The green smoothie prescription | Susan Boutenko

Dr. Victoria Boutenko is an inventor, researcher, and teacher of classes on healthy living and raw foods. She is also the author of The Green Smoothie Prescription.

Dr. Boutenko was always interested in human health. She discovered raw food as an alternative to the standard American diet and began researching how to consume greens in a more palatable way. After all, the benefits of consuming these greens were clear. She saw an improvement in her skin, nails, and energy level. The scientific proof of its results are included in her new book.

She explains that smoothies and juices are different. While juices are just as nutritious, smoothies are easier to prepare because the process takes only two to three minutes. Also, the fiber and antioxidants in smoothies allow them to stay fresh for up to three days in the fridge. This fiber also doesn’t allow the sweet juices from apples or pears to be absorbed too fast by the body. This is how consuming green smoothies can normalize one’s blood sugar. The magnesium included also helps to heal the pancreas, lower sugar, and reduce insulin resistance. This is another reason why green smoothies are a great option for people who have diabetes.

Some of the main essential nutrients in green smoothies include magnesium, which allows bones to be flexible and dense. Green leaves are almost the only source of magnesium. A lack of magnesium can lead to diabetes, depression, and heart disease. Potassium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C are other essential nutrients found in green smoothies.

With green smoothies, the food is the medicine. Consuming such a nutrient dense food will provide your body with all that it needs, which will allow you to eat less food and possibly lose weight. Foraging for greens can also allow you to save money, enjoy your environment, and get some exercise. To learn more, visit www.rawfamily.com.

The Green Smoothie Prescription contains great smoothie recipes that address certain conditions and improve your health.

The end of heart disease | Dr. Joel Fuhrman

The menopause solution | Dr. Stephanie Faubion

Dr. Stephanie Faubion is the Director of the Women’s Health Clinic in the Department of Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic. She is one of the country’s leading experts on menopause and is knowledgeable about bone and joint health. She is also the author of The Menopause Solution.

The Menopause Solution, is meant as a guide for women during menopause to help them be healthier for the rest of their lives. Women are living longer than ever before. In 1900, women did not live past age 50 and rarely dealt with menopause. Now, the average lifespan of a woman is approaching age 90, so menopause is something that most women will go through and live many years beyond.

In order to get a head start on menopause, Dr. Faubion explains that women need to be informed about what’s happening to their bodies and what they can do about it. By focusing on fitness, their overall quality of life will be better. Other areas of concern include sleep and stress management. Successfully managing both areas is key in the prevention of long-term diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

Joint health is another important topic for post-menopausal women. Around the midpoint in their lives, women will experience more joint pain. Many women will start to develop arthritis after menopause. Dr. Faubion recommends that women recognize when they have pain, examine what triggered it, and stay tuned into their bodies.

Bone health is another area of concern. Many women are seeing bone loss around the age of menopause. This correlates with a loss of estrogen. In fact, women will experience the most bone loss of their lives within the first five years of menopause. To prevent bone loss, women should adopt a proper diet complete while maintaining a sufficient calcium intake. Resistance training and getting enough Vitamin D are also helpful in minimizing bone loss.

Be sure to check out The Menopause Solution to learn more about bone and joint health post-menopause. To connect with Dr. Stephanie Faubion, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/.

The estrogen window | Mache Seibel

The gut health diet plan | Dr. Christine Bailey

Dr. Christine Bailey is a qualified nutritionist and health consultant. She is a leading gut health expert and the author of The Diet Gut Health Plan.

Dr. Bailey explains that irritable bowel syndrome affects many people, yet it’s not actually a diagnosis, but more a collection of symptoms. In fact, 10 to 20% of the population will have these symptoms, which can include bloating, abdominal pain, cramping, and alternating diarrhea and constipation. These symptoms express an imbalance in the gut and immune system. To find a solution, you must first find the trigger. For some, these issues can be caused by foods to which the body has an immune reaction. Other times, they may be caused by an overgrowth of bacteria, yeasts, or parasites in the small or large intestine. Other causes can include an imbalance in the gut microbiome, stress, or medications. It’s not always easy to find the triggers.

Dr. Bailey recommends the “R” approach to help repair the gut. The first step involves removing any triggers with the help of gastroenterologist or a process of elimination. The second step includes replacement of vital nutrients such as zinc, which can tend to be low, yet are vital for digestive health. The third step is to repopulate the gut with beneficial bacteria and yeast, usually through eating fermented foods. The fourth step is to repair the gut lining, as a leaky gut may be more prone to long-term or autoimmune conditions. The fifth step is a rebalance. This involves resetting our perception, mood, anxiety, and stress levels, which can impact not only our gut health, but our overall health.

The Diet Gut Health Plan also includes unique recipes, which have different flavorings. Those who have bacterial overgrowth may have to eliminate cellular foods, which includes onion and garlic. These new recipes provide an alternative to other bland offerings, yet they also aid in the digestion process.

To connect with Dr. Christine Bailey or learn more about The Diet Gut Health Plan, visit her website at www.christinebailey.co.uk.

Get a happy gut | Dr. Vincent Pedre

Warrior | Theresa Larsen

Theresa Larson is a doctor of physical therapy and the founder of Movement Rx. She has been a lieutenant in the Marines and also battled an eating disorder. She is the author of a new book entitled Warrior.

Theresa grew up in a single-parent household after her mother passed away when she was 10 years old. After her mother’s death, Theresa became shy outside of her family environment. To counteract this, she threw herself into sports such as basketball, softball, and cross country. She did well and gained local recognition. Though Theresa was feeding off this sense of accomplishment, she was very lonely. She put constant pressure on herself to be the best. The pressure continued to build as she went to Villanova University on a college scholarship and participated in ROTC. She felt the need to perform, be noticed, and serve as an example.

Theresa joined the Marines and was a new platoon leader at the age of 22. This was intense time filled with great responsibility. Though much was out of her control, she began to exercise control through her abuse of food. Theresa had developed bulimia. After all, Theresa had a mindset of perfection. She defined fitness as how she looked, how fast she ran, and how many pull-ups she could do. Eventually, she could no longer maintain this control and feared she may put one of her Marines in danger, so she reached out for help.

Today, Theresa appreciates what her body can do. She rarely weighs herself and does not compare herself to others. She believes that a true warrior is one who asks for help when he or she needs it. When Theresa took that step, she started to grow and change.

During a struggle, one is often reluctant to reach out for help, yet this is actually the strongest, bravest thing you can do. Theresa conquered her eating disorder and through the process learned that you do not have to go through life alone in your struggles. To connect with Theresa Larson or order her book, Warrior, visit www.drtheresalarson.com.

Why can't I stop? | Dr. Bruce Odlaug

Life on purpose | Dr. Victor Stretcher

Dr. Victor Strecher is a professor and director for innovation and social entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. He has published over 100 articles in scientific journals and is the author of Life on Purpose.

Dr. Strecher explains that purpose is a concept that has existed for thousands of years. The concept was actually refined by Aristotle 2400 years ago, when he conveyed that alignment with one’s true inner self gives deeper happiness. In last 10 years, there has been great research around this. Studies have shown that those with a strong purpose in their lives are less likely to develop a heart attack, stroke, or Alzheimer’s. They are also likely to live longer.

To find one’s purpose, Dr. Strecher explains there are six steps:

1. Think about your core values. Do they include kindness, expertise, relationships, or security? Find what you value the most and operationalize those values.
2. Assign a purpose/goal to your values.
3. Think of the domains where the values can be applied.   Family purpose or community are several examples.
4. Perform a headstone test. Imagine yourself dead tomorrow. What would you want to appear on the headstone? This provides an interesting contrast to life.
5. Try on new purposes. If they don’t work, replace them. Keep trying different ones until you find the right fit.
6. Once you find the purpose that fits, articulate it to the public.

Purpose takes more energy and willpower every day. To allow yourself more of this energy and willpower, Dr. Strecher explains we need more SPACE, or sleep, presence, activity, creativity, and eating. Maintaining a level of glucose will help with this. Love and kindness meditation may also help to give greater purpose and transcend your own ego and defensiveness.

Dr. Strecher’s book, Life on Purpose, is now available for purpose through Amazon or independent bookstores. Dr. Strecher also created a free On Purpose app, where you can get instructions on how to live in alignment with greater purpose. You can find the On Purpose app here.

How to be here | Rob Bell

8 keys to mental health through exercise | Dr. Christina Hibbert

Dr. Christina Hibbert is a clinical psychologist, former fitness instructor, dynamic speaker, and author of 8 Keys to Mental Health Through Exercise.

Dr. Hibbert explains that 1 in 4 American adults experience mental illness in any given year. Mental illness will affect most of us at some point in our lives and it becomes more likely as we age. This is largely because there are three components to mental health, including life experiences, brain chemistry, and physiological states including hormones. Any trauma, heartache, or loss can impact and change our brain. Over time, these brain changes are coupled with other chemistry or hormonal changes, which can then build up and cause mental distress or a disorder of some sort.

To make a change, there must first be an emotional and mental preparation. This will allow you to have commitment at a deeper level. This can involve what Dr. Hibbert describes as a pyramid of self-worth, where one works through the stages of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-love. Once this has been done, one can take action and incorporate exercise into their routine.

Exercise is so helpful with mental health for a few reasons. Endorphins are chemicals that are released as a result of exercise, which makes the body feel good. Studies have also shown that exercise can increase neurotransmitters in the brain which can lessen the likelihood of anxiety or depression. Exercise also has anti-inflammatory benefits.

The key is to realizing that lasting change does not occur with the simple flip of a switch. It is more like a staircase that you constantly ascend and descend. You have to be willing to take all steps necessary to make change that lasts. You won’t fail unless you completely quit. To connect with Dr. Christina Hibbert or to learn more about mental health through exercise, visit

www.exerciseformentalhealth.com or www.drchristinahibbert.com.

2 weeks to a younger brain | Dr. Gary Small

2 weeks to a younger brain | Dr. Gary Small

Dr. Gary Small is a professor of psychiatry and the director of the UCLA Longevity Center. He is one of the leading innovators in science and technology. He has written six books, including 2 Weeks to a Younger Brain.

Dr. Small explains that an older brain doesn’t work as fast and usually doesn’t remember as well as a younger brain. Though we really can’t see brain aging, there is much we can do to compensate for memory decline and improve brain health as we age. One technique involves engaging in mental pursuits that challenge you, but are not too overwhelming, nor too easy. Additionally, engaging in more physical exercise can reduce your brain’s susceptibility of Alzheimer’s Disease.

If you’re having memory struggles, you need to adopt a method that is easy to remember. Dr. Small talks about focus and frame. The focus is a reminder that we need to pay attention. The frame involves building a framework around the information to make it meaningful, thus making it easier to remember.

Dr. Small also notes that excess weight will impact one’s cognitive abilities. Studies have shown that middle-aged, obese adults have an increased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Inflammation associated with weight gain can lead to inflammation in the brain, which can have an impact on memory. When we lose weight, we can actually experience an improvement in memory performance.

Exercise can not only help you to lose weight, but it enables the heart to pump more oxygen to the brain cells. The body also produces endorphins which can lift your mood. Strength training can provide additional cognitive benefits. Stress, food, and relationships are other factors that should be addressed to improve brain health.

In 2 Weeks to a Younger Brain, Dr. Small includes a two-week program to help you develop a younger brain. One such activity is playing Sudoku, or even creating a Sudoku puzzle if you find doing the puzzles to be too easy of a task. To connect with Dr. Gary Small, visit http://www.drgarysmall.com/.

Get the Sudoku puzzle at http://older.fitness/sudoku

Healthy brain happy life | Dr. Wendy Suzuki