Almost 60 million Americans spend their nights in fitful slumber; tossing and turning, wrestling with the need to get to sleep and yet torturously being unable to do so.
We all know those nights when no amount of counting sheep will work and each hour stretches by with increasing frustration.
Yet there are many options to help you sleep better, ranging from meditation to aromatherapy. But what if the solution was actually in your gut, of all places?
This rehydrates your body, revs up your digestive system, and gets things flowing. You may notice positive changes like clearer skin and better digestion. Bonus points if you add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
While fasting has been part of human culture for thousands of years, only recently have we begun to investigate the therapeutic benefits of the practice. Interestingly, modern science has found a variety of verifiable positive effects fasting that has on human health.
What Is Water Fasting?
Water fasting, also known as a water cleanse, is a type of fasting in which you consume only water for a set period of time. Many cleansing diets are referred to as fasts, but in water fasting, you take in zero calories. It’s distinct from caloric restriction in which a person’s daily caloric intake is reduced by 20–40%.
Importance of Healthy Fats for Nutrient Absorption
Since the 1960s, Americans have been obsessed with cutting all fat out of our diets. In that same time frame, rates of obesity and diabetes skyrocketed across all socioeconomic groups. How is it possible that reducing fat intake coincided with a 300% rise in obesity and a 700% increase in diabetes?[1, 2] It’s almost as if we’ve been completely wrong about fat and its role in nutrition this entire time.
Why Low-Fat Diets Fail
Many readers have no doubt tried a low-fat diet and experienced mixed results. Maybe it didn’t work at all. Maybe you lost a couple of pounds, only to have them quickly return—with a few unwelcome friends. The diet may have even made you sick. Most people eventually slip and abandon the diet, but even when followed obsessively, low-fat diets don’t work.
It’s just as concerning as it sounds. Scientists have introduced into plants and animals, new, scientifically manipulated or chosen, genetic material, to advance and suppress traits as they see fit. The products are genetically modified foods.
From as early as the 70’s, scientists have been genetically manipulating crops. Scientists used these soil bugs along with other gene-implantation technologies to develop numerous new types of crops.
These crops are steadily increasing in our and other countries as well. Some countries are not so completely receptive. The genetic materials are selected to promote resistance to pesticides, herbicides and insecticides; higher nutrient levels; larger produce; and tolerance to extreme weather conditions.
There’s a reason that people are searching for, buying and growing organic produce. It’s a matter of good health and supporting a clean and GREEN environment. People are finally learning the truth, that genetically modified foods are dangerous.
These genetically modified foods that chemists are “designing” are not tested over any significant length of time. They are introduced into our food supply, in our stores and often time with no disclosure requirements for labeling. Generally, they’re not pulled from the shelves until they have done significant damage to consumers’ health, and usually on a large scale.
Avocados are native to Central and South America and have been cultivated since approximately 8,000 B.C. By the mid-1800s, they had been introduced to Asia and Jamaica, but they did not arrive in the United States until the early 20th century. California and Florida produce most of the avocados grown in the USA with other commercial producers existing in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic.
Guacamole is a popular way to enjoy avocados and this delicious food contain other ingredients besides avocados that offer some surprising health benefits.
If you consume soy on a regular basis, you may want to take a look at this new study coming out of Harvard School of Medical Health and published in Human Reproduction[1].
According to researchers, men who regularly consume foods containing soy, soy milk, and soy isoflavones are more likely to suffer from a lower sperm count. Obese and overweight men are at the highest risks of decreased sperm concentration, as a result of soy consumption.
Here in Australia, winter is behind us and Spring has finally arrived. Despite the warmer temperatures and budding blooms, you might also be feeling this shift internally, as well. We’re discussing the best ways to cleanse with the new season and detox from the more stagnant months. Find out how to stay healthy, vibrant, and energized with Spring.
For those of you who are heading into Fall and Winter, details for your season change can be found in this article.
In Spring, your mood may feel brighter, your digestion faster, and you find yourself craving foods you haven’t in quite some time. It’s only natural. With the shifts of the seasons, we change too, and Spring, especially, has a new vibrant and dramatic energy that kicks us into gear and gets us moving after the more static Winter season. However, Spring is also a transitional and dynamic season, known for its lion/lamb shifts in temperature and climate. Despite the warming temperatures and green surroundings, Spring is also a time that many find themselves under the weather with colds and seasonal allergies. Go with the flow, so to speak, and eat what Nature provides, and you’ll likely find yourself in good health.
Slightly over 18 months in the past I made a dedication to do one thing out of character: to put in writing a e-book in regards to the days main as much as the launch of The Virgin Weight-reduction plan, together with the behind-the-scenes story solely my shut family and friends ever knew.
Hospital antibiotics have become one of the most over-prescribed “medicines” today. As a result, people have ruined their digestive systems and ironically, have lowered their natural immunity to all types of infections in the future. Get rid of infections without the digestive destruction, with these five powerful natural antibiotics.
“No, I’m not pregnant. I’m just bloated.” Has this ever happened to you?
If you have IBS or experience bloating, you may relate to the awkwardness of having a distended, uncomfortable stomach on show for the world to see.
Worse yet, bloating usually strikes when we really don’t want it. Often it’s during social occasions where we can’t control our normal food intake and our belly’s fluttering with nervous excitement.
Thankfully, there’s really no need to trade in your favorite LBD for a muumuu next time you head out! Check out these 10 handy tricks to keep bloating in check.
The humble celery is commonly used in combination with other ingredients to create highly nutritious, raw, fresh juices. But did you know that pure celery juice has unique regenerating and healing properties which are enhanced when it’s juiced on its own?
No matter who you are, where you live or what diet you follow, drinking celery juice will be an extremely beneficial practice to incorporate into your life. Here are 5 reasons why:
Whole wheat bread is a leading food hated as a kid. The texture of whole wheat bread is a bit dryer, which was probably why you did not care for it. As an adult, you may have tried whole wheat as an alternative to chemically bleached breads or as part of a sandwich option and found out that you enjoy the flavor and the texture when prepared properly. It is one of the most common foods that you change your mind about over your lifetime.
Telling yourself that you are going to eat fewer calories in order to lose weight is simple, but the actually eating of those fewer calories can be difficult. A variety of factors come into play when you are trying to cut calories including emotions, habits, social situations, and even societal pressures.
1. Savor Each Bite
It is very easy to fall into the trap of eating quickly. However, you may unintentionally eat more calories by rushing through your meal. Slow down while eating by setting your fork back on your plate between bites and laying finger food down after each bite. Consciously pay attention to every bite you eat and you will find yourself eating less and enjoying each bite more.