Oct 08
Health Blog, Justin Perich
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6 Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is a fermented liquid made from crushed and aged apples. The healthiest versions contain “the mother” which is a colony of beneficial bacteria with many health benefits.

ACV is naturally high in phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium and other essential vitamins. It has been said to aid with weight loss efforts and can help treat many digestive issues. Apple cider vinegar’s healing wonders date back to the time of Hippocrates, known as the father of medicine, as a cure for many ailments.

If you would like to consider using ACV for the health benefits, look for organic, unpasteurized vinegars with “the Mother,” you can find it at most grocery stores. Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar is one of the most popular brands on the market.

There are many health related uses for apple cider vinegar. It has been used as a natural remedy for centuries for many purposes. It isn’t FDA approved but it’s generally considered harmless to try. If you suffer from any of the health issues below, consider trying ACV as an inexpensive natural remedy. As a safe precaution, consult with your doctor before adding ACV to your daily routine.

Here are 6  Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

1. Reduces Heartburn

ACV mimics the acidic environment of the stomach and helps food to break down.  You should experience reduced symptoms of reflux or heartburn after using Apple Cider Vinegar because it is replacing the acid that your gut lacks.

2. Fight Candida (yeast) in the Body

If you suffer from yeast overgrowth in the body ACV can. The acid and enzymes in Apple Cider Vinegar help kill excess yeast in the body. If you want to treat a yeast overgrowth, consider taking 1 tsp- 1 TBSP of ACV in water before each meal or twice a day, ideally on an empty stomach.

3. Relieve Sunburns and Bug Bites

Apple Cider Vinegar can help sooth the pain of sunburn or insect bites. For sunburns, apply ACV and water (25/75 mix) with a cotton cloth or washcloth directly to the skin to cool and relieve pain. You can also soak in a bath of warm water with 1 cup ACV. For bug bites, apply a 50/50 mixture directly to the bite, or soak the area in vinegar water.

4. Kill Foot or Skin Fungus

If you have foot or toe fungus, soak the feet in 1 cup of ACV in water or apply directly to the affected area. For skin fungus or yeast, apply a 25/75 mixture of ACV and water.  It will burn but will help clear up even the worst cases of fungus. Don’t forget to dilute ACV with water!

5. Natural Skin Toner

When mixed with equal parts of water (and a few drops of essential oil for fragrance) ACV makes an excellent firming toner for the skin. To use as a toner, keep the mixture in the fridge, and apply with a cotton ball after showering. The vinegar smell disappears completely when dry. Try a 24% vinegar/75% water mixture.

6. Treat Dandruff

Apple Cider Vinegar can be very effective in fighting dandruff. Mix with equal parts water and apply to scalp with spray bottle or cloth. Leave on for 1-2 hours with a shower cap and rinse. This can be done 1-2 times a week for best results.

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Oct 07
Health Blog, Justin Perich
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20 Great Uses For Coconut Oil

  1. To prevent stretch marks on your skin.
  2. Coconut oil can be added to coffee as a creamer.
  3. As a natural deodorant.
  4. To support healthy thyroid function.
  5. As a natural sunscreen and tanning oil.
  6. As a night time moisturizer for your face.
  7. Coconut oil can be used topically to kill yeast infections.
  8. Use it as a natural lip balm.
  9. Helps skin heal faster after injury or infection.
  10. Coconut oil can soothe psoriasis or eczema.
  11. Rub coconut oil inside of your nose to help allergy symptoms.
  12. Personal lubricant.
  13. As an all natural shave cream.
  14. Coconut oil can be used to speed the healing of fungal infections.
  15. Can be taken with ginger tea to sooth heartburn or nausea.
  16. As a homemade bug repellant when combined with mint or rosemary oils.
  17. On cuticles to help nails grow.
  18. Can boost blood circulation.
  19. Can improve your sleep when ingested daily.
  20. Can be used as a natural diaper cream.
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Feb 24
Health Blog, Justin Perich
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Eating Right Good For Your Mind, Not Just Your Body

justin perich state of mindSome mental health professionals say that nutrition does not affect your mental health. However, as a culture we have all embraced poor eating habits and therefore, we may be ruling out nutrition in order to put the blame elsewhere for mental health issues.

Mental Health problems have become commonplace in our culture. We have become used to bizarre outbursts, breakdowns, ADD, and depression. Just as eating healthy helps our bodies operate more efficiently, it can also help the mind. A better diet that is full of nutrient dense food can improve cognitive ability, mood, and overall mental health. There is documentation to support the fact that nutritional wellbeing affects both your physical and mental health. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, also known as malnutrition makes the body susceptible to diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and metal illness.

The best way to support overall health and wellbeing is a diet filled with clean, whole foods. This means naturally grown, unprocessed foods without artificial or chemically changed additives. Whole foods have the most nutrients of any foods available and these nutrients positively affect both mind and body.

Without vitamins, like vitamin B, you can experience damage to your nervous system. This damage can lead to poor short-term memory, apathy, confusion, irritability, depression, fatigue, lethargy, headaches, and abnormal brain wave patterns. If you skip meals like breakfast or do not have a high enough caloric intake it can hinder your problem-solving abilities and your confidence. Eating too much sugar or artificial sweeteners can cause insulin resistance, mood swings, and depression.

The bottom line is that our food intake affects our behavior, mood, and brain function. Hunger can make us irritable or even restless; whereas a good meal improves mood and can make us feel satisfied and confident.

So to create a better diet for mental health, you need to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, avoid sugar, and drink lots of water. This combination of food will help you achieve both physical and mental health.

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Dec 18
Health Blog
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What’s the Deal With Airplane Food?

justin perich airplaneIt’s an old joke that nobody likes the food on airplanes, but at least one website is taking the time to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Every year, DietDetective.com issues a survey ranking the food on various airlines, which takes into account the healthiness and calorie levels of all meals, snacks, and snack boxes, as well as cost, comments, variety, menu innovation, improvement of the previous year, cooperation in providing nutritional information. Each airline receives a final score between 1 and 5, so we can see which are the winners and which are the losers.

Yesterday, the website released the 2013 survey. While there were no perfect scores, Virgin America and Air Canada topped the list, each taking away a solid 4.5.  Virgin America was praised for it’s low-calorie snack boxes and meals (averaging at 361) as well as its healthy and wide ranging Travel Light meals. Air Canada meals and snacks have even less calories on average (291) but not as much variety, and its numbers were thrown off by its relatively unhealthy bagel option.

Here are the final tallies. How does your airline of choice rank?

  1. Virgin America & Air Canada (4.5)
  2. Alaska Airlines (4)
  3. JetBlue Airways (3.5)
  4. United Airlines (3.25)
  5. American Airlines & US Airways (3)
  6. Delta Air Lines & Frontier Airlines (2.75)
  7. Southwest Airlines (2)
  8. Allegiant Air (1.5)

Taking all eleven airlines into account, the average calories number per item of food is 360–good news considering that figure was at 388 last year. But no matter what airline you’re taking, you don’t have to rely on them for your meals! Bring your own snacks that you know you you find delicious and satisfying. Carrots and hummus, grapes, seaweed snacks or kale chips! When you take control of where you get your calories, the possibilities are endless! Because whether you’re on land or up in the air, your body will thank you for eating healthily.

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Oct 24
Health Blog

Chicken Nuh-uhs: Secrets of the Fast Food Industry

Chicken NuggetsI recently read this article in Huffington Post that’s sure to gross out any health conscious person. According to the American Journal of Medicine, chicken nuggets found at major fast food chains are often composed of no more than 50% the muscle tissue we usually define as “chicken.” The rest is basically pure fat, pieces of bone, nerves, cartilage, blood vessels, and various chemicals. That’s crazy! How is it even legal to call something chicken meat, sell something as chicken meat, when chicken is only one of 30 plus ingredients that make up the nugget?

Of those ingredients, here are some of the grossest mentioned in that article.

  • Dimethylpolysiloxane – an anti-foaming agent also found in…wait for it…Silly Putty!
  • Propylene glycol – a chemical found in anti-freeze
  • MSG – the big one, commonly linked to headaches, flushing, and sweating.

It’s for reasons like this that I stay away from fast food, and processed foods in general. What we put in our bodies matters. You may not be conscious of it, but everything you eat throughout the day has a profound effect on not just your health but your mood and your brain function. Why wouldn’t you always want to be the best possible you? Next time you’re thinking about picking up a quick lunch from McDonalds or a late night Taco Bell run, ask yourself–is it really worth it? Your taste buds may enjoy the experience for about two minutes, but the rest of your body won’t thank you, not today and not later on down the line.

Instead, I prefer to stick with healthy home-cooked meals with lots of greens. Think you don’t like salad? Try using arugula, or watercress. These spicy leafy greens make any salad just as enjoyable  taste-wise as anything you’d find on a fast food menu.

Justin Perich’s Keys to a Great Salad

  • Color variation – Most of us are used to the standard romaine, tomato, cucumber, and carrot salad. Believe it or not, part of what makes this seem insufficient is the limited color palette. Experiment with things like corn, beats, raisins, artichoke, or fruit slices to mix things up!
  • Protein – Meat lovers, try incorporating things like bacon bits, tuna, chicken. Vegetarian? Let nuts and beans be your best friends. (I’ve never had a salad with pistachios that wasn’t AMAZING).
  • The perfect dressing – This one is pretty subjective, but I believe there’s one perfect dressing for every salad for every person, and it’s up to you to experiment and find out what it is. My current default – balsamic vinaigrette.
Filed Under: Health Blog
Oct 09
Health Blog

Hilarious Video

Online Sketch Group Good Cop Great Cop’s latest video Emergency is a great statement on the unhealthy way we live now, plugged into our phones 24/7.

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