by admin | Sep 7, 2022 | Health Awareness
Consuming foods that support eye health can play a vital role in maintaining good vision and protecting your eyes from conditions like cataracts.
The next time you’re planning dinner, keep the eye-boosting benefits of these ten foods in mind.
1. Carrots
Carrots’ orange hue comes from beta-carotene. The body needs this compound to produce vitamin A, a nutrient that supports eye health. Low vitamin A levels can cause you to be more susceptible to dry eye, night blindness, and vision loss.
2. Fish
Fatty fish, like salmon, tuna, and sardines, are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s support overall health and protect eyes from macular degeneration and cataracts. Those who don’t or can’t eat seafood can supplement with fish oil or vegetarian options like flaxseed oil.
3. Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
Foods like kale, spinach, and broccoli provide the body with the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. These compounds protect the retina from damaging UV rays and blue light.
4. Eggs
Eggs contain lutein and vitamin A, which are both essential to supporting eye function and protecting against degeneration.
5. Peppers, Citrus Fruits, and Berries
Peppers, citrus fruits, and berries all contain high levels of vitamin C, an antioxidant that can help prevent cataracts.
6. Beans and Legumes
Kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, and black-eyed peas restore the body with bioflavonoids and zinc, the key to preserving night vision, preventing macular degeneration, and protecting the retina.
7. Whole Grains
Whole grains with a low glycemic index are full of vitamin E, zinc, and niacin, reducing the risk of macular degeneration and protecting your eye health.
8. Nuts and Seeds
Sunflower seeds, almonds, and walnuts are rich in vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc, three crucial nutrients for keeping your eyes working properly and feeling good.
9. Lean Meats
Lean meats like beef, chicken breast, and pork loin contain zinc, which delays sight loss due to age and macular degeneration. While beef contains more zinc than chicken or pork, all three can support the health of your eyes.
10. Water
The eye is surrounded by protective fluid that works to keep the eyes clean and healthy, washing away dust and debris. Maintaining proper hydration levels supports your eye health and protects you from conditions such as dry eye syndrome.
by admin | Aug 31, 2022 | Health Awareness
Your mental health is critical to all aspects of your life, from physical health to work and social interactions. High levels of stress, too much social media, loneliness, and lack of physical exercise can negatively affect your mental health.
However, just like there are ways to improve your physical health, you can also improve your mental health. Implementing small changes can offer a significant impact.
Prioritize Your Overall Health
When you lack enough sleep, have poor nutrition, or have a sedentary lifestyle, it affects your physical and mental health. Start improving your mental health by making an effort to care for yourself. For example, you can:
- Aim to get a minimum of seven hours of sleep nightly
- Ensure you’re eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily
- Find an activity you enjoy, and exercise for 20-30 minutes daily
These simple additions can drastically improve the way you feel physically and mentally.
Cultivate Connections
Quality face-to-face time can boost your mood, reduce stress, and energize you. Schedule time to catch up with those you love being around.
Volunteer
Helping others can help you. Finding purpose through volunteering and helping your community can lift you up by making you feel helpful, enriching your life, and caring for others. It’s a rewarding way to find new meaning in life.
Practice Meditation and Mindfulness
Research shows that taking a few minutes each day to meditate, practice deep breathing or relaxation exercises or clear your mind can reduce depression almost as effectively as anti-depressants.
Meditation can lower blood pressure, relax your central nervous system, and relieve anxiety and pain.
Seek Help from a Professional
Sometimes problems seem insurmountable. The help of a licensed professional can put your concerns into perspective and offer new approaches to problem-solving. In addition, seeking assistance from a counselor or therapist can give you the tools you need to restore your mental health.
For more health awareness blogs, please visit www.stemedix.com/blog.
by admin | Aug 24, 2022 | Rheumatoid Arthritis, Health Awareness
The chronic inflammatory disorder rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects the joint lining, causing painful swelling. Since there is not yet a permanent cure for the condition, the treatment goal is to put a patient’s RA into remission, where the symptoms are well controlled.
RA remission is more complicated than it seems, and there are many vital facts to know if you have RA.
1. Remission Doesn’t Mean “Without Symptoms”
The Arthritis Foundation defines remission as having limited symptoms of the condition. Since this definition can be subjective, researchers have developed criteria to use in clinical trials. These remission criteria include:
- Only one or fewer swollen joints
- Only one or fewer tender joints
- The patient assesses arthritis activity as a one or less on a 0–10 scale
- A blood test evaluating inflammation shows little to no inflammation
If any of these criteria aren’t met, a patient is not in remission.
2. Remission Can Last for Any Length of Time
Some patients with RA experience remission for a few weeks, and others for a year or longer. There is no guarantee that remission will last for a specific duration.
3. Early Treatment Increases Odds of Remission
While RA symptoms need to persist for six weeks for a doctor to diagnose the condition, the sooner the inflammation is controlled, the better your chances of achieving remission. Since inflammation from RA can cause long-term changes in the joints, patients need aggressive treatment to get the condition under control.
4. Following Your Treatment Plan Is Essential
Staying active, eating healthy, taking your medication as prescribed, and maintaining your scheduled doctor’s appointments to evaluate your health and adjust any dosages as needed is the best way to achieve remission.
5. Tapering Medication Requires Your Doctor
While some patients may be able to cut back on their medication while their RA is in remission, for others, that will cause a relapse. Medication adjustments require your doctor’s guidance to maintain control over your symptoms.
6. Relapses Are Unavoidable
Unfortunately, almost all patients who go into RA remission experience a relapse at some point. If you’ve experienced a flare-up after remission, schedule an appointment with your physician immediately so you can make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan.
by admin | Aug 10, 2022 | Health Awareness
One of the most effective and easiest ways to reduce sugar consumption is limiting your soda intake. While most of us enjoy a cool, bubbly glass of cola, we could do without the dyes, sugars, acidity, and artificial sweeteners that come with it.
However, one of the easiest ways to kick a soda habit is to swap it out with one of these five better alternatives:
Sparkling Water
Sparkling water has become the hot new soda alternative, quickly outpacing regular sodas for sales growth. There’s a good reason for their popularity. People want a healthier option that still feels like a treat.
If most sparkling water feels too bland, you can add a splash of your favorite fruit juice to punch up the flavor.
Unsweetened Iced Tea
Are you missing your afternoon caffeine fix? A refreshing glass of iced tea can give you the energy boost you need without a sugary soda. While most pre-packaged iced teas are sugared, unsweetened options are available. Plus, you can always make your own at home for an inexpensive option.
Infused Water
Do you want to drink more water but feel like your regular water isn’t cutting it in the taste department? Try infusing herbs, fruits, or veggies into your regular H2O. You can inspire yourself with new recipes like strawberry basil or cucumber mint.
For the most flavor, grab a pitcher and fill it with your concoction at night, letting the water infuse while you sleep, and then greet the new day with a delicious combination of infused water you can sip on all day long.
Coconut Water
If you’re looking for a beverage you can look forward to instead of your standard daily soda, coconut water is a delicious, low-calorie, and lower-sugar alternative to soda or sports drinks.
Kombucha
Kombucha is a sweetened, fermented, lightly bubbly tea drink with anti-bacterial, antioxidant, and probiotic benefits. Kombucha has quickly gained popularity amongst those looking for a healthy, flavor-filled soda alternative that provides a wide range of health benefits.
by admin | Aug 4, 2022 | Health Awareness
Candida is a yeast, which is also a type of fungus, that normally lives on the skin and in areas of the body, including the mouth, throat, vagina, and digestive system. However, in cases where candida grows out of control or in areas of the body where it shouldn’t be present, it can form a fungal infection called candidiasis or Candida albicans.
Candida albicans causes conditions such as oral thrush or vaginal yeast infections.
What Causes Candida Overgrowth?
Candida overgrowth is most common in immunocompromised patients, those with uncontrolled diabetes, or those who have recently or frequently used antibiotics since antibiotics can kill off both good and harmful bacteria, unbalancing yeast levels.
Additionally, certain medications, high levels of stress, and increased alcohol intake may lead to candida overgrowth.
How Does the Candida Diet Work?
The candida diet aims to limit yeast and sugars to reduce the amount of candida in the gut and restore balance to the bacteria and yeast that live in your body. In addition, the candida diet focuses on foods that reduce inflammation and regulate blood sugar.
A complete candida cleanse often lasts four to six weeks and prioritizes eating lean proteins, healthy fats, and non-starchy vegetables. Followers should avoid:
- Processed, refined-flour, and refined-sugar foods
- Gluten
- Sweeteners
- Dairy
- Sugary foods, like ice cream and candy
- Mushrooms
- Alcohol, especially beer, wine, and hard ciders
While following a diet to increase fiber, eliminate junk food, and drink more water is almost universally beneficial to your health, you should always check with your primary physician before starting a diet, especially one that restricts carbohydrates.
Most patients who follow a candida diet for the recommended four to six weeks report a lift in brain fog, bloating, indigestion, fatigue, nausea, and gas.
Suppose that you’re concerned about restoring balance to your gut microbiome and reducing or eliminating digestive concerns, aches and pains, and other issues that may stem from candida overgrowth. In that case, a candida diet may be worth considering.
by admin | Jul 27, 2022 | Multiple Sclerosis, Health Awareness
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the brain, spinal cord, and the rest of the central nervous system. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society states there are, on average, one million people in the United States living with this disease.
One treatment that has the potential of offering an improvement in the symptoms of MS is biotin. Learn what biotin is and what it can offer.
What Is Biotin?
Biotin is also known as vitamin B7. It is one of the B-complex vitamins essential for nerve cell metabolism and is present in many foods, including:
- Egg yolks
- Chard
- Brewer’s yeast
- Nuts
- Livers
- Soybeans and other legumes
- Whole grains
- Bananas
- Mushrooms
- Cauliflowers
Biotin is a part of enzymes that break down fats, carbohydrates, amino acids, and other substances. It also has links to healthy nails, hair, and skin.
How Biotin Can Help Combat MS
Biotin can work to combat MS by stimulating enzymes that help produce more myelin. Myelin is a layer that wraps around your nerves and increases the rate at which electrical impulses travel, and when the immune system targets and damages myelin, multiple sclerosis develops.
Having healthy levels of myelin makes it possible for nerve cells to communicate better, which can relieve symptoms of MS and might even slow the disease’s progression. As such, a supplement such as biotin that encourages myelin production can be very helpful in managing MS.
In some studies, people with MS saw an improvement in their vision upon taking biotin. Another study showed that those taking high doses of biotin felt a reduction in pain levels as well as a boost in energy and a reduction in paralysis.
Learn More About Biotin
Biotin has the potential to offer relief from symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Whether it is the right choice for you will depend on many factors, including your doctor’s recommendations.
If you have MS and are interested in exploring biotin, contact us to learn how you can order today.
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