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Meditating and tuning into the present moment are difficult—and that's the way it's supposed to be Mindfulness has become quite a buzzword in the last decade or so, and for good reason. It’s powerful and can help us to become more present, happier, and more focused. However, if you’re new to mindfulness, it’s easy to get the wrong idea from all the marketing you’ll find online: images of people at complete peace with the world and themselves, full of bliss, simply by sitting still and meditating for a few minutes. They are beautiful images, but they don’t tell the whole truth. Mindfulness is powerful, and you should absolutely do it. But you should do it with your eyes wide open, knowing what’s up. So here’s my attempt at an honest guide to mindfulness. Mindfulness is hard. You can meditate and get antsy, want to get up, want to go do something else, plan your day, dive into your work, answer a few messages, search for some information you’re itching to know about. Mindfulness is hard, which is a good reason to do it. Mindfulness is messy. You’ll get started with meditation, maybe get on a streak of meditating every day, and feel really good about yourself. Then you might fall off, struggle to start again, feel bad about it. You’ll do this for years, perhaps. Or maybe you’ll meditate regularly but struggle to be mindful throughout the day, especially during certain situations like working online or while you’re eating or socializing. You’ll get better at being present, but only in spurts and starts, and the learning will be anything but smooth. Mindfulness is messy, just like life, which is the reason to open up to the messiness instead of our usual desire for things to be orderly and neat. We can learn to accept the messiness of life if we practice with it. Mindfulness is uncomfortable. Sitting still and facing the sensations of the present moment can feel boring. It can bring up itches that you just need to scratch right now. Urges to go to do something else, to plan and solve and remember, will come up, because they are the old mental habits. And not following those urges can be very uncomfortable. Mindfulness is uncomfortable because it’s so rare for us not to indulge in those old mental patterns. But that’s the very reason it’s so powerful. Mindfulness pulls the rug out from under your feet. Let’s say you’ve been practicing meditation for a few months, and you think you’re getting the hang of it. All of a sudden, everything you think you knew about meditation can be upended, as you learn something new, or as a new pattern starts to come up. Now you have to adjust to that. After a few months, you might think you know a thing or two, and then you read a book or listen to a talk from a teacher, and that gets yanked away from you too. Over and over, you get upended, and it can be very jarring each time. Mindfulness can be jarring when you get upended. And that’s part of the magic, too—feeling like we are on solid ground is an illusion, and learning to deal with the groundlessness of not knowing is an incredible practice. Mindfulness takes a ton of practice. You’ll suck at meditation (or any other mindfulness practice) when you first start. You can’t “do it right” or keep your attention on anything for very long. Don’t worry, it’s all continual practice, without ever feeling like you know exactly what you’re doing. You practice and practice, and then practice some more. You might make some progress, only to find out that you still have so much more to learn. It takes a lot of practice, and that’s a beautiful thing to open up to. You’ll think you’re doing it wrong and fail a lot. You’ll start out and continually feel like you’re doing it wrong, and that won’t feel very good. The good news is that no one knows what they’re doing, and it often won’t feel very good. The better news is that it’s not supposed to feel good, and you learn to accept the idea that you’re never very sure of anything. This is what life is always like, but we just usually blame it on the external circumstances (or think there’s something wrong with us), rather than accepting this uncertainty about everything as a basic part of our lives that we can open up to and even love. It’ll show you all your ‘faults.’  You’ll learn through mindfulness practice that you’re not as disciplined as you’d like to be. You’re not as tough, competent, skilled, exceptional. This will become clear as you practice. You’ll come face-to-face with all of your demons. And then you’ll begin to master them. You’ll start to think other people should be more mindful—and you’ll be wrong. As you start to get “better” at mindfulness, and more and more aware of your habits and patterns and thoughts, it will become clearer when other people aren’t being mindful. And you might think they should be practicing, too, that they should put their phones down and be more present. You’ll think you know how others should be mindful because you’ve learned a thing or two. And then you’ll realize that judging others and thinking you know how others should behave is just your mind’s old pattern of judging and trying to get control. You’ll learn to let that go, too, sometimes. And when you do, that’s when you’ll become more open to connecting with others. It requires more than mindfulness. As you practice, you’ll find that mindfulness by itself isn’t the answer to everything. It doesn’t magically solve any problems. It’s a powerful practice and can bring wonderful awareness to your life. But sometimes that awareness is of all the terrible things you’re feeling, all the harsh thoughts you have about yourself, all the harsh thoughts you have about other people or the world around you. Awareness doesn’t always feel good. And it doesn’t solve everything. Mindfulness is only part of the work. The work also requires compassion—for yourself and others. It requires vulnerability and the ability to open your heart. It requires honesty and the willingness to face things. It requires being willing to love things as they are, without needing to control things. It requires letting go of what you think things should be like, of what you think you should have or shouldn’t have. The work requires you to be willing to be curious, to be open, to remain in not knowing. It is beautiful work, and requires courage. Leo Babauta is the author of six books, the writer of “Zen Habits,” a blog with over 2 million subscribers, and the creator of several online programs to help you master your habits. Visit ZenHabits.net.

Author: Lynn Jaffee, Licensed Acupuncturist and author of “Simple Steps: The Chinese Way to Better Health.” My neighbor Marie is hardly ever home. She’s out during the day at one of her volunteering gigs or hanging out with a friend. Friday nights are date night, which usually involves dinner out with her boyfriend. Weekends are spent visiting with family, and during the summer, she spends time at the lake cabin. It’s no wonder that I rarely see her—she’s constantly on the go. The kicker is that Marie is 88 years old. Marie is a role model for how I want to age. She’s active, involved, and relatively healthy. It’s a puzzle, however, why some people grow older with good health and energy, and others decline much sooner. Certainly, genetics and lifestyle play a big role. That said, there are many exceptions—people living into their 80s, 90s, and even past 100, who have been dealt a poor genetic hand and have never paid much attention to living the clean life. So, what’s the deal? One explanation may involve the theory behind epigenetics, in which your genes are affected by external or environmental factors instead of DNA sequencing. This simply means that beyond your inherited genetic makeup, how you live also impacts genetic expression—how your genes communicate with your cells. In Chinese medicine, your body constitution is shaped by something called essence. It determines your overall health, how you grow and mature your fertility, and the aging process. You inherit that essence from your ancestors, which sets the stage for your physical makeup (much like genes). As you age, that original essence is slowly depleted and can never be replaced. When it’s completely used up, you die. However, there is a second kind of essence that can augment and conserve the original stuff. By living healthfully, eating well, and avoiding crazy extremes, you can protect your original essence so it does not decline as quickly. This centuries-old theory from Chinese medicine sounds very much like the current, cutting-edge study of epigenetics. Beyond claiming to have known this first, Chinese medicine also offers up some ideas on how to protect yourself to age as long and healthfully as possible. This includes the following: Balance Your Rest and Work Cycles. You need enough rest in the form of sleep to heal and rejuvenate your body. In addition, while a certain amount of work is important to keep your mind sharp, in Chinese medicine working excessively is considered to be a cause of illness. Move Your Body. Movement in the form of exercise is the closest thing to the fountain of youth. Movement creates more movement and keeps your joints lubricated, your blood flowing, your heart and lungs healthy, and your mind sharp. Just remember to balance it with adequate rest. What You Eat Makes a Difference. You can’t expect to ignore your diet for decades and live long and healthfully. Yes, sometimes it happens that you will see a 90-year-old who lives on bagged snacks and food from the drive-up window—but not many. By eating real food, predominantly plant-based, that hasn’t been preserved or otherwise “enhanced” with chemicals, you will be ahead of the game. And you don’t have to revamp your whole kitchen. Research has documented that even small, healthy dietary changes make a positive difference in your health. Mind Over Matter. The Chinese have a saying that the emotions are the cause of 1,000 diseases, and I have found this to be true in my acupuncture practice. The impact of a poor emotional state is very real and far-reaching. My prescription? A little gratitude every day. Stress, anxiety, worry, depression, and negativity impact your health, and not in a good way. Negative emotions impact your digestion, sleep, blood pressure, and hormonal makeup, for starters. The impact of a poor emotional state is very real and far-reaching. Current research indicates that people with a negative outlook have a shortened expected lifespan. My prescription? A little gratitude every day. Your genetic makeup is a bit like a hand you are dealt in a card game. You may get a good or not-so-good hand, but how you play the game is really what counts. Whether talking about epigenetics or how to preserve essence in Chinese medicine, lifestyle choices make a difference in how you age. Lynn Jaffee is a licensed acupuncturist and the author of “Simple Steps: The Chinese Way to Better Health.” This article was originally published on AcupunctureTwinCities.com

Now that the weather is warming up and you’re likely spending more time outside in the sun, it’s time to think about how best to protect your skin. You need a certain amount of sun every day to maintain adequate vitamin D, 10–15 minutes for someone with very pale skin, someone with very dark skin can need up to an hour. Too much sun comes with risk, especially for pale-skinned people. There are nearly 5 million cases of skin cancer diagnosed each year, mostly due to the harmful effects of UV radiation. Luckily, there’s a variety of options you can choose from, including topical sunscreen, sun-protection clothing, and even the food you eat. Most people opt for topical sunscreen as their primary mode of defense against the sun, although it’s important to know the potency and effectiveness of sunscreen is different depending on what part of the world you’re in. The United States lags behind in quality sunscreen products due to FDA limitations on ingredients in sunscreen. When considering what sunscreen to use, there are also concerns around using products that contain chemicals like oxybenzone, because those chemicals themselves may lead to cancer, which is what you’re trying to prevent by wearing sunscreen in the first place, right? Oxybenzone is also toxic to marine life and very damaging to coral reefs. Topical Sunscreen Is Just the Beginning In addition to sunscreen, there are two more good options you have: Try clothing that blocks UV rays, and start eating foods that will help prevent sun damage, while avoiding the foods that can contribute to it. Yes, there are actually foods that help protect your skin, and some can even have direct SPF properties after consistent consumption (usually around 12 weeks of daily consumption) that can keep you not only from sun damage but from getting a sunburn in the first place. Keep in mind that foods won’t immediately provide SPF properties, but they can immediately help determine how your body deals with sunlight and UV rays it comes into contact with. THESE FOODS MAY HELP PREVENT SUN DAMAGE: Tomato My favorite summertime food that also helps fight sun damage is watermelon. Lycopene is its key ingredient to protect your skin: It absorbs both UVA and UVB radiation and can make the skin more photo-protective over time, just like topical sunscreen would. Tomatoes are well-known for their lycopene content, but watermelon has far more lycopene per serving, and its high water content makes it perfect for staying hydrated in the heat of summer. If you want the highest lycopene containing food, go for guava fruit, although it may be harder to find. Blueberries Next on the list of awesome foods to add to your routine is blueberries, especially wild blueberries, and other berries that are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radical damage caused by UV radiation and help to protect your skin. An added bonus of blueberries is their vitamin C content, which helps the skin stay hydrated and less wrinkled. Carrots and leafy greens also provide vital protection from sun damage due to their high beta-carotene content, which over time, like watermelon, makes the skin more photoprotective. Green and Black Tea Tea lovers can also rejoice. Not only does tea contain theanine which helps lower stress and promote relaxation, but the flavanol EGCG found in green and black tea has powerful antioxidant properties, like blueberries, that help protect you from sun damage. Green tea may even be potent in protecting directly against UVA damage and protects against collagen loss, which is key to skin integrity and health. Did you know your skin contains a natural type of SPF to help keep you healthy? Urocanic acid, found in the outer layer of the skin, absorbs UV radiation and helps protect against sun damage, notably damage to the DNA caused by sun exposure. Urocanic acid is produced from foods containing histamine, including cauliflower, nuts, seed, fish, and poultry, so adding these to your routine could increase the amount of urocanic acid in the skin. Foods Can Also Make Skin More Photosensitive Just like there is a range of foods that can make the skin photoprotective and help prevent sun damage, there are foods known to make the skin more photosensitive and susceptible to sun damage. It would be best to avoid these before taking an afternoon stroll or a trip to the beach this summer. This list of foods includes limes, celery, dill, parsley, fennel, and figs, which are definitely all on my list of foods to enjoy this summer, and probably yours, too. You can also add white wine to that list. The key is to consume these foods when you’re not spending time in the sun; preferably at night. So instead of having a margarita or white wine while you’re lounging in the sun, opt for red wine, iced tea, or watermelon spritzer. If you love fresh fennel and figs, have them at dinner instead of lunch. Your skin, and overall health, will thank you. Jaya Jaya Myra is a wellness lifestyle expert and go-to media expert on mind-body wellness, stress management, mindfulness, food for mood, and natural, healthy living. She’s a best-selling author, TEDx and motivational speaker, and creator of The WELL Method for purpose-filled healthy living. Visit www.JayaJayaMyra.com

With all of the diets and healthier eating options available today, choosing one right for you can be overwhelming to say the least. "The Ayurvedic diet is an eating plan that provides guidelines for when you eat, what you eat, and how you eat to boost your health, prevent or manage disease, and maintain wellness. If you follow an Ayurvedic diet, you'll eat primarily whole or minimally processed foods and practice mindful eating rituals" according to Very Well Fit writer Malia Frey. She continues, "The diet is based on Indian Ayurvedic wellness systems that date back thousands of years. Some studies have shown that Ayurvedic lifestyle practices—including the diet—can help improve your health. But following an Ayurvedic diet for weight loss isn't necessarily a proven method to reduce weight." Chrissy Carroll, RD, MPH notes that "Grounded in a Hindu system of medicine, an Ayurvedic diet instructs you to eat according to a dominant dosha (energy type). There is no scientific rationale for this style of eating, but experts agree the focus on unprocessed foods and mindful eating are both valuable takeaways." Some Ayurvedic Background Ayurveda is a wellness practice that originated in India and is about 5,000 years old. The word "Ayurveda" is a combination of two Sanskrit words that mean life (Ayur) and science (Veda), so the literal translation of Ayurveda is "the science of life." Ayurvedic medicine seeks to create a healthy strong body through a series of diet, exercise and lifestyle practices, including sleep and mindful living. How the Ayurvedic Diet Works If you follow an Ayurvedic diet, you'll incorporate many different practices into your eating routine. These practices help you to benefit from the different qualities of food. One of the primary characteristics of an Ayurvedic diet is that you eat according to your dominant constitutional type or dosha. You can think of your dosha as your most prominent energy. There are three different Ayurvedic doshas that derive from five different elements: space, air, fire, water, and earth. Each element provides different qualities or attributes. Vata (space and air): Vatas are often described as creative, intense, or expressive. Attributes include dry, light, cold, and rough. Pitta (fire and water): Pittas are often described as intelligent, joyful, and driven. Attributes include sharp, hot, liquid, and mobile. Kapha (earth and water): Kaphas are often described as calm, loving, or lethargic. Attributes include moist, heavy, soft, and static. After reading descriptions of each dosha, you may find that one sounds more like the qualities you embody. Many people find that they have two strong doshas. Those who practice an Ayurvedic lifestyle believe that each of us embodies all three doshas. Your prominent dosha will determine your eating style. What to Eat Once you have determined your dominant dosha, you can create meals around foods that will help nourish your body and balance your energy. You'll find more extensive guides for dosha-based eating online at sites including The Ayurveda Institute, but it's helpful to scan a few of the foods suggested by the organization for each dosha. VATA Foods to Eat Sweet fruit such as cooked apples or cherries Cooked vegetables like asparagus or beets Grains including quinoa or rice Red lentils Dairy products (in moderation) Beef Eggs Fish Black pepper Coriander leaves Vinegar Peanuts and pecans Chia or flax seeds Beer or white wine Sesame oil and ghee Foods to Avoid Dried fruit Raw apples and watermelon Frozen, raw or dried vegetables Potatoes Barley Corn Chickpeas Split peas Yogurt Lamb Turkey Red wine Chocolate PITTA Foods to Eat Raisins Watermelon Sweet or bitter vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower Dry cereal Pasta Black beans Unsalted butter Chicken (white meat) Egg whites Almonds Beer Dry white wine Coconut Foods to Avoid Apricots Avocado Pungent vegetables like onion or raw leeks Sour fruits Spinach Bread made with yeast Quinoa and brown rice Rye soy sauce Salted butter Sour cream Beef Chicken (dark meat) Chili pepper Red or sweet wine Seafood other than shrimp Chocolate KAPHA Foods to Eat Astringent fruit like applesauce or prunes Pungent or bitter vegetables like celery or carrots Granola Polenta Lima beans Buttermilk Cottage cheese Shrimp Turkey Dry red or white wine Foods to Avoid Sweet or sour fruits like grapefruit or figs Sweet or juicy vegetables like cucumber or zucchini Cooked oats Rice Pasta Pancakes Wheat Kidney beans Soft or hard cheese Duck Tofu Freshwater fish Ketchup Hard alcohol Chocolate RECOMMENDED TIMING Some of the basic Ayurvedic eating practices include: Intake of six rasas or tastes. At each meal, you will incorporate foods that are sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent. You begin your meal with foods that have a sweet taste (like sweet fruit), then consume food that is salty (such as seafood) and sour (citrus fruit, for example), then finish with foods that are pungent (like onions or peppers), astringent (such as green apples or tea), and bitter (celery, kale, or green leafy vegetables). Eat mindfully and with concentration. Avoid talking, laughter, and other distractions to fully appreciate your meal and the wholesome benefits it provides. Eat slowly enough that you can savor the taste of the food. Eat quickly enough to prevent the food from getting cold. Eat the proper quantity of food. Be aware of hunger signals and signs of fullness to avoid overeating. Eat only when your previous meal has been digested. Guidelines suggest that you do not eat within three hours of your previous meal or snack and you should not go without food for more than six hours. Many Ayurvedic practitioners also recommend that you eat a modest breakfast and a larger, satisfying lunch. Dinner may or may not be consumed based on your hunger levels. Resources and Tips Before you begin an Ayurvedic diet, you will need to learn about and find your dominant dosha. Many experts in Ayurvedic medicine suggest that the smartest method is visiting an Ayurvedic doctor. Samantha Semmalar ("Dr. Sam") is an in-house Ayurvedic doctor at The Body Holiday in St. Lucia. "An Ayurvedic doctor can advise the right combination of foods to balance the dosha and make the diet more effective," she says, adding that the doctor can advise you what foods to eat and what foods to avoid. Mahalingam “Dr. Maha” Lakshmanan, also at The Body Holiday, agrees. He says an Ayurvedic doctor can help determine the best choice of food and herbs, and assist with medical concerns if necessary. If you choose to visit an Ayurvedic doctor, the practitioner will interview you and make an assessment based on the information you provide. This is likely to be the most accurate method of finding your dosha. If you don't have access to an Ayurvedic doctor, you can try an online questionnaire to help you find your dominant dosha type. But the questionnaires may not always be accurate. Once you have a sense of what your dosha might be, Dr. Maha suggests getting a book to help create healthy meals as you learn how to follow an Ayurvedic diet. He recommends Ayurvedic Cooking: A Life of Balance, The Tastes of Ayurveda, and The Modern Ayurvedic Cook Book. PROS AND CONS Pros Emphasis on unprocessed foods Promotes mindful eating May have health benefits May be effective for weight loss CONS Determining dosha may be difficult Complicated, sometimes restrictive rules Some herbs may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines PROS Whole Food Focus Some Ayurvedic practitioners urge their students to eat only local food. While this is impractical for many people, it might prompt you to eat more whole, unprocessed foods, which tend to be more healthful than processed ones. Mindful Eating Ayurvedic practices suggest eating mindfully and intuitively. That means paying attention to your food and to your body's messages about it. It means taking the time to savor your food, to eat when you are hungry and to stop when you are full. Health Benefits Even though Ayurvedic medicine has been practiced for thousands of years, much of the evidence to support its effectiveness is observational. However, as interest in the approach increases, more researchers are conducting high-quality studies that support using the system for improved health. Researchers from Harvard conducted a study supporting the possible use of holistic health interventions including Ayurveda to help people stick to new and healthy behaviors.1 A pilot investigation found that Ayurvedic practices appear to improve psychosocial health among both overweight/obese yoga students. These researchers cautioned, however, that results must be interpreted with caution due to problems with study design and other issues.2 A study conducted in Sweden found that Ayurvedic medicine improved outcomes for some study participants with respiratory, musculoskeletal, circulatory, tumor, and cutaneous illnesses.3 Other studies have demonstrated that Ayurveda may be helpful in managing coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and improving sleep quality and duration. Weight Loss Benefits It's not clear whether any weight loss resulting from the Ayurvedic diet comes from eating by dosha, or from the focus on whole foods and mindful eating. But some research has shown its effectiveness nonetheless. A review published in the International Journal of Obesity reported that a trial of herbal Ayurvedic preparations for weight loss resulted in clinically significant weight loss as compared to placebo.4 And researchers from the University of New Mexico and the University of Arizona published a study that reported that an Ayurveda and yoga-based lifestyle modification program is an acceptable and feasible approach to weight management.5 While there is some evidence of the potential health and weight loss benefits of an Ayurvedic diet, it is hard to identify which factors in the Ayurvedic lifestyle are delivering the most benefit. Still, there are also some potential drawbacks to this diet and lifestyle. CONS Determination of Dosha Keep in mind that the process of finding your dosha is subjective—even if you visit an Ayurvedic doctor. It is not based on objective data, like a blood or urine test. For that reason, it may not be perfectly accurate. Your dosha may also be a combination of more than one type. You may need to make some adjustments along the way. It's also important to remember that an Ayurvedic doctor may not be a licensed medical doctor in the United States. In the U.S., no states license Ayurvedic practitioners, although a few have approved Ayurvedic schools. The National Institutes of Health provides guidelines for selecting a complementary care provider, such as an Ayurvedic doctor. They also recommend that you communicate with your primary care physician about the use of alternative health practices. Complicated Rules Even if increasing evidence supports an Ayurvedic diet for weight loss or wellness, no eating plan will work if you don't stick to it for the long term. Both Dr. Maha and Dr. Sam acknowledge that some people have a hard time maintaining the program. Dr. Maha says that the limited food choices and even food taste may be difficult for some when they begin. Aside from taste, the complexity of an Ayurvedic diet may be intimidating for some. If following the dosha eating plan seems too confusing, some experts suggest simply using basic eating principles. Sarajean Rudman is an Ayurvedic practitioner and clinical nutritionist. She doesn't suggest dosha-specific foods, but rather foods that aid in digestion, and lifestyle practices that emphasize listening to your body, coming into balance, and intuitive eating and exercise. Instead of focusing on weight loss, she helps her clients focus on wellness. She suggests choosing nutritious whole foods instead of processed foods, ignoring calorie counting, and eating intuitively to manage portion sizes. Rudman says that adopting a comprehensive Ayurvedic lifestyle that is tailored to your personal needs will yield results without restriction, starvation, or that feeling of being trapped in a diet. Side Effects and Interactions The National Institutes of Health cautions consumers that certain Ayurvedic products, herbs, or herbal combinations may cause side effects and can be harmful if used improperly. If you take prescription medications, ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking herbal preparations as interactions may occur. How It Compares You'll notice that the Ayurvedic diet shares some qualities with other diets that incorporate lifestyle elements and a philosophy of wellness. However, since it is so personalized by dosha, it is tough to compare it with expert guidelines on nutrition. USDA Recommendations Food Groups The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines suggest filling your plate with a balanced combination of protein, grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. While Ayurveda also emphasizes balance, it does not offer guidance on food groups or macronutrients (like how much protein to eat). Instead, the focus is on which foods to eat within a category based on your dosha. Calories While the USDA suggests calorie ranges for weight loss and weight maintenance, the Ayurvedic diet instead emphasizes mindful, intuitive eating—listening to your body to determine what you need to eat, when, and how much. If weight loss is your goal, you may need to combine calorie counting with the Ayurvedic advice on which foods to eat (perhaps just until you learn what portion sizes work best for you and how to best interpret your body's hunger cues). If you're still interested in determining your individual calorie needs, you can do so with this calculator. A Word From Verywell The Ayurvedic diet has been practiced by millions of people for thousands of years and is well accepted in many parts of the world as a key component of overall health and wellness. There are many elements of the eating plan that overlap with nutrition fundamentals practiced by Western medical and health experts. If weight loss is your goal, you're likely to see results if you adopt an Ayurvedic diet and build meals around whole, unprocessed foods and mindful eating practices. However, the National Institutes of Health cautions consumers that certain Ayurvedic products, herbs, or herbal combinations may cause side effects and can be harmful if used improperly. Be sure to discuss any major dietary changes or herbal medicines with your health care provider to make sure they don't interfere with current medications or with the management of your medical conditions. See the original online article published February 12, 2020 on VeryWellFit Here: https://www.verywellfit.com/ayurvedic-diet-for-weight-loss-4154620

Originally developed by NASA for the International Space Station, PEMF or "Pulsed Electro Magnetic Field" Therapy is said to increase wellness in the body by simply adding energy to the cells of the body, providing cellular energy boosting benefits with the intention of generating healthy cell function as well as helping injured or unhealthy cells return to optimal function. Many physicians offer PEMF therapy for many types of pain management for their patients as well as improving the effects of other regenerative therapies such as PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma). Also available are affordable home and personal use models such as Pulsed Harmonix 2000, located on the My Wellness By Nature site here. Watch this video below to see what people are saying about incorporating PEMF therapy into their lives for better general wellness. To learn more about this amazing device and to order yours, click here. Hosted by Vibrant Health Guru, Gunther Mueller for Home and Lifestyle TV's "For Your Health" segment and contributed to "My Wellness By Nature." #pemf #painmanagement #prevention #cellular #regeneration #technology #pulsed

How can BHRT Therapy improve your relationships? Sometimes our relationships start to suffer due to menopausal and andropausal symptoms that hinder our ability to enjoy a high quality of life. This isn't to say that the negative effects of menopause can be mitigated by BHRT alone; you can make lifestyle changes, such as improved diet and exercise, which can have a positive effect in reducing the symptoms of menopause. Yet, there's a good chance that such positive lifestyle changes will start to lose effectiveness as you get further into menopausal transition. At that point, combining the use of bioidentical hormones with a healthy lifestyle could be just the thing you need to correct the imbalance of your hormone levels that come with the onset of menopause and andropause.

LEVEL: MODERATE GOALS: Increased exercise, Pain Relief, Inflammation Reduction, Better Nutrition Here's a great example of a weekly or monthly path to better wellness for people who want to eat better and move more. Commit to focusing on a "Well-ement" from each category, everyday for the next week, month or forever! Want to Try This Path? Save this post by giving it a "heart" and find it in your member profile "Liked Posts" Page....then come back and comment about what it did for you below! BE WELL Focus on "Meal Spacing." Eat every 3 to 4 hours to maintain blood sugar levels, hungry or not! WHY? When your mother told you "breakfast is the most important meal" she was on the right track. Do not under estimate the importance of breakfast and EVERY meal throughout the day to reach your body confidence goal. When we skip meals, the body thinks we are depriving it, thus going into "starvation mode" and sending the body into FAT STORAGE overdrive. Read the Full Post for tips to put you back in the driver's seat on the road to your optimum weight. MOVE Exercise for at least 30 minutes per day. ....if possible, at the same time everyday. For example, schedule your MOVE TIME at 7:30am - put it on your calendar, or in your reminders. Starting your day with movement can elevate your mood ALL DAY! Here are two great guided workouts to follow: 30 minute Yoga Flow Gentle Yoga Flow NOURISH Replace breakfast or lunch with an immune-boosting smoothie! We found a great recipe that only takes five minutes to make and includes one of the best natural immune building ingredients- TURMERIC! Check out what Dr. DeSilva has to say about some of the best benefits turmeric here. Turmeric-Pineapple-Coconut Smoothie Recipe: Ingredients 1 cup fresh frozen pineapple 3/4 cup coconut milk beverage 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil Directions: Combine frozen pineapple, coconut milk, turmeric and coconut oil in a blender; blend until smooth. Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 171 calories; 6.4 g fat; 29.3 g carbohydrates; 1.1 g protein; 0 mg cholesterol; 29 mg sodium RELAX Still the mind with meditation. Take at least 10 minutes every day to meditate. These practices will help you to step beyond the habitual thought loops that are keeping you down. In doing so, they’ll provide you with a deeper sense of peace, calm, and contentment despite what’s going on in the world around you. Here is a great guided audio meditation that focuses on Relieving Anxiety. Read about the benefits of mindful meditation here. RESTORE Boost your mental energy. The mind is one of the biggest contributors to energy levels. The benefits of having high levels of mental energy include happiness, confidence, focus, and increased willpower, motivation, and productivity. Pick one of these (or MORE!) each day: Here Are 15 ways to Boost Your Mental Energy (Click here to read the full article) Be Grateful Remind yourself of the things you are grateful or thankful for in your life. Practice Negative Visualization: Periodically contemplate, but don’t worry about, “worst-case scenarios.” Spend this time thinking of all the things you have and reflecting on how much you would miss them if they were not yours. Surround Yourself With Great People: Spend time with people who think positively, and have a lot of energy, and talk in a positive tone. It will make think more positively and give you energy. Think Positively: Thinking positive thoughts will make you feel more positive. Feeling more positive and optimistic will boost mental energy. Declutter Your Mind: To avoid making mistakes, and to declutter your mind, keep as much as you can outside of your brain. For example, if you set a meeting with someone, put it in your calendar so you no longer have to remember it. Go Outside: Exposing your skin and eyes to sunlight will give you Vitamin D, which can boost energy. Have Fun! Don’t forget to allocate time to friends and family, hobbies, etc. These activities provide excitement and keep you motivated. Stimulate your Mind: Try learning a new skill, so you can experience some challenge throughout your daily life. Meditate: Many people find meditation to be a great way to boost mental energy. Change Your Routine: Try breaking your routine. Learn something new. Go on a spontaneous adventure to give yourself a fresh perspective. Try taking a different route to work. Go into a bookstore and pick out a random book from a genre you don’t normally read. Practice Minimalism: Learn to say “no” and eliminate excess in your life. Throw away what you don’t need. When you have fewer items in your life, there is more space for things you want. Focus on What’s in your Control: List what you’re currently worrying about or hoping for and differentiate what is in your control from what is not. Do What You’re Passion About: What do you love doing? How can you arrange your career or lifestyle so you can do more of it? Take Responsibility for Your Emotions If you are feeling sad or embarrassed, you will have less energy. If you are feeling proud or confident, you will have more energy.By taking responsibility for your emotions, you will become less dependent on external validation or circumstances to influence energy levels. When you are responsible for your own emotions, your energy levels will always be high. Be Present: Thinking negatively about the past can cause anxiety. Thinking about the future can give you anxiety. Be in the present moment. Accept the situation you’re in and take the best action you can. ASCEND Intentionally Cultivate and Practice Joy Each day, intentionally bring awareness to something you do regularly and that you know you enjoy. It could be anything: a morning cup of tea or coffee, a walk, a favorite snack, an interaction with someone you appreciate or love, a person or a pet, or a spacious moment in your day while you travel. Commit to being wholeheartedly present, aware of your bodily sensations, feelings, and thoughts. Bring an innocent perception and sensitivity to the experience, to whatever is present in terms of sights, sounds, taste, and touch. Really sense how attention imbued with innocent perception affects the world of the moment. Allow your heart truly flutter in the midst of the experience, gladdened by the simplicity of the moment.

#Guardaheart #hearthealth #wellness #heartdisease #preventheartdisease https://www.guardaheart.org DID YOU KNOW Heart Disease is the most widespread and yet preventable disease. Early detection is key. Watch to see how GUARD a HEART is helping save lives.

What is Meditation? “Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing their mind on a particular object, thought or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.” This is the clearest definition, I can find, describing meditation. There’s a bunch of misinformation and misconception “out there,” so I like to stick to the facts. The only RULE is that it works for you. Types of Meditation There are several, but below are the ones I consistently use. Each have been helpful to me & my clients, during the High Performance Detox. See which ones speak to you. Metta Meditation – receiving & sending love to self and others Mindful Body Meditation – doing a body scan and becoming aware of self Breath Awareness Meditation – focusing on breath to calm and find peace Zen/Zazen Meditation – using movement & breath for awareness Mantra Meditation – focusing on a specific word or phrase, repetitively, while breathing Nature Meditation – being in nature, focused on what you presently see Guided Meditation – using a guide to gain specific awareness Why Meditation? There are literally hundreds of proven physical & psychological benefits to meditation, so keep researching on your own, but here are my favorites: Meditation literally grows your brain… both in volume and thickness. This doesn’t just make you smarter; it increases your memory, attention, self-awareness and self-control alongside a whole list of other desirable qualities. Meditation increases blood flow to your brain… the brain can’t function without a strong steady flow of blood to it. The stronger and steadier the flow, the better the brain functions. Meditation reduces cortisol production, a stress-induced hormone that suppresses the immune system and can make you feel anxious nervous and unsettled for no real reason (other than having too much cortisol in your system). Meditation reduces blood pressure and heart rate, which alleviates unnecessary pressure on your heart and arteries. Meditation increases neuroplasticity. This is the brains ability to organize itself, adapt to demands and enables you to become more efficient in the learning process. Meditation increases the production of good neurotransmitters including serotonin and dopamine, both of which play a huge role in controlling our moods. It’s understood that low levels of serotonin cause depression. Meditation triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, which enables us to rest and recover from stress. Meditation boosts the immune system. As we reduce our stress, the immune system is boosted and so is our general wellbeing. Meditation causes muscle relaxation. Muscle tension is generally caused by stress and when left unchecked can cause all kinds of problems such as vertebrae displacement, spinal issues and lack of mobility in the body. Meditation slows the aging process. Meditation significantly increases melatonin and DHEA and decreases cortisol, which has a significant impact on slowing the ageing process down. Meditation reduces stress related conditions such as anxiety and depression. When we meditate, the brain and nervous system undergo radical changes that cause the reduction and prevention of these conditions. Meditation increases positive emotions. There are a few reasons why this happens. The simplest reason is the reduction of stress. When we reduce the stress in our system, we return to our natural state of feeling calm, connected to ourselves and confident in meeting the challenges of life. When we experience this, it feels good and it shows! Meditation increases emotional stability and intelligence. When we meditate regularly, and reduce our stress levels, our hormones balance out and we feel less reactive, less defensive and effortlessly balanced more of the time. Meditation increases a sense of connection to yourself and others. The more you meditate the more you become aware of who you are. When we allow the mind to go beyond those everyday levels of thinking we may get stuck in and experience deeper more expansive states of ourselves, this experience begins to inform us of our deep subtler nature. After a short while, we experience a more quiet, calmer and dynamic sense of who we are. Our relationships become deeper and more meaningful based on the simple principle, ‘the more you know yourself the more you can know another.’ For more of my go-to tools for self-care, check out my book, High Performance Detox, available on Amazon.

Are You Getting All of Your Vitamins? Have you been asked this a lot? Is it usually by your doctor, or a well-meaning friend, or maybe a trainer? This may have been the annoying response you received from a friend after sharing that you are exhausted. (They mean well, I promise. Everyone does, really. Deep down…) When I was a little girl, getting all of my vitamins happened when I “finished everything on my plate.” As a teenager, my “female-issues” doctor said this needed to happen so I “developed well” (whatever that means…) In my 20s, my dearly trusted nutritional and life coaches asked this in love, because they knew my body was broken and recovering. In my 30s, I realized that my clean eating wasn’t giving me all the vitamins I needed to consume, due to a sub-par food supply, and that supplementing was imperative; My 30-year old eyes were also opened to the vast array of synthetic vitamins on the shelves of stores—even healthy, all-natural shelves. Even though I had to dig deep to grab the quality food supplement I needed, I can now confidently respond, YES, I am getting all of my vitamins. Or am I? Those of you who know me well know that I am a Holistic Wellness Coach by trade; however, I’m still learning more about our bodies and how they react to the world around us and within us. Holistic health takes into consideration our MIND health, our SPIRIT health, and of course, our PHYSICAL health. I’m not going to go through the suite of nutritional vitamins right now, as I am more interested in sharing some vitamins you may not know to look for. You NEED these vitamins just as much as the favorites: A, B, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K. I call these your SOUL GLOW VITAMIN SUITE. VITAMIN R: Relaxation. Did you know that you could be following the BEST diet in the world, and you’ll limit your results with an anxious mind? If you’re in a chronic stream of stressors, get ready to welcome a thin (then growing) layer of belly fat around your mid-section, compliments of cortisol. Those busy, busy, busy days aren’t productive for you if your goal is healthy living. Studies also show that if you take short sanity pauses throughout your day, you accomplish more with stronger focus. Relax! VITAMIN P: Pleasure. Did you know that laughter is a form of cardio? Indeed! When were the last time you laughed out loud? Maybe even sorted? If it’s been a while then… well, answer me this: What does a nosey pepper do? Gets jalapeno business! ☺ Laugh. Giggle. Smile. Enjoy something. VITAMIN S: Slow down. Exercise this in your eating, your conversation, your morning routine, your mind and thoughts. Take a slower pace with something and experience something new as you go about your day. When was the last time you made eye contact with your office mate or co-worker? When was the last time you had an old-fashioned phone conversation. You don’t have to halt all productivity; just slow the pace a bit and notice something new about your daily encounters. VITAMIN L: Love. Spend some of your day expressing gratitude to yourself and others. Pluck someone out of your life or even out of your thoughts. I have a game I play with myself where I close my eyes and empty my mind, then see who appears. Sometimes it takes a while, but people’s faces always appear. Maybe you’ll just see their names, either way, reach out. Let someone know you’re thinking about him or her, that you love him or her, or that you simply care. People love that! Remember yourself too. Look in the mirror and identify something you love about yourself or your life. Say it out loud. And smile at yourself. VITAMIN G: Grace. Sprinkle grace around like confetti, ladies. Give it to yourself for little mishaps, and share it with one another. Life is difficult and challenges pop up without notice. Everyone is trying his or her best, and the last thing anyone needs is judgment. Assume you don’t know the whole story. Assume there’s a reason they are the way they are. Assume they will smile back. People aren’t set out to ruin your day. Life just happens to all of us. Give grace and accept grace—daily. Implement these vitamins into every day of your life, and watch as you “move the needle” in a positive direction with EVERY area of your life. Reducing the fight-or-flight mentality into one of ease and flow, not only helps all of your body systems operate at their full potential, but you will allow your mind and body to repair. Now THAT’S healthy living!

Content shared with permission from MindfulnessExercises.com The things for which we have to be grateful are widespread. From lessons to people to the raw nature of the breath itself, we have much to be grateful for. This guided mindfulness meditation by Sean Fargo is an invitation to set intentions for living a full day with gratitude. Through this meditation, we are guided to consider all the ways we can feel into our capacity for gratitude and how we might express it. Setting an Intention of Gratitude Simply by setting the intention to be grateful, we will likely begin to see shifts in our experience, or at the very least, in our perception of our experience. Gratitude fills us with a sense of lightness and love, aligning us with the heart center at the core of our being. We can set multiple intentions of gratitude, but we can also begin with something simple: I will welcome this day with my open and grateful heart. A Simple Gratitude Exercise At any moment in the day, we can tune into the heart center to explore our present level of awareness. In each moment, we can ask ourselves: what is within me that I have to be grateful for? What can I appreciate about the natural world around me? What lessons have I learned today that will fuel my growth? Regardless of whether we perceive the day to be ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ we can expand our field of vision by opening to our experience with a compassionate heart. For a deeper exploration of gratitude, consider the free Living With Gratitude course offered through Mindfulness Exercises. About Sean Fargo, Founder of Mindfulness Exercises As a former Buddhist monk of two years, Certified Instructor for Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (the mindfulness program born at Google), and Certified Integral Coach (from New Ventures West), Sean Fargo blend a combination of depth and practicality to my mindfulness and meditation teachings. He started Mindfulness Exercises with the aim of helping 100 million people live with more understanding, love and compassion for themselves and for others. Sean currently runs an online Mindfulness Teacher Certification Program, training people to teach mindfulness with integrity, confidence and certified credibility. Specialties include: – stress reduction – peak performance – chronic pain – anxiety and depression – insomnia and enhanced sleep – corporate settings – healthcare and hospitals – psychology and mental health

Content shared with permission from MindfulnessExercises.com Transforming Anxiety Into Tranquility There’s no doubt about it: many of us lead hectic, stressful lives. We can go days without feeling like we even have a moment to pause and decompress. Between the demands of family, work, and the long list of responsibilities that come along with being human in the modern world, we sometimes feel as though we’re being pulled in a dozen different directions all at once. On the one hand, engaging in mindfulness exercises and practicing mindfulness meditation can do a lot to relieve these sorts of feelings. However, it’s not always as simple as just sitting down, practicing meditation, and suddenly feeling relief. In fact, attempting to “be mindful” can sometimes have the opposite effect on us. Before we know it, we’re feeling worse instead of better. Read more at: https://mindfulnessexercises.com/downloads/anxiety-and-tranquility/ About Sean Fargo, Founder of Mindfulness Exercises As a former Buddhist monk of two years, Certified Instructor for Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (the mindfulness program born at Google), and Certified Integral Coach (from New Ventures West), Sean Fargo blend a combination of depth and practicality to my mindfulness and meditation teachings. He started Mindfulness Exercises with the aim of helping 100 million people live with more understanding, love and compassion for themselves and for others. Sean currently runs an online Mindfulness Teacher Certification Program, training people to teach mindfulness with integrity, confidence and certified credibility. Specialties include: – stress reduction – peak performance – chronic pain – anxiety and depression – insomnia and enhanced sleep – corporate settings – healthcare and hospitals – psychology and mental health

[ASCEND / TOPIC: meditation / LEVEL: EASY] Resource: Mindful Meditation.com To begin this Meditation, please bring kind awareness to ➤ why you chose this topic ➤ how your belly, chest, and head each feel when you reflect on this topic ➤ the emotions that you can associate with these visceral feelings ➤ the positive or negative impact of any stories you believe in regarding this topic ➤ the fact that many others are feeling similarly about this topic as you ➤ how you might feel with increased awareness around this topic ➤ when you can apply increased mindfulness to this topic in your day-to-day life Alleviate Your Feeling of Loneliness If you have ever felt lost in loneliness, then you know how difficult it is to shake this feeling. Luckily, when you combine desire with dedication, amazing changes in your life occur. Daily meditation is simple, yet powerful…. Implementing a task and sticking to it is how we make habits. Loneliness is simply a feeling that has become habit. It cannot be cured by any external means. Your life could be full of people, and you still feel lonely. You could have no friends, and feel lonesomeness. You could be completely alone and feel lonely. As you see, it is simply a thought of separation that creates the feeling of loneliness. This can have a never-ending circling effect, until you change your focus. Let's Begin. Find a very comfortable position and make sure you will not be disturbed. So let’s begin by acknowledging the person who needs you the most. You will find this person when you look in a mirror. Say to yourself now “thank you for this moment as an opportunity” Give yourself now, the time to breathe your very best. For most of us we go entire days without even thinking about our breath, yet it is the very thing keeping us alive. Your breath has been there for you since the beginning, fitting to each moment exactly as it needs. The breath never asks questions and it never judges you. It simply does what is required, instantaneously. Let’s honor our breath now, and all it has been doing for us, with 5 significant and purposeful breaths together. 1 fully inhale….expanding your belly and chest as much as you can. Holding it for a moment… And exhale….feeling a wave of relaxation sweep over you 2 inhale….filling your entire breathing system with fresh oxygen. Hold it. And exhale….noticing again that wave of relaxation gently sweeping over you 3 inhale….very deeply so that you are brimming with air. Taking a moment at the top to soaking in the life force we call oxygen. And exhale….noticing your body relaxing in different areas, without any effort from you 4 fully inhale the life force, beginning to feel these breaths purifying your entire body Exhaling now, not having to do anything at all.…just notice how you are feeling And 5, last one, a full, beautiful breath coming in.…hold it, feeling the goodness of this simple task And exhale, allowing that wave of relaxation to sweep, again over you. Just take note of how you are feeling in this very moment. You now have an abundance of oxygen. This is how we were truly created to feel. Breathing deeply and fully is an expression of self-compassion Let your breath be natural now, and notice how abundance feels. Good. This is your new tool that you use when faced with feelings of negativity and loneliness. Take 5 deep, purposeful, and helpful breaths. That allow you…to relax. These conscious and dedicated breaths even make it difficult for you to think negatively. Next time you catch yourself, feeling hopeless, you must take these 5 healing breaths. There are many meditative techniques that give you back the reins, allowing you to take control of your emotions, instead of letting your emotions control you. Mindfulness though meditation helps you become better acquainted with yourself, and your emotions. So presently you are just relaxing and feeling very safe of comfortable. No one needs you right now, this is time you have dedicated to yourself, and nothing is disturbing you. You have no where to go and nothing you have to do right now. You are completely safe and relaxed and are able to make great changes without much effort. You are now being guided by your relaxation. Good. It’s amazing how our feelings come and go, like waves on the ocean shore. We all know that there is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling relaxed, so it is just the same as there’s nothing wrong with feeling uncomfortable. These are only sensations that you are experiencing. Sensations that come and go…come and go…. Now, gently bring into your awareness the feeling of loneliness…..and notice how and where any sensations of discomfort arises. Be with this feeling, as if you are with a friend who is very upset about something that’s happened to them. Be there for your discomfort, as if you are consoling a dear friend who has tears in their eyes. Join with your loneliness as if you are meeting up someone you love because they called you and needed you….. Is the feeling of loneliness actually scary? Or is it just like a friend, who is experiencing a bad day, and is calling out for someone to console them? You soothe your friend’s tears with your compassion, the same as you soothe lonesome feelings. Be present and listen, because you are the only one who can give solace to this feeling, just as how your friend reached out to only you when they needed comfort. You alleviate feelings of desolation by being there…WITH them, and never pushing them away. Would you tell your troubled friend to go away when they call you, upset, and asking for your presence? No. Then you do not tell your loneliness to go away either. Good, now allow any feelings of seclusion, discomfort or pain to just pass by, like a rain cloud that has bought a heavy rain. The cloud passes by, and the sun peeks out, beaming with light and warmth. When you console uncomfortable feelings, and sit with them as a friend, you are allowing a storm of upset to rain down, letting go, and then continue in the wind, seeing the sun break though, drying up the waters with it’s warmth. You can clearly see a smile on your friend’s face because you are always there for them. Good. The cure for loneliness is to change our focus, as soon as you feel it arise. Practicing these necessary techniques make for meaningful encounters with your inner self, allowing your loneliness to become your ally. Thank you and good job today. Download more mindfulness worksheets, guided meditation scripts, e-books and more at: MindfulnessExercises.com

Written By: Sayer Ji, Founder of GreenMedInfo.com Pomegranate Found To Prevent Coronary Artery Disease Progression A study published in the journal Atherosclerosis confirms that pomegranate extract may prevent and/or reverse the primary pathology associated with cardiac mortality: the progressive thickening of the coronary arteries caused by the accumulation of fatty materials known as atherosclerosis. [i] Mice with a genetic susceptibility towards spontaneous coronary artery blockages were given pomegranate extract via their drinking water for two weeks, beginning at three weeks of age. Despite the fact that pomegranate treatment actually increased cholesterol levels associated with very low density lipoprotein-sized particles, the treatment both reduced the size of the atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic sinus (the dilated opening above the aortic valve) and reduced the proportion of coronary arteries with occlusive atherosclerotic plaques. Remarkably, the researchers also found that pomegranate extract treatment resulted in the following 7 beneficial effects: Reduced levels of oxidative stress Reduced monocytie chemotactic protein-1, a chemical messenger (chemokine) associated with inflammatory processes within the arteries. Reduced lipid accumulation in the heart muscle Reduced macrophage infiltration in the heart muscle Reduced levels of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and fibrosis in the myocardium Reduced cardiac enlargement Reduced ECG abnormalities How can something as benign and commonplace as a fruit extract reverse so many aspects of coronary artery disease , simultaneously, as evidenced by the study above? The answer may lie in the fact that our ancestors co-evolved with certain foods (fruits in particular) for so long that a lack of adequate quantities of these foods may directly result in deteriorating organ function. Indeed, two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling argued that vitamin C deficiency is a fundamental cause of cardiovascular disease, owing to the fact that our hominid primate ancestors once had year-round access to fruits, and as a result lost the ability to synthesize it.  There's another obvious clue as to how pomegranate may work its artery opening magic . Anyone who has ever tasted pomegranate, or consumed the juice, knows it has a remarkable astringency, giving your mouth and gums that dry, puckering mouth feel. This cleansing sensation is technically caused, as with all astringents, by shrinking and disinfecting your mucous membranes.  Anyone who drinks pomegranate juice, or is lucky enough to eat one fresh, can understand why it is so effective at cleansing the circulatory system. Nature certainly planted enough poetic visual clues there for us: its juice looks like blood, and it does resemble a multi-chambered heart , at least when you consider its appearance in comparison to most other fruits. Indeed, your mouth and your arteries are lined with the same cell type: epithelial cells. Together, they make up the epithelium, one of four basic tissue types within animals, along with connective tissue, muscle tissue and nervous tissue, and which comprises the interior walls of the entire circulatory system. So, when you feel that amazing cleansing effect in your mouth, this is in fact akin to what your circulatory system -- and the epithelium/endothelium lining the inside of your veins and arteries -- "feels" as well. The Pomegranate "Artery Cleaning" Clinical Trial Published in  Clinical Nutrition  in 2004 and titled, " Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation ," Israeli researchers discovered pomegranate, administered in juice form over the course of a year, reversed plaque accumulation in the carotid arteries of patients with severe, though symptomless, carotid artery stenosis (defined as 70--90% blockage in the internal carotid arteries). The study consisted of nineteen patients, 5 women and 14 men, aged 65-75, non-smokers. They were randomized to receive either pomegranate juice or placebo. Ten patients were in the pomegranate juice treatment group and 9 patients that did not consume pomegranate juice were in the control group. Both groups were matched with similar blood lipid and glucose concentrations, blood pressure, and with similar medication regimens which consisted of blood-pressure lowering (e.g. ACE inhibitors, β-blockers, or calcium channel blockers) and lipid lowering drugs (e.g. statins). The ten patients in the treatment group group received 8.11 ounces (240 ml) of pomegranate juice per day, for a period of 1 year, and five out of them agreed to continue for up to 3 years. The remarkable results were reported as follows: The mean intima media thickness the left and right common carotid arteries in severe carotid artery stenosis patients that consumed pomegranate juice for up to 1 year was reduced after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of pomegranate juice consumption by 13%, 22%, 26% and 35%, respectively, in comparison to baseline values." You can only imagine what would happen if a pharmaceutical drug was shown to reverse plaque build up in the carotid arteries by 13% in just 3 months! This drug would be lauded the life-saving miracle drug, and not only would be promoted and sold successfully as a multi-billion dollar blockbuster, but discussion would inevitably follow as to why it should be mandated. While these results are impressive, if not altogether groundbreaking for the field of cardiology, they may be even better than revealed in the stated therapeutic outcomes above. When one factors in that the carotid artery stenosis increased 9% within 1 year in the control group, the pomegranate intervention group may have seen even better results than indicated by the measured regression in intima media thickness alone. That is, if we assume that the pomegranate group had received no treatment, the thickening of their carotid arteries would have continued to progress like the control group at a rate of 9% a year, i.e. 18% within 2 years, 27% within 3 years. This could be interpreted to mean that after 3 years of pomegranate treatment, for instance, the thickening of the arteries would have been reduced over 60% beyond what would have occurred had the natural progression of the disease been allowed to continue unabated. 3 Ways How Pomegranate Heals The Cardiovascular System The researchers identified three likely mechanisms of action behind pomegranate's observed anti-atherosclerotic activity: Antioxidant properties : Subjects receiving pomegranate saw significant reductions in oxidative stress, including decreases in autoantibodies formed against ox-LDL, a form of oxidized low density lipoprotein associated with the pathological process of atherosclerosis. Decreases in oxidative stress were measurable by an increase in the blood serum enzyme paraoxonase 1 (PON1) of up to 91% after 3 years; PON1 is an enzyme whose heightened activity is associated with lower oxidative stress. All of this is highly relevant to the question of pomegranate's anti-atherosclerotic activity because of something called the lipid peroxidation hypothesis of atherosclerosis, which assumes that it is the quality of the blood lipids (i.e. whether they are oxidized/damaged or not), and not their quantity alone that determine their cardiotoxicity/atherogenicity. Essentially, pomegranate prevents the heart disease promoting effects of oxidative stress.  Blood Pressure Lowering Properties : The intervention resulted in significant improvement in blood pressure: the patient's systolic blood pressure was reduced 7%, 11% ,10%, 10% and 12% after 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of pomegranate consumption, respectively, compared to values obtained before treatment. Pomegranate's ability to reduce systolic blood pressure indicates it has a healing effect on the endothelium, or the inner lining of the artery which fails to relax fully in heart disease; a condition known as endothelial dysfunction.  Plaque Lesion Stabilization : Because two of the ten patients on PJ (after 3 and 12 months) experienced clinical deterioration, carotid surgery was performed and the lesions were analyzed to determine the difference in their composition to those who did not receive pomegranate. The researchers noticed four distinct positive differences in the composition of the pomegranate-treated lesions: 1. Reduced Cholesterol Content:  "The cholesterol content in carotid lesions from the two patients that consumed PJ was lower by 58% and 20%, respectively, in comparison to lesions obtained from CAS patients that did not consume PJ (Fig. 3A)." 2.  Reduced Lipid Peroxides : "[T]he lipid peroxides content in lesions obtained from the patients after PJ consumption for 3 or 12 months was significantly reduced by 61% or 44%, respectively, as compared to lesions from patients that did not consume PJ (Fig. 3B). 3.  Increased Reduced Glutathione Content : "A substantial increase in the lesion reduced glutathione (GSH) content, (GSH is a major cellular antioxidant) by 2.5-fold, was observed after PJ consumption for 3 or 12 months, (Fig. 3C). 4.  Reduced LDL Oxidation : "LDL oxidation by lesions derived from the patients after PJ consumption for 3 or 12 months, was significantly (Po0.01) decreased by 43% or 32%, respectively, in comparison to LDL oxidation rates obtained by lesions from CAS patients that did not consume PJ (Fig. 3D)." Essentially these results reveal that not only does pomegranate reduce the lesion size in the carotid arteries, but "the lesion itself may be considered less atherogenic after PJ consumption, as its cholesterol and oxidized lipid content decreased, and since its ability to oxidize LDL was significantly reduced." This finding is quite revolutionary, as presently, the dangers of carotid artery stenosis are understood primarily through the lesion size and not by assessing for the quality of that lesion. This dovetails with the concept that the sheer quantity of lipoproteins (i.e. "cholesterol") in the blood can not accurately reveal whether those lipoproteins are actually harmful (atherogenic); rather, if lipoproteins are oxidized (e.g. ox-LDL) they can be harmful (or representative of a more systemic bodily imbalance), whereas non-oxidized low density lipoprotein may be considered entirely benign, if not indispensable for cardiovascular and body wide health. Indeed, in this study the researchers found the pomegranate group had increased levels of triglycerides and very low density lipoprotein, again, underscoring that the anti-atherosclerotic properties likely have more to do with the improved quality of the physiological milieu within which all our lipoproteins operate than the number of them, in and of itself.  Finally, it should be pointed out that all the patients in this study were undergoing conventional, drug-based care for cardiovascular disease, e.g. cholesterol- and blood pressure-lowering agents. Not only did the pomegranate treatment not appear to interfere with their drugs , making it a suitable complementary/adjunct therapy for those on pharmaceuticals, but it should be pointed out that the control group's condition got progressively worse (e.g. the mean IMT increased 9% within 1 year), speaking to just how ineffective drugs are, or how they may even contribute to the acceleration of the disease process itself. Further Validation of Pomegranate's Artery-Clearing Properties Pomegranate's value in cardiovascular health may be quiet broad, as evidenced by the following experimentally confirmed properties: Anti-inflammatory : Like many chronic degenerative diseases, inflammation plays a significant role in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis. There are five studies on GreenMedInfo.com indicating pomegranate's anti-inflammatory properties . [iii] Blood-Pressure Lowering : Pomegranate juice has natural angiotensin converting enzyme inhibiting properties, [iv] and is a nitric oxide enhancer, two well-known pathways for reducing blood pressure. [v] Finally, pomegranate extract rich in punicalagin has been found reduce the adverse effects of perturbed stress on arterial segments exposed to disturbed flow. [vi] Anti-Infective : Plaque buildup in the arteries often involves secondary viral and bacterial infection, including hepatitis C and Chlamydia pneumoniae. [vii] Pomegranate has a broad range of anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties . Antioxidant : One of the ways in which blood lipids become heart disease-promoting (atherogenic) is through oxidation. LDL, for instance, may be technically 'elevated' but harmless as long as it does not readily oxidize. Pomegranate has been found to reduce the oxidative stress in the blood , as measured by serum paraoxonase levels. One study in mice found this decrease in oxidative stress was associated with 44% reduction in the size of atherosclerotic lesions. [viii] Ant-Infective : While it is commonly overlooked, cardiovascular disease, and more particularly atherosclerosis, is connected to infection. Dentists know this, which is why they often prescribe antibiotics following dental work which releases bacteria into systemic circulation. Plaque in the arteries can also harbor viral pathogens. Pomegranate happens to have potent antiviral and antibacterial properties relevant to cardiovascular disease initiation and progression. It has been studied to combat the following infectious organisms: Avian Influenza Candida Escherichia Coli Hepatitis B HIV Influenza A Poxviruses Salmonella SARS Staphylococcus auerus Vaccinia virus Vibrio (Cholera) virus For additional research on pomegranate's heart friendly properties read our article: Research: Pomegranate May Reverse Blocked Arteries , and to learn more about it's broadly therapeutic properties read: 100+ Health Properties of Pomegranate Now Includes Helping Diabetics . Also, view our dedicated research section on reversing arterial plaque: Clogged Arteries References [i] Aishah Al-Jarallah, Fatima Igdoura, Yi Zhang, Christine B Tenedero, Elizabeth J White, Melissa E Macdonald, Suleiman A Igdoura, Bernardo L Trigatti. The effect of pomegranate extract on coronary artery atherosclerosis in SR-BI/APOE double knockout mice. Atherosclerosis. 2013 May ;228(1):80-9. Epub 2013 Mar 7. PMID: 23528829 [ii] Michael Aviram, Mira Rosenblat, Diana Gaitini, Samy Nitecki, Aaron Hoffman, Leslie Dornfeld, Nina Volkova, Dita Presser, Judith Attias, Harley Liker, Tony Hayek. Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation. Clin Nutr. 2004 Jun;23(3):423-33. PMID: 15158307 [iii] GreenMedInfo.com, Pomegranate's Anti-Inflammatory Properties [iv] Mahalaxmi Mohan, Harshal Waghulde, Sanjay Kasture. Effect of pomegranate juice on Angiotensin II-induced hypertension in diabetic Wistar rats. Phytother Res. 2009 Dec 17. PMID: 20020514 [v] Filomena de Nigris, Maria Luisa Balestrieri, Sharon Williams-Ignarro, Francesco P D'Armiento, Carmela Fiorito, Louis J Ignarro, Claudio Napoli. The influence of pomegranate fruit extract in comparison to regular pomegranate juice and seed oil on nitric oxide and arterial function in obese Zucker rats. Nitric Oxide. 2007 Aug ;17(1):50-4. Epub 2007 May 5. PMID: 17553710 [vi] Filomena de Nigris, Sharon Williams-Ignarro, Vincenzo Sica, Lilach O Lerman, Francesco P D'Armiento, Russell E Byrns, Amelia Casamassimi, Daniela Carpentiero, Concetta Schiano, Daigo Sumi, Carmela Fiorito, Louis J Ignarro, Claudio Napoli. Effects of a pomegranate fruit extract rich in punicalagin on oxidation-sensitive genes and eNOS activity at sites of perturbed shear stress and atherogenesis. Cardiovasc Res. 2007 Jan 15;73(2):414-23. Epub 2006 Sep 1. PMID: 17014835 [vii] Yasunori Sawayama, Kyoko Okada, Shinji Maeda, Hachiro Ohnishi, Norihiro Furusyo, Jun Hayashi. Both hepatitis C virus and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection are related to the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in patients undergoing lipid lowering therapy. Fukuoka Igaku Zasshi. 2006 Aug;97(8):245-55. PMID: 17087362 [viii] M Aviram, L Dornfeld, M Rosenblat, N Volkova, M Kaplan, R Coleman, T Hayek, D Presser, B Fuhrman. Pomegranate juice consumption reduces oxidative stress, atherogenic modifications to LDL, and platelet aggregation: studies in humans and in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 May ;71(5):1062-76. PMID: 10799367 Sayer Ji is founder of  Greenmedinfo.com , a reviewer at the  International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine , Co-founder and CEO of Systome Biomed , Vice Chairman of the Board of the  National Health Federation , Steering Committee Member of the Global Non-GMO Foundation . Disclaimer : This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.   "© [September 29th 2019]GreenMedInfoLLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission ofGreenMedInfoLLC. Want to learn more fromGreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here //www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter ."

Written By: Sayer Ji, Founder There is a medicinal spice so timelessly interwoven with the origins of human culture and metabolism, so thoroughly supported by modern scientific inquiry, as to be unparalleled in its proven value to human health and well-being Indeed, turmeric turns the entire drug-based medical model on its head.  Instead of causing far more side effects than therapeutic ones, as is the case for most patented pharmaceutical medications, turmeric possesses hundreds of potential side benefits, having been empirically demonstrated to positively modulate over 160 different physiological pathways in the mammalian body. While no food or herb is right for everyone, and everything has the potential for unintended, adverse side effects, turmeric is truly unique in its exceptionally high margin of safety vis-à-vis the drugs it has been compared with, e.g. hydrocortisone, ibuprofen, chemotherapy agents. Furthermore, nothing within the modern-day pharmaceutical armamentarium comes even remotely close to turmeric's 6,000 year track record of safe use in Ayurvedic medicine.[1] Despite its vast potential for alleviating human suffering, turmeric will likely never receive the FDA stamp of approval, due to its lack of exclusivity, patentability and therefore profitability. Truth be told, the FDA's "gold standard" for proving the value of a prospective medicinal substance betrays the age old aphorism: "he who owns the gold makes the rules," and unless an investor is willing to risk losing the 800+ million dollars that must be spent upfront, the FDA-required multi-phased double-blind, randomized clinical trials will not occur. For additional details on this rather seedy arrangement read our article on the topic: Why The Law Forbids The Medicinal Use of Natural Substances. Here at GreenMedInfo.com, we have reviewed over 5,000 study abstracts from the National Library of Medicine's bibliographic database known as MEDLINE and have discovered over 600 potential health benefits of turmeric, and/or its primary polyphenol known as curcumin. These can be viewed on our turmeric research page which is dedicated to disseminating the research on the topic to a larger audience. Some of the most amazing demonstrated properties include: Destroying Multi-Drug Resistant Cancer Destroying Cancer Stem Cells (arguably, the root of all cancer) Protecting Against Radiation-Induced Damage Reducing Unhealthy Levels of Inflammation Protecting Against Heavy Metal Toxicity Preventing and Reversing Alzheimer's Disease Associated Pathologies Again, what is so amazing is not that turmeric may have value in dozens of health conditions simultaneously, or that it may improve conditions that are completely resistant to conventional treatment, but that there are over six hundred additional health conditions it may also be valuable in preventing and/or treating. Consider also the fact that turmeric grows freely on the Earth, and you will understand why its very existence threatens billions of dollars in pharmaceutical industry revenue. Learn more about this research in the video below (keeping in mind that it is several years old and needing some updating), and please spread the information to others who may benefit from learning more on the topic. References [1] The Genus Curcuma (Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Industrial Profiles); CRC; March 2007 Sayer Ji is founder of Greenmedinfo.com, a reviewer at the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, Co-founder and CEO of Systome Biomed, Vice Chairman of the Board of the National Health Federation, Steering Committee Member of the Global Non-GMO Foundation. Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff. "© [July 10th 2013] GreenMedInfoLLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission ofGreenMedInfoLLC. Want to learn more fromGreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here//www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter."