It’s Entirely Natural - Articles

Managing stress is becoming more important as our environment becomes more tension-inducing every year. From traffic jams to work-related stress, there are more stimuli that can make the heart race and the adrenaline flow than at any time in the past.

What is the best way to improve physical and psychological well-being?

• Exercise is a proven stress-reliever. It releases endorphins that counteract stress hormones, and improve mood. It’s always difficult to start an exercise program, so it makes sense to start gradually and work your way up. Stretching and flexing the muscles in the neck, back, shoulders, arms and abdomen help to take away tension and make it easier for the muscles to relax. Exercises that improve cardiovascular function benefit the heart and lungs and affect the blood. This causes chemical changes in the body and the release of and balance of hormones that improve overall mood. Starting and sticking with a regular exercise plan also encourages a healthy concept of self, giving one a better outlook on things and a line of defense against stressors.
• There are also relaxation techniques, or exercises that are extremely helpful in managing and reducing stress. One such technique is trying to touch the shoulder to the ears. Hold your shoulder for a few seconds and then let the shoulders drop. Rotate one shoulder toward the rear and then the other, do each shoulder up to ten times and then do both shoulders together.
• Another exercise that is good for relaxing and good for the body is to lie down with knees bent, press the back down so that all parts of the back touch the surface, while doing so pull in hard on the stomach muscles. Then just relax them. This helps to let go of tension as well as firm abdominal muscles and strengthens the back. Many people find specific exercise programs such as Pilates, tai chi and yoga to be very relaxing.
• Getting adequate sleep can do wonders for the body and mind. Just going to bed a half an hour earlier at night, or taking a short nap during the day, can reenergize the body and recharge the mind, If you’ve had enough sleep, you can make clear, thoughtful decisions.
• If a nap is not possible make sure you take time to relax or take a break. Even a fifteen-minute respite from work, school, or regular daily activities is advisable for quiet, privacy and introspection.
• Taking a brisk walk or even just going outside or to another room, the change in scenery can eliminate existing stress or to counter it before it gets to be too much.
• It is also necessary to eat properly. Eat an adequate and nutritious breakfast each day. Hunger cannot only leave you less able to cope with stress but can also be considered a stressor in itself. It is also important to make sure to eat a well balanced diet for optimal health.

Avoiding or reducing the consumption of caffeine containing substances is a simple and effective way to reduce tension and stress. Caffeine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system in a similar fashion as stress as do other substances like alcohol and tobacco that people often use as a means of reducing stress.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Stress Management.

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Tags: caffeine, exercise, hormones, relaxation techniques, sleep, Stress Management, yoga

Chocolate is not just a tasty treat. Chocolate is actually healthy for you in small quantities. Researchers have spent many years studying this delicious food (what a fun thing to research!) These researchers have found that dark chocolate, which is bitterer in taste than milk chocolate or other forms of chocolate, has a number of benefits to health. Dark chocolate, red wine and green tea have all been shown to share many of the same health benefits.

Antioxidants are to be found in dark chocolate, and one of the benefits of antioxidants is their cancer-fighting properties. Other health benefits that have been connected to dark chocolate include

• a tremendous improvement in the work of the arteries and blood vessels; the lowering if high blood pressure,
  a lower incidence of deaths related to heart disease;
• improved efficiency of the endothelial cells;
• better digestive process and increased stimulation of the kidneys.

Flavonoids found in chocolate have been found to help people who suffer from anemia, a poor appetite and kidney stones. Dark chocolate is instrumental in fighting bad cholesterol in the blood vessels and it lowers blood pressure and greatly improves the circulation of blood from the heart to the brain and then back again.

Dark chocolate is believed to set off a biochemical effect in the brain that helps to clot the blood much in the same way as aspirin does if a person suspects that they are suffering a heart attack.

Dark chocolate contains the minerals copper and magnesium. These minerals are necessary for a normal functioning heartbeat and for stable blood pressure.

There are potential downsides: be aware that chocolate is fattening, and it contains caffeine so never overdo a good thing!

Not just any dark chocolate will do. In order to get the dark chocolate, experts say that the very best source is the dried extract of roasted cocoa beans. If you cannot consume chocolate this way or if it is not for you then the second best option is to eat a small chocolate bar that is approximately 1.6 ounces. This is just enough chocolate to keep the heart as healthy as possible and to keep the blood vessels opened wide, allowing blood to freely circulate.

There are many dark chocolate bars on the market but one of the best in terms of high cocoa content is the Dove Dark chocolate bar. Even eating a few tiny pieces, such as three or four squares broken off from a chocolate bar can be of tremendous benefit to the heart.

Keep in mind that eating any type of chocolate is not enough to keep the heart “heart healthy.” What you need to eat specifically is dark chocolate as dark chocolate has the most cocoa in it and the most flavonoids.

Before it was discovered that cocoa contained healthy substances called flavonoids, chocolate manufacturers used to destroy this entire important ingredient in the processing. Now that the health benefits are known, they work hard to maintain an estimated 95 percent of it after processing.

Why just dark chocolate? Because milk chocolate, white chocolate, and other forms of chocolate do not have the same level of flavonoids. If you find dark chocolate too bitter then consider buying a dark chocolate bar that contains almonds or raisins or both to add a little more variety to the flavor.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Food Cures.

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Tags: almonds, antioxidants, caffeine, cholesterol, cocoa beans, dark chocolate, flavonoids, Food Cures, green tea, magnesium, red wine

The morning after a night of heavy drinking, you may be sicker than you ever could have imagined. Despite the fact that alcohol has been around for thousands of years, few real remedies have been discovered. However, it seems that since humans love to imbibe, many interesting remedies have been created.

For instance, in the middle ages, raw eel was included in concoctions. Even today, remedies are slightly strange - for instance, at 3 AM when you should be sound asleep in your bed, you may stagger home for a cold shower and black coffee - and then wonder why you feel terrible in the morning. So, what remedies actually work? Here are some of the tried and true methods that you can give a try for yourself.

Hitting the local Starbucks or all night diners for a cup of black coffee has long been a standard “cure” for hangovers. While you will no longer be falling asleep drunk, you will still be drunk - just wide awake. Caffeine does not sober you up, though it may help your headache. However, it can also dehydrate you further and irritate your stomach, making you all the more miserable once it wears off.

One of the biggest mistakes is to drink coffee before trying to go to bed. Best case scenario it will disrupt your sleep - assuming you can get to sleep at all. If you need coffee to get your engine started in the morning, have a small cup. Otherwise, you may suffer from caffeine withdrawals on top of your hangover.

Of course, every good alcoholic will tell you that having a drink in the morning will help ward off the hangover. While this may help the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal your body experiences, it is only prolonging your suffering. Your body still has to process the alcohol from the night before, plus whatever new stuff you put in, and, unless you continue drinking yourself into oblivion, you will eventually have to deal with the after effects. All in all, a drink the next day is just going to put you further on the road to a drinking problem.

Some drinkers turn to natural remedies to solve their hangover issues. However, some people find the “cure” to be worse than the sickness. Milk thistle is often used for people suffering from liver problems, and can help improve liver function. Taking it may help your liver eliminate the toxins from the alcohol better. Gingerroot tea can help settle that nauseous stomach in the morning. Fresh fruit and vegetable juices can get nutrients into your body quickly and help get you hydrated again. Soup can also help to hydrate, and soothes the stomach as well as providing much needed nutrients.

Of course, there are always the hangover recipes that you can try out. Many of these are a mixture of alcohol, juice, and flavorings. Again, keep in mind that in most cases, drinking more alcohol will only prolong your pain and can lead to big problems down the road. At best, these recipes provide temporary relief.

Time is the only real cure for a hangover. So, if you are going to drink, make sure you schedule time to recover.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more informaton on Hangover Cures.

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Tags: caffeine, coffee, Hangover Cures, headache, natural remedies, sleep, starbucks