Many people have a misconception of how sodium affects the body. Many are under the impression that sodium can cause many health issues such as high blood pressure or hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and all of which may be true if consumed in high levels. However, it is important to understand that the human body needs sodium and that this very important mineral is essential to allowing your body to properly function. Sodium is also naturally present in many foods and beverages we consume. Low-sodium diets have been recommended to those who suffer from certain serious medical conditions (i.e., heart failure, kidney disease and hypertension). If you are looking to improve your overall health, then you may want to opt for a low-sodium diet by considering these tips: 1. Adopt a plant based diet Consider trying a plant-based diet that focuses on fresh produce, as opposed to an animal-based diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain significantly lower levels of sodium when compared to animal-based products. 2. Decrease processed foods in your diet Try to avoid or minimize your intake of processed food found in chips, prepackaged snack foods foods, crackers, boxed cereals, frozen dinners, fast foods, canned soups, cookies, and pre-packaged snacks.

Decades, even centuries ago, when nearly every house in the neighborhood had a vegetable garden in the backyard, people ate healthy meals, and got many essential nutrients without trying. Probiotics were something that was unheard of at that time, but these kept the body healthy, and functioning properly. Today, probiotics are well-touted supplements that aid in digestive health, keep the autoimmune system functioning, and help to maintain healthy skin. History tells us that our ancestors had access to plenty of probiotic foods because a lot of food was fermented to prevent spoiling. Today, several probiotic rich foods still ensure good health for various components of the body, including: 1. Kefir Kefir is similar to yogurt. It is a combination of fermented Kefir grains and milk. Being fermented with yeast, and bacteria, gives it a higher content of probiotics. It has from 10 to 34 different strains of probiotics, and has been used for over 3,000 years. Probiotic rich foods provide a gut microbe that can enhance weight loss 2. Sauerkraut Cultured vegetables like fermented sauerkraut, and other vegetables are high in organic acid, and aids in the digestion of food. 3. Natto Natto is a popular Japanese dish that consists of fermented soybean.

Lemongrass is a wonderful fragrant plant that is also grown as a cooking and medicinal herb. People who love health and organic food use lemongrass in smoothies, teas, and recipes of all kinds. Lemongrass works well for home uses as well, for instance many use it as an essential oil or in aromatherapy. Lemongrass can be found in soaps, air sprays, body, and hair care products and more. The beauty of lemongrass is you get the health benefits from both taking it internally and using it outside the body as well. Whether you take it as a supplement or consuming lemongrass in your daily diet, lemongrass has many beneficial purposes: 1. Gout and arthritis Gout is a chronic inflammatory condition. Gout is caused by the buildup of uric acid in the blood. There have been studies that have shown that consuming edible lemongrass and using lemongrass oil beneficial in reducing both inflammation and uric acid in gout patients. 2. Anxiety Lemongrass may help reduce anxiety in two ways. The fragrance of lemongrass is natural and relaxing, which means many enjoy the calming scent of lemongrass candles, soaps, lotions, and shampoo. You can also fill your home with wonderful smelling lemongrass essential oils and room sprays.

Chances are you’ve probably heard of the Atkins diet, the Keto diet, the Dash diet, the South Beach diet and more, and surely you’ve seen the Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig advertisements. But you may less familiar with the Menopause diet, a diet heavy on foods and drinks that promote hormone balance and promote estrogen regulation in the body. Yet hormone balance and the regulation of estrogen are real challenges for millions of menopausal women and contribute to significant health challenges. Perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms may include: Hot flashes Breast tenderness Worse premenstrual syndrome Lower sex drive Fatigue Irregular periods Vaginal dryness; discomfort during sex Urine leakage when coughing or sneezing Chills Night sweats Disrupted sleep patterns Mood swings Weight gain and a slower metabolism Thinning hair or drying of the skin Loss of breast fullness and tissue Many women opt to treat perimenopause and menopause because the symptoms can be so uncomfortable. Treatments may include: 1. Hormone replacement therapy Usually, the doctor will recommend some form of estrogen therapy. Yet such therapy does have side effects, including bloating , tenderness of the breast, nausea, leg cramps, headaches, and vaginal bleeding. 2. Diet Indeed the side effects of hormonal therapy are often so severe that they do their best to control their pre and post menopause symptoms with more natural means, such as through diet.

There is an inevitability to a few things in life. Probably the most unavoidable of all are death, taxes, and the mid-morning slump. The latter can be described as a feeling of fatigue that always sets in at around 11am on the dot. This mid-morning slump affects everything from mood to focus to productivity at school or work. Luckily, there is a surefire way to avoid the mid-morning slump with a healthy well-timed snack that comes with a little pre-planning. The following collection of healthy snack ideas do their best to avoid packaged treats loaded with artificial ingredients, trans fats, and refined sugars: 1. Fruit smoothies If you’re tempted by a trip to the vending machine, you can thwart a sugar binge by preparing a healthy fruit smoothie instead. Not only are smoothies an excellent way to get your daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables; they also allow for the incorporation of lean protein (i.e., yogurt, egg whites, milk, or almond milk), healthy fats (i.e., coconut oil, avocados), fiber (i.e., spinach and apples), and natural sweetness (i.e, a touch of honey, vanilla, or frozen berries).  Plus a smoothie is a great snack to take on the go. 2. Energy balls Sure, these little balls of deliciousness might mimic the granola bar to some accounts.