5 Strategies for Preventing Cardiovascular Disease

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Cardiovascular disease is a killer. In fact, it’s the number one cause of death globally, claiming an estimated 18 million lives each year. 

But what exactly defines cardiovascular disease? “Cardio” refers to the heart, while “vascular” refers to blood vessels. Therefore, cardiovascular disease includes heart conditions such as coronary artery disease and heart failure, as well as vascular problems such as high blood pressure and narrowing of arteries.

Most often, the term cardiovascular disease refers to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which is the underlying cause of most heart attacks and strokes. 

Fortunately, cardiovascular disease can often be prevented by making healthier choices in your daily life. September 29th is World Heart Day, so we’re sharing some key strategies for maintaining cardiovascular health and preventing disease. Here’s to a happy heart!

1. If you use tobacco, stop. Today.

Smoking and tobacco use is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. The toxins in tobacco damage your heart and blood vessels, putting you at an increased risk for a heart attack.

The good news? Your risk of cardiovascular disease begins to drop soon after quitting tobacco use! And the risk drops significantly after one year of being tobacco-free.

2. Get your heart rate up through moderate exercise.

Committing to moderate exercise (just as walking at a brisk pace or riding a bike) for 30 minutes each day–or at least 4 to 5 days a week– goes a long way toward preventing cardiovascular complications.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommendations of 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity.

And it’s not all or nothing. Busy week? Any exercise is better than none!

Find ways to work extra cardio conditioning into your daily tasks. If you’re able, opt for the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Give the dog an extra walk. Making exercise a top priority will not only help fight off heart disease; it also promotes hormone health, better energy levels and weight loss while reducing the risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.

3. Commit to a heart-healthy diet. 

Ditch the junk food and reduce your reliance on sugar and salt laden processed foods. Aim for a diet rich in fresh vegetables, fruit, beans, and whole grains. Try to get five to ten servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day.

If you eat meat and dairy, opt for lean meats, fish and low-fat dairy products. Limit saturated and trans fats, and opt for healthy fats and oils from plant-based sources, such as avocados, nuts, and olives.

4. Get plenty of quality sleep.

Sleep deprivation does more than give you an afternoon case of the yawns. It also puts you at risk for obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart attack.

The average adult requires seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you’re struggling when your alarm goes off each morning, you’re not getting enough rest. 

Make a healthy sleep schedule a top priority. Set a bedtime and waking time, then stick to it as often as possible. Unwind away from electronic devices for an hour before you head to bed. Read a book, take a warm bath, spend a few moments in meditation, or enjoy a hot cup of herbal tea. 

If you find that anxiety and worry is keeping you up at night, talk to your doctor about ways to better manage stress. Keep in mind that a healthy diet and exercise will help to relieve stress as well!

5. Get regular health checkups.

Cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure and high cholesterol can seemingly sneak up on you. Regularly scheduled health screenings with your doctor will ensure that any warning signs are caught early on.

 

Reduce Stress Hormones through Mindful Meditation

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Feeling stressed? You’re not alone. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 40 million adults. And while anxiety disorders can develop from a variety of risk factors–such as genetics, brain chemistry, and environmental factors–stress is a big antagonist.

Physical, emotional, and mental stress leads to higher levels of cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal gland. Over time, the continual release of this stress hormone can contribute to a variety of adverse effects on our physiological systems.

While medications often play an important role in magazine anxiety and depression, there are also a number of natural ways to help ease your body and mind.

Mindfulness Meditation Lowers Stress Hormones

Mindfulness meditation, the practice of focusing your attention on your breath and the present moment, helps lower stress hormones, thereby decreasing inflammation in the body.

The topic has gained a lot of scientific interest in the past decade, with numerous studies pointing toward these findings. According to a study conducted by Georgetown University Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry, mindfulness meditation can help lower inflammation and stress hormones by around 15%. 

The findings were echoed by a study in the journal Health Psychology, which showed an association between increased mindfulness and decreased levels of cortisol. 

“This is the first study to show a direct relation between resting cortisol and scores on any type of mindfulness scale,” study researcher Tonya Jacobs, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Davis Center for Mind and Brain, said in a statement. Participants in the meditation group showed reductions in their levels of ACTH, IL-6 and TNF-alpha during the stress test.

How to Begin a Meditation Practice

So how does one mindfully meditate? While the notion may conjure visions of distant monasteries and daily devotion, meditation is for everyone. And it’s not as hard as you think. Here are 7 tips for getting started with your own practice today.

1. Choose the right location.

Find a soothing spot for your meditation practice. It might be a room in your home, or a corner of your office or apartment. It’s best if this nook is free of clutter, has nice natural light and is quiet and free of distractions. You may want to place some water features or green plants in this area or, if the weather allows, you might prefer to sit outdoors. You may choose to set a gentle alarm to sound after five or ten minutes. With practice, you can work up to longer sessions, but in the beginning, keep the short and focused.  

2. How to Prepare for Sitting Meditation

Whether you choose to sit on a mat, a cushion, a chair or a park bench, find a seat that offers stable, upright sitting. If you’re on a cushion or mat on the floor, cross your legs in front of you. If you opt for a chair or bench, make sure your feet are resting on the floor to ground you.

The general idea here is to sit comfortably straight and upright, although not rigid. Your natural spinal curve should feel flexible, but take care that you are not slouching. 

Let your arms and hands softly rest on the tops of your thighs.

3. Lower Your Gaze. 

Allow your chin to drop a little, softening your gaze downward, out in front of you. While you may wish to close your eyes, it’s not necessary for meditation. However, your gaze should soften and become somewhat unfocused.

4. Focus on your Breath.

Take a deep breath and relax. Begin to tune into your mind and body by focusing on your breath–the way it moves in and out. Notice your bodily sensations as you inhale and exhale. 

Notice how the breath moves through your nose or mouth, how it feels as your chest inflates, and notice the rise and fall of your belly. 

Since anxiety and stress can often cause shallow breathing, focus on deep inhales and long, slow exhales. Feel your lungs fill up with air and expand… hold it… and then release. 

You may wish to simply focus on this breathing, or you may want to mentally repeat a mantra such as “I breathe out stress, I breathe in peace.”

5. How to Respond to a Wandering Mind

In the earlier stages of meditation, wandering thoughts can feel like a frustrating distraction. It is completely normal. If you find your mind wandering or thoughts intruding on your space, let them come. Acknowledge them, and let them pass by like clouds. Return your focus to your breathing. 

Especially when dealing with heightened anxiety, you may find that you are needing to redirect your focus to your breath every few seconds or minutes. Rather than become discouraged, accept that this is a normal part of beginning a meditation practice. 

Observe this cycle of thoughts and refocusing without judgement or expectation. Simply notice it, and then focus on your breath. It is really as simple as that.

6. Ending a Meditation Session

Once your timer is up, gently and slowly open your eyes or lift your gaze to take in the space around you. Notice any sounds, sights and scents in your environment. The breeze, the sound of children laughing down the street. Notice how your body feels in this moment. Notice your thoughts and emotions. 

There are no right or wrong ways to feel in this moment; just simply notice the sensations without judgement.

Then, set an intention for how you’d like to proceed with your day. Set an intention to bring compassion, love and understanding to your interactions. 

7. Practice Consistently

While meditating in itself is a very simple act, that doesn’t mean it’s easy! Our overworked and often overwhelmed minds can be hard to quiet, and sitting in silence with ourselves can sometimes feel uneasy. Stick with it. Even just 15 minutes a day can make a positive impact on your hormone health and wellbeing!

5 Natural Ways to Balance your Hormones

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Our hormones play an important role in how we feel and function. In fact, hormones can impact us in many ways we don’t always realize.

Hormones are a part of the endocrine system and serve as the body’s chemical messengers, regulating everything from heart rate and metabolism to sexual functioning, mood, and sleep cycles.

When our hormone levels are imbalanced, we can experience mood swings, weight gain, problems sleeping, low libido, decreased energy levels and more.

Hormones change as we age. Women over 45 experience a drop in estrogen and progesterone, while men drop in testosterone levels. These changes can leave many of us feeling frustrated and generally unwell.

If you believe you are experiencing hormonal changes, it’s important to book an appointment with our office to talk to a professional about your symptoms. But there are things you can do to help balance your hormones as well.

Today, we’re going to explore 5 natural ways that you can promote healthy hormone balance.

1. Eat a healthy diet.

A well-balanced, healthy diet is crucial to healthy, balanced hormones. Avoid processed foods loaded with sugars and simple carbohydrates. Opt for whole grains, a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables (especially lots of dark, leafy greens), lean meats, and healthy fats.

Fats help build healthy hormones, and one of the healthiest ways you can get enough Omega-rich fats is to use coconut oil. It’s a powerhouse for building hormone health and can also assist with weight loss and reduce inflammation.

You’ll also find plenty of healthy fats in avocados, olive oil, pastured eggs, and lean, grass-fed meats. Conversely, avoid oils made from peanuts, soy, and canola.

2. Avoid or limit caffeine intake.

Excess caffeine can take a major toll on the endocrine system, especially when coupled with other hormone stressors like aging, pregnancy, or stress.

Try a caffeine-free herbal tea or caffeine-free coffee with a tablespoon of coconut oil to avoid the caffeine pitfalls while adding in healthy fats!

Better yet, skip the coffee and try a healthy, hormone-balancing smoothie!

3. Move your body.

In order to maintain healthy hormone levels, it’s important to get enough exercise. Try to get 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day, whether it’s a fast-paced walk, a bike ride, swimming laps, or practicing yoga or pilates.

And while you can achieve these same effects indoors at the gym, if you take your exercise into nature, it can also help improve your mood and reduce stress.

4. Avoid toxins wherever you can.

Many household cleaners, air fresheners, and cosmetics are hiding a dirty secret. In fact, hormone disruptors and toxic chemicals are lurking in everything from our shampoo and body lotion to our mascara and foundation makeup. What’s worse, many of these products tout their “natural” ingredients on the front of the label while hiding their not-so-innocent chemicals in fine print on the back.

Visit our previous blog post on how to identify and avoid toxins in the products you use.

5. Create a healthy sleep habit.

Adequate and restful sleep is crucial to maintaining hormone balance. During the sleep cycle, our bodies are busy creating hormones, removing toxins, resting and recharging. Skipping sleep or not sleeping long enough can dramatically impact hormone levels, impacting your mood, appetite, stress levels, and more.

Encourage healthy sleep patterns by trying to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Stay away from your computer and mobile screens for an hour before bedtime, so as not to disrupt your natural circadian rhythm.

Get 20-30 minutes of natural sunlight each day to soak in a wide spectrum of light to boost serotonin levels, which in turn will balance melatonin levels at night.

If you find it hard to go to sleep at night, try a soothing hot tea, hot bath, meditating, or relaxing to some soft music before bed.

5 Key Ingredients for Hormone-Balancing Breakfast Smoothies

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Looking for an easy, healthy way to start your morning? Try a nutrient-packed breakfast smoothie! Eating the right foods is crucial when you’re working to maintain healthy hormone levels, and the right smoothie can help you do just that.

Of course, many store-bought smoothies are loaded with sugar, which can wreak havoc on hormones. If you have a blender, it only takes a minute to skip the sugar and prepare your own delicious, power-packed smoothies at home.

The key to a healthy smoothie is the right balance of nutrients. These five key ingredients will help balance your hormones, boost your energy and keep you feeling fuller longer.

Blend These 5 Ingredients into Your Morning Smoothie

When blending a healthy, hormone-balancing smoothie, keep in mind the Fab Five ingredients: protein, fiber, healthy fats, greens, and non-dairy milk. Combining these together helps to elongate your blood sugar curve and keep you feeling fuller longer–helping you resist the urge to reach for those mid-morning snacks.

1. Protein

Protein is an important part of any diet. It builds and repairs muscles and tissues, and helps to make hormones and enzymes. High-Quality protein powder is a great base for any breakfast smoothie and helps to jumpstart your day and keep you full until lunch rolls around.

If your diet includes dairy, an organic whey protein powder is ideal as it offers all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.

Egg white protein powder is also a great option. Or, for a plant-based option, combine pea protein with a hemp or rice protein to round out the amino acid profile.

2. Fiber

Fiber plays an important role in gut health, and according to some studies, it may also help regulate hormones such as insulin and help maintain a healthy weight.

Chia seeds, flax seeds, and acacia fiber are excellent ways to add fiber to your morning smoothies. You can also add in ground almonds or oatmeal for a fiber boost. Aim for 1-2 tablespoons.

If you like to add fruit to your smoothies, opt for fiber-rich fruits such as pears, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and kiwi. Try to keep fruits to a ½ cup or less.

3. Healthy Fats

Omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats give you energy, help balance blood sugar and insulin levels and raise good cholesterol while reducing bad cholesterol. They can even help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Those chia, hemp, and flax seeds not only count as your fiber source, but they’re also rich in healthy fats!

Adding ¼ of a fresh avocado to your smoothie provides healthy fats as well as giving your smoothie a thick, creamy texture. Coconut oil is a great option, too. When you’re ready to change up the flavor, try a couple of tablespoons of almond, walnut or cashew butter.

4. Greens

Greens like spinach, kale, mustard greens, and swiss chard are low in calories and high in folate, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making them one of the healthiest things you can add to your daily smoothie. They can reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, burn fat and more.

Spinach is a favorite for adding to smoothies, and it’s high in magnesium and iron, which are essential for healthy hormones. Swiss chard is high in antioxidants, while mustard and collard greens can help balance estrogen.

Fresh herbs like basil and dandelion greens are a great addition as well!

5. Non-Dairy Milk

Rounding out your smoothie with almond or coconut milk adds calcium and healthy fats while providing optimal texture and smoothness for a drinkable meal.

Try These Hormone-Balancing Smoothie Recipes

Need help getting started? These 3 smoothie recipes are great options for boosting energy, maintaining healthy hormone levels and helping you stay full until lunch.

Ready to Boost your Health and Wellbeing? Here are 3 Reasons to Hit a Trail.

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If you want to boost your health and wellness, exercise is essential. But those repetitive workouts at the gym can start to get…boring. And walking on a treadmill is never as fun as a forest or park trail!

If you’re ready to add some fun and interest to your fitness routine, take a hike! Whether you’re walking a paved nature trail at a local park or meandering through the woods on a nature trail, hiking boosts your physical, mental and social wellbeing.

1. Physical Health Benefits

Hiking in nature is a great way to get a full-body workout! Hiking promotes heart health, strengthens muscles and joints, and improves your balance and coordination. Hitting the trail also builds up your endurance level.

And if you suffer from arthritis or joint injuries, hiking is a lower impact workout compared to many other types of cardio and strengthening exercises.

Start with shorter, flatter hikes to get into the groove, such as a paved trail at the park. Take a walk in nature 2-3 times a week, even if it’s just for 20 minutes.

When you’re ready to boost your routine, try a wooded trail at a state park. Choose a longer hike for endurance building or a shorter trail with higher elevation gain to work on strength building.

2. Mental Benefits

According to a study by researchers at Stanford University, hiking helps with mental health and mood. The study found that people who walked for 90 minutes in a natural area (as opposed to participants who walked in a high-traffic urban setting) showed decreased activity in a region of the brain associated with a key factor in depression.

Spending time in the Great Outdoors helps reduce stress and anxiety, fight depression, and promote feelings of peace and wellbeing. In a fast-paced and digital society, reconnecting to our natural world can be as therapeutic as it is fun.

Being in nature also improves sensory perception, as you open up your senses to new sights, sounds, scents and touch.

3. Social Benefits

Unlike trying to conquer the treadmill at the gym alone, hiking is better with friends! Hiking with a partner, friend or small group helps form and deepen social bonds. It’s also safer to hike with someone else, and having a hiking partner is great for accountability.

Plus, it’s helpful to have others cheering you on! Motivating one another to climb that incline pays off in a shared victory at the top!

Find A Trail Near You

Situated right in the heart of Memphis, Shelby Farms is one of the 20 largest urban parks in the country, offering 4,500 acres of beautiful green space. More than 10 miles of paved pathways make up the Shelby Farms Greenline, which runs from Midtown to Cordova.

Prefer a more wooded hike? The park’s 40 miles of scenic, multi-use park trails offer a range of hiking routes for all experience levels. Find the best trail for you here.

And Shelby Farms offers more than just hiking! Bike rentals are open daily, and free outdoor fitness classes are offered throughout the week.

If you’d like to venture a little deeper into nature, try a trail at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park. Located 13 miles north of Memphis stretched along the Mississippi River, over 12,000 acres of Tupelo swamp and forest await you. The park is home to a host of activities, from paddling, birding, and biking to boating, fishing, and camping. There are 20 miles of hiking trails, ranging from moderate 3-mile trails to longer and more strenuous hikes.

To find more hiking opportunities, try an app or website like alltrails.com to find trail information near you. You’ll find helpful details such as trail length, difficulty level and elevation gain as well as key features and directions. Hiking trails are usually rated Easy, Moderate or Difficult, making it easy to choose the level that best suits your ability level and goals. Happy hiking!

3 Tips for Cleaning Up Your Beauty Routine

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You’re making efforts to live your healthiest life. You’re careful about what you put into your body and focus on eating healthy, wholesome foods. You make the time to exercise. You meditate. And all of these efforts are rewarded with a fuller sense of health and wellbeing.

But are you paying close attention to what you put on your body? After all, most of us use quite a few beauty and body products, and they could be undercutting all your other efforts.

Think about your daily beauty routine, from the body wash you use in the shower to the face cream you apply every night. After all, that lotion is from a “natural” product company and that fresh grapefruit on the label looks mighty convincing!

Unfortunately, many cosmetics are hiding a dirty secret. In fact, hormone disruptors and toxic chemicals are lurking in everything from our shampoo and body lotion to our mascara and foundation makeup. What’s worse, many of these products tout their “natural” ingredients on the front of the label while hiding their not-so-innocent chemicals in fine print on the back.

Thankfully, just as with your diet and exercise, you have a lot of control over the products you choose to apply on your body. That’s why we’re sharing our top 3 tips for cleaning up your beauty routine by recognizing and weeding out harmful toxins in your beauty products.

1. Watch Out For Greenwashing

Let’s talk about our example above: the “natural” face cream with fresh fruit on the front label. It may tout “natural grapefruit extract” and say it’s “paraben free” to sound safe, but if you peek at the ingredients list, you may find a plethora of hard-to-pronounce chemicals listed in fine print. Have you been bamboozled? Certainly. But there’s another name for this deceptive marketing tactic, and it’s called greenwashing.

Greenwashing is when companies market their products as eco-friendly, natural or organic when they are anything but. This type of marketing is deceptively used to promote the perception that a company’s products or policies are safe, natural and environmentally friendly. Terms like “organic” and “natural” are not well regulated in body products, and just because a product contains an organic or natural ingredient doesn’t mean it’s free of chemicals.

So don’t take any company at its word. Look beyond the front-of-package hype and dig into the ingredients list.

2. Avoid Endocrine (Hormone) Disruptors

Many common beauty and household products are packed full of chemicals that are known to be hormone disruptors, and this is a serious problem. After all, what good is using an anti-aging cream if it’s making you sick in the long run?

These hormone disruptors interfere with the endocrine system and can cause major issues in the body. Some of them are even known to cause cancer, immune problems and neurological disorders.

So how do you spot one of these toxins in your beauty products? Look for the following chemicals hiding in the ingredients list:

Parabens
Look for words ending with “paraben” such as butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, and isobutylparaben. Parabens can even cause reproductive problems, which is why many pregnant women are cautioned against using paraben-based products.

Phthalates
These toxins are tricky because they can cause problems when applied to your body as well as when breathed in through the air. Phthalates are found in a number of popular air freshener plug-ins, candles and sprays as well as all sorts of body products and cosmetics. While there are more than 20 types of phthalates, the most common to see on a label is diethylhexyl phthalate DEHP/DOP. Avoid this, or look for a product that is phthalate-free.

Synthetic Fragrances
Avoid anything labeled as “fragrance” or “parfum”. Some 95% of the chemicals used in synthetic fragrances come from crude oil production and contain carcinogenic and hormone disrupting compounds.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Also labeled as SLS, it’s found in everything from shampoo to engine degreasers. SLS has been linked to endocrine disruption as well as neurotoxicity, organ toxicity, skin allergies and cancer.

Triclosan
This widely-used antimicrobial chemical can be found in toothpaste, antibacterial soaps, and deodorants. It’s a known endocrine disruptor and can especially affect thyroid and reproductive hormones.

3. Use Technology to Your Advantage

It used to be easy for companies to pull the wool over our eyes, but these days, investigating a product is as easy as a few taps on your phone.

Download the Think Dirty app on your phone, and you’ll be able to scan or search products to find easy-to-understand info on their ingredients. The handy rating system lets you know where a product falls on a scale of safe to harmful.

Similarly, the cosmetics database at Skin Deep offers ingredient details, safety ratings, and product recommendations for a variety of body and beauty products.

With these few simple steps, you’ll take back control of your beauty regime in no time, and you’ll be healthier for it!

6 Power Foods To Fight Inflammation

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Whether you have chronic pain from arthritis or a joint injury, inflammation is painful and can make performing daily tasks hard.

Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” And he knew what he was talking about! What we eat has a dramatic impact on our health and how we feel.

Last month, we posted this blog that shares 5 inflammatory-causing foods to avoid. This month, we’re highlighting 6 power foods that reduce inflammation in the body and help you feel better.

Eat More Of These 6 Anti-Inflammatory Foods

1. Fish

Salmon, tuna, sardines, herring, mackerel, and anchovies are incredibly rich in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, which are powerful at reducing inflammation. They can also reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, the Omega-3 found in these fish interfere with immune cells called leukocytes and enzymes known as cytokines, both of which trigger an inflammation response in the body.

Eating a 3 to 6 ounce serving of these fish 2 to 4 times per week can go a long way toward reducing inflammation and keeping your heart healthy. To vary it up, try different recipes. One night, try this Asian Salmon with coriander, ginger, and honey. Another night, try this Lemon Pepper Turmeric Salmon. There are so many ways to make fish interesting and delicious!

2. Berries & Cherries

Berries pack a powerful antioxidant punch! Blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries are high in anti-inflammatory phytonutrients that help your body lower inflammation levels. And cherries (especially the more tart ones) are rich in anthocyanins, a phytonutrient that is great at fighting pain and inflammation.

Work a handful of berries and cherries into your diet each day by getting creative. Add them to granola, oatmeal, acai bowls, or smoothies for a healthy jump start to your morning, or keep them on hand as an afternoon snack. Check out this smoothie bowl recipe for an easy morning routine.

3. Avocados

Avocados (and avocado oil) increase the absorption of healthy antioxidants called carotenoids. These are powerful at fighting inflammation, protecting your body from free radical damage, and building up your immune system.

Try sliced avocados in a salad or atop a black bean and quinoa bowl. Or, mash one up with a little lemon juice and black pepper for a delicious avo toast spread. They also make a creamy and delicious smoothie base! For an extra anti-inflammatory boost, add ginger, turmeric, and coconut milk. You’ll find a great avocado smoothie recipe here!

4. Fresh, Organic Vegetables

When you’re fighting inflammation, it’s best to avoid processed and pre-packaged foods. Instead, head to your nearest farmers market!

Cruciferous veggies are packed with beneficial nutrients that fight inflammation. To get these benefits, add more broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and bok choy into your diet. And dark, leafy greens are your best friend, so be sure to load up on the kale, mustard greens, collard greens, and spinach.

Broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts are delicious roasted in the oven with a bit of olive oil. Meanwhile, lightly sauteed greens make an excellent addition to a wholesome quinoa bowl.

5. Healthy Nuts

While peanuts can actually contribute to inflammation, other nuts are healing champions. Opt for a handful a day of raw walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, and almonds, all of which contain healthy fats that reduce inflammation and give you a protein boost. Raw walnuts, in particular, are incredibly rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.

To work them into your diet, grab a handful as a snack, or use them to top off a fresh salad, oatmeal or veggie bowl.

6. Sweet Potatoes

Unlike white potatoes that cause inflammation, sweet potatoes are a highly beneficial food. They are high in vitamins C and E and contain the carotenoids alpha and beta carotene, both of which reduce inflammation. They’re also rich in potassium, calcium, and other healthy nutrients.

And while their name may suggest they are too sweet to be healthy, they are actually ranked low on the glycemic index–much less than their white potato counterparts.

You can eat them steamed, boiled and mashed or baked, giving you plenty of options to work with. I personally love this recipe for baked sweet potatoes with avocado, kale, and onions.

Cheers to healthy, delicious eating… and to overcoming inflammation!

Have Painful Inflammation? Here are 5 Foods to Avoid.

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Inflammation hurts. If you have arthritis, an autoimmune disease or some other condition that causes inflammation, then you know it can cause tremendous pain and suffering.

While it may be tempting to reach for the medicine cabinet first, pain medication merely soothes the symptoms. To get to the root of your discomfort and prevent further inflammation, you’ll need to evaluate what’s in your food pantry and refrigerator.

When you consume high amounts of sugar, highly refined carbs, and processed foods, it can cause a sudden spike (and subsequent drop) in blood glucose levels, which activates your body’s systemic stress response. This triggers a normal inflammatory response in the body.

However, when these foods are eaten on a regular basis, the result is ongoing, painful inflammation that begins to affect your daily functions and quality of life.

Not only can some foods you eat cause and trigger inflammation, but others can help reduce it. As a general rule, avoid heavily processed and packaged foods, and opt for a healthy variety of fresh, whole foods.

If you’re ready to get a handle on your pain and inflammation, here are 5 foods to avoid, starting today.

5 Inflammatory-Causing Foods To Avoid

1. Sugar

Sugar can be hard to resist. But that breakfast pastry, after-dinner dessert, and sugary soda are not your friends. And even if you don’t have an insatiable sweet tooth, sugar can be hard to avoid. After all, it’s found in everything from juices and cereal to condiments like ketchup.

That’s why it’s important to become a label reader. Sugar is a sneaky culprit and goes by many names on labels, so look out for fructose, sucrose, and corn syrup.

And if you can’t help but sweeten your morning cup of coffee, opt for an anti-inflammatory sweetener like local honey. Contrary to sugar, honey has a long medicinal history and is beloved for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

2. Trans Fats

Trans fats — often listed on labels as partially hydrogenated oil, hydrogenated soybean oil and more — are another cause of inflammation. They are often found in products such as margarine and other processed foods to extend shelf life.

Opt for healthy fats and oils (such as olive oil) instead.

3. Refined Carbohydrates

While carbohydrates are an essential, energy-producing element of any healthy diet, refined carbs can be problematic. Research suggests that consuming refined carbs can increase inflammation as well as the risk of obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, and higher blood sugar.

Avoid eating “white” fiber–such as white bread, pasta, rice, and pizza dough. Opt instead for high-fiber, unprocessed carbohydrates such as 100% whole grain bread and pasta, and plenty of fiber-rich beans, vegetables, and fruits.

4. Omega 6 Fatty Acids

While Omega 6 fatty acids are an essential fatty acid that our bodies require, it’s important that they are consumed in moderation and well balanced with Omega 3 fatty acids. In fact, studies suggest that Omega 6 fatty acids can cause inflammation, while Omega 3 helps to reduce it. And while not conclusive, some research suggests that too many Omega 6 fats can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammatory, and autoimmune disease.

These Omega 6 fatty acids are found in everything from fast food, fatty meats, and peanut butter to salad dressings and vegetable, peanut, soy and corn oils.

5. Gluten and Casein

You don’t have to be diagnosed with Celiac Disease for gluten to cause problems in your body. While gluten may not be a problem for everyone, many who suffer from inflammation find relief from cutting out gluten and casein.

Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye and it’s found in many of the foods we eat. Avoiding foods like pasta, bread, crackers, wheat bran, and gluten-based flours can help. Opt for fresh, whole foods and choose gluten-free options when it comes to packaged foods.

Now that you know what to avoid, keep an eye out for our next blog, which will highlight healthy, anti-inflammatory foods to eat more of!

Fun Ways for Seniors to Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Home

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New Year’s Eve doesn’t have to mean dressing up and heading out the door for a long night of dancing and celebration. You can stay in the comfort of your home and create a night that’ll end the year with laughter, love, and happiness. Here are a few ideas:

Grab your photos and reflect on the past year

Whether you keep all your memories on your phone or in an album, New Year’s Eve is a great time of year to take a walk down memory lane. Grab all your snapshots from 2018 and reflect on all the great times you had.

If you’re hosting family and friends, share the experience with everyone — it makes for great conversation starters at the table. In fact, ask each guest to pick their favorite photo and talk about what else they’re looking forward to doing in the new year!

Try a new recipe

New year, new meals, right? Expand your palette by trying out a new cuisine. Let’s say you usually to stick to Italian dishes. Try Indian fare tonight! You can find delicious, easy-to-cook recipes that range in various spice levels, so you don’t feel too outside your comfort zone.

Not much of a chef? Get takeout or delivery from an international restaurant you haven’t tried before, like Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe or Saigon Le in Memphis.

Have a champagne and countdown brunch

We get it. Staying up late to catch the guitar drop is near impossible nowadays, so instead of watching the festivities in between flickering eyelashes, host a champagne countdown brunch at your house.

Keep it simple too! Ask your guests bring a bottle of bubbly and a brunch dish. At 11:59 am, get ready to start the countdown to noon!

Host a dessert party

Organizing a dinner party is tough work. And why end the year cooking up a storm and cleaning up a big mess? Host a dessert party instead! Ask each guest to bring their favorite baked good and start indulging before all those healthy resolutions kick in. The prep and clean-up are easy while the results are delicious and sweet.

Host a game night

Whether it’s just you and your significant other or the whole family, a classic board game night is a fun way to kick-off the New Year! Have a long-time favorite like Monopoly, Life, or Mexican Train? Bring it out of the closet for some fun, healthy competition — or go for the gold. Whatever is your style!

Have dinner in bed and watch your favorite movies

It’s been a long year of ups, downs, highs, and lows. How about resting easy and enjoying some peace and relaxation? Whip up a quick dinner, snuggle up close in bed, and watch all your favorite movies. Plus, who said breakfast is the only meal you can have in your jammies?

Dance to Auld Lang Syne

Grab your spouse’s hands and twirl into the New Year with a classic tune. Dress up, dress down, have dinner out or in. However you choose to celebrate the night, end it by dancing close with the person you love.

Are you celebrating New Year’s Eve at home? Tell us your ideas on Facebook!

Don’t Have Dental Insurance? Here are 3 Ways to Afford Care.

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There aren’t many places on your body that’s left untouched from the effects of aging, and that includes your teeth.

Unfortunately, once you retire or hit 65, you’re on your own when it comes to cleanings, X-rays, and procedures. Medicare doesn’t cover it and finding affordable coverage is tricky.

But, your teeth need tending — no one wants to deal with pain or decay. So, how do you afford the quality dental care you need (and deserve)? Here are three ways.

Use Free or Public Dental Providers

You have a couple of options when it comes to finding free or low-cost dental services.

For example, many charities, faith-based groups, and professional dental organizations will donate their services to meet the overwhelming need of people who need care but don’t have insurance to afford it.

The wait time can be lengthy, and some only serve seniors, people with medical conditions or disabilities, or low-income patients. However, volunteer dentists and specialists make sure you get quality care. You can contact your local branch of United Way to learn more about what’s available in the Greater Mid South area.

Alternatively, you can find taxpayer-funded clinics that are run by local and/or state healthcare departments or community health centers. These clinics charge low prices, fixed rate prices, or they use a sliding scale that determines what you pay based on what you can afford. Offering free exams, cleanings, X-rays, fillings, crowns, and surgical tooth extractions, this is a great option if you have a suitable income to pay for services to some extent.

If you aren’t eligible for either of the above, some dentists operate on a sliding pay scale. You can contact the American Dental Association to find out who does so in Tennessee and Mississippi.

Search for Coupons

You can also save money at your next dental appointment by checking out deals on sites like Groupon and Living Social. Or, you can sometimes find coupons in the Valpak you receive in the mail.

And, hey, and why not call up your favorite dentist and ask if they’re running any specials, deals, or savings in the next few months? Many dentists understand seniors can’t rely on their Medicare coverage for dental care, or that sometimes, dental insurance just isn’t affordable.

If you’ve been a loyal patient over the years, you may be surprised what your dentist can do to help make sure you can afford the care you need. Let him or her know your position and see if you can get a discount or if they can refer you to someone who may be able to do so.

Visit a Dental School

You can help aspiring dentists gain experience and save money on dental care by visiting a local dental school.

For example, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center offers routine dental care provided by their students, special services from graduates, and treatments and procedures from their staff. They also assist with emergencies. You can visit their website to learn more about services, cost, and scheduling.

Free and public dental clinics, coupons, and dental schools are three easy ways to take care of your teeth when you don’t have dental coverage. As a hormone therapy clinic that believes insurance-driven healthcare is a quick way to get lackluster service anyway, we strive to help you find alternatives that are equal in quality and results. Want to learn more about aging with grace and vitality? Give us a call today!