Resveratrol, a naturally-occurring substance found in the skin of red grapes and other plant sources, is thought to be at least partially responsible for the so-called “French paradox,” the low incidence of cardiovascular disease among the French, who consume a high-fat diet along with a moderate daily intake of red wine.

(Red wine contains more pure resveratrol than white wine, because the amount of this compound present in wine is determined by the length of time the grape skins are in fermentation. Grape skins are removed earlier in the process of white wine production, meaning it contains less resveratrol. Grape juice, which is not fermented, also contains resveratrol, Other sources include peanuts, mulberries, blueberries and cranberries.)

Drinking red wine in moderation has long been considered a way to promote heart health. Needless to say, red wine’s apparently protective effect on the cardiovascular system has attracted numerous researchers, some of whom focus on resveratrol’s role in this protective benefit. Red wine, however, has small and varying amounts of resveratrol, about 0.2 – 5.8mg per liter. To reap the benefits ascribed to resveratrol, one would have to drink about 60 liters of red wine to reach any appreciable dose similar to the ones in the studies.

Since neither the American Heart Association nor the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommend the consumption of alcohol to prevent heart disease, health products, such as resveratrol supplements, are an excellent alternative to those who wish to boost their resveratrol intake.

However, resveratrol supplements vary greatly in concentration, purity and efficacy. This makes it imperative that those who wish to take resveratrol products diligently research the company and type of products they are considering purchasing.

A wide range of resveratrol products are available from PureandHealthy by Nu-ture. Dosages vary, but supplements from PureandHealthy have several distinct advantages over other supplements: first, all their resveratrol products are tested for 98% purity to ensure maximum benefit and the least amount of by-products. Second, PureandHealthy sells micronized resveratrol. (Micronization produces smaller particles which greatly increase the product’s bioavailability.) Third, supplements from PureandHealthy are in the form of trans-resveratrol, which has greater stability and ease of absorption than the cis-form. Fourth, the company uses only capsules derived from vegetable sources, manufactured using state of the art technology, ensuring that all products are 100% vegan, BSE-free, and Halal and Kosher compliant.

By now more than a mere buzz word, resveratrol is poised to become one of the most widely used health supplements in the market.

“Blepharospasm”, commonly known as eye twitching, happens when your eyelid muscles rapidly contract. In other instances, the eyelid may repeatedly close and re-open. This fairly widespread condition is characterized by involuntary blinking of the eye lids, often referred to as “blinking disorder”.

What are the common causes of eye twitching?

Cause: Eye twitching often occurs during stressful times. Stress can cause involuntary spasms causing eyelid ticks or twitches.

The Fix: De-stress! Several anti-stress or relaxing techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing, may reduce twitching.

Cause: Sleeplessness or overall fatigue is also a common cause of eyelid twitching.

The Fix: Get enough sleep. Catch up on your sleep and give yourself a chance to recuperate.

Cause: Eye strain or vision-related stress can trigger eye twitching. Squinting and prolonged use of a computer are common causes of vision-related stress.

The Fix: Your eyes may be working too hard. You may consider talking to your eye doctor.

Cause: Experts have linked too much caffeine or alcohol to eye twitches.

The Fix: Cutting back on caffeine or alcohol is worth a try. You may switch to decaf coffee or drink at least one cup per day.

Cause: Aging, hormonal changes, and several environmental factors cause your eyes to dry. Dry eyes are also common for people taking certain medications.

The Fix: Over the counter eye drops could help reduce the twitching caused by dry eyes, but it’s best to see your eye doctor for a dry eye evaluation.

Eye twitching is generally non-harmful and usually only lasts a day or two. In some serious cases, eye twitching can be a sign of neurological disorders, allergies, and other complications. MedlinePlus suggests you seek an eye care doctor if:

• Eyelid twitching does not go away within 1 week
• Twitching completely closes your eyelid
• Twitching involves other parts of your face
• You have redness, swelling, or a discharge from your eye
• Your upper eyelid is drooping

Health and Love,

Summer

In your headlong rush to fly out the country for a wild summer vacay, you might forget to get vaccines that ward off diseases contracted while traveling. These range from exotic strains of influenza, to debilitating polio, to typhoid from contaminated food and water sources.

Don’t be so carefree as to skip vaccine shots because the risks of contraction far outweigh the small savings and inconvenience of needle pinpricks. Most of these illnesses prevented by vaccines are difficult and expensive to treat, or cause extreme disruption to normal, healthy living.

It wouldn’t hurt to visit a travel clinic to get some advice on the type of vaccines you need, depending on three major considerations.

Destination. Are you traveling to an industrialized country or a developing one? Planning to go on a once-in-a-lifetime, cross-country expedition? Staying in the city or roaming the rural farmlands? Will there be modern medical facilities nearby?

These are some of the most important questions that will be asked by your physician to evaluate your vaccine needs. Travel destinations with widespread epidemics and less advanced medical facilities put you at greater risk, and may bump up your vaccine prescription.

Health Status. Don’t be surprised when your travel doctor starts probing you on current and past illnesses like HIV infection, heart disease, chronic liver disease, and kidney failure.

Several vaccines cannot be taken or may change in recommended dosage when you are currently suffering from these illnesses. In any case, your physician will be able to recommend alternative vaccines or extra precaution while traveling.

There are also additional considerations if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Be sure to provide any relevant health or companion information during your consult.

Companions. If you’re traveling in groups or with infants, you will also need a more customized vaccine plan. This is because infectious diseases can strike one person and spread it when meeting up with the rest of the group, while children who haven’t been fully immunized may require special shots.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend going for immunization shots four to six weeks before the trip to allow the vaccines to take full effect.

In case your private health care provider doesn’t cover the cost of the vaccines, try to inquire in local health clinics that might provide the shots at a cheaper cost. There’s no doubt that vaccines are a necessary investment for healthy living, especially if you’re expecting more frequent travel beyond the summer season since many shots remain effective from one year to a decade.

Health and Love,

Summer

There are no hard answers since different people miss out on quality sleep for unique reasons. Some are shallow sleepers who easily get woken up by noise and light. Others consume too much caffeine that disrupts the body’s sleeping cycle. Some, like post-traumatic disorder patients, suffer from deep psychological problems that prevent them from sleeping peacefully.

So it’s a matter of trying out which solution works for you. To get you started, I’ve compiled the most popular slumber helpers and explained which ones may solve your particular sleep roadblock.

Caffeine- and Sugar-Free Diet

Add fitful sleep to the long list of reasons why caffeine and sugar should be cut out from your healthy living diet, or at least kept to a minimum.

When taken in large quantities or during the wrong times of the day – like minutes before bedtime, for example – caffeine and sugar will prevent you from getting a wink of sleep.

Adopting a caffeine- and sugar-free diet will wean you off these temporary stimulants and will help you regain a more normal sleeping habit. If you’re an insomniac, this should be first on your list of lifestyle changes. It has little to no side effects aside from withdrawal, and will save you money on all those foregone Starbucks visits.

Noise-Cancelling Devices

From a toppled trash can to the blast of music from a passing car, loud sounds are notorious interrupting sleep.

If you live in a particularly noisy neighborhood, then investing in a noise-cancelling device will be money well spent. There are earphones that block out sudden spikes of noise above a certain decibel like a fire station siren, and some that cover your ears form everyday spousal snore.

Why is it so important to shield yourself from this entire racket? Research suggests that exposure to sound, particularly during the first and last two hours of sleep, has the biggest disruptive effect on the sleep cycle. It may also lower you immune function even if the noise doesn’t fully wake you.

Even your children have a higher risk of developing insomnia later in life when their sleep is disturbed, so look into installing noise-cancelling ambient devices in their rooms as well wearing one of your own.

Sleeping Pills

Prescription sleep medication like Ambien and Lunesta should be a last resort, and taken only with the advice of your physician.

Sleeping pills are best recommended for diagnosed insomniacs who have tried more natural solutions, but still can’t get sound sleep. Sleep scientists are still figuring out how exactly these medicines help you fall asleep and keep you in deep sleep by interacting with chemicals in your brain.

Sleeping pills are generally considered a last resort due to the heavy side effects from taking such medicine. This includes depression and other behavior changes, anaphylactic reactions, and future withdrawal effects when you try to suddenly stop taking them.

If you do choose to take sleeping pills, do so after careful consideration of all your other options, and proper advice from your sleep doctor.

Alternative Medicine

For thousands of years, before the emergence of modern medicine, people have been alleviating their sleep problems with natural herbal aids. Valerian, for instance, is a popular alternative medicine offered for treating sleeping disorders, particularly for those who have trouble falling asleep.

Just as sleeping pills are dangerous when taken without medical consultation, it is also risky to adopt alternative medicine without talking to a doctor on possible side effects. Kava, an anti-anxiety herb which is also popularly taken as a sleep helper, has been found to have potential risk for severe liver injury.

Wrong compatibility with an alternative medicine may also cause anywhere from allergies to the worsening of your pre-existing conditions, so maintain some skepticism in the face of even the grandest healthy living claims.

Health and Love,

Summer

There are whole, unrefined grains available that offer more than empty calories. I’ve cut down the guesswork for you and offer six of the best whole grain options out there. All you have to do is choose which of them will become the new staple in your healthy living diet.

Precaution: If you have celiac disease or are in any way allergic to whole grains, you may want to focus instead on millet and other “gluten-free” grains and cereal products.

1. Hearty Barley

In its malted state, barley can be brewed to produce flavorful beer. But aside from being the go-to ingredient for pub drinks, barley is also famous for its contribution to cardiovascular health.

The Food and Drug Administration has recognized barley’s ability to reduce risk of heart disease because of its high dietary fiber content. Studies suggest that a diet supplemented with barley, taken as a rice substitute or added to a beef barley soup, may lower “bad cholesterol” and help stabilize blood glucose levels among diabetes sufferers.

2. Glowing Oats

Oats, which we most commonly consume as oatmeal, also carry the same boons in cardiovascular prevention as barley. On top of that, beauty experts adore oats for their role in natural skin care. The oatmeal mask has become one of the most popular skin masks for two reasons.

First the mask is easy to make since oatmeal in its natural or pre-packaged variety is easily available. Second, and more important, an oatmeal mask is equally effective on oily, dry or sensitive skin. It moisturizes any skin type well, especially when mixed with yogurt and honey before facial application.

3. Renewing Millet

With a third of the world’s population subsisting on millet, it’s not surprising that this seed-like whole grain has been one of the first whole grains to be heavily scrutinized for its nutritional perks.

Research has found that millet is a potent source of phosphorous, which plays a big role in the tissue-repairing processes of the body. Its rich stock of magnesium also links it to asthma, migraine and heart-related health research.

Millet is also gluten-free and may not be used for baking loaves of raised bread. But that doesn’t mean you have to eat it raw. Millet can be a delightful culinary treat for you, either as a mashed potato variant or a hot morning cereal.

4. Cleansing Rye

Among the whole grains on this list, rye stands out as a great digestive cleanser.

Rye, when compared to wheat, has been found to be more effective in providing improved digestive functions. Those recovering from irritable bowel syndrome are routinely advised to eat fiber-rich foods, and rye is frequently mentioned in these to-eat lists.

Wholemeal rye bread is commonly found in bakeries and grocers, so you won’t have a problem buying a loaf to supplement your digestive cleansing regimen.

5. Quintessential Quinoa

Quinoa might be tricky to pronounce (Keen-Wah or Kee-No-Wah), but once you wrap your tongue and taste buds around this highly nutritious grain, you’ll be all praises for it.

Quinoa contains a lot of protein, dietary fiber, phosphorus and a long list of other vitamins and essential amino acids. It is one of the few grains with a sufficient load of Lysine, an essential enabler for protein building, calcium absorption and hormone production.

And it’s not only health experts that recognize the value of quinoa in human diet, preferably as a vegetable-seasoned alternative to couscous. Even the space agency NASA is considering it as a possible crop to be grown in space shuttles!

6. Slimming Brown Rice

Among the 8,000 varieties of rice worldwide, dieticians point to brown rice as the best choice for weight loss.

Brown rice might seem rough and unclean because of its muddy color, but it’s only because it retains the outer husk that are removed from its white rice cousins. This husk contains bran, germ and a whole host of vitamins and minerals, including high levels of fiber.

Fiber, as we all know, enables us to feel full for longer. So that when you eat brown rice, you’re less likely to munch on a snack just a couple of hours after eating a meal. It also helps that brown rice can be eaten or drank in so many ways: Plain as side dish, with mixed vegetables or meat, in a salad, or as tea!

Include these six whole grains in your healthy living cookouts then share your recipes below so other readers can delight in them.

Health and Love,

Summer

You might be pressured to keep up with the alcohol intake, but research recommends restraint when it comes to the bubbly and beer, if you’re at all concerned with healthy living.

High risk alcohol binging – which for women is having more than three drinks a day and more than seven drinks per week, according to the US health department – takes its toll on many vital organs, and has been associated with higher risks of physical accidents.

Harmful Effects of Alcohol Binging

• Lower lung resistance. Excessive drinking weakens your lungs and puts you at a higher risk for pulmonary infections.

• Serious liver problems. Alcohol enters the bloodstream and is filtered and broken down when the blood passes through the liver. But too much alcohol will overwork your liver, sometimes to the point of painful inflammation and permanent scarring.

• More susceptible to breast cancer. Research associates increased risk of breast cancer in some women, particularly those with a family history of the disease or are in the postmenopausal stage.

• Physical accidents. It can be as simple as tripping on your own feet or as serious as a drunken driving accident, but physical mishaps of all kinds occur more frequently as heavy alcohol dulls your senses and slows down your reaction time.

Even when faced with all these negative evidence, you might still consider going on an alcohol binge just to impress your boss or get along with coworkers. Luckily, there are ways you can forego the binge without appearing like a total buzzkill.

How to Manage Your Post-Work Alcohol Intake

• Bring a non-alcoholic wine. Etiquette dictates that you bring a gift for the dinner party host, and a non-alcoholic wine hits the sweet spot in politeness and sobriety. If you’re afraid of seeming cheap or inconsiderate, bring one alcoholic and one non-alcoholic bottle of a good vintage quality.

• Volunteer as the designated driver. Offer to be the one to take your more intoxicated colleagues home, which will give you brownie points and save you from constant jeering to down a fifth jell-o shot.

• Whip up some activity. Bar outings can be so much more than endless rounds of beer. Drag the group to the dance floor, or challenge the boss to a billiards or darts game. You’ll impress them with your game attitude and spend less time sipping alcohol.

If you feel like you can be honest, it’s also simpler to just decline after having one drink. You should never feel ashamed about professing your healthy living habits, including drinking alcohol in moderation.

Health and Love,

Summer

Did you know that many of the supplements you buy are synthetic? Or that many synthetic supplements are manufactured using cheap chemical compounds, such as nicotine, coal tar, and alloxal as a base?

Benefits of Pure, Natural Supplements

We pride ourselves on the fact that we produce only pure, all natural supplements that remain 100% vegetarian, but what does this mean for you?

Higher absorption rates in your body. The human body was not made to process synthetic compounds. Natural supplements, on the other hand, are fully absorbed in the body and at a much faster rate to provide the maximum benefit per dosage. Our supplements also contain the complete range of micro-nutrients required for healthy absorption, because synthetic supplements don’t contain all of these micro-nutrients, your body ends up dipping into its own reserves to facilitate absorption.

Lower chance of irritation and allergies. Some synthetic supplements combine dozens of chemical compounds and artificial substances, some of which a small minority of people have allergic reactions to. Pure supplements pose a much lower risk because the human body has had a chance to adapt to the natural ingredients over the course of evolution.

Minimal impurities and excepients. It’s normal for synthetic supplements to contain impurities and excepients because of the complex process it takes to manufacture them. Chemical binders, sticking agents and filler are often found in synthetic supplements, PureandHealthy ensures 98% purity on all its supplements.

Try a Batch Now! Discover the difference that pure, natural supplements offer by taking advantage of the PureandHealthy.com  Buy One, Get One promo! Purchase one bottle of our daily vitamins and resveratrol supplements and get a second bottle completely free!

BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!

Health and Love,

Summer

My friends and I couldn’t wait to hit the beach after a long day of studying, the feeling of sand between my toes and the cool breeze gently touching my face was the perfect relaxant and I think the atmosphere inspired me so much that I ended up persuading my friends that we should start walking on the beach as often as we could. I remember sometimes we’d be there for hours, just walking up and down the coast, chatting and laughing and wondering about what the future had in store for us.

I didn’t realize until recently how beneficial those walks on the sand were to my mental health. Then I saw an online article in the New York Times recently that detailed how walking can improve the memory.

You see, the hippocampus is a part of the brain that is vital to forming memories; by age 55 or so, the hippocampus starts to slow down and weaken. Researchers conducted a year-long trial, using 120 “sedentary” but healthy people in their mid 60s. They were asked to walk around a track three times a week for up to 40 minutes, while others performed yoga and band tension exercises. I was surprised to find that the people who walked three times a week expanded their hippocampus capabilities by 2 %.

Even more surprising though, was that the people who did yoga and tension band exercises showed a 1.4 percent decrease! This article brought me back to my college days and it reminded me how alive and refreshed I felt by taking those walks. Maybe there’s a real connection there?

I have to admit that I’m doing a lot more walking these days. My energy levels have increased and my stress levels are even lower than before.

It’s the little things we do in this life that can make a huge collective difference in our overall well-being. Our health is all we have; we should treat it with respect.

Sukey’s wagging his tail and whining mournfully over by the door, which means it’s time for his morning walk!

Health and love,

Summer

Vitamin B6 has been clinically proven to treat a wide variety of health problems including: clinical depression, acne, autism, asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), schizophrenia, atherosclerosis, edema, endometriosis, and attention deficit disorder.

A lack of Vitamin B6 can cause many problems and disorders like poor water retention, yeast infections, and PMS flare-ups. In some cases, Vitamin B6 deficiency can even lead to more serious problems like Parkinson’s disease, cardiac disease, epilepsy, lowered immune system, carpal tunnel syndrome, and arthritis.

Deficiencies are most commonly found in teenagers, the elderly, alcoholics, people afflicted with heart disease, people who are experiencing extreme stress, people who are taking steroids or antibiotics, people on high protein diets, women taking birth control pills, and people with autism.

Signs that you may be experiencing a Vitamin B deficiency include eczema or dry skin, sleeplessness, extreme PMS, morning sickness, muscle spasms, and fluid retention.

The benefit for athletes is obvious: it relieves muscular pain and rectifies deficiencies left by high-protein diets and steroids. For women, there are a myriad of benefits from increased fertility to decreased PMS and decreased risk of osteoporosis. Although it is best when taken in conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle with other health products, vitamins, and supplements like Vitamin B-12, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C, there are many benefits of simply taking Vitamin B6.

Sources of Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is found naturally in wheat bran, beef, bananas, lima beans, prunes, sunflower seeds, navy beans, liver, wheat germ, walnuts, and chicken breasts, but some of these foods that contain the highest concentration of the vitamin are unappealing to the palette. For those who want to spare their palate, the easiest and most calorie-light option is to take a supplement.

Furthermore, cooking decreases the retention of Vitamin B6 in food, leaking it into the water during the cooking process and food processing removes up to 90% of the natural occurrence in food, making it difficult to maintain a high natural level of the vitamins necessary from diet alone. Smoking, alcohol, drugs, birth control, and high-protein diets increase the excretion of Vitamin B6 from the body, removing the already difficult to consume vitamin.

While a B-complex supplement is a great option for many people, Vitamin B6 targets and alleviates many specific problems and is often needed in higher quantities than the rest of the Vitamin B family for targeted ailments and benefits. Vitamin B6 is a great addition to the diet and supplement routine for everyone to athletes to teenagers.

It is a vital part of any diet, yet most of us fail to consume it and excrete the little bit we do manage to consume, leaving us unhealthy and at risk for defects.

To learn more about other important vitamins essential to a balanced healthy lifestyle, visit the PureandHealthy store.

When taken correctly, it is also thought to prevent the development of some life-threatening diseases. Resvertarol is also linked to enhanced overall wellness by protecting the cardiovascular system and preventing the formation of heart disease causing fat cells.

Fortunately, for those looking for the weight loss benefits of this particular red wine compound, there are ways to buy resveratrol in supplement form. The best compound supplement to lose fat is trans-resveratrol, which is more chemically stable and easy to absorb by the human body. Trans-resveratrol’s structure allows more of the compound to reach the blood stream and assist with weight loss and heart protection. Trans-resveratrol is though to assist the body to lose fat through the process of attacking and destroying fat cells.

There have been numerous medical studies over the last 10 years or so that indicate moderate drinking of red wine–one of the primary sources of resveratrol–can lead to a healthy heart and healthy weight. Practical evidence of this can be found in the entire population of France, which, despite consuming diets rich in saturated fat, has a low record of heart disease. The working theory is the moderate consumption of red wine serves to protect the heart against a diet with higher saturated fat content.

Harvard University conducted a test on one of the major components of red wine, resveratrol, which produce a result indicating resveratrol can contribute to a healthier heart and a 30% longer life span. Independent labs in Spain have also conducted tests on the affects of resveratrol on genes that boost metabolism, improve tissue regeneration and enhance endurance. Unfortunately, preliminary studies indicate in order to receive the full benefits of the resveratrol, one would have to drink red wine in the same manner as the French do.

There have also been several studies throughout the US and Europe that indicate wonderful health benefits for those who buy resveratrol. The studies trend toward the indication resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant and, when added to vitamin C and vitamin E supplements, can increase good skin health as the human body ages. Aging skin is susceptible to the ravages of oxidative stress, which has been shown to be decreased through the healthy intake of antioxidant supplements.

Resveratrol is a potential all-around beneficial supplement for adults who are seeking to lose weight and fat, looking to gain endurance, looking to increase heart health and seeking healthier aging skin. Resveratrol can be purchased online through www.pureandhealthy.com, a reputable source, in its most beneficial form, trans-resveratrol.

Supplements are available in 25mg powder form and in 500mg capsules. Taken in any which way, resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant that can provide a number of benefits to prevent disease and boost heart health. You can visit www.pureandhealthy.com for all of your beneficial nutritional supplement needs. Purchasing trans-resveratrol today can potentially lead to a more desirable weight and add years of quality health to your life.