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7 Natural Remedies That Help to Remove The Uric Acid That Causes Arthritis

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Sharp uric acid crystals cause pain and inflammation in tissues. Some herbs do miracles when it comes to dissolving and eliminating these crystals.

In this article we suggest that you try these natural products and herbs to eliminate uric acid, a known cause of arthritis.

Apple Cider Vinegar

In alternative medicine, apple cider vinegar is largely used in the treatment of sore joints. Regular application of this treatment results in a remission of pain in the joints within a month.

Soak a bandage or a piece of cloth in some apple cider vinegar and apply the compress on your swollen joints or varicose veins. Wrap well. Repeat the remedy every morning and evening. You can also dissolve 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a cup of lukewarm water and drink the liquid every day.

Burdock Root

This traditional herbal remedy is useful in the treatment of arthritis associated conditions, including acute gout attacks.

According to “The Essential Book of Herbal Medicine” burdock root eliminates the toxins in the bloodstream, reduces inflammation and promotes proper excretion of urine which contains uric acid, and this is why it is commonly recommended as an effective folk remedy for gout.

Health experts recommend combining 20-30 drops of burdock root tincture and 9 oz of water 3-4 times a day, and the treatment should last for a few days.

Pineapple

Pineapple is packed with bromelain, an enzyme that reduces inflammation. Pineapple juice relieves arthritis-related joint pain and strengthens your wrists.

Lemon Juice

Many people believe that lemon juice makes the body more acidic, but believe it or not, it actually creates an alkaline environment and neutralizes uric acid. Lemons are rich in vitamin C, which is quite important when it comes to decreasing uric acid level.

  • Juice a lemon and add it to a glass of warm water. Drink warm lemon water in the morning before you eat or drink anything. For optimal results, consume this drink for several weeks.
  • Vitamin C supplements also work great. Consult your doctor for the proper dosing.

Calendula

Calendula is excellent when it comes to strengthening joints and preventing disease. It can be used in a tea or as a supplement

Make a nice and warm bath and add some calendula leaves and flowers. Use it as a compress for your joints or make a nice cup of tea using calendula leaves.

Parsley

Due to its antioxidant capacity, people often turn to parsley tea as an herbal solution to many health problems.

Parsley is a great herb to use in a salad, however it also makes a highly beneficial tea as well. Regular consumption of parsley tea stimulates the elimination of uric acid buildups in the joints, especially when combined with mulberry juice.

Drink Plenty of Water

When it comes to drinks, water is the best choice if you want to maintain normal level of uric acid. Water stimulates the kidneys to remove toxic buildups and excess uric acid from the body.

Drink 3 liters of water a day and eat fruits and vegetables with high percentage of water.

Source: healthyfoodhouse.com

10 Healthy Veggie Side Recipes to Serve with Dinner

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If prepared in the right way, a vegetable side dish can be as delicious and filling as the main dish.  Preparing a vegetable with a different cooking method, adding different flavors and colors can make the difference for your child if they try it and like it or not.  The philosophy we have in our household which patterns the MyPlate guidelines,  is to make half of your meals fruit and veggies.  When you make your side a veggie that is full of flavor, it is much easier to fill half your plate with it!  We have 10 Healthy Veggie Sides Recipes to serve with dinner to make your meal complete!

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes

These sweet potatoes from Buns in My Oven are a deliciously sweet side dish with a great texture – a perfect way to serve sweet potatoes to your kids for the first time!

Super Simple Spaghetti Squash

This is a great side dish to replace potatoes or pasta with a meal.  Your kids will love watching the ‘spaghetti’ form – let them get involved by giving them 2 forks and scraping away the squash!

 Crunchy Homemade Onion Rings

Even kids who may be hesitant about trying onions, may go for some baked onion rings!  Skip the deep fryer and bake these for a healthy version that the entire family will love.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large onions
2 eggs, beaten

Instructions

Combine bread crumbs, seasoned salt, and garlic powder, and set aside. Combine eggs, and beat till frothy. Slice onions into rings. Dip onion rings into egg mixture, and then into bread crumbs. Arrange in single layer on a baking sheet (sprayed with cooking spray). Bake in oven at 375 for 20 minutes.

5 Delicious Ways to Cook Carrots

Sometimes it takes a different cooking method for kids to like a vegetable.  If your kids don’t like raw carrots, try one of these ways to cook them!  They are all different but delicious and produce a different flavor.

1) Braised

Simmer in chicken broth. When cooked to desired texture, add a touch of butter and salt.

2) Roasted

On baking sheet, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and parmesan cheese. Cook at 400 for about 20 minutes.

3) Steamed

I do this super quick and cooked to perfection in my Rice cooker/ steamer.

4) Sautéed

Delicious in stir-fry’s and a great compliment to other vegetables. Pour 1 TBL oil in a pan. Add chopped vegetables. Stir every minute or so until vegetables are cooked.

5) Flavor cooked carrots

Try a new and different flavor, like Ginger-Orange Carrots. This recipe came from my running partner, Eliece.

Ginger – Orange – Carrot – Recipe

Ingredients:

5 medium carrots or 1lb. bag of baby carrots
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ginger
2 Tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange juice

Slice carrots as desired (baby carrots do not need to be cut) Cook until just tender (about 20 minutes) & drain. Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, and ginger in a small saucepan. Add orange juice; cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and bubbles. boil one minute. Stir in butter. Pour over hot carrots, tossing to coat evenly.

Citrus Grilled Asparagus

This dish adds a lightness and also a sweetness to asparagus which can have a slightly bitter flavor.   Kids are more familiar with the orange flavor and will enjoy the yummy flavor it adds to the asparagus.

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 lemon
1 orange
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Rinse asparagus well and snap the ends off. Place on tin foil or a grilling pan. Brush coconut oil onto the asparagus. Squeeze the juice of the lemon and orange onto the asparagus. Zest the lemon and orange and sprinkle on top. Grill on medium-high heat. For thick asparagus, grill for 10-12 minutes. For thin asparagus, grill for 5-8 minutes.

Ultimate Roasted Broccoli

Roasted broccoli is the cooking method that has helped my kids fall in love with broccoli.  If they are struggling eating veggies, I know I can fall back on roasted broccoli! This recipe from JoCooks adds some yummy ingredients making it even more delicious!

INGREDIENTS

2 big heads of broccoli or 3 smaller ones
5 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 to 3 tbsp olive oil
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup roasted pecans, chopped
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks and cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. I cut mine in really small florets because I wanted bite size florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with lemon juice, pecans and Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

 Cheesy Baked Zucchini Rounds

This simple 2 ingredient zucchini dish from Five Heart Home will become a regular on your menu.  These bake at a relatively high temperature, making the zucchini get nice and soft, with an almost creamy texture, while the Parmesan turns crispy and golden brown.

Ingredients

2 medium-sized zucchini
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Garlic salt & freshly ground black pepper, optional

Directions

Place oven rack in center position of oven. Preheat to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil (lightly misted with cooking spray) OR parchment paper.

Wash and dry zucchini, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange zucchini rounds on prepared pan, with little to no space between them. If desired, lightly sprinkle zucchini with garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use a small spoon to spread a thin layer of Parmesan cheese on each slice of zucchini. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until Parmesan turns a light golden brown. (Watch these closely the first time you make them and pull them out of the oven early if the Parmesan is golden before 15 minutes!) Serve immediately.

Creamy Cauliflower Rice

Rice is a staple side dish for many meals, and this boosts the nutrition by using mostly cauliflower with a small amount of rice.  This makes it a delicious familiar dish, but a powerhouse in the nutrition department.

INGREDIENTS

6-8 cups chopped cauliflower
4 cups vegetable broth + 2 cups water
½ cup milk
1½ cups brown rice (I used a brown rice blend)
1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste!)
2 tablespoons butter
6-8 cloves minced garlic
½ cup Mozzarella cheese for topping (more to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook the rice according to package directions. Set aside.

Bring the vegetable broth and water to a boil in a large pot. Add the cauliflower and boil for about 10 minutes, until tender. Transfer cauliflower pieces to a blender or food processor.

Puree the cauliflower, adding milk or extra vegetable broth to get a smooth, creamy consistency. Season with salt. Pour over the cooked rice and stir to combine.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter and add the garlic, sauteing over low heat until the garlic is very fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Add the creamy rice mixture and stir until butter and garlic is incorporated. Add cheese on top or stir it throughout the rice to get it melted. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Veggies with Savory Cheese Sauce

We have found that kids love dips and sauces and are much more likely to try things when they can dunk, or smother their veggies. This savory sauce is a pleaser for both kids and adults!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp chicken bouillon paste (or 1 cube, crushed)
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 – 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a roux. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly, make sure there are no lumps. Stir in the bouillon. Whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm.

Quick and Easy Homemade Fries

A side of homemade fries goes well with many meals, but sometimes there just isn’t time when you are rushing to make dinner.  This is one of our favorite shortcuts so that you can have these as a side anytime even if you are short on time!

Step 1: Peel, rinse, and cut

This is a great place to get the kids involved. They’ve been peeling potatoes for as long as I can remember. The cutting part will take some time. My kids started with a crinkle cutter, because it’s pretty easy to use and less likely to cut them. We sort into bowls with two potatoes worth of fries in each bowl. That’s the perfect amount for fitting into quart size freezer bags.

Step 2: Blanch

After the potatoes are rinsed and cut, we drop them by the bowlful into boiling water. We wait 2 minute, and then drop into ice water. Leave in the ice water for several minutes- the longer the better, up to 20 for the crispiest fries!   Blanching is an important step. It makes the difference between “Crisp Tender” veggies and mushy veggies. It also slows down the enzyme reactions that cause foods to lose their flavor and color.

Step 3: Blot dry and arrange on a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper

Step 4: Optional: Pre-season the french fries

This is totally optional, but sometimes we’ll add garlic salt, seasoned salt, or nothing at all on this step.

Step 5: Freeze for 12-24 hours

Step 6: Once frozen, arrange into freezer bags. We use 2 potatoes per quart size bags.

Return to the freezer and store up to 6 months!

When it’s time to eat, simply take one bag out of the freezer, and arrange on a parchment lined cookie sheet. We drizzle with olive oil (although this is optional as well), and bake at 425 for about 40-45 minutes. Watch carefully. You don’t want to burn them, but you want them to brown up and be crispy.

superhealthykids.com

10 Foods that Help Lower Blood Sugar Levels

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A healthy level of blood sugar is a great pre-requisite to enhance the entire body’s working condition. A required blood sugar level is the most prominent since it in turn stands profoundly responsible to tackle other conditions of balancing the body hormones, energizing your body, regulating mood swings and also the levels of hunger.

Robust blood sugar levels are also necessary to strengthen the body against Type 2 Diabetes, hypoglycemia, stroke, blindness and issues like hypertension as well. Taking in a diet that is supplemented with a perfect balance of blood sugar level can trigger a mechanism in your body that would also prevent health issues like obesity.

Generally avocados are believed to be sources of fat. But this is mono-saturated fat which can be worth elevating you health condition by making a slow and an even distribution of sugar in your bloodstream. This would result in a low release of insulin.

Try adding these foods to your grocery list to help lower your blood sugar levels:

  1. Spices:

It has been told that spices are great agents to work for the process of sugar breakdown. Not only sugar, but also cholesterol levels can be significantly decreased through the consumption of spices.

  1. Eggs:

These are another important food source you would want to depend upon to lessen your blood sugar levels and insulin discharge. Eggs are also known to decrease obesity by periodic consumption.

  1. Cinnamon:

It is a claimed fact that cinnamon causes the liver and related muscles to be ready to get into contact with insulin. This is also believed to be a veteran in conducting an appropriate management of body blood sugar levels and also in reducing weight effectively.

  1. Olive Oil:

This is also similar to avocados which can ably lessen the growth of belly and also virtually manage the levels of blood sugar in the body.

  1. Blue Berries:

Blue Berries constitute bioactive ingredients which can augment your responsiveness to insulin. It has also been found out that Blue Berries can lessen your risk of being prone to diabetes effectively.

  1. Chia Seeds:

These seeds stabilize your blood sugar levels. So if you are a victim of diabetes already or not, you can go for making an option of chia seeds to lower your blood sugar levels efficiently.

  1. Vinegar:

If you have just had a meal filled with more carbohydrates, taking in vinegar can make you feel intensely better. Also, vinegar can coherently lower your blood sugar levels.

  1. Mangoes:

It is acclaimed that having at least 10 grams of mangoes daily can wonderfully reduce your blood sugar levels.

  1. Cherries:

Cherries come with a rich content of anthocyanins which can amazingly increase your insulin production by about 50%. So, lowering your blood sugar levels with cherries is a tasty task at hand.

So, with the above-shown foods, you can make yourself get assured of the fact that you would synchronize your efforts in making your blood sugar levels get significantly lowered. So, get ahead and lead a healthy and a better life!

Source: letsgohealthy.net

20 Foods That Burn Fat, Boost Metabolism And Shrink Your Waistline

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If you view food as the enemy, here are 36 items that might make you change your mind and have them work for you instead of against you. While they may be pretty super, you shouldn’t put all of your attention on any one of them. Start by introducing a few more foods that burn fat into your diet each week until you find that you’re eating much more of them than you used to.

1. Tomatoes

Is it a fruit? Is it a vegetable? Who cares? All you need to know is that it’s got a ton of good things for your body for the long term, and in the short term it works to help you lose weight and help keep it off. They’re low on the calorie meter, but they help to give you that full feeling, and contain fiber that keeps things moving.

Like any bona fide superfood tomatoes bring more to the table than just weight loss. The lycopene brings antioxidants that studies are showing to be potentially helpful with a myriad of diseases and conditions. Be sure to add tomatoes to your cart next time.

2. Oranges

Healthy Vitamin C levels will help to keep you functioning at optimal levels, but if you’re looking to burn fat you might be concerned about the sugar in oranges. There’s no getting around it, oranges do contain sugar, which has the potential to turn to fat if it’s not burned up. But the calorie count is low, and the fiber actually helps to regulate your blood glucose levels.

In order for this to work out for you as a weight loss aid, eat it in moderation and to curb your sweet tooth when you’d otherwise be reaching for a candy bar or other sweet treat.

3. Oats

Although Paleo Diet followers would disagree, many others state that oats work as part of a weight loss strategy because the amount of fiber boosts your metabolism and helps you feel fuller longer. Everyone from The Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper to the American Heart Association says to make a bowl of oatmeal for the best start to your day.

The antioxidants and other minerals oats contain make it a solid choice and not just a source of fiber. Cutting your cholesterol might also be on your list and this is a great way to get those levels down.

4. Spices

There’s no need to eat bland and boring food when you’re trying to lose weight. This is a great time to experiment with seasonings from different cultures. Many of them have thermogenic properties that boost your metabolism, while making some so-so dishes taste like they’re from a restaurant.

Some examples: Mustard seed will spice up your entree and get your metabolism going, and ginger can help with your digestion. Ginseng can boost up your energy, and black pepper can help burn calories. Like Indian food? Turmeric can help break up fat.

5. Sweet Potatoes

Oprah likes sweet potatoes, and credits them as part of the reason she lost weight one time. But can you really slim down by swapping a baked potato with its sweet cousin? Turns out sweet potatoes are great for dieting because they have fewer calories and also help you stay satisfied between meals.

If you’re addicted to spuds this can be one way to take out a food that usually gets the no-no when dieting and replace it with a superfoods such as this that has good things for you like fiber, Vitamin C, potassium, and Vitamin B6.

6. Apples

It’s hard to wrap your head around the fact that you are helping yourself to lose weight when you eat an apple. They are so sweet that they can help conquer sweet cravings, and it’s easy to see why they end up in a lot of desserts. But they are low in all of the things that you want them to be like calories, fat, and sodium. They have a good amount of fiber.

The fiber helps you feel full, and keeps you from going mad in between meals. It also helps keep things moving along digestively. Just be sure to chew your apple up real well before swallowing, and buy organic so you can leave the peel on.

 

7. Nuts

This is one food that almost every single diet plan in existence suggests you eat. Nuts are one food that unites the vegetarians and the Paleo followers, and we have yet to find a diet program that says not to eat them. They’re straight from the Earth and a small handful of raw organic almonds, walnuts or pecans can be a crunchy snack that leaves you feeling good for a few hours or more.

If you don’t like eating nuts for a snack, try chopping them up and sprinkling them on main dishes or side items. You’ll still get the good fats they bring and they help flavor up the meal.

8. Quinoa

This is been known for some time in the vegetarian realm but is now making the rounds to the mainstream. The weight loss benefits usually come in the form of switching out sides with quinoa instead of more calorie-dense foods like rice or potatoes. You’ll still get the benefit of rounding out the meal, with the added bonus of the vitamins that quinoa has.

If you haven’t tried it yet, what are you waiting for? It helps you feel full, doesn’t have a lot of calories, and ranks low on the Glycemic Index. Score!

 

9. Beans

Beans are a staple item in The Four Hour Body’s Slow Carb Diet. They are lauded for their ability to help regulate blood sugar levels and help with digestion due to their fiber content. Try adding a can of organic black beans as a side to your next meal, especially if it can replace a more carb-laden item like bread or rice.

Many restaurants keep black beans on hand as a substitute for a side, so they’re a great go-to item when you’re out with friends and want to eat well without looking like you’re on a diet.

 

10. Grapefruit

No need to go on some whacky grapefruit diet to get the benefits of it, but for most people this is going to require a new purchase at the store. Grapefruit doesn’t tend to make it onto most people’s shopping lists, but it should. In regards to weight loss the long standing myth that they help you lose weight is being proven left and right by clinical studies.

And you don’t have to buy the fruit, you can also simply buy grapefruit juice and start drinking that instead. Tim Ferriss of The Four Hour Body says he uses grapefruit juice on his “free days” in an effort to avoid the food he’s eating from causing weight gain.

11. Chicken Breast

While not an option if you’re going vegetarian or vegan, this is often used by dieters and bodybuilders alike because of its high protein value and low amount of fat. Dark pieces of chicken just don’t measure up when it comes to quality protein. Most Americans have no trouble adding chicken to the diet, since it’s one of the most popular meats in the country.

Just remember that it should be skinless. Try using different spices like the ones mentioned above to make it more interesting. Combined with strength training this can help tone your muscles leading to a higher metabolism.

 

 

12. Bananas

Perhaps it’s because it takes us back to our simian ancestry that makes eating a banana seem natural. The more studies they do on the effects of bananas in humans, the more attention they get as a definite way to help keep us at our ideal weights. They’re super easy to incorporate into the day, since they’re so versatile.

Cut some up and add it to oatmeal, keep a bunch around as a quick grab when you need something sweet or on-the-go. Just stick to one a day since they are a source of sugar as well.

13. Pine Nuts

These contain a phytonutrient that actually helps suppress your appetite. This means you don’t have to resort to expensive diet pills with nasty chemicals that are meant to do the same thing. All you have to do is keep a supply of pine nuts available.

Since they’re tiny and crunchy you get to eat a lot of them without having to worry about ruining your efforts. It let’s the body have it binge time while still helping you lose weight by keeping you away from more offensive foods.

14. Lentils

Lentils are gaining more popularity has a healthy food, and one that can help you lose the weight. The fiber they contain will help keep you feeling good between meals, and will help your blood sugar levels from spiking.

If you’re going vegetarian you can use lentil as a good protein source, or you can use them to compliment a protein and act as a side dish. It helps keep your cholesterol in check and help you process carbs more effectively.

 

15. Hot Peppers

If you like your food hot, there may be some good news for you. Hot peppers like habaneros, jalapenos, and chipotles can actually help you to lose weight, while also adding a kick to most any dish. They contain capsaicin which provides several benefits that relate to losing weight.

And if you were worried that eating these hot peppers would make you burn a hole in your stomach, recent research is showing that they may actually help to prevent stomach problems like ulcers by killing the bacteria responsible. Fire away!

16. Broccoli

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include broccoli on this list, even though you’re probably sick of everyone telling you about it. Turns out your mom and your grandma were right, these are really good for you, but aside from that they can also help you shed some fat.

How? Broccoli fills you up, but it’s not just a filler. It has tons of nutrients per pound, and it’s also packed with fiber so it keeps you regular, which keeps you feeling good. Spice it up with spices or peppers, but just skip the broccoli cheese soup, as that doesn’t work for weight loss.

16. Cantaloupe

Some say that you burn more calories eating cantaloupe than what it contains. Whether or not that’s the case is up for debate, but this is still a great food to add to your repertoire for weight loss. It’s sweet, but it’s not high in calories the way most sweet things are. It also has fiber in it, even though it doesn’t taste like it does.

It goes great in a fruit salad with other diet-assisting fruits like honeydew, strawberries, or simply by itself as a quick snack or sweet pick-me-up. Added bonus: it helps to make your skin look great.

18. Spinach

Spinach is often a vegetable left on the plate of children, but adults are coming around to it since it really does contain a lot of good things in it for losing weight and general well-being. You can eat it in several different ways, fresh as a salad, in a can, and it also comes frozen. It works for weight loss by adding bulk to your stomach without tacking on the calories.

This is a good vegetable to buy organic if you can, since conventional spinach picks up a lot of chemicals from the fields.

19. Green Tea

Perhaps you knew that green tea is packed with antioxidants, but did you also know that it can help you shed the fat? It’s the catechins! These are a part of green tea that get your body to switch over to burning more calories, as well as fat.

Unfortunately for the other teas, green tea comes out the winner on many fronts because it’s not as processed as the others, and therefore retains much of its goodness, like antioxidants and phytonutrients that make it a superstar among superfoods.at keep popping up. This is because it contains things that help your body, like omega-3s, and it contains fiber, which will help you feel full.

It’s the essential fatty acids that also work to give your metabolism a boost. As a side bonus it also lowers the levels of bad cholesterol in your body, and made it onto our list of superfoods for its many healthy benefits and ease of use.

20. Olive Oil

The reason olive oil helps you to lose weight is because it can take the place of other things like salad dressing and other oils that are considered bad fats. Even you change nothing else in your diet or lifestyle and just start using olive oil you should still benefit by losing weight. But most people find that if they start to embrace more of a Mediterranean diet the results are accentuated.

Almost any diet that replaced the Standard American Diet is going to be better for you and cause the pounds to drop, and using more olive oil in your life can bring many positive benefits.

Source: theheartysoul.com

15 Reasons Why Sweet Potatoes Are the Perfect Health Food

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Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene). They are also a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6. Additionally, they are a good source of potassium, dietary fiber, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and phosphorus. If they are not on your grocery list yet, they should be! Here are 15 health benefits to eating sweet potatoes.

1. Perfect for Diabetics: Thanks to the natural sugars contained, the sweet potatoes are stabilizing and lowering the diabetic’s insulin resistance and regulate their sugar levels.

 

2. Digestion: Sweet potatoes are rich with dietary fibers which are crucial for healthy digestive tract. They protect from colon cancer and ease constipation.

3. Prevents Emphysema: Smokers are very vulnerable for emphysema and are having lack of Vitamin A. The carotenoids included in sweet potato are used from the body to generate Vitamin A in the regeneration of the respiratory

 

4. Immune System: Vitamin D is vital for the working of the thyroid gland, for the teeth, nerves, bones, skin and energy levels. The sweet potatoes are a great source of Vitamin D.

5. Healthy Heart: The potassium included in the sweet potatoes improves the overall health of the hearth, negates the sodium effect and normalizes blood pressure and balances electrolytes. With the help of vitamin B6 the sweet potato is able to prevent strokes, heart attacks and degenerative diseases.

6. Healthy Muscles and Tissues: The potassium is helping the athletes to diminish the cramps and bloating, gives them energy and eases their muscle constriction. They also are regulating the nerve signals and heartbeats.

7. Anti-Oxidant: With the help of the carotenoids such as beta-carotene, the sweet potatoes are helpful against gout, arthritis and asthma. They are also diminishing the aging effects and prevent the development of breast and lung cancers.

8. Fetal Development: The pregnant women are needful in folic acid which will help them to have healthy fetal tissue and cell development. The sweet potatoes are rich source of folic acid.

9. Anti-Stress: The potassium is regulating the body’s water balance, boosts oxygen flow and normalizes heartbeats.  The magnesium included works as anti-stress factor.

10. Vitamin C: There is plenty of Vitamin C in the sweet potatoes. This vitamin is vital for the function of the whole body.

11. Anemia: The sweet potatoes are rich source of iron too, which is helpful in the fight against anemia because the iron is crucial in the generation of white and red blood cells.

12. Youthful Skin: If sometimes happens to boil your sweet potatoes, don’t throw away the water. Use it for your skin. It will ease irritated places, cleanse your pores and eliminate waste. The Vitamin C will assist in collagen generation, and the Vitamin E will better the skin complexion. In addition you can eliminate crinkles, puffiness of the eyes and dark circles with the help of anthocyanins.

13. Premenstrual Symptoms: Thanks to the manganese and iron contained the sweet potatoes are helpful for the withering premenstrual symptoms.

14. Quality Hair: Beta-carotene stimulates hair growth and protects from issues like dandruff and damaged hair. As you already read the sweet potatoes are rich source of beta-carotene.

15. Minerals: Minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium, calcium and iron are all included in the sweet potatoes. They are vital for the carbohydrate, protein and enzyme metabolism.

Remember, if you already had a history of oxalate urinary tract stones, consult with your doctor about the usage of sweet potatoes. He will probably recommend you to avoid them.

Source: healthyfoodteam.com

12 Super Foods for Preventing Hair Loss

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Hair loss is a common problem among people all over the world, man or women, and the most annoying thing is to see your hair strands in your hands when you brush, oil, shampoo or even on your pillow when you wake up in the morning. The key to triumph over the problem of hair loss is nutritious and healthy food. In the following article will are going to present you some of the super foods that you can use to prevent hair loss.

1.  Beans

This amazing super food should be part of your diet every day. Beans are rich in protein, which is one of the most important element for shiny and strong hair. The nutrients contained in the beans are keeping your hair safe especially in the cold days when it gets frizzy faster and it gets dry easily. By beans we mean: soybeans, pinto beans, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, etc.

2.  Egg

We are aware that our hair is made of hence and proteins; so it is necessary to consume more protein – rich diet in order to keep our hair healthy.  And because eggs are one of the wealthiest sources of proteins, they are the best for providing strength to your hair. They are effective in preventing hair loss in both ways, applying them on your hair or eating them.

3.  Salmon

The proteins and omega – 3 fatty acids found in salmon are excellent for treating hair loss. They are effective in maintaining the hair shaft and a healthy scalp. With the consumption of salmon you are hydrating the scalp and hair, thus solving the troubles of dry and frizzy hair.

4.  Spinach

Popeye’s food is highly recommended to people of every age group to be consumed every day, because it is packed with a number of nutrients, omega fatty acids, vitamins, calcium, iron, minerals and potassium, which are all highly advisable for maintaining the hair healthy.

5.  Oats

Oats are the only super food that contains every nutrient, needed for our hair. Oats deliver a good quantity of B vitamins and protein, copper, zinc, which are some of the salient micronutrients for ending the problems of hair loss.

6.  Beef

There is a common belief that people, who experience the problem of hair loss, are deficient in protein and iron. Beef is a kind of red meat, which is regarded as the extraordinary source of protein, fatty acids and iron. Beef keeps the supply of blood to the hair stable, thereby fighting the problems of hair loss.

7.  Sweet Potato

The easiest way of consuming loads of vitamin A, copper, iron, protein, is with the consumption of sweet potato. This minerals and vitamin are essential for keeping the problems of hair loss away. It makes the tissues of the hair and scalp strong.

8.  Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are one of the best super foods for getting strong and long hair. It is full with nutrients, such as zinc, magnesium, biotin, B vitamins, protein, vitamin E, iron, potassium, copper, calcium and selenium. These all are cooperative in stopping the hair loss.

9.  Green Peas

You must not underestimate peas because they are small! In fact, in terms of their nutritional benefits their power is massive. Peas are also a healthy source of vitamin C, beta – carotene, protein, which are excellent for strong hair.

10.  Nuts

Cashews, walnuts, almonds, pecans and various other nuts are a very effective therapy for hair loss. The essential oils and vital nutrients that they enclose in them are fantastic for the heart, hair health, brain, and also for the skin.

11.  Carrot

Carrots, besides being good for the eyes, they are also proficient in keeping the hair and scalp healthy. Add carrots in your diets at least once a week and you will see how effective it is for you. Carrots are packed with vitamin A, which produces a healthy oily chemical on the scalp, called sebum. Sebum is keeping the hair and scalp safe from getting dry and dirty.

12.  Wheat Germ

If the problem with hair loss is bugging you for a long time, you must insert wheat germ in your diet as soon as possible. It is a powerhouse of nutrients that promote the healthy hair growth. Wheat germ is an amazing source of zinc, dietary copper, fiber, which are cooperative in keeping the hair healthy.

Source: healthyandnaturallife.com

Why You Should Eat Avocados Every Day (If You Aren’t Already!)

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Avocados are truly one of nature’s little miracle foods and we encourage you to enjoy them several times a week. These little green gems can do so much to help keep you well from head to toe, they’re simply too good to pass up. Here are a few thoughts on why you need to get to know them better — and eat them more often:

1. Relax. Avocados won’t make you fat!

The heyday of food-fat-phobia is over. If you’re still avoiding avocados because of some misguided, left-over-from-the-80’s belief that avocados will make you fat, you’re barking up the wrong tree. You’re also missing out on an excellent source of monounsaturated fat – the good fat also found in olive oil – that helps boost heart health.

What’s more, those good fat and fiber-rich avocados can also help curb hunger. Studies indicate that meals which include avocado tend to increase feelings of satiety for longer than those without, so consider adding a few avocado slices to your daily diet to help tame between-meal munchies.

2. An avocado is a creamy, delicious, nutrient-bomb.

As with many superfoods, it’s what’s inside that counts, and avocados are a nutritional goldmine. What’s inside? In addition to “good” monounsaturated fat, avocados pack plenty of health-boosting nutrients to help your body thrive. Underneath the tough green exterior lies over 14 minerals; protein, complete, with all 18 essential amino acids; soluble fiber, to trap excess cholesterol and send it out of the system; phytosterols; polyphenols; carotenoids; omega 3s; vitamins B-complex, C, E and K, to name a few.

3. They do amazing things for your long-term health.

OK, so avocados are packed with nutrition, but what does it all mean in practical terms? It means a belly that feels fuller longer; a brain that’s being well-supplied with the nutrients needed to function optimally now and down the road; and a body that’s receiving the nutrition it needs to help protect it from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, degenerative eye and brain diseases.

What’s more, all those nutrients, good fats and fiber in avocados can help naturally lower LDL and raise your good HDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar and tamp down inflammation throughout the body and brain. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why it’s called a superfood.

4. Avocados play well with others.

With their distinct fresh green flavor and creamy (dairy-free!) texture, avocados play well with lots of the other foods on your plate. What’s truly remarkable though is that the research indicates that avocados can help with the absorption of carotinoids, the compounds found in orange and red fruits and veggies that can help protect against cancer. So while they may seem a bit indulgent, avocados could turn out to be lifesavers. Here few ways to dig in:

-Add a quarter of an “avo” to your morning shake – or try my Chocolate Avocado smoothie.

-Enjoy an avocado half as a nutritious side dish with your morning eggs instead of potatoes or toast.

-Spread a few avo slices on toasted paleo bread for a quick pre-workout or mid-day snack.

-Add a half an avo to your lunchtime salad to keep you full till dinner — and hold the mayo!

-Add as a delicious “mix-in” for quinoa, beans or wild rice.

-Top hot or cold soups with chunks of avo to add fiber and “super-size” the nutrients in your bowl.

-Blend with lemon juice, water, vinegar, spices and whip into a nutritious creamy salad dressing or blend in a touch more liquid and drizzle the zesty sauce over chicken and fish dishes.

-Top burgers, egg dishes, chicken or fish with avo slices, or mash into guacamole.

-Blend up your own super-nutritious home-made baby food by combining avocado with fruits and veggies to get little ones off to a healthy start.

5. Treat them right and they’ll return the favor.

At times it can be tricky to find an avocado that’s ready to eat with tonight’s dinner, so a little advance planning is necessary. True avo aficionados recommend buying a few firm ones at a time and then strategically staggering the ripening process so the avocados are ready when you are – and don’t all turn ripe at the same moment.

To expedite ripening, AvocadoCentral.com suggests sealing one or two avocados at a time into a brown paper bag, along with an apple or banana. Over the course of 2 to 3 days, the brown-bagged fruit will release gasses, which will aid the ripening process. Remove the ripe-and-ready-to-eat avo, replace with a firm unripe one, reseal the bag, and repeat!

Some tips:

-Buying avocados? The good news is that conventionally grown avos make the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 List, meaning they’re relatively free of pesticides, and are OK to eat as an alternative to organic versions.

-Cut into your avocado before it’s fully ripened? Spritz the exposed fruit with lemon juice, cover or wrap tightly and let it ripen in the fridge for a day or two. If that’s not enough, salvage the fruit, cut into chunks and add to your next smoothie.

-How you cut and peel your avo matters more than you might think. To do it right, wash the outer skin and pat dry. Cut in half lengthwise. Pop out the seed with a spoon or tap a knife across the top of the seed to slightly imbed it and twist (but be careful not to hit your fingers). Instead of scooping out the fruit, peel skin off gently with your fingers to get the maximum nutritional bang for your buck. Turns out, the dark green fruit closest to the skin is the most nutritious.

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Photo:stockpilingmoms.com

Source: mindbodygreen.com

Do You Have Brain Fog? Check Out Tips To Get Free of the Fog.

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Have you ever walked around my home feeling like a thick blanket of fog had invaded your brain.

Staring blankly at your computer screen, wondering, “what am I supposed to be doing right now?” walk into a room and think, “why did I come in here?” Have you ever been at a store and wonder, “why am I here? Now, what was I supposed to get again?”

Have you ever felt so foggy in your brain that you couldn’t focus on tasks or concentrate on anything…at all? Have you ever almost forgotten to pick your child up at school or that you had an important meeting? I have. And it’s the worst feeling.

You know, that one where you feel that pit in your stomach…that knot telling you you’re forgetting something but you don’t remember what that is. While I was in the throes of thyroid disease, this happened often. It was debilitating. I felt like a fool. I found myself embarrassed often…forgetting names, appointments and to-dos. There was no lighthouse in my brain to guide my way to shore…to my thoughts and ideas. I wondered if I was losing my mind.

Has this ever happened to you?

One of the many and MAJOR symptoms, or clues, that your thyroid may be imbalanced is the experience of having brain fog. It’s one of the most common complaints I hear in my practice and it’s one of the first symptoms we work on banishing to help clients reclaim their lives.

Are you losing your mind?

We have these immune cells in our brain called microglia. 10-15% of all cells in the brain are microglial cells. This is important to note because they are a powerhouse cell which mount the body’s first and main active form of immune defense in the central nervous system…..brain fog and a crazy nervous system, sound familiar?

Anyway, when these microglial cells get agitated by inflammation from a thyroid imbalance perhaps brought on by our diet or lifestyle, they mount a pretty potent attack on the brain and create that feeling of brain fog.

This is the same process linked to disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other inflammatory conditions.

It’s all connected.

When we’re working to reverse a thyroid condition, we have to address multiple systems in the body at the same time. This is why there is no magic bullet, no quick fix to thyroid disorders (man, do I wish there was!) A thyroid imbalance or immune dysfunction is created by a multiple systems break down. So, when we want to banish that brain fog, we MUST look at several systems – the brain, the belly, our detox pathways, diet and lifestyle.

5 ways to start banishing brain fog

Remember those 5 areas we need to address initially to jump-start healing? Here are simple ways you can address each area effectively and start seeing some serious relief.

1. Heal the gut

Inflammation can start in the gut and the gut-brain connection is undeniable. We could discuss the science behind this all day but let’s talk about some quick tips to start lowering the inflammation in your gut and your brain.

Whether it comes to thyroid health, losing weight, halting the autoimmune response, reducing inflammation or ridding yourself of draining symptoms like brain fog, healing your gut is the first place to start. So, let’s talk about some real world strategies.

Trade your cup of Joe for a cup of bone broth.

Say what?

Cooking the bones, tendons, skin, and other parts of the animal that we don’t otherwise eat to make bone broth releases many beneficial vitamins, minerals, and other health-promoting substances into the broth in forms that are easy for our bodies to digest and use.

For example, bone broth contains collagen, proline, glycine, and glutamine that are great for your health, as well as minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and others that reduce inflammation, support the immune system, and even help heal allergies and other disorders.

Gelatin, which is produced from the breakdown of collagen, is particularly helpful for those of us with leaky gut and other digestive issues, because it can actually soothe the lining of the digestive tract and help heal and reverse dietary allergies and food sensitivities.

All of these substances are also anti-inflammatory, which is incredibly important for people fighting autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s and who want to limit inflammation in the brain.

Get your probiotic on.

As part of any gut health program, you’ll want to include potent probiotics to repopulate your gut with the good bacteria.

Support your digestive juices.

If you frequently suffer from heartburn, it might not just be the foods you eat, but an underlying problem of poor digestive enzyme activity. Betaine HCL + Pepsin can help increase stomach acid and enzyme activity. One caveat, though: you don’t want to supplement with HCL for so long that your body doesn’t rely on itself to produce stomach acid. This is a great jump start as you begin healing the gut but you should taper off use as your gut is repaired. This is a supplement that I recommend you take under the supervision of a knowledgeable practitioner.

2. Go gluten-free

Gluten molecules resemble thyroid tissue. They are highly inflammatory in the gut and the brain. If you have intestinal permeability (leaky gut) or a sensitivity to gluten (which most people with thyroid conditions do), your body will mistakenly attack your thyroid believing it is attacking the gluten molecules.

What happens with autoimmune disease is that the body is having an overactive immune response against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In addition, the thyroid gland is connected to so many of the body’s systems including gastrointestinal function, stomach acid production, adrenal hormone metabolism, changes in brain chemistry and liver detoxification. So, when a gluten molecule escapes through the walls of the digestive tract and the body starts attacking the gluten, it inadvertently begins to attack the thyroid as well, continuing its destruction.

That’s pretty serious stuff. Educated doctors and thyroid researchers insist that if you want to stop the destruction of the thyroid and the brain, you must stop eating gluten.

You may have heard all of this before, but now is the time to start acting on it. If you truly want to heal your thyroid condition and eliminate brain fog, you’ve got to love your body enough to put your hands up and drop the croissant.

“How can I give up my pasta or pizza? What will I eat instead?” you wonder. “Will I ever be full?”

I promise you will and there are loads of delicious, naturally gluten-free foods out there. Giving up gluten seems unappealing and daunting, I know. But you can shift your thinking from giving something up to gaining something back: your health, a clear mind, an energized body. This is not an act of self-deprivation, my friend; it is an act of self love.

I’ve been through it, and before I started living gluten-free, I wasn’t sure how I would ever succeed. But I did succeed. And I learned loads of tips and tricks and have a host of new recipe resources to boot. I began feeling so much better after parting ways with gluten that I don’t even feel like I need it anymore. Sure, a piece of fresh-baked bread smells delightful but my body doesn’t actually crave it anymore. And if this former chef and total foodie can do it, so can you. So go ahead…just do it!

3. Make sleep a priority

Poor sleep is a typical symptom for people with thyroid disorders and often it is just accepted as something you have to live with as part of having the disease. The problem is that insomnia or restless sleep must be addressed so that your endocrine system can be supported in order to heal.

We can’t be flippant about a sleep disorder. Too often, it’s accepted, solely medicated or totally disregarded. Discovering the most effective way to get to sleep and sleep well is a must for loving yourself back to health.

Here’s why:

1. Sleep loss can cause weight gain.

2. Lack of sleep can make you feel depressed.

3. Sleep deprivation can lead to serious health problems like heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes.

4. Lack of sleep affects libido.

5. Sleepiness impairs judgments and makes you prone to/causes accidents.

6. Sleep loss affects intellect and memory. (uh, hello!)

7. Lack of sleep ages your skin. (Yikes!)

Sound familiar? A lot of the symptoms of not getting enough sleep mirror the symptoms of thyroid, autoimmune disease and brain inflammation, so you must make sure you’re getting enough sleep to be sure that your symptoms aren’t being caused or exacerbated by exhaustion.

Simple tricks for getting to sleep

  • Maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule. I did this by trying to go to bed 15 minutes earlier each night for 5 nights until I was able to fall asleep by 10pm. I also set my alarm for 6am each day so I could exercise. After 3 days on the 10pm–6am schedule, I started waking up at 6am naturally and was noticeably less foggy.

  • Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and other chemicals that interfere with sleep. I can’t stress this enough. I know you’re tired now in the morning so you like your cup of coffee but giving it up could be the difference between sleepless nights and sound rest. I went from drinking coffee several times a day to doing a caffeine detox. I don’t need or crave caffeine anymore. It’s pretty amazing.

  • Make your bedroom a comfortable sleep environment. Keep your bedroom uncluttered and cozy with the right bedding, blankets and a heater (if you need it).

  • Establish a calming pre-sleep routine. For instance, read something spiritual or meditative before bed. It’s actually a great time to do a 10–15 minute meditation.

  • Go to sleep when you’re tired. Don’t stay up to watch the end of that TV show or keep reading to finish a chapter. Research shows that our body wakes itself up after 10pm. Once you’re up later in the night, you’ll get a second wind and may struggle with falling asleep altogether.

  • Keep lights low in the evening. Bright household lights and light from computers and other electronic devices can disrupt messengers in your brain from eliciting the sleep response.

  • Don’t nap close to bedtime. Eating a light meal really helps with this one. If you eat a heavy, carb-laden dinner, you produce chemicals which will make you sleepy and want to take a nap. Taking a nap after dinner is gonna make it hard to fall asleep when it’s best for your body. Six to eight hours of restful sleep each night is crucial for maximum rejuvenation. Interestingly, studies have shown that your body is able to rejuvenate better if you fall asleep in the hours before midnight. Meaning, if you are sleeping eight hours between 10pm—6am, you will feel more rested than if you slept eight hours between Midnight and 8am I can attest to that as I’ve tested it out myself. If I fall asleep by 10pm, I can jump out of bed at 6am and am actually energized enough to exercise. When I stay up late watching TV or reading and go to sleep at 11 or 11:30pm, I’ll drag in the morning even if I’m sleeping the same amount of time.

  • Try setting yourself a sleep schedule and sticking to it. If you feel resistance to this, ask yourself why. Make a list of the best excuses you can think of, and then ask yourself, “Is X more important than my health?” Be honest with yourself and remember that loving yourself enough to give yourself what you need is the key to supporting healing.

4. Dry brush the ditz away

Dry brushing is a great way to stimulate your lymphatic system and my favorite way to start the morning. It’s quick to do (takes about 5 minutes) and I swear, it’s better than a cup of coffee. Yes, I just said that! BETTER THAN A CUP OF COFFEE. When you dry brush, your skin becomes invigorated, your being is enlivened and your brain wakes up! Once I’m finished dry brushing, I’m ready to start the day.

Do you know what your lymphatic system does? I didn’t until mine stopped working. Your lymphatic system is an extensive network that exists virtually everywhere in the body. It serves as the body’s primary system of immunity as it functions to create immune cells. Like a cleaning crew, this system also flushes toxins out of the body and moves fat to the circulatory system.

Toxins in our body can create inflammation everywhere in the body, including the thyroid, the gut and the brain. Remember those microglial cells, they don’t like what toxins do in the body so eliminating our toxic burden is key to keeping things calm in the thyroid, gut and brain.

Lymph, the clear liquid moved through the body via your lymphatic system is full of white blood cells (lymphocytes) which are your body’s main tools when there is an immune response. Having an efficient and functioning lymphatic system is crucial to good health.

Here’s more on why dry brushing is so good for you:

  • It relaxes the nervous system. Although dry brushing can feel a little odd the first few times you try it, those bristle are helping to stimulate nerve endings in the skin which refreshes your nervous system and helps keep ‘ya calm.
  • It increases circulation, buffs and smoothes your skin (great at exfoliating dry skin) and is touted to reduce the appearance of cellulite (I haven’t done it enough yet to support that claim but you can bet your bum I’ll tell you if it works!)
  • It helps with nutrient absorption, removal of toxins and improves blood circulation. This helps you stay healthy and keeps your body running more efficiently—and is totally key for supporting your thyroid health. Simple steps to dry brushing at home:
    1. Buy a good dry brush.
    2. Make sure your skin is dry (best to do this before your bath or shower).
    3. Begin from bottom and move upwards. You’ll use gentle circular motions or longer smoother strokes or a combination of both. I like to do smooth strokes for the legs but round strokes for the ankles, knees, bum, tummy, and elbows.
    4. Always start at your ankles and move toward your heart. Make sure to move the brush in the same direction.
    5. When you get to your back brush from the neck down instead toward your lower back.
    6. Be careful with sensitive skin and never brush over sores, shingles, scars, sun burned areas or areas with skin cancer.

Now that I’m in the habit of dry brushing, I can’t go a day without doing it. It really helps banish brain fog. You’ll notice its power too!

5. Oxygenate that noggin’ with some exercise

Having a fit brain and body does a world of good for brain fog. When I’m feeling fatigued and foggy, I jump on a rebounder for 5 minutes.

Physical activity provides much needed oxygen and blood flow to the brain. It stimulates the expression of hundreds of protective genes, and creates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is necessary to grow new neurons and help them survive. BDNF also protects your mature neurons from damage from stress, environmental toxins, and even traumatic brain injury.

Aerobic exercise has been shown to increase brain volume and to improve memory, concentration and executive function (complex thought and planning ability). Being sedentary, on the other hand, destroys your brain’s vascular network, which is why Alzheimer’s disease is now being called “type 3 diabetes” by some researchers.

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Photo:sclwl05.de

Your brain on the rebound

Ever heard of the exercise known as rebounding? You probably did it when you were a kid—without even knowing it! Rebounding is basically just bouncing on a trampoline or rebounder. It’s low-impact aerobic exercise that can jump-start your metabolism (pun intended!)—oh, and P.S. It’s pretty fun!

Rebounding is gentle enough for people who suffer from thyroid disorders and other chronic fatigue disorders, but it’s powerful enough to get your blood pumping and your body working. Plus, it helps your body detoxify by stimulating the lymphatic system and sweating out the toxins.

Rebounding reduces your body fat; firms your arms, legs, thighs, abdomen, and hips; increases your agility; strengthens your muscles overall; provides an aerobic effect for your cardiopulmonary systems; rejuvenates your body when it’s tired, and generally puts you in a state of mental and physical wellness. Wow!

That’s a lot of goodness from this one simple exercise. You can find an affordable rebounder and store it under your bed or in the closet. Mine sits in our closet and I hop on it for a minute or two before getting dressed in the morning.

Big Bonus Strategy

Reduce sugar!

Unfortunately, on a general level, sugar inhibits all healing. Sugar creates inflammation in your body and brain, turns off your body’s appetite-control function, leads to weight gain and belly fat, feeds candida (yeast) and has a host of additional toxic effects. All of that sounds terrible enough but it gets worse.

Many people with thyroid dysfunction seem to be especially sensitive to refined sugars or even consuming too many natural sugars. When you constantly consume sugar, you literally burn out your adrenal and thyroid glands and inflame your brain. There is a risk of damaging or even destroying the thyroid. If you don’t reduce or eliminate sugar in the diet, there is a risk for permanent damage and that’s no good!

Sugar can also affect your mood and energy levels.

I am not saying to cut sugar out of your diet forever. Fruits definitely have some health benefits as does raw honey, but by eliminating sugar from your diet for a short period of time, you let your body learn to regulate your blood sugar levels, get a better sense of when you’re actually hungry, increase your immune system’s ability to fight off illness, ward off candida infections and keep your brain functioning properly.

We dive deep into sugar detox in The Thyroid Fix in 6 but all you need to do to reduce your sugar is literally to stop eating it.

Banishing brain fog really gave me back my life…and it didn’t take that long to do it. By taking a few nourishing steps, like the ones listed above, I was able to see results quickly. So join me! Come out of the fog and see the light. It’s so clear out here….and now I know what I came in here for!

Source: hypothyroidmom.com

The Top Inflammatory Foods + How To Detox From Them

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There are a multitude of diets to choose from, or exercise programs that run the body ragged. The simple truth is that our bodies weren’t meant to eat Lean Cuisine meals or to be engaged in hours and hours of intensive exercise. If a person examines the evolution of our body from the caveman days, they would see that the body thrives off of whole foods, clean meats and exercise that involves lots of walking.

Fast forward a few thousand years, and as a society, we are stuffing our bodies full of inflammatory food-like products that make a person sick, fat and depressed. The key to fat loss, optimal health and joy is so simple, it’s easy to overlook.

Eat whole foods that are plucked from the earth. Foods that do not come in a package, can, bag or jar, and automatically the inflammation will dissipate in your body, freeing up space for your liver to begin processing fat. The best part, you can eat all you want, as long as it’s clean whole foods.

No longer is a deprivation mentality of dieting or extreme exercising required. By pivoting our thinking, we can create a healthy relationship with food. One that creates a foundation of values based on fueling the body, and giving it health through whole foods, rather than limiting the amount of calories a person eats.

To help you with this clean eating journey, I have compiled a list of the top 6 inflammatory foods along with substitutes that allow you to eat many of the foods you enjoy, but with ingredients that give you health, rather than take it away.

1. Processed Sugar

Swap out processed sugars for raw honey, organic maple syrup, liquid stevia or fruit.

2. Sodium

talking-sodium

Photo:healthunit.com

Swap out table salt for sea salt or pink Himalayan salt. By eliminating processed and packaged foods, you will significantly eliminate the amount of daily sodium intake.

3. Wheat Flour

Swap out wheat for almond flour or coconut flour. While these two flours do come in a bag (unless you make them on your own with a food processor), they are minimally processed are a great substitute for baking many foods that typically contain wheat.

4. Certain Oils

Swap out highly processed oils such as vegetable oil, canola oil, safflower oil, partially hydrogenated oil (just to mention a few) for high-quality omega-6 and omega-3 oils. The best source for oils are from extra-virgin coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, hemp seeds, chia seeds, avocados or avocado oils.

5. Cow Dairy

Swap out cow dairy for that of sheep or goat. Around the age of 1.5-2 years, our bodies significantly decrease in the amount of digestive enzymes created that specifically help to digest dairy. The molecular make-up of the sheep and goat dairy is more easily digested in the human body. Another reason cow dairy does not work as well is because the feed is typically made up from genetically modified corn and soy which creates inflammation in the cows. This is then passed on to us when we eat cow dairy. Last, casein is used in much dairy and many people are highly sensitive to it. When shopping for sheep and goat dairy, read the ingredients so that you can chose a dairy product free of casein.

6. Alcohol

Swap out alcohol for water, bubbly water, Kombucha drinks (without added sugar), tea or cold pressed juices. Alcohol tops the list of most inflammatory and toxic foods, and with a pause from the holidays, it seems like a reasonable time to take a break in order to regain and experience the most optimal and vibrant health.

Source: mindbodygreen.com

10 Superfoods That Help You Beat High Blood Pressure

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Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to kidney damage, eye damage, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke and several other serious health problems. Controlling high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, reduces the risk of cardiovascular problems in later life. While some people need medication to control hypertension, many people can significantly reduce their blood pressure by making a few lifestyle changes. In addition, there are several superfoods that can significantly reduce blood pressure levels, particularly when eaten regularly.

1. Green Tea

Green tea contains catechins, powerful flavonoids that can lower blood pressure, LDL cholesterol levels and help to reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Some studies have shown that compounds found in green tea can reduce the stickiness of blood, helping to prevent blood clots and arterial disease. Drinking one to three cups of green tea every day can also help to prevent kidney problems, a common cause of secondary hypertension.

2. Grapefruit

Eating just one grapefruit every day has been shown to significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels, helping to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and complications associated with long-term hypertension. The high vitamin C and antioxidant content of grapefruit can also help to prevent damage to the blood vessels and arteries. While all types of grapefruit contain heart-protecting compounds, red grapefruit provides especially high amounts of vitamin C.

3. Apples

Apples are one of the best sources of quercetin, a flavonoid and antioxidant that reduces the damage caused by harmful free radicals in the body. Free radicals can damage the cardiovascular system and hasten the onset of atherosclerosis, a common cause of hypertension. Eating an apple a day is a simple way to protect the heart and lower blood pressure. In addition, apples provide slow-release energy to help stabilize blood sugar levels and promote weight loss, which brings long-term benefits to the heart and cardiovascular system.

4. Blueberries

Blueberries contain powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, which lower blood pressure by acting in a similar way to ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors, one of the most popular anti-hypertensive medications prescribed by doctors. ACE inhibitors work by blocking the production of an enzyme that causes damage to blood vessels and arteries. Regular intake of blueberries, when eaten raw or consumed as juice, also helps to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol.

5. Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts provide the richest food source of selenium. Regular intake of selenium can cut the risk of developing coronary heart disease by up to forty percent, particularly when combined with other nutrients and minerals found in Brazil nuts, such as magnesium. Adding two or three chopped Brazil nuts to breakfast cereal, yogurt or a bowl of fruit is a delicious way to protect the heart and cardiovascular system.

 

6. Broccoli

Broccoli is packed with heart-protecting phytoestrogens and nutrients, including vitamin C, magnesium, calcium and folate. The high antioxidant content of broccoli makes it ideal for those trying to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. As many of the nutrients present in broccoli can be destroyed through overcooking, it is best to choose raw, lightly stir-fried or gently steamed broccoli.

7. Garlic

Garlic contains a substance called allicin, which provides a range of health benefits for the heart, cardiovascular system and immune system. Allicin has been shown to help reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients and can also lower cholesterol levels in those with elevated levels of LDL cholesterol. Regular consumption of garlic can also increase elasticity of the arteries, helping to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, a common cause of hypertension. As raw garlic can cause gastric upset in some people, garlic capsules are often the best choice for increasing intake of allicin.

8. Almonds

Almonds are a rich source of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect the heart and cardiovascular system. Eating a handful of almonds every day can reduce levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol by up to five percent. High levels of LDL cholesterol are linked to a range of cardiovascular problems, including hypertension, heart disease and atherosclerosis. Boost vitamin E intake by sprinkling flaked almonds on top of breakfast cereal or adding almond powder to fruit smoothies.

9. Oily Fish

Oily fish, such as tuna, mackerel and sardines, is packed with heart-protecting omega-3 fatty acids, along with antioxidants, vitamin A and vitamin E. Most oily fish also contain vitamin D, an essential nutrient for ensuring general good health. Eating just one portion of oily fish every week can cut the risk of developing atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. For maximum benefits, eat oily fish three times a week or take a daily fish oil supplement.

10. Yogurt

Live yogurt contains probiotic bacteria that can reduce blood pressure by blocking the action of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), working in a similar way to ACE inhibiting medication. Live yogurt is also a rich source of calcium, magnesium and potassium, all of which are needed for a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. Eating a yogurt every day can also help to protect the bones, muscles and other important tissues.

Hypertension is often a long-term health condition, but there are many different ways to reduce the risk of associated health complications. Eating a healthy diet and adding a few heart-protecting superfoods to meals can make a big difference to blood pressure levels.

Source: lovelivehealth.com

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