It’s Entirely Natural - Articles

One of the major problems that you can run into when trying to eat a healthy diet and find the right foods are allergies that may come up with different types of foods as well as from different seasons. The first step in relieving allergies to help with nutrition is recognizing the source where it is coming from. From here, you will be able to find several solutions to get the nutrition you need in food without allergy problems.

An allergy is a reaction that happens in your body when there is not recognition of the food or substance that is in it. The body will react by creating a defense mechanism to fight off the substance. It does this by making antibodies through chemicals known as histamines. This then causes the body to react to the substance.

There are several natural things that you can do to change the body’s reaction to the substances that are in your system. One of the solutions is to cause an alternate reaction with the body. This can be done by eating a variety of different supplements. By doing this, it will cause the chemicals in your body to stop reacting as much. Drinking water, eating more fruits and vegetables, white fish, turkey and almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds all allow for the chemicals in your body to slow down and minimize the allergy reaction.

There are also certain vitamin supplements that you can take that will reduce allergies. Vitamins C, A and E, Zinc are the recommended vitamins that will fight allergy reactions. You can also take gamm linoleic acid, (GLA), extra enzymes, and colon cleansing products, such as high fiber, garlic and cayenne pepper. These are all known to help balance your body so that it doesn’t react through allergies.

There are several different natural formulas that are available as well to help fight allergies. Green Tea, selenium, licorice root, copper and magnesium are all available as supplements or in teas. This will help to calm down the chemicals in your body.

If your allergies do not seem to be getting any better, you can also ask your doctor for the best substance to use. There are several over the counter or prescribed medications that are popular for bad allergies. These will block the chemical from being able to produce, which will eliminate the allergy. Some will have laser correction if the allergies are extreme.

Allergies can get in the way of you being able to eat nutritious food as well as to feel that you are living healthy. By using a variety of methods, you can fight off allergies. If the allergies are from the food that you are eating, then it is important to first find which food it is, and then supplement it with a vitamin or another type of food. Knowing what you are body is reacting to then using the proper reaction to it will allow for your allergies to disappear. From here, you can add to your nutritious lifestyle.

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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 Nutrition & Health.

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Tags: cayenne pepper, Colon Cleansing, diet, enzymes, Fiber, garlic, green tea, licorice, linoleic acid, magnesium, Nutrition & Health, sunflower seeds

Are you approaching menopause? There are so many changes that happen to a woman as she nears this phase of her life.

In order to deal with these changes, it is important for a you to change your her diet to cope with the changes to your body. As we get older, our bodies require different foods. While this does not mean that you can no longer enjoy the foods you once did, you must learn how to incorporate foods with the necessary nutrients into your diet.

There are even some foods that can help you deal with your menopause symptoms. For example, choosing foods with high potassium content, like bananas, will help you balance water and salt retention issues. Dried fruits like figs and apricots can do the same thing. You may also want to add dark, leafy green vegetables to your diet like cabbage, broccoli, kale, spinach and collard greens. Try to increase the amount of “right” whole grains in your diet, like soy beans, brown rice, wheat germ, and lentils.

In addition to adding these foods to your life, you may also want to increase your consumption of foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Sardines, trout, tuna, salmon, and herring are just a few examples of foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids.

Studies have also shown that eating soy products can be quite beneficial to women going through menopause. Yogurt, tofu, soybeans, and soy milk can help in this area. Nuts work well with your new nutritional needs, so throw in some sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds.

Choosing the right kinds of oil is an important part of your diet planning: include flaxseed and canola oils.

Try seaweed—it’s great on rice or as an additional vegetable. Kimbu, Arame, Nori, and Wakame (available at your local health market in the seaweed section) are other helpful choices since they have naturally occurring chemicals and hormones that are very good at combating natural menopause symptoms.

These foods are not only helpful for menopause; they are part of an overall healthier diet. As we age, blood pressure rises, as does the risk of higher cholesterol levels. These diet changes can help us to improve our overall health. Instead of fighting with the side effects of prescription drugs, you can handle these risks by eating well and maintaining your ideal body weight, which can help your heart deal with its age as well. Remember that you don’t have to strictly hew to your new diet—just a tendency in these directions can improve your overall health.

There is little reason why you can’t have a slice of your birthday cake, or sneak a cookie in with your afternoon coffee once in a while. You might even try learning to bake with different kinds of ingredients. As you start working on your diet, you may not even notice the sheer number of things that have changed as you will be changing, too. You may feel better, have more energy, and have more concentration. These diet changes will help you to have fewer hot flashes, night sweats, heart palpitations, and other menopause symptoms.

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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 Nutrition & Health.

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Tags: blood pressure, cholesterol, coffee, Menopause, Nutrition & Health, omega 3 fatty acids, sunflower seeds, whole grains

Sunflower seeds are not just fun to eat; they are also very nutritious to the body. While sunflower seeds contain approximately the same amount of polyunsaturated fats as their counterpart nuts, they are much richer in antioxidants that ward off cancer, cataracts and heart disease. Sunflower seeds are also high in vitamin E content. It has been shown by research studies that consuming high amounts, which is to say in the area of 100 IU (the RDA is presently at 15 IU on a daily basis) of vitamin E on a daily basis helps to cut the risk of developing heart disease by approximately 40 percent.

Fish and fish oils contain the very important omega 3 fatty acids that the body requires to help lower the blood fats, and in particular triglycerides. It is believed that high amounts of triglycerides in the blood are more dangerous for females than they are for males. Eating regular portions of fish is also beneficial for lowering blood pressure and for easing many of the discomforts that arthritis brings with it. The fish highest in omega 3 fatty acids include salmon, blue fish, anchovies, sardines, mackerel, herring and lake trout. It is recommended that an individual eat two to three servings of fish per week. It is not recommended that you start taking fish oil supplements unless you first discuss it with your physician.

Nuts are very good for the heart. In particular, walnuts have been found to lower levels of bad cholesterol a great deal. By getting rid of saturated fats in the diet and instead substituting polyunsaturated fats that are contained in nuts you can do a great deal of good for your heart. Nuts, listed in order of those containing the highest levels of monounsaturated fatty acids to the least include macadamias, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, peanuts, pine nuts and walnuts.

Olive oil is very rich monounsaturated fat, which helps to decrease the level of cholesterol in the blood. Olive oil is a mainstay of those living in the Mediterranean region. Oliver oil can be purchased in regular, light tasting, virgin and extra virgin. If you do not particularly like the taste of olive oil then reach for canola oil as it contains plenty of monounsaturated fats and is low in saturated fat content. Other types of oils that are healthiest because of their monounsaturated fats include flaxseed oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, grape seed oil, soybean oil and walnut oil. If you want to decrease your bad cholesterol (LDL) by anywhere from seven to ten percent then substitute either olive oil or canola oil fro butter or margarine (more so if you are replacing butter which contains more fat than margarine). Be aware however that all oils have at least 144 grams of fat, not to mention 120 calories for every tablespoon.

Flaxseed oil is another oil that is beneficial for health. This type of oil comes the flax plant and is an “oilseed.” Flaxseed oil is an excellent source of omega -3 fatty acids as well as lignans. Eating a diet rich in lignans helps to decrease the risk of developing many different kinds of cancers, not to mention osteoporosis and circulatory disease.

Seeds, nuts, fish and oils have many health benefits and if you are looking to live a healthier life they should become a staple in your diet.

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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: fish oil, flaxseed oil, Food Cures, lowering blood pressure, monounsaturated fats, nuts, olive oil, omega 3 fatty acids, saturated fats, sunflower seeds, vitamin E