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Lifestyle plays a major role in the management of all diseases—and making a few changes might mean you can reduce or even avoid taking medications with unpleasant side effects. Although you shouldn’t go off your meds without discussing with your doc, here are 10 things you can start doing today to regain control of your blood pressure.
Losing even just 10 pounds can lower blood pressure—and make sure to pay attention to the weight around your waist. Carrying too much weight here puts you at greater risk. In general, men should aim to keep their waist measurement lower than 40 inches, and women less than 35 inches.
It doesn’t take much to make a difference, and even 10 minutes of moderate activity (such as walking or light weight-lifting) can help. The key is daily consistency: Don’t save all your exercise for a Saturday afternoon because sudden bursts of activity could actually put you at risk for injuries.
Vegetables, fruits, moderate amounts of whole grains, and fermented dairy products (such as kefir, yogurt, and cheese) are the way to go. Keep a food diary to pinpoint your eating habits, stick to a shopping list when you hit the grocery store, and consider boosting your potassium intake, which can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure.
Read foods labels and aim for 2,300 mg (about 1 teaspoon) or less per day. Reducing the amount of processed foods in your diet will help immensely because sodium is often hidden in these products.
A glass of your favorite wine can be beneficial for your health, but those effects are lost if you drink the whole bottle. If you’re a heavy drinker, slowly decrease how much you drink over the course of a couple weeks.
Nicotine can raise blood pressure, among a multitude of other problems. It’s also important to avoid secondhand smoke, which can contribute to some of the same problems.
It’s debatable whether or not caffeine raises blood pressure—check for yourself within 30 minutes of drinking your morning cup of coffee (or other caffeinated beverage you normally have).
Figure out what makes you feel stressed—work, relationships, finances, illness, etc.—then take steps to reduce or eliminate those stressors.
Self-monitoring will help your health and help you feel in control. It’s also important to schedule regular visits with your primary doctor to check in and review your treatment.
Family and friends are great assets—they can encourage, support, and motivate you to be a healthier version of the one they love.
The post Lower High Blood Pressure Without Drugs appeared first on Just Naturally Healthy.

The Vienna hospital where Niki Lauda underwent a lung transplant last week says the three-time Formula One champion is breathing without assistance and his condition is improving

Brown beat teammate Leah Pritchett with a 3.835-second run at 322.84 mph for his third consecutive victory at Pacific Raceways


Inflammation has become quite the buzzword lately, touted as the cause of everything from acne to Alzheimer’s and from digestive issues to obesity. And while new research continues to support that theory, it’s important to remember that inflammation can actually be a good thing. When the body detects injury or illness, the immune system jumps into high gear, sending T cells, white blood cells, and lymphatic fluid to the scene. Water and blood also flood in to remove toxins and flush the area. This onslaught of antibodies causes increased circulation, swelling, even pain—all of which actually help the body defend itself against illness and infection. Inflammation happens externally, in response to bumps, bruises, scrapes, and scratches, and it happens internally, to fight infections and disease.
This type of inflammation—also known as acute inflammation—is a quick immune response that ends as soon as the injury has healed. So what does it have to do with food? Research suggests that eating the wrong kinds of foods also causes inflammation, not the acute variety, but the chronic kind—and that, by definition, doesn’t go away. Over time, chronically inflamed organs and tissues start to degenerate, toxins build up, and our organs are depleted of vital nutrients. All of this eventually takes its toll, potentially damaging the intestines, heart, kidneys, pancreas, joints, skin, and bones.
“A diet that’s high in inflammatory foods causes a constant, low-grade inflammation in the body,” says Elson Haas, MD, author of The False Fat Diet. “If the immune system is preoccupied fighting this constant inflammation, it’s not as able to help protect the body against other things that can pop up, such as abnormal cells in breast or prostate tissue.” According to Haas, “modern diseases are merely symptoms of the underlying issue of inflammation, which is just the body trying to heal itself; the question is, ‘from what?’”
By and large, the food choices we make dictate whether our bodies remain in a constant state of disease. Our too-busy-to-cook, high-stress Western lifestyles have led many of us to eat fast foods or packaged goods lacking in vital nutrients and high in pro-inflammatory ingredients, like trans fats, sugars, refined starches, processed meats, hydrogenated oils, and artificial sweeteners. A steady diet of these inflammation-provoking foods spikes blood sugar and can also cause the body to stop responding to fat-regulating hormones.
According to Barbara Rowe, MPH, RD, author of Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Health, modern convenience foods actually confuse our bodies. “Since these foods are so new to the human diet—most having been introduced only in the last 60 to 70 years—inflammation is a natural immune response to deal with them.”
But even those of us who steer clear of junk food and unhealthy fats may still need to pay attention to the ratio of good fats we eat. By now, we’ve all heard of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats are the most underconsumed in the American diet, while omega-6s predominate—by a lot. In fact, thanks to all of the packaged convenience foods we eat—even the organic and all-natural varieties—most of us get about a 30-to-1 ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s. Since omega-6s are pro-inflammatory, too much of them can cause low-grade inflammation in the body. “This inflammation prompts the oxidizing of the LDL, or bad cholesterol, which then makes it more sticky and more likely to adhere to the artery walls,” which leads to heart disease, says Haas. Adding omega-3s helps counteract the damage omega-6s do and may prevent that oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
Inflammation can also be caused by an immune reaction or allergy to a number of different foods. “You might be eating healthy foods, but if your body has an allergic reaction to one of these, an immune response will trigger inflammation—usually signaled by gas, bloating, and pain,” says Haas. For example, some dietitians think the nightshade family of plants—potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant—may actually make inflammation worse. These veggies contain an alkaloid called solanine that can trigger joint pain in some people, especially those with arthritis. If you’ve experienced this sort of pain, don’t eat these vegetables for a few weeks to see if your symptoms improve.
Another cause of inflammation is an acid-alkaline imbalance in the body. Experts agree that an acidic pH leads to toxicity that creates an unfriendly environment for the healing of inflamed cells. To alkalize the body, stay away from refined foods, coffee, black tea, alcohol, sugar, and fruit juice; moderate your intake of meats, dairy, grains, and fruits; and increase your consumption of all kinds of vegetables, spices, and beans.
Fortunately, we all have access to the perfect antidote for inflammation: anti-inflammatory foods. These foods not only reduce chronic inflammation in the body, they also provide the essential building blocks for reaching and maintaining a healthy weight and having more energy. Try adding one or more of the following foods to your diet:
By Alison Anton
Foods that Heal
Hot Peppers • Apples • Onions • Pineapple • Dark, Leafy Vegetables • Flaxseeds • Walnuts • Pumpkinseeds • Fish • Olives • Olive Oil
Foods to Steer Clear of
Bagels • Baked Goods • Pastries • Fried Foods • Margarine • Sugar • Snack Foods • Soda • Jams • Hard Cheeses
Recipes
Moroccan Chicken With Olives
Serves 4
1 yellow onion, diced
3/4 cup chopped parsley plus a little more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon mild paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (check sodium content of stock)
1 teaspoon agave nectar or sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus another tablespoon for drizzling
6 to 8 chicken thighs, bone in, with skins
1 cup chicken stock or water
1 teaspoon lemon zest (grated peel)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup Gaeta or Kalamata olives, pits in
1. Mix the onion, parsley, spices, salt, and agave nectar in a medium bowl.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken in a single layer, and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side until slightly browned.
3. Add the stock and onion mixture. Bring the stock to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook gently for 20 minutes until the chicken is tender and no pink flesh remains.
4. Place the chicken on a platter. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until reduced slightly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and olives.
5. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with the remaining parsley.
Nutrition info per serving: 297 calories; 22 g fat; 5 g saturated fat; 72 mg cholesterol; 18 g protein; 8 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 459 mg sodium
Green and Gold Salad
Serves 4
DRESSING
3 tablespoons unfiltered honey, softened if hard
2 teaspoons lemon zest (grated peel)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon walnut oil
Dash cinnamon, dash ground ginger
Pinch ground nutmeg, pinch salt
SALAD
6 cups baby spinach
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced into rounds
1 orange or medium grapefruit
1/4 cup chopped raw walnuts
Pinch cinnamon (for garnish)
1. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small dish until emulsified.
2. Arrange the spinach on a large platter and top with the red onion rounds.
3. Remove the stem and opposite end of the orange with a sharp knife. Lay the orange flat side down, and slice the skin off in 1- or 2-inch sections from top to bottom, taking care not to remove too much of the fruit. Turn the orange so the flat ends face to the sides. Slice the orange into 1/4-inch rounds, and quarter each round.
4. Arrange the oranges in a decorative fashion over the spinach and onions. Drizzle the salad generously with the dressing, and sprinkle with the chopped walnuts and cinnamon.
Nutrition info per serving: 162 calories; 9 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 3 g protein; 22 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 38 mg sodium
Olive Tapenade
Serves 4 to 6
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1 canned sardine fillet
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon capers
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until pureed.
Nutrition info per serving: 160.4 calories; 15 g fat; 0.7 g saturated fat; 2.8 mg cholesterol; 0.6 g protein; 6.1 g carbohydrates; 0.1 g fiber; 712.9 mg sodium
Pineapple-Date Ambrosia
Serves 6 to 8
1 cup Greek or regular plain, unsweetened yogurt
4 to 6 tablespoons agave nectar (depending upon desired sweetness)
4 cups diced fresh, ripe pineapple
1 heaping cup chopped dates
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup minced fresh mint leaves
1. Mix the yogurt and agave together in a dish.
2. Toss all remaining ingredients in a large bowl and gently blend in the yogurt. Let sit 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to develop.
Nutrition info per serving (based on 6 servings): 228.1 calories; 6.4 g fat; 4.9 g saturated fat; 5.3 mg cholesterol; 3.1 g protein; 44.3 g carbohydrates; 5.1 g fiber; 24.2 mg sodium
The post 7 Foods to Beat Inflammation! appeared first on Just Naturally Healthy.
It is true that metabolism is primarily controlled by genetics. There are several ways you can boost it naturally. The best thing we can do is to eat healthy goods proven and recommended by professionals.
Metabolism is the process via which the body transforms the foods we consume to make energy. The basal metabolic rate of our body can help maintain basic functions, such as cell repair and renewal, breathing, blood circulation, and a hormonal balance.
Several factors can affect your basal metabolic rate, including your diet, body composition, height, weight, gender, and age. The faster your metabolic rate, the more active and energetic you are and the more calories you burn. Here are a few foods that can help accelerate your metabolism.
A commonly used ingredient in our kitchen that can help boosting our metabolism is ginger. If we consume it regularly, we will create a slight increase in our body’s temperature. This body temperature rise can lead to a higher metabolic rate.
Being considered as a vasodilator, ginger can aid a lot in increasing the diameter of small arteries and improving the blood circulation. Increased circulation and blood flow is well-known to be associated with a rise in body temperature, which in turn can promote the metabolism and help our body in burning higher levels of calories.
In addition, ginger can aid in increasing the sense of satisfaction; thus, we will be able to eat less and burn more calories within a shorter time period.
Research published in Metabolism in 2012 showed reduced feelings of hunger and enhanced thermogenesis with regular ginger intake; hence, suggesting an important role of ginger in weight control. Additional researches are needed to confirm these findings.
Consuming an apple on a daily basis is healthy in several ways; and it can increae your metabolism, as well as helping you a lot in losing weight. Rich in soluble fiber and low in calories, apple is very great for people who are looking for foods to increase metabolism. The high fiber content of apples can aid a lot in the bowel movements and digestive system.
The apple’s fiber content can keep cells from absorbing fat, as well as encouraging the water absorption. This in turn can help a lot in removing the fat deposits from your body. In addition, it can help you feel satiated for longer, preventing the sense of hunger that cause impulsive eating selections.
A research published in Appetite in 2009 stated that rising levels of dietary fiber by consuming a fresh apple before meals can be effective at increasing satiety of meals.
Grapefruits – another one among foods to increase metabolism for men and women – contain high levels of vitamin C that supports a lot in improving the function of your metabolic system. Vitamin C can help to regulate fat metabolism and support the fat burning process.
These tart tasting citrus contain a flavonoid named “naringenin”, an excellent source of antioxidants needed for the function of the metabolism system. Naringenin can aid a lot in helping to lower the levels of insulin within the blood. This in turn can lead to improved metabolism and balanced blood sugar levels.
Research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food showed that people suffering from obesity who consumed grapefruit, grapefruit capsules, and grapefruit juice in their daily diet achieved better weight loss results. Consuming fresh grapefruit, can also improve insulin resistance.
Cayenne pepper has capsaicin – a compound that is well-known for having a positive effect on boosting the metabolic rate of our body. Capsaicin has thermogenic properties that can help the cells in converting energy into heat.
According to research published in the Journal of Proteome Research in 2010, capsaicin can also help to enhance the protein’s activities inside fat cells that can aid in breaking fat down. Researchers discovered that people who followed a daily diet high in fats and capsaicin experienced greater reductions in body fat compared to others.
Lemon can help to cleanse the digestive system and detoxify your liver. The vitamin C and enzymes contained in lemon can help to clear toxic substances from the body by turning them into compounds that would be eliminated from our body in the waste form. This can ultimately help to improve your metabolic functions.
To make use of the power of lemon, you just need to squeeze the juice of half a lemon in a glass of warm water and consume it in the morning on an empty stomach day by day. Hence, you will notice an improvement in your metabolism. You can also try adding lemons into your regular diet for more flavors to your foods and also derive its great beneficial impacts.
The post Foods to Boost Your Metabolism appeared first on Just Naturally Healthy.

Ginger, or Zingiber officinale as it’s scientifically known, has been used as both food and medicine for thousands of years. The flesh of the ginger rhizome can be yellow, white or red in color, depending upon the variety. It is covered with a brownish skin that may either be thick or thin, depending upon whether the plant was harvested when it was mature or young. It has a firm, yet striated texture and a taste that is aromatic, pungent and hot. Native to southeastern Asia, ginger has been a common ingredient in these parts of the world and has long been prized for its aromatic, culinary and medicinal properties.
This underground stem, which is used as both a spice and herb, is packed with active ingredients that play a variety of roles in your body and is still a popular remedy for motion and morning sickness. You can enjoy the health benefits in various way, teas, extracts, supplements, and you can eat it raw to benefit quickly from its healing powers.
Below are some uses of this centururies old plant:
Stomach Discomfort. Ginger can relieve nausea and vomiting because of its ability to disrupt and expel gas in the intestine. It appears to accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract, which may help alleviate stomach issues. It can safely alleviate nausea and vomiting from morning sickness as well as motion sickness.
Provides Pain Relief. Ginger can act as a natural pain reliever, making it a good natural alternative to ibuprofen or aspirin. The anti-inflammatory properties help relieve the body of aches and pains it may be experiencing.
Improves absorption. Ginger improves the absorption and stimulation of essential nutrients in the body. It does this by stimulating gastric and pancreatic enzyme secretion.
Helps with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Ginger can help subdue the effects of IBS. The anti-inflammatory properties help soothe and reduce the intestinal tract to ease people suffering from IBS. The best part is, you just need to add ginger to your diet, supplements, tea, in your cooking…, to help combat IBS.
Protects Against Alzheimer’s Disease. Research has shown that ginger helps to slow down the loss of brain cells. The loss of brain cells can be a precursor to Alzheimer’s.
Reduces Arthritic Inflammation (especially arthritic). Ginger contains some of the most potent anti-inflammatory fighting substances known and is a natural powerful painkiller. The anti-inflammatory nature of ginger means that it can help with a host of inflammation-based conditions and diseases such as arthritis.
Strengthens Immunity. Ginger helps improve your immune system. Consuming a little bit ginger a day can help decreases bacterial infections in the stomach and helps battle a bad cough and throat irritation. This is a fantastic feature to ginger that is a selling point of ginger by itself.
Fights Diabetes. Ginger appears to be useful in both helping prevent and treat diabetes. It can significantly reduce blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol. Ginger has a positive effect on diabetes because it inhibits enzymes in carbohydrate metabolism, increases insulin release and sensitivity and improves lipid profiles.
Maintains Normal Blood Circulation. Ginger gets the blood in your body flowing, which will give you a feeling of having more energy, and can help you with any feelings of sluggishness or fatigue. It also contains chromium, magnesium and zinc which can help to improve blood flow, as well as help prevent chills, fever, and excessive sweat.
Whether you want to add ginger to your favorite dish, tea, take it as a supplement, or just eat it raw the benefits are substantial. For information on how you can grow an endless supply of ginger click here!
The post A 1000 Year Old Food and Medicine appeared first on Just Naturally Healthy.
Matt Hagan took his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the Funny Car season in the CatSpot NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways
"I’m rejuvenated again," says Helio Castroneves, who moved into the new Team Penske Acura prototype program this season.