It’s that time of the years again, hot and sunny weather has arrived in the Midwest, at least for a little while.  During your participation in summer outdoor activities it may behoove you to be armed with a little bit more critical information when reaching for the sunscreen.

While there are certainly some instances where sunscreen may be prudent, these products are widely overused and contribute to widespread Vitamin D deficiency.  It is a commonly held natural health expert’s opinion that if you follow sensible sun exposure guidelines to prevent burning, these products are rarely needed.  One option is to get out of the sun or wear clothing the moment your skin starts to turn light pink.

Pilot Study Confirms Your Body Absorbs Toxins from Sunscreen 

In an FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) pilot study, four commonly used active ingredients in sunscreen are absorbed into your blood at levels that could potentially pose health risks. ...

There seems to be never enough hours in the day to get things done.  Well, this is especially true if you have to take a nap mid-day.  Or if you don’t have the privilege to lie down, you may be experiencing symptoms like difficulty concentrating, lack of interest, moodiness, irritability, weight gain, or even depression. So, you hit the coffee bar and order an espresso drink thinking it will help “get you through the day”. This paints a picture for many.  But the days we have are precious and should never be taken for granted.  Whether it is affecting you at work, or just getting things done around the house, it can get severe if underlying conditions are not managed.  Usually, this doesn’t happen overnight.  There may have been signs along the way that were missed.  Troubleshooting your lack of energy can help make the most out of your day.

VITAMIN D

It is very easy to test Vitamin D levels in the blood.  Most...

Saunas: what they can do for your health!

Saunas have historically been a strategy used in Eastern European, Asian and Scandinavian cultures for relaxation and detoxifications.  Athletes are using extreme heat of saunas for more than just pot-workout stress reduction and relaxation.  Increasing the body’s core temperature actually offers conditioning that may improve athletic performance by increasing endurance.¹

Exposure to extreme temperatures also has a beneficial effect on mitochondrial functioning, the minute powerhouses in your cells that provide your body with the energy required to function.  The key to continued energy production is to remove old and worn-out ones and generate new mitochondria, a process known as biogenesis.

Researchers had previously determined that exposure the extreme heat can help reduce the risk or cardiac death and high blood pressure.  They have now identified the direct effect that sauna heat has on a vascular health, blood...

How many hours sleep do you think is appropriate each night?

Would you be surprised to know that on average it is recommended to get at least 7 hours of sleep a day? According to The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, 1 in 3 adults (ages 18-60) sleep less than 7 hours each night.

Sleeping less than 7 hours for adults has shown an increased risk of critically disturbing the body and brain, causing weight gain, increasing impulsive behavior and the potential of memory loss. ⁽²⁾ Increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and thyroid deregulation are also side effects of not getting the right amount of sleep.

Our bodies produce a natural substance called leptin, which is a hormone produced to trigger our “fullness” or satiety feeling and it is lessened when we are sleep deprived. At the same time, ghrelin which is a hormone that triggers hunger, is heightened. Results of one study conducted at the University of Chicago in...

Many women dread the anticipated symptoms of menopause. They fear the potential hot flashes, weight gain, bloating, memory loss, or night sweats. Every woman is different and will approach menopause at different ages. However, you can experience what is called “early menopause” as young as in your mid-thirties. However, there is no reason to fear this change in your life. If you take the proper steps before your body goes through these natural changes, emotional and physical health can be affected. It is important to take care of the body prior to these changes for the best outcome.

As you approach your mid to late 30’s, hormones begin to change as your egg supply gradually decreases. You may start noticing shortened menstrual cycles or different PMS symptoms. The estrogen and progesterone levels will fluctuate and then eventually your estrogen levels will drop till you have no menstrual periods. These are normal menopausal symptoms. Abnormal menopausal symptoms...

Is the lack of a good night’s rest the simple answer to your problems? Did you know there is such thing as World Sleep Day which falls in March to draw attention to the issue of sleep deprivation? New research shows that throwing off our body’s natural circadian rhythms over the long term can critically disturb the body and brain, causing weight gain, impulsive behavior, and loss of memory. (1) Increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and thyroid deregulation are also side effects of not getting the right amount of sleep at night.

Natural production of leptin, a hormone produced that triggers our “fullness” or satiety feeling, is lessened when we are sleep deprived while ghrelin, a hormone which triggers hunger, is heightened. Results of one study conducted at the University of Chicago in Illinois showed that when sleep was restricted, leptin levels went down and ghrelin levels went up, appetite increased proportionally, and the desire for high...

How do you know if you’re body needs a little extra help to detox? First of all, you can subjectively look at how your excretory system is functioning.

Check your urination: Your urine should be a pale yellow and you should be drinking enough clean water to urinate every two hours. We generally recommend one quart of clean drinking water, preferably reverse osmosis filtered water, per fifty pounds of body weight not to exceed three quarts.

Bowel Movements: You should be having at least one bowel movement a day which is solid. Vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grain breads can increase the fiber in your diet to help bulk your stool. Diets unbalanced with high meat and “white food” consumption tend to slow digestion and therefore interfere with efficient excretion.

Signs and symptoms of toxic overload will differ from one body to the next. But here are a few signs that your body may be warning you:

• Feeling tired, sluggish, lethargic
• Trouble with memory,...

“Detoxification” is a naturally occurring process that the body is designed to perform to rid the body of waste products that occur as part of normal metabolism. In addition, it works to rid the body of toxic elements that are inhaled or consumed from the foods we eat and the environment around us. Detox diets have become very popular for many different maladies from cancer to weight loss. There are many different programs, but most of them involve very low caloric intake, with addition of fruits and vegetables, water and supplements. In theory, once “free” of toxins, your body functions better and your metabolism performs more efficiently which may help shed those extra pounds or fight off disease.

The problem herein lies in that many of these diets are not balanced diets and some supplements can force the body to detox too much and too fast. Experts agree that there is no credible science to validate claims that detox diets work. There are no studies...

Summer is coming and it’s the perfect time of the year to rethink your lifestyle habits. Motivation is a hard thing sometimes. Maybe you feel like you’ve “cheated” so many times you’re starting to wonder if you could ever stick with it. Or, maybe you just get in the “rut” of eating the same things all of the time and you get burn out.

Plateau Effect

Just as when exercising, if you are not eating a variety of foods or modifying your routine from time to time, you will experience what is known as the “plateau effect”. The plateau effect is where you seem to hit a stumbling block in your fitness achievements. Maybe you’ve stopped losing weight or can’t seem to build more muscle. Everything just seems to flat line. In the realm of eating, maybe you’re just plain bored.

Summertime is a perfect time to change all of that! The “simple” act of initiating change in your lifestyle is 50% of the battle. The...