Category: Health

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Why Intuitive Eating Might Not Work for You

Intuitive eating is one of those weight-loss fads people swear by, but is it actually effective? Like so many weight loss methods floating around out there, it may work for you or it may not. I know, that’s so noncommittal. But let me explain.

Intuitive eating isn’t a diet. It’s a method of eating that gives its users a great degree of freedom of what and how much they eat. Some people experience success with intuitive eating and are able to use the technique to lose excess weight. But unfortunately, not everyone responds well to this dietary strategy. In fact, it can cause some people to gain even more weight!

So how can you tell if intuitive eating is a good strategy for you to try, or if it will cause you to fall back even further on your weight-loss journey? While you won’t know for sure unless you try it, here are a few indications that intuitive eating might not work for you (even if it worked for your sister, best friend, or cousin Harry).

Understanding How Intuitive Eating Works

Before we dive into the pros and cons of intuitive eating, let’s review what it is and what it isn’t, shall we? Intuitive eating is a pretty simple idea, and its main principles were developed in 1995 by two dietitians (Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch).

The main idea behind this type of eating is to come to peaceful terms with all different types of foods. You’re not supposed to refer to any foods as bad or off-limits when you adopt this way of eating. Instead, you do the following:

  • Listen to your body and consume what feels right in the moment

  • Eat when you’re hungry and stop eating when you’re full

  • Select foods that make your mind and body feel good while satisfying your health needs

  • Respect your emotions and seek treatment for them instead of engaging in emotional eating

Some people may lose weight with this eating strategy, but many others may not. Here are a few indications you may not want to try intuitive eating.

Indications Intuitive Eating May Not Be Right for You

Here are a few indications that intuitive eating may not work for your situation:

  • You have certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Consult with your doctor to see if there are certain foods you should add or cut out of your diet completely.

  • You don’t know how to recognize your body’s hunger or satiety signals. Eating intuitively sounds great in theory, but what if you don’t trust your body’s intuition? For some people, counting calories is a more reliable way to avoid overeating (or undereating).

  • You have a hard time losing weight. If you already struggle to lose weight, you may plateau or even gain weight by eating intuitively. Some people have higher ghrelin levels than others (that’s the hormone that triggers hunger), and they’re more likely to gain weight if they always eat until they’re full. For people like this, tracking calorie and macro intakes is essential for weight-loss success.

  • You’re addicted to sugar. Yes, science shows that it’s possible to become addicted to sugar. And if you follow the intuitive eating mindset, you can eat sugar if you really want it. As you can imagine, this can lead to over-indulgence for people whose relationship with sugar is out of control. It’s generally best to stay away from sugar or severely limit it in your diet rather than allow yourself to eat it “intuitively.”

So there you have it. If any of the above bullet points sound like you, intuitive eating may be something you want to skip (especially if you are trying to lose weight).

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5 Of The Biggest Coffee Myths Debunked!

For a long time, coffee was a guilty pleasure. Now, you can raise your head proudly and tell the whole world that you love coffee! Don't let these five coffee myths stop you from enjoying a cup of dark and delicious java.

Myth: Coffee Dehydrates You

Drinking more water is always a good thing, but your morning cup of joe isn’t responsible for dehydration. Coffee is a mild diuretic, which can make you go to the bathroom more, but the effect is so slight that it doesn’t make a noticeable difference. In case you were wondering, the water in coffee does count toward your goal of 2 liters of water per day.

Myth: Coffee Isn’t Healthy for You

Coffee is rich in antioxidants, nutrients that help protect your body. Many people get more antioxidants from their daily dose of coffee than from fruits and veggies!

All of these antioxidants can add up to major health benefits. People who drink coffee regularly have a far lower risk of many diseases:

  • Heart disease
  • Liver problems
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

Plus, caffeine from coffee can increase your metabolism and help you burn more fat from exercise. Coffee can improve your energy level, alertness, memory and mood!

That said, you can have too much of a good thing. Excess caffeine can raise your blood pressure. How much is OK? Stick with two to five cups a day and you’ll be fine.

Myth: Dark Roast Has More Caffeine Than Light Roast

Dark roast coffee has a stronger flavor, so it must be higher in caffeine, right? Wrong. Actually, light roasts usually have a bit more caffeine ounce for ounce because the beans are smaller.

Myth: Coffee Is Addictive

Some people have given up drinking coffee because family members say the person is “addicted.” Honestly, this one gets me upset. Comparing coffee to other addictive substances is a real stretch of the imagination. There’s no reason to feel guilty for liking coffee (or dark chocolate or other perfectly natural foods with caffeine).

Why the whole “addicted” shtick? Caffeine is a stimulant, so it can technically produce a tiny amount of physical dependence. If you stop drinking coffee abruptly, you may get a headache or have trouble concentrating for a few days. That’s it.

On the other hand, addiction to alcohol or opioids requires professional rehabilitation and has life-threatening health risks. There’s just no point of comparison between those things and a harmless cup of coffee.

Myth: The Freezer Is the Best Place To Store Coffee

You bought a few bags of your favorite coffee beans from a store you only visit every few months. You want to keep that oh-so-irresistible aroma smelling fresh. Where should you store the beans? Not in your freezer!

For the freshest coffee, keep those magical beans in a cool, dry place. Your freezer may be cool, but it’s not dry. Freezers have a lot of moisture. They can strip your coffee of its delightful freshness and ruin its flavor with weird smells.

The best place to keep coffee beans is in an airtight container in your cupboard. Give each bag its own container and enjoy rich, intense flavors for months!

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Are Antioxidants Just A Scam?

In the 1990s, scientists discovered that cell damage from free radicals (called oxidation) increased the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and many other conditions. Some vitamins are able to neutralize free radicals and slow down oxidation. They’re called antioxidants. Lately, some scientists have been saying that this whole antioxidant thing is just a myth. What’s the truth?

Are Vitamins and Antioxidants a Waste of Money?

It’s true that antioxidants aren’t a magic bullet to cure all your problems. They can help, but you have to know how to use them:

  1. You need the right amount of antioxidants, no more and no less: Some supplements give you crazy amounts of antioxidants, like 5,000 times your daily needs. This is a waste, because your body doesn’t need that much. In fact, too much of certain vitamins (vitamin A, for example) can hurt instead of help.
  2. Antioxidants are more effective when you’re running low: If you’re already getting plenty of vitamin C from the fruits and veggies you eat, you’re not going to see much difference by taking vitamin C supplements. Antioxidants are more helpful for people who aren’t getting enough nutrients, like people who are too busy to cook every day.
  3. Your body needs help absorbing antioxidants: Some vitamin supplements appear in forms that your body can’t process. That’s like buying a box of healthy cereal but not being able to eat it because you can’t get the packaging open. For example, high-quality turmeric supplements need extra ingredients (such as black pepper extract) to help your body increase vitamin absorption naturally.

Try to get most of your antioxidants from fresh fruit and veggies. These sources are great because they provide many different antioxidants that support and reinforce each other. If you know you’re not getting enough fresh fruit, focus on supplements that also contain lots of complimentary antioxidants, such as turmeric, ginger and moringa.

Are the Articles Saying Antioxidants Are a Scam Wrong?

What about those scientists claiming antioxidants are a myth? Many of these articles are wrong or misleading:

  • Drug companies don’t pay for honest research into natural foods: Pharmaceutical companies obviously don’t want you taking cheaper antioxidants when they can charge you thousands of dollars for drugs. Who are the real scam artists?
  • Some scientists twist things: Obviously, if you study the effects of vitamin C on healthy people, you’re not going to see much difference. The whole point is to see if antioxidants can make a difference for people who aren’t getting enough vitamins normally.
  • Lab studies are misleading: Many studies cited as proof that antioxidants are a myth use data from test tubes (cells in a jar), not actual human beings. I can’t even tell you how misleading that is.
  • Most studies are small and short: You obviously can’t see the benefits of antioxidants for protecting the heart, brain, joints and kidneys in a one-week study. How about checking the effects after a few months, instead?

To be honest, most of these articles make me laugh. One claimed that vitamin C doesn’t help your body at all. Except I’ve seen the results myself EVERY TIME I’VE EVER BEEN SICK. I can say the same thing about garlic, ginger, turmeric, moringa and chicken soup. The bottom line? Listen to your body, not some scientist who’s probably getting his paycheck from a drug company that wants to sell you insulin for $300.

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Is Charcoal Toothpaste Good For Whitening Teeth?

I’ll be the first to say that charcoal toothpaste looks kind of cool. After all, it’s as jet black as wearing a pair of sunglasses at night. Before you squeeze this supposedly miraculous toothpaste onto your toothbrush, however, it’s smart to learn more. Does charcoal toothpaste actually whiten teeth? Does it damage tooth enamel?

What’s With All the Hype Around Activated Charcoal Toothpaste?

These days, activated charcoal is being used in everything from beauty creams to digestive cleanses. It’s a great absorbent, so the theory is that it acts like a magnet that captures bacteria, germs, toxins and other contaminants. At least in part, there is scientific support for this idea since activated charcoal is used in hospital emergency rooms to treat problems such as drug overdose.

Where things get a little shady (no pun intended) is that charcoal toothpaste manufacturers claim it can have the same effect on tooth stains. They say charcoal whitening toothpastes “absorb” stains and leave your teeth sparkling white.

Does Charcoal Toothpaste Really Whiten Your Teeth?

Activated charcoal can help remove surface stains from teeth. This is all about the abrasion. Charcoal toothpaste can scrub away the dark film left by coffee stains, tobacco stains and other stains outside the teeth.

What charcoal whitening toothpaste can’t do is change the color of your actual teeth. If you have naturally darker teeth or age-related staining, charcoal won’t change a thing. For that, you would need a professional bleaching solution for teeth whitening.

Does Charcoal Toothpaste Hurt Your Teeth?

Since people have only really started using activated charcoal in toothpastes fairly recently, the jury is still out on what it may do to teeth. As a mom, however, there a few things about charcoal toothpaste that make me nervous:

  • Charcoal toothpaste is aggressive: You know how exfoliating soaps have a gritty feel to them? Toothpaste with activated charcoal is the same. The small charcoal particles can slowly wear down the enamel of teeth as your brush, potentially leaving your teeth more sensitive and vulnerable than normal.
  • Charcoal toothpaste doesn’t usually have any fluoride: Your teeth have fluoride, a mineral that helps to strengthen the hard enamel layer that protects them. Fluoride is good for your teeth, which is why it’s usually added to toothpastes. Unfortunately, many charcoal toothpastes don’t contain this important mineral.
  • Charcoal toothpaste can make it easier for cavities to appear: When you combine the harshness of activated charcoal with the loss of fluoride your teeth need, the result can be more tooth decay. I wouldn’t recommend that as a mom, and I really don’t want to visit the dentist more often for my own teeth either.
  • Charcoal particles can make some teeth look darker: Tiny charcoal particles can be difficult to remove completely. This can leave a black or gray outline around the edges of teeth. If your teeth have any tiny cracks, charcoal can get stuck inside, making the area more noticeable.
  • Activated charcoal can irritate your gums: If you have sensitive gums, you may not be happy to hear that charcoal can make them sore. What can happen is that the tiny particles can get stuck underneath your gums, repeatedly scratching them and triggering inflammation.

If you do decide to use charcoal toothpaste (hopefully a brand that does contain fluoride), don’t use it for everyday brushing. Only use it when you think your teeth need a deep cleaning. Try not to brush too aggressively. That way you can take good care of your precious enamel.

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5 Ways To Protect Your Eyes From Screen Glare

If you’re like me, you spend a LOT of time in front of the computer. I work, shop, chat with friends, watch videos and pay bills from the comfort of my desk. Is staring at a computer screen for a long time bad for your eyes?

Can Staring at a Screen Too Long Hurt Your Vision?

The good news is that using your laptop, tablet or smartphone isn’t going to hurt your eyes. You don’t have to worry about a screen ruining your vision or making you need a stronger prescription. Those are all myths.

It’s still important to take good care of your eyes, though. Bright screens can cause dry eyes. Many people experience eyestrain, or tired eyes, after a long workday. Some people even get headaches from this. There are times when my eyes feel like sore grapes!

Why Can Staring at a Screen Cause Eyestrain and Dryness?

One reason screens make your eyes feel uncomfortable is that they slow down your blinking. Blinking is essential for keeping your eyes hydrated and clean. Normally, you should blink at least 15–20 times per minute. But when you’re staring intently at a screen, you only blink half that much! This can make your eyes really dry, especially after using a computer for hours.

Bright screens can also make your eyes exhausted — literally. Whether you’re absorbed in a book or shopping online, the tiny muscles around your eyeballs are constantly moving. Your eyes have to focus over and over, similar to how a photographer adjusts a camera lens.

Like any other muscle, eye muscles can get tired, too. After a while, focusing gets harder and concentrating on words requires a ton of effort. That’s a sign you’ve pushed your eyes too far. They need a break, just like how your feet want to kick back and relax after standing all day.

How Can You Prevent Eyestrain?

Follow these tips to protect your eyes:

  1. Avoid screen glare: Some newer screens have an anti-glare coating. For extra protection, you can buy a cheap ($10) matte screen filter for your computer. If you wear glasses, another option is to get an anti-reflective coating for your eyeglasses.
  2. Turn down screen brightness: A screen that’s too bright can tire your eyes out more quickly. Turn down brightness as much as possible while making sure reading is still comfortable.
  3. Increase the text size: Most apps let you adjust the size of words on the screen. Making text bigger doesn’t have anything to do with age. It’s about reducing eyestrain. Larger text is just more comfortable. Trust me, I kicked the settings up a few notches and it made a huge difference for my day.
  4. Take a break every 30 minutes: If possible, stop what you’re doing every 15–30 minutes so your eyes can rest and rehydrate. Get up, grab some water, eat a handful of almonds or check on your pot roast. Then, go back to writing your novel or working.
  5. Don’t sit too close: For a computer screen, position your chair so your eyes are about two feet away. For a tablet, hold it at the distance you would a book.

The solution to dry eyes and eyestrain isn’t to use eyedrops constantly. That's actually a bad idea. Prevent CVS instead by making life easier on your eyes. You can still use your laptop or tablet whenever you want; just remember to blink more and take more (healthy) snack breaks!

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5 Teas For Better Digestion

The secrets to health and happiness are not really secrets at all but rather, age-old remedies that people have been using for millennia. Among other simple tips such as “walk daily,” “eat a natural diet” and “smile more,” one that can have a profound effect on your health and comfort is “drink more tea.”

Civilizations have been using herbal teas to treat digestive issues and soothe symptoms such as nausea, constipation, bloating and indigestion for thousands of years, and for good reason — they work! Whether you’ve been feeling a bit bloaty lately, have had trouble digesting your food or simply want to keep your system in balance, add these five herbal teas to your diet.

1.    Ginger Tea

Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that contains a compound called gingerol. Studies show that gingerol helps to stimulate stomach contractions and trigger emptying, two actions that can help to alleviate bloating, relieve gas and encourage bowel movements. Research also suggests that ginger can help with cramping, nausea and indigestion.

2.    Peppermint Tea

Peppermint is an herb known for its cool and refreshing flavor and ability to calm an upset stomach. Peppermint contains menthol, which is a compound that has been proven to improve digestive issues in both human and animal research groups. In one four-week study of 57 people who live with irritable bowel syndrome, 75% of people who took peppermint capsules twice a day showed an improvement in symptoms. This is compared to just 38% of people who took a placebo.

3.    Dandelion Tea

Dandelions may be a weed, but they’re a weed with powerful health and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show omile Teathat dandelion contains compounds that, like ginger, trigger muscle contractions and the subsequent flow of food through the GI tract. Additional research found that dandelion extract fights inflammation, decreases the production of stomach acid and protects against ulcers.

To make dandelion tea, bring a mixture of two cups of dandelion flowers and four cups of water to a boil. Remove it from the heat and let steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the mixture through a colander or sieve and into your cup, and drink up.

4.    Cham

Chamomile is an herb that boasts several supposed health benefits, ranging from a better night’s sleep to reduced cancer risk. It also helps to promote digestive health. Per the findings from a few different studies and anecdotal evidence, chamomile promotes better digestion, helps protect against diarrhea and fights stomach ulcers.

5.    Fennel

Fennel is an herb that has a black-licorice type taste and that you can eat both raw and cooked. Though it is not fully understood why or how, findings support the theory that fennel is a natural laxative. Studies in which older adults consumed fennel tea for a month found that it promotes healthy bowel movements and relieves constipation. Other findings suggest that the anti-inflammatory agents in fennel also help to protect against and fight ulcers.

People have been using herbal teas as remedies for stomach pain and digestive issues for thousands of years. If you recently experience digestive issues, or if you just want to protect against them, drink a cup of tea each night — or more for more benefit. Give the above five herbal remedies a try.

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Sugar-Free Gum: Good for Your Child’s Teeth or Not?

As a parent, you want to take good care of your child’s teeth. At the same time, getting them to brush after every meal probably isn’t realistic. Can sugar-free gum help prevent cavities?

Is Chewing Gum Good for Your Kids’ Teeth?

Chewing is a great way to reduce cavities for kids and adults alike. When kids chew, their mouths produce more saliva. This helps prevent tooth decay by neutralizing the acid that causes cavities. Saliva also washes away leftover food particles. Sugar-free gum isn’t a replacement for some good old-fashioned brushing, but it’s a nice way provide dental hygiene after lunch or dinner.

That said, the type of gum you choose is very important. The kind of gum your kids want you to buy — bubble gum with fruit fillings — is definitely NOT good for teeth. Instead of preventing tooth decay, bubble gum encourages bacteria to grow. It also pushes the sugar right up against your child’s teeth, easily causing a bunch of cavities.

Is Sugar-Free Gum Safe for Kids?

This is a tricky question because it actually involves two things: if artificial sweeteners are safe for kids and if gum is dangerous as far as choking is concerned. The answers can vary depending on your child and your family.

The Oral Health Foundation recommends not giving gum to kids under the age of seven. At the same time, it acknowledges that parents are the best judges of when children are ready.

As far as the safety of artificial sweeteners goes, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says that there’s no evidence these ingredients can hurt children at all (unless you have a rare condition called phenylketonuria). Also, sugar-free gum has relatively tiny levels of artificial sweeteners compared to other products.

To give you an idea of the amount, a stick of chewing gum has around 6–8 milligrams while a can of diet soda has 180 milligrams. Your kids would need to eat the equivalent of 24 sweetener packets to meet the FDA’s max limit. If you’re still concerned, choose gum made with xylitol, erythritol or other natural sugar alcohols.

Is It Bad for Kids To Swallow Gum?

This is part myth and part rare-but-weird concern. First, nothing usually happens if school-age kids swallow gum. It will literally be out of their systems in a day or two. The only exception to this is if children are constipated and swallow a LOT of gum. So, take this urban legend with a grain of salt.

Are There Any Alternatives to Sugar-Free Gum That Kids Like?

Remember, it’s the act of chewing, not sugar-free gum itself, that helps prevent cavities. Depending on the age of your kids, you can offer them naturally crispy or chewy foods instead. Here are some of my favorites:

  • Carrot sticks
  • Apple slices
  • Celery sticks
  • Snap peas
  • Jicama
  • Cucumber sticks
  • Rice cakes
  • Whole grain bagels

My kids love foods with a crunchy texture, so these veggies are a big hit. I also keep a few packs of sugar-free gum around for when we need something quick to chew. I’ve noticed that as long as I have everything already cut in the fridge, they actually go for the fresh fruit and veggies more often than gum.

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6 Foods for a Longer Life

Who doesn't want to live longer? One thing that sucks about being human is the relatively short lifespan. Thankfully, with medical advances, people are living longer than ever. You can even boost your longevity by eating the right foods. Nutritionists recommend six foods for a longer life.

1. Dark Leafy Greens

Eating dark leafy greens can slow cognitive decline. Dark leafy greens include:

  • Chard
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Collards

According to a study in the Neurology journal, researchers found that participants who ate about 1.5 servings of greens daily showed less cognitive decline than those who ate less. The findings suggested the difference between the participants was equivalent to 11 years in brain health.

2. Fruits

You cannot go wrong with fresh fruit. All varieties of fruit have anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and immune-supportive properties. Despite the nutritional benefits of all fruit, nutritionists and dieticians say berries are particularly advantageous because they are low in sugar, nutrient-rich, and high in fiber.

Studies show the blue-purple family of berries is especially important to immunity and brain and heart health. One study concluded that people aged 66 to 70 who drank concentrated blueberry juice daily showed improvements in memory and brain activity.

However, the benefits of fruit come from consuming clean fruit. Do not eat fruit covered in syrup or sugar; it negates the health benefits.

3. Nuts

Nuts are amazing and deserve their place on the list of life-preserving superfoods. As a dense source of nutrients, nuts support the metabolism and immune system, help balance gut health and reduce inflammation, promote heart and brain health, and act as a cancer preventative.

One study of over 7,000 adults 55 to 80 years old and at high risk of heart disease showed that eating nuts can reduce mortality. According to researchers, the participants who ate three or more one-ounce servings of nuts per week showed a 39% lower mortality risk than non-nut eaters.

4. Whole Grains

Whole grains can reduce the risk of early death. The best whole grain options include:

  • Oatmeal
  • Bran
  • Brown rice
  • Couscous
  • Popcorn
  • Quinoa

According to a review of published studies, four servings of whole grains daily led to a lower risk of death than one serving or less over the 40-year study period. The researchers suggested the health benefits of whole grains stem from the foods' high fiber content. A high-fiber diet can lower cholesterol production in the body.

5. Legumes

The legume family — peas, beans, and lentils — is low in fat and high in folate, protein, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Also, studies suggest beans can reduce the risks of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

6. Green Tea

Researchers link green tea to reduced diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's, cancer, and heart disease risks. During one study of more than 40,000 participants, adults who drank five cups or more of green tea per day were 26% less likely to die during the study than those drinking one cup.

Green tea is likely beneficial because it is nutrient-dense and antioxidant-rich, which can benefit telomeres. Telomeres protect DNA and naturally shorten with age, but green tea can prevent some shortening.

If you want to improve your odds of a longer life, focus on your health. Add the above six foods to your diet and possibly add years to your life.

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Free Radicals: What Are They and How Do You Fight Them

Oxygen is vital to human survival, down to the body's smallest cell. However, not all oxygen is life-sustaining. Some oxygen is toxic, causing significant cellular injury. The injuries relate to the aging process.

There are tiny cellular structures inside the body called mitochondria. Researchers often refer to mitochondria as the body's power plants, burning oxygen, fat, and sugar to produce energy. The mitochondria also produce water by combining oxygen and hydrogen, but things can go wrong during the process. During the water-producing process, the mitochondria sometimes produce free radicals, a toxic oxygen pollutant.

What Is a Free Radical?

A free radical is an oxygen atom with only one electron. While the lack of an electron might not seem like a big deal on the surface, it causes the affected atom to act in a parasitic manner, stealing an electron from the nearest source. Removing an electron from another molecule creates a volatile chemical chain reaction called oxidation.

Oxidation is most visible when looking at the rust on a steel pipe or the browning of an apple when left in the air. In simple terms, oxidation speeds up the aging process, which seems bad on the surface.

Despite resulting in premature aging, oxidation is not always problematic. The body's white blood cells will release free radicals to kill bacteria. The actual issue with free radicals is when the body cannot contain or control them.

Risks of Free Radicals and Their Effect on Aging

If uncontrolled, free radicals will cause damage to cell membranes, proteins, and DNA. Mitochondria are the primary sites for free radical production and oxidative damage. The damage around the mitochondria causes the production of less energy and the generation of more free radicals, resulting in a continuous and brutal cycle.

As the damage continues, cells malfunction, leading to premature aging. According to research, free radicals and oxidative damage can contribute to malignancy, muscle diseases, cataracts, cardiovascular disease, deafness, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and aging.

While the body can produce free radicals, people also encounter them in their environment. Some ways you might experience the molecules include:

  • Manufacturing pollutants
  • Cigarette smoke
  • The sun

Reducing the Effects of Free Radicals

Over years of evolution, the body developed chemical processes to help fight and control free radicals. Primarily, the body uses nutrients, such as vitamin C and E, beta-carotene, and other cellular enzymes to combat the intrusive and abnormal oxygen atoms.

Also, you can help reduce the body's ability to produce free radicals by focusing on your caloric intake. However, the efficacy of caloric restriction depends on individual needs, so always consult a doctor before making significant changes.

Exercise and diet are the most effective tools you have to fight free radicals. However, if you are sedentary, do not rush into strenuous physical activity. Intense exercise can lead to an increase in free radical production. Build an exercise habit and program slowly. Give your body time to adapt to the change.

As for nutrition and diet, focus on lean proteins and fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, talk to a nutritionist or your primary care physician about your specific nutritional needs.

Free radicals can lead to premature aging. Exposure to free radicals is both biological and environmental. Exercise and diet are the best weapons you have to stave off aging and cell damage.

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Can Positive Stress Really Be Good for Your Body?

The idea of stress that is good for you seems weird. You’re probably thinking that the words “positive” and “stress” don’t even belong in the same sentence. But it’s true: certain types of stress produce beneficial effects instead of negative ones.

What Is Positive Stress?

We’re not talking about situations that make you feel terrified or anxious. Instead, healthy stress is associated more with activities that are challenging but also produce excitement, fun and happiness.

Positive stress makes life worth living. It’s about overcoming obstacles. It’s about celebrating accomplishments. It’s about trying new experiences. Positive stress gives every day more zing.

What Are Your Healthy Stress Sources?

Everyone views stress in a different way. Some writers love deadlines and get more done with them (I’m not one.) Do any of these situations get your blood flowing in a good way?

  • Work assignments
  • Fixing your car
  • Flying
  • Having a baby
  • Preparing for vacation
  • Working out
  • Taking care of DIY projects
  • Throwing a party

Someone who loves working on automobiles will probably see taking care of minor repairs as something enjoyable. That’s positive stress.

The same thing goes for dating. Falling in love makes your heart beat in a good way. You stay awake at night, maybe a little anxious, but mostly because you’re excited and can’t wait to see the person again.

What Are the Benefits of Positive Stress?

Unlike chronic stress, which weakens your immune system, gives you headaches and triggers inflammation, positive stress has great effects on your mind and body:

  • It motivates you: Reaching your goals can give you a sensation that’s even better than chocolate. It can give your life meaning. It also improves your self-esteem. Running a business can be stressful, but for entrepreneurs, it’s really rewarding to see their company flourish.
  • It improves your creativity: Feeling excited about a project helps you produce better results. My best work is always with topics that I feel passionate about. A little positive stress can help you come up with incredible ideas and solutions, too.
  • It feels amazing: If you’ve ever heard about sports enthusiasts talking about the “adrenaline rush,” that’s what positive stress is. Whether you’re into skydiving, rock climbing, skiing or snowmobiling, adrenaline makes your brain happy.
  • It helps your immune system: Excitement is good for your body’s defenses. Science has shown that good stress activates your immune cells and even helps your body heal faster after injuries. That’s one reason why doctors often recommend that people who are depressed take the time to exercise regularly.
  • It gives you energy: When you have a goal you’re trying to reach, your body literally feels more energized. Imagining yourself fitting into that tight red dress can give you the energy you need to swim, bike, hike or Zumba like never before.

How Can You Boost Positive Stress Levels?

Personally, I find that being a mom is my source of positive stress. I’m nervous sometimes, but also excited and happy. Hearing that “I love you Mommy” is irresistible, and according to science, it’s good for my health, too!

Get more positive stress in your life by doing things that are worth it to you, things that are exciting. Set aside more time for family adventures.

Go on a road trip. Ride a roller coaster with your eyes closed. Try new recipes. Make new friends. Visit new places. Zumba. Find something to be excited about every day!