Say "Halo" to Healthy!

Seed oils are the most common fats in foods that come in packages and on restaurant menus—and they make up the largest share of fat in the typical American diet. But this doesn’t make them healthy. Do you ever feel mentally exhausted during the day, even if you’ve had enough sleep? Do you get cranky or unable to function before lunch or mid-afternoon, until you eat something? Or maybe you’re having a hard time learning how to use a new electronic device and chalk it up to “getting old.” These are just some of the symptoms of eating unhealthy seed oils (aka vegetable oils), according to Catherine Shanahan, MD, best known as Dr. Cate and author of The Fatburn Fix and Deep Nutrition . Other side effects of such fats can include weight gain, anxiety, mood problems, migraines, and other types of headaches. Seed oils are the most common fats in foods that come in packages and on restaurant menus and they make up the largest share of fat in the typical American diet. But this doesn’t mak

Learn about the wonderful world of Korean skincare with K-beauty maven Charlotte Cho. Double cleansing, snail mucin, sheet masks—oh my! With seemingly endless options formulated with innovation and care, K-beauty remains one of the most popular skincare niches to date. To learn more about K-beauty routines and products, we caught up with Charlotte Cho, co-founder of Soko Glam and a pioneer behind its stateside success. K-Beauty 101 with Charlotte Cho What is K-beauty and What Makes it Unique? Essentially, the term K-beauty encapsulates proactive skincare with an emphasis on self-care and total wellness. “K-beauty has a ‘skin-first’ philosophy. It means caring for your skin and getting to the root of the condition, instead of covering it up with makeup,” Charlotte begins. “As a whole, there seems to be a greater commitment to and interest in skincare rituals. It’s used as a moment of daily meditation and comfort, which is a point of difference from the US beauty market at large.”

Stir together a batch of homemade lemonade using fresh lemons and bottled lemon juice to save time. It’s a sweet and refreshing treat! If you want a treat, make it yourself. It’s a rule of thumb that makes sense to me, especially with sweet drinks. Because at the risk of being the fun police, even homemade drinks like lemonade are still treats (and mostly sugar). So this is a treat we make ourselves, especially in hot weather.  You might also like: How to Make a Homemade Sports Drink This lemonade recipe requires just a few simple ingredients: lemon juice, fresh lemons, sugar, and water. You can make this lemonade with all freshly-squeezed lemons, especially if you’d like to keep your kids occupied for a while. We use an old-fashioned glass juicer like this one but I’ve heard these handheld citrus squeezers work well too.  Otherwise, enlist some bottled lemon juice to pick up the slack. We’ve tried a few different kinds and do notice a difference between the slightly higher

Curious about how digestion works? Jessica Bippen, MS, RD, explains the three phases of digestion and tips on how to improve digestive health. Everything you ingest runs through your digestive system, and proper digestion is imperative for your overall health. How well it functions determines how well you break down your food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate waste. Plus, when your digestive system is working properly, you simply feel better! After all, no one likes to feel gassy, bloated, or constipated. That said, when’s the last time you learned about the digestive system? High school anatomy? Consider this guide as a helpful refresher. Keep reading to learn more about the three phases of digestion and how to optimize digestive function. How Digestion Works So, what does the digestive system do? In short, every cell in your body needs energy and nutrients to function. Your digestive system makes it possible! The digestive system consists of a group of organs that work together

What do chairs, hiking, mineral flow, and estrogen have in common? They all play a role in whether or not your bones deteriorate with age Q: What’s the deal with people getting shorter as they age? Is that inevitable? Is it a good idea to load up on calcium and other bone supplements? A: Yes, we tend to shrink a bit with age. This is mostly due to gravity, and one of the reasons I’m wild about trapeze yoga, which features hanging upside down. Inversion tables work too, and so does old-fashioned hanging from a chin-up bar. If our bone density is compromised, gravity’s pull is even more effective in compressing and even crushing bone structures. What we’re mostly talking about here is the lumbar vertebrae—sitting is pretty wretched for the lower back, and tends to reverse that natural lumbar curve. If you sit a lot, please use an ergodynamic chair (with built-in lumbar support) or a lumbar pillow. When you sit and type, your feet should be flat on the ground and your thighs and lo

By: Julie Mancuso, B.A., R.H.N., JM Nutrition   In this post:   153 nutrition tips & healthy eating tips   Happy 153rd, Canada! In keeping with the ‘Canada 153 theme’, I compiled a list of 153 nutrition and healthy eating tips to help you be a healthier Canadian. I then organized them into sections, in case you’re more interested in one topic more than the other. You’ll find just about everything here: weight loss, low-carb ideas, food and digestion, nutrition and mental health beauty and nutrition, nutrition and drinks sugar, vitamins, minerals and nutrients and a great deal of miscellany   So, without further ado, here they are:   153 Nutrition & Healthy Eating Tips   Nutrition & Healthy Eating Tips: Weight Loss and Carbs 1. Low-carb lunch idea for weight-loss: wrap the contents of a sandwich in a lettuce or cabbage leaf instead of bread. 2. Hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) can contribute to the difficulty losing weight. 3. With age, we

Sure, orgasms feel good—but are there any other benefits to getting off? According to experts, the answer is a resounding yes. From encouraging a better mood and a sounder night’s sleep to less pain and more self-confidence, orgasms can up-level nearly all aspects of physical, mental, and emotional wellness. Keep reading to discover the myriad benefits of orgasm. 10 Amazing Orgasm Benefits 1. Orgasms release endorphins According to Dirty Lola, a sex educator and Sex Ed A Go Go host, orgasms release endorphins and oxytocin. More of these feel-good hormones can lead to mood boosts and lower stress levels, which we all could all use. “Also, less stress means fewer breakouts, so orgasms [can] become an important part of your skincare groove,” she adds. 2. THEY can be emotionally healing Tired? Orgasm! Stressed? Orgasm! Sick? Orgasm! And you can consider that doctor’s orders, as the advice comes from Jill McDevitt, PhD, MEd, a sexologist, educator, and sex-positive activist. When time

Do you love to sing? Botanicals can improve your voice and soothe a sore throat Botanicals can improve your voice and soothe a sore throat. Chances are that your throat pretty much performs on command, so you give it little thought—unless it’s your moneymaker or it’s sore. Then it probably becomes just about all you can think about. Since their voices are their instruments, singers rely on a variety of secret weapons to keep their throats in tiptop shape. But these botanical wonders aren’t just for vocalists. They can help anyone who experiences a sore throat or related respiratory symptoms. Herbs That Open Your Airways These helpful herbs are known as “astringents,” which means they help shrink throat tissues. This in turn helps open up airways and allows you to breathe more freely. Bibhitaki ( Terminalia belerica ) is the best single Ayurvedic herb for generally controlling mucus, fat, and toxins in the body. One of three herbs in the Ayurvedic formula triphala, bibhitaki n

Warning: this post about the Mayr Method has a lot of bad language. If you don’t like the f-word, stop reading now. Please don’t read the entire post, then email me about how you found my language offensive. You’ve been warned!   Rebel Wilson, known for (among other things) her role as ‘Fat Amy’ in the… Read more The post The Mayr Method Is Medieval Torture in the 21st Century. appeared first on Abby Langer Nutrition.

There is nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night to the searing pain of stomach acid that seems to be headed in the wrong direction. It’s a common problem that can be managed through some easy to follow lifestyle changes. Heartburn, a painful burning sensation in the chest or throat, takes place when stomach acid, meant to work in your stomach, reverses course and irritates your esophagus. If you experience heartburn more than a couple times a week, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a more chronic and severe form of heartburn. Statistics show that one-in-four Americans suffer with GERD. The most common symptoms of GERD include: burning pain in the throat or chest, difficulty swallowing, belching, sour or bad taste in the mouth, bloating, nausea, dental erosion, chronic coughing or wheezing. READ MORE

Decrease your odds of getting sick with COVID-19 by following a few simple rules. To mask or not to mask? For a while, it really wasn’t a question, as stores, coffee shops, and even hiking trails required protective face covering to prevent the spread of Covvid-19. But now that some locations and situations make mask-wearing a little less than mandatory, you may be wondering: When should I wear one, and do they work? And could wearing a mask for too long be dangerous?  The conversation began in February, when widespread shortages of N95 respirators and surgical masks for healthcare workers were recognized. That broad gap between supply and demand initially raised questions about who needs masks, and whether they’re even the most effective way to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) initially emphasized that washing your hands frequently and avoiding touching your face—especially your eyes, nose and mouth—with unwashed hands was one of the most impor

This Easy Crispy Broccoli bakes in just 10 minutes and is kid-tested and approved! Makes a quick, vitamin-packed side dish. In our house, this roasted broccoli is officially known as “The good kind, with the lemon and cheese”.  Granted, I like broccoli any which way, but this broccoli recipe is the current kid-favorite around here. You might also like: Crispy Kale Chips Why broccoli is so good for kids Broccoli is a cruciferous veggie, related to cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. So it’s got those same healthy compounds that have been studied as potential cancer fighters. A half-cup serving of broccoli has the same amount of vitamin C as half an orange! Broccoli also contains vitamin A and a little bit of protein. How to make crispy broccoli in the oven Roasting brings out the vegetable’s natural sweetness and adds a wonderful crispiness. Start with florets that have been cut so there are flat edges to brown and crisp on the baking sheet. Rinse and pat dry with a pa

Does this mysterious ancient remedy live up to its immune-boosting hype? We think so. What Exactly Is Colloidal Silver?  It really is silver—”colloid” is a chemistry term, describing a mixture of particles dispersed or suspended in another substance. The silver particles can range in size, but most are considered nanoparticles, less than 100 nanometers in diameter. You’ll find colloidal silver in liquid forms, usually in a base of purified or deionized water, or in topical first-aid gels or ointments.  What Is It Used For? Colloidal silver is really nothing new—silver itself has a long history of use in both conventional and alternative medical fields. It was routinely used to treat infections in ancient civilizations, with the earliest recorded use dating back to around 1500. During the Middle Ages, wealthy families used silver so frequently that they developed bluish skin discolorations—thought to have led to the term “blue blood.”  In Western medicine, silver was first used in