Our mission is to advice, and to make the people of the world healthier through the power of information.
Is Your Relationship More Work Than It's Worth?
I spent the first day of my honeymoon glaring at my new husband's back with seething hatred. Worried we wouldn't be able to cram enough sights into the day, he strode through London at top speed, not noticing (or caring) that I generally trailed about five feet behind him. He insisted we even ride the tube in silence, out of concern that some total strangers might realize we were American and sneer at us. Sounds romantic, eh?
You might also like That trip has come to encapsulate our doomed, nine-year relationship for me. Not walking fast enough was just one of many things I did incorrectly or inadequately, according to my husband, who we'll call Dan. Resentments surfaced frequently: He informed me that I looked bad when my hair was pulled back in a ponytail and that I appeared unfriendly when I walked with my arms crossed over my coat on cold, windy days. He'd accuse me of offending waitresses by not responding perkily enough when we went out to eat. During our stint in couples' counseling, he told our therapist that I was "socially inept."
Now, years later, putting up with any of this nonsense sounds ludicrous to me. But back then, I was brainwashed by the well-meaning relationship advice I'd read a million times: Relationships are hard work. It sounds reasonable. After all, we've all been told that nothing worth having comes easy—so why should relationships be any different?
My parents divorced when I was four, and my mother didn't live with another partner until I'd grown up and moved away, so I didn't have much modeling for what a healthy, long-term relationship looked like. The knowledge I had about solid relationships was cobbled together from TV shows, books, movies, and magazine relationship articles, creating a Frankenstein's monster of dysfunction and inaction.
Once, while complaining to a friend that I wasn't sure whether I should break up with Dan, she asked, "Well, are you unhappy or happy more of the time?" It seemed like a practical, even adult way of looking at the problem. I thought about it and decided that yes, I was probably content a little more often than I was miserable... so that was good, right? No relationship is perfect, people say. But who wants to spend roughly half of her life unhappy?
I stayed with Dan way longer than was remotely healthy. Getting along with him seemed impossible much of the time, but I thought that his put-downs, frenetic criticism, and anger must be the "work" I kept hearing about. If we just learned to communicate more effectively about our issues, we'd be fine, I thought. But of course, that wasn't the case. So how much hard work should relationships really be? Where's the line?
When Working on a Relationship Becomes Unproductive
So here's a conclusion you might have reached on your own: People reluctant to let any relationship go (even terrible ones) tend to be more willing to work on them. But that means that the degree to which people are willing to work on their relationship can have less to do with whether a relationship is worth saving in the first place, and more to do with our own personality types.
"Our tolerance for potential loss defines how easily we attach to another person, and also how hard we'll work to save a relationship," says Christine Hyde, Ph.D., a licensed clinical social worker and certified sex therapist. "Some people work and work because that hard work is still easier than the thought of loss, or fear of the unknown. That's why some people stick with things too long: It's the devil you know versus the devil you don't know."
On an even more basic level, everyone has a different idea of what "hard work" means in a relationship—and we rarely define these terms before getting involved with each other. For some people, "hard work" might mean healthy approaches like couples' therapy or focusing on listening to each other's needs. But others might think that "hard work" means something less rational and more invasive, like giving your partner access to everything on your phone or never going to a party without the other person.
But even couples who are willing to work on their relationships and agree on what "work" means won't necessarily succeed in the endeavor—especially if the work is based on expecting an unwilling partner to grow or evolve, Hyde says.
"Sometimes I hear from clients, 'No one ever taught him this is how he's supposed to be, so I'll teach him,' but that's more work than you should ever be willing to do," Hyde says. "Working to change someone else is a gauge that there's something wrong—that's not 'good' work."
The "hard work" approach to relationships appeals to our stereotypical American ideal that we will be rewarded if we refuse to give up, says Ty Tashiro, Ph.D., author of The Science of Happily Ever After and Awkward.
"That advice is the classic Western viewpoint—that if we just try harder and go faster, we can make it work," he says.
There are also some key personality traits that have been linked to happy marriages: High conscientiousness, low neuroticism, high agreeableness, and high extraversion. But research shows more and more that relationships are successful when partners simply practice mindfulness and express gratitude. "This has to do with appreciating partners for their positives and to give them the benefit of the doubt about the negatives," Tashiro says.
For example, let's say your partner tells you about a conflict with a co-worker that happened earlier in the day, and you ask a question or make a comment that he or she doesn't quite understand. What you do not want is for your partner to assume the worst about what you meant and instantly blow up at you. You want them to pause and consider why you said what you did, or simply ask you to clarify what you meant—before rushing to judgment.
Consistent thoughtfulness about how to respond to potential conflicts is a key component of harmonious relationships, Tashiro says. No one's saying you need to be a detective or a mind reader, but it helps if you can authentically give your partner the benefit of the doubt more often than not—and be there for their big wins (as well as their losses). And there's evidence to back this up: A 2009 study found that positivity and empathy are key components in happy long-term relationships, and another found that feeling your partner is there for you when things go right plays an important role in relationship health.
I was brainwashed by the well-meaning relationship advice I'd read a million times: Relationships are hard work.
"Expecting someone to be fair and thoughtful is a really important starting point in relationships that many people overlook," he says. "Someone who is agreeable is more likely in the long term to give generously to a partner without keeping score." This trait—and a willingness to put in the work to maintain relationships—has been linked to greater relationship satisfaction overall.
Put another way, if you aren't willing to consider another person's needs consistently, you can't be in a healthy relationship. "The bottom line is that people who are not good sharers aren't good in relationships," Hyde says.
So How Much Work Should We Really Be Putting In?
So let's say you found yourself a good one—he or she is giving, thoughtful, committed, and consistent—and you're happy together. It's still going to take some work, right? Like a normal, sane amount of work to keep the relationship strong?
That's what I've been wondering, because since I met my boyfriend, who we'll call Sam, four years ago, it's been kind of easy.
I used to roll my eyes at the people who claimed they rarely argue and called each other "babe." I just assumed that it really wasn't possible for two human beings to like each other and get along most of the time, and I thought these unicorns-and-rainbows couples must be insufferable Pollyannas—or they were just plain liars. More likely the latter, right?
But now I'm kind of one of these jerks, living with someone who's thoughtful, considerate, and reasonable—traits that, given my relationship history, still blow me away. Meeting him reminded me that I did see an example of a successful couple growing up: my Uncle Billy and Aunt Donna. They've been together since high school, and I couldn't ever imagine Billy ever rolling his eyes at something Donna said, or Donna snapping at Billy not to screw up some little task. They didn't just love each other, they liked each other, and it showed. They had each other's backs.
This is the simplest way I know how to explain why my current relationship is so strong: Sam has my back. I've never felt that anyone else was in my corner like this and would give me the benefit of the doubt that my intentions are good.
But I don't want to take my relationship for granted or neglect it, of course. I asked Hyde what she thought about my theory of what makes for harmonious unions—which can be boiled down to "don't be an asshole." Is it really that easy, if you're with someone who's good for you? I care what Sam thinks and how he feels, and want him to be happy, so I act accordingly. But that doesn't feel like "work," I told her.
"That's the thing: You don't see it as work because it's something you want to do. Work is only work if you're miserable," she says. "You're good with being giving and thoughtful because you know he's there and making you feel safe."
Research backs this up too: The authors of a study published in Communication Monographs concluded that couples are more likely to put some effort into maintaining their relationships when they felt things were equitable overall. Feeling a lack strong support from a partner, on the other hand, tends to break up relationships, another study concluded.
I don't want to be flippant and imply that it's easy to meet someone who gets you and supports you completely. I know from experience that it's not. But I also know that if you feel like you're not walking side by side with your partner—and especially if you're trailing five feet behind—you deserve better.
Virginia Pelley is a freelance writer in Tampa, Florida. Follow her on Twitter @VirginiaPelley.
from Greatist RSS http://ift.tt/2EfyhUV
How to Tell If Your Relationship Is Changing in the Right Ways
A few weekends ago, I was enjoying a pretty typical Saturday evening with my fiancé, J. We were cuddled on the couch, watching Netflix in our pajamas. I had one of those crazy sheet masks on my face (super attractive, I know). We didn’t talk much (except to comment on the terrible movie we were watching). From the outside looking in, it might have looked kind of boring. But I felt totally, blissfully comfortable.
You might also like J and I have been together for almost four years, and our typical Saturday evening has changed quite a bit over the course of our relationship. In the early days, I would spend pretty much the entire day in anticipation of a Saturday night date; I’d agonize over what to wear and spend hours getting my hair and makeup just right. On the date, we’d talk for hours about anything and everything: our dreams, our fears, our favorite Ninja Turtle (one thing that hasn’t changed over the course of our relationship is the fact that we’re both total nerds). My heart would be racing, my brain going a mile-a-minute wondering if he was going to kiss me.
I loved J at the beginning of our relationship, and I love J now. But the way I experience that love is completely, profoundly different.
So how, exactly, does the way we experience love—physically, mentally, and emotionally—change over the course of a relationship? What causes the shift from spending hours in front of the mirror to make sure you look perfect to "I’m totally cool with you seeing me in my most unflattering sleepwear?" Of course, sometimes we’re still filled with that I-wanna-rip-your-clothes-off spirit. But how do we cultivate that feeling even more when we throw marriage, finances, and all that fun, domestic stuff ("You’re loading the dishwasher the wrong way!") into the mix?
The Perfect Beginning (a.k.a. the Honeymoon Phase)
When J and I first started dating, it was like a falling-in-love montage in the most clichéd romantic comedy. We would sit across the table, staring googly-eyed at each other for hours. Everything J said was hilarious, insightful, or brilliant (usually all three). When we weren’t together, I thought about the next time I would see him the way a drug addict thinks about their next fix (and as a recovering addict, I know what I’m talking about).
This early can’t-get-enough-of-you phase of a relationship is what’s known as the honeymoon stage, and it can be pretty all-consuming. "In the beginning of relationships, it’s natural that we feel a strong physical attraction and romantic passion," says Suzie Pileggi Pawelski, MAPP, author of Happy Together: Using the Science of Positive Psychology to Build Love that Lasts.
"You may feel wildly attracted to your partner and can’t keep your hands off one another. You may think about your partner almost to the exclusion of everything else. You may daydream at your desk rather than drafting that important memo… and feel butterflies in your stomach when thinking about them."
But why, exactly, does the beginning of a relationship feel so consuming? Turns out, my description of feeling like a drug addict in desperate need of a fix is pretty spot-on. "When we first meet someone and feel an attraction to them, a series of chemical reactions are ignited," says Lyn Rowbotham, Ph.D., a life and relationship coach in Malibu, CA. "We can feel ‘a high’ by the surge of adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin that our brain releases."
All of those hormones and neurotransmitters are the perfect cocktail for attraction. Adrenaline enhances our arousal responses, while dopamine increases the brain’s ability to feel pleasure and reward, and serotonin sends a signal through our nerves to boost our mood and sexual desire. And on top of all those feel-good chemicals surging through our bodies, a recent study revealed that people in the honeymoon phase of a relationship had higher levels of nerve growth factor than people who were single or in long-term relationships, which researchers believe can actually increase feelings of euphoria.
(Needless to say, sex in the honeymoon phase is pretty fan-freakin-tastic.)
But as amazing as it is, the honeymoon can’t last forever. Most couples stay in the honeymoon phase anywhere from six months to two years—and experts say that’s a good thing. Because if we want love that’s going to last, it needs to go beyond the honeymoon.
"While feeling completely wrapped up in another person at the beginning of a relationship may be exciting and feel wonderful, it is the relationships that rely solely on passionate love that are doomed to fail," says Marisa T. Cohen, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at St. Francis College in New York City and co-founder of the Self-Awareness and Bonding Lab, a research lab that focuses on relationships and social psychology.
"While the couple is experiencing passionate love, it is important to get to know one another on a deeper level, thereby building intimacy-filled companionate love. Being intensely drawn to a person can take you only so far if you don’t build a strong foundation for a long-term loving relationship."
Reality Sets In
"In the beginning of a relationship, when you are totally absorbed in your partner, you view the world through rose-colored glasses," Cohen says. And once those rose-colored glasses come off, it can be a pretty jarring experience.
J and I were lucky enough to have a pretty long honeymoon stage, but I remember vividly when it ended—and it was really challenging. Suddenly, we weren’t seeing each other as these perfect creatures incapable of doing anything wrong or stupid or annoying.
We were seeing each other as, you know… actual people. It bugged me that J wanted to be alone when he was upset instead of talking things out. It bugged him that I could be stubborn and unwilling to admit when I was wrong (guilty as charged). Sometimes he would leave dishes in the sink or I would forget to take out the trash, and we would snap at each other.
In other words, the honeymoon was over—and reality had set in.
There was no doubt in my mind that I still loved J; it was just that now that we needed to figure out if our love was sustainable in the long term and if we had the chops to move past passionate love into something more deep and meaningful—what experts call companionate love.
"Passionate love is intense, and when reciprocated, is an exciting and wonderful experience," Cohen says. "Companionate love, on the other hand, is not as intense, but involves a sense of commitment and intimacy—think total self-disclosure, not necessarily sex. Having both present makes for a successful partnership."
As we navigate through the growing pains of the post-honeymoon phase of a relationship and start to see the person for who they actually are—rather than the fantasy we believed them to be—there’s going to be times we feel more "I-want-to-rip-off-their-head" than "I-want-to-rip-off-their-clothes." But that’s OK: The important thing to remember during this stage is that even though our feelings might be changing, it’s totally normal.
"Love evolves, of course, from the early-honeymoon passionate stage to the more mature, companionate love," Pileggi Pawelski says. "We can’t expect the same heightened feelings of positive emotions to exist at the intense levels as it did in the early phases of a relationship."
In other words, we can’t float on the honeymoon cloud forever. So when the honeymoon inevitably ends and reality sets in, it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with our relationship—it just means we have to work to take things to that next level.
Settling Into the Relationship
The honeymoon is great. But what comes after the honeymoon (and after that awkward phase directly following the honeymoon) is arguably even better—the stage when we get comfortable in our relationship.
This is the stage J and I are in now. We’ve been through a lot of life together—we’ve traveled, we’ve dealt with tragedy, we’ve changed jobs and apartments and cities. And the more life we’ve experienced together, the deeper our bond has grown. And with that deeper bond has come a whole new level of comfort and security (which is why I can walk around our house in a sheet mask and frumpy sweatpants with zero hesitation).
We’ve officially reached the companionate stage of love, and like I said—it feels very different from those early I-love-you-so-much-I-feel-high days. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing; while I might not get sweaty palms every time J walks in the room, I do feel a deep sense of gratitude, love, and admiration when he brings home flowers for no reason, when I see him playing with our dog, or when I think about starting a family.
"With familiarity, we get more comfortable with our partner and don’t feel that heightened sense of positive emotions and arousal," Pileggi Pawelski says. "Our love moves from the higher arousal emotions of interest, amusement, and joy into the calmer positive emotions of serenity, gratitude, inspiration, and awe."
From a physiological standpoint, the deeper feelings of connection we experience when we’re more settled in our relationship are thanks to changing hormones and neurotransmitters.
As we move from passionate to companionate love, "our levels of adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin get back to their normal state," Rowbotham says. They’re replaced by oxytocin, a hormone that’s released as a result of the physical closeness we experience with our partners (think hugging, cuddling, and sex). "Oxytocin can give us a feeling of increased calm and deeper emotional connection to each other."
Making Relationships Work for the Long Haul
Now that J and I are getting married, I’ve been really curious about how to make the relationship work in the long term. Being happily in love for four years is one thing—but how do we stay just as happily in love 40 years from now?
According to the experts, the key is to keep the spark alive as we continue to deepen our bond—and that means continuing to invest in and work on our relationship.
"We can’t expect for ‘happily ever after’ to just happen or to automatically experience the same burning desire we may have felt at the beginning of the relationship," Pileggi Pawelski says. "Research shows it’s healthy habits that lead to long-term love."
So what are some of those habits that can keep us connected, in love, and—yes—wanting to rip off our partner’s clothes for years to come? "Spend time together doing things you both enjoy, together and individually; forgive each other by talking it out; and appreciate each other and let them know it," Rowbotham says.
"Try your best to be curious about your partner, asking questions, actively listening, and savoring your partner and the small moments," Pileggi Pawelski says. "Research shows that partners who feel deeply cared for and respected—what they refer to as ‘effectively affirmed’—reported more enjoyment in their sexual relationship."
According to Cohen, one of the keys to a happy and successful partnership is perceiving your partnership as happy and successful. "Research has shown that couples in stable relationships tend to perceive that their love is growing over time," Cohen says. "People who experience problems, break up, or are heading toward breaking up perceive their love as declining over time."
The way we experience love changes over time—and the way I experience my love for J today is totally different than I did at the beginning… and is also completely different from the way I’ll experience it 10, 20, and 40 years from now. Making a relationship work in the long term takes a lot of work, dedication, and commitment to the other person. But what we stand to get out of marriage? Totally worth it.
"A long-term, healthy marriage can offer a deeper sense of security together, a deeper love and understanding of each other, less anxiety about the relationship overall, and a certain level of protectiveness toward each other," Rowbotham says.
I’ll take that over the honeymoon stage any day.
Deanna deBara is a freelance writer and accidental marathon runner living in Portland, OR. Keep up with her running adventures on Instagram @deannadebara.from Greatist RSS http://ift.tt/2G0sYsV
Natural Face Pack for All Skin Types - Dry, Normal, Oily
from Health and Fitness:Beauty Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2H5h7eI
What Children Teach Us About Health
from Health and Fitness Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2nVfzuR
13 Tips for Making Cardio Workouts More Effective (and Way Less Boring)
On the list of things we love to hate and hate to love, cardio machines sit at the top. It can sometimes feel like we’re pedaling, running, and stepping our lives away. Add in a lack of results over time, and you've got all the reasons you need to avoid cardio machines at all costs.
But don't toss out the treadmill just yet. Regular cardio comes with a ton of benefits: It can improve your mood and heart health, keep your mind sharp, help protect against some types of cancer, and so much more.
“The variety of cardio machines is also a major benefit in itself,” says Aaptiv trainer Kelly Chase. “All these machines target different muscles and are hugely beneficial for improving endurance and strength—if you know how to use them right.”
But how do you make using them less tedious?
Chase recommends finding something to push or challenge you. “You need good music, someone to motivate you, and something to tell you what to do,” she says.
We asked Chase to break down other simple ways to make cardio-machine workouts more interesting:
Treadmill
1. Always do intervals!
“I never recommend anyone do steady-pace cardio all the time,” Chase says. “Try incline or speed intervals. Stay at your same pace, but up the incline every few minutes or try it the other way. Keep the incline the same and continuously increase your speed.
2. Sprint it out.
“Sprinting works wonders,” Chase says. “You don’t have to do 30 minutes of it, but you’ll get a great workout in half the time if you alternate one minute at your maximum effort and two minutes at a slower speed or walking.
3. Add strength training.
“You can always slow your machine way down and do moving lunges,” she says. “Or pick up some dumbbells and walk as you do bicep curls or shoulder exercises.”
Elliptical
4. Add more resistance.
“Always add resistance to your elliptical workouts even if it’s light,” says Chase. “You should always be pushing against something and activating different muscles.” She recommends testing a variety of speeds against changing resistances to mix up your workout.
5. Take it back.
“Try going backward at various speeds and against different resistance levels,” she says. “Whenever I’m going backward, I feel different muscles in my legs working, and I also feel like my core is more engaged because I’m working to balance even more.”
Stair Climber
6. Gradually add speed.
“I love progression intervals on the stair climber,” says Chase. “You start at a lower level and work your way up, increasing the speed every few minutes.”
7. Go a different direction.
“Always incorporate multidirectional work into your stair-climber workouts,” she says. “You can turn to either side or even go backward at a super-slow pace. You’ll work your full body trying to stay balanced, and those legs will get a killer workout.”
8. Squat it out.
“It’s possible to do squats and jump squats on the machine too,” she says. To do this, slow the machine way down and, with both feet on the same step, squat as you normally would. Continue on to the next step and so on.
Indoor Cycling
9. HIIT it high.
“When I teach indoor cycling, I incorporate high-intensity interval training the most,” Chase says. “You don’t use too much resistance and instead you push hard on sprints and then pull it back for a few minutes.”
10. Move in and out.
“Practice different speeds and different resistances both in and out of the saddle,” she says. “Set your bike to a certain resistance and do intervals at that level both standing and sitting.”
11. Make it heavy.
“I also really love seated climbs on the indoor cycling bike,” she adds. “Crank the resistance all the way or most of the way up and push against it while in the saddle. This really sculpts and tones those legs similar to jogging on an incline on the treadmill.”
Rowing Machine
12. Beat the clock.
“I like doing intervals for time whenever I’m rowing,” Chase says. “I see how fast I can get to 200 meters, and then I try to beat it going from 200 to 400 meters.”
13. Build a pyramid.
“Try pyramid work to keep things interesting,” she says. “Hit 100 meters, take a 30-second break, do 200 more meters, take another break, add 300 more meters, and take another break, etc. Keeping it progressive keeps it interesting.”
Overall, Chase recommends using a variety of machines each week or even each workout. “I enjoy doing 15 minutes on the elliptical, 10 minutes on the stair climber, and 15 minutes on the treadmill,” she says. “It keeps things fun and feels like the time goes by faster, but you’re still getting 45 minutes of cardio in.”
from Greatist RSS http://ift.tt/2G1xWWh
Six Challenges You Must Master to Succeed at Weight Management
from Health and Fitness:Weight Loss Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2ExPTyZ
Is There Any Hope for People Who Want to Slim Down?
from Health and Fitness:Weight Loss Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2sfTigU
Understanding the Importance of the Renal Function Panel for Kidney Health and Balance of the Body
from Health and Fitness:Healthcare Systems Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2FZDAIO
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Dry Needling, Graston and Other Chiropractic Treatments
from Health and Fitness Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2EbyWqv
The Most Surprising Places to Buy Your Favorite Health Foods for Cheap
If eating healthy was easy for everyone, there would be a mini Whole Foods on every street corner, whether you're in New York of Tennessee, and they would be selling their products for cheap ($3 coconut oils for all!). Factors like where we live, how much money we make, and access to education wouldn't determine what actually ends up on our plates. But the reality is: Most healthy foods aren't accessible (or even relevant) to everyone. Because when the closest Whole Foods is 47 miles away and you're trying to figure out how to pay your electric bill, ashwagandha powder probably won't make the grocery list.
But here's where it gets good. Healthier options are increasingly popping up in the most unexpected places... with even more unexpected prices ($3 coconut oils actually exist). We're talking everyday grocers, convenient stores, pharmacies, and retailers who are making it easy and affordable to stock up on raw organic almond butter and two-ply toilet paper in one fell swoop.
So if you didn't think "healthy" could fit into your budget, think again.
CVS Pharmacy
You may think of CVS as the place you go to get the flu shot, pick up prescriptions, and shop for last-minute birthday cards. But it’s so much more than pharmaceuticals and Hallmark products.
When CVS rebranded itself as CVS Health in 2014, we started to see more and more healthy snacks start to hit the shelves. Don’t worry—the candy aisle isn't going anywhere—but you can expect to see healthier options like Larabars, RXbars, Go Raw bars, and Whole30-approved EPIC bars and bites. There goes your "potato chips are all they had" excuse.
Don’t check out just yet! You can also find Justin’s almond butter, Chobani Greek yogurt, and even Navitas Organics cacao powder that we highly recommend you use to make this three-ingredient chocolate. And don’t forget to check out CVS’s exclusive Gold Emblem Abound brand, which carries raw nuts, trail mix, rice pop clusters, and healthy snack bars for less than what you paid for shampoo.
In other words, go for the flu shot. Stay for the almond butter.
HomeGoods
Rejoice, shopoholics—retail therapy can be good for your health (and not just mentally). Among the aisles of discounted furniture, rugs, and decor at HomeGoods, you can now find a wide variety of health products at incredible prices. In fact, this might be one of the best places to do your superfood and protein powders shopping... especially if you've been too wary of spending your life savings on crushed up plants to try it out. You can pick up OMG! spirulina and cacao powders for $5.99 and $7.99, and Raw Green Vegan protein powder for $14.99. Need to restock your chia seed supply? Buy an entire pound of Bija organic black chia seeds for just $5.99.
You can also find cooking basics like La Tourangelle avocado oil and coconut oil for less than $15, which isn't too shabby for the massive bottles they come in. And if all this shopping is making you thirsty, toss a carton of vanilla unsweetened Milkadamia into your cart or a liter of Thirsty Buddha coconut water for just $2.99. Now, HomeGoods, one day we hope we can order everything you offer online. Please.
Target
Target seems to be focusing its bull's-eye on health and wellness this year, serving up more fitness gear and health foods at a friendlier price. If you’re a Target fanatic (who isn't?), you’re probably already familiar with its Simply Balanced brand, offering organic and all-natural foods—including produce, snacks, nut butter, spices, meat, and even prepared meals. Guys, you can get a 14-ounce, organic, unrefined coconut oil for $6.99 (!!!). But what you might not know is that Simply Balanced now offers your beloved bubbly probiotic.
That’s right. We’re talkin' ‘bout the booch.
While kombucha does wonders for the gut, it isn’t usually too kind on the wallet, retailing for between $4 and $6 each. But Simply Balanced offers four quality flavors (blueberry grape, ginger, orange and raspberry, lemon and ginger) at just $2.79 a bottle. Needless to say, we’ll be celebrating by popping bottles in the insanely busy parking lot.
7-Eleven
There’s no need to blow all your money at some fancy cleanse bar when you can find cold-pressed juice at your local convenience store. That’s right—7-Eleven is bringing juicing to the people. The international chain’s newly launched line includes four produce-packed flavors that are all organic, vegan, gluten-free, and affordable, with each 14-ounce bottle for only $2.99. So unless you’re trying to cleanse your wallet in addition to your body, we recommend giving one a try the next time you’re filling up.
Costco
If you think that Whole Foods takes the (all-natural, gluten-free, non-GMO) cake for organic food sales, think again. In 2015, Costco was ranked as the largest organic grocer in the U.S.—bringing in $4 billion in organic food sales, compared to Whole Foods’ $3.6 billion. With competitive prices for organic foods (particularly produce), Costco is making big strides in including people previously priced out of eating organic.
Generally known for its weirdly culty membership, giant warehouses, and bulk sales, Costco is a little bit of a dark horse in the organics game. But with a $60 annual membership, you can access fresh, organic fruits and veggies at killer prices. Think five avocados for $7. And if paying $3 for a single piece of fruit isn’t your cup of tea? You can find organic Fuji apples for just $1.64 per pound.
If you’re not sure buying produce in bulk is right for you, check out the nonperishables (or foods you know you tend to scarf down all the time). You’ll find dried fruits and nuts, chia seeds, and a bounty of incredible frozen food, as well as organic quinoa for less than $3. Costco’s brand, Kirkland, boasts some of the most impressive prices, like a 27-ounce jar of almond butter for just $8.99.
There are hundreds of these utopic warehouses around the country, so if there’s one near you, you might want to consider ditching your organic grocer for a membership. Trust us—there’s a reason why people who go to Costco can’t stop talking about going to Costco.
from Greatist RSS http://ift.tt/2E9KMWh
Is a SodaStream Worth the Hype?
I've been sober for more than six years (since I was 22). I'm also a restaurant reviewer, which means that I've developed an autopilot routine of swiftly handing the drink list back to the host or hostess before my butt’s even in the seat. "Unsweetened iced tea would be perfect!"
Sadly, most mocktails can quickly go from a healthy choice to a high-calorie one—between the sodas, the syrups, and the sugars used—so more often than not, they are a hard pass.
Enter: the SodaStream. The product I was hoping would be the cure to falling into an iced-tea-or-bust rut. When it arrived at my house, the creative child in me thought, “Look out, 2018, here comes your newest non-alcoholic-beverage-barista-mixologist.” Full disclosure: I’ve never tried to come up with my own drink recipes before. But with the mocktail struggle being all too real, it was time to start.
Using my knowledge of cooking and my vast experience as a human person who drinks cold beverages, I decided to give infusing a go, and now I had the SodaStream to help me. But are the results just as good as store-bought seltzers and bartender-yielding mocktails? And is this DIY form of carbonating your water worth the investment, the counter space, the hype?
My First Go With a SodaStream
The process is fairly simple: Fill the provided glass bottle with water, then twist and secure the glass bottle inside the main compartment, kind of like securing a Magic Bullet blender in place. Start to pump the big button on top in small bursts to carbonate it. The more you pump, the more carbonated it will get. If you push down too hard, it will scare the crap out of you. If you want to add flavor—add the flavor drops to the water (yes, it's that easy).
For my first drink, I made myself a seltzer with a lemon-lime flavor and one with a raspberry flavor for my husband. We drank them out of chic ribbed glass bottles with black caps on them that, as far as I know, are just meant to look cool for the sake of it.
Result: It tasted just like store-bought seltzer! Oh, the novelty.
Experimenting With SodaStream
On day two with my SodaStream, I wanted to tap into the world of DIY. (This meant I wasn't going to use the flavors they provide.) Fresh Direct arrived with an unholy amount of fruits and vegetables because I got carried away. Here's what I created, loved, and hated.
Cucumber Seltzer
- Since cucumbers are composed largely of water, and I’ve had many glasses of cucumber water before a facial, I have a feeling this will work out. I slice a few the long way with a vegetable peeler and dropped them in the bottle provided, letting them marinate for 10 mins.
- Result: Exactly as I’d hoped. Cucumber seltzer, which you can’t find in stores.
- So far, so good.
Blackberry and Cantaloupe
- I squish a few pieces of cantaloupe into a handheld juicer (sounds weird, but it works), then dump the fruit into the bottom of the glass along with the juice. Ditto with the blackberries. I pour the freshly carbonated soda into the glass, add stevia, and watch as it instantly turns into a foam while praying that it doesn’t turn into a full-on volcano like I'm in a high-school science class. I place it in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Result: Um, the colors are really pretty. There are floating bits of blackberry in the glass, which is nice, but I could probably just put a few berries and slices of cantaloupe on the rim of a glass of regular seltzer and achieve the same effect.
- This was a waste of time.
Orange and Vanilla
- My favorite seltzer flavor of all time is an orange-vanilla flavor with a glorious zero-calorie label, and I wonder, If I squeeze half an orange and add three drops of vanilla extract plus stevia, will it be amazing or meh?
- Result: Drinking this creation while expecting that magical flavor was an experience I can only describe as similar to opening a giant present that’s clearly got to be a bicycle, only to realize someone had just made a paper mache version out of wrapping paper and it was empty inside.
- I will never do this again.
Strawberries
- I realize that when I fill the bottle with sliced strawberries, it is not going to taste like a Starburst in a glass. Turns out, there’s a clear difference between actual fruit flavor and the “flavor” (scent + taste) that we’re used to associating with hundreds of, well, store-bought flavors. Having adjusted my expectations, I rather enjoy the strawberry seltzer. I just have to figure out how I’m going to get these engorged slices out of the top of the bottle.
- Result: I miss store-bought flavors.
- I might do this again.
Turns Out, I Can't Create "Natural Flavors"
The flavors in the seltzers I made were not strong. If you had super spidey-senses, you might wonder if a piece of fruit had passed through this glass within the last month. Also, the fruit itself becomes bland, so it’s not as fun to munch on, and the carbonation actually becomes flat way sooner than the seltzer we made using the flavor drops.
So my biggest question was this—why does the store-bought orange-vanilla seltzer taste so much sweeter and so much—I’ll say it, better—than pure vanilla extract and the juice from an actual orange? Well, news flash, your favorite store-bought flavors are created in a lab, so by extracting certain compounds from the plant and combining them with other additives, you can get a flavor that, sorry, folks, you just can't make at home.
One example is the compound vanillin, which in its natural form is extracted from the vanilla bean (and is also extremely expensive), so folks in white coats replicate it in a synthetic form. And that is what we’re used to tasting and smelling as "vanilla." This might be why the vanilla in my favorite store-bought seltzer tastes more like the vanilla you’d find in a bowl of ice cream, and my DIY concoction tastes more like... a wannabe 'nilla (even those it's au natural).
So Is a SodaStream Worth It?
As far as I can tell, the most exciting thing that’s happened in the history of SodaStream is the commercial controversy behind their Set the Bubbles Free campaign back in 2014 and a recall of thousands of bottles that were discovered to be potentially unsafe. But hey, I'm just one person, so there are some pros to the product (and cons).
PROS
- If you're into kitchen gadgets, I admit, it's a fun one to try and is reminiscent of science experiments in high school.
- Can't kick your one Coca-Cola a day? The SodaStream syrups have way less sugar and calories than a regular can, so it's a good place to at least start cutting back.
- If you love a good DIY and want to stop buying cases of LaCroix every week, go for it.
- It' supposed to stay carbonated longer than regular seltzer, and, because you aren’t buying plastic bottles or using cans for your seltzer or soda, you could argue that it’s greener.
- If you're tired of looking at ingredient labels to see which seltzers have added sodium and which ones don't, or you're over wondering what "natural flavors" really are, with a SodaStream, you know exactly what goes into it: water and bubbles. The added flavors are up to you.
CONS
- Small kitchen? This bad boy, which is reminiscent of a small rocket being launched into space with a full tank of nitrogen, might take up too much counter space.
- By the time that you’re done buying refill cartridges and flavored syrup, you’re not saving much money and might just be breaking even. Plus, don't you want to relish in the fact that buying store-bought seltzer is one of the few things in this world you can still buy for $1 a liter?
- If you can't live without coconut-flavored LaCroix (or any other brand), you should just keep buying it because, trust me, fresh coconuts aren't going to give you the same taste in a DIY version.
Note: The views expressed herein are those of the author.
from Greatist RSS http://ift.tt/2FVk0wW
How Drinking Water Makes You Healthier
from Health and Fitness Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2Bfk5MX
Body Basics: Alimentary Canal - How the Digestive System Works
from Health and Fitness Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2EpEL73
A Sound Mind in a Healthy Body
from Health and Fitness Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2slnes3
Does the Percent on Your Chocolate Bar Really Mean It’s Healthier?
Not all chocolate is created equal, but it's safe to say the Snicker's bar isn't the "healthiest" option—if that's what you're going for. But how do we know how to get the most nutritional bang for our bite? It's all about the type of chocolate. These days, manufacturers are actually making it easier to make that call by noting the cacao percentages of products right on the packaging. But what’s really the difference between a bar with 80% cacao and another with 60%? And why is a higher percentage of cacao touted as healthier? Let’s take a closer look.
The Basics
Simply put, the percentage of cacao listed on a chocolate bar tells you how much of that bar consists of actual cacao bean product. That cacao bean product is made up primarily of chocolate liquor, which refers to a combination of cocoa solids (ground cocoa powder) and cocoa butter (the naturally occurring fat in the cacao bean). Extra cocoa butter (and sometimes, extra cocoa solids) is often added to make the chocolate creamier or more intense in flavor.
If you’ve got an 80% cacao bar, 80% of that bar will be made up of that chocolate liquor + added cocoa butter and/or solids combination, with the remaining 20% made up of fillers—mostly added sugar.
Although manufacturers aren’t required to break down the exact proportions of cocoa butter and cocoa solids in a given bar, you can generally assume that the higher cacao percentage listed, the more of the total combo it contains, and the darker it is.
Does a higher cacao percentage mean a more bitter chocolate?
It’s a pretty reliable rule of thumb that the higher the cacao percentage, the more bitter the chocolate will be. Still, like with anything, there are exceptions. Just like coffee beans, cacao beans come in a huge range of flavors depending on the type of soil and environment they’re grown in (warm, humid climates are best!) and how they’re harvested, fermented, roasted, and tempered.
In addition to the type of bean they use, manufacturers can also opt for different ratios of cocoa solids and butters to make their products, so one brand’s 73% cocoa chocolate bar can taste much less intense than another’s. Generally, though, you can safely bet that chocolate with 80% cacao will be significantly more bitter than chocolate with 40% cacao.
Does a higher cacao percentage mean a healthier chocolate?
While many people might prefer the sweeter taste of milk chocolate, there’s a reason why most nutrition experts have crossed over to the darker side. Since the cocoa bean is what actually contains the flavonoids that provide heart-protecting, anti-inflammatory, brain-boosting, mood-lifting properties, it’s only natural that the higher the cacao content, the healthier.
Plus, a higher cacao percentage usually means that there’s less space for additional ingredients like sugar—which we know isn’t doing us any nutritional favors—and dairy, which might block the absorption of cacao’s antioxidants.
But remember, cacao percentages measure quantity more than quality. Every step of the chocolate-making journey, from fermenting the cacao beans to heating and drying them, can potentially compromise the antioxidant levels in the end product.
As a result, depending on how the bean is grown, how much—or ideally, how little—it’s processed, and how much of the cacao percentage is added cocoa butter versus chocolate liquor, a chocolate bar with 65% cacao can have a better flavonoid profile than one with 80% cacao.
What about cacao percentages in milk and white chocolate?
Milk chocolate does contain chocolate liquor, but many commercial varieties have so many other ingredients going on (think fillers like sugar, milk, cream, and lecithin) that the actual cacao percentage can be as low as 10%. Where dark chocolate can have 175 milligrams of flavanols per 100 grams, the same amount of milk chocolate can have only 75 milligrams. As for white chocolate, most varieties come with zero cocoa powder whatsoever. In fact, purists argue that it doesn’t even qualify as chocolate (we have to agree).
Your Chocolate Cheat Sheet
Unless you’re processing the beans yourself or calling the manufacturers to grill them about their chocolate liquor-to-cocoa butter ratios, the exact meaning of the cacao percentage on a standard chocolate bar is tricky to pinpoint. But with a few tricks up your sleeve, you can be sure that it’s translating to a more nutritious choice than a chemical-laden sugar bomb.
Less is more.
This applies to both the ingredients and the manufacturing process. Check the label on your bar to make sure that cacao/cocoa beans, cocoa mass, or chocolate liquor are listed before anything else. The fewer the ingredients, the less processed the chocolate is likely to be, and the better it is for you. Some red flags to watch out for:
- Vegetable oil standing in for cocoa butter. Beware of this poser.
- Sugar mentioned as the first ingredient. This chocolate is NOT what it claims to be.
- Dutch-processed cocoa or cocoa processed with alkali. Alkalizing (a.k.a. "dutching") has been shown to slash chocolate’s antioxidant counts.
Check your sources.
Look for dark chocolate made with beans from countries near the equator, like Ghana, Ecuador, and the Ivory Coast. They have ideal climates for cacao trees and produce some of the world’s best chocolate, so it’s a good bet that an 80% dark chocolate bar from Côte d'Ivoire will give you a product that’s high in cacao quantity and quality.
Play by the numbers.
If deciphering chocolate liquor proportions, de-mystifying the manufacturing process, and sourcing the beans isn't feasible in the midst of an urgent chocolate craving, here’s the basic math from above:
- Bars with 50% cacao: 50% chocolate solids + cocoa butter, 50% filler ingredients (sugar, lecithin, vanilla, etc).
- Bars with 85% cacao: 85% chocolate solids + cocoa butter, 15% filler ingredients (sugar, lecithin, vanilla, etc).
- Bars with 100% cacao: 100% chocolate solids + cocoa butter, 0% added sugars or flavorings (this probably wouldn't taste very good, which is why you don't see them often, but you can add 100% cacao to smoothies and desserts)
Still not sure which bar you should be reaching for? Strip it down to one basic rule: If you’re looking to get the cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory benefits of cacao’s flavanols and polyphenols, look for chocolate with at least 70% cacao content.
Lastly, watch your portions.
For all its antioxidant-rich advantages, chocolate is still an energy-dense food. In other words, don’t use cocoa percentages to justify swapping out your greens for Godiva. Stick to a one or two-ounce serving per day, but savor every single bite.
from Greatist RSS http://ift.tt/2C1kAH9
Best Diet Trends To Lose Weight Quickly
from Health and Fitness:Weight Loss Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2nHJO9w
How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off
from Health and Fitness:Weight Loss Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2El6sxY
10 Life Hacks for All
from Health and Fitness Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2nFMfcu
Good Weight Loss Ideas For Obese Women
from Health and Fitness:Weight Loss Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2seVogS
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Paleo Diet
from Health and Fitness:Weight Loss Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2GTQ4mq
Team Meetings
from Health and Fitness:Healthcare Systems Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2BFELPn
You May Start Seeing Cancer Warnings on Coffee, but Please Don't Freak Out
Ah, coffee. For many of us, that morning cup of joe is as essential to survival as oxygen. A full 64 percent of Americans drink at least one cup of coffee per day… and for many people, it's far more than that.
So it's no surprise California residents aren't loving the news that their coffee might start coming with a warning label. A pending lawsuit would force big businesses like Starbucks, 7-Eleven, and BP to put cancer warnings on coffee products. Uhhh, what?
The big question: Is this is legit? Should we all be worried that coffee is giving us cancer? We took a look at the research to find out what's going on here, and the short answer is no.
First things first: Cancer warning labels are pretty common in California. A law called Proposition 65 requires stores to provide a "clear and reasonable warning" to customers if their products contain cancer-causing ingredients. Hence this lawsuit, which argues coffee shops aren't currently following the rules.
And in one sense, the lawsuit is right. A chemical called acrylamide is found in small amounts in starchy foods such as potato chips, bread, french fries, and—you guessed it—coffee. Acrylamide forms when foods are cooked at high temperatures, and since it comes out naturally during the coffee roasting process, it's impossible to avoid completely.
But is acrylamide dangerous? Studies on rodents have linked it to an increased risk for certain cancers in animals, and because of that, the National Toxicology Program labeled it "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen."
However, humans absorb and metabolize acrylamide differently than animals, and since the levels found in humans are much smaller (like, 10,000 times smaller), it's hard to tell how dangerous the chemical actually is. Because of that, the FDA says it's not worth losing sleep over: "Removing any one or two foods from your diet would not have a significant effect on overall exposure to acrylamide."
What does this mean for us? Right now, not much. There's just not enough evidence that the tiny amount of acrylamide found in coffee is a cancer risk. It's great this law wants to educate people, but it shouldn't cause a panic (or a coffee boycott). Take this as a chance to be better informed but don't worry too much about whether that latte is posing a threat to your health.
from Greatist RSS http://ift.tt/2nG5K4R
The Increasing Rate of Suicides
from Health and Fitness Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2BWYlCp
Can You Become Addicted to Chocolate? Science Explains
Do you have a chocolate bar in your fridge at all times for those "emergency situations" when you desperately need something sweet or you'll die? You rip open the package and promise yourself you're only going to have one little square... oh wait, just one more... nope, there goes the whole damn bar. Is it an addiction? Or is it just really, really good? Let's talk.
Chocolate has played both the superhero and the supervillain in national health and wellness conversations recently. One day, word on the dessert aisle was that cocoa could benefit heart health, and the next, we were told that chocolate is—no joke—akin to heroin. What gives?
The research can get confusing, but one thing is for sure: We (the general population) love chocolate—and sometimes, we love it in absurdly large quantities. It's not just since Hershey's started its factory either. Apparently, our obsession dates back to ancient times, when cacao beans were offered up in Mayan dowries (nice to see that our wooing techniques haven’t changed all that much) and even exchanged as currency in some early American civilizations (now that would be the dream).
Today, it's become the most commonly craved food for teens in the U.S., and even us adults gobble up about nine and a half pounds per year. Not surprising when you think about how much we self-prescribe chocolate to treat general sadness; give it to others to show affection; and keep emergency stashes on-hand for late nights, breakups, or particularly bad bouts of PMS.
So, yes, we’re well aware that we’ve got a chocolate infatuation. The larger question is—why? And, for some of us, can it spiral out of control?
Are You Addicted to Chocolate?
With the national obesity rate rising above 35 percent, scientists have been digging deeper into the ways in which food affects the brain—and, in turn, how the brain can dictate our intake of food. Symptoms of food addiction can look a lot like drug addiction: going to great lengths to acquire the goods (midnight chocolate run, anyone?), continuing to eat despite negative consequences, and trying and failing to quit on several occasions.
But the similarities don’t stop there—both addictive drugs and particularly tasty foods have been found to cause a release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, in a region of the brain that’s been dubbed the “reward circuit."
After a while, the reward circuit starts reacting to just thinking about these pleasurable things. Once you start associating these feel-good things with good feels, your brain begins to demand them. In one study, a group of women exhibited this response while looking at a picture of a chocolate milkshake.
Also seen in drug addicts, this anticipatory dopamine rush is thought to play a role in driving addictive behavior. What happens once a craving is satisfied? The women who were given the chocolate milkshake after looking at its picture showed a decrease in activity in the part of the brain associated with control and willpower. This is probably why we can swear off chocolate for life, only to find ourselves devouring a brownie one hour later. (Not that we would know.)
Although you can begin to develop these kinds of relationships with lots of different foods (and all sorts of feel-good human experiences), chocolate seems to have some qualities that scientists and chocoholics alike have pinpointed to be particularly seductive.
This could just be that the chocolate we eat is typically loaded with sugar and fat, but according to one recent study, it may have to do with its interaction with a particular molecule called enkephalin that exists in our brain, looks a lot like endorphins, and may be causing our addiction.
In this case, researchers gave rats a few M&Ms to munch on (don’t try this at home!) and, lo and behold, enkephalin levels in the brain started to rise (yes, they are rats, not humans, but it's still interesting). To see the effects of the mystery molecule, scientists injected the rats with more enkephalin, and they started binging like there was no tomorrow, indicating that this substance that’s naturally in chocolate is also associated with compulsive eating. In other words, if you give a mouse a (chocolate) cookie, you better have more on hand.
Chocolate Vs. Drugs
But while there are a lot of similarities between drug use and chocolate consumption, there are also some key differences. For one thing, there isn’t a whole lot of evidence to show that we can develop chocolate dependence in the same way that we can develop drug dependence. And even though some of us think it's a medical issue, menstrual chocolate cravings and “chocoholism” are pretty predominantly American phenomena. While other countries produce and consume more chocolate than the U.S., very few others feel as simultaneously passionate and defenseless about it as we do.
Although eating chocolate nonstop might not be quite the same thing as having a drug addiction, it’s still important to examine the factors—physiological, cultural, and environmental—that might increase our consumption to the point of abuse. Chocolate is often depicted as a go-to indulgence as well as something we’re supposed to feel guilty about, and the image of the helpless chocoholic surfaces again and again, often in good fun, in advertising and across the media. So maybe the feeling that we’re going cuckoo for cocoa comes, at least partly, from outside of our bodies too.
Seeking (and Getting) the Reward
We’re reward-seeking creatures by nature—we had to be at one point to survive long enough to throw down in the gene pool. Sugary, high-fat foods like chocolate are natural rewards, so our brain responds to them by saying, “get more of that—if you can!” But now, we can. Pretty much all the time. Especially in a society where we can find chocolate of all shapes and sizes everywhere, even delivered ASAP to our doorsteps.
And with research suggesting that constant exposure to stress can hike up your intake of highly caloric and fatty foods, it’s safe to say we’re living in an environment where all signs point to chocolate. After we get that dopamine rush, we feel we’ve done a bad, bad thing. Yet somehow, we do it again.
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that chocolate alone isn’t the enemy. It’s got some addictive properties for sure, but so do exercise and sex. (And we’re definitely not going to tell you to cut those out of your life!) As frustratingly inconclusive as this sounds, there are a lot of elements at play here—but having an awareness that there are a lot of things pushing us to eat (and overeat) the sweet treat might at least help us develop a healthier relationship with it.
from Greatist RSS http://ift.tt/2nMarJw
Are Essential Oils BS?
Among the crunchy set, essential oils have a reputation as catch-all solutions to major health problems. Have a fever? Rub peppermint oil on your feet. Suffering from shoddy memory? Put some rosemary oil in a diffuser. It doesn’t help that woo-woo bloggers are running around the internet touting the glory of essential oils in the same breath as some pretty paranoid fantasies ("This is what Big Pharma doesn’t want you to know!!!111").
You might also like So, what’s the truth behind essential oils? Do they help? Do they harm? Are they just useless placebos? Are there real health benefits? We dug into the research and spoke to experts in the field to figure out what essential oils are, how they work, and what they really can do for you.
So what are essential oils?
Essential oils are also known as volatile oils because they evaporate quickly after coming in contact with oxygen. An essential oil is, simply put, the "essence" of a plant, obtained by water or steam distillation, or by cold pressing (for citrus peel oils). Through this process, the oils inside a plant can be extracted into a highly concentrated form.
"When you smell an essential oil," says Tony Ferrari, Ph.D. in chemistry, "its constituents bind to receptor sites in the nose, which read the aroma molecules and send signals through the olfactory nerve to the limbic system and amygdala in the brain. There are more than 5,000 chemical compounds that make up commonly used oils, each of which binds in a different way to different receptors, so their effects can vary widely."
How do essential oils work?
"Essential oils include biological compounds like growth factors, hormones, and neurotransmitters that are concentrated from the plant," says Nada Milo, M.D. "Because different essential oils come from different plants, these components (and their resulting effectiveness) tend to change from plant to plant."
Essential oils can have complex biochemical interactions in the human body, she says—and different essential oils can create different reactions in our enzymes and hormones. One of the active ingredients in tea tree oil, for example, is Terpinen-4-ol, which was shown in studies to kill ectoparasites found on human skin and kill infectious amoebas that cause eye infections.
One unpleasant—but totally effective—parallel you’d find in nature is poison ivy: We react to poison ivy with those awful, itchy-as-all-get-out red bumps because we’re exposed to an active compound in the plant that interacts with our skin. Elizabeth Trattner, M.D., explains that essential oils work differently—but they’re even stronger. "Essential oils can be up to 100 times more potent than the plant itself," she says. "So their effects are visible with just a few drops."
Basically, the active ingredients inside an essential oil can trigger "switches" inside our body. "Here’s another example," Milo says. "An EO like lavender can stimulate olfactory nerves in the brain and cause downstream effects that slow down the central nervous system and induce a sense of calm."
So not all essential oils are going to work as advertised. They’re derived from a variety of plants, all of which have different effects on the body (and some of which aren’t that effective). On top of that, you have to consider the method of application—are you rubbing it onto your skin, ingesting it in a capsule, or simply sniffing it?
Be careful—some methods of applying essential oils are safer than others.
"Untrained lay people, especially in the multilevel marketing (MLM) business, will say anything to make a sale," Trattner explains. Some folks, especially MLM bloggers—and even some big companies—suggest methods for essential oil use, without informing people of the dangers of using essential oils incorrectly. They’ll say that you can use them anytime, anywhere. In demonstrations, they might dab some on their wrist or talk about how oils can be used in capsules.
This is something to be wary of, says David Lortscher, M.D. "People have to be careful about how they use these products. Essential oils have the potential to sensitize and irritate skin. There have been rare reports of serious toxicities, including seizures, adverse effects in pregnancy, and lung or liver toxicity."
For example, linalool, the main component of lavender essential oil, has been shown in studies to cause skin cell death and increase the risks of contact dermatitis. "In general, though," he continues, "these EOs are pretty safe. When irritation does happen, it’s usually mild and limited to the skin."
To minimize the risks of topical essential oil application, it’s best to dilute essential oils with a carrier oil, or a neutral oil that can contain the essential oil. "Most allergic reactions are caused by the application of pure oils, or high-concentration products," Lortscher says. "But if you tolerate them or dilute them, they can help with dry, flaky skin, provide some antioxidant benefits, and also help relax your body."
Many essential oils companies sell their EOs undiluted, so you’ll have to dilute them yourself (NAHA provides some guidelines on safe dilution). Adults should dilute an essential oil anywhere from 2.5 to 10 percent; for a 10 percent dilution, for example, you'd use 60 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier. Some of the most common carrier oils are jojoba, coconut, and sesame oil.
What about the claims that essential oils are perfectly safe to ingest? That’s not necessarily true. Essential oils are broken down in the liver into phytochemicals, and if they accumulate, they can become toxic to the body. While a study of one is hardly convincing evidence, a woman who ingested peppermint oil was brought to the hospital in a comatose state.
You might also like "Oral ingestion results in ten times the amount of absorption into the bloodstream of an essential oil compared to topical application," Ferrari says. "This type of application is usually used for short-term treatment of more serious ailments, like bacterial infections (some essential oils are effective against the MRSA bacteria, for example), viral infections, and even cancer."
Cancer? Really? "Yes," Ferrari says. "Though this isn’t widely accepted by the medical community, there are actually quite a few studies showing that essential oils can cause cancerous cell lines to die via apoptosis." But lots—and lots—more research needs to be done before this kind of treatment can be considered viable.
In any case, Ferrari says, it’s important to tread carefully around oral consumption of essential oils. The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy offers several warnings against oral consumption of certain essential oils ("they may cause heartburn, nausea, and vomiting," which, no thanks).
For example, peppermint is one you may want to avoid. Clove oil is another one you should probably stay away from (in one case, it caused a coma and acute liver damage). NAHA notes that people shouldn’t take essential oils internally without appropriate education and an understanding of the resulting safety issues.
Basically, our take is that ingestion should be medically prescribed and regulated by a doctor who has experience with essential oils—you definitely shouldn’t try and make your own capsules at home.
So how can essential oils be used safely—and which EOs have actual health benefits?
Essential oils have been used in aromatherapy for hundreds of years. Our sense of smell (controlled by the olfactory nerve) is very powerful and exerts influence over our thoughts, emotions, moods, memories, and behaviors.
"Essential oils can reduce inflammation or stimulate the immune system or calm down the autonomic nervous system," Ferrari says.
If you're feeling confused, stick with the basics. "Lavender oil is a great EO for beginners. You can inhale it before sleeping, pour a few drops into a diffuser, or rub it onto your pressure points (neck, wrists, and other places where your pulse is most prominent). Plenty of studies have been done on lavender oil to demonstrate its efficacy," Trattner says.
One such study demonstrated that inhaling lavender oil increased the power of alpha and theta brain activities, resulting in significant decreases in blood pressure, heart rate, and skin temperature. Granted, this was from a sample size of 20, so—take the results with a grain of salt.
But another, slightly larger study supported these results and showed that the same method of application (inhalation) before bed significantly decreased anxiety levels and greatly improved sleep quality in patients. Inhaling lavender oil for 30 minutes a day during your period can also reduce the severity of menstrual cramps.
If you’d like to use essential oils for digestive problems, you can ask your doctor about rosemary capsules, which have been demonstrated in studies to inhibit E. coli overgrowth and effectively treat ulcers. The ingredients at work inside rosemary oil are caffeic acid, and its derivative, rosmarinic acid, which have antioxidant effects.
Bergamot, another essential oil with "multitasking" capabilities, is often used as part of a treatment for depression because of its ability to reduce stress responses. When inserted into oil diffusers, it helped create a positive mood in patients. Besides its uplifting effect on mood, it can also be used as an antibacterial and antifungal agent against E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus.
Does quality matter?
You’ll often see companies advertising their "therapeutic grade," "aromatherapy grade," or "medicinal grade" oils. Unfortunately for them, no such thing exists. "There is no formally approved grading standard used consistently throughout the essential oil industry," Lortscher says. Simply put, anyone who says that they have therapeutic grade or "certified" essential oils is lying. "That seal is nothing more than a commercial trademark. It isn’t backed by any scientific body."
So how can we tell whether our essential oils are pure or not? Is the market even regulated?
"The only rules in place in the EO market are those set by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization), which states that essential oils must be natural and pure," Lortscher says. "A pure essential oil is very volatile, so it should not leave any residue on a white blotting paper. It also shouldn’t smell rancid or like alcohol."
"Don’t be cheap about essential oils," he says. "Cheap essential oils are almost guaranteed to have synthetic oils or mineral oils mixed inside. Another thing to look out for is the country of origin—oils sourced from plants native or indigenous to their regions are far more trustworthy.
What about synthetic oils?
"Synthetic essential oils may seem like a bargain," says Rupinder Mangat, CEO of Mevei. "It can be difficult to tell the difference between a synthetic oil or a real one. But be careful—chemically reconstructed oils seldom include all the trace chemicals that are found in the real plant. Price can be an indication that an oil is synthetically reproduced or extended."
How can you ensure that your essential oils are pure?
Lortscher says that the purity of different EO’s can vary widely, based on the degree of concentration and where they’re sourced from. "On top of that, the quality of your oils can be affected by adulteration (the purposeful addition of foreign substances), unintentional contamination, inadequate production, or improper storage conditions," he says. "If you keep an essential oil exposed to bright sunlight or oxygen, the composition of the oil can change. It’s best to store them in a cool, dark place."
To make sure that your essential oils are pure, you can ask the company if they do mass spectrometry testing. These tests check to see how pure an essential oil is and can be used to see if the oil has been altered or added to.
The final verdict?
When used in aromatherapy or if diluted for topical use, essential oils can be safe—and helpful. While no essential oil is going to cure asthma or banish migraines, they can help with a variety of health issues.
"Essential oils like lavender and rose can be excellent adjunctive therapy to many health issues like inflammation, pain, and high stress or anxiety levels," Trattner says. "And they can be used as the first line of defense to prevent conditions from developing or worsening. Do I recommend them to my patients? All the time—and I’ve been practicing for over two decades. But they aren’t one-size-fits-all, and they aren’t magic potions, either. If there’s too much pain or you’re facing a severe disease, then it’s time to take something stronger or talk to your doctor to create a cohesive plan of action."
Basically, use essential oils with caution and do your research on the specific oils you plan on using. If you have any questions or doubts, make sure to ask your doctor. Used correctly, essential oils can greatly enhance your life—just don’t expect major miracles out of them.
Theodora Sarah Abigail is a beating heart in a warm body. She works as a writer and poet in the wild, mechanical city of Jakarta, Indonesia. You can join her as she stumbles through life by following her on her blog and on Instagram.
from Greatist RSS http://ift.tt/2s9Omdk
Is Legal Marijuana Bigger Than The Internet of Things?
from Health and Fitness:Healthcare Systems Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/2DZTguP