Your Skin and Healthy Aging

Our skin is the largest and fasting growing organ in our body. It is imperative that we focus on taking care of our skin just like we focus on our overall health. As we age, our skin becomes drier and we lose elasticity in our skin, which may cause sagging and fine lines to appear.  The most helpful tips to keep in mind when preventing skin damage are:

• Limit direct sun exposure for longer periods of time and use at least a SPF30 sunscreen.
• Wash and moisturize your skin regularly.
• Sleep for 7-8 hours daily to boost a clear complexion. 
• Stop tobacco use and limit alcohol consumption.
• Drink plenty of water to keep hydrated. 
• Eat a healthy diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans.

“A healthy diet shows with healthy skin”, says Elaine Montemayor-Gonzalez, Extension Program Specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.  Montemayor- Gonzalez continues, “What we put in our bodies greatly affects the aging of our skin, so foods with antioxidants and essential fatty acids are the most important foods to consider for keeping your skin healthy”. Antioxidants help prevent free radical damage, which can lead to skin problems such as sagging, wrinkled, or blemished skin. Some of the best antioxidant rich foods are berries, beets, spinach, kale, and 70% cocoa dark chocolate.

Other antioxidant rich foods that are also beneficial for healthy skin are loaded with fatty acids and vitamins A, C, and E. 

These essential nutrients all work together to help support, protect, and produce new skin cells for your body.

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids are healthy fats that naturally help moisturize your skin, keep skin flexible and protect from sun damage.  Try foods such as salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds.
• Vitamin A can be sourced from food we eat through beta carotene.  Vitamin A helps with new cell production, growth, and helps prevent wrinkled skin. Excellent sources to include in your diet are sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, and mango. 
• Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects your skin from oxidative damage caused by the sun, which can lead to visual signs of aging.  It also helps support collagen formation to keep skin strong and firm.  Vitamin C is added to many topical serums and creams due to its superpower to help reduce the appearance of brown spots, red marks, and skin irritations.  Top foods high in vitamin C include chili peppers, yellow bell peppers, tomato, lemons, oranges, and strawberries.
• Vitamin E is an essential nutrient with anti-inflammatory properties that aids in supporting cell function and skin health. Vitamin E is beneficial at reducing UV damage to skin and with the help of nutritious foods, can be absorbed better when combined with vitamin C. Vitamin E is also available for topical use in anti-aging creams, eye serum, sunscreens, and makeup. Sunflower seeds, avocado, salmon, trout, nuts, and olive oils are some of the foods with vitamin E.

Keep your skin and body healthy by adding a variety of foods to get the best all-around nutrition.  Your skin will age with time but preventing skin damage is key to a longer radiant glow. 

Try new recipes that incorporate more antioxidants and fatty acids, visit dinnertonight.org to help you plan your meals.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact me, (903) 473-4580 or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu. Follow Rains County AgriLife onFacebook for additional information and upcoming events.

Eating a Healthy Breakfast

We have always been told, “breakfast is the most important meal.” Making sure you and your family eat a healthy breakfast is the best way to start each day on the right track. A healthy breakfast can help optimize mental function, support healthy weight goals, and build a strong immune system. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (www.choosemyplate.gov) recommends a healthy meal include a balance of fruit, vegetables, grains, and protein.

A healthy breakfast should include, but is not limited to, the following components:

• Whole grains such as oats, whole wheat bread, or quinoa
• Lean protein such as eggs or turkey sausage
• Fruit or vegetables such as berries, bananas, broccoli, or spinach

These breakfast components assist our bodies with day to day bodily functions. Whole grains give us energy and fiber. Protein helps to keep us fuller longer, and fruit and vegetables provide us with vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. Amy Valdez, Extension Program Specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension adds, “this combination of food is going to make sure you stay satisfied throughout the day and will keep you energized and focused.”

Meal planning and prepping are two relatively simple ways to help you stay on track.

• Plan - Planning is key when it comes to breakfast. Create a menu of breakfast options for the week. When shopping, stick to these foods to help reduce the chance of choosing unhealthy options and to save you time and money.
• Prepare– If time is limited in the morning, we tend to choose the first foods we see, which may not always be the healthiest. This can be avoided by either preparing the entire week’s meals or simply prepare portions of your breakfast to save you time.

If you need a few ideas to get you started, Overnight Vanilla Oats and Egg Muffins are two of my favorite breakfast on the go recipes (click here to download recipe cards). 

• Overnight Vanilla Oats – 1 cup oats, 1 cup vanilla flavored almond milk, and ¼ cup of your favorite nuts and/or fruit are optional. Mix the oats and almond milk together and pour into two 8 oz wide mouth jars with lids, splitting evenly. Secure the lids and refrigerate overnight. You may add your optional items with the initial mixture or in the morning, depending on how you like them (depending on your optional add-in, soaking overnight in the mixture may make them mushy). Oats may be stored up to five days in the refrigerator, just remember, the longer they sit, the softer your oats will become. (Makes 2 servings. Serving Size: 8 oz. Per Serving (before optional add-ins): 195 Calories, 3.9g Fat, 34.7g Carbohydrates, 5.9g Protein.)

• Egg Muffins – 5 eggs, ½ cup real bacon bits, ½ cup grated cheddar cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 6-count muffin tin (or use silicon muffin baking cups). Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Divide evenly in muffin cups (about ¾ full). Bake until muffins are set and beginning to brown (roughly 12-15 minutes). Muffins may be stored up to five days in the refrigerator. Just grab one, heat it up (or eat it cold), and go! (Makes 6 servings. Serving size: 1 Muffin. Per Serving: 124 Calories, 8.8g Fat, .4g Carbohydrates, 11g Protein.)

If you have questions or concerns, please contact me, (903) 473-4580 or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu. Follow Rains CountyAgriLife on Facebook for additional information and upcoming events.

Gardening (COVID-19)

Abraham Maslow, a 20th century American psychologist, developed a classification system of universal requirements for survival, also known as the hierarchy of needs. This classifications system is often depicted as a pyramid with the most basic needs of survival, the physiological needs, on the bottom, narrowing to psychological needs and then self-fulfillment needs. The physiological needs are those required to sustain life, they include items such as food, water, shelter, sleep, and health. Physiological needs are universal and must be met before needs further up the pyramid can be achieved[1].

If you have been to the grocery store lately, you have more than likely seen empty shelves or limits on items in high demand. Among other things, the COVID-19 pandemic has put our basic physiological needs in the spotlight. As grocery stores struggle to keep up with food demands, many are looking at ways to supplement their food supply by gardening. 

Besides self-reliance, gardening has several health benefits. Gardening acts as a natural stress reliever by lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels and as a mood enhancer by increasing serotonin levels. Working with the soil and caring for plants creates a calming effect that can be rejuvenating[2]. Furthermore, when we start to reap the benefits of the investment, the positive effects are reinforced. There is a unique pride that comes with growing your own food and reducing your reliance on others for survival. 

Not only is gardening good for mental health, it is also good for physical health. Three hours of moderate gardening is roughly equivalent to an hour spent in the gym. Since access to gyms has been put on hold, gardening is an excellent alternative. As a bonus, time spent in natural sunlight triggers the body’s vitamin D production which aids in the reduction of inflammation and in calcium absorption (needed for strong bones).[3] 

If you are interested in starting a small garden (again, a great way to pass the time at home), Texas A&M AgriLife has an online introductory course, Gardening 101, to help guide you. This course is designed to help develop and maintain a garden suited to each unique situation. The course covers various topics including plant growth and development, soil, water and plant nutrition, earth-kind landscaping, plant health, fruit and nut plants, vegetable and herb gardening, and much more.  If you are interested in taking this (or any other available) online course, visit https://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu/ and select Plants and Garden. In addition to the garden course, you may be interested in any one of the Food and Nutrition courses offered at the same link. Shameless plug alert, if you follow the Rains County AgriLife Facebook page, we recently shared an article on easy to grow vegetables. 

If you have questions or concerns, please contact me, (903) 473-4580 or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu. If you have specific plant or soil questions, the Rains County Ag Agent, Stephen Gowin, is happy to help. Follow Rains County AgriLife on Facebook for additional information and upcoming events. 

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[1] McLeod, S. (2020). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Simply Psychology.

[2] Paddock, C. (2007). Soil Bacteria Work in Similar Ways to Antidepressants. Medical News Today.

[3] Vitamin D. (2020). National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary supplements.

Annual Pecan Fundraiser

The Hunt County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office is taking orders for our annual pecan fundraiser now through October 11th.  Our pecans are top quality, Texas pecans. This year the sale includes your choice of a 1lb bag of halves or a 1lb bag of pieces. Proceeds from this sale go toward educational programming in Hunt County and we truly appreciate your support! For your convenience, this year we have multiple ways to order. To order online visit https://huntagrilife.ecwid.com/, email your order to hunt-tx@tamu.edu, or stop by our office.  

The pecan tree is the state tree of Texas and is native in 150 counties across the state. Pecan trees are popular for both landscaping and as a source of nuts. In 2014, the U.S. produced more than 200 million pounds of pecans with roughly 61 million of those pounds being produced in Texas.  Seventy-five percent of the U.S. pecan crop comes from just three states, Georgia, New Mexico, and Texas.

Most of the pecan questions that come through our office deal with tree or nut issues and most are not aware of the nutritional benefits associated with adding pecans to your diet. Pecans are packed with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which can help lower blood cholesterol when substituted for foods high in saturated fats.  In addition to good fats, pecans serve as an excellent source for many vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B, and E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.  To top it off, the USDA ranks pecans as the most antioxidant-rich tree nut. Antioxidants are known for their age defying characteristics. Add a little spunk to your diet by including pecans. We all love pecans in pies and pralines, but they are also a tasty addition to eat with yogurt, fruits, or on salads. 

If you are interested in growing your own pecan trees, and not so much the nutritional benefits, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension offers a detailed publication filled with information and you may pick up a copy of this at the Hunt County Extension office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, Texas 75401. 

If you have questions, concerns, or just want to chat, please feel free to call (903) 455-9885, email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu, or come by the Hunt County Extension office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, Texas, 75401. 

References:

Ritter, Corie. (2019). Pecans: What you need to know. Path to the Plate. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. https://pathtotheplate.tamu.edu/pecans-industry-overview-and-what-you-need-to-know/

Spinach

Spinach is a popular vegetable that can be enjoyed raw in salads and sandwiches, cooked in soups, or sautéed as a side.  Spinach, best grown in mild climates with an abundance of fertile, high quality soil and water, put Crystal City, Texas on the map in 1917. This southern area of Texas is best known as the Wintergarden region and is recognized by farmers for its long growing seasons. From 1930-1950, the Wintergarden region experienced a “spinach boom,” making Texas the top spinach producing state in the US. Over time, consumer demands influenced production in Texas, leading to varieties such as “baby” and “teen” flat-leaf spinach, according to Larry Stein, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Horticulturist. From 2006-2016, Texas experienced a 29% increase in spinach production, jumping from 32,025 tons of spinach produced to 41,215.

Other than being a popular commodity in Texas, spinach has many nutritional benefits, including its

high vitamin and mineral counts, caloric density, and its contributions to heart health. Nutritional facts for 100g (or 3 ⅓ cups) of spinach:

• 2.86g of protein
• 3.63g of carbs
• 0.39g of fat
• 28.1mg of Vitamin C
• 469μg of Vitamin A
• 482.9μg of Vitamin K
• 194μg of Folate 

Spinach is also very low in calories; one cup of raw greens contains roughly 7 calories (USDA).

While spinach is often found in salads and soups, it can also be enjoyed in pastas and dips. AgriLife Extension’s Dinner Tonight has developed a plethora of recipes to incorporate spinach into your meals as a main ingredient, including Chicken and Spinach Lasagna, Spinach Quiche, Black bean and Spinach Quesadillas, and Spinach Pasta Toss. To find more nutritious spinach recipes, visit dinnertonight.tamu.edu/.

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or just want to chat, please feel free to call (903) 455-9885, email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu, or come by the Hunt County Extension office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, Texas, 75401. You can also read more about this and many more topics on my blog,  http://agentsarah.blogspot.com/

References:

USDA. (2019). Spinach.  SNAP-Ed Connection. https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/seasonal-produce-guide/spinach.

Improving My Diet - Part 2 (Eating A Rainbow)

As much as I would like to say that this article is about eating a big bag of Skittles, I am sorry, I am actually referring to another rainbow.   Last post I wrote the first part of a series on ways to improve my diet.  I began by addressing meal planning.  In this post I will address eating a rainbow of healthy foods. The more colors you add into your diet, the more vitamins and minerals you are getting form a natural source. 

Even though it is a fun and catchy thing to say, advice that you should eat a rainbow is really based in science.  Yellow and orange items are packed full of vitamins A and C, both of which are beneficial antioxidants.  Vitamin A is beneficial for many organs, including eyes, heart, lungs and kidneys.  Vitamin C helps block damage from free radicals (which play a role in aging) and it is needed to help with the growth and repair of our tissues.   Green foods provide an excellent source of vitamins K, B, and E.  Vitamin K helps us make proteins that support healthy bones and help with proper blood clotting.  The B vitamins include several names you’ve probably heard of (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, and folic acid to name a few). The B family of vitamins aid in energy production by transforming the food you consume while vitamin E is vital to our immune system.  Purple foods are a great source of vitamins C and K, already discussed.  Fruits and vegetables get their color from different phytochemicals (a fancy word basically meaning the characteristics of the plant, such as color and smell) that are found within them.

Knowing the vitamins that each color group is made up of can help ensure you get a variety of nutrients in each meal.  So as you are planning your weekly meals try to include a variety of different colors, both fruit and vegetable.  Remember to eat a rainbow, you’ll be glad you did!

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or just want to chat, please feel free to come by the Hunt County AgriLife Extension office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, Texas, 75401, call (903) 455-9885, or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu.