health tips

Homemade Energy Drink : Natural energy drinks

The intention of coming up with a recipe for a homemade version of the store bought energy drinks, but after doing some research and discovering how unhealthy they are for us

A system of three drinks and some energy boosting ideas that are going a long way to helping us keep energy up all day long! Here’s the good on the drinks:

The Fire Hydrant – 3-4 8oz glasses throughout the day

  • filtered water
  • 1 slice lemon
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Other than getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night, staying hydrated is the most important thing you can do to help keep your body functioning at optimum levels. So this drink is just water with a squeezed lemon slice and a pinch of cayenne pepper. The lemon not only tastes good, but is also super alkaline* which helps your body maintain a healthy pH level. The cayenne pepper helps raise energy levels naturally and provides protection for your heart by helping to maintain proper cardiovascular movement throughout the body. Combining this with 4-5 glasses of regular water will bring you up to your recommended 8 glasses of water per day!

*For an explanation of lemons’ miraculous transition from acidic outside of the body, to alkaline once ingested, visit this link: http://phbalance.wikispaces.com/Lemons+Alkaline%3F

The Quick Fix  – as needed, during the day
(I don’t recommend drinking it at night as it might keep you up)

  • hot water
  • 1 1/2 – 2 tsp honey (to taste)
  • 1 inch of fresh ginger root
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp tumeric

Cut off two thin slices of ginger and place in your cup or mug.
Use a garlic press to juice the remaining ginger into your mug.
Add both spices and fill your mug with hot water and stir.

This is the closest thing I found to a non-caffeine/refined sugar pick me up! And I find it pretty delicious. Ginger speeds up metabolism and increases circulation. It also aids in the digestive process which can help stave off the post lunch coma that contributes to the afternoon slump. Turmeric, a cousin of ginger, also helps speed things up in the body, including energy levels! And Cardamom has long been valued medicinally for its ability to increase circulation and improve energy. Honey is mother nature’s equivalent of an energy shot and is one of the best kinds of sugars for your body.

The Heavy Lifter– 1 glass in the morning

  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1/4 cup raw almonds or 2 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 scoop of high quality whey protein powder (low sugar content)
  • 2 washed kale leaves
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
  • 1 cup milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)

According to Dr. Oz, sixty percent of women don’t get enough protein in their diets and that is often the number one reason for fatigue! (http://www.doctoroz.com/media/print/11196) A morning protein shake is a really easy and delicious way to make sure that you’re starting the day off well fueled. Pair this with a piece of whole grain toast and you have everything you need to give you a solid energy foundation for the day.

Source: stumble upon

How to give yourself a neck and shoulder massage

Most people suffer from tension in their necks and shoulders at some time in their lives, which is hardly surprising if you consider the job the neck has to do! Poor posture, bad working positions, and carrying heavy bags all conspire to make the problem worse. However, you can ease the pain with a remedy literally at your fingertips.

This simple self-massage exercise gets right to the core of the tension and eases it gently and effortlessly; you can try it almost anywhere and at any time. Try to focus on the areas that feel most tense, and work slowly, deeply, and methodically.

Use the photos provided to help you learn how to perform self massage. Click on the photos to enlarge them.

1: Tilt your head back, and with the palms and fingers of each hand, squeeze the flesh at the base of your neck on either side of {1}your spine. Then, slowly roll your head forwards, still squeezing your skin. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds, then return your head to an upright position. The amount of flesh you can squeeze depends on your state of relaxation.

2: Stroke your hands up and down the back of your neck to warm the area. Then use the fingers of both your hands to make deep, circular pressures all around the neck area, making sure that you do not apply pressure to the spine itself.

3: Place your left hand on your right shoulder and squeeze the muscle. Hold the squeeze and slowly rotate your shoulder backwards. A grinding noise indicates that muscles are tense and should be freed up. Repeat with the right hand on the left shoulder.

4: Pummel {2} your right shoulder with your left hand to bring fresh blood to the area. Support your left elbow with your right hand for comfort, and keep your wrist loose and floppy as you swiftly strike the flesh. Repeat on your left shoulder.

5: With your fingers, stroke firmly from the centre of your chest outwards, applying deep pressure between your ribs. {3}When your fingers reach the outer edges of your ribcage, return to the centre and repeat the movement. Feel for tense spot and concentrate on these as you work over the chest.

Source: mail Online

 

Revealed – how chocolate can help you lose weight

Chocolate has almost always been on the ‘Heck no!’ list when it comes to diets, but a new regimen promises eating the sweet treat helps with weight loss. Neuroscientist Dr. Will Clower penned the book ‘Eat Chocolate Lose Weight’ and says consuming chocolate can actually help you eat less each day. Studies on thousands of people have reportedly proved his theory right.

‘What we see in all these people is that the amount that they’re hungry for at the plate will drop by a half to a third,’ the doctor told CBS News Pittsburgh. ‘And the amount that they’re hungry for, the amount of between meal snacks that they have, will drop by about a half.’

However, this doesn’t mean diet followers can chow down on bricks of the stuff each day and expert results. Clower outlines specific guidelines in his book, including going with dark chocolate whenever possible. Already celebrated for its health properties, Clower stresses ‘the darker, the better.’ Dark chocolate protects against sunburn and cancer, provides energy, stabilizes blood sugar and improves mood in addition to aiding weight loss.

‘So all of the good stuff in chocolate comes from one place and one place only – and that is the cocoa,’ Clower said. Cocoa that’s 70 percent or higher is best.

Clower also recommends eating chocolate 20 minutes before lunch and dinner, as well as five minutes after these meals.

‘With the little piece of wonderful, rich dark chocolate at the end of your meal, it stabilizes the sugar onset into your bloodstream so that you have more of that blood sugar more often throughout the afternoon, so you’re just not hungry,’ he explains.

Additional guidelines include not consuming portions larger than the end joint of your thumb, savoring instead of chewing chocolate, and eating the sweet daily.

‘If they brain-scan people and have them eat chocolate while they’re doing it, their pleasure centers are like a Christmas tree — everybody’s happy in there,’ Clower said.

Other health benefits of chocolate

Curious to know how chocolate can be healthy for you in other ways too? Well, here are some more of its health benefits.

1. Makes you feel good

Just like coffee, eating chocolate too can provide a ‘feel-good’ effect in the brain. This is because chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine which is similar to caffeine, except that it doesn’t affect the central nervous system.

2. Acts as an aphrodisiac

Ever wondered why so many chocolate ads revolve around love and romance? The reason is that chocolate acts as an aphrodisiac which boosts your sexual desire or libido. The two nutrients responsible for giving chocolate this property are tryptophan and phenylethylamine
Source: The health site

how to style your hair without harming it

Who doesn’t want to look perfect on their wedding day? Brides start planning months before what dress will they wear, what the jewellery be like, but hairstyling is often ignored. In the end, all of them pretty much get the same kind of hairdo – curled or straightened hair tied in a bun. But beauty experts have advised brides-to-be to skip the hair dryer and curling iron and switch to no-heat hairstyles while getting ready for their big day. Read essential skincare tips for brides-to-be.

Style-Your-Hair-Step-1

Rod Anker,Vogue’s Colorist of the Year, said that for the sangeet and ring ceremony, hair can be let loose. Also, waves and loose buns bring out your hair’s natural texture and give a totally natural look, he said.

How to get these looks

After taking a shower, towel-dry your hair and part it where you like it and if your curls tend to loosen out quickly, lightly run some styling foam or mousse through it, Anker explained. Monsoon Salon does rehearsals on bridal hairdos before executing the look on D-day.

For instantly glamourising your look with curls, begin by twisting your hair away from your face in a wringing motion and continue twisting until hair dries, Anker added. Try these haircare tips for brides.

A ‘doughnut bun’ is another hairstyle, which if piled right on top of your head, gives the illusion of height, that is very in this season. You can get a doughnut ruffle from any accessory store. To do the style, simply thread the ponytail through this and wrap your hair around the doughnut creatively and accessorize with flowers, Ambika Pillai suggested.

Centre parting is also in these days and brides can wear a heavy maang-teeka after they section their hair from the middle. They leave it open during the reception and sangeet functions and tie it into a bun during the wedding rituals. If you have too frizzy hair, calm them down by applying aloe vera gel in it. Read more tips to tame frizzy hair. If need some bounce in your mane, wash your hair and take the last rinse of amla powder diluted with water. Here are home remedies for all your hair problems.

Source: Health

Top 5 Reasons Why You Get a Headache

Having a headache is no fun. We have all been there. A small twinge can soon turn into a headache, that can be mildly irritating to excruciatingly painful. But what are some of the main causes of headaches? This article will explore some of the reasons why headaches occur.

#1 Lack of sleep

You can normally tell that if you have had insufficient sleep that a headache will start. I know that is how it usually is with me. I can almost guarantee that if I have not had a proper night’s rest, I will wake up and throughout the day, a headache will form. The solution is simple. Just try to get to bed a little earlier and get plenty of sleep so that a headache does not form in the first place.

#2 Dehydration

By the time you find out that you are dehydrated, you will already be quite dehydrated. One of the signs of this is the onset of a headache. So if you have dry gums, smarting eyes and you know you have not been drinking enough water, you are also likely to develop a headache. If you get a headache as the result of dehydration, it will be a more intense headache, and harder to just shake off. Drink water throughout the day. Even if you have already developed a headache, drink plenty of water with the painkillers and continue to do so. It will help the medication kick in quicker and the headache should soon subside.

#3 Eye strain

How long has it been since your last eye examination? If you wear glasses or contact lenses, your eyesight may have changed and you may require a new prescription. One of the first signs you will get is a headache, as your eyes strain to see what is before you.

#4 Stress or anxiety

Do you worry about a lot of things that are going on in your life? Do you find it hard to cope with anxiety? These are both reasons why many people have a headache. A tension headache will often occur after the muscles around the shoulders and neck become tense. It is not pleasant to have to deal with a headache on top of stress and anxiety as well. Try to relax the shoulders and neck and deal with the issues that are causing you so much stress and anxiety. Do not keep it all bottled up. It will only increase stress levels.

#5 Medical reasons

Concussions and side effects from prescription medications are another reason why a person may develop a headache. See your doctor if you feel that you cannot cope with the headaches and ask about changing to another medication that will not leave you with bad side effects. A concussion is not a condition that can be dealt with straightaway. It may take some time to overcome it. A persistent headache may indicate a more serious underlying cause. Again, consult your doctor and be specific about the kind of pain you feel and how long it has been going on. The doctor will then be more able to treat you properly.

It is not possible to avoid all headaches. But you can help to lessen the effects of a headahce by taking the appropriate action. Some headaches seem to just appear for no apparent reason and with no warning. Make sure that when you do feel a headache developing that you have a reliable form of painkiller on hand to deal with the pain quickly. Try to lie down and close your eyes for a few minutes until you feel the pain lessen. Headaches are a nuisance, but they need not take over your life.

Source: Yahoo voices

7 Natural Remedies for Fresh Breath

Fresh herbs
It’s widely known that mint can freshen breath, but chewing on fresh parsley can too. Parsley contains chlorophyll, which has anti-bacterial properties and a strong scent, which can freshen your breath in minutes. Other scented sprigs include coriander, tarragon, eucalyptus, cardamom, and rosemary.

Citrus snack

You may want to consider a clementine for an afternoon snack. Citrus fruits such as lemons, oranges, and grapefruits are packed with vitamin C, which helps prevent gum disease and gingivitis – major bad breath triggers

Homemade cinnamon mouthwash
Try making your own tasty mouthwash using common household ingredients. Just mix 1 ½ tsp of honey, ½ Tbsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp baking soda, one cup hot water, and juice from two lemons. Swish about two Tbsp of this mouthwash for about a minute. The honey, baking soda, and cinnamon combat odor-causing bacteria, while the lemon provides a fresh scent. And there’s a bonus: baking soda whitens teeth.

Live active cultures
The live active cultures in yogurt and cheese have been shown to reduce odor-causing sulfites in the mouth, as well as unhealthy bacteria. Look for low-fat products without added sugars that contain Vitamin D, which helps create a most hostile environment for bacterial growth.

Black tea
Black tea contains polyphenols, antioxidants that prevent plaque from sticking to your teeth, and also inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria in the mouth. That’s why black tea can be so helpful in the battle against halitosis. Some popular types of black tea include Earl Grey, Ceylon, and Darjeeling.

Chewy concoction
Many exotic spices have antiseptic and antibacterial properties, making them ideal for keeping the mouth fresh and clean. Try crunching on a blend of fennel, coriander, and whole cloves. It tastes like a delicious winter treat.

Magnolia bark extract
This natural ingredient often found in mints and toothpaste is comprised of magnolol and honokiol, which have potent antibacterial properties. The powerful extract can kill most bad-breath bacteria within 30 minutes.

Source: health central

Why You Should Eat With Your Hands?

1) It’s primal

Eating with your hands is common in many parts of the world.Utensils are a man-made invention that not all cultures warmed up to. We’ve learned so much from our ancestors and various hunter-gatherer tribes about health and nutrition – could they be onto something here, too?

2) Improved digestion

Feeling your food is a like a heads-up to your stomach, signaling “Incoming!” Your hands become an extension of the digestive system. Millions of nerve endings in your fingers relay the message that you’re about to eat, including the temperature of the food, level of spiciness, etc. to prep the stomach for digestion. Handling the food with your fingers releases digestive juices and enzymes.

3) Heightened awareness

Many experts have noted the importance of being relaxed and “present” at mealtime. A calm, aware state allows optimum digestion and helps with not overeating. Eating with a fork and knife can become mechanical, done absentmindedly while watching TV. You’ll inevitably feel more connected with your food when you eat with your hands.

4) Engages all senses

The smell of your cooking fills your home. The feast looks appetizing. You hear how crunchy it is as you take that first bite. And of course it tastes delicious. But as far as feeling it, you’re limited to the textures you experience in your mouth. Or are you? Eating with your hands adds a tactile dimension to your meal and engages all of your senses. Some people firmly believe that to completely enjoy your food, you simply must eat it with your fingers.

5) It’s fun

Don’t kids just look so happy and carefree, eating with their hands? Live a little, try something new, have some fun 🙂

Source: the primalist

5 reasons why walking on grass is good for your health

There is a common belief that walking on grass in the morning and evening is a great for your health; especially for your eyes. Have you ever wondered why? Well, here are five reasons waking on grass can do a great deal of good for your mind and body.

Rejuvenates your senses and calms the mind: The entire environment in the morning – the fresh air, sunlight and peaceful atmosphere helps you in innumerable ways. Fresh oxygen helps your body work better, sunlight helps you keep warm, replenishes your vitamin D stores and the calm atmosphere helps relax your entire body and mind, allowing you to let go of all your stress. Apart from that the green colour of grass, helps stimulate your body to produce calming hormones that help you relax

Stimulates your entire body, including the eyes: Our feet are store houses of reflexology zones that correspond to various organs of our body. According to the principles of reflexology, stimulating these points can help relieve ailments of the particular organs and keep them in a general state of good health. The foot has points for the eyes, ears, lungs, nerves of the face, stomach, spleen, brain, kidneys and many more organs, so when we walk on grass, these areas are gently stimulated, helping your entire body stay healthy. Dr Anjali Sharma, senior consultant, Naturopathy, Sri Balaji action medical institute, Delhi says, ‘When we walk on grass we stimulate the nerve endings of the foot, where thousands of nerve endings converge. These nerve endings get gently yet directly stimulated by the grass, helping the body stay in a state of equilibrium.’

Another reason for this belief is that when we walk, we put maximum pressure on the first, second and third toe. The reflexology pressure points for the eyes are present on the second and third toes, which is why walking on grass has a large number of benefits for one’s eyes.

Connects you to the earth and neutralizes your electrical energies: Dr Anjali says, ‘In naturopathy we base our treatment on the five elements of nature, out of which one of the elements is earth. The earth contains magnetic fields and has a certain flow of energy. Therefore when we walk barefoot on grass, we directly get connected to the magnetic field of the earth, which affects the entire electrical and magnetic field of our body. This exchange of energies helps neutralize negative electrical impulses in our body which are known to cause certain ailments. Therefore, cleansing our bodies of negative electrical energies definitely has a positive effect on our overall health.’

Lets you soak in the sun: When we walk on grass early in the morning we give our bodies the precious gift of ‘sun energy’. Dr Anjali says that sun energy is a great source of healing energies and restorative powers. ‘Sun energy’ – as it is called in Naturopathy – is the source of life and energy. It helps disinfect the body, tones the muscles and nerves, supplies the entire body with energy and supplies the body with the all essential vitamin D.

Dr Anjali suggests that, ‘Walking in the sun is extremely important and beneficial and one gets the maximum benefit of the sun between 6:30 to 9 in the morning and between 4:30 or 5 to about 6:30 in the evening. That being said, one should be careful not to expose themselves to harsh sunlight that we commonly see in the afternoons, as this can be damaging to the body.’

Replenishes your vitamin D stores: In recent times, osteoarthritis and other bone related diseases have become common place. Doctors say that this is mainly due to the lack of exposure to the sun. Therefore when you walk in the open – early in the morning – the sun replenishes your vitamin D stores automatically, helping you keep bone and joint diseases at bay. If you are pregnant, this vitamin is all the more important for you

Source: the Health site

Sitting linked to increased risk for disability, study shows

Here’s another reason desk jockeys need to get up and move. Researchers are finding that sedentary behaviors like sitting even just an hour extra per day can up your risk for disabilities in later life — even if you are a moderately active gym rat.

The study published Wednesday in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health is the first to show that sedentary behavior alone may be an independent risk factor for disability, separate from lack of moderate physical activity, its authors say.

To be clear, exercise is important, but it is only the beginning of a healthy lifestyle, said lead author Dorothy Dunlop, Ph.D., professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

“The message is that we can work on what the government recommends in terms of moderate physical activity, but we need to reduce sitting time by replacing it with some light activity,” Dunlop said. That doesn’t mean sweat and spandex, but rather simple activities like pushing a grocery cart, strolling through a museum, and even getting up once an hour to walk around.

The researchers strapped devices to the waists of some 2,200 adults aged 60 and older to monitor their activity and found that every additional hour a day spent sitting was strongly linked to a doubling of the risk of disability. So, if one 60-something year old person is sedentary for 12 hours a day, and another is sedentary for 13 hours a day, the second individual is 50 percent more likely to be disabled, according to the study.

“I’m not surprised that 30 minutes of activity several times a week doesn’t compensate for nine hours a day sitting around,” said family medicine specialist Dr. Robert Truax of University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. The good news, he said, is that it’s never too late to get up off our butts and get healthier.

Source: NBC news

Apple, Lime and Chia Smoothie

The pale green color of this smoothie. Granny Smith and lime make a great marriage and the yogurt and chia seeds make the sweet and tart smoothie substantial enough to get me through the morning.

Total time: About 3 minutes

1 organic Granny Smith or Pippin apple, cored and cut in chunks

1 teaspoon lime zest

1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar

1 teaspoon chia seeds

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 or 2 ice cubes

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Yield: Serves 1

Advance preparation: This is best when freshly made.

Nutritional information per serving: 335 calories; 5 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 15 milligrams cholesterol; 63 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 175 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 14 grams protein

Source: The New York Times