Category: Wellness

Why is there such an emphasis on fruits and vegetables when talking about healthy nutrition? What is all the fuss? Research has proven many health and healing benefits of different nutrient components of fruits from papain in papaya to lycopene in tomatoes. There are many chemical compounds that work with the cells inside of the body to both regulate and stop abnormal cell growth. In addition, fruits contain immune boosting and anti-oxidant value which help to remove damaged cells that may cause inflammation that promotes disease as well. There are vast amount of healing fruits available, but here are seven fruits that are a must have in your regular diet.

As many people who have read Haanel’s The Amazing Secrets of the Yogi(which is a part of The Complete Master Key Course) know, Haanel talks about a substance that he writes can “perpetuate health and long life.” That substance is ghee.

Because Pranayama is such an energetically expansive conversation and very informative, I felt that an article would be beneficial. The word "prana" in sanskrit translates to life force, and "ayama" to control. So with the breathing technique of Pranayama we are learning to control our life force through the breath. It’s interesting, though, to observe how "controlling the life force" translates to other aspects of our lives. Before I get all metaphysical, however, let me get back to the benefits of Pranayama.

Science now understands that these cravings are a sign that your body needs certain minerals that can be found in unhealthy foods but are best acquired from whole foods. Indeed, only by acquiring minerals from natural sources, in which all nutrients are optimized for superior absorption, can we hope to finally end the cravings that plague our lives.

Lots of experts say it's stupid to forbid yourself from eating certain foods – that denying yourself something you really want to eat can ultimately lead to binge eating and eventual weight gain. But some foods really do deserve the axe — especially if you are trying to lose weight. In which case, avoid these foods (when you can!) to fend off cravings and hunger, and support your efforts to slim down.

After many years of consuming unhealthy food, emotional eating, and inactivity, Almetria was at the point where she had to see three different specialists and a doctor to monitor her weight and hypertension. To make matters worse, in 2009, she received devastating news that, like her grandmother, she had diabetes.

Oddly enough, one of the biggest trends in the weight loss and health food world right now is named after a man often depicted as having a big, round belly. Yes, you guessed it: Buddha.

Trying to drop a few pounds? Before you totally overhaul your eating habits, take a cue from people who've already successfully slimmed down: We tapped into the data from MyFitnessPal's more than 65 million users (the app lets people track their weight, activity, eating habits, and more). Here are the most common foods those who lost at least 10 lbs logged at breakfast time. Keep in mind that this doesn't mean they were the onlything people ate each morning—but incorporating these to your a.m. routine could help you shed a size.

If getting lean was as simple as exercising more and dieting, it would be easy. Don't overlook these 8 critical but underrated factors in losing fat.

This technique is very effective and commonly used in yoga. It will help strengthen your abdominal muscles and trim your waist line in 3-4 weeks. And the more you perform it, the better results it will give.

Studies have shown that approximately 27% of the population experience insomnia, and in other studies over 20% of those are on some type of over the counter or prescription sleep aid. Many don’t know that poor sleep habits can contribute to ongoing insomnia. This is because the brain signals when it’s time to go to sleep by releasing a substance called Melatonin in the brain. This hormone produced by the Pineal gland, signals the brain that it’s time for rest and rejuvenation. There are a few simple sleep hygiene steps that people can take to regulate their body’s sleep cycle.

Personal trainer Scott Laidler outlines a simple workout plan to keep the dreaded middle-aged spread at bay.

If inflammation ranks low on your list of health concerns, it may be time to bump it up. The reason: Inflammation, or your body's response to injury or infection, has been associated with arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. So what can you do to fight it? Exercise, finds a new study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science In Sports.

This 6-minute workout is a HIIT style workout that uses 4 best bodyweight exercises that target various parts of your body including your most stubborn body parts: butt, thighs, abs, and back of your arms (triceps). Let’s take a look at each exercise and what body part it works to tone and slim:

There's a lot more to it than strength training and drinking green tea. Avoid these common mistakes to stoke your inner fire.

If you are looking for healthy vegetarian meals to lose weight, you have to make changes in the preparation of the meals as well.

After looking at several resources, we have come up with our top 10 list for vegetables to help slow the againg process and prevent diseases such as hypertention, diabetes, high cholesterol, and even cancer as well.

Yoga is widely known for helping improve flexibility as well as prevent injuries. But did you know it is also used as a method of improving mental health?

There are a lot of symptoms of menopause and perimenopause, including hot flashes, fatigue, foggy brain, and moodiness similar to when you are having premenstrual syndrome (but just a little bit different).

Weil notes the 4-7-8 technique is good in stressful situations too, and the more you practice, the more powerful the effects of breathing are.

What if we told you that trying to stand on one leg for 20 seconds (or more) could help you gauge the health of your brain? You might think we were a bit unbalanced ourselves. But that's exactly what a new study published in the journal Stroke suggests.

If there was a magic bullet or hidden secret when it comes to weight loss and losing weight, the thing ALL other programs are missing to ensure success, it would be hypnosis. The problem is most people have no idea what hypnosis really is, how it helps to make weight loss and losing weight easier and more probable and be able to manage the weight loss and end harmful yo-yoing with weight.

If you have a lot of excess fat around your waistline, even if you’re not very heavy, then you should take some steps to get rid of it.

We’re focusing on being mindful of our thoughts and how our thoughts impact our lives. In this first week, we are being mindful just by becoming aware of that mental chatter.

If you have an office job that involves sitting at a desk for eight hours a day (raises hand), you know what tight hips and lower back pain feels like. We found a few yoga poses that target both spots, consider them your two-for-one, feel-good stretches.

You've tried every ab exercise in existence. Now do the workout with proven results, powered by the diet that'll have you looking sexy by Spring.

Dr. Arjan Khalsa shows us how to make an amazing healing recipe with turmeric,  one of her favorite all-time, multi-talented remedies for many different ailments.

The solution to your skin issues, from eczema to psoriasis, could be in your head.

Did you know that you can greatly increase your strength, stamina and endurance by simply doing outdoor exercise?

Putting play into life doesn’t always mean you have to stop what you are doing and play some silly game; it also doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to plan some extravagant activity (although you can do that once in awhile to treat yourself).  You can insert play into every aspect of you life an in every moment.  Here are some great ways to incorporate fun and play throughout the day.

By now, you already know that prolonged sitting is bad for your body. But what exactly goes on when you sit for hours every day? This graphic from the Washington Post explains.

Most of us know the basic formula for weight loss: If calories out exceed calories in, the pounds will fall off. But what sounds so simple can actually be a bit complicated when you consider the “calories out” half of the equation.

Humans experience an array of emotions, anything from happiness, to sadness to extreme joy and depression. Each one of these emotions creates a different feeling within the body. After all, our body releases different chemicals when we experience various things that make us happy and each chemical works to create a different environment within the body. For example if your brain releases serotonin, dopamine or oxytocin, you will feel good and happy. Conversely, if your body releases cortisol while you are stressed, you will have an entirely different feeling associated more with the body kicking into survival mode. What about when we are thinking negative thoughts all the time? Or how about when we are thinking positive thoughts? What about when we are not emotionally charged to neither positive nor negative? Let’s explore how these affect our body and life.

By now we're all familiar with the many benefits of a meditation practice. From experiencing more positive emotions, to better health and increased focus, meditation can and will also change your life.

As the weather warms, many of us would prefer to look like we passed our winter days lounging by the pool instead of hunched before a computer screen or lab bench. But soaking up the rays to acquire a so-called “base tan” does not fool the sun or a tanning bed. Simply put, the benefits of being sun-kissed are not even skin-deep.

To understand unique and healthy ways to consistently and quickly boost energy daily, I interviewed the country’s top ambitious young entrepreneurs, honorees of the Empact Showcase, who work tirelessly, day and night, to turn their visions into reality. Their responses will surprise you! Each response includes links to research and resources so you can incorporate the habit into your life if it’s right for you.

The ice cube trick, as it’s known, may sound like a myth, but it actually works. By putting a simple ice cube in the right spot, which you can find out by following these steps, it will not only give you bounds of energy, it will also make you look younger and help to combat any illnesses you might have.

Celebs such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dina Manzo guzzle hot water with lemon as if the liquid was bottled at the Fountain of Youth itself. They're certain it aids in weight loss—but is the claim too good to be true?

It may sound like hype at first: "Melt fat without breaking a sweat!" Even scientists who've done some of the key studies recognize the disconnect.

Marriage researcher John Gottman studied thousands of couples over the last 30 years in his book The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work gives the secret to a solid relationships is to build a friendship. This involves cultivating some relatively simple skills and behaviors.

One of the things that surprises me time and time again is how we think our brains work and how they actually work.

In honor of Women's Health Week, here are 10 health myths no woman needs to listen to again!

“The confidence people have in their beliefs is not a measure of the quality of evidence but of the coherence of the story that the mind has managed to construct.”

You need two things to break the smoking habit:

Certain pressure points on your hands can help relieve pain in other parts of the body.

Being in control of your body can be a great thing. Imagine overcoming physical pain. Or being able to slow down your heart at will. There are so many body functions and reactions that we don’t understand and feel powerless about. But, with a little bit of practice, there are things you can gain control over and teach your body a few health tricks.

The manly hormone evolved 500 million years ago — from estrogen.

That's a great question, and I'm sure you aren't alone on this. In fact, I've seen many patients who have come to me, who are tired all the time, no matter how much they sleep, and sometimes feel like they are even sleeping too much.

I’m sure that when you hear the phrase ‘suck your energy,’ something or someone immediately comes to mind. This is probably the tip of the iceberg when it comes to energy suckers in your life. There are many others that could be lurking around, quietly sucking out all your energy. Added together, these things can be a major cause of general fatigue. See which of the 3 common energy suckers might be lurking around you and learn a few tips on how to deal with them.

Meditation has been proven to have amazing benefits both for your mental and physical well being.