'Naturally Healthy' on Coast FM
Herbal Stress Buster Blend
When we experience too much stress our bodies begin to show ‘signs of stress’.
If stress continues over a long period without being addressed, we become more likely to develop health problems such as ulcers, fatigue, skin diseases and recurrent infection and a physical or psychological breakdown results.
A simple herbal tea can go a long way towards reducing stress and the effects it can have on your body.
- Chamomile As a mild sedative Chamomile can reduce activity of the nervous system and decrease nervous tension. It can alleviate anxiety and induce sleep.
- Passionflower Passionflower can treat nervous restlessless, and irritability and insomnia.
- Licorice Licorice has the ability to restore function to depleted adrenal glands. Licorice may support the adrenal glands during the experience of prolonged stress – particularly after an exhausting phase.
If you combine these herbs into a herbal tea you will find your body is more able to cope during stress and aid with some of the side effects of stress.
Click here for more information and a Herbal Blend for Stress: De-stress me
Stress and Menopause
If you want an easy ride through menopause you must consider the health of your adrenal glands. These glands sit on top of our kidneys and are what release adrenaline and are responsible for helping us to manage stress.
The problem these days is we are very stressed and our adrenal glands are not able to do this job properly and this can cause many of the common symptoms of menopause.
When the ovaries begin to slow down and stop producing oestrogen the adrenal glands are supposed to take over this job and supply your body with oestrogen.
So if you are feeling stressed you need to put some steps into place now. Make some lifestyle changes if you can and include regular exercise and relaxation.
Take a good high dose B vitamin supplement daily and drink herbal teas – in particular a combination of licorice as this is a brilliant adrenal gland tonic, chamomile and lemon balm as these are calming and relaxing.
Click here for our De-stress me blend and here for our Menopause blend: Hormone Help
Spirulina shows benefits for us as we age
Most of us are probably aware of Spirulina – either by trying it ourselves or seeing others drink the mysterious green liquid. Spirulina is a blue-green vegetable algae that is a rich source of protein, phytonutrients, iron, antioxidants and vitamins.
The great benefit of Spirulina is because you are taking it in a natural form,you tend to absorb the nutrients a lot easier than perhaps a multivitamin tablet.
A recent study has also shown that daily supplements of Spirulina helped boost the immune system and improve anaemia of the study participants, which are issues that can become a problem as we age.
The study involved a group with an average age of 63 taking 6x 500mg tablets of Spirulina daily for 12 weeks – this is the normal daily recommended dosage of spirulina.
The study participants then had regular blood tests that looked at both their white blood cell count and the haemoglobin content of their red blood cells. At the end of the 12 week period there was up to an astounding 75% improvement in the red and white blood cell functions in the group.
So maybe you can look past the green colour and give it a try! Spirulina smoothies are a great way to add it to your diet if you aren’t fond of tablets.
Click here to go to Lifestream - the best quality Spirulina in the NZ market
Nail Ridges
It is common to get ridges in your nails, and they seem to be become more of an issue as we get older, but they can also happen at times of ill health or periods of stress.
Ridges in the nails is something I commonly get asked about so I have some tips to help you work out what it might mean.
It often is and indication you might need some of the mineral Silica, especially if you have Vertical or longitudinal ridges in your nails.
Silica is involved in the structure and building of all connective tissue – hair, nails, bones, skin and blood vessels. The amount of Silica we need increases as we age also.
You should start to see benefits after 2-3 weeks of taking a silica supplement, so be patient with it as you need to wait until the nail bed grows out a bit to really see the results.
You’ll find another benefit is your nails will also become much harder and less likely to break.
If you prefer to get your nutrients from food the best food sources of Silica are brown rice, whole grains and plant fiber. The herb Horsetail is also something you could try in a tea – it naturally contains high levels of silica and it’s not that unpleasant either!
Excellent Reasons to Eat Broccoli
If you are a gardener you will probably know that this is the time of the year to start planting veges like Broccoli, so I thought it would be a good idea to discuss some of it’s health benefits.
I guess there is a reason for it always being hailed as such a great health food – it is extremely high is nutrients. A cup of steamed broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins C, A, and K, as well as folic acid.
Cancer fighter - Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts have important components linked to cancer risk reduction, and they help regulate a system of bodily enzymes that fight cancer.
Brain Booster -with its abundance of antioxidants, broccoli can help keep you mentally sharp. Researchers reported in the Annals of Neurology that older women who ate the most cruciferous and green leafy vegetables, like broccoli, experienced less cognitive decline than women who ate the least amount of veggies. The women who consumed the most broccoli and other cruciferous veggies clearly outperformed the other women on tests that measured memory, attention, and thinking skills.
So throw some into the garden now and get it growing to make sure you continue to have get the best benefits of this amazing vege throughout winter.
Zinc Improves Impaired Taste
People who suffer from a loss of taste sensation may benefit from supplementing with the mineral zinc.
An impairment of taste function that can range from a distorted sensation of taste to a complete loss of taste—can be caused by upper respiratory tract infection, hormonal changes, tobacco smoke, or nasal polyps. Certain medications, like the blood pressure–lowering drug captopril (Capoten) and antibiotics such as metronidazole (Flagyl), may also cause an altered sensation of taste.
But if none of these are affecting you and you feel you have an ongoing loss of taste, then maybe you are just deficient in zinc.
Zinc has been shown to play a role in the regeneration of healthy taste buds and inadequate zinc intake can lead to taste dysfunction. In one study taste sensation improved significantly in the zinc group compared with the placebo group by 50%.
Overall Zinc is an fantastic and essential mineral to take as it is needed for wound repair, healthy immune function, and proper growth. Oysters are the most abundant food source of zinc; meat, fortified cereals, beans, and wheat germ also contain high amounts of the nutrient.
Helping with Indigestion
This is a common time of the year to suffer from indigestion – bloating, heartburn and nausea. Maybe you overindulged over Christmas, or started a new diet as and your body is not used the change in food?
You should try to get on top of indigestion as, apart from being unpleasant, it can lead to more serious digestive problems long term.
A simple solution is to squeeze half a lemon into a glass of warm water and drink every morning – lemon juice, surprisingly, reduces acidity in your body!
Herbal teas are very effective – peppermint, chamomile and fennel all relieve pain, bloating and cramping. Sip on them throughout the day.
If acid reflux is your problem, a herb called slippery elm works as a natural antacid and soothes inflamed stomach tissue.
Any symptoms of indigestion will benefit from a probiotic supplement such as Acidophilus Bifidus to rebalance good bacteria and improve overall gut function.
Click here for more information on our Tum-ease blend - perfect for all sorts of digestive problems
Summer Sun Sense
Are you confused about whether you should be in the sun or not? Most NZers are aware of the dangers of excessive exposure to sunlight and tend to cover up or use sunscreen when in the sun. However not as many are aware that there are risks of getting too little exposure to the sun?
Your body produces vitamin D when skin is exposed to sunlight but recent research suggests many NZers are not making enough vitamin D because they receive too little exposure to the sun.
Research behind Vitamin D is growing and strongly suggests a lack of it is a major factor in the development of some cancers. Also without adequate levels of vitamin D, calcium can’t be absorbed by your body. This may lead to brittle bones and even osteoporosis.
So what should you do?
Follow all guidelines for staying out of the sun between the hours of 10am – 4pm as it is important to acknowledge the skin damage risk.
Try to get short, bursts of sunlight - 10 to 15 minutes daily is all that is required – before 10am and after 4pm.
If you are still nervous about the sun you can get vitamin D from these foods - eggs, salmon, sardines, herrings, mackerel, swordfish and other oily fish all contain small amounts of vitamin D.
If you are worried your vitamin D levels might be low your doctor can do a blood test for you.
How to have a healthy head of hair
Having radiant hair depends on your diet and lifestyle so I’ve got some tips to ensure your hair follicles are healthy!
Make sure you are getting plenty of essential fatty acids in your diet – this will help with dry and brittle hair and improve the texture. Essential fatty acids are found in fresh nuts and seeds, flaxseed and fish oils and foods such as avocados and olives.
If you are finding your hair is thinning and falling out then you need the mineral silica. This is found in whole grains and vegetables, but you may need to take it in a supplement to get you back on track.
Finally look what is in those expensive shampoos – if they contain the foaming agent Sodium laureth sulphate, this a cheap chemical, which can damage hair follicles as it strips you scalp of the good fatty acids. Look for SLS free products in your health food store.
How to keep up Fluid Intake
I know you’ve heard it all before – you must drink 8 glasses of water a day to remain in top shape. But there are actually good reasons for this, as water makes up 60% of the human body and the average person loses more than 2 litres of water a day – and that is without exercising which can increases water loss to 3 litres per hour of exercise!
The first thing you will notice when you increase water consumption is your skin will look better. Water makes up 70% of the skin layers and without it your skin will look dry, tired and lined. Water will significantly help your digestive system to keep moving. If you are constipated just increasing water intake can help this.
If you are struggling to get through those 8 glasses a day, just increase your fruit and vege intake. Not only are they good for you, but they contain lots of water, so maybe you will only need 6 glasses of water a day! Or drink herbal or fruit teas – infuse them to make a really strong brew and then cool it down for an iced refreshment.
Reduce your dry skin problems
Today I’ve got some tips for helping to prevent dry skin – just moisturizing is often not the answer. Firstly avoid harsh drying soaps and chemicals which can contribute to dry skin. Switch to natural house cleaners and skin products as these are less likely to contain drying chemicals.
Make sure you are eating enough good quality fats! Cold pressed olive oil, flaxseed oil and fish oil have all been shown in clinical trials to reduce skin dryness.
You may need to take a supplement containing some skin specific nutrients such as zinc and vitamin A. Zinc enhances collagen formation and can reduce dry flaking skin. Vitamin A supplementation has been shown to reduce thick, dry, itchy skin. These nutrients can also be found in oysters, nuts and seeds and bright coloured fruit and veges.
What to do with an iron deficiency
Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world. Without proper iron levels you will feel tired and your immune system will be lowered. A blood test is the best way to determine if your might be iron deficient, but if you have very pale gums, nails beds and eye lid linings then this indicates an iron deficiency.
Obviously increasing foods that contain iron is the best way to increase iron levels, so red meat is the best option. For vegetarians you can get iron from dark leafy veges such as spinach, (remember Popeye) walnuts and other nuts, strawberries, apricots and cereals.
If you take an iron supplement be careful about the sort you take – ensure you don’t take iron sulphate as this is the form that causes constipation. Take iron in the fumerate or phosphate form and make sure each tablet also contains vitamin C, B12 and folic acid as these are key to forming complete red blood cells.