FemmFiit Fitness

Recipe: Dark Chocolate Frozen Banana Bites
A feel-good indulgence
Frozen banana bites dipped in chocolate
This is the perfect treat for when you’re craving chocolate! Made with heart-healthy and mood-boosting dark chocolate, and potassium and vitamin B6-rich bananas, these frozen bites will satisfy your sweet tooth and leave you feeling good.

Ingredients
1 banana
3 ounces dark chocolate, 70% cocoa or greater
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso

Directions
Slice banana into 16 quarter-inch slices.
Skewer each slice with two prong skewers and place on wax paper; freeze for one hour.
Create double boiler by placing metal bowl over saucepan with one inch of simmering water. Add chocolate, espresso coffee and stir continually until 3/4 melted.
Remove bowl from heat and continue stirring until completely melted.
Take banana slices from freezer and dip in chocolate until completely coated, allowing excess chocolate to drip off.
Place on wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!

Tonight’s Main Event : Chicken Veggie Stir Fry:
Ingredients
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Juice of 1 lime, divided
2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon expeller pressed canola oil
2 carrots, cut into very thin rounds (about 1 cup)
2 cups bite-size broccoli florets (from 1 small bunch)
1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then cut into ¼-inch-thick half moons (about 2 cups)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions cut into ¼-inch pieces (white and green parts)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
¼ cup sliced fresh basil
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Brown rice, optional
Instructions
Place 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, ginger, juice of half a lime, and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil in a large zip-top plastic bag or bowl. Add the chicken pieces, seal the bag, and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
When ready to make your stir fry, heat the oil in a large wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and the marinade and stir fry for 1 minute.
Add the carrots, broccoli, zucchini, garlic, green onions, and jalapeno pepper and stir fry 7 more minutes, or until the chicken is done and the vegetables are crisp tender.
Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, remaining lime juice, and the remaining sesame oil. Before serving, stir in the basil and cilantro.
Serve with brown rice as desired.

🐝 Nature Fact: A single honeybee may visit up to 5,000 flowers in one day.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Balls
A healthy snack that’s also the perfect mix of nutty and sweet

You know you want a snack. No, you NEED a snack. You want something sweet, but also something that’ll keep you energized and won’t make you crash later.

Enter peanut butter balls. They’re sweet (but not overly so) from the dried fruit and honey, but they’re also packed with protein from the peanut butter to keep you going. Whip up a batch and keep them handy in the fridge for when the need strikes!

Ingredients
1/2 cup dried apricots
2 cups natural, unsalted, crunchy peanut butter
2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
1 tablespoon amber honey
Directions
Chop the apricots and place in a medium-sized bowl.
Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
Transfer the mixture to the freezer for 1 hour to set.
After removing from the freezer, use your hands or a melon baller to shape the mixture into small balls.
Store in the refrigerator.

How Exercise Can Help Boost Your Memory
Cardio is great for improving cognition, but strength and balance training are just as important

Forgetting information. Losing focus. Having difficulty doing tasks you used to find easy, like following a recipe or running errands. Struggling to remember the word for that thing…

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These are all symptoms of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is exactly what it sounds like. A person with MCI is experiencing a slight decline in their mental abilities.

MCI can happen to anyone at any age. And it can be the result of a wide range of medical issues, including mood disorders like depression and anxiety, alcohol and substance use disorders, sleep disorders, nutritional deficiencies — even urinary tract infections!

That said, MCI is particularly common in people over 55. By age 65, approximately 15% to 20% of the U.S. population shows signs of MCI, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. These individuals are at greater risk of developing dementia, but some people don’t progress beyond a mild state of forgetfulness, according to memory and brain health specialist Babak Tousi, MD.

If you believe you’re experiencing MCI, a healthcare provider is going to encourage you to do a lot of things, like adjusting your eating habits, being social and exercising your brain by reading, completing puzzles and learning new skills. Pretty standard stuff.

But there’s one proposed treatment that may surprise you. They might encourage you to take more walks or sign up for an exercise class. That’s because researchers have found that keeping your body healthy through exercise can help keep your mind sharp, too.

But how? And what kinds of exercise are best? Dr. Tousi explains.

How exercise can help your brain
An article on exercise and memory suggests that the brain boost you get from exercise involves “several direct and indirect mechanisms at molecular and supramolecular levels.” While many questions remain about the relationship between exercise and cognitive strengthening, there’s evidence to suggest the following:

Exercise improves circulation, which means more oxygen-rich blood and nutrients make it to your brain. It also means waste is removed more efficiently.
Exercise enhances synaptic plasticity, which is, put simply, your brain’s ability to adjust and improve the connections in your brain. That enables you to both remember and learn.
Exercise improves neurogenesis — the formation of new neurons in your brain. Those new neurons help us sort information, remember specific moments in time and avoid confusion. There’s also evidence that neurogenesis helps us handle stress and emotions and may even help us forget harmful memories.
How much exercise do you need?
In 2018, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) released new guidelines designed to help providers treat people with MCI. Those guidelines suggest patients exercise at least twice a week. It’s a low-risk way to improve not just your memory, but also your overall health, according to the AAN.

The AAN guidelines are a bit vague — “at least twice a week” leaves a lot of room for interpretation. But as a general rule, most providers recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, along with two strength training sessions. Dr. Tousi concurs.

“You can do 30 minutes a day for five days or combine the activities into two sessions over the weekend,” he says, adding: “It’s important to start slowly and gradually increase the duration and intensity of your activity to avoid injuries.”

What type of exercises to try
The conventional wisdom used to be that aerobic exercise — also known as “cardio” — was your best bet for brain health. But in 2022, the EXERT trial, which describes itself as “the longest ever Phase III study of exercise on brain function in adults with MCI,” changed the conversation.

The EXERT trial found that, while cardio may have more benefits in the short term, strength and balance training are just as beneficial for brain health in the long run. Combining all three forms of physical activity has always been important for whole-body health, especially as we get older and lose things like bone density, muscle tone and flexibility. Now, we know that your brain also benefits from a wide range of exercises.

“Choose whatever aerobic or resistance activity you enjoy,” Dr. Tousi recommends. “The most important thing is that you’re getting up and moving on a regular basis.”

Not sure of the difference between cardio, strength and balance training? Here’s a quick explainer:

Aerobic (cardiovascular) exercise is all about raising your heart rate and building endurance.
Strength training is designed to either build or maintain muscles, which get weaker as we get older.
Balance and flexibility training preserves proprioception (spatial awareness) and expands joint mobility, which helps keep us from falling.
Here are a few examples of each kind of exercise to get you started:

Cardiovascular exercise

Walking
Swimming
Cycling
Pickleball
Rowing
Strength training

Weightlifting
Resistance band training
Kettlebell training
Isometric exercises
Calisthenics
Balance and flexibility training

Active stretching
Yoga
Tai chi
Pilates
Qigong
As you can probably guess, there’s plenty of overlap between these three categories. Dancing requires strength, endurance and flexibility, for example. And that’s a good thing! Who doesn’t love a bonus?

But don’t grab your ballet slippers just yet. Dr. Tousi is quick to remind us that — before you jump into a new fitness routine — you should always speak with your healthcare providers.

“Your physician can review your health history and help you decide what kind of exercise — and how much — is appropriate for you,” he says.

Once you have the all-clear, it’s time to get up and get moving. An active lifestyle won’t just help you preserve your memories — it’ll make some fun new ones, too!

Sticky Situation: How To Get Super Glue Off Your Skin
Warm water, lotion, cooking oils or nail polish remover may all help to loosen the adhesive

Super glue can be a super big problem if you glue your fingers together or to something else. The powerful adhesive cyanoacrylate, found in super glue and similar products, doesn’t let go easily.

But if you’re reading this, you probably already know that. So, what can you do to get super glue off your skin? We asked dermatologist John Anthony, MD, how to escape this sticky situation.

How to remove super glue from your skin
First, the good news: Your fingers won’t be glued together forever, Dr. Anthony promises. Despite super glue being legendarily strong, the adhesive isn’t permanent. You can break the bond.

So, take a deep breath and don’t panic. Then, try these options to find freedom.

Warm soapy water
The simplest solution? Try washing your glued body part or soaking it in warm and soapy water.

“Hand soap or dish soap works well,” says Dr. Anthony. “Washing will usually soften the glue and break the bond — if you do it within a few minutes before the glue hardens.”

Patience is key here. Super glue is engineered to be water-resistant, so it might take 10 or 15 minutes to loosen up. Once it begins to come undone, gently rub or peel the super glue. (But don’t force things!)

Greasy or oily products
Greasy or oily products can get beneath dried super glue to help soften its bond with your skin, notes Dr. Anthony. You’ll probably be able to find a few good skin-safe options scattered around your house, too.

The list includes:

Petroleum jelly (like Vaseline®)
Baby oil
Mineral oil
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Vegetable oil
Hand lotion
Whichever product you choose, massage it into your skin and let it sit for 10 minutes or so to try to loosen the super glue. Once the super glue starts to give, gently rub or peel it off. (Again, don’t force it.)

Nail polish remover
Most nail polish removers contain acetone, a harsh and powerful chemical solvent that can dissolve nail polish. Acetone also dissolves cyanoacrylate, the ingredient that gives super glue its power.

A word of caution, though: Acetone isn’t kind to your skin.

“Acetone-based products will remove super glue from the skin, but they can make skin dry, cracked and irritated,” Dr. Anthony warns. “Use the smallest amount possible and don’t mix it with other chemicals.”

If you go this route, put a small amount of acetone-based nail polish remover on a cotton pad or cloth. Dab the glued area gently. Wait for the super glue to soften before gently rubbing or peeling it off.

Afterward, make sure to wash the area with soap and water and apply a moisturizer.

It’s worth noting that acetone-free nail polish removers can also remove super glue from your skin. But they work much more slowly than products with acetone.

Wait it out
The outer layer of your skin is mostly made of dead skin cells. Those dead cells eventually shed — and when that happens, the glue goes with it.

A small area of super glue may come off on its own within a day or two. Thicker patches of glue may take up to a week.

“If it’s not bothering you or causing problems, you can just wait it out,” says Dr. Anthony.

What NOT to do when removing super glue
Understand that the “super” part of super glue means you have a tough adversary. So, getting safely unstuck is a process that can’t be rushed.

With that in mind:

Don’t pull or pick at super-glued skin to forcefully remove the adhesive. You could injure your skin and end up with a painful blister (or worse).
Don’t use sharp objects like razors, scissors or knives to sever the super glue connection. You may slice your skin and add to your problems.
Don’t use harsh abrasives like pumice stones or sandpaper to try to grind away at the super glue. The gritty materials could damage your skin, leaving raw spots and cuts.
Don’t use hot water to try to “melt” the super glue bond. You could scald your skin.
Don’t use harsh chemicals to try to detach the super glue. You run the risk of chemical burns.
“Any of these approaches can irritate and damage the skin,” cautions Dr. Anthony. “Other methods are safer and work better.”

When to see a doctor
If you swallow super glue or get it on your face, don’t take any chances. Ditto for getting any of the adhesive on your ge****ls.

“Super glue in or near your eyes, nose or mouth — or on other sensitive areas — is a medical emergency,” Dr. Anthony states. “Go to the emergency room or your healthcare provider for treatment.”

It’s also best to seek care after a gluing incident if you experience:

Severe pain
Swelling
Numbness or loss of circulation
Severe allergic reactions
“Getting a small amount of super glue on the skin usually isn’t harmful to most people,” says Dr. Anthony. “But if you’re experiencing problems or nothing is working to break the bond, look to get some help.”

ACHOO Syndrome: Why You Sneeze When You Look at the Sun
The photic sneeze reflex is a surprisingly common reaction to bright lights

There’s just something about a sunny day that makes you feel … like sneezing? That’s a reality for a surprising number of people with a condition known as ACHOO syndrome. They literally sneeze when they see the sun or any other bright light.

So, why does this happen and what can be done about it? We talked to allergist Dylan Timberlake, MD, to find out.

What is ACHOO syndrome?
ACHOO syndrome is a reflex in which a person sneezes once or a few times when suddenly exposed to bright light, especially sunlight. Basically, it’s an exaggerated response to something that shouldn’t cause issues.

And the funny name? Well, ACHOO is an acronym for a wordy and more formal title — Autosomal dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst.

The condition is also known as photic sneeze reflex, as well as sun sneezing and photosneezia.

Why does bright light make people sneeze?
Typically, a sneeze is a response to some sort of nasal irritation. Examples include infections, congestion or nose-tickling triggers like pollen or pepper.

But a sun-driven sneeze originates in your brain. Exposure to a bright stimulus seems to activate a sneeze pathway in your brain that runs between nerve circuits around your eyes and nose.

“These circuits ‘cross-talk’ with each other and convince your brain a sneeze is needed, even though it’s not,” explains Dr. Timberlake. “The reaction is typically immediate and short-lived. Once you sneeze, it’s over — at least until the next exposure.”

Typical photic sneeze reflex triggers
ACHOO syndrome usually strikes on initial exposure to the sun or very bright light. It’s most common when moving from a darker to a lighter environment, like walking outside or driving out of a tunnel.

A camera flash or turning on bright indoor lights can bring on sneezing, too.

How common is ACHOO syndrome?
While sneezing at the sight of the sun might sound odd, it doesn’t appear to be that unusual.

It’s estimated that 18% to 35% of us have ACHOO syndrome. (Higher than you thought, right?) But there aren’t many robust studies on the photic sneeze reflex, so there’s debate about the numbers.

An older study found that solar sneezing is more common in people who are white, especially women. Having a deviated septum may also be a contributing factor.

Is photic sneeze reflex genetic?
ACHOO syndrome is a dominant genetic trait, which means you have a 50% chance of inheriting the condition if one of your biological parents has it.

Can ACHOO syndrome be dangerous?
The act of sneezing after your eyes catch a glimpse of bright light isn’t inherently dangerous. But what is dangerous is sneezing uncontrollably in high-risk situations that need focus, like when you’re driving.

That sort of bad timing happens, too: One case study documented a 26-year-old involved in THREE crashes linked to sunlight-induced sneezing fits.

“Uncontrollable sneezing can cause problems or be inconvenient in certain situations,” notes Dr. Timberlake. “You certainly wouldn’t want it to happen when you’re behind the wheel or operating heavy machinery.”

Other dicey moments created by ACHOO syndrome include sneezing during eye or dental procedures due to bright light usage. (We probably don’t need to explain why that could turn out badly.)

Some photic sneezers also react to certain kinds of anesthesia given for procedures.

Given the above, Dr. Timberlake says it’s important to let your healthcare providers know that bright lights may trigger sneezing before they start procedures. (Anesthesia use may make you more sensitive to a photic sneeze reflex, too.)

Is there a cure for photic sneezing?
There’s no specific treatment for ACHOO syndrome, but Dr. Timberlake says there are three different tactics that may be worth trying to reduce bouts of solar-powered sneezing.

Wear dark sunglasses. A good pair of shades can make sudden exposure to sunlight less dramatic, which may prevent a reaction. Hats or other accessories may do the trick, too.
Address allergies. Successfully managing nasal inflammation in photic sneezers with hay fever sometimes reduces the tendency to sneeze.
Apply pressure. Pushing down on the area between your nose and lips can sometimes stop the sneezing. If you’re doing it right, it should look like you’re giving yourself a mustache with your finger. This is known as the “transverse philtral pressure technique.”
“Managing ACHOO syndrome is mostly about knowing your triggers and being prepared,” says Dr. Timberlake. “You know that a sneeze might be coming in certain situations. It’s best to be ready for it.”