Dr. Aimee Duffy on FOX Carolina: Health and Wellness Tips for St. Patrick’s Day!

Irish Wisdom for Small Health Changes 0:00

to Access Carolina, we're talking Saint Patrick's Day health and wellness today. Luck, health, and the Irish way. We've got Dr. Amy Duffy here to blend classic Irish wisdom with practical science backed health tips. Good to see you. Happy Saint Patricks Day. You too. We're doing all the right things and you go through some of these Irish proverbs and there's one that's especially relevant when we talk health and that is a good start is half the work. You say it's all about making small consistent changes using that advice.

People get overwhelmed, they're going to do all of the things all at one time, right? We talked about New Year's resolutions earlier, so little things like just a little tiny change in a healthy snack or a healthier meal. 10 minutes a day of walking can be super simple or taking 10 deep breaths, right? I mean, you can just do little things that can make a world of difference in your world. And when little thing are consistently done, that's the impact. You're going to see the big results. Another Irish saying is, a good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.

What can sleep and laughter do for us?

Sleep and Laughter as Medicine 0:58

Absolutely. Laughter is the best medicine. We hear that all the time, Laughing is actually equivalent to aerobic exercise. It will reduce your blood pressure, it increases your immune system, so if you do ten deep belly laughs, that's going to reduce cholesterol, I'm sorry, your cortisol, not your cholesterol. Maybe it'll reduce you cholesterol too. All kinds of good things. I'll have to research that, but lowers your cortisol, which helps you get better sleep, Sleep is so valuable for our health, it's going to help improve our immune system, balance your hormones, so laughing is going improve your health in multiple ways.

So you feel good that way, another Irish proverb you like, it encourages us to walk more. It says your feet will bring you where your heart is.

Walking, Fresh Air, and Stress Relief 1:57

You know, do crazy stuff. We can talk about strength training. Of course, the benefits of that, but just getting out there and walking, especially in the outdoors, we're seeing you guys were just talking about being outside earlier. The fresh air is just going to help improve your mood. It's going reduce stress and anxiety as well. So let's start walking. Let's start walking. We feel better already just thinking about this new regime. The Irish also say you'll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind.

This is about reducing the stress in you're mind I'm not sure you just sitting there especially when you are trying to fall asleep at night or that early in the morning. You know, we're plowing it in our head and it's not really doing anything, right? So start thinking of the things that you can actually do if you stressed out. experience before where you breathe in for four, hold your breath for 4, breathe out for for.

Breathing Techniques for Anxiety 2:44

The other one that we can talk about is the three rule, so if you get really anxious or stressed out, you can think about three things that you see, three thing you hear, and then take three deep breaths. Super easy. You're ready to move forward with it, but when you lay and churn your mind, nothing happens. Finally, you have a recipe that you want to share with us because laughter is brightest where food is best. Absolutely. So, food brings us together and probably induces some laughter as well with all our friends.

We're making lucky pot of gold Irish bites today. These are power bites. The honey part is the pot of gold. So you've got honey, peanut butter, flax seeds. All the superfoods, if you think about flex seeds, have really good omegas in them.

Lucky Pot of Gold Irish Bites Recipe 3:34

Your peanut butters are good fat. Honey for a nice sweetness. There's some vanilla in there as well as some cinnamon. Cinnamon helps control your blood sugar a little bit better and then what we're going to dump in there is some chopped walnuts and some oatmeal. Sorry, we are going make a mess there. But as you just jumble it all together and at the end we will ball it up so you have the This is so simple and easy for a quick snack. Your kids will love this. It's kind of like a little granola bar, if you think about it.

Sticking it in the fridge, of course, is going to help it kind solidify a bit. There's no baking. No stress with this, so it makes it super easy and simple. When you leave these on the counter, what happens? Yeah, but you put healthy snacks out and they're accessible. You're not looking for a candy bar, you can add chocolate in there, I didn't do that today, throw in dark chocolate chips and add antioxidants in as well. What a great snack. And you feel like you're having a treat that way, but it's still just wonderful for cravings.

The saying that covers it all you say is eat well, laugh often, love much. That covers everything. You know, that cover everything, like how can you get any better than that if you are eating good food, you laughing some, and you love your life.

Eat Well, Laugh Often, Love Much 4:52

It's awesome. A lot of times you come on the show to give advice and your advice really has to do with finding that happiness where we're healthier for it. Yeah, we've got to have more fun. I talk to people all the time, I'm like, are you having any fun? I think we get lost along the way sometimes in the run around of life and you got to take a pause for a minute, go, okay, what's fun. Yeah, remember how good it is. I'll just have something to look forward to as well. Dr. Amy Duffy, thank you, we appreciate it.

People find Dr Duffie at Carolina integrative medicine in Clemson. There's a link to learn more on accesscarolina.com.