“It’s essential that we exercise regularly, eat nutritiously, and have an outlet to relieve stress.”
The sun is shining, there are more hours of daylight now, but does your body still feel like it’s hibernating? Cold winter months spent eating comforting foods make winter a little cozier but can also slow down your digestion and leave you feeling heavy, lethargic, and foggy. Spring is a natural time to cleanse and renew.
If you suffer from hay-fever, spring can be a challenging time. After all, it’s hard to appreciate tree buds and flower blossoms through watery eyes and in-between sneezes. Rest assured, if seasonal allergies are dampening your days, there are simple yoga lifestyle practices that can help you.
April 22 is Earth Day, a day that we can reevaluate the impact we’re having on the planet both as individuals and as a society. Mahatma Gandhi said, “The earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need but not every man's greed.” It is not difficult to take for granted how the earth sustains us with water, air, food, energy, and shelter. Sometimes we forget that the resources of the earth are finite. Gandhi’s point is that there is a difference between our needs and our wants.
Good fats, bad fats, it can all get a little confusing—especially with “essential” fatty acids. If they are essential, does that mean they are always good for you? Not in the case of Omega-6. While Omega-6 and Omega-3 fats are both essential to good health and serve important functions, the key is striking the right balance or ratio.
Alcohol is probably the most socially acceptable intoxicant in our society. In 2012 almost 90% of Americans, aged 18 and over, said they had used alcohol at some point in their lifetime. Nearly 60% of adults in America have used alcohol in the past month.
Most people understand that too much alcohol, especially an addiction to alcohol, is unhealthy. But research indicating there may be some health benefits from light to moderate alcohol consumption may confuse the issue.
Exercising is one of the most beneficial activities you can engage in for your mental and physical well-being. Yet modern science has confirmed what has been taught in the holistic science of Ayurveda for thousands of years: too much exercise can actually be harmful to your health.
In moderation, physical activity can reduce stress, improve your sleep, tone your muscles, increase cardiovascular health, ward off disease, improve blood sugar, lower blood pressure, boost mood and cognitive health, and reduce excess body fat.
Ayurveda comes from two Sanskrit words, “veda” meaning study, and “ayur”, which means life. So literally “ayurveda” means the study of life. The science of Ayurveda has been studied and practiced for millennia. Ayurveda is a holistic form of medicine that considers diet, lifestyle, and mindset all as integral parts of your health. It is based on the idea that we each have a unique constitution, or prakriti, from birth, and that constitution is influenced by our lifestyle, diet, emotions, and environmental factors.
When looking for serious health benefits, search no further than your spice cabinet or the produce section of your local grocery store. Here’s a follow up to Healing Power of Herbs and Spices (Part 1) to help you tap into the medicinal potential of culinary herbs and spices.
Nothing can put a damper on winter fun like a cold or flu. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from the onslaught of sniffles, sneezes, coughs, and fever:
For thousands of years, spices have been revered for both their culinary and healing properties. Ancient cultures around the world benefited from the use of spices and today, modern science has corroborated their medicinal effects. Here are some of the most notable benefits of common spices along with easy ways to incorporate them into your diet:
