Taking Care of you Skin

Caring for your Skin

Lunchtime and Fast Food

Lunch is the forgotten stepchild of the meal day unless you work everyday or work off-hours, (Swing Shift or Night Shift) and usually we spend a fair amount of energy planning dinner, and we (sometimes begrudgingly) spend some energy making sure we eat breakfast. Have you ever looked up at the clock at noon, realized we are hungry and then scarfed down whatever was available and easy?

Too often, lunch, means fast food, vending machine food or – for some people – nothing at all. And this is truly unfortunate. Nutrition experts tell us again and again that eating three meals and two snacks a day is the surest path to good nutrition and a balanced diet. Even the fast-food places are catching on to people being more health-conscious and are introducing more healthy choices, like a veggie burger that tasted like meat. A hamburger and fries don’t get you very far on the path to good nutrition, however.

So, how do you change this? Lunch is a tough one for people who work outside the home. Sure, you can pack leftovers from dinner, but what if there aren’t any or you didn’t like dinner in the first place? Making a sandwich and adding some fruit sounds easy, but that’s just one more thing to do in the morning and if you’re in a rush, it’s one of the first chores you’ll discard.

Here are some tips to bring lunch back into focus on busy weekdays:

Do plan for leftovers, if possible. I mean if you like what you’re making for dinner and think you wouldn’t mind having it for lunch tomorrow, set aside some for lunch add a piece of fruit and yogurt and there’s lunch tomorrow.

If you must have fast food try to stay away from fries, and see if soup or a salad is on the menu. Yes, I said salads. Sure, you’ll get some nutritional content from the lettuce and all the other goodies on the salad, but the dressing might have as much as 30 grams of fat in it, most of it saturated fat. Stick with light dressings or even keep a bottle of dressing in the fridge at work.

If you’re out and about running errands and get hungry, stop at 7-11, and grab a bottle of milk, some trail mix or a granola bar and a piece of fruit. It might not be gourmet, but it should boost your energy level until later and then dinner.

Keep lunch items at work. There are many things you can keep in your desk that are shelf-stable and still healthy. A packet of tuna and crackers were my favorite. Stay away from fruit juices loaded with sugar and prefer fresh fruit. Nuts, trail mix, and granola bars are all good lunchtime choices. Stay away from sodium-laden canned soups and noodle bowls. Not only can they provide you with more than the maximum sodium you need for one day, but they also won’t provide the complex carb and protein boost you need to get you through the afternoon and keep you from stalking the vending machine later for an unhealthy snack.

Grapes and Mental Health

We've all heard that drinking wine is good for us, but what about those who are on medication or just don't indulge in alcohol? Well, according to the experts, non-fermented (Concord) grapes may be just as healthy for you, especially when it comes to our aging brains. In fact, new studies suggest that drinking a healthy amount of unadulterated (Concord) grape juice can help us stay healthy by keeping our bodies laden with important antioxidants, our minds limber, and our memories on track.

Recent research shows that grape juice given to lab rats (who were approaching the end of their life span) enhanced their cognitive and motor abilities and skills. The researchers placed laboratory animals under a significant series of tests focusing on their short-term memory and their neuro-motor skills. What they found, was that the majority of the tests conducted revealed ample improvement or a trend toward substantial improvement in these essential areas that also significantly affect humans as they age.

These experiments, addressing our continually and increasingly aging population (people these days can look forward to enjoying a healthy life, up into their 80s and beyond, with a new standard reaching the 100-year mark), seek to determine better ways for individuals to grow "old" gracefully and maintain their mental and physical abilities and skills.

Experts went on to add that although these tests and findings are currently in the preliminary stages, they assert that much (previous) research has identified (red, concord) grapes as containing essential antioxidants that are beneficial for our health for a vast variety of reasons, including lowering cholesterol and warding off serious ailments such as certain types of cancers. Now, drinking Concord grape juice is gaining notoriety for it (seeming) potential to help retard the mental and physical deterioration process that generally has been associated with aging.

Healthy Breakfast

Whatever your true feeling about breakfast? I believe this meal has earned the title of the most important meal of the day. Most of the information I have been able to internalize and commit to memory referrers to a "normal day." Meaning a day that ends in the evening and begins again in the morning. I say this because when I used to work the night shift hardly anything I have learned about the importance of breakfast would have applied to me then. So if off-shift work is your plight this information may or may not feel like it's useful.

After a good night's sleep of 8 to 10 hours, blood sugar levels are usually low by morning. Even while we sleep our body is busy working burning calories to keep us warm, while we sleep. After fasting for 8 to 10 hopefully restful hours of sleep. The Arabic word for the first meal of the day translates to Break Fast. In my opinion after fasting all night it's time to recharge in the morning and take in the nutritional fuel necessary to power our mind and body through the day.

Breakfast allows us to kick-start our day making this meal beneficial to both young and old. People who eat a healthy breakfast daily are more likely to

- Consume more vitamins, minerals and less of fat and cholesterol.
- Increased strength and endurance.
- Better concentration and productivity all day long.
- Control weight and
- Low cholesterol equals a lower risk of heart disease

Children who eat breakfast are likely to have better concentration, problem-solving skills, and better eye-hand coordination and are less likely to miss days of school.

If you think to skip this meal will help you lose weight, think again. Skipping this first meal of the day can send your body into starvation mode and make you crave for snacks especially sweets. Impulsive snacking on unhealthy foods can lead to weight gain. Try to choose healthy foods from at least two food groups each morning

- Fruits & Vegetables
- Grains
- Dairy
- Proteins

A glass of pure fruit juice, bananas, yogurt, low-calorie muesli with semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, fresh fruit salad with few spoonfuls of low-fat yogurt, fresh and raw veggies mixed with flavored yogurt, a slice of toast or plain bread with eggs, boiled or poached are some good options for breakfast. Kids can enjoy a Smoothie with their favorite fruits; add a dash of yogurt or honey to make it more delicious.

The first thing I do in the morning is to rehydrate with a cup of tea or a glass of water and then try to eat as healthy as possible. If you look forward to eating different kinds of healthy foods for breakfast, you are less like to skip this meal. If time is your hurdle, think about packing your breakfast or eating on the 'run', its better than skipping breakfast altogether.

Keeping calories under control when dining out

There are plenty of fun places to dine in San Jose California not only is the city a fun place to visit but the area also contains some of the best restaurants in San Jose. Ever wonder how you can possibly lose weight when the average dinner out contains so many extra calories? Well, don’t worry this post might be able to help! Keeping yourself in shape when dining out is simply a matter of ordering the right things to eat.

Here are 6 tips for having a healthy dinner out (and keeping all those extra calories in check) Tips that will help you turn just about any restaurant into one of the healthy restaurants.

Watch Your Drinks

By not ordering an alcoholic beverage, you've saved yourself a considerable number of calories. Try sipping iced tea sweetened with a noncaloric sweetener, a diet soft drink, or water with lemon. You'll be glad you did when you consider the calorie savings.

Have A Salad

One of the best menus choices is a salad, salads are my healthy fast food. Not only will it fill you up so you'll consume fewer calories overall, but it will also give you a hefty dose of antioxidants which are heart-healthy. Be sure to ask your waitress to hold the croutons and cheese which will further reduce your caloric intake. Also, choose your dressing wisely. Avoid cream-based dressings and go for the vinegar-based ones. You also have the option of using vinegar and olive oil which is heart-healthy.

Don’t Order An Appetizer Unless Necessary

Do you know that some appetizers have more calories and fat than the main course? Plus, many appetizers are fried and served with heavy sauces which will add to your intake of saturated fat as well as trans fats and calories. It's not a healthy way to start your meal.

Choose The Right Kind Of Foods

Go for broiled and grilled rather than fried. Not only will you save calories and fat grams, but you'll also avoid trans fats which are so prevalent in fried foods. Instead, consider asking for a doubles order of vegetables with your entree. Very few Americans are getting the 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimal health. Plus, by avoiding the starch, you'll be reducing your caloric and carbohydrate intake. Also, stick to tomato-based sauces rather than cream-based and you'll enjoy considerable calorie savings. Lastly, ask for the sauce to be served in a separate dish on the side so you can control the amount you eat.

Don’t Overeat

Today, many restaurants are serving larger quantities of food than in the past. If this is the case, put aside a portion of your entree at the beginning of the meal to take home with you. If you remove it from your plate before you start eating, you'll be less tempted to overeat.

No ” To Sugary, Fatty Desserts

Instead, go for low fat or low carbohydrate dessert selections such as a low-carb cheesecake. These are wise choices for the health-conscious eater that still allow you to end the meal on a sweet note. If a healthy dessert option isn't available, try a cup of coffee with skim milk to help satiate your desire for something sweet.

The next time you go out for dinner, keep the above tips in mind. You will be surprised how many calories you are able to eliminate from your meal just by ordering the right menu selection, turn where ever you dine when you're eating out into a healthy food restaurant by the number of calories you can take away!

Why I love Apples

There are many great foods in the world. Unsigned professional chef (known only to my family) of course I love food. I enjoy cooking it just as much as I enjoy eating it. Nothing gives me as much of a thrill as preparing a great meal for the people I love. I've heard it said many times that a chef must have a hard time choosing a favorite meal. For me, that has never been the case. From the time I was a young boy up until now, I have loved a good apple more than any other food.

I guess one of the biggest reasons that I love an apple is because of all of the childhood memories I have that include apples. My Texas grandparents had several apple trees on their farm, and on the summers my siblings and I would spend with my grandparents we used to enjoy endless hours of wandering through the different fruit trees, picking or favorite fruit, my favorite was of course apples. We would play games and enjoy being out of the city (San Francisco) and when our energy was exhausted we would sit underneath apple trees for hours telling stories and laughing.

Almost since I can remember I had heard the words an apple a day keeps the doctor away but it wasn't until much later that I remember reading some of the information that showed me why those words might actually be true. Now I know that apples are good for the heart and possess a soluble fiber that helps in absorbing cholesterol. Antioxidants also useful in fighting bad cholesterol are packed onto an apple; antioxidants that can also help prevent lung cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer.

Apples are a form of health food that can help improve the bacteria that live inside our large intestine and affect the metabolism inside the digestive tract by eliminating bad bacteria and toxins maximizing your nutrient intake. Talk about a great snack food for diabetic patients apples slow down the digestion of food which can lessen the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. The high levels of potassium in apples prevent the loss of calcium in the blood which prevents the loss of calcium in the bones for good bone density.

I also learned over time that eating apples activate saliva to kill up to 80% of the bacteria in your mouth and that protects your teeth and gums. The free radicals that can lead to oxidative stress and has been linked to fatigue can be counteracted by the high vitamin C and antioxidants biologically sealed inside an apple. Vitamin C can even help protect against exercise-induced asthma, mix some apple juice with an equal amount of carrot juice for a good way to relieve constipation.

Most people know about the great taste of an apple depending on the variety of apple you enjoy, but now I eat them with the knowledge that eating apples are truly good for me and the apple's usefulness when it comes to your health is wide. The decline of acetylcholine can be prevented with an apple in your diet thus preserving your memory. Adding some apple to your diet has also been shown to slow the mental decline in people suffering from Alzheimer's.

My father did most of the cooking when I was a child but I actually think my love for cooking started in my grandmother's kitchen filled with the smell and taste of apple pie. It was my grandmother who taught me how to tell when an apple was just right for picking and then again when it was just right for eating. Unlike many families, we always ate our apple cold out of the refrigerator. Grandma always said that there was nothing as good as a cold apple.

My children now live on their own, but when they were younger and still living at home I was convinced that there is no food quite like the apple. It seems to be the perfect fruit and frankly, I'd say it is the perfect health food. I try to eat an apple a day and still see my doctor once a year no matter what, and I've been encouraging my kids to start doing the same. To me, a cold apple is still a treat but the information I wanted to get across in this post is that apples not only make a great tasting snack they are also healthy and good for you.

Organic Tea

The word “organic” seems simple enough but when it comes to shopping for organic our Numi organic tea there can be confusing. So let me share with you my inside look at the standards and laws governing organic tea companies that sell tea labeled organic. For me, it all started with a question, "what exactly determines if a particular tea is grown organically?

The Organic Food Production Act (OFPA) passed by the US Congress back in 1990, required the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop national organic standards for the labeling of organic tea. The National Organic Program (NOP) and OFPA developed regulations requiring products labeled “organic” originate from a farm, or handling facilities, that are certified by either State or private agencies that have been accredited by the USDA. The regulations further state that farms or handling facilities may not use any genetic engineering, ionizing radiation or sewage sludge, yikes!

Further stipulating that organic crops must be grown without the use of most conventional pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers and again sewage sludge-based fertilizers. The USDA is required by OFPA to review the certification programs under which imported organic products, like tea, are produced. This means that certified agents in foreign countries must apply for USDA certification. In lieu of USDA certification, foreign governments can assess and accredit certifying agents, under National Organic Program requirements, with USDA approval.

An equivalency agreement negotiated between the US and a country’s government may also be used in lieu of certification. So what are the organic tea brands labeling standards? Organic labeling is the simplest part of the certification process and the aspect that is most confusing for consumers. Where I live the word “organic” on a label simply means you pay more, certification wise what the organic label means is that the tea follows the standards based on the percentage of organic ingredients in a product, and by law must be identified with a 100% organic label and must contain only organically produced ingredients.

Produce labeled “organic” must consist of at least 95% organically produced ingredients and display the USDA Organic Seal. Processed produce that contains at least 70% organic ingredients can only use the phrase “made with organic ingredients”. Processed products that contain less than 70% organic ingredients cannot use the term “organic” accept to identify the specific ingredients, on the ingredients list that is organically produced.

So what does all this mean to US tea consumers? Since tea is grown outside of the US certification is almost always done by foreign agents. It has become more and more important for consumers concerned about how their tea is grown to be comfortable with their tea supplier. Bio-terrorism laws have impacted tea importation by looking more closely overall at what and who are importing products into this country, particularly food products. While these laws can sometimes impede the smooth flow of tea to us from overseas it may be beneficial overall to consumers due to the “closer scrutiny” by the FDA.

Converting gardens and estates to organic farming is a costly and lengthy process and sometimes not even a consideration for small farmers. In some cases, farmers are already doing a lot right, but they lack the knowledge or funding necessary to become certified. There is an effort by the US tea industry to educate growers on the benefit both economically and ecologically for growing tea organically.

Reliable quality taste has been an issue with organic teas. Gardens converting to organic farming to produce the different organic tea brands or organic tea India have challenges that will require short and long term solutions to producing tea with consistently good taste. Over the years the organic tea growing process continues to improve, the tea farmers gain more experience and with each passing season, the quality and taste of organically grown tea keep improving.

As an importer and supplier of premium teas, the major responsibility is to know the production standards and philosophies of the gardens they work with. Securing quality organic tea with outstanding taste characteristics can be challenging but more flavorful varieties of tea become available each season.

Going Vegetarian

“Several epidemiological studies indicate that vegetarians have lower morbidity and mortality from chronic degenerative diseases.” Even the Utah Beef Council agrees with that data, but let's face it, today, vegetarians only make up about two percent of the population. Still, every day more and more people give up eating red meat or try their first bite of tofu. Aside from ethics, health and ecology seem to be the main reasons people are turning away from meat?


Hundreds of different studies have shown that vegetarians who eat balanced diets have lower rates of coronary artery disease, hypertension, obesity, and certain cancers. Registered Dietitian Winston Craig says that eating meat costs Americans somewhere between $30-$60 billion per year in medical expenses related to hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gallstones, obesity, and food-borne illnesses associated with meat. Dropping some meats from my diet has helped me tamp down the skyrocketing price of meat from the grocery store. And, I remember feeling particularly pleased during the last major hamburger meat recall since hamburger meat was on my do not eat list at the time.

So far just about all of the information I have learned and tried to put to use has been very positive. I was especially attracted to the lower rates of disease amongst vegetarians which were right in turn with what Dr. Craig says; that a vegetarian diet is associated with lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and less obesity.

In 1997, the World Cancer Research Fund recommended a vegetarian diet for reducing the risk of cancer and it was the numbers they shared that piqued my interest. Lifelong vegetarians have 24% less heart disease, while vegans have an astounding 57% less. I'm afraid I fall into the vegetarian category since I have cut way back on meat, but still part-take of other animal products like cheese and milk. Vegans don't consume any animal products at all.

An all-inclusive study of a vegetarian religious group, the Seventh Day Adventists, found that the study group had half the rate of high blood pressure and diabetes, half the rate of colon cancer, and two-thirds the rate of arthritis and prostate cancer as other groups (2001). Also, Cornell University reported that eating less meat did more to reduce osteoporosis than supplementing your diet with calcium.

I am living proof that you don't need to go completely vegan to enjoy some of the health effects mentioned in this post I have noticed several improvements since my making a real effort to go meat-free (whenever I can) there has been some weight loss and an increase in workout energy.  In 1999, a meta-analysis of several vegetarian and vegan mortality studies was conducted. The results of these studies were compared together and re-analyzed. The researchers concluded that even reducing meat in your diet had a significant effect on lowering your rate of disease. People who ate meat just once a week had a 20% lower rate of dying from heart disease, and their over-all mortality rate was reduced by 10%.

For those who ate only fish saw as much as a 34% reduction in heart disease death, while their over-all mortality was lowered by 18%. My ultimate goal is to go completely vegan, right now my family, and extended family is the biggest enabler to my not being able to go completely vegan. The good news here is the more you reduce the consumption of animal products, the more you appear to benefit. Only 7% of the vegans studied died of cancer (lung, stomach, and colorectal). Worryingly, 19% of over-all deaths in the US are from cancer.

Being a Vegan, or even a Vegetarian is also good for the planet. How you may ask? Every year, meat eaters contribute to the cattle farming industry. This industry uses farmlands that could be producing food for people to make grain for cows. As most people know, cows produce large amounts of environmentally-toxic methane gas. Raising cows also uses precious water resources. Don't get me wrong I'm not really hating on cows, it's just that back when a cow or cows took care of a families needs the above toxins (methane) and use of the water supply didn't amount to much.

But once cows were gathered by the hundreds to produce milk and other dairy products for the masses it just seems to me that another problem was created. Believe me when I say it was not easy for me to contemplate giving up meat. I come from a long line of hunters, and meat-eaters who do not believe that man fought his way to the top of the food chain just to eat plants. My favorite uncle, Bae Honey, loved to hunt and said to me once "there's room on this earth for all of God's creatures that live in the forest, right next to the potatoes."

This post is meant mainly to share some of the stats I have collected about the health benefits enjoyed by vegans, and vegetarians in the hope you might find it useful and to share some of what I call the negative health effects from eating meat. Moving now to the negative environmental effects of eating meat, did you know that eating meat also contributes to the destruction of the rain forests? I kid you not. In an effort to make a cheaper Big Mac and Whopper, companies are growing cattle in Central America, where labor and other costs are lower. Eager Central Americans are slashing and burning their native rain forests to make room for the beef industry.

It is estimated that a vegetarian diet saves 1.5 tons of greenhouse gas per person per year. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that producing one calorie of animal protein requires ten times the fossil fuel as producing one calorie of plant protein, and according to the New Scientist publication eating a vegan diet reduces more carbon dioxide emissions than driving a hybrid car.

This is not the first time I have heard about the negative stats involving eating meat, and the price we pay for every hamburger that originated from a rain forest. Cow required the destruction of roughly 55 square feet of rain-forest, and too, studies show that one pound of beef requires 2,500 gallons of water. The water used to produce one hamburger patty is enough for two-weeks-worth of daily showers.

Whether you join my crusade to save the world one hamburger at a time or not I hope you will take heed of the health benefits listed above and at least consider
a reduction in your meat intake and if you fear going-totally-vegan, you can at least enjoy a safe space in the middle because between an unhealthy diet and the healthy vegan diet is the vegetarian.

Organic Food

The label "organic" nowadays used to distinguish one tomato from another is a big stretch from the word's original meaning, until the middle of the twentieth-century organic simply meant something living or derived from living matter. In that sense, the idea of an "inorganic tomato" is a contradiction in terms, unless it is, says, a tomato-shaped glass ornament. With very few exceptions just about all of our food is "organic" no matter how it is produced.

The supermarket word "organic" can be traced back to 1942 when J. I. Rodale launched a magazine he called Organic Gardening. Nowadays Rodale is hailed as a pioneer, but then he was often derided as a crank and a throwback to obsolete ways of farming. He advocated maintaining soil fertility and stability by putting organic-matter, animal manure or compost, back into the soil rather than relying on the "inorganic," or synthetic, fertilizers that were then widely seen as the modern way to go.

So in Rodale's usage, it was the fertilizers, and from them, the farming methods, rather than the food, that was organic making the soil his primary concern and not with issues like biodiversity or animal welfare. It wasn's long before the meaning of "organic farming" soon parted company from Rodale's original narrow distinction between fertilizers. Varying definitions spun out of control as different associations of "organic farmers" tried to set standards in accordance with their own values. Some wanted to stick with a narrow definition in terms of what you could and could not put on the soil, the crops, or the animals. Others wanted to include an entire way of life, including healthy living, an equitable form of distribution, concern for wildlife, and so on. Among organizations of organic farmers around the world, the broader view prevailed. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements settled on this definition:

Organic agriculture is an agricultural system that promotes environmentally, socially, and economically sound production of food, fiber, timber, etc. In this system, soil fertility is seen as the key to successful production. Working with the natural properties of plants, animals, and the landscape, organic farmers aim to optimize quality in all aspects of agriculture and the environment.

Such a definition does not, however, lend itself to being reduced to a label that can be put on products to show that they were produced organically. Without specific standards that could be encapsulated in a label, consumers were often unsure what the various "organic" labels used by different associations and producers really meant. Hopefully, by now it is understood that organic foods mean so much more than simply whether or not a pesticide is used or not.

In 1990, the U.S. Congress decided to clear up the confusion by authorizing the Department of Agriculture to establish legally enforceable "USDA Organic" standards and a certification scheme so that consumers could be confident that their food really had been produced in accordance with the standards. That led, in 2002, to a set of standards that most people in organic farming considered a reasonable compromise among the various views of what organic farming is all about. Crops must be grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, and most synthetic pesticides and all herbicides are also banned, although biological and botanical methods of control can be used.

Soil fertility is to be maintained by the use of animal and plant waste (but not sewage sludge, which can contain toxic heavy metals), crop rotation, and growing "cover crops" like clover between other crops. (Cover crops are plowed into the soil to restore nitrogen and organic matter.) Animals used for meat, eggs, or milk must eat organic grains or other organic food and must not be given growth hormones or antibiotics. (Sick or injured animals may be treated with antibiotics, but then their meat, milk, or eggs cannot be sold as organic.) Organically raised animals must have access to the outdoors, including access to pasture for ruminants. Neither plants nor animals can be the product of genetic engineering, and organic food cannot be irradiated.

Reprinted from: The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter by Peter Singer and Jim Mason. Author, Peter Singer is a professor of bioethics at Princeton University's Center for Human Values. He first became well known internationally after the publication of Animal Liberation in 1975. In 2005, Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people.

Jim Mason is the coauthor of Animal Factories (with Peter Singer) and the author of An Unnatural Order: Why We Are Destroying the Planet and Each Other, which John Robbins, author of the best-selling Diet for a New America, calls "a wonderful and important book." He is also an attorney and the fifth generation of a Missouri farming family.

So if like me, you are a buy-organic-kind-of-person hopefully you will find this information useful. I know the information above broadened my view of the meaning of the word organic as it relates to the food I buy and consume. Prior to now my view of organic-food was simply, did they spray this with pesticides or not? I also learned the pesticides are necessary even on food labeled organic. You can still be okay if you use the labels currently being placed on supermarket foods, I always read the label, with the overall idea being to minimize or remove toxins from the food I eat, and not to add them.

Exercise

Exercise is a very important part of a healthy diet, and done on a regular basis exercise will help you fight off disease and other unhealthy conditions. Exercise on a daily basis helps keep you in control of your weight, boosts your energy level, and enjoy an improvement in your mood. Exercise can be fun, social, and put the spark back in your sex life.

Let me start by saying that if you suffer from any chronic health problems diabetes, arthritis or heart disease you should let your doctor in on any new exercise plan, especially if you haven't exercised regularly in a while. I am not a doctor but my goal, with the posts I write, is to keep you out of the hospital, and healthy by sharing the health news, and tips I find in all my health and wellness online exploration. I also realize that what works for me, exercise-wise, may not work for everyone who reads my posts.

Whether you prefer indoor, or outdoor physical activity exercise can allow you to unwind and whether or not you chose to workout indoor or outdoor you can still team up with friends or family to enjoy the social aspect of keeping your body active on a regular basis. When it comes to exercise some exercise is better than none, but exercise on a regular basis is better than over-exercising on a once in a while basis. Seventy-five minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, such as running or one-hundred and fifty minutes of moderate exercise activity like walking is a good recommendation for the beginner.

I actually use a combination of the two that involves both walking and some running with strength training for my major muscles at least twice a week. I made my own schedule and depending on the way your day usually shapes up you should too. The important thing is to take some time for yourself,  then take the plunge---start and begin exercising on a regular basis.

I spread my exercise activity out over the week so my exercise seldom happens at the same time every day, but I try to stay committed and still make sure that my exercise goal for that day is met. So if you suffer from low energy levels, especially when it comes to experiencing, or enjoying sexual intimacy physical activity on a regular basis can not only raise your energy level it has also been known to increase confidence in your own appearance.

Where intimacy is concerned, women who exercise on a regular basis may experience enhanced arousal due to increased blood flow where it's needed most. Men who get an aerobic workout on a regular basis are less likely to have a problem with ED (erectile dysfunction) than men who chose not to give up the couch for a more active lifestyle. So if you're already on a healthy diet path and you haven't yet added exercise to your daily routine, then take the plunge into exercise on a regular basis.

Bulletproof yourself against many types of cancer, anxiety, and depression, type 2 diabetes, and high-blood-pressure to name just a few of the illnesses and conditions the lack of exercise can leave you open to. Lower your death risk with a regular daily exercise activity of your choice with the emphasis not on how much exercise you can do, but how often you can exercise.

Cinnamon and Honey Mix

There is a magic that happens when you mix and boil Cinnamon and Honey together. Cinnamon falls in the sweet spice family of herbs. I have heard that cinnamon is good for improving your sleep, and weight loss but I use it mostly on my oatmeal and as part of my flu and cold elixir I usually put together in the cold and flu season. Honey contains high amounts of vitamins and minerals that can vary slightly depending on the flowers the bees forage but overall it is hard to beat the anti-fungal and anti-bacterial qualities found in pure natural honey.

Mixing the two together creates, in my opinion, a superfood that can be useful for a list of health problems. For someone, looking for help controlling cholesterol levels the mixture of boiled cinnamon and honey can, in about two hours lower high cholesterol levels as much a 10%.  This may sound funny and, I have yet to give this a try, but the mixture of cinnamon and honey on pasta, eaten on bread in place of jelly at breakfast is said to decrease cholesterol in the arteries and protect against heart attack.

Consuming the cinnamon and honey mixture on a regular basis can protect you from organisms like viruses and bacteria strengthens your body's resistance to these organisms by bulletproofing your immune system. Cinnamon mixed with honey can even provide reinforcement when your body is a war with a cold. A quarter tablespoon of cinnamon and one teaspoon of honey taken three days in a row will go a long way in helping you fight off that cold. Honey, doctors have discovered, contains an ingredient that can remove flu bacteria and viruses, how cool is that?

When it comes to your skin and acne a mixture of cinnamon and honey applied to your face before bedtime, and rinsed off in the morning can help reduce the inflammation that causes acne. The mixture of cinnamon and honey, with olive-oil added, can be used to prevent hair loss. Mix one tablespoon olive oil, one tablespoon honey, and one teaspoon cinnamon applies to your scalp for at least 15 minutes then rinse.

Cinnamon and honey mixed together was already know to have a positive effect on the stomach, by presenting stomach aches, but a more recent study has shown that the combination of these two ingredients is also effective in treating gastric cancer when one tablespoon of cinnamon and one tablespoon of honey are taken over a period of three months. The same combination of ingredients one tablespoon of cinnamon, one tablespoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water helps fix a gall bladder infection by killing harmful bacteria in the gall bladder.

Where we all fall in the list of cures and treatments the combination of cinnamon and honey can provide is beyond me and my abilities to know. My hope is that by spreading health-related information like this we can all get a clearer picture of just how useful these health tips can be and figure out when and where to apply them. So far I have enjoyed success with just about every health tips I have followed and where necessary I have checked with my doctor when thinking about replacing an over-the-counter medicine with a herbal, or more holistic one.

It's not that I don't trust all of the health tips I read across, I just like to balance some of my non-medical knowledge decision-making with some true medical opinion, and I love sharing the health tips I have tried and that have worked for me. I have made a small batch (two small jars) of the cinnamon and honey mix and I'm just finishing my first week of using it each morning in tea. You can bet if  I develop any superpowers that fact will appear in a post.

Flower Pot Herbs

It’s not exactly fast food, in fact, it could take most of the summer to get your herbs to the point you can begin harvesting them but I thought it was well worth the wait. With only the most rudimentary of tools, a little space on my kitchen counter and some unsaturated elbow grease, I sat up my own countertop herbal garden indoors and start growing herbs in pots for beginners.

Indoors or out gardening is a rewarding hobby. It was nice to see the beauty of my herbs take root, and begin to grow all summer long. For me, it was a joy to fulfill one of my favorite wishes to grow my own herbs. My plan originally was not to grow them indoors but everything worked out so well I ended up being glad that I did. Oregano, Sage, Parsley, Cilantro/Coriander, Tarragon, Mint, and Rosemary were my herbs of choice.

An indoor gardener can grow his or her own herbs, making it as simple or complicated as he would like. In many ways the oregano is like me, it doesn't tolerate the winters very well, but oregano does very well on your kitchen countertop. Oregano can grow just as well from cuttings or seed I found out.  Sage makes a great indoor plant whether you live in a hot, or cold climate.  Parsley grows best from seed and its ability to withstand a wide range of temperatures makes Parsley a good indoor herb to grow too.

My next flower pot contained cilantro some times called coriander it's best grown from seed. You need to make sure the seed germinates quickly so it's a good idea to cut the seed for cilantro in half I learned. It only took about one week to see my cilantro growing, and it is one of those herbs you can grow all year round. Tarragon can tolerate frost very well when it's grown outside so countertop gardening with Tarragon is a breeze when it came to temperature consideration. Mint grows well from the root, or cutting I used the root method. Mint tastes great in drinks or tea, it dies back in winter, but for the rest of the time mint grows like a weed. Placing a rosemary cutting in water until the roots sprouted, which seemed almost immediately, in a day or two so less than 4 days later it was ready to be planted in my countertop flower pot and my countertop garden was complete. There are a few things you should consider when thinking about gardening indoors.

The first consideration when growing herbs indoors is light, in my kitchen, the plants on my countertop were situated right next to the window and since they were in pots I could rotate the seedling or sprouts that needed the light the most. When the weather changes even when placed next to a window overcast, and clouds can still cut down on the light your plants need so it's a good idea to have a grow light standing by just in case you live in an area where the sun can disappear for days at a time.

The next consideration is to try and figure out what plants you want to cook with? What are your favorite herbs? Do a little research or question the people at Home Depot, or the Nursery you go to about the herbs you want to grow and try to learn how each of the herbs you want to grow need to be treated when it comes to watering, feeding with fertilizer, and tending to with regard to different pest who also love the herbs in your indoor garden. You can even learn which herbs to plant together. I chose not to grow my herbs in 4-inch pots and used a little over foot long pots so I could grow more than only one herb in each flower pot, for example, my mint and oregano roomed together a move that overall did save me some countertop space.

I even found it fun figuring out which ceramic herb pots to use for the kitchen because of all the extra information I collected from the gardening experts. You'll need potting soil and some organic water-soluble fertilizer to feed your plants every 10 to 14 days. A few hand tools for digging and working your mini-countertop-farm potting soil, I also added a pair of rubber gloves for the days I don't feel like getting my fingers dirty. Be careful not to over water your plants make sure your pots have holes in the bottom to allow water to drain and not collect in the bottom of the flower pot and you should be off to a good start.

Nourishing Your Skin

This post takes a look at some of the foods that nourish the largest organ on the human body, your skin. I will also share information about a list of foods that have been scientifically proven to boost the strength, health, the appearance of your skin. And some interesting details about the Walnuts, Yellow Bell Pepper, Raspberries, Pomegranates Chickpeas, and Salmon that have been proven to help you maintain healthier skin with fewer wrinkles.

The best way to maintain that healthy skin glow is to eat healthily, and maintain a healthy diet so here are some of the ways to protect the skin you're in. Our body's protective covering of skin is under constant attack from the sun, the gazillions of good and bad bacteria that call the surface of our skin home and from within. Most of the time if you're not healthy on the inside, it will show on the outside, your skin.

So let's start with Walnuts, unfortunately for us, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are not made in our bodies but walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acid and when you eat them walnuts can help our body make collagen that is necessary for healthy skin. Inflammatory skin diseases like acne and psoriasis can be reduced by the helpful anti-inflammatory qualities of the omega-3s that can also be found in other foods like ground flax seeds, flaxseed oil, tofu, chia seeds, and canola oil.

Chickpeas are also good for your skin, the zinc in chickpeas is important for your skin mainly because it supports the regeneration of new skin cells. A benefit most noticeable in skin repair associated with the healing of wounds. Studies have shown that zinc can inhibit propionibacterium overgrowth, Propionibacterium is just one of the gazillion skin-dwelling residents mentioned above that contributes to acne. Zinc-fortified cereals, oatmeal, poultry, tofu, oyster and beans are all good sources of dietary zinc when it comes to keeping your skin healthy.

One of the building blocks of protein is amino acids and amino acids are believed to be related to collagen synthesis in our skin. I have noticed that when I highlight information like that in my blog posts about half the people who read it and share their thoughts with me say something like, "I tried it and I actually believe it works! While the other half shares why they don't believe it worked for them. To me, this sounds about right since not every cookie-cutter health idea fits everyone.

That is also one of the reasons I caution everyone interested in trying something new "health suggestion wise" to be sure to consult with your doctor before stepping off the healthy path your doctor may have laid out for you. The food medicine ideas that I try and work for me might not work for you, especially if you are taking prescription meds. Anyway, back to the amino acids---salmon contains all of the essential amino acids that play a role in skin health. Researchers found that consuming a combination of essential amino acids significantly increased the rate of collagen syntheses in mice suffering from ultraviolet light damage.

In my research, I found that eating a well prepared, grill cooked, salmon meal left me feeling full and very fulfilled and while I do suffer from bouts of dry skin some days I still can't tell if it's the hard water my city provides for bathing or the fact that I don't have salmon as often as I might like that contributes to my dry skin. I do know that salmon is a good source of monounsaturated fat that was found to be a positive associated with skin elasticity in older women in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Carotenoids the antioxidant pigments that give a lot of fruits and vegetables their bright orange, yellow, and red colors can be found in sweet potatoes. Carotenoids help keep our skin cells healthy and go well with fat-soluble foods to help them be better absorbed, so for a boost to your skin health that tastes good add some nuts or a little olive oil to your sweet potato. In the article, I consumed about carotenoids the people whose faces were rated as healthy looking by others around them had consumed 2.9 carotenoid laced fruits and vegetables a day.

To end this post let me mention how Pomegranates and Raspberries can help keep your skin looking healthier and more attractive. These two fruits are high in ellagic acid and research has shown that ellagic acid can significantly reduce collagen breakdown from UV light exposure. To me, it's been eye-opening to see the role nutrition plays in the prevention of collagen breakdown, wrinkle reduction, and other skin damage. For better-looking skin make as many of the above fruits and vegetables mentioned above a part of your skin healthy diet.

Manuka Honey

Back in 2009, an encouraging finding published in a European Journal showed some promise in the war against the so-called superbugs and that Jelly bush honey from New Zealand also called Manuka Honey was succeeding where many of the worlds top antibiotics were failing. The article in the European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases explained how manuka honey had grown in popularity so much that New Zealand producers were being forced to seek trademark protection to combat fake manuka honey being sold in places where the original product was sold out.

Manuka honey is made by bees that forage the New Zealand manuka bush for the nectar of the Leptospermum Scoparium and tea trees native to New Zealand and Australia. According to a report by The Australian (Australia's national daily newspaper), Australian researchers though experimentation had found out that manuka honey killed every pathogen or bacteria they tested it on and it did not seem to matter whether the manuka honey was taken internally or applied topically to help fight skin infection from insect bites and cuts.

One of the most exciting discoveries about the use of manuka honey was that this brand of honey prevented the superbugs it was tested against from building up an immunity to its healing properties, a fact that set manuka honey apart from the antibiotics in use today whose shelf-life is most often shorter than most bacterias super ability to attack quickly and during its attack become resistant.

You can find Manuka Honey online and in health food stores but be on the lookout for counterfeit, or fake manuka honey scams. On any honey purchased from the health food store, it would be wise to look for some sort of certification. For manuka honey look for the UMF (Unique Manuka Factory) certification. The phytochemical property derived from the manuka bushes that gives manuka honey its unique properties are regulated by the Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association of New Zealand.

Because of the methylglyoxal found in manuka honey that seems to work in concert with other unknown compounds found in manuka honey to destroy bacteria more research needs to be done. With what is already known about manuka honey means that this food's ability to defeat one of the biggest health challenges humanity faces in the war against bad bacteria is off to a very promising start.

The healing properties of honey are one of the reasons I believe so strongly in protecting the earth's bee population. Imagine a natural treatment source that lowers cholesterol, prevents heart attack, even boosts your immune system not coming from the pharmaceutical laboratory, but from mother nature herself. I plan to explore more of the wonderful abilities of honey, and share with you what I find out in future blog posts, this blog post was all about manuka honey, so stay tuned.

Honey and Baking Soda

As natural remedies become more popular for providing a health-boost and in many cases a natural home treatment for infractions, this post was put together to provide the recipe and information about using the combination of honey, and baking soda.  These two ingredients honey and baking soda, which is also sometimes called bicarbonate of soda, work just as well today as they did when the Romans used this natural medicine hundreds of years ago to destroy parasites, bacterial infections, as well as viral and fungal infections. The Baking Soda alkalizes the body and cleanses toxins from the digestive system reducing inflammation in the body. Honey is a natural sugar and more easily absorbed by the body than processed sugar. Processed sugar can worsen cancer and contribute to more inflammation and pain. The health benefits from this combination of honey and baking soda have the potential to fight cancer.


One of the reasons this combination of ingredients is often used as a natural remedy for cancer is that it does not interfere with prescription medication. This combination of ingredients is said to work best when you reduce your overall use of sugar, wheat, and dairy products. By avoiding sugar, wheat, and dairy there will be a more complete lowering of the inflammation in the body, avoiding sugar, wheat and dairy will also give your body the best chance to absorb all of the nutrients from the honey baking soda mixture. Bringing down the inflammation in the body allows cells to begin more naturally healing themselves. Important note, be sure to only use baking soda, and not baking powder like the person writing this blog post did.

The oxidative stress, an imbalance between the production of  free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effect on the body, can also be reduced using this mixture of ingredients and that can boost brain function to provide you with the feeling of more energy and give your bodies metabolism a boost. The mixture of honey and baking soda can also be used to treat cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and to treat autoimmune disorders. Your skin will look healthier due to the honey mixed with baking soda combination's ability to reduce the effects of aging by diminishing free radicals. You can help this process along by keeping your body well hydrated by drinking your daily recommended amount of water or at least try to replace the amount of fluid you urinate on a daily basis with the same amount of H-2-0 (water).

So here is what you will need: one tablespoon of baking soda, three tablespoons of organic honey or the highest quality honey you can find. Remember don't use baking powder, use baking soda. You'll also need a small clean jar with a top. It's best to make this mixture fresh daily, add the above ingredients to a saucepan, heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, without allowing it to boil. Let the mixture cool before placing it into your glass jar. Take the mixture for one month, take one tablespoon, four times a day. As always and even though this combination is said to be safe with or without prescription drugs, let me say again, let your doctor make the final judgment with regard to any new treatments or remedies you decide to take on especially if you are already taking prescription meds.

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