SELF HEALTH + HEALING

Practical, medicinal, and mystical, essential oils bridge the gap between real and ethereal. Whether it’s lice or lethargy, there’s an oil for that.

 

Essential oils have been used for centuries, from Ancient Egypt to the Ayurvedic tradition to the modern massage table, for therapeutic, cosmetic, and ceremonial purposes. With powerful effects both immediate and prolonged, and mounting scientific evidence of their benefits, these potent compounds are regaining popularity as safe and effective tools to support physical wellness, enhance yoga and meditation practices, and maintain emotional balance.

Simple and natural ways to beat sugar cravings with l-glutamine, b-vitamins, chromium, sleep, meal planning, protein & exercise.

 

Based on the number of candy bar commercials that exploit apparently insurmountable sugar cravings that can only be alleviated with the help of a candy bar… sugar cravings seem to be a big problem. After all, you aren’t yourself if you don’t eat a packaged candy bar. (sarcasm)

 

Sugar cravings can certainly be a problem, and many people struggle with them. With a modern lifestyle that often includes processed foods, irregular sleep schedules, artificial light and lack of movement, hormone imbalance is a growing problem and cravings are a growing symptom.

Chairs: we sit in them, work in them, shop in them, eat in them and date in them. Americans sit for most of their waking hours, 13 hours every day on average. Yet chairs are lethal.

This grim conclusion may surprise you, but 18 studies reported during the past 16 years, covering 800,000 people overall, back it up. In 2010, for example, the journal Circulation published an investigation following 8,800 adults for seven years. Those who sat for more than four hours a day while watching television had a 46 percent increase in deaths from any cause when compared with people who sat in front of the tube for less than two hours. Other researchers have found that sitting for more than half the day, approximately, doubles the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Overall, when you combine all causes of death and compare any group of sitters with those who are more active, sitters have a 50 percent greater likelihood of dying.

Flu season is upon us and we want to know the facts: Can you prevent the flu naturally or is the vaccination the way to go?

 

AT THE TURN OF EVERY WINTER SEASON, we begin to see advertisements and promotions for the dreaded flu vaccination. While most of us shudder at the thought of an injection, past experiences of piping-hot fevers, bone-rattling chills and blinding headaches makes us think twice. This leads us to question whether the vaccination is necessary, or if we can hope to build up our immune system naturally to ward off those nasty bugs during flu season. Fact or fiction: A vaccination is necessary to prevent the flu.

Deep relaxation happier gene expression and oh yeah a better memory can come with 60 more minutes of shut-eye.

 

It's weird that we sometimes think we can go without sleep--since we'd be so much more productive with just a bit more.

 

The BBC's Michael Mosley reports that increasing the quanitity of time spent slumbering by a mere hour can upgrade the quality of your sleep. This, in turn, upgrades the quality of your day--in at least three ways.

Guest post by Alexander Shikhman, MD

"The human gut contains a myriad of microorganisms which form a well-orchestrated ecosystem known as microbiota.

 

Human microbiota plays a vital role in the human body via regulation of immune and inflammatory responses, production of certain vitamins and biologically active substances, scavenging of non-digested food components and human body metabolites (for example, uric acid causing gout) and feeding the intestinal lining.

 

Disturbances in the human microbiota caused by antibiotics, excessive carbohydrate consumption, prolonged use of birth control pills, immunosuppression and anti-inflammatory drugs can result in colon inflammation, yeast overgrowth, leaky gut syndrome and eventually trigger chronic fatigue, brain fog, insomnia and headaches.

Dr Mike Hart propose nutrition and diet plans, muscle and fitness with information on shaping muscle mass, weight training and sports nutrition .

 

There are countless nutritional myths in the health industry. The unfortunate truth is that once a theory becomes “accepted as scientific evidence”, it becomes re-written until it is accepted as undisputed truth. However, some of these theories may not stand the test of time. Governmental organizations aren’t likely to make a public announcement stating, “In light of new evidence, we must regretfully inform you that what we have advocated as healthy food is actually unhealthy”.

 

I will attempt to reveal 8 nutritional myths that may not only surprise you, but may allow you incorporate the facts into your life to make more informed decisions towards a healthier lifestyle. 

"Be honest: when was the last time you thought about how healthy your digestive system was?"

 

The truth is that we only tend to think about it when something goes wrong, but Gut Week is all about focussing on how important it is to consider what you eat.

Think of the digestive system as the pistons of an engine - to get the most amount of energy, and to ward off future illnesses, it's important to keep it running right.

 

Read on to learn how to get the most out of your day for weight loss - from meals to sleep and workouts.

 

The simple choices we make day in and day out—such as when to exercise or what time to hit the sack—can have a huge effect on how many calories we burn, and thus, how much weight we lose. Read on to learn how to get the most out of your day. 

Read more at http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/08/your-dusk-to-dawn-guide-to-weight-loss/#4eYJMqVLtihfbSXd.99

"How do I say this without raising an eyebrow? I rinse my mouth with oil every morning, and it has transformed my body. This ancient practice of washing out with your mouth with oil every morning, or even three times a day, has completely detoxed my body.

Allow me to introduce you to the ancient Ayurvedic practice of oil pulling. I've been oil pulling for close to a year now, and my dental hygiene is impeccable; my teeth are white, glossy and my gums are a healthier pink color. That’s just the beginning. Oil pulling can also rev up your metabolism and literally wakes you up in the morning. Coffee? What coffee? In the event your wine bottle tips itself into your glass too many times the night before, oil pulling works remarkably well to clear out that fuzzy morning fog."

Leading a healthy lifestyle will improve your overall health, and increase your energy and level of fitness

 

These days as people work more and their lives get busier, they have much less time for themselves. It’s easy for people to forget about taking care of themselves and what’s most important, their health and fitness. However, leading a healthy lifestyle will improve your overall health, and increase both your energy and level of fitness. Here are 5 tips on how to lead a healthy lifestyle:

You can eat well and exercise, but to round out your identity as a Person Who Makes Healthy Choices you may feel like you need to drain a large water bottle a few times a day. The benefits of chugging H2O are myriad and legendary, but are they real?

 

It seems every week somebody is proposing a new gadget or app to track how much water you drink (and prod you to drink more). Maxing out your water intake is a simple and actionable thing to do, but we know that focusing on small easy changes can backfire if they’re a distraction from the meaningful improvements you want to make in your life.

It's not meditation, massage or prayer. But practitioners and clients say reiki heals in ways that are hard to explain.

 

Terri Reynolds, 56, knows the exchange well. She says, “Reiki.” They say, “Huh?” She says, “Energy healing.” They say, “Hocus-pocus.” 

 

But for Reynolds, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2011, reiki is anything but. The practice – which usually involves a practitioner placing his or her hands on or above a client to facilitate that person's healing energy – taught her how to quiet her mind after surgery and six months of chemotherapy. 

 

  

Want to start connecting the dots in your own life? First, let’s learn about acute and chronic inflammation, since they play very different roles in our everyday health.

 

When I started connecting the dots between my diet and lifestyle, chronic inflammation and disease, I felt empowered to take charge of my health. Why? Because our daily choices are the root of chronic inflammation.

 

Over the past decade, I’ve renovated everything from my grocery cart to my makeup bag to my mind in an effort to upgrade my immune system. And as I moved from a stressful life full of fast food, toxins, and bad boyfriends to a more balanced existence filled with plant-passionate nourishment, inner growth and conscious living, I started experiencing the perks — chronic inflammation decreased and my body started working with me to heal and rebuild.

"He feels smarter already."

 

Moving your body may be the best way to protect your brain.

Physical exercise can ease depression, slow age-related memory loss and prevent Parkinson-like symptoms, researchers reported at the Society for Neuroscience meeting underway in San Diego.

The findings — some in animals, some in people — suggest that people may be making a mistake if they're relying primarily on crossword puzzles and brain-training games for mental wellness.

"Sleep is a funny subject because people approach it with the best intentions. We know how important it is and how bad a lack of sleep can make us feel, yet it is very hard to change habits for the better."

 

I have written about sleep several times before here, and here…. This post though sets out to be a little bit different. While there is no scientific evidence to back it up I am a firm believer in the old adage -

 

“One hour of sleep before midnight is worth two after”...

For the first time, researchers show how a plant-based diet, stress management and other lifestyle changes may lead to longevity.

 

It’s not quite the Fountain of Youth, but it may be the river that leads to it. In a paper published in the journal Lancet Oncology, scientists found that a small group of men who made changes in the way they ate and handled their emotional needs showed longer telomeres in their cells.

 

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/16/eat-better-and-stress-less-itll-make-your-cells-and-maybe-you-live-longer/#ixzz2f7lYpROG

The must-read guide for anyone who's considered taking up yoga. Yoga is an ancient practice with origins stretching back thousands of years in India. It is designed to help achieve a more positive outlook on life and a focused, permanent sense of serenity and peace. The word ‘yoga’ itself means ‘union’ and ‘union with the divine’; however, many people have stripped away the spirituality and focus of yoga so that most think of it as a group of intensely athletic people putting their legs behind their heads and curling up into jaw-dropping positions.

 

While that certainly happens–I’ve actually done the leg behind the head thing a few times, but only after years of careful stretches and practice–yoga has so much more to offer than flexibility and the idea of garnering a strong body. People of all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities can do yoga and adapt it to suit their individual tastes and needs.

In the modern world, 'fitness' has become less about being healthy, more about pursuing unrealistic body ideals.

 

The concept of ‘fitness’ is more popular than ever. Terms are being thrown about like ‘clean-eating’, ‘protein cake’, ‘fitspiration’. Something fundamental to human life, taking care of our body, has been turned into a fad in the same way that people cute puppies or hipster fashion has.

 

"Keeping fit was associated with a patriotic sense of proving a strong, competent member of society. Now it is much more ego-driven."

 

But is this really a healthy way to look after our bodies?

 

by Marcia Sirota, MD FRPC

 

"You probably know someone in your life who is really, really nice. (Maybe it’s you?) This person is so nice that no-one has ever seen them angry or even a little bit irritated. They’re always eager to please, and if a misunderstanding should arise between themselves and someone else, they try ever so hard to placate the other person, hoping to make the problem go away. You must have also seen people taking advantage of this person’s kindness, often treating them with disrespect or even contempt. The more they try to please, the less respect these nice folk seem to get."

"You woke up today and said to yourself: “Today is going to be different.”

First and foremost, congratulations!"

That’s a big step.  

Now, you start trying to figure out how to actually get started:

Should I sign up for a gym membership?Should I throw away all of my food and eat like a caveman?Should I start eating breakfast or skip breakfast?Should I go for a walk? a run? a hike?