Stress in small amounts is essential; it motivates us, it helps us learn, and it even pushes us into “ a level of optimal alertness, behavioural and cognitive performance.” But this positive effect only occurs when we experience acute, low-level, short bursts of stress. Prolonged feelings of stress and chaos are different. When we experience stress, it affects every part of our lives and can … [Read more...]

How do you usually feel before climbing into bed? Are you feeling relaxed, ready to rest, and at ease? Do you feel anxious and find it hard to leave the day's worries behind you when you go to bed? If you're like most people, you go to bed in a state of stress and tension, but these relaxing bedtime activities will help you change that. Here are 30 relaxing things to do before bed to sleep … [Read more...]

If you're feeling stressed, tea can be a helpful way to relax. Many types of tea have health benefits that include boosting your immune system, reducing inflammation, and keeping your memory sharp. The act of preparing tea can also help reduce stress and anxiety, and improve your mood. Herbal teas made from plants from around the world are the best teas for stress. If you're feeling stressed, … [Read more...]

There are people who drink coffee before they go for a run and never have any issues. Other people may have gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea if they drink coffee before running. Some may also experience heartburn. If you need coffee to get going in the morning, it is safe to have a cup before you go for a run. There are some advantages and disadvantages to think … [Read more...]

Weight gain doesn’t always come with an obvious culprit. Weight gain can sometimes happen suddenly and unexpectedly, making it hard to figure out what in our routine might be causing it. There are other times in our lives when the weight gain we are experiencing has nothing to do with our lifestyle. Many of us attribute our bad moods to other things, when in reality our hormones are usually the … [Read more...]

Sleep is very important for your physical health and wellbeing. If you're not getting enough sleep, you're putting yourself at risk for some serious health problems. If you do not get enough sleep, it can increase your hunger and affect how well you do when you work out. You may not want to go to the gym, and you may feel tired before you even start your workout. Melatonin is a hormone that is … [Read more...]

Organic protein powders may help people get the protein they need every day. Whey protein powder is a very popular type of protein powder. It is made from whey, which is a protein found in milk. More recently, protein powders that are derived from various plant-based foods, like soy, hemp, pea, nuts, rice, and other plants, have increased in popularity. Some protein powders that are classified as … [Read more...]

Sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate used to sweeten products like candy, gum, and baked goods. Maltitol, erythitol, xylitol, and sorbitol are all sugar alcohols. Despite their name, sugar alcohols are neither sugar nor alcohol. Although they are sweet, they do not cause blood sugar to spike like table sugar does. Foods that contain sugar alcohols are food items that do not have any sugar … [Read more...]

You can enjoy sweets as part of a balanced diet, but only in moderation. When moderation turns into frequent sugar cravings, it can indicate a more serious problem. Everyone has sugar cravings, so how do you manage them? Good news: researchers have looked into sugar cravings and their findings might help you out. You can learn how to control your cravings by understanding why you have … [Read more...]

A lot of people think that a slow metabolism is to blame when they can't seem to lose weight or they have low energy levels. Even though your metabolism rate may have no effect on your progress, boosting your metabolism with natural remedies cannot hurt. "Often, people think their metabolism is broken or not working," says Erik Bustillo, RD, a strength and health coach and co-vice president and … [Read more...]

health. Having a good night's sleep is one of the things that is important for good health. However, our modern lifestyles can prevent us from getting enough sleep, which can make us tired and more likely to develop chronic health problems. There is good news regarding sleep improvement according to the latest research. You can take certain steps, such as changing your diet and what you drink, to … [Read more...]

Dietary fat is a type of nutrient that is essential to the body. It is also a type of body tissue. Sometimes it's also an insulting word that people use to describe a body shape. Fat has been vilified in America for the past few decades. This is because studies post-World War II showed that there was an association between high-fat diets and high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol raises the risk of … [Read more...]

Arteries are the path by which your body carries the oxygen-rich blood to all parts of your body. If your arteries are healthy, the inner walls are smooth, allowing the blood to flow freely. If your arteries aren't healthy, however, the blood can't flow as freely. Clogged arteries are caused by a buildup of plaque. Clogged arteries can increase your risk of several health problems, including heart … [Read more...]

Throughout nature, there are examples of intestinal microbes changing the behavior of the host. One example is an intestinal microbe that affects rodents - it makes the rodent passive to bobcat urine, and they lose their fear of it. This is important, because they are losing their fear of a predator, and won't leave when they smell their scent. This alteration of behavior can also affect humans, … [Read more...]

A study of medical and dental students was done using a continuous glucose monitoring, wearable device. This is also known as a CGM. The device helps the wearer to be more aware of the impact their nutrition choices make on their healthy, specifically how their body metabolizes glucose. A well rounded approach to nutrition awareness helps to benefit the patient by providing them with the device as … [Read more...]

When learning about medicine, it is important to learn from ancient cultures. However, too many people ignore this foundation, and much of the information is being lost. This type of historical medicine, or shamanic medicine, is often based in the use of plants. Plants can be very important for things like fighting stomach bugs, and even recovering from trauma. Plants, in general, can help our … [Read more...]

Zinc is one of the most important minerals for people, because it is involved in almost every activity that the body undertakes. But as important as zinc is, it is hard for people to eat enough, because much of the soil has been depleted of it. Because of zinc's importance even to plants, when there isn't enough zinc, plants don't grow well. It is estimated that over two billion people around the … [Read more...]

Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally produced within our body by the pineal gland. Melatonin has a direct effect on our sleep pattern and is typically used as a supplement to help people fall asleep. Too much melatonin however is a bad thing as it can cause you to become drowsy and can also lead to headaches and nausea. It is important to optimize the level of melatonin you take via trial and … [Read more...]

Because of the lack of efficacy in depression medications, there is a need to find alternatives. One of those alternatives is a green algae called chorella. Chorella has been used in Asian countries for hundreds of years for both medicinal purposes and as a dietary supplement. While there has been some research done about chorella, but the studies haven't been the randomized, double blind, … [Read more...]

Lycopene is an antioxidant, so its job is to neutralize the free radicals in a person's body. This is important, because when free radicals are left alone, they can cause disease. Lycopene is part of the carotenoid family, which means you find it in red and orange vegetables. It is most closely associated with tomatoes. People can't make their own lycopene, which is why it is important to eat … [Read more...]