Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Natural Solutions for Occasional Heartburn, Post-Meal Drowsiness, and Other Digestive Issues

Got occasional heartburn? Do you feel like taking a nap after eating a heavy lunch? Got other somewhat embarrassing occasional digestive issues like constipation, diarrhea, or gas?

Guess what? You are not alone! Did you know that according to the CDC, 51 million Americans seek medical help (from doctor visits to the ER) for digestive issues each year? And those are just the people who actually get help. Many people simple suffer through those occasional digestive issues rather than seeking medical attention.

What Digestive Issues Mean
These digestive issues are flags that your digestive system is not always working as well as it could. Possibilities include:

Need for digestive enzymes
Without enzymes, your body cannot convert the food you eat into usable fats, starches, and proteins. As you age, the number of enzymes your body produces decreases, increasing the need for supplemental enzymes. Lack of enzymes is the reason you might feel tired after eating a particularly large meal: your body doesn't have enough enzymes to digest the meal, and consequently spends a lot of energy on digestion!

Imbalance of bacteria in intestines
Stress, antibiotics, alcohol, tobacco, and drinking chlorinated water are all lifestyle factors that can cause an imbalance of the bacteria that live in your gut. When the non-beneficial bacteria, such as Candida, overtake the gut, the result can range from heartburn and gas to nasal congestion and heart palpitations.

Lack of probiotics in the gut
Imbalances of bacteria in the gut can also mean a lack of probiotics (or beneficial bacteria) in the gut. Such probiotics include acidophilus, bifidus, and numerous other friendly bacteria. Luckily, if you have a lifestyle that causes an imbalance in your gut between probiotics and non-beneficial bacteria, you can rebalance your gut by adding probiotic supplements to your daily regimen.

Insufficient nutrients for the gut
Like all organs in the body, your gut needs nutrients, including nutrients that soothe and heal the gut, plus nutrients that feed the probiotics in your gut. Insufficient amounts of these nutrients can lead to many symptoms of poor digestion.

Got Digestive Issues? Natural Solutions That Can Help!
If occasional digestive issues are really starting to bother you, you can make dietary and lifestyle changes to support your digestive system. Natural solutions for digestive support include:
  • Enzyme supplements
  • Probitoic supplements
  • Small simple lifestyle changes
Enzyme Supplements
In a perfect world, our food should include all the enzymes necessary for full digestion. Unfortunately, because of trends such as over-farming, genetic modification of foods, the use of chemicals in food production, and food packaging and cooking, most foods that arrive on the table lack enzymes.

In addition, as we age our bodies all produce fewer and fewer enzymes. Conversely, the lack of enzymes can also contribute to the aging process. According to Dr. Edward Howell, known for his enzyme research: "Diets deficient in enzymes cause a 30% reduction in life-span." Yowza!

Luckily, there are many enzymes for digestion that you can easily add to your daily diet. Simply take enzymes with meals to support your body's digestion, and take enzymes between meals to help "clean up" any undigested food in your gut!

Probiotic Supplements
Adding probiotic supplements to your daily regimen is another simple way to improve digestion. The probiotics that live in your small and large intestines are integral to healthy digestion. In addition, many of these beneficial bacteria, such as acidophilus and bifidus, play other important roles in our health. For instance, these bacteria are responsible for producing B vitamins, which contribute to health factors such as good mood, hair and nail growth, and energy production! We suggest taking probiotics before breakfast or right before bed. This schedule allows the probiotics to reach their intended destination without having to make it past any food in the stomach.

Lifestyle Changes
In addition to adding supplements to your diet, making small incremental changes in your lifestyle can make a big difference to your digestion. To keep it simple, we have borrowed a list of lifestyle changes from one of America's most notable doctors--Doctor Oz. According to him, these lifestyle changes can really support your digestive health (read more at http://bit.ly/11DSrkG)
  • Stay hydrated (we suggest non-chlorinated water)
  • Physical activity to speed digestion
  • Limit fats
  • Eat more fiber
  • Maintain healthy weight
  • Eat slowly
  • Dietary supplements (like probiotics and enzymes)
  • Decrease bloating ingredients like sodium and artificial sweeteners
Pretty Sweet and Simple, Right?
Nobody likes dealing with gas, heartburn, constipation, or other digestive issues--even if they are occasional. Luckily, the natural solutions that support healthy digestion are pretty simple. So follow these steps and you will actually be able to enjoy your favorite foods with fewer digestive issues!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products at wholesale prices on our website.


Thursday, June 13, 2013

Want Better Hair? 5 Lifestyle Habits to Break Now

You can spend a fortune on beauty products that promise shinier, silkier hair, but to really have better hair you have to start with looking at your lifestyle. A healthy diet not only supports your overall body health, it also gives your hair the nutrition it needs to stay healthy. You really can't expect to have shiny, silky hair without it being healthy. So before you stock up on all the latest hair products, take a look at making some lifestyle changes to your diet and stress level. Here are 5 questions to ask yourself and determine which lifestyle changes you can make to have better hair.

1. Is Your Hair Getting Enough Protein?
Each strand of hair is made up mostly of protein. If you are not getting enough protein in your diet, then your hair will suffer. The average person has 120,000 to 150,000 strands of hair. Anywhere from 50 to 100 of these strands are shed per day. Hair growth goes through phases. Each one of your hairs has a growing phase of 2 to 3 years in which the hair grows about 1/2 inch each month and then a resting phase of 3 to 4 months. Hairs then are shed and new hairs grow to replace them. Without enough protein to support new hair growth you may have more hair in the resting phase than in the growing phase. If you start noticing a significant loss of hair, start noticing how much healthy protein you are getting in your diet.

When you start looking at the types of protein you have in your diet, make sure you are getting the "good proteins". This would include whole grains, soy foods, sprouts, blue green algae, fish, nuts, leafy greens, beans, carrots and white meat.

2. What Vitamins Does Your Hair Need?
Biotin is an essential B vitamin that promotes healthy hair growth, prevents breakage and protects against dry hair. As an extra bonus, biotin also contributes to healthy digestion of fats and carbohydrates. Foods such as beans, breads, egg yolks, fish, liver, meat, dairy products, nuts, peanut butter, whole grains and poultry are all sources for biotin. Your body however can produce biotin on its own. The healthy bacteria in your large and small intestine make biotin that is readily absorbed and used by your body. So one way to support your body in making more biotin for better hair is to support your gut probiotic growth with supplements of high quality acidophilus and bifidus.
Other nutrients to check for in your diet for better hair include vitamin E and certain trace minerals including selenium, copper, and magnesium
.
3. Are You Getting Enough Iron?
Iron is another must for healthy hair. Meat is the main way most people think of to get iron in the diet, but stick with healthy meats such as pork, lean beef and fish. For vegetarians, look for cereals fortified with iron, soybeans, white beans, spinach and lentils as good sources of iron. The body does not absorb iron from plant based foods as readily as it does from animal sources, so even if you eat a lot of soybeans and lentils you may not be getting enough iron. Iron supplementation may be needed to get enough iron and you should check with your health care provider for testing to see if you need iron supplements.

4. How's Your Stress Level?
More than 20 million Americans suffer from health problems related to chronic stress and 95% of visits made to healthcare professionals are for issues related to stress. Stress alone may not necessarily cause hair loss but there are certain stressors mostly related to physiological change in your body that can be the cause. So for example if you lose a considerable amount of weight or your body goes through some other type of drastic change, hair loss can be a result. High fever or a severe infection, major surgery, certain medical conditions such as thyroid disorders or a severe change in diet can all be physiological stressors that can affect your body and be related to abnormal loss of hair.

B vitamins, especially B-12, help us relax. When we are stressed, we tend to use up our body's supply of B vitamins and need to replace them before getting into a Catch-22 situation. Fortunately, we can replenish the body's supply of B vitamins naturally by replacing the probiotics or "friendly bacteria" in the intestines. These friendly bacteria produce the B vitamins in our bodies and taking probiotic supplements like acidophilus and bifidus can give your body a boost to keep producing these vitamins and help your body cope with stress.

5. Is Your Scalp Healthy?
Healthy hair comes from a healthy scalp. Getting omega-3 fatty acids in your diet does a lot to help keep your scalp healthy. Good sources for omega-3 include fish, nuts, leafy greens and AFA blue green algae. Most Americans tend to get too many omega-6 fatty acids in their diets and not enough omega-3s. AFA blue green algae is one of the best wholefood sources of omega-3 fatty acids and it has the exact ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that your body needs.

How did you do on answering these questions? We hope it gave you some tips and ideas on how to have better hair before investing in all the hair beauty products the media assures us will make us all look like hair models. For any part of the body to thrive and look good, being healthy is the key. Making some of these lifestyle changes can go a long way to helping you and your hair look good and feel good.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products at wholesale prices on our website.



Tuesday, June 11, 2013

How to Get Clear Skin with These Homemade Facial Masks

Skin is part of the immune system and the body's first line of defense in keeping out foreign invaders that can make us sick, but beyond that we all want our skin to look healthy and knowing how to get clear skin is a part of that. Since this part of our immune system is out there for all the world to see, knowing how to get clear skin and looking our best is important too. The beauty industry will sell you a multitude of products promising to keep your skin clean, hydrated, wrinkle-free, moisturized, and youthful looking, but do you really need all those expensive products? And do you really need the chemicals and man-made substances some of them contain? Personally if I have the choice of using inexpensive, natural ingredients that's the way I'd rather pick for how to get clear skin. Here are a few facial masks that can be used for all types of skin that are easy and made from natural ingredients that you may find already in your kitchen.

Oatmeal Honey Yogurt Mask –about.com beauty(http://ow.ly/kv0Wi)
This facial mask is good for rejuvenation and cleansing of skin. All you need is:
  • 1 tbsp. finely ground oatmeal
  • 1 tbsp. plain organic yogurt (with live active cultures)
  • Several drops of honey
Mix the oatmeal and yogurt together in a bowl. Hold a spoon over hot water or warm the spoon by holding it under hot water, then add honey to the spoon. This serves to warm the honey up a bit before adding it to the mixture. Stir all 3 ingredients together until mixed well and apply the mask to your face. After 10 minutes, rinse the mask off by splashing warm water on your face and then wash off any remaining with a warm cloth. You can then apply your favorite natural moisturizer and you're done.

Peach-Vinegar Facial Mask
This mask works well to clean all skin types. All you need is:
  • 1 organic peach
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Peel the peach and mash it up to a fine consistency (or puree it in a food processor). Add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the puree. Depending on the size of the peach you use, you may need to adjust the amount of vinegar you add. Add just enough vinegar so that the mask is firm enough to stay on your face after you apply it. Apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Rinse your face with warm water and follow up with a natural moisturizer.


Sugar Scrub –about.com beauty(http://ow.ly/kv1Pn)
Skin is constantly regenerating itself. As new skin cells are formed at the lowest skin level, they push their way up to the surface and most of the dead skin cells fall off. Exfoliating the skin gets rid of the dead skin found on the surface which help keep skin pores clear keeping away blackheads and other small bumps on your face. Some people use salt to exfoliate their skin, but sugar is less likely to tear at skin. All you need for this is:
  • 2 tbsp. of sugar
  • 3 tbsp. of warm water
Pour the sugar into the water and stir until it is dissolved. Put it on your face and massage it all over your face. Use warm water to rinse it off. That's it, super simple and you've removed all those leftover dead skin cells and cleared out your pores.

Deep Cleansing Aciophilus/Enzyme Mask
This mask is great for deep-cleansing your pores and works well on all skin types. After using it, you'll notice your skin will be smooth and your pores will appear smaller.
All you need is:
  • 1 enzyme capsule (open to pour out powder inside capsules) 
  • 1 acidophilus capsule (open to pour out powder inside capsules)
  • spring water
Mix powdered enzyme and acidophilus, which both usually come in capsules, with spring water until the mix achieves a mud-like consistency. Apply the mixture over your entire face or just over your T-zone. Leave the mask on until it dries completely, and then rinse your face with warm water. Follow with a natural moisturizer.

There you have it – how to get clear skin the natural way. Whether you need to exfoliate, deep cleanse, or clear out pores you can do so inexpensively and with all natural ingredients. That's the way I like it – all natural cleansing for my all natural skin. Give it a try and see what you think!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products at wholesale prices on our website.


Thursday, June 6, 2013

Aging Gracefully: Is Your Diet Aging You?

When you look in the mirror, what do you see – are you aging gracefully or do you look older than your years? If you don't appear to be aging gracefully, consider looking at what you eat. Beyond that consider what you are actually digesting. After all, no matter what types of foods you have in your diet, if your body is not getting the full nutritional value out of them then you are losing the health benefits. Either or both of these dietary concerns could lead to not aging gracefully.

What Are You Eating?
Not eating a healthy diet can certainly lead to looking older. Fast foods, junk foods, foods high in trans fats, sugar and/or carbs and lots of processed foods can cause an inflammatory state in your body. An unhealthy diet can not only lead to many diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, but can also cause damage to skin collagen and fibers. If your diet mainly consists of foods of this type, it's no wonder you don't find yourself aging gracefully.

Really start taking a look at the types of foods you eat and if you are not reading labels on products already, start doing so. Processed meats such as sandwich meats or hotdogs for example tend to be high in saturated fats, nitrates and sodium. Add some french fries with that hotdog or sandwich and you are adding trans fats to the meal. Anything deep fried has lots of trans fats which the American Heart Association recommends should be less than 1% of your daily dietary intake. They recommend that saturated fats be kept to less than 7% of your daily diet. These saturated and trans fats add to the inflammatory state in the body as well as contribute to problems with your arteries. Having too much sodium in your diet can lead to high blood pressure and higher risk of heart attack or stroke. If you just can't give up your sandwich or hotdog for lunch, look for a brand that has low or no salt.

The good news is that the inflammation caused by this type of eating can be reduced and you can start looking like you are aging gracefully by making some dietary changes. Eating a variety of high quality vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low fat dairy, lean meats and other protein sources is the best way to keep your body healthy, active and looking its best. Including fish such as tuna, salmon and herring which are high in omega-3 fatty acids can help fight the inflammation. Whole grains such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice and quinoa not only have been found to help reduce inflammation but also have thiamine and riboflavin which help keep skin healthy. Your skin also needs lots of good protein to keep it healthy. Look for lean meats and healthy alternative protein sources such as soy and beans. Eating a variety of food high in antioxidants can also help when it comes to aging gracefully. These foods added to your diet can help you get more antioxidants:
  • Lettuce, broccoli, spinach, and arugula are high in antioxidant vitamins A and C
  • Blueberries, green tea, sprouts, garlic, blue green algae, edible grasses and tumeric are all sources of antioxidants
  • Tomatoes, watermelon, grapefruit, asparagus and red cabbage are high in the antioxidant lycopene
  • Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale are high in vitamin C, beta-carotene, fiber, calcium, iron, and folate
  • Beans are a lean source of protein and have lots of fiber and antioxidant vitamins.
Antioxidants protect cells from oxidative damage, help with cellular repair, replace lipids in the membranes that have been damaged and act as cleansers or scavengers for free radicals. If your lifestyle is such that you just can't get in enough antioxidants through the foods you eat, you can add supplements to your diet such as one loaded with sprouts, chlorophyll, glutathione, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Instead of giving up on the nutrition you need, search for other ways to get it that fits with your lifestyle.

Another consideration as we get older is what medications we are taking. There are some foods that may be in the healthy eating category that do not mix well with certain medications. For example, my father is on some medications that prevent him from eating dark green leafy type vegetables and cranberries. These are healthy to eat, but not for him. The nutrition he would get from eating these foods has to be found from other sources. Don't miss out on the nutrition from the foods you need to avoid, just search for another source that is acceptable. It is always a good idea when taking medications to ask your health care provider if there are any foods you need to avoid.

What Are You Digesting?
If you are eating a healthy diet, good for you! You are one step ahead in the aging gracefully game. Consider now how much of that food your body is able to actually use. How is your digestion? Another thing to consider for seniors is special problems that cause us to avoid some of the foods that can keep us healthy. For example, many people find beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and other vegetables of this type cause them to pass excess gas and/or have stomach cramping or that dairy products cause them to have stomach distress. Instead of discounting beans, vegetables or dairy products that cause problems, try adding them in slowly a little bit at a time to your diet and/or drinking extra water when eating them. With dairy products, you may need to look for lactose free products. You can also use digestive enzymes to help in the digestion process of problem foods like beans.

Adding food enzymes to the diet can complete the metabolization of fat, proteins and carbs when taken with food. Taken between meals they are absorbed into the blood and can help clean out residual food particles. There are four types of enzymes that break down food molecules:
  • lipase for fat molecules
  • protease for protein
  • cellulase for cellulose 
  • amylase for starch molecules
Enzymes found naturally in foods become inactive when food is over cooked or processed. Most of us don't get all the enzymes we need for proper digestion for this reason. Not having enough active enzymes puts extra stress on the pancreas, liver and spleen as they have to work overtime to produce enzymes that we are not getting from the foods we eat.

The beneficial bacteria in our intestines is also very important to the digestive process. They support proper digestion and help eliminate waste. The problem is that there are so many things that can throw off the balance of these friendly bacteria. Antibiotics, antacids, other medications, radiation, stress, chemicals in our food, water or air are just some of the things that can contribute to throwing off this balance allowing an overgrowth of yeast and unfriendly bacteria. Adding probiotics to the diet can help balance the friendly bacteria which aid in the digestive process and take stress off of the immune system.

Latobacilluls acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus, better known as acidophilus and bifidus, are found naturally in the intestines. Acidophilus is needed for nutrient absorption and is found along the wall of the small intestine. It activates vitamin production, helps in digestion of food, and in lactose tolerance. Bifidus helps with absorbing water from foods, helps prevent bloating and gas, and aids in the eliminating of waste materials.

Next time you look in the mirror and think you are looking older than your years, think about these two questions: What are you eating? and What are you digesting? Making some simple changes to diet and digestive health can go a long way to helping you with aging gracefully.


If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products at wholesale prices on our website.