marja

Transitioning to Healthy Changes The stakes for modifying human health are high. According to Healthy People 2020, in 2008, 107 million Americans almost 1 out of every 2 adults age 18 or older, had at least 1 of 6 reported chronic illnesses: Cardiovascular disease Arthritis Diabetes Asthma Cancer Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Obesity, stress, smoking, poor nutrition, binge drinking, drug abuse, unprotected sex, and a sedentary lifestyle are contributing factors of chronic disease. Our attitudes, beliefs and perceptions often influence destructive behavior. In 2008, individuals in the United States reported on average 7 physically and/or mentally unhealthy days within a month. Despite [Read More]

Osteoporosis and other bone weaknesses are primarily caused by excessive calcium loss and inadequate vitamin D. Animal protein, excess salt, caffeine, tobacco, and physical inactivity are part of the problem, but here’s the good news and it doesn’t include milk. Calcium can be found in dark green leafy vegetables, tofu made with calcium sulfate, calcium-fortified soy milk and orange juice, as well as many other non-dairy products. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. Its required for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, hormones, enzymes, and transmitting impulses throughout the nervous system. The body strives to maintain constant concentrations of calcium [Read More]

Let’s start with the bottom line, buy organic. True, it’s more expensive than the conventional and genetically modified alternatives, but it’s safer and cheaper than a pill. Physical and mental malfunctions caused by pesticides, genetic transmutations, and growth hormones are surfacing. Think of organics as health insurance. The safety of genetically modified (GM) crops for human nutrition and health has not yet developed a satisfactory approach in evaluating risk for long term effects. Currently, GM sources are compared to conventional crops only for nutritional performance and growth in animals. This measurement is called “substantial equivalence,” and it’s not an effective risk assessment for many reasons. One is the [Read More]

  5 Ways to Give Stress a Rest. Your body and mind are meant to be whole and connect through a network feedback loops. In other words, the body collects information from the environment and reports to the mind. The mind listens and responds. Make no mistake, every cell gets the word about something stressful and it’s expressed in chemical reactions in the form of hormones instead of words.  Real or imagined, the messages come through loud and clear. When it comes to managing stress, awareness is the key. People with heart health concerns should be especially mindful about managing stress. The [Read More]

The more you work your heart and lungs, the more efficient they become at delivering oxygen to the body and brain. With increased blood flow come the chemical cascades that may very well be your fountain of youth. As we age smoking, inactivity, and eating poorly are root causes of disease. Lifestyle also influences the mental hazards that come with getting older. “The same things that kill the body kill the brain” states Dr. Mark Mattson, of the National Institute on Aging. Diabetes increases the risk of developing dementia by 65 percent, and high cholesterol increases the likelihood by 46 percent. The good [Read More]

Think Outside the Pillbox   The growing popularity of medicinal plants is increasing due to the legitimate research supporting them. Even though many have been used for hundreds if not thousands of years, both the government and the private sector are now funding the investigation of plants and their healing properties. The outcomes have been mixed for some, but others are fairing so well that many healing foods are preferred to prescription drugs and over the counter pharmaceuticals. This doesn’t mean to stop taking your medicine, but to inspire a different approach about what to eat. In this way, many conditions and their medicines can [Read More]