Living Well — natural

What are the Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin? 0

What is it?

Turmeric is a yellow colored spice that has been used in dishes native to India for thousands of years. The root of the plant is harvested, cleaned, and dried. It is then turned into a powder. It has a spicy kick that lends itself to being a common seasoning used in food. Besides its culinary uses, turmeric has been used for textile dying and even health remedies. Turmeric contains what is known as curcumin. You can only find a small percentage of curcumin in turmeric. However, in 1815, it was able to be isolated from turmeric and became an important player.

When you have turmeric and curcumin both working in your body, you will find many health benefits. These spices have properties that help to create a better overall feeling of wellbeing. Here are some of the beneficial properties and health benefits of turmeric and curcumin:  

Anti-Inflammatory

Curcumin has been found to have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin blocks Nf-kB. This molecule is related to inflammation and is suspected to be the major factor in several chronic diseases.

Increases Body’s Antioxidant Capacity

Oxidative damage has been believed to be one of the many causes of several diseases. Turmeric contains the ability to boost the body's natural antioxidant enzymes.

Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

Heart disease is the largest killer in the world. One of the causes of heart disease is inflammation. Due to the fact that the spice has strong and natural anti-inflammatory properties, it limits this problem. Another cause of heart disease is oxidative damage. Turmeric's strong antioxidant property goes a long way with fighting and preventing heart disease.

Can help Alzheimer's Disease

This spice has been found to cause improvements in the pathological process of the disease. Inflammation and oxidative damage are both key players in the disease. This spice helps to counteract both of these issues.

There are many other health benefits of turmeric and curcumin. This spice has properties that are tremendously beneficial for your overall wellbeing. You can reap the benefits of it by adding it as a spice to your food or making it a regular part of your supplement routine.

Shop this product now and see if it's what you've been needing!

Simple Steps for Digital Detoxing 0

We've all heard how great detoxing can be for your body, but have you ever heard how a "digital detox” can change your life? Detoxing is everywhere, but you can apply this health craze to other parts of your life, and reap benefits other than physical health. A digital detox is exactly what it sounds like, removing digital technology from your life for a short period of time and instead relying on other sources. We’ve become so reliant on unnecessary technology, it really puts things in perspective to take a break!

If this thought seems too scary (which for many, it may be!) you can take small steps to reduce the amount of time you use digital devices.

1. Designate one hour a day as your browsing time.

Whether it’s to peruse social media, catch up on some blogs, or what have you, internet browsing takes up most of the time on our digital devices, no matter your age. Figure out a stretch of time when you can catch up on whatever it is you don’t want to miss. Maybe the best time for you is when you get home and want to unwind after work, or maybe when you first get up in the morning and need something to scour as you eat breakfast. But this designated hour is the ONLY hour you can be browsing your feed. That also doesn't mean you need to spend the full hour refreshing your feed, but make sure to limit yourself to no more than an hour or else you won't see a difference.

2. Do it the old-fashioned way.

Instead of using an e-book, use a physical book. Instead of Pinterest-ing recipes, use a cookbook. Get your news from a, you guessed it… newspaper (or magazine)! Exposing yourself to less blue light (emitted from digital screens) can do wonders for your health, including helping you sleep better at night.

3. Get moving!

For anyone that's tried to run and scroll through their feed at the same time, you know it's difficult. If you feel tempted to play around on your phone just because, try to perform activities that make it difficult for you to do so. Go for a run or a hike, go see a movie or a play, and not only will you be unable to pull out your device, you won't feel the need to because you’ve found another task to occupy your mind.

4. Be social, without the media.

Instead of texting your friends because you have something to fill them in on, make plans to get together and spend some time face-to-face. You'll feel closer, and better yet, you can find other things to talk about that don't have to do with a post you saw on Instagram today. Face-to-face conversation sparks more discussion than texting, so you’ll actually end up getting a lot more out of the conversation.

5. Find a different outlet for the same purpose.

If you find yourself missing social media because of the self expression you feel from it, you can try a different form. Instead of tweeting, try journaling. Instead of Instagramming, try making a piece of art (it doesn't have to be great!). You'll ultimately be left with the same sense of expression, just with a different audience: yourself! In the end, we place too much on others’ perception instead of valuing our own. We might find our enjoyment of something comes from others acknowledging we did it, but the truth is, we should learn to enjoy these things for ourselves instead of needing an audience!

Delicious and Good For You: The Benefits of Green Tea 0

Green tea has to be one of the healthiest drinks out there. If you’re looking to give your immune system a boost, speed up your metabolism, or improve your brain function without moving a muscle (except to grab your favorite mug), then green tea could be the secret ingredient you’ve been needing in your life.

Green tea helps with the best of both worlds, because it can help improve your outside by starting from the inside. Green tea is also completely natural. What more can you ask for? With how many benefits are jam-packed in this tasty little drink, you’d wonder why absolutely everyone hasn’t taken advantage of it yet.

Let’s start with the basics green tea is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients. You’ve heard it all your life, I’m sure— these things are awesome for you. But let’s break it down a little for those of you interested in the details. How do these things actually affect the health of your body? Antioxidants are nutrients and/or enzymes, meaning they play a huge role in fighting free radicals, substances that attack your DNA and other healthy cells. Antioxidants boost up your ability to fight off these free radicals, and push back against things like visible aging and cellular damage, and reduce the chance of disease. Antioxidants mop up these unstable free radicals to repair and limit cell and molecule damage that comes from our everyday contact with them.

Green tea contains a superpower called Epigallocatechin Gallate, which we’ll call EGCG. This compound has been tied to numerous studies that show it is effective in treating various diseases, making it a big contributing player in green tea’s health-boosting reputation. Green tea has also been known to increase fat burning and boost the metabolic rate.

Green tea also helps to keep you awake. Are you someone that needs your morning coffee in order to make it through the day? Green tea is likely a better alternative for you. Although it doesn’t contain as much caffeine as coffee does, green tea doesn’t contain the added cream and sugar that many of us coffee drinkers love. Instead, you get an all-natural option with all the aforementioned health benefits. Green tea contains this active stimulant, but because it does not have the same amount that you find in coffee, you won’t get the same jittery effects, which is oftentimes our least favorite part about getting our morning java. Instead, you’ll have a more productive, stable buzz. You’ll still reap the benefits of being more energized, but you won’t find yourself tapping your foot against your desk all day.

Hate drinking your tea plain? You can add some natural ingredients that serve up excellent health benefits themselves. Boost up the flavor and nutrition with lemon or honey.

Lemon is packed with nourishing elements like vitamins C, B6, A, E, and iron, magnesium, potassium, and protein, among others. Lemons also help to restore balance to the body’s pH, and is known to fight infections and cold through flavonoids.

Honey will add a sweetness to your tea that rivals sugar in your coffee. Besides its delicious taste, honey also aids in soothing things like allergies and sore throats. Honey will also help you to get yourself off to sleep, as it is a natural sleep aid. Honey is additionally overall anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, regulates blood sugar, probiotic (meaning it contains friendly bacteria!), and helps to strengthen the immune system by way of producing immune cells. How’s that for a super-packed drink?

We've only just begun to scratch the surface when it comes to what green tea can do for your body. It's all-natural, has a comforting taste, and produces a multitude of beneficial changes that will become visible after adding a few cups to your diet. What's not to love? Now go ahead and brew yourself a cup, you can thank us later.

Our Favorite Home Remedies 0

Sometimes throughout the day we get bugged by annoying little problemsthat stop us in our tracks – like a pimple that seems to pop up out of nowhere, or a wave of nausea hits us that makes us take a seat. Although it’s important to realize when you need medical attention or should make an appointment with your doctor, check out these quick and easy home remedies when you’re looking for a quick fix at home to scare away some of the symptoms:

Acne – After washing your face with warm water and your favorite salicylic acid face wash, soak a cotton ball in a solution of 1:3 apple cider vinegar and water, respectively. Use this topical mixture right on your problem area and leave on for at least 10 minutes. Afterwards, wash your face again, pat dry, and finish with your daily moisturizer. Feel free to repeat several times in a day until you begin to see improvement.

Bloating – try adding a carminative herb to your food, tea, or just eat on its own! (We love peppermint, ginger, cinnamon, and chamomile). Carminative properties help to sooth your stomach lining and reduce the production of gas, therefore helping to ease any boating you may have.

Burns – for those minor burns when you accidentally touch something hot in your kitchen, quickly scoot on over to your pantry and pull out the vanilla extract and dab it on the burn – believe it or not, the evaporation of the alcohol will help ease the pain by cooling the burn down. If you have more time, get a couple of black tea bags (2 or 3 depending on the surface area of the burn), soak them in cool water, and place directly on the burn. Better yet, use gauze to help hold the tea bags in place.

Congestion – we all know a steaming hot shower can really help to clear us up, but if you’re not looking to get your whole body wet, drape a towel over a large bowl (or sink) of hot water to clear those nasal passages. Make it even better by adding peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, or a few drops of your favorite essential oil and inhale!

Cough – If you’ve already seen your doctor and at this point just have to wait it out, make a tea out of some ingredients right in your kitchen! Boil a teacup of water and add 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tbsp of honey. Drink this homemade tea daily until your see improvement in your cough.

Cracked, dry lips – Vaseline! We love that it is such a versatile product, and it works great on lips. (Okay, this isn’t exactly a home remedy, but it’s probably the easiest and quickest way, and chances are you have some in your house!) And don’t forget to scrub away all of that dry skin with warm water and a toothbrush or use an exfoliating face wash!

Headaches – this is where all of your herbs and essential oils have the opportunity to shine! Make tea with ginger or chamomile, draw a bath with lavender or peppermint, or use thyme or rosemary oil for a head rub.

7 Things You Can Do Today to Feel Healthier Tomorrow 0

Sometimes you’re just in need of a quick way to help get you back on track with your health and wellness goals. Well here are 7 of them that you can do right now to start improving your wellness routine and get back into the habit of being health conscious.

Oil Pulling—oil what?! Let us explain by thinking of it this way—rather than using mouthwash we’re using oil, like coconut oil, and instead of 30 seconds, try 15-20 minutes. But the benefits look so promising, you’ll want to get started right away! First off, we love coconut oil because by itself it has vitamins A, B, D and K. View our other blog post here to see vitamin benefits for your body. At the very least, coconut oil is a great organic substitute for mouthwash and can help improve skin and teeth. So what else is going on while you’re swishing around coconut oil for 20 minutes? The idea is that the toxins are being ‘pulled’ out into your mouth, so you’ll definitely want to spit it out afterwards (be sure to spit in the trash so you don’t risk the oil clogging up your sink). Try taking 1 tablespoon per day—people have claimed seeing results after just one use, but we recommend trying it for a whole week to see what it can do for you!

Breathing Exercises—who knew something so simple could have so many benefits? When you take several deep breaths—breathing slowly all the way in and all the way out—it activates your vagus nerve (in laymen’s terms, your body switches from storing fat to burning it). In addition, the process of breathing in so deeply rids your lungs of carbon dioxide and as a result increase your oxygen intake. So what are you waiting for—get breathing!

Drink Water—you know the saying, drink water now, because you’ll need it later! Whether you’ve heard it or not, it’s very true. If you’re someone who rarely drinks a glass of water, we guarantee you’ll notice a huge difference in the way you feel when you drink 2 to 3 liters a day. Although studies show differing recommendations on how much water you should drink, we’ve found the easiest way to drink water is to always carry it on your person, and when in doubt, take a sip! Not only does it keep you hydrated, but it regulates your body temperature, cushions your joints, and helps rid your body of harmful toxins. Another easy way to tell you’re getting enough water—your urine is light yellow or colorless!

Daily Oil Dosage—yep, we’re talking about CBD Hemp Oil! It comes in several different forms you can check out here, but a daily dose of it can help take you from distress to de-stress. Ahhh.

Tongue Scraping—another great way to extract toxins and bacteria from your body is by purchasing these scrapers inexpensively at health food stores and pharmacies. Throughout the day, bacteria and plaque covers up our tongue, so it makes sense that it can be more difficult to taste our food. But the effect doesn’t stop there—it can make us overcompensate with salt and sugar, ending in a series of overeating. To get the best effect, buy an actual tongue scraper instead of just using your toothbrush to really get those toxins off so you can start tasting again!

Sweat and Stretch—and in this order! Yet another way to get to release toxins from your body is through sweat, so get out and get moving! Exercise should be a daily occurrence anyways, and you want to make sure that you stretch after your warm up and before you start your full-fledged routine—that way your muscles have time to warm up and will stretch better and reduce the risk of injury.

Go to Bed!—although all of these options are great for feeling better as soon as the next day, they’ll all be for nothing if you stay up until the wee hours of the morning. Even though it might be difficult at times, your body will truly thank you the next day if you can squeeze in 7-8 hours of sleep the night before. On top of feeling more energized, it will help keep you on track with healthier eating and your skin will look a lot healthier—how could you pass up on these benefits just from getting a little more shuteye?!

Part 2: Minerals - Learn What Foods Give You the Best Source 0

In part 1, we discussed the different vitamins and how to incorporate them into your diet by choosing the best food sources. This time around, we’re looking at the minerals out there and how you can maximize your intake by following our list of foods for each category. Did you miss Part 1: Vitamins? You can check it out right here. Again, just like last time, in order to provide you with the ultimate best food choices, to make our list the food sources had to provide at least 50% of the dietary reference intake (per the USDA) in one serving. Take a look at part 2!

Minerals

Calcium

Why you need it—it makes our bones strong! 99% of our body’s calcium content can be found in our bones and teeth. What may not be so well-known is that it also aids in our blood’s pH balance and muscle and nerve function. Where you can get it—yup, you guessed it, milk! But this is where it gets a little tricky, since some milk, and enough of it, can provide you with your daily needs of calcium, but also note that you can get your calcium from types of tofu as well!

Copper

Why you need it—it works together with iron to form red blood cells, so consuming foods high in copper can help with anemia. Although many people do not get enough copper in their diet, it is rare to be truly deficient. Where you can get it—seafood, such as oysters, red meat, sunflower and sesame seeds, tempeh, garbanzo and soybeans, cashews, shiitake mushrooms, lentils, and walnuts.

Fluorine

Why you need it—protect your teeth from decay. Where you can get it—fluorinated water as well as tea leaves.

Iodine

Why you need it—it is essential for the production of thyroid hormones in producing energy, with the thyroid gland containing about 70-80% of your body’s iodine at any given time. Where you can get it—sea vegetables (seaweed), scallops, cod, iodized salt, and yogurt.

Iron

Why you need it—it is responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood to your cells and has a role in producing the body’s energy source (ATP). Where you can get it—red meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, soybeans, and fortified breakfast cereals.

Magnesium

Why you need it—it’s important for proper organ function, especially the heart, muscles and kidneys, and in addition helps activate enzymes and regulate levels of other minerals throughout the body. Where you can get it—pumpkin seeds, spinach, Swiss chard.

Phosphorus

Why you need it—about 80% of your body’s phosphorus content lies in the bones and teeth, so it too plays a strong role alongside calcium, and in addition helps filter out waste in the kidneys. Where you can get it—a good rule of thumb is looking for protein-rich foods, so try scallops, sardines, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, cod, tuna, salmon, lentils, and shrimp.

Potassium

Why you need it—we need this mineral for proper digestive and muscle functioning, and in addition low levels of potassium have been linked to high blood pressure. Where you can get it—yes, we all know bananas have potassium, but there are some other food sources richer in potassium that might surprise you. While there isn’t one food source that will give you all your daily potassium needs in a single serving, you can still get a good amount from beet greens, lima beans, Swiss chard, potatoes and sweet potato, spinach, and avocado.

Selenium

Why you need it—it works along with vitamin E to prevent the damage of free radicals in the body, in addition to playing a role in thyroid and immune system functioning. Where you can get it—look for meat and fish here, especially tuna, shrimp, sardines, salmon, turkey, cod, chicken, and lamb. But wait, if you’re looking for an alternative, Brazil nuts provide over 700% of your daily value!

Sodium

Why you need it—it works alongside potassium to regulate the body’s fluid balance in addition to aiding in nerve and muscle function. Where you can get it—table salt, seafood, and cheese.

Zinc

Why you need it—it plays a large role in immune system functioning and also supports normal growth and development. Where you can get it—red meats and some cheeses are a good source, although by far oysters are the richest source of zinc.