I shouldn't need to tell you who all of these people are...
LADIES: VEGGIES SAVE BOOBIES!
Vegetable-Rich Diet Linked WIth Lower Risk Of Breast Cancer
Yet another study has been released suggesting that vegetable-rich eating is linked with better health -- this time, showing that women whose diets include lots of veggies are less likely to develop breast cancer than women who eat more red meat, salt and processed carbohydrates.
The findings, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, looked at the breast cancer risks for women based on how similarly their diets fell in line with the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which includes lots of vegetables and fruit, beans and nuts, low-fat dairy and grains with fiber.
The researchers found that women with the highest DASH scores had a 20 percent decreased risk of developing estrogen receptor negative breast cancer, which accounts for about a quarter of all breast cancers, Reuters reported.
However, it's important to note that this is simply an association between a plant-heavy diet and a decreased risk of the breast cancer, not proof that the diet can actually prevent cancer, Reuters reported.
The study included 86,000 women, followed for 26 years, of whom less than 1 percent developed estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. Researchers said they weren't positive why this particular kind of diet seemed linked with the incidence of the breast cancer. However, they told Reuters that it could be because other kinds of cancers have other factors that outweigh the beneficial effects from diet.
In another study published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that people with high levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol who ate a diet high in plant-based sterols, soy and soluble fiber lowered their LDL cholesterol levels by 13 percent over a six-month period.
CNN also recently did a special report on how a plant-based diet has the potential to reverse heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. Former president Bill Clinton has gone on a vegan-like, plant-based diet after he underwent a quadruple bypass in 2004 because of blocked arteries.
A plant-based diet has also been shown in past research to help people with diabetes better control their glucose levels. And a 2008 study showed that eating this kind of diet can increase the enzyme telomerase, which lengthens telomeres. Telomeres are the ends of our chromosomes that are indicative of our lifespan, so the research shows that eating a plant-based diet could actually alter our genes for a longer life.
LET'S GET TO THE POINT...
Besides my story that I shared earlier, you may be wondering why I have this blog at all. In this blog, I share what I've learned on my journey to becoming a certified health and wellness coach through my studies in nutrition school as well as information supported by extensive medical research. 'HEALTH, HAPPINESS & HOTTNESS' isn't just about health and nutrition, its also about fashion, relationships, beauty, and well, life in general! With this blog, I'm able to explore my passions: health and nutrition and helping others. There's a reason why "to health, happiness and hottness" is my favorite toast - its what life is all about!
TRADER JOE'S vs WHOLE FOODS
As you've read before in this blog, Whole Foods hasn't been honest about the quality of all of the products sold at their stores. For example, 365 "organic" is actually made in China, and they continue to buy so called "organic" products from there! Would you trust a store that provides inaccurate information regarding products that claim to be organic when they really contain disease-causing GMO's? I sure wouldn't! Trader Joe's, on the other hand, is not only cheaper, but all of their labeled products contain no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, GMO's or added trans fats.
The best way to get your nutrients is by growing your own fruits and vegetables or buying from local farmer's markets and small, organic-only markets, but those options aren't available for everyone. If you are going to shop at a large grocery store like Whole Foods, be aware of what you are buying and where it comes from, don't trust the produce and 365 "organic" brands. For an honest, organic experience as far as common grocery stores go, head over to Trader Joe's!
Here's the dirt on Whole Foods: http://nikiconnor.blogspot.com/2011/08/whole-foods-isnt-doing-whole-lot-about.html
The best way to get your nutrients is by growing your own fruits and vegetables or buying from local farmer's markets and small, organic-only markets, but those options aren't available for everyone. If you are going to shop at a large grocery store like Whole Foods, be aware of what you are buying and where it comes from, don't trust the produce and 365 "organic" brands. For an honest, organic experience as far as common grocery stores go, head over to Trader Joe's!
Here's the dirt on Whole Foods: http://nikiconnor.blogspot.com/2011/08/whole-foods-isnt-doing-whole-lot-about.html
MAHALO, HAWAII!
I just got back from Hawaii, and it was just what I needed! I've been to most of the islands plenty of times before, but this trip to Kona was unlike any other! From yoga to hypnosis, a chakra cleanse, swimming with Spinner dolphins in the open ocean, bonding with my Mom and making new friends, it was an unforgettable experience. My life has been changed for the better, and I can't thank Dr. George Pratt enough for providing such a wonderful retreat for friends like my Mom and I!
My Mom and Dr. George Pratt and I. I had just arrived from traveling for 16 hours and attempting to sleep on the plane and was given that sarong as a gift for traveling the furthest.
"I'm on a boat!"
I love my Mom!
7am before heading out for our last day swimming with Spinner dolphins on the open ocean.
Boat, bikini and Bob Marley.
"Sittin' at the dock of the bay, watchin' the tide roll away..."
NATURAL REMEDIES
I've only had two colds in over a year because of a healthy diet and my use of natural remedies to prevent and cure sickness rather than all of that over-the-counter crap. Since I'm all about helping others, I thought I'd share the most useful natural remedies with you so that you can feel better, too!
Apple Cider Vinegar - Controls appetite and reduces blood sugar.
Tea – Tea tannins are antioxidants and can aid in the prevention of cancer.
Fish Oil – Beneficial for the skin, brain and heart health.
Cinnamon – Helps to strengthen the immune system, lower cholesterol, regulates blood sugar, inhibits bacterial growth, boosts cognitive function and memory.
Ginseng – Increases blood flow and energy.
Niacin – Reduces cholesterol better than some prescription medications.
Salt – Reduces inflammation and kills bacteria.
Lemon – Potent anti-oxidant, and full of collagen-forming Vitamin C.
Aloe Vera - Useful for the healing of burns and digestion.
Calendula - Relieves cramps.
Echinacea - Reduces the duration and severity of the common cold.
Ginger - Decreases nausea or vomiting.
Green Tea - Slows the development of breast cancer, energy.
Chamomile Tea - Reduces smooth muscle spasms and reduces inflammation in the stomach and intestines.
Black Walnut - Removes parasites and aids in toxin elimination.
Chlorophyll - Improves and maintains a healthy colon.
Flaxseed - Contain Omega-9 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids and are a great source of fiber and protein with manganese, folate, Vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorous, lecithin, zinc, and copper. It aids in curing colon and breast cancer, skin problems, asthma, diabetes, arthritis, sprains and bruises, obesity, as well as lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Rasbery Leaf Tea and Black Tea - Relieves menstrual cramps or pain from ovulation.
Garlic - Kills viruses and prevents them from replicating in the body.
Vitamin C - Enhances and boosts the immune system.
Magnesium - Helps reverse osteoporosis, prevents cardiovascular disease, regulates high blood pressure, treats diabetes, treats migraines and insomnia, regulates body temperature, and helps form healthy bones and teeth.
HEADACHE
Water, massage, aromatherapy (sandlewood, peppermind, eucalyptus, lavender and natural oils), icing, sleep, exercise (increases circulation).
FEVER
Besides getting plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids, another remedy to stop a fever is strange, but has been proven to work: Cut up an onion and put two or three rings on the sole of each foot, then put on socks. This will get rid of a fever by the time the onion turns brown.BLOATING
Peppermint, basil, ginger, cinnamon and chamomile, or boiled water with lemon helps to aid in relief from bloating. A few drops of clove or eucalyptus oils added to a glass of water is helpful as well. It is very important that you eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly as well.
COMMON COLD
The common cold is a viral infection that affects your upper respiratory tract, also known as the nose and throat. In spite of what doctors may say and the fact that those emergency z-pac antibiotics may knock it out faster, there is no official cure for the cold.
Drink: My old CrossFit trainer swears by this drink, and it almost always works for me: Boil a cup of water and add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon and honey. The peppers open your sinuses while the honey soothes your throat right away!
Steam: Boil a few cups of water, pour it into a metal mixing bowl, add a chamomile tea bag or fresh eucalyptus, cover your head with a towel, and breathe in. Its like a mini at-home steam session for your skin and sinuses, mmmmm!
Take: Besides drinking loads of water, getting lots of rest and eating more fruits and vegetables, there is plenty that you can do to feel better without going to the pharmacy. Avoiding over-the-counter medication is absolutely necessary, because those products are bad for your body and those companies just make money off of keeping you sick! When the body becomes "sick" with a cold, flu, etc., most people tend to rush to the pharmacy and take as much medicine as they can to get rid of it. What they don't understand is that the body must be allowed to do what it needs to do, because if you keep blocking the cold from leaving your body naturally, it'll just keep coming back!
No Nasal Sprays! They're worse for your nose than any drug (obviously anything you put up your nose is deadly), I'm not kidding. The last time I went to an ear/nose/throat doctor, he told me that the inside of my nose would get more torn-up if I kept using nasal sprays every time I had a runny nose or full-blown cold (which happened often in the past due to allergies). This freaked me out, because I had been using prescription and over-the-counter nasal sprays for years!
HORMONE IMBALANCE/ALLERGIES
Whether you are on birth control or not, hormone imbalances happen to women even before menopause. Certain allergic reactions can make you feel the same way, especially when it comes to your skin. I've been using the same at-home remedy for years, because it works every time! On a clean face, take yogurt (preferably Greek yogurt) and coat your skin anywhere that seems to be irritated (I've only done this on my face). Leave it on for an hour or more, rinse thoroughly, and voila! The cooling yogurt not only soothes your skin, but you are left with a smooth, well-balanced complexion. Fabulous!
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