Say "Halo" to Healthy!

Gaby Vaca-Flores, RDN, CLE, recaps the benefits of vitamin D and uncovers if it exists in vegan form. Plus: how to choose the best vitamin D supplement. Prioritizing vitamin D intake is highly recommended, especially if you follow a strict vegan or vegetarian diet. As you may already know, sunshine is a wonderful natural source of vitamin D that’s safe for omnivores and vegans alike. But what about vitamin D food sources or supplements? Sadly, many vitamin D-rich foods and supplements aren’t vegan. But vegan options do exist! Here’s how vitamin D can benefit your health and where to find vegan-friendly food and supplement sources. What Is Vitamin D Good For? Vitamin D is widely recognized for its role in maintaining bone health by regulating calcium and phosphorus absorption. Surprising to many, however, is vitamin D’s critical role in supporting other important physiological processes. These include but aren’t not limited to: mood regulation muscle retention immunity protect...

Strengthening your cardiovascular system is never a bad thing, but it may be more important now than ever. Leading physicians and scientists on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic have uncovered a strong link between the virus and cardiovascular disease. This emerging theory explains, in part, why people with pre-existing high blood pressure and diabetes are at greater risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19. It’s thought that the virus enters the body through the respiratory passages and possibly the eyes. Since the virus attacks the ACE2 enzyme receptor, it then sets into motion a cascade of inflammatory reactions. Ultimately, it is the oxidative stress of this cascade that causes hypercoagulation and blood clots. These blood clots then cause damage everywhere there are small capillary beds: in the brain, lungs, kidneys, toes, and even the blood vessels themselves. The blood vessels and the heart have a thin lining of cells, called endothelial cells, that relea...

Is it possible that all of your acne-fighting actives are doing more harm than good? See if drying out your pimples is a safe and effective way to clear breakouts. When I first moved to LA, I remember sharing my skincare regimen with my esthetician (and personal skincare guru), Cielo Ruiz. Once I finished, I noticed—at least from my POV through the steam and goop—she was visibly taken aback. It turns out I was, as they say, *doing the most* when it came to my quest for clear skin. I’ve since implemented her top tips to advance me along my journey—and dare I say that my current complexion is proof that they work. A big part was learning how to dry out your pimples the right way. Here’s all of the intel. Should you dry out Your pimples? Yes, no, maybe so. According to Cielo, drying out pimples includes some gray areas. Above all, if you choose to dry out your pimples, the focus should be on spot treating. “The goal is to dry out the pimple itself, and not your whole face,” she advi...

We’re celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Kat James’ Total Transformation program with a “Transform From Home” Challenge & Contest! Find out how Kat James’ clients reversed weight and binge eating issues, depression, anxiety, and a range of physical health issues using a unique leptin-optimizing diet. See links below. We have featured the groundbreaking work of award-winning author and leptin pioneer Kat James for many years. With her Wise Fat-Burner columns and feature articles, James has mentored and shared numerous dramatic reader health success stories, including her own. Her on-site and online Total Transformation Programs (over 150 worldwide to date) have helped hundreds heal their bodies, biochemistry, and relationships with food. From former heart patient Janet Hunter who joined James in Asheville, N.C., to former food addict Brittney McMartin who joined James in Scotland, to Carla Ellsman, a formerly overweight, breathing-challenged singer in Hawaii, to the Bayer Fam...

Want your kids to pack (or make) their own lunches? Here’s how to create lunch stations in your pantry, fridge, and freezer. This post was created in partnership with Produce For Kids. Whether “back to school” means in-person, online, or some of both for your kids, one thing remains the same change: They still eat lunch every day. If you’re already zapped from summer lunches, the idea of back-to-school lunches may feel utterly exhausting. Lunch stations to the rescue! I created lunch stations for my kids a few years ago to help them pack their own lunch boxes. And it worked! So well, in fact, that I kept the system going. But it can easily work for kids who are prepping their own lunches at home too. How to make lunch stations Here’s what you do: Corral frequently-packed or prepped items into three bins: one for the refrigerator, one for the freezer, and one for the counter or pantry. Your bins don’t need to be fancy, but here are some options like the ones shown here: Refrige...

A little investigative work can help pinpoint why you’re constantly fatigued—and what you can do about it. Do you know the potential causes of fatigue? Q:  I feel tired a lot. I just don’t have the energy to accomplish what seems like a normal amount of work, errands, and a little play in my day. What’s wrong with me? A: Lack of energy is a very common concern and has many possible origins. Likely it’s a combination of a few different things, so let’s go over the basics to start. It’s important to rule out (test for) anemia and low thyroid function. Anemia Menstruating women who bleed heavily (more than 3–4 super tampons a day for more than 4–5 days a month) may not be replacing red blood cell loss, and therefore can’t deliver oxygen optimally to the brain, heart, and large muscles. Anemia absolutely causes fatigue, and usually a feeling of being cold. An inexpensive blood test (CBC, or complete blood count) can quickly show if anemia is the problem. Related: All About Ir...

Simple strategies of healthy living are vital for keeping the body in tip-top shape to defend against illness. You’ll likely always remember 2020 as the year the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic led to a societal focus on external hygiene—including social distancing and frequent hand washing—to help prevent spread of the illness. But have you paid as much attention to internal hygiene, practices that help optimize your immune system to ward off disease on its own? It’s true that COVID-19 is a new virus that no one, up until recently, had been exposed to. However, we have to face the fact that we can’t live in a world free of cold and flu viruses, other foreign invaders, toxins, and stressors. No matter what we want to defend ourselves against, building up our immune systems is the key to fighting off many different challenges. Naturopathic physicians and other holistic-oriented practitioners focus on back-to-basics approaches—simple things that can make a big difference—to increase r...