Page 20 - Florida Sentinel 5-18-18

Health
Get Herbal Pain Relief
"Prescrip- tion and over- the-counter drugs can make chronic pain worse, since many medications are designed to block the transmission
Ditch Diet Soda
Studies show that people who drink diet soda can gain more weight than regular soda drinkers because artificial sweeteners
Would you like to have more energy, sleep better, feel less stressed, eliminate annoying aches, pains, and other discomforts, and get on top of your game? Try harnessing the power of nature.
Here are some practical tips that can help you get started. Whether you're struggling with a soda habit, need to improve your diet, or could just use an energy boost, these are ways to overhaul your diet, health, beauty routine, and home environment!
PART III
of pain from the site to the brain, and over time, nerves send even stronger pain signals," says Dave Foreman, RPh, ND, aka "The Herbal Pharma- cist." Instead, he recommends supplements with Perluxan, a patented extract of hops that relieves pain by fighting inflammation. Topical creams containing Celadrin, applied to painful areas, are also high on Foreman's list.
trick the brain into craving more food. Research also shows that diet soda contributes to diabetes, heart disease, and stroke risk just as much as regu- lar soda. And, according to the latest new research, diet soda can even raise the risk of dementia. Take it one day at a time-for today, go without that daily fix of diet soda. And then one day will turn two days and so on. Try natural or organic sodas with a hint of sweetness from fruit or stevia. Or make your own: Combine sparkling water with a splash of pomegranate juice and a squeeze of lime for a re- freshing, soda-like beverage.
Health Tip
The journal Scientific Reports recently published a study that confirmed a link between a diet high in sugar and common mental disorders.
In 2002, researchers from Baylor College found that higher rates of refined sugar consumption were associ- ated with higher rates of depres- sion. A 2015 study that included nearly 70,000 women found a higher likelihood of depression in those with high added sugar intake, but not in those with a high intake of naturally occur- ring sugars such as those found
in fruit.
The World Health Organiza-
tion recommends that people reduce their daily intake of added sugars to less than 5 per- cent of their total energy intake; Americans typically consume three times that much.
Meanwhile, one in six peo- ple worldwide suffers from a common mental problem such as a mood or anxiety disorder.
Get A Nature Boost
Studies show that spending as little as five minutes being ac- tive in nature, whether it's walking in a city park, gardening in your back yard, horse- back riding along a local trail, or hiking in the open country, lifts mood and self-esteem.
Switch To Nontoxic Soap
Antibacterial ingre- dients in soaps can de- stroy beneficial bacteria without im- proving cleanliness, and synthetic fra- grances can disrupt hormones. Look for a
soap that is either unscented or gets its scent from natural es- sential oils. Tea tree oil is a natural antibacterial ingredient that doesn't destroy beneficial bacteria.
Water, such as a stream or lake, enhances the ef- fect even more. Being in nature also reduces stress and makes people more caring and generous.
PAGE 8-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2018