Wellness Essentials

What an amazing ancient plant!  Aloe vera (a cactus-like plant with a central cluster of smooth, green fronds) has enjoyed a very long and excellent reputation due to its natural health-boosting properties. It has been used for its well-known healing purposes in various cultures for millennia: Greece, Egypt, India, Japan, Mexico, and China.

Start your new year with a bang by recentering and focusing on your own lifestyle priorities. What would you like to focus on . . . weight loss? A new fitness routine? Better immune health? Right now is your best time to adopt the lifestyle strategies that will help you form a stronger, healthier body and calmer mind.  

You may think of self-care as being all about the perfect diet and supplements, but the reality is that practicing self-care also requires self-reflection and internal motivation. The most important part of this process is for you to find actions that work for you, not necessarily anyone else. During stressful times, it can be critical to check in with yourself every day.  

Have you seen athletes bathing in ice water? Maybe it seemed a little crazy to you, so why would athletes think this practice is beneficial? The answer relates to how both ice and heat can simulate the body for repair. Both ice and heat are commonly used to relieve muscle or joint pain and can help reduce inflammation and numb areas where you may be injured.  

What is supposed to be a lighthearted holiday filled with fun costumes, creative decorations, and spooky stories might look a little different in the year 2020. In the midst of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, many parents are wondering how to keep their children and families safe this Halloween. While many public health officials recommend avoiding typical Halloween parties and trick or treating door-to-door, take a look at some fun ways for you and your family to celebrate this fall holiday.  

Tocotrienols are a stellar group of compounds with an interesting range of health benefits. They belong to the vitamin E family along with tocopherols. These compounds come in four different forms: alpha, beta, delta, and gamma, but it is the delta fraction that has the most stunning research. c

As an integral part of health, well-being, and general quality of life, sexual health is sometimes thought of as a taboo topic. Many older adults experience a decline in sexual responses and libido as they age. However, many aren’t aware of some extremely beneficial ways they can support their sexual health so that it is long-lived into their advancing years. 

Instead of thinking of exercise as a commitment, think of it as lifestyle! Think of it as something you look forward to every day – not only for the joy of bodily movement, but also for its many benefits. Exercise helps reduce your waistline, increases your fitness levels, and strengthens your heart and muscles. However, exercise has another proven benefit – keeping your lungs healthy. 

Okay . . . just admit it . . . do you have bad breath? Have you tried brushing your teeth more frequently, fancy mouthwashes, and even rinsing your mouth with salt, but you find that you are still struggling with bad breath? This troublesome condition can be caused by many things, but one study may have discovered a unique fix: fiber! 

Did you know that if you live to be 80 years old, you will breath as many as 672 million times? This only includes breaths at rest – if you avidly exercise, you breathe even more than that. Never take your lung health for granted! Your precious lungs keep you alive and well, but only if they’re healthy.