Category Archives: Health Maintenance

The Health Benefits of Music

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Music helps me _______ better?

Did you know there are 15 amazing ways music helps our bodies?  Read below to discover what you don’t know, and recall your experiences with music and its benefits:

Benefits Of Listening To Music

I’ve always been in awe of people who can sing and play guitar. As a young girl, I secretly listened to singer-songwriter music in my bedroom into the wee hours. As a rebellious teenager, I cranked rock ‘n’ roll in the house whenever I had to do chores. I always felt great afterwards – now I know why.

Recent research shows that listening to music improves our mental well-being and boosts our physical health in surprising and astonishing ways. If we take a music lesson or two, that musical training can help raise our IQs and even keep us sharp in old age. Here are 15 amazing scientifically-proven benefits of being hooked on music.

1. Music Makes You Happier

“I don’t sing because I’m happy; I’m happy because I sing.” – William James

Research proves that when you listen to music you like, your brain releases dopamine, a “feel-good” neurotransmitter. Valorie Salimpoor, a neuroscientist at McGill University, injected eight music-lovers with a radioactive substance that binds to dopamine receptors after they listened to their favorite music. A PET scan showed that large amounts of dopamine were released, which biologically caused the participants to feel emotions like happiness, excitement, and joy.

So the next time you need an emotional boost, listen to your favorite tunes for 15 minutes. That’s all it takes to get a natural high!

2. Music Enhances Running Performance

“If people take anything from my music, it should be motivation to know that anything is possible as long as you keep working at it and don’t back down.” – Eminem

Marcelo Bigliassi and his colleagues found that runners who listened to fast or slow motivational music completed the first 800 meters of their run faster than runners who listened to calm music or ran without music. If you want to take your running up a notch, listen to songs that inspire you.

3. Music Lowers Stress and Improves Health

“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from.” – Billy Joel

Listening to music you enjoy decreases levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your body, which counteracts the effects of chronic stress. This is an important finding since stress causes 60% of all our illnesses and disease. One study showed that if people actively participated in making music by playing various percussion instruments and singing, their immune system was boosted even more than if they passively listened.

To stay calm and healthy during a stressful day, turn on the radio. Be sure to sing along and tap your feet to the beat to get the maximum healing benefit.

4. Music Helps You Sleep Better

“Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Berthold Auerbach

Over 30% of Americans suffer from insomnia. A study showed that students who listened to relaxing classical music for 45 minutes before turning in slept significantly better than students who listened to an audiobook or did nothing different from their normal routine. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try listening to a little Bach or Mozart before bedtime to catch some Zs.

5. Music Reduces Depression

“Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.” – Maya Angelou

More than 350 million people suffer from depression around the world. A whopping 90% of them also experience insomnia. The sleep research above found that symptoms of depression decreased significantly in the group that listened to classical music before bedtime, but not in the other two groups. Another study by Hans Joachim Trappe in Germany also demonstrated that music can benefit patients with depressive symptoms, depending on the type of music. Meditative sounds and classical music lifted people up, but techno and heavy metal brought people down even more.

The next time you feel low, put on some classical or meditative music to lift your spirits.

6. Music Helps You Eat Less

“There’s a friendly tie of some sort between music and eating.” – Thomas Hardy

Research at Georgia Tech University showed that softening the lighting and music while people ate led them to consume fewer calories and enjoy their meals more. If you’re looking for ways to curb your appetite, try dimming the lights and listening to soft music the next time you sit down for a meal.

7. Music Elevates Your Mood While Driving

“That’s what I love. Not being interrupted, sitting in the car by myself listening to music in the rain. There are so many great songs yet to sing.”  – Alison Kraus

A study in the Netherlands found that listening to music can positively impact your mood while driving, which can lead to safer behavior than not listening to music. The next time you feel frustrated in traffic, turn up the tunes to improve your state of mind. It won’t hurt your driving performance – it may even help you drive more safely.

8. Music Strengthens Learning and Memory

“Music is the language of memory.” – Jodi Picoult

Researchers discovered that music can help you learn and recall information better, but it depends on how much you like the music and whether or not you’re a musician. Subjects memorized Japanese characters while listening to music that either seemed positive or neutralto them. The results showed that participants who were musicians learned better with neutral music but tested better when pleasurable music was playing. Non-musicians, on the other hand, learned better with positive music but tested better with neutral music.

Memorize these results. You now have a strategy to study more effectively for your next test.

9. Music Relaxes Patients Before/After Surgery

“He who sings scares away his woes.” – Miguel de Cervantes

Researchers found that listening to relaxing music before surgery decreases anxiety. In fact it’s even more effective than being orally administered Midazolam, a medication often used to help pre-op patients feel sleepy that also has gnarly side effects such as coughing and vomiting. Other studies showed that listening to soothing music while resting in bed after open heart surgery increases relaxation.

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Globally, 234 million major surgeries are performed each year. If you or someone you know is going into surgery, be sure to bring some soothing tunes to ease anxiety. It may work better, and will certainly have fewer adverse side effects, than the meds they dispense.

10. Music Reduces Pain

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” – Bob Marely

Research at Drexel University in Philadelphia found that music therapy and pre-recorded music reduced pain more than standard treatments in cancer patients. Other research showed that music can decrease pain in intensive care patients and geriatric care patients, but the selection needed to be either classical pieces, meditative music, or songs of the patient’s choosing.

Bob Marely was right about this one – listen to music you love to take your pain away.

11. Music Helps Alzheimer’s Patients Remember

“The past, which is not recoverable in any other way, is embedded, as if in amber, in the music, and people can regain a sense of identity.” – Oliver Sacks, M.D.

A non-profit organization called Music & Memory helps people with Alzheimer’s Disease and other age-related dementias remember who they are by having them listen to their dearest songs. The awakening is often dramatic. For example, after Henry listens to music from his era, this wheelchair-bound dementia sufferer who can barely speak sings Cab Calloway songs and happily reminisces about his life .

Dr. Laura Mosqueda, Director of Geriatrics at the University of California at the Irvine School of Medicine, explains that because music affects so many areas of the brain, it stimulates pathways that may still be healthy.

One in three seniors die with Alzheimer’s Disease or another dementia, so odds are you know someone who has it. To connect with loved ones who suffer from age-related dementia, try playing some of their best-loved music.

12. Music Improves Recovery in Stroke Patients

“I know why the caged bird sings.” – Maya Angelou

Research at the University of Helsinki showed that stroke patients who listened to music they chose themselves for two hours a day had significantly improved recovery of cognitive function compared to those who listened to audio books or were given no listening material. Most of the music contained lyrics, which suggests that it’s the combination of music and voice that bolstered the patients’ auditory and verbal memory.

Stroke is the number 5 cause of death in the United States. If you know someone who has suffered a stroke, bring their favorite songs as soon as you can. Listening to them can significantly ramp up their recuperation.

13. Music Increases Verbal Intelligence

“Music is to the soul what words are to the mind.” – Modest Mouse

After only one month of music lessons (in rhythm, pitch, melody and voice), a study at York University showed that 90% of children between the ages of 4 and 6 had a significant increase in verbal intelligence. Researcher Sylvain Moreno suggests that the music training had a “transfer effect” which enhanced the children’s ability to understand words and explain their meaning. Other research found that musically trained adult women and musically trained children outperformed those without music training on verbal memory tests.

No matter whether you’re an adult or a child, if you want to boost your verbal skills, try taking music lessons!

14. Music Raises IQ and Academic Performance

“Music can change the world because it can change people.” – Bono

Research shows that taking music lessons predicts higher academic performance and IQ in young children. In one study, 6-year-olds who took keyboard or singing lessons in small groups for 36 weeks had significantly larger increases in IQ and standardized educational test results than children who took either drama lessons or no lessons. The singing group did the best.

To help your children achieve academic excellence, encourage them to sing or learn to play an instrument.

15. Music Keeps Your Brain Healthy in Old Age

“Music is the true breath of life. We eat so we won’t starve to death. We sing so we can hear ourselves live.” – Yasmina Khadra

A study with healthy older adults found that those with ten or more years of musical experience scored higher on cognitive tests than musicians with one to nine years of musical study. The non-musicians scored the lowest. “Since studying an instrument requires years of practice and learning, it may create alternate connections in the brain that could compensate for cognitive declines as we get older,” says lead researcher Brenda Hanna-Pladdy.

Business magnate Warren Buffet stays sharp at age 84 by playing ukulele. It’s never too late to play an instrument to keep you on top of your game.

Plato had it right when he said, “Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul.” No matter whether you’re young or old, healthy or sick, happy or sad, music can improve the quality of your life in numerous ways. It reduces stress and anxiety, lifts your mood, boosts your health, helps you sleep better, takes away your pain, and even makes you smarter.

New research shows that music “can communicate basic human feelings regardless of the listener’s cultural and ethnic background.” We’ve only just begun to understand all the ways this universal language can profit the world. Rather than cut funds for music and art programs in schools, why not invest in exploring all the secret places that music reaches so that we may continue to reap its amazing benefits?

http://www.lifehack.org/317747/scientists-find-15-amazing-benefits-listening-music

Portion Size vs. Serving Size

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Sometimes the portion size and serving size are the same, but sometimes they are not. Over the past few years portions have grown significantly in restaurants, as has the frequency of Americans eating out. Learn how much to put on your plate to help control how much you eat.

 Big portion sizes can mean you’re getting more food than your body can stomach to maintain a healthy weight.
Do you know how much you’re really eating? Sometimes it’s hard to tell if the portions we are eating are the right serving size for our nutritional needs.  Portion sizes have increased drastically over the years, contributing to the rising obesity rate.

So how did it get this way?

Consider these statistics from the American Heart Association and the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation study “A Nation at Risk: Obesity in the United States”:

  1. Adults today consume an average of 300 more calories per day than they did in 1985.
  2. Portion sizes have grown dramatically over the last 40 years.
  3. Americans eat out much more than they used to.

Understanding healthy portions can be hard. Here’s why:

  • Many of us don’t know what a healthy portion is.
  • Restaurants offer extras like breads, chips and other appetizers that add extra calories, sodium and fat but lack any nutritional benefit.
  • Some meals have portions that are enough for two or more people.
  • Many convenience foods and drinks are priced lower but packaged in larger sizes to sell more.

Clearing up the confusion.

Here are a couple of important definitions from the National Institutes of Health:

  • Portion is how much food you choose to eat at one time, whether in a restaurant, from a package or in your own kitchen. A portion is 100 percent under our control. Many foods that come as a single portion actually contain multiple servings.
  • Serving Size is the amount of food listed on a product’s Nutrition Facts label. So all of the nutritional values you see on the label are for the serving size the manufacturer suggests on the package.
    Once we understand the difference, it’s easier to determine how much to serve and easier to teach kids the difference between the two. Learn some suggested servings from each food groups you and your kids can eat at mealtime or between meals.

How can we eat and serve smaller portions?

  1. When cooking at home: Offer the proper “serving” to each member of the family, then put the extra food away. Save leftovers for another meal.
  2. When dining out:  Skip the appetizers and split a large salad or main dish with a friend.
  3. When ordering takeout at home: Eat one slice of pizza instead of two, and order a small instead of a medium to split among the family so the pieces are smaller.
  4. Watching movies at home or at the theatre:  Don’t eat while watching TV or a movie or when you’re on the computer. It’s harder to control how much you’re eating if you don’t pay attention to what you’re putting in your mouth, and when. At the movies, share a box of popcorn, and avoid the free-refill tubs and skip the candy.
  5. At snack time: Never eat straight from the bag or box. Measure out snacks, including fruits and veggies, into appropriate portion sizes before giving them to your kids.
  6. All the time: Tracking your calories helps you monitor your weight. It helps to know what the appropriate serving size is so you can correctly estimate the calories in your portions, especially if you dine out a lot. Using a food diary can help you pay closer attention to what you’re eating, how much and how often.

You may be surprised to learn these are serving sizes:

  • 1 slice of bread
  • ½ cup rice or pasta (cooked)
  • 1 small piece of fruit (super-large apples are 2+ servings)
  • 1 wedge of melon
  • ¾ cup fruit juice
  • =1 cup milk or yogurt
  • 2 oz. cheese (about the size of a domino)
  • 2-3 oz. meat, poultry or fish (this is about the size of a deck of cards)

Last Reviewed 2015

Last Updated: March 21, 2017

Article copyright © 2017 American Heart Association.

https://healthyforgood.heart.org/Eat-smart/Articles/Portion-Size-Versus-Serving-Size

Heart Rate Calculator

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For age-based heart rate calculator follow this link:

https://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy_living_tools_content.aspx?id=7

Additional Information:

Aerobic conditioning is the ability of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system to supply oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. It involves the ability to persist in activities, such as elliptical training, walking, jogging, and cycling. Improved aerobic endurance is associated with increased health and reduced risk of chronic disease, such as obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke.

To experience the health benefits of aerobic endurance training, you should participate in prolonged aerobic exercise (eventually reaching 20 to 60 minutes of continuous training) at an intensity (or level) that stimulates the aerobic system. Fortunately, if you are a beginner who has been inactive for a long time, you can start with 5 to 10 minutes of aerobic exercise and still get aerobic health benefits. The intensity of aerobic exercise (or how hard you work) is simple to determine if you know how to measure your heart rate and if you pay attention to how you feel during a workout.

Measuring Heart Rate

The measurement of heart rate, or pulse, is represented in beats per minute (bpm). To assess heart rate, place your fingertips on either the radial or carotid pulse site. If you choose to take your pulse at the carotid side, avoid putting heavy pressure on the carotid arteries because they contain receptors that sense increases in pressure and respond by slowing the heart rate.

To determine the number of beats per minute, take the pulse rate, counting the first pulse beat as zero, for 10 seconds and then multiply by six.

Target Heart Rate

The rate at which your heart beats during exercise can be used to assess how hard you are working. When performing light to moderate exercise, your heart rate increases as your work rate increases. This ensures that blood gets to the muscles so that they can get the oxygen and nutrients they need to continue working.

Being able to measure your heart rate allows you to determine aerobic exercise intensity by taking your pulse during the workout and comparing it to your target heart rate. A common method to determine your target heart rate is based on a percentage of your estimated maximum heart rate.  Use the link above to use the heart rate calculator.

Now that you know your target heart rate range, you can check your pulse at regular intervals (every 5 to 10 minutes) during the workout session and compare your exercise heart rate to your target heart rate. If your exercise heart rate is below the target range, increase your pace or effort slightly to achieve the proper intensity. If your exercise heart rate is above the target range, decrease your pace or effort slightly to remain with the range.

While this method is widely used in the fitness industry, it can be inaccurate for many people. Therefore, gauging intensity using a percentage of predicted maximum heart rate should be used along with another method to ensure appropriate exercise intensity. A commonsense method called perceived exertion should always be used in conjunction with other heart rate-monitoring methods. Perceived exertion is a technical description of simply paying attention to how you feel during a workout.

How Do You Feel During A Workout?

Exercising at an appropriate intensity should feel somewhat challenging, but it should also feel like you could continue on for a prolonged time period. If you are working at too easy of an intensity, you will still receive some health benefits but you will not experience the calorie-burning effect and the aerobic benefit that you would if you were working at an appropriate intensity. If you are working too hard, you won’t last very long because you will become extremely fatigued and run the risk of injuring yourself in the process.

A quick, easy way to evaluate intensity is to check your ability to breathe and talk. You should be able to breathe fairly comfortably and rhythmically throughout all phases of a workout to ensure a safe and comfortable level of exercise, especially if you’re just beginning an exercise program. You should also be able to talk continuously, completing short sentences with no problem. If you cannot carry on a conversation, you may be working too hard. While you should challenge yourself, use this gauge of monitoring your ability to talk continuously for 10 – 20 seconds as an effective guideline.

Heart Rate Training Zones

Another way to evaluate your aerobic exercise intensity is to compare how you feel to an established guide, such as a heart rate training zone. For our purposes and for new exercisers, training target zones can be thought of as a traffic light where the green, yellow, and red lights correspond to the intensity of exercise. That is, the green training zone represents an appropriate level of intensity (light to moderate exercise) that indicates “continue,” like a green traffic light. The yellow training zone indicates an intensity that is moderate to vigorous, and if performed for too long could result in fatigue. When training in the yellow zone (moderate to vigorous exercise), an exerciser should slow down or proceed with caution if the intensity feels too high, similar to the rules for a yellow traffic light. Lastly, exercising at a very vigorous pace or very high intensity reflects training in the red zone, which corresponds to a red traffic light, which means stop.

Exercise in the red zone may be harmful to beginners or people with health conditions and should be reserved for those who are experienced exercisers or under the care of a trained health professional.

Target Hear Rate Chart

The Best Sunscreens for 2017

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Consumer Reports just released their annual list of top sunscreens, with a few important reminders. The number on the bottle isn’t always accurate: Of the 58 lotions, sprays and sticks rated by Consumer Reports this year, 20 of them tested at less than half of the SPF listed on their label. For example, one sunscreen they tested was labeled SPF 30, but the UVB protection it actually provided was between 10 and 19.

There were some winners, though. Here are their top five sunscreens:

These are a few of the top-rated sunscreens, according to Consumer Reports.
  • La Roche-Posay, Anthelios 60 Melt-in Sunscreen Milk, $36
  • Equate, Sport Lotion SPF 50, $5
  • Pure, Sun Defense Disney Frozen Lotion SPF 50, $6
  • Coppertone, WaterBabies Lotion SPF 50, $12
  • Equate, Ultra Protection Lotion SPF 50, $8

If you can’t find one of the products listed above, Consumer Reports recommends using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 40. It should also contain ingredients like avobenzone rather than “natural” ingredients.

Looking for a sunscreen you can spray? Trader Joe’s Spray SPF 50+ received an excellent rating, along with Banana Boat SunComfort Clear UltraMist Spray and Equate Sport Continuous Spray SPF 30. Though there are a few things to keep in mind when using a sunscreen spray.

“You have to hold the nozzle close to your skin, and don’t spray the product into the wind. You often see parents running behind kids on the beach, spraying. That’s not an effective way to apply sunscreen,” Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research in the dermatology department at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City said, in the report.

You should also rub the sunscreen in after you spray it on — which some people don’t do.

Regardless of what kind of sunscreen you choose, follow these steps to avoid getting burnt:

  • Shake the bottle. This helps to distribute the ingredients throughout the bottle.
  • Apply sunscreen BEFORE you go outside. Aim for 15 to 30 minutes before.
  • Reapply every two hours. And whenever you get out of the water, no matter how much time has passed, or if an ingredient is water resistant.

Remember to apply sunscreen to often-forgotten parts of your body like your scalp, toes, ears and more. Wear a hat when you can!

For more information, check out the full story on Consumer Reports.

http://www.today.com/health/consumer-reports-reveals-best-sunscreens-buy-2017-t111677

Walking Most Popular

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Why is Walking the Most Popular Form of Exercise?

When it comes to simple ways to be healthy, walking is all the rage. Follow these tips getting started and learn more about fitness walking with the American Heart Association.

 sneakers
You can get active in lots of ways, but walking is one of the easiest! For most people, it’s safe, easy to stick with, and low- or no-cost. It doesn’t require any special skills or equipment. For such a simple activity, it has so many benefits.For every hour of brisk walking, life expectancy for some people may increase by two hours. Research has shown that walking at least 150 minutes a week can help you:

  • Reduce your risk of serious diseases like heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.
  • Improve your blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels.
  • Increase your energy and stamina.
  • Improve your mental and emotional well-being.
  • Boost bone strength and reduce your risk of osteoporosis.
  • Prevent weight gain.

If 150 minutes sounds like a lot, remember that even short 10-minute activity sessions can be added up over the week to reach this goal. And it’s easy to fit in 10 minutes of walking a few times a day.

Walking vs. Running

Did you know more Americans walk for fitness than run? Maybe you’re not that into running. Or maybe you’ve had an injury and can’t run anymore. Then just walk — every step counts. In fact, walking briskly can help your health as much as running, according to a 2013 research study.

How to walk for fitness

  • Gear up. All you need to get started are comfortable clothes and supportive shoes. Keep your cool by layering clothing, because exercise raises your body’s temperature. Shoes designed for walking or running are best, but not required. Just make sure you have a little wiggle room (about half an inch) between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. Avoid cotton socks because they retain moisture and can lead to blisters. (Who knew?!)
  • Easy does it. If you’re out of shape, begin with short distances. Start with a stroll that feels comfortable (perhaps 10-15 minutes) and gradually increase your time or distance. If it’s easier on your body and your schedule, stick with a couple of 10- to 20-minute walks a day instead of one long walk.
  • Focus on form. Keep your head lifted (no texting!), abs engaged and shoulders relaxed. Swing your arms naturally. Avoid carrying heavy items or hand weights because they can put extra stress on your elbows and shoulders – try a backpack instead. Stick to a comfortable, natural stride.
  • Breathe. If you can’t talk or catch your breath while walking, slow down. At first, forget about speed. Just get out there and walk!
  • Pick up the pace. To warm up, walk at an easy pace for the first several minutes. Then gradually increase your speed.
  • Add variety and challenge. Try brisk intervals. For example, walk one block fast, two blocks slow and repeat several times. Over time you’ll be able to add more fast intervals with shorter recovery periods. Walking hills or stairs is a great way to increase muscle tone and burn more calories.
  • Stretch. The end of your walk is a great time to stretch since your body is warmed up. Stretch your hamstrings, calves, chest, shoulders and back. Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
  • Track your progress. Fit walking into your schedule whenever you can. That may mean three 10-minute walks a day. When you can fit it in, longer walks will help you improve your stamina. Just remember your overall goal is at least 150 minutes each week.

https://healthyforgood.heart.org/move-more/articles/why-is-walking-the-most-popular-form-of-exercise

The Top 8 Healthy Food Trends for 2017

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HOW YOU CAN CAPITALIZE ON POPULARITY OF HEALTHY FOOD.
By Samantha Thorenson | June 2017 | Vendor Bylines

The first quarter of 2017 is over, and there have been some interesting healthy food trends. Useless carbs, sodium, gluten, and unhealthy trans-fats are top of the list of what’s off the menu. Our Pinterest boards are full of mouthwatering recipes enticing us to cook up a healthy storm. On the other hand, our Instagram feeds have been awash with colorful, delicious-looking dishes that are probably more pleasing to the eye than to the palate.

Healthy foods are recognized as the best way to avoid weight gain, obesity, and expensive procedures, such as plastic surgery and its alternatives required to reverse the effects.

So, what are the top healthy food trends in America today?

1. Low-Alcohol Cocktails

Today’s generation likes its alcohol less, lighter, and with more extras than previous generations. In fact, every year we see an increase in demand for alcohol-free cocktails, also known as mocktails.

2. Sea Veggies

Vegan cooking and vegetarian dishes have been all the rage in healthy food trends for the past few years. The veggie and vegan way of life is now adopting a new sub-sector with seaweed and other nautical greens gaining popularity. Chefs are already trying out new soup and sauce recipes and adding seaweed-derived salts and oils.

3. Ancient Grains

2013 was named “International Quinoa Year” by the UN, and for good reason. Quinoa is a wheat-free full-protein seed and awesome alternative to starchy grains.

In 2017, a few other ancient grains are finding their way onto top chef menus all over the country. Farro, sorghum, and teff are some of the ancient grains recognized for their high fiber and protein content.

4. Plant Waters

Fitness experts all over have been ditching commercial energy drinks for natural alternatives.

Maple water, coconut water, cucumber, artichoke, and cactus are being hailed as the best hydration beverages for the health-conscious fitness nut. They are lower in calories, contain natural sugars and no added sweeteners, and have much lower levels of sodium compared to energy drinks.

5. Probiotic Foods

As research extends in the role of gut health to overall health, fermented foods are fast gaining favor. They are natural probiotics that promote the gut ecosystem necessary for good bacteria to thrive. From 2014, there has been a 50 percent increase in the number of probiotics products and prebiotic supplements. Sales are at an all-time high and indications are they will continue to rise.

6. Anti-Inflammatories

Inflammation is a huge concern for the health conscious. One’s diet, lifestyle, and environment may bring on systemic inflammation. And this may lead to health issues, such as cardiovascular disease, acne, cancer, depression, and autoimmune conditions.

When it comes to foods and ingredients that fight inflammation, turmeric leads the pack. Animal proteins are great sources of healing amino acids and anti-inflammatory fats. Grains containing sorghum, millet, rice, amaranth, and quinoa are great for fighting inflammation.

7. Power Bowls

Bowl foods have been gaining popularity for the last few years, and the trend seems ready to grow further this year. Power combinations of whole grains, veggies, and protein look colorful and appetizing while also adding a powerful mix of vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients.

The trick is to be careful with or completely avoid the additives and flavorings, as these may mess up the healthy trends. Some salads have upwards of 1000 calories per serving, and power bowls could easily go the same route.

8. Biodynamic Food

Organic foods have been trending for the past few years, and now biodynamic foods are taking center stage.

This is a step up from organic foods. Wellness influencers are already talking about how the moon cycles influence crop and animal health. Biodynamic farming has been in practice since the 1920s and solid scientific research proves it produces healthier plants, better eggs, and more nutritious seeds.

 

 

https://www.foodnewsfeed.com/fsr/vendor-bylines/top-8-healthy-food-trends-2017

Indy Veg Fest

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Saturday, April 29th, 2017

12 noon – 7 PM

Pan Am Pavillion

201 S. Capitol Ave.

Indianapolis, IN

Indy VegFest is free and open to the public, and will include local food vendors, speakers, cooking demos, healthy living and eco-friendly vendors, non-profits, fitness classes, kids’ activities, and vegan food samples!

Claim your ticket to ensure eligibility for goody bags filled with free samples, magazines, and coupons, given to the first 250 people through the door. **One goodie bag per person, and per Eventbrite ticket. If you are bringing multiple people, each person must register separately through Eventbrite in order to receive a goody bag.**

Our event is FREE and open to ALL. Donations to help cover the costs of the event are welcomed through PayPal or at the door. Our expenses are considerable, so a contribution of any amount helps, and donations are tax-deductible. (Tax ID #36-4846853)

Be sure to RSVP to the 2017 Indy VegFest Facebook event for updates.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2017-indy-vegfest-tickets-30910628522