Wellness Mama Queen

Variety is the spice of life, and it’s time your plate matched this proverb. It’s likely your meals could use a makeover by practicing colorful eating. Surveys show that a troubling majority of adults still don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. In fact, as of 2013, 76 percent and 87 percent of adults did not consume the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables, respectively. That means most adults are missing out on the benefits of a plant-rich diet. Diversifying your diet with colorful eating is worth it—for your palate and your health.   Fruits and vegetables add more than splashes of vibrant color to your diet. Each color represents different phytonutrients, or plant-derived micronutrients, that can support many systems in your body. So, colorful eating means helping to maintain your cardiovascular and   immune system, your eyes, your brain, and healthy cellular communication. The first step in reversing this deficit is to visually assess the colors on your ...

The liver is an essential organ. It plays a role in metabolism, digestion, energy storage, and hormone production. It is also the major detoxifying organ in the body. Detoxification in the liver is broken into two categories. They are known as Phase I and Phase II liver detoxification pathways. Phase I Liver Detoxification Pathway Phase I liver detoxification is the first line of defense against toxins. It consists of a group of enzymes known as the cytochrome P450 family. The enzymes help neutralize substances like alcohol and caffeine. They offer protection by converting these toxins into less harmful ones. The byproducts of Phase I liver detoxification can still pose a toxic threat to the body. If the toxins are allowed to build up and stay in the liver, they can damage DNA and proteins. It is the role of Phase II liver detoxification, to make sure that those toxins do not build up. Which provides final neutralization of the toxins so that they can be removed by the body. Phase ...

Your brain is powerful. You can even use it to think about how the brain itself works. But this power doesn’t make your brain immune to factors that impact the rest of your body. Lifestyle and environment can affect your brain health. Luckily, there are nutrients for brain health shown to support cognitive function. You’ll read about a handful of the most important nutrients for your brain. And you’ll find brain foods that contain these key nutritional components of maintaining cognitive health. Healthy   Lipids For a long time, dietary fats (lipids) have been connected to brain health. Originally, lipids’ effect on the cardiovascular system was thought to facilitate that connection. But more recent research shows beneficial dietary fats have more direct actions on the brain. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids   (like DHA from fish oil) normally make up cell membranes throughout your body. And like other saturated fats, they’re fundamental building blocks for your brain cells...

You’re never alone. Your body is always crawling with trillions of microbial friends. That’s not a bad thing. All of them make up your microbiome—a word you hear a lot, but might not completely understand. Defining microbiome is actually pretty simple. It’s the collection of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses mentioned above. But don’t let the simple definition fool you. The microbiome is an expansive topic to discuss. If this is your first time hearing about the microbiome, stay calm. There’s no reason to pull out the sanitizer. You shouldn’t feel gross or unclean. And your skin shouldn’t crawl because you’re an ecosystem for trillions of bacteria and microbes. The microbiome is a normal part of a healthy life. Many studies suggest that your community of microbes could even play a large role in your health. If you’re still a little uneasy, an introduction to your microbiome might help. So it’s time to go beyond defining microbiome and introduce you to your bacterial buddies. A Bit...