Take Steps Toward a Healthier Lifestyle

(Family Features) There isn’t a better time than now to start getting fit with health information and products so easily accessible. Simply incorporate the basics into your daily routine – good nutrition, adequate exercise and a daily supplement – and start down the path toward better health. 

Plan a Nutritious Diet
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans describes a healthy diet as one that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk products. It should be low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt and added sugar.

• Warm weather makes fresh produce more easily accessible. Eat more fruits and vegetables by setting freshly washed and prepared produce on the kitchen counter or at eye level in the fridge. At every meal, make sure half your plate is made up of fruit and vegetable servings.
• One-fourth of your plate at every meal should be made up of grains, such as wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal or barley. People who eat whole grains as part of a healthy diet have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases.
• The remaining one-fourth of your plate should be lean or low-fat cuts of meat, plant-based protein or seafood.

Get Regular Exercise
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends an adequate amount of exercise every day. This guide can point to the right amount of exercise to add to your schedule:

• Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week. For best results, spread the time out over several days.  
• Do strength training exercises at least twice a week. Lifting weights builds muscle, which means the body burns more calories – even at rest.
• It’s important to keep in mind that when people are active, they produce more free radicals. The antioxidants found in supplements can help buffer the negative effects of the workout.

Improving your diet, exercising regularly, taking a daily supplement and getting enough restorative sleep are all important steps to overall wellness. Work to incorporate each step into your daily routine until you reach your goal of good health, and find more health-conscious tips at eLivingToday.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Tips for Winter Wellness

(Family Features) When cold winds blow, it’s essential to take extra steps to protect your health. There are a number of techniques that can help keep your immunity high and your body in good condition to support wellness all season long so that you can enjoy the chillier months.

There’s no magic formula for feeling your best, but consulting your health care provider is always a good idea when you’re contemplating new ideas to promote better health.

Get up and moving

Without frequent use, muscles and joints can weaken and grow stiff, limiting your mobility. Exercise is also an important step in balancing your caloric intake, and physical activity gets your blood pumping, which has numerous benefits for heart health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a minimum of 150 minutes each week (or 30 minutes per day, at least five days each week) of moderate activity, such as a brisk walk, yoga class or bike ride.

Additionally, winter brings fewer hours of sunlight during the day, and per the National Sleep Foundation, darkness naturally causes the brain to release melatonin, a hormone that triggers sleepiness. Exercise can counteract this drowsiness, as the endorphins released through physical activity cause a natural increase in energy levels. Studies show that endorphins can also elicit positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain, which can lower stress levels to help keep you mentally and physically well.

Spice up your routine with herbal supplements

Whether to supplement your diet with additional vitamins and nutrients or to give you a specific, targeted boost, herbal supplements can help support overall health. For example, the supplement turmeric, derived from root extracts of the Curcuma longa plant, is widely regarded to have numerous positive health implications.

“Since 2013, turmeric has dominated the market as the top-selling ingredient in herbal supplements,” said Chris Oswald, licensed nutritionist at Nature’s Way. “As research on turmeric grows, consumers continue to recognize the health benefits of this amazing botanical.”

Turmeric can be added to several foods, but to ensure a steady, adequate dose, Oswald recommends a turmeric-based herbal supplement, like the Turmerich line from Nature’s Way. The line combines a blend of premium ingredients in two unique formulas, Turmerich Heart and Turmerich Joint. Both supplements feature turmeric extract along with a strong suite of herbal and specialty ingredients for comprehensive, targeted support. Each supplement uses 400 milligrams of standardized turmeric root extract per serving to boost ingredient potency, maximizing potential health benefits.

Get ample rest

Adequate sleep allows the body to rejuvenate itself naturally, promoting a better mood, improved system function and increased stamina throughout the day. The National Sleep Foundation recommends older adults get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night for optimal health. Beyond a good night’s sleep, be sure to take some mental downtime, too, to minimize stress and anxiety, both of which can have a negative impact on your health. Find ways to relax through meditation, reading or listening to soothing music, which can help rest your mind and body.

Boost immunity

Fresh fruits and vegetables offer vitamins and minerals that can play an important role in immune health. Studies have shown that vitamin C, which is found naturally in several fruits, is essential for stimulating growth and repair in the body. During the winter months, when fresh fruit can be harder to find, supplements like Echinacea & Vitamin C from Nature’s Way can be another source of vitamin C.<

Maintain skin health

As the body’s largest organ and the first line of defense against physical harm, the skin is particularly susceptible to wear and tear. During the winter, frequent exposure to harsh elements, from dry air to biting sleet, can have serious impacts on skin health.

You can take steps to minimize painful redness and flakiness or cracking by regularly moisturizing your skin with fragrance-free lotions and herbal oils. They can create a protective barrier between your skin tissue and potential pollutants and irritants, and should be applied generously to areas that are most likely to be exposed, like your hands and face. Also remember to bundle up to prevent the impact of stinging winds, and avoid unnecessary time outdoors when conditions are especially harsh.

Find more winter wellness tools at naturesway.com or Facebook.com/NaturesWayBrands.

Fast Facts on Turmeric

As a root native to Southeast Asia, turmeric has played a role in Chinese and Indian medicinal traditions since ancient times. Here are some other facts you may not know about this botanical:

• Turmeric is a relative of the ginger root.
• Turmeric adds the yellow color to foods such as Indian curry and yellow mustard, and is often used as a dye for its rich pigment.
• When dried and ground, the underground stem of the turmeric plant can be used to make capsules, tablets, teas, oils and more.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (people in kitchen, woman lifting weights)

Helpful Hints for Men's Health Month

(Family Features) The month of June means more than just dusting off the patio furniture and planning for summer activities. It is also Men's Health Month, created to raise awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early disease detection among men and boys.

Heart disease and stroke are the nation's leading causes of death in men. An estimated 935,000 heart attacks and 795,000 strokes occur each year, yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they are among the most preventable.

Experts agree diet and exercise are keys to leading a healthy lifestyle and avoiding health problems such as heart disease and prostate cancer.

Merrill Moses, a three-time United States Olympian and medal winner in water polo, is an advocate for men's health topics. In 2016, Moses celebrated his 20th year as a member of the U.S. water polo men’s national team. Still Olympic strong in his 40s, Moses shares his diet and exercise tips for superb men's health, particularly later in life:

• Exercise 30 minutes each day – no excuses. Don't forget to stretch before each workout, and when you wake up every morning.

• Try new workouts that you find fun and enjoyable. Swimming is a great exercise because it's non-weight bearing and easy on the body. Other exercises like pilates improve your core, keep you flexible and don’t put added stress on the body.

• Drink a minimum of eight glasses of water per day and stay away from soda, sports drinks and added sugar.

• Rely on healthy snacks to get you through the day. Moses snacks on pistachios to not only avoid being hungry but also because they’re a tasty way to add certain nutrients to his diet and stay energized throughout the day.

A number of nutrition experts agree with Moses’s recommendation of pistachios as a beneficial snack, including noted dietitian Becci Twombley, director of sports nutrition at the University of Southern California. Twombley, who coaches nutrition to 650 Trojan athletes and acts as sports nutrition consultant to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball team, sees a variety of health advantages linked to pistachios.

“Pistachios have a wealth of nutrients and bioactive substances that are important for a healthy heart, including fiber, potassium, phytosterols and antioxidants,” Twombley said. “So they're definitely a great low-calorie food for anyone looking to improve his health.” 

Pistachios have also been linked to a number of additional health benefits according to clinical trials and medical journals. The phytosterols found in pistachios have been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels, improve urinary tract symptoms and contribute to a healthy prostate. In addition, research shows that potassium-rich pistachios may help lower blood pressure and preserve muscle in older adults.

For more information about Men's Health Month, visit menshealthmonth.org. To learn more about the health benefits of pistachios, visit americanpistachios.org.

A Natural Sleep Aid

(Family Features) Difficulty sleeping is an issue that many people face, with 1 in 3 adults not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, according to the CDC. However, statistics show that many Americans are concerned about the effects that over-the-counter sleep aids might have on their bodies. Just two glasses each day of Montmorency tart cherry juice, a natural source of melatonin, a sleep-regulating hormone, is one way to help improve sleep quality and duration. Find more information at choosecherries.com.