There is an abundance of information available on the Web about the nutrition facts of certain foods. But when it comes to finding correct nutritional information on the Internet, finding a trusted source is key.

One place to find accurate and insightful information about food and nutrition is NutritionData.self.com. Here you can find a wealth of information about almost any type of food as well as a number of tools to help you hone in our diet and overall consumption needs.

A Wealth of Nutritious Data

After being acquired by the Self magazine (or Self.com) in 2010, NutritionData.com became NutritionData.Self.com. The website has retained the same features as before, however now the site provides resources that anyone health-conscious can appreciate.

Know What You Eat

One of the greatest features of the website is its database of food profiles. For example, we searched the site for “blueberries,” and not only did we receive results on simply raw blueberries, but also nutrition data on 48 other forms of blueberries, including frozen blueberries, canned blueberries in heavy syrup, and blueberry baby food.

Even more interesting about NutritionData.Self.com are the tools available on each food profile page. Users are shown a standardized “Nutrition Facts” box that contains all the information on a typical product label.

In addition, each profile has a “Nutritional Target Map” that shows the fullness factor and rating of nutrition for a given food. Also shown is a “Caloric Ratio Pyramid” that offers a visual perspective of the types of calories in the food. These tools are highly advantageous for those looking to fine-tune their diet or simply learn the composition of certain foods.

Know What You Need

The “Daily Needs Calculator” on NutritionData.Self.com offers an estimate of how many calories an individual needs in a day based on their physical composition and lifestyle. In short, the estimate given by the calculator helps dieters determine how many calories they need to cut to start losing weight.

The Daily Needs Calculator takes into account an individual's BMI (Body Mass Index) to estimate his or her daily caloric needs. Because BMI is simply a calculation of one’s height and weight, it doesn’t take into account metabolism or other internal factors that influence calorie burn. As a result, the “Daily Needs Calculator” should be used a general insight and not so much as a specific benchmark to fend off weight gain.

Stay on Track

There are many other features available at NutritionData.Self.com to help you stay on track with your diet. The site offers a tool to analyze recipes based on ingredients as well as resources to find foods that promote better health for certain ailments.

Whether searching for dieting insights or researching the composition of certain foods, we hope you appreciate NutritionData.Self.com as much as we do here at the Health n’ Wellness Blog.

The raw food diet has become an increasingly popular choice for many people seeking a more healthy and nutritious way to eat. Those that follow a raw food diet usually consume no less than 75% of their diet from uncooked and unprocessed plant-based foods, which typically consist of fresh fruits, whole grains, fresh vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Theories of a Raw Food Diet

Raw food theorists believe that cooking food over 118 degrees Fahrenheit actually destroys key natural enzymes that our body needs. The enzymes found in food can aid with the digestion, absorption, and processing of essential nutrients. However, without proper absorption of nutrients, a person's health can degrade while toxins begin to build up.

Eating a diet consisting of raw foods can greatly increase the quantity of enzymes necessary for proper digestion, while enabling more vitamins and minerals to be available for absorption. The higher concentration of nutrients that come from natural raw foods is believed to prevent disease, increase energy, slow the process of aging, and promote optimal health.

Raw Food Diet Benefits

Following a raw food diet has distinctive benefits that can now be supported by scientific research. According to a study in The Journal of Nutrition, eating a raw food diet long-term can significantly lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood cholesterol, and triglycerides. The study also revealed that people who follow a raw food diet usually have a low body mass index (BMI), low levels of C-reactive protein, and high Vitamin D levels.

C-reactive protein is known as an inflammatory molecule that has been linked with the high risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. This means having lower levels of this protein can significantly reduce these risks. Additionally, higher Vitamin D levels are important, because it assists in strengthening bones as well as influences our mood and emotions.

The Impact of Cooking Food

Cooking food at high Fahrenheit levels can be extremely carcinogenic. Overtime, eating highly cooked and processed foods can lead to deficiencies of key nutrients, which usually results in major health issues like heart disease, cancer, and degenerative diseases.

If you eat too much over-cooked, microwaved, and processed foods, the colon faces excess strain resulting in a great risk of colon cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and many other degenerative diseases. Cooking food does alter the natural composition of substance (and thus making it more palatable in some cases,) but also destroys its essential nutritional value.

Side Effects of a Raw Food Diet

When starting a raw food diet you may experience a few side effects. For some people, these side effects can deter an individual from continuing the diet. However with patience, these side effects will definitely subside and the feeling of optimal health will soon set in. The most common side effects experienced from a raw food diet are:

Fatigue

You may feel extremely tired and worn out. As your body adapts to the diet this does go away.

Irritability

Many of the toxins that you ingest are very addictive. Flushing these toxins out can cause the body to go into a minor form of withdrawal, which often causes irritability.

Headaches

Headaches are most common to occur during the first week of a raw food diet. This is the brain’s way of coping with the detoxifying process.   

Runny Nose & Gas

When you are flushing toxins from your body, the toxins may release themselves in the way of a running nose or gas. These side effects do fade with time.

Detoxify By Going Raw

A raw food diet can be a very effective way to detoxify the body, by assisting it to get rid of harmful toxins that can accumulate from a diet high of processed foods. Eating food in a healthy and nutritious way with the aid of a raw food diet will certainly continue to attract health-conscious people throughout the world.

As we live our busy lives, we often need to find a form of exercise that will help us un-wind. One of the most rejuvenating and good-health promoting activities is Yoga. 

Yoga is a perfect retreat for relaxation as well as physical benefit. By practicing yoga for health and relaxation, you are engaging technique to optimize your time and physical benefits while enjoying the mental and emotional relaxation that practicing yoga provides.

Better Self-Awareness Through Yoga

When practicing yoga for health benefits, you may realize many things about yourself, such as your degree of flexibility and strength. This may help you better understand bodily issues that you can focus and improve upon.

Also a self-awareness aspect of Yoga derives from the deep breathing involved with the practice. Beginner yogis can immediately start unlocking a much greater lung capacity upon a commencing a consistent Yoga practice.  More breathing means your body will better oxygenated, helping to nourish every cell in the body.

Yoga in Many Forms

There are many different styles or forms of Yoga. When deciding on the style of Yoga, it is important take into consideration what your ultimate goals are from your practice.

Some forms of Yoga are more relaxing and breathing intensive, such as Hatha or Restorative Yoga. On the other hand, some styles of Yoga are more aerobic with more movements and postural transitions, such as Vinyasa.

If you are getting into Yoga for health reasons, then the outlets may seem vast and overwhelming. You will want to talk to an experienced Yoga instructor about the various options. In addition, there are a number of different Yoga resources online that can help lead you in the right direction.

Whether you seeking ways to alleviate stress in your life, or simply want to explore a new road to better strength and flexibility, Yoga can be a solution for many things in life.

Meditation has been practiced for centuries for its innumerable values. Meditation is the consider one of the easiest and safest methods to stabilize one's emotional, mental and physical state.

There are endless health benefits of meditation. Many doctors are recommending meditation to treat various stress-related sicknesses, such as trauma, insomnia, and anxiety.

One of the most significant health benefits of meditation is to release stress from the body. Regular meditation leads to an intense relaxation and deliberation.

If you want to experience life without constant worries, pressures and stress then start practicing meditation. This is going to offer you peaceful, happy, calm and relaxed way of life.

Meditate Toward Better Health

If you can spend as less as ten minutes in a day for meditation, it will help you in alleviating stress. Here are some more health benefits of meditation:

1. Meditation helps in lowering blood lactate levels, thus reduces the chances of anxiety attacks
2. Meditation can help in building self confidence.
3. Meditation can increase the level of serotonin which controls moods and behavior.
4. Meditation enhances your energy level, strength and vigor.
5. Meditation helps in controlling blood pressure.
6. Meditation is useful in managing stress and tensions.
7. Meditation gives the feeling of deep relaxation and well being.
8. Meditation helps in increasing concentration.
9. Meditation is a tool in strengthening the mind.
10. Meditation can lower the chances of heart diseases.

If you get into regular practice of meditation, you will soon start feeling much calmer and controlled. You will be able to concentrate greatly on many different things. When you do meditation instead of getting panic about any unexpected happenings, you will be able to handle the situation peacefully and wisely.

A consistent meditation practice can help you avoid being irritated by the small things in life. So with meditation you can enjoy every moment of your life with more happiness and better health and wellness.

It’s that time of the year when you want a break from your routines. You are in a festive mood, and with a little vacation time, it’s difficult to maintain discipline. And with all the holiday temptations, finding time to exercise is even more essential.

How can you make the most of your healthy endeavors during the busy holiday season?

It is important to understand and accept that the holiday season makes it hard to stick to healthy food and a regular exercise program. While it is hard, it is definitely not impossible to find discipline and techniques to stay in shape and choose healthy food options wherever possible.

Below are 6 tips for a healthier holiday season

1. Combine exercise with family time on a holiday vacations. Go on a backpacking trip, skiing, sledding trip, or some kind of fun thing which involves physical activity with the family. Aside from exercise, your family gets quality time together with loved ones.
2. Bring to mind that poster or image of your favorite celebrity or aspiring icon whose sexy body that you dream to possess. Each time you see unhealthy foods, this will be a conscious reminder to stop yourself from going overboard.
3. Make few adjustments and find alternative physical activities to keep you fit. For example, The day you find yourself making excuses of avoiding your routine workouts, get creative with an at home exercise plan. You could do some jogging around the house, do stretching exercises or yoga, crunches and push-ups, or use a fitness DVD to do guided workouts to help you through.
4. If you go shopping, make a plan to walk as much as possible. This includes taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and parking your car far from the exit of the mall.
5. High sugar and high fat temptations will present themselves at almost every holiday season party. Consciously say aloud “no” each time you try to reach out for second helpings. This can help you fend off holiday weight gain.
6. Getting up an hour earlier than usual to exercise or go running is a great idea during the holiday season. Not only will this help you ignite your metabolism, but the feeling of an early morning accomplishment can leave your feeling great all day.

The busy holiday season is bound to be fought with temptations. There may be a slip between the lip and the mind, but don’t beat yourself up over it. It is alright to allow yourself to ‘cheat’ at times when you get a little slack. However what is most important is to have the right attitude towards your health, your diet, and your exercise program.

Do not give up if you falter on your diet or exercise temporarily. Stay positive. Be aware that if you do fall off the exercise bandwagon, there's no reason not to climb back aboard once your holidays are over.

If you suffer from chronic pain and are looking for relief, you may want to consider Somatics for healing. Somatics is a field of study that deals with the individual from the inside. For this, self awareness is a very important part of Somatics.

Somatics is a gentle, easy form of voluntary movements that can be done in 5 to 10 minutes each day. These are very simple movements that are similar to stretching, but are more breathing intensive and focus on the internal sensation one feels through different movements and postures.

A Bit About Somatics

Somatics for healing the body involves sensory motor training that relieves stress and reduces pain. It also encourages healing of many types of injuries. The sensory motor capacities of the body are at the core to Somatics. Our sensory motor functions can be controlled by learning a conscious voluntary way of movement, coupled with sensory awareness. Our reflexes are both sensory and motive but, in many cases, they have become involuntary. We automatically react to the stimulus, and that is an involuntary reaction. The goal of Somatics for healing is to teach us to be aware of and in control of our movement by voluntarily responding to our own sensory functions. As a result, we can achieve greater posture, health and well being.

Benefits of Somatics

A host of conditions are improved by Somatics. Engaging in Somatics for healing will give your body optimal flexibility and improved balance which, in of its self, is a major boost to your well being. In addition, Somatics can provide relief from pain caused by conditions such as stress, arthritis, brusitus, planter fasciitis, pulled tendons, sciatica, carpel tunnel syndrome and many other painful conditions.

Some of the other fantastic benefits of practicing Somatics for healing the body are the improvements found in breathing, better joint flexibility, and greater range of motion. Overall, this helps facilitate better posture which enables your body to function more efficiently. One may also find increased strength and coordination is also part of the great results of reconditioning your muscle control.

Discovering Somatics

The exercises of Somatics are based entirely on conventional neurophysiology. The movements are fun, smooth and easy to learn. There are classes available where you can learn and practice Somatics, or you can have individual lessons. If you would rather learn in the comfort of your own home, there are videos to be purchased that will take you through each movement step by step. Whichever way you choose to learn Somatics for healing, you will be retraining your muscles and mind to work together in a way that will provide optimal results.

If you suffer from chronic headaches, neck and shoulder pain, back pain, sciatica, tension and stress or any other similar conditions, it is worth your time to educate yourself about this unique practice that can and will provide so many benefits to your overall health and well being.

In Africa, small villages would utilized smoke signals to warn neighboring tribes to keep their distance when they were plagued with dangerous virus or disease. In some situations, instructions for treatment were sent to them through these signals. The concept of telemedicine was established in a similar manner.

Today, telemedicine is the treatment of diseases and ailments by use of interactive audio and visual sources. In other words, it is a practice of sending medical related processed data through the Internet or video message distribution technology.

Advantages of Telemedicine

Telemedicine is not a new concept, however it has developed remarkably due to the development of technology. It is one of the best solutions to receive treatment at relatively low cost, especially when doctors are not accessible. It helps sustain the greater health and wellness of individuals by using computers, mobile phones, televisions and monitors.

Telemedicine offers extraordinary convenience for individuals in need of remote medical attention. A patient may visit a healthcare website to make an appointment; here cameras are used to see the doctors virtually. In this manner, people are able to get the best solution of your medical problem by world renowned doctors at lesser expense. By not having to visit a doctor personally, plenty of time and money can be saved.

There are many forms of telemedicine that are practiced medical professionals. Learn more about each below.

Store and Forward 

In Store and Forward Telemedicine, medical information is collected about a patient, and then sent to certain doctors. Here both the doctors and the patient do not require meeting, but scanned copy of patient’s medical record is attached. This enables the doctor to review the case without having to be present with the patient.

Remote Monitoring

Remote monitoring is the most practical type of telemedicine. In this method, a doctor has monitoring device, typically mobile, that is remotely connected to the patient’s computer. This type is most effective in treatment of chronic diseases and some particular heart related problems. It can provide many advantages over traditional treatment, such as lower cost and time savings. Here doctors can monitor and issue modifications as needed to ensure the patient is progressing.

Interactive Telemedicine

The third and more widely use of telemedicine is called interactive telemedicine. This type provides real time contact between doctor and patient. Latest technological innovations like mobile devices, Internet, and satellite video conferencing are utilized in this method.

Furthermore, this is enhanced by the latest innovations. Patients have the facility to ask different questions related to their problems for better treatment. This is also one of the reasons for its success as live interaction facility is available.

Telemedicine is also helpful for health education. For instance, in such areas where there are no facilities for diabetes is available, this method can provide a great guidance in this regard. Telemedicine is transforming how we hold and conduct doctor-patient relations, and will continue to progress with the advancements in technology.

Stress is an ever-present human challenge, but you can take better control your responses and learn how to cope with stress every day.

At the Health n’ Wellness Blog, our preliminary tip to manage stress is to keep a journal. Here you can record what induces your stress and how you react to certain “stressors.” Once you have a clear and honest perspective on what is causing your sense of unease, you can take the necessary steps to avoid these situations or better cope with them when they do arise.

Below we outline 3 tips to manage stress. Each tip can help you get one step closer to better stress management

Time Management

Feeling pressured for time is very stressful. The key to time management is prioritization and planning. Determine the things you have to do and those that you want to do, then plan them out accordingly so you can better manage your time. This helps you decide which matters are urgent and which can wait. Good time management often leaves you ample time to enjoy doing what you love and lessens stress relative to time pressure.

Lifestyle Modification

Lifestyle-related behaviors and diseases are often caused by stress. The way you choose to live your life may not directly be the cause of stress, but it can affect how your body copes with it.

Balance

Work and life balance is not easy to achieve, but you can try to see how you're spending your time. You may discover that there are some things you don't have to do, which gives you time to allot for other more important things in your life.

Purpose

Work is an important aspect of your life but you have to put it in the right perspective. You work to live, not live to work. Find more meaning in your life by connecting with other people in your community, family and friends.

Rest, Healthy Habits and Exercise

The physical stresses encountered by your body on a daily basis take a toll on your health. The body recovers from stress with enough sleep and rest. Counter stress by adopting a healthy diet and exercising. Limit alcohol and cut back or totally eliminate smoking. You may not feel it right away but these two negative habits add stress to the body.

Support

Finding support from family, friends and your community makes a difference in how you cope with stress. It means gaining the love and trust of other people which opens up a well of benefits that can reduce the impact of stressful situations. You can gain support from:

• Family, friends and co-workers
• Professional counselors
• A spiritual adviser
• Stress management classes
• Organized support groups

Stress can be caused by many factors and people react to it in varied ways. There are times when stress cannot be avoided but you can learn how to cope with stress and lessen it enough to regain your sense of control. To learn more about how to cope with stress specifically at work, check out this good article from Mayo Clinic.