Health Tips

Health Tips from Down to Earth Organic and Natural.

Great Tips for Making Your New Year Healthy

The beginning of the year is a great time to start making positive changes to your health. If you are at a loss of where to begin, we have some healthy suggestions that will put you on the right track for the coming year.

Natural Sweeteners for the Smart Shopper

Photo: Stevia Sweetener

What do you do when you want something sweet but don’t want to suffer the ill effects of sugar or artificial sweeteners? Oftentimes, a diabetic’s biggest challenge is finding a safe and suitable sweetener to satisfy their sweet tooth. But this search for healthy sweeteners doesn’t apply to diabetics alone. With the rise in popularity of Atkins-type low-carb diets, diabetics are not the only people searching for great-tasting, low-calorie, natural sweeteners. November’s health tip takes a closer look at two such natural sweeteners.

Stay Healthy in an Emergency with Natural First-Aid

Photo: Elderberry

Natural remedies can help you in a pinch. While they are not a substitute for a regular first aid kit, they are a great addition.

Here are some remedies that are helpful to have on hand:

  • Calendula homeopathic gel is awesome on burns, cuts and scratches. It relieves pain almost instantly and helps prevent infection.

Make the Most of Your Natural Beauty

Photo: Two girls drinking juice and laughing

Natural beauty starts from the inside out. It comes from taking care of your body as a temple and living in harmony with nature. The first step is to take a look at the lifestyle factors involved in achieving a healthy body and radiant skin. A balanced natural foods diet and a healthy lifestyle are the keys to beauty and vitality. A radiant complexion is in reflection of our body's inner health. Here are some ways you can nourish your body and enhance your beauty.

Natural Mosquito Repellents

Mosquito season is in full swing, and Down to Earth wants you to remain bite-free, naturally. There are countless bug repellents on the market today, but the majority of them contain harmful insecticides such as DEET.

The Misnomer of Alcohol

In the light of recent studies about the ill health-effects due to drinking alcohol, it is important to take consideration of one’s choices. Studies by the International Agency for Cancer Research link alcohol consumption with an increased risk of cancer – noting repercussions with as little as one drink per day.

Legumes May Lower Your Risk for Diabetes: New Study Reveals

According to a January 2008 article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, there are over 20 million people with diabetes in the U.S., equal to seven percent of the population. A recent study by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Shanghai Cancer Institute, suggests that an increased intake of legumes like peanuts and soybeans could reduce the risk of developing Type-2 diabetes by over 40 percent. This is great news for people who have Type-2 diabetes or are in danger of developing it as legumes are a simple and delicious addition to any diet.

Maintaining Your Ideal Weight with a Vegetarian Diet

A low-fat, vegetarian diet is a great step toward arriving at and maintaining a healthy weight. If your meals are always abundant in fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains, it is easy to avoid excess fat.

Emerging From the Holiday Health Rut

We wrote about healthy “holiday” eating in the November/December issue, so we thought to get you ready for January. If you are like most health-conscious people after the holiday feasting, you probably want to get back on track in terms of your daily diet.

Healthy Holiday Cooking

The holidays are just around the corner, and as we all know, along with the festivities usually come enough sweet and savory goodies to last the whole year. This can spell trouble and temptation for those watching their diets, but don’t worry – it’s not necessary to completely abstain from eating your favorite dishes. With just a few substitutions, you can turn a fat and sugar-laden holiday season into a tasty and healthy one. Below are a few suggestions to use in your cooking. Try any combination of them and use your imagination to create tasty holiday treats!