Your body on the juice cleanse detox diet

The article was republished from Bel Marra Health.

For many people, juice cleanses are too difficult to endure as the temptation to simply carry on with your regular eating habits becomes too strong. Additionally, as mentioned, many individuals may feel almost sickened for a few days as your body begins to detox. Here is what you can expect while on a juice cleanse.

Day 1: Your bowels will still remain regular this day, but you may be thinking about all the foods you could be eating instead. You may miss chewing and may feel yourself unsatisfied.

Being on a juice cleanse detox diet also significantly reduces your calorie and carbohydrate intake, so your sugar can take a dip, leaving you feeling dizzy and sluggish. Avoid intense exercise on your first day and take more time to rest.

Day 2: On day two, you may already start feeling lighter and even more energetic despite not consuming solid food. Your body isn’t using its energy to break down food, leaving you with far more of it to use.

You may also find your health improve in other ways as many individuals who embark on a juice cleanse detox diet unknowingly uncover a food allergy once they stop eating that food. If you feel dramatically better, you may want to speak to your doctor about uncovering an underlying food allergy.

If you’re a regular caffeine drinker, you may be experiencing headaches and other pains – this is known as withdrawal.

Lastly, you will find you are going to the bathroom much more often as you are not intaking fiber to slow down your bowels.

Day 3: You would think day three is a breeze, but this is when many individuals go back to intense cravings. Even though you have flooded your body with many nutrients, juice cleanses do not provide fat and protein, and so by day three you may find it hard to function – it is not advised to complete a juice cleanse for over three-day span as it can result in muscle loss.

A surprising bonus on day three of a juice cleanse is a boosted libido. Not being bloated or gassy can make you feel more confident, thus promoting a higher libido.

Health benefits of juice cleanse (including detox and weight loss)

As mentioned, juice cleanse detox diets can offer many health benefits, including weight loss. Juice cleanses have grown in popularity over the last little while with many celebrity figures boosting them as well. Many suggest that juice cleanses can aid in detox, boost nutrient absorption, improve skin appearance, promote energy, and improve overall health. And yet many individuals are still skeptical about this newest craze.

It is justified to be a skeptic when it comes to juice cleanses as there is a lack of peer-reviewed evidence to support this type of diet. Many experts do agree that embarking on a juice cleanse is unnecessary, as our liver and kidneys are our own built-in detox and filtration system, so there isn’t much of a need to do something different to aid this along. The idea of only drinking juice and forgoing the consumption of saturated fat and sugar is probably where juice cleanses really get their hype from, but you don’t necessarily need a juice cleanse to do that – you can simply remove junk food from your diet and get similar results.

But even with that in mind, a juice cleanse is still a good idea to get in essential nutrients, which your current diet may very well be lacking. Furthermore, committing to a three-day juice cleanse could be the kick-start you need in order to begin a healthier lifestyle.

For some, the psychological effects of a juice cleanse are more benefiting than the physiological, as it changes their state of mind and breaks bad habits to start new healthier ones.

Weight loss is a large reason why a person may embark on a juice cleanse, and although many juice cleanses do not promise weight loss many people still experience a drop of a few pounds. Unfortunately, if you resume your unhealthy or normal eating patterns, this lost weight will come back quite quickly and in some cases with a few more pounds. It’s important that you change your style of eating after your juice cleanse as it is not a permanent fix.

Here are some other benefits you can obtain whilst being on a juice cleanse:

Nutrition: Consuming only juices from whole fruits and vegetables, you will get a boost in vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.

Weight loss: Although not promised, reducing calorie intake can lead to weight loss.

Maximum detoxification: Without food to break down, your liver and kidneys can use their energy to better detox the body and eliminate toxins found in cells.

Liver health: Your liver does not have to work so hard when there is no food to break down. Instead, it becomes flooded with nutrients to help make it better. Think of it as a mini vacation for your liver.

Harmful foods eliminated: A juice cleanse is an easy way to instantly remove harmful foods in your diet and hopefully kick-start a life without them. A juice cleanse may also make you aware of a possible food allergy or intolerance, as you may feel better once you stop eating certain foods.

Stomach rest: Not consuming solids means the stomach doesn’t have to produce acid in order to break food down.

Gut repair: Our diet can cause damage to the gut and cause our gut bacteria to go awry. Not having to do so much work, the gut can begin to repair itself.

Reduced appetite: You may find your appetite has reduced after the cleanse as you’ve got used to not eating as much.

Easier food decision-making: Now that you’re used to consuming healthy foods, you can make easier, better food choices as you know that eating well is enough to feel full and healthy.

Improved energy: Once you have become adjusted to only consuming liquids, you may experience greater energy and clarity as your organs are not using your energy to perform their functions such as digesting food.

Rehydrated body: Many of us do not drink as much water as we should, and so this is a good way to get into the habit of drinking more fluids.

Reduced physical problems: You may notice a reduction in headaches, rashes, aches, and pains, along with bloating and cramping. These are ways that our body fights off irritants, so by taking on a juice cleanse you are giving your body a break.

Reversed cell damage: Cell function starts improving as cells are able to repair themselves.

Digestion: As previously mentioned, no food means no digesting, which means your digestive system as a whole is not overworking to break down the bad food. Thus, it gets a break, too, and can heal itself by the time you start eating once again.

Heart health: Juice cleanses help relax blood vessels with the influx of nutrients, which boosts circulation.

Read more on Juice cleanse guidelines (Pre, Post & During Cleanse)

Fibromyalgia symptoms in men often go undiagnosed

Fibromyalgia can be a complex problem to diagnose, especially in men, as symptoms often go unreported. Information on men and fibromyalgia is far scarcer than on women and fibromyalgia, and women are far more likely to receive a fibromyalgia diagnosis, compared to men.

Lead author Ann Vincent said, “Health care providers may not think of this diagnosis when face to face with a male patient with musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. These findings need to be explored further.”

The researchers identified over 3,000 patients, whose medical records looked as if they may have fibromyalgia. The researchers also randomly surveyed adults using the American College of Rheumatology’s fibromyalgia research survey criteria, which cover the main characteristics of fibromyalgia. There were 830 survey respondents, and 44 of them met the criteria for fibromyalgia, even though only a dozen had been diagnosed.

Based on the research, the investigators estimated that 6.4 percent of people over 21 have fibromyalgia – which exceeds the number of patients who have been actually diagnosed with the condition.

Moreover, the researchers found that this discrepancy was the largest in men, with a smaller number of male patients being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, compared to the number of men who actually had it. Coauthor Daniel Clauw said, “It is important to diagnose fibromyalgia because we have effective treatments for the disorder.” Dr. Clauw suggests proper diagnosis of fibromyalgia is important as it helps reduce health care costs.

Read more at Source

Fibromyalgia incidences low in acute whiplash injury: Study

Fibromyalgia incidences are low in acute whiplash injury. Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition, which affects women more than men. Little is known about the exact cause of fibromyalgia, but there are many circulating theories behind the cause. Continue reading…

Fibromyalgia, the risk of migraine and other primary headaches

People who have fibromyalgia experience various symptoms, including pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, mental fog, and morning stiffness. Another common complaint among sufferers is migraines. Research shows that almost all people with fibromyalgia will suffer a migraine at some point; some will experience headaches on a regular basis. Migraine headaches, along with the symptoms of fibromyalgia, can be very difficult to cope with. Continue reading…

Fibromyalgia risk in women increased with poor sleep habits, new treatment uses potential drug targets for poor sleep

Fibromyalgia risk in women is increased with poor sleep habits, but a new treatment uses potential drug targets for poor sleep to reduce the risk of fibromyalgia. The findings come from researchers in Norway who uncovered the association between fibromyalgia risk and poor sleep. The researchers found that the risk of fibromyalgia continued to rise with severity of poor sleep, and the association was strongest among middle-aged and older women.

Women are much more affected by fibromyalgia than men and the prevalence of the pain disorder is roughly three to five percent in the general population. Alternative studies have found that insomnia, nocturnal awakening and fatigue are common symptoms of fibromyalgia, but it has long been unknown if sleep problems could increase the risk of fibromyalgia.

The researchers examined women participants in a large health study, which included questionnaires and clinical examination. The researchers focused on 12,350 women free of musculoskeletal pain and movement disorders.

Dr. Paul Mork said, “Our findings indicate a strong association between sleep disturbance and fibromyalgia risk in adult women. We found a dose-response relation, where women who often reported sleep problems had a greater risk of fibromyalgia than those who never experienced sleep problems.”

The researchers suggest additional research is required to better understand the association between fibromyalgia and sleep disorders.

Read more at Source.

Fibromyalgia symptoms in men and women, symptoms checklist, and tender points identified

Fibromyalgia symptoms can vary greatly and overlap with many other health conditions, which can make it much more difficult to diagnose fibromyalgia – especially because the underlying mechanisms still aren’t fully understood.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a specific test for fibromyalgia, and that is why it’s so important to fully understand the symptoms in order to distinguish a fibromyalgia diagnosis from other ailments.

Fibromyalgia diagnosis also relies on tender points – these are areas of the body where additional pain is felt when pressure is applied. There are 18 tender points that are tested, and previous testing relied on 11 tender points to show positive in order to make a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, this isn’t very reliable as tender points can come and go in fibromyalgia patients, so one day they may experience 11 and other days it may only be five.

Although tender points may still be used in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia, there is now more widespread testing, which is used to get a better diagnosis.

Fibromyalgia symptoms in men

Although fibromyalgia is far more common in women than men, men can still experience fibromyalgia, and they may have differing symptoms compared to women. Primary symptoms of fibromyalgia in men are chronic pain and an increase in pain sensitivity.

In men, lower pain intensity, lower tendon-point count, lower depression rates, and longer duration of symptoms are generally reported, along with overall disability due to symptoms.

The differences in symptoms may be attributed to differences in hormones, as fibromyalgia flare-ups in women are often linked to their menstrual cycles. Unfortunately, there is insufficient information on the role of hormones in fibromyalgia, so it is still unclear how exactly male and female hormones may cause differences in fibromyalgia symptoms.

Fibromyalgia symptoms in women

Once again, the primary symptom of fibromyalgia is pain. Other fibromyalgia symptoms in women include:

• Pain – some pressure points include back of the head, between the shoulders, front of the neck, top of the chest, outside of the elbows, top and sides of hips, and inside of the knees.
• Fatigue – fibromyalgia causes sleep difficulties, thus contributing to chronic fatigue.
• Fibromyalgia brain fog – lack of concentration, inability to find the right words or phrases, forgetfulness, etc.
• Headaches.
• Painful menstrual cycles.
• Irritable bowel and bladder.
• Restless legs, especially while sleeping.
• Sensitivity to changes in temperatures, bright lights, sounds, etc.

Continue Reading at Source on Common symptoms in women

Congressman exposing the CDC deception by a whistleblower

According to a report, it is estimated that autism spectrum disorders could cost the US government $1 trillion in expenses by 2015. What is the reason for this rise. There is a great debate among the general population about whether its linked to vaccines.

I think its high time the truth be disclosed.

A U.S. representative and a CDC doctor whistle blower have courageously called for an investigation after learning doctors threw into garbage cans important research evidence about MMR vaccine’s relationship to autism that has cost $3 billion in injury compensations. Below is a transcript published Monday in Vaccine Reaction Medical Journal of a statement read on the floor of the United States House of Representatives on July 29, 2015 by U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-FL) of Florida’s 8th District regarding vaccine study tampering and autism

Video trancript

It’s troubling to me that in a recent Senate hearing on childhood vaccinations, it was never mentioned that our government has paid out over $3 billion to a Vaccine Injury Compensation Program for children who have been injured by vaccinations. Regardless of the subject matter, parents making decisions about their children’s health deserve to have the best information available to them. They should be able to count on federal agencies to tell them the truth. For these reasons, I bring the following matters to the House floor.

In August 2014, Dr. William Thompson, a senior scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, worked with a whistleblower attorney to provide my office with documents related to a 2004 CDC study that examined the possibility of a relationship between mumps, measles, rubella vaccine and autism. In a statement released in August 2014, Dr. Thompson stated:

I regret that my co-authors and I omitted statistically significant information in our 2004 article published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully request the following excerpts from the statement written by Dr. Thompson be entered into the [Congressional] Record. Now quoting Dr. Thompson:

My primary job duties while working in the Immunization Safety branch from 2000 to 2006 were to lead or co-lead three major vaccine safety studies. The MADDSP MMR autism cases control study was being carried out in response to the Wakefield Lancet study that suggested an association between the MMR vaccine and an autism-like health outcome. There were several major concerns among scientists and consumer advocates outside the CDC in the fall of 2000 regarding the execution of the Verstraeten study.

One of the important goals that was determined upfront in the spring of 2001 before any of these studies started was to have all three protocols vetted outside the CDC prior to the start of the analyses so that consumer advocates could not claim that we were presenting an analysis that suited our own goals and biases. We hypothesized that if we found statistically significant effects at either 18- or 36-month thresholds, we would conclude that vaccinating children early with MMR vaccine could lead to autism-like characteristics or features.

We all met and finalized the study protocol and analysis plan. The goal was to not deviate from the analysis plan to avoid the debacle that occurred with the Verstraeten thimerosal study published in the Pediatrics in 2003. At the September 5th meeting, we discussed in detail how to code race for both the sample and the birth certificate sample. At the bottom of Table 7 it also showed that, for the non-birth certificate sample, the adjusted race effect, statistical significance was huge.

All the authors and I met and decided sometime between August and September 2002 not to report any race effects for the paper. Sometime soon after the meeting, we decided to exclude reporting any race effects. The co-authors scheduled a meeting to destroy documents related to this study. The remaining four co-authors all met and brought a big garbage can into the meeting room and reviewed and went through all the hard copy documents that we had thought we should discard, and put them in a huge garbage can.

However, because I assumed it was illegal and would violate both FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) and DOJ (Department of Justice) requests, I kept hard copies of all documents in my office and retained all associated computer files. I believe we intentionally withheld controversial findings from the final draft of the Pediatrics paper.

End of the doctor’s quote.

Thyroiditis: What I need to know

The number people having a thyroid problem is constantly increasing. If you look at a graph showing the number of thyroid cases over the past decade there is only a flight in the graph and never a dip.
The Thyroid, a butterfly shaped gland assists in many functions related in our body. It assists in the function of many vital organs  like the heart, brain and lungs.
There are many illnesses that can affect the thyroid and disrupt normal bodily functions. One in particular is called thyroiditis. Thyroiditis refers to inflammation of the thyroid gland.

Here are the different types of thyroiditis:

Hashimoto’s disease: This is the most common form of thyroiditis. The immune system begins to attack the thyroid gland and can lead to hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid, which leads to slower growth and mental development).
Postpartum thyroiditis: Occurs when the thyroid becomes inflamed after giving birth. The result is thyrotoxicosis – high amounts of thyroid hormones in the blood. This can speed up the metabolic rate and disrupt regular bodily functions. It is not a common form.
Subacute granulomatous thyroiditis: This form of thyroiditis can result in pain as well as respiratory infections.
Subacute lymphocytic thyroiditis: This form of thyroiditis can also be referred to as silent thyroiditis, because there is little to no pain when the thyroid gets bigger. Typically, women go through a short period of hyperthyroidism followed by what can become permanent hypothyroidism. This disorder is most common on postpartum women.
Drug-induced thyroiditis: This is commonly caused when drugs interfere with the thyroid.
So What are the main causes of thyroiditis.
Generally the cause of thyroiditis is the immune system attacking the thyroid, which leads to inflammation. This in turn can leave damage to the cells in the thyroid. Thyroiditis can be referred to as an autoimmune disease, similar to juvenile diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.
It is unclear as to why a person’s body may produce antibodies that attack the thyroid, but it’s been speculated that thyroiditis runs in families.

Signs and Symptoms of Thyroiditis
Different types of thyroiditis present themselves differently, but there are some common signs and symptoms to look out for. They include:
·Firm or enlarged thyroid
·Enlarged and painful thyroid – pain may travel up the jaw to the ears
·Cool, dry skin
·Slowed heartbeat (fewer than 60 beats per minute)
·Swelling around the eyes
·Hoarseness
·Slowed reflexes
·Reduced appetite
·Fatigued and lethargic
·Slight fever
·Constipation
·Intolerance to heat
·Rapid heartbeat, anxiety and sweating
·Weight loss

Postpartum thyroiditis in particular can be difficult to diagnose because it occurs within a year after childbirth. Often the symptoms are attributed to the stress of having a newborn or postpartum depression.
What can one do in terms of Nutrition and Prevention
Medication, and in rare occurrences, surgery may be used for treatment. But to supplement medical treatments it’s important to maintain proper nutrition.

Just as our body requires nutrients for it to function properly, so does the thyroid either. This is why thyroiditis and diet is so important for proper management.
There are certain types of food which are best for thyroid. They are iodine rich foods and selenium rich foods.

Hypothyroidism is something you can live with. Along with medications, a hypothyroidism diet can greatly improve your everyday life and assist your thyroid. Enjoying these foods to help hypothyroidism is a great way to boost iodine and selenium – both essential for a healthy thyroid. Lastly, ensuring you’re not consuming the foods to avoid for hypothyroidism can help you feel better in the long run and make your thyroid hormone replacement that much more effective.

Can intermittent fasting help you lose weight?

Growing up you probably played with a yoyo. It would go down and up. Down and up. Sure it entertained us but the idea of a yoyo can greatly compare in our efforts to lose weight. It can go down and up, more so with age as our body just doesn’t function as it used to in our younger years.

Our metabolism has slowed down and it seems out bodies just don’t break down food like before. It can be all too frustrating especially because weight gain has been linked to numerous health concerns. Even when you visit your doctor they probably stress the importance of managing your weight.

It can be quite frustrating trying to keep the number on the scale down and you may have tried everything at this point to do so. There may be one thing, though, which you haven’t tried yet and in regards to weight loss it’s been showing some promise.

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is a form of eating which challenges the concept of consuming three to six meals a day. Instead, you cycle days of fasting with days of eating.

Unlike other diets which specifically outline what foods to eat, intermittent fasting cares more about when you eat rather than about what you eat. Although, it is important to note that healthy eating is always recommended – so no binge-eating burgers and fries!

There are different modes of intermittent fasting, which we will explain later on to give you a better understanding. But first let’s explore intermittent fasting and its role in weight loss.

Role of intermittent fasting in weight management

Read article at Source

Get healthier, fuller eyelashes naturally

Every lady out there wishes for those Long, thick, healthy eyelashes and didn’t you wish it fluttered like a butterfly.

Eyelashes help to protect your eyes from particles in the air, like dust and sand, and keep sweat and moisture away. They signal your eyelids when to shut to keep particles and bugs out, much like a cat’s whiskers sense danger.

Purpose and beauty aside, what happens if you didn’t get luscious lashes from the start, what are you to do?

Makeup companies have created all sorts of mascaras which promise thicker, fuller lashes. But mascara can be quite taxing on your lashes, especially if it’s not removed safely and properly. When the product dries out or gets clumpy, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, so you need to toss it every three months.

Then there is the option of eyelash extensions, but even that can get quite pricy and high maintenance. There has to be a better way!

The growth of eyelashes

Before we provide you with ways to promote eyelash growth naturally, let’s explore how eyelashes came to be those mini hairs which rest on our eyelids.

Just like the hair on our head, arms and basically anywhere on our bodies, eyelashes grow in cycles. The phase in which the eyelash grows is called anagen and it differs among individuals because of genetics and sex.

After the growth phase we enter catagen, or the short resting phase. Neither growth nor pigment occurs during this phase and it can last between two to three weeks.

Post the rest phase we begin the shedding phase – telogen. This is when new hair begins to grow and so the old hair starts to shed. These hairs are easily removed and won’t hurt if tweezed. This is the phase, for example, when the hair on your head easily comes out – and no, it’s not a sign of balding. Shedding occurs naturally so that new hair can emerge. Eyelashes can stick around between four to six weeks before a new one grows, unlike eyebrows which can take up to 64 days.

Lastly, if you’re concerned that your eyelashes tend to fall out more, once again this isn’t a sign that they won’t grow back. Once a hair leaves a follicle another takes its place in the same follicle. As you can see, hair growth, no matter where it occurs, is a continuous cycle that relies mainly on your genes, not your plucking.

Remedies for thicker, longer, healthier eyelashes: Natural versus artificial

As we mentioned, there are products you can purchase which can promote eyelash growth and thickness. For starters, there is the option of mascara. Although this is not a permanent solution, it can temporarily provide you with the look you desire.

Another option is lash extension. These come in a few forms. There is one option where you glue a row of lashes on your eyelid to create fullness and thickness. Another option is to get individual strands bonded on your eyelid to create a more natural look. Both products use a bonding agent, a type of glue, and can be quite costly depending on quality.

Lastly, there are prescription options to achieve longer, thicker eyelashes. These options take months before you begin to notice results and once again can be quite costly. But as with any prescription medication there are some side effects. Some listed side effects for a mainstream prescription eyelash medication are:

• Itchy, red eyes
• Dry eyes
• Darkened eyelids
• Darkened pigmentation of the iris (the colored part of the eye)
• Hair growth around the eye.

Unfortunately, some of these side effects can end up being permanent. And not to mention that whenever we ingest medications, whether orally or absorbed by the skin, it gets processed through our liver, potentially creating a health risk there as well. Although medications may be effective, sometimes the risks outweigh the benefits, therefore not making them a great option.

Natural remedies, on the other hand, are often much cheaper and readily available. They tend to be safer for individual use as well. So if you’re looking for how to promote eyelash growth, choose the natural route.

6 Best natural remedies for thicker, longer, healthier eyelashes

Natural ways to beat seasonal allergies

Tired of the congestion, itchy eyes and fatigue that plague you? Symptoms of seasonal allergies can really take the joy out of summer. While friends and relatives are attending barbecues and garden parties, you’re staying indoors, grumpy and sniffling.

It shouldn’t be this way! You don’t have to resort to over-the-counter drugs or injections to find relief. There are tips and natural remedies for allergies that you can do right at home. But first, let’s understand allergies a little better.

Allergies happen when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance that doesn’t cause a reaction in most people. Pollen, ragweed, bee venom or pet dander are common ones. On red alert, the immune system then produces antibodies that remain on guard for that particular allergen. When you’re exposed to the allergen again, these antibodies can release a number of immune system chemicals, such as histamine, that cause allergy symptoms.

Severity to allergies varies from minor irritation to anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening emergency. The key is to find out what is causing your symptoms and be smart about how to handle them. You don’t want to make them any worse than they are.

Signs and symptoms of seasonal allergies

When you’re considering a natural remedy for allergies, it’s important to spot the signs. Don’t confuse these symptoms with the common cold:

• Sneezing
• Itching of the nose, eyes, ears or roof of the mouth
• Runny, stuffy nose
• Watery, red or swollen eyes (conjunctivitis).

5 Tips to prevent seasonal allergies

Home remedies for seasonal allergies start with some basic know-how and prevention, including these tips:

1. Don’t leave your windows open. Warmer weather has arrived and you’re tempted to let the fresh air in, but this is a complete misfire for pollen season. Instead, close all windows and keep the air-conditioning on. If it’s not hot, set the AC to filter mode just to keep the air moving. And use the AC in your car as well – it can cut down on the pollen you breathe by 30 percent, experts suggest.

2. Don’t ignore suspicious symptoms. Allergies to pollen or pets can happen at any point for adults, even after years of living without allergies. You can develop symptoms that are subtle, but chronic. If you suspect you may have allergy symptoms that seem to just hang on, get it checked out.

3. Pay attention to pollen counts. It comes down to information – the more you know, the better prepared you’ll be. You can find pollen count information online or reported on TV weather channels, which you may have just overlooked in the past. Pay attention to these ratings of low, moderate and high, and plan your day.

4. Time your outdoor activities accordingly. Grasses and trees start releasing their pollen at sunrise, peaking in the late morning and early afternoon. If you want to take a walk, visit with a friend on a patio, or do your gardening, plan to do it later in the afternoon or early evening. This way, you’ll avoid pollen’s primetime exposure. If you’re a runner and pollen counts are going to be high on a given day, plan to do a less strenuous exercise.

5. Manage your stress. Stress makes allergy symptoms worse. A study published in 2014 in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology found that allergy sufferers who had more stress in their lives also had more allergy flare-ups. Makes sense; simply having allergies themselves can be stressful for a lot of people, considering how the condition can affect your ability to sleep, concentrate and breathe properly.

The reason for this connection is largely because of histamine, one of the hormones your body releases when you’re stressed. Histamine is also the hormone that causes allergy symptoms like sneezing and nasal congestion. So if you have increased levels of histamine in your body because of stress, and then are exposed to something that causes an allergic reaction, your symptoms can be worse than usual. Find coping mechanisms to relieve stress that work for you. Laughter always helps, so keep those funny video clips handy. Exercise can do wonders, too, along with deep breathing and meditation, and connecting with friends and family.

 

4 Natural remedies to prevent allergies

When it comes to home remedies for seasonal allergies, there are several to try. We’ve rounded up a few of our top picks here:

1. Honey is known for its antibacterial properties and boosting the immune system – all good! People are also consuming it as a natural remedy for allergies. Try local honey. The idea is the bees eat the pollen that’s in your region of the country, then they produce the honey and you consume that, so it’s kind of like a mini allergy shot.

2. Onions. Eat more onions! They provide flavor and important phytonutrients such as flavonoids, which is one category of antioxidant compounds that help delay or slow the oxidative damage to cells and tissue of the body. Other dietary sources of flavonoids include apples and tea, but studies at Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands, have shown that the absorption of flavonoids from onions is far more substantial than that from tea and apples.

3. Reishi mushrooms. Hong Kong researchers have studied reishi mushrooms, examining the antioxidant properties that may help protect against cancer and other chronic diseases. In particular, it’s the protection of cellular components from oxidative damage, which may lead to the decreased risk of mutations. Antioxidants combat against this free-radical damage, boosting immune cells so your body can maintain good health, which comes in handy as a natural remedy for allergies.

Researchers suggest the reishi muchroom can be used in a wide range of applications. It’s important to note that the reishi is not the kind of mushroom you can throw on a pizza or salad, it must be used in capsule or liquid form. While studies of this type of mushroom are scarce, the reishi has been used in Asia as traditional herbal remedies for their overall health benefits.

4. Probiotics. The “good” bacteria, like the kind found in plain yogurt, is well associated with digestion, but probiotics also play a role in keeping your immune system strong well balanced. Choose plain yogurt, kefir, miso soup and sauerkraut.

A natural remedy for seasonal allergies can help you avoid over-the-counter drugs and relieve your symptoms. Some commonsense household strategies and diet choices can get you back to enjoying the outdoors and making the most of summer.

Kefir: health benefits

You can’t walk into a health food store without seeing promotional signs for probiotics. That’s because probiotics are considered one of the best things you can do for your digestion – right up there with stress relief and getting enough fiber and water to stay regular.

Probiotics are found in yogurt and kefir, another cultured milk product that’s getting a lot of attention. We’d like to talk about the extraordinary health benefits of kefir to encourage you to get this tangy drink into your diet, but let’s start with probiotics.

Probiotics are the live organisms, including healthy bacteria, which are naturally found in our digestive tracts. These organisms help stem the growth of harmful bacteria and boost our immune systems. Our gut has just as much a say in our overall outlook as our brain does, studies show, so keeping our digestion humming along makes us both healthy and happy.

On that happy note, we’ll introduce you to kefir (pronounced kee-fer), the fermented milk drink that originates from the Caucasus Mountains in Eastern Europe. The name has been traced to the Turkish word “keif” which means good feeling. Happy gut, happy feeling! The flavor, if you haven’t tried it, is naturally sweet and mildly tangy as well.

Nutritional value of kefir

Kefir health benefits are many. Kefir is a rich source of calcium, protein and B vitamins. It packs more probiotics than even yogurt, because kefir is made by fermenting milk with 10 to 20 different types of bacteria and yeasts, where yogurt usually is fermented with a handful of types, giving kefir a higher probiotic count in the final product.

When you’re buying kefir, go with the plain version to avoid added sugars – then you can add your own pureed fruit for flavor at home. Have a look at the nutrition breakdown for nonfat kefir here.

How to make kefir at home

Milk kefir

Kefir is made from gelatinous white or yellow particles called “grains.” They aren’t an actual grain like wheat, but are made of bacteria and yeast, clumped together with casein (milk proteins) and complex sugars. They look like small clumps of cauliflower!

The grains ferment the milk, incorporating their friendly organisms to create the cultured product. The grainy clumps are removed with a strainer before drinking.

How to do it yourself is easy: Add about a teaspoon of kefir grains to a cup of milk in a glass. Cover and let sit out at room temperature for about 24 hours. The bacteria and yeast in the kefir grains ferment the milk, preventing it from spoiling while turning it into kefir.

The grains work best with whole-fat animal milk, but if you’re looking for a non-dairy option, try coconut milk – also good!

When it’s done, the drink will have thickened to the consistency of buttermilk. Strain out the grains so you can use them in another batch, and your kefir is ready to drink to your health.

Water kefir

Water kefir, too, makes for refreshing good health. Basic water kefir is made by dropping a teaspoon of kefir grains into a cup of sugar water – water sweetened with cane sugar and molasses – and allowing it to ferment on the counter for a few days. Then strain and drink or keep in the refrigerator for later.

7 Top health benefits of kefir

Let’s take a look at the benefits of kefir and why you should incorporate it into your diet:

Improved digestion. Kefir can help re-establish a healthy bacterial balance in the digestive tract that may have been disrupted by poor diet, illness or medications.

Cholesterol control. Helps increase HDL “good” cholesterol and decrease the ratio of LDL “bad” to HDL cholesterol with long-term, daily intake. This may stem from the fatty acid distribution and the type of fats in the milk rather than the probiotics.

Helps with lactose intolerance. Kefir helps improve the digestion of lactose in people with lactose intolerance, when eaten in small doses over time. A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 2003 found that kefir improved lactose digestion over milk, with reduced or no symptoms of lactose intolerance. The fermenting process changes some of the protein structures in the milk, making it easier to digest.

Get your B vitamins here. Kefir is a source of several B vitamins, which are essential for your blood and nervous system, including thiamine which is important for helping you combat stress. Kefir also contains biotin, a B vitamin that helps your body utilize other B vitamins effectively.

Boost calcium intake. Each 175-gram serving of kefir provides about 20 percent of the daily RDA for calcium, important for bones and teeth. Try replacing a regular dairy serving with kefir to get the calcium you need and the added probiotic benefits.

Increase phosphorus. The second most abundant mineral in our bodies, phosphorous is found in significant quantities in kefir. It helps us use carbohydrates and proteins for cell growth and energy. Who doesn’t want more energy?

Keep calm and carry on. Kefir contains tryptophan, an amino acid that can have a relaxing effect. Let the “good feeling” last and help manage your stress.

Are the health benefits of kefir quite extraordinary? Yes, we’d like to think so. Drink up!

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