Wellness Tips
Get More Flexible
Having good flexibility in your joints can help you prevent injuries through all stages of life. If you would like to improve your flexibility, always stay active in some way. And drink plenty of pure water to keep your body hydrated. Get into activities that lengthen the muscles such as swimming, walking, basic stretching, yoga, or pilates. By taking part in some kind of activity several times a week, you will find that the aging process will be much more graceful. And you'll also feel better about yourself mentally.
Strengthen Your Muscles
The key to making your muscles stronger is to work them against resistance, whether you want to use weights or gravity. If you want to gain muscle strength, try exercises such as lifting weights or rapidly taking the stairs. Go at your own pace, of course, and gradually add repititions as you get stronger.
Become a Vegetarian?
There are a lot of good reasons that you might decide to become a vegetarian. A vegetarian diet is usually quite healthy since it is a diet that is low in bad cholesterol and no high fat meat products. However, this doesn't mean that you are healthy just because you are a vegetarian. The vegetarian needs to make sure he or she is getting all the nutrients that the body needs, including the proper amounts of protein and iron, which are typically found in large amounts in animal products. If you are considering becoming a vegetarian, the health benefits are many. Just be sure to do your research, and you too can discover this great new way of living.
Health Tips
Flaxseeds are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids. To regularly consume flax seeds, sprinkle them on your cereal, salads, and sandwiches or put in soups and stews.
Ginger is a tasty spice with several health benefits. Studies have shown that ginger lowers LDL cholesterol, keeps your blood from clotting by reducing the stickiness of your platelets, and is a powerful antioxidant.
Studies show eating vegetables will keep the brain young. Specifically green leafy vegetables, like collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce and spinach are effective mental medicine.
Focus on what you want in life. If you have trouble discovering what you want, just evaluate what you do not want and change it to what you want. For example if you do not want to be overweight, change it to I want to be fit, healthy and at my ideal weight.
Buying organic produce will help you avoid ingesting pesticides. Thin-skinned fruits and vegetables have higher levels of pesticides in them. If possible, buy organic peaches, apples, strawberries, pears, bell peppers, celery and grapes to reduce pesticide ingestion.
Watermelon is a natural diuretic. It has more lycopene than tomatoes. Lycopene has been shown to aid in protecting against certain cancers. Watermelon has also been helpful in alleviating depression.
If you are having difficulty keeping your motivation high to achieve your health and fitness goals, you may want to create 3 x 5 cards that have a supportive saying on them to read whenever you need a boost of motivation.
One clove of garlic daily can decrease LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke by 38%.
According to the World Health Organization, if you used tanning parlors as a teenager or in your 20's, your risk for Melanoma (a form of skin cancer) is increased by 75%. There is no healthy tan according to Dr. Karen Burke a researcher at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Stress has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, accelerated aging and type 2 Diabetes. Many people cope with stress by binging on junk food or other addictive habits. A healthy alternative to decrease the effects of stress is to make sure you get enough sleep, lower your fat intake, increase your consumption of antioxidant rich fruits and veggies, surround yourself with supportive people and exercise regularly.
A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that low intensity exercise such as bicycling, walking, or swimming, can increase the speed at which the body utilizes excess fat. If you overindulge on high fat food while on vacation, make sure to keep doing your low intensity exercise.
Here are a few of the most popular herbs used in herbal therapies:
Echinacea: This has been claimed to boost the body's immune system to help fight off infections. It has been widely used to treat the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections
Goldenseal: This is typically used as an antibiotic. It is often used in conjunction with Echinacea to ward off the common cold or the flu.
Rose Hips: This is a good source of vitamin C.
Chamomile: This is often used for calming overly stressed nerves, relieving stomach pain, preventing ulcers, and fighting infection.
Garlic: This is known to be a potent natural antibiotic, with natural anti-viral properties. It aids in the reduction of cholesterol and prevents the formation of internal blood clots that trigger heart attacks.
Slippery Elm Bark: This is helpful for soothing sore throats, coughs, and stomach disorders.
Ginseng: This is used to help stimulate the immune system. It aids protecting of the liver from toxic things. And it has widely been used to increase stamina.
Dandelion: This is helpful in relieving premenstrual bloating.
Feverfew: This has been used to aid in the prevention of migraine headaches.
Raspberry Leaf: This is popular in the treatment of morning sickness and uterine infection. It has also been known to aid in the prevention of miscarriage.
Spearmint & Peppermint: These are typically used in the treatment of indigestion.
Comfrey: This is often used in the treatment of cuts or bruises.
Senna: This is a very powerful natural laxative.
Uva Ursi: This is used as a natural diuretic. It is also known for its urinary antiseptic effects.
Ginger: This has been used to help prevent motion sickness. Also used in the prevention of internal blood clots that trigger heart attacks.
Licorice: A digestive aid. Also good for soothing sore throats and treating ulcers.
Remember, before starting any kind of herbal therapy, learn as much as possible about any contraindications, or any allergies that you may have. And you may want to consult with a reputable herbalist to help with your individual needs.
Please continue browsing this site to discover a new world of simple, natural remedies and cures.