Healthy Living for Real People
Secrets To A Healthy Sleep
Jan 26th
In our last post, Ann shared how stress became a major factor affecting her health.
What we saved until today is that insomnia plays an important part, too!
Watch the video to see how it all works together (and how we’re finding answers the problems) — then scroll down to see Ann’s list of tips for a good night’s sleep… including the one thing almost nobody does!
Ann’s Tips For Good Night’s Sleep
- Create your own pre-sleep ritual that goes beyond your normal teeth brushing and other practical activities.
- Design your bedroom primarily to support good sleep. Keep it clean and uncluttered.
- Have complete control of the lighting in your bedroom. Be able to make the room totally dark.
- Avoid turning on the light if you have to go to the bathroom. Any bright light will shut off melatonin production.
- Listen to relaxation CDs with nature sounds such as the ocean or forest.
- Dim the lights in your house around 8:00 pm. Light stimulates the release of cortisol and shuts down the release of melatonin.
- Stop watching TV or using your computer by 8:00 pm.
- Avoid snacking just before bedtime, particularly grains and sugars.
- Keep the temperature in your bedroom no higher than 70 degrees F.
- Wear socks to bed.
- Eat a snack high in plant-based protein several hours before bed (like Hallelujah Acres’ Raw Non-dairy Blueberry Cheesecake).
- Keep electrical devices as far away from the bed as possible; their electromagnetic fields (EMF) can disrupt your nervous system’s electrical currents.
- Avoid foods that you are sensitive to.
- Don’t drink any fluids within two hours of going to bed so you won’t have to get up to go the bathroom.
- Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed if you have trouble falling asleep.
- Writing in a journal may be helpful if you often lay in bed with your mind racing.
- Remove your clock from view.
- Have your adrenals checked by a good natural medicine clinician.
- If you are menopausal or peri-menopausal, consult a recommended natural medicine physician. Hormonal changes at this time may cause problems if not properly addressed.
- Make sure you are exercising regularly.
- … and the tip that almost no one does: Don’t change your bedtime (ideally around 10 pm)!
Your turn…
What’s your best tip for a good night’s sleep?
Click to comment!
My #1 Health Enemy
Jan 24th
Ladies, it’s Ann here. We’re going to do another post just for you!
As you will see in a video interview this Thursday, I’ve been struggling through a few health issues in the last year or so.
I mentioned the thyroid issue in our last post and there are some other nagging little matters on top of that; but I’ve discovered an interesting similarity between all of them.
As I sat down to figure out where I was going wrong (I knew it couldn’t be my diet), I wrote down each ailment and listed the contributing factors of each one.
Guess what?
The common denominator was stress!
Sure, there were lots of other reasons why I was not feeling 100%, but stress was a major, contributing factor to every one of my health issues!
And don’t let anyone tell you that stress won’t affect you — I mean you as a woman, specifically.
One recent survey from the UK found that women are twice as likely to consider their stress levels out of control compared to men. Boy, I can sure vouch for that one!
In fact, if left unchecked, stress can lead to a variety of serious problems:
- Mental health disorders, like depression and anxiety
- Obesity
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Abnormal heart beats
I’m now analyzing my life to eliminate as much stress as possible (I’ll share more in the video on Thursday).
Until then, I invite you to sit down and critique your own health and see if you found stress to be a major factor like I did. You may be surprised!
Your turn…
What’s your #1 health enemy?
Click to comment!
Depressed? Check Your Thyroid.
Jan 19th
Hi everyone, Ann here. Today’s message is for both men and women, but women especially.
Many people are depressed these days – but women seem to suffer from depression more than men. One of the reasons for it is thyroid health.
I’m going through some thyroid issues of my own lately, so I’ve looked into this a little.
In my digging I discovered a brand new study that noted something particularly interesting. It said:
“Patients with thyroid disorders are more prone to develop depressive symptoms and conversely depression may be accompanied by various subtle thyroid abnormalities.”
In fact, some experts believe that up to 50% of depression symptoms are due to a malfunctioning thyroid.
Ladies, this fact should be of specific interest to you, as another study points out:
“Thyroid disorders were associated with 22% higher odds of depression in women … but no association was found in men.”
So what do you do?
First, find a health professional who is willing to check your thyroid levels (specifically for free T3 as low T3 is a contributing factor to depression). Be open to the fact that supplementing your diet (even The Hallelujah Diet) may be necessary.
Second, have your adrenals checked. I’m finding that my adrenals have a lot to do with what’s going on in my thyroid.
I’ll share more about my personal journey with all of this in a video next week!
Until then, keep your chin up — depression is beatable!
Your turn…
When did you last have your thyroid levels checked?
Click to comment!
Paula Deen Can Reverse Her Diabetes
Jan 17th
Like the rest of the country, we’re not surprised Paula Deen has announced that she has type-2 diabetes.
Somehow, certain doctors don’t think it has anything to do with diet, though.
One doctor in a CBS News report stated that, “no particular food has been linked to an increase in the risk of diabetes.”
Though that statement may be technically true (no single food is the culprit), it gives the false impression that people can throw caution to the wind when it comes to diet. It’s not a helpful statement.
Perhaps this doctor failed to notice some research on the subject earlier last summer:
“The abnormalities underlying type 2 diabetes are reversible by reducing dietary energy intake.”
That’s the direct, bottom line quote from a study from Newcastle University, UK.
Translation: eat less and the symptoms of diabetes will reverse themselves.
How did they prove it?
Well, in a round-about way they mimicked The Hallelujah Diet for a couple of months — that’s how!
Officially, Newcastle University fed 11 diabetics a “restricted energy intake” diet consisting of fluids and non-starchy vegetables.
Most importantly, they were not allowed to eat any meat, dairy, refined sugar, or processed foods (other than a mystery “diet drink” which may have contained some questionable ingredients).
By not eating the sugar and fat in their regular diet, each person in the study:
- enabled their liver and pancreas to shed excess fat…
- thereby regenerating their proper functions…
- allowing the body to begin reversing the symptoms of diabetes.
And if they can do it, Paula Deen can, too!
Think of the potential she has to help change the lives of millions of diabetics — including herself!
If you know Ms. Deen personally or know someone who does, share The Hallelujah Diet with her!
Your turn…
Why do you think Paula Deen is choosing drugs over dietary change?
Click to comment!
Best Flu Advice Of All Time
Jan 12th
We’re not going to keep you in suspense on this one.
The greatest flu advice of all time is to not get the flu at all. Easier said than done, right?
Maybe not.
Let’s break this down and analyze it a little. What causes the flu (or a cold, or any disease for that matter)?
The fact is, you get sick because your immune system was caught off guard.
If that’s the case, the best way to protect yourself is to boost your immune system. And one of the best ways to give it a boost is to stop the things that are dragging it down.
Inflammation, for example.
When your body is fighting inflammation, it’s hard to fight anything else (like a flu threat). And one of the best inflammation fighters is curcumin.
That may sound a little odd when everyone else is flocking to garlic, ginger, and vitamin C to avoid getting sick (which are all great ideas, by the way). After all, curcumin is usually something considered by people with cancer and other serious threats.
But what’s good for serious ailments is good for the common cold, too.
Because it’s anti-inflammatory, curcumin reduces your immune system’s workload so it can be ready to address a flu virus.
Curcumin is also a powerful antioxidant, which reduces free radicals that can make you susceptible to disease.
It’s antibacterial, too, which has obvious benefits during cold and flu season.
Curcumin may be an uncommon immune booster but we’re sure you’ve heard of stranger ones. Tell us about it!
Your turn…
What’s the weirdest immune booster you know of?
Click to comment!
Why Meds Are A Pain In The Neck
Jan 10th
We’re big on treating cause of a problem, not the symptoms.
Treating symptoms never works; it may provide temporary relief, but it actually suppresses the problem and can even make things worse.
For some reason, most people refuse to believe this, but now there’s new research that proves it.
Over 270 people with regular neck pain were given three options of getting rid of it:
- Some were given pain meds
- Others were given chiropractic treatments
- A third group was instructed on how to relieve the pain with exercises done at home
In both the short term and over a whole year, the group taking meds (ie. treating the symptom) still had pain while the other groups recovered because they addressed the cause of the problem.
Through chiropractic adjustments and home exercises, the pain was addressed at the source. Taking meds just covers up the problem without really doing anything about it.
But sometimes getting to the root of pain is even deeper than a pulled muscle or a pinched nerve. More often than not it means changing your diet.
Rhonda Malkmus is a prime example. Though the pain she suffered for more than a decade was due to a car accident, the pain trigger was her diet.
By changing her diet, her pain went away. She still had to visit a chiropractor on a regular basis, but it was more for structural rehab than pain management.
If you deal with pain, look to the cause, not the symptom.
And even if the cause is not directly diet related, changing what you eat may extinguish the flare ups as it did for Rhonda.
Your turn…
How do you deal with pain?
Click to comment!
How To Get Free Fitness Coaching
Jan 5th
We’d like to be your personal fitness coaches for 30 days — and we’ll do it for nothing!
Seriously!
Just sign up for our FREE Exercise Essentials program.
Each day for a whole month you’ll get an email from us.
Each email contains a video packed with great tips based on our personal fitness routines and recipes.
In just a month, we’ll help you feel better and be the “you” that you’ve always wanted!
Here’s a preview…
We’ll start out with a simple workout and switch it up to increase your performance and results.
Plus, we’ll show you:
- How to use some simple, effective exercise equipment
- Which supplements are best for your workout routine
- Who’s losing weight and how they’re doing it
- Why certain exercises are better than others
- How to make delicious fit-friendly recipes
Most of all, we want to hear from you! We’ll answer your questions every week during our Q&A sessions.
Speaking of questions, why would you want to start a new exercise program?
Well, according to new research, you can add 3 years to your life, just by exercising for 15 minutes a day — and that applies to both genders and all age groups!
So don’t wait… your extra 3 years are waiting! 
Sign up for Exercise Essentials here!
Your turn…
What would you like to learn about fitness?
Click to comment!
Venus Goes Vegan For Health’s Sake
Jan 3rd
Celebrities usually choose a plant-based diet for sociopolitical reasons, but this time disease took center stage.
We were very encouraged to discover that tennis star Venus Williams is choosing a vegan diet to battle Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease.
She had been fighting the arthritic-like condition for some time and actually had to drop out of competition last year.
Once doctors gave the diagnosis, Venus’ sister Serena (also a tennis celebrity) suggested that she try holistic measures to address it, recognizing that traditional therapies had the potential to cause other problems.
So, in addition to massage therapy and yoga, Venus adopted a raw, vegan diet — specifically to battle inflammation in her joints. Her sister Serena joined her, for both her own health and for moral support.
It’s great to see prominent people like this understand and implement the power of raw, plant-based foods.
Hopefully the Williams sisters can have an effect on their sphere of influence as Bill Clinton did.
When he announced that he was “going vegan” to address his heart condition last year, interest in a plant-based diet went through the roof (you should have seen the inquiries we received about The Hallelujah Diet).
And we say, “more power to them!” Who better than celebrities to bring the message of plant-based health to the masses?
Your turn…
Which celebrity would you like to see adopt a plant-based diet?
Click to comment!
Make A New Year’s “Revolution”
Dec 27th
We all know that new year’s resolutions usually don’t work.
Why?
Because most resolutions don’t involve your whole being. You’re trying to change one aspect of your life without creating the framework to accomplish your “resolution.”
What you really need instead is a new year’s “revolution.” A “forcible overthrow” as the dictionary defines it.
Just like a political revolution, a personal revolution requires a forcible overthrow of the “government” — and in terms of health, the government is your diet.
Your diet “governs” your health because what you eat is the fuel for everything you do in life. Good choices can help you accomplish anything, while poor choices can sabotage everything (including new year’s resolutions).
Now we’re not just talking about resolutions to lose weight, here. A dietary revolution can help you accomplish any goal, whether physical, emotional, or even spiritual.
A diet rich in living, nutrient-dense plant foods like The Hallelujah Diet improves your whole being, from digestion and immune function to muscle strength, endurance, energy, mood, and even mental function.
Change your diet and you accomplish (and overcome) virtually anything!
So before you make a new year’s resolution, plan a revolution — a forcible overthrow of your diet.
Your turn…
What will your “revolution” be this year?
Click to comment!
Healthy Love Potions
Dec 26th
Are you nuts about your honey?
Your spouse, that is.
You can show your love by helping them get healthy — and ensure your love lasts for many healthy years to come.
Making an effort to get healthy (especially eating the right foods) is one of the best things you can do for your relationship. With better health comes better moods, more energy, and even a better love life.
It’s also one of the most intimate parts of a relationship, too.
Think about it – sometimes in our busy lives the only time we really sit down and talk is at a meal time. Food can indeed be a contributing factor in the health of your relationship.
All the more reason to make sure it’s good stuff!
But it doesn’t have to always have to be about salad. There are healthy foods to match every time and season of your relationship:
- A fresh smoothie right after a robust exercise routine.
- Grilled veggies and watermelon juice on the deck in summer.
- A hearty soup after a long day at work.
Then there are times when it’s cold outside and you just want to snuggle together in front of the fireplace with a creamy cup of hot chocolate…
… or something even tastier!
We love challenging the notion that there’s no replacement for decadent foods like hot chocolate. Our “Mint Patty” recipe is a prime example:
Mint Patty
Serves 2 (curled up in front of a fireplace, preferably)
Coffee Substitute Ingredients:
Look for a coffee substitute like Oskri, Roma, or Teeccino.
Follow instructions on the package to make 2 servings.
Cashew Cream Ingredients:
1/4 cup cashews
1/2 cup water
Mocha Peppermint Syrup Ingredients:
4 Tbsp maple syrup
4 tsp carob powder
1/2 tsp peppermint flavoring*Directions:
1. Blend cashew cream ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Strain through a mesh strainer into a bowl and set aside.
3. Blend mocha peppermint syrup ingredients until smooth and stir into bowl of cashew cream.
4. Pour up to 1/4 cup of cream mixture into each mug of brewed coffee substitute.
5. Stir and serve with love.
*Flavorings have a glycerin base and extracts have an alcohol base. Extracts are stronger than flavorings, so use less
peppermint if using an extract.
This recipe tastes awesome! (Especially when you have someone to snuggle up and sip it with.)
Like most recipes we create at Hallelujah Acres, this one is not just about taste.
It’s actually good for your heart. It’s waistline-friendly, too — and cashews are the secret.
Cashews are lower in fat than most other nuts. And the fat they do have is the good kind of fat:
- Some 75% of the fat in cashews is unsaturated fat.
- Most of this fat is oleic acid (monounsaturated fat), the same kind of heart-healthy fat in olive oil.
- This type of fat helps to reduce triglyceride levels, which can be a big help to diabetics.
Nuts in general have a high level of antioxidants, and have been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 37%.
Just a quarter cup of cashews provides you with more than 22% of your daily magnesium requirement.
Magnesium is needed to balance calcium in the body. Without magnesium, excess calcium intake can cause high blood pressure, heart spasms, and asthma-like symptoms.
Magnesium also helps reduce migraines and helps alleviate menopausal sleep disturbances.
If coffee is more of what your sweetheart enjoys, here’s an exotic and robust coffee-like recipe that you can make (while protecting them from the pitfalls of acidity and caffeine):
KaMocha and Creme
Serves 2
2 roasted dandelion tea bags
2 tsp carob
1 tsp roasted chicory root granules
1/2 cup hot almond milk (optional)
1 Tbsp honey (optional)
- Place tea bags, carob, and chicory root granules in a coffee filter and brew in a coffee maker with 16 oz water as you would regular coffee.
- Pour into 2 mugs along with 1/4 cup almond milk and 1/2 Tbsp honey in each.
Roasted dandelion tastes remarkably like coffee — and it’s packed with vitamins and minerals.
Dandelion root is a blood purifier that contains high levels of:
- iron
- manganese
- phosphorus
- protein
- vitamin A
- electrolytes
Dandelion also relieves muscle spasms and reduces inflammation. It makes a truly relaxing drink!
And if you want something to “spice” up the romance a little, try our spiced orange cider:
Spiced Orange Cider
Makes 4 cups
3 cups apple cider
1 cup orange juice
10 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- Combine all ingredients in a pot and heat for several minutes.
- Strain liquid before serving.
The great thing about discovering healthier alternatives like this together is the accountability factor. The next time either of you wants to give in to hot chocolate, the other can suggest a healthier alternative.
In fact, if you want go all out, you can create an entire Valentine’s Day feast — here’s how we created one for Hallelujah Acres Health News magazine #69 :
…and coming soon, we’ll post a new video to let you know how good all this great food tasted!
Let’s face it, when you’re tempted to give in, the buddy system is a lifesaver!
We use the buddy system for exercise, too — another great way to keep your relationship healthy. Working out together is great motivation. We actually made a free video series about it called Exercise Essentials with Paul and Ann.
Now it’s your turn.
If you’re nuts about your honey, prepare something special that’s both healthy and delicious — you just might build a healthy treat and a healthy relationship at the same time!
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