The Greatness Files

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It requires a constant supply of nutrients, oxygen, and blood flow to carry out the many instantaneous actions it makes every moment of every day. What’s one of the best ways to increase oxygen and blood flow to the brain? Exercise.¹

The relationship between sleep and stress is somewhat of a chicken or egg situation. Does lack of sleep cause stress or does stress cause lack of sleep? The answer is a resounding yes to both questions.

Caffeine is the most popular psychoactive substance in the world.¹ And for good reason: It provides an easy energy boost with minimal side effects. 

But while most take caffeine just to power through their day, it’s also been studied extensively as an ergogenic aid. Athletes at the highest level are known to use it, including Olympians.²

You’ve heard it before: Adults should drink eight cups of water per day. 

In reality, the amount of water you need depends on the individual.¹ But most experts agree that 44 ounces—the average for American adults—likely isn’t enough, especially if you lead an active lifestyle.² Dehydration can lead to various health issues, both short-term and long-term. So, how do you optimize your hydration?

No matter how hard you try, it can be difficult to stay in balance all the time. It could be a couple of donuts in the breakroom, a big piece of birthday cake at your child’s celebration, or that Friday night burger and fries…or all of those in the same week. Sometimes even the healthiest individuals overindulge and get out of balance. That’s when you know it’s time for a digestive reset!

The vegan diet is made up of plant-based foods and excludes meat, eggs, dairy, and sometimes honey.¹ Individuals choose a vegan diet primarily for health reasons or their concerns about animal welfare.¹ Also, eating vegan is considered better for the environment.² However, there are some concerns about nutrient deficiencies in vegan diets and any form of plant-based diet.

Are you familiar with intermittent fasting? The concept behind intermittent fasting is that eating is more about when and how long you eat versus what you eat. There are several different types of intermittent fasts, but the key is the length of the fasting period:¹

How much do you know about the herb ashwagandha (pronounced aash-wuh-gaan-duh)? Its scientific name is Withania somnifera and it is an evergreen shrub native to India, Nepal, and Yemen that is also called Indian ginseng or winter cherry.¹

How much do you know about vitamin C? First, your body can’t make it so it must come from food or dietary supplements and because vitamin C is water-soluble, it needs to be constantly replenished because the body can’t store it.¹

To say the heart is amazing is an understatement. On average, it beats over 100,000 times a day pumping more than 2,000 gallons of blood through the 60,000 miles of blood vessels in your body. With all that activity, supporting heart function relies on a combination of diet, lifestyle, and dietary supplements.

Here’s an interesting fact about vitamin D: it’s not a vitamin! It’s actually a hormone that acts like a fat-soluble vitamin in the body with the most active form being vitamin D3.¹ Another interesting aspect of vitamin D is that when the sun shines on bare skin, the body makes vitamin D.² And finally, the most important attribute of vitamin D is that it helps support health on many levels.²

While the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society both recommend that adults get at least seven hours of sleep each night, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 25% of adults don’t meet that requirement. Yet, research is clear that getting enough sleep is critical to supporting both physical and mental health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), being physically active is critical to health because it improves brain function, helps manage weight, strengthens bones, and improves overall well-being. Research also shows that exercise is associated with better mental health, sleep, and self-esteem. While the health benefits of exercise are well-known, it can be challenging to create a consistent fitness routine.

What controls appetite in the brain? The answer may surprise you. It’s the gut! Emerging research is confirming that there is a clear connection between the gut, the brain, and appetite.

As it turns out, “giving” is the gift that keeps on giving! Emerging research shows that it really is better to give than to receive…at least from a health perspective. But why is generosity good for health? Below we go over why giving makes you happy and the health benefits of giving to others.