Research on meditation has shown that an immediate reduction in stress and anxiety can be had, in addition to lower blood pressure and increased overall happiness. These are great reasons to start meditating now, but continued exploration of the practice has revealed that it could also add years to our lives, and improve our lives as we age.

Scientists have known for awhile that shorter telomeres are an indication of aging. These are protective protein caps at the end of DNA strands. It has been found that each time a cell replicates, the telomeres become shorter.

Telomerase is a natural enzyme that prevents this shortening. This enzyme can even add length back onto a shortened telomere, allowing that particular cell to love longer.

This shortening happens as a natural process of aging, but it can be accelerated by stress, which in turn speeds up the aging process. Shorter telomere length is therefore linked with cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, poor immune system functioning, and Alzheimer’s disease, according to Elissa Epel, PhD, professor of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Continue reading →

Organic sulfur is an abundant mineral in the body, and is crucial to good health. It also occurs naturally in water and in raw organic foods from fruit and vegetables to meat and dairy. Not only is this substance an essential element in life, it can have a profound healing effect on our bodies when added as a supplement, as most of us are not getting enough to replace what we use up naturally every day.

Health expert Hesh Goldstein is a major advocate for organic sulfur (OS) supplementation. Here are some reasons why:

OS Increases Production Of Enzymes.

This helps to increase our overall resistance to illnesses.

It Reduces Inflammation.

Organic sulfur promotes the healing of muscles and aids soreness by quickening recovery from trauma. This is why athletes in particular can benefit from adding sulfur to the diet.

OS Eliminates Free Radicals.

If you have allergies, sulfur can help to reduce your sensitivity to them.

It Promotes Growth Of Hair And Fingernails.

Organic sulfur increases tissue and blood vessel flexibility. Also, it is a main component of moisturizing creams due to its promotion of healthy skin. Continue reading →

 As the new year is upon us, it is that time again for self reflection, introspection and understanding. 2015 was different for everyone, there will always be positive and negative aspects in each year as our world is infinitely vast and our actions differ drastically.

Many had a great year while many did not. It’s time for us to collectively come together and ensure our future is filled with joy. It is up to each of us to take responsibility for what is happening on this planet and create a solution together. 

One: Practice meditation

By now, most people should know the positive effects of meditation on both their physical health and mental state. Yet many of us still can’t seem to find the time to sit peacefully for a few minutes.
It can only take 5 to 10 minute to focus on our breath, clear our minds and raise our emotional state. Meditation is perfect for reflecting on who we are, why we do what we do and how we shift out of behaviors that will no longer serve us in the new year.

It is a chance to completely reset our vibrational states and then act within that mindset of understanding. incorporating this into your routine even just a few times a week will drastically change how you interact with the world. Make 2016 the year of mindfulness!

Two: Practice Movement

Similar to meditation, walking can be used as a meditation of motion. It is a vital exercise, not just for our bodies but for our mental and emotional well being too. Countless studies show the positive effects on how our brain processes information when we’ve taken a 20 minute walk. Continue reading →

Mindfulness practice has been gaining steam as a popular school routine, as many studies show that it can not only improve concentration, but also attendance, behavior, memory and overall well-being in our children. It seems that being presently aware comes more easily to children than adults, as well.

The easiest technique often first introduced to children has a basis in physiology. They are taught about the amygdala, a small area of our mid brain responsible for sensing when we experience stress.

It responds appropriately with the all-important ‘fight or flight’ response to stressful situations.

This evolutionary adaptation was probably originally utilized mainly in life or death situations, however the amygdala does not differentiate between an argument, a stressful test, or being chased by a predator. What it knows is a feeling of danger, and reacts by blocking the prefrontal cortex, responsible for thinking logically. Continue reading →

Raw almonds may just be the perfect snack. They are abundant with protein, good fats and cancer-fighting antioxidants, not to mention nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, potassium, iron and calcium (to name a few).

Almond milk would seem like a good choice for many vegan and lactose intolerant people, offering the look and feel of actual milk, with the health benefits of almonds. Almond milk has been around for at least several hundred years, and was a staple in the medieval kitchen.

However, the almond milk found in modern grocery stores bears little resemblance to this historic foodstuff.

It is typically sweetened, thickened with substances like carrageenan, and often fortified with vitamins A, E and D. Research suggests that only a handful of almonds goes into a carton of typical store-bought almond milk, the rest is water and additives.

According to Business Insider: “Based on these numbers, to get the nutritional value of a handful of almonds, you’d have to drink not just a few cups of the almond milk but an entire carton of it.”

In addition, buying prepared almond milk is simply not a cost-effective choice for the average consumer. In the U.S., almond milk now comprises about 2/3 of the market share for alternative milk, and producers are making a killing from it. According to Mother Jones: Continue reading →