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When it comes to calcium more does not mean better. This may come as a shock to the millions of Americans who dubiously gobble down calcium supplements and tactfully wipe off multiple milk-mustaches daily. We are a culture that simply loves calcium- it is our glamorous “superstar” mineral with a name that rolls off the tongue. It has slipped its way into nearly everything from orange juice to glittering sugar-coated chocolate chews. Yet, contrary to the treasured conventional wisdom that calcium can single-handedly build strong bones, recent studies have shown that increasing calcium intake through supplementation has no significant effect on reducing the rate of fractures nor preventing the bone thinning disease osteoporosis. In fact, recent research released in a number of prestigious medical journals is revealing that improper supplementation with calcium is actually correlated with an increased risk for atherosclerosis and heart disease. Is calcium really the hailed bone-savior we have been looking for?

In recent posts on the Radiant Life Blog, there has been a lot of talk about stress, how to cope with it, and how to manage it in our daily lives. Some great information has been given, as well as some wonderful ways to combat the stress that is knocking you down. In this post I want to offer yet another way to mitigate stress in our lives – Adaptogenic Herbs.

Last month I posted on “Three of the Many Wonderful Benefits of Collagen.” If you did not see that post, or you are new to the blog, you can check it out here! Today I am going to dive in to the topic of Gelatin and share some great facts, as well as a couple of my favorite recipes and ways to incorporate more gelatin into your diet.

Often times gelatin and collagen are used interchangeably and many people think they are one and the same thing. However, gelatin and collagen are indeed different, both with their own purposes and special health benefits. So let us jump in to gelatin and the amazing goodness that it is! (1)

Collagen has become a hot topic these days. It has been given credit for aiding in everything from boosting hair, skin, and nail health, to healing “Leaky Gut”, and even improving overall cardiovascular health, to name a few. So why all the hype?

“It’s going around, Moms and Dads,” you hear your child’s teacher exclaim as you pick him or her up from school. Oh no! Is that an ache? A chill? A sniffly nose? “Mommy, my belly hurts!” Do any of those lines sound familiar to you, as they do me? Well, I do not have any children of my own, yet, but I have interacted with plenty, or at least enough to know that colds, flus, and fevers, are an all too popular topic in their lives.

If you ask most people, their go-to remedy for an immune system boost is good old, vitamin C. Vitamin C, in many forms, is found everywhere, lining the walls of supermarkets, packaged up in little packets to take on the go, and probably in most of our home medicine cabinets. But did you know that not all vitamin C is created equal? Or even better, that vitamin C plays an complex role in so much more than just a simple immune system boost.

Bedtime should be an event to look forward to after a long day. There can be something so comforting about going through a methodical nightly routine that ends with cozying in under the covers and flicking off the lights. However, if you are one of the millions of Americans struggling with insomnia or related sleep disturbances, the evening hours can be a dreaded part of the day. Restless nights of tossing and turning can leave you feeling drained and distant rather than renewed come morning. This DIY Sleepy Time Balm offers a gentle solution; it uses a calming blend of essential oils designed to soothe the nervous system so that a deeper sleep can occur naturally.

As far as cosmologists can tell, there were only three elements present when the universe was first formed some 13.8 billion years ago: hydrogen, helium, and lithium. As one of the three original elements, lithium is found throughout our atmosphere. The sun, stars, and meteorites burn brightly with the flame of this highly reactive element. On earth, lithium remains a major mineral component of granite rock, and also lingers in significant amounts in sea water, mineral springs, and soils. Every organ and tissue in the human body contains the mineral lithium, with particular importance in brain health.

Have you ever taken a stroll down the skin care aisle of a pharmacy or health food store? The shelves are stocked with bottles of all shapes, colors and sizes; all stamped with a promise to deliver soft, youthful skin to purchasers. But how do you know what the right solution is for you? And can you actually be confident that the skin care products you purchase contain safe ingredients? Skin care can certainly be overwhelming. That's why I am sharing this interview with Mira Herman, Acupuncturist, Chiropractor, Herbalist and founder/formulator at Rosemira. Rosemira is a skin care company dedicated to providing artisanal, handcrafted, organic skin solutions. Mira recently sat down to answer some questions about navigating skincare, specifically in the winter months. Read on for some very good advice. 

The mineral iron is vital to the proper function of every cell in the human body. Its primary role is to aid in the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. Along the way, this superstar nutrient also helps to regulate cell growth, metabolism, and hormone synthesis. Yet despite its essentiality, iron deficiency remains the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide. Suboptimal iron intake has been associated with poor concentration, mood changes, fatigue, digestive problems, and immune system malfunction. The good news is that eating whole foods rich in iron can go a long way in both treating and preventing these problems.