Get out of a rut with your salad dressing by making your own and adding turmeric, a wonderful root herb recognized for anti-inflammatory benefits. The lemon and honey provide a tangy flavor while the combination of garlic, mustard and black pepper give this dressing zest. It's such a magical combination for your taste buds you might find yourself using it for much more than just your leafy greens!
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The body is miraculous in its ability to manufacture many different substances that are involved in maintaining good health. SAM-e (S-adenosyl-methionine), which the body makes from the amino acid methionine, is one example of a molecule that is important to the moods we experience. SAM-e helps form, activate, or breakdown hormones, fats, proteins, neurotransmitters, and medications.
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Pistachios are robust in many nutrients that support healthy brain function.They are a great source of Vitamin B6, which can be quite low in people who have depression. B6 plays a role in energy production and helps the body make the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) serotonin and norepinephrine that influence mood, and melatonin, which helps regulate the body's internal sleep-wake clock. Pistachios contain the minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and phosphorus. Minerals are necessary for the production of hormones important to emotional well-being. Pistachios also contain carotene and Vitamins A and E, which help protect the body from infection and disease.
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The Great Defender: that's our immune system, uniquely designed to keep us healthy and defend against illness and infection. Made up of organs, including the skin, lungs, and gut, as well as specialized cells, the immune system's job is to remain on alert for disease-causing invaders and to protect our body against them.
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When tough times bring you down, your ability to cope in a positive way is known as resilience. An essential skill for healthy development in childhood, resilience is critical to wellbeing throughout our lifetime. The overriding question is this: as adults can we increase our capacity for resilience in order to lead more fulfilling lives?
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Food allergies occur when the body has an adverse or abnormal response to a food. An allergic reaction can be immediate and life threatening, such as with peanuts. Or it can be delayed, taking three to five days to show up, causing hay fever-like symptoms, digestive distress, eczema or other skin irritation, or changes in behavior and mental focus. This delayed reaction is called "food sensitivity" and is usually not life threatening.
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Chia seeds were prized by ancient cultures as a source of sustainable energy. In fact, "chia" is the ancient Mayan word for strength. A tiny nutrition powerhouse, Chia is rich in dietary fiber and contains significant amounts of minerals and vitamins. One ounce of Chia seeds provides calcium, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus among other micronutrients, very little fat, and just 138 calories.
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Listen to your gut. And make sure to protect it. A balanced gastrointestinal system plays a critical role in defending your body against illness. An imbalance in gastrointestinal (GI) flora can create health issues and is typically the result of poor diet, stress, use of antibiotics, illness and food allergies.
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Most people know very little about the quality of the water they use. Even those of us who recognize the potential health risks in tap water often choose cost-effectiveness and convenience over superior quality. Searching for information about your local water quality and how to improve it can make you feel like you're in chemistry class! Here's a primer on why you should filter water and types of filtering systems.
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If the answer is yes, you’re not alone. I see patients for all kinds of things, but the most common complaint is definitely fatigue. About 90% of the patients I see are tired, if not all day, every day, then every afternoon or evening.
Every wonder why “afternoon tea” came to be? Tea and biscuits? I’m guessing blood sugar disorders and insulin resistance aren’t far off. Almost everyone I ask gets tired in the afternoon. It’s when you’d go for a snack, or that second cup of coffee.
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