It’s Entirely Natural - Articles

Excessive stress and depression can shorten your life span and drastically reduce your quality of life. Stress can speed up the aging process making it harder for your body to fight off illness and serious disease. Stress and depression affect your immune system and you may find you have more frequent colds, stomach problems, and other stress related problems. You can age gracefully and maintain better health if you take steps to ward off depression and stress.

What are some fun and helpful ways of relieving stress and depression? There are a few tips that may help you make the most of every day.

• Eat healthy! This means stay away from refined sugar, empty calorie snack foods, and fatty meats. There are many choices of snacks and foods that will keep your body satisfied and feeling full. Eating chocolate or sugar products will not help depression. These foods may increase your symptoms of stress and depression. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. You could be surprised how much better you will feel by removing processed sugars from your diet!

• Exercise regularly. Physical exercise is important for many reasons. It keeps your body from growing stiff, decreases stress, and allows you to take in oxygen that is needed for the body to work properly. Start out walking or doing low impact exercises or yoga. Walk around the block, listen to the sounds of nature and let your mind go blank. If you are just beginning an exercise program, check with your doctor before you begin. A little exercise is better than no exercise at all.

• Adopt a pet. It is well-known that a family pet will help relieve stress and anxiety. Nursing homes are allowing pets to be brought in because they have such a positive benefit on residents. Many senior communities and assisted living facilities allow pets and even encourage them. Play with your pet, stroke it or pet it, you will feel the tension slip away.

• Take time to relax. You may feel you always have to be on the go, or doing something. You don’t! Take the time to relax, drink a cup of tea or coffee and sit in a sunny room. Weather is gloomy? Watch the ever-changing patterns in the sky, the trees as they bend in the wind, and listen to the soothing sound of rain on the roof.

Does gloomy weather bring you down? Work each day to make yourself enjoy the day. Find something you are thankful for, call a friend, watch a favorite movie on TV, or take the time to engage in your favorite hobby or pastime.

Stress and depression will take a toll on your body both physically and emotionally. Think positive and make each day important. Enjoy your family, hold and look into the eyes of a baby, and treat yourself to a bubble bath or special outing. You will find you are aging in a healthy way and could give you a longer lifespan.

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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 Healthy Retirment.

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Tags: coffee, Depression, exercise, fruits and vegetables, healthy retirment, immune system, stress, stress and anxiety, whole grains

Plants are just as prone to viruses, bacteria and diseases as people are. We have an immune system to fight diseases while plants have developed their own form of immune system which consists of a protective substances called phytochemicals.

Studies are showing that the same phytochemicals that protect plants can also help to protect people from a variety of cancers as well as other diseases. Some of the foods containing this chemical include whole grains, dark and leafy green colored fruits and vegetables, legumes, orange, yellow, and red colored fruits and vegetables, cruciferous vegetables and anti-bacterial vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables that are dark in color something known as flavonoids. Flavonoids are found in a variety of different fruits and vegetables which include blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, bilberries, cranberries, red grapes, red grapes, apples, onions, broccoli, peppers and eggplant. There are estimated to be well over 4,000 flavonoids in existence and they are then broken down into a variety of subcategories which include anthocyanidins, polyphenolic acid, proanthocyanidins, ellagic acid, tannins and quercetic.

Research studies into dark colored fruits and vegetables have shown that they are all very powerful when it comes to anti-oxidant properties and some are believed to have 50 times the anti-oxidant capability of both vitamin E as well as vitamin C. Other studies have shown that flavonoids found in both fruits and vegetables are helpful in decreasing the risk of a variety of cancers as well as diabetes, arthritis and atherosclerosis. Flavonoids are beneficial when it comes to protecting the collagen protein found in blood vessels and joints from the damage that can be done by free radicals in the body. By protecting the collagen protein this is a way to reduce the incidence of hemorrhoids, edema and varicose veins.

A study done at Cornell University yielded the result that the flavonoids found in apples known as quercetin, was effective at protecting the brain against the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease which are both classified as being neuro-generative diseases. This study was a follow-up to another study that was conducted at the same university by Professor Lee. Professor Lee discovered that the phytochemical found in both a variety of berries as well as apples had a greater “antioxidant protective effect” than did vitamin C when it came to fighting liver cancer cells and colon cancer cells. While blueberries and strawberries both have excellent anti-oxidant properties, blueberries have an estimated 40 percent more power to fight off diseases and t o heal. In a study done by neuroscientist James Joseph from Tufts University it was found that blueberries are excellent when it comes to fighting cancer and a multitude of diseases but they are also helpful in preventing or slowing short-term memory loss which can affect individuals as they age.

So, the next time you make a trip to the grocery store, be sure to stock up on healing fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce is the best to buy, with frozen being the second best. Canned fruits and vegetables tend to have a great deal of salt in them so opt for fresh if possible. For a change of pace whip up a salad with a variety of vegetables (and some fruits thrown in to add some tang) or whip up a delectable fruit salad for yourself and your family to enjoy.

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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 Food Cures.

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Tags: antioxidants, blueberries, broccoli, cranberries, flavonoids, Food Cures, free radicals, fruits and vegetables, grapes, immune system, strawberries, vitamin C, vitamin E, whole grains

Hair is composed of 98 percent protein and for that reason it is imperative to eat a well-balanced, healthy diet each and every day. Also, be sure to consume plenty of protein as well as the vitamins A, B, C, E and K. In particular, eat foods such as eggs, meat and nuts to constantly replenish your hair.

Be aware that protein is made up of the amino acids and it is five in particular that hair needs for health. These include arginine, cystine, cysteine, lysine, methionine. When you do not take in enough protein on a regular basis this can cause hair to shed. Prevent this from happening by eating plenty of protein-rich foods such as fish, meats, chicken, dairy products, eggs, grains, nuts, and soy.

Hair requires plenty of carbohydrates as well. Carbohydrates are essential for both growth and energy and are an excellent source of many of the B vitamins. Always look for non-refined grains and flour. Fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains contain carbohydrates. You should try to obtain 55 to 60 percent of your carbohydrates on a daily basis from these healthy sources.

Fat is important but too much is overdoing it and can lead to high cholesterol and heart disease. The body needs a certain amount of dietary fats to be healthy and fat is also important fro the production of energy. Get the dietary fats you need from plant sources as well as lean meats and fish. Approximately 25 to 30 percent of the fats you consume in your diet should come from these sources.

Always seek to achieve a nutritional balance, for the sake of your hair and fro your good health in general. Eat as rich a variety of foods as you can. Do not over cook your food since this can destroy the nutritional value of it. Always choose foods that are as organic and natural as possible and avoid processed foods as much as possible. If you suspect that you are not getting enough nutrients from your food then take a vitamin supplement on a daily basis. A multi vitamin is the best choice for most people.

It cannot be emphasized enough, for healthy, luscious hair, eat plenty of protein rich foods. Eggs are one such source but if you are have high cholesterol then forego the eggs, as the yolk of eggs is high in cholesterol, which will only add to your problem.

Consume plenty of whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes and always make doubly sure that your daily diet is made up of 50 percent of both fruits and veggies. Hair, as well as fingernails requires foods that are rich in silicon and sulfur. This means eat lots of broccoli, fish, onions and sea vegetables. Biotin is also required for health hair and biotin can be found in soybeans, brown rice, not to mention brewer’s yeast, which can be found in the vitamin aisle in the grocery store or health food stores.

Flaxseed is good for the hair and flaxseed powder is the easiest form of flaxseed to digest. Sprinkle flaxseed powder or ground flax on your breakfast cereal, porridge and yogurt. Flaxseed is an excellent source of the essential fatty acids. Some teas are very good for hair health and these include tea that derives from alfalfa, dandelion, burdock root and yellow dock.

A healthy diet and good nutrition is vital not only for your hair but for your health as well. If you are going to begin a vitamin program, be sure to consult with your physician first.

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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 Food Cures.

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Tags: diet, Food Cures, fruits and vegetables, nutrition, whole grains