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8 Health & Wellness Brands That Give Back in a Big Way
Many Americans have felt a pinch in their wallets and pocketbooks during this unique chapter of our nation’s history. With widespread joblessness, food and supply shortages, and price increases, many are struggling to pay bills and put food on the table. In response to the challenging times we live in, many companies have stepped up to assist those in need. These companies are actively combating hunger, homelessness, and unemployment by donating a portion of their proceeds to charitable causes. Purchasing products from these brands may provide a sense of satisfaction since you’ll have a part in giving back to those who are less fortunate. So, if you’re in the market for clothing, jewelry, beauty products, or healthy food and coffee, you might consider purchasing items from these charity-minded companies and support brands that give back. 8 Health and Wellness Brands That Give Back Thrive Market Thrive Market provides organic, non-GMO, deeply discounted groceries that arrive right at your doorstep. Thrive Market offers over 6,000 food, home, and beauty products at 25-50% off the retail price. When you purchase a membership, Thrive Market donates a membership to a low-income family. Stocking up on healthy products while helping those in need is a win-win. Grateful Earth Speaking of win-win, here’s something that will excite many people…brain-healthy coffee! Grateful Earth coffee has many powerful ingredients (like cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, and L-theanine) to help keep your mind sharp and energized, as well as immune-boosting mushrooms (lion’s mane and chaga). And, as if that wasn’t enough, this gourmet Robusta and Arabica coffee comes with the perfect amount of non-dairy, non-GMO coconut creamer already mixed in. Aside from providing healthy, great-tasting coffee, Grateful Earth has a heart for the homeless. For every coffee bag it sells, Grateful Earth donates one meal to a homeless person. The company’s goal is to serve 25,000 meals this year. Cotopaxi If you’re looking to add some color to your travel gear, outerwear, and accessories, look no further than Cotopaxi. From T-shirts and hoodies to backpacks and sleeping bags, Cotopaxi offers quality products that are also appealing to the eye. As a certified B Corporation, Cotopaxi puts 1% of its revenue toward community development and poverty reduction. With a strong conviction for improving the human condition, the company has awarded 42 grants in 6 countries. Toms This well-known brand has been making fun and functional shoes since 2006. Toms also makes sunglasses and other accessories. Founder, Blake Mycoskie, developed the one for one business model that many companies have adopted. The simple idea of giving away a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased has become a global movement. At present, the company has given away over 86 million pairs of shoes in over 70 countries. Daily Harvest Daily Harvest delivers chef-crafted meals straight to your door. From smoothies and bowls (harvest, oat, or chia) to soups and flatbreads, they offer a variety of healthy meal or snack options guaranteed to please even the pickiest palate. Daily Harvest has donated thousands of smoothies and bowls to healthcare professionals since the coronavirus crisis began. Recently, the brand partnered with actor Neil Patrick Harris to host an event that gave away flatbreads to all the winners. The company has also donated 400,000 meals to the New York-based charity, City Harvest. Warby Parker Warby Parker makes stylish and comfortable eyeglasses and sunglasses that you can try-on and purchase right from your home. They also offer blue light reducing lenses to help protect your eyes from harmful high-energy wavelengths. This can be a big benefit if you frequently develop eyestrain from staring at screens. The company also has a one for one program. For every pair of glasses sold, the company gives a pair of glasses to a vision-impaired individual. Giving through such nonprofit organizations as VisionSpring, Warby Parker has donated over 4 million pairs of glasses to people with vision problems. Feed Feed offers signature totes, pouches, crossbody bags, and travel bags. They also feature unique jewelry and artisan-made bags and accessories. Living up to its name, Feed is a company that gives back by subsidizing food for school children. At the time of this writing, the company has provided over 111 million meals to children in 63 countries. A unique aspect of the Feed website is that it calculates how many meals your purchase will provide. The Giving Keys If you’re looking for a unique company that sells unique products and has found a unique way to give back, check out The Giving Keys. The company sells a line of jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc.) made of keys, which are stamped with inspiring words like “Brave” or “Hope.” The idea is to pay it forward to someone else who needs those encouraging words. As if that wasn’t enough of a gift to people, the company also has made an indelible impact on the homeless community. Unlike some companies that give to other local charities to provide food and shelter for the homeless, The Giving Keys offers jobs to many homeless individuals. To date, the company has created over 130 jobs for those transitioning out of homelessness. Considering the recent global health event, these brands are leading the way in giving back to people who desperately need their help. Whether new or old, small or large, these health and wellness brands that give back have inspired us with their generosity. At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality supplements to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical or healthcare advice from a physician, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new health regimen.
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6 Ways to Get Your Health Back
There's just something about a new season that evokes the desire to make changes. It's a time when many focus on fresh starts with the new school year, new clothes, new routines, and new goals. While we're quick to start new things, why do we tend to overlook our health? Now is the perfect time to do some internal resetting – it’s a great opportunity to check-in and see if there are any bad habits we've developed over the last few months. As you clean out your closets and dresser drawers, why not clean up your health habits too? Here are 6 tips to help you get back on track with your health this season. 6 Tips to Get Back on Track with Your Health 1. Purge Your Pantry If you eat the standard American diet, your kitchen cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer contain foods that are terrible for your health and your weight. The best thing you can do for yourself and your family is to do a clean sweep of your entire kitchen and get rid of all the foods that sabotage your health. Doing so makes it easier for you to make conscious eating decisions, or better decisions even when they’re not so conscious. It helps prevent impulsive, mindless snacking as you change your eating patterns. When you purge your pantry, you’ve only had to make one healthy decision—not to have unhealthy foods in your house—rather than having the discipline to make dozens of decisions throughout the day to avoid foods that are sitting right there in your kitchen. Once the bad food is gone, stock your pantry with brain-healthy choices. 2. Switch Up Your Produce Did you spend the winter eating apples, bananas, and root vegetables? Is the monotony making it hard to stick to? It is the perfect time to switch things up and reinvigorate your love for fruits and veggies with some variety. Fresh fruits and vegetables abound in spring or summer. Head to your local farmer’s market or grocery store and try asparagus, mushrooms, apricots, or berries. Never tried a steamed artichoke? Or stir-fried snow peas? Maybe you’ve had green beans, but what about haricots verts (French green beans)? Try some sweet cherries or a nectarine as a treat after dinner. Now you can eat from an expanded spring-inspired rainbow. 3. Venture Outside If you’ve spent much of the winter on the treadmill or in the gym, it is time to go outside. Research shows that exercising outdoors comes with a variety of health advantages over working out inside including improved energy levels and decreased stress and anger. Another study found that being outdoors has an overall positive effect on vitality – your sense of enthusiasm, aliveness, and energy. 4. Let The Sunshine In Our vitamin D status tends to take a dip in the winter months, due to lack of sun exposure. Your body gets vitamin D in two ways: via sunlight (the sun’s ultraviolet rays must hit your skin in order for your body to manufacture vitamin D) and from your diet. There are a small number of foods, such as fish, eggs, and some mushrooms that can provide vitamin D. Another option is to incorporate a Vitamin D supplement to ensure you’re getting to levels you need. Unfortunately, many Americans—even those who eat a good diet—are vitamin D deficient. And there is research linking vitamin D deficiency to over 200 diseases. 5. Declutter Your Mind It is easy in today’s fast-paced world to harbor negative emotions, like anger, resentment, sadness, and jealousy. But these emotions are detrimental to your health and peace of mind. What you may not realize is that these emotions begin with your thoughts. This season, make a conscious effort to challenge the automatic negative thoughts that steal your happiness. Stress levels are dramatically decreased for those who learn to control their thoughts, rather than letting their thoughts control them. You might even want to look into the benefits of hypnosis for your brain. 6. Fill Your Mind With Good Not only is important to clear your head from stressful thoughts, but it’s also equally as important to challenge your brain on a daily basis. New learning and mental exercises themselves will help keep your brain sharp, but learning about ways to improve your brain is like the sugar-free icing on the fat-free cake! Try listening to a new podcast that will encourage mental engagement and provide you with diverse information and strategies to better your brain. We, not surprisingly, recommend The Brain Warrior’s Way Podcast. Some of our guests have great podcasts as well; consider Dave Asprey’s Bulletproof Radio and Pedram Shoji’s The Urban Monk Podcast. As you check off your growing to-do list, don’t forget to make yourself, and especially your brain, a priority as well! What Listeners Are Saying About The Brain Warrior’s Way Podcast: “A Wealth of Knowledge by Strixbee - Each podcast focuses on one specific topic. While discussing it Dr. Amen brings all his years of experience in the field to bear. So not only are the podcast's topics highly relevant but even the little things Dr. Amen mentions in passing are eye-opening.”
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Go walNUTS For Your Brain’s Health
The incredible health benefits of walnuts have been making us nuts…in a good way. We owe our thanks to Mother Nature for giving us one of the best foods for our brains and longevity. It is no coincidence that brain shaped foods can provide optimal brain benefits. In fact, walnuts have almost twice as many antioxidants as other commonly consumed nuts such as almonds, peanuts, and pistachios. They are packed with a high concentration of DHA (a type of Omega-3 fatty acid) and polyphenols. Polyphenols play an important role in fighting free radicals and cancer cells, and protecting your cardiovascular system. Omega-3’s are known to be one of the fundamental building blocks of the brain, critical for brain health in both infants and adults and have been studied to boost mood and improve cognition. In fact, in a recent study done by the University of New Mexico, they found that supplementation with walnuts seemed to have the ability to improve mood in healthy, non-depressed males. Women, you are not left out on the benefits of these little gems. A study in 2009 was done by Harvard where they studied 140,000 women over a ten-year period. They reported that the women who ate walnuts regularly trimmed their risk for developing type 2 diabetes up to 24% compared to those who ate them only on rare occasion. More Amazing Benefits Not only are walnuts inexpensive, convenient and packed with brain-benefits, they are also full of high-quality protein, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and can fall into a dairy-free, gluten-free, or a Mediterranean diet. If you are worried about the fat content of nuts or that they will cause weight gain, fear no more. Nuts contain healthful polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats, rather than saturated fats found in foods like butter. Plus, being protein and fiber packed, walnuts keep you full for longer periods of time, so you won’t be swayed to snack on unhealthy snacks that often cause unwanted or unintentional weight gain. You Don’t Need to Go Crazy The best part about all of these amazing characteristics of walnuts: you only need around 7 a day to reap all the health benefits they can offer! That’s right, you don’t need to go crazy, spending a fortune on your groceries and incorporating walnuts in bulk into every single meal. Just a handful each day will get you the benefits you want! Here are a few of Tana’s delicious recipes to include some walnuts into any meal, even dessert! Of course, we always love throwing a few on top of our salads for a quick and easy way to get our walnut fix. Tana’s Apple Cinnamon Crisp Sunrise Grainless Granola Happy Brain Halibut with Pesto Cream Sauce Find more great recipes from Tana for your brain-healthy life in The Brain Warrior’s Way Cookbook.
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6 Ways to Outsmart Your Cravings
Do you struggle with a lack of willpower and self-discipline? If you see a tray of warm, fragrant brownies or a deliciously cheesy pizza, is there just no stopping you? For many of us, cravings can be the culprit that derails our good intentions to stick with a brain-healthy program. However, you can make simple changes to your daily habits in order to get better control of your cravings. Here Are 6 Secrets For Conquering Your Cravings 1. Keep Your Blood Sugar Balanced What we and other researchers have found is that when your blood sugar drops, the blood flow to your brain decreases. This means you are more prone to making bad decisions because you do not have full access to your brain function. So how do you keep your blood sugar balanced? Eat frequent small meals throughout the day Make sure to start your day with breakfast – skipping it only makes you more likely to make poor choices later on Stay away from simple sugars and refined, processed foods because they cause your blood sugar to spike and drop erratically as well as work on the pleasure centers of the brain leading to addiction 2. Get Rid Of Artificial Sweeteners These substances are up to 600 times sweeter than sugar which leads to your taste buds and brain expecting sweeter and sweeter foods which can stimulate cravings. Additionally, artificial sweeteners activate the appetite centers of the brain making you crave even more food and more sugar. 3. Stress Management Program Anything stressful can trigger certain hormones that activate your cravings, making you believe that you NEED the mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, or ice cream. Chronic stress has been implicated in obesity, as well as addictions, anxiety and depressive disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and a host of immune disorders, including cancer. Utilize techniques like: Deep breathing Hypnosis Neurofeedback Meditation Learning to control your automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) 4. Outsmart The Food Triggers Are you triggered at the movie theater to want to eat popcorn? Does going to your mother’s house always make you want to eat her homemade pie? Know the people, places, and things that fuel your cravings and plan ahead for your vulnerable times. Eat a light protein-rich snack before going to your mother’s house or bring your own brain-healthy snack to the movies. 5. Deal With Hidden Food Allergies Hidden food allergies and food sensitivities can trigger cravings. For example, did you know that if have wheat gluten or milk allergies and you eat wheat or dairy products, it can reduce blood flow to the brain and decrease your judgment? That makes you more likely to give in to your cravings. In addition, many of the symptoms associated with food allergies, such as headaches, sleep problems, lack of concentration, and anxiety, can increase stress and cravings. If you suspect food allergies or sensitivities, ask your doctor to test you for it or try an elimination diet. 6. Use Supplements To Deal With Cravings Research has found that increasing omega-3 intake can actually decrease cravings for things like nicotine, alcohol, and sugar. Additionally, BrainMD’s Craving Control contains six active ingredients that work synergistically to help calm the craving centers in the brain, balance blood sugar and insulin levels, and promote a positive mood with clinically studied, all-natural ingredients. In addition, it can diminish the frequency and intensity of your cravings, helping you to more effectively achieve better control over your behavior. It Worked For Them: “If I catch myself getting a craving, I go take the Craving Control supplement and within ten minutes, the craving is totally gone!” -Trish “Thanks to Craving Control, I finally have a choice and power over my food, rather than my food having power over me.” -Kris “I have to admit that I was skeptical BUT this really works. Helps me get through the long afternoon when I would typically grab an unhealthy snack. No more!” -Doug
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