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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Jan 24
Justin Perich
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The Importance of Greenery

justin perich parkWell, it’s official. According to the latest scientific research, living in an area with a park or a garden has been statistically proven to improve your mental health.

Researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School have recently put out a study in Environmental Science & Technology Magazine which tracked over a thousand people for five years–half of these subjects moved to an urban neighborhood with greenery and half moved to an urban neighborhood with no green spaces. The study used a questionnaire which evaluated depression, anxiety, and general thoughts, moods, and feelings.

The results showed that those who moved to areas with parks and gardens had prolonged mental health improvement after they moved, and those who moved to areas without greenery experienced a dip and then a return to normal. The findings match previous research, which has indicated that even spending in green space can relieve stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

Urban planners and developers can take note, as the decision to include greenery in local communities could offer long-term benefits, but it’s also important for the rest of us to remember. In the busyness of our everyday lives, it’s important that we stop once every so often to smell the roses, literally.

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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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Nov 29
Uncategorized
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Why Do People Eat What’s Bad For Them?

justin perich fruitA few weeks ago I wrote a piece about what’s actually in fast food millions of Americans eat on a daily basis (the answer: anything but food). Today I found a New York Times article that asks an important follow up question: why do people continue to eat it anyway?

The answer isn’t so simple. As the writer Mark Bittman states, many of the explanations and excuses usually offered just don’t stand the logic or accuracy test…

Common Answer #1: Fast Food is cheaper than Home Cooking.

Conventional wisdom states that many families and individuals, especially those that are less well off, often choose the fast food route because it’s more affordable. But in this case, conventional wisdom is just dead wrong. One meal at McDonalds costs on average between 6 and 9 dollars, depending on your region. That comes to $24 to $36 for a family of four. On the other hand, you can usually prepare a meat dish, a salad, a side dish, and a beverage for four for anywhere from $10 to $15 without breaking a sweat.

Common Answer #2: But Fast Food gives you more calories for less money than Home Cooking.

Even those who admit that buying and preparing home cooked meals is cheaper often like to argue that, calorie-wise, fast food gives you more bang for your buck. But folks, this just ain’t smart. Given that over 50% of the population already consumes too many calories anyway, it’s far better to choose the option that gives you less unhealthy calories and more healthy ones.

The Real Reasons: Home Cooking is “too much work,” Marketing is persuasive, and Fast Food is literally addictive

As Bittman reveals, the true explanation is threefold. Firstly, people see cooking as a tedious chore that gets in the way of the delight of eating. Secondly, nobody on TV or billboards is bombarding us with appetizing images of home cooked meals. And thirdly, eating fast food sets off the same neuro-addictive responses triggered by drugs or gambling, effecting dopamine releases in the same harmful way.

So how do we solve the problem? Mark Bittman talks about starting a huge political and cultural revolution, akin to the tobacco backlash of the 90s. But I think it’s much simpler. I think it has to start with you and your family. As Gandhi says, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” These fast food conglomerations are always going to be there, and there will always be people who will fall for their false charms. But if you stop buying the fast food garbage and start making your own, healthier meals, maybe friends and neighbors will start to notice and change their habits as well.

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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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