ‘APPLE’ technique to help you deal with any worries.
Acknowledge:
Notice and acknowledge any uncertainty as it comes to mind.
Pause:
Don’t react as you normally do. Pause and breathe.
Pull back:
Tell yourself this is just the worry talking. It is only a thought or feeling.
Let go:
Release the thought or feeling. It will pass. You don’t have to respond to it. Imagine it floating away in a bubble or cloud.
Explore:
Stay in the present moment. Notice your breathing and the sensations of your breathing. Notice the ground beneath you. Look around and notice what you see, what you hear, what you can touch, what you can smell. Then shift your focus to something else – mindfully and with your full attention.
Research finds eating more fruit and veg can reduce liklihood of stroke
Good news for fruit and veg lovers. Eating a piece of fruit and a large serving of vegetables such as broccoli every day could reduce your risk of having the most common type of stroke (ischaemic stroke) by around 13% according to a study published in European Heart Journal[ii]. The researchers looked at data from more than 418,000 people in nine European countries over 12 years.
The lead author of the study, Tammy Tong, a nutritional epidemiologist at Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, said that the links between different foods and strokes might be partly explained by the effects on blood pressure and cholesterol.
Go to work on an egg
After years of controversy over the health risks of eggs a recent study[iii] of more than 200,000 people reveals that moderate egg consumption (up to one egg a day) does not increase the likelihood of cardiovascular disease overall. What’s more, according to the researchers, participants were more at risk of CVD when researchers replaced one whole egg a day with a serving of processed red meat (15%), unprocessed meat (10%) or full fat milk (11%).
[i] www.anxietyuk.org.uk
[ii] European Heart Journal, Published online 24 February 2020
[iii] BMJ. Published online 4 March 2020
Images: Shutterstock
I read Hetbfacts every time I get your newsletter, and always find something new or interesting . I like the helpful friendly tone, and especially look out for Jane Garton’s contributions. This month’s tips on controlling anxiety are especially useful and I shall be practising them in a slightly modified way with my 10 year old grandaughter
who gets very concerned about the news. THANK YOU.