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Aloe vera is one of the most rewarding plants to our bodies. Aloe Vera is in the succulent family and is one of the only plants that naturally produces B12…the “happy” vitamin. Not only is the plant rich in vitamins but it is rich in minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, polysaccharide, amino acids and fatty acids. There is no wonder this plant is getting more and more attention as our nation takes health into priority. Aloe vera contains over 250 active components — it’s no wonder we are literally eating it up!

Rich in Vitamins

Aloe vera is high in vitamins A, B, C, and E. Being rich in vitamins A, C, and E which are antioxidants. Antioxidants protect cells against free radical, which damage cells and can lead to heart disease. High in minerals there are at least nine including calcium, the key in bone density, teeth and cell signaling; zinc, selenium and magnesium all important for aiding in metabolic function; chromium, copper, magnesium, potassium and is an electrolyte.

Amino & Fatty Acids

Aloe vera is high in amino acids and fatty acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, there are 22 amino acids necessary for the human body, 8 of which are essential. Aloe vera has 19 of these amino acids including all 8 essential amino acids. Aloe vera contains 3 plant sterols which are important fatty acids which are helpful in reducing symptoms of allergies and acid indigestion.

Skin Care

Aloe vera is great in helping bring a natural and healthy glow to your skin with over 99% water content this is a great way to hydrate skin. As our largest organ skin is the most exposed organ of the body and needs to be protected against outside threats. It is great way to hydrate, moisturize and rejuvenate the skin. Aloe increases the elasticity of the skin making more flexible through collagen and elastin repair. Aloe helps supply oxygen to the skin cells, increasing the strength and synthesis of skin tissue and induces blood flow to skin.

In Your Diet

A way to introduce aloe vera into your diet is to add aloe vera to your smoothie, make an aloe vera salad, or drink aloe vera infused water. Used topically aloe vera can be an enriching face mask or overnight rejuvenating mask for your face, neck and chest. Do not just think of aloe vera when you have a sunburn, use aloe daily to keep your skin supple.

If you would like to see some of the Aloe Vera-based products Alyve Market offers, please click here.

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

If you are looking for some anti-aging tips, look no further than to your diet plan. Certain foods possess quality that help to combat the aging process, keeping you looking and feeling as young as possible.

Which foods should you focus on? Fruit is one of the main groups to consider. Fresh fruit is a great source of nutrients and being so low in calories, it’s an easy add to just about any diet plan.

Let’s look at the three best fruits to consume to combat aging.

Grapefruit

A fruit that’s overlooked far too often by man, grapefruits are an excellent source of vitamin C – even more rich than your average orange. Vitamin C is critical for keeping your immune system strong, which helps to fend off disease and keep you feeling and looking as young as possible.

Grapefruits are also a bit lower in sugar content and rich in fiber, so they’ll help keep your blood glucose levels under control.

Serve a half grapefruit with breakfast each morning and you’ll be starting your day off right.

Blueberries

Blueberries are the next food that you’ll want to consider adding to your diet plan. This berry is often sometimes called the ‘brain berry’ because of it’s powerful brain-boosting compounds.

Blueberries are a rich source of antioxidants, which can help improve memory and cognition, while also reducing your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Sprinkle these on a bowl of yogurt or add them into your morning oatmeal instead. They also work great blended into smoothies or eaten alone. There’s no reason not to add some blueberries to your day.

Lemons

While most people don’t think of lemons as a fruit, the fact is they are and they can help to fight aging as well. Lemons, while highly acidic out of the body, are actually very alkaline inside the body and this is what counts.

As most people are walking around in a very acidic state thanks to our heavy consumption of grains and meat, we need to take steps to bring this acidity down. Eating alkaline rich foods helps to do just that.

While you may not eat a whole lemon itself, adding lemon to your foods can go a long way towards preventing disease, boosting energy levels, and keeping your bones strong. All of these can be offset when you are in a very acidic state.

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

If there is one fundamental thing that’s most critical to your health and overall well-being, it would have to be sleep. Sleep impacts everything, including your focus and ability to concentrate, your hunger level, your insulin sensitivity, your recovery from exercise, and your immune system strength. It’s not something you can afford to be low on.

Many people aren’t getting the quality of sleep they need however, which can make every day feel dreary and less than optimal. A sleep journal can help you overcome this.

Let’s look at how to use a sleep journal to improve your sleep quality.

Track Your Sleep Hours

The first thing you’ll want to do is track your sleep hours. What time are you going to bed and getting up at every day? Keep a record of this. It can help you spot patterns both in how long you should be sleeping to feel optimal as well as what bed time and time of waking is best for your body.

While you may not always be able to control what time you get up in the morning, you can still look for trends and try and lean towards them as best as possible.

Track Your Meals Prior To Sleep

Remember that everything you do can influence your sleep quality – your food intake included. Take the time to track the meals you eat prior to going to bed as well.

Certain foods may keep you up more than others and it’s good to have a record of this. Other foods, such as complex carbohydrates for instance, may cause you to feel drowsy, so if you always find you have a good sleep after eating those foods, you may turn to them more often.

If you aren’t writing this down however, it can be hard to spot these trends.

Write Down Your Stressors

Often the biggest culprit of keeping people awake at night is stress. Part of your sleep journal should be dedicated towards writing down whatever happens to be stressing you.

Simply getting those thoughts out on paper can go a long way towards freeing them from your worries and helping you fin da solution to get past them.

If you are the type to ruminate in bed over whatever happens to be stressing you, this step will be critical.

Note Any Additional Information

Finally, jot down any other information you feel relevant. Did you start a new medication or supplement? Were you especially active that evening? Did you try reading before bed?

Keep tabs on all this information as it may influence your sleep quality and it’s good to know to build proper sleep habits into the future.

So keep these points in mind and make sure that you apply them to your nightly routine. It pays to make the most out of your sleep quality as sleep impacts just about every element of your well-being.

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Suffering from back pain? If so, you aren’t alone. Back pain is a problem that plagues many individuals and may even become a chronic issue you have to deal with. Back pain nags at you, is almost always present in everything you do and can take months, if not years to over come if you ever do.

Fortunately, with the right approach, you can accelerate that timeline. When it comes to back pain, it’s all about knowing how to properly treat the pain and then prevent it from occurring again in the future.

Here are a few tips to know.

1. Rest Up

The first piece of advise is one that you may not want to hear if you’re a fitness enthusiast and that is to rest up. You need to give the muscles and ligaments a chance to recover and get back to feeling their best.

If you are constantly putting strain on the back, it’ll be hard for the full recovery process to occur.

One to two weeks off is usually in order.

2. Strengthen Your Back

Then when you do come back, focus on strengthening the muscles all around the core and lower back region. This means performing ab strengthening moves like the bicycle, the plank, as well as decline sit-ups, along with lower back building exercises such as back hyper-extensions, good mornings, and even rows.

These exercises should be done with lighter weight to start and then you should gradually go up in weight as you get stronger.

When these muscles are strong, they’ll form a protective shield around the back, reducing the risk of pain down the road.

3. Watch Your Form

Finally, since prevention is the best medicine, you need to know how to stop back pain later on. This may come down largely to using the right form. Whenever you have a weight over your head (such as in shoulder press), make sure that you are squeezing your abs and glutes. This will shift the hip position, keeping your lower back in proper position.

Likewise, whenever you are in an exercise that has you on the floor, be sure that you are keeping those abs tight and squeezing the small of your back into that floor.

By making a few changes to your current workout routine and focusing on strengthening the muscles that defend against back pain, you can say so long to this problem for good.

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

As you set up your daily diet plan, make sure that you aren’t neglecting the role of healthy fats, as found in avocados. Some people are still under the notion that eating fat will make you gain fat, but that’s not necessarily the case.

In fact, you need fat to function optimally. Fat is what helps keep your hormones regulated, your appetite under control, your blood glucose levels stable, and also what gives your meals better taste as well.

This said, one healthy fat source not to overlook is the avocado. Let’s go over a few of the biggest reasons why this is a fat source you should be including in your diet.

Rich In Fiber

One thing that few sources of healthy fat can say is that they are high in fiber. But, avocados are just that. One whole avocado has 13.5 grams of dietary fiber, making this a terrific source.

While most people will only eat a quarter to a half at a time, this is still a nice boost to your daily numbers.

Adding dietary fiber into your diet helps keep your blood sugar controlled, your hunger down, and can help with the prevention of heart disease as well.

Loaded With Vitamin E

Next, avocado’s are also a great source of vitamin E. If you want to keep your hair, skin, and nails looking their best, vitamin E is a nutrient you must be taking in.

Those who eat avocado’s on a regular basis will often notice their complexion looks cleaner and they have a radiant glow that they didn’t otherwise.

Easy To Implement

Avocado’s are also very easy to use. Slice one up and add it to your salad or mash it up and use it as a substitute for mayonnaise or sour cream. Or, if you are feeling more adventurous, you can also whip up your own home made guacamole.

Avocado’s are also easy to blend into a smoothie you are preparing, which helps balance out the protein and carbs in that beverage.

Blood Pressure Control

Finally, avocado’s are also rich in potassium and low in sodium, making them an excellent way to help manage your blood pressure levels. Most of us are currently eating diets far too high in sodium and not high enough in potassium, so avocado’s will help you reverse this.

As you can see, it’s one food not to miss out on in your diet any longer. Strive to eat one avocado a week and you’ll be seeing the benefits because of it.

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Keeping your immune system in top shape is a key part of staying healthy, energized, and preventing disease. Your immune system is like your master defense system, and will be responsible for eliminating unwanted bacteria and viruses from your body. It’s also responsible for ensuring you recover quickly from any injury or illness and for bouncing back from any intense physical activity you do.

The foods you eat on a day to day basis can influence your immune function, so taking the time to get your diet lined up right will pay off.

Let’s look at four great foods that’ll help you give your immune system a boost.

1. Yogurt

Real yogurt that contains live bacteria cultures is the first food to start adding to your diet to boost immunity. Yogurt contains probiotics, which are going to help you maintain a healthy gut environment. Since more than about 80% of your immune system is found in your gut, you want to keep it functioning optimally.

When too many unhealthy bacteria begin to overtake the good, naturally occurring bacteria, problems will result.

Eating yogurt will help keep the numbers of good bacteria up there.

2. Oats

Starting your day off with oatmeal is a great plan if you are hoping to achieve maximum blood glucose control and keep hunger down low.

Plus, oats may also help to strengthen your immune system as well. They contain a certain type of fiber that provides powerful antioxidant support to the body, which can reduce your chances of falling ill with the common cold or flu bug.

It’s a great comfort-food meal for those chilly winter mornings.

3. Garlic

While not an actual food per say, adding garlic to the foods you do eat is a great way to promote a healthier immune system. Garlic is rich in allicin, which helps to fight off infection and bacteria.

The minute you start to feel that cold coming on, try giving yourself a powerful dose of this herb. You might just find it reduces the severity and lifespan of that cold.

4. Beef

Finally, don’t be afraid to serve yourself some beef. Beef is rich in zinc content, which his a critical mineral that helps to keep your immune system strong. Zinc is also important for the development of white blood cells, which are a critical part of a well-functioning immune system.

Choose leaner cuts of beef to keep your calorie count in check.

So there you have the top immune boosting foods to consider adding into your diet plan. Are these making an appearance in your diet?

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Press Release from Nature’s Path

Richmond, BC (May 21, 2014) – Nature’s Path, North America’s largest independent organic cereal company, lives by the mantra “always leave the earth better than you found it.” This week, the company took another step along that path with the purchase of 2,760 acres in northern Montana that will help increase organic farmland, attract and educate new farmers, as well as meet the growing demand for organic grains and legumes.

The need for organic farmland has increased as the demand continues to grow at an expected rate of 14 percent through 2018[1]. At the same time, the number of farmers is declining, down 4 percent since 2007[2], as older farmers retire without enough new farmers to take their place.

“As an independent, family-run company, we have the freedom to put our money where our heart is, in support of sustainable agriculture—beyond just making organic products,” said Arran Stephens, Founder and CEO of Nature’s Path. “By purchasing fertile land and working with organic family farmers, we ensure the purity of our foods, increase organic acreage to sustain growth, prevent poisoning the environment, and provide for future generations.”

This land has had no agri-chemicals or fertilizers on it for over 20 years and is currently being tilled and planted with wheat, oats, Kamut®, lentils, peas, buckwheat and safflower. Grains are rotated with legumes, which fix nitrogen in the soil, while the safflower oil is used as an innovative bio-fuel for farm equipment.

A vital element to ensure organic farmland and food for generations to come is attracting and training a new generation of farmers. Nature’s Path is proud to work together with Doug Crabtree and Anna Jones-Crabtree of Vilicus Farms to farm the land as well as support their one-of-a-kind organic farmer training institute in Montana through which younger grain farmers apprentice to learn all aspects of the trade.

“Working with Doug and Anna, we hope to attract younger farmers and prepare them for successful careers,” said Dag Falck, Organic Program Manager at Nature’s Path. “We have the utmost respect for organic farmers and are truly dedicated to assisting them in any way we can.” As part of the company’s mission, Nature’s Path purchased two farms in Saskatchewan in 2008; the addition of the Montana farm increases their stewardship to 5,640 acres, in addition to dozens of independent farmer families and many thousands of acres across North America who grow and supply their organic commodities.

Link:  http://us.naturespath.com/press-release/natures-path-invests-sustainable-future-purchase-2760-acres-organic-farmland