For whatever reason, being on vacation means abandoning all of your knowledge about health. That may not be true for everyone, but it is for a lot of people. Many people think of vacation like a free pass on their diet, a chance to enjoy dessert for breakfast or cheeseburgers and such at will. Perhaps you kick back by the pool and enjoy a variety of cocktails before building sandcastles at the nearby beach. 

Depending on where you travel, staying healthy on vacation can prove to be a challenge. Sometimes, you may have the intention to maintain your healthy diet, but your destination doesn’t offer the right foods that cater to your eating habits. Plus, finding a healthy place to eat may be the last thing on your mind after touring a museum, doing a hike, or walking for hours through the city streets. 

At the end of the day, though, enjoying real food, not fried food or burgers, fuels the body and provides it with the necessary nutrients it needs to function optimally. Naturally, you should indulge while traveling, especially if the place you visit is known for certain specialities. Be a wide-eyed tourist if you see a flaky croissant in Paris, France, or a big plate of drunken noodles in Bangkok, Thailand. You will find your stride, but do your best to consume a balanced diet during your travels. Hopefully, the following tips will help you stay healthy on vacation.

Pretend That You Are Eating At Home

Vacation is not a time to disregard your normal eating habits and budget constraints. It’s very easy to overspend on vacation, especially if you are traveling in a place where the U.S. dollar is not as strong as the local currency. When booking a trip, it can be beneficial to try and find a place to stay that has a kitchen or kitchenette. By shopping at local grocery stores and pre-making food, you can save a little money and eat foods that comply with your diet. You should eat out and try different restaurants, but preparing some meals, especially breakfast, can help start your days off right.

Plan Ahead

If you have a little kitchen at your AirBnb or vacation rental, consider loading up on some healthy snacks. That is a pro traveler’s tip because packing some local fruit, in addition to bars you bring from home, can save you from eating unhealthy snacks between meals. If you like to use meal planning with apps and such, you can use them to plan meals around regional food at your destination. That works whether you are traveling regionally or internationally. If you drive to your destination, though, you have a better chance of planning your meals. You can bring exactly what you need in order to prepare meals during your vacation!

Make Sure Your Snacks Are Health

Speaking of planning ahead, make sure you are covered in the snack department. Whether you have a six-hour car ride or a 10-hour flight, having a variety of healthy, non-perishable snacks can make the difference in your traveling experience. Not only that, but packing snacks can save you money! You don’t have to stop at convenience stores or gas stations to pick up chips or processed cereals and pastries. Having healthy snacks can also reduce your likelihood of feeling terrible while traveling. Great snacks to bring include:

• Trail mix (without candy or chocolate pieces)
• Bananas
• Apples
• Packets of almond butter, peanut butter, or cashew butter (to go with your apples)
• Reusable, insulated water bottles to hold smoothies, iced herbal teas, and water
• Homemade energy bites (or healthy protein bars)

Pack The Remedies

Staying healthy while on vacation is just about keeping your diet in check. Bug bites, sunburns, earaches, and more can happen just as much or more on vacation as they do at home. If you have specific remedies for these things, make sure to pack them! It can be beneficial to have the following while traveling:

• Healing salve (for rashes, stings, and bug bites)
• Hand sanitizer (helpful in many situations)
• Natural bug spray
• Lots of vitamin C (in addition to low-sugar electrolyte powders)
• Sunburn remedies
• Ear infection remedies
• Natural sunscreen

Keep Stress Levels Down

The last piece of the puzzle is to keep your mental health in check while traveling. It is easy to experience a burnout and spiral out of control, but doing small things can bring you back to center. Sure, the right foods and natural remedies can keep you healthy, but too much stress can derail your health. Take note of how your body feels on vacation and consider experimenting with a few simple stress-relieving techniques. You can engage in different breathing exercises, practice guided meditation, or do a couple sun salutations and other yoga poses. Even some morning and evening stretching can bring stress levels down, in addition to preparing you for walking or other vacation activities.

SHARE:

The post 5 Tips For Eating And Staying Healthy On Vacation appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

If you want to improve your diet, you should first take a look at the most unhealthy foods to eat. Once you identify these foods, you can learn how to replace them with healthier options. Viewing foods through a “good” or “bad” lens, though, can make decisions harder. If only it were that easy! People probably wouldn’t eat certain foods if they could just identify their level of health in an instant. 

The majority of the most addictive and unhealthy foods are tempting because they contain fat and carbs. They usually contain added sugars, salt, and other things that keep you coming back bite after bite. When it comes to the worst foods, though, it is better not to forbid things. Instead, dietitians encourage people to eat more of certain things and decrease or replace the consumption of unhealthy foods. Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and lean proteins provide you with nutrients that make you not want to eat the other unhealthy stuff. 

When you understand how different foods impact your health, you can make healthier, informed food choices. Continue reading to learn more about the worst foods to eat, along with suggestions for healthier alternatives. 

Sodas

These sparkling, sugary beverages are hard to resist, and they can be a hard habit to break. Sodas and other sugary beverages increase the risk of tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and obesity. Rather than encouraging the switch from regular soda to diet soda, it is best to reduce your overall intake. You can also swap soda for water, seltzer water, or tea. Ideally, increase your water intake as much as possible, but don’t use those flavor packets!

French Fries

More often than not, French fries are usually fried in unhealthy oils, especially at fast-food restaurants. They are liberally seasoned with salt and are rich in saturated fats and calories. If you regularly consume fried foods, you can increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, and other chronic health conditions. You can still enjoy potatoes or sweet potatoes in fry form, but consider baking them or cooking them in an air fryer. Use olive oil or avocado oil on the potatoes to get them crispy. 

Donuts

When someone in the office brings a box of donuts, it is very difficult to resist the temptation. Everyone loves a good donut! The problem is that donuts do not offer a lot from a health standpoint. Donuts are deep fried in refined and processed oils and usually contain high levels of sugar, bleached white flour, and trans fats. The high sugar content can lead to a blood sugar spike that ends in an even bigger crash. If you are craving baked goods, a homemade muffin or scone is a better option. By baking your own treat, you can use better ingredients, such as whole grain flour, avocado oil, and reduce the sugar content, or replace it with applesauce, maple syrup, or dates. 

Processed Meats

Bacon, hot dogs, and cold cuts like bologna, ham, and turkey are rich in sodium, calories, and other processed ingredients. Consuming a lot of these foods can increase the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, two risk factors for heart disease. Research indicates that processed meat has a more significant impact on the risk of heart disease than unprocessed red meat or chicken. Processed meats also contain cancer-causing chemicals, due to levels of carcinogens. Try to opt for lean protein sources, such as grilled chicken, wild caught fish, tempeh, or tofu, instead of processed meats. Those alternatives provide better protein without the harmful additives. 

White Bread

Some people may express concern about how much bread they eat, and occasionally make attempts to cut it out of their diets. White bread is good to avoid if you can because it is usually made with refined flour, which has been stripped of its fiber and nutrients during processing. That’s why eating white bread can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar, and it may even lead to weight gain, insulin resistance, and other metabolic issues. Whole grain and multigrain breads are good alternatives because they usually contain more fiber, vitamins, minerals, and help stabilize blood sugar. 

Fast Food Burgers

If you regularly eat hamburgers from fast food establishments, you will have a difficult time overcoming health hurdles. These burgers are rich in saturated fat, salt, and added sugars. Over time, all of those ingredients can increase the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. If you want to enjoy a burger, swap out regularly ground beef for ground turkey or use wild caught fish. Avoid fast food altogether and don’t think that vegan meats or certain veggie patties are healthier. They are also rich in processed ingredients and sodium. 

Chips

How addictive and amazing are potato chips? Well, potato chips are empty calories because they lack sufficient nutritional value. Chips are rich in fat and low in protein and fiber. Instead of snacking on potato chips, opt for snacks with higher nutritional values, such as roasted chickpeas, nuts and seeds, or seaweed crisps. There are more snack options than bags of potato chips. 

Alcohol

Alcohol is a tricky one because a lot of people can overdo it. Avoiding alcohol is also a constant struggle for people with addiction issues. Alcohol, much like potato chips, is empty calories and excessive alcohol intake can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, cognitive decline, and stroke. Mocktails, sparkling water, or freshly made juices are healthier options for your body, not just your liver and pancreas.

SHARE:

The post The Top 8 Worst Foods To Eat appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

With the 4th of July knocking at the door, you’ve most likely gathered ingredients to create an impressive spread. Are you going to fire up the grill and char some vegetables or impress the skeptics with some meatless burgers? The fact of the matter is that so many traditional meat-centric dishes have vegan alternatives nowadays. That said, grilling some Impossible patties or Beyond sausages is not the healthiest way to eat. In fact, it’s just as unhealthy as eating a plateful of burgers and hotdogs. 

Independence Day cookouts commonly revolve around food because food brings people together. People can share stories, laugh, cry, and have a great time cooking and eating together. Much like music, food is a universal language that seems to unite complete strangers. You don’t need words to communicate how delicious a meal is. Hand gestures and facial expressions can reveal the truth!

If your goal is to enjoy delicious food and be a little healthier this Independence Day, head to the grocery store after perusing the following recipes. All of the recipes are vegan-friendly and they range from savory to sweet. After all, you need everything from appetizers and snacks to entrees and desserts for a successful 4th of July celebration. If you end up making one or more of the following recipes, post a picture and tag us @dherbs on the Gram! Stay safe and eat well, everyone!

Watermelon Cucumber Basil Lemonade

A perfectly refreshing drink recipe for warmer weather! This watermelon cucumber basil lemonade is free or added sugars and will enhance your hydration efforts at your sunny 4th of July party.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Frozen Lemonade

Do you love lemonade but hate the excess sugar and calories that come with it? You’re in for a treat with this healthier, frozen rendition! Make a big batch because it’s a surefire hit that’ll quench everyone’s thirst!

Click here to make the recipe. 

Rainbow Carrot Slaw

The unfortunate reality of the 4th of July is that people don’t consume a lot of colorful fruits and vegetables. This dish is a beautiful, colorful slaw that has fantastic crunch and sweetness from the rainbow carrots, but the dressing is the star of the dish.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Tomato Sweet Onion And Parsley Salad

Add some more color and vibrant flavors to your holiday by indulging in this light and refreshing tomato, sweet onion, and parsley salad. The best part is that the flavors only intensify after you mix everything together. 

Click here to make the recipe. 

Crispy Potato Taquitos

Incredibly satisfying and easy to make, these potato taquitos are stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes and topped with salsa, pickled onions, and crema. People can pick them up and crunch on them all day long, so make sure to make a lot if you want to enjoy a couple!

Click here to make the recipe. 

Simply Vegan Quinoa Burger

This vegan quinoa burger recipe is easy to make, packed with protein, and incredibly healthy. The patties come together in one mixing bowl. Make sure to cook them in a pan because they may crumble and fall through the grates on your grill.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Strawberry Coconut Popsicles 

Strawberry coconut milk popsicles are dairy-free, cane sugar-free, and 100% vegan. This recipe is perfect for the hot summer weather. They are like healthier creamsicles!

Click here to make the recipe.

SHARE:

The post 7 Vegan Recipes You Need To Make For Your 4th Of July Party appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

A recent study found that a very low percentage (just 12%) of Americans are responsible for eating most of the beef consumed in the country on any given day. This discovery may help consumer groups and government agencies develop educational messaging about the impacts of beef consumption. 

The study found that those 12% are most likely men or people between the ages of 50 and 65. These people eat what researchers noted as a disproportionate amount of beef on a daily basis. That is a distinction that differs from the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, suggesting four ounces per day of either meat, poultry, or eggs. Four ounces is a quarter pound patty, if you think about it in the form of a burger patty. That measurement is in line with a 2,200-calorie per day diet.

The Data Behind The Study

The study analyzed data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. That survey kept track of more than 10,000 adults over a 24-hour period. Researchers note that the global food system emits 17 billion tons of greenhouse gases per year, which equates to a third of all planet-warming gases produced by humans. It’s estimated that the beef industry is a heavy contributor to those gases, producing eight to 10 times more emissions than chicken, and over 50 times more than beans.

That makes beef an environmentally extravagant protein. Beef is like a car that gets nine miles per gallon. Every time you rev the engine, you lose $20 worth of gas. The reason that beef was the focus of the study is because of its environmental impact and saturated fat content. Plus, the study’s intention was to inform educational programs about those who eat disproportionate amounts of beef. By honing messaging about the environmental impact of beef, programs can implement changes and educate students about their impact on the environment. 

Reactions To The Study

If only 12% of Americans account for half the country’s beef consumption, you could make plans to help change their eating habits. On the other hand, they may be the group that is most resistant to change. The glass-half-full takeaway may be that the remaining 88% of Americans have information about dietary guidelines, or some knowledge of a food guidance system. Does that mean that dietary guidelines can effect change for eating behaviors? Or does it mean that more people have access to information about health, eating plans, and better foods to eat nowadays? 

The Beef That People Consume

About one-third of the beef consumed came from cuts like brisket or steak. Researchers note that some of the top 10 sources included dishes such as burgers, tacos, meatloaf, spaghetti with meat sauce, and burritos. People who eat a disproportionate amount of beef may be able to alter eating habits if they choose beef-less versions of those foods. For example, choose chicken or fish in place of beef if you get tacos or burritos. You can always go meatless and opt for veggies!

Researchers note that the people below the age of 29 and above age 66 were least likely to eat large amounts of beef. There is hope in the younger generation, then, considering that they will inherit the planet and want to implement positive change. Plus, more and more young people have a deeper interest in diet, how it impacts the environment, and what they can do about it. Grass-fed, grass-finished beef has beneficial nutrients, but poultry, fish, and nuts can have the same nutrients. That just goes to show you that there are many food options out there and being resistant to them won’t benefit the body or the future of the planet. Only time will reveal if people’s beef-eating habits change. Let’s hope they do!

SHARE:

The post Just 12% Of Americans Eat Half The Nation’s Beef appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

If ever there was a powerhouse vegan burger patty, it’s this one. Not only is it packed with protein and fiber, but it also boasts rich flavors that keep you coming back bite after bite. These burger patties are ideal for meal prepping and they they hold up in the freezer over time. That is in case you want to enjoy them at a later date without having to do all the prep work. Although, for a vegan burger, the patty making process is quite easy.

In order for these patties to firm up during the cooking process, you need to make sure that they are nearly free of moisture. Once you rinse and drain the black beans, allow them to dry out as much as possible in the strainer. The moisture you have in the burger patties, the longer they will take to took. Additionally, they will probably fall apart during the cooking process. If they don’t fall apart in the pan, they will fall apart when you eat your burger. The exterior may crisp up, but the inside will be mushy, and you don’t want that. If you find that the patties are too mushy when forming them, feel free to add a touch more panko breadcrumbs.

Another way to ensure that the burgers cook all the way through is to bake them in the oven. Baking them at 400º F for 20 minutes or so may result in a more thorough cook, but you can’t beat a crisp pan sear. If you want to make the patties and freeze them, you can store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months before cooking them. Just be sure to thaw them overnight before you want to cook them.

SHARE:

The post Simply Vegan Quinoa Burger appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Chef RedBeard teaches us how to make Carrot Bacon Avocado Burger!

SHARE:

The post How To Make Carrot Bacon Avocado Burger appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Word on the beet is…that we just made a killer pun. These nut-free, raw vegan beet burgers are exactly what you need for a filling entree during your cleanse. One could say that the flavors are unbeetable. They are easy to prepare, but they do require about eight hours in the dehydrator. It’s important that you remove them halfway through the dehydrating process to flip them. This ensures optimum dehydration!

The vibrant-colored patties are quite striking, and they easily bind together because of the ground sunflower seeds and ground flax seeds. If you cannot find ground sunflower seeds in the store, feel free to buy raw sunflower seeds and blend them in a food processor to get ground up sunflower seeds. If you do that, don’t over-blend the sunflower seeds because they can turn into a paste. A few quick pulses in the food processor will do the job.

SHARE:

The post Dehydrated Raw Vegan Beet Burgers appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

No buns, no problem! This recipe uses avocado halves as the buns, so get ready for a healthy dose of omega-3s, potassium, and magnesium. One of the key steps is marinating the carrots, which go inside the “burger.” Allow at least 30 extra minutes to marinate to let the carrots absorb those flavors.

SHARE:

The post Raw Vegan Avocado Burger appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Some people steer clear of eggplants. When cooked wrong, we steer clear of them as well. This eggplant burger has the perfect amount of crunch and the homemade vegan mayonnaise brings it all together.

SHARE:

The post Hearty Eggplant Burger With A Vegan Mayo appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

We are taking a different approach to burgers by using the portobello mushroom caps as the buns. Stuffed with mixed greens, cashew cheese, and guacamole, these dehydrated burgers are perfect for a filling dinner while cleansing.

SHARE:

The post Raw Dehydrated Portobello Mushroom Burgers appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.