Semi-Salty

Those who are mindful of their sodium intake also have to watch out for "hidden" sources. Ketchup and bread are both high in sodium and are often forgotten about. This cute "dip or squeeze" ketchup packet was seen in a restaurant; the package is cute, but the product still sucks.  :P

In my last Integrative Therapeutics lecture on Monday, we wrapped up our discussion of treatment options for cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, and hyperlipidemia. We also chatted about hypertension (though we had already completed a model on treating hypertension, aka high blood pressure, earlier in the semester).

We broached the topic of salt when we were covering the dietary modifications portion of the lecture. Those with hypertension should be extremely mindful of their salt (aka sodium chloride) intake as too much salt can raise blood pressure. My professor mentioned the product "No Salt" (the product Nu-Salt also exists, as do many other salt imitation products). Instead of being a jar of sodium chloride (NaCl), this product is made of potassium chloride (KCl). Therefore, it is sodium-free ...yet apparently still tastes "salty". I haven't tried this product and thus can't vouch for it's salty taste, but I am intrigued by the idea of a salt-less salt. According to Amazon, the reviews are mixed.

I know I will treat many salt-addicts as a doctor, so I am definitely interested in salty alternatives beyond products like Mrs. Dash and Herbamare (though I LOVE Herbamare and highly recommend it; it is made of salt plus herbs and seasonings) ...and of course I will recommend that patients use herbs and spices to season food instead of salt when possible.

Cleaner Cleaners

Some of my cleaner cleaners

Let's chat about cleaning supplies. You're trying to clean your house, but if you aren't using a cleaner cleaner, you may be making the place dirtier than it was before you cleaned. By dirtier, I don't mean muddy, grimy, or stinky; rather I mean that they dirty up the air quality and your lungs, as the majority of household cleaners are extremely toxic. If you find that cleaning products fumes hurt your lungs, irritate your skin, make your eyes water, or leave harsh smells that linger in your house for hours, then it's time to clean-up your cleaners!

A compilation of 10 of cleaner cleaners:

(in no particular order)

1) Eco-Vert: A Canadian cleaner supplies company, from Quebec
2) Ecover: I buy their dish soap and sprays (both shown above)
3) ECOS: I use their laundry detergent, which I buy at Costco
4) Nature Clean: I've tried most of their products and have had positive experiences
5) Seventh Generation: A popular cleaning supplies company among my peers
6) President's Choice Green: I've only tried their dishwasher tablets. I can't vouch for the other products
7) Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap: An awesome product especially if you want to make your own cleaning supplies (see #10 for recipes) and beauty care products
8) Mrs. Meyer's: Never used, but my local health food store stocks all their products
9) I do not recommend Green Works as this product is owned by Chlorox and I just don't trust a super toxic cleaning company to also produce a healthier, greener product. Their products also smell horrible: very synthetic-chemical smelling.
10) Make-it-yourself: Lots of recipes here and here. I've made homemade cleaners in the past and liked them, but due to time constraints of being at CCNM, I got out of the habit.

...and we're back!

...back to school, that is. 

After 2+ weeks of reading week and midterms, today was the first day back to school. It was busy being back to the grind, but I missed the hustle of bustle of daily school (however, some aspects were extremely stressful, so I hated those parts of today... more on that in another post). Also, now that it is March, things are busy again so I can't guarantee daily posts. I'll pop in as much as I can, but if I don't post, it's because life and school are really hectic!

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Check out this awesome Canadian health news! I've talked about dandelion root in the past as a good liver detoxifier and replacement for coffee, but who knew that it fights cancer? I'm actually having a cup of dandelion tea right now as I type! Here's my favorite brand, but you can also buy this one, or this one. Or, as explained in the news article, you can make your own by grinding dandelion roots!

Image taken from the Traditional Medicinals website.