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Hello again!
I’m excited to announce an early Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal for all my subscribers! From now until Tuesday, November 28, you can get a premium subscription to this newsletter for 25% off! This is a great deal, because once you subscribe at the lower rate, that low rate is locked in for as long as you remain subscribed, no matter how long!
In this week’s news, you’ll read about the surprising benefits of walking backwards (yes, you read that right!), how flexible workplaces can improve heart health, and what Consumer Reports found in a third of chocolate products.
And now that the holiday season is nearly upon us, Premium subscribers will be receiving a new feature: in every issue of this newsletter until the end of the year, I’ll be featuring a new, healthy holiday recipe from around the Web—one that I’ve vetted and have either made or would make for myself and my own family.
To your health,
Yasmine S. Ali, MD
Weekly Heart-Health News: The Highlights
My Take:
I think this is fascinating! Sometimes called “retro-walking,” the practice of walking backwards for health purposes may have originated in ancient China, and was a bit of a fad in the 19th century, but now is used in the US and Europe as part of physical therapy and rehab as well as in some sports training. As it turns out, it can benefit everyone.
Researchers have found, for instance, that walking backwards for 10 - 15 minutes per day over a four-week period increased hamstring flexibility in healthy female students. It can also strengthen the muscles in the back, which are responsible for spine stability and flexibility. It also strengthens ankle muscles.
But perhaps most unexpected is the finding that walking backwards improves cognitive skills involved in decision making, problem solving, and reaction times!
What this means for you: Read this article—it is truly interesting. Then think about if you could incorporate a few minutes of backward walking into your daily routine (I would start low and go slow, and if you have medical issues with your balance, be sure to check with your healthcare professional before trying this). This does count as part of your daily steps, too!
My Take:
You’ll continue to see me highlight stress-reduction techniques and related articles, especially since we’re seeing such an epidemic of chronic stress—and the toll it takes on our health. In fact, the Washington Post recently reported on this as part of their series on “America’s life expectancy crisis”: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/interactive/2023/stress-chronic-illness-aging/
In the article above on workplace stress, a new study found that “a kinder, more thoughtful workplace can lead to better heart health among older employees” (those over the age of 45). This meant training company supervisors on strategies to improve workplace processes for their employees, including supporting schedule flexibility and increasing employees’ control over their workflow as well as work-life balance.
As one of the researchers commented: "When stressful workplace conditions and work-family conflict were mitigated, we saw a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease among more vulnerable employees, without any negative impact on their productivity.”
My Take:
This is concerning, especially with the holidays seeing greater consumption of chocolate, and how dark chocolate has been associated with health benefits. Levels of lead and cadmium were found to be even more concentrated in dark chocolate because of the cacao content, and Hershey’s brand was so high that Consumer Reports even includes a link to a petition calling on Hershey’s to address this issue.
What this means for you:
In the article, you’ll find which chocolate brands are safe and which to avoid. (Hint: most of the safe brands, like Ghirardelli, Mast, and Taza, are considered higher-quality chocolate anyway.) You may also want to sign the petition to Hershey’s (I did).
Holiday Recipe Time!
A healthy recipe to grace your holiday table: Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
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