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Posted on November 21, 2014August 19, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Health and Living – The FYI on Blood Pressure

Have you ever had a moment of high stress and/or a point when you were so fed up with something that you may have said it make your blood boil or it raises your blood pressure? We are pretty sure you have had one of those moments a few times. But what actually raises your blood pressure and how can you keep it under control?

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of your arteries. It is also the rate upon which it circulates and the heart pumps your blood. High blood pressure also known as hypertension is when the pressure readings reach 140/90 and over. It is basically that your heart is pumping too much blood at a time.

This can happen because your arteries are too narrow to handle the increased amount of blood. In some cases, high blood pressure can lead to other forms of health issues like heart attack or stroke. This, of course, depends on other extenuating circumstances of the individual that has high blood pressure.

In all situations concerning your health, it is important to talk to a professional to see where you in your health. Consulting a doctor can help you see where your health stands and what you could do to improve it. There are ways you can help reduce your chances of high blood pressure:

regulate your sodium intake because it can contribute to high blood pressure.
reduce your stress levels and find some ways to cope healthily
exercise to keep your body fit and ready for whatever comes its way
practice eating healthy
foods that exclusively helps reduce blood pressure:
- berries like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries have flavonoids that help blood pressure
- leafy greens have potassium and are great for lowering blood pressure
- beets contain nitrates that can help reduce blood pressure.
- oatmeal has low sodium and fat, which is great for a high blood pressure
- bananas are just good for everything, the potassium is great for adding to a healthy diet.

The EE 411: Smoking, Blood Pressure, and Health

We figure we’d highlight a quick tid-bit about smoking health risks. As you all are well aware, there have been studies that show how smoking can have adverse effects on an individual’s health. Smoking, as research has shown, can make getting health more difficult. It can affect breathing and other aspects of your health. In terms of this week’s topic, smoking has been correlated with high blood pressure. It has been connected to lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. Smoking is definitely something to consult your doctor about, especially if you are thinking about quitting. Also, the second hand smoke can pose health risks to others. It is nice to be mindful of others when smoking and others to avoid too much exposure to second-hand smoke.

Share with Us: What foods do you enjoying eating that helps with blood pressure?

(This post was brought to you by Earth’s Enrichments. Similar posts can be found by visiting our Blog. More information about our company and products (USDA Certified Organic Soaps, Organic Bath Salts, Organic Sugar Scrubs, Organic Body Balms and Organic Lip Balms) can be found on our Website. Thank you Earth’s Enricher!)

Posted on August 13, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Health and Living – Physical Health

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

Did you know there are basic principles to healthy living? These six principles develop a well-rounded, healthy life. These principles are physical health, intellectual health (mind), spiritual health, emotional health, social health and environmental health. In the next few weeks, we will feature each one of these principles and explain what exactly they entail and how they can easily be included into the healthy life that you deserve.

This week we will focus on physical health, which represents the body’s health. This principle refers to anything that benefits your body’s physical fitness, safety, nutrition, and medical responsibility.

As a part of physical health, physical fitness such as exercising and activity promotes the idea of keeping your body functioning the way it should whether it’s increasing flexibility, tracking your calories, or staying active. This also means maintaining your physical health. It is important to pay attention to your body and understand its physical limits.

Try to practice safe fitness and try not to put your body in awkward positions. For instance, when with exercising, try machines and workouts that support your body’s needs. If your balance isn’t that great, perhaps running up and down stairs isn’t the best option for you; instead, try an elliptical or stair climber. If your knees are a weak point, try to refrain from workouts that hyperextend them or require sudden twists or movements. Trust us, the last thing you want is to blow out a knee. So, be safe and smart about your fitness.

This principle also encompasses the ability to take care of the outer most properties of your physical health—this means your skin. Your skin is your most important source of protection for your body. It repels germs and other radicals from just entering your body. It comes in contact with tons of bacteria and possible dangers every minute of every hour and it needs your help to continue its job. Properly keeping your skin healthy and clean with natural and organic means protects it. This means keeping it clean, moisturized, and exfoliated. The better your skin feels, the better you feel.

Another aspect of this principle is nutrition—what you put into your body. You can’t keep up with your outer most physical health (muscles, joints, and skin) without taking care of your inner physical health (vitamins and nutrients). This means your body’s diet is necessary to balancing out your physical health. For instance, food and water are necessary when working out your body. The water keeps your body hydrated and keeps your muscles from cramping too much during exercise. Food, such as proteins like in chicken, gives your body energy and helps replace the fuel in your body lost after working out. .

Thus, it is important to keep your body properly hydrated and fed but this doesn’t mean put any ol’ thing in your body. Also try to include as many healthy fruits and vegetables as you can. Try limiting consumption of processed foods. Work out a healthy and affordable diet to increase your inner fitness. In order to do this you may need to know a few things about your medical health and/or consult a professional (nutritionist).

Knowing what you’re lacking in your nutrition can help you build a better plan. Also, it is important to consider what foods are good for boosting your immune system and are great for certain conditions and diseases you may have like obesity or diabetes. This is a part of your medical responsibility. Knowing that these conditions exist and could be a part of your everyday life, it would be beneficial to incorporate what you need to keep yourself healthy.

We know that there are other factors that affect our ability to eat properly and exercise. These factors are time, money, and personal taste. However, with proper researching and planning, a healthy, timely, and affordable diet and fitness plan may be achieved.

The EE 411:

Do you all know the difference between physical activity and exercise?

We will give you a hint, physical activity is what you do every single day. Have you figured it out yet? It’s as simple as walking through the parking lot to get to your car, or walking to the bus or metro. Another example of physical activity could be taking the stairs, instead of the elevator.

Physical activity is the basic movements your body makes on an average day. This would even include biking or walking to work instead of driving. This is equivalent to walking casually around the mall. The important part of this is that your body should get some physical activity every day. If you find, you’re sitting still the majority of the day, get up and do something!

If you’re sitting all day at a desk, stand up for a little bit and type. You might even want to stretch a little. However, this is where we move into the meaning of exercise. Exercise is an intentional workout that usually has an end goal or outcome. Folks usually tend to work out to relieve themselves of stress, lose weight, tone their bodies, etc.

Yoga is a great example of exercise! It’s an intentional flexibility and muscle endurance/strength work out. The end result is to either become one with your body or increase your core strength and range of motion. Jogging is an intentional workout, the end goal is endurance and cardio. It may also be used to regulate and maintain your body.

Either way, incorporating more physical activity in your everyday life is crucial to healthy living, especially if you . If y don’t necessarily have the time to work out every day. Don’t be afraid to put aside some time to work out, you and your body deserve it. Maybe even join a fitness class or a gym. You could bring your friends along or meet new people. It’s a great way to socialize.

When you have finished your workout, reward yourself! Break out the Lavender of the Valley, Calming Spa Seaweed, or Lemon fresh Shea baths salts and draw yourself a bath. This is a perfect way to look after your skin and relax your muscles—trust us, you deserve it. ^-^

Share with Us: What is your favorite type of physical activity?

Posted on July 30, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Living Healthy – Heart Healthy

Okay, Earth’s Enrichers–We need to you to stand up, take your right hand and place it over the left part of your chest and repeat after us, “I pledge allegiance to my heart, the most important organ in my body. For as long as I breathe, I dedicate myself to its well-being in my pursuit of healthy living!” Give yourself applause!

To help you fulfill this pledge we will share a few heart healthy tips. First things first, what do you know about your family’s health history, particularly in reference to heart disease? This is a very important aspect of your health. It’s like your life’s cheat sheet. It gives you insight into possible health challenges in your future and time to conceivably avoid health issues that your grandparents or parents could not.

Did you know that most heart diseases are hereditary? This does not mean there is a 100% chance you will end up with some form of heart disease if it is found in your family’s history. It just means that there is a likely chance you’re a candidate and you may need to think about changes in your lifestyle.

When it comes to a healthy heart there are four things we want you to keep in mind: exercising, managing stress, making healthy food choices and finding a hobby.

When it comes to exercising for the heart, cardio and stretching are great ways to strengthen the heart. Aerobic exercises (cardio) like jogging, biking, swimming, or even power walking are great for the heart. It’s just like any muscle. The more you work out the heart, the better it gets. In fact, the stronger it gets. Cardio or staying active in general (with regular practice) could burn calories, lower bad cholesterol, and help reduce blood pressure. The lovely thing about cardio exercise is that you could start at any time (consult your doctor too). When starting off, it’s better to start out easy. Perhaps, one day start by walking at a certain speed for a certain amount of time and increase your goals over time. Stretching like yoga, is great for relaxing the body and helping to reduce stress. Stretching is also an opportunity to meditate, this could help you find solutions to your problems and also relax the tension in the body.

Unmanaged stress can contribute to heart disease. It has a tendency to raise blood pressure and increase cholesterol. Stress is a part of life and cannot be avoided; however you must manage the stress and not let the stress manage you. Stress affects your whole body, including your heart. If stress is unmanaged it could even lead to stress eating in some cases. Don’t give in. Stress eating is another factor that affects heart health.

Some foods are designed with the heart in mind. Take for instance, rich dark chocolate, has an ingredient that can help stave off heart disease (eat responsibly). Tree nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans are also great for your heart. It tends to lower bad cholesterol. Also, foods that have a lot of salt should be excluded out your diet. Salt is one of the main factors contributing to heart disease. Highly processed and fast food can contain high amounts of salt. Along with high amounts of salt, eating fatty foods should also be consumed at a minimum.

Monitor the amount of calories you have taken in during your day, especially if you aren’t physically active. Physical activity disposes any calories your body doesn’t need or is not using. Keeping track of your calorie intake will help you balance out your diet to take the unnecessary work off your heart.

This is probably most important or at least the most fun — find a hobby. Find something you enjoy doing and most importantly, make the time to do it. It will help you relieve stress. You deserve to engage in activities that are solely for enjoyment. Try new things to see what you really enjoy doing. Take a painting class. Have you always wanted to learn to play an instrument? Do it. You deserve it, even if it is keeping up with your favorite TV show or comedy. Did you know that laughter is good for the heart? It literally stops stress from eating away at your health.

Your body should be taken care of like a well-oiled machine. Your heart is the engine that helps keep the machine going. Give it what it needs to keep it running smoothly. Begin with small steps. On you next shopping trip, park further away from the mall. Walk a little more. Take the stairs. Try a cool yoga pose in the morning before going to work or class. Book a class or get a book for that hobby you have always wanted to try .Try making better eating choices. Chose the meal or snack with the less sodium. Chose the snack that has the nuts. Chose dark chocolate instead of the bag of chips. Go with the lean instead of the fatty piece of steak, no matter how hard that choice might be. Trust us, we know that’s a hard choice to make 🙂 but it’s all worth it in the end.

The EE 411: Good Choices

Here at EE we always encourage you to take care of your body and do your own research to help you give your body the best care possible. You deserve it. We encourage you to become more active in the pursuit of healthy living.

In the meantime here are some good choices we have come across when it comes to maintaining a healthy heart:

Quit smoking and stay clear of second hand smoke. Cigarettes are the leading cause of heart disease.
Avoid salt and fatty foods.
Eat fish two to three times a week. The fatty acids (omega 3) in fish could help reduce heart disease, but consuming too much fatty acids could cause other health problems. Eat responsibly.
Eat dark chocolate in moderation. No problems here.
Go for the red wine. When consumed properly, it helps improve the level of good cholesterol and lower chance of blood clotting.
Tree nuts are a better snack than chips.
Laugh
Find a hobby.
Exercise
Spend time with your pets. If you like animals pets can be another great means of relieving stress because they love you no matter what.
Keep track of your blood pressure. It’s good to know where you stand in terms of health. It is also important to test your blood sugar sometimes too.
Have some tea. Teas like Green and Black may be good for your overall health besides, it’s really good.
Have some blueberries. They contain vitamin D and Fiber along with antioxidants. Considered great at fighting diseases.
Start your morning off with oatmeal. It lowers cholesterol, helps your body detox, and reduces the risk of heart disease.
Eat your spinach. The nutrients in spinach help protect against heart disease. It is full of minerals, fiber, and vitamins.
Sleep! When your body is well rested, it’s one less cause of stress. A good night sleep is a key to a successful day.

Posted on July 16, 2014August 7, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Living Health – Yoga

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

Even during those summer days, waking up can be a nightmare especially when it’s early, but what do you do when you wake up? Think about it, the first thing you do is stretch to wake up your muscles. Stretching your muscles is and should be a part of your everyday physical activity and/or exercise.

If your body is getting its preparation, what about your mind? Is there an exercise that prepares your body as well as your mind? Well, there is! You all have heard of yoga, right? Yoga is an exercise and meditation activities that helps you unite your mind and body. It uses techniques or poses to help with your posture, flexibility, and strength. It also teaches you how to breathe during the practice of these particular exercises.

Before we go on to the physical part, let’s talk about the meditation (or the mind exercise) that happens before or during your practice of yoga. Meditation is not always a religious practice; it’s a way of getting your mind together whether you’re contemplating your spirituality or how to make your kids eat their vegetables. It’s a way to get in touch with your body as well. Remember how we always say get to know your body? Meditation can help you with that during the poses in yoga.

When or if beginning yoga for the first time, you may not find it easy for your body and you may discover new things about your body. For instance, you may discover poses that you like or poses you don’t like. This depends on how the poses feels to your body. It also shows you where and how you need to improve physically. It’s challenging but yoga is a progressive exercise practice. When we say “practice,” we mean with more practice comes more improvement. You’ll find, over time, those uncomfortable poses won’t be so uncomfortable anymore.

Yoga inspires stretching and positioning your body in ways that will improve your flexibility. It also encourages you to use muscles you haven’t used or never knew you had. When your yoga instructor directs you to take a specific pose or certain posture, it conjures those dormant muscles. Over time, they build and tone. For instance, the use of good posture strengthens your core muscles.

If you’re looking for a way to become one with yourself (an exercise for your mind and body), and to progressively improve your fitness (flexibility and strength), give yoga a try. It may be one of the best ways to exercise for you.

The EE 411: For the Newbies 🙂

There are a few things that beginners should keep in mind when starting yoga: (1) how do I prepare for yoga and (2) what type of yoga do I like or is best for me?

How do I prepare for yoga?

Determine if yoga is right for you by checking with your doctor. Medical considerations like hip surgery or pregnancy should be taken into account. Although, it is recommend that those expecting should not practice yoga—still consult a professional.
Keep Hydrated. This is important in general! This is also really important if you are thinking about practicing Hot Yoga or Bikram.
Eat. A rational meal two to three hours before practicing will give you energy to put forth the necessary effort.
Know your limits. Do not perform a task just because everybody else in the class can. If you cannot do it, do not push it to the limit. Do what your body is prepared for; in time your flexibility and strength will improve. Also, know what time of day you are more flexible. For instance if you are your stiffest in the morning, morning yoga classes may not be the best for you.
Warm up! Pre-stretches for ten or fifteen minutes help ready your body for the work it’s going to put in during yoga.

What type of yoga do I like or is best for me?

Anusara- Popular and designed in the US, this type of yoga inspires elegance with a focus on alignment.
Ashtanga- This style encompasses a series of postures with matching breathing. It is a physically demanding work out, so bring a towel.
Bikram –This yoga is heated, literally. It takes place in an artificially heated room. It consists of 26 poses in a sequence. You will sweat—this is another towel demanding yoga practice.
Hatcha- This is a generic, universal form of yoga. It is one of the common practices and is generally used for introduction because of its gentle style and more relaxed environment.
Hot Yoga- Do not forget your towel! It is similar to Bikram except the sequence of the poses is different, but the room is still heated.
Iyengar- this yoga practice is scrupulous and requires you to pay the utmost attention to detail. It requires configuration in your poses. It also summons the use of props during the practice. It requires plenty of discipline and is not for the faint hearted or fidgety.
Restorative- Do you consider yourself a nervous person? This yoga works to relax and calm the nerves. This yoga also uses props like blankets and instructs the students to take less disciplined poses. It requires less effort and restores your body to its proper balance.
Vinyasa- If you like to dance this may be the yoga for you. Its practice is to incorporate more harmonious movements that are sequenced to flow smoothly. However, the sequences are almost never the same. So, it is less consistent.

Posted on April 30, 2014August 7, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Healthy Lifestyle – Daily Health: Physical Activity

Dear Earth’s Enrichers

Yes, we said it—physical activity! Do you know what it is? Some of you are thinking exercise. A full work out for a certain amount of time, which can target certain areas of the body. Relax—this is not what we mean; although setting aside time during your week to exercise is an extra plus.

Physical activity is incorporating exercise-like activities into your every day schedule. For instance, biking to and from work. Or if you catch the bus and there is some walking involved, power walk the little distance you have to go. Even something as simple as maintaining your posture while you sit at work can be a part of daily physical activity.

Your body requires certain things to help it get through the day and maintain a balance of good health. Without these things, it could produce small signs which are messages or SOS signals, if you will, from your body saying it needs them. So your body’s basic needs boils down to sleep, food or nourishment, physical activity, sun, and water. This week our topic will focus on physical activity.

These modern times come with every convenience. When you go to the mall or market there is always the option of parking close to your destination so you don’t have to walk far. Leave those close up parking spots for individuals that need them! Take a parking lot challenge and park farther away from the door, that way you incorporate extra activity in your day.

If you drive to work and you happen to be within good time, find a parking space that is just out of the way. Do something new for your body! When working out or exercising, it is important not to let your body get too comfortable with the work out. The same applies for physical activity- switch it up.

If you have a job that requires you to sit on a daily basis, it is important for you to look after your health. If you find yourself getting tired or your back is hurting, stand up and do some stretches. You know a little in-office yoga. Not only is it good for your muscles and joints, but it helps oxygen flow through the body. This helps to refresh and energize it.

Also, when sitting your posture is important. Good posture can help prevent tension in your back and lower back muscles. It is also great for your core/abs. Having bad posture means you do not use your core strength appropriately. Your abs and core help maintain your posture and utilizing those abs actually can help you burn calories. How do you like them apples?

All in all, give your body something physically new to look forward to in a day. If you usually walk to work, put a little pep in your step or bike there. Also, stretch constantly throughout the day; it makes you feel better. Work on your core while sitting in the office or during a meeting. Little tips like these help increase your body’s health and fitness over time.

The EE 411: Physical Activities

When in the office:

Stretch
Occasionally stand while you’re working
Bring a yoga ball with you to work to sit on instead of your chair
While sitting, stretch one leg and then the other

At the mall:

Instead of the escalator take the stairs (same goes with the elevator)
Power walk between stores. (Don’t do it to the point where you look silly J)
Park farther away than the door.
Walk around the mall for fun

On the commute:

If you can walk or ride a bike please do so
During your lunch break, walk somewhere healthy

At home:

Stretch while watching TV
Instead of sitting in chairs sit on the Yoga ball
Instead of letting the dog out, take him/her for a walk.
Play with your children outside

There are many things you could do to incorporate physical activity into your daily life. There is a way of doing it so that it does not interfere with your day. These were just a few suggestions. Know what your body needs and look up or chose physical activity that works best for you.

Share with Us: What kind of physical activity do you do daily?