Julia wellbeing journey

10 Small Steps To Improve Your Health

Many of us make health-related resolutions, such as to lose weight, stop smoking or join the neighborhood health club. While it is common to set high goals, experts say that setting smaller goals could do more for our health.

“Small steps are achievable and are easier to fit into your daily routine,” says James O. Hill, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. “They are less overwhelming than a big, sudden change.”

Here are 10 to try:

Keep an eye on your weight and work on making sure you are not gaining extra lbs. Even if you gain just a pound or two every year, the extra weight adds up quickly.
Take more small steps. Use a pedometer to count your daily steps; then add 2,000, the equivalent of one extra mile. Keep adding steps, 1,000 to 2,000 each month or so, until you take 10,000 steps on most days.
Eat breakfast. Breakfast eaters tend to weigh less and have better diets overall. For a filling and nutrition-packed breakfast, top Whole Grain Total® with fresh fruit slices and low-fat or fat-free milk.
Switch three grain servings each day to whole grain. If you’re like the average American, you eat less than one whole grain serving a day.
Have at least one green salad every day. Eating a salad (with low-fat or fat-free dressing) is filling and may help you eat less during the meal. It also counts toward your five daily cups of vegetables and fruits.
Trim the fat. Fat has a lot of calories, and calories count. Purchase lean meats, eat poultry without the skin, switch to lower-fat cheeses, use a nonstick pan with only a dab of oil or butter.
Consider calcium by including two or three daily servings of low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt. Dairy calcium is good for bones and may also help you lose weight.
Downsize. The smaller the bag, bottle or bowl, the less you will eat.
Lose just 5 to 10 percent of your current weight. The health benefits are huge-lower blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides.
Keep track of your eating. Write down what you eat over the next couple of days and look for problem spots. Often, just writing things down can help you eat less.

Zinc

It is an ingredient vital to all living organisms and found in all our cells.

It has strong cell protecting effect and it plays a special role in ensuring proper metabolic processes.

Children, young adults, pregnant women and elderly people are especially at risk for zinc deficiency, which, however, only causes symptoms in severe cases. These symptoms include growth failure, loss of appetite or delayed wound healing.

A proper zinc supplementation can improve the body’s resistance.

Guarana

Despite is high caffeine content (2-3 times as much as coffee beans), it is a healthy ingredient.

It is a stimulant, improving mental alertness and physical endurance. It offers freshness for a long time without any harmful side effects. It is known for its stimulating and hunger redusing effects and it pro,otes the use of facts in the form of energy. Some studies state that it improves memeory and mood. It accelerates the excreation of urine, as well as the breakdown of fat and sugar. It can stimulate the secretion of gastric acid and prevent platelet aggregation.

It is recommended before physical exercise or mental work.

Dill Seed

An antioxidant with strong antimicrobial effect. It can improve the immune system, it is great source of fiber and has high potassium content. it can contribute to optimal blood supply to the cardiac muscle and it is also known for its calming , antibacterial and digestion supporting effects.

Turmeric, Curcumin

Curcumin is extracted from the illustrious turmeric plant (Indian saffron), a member of the ginger family known for thousands of years and considered to be the helthiest spice in the world.

Turmeric contains about 2-5% curcumin extract. To enjoy curcumin’s health benefits, it is recommended both internally and externally; one of it’s key features is that it is a fat-soluble. It is an antioxidant, binding harmful free radicals and it is also known for its strong anti-inflammatory properties.

Its main cosmetic benefits: antioxidant, skin regenerating and caring effect, combats wrinkles, prevent skin ageing, makes the skin supple and reinvigorated, has cleansing, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties, soothes sunburnt skin, cleanses the pores, can reduce swelling, bleeding, alleviates muscle soreness due to sport, bruises and relieves itching.

Ginkgo Biloba

It has a beneficial effect on capillary networks, it stimulates microcellular circulation ( e.g. blood supply to the brain, dizziness, tinnitus, hearing).

Its flavonoids ensure optimal blood flow to the skin and the muscles and it is know for its metabolism boosting effect. It is an antioxidant, neutralizing harmful free radivals.

It is recommended in case of increased mental effort, it improves concentration.

Chlorella Pyrenoidosa Algae Powder

Chlorella algae powder is an incredibly useful and nutrient rich ingredients.

This single-cell plant boasts a particularly high protein , vitamin, enzyme, mineral, plant fibre, chlorophyll and carotenoid content.

The chlorophyll ensure high levels of vitamins B, C, E, it is a source of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium and other trace minerals (such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc, cobalt).

It strengthens the immune system and stimulates the production of white and red blood cells (which can improve the body’s oxygen supply). It contributes to the removal of heavy metals from the body, and its countless beneficial compounds provide antioxidant properties.

One of its notable effects is the maintenance of the body’s acid-base balance and it also improves stress-resistance, supports the nervous system.

Green Coffee Powder

A powerful antioxidant belonging to the family of polyphenols, it can bind harmful free radicals.

It has a positive effect on carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the cells. Some studies suggest that it can reduce the amount of adipose tissues and thus contribute to weight loss.

As opposed to regular coffee beans, it does not increase blood pressure and is only known to have positive effects.

Soy Lecithin

Soy is particularly rich in lecithin. which is a natural lipid-like substance, a so-called phospholipid. It is an import component of the cell wall, vital for the optimal functioning of the human body’s living cells. It has a key role in the functioning of the bone marrow, the nervous system, the heart and the liver. Lecithin supports the transfer of lipids and cholesterol in the blood and the breakdown of fat in the bile. Lecithin intake can lower serum cholesterol levels. In case of mental and physical exhaustion, it supports the body’s regeneration, it improves memory and concentration skills.

Due to its emulsifying properties, it lowers cholesterol levels, cleanses the artery walls, strengthens the cardiac muscle and contributes to the maintenance of healthy circulation. With today’s fatty diet, lecithin should be a must for almost everyone.

Common Malloy (Malva Sylvestris, Cheeses)

One of the oldest crops in history. In the antiquity it was used as a vegetable. Its young leaves were used to make a dish the same way as a spinach. The leaves were often used as compress on wasp and scorpion stings. It has high vitamin A, iron and calcium content.

Bioenergetics test show that its immune boosting effect is comparable to that of Rhodiola.