Six Morning Habits to Beat the Blues
Depression is a common and serious neurological disorder that negatively affects how one feels and behaves. Some symptoms associated with depression include increased sadness, anxiety, loss of appetite, dejected mood, and a loss of interest in pleasurable activities.
On a global scale, 350 million people are affected by depression. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) states depression is the leading cause of disability in America among people ages 15 to 44 years old
Boost Vagal Function to Improve Chronic and Autoimmune Conditions
Did you know that your stamina, gut health, blood sugar levels, heart rate variability, inflammation, emotional well-being, and even your ability to create lasting positive social connections, are all directly influenced by your vagus nerve?
The Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It is either one of two cranial nerves which extend from the brain stem all the way to the intestines. It connects the brain to many important organs including the heart, lungs, stomach, intestines, liver, and gallbladder. It’s involved in controlling the immune, cardiovascular, respiratory, and endocrine systems.
A Spoonful of Sugar Makes the Medicine (and Your Health) Go Down
Let’s face it — we could all probably use a little assistance in the sugar department.
The U.S. ranks number one worldwide with the highest sugar consumption per person, currently at 126 grams (that’s 29 teaspoons!) of sugar per person per day. All this extra added sugar is extremely detrimental for your health.
Nearly 75 percent of adults in the U.S. get approximately 10 percent of their daily calories from added sugar
Science News: Nature’s Xanax is Making a Comeback
While the popular song suggests “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” for some, this statement doesn’t ring true. The holidays are times of peace and joy, but for many, the season is filled with anxiety. According to a poll by the American Psychological Association, nearly a quarter of Americans reported symptoms of extreme stress during the holidays. A survey, conducted by Healthline in 2015, revealed that 62% of respondents describe their stress level as “very or somewhat” elevated during the holiday season.
What is the treatment for anxiety?
While there are prescription drugs available that are designed to treat anxiety, such as Xanax, most of the conventional medications can not only be costly but also harmful for you. Besides the risk of addiction, these pharmaceuticals contain severe side effects including paranoia, suicidal thoughts, impaired memory, judgment, and coordination. The good news is that there are natural solutions for anxiety.
Eat Your Way to Calm & Inner Peace: How to Overcome Anxiety with Diet
The term–Watch what you eat!—is commonly in reference to weight gain and physical fitness, but what about in connection to the brain? Reality is, your diet has a direct affect on your brain and how it performs. While healthy foods promote beneficial reactions such as mental clarity and alertness, unhealthy foods can alter your mood, impair your thinking, and even trigger anxiety.
Science News: Poor Posture is Killing Your Confidence!
Posture is the structural framework of your body. It is not a position, but a dynamic pattern of reflexes, habits, and adaptive responses to anything that resists you being more or less upright and functional, such as:
Gravity
Awkward working conditions
Abnormal anatomy
Athletic challenges
Posture is also more than the sum of those parts. It is the way you live, the shape of your flexible “container,” the physical manifestation of your comfort zone.
The Healing Power of Touch
Most people still view massage as a luxury item. They place it on their wish rather than todo list. But massage should be considered as a necessity just like eating healthy and working out.
Massage therapy has been employed to promote physical and emotional health since the earliest human civilizations. The earliest indication of massage was between 3,000 and 2,500 BC in Egypt and China.
In recent years, a wave of studies has documented some incredible emotional and physical health benefits of this ancient healing practice. Here are a few reasons to pick up the phone and schedule your next massage:
Eat Your Way Out of Depression
In many ways, the brain acts like a computer. It serves as a memory bank, an information database, and the central control station for the rest of the body. Just like the files downloaded on a computer can affect its performance, the foods partaken can alter the function of the mind.
Food affects your mood!
It’s important to be aware that your daily diet has a direct correlation to your brain and how it operates. Some foods are harmful and can even trigger mood disorders such as depression.
What is depression?
Depression is a common and serious neurological disorder that negatively affects how one feels and behaves. Some symptoms associated with depression include increased sadness, anxiety, loss of appetite, dejected mood, and a loss of interest in pleasurable activities.
Science News: How Your Gut Influences Your Brain, Mood, Behavior, and More
Did you ever consider there is more in your gut than your latest meal?
Gut flora, or microbiota, is the microbe population which is found in the digestive tract. The complex ecosystem that harbors these microbes is called the microbiome.
The microbiome is composed of numerous species of bacteria, fostering both good and bad. Good bacteria are vital for daily health by assisting in digestion, creating vitamins, and protecting the body’s system against infection.
Your Gut – The Epicenter of Your Mental and Physical Wellbeing
The gut is literally the gateway to health.
There is no part of the body, no disease, no organ system – that the gut does not directly or indirectly affect. Studies have confirmed that not only does the gut transfer food to vital organs, but it plays a role in our physical health, mental health, emotional stability, immunology, neurology, endocrinology, and pathology.
Our Microbiome Are As Unique As Our Fingerprints
Our body is, in fact, a complex ecosystem made up of more than 100 trillion microbes (10 times the number of human cells!) that must be properly balanced and cared for if we are to be healthy.