Situational Depression

Most people experience situational depression at least once in their lives – and probably more. It’s a short term type of depression that may happen after a particularly traumatic event such as drastic changes in your lifestyle including divorce, loss of a job, death in the family or of a close friend and retirement.

When it becomes difficult to adjust to the changes taking place, depression may take over and the person with situational depression might show symptoms similar to other types of depression – including clinical depression.

The way these two types of depression are treated very differently because of some key differences involved. Situations which overpower our ability to cope – such as surviving a major disaster, accident or major illness – can put us in a tailspin of depression.

Inability to cope usually fosters other symptoms such as anger, irritability, insomnia or getting to much sleep and more. You need to understand the differences between situational and other types of depression and learn to recognize symptoms so you can be diagnosed and treated properly.

Causes of Situational Depression

You may have experienced or know someone who has experienced bouts of depression after a major life event or changes that make it difficult to cope. Whereas in clinical depression, people have definite chemical imbalances in the brain – in situational depression the symptoms are brought on by certain situations in their lives.

Research indicates that adults and adolescents alike will have the symptoms of situational depression at some point in their lives. And the problem is growing with the amount of stress that builds in our lives.

Problems in a relationship, loss or layoff of a job or even little setbacks can add up to bouts of situational depression. Coping skills are sometimes inadequate for getting through these times without feeling sadness, remorse, fear or hopelessness.

Unlike coping with a major depressive disorder, situational depression is only temporary and disappears after a person adapts or comes to grips with the situation. Some doctors and researchers refer to situational depression as an “adjustment disorder” instead of labeling it real depression.

Even though situational depression may go away after a few weeks or months, it shouldn’t be ignored. Situational depression can easily morph into a major depressive disorder if not addressed and treated appropriately.

If you think you may be depressed following a particularly distressing or stressful event in your life and can’t seem to cope with everyday life demands, talk to your doctor about the problem, what you’re experiencing and find a solution to get you through the dark days.

Diagnosis and Treatments for Situational Depression

When a severely depressed person visits a doctor for the problem, the doctor will attempt to discern which type of depression the person has. If the person has recently experienced a devastating or grief-filled time in his life, the doctor will seek relief for the situation by prescribing a medication for a brief period of time or by recommending counseling or some other form of treatment.

Most times, you’ll develop the symptoms of situational depression within about 90 days from the triggering event. Tell your healthcare provider about the past event and let him or her know what you’re feeling.

For example, listlessness, sleep problems, sadness, periods of prolonged crying, unfounded anxiety, excessive worrying, trouble concentrating and withdrawal from social activities and interactions with family and friends are all symptoms you should tell your doctor about so he can make the correct diagnosis.

The doctor must then determine if the depression originated from the traumatic event and is temporary in nature or has developed into a more serious, major depressive disorder.

If the doctor thinks you have severe situational depression, he may prescribe anti-depressants or anti-anxiety drugs to help combat the symptoms and help you function in your daily life.

Adjustment disorder is a form of situational depression which exhibits a group of symptoms – sadness, weight loss or gain, sleep problems and more. You may be having a difficult time coping with the change that has occurred in your life and need help to solve the problem.

To reach a diagnosis of situational depression the doctor will ask about past events you may have experienced that could have triggered the depression. Be sure to convey if you’ve been ill, had difficulties with school or work, experienced the death of a friend or loved one, moved to a different location or are involved with relationship problems.

You may also need to have a full psychological evaluation to be sure your symptoms aren’t caused by another mental disorder such as PTSD, chemical disorder of the brain, hormonal changes or something else that needs treatment.

If the doctor diagnoses you with situational depression he may recommend dopamine reuptake blockers such as bupropion or SSRIs (selective serotonin uptake inhibitors) such as sertraline (Zoloft) and Citalopram (Celexa).

If the depression isn’t deemed severe enough for medication, the doctor may recommend supportive psychotherapy to help you develop the coping mechanisms needed to deal with the depression.

Coping skills are vitally important to healing from situational depression because it helps you avoid or be able to cope with future types of situations that might trigger depression symptoms again.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is another form of treatment a doctor may recommend. This treatment can help you recognize your symptoms and address them with the coping skills you need.

The doctor, along with the patient, should carefully monitor a patient to make sure the medication and alternative treatments are working. If suicidal thoughts occur, the doctor should be consulted immediately.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Situational Depression

Common symptoms of situational depression include low mood most of the time, hopelessness and continuous and unstoppable crying. A child may exhibit symptoms of situational depression by going from a good student to one that skips school, gets in trouble or receives lower grades than normal.

Other symptoms may include stomachaches or headaches for no discernable reason, heart palpitations, insomnia or sleeping too much, changes in diet or eating habits, nervousness, not going to work or school and changes in social activities.

Symptoms might also manifest themselves as extreme fatigue or abuse of alcohol or drugs. These symptoms may also be symptoms of other, physical, illnesses so your doctor will likely run a series of psychological tests to be sure you’re not suffering from a more serious disorder like major depression, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) or a physical disease.

If you’re not usually the type of person to have low moods or any of the other symptoms of depression, you may be suffering from situational depression. Think back over the past few weeks or months and remember situations or losses that may be the trigger for your feelings of depression.

Suffering the loss of a loved one, relationship issues, loss of job and other troublesome events by exhibiting symptoms of depression is normal, but these feelings shouldn’t be suppressed.

Lack of help for your situational depression may result in your normal feelings turning into a serious depressive disorder. Don’t ignore symptoms of situational depression such as loss of interest in activities you once found pleasurable or inability to concentrate or function properly on a daily basis.

Also think about other factors that may be triggering your depression such as side effects of drugs or alcohol, infections like mononucleosis, viral hepatitis or AIDS, menstrual disorder or diagnosis of cancer or rheumatoid arthritis

A nutritional deficiency such as B6 or B12 and neurological occurrences such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis or recent stroke may also be symptoms of situational depression.

Tips for Managing Situational Depression

Aside from the actual symptoms of situational depression, one of the most troublesome feelings of the disorder is the sense of helplessness you feel. Feeling as if you have no control or power can be even more depressing.

That’s why learning as much as you can about the disorder will serve you well in helping to cope with the symptoms. Although professional intervention is usually required to gain full control over the disorder, there are some methods you can use to help you take control once again.

Know your medications so you can be aware of side effects and other medications you should avoid. Try to recognize what may trigger a depressive symptom. For example, if certain friends or coworkers can change your mood from great to down, avoid interaction if you can.

Learn and practice coping skills. How to rid your brain of negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones can help tremendously as well as keeping you on the right track for a complete recovery.

Read self-help books from reputable physicians and therapists and seek help from websites and blogs. This and other support lines you can connect with may help you discover unknown ways to help yourself cope with depression.

Healthy diet choices and exercise are imperative in dealing with any type of depression. When you neglect your health, your entire system will become imbalanced – so hit the gym and make changes to your diet if needed.

Avoid alcohol and drugs. Any or all of these substances won’t make your depression better as sometimes thought. In fact, they may tend to make the symptoms worse. Keep in mind that they may also interact negatively with whatever medications the doctor prescribed.

Break a bad habit. Changing your life in any way from negative to positive helps you overcome symptoms of depression. For example, if you were smoking, take steps to quit. Switch up old habits and do something new or engage in that hobby you always wanted to try.

Create a routine for yourself that works. Planning ahead takes the anxiety out of situations that might otherwise feel stressful. Hang out with positive and upbeat friends and family rather than isolating yourself. They can be a source of encouragement and support during the dark times.

Best Natural Remedies for Situational Depression

When your emotions are imbalanced, there are some natural remedies worth trying to get back on track. Research has proven that many cases of short and long-term depression is due to a lack of B vitamins.

Vitamin B6 and folic acid can help regulate the depressive symptoms and may even increase the efficiency of your prescriptions such as anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications.

The herbal remedy St. John’s Wort has long been the choice of many for treating mood and depressive disorders. Don’t take St. John’s Wort if you’re already taking birth control pills, antidepressant medications or retroviral medications because of possible dangerous interactions.

Fish oil containing omega-3 fatty acids is a supplement also known to maintain mind efficiency. Fish oil contains the essential fatty acid, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which is present in the nerve and brain tissues.

SAMe is believed to relieve symptoms of depression faster than St. John’s Wort. Be sure to only take the enteric-coated capsules or tablets in the form of butanedisulfonate and take it on an empty stomach.

Just like alcohol and drugs, caffeine can interfere with depressive symptoms. Cut down or completely avoid all forms of caffeine. Acupuncture may also be considered a natural remedy for mood and depressive disorders.

If you experience situational depression for more than six months, consult a mental health professional or grief counselor who can help you get to the root of your situational depression and lead you to a full recovery.

Remember that there are numerous ways to lessen feelings of depression. Try some natural methods along with your doctor’s recommendation until you find one that works well for you.

There is a method that will work for you. The worst thing you can do is to ignore the symptoms and let them morph into an even worse depressive disorder that could change your life drastically – and forever.

Finally, you are able to choose another response to what life has dealt you. Try not to let depression get the best of the joy you can experience today. Break free of those downward-spiraling emotions by choosing a different and more uplifting response.

Psychotic Depression

A diagnosis of psychotic depression is vastly different from major and clinical types of depression which are nonpsychotic. The psychotic person lives in a non-realistic world and may hear voices, think others know their thoughts or could be attempting to inflict harm.

They might also think they’re demon-possessed or being watched by others. Paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations may be part of this very complex form of depression and those with the disorder are usually consumed with negative thoughts and self-criticism.

People suffering from depression or bipolar disorder may have psychotic episodes, but they are more inclined to happen to those with extreme depression. Psychotic depression is a type of major depression that occurs in one of four people admitted to the hospital for severe depression.

Psychotic depression may be difficult to diagnose because of the person’s shame and humiliation about their thoughts. They typically attempt to hide the thoughts – making the correct diagnosis extremely difficult.

It’s helpful when you understand the differences between psychotic depression and other forms of depression so that you are aware of the differences in symptoms and can better recognize them in yourself or others.

Causes of Psychotic Depression

As with most other types of major depression, the causes of psychotic depression are not fully understood but may include changes in the brain structure or chemical imbalances and less gray matter than a normal person’s brain.

Genetics are also thought to be a possible cause of certain types of depression including psychotic, bipolar and schizophrenia. Postpartum changes in hormonal balance may also cause psychotic depression as well as a disruption in sleep patterns.

Other psychiatric conditions may also trigger the onslaught of psychotic depression, but it can also occur without any other condition. Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, brain tumors or cysts and neurological disorders such as Huntington’s or Parkinson’s diseases may be triggered by psychotic depression.

Research of psychotic depression is ongoing, but researchers have not yet come to a final decision on its causes. There is always conflicting information being presented, so you need to be informed about everything.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Psychotic Depression

Many symptoms of psychotic depression are the same as other types of major depression. Negative thoughts and feelings of sadness, guilt, irritability, and hopelessness may be among the symptoms as well as changes in sleeping patterns, dietary changes and energy fluctuations.

Other common psychotic depressive symptoms may include agitation, anxiety, constipation, severe lack of mental acuity, physical immobility and hypochondria. All of these symptoms may become extremely magnified and worsen as time goes by.

Psychotic depression also adds the serious symptoms of hallucinations, paranoia and delusions. The person may neglect himself by not taking baths or changing clothes. When speaking, the person may be irrational or make no sense.

Delusions that occur with psychotic depression include having false opinions or beliefs of what is going on around him and no clue about who he really is. False beliefs might include thoughts of having cancer or a terminal disease.

Before the physician can diagnose psychotic depression, you must be completely honest with him or her about your symptoms. One criterion for diagnosis is that you must have had an episode of depression lasting two weeks or longer.

Five or more specific symptoms are also required for a complete diagnosis, such as inability to function, inability to concentrate, guilty feelings, agitation, weight gain or loss, fatigue and low energy, sleeping too much or too little, social withdrawal and persistent thoughts of suicide or death.

After a diagnosis of major depression, the doctor will further diagnose the depression as psychotic if symptoms of delusions, hallucinations or false beliefs persist. They may or may not be present constantly.

Diagnosis and Treatments for Psychotic Depression

All types of information about your life and your thoughts and feelings come into play before a diagnosis for psychotic depression can be determined. You’ll want to know if one or more close family members such as a mom, dad or siblings have suffered from psychotic depression and pass that information on to the doctor.

If you’re a woman, your risk for psychotic depression disorder is ranked higher than for men. Older adults are also at a greater risk for this type of depression. Unfortunately, psychotic depression isn’t as easy to diagnose as physical pain or other types of illnesses.

Usually, a battery of tests can be run to determine what is causing pain. Diagnosing psychotic depression disorder takes a much different path and can easily be misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

At the moment, there are no specific treatments especially designed for psychotic depression – mainly because no two people react the same to the same medications. A licensed mental healthcare professional is the best choice to determine which medications are best for you.

Antidepressants and antipsychotic meds may be prescribed in combination to better balance the neurotransmitters in the brain exacerbating the condition. For example, an Atypical, antipsychotic drug such as olanzapine, risperidone or quetiapine may be paired with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) such as fluoxetine.

ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy) may also be a treatment option. This treatment involves a general anesthesia so it must be performed in a hospital. Short term memory loss is a side effect of this treatment, but it is effective for those who have psychotic symptoms such as feelings of suicide.

Talking therapy (one-on-one) and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is known to be helpful to some people suffering from psychotic depression. And, it’s absolutely imperative for the patient to have as much support as possible from family and friends.

Tips for Managing Psychotic Depression

The first and most important tip for managing psychotic depression is to strive to identify and understand the symptoms of the disorder. Note changes in your lifestyle such as decreased appetite, too much sleep or insomnia, thoughts of suicide, irritability, extreme anger or agitation, downturn in social activities and delusions and hallucinations.

Another important tip is to immediately seek medical help and then do everything the doctor says. You’ll probably be prescribed certain medications such as antidepressants and antipsychotics.

It’s important that you strictly adhere to the treatment guidelines and follow the instructions given by your doctor. Never stop taking medications without first consulting with your healthcare provider. It could trigger a dangerous relapse.

Find out if ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) may be right for you. It’s currently one of a very few treatments that can help psychotic depression. ECT is usually safe, but be sure to discuss side effects with your doctor.

Cognitive behavior therapy can be helpful in recognizing negative and triggering behaviors and thoughts and help you learn how to use positive ones to help you function.

Often, psychotic depression is characterized by irrational behaviors and thoughts. One type of therapy – rational emotive behavior – may help you recognize irrational demands on yourself and others so you can understand and challenge them with rational thinking.

Talk therapies along with medications can put you on the right track to dealing with psychotic depression. You can engage on an individual basis or participate in group therapy or support groups.

Daily routines can help you deal with psychotic depression by changing your focus on a daily basis and add structure and dependability to your days. Include time for work and appointments as well as grooming, sleeping and eating.

You’ll also want to schedule activities such as hobbies, exercise and other things you enjoy. Be sure to involve your most trusted friends and family members to support and help you with counseling and understanding your disorder. You’ll be able to talk more comfortably if you know they understand what you’re going through.

Improve your ability to recognize negative thoughts by keeping in mind that words such as “never,” “won’t,” and “can’t” are usually negative in context. Avoid them and other negative “self-talk” in your private thoughts.

Join an advocacy group for depression. You’ll learn a lot from others who have been through the same things you’re going through and the social networking can help you find valuable resources.

Stress in your life can wreak havoc on anyone dealing with psychotic or any other type of depression. You can help yourself to manage stress by developing healthy coping strategies such as deep breathing and relaxing exercises (yoga), aerobic exercise to release valuable dopamine into your system and by maintaining strong relationships with family and friends.

Above all, don’t lose hope. Other people have gone and are going through the same experience you are. Psychotic depression can now be treated successfully and recovery is definitely in your future.

Best Natural Remedies for Psychotic Depression

Any type of major depressive episode is much more than feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Depression – especially psychotic depression – can affect your physical and mental health so much that you may not be able to function normally.

Psychotic depression remedies and treatments require treating the entire body and not just the brain – although anti-depressants and anti-psychotic medications are essential to the recovery process.

Some other theories on how to help psychotic depression naturally include supporting your digestive system. Since your intestinal tract encases the enteric nervous system (or “second brain”) and produces many of the chemicals your brain uses to process information, it’s vital that you optimize its health.

You may not know that almost 100% of serotonin linked to depression is produced in your intestinal tract. Serotonin helps you keep stress at bay, boosts feelings of happiness and calms your moods.

Proper nutrition is another natural way to ease the symptoms of psychotic depression. B and D vitamins and amino acids boost necessary brain chemicals to better regulate your moods.

Know that certain foods may affect your nutrient status and cause problems in your immune system as well as fatigue, mental acuity problems and sadness. You may want to submit to food sensitivity testing to make sure the foods you’re ingesting aren’t affecting you negatively and you can better plan a diet that’s best for you.

Sometimes those with severe depression may have high levels of toxins within their bodies that can negatively affect mental status. Some toxins even cause damage to the brain. Ask your doctor about a detoxification to cleanse your body and improve your brain’s acuity.

Massage therapy is beneficial to most people suffering from depression and can be an integral part of the treatment plan. A good massage can help you feel empowered, boost relaxation and ease tension.

See a chiropractor to correct structural misalignment of your spine and to better help your brain communicate with your nervous system. Chiropractic care can help with poor posture, grinding of teeth when sleeping and much more that can increase blood circulation and regulate moods.

Test your hormone levels to see if they’re out of balance and could be causing negative emotions, depression and sadness. Low levels of some hormones may make you feel fatigued and sad and unable to cope. Hormonal imbalance is especially prevalent in women and they should be tested if stress or other problems are causing depression.

Keep yourself busy. Take on some responsibilities that will make you feel productive, but be sure you don’t take on too much. Large responsibilities can become overwhelming to those with a severe depressive disorder such as psychotic depression.

It may be difficult to accomplish – but try to have fun. Try not to avoid social interaction because you’re depressed or experiencing negative emotions. It’s important to stick to experiences you once enjoyed and develop a sense of normalcy in your life.

Above all, don’t give up hope. Research is revealing many underlying causes of psychotic depression. Such strategies as Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are now being researched as an effective alternative to ECT to treat major types of depression.

Potential causes are also being researched and underlying biological factors are continually studied for answers to help treat this difficult disorder. Although the long-term prognosis for this disorder is poorer than other types of depression, hope is high among scientific researchers.

The Tough Love Guide to Stress Relief

The Tough Love Guide to Stress Relief

Stress seems to be seeping into more areas of the average person’s life – and not just existing – but almost overpowering people to the point of depression and anxiety on a continual basis.

You may have realized your stress issues a long time ago. At first, maybe you just dealt with it like most people do – ignore it until it bubbled over into tears or anger or exhaustion.

But then it might have gotten worse – to the point where you become aware that you rarely have any good days anymore and that it seems every time you lay your head on your pillow, your mind is flooded with a recap of everything you disliked about your day and what tomorrow might have in store for you (none of it smile-worthy).

There are many ways to alleviate stress. You’ll hear many people teach you to meditate, to use aromatherapy, and to journal your anxiety and anger away. But if you’ve tried all that, and you’re still complaining – then maybe it’s time to make some bold moves and kick things up a notch in your fight against this monster that seems to be taking over your life.

Take a Good, Hard Look at Who or What Is Bother You

One of the biggest problems with the stress epidemic today is that most people know they feel it, but they just find something that sounds relaxing to apply to it – like a Band-Aid.

That doesn’t fix the problem. It’s like you having a disease, and instead of getting to the root of the matter, the doctor just gives you a pain pill. If there was a fix, so that you didn’t have to take that pill again, wouldn’t you want to know about it?

Some people are too general in identifying their stress. You have to say more than, “I don’t have enough time,” or, “I hate my job.” A simple, “People annoy me” statement won’t do, either – you have to analyze it and find out exactly what it is that’s eating away at you.

While some people journal their feelings away, as if to spill all of the stress onto a page – you can do it for a different reason – to pinpoint the exact cause of what’s bugging you.

Sometimes you might routinely mention something like, “I don’t have enough time,” but when you really pick apart the day on paper, you realize that you don’t have enough time because your spouse isn’t pitching in with the kids or errands and you feel disrespected and unsupported.

Identifying your stressors is like deconstructing a meal. You might see the finished item on your plate, but how did it become the chicken parmesan that you see before you? When you work backwards to see what all went into the recipe (or your stress), you’re able to identify important ingredients.

For example, you might feel exhausted and simply think you work too much, but as you work your way back, you discover you’re not sleeping right and if you could simple tweak your sleep hygiene, it might improve the way you handle the regular chaos of every single day.

Start with making some word bubbles of your day as you go through it. Maybe once each hour. Write down an adjective that describes how you felt in the past hour, and a general idea of why.

For example – you might write sad because your parent called and told you about your sibling’s circumstances, which are always a mess. Or you might feel angry because a coworker dumped their project on you at the last minute.

Maybe you felt happy because you got an hour alone one night and you were able to indulge in your favorite TV show without interruption. Be honest about your emotions and then, when you see them, start deconstructing that they’re all about.

The issue with your parent calling to commiserate about your sibling might be deconstructed like this when you’re thinking of what made you feel sad about it:

– Your parent never calls unless it’s to complain.
– Your sibling and you are estranged and you don’t want to hear about their problems.
– Your parent always calls you at work when you’re trying to be productive.

When you deconstruct the issue, you might be able to find solutions or workarounds for the problem. For example, maybe you tell your parent that you don’t want to discuss your sibling anymore – or maybe you tell them that you can’t accept calls at work anymore, so you’ll have to chat on the weekend only.

The key is to understand why things make you feel the way they do – so you can experience fewer down moments and get more of those moments that provide immense personal satisfaction for you.

The only way this will go wrong is if you aren’t honest with yourself about things. It’s okay to admit to yourself in a journal that you want 60 minutes without your spouse so you can watch a show without him or her chiming in about it.

Make a Power Move to Set Boundaries That Protect You, Not Others

Boundaries are not comfortable for anybody. They work, and they work very well – but they make the person setting them uncomfortable and the person on the receiving end either angry, sad or a mix of emotions.

For those who have always felt victimized by the actions or opinions of others, the act of setting boundaries will free you from that label and the stress that comes with it. Being a victim is something you choose – it’s not a decision the other person gets to make.

What does it mean to have boundaries? It can mean different things to different people. For some, it might be something as simple as no longer discussing serious matters with certain friends or family members – keeping them at arm’s length, so to speak.

For others, it can be limited your interaction with that person. Maybe you used to speak to them daily, so to protect yourself from the stress they cause you, you begin dialing down your communication with them from frequently to rarely.

In some cases, you may even have to completely eliminate someone from your life. If they’re that toxic, and if they refuse to abide by the boundaries you put in place, then you can free yourself from that stress by cutting them out of your life.

This is the most difficult thing for many people to do. Instead of seeing it as a protective and preventative measure, they’d rather not suffer the discomfort of cutting the person off, and therefore invite more emotional abuse every day thereafter.

You can start with small boundaries and build up from there – giving the other person the ability to respect your boundaries first. But understand that most people don’t know what boundaries are, and have no intention of abiding by them.

Let’s say you get stressed whenever the phone rings and you see it’s your mom – because you know she only calls to discuss your brother, who you’re estranged from and who has a chaotic, criminal life.

First, you can try setting the boundary of telling your mom that you no longer will be discussing your brother. You don’t ask her not to speak of him – because that gives her the control.

You demand it. Calmly and respectfully, either explain that the issue brings stress to your life – or don’t explain at all, and simply inform her of your boundary. Now if she continues speaking about him, you can then limit calls to one day on the weekend only.

If, on that weekend day, you realize she has no interest in you – but only uses you as a way to unload her own burdensome stress regarding your brother – then you can make the tough decision to eliminate contact until she understands the boundary – or forever, if it brings you peace.

Only you can decide what constitutes cutting someone out of your life. That’s a drastic, yet necessary step for many to make. It depends on how much stress having that person in your life creates.

If it’s overwhelming, then you are literally hurting your body physically to flood it with cortisol (the stress hormone) day after day. If you find a way to easily get past it, then it may not be that big of a deal to you.

This type of boundary isn’t just about people. It’s about things that result in stress, too. Maybe you agreed to some sort of responsibility like being a room mom – that you find is causing you to fall behind on work or not be able to give relationships the attention they deserve.

You may have to set a boundary that you will either finish out that year and never get strong-armed into the role again, ask that the other room moms take on their fair share of the duties – or, request that someone else take the reins and the role and allow you to get back control of your life.

When you deconstruct your feelings and pinpoint the stressor, give yourself some time to analyze how much of an impact it truly has on you – how serious it is. When you understand that, jot down a few boundary options that range from mild to severe – and keep those on hand to remind you of what can be done if the person or situation doesn’t resolve itself easily.

Be aware that there is usually a backlash to people setting boundaries. They don’t want to give up control of the situation and they don’t appreciate you shutting them out. A boundary is simply you taking control of what you will allow to affect you, so don’t be bullied into backing down.

Take Responsibility to Fix an Issue Instead of Just Whining About It

With stress, have you ever noticed how many people like to complain? You probably do it every single day – gripe about the traffic, your weight, the boss, your relationship with someone.

In order to fix the stress issue for good, you have to start realizing that much of this is your fault. Not what the other person or situation is doing, but in how you allow it to affect you and what you plan to do about it.

It’s time to get fed up hearing yourself complain about things and actually take steps to remedy them. Put your foot down and reclaim control over your life. There are many instances where the people stressing you out don’t even know it’s affecting you so bad – mainly because we’re so programmed to be polite and not lash out like that.

But it’s not rude to make your preferences known and then act if someone else doesn’t back off and leave you alone. For example, if a coworker has a way of dumping their projects on you – decline to accept them!

Tell the person you’re already working on something. Make them start accepting responsibility for their own schedule and not using you as a crutch to achieve their career goals.

If you’re always complaining about work – either the career itself or the people you work with – blame yourself for not getting out to change things. Pursue a different career or find another place of employment.

If you’re always complaining that your friend tries to get you to cheat on your diet when you go to lunch with her and it stresses you out, stop going to lunch with her! Either engage in a non food activity, or be blunt and explain that if she can’t stop doing that, you won’t be able to see her anymore.

Don’t Slack Off Once Things Are Better – Fortify Your Stress Relief

At first, you’re going to be really nervous and question if what you just did was the right thing to do. These are major changes. And yet, you’ll start to feel so empowered and so free – that you’ll wonder why you didn’t take these steps sooner.

This is the time when you work on the smaller stress relief goals of your life. If you eliminate the chaotic schedule, then you suddenly find extra time to relax and enjoy life. This is the perfect time to inject more stress relief into your day – the kinds of things like aromatherapy, massage, meditation, and more.

Stress will never go away. Always remember that even when things seem to be calm and enjoyable, anything can happen the next week, day or minute. Be prepared to handle those situations by strengthening your resolve to protect and pamper yourself first and foremost.

This is a great role model situation for you to be in with your children, too. Imagine if your child complained every day about how his or her friend was using them and making them feel sad.

You’d probably encourage them to set boundaries and become strong. Show that you, yourself can do that. You aren’t being mean. You’re being smart. You’re preserving your sanity and living life to the fullest.

Most people will walk through life being walked over like a welcome mat. You don’t have to live like that anymore. Look the stress factors straight in the eye and take them out – one by one.

The Numerous Health Benefits of Coffee Consumption

More than half the population of adults drink coffee. Some have a coffee habit just first thing in the morning while others drink the beverage all day long. There’s a good reason that coffee helps perk you up and give you long lasting energy. It’s loaded with health benefits.

Coffee Contains Antioxidants

You’ve heard the advice that eating healthy keeps the body healthy. You already know that you should eat your fruit and vegetables because they’re loaded with antioxidants.

This substance fights to keep your body healthy and protect you from certain diseases. It also works to help prevent cell damage. While you can get your antioxidants from the foods that you eat, these items aren’t the only resource for the power of antioxidants, because coffee is a top contender, also.

In fact, some people get antioxidants from the coffee that they drink than from their diet. That cup of coffee that you drink is full of vitamins and minerals. Among these vitamins and minerals, you get Vitamin B5, Vitamin B2, magnesium, potassium and more.

So your daily habit – whether it’s a cup in the morning or several cups throughout the day – gives you plenty of health benefits right from that very first sip. The power is found in quinines and once you make the coffee, your body enjoys those antioxidants.

Not only can the antioxidant properties fight disease on your behalf, but coffee is also known to help keep your teeth healthy. That’s because the ingredients in coffee are a natural cavity fighter.

You can thank the antibacterial ingredient in coffee for keeping you out of the dentist’s chair. If all coffee did was help protect you from diseases and keep your teeth in good condition, that would be more than many food items alone can do.

But the benefits of this beverage don’t just stop there. It’s also a mood booster. While it gives you energy and helps keep fatigue at bay, it also acts as a mood stabilizer so you feel better after you’ve had a cup or two of coffee.

Coffee contains caffeine – and that’s an ingredient that also works to give you health benefits. Not only does it fight back against certain cancers, but it can help prevent headaches.

If you come down with a headache and you drink coffee, you’ll notice that it alleviates your headache. That’s because caffeine is a headache reliever given by nature when it constricts the blood vessels in the brain.

You’ll find that in many headache medications that caffeine is one of the ingredients. Caffeine can also work to help prevent you from getting certain diseases that affect your brain. But it can also be useful in the fight against conditions like gallbladder disease.

Coffee Can Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a disease that can be prevented. It’s one of the conditions that is continuing to grow among adults and now children, too. The reasons for this can vary depending on many different factors.

Some people just have a higher chance of getting the condition thanks to family history. It can also be common with certain conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS – which puts women at a higher risk of getting diabetes at some point.

The problem with diabetes doesn’t just rest in the fact that it gives a person the inability to correctly make enough insulin to keep up with the body’s demands. It also leads to health issues throughout the body – including the heart, brain, and eyes.

Coffee can lower those health risks right along with your odds of developing Type 2 diabetes. The beverage contains ingredients that act to prohibit a protein which has been explained as a higher chance of developing the disease.

When you block the build up of this protein, you effectively shut the door on diabetes. Regardless of your family genetics, you can cut your risk in half if you have a coffee habit.

As long as you drink more than a morning cup of coffee, your risk of getting diabetes will be much lower. The ingredients in coffee are so effective against helping to prevent Type 2 diabetes that you can even drink decaffeinated coffee and still reap the same lowered risk benefit.

The good news for people who have a coffee habit throughout the day is that the more you drink the beverage, the more you lower your risk of diabetes. Just don’t load it with high sugar flavorings and it won’t ruin the health benefits.

Coffee Helps Your Liver

The liver is an amazing organ in the body and can regenerate itself. But certain things can impact your liver and cause damage to it. Sometimes this damage can be irreparable.

Some of the things that affect the liver are alcohol, medication, familial diseases and fatty liver disease. You can also develop liver failure. For people who routinely drink alcohol, your liver can become affected by a condition known as cirrhosis of the liver.

While you might think that you have to drink every day and that it takes a lot of alcohol consumption to damage your liver in this way, it actually doesn’t. You don’t have to drink hard or be an alcoholic to develop liver disease, because your body can process alcohol differently than someone else.

It doesn’t matter how old you are or how many years you’ve been drinking. Consuming alcohol puts you at risk of the disease regardless of your lifestyle or family genetics.

The good news about drinking coffee is that if you do have a drinking habit, you lower your odds of developing problems with your liver thanks to the coffee. Having four cups of coffee or more gives you protection against the chance that you’ll end up with cirrhosis of the liver.

Coffee Protects Your Brain

There are numerous things that coffee does for you that help your brain. For starters, it keeps your brain protected against conditions that target it – such as Alzheimer’s Disease.

Having a daily coffee habit lowers your risk of getting this condition. The caffeine in coffee helps protect the brain’s cognitive function. Not only does it reduce your chance of getting Alzheimer’s Disease, but drinking coffee also reduces your risk of age related dementia and diseases that affect your neurological health – such as Parkinson’s disease.

Coffee is a stimulant that keeps your brain active because it accentuates your mental capacity. This is why people who drink coffee suddenly feel more alert, can think clearly and can make it through a day even if they’re tired.

Your brain contains feel good hormones that can determine how you feel emotionally. For people who drink plenty of coffee, you can lower your risk of developing mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Coffee has long been associated with helping people feel better. The ingredients in coffee lifts your mood so that you experience feelings of calm. Some studies suggest that the reason the beverage helps with moods is because of the high amount of antioxidants present in coffee.

When you drink coffee, you boost the brain to increase the production of serotonin as well as dopamine – both of which instantly make you feel better. This mood booster acts like a natural antidepressant.

The caffeine contained in coffee not only improves your mood, but it also promotes better overall mental function – including helping with short term memory function.

Coffee boosts your ability to think. You can learn easier when you have coffee in your system. You can also react quicker and better in a situation. This is one reason athletes drink coffee. They perform at a higher level with a coffee habit than without it.

Coffee Lowers Your Risk of Cancer

As long as you’re a regular drinker of it, coffee is one of the easiest and least expensive ways that you can lower your risk of developing certain types of cancer.

It could be that coffee is good for helping prevent some cancers because it contains more than 1,000 chemical compounds. These compounds are what bring all the health benefits to the table.

Coffee works to keep some cancers from developing because the compounds in the coffee offer protection against inflammation – the kind that puts you at risk for cancer.

Cancer can occur because of damaged cells. When you drink four or more cups of coffee a day, the ingredients in the beverage work to block these damaged cells.

While research is still out on the many different kinds of cancer coffee can lower your risk of getting, current research has already established the cancers that coffee can help prevent.

This is good news for both men and women. For men, having a strong coffee habit prevent them from getting prostate cancer. As long as you have four or more cups per day, you can lower your odds of getting this type of cancer by over 50%.

Women who have a four cup or more coffee habit are given more protection against skin cancer – especially against melanoma – one of the deadliest types of skin cancer and the one that affects women far more than it does men.

For both men and women who have a healthy coffee habit, drinking the beverage also offers a lowered risk of getting liver cancer. The compounds in the coffee work to protect this organ.

The liver isn’t the only organ that drinking coffee has some special protection for. Your brain gets more protection if you drink coffee against cancers such as brain cancer.

One type of cancer that can affect both men and women, including young adults is colon cancer. The ingredients in coffee are beneficial to your digestive system – and that includes your colon.

By having a habit of drinking coffee, you can lower your odds of getting colon cancer by more than 25%.

Coffee Protects Your Heart

Today’s lifestyle can be tough on the heart. Not only are people busier than ever with less time to work out and more days filled with stress, but environmental factors can also impact your heart’s health.

Thankfully, if you’re someone who has a regular coffee habit, you can protect your heart from a whole host of different heart related diseases and occurrences. One of the many reasons that coffee is so good for your heart is that the beverage gives you improved blood flow.

This increase in blood flow helps your heart not to have to work so hard to circulate the blood through your veins. The biggest heart benefit is given to people who drink at least three cups of coffee every day.

The occasional coffee drinker doesn’t see as many health benefits overall – including for the heart. Another reason coffee can protect your heart is because it helps keep your arteries from becoming clogged.

It does this by preventing the calcium build up that clogs the arteries. The caffeine in coffee is good for arteries and can even help them be able to work better.

This prevention is one of the key reasons why people who drink at least three cups of coffee a day are less likely to have a heart attack than people who don’t. Besides protecting the arteries, coffee works to prevent the diseases that are considered contributors to heart attacks – such as diabetes.

Not only will you lower your risk of heart disease and of having a heart attack if you have a regular coffee habit, but you also lower your chance of having a stroke.

Some things that can cause you to have heart health problems have to do with what goes on in your everyday life. Situations such as the bills piling up, trouble at work, car or relationship problems can flood your body with cortisol.

These issues can all cause you to live in a state of constant stress. Drinking coffee has been associated with lowering other heart health risk factors such as stress that can cause damage to your heart.

When you drink coffee, it can be a relaxing, nurturing event for you. Studies have shown that drinking coffee can lower your stress levels. By lowering your stress levels, you can lower your blood pressure – which is another factor in causing heart attacks.

Superfoods For Beauty

If you are looking into improving your skin, hair, nails, and teeth the natural way, the first thing you should examine is what you are eating. It is possible that foods you are eating or not eating are affecting your beauty.

Superfoods are high on the list of foods you should be adding to your diet. They are usually healthy, with most of them being low in fat or containing only healthy fats. Many superfoods are not only good for general health and wellness, but ideal for improving your beauty.

The superfoods on this list are all good for natural beauty boosting purposes, from giving you soft and silky hair, to improving your complexion and smoothing out your skin, strengthening your nails, and giving you strong, healthy teeth.

You can add these foods to your diet one at a time, or get them all at once to be on the road to a nutritious diet and the best skin and hair you have ever had.

Here are the top 12 superfoods for beauty.

Lemons

The first superfood that is amazing for skin and beauty in general is lemon. The great thing about this is that there are many ways to use lemons in your food or drinks, not only helping to improve your beauty, but providing a lot of other health benefits as well.

Lemons have long since been known as being ideal for detoxing your body. Many people that do an actual cleanse or detox, will make a drink with water, maple syrup, lemons, and sometimes various herbs or spices. So it makes sense that lemons would be high up on the list of superfoods. When you are detoxing your body with this citrus fruit, it helps to cleanse your liver and digestive system. This in turn can help to cleanse and revitalize your skin at the same time.

Try drinking a tall glass of water with lemon slices in it, putting lemon on your salads instead of a heavy dressing, or adding lemon to your morning smoothies or other beverages. There are many ways to incorporate it into your day.

Blueberries

There is a lot of fruit on the top superfoods lists for various purposes, especially berries. However, one berry that you will see more often is blueberries. These are delicious, sweet berries that just about everyone loves. That is what makes them great; they are super nutritious, but also fun to eat! Blueberries are considered a superfood because they are packed full of nutrients, from antioxidants, for various vitamins and minerals.

The antioxidants and the vitamins, like vitamin C, A, and E, can all help to restore your skin cells, making your skin look more youthful. Blueberries will also help if your skin has been sun-damaged and to brighten up your skin and leave you with silky smooth hair as well.

Another excellent thing about blueberries is that they are super easy to add to your diet. This superfood can be topped on anything from salads to oatmeal or yogurt, eaten on its own as a snack, or added to your favorite desserts.

Wild Salmon

Fish is an important part of your overall health, but can also help with improving your skin and hair for natural beauty. However, omega-3s are not found in all forms of fish, which is why only certain ones are considered superfoods. Typically, the wild-caught cold water fish is best for you in terms of superfoods with omega-3 fatty acids, which are helpful to moisturizing your skin. This includes wild salmon, among others like mackerel or sardines.

In addition to the omega-3 fatty acids, wild salmon also has other nutrients, including vitamin D and selenium, which protect your skin from sun damage and can help keep your teeth strong. Salmon is a low-fat, high-protein food, so it fits with just about any diet, including if you are a pescatarian who can still eat fish even if you don’t eat other forms of meat.

Some good ways to enjoy salmon include grilled on the side of rice and veggies, cooked and put in your salad, or even raw if you enjoy sushi.

Sweet Potatoes

Now moving onto vegetables, let’s talk about how you should be eating more sweet potatoes! These are one of the best vegetables and superfoods for beauty, as they contain a lot of different nutrients. Not only do sweet potatoes have a high amount of beta carotene, which helps to even out your complexion, they also contain vitamin C for antioxidants and vitamin A to help repair damaged cell tissue in your skin. They also naturally have biotin, which many people take for stronger nails and to stimulate hair growth.

Sweet potatoes are lower in carbs than other types of potatoes, so even while on a low-carb diet, you can enjoy them and have your favorite potato dish. You can eat them baked, boiled, grilled, or in just about any other meal. A popular trend right now is having sweet potato toast to replace the bread in your diet and add more nutrients at the same time.

Pineapple

Why not try some tropical fruit? If you enjoy food on the sweet side, you don’t have to feel left out when you are on a special diet. Pineapple is an excellent alternative, and just so happens to be a powerful superfood for beauty and general health.

Pineapple is often recommended as a detox fruit, because it helps to get rid of toxins in your body. These toxins could be affecting your skin and hair, so it is important to get them out of your body. Pineapple is also great at reducing inflammation, which might also be affecting your skin. The nutrients in pineapple further help to produce natural collagen in your skin to tighten your skin and provide excellent anti-aging benefits.

One of the best ways to enjoy pineapple is just by having it fresh after cutting open the pineapple. It is a low-fat fruit so it’s easy to enjoy even when you’re on a diet and trying to lose weight. You can add pineapple to your cottage cheese as a snack, or even top your salad or pizza with it for a fun, tropical meal. Grilled pineapple also tastes amazing, and it goes great with chicken and fish.

Beets

While beets may not sound like the best vegetable, give them a try. They are actually very tasty, especially when you know the best foods to prepare them with. If it helps, beets are also an excellent superfood for beauty, providing antioxidants that can firm up your skin and help you look more youthful.

Beets are a superfood because of all the nutrients they contain, including vitamin A, magnesium, potassium, and folate. These nutrients help with anti-aging, stimulate better cell production, and can leave your hair looking its best.

The bright pinkish-purple color of beets makes them perfect to add to juice or smoothies in the morning and make them fun to drink. Even if you don’t like the taste of beets, it will be covered up by any fruits you mix with it. Apples are the perfect fruit to add with beets in juice or smoothies.

Oysters

Another type of seafood that is considered a superfood for beauty is oysters. Oysters contain a high amount of zinc, which are effective at helping to repair your skin cells and actually promote new skin cell growth that will help to fight the signs of aging. Zinc can also keep your nails strong and healthy, and provide nutrients for your hair as well.

Some of the other nutrients found in oysters include omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, protein, iron, and calcium. All of these are important not just for your beauty and skin, but for general health and wellbeing. Try different oyster recipes, whether you make a pasta dish or eat them on your favorite salad.

Walnuts

There are a lot of different types of nuts that are good for health and beauty, from almonds to cashews, but one of the best is the walnut. Walnuts are superfoods thanks to all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals they contain. They provide a good dose of vitamin E, which as you know is wonderful for skin and hair. In fact, vitamin E oil is often recommended for removing stretch marks and wrinkles.

Walnuts also contain a large amount of omega-3 fatty acids, so if you don’t like fish or you are on a vegan diet, you can still enjoy walnuts and get these important nutrients. Walnuts help to give you bright eyes, smooth skin, and improve the health of your hair as well. They are also good for providing essential nutrients to your bones.

Here are some different ways to add more walnuts to your diet:

• Use them to top salads for extra crunch
• Put them in a food processor to make walnut butter
• Top your pasta or rice dishes at lunch or dinner
• Have a handful of walnuts with cheese for a low-carb snack
• Mix in walnuts with baked treats like brownies or cookies

Dates

Believe it or not, dates are actually a fruit. It might not seem like it, but these are a sweet and delicious fruit. It is another fruit, alongside figs, that are highly underappreciated and not enjoyed nearly as much as they deserve. A good type of date to go for is the medjool date, which is low in fat, high in fiber, and super sweet.

Dates help to cleanse your body from toxins, which could be affecting the health of your skin and hair. They have a lot of other nutrients to make them a superfood, from copper that help you to absorb more iron for better collagen production, to providing an alternative to sugar in baked dishes.

You will notice that many low-carb baked dishes or ones for people who are cutting back on sugar will use dates instead. You can enjoy them this way, eat a handful of them, or add them to just about any meal right on the side.

Kiwi

Another fruit on the list of superfoods for beauty is the kiwi. This is another tropical fruit, that will taste great with those pineapple slices mentioned before. On the outside, kiwi look like small, brown and fuzzy fruits. On the inside, they are vibrant green and juicy.

Kiwi is a superfood thanks to the high amount of antioxidants, which protect your body from illness and disease. These same antioxidants also improve your natural beauty by boosting the health of your skin, hair, and nails. They are also good for improving the health of your teeth and bones, and reducing fine lines and wrinkles. Kiwi are also a good source of vitamin C, providing even more support for your skin, hair, and teeth.

An easy way to eat kiwi is by cutting it in half, then scooping out the kiwi fruit with a spoon. You can also add kiwi to pancakes for a tropical flair, top frozen yogurt or regular yogurt to add some sweetness, or make a dessert like kiwi pie.

Dark Chocolate

A lot of the superfoods for beauty are fruits and vegetables, but don’t forget about your favorite foods. Some of them are probably also considered superfoods, including dark chocolate. This is an excellent way to enjoy your decadent treat without feeling guilty about it.

Dark chocolate is an excellent source of antioxidants, which as you know help to hydrate your skin, make you look more youthful, and remove toxins from your body. Dark chocolate doesn’t cause acne, but can actually improve the appearance of your skin. Just make sure it is dark chocolate and not milk chocolate. Look for at least 60% cacao in your chocolate and it will be of good quality.

Quinoa

The final superfood to consider adding to your diet for beauty purposes is a grain called quinoa. This is a healthy grain that is very nutritious and is one of the best foods for naturally healthy and shiny hair. The nutrients found in quinoa can actually strengthen your hair strands and help prevent split ends and breakage. When you have less breakage, it also helps with shine and to reduce frizziness.

Quinoa is a good source of protein, so it is perfect if you are trying to reduce carbs and want to replace regular rice with this grain. The protein is also going to provide more nutrients to your hair. There is vitamin E in quinoa as well, providing a natural oil that helps keep your scalp and hair roots healthy, while also improving your skin at the same time. Other nutrients found in quinoa are vitamins B6, B12, niacin, and biotin.

There is a nutty flavor to quinoa, so it is good as a side dish replacing rice or pasta, or when added to your favorite salad. There are many healthy meals you can make by using quinoa.

Try to find ways to combine superfoods for beauty to get the maximum benefit. This is going to help you add as many as you can to your regular diet without feeling stressed or overwhelmed by your choices.

For example, you can try some of these combinations:

Add pineapple, kiwi, and dates to your frozen yogurt.

Have quinoa with sweet potatoes and walnuts.

Enjoy a dessert of kiwi with dark chocolate.

Make a pitcher of fruit-infused water using lemon, kiwi, and pineapple.

There are many different ways to use multiple superfoods in a single drink or dish, you just need to get a little creative!

Superfoods For Mental Health

Mental health is just as important as physical health, though many people choose to ignore it. However, if you have a lot of stress from your job or you suffer from panic attacks, then you need to think of better ways to manage these mental health conditions.

This report is going to go over superfoods to add to your diet that help with your mental health. It talks about three common mental health conditions specifically, including anxiety, depression, and stress. However, many of these superfoods help with other mental health illnesses as well.

Anxiety

The first category of mental illness that superfoods can be ideal for is anxiety. Many doctors will recommend changing your diet if you suffer from anxiety, whether it is general worry or an actual anxiety disorder. With anxiety, you typically have a general feeling of worry and unease, often not brought on by anything.

There are different anxiety disorders you may suffer from, like generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, panic disorder, or a phobia like agoraphobia. Regardless of what it is, your diet could be helping or hurting you. Here are some superfoods that have been known to help with anxiety.

Dark Chocolate

It is not unusual that dark chocolate would be recommended as a superfood for anxiety. It is considered a superfood because it is filled with lots of essential nutrients, primarily with the antioxidants it has. Dark chocolate helps with anxiety thanks to the nutrients that help to reduce cortisol in the body. This is a stress hormone that leads to stress and anxiety symptoms, so a little dark chocolate is great for you.

However, before you grab any dark chocolate off the shelf, make sure it doesn’t have added milk or sugar. It should be fairly traded and organic, without a lot of additives. The sugar can actually make your anxiety worse, so you want to avoid it as much as possible. Dark chocolate with cacao of 60% or higher is usually recommended.

Asparagus

One of the best vegetables to have when you suffer from anxiety is asparagus. This green vegetable has a mild taste so that it tastes good with a lot of different meats and veggies. It is rich in folic acid and B vitamins, making it a superfood that is good for general health. The folic acid, also called folate, is what is going to help with anxiety. Folic acid has been linked to lower levels of anxiety and reducing panic attacks in people who suffer from panic disorder.

Seaweed

Seaweed is a really important superfood, so try to add it to your diet if you can. Seaweed contains a good amount of magnesium, which can help reduce your anxiety and stress symptoms. Seaweed has many other nutrients as well, similar to those found in whole grains. It is low in fat and helps with general wellness, including mental illness. It is also a really good option if you are sensitive to gluten.

Acai Berries

If you struggle with anxiety, you should definitely give acai berries a try. These are one of the most popular superfoods for everyone, from those trying to lose weight to people who have stress, anxiety, or depression. Acai berries are often found in packets which have the acai berries to add to smoothies, juice, and other recipes.

A really good option is to make yourself a smoothie bowl that includes acai berries, fruits, a cream base like yogurt or milk, and veggies if you want. These are fun, delicious smoothies that are a little thicker and tend to include more superfood ingredients.

Almonds

The last superfoods to try if you have anxiety is almonds. While many nuts have a lot of nutrients and fit in the superfood category, almonds specifically are good for anxiety and panic attacks. This is due to the zinc in almonds, which is good for balancing your moods. Many people have anxiety as a result of heightened stress, so when you can manage your stress with more zinc in your diet, it might reduce your triggers and help with your anxiety.

Almonds are also a good source of iron and various other healthy fats, which everyone should have more of. The iron in almonds further help with lack of energy and brain fatigue, both of which can also trigger your anxiety or panic attacks.

Depression

The next mental health illness we want to discuss is depression. This is also a mental health condition where doctors and therapists often recommend changing your diet because of the large impact it can have on you.

Approximately 16 million people in the United States alone have depression, but that doesn’t even include the estimated 350 million people worldwide suffering from it, according to the World Health Organization. This is a massive amount of people struggling with the feelings of hopelessness, sorrow, and sadness on a regular basis, often with no triggers or warning signs.

There are a lot of people out there with depression, but changing your diet can be the first start to helping manage it. First of all, you want to avoid certain things that can make your depression worse, including high amounts of sugar, alcohol, and caffeine. Next, try to add more of the following superfoods to your diet.

Maca Powder

The first superfood you can try for your depression is maca powder, which comes from the maca root. This is a root that grows mostly in Peru, but you can get the powdered or dried forms of it internationally. Maca powder is very nutritious, and often on many superfoods lists because of how many different vitamins and minerals it contains.

Maca is a type of adaptogen, so it is going to help reduce your stress levels. Since stress is often linked to both depression and anxiety, this makes it an excellent superfood to start with. It will also help with energy and stamina, both of which decline greatly during depressive episodes. Other nutrients that maca powder has are potassium, magnesium, calcium, many B vitamins, vitamins C and E, and iron. It also has some selenium and zinc in it for good measure.

Oranges

Citrus fruits in general are often at the top of superfoods lists, including lemons, oranges, and grapefruits. With oranges, you are also getting a fruit that has health benefits for people with depression and other mental health conditions.

Oranges have a high amount of vitamin C and antioxidants, which provide natural anti-depressant qualities when you eat enough of them. There are also complex sugars (the good kind of sugar), in addition to folate and various other vitamins and minerals. The vitamin C is the important nutrient in oranges, because it can help boost your serotonin and dopamine levels, which help people who suffer from depression.

Coconut

Just about every form of coconut can be beneficial if you have depression. This includes everything from drinking coconut milk or water, to cooking with coconut oil or even coconut butter. Coconut is a type of fruit that grows in tropical areas. People use all different parts of the coconut to make oil, water, or milk, since they all contain a lot of nutrients.

Coconuts have plenty of potassium, lots of electrolytes, and plenty of protein and fiber. Many people with depression struggle with side effects that are more physical, affecting their skin and nervous system. The nutrients in coconut meat can be very helpful for these individuals. Overall, it is great for general wellness and mental health disorders like depression.

Lentils

If you are looking for a superfood to help with depression that also has a lot of fiber and protein, lentils are a good option for you. Lentils are a superfood thanks to the large amount of nutrients combined, including iron, folate, fiber, manganese, and protein. The phosphorous and manganese helps to give your mood a natural boost and give you more energy, both of which are affected by depression.

You can also get higher levels of serotonin and dopamine in your system form many of the nutrients found in lentils. Lentils are easy to add to your meals, whether you are making soup or chili, or using them as a side dish.

Spirulina

The last superfood on the list for depression is spirulina. This is one of the more unique and lesser known superfoods on the list. Spirulina is a type of blue green algae. It is made up almost completely of protein, nearly three times more that poultry or fish. Spirulina also has no cholesterol, but lots of nutrients like omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, beta carotene, iron, and antioxidants.

When you have depression, you are often lacking in both strength and energy. It zaps nearly everything you have, making it hard just to get out of bed. Foods like spirulina are perfect when this is one of your biggest side effects of depression.

Stress

It’s hard talking about mental health without also discussing stress. This is one of the most common mental health issues people face, affecting people of all different ages and occupations. Emotional and mental stress doesn’t just affect you mentally, but physically as well. You might have low energy, mood swings, lack of motivation, and many other negative side effects just because of your stress.

There are a lot of ways to start reducing your stress, but looking at your diet is a common one. There are certain superfoods that are good for stress relief, just like when you are eating for depression or anxiety. Here are some superfoods to add to your diet when you struggle with a lot of stress:

Beets

First up are the beets, which might not be your favorite vegetable. However, give them a chance because they are good for you, an excellent superfood with tons of nutrients, and can be very flavorful when made the right way. These bright pinkish-purple vegetables can be added to salads, cooked on the side of your main protein source, or added to a casserole of your choosing.

Beets contain a lot of folate, over 30 percent of your daily minimum is just one cup of the bright vegetable. Lack of folate can be linked to stress, including confusion, insomnia, and overall mental fatigue. So what you may need is more beets in your life. These also contain a lot of other excellent vitamins and minerals that help with stress, diabetes, cholesterol, and arthritis.

Mushrooms

Another vegetable on the list of superfoods for mental health, particularly stress, is mushrooms. These are super low in fat and carbs, so they work great with a lot of different diets. Mushrooms have a high amount of selenium, known to help with fatigue, stress, and anxiety. They also have vitamin D, which is actually rare for plant sources to have it naturally. With enough vitamin D, you will be able to get help for mood disturbances, depression, and seasonal affective disorder, all of which can be related to your stress levels.

It is super easy to add mushrooms to your diet. Top your salads, replace burger patties with Portobello mushrooms, add them to an omelet with ham and cheese, or make yourself some soup, chili, or pasta sauce with mushrooms.

Milk

Diary is also considered a superfood, especially if you are dealing with stress. Most of the nutrients found in milk can help with your stress levels, including vitamin D, A, and calcium. Milk also has good antioxidants and protein, which are also important for making you feel more relaxed. These nutrients will reduce free radicals as they are often linked to feeling stressed out.

You might want to try skim or reduced fat milk, but full-fat dairy products are also fine. Have some oatmeal or cereal with your milk, have a glass with your meals, or make fruit smoothies with milk and superfood fruits and vegetables.

Turkey

Lean protein can also be a good superfood when you have a lot of stress in your life. Turkey breast is linked to happiness and relaxation thanks to the amino acid tryptophan. This is the same amino acid linking eating turkey at Thanksgiving to wanting to take a nap afterward. This is because turkey can help to relax your mind and body, which is a good thing when you have a lot of stress.

If you are a vegetarian or vegan and don’t eat turkey, not to worry! There are plenty of meatless options that also contain tryptophan, including lentils, beans, oats, tofu, nuts, and seeds. If you are a pescatarian, you can also enjoy eggs and fish for the amino acid that will relax you.

Green Tea

The last superfood on the last for stress and mental health is green tea. Green tea is extremely good for you, which is why it is often recommended for other health benefits as well. Green tea helps to boost your mood, relax you, and make you healthier in general. Try to drink more green tea and you will start feeling much better.

Superfoods For Diabetes

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, particularly with type 2 diabetes, then you understand how important your diet is. In fact, doctors often mention that changing what you do or don’t eat on a daily basis is one of the crucial ways to help manage your type 2 diabetes. This is where superfoods come in.

Type 2 diabetes is the more common form of diabetes, which is where you have a lot of the same effects of diabetes, but you are not dependent on insulin. This occurs more often when you are an adult, but some children and teens may also be diagnosed with it.

When you have type 2 diabetes, you can still produce some of your own insulin naturally, but it isn’t enough to sustain proper health. This is where your diet comes in. You need to be able to balance out the glucose levels in your body, which requires a specific level of nutrition.

With the right superfoods, they contain all the nutrients you need to keep your blood sugar levels low, and help to maintain your weight, which often leads to type 2 diabetes in the first place. Here are the top 10 superfoods that you should be eating if you have diabetes.

Dark Chocolate

Surprise! You still get to eat chocolate if you have diabetes, but you need to be careful about what type you choose. You should not be loading up on sugar and sweets, so avoid milk chocolate, white chocolate, and similar variations. Instead, go for the dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate has a lot of the crucial nutrients you should be having when you struggle with insulin resistance or insulin sensitivity, starting with flavonoids. These can actually help to lower your blood sugar levels and level out the insulin levels in your body. People who have diabetes often think they can’t have any more sugar, but that’s not true. You just need to be smart about it.

Go for dark chocolate that has a higher level of pure cacao in it. Try to avoid dark chocolate that contains a lot of preservatives and ingredients you don’t need. Buying your dark chocolate from a small chocolatier business or health food store is usually the way to go. These businesses typically avoid chocolate that has been highly processed.

Here are some yummy ways to enjoy your dark chocolate:

Use dark chocolate shavings to top your coffee or dessert

Have a handful of dark chocolate nibs with a piece of fruit for a healthy snack

Make some dark chocolate fudge, having one piece each night for an extra special treat

Reduced Fat Diary Products

You can also still have dairy when you have type 2 diabetes, but look for the low-fat or fat-free versions, avoiding the full fat type of dairy. This includes both milk and yogurt, which can be good for your overall health and actually help if you have diabetes.

Dairy products contain calcium and vitamin D, which are important for keeping your bones healthy, particularly when you struggle with all the side effects from your diabetes. Even when you choose any of the fat-free or reduced fat forms of milk or yogurt, it still contains fortified vitamin D, which is the most important nutrient from the dairy products. Plus, if you are on a diet, the fat-free versions like fat-free yogurt or skim milk won’t add too much to your total amount of fat or calories for the day.

Try to add more servings of reduced fat dairy to your daily diet. This is easy to do by having a yogurt for your early morning snack, enjoying a smoothie with fruits, veggies, milk, and yogurt, or having a glass of skim milk with dinner instead of a soft drink or other beverages that aren’t as good for you.

Tomatoes

In terms of fruits and vegetables that are good for you, tomatoes are at the top of the list. Tomatoes contain a nutrient called lycopene, which can help reduce your risk for macular degeneration, which as you might know, is a risk for people with diabetes. This same nutrient also helps to protect you from heart disease and some forms of cancer, like prostate cancer.

There is a low GI ranking in tomatoes, which is the Glycemic Index. You should try to find foods that have a low GI number, as these won’t cause a rise in your blood sugar levels. Most fruits that don’t have a lot of starch, including tomatoes, will be low on the GI ranking. Watch out for your portions, trying to keep the amount to 1-2 tomatoes a day.

The good thing is that the ways to add more tomatoes to your diet are practically endless. Here are just a few simple ideas:

• Have salsa with homemade baked tortilla chips
• Add tomato to your favorite sandwich for lunch
• Enjoy a side salad with tomato and cucumber
• Make scrambled eggs with tomatoes and bell peppers
• Eat a bowl of tomato soup for a light dinner

Oats

If you are looking for a healthy breakfast when you have diabetes, it doesn’t get much better than having a bowl of oatmeal. Oats can provide you with a lot of nutrients and are a popular superfood. Not only is it okay to eat oats when you have diabetes already as they have a low GI index, but eating them can actually prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.

What you want to look for are steel-cut oats. You should avoid the packets of oatmeal that you just mix with water and in 3 minutes have a bowl of oatmeal. They are heavily processed and don’t contain as many nutrients. Look for steel-cut oats that you soak overnight, then enjoy your oatmeal the following morning.

Steel cut oats have a lot of important nutrients for people with diabetes, starting with a high level of magnesium. Magnesium is essential for keeping your glucose levels low, while helping with insulin resistance. There is also protein, fiber, and antioxidants to provide better overall health with steel cut oats.

Olive Oil

As far as healthy fats go, olive oil is one of the best ones when you have diabetes. What you might not know is that when people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, they are often told to go on a diet called the Mediterranean Diet. This includes a lot of healthy foods and healthy fats, with olive oil high up on the list. Doctors actually recommend adding olive oil to your diet.

Olive oil is of course a superfood, thanks to the omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients it contains. All superfoods have that label because they have a higher-than-normal amount of vitamins and minerals per serving, and olive oil is no exception. It contains a lot of antioxidants that help to protect you from illness and disease, including heart disease and cell damage in your body.

You can easily replace other fats like butter or vegetable oil with olive oil and be eating a healthier diet. Try making fried eggs with olive oil and serving them with some fruits and veggies for breakfast, or using olive oil to make a healthy stir-fry for dinner. The options truly are endless.

Citrus Fruits

You can still enjoy your citrus fruits, but you want to be careful about the GI score and track it throughout the day. This doesn’t mean you should drink a glass of orange juice with every meal, but instead keep close track of how much you are eating or drinking in terms of citrus fruits and their GI scores.

However, citrus can be a really good source of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C, making them a powerful superfood for you if you have diabetes. Make sure you are eating the entire fruit and not just the juice. If you juice citrus fruits, you will get the most from them. You can also get a lot of nutrients from zest, so add that to meals as much as you can.

The lowest citrus fruit is grapefruit at just 25 for one serving. This is also one of the lowest GI scores for all fruits, not just citrus fruit. Unsweetened orange juice is around 50, while an orange itself is lower and closer to 40. It is better to just grab an orange than have a full glass of OJ, but tracking your food in a food journal will be very helpful for you.

Fatty Fish

There are certain types of fish that are not only good for you because they are low in fat and excellent sources of protein, but because of the omega-3 fatty acids. These fish options are frequently referred to as fatty fish, which are types of fish with the omega-3 nutrients, and are typically your cold water fish. These fish also have a lot of other nutrients, like selenium and vitamin D, both of which are equally important.

The vitamin D and selenium are good for improving the health of your bones, and provide excellent nutrients for your hair and skin. The omega-3 fatty acids are going to reduce your risk of heart disease and help keep your blood sugar levels on the lower side.

Some good fatty fish to enjoy is wild salmon, sardines, tuna, herring, and mackerel. You can have these fish in fillet form with veggies and other healthy sides, or slice up the grilled fish and place it on your salad. There are a lot of ways to enjoy fish, depending on what your taste preferences are.

Quinoa

There are also some whole grains that are considered superfoods and can also help if you have diabetes, including quinoa. Quinoa has a nutty flavor that is a bit earthy, but it is also very versatile. It isn’t heavily processed like white rice and other rice that comes in a box. Quinoa tastes more similarly like a grain, and goes great with just about any vegetable or protein source.

Quinoa is considered a complete protein with about 14 grams of protein for just ½ cup of it. It also contains all 9 amino acids in the same serving size, which is going to be wonderful for getting more nutrition each day. Quinoa is known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, help burn more fat and calories, and help convert fatty acids into energy. There is also a good amount of fiber with about 2.6 grams of fiber per serving.

It is easy to cook and prepare meals with quinoa. Many people even enjoy it at breakfast time. You can prepare a power bowl that includes quinoa, some veggies like tomatoes, onions, and peppers, with a fried egg on top. This is healthy, low in carbohydrates, and contains only healthy fats and protein that you need.

Cinnamon

Believe it or not, some herbs and spices are also considered superfoods, like turmeric and chia seeds. One of the spices that is a superfood and also ideal if you have diabetes is cinnamon. Cinnamon is commonly recommended for people with type 2 diabetes because it can help reduce your blood sugar and blood glucose levels. You can reduce your blood sugar efficiently with just a gram or more cinnamon each day.

Cinnamon has also been known to have other positive health benefits for people with and without diabetes. It can help manage your cholesterol, balance your insulin levels, and reduce the triglycerides in your body. It also provides good antioxidants for protecting you against serious illnesses and diseases.

Try adding cinnamon to your meals with other superfoods if you can. This combination helps to get the most from what you are eating. For example, you can add some cinnamon to your fat-free yogurt to get both, or you can enjoy sweet potatoes, other superfood veggies, and some cinnamon on top for a fall harvest side dish. There are many ways to use cinnamon in your food and drinks.

Kale

Last up on the list is a leafy green. Most leafy green veggies are good for you and in the superfoods category, like collard greens and spinach, but kale is best when you have diabetes. Kale contains over 200% of your daily requirement for just vitamin A, and over 100% of your requirement for vitamin C. It has even more vitamin K, which is essential for preventing blood clots. This is all in just one cup of kale per day.

In addition to these important nutrients, kale also has lutein, which is good for preventing eye diseases. They are common in people with diabetes, so it is important that you protect yourself from them as much as possible.

Try adding kale to your scrambled eggs or soup, as it cooks down so you don’t notice it much. You can mix it in with other greens for a salad and top it with veggies and nuts, which is another way to get more superfoods into your meals.

These are not the only healthy foods recommended if you have diabetes, but they provide a good start. Remember that superfoods are that way because of the large amount of nutrients they have. By adding as many of them to your diet as you can, you will be healthier overall, and on your way to managing your diabetes a little better.

Superfoods For Weight Loss

Weight loss is something many people want to achieve, but aren’t really sure how to get started. If you want to lose weight, there are many different methods, from the types of workouts you should do to how much you need to eat.

In terms of your nutrition, you need to understand that there isn’t a right way or wrong way to go. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you find something that works for you specifically. A good place to start with weight loss is looking for the healthiest foods possible. This is where superfoods come in.

What Are Superfoods?

The most basic explanation is that superfoods are foods that have a higher amount of nutrients than most other foods. These aren’t just healthy, but contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C and D, antioxidants, amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, protein, iron, and many others.

While all superfoods are good for you, some are better for weight loss and fat burning than others. Here is a list of the top 10 superfoods to try if you are interested in losing weight.

Spinach

There are a lot of vegetables that are great to add to your diet when you are trying to lose weight, but dark leafy greens are among the best ones. A good leafy green to start with is spinach, which is a superfood thanks to all the nutrients each serving has. Some of the top nutrients in spinach are potassium, fiber, and iron.

With spinach, you are getting a food that is low in fat and calories, and super low in carbs, but high in fiber. This means you get low net carbs if you are on a low carb diet, plus the vegetable can be enjoyed on any low fat diet, and with vegetarian and vegan diets.

Adding spinach to your diet is super simple, and depends on the types of foods you enjoy the most. If you like making omelets for breakfast, add in some spinach to the eggs and it will cook down. If you make smoothies or juice, add some spinach and the taste is covered up by the fruits you add. You can also add it to other greens for any of the salads you enjoy.

Green Tea

Most superfoods are going to be fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and spices, but that doesn’t mean drinks can’t be included! One of the top beverages that is a superfood for weight loss is green tea. Green tea is extremely beneficial for weight loss, helping to boost your metabolism, and help you to burn more fat and calories. It is often recommended to drink before workouts or even during the workouts if you choose iced green tea to be refreshing.

Green tea has a lot of important antioxidants and amino acids that give you more energy and will help you feel full longer. This can reduce cravings, keep you from indulging when you are trying to cut back, and even burn more fat throughout the day. The recommended amount is 3-5 cups of green tea every day.

Make sure when you choose your green tea, you don’t get something that is processed or contains additives. Most green tea is caffeine free, but some varieties do have a small amount of caffeine. Pay close attention to the label when you are purchasing it.

Apples

There are also some yummy fruits on the list of superfoods for weight loss, starting with apples. The reason the phrase ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor a way’ is so common is because of how nutritious these fruits are. They are low in fat and calories, low in carbs, and have a lot of phytonutrients and antioxidants. You will have less illness overall just by eating an apple every day.

For weight loss, apples help by not adding too many fat grams or calories to your foods, and providing a sweetness to keep you away from sugar and other sweets. They can also help to speed up your metabolism, which helps you to burn more fat for the rest of the day. Try apple slices with some peanut butter or almond butter, or enjoy sliced apples on your salads. Cinnamon is another superfood, which tastes great on top of sliced apples.

Chia Seeds

As mentioned previously, not all of the foods on the superfoods list for weight loss are fruits or veggies. Seeds like chia seeds also have a place on the list. If you have ever had a smoothie or bowl of oatmeal with small black seeds on them, those were probably chia seeds. These seeds are completely edible and come from Mexico. They also contain a lot of nutrients.

Some of the top nutrients in chia seeds are omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, calcium, and of course lots of antioxidants. The fiber in chia seeds are good for your heart health, while the fatty acids help you to get more energy and burn more fat. Chia seeds are great for weight loss in many ways.

There are tons of ways to add chia seeds to your diet. Smoothie lovers often add them to their smoothie mixes in the morning, though you can also add them to your protein shake for before or after your workouts. You can sneak them in oatmeal or cereal, top salads, or mix them into your soup.

Almonds

We are going to talk about two types of nuts for weight loss, including almonds and pistachios. First are almonds, which are a popular superfood that fits in with just about any diet. In fact, almonds fit in with all of these popular diets:

Vegetarian and vegan

Raw diets

Low fat or calorie

Low carb, Keto, and Atkins

Paleo

Whole foods

Just one serving of almonds contains 5 grams of fiber. This will give you more energy and help you to burn more fat and calories. Almonds also contain a good amount of manganese, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorous, and vitamin E. As you can see, they are very nutritious!

The simplest way to enjoy almonds is by eating a handful of them. About ¼ cup is usually a single serving. However, you can also eat almonds in many other ways, from enjoying almond butter with your fruit slices, or topping slivered almonds on top of soups or salads. Get creative when deciding how you want to eat them.

Pistachios

The other nut that is on the top 10 list of superfoods for weight loss is pistachios. These green nuts are not only insanely delicious, they are also packed full of essential vitamins and minerals. You just want to be careful with how many you eat per day since they can be a little high in fat and calories. However, they are a healthy fat, so as long as you watch portion sizes, they can work well for you even while losing weight.

Like many other nuts, pistachios contain a lot of protein and fiber. In addition to these nutrients, they also have a good amount of zinc, vitamin E< potassium, and magnesium. You should have about an ounce serving, which is a handful of them. However, you should try to get a food scale so that you know exactly how many you are eating. Try putting each serving size in a different snack-size baggie to have better control over the amount you are eating.

Goji Berries

Another popular superfood is goji berries. Don’t be too surprised if they don’t sound familiar. They are more of a newer superfood, but quickly becoming more trendy in healthy crowds. Goji berries are very nutritious, containing a lot of antioxidants and other vitamins that you should have in your regular diet.

Goji berries are small, reddish-purple berries that are sweet and taste delicious with a lot of different foods and snacks. They are excellent for helping to control your appetite, which is going to help with weight loss by not causing you to indulge in other foods that aren’t great for you. They can also help to regulate your blood sugar levels, and because they are sweet, reduce your sugar cravings at the same time.

With goji berries, they are used in similar ways to pomegranate seeds. They can be added to juice or smoothies, mixed in with low-fat frozen yogurt or regular yogurt, or added to your salads. Salads with spinach or kale as the greens, sliced strawberries and goji berries, and a raspberry vinaigrette is perfect for warm days when you want a refreshing and healthy lunch.

Popcorn

Don’t worry – not all superfoods for weight loss are produce or seeds. You can also eat popcorn! This makes movie night with your family or friends a lot more enjoyable. You won’t feel like you are missing out when you can still enjoy some popcorn with everyone else. It is what you add to it that makes the big difference.

The popcorn on its own is not what you need to be concerned about, but rather the seasonings and melted butter you choose to add. When you get into the cheese and caramel popcorn, it becomes even more unhealthy. Try to eat plain, air-popped popcorn, going for the kind you cook on the stove instead of in a bag in your microwave. Measure out the portion size and know exactly how much you are eating. A little sea salt is all you need to season it just right.

Legumes

The #9 superfood for weight loss to try to add to your diet is legumes. These are great because they fit in with any type of vegetarian or vegan diet, as well as low fat and low calorie diets. Some low carb diets (depending on how restricting they are) have room for legumes.

Legumes are nutritious with a lot of protein and fiber for you. If you don’t eat meat, these are a good source of protein and iron without having to worry about missing out from not eating meat. Legumes not only contain a lot of nutrients, but they have been found to help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and protect you from heart disease. This is helpful for general health, but also if you have these conditions from being overweight.

Legumes help with weight loss by filling you up and keeping you from craving other foods. If your appetite is the main reason you struggle with weight loss, try to add more legumes to your meals. Legumes can be used as a main dish or side dish, so they are really easy to work with. Here are some legumes to try out:

• Navy beans
• Chickpeas
• Red kidney beans
• Peas
• Lentils
• Adzuki beans
• Cannellini beans
• Butter beans

Tomatoes

Last up on the list is tomatoes, which are versatile and essential for a well-balanced diet. Tomatoes have a high amount of antioxidants, which as you know help to protect you against illness and disease. Tomatoes also have a good amount of potassium, and various other nutrients. They also contain vitamins like vitamin C, which is found in many other fruits as well.

Tomatoes help with fat burning, filling you up, and providing an easy, low-fat snack. Tomatoes also happen to be low in carbs, so Paleo, Atkins, and Keto people can also add them to their dishes.

Eating more tomatoes regularly is very easy to do. They are one of the most versatile superfoods on this list.

Here are some different ways to add more tomatoes to your diet:

• Enjoy salsa with slices of veggies or baked tortilla chips
• Make homemade tomato sauce to go on whole wheat pasta
• Slice up tomatoes for your sandwiches or wraps
• Make a big salad for lunch or dinner with sliced tomatoes in it
• Add more nutrition to hot sandwiches like tuna melts and grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato slices

Losing weight is not an easy process, but it is something that you learn from along the way. In addition to adding these top superfoods, look for other foods that help to burn more fat and give you more energy. These are two very important components of losing weight, then keeping it off once you reach your goal.

Superfoods For Adults and Children

Superfoods get their name from the high amount of nutrients they contain. They include a combination of fruits, vegetables, herbs, grains, nuts, and seeds that all have a higher than normal amount of vitamins and minerals.

There are superfoods that are good for everyone in general, but some that are best for certain types of people based on their health risks and medical conditions they are dealing with. Some superfoods are best for growing children as they help with their growing bones and brain development, while others are best for men or women and certain medical conditions they have.

It is important that you try to add as many superfoods to your diet as possible. Here are some of the best superfoods for men, women, and children.

Men

While there are a lot of superfoods that everyone should have more of, including many different fruits and vegetables, there are some others particularly beneficial to men. This doesn’t mean women can’t have them, but that men specifically should try to get more of them into their diet. Here are some superfoods that men should try to get more of on a regular basis:

Oysters

The first superfood that is good for men is oysters. In terms of seafood, this is one of the best for men and their unique health needs. Oysters are a really good source of zinc, which is necessary for men to have a healthy reproductive system. In fact, if you see a urologist for male infertility issues, one of the first things they will suggest is trying to get more zinc into your diet.

Whether you have a nutritional deficiency of zinc and other minerals in oysters, or you simply are trying to boost your health, oysters are a great superfood to turn to.

Almonds

Next up on the list of superfoods for men is the nuts, particularly with almonds. Almonds are really good for the testosterone levels and muscle growth that men are looking for. They also help with lowering blood sugar and cholesterol, two conditions that men do tend to deal with as they get older. Almonds also have a good amount of vitamin E, which helps with sun damage for men that spend a lot of time outdoors. This is also an antioxidant, making almonds great for both men and women.

It is easy to add almonds to your diet. You can top your salad or soup with slivered almonds, have a handful of them with some cheese for a high-protein snack, or get some almond butter for your toast.

Flaxseeds

Moving onto sources of protein and fiber, which are two very important nutrients for men, is the flaxseeds. The great thing about flaxseeds is that they are easy to add to just about everything you consume. You can add it to your pre-workout protein shake or morning smoothie, top your yogurt, or add the seeds to your salad.

Flaxseeds contain a lot of protein and fiber, along with being a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids.  Try to consume flaxseeds on a daily basis if possible, even if you just add them to your oatmeal or yogurt in the morning.

Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the best vegetables that men can have on a regular basis. This is a type of cruciferous vegetable that helps to protect men (and women) against bladder cancer. This is a common cancer that affects more men than women, which is why men should try to eat broccoli regularly.

Broccoli is loaded with nutrients, including vitamin C and antioxidants, which is what makes it a superfood. You can add it to your salads or stir-fry for a healthy dinner, or make broccoli with cheese as a fun treat or to enjoy on the side of fish or chicken for lunch or dinner. There really are a lot of ways to eat and enjoy broccoli.

Watermelon

If you want to eat just one type of fruit, watermelon should be it. Watermelon is really good for reducing your blood pressure. With high blood pressure and heart disease affecting men over 55 more than women of the same age, it is essential that you protect your body against it as much as possible. Watermelon has a good amount of potassium, which is what makes it a powerful superfood and why more men should eat it. You can have a slice of it with any breakfast or lunch, cut it into bite-size pieces for a fresh salad, or enjoy it in homemade juice with other fruits and veggies.

Women

All of the superfoods that are good for men are going to be good for women as well, as previously stated. However, women also have some unique needs that make certain superfoods more important for them. This is for everything from beauty and anti-aging benefits, to helping with the female reproductive system, menstrual system, and menopause. Here are some superfoods women should be eating on a regular basis:

Dark Leafy Greens

When it comes to veggies for women, it doesn’t get much better than those leafy greens. While all types of leaf lettuce is good for women, the dark greens are even better. These would include greens like collard greens, kale, and spinach. Leafy greens such as these contains tons of iron, folate, and important vitamins everyone needs, such as vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B, and vitamin K. With the folate, it helps to protect her unborn babies for women who are pregnancy.

Plus, dark leafy greens are low in fat and calories, and also happen to be low in carbohydrates as well. It is really easy to add leafy greens to your meals. You can make juice or smoothies with them, add greens to breakfast foods like scrambled eggs, or add them to your soup or chili and not really even notice them.

Wild Alaskan Salmon

Cold water fish like salmon is important to get those precious omega-3 fatty acids into your system. There are many types of cold water fish that can provide these important nutrients, including salmon, tuna, and mackerel. With salmon, the wild Alaskan salmon is one of the healthiest and best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, making this a common superfood for women.

In addition to providing general health benefits, salmon is low in fat and high in protein, contains vitamin D that women are frequently lacking in their diet, and can fight cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Try to get 2-3 servings of the salmon each week.

Avocadoes

Who doesn’t like avocadoes? This is a wonderful superfood for women to start adding to her diet. You can eat avocadoes straight from the fruit with a spoon and some salt, make yourself some guacamole, or make various other avocado snacks or meals. Avocado toast is a popular option for breakfast, which is healthy and delicious at the same time.

The reason avocadoes are an important superfood for women is because while high in fat, they have good fats. These are the fats women and men both need in their regular diet. There are a lot of healthy oils and other important nutrients in avocadoes, including vitamins B and K, as well as folate, magnesium, and potassium. Aim for about ¼ to ½ of an avocado every day if you can manage it.

Blueberries

All berries are good superfoods for everyone to eat, but blueberries are particularly beneficial. These are not only one of the foods with the highest amount of antioxidants, but also one of the most popular superfoods to consume. Blueberries have tons of nutrients, with so many antioxidants, they are often in the top 10 superfoods lists.

For women, blueberries help with anti-aging, improving your skin and hair, and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. High blood pressure might be a higher risk for men, but it is still risky for women and can be a silent killer as it often leads to heart disease. Try to add some blueberries to your oatmeal or cereal in the morning, have a handful of them for lunch, or add them to frozen yogurt for your evening dessert.

Whole Grains

Also make sure you are getting enough whole grains. These contain a lot of fiber and are low in fat, so they help to keep your energy up without making you feel sluggish or adding too much to your diet if you are trying to lose weight. Whole grains include oats, quinoa, barley, and buckwheat. It is easy to add whole grains to your diet by replacing white rice and white pasta with brown rice and whole wheat pasta.

Children

With children, the superfoods are not only good for their growing bodies and brains, but also happen to be foods younger children tend to enjoy. If you have children, pre-teens or teens, make sure they are getting these superfoods on a routine basis:

Berries

All types of berries contain essential nutrients for children, including antioxidants and vitamins across the board. Most children do enjoy berries added to different foods and drinks, which is a major bonus. Perhaps your daughter loves oatmeal and would like some blueberries added to it, or your son likes frozen yogurt for dessert and you can mix in some strawberries and raspberries to make it more nutritious.

Another option is to make them their own fruit, yogurt, and oatmeal bites. You can fill about ¼ of silicone muffin tins with yogurt, then add a layer of granola or oats on top. Finally, add some sliced berries and freeze it. These are quick, easy, and nutritious snacks for the kids.

Milk

Make sure your kids are getting enough milk, as it is an essential form of vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for the development of your children’s bones and teeth, as well as their nails. Children that don’t spend a lot of time outdoors to get natural vitamin D from the sun’s UV rays are at a higher risk of vitamin deficiency from vitamin D.

Milk is also a good source of other nutrients, including B12 and B2, B6, vitamin A, zinc, and of course lots of calcium. Luckily, getting your kids to have more milk is as simple as a glass of milk with lunch and dinner, or choosing other dairy products.

Eggs

Unless your children are on a strict vegan diet, they should be eating more eggs as well. These aren’t always considered a superfood for adults, but children should definitely have more of them. Eggs provide a good source of protein for growing kids, giving them enough energy to be active and help with their growing bodies.

Eggs are also a good source or vitamin B, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and zinc. They have so many nutrients, they are transformed into a superfood for children. The vitamin B in eggs is especially important because it helps with their brain development.

There are a lot of ways to get your kids to eat more eggs. You can make egg scrambles or omelets for breakfast, give them hardboiled eggs as snacks, or mix eggs into various other lunch or dinner dishes.

Nuts

Yes, your children can have nuts and they are considered superfoods! This is good news for any children that don’t have a nut allergy. If you haven’t given your children peanuts or other nuts before, do so very slowly and look for signs of an allergy first. They usually begin developing with younger children.

Nuts like almonds, cashews, walnuts, and peanuts are all good for your kids as long as you don’t let them over-indulge in them. They contain healthy fats, are good sources of protein, and have lots of vitamins and minerals kids need to grow. You can either make them sandwiches with peanut butter or almond butter, or give them small baggies with nuts as a snack.

Broccoli

For vegetables, most of them are good for kids, but not all of them are considered superfoods. However, one that definitely is is broccoli. This also happens to be a leafy green, though many people don’t realize that. Broccoli is loaded with nutrients, from fiber and calcium, to V vitamins, zinc, and folic acid.

If you have difficulty getting your kids to eat and enjoy broccoli, try to think outside the box. You can cut it up into small pieces and sneak it in their soup or chili, or you can serve it with cheese or ranch. Another option is to make a casserole with chicken and rice, with small pieces of broccoli inside. If your kids enjoy macaroni and cheese, make them macaroni and cheese with broccoli. When it is all mixed together, it doesn’t taste bad.

Regardless of who you are, superfoods can benefit you. Whether you are adding blueberries to your cereal or trying to eat more lean proteins and leafy greens, you will be a healthier person overall.

How not to die

There’s an assumption among much of the population that if you get a certain health condition, you might as well give up because there’s nothing you can do to change that. Because of that mindset, many people live with conditions and diseases that they don’t have to.

Having a condition doesn’t mean that your hands are tied when it comes to your health. It also doesn’t mean that you can reverse that health issue. In the book, How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease, you can learn how to improve and take control of your health.

Studies have shown that the way you eat can have a significant impact on your health. By choosing to eat a diet that can keep health conditions at bay, you can improve your life and the book can show you how to do that.

Many people want to change their diet and they want to have a lifestyle that supports good health – but they just aren’t sure how. This book can show you how to make these changes and they’re a lot easier to make than you might think.

It was written by a physician who covers the main causes of disease as well as the ones that are most prevalent and affected by diet. You’ll learn how diseases like heart, lung or digestive cancers can be helped by changing your diet.

You’ll also discover how you can change the course of your health journey if you have a condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Even if you’re currently taking medications for one of those conditions, the diet and lifestyle advice given can often do more good for your body than traditional methods such as taking medication can.

There’s a reason that this works for thousands of users and can work for you as well. While many diets help you to lose weight, they don’t address the issues associated with the types of foods that you eat.

They don’t help you because they don’t give you the knowledge you need to overcome ongoing diseases. The book covers which foods you should have in your diet that will help you with your condition.

But it also lets you know which foods you need to stay away from because they can impact your particular health issue. By learning how to eat – as well as which lifestyle changes you need to make – you can add years to your life.

Along with an in depth look at the foods you should and shouldn’t eat, this 576-page book called How Not to Die also covers drinks as well as exercise for a total health makeover.