living Archives

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

Health and Living – Intellectual Health

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?

(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 July 9, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Living Healthy – Staying Cool

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

The summer temperatures are ripe this year! They range from 80 to anywhere in the 90s and above. In this kind of weather, you must bring your A-game of coolness. So we ask you, how are you staying cool in the toaster summer of 2014?

We at EE are natural at staying cool. So this week we are going to let you in on the scoop; that way you’re not burning up out there. It is very important that you keep several things in mind during the summer time heat: (1) the clothes you wear, (2) keeping yourself hydrated, (3) the shoes you wear, (4) your skin’s protection, and (5) keeping an eye on your body’s signals.

In order to prepare for those five things, it is a good idea to know the temperature and the temperature changes throughout the day. Typically, the hottest time of the day is anywhere between 3pm and 6pm. These are the times that you should be most prepared for.

So, when you dress in the morning and you have learned that it will be a very hot day, stray away from wearing black—even if it’s your color! We all know how we look good in black, but we guarantee you it will not feel good in 90 degree weather. It is recommended to wear light colors, because sun rays are drawn to darker ones making it feel way hotter than it is.

Invest in a water bottle, one that you won’t dispose of easily. This way you’re one step closer to sparing the environment and keeping yourself properly hydrated. Try not to leave the house without your icy water-filled bottle. These water bottles can usually hold a minimum of 16 oz. Keeping your body hydrated keeps you from tiring, getting headaches, and possibly getting nauseous while going about your daily activities in the scorching sun.

The right shoes are very necessary. If you’re planning on doing a lot of walking in the hot sun, believe it or not, black sandals aren’t the best either. They get terribly warm when you’re walking. This could cause “some” discomfort. So, when you’re putting that outfit together and you plan on being outside indirect sunlight, try building the outfit with a lighter pair of shoes.

One of the most important parts of this list is protecting your skin properly from the sunlight. It is important to use sunscreen when going out in hot weather (where the sun and its rays thrive). You could also find moisturizers that have sun protection. There is nothing worse than being sun burnt or having sun poisoning. This is important even if you’re not at the beach because it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Last but not least, pay close attention to your body and know your body’s distress signals. If you feel faint, find some shade and take a little break. Sip some of that water that you prepared in that reusable water bottle, and take your time getting back in the mix. If symptoms like exhaustion, headaches, nausea, and irritated skin persist, seek professional medical attention.

The EE 411:

Here are some other cool tips:

If you exercise, shift your schedule to when it is cooler. Try going out early in the morning or later in the evening. That way, you don’t subject yourself to harsh heat.
Invest in a spray bottle. There are some really cool ones with fans attached to them. J
Wear cotton or synthetic breezy clothing.
Bathe frequently and keep up with your skin (cleansing, moisturizing, exfoliating, etc.)
Avoid caffeine and/or alcohol; it dehydrates you.
Go where the air conditioning is! If you don’t have any at home, travel to the library or mall.
Heat rises! If it is too hot upstairs, then spend some time downstairs or on the floor. When in doubt watch your house pet; they will find the coolest spot in the house.