HaveHealthNow Blog by Wellness Mike

It is now the time to receive a Flu shot, if you are able to.  But how do you know if you have a 'cold' or the 'flu' ?  Below is a great reference from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Typically, the Flu season goes from late September to about March.  Remember to keep your hands away from your face and wash your hands often to help prevent the spread of cold or flu viruses. Stay healthy and shop for your supplements on my site at www.WellnessMike.com

Breakfast: Are You Fueling for Health or Disease Eat a healthy breakfast. It sounds simple enough. But what exactly does that mean? While there is no definition of the “perfect breakfast,” it makes sense that there are ideal and less than ideal ways to energize your body. So let’s compare typical breakfast options to various types of fires and ways to fuel your morning right! The Cooking Fire This fire is the equivalent of a stove range. It burns slowly, evenly and can literally last all day. The breakfast equivalent? A breakfast that will keep you energized all day with stable blood sugar levels should always have lean protein as its base. Like seasoned firewood, lean protein is a slow burn fuel. It improves glycemic response, inhibits the secretion of the hunger hormone ghrelin and stimulates the secretion of the satiety hormones peptide YY (PYY), glucagonlike peptide 1 (GLP-1) and cholecystokinin (CKK) [11]. The net effect? You feel more satisfied and have fewer food cravings,

Good health is of prime importance to all of us. We need to be healthy, filled with abundant energy, sound sleep, and fit and disease free body, which will give us a sense of overall well being. In order to be fit and healthy we need to practice healthy living styles with proper food habits and exercise. We cannot be healthy if we are lazy and lethargic. We need to work hard both physically and mentally to be fit and healthy. Besides exercise, we also need to eat healthy foods avoiding junk foods, which make us lethargic and dull. If you are over weight and obese you will suffer from health problems. So you need to maintain an optimum body weight to be healthy. You need to follow healthy and positive habits. Positive thinking is very essential in order to be healthy. You need to clear out your mind and fill it with positive thoughts. You will have to remove all the depressing and negative emotions and thoughts from your mind and replace it with healthy and positive thoughts. These p

Insomnia is one of the fastest routes to misery, and unfortunately, it's a route most of us detour onto from time to time. About half of all adults suffer from periodic bouts of insomnia, and about a quarter report difficulty falling or staying asleep every night. Insomnia can sometimes indicate an underlying medical condition, so talk to your doctor if your insomnia is chronic and home remedies have failed. Still looking to get some shut-eye? Try these verified and highly effective home remedies. 1. Try a Safer Sleep Aid Sleeping pills might help you drift into blissful repose, but they can also wreak havoc on your health. These pills are potentially addictive, unsafe to use with alcohol, and not well-studied for long-term use.  If you're tempted to use a pill, try something a bit safer. Antihistamines such as Benadryl can make some people sleepy, as can anti-motion sickness drugs such as Dramamine. These drugs aren't a good idea as a nightly thing, but for occasional di

Natural Flu-Fighter Tea Flu and colds come upon us with no mercy. As both illnesses are a result of viruses rather than bacteria, it is difficult for your family doctor to give proper recommendations. Antibiotics are not going to help a viral infection and although the flu shot may help some individuals, it definitely is not the answer to preventing the flu, as there are so many variants of the virus.  From a naturopathic perspective, it is important to boost your immune system health with herbs, nutrients, adequate fluid intake, proper rest and exercise.  Here is a simple and inexpensive homemade recipe that is effective at treating colds and flu. It may seem old-fashioned, but there is science to explain each component of the tea.   Flu-Fighter Tea -- Fill a pot with about 3-4 cups clean, filtered water, and add the following:  - Juice of 1 lemon - 2 thumb-sized pieces of fresh ginger root, sliced - 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped - 1-2 tablespoons of  honey (or to taste)  S

Eating out can be a mental, emotional and social challenge when you are trying to be health-conscious and reduce your weight. Of course, preparing your own meals is the ideal way to monitor the foods that are going into your body and ensuring that they are high-quality and health-promoting. But let’s be realistic – work-functions, anniversaries, birthdays or just plain hectic schedules can often lead us to eating out, whether it is a sit-down dinner or a quick takeout meal. There are choices you can make while eating out that are healthier for you and that will keep you from straying from the path to achieving your weight goals.  Here are some healthy tips to keep in mind while eating out:  if you can, choose a restaurant that has some healthy options available  order water or tea rather than soft drinks  choose a healthier side dish or appetizer: salad or vegetables instead of fries or potatoes  select baked, steamed, broiled or boiled rather than fried foods  use portio

Telemedicine is now Medicine https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/telemedicine-now-medicine-daniel-barchi

Eating for Energy Healthy eating is the cornerstone to success at work, home, and in the gym. Your body needs energy to keep going, just as your car needs fuel to drive. The food you eat gives you that energy — the physical and mental stamina you need to make it through your day. Energy comes from 3 nutrients: carbs, fat, and protein. After you eat, these nutrients are released into your bloodstream and converted to glucose, or blood sugar — the energy you need to power your body’s work. Energy you don’t use right away is stored as glycogen in your liver and muscles for quick release or as fat for possible use later. Colorful Carbs Fruits and vegetables contain complex carbs — your body’s preferred fuel source. If you don’t eat enough carbs, your muscles will feel chronically fatigued. You need 45%-65% of your calories as carbs — which fits perfectly with a plan to eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Morning Energy Boost After 8-12 hours without food, your body need

Today’s grocery stores and neighborhood produce stands offer an attractive array of fruits and vegetables. Becoming produce savvy and learning to be selective will help you make good choices. Before long, practicing these tips will make the best choices easy. Timing is Everything Purchase your fruits and vegetables twice a week to assure you get the freshest available. Vegetables and fruits lose nutrients the longer they sit around — especially vitamins A and C. If something is on sale, ask the produce manager how long it’s been in the store. Sometimes fruits or vegetables are marked down because they’ve been unrefrigerated for several days or are damaged. If you’re buying produce to eat today, buy ripe. For tomorrow or the next day, look for items that need just a little ripening. If you don’t plan to use them until later in the week, buy fruits and vegetables that aren’t yet ripe. (You can ripen fruit more quickly by putting it in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature.)

NO-BAKE OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIE BALLS Preparation 5 minutes Serves 9-10 cookie balls     ADJUST SERVINGS These no-bake treats taste just like a chewy oatmeal raisin cookie but are naturally sweetened and full of only wholesome ingredients! INGREDIENTS 1 cup oats (I use old fashioned) 1/2 cup packed Medjool dates, pitted and chopped (about 5-6 large)1/2 cup raisins1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon cinnamonpinch of salt1-3 tablespoons water, as needed (see notes) INSTRUCTIONS Add all of the ingredients into your food processor. Pulse, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until everything is well combined. Add extra water as needed to get the mixture to come together (see notes, below).Wet hands and roll mixture into golf ball-sized cookie balls. Enjoy! RECIPE NOTES I usually need 2-3 tablespoons of water to get the mixture to come together. It will depend on how dry your dates are. Add a bit at a time and wait till the mixture sticks to itself so you can roll it into