Thursday, March 28, 2013

Five bad habits of stressed people

We all want to bring some calm into our lives. Addressing the stressors in our lives can be a real challenge and it can often be hard to see symptoms of stress in yourself, especially when you have lived with them for years.
 
If, like most people, you have a few problems or difficulties in your life, then it’s important to try and reduce the bad habits you may have developed to help you cope. This is because often, the coping mechanism is actually making the situation worse and is not doing anything to alleviate the cause of the stress at all.
 
Here are some bad habits that can be a result of constant stress. Which ones can you identify with?
 
1. Consuming too much caffeine
 
Most of us enjoy a daily caffeine intake, and while the occasional coffee isn’t likely to do great harm, it’s important to remember that caffeine is, in fact, a drug, and it’s possible to have a full-blown caffeine addiction. More likely and common, however, is caffeine dependence, where people use caffeine to jump-start their energy in the morning and use it throughout the day to stave off a ‘caffeine crash’. More often than not they then find their sleep disturbed by caffeine, causing them to wake up tired and therefore really need that caffeine jolt to get going again the next day. As the cycle continues, caffeine affects stress levels as well
 
What to do: Gradually cut down by replacing your tea, coffee or caffeine-laden soft drink with de-caffeinated drinks or good old water. In the mornings, try replacing your high-sugar energy drink with a soluble vitamin. Try and limit your intake to just a couple of caffeinated drinks a day and aim to only have them in the morning.
 
2. Smoking
 
For smokers, a cigarette can feel like a good stress reliever. In fact, during times of stress, a cigarette feels almost necessary, and quitting the habit can seem virtually impossible. We all know that cigarettes can be costly, both financially speaking and health-wise. Smoking creates far more stress than it alleviates, so kicking the habit is more than worth it.
 
What to do: Develop a quitting plan with the help of your pharmacist or doctor. Think about your approach first and decide on a day you’re going to stop. Think about why you’ve failed to quit in the past and come up with a list of reasons to quit that are important to you.
 
3. Excessive drinking
 
Many people find that a glass of wine can be a good way to unwind at the end of a stressful day, and most physicians and researchers agree, citing studies that show that red wine has benefits for heart health. However, drinking can be a slippery slope, as excessive drinking can cause problems in virtually every area of a person’s life, leading to more stress in the long run. If you are someone who has trouble limiting alcohol consumption to one or two drinks, and even if you can drink very moderately, but find that this is your only regular stress management practice, it would be worth identifying other ways to relieve your stress.
 
What to do: Limit your alcohol intake to just a couple of standard drinks per day. Try to have one or two alcohol-free days a week and never binge drink. If your partner or friends also drink excessively and you are part of their habit as well, then develop a plan to cut back together. Instead of following your usual routine, try and break it up a bit. Go for a walk or bike ride instead of the pub, or find other ways to alleviate that post-work stress.
 
4. Compulsive spending
 
People have many ways of relieving stress or of filling a void inside themselves. While buying yourself a gift once in a while can be a nice pick-me-up, compulsively buying things to relieve stress or to feel good about yourself is not a good way to keep your spirits up. Worse, spending money you don’t have on things you don’t need can cause more financial stress in the long run, and lead to feelings of shame not to mention a cluttered home. All of this will only add to the stress you were trying to alleviate.
 
What to do: If you’re in a financial hole, then seek some help or devise a plan to get yourself out of it. Pay your bills off (slowly if you have to). Give yourself a budget (including an allowance for treats) and stick to it. Don’t go to the shops or spend money on anything when you know you don’t have it to spend or have already spent your allowance. Make a list of inexpensive or free things to do and go and do them — visit a gallery, go for a walk, drop in on a friend. When you go out, leave your ATM and credit cards at home and take a very small amount of cash with you, or none at all.
 
5. Emotional eating
 
At some stage, most of us are happy to turn to our favourite tub of ice cream for comfort during rough times, but if eating the wrong thing becomes a main coping mechanism for stress, it can lead to compromised health, excessive weight, and additional stress stemming from these effects. A poor diet can also cause additional stress by leading to blood sugar imbalances that make stressful situations seem more overwhelming.
 
What to do: Allow yourself a few treats here and there but don’t buy things you know you’ll just eat in one sitting. If you like to snack when you’re edgy or nervous, then keep a stock of healthy, low fat snacks on hand at home and at work. Drink water to fill you up (you’ll feel less like eating) and try to distract yourself from excessive eating when you feel the urge! Go for a walk, clean your desk, mow the lawn or call a friend instead.
 
 
 
 
Being stressed isn’t great and feeling like your security blanket has been taken away during times of stress can be even worse. Try and concentrate on reducing your dependence on one habit at a time. Most important of all, ask yourself: what’s making me depend on these habits and what can I do about these issues? With stress, like most things, treating the root of the problem is always the best approach.

Spot of irritation: Adult acne

There is little that can ruin your self-confidence more than a break-out of acne. About 30% of women and 20% of men continue to suffer from break-outs after their teen years. Here’s why, and how to treat the break-outs and scars acne causes.
 
 
 
What’s the difference between adult and teen acne?
 
Teenage skin is oilier than adult skin, and so tends to get blocked more often. Teenage acne presents as groups of tiny blackheads and whiteheads in the oiliest regions of the face (like the forehead and cheeks), and occasionally on the back and chest. In adults, acne presents as ‘under-the-skin-pimples’, red and swollen nodules on the lower half of the face.
 
 
 
What causes adult acne?
 
All acne is caused by oil, or ‘sebum’, that is produced by glands below the skin. When the ducts that lead from the glands to the surface of the skin get clogged with oil and dead skin cells it causes blackheads. These can get infected with bacteria causing whiteheads.
 
 
 
This is caused by several things:
 
•Hormone imbalance can cause an overproduction of sebum. For most people, this hormone imbalance occurs during puberty. But life-changes, like pregnancy and menopause in women, can cause a hormonal imbalance and break-outs.
•Make-up can block the pores and cause a break-out.
•Stress causes an overproduction of cortisol, which stimulates sebum production.
•Smoking also causes break-outs.
 
 
 
Treating adult acne

Most commercially available pharmaceutical treatments for acne are geared towards the oilier and more active skins of teenagers. Teenage skin has suffered less environmental damage than adult skin, making these treatments inappropriate for adults. Treating adult acne can be as simple as adapting behaviours and changing skin-care routines.
 
•Cleanser
Use a gentle cleanser twice a day. Exfoliate once or twice a week. Wash your hands before washing your face, and make sure that you pat your face dry to avoid irritation.
 
•Don’t touch
Be conscious of not touching your face during the day. Don’t pop pimples, as damaging pores causes scarring which is longer lasting than acne.
 
•Stress less
One of the main contributing factors to acne break-outs is stress. Sleep and exercise are natural remedies for stress. During sleep extra blood and oxygen are delivered to the skin helping it heal and increasing the ability of the pores to clear naturally.
 
•Watch what you eat
Fatty foods don’t cause break-outs directly. But high GI carbohydrates affect blood sugar and insulin levels, possibly boosting testosterone levels and increasing sebum production.
 
•Creams and lotions
Use an SPF lotion during the day because the sun may irritate the acne further.
 
•Medications
Prescription medications, taken either topically or orally, most of which contain an anti-biotic, help fight the bacteria that causes infections. However, because acne is caused by a hormonal imbalance, the first step in treating it is balancing your hormones.
 
•High-tech solutions
Laser and light treatments can treat scars and help to fight bacteria causing infection. These treatments can be expensive and none of them are a permanent solution. They can be painful, and have not been thoroughly tested.
 
 
 
The most effective solution is usually a combination of treatments recommended and prescribed by a health-care professional. Adult acne might be unsightly but it is treatable and you don’t have to suffer from acne or the scars that result from it.
 
 

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

30 Simple Ways to Supercharge Your Diet

 
It’s not difficult to eat healthier.  Just making simple changes to your diet can ramp up the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients you’re getting.  And better nutrition quickly spells better health.  To make it easier for you, I’ve compiled 30 simple ways to supercharge your diet.  Subscribe to my free e-mag World’s Healthiest News for more great ways to supercharge your diet.
 

1.  Use avocado instead of butter on your sandwiches, buns, or on veggies.

2.  Use naturally-sweet stevia instead of sugar. Be wary of powdered stevia that contain other sweeteners though. Stevia tastes sweet but doesn’t contain any form of sugar like glucose, fructose, maltose, etc. so it doesn’t impact blood sugar levels.

3.  Drink green tea lemonade (sweetened with stevia, of course) instead of bottled ice tea or soda. Check out my recipe here.

4.  Choose brown rice pasta instead of white pasta. Better yet, use kelp noodles if you can find them.

5.  The same is true of rice. Choose brown rice instead of white rice.

6.  Use stock instead of bouillon to make soup. It’s really easy to do if you add vegetables and water to a slow cooker and allow them to cook for at least 4 to 6 hours to extract the nutrients. Strain the vegetables out and use the liquid as the base for soup. Bouillon is notorious for containing the harmful neurotoxin monosodium glutamate (MSG).

7.  Add a can of beans to a pot of homemade soup. It immediately ramps up the protein and fibre and helps you feel full longer so you’re less likely to crave unhealthy snacks.

8.  Make your own salad dressings. They take a minute to make and help you obtain important fats. Use the 3:1 ratio: three parts oil (like olive or walnut oil) to one part acid (like lemon or lime juice, or apple cider vinegar). Add herbs and a little unrefined sea salt and maybe a teaspoon of honey (if desired). Shake in a jar or blend with a hand blender.

9.  Switch from peanut butter to raw, organic almond butter. Peanuts are vulnerable to molds called aflatoxins which are highly inflammatory. Almonds are less vulnerable.

10.  Eat kale chips instead of potato chips. You can purchase them ready-made or you can make your own by tossing kale in a little olive oil and unrefined sea salt, then bake at 275 until light and crispy (usually 15 to 25 minutes).
 
11.  Switch from sports energy drinks to coconut water. Sports drinks are loaded with sugar, colours, and frequently preservatives. Pure coconut water replenishes electrolytes without all the junk.

12.  Throw a handful of sprouts on your salads and sandwiches and in your wraps. They are packed with protein, fibre, and enzymes.

13.  Switch from baked or mashed potato to baked or mashed sweet potato for the extra beta carotene blast.

14.  Top baked sweet potatoes with flax oil or add while mashing sweet potatoes to get more Omega 3s.

15.  Eat a bowl of frozen blueberries in place of ice cream. Blueberries are anti-inflammatory and potent brain boosters.

16.  Satisfy a sweet tooth with a delicious red, blue, or purple fruit like pomegranate, mixed berries, or cherries.  They are packed with anthocyanidins that are anti-inflammatory and great for heart health.

17.  Choose 100% whole grain instead of multi-grain or “whole wheat” bread. Multigrain or “whole wheat” bread usually contains mostly white flour with a handful of grains or whole wheat flour thrown in to make it look natural.

18.  Choose organic produce as much as possible. Study after study shows that organic is more nutritious than conventional produce.

19.  Buy direct from farmers at local farmers’ markets. Most of the nutrients are lost when foods are shipped long distances and stored for long periods of time.

20.  Eat fish or beans instead of meat. Fish contains beneficial fats along with protein and beans contain protein, fibre, and lots of vitamins.
 
21.  Start every day with a large glass of pure water with freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Lemons contain over 20 anti-cancer compounds.

22.  Switch from lattes to green tea. Green tea helps regulate blood pressure, reduce inflammation, balance cholesterol, fight cancer, and regulate blood sugar.

23.  Add fresh spices to your meals for added flavour and nutrition. Spices like rosemary, basil, cayenne, and oregano are high in antioxidants and are natural antibiotics.

24.  Make homemade muffins with grated carrots or zucchini, or add pumpkin or sweet potato puree in place of some of the liquid and sugar.

25.  Make meat the background not the main dish if you eat it.

26.  Eat a large, raw salad every day. Top it with grated beets or carrots, fresh strawberries, chopped mint, slivered almonds or pumpkin seeds.

27.  Snack on raw, unsalted pumpkin or sesame seeds or nuts like walnuts or almonds. Packed with fatty acids to boost immunity and moisturize your skin, these foods also contain lots of protein and fibre to stabilize blood sugar levels.

28.  Eat an apple a day, preferably an organic one. Apples contain pectin that binds to extra cholesterol in the bloodstream and malic acid that helps reduce fibromyalgia pain.

29.  Switch from milk to almond milk in your baking or smoothies. Milk is extremely mucus-forming and has been linked to arthritis and other conditions. Almond milk also contains calcium, along with magnesium and many other nutrients.

30.  Try to get a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil every day. Cook with it on low to medium heat (under 300 degrees Fahrenheit), use it for salad dressings, or top dips like hummus with a splash. Research shows it reduces the risk of dying prematurely by 26 percent.
 
 
 

Rhino Poachers Beware


 

Friday, March 15, 2013

You are what you eat


Your body and the food it needs


Health Benefits of Cucumber

When you lose fat


Home Made Vitamin Water

Anti Asthma Foods

Health Benefits of Cabbage

Your amazing liver

Health Benefits of Ginger Tea

Symptoms of Anemia

Benefits of Broccoli

Benefits of Buchu

Health Benefits of Sunflower Seeds


Healing Herbs and Spices


Snack-Attack


We are what we eat


Tips to stay on track with your weight-loss goals


Cucumber Smoothie




Cucumber Smoothie
 
 
Ingredients

60g plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp plain yogurt 
2 small Persian cucumbers or 1/2 of a large English (seedless) cucumber, roughly chopped
2 tsp agave nectar or honey
Juice of 1/2 lime
3 mint leaves
Pinch of black pepper
2-3 ice cubes


Directions

 Combine everything in a blender, and process until smooth. Voila, done, finished.

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Natural Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is a wonderful natural cure for a number of ailments which usually require antibiotics and other medication that have a number of side effects.

WHATS THE BENEFITS OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:
Reduce Sinus infections and sore throats
Balance high cholesterol
Cure skin conditions such as acne
Protect against food poisoning
Fight allergies in both humans and animals
Prevent Muscle fatigue after exercise
Strenghten the immune system
Increase stamina
Increase metabolism which promotes weight loss
Improve digestion and cure constipation
Alleviates symptoms of arthritis and gout
Prevents bladder stones and urinary tract infection

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR FOR BODY ODOUR
Apple Cider Vinegar is an effective Body Odour Remedy, since it can help adjust the skin's ph level which helps to eliminate odor-causing bacteria. For armpit odor simply wipe them once each morning with undiluted apple cider vinegar (using a cotton ball) For foot odor, fill a pan with warm water and add 1/3 cup of ACV, then let your feet soak in this mixture for at least 15 minutes once per week.


APPEL CIDER VINEGAR FOR WEIGHT LOSS
Some theories suggest that Apple Cider Vinegar helps to speed up the metabolism, while others suggest that it burns calories, it is also believed that combining Vit B6 with lecithin with Apple Cider Vinegar it is highly effective for weight loss. A suggested remedy is to mix 2 teaspoons of ACV with a glass of water and drink this before every meal of sip it slowly throughout the day !


Apple Cider Vinegar for BAD BREATH
Due to its acidic properties Apple Cider Vinegar makes a wonderful remedy for bad breath or halistosis. Simply add 1/2 tablespoon of ACV into a cup of water and gargle the mixture in your mouth for 10 seconds at a time until the cup is empty.


Sick Care vs. Health Care


Good vs. Bad Glycemic Foods


Gilly's Spiced Tea


Dr. Oz's 5-minute Plan To Reshape Your Body


Cancer Fighting Foods


Health Benefits of Strawberries


Benefits of Herbal Tea


Health Benefits of Guava - Jambu Biji


Alkaline vs. Acidic Foods


30 Days of Juicing



Fresh fruits and vegetables hold amazing power to boost our health and vitality. Discover the power of juicing and make it a part of your daily lives.

The 30-day program below gradually incorporates high-nutrient ingredients into delicious juices. Start with sweet and refreshing ingredients such as berries and carrots, then slowly add nutritious leafy gr...eens and earthy vegetables to gain the maximum health benefits. By day 30, you’ll be craving the “mean greens.”
 

Drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juices regularly helps with weight maintenance and improves overall nutrition. We’ve mapped out the 30-day program below to show how you can get the most out of these natural juices while using a variety of flavorful ingredients.

Starter juices showcase fresh berries and other sweet fruits, such as citrus and melon. As the plan progresses, we show how you can slip earthier, nutrient dense vegetables like leafy greens, celery and cucumber into healthful, palate-pleasing combinations.


Day 1:
2 pints blueberries
2 pints blackberries
Seeds of 3 pomegranates

 

Day 2:
1/4 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into pieces
1 cup blackberries
1 kiwifruit, peeled
1 pear
30 fresh mint leaves
2 cups blueberries

 

Day 3:
2 cups blueberries
2 kiwifruit, peeled
16 strawberries
2 cups mint leaves

 

Day 4:
1 apple
3 beets
3 large carrots
1-inch piece ginger
Handful of spinach or kale leaves, stemmed (optional)

 

Day 5:
4 cups cherries
2 cups raspberries
2 cups strawberries
2 green apples

 

Day 6:
2 cups strawberries
1 1/2 beets
2 oranges, peeled

 

Day 7:
1 cup pomegranate seeds
2 cups blueberries
Sugar, to taste (optional)
Sparkling water and ice cubes as needed

 

Day 8:
4 oranges, peeled
3 red beets
Ice cubes as needed

 

Day 9:
8 oz. strawberries
1 banana, peeled
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into pieces

 

Day 10:
1 1/2 lb. red grapes
2 cups strawberries
Juice of 1/2 lime

 

Day 11:
1 pink grapefruit, peeled
2 cups strawberries
1/4 cantaloupe, peeled and seeded
1 cup grapes

 

Day 12:
1/2 cantaloupe, peeled and seeded
1 pink grapefruit, peeled
2 cups raspberries
1 yellow beet
1/2-inch piece ginger

 

Day 13:
1 orange, peeled
1/8 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into pieces
2 carrots
Juice of 1/4 lemon

 

Day 14:
5 carrots
2 yellow beets
Juice of 1 lemon

 

Day 15:
5 carrots
2 1/2 green apples
1/2-inch piece ginger
Juice of 1/2 lemon

 

Day 16:
3 papaya, peeled and seeded
1 mango, peeled and pitted
Juice of 1 lime

 

Day 17:
1 large pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into pieces
1 cup strawberries
1 pear
30 fresh mint leaves

 

Day 18:
2 mangoes, peeled and pitted
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into pieces
Juice of 2 limes
1 orange, peeled
20 mint leaves

 

Day 19:
3 mangoes, peeled and pitted
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup water
Crushed ice as needed

 

Day 20:
3 yellow beets
1 green apple
1-inch piece ginger

 

Day 21:
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into pieces
1 Tbs. fresh lavender blossoms
Crushed ice as needed
Lavender sprigs for garnish

 

Day 22:
4 Asian pears
Juice of 1 1/2 Meyer lemons
1/2-inch piece of ginger

 

Day 23:
3 mangoes, peeled and pitted
1 green apple

 

Day 24:
1/4 cantaloupe, peeled and seeded
2 green apples
3 oranges, peeled
Handful mint leaves

 

Day 25:
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into pieces
1 bunch mint leaves
1/2 cucumber
1 stalk celery
Juice of 1/2 lime

 

Day 26:
1 green apple
3 handfuls spinach leaves
6 to 8 kale leaves, stemmed
4 large carrots
1-inch piece ginger

 

Day 27:
6 kale leaves, stemmed
2 cups spinach leaves
1/2 cucumber
4 celery stalks
2 apples
1-inch piece ginger
Juice of 1/2 lemon

 

Day 28:
1 1/2 oz. spinach leaves
2 1/2 green apples
1 celery stalk
1 pear
Juice of 1 lemon

 

Day 29:
1 1/2 green apples
1 1/2 kiwifruit, peeled
1/2 bunch kale
1/2 head hearts of romaine
1/2 cucumber
Juice of 1 lemon

 

Day 30:
Handful of romaine hearts
Handful of kale or collard leaves, stemmed
Handful of spinach leaves
2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 or 3 celery stalks