Archive for the ‘wellness’ Category

Lately, one of my friends felt a small lump in her breast. She ignored it at first. She thought it was probably some allergic reaction or pus and that it would subside in a day or so. Instead, to her surprise, she noticed that the lump in her breast was growing larger.

Ultimately she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The 38 year old woman was one of the estimated 200,000 plus cases of breast cancer in the United States.

Breast cancer affects one in eight women during their lives. Breast cancer kills more women in the United States than any other cancer, except lung cancer. No one knows why some women get breast cancer, though there are a number of risk factors.

All we can do is to eat healthy, exercise and live a healthy lifestyle so as to reduce the chances of this horrifying disease. One way of eating healthy is to include food that has lots of antioxidants and vitamins such as Vitamin A, C and E.

There are several studies on breast cancer and from 51 such studies it has been concluded that the risk of breast cancer is reduced by 17 percent in those with the highest vitamin A intake (compared to the lowest, pooled OR= 0.83). Furthermore, dietary Vitamin A, dietary Vitamin E, and total Vitamin E intakes, all reduced the risk of breast cancer when results from all the studies were pooled, and became insignificant, when data from cohort studies was pooled. The authors thereby conclude, “…the total intake of Vitamin A and retinol could reduce the risk of breast cancer.”

“KNOWING IT EXISTS IS NOT ENOUGH. GET INFORMED, PASS IT ON”

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Reference: http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/39843 “Retinol, vitamins A, C, and E and breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis and meta-regression,” Fulan H, Changxing J, et al, Cancer Causes Control, 2011, [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: Department of Epidemiology, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, 157, Baojian Street, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China).

When was the last time you enjoyed walking, dancing or playing in the rain?

When it starts raining, all we think of is staying safe and not go out because we might catch a cold or the flu and fall sick. Most of us think “when rains come, can the flu be far behind?” ….yes it is true, but only when your immune system is in alarmingly lower level.

But as a child, you never thought this true at all. You would actually enjoy playing in the rain and still keep the flu at bay. This is all because of the strong immune power a child has.

Our confined living conditions and stressful way of life is actually ruining our immune system. We keep ourselves away from nature and become excessively sensitive to weather changes.

Most of us have forgotten that fresh air, raindrops and the refreshing shower is actually restorative and invigorating for our health. So what’s holding you back? Step out to enjoy the wellness of nature, to discover a healthier you.

Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and cutting back on sugar and fats can help give your body proper nutrition and the fuel it needs. Taking nutritional supplements in addition, can contribute to better health that boosts your immunity.

At Solanova, we have many ways to help you ensure continued good health.  Take a look at our health concern articles – with heart health and everything else in between. Our highly absorbable, quality vitamins and nutritional supplements will help keep you humming with health so you can go out and enjoy nature without worrying about falling sick!

If the stuffy gym just isn’t doing it for you anymore, and you find yourself putting off exercise because you are bored with routine or too busy during the holiday season, don’t give up just yet.

We all know the holidays can be stressful, rushed, and filled with decadent treats and overindulgence, which is why this time of year is especially important to keep on top of your fitness regime.

But how?

The weather is much cooler now, but what better time to seek out fun activities you can do with your friends?  Check out your local ice skating rink.  Grab some friends and practice your figure 8’s and Axel jumps.   Or bundle up and take a walk or a hike in a nearby park.  The cold will make you move faster while you enjoy the beautiful winter scenery.  And if you’re lucky enough to live close to a ski resort?  Well, you know what to do!

Give a gift that keeps on giving.  Why not buy a series of yoga classes for you and a friend as a special gift that is good for both of you?  The class will keep you both committed, and will allow you plenty of hang out time while attempting downward facing dog or the plank.

By being creative and adding some social components to your workout routine, you’ll be much more likely to keep up some kind of physical activity during this hectic holiday season.  And hey, even holiday shopping at the mall can count.  Just make sure to take the stairs!

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Give your friends and family the gift of health this year.  Find their favorite vitamins and nutritional supplements on our homepage. Enjoy superb customer service.

Every little bit helps. We’ve heard that piece of sage advice our whole lives.  Whether we’re discussing saving a few dollars, or cutting out excess fats or sugars in our diet, the little changes can really add up.

So why not extend this theory to physical activity? Small efforts like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking during your lunch break, or riding your bike to the grocery store can add up to big, positive changes in your health and waistline over time.

Don’t self-sabotage.  If you can’t set aside an hour a day for the gym, a walk or bike ride, don’t blow off exercise entirely.  Try taking a power walk for 15 minutes instead.  Getting your blood pumping and enjoying being outside can only benefit you.

Got 10 minutes at home between work and dinner?  Try doing 25 sit-ups, 10 push-ups, and then either running around the block or working out with free weights for 5 additional minutes.  10 minutes of vigorous exercise is great for your heart, immune system, and will help to tone your muscles.   And as little as 10 minutes of brisk activity can keep your metabolism revved for up to an hour!

By incorporating exercise and physical activity into our daily lives, we not only stay fit, we achieve better health.  And we can all agree that being healthier is a wonderful thing!

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A new study shows that consumption of calcium and vitamin D while on a diet regimen, actually helps to facilitate further weight loss:

In a study involving an analysis of data collected from a 2-year trial involving 322 subjects (mean BMI: 31 kg/m(2), mean age: 52 years), of which 126 were followed for 6 months for serum vitamin D changes, higher dairy calcium intake and increased serum vitamin D were found to be associated with greater diet-induced weight loss. According to multivariate logistic regression modeling adjusted for age, sex, baseline BMI, total fat intake, diet group, vitamin D concentration, and dairy calcium, a 1 SD increase in dairy calcium intake increased the likelihood of weight loss >4.5 kg in the preceding 6 months (OR=1.45), and a similar increase was seen for serum 25(OH)D at 6 months as well (OR=1.7). The authors conclude, “Our study suggests that both higher dairy calcium intake and increased serum vitamin D are related to greater diet-induced weight loss.”

In addition, vitamin D & calcium can offer some protection against Osteoporosis and are thought to enhance the immune system.  So get plenty of exercise, eat a healthy, low fat diet, drink milk, and be sure to take a highly absorbable calcium/vitamin D nutritional supplement for stronger bones and better overall health.  Your bones, waistline and health will all thank you!

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Reference: http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/39386, “Dairy calcium intake, serum vitamin D, and successful weight loss,” Shahar DR, Schwarzfuchs D, et al, Am J Clin Nutr, 2010 Nov; 92(5): 1017-22. (Address: S. Daniel Abraham Center for Health and Nutrition and the Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. E-mail: dshahar@bgu.ac.il ).

Do hamburgers piled high with bacon, cheese, and more bacon make you queasy?  Are you fundamentally opposed to fried Twinkies?  Does the thought of a donut, cake and frankfurter party platter give you the willies?  Yes? That’s good. That’s very, very good.

We all have our weak moments when a chocolate bar or a basket of French fries is the only thing that will complete us.  But it’s extremely important to temper that kind of scary eating.  We all know that consuming a ton of sugar and fried foods will make us gain an unconscionable amount of weight, thereby potentially creating health problems.

And we can also get quickly accustomed to eating high fat foods, which can make it even harder to get excited about carrots and hummus again.  Our advice?  Only give in to decadent foods on very special occasions.  That way, the food you cook at home, the food you keep in the fridge, and the food you naturally gravitate toward at the supermarket will undoubtedly be healthier and replete with nutrition.

Train your palate to enjoy lean cuts of meat by adding a dry rub, or a tangy marinade.  Encourage yourself to eat more vegetables and fruits by seeking out more creative ways of preparing them.  Splurge on a fancy olive oil and balsamic vinegar set for finishing dishes, or use lemon, lime and a pinch of sea salt to flavor veggies without overpowering them (or adding any extra fat).

With a little creativity and discipline, you can eschew most of the fatty, sugary foods out there.  Leave the really scary eating to the kids on Halloween.  If you’re lucky, they may save you a Butterfinger or Hershey bar.

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For some, fall means crisp, clean air, beautiful walks through the foliage and a plentiful and delicious Autumn harvest.  But for many, fall instead represents the madness of back-to-school activities, shopping and carpooling, not to mention the crazy fiscal 4^th quarter dash to make year-end company goals, all racing toward the hectic holidays and a spanking new year so we can do it all over again.

It’s enough to tire even superwomen out.

So what can you do to help keep calm and centered in the face of utter scheduling chaos?  Make a list.  It sounds simplistic, but it works.  Keep a small notebook in your purse and write tasks and appointments down as you think of them.  You’ll feel better and less stressed out as you cross them off your list.  And if you don’t get to everything, don’t worry. Tomorrow is another day.

Exercise your right to say “no”.  Sometimes in life, we just have to learn when to say when.  Taking on an extra project at work, throwing that dinner party for 12 of your closest friends, and volunteering to help paint sets for the school play may not all fit into your regular (and busy) schedule.  Pick and choose what is most important to you, and let go of the rest.  You will be amazed at how liberating it is not to feel overextended.

Say yes to “me” time.  Even if you can only carve out 2 hours a week to start, do it.  Make that manicure appointment.  Window shop with abandon.  Take that spin class and then a luxurious, candlelight bubble bath.  Go see a first-run movie in the theater, and buy your concession stand favorites.  In other words, quiet your mind and remind yourself that life can be fun, silly, and joyful.  You’ll feel a lot less stressed and better able to handle all of life’s responsibilities.

To help keep stress at bay, try our natural Relora®  nutritional supplement.  For superb free radical protection and enhanced energy, take our Super QNol®  CoQ10 with Ubiquinol.

We all know that Curcumin (an extract of Turmeric), is a delicious spice that can brighten up many dishes, but a new study now concludes that supplementing with Curcumin can also help reduce the chances of colon cancer:

So go ahead and spice things up!  Not only does it taste great, but Curcumin may very well help us increase our immune power.

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Reference: http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/39284 “Chemopreventive effect of dietary curcumin on inflammation-induced colorectal carcinogenesis in mice,” Villegas I, Sanchez-Fidalgo S, et al, Mol Nutr Food Res, 2010 Sept 16; [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain).

When it comes to either chronic health conditions or a troubling diagnosis, many of us feel powerless in the face of what is happening to us or to a loved one.

But the fact is the body is an amazing, resilient piece of equipment, and given the proper fuel, rest, and care, it can help us fight disease and perhaps overcome insurmountable odds.

We, however, need to help our bodies.

Make sure you are getting enough sleep.  The body regenerates as we rest, and if we can’t squeeze in more than a few hours, we may lose some of this benefit.  Lack of sleep can also affect how (and what) we eat, stress level, and our motivation to exercise, which in turn can make us even more lethargic.

Don’t underestimate a daily walk or a trip to the gym a few times a week.  Exercise helps to keep our blood pressure and stress level down, it can contribute to a stronger immune system, and can make us produce more endorphins, the “feel-good” hormone.  Not to mention, exercise tends to keep our weight in check, making us look and feel great!

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and cutting back on sugar and fats can help give your body the proper nutrition and fuel it craves.  Taking nutritional supplements can also contribute to better health.

If you or a loved one is struggling with a health condition or disease, eating right, getting enough sleep, and exercising as much as possible all help to empower our bodies to be as strong and resilient as they can be, even when facing adversity.  Be strong and be well.

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I tried something crazy last month.  At first, it was simply impetuous, but now I’ve continued to do it and have actually seen results.  I’m wearing things I had no hope of squeezing into before and feel better than I have in years.

I take my dinner plate, and I cut it in half.  Yep. That’s the secret.  I load up with all the food I think I want and then divide half of it into Tupperware to take to work the next day for lunch.  Not only does this save me roughly $50 a week in lunch costs, but I’ve also lost about 6 pounds with minimal effort.

I don’t feel deprived-I’m eating what everyone else eats for dinner.  But I’m eating less.  And I’ve discovered something fascinating.  Less is actually plenty.

I’m enjoying another unexpected result from this food experiment.  I have more energy.  I no longer experience that stuffed feeling of remorse as I push away from the dining room table, ready for a nap on the couch.  Because the better I feel and look, the less I want to gorge myself.  It’s a very simple concept.

In addition, I feel so good that I find I want to do more to enhance my health.  I am starting to actually look forward to going to the gym-albeit with trashy magazine in hand-and am dedicated to cutting down on the caffeine, alcohol and sugar in general.  My sleep patterns have improved, and frankly, so has my outlook on life.

Sound dramatic?  Maybe.  But it’s working.

Are you ready to find your catalyst for better health?  Try something unexpected and see what happens.  You may just find yourself $200 a month richer and a size or two smaller.

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