Nutrition
The Holiday Survival Toolkit: How to Not Drink at Parties (And Still Have Fun)
The holiday season is upon us and we all know what that means—parties.
Parties at work, parties at church, parties at school, fundraiser parties, caroling parties, Secret Santa parties…
It’s the season of so many parties that we long for a weekend night with nothing scheduled.
All the parties can lead to excess, but the biggest party of the season, New Year’s Eve, can be the topper. Many people drink so much that it can take days to feel healthy again. And even if you don’t drink to drunkenness, your extra alcohol intake in the month of December can take its toll.
I think it’s great to celebrate and enjoy the company of your loved ones, but I don’t want to see you sick. Find out how to not drink (or at least drink less) this party season. continue reading
The Best (and Worst) Thanksgiving Foods
Thanksgiving is a great meal. Friends and family come together to give thanks and celebrate the harvest season–
…and to overeat.
All of us know the feeling of eating too much, too heavy, too rich. When we should be enjoying our time with loved ones, we are uncomfortable. We exasperate our health conditions and catch a cold. We put on weight and feel lethargic.
I’m not going to tell you to make dramatic changes to your Thanksgiving meal. Usually that doesn’t work—and besides, it’s no fun.
Instead I suggest you just make small choices. Pick one food instead of the other. Make little positive choices and they’ll add up to a healthier, more enjoyable meal. continue reading
The Surprising Truth about Migraine Triggers
How much do you really know about controlling your migraines?
New research suggests you may not know as much as you think.
According to Timothy T. Houle, Ph.D and co-author Dana P. Turner, M.S.P.H., both of the Wake Forest Baptist anesthesiology department, migraine sufferers make inaccurate conclusions about what triggers their migraines. Houle and Turner conducted a 3-month study of 9 women who suffered from migraines. They tracked the women’s hormone levels, their stress levels and the weather. The women kept daily diaries. At the end of the study, the scientists could not accurately predict which triggers would cause a migraine.
Their conclusion—most people can’t isolate the many complex variables in everyday life to accurately determine their migraine triggers.
So what can you do? Can you start eating anything you want? Do you give up managing your migraines?
The One Simple Summer Eating Tip to Make You Feel Fantastic
Healthy eating tips for the summer are a little tricky.
Since the weather is warm, you need light, cooling foods. Juicy peaches, sweet watermelons, tomatoes hot off the vine… The right foods are easy to find. One trip through your garden or a walk through a farmer’s market and you’ll have the perfect summer meal.
But since you’re outside exercising and working in the garden, you build up an appetite. You work hard and play hard. You crave calories to keep the fire burning. Are cucumbers the first food you reach for after rototilling the garden? Probably not.
Unfortunately, many times craving calories trumps craving fresh food. You satisfy your appetite with a meal of tortilla chips and soda. Or brats and beer. Or hamburgers and ice cream.
And afterward you feel full, bloated and hot.
Fortunately there is a solution. It is possible to eat well, have energy and avoid feeling bloated.
The trick is in the timing.
With an easy tweak to your natural summer diet, you’ll feel fantastic. continue reading
Spring Acupuncture Tips to Keep You Healthy, Happy and Flexible
Spring is a happy time. Bunnies hop about. Flowers emerge in long forgotten corners of your garden. The birds return and sing so loudly they wake you in the morning.
This is not a time to be angry.
But according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, being angry is exactly what you can expect if you don’t balance your wood element.
In TCM, spring is represented by the element wood. Wood represents birth and newness, the time for fresh ideas and new starts. Unsurprisingly, its color is green like the fresh growth of spring.
Wood governs your spine, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. A wood imbalance can lead to spinal problems, poor flexibility or arthritis. Wood also governs your eyes.
But most important for your mood, wood governs your liver. Read More…
9 Natural Ways to Prevent the Flu
The flu is especially widespread this year. We know you want to stay well. In addition to offering acupuncture to strengthen your immune system to help prevent flu, we here at Purple Dragon will share with you these 9 helpful tips from Deirdre Imus, author and environmental health advocate. This is her article “9 Natural Ways to Prevent the Flu This Winter”:
With the holiday spirit come and gone and 2013 already entering its third week, there’s only one winter milestone left to hit before we plod our way into spring: flu season.
Chances are many of you have already been feeling the flu’s nasty effects. And experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that the country’s early flu season has not yet reached its peak.
Whether you’ve received your flu shot or not, there are some natural steps we can all take to ward off influenza and to protect our loved ones from the fever, cough, achiness, and general unpleasantness associated with this nasty bug.
1. Wash your hands
One of the most effective and easiest methods of flu prevention is something we should all do several times a day–simply because it’s good manners. Do it after you use the restroom, of course, but also after you’ve shaken someone’s hand, kissed hello, been on public transportation, attended a party, gone to the gym, and many other situations. You can never be too careful, especially this time of year.
2. Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated is important in every season, but it is particularly useful in the winter. It’s easy to forget to drink enough water in the cold weather, as we’re not sweating as much as we do when it’s warmer outside. Steadily drinking six to eight glasses of water a day can boost your immune system, keeping your body strong and ready to fight off illnesses all year round.
3. Exercise
Like water, exercise has immune-boosting effects. It also enhances circulation, reduces stress, and offers another mode of eliminating toxins through perspiration, according to naturopathic doctor Amy Rothenberg. Of course, take care not to overdo it. If you’re really sick, get plenty of rest and consult a medical professional before engaging in any physical activities.
4. Eat an organic, plant-based diet
Increase the amount of organic fruits and vegetables in your diet, particularly those high in vitamin C, such as papaya, bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, and kale. To be safe, you can also take a vitamin C supplement. I recommend camu camu, a plant-derived antioxidant vitamin that is considered a top source of vitamin C.
5. Take a vitamin D supplement
Have your vitamin D levels checked with a simple blood test from your physician. If they’re low, consider taking a vitamin D supplement to help prevent not only the flu, but also a host of other health conditions–like cancer and cardiovascular disease–that have been linked to vitamin D deficiency.
6. Enlist probiotics
As discussed in my Green Your Tummy blog, these so-called “good bacteria” in your gut have been shown to help fend off colds and the flu and can rebalance the bacteria we need in our bodies that can be destroyed by antibiotics. Probiotics come in pill form, and a typical dosage is in the billions of CF units, but you can also introduce probiotics into your diet through yogurt, miso, tempeh, kimchi, coconut kefir, and sauerkraut.
7. Try elderberry
Elderberry syrup is not only packed with vitamins A, B, and C, but it also stimulates the immune system, has been shown to prevent colds and the flu, and tastes delicious. At The Imus Ranch, we make elderberry syrup from scratch, but you can find a bottle at your local natural foods market. If you feel a tickle in your throat, soothe it with some elderberry tea.
8. Use essential oils
Essential oils are restorative, curative, and natural antibacterial agents. They also happen to smell pretty great. Diffuse grade-A essential oils throughout your home, or apply them topically to your skin. Apply some oregano oil to your back, chest, and the bottoms of your feet. Aside from being a natural antibiotic, it also has bacteria-fighting properties and is a powerful antihistamine.
9. Get your omega-3s
Rather than turn to fish oil for your health-promoting omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, consider going right to the source and using marine phytoplankton instead. It’s where fish get their omega-3, 6, and 9 fatty acids, as well as their vitamin A. You can enjoy the benefits by simply adding 10 to 15 drops into your water or juice.
If you find yourself getting sick every winter, it’s important to change your habits, and not continue doing what you’ve always done.
The best defense is a good offense, right? This year, take control of your health and start warding off the flu before it rears its ugly head. Beef up your immune system, be kind to yourself, and protect the littlest and most fragile members of your family.
Photo above is from Huffington Post.
9 Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies
Pie. Cookies. Chocolate. Eggnog. Champagne.
The holiday season is filled with good foods. You eat and drink with your friends and loved ones to celebrate how much you care about them.
But we all know that too much of a good thing is no longer good. Too many rich foods can lead to extra pounds, digestion upsets, mood swings and a generally “yucky” feeling.
It’s all about balance.
Good, healthy holiday eating can make the difference between an enjoyable holiday season and a miserable one. The trick is to enjoy treats without overdoing them. Make a healthy holiday eating strategy and plan to enjoy the holiday celebrations without feeling bad the next day.
