Engaging in a lifestyle of holistic wellness involves more than just eating healthy foods and exercising. It also includes doing things you love. There are many health benefits to having a hobby: exploring yourself & your talents, challenging yourself, creative expression, socialization, promoting living in the moment, reducing stress. The list goes on... Photography is one of my favorite things to do ❤️ This image was taken on a recent trip to Argentina! What are your hobbies? What are your favorite things to do? How does it make you feel?
Health and our Pets
If you know me well, you probably know that my dog Brinkley is a huge part of my life. It’s interesting to see how holistic health can be overlooked with animals as a significant amount of dog/cat/bird food is filled with dyes, preservatives, chemicals, coloring agents and more. Having discovered Dr Harvey’s I couldn’t imagine serving Brinkley aything else. @doctorharveys started researching and discovered that, just as with people, for animals “health begins in the kitchen". In other words, he determined that the foods we feed our pets are key to their health, and that feeding them chemically-laden and inferior quality ingredients was (and remains) the #1 reason for the rise in degenerative diseases.
This is not a sponsored post but a genuine love of a product that aligns with my values, it’s great to see products like this on the market! 🥕
The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen
As someone who loves to eat fruits and vegetables, I was alarmed to read about the pesticides and chemicals that exist on our food!
Washing your produce doesn't always do the job of making it safe to eat. Did you know that nearly 70 percent of conventionally grown produce is contaminated with pesticide residues? Tests by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found 230 different pesticides and pesticide breakdown products on thousands of produce samples analyzed. Based on these tests, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released their list of the Dirty Dozen™ fruits and vegetables with the most pesticide residues, and the Clean Fifteen™, for which few, if any, residues were detected.
Meet the 2018 Dirty Dozen™:
1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Nectarines
4. Apples
5. Grapes
6. Peaches
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Tomatoes
10. Celery
11. Potatoes
12. Sweet Bell Peppers
These 12 foods contained higher pesticide concentrations than other produce. In fact, a single sample of strawberries tested positive for 20 different pesticides. The EWG recommends that consumers buy organic, non-genetically modified (non-GMO) produce from the Dirty Dozen™ list to reduce consumption of pesticides.
Now for some good news, meet the Clean Fifteen™:
1. Avocados
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapples
4. Cabbages
5. Onions
6. Frozen Sweet Peas
7. Papayas
8. Asparagus
9. Mangoes
10. Eggplants
11. Honeydews
12. Kiwis
13. Cantaloupes
14. Cauliflower
15. Broccoli
With low total concentrations of pesticide residues, these foods offer consumers the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables while limiting exposure to pesticides.
Coffee vs Green Tea
Here's a simple health tip for your Thursday! Try switching out your coffee for a green tea. I have been doing this for the last three months and feel great! Green tea has amazing health benefits, one of which is to help metabolize fat cells and aid in weight loss. It also increases dopamine and has anti-anxiety effects and improves brain function. The calming & health benefits of taking a few minutes of your day to sit down and drink green tea is worth the effort. This simple change can make a huge difference in your physical and mental well-being.
Two Doctors Discuss Health and Longevity
“Getting older is inevitable. It is a matter of fact. Aging, however, is under your control. What happens to aging people need not happen to you. In truth, you can actually get healthier as you age.”
This incredible insight is just one highlight from an interview with Dr. Charles Wilson, who was chairman of Neurological Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco for 28 years. In conversation with Dr. Margaret Chesney of UCSF's Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, the neurologist discussed healthy aging.
There are no rules that say you can't get healthier as you age, Dr. Wilson noted. His advice for health and longevity includes: maintaining muscle and bone strength through regular exercise 💪🏼that is safe, focus on what you can do rather than what you can't do, and to keep learning and trying new things.
How To: Practice Self-Care
Linda Koffman/Pure Longevity
The concept of self-care has become associated with pampering, but it is so much more than that. What it means is to take care of yourself, a vital aspect of maintaining your health and wellbeing.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, chronic stress "weakens the immune system and inflames the body, making us more susceptible to colds, weight gain, sleep issues, stomach ulcers, depression, diabetes and heart disease." Rather than react to stress with numbing activities like binge-watching a TV show, the Cleveland Clinic recommends self-care practices.
One of the main self-care steps is to take the time in your day to pause. Activities that promote calm, peaceful reflection help us relieve stress. This can be as simple as spending some time outside or taking an Epsom salt bath. These self-care practices help "quiet the mind, balance hormones, including cortisol (the stress hormone), lower blood pressure and improve brain health," according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Our favorite way to take pause is with some simple meditation. Find a calm, quiet space and make yourself comfortable. Then close your eyes and focus on your breathing: inhale, exhale. Allow your mind to settle, in just five minutes you can feel the stress melting away.
To set the atmosphere for meditation and focused relaxation, you can use essential oils in either an essential oil diffuser or direct application. Our favorite essential oils for meditation are Frankincense, Lavender, Neroli, Patchouli, Rose oil, and Sandalwood.