Must – Eat – Vegetables for Wellness: Part 1

Wellness is defined as the condition or state of having good physical and mental health, especially as the result of deliberate effort that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life by proper diet, exercise and maintaining good health habits, as opposed to treating diseases.

When I was growing up, my grand mom and mother used to say “Eat your veggies, it will keep you strong and safe” or they’d say “Eat your salad, you won’t turn into a rabbit instead you will be as strong and as fast as a horse”. To be honest, I grew up liking vegetables due to repetition, being a writer-researcher has opened my eyes to the miracles of plants, vegetables and fruits. 

Wellness has now become a popular topic for people around the world. Social media has made it possible for people to read health tips from their mobile devices or chancing about their friends’ latest fruit “Like” and more. People have the power to “share” the things they like or articles they think would help other people stay healthy and glow with beauty. Below is my personal list of veggies our fridge often has an abundance of; I recommend you do the same and you will feel light and healthier even more.

Here are my most recommended Wellness Vegetables:

1. Broccoli

Cardiologists all over the world must have seen the documentary Fat Sick and Nearly Dead by Joe Cross, which chronicles Joe’s journey to healthy living though juicing, to answer their patients million dollar question: will that also work for me? The answer is yes. Cells in the body need frequent supply of nutrients to function well. When cells receive adequate micronutrients the body will feel fully energized. Juicing vegetables like broccoli will grant the body much needed fiber, phytonutrients such as sulforphane and provide natural anti-oxidants.

Broccoli or Brassica oleracea (from the Italian plural of broccolo, refers to the: “flowering top of a cabbage”) is defined as an edible green plant belonging to the cabbage family, whose huge flower head is used as a vegetable. Abundant in beta-carotene, folate and rich in vitamin C, this green veggie is notorious for boosting your immune system to fight the common flu and colds. The wellness gurus of the world now endorse this vegetable as part of the “cannot live without” list of food to eat in a week. Some eat it steamed with a special sweet-salty sauce or mixed with other veggies for variety, either way it will not lose its cancer-fighting abilities; also rich in vitamin K, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Lutein. Studies show that this green fighter can help reduce the risk of lung, stomach and rectal cancers since it if jam-packed with antioxidants. Juicing broccoli and other vegetables work explains Dr. Kahn, a cardiologist and medical director of Preventive Cardiology at the Detroit Medical Center. Dr. Joel Kahn is also a clinical professor of Medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Dr. Kahn is also the Director of Cardiac Wellness at Michigan Healthcare. You can build a plant-based nutrition program rich in phytochemicals through juicing veggies. This also makes it easier to reach your goal of 5-10 servings per day of vegetables. So learn from the experts and learn well, eat broccoli to stay healthy.

3 Alternative Treatments for Arrhythmia You Can Use

Arrhythmia is a disease of the heart characterized by too fast, too slow, or irregular beating of the heart. Sometimes, this condition might not be serious but in some instances, it could be deadly. Treating the disease could be difficult and conventional remedies could be expensive.  If you have not felt any symptoms of this disease, the best thing that you could do is to prevent it using alternative treatments.

Here are three natural remedies for this disease:

1. Acupuncture. While there are many conventional drugs that are prescribed for people with the condition, combining it with alternative therapy could give better results. The irregular beating of the heart is caused by the improper coordination of the electrical impulses that make the heart beat. Once these impulses are not coordinated well, the heart may beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly. Acupuncture is known to penetrate some pressure points in the body.   For acupuncturists, arrhythmia results from either too high or too low levels of energy in the heart. An irregular heartbeat would mean unstable supply of energy to the heart. By inserting needles into some pressure points, blockages are removed, ensuring the regular supply of energy into the cardiovascular system. This will lead to the heart beating properly.

2. Herbs and Supplements

There are various herbs that could be used to help promote regular beating of the heart and get rid of arrhythmia.  Although many of these are not yet scientifically proven, users attested to their effectiveness.  Hawthorn is known to calm the heart and stop palpitations or fast heartbeat.  Be sure that the leaves and flowers are included in what you take, not the berries. Tincture of passionflower is also effective in keeping under control the fast beating of the heart. Kava kava, another herb, also has the same effect. Magnesium is also known to help remedy arrhythmia.  Lack of magnesium could result to a fluttery heart. Taking the right dosage of this element as advised by your doctor will be of help.

3. Leading healthy lifestyle

Exercise and eating nutritious foods assure you of total wellness. Total well-being means that you are also free from diseases like arrhythmia. Exercise is known to strengthen the body. When you exercise, excess fats in the body are burns and thickening of arterial walls could be prevented. Also, inclusion of fruits and vegetables in your diet would help keep your heart healthy. Foods rich in potassium like bananas are recommended. Potassium is known to strengthen your heart and remedy its slow beating. People who have shortage of potassium could feel weak and might collapse. By eating the right kinds of food, you could easily save yourself from the effects of arrhythmia.