Enhance Your Emotional Wellness with Oriental Medicine

The upcoming holiday season (yes, it all begins around Halloween) can be filled with a dizzying array of demands, visitors, travel and frantic shopping trips. For many people, it is also a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness, and anxiety.

Compound the usual seasonal pressures with economic strain, and you may find this to be one of the most emotionally trying times of the year.

At some point in life, everyone deals with major upheavals or emotional distress. These events can trigger a host of unexpected feelings and behaviors, from depression and panic attacks to major disruptions in sleep and eating.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can alleviate symptoms associated with mental and emotional health issues by treating the root cause of the problem to help restore balance to the body's internal environment.

Mental health disorders are medical conditions that can disrupt a person's thinking, feeling, mood, and ability to cope with the daily demands of life or relate well to others.

Affecting people of any age, race, religion, or income, mental health issues are more common than you might think.

In fact, experts estimate that a significant number of people report symptoms that indicate sufficient qualifying criteria of a mental disorder. Some mental disorders are less severe and can be easily managed with proper treatment.

Mental illnesses that are more serious and require more extensive treatment includes

✾ major depression
✾ schizophrenia
✾ bipolar disorder
✾ obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
✾ panic disorder
✾ post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
✾ borderline personality disorder.

From an Oriental medicine perspective

Mental health disorders can cause a disruption in the flow of vital energy, or Qi, through the body.

These energetic imbalances can throw off the immune system causing

✾ pain
✾sleep disturbances
✾abnormal digestion
✾headaches
✾menstrual irregularities
✾ over time, more serious illnesses

Acupuncture treatments can correct these imbalances and directly affect the way your body manages your mental health.

Oriental medicine does not recognize any mental disorder as one particular syndrome. Instead, it aims to treat the specific symptoms that are unique to each individual, using a variety of techniques including acupuncture, lifestyle/dietary recommendations and exercises to restore imbalances found in the body.

Therefore, if 100 patients are treated with acupuncture and Oriental medicine for anxiety, each of those 100 people will receive a unique, customized treatment with different acupuncture points, and different lifestyle and diet recommendations.

Mental health issues are best managed when health professionals work together to meet the unique needs of each individual. Acupuncture is an excellent addition to any treatment plan as it is used to help the body restore balance, treating the root of the disorder, while also diminishing symptoms.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioners have the ability to detect energetic changes that occur in the body and relieve symptoms by restoring equilibrium.

The physical and emotional symptoms that you are experiencing will help create a clear picture for your practitioner, from which a treatment plan can be created specifically for you.

For more information, please visit: www.moveyourqi.com

What is EMERGE and What Are Comfort Foods That Are Healthy For You?

Recently I was part of an immune conditioning program called EMERGE, that focused on improving our immune vitality through four key areas: Activity, Mindfulness, Recovery, and Nutrition.

The Activity portions of this program featured on-demand workouts from some of the leading boutique fitness companies like AKT, CycleBar, Row House, and treadmill workouts from STRIDE.

Mindfulness activities centered around breathing and meditation exercises, with some restorative yoga sessions and mat Pilates routines from YogaSix and Club Pilates.

Recovery was all about pre and post workout exercises that keep our bodies limber and strong. Barre exercises from Pure Barre and guided stretches from StretchLab really guide the recovery program.

Nutrition was where I stepped in! Each week I provided helpful and actionable nutrition videos all geared toward building holistic immune health. One of my videos was all about comfort foods, and how we can maintain healthy options when the stress of life makes us want to dive into the carbs and ice cream!

If you'd like to check out one of my nutrition videos included in the EMERGE program that shines light on comfort foods that are actually good for you, then click on the link below......and if you love the information you see here, subscribe to Dr. Nancy Lin's YouTube Channel!

10 Best Yoga Poses for Headaches and Migraines

Got a tension headache or pressure in the upper region of your torso that stems from the base of the skull all the way up to the temples and into the middle of your eyeballs?

Headaches and migraines can be extremely debilitating and uncomfortable.

If you are not the over the counter pill popper every time a symptom comes up in your body, then know that there are great holistic approaches to feeling better (and they can be low cost or free)!

The following are simple yoga poses to help get rid of unwanted pressure and aches in the head:

♢ Before doing any pose, close your eyes and breathe deeply in and out of your nose. Sit in a comfortably seated position turn inward.
♢ Shut off any outside noises generated from electronics and listen to your breath rising and falling, in and out of your diaphragm. Just relax.
♢ Dab a few drops of peppermint on the temples and behind the neck.
♢ Deep breathe.
♢ Add a few drops of Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Lemongrass, and Blue Tansy Essential Oils.
♢ This can be done before, during or after your gentle yoga and meditation practice. 

1. Child's Pose

Toes touch and knees are open wide as you melt your torso onto the floor in front of you. Arms and reaching straight in front of you. Forehead rests gently on the ground in front.

2. Seated (modified) Eagle Pose

Sitting in a crisscross applesauce/ Indian style with legs crossed, bring left arm under the right arm and wrap left arm around right so the left fingers grasp inner bottom palm of right hand.

Deep inhale and raise bound arms up toward the ceiling. Repeat with the opposite arm on top.

3. Cat and Cow

In a tabletop position with both hands and knees on the ground, take a series of inhale and exhale movements with your spine moving to your breath.

♢ Cat

When the spine is arched and the belly is hallowed and breath leaves the body in a slow exhalation and chin tucks into the chest.

♢ Cow

When the belly drops down toward the ground, inhalation, the gaze is soft and is up toward the ceiling.

4. Seated Forward Bend

Sitting on the ground with both legs extended in front of you, inhale both arms up into the air and exhale your chest melts down toward the thigh and knees.

Arms reach for the shins, ankles. toes or the feet. Relax and find length with each inhalation. Find more depth with each exhalation.

5. Legs Up the Wall

Lay on your back with your legs extended, soles of the foot facing the ceiling, toes pointing toward your face.

For additional support, rest your extended legs up the wall as your sit bones meet the bottom of the baseboard and ground. Inhale and exhale slowly.

6. Happy Baby Pose or Knees to Chest

Laying on your back, bring both knees into the chest and hug your knees.

Another option is to grab the outside of the feet and gently rock side to side and give your spine (central nervous system house) a nice massage.

7. Supine Twist with bent knees to right and left

After taking your knees to your chest and laying on your back on the ground, gently allow your legs to drop to the right side.

Extend your arms out to a "T" and gaze over your left shoulder. Gently inhale and exhale. Repeat on the opposite side.

8. Seated Meditation

Sit comfortably on your sit bones—with or without the assistance of a block under your sit bones.

Close your eyes and keep your spine straight and tall. Your head is neutral. Close your eyes and breath in and out gently and controlled.

9. Bridge Pose

Laying on your back, bend your knees and bring the heels of your feet close to your sit bones.

Inhale, press into the soles of the feet and lift the hips up toward the ceiling. Press your heart and sternum up and closer toward the front of the room.

Inhale and find more extension in the spine and lift from the pelvis. Relax the head and neck. Exhale after a couple rounds of breath and lower your pelvis to the floor.

10. Resting Pose

Lay on your back with your feet extended straight in front of you and allow both feet to fall naturally out a foot apart.

Your hands are palms facing up and about a foot apart from your body on each side. Surrender as your body melts into the earth.

Close your eyes and breathe.

Hypothyroidism Lifestyle: Foods to Avoid, Essential Oils to Use & Activities to Do

If you are living with hypothyroidism or under-active thyroid—a condition that causes the thyroid glands to produce too few hormones, you may be living with reduced energy and increasing weight gain. Other symptoms may include depressive or irregular mood swings, slow heartbeats, cold sensitivity, and/or menstrual irregularities. The thyroid glands help to regulate the body’s metabolism (the rate at which food is converted into energy).

If you want to approach living with hypothyroidism in a natural way, follow the suggestions provided below.

Avoid Certain Vegetables, GMO’s and Nuts

Scientific studies have found that eating cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, cassava, soybeans, and mustard greens, may hinder thyroid functioning. Nuts provide healthy fats, protein and a variety of helpful nutrients, but stay away from peanuts, peanut butter and pine nuts, for they impair thyroid functioning, as well. Choose almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts and seeds (hemp, flax and chia). Steer clear from any foods labeled GMO, especially soy product.

Processed or Enriched Carbohydrates

Processed or enriched carbohydrates, such as white flour and sugar, are foods that have lost valuable amounts of nutrients during food processing. Not only is refined foods null and void of vitamins and nutrients, they are considered to nutritionists as “dead food.” Processed foods bring about negative impacts on blood sugar, trigger mood swings, and are very acidic and inflammatory to the body (not good for people living with hypothyroidism, for it may lead to bloating and constipation). Too much gluten in the body from grains is also not the best for people fighting low production of hormones. Limit your intake of gluten (even the whole grain kind). Instead, replace your processed foods for fresh starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, squashes, sprouted grains.

Saturated Fats and Trans Fatty Acids

Saturated fats and trans fatty acids, or trans fats, are considered unhealthy fats that can increase the risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease. Limit and avoid saturated (animal fats and animal by-products) and trans fats (often found in fast food, fried foods, processed meats and cheeses as well as cookies, crackers and processed frozen foods) and increase intake of omega-3 fats from krill, flax, hemp and chia seeds and nuts, such as almonds and walnuts. You will see your immune system functioning and brain respond better!

What to Eat?

One of the most potent and powerful foods in helping the thyroid to function normally is sea vegetables and blue-green algae because of the high iodine content. I suggest eating these foods daily: Iodized sea salt, seaweed, sea kelp, and other sea vegetables, small saltwater fish.

Tyrosine and selenium

Tyrosine and selenium are also important for proper thyroid function—to increase your intake of these compounds, consume fish, meat, chicken, turkey, dairy, avocados, almonds, seeds, wheat germ, and beans.

Supplements

“Consider adding both a B-vitamin complex and a fatty-acid supplement (such as fish oil) to your diet (using capsules) to further regulate your body's production of hormones. Fish oil has been shown to positively affect thyroid function. To reap these benefits, consume 5 to 10 g of a high-quality fish oil in capsule form daily.” (EHow)

Also, check out the use of turmeric and curcumin for incredible benefits!

https://lyfebotanicals.com/health/turmeric-benefits/

Essential oils

For people who use essential oils, the following essential oils are natural, soothing, contain antioxidants, and supports healthy gastrointestinal function and maintain healthy digestion*

➣ 10 drops Clove essential oil
➣ 10 drops Peppermint essential oil
➣ 10 drops Lemongrass essential oil

Use in combination with Fractionated Coconut Oil along spine and bottoms of the feet 2 times daily or in veggie capsules (3 capsules. One capsule for clove, one for peppermint and one for lemongrass).

➣ Place 1 drop of Frankincense Oil under the tongue (intra-oral) daily
➣ Rub 2 drops of Frankincense Oil on throat/thyroid area
➣ Rub Balance Oil Blend on bottoms of feet, nightly
➣ One a day Multi-Vitamins daily
➣ Diffuse Myrrh essential oils in the air

➣ Mix 3 drops of some or all of the following oils in a capsule and take every other day; Rosemary, Lemongrass, Geranium, Grapefruit and/or Clove

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These suggested products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Activities & Exercises

Aerobic exercises and strength training is very improves the metabolic functioning of the body, so light to moderate. Best exercises from Thyroid Guide recommends: rowing, swimming, walking, cycling, hiking and dancing—activities that get your heart pumping and cause you to sweat—as good aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise strengthens the heart and lungs and burn calories. Exercising is a great body circulation promoter and natural mood elevator and antidepressant that can help the depression that often accompanies an under-functioning thyroid.

If you do not have time for a brisk 30 minute walk 5 days a week (recommended), then strength training exercises done at the gym or in the comfort of your home will also do the trick to protect the joints, tendons and ligaments and build strength for handling everyday activities such as carrying groceries. Practice lunges, leg raises and pushups or work with light kettle bells.

Additional sources: Livestrong, Thyroid-Guide.org, webMD

10 Amazing Benefits of Exercise and Fitness

1. Exercise Super Charges Brainpower

Not only does exercise improve your body, it helps your mental function. Exercise increases energy levels and increases serotonin in the brain, which leads to improved mental clarity. All that makes for a more productive day and a happier employee which equate to better employee retention.

People who are active and who exercise are much more productive at work. Improved productivity not only makes you a better worker, it makes things better for everyone in the workplace. Companies with less wasted work hours and less sick time end up with lower health care costs--and an improved bottom line. That is why so many companies either have gyms at their offices or help to pay for employees to have gym memberships.

2. De-stress with Exercise and Body Movement

As much as it may stress people out to think about exercising, once they actually start working out, studies show they experience less stress in every part of your life.

Exercise produces a relaxation response that serves as a positive distraction," says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. He says it also helps elevate your mood and keep depression at bay.

You're not the only person who will benefit from more happiness and less stress in your life. When you are less stressed, you are less irritable, and that could improve relationships with your partner, kids, and co-workers. People will feel more satisfied in their daily roles and more accomplished in their everyday tasks.

3. Exercise Provides People with Energy

You might be surprised at how, say, popping in a workout DVD for 30 minutes in the morning can change your whole day. When endorphins are released into your bloodstream during exercise, people feel much more energized the rest of the day.

And when you improve your strength and stamina, it's easier to accomplish everyday tasks like carrying groceries and climbing stairs. This also helps you feel more energetic over the course of the day.

A common excuse for people dodging regular exercise is that they are too tired to exercise. Know that while exercise may make people feel more tired at first, it does not last long, and will actually provide more energy in the long run, even immediately after you finish your exercise routine. The physical tiredness you feel after working out isn't the same as everyday fatigue. Once your body adjusts to exercise, you'll have more energy than ever.

4. Time for Fitness is Easy to Find

Take your kids to the park or ride bikes together, and you're getting physical activity while enjoying family time, he says. Beyond that, go for a hike, take the kids swimming, or play hide-and-seek, tag, softball, or horseshoes in the backyard.

Also, forget the idea that you have to trudge to the gym and spend an hour or more doing a formal workout. Instead, you can work short spurts of physical activity into your day. Movement is key. No weights are required for exercising to count. Walking one hour a day can equate to 10,000 steps, the recommended number of steps to keep your body at a good physical functioning level.

Indeed, squeezing in two or three bouts of 15 or 20 minutes of activity is just as effective as doing it all at once. Vacuuming the house in the morning, riding bikes in the park with the kids in the afternoon, taking a brisk walk in the evening or doing some gardening in the backyard, can add up to an active day.

Recent U.S. government guidelines say that to lose weight and keep it weight off, you should accumulate at least 60 minutes of exercise a day. But half an hour a day of quality exercise like interval training or anaerobic cardio is all you need to reap the health and disease-fighting benefits of exercise.

5. Fitness Builds Better Relationships

Think of what exercising with a partner can do for a relationship, whether it's with a spouse, a sibling, or a friend you used to go to lunch with once a week.

Not only that, exercise is always more fun when there is someone to do it with and hold you accountable. Engaging in positive actions together is good for the spirit, mind and the body. Joining a social fitness network or walking with your family or spouse, after meals, or meeting up with people at the dog park for a stroll around the puppy terrain, can help people reach their exercise and fitness goals so much more efficiently than doing it alone.

6. Exercise Helps Ward off Disease

Research has shown that exercise can slow or help prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis(boneloss), and loss of muscle mass. It also helps ease some aspects of the aging process by strengthening the blood vessels, muscles, and joints, and even boosts immune function so you have a lesser chance of coming down with the cold or flu.

In response to your muscles needing more oxygen, your body will grow more capillaries to deliver more oxygen faster going forward. In addition, over time, regular exercise will make your blood vessels become more flexible allowing them to deliver more oxygen rich blood more efficiently. And if that wasn’t enough, the increased blood flow in your blood vessels serves to clean out excess cholesterol, keeping you free of clogs which can cause strokes and heart attacks.

On a cellular level, exercise benefits the power machines, called mitochondria, in each of the cells in the body by producing energy by and combining oxygen and glucose(orother fuel molecules). This combination produces ATP which is the molecule that gives your cells the energy they need to do their cellular work. When people exercise regularly, the body creates more and stronger mitochondria in each of the cells, making them more powerful and giving them more endurance for everything in life!

7. Fitness Pumps Up The Heart

Not only does exercise help fight disease, it creates a stronger heart--the most important muscle in the body. That helps makes exercise--and the activities of daily life—feel easier.

When you train over a period of time your heart will grow in size, allowing it to pump a larger volume of blood with each stroke(orpump). This allows more oxygen to be delivered to all the cells in your body. At the same time, your heart will build up less plaque and becomes stronger and more efficient at pumping blood.

Within only a couple of days after you start exercising, the body readily adapts to the stimulus it's getting and it becomes easier. You will feel less fatigue. It will not take as much effort when it comes to breathing. You shouldn't have as much pain or soreness.

8. Exercise Lets You Eat More

You've heard this one before: pound for pound, muscle burns more calories at rest than body fat. So the more muscle you have, the higher the resting metabolic rate. And, of course, you also burn calories while you're actually exercising.

Why is metabolism boosting so great? Jump start your metabolism through exercise(especially strength training and interval work) will allow your body to burn more fat and use up more energy while existing, so that you can eat more(healthier foods are the best). Once most people begin exercising and seeing the body changes, they desire to be healthier in the eating category and opt to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and less of the processed and fatty foods. Our bodies will actually tell us what it needs in the form of cravings. So listen to the good words that your body is asking for and tap into healthier foods the body needs to fuel workouts. People who do move their bodies will be able to eat(inmoderation) more of a variety of foods(eventhe bad kinds) than those who do not.

9. Exercise Boosts Performance

In just a short few weeks of consistent exercise, most people will begin to see differences, from how your clothes fit on the body to a more toned physique. You man even begin to notice that the same cardio exercises may become easier to complete, or that your basketball, golf, soccer or tennis game is a little bit better? Exercising consistently will strengthen your muscles, increase flexibility, better your balance and reaction time; as well improve your overall performance.

When people use their muscles beyond what they can handle, either through aerobic exercise or weight bearing exercise, it causes the body to build new muscle tissue. Tiny tears can occur with weight lifting, and when these tears are repaired, this is what causes the muscle to become larger and more defined. Larger, stronger muscles will raise your metabolism making weight management easier.

10. Exercise For More Reasons Than Weight Loss

Weight loss is the reason many people exercise in the first place. But it's certainly not the sole benefit of an exercise program. The long-term goal of weight loss is not enforced enough to people new to exercise or starting fitness programs, and this is not sustainable and can be discouraging. People have trouble sticking with something if they don't see results quickly, and if they are looking for a quick fix.

Do not make losing weight your only goal when starting an exercise program or exercising in general. Strive to feel better, to have more energy, increase optimal functioning of the body, and erase the aging process, to be more grounded and to be less stressed. Notice the small things that exercise does for you, like appreciate the time you take for yourself, to feel a great sense of accomplishment every day you sweat, rather than getting hung up on the narrow goal of the number on a scale.

Supercharge Your Metabolism and Lose Weight in 7 Simple Steps

Your body's metabolism is comprised of enzymes and hormones. Metabolism converts your food intake into fuel (your body's energy). You have probably heard that some people are genetically predisposed to a sluggish metabolism, which is attributed to weight gain.

While this may be true for some people, know that there are certain foods that naturally help increase metabolism and shed pounds.

The following healthy eating plan shows how to incorporate these natural metabolism booster foods into a daily diet.

✪ High-Fiber Breakfast

The worst thing people could do for their metabolism is to skip breakfast.

Eating a healthy breakfast in the morning before heading out the door to work or school will jump-start the body into burning calories. Studies indicate that eating breakfast may increase resting metabolism by 10 percent and reduce the risk of obesity and diabetes.

Best choices?

High-grain fiber cereals, steel-cut oatmeal and oat bran which all decrease bad cholesterol and are known for their fat-soluble fiber. Having fiber in the morning also satisfies the body longer, so people end up eating less throughout the day.

✪ Protein

Protein found in legumes and lean meats will also increase the body’s metabolism. For lunch, reach for a lean turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread instead of fatty meats such as pastrami or roast beef.

Protein builds lean muscle tissue, which helps burn fat and increases the metabolism. The body burns many more calories digesting protein as it uses for fat or carbohydrates.

Protein may require almost 25% more energy to digest compared to fat. Protein is a great energy booster that can also be found in dairy products such as low-fat cheese, yogurt and skim milk and natural soy products such as edemame, tempeh and roasted soy beans.

✪ Fruits and Vegetables

The best natural metabolism booster is fruits and vegetables. Make sure to include fruits or vegetables with every meal. Apple slices and carrot sticks make great-take-anywhere snacks.

When dining out, substitute a green salad for the baked potato or order fruit instead of a high-calorie dessert. Fruits and vegetables contain great amounts of fiber and powerful antioxidants that boost the body's immune system and protect it from disease.

*A note about hypothyroidism:

When people have a hypothyroid, fatigue, difficulty losing weight, or continued weight gain can all be attributable to a drop in the metabolism that frequently accompanies hypothyroidism.

Even after the hypothyroidism is properly treated with thyroid hormone replacement, people may find that their metabolism has not bounced back to where it was before.

This sluggishness in your metabolism can leave you feeling exhausted, and finding that you can't lose weight, despite a healthy low-calorie diet.

Here are additional tips to revive and boost your metabolism.

1.       Eat the majority of your food earlier in the day.

Dinner should be the lightest meal, and some experts recommend people do not eat anything after 8 p.m., or any later than 3 to 4 hours before bedtime.

This helps the body process and burn the food when it is moving around, thus burning more calories per hour.

2.       Do not starve the body.

Depriving the body of fuel is a surefire way to slow it down. Food stimulates energy metabolism needed for digestion in a process called “dietary induced thermogenesis.”

When people slash calories, the calories burned by eating are greatly diminished and so is your metabolic rate. Restricting calories also signals the body that there is no food available, so it tries to conserve stores of carbohydrate and fat by slowing down its metabolism.

The best way to keep your metabolism revved is to eat regular meals with snacks when necessary to give your body a constant supply of healthy fuel.

For adults, dropping the calorie intake below 1,000 calories a day will signal the body to hold on to every morsel of fat for energy. Remember, while in this “starvation mode”, the body’s metabolism will slow down.

3.       Eat smaller meals more frequently.

Smaller, more frequent meals keeps blood sugar stable and provides a steady source of energy to fuel metabolism.

4.       Get enough aerobic exercise.

Exercise most of the days of the week.

This is really a help for the metabolism. Aerobic exercise may not build big muscles, but it can rev up the metabolism in the hours after a workout.

The key is to push your body. This may feel uncomfortable, but high-intensity exercise delivers a bigger, longer increase in resting metabolic rate than low- or moderate-intensity workouts.

To get the best benefits, try a more intense class at the gym or include short interval bursts of jogging and sprints during your regular walks. Exercising in the morning will also jumpstart the body’s metabolism for the whole day.

5.       Build muscle with weight training or resistance exercise.

At least two to three times a week, add weight, resistance training or progressive resistance exercises that build muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat, and the more muscle the body has, the more calories it will burn, even at rest!

Resistance training stimulates muscles to become stronger and healthier, providing your body with beneficial improvements in strength and function. Resistance training also reduces fat mass and increases muscle mass.

Research suggests that resistance training may even increase life expectancy.

6.       Do not forget to hydrate, and hydrate often, with clean fresh water.

The energy burning process of metabolism needs water to work effectively. In one study, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four.

To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water or other unsweetened beverage before every meal and snack. In addition, try munching on fresh fruits and vegetables, which are full of fluid, rather than pretzels or chips.

7.       Take your B vitamins.

Among supplements, if you are suffering from flagging energy, make sure that you are getting enough B vitamins.

Vitamin B-12 in particular is one that is essential for energy. B vitamins are key players in DNA synthesis, the central nervous system, metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and protein and energy production.

Inadequate amounts of B6, B12, folate, thiamin and niacin can leave you feeling depressed and fatigued, slow the body’s metabolism and increase your risk for chronic diseases.

8.       Try Essential Oils

Metabolic Blends that help boost metabolism include

❧ grapefruit
❧ lemon
❧ peppermint
❧  ginger
❧ cinnamon essential oils

Just add 8 drops to 16 oz. of water (regular size bottle of water) and drink between your healthy meals throughout the day to help manage hunger, calm your stomach, and lift your mood.

LavHa also has a wonderful metabolic blend that aims to help the body rev up the metabolism and uplift the energy, so you can move better and with a little more hop in your step.

The following oils are all very PH balancing to the body and have a soothing effect on the digestive system. This metabolic blend when combined with body movement and whole foods is a great way to shed those unwanted extra weight around your body from the inside out.

Feel better, look better and smell fresh and fruity. For more information, click on the link below:

http://lavha.com/products/metabolic-blend-for-weight-loss-roller-bottle

Sources: Dr. Oz.com, fitnessmagazine.com, cbn.com, truestarhealth.com

Most Alkalizing Foods You Should Be Eating Daily

When the body eats foods, the digestive and metabolic processes transforms the eaten matter into residue that is left behind that is either acidic or alkaline. Using science to explain this phenomenon (and the laws of modern biochemistry), it is not the organic matter of foods (whether the food itself is acidic or alkaline), but their inorganic matter (such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, phosphorous; that is, how they break down in our bodies), that determines either the acidity or alkalinity of this ashy residue. Being too acidic promotes disease, chronic ailments, cancer and other health complications. Intentional alkalizing of the body blood and other fluids optimizes healthy organ and system functioning, free of ailments. Factors that leave our bodies acidic include environmental pollutants, acid-forming foods like processed sugars and foods, artificial sweeteners, refined grains, conventionally produced meats and dairy, hidden genetically modified organisms (GMOs), psychological and emotional stress, synthetic and pharmaceutical drugs and physical body stress. Consider the following lists to be the nutrition bible of top alkalizing and acidic foods to eat and avoid for optimum health functioning, free of chronic disease.

Most Alkalizing (Eat Most)

Himalayan salt, grasses, cucumber, kale, spinach, parsley, sea kelp, sprouts (soy, alfalfa), sea vegetables, green drinks without sweet fruits, all sprouted beans, ph 9.5 alkaline water (less than 8 hours old).

Moderately Alkaline

Avocado, beetroot, basil, capsicum/pepper, cabbage, celery, chives, collard greens, spring greens, coriander, endive, garlic, ginger, green beans, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, onion, radish, red onion, rocket/arugula, tomato, lemon, lime, butter beans, soy beans, white haricot beans, chia/sabja seeds, quinoa.

Mildly Alkaline

Artichokes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini, leeks, new baby potatoes, peas, pumpkin, swede, squash (butternut/summer), watercress, grapefruit, coconut, pomegranate, rhubarb, buckwheat, lentils, tofu, goat milk, almond milk, herbs and spices (thyme, mint, ginger, cumin), avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, flax oil, udo’s oil.

Neutral/Mildly Acidic (Eat Moderately)

Black beans, chickpeas, garbanzos beans, kidney beans, seitan, cantaloupe, fresh dates, nectarine, plum, sweet cherries, watermelon, millet, oats, oatmeal, spelt, soybeans, buckwheat pasta, couscous, brown rice, freshwater wild fish, rice and soy milk, rice/soy/hemp protein, sunflower oil, grape seed oil, brazil nuts, pecan nuts, hazel nuts.

Moderately Acid (Eat Less)

Fresh and natural fruit juices, ketchup, mayonnaise, butter, apple, apricot, banana, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, grapes, guava, mango, mangosteen, orange, peach, papaya, strawberry, goat’s cheese, vegan cheese, rye bread, wheat, whole meal bread, wild rice, wholemeal pasta, ocean fish.

Highly Acid (Avoid or Eat Sparingly)

Alcohol, coffee, black tea, fruit juice (sweetened), cocoa, honey, jam, jelly, mustard, miso, rice syrup, soy sauce, vinegar, yeast, dried fruit, beef, chicken, eggs, farmed fish, pork, shellfish, cheese, dairy, artificial sweeteners, syrup, mushroom. ” (Source: Energise For Life.com- great website that has a lot of information on how to eat, what to eat when living an alkaline lifestyle. They have this list downloadable for free!)

Additional Explanations:

Lemons and Warm Water

I start every morning with a cup of warm alkaline water and 1 lemon, taken on an empty stomach with my probiotic and 2 colostrum capsules. Lemons (of all the non-dark leafy greens)- just like pineapple- leave a highly alkalizing residue in the body once it is digested. It is also a natural disinfectant, can heal wounds, and provides potent and immediate relief for hyperacidity and virus-related conditions, as well as coughs, colds, flu and heartburn. Lemon also works to energize the liver and promote detoxification (source: Natural News).

Juice and Drink Your Greens

Next I juice greens taken from the “Highly Alkaline” list. Most of these greens are dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, chard, celery, cucumber, parsley) with ginger and lemon. Consumed about 1 hour after the lemon water and probiotics, this will reset your system and put your body in an alkaline state.

Eat Raw or Lightly Steamed Greens

I eat raw or lightly steamed cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or other leafy greens and eat that (2 times per day) with sea vegetables and sea weed and extra virgin olive oil or extra virgin coconut oil. I sprout quinoa and have that on the side with sauerkraut if I need additional carbohydrates.

The dark leafy greens are known for its rich vitamin K and folate content. They are packed with phytochemicals and micronutrients, essential vitamins, minerals, and powerhouses to key antioxidants that boost immunity and fiber for colon health and for optimal digestion health.

Add Garlic and Cayenne Peppers

If you are feeling a little taxed and need additional pick-me-up and immunity boosting, add garlic (it promotes cardiovascular and immune health by lowering blood pressure, cleansing the liver and fighting off disease) and cayenne peppers (capsicum), a great endocrine normalizing food. It has great antibacterial properties, is rich in vitamin A and is a helpful agent in fighting off the harmful free radicals that lead to stress and illness.

Peace of Mind: Raising Serotonin Levels

Want to raise your "feel good" levels in your mind and body? Of course you do! Keep reading to see just how easy it is to start and what types of foods can naturally help create smiles on that beautiful face of yours!

Serotonin

is a brain chemical responsible for regulating many of the functions in your body that contribute to your overall health and well being happiness, and feeling of fulfillment. People who have a lot of stress or suffer from different types of anxiety disorders generally do not have enough of it.

Tryptophan

is an amino acid that leaves people feeling relaxed and elevates moods in people. It is also a hormone found in foods that serve as a precursor for serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps the body regulate appetite, sleep patterns, and mood.

Because of its ability to raise serotonin levels, tryptophan has been used therapeutically in the treatment of a variety of conditions, most notably insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

Top foods where Tryptophan is Found:

1. Soup

Soup is the best food you can take to relax.

Chicken stock is the best option since it makes your body get rid of many infections and other foreign bodies. You can also add vegetables like tomatoes, green chili, spring onion, capsicum and garlic for a calming effect on your nervous system.

Prefer hot soups over colder ones and those having thin consistency rather than thick pasty ones.

2. Milk

Milk is another beverage that can help you relax, the reason behind taking it at bed-time.

If you need a quick calming effect, reach out for a glass of warm milk (hormone free and organic, of course!) Warm milk is known to contain tryptophan –a compound which helps in the production of serotonin (around 43%).

Serotonin is known to induce a feeling of pleasure along with helping in sleep. You can always take in cold milk during the day to avoid drowsiness for cold milk is still rich in calcium which also induces calmness.

All milk products including ice cream have the same effect but they must be low in sugar content.

3. Free Range or Cage Free Eggs

Just like milk, eggs are a source of amino acids packed with tryptophan which is a relaxing brain chemical.

Make sure you include eggs in your diet either in breakfast or as a snack (try a boiled egg).

4. Organic Cheese

Cheese being classified as a protein source has the same calming effect on your brain as of milk or eggs.Choose cheese types which are high in protein (contains tryptophan ) like Cottage, Cheddar, Gruyere, Swiss, and Ricotta varieties.

Next time you’re making a sandwich, don’t forget to layer some shredded cheese in it.

5. Raw Honey

Raw honey in its natural non-additive form is high in tryptophan to relax the body.

Along with tryptophan, the potassium in honey has a soothing effect on the brain and nerves. Potassium works against excessive acids and stress hormones to relax our nervous system.

Research has also shown that glucose in honey interferes with orexin (a neurotransmitter) which helps in keeping you alert. So, make sure you add a spoonful of honey to your cereals, milk, or as a spread in your grain free or sprouted sandwich! (The above picture is of honey that is clarified and processed, not raw. Raw honey is cloudy and opaque).

6. Brown Rice

Being a complex carbohydrate, brown rice simulates the release of insulin, which helps sleep-inducing amino acids enter the brain and produce sleep-inducing substances such as serotonin and melatonin.

Same is the function of all other complex carb foods like unrefined grains including oats and wheat, wholegrain pasta, and legumes. The result is a sound sleep, or at least you start feeling relaxed and calm.

7. Nuts & Seeds

Nuts are rich in magnesium, selenium, zinc, vitamin E and vitamin B-complex that help relax the brain when taken in large quantities.

❧ Peanuts and pumpkin seeds

are rich in magnesium but peanuts also have high sodium content which is why they are not good for your health when taken in large amount.

Peanut butter is a good alternative which contains both magnesium and vitamin B6.

Deficiency of magnesium leads to mental retardation while deficiency of selenium has been linked to increased depression and anxiety.

❧ Brazil nuts

are rich in selenium in zinc, and just a handful is enough to fulfill your RDA intake.

❧ Almonds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds

are rich in tryptophan which helps in producing serotonin. Almonds are also rich in vitamin E which helps rebuild the cellular damage caused by stress and anxiety.

❧ Walnuts

are also rich in magnesium, vitamin B and zinc –all the essential relaxing ingredients. So make sure to keep a blend of these nuts at hand.

8. Wild Caught or Sustainable Seafood

Seafood is rich in magnesium, zinc and selenium, and has the same effect on our nervous system as of nuts and seeds include tryptophan naturally.

❧ Halibut

is high in magnesium.

❧ Tuna, cod, salmon, shrimps and lobsters

are high in selenium content, though not nearly half as much as nuts.

Tuna and salmon are known to fight stress hormones in our body.

Omega-3 (a fatty acid) is also known to fight stress and help you relax since it triggers brain to produce calming hormones.

❧ Salmon, mackerel, trout, tuna, and sardines

are rich in the omega-3 compound. You can also take in omega-3 through capsules in the form of cod liver oil if seafood is not available.

9. 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate just like other foods is rich in tryptophan, which helps manufacture serotonin, the relaxing compound. It is also known to boost the endorphin and dopamine (amino acids) levels in the brain that result in an enhanced mood.

Research has proven that eating a small amount of dark chocolate daily can lower the level of stress hormones in your body. So eat your chocolates but beware they are low in sugar content and high in cocoa content (around 30:70 ratio).

10. Organic Vegetables

Some vegetables high in magnesium have a relaxing effect on the body like other magnesium-rich foods.

❧ Spinach

has very high magnesium content and it’s also a good source of vitamin C (another relaxing agent). To keep yourself stress-free, take a cup of fresh spinach leaves or half a cup of cooked spinach.

❧ Broccoli

also helps you relax for it is high in potassium and vitamin C, so don’t forget to include it into your salads.

❧ Mint leaves

is another vegetable/herb which due to its high magnesium content relaxes the brain and helps you more focused. It also reduces the stress associated with muscle cramps and intestinal gas.

So keep a fresh peppermint juice or fresh mint leaves at hand to pop into your mouth during work.

11. Organic Teas

Tea has been used as a relaxant for a long time throughout the world. You can choose either from black, green, or other herbal teas to relax.

❧ Black or green tea leaves

are rich in L-theanine (an amino acid) which contains two sedative flavonoids: apigenin and chrysin. Other herbal teas known to reduce stress and anxiety include basil, lemon balm, valerian and chamomile.

❧ Chamomile tea

has been proven to reduce anxiety and panic in people suffering from a generalized panic disorder, but may not be good for pregnant women.

12. Organic Fruits

Fruits rich in vitamin C are the most relaxing among others for vitamin C in fruits helps in converting tryptophan into serotonin.

Study has shown that an intake of 1,000 mg vitamin C lowers levels of stress hormones in body. So, next time you need to relax, take a bowl full of fruits!

The list of such fruits is quite long:

❧ strawberries
❧ kiwi fruit
❧ dried dates
❧ figs
❧ papaya
❧ cherries
❧ oranges
❧ guava
❧ mangoes
❧ pineapple
❧ berries
❧ grapefruit
❧ bananas

Essential Oils that may elevate serotonin levels:

✪ Valerian Root
✪ Lemon
✪ Lavender
✪ Bergamot
✪ Rosemary
✪ Rose/Jasmine
✪ Melissa
✪ Peppermint
✪ Oregano

Remember:

High-tryptophan foods may:
✩ Help regulate your appetite
✩ Help you sleep better
✩ Elevate your mood

Resources: the conscious life.com, livestrong.com, active.com, Calmclinic.com

Here are 7 Ways To Eat Less Sugar

If you want to quickly pack on a few pounds, then eat lots of refined sugar.

Oh, wait, why would you want to do that? Let’s eat less sugar, instead, and watch the pounds effortlessly slide off…

We’ve been eating more and more sugar over the past 200 years, which has led to rising obesity numbers. Back in 1822, the average person ate only 6.3 lbs of sugar per year, compared to 130 lbs of sugar in 2012.

That’s more than 20 times as much sugar in our modern diet! No wonder we are bigger than ever!

One of the reasons that your diet is filled with so much sugar is that some form of refined sugar is included in virtually every single processed food. This is yet another reason that it’s important to cut those processed and packaged convenience foods out of your diet.

Cutting sugar from your diet is easier said than done. Once it is a part of your daily diet, cravings strike, causing you to eat it even more frequently. But there is hope.

Here are 7 Ways To Eat Less of that Sugar that you’re eating that’s killing your results and keeping you from attaining your ideal body:

✪ Eat More Protein

A diet rich in protein keeps you full, satisfied and less likely to crave sweets.

A great way to make sure that you are getting enough is to plan each meal and snack around a protein.

Plan breakfast around eggs, lunch, and dinner around the baked chicken breast, and make snacks hardboiled eggs or baked meatballs.

✪ Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

One of the biggest fitness myths out there is the idea that calorie-free, artificially sweetened beverages don’t impact your fat loss results.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the truth is that the diet soda you’re sipping is making it harder for you to reach your goal weight. While the diet soda itself doesn’t contain calories, it has been proven to cause cravings for sugary foods.

Put down the diet soda and instead pick up a refreshing bottle of spring water.

✪ Steer Clear Of Saboteurs

The sad truth is that people in your life will try to sabotage your low sugar diet.

You’ll run into that pushy person at the office who insists that you eat a donut, the well-meaning family member who dishes you up a bowl of ice cream, and the friend who comes over with a plate of her home-baked cookies.

The best avoidance strategy is to sincerely thank the sugar-pusher for their gift, tell them you wish you could eat it, and then blame me – your fitness mentor – as the bad guy who says that you need to cut back on sugar.

✪ Try Dark Chocolate

For those moments when your sweet tooth is relentlessly badgering you for something sweet, ditch the super-sugary candies and stick with a small square of very dark chocolate.

Chocolate that is 70% or higher in cocoa content should be the only candy that you keep on hand. The benefit of the cocoa, in addition to the lowered sugar content, makes dark chocolate an occasionally justifiable treat.

✪ Stick With Fruit

What’s sweet, colorful and comes in hundreds of flavors?

Organic, seasonal, fresh fruit, of course!

As you remove refined sugar from your life, feel free to add in some natural sugar by way of fresh, local fruit. It’s amazing how satisfyingly sweet fruit is – it’s truly nature’s candy.

✪ Change Your Palate

As you begin to limit your intake of refined sugars, you’ll find that your tolerance for sugar decreases. This means that something that didn’t taste sweet before – say a green apple – now has uncanny depths of sweetness.

What’s happening is that your sweet receptors are becoming more finely tuned, now that you’re not overwhelming your palate with sickly-sweet refined sugar.

✪ Workout Like You Mean It

A regular, challenging exercise routine will not only get you into amazing shape, but it also reduces your cravings for sugar.

The endorphin rush brought on by vigorous exercise is an even more powerful feel-good-feeling than the pleasure gotten by indulging in sugary foods.

Make challenging, consistent exercise a part of your life by signing up for my fitness program. I’d love to get you to your goals using my results-driven method.

Simply call or email me today to set up your first workout.

For more information or to contact James,
Email: jamesahazen@gmail.com
Phone: 714-658-4774
Web: instagram.com/jameshazen

Optimal Nutrition and Healing Habits: What to Eat Post Surgery or Hospital Stay

An article from the Human Nutrition, Applied Nutrition Journal and US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health reported that individuals/patients on a surgical, a medical, an accident service and an elective orthopedic ward were...

...given foods that reflected a very low daily intake of iron and vitamins as compared to those recommended for healthy adults.

When I worked in hospitals and rehabilitation centers in Florida and in California, I noticed that people recovering from major surgery, those battling cancer, patients that were recovering from pneumonia and those in hospital beds for chronic illnesses were given white bread, canned (saturated with sodium) soups and canned (marinated in sugar water) fruits, and Jell-O.

I questioned many times to myself and to the dietary staff, as well as hospital/rehabilitation management how people (most of them seniors) were supposed to recuperate when we are feeding them junk food that was essentially “dead”?

I was never given more of an answer except, “these foods are easiest to digest” and “the patients chose them.”

After working many years in the healthcare industry, I did discover a spin to the marketing aspect of what management would tell to family members thinking about placing their loved ones in centers or a hospital of their choice.

They would use fancier words to dress up regular old dishes. Menus would be written in fancier fonts. And now patients, re-labeled “guests” would have options to what they were given to eat.

I had many opportunities to visit the kitchens of hospitals and rehabilitation centers and look at the ingredients of these upgraded foods. Just as I thought, however.

Even in the private pay, best of the best centers, most foods were still chock full of hydrogenated oils, trans fats, high fructose syrups, MSG and sodium.

Even the simple crackers and jam fruit spreads had these ingredients.

Forget even asking for organic and seasonally fresh produce. I found it sad that the most important ingredient in our functional and overall health, nutrition, was still lacking in so many aspects and no one questions it enough to make true change.

I later found out that when budgets are cut from hospitals and rehabilitation centers, be it public and insurance accepted or private/self-pay, the dietary department suffers.

✧ Prime cuts of meat are no longer available.
✧ Margarine will substitute for real butter.
✧ Herb and mixed green salads will now be iceberg lettuce.

Here’s to your health! Eat up.

I am not the only one that feels this way, even though my opinions and experience are voiced in this article.

Chef Marcus Guiliano, a “chef on a mission” talks about how unhealthy hospital foods really are. You can access his YouTube video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR1plZZpNSw.

Three characteristics best determined the satisfaction of the hospital/rehabilitation consumer/patient when it came to food

According to an article published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association (1990)

1. taste
2. the temperature of the food at the time of consumption
3. presentation

There is very little regarding the nutrition of the food and how certain foods will aid in body recovery.

Is food nutrition not elementary enough for people to realize that we are exactly what we eat and that eating processed white foods with corn syrup and Trans fats will not optimize the well being of the not-so-well?

Though many resources suggest eating whole foods, whole grains, plenty of fruits and vegetables and lean, high-quality animal protein (which I disagree with) and drink clear liquids following surgery and cancer surgery recovery, most of these resources fail to mention the supplements to such “clean” eating.

The following are my suggestions for people in the hospital and recovering from most types of illness or hospital procedure that does not involve feeding tubes and stomach shrinking of re-routing.

Certainly, there are innumerable types of medical procedures that one could have experienced, so to be meticulous and name them all would be difficult. Take this list as a general guideline and get the flavor and gist of what I am suggesting.

While this list is not for everyone (every person should analyze and know their own tolerance, allergies, and list of current medications), following this list will aid in the body to best recover and get people on their feet again, feeling strong and whole.

Many nutritionists agree that certain amino acids seem to help wounds heal faster, and will suggest —especially after surgery, meals and snacks that include lean animal meats and proteins such as fish, chicken, eggs (especially the whites), and other great foods such as brown rice, walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds.

I suggest more, if not all plant based recovery foods, including blue green algae and sea vegetables. Studies suggest that vitamin C and zinc can also help you mend; drinking Emergen-c powder is a great and delicious way for our bodies to absorb the vitamin c. Stay away from commercial orange juice as your form of vitamin c. Eat the daily recommended amount of fruit and produce (5-7) per day, especially kiwi, and the assorted berries, plus don’t forget about those dark leafy greens chock full of vitamin c. As a last resort, many of the fortified breakfast cereal will contain vitamins, too (so read the labels). I suggest a trusted brand of a daily multivitamin (such as Usana, Life Extension and Premiere Labs), but choose one that delivers B12 and iron, both of which aid bone marrow in forming new blood cells and take a Vitamin D3 tablet. I suggest taking a daily dose of 2000 mcg vitamin K (blood and bone builder) and black cumin seed oil—500 mg. Finally, consider supplements of one amino acid in particular: glutamine. A Harvard Medical School review of research on glutamine indicates that people who got the amino acid intravenously after surgery spent, on average, four fewer days in the hospital. Dosages on these supplements will vary depending on your health needs. Seek out your nutritional health professional for proper intake.

There are also some nutrients that have been recommended for a speedy recovery after surgery. These include Omega-3 fatty acids (found in oily fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel) and avocados, Omega-6 (hemp seed products, chia seeds and flax seeds), L-arginine (found in dairy products, meat, poultry and fish, as well as nuts, rice, whole-wheat, soy and raisins), L-glutamine (found in meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables), branched chain amino acids (found in meat, whey protein, egg protein and other dairy products), and nucleotides (found in organ meats such as liver and kidney, legumes and seafood). These nutrients have been found to boost the immune system, and allow for a faster recovery (Source: Oprah.com). Include a pure protein drink (iso pure is a great choice).

Here are additional tips to help with the nutritional process of healing well after your stay at the hospital or rehabilitation center:

Aside from what type of foods you are consuming during your recovery, pay attention to your food consumption by eating smaller meals. Your body needs the extra energy to heal, not expel energy digesting bid meals. Try to stay away from heavy animal protein focused meals, as well. Animal protein is difficult to digest and causes inflammation, slowing down the healing process. At most, following surgery, drink clear organic, low sodium chicken or beef broth (Vietnamese pho broth is a good example).

Add iron and mineral rich foods to your daily diet, which will assist in blood and immunity building. Examples include: green juicing green vegetables as a smoothie (kale, cucumber, parsley, spinach, mustard greens, celery lemon), spinach, blue green algae, black strap molasses, cherries, walnuts, pine nuts, red dates, sea weed, sea vegetables, black eyed peas, asparagus and chestnuts.

If you have had antibiotics in your system or are currently taking antibiotics, take a daily dose of acidophilus (probiotics), as this will help build a strong and flourishing intentional gut. Antibiotics tend to destroy the digestive and intestinal gut, and people who have had surgery tend to suffer from frequent yeast infections and have digestive problems.

Get regular sessions of acupuncture and massage. Research has shown that patients that have acupuncture and massage report less pain, more relaxation and faster healing. Try meditation and restorative yoga (once you are cleared by your medical professional to begin body moving and gentle exercise).  Take it easy and ease back into your daily routine. Don’t hesitate to ask for health and change your mind set to an optimistic and healing one. Your mind is a very strong tool that can help you heal. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!

(Additional Sources: Get Living.CA)