January can make even the most energetic of us feel down in the dumps.Cold, dreary weather, lack of sleep and too much food and drink leave us feeling sluggish and overweight.

Here we provide you with seven top tips to help you feel better and brighter than ever this winter.

TIP ONE: LIE FLAT ON THE FLOOR WITH YOUR LEGS RAISED

According to health expert Fiona Slatter, simply lying on the floor with your legs slightly raised can help boost energy levels because it calms the body and opens up your energy channels.

Based on the Chinese principle of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this exercise relaxes the lower and upper back which, in turn, opens the stomach meridian or energy channel. The best time to do this simple exercise is when you wake up because this is when your body is stiff and in need of energising, she says.

How to do the exercise

After waking up and before you have a drink or shower find a spot on the floor just in front of a chair or wall. Lie down on the floor placing your bottom about ten inches away from the chair or wall enough room to allow you to rest your legs against your support. Your legs can be slightly bent, or at right angles to the wall or chair.

Now, place your hands under your head or alongside your body and close your eyes. Try to relax for around five minutes, without falling asleep. Practise for five minutes whenever you feel tired or sluggish to restore your energy levels.

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TIP TWO: PLAN A HOLIDAY
Research shows that going on holiday is key to creating happiness. The survey found that out of 1,000 people interviewed, almost three quarters of those questioned said going on holiday made them feel happy.

A holiday gives you the time and space to do the things that make you happy, says Carol Rothwell, a chartered occupational psychologist who was also involved in a survey carried out by Thomson Holidays.

Psychologists believe that even looking forward to your holiday can do you the power of good. This is because the anticipation of a holiday can make you feel excited by releasing endorphins, your bodies natural feel-good hormones.

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TIP THREE: ASK YOURSELF WHATS MAKING YOU FEEL DOWN IN THE DUMPS
New Year is often a time for self-reflection which can spiral into the January blues. But dont panic, says Carole Gaskell, author of Transform Your Life. Asking yourself a few simple questions can help you resolve your problems.

Being low in January is very common, she says. But rather than pushing your feelings to one side, allow yourself to acknowledge them so you can resolve them, she says.

One way of doing this is to fill in the Wheel of Life, a simple exercise often used by life coaches to help people find out exactly what is making them unhappy.

The idea is to draw a wheel with eight spokes. Each spoke should represent eight areas of your life. These include:

1. Your health

2. Your money

3. Your social life (including fun and recreation)

4. Your partner/relationship

5. Your work/career

6. Your friends/family

7. Your physical environment such as your home

8. Your personal growth/spirituality. This could include your religion, interests, hobbies, for example.

Now, for each area of your life represented by a spoke, give it a score out of 10. Where you score below five, take that area and try to focus on it.

If your job or career is pulling you down, try to find ways to improve your situation, says Carole. It could be speaking to your boss about a big workload, or arranging a pay rise, for example. Or perhaps its something as simple as making time to tidy your desk so you feel more in control.

If your relationship is an area that needs improving, arrange to sit down with your partner and talk to them. This may involve asking them to help you look after the children or do the washing up. If you are single and want to find a partner, perhaps it might mean joining a new social club or taking up an evening class to meet more people.

The best way of ensuring you improve your situation, says Carole, is to set yourself a goal. This will trigger you into action and make you do something about your new challenge, rather than just forgetting about it. Tell yourself you want to double your score for that particular area of your life by the summer or by the end of the year, she suggests.

TIP FOUR: GET BACK TO YOUR FITNESS REGIME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
If you had a holiday from your exercise regime over Christmas and New Year, the secret is to get back to the gym as soon as possible. According to Nick Hudson, a personal fitness trainer at Londons Holmes Place Academy, if you stop exercising for more than two weeks, your fitness levels may begin to drop.

You may well find it harder to climb upstairs or walk uphill because the small blood capillaries, which are involved in delivering oxygen to the heart and lungs, start to reduce in size and number.

Apart from your fitness levels declining, youre also likely to lose the mental benefits of exercise such as enhanced feelings of wellbeing experienced from releasing our bodies natural feel-good hormones called endorphins.

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TIP FIVE: STICK TO FOODS WITH A LOW GLYCAEMIC INDEX
You can avoid the highs and lows of mood and energy associated with the January blues by choosing foods that are digested slowly, releasing energy at a steady pace, according to Amanda Geary of the Food and Mood Project, an organisation which researches the effects of food on behaviour.

Such foods are called low glycaemic index (G.I.) foods and include whole grain bread, oats and most vegetables. The glycaemic index is a published index of all carbohydrates created by Dr David Jenkins, a professor of nutrition at Canadas University of Toronto in 1980.

It measures the various speeds at which the body breaks down food, releases glucose (sugar) into the bloodstream and raises blood sugar levels. This speed is rated on a scale of 1 to 100. The lower the G.I., the longer it takes for the body to break down food and the steadier the rise in blood sugar, making you feel fuller for longer and giving you longer-lasting energy.

A good example of low G.I foods are avocados. Avocados are one of the highest energy providers in the fruit world. An average-sized avocado weighs about 130g and supplies 250 kcals of energy.

Avocados are potassium-rich, which makes them ideal for people suffering from fatigue, sluggishness or depression. Potassium is important for chemical reactions within our bodies cells. Some research shows that inefficiency of this process has been linked to depression.

High GI foods, which are best avoided, include french baguettes, watermelons and instant white rice.

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TIP SIX: GO FOR A WALK OR RUN IN THE SUNSHINE
Next time the sun is out (which is probably more often than you think) why not go for a short walk or jog? According to Dr Lance Workman, lecturer in psychology at the University of Glamorgan in Wales, even a short walk in the sun can boost your energy and mood.

When our bodies are exposed to natural light, it has the effect of boosting serotonin levels our bodies natural feel-good hormones. Natural light measures 100,000 lux (the measure of light intensity), but most of us are only exposed to 200 lux sitting at our desk or at home.

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TIP SEVEN: DRINK FENNEL TEA
Fennel is an easily available culinary herb which improves digestion and thus helps clear toxic accumulations from the body, helping to improve a sluggish system.

This aromatic herb is a natural diuretic a substance that stimulates the bladder to produce urine, helping to remove fat and water from the body.

Drinking a cup of fennel tea every day should help to stimulate your digestion and remove any excess fat that has built up in your body over the Christmas period.

How to make fennel tea

Take a handful of fennel and chop it up so that it fills a quarter of a cup. Pour boiling water over the fennel. Let it stand for five minutes to allow the fennel to be infused. Then strain and drink it.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-154140/Four-ways-beat-January-blues.html#ixzz3xhTQoK2d
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December 23, 2015 in Uncategorized | Tags: Depression, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Sleep | Leave a comment

from  http://www.heysigmund.com/the-non-medication-ways-to-deal-with-depression-that-are-as-effective-as-medication/

Depression steals people. So far, despite the colossal investment of resources, there is still no reliably effective treatment. What we know for sure is that antidepressants just aren’t working. According to Dr Stephen Ilardi, respected psychologist, university professor and author of ‘The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression Without Drugs’, antidepressants only have about a 50% success rate. Out of the people who do find relief, half of them will relapse, taking the actual recovery rate to 25%. Then there are the side effects, such as emotional blunting, weight gain and sexual dysfunction.

When antidepressants fail to deliver, the hopelessness that lies at the heart of depression becomes even more brutal. If we could immunise ourselves and the people we love against depression, we’d be lining up. There is no immunisation, but a growing body of research is finding that there are ways to protect ourselves from depression and alleviate any existing symptoms, particularly for mild to moderate depression.

It’s about certain lifestyle factors – six of them – and the difference they can make to each of us, depressed or otherwise, is phenomenal. The claims may sound extravagant, but science is proving them over and over. The evidence is too compelling for us not to take notice.

There is an undeniable connection between lifestyle and depression. A modern lifestyle is making us sick. The more modern a society, and the more removed it is from the primitive hunter-gatherer way of life, the higher its rate of depression. Our world has changed phenomenally and our lifestyles have changed along with it, but our brains have hardly changed at all. They remain remarkably similar to the ones that powered people in the Stone Age when sleep was abundant, food was nutritious, and people wandered in groups, constantly on the move in the sunshine.

‘Our Stone Age brains just weren’t designed to handle the sedentary, isolated, indoor, sleep-deprived, fast-food-laden, stressed-out pace of twenty-first-century life.’ -Dr Stephen Ilardi

Our brains are beautifully crafted to support Stone Age bodies that live Stone Age lives. When Stone Age brains are forced to live a modern lifestyle, the effect can be devastating. The brain and the body become depleted of the very things that have been fuelling them for thousands of years before now.

In the parts of the world where hunter-gatherer tribes lead similar lives to their Stone Age ancestors, their levels of depression are almost zero. They get plenty of sleep, physical activity and sunlight. They have plenty of distractions to keep them from being trapped in their heads by endless negative thoughts, they have a diet that is rich in omega-3, and their social connectivity is vast. According to Ilardi, these have a much more powerful effect on the brain than any medication.

Brains can change, and we have the capacity to change them. The key is finding the most effective ways to do that. Enter neuroscience. The chemistry of our brain is very responsive to what we do – for better or worse. Depending on the choices we make, we can deplete it or enrich it.

In preliminary clinical trials comparing the effect of lifestyle changes against antidepressants, researchers found that lifestyle choices brought about a reduction in depressive symptoms almost three times that experienced by the antidepressant group. There are six primary lifestyle factors that have been proven to protect the brain against depression and reduce depressive symptoms and Ilardi details them in his book, The Depression Cure. Interestingly, these lifestyle factors are remarkably close to the way we would have been doing things had we been living in the Stone Age.

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for the construction of brain cells and the insulation of nerve fibers. Many of the fat molecules needed by the brain are made by the body, but there are some that can only be drawn from our diet. Some of the best sources are fish (such as salmon), wild game, grass-fed beef, nuts, seeds, and leafy vegetables. It’s no co-incidence then, that Stone Age people consumed five to ten times more omega-3 fat than we do. It’s also no co-incidence that the lowest rates of depression arefound in countries with the highest levels of omega-3 in their diets. Plenty of research has confirmed a link between omega-3 and depression – people with depression have lower levels of omega-3 and consuming omega-3 reduces the symptoms of depression.

Omega-3 does beautiful things to the brain – we know that – but there is something we are eating more and more of, that is hurting it – sugar. (I know. That sort of ruined my day too.) Sugar is so addictive – it lights up the brains reward circuitry in a similar way to cocaine. The problem is that it activates the release of powerful inflammatory hormones that causes all sorts of trouble in the brain. Sugar also suppresses the activity of BDNF, a growth hormone that is vital for the health and happy firing of neurons in the brain. People with depression have critically low levels of BDNF.

What to do:
The greatest benefit is to be found in omega-3 rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), specifically omega-3 comprised of at least 60% EPA. This type of omega-3 is found in fish and shellfish. Ilardi suggests 1500mg of omega-3 daily (in the form of fish oil capsules), with a multivitamin and an antioxidant, such as 500mg vitamin C. Check with a pharmacist or doctor if you have any doubts or questions.What we think about.

Thoughts influence the brain. A proven risk factor for depression is rumination – dwelling on negative thoughts over and over. Rumination causes physical changes in the brain. When we keep circling around negative thoughts, the brain’s stress circuitry steps up. Cortisol (the stress hormone) attacks the neurons in the hippocampus, which is where memories and emotions are dealt with. People with depression have been shown to have a smaller hippocampus, one of the effects of ruminative stress on the brain.

What to do:
The greatest risk factor for rumination is spending time alone. Being with people or doing an activity are powerful ways to break up a negative thought cycle. Depression is exhausting though, and sometimes being with people will be the last thing a depressed person feels like. Just know that it makes a difference – a big one. If depression has you in its clutches, it’s likely that you will have trouble finding the joy in anything. If that’s the case, think about what you used to enjoy and force yourself to do it. Think of it like medicine or brushing your teeth – it’s just something you have to do. It will be worth it. Interrupting rumination by ‘doing’ is called behavioural activation. It has been proven to be as effective as antidepressants and more effective than cognitive therapy in alleviating the symptoms of depression. Its healing power doesn’t end there. Behavioural activation has been shown to prevent relapse over a two year period as effectively as antidepressants or cognitive therapy.People time. Spend it with the ones who matter.

According to Ilardi, when someone is depressed the brain mistakenly interprets that pain as an infection. It then tries to protect the person by sending a message for them to isolate themselves until the pain goes away. The effects of this can be catastrophic because isolation encourages toxic rumination. Human contact is powerful. It can ease the symptoms of depression, and protect against them.

What to do.
Spend regular time with people who care about you. If your tribe is looking a bit sparse, force yourself to join a group – anything where there are people – a book club, an art group, an exercise group, a drama group … anything. You might not feel like it but it will make a difference. People were meant to be with people. Just make sure they are people who deserve you.What we do. Exercise.

Exercise changes the brain and is one of the most under-utilised anti-depressants. Our brains were never meant for sedentary lifestyles. Whenever we are active, key neurochemicals (including serotonin, the neurochemical targeted by antidepressants) set to work throughout the brain, elevating mood, motivation and energy levels. Exercise also elevates the brain’s production of BDNF, the key growth hormone we talked about earlier. During depression levels of BDNF plummet and cause the brain to shrink over time, making learning and memory more difficult. Exercise reverses this. Research that compared the effect of a popular anti-depressant (Zoloft) with the effect of exercise on depression found that 30 minutes of brisk walking 3 times per week was every bit as effective as the medication. Exercise also seemed to have a protective function that the antidepressants seemed to lack. Twelve months after the study, the participants who kept exercising were more likely to have kept their depression at bay. Medication didn’t seem to show this effect.

‘Exercise is medicine … It enhances brain function as powerfully as any medication.‘ –Dr Stephen Ilardi

What to do.
Try for at least 30 minutes of brisk exercise three times a week, but of course, if you can do more, go for it. Anything that gets your heart beating is perfect – a hurried walk, running, dancing, bike-riding, swimming – anything. It doesn’t have to be graceful or strong or beautiful to watch – it just has to be active.Get plenty of safe sunlight

Sunlight sets off an avalanche of activity in our brain. It does this through receptors in the retina that are connected to the circuitry deep inside the brain that takes care of our body-clock. These are circuits that look after sleep, appetite and arousal. For millions of people, when the days become short the lack of sunlight unleashes chaos in our sunlight-loving brains. This can cause seasonal affective disorder (‘SAD’) which is debilitating and painful, and remarkably, up to 30% of us can show symptoms. SAD can happen to anyone who is chronically deprived of sunlight, because of the impact on serotonin. The power of sunlight isn’t only protective. It also has a remarkable capacity to heal the symptoms of depression. Research has found that light therapy is an effective, stand-alone treatment for depression, having an effect similar to most antidepressant medications.

What to do.

Try for 15-30 minutes of safe sunlight each morning. If it’s not easy to get some rays, try a lightbox, which is able to simulate the effect of sunlight on the brain and create the same protection against depression.

Yes. I know you know this one, but despite knowing how important sleep is, so many of us remain chronically sleep-starved. We need at least eight hours – as eight hours every single day. Sleep is like a superpower. It really is that good and that important to mood and mental health.

‘Disrupted sleep is one of the most potent triggers of depression, and there’s evidence that most episodes of mood disorder are preceded by at least several weeks of sub-par slumber.‘ -Dr Stephen Ilardi

What to do.
Aim for at least eight hours every night. Set your bedroom up so it’s conducive to restful sleep. Make sure it’s dark, minimise the light from appliances and iThings as much as you can. If you struggle to fall asleep, try a warm shower before bed and spray lavender into the room before you settle.

If you are already on medication, it is critical that you don’t stop it suddenly. Coming off anti-depressants should always be done in close consultation with a doctor to avoid withdrawal symptoms (such as a worsening of depression) that can happen when medication is stopped too quickly. Sometimes, particularly for more severe depression, medication is important to bring relief to symptoms but again, they won’t work for everyone. When medication does bring relief, using the lifestyle factors in conjunction with medication is a way to potentially strengthen mental and physical health even further.

Depression doesn’t always happen in isolation and can sometimes be triggered by medical conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, thyroid disorder, heart disease, chronic infection and hormonal imbalance – to name a few. In these cases, it will be hard to shift the depression until the underlying medical issues are dealt with.

Depression can also come about in response to other medication, but your doctor will be able to support you on this.

The six lifestyle choices are something that will make a difference for all of us, not just those with depression. We were born to thrive and for that, we need to take our cue from our Stone Age relatives. They were the pioneers of the human brain and their lifestyle was perfect for making it thrive. Our circumstances have changed – a lot. We no longer need to wander the sunny plains in search of food, and we don’t snuggle up with a tribe of relatives in front of a campfire every night, but our brains have stayed remarkably unchanged.

The human brain still craves the things that were ‘everyday’ in the Stone Age. We don’t want to go back to scouring the land for food, fighting wild animals and living with a tribe of relatives, and we don’t have to. Careful and consistent research has isolated the parts we need to keep, and the parts we can leave thousands of years behind us. If we tweak the way we live, we will see a profound difference – on our quality of life, our mood, our physical and mental health, our relationships and our lives.

August 6, 2015 in Quotes | Tags: acceptance, Depression, empathy, sensitivity, Superpower | Leave a comment

from http://www.tut.com/article/details/129-how-to-wield-your-sensitivity-as-a-superpower/?articleId=129

By Sonia Sommer
July 21, 2015

The last time someone said to me, “God you’re so sensitive, I responded, “I know, I’m so lucky.

I haven’t always been excited about my constitution. For most of my life I’ve been apologizing for it and trying to get over this fundamental flaw of extreme sensitivity. I’ve tried to toughen up, push on through, and be like everyone else.

Can you relate?

If you’re a highly sensitive person, you’re part of a select squadron of individuals who are wired differently than the rest. Our nervous systems and brain structures are highly attuned to take in far more information than other people. Every sight, sound, and experience is brilliantly rich. It’s like we’re living in high definition.

Research suggests we inhabit about 20% of the population. That’s 4.5 million of us in my home country of Australia alone.

Think you might be part of the sensitive squad?

As a member of the sensitive squad, you’ve probably had your fair share of drama. Many struggle with addictions, end up in abusive relationships, and suffer other traumatic events which only exacerbate things.

In traditional cultures you would be seen as a shaman or knower. You would be identified at a young age and given a mentor to help you hone your gift and fulfill your role in the community.

Often youve gone through some kind of accident, illness, or psycho-spiritual crisis, which initiated you into your role. This is the dark night of the soul, which can ultimately lead you to your calling. Because you’ve personally been to hell and back, you now have a map of the territory and can light the way for others. You might be an artist, poet, healer or some other form of wayshower.

Our Western culture has no framework for understanding and utilizing the gifts of extremely sensitive people. Instead, you’re told to toughen up, get over it, and be like everyone else (in the worst cases, diagnosed, medicated, or even locked away).

So, how can you turn your curse into a blessing and wield your sensitivity as a superpower?

1. Own it.
Face up to the fact that you’re not going to change your constitution, and instead learn how to thrive with it. Trying to change or feeling like a victim of fate will not get you anywhere. Ironically, once you start to discover and use the gifts of your sensitivity, you will become stronger, and dare I say it less sensitive.

2. Become acutely aware of your needs.
Identify which foods, activities, people and environments nourish and support you and which ones don’t. Try this: Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the center. On one side write: “Things that make me feel great,” and on the other side write: “Things that make me feel bad.” Then write free-form on both sides. Eliminate the bads from your life and make the greats non-negotiable. Period.

3. Connect with your squadron.
I once took my man to a shamanic conference and he was amazed to discover so many other people just like me. It can be a huge relief to know you’re not weird or alone. You don’t have to hang out with them all the time, but regular connection will really help you. Look locally or search for an online forum. Take classes, go places, and meet your people.

4. Find a mentor.
You need someone to help you navigate through and out of your struggles. Find someone who’s been through what you’re going through and can teach you how to claim your gifts and thrive. All cultures and traditions have sensitives; often they’re spiritual teachers. Follow whatever you’re drawn to. Read books, educate yourself, and learn what it takes to break free from difficulties and fully step into your power.

5. Identify your soul’s calling and follow it.
The Native Americans say we are all born with a unique gift. They call it your Original Medicine. If you do not express it, it will be lost to the world forever. Not to put any pressure on you, but this can give you a new motivation to know your calling and deliver it. The world needs that special gift that only you have. That thing that absolutely lights you up, the thing that you can’t stop doing even if you tried. Do that thing. That’s your soul’s calling. Thats your unique superpower.

You’re not alone, I’m on your squad along with 4,499,999 Aussies and a few billion others around the globe. You’re pretty damn awesome. Don’t forget that. Unique yes. Gifted absolutely. Now, go rock your superpower.

June 1, 2015 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

But raw honey is different because of its natural composition, to the point where some doctors are even recommending it be taken before bedtime.

Among them is Dr. Ron Fessenden, MD, who authored the book ‘The Honey Revolution: Restoring the Health of Future Generations.’

Fessenen is among those recommending honey as an ideal food for many reasons and to be taken at many different times of day, but perhaps most interestingly before bed in order to support a healthy night’s sleep.

Honey may be one of the sweetest foods out there, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be helpful for your body as it undergoes the repairing process overnight.

As always make sure your honey is raw and organic, since most grocery store brands are imported, contain GMOs, and are oftentimes heated so that many of the beneficial compounds are destroyed in the name of “safety.” In this case it’s best to buy it directly from the farmer.

As noted by Fessenden, raw honey contains “an ideal ratio of fructose to glucose,’ to support the liver, an organ that works overtime literally and figuratively, during the sleeping process.

Eating honey ensures that the liver will have an adequate supply of liver glycogen throughout the day, and taking it before bedtime can serve as the perfect liver fuel at night. Combined with adequate, pure water, your body should have most of what it needs to perform its restorative and detoxing functions.

According to this blog post from Fessenden, honey promotes a truly deep and restorative sleep in two main ways.

First, it allows for an adequate supply of liver glycogen overnight while your body is fasting and stores are low. He notes that the average adult liver only has about 75 to 100 grams worth of storage space for glycogen, which varies between men and women of different body sizes.

Per hour the body consumes about 10 grams of glycogen during the day, leaving our stores quite low by the time our heads hit the pillow at 11 p.m.

That leaves less liver glycogen than is needed for eight hours of sleep if you ate dinner at 6 p.m., Fessenden says.

However, if you take a teaspoon or two of honey before bed, you’ll be re-stocking your liver with glycogen so that your brain doesn’t activate a stress response, which often occurs when glycogen is low. Honey also contributes to the release of melatonin in the brain, as it leads to a slight spike in insulin levels and the release of tryptophan in the brain. Tryptophan leads to serontonin which is made into melatonin in the dark.

Finally, when adding honey to your diet at night, you’ll be supporting a healthy metabolism as your liver goes to work breaking down the toxins that are ultimately stored in fat cells.

Organic raw local honey is best but if you want more medicinal honey, try Synergy Companys Healing Manuka Honey (link HERE)

April 25, 2015 in Uncategorized | Tags: Antioxidants, anxiety, cayenne, Depression, ginger, Inflammation, turmeric | Leave a comment

from http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/13983-turmeric-tonic.html?c=sfm

This slightly sweet, earthy tonic is a wonderful way to start your day:  Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Tonic.  And the best part is that you don’t need a juicer to make it!

Inflammation is our body’s response to stress- whether this comes from the foods that you eat, the lifestyle that you live, or from an injury.  Inflammatory responses such as fevers or pain and swelling are your body’s way of trying to bring itself back into balance.  But that is not what we are talking about today.

What we are talking about is the modern epidemic of low-grade inflammation in our bodies that is making us sick. We are talking about the inflammation that comes from eating a poor quality diet loaded with refined sugars, processed foods, industrial fats, gluten, and poor quality meats.  Other causes of inflammation include:

This constant state of inflammation is weakening our bodies and our immune systems, making us more susceptible to illness and making us age at a faster rate.

Besides looking at the factors listed above and making lifestyle choices accordingly, there are some powerful anti-inflammatory foods that you can ingest to bring down inflammation in the body.  If you reduce inflammation in your body, you’ll not only look and feel younger, but you’ll significantly lower your risk for chronic disease.

An easy way to reduce inflammation and to give your immune system a powerful boost is to add turmeric to your diet.

I use turmeric liberally in my cooking and will often whip up a Creamy Tropical Turmeric Smoothie for a mid-afternoon snack.  Lately, we have been making this delicious turmeric tonic to start the day.

Now sold in many health food stores, this bright orange root is powerful anti-inflammatory medicine.  If you cannot find the fresh root, you can substitute dry turmeric powder.

Ginger is another wonderful anti-inflammatory.  It also promotes healthy digestion and improves absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients.  The fresh root is best.

Coconut water is deeply hydrating and nourishing.  It is loaded with vitamins (especially the B vitamins), minerals, and trace elements (including zinc, selenium, iodine, sulfur, and manganese).  It is also full of amino acids, organic acids, enzymes, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.

Citrus fruits are not only sweet and refreshing, they are also loaded with flavonoids, which have anticancer properties. Citrus flavonoids are also antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals and may protect against heart disease.  Citrus fruit is also high in Vitamin C, folate, and potassium.

High levels of  beta-carotene in carrots act as an antioxidant to prevent cell damage.  Vitamin A in carrots is said to promote healthy skin, improve vision, and to assist the liver in flushing out the toxins from the body

A smidge of sweetener gives this tonic a nice smooth flavor.  Raw honey is rich in flavanoids which are antioxidants that reduce inflammation.  Maple syrup contains polyphenols, antioxidants that quell inflammation.

Adding black pepper increases the bioavailability of the active ingredient in turmeric, meaning it helps with the assimilation of turmeric into your body.

Cayenne can be added for a bit of heat and is a powerful digestive aid.  Cinnamon is a warming spice that is said to stabilize blood sugar.

NOTE:  I recommend consuming this tonic with a real food meal that includes healthy fats. The active ingredient in turmeric is fat soluble and requires some fat to be properly assimilated into the body.  I also added black pepper to this recipe to help with absorption.  Black pepper contains the ingredient Piperine which is a bioavailability (absorption) enhancer that allows substances to remain in cells for longer periods of time. One study showed that adding pepper increases the bioavailability of turmeric by 2000%.

March 18, 2015 in Uncategorized | Tags: Bones, Calcium, Magnesium | Leave a comment

Our Bones Are Truly Remarkable – all 200+ of Them!
Bones not only give our body structure, strength and mobility – they also serve as our “mineral storehouse”, help maintain our immune system and contribute to our health in a multitude of ways. Bone Renewal’s complete, three-part blend of balanced nutrients helps ensure that your mineral storehouse is never depleted – while also providing optimal support for natural bone regeneration. Did you know that at this very moment, your bones are busy renewing themselves by creating fresh, healthy bone?

For all these reasons, bones require complete, targeted and safe nutritional supplementation every day. And now there’s finally a product that works intensely and comprehensively to provide the full spectrum of support your healthy bones deserve and need!

Calcium and Magnesium
Bones need whole-food nutrients – not “rocks”. Our Bones Are Truly Remarkable – all 200+ of Them! Bones not only give our body structure, strength and mobility – they also serve as our “mineral storehouse”, help maintain our immune system and contribute to our health in a multitude of ways. Bone Renewal’s complete, three-part blend of balanced nutrients helps ensure that your mineral storehouse is never depleted – while also providing optimal support for natural bone regeneration. Did you know that at this very moment, your bones are busy renewing themselves by creating fresh, healthy bone?

For all these reasons, bones require complete, targeted and safe nutritional supplementation every day. And now there’s finally a product that works intensely and comprehensively to provide the full spectrum of support your healthy bones deserve and need!

Healthy Bones replace 10% of their mass each year.
Bone Renewal is uniquely designed to support natural bone growth.
Your bones are ingeniously designed to renew and regenerate through a wondrous, two-part system called bone remodeling; in fact, you typically replace 10% of your bone mass each year. In bone remodeling, old bone is shed and new bone is grown in a process that continues throughout your adult lifetime. Yet, healthy remodeling can’t occur without regular replenishment of an array of highly specific nutrients. Bone Renewal’s unique, bountiful blend of plant-origin minerals, vitamins, co-factors and botanical Synergizers work in concert to provide the deepest level of support for natural bone-renewing activity.

Bones serve as our body’s mineral storehouse.
Bone Renewal’s blend of ingredients nourishes vital body processes.
Bones do so much. Not only do they give us structure, strength, protection and mobility, it is in the bone marrow that our entire supply of red and white blood cells is made. That means the very core of our immune system lies within our bones! Even the heart and brain depend on our bones, as these organs require hundreds of minerals to function, and the bones serve as our “mineral storehouse” – literally warehousing and delivering these life-supporting minerals. For all these reasons, Bone Renewal delivers a bounty of critical nutrients to insure our good health, well-being and longevity.

Nature provides natural plants for improving bone health.
Bone Renewal contains an exclusive blend of botanical Synergizers.
Bone Renewal is a breakthrough in bone supplementation based on Mitchell May’s unique healing experience, scientific research, and deep knowledge of traditional medicines and the cultures that understand their use. Synergizing the core ingredients of Bone Renewal are its four unique botanicals, each prized for their profound role in bone health. You won’t find these unique and proven Synergizers in comparable purity, potency and quantity in any other bone health formula.

Our Bones’ needs change as we age.
Bone Renewal supports all the seasons of your life. (Link to Bone Renewal)
Bone Renewal is a deeply nourishing formula for all 200+ bones in your body. Because its a fully researched and completely balanced formula that deeply nourishes and maintains your body’s own natural processes, it will support your bone health through all the phases of your adult life—from young adulthood and long into your elder years.

Magnesium, the King of Minerals

The healing powers of chlorophyll can largely be ascribed to magnesium, because the molecule of chlorophyll contains magnesium in the very center.
Since people stopped consuming green vegetables on a regular basis during the Industrial Revolution, many of us have developed a serious magnesium deficiency.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 80 percent of Americans are chronically deficient in magnesium.
Magnesium deficiency is a major contributor to our epidemic of chronic and degenerative diseases, including heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, depression, and various autoimmune disorders.

Sudden Cardiac Death
A sudden, unexpected death caused by loss of heart function is the largest cause of natural death in the United States, causing about 325,000 adult deaths each year.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 88,000 women. Over the 26-year follow-up period, women whose magnesium intake was among the highest 25 percent of the subjects had a 34 percent lower adjusted risk of sudden cardiac death. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

Heart Attack and Stroke
Dr. Liana Del Gobbo, of the Harvard School of Public Health, published a study showing magnesium can cut overall heart risk (including heart attack and stroke) by up to 22 percent.

Type 2 Diabetes
Including greens and green smoothies into daily meal plans can save millions of diabetics from suffering. Two new studies concluded that magnesium-rich foods can significantly lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even in obese people. (Magnesium Lowers Type 2 Diabetes Risk, by Salynn Boyles, WebMD)

Other diseases and symptoms associated with magnesium deficiency:
Fibromyalgia
Cardiac
Osteoporosis
Arthritis
Diabetes
Back pain
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Stress and depression
Insomnia
Migraines
Ischemic heart disease (angina)
Hangover and alcoholism
Muscle cramps and spasms
Constipation
Hypertension
Asthma
Dental caries
Eye twitching
Kidney stones and gall bladder stones
Processes accelerating aging (calcification)
Restless legs syndrome
PMS
Sighing
Hiccups
Dry skin

Consuming more greens is a great way to get your magnesium

Here are the greens that have the highest magnesium content:
● Swiss chard (340 g. contains 276 mg. magnesium)
● Spinach (340 g. contains 270 mg. magnesium)
● Stinging nettles (340 g. contains 195 mg. magnesium

Green Smoothies are the easiest, tastiest, and fastest way to consume greens.

Blog at WordPress.com.Ben Eastaugh and Chris Sternal-Johnson.

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