Relaxation: Clear Your Mind of Clutter

It has been proven that we spend more of our time thinking about trivial things in life than we spend thinking about important things. Often, we can allow little things to build up and eat away at us over time, when, really, there is no reason for them to do so.

It is important that we learn to unwind from our thoughts, to ensure that we do not let the little things take over our lives. To do this, we should put aside specific times during the day in which to do this. Ideally, we would have three sessions; one in the morning, one in the afternoon and then one in the evening before you get to bed. The ideal way to unwind before you sleep is to have a bath an practice deep breathing exercises. If you do not have a bath in your home, then a shower can have relaxation benefits too and allow you to unwind.

Tips for Feeling Younger

Recently I was diagnosed with an illness where everyday, every hour was an absolute struggle. I still am battling my illness, and while I feel like an elderly person, I decided it may be a good idea to share my tips for pushing myself to do better everyday and stay “young”. This can be helpful if you’re depressed, sad, feeling down, or actually sick.

Make an agenda everyday and stick to it
It can be hard, but writing down what you have to do everyday can help. Pick times to do these things everyday and do your best to make sure you push yourself to get those things done. Have nothing to do? Go for a walk. Read a page in book. Simple stuff like that will make you feel better.

Your Sleep Can Get Better

Be sure that your room is aerated well, as fresh air is con­ducive to sleep, and, when possible, leave your window open at night (although in a basement apartment in a crime-ridden area this, rather obviously, not viable). A temperature of about 24°C is the ideal for sleeping, so do not keep heating on throughout the night or rest under duvets or blankets that are overly thick. Assure that your mattress and pillows are correct for you. These powerfully affect how you sleep.

Vitamin D for Heart Health

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in a few foods, and is produced endogenously when ultraviolet rays from the sun hit the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis in our bodies. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut and enables normal mineralization of bone. Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen.



The Sunlight Vitamin; Source: Mercola.com

Vitamin D is a good defence against anemia. The lower the vitamin D levels, the lower the hemoglobin and the higher the risk for anemia.

Vitamin D has other roles in the body as well. Every tissue in the body, including the brain, heart, muscles and immune system, has receptors for vitamin D, which means that this nutrient is needed at proper levels for them to function well. There are perhaps 200 different important metabolic processes that use vitamin D as a co-factor. Thus, Vitamin D is needed for modulation of cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduction of inflammation, and its deficiency can lead to high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and hardening and inflammation of blood vessels.

When Depression Becomes a Sign of a Much Deeper Problem

A lot of people are first told that they have depression or anxiety when, as a matter of fact, they really have a different medical condition. Of these people, one in two will first be told they do have depression, one in four will be told they do have anxiety.

Why Does Your Depression Keep going back?

Several Reasons to Enjoy Kiwi or Chinese Gooseberries

In China the kiwifruit is known as Chinese gooseberry and originally was called the same thing in the U.S. Growers in New Zealand decided that the fruit deserved a more exotic name and decided to name the fruit after their national bird, the kiwi.


Photo source

One kiwi packs more vitamin c than an orange of an equal size. It is also packed with 80 other known nutrients and only about 46 calories per fruit. For a closer look at these, click here.

Eight Ways to be Happier

We all want to be happy, but with daily stress and life, it’s easy to lose focus of what’s important and what makes us smile. While no one is happy all the time – mood shifts are completely normal – if you’ve been a rut lately and want to remember what joy feels like, try the simple ideas below to boost your mood.
Get some sunshine. Just sitting in the sunlight for five minutes each day is all it takes to absorb enough Vitamin D to prevent diseases such as osteoporosis, rickets and fibromyalgia, as well as prostate, breast, ovarian and colon cancer. About 40 percent of the population is Vitamin D deficient, so sitting in the sun may be all you need to feel better.

Sports Nutrition: A Guide to Energy Values of Different Foods

Sports Nutrition: A Guide to Energy Values of Different Foods: "

How Watermelon Helps Borderline Hypertension

Can eating watermelon help to prevent hypertension? It would seem unlikely that munching on this summer picnic food would lower blood pressure, but there’s some science behind this idea. According to a new study from Florida State University, a chemical extracted from watermelon called L-citrulline lowers blood pressure in people who have borderline hypertension.
Watermelon Citrulline to Prevent Hypertension?

Can You Survive Without a Thyroid Gland?

There’s a small, butterfly-shaped organ that lies in the neck just below the Adam’s apple called the thyroid gland. Most people take this hard-working organ for granted. But don’t underestimate its importance. Can you live without a thyroid gland – or is it necessary to sustain life?
Can You Live Without a Thyroid Gland?
You can live without a thyroid gland, but you won’t survive very long without the hormones this gland produces. These hormones, T3 and T4, have an effect on every cell in the body by controlling the rate with which they use energy and oxygen – the body’s metabolic rate. Not surprisingly, people who are deficient in thyroid hormone, a condition called hypothyroidism, gain weight and feel very tired.