Vitamin A and Hormone Health

| September 15, 2016

Foods containing Vitamin A

It is well known that vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients, performing many different roles in the body—from keeping bones healthy to supporting normal reproductive functioning. With so many different varieties of supplements on the market today, in addition to the plethora of convenient juice stores with super-fortified and tasty concoctions, it seems like everyone should be getting the right balance of vitamins and nutrients needed for a healthy body. However, the glut of availability and lack of education with many of these products can lead to side effects and risks from vitamin overload. A study by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) found that many people have unhealthy levels of excess vitamin A in their bodies. These elevated vitamin A levels can cause unpleasant side effects such as dizziness, nausea, and headaches, along with posing a higher risk for liver failure, osteoporosis, and even reproductive complications. Read more…

Food & Your Mood

| August 22, 2016

Woman suffering from a stomach ache

Every day, by mid to late afternoon, many people start to feel sluggish and fatigued, and maybe a little grumpy. A snack to help make it through the rest of the work day begins to sound very appealing. Taking a trip to the vending machine for some overly processed sugary or salty treats, or to the corner café for a jolt of coffee, are likely choices in the effort to beat the afternoon slump. However, do these common habits really make people feel better? Maybe for a bit, until they start to feel worse. New research uncovering a strong link between diet and its impact on mood and behavioral illness may be enough to change the habits of afternoon snackers. A recent study found that gut bacteria (also known as gut flora) has a strong link to brain chemistry and its effect on behavior and emotional wellbeing, according to researchers at McMaster University.… Read More

Postmenopause May Offer Migraine Relief

| August 11, 2016

Woman suffering from a migraine headache

If you suffer from migraines, you may view the approach of your monthly period with much-warranted dread—menstrual migraines tend to be more severe and harder to treat than other types of migraines. Migraine headaches can last hours or even days and cause crippling pain, nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light, smell, and sound. And they can be triggered by seemingly innocuous things like changes in the weather or certain foods. Moving away from a monthly trigger like menstruation may sound appealing, but once you reach perimenopause, although your cycle may start to slow down, your migraine symptoms could get even worse. Many women don’t find relief from migraines until after menopause, when major hormonal fluctuations come to an end. Researchers have long known that estrogen is one of the key factors in why so many women suffer from migraines—at a much higher rate than men—but new research offers a glimpse into why.… Read More

Toxic Algae – Yet Another Effect of Global Warming

| July 27, 2016

Green algae floating on the water

For a while, nay-sayers scoffed at the term “Global Warming”, passing it off as a made-up term by pessimists and nature-loving extremists, and by scientists eager to find a new “buzz-word” topic to help get their name out. However, today in 2016, there’s no denying that global warming is real. There are far too many signs to ignore — from the melting ice cap and dwindling polar bear habitat, to the rising of the ocean levels and failure of various crops that can’t take the high temperatures. This summer has brought to light yet another problem exacerbated by our warm weather: Toxic Algae… Read More

Stressed About Stress

| July 19, 2016

Woman feeling stressed out

Stress can often feel like a never-ending cycle. It disrupts your sleep patterns and damages your emotional instability, which makes it even harder to cope with, which makes its effects more potent. If you could just resolve the source of the stress, you might be able to recover, except that you don’t have time to recover before another source of stress hits you harder than before.

Does this sound like your life? If so, it doesn’t have to be. You may feel trapped, but rest assured that you aren’t. In fact, with a little knowledge about how stress affects your hormonal balance, you could reduce the effects of stress on your system drastically… Read More

Vitamins and Hormones in the Body

| June 29, 2016

 

Foods containing Vitamin B12

Hormones have the power to regulate your body in many ways. When we experience feelings of pleasure, are able to lose weight, and have satisfying sexual experiences, we can credit hormones. Given the strong role that hormones play in every system in the body, you can see the potential harm if they become out of sync. Many hormonal changes are gradual, and thus go unnoticed or are attributed to natural aging, yet many of these changes could be the result of a vitamin deficiency. Although some vitamins are produced naturally in the body, vitamin B12 is sourced through food. If you don’t get enough vitamin B12 in your diet, or take supplements that are readily absorbed, your overall health can suffer. … Read More

Your Best Body Starts with the Best Diet

| March 28, 2016
lose weight

lose weight

Spring fever is hitting hard. The weather is turning from bitter cold to breezy and balmy, with refreshing, sunny days and blooming flowers. You’re ready to shed some layers of clothing and soak up some rays. But if find your bare-all clothes are fitting a little more snug than last year, you may feel like a diet is in order to get back to your best weight. So which meal plan do you choose?

Choosing the “perfect” diet can be tricky—vegetarian, vegan, low fat, no carb, protein shakes, cabbage soup, lemon juice, fasting—there are so many options. One thing is clear from recent studies—there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all diet. Everybody is different, and the best diet plan for you really comes down to your individual biochemical make-up. . . . Read more

 

Want To Lose Weight? Don’t Overlook Fiber

| February 29, 2016
fiber helps weight loss

fiber helps weight loss

With junk food, convenience stores, and fast-food restaurants around every corner, it’s often too easy to sabotage your best-laid diet plans. Even if you manage to avoid processed foods and beverages, your new diet shake, meal replacement plan, or ketosis diet still may not cut it. However, research is showing a surprising new way to keep the delicate balance of your gut healthy and strong, and lose weight in the process—by consuming high levels of naturally fibrous foods.

Simply upping your fiber intake may actually help you achieve results rivaling more complicated diets. Fiber fulfills many roles. It works as an appetite suppressant, making you feel more satiated, and it, improves metabolic markers such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar. Moreover, studies are showing that fiber is one of the ways your inner gut culture stays healthy and produces the chemicals necessary to carry nourishment to your cells. Simply put, you need to be eating more fiber.…Read More

Can Your Personality Increase the Length of Your Life?

| February 15, 2016
antiaging

antiaging

According to The Longevity Project, one of the largest studies of its kind that spanned eight decades, Stanford researchers Howard S. Friedman and Leslie R. Martin have uncovered strong evidence that the length of your life is directly correlated with your personality. During this project they found that conscientiousness people, meaning those who are thorough, meticulous, careful, diligent, and reliable, lived longest lives. “The qualities of a prudent, persistent, well-organized person, like a scientist-professor—somewhat obsessive and not at all carefree are the qualities that help lead to a long life. Many of us assume that more relaxed people live longer, but it’s not necessarily the case,” the authors noted.

Looking into the possible reasons for these findings, experts hypothesize that conscientious behavior influences other behaviors. For example, conscientious people tend to make healthier choices, including who they marry, what type of careers they choose, and the lifestyle habits they most likely avoid such as reckless driving or not following their physician’s orders.

If you happen to be a more relaxed personality type, no fear. Recent studies also prove that there are many changes you can make to your daily lifestyle habits that can affect the quality and longevity of your life. . . .Read More

How to “Cool Down” Your Hot Flashes

| January 28, 2016
cause of hot flashes

cause of hot flashes

Do you feel like rushing out in sub-zero temperatures―without a coat? You know the symptom. Your menopausal thermostat has gone crazy again, leaving you to cope with hot flashes that drench you in sweat and rob you of sleep. You probably wonder just how long this is going to go on. You may have heard a rumor that your menopause-related heat attacks should go away in six to 24 months. But the bad news is that, on average, hot flashes last around ten years. It is certainly true that unrelenting hot flashes can take a toll on your health and wellbeing, not to mention your mood. You do have options, however. Learn about do-it-yourself strategies to help you manage your symptoms, cool down, and get relief. …..Read More