Tag: health

  • CBD Limeade

    CBD Limeade

    Looking for a delicious and refreshing way to incorporate CBD into your summer routine? Look no further than CBD-infused limeade! This delightful beverage combines the tangy flavors of fresh limes with the potential relaxation benefits of CBD oil or CBD-infused tincture. Whether you’re hosting a summer gathering or simply want a relaxing drink to enjoy on a sunny day, this CBD limeade recipe is a fantastic choice.

    CBD Limeade

    Remember, it's crucial to follow the dosage guidelines provided with your CBD product and consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns or questions about using CBD. So, take a sip of this delightful beverage and savor the unique combination of zesty lime flavors and the potential benefits of CBD. Cheers to a refreshing and relaxing experience!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 Limes
    • 1/2 cup Fresh Lime Juice
    • 4 cups Water
    • 1/2 cup Honey adjust according to taste
    • CBD oil or CBD-infused tincture as per your desired dosage
    • Ice cubes
    • Lime slices for garnish
    • Fresh mint leaves for garnish

    Method
     

    1. Begin by squeezing the juice from 4 to 6 limes, collecting the juice in a pitcher.
    2. Add 4 cups of water to the pitcher along with the fresh lime juice.
    3. Stir in 1/2 cup of honey until it completely dissolves.
    4. Add your preferred dosage of CBD oil or CBD-infused tincture to the pitcher. Start with a small amount and gradually increase until you reach your desired dosage. Make sure to follow the instructions on the CBD product regarding dosage.
    5. Stir the limeade mixture well to ensure that the CBD is evenly distributed throughout.
    6. Take a moment to taste the limeade and adjust the flavor if needed. You can add more lime juice, water, or honey to achieve the desired taste profile.
    7. Fill glasses with ice cubes and pour the CBD-infused limeade over the ice, allowing it to chill.
    8. For an eye-catching presentation, garnish each glass with a lime slice and, if you like, a few fresh mint leaves.
    9. Enjoy!
  • What’s the deal with BCAAs?

    What’s the deal with BCAAs?

    What’s the deal with BCAAs?

    Breaking down the basics of branched-chain amino acids.

    BCAA supplements may be the talk of your gym, but are they all they’re cracked up to be? Before you make any decisions, go back to the BCAA basics. Here are 10 things you should know about BCAAs.

    1. Needed by your body

    Getting their name from their “branched” molecular structure, there are three types of BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. This trio makes up three of your body’s nine essential amino acids—called so because your body needs them to function, but can’t produce them on its own.

    2. Found in your food 

    BCAAs are found in protein-rich plant and animal sources. In addition to beef, chicken, fish, eggs, and milk, you can get BCAAs from corn, soy, beans, chickpeas, lentils, whole wheat, brown rice, almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds.

    3. Available in supplements 

    If you are eating a balanced diet—especially one with adequate protein—you’re likely already getting enough BCAAs. Still, there are reasons that you may want to add a BCAA supplement to your routine. If you and your health care practitioner determine that a BCAA supplement could provide needed support, you’ll find them most commonly in the form of powders, tablets, or capsules.

    4. Ease muscle soreness 

    BCAAs can aid in reducing the muscle soreness you may feel after a workout.  Known as delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), you may know the feeling best two or three days after a particularly hard workout.  Research has shown that BCAAs, especially when ingested prior to working out, can help suppress DOMS.

    5. Help you exercise longer 

    Studies have found that BCAAs can help enhance athletic performance by reducing exercise fatigue. The reason for this benefit has been linked to BCAAs’ ability to lower serotonin levels and interfere with tryptophan absorption—two chemicals that work to make you feel more tired during your workout.

    6. Protect your liver 

    Studies have shown that BCAAs help protect the liver of those who eat high-fat diets by providing support to gut flora that prevent fat accumulation in the liver. Further, BCAA supplementation has been shown to provide beneficial effects in those with advanced cirrhosis, a severe liver disease.

    7. Prevent muscle wasting 

    Muscle wasting is the reduction in skeletal muscle, which is brought on by a number of causes including disuse. BCAAs can help slow this muscle-wasting process. Separate studies have shown that BCAAs can provide beneficial effects to slow or prevent muscle wasting in a range of cases, including those involving cancer, advanced liver disease, and kidney damage.

    8. Support your well-being

    Adequate intake of BCAAs has been linked to a reduced risk of anxiety and depression, and an improved stress response.  In fact, one study showed that subjects with severe depression showed decreased BCAAs in their systems, suggesting that a low level of BCAAs could play a role in depression symptoms and low energy metabolism.

    Article courtesy of Alive Magazine by Laura Newton

  • Exercise Outside

    Exercise Outside

    Exercise Outside

    Sea-to-sky adventures for men’s physical and mental health

    Do you enjoy exercising outdoors? Compared to indoor exercise, numerous studies have shown that guys who turn the great outdoors into their workout studio are more motivated to exercise, push themselves harder, and feel more grounded and restored. Get started with al fresco adventures.

    Embark on a unique exercise adventure

    “Nothing improves my mood and perspective more quickly than a scramble up a peak on the Great Divide Trail,” says personal trainer Chad Alexander. “When I’m stuck in my head or worrying about something, I remember how alive I felt on that mountaintop cliff.”

    Here are some thrilling activity ideas to inspire your next adventure.

    • Travel from sea to sea to sea on foot by hiking or bikepacking (which is mountain biking fused with backpacking and camping).
    • Go rock climbing.

    Consider scuba diving (or shipwreck diving!).

    • Soar to new heights with kitesurfing (where a strong gust of wind launches you sky-high off a cresting ocean wave or propels you quickly across a smooth lake).
    • Try out hang-gliding or paragliding.

    Forge some friendly competition

    For something a little closer to home, unique team sports can get you moving in the fresh air.

    Ultimate frisbee and disc golf have recently exploded in popularity. The number of local disc golf courses, for example, has jumped by 300 percent in the last few years. Other off-the-beaten-path outdoor sports include archery, handball, and even Harry Potter-inspired quidditch.

    Team sports are some of the best ways for men to build long-term, positive mental health outcomes. “Outdoor activities have changed my life in terms of mental health,” says Robert Puharich, a high school teacher. “Having teammates gives me a sense of community.”

    Rise to the challenge: 3 benefits to pushing your limits

    Testosterone

    Friendly competition in team sports has been shown to raise your testosterone levels. This hormone is key for strength, endurance, and your sex life.

    Motivation

    Once you’ve beaten your competition, or even beaten your own self-doubt, you’ll feel more motivated and driven to tackle life’s challenges.

    Self-confidence

    Pushing yourself on a grueling adventure forces you to tap into your own confidence, self-trust, and skills. Over time, psychologists say, this builds self-efficacy and resilience.

    The best time to exercise outdoors

    With longer daylight hours, your window of opportunity is wide open. The best time to head out and get your sweat on depends on your goals.

    Mornings

    If you’re trying to lose weight, morning exercise on an empty stomach may reduce your food cravings later, and it also leads to burning more fat.

    Midday

    Exercise reduces stress and boosts your energy, making it the perfect escape in the middle of your workday.

    Afternoons

    Your muscles contract more effectively when you’re warmed up. For peak physical strength and endurance, your body’s natural temperature peaks in the afternoon.

    Article courtesy of Alive Magazine by Joshua Duvauchelle

  • Road Trip Cooking

    Road Trip Cooking

    Road Trip Cooking

    Go exploring with these make-ahead recipes.

    Piling into the car and hitting the open road presents both challenges and delights. When planning your on-the-road menu, choose dishes that pack well or that get better as leftovers. Dig out your cooler and read on—it’s time to hit the road!

    Kale and Napa Cabbage Salad with Sumac Pickled Onions

    Kale and Napa cabbage stand up for hours to the sweet and puckery dressing, and hearty farro will keep you going while on the road.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 8
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 Cup red onion finely sliced
    • 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 1/4 Teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • 1 Teaspoon maple syrup
    • 1 Teaspoon sumac
    • 1/4 Teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 Teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
    • 5 Cups kale finely sliced
    • 1 Cup Napa cabbage finely sliced
    • 2/3 Cup fresh mint finely sliced
    • 3 Medjool dates pits removed, finely chopped
    • 2 Cups cooked farro drained and cooled

    Method
     

    1. In small bowl, combine onion, vinegar, red pepper flakes, maple syrup, sumac, salt, and pepper, and set aside.
    2. In large bowl, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and kale, and massage kale for a few minutes with your hands. Let stand for 20 minutes.
    3. To assemble salad, toss kale, pickled onion dressing, and remaining olive oil with cabbage, mint, dates, and farro. Keep cool or refrigerate for up to 4 hours before enjoying.

    Freeze-Ahead Breakfast Wraps

    Make these wraps anytime and stick them in the freezer for your next excursion.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 6
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    Wraps
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 Cups sweet potato peeled, diced
    • 2 Teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
    • 1 Cup shallot finely diced
    • 1 Cup red bell pepper diced
    • 2 Oz goat cheese
    • 1 Cup baby spinach leaves chopped
    • 8 eggs beaten
    • 6 10 inch tortillas
    Smoky red pepper “ketchup”
    • 1 Teaspoon olive oil
    • 1 red bell pepper
    • 6 baby plum tomatoes
    • 2 Medjool dates pitted
    • 1/4 Teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 Teaspoon sweet smoked Spanish paprika
    • 1/8 Teaspoon hot Spanish paprika

    Method
     

    1. For wraps, in large skillet on medium-high, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil, add sweet potatoes, and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once sweet potatoes are tender, pour into bowl and add sweet smoked paprika; stir through.
    2. In the same skillet, add 1 Tbsp olive oil, shallots, and red bell pepper and cook on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft and shallots are translucent. Scrape into bowl with sweet potatoes and add goat cheese and spinach leaves; stir to combine.
    3. Wipe out skillet, add remaining 1 tsp olive oil, and heat on medium. Pour in beaten eggs and stir while cooking until you have a loose custard, approximately 3 minutes. Add vegetables from bowl into skillet and stir through to combine, being careful not to overcook eggs. Remove from heat.
    4. Lay out tortillas, divide egg-vegetable mixture evenly among them, and wrap or roll. Allow to cool completely and pack for freezing.
    5. To make ketchup, rub red bell pepper and tomatoes with olive oil, add to baking dish, then place under oven broiler. Turn pepper, broiling for 5 minutes on each side, until the whole pepper is blackened. Toss tomatoes occasionally and remove them in advance of the pepper if they’re getting too dark. They should be slightly charred. When pepper is black on all sides, remove from oven and place in paper bag to cool. Tomatoes can cool in baking dish.
    6. Meanwhile, in food processor, pulse dates to chop. Once bell pepper is cool, remove and discard skin. In bowl of food processor, place pepper, tomatoes, and remaining ingredients and pulse until you have a sauce with a loose texture. Seal in container and refrigerate or freeze.
    7. When it’s time to cook, thaw wraps and sauce in fridge or cooler for 8 hours or overnight. To cook wraps, warm on medium-hot grill for 5 to 7 minutes each side, until center of wrap is warm.

    Vegetable and Cashew Salad Rolls with Peanut Sauce

    Veggies and dip are a healthy road trip staple. Take them a step further in this recipe, inspired by Vietnamese-style salad rolls.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    Peanut sauce
    • 3 Tablespoons peanut butter
    • 1.5 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
    • 1 Teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1/2 Teaspoon tamari
    • 4 Tablespoons water or more as required
    • 1/2 Teaspoon ginger grated
    • 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
    • 1/4 Teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    Salad rolls
    • 8 rice paper wrappers
    • 1 Bunch fresh mint leaves
    • 4 radishes thinly sliced
    • 8 butter lettuce leaves
    • 5 broccoli florets thinly sliced
    • 24 cashews pulsed in food processor to pea-sized pieces
    • 2 medium carrots cut into matchsticks
    • 1 Cup baby spinach leaves stems removed

    Method
     

    1. In small bowl, combine peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and tamari. Add water, a little at a time, and mix slowly with a fork or spoon to gradually loosen the stiff peanut butter mixture. Once sauce is smooth, if you want a looser consistency, add more water, a teaspoon at a time. Once you’re happy with the consistency, add gingerroot, garlic, and red pepper flakes; mix through, and then pack into a sealable container.
    2. To assemble rolls, first set out a clean cutting board for your workspace. Fill a wide, shallow bowl with hot (not boiling) water and, working quickly, soften one wrapper in water and lay it on your cutting board. Place 3 mint leaves and 3 radish slices on wrapper. Add lettuce, fill with cashews, a few slices of broccoli, and a few carrot matchsticks, and finally spinach. Roll tightly and repeat with remaining wrappers until you have 8 rolls.
    3. Pack in a sealable container, keep cold, and eat within 24 hours with spicy peanut sauce.

    Article courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • 9 important supplements for women over 40

    9 important supplements for women over 40

    9 important supplements for women over 40

    There’s more than just calcium

    As we age, our bodies can’t absorb some nutrients from food as well as they did years ago. Supplements can be beneficial. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the nine best supplements for women over 40! Remember to consult your health care practitioner before starting any new vitamin regimen.

    1. Vitamin B12

    Vitamin B12 builds red blood cells and assists in brain function and development. Without it, you may experience low energy levels, memory loss, and nerve damage. It’s estimated that 30 to 50 percent of adults over 50 are B12 deficient.

    2. Omega-3s fatty acids

    Omega-3 fatty acids support your heart, eyesight, and cognitive function. Studies also suggest they may play a role in preventing cancer. Since omega-3s may protect against age-related conditions, like heart disease and macular degeneration, experts recommend higher intakes of omega-3s for older adults.

    3. Calcium

    Nearly all the calcium in your body is stored in your bones. When you don’t eat enough of it, your body taps that bone reservoir to fulfill its physiological needs. This could weaken your bones and lead to osteoporosis. In women, estrogen helps the body absorb calcium. However, as you approach menopause, your estrogen levels dip, which results in poor absorption.

    4. Vitamin B6

    Vitamin B6 supports the body’s nervous and immune system. A deficiency may lead to depression, weakened immunity, and certain skin conditions. As you grow older, your body needs more B6. High levels of B6 have been linked to better memory in aging populations.

    5. Potassium

    Potassium keeps your bones strong and may reduce the risk of stroke and high blood pressure. It also supports your kidneys, muscles, nerves, and heart. Unfortunately, certain medications and health conditions block the absorption of potassium. If you’re over 40 years old, ask your health care practitioner if you’re getting enough of it.

    6. Vitamin D

    Vitamin D reduces inflammation, helps the body absorb calcium, and supports the immune system. When women turn 40 and creep closer to menopause, a lack of vitamin D may result in weakened bones and osteoporosis. Because it isn’t found in many foods, and most people aren’t absorbing enough of it from the sun, vitamin D supplements can be beneficial.

    7. Probiotics

    Good bacteria in your gut keep your immune system in check and aid digestion. If you’re stressed, took a round of antibiotics, or have certain medical conditions, your good gut bacteria could get wiped out. Probiotics help to maintain balance, and as you age, you’ll want to pay close attention to the different strains and their benefits.

    8. Zinc

    Zinc supports your immune system and metabolism. There’s also evidence that it shortens colds, slows the progression of macular degeneration, and reduces diarrhea. Since zinc is known to support the body in many important ways, it’s an important nutrient to focus on as you age.

    9. Magnesium

    Magnesium regulates nerve function and helps keep your blood sugar balanced. As you age, a mild magnesium deficit could result in sleep and cognitive disorders. Maintaining normal magnesium levels through the years may help stave off age-related chronic conditions, like heart disease and diabetes.

    Article courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • Ladies, it’s time for some toilet talk

    Ladies, it’s time for some toilet talk

    Ladies, it’s time for some toilet talk

    How hormones and stress affect our digestion

    While women generally have an easier time talking about our health than do our male counterparts, one area in which we lag behind is being open about our digestive issues. Many women have chronic digestive issues that come with us to work and impair productivity, while reducing overall quality of life at home. Feeling stigmatization about digestive issues is associated with decreased access to medical care and greater psychological distress.

    Digestive disease in women

    Common signs and symptoms of digestive dysfunction include:

    • nausea
    • vomiting
    • trouble swallowing
    • heartburn
    • acid reflux
    • burping
    • bloating
    • abdominal pain
    • gas
    • constipation
    • diarrhea

    Women are less likely than men to develop gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcers, colitis, and gastric cancer. Research shows that estrogen may have a protective role in the development of these particular conditions.

    Women, though, draw the short straw with a higher prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), celiac disease, and colon cancer than men. Women with IBS tend to experience more abdominal bloating, nausea, constipation, depression, and anxiety than do men with IBS. But some evidence suggests that IBS pain may improve after menopause.

    Your digestion on hormones

    Since there are receptors for estrogen and progesterone in the gastrointestinal tract, these reproductive hormones have a bearing on digestion.

    • For premenopausal women, the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle begins with the first day of menstrual flow and ends with ovulation. This phase is marked by high levels of estrogen. Research suggests that motility of the gastrointestinal organs is decreased among women during this time, which could contribute to constipation.
    • The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle begins with ovulation and ends with the onset of menstrual flow. In this phase, estrogen and progesterone levels are low. It’s common to experience loose stools during this phase.
    • During menstruation, diarrhea is the most commonly reported digestive symptom.
    • Pregnancy is supported by high progesterone, which tends to slow down gastrointestinal motility. This may contribute to pregnancy-related constipation, reflux, and biliary dysfunction.

    Food: Friend or foe?

    For most people, fiber-rich foods (oats, asparagus, legumes), and probiotic-rich foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, plain yogurt) are helpful for a happy tummy. But these very foods can sometimes aggravate digestive distress, and this is when it can be helpful to consider small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), FODMAP intolerance (FODMAPs are specific carbohydrate molecules in some foods), and food sensitivities as underlying contributors to your symptoms.

    Along with your health care practitioner, develop a diet plan that works for you. Supplements may also help, which should be taken with supervision. Examples that may help digestion include:

    • probiotics
    • fiber
    • psyllium
    • turmeric
    • peppermint
    • garlic
    • ginger
    • L-glutamine
    • licorice root

    Article courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • New insights into immune health

    New insights into immune health

    New insights into immune health

    Pandemic lessons on immunity

    Health has never been a more prominent topic or concern than in the era of COVID. But for all of us, supporting our immune system is the cornerstone of our well-being, whether we’re living in a pandemic or not.

    “Health is defined now by most medical establishments as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity,” says naturopathic doctor Brian Davies.

    Immune system redux

    To best support our immune system, it helps to have a sense of how it works. Put simply, its job is to defend against disease-causing microorganisms. It has two main components.

    1. Innate immunity, the immune system we’re born with, consists of physical barriers like our skin as well as cells that attack pathogens that enter the body, responding quickly via effects like fever.
    2. Adaptive immunity is the part of our immune system that learns to react to foreign agents. When it’s exposed to a new germ for the first time, it responds by trying to fight it off; we might get sick, but our immune cells remember the invader and mount a more rapid response when it returns.

    Having a healthy immune system doesn’t mean never getting ill. It’s quite the opposite, in fact. And remember that not all viruses are created equal, as we’ve all learned with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID.

    “Having symptoms such as fever, cough, muscle aches, headache, and the like are indications that your immune system is working to fight off infection, not the infection itself,” says Ashley Stapleton, naturopathic doctor. Nevertheless, the global health crisis may have led to a greater awareness of the importance of taking care of ourselves, a wake-up call of sorts.

    Immune system support

    “When looking at key support for general immune health, a healthy lifestyle is a critical part of supporting our immune systems,” Davies says. Some people who should consider modifications to their lifestyle to better support their immune systems are those who

    • eat highly processed foods
    • don’t sleep well
    • are under excessive emotional or physical stress from injury or overexercise
    • consume excessive amounts of alcohol
    • smoke cigarettes

    All of these factors put excess stress on the body, which is known to suppress innate immunity and dysregulate our adaptive immune system.

    Caring for your immune system

    Here are some other approaches to providing your immune system with support.

    • Cut out sugar
    • Avoid alcohol
    • Get plenty of good sleep
    • Reduce stress

    Supplemental immune support

    Always check with your health care practitioner before trying a new supplement. Supplements that may help support your immune system include:

    • Probiotics
    • Vitamin C
    • Vitamin D
    • Zinc

    Article courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • The Joy of Sleep: LifeSeasons helps you get the rest you need!

    The Joy of Sleep: LifeSeasons helps you get the rest you need!

    National Sleep Awareness Week (March 12-18, 2023) highlights commitment to the vital refreshment of a good night’s sleep. Our bodies accomplish a great deal during sleep: bone, muscle, and tissue are repaired; our immune system is strengthened; memories are stored. Our systems slow down overnight, resetting energy levels for a fresh start.

    LifeSeasons offers a studied, full-body range of care, including support for stress, mind, and mood, all conducive to a productive night’s sleep. They also offer supplements that enhance the natural relaxation that leads to restful sleep.

    All LifeSeasons supplements are 25% OFF through March!

    Rest-ZZZ Sleep Support

    Encourage a healthy, restorative night’s rest with some soothing habits: a cool, darkened room, a warm bath, and a break from your screens. Rest-ZZZ can help by calming your nervous system, promoting your natural sleep cycle, and easing muscle tension, restlessness, and nerve-related sleeplessness.

    Rest-ZZZ Melatonin-Free

    Prefer to skip the melatonin? Rest-ZZZ Melatonin-FREE offers sleep support for those unable to tolerate melatonin. Ease yourself into a restful night’s sleep without feeling groggy or “hung over” the next morning.

    Anxie-T

    Stress challenges all our systems and can certainly interfere with the ability to fall asleep. Anxie-T nurtures a relaxed and calm mind by supporting the body’s natural abililty to respond to stress. This is a great way to start your self care stress relief.

    Magnesium Glycinate

    A better you starts with a better mood — create a routine to prioritize staying cool, calm, and collected. Both you and your sleep will benefit! Magnesium Glycinate aids mood and sleep support, while promoting bone and heart health, and helping to maintain normal blood sugar levels.

    Energy

    We all have those days when it’s just hard to get started. LifeSeasons’ Energy helps overcome tiredness and fatigue with a gentle boost to energy and mood. Natural ingredients such as green tea and cacao supply support for circulation and focus without unwanted jitters.

    Resources:

    https://lifeseasons.com/blog/sleep-stages/

    https://lifeseasons.com/product/rest-zzz/

    https://lifeseasons.com/product/rest-zzz-melatonin-free/

    https://lifeseasons.com/product/anxie-t/

    https://lifeseasons.com/product/magnesium-glycinate/

    https://lifeseasons.com/product/energy-natural-caffeine-supplement/

    https://www.instagram.com/lifeseasons/

  • Tea benefits to support rejuvenation

    Tea benefits to support rejuvenation

    Tea benefits to support rejuvenation

    Harness the power of this simple pleasure

    As a new season approaches, it’s common to turn our minds toward rejuvenation—detoxifying ourselves from what’s not serving us and refocusing on what nurtures us.

    Tea, both true tea—made from the tea plant Camellia sinensis, including green, white, and black teas—and certain herbal infusions, can help in the physical process of detoxification by supporting the body’s metabolic and natural detoxification processes. These teas can also work to detoxify our mental state by helping to clear away stress, anxiety, and emotional blocks that may be weighing us down.

    The value of doing less

    Guided by Jude Wang of Cultivate Tea, we take a deeper look at how tea helps to detoxify and refocus the mind and body to enhance overall well-being. Wang explains that, while certain teas may be particularly helpful to physically detox, sometimes it is more about giving your body the space and time to carry out the self-care that it has been designed to perform.

    “Sometimes detox is about doing less,” says Wang. “These days, detoxing our mind and soul can be so much more important to think about than physical detoxing.” That’s where the ritual of tea comes in.

    Wang points out that our fast-paced, modern culture can often treat tea with a transactional attitude. “We have a tendency to think of it in terms of what it can give to us: tasting notes, health benefits.”

    Wang believes that tea provides the opportunity for a more nuanced experience: a chance to slow down, declutter the mind, acknowledge emotions, and nurture meaningful bonds with others. Time out to tune in.

    The tea experience for mental detoxification

    Sitting down with Wang to share the ritual of tea is a fluid experience that is tailored to the tea being served and the person, or people, he is sharing it with. Wang notes that it doesn’t so much matter how your tea ritual is conducted but rather the spirit in which it’s carried out.

    From experiencing the look and smell of the leaves, watching them unfurl as they steep in the water, exploring the taste and mouthfeel—and how it evolves through multiple steepings—Wang values the meditation that tea provides.

    The power of tea ceremony

    Research shows that tea ceremonies enable participants to share common emotions, capture a sense of personal progression, improve concentration, and increase feelings of mindfulness. Further, the act of preparing and drinking tea has been found to help curb stress and boost psychological well-being.

    Finding meaningful rejuvenation

    Wang suggests that, if you come to tea with an open mind, its power can be transformative and its contribution to daily life invaluable. “It’s something so simple. It’s just tea leaves. But at the same time, it has so much behind it.”

    Article courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • 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