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10 Signs You Should Stop Eating Gluten Immediately

October 21, 2015 by Power of Positivity

A gluten-free nutrition plan seems to be the latest eating trend. The question remains as to whether being “gluten intolerant” is a fad or if it is a real concern in our fast-food, over-processed, sugar and wheat-laden eating habits. It’s time to cut back or stop eating gluten if you experience sensitivity.

According to the latest estimates, about 1% of the population has celiac disease, an autoimmune disease that makes it difficult to digest food, and another 10% of the population may be suffering from non-celiac gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity. While that 10% number may seem low to some, it is higher than most in the scientific community had originally thought.

Gluten is the protein found in wheat, and there is no scientific evidence to support that eliminating gluten from the diet has any benefit other than to those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. By some estimates, the sales of gluten-free products have grown by nearly 70%. That means a lot of people are eating gluten-free for non-health-related reasons.

In fact, according to a recent poll conducted by The NDP Group, 30% percent of adults said they wanted to “cut down or be free of gluten.” This is a problem since whole wheat is considered one of our primary sources of dietary fiber.

“The average American diet is deficient in fiber,” says Dr. Leffler, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. He says, “take away whole wheat and the problem gets worse.”

Ten Signs You Must Stop Eating Gluten Right Away:

So how do you know if you are one of the 10%? Well, your doctor can tell you. Before seeing your doctor, however, it might be helpful to go in with a food journal. Keep track of what you are eating and when. Specifically, pay attention to how you feel after eating certain meals. Information is essential, and the more you have, the better chance your doctor can help you find out what is going on.

1. Irregular Digestion Might Mean You Should Stop Eating Gluten

One of the most common indications of gluten intolerance is continual irregular digestion, including excessive gas, bloating, and even constipation or diarrhea.

2. Frequent Mood Changes

Frequent and severe mood changes may be seen in those people with gluten intolerance. If you are feeling depressed, anxious, or overly active, pay attention to when these frequent mood changes are happening.

3. Joint Problems

Inflammation is a common cause of aching knees and other joints. For some people, gluten can cause an increase of inflammation in the body.

4. Stop Eating Gluten if You Have Keratosis Pilaris

Keratosis Pilaris, also known as chicken skin, because of the raised bumps on the skin’s surface. They are caused by the inability to absorb fatty acids and vitamin A properly. This manifests itself after intestinal damage caused by constant exposure to gluten over time.

5. Severe and Constant Exhaustion

A feeling of living in a constant state of fog or tiredness where every decision seems difficult may indicate that something isn’t quite right.

6. Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue

Chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia are catch-all diagnoses, usually indicating the true cause of fatigue hasn’t been identified. Gluten sensitivity can play a role in fatigue and actually may be responsible.

7. Migraine and Intense Headaches Might Reveal You Must Stop Eating Gluten

There are many triggers for migraines, and one is gluten intolerance. A study suggests that for those diagnosed with gluten intolerance, eating excessive amounts of gluten can trigger intense headaches and migraines due to increased inflammation in the nervous system.

8. Autoimmune Diseases

When someone suffers from gluten intolerance yet continues to eat a gluten-rich diet, the body assumes it is under attack. As a result, various autoimmune diseases can develop including lupus, psoriasis, arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

9. Hormone Imbalances

Gluten can cause excessive inflammation in people who are sensitive to it. That inflammation taxes the adrenal glands, which cannot operate efficiently under stress. Eventually, the adrenal glands will malfunction. As a result, the body’s hormones will end up out of balance.

10. Neurological Symptoms

Again, excess inflammation in the body can cause neurological symptoms such as dizziness and vertigo, plus numbness and tingling in the extremities.

Don’t automatically assume having one or more of these symptoms means you have gluten sensitivity, because other conditions may be the cause.

It is recommended that anyone experiencing several of these symptoms see their doctor before self-diagnosing and going gluten-free. Once gluten has been removed from the diet, it becomes difficult to determine whether celiac disease or gluten intolerance is present or if other health issues may be causing the symptoms.

When People Realized What They Were Seeing At Niagara Falls, Their Jaws DROPPED

October 21, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Tourists visiting Niagara Falls in Ontario recently captured an incredibly rare weather phenomenon from the revolving restaurant at the top of the Skylon Tower above Niagara. You won’t find a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow because it doesn’t have a visible end.

Usually, only pilots enjoy views of a full circle rainbow from the skies above, but tourists took a video of the rainbow for all to see this time. Because they were so high in the air, the tourists got to look down upon the water droplets that had refracted the sunlight, which created rainbows.

Normally, people only see rainbows from the ground up, which means they only get to see half of it, as the horizon essentially blocks the other half. So, this means all rainbows form perfect circles, but only a select few get to see them in their truest form.

To see the rainbow at Niagara Falls for yourself, watch this video below:

Have you ever witnessed a full circle rainbow before? Share with us in the comments below to let your friends see this!

10 Signs Of Adrenal Fatigue

October 20, 2015 by Power of Positivity

It’s important to know adrenal fatigue is not a proven medical condition. The term describes the appearance of chronic fatigue and other symptoms caused by an over-taxed adrenal gland, usually a sign of extreme stress or emotional distress.

The adrenal glands are important because they make the hormones that keep our bodies in balance. The theory, (again, there is no scientific evidence), is that when we are experiencing high levels of stress, our body perceives itself to be under attack, and the adrenal glands may not be generating enough hormones to counteract the attack.

Adrenal fatigue is the result of our adrenal glands not working as efficiently as they could. There is a rare medical condition called Addison’s disease, which is where the adrenal glands cease to function completely.

Only 4 out of every 100,000 people have Addison’s disease, and it is diagnosed through blood tests. There is no blood test to diagnose adrenal fatigue, however, and no other way of proving the existence of low hormone production. As such, adrenal fatigue is still a theory.

That doesn’t mean that adrenal fatigue doesn’t exist, though, and it’s often suggested that someone has adrenal fatigue simply because of the symptoms they are manifesting. According to The Mayo Clinic, “Adrenal fatigue is a term applied to a collection of nonspecific symptoms, such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances and digestive problems.”

Here are 10 signs of adrenal fatigue:

Do you notice any of these things?

1. Always feeling tired and never able to get enough sleep.

It is not normal to wake up feeling tired, or still feel tired after taking a nap.

2. Trouble focusing, making decisions or thinking clearly.

Something is usually going in our bodies when we walk around in a foggy state and are unable to think clearly.

3. Moodiness and overly emotional behaviors.

You should seek help if your mood swings become uncharacteristic or out of place.

4. Adrenal fatigue causes salt and sugar cravings.

Our bodies signal that it lacks something through cravings. Both salt and sweet cravings are an indication that our hormone levels may be low.

5. Muscular aches and pains.

When our bodies are under stress, we tend to hold it in our muscles, which end up resulting in achiness and tightness that continues until it is relieved.

6. Dizziness and lightheadedness from sudden movement.

When our bodies are out of balance, it takes longer to respond to changes.

7. Hormonal imbalance can stem from adrenal fatigue.

A hormonal imbalance can be manifested through excessive weight gain, insomnia or restless sleep, an increase in sweating and digestive problems.

8. A low libido.

When we are under chronic stress and experiencing low hormone production, our sex drive can be one of the first things to go.

9. An increase in menopausal or PMS symptoms.

These symptoms rely entirely on hormones, so it makes sense that a decrease in hormone production would manifest itself through more severe symptoms.

10. A decrease in the immune system.

Keep an eye out for more frequent colds, flu, and allergy-related symptoms.

Proponents of diagnosing adrenal fatigue often associate it with chronic stress. And as is evident from the lists of symptoms, you can attribute much of it to stress. When we experience normal levels of stress that tax our hormonal output, the adrenal glands can recover quickly. It’s when the stress continues over a long period and at above normal levels, that the adrenal glands begin to produce a lower level of hormones.

The general nature of the symptoms associated with adrenal fatigue makes treating it through supplements potentially dangerous because it can mask what is going on inside the body. Again from the Mayo Clinic, “Unproven remedies for so-called adrenal fatigue may leave you feeling sicker, while the real cause — such as depression or fibromyalgia — continues to take its toll.”

Treating adrenal fatigue can be as simple as addressing the sources of stress and taking a natural approach to relieving it. Before seeking supplements, try incorporating natural stress reducing activities to help get your adrenal glands back on track.

Some natural approaches to treating adrenal fatigue and relieving excess stress are:

Meditation
Taking regular walks outside
Exercise, specifically yoga
Building more downtime into the schedule
Eating whole foods and eliminating processed sugars
Staying hydrated

As is evident, the natural approach to treating adrenal fatigue is also a solid approach to living a healthier life that will promote longevity. Many in the medical community resist offering the diagnosis of adrenal fatigue since it is hard to prove. If you have several of the above symptoms, begin to implement some of the natural remedies. If the problems persist, insist on getting a real diagnosis.

The bottom line: Paying consistent attention to our overall well-being by improving our diet, sleep, physical activity levels, and stress management can lead to a holistic approach to handling many environmental induced conditions.

5 Things People With High Emotional Intelligence Avoid

October 18, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Our emotions can easily get the best of us if we don’t check in with them often, and sometimes, gaining control and not allowing our emotions to totally dominate our lives can become a challenge. However, people with high levels of emotional intelligence have tapped into what drives their emotions, which helps them in situations where emotions tend to run on overdrive. Of course, anyone can increase their emotional intelligence with practice and commitment, but knowing how to do this seems like a mystery to many. With that said, knowing what emotionally intelligent people avoid might serve as a better starting point.

Here are five things people with high emotional intelligence avoid:

1. They don’t allow their emotions to take over their lives totally.

People with high emotional intelligence realize the importance of allowing their emotions to surface, but they don’t let those feelings control their lives. They understand that we wouldn’t be human without emotions, but those emotions don’t have to dictate every second of our lives. They take a few deep breaths and take a journey within to understand what those emotions want them to take away from the situation. Then, they allow their rational mind to come into play to balance out their emotional intelligence. Emotions drive much of our existence as human beings, but they don’t have to rule you or define who you are.

2. Emotionally intelligent people don’t blame others.

Above all else, emotionally intelligent people take responsibility for their feelings. They don’t blame others for any situations or events in their lives; they take full ownership of their emotions, and can admit when they’re in the wrong. People with high emotional intelligence know that playing the blame game only sets them farther back in life, and puts them in the victim mentality. Emotionally intelligent people know that no one can make them feel a certain way; they decide how they feel in any given moment.

3. Those with emotional intelligence don’t hide their feelings in fear of what others may think.

While emotionally intelligent people don’t let their feelings run wild and take the reigns completely, they also don’t mask those feelings. They know that stuffing their feelings in some deep, dark place will only backfire later on, because emotions should flow in and out, much like your own breath. You wouldn’t hold your breath forever in fear of letting that breath go, so why do the same with emotions? Emotionally intelligent people don’t hold on to their feelings; they express them in order to release that burden and continue on with their lives in a healthy manner.

4. People with emotional intelligence don’t apologize for how they feel.

Emotionally intelligent people realize that, although they have a high awareness about their emotions, this doesn’t exclude them from being a part of the human race. They understand they don’t have superhuman capabilities that allow them not to feel pain, hurt, or sadness. Instead, they embrace this and fully let go of negative feelings when needed. They also show happiness and joy when they feel these emotions. That’s because they know life works in a series of ups and downs, and all emotions serve as lessons for us in the grand scheme. They don’t feel the need to say sorry for how they feel. Instead, they know that emotions come from the heart, and the heart will always express itself authentically and unapologetically.

5. People with high emotional intelligence don’t search for happiness; they create it.

People with a high level of emotional intelligence also don’t beg, claw, or fight their way to finding happiness. They don’t demand it of life because they know that life owes them nothing. They owe it to the universe to create their own goodness and happiness, so they only seek happiness within. Once they have tapped into themselves and realized what keeps their heart beating every day, they live out that purpose and let their light shine brightly. Highly emotionally intelligent people know they won’t just stumble upon happiness; they understand that a journey to happiness means nothing if you can’t enjoy the ride. So, they have cultivated enough positive energy within themselves that they see all of life as a beautiful, sacred blessing, abounding with enough happiness for everyone to take part in.

5 Uses For Coffee You Never Heard About

October 18, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Did you know a staggering 83 percent of Americans drink coffee, equating to an average of three cups per day?

This might come as no surprise, though; almost everywhere you look, you will either see someone with a cup of coffee in their hand or an advertisement telling you to buy yourself a cup. Coffee fuels the world in many ways, but did you know that you can use a cup of joe for more than just a quick pick-me-up beverage? Coffee actually offers many benefits, but you don’t necessarily have to drink it to reap the many benefits.

Today, you can use java in all sorts of nifty ways, whether for your health, garden, or furniture!

Here are five uses for coffee you never heard about:

1. Coffee enema

This might sound strange or uncomfortable initially, but getting a coffee enema can make you healthier.

Taken from Helping the Body Detoxify by Linda L. Isaacs, M.D., “Coffee enemas have long been in use. In a case report in the Pacific Medical and Surgical Journal in December 1866, M.A. Cachot, MD, described successful use of a coffee enema to treat a child dying from accidental poisoning.

Articles from the late 1800s reported that coffee enemas were helpful in post-operative care; at a medical meeting in 1896, Dr. W.J. Mayo, one of the founders of the Mayo Clinic, mentioned coffee enemas as a routine part of care for patients after abdominal surgery. Coffee enemas were listed as a stimulant and as a treatment for shock in medical and nursing textbooks in the early 1900s.

In an extensive 1941 article in Uruguayan Medical, Surgical and Specialization Archives, Dr. Carlos Stajano described immediate improvement in near-terminal patients after coffee enemas, including a patient with cocaine intoxication and a patient with post-operative shock. He elaborated on his extensive experience with coffee enemas in post-operative management and made a plea for their continued use.”

According to Lawrence Wilson, MD, java enemas can be used to cleanse and heal the colon, detoxify the liver and intestines, help get rid of parasites, eliminate pain, help with depression and anxiety, increase mental clarity and energy levels, aid in better digestion, and much more.

2. You can use coffee to make your hair shinier!

If you want glossy hair, your favorite beans can actually give it that extra shine, so save your coffee grounds instead of throwing them away! The stimulating effects of caffeine can also help your hair grow, so mix it with your preferred conditioner and leave the mixture in your hair for twenty minutes. You may not want to use too much coffee if you have lighter hair, as it might darken the color. Use this healthy natural treatment on your hair weekly for the best results.

3. Coffee can fill in cracks in your furniture.

Did you know you can actually use coffee to repair furniture?! If you notice unsightly cracks or gouges in your furniture, simply mix 2-3 tablespoons of coffee with a little water, and you will have a thick paste to fill in the cracks with. If you have wood furniture with red tones, mix a bit of iodine into the paste. Then, remove any extra paste with a damp cloth, and use furniture wax to buff it.

4. You can use the grounds as fertilizer!

Yes, coffee grounds can actually help your plants grow! Many plants, such as azaleas and rosebushes, love acid, and coffee contains a relatively high pH of around 5. The spent grounds go a long way, so you will need about 3/4 a cup per month to benefit the plants in your garden. However, make sure to dig far enough into the soil so the grounds are completely covered and won’t become moldy from too much oxygen.

5. Wash your face with your favorite java.

Just as coffee can make your hair healthier, it also makes an excellent face cleaner. Coffee helps to exfoliate and get rid of any dead skin. You can find many recipes for face cleaners, but if you want to make it extra simple, just moisten a few tablespoons of grounds, and leave them on your face for five or ten minutes. Rub them on your face in a circular motion to eliminate dead skin, and then rinse completely.

5 Ways To Take Control of Overthinking

October 18, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Our thoughts influence our lives at the rate of 1300 to 1800 words a minute, all day, every day; it’s no wonder people can often find themselves overthinking. You might know you should stop overthinking, but you might not know how to break the habit.

In fact, a study from UC Santa Barbara suggests that thinking too much about something leads to poor judgment and decision-making.

What’s even more interesting than how many words go through our mind is that 95% of the thoughts we have today are the same thoughts we had yesterday. Guess what that means? It means that the majority of our thoughts tomorrow will be the same thoughts we are having right now. And for most people, those are negative thoughts – thoughts of inadequacy, failure, worthlessness, and fear.

That is why taking control of our internal programming is necessary to begin to live a happier life. It’s astonishing how easy it is to buy into all the negative thoughts that we process. The good news is we can control it and change it for the better.

Five Ways to Stop Overthinking Everything:

1. Find time alone with your thoughts.

We tend to find ourselves overthinking things when we are surrounded by the drama and chaos of outside influences. When our thoughts are mixed with everyone else’s opinions, it makes it hard to know where our’s end and theirs begin.

Taking regular time to be alone with our thoughts, so we can gain a proper perspective on what is happening, is a necessary first step to stop overthinking. It gives us the opportunity to question them and understand the reality of our thoughts, instead of creating a story that isn’t based on fact and can be detrimental to our state of mind.

2. Let go of the need for approval.

A big part of overthinking comes by way of social comparison. It’s human nature to notice and compare ourselves to our friends, family, colleagues, and even fictional characters from the books we read and the movies we watch. We are surrounded by the opportunity to socially compare ourselves with others.

Now, sometimes these social comparisons can be good for us. They may inspire and even motivate us to achieve our goals. And sometimes, they may even make us feel better.

More often, though, the need for approval is negatively impacting our life. We overthink the things we need to do to fit in, to be liked, and to gain approval. Wanting people to like us results in the failure to see new opportunities, avoiding risks, and avoiding new connections for fear of being judged.

3. Change your self-talk.

We need to start paying attention to the messages we’re telling ourselves. Our self-talk is at the root of all overthinking. We are constantly justifying our actions, downplaying our achievements, and explaining away our hard work. Doing that demeans the importance of our work and our self-worth.

How we motivate ourselves matters, too, and can help us avoid overthinking things. There’s a big difference between “I can do this” and “You can do this” in our brains. Can you guess which one is more effective?

Dr. Sanda Dolcos, a researcher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, after completing a few studies in this area said this:

“Self-advice expressed using ‘You’ probably enables people to adopt a broader perspective, considering how a significant other might view the event, and to reproduce the kind of encouragements previously received from others.”

4. Start thinking bigger.

Now at first thought, it may seem that thinking bigger will only make overthinking worse. On the contrary, as a matter of fact, thinking big keeps us focused on big things. And when we’re focused on big things, there’s no room for the petty annoyances to infiltrate our thinking and take over our minds.

Pushing ourselves to think beyond what we know we can do, to what we really want to do, tests our strength and resolve and allows us to continue to grow. The world has infinite resources available, and when you think big, you begin to tap into the possibility.

5. Practice meditation.

And finally, the best tool available to stop overthinking is meditation. Meditation is a scary word to many people, but it doesn’t have to be – it all boils down to quieting the chaos that surrounds us.

Meditation isn’t about eliminating thought as most people believe. Instead, it’s about training our brains to be more in tune with what is happening in the present. In other words, it helps us to stop overthinking things and start focusing on the things we can control right now.

Knowing that our brains are hard-wired to be constantly thinking makes it more important to put these strategies into practice. Make one effort today to be aware.

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Ten Signs You Must Stop Eating Gluten Right Away:

1. Irregular Digestion Might Mean You Should Stop Eating Gluten

2. Frequent Mood Changes

3. Joint Problems

4. Stop Eating Gluten if You Have Keratosis Pilaris

5. Severe and Constant Exhaustion

6. Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue

7. Migraine and Intense Headaches Might Reveal You Must Stop Eating Gluten

8. Autoimmune Diseases

9. Hormone Imbalances

10. Neurological Symptoms

To see the rainbow at Niagara Falls for yourself, watch this video below:

Here are 10 signs of adrenal fatigue:

1. Always feeling tired and never able to get enough sleep.

2. Trouble focusing, making decisions or thinking clearly.

3. Moodiness and overly emotional behaviors.

4. Adrenal fatigue causes salt and sugar cravings.

5. Muscular aches and pains.

6. Dizziness and lightheadedness from sudden movement.

7. Hormonal imbalance can stem from adrenal fatigue.

8. A low libido.

9. An increase in menopausal or PMS symptoms.

10. A decrease in the immune system.

Some natural approaches to treating adrenal fatigue and relieving excess stress are:

Here are five things people with high emotional intelligence avoid:

1. They don’t allow their emotions to take over their lives totally.

2. Emotionally intelligent people don’t blame others.

3. Those with emotional intelligence don’t hide their feelings in fear of what others may think.

4. People with emotional intelligence don’t apologize for how they feel.

5. People with high emotional intelligence don’t search for happiness; they create it.

Here are five uses for coffee you never heard about:

1. Coffee enema

2. You can use coffee to make your hair shinier!

3. Coffee can fill in cracks in your furniture.

4. You can use the grounds as fertilizer!

5. Wash your face with your favorite java.

Five Ways to Stop Overthinking Everything:

1. Find time alone with your thoughts.

2. Let go of the need for approval.

3. Change your self-talk.

4. Start thinking bigger.

5. Practice meditation.

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