Down To Earth 🌎
Estimated read time: 5 minutes and 56 seconds
⭐ THE QUICK BITES ⭐
🙌 Wisdom: “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson
🍽️ Recipe: Lime Loaded Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas!
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Hello there!
Welcome to another beautiful edition of Down To Earth!
I hope you're having a great start/middle/almost end of your week 😆
I'm actually running an experiment this week around eating (don’t worry—it’s all part of some new stuff I’ve been working on, and I’ll be sharing it early next week). And maaaannnn... it’s been a struggle.
Beyond me struggling daily (#likealways), I’m curious how you are doing. Send me a reply if you’re feeling up for it—I’d love to hear from you!
Let’s jump in!
- ✈️ Flight Germ Secrets Airlines Won’t Tell You
- ❤️ Tiny Nuts, Massive Heart Gains
- ☀️ What Really Happens to Your Body When You Get a Sunburn
- 🍚 Basmati: Your New Super Grain
✈️ Flight Germ Secrets Airlines Won’t Tell You
Ahhh, air travel—thrilling adventures, sky-high snacks, and… potential microbial mischief?
Yup, it turns out plane tap water might be sneakily hosting an uninvited germ party. 🦠
Here’s the scoop from the smarty pants docs:
- Why worry about airplane water?
Planes have water tanks that aren’t always sparkling clean. If not properly maintained, they can become cozy homes for nasty bugs like E. coli, Campylobacter, norovirus, and parasites such as Giardia.These bad guys can cause gastroenteritis—a fancy word for yucky tummy issues like cramping, nausea, diarrhea, and low-grade fevers. 🤢
- Isn’t the water tested?
Yes, airlines do follow rules (thankfully!). The EPA’s Aircraft Drinking Water Rule forces them to disinfect and test water tanks regularly—usually 3 or 4 times a year. But here’s the catch: a 2019 study showed that most airlines scored below “safe” levels for water quality. Yep, even the big guys aren’t perfect. So, the plank of safety: don’t drink tap water on a plane, ever!
- What about washing hands?
Washing is king for fighting germs… but airplane sinks might be little biohazard zones. Since E. coli and other critters multiply if the sink drains slowly or splashes, handwashing with tap water can sometimes spread the germs instead of killing them. 🧼➡️🦠
- The golden hygiene rule:
Carry and use hand sanitizer instead. It zaps 99% of common bacteria and viruses—no soap and sink needed. Plus, many airlines provide sanitizer on request, so don’t be shy!
- Who needs to be extra careful?
Folks with weaker immune systems (chemotherapy patients, HIV-positive, the elderly, etc.) should be extra vigilant and consult their doctor before flying. For the rest of us, over-the-counter remedies help if those tummy troubles strike—and a doctor check post-flight is always smart. 🩺✨
Article Link
❤️ Tiny Nuts, Massive Heart Gains
What if I told you that snacking on 45 almonds (about 50g) every day could do wonders for your cholesterol and overall metabolism?
Yep, that’s according to a fresh study from Oregon State University! 🎉
Here’s the scoop:
- Scientists recruited 77 adults, ages 35-60, all dealing with metabolic syndrome—that’s a fancy name for a cluster of troublemakers like excess belly fat, high blood pressure, and blood sugar problems. Basically, the party crashers that boost risk for heart disease & type 2 diabetes. 😬
- For 12 weeks, they munched on either 320 calories of almonds or crackers daily.
- The almond snackers? They lowered their LDL cholesterol (aka “bad” cholesterol 🦹♂️) and saw improved gut health—less inflammation and a happier balance of gut bacteria. Meanwhile, the cracker crew didn’t enjoy those perks.
- Bonus: No weight gain here! Almond nibblers even had a slight decrease in waist circumference.
- Their vitamin E levels went up—a crucial antioxidant that helps organs, nerves, muscles, AND keeps blood clots in check. Most folks aren’t getting enough, so almonds are like a VIP vitamin delivery service. 🛵💨
Why almonds? They’re a nutrient-dense power-pack with:
- Vitamin E & magnesium (helpers for your body’s machinery)
- Fibre (your gut’s fave food)
- Polyphenols (plant compounds with antioxidant & anti-inflammatory superpowers)
Why does this matter?
Lowering LDL cholesterol is key to reducing heart disease risk.
Improved gut health means less inflammation—think of inflammation as your body’s annoying squeaky wheel, always causing problems.
More vitamin E helps keep your cells healthy and blood flowing smoothly.
Article Link
☀️ What Really Happens to Your Body When You Get a Sunburn
Ah, spring! Time to soak up those glorious rays… but hold up!
Getting too cozy with the sun can zap your skin’s vibe and leave you with a nasty sunburn.
Let’s break down what’s going on inside your body when you fry like a lobster 🦞 (spoiler: it’s not just redness and pain).
1. Ultraviolet Rays: The Sneaky Culprits
Sunlight contains UV radiation, but there are two flavors to watch out for:
- UVA: Long-wave rays that sneak deep into your skin’s second layer (the dermis). They’re the culprits behind wrinkles and premature aging (aka photoaging).
- UVB: Shorter waves that hang out at the surface (the epidermis). These cause the classic sunburn redness and pain.
Both types are party crashers that raise your risk for skin cancer over time. 🧬
2. DNA Drama 🎭
UV rays deliver photons — tiny energetic particles — that can damage your skin cells in major ways:
- UVA photons mess with your skin’s proteins and membranes.
- UVB photons get absorbed by your DNA directly, causing mutations (think of it as your skin’s instruction manual getting smudged or rewritten incorrectly).
Your body tries its darnedest to repair this chaos, but excessive sun exposure overwhelms those repair crews.
Dead skin cells pile up, and that’s where trouble like precancerous changes can slowly brew over YEARS. One blistering sunburn might not send you straight to skin cancer town, but it does increase your odds. 🦠⚠️
3. The Red Hot Truth 🌡️
About 4-6 hours after you’ve sunbathed too long, your skin turns red and feels warm. This isn’t because the sun is radiating heat back out (science debunks that myth!), but because:
Your blood vessels dilate (open up), flooding the area with blood as part of your immune defense.
That swelling + redness + pain combo? It’s your body’s inflammatory reaction trying to clean up the damage.
If it’s just red and swollen, congratulations — you’ve got a first-degree burn (surface-level only). Your skin should bounce back within a few days (so long as you don’t keep frying it!).
4. Your Body’s Sun Defense: The Melanin Umbrella ☂️
When your skin senses UV damage, it cranks up melanin production — the pigment that gives your skin its color — like opening tiny umbrellas to shield your DNA.
That tan might seem like a badge of honor, but it’s really a sign of skin damage. And here’s the kicker: a tan only offers about SPF 2 protection. Your skin’s screaming, “Help me!” even if you look sun-kissed.
Article Link
🍚 Basmati: Your New Super Grain
Did you know rice is the most widely eaten food on the planet?
But not all rice is created equal!
Enter Basmati rice-the long, slender superstar from India that athletes swear by. Why? Because it’s not your average grain of rice.
Here’s the science-y scoop:
- Basmati grains are long and narrow, and when cooked, they elongate even more but—magic happens—they stay separate, not clumped.
- Regular white rice grains? They’re shorter, rounder, and love to stick together like clingy exes. 🙄
- Basmati is less refined than most white rice, which means it keeps more fiber and nutrients alive and kicking. 🌱
- It also has a lower glycaemic index (GI). That’s science-speak for “it won’t cause your blood sugar to spike like a rollercoaster.” 🎢 Lower spikes mean less hunger pangs and better insulin response, which is great news for your energy and metabolism!
- Bonus: It smells nicer and holds on to spices better—hello aromatic, flavorful meals! 🌿✨
How to cook basmati rice like a boss:
- Rinse it like you just washed off your guilt—repeat until the water runs clear. This washes away excess starch that makes rice sticky.
- Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes—this softens the grains and reduces cooking time.
- Use a 1:2 rice-to-water ratio for fluffy perfection.
- Bring to a boil with the lid on, then turn the heat low and don’t peek! (Lifting the lid is rice’s version of a bad breakup—it breaks the steam and messes with texture.)
- For a flavor fiesta, sauté onions with a cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaf, curry, turmeric, chillies, and sultanas before adding rice. Toast lightly, add salt, then cook as usual.
- When done, sprinkle with fresh coriander and roasted cashews for that yummy crunch and freshness! 🌰🌿
Quick science fact: The glycaemic index (GI) tells us how fast carbs in foods turn into sugar in your bloodstream.
Lower GI = slower sugar release = steadier energy = less hanger.
Article Link
📚 Ryan's Book Of The Week |
If stress were a sport, most of us would be Olympic-level by now. 🥇😅
This week’s book is a game-changer for understanding what stress actually does to your body and how to break the cycle before it breaks you.
💡 Why read it?
- Learn how your body holds onto stress (and how to let it go).
- Discover why “just relax” doesn’t work and what actually does.
- Get real, science-backed tools to help you recover, not just push through.
This isn’t about bubble baths or mantras. It’s about healing your nervous system so you can show up fully alive.
🚀 If you loved today’s tips… imagine how much your best friend, workout buddy, or health-conscious coworker would, too. Forward them this email and make their day!
Until next time,
Ryan Lehman
Your guide to a balanced, healthy life
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