Insulin resistance affects almost 40% of all Americans, causing weight gain and increasing the risk for type 2 diabetes. But most people aren't sure what that means, or how to improve it. Insulin is an essential hormone that is made in your pancreas that controls your blood sugar levels by moving sugar from your blood into your cells for storage. When your cells are insulin resistant, they are less responsive and cannot use insulin effectively, leaving your blood sugar high. This hormone imbalance can effect the entire foundation on which your entire metabolic health rests. When you suffer from insulin resistance, your cells feel “starved” for energy as glucose cannot get in. The pancreas then produces more insulin to keep blood sugar levels stable....
Let’s get real: getting healthy (and staying that way) doesn’t happen by accident. In my years as a holistic health consultant I have seen a lot of people who have tried a lot of things to achieve or maintain their health goals— and I've learned that there is a general formula to what works and what doesn’t. The people who are able to achieve and maintain their health goals commonly share similar habits. These healthy habits aren’t crazy or extreme, but they consistently allow my customers to enjoy more vibrant health and a better quality of life. Today I’ve created a list of habits that my healthiest customers share so that you can adapt your own habits to discover your best health: Drink more...
As a mother of three daughters, I saw my fair share of the effects of menstrual cramping. Severe cramping most commonly occurs in teenagers and women in the childbearing years. In my daughters' cases, the pain became so intense that it caused vomiting, shakiness and passing out. Period cramping is an unpleasant interruption in any woman's life. Luckily, there are plenty of natural remedies for alleviating and preventing the pain of menstrual cramps. Here are some of the remedies that my daughters utilized through the years to lessen the pain. First, lets chat about what causes menstrual cramps and how lifestyle and diet can make a difference for those who suffer from them. Menstrual cramps are the sensation that some women feel when...
There are two common childhood ailments that make even the most experienced parents shudder with disgust: pinkeye and lice. Recently, two of Vickie's young grandchildren contracted pinkeye, and we thought it was a great opportunity to discuss treatment and prevention so that hopefully you don't end up at an important work meeting looking like you haven't slept in three weeks because your kindergartener didn't wash his hands after playing on the monkey bars at school. Conjunctivitis, aka pinkeye, is a highly contagious condition that causes redness, swelling, and discharge in the eyes. Most cases of pinkeye will go away on their own in a week or two, but you can hopefully speed recovery time and reduce discomfort by using these tips:...
Now that January is here, the gyms are full and the produce shelves at the grocery stores are empty. Here at Nature Works, we love the idea of a fresh start and a good health-related goal, but we are also fiercely anti-diet culture. We believe that restricting entire food groups or making drastic changes to your diet is unsustainable and unhealthy. There are so many small changes that you can make that will lead to better health (and, yes, sometimes weight loss) that you can maintain while enjoying MORE... let's talk about them! MORE PRODUCE: We've all heard that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", and there's so much truth to this statement! Adding more produce to your diet (organic whenever...
