12 Ways to Make Your Food Last Longer

Each year, American households throw away $640 worth of food apiece, typically because they buy too much or fail to eat the leftovers. The survey, conducted by the American Chemistry Council (ACC), revealed that three-quarters of Americans throw away food once a month while half do so once a week. Most of those polled (79 percent) were concerned with the amount of money wasted by throwing away food, while half said they felt bad tossing food when others worldwide are hungry. A much less pressing concern were the environmental impacts, which concerned just 15 percent of respondents. However, food waste is the biggest collective “item” in US landfills. To keep up with so much waste, some cities have even started composting programs to help keep it out of the garbage stream. ACC’s survey poses just one estimate of food waste. A study by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found Americans throw away $165 billion worth of food a year, which amounts to up to $2,200 per household. Many Americans succumb to grocery store marketing tactics that encourage impulse buys and larger purchases, yet when they bring such perishables home find they end up spoiling before being eaten. The tips below, from TIME, can help you to make your food last longer so, ultimately, you waste less. 12 Food-Saving Tips 1. Onions - Store these in a paper bag in a cool, dark place (like a garage or basement) as long as the temperature is above freezing. This will keep onions fresh for more than two weeks. Storing onions in old pantyhose is another option and may help keep them fresh for up to eight months (tie a knot in between each one to keep them separate). 2. Cheese - Hard cheeses like Parmesan can last for months if stored properly. Remove the wrapper from the store, wrap the cheese in parchment paper, and follow with a layer of foil. This will help keep in moistness. And if you notice a spot of mold on hard cheeses, don’t throw it away! Simply cut off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot (keep the knife out of the mold itself so it will not cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese). After trimming off the mold, re-cover the cheese in fresh wrap. 3. Berries - Berries are highly perishable, so eat them quickly for best results. If you need to extend their shelf life by a day or two, rinse them in a mix of one part vinegar to three parts water. 4. Herbs - Herbs stay fresh by trimming the stems then placing them in a glass of water, similar to a bunch of cut flowers. A paper towel or baggie placed loosely over the top, and then stored in the fridge, will help keep them even fresher. 5. Apples - Store apples in your refrigerator in the bottom drawer, which has high humidity. 6. Tomatoes - Tomatoes should be left on the counter and eaten within a couple of days. Storing them in your fridge is not an option, as they’ll lose valuable flavor. But if you’ve accidentally stored tomatoes in the fridge, don’t toss them. Letting them sit at room temp for 24 hours before eating can help to bring back at least some of their flavor. Another option? Use up refrigerated tomatoes in a sauce recipe, where the added flavors from onions, garlic, and basil are likely to cover up the tasteless tomato. 7. Potatoes - Store potatoes in a cool dark place, and if they grow little sprouts, they’re not spoiled – simply brush them off (the potatoes may even taste sweeter as a result). When storing potatoes, keep them away from onions (this will make them spoil faster). Storing them with apples will help keep the potatoes from sprouting. 8. Greens - Heat triggers spoilage in greens, so douse them in cold water when you get home. Then, dry them in a spinner (moisture will also spur rot) and store the dried greens in an airtight bag. Punch about 10 pin-sized holes in each side and store in the fridge. This may help your greens last four times longer than usual. Store salad greens in a bowl covered with plastic wrap, and add a paper towel to help absorb moisture. 9. Eggs - Eggs can keep for up to five weeks in your fridge. Store them in the back of your fridge where it’s cooler (not on the refrigerator door), and leave them right in the container they came in. 10. Grapes - Choose grapes that have bright green flexible stems. Those with brown or dry stems will spoil quickly and not taste as good. 11. Dairy - Heat exposure can cause dairy products to spoil faster, even if the exposure is brief. Consider bringing a cooler or insulated bag with you to the grocery store or farmer’s market so you can keep dairy items cold. 12. Meat - Store meat in the bottom drawer of your refrigerator, double-wrapped if it’s near produce (to prevent leakage). Source: TIME, 9/15/15.

Reverse Disease with 5 Health Strategies

Life is a journey and for most of us health is an important part of that journey, because if you have health challenges your ability to manifest your passions will be seriously impaired. The more I study natural medicine, the more it becomes clear to me that the solution for most illness involves some fairly basic concepts. If you apply these principles early enough with most illnesses you will activate your body's healing response and recover from your illness. In my experience most people who have just started investigating the power of natural medicine fail to comprehensively integrate all of these principles and reap the powerful synergistic benefits they can provide. 1) Safely Access Sun Exposure as Much as Possible - There are many benefits of sun exposure. The UVB in the sun will help your body produce vitamin D, and optimal levels are crucial to prevent diseases like obesity, heart disease, arthritis, asthma, Alzheimer's, and dozens of other diseases. Also, and this is important, if you have cancer or an autoimmune disease like MS, Crohn's, or rheumatoid arthritis, it is absolutely vital to raise your vitamin D to an optimal biological level. Regular sun exposure not only provides UVB but over 1500 wavelengths and we most likely will not fully appreciate the value of regular exposure to many of these wavelengths for hundreds of years. Many people are confused about sun exposure, and don't understand that to reap the benefits they need a significant amount of skin exposed to the sun for their skin to stimulate vitamin D production. Even if you live in a sunny climate during the summer, it is the rare individual that is getting adequate sun exposure. This is typically due to the simple fact that most people have responsibilities during the work week that keeps them indoors, out of the sun. Remember that 15 to 30 minutes of eating outside with almost all of your skin covered, is not going to give you healthy vitamin D levels. The time necessary varies based on your age, weight (as fat tissue sucks up vitamin D), skin color, season, latitude, altitude, cloud cover, and time of day. The range can be anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. The only way to know for sure is to make sure you never get burnt and to measure your vitamin D blood levels. 2) Drink Clean Water, Free of Toxins - Remember that most municipal water supplies are contaminated with chlorine and fluoride. It is relatively easy to remove chlorine and disinfection byproducts with high quality carbon filters. My favorite is the whole house water filter. The large filters are good for 5 to 10 years but the prefilters need to be changed every month or two. However carbon filters don't remove fluoride very well, so reverse osmosis or distillers are the best option. My favorite is reverse osmosis (RO) as they don't damage the water as much. The downside of RO filters is most have a holding tank that invariably becomes contaminated and needs to be regularly disinfected with chlorine, which is a maintenance hassle. 3) Eat Real Food - Getting proper nutrition is an important step in healing just about any disease. For some diseases, like type 2 diabetes, it will cure virtually every case. It will also prevent and treat most heart disease, cancers, and Alzheimer's. The key is removing the insulin resistance with diet and exercise. So what is the common thread that runs through these diseases? If you are a long time reader you probably know that the answer is insulin resistance. Resolve insulin resistance and you no longer have type 2 diabetes, and you dramatically reduce if not eliminate your risk of cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. The simple key is to EAT REAL FOOD. Ideally growing it yourself is best. Next best is locally grown and organic. But if you can't do this for whatever reason, you still need to eat vegetables. Even non-organic ones are better than no vegetables at all. Avoid most processed foods, and especially sugars and processed grains, or even worse, heated oils. I am not sure which is worse, processed sugar or fats, but the key is to avoid both. That means industrialized polyunsaturated oils in a bottle, like corn or canola oil. Saturated fats like coconut oil are fine, as are olive oil, butter, avocado, and nuts (especially macadamia and pecans). But how do you know if you have insulin resistance? Simple: if you are overweight, have diabetes, high blood pressure, or taking a statin, you likely have it, but to know for sure, have a fasting blood insulin level test. If it's over 5 you're insulin resistant. The most powerful strategy I have ever encountered is to replicate our ancestral eating patterns. Remember, your ancient ancestors never had access to food 24/7 so it makes perfect sense that your genes and metabolism are optimized for regular periods where you don't eat. The key is to restrict your calories to a 6 to 8 hour window, and eat no calories for the remainder of the day. You can drink water, tea, or coffee as long as there is no dairy or sweetener in them. Why is it important to have a long span of time during which you're not eating before bed? Largely this is due to the way your body creates energy, which is through your mitochondria. These tiny bacterial derivatives live inside your cell and are optimized to create energy from the food you eat and the air you breathe. The mitochondria create energy by generating electrons that are normally transferred to ATP (adenosine triphosphate). When you don't have insulin resistance this energy transfer works quite nicely, but when you are insulin resistant or you eat excessively, all hell can break loose. If you eat excessive food and you don't burn the calories with movement fairly shortly after consuming the calories, the electrons back up inside the mitochondria as there is plenty of ATP that isn't being used. The problem is that these electrons are highly reactive and they start to leak out of the electron transport chain in the mitochondria, and if enough electrons leak out they wind up prematurely killing the mitochondria, and then wreak further havoc by damaging your cell membranes and DNA. There are many knowledgeable experts that believe this is one of the keys to accelerated aging. So how can you apply this knowledge? Simple: resolve your insulin resistance as soon as you can, and do not eat for AT LEAST three hours before you go to sleep. Your body will use the least amount of calories when sleeping and the LAST thing you need is excess fuel generating free radicals damaging your tissues. 4) You Must Regularly Move Your Body to Stay Healthy - The average American adult spends about 10 hours each day sitting, and more than 10,000 studies have now confirmed that chronic sitting is a potent independent risk factor for insulin resistance and an early death. Ideally, strive to sit for less than three hours a day, and make it a point to walk more. A stand-up desk is a great option if you have an office job, and a fitness tracker or cell phone can be used to ensure you're getting the recommended 7,000 to 10,000 steps per day. Next, you'll want to incorporate a more regimented fitness routine, and virtually any exercise is better than none. Benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) includes cardiovascular fitness, improved muscle growth and strength, and the generation of "anti-aging" human growth hormone (HGH), also referred to as "the fitness hormone." It also effectively stimulates your muscles to release anti-inflammatory myokines, which increase your insulin sensitivity and glucose use inside your muscles. They also increase liberation of fat from adipose cells, and the burning of the fat within the skeletal muscle. Strength training is also an important component, and is recommended for all ages, including kids and seniors. Gaining more muscle through resistance exercises has many benefits, from losing excess fat to maintaining healthy bone mass and preventing age-related muscle loss as you age. Whatever you choose to do, please do take the time to exercise, and incorporate as much physical activity into your life as you can. 5) We All Need to Sleep Eight Hours to Stay Healthy - Most fail to fully appreciate how important sleep is to their health. I know, as I was one of them. However I have since learned to appreciate the major role that adequate sleep plays in recovery, repair, and optimal healing. I used to think I was immune to needing adequate sleep. I would routinely get less than six hours a night and thought I could function this way. But I've since realized that most adults really need about eight hours of sleep every night. Frequent yawning during the day is a major red flag that you're sleep deprived, as is nodding off when you're reading or in a meeting. If you need an alarm clock to wake up, and you wake up feeling tired and groggy, you probably need to go to sleep earlier (or get more restful sleep) as well. What to Do Next If you apply the 5 principles that I reviewed in this article, you could likely resolve over 80 percent of your health problems. Start today!! Source: The Week, 8/29/15.

7 Myths About Exercise

If you want to be optimally healthy and happy with energy and vitality to spare, exercise is essential. Most people are well aware of this, yet many still don’t make the time for it. Excuses abound; from “not having enough time,” to “if you can’t be consistent, there’s no point in even beginning.” A number of fitness myths may be holding you back. Nutrition Action recently listed 10 exercise myths you’re best off ignoring. Here are the top seven picks, in no particular order. Myth #1: Weight Training Will Make Women Look Bulky - Many women ignore strength training because they don't want to "bulk up." This is a mistake, as gaining more muscle has many benefits, from losing excess fat to maintaining healthy bone mass, and preventing age-related muscle loss as you get older. For a woman to turn into the Hulk, she’d have to be graced with exceptional genes, work out like a professional athlete, and take anabolic steroids, so ending up looking like a man really isn’t a concern for most women. Rounding out your exercise program with strength training will help you optimize all the possible health benefits of a regular exercise program, and that includes “anti-aging” benefits as well. In fact, strength training has a beneficial impact on at least 10 biomarkers of aging. Myth #2: It's Dangerous to Start Exercising When You're Older - You are never too old to start exercising. In fact, research shows that, no matter how old you are when you start, you can gain significant improvements in strength, range of motion, balance, bone density, and mental clarity. For example, consider the following scientific findings: • Even a small amount of exercise may protect the elderly from long-term memory loss and even help reverse some of the effects of aging. • Women between the ages of 75 and 85, all of whom had reduced bone mass or full-blown osteoporosis, were able to lower their risk of falling with strength training and agility activities. • Moderate exercise among those aged 55 to 75 may cut the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, which increases heart disease and diabetes risk. • Among those who started exercising at age 50 and continued for 10 years, the rate of premature death declined dramatically, similar to giving up smoking. • A combined aerobic and resistance exercise program improved physical function, muscle strength, and symptom severity among heart failure patients. Exercise will also help you avoid weight gain, which tends to creep up on you as the years go by. As noted in the featured article: “It’s a matter of reduced physical activity levels and lower metabolic rate caused by a loss of lean body mass [muscle],’ says JoAnn Manson of Harvard Medical School. ‘The lifelong loss of lean body mass reduces our basal metabolic rate as we age,’ says Arkansas’s William Evans. ‘It’s a very subtle change that begins between ages 20 and 30. The percentage of body fat gradually increases, and it produces an ever-decreasing calorie requirement.’” Muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells, so simply carrying more muscle on your frame helps you use up more calories even when you’re not exercising. Myth #3: Walking Is Useless - Chronic sitting is the new smoking, raising your risk of an early death from poor health independent of your fitness and other lifestyle habits. The medical literature now contains over 10,000 studies showing that frequent, prolonged sitting — at work, commuting, and watching TV at night — significantly impacts your cardiovascular and metabolic function. Walking more is an excellent remedy that virtually everyone would benefit from, even if you have a regular fitness program. My personal recommendation is to: a) limit sitting to less than three hours a day, and b) walk 7,000 to 10,000 steps per day, over and above any regimented exercise you may be doing. A fitness tracker can be a helpful tool to ensure you’re hitting your mark. Once you’re in the habit of walking more, consider switching up the pace, interspersing bouts of speed walking followed by more casual strolling. Numerous studies show that it is this intermittent high and low intensity that appears to produce the most significant results. So simply by exerting yourself intermittently when walking, you can dramatically increase the return of your effort without spending any extra time on it. Walking is also an excellent option if you’re so out of shape and/or overweight that the very idea of exercising seems too daunting to even attempt. Walking is among the easiest exercises to perform, no matter what your age or fitness level. Myth #4: You Have to Exercise Long and Hard to Lose Weight and Improve Fitness - Lack of time is usually at the top of the list of excuses for why people don’t exercise. They think they need to carve out at least an hour several times a week to see results, but nothing could be further from the truth. Research tells us conventional cardio is actually one of the least effective modes of exercise. Instead, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) — which requires but a fraction of the time — has been shown to be FAR more efficient and effective, compared to longer, slower cardio workouts. There are many versions of HIIT, but the core premise involves maximum exertion followed by a quick rest period for a set of intervals. The elliptical machine is a useful exercise tool when doing HIIT, although you can use a recumbent bike or no equipment at all. Exercises such as push-ups, burpees, jump squats, and walking/sprinting for example, can be done at high intensity intervals. You can also turn your strength training exercise into a high intensity one by slowing down your movements. Ideally, you'll want to perform HIIT exercises two or three times a week. Each session totals up to just four minutes of intense exertion, and you can be completely done in about 20 minutes. Here, you actually want to avoid exercising too frequently. Doing HIIT more than three times a week can be counterproductive, as your body needs to recover between sessions. Instead of time, the focus is on intensity. Myth #5: You Can Target Fat Deposits with Spot Training - Many have fallen for the misconception that exercising an area will result in fat loss in that area. As the fat starts accumulating around the waist, they’ll start doing sit-ups, and when nothing changes, they give up altogether. If this sounds like you, please reconsider your approach, because spot training doesn’t work. As noted in the featured article: “Abdominal and hip exercises can strengthen and tone the muscles. But those muscles are underneath the layer of fat that gives the appearance of flab. Only losing weight can get rid of excess fat, and where you lose the weight depends on your genes. Losing weight around the waist is easier than losing it at the hips.” If your goal is to shed excess fat, intermittent fasting combined with high intensity interval training is an excellent way to start. Again, if you’re too out of shape to attempt HIIT right away, begin by walking, and then adding in bouts of faster walking. Eventually, you’ll get to the point where you can do one, two, or more intervals of HIIT on an elliptical or recumbent bike. Work your way up to six or eight sets of intervals. Myth #6: If You Don’t Need to Lose Weight, There’s No Point in Exercising - While weight loss tends to be a side effect of exercising, it’s certainly not the only, or even the primary, reason for exercising. Modern fitness research offers many potent reminders that physical activity is one of the best “preventive drugs” for many common ailments, from psychiatric disorders to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. For example, one meta-review of 305 randomized controlled trials comparing the effectiveness of exercise versus drug interventions on mortality outcomes found that medications were no better for treating diabetes and heart disease than exercise. One of the key health benefits of exercise is that it helps normalize your glucose, insulin, and leptin levels by optimizing insulin and leptin receptor sensitivity. This is one of the most important factors for optimizing your overall health and preventing chronic disease, and may explain why exercise is such a potent preventive medicine. Exercise also helps lower triglycerides and raise HDL cholesterol, both of which are important for lowering your risk of heart disease. In short, exercise is preventive medicine, although you may not realize exactly which diseases you’re preventing in the long run. Beyond that, it also adds to your general quality of life. Sleep and mental health, for example, are two areas that can greatly benefit. Those who succeed at maintaining good health into old age typically have one thing in common: a healthy diet and regular exercise is part of their daily lifestyle. It’s not an on-and-off proposition to fit into a particular garment for a special occasion. I recently wrote about how to make exercise a life-long habit, and one of the ways to do this is to reframe your ideas on the rewards of exercise. Instead of aiming for a particular number on your scale, shift your focus to the immediate rewards — i.e. how you feel right after exercising. Most will feel refreshed, more energetic, and clearheaded, allowing you to function at home, at school, or at work with greater ease and less stress. By noticing how exercise simply makes you feel “better,” that very same day, can help you embrace exercise as part of your lifestyle. No matter what weight you end up at, exercise is bound to pay dividends. Myth #7: No Pain No Gain - While high intensity exercise is an important component of a well-rounded and effective program, it’s a mistake to think you have to work out at maximum intensity all the time. As noted earlier, this can backfire, as your body needs time to recuperate between sessions. It’s also a mistake to think that exercise must hurt or somehow be excruciatingly difficult in order to work. As noted in the featured article: “[M]oderate-intensity exercise lowers the risk of dying just as much as high-intensity exercise. The trick is making sure that the exercise is at least moderate-intensity — that is, equivalent to walking at a pace of three to four miles an hour.” This does not mean you ignore low intensity movement. You need both to be optimally healthy. One way is doing ideally around 7,000 to10,000 steps a day of walking. As with other medications, it’s important to get the dosage right. Too little, and you won't get much benefit. Too much, and you could potentially do harm. For example, extreme endurance cardio, such as marathon running, can actually damage your heart. Your heart is designed to work hard, and will be strengthened from doing so, but it's only designed to do so intermittently, and for short periods. Two recently published large-scale, long-term studies have shed much needed light on the subject of optimal exercise dosage. After analyzing exercise data from 661,000 adults and 14 years’ worth of death records, they were able to figure out how various “dosages” of exercise impacted mortality. Not surprisingly, people who didn’t exercise at all had the highest risk of premature death. However, they found that among those who did exercise regularly, there was a “Goldilocks zone” within which people gained the greatest rewards. Any more and any less resulted in declining rewards. The ideal amount of exercise, providing the highest reduction in mortality risk, was 450 minutes per week (just over an hour a day) of moderate exercise, such as walking. Compared to non-exercisers, they lowered their risk of premature death by 39 percent. Those who got up to but no more than 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week lowered their risk of early death by 20 percent. Those who consistently got 150 minutes per week lowered their risk of death by 31 percent. Interestingly, those who exercised at 10 times above the recommended level — about 25 hours a week — gained no more mortality reduction as those who met the guidelines of 150 minutes per week! The second study focused on intensity. Health survey data from more than 200,000 adults was pooled, and the exercise that each person engaged in was qualified according to intensity. They found that people who spent more than 30 percent of their exercise time in strenuous activities gained an extra 13 percent reduction in early mortality, compared to those who always exercised at a consistent pace. As reported by The New York Times: “[A]s in the other study, they found that meeting the exercise guidelines substantially reduced the risk of early death, even if someone’s exercise was moderate, such as walking. But if someone engaged in even occasional vigorous exercise, he or she gained a small additional reduction in mortality.” Make Exercise a Daily Part of Your Life Making time for exercise is an important part of self-care, without which you’ll be less capable of attending to the needs of others. Viewing it as just another part of life, on par with brushing your teeth and washing your hair, can really help improve the quality of your life. Should your weight happen to be an issue, it’s likely to improve providing you incorporate some high intensity exercises. And if you don’t need to lose weight, remember there’s so much more to gain than a few less pounds. Exercise may mean the difference between being unable to move when you reach your senior years, or ripping up the dance floor on your 75th birthday. Depression, which affects about one in 10 Americans, can also be alleviated with the help of exercise. In fact, a number of studies have found the effectiveness of exercise to meet or exceed that of antidepressants. Ideally, you want to incorporate a variety of activities, including core-strengthening exercises, strength training, stretching, and high-intensity activities into your rotation. Also remember that intermittent movement is equally (if not more) critical for maximizing the quality of your life. Chronic, undisrupted sitting — even if you maintain an optimum fitness program — has been found to be an independent risk factor for premature death. Source: Nutrition Action, 8/10/15.

10 Signs You Need a Vacation

Americans are taking fewer vacation days than they did 15 years ago, often not taking all of their earned vacation days, according to a survey by the US Travel Association. But the decision to put work over family and friends can lead to burnt bridges among personal relationships that can make your life richer for decades to come. The survey revealed that seven out of 10 respondents skip kids’ activities, birthdays, and vacations in favor of work, while, paradoxically, 73 percent said spending time with family makes their lives richer and more meaningful. Another survey found Americans use only 10 of their average 14 days of vacation a year, and while about one-third of Americans report feeling stressed out at work, most won’t take a vacation day because of it. In short, many Americans find it hard to find a suitable work-life balance that allows them to pay the bills and earn financial security while still spending time with family and having ample free time for their own sanity. If it’s been awhile since your last vacation, you may be starting to feel it. Lack of adequate time off can manifest in many mysterious (and not so mysterious) ways, as the list below, compiled by TIME, explains. 10 Signs You Need a Vacation 1. Little Problems Seem Huge - When you’re in a good place mentally and emotionally, you can handle those daily curveballs that come your way – with ease and even your fair share of finesse. But if you’re overly stressed, forget about it. Even small nuisances will seem overwhelming and may cause you to snap at co-workers or clients unnecessarily. 2. Coworkers Ask if You’re Alright - You probably spend a lot of time around your colleagues, and they may be among the first to notice that you’re not acting like yourself. Maybe you’re unusually cranky, quiet, or tired instead of your chipper self. This is a sign that a long weekend is calling your name. If you can’t take a longer vacation, at least try to fit microbreaks into your day by walking outside for five or 10 minutes. 3. You’re Making Mistakes - Workplace errors are often the result of chronic stress. This can be problematic for your reputation and job security or, depending on your line of work, potentially deadly to those around you (such as if you work in the medical field). If you notice you’re making an unusual number of mistakes, arrange for some time off to regroup. 4. You’re Overly Cynical - Those who are most successful at work have about six positive experiences for each negative one. A ratio of three to one (in favor of positive) is about the bare minimum you need to stay happy at work. If that ratio gets flipped and you’re finding your work unfulfilling and frustrating without any positive merits, it could be due to impending burnout. 5. You’re Engaging in Counterproductive Work Behaviors - Arguing with co-workers, taking extra time at lunch or breaks, or “borrowing” office supplies are examples of “counterproductive work behaviors”. These behaviors are linked to high levels of workplace stress, and they may manifest weeks or months after the most stressful periods (such as a busy season). Time off may be a welcome cure and might even give you time to seek out other opportunities. 6. You’re in Physical Pain - Workplace stress, particularly heavy workloads, negative work environments, and obstacles that prevent you from completing your work, are linked to pain levels in employees. Stress also promotes inflammation and pain sensitivity, which is why recurring backaches, headaches, eye strain, and other aches and pains are signs that a vacation is long overdue. 7. Your Stomach’s Upset - An upset stomach and other digestive issues can also be manifestations of overwork and stress. The latter can even lead to changes in the bacteria in your gut that can make you prone to stomach issues. 8. You Have Trouble Sleeping - Excessive work stress and burnout can increase the chances of sleep problems, including difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. People who are overworked have more trouble unwinding at the end of the day and also are more likely to report daytime sleepiness. 9. You End Your Day with a Glass of Wine - Regularly using alcohol as a coping mechanism may be a result of too much stress at work. Those experiencing chronic stress and burnout may be more vulnerable to using alcohol and food as ways to ease stress in favor of healthier options like exercise. 10. You Lost the Sense of Purpose of Your Work - A more serious sign of burnout is losing perspective of why you’re working in the first place. You may not see any benefits, when in fact your job benefits your community, your country, or your family. If you can’t remember why you wanted your job in the first place, schedule a break from your daily grind soon. What Do You Stand to Gain from Taking a Vacation? You’ve seen what might happen if you don’t take a vacation, but what might happen if you do? According to research from the University of Calgary, taking a vacation (or even participating in leisure activities) can actually reduce depression. A separate study found sharing vacation experiences with your loved ones is a valuable contributor to family cohesion. Immersing yourself in a different culture may also foster creative thinking and improve well-being. Whether your vacation is down the street or across the globe, you’ll enjoy numerous mental and physical health benefits both during your trip and upon your return. Surprisingly enough, even though many Americans forgo their annual vacations, 24 percent believe a vacation is a birthright… so go and take your vacation!! Source: Time Magazine, 7/30/15

7 Things Emotionally Successful People Do Differently

Your emotional health is at the crux of your quality of life. Without happiness, hopefulness and well-being, it’s difficult to reach your full potential and embrace each day as it comes. Your emotional health is also intricately tied to your physical health, such that an emotionally imbalanced person will be at a greater risk of chronic diseases and acute illnesses like colds and flu. One study found, for instance, that happiness, optimism, life satisfaction, and other positive psychological attributes are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. It's even been scientifically shown that happiness can alter your genes. A team of researchers at UCLA showed that people with a deep sense of happiness and well-being had lower levels of inflammatory gene expression and stronger antiviral and antibody responses. There is some research to suggest that some people are born naturally happier than others. In one study of nearly 1,000 pairs of adult twins, researchers at the University of Edinburgh suggested that genes account for about 50 percent of the variation in people's levels of happiness. The underlying determinant was genetically caused personality traits, such as being sociable, active, stable, hardworking, or conscientious. But this does not at all suggest that you're born with a certain emotional “personality” and powerless to change it. Anyone can improve their level of “emotional success,” and your environment and life circumstances also play a role, as there are many other indicators of emotional well-being outside of your genes (or your age). 7 Habits of Emotionally Successful People In many ways, your level of emotional success is based on your own choices and attitudes. While some people are able to roll with the punches, others get easily sidelined by challenges along the way. In order to “toughen up” emotionally, such that you’re able to live your life feeling naturally strong and confident in your choices (and in yourself), try some of these 7 habits of emotionally successful people. 1. Take Control - Rather than sitting back and letting life happen to you, take control and decide to make things happen for you. Take calculated steps to achieve your goals and desires. 2. Be Flexible - Life is likely to throw you a few curveballs. Will they throw you off course? Being flexible means you have an open mind and will adjust to whatever life throws your way. 3. Learn from Your Mistakes - Mistakes often offer valuable lessons that you can use to improve yourself in the future. Treat them as tools for improvement rather than letting them define you. 4. Create Specific Goals - Students who set goals earn twice as much money as those who do not. Further, those who set clear, written goals were earning 10 times as much. Setting and writing out your goals helps you to have a clear direction and plan for achieving your dreams. 5. Accept Yourself - Strength comes from within, so learning to accept yourself is crucial to being happy. Resist the urge to look for acceptance from others. Once you’re comfortable and strong in your own sense of self, relationships and success come naturally. 6. Keep Your Stress in Check - If you’re under stress, it’s harder to control your emotions. Figure out what works for you to keep your stress levels under control (exercise, talking with a friend, alone time, etc.), and be sure to engage in it regularly. 7. Let the Little Things Slide - Stressing over circumstances you can’t control or which don’t really matter in the big picture will drain your mental reserves and wear you down. Resist the urge to become a control freak and instead let go of the little inconveniences, upsets, and disappointments that come along the way. Choosing to Be Happy What you’ll notice about the habits above is that these are primarily choices you can make for yourself. It's thought that genetics account for about 50 percent of your "innate" happiness while life circumstances make up another 10. The rest (40 percent) is under your control, and the first step to harnessing it is to choose it and believe you can be happy. Research shows, that when people were told to attempt to feel happier when listing to music, they were (as opposed to those who were told to simply relax). It was the intention to become happier that made a difference. Consider your emotions as a form of energy. According to Dr. Bradley Nelson, when you feel an emotion, what you’re really sensing is the vibration of a particular energy. Each emotion has its own vibratory signature, and when intense emotions are felt, they can become trapped in your body, much like a ball of energy. These “balls of energy” can become lodged just about anywhere in your body, where they can then cause disruptions in your body’s energy system, which underlies your physical system much like an invisible matrix. Your body cannot tell the difference between an actual experience that triggers an emotional response and an emotion fabricated through thought process alone—such as when worrying about something negative that might occur but has not actually happened, or conversely, thinking about something positive and pleasant. The latter, of course, will help your body to express many of the health benefits associated with happiness, while ruminating or focusing on negativity can literally manifest disease. The Health Benefits of Happiness Happiness not only feels good… it’s physically good for your body. Research has found that positive emotions –including being happy, lively and calm -- appear to play a role in immune function. One study found that when happy people are exposed to cold and flu viruses, they’re less likely to get sick and, if they do, exhibit fewer symptoms. The association held true regardless of the participants’ levels of self-esteem, purpose, extraversion, age, education, body mass or pre-study immunity to the virus, leading the lead researcher to say: “We need to take more seriously the possibility that positive emotional style is a major player in disease risk.” Further, in a study of nearly 200 heart failure patients, those with higher levels of gratitude had better mood, better sleep, less fatigue, and less inflammation, which can worsen heart failure, than those with lower levels. What this means is that investing in your own happiness should not be viewed as a self-indulgent luxury. It represents an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to piecing together your overall health. Your mind can only take so much stress before it breaks down, yet many neglect to tend to their emotional health with the same devotion they give to their physical well-being. Happiness is associated with a smile, sadness with a frown, but researchers have recently been able to use technology to visualize how your emotions manifest inside your body. Researchers in Finland asked 700 volunteers from Finland, Sweden, and Taiwan to think about one of 14 predetermined emotions, and then paint the areas of a blank silhouette that felt stimulated by that particular emotion. Using a second blank silhouette, they were asked to paint in the areas that felt “deactivated” during that emotion. The experiment showed that emotions tend to be felt in ways that are generally consistent from one person to the next, irrespective of age, sex or nationality. As reported by The Atlantic: “The mapping exercise produced what you might expect: an angry hot-head... a depressed figurine that was literally blue (meaning they felt little sensation in their limbs). Almost all of the emotions generated changes in the head area, suggesting smiling, frowning, or skin temperature changes, while feelings like joy and anger saw upticks in the limbs—perhaps because you’re ready to hug, or punch, your interlocutor. Meanwhile, ‘sensations in the digestive system and around the throat region were mainly found in disgust,’ the authors wrote. It's worth noting that the bodily sensations weren't blood flow, heat, or anything else that could be measured objectively—they were based solely on physical twinges subjects said they experienced… [T]he results likely reveal subjective perceptions about the impact of our mental states on the body, a combination of muscle and visceral reactions and nervous system responses that we can’t easily differentiate.” 9 More Strategies to Stay Emotionally Healthy It’s clear that your emotional state is intricately tied to your physical and mental states. So what can you do to stay emotionally healthy? Like achieving physical fitness or a healthy weight, this is an ongoing process… something that must be tended to each and every day. The good news is that small steps add up and can make a major different for your emotional health. Tips for emotional nurturing include: 1. Be an Optimist - Looking on the bright side increases your ability to experience happiness in your day-to-day life while helping you cope more effectively with stress. 2. Have Hope - Having hope allows you to see the light at the end of the tunnel, helping you push through even dark, challenging times. Accomplishing goals, even small ones, can help you to build your level of hope. 3. Embrace Your Quirks - Self-deprecating remarks and thoughts will shroud your mind with negativity and foster increased levels of stress. Seek out and embrace the positive traits of yourself and your life, and avoid measuring your own worth by comparing yourself to those around you. 4. Stay Connected - Having loving and supportive relationships helps you feel connected and accepted, and promote a more positive mood. Intimate relationships help meet your emotional needs, so make it a point to reach out to others to develop and nurture these relationships in your life. 5. Express Gratitude - People who are thankful for what they have are better able to cope with stress, have more positive emotions, and are better able to reach their goals. The best way to harness the positive power of gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal or list, where you actively write down exactly what you’re grateful for each day. Doing so has been linked to happier moods, greater optimism and even better physical health. 6. Find Your Purpose and Meaning - When you have a purpose or goal that you’re striving for, your life will take on a new meaning that supports your mental well-being. If you’re not sure what your purpose is, explore your natural talents and interests to help find it, and also consider your role in intimate relationships and ability to grow spiritually. 7. Master Your Environment - When you have mastery over your environment, you’ve learned how to best modify your unique circumstances for the most emotional balance, which leads to feelings of pride and success. Mastery entails using skills such as time management and prioritization along with believing in your ability to handle whatever life throws your way. 8. Exercise Regularly - Exercise boosts levels of health-promoting neurochemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which may help buffer some of the effects of stress and also relieve some symptoms of depression. Rather than viewing exercise as a medical tool to lose weight, prevent disease, and live longer – all benefits that occur in the future – try viewing exercise as a daily tool to immediately enhance your frame of mind, reduce stress and feel happier. 9. Practice Mindfulness - Practicing “mindfulness” means you’re actively paying attention to the moment you’re in right now. Rather than letting your mind wander, when you’re mindful you’re living in the moment and letting distracting or negative thoughts pass through your mind without getting caught up in their emotional implications. Mindfulness can help you reduce stress for increased well-being as well as achieve undistracted focus. Source: mercola.com, 7/15/15.

Top Summer Foods for Health

Cooling foods tend to be in-season with abundance during the summer months. Most “green” foods, including vegetables and fruits, qualify, although some are better than others. To give your body a refreshing break from summer’s heat, focus on eating these cooling foods. 1. Sprouts - Sprouts may be small, but they are packed with nutrition, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes that help protect against free radical damage. They’re an inherently cooling food and are perfect for adding to salads, either in addition to or in lieu of salad greens, and sandwiches and are especially tasty in combination with fresh avocado. You can also add them to your vegetable juice or smoothies. 2. Watermelon (and Other Melons) - Watermelon is more than 91 percent water. This means that eating watermelon on a hot summer day is a tasty way to help you stay hydrated and avoid dehydration. Watermelon is also an excellent source of lycopene, with upwards of 6,500 micrograms in less than half a cup. Lycopene's antioxidant activity has long been suggested to be more powerful than that of other carotenoids, such as beta-carotene. Watermelon also contains citrulline, which in your body is converted into L-arginine, which is a precursor to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide may help your vessels stay relaxed and open for blood flow, which is one reason why it may help lower blood pressure. It’s rich in anti-inflammatory substances. For instance, watermelon contains the anti-inflammatory antioxidant lycopene as well as cucurbitacin E, or tripterpenoid. This blocks the activity of the pain and inflammation-causing enzyme cyclooxygenase – the same enzyme blocked by COX-2 inhibitors, which include most NSAID drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen. It’s not only watermelon that’s beneficial to consume in the summer – other melons, like cantaloupe, muskmelon, and honeydew, are also beneficial. 3. Cucumbers - Cucumbers are made up of about 95 percent water, making them an ideal hydrating and cooling food. Cucumbers may also help to “cool” the inflammatory response in your body. Cucumbers contain numerous antioxidants, including the well-known vitamin C and beta-carotene. They also contain antioxidant flavonoids, such as quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol, which provide additional benefits. For instance, quercetin is an antioxidant that many believe prevents histamine release—making quercetin-rich foods “natural antihistamines.” Kaempferol, meanwhile, may help fight cancer and lower your risk of chronic diseases including heart disease. Cucumbers also contain multiple B vitamins, including vitamin B1, vitamin B5, and vitamin B7 (biotin). B vitamins are known to help ease feelings of anxiety and buffer some of the damaging effects of stress. 4. Tomatoes - There’s good reason to regularly include tomatoes, another cooling food, in your diet, as they are rich in flavonoids and other phytochemicals that have anti-carcinogenic and other healthy properties. They’re also an excellent source of lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamin C (which is most concentrated in the jelly-like substance that surrounds the seeds) as well as vitamins A, E and B-complex vitamins, potassium, manganese, and phosphorus. Tomatoes are also a particularly concentrated source of lycopene. In addition to lowering your risk of stroke, lycopene from tomatoes has also been shown to be helpful in treating prostate cancer. 5. Rhubarb - Rhubarb is high in fiber, which is why it’s long been used for soothing stomach ailments and relieving constipation. A one-cup serving of rhubarb provides high levels of vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, and calcium, along with folate, riboflavin, niacin, B vitamins, and pantothenic acid. Rhubarb also provides important minerals, including manganese, iron, potassium, and phosphorus. Due to its sour flavor, rhubarb is often found in recipes alongside sugar and other sweeteners. But a healthier (and far more cooling) way to consume it is by juicing raw right into your fresh vegetable juice. Remember, only the stalks can be eaten; rhubarb leaves are poisonous due to high levels of oxalic acid. 6. Dandelion Leaves - Dandelion leaves contain vitamins A, C, and K, along with calcium, iron, manganese, and potassium. They also have antioxidant properties and contain bitter crystalline compounds called taraxacin and taracerin, along with inulin and levulin, compounds thought to explain some of its therapeutic properties. Dandelion leaves can be used in salads, soups, juiced, cooked the same way as spinach, or dried (with flowers) to make dandelion tea. 7. Citrus Fruits - Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes are all beneficial to add to your summer diet. They’re rich in fiber and vitamin C and also contain additional antioxidants known as flavonoids that may play a beneficial role in fighting heart disease, cancer, and inflammation. Citrus fruits can be incorporated into vegetable juice, used in salad dressings, squeezed over veggies, or used to make lemon/lime water. You can also peel and eat them. 8. Bananas - Bananas contain dopamine, a natural reward chemical that boosts your mood. They're also rich in B vitamins, including vitamin B6, which help soothe your nervous system, and magnesium, another nutrient associated with positive mood. In addition, bananas are a good source of fiber, vitamin A, and antioxidants. They also contain fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which are a type of prebiotics that help nourish beneficial bacteria in your body while enhancing your ability to absorb calcium. 9. Watercress - Last but not least, watercress is another cooling vegetable that’s perfect for a hot summer day. It may actually be the most nutrient-dense vegetable out there, scoring higher on nutrient density scores than both broccoli and sunflower sprouts. Based on 17 nutrients— including potassium, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K. Watercress, which is a close cousin to mustard greens cabbage and arugula, can be eaten as a salad green, steamed as a vegetable, added to soups and sandwiches, or, my favorite, sprouted. There are many more beneficial summer foods that are not listed here. If none on the list strike your fancy, other cooling foods for the summer months include: Spinach, Summer squash, Lettuce, Cabbage, Bok choy, Celery, Mint, Asparagus and Cilantro. Source: mercola, 6/30/15.

A father wrote his kid 14 things to always remember.

I'm 31, which means I'm at the age where a lot of my friends are starting to have kids. I know they'll become wonderful adults because the parents they have will guide them well. People around my age think a lot about future and family, and writer Evan Porter just went through it, although the future came sooner rather than later. When I found out, I was holding a six-pack of beer. “I'm pregnant," she said. Words I knew would be coming one day, but not this soon. I always pictured hearing them on a sunny front porch, wind gently rocking a wooden swing back and forth. And there'd be music. Something upbeat and hopeful. I never thought I'd hear those words standing in the doorway of our dark, half-packed apartment, weary from a long day. My wife, Sarah, eyes puffy and mascara-soaked from her own crappy day, and then again from crying tears of joy, holding not one, but two pregnancy tests as proof. My first thought was that we were about to miss our fantasy football draft. My second thought was to open a beer. My third thought was, “I can't believe those were my first two thoughts." It takes a moment like that to realize how woefully unprepared you are to be responsible for another human being. How terrifying it all is. And I'm not talking about waking up in the middle of the night to sooth a crying baby. I'm not talking about changing a dirty diaper or saying goodbye to your “raucous" social life (Sarah and I watch, on average, ten thousand hours of TV every night; so, that shipped sailed a while ago). I'm talking about when your child learns to talk and what you say to him or her actually matters. When you have to start really thinking about how you want to raise them. What you'll tell them when they get picked on at school. What you'll say when they take a philosophical stand against the concept of homework. It makes you question your values. Or wonder if you even have values to question. And this line of thinking has led me to believe that I am already a terrible father. Because when I think about the things I want to instill in our first child, I realize that I embody exactly none of them. But here they are, anyway: 1) I'll say, not everyone has to like you. Speak your mind when you know you're right. Tell friends the truth even when they don't want to hear it. Don't just nod and “see both sides" and give pity laughs to people who make bad jokes. 2) I'll say, work hard in school. Not so you can make money and not for the bragging rights, but because if you don't, one day you'll look back and wish you'd made yourself proud. 3) I'll say, clean your room. Do you see this 6-inch pile of dirty clothes next to my bed? It makes me feel horrible every time I look at it. You'd be surprised how accomplished seeing your bedroom floor can make you feel. 4) I'll say, always finish what you started. There's a reason I can only teach you to be “pretty good", and not great, at guitar, or photography, or card tricks, or any number of things I picked up and abandoned. If you have a talent for something, don't ever waste it. 5) I'll say, don't wait so long to get comfortable in your own skin. Phases are great and all when you're a teenager, but there's a fine line between exploring things and getting caught up in fads. Don't ever feel like you need to fit into a mold or a category to be accepted. 6) I'll say, take care of your body, because you only get one. Floss every day. And don't drink so much soda and Red Bull. You can't ever undo the cavities they'll give you. 7) I'll say, force yourself to experience new things. I know that people who studied abroad in college are obnoxious, but I don't care; you should do it. Because when they're yammering on about their summer in Madrid, you'll roll your eyes but you'll really just be jealous that you spent your summer watching TV. 8) I'll say, don't get so uncomfortable around homeless people. They're not going to rob you. Treat them with respect. Buy them a sandwich if you can. Give to charity often. You'll always have a few bucks to spare. 9) I'll say, pay attention to the news and politics. Don't spend all your time on social media and TV and movies and sports. Devote your attention to things that actually matter. Be informed and well read. Don't ever be left out of conversations about current events. 10) I'll say, be ruthless. Don't go with the flow. Find something you want and put in the work to become exceptional. So many people dream big, but they're afraid to sit down and do the work. Don't be one of them. 11) I'll say, don't text and drive. Seriously. There's nothing that can't wait. I mean it. 12) I'll say, put your family first, above everything. When they need you, be there. Don't ask questions. Don't let being tired from work become an excuse. They're all you have. 13) I'll say, don't ever wish you were anything or anyone else. Embrace your flaws, because everyone has them. 14) And I'll say, if you fall short of anything, even everything on this list, that's alright. I'll still love you. I'll always love you. People keep asking me if I'm scared. And I guess — even in light of everything I said above — the answer is no. I know that there'll be times when I have no idea what to do with this kid. When I reach into my bag of morals and values and come up empty. And for times like that, I'll look to my wife. I'll remember how, standing in our dark, half-packed apartment, on one of the most important nights of our life, she put the pregnancy tests down on the table, smiled, and said: “Of course we're still doing the fantasy draft." A small reminder of why we fell in love in the first place. What we've created together didn't happen in spite of our flaws. It happened because of them. And knowing that, there's really nothing to be scared of. Source: Originally posted on Medium by Evan Porter; 6/15/15.

10 Ways to Keep Your Pet Healthy

Does our pet have the right stuff? Are you providing your dog or cat with the right stuff to help her have a happy, healthy and long life? There are some things about your pet that you don't have much influence over, for example, her genetics or breed predisposition. But as your furry companion's guardian, there are many things you can provide that can dramatically improve her longevity and quality of life. 1. The Right Nutrition. The food you offer your dog or cat serves as the foundation of a long, healthy life. The right diet supports your pet's immune system, his digestive health, musculoskeletal system, and much more. My first recommendation is always to feed balanced, GMO-free, preferably organic, species-appropriate meals prepared by you, with raw food components. If you don't have the time or inclination to make your own pet food, another option is to feed your pet a balanced, commercially prepared raw, or dehydrated raw diet. If your pet has medical issues and you are concerned about pathogens in raw food, look for brands that have undergone high-pressure pasteurization (HPP). These pathogen-free foods are actually the cleanest, most sterile pet foods currently on the market. 2. The Right Weight. When feeding your pet for good health and a long life, you must also offer the appropriate portions for his size, age, and activity level. Calculate how many calories your dog or cat should consume each day to maintain an optimum weight, and practice portion control to insure your four-legged family member doesn't become a pet obesity statistic. Overweight cats and dogs have a poor quality of life – and a significantly shorter life -- compared to their lean counterparts. 3. The Right Exercise. A well-exercised pet is naturally much healthier than her under-exercised peers, and your pet's overall physical conditioning contributes to (or detracts from) her longevity. Both dogs and cats need the mental stimulation that playtime and exercise provide so they don't grow bored or develop neurotic coping mechanisms. Your furry companion is a natural athlete. Regular aerobic exertion and playtime are necessary for a sound frame, good muscle strength and tone, and mental stimulation. 4. The Right Healthcare. I recommend twice-yearly veterinary wellness visits for a very simple reason: animals don't get sick overnight. The progression from health to illness happens in stages. Dogs and cats typically look and behave normally on the outside even though trouble is brewing beneath the surface. Often it's not until they're quite sick that they start showing signs. The goal of regularly scheduled wellness visits is to stop a slide toward ill health before full-blown disease develops. Pets age exponentially, compared to humans. Their lifespans are generally 10-20 years, depending on breed and genetics. That means their wellness protocols (including diet, supplements, and exercise programs) will change dynamically over time, based on physical exam changes and bloodwork changes. 5. The Right Vaccination Protocol. As the truth about the potential dangers of vaccines slowly emerges, more veterinarians are acknowledging that vaccines are not the benign "preventive" tools they were once thought to be. If your vet is still recommending yearly core vaccinations, ask that antibody titer tests be done instead to measure your pet's current immunity. The fact is that most pets who were properly vaccinated as puppies or kittens are protected for life against most life-threatening viral diseases. 6. The Right Dental Hygiene. Studies link gum disease and heart disease in humans and dogs (studies on cats are hard to find, but it's reasonable to assume a similar link exists for felines). If your pet develops periodontal disease, the surface of the gums will be weakened. This tissue breakdown allows mouth bacteria to invade your pet's bloodstream and travel throughout his body. I recommend brushing your pet's teeth every day, or several times a week at a minimum, in conjunction with providing appropriate raw bones, chews, and dental bones. I also suggest performing routine mouth inspections in which you look inside your dog's or cat's mouth, feel around for loose teeth or unusual lumps or bumps on the tongue, under the tongue, along the gum line, and on the roof of the mouth. It's also important that your vet completes a thorough oral exam during each wellness visit. He or she will alert you to any existing or potential problems in your pet's mouth, and recommend professional teeth cleaning, if necessary. 7. The Right Supervision. As much as you may want to allow your pet to run free in the great outdoors, it's generally a bad idea except in certain very specific circumstances. Most of the time the risks (automobile traffic, thieves, animal predators, poisons, rotting food, disease-carrying wildlife, etc.) far outweigh the benefits. Your dog should be on a leash whenever you leave the house. Exceptions might be at an off-leash dog park, or on a hiking trail or beach that allows off-leash dogs. He should also be dependably responsive to verbal commands like sit, stay, drop it, etc. If your cat goes outside, he should be in a harness with a leash, or in a safe outdoor cat enclosure. 8. The Right Body Maintenance. Keeping your dog or cat active through exercise is one of the best ways to maintain musculoskeletal integrity and organ health. In order for your dog or cat to enjoy not just a long life, but also a vibrant life, she needs the ability to move around comfortably until her final days. Whatever you do to keep your pet's frame in good working order will go a long way toward maintaining her quality of life, throughout her life. 9. The Right Birth Control. Each of the organs your pet was born with has a job to do, and organ systems are interdependent. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that desexing dogs, especially at an early age, can create health and behavior problems. "Desexing" involves the traditional spay or neuter surgery where all the sex hormone-secreting tissues are removed. "Sterilization" renders the animal no longer able to reproduce, but leaves his or her sex hormone-secreting tissues undamaged. This typically involves a vasectomy for males, and either a tubal ligation or modified spay for females. The modified spay removes the uterus while preserving the hormone-producing ovaries. If neither of these options works for you and your pet is a dog, I recommend holding off on spaying or neutering until your dog is at least 18 months to 2 years of age. 10. The Right Environment. Reduce or eliminate your pet's exposure to toxins. These include chemical pesticides like flea and tick preventives, lawn chemicals (weed killers, herbicides, etc.), tobacco smoke, flame retardants, and household cleaners (detergents, soaps, cleansers, dryer sheets, and room deodorizers). Source: Healthy Pets by Dr. Karen Becker, 5/29/15.

5 Regrets Of The Dying: Think About These

After many years of feeling unfulfilled at her job, Bronnie Ware set out to find something that resonated with her soul. She ended up in palliative care where she spent many years helping those who were dying. Sometime later, she compiled a list of the 5 most common regrets expressed by the people she cared for. The list she collected gained huge popularity, and we are sharing it with you here today because it’s something all of us should keep in mind. Even though it can be hard to think about, this stuff is really important for your happiness right here and now! 1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. - “This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it.” 2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard. - “This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.” 3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. - “Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.” 4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. - “Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.” 5. I wish that I had let myself be happier. - "This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to themselves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.” This is really truthful and beautiful advice, even though it's a bit hard to think about. Take it from the people that have been there, and don't make the same mistake! Share these 5 points, as everyone could use a reminder from time to time. Source: www.huffingtonpost.com, 5/12/15

Treat Back Pain Without Dangerous Drugs

Back pain is a common health issue today that affects at least 8 out of 10 people. It is a prevalent problem among Americans. In fact, statistics from the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) reveal that at least 31 million Americans experience lower back pain at any given time. Chronic back pain has become such a debilitating problem – and it’s costly, too. According to the ACA, Americans spend at least 86 billion dollars each year on back pain—and that’s just for the more easily identified costs! I cannot stress enough that preventing or treating disease is possible without the taking medications. The same is true for back pain. You only need to address the root cause of the problem and improve your lifestyle and the way you eat and move. Below is a discussion of the potential causes of back pain, my recommendations for back pain treatment, and how you can alleviate this problem without putting any additional burden on your health. What Are the Common Causes of Back Pain? - Accidents and sports injuries are the most common causes of chronic back pain. But sometimes, even simple activities or movements – like bending over to pick up an object from the floor – can trigger pain. There are also a number of other factors that can increase your risk of back pain, such as: poor posture, inactivity, poor physical conditioning, internal diseases, obesity, stress and osteoporosis. A Sedentary Lifestyle and Too Much Sitting Put You at Risk of Back Pain. - There is one common denominator among most patients who suffer from severe cases of chronic pain: sedentary lifestyle. A majority of back, neck, and other muscle pains are related to imbalanced distribution of force throughout your body, which is created by working or staying in unnatural positions for extended periods. What’s more, prolonged sitting and poor posture are major risk factors of not only back pain, but also of weight gain, obesity, joint problems, nerve problems and other debilitating diseases. In fact, mounting research found that prolonged sitting is now an independent risk factor for poor health and premature death! The Price You Pay for Poor Emotional Health. - There’s increasing evidence that back pain and other types of pain may be exacerbated by psychological or emotional issues. It is my experience that emotional health and your ability to effectively address your stress is an essential component for optimal health, and can have a major influence on whether or not you're effectively eliminating your pain. The Dangers of Drugs for Back Pain Treatment. - Conventional health care practitioners are quick to prescribe medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, and even opioids for chronic pain. But even if these medications can provide immediate back pain relief, their effect is only temporary – the pain will come back sooner or later and in some cases will cause increased sensitivity to pain! What’s more, medications touted to provide back pain relief are saddled with severe side effects. For example, NSAIDs, one of the most commonly prescribed drugs on the market, not only put you at a two- to four-fold higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems, but may also cause: • Severe gastrointestinal problems, like digestive tract bleeding • Increased blood pressure • Kidney problems • Poor tissue healing Be mindful that these side effects of painkillers are not restricted to prescription drugs, but also come from over-the-counter drugs like aspirin, Advil, and Motrin. Opioid painkillers like OxyContin, which are also commonly prescribed for back pain relief, also have a highly addictive nature. In fact, opioids are among the most commonly abused prescription drugs today, and are a leading contributor to the increasing rates of fatal prescription drug overdoses. This is why back pain is now one of the primary reasons why so many American adults get addicted to painkillers. The bottom line is that painkillers always come with risks. Unfortunately, if you consult your conventional physician about your chronic back pain, they will often prescribe a long-term treatment plan that may include anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants and other types of pain medication or even anti-seizure drugs – a poisonous chemical cocktail that will put your health at severe risk! Is Your Physician Prescribing This Expensive But Dangerous Drug for Back Pain? - Big Pharma recently began promoting Humira, an expensive drug with a price tag of nearly 20,000 dollars a year. Humira is touted to help treat ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the axial skeleton, which includes the spine. It is outrageous how drug companies promote this dangerous drug for an exceedingly rare cause of low back pain – one that is only responsible for less than a tenth of a tenth of one percent of low back pain! What’s more, Humira may cause severe side effects, such as: tuberculosis; serious infections; risk of lymphoma and other cancers; hepatitis B; allergic reactions; liver, nervous system, and blood problems; heart failure; immune reactions, such as lupus-like syndrome; and psoriasis. This is just the short list; Humira may have even more damaging effects on your health only to emerge later through post-marketing surveillance in exposed populations who are being forced to act as living guinea pigs. Cut Your Risk of Back Pain Right from the Start! - As with any health condition or disease, preventing back pain is better than trying to cure it after it has set in, and may be too late. So even if you’re not experiencing back pain symptoms, I would recommend you follow these simple tips: 1. Always stretch before any strenuous physical activity. 2. Do not slouch when standing or sitting. 3. If you spend most of your time sitting, pay careful attention to consciously sucking in your belly and rotating your pelvis slightly up. At the same time, you should keep your head back, with your ears over your shoulders. This posture will keep your spine in proper alignment. Do this every hour you’re sitting, holding the muscles tight for several minutes. 4. Sit in chairs or car seats with good lumbar support. 5. Switch your sitting positions often. I would also recommend periodically walking around. 6. Avoid bending over without supporting your back. 7. Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes. 8. Sleep on your side or back. You should also sleep on a firm surface. 9. When weight-lifting using your legs, always keep your back straight. 10. Maintain an optimal weight. 11. Quit smoking. 12. Get enough vitamin D from sun exposure daily, as vitamin D helps keep your bones, including your spine, strong. 13. Drink plenty of water. Since your body is composed mostly of water, staying hydrated will keep you fluid and reduce stiffness. How to Relieve Back Pain Naturally. - If you are already suffering from chronic back pain or pain of any kind, you should understand that there are many safe and effective alternatives to prescription and over-the-counter painkillers, though they may require some patience. Here are some strategies I highly recommend: 1) Chiropractic Care - One of the best tactics to help treat back pain is to see a qualified chiropractor. I am an avid supporter of the chiropractic philosophy, which puts great emphasis on your body's innate healing wisdom and does not rely on “Band-Aids” like drugs and surgery. The problem is that a lot of people ignore chiropractic care, thinking that it’s just “pushing bones into place.” However, there’s a whole lot more to chiropractic care. Qualified chiropractors are reliable, as they have received extensive training in the management of musculoskeletal disorders during their course of their healthcare training, which lasts between four to six years. Many studies have confirmed that chiropractic management is much safer and less expensive than allopathic medical treatments, especially when used for low-back pain treatment. What’s more, researchers have also found that chiropractic adjustments may affect the chemistry of biological processes on a cellular level. Chiropractic care can affect the basic physiological processes that profoundly influence oxidative stress, immune function and DNA repair. This means that aside from addressing any immediate spinal misalignment that might cause back pain, chiropractic care can also help address, prevent and treat deeper dysfunctions in your body. 2) Exercises for Back Pain - Exercise and being physically active help strengthen and stabilize the muscles of your spine, radically reducing back pain. In almost all cases I give exercises to patients to help increase pain-free range of motion, strengthen and stabilize their spine. Patients that do these exercises usually have less flare-ups in the future. 3) Yoga - Yoga may be an effective strategy for alleviating back pain by making people more aware of how they move their bodies. 4) Massage - Getting a massage is another simple strategy I recommend to help ease not only your back pain (and other types of pain), but anxiety as well. Massage releases endorphins that help induce relaxation, relieve pain, and reduce levels of stress chemicals, such as cortisol and noradrenaline. It also reverses the damaging effects of stress by slowing your heart rate, respiration, and metabolism and lowering raised blood pressure. 5) Other Strategies to Eliminate Chronic Back Pain - In addition to the tips above, I also recommend these simple and natural ways to prevent and relieve back pain: • Get sufficient high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats are precursors to mediators of inflammation called prostaglandins. • Reduce your intake of grains and sugars, especially fructose. Excessive intake of grains and sugars will elevate your insulin and leptin levels primarily through causing your body to be resistant to them, resulting in the increase of inflammatory prostaglandin production. • Optimize your vitamin D through regular and appropriate sun exposure. These nutrients will help prevent the softening of your bones that can often lead to lower back pain. I strongly advise you to try these simple but successful back pain relief alternatives, especially Chiropractic care. Not only will they treat the underlying causes of back pain, but they can also spare you from additional harm, unlike potentially dangerous prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Source: mercola, 4/29/15.

15 Healthiest Foods of All Time

In a survey of at-home spending patterns on food among US households, the Economic Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture revealed Americans are throwing a lot of their food budgets toward very unhealthy foods. The average US household spent most of their food budget (18 percent) on refined grains followed by sugar and candies (14 percent). The next highest category was red meat, followed by frozen or refrigerated entrees and beverages. In stark contrast, Americans spent less than 0.5 percent of their food budget on dark green vegetables and on orange vegetables. Other vegetables made up less than 4 percent of at-home food spending and whole fruits just over 6 percent. I believe it is partly a matter of making good choices and partly a matter of getting educated about which foods are truly healthy. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to break the bank to eat good food. In fact, many of the healthiest foods that follow are quite economical. Even better, because there are so many healthy foods, you can plan your meals around what's in season… and what's on sale. In order to protect your health, I advise spending 90 percent of your food budget on whole foods, and only 10 percent on processed foods. Choosing from the list below is a very good start to feeding your family right. 1. Avocado - Avocados, which are actually classified as a fruit, are low in fructose and rich in healthy monounsaturated fat and potassium, and research has confirmed the avocado's ability to benefit vascular function and heart health. Avocados are also very high in potassium (more than twice the amount found in a banana) and will help balance your vitally important potassium-to-sodium ratio. Avocados also provide close to 20 essential health-boosting nutrients, including fiber, vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid. Besides eating them raw, you can use avocado as a fat substitute in recipes calling for butter or other oils. Another boon of avocados—they're one of the safest fruits you can buy conventionally grown, so you don't need to spend more for organic ones. Their thick skin protects the inner fruit from pesticides. 2. Swiss Chard - Swiss chard belongs to the chenopod food family, along with beets and spinach. It's an excellent source of vitamins C, E, and A (in the form of beta-carotene) along with the minerals manganese and zinc. When you eat Swiss chard, you get a wealth of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. As reported by the George Mateljan Foundation: "The range of phytonutrients in chard is even more extensive than researchers initially suspected, and at this point in time, about three dozen antioxidant phytonutrients have been identified in chard, including betalains (both betacyanins and betaxanthins) and epoxyxanthophylls. Many of these antioxidant phytonutrients provide chard with its colorful stems, stalks, and leaf veins." The betalin pigments in Swiss chard (which are also found in beets) support your body's detoxification process, which is when broken down toxins are bound to other molecules so they can be excreted from your body. Swiss chard also contains an important mix of nutrients, including high amounts of both magnesium and vitamin K1, to support your bone health. In addition, Swiss chard contains a flavonoid called syringic acid, which may help regulate blood sugar and provide benefits to those with diabetes, along with kaempferol, a flavonol that may help fight cancer and lower your risk of chronic diseases including heart disease. 3. Garlic - Garlic is rich in manganese, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamins B6 and C, so it's beneficial for your bones as well as your thyroid. It's thought that much of garlic's therapeutic effect comes from its sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin, which are also what give it its characteristic smell. Other health-promoting compounds include oligosaccharides, arginine-rich proteins, selenium, and flavonoids. There is research demonstrating garlic's effects for more than 160 different diseases. In general, its benefits fall into four main categories: • Reducing inflammation (reduces the risk of osteoarthritis and other disease associated with inflammation • Boosting immune function (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties) • Improving cardiovascular health and circulation (protects against clotting, retards plaque, improves lipids, and reduces blood pressure) • Toxic to 14 kinds of cancer cells (including brain, lung, breast, gastric, and pancreatic) In addition, garlic may be effective against drug-resistant bacteria, and research has revealed that as allicin digests in your body, it produces sulfenic acid, a compound that reacts with dangerous free radicals faster than any other known compound. 4. Sprouts - Sprouts may offer some of the highest levels of nutrition available, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes that help protect against free radical damage. Fresh broccoli sprouts, for instance, are far more potent than whole broccoli, allowing you to eat far less in terms of quantity. For example, research has revealed that three-day old broccoli sprouts consistently contain anywhere from 10-100 times the amount of glucoraphanin—a chemoprotective compound—found in mature broccoli. The compound glucoraphanin also appears to have a protective effect against toxic pollutants by improving your body's ability to eliminate or excrete them. Glucoraphanin has also been shown to protect against cancer. 5. Mushrooms - Aside from being rich in protein, fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, and minerals, mushrooms are excellent sources of antioxidants. They contain polyphenols and selenium, which are common in the plant world, as well as antioxidants that are unique to mushrooms. One such antioxidant is ergothioneine, which scientists are now beginning to recognize as a "master antioxidant." A study in the journal Nature discussed the importance of ergothioneine, which is fairly exclusive to mushrooms, describing it as "an unusual sulfur-containing derivative of the amino acid, histidine," which appears to have a very specific role in protecting your DNA from oxidative damage. In addition, some of the most potent immunosupportive agents come from mushrooms, and this is one reason why they're so beneficial for both preventing and treating cancer. Long-chain polysaccharides, particularly alpha and beta glucan molecules, are primarily responsible for the mushrooms' beneficial effect on your immune system. In one study, adding one or two servings of dried shiitake mushrooms was found to have a beneficial, modulating effect on immune system function. 6. Kale - Just one cup of kale will flood your body with disease-fighting vitamins K, A, and C, along with respectable amounts of manganese, copper, B vitamins, fiber, calcium, and potassium. With each serving of kale, you'll also find more than 45 unique flavonoids, which have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Kale is also a good source of cancer-fighting sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. To date, kale has been found to lower the risk of at least five types of cancer, including bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate. The glucosinolates in kale and other cruciferous vegetables break down into products that help protect DNA from damage. While some research suggests raw kale is best for cancer prevention, other studies suggest lightly cooked is best, in part because it improves kale's ability to bind with bile acids in your digestive tract. This makes the bile acids easier for your body to excrete, which not only has a beneficial impact on your cholesterol levels, but also on your risk of cancer (bile acids have been associated with an increased risk of cancer). 7. Spinach - Spinach is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including folate, vitamin A, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, and selenium. Spinach also contains flavonoids that may help protect your body from free radicals, while offering anti-inflammatory benefits and antioxidant support. As reported by the George Mateljan Foundation: "While this mixture of conventional nutrients gives spinach a unique status in the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory department, it is the unusual mixture of phytonutrients in spinach that "seals the deal" in terms of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components. In terms of flavonoids, spinach is a unique source of methylenedioxyflavonol glucuronides, and in terms of carotenoids, its difficult to find a more helpful source of lutein and zeaxanthin. The epoxyxanthophyll carotenoids neoxanthin and violaxanthin are also welcomed constituents of spinach leaves." 8. Collard Greens - Collard greens are a close cousin to kale and nutritionally, very similar. Rich in vitamin K and phytonutrients – caffeic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol – collard greens help lower oxidative stress in your cells while fighting inflammation. Collard greens contain glucosinolates called glucobrassicin that can convert into an isothiocyanate molecule called indole-3-carbinol, or I3C, a compound with the ability to activate and prevent an inflammatory response at its earliest stage. Other phytonutrients in collard greens, specifically diindolylmethane and sulforaphane, have been clinically proven to combat breast, prostate, ovarian, cervical, and colon cancer cells, help prevent their growth and even help prevent them from forming in the first place. Also noteworthy, collard greens are especially high in fiber, with more than 7 grams per cup, making it ideal for digestive support. They're also particularly useful for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. According to the George Mateljan Foundation: "In a recent study, steamed collard greens outshined steamed kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage in terms of its ability to bind bile acids in the digestive tract. When this bile acid binding takes place, it is easier for the bile acids to be excreted from the body. Since bile acids are made from cholesterol, the net impact of this bile acid binding is a lowering of the body's cholesterol level. It's worth noting that steamed collards show much greater bile acid binding ability than raw collards." For the best collard greens flavor and texture, choose slightly smaller leaves than the toughest outer layer. 9. Tomatoes - Tomatoes—especially organic tomatoes—are packed with nutrition, including a variety of phytochemicals that boast a long list of health benefits. Tomatoes are an excellent source of lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamin C (which is most concentrated in the jelly-like substance that surrounds the seeds), as well as vitamins A, E, and the B vitamins, potassium, manganese, and phosphorus. Some lesser-known phytonutrients in tomatoes include: • Flavonols: rutin, kaempferol, and quercetin • Flavonones: naringenin and chalconaringenin • Hydroxycinnamic acids: caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and coumaric acid • Glycosides: esculeoside A • Fatty acid derivatives: 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid Tomatoes are also a particularly concentrated source of lycopene — a carotenoid antioxidant that gives fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and watermelon a pink or red color. Lycopene's antioxidant activity has long been suggested to be more powerful than other carotenoids such as beta-carotene, and research suggests it may significantly lower your risk for stroke and cancer. In addition, lycopene from tomatoes (including unsweetened organic tomato sauce) has also been deemed helpful in treating prostate cancer. Interestingly, when cooked, the bioavailability of lycopene increases rather than decreases, making cooked tomatoes, such as in tomato sauce, a particularly healthy option. 10. Cauliflower - One serving of cauliflower contains 77 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. It's also a good source of vitamin K, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid, potassium, and manganese. Cauliflower is a good source of choline, a B vitamin known for its role in brain development, and contains a wealth of anti-inflammatory nutrients to help keep inflammation in check, including I3C, which may operate at the genetic level to help prevent the inflammatory responses at its foundational level. Compounds in cauliflower also show anti-cancer effects. According to the National Cancer Institute: "Indoles and isothiocyanates have been found to inhibit the development of cancer in several organs in rats and mice, including the bladder, breast, colon, liver, lung, and stomach." Cauliflower also helps your body's ability to detoxify in multiple ways. It contains antioxidants that support Phase 1 detoxification along with sulfur-containing nutrients important for Phase 2 detox activities. The glucosinolates in cauliflower also activate detoxification enzymes. It's a rich source of fiber, as well, and has significant digestive benefits. Adding to cauliflower's appeal is its extreme versatility. You can eat it raw, add it to salads, or use it in your cooking. Cauliflower can even be seasoned and mashed for a healthier version of mashed "potatoes." According to the George Mateljan Foundation: "Researchers have determined that the sulforaphane made from a glucosinolate in cauliflower (glucoraphanin) can help protect the lining of your stomach. Sulforaphane provides you with this health benefit by preventing bacterial overgrowth of Helicobacter pylori in your stomach or too much clinging by this bacterium to your stomach wall." 11. Onions - To date, onions have shown a wealth of beneficial properties; they're anti-allergic, anti-histaminic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, all rolled into one. Polyphenols are plant compounds recognized for their disease prevention, antioxidant and anti-aging properties. Onions have a particularly high concentration, with more polyphenols than garlic, leeks, tomatoes, carrots and red bell pepper. In particular, onions are especially rich in polyphenol flavonoids called quercetin. Quercetin is an antioxidant that many believe prevent histamine release—making quercetin-rich foods "natural antihistamines." Onions contain numerous anti-cancer compounds, including quercetin, which has been shown to decrease cancer tumor initiation as well as inhibit the proliferation of cultured ovarian, breast and colon cancer cells. People who eat more onions, as well as other allium vegetables, have a lower risk of many types of cancer, including: • Prostate and breast • Ovarian and endometrial • Colorectal and gastric • Esophageal and laryngeal • Renal cell 12. Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon - Salmon provides omega-3 fats eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which can benefit many aspects of your health, from your cardiovascular system to mental and behavioral health to your digestive health. It may even help prevent premature death. Research suggests that eating oily fish like wild-caught Alaskan salmon once or twice a week may increase your lifespan by more than two years, and reduce your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 35 percent. Salmon also contains the antioxidant astaxanthin, which has been hailed as one of the most powerful antioxidants ever discovered due to its ability to quench multiple types of free radicals simultaneously. Findings have shown that it is stronger than other carotenoid antioxidants, such as vitamin E, beta-carotene, and lycopene. Astaxanthin also exhibits beneficial properties that make it useful for heart, eye, and brain health, as well as for alleviating chronic pain. The key to eating fish these days is to choose fish that are high in healthy omega-3 fats, and low in hazardous contaminants. 13. Organic Pastured Eggs - Proteins are essential to the building, maintenance, and repair of your body tissues, including your skin, internal organs, and muscles. Proteins are also major components of your immune system and hormones. While proteins are found in many types of food, only foods from animal sources, such as meat and eggs, contain "complete proteins," meaning they contain all of the essential amino acids. Eggs also contain lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health, choline for your brain, nervous and cardiovascular systems, and naturally occurring B12. Eggs are powerhouses of healthy nutrition, provided they're harvested from organically raised, free-range, pastured chickens. The nutritional differences between true free-ranging chicken eggs and commercially farmed eggs are a result of the different diets eaten by the two groups of chickens. You can tell the eggs are free range or pastured by the color of the egg yolk. Foraged hens produce eggs with bright orange yolks. Dull, pale yellow yolks are a sure sign you're getting eggs from caged hens that are not allowed to forage for their natural diet. Your best source for fresh eggs is a local farmer that allows his hens to forage freely outdoors. 14. Organic Coconut Oil - Besides being excellent for your thyroid and your metabolism, coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which converts in your body to monolaurin, a monoglyceride capable of destroying lipid-coated viruses such as HIV and herpes, influenza, measles, gram-negative bacteria, and protozoa such as Giardia lamblia. Its medium chain fatty acids (MCTs) also impart a number of health benefits, including raising your body's metabolism and fighting off pathogens. Additionally, a very exciting and recent discovery is that coconut oil may serve as a natural treatment for Alzheimer's disease, as MCTs are also a primary source of ketone bodies, which act as an alternate source of brain fuel that can help prevent the brain atrophy associated with dementia. Coconut oil is easy on your digestive system and does not produce an insulin spike in your bloodstream, so for a quick energy boost, you could simply eat a spoonful of coconut oil or add it to your food. Make sure you choose an organic coconut oil that is unrefined, unbleached, made without heat processing or chemicals, and does not contain genetically engineered ingredients. As an added boon, coconut oil has countless other uses besides cooking and eating -- from topical beauty applications to first aid treatments, to general household cleaning. 15. Nuts - Mounting research suggests that nuts may help you live longer and even support weight loss. This isn't so surprising considering the fact that tree nuts are high in healthy fats that, contrary to popular belief, your body needs for optimal function. My favorite nuts are macadamia and pecans, as they provide the highest amount of healthy fat while being on the lower end in terms of carbs and protein. The main fatty acid in macadamia nuts is the monounsaturated fat oleic acid (about 60 percent). This is about the level found in olives, which are well known for their health benefits. And a Bonus: Bone Broth Bone broth contains a variety of valuable nutrients, including calcium, collagen, and bone marrow, in a form your body can easily absorb and use. Homemade bone broth may help reduce joint pain and inflammation, promote strong bones, and boost hair and nail growth. Most people are not aware of the wealth of nutrients available in healthful foods, particularly organic fruits and vegetables. By getting to know your food, you can make informed decisions about how to eat healthier and thereby boost your brain function, lower your risk of chronic disease, lose weight, and much more. Remember, knowing what's in your food is the first step to choosing and preparing nutritious meals each and every day. Source: mercola.com, 4/13/15.

Your Appendix is Useful After All

Your appendix is a slimy sac that hangs between your small and large intestines. It has long been thought of as a worthless evolutionary artifact, good for nothing except a potentially lethal case of inflammation. But now researchers suggest that your appendix is a lot more than a useless remnant. Not only was it recently proposed to actually possess a critical function, it's possible some of this organ's ancient uses could be recruited by physicians to help the human body fight disease more effectively. Your appendix may serve as a vital safehouse where good bacteria can lie in wait until they are needed to repopulate the gut after a case of diarrhea. Past studies have also found the appendix can help make, direct and train white blood cells. Appendicitis, or an infected appendix, can be fatal. According to the CDC, over 320,000 people are hospitalized each year, and up to 400 Americans die due to appendicitis. As common sense dictates, there is a purpose for every organ in your body, even the ones that modern medicine can’t figure out, and your appendix is one of them. How Does Your Appendix Promote Health? A previous study published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology found that your appendix serves as a “backup factory” for beneficial commensal bacteria, the symbiotic germs that aid digestion and help protect your body against disease-causing germs. If the good bacteria in your colon dies, which could happen as a result of cholera or dysentery for instance, it appears your appendix steps up to help recolonize your gut with good bacteria. Modern society has become so hypervigilant against bacteria that many forget a very important point -- The bacteria in your body actually outnumber your cells by about ten to one, and without them you would die. The friendly bacteria that reside in your gut have a number of very important functions, such as: • Digesting and absorbing certain carbohydrates. - Without good gut bacteria, your body cannot absorb certain undigested starches, fiber, and sugars. The friendly bacteria in your digestive tract convert these carbohydrates into primary sources of important energy and nutrients. • Producing vitamins, absorbing minerals and eliminating toxins. - Probiotics help in the production of both vitamin K and B vitamins, and promote mineral absorption. They also aid in metabolism and the breakdown of toxins. • Keeping bad bacteria under control. - A large part of the influence of the "bad" bacteria is on your intestinal lining. Simply stated, friendly bacteria compete with the bad guys for room and board, but since beneficial bacteria are more at home there, they win most of the battles for nutrition and attachment sites within your colon. The good bacteria tell your body how much nutrition they need and your body responds by supplying just that much and no more - so that any excess bad bacteria are starved out. The helpful bacteria also produce a substance that kills harmful microbes. • Preventing allergies. - Friendly bacteria train your immune system to distinguish between pathogens and non-harmful antigens, and to respond appropriately. This important function prevents your immune system from overreacting to non-harmful antigens, which is the genesis of allergies. • Providing vital support to your immune system. - Beneficial play a crucial role in the development and operation of the mucosal immune system in your digestive tract. They also aid in the production of antibodies to pathogens. It’s also important to remember that 80 percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system, making a healthy gut a major focal point if you want to maintain optimal health. A robust immune system is your number one defense system against disease. Modern Lifestyle Does Not Negate the Need for Your Appendix Researchers have speculated that despite the beneficial influence of the appendix, most people living in the modern world don’t need it because you can easily repopulate the good bacteria in your gut. I do not agree with this assessment because your good bacteria is constantly being assaulted by antibiotics, chlorinated water, birth control pills, stress, sugar, and a host of other environmental factors. Gastrointestinal problems are in fact a very common concern for a majority of Americans. Ideally, your gut should contain a ratio of 85 percent good bacteria to 15 percent non-beneficial bacteria. It’s also worth keeping in mind that this is still just the beginning as far as what scientists know about the appendix. It may turn out to have other far-reaching but subtle effects on your body function than what is currently known. After all, scientists have now discovered that more than 70 percent of all primate and rodent groups contain certain species with an appendix. If its purpose was so inconsequential, why would so many different species have it? So far, at least one negative side effect of having your appendix removed (called an appendectomy) has been uncovered -- an increased risk of Crohn’s disease. So please, don’t fall for the advice to have your appendix removed simply because “it has no purpose.” When Should You Agree to Have Your Appendix Removed? Naturally, there are times when an appendectomy is warranted. If your appendix becomes infected or inflamed, failing to remove it could be fatal. Just don’t agree to have your appendix removed for no other reason than you’re having an unrelated abdominal surgery performed, which happens more frequently than you might think. Major warning signs that your appendix might be a problem include: • You have absolutely no appetite, even for your most favorite foods. • You have pain that started around your belly button and has moved to your lower right abdominal area. • You have pain when jumping up and down. First, jump up and down gently. If there is no pain, try jumping higher. This will move your peritoneal cavity and if it is irritated with an inflamed appendix, the movement will cause considerable pain. If you have all of the above symptoms you should be evaluated at your nearest emergency room. Source: mercola.com, 3/30/15.