Lifestyle

 Post Christmas Detox Diet

After a month with holidays, alcohol, fatty foods and sweets you may feel bloated and want to get rid off them extra pounds you got these days. Its time to start the New Year positively and optimistic. 

The best way to refresh your metabolism is to detox your body and your liver, lungs, kidneys and skin will thank you for that. 

Why is detoxing important?

Detoxing helps your digestive system to work properly by removing the toxins, dead cells or parasites from your body.  So the body start to find its balance and you will feel more energetic and slim. 

Some tips on detoxing your body

Some people use Detox Diet for getting rid of toxins and some others for losing weight. The important thing is to feel comfortable with your body. You can detox your body in home with not big sacrifices.
Read more....

 

 

Thanksgiving history and the traditional menu

Today November 22, 2012 is Thanksgiving holiday celebrating in USA. This holiday is celebrated not only in USA but also in Canada (2nd Monday in October), Liberia (1st Thursday in November) and in Norfolk Island on last Wednesday in November. 

Thanksgiving is a religious and cultural tradition. Its meaning is to give thanks to god for good harvest, a good growing season and for the early spring. 

The first Thanksgiving was held in 1621 with the Pilgrims and Indians even this first Thanksgiving was not a holiday but a gathering. But since than, it’s an official holiday and it is celebrated every year. 

This holiday is special also about the menu. There are traditional recipes, especially with turkey as a symbol of this holiday. We propose you some traditional recipes to celebrate it today. 

Thanksgiving traditional menu

Mashed potatoes

It’s a simple and quick recipe. 

 Read more...

 

Why plants are important for your home

Including plants into your home has become a trend for all people. They are design elements that complete your home look. But it’s not just about decoration, plants have a lot of other benefits. They make the environment comfort and welcoming.

Also it’s proven that plants reduce stress, clean the air, increasing oxygen level and decreasing dust, raise humidity etc.

·         Plants increase oxygen level

During photosynthetic process, plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They make the air in home stuffy, particularly in winter when windows are closed and prevent fresh air. 

·         Plants raise humidity level

Yes, they increase the humidity in the house by their leaves which emit moisture naturally. They are a great choice to balance the humidity and not buying expensive humidifiers for that. 

·         Plants remove harmful contaminates from atmosphere

According to studies plants, especially certain types, remove pollutants from the environment which can seriously compromise our health.

·         Plants help to reduce stress

 Put them on your office and you will see that they can improve your creativity, productivity and problem solving capabilities.

·         Plants help patients recovering from surgery and ease the Alzhaimer symptoms. 

·         Plants can help to fight colds

Plants have been shown to reduce cold-related illnesses by more than 30%. This is due to their effect of increasing humidity levels and decreasing dust.

·         Plants can stop your headache

That’s due to the fact that plants purifies the air and you are less likely to breathe stuffy, stale air that contributes to headache.

·         Useful in home-remedies

A lot of plants are not only just beautiful but they can be used to treat an illness or for beauty recipes, in home conditions. For example Aloe Vera is known for her benefits.

·         Plants can prevent allergies

Especially exposing the children to such plants helps them to build immunity to allergy. 

I hope that reading the facts below will encourage you more and more to include plants at, home, office, everywhere. 

September 12, 2012

4 Bad habits that make you gain weight

When you want to lose some pounds, most probably you do a “diet” by your mind and in few cases you consult a dietitian. After all you are not satisfied by the results. There are some bad habits that impede you to lose weight. Here are some of them:

1. Skipping breakfast

That’s a big mistake because your body needs fuel to start the day. Skipping breakfast, lead to high-calorie cravings later. You tend to choose high calorie food like: pizza, cake, chocolate etc instead of healthy and low calorie meals. Best breakfast choices are: whole-grain cereal with fresh fruit.

2. Eating without realizing

This is a common problem and happens when you eat while watching TV or you are using your computer. You are focused on what you are watching or doing and you don’t realize what and how much you are eating. For this reason it’s recommended to dedicate the right time to your meal and possibly with the TV turned off. 

3. Lack of sleep

Sleep loss makes you feel hungry even if you are full. That’s because lack of sleep affects the secretion of cortisol, the hormone responsible for appetite. On average, everyone need about 7.5 hours of quality sleep per night. The key of this process are the two hormones: leptin and ghrelin. The first one tells you when to stop eating and when you don’t sleep enough, the level of leptin is low. The hormone of ghrelin, tells you when to eat, the hormone of hungry and not having enough sleep mean a ghrelin level higher. So, pay attention to your sleep. 

4. Eating after dinner

Dinner is the last meal of the day, but not the less important. Dinner must be light and healthy because you are not having any activity to do and to burn calories. But a common mistake that people do often is eating sweets after dinner. They do it unconsciously but instead of sweets and cookies, choose a cup of tea and you will be OK.

August 31, 2012

 

5 Anti-Aging secrets

Aging is something that concerns everybody. All of us want to stay young forever, but the years pass and we have to “fight” aging signs. Especially, females do almost everything for their skin, hair or body. They even get plastic surgery to cut off some years.

But before you take extreme actions, try these naturally anti-aging advices. From the most known aestheticians, hair stylist and dermatologist, here are some tricks to stop the clock.

 

1. Use sesame oil

Get some sesame oil from the health-food store and massage all your body. Do it every morning and you will have a hydrated skin and a healthy glow. Sesame oil also helps blood circulation and cleans away dead cells.

 

2. Stop using foundation

You can use it but not everyday because it settles into wrinkles and makes them more noticeable. Instead, use a concealer where you need it, on circles or spots. Apply some blush on your cheeks (better a peach shade) and you are just perfect and naturally. 

 

3. Follow a simple regimen

There are so many skin-care products that you can get a little confuse what to use. Use the simplest way: when you go home, wash your face with a gentle cleanser, apply a moisturizer and that’s enough. 

 

 

4. Treat separately

The skin around eyes is very delicate and face creams can irritate it. So better treat them separately. Try a gel formula, it helps your eye makeup looking fresh all day. 

 

 

5. Get rid of stress

Stress is one of the worst enemies of youth. Use some techniques of relaxing and do them regularly to move the negative energy. Try stretching, Yoga, meditation or massages. They will help to feel fresh and full of energy.

August 28, 2012

 

 

Poor sleep? it`s time for sweet dreams 

Problems with sleeping affect your overall health, from your mood, your performance at work or physical concerns. So follow some simple rules to improve it:

Stay away from noises

If you have noisy neighbors or a snoring partner, replace these noises with some relaxing music to feel comfort and have a good sleep.

Relax your mind and your body

Before going to bed, try some relaxing techniques, like Yoga poses or stretching. For example: curl your toes tightly for 10 seconds and then relax. Work also for other muscles and you will be ready for sweet dreams.

Keep the room cool

According to studies, people sleep better in a cool room. It`s important that during night you don’t sweat or feel hot. Also wear appropriate pajamas (better cotton ones), that doesn’t keep the heat.

Do it right

When you lie down in your bed, forget all problems and don’t plan tings for tomorrow. If you have to plan something or to think about, do it 2 hours earlier. Right before sleeping, imagine a tranquil scene, beautiful memories or something you dream about. Our imagination will help you having good sleep.

August 28, 2012

 

Healthy eyes in front of computer

All around the world are so many people that work in office. They spend 8 or more hours in front of a computer screen. According to eye-health experts, that stationary screen, passing time can likely harm and weaken our eyes.

Symptoms of overtired eyes are: itchy or dry eyes, blurry vision, redness, and headache. Also you risk to be affected by CVS syndrome (computer vision syndrome) which is a significant eye strain.

But what to do if you have no other choice, you have to stay in front of the computer for a long time?

1. Adjust monitor screen

Fix the resolution to not force the eyes to read something. Also pay attention to contrast and brightness. Turn the brightness down as far as you can. Make sure that the monitor stays 1 or 2 inch below the level of your eyes.

2. Take breaks

It’s important to take short breaks every 15 minutes, even your eyes don’t feel tired at all. Help your eyes muscles relax for 10 seconds by focusing on something else. The perfect choice is to do short breaks and often instead of longer breaks and rarely.

3. Blink

Yes, blink, because it is proven that in front of the computer, people blink less than normally. As a result you have dryness, redness and irritation. Blinking helps to keep your eyeballs well lubricated. 

August 20, 2012

Best time to fall pregnant

Some researchers from Gynecological Endocrinology found that the rate of fertilization was higher in spring than in any other season. Because always spring is seen as the season of renewal, growth and new life.

Also it’s proven that the number of hours of sunlight and temperature changes can affect fertility.

But it`s not the same thing for natural conceive. You can’t control when you get pregnant. Over the past decade, July and August has been the most popular months of birth. So it means they were conceived in the autumn, October, November, December.

According to expert’s analyses, birth rate is strongly related with holidays, family vacations, when couples spend more time together.

Some other hypothesis tells that cooler temperatures in fall season make couples frisky after a hot summer. Also the cool weather is good for sperm production which decreases in summertime.

Don’t give too much importance the time of conceive and birth. The most important thing for all parents is that your baby will be healthy. 

August 19, 2012

5 Surprising benefits of honey

Honey is known about its healthy properties. From skin nutrition to boosting overall health, honey is used in all over the world. Latest researchers found that honey helps childhood cough, especially children between ages 1-5. It also improves sleeping. But these benefits are not the only ones for honey, read some others:

1. Immune booster

Honey is a great source of antioxidants that helps cells from free radical damage. It`s known for heart health properties and protect against cancer. In general dark colored honey has more antioxidants than the lighter one.

2. Antibacterial

It`s an effective treatment against bacterial infections.  It is a smart choice to treat burns and wounds. That’s thanks to hydrogen peroxide, which is produced from an enzyme that bees have.

3. Acne treatment

Acne is a skin condition caused by inflammation and infection. It’s a serious problem or we can call it disease that must be treating with caution. It is proved by science that honey can do it very well. Honey has sugar and water and it has a special ability to inhibit bacteria growth. It also has a low pH, between 3.2 and 4.5

4. Help digestion

Honey can help to relieve the gas in intestines and treat a stomachache or indigestion. Try a teaspoon of honey when you have stomach irregularities.

5. Dental benefits

Honey kills bacteria so it can be a good choice to treat bad breath or a toothache. Every morning try a gargle with one tablespoon honey in hot water, you will have a fresh breath all day long.  

Although honey boosts your overall health, you have to be carefully when you choose it. There are so fake honeys around that is difficult to know which one is “real honey”. Better if you know a beekeeper and you take honey from him.

August 19, 2012

8 Foods that helps you to lose weight

If you want to lose some pounds, you have to consume more foods rich in fibers. This is a recommendation by the most successful dietitians. Fibers make you feel full and do not add calories like other foods. They also are good in balancing blood sugar and lowering cholesterol level. So start to consume these rich-fiber foods:

1. Sweet potatoes

A medium-size potato has 103 calorie and 5gr of fiber. But they also are rich in vitamin A (boost your eyes health), vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, iron, magnesium and antioxidants too. 

2. Pumpkin

A cup of cooked pumpkin has not only vitamin A, C, E but also 3gr of fiber. Try some delicious and healthy recipes with pumpkin. 

3. Apples

Apple is the most recommended food in the weight lost battle. A medium apple contains 4gr of fiber. They are also rich in vitamin A and potassium. Make apple the best snack choice for you. Remember to not take off the skin because it looses the most part of nutrients. 

4. Raspberries

Raspberries are a great source of fiber and antioxidants. One cup of raspberries contains 8gr of fiber. They also help to low the cholesterol level.

5. Corn

Corns are in lot variants of colors and each of them contain fibers and antioxidants. A half cup of corn kernels contains 2gr of fiber. Or try to make some popcorn, they are low calorie food and rich in fiber. 

 

 

6. Whole-wheat bread

Whole-wheat bread contains all nutrients and fibers of the grain. Choose this bread instead of white bread, for a healthier meal. 

 

 

7. Lentils

A cup of lentils contain 15.6gr of fiber and they also contain protein, vitamin B, iron and other minerals. 

 

8. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of the best friends on loosing weight. It’s a super source of fiber. It quenches your hunger and helps the digestion, lowers blood cholesterol, boost immune system function.