health

I’ve always had a compulsion to rid my closet of excess materials–clothing that has never been worn, books that have never been read, and papers that don’t provide any value – emotional, informational, or otherwise. While friends and family continued to collect clutter, I remained baffled at how they could sleep at night with messy bedrooms, kitchen cupboards so full they couldn't close, and desk drawers stuffed with random gadgets and trinkets that would never be touched again. Over the years, I believed myself to be the odd one out, forever plagued with a compulsion to clean.

The word “dopamine” gets thrown around a lot these days, especially with the rise of mental illness. After experiencing some depression myself, I decided to do some research on the science behind this neurotransmitter and some ways we can keep our levels in check. 

Dopamine deficiency is often classified as feeling unmotivated. You’re not necessarily sad, you just don’t feel as excited about things as you used to, maybe even a little bit numb. 

The gut seems to be the next hot topic, with prebiotics, probiotics, and gut health as innocuous as talk about the weather.

When you first start going to the gym, it may seem like absolutely everything poses a challenge. However, over time, those workouts tend to get a bit easier. Then, at some point, you’ll have to stop, and ask yourself—has my workout gotten too easy for me? Every person who goes to the gym wants to see results. So, you’ll have to figure out if your current workout is still helping you move toward your goals—and if not, switch it up and intensify things. Here's what to ask yourself.

Buying a gift for a man can often be difficult, especially when that man is your dad and you’re tired of buying him a tie each year. With Father’s Day right around the corner, however, you might be stressing about what to give, outside of the time you can hopefully spend with him. Here are 6 holistically minded Father’s Day gifts that might be received a little more enthusiastically than the same old tie or baseball hat–and with the added benefit of health.

You likely learned about zinc – a type of metal – in chemistry class when you memorized the periodic table. Or maybe you have slathered on some thick, white sunscreen with zinc oxide in it? (Zinka sunscreen was all the rage in my middle school!) Perhaps you reach for a zinc supplement when you feel a cold or flu coming on?

Raw dairy, sprouted bread, cooked vegetables and organ meats might not seem like trending cuisines, but traditionally prepared foods are making a comeback, in part thanks to knowledgeable researchers and scientists. Catherine Shanahan, M.D., is one such researcher.

Do you wake up every morning feeling fresh and rejuvenated? Is your mind clear and skin glowing? If not, you may be experiencing the accumulation of Ama in the body. A body free from Ama feels light and generally enthusiastic about life and has a pink tongue and blemish-free complexion.

Okay—so I recently started doing jujitsu, and regardless of the challenges I’ve faced—I’m hooked! But why? Jujitsu, also sometimes known as “the gentle art,” is more than just an ancient Japanese grappling style -- it is a life-altering practice that can truly heighten a person physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. Read on to find out more about the martial art of Jujitsu, and its benefits for the mind, body, soul and spirit.

Whether it’s a 9-to-5 desk job or a home office, we all find reasons to trash what we do. But research now points to the fact that work makes you happy and being aimless can actually make our brains dull and us depressed! So why exactly is working good for us? Because it keeps our brains, bodies, and bank balances happy and active. As humans, we need to be in a state of busyness, or even business! Work gives us an opportunity to shine, to earn (be it money or goodwill) and to be happy with our achievements.