Its Entirely Natural - Blog

Well it’s that time of year again, and I’m not talking about Christmas. Students all across the country are preparing for finals. They are under a lot of stress and this can hinder their test taking performance. Not only does stress effect their testing, it can also cause anxiety, insomnia, irritability, memory loss and depression. So what should your student do?

You may not be surprised, but it is recommended that they take a break from studying and clear their minds with some activities such as a casual game or exercise. It will help them relax and be a little less stressed during their tests.

Here are some additional tips to help cope with stress during finals:

Laugh - Laughter has been proven to reduce stress and also release endorphins. So go out and take a mental break by watching a funny movie or video.

Breathe - When people are stressed they have a tendency to take shallow breaths. It is important to take deep breaths especially before taking a test. It will help bring more oxygen to feed your body as well as your brain.

Exercise - will make you feel better and is a great stress reliever. When you have a nice walk or a great workout, your body will produce endorphins to help reduce the stress hormones. So take a break and have a nice walk or do some yoga.

Eat Well - There is almost nothing better you can do for yourself than to to have proper nutrition. You can fight stress and depression by eating more foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. Try eating fish three times a week or take Omega 3 supplements to help your moods. To help produce serotonin for your brain eat foods rich in B-6 vitamins. Foods like Sweet potatoes, rice and tuna are a great source as well as supplements.

Students have enough stress in their lives and it doesn’t help when parents put high expectations on performance. Be sure to not add more pressure than they already have. Do however encourage them to do their best.

reuters.com

Do you feel like you are losing your mind? You might be. Many people don’t give their brain proper nutrition. Eating the right foods with Omega-3 fatty acids can make your mind sharper and more alert.

A new study comes from Norway shows that eating 10 grams of fish per day will sharpen your mind. This will give your brain the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids it needs to function properly. Good sources come from fatty fish such as salmon, lean fish such as cod, and even processed fish “fingers.” Don’t like fish? Include other plant foods in your diet such as walnuts, flaxseeds, and spinach.

There over 5 million Americans that have some sort of Alzheimer’s disease, and there are just as many that suffer from dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders. I hope studies like this lead to intervention of brain function and slow progression of brain disorders.

cbsnews.com

Are you looking to improve the condition of your skin? Proper nutrition will go a long way in improving your skin. Many people buy expensive skin care products thinking that this is the cure all for my skin. If you really want to be on the road to better skin, you should start taking care of your skin from the inside out. So, what can you change in your diet to improve your skin?

Green Tea - Drinking 2-4 cups of green tea per day will help strengthen the collagen in your skin. Loss of collagen as you age is on of the reasons for wrinkles. Go ahead and have a nice cup of tea.

Red Wine - Has collagens similar to green tea for wrinkles. It also helps in relaxing the skin and the promotion of blood flow. A glass of wine with dinner is great. Remember to drink in moderation, the more you drink does not mean you will have better results.

Omega-3 - Omega -3 fatty acids help maintain cell membranes and protect your skin from UV ray damage. The best natural source is from oily fish like salmon, sardines and trout. Don’t like fish? Try eating some walnuts, flaxseeds or omega-3 fortified eggs.

Vitamin E - Also helps protect cell membranes and guards against UV radiation damage. The best food I like to eat for vitamin E is guacamole. Avocados are rich in vitamin E and other nutrients. Wheat germ, fortified cereals, nuts and seeds are other good sources.

Beta Carotene - Beta carotene (vitamin A) is needed for the growth and repair of skin. It also helps protect against sun damage. Foods you should eat are; sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, mangos and apricots.

Vitamin C - Vitamin C is involved in the production of collagen. It helps protect skin cells from free-radical damage. Want to reverse those wrinkles? Changing your diet to include more vitamin C will help. Have a few sweet peppers, oranges, strawberries, lemons and broccoli.

Selenium - Is great for delaying the aging of skin and protects the skin from sun damage. Selenium also protects the quality and the elasticity of your skin. Some great food sources include Brazil nuts, tuna, crab and wheat germ.

Grains - Eat more whole grain foods, it helps reduce blood sugar spikes that can accelerate the wrinkling process.

Topical applications may help the fight of aging skin, but nutrition within is always the best food cure for great looking skin.

freep.com

I have tried many diets and weight loss programs, some work most don’t. I wonder if eating cookies can really help. Dr. Sasson Moulavi, M.D. and Dr. Floyd Cohen, M.D. created the Smart for Life Weight Management Centers. As part of food options available they have created the Smart for Life cookie. They have seen dramatic results when people eat these cookies and lose weight.

The cookies help people make the lifestyle change they need to make to lose weight. A person should be eating small nutritious meals every couple of hours. I find this is hard to do in our busy lives we live today. These cookies can be one of those meals. This I think I could do.

The Smart for Life cookie was formulated to be very healthy. It’s a unique flax meal/fish oil blend. Sounds yummy? They claim that their cookies taste incredible. The blend provides full compliments of Omega-3 fatty acids and improves your cholesterol and cardiac risk factors.

I have looked at many weight loss programs, diet gimmicks, etc. After looking at their web site, smart for life, this may be one that I will try. Wish me luck.

prweb

Nutrition is an evolving science. One day some foods are considered unhealthy and you should stay away from them the next day – well maybe it’s not so bad. Food can be bad for you, however food can also cure. Nowhere is the evolving nature of nutrition science clearer than the fight against heart disease. Heart disease is the number 1 killer of Americans. As nutrition knowledge has grown, so has scientific understanding of heart disease, a maze of cholesterol levels, blood pressure, arterial inflammation, and lifestyle factors, such as diet, stress, and fitness levels.

The following is information that supports a heart-healthy diet:

• Soluble Fiber – acts like a scouring pad cleaning out LDL the bad cholesterol before it has a chance of sticking to your artery walls blocking blood flow. Good sources of soluble fiber are; whole grains, fruits vegetables, and legumes. These foods also contain vitamins and minerals that are good for you.

Wisdom in the past said a heart-healthy diet should be fat-free. However, that notion has changed in recent years to a diet that is “moderate” in fat. It’s the type of fat that is the problem. You need to substitute the “good” fats - monounsaturated and polyunsaturated in place of the “bad” fats - saturated and trans-fatty acids.

• Monounsaturated fats help raise the HDL cholesterol levels. HDL acts like a bodyguard and escorts the bad LDL cholesterol molecules to the liver where they are filtered and disposed of. You can find this fat in vegetable oils, nuts, olives, avocados, and fish.

• Polyunsaturated fats are helpful, but what you really want are the omega 3 fatty acids. They combat heart disease in several ways. Among these are reducing blood pressure, make your arteries more supple, and prevent arterial inflammation. Best sources for omega 3 fatty acids are cold-water fish such as salmon, Pollock, sword fish, tuna, mackerel, and herring.

Do you enjoy an occasional drink with dinner? Drinking in moderation is actually good for your heart. Alcohol makes the blood somewhat less likely to clot. We’ve all read that red wine has many antioxidants and can actually be good for you. Don’t go drinking the whole bottle. One glass is the best serving for women and two glasses for men. Beyond these amounts it will cause more harm than good.

When trying to change your diet to heart-healthy foods start with baby steps. Add a little fiber or fruit to your diet. Then maybe eat fish once to twice a week. Once you begin you will gain momentum and gradually change your nutritional diet and lifestyle.

CNN.com