Lift your Spirits with Nutritious Foods!

The most optimistic person gets blue at times. When you feel down in the dumps you can do something about it.....healthy foods can be the solution. Don't grab your ordinary comfy foods that are filled with sugars and fats. Reach out and try some brain food for a change. Since our brains are about 60% fat and our moods are controlled by our brains then try adding a nourishing food like nuts! Yep, brain food because they contain Omega-3 fatty acids and they help to keep your spirits high. Other foods that help our body produce serotonin, the transmitter that stablizes our mood, are grains, broccoli, lentils, soybeans, oranges. Vitamin D helps to increase sertotonin production and can be found in egg yolks, fish with bones, fat-free and low-fat milk. So when feeling a little down reach for the real comfy foods and feel that spirit soar!

B12 The Feel Good Vitamin

Well with the famous ball player in the news and going up to Washington to defend his reputation and his use of Vitamin B12 shots, I thought I would share with you some of the benefits of Vitamin B12, B6 and folic acid. The product I am talking about is not an injection but a sub lingual (melt in your mouth) tablet that contains the afore mentioned vitamins and is taken every day to maintain a consistent level of these amazing vitamins that make you "feel good". If you experience fatigue, lack of strength and just don't feel good then possibly you are low in B12 vitamins. As you age it is more difficult to absorb B vitamins through the digestive tract and a lack of these essentials can cause the daily fatigue and just down in the dumps feelings that you may experience. Dr. Alfred Libby formulated this patented Vitamin B12 sub lingual tablet and is an expert in its effect on the body. When you take this sub lingual tablet you will notice an increase in energy, a sense of strength and well being and just "feel good" as these nutrients are readily absorbed directly into the blood stream as the tablet is allowed to melt in your mouth. If you would like to try this product please check out the product list at bottom of my blog.

Winter Blues, or SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder

Well the winter continues to hang on here in the Midwest with cold and frigid air blewing in almost every day. At times this makes me a little depressed as I love sunshine and warm breezy days of summer. I know some people suffer more than others during dreary winter days and seem to stay in a gloomy mood most of the winter. It seems cloudy days and gloomy weather in parts of the country goes on for several months. Many experience depression and feeling moody during this time of year and researchers have found out that part of this problem is related to the lack of exposure to sunlight. So light therapy using "light boxes" are sometimes used. In a more recent 30-day study, Vitamin D therapy was compared with the two-hour daily use of "light boxes". The result; depression was completely resolved in the Vitamin D group, but not in the light box group. Exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun can restore some of your Vitamin D supply. But during winter months the sunlight is in shorter demand..thus hindering your body's natural conversion of sunlight into Vitamin D-3. Some foods contain Vitamin D but don't normallly increase Vitamin D levels. Most additives of Vitamin D are synthetic and aren't as potent as what the body reqiures, so it is best to supplement with a a quality Vitamin D that is the same form that your body makes from sunshine. I use VitaCal-Mag D from the company where I order Health and Wellness Products. Note product list below.

Special treats

Well since today is the day of love......I think the best special treat that we can give or receive is that of love words. Of course those love words mean alot in greeting cards, emails, letters, phone messages, etc. but the best feelings come when these words are actually spoken or actually heard! WOW when you say I love you or hear these warm and uplifting words your whole being lights up and recharges with positive energy! Loneliness or feeling like no one cares promotes negative energy and is truly greater than just a big heartache. Feeling unloved affects your health and feeling lonely leads to depression and a weakened immune system as well as high blood pressure. So on this Valentine day lets make sure to give some real sugar and tell someone you love them in person!

Top Killer, Congestive heart failure

This blog presents more info about the heart and was taken from an article by Dr. Scott Conard, MD who is the founder of Tiena Health, an organization that emphasizes healthy lifestles to maintain welllness. I have studed and trained under Dr. Conard and received certification from Tiena Health as a Life Coach so I truly respect his authority on health issues. CHF or congestive heart failure effects the heart's ability to pump enough blood through the body. The causes of congestive heart failure include some of the following: problems with the heart's value; high blood pressure or damage to the heart muscle; coronary artery disease; or a weakened heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) due to infection, excess alcohol intake or genetic defect.
One of the first signs of Congestive Heart Failure is swelling in the feet, ankles and legs. The swellings usually spreads and the kidneys may begin to retain fluid. Other sympttoms can be shortness of breath, feeling weak, wheezing, coughing and frequent urination. Diuretics maybe prescribed and other medications, as well Vitamin B-12 has been shown to be effective to lessen the symptoms. An amino acid, taurine, is created when taking Vitamin B12 and studies have shown it to be useful in treating Congestive Heart Failure symptoms. Those studied showed significant improvement in breathing and a reduction in heart palpitations and fluid buildup.

Love your Heart

I read some great ideas on how to "love your heart" and wanted to pass them along.
These are easy and proven to help keep your heart healthy.
If you are a smoker,try to stop.
If you're diabetic, be consistent on controling your blood sugar as diabetics have a higher risk of heart problems.
Increase your intake of veggies and fruities: try to eat 7-9 every day
Eat a variety of foods of different colors; carrots, brocolli, tomatoes
Also eat foods that have high fiber contents such as whole grains, oatmeal
Eat more oily fish such as salmon, trout and herring they contain Omega3 fatty acids,which are healthy food for your heart.
Try to increase excercise to at least 30 minutes each day.
Of course try to keep weight under control.
Well I know this is not news to many but just a reminder for us all.

Love-Heart Health Connection

It's heart month...a great time to think about heart health. Everyone knows that heart disease is the leading cause of death but alot probably are not aware of the how love affects the (literal) heart. Here are a few tidbits that research has found out recently. One Yale study showed that men who felt they were loved had less blockage in their arteries compared to those men who did not feel treasured. Another study showed men who felt their wives didn't show them love had twice as much chest pain (angina) compared to men who felt love from their wives. This was despite cardiovascular risk factors. A study out of San Diego University and the University of Pittsburgh found women who were happily married or living with a partner had lower cardiovascular risk factors. This studies concluded that blood pressure and cholesterol levels are better in happily partnered couples rather than those who were unhappily married or unmarried. Just spending time with your partner has heart health benefits according to the Pittsburgh Health Heart Project. This study found that men who spent more time interacting with their spose had less arterial thickening over a 3-year period. Everyone knows the good warm feelings of a hug. Doctors from the University of North Carolina found that daily hugging has heart health benefits also. So this is heart month reach out and hug someone today!

What is that?

The first step I took when starting on this new wellness adventure involving natural rememdies was to do a cleanse. Now I didn't quite know what I was getting into but believe me I quickly found out. It was explained to me that death begins in the colon and that was the area of the body that needed to be cleansed first. I began the process of making my colon happy so it could function as nature intended, a disposal system with no clogs! Not happy pictures I am sure to you but a necessary part of being healthy is to have proper digestive plumbing. You can learn more colon cleansing by reading about it in many books by Dr. Jensen.

New to me

This is rather exciting as I have not yet been a blogger although I have expressed myself over the years about some rather interesting topics. I have researched and been trained over the past 12 years in alternative natural therapies, herbal as well as vitamin supplements. I can truly say that many of these natural products have not only enhanced my health but have improved my level of functioning. Over 12 years ago I was first introduced into the world of natural and nutritional health and can testify of the value of these. I have had arthritis in my back for years following a fall when I was in college that broke a couple of places in my vertabrae. So I have experienced alot of pain and used many NSAIDs and other pain relief for years. But about 12 years ago I found myself in poor health, with alot of pain, and side effects to my digestive system due to the meds I was taking. I then was told about some herbal products to help my digestion and thus the journey began into the world of natural products!