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Cutting-edge information and tips for creating health in all areas of life – wellness, nutrition, fitness, attitude, and relationships

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April 26, 2024

Stress Kills Brain Cells

Chronic stress can wreak havoc and cause harmful disruptions to our health and well-being. It can make us vulnerable to disease, drain joy from our lives, and throw our metabolic systems into disarray, from the immune system to blood sugar and the cardiovascular system.   In fact, the damaging effects of long-term stress are so pervasive that researchers have been unable to produce an exhaustive list of everything that stress can cause to go wrong in the human body. This means that stress can trigger symptoms that physicians might be unaware of or know are stress-related.   In addition, medical research estimates as much as 90 percent of illnesses and diseases are stress-related. What Is Stress? Stress can be anything from aggravating things that go wrong during the day to losing a job.  Anything that interrupts your daily routine or nightly sleep can have a cumulative effect on the body and brain.  Bad things happen to the brain when a person is overly stressed for a long time without relief. Consider this: “Chronic stress and prolonged exposure to cortisol also increase the production of glutamate. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in mood regulation, cognition, and memory functions. Excessive glutamate, however, can contribute to the damage or death of brain cells.” Hormones Powerful hormones are released during stressful situations or events. These include corticosteroids, cortisol, and others released from the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.  These hormones are released in ways that drive the body to respond appropriately during stress and then bring the body back…

Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is the main cause of tooth loss; one in three adults have it. Their gums are constantly irritated and inflamed, and bacteria is slowly destroying the tissues and bones that support their teeth! Gum disease occurs when bacterial plaque builds up along and underneath the gum line. The bacteria produces…

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There are many reasons to become a vegetarian. Although some people choose to do so for religious or ethical reasons, more and more Americans are choosing the vegetarian lifestyle for health reasons. The Benefits Vegetarians have a huge advantage over meat eaters in the long term. They live longer and are generally 30 pounds lighter….

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Many people are looking forward to spring when they can finally put away their bulky coats and enjoy warmer temperatures. Sadly, the beginning of spring is also the beginning of allergy season when plants release pollen and people start to sneeze, itch and experience sinus pain. When is Allergy Season? Although the term allergy season…

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Calcium is a tricky mineral. It’s the most abundant mineral in the human body and is present in many different foods. However, people still suffer from calcium deficiency, low bone mass and osteoporosis. Insufficient calcium intake doesn’t produce symptoms in the short term, making it really difficult to know when you’re not getting enough. Also,…

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The sense of smell is our most sensitive sense. It is the first to develop and it influences our emotions, mood, memory and behavior. This is where aromatherapy comes in. Aromatherapy, derived from the French word “aromatherapie”, is the use of fragrant essential oils extracted from plants to promote physical and psychological health and wellness….

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We are creatures of habit. We happily eat the same foods and generally do the same things every day. Without these habits and routines our lives would have little structure and too much uncertainty. When you’re trying to break a bad lifestyle habit, routine can be your friend and your enemy. Eating healthy foods and…

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When it comes to workouts, we all want quick results, a magic formula to get lean and fit fast. Although no such magic formula exists, the Body Pump workout comes pretty close! Body Pump is a workout that combines aerobics and strength training with lots of repetition. It involves lifting, thrusting and squatting with light…

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Physical relaxation is one the main benefits of massage therapy, so, naturally, most people only get massages when they need to relax. However, the health benefits of massages go far beyond this. There has been a lot of scientific research in this area and most of it shows that massage therapy is effective for back…

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Living a healthy lifestyle is much easier when the whole family is on board. But kids don’t always get why they need to eat healthy foods or exercise regularly. They’re happy to eat junk food and sit on the couch all day. Here are some tips on how to teach your kids to embrace healthy…

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There’s so much confusion and misinformation about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Most of it comes from the fact that symptoms vary from one person to the next and doctors don’t really know what causes it. IBS is a painful condition that affects the large intestine causing what seems like constant abdominal pain, gas and diarrhea….

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Music has a well-established relaxing effect on our bodies and minds. Therapists use music to help people overcome anxiety and depression, and improve their cognitive functioning, motor skills and social skills. Science has also proven that music has many beneficial physiological effects including slowing down the heart rate, lowering blood pressure and reducing the level…

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It’s that time of the year when tons of well-meaning people head to the gym to begin working on their new fitness goals. It’s unfortunate that most of these resolutions will be long forgotten by mid-February (or sooner). The main reason is because most resolutions are unrealistic; people set themselves up for failure before they…

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