An Apple a Day

Is there any truth to the old saying: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"?

Before we get to that answer, let's take a look at the benefits that apples have to offer.

Apples contain the vitamins C & K.

They also contain potassium, copper, and several various antioxidants and flavonoids.

The skin contains soluble fiber which comes with it's own host of benefits.

As a whole, an apple can contribute to heart health, lung health, and bone health.

Along with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, apples can help lower the risk of stroke, reduce blood pressure, inflammation, and the risk of cancer.

Getting back to the skin, it's the most nutritious part of the apple.

It contains those important antioxidants that fight free radicals which lead to various health problems.

The fiber helps keep the colon healthy.

Apple juice and applesauce are missing this important part of the fruit and they lack the nutritional benefits of the whole apple.

The skin of the Red Delicious contains the most antioxidants of all the different variety of apples.

They're one of my favorites and I have always thought they were very appropriately named.

Crisp and sweet, they are a perfect, portable snack that easily fits into the daily routine.

So back to the question, I did find this piece of information by Harvard Health:

One study done in 2015 found that:  “Evidence does not support that an apple a day keeps the doctor away; however, the small fraction of US adults who eat an apple a day do appear to use fewer prescription medications.”

That's good enough for me - less prescriptions means less health issues and less visits to the doctor.

 

Winter Walking

Tracking the number of steps taken each day has become a habit that I have been trying to keep for the past few years.

Winters in New England haven't always been easy to accomplish this.

And until this year, I honestly didn't give it the effort it deserved.

It's not just the sub freezing temps that keep me indoors, it's the ice and snow which makes it hard to trudge through.

The first storm of the season dumped over thirty inches of snow, so I figured this year was doomed as well.

A couple of above freezing days packed some of it down enough to get my path established again through the yard.

My little four legged companion keeps me company as we make our rounds.

Seeing how happy she is to be out walking is big encouragement to get me out there too.

Twenty minutes is about all her little feet can do in the snow, and she lets me know when we're done.  

And really, that's about enough for me too!