Vegetarian Food for Hair Growth

If you’re looking for the best foods for improving hair growth, you’re in the right place. You don’t have to be a vegetarian necessarily to endulge in these delicious recipes. Anyone with a desire to grow healthier, longer hair can enjoy the delicious hair growth recipes that I’m going to share right here.

You’ve most likely heard that there are certain vegetables that can do wonders for growing longer, thicker hair.

That’s right!

Vegetables play a huge role in the health of your hair!

Certain vegetables contain just the right amount of nutrients to help in keeping hair follicles healthy in order to promote hair growth.

That is, if you can improve your daily dose of veggies, your hair is in for a treat!

Since vegetables are packed with a ton of vitamins like B-vitamins (biotin) which you can find in broccoli, for example, these types of vegetables are the perfect food when it comes to growing your hair longer and healthier!

An adult requires 30 micrograms of biotin in their diet each day.

Want to find out more?

Here are some interesting veggie facts, tips, and recipes that will help your hair grow longer!

Did You Know These Hair Growth Food Facts?

Olive oil contains high amounts of Vitamin E, which promotes circulation in the scalp.

Garlic improves circulation in the body, including the scalp. It also provides antioxidants and aids in digestion, both of which increase nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles.

Broccoli's iron-rich content strengthens hair from the roots. With broccoli’s high concentration of biotin, it is a perfect choice.

Yellow peppers are great for hair growth! Just like any orange vegetable like carrots or orange peppers, these veggies contain beta-carotene.

Beta-carotene is basically pigmentation. It's also a carotenoid - and this carotenoid which is also an antioxidant is known to promote healthy skin, hair growth and boost your immune system!

Now, because the yellow peppers in this recipe contain carotenoids, you'll know that you're doing your hair and skin a favour when you add them to a recipe like this one!

You simply can't go wrong with a grow hair recipe like this one!

ZESTY Broccoli and Peppers ~ Supremely Italian Recipe for Growing Longer, Healthier Hair!

• 4 cups of broccoli sliced in bite-sized pieces

• 6 cups of water

• 1 medium-sized sweet red pepper

• 1 medium-sized sweet yellow pepper

• 2 minced cloves of garlic

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 tsp. of oregano

• ½ tsp. of salt

• ¼ tsp. of pepper

• 1 cup of ripe cherry tomatoes sliced in half

• 1 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: In a large-sized saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Then simply add the broccoli and cover the pan for approximately 3 minutes until the broccoli is softened slightly.

Next, drain the broccoli and place it in cold water to stop the cooking process. This also helps to retain its crispy-green look. Then drain and pat dry.

After that, grab a large non-stick skillet and sauté the red and yellow peppers in olive oil for approximately 2 minutes. Then add broccoli, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook everything for about 2 more minutes.

Lastly, add the tomatoes and sauté for another 30 seconds to a minute. Once you’ve sautéd the tomatoes, remove all contents from the stove and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

• This recipe serves 6 people.

This recipe is also perfect with chicken, fish, or pasta!

Why not try these as alternatives for a uniquely delicious taste!

Enjoy!

Antioxidant-rich Foods for Skin

Caring for your skin is so important. Not only do you look better and healthier, good skin habits can produce positive rewards in making you feel better about yourself. It doesn’t hurt that others will also take notice too!

Eating well is essential for your overall health and for your complexion.

If you stay clear of greasy foods like french fries, potato chips, eating excess amounts of starchy foods as well as sugary foods like cakes, cookies, and candies, you’re well on your way to having great skin. Of course, you can eat these types of foods occasionally, but it’s important to keep them to a minimum.

Invest in Yourself | Healthy Kitchen Tools

Now we also have healthier choices for the above foods. For example, instead of greasy fries from your local fast food joint, why not invest in an air fryer and make your own at home! Not only will your food be less greasy, but you’ll also be able to eat your most desired craving, but do so without all of the excess calories!

Remember, everything in moderation and balance. As long as you don’t go overboard, you should be fine. But eating healthier fruits and vegetables along with drinking plenty of water can help in the process.

Your Skin & Aging

Did you know that for those who age gracefully, it can be a very emotional experience?

Why you ask?

Well, what happens is that they look so amazing and are constantly reminded and told how young they look, these comments can be emotionally uplifting!

Imagine people coming up to you and asking you what it is you do because you look so fabulous! Well, here's their secret… They eat antioxidant-rich foods!

What are antioxidant-rich foods you ask?

Well, these are foods packed with minerals, phytonutrients (disease-fighting chemicals), vitamins, fiber, fruits, and vegetables.

These foods actually counteract the effects of cellular damage, making the skin look brighter and younger.

Want to know more?!

Here are the 10 Most Potent Antioxidant-Rich Foods:

• These foods were tested by the Department of Agriculture recently. Actually, they tested over 100 different foods and identified these ten as having the highest antioxidant content.

  1. Raspberries

  2. Blackberries

  3. Cranberries

  4. Pinto beans

  5. Wild Blueberries

  6. Prunes

  7. Artichokes

  8. Farm blueberries

  9. Red kidney beans

  10. Adzuki beans

  Do you notice the pattern here?

  Eight out of the ten most powerful natural antioxidants are beans or berries!

  Remember, you don’t have to only eat these foods by themselves. You can freeze them and mix and match them with each other or with vegetables for a more balanced meal or as a healthy snack!

  Indulging in a wide variety of food blends, shakes and smoothies can be not only a healthy treat but can also be satisfying and tasty too!

  So, why not add some servings of these antioxidant-rich foods today.

  Your body will love you for it and so will your skin!

Essential Oils for Health and Wellness

Essential Oils & Health | A true gift passed on from ancient times.

Essential Oils and Health

Essential oils are an ancient gift that has been passed on for future generations.

It is amazing how such a natural herb can produce so many positive health benefits. It works with our emotions giving us positive relaxing vibes when we smell these aromatic gems.

It's truly remarkable how such a simple natural herb can also benefit those with various health conditions and discomforts.

Relaxation can also be derived from aromatherapy essential oils.

Many may not be knowledgeable about the natural therapeutic gift behind these oils because we are so busy working endlessly in our hurried lives - often gravitating towards easy pharmaceutical fixes, that we often ignore the natural treasures that exist around us.

Did you know that stress is the leading cause of illness in most people today?

The effects of stress are cumulative and can lead to several health problems.

Without taking the time to relax and recharge, the body can become overwhelmed and breakdown, leading to headaches, eye and neck strain, backaches, poor concentration, anxiety, injuries and essentially - burnout.

Take a look at these statistics! Did you know …

• Over 50% of lost work days are stress related which keeps about 1 million people per day from attending work. (Occupational Health and Safety News and the National Council on Compensation Insurance. (U.S.A))

• Up to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related complaints. (Occupational Health and Safety news and the National Council on Compensation Insurance (U.S.A.)

• Health care expenditures are nearly 50% greater for workers who report high levels of stress (Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)

• 40% of job turnover is due to stress. (American Institute of Stress).

But what is most astounding is that by taking a little time out to relax, we can see a huge decrease in our stress levels.

• Actually, research indicates that a 15-minute chair massage results in decreased job stress, increased speed, accuracy and alertness… (Field, Ironson, Pickens et. al. (1996).

  Massage therapy reduces anxiety and enhances EEG pattern of alertness… (International Journal of Neuroscience 86, 197-205).

  Are You a Caregiver?

  Many individuals that stay at home with kids can also feel overwhelmed. It is very important to set up a schedule of events for each day breaking down each task so that they are more manageable..

  Here are some tips to help you relax your daily routines:

• Cleaning the house? Tackle one room at a time. Let your kids understand the schedule of events and that certain times of the day is your time. Take this time out to get the work done that you need to get done. If you explain the importance of this mommy or daddy

  time, your kids will surely understand.

• If you’re a parent, co-op with other moms and dads in your area and swap babysitting, meals or shopping trips. This can be mutually beneficial and very rewarding.

• Take some time out to exercise.

• Take the kids out for some activities.

• Go for a walk.

• Exercise not only stimulates the release of endorphins (the body's natural stress-fighters), it is also an excellent aid in lowering stress hormone levels. It's also great as a stress release making you think less about the mental demands around you.

• Take time out for a relaxing bath or pamper yourself. Give yourself a facial steam or do your nails.

• Use essential oil scents to help you relax and unwind from the daily grind. Essential oil candles and diffusers make this easy!

  Essential Oil Relaxers

  Lavender and bergamot are great relaxers.

• Add a few drops of either of these essential oils to a diffuser or simply add some drops to a tissue or some pot pourri so the aromas can spread throughout the room. This will make for a more relaxing experience while giving your rooms a delightful scent.

• Remember, in order to release the stress from within, breathe and exhale and focus on pure calm to make this experience more beneficial.

  Make quite time for yourself daily for a more rewarding experience..

  Take out at least 15 minutes a day.

  Your body will love it!

Acne from Allergies?

For those experiencing acne, it may be possible that your skin sensitivity may signal that you are allergic to something.

Many acne sufferers may not be aware that some foods may cause your acne. It's these food sensitivities that can affect the state of your skin in terms of how it looks and how it feels.

You may notice that you now have new blemishes erupting, but are unsure what may have caused this new skin irritation. But it's important to realize that it is possible that an allergy to food or even a skincare product may have resulted in your skin issues.

If however, you ruled out the possibility that your acne was caused by your skincare habits i.e., soaps, cleansers or creams, the other best way to uncover the cause is to see if it was caused by an allergy to a certain type of food. You can perform a food allergy test through an elimination diet to see if your skin is reacting negatively to a certain type of food.

Trigger Foods & the Elimination Diet

If you want to determine if a particular food is causing your acne, it's important to begin by looking at a list of potential "trigger foods". The best way to do this is by keeping a journal of what you are eating daily. Do this for about a week.

At the end of the week, take note of the foods that you have eaten most often. This will be your list of possible "trigger foods" that may be causing your acne.

Find out how skin acne can be attributed to the foods you eat. This informative blog video was created as a visual medium for a post on acne and allergies. If you want to find out more about having wellness content for sharing on your social media get in touch https://www.wellnessopolis.com/

Elimination of Trigger Foods

The next week, eliminate the possible "trigger foods" from your diet.

Common trigger foods are dairy products, peanuts, seafood, wheat, and soy. These are foods that most often cause allergic reactions and skin outbreaks. Also, consider cutting back on sugar and greasy foods like burgers, processed foods, caffeine, probiotic foods, french fries or any type of fried goods as these can often play a role in causing acne blemishes to appear.

Healthy Skin Foods

Enjoy green leafy vegetables like spinach and green lettuce like romaine lettuce. Carrots and juicy fruit with high water content like watermelon is a good choice.

Drink lots of water as this also helps in keeping your skin clear.

If after two weeks you see that your skin looks clearer, this food is probably the culprit that leads to your acne. Once the offending food is identified or suspected to be the cause, the best treatment is the avoidance of it. 

To identify the food that may be causing your acne, slowly introduce the food to your diet one at a time but in its purest form. For example, if you have eliminated wheat from your diet, re-familiarize yourself with the purest form like shredded wheat or cream of wheat. If it's milk, drink whole milk rather than skim milk.

If your symptoms reappear again once you re-introduce the suspect food back into your diet, you should ban this food from your diet completely. 

Continue doing this for your entire list to see what may or may not be the cause of your acne. Yes, I know it sounds like a bit of work and a bit of a sacrifice since some of these foods may be your favorite. But it's well worth a few weeks of being a dietary police for the chance at having a clear complexion. 

By the end of the elimination diet, you'll be sure what foods to avoid in the future to keep your skin looking vibrant and clear.

Being informed, understanding your skin and how to treat it is one of the best ways to ensure you always look your best!

Healthy Bones | Improve Bone Density with Age

4 Ways to Decrease the Risk Bone Loss with Age & What to Do to Assist the Aging Process

As we get older, it's only natural that our bodies deplete in various ways, whether that be having less fullness in our skin, decreased muscle mass or aging bones.

With age especially for women in the first few years of menopause, bone density slowly depletes as we become less active. That is why it's important to take the necessary first steps to decrease the aging process as much as possible. Healthy eating, healthy lifestyle changes and gaining the right amounts of nutrients in our diet along with regular exercise is one of the best ways to do it.

Age is just a number and we can easily improve how we age by making the right choices...

Exercise for Muscles & Bone Health

Here are 3 essential types of exercise that must be added to our daily and weekly routine to strengthen muscles and improve bone mass:

1—Stretching & Flexibility Exercises: This often forgotten exercise routine is critical in building better flexibility and benefits muscle mass. By adding flexibility into your exercise routine, this will help to enhance range of motion.

Common flexibility and stretching exercises include Tai Chi, Pilates or Yoga. These are excellent if done on a daily basis to decrease the chances of developing osteoporosis. By holding your stretched position for about 30 seconds, this stretched pose helps to lengthen muscles. This helps to improve flexibility and range of motion in the joints.

2— Cardiovascular Exercise: All and any type of exercise like walking, jogging or aerobics helps to create better bones mass by improving bone health. These cardiovascular exercises are weight bearing and place weight on bones and limbs — not to mention how good they are for overall heart health. These types of exercises are highly beneficial to overall fitness especially when aging. However, although many think biking may be a weight bearing exercise, it's not. Biking puts very little weight energy on the overall body and limbs and that's why it's more of a aid in building up the heart, but not necessarily in aiding in bone mass.

Other weight-bearing exercises are running under water or even underwater aerobics. Although having less impact on joints, it is still highly beneficial. For those more sensitive to the impact of exercises like these, but who still want to engage in exercise that builds stronger bones without the risk of injury, it’s a good choice.

3— Strength training: As we get older, it becomes crucial that strength training become a key part of our weekly routine. By engaging in using weights like free weights, stair climbing machines like the stairmaster, incline or elliptical trainer machines. Resistant bands are also excellent in building strength in order to improve bone density.

Exercise should not be the only focus.

Getting enough vitamin D is necessary to maintaining good health. You can get vitamin D from the sun as your body produces this vitamin when exposed to natural sunlight.

Eating a diet rich in vitamin D is also essential for building up your vitamin D levels throughout your body. You can do so by eating foods rich in D vitamins and if need be, add vitamin D supplements (if your diet is lacking in this vitamin).

Foods rich in vitamin D are fatty fish like mackerel, tuna and salmon. 100% natural orange juice, egg yolks and beef liver are also very good choices rich in vitamin D.

Benefits of Vitamin D

Vitamin D aids in the absorption and regulation of phosphorus and calcium within the body. It also helps to resist disease and to maintain a healthy immune system. But most importantly, this vitamin helps to develop healthy bones.

If you value your health and want to decrease you chances of developing osteoporosis, while also wanting to reverse or slow down the risk of decreased bone density while trying to improve your bone density, engaging in these exercises and keeping your Vitamin D levels up is a great way to improve your overall health and fitness. By doing so, you’re building up the necessary defenses your body needs to protect itself, while making better choices for your overall health and well-being.

Gift Ideas for Vegans

Holiday & Special Occasion Gift Ideas for Vegans | Skin & Beauty Product Ideas to Make Them Smile!

Over the years people have become much more health conscious. And more people are asking questions about the food we consume daily as well as the products we put on our skin. Of course, health is becoming more important to people – especially the very health-conscious vegan consumer. And if you’re buying a gift for someone that makes health their number one priority, that takes a bit more effort. But what’s great is that nowadays, we have endless choices!

If you’re stumped on what to get a more health-conscious individual - vegan friend, colleague or loved one who clearly loves animals and only uses products that are cruelty-free then this list of gift ideas may be just what you need. It will save you time scrambling to find the perfect gift, let along save you a ton of time in doing so.

Here Are a List of Vegan-Friendly Product Lines to Choose From:

1.       Nature's Gate

2.       Arbonne

3.       Beauty Without Cruelty

4.       Pacifica

5.       Billy Jealousy

6.       ColorProof Evolved Color Care

7.       skyn ICELAND

8.       Sibu Beauty

9.       MuLondon Organic

10.   Bali Body

11.   Skin Owl

12.   Alima Pure (mineral makeup)

Hopefully this list can allow you to find the perfect gift that your loved one will love. When considering the purchase of a beauty product, it’s really just about doing your due-diligence and being well informed on the standards being set. The key is to just be aware and know that not all products may be vegan-friendly and cruelty-free as they say they are on the product labels or in their advertising.

It’s important to follow these tips and guidelines that I’m about to pass onto you to help you when shopping for products. As you know, various “healthy” and “healthier” products and the wording used on labels (terms like “organic”, “vegan”, “clean” and “all-natural”) can be used to fool us that these products are indeed cruelty-free and made of all-natural ingredients, which can sometimes be misleading. There are companies that just want to make a profit without putting the best interests of their customers at heart. This type of behavior of using these types of terms is known as greenwashing.

In the Cambridge dictionary, it states that greenwashing is:

to make people believe that your company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is

These are brands who are trying to be a part of the green movement without actually taking any responsibility with creating positive changes to the environment and for the purpose of protecting their customers. They know it’s wrong, but to them, money talks. And they know that the vegan and cruelty-free movement is getting a lot of attention and they want to be a part of it. However, there is no law that says certain wording cannot be used on packaging if indeed the product is not fully “all-natural”.

Here are some tips for reading the labels on your beauty health products:

• On packaging try to identify proper industry logos like those of The Vegan Society or Cruelty Free International’s Leaping Bunny.

• When you look at the product listings you should not see ingredients like artificial coloring, petroleum, parabens, phthalates, sulphates, synthetic fragrances or silicones.

Of course there are more harmful ingredients, but these are the most common one’s you will see. I’m sure you’re familiar with seeing most of them on many popular beauty products from your local drugstore. But if you go onto the website of either of the organizations I’ve just mentioned, you should be able to see the ingredients you should stay away from on product labels.

Cruelty Free Product Shopping Apps

Many apps now exist to help you purchase healthier beauty products. Apps like Cruelty-Cutter (by The Beagle Freedom Project), Bunny Free (by Peta), Cruelty-Free (by Leaping Bunny) and the Think Dirty app can save the day when shopping for products that aren’t tested on animals with ingredients that lack the toxins of most common store brands.

Most of these apps allow you to quickly scan the labels for harmful ingredients. And they’ll rate how bad or good the product is in terms of how natural or clean they are.

When it comes to choosing your skincare products, it’s best to try to only purchase products free of toxins. After all, it’s these toxins that over time can cause damage.

Being a well-informed and responsible consumer is the best way to be.

On your next trip, why not try one of the apps mentioned in this article. As for vegan-friendly products, check out the list of brands mentioned above. It’s one of the smartest and safest ways to start making healthier choices, since they are fully toxin-free and all-natural.

Good luck on your healthy shopping journey! And I’m sure the receiver of your gift will be happy that you considered them in this way on your journey.