Food How Food Affects Your Mood 10:53 PM How Food Affects Your Mood Can food change your mood? There's a connection between what you eat and how you feel more powerful than you think. So it's more than just psychological. Take mushrooms, for example. Some mushrooms have no effect on your mood whatsoever, and others (such as the ones sold on mmj) can completely change the way you think. What we put into our bodies is essential, and we must learn about how different things affect us! This post contains affiliate links, so we'd get a commission if you purchase through the links at no additional cost to you.How Food Affects Your Mood Food and nostalgiaA freshly baked chocolate chip cookie can bring back good childhood memories.A simple apple pie can take you back to that best Thanksgiving dinner at your grandma's.That scrumptious pasta dish reminds you of that wonderful trip to Italy. Psychologically, food can trigger familiar, happy, homey feelings. They can bring you comfort and take you down memory lane.How can food affect your mental health?Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, the feeling of happiness, and well-being. It's also responsible for your social behavior and sexual desire.The food we eat can either reduce or increase the serotonin level in our bodies.90% of this happy hormone is produced in your gut.So when you consume healthy food, you have a healthier gut which means a good supply of serotonin.When you're healthy, you feel good about yourself. As a result, you have a happier disposition. A sickly person is usually irritable and depressed.They worry about hospital bills, medication, and their loved ones.How does bad food or fast food affect your mood?Food high in carbohydrates can cause fluctuation in your blood sugar. This can make you irritable.Junk foods like potato chips and fast food are high in transfat that can lower your serotonin level.For coffee lovers, take your dose of caffeine moderately. Too much caffeine can trigger anxiety and fatigue.Fast food is inexpensive and great for people on the go. As the name suggests, you'll get your food quickly.But there's a reason why it's low-priced...It's made from cheap, unhealthy ingredients. Eating fast food is not only harmful to your physiology but also affects your psychology.Saturated fats and omega-6 fatty acids found in fast food cause mental distress.What food can make you happy?Demotivated? Feeling sluggish? Eat more fruits and vegetables.Fruits and vegetables are rich in the amino acid tryptophan. This helps maintain a healthy level of serotonin in our brains.Mood-boosting foodsHere are some foods that can lift your mood.1. Vitamin B12 and folate can help ease depression. These are found in:green leafy vegetables (cabbage, kale, string beans, spinach)citrus fruitslentilsnutritional yeasttempehnori seaweed2. Vitamin D helps relieve mood disorders. Get them from:mushrooms fortified plant-based milk such as soy, almond, cashew, and rice milkfortified orange juicesunshine3. Omega 3. A study shows that those with a low omega 3 have a greater suicide risk. Here are some excellent vegan sources of omega 3:chia seedsground flaxseedflaxseed oilcanola oilseaweedalgaehemp oiledamamekidney beanswalnutssoybean oilHow do meat and poultry affect your mental health?Eating animal products can trigger Arachidonic acid resulting in inflammation.When this inflammation reaches the brain, it can cause anxiety, hopelessness, and depression.Sweets, Happiness, and AddictionAre you a sweet tooth?Chocolates stimulate and increase the production of endorphin, creating feelings of pleasure. The cocoa in the chocolate contains theobromine and phenylethylamine.These compounds stimulate the production of the serotonin level.Doughnuts and cakes can trigger the pleasure center in the brain.They're addictive. Foods rich in fiber can slow down the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream and increase serotonin production.Fiber is found in oats, peas, and beans.Change your food, change your mood.Good food is a good mood.An unhealthy diet makes you sick. Healthy food can help your body function at its best. Choose food that can help boost your mood. Be mindful about choosing what you put in your mouth because how food affects your mood will also significantly affect your life.
Health & Wellness 3 Ways To Create A More Natural Lifestyle 7:00 PM 3 Ways To CreateMore Natural Lifestyle The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison. -Ann Wigmore, Holistic Health Practitioner, and NaturopathWe are exposed to toxins every day. Harmful substances are everywhere, from the food we eat, synthetic medicines we take, and the air we breathe.But we can protect ourselves if we create a more natural lifestyle.And it's easier than you think. 1. Eat more plants.One of the easiest and fastest ways to create a natural lifestyle is to choose a plant-based diet.The health benefits are incredible. Studies show that a plant-based diet tremendously affects glucose levels. This results in reduced or reversed Diabetes in patients. Plants are rich in antioxidants that protect us against certain cancers. A vegan or plant-based diet does not clog the arteries, thus allowing a healthy flow of blood and oxygen.Because plants are fiber-rich, those who follow a vegan diet have better digestion and experience weight loss.Find local organic groceries to avoid consuming GMO foods. 2. Opt for green living. Electric cars and natural gas gen-sets (if you are providing power to many people) are great ways to be fuel and cost-efficient. Install solar panels to power your home. If you live by a lake or river, you can make a mill to produce hydroelectric power.Reuse and recycle old items around the house.Support ethical, sustainable, and cruelty-free brands. 3. Use essential oils. While prescription medication may be easy to get, it shouldn't always be your first answer. It's amazing how everything we need is already provided by nature. For our health needs, there are different essential oils that we can use.Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants. They contain potent chemicals that can be used for different health issues.Here are some examples.Best essential oils for headaches and migraines:Peppermint oilChamomile oilEucalyptus oilGinger oilLavender oilNeroli oilOrange oilBest essential oils for colds and sinus congestion:Lemon oilPeppermint oilThyme oilChamomile oilClove oilEucalyptus oilOregano oilClary Sage oilRosemary oilBest essential oils for cough:Frankincense oilPeppermint oilNutmeg oilCinnamon oilBest essential oils for anxiety:Jasmine oilLavender oilChamomile oilBasil oilRose oilVetiver oilGeranium oilMarjoram oilFennel oilLemon oilNeroli oilYlang-ylang oilBest essential oils for boosting energy:Lemon oilGrapefruit oilCedarwood oilOrange oilCinnamon oilPeppermint oilRosemary oilCopaiba oilBergamot oilBest essential oils for bloating and a gassy stomach:Cardamom oilPeppermint oilLemongrass oilGinger oilBlack pepper oilCypress oilJuniper oilOrange oilThis post contains affiliate links, so we'd get a commission if you purchase through the links at no additional cost to you.Your common questions about essential oils answered by WebMD in this video:The little everyday things you do can significantly impact your life and the environment. Create a more natural lifestyle for better health and for a greener planet.Now you:Do you think it's necessary to live sustainably?How will you create a natural lifestyle?
How-To How To Start A Lifestyle Blog: 7 Simple Steps To Follow 10:49 PM Online influencers and bloggers don't only have the trendiest and coolest job today. They also are financially and emotionally rewarded. How many lifestyle bloggers do you know are living your dream life? They travel, experience, and do what they love. How to start a lifestyle blog? That is the million-dollar question. Where do you begin? As a lifestyle blogger, I've gathered some simple and practical tips for building your own little kingdom on the internet. But first...What is a lifestyle blog? A lifestyle blog is where you, the Blogger, share your life with your readers, interests, activities, and thoughts. It's that simple. How to Start a Lifestyle Blog: 7 Simple Steps to Follow 1. Find Your Niche Before you even create an account, think about what your niche will be. Your niche is that one topic your blog will be centered on. Most people have numerous interests, so their blog niche is wide and varied. This is okay as long as you know how to categorize and can talk about each regularly. For beginners, the advice would be to stick to a specific topic first. To find your niche, ask yourself these questions: What is your primary interest? What do you love to do? What are you most knowledgeable about? Knowing and having your own niche is essential in blogging because: Your place will attract your target audience. You will be considered an expert on this topic. If you haven't established a following yet, stick to one topic to avoid confusing your readers. A confused reader will unlikely return. 2. Choose a platform The experts would advise choosing WordPress to make your blog look more professional. I have started with Blogger (while it was still Blogspot), and so far, no regrets. For me, it is easier to navigate. Numerous layouts now are either free or paid for that suit your taste and style. I've seen a lot of successful lifestyle bloggers that use Blogger and WordPress. Do your research and find out which one works for you. 3. Get a domain name In deciding what to name your blog, remember to... Choose a catchy name, so it's easy to remember. Keep it simple. Make your domain name reflect your blog's niche so people would know what to expect. This also helps in keyword searching. For example, people who want to read about traveling to Southeast Asia will unlikely use the keyword "constellation" in the search bar.You can buy a domain name to make your blog look more legit and professional. It is a small but essential investment.It is tempting to use your name as a domain name, but experts suggest against it. Especially if you're not a celebrity. Some use their names, and it works just fine. Just put in the work of increasing the traffic to your blog. 4. Get your own URL Nothing says professional, official, and authentic than having your own .com. There are many hosting services to choose from now. Do your own research (yes, research is a big part of blogging). Which one is best for you as most of these services offer promos and discounts. They can also offer other services like customized email addresses and plugins. 5. Design your page Your page is your online home or presence, so to speak. It is like welcoming visitors into your sanctuary and offering them what you know and have. Design your page to reflect your personality and niche. Then, make it show your signature. You'll be spending most of your time on your blog, so you might as well create one you'll always be happy to visit. Important:Make sure your website is not only pleasing to you but that it also appeals to readers. Some font colors are too painful and strenuous to the eyes. Some background music or designs are too distracting. Your reader's experience is essential. When they find it hard to focus on the content, they leave, and most of the time, they never return. 6. Research It's never-ending research. Be diligent in finding answers and tips online to help you with your content. Research also helps you find solutions when you encounter technical issues. The world is bursting with fake news nowadays. Do your own research before publishing something to double-check the authenticity or credibility of the topic.Be someone your readers can trust. 7. Write great content Content is still king.No matter how appealing your domain name is...Even if you have the most impressive web design...No one will want to follow your blog if you write like a robot. Write engaging, informative, inspiring, funny, or stirring content. Proofread. Double chekc speling. (See what I did there?)Give people a reason to hit that Share button, leave a comment and recommend your blog to their friends.Most importantly (and I strongly suggest), write honestly and from the heart.Write for people and not for SEO ranking.When you do what you love and love what you do, you hit the sweet spot between profit and passion. That is your purpose.Keep these tips in mind, and don't forget to always bring your patience, perseverance, and positive attitude. Because successful blogging is not just about posting a photo or a frivolous hobby. It involves a lot of hard work.If you believe blogging is your purpose, today's the best time to start a lifestyle blog.
Food 5 Best Drinks To Detox Your Body 11:03 PM Do you feel bloated and sluggish? You probably need a little detox.What happens when you detox your body?Cleaning your house from clutter makes a living and moving around easy.Clearing your mind from negative thoughts gives you peace of mind. In the same way, flushing out dirt from your body can help it function at its best. What can detox do for you? 1. Physical benefits of detox Toxins in your body can accumulate in the major organs. Removing them will help these organs work more efficiently. Your digestive system will be in its best condition. Thus you'll have a faster metabolism and better digestion. Which then helps you lose weight. A healthy gut helps boost your immunity, prevents signs of aging, and promotes proper blood circulation. 2. Psychological Benefits Detox also offers mental health benefits. Toxins can affect the functions of our brains. You tend to feel tired and sluggish when you have too much crap in your system. Detox can help you be more energetic and alert. Read how food affects your mood here. 5 Best Drinks To Detox Your Body How do you detox at home? 1. Water The easiest, most economical, and often taken-for-granted detox drink is one we access and use every day...Water!Drink eight glasses of water per day to eliminate toxins.Listen to your body. You'll know if you feel dehydrated or you've had too much water. Sometimes water alone is not enough. This is when you infuse it with fruits like lemon. 2. Lemon Water Boost the power of water as a detox drink by adding lemon to it. Lemon contains high amounts of d-limonene, which can assist in the breakdown of toxins. It also has citric acid that improves the absorption of aluminum hydroxide. This helps fight off toxins in your system.How to make lemon water: Press and roll the lemon on the counter or on a cutting board. This makes it easy to squeeze.Next, squeeze one lemon in 8 oz of room temperature water. According to nutritionist Wendy Leonard, room-temperature water aids nutrient absorption and utilization. 3. Tea Tea is one of the most popular drinks for detox. It's widely used around the globe and has been around for centuries.How can tea help you detox and lose weight?Teas contain catechins, and some have caffeine that helps boost metabolism and burn fat. What are the best teas for detox? Green teaOolong teaHibiscus teaDandelion teaWhite teaCitron teaChamomile teaRose teaTurmeric tea 4. Green Juice or Smoothie Not everyone likes vegetables. But you NEED them if you want to flush out toxins from your body. Vegetables are rich in fiber.This works like a broom that sweeps toxins or waste materials out of your digestive system. What veggies can you put in your green smoothie?BroccoliSpinachKaleParsleyLettuceCeleryBok ChoyMix it with fruits like cucumber, apple, or lemon juice to add a little sweetness. 5. Apple Cider Vinegar ACV is fast becoming a popular detox drink. It can soothe digestive tissues, minimize water retention, and curb appetite. How to do an apple cider vinegar detoxAdd 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water. Optional: add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, maple syrup, or stevia sugar to make the drink more palatable. When is the best time to drink apple cider vinegar?Drink your apple cider vinegar first thing in the morning or right before eating. It is advisable to drink ACV on an empty stomach because it helps break down food.It also helps you feel fuller and faster.NEVER drink pure apple cider vinegar. It's an acid, so it can damage your esophagus and harm your stomach. How do you cleanse your body from harmful substances? Try adding these 5 best drinks for detox to your list. Your body will thank you later. About the Contributor: Emily is the founder of BodyShape101.com. It's where she and her associates talk about exercise, fitness, and yoga. Their aim is to help people like you be at your healthiest. BodyShape101 talks about exercise & fitness tips. She is a mother of one who tries to find a balance between her passion and her most immense joy in life.Edited and Improved by About Life and Love
