Health

Being sick is the pits. All it takes is one bad cold or one rough bout with the flu to make you start wishing you were anywhere else but stuck in bed. Even the commute to work is better than that.

Fortunately, there are ways to armor your immune system that allow you to better stave off illness and crush those germs before they put you down for the count. The following four recommendations will have you feeling stronger, healthier, and out of bed all year long.

Children often can’t wait until a parent fixes dinner, but getting the youngsters involved in helping to prepare those meals could do more than help mom and dad out. It also could lead to life-long healthy eating habits, nutrition experts say.  And that in turn could have a profound effect on their well-being, because childhood obesity in the U.S. is on the rise. The percentage of obese American children and teens has more than tripled since the 1970s, with nearly one in five categorized as obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mindfulness is the No. 1 trend that will shape food in 2018, according to an article from Forbes. Being mindful at mealtimes and throughout the day is more than paying attention to the food we choose, prepare, and eat. It’s learning to recognize hunger in its various forms. It is being able to eat without being impacted by external influences and noticing—and respecting—fullness. It’s eating for enjoyment while nourishing our bodies.

Anxiety is defined as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. It's future thinking in a negative way. While it’s normal to have concerns from time to time, chronic anxiety leads to loss of appetite, insomnia, compromised immunity and other diseases. Here are five common anxiety triggers and insights and tips for what we can do to get back into ease.

We’re all looking for more energy in our lives, right? We seek out pills and potions and double shots of espresso every single day. What if there was a really simple technique that’ll not only wake you up, but also help your body stay energized throughout the day? And what if I then told you that it was free and that you already had it your disposal?

Introducing, the Scottish Shower.

We all know people who follow calorie-restricted diets without losing weight or others who always have room for dessert but never gain an ounce. When scientists finished mapping the human genome, many felt that genes held the answers to this conundrum. Researchers identified the first gene variant linked with obesity in 1997; subsequently they discovered more than 50 additional variants impacting weight.

Unsurprisingly, diets based on eating for your genes looked promising. Put to the test, however, they didn’t measure up.

"Sometimes the most urgent and vital thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest.” ~ Ashleigh Brilliant

I have always been restless and prone to being busy. I love my work and have for so long confused who I am with what I do that most days I find myself doing it from dawn until late into the night. Consequently, it has taken me years to learn the true value of rest. In this way, I am also a perfect product of a culture that encourages rushing, celebrates the frenzy of the chase and equates resting with laziness. It has taken me decades to understand that rest is not the opposite of effort, rather it is the source, the nourishment, the energetic food for all that we aspire to accomplish.