Natural Ways To Overcome Depression

Dr. Oz is a great doctor who knows so much about the natural treatments of disease. Most doctors only know a small amount about natural treatments and they disregard it because "there is no real evidence that it works." This is absolutely not true and Dr. Oz knows this. Here are some of Dr. Oz's tips for naturally treating depression.

Use Your Imagination. Dr. Oz recommends going to a place where you know you won't be disturbed and practicing meditation. Imagine yourself overcoming the problems that you may be facing. This is a great way to bring good energy into your life.

Exercise. Exercising releases certain "feel good" chemicals called endorphins in the body. It can help you with depression and it also can help with emotional eating. Dr. Oz recommends that if you have depression, you should exercise enough to make yourself sweat so that you can really get the good mood boosting benefits.

Good foods. Instead of eating processed simple carbohydrates (like chips, white bread, cake, etc), Dr. Oz recommends eating more good foods like lean meats, fruit, and dark chocolate. Adding healthier foods to your diet and cleaning out the bad foods is a good way to help yourself feel more energized and overcome depression. Sometimes the unhealthy foods we eat cause imbalances in the body's chemicals.

It wouldn't hurt to add an herbal remedy or two for depression. This is my own suggestion: If you suffer from depression St. John's wort has proven in clinical studies to beat out some depression medications. It could be just what you are looking for.

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/droz/simple-tips-overcoming-depression

S-equol Supplement Benefits

A recent study with soy based S-equol supplements gave amazing results. The study lasted for 12 weeks. The supplement was able to lower hemoglobin A1c and bad (LDL) cholesterol in participants. Those suffering with metabolic syndrome would greatly benefit from this supplement.

S-equol is produced naturally in the body when you eat soy beans. Only about 20 to 30% of North Americans have the ability to create this substance in their bodies though.

Another great benefit of this product is it's ability to decrease menopausal symptoms in women. In a study, women who took this supplement had less hot flashes and other common symptoms of menopause.

Many Americans have metabolic syndrome and a lot of them have no idea that they even have it. It can cause symptoms such as:

• Obesity
• High blood sugar
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol

If you have more than one of these things listed, you may have metabolic syndrome. The good news is that there are natural treatments. All you have to do is have the will to change.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/soy-based-s-equol-supplement-reduces-metabolic-syndrome-risk-factors-2012-03-19

How To Boost Your Metabolism

Metabolism is basically the rate at which your body burns calories. It determines if you gain weight, lose weight, or stay the same weight. In order to lose weight, you would need a boosted metabolism along with a healthy diet. Here are some things you can do in order to raise your metabolic rate and start losing weight.

Get your sleep. Women who sleep 5 hours or less per night are more likely to be overweight. Not getting enough sleep will prevent your body and metabolism from being at it's best. Your ghrelin levels will increase which cause you to be more hungry.

Eat breakfast. Don't skip breakfast. Those who skip breakfast will have a slowed metabolism and they will also feel hungrier all day long resulting in over-eating.

Drink water. Drinking water boosts the metabolism. Your body needs water to carry out many activities, including fat burning. You have to keep your body hydrated in order to burn fat and lose weight.

Cardio. Cardio is a great way to boost your metabolism. Some cardio exercises you should try are walking, cycling, running, swimming, and dancing. Your metabolism will be raised during and immediately after your workout.

Thermogenic foods. There are some foods that cause a boost in your metabolism. Add these foods to your diet: green tea, dark chocolate, lean protein, hot peppers, and cinnamon.

Strength training. Building more muscle is one of the best things you can do for your metabolism. For each pound of muscle you build and maintain on your body, you will burn an extra 50 calories per day. Add 5 lbs of muscle and you're burning 500 extra calories per day.

http://www.shape.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-strategies/5-ways-get-your-metabolism-soaring?page=2

Red Meat Causes Early Death

A new study out of Harvard may cause you to change your choices of meat. In this study red meat was linked to earlier deaths.

About the study:

• Lasted 20 years
• 110,000 participants

The findings of the study were truly shocking. Those who ate just 3 ounces of any kind of red meat on a daily basis were 13% more likely to die while in the study. Change that red meat to processed red meat, and the risk was up to 20%.

The most common deaths were from cancer and heart disease. Red meat is linked to these diseases through numerous studies. The reasons are the additives in 80% of our beef in the U.S.

Some alternative forms of protein that people can eat are:

• Chicken
• Fish
• Nuts
• Beans

At least if you continue to eat red meat, try to lower it to twice a week in order to decrease your risk for cancer and heart disease. Also try to exercise at least three times per week. When you do eat red meat, make sure you get it from a butcher or a local market instead of big name chain super stores. The local meat tends to be more healthy for you.

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/16/4342790/red-meat-mortality-study-leaves.html

8 Things You Can Do To Be More Healthy

Everyone is concerned about health but not everyone knows how to have good health. If you want to live a long, energetic life, you need to do some things to keep your body healthy and strong. No one likes to think that at age 50 they will be lethargic with a list of prescriptions they take every single day and on the verge of having a heart attack. Instead, you want to have enough energy to run, swim, bike, and do other activities. Use these tips to help yourself get to a healthy state and stay there.

Exercise. You don't have to run for miles or do intense aerobics to have good heart health. You can walk each day and still get those good benefits that exercise provides. It's important to make exercise a part of your daily life if you plan to live longer. Start small and work your way up. Start by walking just 10 minutes a day. Add 5 minutes to that each week until you are walking 30 minutes a day.

Stop smoking. If you smoke, but you don't want to die of cancer or any other illness that smoking causes, the best thing to do is just quit. If you can't quit, make yourself drink 5 cups of green tea for every day that you smoke. Green tea has been shown to counter the bad effects of smoking. It's not a total cure, but it's better than nothing.

Swap your drink. If you drink alcohol, switch out your normal drink for red wine. It contains resveratrol which is known to help slow the aging process.

Less stress. Sometimes we cannot control the things that happen in our life. Studies do show that people who are always stressed live shorter lives. The truth is, we will always have something negative to deal with. Those who find a better way to deal with it are those who end up living happier, longer lives. Find what works for you and stick with it.

Vitamins. Always take a multivitamin. There are those people who say, "Well if you eat what you should, there is no need for a multivitamin." That's not actually true. You can't expect that our fruits and vegetables in the stores have the same nutrients they have always had in the past. That's because they are pumped with preservatives, coated with wax to make them shiny, have pesticides, and are sometimes dyed certain colors to make them look more vibrant. You need to have a multivitamin every day for this reason.

Sunlight. Make sure you get your daily sunlight. It's true that too much sun exposure ages the skin and damages it, but you need a little each day at the same time. Get about 15 minutes of sun time and that will help to elevate your mood. Don't go to the tanning bed though!

Fiber. Many people don't realize how important fiber is. It keeps the digestive system moving smoothly and prevents some diseases. Up your fiber intake and if you have to, add a supplement to get extra fiber.

Garlic. Add it to your foods, make dishes that showcase garlic, take a garlic supplement even! Garlic is a cure all herb that can help you live a longer life. It kills bacteria (like the ones that give you those infections), viruses, fungi, etc. People who take garlic supplements get the cold less often and when they do get a cold, it lasts for a shorter period of time.

Grape Leaves Benefits

Grapes have lots of health benefits, but did you know that their leaves are also very healthy. Grape leaves contains many nutrients and help fight disease. Here are some benefits of grape leaves.

Antioxidants. Grape leaves contain resveratrol, which is a strong antioxidant that prevents aging, fights disease, and prevents cancer.

Anti-Inflammatory. Grape leaves are anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is the cause of most disease, so grape leaves help to ward off most diseases and improve many conditions such as arthritis.

Chronic Venous Insufficiency. Grape leaves can help those patients suffering with chronic venous insufficiency.

Antifungal. Grape leaves are a natural antifungal.

Grape leaves can also help with the following conditons:

• canker sores
• heavy periods (menstruation)
• diarrhea
• stomach cramps
• fever and headache

Grape leaves contain the following nutrients:

• Vitamins A, B6, C, E, K
• Niacin
• Iron
• Fiber
• Riboflavin
• Copper
• Manganese
• Magnesium
• Folate
• Calcium

Grape leaves are packed with flavor, but also packed with healthy goodness for your body. You should try dolma sometime at your local greek or arabic restaurant.

Ayurvedic Home Remedies: Medicinal Benefits of Curry Leaves

Ayurvedic Home Remedies: Medicinal Benefits of Curry Leaves

Do curry leaves have medicinal benefits? The answer is yes and plenty of them. This post is about curry leaves and the many ailments that it can help with, along with it's health benefits. Did you know that eating curry leaves helps stave off gray hair? Read more about this interesting Ayurvedic herb and how it can benefit you.

Ecklonia Cava Benefits

Ecklonia Cava is brown algae. It has a high amount of antioxidants called polyphenols. They are different and more powerful than any other polyphenol that is known which is why this supplement is a unique one.

Ecklonia Cava benefits include:

• more powerful than green tea
• anti-aging
• Increased sleep and reduced pain in fibromyalgia patients
• Increased memory in animal study
• Increases blood flow
• Increased relaxation in a middle aged people study
• Increased alertness in students in a study
• kills free radicals
• Increased ability to learn new things in animal study
• Protects cartilage
• Relieves allergies and inflammation
• Improves coronary artery disease
• Reduces bad cholesterol
• Stabilizes blood pressure
• Cures erectile dysfunction
• Weight loss

This is not just a list of wishful thinking. This is a list of results from clinical studies. That's proven benefits of ecklonia cava from studies that were conducted and recorded. Ecklonia cava is a powerful antioxidant. It's one supplement that is useful for many different reasons. Anyone could benefit from taking it.

Parsley Health Benefits

Parsley is often used sprinkled on certain dishes as a seasoning, but did you know that it has some amazing health benefits? You can even take it in capsule form to get a more concentrated amount of parsley as alternative medicine. Here are the health benefits of parsley.

High in nutrients. Parsley contains the following nutrients:

• Iron
• Vitamins A, C, K
• Folate

Prevents cancer. Parsley is clinically proven to inhibit the growth of cancer. Parsley especially helps protect against lung cancer.

Counteract effects of cigarettes. Parsley counteracts some of the damaging effects of carcinogens found in cigarettes, meaning if you do smoke and you take parsley, smoking will not be as damaging to your body. That's not to say that you should smoke. It's still bad for you.

Antioxidants. Parsley contains antioxidants which help prevent disease and help with anti-aging.

Metabolism. Parsley helps your body break down carbohydrates, which can help with weight management.

Anti-inflammatory. Parsley is an anti-inflammatory which helps prevent against arthritis and other inflammatory disorders. It has been used effectively for this issue.

Kidney and bladder health. Since parsley is an anti-inflammatory, it helps to treat inflammation of the kidney and bladder. It helps them to function more like they should and it also helps with kidney stones and gallstones.

Heart health. Parsley helps reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack and helps prevent the damage of blood vessels.

Arugula Health Benefits

Arugula is a leafy green plant of Mediterranean origin which provides some amazing health benefits. In general, arugula is eaten like a salad or can be an addition to a salad if you like. It has a strong flavor.

High in nutrients. Arugula contains:

• Fiber
• Iron
• Copper
• Protein
• Vitamins A, B6, C, K
• Thiamine
• Riboflavin
• Folate
• Calcium
• Zinc
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Manganese

Sexual performance. Arugula is a great aphrodisiac that was discovered by the Romans. They would use it to increase sexual performance and potency. It is still used for this same benefit in the Mediterranean countries today, especially Egypt.

Bone health. Arugula promotes bone health because it contains calcium and vitamin K. It can help prevent fractures and broken bones. It helps to grow and strengthen your bones.

Low Calorie. Arugula is a very low calorie food which can help promote fullness and weight loss.

Boost Immunity. Since Arugula contains vitamin C, it boosts your immune system and helps to fight disease and infection. It also helps to prevent inflammation.

Fights Cancer. Arugula contains many nutrients that have proven effective when it comes to fighting and preventing cancers. It especially protects against prostate, breast, ovarian, colon, and cervical cancers.

Metabolism. Arugula contains B vitamins which are responsible for many metabolic functions in the body. It can help your body metabolize food more efficiently, thus promoting weight management and a healthy digestive tract.

Alzheimer's. Arugula helps to protect against damage done to the brain and has been used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

You can grow arugula yourself either indoors or outdoors. You can also find it in your fresh produce section of your local market.

Swanson Vitamin's Psyllium Husks Review

Swanson brand Psyllium Husks are great for those who want to get their digestive system going again; I know from experience. I'll summarize this product so that you can know how it works and if it's right for you.

Customer Pros:

• Improved digestion
• Increase in bowel movements
• Cholesterol control
• More convenient than fiber powder mixes
• Gets rid of bloating
• No discomfort or cramps

Customer Cons:

• None

Side Effects:

• Gas may occur if you are new to fiber, but goes away with continued use

Ingredients:

• Psyllium Seed Husks

Psyllium is a great form of fiber that can help your digestive system get back into order. Psyllium also helps you have good cardiovascular health and it helps to lower your bad cholesterol. Swanson brand psyllium has a great price and it works very well. Many of the customers are pleased with this product. Only one person said it did not help him/her.

Psyllium can also promote weight loss if taken before your meals every day. It helps to control blood sugar, make you full faster, and keep you full longer. All of these things help with weight loss. Swanson brand psyllium husks are definitely recommended.

Why Do Swanson Vitamins Stink?

Have you bought products from Swanson's lately and noticed a bad smell? You aren't the only one.

I purchased their Super Stress B Complex and as soon as I opened the bottle there was a strong smell. I could only describe it as smelling like rotten eggs. I was confused and I immediately called Swanson Customer Care.

They explained to me that in order to make their products more natural, they have decided to stop using bleach and other chemicals which mask the natural smell. This is less harmful for us. Most companies do use these chemicals and we don't even know they use them, so as soon as we buy Swanson, we complain.

I have seen some reviews on Swanson regarding the smell and many people are complaining about it. I think if they knew the real reason, they would not complain so much. This post is mostly to raise awareness. I would hate for Swanson to lose customers just because they are trying to make products more healthy for everyone.

I hope that the customers will appreciate this fact and love Swanson more for what they are doing for our health and safety.

Avocado Oil Benefits Anti-Aging

Do you really need to pay for those $300 creams to keep your skin younger? Not really. You can do a lot more for a lot less money.

There was a study conducted by the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology that proved avocado oil greatly increases collagen in the skin.

Avocado oil is great for anti-aging. Not only does it hydrate and nourish your skin with vitamins and minerals, but it also increases elasticity of the skin. It has the ability to soak into your skin for a deep moisturizing and healing effect.

Avocado oil has high amounts of sterolins. These sterolins reduce the look of sun damage and age spots on the skin.

Avocado oil contains fatty acids, amino acids and proteins. vitamins A, B1, B2, D, and E, and potassium.

So as a recap, Avocado oil will:

• Increase collagen in your skin
• Increase elasticity
• Deeply moisturize
• Nourish your skin with vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids and proteins
• Heal sun damage and age spots

You can get a bottle of avocado oil for only $4. Avocado oil makes your skin look younger, more beautiful, and more healthy. You will get all of these things with a healthy glow also.