MyHealthandFitnessCoaches | Health Tips

Health Tips - Issue 2

If you find that you are constantly feeling rundown, you may be deficient in iodine, a mineral that is essential for proper function of the thyroid gland. Your thyroid gland regulates many of your body's functions, including playing a significant role in regulating metabolism and energy levels. To determine if you are lacking in iodine, apply a 4 inch patch of tincture of iodine to your upper thigh or abdomen. If it fades away sooner than 24 hours, you are likely deficient in iodine (the faster the stain fades, the greater your deficiency). To boost your iodine levels, consider adding sea vegetables to your diet, such as kelp, kombu, or wakame, all of which are rich in iodine as well as other important minerals for good health. You may also want to talk with your Health Coach about temporarily using iodine supplements.
If you want to improve your health, make it a point to laugh more often. That's because research has shown that laughing for as little as one minute each day can significantly enhance immune function and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression because laughter releases immune-boosting substances such as B-cells and gamma interferon, as well as mood stabilizers known as endorphins. Laughter also reduces the release of stress hormones.
The next time you feel nauseous, try this acupressure technique: You're your palm upward and measure three thumb-widths past your risk. Press on this point for a few moments, then rub it in circles. As long as your nausea is not caused by a more serious underlying health problem, performing this exercise should relieve your nausea within a few minutes.
Are you a woman who suffers from neck pain? If so, it may be because you wear high heels, which can cause your spine to become misaligned and can also cause your neck to jut forward, placing additional stress on the muscles that support it. Even if you don't suffer from neck pain, in order to place less stress on your spine, consider wearing low-heeled shoes instead.
As we age, we tend to become more susceptible to bruising. This is especially true for women. If you are prone to bruising, try moisturizing your skin with vitamin C cream. Doing so will help increase your skin's supply of collagen, which diminishes as we grow older. Supplementing with vitamin C can also help.
If you tend to experience drowsiness and/or an inability to concentrate after you eat, you most likely suffer from insulin resistance, which causes a sharp spike in blood sugar levels, followed by a sharp drop. If you experience such symptoms after meals, consult with your Health Coach, as insulin resistance can lead to a host of other, more serious problems, including type II diabetes, heart disease, and unhealthy weight gain and obesity. You should also avoid eating meals that contain only one or two types of foods, as these kinds of meals can also cause spikes in blood sugar levels. To help avoid such spikes, make it a point to eat meals consisting of a variety of healthy foods and avoid sugars and food additives.
Due you tend to burp when you eat? If so, your problem could be caused by swallowing air as you drink. To avoid this, try drinking through a straw to see if your burping during meals improves.
Do you snore at night? If so, you most likely do so while sleeping on your back. Many times, snoring problems can be improved by sleeping on your side instead.
If you are trying to lose weight, you can help yourself by starting your lunch and dinner with a mixed green salad. By eating salads first, you will reduce your appetite for foods containing more calories. Equally important, you will make it easy for you to eat at least five to seven servings of fresh vegetables that Health Coach recommend for maintaining your health and preventing disease.
All of us are subjected to stress in our daily lives. Here is a simple step you can take to relieve the effects of stress. Twice a day set five minutes aside and breathe deeply through your belly in a relaxed manner. Doing so can quickly diminish the effects of stress and also leave you feeling more energized.
Here's an interesting finding that can help you maintain a happy mood throughout the day and also cope with stress more effectively. According to David Katz, MD, MPH, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center and of the Yale Preventive Medicine Center, research shows that taking time to give your spouse or loved one a hug before you leave for work each day will make you better able to calmly cope with events throughout the rest of the day that normally would cause you to become upset or stressed out. For best results, make it a deep and meaningful hug that last for more than a few seconds.
If you have trouble sleeping at night try sprinkling clean bed sheets and pillow cases with lavender water. That's because research has shown that the scent of lavender helps to promote greater feelings of relaxation, which in turn can lead to improved sleep.
Did you know that crying is good for you and can help keep you healthy? It's true. Research shows that crying can boost immune function, reduce levels of stress hormones, help relieve depression, and enhance our ability to think more clearly.
If you are prone to having high blood pressure, it may be because you are spending too much time alone. Research has shown that the simple act of socializing with others while engaged in activities you enjoy can help to restore blood pressure to healthier levels. So, instead of isolating yourself, make it a point to regularly spend time with friends and family members whose company you enjoy. You can also obtain similar health benefits by engaging in altruistic activities such as volunteering some of your free time to helping out others.
Are you one of the many people who start each year resolving to exercise more regularly, only to see your resolution go up in smoke within a few weeks? If so, you may need to change the type of exercises you are doing and opt to walk more instead. That's because research has shown that, of all forms of exercise, walking is the one that most people stick to once they make it part of their daily routine. Moreover, walking is a exercise that provides numerous health benefits without the wear and tear associated with other forms of exercise. For best results, make it a point to walk for at least 30 minutes a day, or to take at least 10,000 steps (you can easily monitor how many steps you take by wearing a pedometer), and to make walking more enjoyable, seek out a walking partner.
There's a lot of truth to the old saying, "An apple a day keeps the Health Coach away." That's because apples are rich in pectin a substance that research shows helps to cleanse the body's digestive system (GI tract). By removing toxins from the GI tract, the pectin that apples contain can help to prevent a variety of degenerative diseases, including certain types of cancer. To get the most benefit from eating apples, choose only those that are organically raised and be sure to wash the skin to eliminate any potential harmful residue, including wax.
Here's another tip that can help you lose weight. Drink one or two quarts of ice cold water during the day. That's because your body needs to burn up more calories in order to warm up the water once it enters your stomach, By drinking cold water on a daily basis, your body will soon increase its resting metabolic rate, meaning that it will more efficiently burn more calories and increase energy production. This fact was discovered by German researchers in 2003, who found that drinking two quarts of ice cold water each day burns as much as 100 extra calories a day without any other changes in diet or exercise. Burning 100 extra calories per day is equal to losing one pound of body fat every five weeks. For best results, it is also better to guzzle, rather than sip, the water, as guzzling further helps to ramp up body metabolism.
Do you like canned tuna but are concerned about the mercury it might contain? Then avoid higher priced white (albacore tuna). That's because research has found that white tuna contains as much as three times as much mercury as less expensive, regular canned tuna.
Here's an interesting health fact. Research has shown that brisk walking actually burns up more calories than the normal speed at which people jog on a treadmill. Moreover, walking also puts much less stress on the joints. Plus, you don't to pay for a treadmill!
Recently there have been a number of stories of travelers who died from blood clots after long hours of airline travel. Researchers has since discovered that being sedentary on an airplane for long flights can significantly increase the risk of blood clot formation in the legs. To help prevent this from happening to you, 48 hours before you take a long airplane flight, take a baby aspirin once a day. In addition, during your flight, as long as the "fasten seatbelts" sign is turned off, periodically get up from your seat and walk around.