Wellness Posts by Jenn Ryan

4 Signs of a Food Intolerance

support@wellness.com — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 04:00:00 Z

Wellness.com - 4 Signs of a Food Intolerance by Jenn Ryan

While some people have the notion that food intolerances don’t really exist, I’d like to beg to differ. People can have reactions to foods that their bodies have trouble tolerating, as well as mild to severe allergic reactions to foods, some of which can be life threatening. Before I found out I had a gluten intolerance, I couldn’t walk, I had an irregular heartbeat, and my immune system was basically going haywire while my muscles destroyed themselves. And then I have people tell me that I’m not “really” intolerant to gluten despite the fact that all my symptoms disappeared after less than a week of going gluten-free. Thanks for the support, guys. Anyway, if someone is experiencing any adverse health symptoms, no matter how minor or severe, here are some ways to tell if they have a food intolerance... Chronic Pain - Chronic pain is awful. You feel like you do everything you can to make it go away, but nothing quite works and if it does work, the pain always returns. Chronic pain can have a huge impact on your life. It can make even small activities seem impossible and other physical activities, such as sex or exercise, are often passed over as a result of pain. When our bodies cannot tolerate a certain food, they react. One of the most common causes of this reaction is inflammation, which can cause chronic pain. Chronic pain could be anywhere—joints, lower back, legs, shoulders, neck. Migraines could also result from a food intolerance. If anyone is experiencing chronic pain, it’s time to get a food allergen panel done by a physician or holistic doctor. Skin Rash or Acne - Some people have more sensitive skin than others, but the skin can tell us many things about our health. Anyone experiencing any type of weird skin rash or even bad acne, could have a food intolerance. One of the most common food intolerances when it comes to skin rashes or acne or eczema is -dairy. With all the hormones in cow’s milk and products such as ice cream and yogurt, your skin could be having a reaction to these growth hormones, giving you teenager-type skin well into adulthood. Get tested or try to eliminate dairy or gluten for at least 2 to 6 weeks to see if you notice a difference. Gastrointestinal Symptoms - While many people with food allergies or intolerances experience -gastrointestinal symptoms-, many of them do not! Gastrointestinal symptoms could involve upset stomach, poor digestion, belching/flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, and stomach cramps. These could happen immediately after eating a certain food or hours after eating it. If someone has experienced gastrointestinal problems their whole life, or even just recently, their body could have developed an intolerance to something they've been eating. And yes, the body can develop an intolerance pretty much overnight (happened to me!), for those of you who say “But I’ve been eating dairy/eggs/gluten/corn all this time and I’ve been fine!” - Mental or Mood Disorders - Anyone with ADHD or having issues with concentrating, forgetfulness, brain fog, solving problems, thinking, or is easily distracted might actually have a food intolerance. Food intolerances can also affect our mood by altering our brain chemistry, making us easily irritable, or making us elated and then having a crashing effect, or just having mood swings. Gluten, in particular, is noted for altering brain chemistry and producing symptoms that can be linked to -bipolar, schizophrenia, and depression. The food we consume is fuel for our bodies. This is why it doesn't make a lot of sense that many of the top allergens are in all the foods we consume: dairy, eggs, soy, wheat (gluten), corn, and nuts. When we put fuel in our bodies that our body can’t work with, our body will not work as well as it should. Living with chronic pain, a mood disorder, stomach problems, or acne is not fun. Take charge of your health and wellness and get a food allergen panel done to understand which foods are best for you and your body. And remember, no one knows your body like you do, so listen to your symptoms and demand comprehensive testing to determine what's wrong.

Are You Sabotaging Your Health with Beauty Products?

support@wellness.com — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 05:00:00 Z

Wellness.com - Are You Sabotaging Your Health with Beauty Products? by Jenn Ryan

Conventional “beauty” products are filled with chemicals, fake fragrances (aka more chemicals), dyes, and harmful agents such as aluminum, which can increase your risk for cancer. Not to mention nearly every single one of these products has been tested on animals. These products have been marketed not only to make you think that you need them, but also to make you think that they’re beneficial for you. They’re not. Chemicals in Your Makeup - Let’s begin with just a few ingredients in popular cosmetics: - Parabens. Parabens are preservatives that are used in cosmetics as well as pharmaceutical drugs, both of which test on animals (unless otherwise noted on the label for cosmetics). So what’s wrong with parabens? Parabens can cause a variety of health problems, from allergic reactions to skin irritations to -breast cancer. They're extremely controversial, yet somehow still deemed safe for cosmetic use. Sulfates. Oh, sulfates. Well known for being in anything that foams. Yes, all sorts of soaps and shampoos. However, it’s even in toothpaste and shaving cream. You’ll commonly recognize sulfate in popular compounds such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. These artificial compounds are usually harsh on your skin and hair, stripping it of vital natural oils and allowing your skin and hair to be even more susceptible to toxins (which doesn’t make a good combination when you’re washing your armpits with this stuff and then putting nasty aluminum deodorant on—yikes!) - Sulfates, like parabens, can cause -skin irritation, infertility, and even cancer. Of course, using this chemical in small amounts won’t kill you immediately—but over time, you could be setting yourself up for some serious health problems. EDTA. Oh, yum, a preservative made from formaldehyde! Pass it here, I definitely want that going in my liver. NOT. Formaldehyde is a -known carcinogen-, people! - EDTA stands for ethylene diamine triacetic acid. Whew. This stuff is in everything. It’s in soap, shampoos, hair dyes, many different lotions and facial creams, face wash, even some of your vitamins and processed food have this in there! - Propylene glycol. You gotta love -this stuff. It’s used for embalming dead humans, antifreeze, and brake fluid. Oh yeah, it’s also in a ton of your beauty products. Fragrance—A Deadly Term for Thousands of Chemicals - The -term fragrance- is what we call an umbrella term that encompasses nearly 4,000 harmful chemicals, some of which are known to be carcinogenic. Breathing in that favorite fragrance of yours—or even having it go on your skin—is dangerous. Just a few of the health problems that these fragrance chemicals can cause are: - Autoimmune disorders - Multiple sclerosis - Parkinson’s disease - Epilepsy - Dermatitis - Depression - Cancer - Asthma - Allergies - If you’re buying perfume the company that made that perfume is not required to disclose the ingredients to you. If you’re buying other beauty products, the word “fragrance” or “parfum” will simply be listed on the label. You’ll never know which fragrance chemicals your product has in there, but you do know that many of those chemicals are carcinogens. What to Do? - I could go on and on, but it’s making me a little nauseous writing about all these chemicals that we expose ourselves to (not to mention the planet) every day of our lives. So let’s think some brighter thoughts and talk about what we can do to sidestep these chemicals, stop supporting animal testing, and take our health back! - You’ve got some options here, babe! - Option #1: Buy Natural Products - There are so many different natural health products out there that can effectively replace that animal-tested, chemical-filled crap you were using from the supermarket. But, you still need to check the label, as the government doesn’t regulate the uses of the word “organic” or “natural” when it comes to beauty products. The ingredients should be easy to pronounce and there should be a “no animal testing” label on there. After all, why would they need to test on animals if they just used natural ingredients? - Option #2: Make Your Own - Making your own products is safer, more fun, and you’ll feel proud when people comment on your gorgeous lip color of your lemon body butter. For lip tints, try mica, a natural mineral. I made my own tinted lip balm with it a couple weeks ago—it’s gorgeous! For body butter, simply mix up some coconut oil, shea butter, vitamin E, and essential oils. For body butter, simply mix up some coconut oil, shea butter, vitamin E, and essential oils. The same with deodorant. In fact, you’ll find that many of your beauty products can be made with a combination of those ingredients. Perfumes? Use essential oils mixed into dark blue glass bottles. You can customize your own scent and it’s way cheaper than those carcinogens you pay for at Macy’s. Just Google recipes. It’s so easy! - Mascara? Try henna or coconut oil. I didn’t wake up one day to find that all my beauty products were toxic and tested on animals. It happened over time. I was shocked to find that I was putting carcinogens on my body. But I learned that we don’t have to buy those products or sabotage our health with them. Enjoy total wellness with natural beauty products!

This Dark Red Vegetable Boosts Your Libido and Makes Your Brain Look Younger

support@wellness.com — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 05:00:00 Z

Wellness.com - This Dark Red Vegetable Boosts Your Libido and Makes Your Brain Look Younger by Jenn Ryan

Their deep, saturated red will make you sweat. Their thick stems are seductively plump. Their green, leafy tops are vibrant and tasty. What vegetable could we possibly be talking about? - The beet - Beets certainly don’t have a rep as the coolest of all vegetables, but when you take their health benefits into account, they begin to look more and more attractive. These root vegetables have been around for quite some time—in fact, ancient Romans renowned their ability to increase drive and produce feelings of passion. When you see their deep color, it’s no surprise these antioxidant-rich gems inspire desire. Beets have pretty amazing effects on the body besides drive—they can actually help slow down aging of the brain. A powerful detox tool, cancer protector, and hormone revving vegetable, the beet could become your next food staple. Detox Your Body - Beets are phenomenal for -detoxing your liver- because they contain phytonutrients that stimulate cells in the liver to -get rid of toxins. Since this is one of the liver’s most important jobs, you can enhance your body’s ability to flush out toxins just by eating beets. Your liver is responsible for- removing extra hormones, toxic food additives, and poisonous medications from your body. As a result of this, it purifies your blood and removes invaders from your system, therefore preventing them from negatively affecting your body. Betaine- is an important compound in beets that promotes healing in the liver. Betaine also helps the liver to efficiently remove toxins and -promote overall wellness. Beets are also known for lowering blood pressure, helping to balance blood sugar, and improving digestion. When you want a body that excels at expelling toxins, incorporate beets into your diet! - Slow Down Brain Aging - It turns out that drinking beet juice might be a great alternative to getting old. Researchers- found that drinking beet juice before exercising delivered more oxygen to the brain. This resulted in the brains of older adults resembling those of people much younger. It also strengthens parts of the brain, such as your primary motor cortex (the area responsible for regulating movement). By increasing blood flow to the brain, beet juice can also help prevent cognitive decline. Cognitive decline is most evident in diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and affects over 5 million Americans. In addition, -beets are also good for increasing your exercise stamina. This could have something to do with their ability to help the body deliver more oxygen to muscles and strengthen the motor cortex, which is largely responsible for interpreting muscle movements. Protect Cells from Cancer - Research shows- that beetroot can be an effective “nutritional approach” to managing cancer. This is due to betalains, which are the antioxidants that give beets their amazing, rich color. Betalains -have been proven- to shrink cancerous tumors and inhibit the growth of cancer cells through their ability to neutralize free radicals in the body. In addition, beets are also an inflammation fighter, and chronic inflammation -is a risk factor- for developing cancer. You can help protect your body from cancer by drinking beet juice or just eating beets more regularly. Their phytonutrient content is highly beneficial for the body and may just protect you from the unregulated cell growth that constitutes both benign and malignant tumors. Amp Up Your Drive - Beets are a rich source of a mineral called boron, which is directly linked to the production of certain hormones that charge up the romantic experience. In fact, supplementing the diet with more boron -has been proven- to increase the levels of hormones in both men and women. Eating beets also produces nitric oxide in the body. This happens because beets contain nitrates which are turned into nitric oxide. This, in turn, -widens blood vessels- and increases circulation, therefore also helping the health of your reproductive organs. This could help both your fertility and your drive! - And finally, eating beets promotes increased energy levels, meaning you’ll be more energized and ready to go when it comes time to get physical. Beets have been considered something of a miracle when it comes to root vegetables. These crimson circular roots can have huge benefits for the body. Beets can detox your liver, make your brain more youthful, protect against cancer, and boost your romantic life. Now, go cook some beets or juice these beauties tonight! - Save

Put Down the Wine: Breast Cancer Risk and Alcohol

support@wellness.com — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 04:00:00 Z

Wellness.com - Put Down the Wine: Breast Cancer Risk and Alcohol by Jenn Ryan

A -recent report- published by the World Cancer Research Fund found that even a small drink every day increases your breast cancer risk. This comes as some discouraging news for women who enjoy a beer, a glass of wine, or the occasional shot of hard liquor. Although- alcohol- has long been associated with an increased risk for certain types of cancers, this new evidence shows just how much alcohol affects your risk and what you can do to counteract the effects. Here’s what researchers found and how exercise can actually reduce your chances of getting breast cancer! - One Drink a Day Affects Your Risk - A small glass of alcohol every day often feels harmless, especially when it comes after a long, hard day at work. At that point, it feels like the alcohol is doing you more good than harm! - However, the opposite is true. Researchers found that just one drink a day—a mere 10 grams of alcohol—increased breast cancer risk by 5% for women who haven’t gone through menopause yet. For women who have gone through menopause, the risk jumps up to 9%. This is unfortunate considering that the average -5-ounce glass of wine or 12-ounce beer- has 14 grams of alcohol in it. This means that 10 grams is actually less than the -standard drink-, so in order to curb your risk of breast cancer, you won’t even be able to finish that glass of wine. Exercise Decreases Breast Cancer Risk - So what’s a girl who loves red wine and the occasional gluten-free beer to do? - There’s some good news here, don’t worry. Researchers in the study also found that exercise actually reduced breast cancer risk. In fact, there’s a 17% decreased risk among premenopausal women and 10% for postmenopausal. This type of exercise could include “vigorous, occupational, recreational, walking, and household activity” according to the report. You can help boost your immune system, stop oxidative stress, and reduce your risk for cancer by exercising. Whether you choose to dance, swim, run, or just go walking with a friend, you can still enjoy that small glass of alcohol and not feel worried about an increased risk for breast cancer. How Much You Can Safely Drink - Now that we’ve established that alcohol increases your risk of breast cancer but that exercise helps decrease it, let’s talk about how much you can safely drink. If you’re a daily drinker, aim to have no more than 10 grams a day. This means less than the traditional 5-ounce glass of wine or 12-ounce beer. This sounds like an awkward amount of alcohol, so here’s how you can do it—just don’t drink every day. By limiting your intake of alcohol, you can enjoy alcohol more when you actually do have it. Choose to not drink every day and only drink a few nights a week or even better yet, a few times a month. The less you drink, the more you can help decrease your risk of breast cancer when it comes to alcohol. For exercise, many institutions recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week (this amounts to -2 ½ hours weekly-) or 1 hour and 15 minutes of intense exercise per week. As long as you’re exercising regularly, you can help decrease your chances of getting breast cancer and help your body be healthier! - Other Helpful Practices to Minimize Your Risk for Breast Cancer - Since over -316,120 women in the United States- alone will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year (40,610 of which will die), it’s understandable that you’d want to know more about minimizing your risk. Women get diagnosed with breast cancer more than any other cancer. Although men can also get breast cancer, they account for only about 1% of cases each year. Here are other practices you can do to help prevent breast cancer: - Stay at a healthy weight.- Be informed about your weight. If you’re overweight, your risk of breast cancer goes up. You can find out how your current weight compares to others of your height by checking your -body mass index (BMI). Stop smoking.- Smoking, just like drinking alcohol, increases your risk for cancer. Eat healthy. Fruits and vegetables- can help promote a healthy immune system, a normal weight, and decreased chances of getting cancer. If you have children or plan to have children, breastfeeding actually -reduces your risk of breast cancer- as long as it’s for one year or more. Stop taking hormonal birth control.- Birth control pills -increase your risk- for breast cancer, and women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer are advised not to take birth control pills, even if their cancer is gone. Although there are some unavoidable risk factors for breast cancer such as age and gender, there are many avoidable ones that you can control to help decrease your risk. Many experts agree that yearly mammograms aren’t necessary and can actually -expose breast tissue to radiation- which increases breast cancer risk. With that being said, you should still get exams with your healthcare provider to ensure you’re healthy and to talk about your risk for breast cancer. This new research shows just how much our diet affects our chances of getting cancer. Even a small drink every day can increase your breast cancer risk. Reduce your chances by putting down the wine and hitting the treadmill after work—I promise it’ll be more stress relieving and have better benefits for your body, no matter how tasty that wine seems at the time!

What Exactly Is Wrong With Commercial Beef?

support@wellness.com — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 04:00:00 Z

Wellness.com - What Exactly Is Wrong With Commercial Beef? by Jenn Ryan

Many of us are swayed by advertising. Commercials that show happy cows in a pasture, a package of beef that says “free-range” or “grass-fed”or “organically-raised:” it seems easy to make the right choices at the supermarket. We as consumers are convinced we know how to tell good food from bad food, best practices from worst practices, and healthy nutrition from the stuff that just mimics it. But is this true? - The meat industry today has gotten very good at masquerading as “local” farms. Even the USDA has standards that are easily sidestepped. For instance, when it comes to free-range eggs in the United States, the USDA’s only qualification is that the chickens have—at some point in their short lives—been allowed access to the outside. This usually means a door on the side of barn that’s opened for the last week or so of the chicken’s life. But by this point, the chicken has spent its entire life in a barn and is terrified to go through that door (source: -Michael Pollan-). This is exactly what’s wrong with commercial beef:- The industry today is allowed to say "organic" as long as they use pesticides that are organically-derived. They’re allowed to say free-range as long as their animals have been allowed access to the outside. They’re allowed to sell us meat that’s contaminated with hormones, “superbugs,” antibiotics, and steroids. It’s Still in There After Cooking - There’s -a study- that shows that at least one of five different types of scary bacteria are present in your meat even after cooking it at the proper temperature. Not to mention the hormones and antibiotics you’re ingesting as well. Your meat has been raised in an environment that’s unnatural—this means the animals are usually sick, so the quality of your meat will be inferior. Cows that are allowed to be cows—meaning they’re pasture born and raised, well taken care of, and allowed to mature naturally and eat their natural diet of grasses—produce healthy beef that contains less fat than commercial meat. It also has less calories, more essential fats that are healthier, and more vitamins and minerals. In the demand for food, factory farms have attempted to raise cattle cheaply with growth hormones, therefore the cows are slaughtered at a young age. Their beef is fatty and contains little nutrients because the cattle were fed corn. Nearly 90% of all the corn in the United States is genetically modified. This means the seeds are unnatural, not to mention the fact that cows are not even grain eaters. Their digestive systems have trouble processing grains, therefore they usually get sick and produce methane gas. And people blame our damaged atmosphere on cars (which is partially true, but cars and factories are not solely responsible). Inhumane Treatment - Any beef you pick up at the grocery store has most likely had a tortured life. The cattle are taken away from their mothers at young ages, force fed grains that are unnatural to them, and most of them are never outside. They aren’t allowed to eat their natural diet of grasses or even age naturally. Some of the cattle may be branded, their testicles are removed without anesthesia (men, I know you'd love it if someone tied a band around your testicles until they turned black and fell off without anesthesia), and they’re kept inside all the time. When animals aren’t able to move much and fed diets that are unnatural to them, not only do they get sick, but they also produce an inferior quality of meat. Their meat has gotten so innutritious that it provides little in the way of nutrients and can lead to heart disease, cancer, and a range of other illnesses and diseases. When you buy beef at the supermarket, not only are you supporting inhumane factory farms, but you’re also consuming meat that’s hardly even meat anymore on account of the fact that it’s been unethically and inorganically-raised. I don't know about you, but I don't really want my kids eating growth hormones or antibiotics from dead animals. What Can You Do? - Well, you can stop buying beef at the supermarket for one. In fact, you should probably stop buying meat at McDonald’s, or a gas station food section, or even a restaurant. The only way to ensure you’re getting healthy, humanely-raised and treated beef is by buying local. Finding local farms in your area and visiting them can ensure that the cattle are pastorally raised and allowed to do their thing as cows. The farmers should treat their cows with respect, they should get plenty of grass and sunshine, and the cows should have access to humane care should they need it, such as if they get an injury or in the rare event that they get sick. A meat-free diet or a diet low in meat can have many health benefits: -Packing in the veggies and healthy fats can help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol levels, and reduce -your risk of cancer- and other chronic diseases. We are what we eat—this statement has never been more true than it is today.

Is It Really More Expensive to Eat Healthier? Your Guide to Cheap Healthy Eating

support@wellness.com — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 05:00:00 Z

Wellness.com - Is It Really More Expensive to Eat Healthier? Your Guide to Cheap Healthy Eating by Jenn Ryan

It seems like every time my fiancé and I are at the grocery store, we happen to walk past aisles that sells loaves of bread for 99 cents or a huge bag of chips for a couple dollars. We gawk at these prices—how could anything so cheap ever be healthy? Isn’t good food more expensive? - A study published in the -British Medical Journal- (BMJ) in 2013 shows that eating healthier foods cost, on average, $1.56 more per day than buying foods considered to be less healthy based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet. However, this -difference is pretty minor- when you consider the prices of fresh, organic foods compared to prepackaged, preservative-filled foods. It can certainly be considered trivial when you also consider the actual cost of eating cheap! - What is your $1.56 less per day doing for your health? Here’s why eating healthy really isn’t more expensive—and a guide to circumnavigating those complex marketing claims at the grocery store. The Meat Difference - The study done by the British Medical Journal showed that the greatest difference in price for healthy vs. non-healthy foods was most evident in meat or protein purchases. This means that if you regularly consume -commercial meat-, you’re going to pay more for an organic or “natural” version of these meats than for a conventional side of beef. So what are you really buying here? - When you purchase cheap meat, you’re likely consuming antibiotics, hormones, and unhealthy saturated fats. Low-priced meat likely came from an animal that was fed the cheapest food available—this means genetically modified organisms (-GMOs-) and a sick, sad life for the animal, as these foods are not part of their natural diet. So not only are you spending money for unhealthy food that’s going to -increase your risk for chronic disease-, but you’re also going to have to spend more than any other group of food to buy a healthy version of this stuff, according to the BMJ. Vegetables are cheaper, healthier, and -every vegetable contains protein. Buying Cheap Means Living Expensively - Many families say they can’t afford to eat healthily. But buying cheaper foods can lead to a costlier lifestyle. How can this be when the whole point of buying cheaper food is to live… well, cheaply? - Here’s how it happens. These foods are not nutrient dense.- What this means is that despite eating a decent serving size of these cheaper foods, you’re likely to still feel hungry afterward. This is because simple sugars lack fiber and nutrients -despite having more calories-, therefore leaving you feeling less full, despite increased consumption.Not to mention that since sugar is more addictive than - Not to mention that since sugar is more addictive than -cocaine and heroin-, it wires your brain to want more. Therefore you consume more calories than you would if you’d eaten whole foods. These foods cause weight gain.- For the same reasons above—more sugar, less fiber, and empty calories. Therefore, you increase your risk for illness and disease including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity (yes, apparently -obesity is a disease- now).Health problems are expensive! This is why the food industry doesn’t want you to be healthy—being healthy doesn’t cost much. Sickness costs a lot. Health problems are expensive! This is why the pharmaceutical industry doesn’t want you to be healthy—being healthy doesn’t cost much. Sickness costs a lot. You can and will get sick.- Eating cookies might make you feel great for a little white, but the toxic stress on your body in the form of acidic sugar can cause increased joint pain, liver damage, insulin disruption, -and more. Sugar can even increase your risk for cancer, as cancer cells have twice as many insulin receptors as normal cells and therefore can -accelerate cancer cell growth. Eating cheaply has never been more expensive. Eating Healthy on a Budget—Claims to Overlook and Ones to Grab! - Marketing advertisers are hard at work trying to get you to buy their product. The truth is many of these claims have no backing. This includes claims of “all natural”, “-dairy-free-”, and “wheat-free”. No, it’s not natural. Yes, it does have dairy in it, and yeah, totally has gluten. Instead, here are some claims you should be looking for: - Non-GMO - Gluten-free (if you have a problem with gluten) - Organic - No added sugar (but check the label to make sure they didn’t put fake sugar in there) - Local (is it, though?) - And here are some labels you should ignore: free-range (they’re not), good source of fiber (it’s…not), fat-free (that’s a bad thing?) and zero trans-fat (the FDA dictates -0.5 grams or less- actually means “zero”). Here are the top budget-friendly healthy foods you can buy: - Bananas - Broccoli - Kale - Wild-caught fish - Beans - Nuts and seeds (think chia, flax, and walnuts) - Brown rice - Oats - Russet potatoes - Spinach - Broccoli, kale, and spinach are big cancer fighters, while healthy fats like wild-caught fish, nuts, and seeds will boost brain function! Whole grains like brown rice and oats help keep you full. Potatoes and beans pair great with many different meals and are excellent to have around. Buy in bulk for even cheaper prices and reap the benefits of these healthy foods! Obviously, I would recommend you buy organic for the most benefits. While these foods may seem expensive at first glance, consider: you'll eat less of them, feel better, and invest in your health. Now that we’ve seen the true cost of eating healthier—lower risk of illness, decreased healthcare costs, and ultimately more savings—we can put to rest the myth that eating healthier is actually more expensive. The $1.56 you save per day when buying unhealthy food will come back to bite you as your health is impacted by these cheaper foods. What’s your health worth, after all?

The Perks of Being a Tea Drinker

support@wellness.com — Sat, 20 Aug 2022 04:00:00 Z

Wellness.com - The Perks of Being a Tea Drinker by Jenn Ryan

Many people flock to coffee shops to grab a steaming hot cup of their favorite coffee. While coffee has some benefits, it can also provide loads upon loads of too much caffeine, weird chemicals, and worst of all, bad breath and stained teeth! Tea is much more customizable and beneficial. What are the perks of being a tea drinker? - Antioxidant Benefits - While coffee has antioxidants, tea is a richer and safer source. Antioxidants are substances that help to combat free radicals in our body, which can cause cancer. They do this by neutralizing the free radicals so that they’re no longer harmful to our bodies. Some of the antioxidants that teas contain include polyphenols, which may help prevent atherosclerosis, aging, and cancer; flavonoids, which can be broken down into thousands of subcategories and can help with inflammation, heart disease, and may help support a healthy nervous system. Getting antioxidants in the form of tea is one of the best perks of being a tea drinker, because you can avoid the jittery morning meetings that come with too much caffeine, a hangover that involves a migraine because you skipped a day of coffee (something we can actually become addicted to), and not have to spend all day worrying if you still have that morning coffee breath. Another benefit of getting your antioxidants from tea is that you get to choose your caffeine level! - Choose Your Caffeine Level - All teas have less caffeine than coffee, so this is good news! Your body really doesn’t need the level of caffeine that comes with coffee. This caffeine can keep you up at night, make you crash in the afternoon, give you headaches on the days you don’t have it, and even make you more prone to anxiety. With tea, you can customize your caffeine level. While black tea tends to have the most caffeine, oolong tea follows, but green tea has even less, white tea has less than that, or you can choose herbal tea, which has no caffeine at all! Being able to customize your caffeine level is something you can’t achieve with coffee—even if it’s not brewed as strong or is watered down, you’re still getting caffeine. Even with decaf you’re not safe! - With tea, you can create your own blends from loose leaf tea and mix them together to create a unique caffeine level that your body will tolerate. While I mostly prefer herbal teas, there’s nothing quite like a refreshing cup of green tea in the morning—and don’t worry, you won’t feel jittery afterwards! - Avoid Bad Breath and Stained Teeth - It’s true that tea can still stain your teeth, especially strong black tea. Even though there’s a potential for this, you still won’t get the same kind of staining that you’ll be exposing yourself to with coffee. Coffee can stain teeth even after short periods of time, especially if you’re not brushing afterwards or if you’re an all-day coffee drinker. The bad breath associated with coffee drinkers comes from the dehydration that it causes. With so much caffeine, your mouth can get pretty dry, and this upsets the balance of good and bad bacteria in your mouth, which is vital for protecting your teeth, gums, and, let’s face it, your fresh breath reputation! - With tea, you’re getting significantly less caffeine, and you’re not getting quite the same dehydrating effects that you’re getting with coffee. Especially if you’re drinking herbal tea, you’re helping to hydrate yourself. Avoiding bad breath and stained teeth is something tea drinkers love about drinking tea! Sipping tea keeps you fresh, helps you stay hydrated, and can be healthier for your mouth. Rev Up Your Metabolism - Some teas—especially green tea—has been shown to boost your metabolism and get you burning some calories! This can help you to burn fat even when you’re not exercising. Drinking a couple cups a day can help you get some great antioxidants, help you relax during your lunch break, and kick your metabolism into gear. While coffee can also raise your metabolism, you’d need to drink it in moderation to get the same effects. The caffeine may boost your metabolism but the other effects of coffee might not make you feel so great throughout the day. Giving your metabolism and your body a little boost during the day is a big perk of being a tea drinker! There’s so many different kinds of tea out there, you probably won’t be able to just stick with one. Grow Your Own! - From strawberry green tea to black vanilla chai tea, there’s some amazing teas out there. One of the best things about teas is that they’re normally not the victims of artificial flavor additives like many popular coffees out there, especially seasonal coffees like pumpkin spice. This doesn’t mean you don’t need to read the label though, because you do! - However, one of the awesome perks of being a tea drinker is that you can actually grow your own. While growing and harvesting coffee from home can be pretty difficult and time consuming, growing tea is easy. Plant some herbs in your garden—lemon balm, lavender, sage, rosemary, stevia, thyme, and mint can all make excellent teas. Chop off some leaves and brew fresh! When the end of the season comes, gather stalks of your herbs before they die and hang inside. You can crumble the dry leaves to make tea throughout the winter. While both coffee and tea have their benefits, the perks of being a tea drinker are undeniable. From so many different kinds with their antioxidant power, various caffeine levels, and health benefits, there’s no reason to skip the next tea party you’re invited to!

Top 4 Alternatives to Overly Caffeinated Beverages

support@wellness.com — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 04:00:00 Z

Wellness.com - Top 4 Alternatives to Overly Caffeinated Beverages by Jenn Ryan

Caffeine is insanely popular. It’s a magical drug that can help you feel awake when you’re not actually. It increases your heart rate and blood pressure. It increases circulation to your brain, therefore -prompting studies- that show coffee can help prevent cognitive decline and increase concentration. It can even induce panic attacks, but you know, that’s another story. Here are some of the top four overly caffeinated beverages and what you can replace them with to reduce your caffeine intake and say hello to natural sources of energy. 1. Black Tea: Replace with Green or Herbal Tea - Although black tea has about half of the caffeine of a cup of coffee, it still contains about 47 milligrams of the stuff. This means that if you have two cups of black tea throughout your day, it’s still like drinking coffee. Black tea is also reported to contain yeast, which can be detrimental for those who suffer from yeast sensitivities and allergies. You can replace black tea with green tea, which has less than 30 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Green tea and black tea are actually from the same plant but just processed differently. Because green tea isn’t allowed to oxidize, it contains -more antioxidants than black tea-, which can protect against free radicals. You can also replace black tea with herbal tea—but if you do this immediately, you may notice that your body has trouble adjusting from the lack of caffeine intake. I switched from black to green tea, then from green to herbal. It was a much smoother transition! - 2. Soda: Replace with Kombucha - Although sodas don’t contain a huge amount of caffeine, some of them contain upwards of 30-40 milligrams, which sets you back at a black-tea level. If you consume several sodas throughout the day, you might as well have just drunk a couple cups of coffee and gotten it over with! - Kombucha is a fabulous drink that’s loaded with probiotics. Probiotics- nourish your gut and your entire body and give you a natural boost from drinking these beneficial organisms. Probiotics are a type of good bacteria that many people are lacking in. They’re typically found in fermented foods and drinks—kombucha is one of them! - Kombucha is carbonated and comes in many different flavors. I love strawberry, but you can try any kind—they are much healthier than soda and if you get the right kind, contain no sugar or caffeine, just a natural probiotic kick! - 3. Energy Drinks: Replace with Natural Versions - Conventional energy drinks have gotten -pretty scary. They contain unsafe levels of caffeine and sugar, and they contain ingredients that have many parents shaking their heads. These energy drinks not only cause a dangerous caffeine and sugar high, but they can actually make your heart rate skyrocket and increase your risk for heart health problems. You can mix up your own energy drink instead to help your body balance its nutrients again. You can mix up an easy and healthful natural energy drink at home with ingredients that generally everyone has on hand, so give natural energy drinks a try. Check out some recipes and the -benefits of some of their ingredients-! - 4. Coffee: Replace with Cocoa - I know you’re tempted to buy a coffee at this point, but please don’t. Try raw cocoa powder instead! This stuff contains zinc, magnesium, and iron: all essential minerals for your body. Cocoa powder also contains some caffeine, but less than coffee or tea. Raw cocoa also contains -beneficial antioxidants-, and thanks to its iron and low caffeine content, gives you a natural boost! - Try drinking raw cocoa in smoothies, in a glass of water, or in hot chocolate sweetened with maple syrup rather than conventional sugar! - Instead of drinking caffeine throughout the day, rehydrate with these natural energy boosters. Rehydrating is essential to helping your body get rid of toxins and keep all your electrolytes in balance. Plus, your skin will look better, you’ll feel better, and let’s face it—those natural energy drinks? They taste fabulous!

Replace Soda with Kombucha

support@wellness.com — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 09:00:00 Z

Wellness.com - Replace Soda with Kombucha by Jenn Ryan

If you haven’t heard of kombucha, get your wow face on! It’s a fermented tea that’s loaded with probiotics, a tangy great taste, and can be sweetened with fruits or combined with other superfoods such as algae to have even more health benefits. Because the kombucha is fermented, it’s carbonated so it has that fizziness you love just like soda. Here’s why you replace soda with kombucha. It’s Healthier! - We all know how evil soda is. It’s full of sugar, GMOs (high fructose corn syrup anyone?), artificial flavors and colors, and worst of all, if you’re buying diet, you’re exposing your body to fake sugar. Which, let’s face it, is the -worst thing ever for your body. Nothing like introducing some fake chemicals into your most precious asset in life. Anyway, kombucha rocks because it doesn’t have any of that stuff in it. Although sugar is needed to get the kombucha to ferment, very little remains after the kombucha is done with the fermentation process. Kombucha doesn’t have any artificial flavors or colors and it doesn’t have GMOs. Regular soda definitely does not have probiotics in it either. Probiotics are great not only for your digestion but are required to keep your whole body running smoothly. Probiotics for Digestion - Let’s talk about probiotics a little bit. Chances are you’ve heard of “antibiotics”, which are inherently evil. Just kidding (cough). But, let’s look at the difference between a probiotic and an antibiotic and what they do to your body. A probiotic is microorganism that helps your body out, especially if you’ve lost good bacteria in your body through an illness or infection. Probiotics can help with your gut especially if you have a sensitive stomach or irritable bowels (which could be being caused by a food allergy, ahem). Probiotics can also help keep you in optimal health. Just keep in mind that probiotics from dairy sources such as yogurt and kefir might not be your best bet. An antibiotic was made to be used against certain diseases or infections. This means the antibiotic will kill the bacteria that’s causing your illness—along with all the other good bacteria that will help you heal. So although antibiotics do have their uses, many times they can make you take longer to heal rather than make you heal faster. There are natural antibiotics such as garlic, honey, coconut oil, and fermented foods like raw apple cider vinegar. Kombucha is packed with probiotics to help keep you healthy and keep your gut happy. And as we all know, many diseases originate from within the gut. It’s where all the action happens! - Help Prevent Chronic Disease, Not Encourage It - We’ve known for a while that drinking soda isn’t good for you. It’s ridiculously high in sugar and can encourage weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and an array of other health problems. This is especially true if you drink soda every day—an occasional soda may be ok, but if you’re drinking it all the time, you’re most likely doing serious damage to your body and encouraging -your risk for several different diseases to skyrocket. Why drink soda when you could have a kombucha-? While it doesn’t have the sickeningly sweet taste of soda, many kombuchas are sweetened with fruit puree to make them taste like a strawberry soda (hello, G.T’s Strawberry Serenity). Just, you know, without the artificial crap and crazy sugar content. Giving up soda should have been on your agenda a long time ago. Now, you’ve got something amazing to replace it with. You can even make your own kombucha at home! Get some powerful probiotics, amazing flavors, and get your bubbly on with some kombucha, and kick that soda to the curb!

6 Reasons You Need to Start Using Calendula Flowers Right Now

support@wellness.com — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 08:00:00 Z

Wellness.com - 6 Reasons You Need to Start Using Calendula Flowers Right Now by Jenn Ryan

Calendula flowers are these gorgeous yellow flowers that are commonly referred to as marigolds. In truth, calendula flowers are a different species of marigold, but they still have that bright yellow-orange color and are easy to grow. Many of us have seen marigold flowers before—but few of us have used them. Calendula is an excellent healer and its bright yellow color just can’t help but make you smile. Here are 6 reasons you need to start using this flower right now! - 1. It’s Better Than Neosporin - Calendula flowers are so great at healing that they actually help to -heal wounds twice as fast- as wounds that are untreated. If you’re trying to heal a wound with Neosporin plan on waiting a little longer—it’s meant to act as an antibiotic on your wound, which means it's also stopping the good bacteria from doing their job. Make a salve out of calendula and discover just how much better it is for healing and protecting your skin than Neosporin! - 2. Helps Detox You - Did you know that calendula actually helps to detox your lymphatic system? - Your lymph nodes are those wonderful glands located in your neck, underneath your arms, and groin area that help keep you from getting sick. Their job is to stop invaders from entering the body. Our lymph nodes don’t properly detox, for a number of reasons. One reason is related to religiously -wearing a bra-, which can put pressure on your lymph nodes and prevent them from freely detoxing. Another reason is not exercising. Did you know that you have twice as much lymph fluid in your body than blood? Pretty crazy, right? - Calendula can help effectively detox the lymphatic system and therefore keep your body toxin-free and better prepared to handle sickness. 3. Acts as a Guard Against Illness - Because calendula is anti-inflammatory and detoxes your lymph nodes, it can help your body to effectively fight off illness and reduce inflammation that happens through stress, sickness, or toxins. You can use calendula to help support immunity by drinking it as a tea, bathing in some luscious calendula flowers, or even using it as a tincture! - 4. Gets You Gorgeous Skin - Calendula is gentle and can be used internally or either topically on the skin (although I would recommend consulting an herbalist before doing either). Its high level of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory action on the body can help balance your skin and give you a gorgeous glow! - For the skin, calendula can help heal dermatitis, stop acne, and even be an effective -remedy for eczema.- You can make a calendula lotion or use it as a salve, but either way, take advantage of this herb for gorgeous skin all fall and winter long! - 5. Helps Menstrual Cramps - I don’t know about you, but sometimes during my period I actually do look like Kristen Wiig from Bridesmaids: “You look like you have menstrual cramps.” Definitely not showing my “love is eternal” face at that time of the month, am I right? - Luckily for you ladies out there, calendula is anti-spasmodic. This means that it can help prevent and treat uterine spasms, which is common during -dysmenorrhea-, or the condition of having really painful menstrual cramps. Drinking calendula tea may be effective either before your cycle starts or during your painful menstruation. You can also use calendula essential oil in a massage on your tummy. 6. Improves Happiness - Calendula flowers are beautiful. They act as tiny globes of sunlight during those depressing winter months. So whether you suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or just want some more sunshine when there’s five feet of snow on the ground, calendula can help. Some people use calendula for its -soothing effect on the nervous system- as well as to help with depression. Grow some calendula flowers in your garden or get some dried flowers to use all winter! - In short, calendula flowers are beautiful additions to food, can be used as a pick-me-up during the winter, can prevent the onset of Kristen Wiig-like behavior during your period, and kicks Neosporin to the curb when it comes to healing. Do you need any more reasons to check out this flower? Get some today!