You have a built-in stress reliever, always free and always available: your breath. Fortunately most of the time you don’t need to think about breathing. With no conscious effort, your body keeps the oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH levels of your blood in balance by varying your breathing rate. However, you have the power to consciously control your breath when you want to, and learning to do so can be an incredible tool for health and wellbeing. For thousands of years, people have learned to control breathing for health and spiritual reasons. In the Indian yogic tradition, breath control is … [Read more...]
How to Tackle Hormonal Mood Swings
The word hormone comes from the Greek hormo, meaning to move forward. That’s appropriate because these powerful chemicals keep every part of the body working properly. Estrogen and progesterone, the primary female hormones, are essential for reproduction, growth, metabolism, and immune function. However, their constant fluctuation may also wreak havoc on the way many women feel. In an analysis of 41 published studies of women’s daily moods, more than half found a link between bad moods and menstruation. Moreover, women in the Penn Ovarian Aging Study reported an increase of depressive … [Read more...]
When to Prioritize Resistance and Aerobic Training to Fit Your Goals
Similar to the old “chicken or egg first” adage, deciding whether cardio or strength training comes first can be a real puzzle. And like any other fitness question, the answer is likely, “It depends.” If you’re crunched for time and need to get in a quick workout, you can prioritize your mode of exercise based on your goals. Once your goals are in place, shifting activities and doling out time to each is easier. Read on to learn more about strength and cardio timing to help decide what’s right for you. I Want To Be Fit If your goal is to maintain general fitness, weekly strength and … [Read more...]
Here’s How to Build an Upper Body that Does More than Look Great
Bodacious biceps and bolder shoulders dominate the discussion when it comes to upper body strength training. However, building a strong, powerful upper body does more than split sleeves and garner attention. With a solid upper body resistance-training plan, selling tickets to the gun show is the proverbial icing on the cake. But aesthetics aren’t the only reason you should strengthen your upper body. Check out the often overlooked health benefits of sculpting lean, mean muscle in your arms, shoulders, back, and chest. Benefits of upper body strength Improves posture Technology and jobs … [Read more...]
Eat and Drink Your Way to Clear, Healthy Skin
Skin disorders are nearly universal in residents of Western countries: Between 79 and 95 percent of American adolescents have acne, and 12 percent of women and 3 percent of men struggle with it into middle age. Rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis are also common. For a long time, dermatologists believed skin health had little to do with diet. Then researchers discovered nearly acne-free societies, including the Kitavan Islanders of Papua New Guinea, the Aché hunter-gatherers of Paraguay, and the Inuit prior to the 1950s. These cultures’ diets shared key characteristics: They … [Read more...]
Be in the Know: The Importance of Pharmacist Counseling
Chances are you’ve taken, or may sometime soon take, a prescription drug . Sixty percent of Americans take at least one, and 15 percent take five or more. It may be tempting to tune out when your pharmacist counsels you about your medications, but those few minutes could save your life. Approximately 1 million Americans are injured from medication errors in hospitals each year, and many more suffer from medication errors at home. Between 19 and 56 percent of patients make mistakes when they take their prescription drugs, according to a systematic review of studies. Fortunately, most … [Read more...]
The Science-Backed Reasons Red Wine Makes us Superhuman
We won’t go so far to suggest knocking back beer and nachos is a great health habit—but we can show you some science behind the health benefits of drinking wine—in moderation, of course. In 2014, Americans consumed 893 million gallons of wine; that’s about 2.8 gallons per person. (One bottle of wine is one-fifth of a gallon.) From heart health to cancer prevention and even weight control, there a number of studies that support the habit of a glass a day to keep the doctor away. Most of wine’s benefits stem from resveratrol, a type of plant compound with high levels of antioxidants called … [Read more...]
Win an Apple Watch Sport + More!
*The Giveaway is now closed - Thank you for entering!* Simply enter your email below to sign up for the Health Perch Newsletter and your name will automatically be entered to win a new Apple Watch Sport. Ten additional prizes of NorthWestPharmacy.com $50 store credits will also be awarded! If you are currently signed up for the Newsletter, your name is already entered to win and you do not need to complete the form below. This promotion starts on Sunday, May 8th and will end on Wednesday, May 27th. Subscribe to Health Perch and win * Indicates required fields Email Address … [Read more...]
The Gift of Life
Everything You Need to Know About Being an Organ Donor Did you know that for absolutely no cost to you or your family, you can make your very last living act life changing: You can give someone else the most important gift they will ever receive. We’re talking about becoming an organ donor. Despite the importance of organ donation, some people still have reservations about opting into the donation program. Read on to learn more about how you can help. We’ll also dispel some commonly stated hesitations. Organ Donor Statistics Organ donation statistics are staggering. In 2013, of the … [Read more...]
Prevent Hibernation Mode
How to Put the Brakes on Winter Weight Gain The winter poses unique obstacles for those leading a healthy lifestyle. It’s easy for many of us to go into hibernation, especially when the weather gets too cold to bear. By facing the obstacles, understanding why they can mess us up, and then implementing ways to either avoid or counteract the damage, we can all start spring without several extra pounds of weight gain. Where the Weight Gain Comes From Holiday food surrounds us It all starts in October: Halloween may seem like a kid holiday, but then adults started throwing Halloween … [Read more...]