Author: melissa

Summer is almost here and we’re already grilling! Oh that wonderful taste!

Here are 3 meal ideas for you to cook healthy and good tasting food on the grill this season.

Be aware that if you cannot eat any of the following ingredients, they should be substituted with something else, or taken out of the list.

1. Steak, Asparagus, and Potatoes – You’ll want to choose your favorite kind of steak. Some good choices are rib eye, T-bone, or top sirloin (Filet mignon). Fresh asparagus from the produce section is best. Be sure to wash it and cut about 2-3 inches off the ends first. You may need to pre-cook the asparagus in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Red potatoes are delicious and softer than most other potatoes. Potatoes take a while to cook all the way. Be sure to either cook them on the grill for a long time, or get it started in the microwave or in a pot of boiling water first.

2. Chicken Breast sandwiches with Zucchini – Chicken breast is low fat and tastes so good on the grill! Make sure it is thawed, fresh, and seasoned. Grill them to 165 degrees or hotter. Grill with fresh, washed zucchini spears or sliced the long way. After cutting, put olive oil on them first, season them, and make sure they are on the grill for a longer time. Under cooked zucchini is hard and doesn’t taste as good. Toast up some of your favorite bread or buns, and enjoy!

3. Pork Chops, Sweet Potatoes, and Green Beans – Season the pork chops as you wish. Wash the sweet potatoes and cut into slices big enough that they won’t fall through the grill grates. Or, slice them small and put into an aluminum foil pouch with holes poked in it. Prepare the green beans by boiling them in water for 1-2 minutes, and then season and grill.

May your grilling season be long, delicious, and sunny! Using the grill is a fantastic way to eat healthier during the warm season!

We know that many health and wellness articles can get kinda boring or stale.

Whether you’ve read a hundred articles on diet and exercise, or you’ve read 50 articles telling you to see your doctor, you may be tired of it all.

This article seeks to break up the monotony and surprise you with 5 completely random health tips, just for fun!

These 5 tips should provide some new information you may not have heard before:

1. Cold Brew Coffee – If you have acid reflux or heartburn of any kind, you may be wanting to avoid acidic foods and beverages. Coffee is on the no-no list for this type of issue, but there may be a way around it. Making your coffee cold brew can remove up to 70 percent of acid in the coffee. No, this doesn’t mean making coffee hot and then adding ice or making it cold. You brew the coffee using cold water. You can use a cold brew maker pitcher, which holds the grounds in a filter as it gets saturated with the water in the pitcher. The next day, you’ll have delicious, smooth coffee without all that bitter acid! For more information, google cold brew coffee.

2. Air purifiers – Do you or someone in your family suffer from allergies? No matter what you may have floating in the air at your home, air purifiers are great! Whether it be pet hair, smoke, dust, pollen, or other things, you may find them to make a big difference! Be sure to change the filter as often as it says on the box!

3. Ditch the razor – Do you shave with a razor? Do you get lots of cuts, irritation, pain, razor burn, ingrown hairs, cysts, or blisters? Have you done everything you can think of and it still happens? It may be time to stop using that razor and trade it in for an electric razor that doesn’t cut the hair so close to the skin. Skin doesn’t stay smooth for long anyway, so you might as well trim the hair and stop shaving down to the skin.

4. Fitness trackers – Even if you think you’re a healthy, active and fit person, you may be missing on some important elements. If you get a fitness tracking device such as a Fit Bit, Apple watch or something similar, your real fitness stats are tracked. You may find you aren’t spending enough time with your heart rate up, you aren’t moving around as much as you should, or you are sitting down too much. If you are interested in getting to the next level of fitness, get a tracker!

5. Nutrition and vitamins – Did you know that most Americans are deficient in at least a few vitamins and nutrients? 90 percent don’t have enough potassium in their bodies, 70 percent don’t get enough calcium, and 80 percent don’t get enough vitamin E. Half of Americans don’t have enough Vitamin A, C, D or magnesium, and 90 percent of people are deficient in vitamin D. That’s a scary set of numbers. Go grab some supplements, pay attention to what you are eating, get some fruits and vegetables into your diet, get out into the sun when you can, and you’ll probably be good!

There you have it, 5 completely random and hopefully useful tips for your health and wellness journey.

You never know what kind of things can make a big difference in your family’s lives.

Are you convinced that drinking alcohol helps you sleep? That may be true if you are drinking just one glass of your favorite beer, wine, or similar beverages.

However, did you know that drinking too much alcohol can actually decrease the quality of your sleep?

You might think that drinking is helping you sleep, but there are a few reasons it actually keeps you from getting a good night’s rest.

There is a certain chemical process that the body goes through when you’ve had too many drinks before bed. The alcohol produces a sleep hormone called adenosine. Sure, it increases the hormone and helps you sleep like a rock at first. However, during the night, it wears off. When it increases and then drops, you are more likely to be awakened by your body before you are done sleeping. So although you are getting a few good hours in while under the influence of alcohol, the hours that follow that may have you struggling to fall back to sleep.

In addition to the above, too much alcohol can disrupt your normal, natural pattern of sleep (circadian rhythm). It blocks REM sleep, which is the most important kind of sleep. When that gets interrupted, you will feel groggy and unfocused the next day.

Your drinking can affect your partner’s sleep quality as well. When you drink, you are more likely to snore when you sleep. That is because the alcohol relaxes the muscles in your throat. The more you drink, the more you are likely to snore. So if you’ve had one too many, don’t be alarmed if you get some complaints the next day about snoring.

If you do have a few drinks, note how you feel the next day when you wake. Are you tired, irritable, or having trouble concentrating? Then, avoid drinking that evening and see how much better you feel the next day. Also try: cooling your bedroom down while sleeping, avoiding stimulants (like nicotine or caffeine) in the evening, exercising regularly, and setting a regular bed time and wake time.

If you feel you need more help with your sleeping or for your need to drink alcohol, call your doctor.

Many people drink their favorite sugary carbonated beverages all day every day. This is not good, because soda should be ingested as a treat and only drank once in a while.

Almost 50 percent of adults and 63 percent of youngsters in the U.S. consume at least one sugar drink per day. These drinks are likely to be a leading cause of obesity. One sugary beverage occasionally isn’t bad, but one or more per day is bad.

The following list of things will get better once you quit drinking soda:

1. You will be better hydrated. It takes water from your body to process soda. Between the caffeine working as a diuretic and all of the sugar that must be washed away inside, you will be losing hydration when you drink sodas. In fact, soda is bad for the kidneys because of this. Water is always the best choice for hydration.

2. Your teeth will be healthier and nicer. Soda is not only sugary, but it is as acidic as lemon juice. This eats away at the enamel of your teeth, and can cause them to die in your mouth. You can’t get enamel back, so once it is gone, it is gone for good. Ask your dentist if you have soda related tooth decay.

3. Gain less weight or lose some. Each 12 ounce soda has 32 grams of sugar and 140 calories. That is 14 grams over the daily recommended amount of sugar suggested for a woman and 36 grams over a man’s diet suggestion by the American Heart Association.

4. Less soda means less problems. You’ll reduce your risk of high blood pressure, weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and more. Drinking one or two sodas per day increases your risk of type 2 diabetes by 25 percent.

5. You’ll have less gas. Carbonated sugary beverages like soda in your stomach can mean too much swallowed air in your body. This extra gas can build up, move around, and cause you pain throughout your body. Give your body a chance to process the fizz and get it out!

If you are having trouble, try keeping water with you all the time. Try swapping out just one soda for water each day, then increase it to 2 or more until you’ve traded your sodas for water.

If you are craving sugars, try eating fruit or adding some fruit juice to your water. If you are having caffeine withdrawal, try unsweetened tea. It will be hard at first, but your body will thank you later.

At one point or another, everyone has some trouble sleeping. There can be a good amount of reasons for people to be unable to sleep, but insomnia is a big one. This article is meant to help explain the difference between actual insomnia and regular having trouble sleeping for a couple nights.

Insomnia happens when it should not be happening. If there’s nothing going on in your life that is keeping you awake for good reason, insomnia is probably the culprit. It happens when you should be able to sleep, but just can’t. Between 30 and 40 percent of Americans have some kind of insomnia every year.

Insomnia can be acute or chronic, and it depends on how often it happens and for how long it lasts. Either one can cause unbalanced moods, fatigue, and inability to concentrate. Acute insomnia happens when there are high levels of stress in the body. This lasts for one or more weeks. It is expected to go away on its own. Chronic insomnia happens three or more nights a week over a course of three or more months. It just doesn’t seem to go away easily.

It is normal to not sleep perfectly every night. Many people are going to have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep when there’s something going on in their life that isn’t normal or expected. They may have house guests, be in a relationship argument, or be stressed at work. However, this isn’t actual insomnia. These things are expected to go away and you are most likely going to be sleeping well again soon.

Not sleeping enough can cause a sleep deficit. If it gets far enough, it can cause heart disease, over-eating, too much caffeine intake, diabetes, or other health problems. If you feel you have chronic insomnia, it is time to talk to your doctor. They will do a sleep study to find the cause of your insomnia and help get you treated. Hopefully you will be back to your energetic, focused and smiling self again soon.

As you get older, your body changes. Everyone seems to know that, right? However, there are are some things you will need to be paying close attention to with each passing year. Due to medical advances, they say that 65 is the new 50, and 75 is the new 60. So much for retiring early huh?

The following list should be considered if you are past or approaching age 65. Keep your attention on these things to help you live your best and most healthy life.

1. Preventative Screenings – As one of the best and easiest ways to find health problems before they get bad, preventative health screenings can save lives and increase your quality of life. Your doctor will be able to tell you which screenings are right for you. Some of them might include eye exams, cancer screenings, colonoscopy, cholesterol tests, or dental exams.

2. Changes In Blood Pressure – Aging causes our blood pressure to rise, and if it is too high, it should not be left untreated. High blood pressure (hypertension) can cause a stroke or heart attack. You can track it using a fitness tracker or a blood pressure pump. You can also have them tested at your doctors office with each visit.

3. Medication Side Effects – This one can be ignored if you don’t take medication or if you’re certain it isn’t causing any side effects. However, you should understand and look out for any side effects you have to medication. Ask your doctor if they’re normal and if they will go away. Tell your doctor all of the medications, vitamins or other supplements you take, as they could be interacting with each other.

4. Mood Changes – Whether your life has changed and caused you stress or you aren’t sure why you feel different, tell your doctor. If you feel irritable, unfocused, sleepy, anxious, or withdrawn, let them know. Try to recall when, why, where or how you feel how you feel. Your doctor can help figure out what is causing it.

5. Learn Medicare – As you age to 65 or more, it is important to start figuring out how Medicare works. This will help determine the amount and quality of care you will get. Get online or call someone to find out. Consider your overall health, your medication list, and your traveling plans.

Getting older is not always the most fun part of life, but you can make it much more healthy and enjoyable by staying on top of your healthcare.

Ever since you were little, you’ve probably heard it a thousand times. They all say “do not smoke cigarettes, and if you do start, quit as soon as possible”.

Not only does smoking hurt your overall health, but it also hurts your wallet.

Smoking can be expensive in more ways than how much it costs in money. This article will help show the benefits of quitting smoking, whether you’ve quit long ago or you’re just starting to quit.

1. You can breathe better – If you just quit smoking 8 hours ago, your body’s levels of oxygen are returning to normal and your lungs will work better. When your lungs are in the process of healing and getting rid of the stuff that’s in there, you might have some changes. You will eventually begin to cough less, find it easier to breathe, and feel like you’re getting more oxygen. However, it may be difficult before you reach the healing stage of quitting.

2. Blood pressure returns to normal – You just need 20 minutes since your last smoke to see normal blood pressure levels. The nicotine in those cigarettes increases your blood pressure and pulse. As the nicotine clears, your body will regulate again.

3. You will look better – Smoking can cause stains on your nails and teeth. It can make your skin look dull and cause your hair to break off and look bad. If you quit, your skin will glow more, your nails will look better, and your smile will be nicer and more attractive.

4. Risk of cancer decreases – Smoking increases your chance of getting cancer. Specifically, lung, bladder, esophageal, and pancreatic cancers. If you quit, you are cutting your risk in half.

5. Help your heart – This one takes a bit longer. When you have had 8 weeks of not smoking, your risk of heart disease goes down and your cholesterol levels go down. One year of quitting helps your risk of heart disease decrease as much as someone who has never smoked.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to stick with your decision to quit smoking. Some good tips for how to quit are as follows. Replacing the habit with something healthier such as chewing gum or keeping your hands busy is a good idea. Throwing away your lighters, cigarettes, and ash trays will help keep your mind and eyes off of the idea. Meditate, do yoga, or use breathing exercises to help you keep calm in stressful situations.

If you keep these benefits in mind, maybe it is a good time to quit for good!

The skin is the largest organ of the body. We moisturize it when it gets dry, we keep it clean and smelling nice, and we try to make it look good too. There is more to skincare than that, however. Take a closer look, and keep track of any changes in color, texture or appearance.

We’re lucky that we can see the skin, because it can tell us a lot about what’s going on inside of our bodies. Not only is the skin a good indication of health, but your hair and nails also can tell you a few things.

Read below to find out what your skin says about your health:

1. Dry or Itchy Skin – If it is winter and you don’t have a humidifier running, that is most likely your issue. However, if you have this condition often and without a known reason, you could have a skin condition that needs treated. Many people have eczema and don’t even know it. Ask your doctor if your skin is healthy.

2. Breakouts and Body Hair – If you are a woman, breakouts on chin or jawline or thick, fast growing body hairs on the face and body can be a cause for concern. When this occurs in women, it can be an indication there is something wrong. It could be caused by PCOS or another hormonal disorder. Ask your doctor if you experience this or ingrown hairs. If you are seeing a lot of fine white hairs, it could be a symptom of some types of cancer. Ask your doctor if you notice these things.

3. Unexpected Bruises – If your body is suddenly showing unexplained bruising, you could have a blood disorder that needs treatment. If you are taking blood thinners, this could be just a normal side effect. Ask your doctor about bruising.

4. Yellow Skin – If your skin is yellow and your eyes are yellow, you may be experiencing Hepatitis symptoms or other unrelated liver problems. The sooner you get tested, the better. If you have Hepatitis untreated for too long, it can kill your liver. Tell your doctor if your skin or eyes are yellow.

5. Sweating, Redness and Warmth – The thyroid may need checked if you experience your skin feeling warm, red palms, facial redness, or increased sweating. Check if your fingernails are growing in strange ways or seem like they’re dented. Also, keep an eye out for bulging eyes, called the thyroid stare.

There you have it, your skin may be telling you something. Pay close attention to what your skin and body says to stay healthy.

If you lead a busy life, you are most likely taking hours from your sleep or relaxation time to complete your daily tasks.

Sure, life makes it so you have to miss out on sleep sometimes. However, it is important to make enough time for sleep as often as possible.

How many of the things you do every day could be changed or removed from your schedule? Are you neglecting your health and sanity to do things for others when you don’t have time or energy? Don’t try to be a super hero, you need your rest and sleep.

Keep reading this article to find out how your health can be affected by not resting or sleeping enough.

Body weight

Poor amounts of sleep is linked to higher body weight and obesity. Also, getting less than enough sleep is linked to higher appetites and craving to eat frequently throughout the day. If you are in need of losing a few pounds, or if you’re not eating well, you should put sleep at the top of your priority list.

Heart health

Not getting enough sleep leads to heart problems and, in some cases, stroke. If you get less than 7 hours of sleep per night on average, you have an increased risk of heart disease or stroke.

Overall physical health

In addition to the things mentioned above, getting plenty of sleep helps your immune system, mental health, athletic performance, concentration, focus, inflammatory response, and your social interactions. Your relationships with others can be affected if you don’t sleep well. Researchers say that bad sleep habits can affect people’s ability to detect facial expressions, social cues, and other emotional information.

Sick days

Another thing to consider is that if your immune system crashes due to your poor sleep, how many days of work or other tasks will you have to miss out on when you get sick or get an infection? If you are skipping sleep to make it to work, that may not be a good choice. It is a safer bet to keep your immune system in good shape. That is especially in a time like this.

This is just a limited list of some reasons why everyone needs to get enough rest and sleep. It is bad for the body to be in a constant state of activity and mental stimulus.

It is rare to find a happy and healthy person that doesn’t have a good selection of other happy and healthy people around them. The people you choose to spend your time with (and the people you are forced to spend time with) help shape you into a whole person with a unique set of habits, behaviors, and thoughts.

If you are looking to achieve relationship wellness, this article can provide some helpful information.

Relationships are one of the most basic human needs. Humans need to feel like they belong, like they have support, and that they are loved. If a relationship is making us feel like we don’t have support, like we aren’t loved, and that we don’t belong, our life is going to be miserable and it is going to affect our health. In bad relationships, the body is in a state of fight or flight. This stress response is not healthy in high quantities. If you are in a bad relationship with a friend, family member or significant other, your health can be at risk.

Some relationships are nearly impossible to escape. However, in theory, everyone should be constantly evaluating the people in our lives so that we can keep the good and get rid of the bad. To keep your health high and keep your happiness, ask yourself these questions about those you are close to. Then, formulate your own questions based on what you were thinking when answering these questions. Don’t forget to ask yourself how your own behaviors or actions line up with the questions below.

• Do they communicate properly with you and are they fair, honest and gentle?
• Do they provide support to you in times of need?
• Do your conversations leave you feeling better and understanding the person?
• Does the person leave you feeling confident and secure, or are you often scared or confused by their behaviors or words?
• Do you feel physically and mentally well when they are around?

Humans are made of flaws, and some people have more flaws than others. If you have relationships that are hurting you or making you feel sick, it might be time to explore ways to get away.

It helps to speak to a therapist, counselor, or other similar professionals. Many people aren’t sure how to detect the red flags in relationships, so it helps to talk to others when possible. Reach out to people and you will be surprised how they might help. Build your life with good relationships, and keep yourself safe. This is a great start to achieving complete wellness in your life.