Author: smithbet

Ok, now this is a topic near and dear to my heart. Recently with the weather changing and my immune system already hating me from all of this quarantine, I’ve found that I have been sneezing like crazy, and having this weird head cold symptoms – which can be scary in the middle of a pandemic! I’ve wondered what in the world is going on since normally my allergies are more prominent in the summer and spring seasons, not the cold ones. After chatting with others who have similar instances of sneezing and feeling their allergies have come, I think life’s just throwing another curve ball at us! So what can we do to better prepare ourselves for this ever changing season?

All the Tea

For me, green tea seems to work great for all sorts of benefits for my body as far as weight loss aid, and also lowering cancer risks and improving brain functions. When I’m actually sick, I also lean towards lemon tea as it is great for soothing throat soreness and improving your digestion. Healthline.com also gives us a few options such as “benifuuki tea, or Camellia sinensis, is a cultivated variety of Japanese green tea. It contains a high amount of methylated catechins and epigallocatechin gallate, which are both recognized for their anti-allergic protective effects”.

Both Stinging nettle tea and Butterbur tea have also been documented as helpful for deflecting allergies. “Tea brewed with stinging nettle, contains antihistamines. Antihistamines can reduce nasal inflammation and ease pollen allergy symptoms. Butterbur on the other hand is a plant found in marshy areas. It’s been used to treat many different conditions, including seasonal allergies”.

Yogi tea is another great option for a company with “over 60 tea blends, most of which are created using the five original Yogi spices. These teas are enjoyed from the United States and Canada to Europe and Japan”. These teas have a variety of boosts including antioxidant focus tea, calming for anxiety, and even detox options. If you tend to be like my fiancé where tea is just something you don’t stomach well, you can find all you need as far as travel mugs to contain your tea and keep it hot for hours AND a variety of chai tea from TeaSource. Chai tea can offer those same body benefits but in a bit of a different form of comfort for your taste buds!

Cuddle down

In the evenings I change my routine to accommodate the colder weather. OI enjoy taking Emergen-C every morning (check out my post on that, here) with a shot of apple cider vinegar. This combo I find helps boost my immune system and give my body the vitamin C I need to better function throughout my day. The minute I get home from work I then put on the kettle for some hot tea. My favorites I mentioned above – I feel this routine helps calm my spirit and give my body a boost for the rest of the day. I light a candle and make our fire up. It can be great to kick my feet up for an hour or so before the housework needs to get done! There is no shame in treating yourself and helping yourself be the best version of yourself – which can only be achieved with the proper care!

A Happy You is a Healthy You!

If you’re like me, you may be addicted to the famous TikTok application. I tend to watch an array of videos from cleaning habits, to dogs or funny pets. One of the things I’ve noticed is the “raweating” videos that can be found. You can see the way owners have begun to feed their dogs deer ears or eggs. I also see a lot of drops that go into the dogs food ranging from digestion aid to anxiety help by the use of CBD oil. Have you ever wondered if this is necessarily safe for your animals?

Effects & Extracts

According to akc.org Dr. Klein says that “CBD is also used because of its anti-inflammatory properties, cardiac benefits, anti-nausea effects, appetite stimulation, anti-anxiety impact, and for possible anti-cancer benefits…” CBD can also help to stop seizures and heal bones from arthritis while lowering levels of anxiety and balancing their bodies, but it is still good to be wary about the potential side effects which can include drowsiness, low blood pressure, and dry mouth. Certain things that effect us in some ways, aren’t always safe for other creatures. There are some really good CBD oils made specifically for dogs.

Health.com says it is good to know which kind of extract to give to your dogs as THC can be contained in some instances which is a huge hazard for animals. Full spectrum hemp extract normally contains all of the phytochemicals found in the plant – but this can also contain small amounts of THC. Although copious amounts would be dangerous for an animal, small traces can be harmless, though it is still good to be aware of its potential properties. Broad Spectrum is another form of extract. This normally mimics full spectrum, but the major difference is the THC is almost always completely removed from the product. The last form is the purest concentration of CBD which is called CBD isolate.

Dosing

Most of the time CBD is used in the drop form for dogs and then infused into their food so that its easier for them to consume it, and also a lot tastier with minimal effort by us humans. Again, this is in many ways used to help calm anxiety, seizures, arthritis, and overall balance of the body. It can even be helpful for hair loss, or skin irritations. A product called Charlotte’s Web (Canine Hemp Infused Balm for Adult Dogs) is a hemp infused product providing that moisture that dogs may need with sensitive skin.

Our dog has gotten so old with her age, and a few months back we noticed her fur was beginning to change colors, and even fall out. Darkness began forming around her eyes and she looked so sickly. Using a combo of CBD and apple cider vinegar, after 2 months she was practically a changed dog! She no longer was itching her skin raw and the hair began to grow back. The darkness on her eyes left and she had way more energy. We didn’t want to take her to the vet to pay a ton of money in bills for pills she would end up taking, we wanted to try something more natural first that may be more beneficial for her – and this worked! Of course we faced a risk, but we knew what was inside of our products and they weren’t just a bunch of things thrown together we had no idea about. Which to each their own but for us, was a game changer.

Take care of yourself and your pets! We are their parents and their way of survival in many instances and circumstances. Being healthy for our own bodies can in many ways help us be more aware about the health in others, in this case our doggos!

A Happy You is a Healthy You!

With the season transitioning into fall, it gets exciting as we prepare for another holiday. This is the time we all break out our fall colored décor, prepare our Christmas bins, and get our wallets and budgets ready for the gift-giving season. It can be an absolutely beautiful time of year, but also a stressful one. If you come from a dysfunctional family or even married into one, this new time of year can seem intimidating as you become unsure of how the holidays will go or who even on the flip how to afford gifts for your family. Diy gifts has long been a favorite of mine as there are so many cheap ways to create amazing and useful gifts or household items. When beginning to think of arts and crafts the most essential thing, I would say, is the workspace and where you will do your crafting. Sometimes just the small cleanup of a space and addition of a burning candle and light music can not only add to the spirit in the air but also clear your mind as you are able to think more clearly and openly about what you are working on or hoping to accomplish.

Must Needed Décor Grabs

I think many of us can agree that adding fake or real pumpkins during the months of fall is a must. The orange, yellow, or white images they can display really pull a home together from a room, living room, or even front door for trick or treating. Inexpensive ones can be found from places like a Dollar General or Fred Meyer. They can be painted and turned into all kinds of cool diy displays for your aesthetic pleasures or family fun! Garlands, throw pillows, storage bins, plants, or fun skeletons or creepy spiders are all other fun little items you are able to add here and there across your home or workspaces for some crazy Halloween inspired looks. One of my favorite looks I am hoping to try myself are the plastic pumpkin baskets from dollar tree; you can use acrylic paint to change their color into something that matches your personal style, glue them together, and then add some twine or rope for an even cuter design!

Its the Mental Health for me

Its easy to think of foods to eat or places to go to help our minds de-stress, and during the seasons shopping and collecting items for loved ones can also be a wonderful way to give ourselves the breaks we need – but I urge you all to look into your home and the spaces you have created. Begin making mental notes for making your beds, opening your windows in the cool evenings, lighting aromatherapy candles, taking long hot baths or showers, loving yourself, listening to instrumental music for a fun change, and truly encouraging yourself to begin not only caring after your body, but also your minds. Yoga while the sunrises, or an early morning hike to stretch your body and clear your mind, or a dip in the pool for a morning swim (cold but hey, refreshing!). As we near the end of the year, new years resolutions are always a result of this, and yet it never hurts to start now. Begin switching your behavior to make it a habit; we develop ways in which we conduct ourselves throughout the day and sometimes we do things that continue to negatively impact us in ways we forget as it simply becomes second nature or the norm. Incorporating new routines and behaviors into our lives that may create a new way of thinking positively or feeling as though we have more energy throughout our days just by the clean space we made at home, or the music we stopped listening to. It sounds trivial but many have seen the increase in productivity trying these simple and easy methods out!

A Happy You is a Healthy You!

I briefly mentioned Bitter Melon in my last post (see here), but I love the benefits this offers and want to go more in depth on what it can really do for the body!

From the tropics of South America, Asian, Caribbean, and Africa, bitter melon is a fruit belonging to the same family as zucchini, watermelon, cucumber and more! Thousands of years ago an ancient system of medicine called Ayurveda, used this fruit for medicinal purposes and believed that its bitter taste aided in bringing the body extremely good health for optimal digestion, abdominal comfort, respiratory health, and temporary relief from occasional coughing. Research now suggests that this fruit truly does feature healing or fighting properties to battle against maintaining blood sugar, fat metabolism, healthy-looking skin, the pancreas, and the immune system.

Healthline.com says that bitter melon is especially rich in vitamin C which is one of the reasons why it aids so strongly in disease prevention, bone formation and the healing of various wounds. Bitter melon is another great food that can also help lower blood sugar levels. With diabetes effecting more than 100 million adults worldwide and insulin sky-rocketing their expenses, this becomes especially important. Bitter melon takes those sugars in your tissues and then promotes the secretion of insulin to better regulate inside of your body. A study of 24 diabetic adults showed that taking 2,000 mg of bitter melon daily, decreased their blood sugar and “hemoglobin A1c, a test used to measure blood sugar control over three months”.

Doses

There are various ways you are able to digest or take bitter melon. It is very easy to just eat the melon itself as it is an edible fruit, but due to its pungent taste, many people find that it is best used when mixed into other foods or dishes. Generally speaking, the skin is most often left on and not peeled. You may then decide to eat the seeds, or resort to stuffing or pickling the fruit. In some cases it is even steamed for soups or stir fry. Webmd.com suggests that following a dosed amount is sometimes the best option as “natural products are not always necessarily safe”. With this in mind, a brand called Solaray offers numerous probiotics and extracts. Its website gives an overview of the company and products as a whole stating:

“Manufactured by Nutraceutical, Solaray is one of the nation’s highest quality nutritional supplements. Solaray was founded in 1973, acquired by Nutraceutical in 1993 and was a pioneer in the creation and development of blended herbal products.

In 1984 Solaray expanded to become a full line manufacturer and began carrying not only quality herbs but also a complete line of vitamins, minerals and other specialty products. Solaray has a reputation of innovation, quality and consistency and its acquisition by Nutraceutical has helped solidify Solaray as one of the best nutritional supplement brands available.

Solaray stays true to its promises of selection, tradition, innovation, quality, loyalty, education and service. Solaray’s innovation led to the development of Spectro, a high-quality line of multivitamins with formulas for all ages. Solaray also developed a line of cranberry products called CranActin which has been the leading cranberry dietary supplement for almost 20 years.

Solaray offers the widest selection of vitamins, minerals, herbs and specialty products. They’ve won the coveted #1 Full Line Supplement Award from Whole Foods Magazine multiple years, proving their commitment to quality and excellence…”

Specifically, they offer a Solaray (Bitter Melon Fruit Extract 500 Mg 5%) which contains key features of support for blood glucose health while also promoting that they are 100% vegan and non-GMO. Due to solaray being a high-quality line of natural supplements, it is guaranteed to contain no other ingredients than what is placed on the outside of the bottle for your own reading. These are pure and natural extracts and supports to create a happy immune system for you!

A Happy You is a Healthy You

What is horseradish?

With a pungent taste and odor, horseradish is a well know condiment for meals and snacks, but also contains medicinal properties as well. The root which it is made from contains beneficial nutrients and compounds that aid in antibacterial and anticancer. Healthline.com states that “It (horseradish) has a long, white root and green leaves. When the root is cut, an enzyme breaks down a compound called sinigrin into a mustard oil. This oil, known as allyl isothiocyanate, gives horseradish its telltale odor and taste and may irritate your eyes, nose, and throat. The root is typically grated and preserved in vinegar, salt, and sugar for use as a condiment. This is known as prepared horseradish.”

Horseradish can be surprisingly healthy for the body, and although normally eaten in smaller doses, horseradish is known to contain several helpful minerals and plant compounds which fight against cancer, infections, and brain diseases. It may be surprising that this root vegetable is beneficial for your body as it can commonly cause burning sensations within our senses and sinus’. Oddly enough, this is just another helpful factor of horseradish as it can be used to help clear your sinuses.

Short Answer: Yes, It Can!

Although more research is said to be needed, quite a few people have resorted into using horseradish as a tactic to rid of awful colds and respiratory issues. These resulted had positive effects although there is not much science to back up the observation and rest runs. Some supplements contain similar bitterness but benefits such as Bitter Melon extract, and other supplement brands such as Solaray and Oregons Wild Heart. All of these options offer great alternatives as they are well known for their natural herbal properties. These products are of optimal quality with scientific testing for multiple different health levels and policies.

Making your own chicken sandwich from scratch can be su0per exciting and fun – especially if you get the family or your significant other to help. Adding delicious varieties of sauces such as horseradish, ketchup, or even both are perfect to add some flavor but also benefit your body within your meal! Various recipes can be found online with horseradish and they look mouth-watering. I personally am not a fan of horseradish but mixed into a chicken sandwich or some other type of meat or meal, creates an amazing experience with the condiment. Sometimes foods can be intimidating as they aren’t our favorite or they seem disgusting from first view – but occasionally when you incorporate them into a mix with foods you do enjoy, the outcome can be extremely satisfying.

For various foods which reap benefits for the body, I find it super fun in trying them out and adding them to my diet in different ways. This can also help resolve food boredom – that’s what I call it when you feel you continue to eat the same foods over and over because you don’t have any more ideas on how to make it exciting anymore! Finding out the little benefits something as small as horseradish holds, can end up being an even bigger treat! You truly never know so dont be afraid to give the new a try and have some fun with your diets and options!

A Happy You is a Healthy You!

Coronavirus has been the most terrifying yet peculiar thing to ever hit the US/world. With so many new laws and restrictions in place hoping to keep us all as safe as possible, it makes the everyday routines we are used to almost impossible to now attend or partifipate in.

One of those difficult new protocols is for gyms. The spread of germs is so quick and widespread when referring to a fitness center. In many ways, it makes sense as to why they had to form new policies with Coronavirus spreading, but it also creates an atmosphere that many deem difficult due to the mask-wearing and 6 ft social distancing.

Are there any other options?

One thing I have come to see from friends of mine who practice fitness religiously or even lead various fitness classes is the wearing of a face shield. If you are migraine or headache prone, you may want to wait for other options, but I have seen the benefits of these coverings as they are not as tight-fitting around the mouth, so to give your brain the thought of easier breathing, and in the cases of asthma – you truly are experiencing easier breathing. This can make the overall experience of working out more enjoyable and doable.

Unfortunately, this still is not an option for everyone and you may still be wondering how to make it work. One of the biggest suggestions is outdoor fitness. If you are hoping to settle in an environment that contains weight lifting products – I would invest in an at-home gym. This can sound daunting and expensive, which yes, it is, but it is an option if you were already paying for a membership. Use the money you would be spending each month to save up for different fitness tools and accessories. This gives you space at your own home for doing what you love but being able to do it mask free, and in a comfortable and manageable environment.

Breakdown

Things may never be the same, but as long as we work to experience life to the fullest, we will be okay. We must stick together, love one another, take care of our bodies and immune systems, and try to live out our time on this earth with the least amount of regrets.

A Happy You is a Healthy You!

I’ve written about fish oil before, and the many ways it benefits your body, which you may find here. But instead, I’m going to focus more on what Omega-3’s do to protect and help upkeep your body.

Benefits

Fighting mental health disorders, Omega-3’s are great stabilizing moods and also can help to treat brain functionality, eye health, heart diseases, ADHD, and more! So what actually are Omega-3 fatty acids?

Breakdown

Pulling a paragraph from Nih.gov, they do a great job explaining what Omega-3’s are primarily made of and how they affect the body. It reads:

“The three main omega-3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is found mainly in plant oils such as flaxseed, soybean, and canola oils. DHA and EPA are found in fish and other seafood.

ALA is an essential fatty acid, meaning that your body can’t make it, so you must get it from the foods and beverages you consume. Your body can convert some ALA into EPA and then to DHA, but only in very small amounts. Therefore, getting EPA and DHA from foods (and dietary supplements if you take them) is the only practical way to increase levels of these omega-3 fatty acids in your body.

Omega-3s are important components of the membranes that surround each cell in your body. DHA levels are especially high in retina (eye), brain, and sperm cells. Omega-3s also provide calories to give your body energy and have many functions in your heart, blood vessels, lungs, immune system, and endocrine system (the network of hormone-producing glands).”

Supplements

Taking Omega-3’s is extremely common in supplementation form, as they are sold as capsules all over the US. Garden of Life is another source that creates products catering towards supporting healthy immune systems, fighting obesity, and helping combat diabetes. Their Minami Cardio Omega-3 formula features no gluten or dairy and “utilize(s) liquid CO2 extraction and are exposed to less heat than other leading brands with no saturated fat as filler. Minami is also one of the highest-concentrated omega-3s available, so you get more omega-3 nutrition per soft gel, which means fewer pills to swallow”.

The more we incorporate these small changes into our diets, the more we have a chance of creating healthy atmospheres inside of our bodies so that our immune systems have the support and strength they need to keep us moving and fighting the battles we need won.

A Healthy You is a Happy You

Fiber is a carbohydrate that is found within the various foods we eat. It is a non-digestible that is normally split between soluble and insoluble fiber. A soluble fiber means that after being dissolved in water, good bacteria will process its contents, with your metabolism, in your gut. Insoluble is the complete and brief opposite as it simply is not dissolved in water.

Healthline.com says that there’s also a lot of health benefits when you digest fiber such as losing weight, reducing constipation, nourishing your colon wall, and lowering cholesterol. Mayoclinic.org says foods that contain high amounts of fiber are raspberries, pears, apples, green peas, and broccoli. If you are like me, the thought of having to include another thing into your diet to try and make your body more healthy can seem extremely daunting and irritating as well. Once the foods are laid out for what already naturally include fiber, you realize it can be done. But what about those who possibly don’t enjoy a lot of those options?

Picky Eater? No problem!

Options such as Integrative Therapeutics offers capsules to support extra fiber in the body with their fiber formula, who’s products also contains a wide range of other health-related issues such as heartburn, nausea, and bloating! There is also no dairy or animal origins of any kind. Webmd.com explains how “extracted natural fibers include lignin (a compound found in plant cells), cellulose (a sugar found in plant cells), pectin (a sugar found in fruits and berries), gum (a sugar found in seeds), and psyllium ( from the husk of Plantago plants, its the only supplemental fiber shown to help lower LDL“bad” cholesterol)” which are all great alternatives to eating certain fruits and vegetables for fiber intake.

Keep in mind…

Although insanely good for your health, make sure you are not overdoing it too quickly, as side effects are common when systems become overloaded from things they are not accustomed to. Build up how much you take over the course of every few months to help kickstart your body and begin the process – also remember to stay hydrated!

A Happy You is a Healthy You

This month is such a great month to talk about Mental Illness again – one of my favorite topics simply because I feel it is not touched upon nearly as much as it should be. I was thinking about how many people are affected by such illnesses and I realized that you never hear much about psychotic disorders – which are some of the more serious illnesses that normally effect the brain and even your motor skills. Schizophrenia , delusions, and paraphrenia are various types of psychotic disorder, usually found in the elderly, from substance abuse, or from different medical conditions.

Schizophrenia:

Webmd.com explains that schizophrenia has symptoms that include “distorted thoughts, hallucinations, and feelings of fright and paranoia.” Usually these symptoms last longer than 6 months and can have huge effects on your home life, work life, and social relationships. There are even sub genres to this illness that have their own separate effects that may last less than 6 months, but still play a huge role in effecting your daily activities, or even do as much as change your mood seemingly as if you were to have bipolar disorder.

Having schizophrenia can be scary for individuals as they generally feel out of touch with reality. They may float in and out of delusions and loss of memory is extremely common, especially in the elderly. – hallucinations and disorganized speech are also common. Nih.gov claims “Schizophrenia sometimes runs in families. However, it is important to know that just because someone in a family has schizophrenia, it does not mean that other members of the family will have it as well.” Treatment for this illness is 100% possible and can be managed through different medications such as antipsychotics. Although medicine isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, for more serious illnesses such as this, it can be vital in providing the correct elements needed to balance someones brain patterns and structures out. Outside of medications there are also treatment centers that serve to support individuals who suffer from various psychotic disorders. It can help provide a sense of belonging and also give management methods that may decrease episodes or panics.

Delusional Disorder:

With delusional disorder individuals have a very difficult time figuring out what is real versus what is imagined. This is commonly found among people who suffer from substance abuse and the delusions are not normally circumstances that are ridiculous, but instead delusions that are very seemingly real. My.clevelandclinic.org states “People with delusional disorder experience non-bizarre delusions, which involve situations that could occur in real life, such as being followed, poisoned, deceived, conspired against, or loved from a distance. ” This can cause the disorder to be extremely dangerous and even make a person dangerous themselves if they believe their lives are being threatened or constantly challenged. Though some of the delusions can display themselves in ways that disrupts a persons everyday life, there is also the case the delusions are more normal, and therefore the individual more often than not may function more normal and may not appear bizarre or confused in any way.

Again, this can be treated with medications such as mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and also various therapies like individual, cognitive, or family therapy. These are great options that help make people feel they are not alone, have someone to listen to, and also someone to vent to about their delusions that they cannot seem to get away from.

It is important to remember that no matter the mental illness, everyone is still a human being and should be treated with love, care, and respect. You never know what someone may be suffering from, and when it is out of their control, maybe passed down from a family member, showing that you care about them and are there for them, can go the extra mile in making them feel extra protected and looked after, which can ultimately aid in helping them manage their illnesses.

A Happy You Is A Healthy You!

This is so curious! Did you know you could use grapes for your health? Yes, the food! In fact, a lot of various foods can provide great sources of protein for our hair and overall health such as avocado, eggs, honey, mayonnaise, olive oil, and bananas – famous singer/songwriter/rapper Cardi B even released a video of her combining these similar products to make a healthy hair mask! Now, we’re not actually smashing up grapes and rubbing them in our hair – though I’m sure there’s possibly some small benefit from that, but instead we’re using natural and healthy products and extracts!

Natural Products

Desert Essence is a natural and organic company that contains ingredients catering to your skin and hair’s needs. They sell products such as shampoo, conditioner, oil cleansers, and lip balm. They believe in keeping animals free from harm and therefore do not test on animals and also keep their products 100% vegetarian with their organics line featuring completely gluten-free and vegan. Nhc.com says “The company has even signed a pledge with Australian plantation farmers for their ingredients to remain free of any artificial pesticides, herbicides or fungicides…All products are 100% vegetarian, and the organics line is gluten-free and vegan with only one exception; the new mineral sunscreen has beeswax so it is not vegan”. Products such as these go hand in hand with Doctors Best which is another nutritional supplement line offering eye care, hair care, and immune system support. They offer a French Red Wine Grape Extract which Nhc.com says is “Science-based nutrition” that “promotes cardiovascular health, supports healthy aging, gluten-free, soy-free, vegetarian, vegan, veggie capsules, and non-GMO”.

Healthy Hair Care

When it comes to grapes, Desert Essence sells an Italian Red Grape Shampoo for color-treated hair. This shampoo is rich in antioxidants which are crucial to the success and growth of your hair keeping it protected by the sun along with any environmental pollutants. The coconut oil gently cleanses your hair while the Organic Grape Seed Oil delivers antioxidants to your roots! Healthline.com says “Compared to other oils, it’s also practically weightless, and that lighter consistency makes it great for use in hair and skin products”.

It is important to keep your scalp and hair healthy. Without proper attention and cleansing, fungi can build up on the surface of your scalp and skin, hair growth can be stunted, and dandruff can begin to form regularly. Knowing what you’re putting on your skin is important to keep you from breaking out, causing inflammation, or even causing hives. Be knowing and be caring for your body – we only get one!

A Healthy You Is A Happy You!