⭑ These 3 seeds carry some big metabolic benefits ✔ Add them daily
⭑ Put your snacking on the backburner by eating 2 foods ✔ Stay feeling full
⭑ Sore shin muscles can be relieved and avoided with this warm-up ✔
⭑ Weak calves are the source of many aches and pains - strength them

All strength to Ukraine 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

Hello,

I trust you are well and active.

Marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk's advice to people wanting to blog or write a book is "document your life or work, give people a behind-the-scenes look".

This is how I stumble upon my weekly topics, and sometimes it is literally a stumble. Today, it's about seeds - which occurred to me as I made up a weekly batch of my gut health mixture (see item 2 in this newsletter).

Re the item on treating shin splints, I tried "race walking" at the running club last Wednesday evening and it is quite demanding. Some of the walkers mentioned to me that they suffer from shin splints, so I thought that I would be proactive and perhaps avoid that pain.

Today, in item #1, is combination of three common seeds which have tremendous benefits for your gut health, immune function, and cardiovascular functioning.

Then in item #2 I'm tackling how to avoid snacking as often by eating two foods which make you feel a long fuller for longer. And they are enjoyable.

And in item #3: shin splints. The curse of walkers, runners and, as I discovered, race walkers. You can dramatically lessen the onset and help relieve shin splints with this massage technique.

Wow, weak calves can wreak havoc on your body, with pains from your ankles to your knees to your hips and lower back. Here's how to strengthen them —see item #4.
​
Your podcast of this newsletter is here (14 min).

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01 Eat These 3 Seeds Daily To Boost Your Healthspan

While I was preparing and blending the mixture I have daily in a shake it struck me that seeds are underrated for improving our healthspan and longevity. I guess I've finally caught up with the advocates, who much on pumpkin seeds.

Here are three that, taken daily, are highly beneficial:

1. Papaya seeds - for gut health: Rich in antioxidants (flavonoids, polyphenols) and compounds like carpaine, which fight parasites and reduce inflammation. Studies suggest they may lower LDL cholesterol, protect kidney function, and even inhibit cancer cell growth.
2. Watermelon seeds. Don’t spit these out! Watermelon seeds pack protein, healthy fats, fibre, and must-haves like magnesium (for sleep and stress) and zinc (for immunity and skin). They’re a snackable way to keep your body humming.
3. Sesame seeds - One tablespoon delivers ~25% of our daily copper needs (supports immunity) and contain lignans, which reduces blood pressure and oxidative stress.

⇒ Incorporating nutrient-dense seeds like papaya, watermelon, and sesame into your diet can significantly enhance healthspan by supporting gut health, immune function, and cardiovascular well-being.

What this means for you: Incorporating nutrient-dense seeds like papaya, watermelon, and sesame into your diet can significantly enhance healthspan by supporting gut health, immune function, and cardiovascular well-being.

Here are the daily serving types and doses:

• Papaya seeds: 1 teaspoon daily. I blend mine fresh into my weekly mixture. They can be bitter - toss them into a smoothie with banana or pineapple; the sweetness helps mask the bitterness. Another option is to mash the seeds into a dressing or marinade along with olive oil, vinegar, and a little honey.
• Watermelon seeds: Fill the palm of your hand. Eat dry, or sprout them as have them in salad, or roast in an oven at around 325°F (160°C) for 15-20 minutes.
• Sesame seeds: Sprinkle a tablespoon of ground seeds into or over something that you have daily, or into a shake. They don’t digest much if taken whole. The grinds oxidise over time, yet interestingly ground sesame seeds have naturally anti oxidant properties. Meaning they have a degree of resistance to oxidation. If you are keen, grind daily.

⇒ Try these nutrient-dense seeds as they can significantly enhance your healthspan by supporting gut health, immune function, and cardiovascular well-being.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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02 Two Foods To Help You Break Your Snacking Habit

It's always helpful to find ways to curb snacking, and also to find ways to keep yourself feeling full and thus not finding yourself seeking snacks.

I tend to reach for a banana or a palmful of almonds or walnuts. But these have calories that you might prefer to avoid. Here are two, perhaps unexpected, alternatives:

1. More spinach - sounds awful, but experts say it can help quell your appetite. It's full of fabulous benefits for longevity. Raw spinach has more lutein and vitamin C, cooked spinach better brings out the bioavailability of other vitamins such as vitamin A, beta carotene, thiamin, riboflavin, magnesium and calcium.
2. Chia seeds - these support heart health via omega-3 fatty acids, aid digestive health with high fibre content, promote bone strength with calcium and magnesium, regulate our blood sugar levels, and provide antioxidant protection ⇒ all of which contribute to enhanced longevity.
   ​
   BUT, the reason they are in this section about curbing snacking is because when chia seeds are mixed with liquid, they form a gel ⇒ which slows down digestion and leaves you feeling full (for longer).

What this means for you: The trick to using chia seeds or spinach to help you stave off snacking is in how you time eating them during the day. Here are three suggestions:

• Start your day with a green smoothie by blending spinach with your favorite fruits and a source of protein (like Greek yogurt or a scoop of protein powder). This healthy and filling, thanks to the fibre and volume of spinach.
• Prepare chia seed pudding as a snack or breakfast option. Mix 3 tablespoons of chia seeds with 1 cup of almond milk (or any preferred liquid) and let it sit for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge. You can add vanilla extract, honey, or your choice of fruit for flavor. The gel-like consistency will keep you feeling full and avoid snacking.
• Create a lunch or dinner baby spinach salad topped with vegetables, lean protein (like grilled chicken or chickpeas), and a homemade dressing that includes chia seeds. To make the dressing, combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the chia seeds to expand. This will reduce your urge to snack later.

Pro Tip #1: I always use baby spinach which is not as hard core as traditional spinach but has the same nutritional benefits.

Pro Tip #2: Don't get caught up in the current TikTok craze about eating mountains of raw spinach. Remember, spinach leaves have toxins which poison their insect enemies. Although raw spinach is fine, as of course you want the texture for salads, a 10 to 30 second burst in the microwave will degrade the insect toxins.

⇒ By timing meals with spinach and chia seeds you'll keeping snacking at bay.

Related: ​Brain Health Is Boosted By Eating Less, Often — Here’s How To Start​​​​

@Medium - Follow me on Medium ↗, covering ⭑food, ⭑brain, ⭑body, ⭑life

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03 Painful Shin Splints? This Self-Massage Will Help

At my first attempt at Race Walking last Wednesday a few of the participants referred to their irritating shin splints.

It seems this irritation comes from a combination of imperfect technique, imbalance in their lower leg muscles e.g. shin muscles weak compared to the calf muscles, and the sheer repetitive impact forces involved.

If you have experienced them, shin splints are painful and can be debilitating. The massages below will help. Do it before starting anything which puts pressure on your shin muscles.

⇒ "Shin splints"? What a strange word for muscle soreness! It just means shin muscle pain i.e. strain on the muscles and tendons that attach to your shinbone.

What this means for you: This massage will reducing muscle tension around the your shinbone, increase blood flow to reduce inflammation, provide temporary pain relief by lowering nerve sensitivity, and improve flexibility.

Positioning: Sit comfortably with your leg extended or slightly bent, allowing easy access to the shin area.

Warming: Begin with light, long strokes up and down your shin, covering the entire area from the ankle to just below the knee. Use flat hands and apply gentle pressure. Focus on warming the tissues and increasing superficial blood flow. Repeat for 2-3 minutes

Tendon Focus: Locate the tendons along the front of the shin, on either side of the tibia (shinbone). Use your fingertips or thumbs to apply gentle, circular friction to these tendons. The pressure should be light and comfortable. Focus on areas where you feel any tension or tightness. Work along the length of the tendons, both on the inside and outside of the shin. Repeat for 1-2 minutes per tendon.

⇒ This useful video has other quick warm-up exercises which will help you avoid shin splints (ankle mobility, pointing toes away, bringing them back doing circles in both directions, heel-toe walk, calf raises, and single leg balance).

Related: ​Walking Backwards Benefits So Much More Than Your Knees​​​​​​​​​​​​

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04 Stronger Calves Help Relieve Many Pains

Our exercise of the week is ... the wall-sit heel raise.

You can do this anywhere. It's simple yet it will strengthen your key lower body muscles crucial for mobility and balance - a lot.

It's a wall sit with heel raise. The heel raise is important as it specifically targets your calf muscles. Strong calves are essential for walking and climbing stairs, maintaining ankle stability and thus reducing the risk of falls.

Let's have a closer look as this as I would say that the consequences for us of weak calves is not fully understood:

• Weak calves mean unstable ankles which means falls, and also a much higher risk of painful ankle sprains.
• When calves are weak, our body compensates by altering our gait and weight distribution. This places excessive stress on our knees, leading to pain and increased risk of osteoarthritis.
• Similar to knee pain, altered gait patterns due to weak calves can also strain the hip joints, causing pain and discomfort.
• Changes in posture and gait also affect our lower back, leading to pain and discomfort.
• The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. Weak calves lead to overuse and strain of this tendon, resulting in Achilles tendinitis.
• And, weak calves cause to tightness in the plantar fascia, the tissue that runs along the bottom of our foot, leading to plantar fasciitis.

⇒ All of these consequences impair your healthspan.

What this means for you: Aim for 2 to 3 sets a week, you'll notice a significant difference after about 4 to 6 months.

Watch this short video for the correct technique.

⇒ Level-up: Make it an isometric exercise, add a 10 second hold up on your toes.
⇒ Level-up: Bring your heels closer to the wall and do the set from this position. ​​​​​​​​​​​​

Thanks for reading!

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>> My Latest Blog Post: Energise Your Golden Years: Boosting Your Desire to Exercise with Gut-Healthy Foods​

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