Health links

Hi folks. Well, it is the first day of spring and the weather has never been more wacky. Summer temperatures in Central Canada, snow in the lower mainland of BC. What the fudgsicles is going on Mother Nature?

But the crocuses are up in the garden and, gosh darn it, I am going to slip an extra fleecy on under my rain gear and take the kids outside to the park. We got super cool Nerf laser guns from Santa and they are the perfect thing for enticing kids away from their gadgets and books into the grey great outdoors.

Just a small, self-righteous moment, if I may. It is now, let's see, 9:57 am and I have already consumed my weight in spinach. Not adding spinach to your morning smoothie yet? You fool. I know in the past I have extolled the virtues of kale chips and  turmeric tea, so I understand that I may have lost some of you. But you have got to believe me on this one! As long as you have a good base of banana and berries, you can slam in spinach, wheat germ, hemp seeds, chia seeds, just about anything. Just, um, remember to brush your teeth after. I haven't yet...hold on...

OK - clean teeth...on to the links...

1. In my last post I said the province was considering it, and now a decision has been reached. British Columbia bans people under 18 from using tanning beds. Vancouver Sun.
2. Mark Bittman discusses the new study on the link between red meat and disease. While he doesn't disagree, his point is too much red meat is only one small part of a larger problem.We need to take a long hard look at how we produce and consume food, and whether we or the planet can sustain it. New York Times.
3. A new way to screen breasts. A Richmond, BC company is completing work on an ultrasound system that uses a 360 degree rotating ultrasound transducer to capture a realistic, not squished image of the breast. Seattle PI.
4. A diet to help lower your risk of colon cancer. Huffington Post.
5. New American guidelines for cervical cancer screenings (Pap smears). Medical News Today.
6. The benefits of hemp seed. And no, one of them isn't getting you high. Good lord. National Post.
7. And, from the same writer, the benefits of chia seeds. And remember, when you hear people touting the benefits of plant-based omega-3s that they are not as readily converted to the form your body wants as fish-based omega-3s. But if you don't get enough fish in your diet, hemp and chia seeds are good, easy ways to fill in the omega 3 gap. And that doesn't even take into consideration their other nutritional benefits. National Post.

Have a great day!