Tag Archives: stress relief

H is for a Healthy Heart, Holistically

Posted on October 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

How’s your heart?  Is it healthy?  Are you taking care of your heart (and your whole body) in a holistic way?  Heart disease is one of the leading killers today.  But luckily for all of us naturally beautiful women (and men, too) there are so many things you can do to take care of your natural health and have a healthy heart.

Food is health.  As Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” The American Heart Association recommends a heart-healthy diet consisting of plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes that can help you get some more dietary fiber into your body, vital to holistic heart health. (See Previous Post – F is for Fiber-Filled Foods – A list of the Highest).

The Mediterranean-style diet which is mostly plant-based, stress reduction, maintaining a healthy body weight and regular exercise all are important in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Start with your diet and then begin a regimen of healthy supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).  CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that can go far to improve energy production in cells and prevent blood clot formation.  Other heart-healthy supplements include garlic, hawthorn, L-Arginine, lecithin, medicinal mushrooms (reishi, maitake, and shiitake), and Vitamin C and B-complex vitamins.

Stress reduction is key to maintaining heart health.  Supplementing with magnesium can help to reduce stress, as well as relax otherwise tight, achy muscles.  Research has shown that many people with mood disorders are low in magnesium. Other mood-uplifting supplements like SAMe (S-adenosyl-l-methionine) and L-carnitine can reduce the stress that leads to heart disease. St. John’s Wort, a natural herbal remedy, as well as a homeopathic remedy called Aurum metallicum can help to lift your mood, fight depression, and keep cardiovascular disease at bay.

Popular research among medical practitioners, both allopathic and holistic, shows that fish oil, which contains omega-3′s, nourishing essential fatty acids, can help to lower cholesterol and triglycerides.  An intake of at least 500 milligrams (mg) per day of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) is recommended for healthy individuals, and up to 1,000 mg daily is advised for people already compromised with deficient heart health.  If fish is not your food of choice, you can still get a healthy dose of omegas with flax or chia seeds.  Garlic fights oxidation, which is key in the development of heart disease. Other heart-protective herbs include turmeric, cayenne and rosemary; while holy basil (tulsi) and ginkgo biloba taken together is also effective.

We’re here to promote natural health so pay attention to your diet, exercise whenever you can, and make other healthy lifestyle choices that can reduce your chances of developing heart disease.  By taking the steps necessary to strengthen your heart muscle and lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and stress levels, you can take control of your life and live naturally healthy longer.  Now that’s a naturally beautiful thing!

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Posted in Anti-aging, Diet, Natural Health

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X is for Xanax – Natural Alternatives for AnXiety

Posted on August 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

When the stress of life really gets to you, don’t you just feel like just tearing all your hair out?  Bad hair days are just plain depressing for naturally beautiful women, HELP!!!

Western medical doctors will most likely prescribe a pharmaceutical drug for depression or anxiety.  And if you ever read those ads or watch those commercials, the side effects you can get from these will surely make you anxious and depressed –Dizziness, decreased libido, nausea, erectile dysfunction, confusion, blurred vision, drowsiness, decreased concentration – and the best side effect of all? – Depression.  Isn’t that why you went to the doctor in the first place?

This is just a list of the short-term side effects – imagine what would happen if you took Xanax or some other anti-depressant for a long time!

So what can you do when life gets to be too much?  Don’t worry – there are natural health alternatives that will lift you up and help you to get back on the road to wellness and happiness!

GABA (gamma amino butyric acid)–Reduced levels of GABA, the neurotransmitter that works to calm you down and relax, have been shown to bring on symptoms of severe stress and anxiety.  Supplementing with GABA can have naturally tranquilizing effects.

Ashwagandha– An Ayurvedic herb which can help your body to adapt and reduce the mental and physical signs of stress.

 L-Theanine–Another valuable neurotransmitter found in green tea, L-theanine works on the brain to reduce mental and physical stress.

Valerian–Valerian (see previous post V is for Valerian vs. Valium) reduces the physical signs of anxiety and stress such as muscle tension and helps you get a good night’s sleep – valuable in fighting depression and stress.

Certain foods can help calm you down as well.  Turkey (think post-Thanksgiving dinner) and warm milk contain tryptophan (see T is for Tryptophan – Try it for Tranquility) which will make you very sleepy.  Almonds and bananas contain magnesium which relaxes your muscles and also helps to promote restful sleep.

So don’t reach for unhealthy pharmaceuticals such as XanaX when you need some help with depression or anxiety.  Go for some safe, non-toxic remedies and take care of your natural health!

 

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Posted in Healthy Senior Women, Mind-Body-Spirit, Natural Health

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R is for Roses – Really Romantic Remedies

Posted on July 31, 2012 | Leave a comment

Red, Red Rose – the symbol of romance, of beauty and of love.   Romance – the allure of a loved one preparing a romantic night on a bed strewn with rose petals, or a warm bath with rose petals floating sensuously.  The natural beauty of the aromas of roses has been incorporated into the world’s best perfumes for generations.

Greek mythology gives us the story of the creation of the rose.  The Goddess of Flowers (Chloris) transformed a lifeless nymph into a flower, with the help of the other gods.  Beauty came from Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love.  The scent of sweetness was the blessing of Dionysus, God of Wine.  From the Three Graces – Aglaia (Splendor), Euphrosyne (Mirth), and Thalia (Good Cheer) – came joy, charm, and brightness.  The West Wind in the form of Zephyr breathed the clouds away and life into her as Apollo, God of the Sun, allowed the sun to shine on the flower and make her bloom as the Queen of all the Flowers.

For all of us naturally beautiful women (and you men, too!), the rose is an ingredient we can really enjoy for natural skin care and for natural health. Rose essential oil is extracted from the flower head of the plant.  Aromatherapy (see A is for Aromatherapy – More than a Pretty Smell) guides us to the head of a plant when we are looking for remedies for the emotions and the nervous system.  Roses are especially important in stress relief and relaxation.

For skin care, rose oil is used best topically.  Add about 8 drops of rose essential oil (the best comes from Bulgaria) to each 10 ml of carrier oil (I like jojoba or sweet almond oils) to make a nourishing, moisturizing and beautifying treatment for the skin.

Rosewater is effective for eye infections.  Ice creams from the Middle East are prepared with rosewater.  Rose hips are powerfully filled with Vitamin C.  Rose is a scent associated with women and femininity and so it follows that symptoms experienced by women like PMS or post menopausal distress will be helped by roses and rose oil.  Rose aroma is uplifting and can be used to balance the emotions and enhance self-esteem.

For pampering yourself or romancing a loved one, nothing does the trick like soaking in a bathtub filled with warm water and rose petals.  Sprinkle a tub-full of water with your (pesticide free please!) rose petals and lie back on a pillow as you breathe in the aromatherapeutic magic of love and relaxation.  For a little sensuality and romance you can add a half cup of coconut milk like Cleopatra’s famous milk baths.

And roses just smell good so they will make you feel good.  What could be better for a Naturally Beautiful Women!

 

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Posted in Mind-Body-Spirit, natural beauty, Natural Health, Romance and Sex

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S is for Spas – Something Special for Someone like You!

Posted on June 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

A Day at the Spa

Hmmm – Relax!  Rejuvenate!  Rejoice!  How can you do this?  Have yourself a Spa Day!  Going to a spa is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.  Or you can give as a present to someone special – or you can get as a present for yourself.

Yes, I realize it can be a bit expensive – but aren’t you worth it?  Wouldn’t a spa day be perfect on your birthday or anniversary or today, perhaps, on Father’s Day?  Yes, men love to go to spas also – men adore facials, they love to get pedicures, and they all look and feel great after a massage!

A day at the spa is like a day in a dream.  A really good spa experience will look, feel, sound, taste, and smell delectable to you.  Imagine the feel  of a relaxing, soothing massage on every part of your body, the scent of lavender and orange, the sights of flowing water and beautiful architecture , the taste of a glass of champagne or a sip of tea infused with ginger or cucumber, the sounds of lilting meditation music – these are the sights and sounds and tastes of a perfect spa day!

Choose a spa that makes you feel special from the minute you enter.  You should be secure in the knowledge that it is sanitary and clean first of all.  Then you will want to be sure to find a spa that will engage all of your senses in a relaxing way.  Listen for calming sounds, look at relaxing colors, feel the silkiness of the products, and feel pampered by all of the staff.

Choose treatments that will make your body feel rejuvenated and your mind refreshed.  Luxuriate in the creaminess of the products.  Lavish yourself in a dream of being treated like royalty – for today, for you, for your spa day.

And — we do know it’s expensive – so don’t worry (be happy) and know that here at Naturally Beautiful Women, we will give you lots of tips and recipes for making your own spa products so that you can have your own Spa Day at Home!  check out all of our posts on Kitchen Cosmetics or Face Fixes from the Frig!

 

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Posted in Mind-Body-Spirit, natural beauty, Spas & Spa Products

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R is for Remembering – Remedies for Recall

Posted on June 15, 2012 | Leave a comment

Where did I put that banana?

R u forgetting something?  Do you spend a half hour looking for your keys when all you want to do is leave your house?  Do you walk into a room and not remember why????????????

We naturally beautiful women who are aging gracefully sometimes need a little help to keep our memories alive and active.  Luckily for us, there are natural remedies that help.

Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea), (100 mg. daily) is an herb which can improve memory and increase concentration by stimulating the immune system.  Rhodiola also helps to fight depression, improve sleep, stimulate the nervous system and enhance physical and mental performance.  Rhodiola has been studied and proven to be so effective in stimulating memory as well as being a potent antioxidant that it’s being used at places like Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Rosemary, which we all seem to have growing in abundance in our gardens,  is known as the “herb of remembrance” and is an aromatherapy treatment for improving mental clarity and poor memory, as well as reducing fatigue while increasing concentration.

And these are just the “R’s” for remembering.  There’s also the G’s – powerful Gotu Kola (1000 mg. daily) increases memory function, and Ginkgo Biloba has long been shown to aid in the prevention of age-related Alzheimer’s disease.

Thiamine or Vitamin B1 deficiency figures prominently in memory loss.  But pistachio nuts are full of thiamine, so a handful of these tasty treats can help you remember where you put those car keys.  Mushrooms, flax seeds, tuna and spinach are also good sources of this much-needed vitamin.

There are more things you can do to help remember – write things down and keep lists, exercise to increase circulation to your brain, meditate to clear your head, and eat well, drink lots of water, and don’t worry – Be Happy!

See previous posts - W is for Worry – Don’t Worry, Be Happy!

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Posted in Anti-aging, Mind-Body-Spirit, Natural Health

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