natural skincare 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 23, 2014August 19, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Organic Health – Other Than Nuts

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

We here at EE know that what works for the many doesn’t always work for the few. Last week we talked about going nuts. That many different types of nuts carry different types of nutritional benefits and make the perfect on the go healthy snack. But what about those of you who despise the nuts? Who are allergic to them? What other options do you have?

Never fear, we have taken the time to give you some of the options you seek. Instead of indulging nuts, the better options for those of you with nut issues can be seeds, olives, coconut, and lentils.

Before we continue with these various options, we must warn you that anything can come with an allergy. Try not to overdo what you like so that you don’t incidentally make yourself sick and even consuming a good thing has its limits. Also, make sure you are not allergic to any of these options. Trying a small portion of each you so desire before ingesting large amounts to make sure you do not have any allergies.

Now, when looking for a good substitution for the benefits of nuts, seeds are great. Seeds usually have a nutty consistency similar to what you find in peanuts. So, it makes an easy replacement that isn’t too bazaar. Seeds have been linked to lowering risk of heart diseases and can be a good anti-inflammatory. Seeds can also range from many types of benefits like protein, fiber, and antioxidants. So, if you are looking for a close substitute for nuts, seeds may be the option for you.

Now, if you are looking for something a little out of the box and definitely not similar to nuts in any way, you may like the olive option. Olives also have heart healthy benefits like controlling blood pressure, and helping to prevent blood clots. Olives are also a great source of vitamin E, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and potassium, etc. Pretty good option, if you’re not a fan of the nut and its texture.

This next option is very much mistaken for a nut or tree nut when it is not. Coconut is a fruit, not a nut. Even though people still have coconut allergies, those of you that are allergic to tree nuts might be able to eat coconuts. Coconuts have an immense amount of health benefits like boosting energy, defending against bacteria, reducing cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease, and boosting brain function.

Last but certainly not least, lentils are a good substitute for nuts. Lentils are more like beans, for example, dry beans, chickpeas, lupines, etc. They are high in protein and fiber. They are also a great source of potassium, vitamin K, calcium, and zinc. So if you are a bean person, then this may be the best choice for you.

The EE 411: Organic Health – An Extensive List on your Healthy Snack Option

Types of Seeds:
● Sunflower seeds
● Pomegranate seeds
● Flax seeds
● Pumpkin seeds
● Apricot seeds
● Sesame seeds
● Cumin seeds
● Grape seeds
● Chia seeds
● Hemp seeds

Types of Olives:
● Cerigonola
● Gaeta
● Kalamata
● Nicoise
● Oil-Cured
● Sicilian Green

Types of Lentils
● Brown Lentils
● Red Lentils
● French Green Lentils

There are many different substitutes for nuts. They can be found in meats, fruits, vegetables, and oils. So, don’t let these three popular options limit you. Do more research and find what you like. Then share what you have found with your friends and family. Also, look for great ways to incorporate them in your food. We hope our topic for today helped you find other healthy options outside of nuts.

Share with Us: What is your favorite nut substitute?

Posted on October 16, 2014August 19, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Organic Health – Go Nuts

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

Excitement is in the air, especially as we approach the World Series. Speaking of the Baseball, do you remember singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” when you were out at the baseball game?

We believe there was one special line in that song that everybody remembers, “just buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks; I don’t care if I never get back.” Well, Earth’s Enrichers were Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer on to something? What are the health benefits of peanuts or the health benefits of certain nuts in general?

We hope to answer those questions today. Believe or not, nuts provide great health benefits and better snacking options. However, just like every good thing, it comes with limits. We will be looking at several different types of nuts today, but let’s first look at the overall good and bad of eating nuts.

When selecting your favorite brand of nuts there are a few things to consider. For instance, look for brands that use natural flavoring like sweeteners. You don’t want to ruin the nut’s natural benefits by coating it with unhealthy amounts of artificial sweeteners and sugars. Also, pay close attention to packaging and buy them in portioned individual packaging. This way you are not overeating the recommended amount of the selected nuts.

There is one more important fact about selecting your brands of nuts, look out for your salt intake. Although salt pairs well with a majority of different types of nuts, be careful. Look for lightly salted nuts so that you don’t end up overpowering the nuts or overdoing sodium.

For those of you that are not in to eating nuts by themselves, there are some great and healthy ways to pair nuts with your food. Naturally honey roasted nuts can go great with yogurt. Also, they can be sprinkled on salad, chicken, and pastas/noodles (like Pad Thai). Peanut butter or other kinds of nut made butter can be spread on toast or fruit.

Following these simple parameters when looking for your favorite types of nuts will help you determine how to get the full benefits. Avoiding unnatural flavoring, large amounts of salt, and looking for prepackaged portions will keep you from overdoing it and help you benefit from what nuts have to offer. Also, don’t be afraid to try new things. Try pairing your favorite nut with anything; it may bring excitement to your dish.

The EE 411: Nuts for What

Walnuts

Good for the heart
Has protein, magnesium, and fiber.

Almonds

Lower Cholesterol
Fiber
Calcium
Vitamin E

Peanuts

Good for the brain
Is actually a bean, not a nut.

Cashews

Iron
Folate and Vitamin K which is good for the bones and normal blood clotting.
Zinc

Macadamia nuts

Good for the heart (monounsaturated fat), this helps the nervous system.

Brazil Nuts

Good for the thyroid
Has selenium, which boosts immunity

Pecans

Good for the prostate
Lowers cholesterol

Chestnuts

Low in fat
Low in Calories
Has Vitamin B and B6

Pistachios

Lutein, which is great for vision and skin.
Potassium

Share with Us: What is your favorite kind of nut?

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 September 18, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Health and Living – Environmental Health

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

Ladies and Gentlemen, the six principles of heath are coming to an end. However, this does not mean that you have to forget all that we have shared with you. So here is a quick review of the five principles we have introduced. The first principle we covered was physical health, which represents the body’s health and refers to anything that benefits your body’s physical fitness, safety, nutrition, and medical responsibility.

The second principle was intellectual health, which represents the mind and keeping it well feed and active. The third was spiritual health, which means having a purpose or deeper meaning in life. The fourth was emotional health, which is the ability to cope with stress and achieve/maintain self-esteem. The fifth was social health, which is the making and conservation of meaningful interpersonal relationships. Our grand finale, the sixth principle of health, is environmental health.

When you think of the environment, what comes to mind? Pollution? The place in which you live? Let’s put it like this: environmental health is the effect the environment has on you and the effect you have on the environment. That’s right. In this health principle you have a direct responsibility to the planet. Believe it or not, what you do for the environment can directly affect the environment of those around you.

This affect you have on the environment can be a positive one or a negative one. Remember, you do have a choice. For instance, if you have something you’re finished with and it leaves behind trash find the proper way to dispose of it. It may not seem like much but your contribution could lead others to make better decisions as well.

Now, here is where you have to be careful of the environment as a whole. When living in certain places there are certain things about those places that you know aren’t safe. For instance, in some places it is not so healthy to drink the water directly from the faucet. On another note, it may not be healthy to go down that dark deserted alley on your way home.

This vital part of environmental health is knowing your environment. Do research to find out what you can and cannot do. Also, look into where you can find a farmers’ market and organic and healthy products. That way you are not falling into unhealthy eating habits. Find out the safer and open areas to exercise and increase fitness.

This principle of heath requires that you look after your own health and consider other’s health around you. It’s a way to personally have a positive impact on your neighbors and the environment itself. Looking after the environment will help look after you in the long run- you deserve it and your peers deserve it as well!

The EE 411: Looking After Your Environment

Recycle
Put your trash away the right way (making sure it is all in the garbage can)
Clean the gutters
Plant Plants
Dispose of electronics properly – Did you know that electronics like headphones are supposed to be disposed of in a particular way? They can also be recycled.
Conserve energy- unplug the things you are not using.
Ride your bike to places you need to go (conserve energy, reduce pollution, and perfect physical activity).
Check leaky faucets.

These are simple things you can do yourself that can positively affect your environment. Using organic products can help reduce the amount of chemicals you use. Chemical waste is a big part of the environment. Buying products that are produced with chemical and artificial preservatives is not the best things for you. Look after yourself. Your body is your fortress- so protect it!

Share with Us: How do you contribute to the environment?

Posted on September 3, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Health and Living – Emotional 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 past few weeks, we have covered physical, intellectual, and spiritual health. For each one of those principles we have explained what they entail and how they can easily be included into the healthy life that you deserve.

For this week we will be talking about emotional health. Of course, the majority of you are able to guess what this principle means. To elaborate, emotional health has a lot to do with how you feel about yourself and others. It incorporates your ability to maintain and create social and interpersonal relationships.

Analyze this for a second: what does it take to build a relationship? Or rather, what does it take for you to build a relationship? This should be thought about in a personal way because not everyone is as good at being social as others. It depends on how outgoing you are or how much self-esteem you have. This is why emotional health is important.

Emotional health is the ability to cope with stress and achieve/maintain self-esteem. The main objective is to have emotional stability. For instance, patience (a virtue that can be hard to come by) is achieved when one is able to effectively deal with unforeseen events and not let stressful situations get overwhelming. This means staying calm when things get crazy and coming up with a solution.

The inability to handle day-to-day issues on a sustained basis can be a sign of poor emotional health or (if diagnosed by a professional) a sign of mental health illnesses. We’re not addressing these more severe instances, but more minor irritations. Day-to-day issues usually tend to be minor in scale like dealing with traffic, spilling a drink, or even dealing with difficult co-workers. If you deal with situations equivalent to these on a normal basis and all of a sudden they begin to get to you more than usual, perhaps it’s time to come up with a de-stressing hobby.

Now, sometimes emotional stability can be hard to maintain; after a while things that are deemed trivial could get on your nerves especially when you have more pressing issues to attend. If that begins to happen, try new means of relaxation. For instance, if you often do not take relaxing bubble baths, perhaps now may be a time to start. Or you could even start joining a fitness club to work out the stress. Burning energy is a great way to deal with stress and relaxing in a nice refreshing bath can help you detox.

Venting or expressing one’s emotions can also be a good way to balance your emotional health. This can be done verbally or can be written down. If something is bothering you, it’s okay to calmly talk to that individual about it. If you cannot talk to that individual, try coming home and discussing it with your loved ones or people you trust. Another way to deal with it is with an “angry letter.” This is something your write but you don’t send. It helps you vent in a way that doesn’t hurt someone else’s feelings and is best kept in a private place like a journal.

It’s important to not let your emotions get the best of you. If you are able to control them and maintain a calm demeanor when things go wrong, then you are at optimal emotional health. Everyone gets mad and makes mistakes’, we are all human. So when we do get mad, it’s best to find healthy ways to release those emotions. Doing this helps you build better relationships and better deal with your environment.

The EE 411: Stress Relievers and Emotional Cleansers

Here are a few tips for stress relief:

Counting to ten
Taking deep breaths
Keeping a Journal
Venting in a healthy way
Kick boxing or any physical activity like running
Painting
Playing or listening to Music
Hanging out with friends or family
Forgiveness (sometimes it’s easier to move on)
Relaxing bath (Calming Spa Seaweed bath salts would be perfect for this! You can detox your mind, body, and soul)
Meditating is basically good for everything

Emotional Cleansers:

Treat yourself: have your favorite treat (dessert, food or even treat yourself by shopping). It’s okay to treat yourself to get your mind off it, just don’t overdo it.
Reach out to someone and tell them how you feel whether it’s a friend, loved one, or a professional.
Laughing is good for the soul. If you have had a bad day, turn on your favorite comedy and cheer yourself up.
Forgiveness: try to let things go and move on. Consider how things could have been done differently and do it better next time.
Have an intense music session. If you must, sing to the top of your lungs, play air guitar, and dance your troubles away. You will soon be too exhausted to remember them anyway.

Share with Us: How do you deal with your emotions? What sort of outlets do you have?

Posted on August 28, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Health and Living – Spirituality

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

When you think of spirituality, what exactly comes to mind? Spirituality is very important for human health. Spirituality is the foundation of fundamentals that create the basis of human purpose. This means spirituality gives an individual a feeling of purpose, a sense of meaning in their lives.

With religion, spirituality is defined in many different ways. In health, it has more of a universal definition. Spiritual health simply wishes you to answer this question: do you feel you have a purpose or greater meaning in life? Spiritual health is less linked to a deity and more linked to the idea of building your confidence and improving your inner (mental) health. In other words, do you feel you are connected to this world for a reason?

Look at your life, accomplishments, and future goals. Discover your next move in life and how you can better reach your goals.

Take long walks and get in touch with yourself, reflect on what has happened in your life both good and bad. When was the last time you took time out of your busy day and cherished your good ol’ memories? To live in the past isn’t healthy, but to reminisce every now and again is perfectly fine.

This principle also focuses on establishing personal values. These personal values should help you with your emotional health, physical, and social life. These values can range from philosophical—do unto others, as you would have them do unto you—to physical like practicing fitness to counteract daily stress that could affect your social life.

Spiritual health encourages you to think out of the box by thinking inside of the box. Its purpose is to inspire you to look inside yourself and discover who you are, what makes you a better person and what makes you happy.

It encourages you to challenge yourself and the only way to do that is to know who you are (to know your limits). It stimulates you to enjoy yourself and love yourself. So, take the time out of your day to enjoy life and enjoy being alive. This is something you definitely deserve!

The EE 411: A Better Way To Get In Touch

One major aspect of spiritual health is the ability to get in touch with yourself, to basically understand your ultimate purpose in life. This simply means being able to experience love, pain, peace, joy, grief, and responsibility and admiration for all living beings.

Of course you have felt all of these and they are everyday aspects of life. They cannot be avoided because these feelings are a part of life. However, optimal spiritual health helps you navigate these emotions.

Meditation is a great way to achieve spiritual health. Just in case you don’t know what meditation is, it is basically a time where you are quiet and you can deeply reflect. The classic way to meditate is to find a quiet place to isolate yourself with the option of calming music to guide you. This way you are undisturbed and are free to roam your thoughts as you please. Meditation does not have to be limited to sitting in isolation and it works best when you relax. It can be done in any environment and doing any activity. A leisurely stroll through a park or simply walking your dog could be a great time to reflect and admire the planet you live on.

We say a great way to relax and think about your day and reflect is in an awesome, warm, soothing bath. This allows you to slowly drift into long musing without disturbance. We recommend Lavender of the Valley to help you relax. Perhaps, a little soak in our bath salts to create a soothing aromatherapy, which is great for relaxing. Treat yourself and help balance your spiritual health.

Share with Us: What are ways that you get in touch with yourself?

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?