Stress and different stressors, positive or negative ones, permeate nearly every moment of our lives. Certain levels of mental or physical stress create resilience, growth and development. Does this mean that stress is good? Yes, but there is a limit and that limit depends on an individual. Having too much stress and for long periods of time is what should be avoided, and this is what many of us are not able to always control successfully.

When compared to an omnivorous diet, a plant-based diet has shown to improve several important health markers, such as body mass index (BMI), cardiovascular and cognitive health, and decrease risks of cancer and diabetes. This sounds great, however, we need to look more closely into the studies to see what lies behind the term “omnivorous diet”, in order to have a better understanding when comparing these two types of diets.

Mugwort leaves have been integral to ancient healing practices around the world. In Traditional Chinese medicine Mugwort leaves have been used for digestive support, menstrual regulation, pain, inflammation, and as a calming agent.

Plant-based products, and especially plant-based meat alternatives, have oils added to meet the fat content that an animal product would naturally have. Due to their low cost, refined vegetable oils are mostly used, such as soybean, corn and canola oil. In the process of extraction chemical solvents are used and oil is often exposed to heat which causes oxidation and damage. So, how healthy are such foods really?

Depression affects millions of people worldwide and can interfere with mood, sleep, motivation, dietary and eating habits, energy levels and other biological functions, depending on the severity and the individual. It’s important to know that anyone at any time can feel “low”, however, that does not necessarily mean that we are depressed.

Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin, and one of the eight B vitamins. It has an important role in our healthy metabolism and immunity, as well as during development in pregnancy and childhood. The biologically active form of vitamin B6, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) is responsible for more than 100 biochemical reactions in our body, making vitamin B6 an essential nutrient.

Mindfulness means to be aware and present in the moment, which today with our busy lives and so many distractions seems very difficult to achieve. For many, we are simply drifting through life, and we find ourselves most of the time being on autopilot. If you would like to change that, and become more aware of your senses, I suggest starting here.

Amla is a type of fruit that grows on the tree of the same name. It is considered as one of the main herbs in Ayurvedic medicine, and modern research sees it as one of the most antioxidant rich foods available. This means that amla has several health properties, from which even the healthiest among us can still benefit.

Modern medicine has an integral part in our health and life, however, we should have an approach to it “in case of emergency break glass”. This means that looking after ourselves and our health should be our primary responsibility, which is where many foods, such as herbs and spices can make a significant difference.

As we get more consistent with exercising, and movement in general, it would be good to know our current physical ability, so we can track our progress and also prevent injuries. To do this correctly, we need to know our resting heart rate, maximum heart rate and heart rate recovery.

Food additives such as artificial food colours and intense sweeteners might be one of the causes of conditions such as gut permeability, IBS and hyperactivity in children. This means that it would be perhaps best to avoid them. However, with nearly 60% of foods found in a supermarket being processed or ultra-processed, this is rather difficult.

In the first part in the series, we talked about the connection between a binge eating disorder and insulin resistance, poor sleep, infertility and several other health issues. Today, we’ll discuss in more detail about kidney and liver health, malnutrition, anxiety, depression and even a higher risk of suicide in individuals with a binge eating disorder.