Staying Healthy During Cold and Flu Season: Healthline

This is the last installment of the articles from Healthline! 

If you have not read the previous two, check out the one about Clean Eating and the one about Yoga! 

Thank you so much Healthline for these AWESOME articles!! 

Staying Healthy During Cold and Flu Season



Flu season is among us, and according to the rest of this year’s weather forecast, we are in for a cold one.  Of course, along with bad weather comes those pesky colds and flu, and to date, this world has yet to find a cure for either. There are some prevention methods you can incorporate into your life that just might get you past this season without a scrape...or more accurately, a sniffle or a cough. Yes, these tactics can significantly reduce the risk of getting these illnesses during the cold months, and these preventative steps can save you a lot of time in bed.


Getting serious about preventing the common cold and influenza can not only help you avoid ailments, but it can also make your life a whole lot healthier in the process, and provide you with terrific lifestyle changes in general, whether you’re sick or well.


Many people around this time will race to the doctor for a flu shot, and true, this is certainly a method that can be fairly effective. But if you want to avoid the needle, there are equally effective and natural ways to employ in your life that will help you avoid the colds and influenza. Check out these tips for reducing your risk of contracting colds and flu, and stay well this cold and flu season:





First and Foremost, Quit the Bad Habits


Drinking alcohol in excess can suppress the immune system in several ways. Heavy drinkers are more prone to initial infections as well as secondary complications.  Alcohol also dehydrates the body, and can cause you to lose more fluids from your system than you take in.  Fluids are fantastic for preventing colds and influenza, and without fluids, you are more prone to contracting these illness, as well as others.  Significantly reducing your alcohol consumption will help you avoid these ailments.
If you’re addicted to the cigarette, it’s time to take charge and quit. Smoking is worse that heavy drinking, and according to statistics, heavy smokers get more severe colds and more frequent ones than non-smokers. Even exposing yourself to secondhand smoke can take a toll on the immune system because smoke dries out your nasal passages and paralyzes cilia, (delicate hairs that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs.)
Cilia sweep cold and flu viruses out of the nasal passages, and without them, even one cigarette can paralyze cilia for as long as an hour.  That’s just enough time to contract a nasty cold or flu. Heavy smoking can also dry out your adrenal glands, so it’s best to cut back or quit altogether. Besides saving your lungs and boosting your immune system, you’ll enjoy a much healthier life, free from worse conditions like stroke, lung cancer and emphysema.




Diet and Exercise


Eating nutritious, wholesome foods is top-notch insurance for reducing the risk of flu and colds. In fact, a good diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, can sometimes prevent them altogether.  Phytochemicals in vegetables and some fruits are those natural chemicals that give you the vitamins in food a supercharged boost. Eating dark green, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits have been proven to nourish the body significantly, which supports your immune system and fights off the common cold and influenza. Additionally, foods rich in antioxidants like sweet potatoes and kiwi, can fight free-radicals, which also contribute to disease and illness.
Exercise is another proactive way to battle the common cold.  In fact, consistent exercise is the king of killing viruses. Specifically, aerobic exercise speeds up the heart to pump larger quantities of blood, which in turn, facilitates you breathing faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood.  Exercise also makes you sweat, and sweating helps increase the body's natural virus-killing cells and eliminates viral toxins.  Starting and maintaining a regular exercise program is perhaps the number one, natural cold remedy around.




Chill Out

Worrying about getting sick can actually manifest illnesses. Conversely, relaxing about ailments can actually boost your immune system.  Stress attacks your immune system and causes it to weaken, making you more susceptible to colds and the flu. If you can teach yourself to relax and reduce your stress levels, there is evidence that suggests that relaxation boosts interleukins into your bloodstream, leaders in the immune system response against flu and cold viruses.
You can train yourself to relax through various relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation. Other methods include a hot bath or shower, a massage or acupuncture. Those who can relax will change their blood chemicals, and reduce the risk of catching a cold or flu bug. Try some of these relaxation methods.  You will be surprised at the difference they make, including lowering the risk heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and hypertension.




Clean Those Grubby Paws of Yours

Flu and other cold-like conditions are usually delivered and spread through human contact. When someone with the flu sneezes onto his hand and then touches an object, these germs can live for hours on that object, only to be picked up by the next person who touches it.  Using hand sanitizer or washing your hands often kills those surface germs, and is an effective way to reduce the amount of spreadable germs.
Germs cling to bare hands,
and sneezing and coughing in them can often result in transferring your germs to others. So, when you feel a cough or sneeze coming, use the inside of your elbow or a tissue to muffle it.
Finally, viruses enter your body through the eyes, nose and mouth. Touching your face is a primary way people catch colds, and it is also the most common way people pass them along to others.  So try to avoid touching your face, or use a tissue if need be.


Stay the Course

These prevention suggestions won’t totally assure you of a cold-free season this year, but they will do a great job at decreasing the likelihood of contracting germs, which cause these illnesses. Practicing these type of prevention methods, as well as a conscious awareness that germs are all around you, might just save you from another round of the sniffles, aches and coughs this season.  You’ll discover that incorporating these tips into your life will prevent sickness, keep you healthy and give you a boost of energy in the process.




David Novak writes a syndicated newspaper columnist, appearing in newspapers around the country. He also writes for several other publications, where his byline has appeared in the likes of USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. David is a health and fitness enthusiast, as well as a technofile, reviewing the latest in consumer electronics and fitness gadgets. He contributes to Healthline weekly.  For more information, visit http://www.healthline.com/.

Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Yoga: Healthline

Hello guys! 

It's time for another guest post from Healthline. I posted one about Clean Eating from them a while back, so if you haven't checked it out yet, do it now!! 

Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Yoga

For centuries, Yoga has been dubbed as the the mind-body exercise with both mental and physical benefits, namely strength and cardiovascular health, as well as an activity that can boost mood, relieve stress and even protect against mental illness. In fact, yoga can do a whole lot for your mind, from centering your focus to releasing powerful hormones and endorphins good for the health of your brain.


Yoga Science 

Much study has been initiated on the subject of yoga. According to clinical research involving brain imaging, they show that the practice of yoga has produced positive alterations to neurochemistry, improved mood and a reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms.
Medical experts agree that those with symptoms of mental illness and emotional distress have demonstrated that as little as a single session of yoga exercise produced significant improvement in tension, mood and lowered anxiety. The answer seems to lie in changes of neurochemistry due to a sustained yoga practice.  Ultimately, a disciplined yoga regimen can make differences in mental health not seen before by any other treatment.
Apparently, low levels of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain are connected with anxiety and depression.  The opposite seems to be true with higher levels of GABA, where these neurotransmitters work as an endogenous antidepressant, combatting bouts of sadness and hopelessness .
A recent university study at Boston Medical measured how GABA levels in the brain were affected by sustained yoga exercise. After 12-weeks of the experiment, where half of the subjects practiced yoga and the other half were assigned to traditional cardio and walking exercises,  the yoga participants exhibited greater improvements in mood and greater reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms than did subjects in the walking exercise group. Additionally, brain imaging done on the yoga participants revealed increase levels of GABA neurotransmitters in the thalamus of the brain, which as mentioned, can significantly decrease the symptoms of depression and anxiety.


Yoga for Mental Health


Practicing yoga will give you an increased awareness of your own body because you are often called upon to make small, subtle movements to improve your alignment. Over time, this will increase your level of comfort in your own body, which can lead to greater self-confidence and improved posture.


Secondly, Yoga is intensely physical. Concentrating so intently on what your body is doing has the effect of bringing a calmness to the mind. Yoga also introduces you to meditation techniques, such as watching the breath and how to disengage from your thoughts. These skills can prove to be very valuable in intense situations like stress at work, anxiety attacks, insomnia and even childbirth.


Physical activity is good for relieving stress, and this is particularly true of yoga. Because of the concentration required, your daily troubles, both large and small, seem to melt away during the time you are on your yoga mat. This provides a much-needed break from your stressors, as well as helping to put your problems into perspective. The emphasis yoga places on being in the moment can also help relieve stress, as you learn not to dwell on past events or anticipate the future. You will leave a yoga class feeling less stressed than when you started. Reducing stress can even make a big difference for people struggling with infertility.


Breathing and Meditation

Two large components of a yoga practice are breathing and meditation. Those with a possible mood disorder should think about trying yogic meditation and breathing exercises. Together with physical activity, the ADAA lists meditation as a stress-relieving activity.


Many yoga classes use meditation and inhaling combined exercises.  For instance, an instructor may have students concentrate on smoothing out their breath, pacing and holding the breath for a set amount of seconds during inhales and exhales. The action of concentrating on the breath helps students be present, and that is the essence of meditation.


Yoga for Physical Health

The physical benefits of yoga are unparalleled. Many yoga poses require you to support the weight of your own body in new ways, including supporting yourself with your arms or balancing on one leg. Holding poses over the course of several breaths builds a ton of strength, especially core strength.  As a by-product of getting stronger, you can expect to see increased muscle tone as well. You’ll also improve your balance, which is one of the most important benefits of yoga as you get older.


Moving and stretching in new ways will help you become more flexible, bringing greater range of motion to tight areas. Over time, you can expect to gain flexibility in your hips, shoulders, back and hamstrings.  As we age, flexibility naturally decreases, which leads to pain and immobility. Yoga can turn the clock on flexibility issues, and help you to lead a significantly more mobile life.  Additionally, people with arthritis often see marked improvement in their pain and mobility with regular gentle yoga practice.


Finally, increased flexibility and strength can help prevent the causes of some types of back pain. Many people who have back pain spend a lot of time driving a car or sitting at a computer. That can cause spinal compression and tightness, which you can begin to address with yoga. Yoga also improves your alignment, which helps prevent many other types of pain.

Yoga- For Mind and Body

Experts say the promising findings of yoga exercises, and the strong anecdotal evidence suggesting that yoga works well as a treatment for depression and other mental illness, is rather convincing. Many in the medical community think that yoga could be the most promising non-drug intervention around as it relates to mood disorders.
The Institute of Mental Health lists mild exercise in an effort to cope with depression, and yoga does this in a big way by providing you breathing exercises, meditation, stretching, strengthening, balance and body posture benefits.  It’s like having several disciplines in one, working your entire body through flexibility, strength building, mental prowess and cardiovascular exercise. This says nothing of the fact that yoga can create inner harmony as well.


Many yoga masters suggest specific poses for the relief of depression and anxiety symptoms, such as those that stimulate the parasympathetic central nervous system.  Even the ADAA (The Panic disorders Association of America) advises that certain forms of exercise, like specific yoga poses, alleviates stress and produces endorphins in your body.


A regular practice can offers all kinds of mental and physical health benefits. Some, like improved flexibility, are clearly evident. Others, including mental clarity and stress reduction, may be more subtle but are just as powerful. When put together, all the benefits below contribute to an increased feeling of well-being, which helps explain why so many people find yoga so addictive. So give it a try.  You might find that yoga is the central answer to many of the mental, physical and emotional barriers you’ve been struggling with.




David Novak is a international syndicated newspaper columnist, appearing in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV around the world. His byline has appeared in GQ, National Geographic, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, Reader's Digest, USA Today, among others, and he has appeared on The Today Show, the CBS Morning Show and Paul Harvey Radio. David is a specialist at consumer technology, health and fitness, and he also owns a PR firm and a consulting company where he and his staff focus on these industries. He is a regular contributing editor for Healthline. For more information, visit http://www.healthline.com/.

What is Clean Eating and Why You Should Give It A Try: Healthline

Hey there guys! 

No WIAW today. Instead, I have a real treat for you all! 

A few weeks ago Tracy from Healthline contacted me about some guest posts. She had some really interesting topics in mind that I thought would be super great reads for everyone here at Clean Eating Teen!

This edition is all about WHAT Clean Eating is, and why it is so important to one's health and fitness.

I am honored to have Healthline post here of Clean Eating Teen. I have a few more in store so watch out for them! ;)

What is Clean Eating and Why You Should Give it a Try





The basis of clean eating is eating foods in their most natural state, or as close to it as possible. It is not a diet.  Rather, it’s a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation, leading to an improved life and an improved environment.
The term “clean eating” is being used just about everywhere these days, from dietitians to doctors to personal trainers, but the underlying message is the same -- Eat Clean.  So what is clean eating?




Clean Eating Explained
As already mentioned, clean eating is about consuming foods in their most natural state.  This means avoiding foods with a lot of added sugars, foods with high levels of saturated fat & trans fat, foods with a ton of preservatives, packaged foods and processed foods.  Additionally, you want to stay away from foods that have been stripped of their nutritional value and have been injected with chemicals.
Clean eating isn’t an exact science, and does not have standard guidelines, but there are some primary “do’s” and “don’ts” when referring to clean eating.  They are the following:


* Eat healthy fats from natural sources such as coconut oil, avocados and nuts
* Make healthy cooking choices, such as sauteing, steaming and baking
* Drink water, not sugary drinks, sports drinks or sodas. They are killers
* Eat more organic and local fruits and vegetables, and less meat
* If you do eat meat and dairy, choose grass-fed and free-range
* Eat unrefined, whole-grains


Again, keeping foods you consume as natural as possible is key.  For example, if you eat cauliflower, but you cover it in cheese, butter and bake it for too long, you’ve just destroyed its nutritional value and you’ve added a lot of preservatives, chemicals and fat to what would have been a wholesome, nutritious food source. A better option would be to lightly steam the cauliflower, toss with a little coconut oil, lime juice, and fresh shredded cheese.  Learning to eat and cook in a clean manner is all about learning to simplify things and not overdoing it with your meal preparation.  When you keep things simple, meals normally turn out to be more healthy and nutritious.




Anti-Clean Eating
Clean eating is not a diet or eating plan with rigid rules, and does not require counting calories. There is no set definition for clean eating. Rather, it is about simplicity, and no, you’re not going to develop an eating disorder or inappropriate feelings towards food. Don’t over-analyze every ingredient of everything you eat. That’s not good. Progress is made and goals are reached through consistency, not perfection.  Be consistent most of the time, and the good health and fit body you’re seeking will come.
A good approach to clean eating is the 80/20 rule.  In other words, make the right choices 80% of the time.  If you’re going out to dinner and you have spaghetti instead of salmon, don’t beat yourself up.  You’re still maintaining your 80% standard of clean eating.  And what’s more, that one dish of spaghetti doesn’t negate the rest of that day’s good efforts.
Ultimately, you’re going to have great success, improve your overall health and make plenty of progress as you stay consistent and make the right choices more often than not.  When you strive for perfection you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment, bad feelings and failure. Relax and tell yourself it’s about steady consistency, not perfection.




Health Benefits of Clean Eating
Clean eating is attractive because it improves your health. By avoiding refined sugars, chemicals and preservatives, you’re cutting down on the likelihood of developing serious health conditions, like cancer and diabetes.
If you’re trying to lose weight, improving your diet could be just the thing you need to shed those pounds.  If you’re used to a diet full of preservatives and added chemicals, suddenly pulling them from your daily intake may help get your body back to normal and optimized. It’s uncanny how small changes in a diet can drastically change our body, and affect your ability to lose weight, get fit and have a sense of well-being for the rest of your life.
Other health benefits of clean living include better sleep and mood, blood sugar balance, improved cholesterol levels, more energy and a more robust immune system. The decision to start eating cleanly is a personal one, but once you make it, you will find that there are tons of food options to choose from, and you will reap the health and weight-loss rewards for years to come.



David Novak is an international syndicated newspaper columnist, appearing in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV around the world.. David is a specialist at consumer technology, health and fitness, and he also owns a PR firm and a consulting company where he and his staff focus on these industries. He is a regular contributing editor for Healthline. For more information, visit http://www.healthline.com/.