In our last post on natural health tips and tricks that benefit your entire body, we reviewed half of the full English alphabet, going from A through M, and shared some insights about how to find a positive lifestyle change (or two) out of each one.

Now, we're finishing up with the 13 letters that remain, from N through Z, to give you a slew of new health tips and tricks that you can depend on when you decide to revamp your health. From food to living, we've got a ton of new advice to share.

Whether you want to start a new diet, improve your cholesterol, boost the health of your eyes or joints -- whatever your personal health needs may be right now -- we've got you covered, from A to Z. Because at 1MD, your health is our mission.

Continuing on from our previous article, let's look at some health tips for letter...

N

Brazil nuts are truly among the healthiest foods that anyone can eat. Nuts in general tend to provide people with a lot of trace minerals that they can't get anywhere else, and Brazil nuts, in particular, are extremely high in selenium. Selenium is absolutely crucial to maintaining optimal immune system health.

Nuts tend to be rich in healthy fats as well, and people should try to pack a lot of them into their diets, wherever possible. Obviously, if you have a nut allergy, you'll need to source your fiber and fat elsewhere, but for most people it's a great start. Nuts are incredible for the heart and contain some powerful, healthy ingredients.

Some of these include l-arginine, vitamin E, unsaturated fat, and omega-3s. Avoiding noise might be crucial for the people who are trying to stay healthy on a lot of different levels. Try to make sure that you're not ever damaging your ears or hearing with persistent high and loud noises. Your hearing is an important sense.

O

Oranges are among the healthiest of all fruits. When it comes to eating all-natural, wholesome produce, oranges are some of the best. These healthy fruits are chock-full of powerful vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C. Vitamin C can help ward off infections and boost your immune system, making people feel much healthier.

Some people might even use oranges to make their own DIY natural cough syrup. Eating lots of oranges will help most people get many of the nutrients that they need, and oranges happen to be some of the sweetest fruits available today. Whenever you're in need of an immune boost, bite into a fresh, juicy, orange.

'O' can also stand for 'ocular health,' a most vital part of human health to keep up. The health and functionality of your eyes is a critical element in your fragile body. It doesn't take much to mess up your vision with poor dietary choices, so always look for foods like bell peppers, chia seeds, and carrots, that can boost your eye health.

P

Posture is important for the sake of your bone health. There is a lot of debating as to what is actually the best posture positioning that people should try to develop. People who sit at desks all day might be prone to various problems with posture. However, some of these issues can be solved by getting up and walking around.

Try stretching a little for a couple of minutes periodically throughout the day. You'll be surprised how much your body appreciates it, with added flexibility, alertness, comfort, and mobility at a maximum. Your muscles love it when you stretch them. Posture is not just about how we sit, but how we stand up, and move around, also.

P can also stand in for 'people'. Social interaction, especially in your older age, can translate to a major neurological benefits, as you stretch your cognitive muscles interacting with others, and reducing health risks associated with Alzheimer's Disease, dementia, and other neurological disorders. Keep your mind healthy!

Q

Quitting certain bad habits can be one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy. Quitting smoking and drinking in particular should be first on anyone's list of habits to break. While there is a widespread perception that consumption of alcohol is safe if in moderation, people should still ideally consume little alcohol.

There is absolutely no such thing as a safe cigarette. There is some evidence that the people who quit smoking cold turkey are actually more likely to successfully quit than the people who cut back gradually, since they will often only become occasional smokers. Quitting can help add multiple years to life expectancy.

'Q' can also stand for 'quiet time,' one of the most important forms of body rest you can undergo. Taking time to quiet your mind, relax your muscles, and rest your systems can provide a large amount of health benefits, in the long run. You can try going to sleep earlier, waking up earlier, and eating a healthy breakfast every day.

R

Red peppers are as delicious and tasty to eat as they are healthy and useful for your body. A single red pepper can give someone all of the vitamin C that he or she will need for the entire day. Red peppers are really high in antioxidants in general, making many feel healthier in both the short term and in the long term as well.

Eating red peppers can help people fight disease over the course of a lifetime, also. On the subject of food, try out some new healthy recipes. Easy-to-prepare home cooking can be some of the most nutritious and beneficial foods you can consume. Try recipes tailored for the heart, joints, brain, eyes, digestion, muscles, and more.

In addition to powerful recipes, you can also make the most of the letter 'R' in a wide variety of delicious, healthy foods, such as radishes, raspberries, red lentils, rhubarb, ricotta, raisins, and more. These foods contain vital nutrients, vitamins, and healthy elements that your body needs to function at its absolute best.

S

Soup can certainly help with hydration, since all consumed fluids count towards a person's hydration levels. A lot of soups will be full of vegetables, too, so folks can get a lot of vitamins from many different types of soup. Those who are suffering from congestion can try soup, as it will likely help them get over any head colds.

Soup will often be made with a broth that contains protein, as well as some very healthy nutrients, along with the various other ingredients that people will typically find in soup (meat, and other things). It's possible for soup to work as a balanced meal in many cases. Soup, when lightly salted, or unsalted, can be very healthy.

'S' can also stand for 'strains,' or 'substrains'. The world already knows how critical taking probiotics can be for the state of your digestion and overall physical health, and many know what strains to look for, but most do not know about sub-strains. Sub-strains are clinically proven strains of healthy probiotics for you to look for.

T

Temperature has a strong effect on health in general, even though it is something that a lot of people don't consider. The temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit has a tendency to be one of the most optimal climates for the things most people like to do. Some folks may be better off choosing cooler temperatures when exercising.

Other people might be better off when it comes to slightly warmer temperatures for just going about their day. Slightly colder temperatures might be better for the people who are interested in sleeping better. After all, good sleeping patterns are important for those trying to preserve their immune health and health in general.

'T' also stands in for 'turmeric,' or specifically, 'turmeric curcumin'. This spice extract has been shown to help alleviate joint pain, reduce inflammation in the body, and defend immune system responses. It's a very flavorful extract, used centuries over, and can spice up a dish as efficiently as it promotes your health.

U

Urinary tract infections are relatively common, and very frustrating for those people who deal with them. People who have possess strong, hygienic habits are less likely to "hold it in" for long periods of time reducing the risk of most potential urinary tract infections. They're highly uncomfortable, so it's good to avoid them.

In some cases, you can fight off a lot of these problems with natural remedies and medications that were made to address urinary tract infections the easy way. A lot of those afflicted should be able to improve their health by addressing these issues directly. It's a pain and discomfort no one should deal with, so try to fight it away.

Ultimate health also means looking out for each independently important system in your body, too. From the senses to your bones, you should be eating healthfully and taking supplements to make sure that you're getting all of the vital nutrients your body needs. Focus on every area of health for ultra supportive benefits. 

V

Taking control of viruses and ridding them from your body is a big part of health in general. Those people who assume that they can use antibiotics to treat viruses rather than bacterial infections are going to end up overusing antibiotics, which can have a lot of negative effects on your health. Probiotics are the way to go.

Bacterial infections are often similar to viruses in terms of their effects, but they are not the same. In some cases, people are going to need to go to the doctor in order to really test the difference. Doctors can do simple tests in order to determine the right treatment methods your body needs to get better.

You also know about 'vegetables' already, but here's a quick reminder about one other beneficial food ingredient - vinegar. Apple cider vinegar has been proven to lower blood pressure, prevent diabetes, support weight loss, and fight against acid reflux. Use apple cider vinegar as a tool in your kit to be your best, healthiest self.

W

Water! The consumption of water is arguably the most critical factor in maintaining strong, consistent health. Your body is mostly made of water (and bacteria), so you need to consume as much of it as you can get, to purify your body, remove the toxins you don't need, hydrate your skin, and keep your mind focused and alert.

Water increases energy and reduces fatigue. Most people still don't get enough of it. Drinking enough water can prevent a wide range of potential health problems. You're less likely to get sick, and it helps with everything from headaches to issues with the stomach and digestive process. Water even balances your mouth's pH.

It can improve your skin's complexion by keeping it hydrated, support regularity, prevent cramps and pains, boost your immune system, and keep you feeling happy. Water is so much more important than it is often given credit for (by non-obsessed water drinkers,) so make sure you're consuming a lot of it, in a filtered form, too.

X

X-rays have been used in medicine for a long time, but some people are much too comfortable with them. A full-body CT scan packs a tremendous radiation dose.
A scan like this will literally expose people to over one hundred times the amount of radiation that they would normally get from a mammogram, so x-ray sparingly.

There is also a lot of debate about the supposed benefits from full-body CT scans. People can have a lot of little spots and nodules inside of them that look like cancer despite being perfectly benign. Getting a CT scan might put a person in a situation to get lots of tests, all of which will be highly stressful, and possibly unnecessary.

Since people who get CT scans every year will increase their lifetime cancer risk in the process, it is truly not worth it. An 'X' letter that actually is worth it is xylitol, a natural sugar substitute derived from birch bark, much healthier than table sugar and contains fewer calories than its main competition. Give xylitol a try!

Y

Yogurt really is just as healthy as a lot of people think it is. Yogurt is full of the sort of probiotics that are excellent for anyone's gut health. A lot of people have been able to improve digestion and regulation of digestion just by consuming yogurt. The fact is that yogurt is an amazing source of calcium, vitamin D, and protein.

Eating more yogurt can be an important part of promoting natural health and the comfort of your digestive process. Lots of people also like yogurt in general. They can make yogurt smoothies that also feature a lot of healthy fruits, so it's an easy way to add into your diet with healthy, delicious, tasty drinks and yogurt blends.

'Y' can also stand for 'yams' a seemingly easy-to-forget source of vitamin C that helps fight off infections, battle head and chest colds, and provides quicker healing of wounds and scars, while also providing some anti-aging benefits for consumers. Yams are great for the immune system, and provide fiber, B vitamins and more.

Z

Zinc is an incredible component in many health foods that can do wonders for your body and mind. Oysters, crabs, poultry and nuts all contains tons of zinc that you will want to optimize your whole body health. Zinc is so powerful, it can even fight cancer causes. It fights free radicals and it can reverse possible heart diseases.

Zinc can fight against colds and illnesses, balance out your hormones, maintain heart health, support digestive regulation, and defend your liver, for starters. High-protein sources of food are usually the best places to get your daily fix of zinc, in dishes such as lamb, chicken, salmon, turkey, grains, seeds, and eggs.

One of the best things about zinc is that it is an ultra immune system booster when feeling sick, down, or ill. It works to restore the natural immune processes
in your body so that you have a better chance of fighting off illness and recovering quickly. For all these reasons, zinc is a smart choice to supplement your diet with.

So there you have it! Healthy foods, tips, and tricks, for every single letter in the alphabet, A to Z. No matter what your dietary plan may be, or your physical goals, there are a myriad of ways to defend your health, boost your metabolism, protect your vital systems, and remain totally healthy regardless of sickness or infection.

If you missed out on reading Part I of our guide, be sure to check it out right here. For other information regarding natural remedies, healthy foods, and recipes, read the links included, and check out this awesome breakdown of turmeric curcumin that our own Dr. Mike Fenster wrote, specifically with you and your health in mind.

*This article is not intended to represent medical advice by 1MD or diagnose any illness, disease, or other condition. It is intended strictly as informational content.
If you are in need of medical assistance, please contact a health care professional.

Sources

1. http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/guide-to-good-health/

2. http://www.health.com/cold-flu-sinus/a-z-health

3. http://www.farmstarliving.com/azguide.php