Vitamin C

We all know that vitamin c has many benefits for our bodies. Some benefits include healthy tissue growth, iron absorption and proper collagen formation. Recently though, it has been found that vitamin C can be beneficial for those who with Rheumatoid Arthritis. While Rheumatoid Arthritis affects 1.3 million adults in the U.S alone, researcher Dr. Nina Mikirova and her team have discovered that high doses of intravenous vitamin C eases the pain and inflammation associated with the major inflammatory joint disease. She explained that oxidative stress is elevated in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients, but reactive oxygen species are present as possible mediators of tissue damage. It was also found that RA patients tended to be vitamin C deficient and needed high dosage supplements to maintain vitamin C levels. 

Information taken from: http://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/contents/view_online-exclusives/2013-01-17/vitamin-c-proves-promising-for-rheumatoid-arthritis/

During the insanely cold winter days when you get brain freeze waiting for your bus, you might be inclined to buy a hot beverage to warm you up. Here are a few recipes to make your own yummy hot drinks. Making your own can save you some money, save a cup, help you avoid the nasty things that are often found in hot drinks (like artificial flavour, artificial colour, processed sugar etc.), plus it gives you the freedom to tailor it to your liking (dairy-free, soy-free, sugar-free etc.)

 

Mint Hot Chocolate

2 Cups Milk (regular, almond, soy, or coconut for a real treat)

2-3 tsp Pure Cocoa powder (Cocoa Camino is Canadian and fair-trade!)

Dash of salt

A few drops of peppermint extract

Sweeten to taste with agave nectar, raw cane sugar, honey or maple syrup

Heat the milk in a saucepan or in the microwave. Mix cocoa powder and salt in a mug. Pour milk slowly into mug, mixing as you go. Sweeten and add peppermint.

 

 Spiced Chai Steamer

2 Cups Milk (regular, almond, soy etc)

1 Chai Teabag

1/8 tsp vanilla extract

Sweeten to taste with agave nectar, raw cane sugar, honey or maple syrup

Heat the milk in a saucepan or in the microwave. Pour hot milk over tea bag, and steep for about 5 minutes. Sweeten and add vanilla extract. Add a pinch of cayenne for a kick!

 

 Hot Apple Cider

2 Cups Apple Juice (not from concentrate, or ½ C juice and ½ C water)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground ginger

Heat the juice in saucepan or in microwave. Mix the spices in a mug. Pour hot juice over spices.

 

Lemon Ginger Drink

2 Cups Water

3-5 Thin slices of fresh ginger (more if you like it really strong)

Juice of ½ a lemon (lime works too)

Sweeten to taste with agave nectar, raw cane sugar, honey or maple syrup

Boil the water, and pour it over the ginger slices. Let it brew for about 5-10 minutes (the longer the stronger). Add lemon juice and sweetener.

 

These are just a few ideas. Experiment with different spices, teas, and sweeteners! Try to go easy on the sweeteners though.

 

 

 

Clothing Sale

Welcome Back! I hope you all had a great break.

Our NANS Student Association meetings will pick up again next Thursday the 17th at 2:30 pm in SCIE 1508. Everyone is welcome and it's never too late to get involved.

Also, our NANS swag is on sale next week! We have T-shirts (American Apparel), hoodies, sweaters, sweatpants, water bottles, and lanyards all on sale starting next MONDAY (Jan 14) through Friday (Jan 18). Choose from a variety of colours and sizes to make your clothing unique to you. This will be the only clothing sale of the year so be sure to drop by SCIE 1503! The order form is BELOW. Check out our NANS logo!  

Selling Times (Jan 14-18) in SCIE 1503:
10:30 am -3:30 pm M/W/F
10:00 am -4:00 pm T/Th

Lastly, I want to bring your attention to the fact that the HHNS undergraduate scholarship applications are due around February 15th.

Best of luck this semester!

Eleanor

Nutritional and Nutraceutical Sciences Student Association
www.nnssa.blogspot.com

Clothing & Merch Order Guide

Item #	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Description	T-shirt; Crew neck	Sweater; Crew neck	Hoodie; Pullover	Hoodie; Zip-up	Sweatpants; No pockets	Water Bottle	Lanyard
Price	$15	$30	$30	$30	$30	$10	$5

Colours

1:  Reds:  Red, Poppy, Cranberry, Fuchsia 2-5: Grey, Black, Forest Green, Red, Maroon*, Navy,

     Greens:  Kelly Green, Mint, Grass Royal Blue, White**

     Blues:  Navy, Royal Blue, Teal  * Not available for 4 & 5

Basics: Purple, Sunshine (Yellow), Black, White  ** Not available for 5

6: Stainless steel bottle with black logo    7: Black lanyard with bright green logo

Logo Colours: Light grey or dark grey (black)

Chia seeds: The next level SUPERFOOD

  Chia (pronounced “chee-ah”) seeds are collected from a plant that originated in Central America. These seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Since they are seeds and not grains, chia is also a source of protein. However, in my opinion, chia’s claim to fame is definitely their fibre content. In only one tablespoon of chia, there are 5 grams of soluble and insoluble fibre! 

  In addition to not having much of a taste, the above characteristics make chia a fabulous addition to salads, shakes and even things like pancakes. The fibre will work to control blood sugar and promote healthy digestion. Chia kicks muffins up a notch and the seeds can be mixed with water and used as an egg “replacer” in baking! 
        
Give chia a try!
        
Fun Fact: Remember Chia pets? Yep, it’s the same chia!

The Telling on Twinkies

  The big news on the internet block this weekend has been the closure of Hostess Brands aka the manufacturer of the  proposed apocalypse-surviving Twinkie. Although Twinkie production in Canada will still be ongoing, Saputo Inc. has the right to the product, many Americans mourned their loss of the sugar-filled cake snack with plenty of memes, tumblr posts, and twitter statuses on Friday. But is it really a bad thing that these snacks are soon to be  off the shelf? 

  Let's get real here. First off, were Twinkies ever really THAT good? Yes they gave a nice hit of sugar, but did I ever, or my friends/family, truly crave a Twinkie? Did I ever browse through the shelves and grab a box because I suddenly was reminded how delectable they were? No. Sure they hit the sweet spot occasionally, but I never truly was a fan. Secondly, they are the opposite of a NANS-friendly snack. Packing 150 calories and 18 grams of sugar per Twinkie, they are devoid of any nutritional goodness. 

  With the state of many Americans health right now I don't think they should be mourning this loss, I think they should be thankful it.

- Maggie

Reference: http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2012/11/internet-mourns-twinkies-as-hostess-shuts-down-operations.html

Optimizing Mental Performance

Whether you’re in the thick of midterm season, or just catching your breath before you have to dive into finals, you are probably feeling overloaded—like your brain can’t possibly store one more bit of information. Optimizing focus and mental performance isn’t as huge an undertaking as it might sound. You don’t have to go to the health food store to hunt down a supplement that claims it will turn you into Einstein by using rare extracts from the rain forest. Here are a few proven suggestions that can aid with the cranium crunches:

Get your omega-3s

                I know everyone probably saw this one coming, but I have to mention it. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential, concentrated in brain tissue, important for all things neurological, and potentially neuroprotective. Plus, they have far reaching health benefits beyond brain function!

Eat your protein

                Brain enzymes, neurotransmitters, proteins and peptides all need amino acids! Bourre states “The quality of dietary proteins influences the nature and the quantities of cerebral proteins and neurotransmitters.”

Fuel your brain with sugar...

                No wait! I didn’t mean skittles! The brain requires glucose—at rest, the adult brain consumes about 20% of dietary energy. The best thing to do for your brain (and the rest of your body) is to give it a constant, regular supply of energy. That means you should eat foods with a low glycemic index, so that the sugars are released slowly. Avoid crazy spikes and dips in blood sugar.

Exercise

                Physical activity improves brain function, neurogenesis (yup, making new brain cells!), and memory. Get on that treadmill!

Sleep

                I won’t even go into detail for this one; we all know how well our brains work after a looooong night. Please sleep.

Works Cited:

Exercise improves memory. Philadelphia Tribune. Sep 16 2007:19-19

van Praag H. Neurogenesis and exercise: Past and future directions. Neuromolecular Medicine. 2008;10(2):128-40

Bourre JM. Effects of nutrients (in food) on the structure and function of the nervous system: Update on dietary requirements for brain. part 2 : Macronutrients. J Nutr Health Aging. 2006;10(5):386-99.

Fall Food

With fall and school in full swing, many people are finding themselves making unhealthy eating decisions. These pointers are to help you check yourself before you wreck yourself!  

• Soups are great for you if they're not made with cream or cheese. Just watch serving sizes--we tend to eat whatever's in our bowls.
• Stews can be hearty and fattening. Use loads of fresh vegetables, and go light on the meat and potatoes.
• Avoid unconscious eating while watching football and the new fall TV lineup. Never bring the whole bag or bowl of anything to the couch or coffee table--pre-measure it in the kitchen beforehand. When it comes to chips, make sure they're baked, not fried.
• For pizza, watch the toppings--they can double the calories.
• Celebrate the fall harvest in other ways besides making pies. Apples are low in calories when they're off the tree, not in a pie.
• If it's gotta be pie, try making pumpkin pie with artificial sweetener, egg whites and low-fat milk. And of course, just have one piece. Keep in mind that pumpkin seeds have about 300 calories per 1/4 cup.
• Turkey is healthy, as long as you keep it lean and white.
• Get out and enjoy the fall weather. The air is cooler, the leaves are turning and the countryside becomes more scenic. It's the perfect time to go outdoors and do something: Take walks on the beach or by the lake; go to the zoo; or ride a bike.
• Keep in mind that once we set the clocks back, it gets darker earlier, so there are fewer outdoor options for physical activities in the evening. Make adjustments by joining a gym, planning evening walks at the mall or becoming an early riser.

-Alexander Lazier

Source: http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/The_Diet_Detective__Fall_into_healthy_eating_habits.htm