January 14, 2023

Six Steps to a Healthier Diet in 2023

As sure as there will be another year, there will be New Year’s resolutions. They usually go something like this: Pay off all debt. Finally quit smoking. Shed those pesky 25 pounds that don’t seem to budge. Despite the wide array of ways we can feel, look and live better, one thing rings true. Most of these resolutions are so extreme that they have very little staying power. “People easily become discouraged when they set big goals because they are too overwhelming,” said Sarah Zangerle, registered dietitian at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Comprehensive Weight Loss Center. “In […]
December 28, 2022

11 Good Reasons To Practice Mindfulness

As a certified holistic wellness coach, there’s very little I haven’t tried in the field of health and wellness practices. With personal certifications in yoga, reiki, Hawaiian healing and meditation, there’s so much I can say I’ve gained from each one, but meditation is truly the practice that has taught me the most. The legend, Davidji, who trained and certified me to teach meditation says, “meditation is the act of watching the progressive fluctuations of the mind.” This description most accurately depicts mindfulness meditation; A form of meditation where one practices being conscious and aware of something. So, what about […]
December 28, 2022

Inflammation: How To Reset Your System

More than 60 percent of American adults have a chronic diseases, and 40 percent have two or more chronic disease. Someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds, cancer is the second leading cause of death, 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease, and almost half of Americans has prediabetes or diabetes. What do these conditions have in common? Inflammation. In fact, studies have linked high inflammatory levels to several conditions, including autoimmune conditions, cancer, chronic fatigue, depression, metabolic syndrome, and sleep apnea. Every food you eat is either feeding inflammation or fighting it. And because no one else is […]
December 16, 2022

Your Healthy Holiday Survival Guide

It’s the holiday season. We’re pretty sure that many of you are going to party a little bit, and no, we’re not going to try to discourage it.  During this time of year, many of us break from our routines somewhat, drink a little (more) alcohol, eat a lot of food, and even forget to exercise. But please don’t be too hard on yourself; it happens to almost all of us. It’s okay to indulge a little and have some fun especially if it’s only a “once-a-year” occasion. However, it can’t hurt to take some precautions and practice a little moderation as well. If […]
December 16, 2022

7 Steps to the Perfect Gluten-Free Pie Crust

If you’re anything like me, finding the perfect gluten-free pie crust recipe has not been an easy task. Gluten-free baking and pies, as I’ve written before, require a lot of experimentation! It’s not just about replacing gluten-free for regular flour. We all know that great pie crust requires that perfect combination of flaky and moist, but I personally have baked many a pie where the crust is either too hard or crumbles instantly! And it just leaves you so unsatisfied. Well, after lots of searching, buying, trying, tweaking, and fixing, here is my 7 step process for coming up with […]
December 4, 2022

This Spice Blend Can Help Your Heart Health

More than just flavor enhancers, many common spices do a lot more for your health than you probably think . In fact, a recent study showed a specific spice blend actually lowered triglycerides — a risk factor for heart disease. The results were published in the journal Nutrition Today. Below, we’ll explore the study and its potential implications. Spice Blend Lowers Triglyceride Levels by 31% Researchers from Penn State wanted to investigate the role of spices on heart health. They also reviewed previous studies showing the cardiac benefits of garlic and cinnamon. For the study, they recruited six overweight men between the ages of 30 to […]
December 4, 2022

Quinoa Well Tolerated for Celiac Patients

Adding quinoa to the gluten-free diet of patients with celiac disease is well-tolerated, and does not exacerbate the condition, according to new research published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Dr. Victor F. Zevallos, from the Department of Gastroenterology, King’s College London, United Kingdom, evaluated the in-vivo effects of consuming quinoa in adult celiac patients. Quinoa, a highly nutritious grain, is traditionally recommended as part of a gluten-free diet. However, in-vitro data suggests that quinoa storage proteins can stimulate innate and adaptive immune responses in celiac patients. Celiac disease is an immune-based reaction to dietary gluten (storage protein for wheat, […]
December 4, 2022

Sardinia: Another Blue Zone for Longevity

This is the third part in our 5-part on life in the “Blue Zones,” where people live longer, healthy lives. Each part will look into the diets and lifestyles of the areas where longevity is a normal part of aging better. Who doesn’t want to know their secrets? Sardinia is one of five “Blue Zones” — a concept first introduced in the early 2000s and defined as an area in which the population has exceptionally low rates of chronic disease and individuals known to outlive those in other parts of the world. Sardinia is the second largest Italian island and sits in […]
November 22, 2022

Take a Breath! It Can Change Everything

No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how skinny or young or wise you are, none of it matters if you’re not breathing properly. There is nothing more essential to our health and well-being than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat twenty-five thousand times a day. Breathing is an essential function for our health and wellbeing, an exercise so basic to sustaining life that we do it without even thinking. But it’s also a lost art. Humans have forgotten how to breathe correctly, so the journalist James Nestor traveled the world to find out where we […]
November 22, 2022

6 Tips for Celebrating a Green Thanksgiving

Turkey: Fifty years ago, Americans did not eat the over engineered bird that we consume today. We dine on heritage turkeys. Firmer, richer, juicier, and more flavorful–for these birds, gravy serves no purpose. Find your turkey at www.orangicprairie.com Use their convenient drop down menu to choose your state and view their selection of turkey farms. Pick your bird after browsing photos and prices. Be sure to start your turkey search well ahead of time. A heritage turkey will cost more, but resources are saved when you’re not cooking the turkey overnight or soaking it in brine. Knowing your bird wasn’t […]
November 21, 2022

How Elderberry Helps Relieve Flu Symptoms

Elderberry juice has long been used to help relieve flu symptoms, however, its mechanisms in influenza had not been identified. However, the March 2019 issue of the Journal of Functional Foods published the findings of researchers at the University of Sydney of a mechanism by which elderberries combat influenza Dr Golnoosh Torabian and colleagues administered elderberry juice serum and the elderberry compound cyanidin 3-glucoside to cultured cells prior to, during and after they had been infected with the influenza virus. The researchers observed a direct antiviral effect in association with both elderberry juice and its active compound. “What our study has shown is […]
November 7, 2022

Is Your Diet Making You Feel Depressed?

There is growing research showing a significant correlation of mental disorders, including depression, anxiety and schizophrenia, with certain nutritional deficiencies. Typically, these disorders are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, or are emotionally rooted and are treated with medications and/or psychotherapy. Nutritional therapy can play a key role in the duration and severity of these conditions, improve the effectiveness of medications and correct the underlying cause. The more common nutrients people are deficient in: • B vitamins — These nutrients play a critical role in the function of your brain and nervous system. The two B vitamins that appear […]
October 25, 2022

Loma Linda Is Hot ‘Blue Zone’ for Longevity

This is the second part in our 5-part series (Part 1: Okinawans Know the Secrets of Long Life) on life in the “Blue Zones,” where people live longer, healthy lives. Each part will look into the diets and lifestyles of the areas where longevity is a normal part of aging better. Who doesn’t want to know their secrets? Loma Linda is a city within San Bernardino County, California, with just over 24,000 residents. It is considered a “Blue Zone” and is one of five regions in the world where the population has notably exceptional longevity. Loma Linda is a unique […]