gluten free Archives

Posted on November 6, 2014August 19, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Living Healthy – The Making of a Healthy Diet

Let’s talk facts here ladies and gentlemen! The fact is that healthy balanced diets improve the quality of life! Yes, yes they do.

There are some awesome health benefits that come along with taking on healthy eating habits. Just think about it when you balance your diet appropriately, you fashion a disciplined schedule that eliminates over eating and overdoing saturated fats. This combined with a healthy workout plan, you could reduce and keep control of your weight.

Now, when setting up your meal plan, you should eliminate the unhealthy parts of your diet and replace them with healthier options. You are not just eliminating them! Everyone knows what happens when a person stops eating–they get angry. Not eating enough can cause mood swings; not eating right can just give you feelings like the “itis.” Balancing your diet appropriately can help improve your mood.

In all instances your body needs food for energy. Fuel is important for the body to do what is necessary. If you have a car that takes premium gas and some poor unfortunate soul puts in diesel, your car will not run. The same goes for your body it needs premium gold, the good stuff. When you feed it the good stuff, it helps give it enough energy to run, and boost its ability to fight disease. I’m not kidd’n.

Last but certainly not least, with all the healthy choices you are making, you are taking steps to improve your health. Not to mention that all of these benefits are encompassed with physical activity or exercise. Once you have worked with your doctor and established a healthy balance then you are increasing the span of your life. Unhealthy eating especially without minimal physical activity can invite possible health risks. That is why it is important to check with your physician or a health professional annually to check the status of your health.

The EE 411: Cholesterol is a type of lipid that is necessary for cell and hormone synthesis. It can help your body produce hormones and help you digest your food.Guidelines

These are some basic guidelines to you get started with creating a healthy diet:

● Select foods and drinks that don’t contribute extra or unneeded calories. Also, look out for saturated, trans, or added sugars, salt, or alcohol. They are not necessary for health.
● Balance your calorie intake for the amount of activity you have in your daily life. The more energy you are going to expend, the more calories you need. Calories contribute to weight when you’re not working them off.
● Do some sort of physical activity! Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to places (park farther away in safe situations), or chose greener ways to get to work.
● Balance your meals with the appropriate food groups. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are great for maintaining one’s energy and health.
● Choose fiber-rich fruits like Apples (with the skin on them), vegetables, and whole grains.
● Try to consume less than a teaspoon of salt per day. (the biggest challenge of them all!)
● Prepare your food with care.

For more tips on health and nutrition check out Food and Nourishment. Also, to review what you know about Apples. We always encourage you to do more research to help you determine what’s best for you. Until next time! 🙂

Share with Us: What do you think about calorie counting?

(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 October 29, 2014August 19, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Organic Health – Healthy Power Breakfast

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

It’s time for a little talk about the most important meal of the day–breakfast! Ever since you were a kid, your parents always told you about the importance of having a good breakfast. Not only did having it wake you up in the morning, but it also got you ready for the day.

They weren’t lying, breakfast is important to your day because it helps you kickstart your body. It boosts energy by feeding your metabolism. Think about it: you sleep for 7 to 9 hours a night–sometimes even more– and then you wake up. Your body hasn’t had any food put into since dinner. You literally haven’t eaten for about 7 to 9 hours and that’s why it’s so important for your body to begin the day right.

However, what makes a breakfast? Better yet, what makes a healthy breakfast? Around the world breakfast has it’s different elements; it doesn’t always have to be bacon and eggs. It could even be a healthier option sometimes. In some cultures they start out with a cappuccino and something sweet in others, perhaps, the familiar omelet. Now some other kinds of breakfast can be really out of the box like vegemite and toast, or tofu, and rice with various other types of meat.

The point is this- no matter where you come from, breakfast is different for different people depending on geography, food availability and personal preparedness, but there is one thing that should be universal–health. Breakfast, being your most important and crucial meal of the day, should be healthy. Not too sweet or full of other fatty qualities. It should be made of foods that help boost energy and won’t leave you feeling and tired and ready to go back to bed on your way to work.

Off the top of your head, what are some of the most healthy breakfasts that you can think of? Were any of them fruit, oatmeal, cereal, parfaits, eggs, or muffins? It’s all about the decisions you make. For instance, the majority of us all love the bacon! It is the all-too-familiar meat option for breakfast. It doesn’t have to be bad for you, but it can be if you eat too much of it. So, why not switch it up?

Instead of having bacon to go with your whole grain toast and egg, try turkey or tofu bacon. That way you are getting your protein and filling your meat category. It’s as simple as research and proper substitution. Don’t be afraid to try new things. There are plenty of options out there. Be sure that when you do your research, you look for the healthy choice and also keep your personal health in mind when searching. ^-^

The EE 411: Breakfast – The Game of Substitution

Following is a list of a few healthier options for breakfast:

Fruit (with or without Yougurt) smoothies
Muffins, bagels, or toast (whole grain usually fills you up)
Green tea or orange juice with breakfast instead of coffee
Scrambled eggs with your choice of additions, with whole grain toast
Fruit salad or parfait
Oatmeal with fruits and nuts
Bananas
Whole grain waffles with fruit of choice
Egg sandwich
Oatmeal squares or granola bars
Whole grain cinnamon french toast with fruit

We always believe it best for you to do your own research especially when it comes with more exotic breakfast options. If you are getting bored with these breakfast options, try looking for other ethnic and cultural options. They may also be healthy decisions and, as always, look out for your best interests–you deserve it!

Share with Us: What is your favorite breakfast food?

Posted on October 1, 2014August 19, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Organic Health – Healthy Snacks

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

It is the pivotal point of the sports season! Baseball playoffs are underway, Football is in full swing, and Basketball preseason has started. We all know what this means—it’s the season for snacking! It’s time to find snacks that fuel and feed your loyal sports fans throughout the season. However, it’s not time to forget about your loved ones’ health, even if it is sports season. So, to look after your loved ones’ health and their stomachs it’s time to initiate healthy snacking!

Don’t worry, we aren’t going to take away the delicious aspect of the snack. Instead of taking away something we are going to add some qualifications. There are three qualifications, among others, that should help you pick a healthy snack. Of course, there can be other criteria out there for picking healthy food, but we’re focusing on these three.

The first qualification of a healthy snack must coincide with your own health. This means making sure you choose snacks that you are not allergic to, and that do not specifically have a negative effect on your health. For instance, if you have diabetes, do not choose snacks with high concentrations of sugar. Or if your doctor has ordered you to stay away from spicy or other certain types of foods, then do not eat them—no matter how much you like them.

The second qualification of a healthy snack is energy producing. If you are watching a game, you certainly don’t want to fall asleep on it. So, find snacks that keep you motivated and ready to go. Some examples of snacks that help preserve energy are whole grains, fruit, dried fruits, nuts, and yogurt. Incorporating these into your snacking regimen will help you keep up with game outcomes.

The third qualification of a healthy snack is fat burning. There is no reason to pick up the pounds while your favorite team picks up the ball. You should be burning calories, while your home team burns their opponent! Believe it or not, there are some snacks that help burn fat. These snacks tend not to have a lot of calories in the first place and are easy to burn through.

Fat burning snacks or snacks with small amounts of calories, usually do not take up much room in the stomach. So, it allows you to eat without getting too full or uncomfortable while watching your game. These are also foods like fruits and vegetables. Though high protein foods like grilled chicken may have a heavier load in calories, they can boost your metabolism and help you burn calories if clean.

All in all, go for snacks that keep you going and healthy. Try not to go for the usual fattening foods that can add on more calories or even contribute negatively to health. We are not saying to never eat those kinds of snacks, but instead use some restraint and add healthier options into the mix. You may like the results and feel a difference as a result of healthy snacking.

The EE 411: Some Snacking Ideas

Peanut Butter and Bananas
Yogurt or parfait cups
Grilled chicken (bites) with a dipping sauce
Almonds, or any kind of nuts or seeds
Popcorn (easy on the butter and salt)
Humus
Turkey clubs
Pretzel chips
Lentil chips/crackers
Granola bars
Fruits: apples, grapes, bananas, oranges, and blueberries
Fresh veggies with favorite dipping sauce
Party Mix
Trail Mix
Shrimp (not deep fried)
Smoked Salmon
Tortillas & Salsa
Guacamole
Sushi
Kabobs

Posted on September 24, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Healthy Lifestyle – Stress Defined

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

Hey Earth’s Enrichers, what exactly do you know about stress? On a superficial note, you know stress is uncomfortable, unfavorable, and makes a day seemingly longer than necessary. You know that it can cause tension in the body, which leads to other forms of discomfort like headaches, muscle pains, and even nausea. We already have tools and means of relieving stress but how is stress defined. What is stress? What causes it? What types of stress are there? What are its short-term and long-term effects? These are things you deserve to know!

What is stress?

Stress is the reaction the body has to being thrown off its homeostasis (balanced) network. It can have mental effects, which affect a person’s ability to function in everyday tasks. It can be a temporary but reoccurring state of the body. It can corrupt a person’s ability to deal with daily issues because the problem solving function is being corrupted by unfavorable distractions. It can also have physical effects on the body. These effects are usually unintentional on your behalf because you are not purposely causing your body pain. For instance, have you ever noticed yourself grinding your teeth or all of a sudden your neck starts to hurt out of the blue. This could be attributed to stress.

What causes stress?

In simplest terms, stress can be caused by stressors. These could be anything from a certain individual to an accumulation of tiresome or irritating events. Anxiety can also play a big role in causing stress. In response to that stress, the body has what is called a stress response (go figure). These are mental, physical, or behavioral changes that take place because of the stressor.

What types of stress are there?

To be more specific about the type of stressors and what may cause stress, eustress and distress are two different types of stress. Eustress are stressors that are positive and promote improved quality in different aspects of life. Distress is not all that great, this is caused by negative stress. This can be counterproductive and harmful.

What are short term and long term effects of stress?

Stress can cause short-term and long-term effects on the body. These effects vary on individual health. Some examples of short-term effects are migraines (headaches), backaches, neck aches, mood swings, and hyperventilation. Chronic stress, which is stress that can be detrimental to your health, can have serious long-term effects. These effects could range from heart disease, chronic pain, depression, and even reduction in the body’s resistance to diseases. It could worsen already existing illness as well like MS, blood pressure, and anxiety.

The EE 411: Stress – Looking After Your Environment

Now that you have a deeper understanding of what stress is and its effects, it’s time to apply some solutions to stress situations:

Laughter goes a long way- find your favorite comedy, or check out your favorite comical blog. It will help you relax because laughter releases endorphins into the body.
Detox- select a nice time of the day and produce a comfortable environment for yourself. For example, if you like long baths, you should take one. Include in your bath water bath salts. Not only will the bath salts relax and release tension from your body, but the scent that they provide is also good aromatherapy which de-stresses the mind. If you’re more of an active person, turn on your favorite music and jam. Make space for me time!
Re-evaluate your work load making sure you can physically and mentally handle everything you sign up for. If you can’t, it may be time to let some things go for your own benefit.
Take some time to do yoga and meditate; it can help you make time to think about the next few steps in your life.

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

Health and Living – Intellectual Health

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

There are six principles that 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 intellectual health, which represents the mind’s health. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, that’s why your intellect is another important factor of your health. Your brain is a muscle that requires exercise just like any other muscle in the body. If you work out often, you understand that if you want your toned muscles to stick around you must continue to exercise and keep up with your diet/fitness plan. The same goes for the brain.

The brain likes to be challenged and engaged. The mere process of receiving new information challenges the brain and increases its capacity to grow. Be sure to input beneficial information, you know what they say “garbage in, garbage out.” Balance the information you receive on a daily basis. Yes, definitely watch the news and stay informed, but make a point to also expose your brain to positive information too. Listen to stories that have happy endings. Stay tuned in for the news segment that highlights triumph and inspiration. Then unplug the television altogether. Too much television can actually affect the health of your prefrontal cortex.

Instead pick up a good book. For those of you who have been out of school for a while, what do you do to keep your brain active? Just like when children are out of school for the summer, assign yourself some “summer” reading.

Everyone is always online, but when connected to the web, challenge yourself to practice media literacy. It may not be enough to just “Google it”. Challenge yourself and your brain to discover whether the information is accurate and constructive. Cross reference your findings, be skeptical and discover other answers for yourself. Practicing media literacy will increase your knowledge base and sharpen your intellectual health for certain.

What does all this information input matter, if you are not having fun? Have you tried out some logic games? Intellectual exercises can be a blast Once you are at your desk for lunch, try beating a Sudoku puzzle while you eat. Logic games are a perfect way to challenge yourself. It helps your mind expand the way it thinks and creates better problem solving skills. They make all sorts of logic games that can be played with your friends and family. Also, joining clubs or taking a few classes could help you maintain your intellectual capacity and boost your social life. 🙂

If you can’t join a class, all you really have to do to boost and enhance your intellectual health is participate in intellectual conversation. Keep up with current events, and when you do, discuss them with others and expand your point of view. When you’re on your way home listen to radio stations like NPR or simply listen to your favorite audio book. Friendly debate, reading online, and picking a book series that you like to follow are all simple, fun, and easy ways to increase your intellectual health. Have fun and enjoy yourself! You deserve it!!

The EE 411:

What is Intellectual Health?

Keeping your mind active
Maintaining your intellect

How to keep up and maintain intellectual health?

Logic games (board games or apps)
Keeping up with current events
Friendly debates
Taking up a class
Joining a club like maybe a book or film club
Reading or audiobooks
Even drawing and sketching

When engaging in intellectual activity there are a few fun facts that aid in brain stimulation:

Many aroma therapists believe that lemongrass works to stimulate the left brain. That’s not necessarily what Earth’s Enrichments had in mind when we developed our Lemon Fresh Shea Body Balm, Sugar Scrub and Bath Salts, but great. It is certainly worth a try. Fruity scents are usually great at revitalization and stimulation.
Maintaining your brain activity, exercising, proper nutrition, a healthy social life, appropriate sleep, and proper maintenance of stress can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Brain Foods:

o Blueberries (Berries in general)

o Salmon (sardines, oily fish)

o Nuts and seeds (almonds, flax seeds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, cashews, walnuts, etc.)

o Avocados

o Whole grains

o Coffee, brewed tea, pomegranate Juice, and water

o Dark Chocolate

o Olive oil

o Spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, and beets

o Garlic, sage

To help stimulate your senses and to help prepare for your day you might want to try our Fresh Ground Java, Lemon Fresh Shea (body balm too), Chai La Tea, or Honey Granola body bars. It could be the extra boost you need in the morning or evening.

Share with Us: What are your favorite logic games?

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 August 5, 2014August 7, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Healthy Lifestyle – Massage Therapy

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

Earth’s Enrichers, summer is coming to an end and this is probably one of the most stressful moments. This is the time the students are preparing to return to school and when work seems to be piling up the highest. However, just because the summer is nearing its end does not mean summer is over!

Now is the time to prepare yourself for what’s ahead, while enjoying the weeks of summer you have left. This is no time to get tense! Well some of you may already be tense. No worries we have a solution. First things, first; tension can be caused by anxiety and stress. Although these are forms of mental stress, they can manifest themselves in physical ways like headaches, back, or neck pain.

So, ladies and gentlemen, what’s the best way to remove physical tension, while also soothing your mental tension? A massage! Yep, the kind of massages you’d find in a spa. Massages are meant to work out the tension in muscles and reduce the discomfort it brings. They’re not just for relaxation purposes.

Massage therapy is an actual therapeutic and medical process of relief. It’s been known to be help with anxiety, headaches, sports/work injuries, joint pain, stress, sleep/digestion disorders, nerve pain, and pain & muscle tension. A nice natural, soothing, handy option for relief. It can also improve posture, increase range of motion, improve circulation, lower blood pressure, and can even strengthen the immune system.

Massage therapy or massages in general are a form of treatment and with most treatments there are some things you must do to help prepare your body. It is important that you prepare your mind for what is about to happen, especially if you have never had a message. So, do some research to find out what to expect and/or meditate on it. You must be open and relaxed in order to experience the benefits of the therapy.

To help keep your mind on what’s going on during the process, it is recommended that you not eat before your session. That way your body isn’t trying to digest your food, while it’s supposed to be relaxing. Also, to keep yourself relaxed, try not to frazzle yourself too much before your session. If you are relatively anxious or stressed, it may take you longer to relax during the massage.

There is no hidden rule that says you cannot talk during your massage. In fact, communication between you and your massage therapist is recommended. This way you can inform them of what is uncomfortable or what is making it harder for you to relax. For instance, if there is a certain part of your body that is particularly sensitive or if the music played is distracting, you can just let them know. They are totally cool with it. It’s about making your experience a relaxing and beneficial one.

Speaking of making yourself relaxed during your massage, you don’t have to be naked if you don’t want to be. Just let your massage therapist know what you’re comfortable with and wear clothes you consider fairly comfy. Also, be sure to tell them if you are allergic to any oils or lotions. That way you won’t end up breaking out after your session.

To complete your spa experience, be sure not to rush into movement. Take your time with getting back into your normal grove; getting up too fast might cause you to get dizzy. Remember your body will be going from extreme relaxation to outputting energy. So, take your time. Next, hydrate your body. The water helps flush out the toxins in the body.

Let’s not forget, a massage is not just therapy, it’s relaxing “me time.” So, enjoy it the way you want. Play the music you want to hear, use the oils you like the best, dress (or don’t dress) the way you see fit, and relax. The experience will be different for everybody and the benefits may not immediate. It may take some time to notice the changes after a massage. If you have never experienced a massage, we recommend you do more research and try it. You may love it! Remember, summer is not over yet!

The EE 411: Types of Massages

There are many types of massages and they are used for different purposes. We have ten popular massages listed below:

Deep Tissue– This massage strives for deeper contact with muscles and the strokes tend to be slower. This is usually used for individuals with tight muscle pain, strain, issues with posture, or who are recovering from an injury.
Back– Usually brief massages that focus on the back. Tend to be generic spa massages.
Aromatherapy– Massages that usually incorporate complementary, relaxing scents to help relax the body and mind of the individual.
Swedish– A very familiar massage that incorporates kneading, circular motions that target the superficial layers of the muscles. Usually, tame and soothing. This is the best options for newbies to start out with. J
Sports– Kind of like the Swedish massage but more for folks with sport or activity related injuries.
Shiatsu– This is a Japanese style massage that uses fingers to target acupuncture patterns. At each point, they linger for a few seconds to increase energy flow and maintain balance. A very pleasant experience.
Thai– This is similar to a Shiatsu, but it uses pressure points to increase energy and you are a bit more active because of the series of postures and positions you’ll be in. Great for reducing stress, increasing range of motion and flexibility.
Hot Stone– This is a massage that incorporates fairly large smooth heated stones that are positioned on certain parts of the body. They are there to loosens tension. The therapist usually applies slight pressure on the stones.
Reflexology– (or foot massage) This uses pressure points on the foot that corresponds to different organs of the body.
Trigger Point– This focuses on tight muscle fibers that usually happen when they are over used.

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 23, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Organic Health – An Apple a Day

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

You know what? We think red may be your color, or green, or yellow, how do you feel about all three? What’s with that look? We are talking about your color in fruit—apples, to be exact. Remember, the classic Red Delicious apples, the Granny Smith (green) apples, the Golden Delicious (yellow) apples, and the Gala apples?

We are pretty sure you are wondering why we are talking apples this week. It’s because the old saying may be true. An apple a day could keep the doctor away. The majority of you know that apples are healthy, but how many of you know how healthy? An apple by itself has a ton of benefits for you and your body.

Apples contain many benefits and these benefits can be found in certain areas of the apple. A word to you apple peelers! The skin of the apple is the most beneficial part; skinning it removes about 50% of its healthy charm. Apple skin contains most of the apple’s fiber and antioxidants. The dietary fiber can help reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood. So you may want to stop peeling.

The apple as a whole has benefits like vitamin C and B. The vitamin C in the apple contains potent antioxidants that can help against radicals and boost the body’s immune system (keeping the doctor away^-^). The vitamin B or B-6 along with riboflavin, and thiamin can help maintain the red blood cells and the nervous system.

Other health benefits of apples tend to look after long-term problems like lowering the levels of bad cholesterol and reducing the risk of diabetes and breast cancer. However, with all good things too much can be a problem and result in counterproductive means to getting health.

An apple a day is okay and could keep the doctor away. An apple every day, all day, could give you a one way ticket. Eating apples to often can be bad for your teeth because of the acidity of the fruit. It’s best to eat smart. Also, be careful to not eat the apple seeds; they contain cyanide and can be dangerous if consumed one too many times.

Last, but certainly not least, look after your body. If you are worried about eating apples or if you have diabetes and are not sure which fruits to consume, it is best to consult your doctor. Stay healthy and cool!

The EE 411: How many ways can you eat an apple? 🙂

We’ve checked out some healthy ways to eat a delicious apple. Here is what we came up with:

Natural or organic applesauce
Baked with cinnamon
Mixed in with yogurt (greek or plain)
Sliced
Turned into a milkshake, smoothie, or juiced
Apples + Peanut butter= yum!
Add them to meals like stir fry or salad
Add them to your deli sandwich
Fruit salad
With or in your oatmeal

Also, for your special treat, we were thinking you might want to know what different types of apples were out there and there are so many. Epicurious and Depin Heights both have an extensive log pertaining to the varieties, uses, recipes, seasons, and descriptions of the apple.

Share with Us: Do you have any healthy apple treats or recipes that you’d like to share?

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.