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

Organic Health – Healthy Snacks

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

(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 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?

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?