Tag: Wellness

In the November 26, 2008 issue of Cell, The Columbia University Medical Center research group, led by Gerard Karsenty, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Genetics and Development at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, has discovered a unique link between bone growth and serotonin levels. In the past, the main focus of serotonin research was to study its effects on mood, sleep, and appetite, in addition to other brain functions which utilize approximately 5 percent of the body’s serotonin.

Researchers have known for a few years now that the other 95 percent of the body’s serotonin is produced in the duodenum, a part of the small intestine. It was assumed that the serotonin there was involved with digestion.… Read the rest

Exercise is a great stimulant to improving your immune system to ward off infections, flu, colds, viruses and cancers. Certain types of exercise can increase the number of white blood cells up to fourteen times their normal amount. For someone prone to infections and disease, this is good news indeed.

One of the most effective ways to stimulate your immune system is to bounce on a mini-trampoline or rebounder. Believe me, it’s not like you have to jump a foot in the air. The most effective way, is to keep your feet on the bed of the rebounder and gently bounce up and down for two minutes. It only takes two minutes to flush the entire lymphatic system of toxins and gunk.… Read the rest

According to sports nutrition researchers, your muscles are designed to work well only in a narrow range of almost zero acidity. Arterial blood works best with no acid at all. What does that mean? Your body has a secret balance that is not only designed to keep you healthy, but to make moving more comfortable and efficient. That balance is your acid/alkaline balance. Acidity and alkalinity is measured by a unit called pH. It can be measured by a liquid pH reagent, by a pH meter, or by pH reactive strips.( The pH strips are not very accurate once the package has been opened.)

For example, at rest, in a healthy person, muscle pH should be about 6.9, while arterial blood should be about 7.4.”… Read the rest

There are always unmentionables that are never supposed to be included in polite conversation. There are things you just don’t talk about. When we do, we hear, “Too much information!” It seems it’s only three year olds that are fascinated with bowel movements. But, the more you know about what makes your bowels work, the better chances you have to be healthy.

One of the important things you need to know is how often. Experts say that two to three times a day is optimal and once is absolutely imperative. Keeping body waste moving regularly avoids toxic build-ups and re-absorption of what the body is trying to get rid of. If it was good for your body, things would have been designed differently.… Read the rest

Sunflower seeds are so nutritious but did you know that you can grow your own sprouts that you can eat fresh, giving yourself a source of enzymes, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. This food is a real powerhouse of nutrients that is well worth the effort of growing them. There is nothing like live food to give you high quality nutrition that pack as punch like nothing else can.

To grown your own sunflower sprouts, the method is slightly different than other forms of sprouting, which I cover in another article. You need to go to your local nursery and buy two plant trays. These are the kind that you find two rows of bedding plants sitting in. You will need one with holes in the bottom to let water drain and one that has a solid bottom.… Read the rest

Eating the right foods, especially towards the end of your day at your evening meal can help you sleep more soundly and restfully. If you eat a well balanced diet containing sleep inducing ingredients, you will have a greater chance for a more restful sleep.

Two specific nutrients are responsible for promoting better sleep. Magnesium is found mainly in meats, fish, seafood, dairy products and green vegetables. B-vitamins are found mainly in potatoes, beans, whole grains, broccoli, meats and bananas.

By eating complex carbohydrate-rich foods at the evening meal, such as whole grains and complex starches, you encourage the production of serotonin which has a calming effect on the brain, reduces depression and is important in regulating the brain’s wake/sleep cycle.… Read the rest

Baby boomers are members of a group of babies that exploded into the world at the end of World War 11 and beyond. Between 1946 and 1964, there were 76 million of us born. The oldest of us is at or nearing retirement age. Studies have shown that as a demographic, we are more interested in our health and staying fit than any other group in history. We spend a lot of money to improve and preserve our health.

As we age, we tend to be more prone to aches, pains and injuries than younger fitness buffs. These aches and pains, we laughingly refer to as “boomeritis.” Despite this, we have helped the fitness and health club business grow stupendously since the first boomers hit the big “four O.”… Read the rest

Public health advocates are pushing for a ban on the sale of sports drinks and flavored waters in schools, warning that drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade contain as much as two-thirds the sugar of sodas, and more than three times the sodium.

But a report from the University of California at Berkeley warns that people who drink one 20-ounce sports drink every day for a year may gain about 13 pounds. This is no surprise to some nutritionists, who note that when you look at the ingredients, it’s water, high-fructose corn syrup, and salt.

According to Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, “For years we’ve been programmed to believe that sports drinks are healthy and you need to replenish those electrolytes after you go out and walk your dog.… Read the rest

Think about it! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to feel, look and perform better and better every day? Look in magazines, on the internet, or at your local spa and you can find lots of things that you can put on your skin to smoothen it, soften it and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. There are machines that will reduce your cellulite or melt away your fat and tone your body. We have so much technology that helps us to feel and look better. To a lot of people, personal image is very important. They don’t want to look like they ‘re getting older.

What if I told you there was a “secret something” that would make all of the products and treatments you are using work so much better?… Read the rest

Remember, Oscar, he was that green furry thing on Sesame Street that lived in a garbage can. He was always grumpy, no matter what. What Oscar didn’t realize is that he could change. There are just as many ways to be happy as there are to be unhappy. While in some cases, it is not necessarily a matter of choice, the fact that happiness feels better makes it more enticing. If you are down in the dumps, how do you pick yourself up and be happier?

First of all, be grateful for what you do have. Even though it may not be very much, it is yours and it serves a purpose in your life. We all have something to be grateful for.… Read the rest