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512.550.0321
APR 2018
‘EAR, NEWS, AND THROAT’
How theWhole30 Inspired Better Eating Habits RESOLUTIONS IN APRIL?
H ow’s your New Year’s resolution coming along? Did you have to pause for a moment to remember what your 2018 resolution was? That’s okay — you’re probably not alone. A few years ago, U.S. News reported that 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions “fail” by the second week of February. I don’t think this statement is totally accurate. I believe you can’t call your resolution a failure until Dec. 31. February is still the beginning of the year, after all. Even today, there are still eight months left in 2018, which is more than enough time to get back on the horse and bring your resolution to fruition. Most New Year’s resolutions involve our health, often through weight loss, exercise, or better diets. If you need some help jump-starting your healthy resolution, I recommend giving the Whole30 diet a go. My wife and I tried this diet ourselves earlier this year. We started on Jan. 1, and by day 30, we felt great! Whole30 is basically a strict paleo diet that lasts for 30 days. The diet allows meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. And that’s about it. The diet cuts out added sugars and alcohol, as well as grains, dairy, and beans. If this sounds like a challenge, I can promise you it is. When I first started, I was surprised to realize how many off- limit foods I ate without thinking every day. The biggest downside was the amount of time we spent grocery shopping and preparing our food. Everything is made from scratch using whole ingredients, and that takes time. Fortunately, the book behind this diet, “The Whole30” by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, also “Like any good NewYear’s resolution, the goal is to make yourself healthier in the long run.”
has a recipe book, and the food is genuinely delicious. Sure, there were a few duds, but for the most part, the recipes were super easy and rarely took longer than 30 minutes. It was food I wanted to keep eating even after the 30 days were up. Plus, Renee and I learned how to prep future meals, which kept us out of the drive-through. The Whole30 isn’t meant to be used as a weight loss diet. You are only supposed to weigh yourself on day one and day 30. Whole30 is about rebooting your eating habits in a sustainable way. Junk food is obviously cut out, and after 30 days, you can determine whether certain foods lead to negative reactions you never noticed before. For example, maybe you didn’t realize that slice of toast in the morning caused your stomach to churn. Or maybe you discovered that cheese doesn’t love you as much as you love it. While Whole30 isn’t about weight loss, you see results when you start eating healthier. My pants definitely felt looser after a few weeks. I lost exactly 10 pounds. In the weeks that followed, I found I didn’t have any negative reactions to the restricted foods and dropped another 1.5 pounds. I felt great and made a point to keep healthy foods in my diet. I’ll allow some treats occasionally, but this diet helped me stay consistently healthy 90 percent of the time. Whole30 is about creating positive, sustainable eating habits. Like any good New Year’s resolution, the goal is to make yourself healthier in the long run.
Whole30 isn’t a guaranteed path to success — nothing in life is — but if you work hard, you might find a strategy that works for you. The year’s not over yet, and there’s still time to embrace healthier life choices, one meal at a time. –Dr. Seth Evans
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THE DANGERS OF OVERSTIMULATION With the current trend of getting TV, social media, and news alerts sent to our phones, we have access to more media than we could ever consume. While constant connectivity is a boon for many aspects of our lives, researchers are discovering that too much stimulation is cause for concern. One study in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology found that too much social comparison, spurred by the likes of Facebook and cable news, can lead to an increased risk of depression. If you find yourself pressured to live up to the public lives of friends and family, or if you feel like you’re being bombarded with too much news and entertainment, consider a media detox. A detox doesn’t require you to unsubscribe from social media services or unplug your TV forever. Instead, think of it as a vacation from the overstimulation so many of us experience. Ask yourself which aspects of your media diet are causing more stress than they’re worth, and take a break from them for a little while. “In the same way we think about what we eat, we should think about what we read, what we’re seeing, what we’re engaging in, and what we’re interacting with every day,” Emma Watson told CNN in an interview about her selective social media use. If you’re not mindful of your media consumption and participation, it tends to pile up. When you detox, it’s a lot easier to identify which parts of your media diet are essential and which are only a burden. Another benefit of a media detox is that you’ll have more time to pursue new and dormant hobbies. Because most of us consume media in small chunks throughout the day, it’s easy to overlook how much that time adds up. All those hours you spend on Facebook could be used to start a garden, knit a quilt, or join a soccer league. Unless you have an unlimited supply of leisure time (and who does?), you need to be selective in the way you spend it. Remember, media isn’t the cause of all your ills. Used mindfully, it can actually increase happiness and satisfaction. The problem is that we are so mired in the media muck that we can’t get a perspective on how much is too much. A detox will allow you to reassess the media you’re consuming and build a better plan for the future. You can still keep up with your grandkids on Facebook, but it shouldn’t be the only way you interact with the world. DO YOU NEED A MEDIA DETOX?
Although April Fools’ Day has been celebrated for centuries by cultures around the world, the holiday’s origin is unclear. Historians point to a variety of possible beginnings, but the only solid conclusion is that the April Fools’ Day we know today is a blend of traditions. THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR In 1582, France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Some people were slow to get the news, and others failed to recognize that the start of the year had moved from April 1 to Jan. 1. Those who celebrated during the last week of March became the butt of jokes and hoaxes. People placed paper fish on the backs of March celebrators to symbolize young, easily caught fish and referred to them as “poissons d’avril,” or “April fools.” HILARIA Other historians have linked April Fools’ Day to the ancient Roman festival Hilaria, which was celebrated at the end of March. The festival honored Cybele, a mother of gods, and celebrations included parades, masquerades, and jokes to honor the vernal equinox, the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. ‘CANTERBURY TALES’ Another origin story comes from Geoffrey Chaucer’s 1392 book, “The Canterbury Tales.” There are still questions about whether Chaucer really wrote the stories and whether they have any direct link to April Fools’ Day. In the book, Chaucer describes the date “32 March.” Some believe this was a joke, because March 32 doesn’t exist, but some medievalists insist it was a misprint. April Fools’ Day certainly has murky origins. Whether our traditions come from the Gregorian calendar switch, Hilaria, or even “The Canterbury Tales,” we can all enjoy our chance to let loose and play pranks on our friends and family at least one day each year.
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However, this isn’t always an option. If you struggle with allergy symptoms, nasal steroid sprays or antihistamines can help. Be sure to chat with your doctor before taking any new medication, and be aware of any possible side effects. Moderate Allergies: Allergy Testing If the over-the-counter approach doesn’t seem to cure your itchy eyes and runny nose, you might need more aggressive treatment. An allergist can perform an allergy test to determine the cause of your allergic reaction and create a treatment plan. Our sister practice, Texan Allergy, offers allergy testing services and can create a personalized allergy treatment plan, which may include allergy shots or allergy drops, depending on your needs. You can contact them by visiting the Texan Allergy website at texanallergy.com. Severe Allergies: Talk to an ENT Children and adults who suffer from bad nasal allergies often have significant underlying structural problems within their nose. An enlarged turbinate, a deviated septum, or chronic sinusitis can lead to painful allergy symptoms and make treating allergies nearly impossible. Scheduling an evaluation with your ENT can help determine if you are facing an uphill battle and which procedures are available to you. If allergies are making spring a pain for you or a loved one, give Dr. Evans a call at 512.550.0321. He can help you determine the best way to overcome your allergy struggle and breathe easy this season.
Spring is in bloom, and there’s no better time to appreciate the great outdoors with your family. For some, it’s the ideal time to go camping; for others, it’s a time to go for daily walks around the block. Unfortunately, it’s also a season filled with allergens. Heavy pollinizers like oak, ash, and mulberry trees are at their peak in early spring, and they can irritate allergy sufferers. Don’t let your allergies keep you trapped inside. Depending on the severity of your allergy, there’s a treatment for you. Mild Allergies: Over-the-Counter Treatment Ideally, if you suffer from environmental allergies, you should try to avoid airborne allergens. DON’T SNEEZE YOUR WAY THROUGH APRIL 3 Ways to Overcome Allergies
LAUGH! HAVE A
Mint Pea Soup With the beautiful spring weather, peas will soon be ripe enough to slip out of their pods. In honor of the season, this recipe pairs peas and pearl onions with mint to make a refreshing soup.
Adapted from mynewroots.org
Ingredients
• • • •
1 tablespoon agave nectar
• • • • •
3 pearl onions, diced 3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
6 cups fresh or frozen peas
Pistachios for garnish
5 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup fresh mint, plus more for garnish
Directions
1. Place pot on stove over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add onions and cook until translucent. 2. Add peas and stock. Cook until peas are just tender and still bright green. Remove from stove and allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes. 3. Put the mixture in a blender. As you blend, add mint, agave, lemon juice, and salt. 4. Once blended, pour into a bowl, garnish with mint and pistachios, and serve!
This soup can be served hot or chilled depending on the weather and your preference.
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Satellite Offices: 601A Leah Avenue San Marcos, TX 78666 Tuesday and Thursday afternoons 1009 W San Antonio Street Lockhart, TX 78644 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Page 1 You Haven’t FailedYet
Page 2 The Origins of April Fools’Day
Page 2 WhyYou Should Consider a Media Detox
Page 3 Your New Allergy Treatment Plan
Page 3 Spring Greens Soup
Page 4 Word From theWesties
Hours: Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hello, everyone! My name’s Izzy, and I’m here with Emma. We’re Dr. Evans’ West Highland terriers, fierce canines tasked with protecting the Evans household from invaders, like cats and mail carriers. We’ll be bringing you a dog’s-eye view of important topics, including the best places in Texas to take a walk, ways to beat the summer heat, and how to tell if your human is just pretending to throw the ball when you play fetch. I’m 7 years old (in human years) and have been by Renee’s side since long before Dr. Evans came into the picture, but I will admit, she picked a pretty good human to bring into our pack. He gives excellent pets (when I allow it) and seems to understand that I’m the queen of the house. And I take my role very seriously. I need to make sure one of the humans is always in the same roomwith me, and my most important job is to sound the alarm when another animal tries to sneak into our home through the television. Whenever I spot a potential invader on-screen, especially another dog, I’ll jump up and bark to let everyone know there’s trouble. Strangely, Renee A TAIL OF TWO WESTIES Izzy and Emma Take the Page
and Dr. Evans don’t seem to appreciate my efforts, especially when our human pup, Audrey, is sleeping. My little sister, Emma, takes a different approach to things. She’s just over 1 year old, and she’s far less attentive when it comes to keeping track of the humans. There are times when she’s perfectly happy to play in the yard by herself or hang out in another room alone. But don’t make the mistake of thinking she doesn’t like our humans. She’s far more willing to engage in snuggles, and her favorite thing in the world is to meet someone new. It doesn’t matter if it’s a new human or another dog — she’ll greet themwith a wagging tail and kisses. Emma and I look forward to sharing some stories with you in the coming months. It’s going to be more fun than playing fetch!
Izzy & Emma
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