Sunday is World Heart Day. Take Responsibility for Your Heart Health.

This Sunday, September 26, the World Heart Federation (WHF) celebrates their 10th annual World Heart Day, encouraging everyone to take responsibility for their heart health.

Heart disease and stroke remain the leading cause of death: 17.1 millions lives each year. The WHF launched World Heart Day to inform people of this statistic and to create awareness that "at least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided if the main risk factors, tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, are controlled."

"Building on last year and to ensure sustained change," the World Heart Foundation explains, "the World Heart Federation is targeting the workplace to promote heart healthy messages. The Workplace Wellness initiative aims to use the workplace to promote long-term behavioural changes that will benefit employers, employees and communities."

Read through the WHF list of 10 Simple Steps to help live a healthy life and make your workplace healthier.

Then take responsibility for your heart health and initiate a workplace conversation about how to make healthier choices together. An educational approach may be effective. Go into the conversation with a discussion topic, like hawthorn.

Did you know that hawthorn has been shown to help regulate the cardiovascular system? Or that hawthorn berries are harvested in the fall? Our Apothecary Shoppe offers a free, downloadable hawthorn monograph you can share with your friends, family, and coworkers. Download it here.

Live with heart!

National Women's Health Week

On May 7 President Obama released a proclamation declaring May 9-15 National Women's Health Week!

President Obama says: "We have taken steps to provide access to high-quality, affordable health care, but individuals must also lead healthy lives and set a good example for their children. From scheduling regular medical examinations to applying sunscreen, simple, everyday activities can make a positive impact on the lives of women. Regular exercise, coupled with a nutritious diet, helps prevent heart disease, obesity, and other chronic conditions."

We couldn't agree more! Health is a holistic endeavor--body, mind, and spirit--and requires a commitment to a health-promoting lifestyle including exercise, smart eating, and a positive attitude!

This week, share the message of Women's Health with the women in your life and encourage them to prioritize their good health!

To help get a jumpstart, here's a link to our free download Antioxidants and Herbs by ACHS Graduate Amanda Lattin. Learn more about the health benefits of antioxidants and how easy it is to start incorporating herbs into the daily diet. It's time to plant, after all!

You can also download and share the ACHS Wellness Guide by ACHS President Dorene Petersen, which has more than 100 pages of great tips for men and women!

>> Click here to read President Obama's Presidential Proclamation--National Women's Health Week.

New Study Suggests A Minimum One-Hour Workout May Be Necessary

New research suggests that older women who are at a healthy weight may need a minimum of one hour of moderate activity per day to stay in shape. Women who are overweight may need even more exercise to "avoid gaining weight without eating less," according to the CBS News article "Study: 1-Hour Workouts Needed to Fight Fat."

The study's results, which appear today, April 7, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is "based on 34,079 non-dieting middle-aged women followed for about 13 years. The women gained an average of almost 6 pounds during the study." Only women were included in the study and "researchers from Harvard's Brigham and Women Hospital said it's uncertain whether the results would apply to men."

To read the full-length article on the CBS News website, click here.


To watch "The Early Show" CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton talk about this study and how you can include more exercise in your everyday routine, click on the video link below.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Natural diet and lifestyle tips to improve health and wellness

Dr. Arianna Staruch, ND, Academic Dean of the American College, led a talk called "Diet and Lifestyle Choices for Health" at the ACHS campus on Monday, July 13. From 6-7 p.m., Dr. Staruch talked about important holistic nutrition concepts, including food as fuel, and answered questions from the audience about how to incorporate holistic nutrition into our everyday lifestyle.

The complete lecture will be available on the ACHS YouTube channel soon, ACHStv. In the meantime, here are some highlights from Dr. Staruch's lecture:

Live your life as if your health depends on it…because it does! Making healthy lifestyle choices is a conscious act. That means, everyone is responsible for the choices they make: health does not happen automatically or because someone else wants you to make changes. We make healthy choices when good health is something we want and value.

How, then, do we promote good health once we recognize it as a priority?

1. Food provides energy for performing the activities of life.

Eating is not just something you do when you're hungry. Food fuels out bodies, because within the food itself (protein, carbohydrate, and fat) are the components our bodies use to generate energy, to grow and repair, and to fight invaders like toxins.

2. Balance your plate.

Finding a healthy balance of food (protein, carbohydrate, and fat) may be easier than you think. Split your plate into three sections. Then, fill half your plate with vegetables and salad; fill one-quarter of your plate with your protein (poultry, fish, beans, etc.); and fill the rest of your plate with whole grains (barley, pasta, etc.). Limit how much oil or salad dressing you use, which will help keep calories within limit.

3. Eat frequently.

Skipping meals can lead to increased production of hormones that cause muscle loss. Eat frequently. Three small meals and 2-3 snacks daily are recommended. To maintain stable blood sugar, which helps your body to regularly burn fuel throughout the day, you add a quality protein powder to your diet to achieve your "eat frequently" goal and to increase quality nutrient intake while decreasing calorie intake.

4. Know your calories.

Less activity means less calories burned. Excess calories are stored as fat. So remember, weight loss is the result of consuming less calories than you use.

5. Healthy tips for snacks.

• Tofu pate available pre-made
• Hummus
• Home-made salsa or pesto
• Healthy dippers: rye crackers, pita bread cut into four slices, and raw vegetables
• Rye crackers with nut butter
• Whole fruit
• Protein shake or bar
• 1 1/2c berries with 4 oz plain yogurt
• One slice of baked tofu
• Two string cheeses
  

6. Healthy tips for breakfast.

• The most important meal of the day
• Eat protein within one hour of waking
  
• Breakfast sets up your blood sugar control or lack of control for the day!
• Eat half your protein for breakfast, and eat one-quarter with lunch and one-quarter with dinner (daily requirements of protein are 50-70 g)

7. Healthy tips for lunch (beyond the sandwich).

• Vegetables at every meal in order to get your daily serving
  
• Don’t forget the protein
• Small amount of grains as crackers or cooked grains
• One-bowl meals like soups and stews

8. Healthy tips for dinner.

• Eating a large meal late at night is not good
• It is better to have a larger lunch and then a light dinner
• Reverse your typical lunch and dinner recipes
• Consider a tofu or egg scramble for dinner with a salad

9. Exercise prolongs life. How?

• Exercise improves mood
• Achieves calorie balance
• Promotes sustainable weight loss
• Strengthens heart and blood vessels
• Increases bone density
• Decreases risk for chronic conditions

>> For more information about the American College of Healthcare Sciences, and holistic health and nutrition classes, visit www.achs.edu

>> Click here to request more information from the American College

Slim down with scent?

Like almost every dieter in America, Wendy Bassett has used all sorts of weight-loss products. Nothing worked, she said, until she tried Sensa: granules she scatters on almost everything she eats, and which are supposed to make dieters less hungry by enhancing the smell and taste of food.

“Every time I touch a piece of food, I pour it on,” said Ms. Bassett, 34, an accountant in Tyler, Tex. She has been using Sensa since February. So far, she said, she has lost 30 pounds.

The maker of Sensa claims that its effectiveness is largely related to smell: the heightened scent and flavor of food that has been sprinkled with Sensa stimulate the olfactory bulb — the organ that transmits smell from the nose to the brain — to signal the “satiety center” of the hypothalamus. Hormones that suppress appetite are then released.

But can the manipulation of smell really lead to weight loss? A handful of niche products would have you believe just that.

In addition to Sensa, which has been available since last summer, there is SlimScents, aromatherapy diet pens filled with fruity or minty odors; a peppermint spray called Happy Scent; and the vanilla-doused Aroma Patch, which you wear on your hand, wrist or chest.

Last month, Compellis Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Mass., began human trials on a nasal spray designed to do the opposite of what Sensa does: to curb the appetite by blocking rather than enhancing smell.

“Eighty percent of what you perceive as taste is actually smell,” said Christopher Adams, a molecular biologist and the company’s founder. “The hypothesis is that if we can alter your sense of smell we can make food less palatable, because the hedonic effect — that is, the pleasurable effect you get from eating chocolate — won’t be there.”

Using smell to manipulate appetite may be an appealing premise, but only a few studies have been conducted, and some experts have doubts.

Click here to read the full length article.

© Abby Ellin, The New York Times, June 17, 2009: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/fashion/18skin.html

Create your own antiaging program in 6 steps

The June edition of More magazine features a special section called "Age proof your health." The article emphasizes two interesting points: 1. that health is primarily do-it-yourself, and 2. using a holistic* approach to health, you can create your own anti-aging program.

Here are six steps for creating your own anti-aging program based on More:

1. Set a time frame.

Pick a set time (they suggest 30 days) to focus on making lifestyle changes. Being specific focuses on your intention and creates a benchmark against which to measure progress.

2. Partner with a doctor.

To find an integrative medicine specialist to work with, More suggests the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. However, you can also alternative healthcare workers through the American College of Healthcare Sciences Practitioner Directory and on industry-specific sites like the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy.

3. Get tested.

Standard tests will show areas of concern, including diabetes and heart disease.

4. Evaluate your diet.

You may want to work with a nutrition consultant, who can help you to develop healthy eating plans. *Incorporating organic herbs into your daily diet will impart additional vitamins and nutrients (and flavor!). For more information about cooking with herbs, download the free lecture Antioxidants and Herbs from the ACHS Apothecary Shoppe.

5. Develop and exercise routine.

Do something active every day. There is no single definition for what "active" means, which provides a great opportunity to make exercise work for you. That can mean taking a walk at lunch, joining a jogging group, or working with a personal training at the gym, to name a few.

6. Reduce stress.

Yoga and breathing exercises both help to reduce stress. For how-to techniques visit the American Institute of Stress website and download this free lecture about aromatherapy.

* What does holistic mean? Holistic is a whole person approach to health care, which emphasizes prevention, and optimal health through a balanced approach to mind, body, and spirit.

Spring allergy relief with natural remedies

Springtime allergies can put a damper on even the sunniest day. But—they don’t have to. If you’ve relied upon store-bought allergy medications in the past—and have been disappointed—this is the season for a more holistic approach to allergies.

Studies show that allergies are often a reaction to a combination of things. For many, budding spring plant life and pollen are irritants. But other, more hidden irritants include: food allergies, environmental irritants (such as, chemical-based cleaners, room sprays, and dryer sheets), and dust.

The good news: There are several alternative products and strategies you can use to sooth your allergies. The benefits: health tools like supplements, herbs, essential oils, and lifestyle modifications are natural, cost effective, and can work fairly quickly to bring relief.

Here are 8 tips for tackling your allergies naturally:

1. Incorporate native plants into your diet.
2. Eat 1-2 tablespoons of local, raw honey every morning.
3. Diffuse peppermint essential oil throughout your home and, or office.
4. Add fresh herbs to a hot bath and deeply breathe in the steam.
5. Take supplements, including: echinacea, goldenseal, and vitamin C.
6. Clean and dust regularly. You don’t have to use chemicals; a steam mop works great.
7. Exercise. Physical activity strengths the body and boosts immunity. Try to exercise outside in the early morning, before allergens kick up.
8. Facial massage is a simple way to relive pressure built-up in the sinus.

For more information about holistic nutrition or soothing allergies with homeopathic remedies, visit the Australasian College www.achs.edu.

3 stress relieving meals your family will love

Stress has many harmful effects on the body. The demands of modern life have been shown to weaken our immune systems and to increase our risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Although we may not be able to eradicate stress altogether, we can minimize negative effects by consciously maintaining a healthful lifestyle.

In addition to relaxation and exercise activities, one of the best ways to reduce stress and boost overall health is through nutrition, specifically the daily use of nutritious herbs. Adding herbs to daily meals is important, because it builds health over time. Consistently eating nutritious herbs bolsters the body’s vitality, which makes it easier to fend off health challenges.

CLICK HERE for a free ACHS download with tips for using antioxidants and herbs.

Here are three easy-to-use herbs sure to get good reviews from the whole family.

1. Sweet Basil (Ocimum basillicum)

The health benefits of eating basil include: vitamins and minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins B2, A, and C), healthy digestion, and the essential oil, which has a clove-like aroma, eases anxiety.

Easy-to-make meal:

• Chop fresh and add to pre-made tomato sauces;
• Add raw flowers and leaves to green, leafy salads; or
• Use a blender to combine olive oil, basil, sun dried tomatoes, and garlic—serve as a side dish with bread or on top of pasta.

2. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

The health benefits of eating fennel include: vitamins and minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and vitamins B2, A (as beta carotene), and C), healthy digestion (including indigestion), and healthy respiration.

Easy-to-make meal:
• Add fresh fennel leaves to green, leafy salads;
• Fennel stems can be cooked with in a variety of vegetable or lentil-based soups; or
• Chop fresh into tuna and pasta salads for flavor.

3. Pumpkin Seeds

The health benefits of eating pumpkin seeds include: vitamins and minerals (calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, silica, and linoleic acid), healthy digestion, and healthy kidney function.

Easy-to-make meals:

• Eat the seeds raw or lightly-toasted as a mid-meal snack;
• Grind until smooth and add to granola or breakfast cereal; or
• Grind until smooth and add to a breading for fish or chicken.

To learn more about holistic nutrition, or career training to be a holistic nutrition consultant with ACHS, CLICK HERE.

5 stress-relief tips to protect your health

For some people exercise is relaxation. It is difficult to worry and fret about the mistakes and decisions of the day when you are coordinating arms and legs in a dance movement or running that extra mile up a hill. What’s more, relaxation is doing something you enjoy, absorbing yourself in the moment, and nothing else.

Emotional and mental relaxation is as fundamental to your health program as the food you put into your mouth. Do not neglect this aspect of your health regime, regardless of how busy you are.

For easy, at-home, do-it-yourself stress relief and health support, try these techniques:

1. Diffuse your favorite essential oils in your office and home. Lavender, neroli, and anise are pleasant, yet effective stress-reducing aromas.

2. Soak in a fragrant bath, scented with lavender or rose essential oils. Play some relaxing music, light an aromatherapy candle, read a book, and relax. Remember not to have the water too hot, and add the essential oils just before you get in, as they evaporate quickly.

3. Eat a good meal full of fresh vegetables and health-supporting herbs, like rosemary, which enlivens both the senses and digestion.

4. Remember to enjoy life. Do something fun: Walk in the park, watch a comedy, or savor a great meal.

5. Every night, before you go to sleep, write down five things you are grateful for in your life that day.

CLICK HERE for a free download about the history of aromatherapy.

Rosemary is a natural antibacterial herb

Native to the Mediterranean, rosemary is a needle-like evergreen with a camphor-like scent and a fresh, somewhat bitter taste. When used topically, rosemary has antibacterial, antiseptic, nervine (sedative), and stimulant properties, among others. As a culinary ingredient, rosemary imparts flavor and aroma, and helps to facilitate digestion.

In addition, Rosemary officinalis, is one of the earliest and most renowned of the English medicinal herbs. A powerful antibacterial herb, rosemary is often used in hair preparations and as an ingredient in soaps and toiletries and is best know as a memory and circulation support.

Discover the power of practicing sustainable wellness with simple solutions like adding herbs into your everyday diet.

Join our Herb of the Month Club and have high quality, organic, healing, therapeutic grade herbs delivered to our kitchen once a month. Each month an 8-oz package of the featured herb will automatically arrive, including an informational description of the herb and recipes and formulas to help promote your natural health lifestyle. Or, call (800) 487-8839 for information.

March is National Nutrition Month

According to the American Heart Association, making wise dietary choices keeps your heart healthy. This month, make a commitment to learn more about cardiovascular health. It may sound difficult, but it's not. Heart health is not about one big, overwhelming choice. It's about the small choices you make throughout your day.

Here are a few simple choices from the AHA website to help get you moving towards a happier, healthier you...

1. Use up at least as many calories as you take in.

Start by knowing how many calories you should be eating and drinking to maintain your weight. Don’t eat more calories than you know you can burn up every day. Increase the amount and intensity of your physical activity to match the number of calories you take in. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week or—best of all—at least 30 minutes every day.

2. Eat a variety of nutritious foods from all the food groups.

Nutrient-rich foods have vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients but are lower in calories. To get the nutrients you need, choose foods like vegetables, fruits, whole-grain products and fat-free or low-fat dairy products most often.

3. Eat less of the nutrient-poor foods.

The right number of calories to eat each day is based on your age and physical activity level and whether you're trying to gain, lose or maintain your weight. As you make daily food choices, base your eating pattern on these recommendations:

• Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat.
• Select fat-free, 1 percent fat, and low-fat dairy products.
• Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.
• Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol. Aim to eat less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day.
• Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.
• Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Aim to eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.
• If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. That means one drink per day if you’re a man.
• Keep an eye on portion size.

If you have heart-healthy tips or recipes of your own, we'd love it if you'd share. The more we know about making healthy choices, the better. Thanks!

For more information, visit the American Heart Association website at: http://www.americanheart.org

JJ Virgin & Associates is Hiring World Class Health Coaches

Calling all ACHS grads...trained health coaches needed by JJ Virgin and Associates.

JJ Virgin, is a 25 year veteran of the health and fitness industry, and has worked in nearly every aspect of the business, including numerous network television appearances as a nutritionist, fitness expert and health show host, including and E! Modern Girl’s Guide to Life, NBC’s ivillage Live and Extreme Makeover, where she was part of The Extreme Team on the show’s season finale. She was also a Nutritionist on The Dr. Phil Show for two seasons, assisting the contestants of the Dr. Phil Ultimate Weight Loss Challenge with their nutrition challenges. She recently filmed two pilots for ABC for the international hit show, You Are What You Eat.

Today, JJ Virgin integrates her educational background of nutrition, exercise physiology, psychology, functional medicine and laboratory evaluation into her work as a nutritionist and fitness expert, writer, professional speaker, and television and radio personality.

The Job...

JJ Virgin and Associates is looking to add part-time health coaches to our growing business. Work in tandem with National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP) President and health expert JJ Virgin and our Director of Health Coaching, Miriam Zacharias, utilizing a holistic point of view to provide health coaching, counseling, and consultation to our clients on a variety of health conditions. Our ideal candidates will be highly organized, demonstrate superior and proactive communication skills, and convey professionalism in working with our high-caliber clients.

Our Health Coaches must be very comfortable in a virtual coaching environment, and be well-versed in telephone and computer communication protocols. We expect all Health Coaches to maintain professional membership in the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP) and to pass the board certification in holistic nutrition exam within 6 months of hiring.

Minimum Skills and qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in health education, health science, food nutrition, dietetics, fitness or related field and at last 1 year experience + Masters in a Health related discipline OR equivalent experience working with clients or patients in a health setting as a RN, nutritionist or fitness professional. You may be located anywhere within the U.S., and be able to work independently with limited direction or supervision.

For more information on this opportunity, please send along your resume and cover letter to Miriam Zacharias at mirzacharias@jjvirgin.com.

Check out JJ Virgin's new website, www.healthprovt.com, an online virtual training site for health care professionals.

Gwyneth Paltrow shares seven-day detox on her site goop.com

The February 22 New York Times featured an article in the Style section about a relatively new website called Goop, nourish the inner aspect.

The originator of the site is Gwyneth Paltrow. Although most known for her work as a movie actress—and more recently for her marriage to musician Chris Martin from Coldplay—Paltrow launched Goop.com last September to provide readers with short, blog-style entries about positive thoughts, parenting anecdotes, and healthy living tips, to name a few categories.

But perhaps most interesting and useful for the holistic health practitioner is an entry posted under the “Make” category called “Detox.” Here Paltrow tells her readers that: “You can detox easily and effectively while you continue to eat as long as you are cutting out the foods and other substances that interfere with the detoxification process. Make sure you check with your doctor before you start any detox. Drink A LOT of water.” All sound advice.

Paltrow also includes a user-friendly seven-day meal plan for detox, including recipes for dishes like Salad with Carrot and Ginger Dressing, Detox Teriyaki Chicken, and Steamed Salmon and Greens. All of the recipes include nutrient-rich foods easily prepared in 30 minutes or less, including downloadable PDFs to store in your dietary toolbox or holistic health library.

For the full recipes, and more information from Paltrow’s personal doctor, go to: www.goop.com.

Tested a recipe? Would you recommend it? Tell us what you think.

Have a response to the site in general, share with the community. We look forward to hearing from you.

Photo © LA Times: latimesblogs.latimes.com