Core Integrative Health

Good sources of vitamin D are oily fish, eggs, fortified cereal and sunlight. Consider supplements if you are concerned that you aren't getting enough.

Lifestyle is a stronger determinant of health and life span than genetics.

All sleep is important but REM sleep in particular plays an important role in dreaming, memory, emotional processing, and healthy brain development. We need the most REM sleep as infants and children, when brains are still developing. Newborn babies spend eight hours in REM sleep each day. By adulthood, we only need an average of two hours of REM sleep each night.

Why shouldn't one talk while eating? When we eat food, the epiglottis closes but when we talk while eating, the epiglottis remains open and food may enter the windpipe - which may trigger violent coughing to clear the food material out of the trachea or may get serious by chocking and may be fatal.

Spread calcium intake throughout the day. It's more readily absorbed that way. Spinach, kale, & broccoli, almonds, yogurt, soybeans, lentils, edamame, sardines, and figs are great choices.

NC (neck circumference) is measured at a point just below the larynx (Adam's Apple) and perpendicular to the long axis of the neck. A wide neck circumference may be associated with conditions like sleep apnea, diabetes, and hypertension.

A hair mineral analysis test can reveal a lot about your health. Measuring levels of key minerals, metals, and toxins that can lead to a range of conditions such as depression, fatigue, and hypertension.

Gut health plays a crucial role in nutrient absorption, inflammation, hormone balance, energy levels, and mood. Good news...the gut lining regenerates every three days! And, the gut MICROBIOME can change daily based on diet.

Nanoplastics are all around us - in food, water, household dust, clothing, household and personal care, and even the air we breathe. Research finds environmental hazards of the ecosystem and food chain contamination. Prevention strategies include minimizing plastic packaging and synthetic fibers.

The word 'thrive' means to grow vigorously, to prosper, to progress toward or reach a goal. Let's get started!

As a student of life, understanding your optimal learning style will make things clearer.
🖐️👂👁️📝
FOUR LEARNING STYLES
1-Tactile learners have a preference for learning through touch and prefer activities that involve handling objects or materials.
2-Auditory learners describes students who learn best when information is heard or spoken (lectures, discussions).
3-Visual learners prefer to learn through seeing and observing (diagrams, charts, visual aids).
4-Reading and writing (linguistic) learners prefer to learn through written words.

There are many studies about how high or low barometric pressure influences people's health and pain sensitivity. Researchers have found that high barometric pressure can make people more sensitive to pain while low barometric pressures make them less sensitive to it.

By managing your time effectively, you can reduce stress & anxiety, increase productivity, and improve mood and energy levels. When you prioritize your tasks and avoid overcommitting yourself, you have more time to engage in health-promoting activities such as exercise, relaxation and spending time with loved ones.

As well as filling your space with the delicious scent of honey, burning beeswax candles produces negative ions. These are thought to neutralize airborne pollutants, helping to remove the negative effects of breathing in dust, odors, and mold.

Parabens are endocrine disrupting chemicals which means they interfere with the production of hormones and hormone receptor sites.

Gardening TIp: 🌿
Non-Toxic W**d Killer

1 qt white vinegar
2 T Dawn dish soap
1/4 cup salt

Mix items in 32 ounce spray bottle and shake well. It's best to spray on a sunny day. The soap will strip protective oils and the vinegar will work to kill the growth.

Daily exercise can make a tremendous impact on health….no medication required.

Relaxation is intended to improve health through counteracting the effects of stress on the body. Dig your toes in the sand, literally or visually. You can use this technique whenever you want to relax. Progressive muscle relaxation can start with tensing and digging your toes as if into sand and releasing. Work your way up through muscle groups with tensing and releasing. By using the power of your mind, you can visualize being at the beach or your happy place for a soothing break when you need it. Just stepping away from something stressful for a few minutes or taking time away from normal routines and thoughts can give you enough space and distance to feel calmer.

Options for Drinking Water to Consider:

Filtered System:
pro: removes bacteria, lead, & chlorine yet other minerals intact
con: maintenance; cost; may remove fluoride

Bottled Spring Water:
pro: filtered naturally underground; has minerals
con: typically sold in plastic bottles; expense

Bottled Purified Water:
pro: controlled filtration to remove impurities for purer result; has minerals
con: typically sold in plastic bottles; expense

Boiled Tap Water
pro: removes chlorine
con: nutrients dead; doesn't remove metals

Essential tips to avoid knee damage and support knee health ⤵️
> Lose weight. It may reduce the risk of knee damage by up to 50%.
> Avoid heavy impacts from sports, such as football and rugby.
> Change sitting position frequently. Avoid kneeling, sitting cross-legged, knees bent or extended for long periods.
> Avoid overworking the knees with jumping, lifting heavy objects, walking on uneven ground, going up and down stairs.
> Exercise: Strengthen the muscles at the front of the knee joint.
> Select the right footwear to reduce the risk of injury and aide the work carried out by the knee.
> Increase the consumption of beneficial foods with vitamin C, flavonoids, and omega 3 fatty acids.
> Reduce consumption of sodium, sugar, saturated fats, alcohol.

Most bad moods tend to lift and there’s plenty you can do to send them on their way. Try these simple strategies:
- Take a walk, outdoors is best. Walking lowers stress; sunshine triggers serotonin &- endorphins; nature improves mood.
- Laugh it off. Watch a comedy or think about things that make you smile.
- Give a hug - to yourself or others. Physical connection helps with security and relaxation.
- Listen to inspirational music. It's good for the soul and reduces anxiety.
- Do a random act of kindness. Helping others makes us feel better.
- Connect with a special someone. Communication helps get things off our chest and reminds us that we are loved.

Hypnic headache is a rare type of headache. It only occurs while sleeping and will cause you to wake up. It's often referred to as an ‘alarm clock’ headache because it happens at the same time several nights of the week. Diagnosing hypnic headache involves ruling out other conditions and should be discussed with a medical professional.

Let movement take you places you never thought possible! Here are some notables from the American Heart Association:
👍10 minutes of stretching is like walking the length of a football field
👍2.5 hours of walking every week for a year is like walking across the state of Wyoming
👍30 minutes of singles tennis is like walking a 5K
👍1 hour of dancing every week for a year is like walking from Chicago to Indianapolis
👍20 minutes of vacuuming is like walking one mile
👍30 minutes of grocery shopping every other week for a year is like walking a marathon

Thyroid imbalances have been linked to sleep problems. Hyperthyroidism (overactive) can cause difficulty sleeping due to arousals from nervousness or irritability, as well as muscle weakness and constant feelings of tiredness. An overactive thyroid may also lead to night sweats and frequent urges to urinate, both of which can disrupt sleep.

There are a few tips you can try to lower a sudden rise in blood pressure:
👃Take a deep breath and try to relax.
💧Drink some water. Dehydration can cause blood pressure to rise.
🚶Try some physical activity. Go for a walk or do some light stretching.
🍫Eat some dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which are shown to lower blood pressure.
🚿Take a cold shower. Cold water can cause blood vessels to constrict which can lower blood pressure.
💨Stop smoking.
☕Limit caffeine and alcohol.

(seek medical attention if level warrants)

Adding fermented foods to your diet may benefit your overall well-being. Common ones include tempeh, kombucha, kefir, cheese, yogurt, sauerkraut and sourdough bread.

Tart cherries are packed with a boatload of benefits! A cup of frozen tart cherries at about 60 calories contains 9x more Vitamin A than blueberries & a ton of phytonutrients (anthocyanins). These powerful antioxidants boast anti-inflammatory properties, can lower blood pressure, normalize blood glucose levels, decrease cholesterol, boost bone density, improve muscle strength and recovery, relieve pain, and help sleep!

Going shoeless for an extended amount of time can alter the biomechanics of feet for the worse. Over the long run, it could accelerate the formation of bunions and hammertoes or lead to conditions such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and Achilles tendonitis. Walking barefoot puts a tremendous amount of stress on the foot, allowing it to collapse which affects the whole body's gait. And a compromised gait can result in neck pain, back pain, knee pain or other symptom that one may not realize derives from the foot.

One thing that most successful people have in common is an uncompromising attitude about fitness and exercise.

Eating sugar gives the brain a surge of a feel-good chemical called dopamine. That explains why you’re more likely to crave a candy bar than an apple or a carrot. Be strong and reach for an apple!