Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Set Your Day Up For Success: 6 Things To Try

When planning your grocery list for this week’s meals, spend time focusing on the first meal of the day! General the start of the day is the same for most, making it’s easiest to create a healthy eating routine in the morning: the ideal breakfast should provide one quarter to one third of your day’s protein, a fair amount of fiber (as found in low-glycemic carbohydrates) and some healthy fat. Here are some quick, healthful ideas on food to buy:

  1. Canned, wild Alaskan salmon. The traditional Japanese breakfast features broiled fish, steamed rice, pickled vegetables and green tea. Using canned, wild Alaskan salmon along with leftover rice and vegetables makes this a quick meal.
  2. Granola and yogurt. Choose granola or make one that’s high in fiber and low in sugar or other sweeteners, and opt for full-fat plain Greek yogurt, some organic berries and walnuts. If you are trying to keep your sugar and carbohydrate intake down, skip the granola and opt for just berries and nuts.
  3. Eggs. Keep some hardboiled eggs (choose free-range, omega-3 fortified eggs) on hand to eat with a dash of salt and pepper or with sprouted grain toast. Include a piece of fruit like an orange or grapefruit and a serving of plain, unsweetened yogurt.
  4. Dark, leafy greens. Spinach, kale and other dark, leafy greens are a nutritious addition to any breakfast – use with your eggs to create a vegetable scramble. These nutrition powerhouses can be easily added to smoothies without altering the taste.
  5. Berries. Choose organic blueberries or raspberries for their fiber and antioxidants – add fresh berries to your yogurt or top steel-cut oatmeal with a handful. Frozen varieties also work well to thicken morning smoothies with protein powder without the watering down effect of ice.
  6. Coffee or green tea. Coffee is a good source of antioxidants, and research has linked coffee to a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes as well as improved mental health as you age. I suggest finding an organic or fair-trade version. If coffee causes you side effects such as anxiety, tremors or irritation of the digestive system, try organic green tea – it is a very healthy, lower caffeine alternative. Avoid the sweetened, fake creamers that contain inflammatory hydrogenated oils and a variety of sweeteners. If needed, lighten with unsweetened almond or cashew milk.

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* This article was originally published here

Sunday, March 16, 2025

Spent childhood in extreme poverty, picked life lessons at father's tea shop: PM Modi - Deccan Herald

Spent childhood in extreme poverty, picked life lessons at father's tea shop: PM Modi  Deccan Herald

* This article was originally published here

Mushrooms In My Life: Some Notes From Dr. Weil

I am a passionate mushroom enthusiast, enjoying everything from hunting and identifying them to cooking and enjoying the rich, unique flavors that mushrooms offer up.  I am also a big fan of using them in supplement form for immune support. Learn more about my enduring mycophilia with this album of my world-wide mushroom adventures.

 

Click here to see Dr. Weil’s Mushrooms Are Amazing gallery.

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* This article was originally published here

Mushrooms In My Life: Some Notes From Dr. Weil

I am a passionate mushroom enthusiast, enjoying everything from hunting and identifying them to cooking and enjoying the rich, unique flavors that mushrooms offer up.  I am also a big fan of using them in supplement form for immune support. Learn more about my enduring mycophilia with this album of my world-wide mushroom adventures.

 

Click here to see Dr. Weil’s Mushrooms Are Amazing gallery.

The post Mushrooms In My Life: Some Notes From Dr. Weil appeared first on DrWeil.com.



* This article was originally published here

Monday, March 10, 2025

Is Tilapia Unhealthy?

Farm-raised tilapia is one of the most commonly consumed fish in America, yet it has very low levels of beneficial omega-3 fats compared to its content of omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6’s are essential, but the American diet typically includes far too much of this kind of fat, particularly from industrial oils used in processed foods. An overabundance of dietary omega-6 is pro-inflammatory, especially when paired with a diet low in omega-3 fats. Inflammation is a key contributor to many chronic health conditions, including heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

In addition, farmed fish (tilapia or not) are raised in crowded conditions that are unnatural – and to help prevent infection they are given antibiotics. This means the fish are likely to contain residues of antibiotics and other synthetic compounds used to control diseases that occur when fish are crowded in pens. They may also have lower levels of protein – as much as 20 percent less – compared to wild fish, and higher concentrations of cancer-causing chemicals such as PCBs and dioxin. They represent environmental negatives as well – they are resource- and energy-intensive (it takes several pounds of feed fish to produce one pound of farmed fish) and do not protect our dwindling wild stock.

Tilapia as a protein source is not necessarily unhealthy, but I recommend reaching for the best fish of all – wild-caught Alaskan salmon. It has an impressive omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio and is a species associated with fewer concerns about environmental toxins. While it is more expensive than tilapia, it is a worthy investment in your health that can reap dividends for the future. If you prefer white fish, look for wild-caught halibut or black cod as a healthy alternative.

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* This article was originally published here

Sunday, March 9, 2025

3 Supplements For Aching Joints

Throughout life, both men and women experience normal wear and tear on the joints. To help support optimum joint health, the foundation is an anti-inflammatory diet rich in whole foods with a variety of produce, and consider these dietary supplements:

  1. Evening primrose oil. A source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) which may help maintain healthy joints.
  2. Anti-inflammatory herbs. Ginger, holy basil, turmeric, green tea, white willow, rosemary, Scutellaria and hu zhang all have naturally occurring compounds that help maintain joint health. I suggest looking for high quality herbal supplements that contain several of these in one and choose the one with the highest standardized doses. Spices like ginger and turmeric should be staples in your kitchen in addition to supplementation.
  3. Omega-3 fatty acids. Use varieties that are molecularly distilled from the oil of fish and contain both EPA and DHA, essential fatty acids which have been shown in studies to help maintain bone health and joint flexibility. It’s the EPA that is most potent in these supplements if lowering inflammation is your priority, so seek out varieties with the highest levels. If you prefer to avoid fish-based sources, there are more plant-based options now, largely coming from algae. Realize though that the omega-3 content is usually much lower and may be less effective unless dosed properly to match what you can get from fish-based sources.

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* This article was originally published here

Saturday, March 8, 2025

4 Tonics To Help Boost Your Energy

Feeling run-down and stressed-out? Does it seem you are always catching whatever is going around? You may want to consider taking a daily tonic. Also known as adaptogens, these nontoxic, plant-based substances help to bolster your body’s natural defenses and increase its ability to cope with normal daily stress. When taken long term, tonics may help support energy and maintain immunity. Popular tonics include:

  1. Ashwagandha. This traditional herb (Withaniasomnifera) from India is regularly used in ayurvedic medicine, where it is valued as a general tonic and adaptogen. There is evidence to support its use in brain health as well.
  2. Eleuthero. Formerly called Siberian ginseng, eleuthero (Eleutherococcussenticosus) is a distant relative of true ginseng. It can be useful for alleviating exhaustion, fatigue from heavy workloads and lack of energy. Look for products that are standardized for their eleutheroside content.
  3. Reishi. This distinctive, woody mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) is too bitter to be eaten but can be taken in supplement form. Reishi is recommended in traditional Chinese medicine for increasing resistance and extending life and has been studied for its ability to support normal immune health.
  4. Rhodiola. Also known as arctic root, rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) contains a group of distinctive compounds that are at least partially responsible for the plant’s remarkable properties – including anti-fatigue, anti-stress, antioxidant and immune-supporting effects. It is useful for acute stress, to support optimal mood and for memory health.

You should be able to find all of these herbal products in health food stores, often combined in one product. Choose the one that best meets your needs, follow package directions, and give it about six to eight weeks to see how it helps. You can take tonics indefinitely, but some herbalists suggest taking a two-week-long break every three months to help maintain the tonic’s effectiveness. If you have hypertension or diabetes, talk with your physician before adding these herbs, particularly tonics that contain licorice root, which many of these adaptogenic  combination products do.

Also know that these preparations work best when combined with mindfulness practices like breathing exercises and guided meditation. Begin by implementing some practice daily.

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* This article was originally published here