Tag: Alive

  • Detox myths, debunked

    Detox myths, debunked

    Detox myths, debunked

    Unburden your body in a toxic world

    Without getting all doom and gloom, the unavoidable truth is that our environment is way more toxic than it was when our great-grandparents grew up. And that’s changing what we need to do to keep our bodies unburdened.

    Toxic burden

    Our food is sprayed with pesticides, our municipal water is chlorinated, and our air and soil are marred by persistent organic pollutants. Many of these compounds are fat soluble, meaning they accumulate in fat cells over time in a process called bioaccumulation. Since we’re all exposed to environmental toxicants, supporting natural detoxification is key for reducing our toxic burden and improving overall well-being.

    What is detoxification?

    Detoxification is the body’s built-in system for minimizing the harmful effect of toxicants, toxins, hormones, pharmaceuticals, and supplements, by transforming them into stable, water-soluble compounds that can be excreted from the body. While intestinal bacteria and body tissues including the skin and kidneys perform local detoxification, most detoxification reactions take place in the liver.

    While it’s true that our food and lifestyle choices can enhance detoxification, we don’t need to do a juice cleanse or embark upon a rigorous fast to do so.

    On the other hand, it’s a misconception that we don’t need to do anything to support the body; many detoxification pathways require essential nutrients we can only get from the diet.

    Support the important routes of elimination

    When the bowels aren’t emptying regularly, we reabsorb our toxins and estrogen through a process called enterohepatic recirculation. Once you’ve ensured your routes of elimination are working well (starting with plenty of fiber, water, and exercise), then you can incorporate targeted food, vitamins, and herbs to enhance natural liver detoxification.

    Food physiology

    What we eat consistently has a more profound impact on detoxification than an annual week-long “detox.” Here are some foods and nutrients to incorporate in your diet.

    • Glutathione: Foods rich in vitamin B6, magnesium, selenium (Brazil nuts), and folate have been shown to restore depleted glutathione levels.
    • Resveratrol: Foods high in resveratrol (grapes, cacao) enhance liver enzyme activity.
    • B vitamins and magnesium: Methylation reactions are important components of detoxification, and they depend upon adequate vitamin B12, vitamin B6 (animal protein), betaine (beets), folate (leafy greens), and magnesium (seeds).
    • Protein: Detoxification also involves the conjugation of toxins with amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Supplement diet gaps with protein powder or specific amino acids including taurine, glycine, arginine, and glutamine.
    • Water: Support bile excretion by ensuring you’re getting enough water.

    Supplements to consider

    Supplements that may help support your body’s natural detoxification include:

    • Spirulina
    • Chlorella
    • Probiotics
    • Dandelion
    • Milk thistle
    • Curcumin

    Always check with your health care practitioner before starting a new supplement.

    Article courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • 8 amazing health benefits of mushrooms

    8 amazing health benefits of mushrooms

    8 amazing health benefits of mushrooms

    A delicious food that is functional too

    Whether added to a salad, soup, or stir-fry, or taken in supplement form, there are a myriad of ways to add mushrooms to your diet—and why not? In addition to mushrooms’ delicious taste, their polyphenol, polysaccharide (a specialized type of carbohydrate), vitamin, and mineral contents can provide you with a bounty of health benefits.

    1. Boost immune system

    Research has shown that mushrooms help to stimulate the activity of microphages—white blood cells within the immune system—to help fight off foreign bodies more effectively. At the same time, anti-inflammatory effects of mushrooms can work to enhance the immune system’s overall efficiency.

    2. Fight inflammation

    Rich in antioxidants, mushrooms offer significant anti-inflammatory effects. Research indicates that eating mushrooms regularly can help reduce inflammation associated with the development of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and arthritis.

    3. Offer anti-cancer properties

    Polysaccharides, contained in mushrooms, have been found to induce apoptosis—cancer cell death. Further, anti-inflammatory effects of mushrooms can help reduce chronic inflammation that can lead to the development of cancer.

    4. May help fight diabetes

    Mushrooms have been found to help lower blood sugar levels. Their bioactive metabolites, such as their polysaccharides and proteins, have been found to work as successful anti-hyperglycemic agents in diabetes treatment studies. Still, more research is needed to discern how mushrooms may be effectively used in the fight against diabetes.

    5. Support gut health

    Mushrooms can help support your gut health in two ways. First, they provide your body with prebiotics—nutrients that act as food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Second, mushrooms, such as cremini mushrooms, provide your system with helpful bacteria that can help populate your gut to improve your digestion and immune responses.

    6. Offer antifungal and antibacterial effects

    Mushrooms possess both antibacterial and antifungal compounds that help them survive, making them a natural source of antibiotics and antifungals that can be utilized by humans. Some mushrooms have been found to offer compounds with considerable activity against bacteria such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis.

    7. Protect the liver

    Some mushroom extracts have been found to provide liver-protecting properties. Study findings suggest that eating mushrooms on a regular basis can alleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). These findings are believed to be linked to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of mushrooms.

    8. Reduce allergies

    While mushrooms have been found to stimulate the immune system in certain circumstances, they have also been found to help suppress immune response in other instances—making them potentially beneficial in the battle against allergies. Beta-glucans, which are contained in mushrooms, have been found to help reduce the severity of symptoms in those with ragweed allergies by 52 percent when taken as a supplement.

    Article courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • Beauty fruits

    Beauty fruits

    Beauty fruits

    Fruit recipes to get the glow

    Bountiful, beautiful, and bursting with flavor, these fruit-filled recipes deliver your body what it wants without sacrificing great taste. Incorporating fruit into meals with a variety of colors, textures, and flavors keeps you feeling satisfied so you can focus on enjoying every bite. How sweet is that?

    Berry and Rhubarb Granola Crisp

    A one-dish solution to busy mornings, it’s fruit and granola in a single delicious bake.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 8
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    Topping
    • 1½ cups quick-cooking rolled oats
    • 1 cup blanched whole almonds
    • ⅓ cup lightly packed brown sugar or coconut sugar
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 7 tablespoons coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
    Fruit filling
    • 3 cups fresh or frozen sliced strawberries
    • 2 cups fresh rhubarb, sliced into 1/2 in pieces
    • ⅓ cup maple syrup
    • 3 tablespoons orange juice
    • 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch

    Method
     

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    2. For Topping: To blender or food processor, add all topping ingredients except coconut oil and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Pulse in coconut oil until combined; the mixture will stick together when pressed between two fingers.
    3. For Filling: In large bowl, mix to fully combine all filling ingredients. Tip into 8 x 8 in baking dish or 9 to 10 in round baking dish, spreading fruit evenly. Distribute topping loosely over fruit.
    4. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until rhubarb is tender when pierced with knife, and filling is bubbling around edges. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
    5. Enjoy!

    Grapefruit and Fennel Salad with Chicken and Avocado

    A riot of textures and flavors, this salad offers something new in every bite.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    Dressing
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
    Salad
    • 4 cups baby arugula
    • 1 Small bulb fennel, cored and shaved or thinly sliced
    • ½ Head radicchio, cored and torn into medium pieces
    • 2 cups cooked chicken breasts or thighs, shredded
    • 1 Ripe avocado, flesh cut into cubes and scooped out
    • 1 Large grapefruit or navel orange, peeled and segmented or sliced
    • ¼ Red onion, thinly sliced
    • 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

    Method
     

    1. In medium glass jar, shake to emulsify all dressing ingredients.
    2. In large bowl, toss together arugula, fennel, and radicchio with two-thirds of dressing. Transfer to platter or divide among 4 shallow bowls. Top arugula mixture evenly with chicken, avocado, grapefruit, and red onion, and then drizzle over remaining dressing. Sprinkle each serving with sunflower seeds and dill, and serve immediately.
    3. Enjoy!

    Whipped Yogurt with Lime and Fruit

    Lime, vanilla, and soothing honey turn Greek yogurt into a special occasion-worthy dessert.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (at least 2% milk fat, without thickeners or gums), cold
    • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream (at last 35% milk fat) or chilled coconut cream, cold
    • 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, plus more for serving
    • ½ teaspoon lime zest, plus more for serving
    • 2 teaspoons lime juice
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
    • Pinch of salt
    • 2 cups fresh fruit such as diced kiwi and mango, blueberries, and cherries, cold

    Method
     

    1. To stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, add yogurt, cream, honey or syrup, lime zest, lime juice, vanilla, and salt. Begin whisking on low to incorporate ingredients, then slowly turn the speed up to high and whip until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Cover and chill completely for 2 hours or up to 1 day, or serve right away (it will not be as thick if you skip the chilling).
    2. To serve, spoon and swoop whipped yogurt into small bowls and top with fruit. Drizzle with additional honey and top with an extra sprinkle of lime zest. Serve immediately.
    3. Enjoy!

    Article Provided by Alive Magazine

  • Put your heart into it

    Put your heart into it

    Put your heart into it

    How our emotions affect our well-being

    More and more is being understood about the ways our hearts, minds, and contexts are interconnected. How we feel affects our health, and so, too, does our environment.

    Reuniting thoughts, feelings, and health

    “I believe it is important for one to realize that our thoughts and emotions, which are heavily connected, can impact our hearts,” explains Ashlene Crichlow, registered provisional psychologist. Whether directly or indirectly, Crichlow says that our thoughts and feelings affect all areas of our lives.

    The health science of emotion

    But how do emotions affect our heart physically? Naturopathic doctor Caroline Meyer says that “when the heart is in a state of coherence, its rhythm regulates and blood pressure lowers. In states of anxiety, worry, and anger, the heart becomes dysregulated, putting excess strain on this organ.”

    How we feel influences disease prevention, injury recovery, and longevity, and the specifics of this increasingly integrative science are compelling. Our feelings, thoughts, and somatic experiences are woven together in an interlinking, intercommunicating network.

    Research shows that our mind-heart-body system affects our immune system and overall well-being. High positive emotions promote healthy BMI and blood pressure, whereas low positive emotions increase the risk of heart disease.

    Heavy, healthy emotions

    “Of course, we have all experienced grief, heartache, sadness, anger, and fear,” affirms Meyer. “These emotional states, although temporary, can create psychological patterns that persist,” she adds, and, in turn, we might need to shift our behavior. Meyer explains that it’s important to attend to difficult emotions, rather than try to push them away.

    Contexts of emotional well-being

    It’s crucial to remember that environment, upbringing, and culture play a significant role in how one sees and interacts with the world.

    Crichlow says, “When an individual has experienced adversity, disconnect, or trauma, they might have a more pessimistic viewpoint and struggle with cognitive distortions that could negatively impact their overall well-being.”

    A helping hand for the heart

    Meyer encourages each one of us to support our well-being by remaining open and curious in our moment-to-moment awareness.

    “This is the key to balance and to health,” she says. “I recommend to all of my patients to check in with their heart, their emotional center, several times per day. Ask ‘How am I feeling?’ and ‘What do I need in this moment, heart?’”

    Should our emotions overwhelm our hearts and minds, Crichlow emphasizes the importance of both carving out time for joyful habits and pastimes as well as connecting with a “trusted mental health professional who can work on things like boundaries, coping, and acceptance that can contribute to one’s level of life satisfaction.”

    Healthy outlets for emotional release

    • Get physical, and use active well-being to uplift mood.
    • Tap into positive stress, which is called “eustress.”
    • Heal your heart with humor.
    • Immerse in nature to support your mental health.
    • Give voice to your emotions through creative expression.
    • Connect with others who make you feel good.
    • Spend time reflecting upon purpose and meaning.
  • 4 healthy food pairs

    4 healthy food pairs

    4 healthy food pairs

    These food duos are happy couples

    Heart health is important to us all. So, too, is good food. Food and heart health make a natural couple. Here are some more happy couples: food duos that, together, provide heart-healthy dividends.

    There are certain foods that, instead of taking a solo adventure to improve our heart health, instead, seem to perform better when set free to mingle. This is called food synergy: where the benefits of two or more foods eaten together can be greater than the sum of their parts. When working in unison, these foods amplify their nutritional benefits.

    Spinach and avocado

    Dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale are already nutritional heavy hitters, but if you really want to reap their rewards, make sure to fatten them up. Research shows that consuming foods such as kale, tomatoes, and carrots—good sources of carotenoid antioxidants including lycopene and beta carotene—with a dietary source of fat, such as avocado, can increase how much of these heart-friendly plant compounds we absorb.

    Turmeric and black pepper

    While turmeric is increasingly being studied for its heart-benefitting, lipid-lowering, and anti-inflammatory powers and a big reason why golden milk is trending, we don’t absorb its main bioactive compound, curcumin, into the bloodstream very well. The good news is that a chemical found in black pepper called piperine can greatly bolster our ability to take up curcumin. So, whenever you add the golden spice to curries, soups, sauces, and scrambled eggs, don’t forget to also include a few twists of the pepper grinder.

    Oats and berries

    Sure, a hunk of steak is a good source of iron, but you can also get the mineral from plant-based foods such as oats, beans, lentils, tofu, fortified cereals, and spinach. There’s a catch, though: only 2 to 20 percent of the iron found in plant foods, called non-heme iron, makes its way from your digestive tract into your blood. Mother Nature has provided an assist in the form of vitamin C (ascorbic acid)—present in edibles such as berries, bell pepper, tomatoes, broccoli, and citrus—which converts plant-based iron into a form that is more readily absorbed.

    Tea and lemon

    A recent study discovered that adults who consumed more green or black tea were, on average, more likely to have lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and higher HDL (good) cholesterol than those who didn’t consume tea. It might be that the potent antioxidants, including catechins, in green tea can improve your cholesterol profile. And it turns out you can make green tea even more of an antioxidant powerhouse by adding a squirt of lemon. Citrus juice can increase the amount of antioxidants in green tea that are available for the body to absorb by up to five-fold.

  • Find fitness joy

    Find fitness joy

    Find fitness joy

    You don’t need to choose function over fun

    By round of applause, who’s excited about their daily (or intended daily) workout? Crickets? But do you get excited about beach volleyball, pickleball, dancing, hiking …? Hobbies can be fun and physical!

    Fitness-life balance

    The buzzwords in today’s workplace include “work-life balance.” The phrase refers to the need for workers to have enough personal time outside of work so they are effective, engaged, and motivated workers while at work.

    The same balance is necessary for your workouts to be effective, when considering fitness and your life. In fact, the stakes are perhaps higher when it comes to your workout and fitness choices, because unfocused and disinterested workouts can result in injury.

    Find strength in sport and health in hobby

    It’s a commonly asked question: “What is the best exercise to keep you heathy?”

    Well, what do you think the answer is? CrossFit? Barre class? Yoga? High-intensity interval training? Low-impact steady-state training? The real answer is simple: the best exercise to keep you healthy is the exercise that you’ll actually do!

    There is a well-established and commonly understood connection between exercise and positive mental health. Less studied and understood is the significant positive correlation between positive mental health and exercise adherence. But, sure enough, it works both ways!

    This means that just as some people can spiral downward into negative mental and physical health, they can also lift themselves upward toward positive mental and physical health! The key is to find an activity that you enjoy doing and that still gives you bang for your buck.

    Healthiest hobbies

    Here’s a taste of some fun activities, caloric expenditure, and physical benefits (which, as we know, also carry mental health benefits).

    Gardening

    Gripping, bending, walking, lifting, stretching: gardening has it all, not to mention the mental benefits of taking care of plants, the mental exercise of planning over space and time, vitamin D, and fresh air. And you can burn a similar number of calories as you would at a fitness facility—“… there is a gym outside many a window,” as Sir Richard Thompson, past president of the Royal College of Physicians in London, UK, once said.

    Golf

    Depending on your sex, whether you walk or ride a golf cart, and how many holes you play (not to mention how many balls you have to go looking for), you can burn between 531 and 2,467 calories, on average, per 18 holes. Include hand-eye coordination, core strengthening, and “one-with-nature” benefits, and you’ve got one heck of a healthy hobby!

    Pickleball

    The average 65-year-old burns about 350 calories per 60-minute doubles match. Not only that, but cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility, and hand-eye coordination are all challenged in this most enjoyable tennis adaptation.

  • Red foods for heart health

    Red foods for heart health

    Red foods for heart health

    3 antioxidant-rich and delectable recipes

    Red is a color commonly associated with passion and love, but red foods may have a direct effect on our heart health. The same pigments that give red foods their color, called anthocyanins, are also responsible for a host of health benefits, including reduction of inflammation in the body, and have been shown to help with heart health, playing a role in better cholesterol and triglyceride profiles.

    Tuna-Stuffed Piquillo Peppers with Romesco-Style Sauce

    When paired with a salad, this dish easily serves two as a main meal, but it will stretch to a few more as part of a tapas-style meal.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 ounces can tuna rinsed and drained
    • ¼ cup parsley
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 11-12 piquillo or sweet red peppers (drained contents of 9 1/2 oz jar)
    • 2 tablespoons whole hazelnuts
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
    • 1 garlic clove peeled
    • ½ teaspoon sherry vinegar
    • 2 teaspoon honey divided

    Method
     

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    2. In small bowl, with fork, mix together tuna, parsley, lemon zest and juice, and black pepper. Set aside.
    3. Remove whole peppers from jar and set aside 6 to be stuffed. In bowl of food processor, place remaining peppers with hazelnuts, olive oil, paprika, garlic, sherry vinegar, and 1 tsp honey, and pulse to blend into a sauce. The texture will not be completely smooth.
    4. Add about 2 Tbsp of sauce to tuna mixture and stir through. Spoon remaining sauce into small baking dish to make a base for stuffed peppers.
    5. Stuff tuna mixture into 6 piquillo peppers and place them on top of the sauce in baking dish. Drizzle with remaining 1 tsp honey and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
    6. Enjoy!

    Red Berry Salad

    Delicious, sweet berries and sharp red onion combine, with the help of some balsamic vinegar and a hint of basil, to make a classic salad.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 2
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
    • 1 cup sliced strawberries
    • ½ cup whole raspberries
    • ¼ cup finely sliced basil
    • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ red onion sliced
    • 5 cups baby mustard greens or arugula

    Method
     

    1. In large skillet, toast pumpkin seeds over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Pour onto plate to cool and set aside.
    2. In bowl, place berries, basil, vinegar, and maple syrup, and stir gently to coat. Set aside and allow to marinate for about 30 minutes. After time has elapsed, into large bowl, strain any liquid and add one or two raspberries, reserving the remainder.
    3. Mash the two raspberries in liquid in large bowl, add olive oil and salt, and whisk together. Add red onion and greens and toss to coat. Arrange on large platter, placing reserved marinated berries on top. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and serve.
    4. Enjoy!

    Spicy, Smoky Tomato-Braised Eggs

    This simple yet luxurious dish is based on a dish from the south of Spain, similar to a North African shakshuka. It’s a satisfying meal, equally at home on the dinner table as on the breakfast bar.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 1
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
    • 1 red bell pepper
    • 1 onion halved and sliced lengthwise
    • 1 teaspoon peeled crushed garlic
    • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
    • 28 ounces can whole tomatoes
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • ¼ teaspoon hot smoked paprika (optional)
    • 1 cup chopped red chard
    • 4 eggs
    • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

    Method
     

    1. Turn oven broiler to high. Rub red pepper with 1 tsp olive oil and place in baking pan. Place pan under broiler. While watching carefully, turn pepper occasionally as each side blackens under the heat, about 10 minutes. When all sides of red pepper have been fully blackened, remove from oven and place in paper bag to cool.
    2. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to 9 in cast iron skillet and saute onion on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, until garlic is translucent. Add sweet smoked paprika and tomatoes to pan, stir thoroughly to incorporate, and allow to simmer on medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
    3. Once pepper is cool, peel and discard skin and seeds. Place flesh in food processor or blender and puree. Add pepper puree to tomato sauce with salt, honey, and, if desired, hot smoked paprika. Allow sauce to simmer for 15 minutes more. Add in red chard and mix through.
    4. Crack eggs into individual pinch bowls or glasses and set aside. Press the bowl of a soup ladle into sauce, and pour in an egg. Then tip contents slowly into tomato mixture. Repeat with remaining eggs, arranging them evenly over surface of skillet. For soft eggs, simmer for approximately 10 minutes, covering halfway through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with a warm tortilla or a piece of crusty bread.
    5. Enjoy!

  • Inflammatory facts about heart health

    Inflammatory facts about heart health

    Inflammatory facts about heart health

    How inflammation affects cardiovascular disease

    When you think of inflammation, you might think of pain. But inflammation is a key contributor to a number of surprising conditions, including cardiovascular disease. Here’s how inflammation works, and what we can do about it.

    How inflammation works

    It is now known that inflammation plays an important role in cardiovascular disease. But how could inflammation be a cause of something that seems as uninflammatory as heart disease?

    According to naturopath and cardiologist Decker Weiss, NMD, FASA, inflammation plays both a general and a specific role. Generally, inflammation contributes to cardiovascular disease because inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and diabetes increase the risk of developing heart disease.

    Specifically, Weiss says, “… elevated insulin, elevated blood sugar, trans fats, and homocysteine irritate and inflame the endothelium, or the lining of our blood vessels, initiating the process of coronary artery disease.” So, inflammation can both initiate and accelerate heart disease.

    How nutritional heart helpers work

    Think of some of the ways garlic and dark chocolate can help your heart. Inflammation causes endothelial dysfunction, which leads to vascular disease and atherosclerosis.

    Garlic

    may help tamp down inflammation. So, supplementing with garlic could aid in improving endothelial function and vascular elasticity and, thus, play an important role in preventing cardiovascular disease.

    Dark chocolate

    may also help reduce inflammation, and it may also improve endothelial function, improving blood vessel function and dilation enough to seriously reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

    Diet, inflammation, and heart disease

    One of the most innovative studies on preventing heart disease started with two things we know—that inflammation causes heart disease and that diet causes inflammation—and asked whether diet could cause heart disease.

    The huge study found that diets that were higher in foods that cause inflammation were associated with a 38 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease, 46 percent higher risk of coronary heart disease, and 28 percent higher risk of stroke.

    Inflammatory foods included red meat, processed meat, organ meat, refined carbohydrates, and sweetened beverages.

    Anti-inflammatory foods are heart healthy and include leafy green vegetables, dark yellow vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and tea.

    Supplements to consider

    Always check with your health care practitioner before trying out a new supplement. The following supplements have anti-inflammatory properties and may have a positive effect in preventing heart disease:

    • omega-3s
    • hawthorn
    • curcumin
    • ginkgo
    • olive leaf extract
    • pine bark extract
    • grapeseed extract
    • green tea
    • ginger
    • vitamins C and D
    • quercetin

    Foods for heart health

    FoodHeart-health benefitsNutrients
    soymay help significantly lower LDL (bad) cholesterolisoflavones
    nuts and seedsmay contribute to lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides and may help lower the risk of dying from cardiovascular diseasefiber; monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats
    extra-virgin olive oilcan help reduce the risk of coronary artery disease and improve cholesterolmonounsaturated fats; phenolic compounds
    flaxseedmay help lower blood pressureomega-3 EFAs; lignans

  • 5 steps to setting the best resolutions ever

    5 steps to setting the best resolutions ever

    5 steps to setting the best resolutions ever

    Find your way in 2023

    Many of us are wary about making New Year’s resolutions for fear that we may experience failure. But here’s an approach to change that involves designing your own path forward—one that puts your own dreams first.

    What do you want?

    From a young age, many of us got into the habit of doing what’s expected of us rather than following our own dreams. Getting an education, getting a marriage partner—even making resolutions—are things that we’re told we should do.

    No wonder we may occasionally feel like we don’t fit in or that we’re failing miserably at things that everyone else seems to do easily. You may be surprised how much easier your path becomes when it’s one you design yourself.

    1. Take time for self-reflection

    On a day when you’re feeling reasonably relaxed, find a time and place where you won’t be disturbed—even if that means hiding in the car or the bathroom.

    Take some deep breaths to release tension and clear your mind. Ask yourself what you want and simply notice what comes to you. You might get words, or a picture in your mind, or a feeling. Write down (or type) what comes to you with as much detail as possible.

    Build a home gym? Fabulous. Move across the country? Write it down. Start a business? Of course. Don’t let the critical voice in your head start debating you and telling you why you can’t do it.

    2. Set clear goals

    Vague goals, like taking better care of your health, provide very hazy guideposts, whereas the commitment to exercising twice a week or eating five servings of vegetables a day are clear, specific, and measurable.

    3. Set short-term and long-term goals

    If goalposts are too far away, people are more likely to procrastinate or avoid sticking to the plan, because they knew they had lots of future time to get things done.

    If there are too many strict short-term deadlines, however, a resolution-maker could feel like a failure for missing a mini-goal and throw in the towel. Creating stepping-stones toward the big goal makes room for set-backs while still moving forward.

    4. Set approach-oriented goals

    It seems that people who create approach-oriented goals are more successful than those who have avoidance-oriented goals.

    Approach-oriented goals energize emotions and behavior toward something you want (achieving good grades so that you can enjoy feeling competent).

    Avoidance-oriented goals , on the other hand, are those in which you move away from something you don’t want or you perceive as a punishment, threat, or risk to health (you make the decision to reduce your sugar intake, so you don’t have a heart attack).

    5. Find reliable support systems

    Rather than focusing blame on people who don’t give you what you need (and shifting energy from your goal), find a person or group who can be your cheer squad.

    Article Provided by Alive Magazine

  • Celiac disease, wheat allergy, or gluten intolerance?

    Celiac disease, wheat allergy, or gluten intolerance?

    Celiac disease, wheat allergy, or gluten intolerance?

    We explain it all for you

    Tested negative for celiac disease but still have a problem with gluten? Here’s an in-depth look at three types of gluten intolerance. Learn how to determine which condition you might have, and how to manage it going forward.

    What’s in a name?

    Gluten intolerance is an umbrella term encompassing three distinct conditions: celiac disease, wheat allergy and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), all of which are triggered by different mechanisms.

    Although all three conditions benefit from eating a gluten-free (GF) diet, it’s important to understand which condition is the cause of your gluten woes, so you can customize your approach for rebuilding health in the long term.

    Wheat allergy

    Wheat allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction in the immune system against wheat as a whole, rather than the gluten protein specifically. If your symptoms only occur after ingesting wheat but not after ingesting other gluten-containing grains, like rye and barley, then wheat allergy may be the cause.

    Celiac disease

    Celiac disease occurs when environmental factors, such as viral infections and gut dysbiosis, trigger an autoimmune response upon the ingestion of gluten. Celiac disease can be triggered at any age. Gastrointestinal symptoms occur from the immune system attacking one’s own tissues. The disease can progress to become multisystemic, affecting major organs including the heart and liver.

    Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS)

    NCGS is a reaction against gluten that is neither a hypersensitivity reaction nor an autoimmune one. Some researchers suggest that NCGS originates in the innate immune system, but we haven’t yet determined the mechanism underlying the condition.

    Spot the symptoms

    Celiac disease, wheat allergy, and NCGS can all present with nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms, including bloating, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and flatulence. Based on digestive symptoms alone, it is difficult to differentiate between these conditions.

    Both NCGS and celiac disease are associated with other syndromes as well. NCGS is associated with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, dermatitis herpetiformis, psoriasis, and rheumatologic diseases.

    Celiac disease can cause or contribute to serious complications including autoimmune thyroiditis, peripheral neuropathy, epilepsy, infertility, osteoporosis, dermatological conditions, and ataxia (poor balance, coordination, and speech).

    Testing and diagnosis

    When you tell your doctor about your gluten-related symptoms, you may be given a referral to an allergist for testing. Your allergist will likely perform an in-office skin prick test and order blood work to measure wheat-specific IgE. Having a positive result from either of these tests indicates a wheat allergy.

    Receiving negative results from these two tests (no wheat allergy) usually begins the process of screening for celiac disease. Blood tests for celiac include immunoglobulins such as tissue transglutaminase IgA. If this is positive, then a confirmatory small intestinal biopsy is performed.

    Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a diagnosis of exclusion, only reached following negative results for all the above tests.

    Treatment

    Wheat allergy

    Treatment for wheat allergy requires a wheat-free diet; it may also benefit from gluten-free, too, since many grains are cross-contaminated with wheat. It’s possible for a wheat allergy to subside with time after implementing a wheat-free diet, but allergy severity and duration are different for everyone.

    Celiac disease and NCGS

    These both require a gluten-free diet for treatment. In celiac disease, complete adherence to a gluten-free diet is crucial. Those with NCGS may be able to tolerate a small amount of gluten in the diet, but the amount of gluten and timing of its reintroduction are different for everyone and should be discussed with a healthcare provider.

    It’s also key for your treatment to address nutrient deficiencies that occur from digestive malabsorption, as well as ones that commonly occur from a gluten-free diet.

    Speak with your healthcare provider to treat extraintestinal symptoms of gluten intolerance, such as headache, neuropathy, brain fog, and anxiety. If you have celiac disease, remember to regularly screen for associated conditions, like autoimmune thyroiditis and osteoporosis.

    Article Provided by Alive Magazine