Hold on to the Roots
The Lucid Dream
I am climbing a high mountain.
Halfway to the top, it becomes slippery.
I can’t go farther.
The dust falls all over and around me. I can’t see anything.
I am the only witness to my struggle.
My hands desperately try to find something to hold on to.
The mountain is falling apart. So am I.
In the midst of the end, I hear a song:
“You won’t die – Don’t worry. Don’t worry. You won’t die.”
I doubt the song. “But I am about to.”
The song becomes louder and louder,
“You won’t die – Don’t worry. Don’t worry. You won’t die.”
Then, the song stops.
When I am about to fall, my hands find the roots of a tree.
I hold on to it.
I am safe. Just in time.
The piece of land uncovers the roots.
There is a tree above me.
A beautiful tree called LIFE.
The land disintegrates, so the dust falls on me.
The struggle blinds my eyes. I can only hear the song.
The doubt and the fear make me wonder.
I wonder about hope and love so I can understand life.
In the end, it was all meant to be.
To climb the mountain…
To struggle…
To doubt…
To fear…
To hear the song…
To hold on to the roots…
To hope…
To love…
To find the life which is always there, inside and outside the dream.
By Valeria Teles
Much love!
BENEFITS OF BUTTER
‘Good Fats’ and Their Health Benefits
Butter is delicious; it’s used in tons of baked and cooked goods, but it has also developed a bad reputation with nutritionists. Yes, butter is a saturated fat, but it contains a myriad of properties which are great for our health. According to certain research, it’s the overconsumption of carbohydrates, sugar, and sweeteners that are chiefly responsible for the epidemics of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. This is due to people cutting fat out of their diets (thinking that’s what they should be doing) and replacing it with excess carbohydrates and sugars that their bodies crave.
Butter contains a substance called Butyric Acid, which is a component of milk fat from animals. Butyrate, a form of Butyric acid, is linked to reducing the symptoms of inflammation in the digestive system and is used as a treatment for Crohn’s disease.
Butter is also super rich in conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) which have been found to support weight loss.
Here is an incredible helpful tip from David Brown:
TIP: CLA-rich food have many health benefits, while taking CLA supplements can be risky for your health. Choose natural sources of CLA instead of taking CLA supplements. If you want to get rid of some extra body fat, click here and try the science-proved fat burning inexpensive foods and ingredients you can buy at your local store.
Vitamins Found in Butter
Vitamin A:– the most abundant vitamin found in butter. Healthy levels of vitamin A can help reduce the chances of measles, cancers and Age-related macular degeneration(9).
Vitamin D:– helps absorb calcium in the body for strong bone maintenance (10).
Vitamin E: -Helps prevent cancer and coronary heart disease as well as eye problems and cognitive decline (11).
Vitamin B12:– ‘is required for proper red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA synthesis’(12)
Vitamin K2:– can help with osteoporosis and coronary heart disease (13).
Which Butter Is Best?
Grass- Fed Cow Butter
The type of feed dairy cows has had a huge effect on the butter that is produced. Grass fed butter comes from cows that have fed on, you guessed it; grass! It is ‘higher in many nutrients than butter from cows that are fed processed, grain-based feeds or conserved grass’(15). Some fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants are also higher in grass-fed butter. This means your body will be supplied with many significant health benefits just from using grass fed butter rather than standard processed fed cow butter.
Omega-3 Enriched Butter
This omega-3 enhanced butter binds to cells which help regulate genetic functions. Providing proof that ‘omega-3 fats have been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke, may help control lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis, and may play protective roles in cancer and other conditions’(16).
CLA Enriched Butter
Many studies have shown the benefits CLA enhanced butter has on animals (17, 18, 19). And a few studies conducted on humans have demonstrated that ‘CLA has been shown to exert various potent physiological functions such as anticarcinogenic, antiobesity, antidiabetic and antihypertensive properties’ (20). However, there are yet to be many specific studies that look at the human benefits of CLA-enriched butter on people’s health. But it is undeniably clear that CLA has a myriad of health benefits we sure could use!
Source: Healthy Holistic Living
COMFORT
You Are Holding My Hand
By V. Teles
We arrive in a small town after a long car trip. The door opens. We step out, but I stay close to the car.
It’s night.
My heart is racing. There are a lot of people around.
Everyone is anxious. They seem worried about something.
It must be something scary. I am afraid, although I don’t know what is happening.
I stay still.
Standing in a dusty street, I lean back against the car. It is the only place around here that feels safe to me.
“What is going on over there?” I ask myself.
I can barely see anything.
Then I realize people are looking up in the direction of a house where smoke is coming out.
“We heard an explosion earlier,” someone says in a timid, shaky voice.
I have never smelled something like this before. The air is heavy. The house doesn’t look like a house anymore.
“What will happen me?” I ask myself in fear.
Can someone hold my hand? Please.
I can’t see my mother anymore.
My father is distancing himself from the car, from me too. But I can still see him from here.
My sister is close to me, shaking with fear. She looks lost and sad.
The fear doesn’t make my body shake like it does my little sister’s.
I wonder what is going to happen to us.
All I want is a warm hand to hold on to. I want to feel safe.
In silent despair, I stand by the car waiting for our parents to come back.
I don’t want to stay here and I can’t go anywhere.
I can only hold my sister’s hand to ease her fear.
By doing so, I feel a warm hand holding mine.
Much love!
The Meaning of Life Question
The Meaning of Life Question
By Valeria Teles
When I met James for our first assessment session, he said to me, “Are you Valeria? You look so much taller in the pictures.”
“Yes, I confess, I am short,” I replied with a smile.
James was a tall businessman, suntanned and in his late forties, with rounded shoulders, and an ample belly. He used glasses and seemed distracted by the people training around the studio. He was clearly uncomfortable. James was very concerned about his health, but his main reason for hiring me was because he had just broken up with his girlfriend. His goal was to become physically fit to boost his self-esteem and confidence before joining a dating website.
He needed to lose approximately 20 pounds and reduce his belly fat, strengthen his muscles, increase his flexibility, improve his cardiovascular health, and enhance his mental and emotional well-being. People’s misconception that exercise is not fun evaporates after they start training with me, I use music. The assessment went well, and we scheduled his first 20 sessions.
We had our first session in a private, artsy fitness studio in Soho. “How are you feeling today, James?”
“I am very well,” he replied.
“Great, let’s get started.” I continued enthusiastically. I gave him some warm-up exercises to do as we continued our conversation.
“What is the meaning of life for you?” I asked him.
He looked at me and smiled. “What a big question coming from a small, young trainer on an ordinary Monday morning,” he said, as he tried to concentrate on his plank hold.
“I think the meaning of life is to be happy,” he replied.
“Are you happy now?” I asked.
“I would like to have my girlfriend back,” he said.
“Was it your girlfriend who gave your life meaning?” I asked.
He paused for a moment to consider my question. We moved on to the squat rack.
“Perhaps she only needed to change a few things about her personality, and she would be my main source of happiness, meaning, yes. She needed to understand me more and love me for who I am. This was the challenge in our relationship.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I mean, this way she would complete me,” James said.
I had to ask, “Is it possible to feel complete being on your own, too?”
“Well, I like having someone to share my life with, the special moments, to travel with, to talk with, to sleep with, to go out for dinner and maybe to have a child with. You know, a partner. This is the only thing that’s missing in my life now, besides having a fit body like yours. My girlfriend and I were together for more than six years. I loved having someone around, even though our relationship wasn’t the best. I realize now that even having someone around to fight with is better than not having anyone. I hired you so I can get in shape to feel confident enough again to go out there on the dating scene or to try to convince my girlfriend to come back to me.”
“I see,” I said, thinking about everything he just said. I continued, “James, wouldn’t you agree that life is worth living the healthiest way possible? First, by understanding ourselves, knowing why we choose to do what we do, the habits we have, the friendships we cultivate, the food we eat, the anger we feel, the love we crave, and beliefs we hold.
“I believe our sufferings come from a repetition of unhealthy behaviors and habits that go unquestioned out of fear of learning the truth. The secret to fulfillment is how we embrace the truths each moment presents to us in a variety of ways every day. If happiness is what we are looking for, rather than chasing it, why not focus on how to make each moment complete and joyful, by being grateful in the here and now doing whatever we are doing––or learning a lesson about whatever we are going through. Don’t you think we should strive to give a healthy meaning to each moment we choose to live, granting ourselves a chance to learn from one another and from our experience?”
By the time I finished sharing my thoughts, James had squatted for 10 minutes. He had burned quite a lot of calories, and he had his chin in his hand in the Thinker’s pose.
Much love to you!
THE REASONS YOU NEED BEETS!
Include Beets in your diet
1- Beets contain polyphenols and betalains which reverse the effect of free radical damage and oxidative stress in people.
2- Beets contain various vitamins: B complex vitamins, PP which strengthen capillary walls.
3- Beets contain a lot of minerals – potassium and folate, which aid in healthy heart; magnesium, which aids in bone health; iron and phosphorus which produce energy; copper, which destroys free radicals; iodine which is involved in the biosynthesis of thyroid hormones, and magnesium.
4- Beets contain cobalt which promotes the formation of vitamin B12 (which is synthesized by intestinal microflora. Without this vitamin and folic acid the formation of red blood cells would be impossible.
5- Beets rejuvenate our bodies due to folic acid, which contributes to the creation of new cells.
6- Beets remove toxins from our bodies due to betalin pigments.
7- Beets contain betacyanins, which inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
8- Beets improve digestion due to the dietary fiber.
9- Beets stimulate metabolism.
10- Beets help digest Vitamin D in our bodies.
11- Beets help prevent dementia due to high concentration of nitrates which transform in the mouth into nitrites. Researched have showed that nitrites open up the blood vessels in the body which increases blood flow and helps oxygen to get to oxygen lacking areas.
12- Beets contain pectin which is in greater numbers than in carrots or apples. Pectin deals with the excretion of radioactive and heavy metals from the body. In addition, pectin also inhibits the spread of harmful intestinal bacteria and prevents the development of a whole range of diseases.
As you can see beets possess a plethora of medicinal and healing properties which also include lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, strengthening capillary vessels, providing an anti-sclerotic effect, and improving brain and liver function. They also help improve fat metabolism.
I need to start eating them too!!! :)))
Source: Healthy Holistic Living
EAT THE PEELS!
10 Fruits And Vegetable Peels You Should Eat
It’s no secret that eating a generous helping of colorful fruits and vegetables every day is vital to good health. Not only does fresh produce provide essential vitamins and nutrients that keep the body running optimally, but it is also a proactive way to prevent a slew of chronic diseases.
That said, if you are looking for a way to boost your nutrient content for free while reducing waste in the kitchen, you might want to set aside the peeler. Many fruit and veggie peels are loaded with extra nutrition and different antioxidants. But preparing these foods in the traditional way often means the skins end up in the compost.
Instead of peeling away your nutrients, read on to discover the amazing health benefits of eating these fruits and vegetables – peel and all!
1- Potatoes
2- Carrots
3- Cucumbers
4- Apples
5- Eggplant
6- Kiwi
7- Mango
8- Citrus fruits: lemon, orange, grapefruit...
9- Bananas
10- Watermelon
Source: healthy-holistic-living.com
Only the Heart Can Empower Your Life!
TOP SIX ALKALINE FOODS!
The foods you eat have a direct impact on the PH levels in your body. Some foods are more alkaline than others, which helps your body maintain an alkaline state. This promotes energy, aids digestion, prevents diseases, and also gives you clearer skin.
1. Root vegetables
Due to the healing "yang" nature of these foods in traditional Chinese medicine, and their tendency to be more rich in minerals than many other vegetables, it may be safe to say that you can't get enough of them. Look for radishes especially (black, red or white), as well as beets, carrots, turnips, horseradish and rutabaga. Ready to eat after steaming for just 15-20 minutes, root vegetables will help you feel both satiated and better grounded.
2. Cruciferous vegetables
These are the veggies we all know and love, made even more delicious with just a small amount of healthy, homemade sauce like pesto. Choose from broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and the like.
3. Leafy greens
These include kale, Swiss chard, turnip greens and spinach - of which spinach may in fact be the best pick. Known especially for its rich vitamin K and folate content, spinach is also packed with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants and fiber, helping to improve digestion and even vision.
4. Garlic
A true miracle food, garlic appears at the top of innumerable lists of foods that encourage overall health, and alkaline-forming food is no exception. Among its other benefits are its ability to promote cardiovascular and immune health by lowering blood pressure, cleansing the liver and fighting off disease.
5. Cayenne peppers (capsicum)
As part of a family of potent, tropical peppers which contain enzymes essential to endocrine function, cayenne is among the most alkalizing foods. It is known for its antibacterial properties and is a rich supply of vitamin A, making it a helpful agent in fighting off the harmful free radicals that lead to stress and illness.
6. Lemons
Lemons may be the most alkalizing food of all. As a natural disinfectant, it can heal wounds while also providing potent and immediate relief for hyperacidity and virus-related conditions, as well as coughs, colds, flu and heartburn. Lemon also works to energize the liver and promote detoxification.
SOURCE: Natural News .com
OUR CONNECTION WITH TREES
Trees communicate with each other and have social circles
In France - Lac De Créteil.
If trees could talk, what would they say? Emerging research suggests that if they had mouths, they might just say a whole lot because, believe it or not, trees have brains and intelligence, and are able to communicate with other trees much like humans do with other humans when in social situations.
Not only can they talk to each other, but trees also care for each other and feel pain, says forester Peter Wohlleben, who tells all of his experiences with trees in a recent piece for the Daily Mail Online. Far from just inanimate plants, trees do many of the things animals and humans do, though for many this is not necessarily obvious.
When Wohlleben began his career as a forester back in the 1980s, he wasn’t privy to what he now says is a hidden civilization living inside every forest. He knew how to look at various tree species and assess their value on the lumber market, but he didn’t actually know these trees as the living beings they truly are.
He writes about his experiences observing the unique ways in which trees grew, especially at their root systems. From the vast intertwining root webs to the robust trunks and unique branches and leaf growth patterns he observed, Wohlleben came to realize that there’s a whole lot more to trees than just their potential to be turned into furniture.
The first signs of what he describes as “tree friendships” were evident in the strange growths around dead tree stumps that Wohlleben came to realize were being kept alive by nearby trees. Nearby trees of the same species, astonishingly, actually care for each other, and they do this by feeding one another when they can’t do so on their own as a way of collective survival.
Source: Healthy Holistic Living
CARRIED BY THE MOMENT
CARRYING WATER IN BRAVO
by Valeria Teles
Our bedroom is very small, with no door and no lights; we use an improvised kerosene lamp. It’s very hot in the summer and very cold in winter because the roof is made of ancient tiles with lots of gaps.
The nightly ritual before going to bed is always the same. We smash a bunch of mosquitoes trapped in our old net and let some lucky ones escape by lifting it. I stitch over new holes to prevent them from coming in to bite us during the night. Even if they don’t get inside the net, their noise and my sister’s unsolicited hugs keep me from sleeping without interruption. I know she needs me; I could also use a warm hug from my mother to help me fall asleep. Besides the mosquitoes and my sister’s hugs, there’s another challenge to sleeping. Nightmares haunt me. I just hope that they are not as bad tonight, not bad enough to wake me up.
Painter: Ann Procacci
Carried by the Moment
After a rough night struggling to sleep between my sister’s unwanted hugs and the nightmares, the morning brings just enough light to chase the darkness of my fears away. The thoughts of my next chore keep me safe.
It’s early, and chilly. I can hardly see anything on the foggy path leading to the river. But the silence makes me smile with gratitude, to be alone with nature in the light of day. I like seeing the dust lift around every step I make, dragging my worn-out sandals in the soil as I swing my old grey bucket. Walking along the path on my way to the river is such a gift to me. My body is moving somewhere with so much space around; I love this sensation. I hear no human noises besides my own giggling when I suddenly see an animal crossing the road.
Then I reach the river. Nature has become my main source of love, acceptance, and understanding. My true family. It doesn’t hurt me if I get too close, and I don’t have to wish for its acceptance today or tomorrow. Being in the moment with nature gives me all I need; its unconditional love is right here and now.
Before I start filling my bucket with water, I play with it by swiping my hands from side to side. I see lots of small fish – they are close to the edge and not scared of me. I wonder if they are asking for help. Are they trapped like me at home?
The river is drying up. It will soon have no life or love to give to the fish, to us, and it isn’t the mother river’s fault – just like it is not my family’s fault that they don't love me. The river and the fish simply happened; they’ve spent some time together, and they will eventually disappear from each other. This is what nature is and what it does: a sublime, fleeting moment of dance for the partners in a miracle.
But the time is up for this feeling. I need to push the fish and the algae out of the way with my pink, scratched plastic cup, fetching clear water to fill my thirsty grey bucket. Then I place my pre-rolled towel, made into a rounded cushion to fit the bucket, upon my head. I carry the full bucket to the nearest large rock, where I can squat down in a level position and carefully place the bucket on top of the towel on my head. At first, it’s like being pressed down to the ground by the finger of a giant; but as I stand, everything feels normal. It is a workout, no doubt. I learned the technique of water carrying from some old, experienced ladies. It was a lesson they were proud to teach whenever they had a chance, as if they had a degree in water carrying that they hardly ever made use of. They were very excited to be instructors.
Walking back home, balancing the bucket, is fun. It’s a routine that keeps me here and now because all I can think of is not spilling the water. My body and mind become a transport for fresh water. How I love to be just a water carrier, and not the helpless fish in a drying river. I feel good, content. It’s refreshing. It can hear the song my heart sings, the most wonderful melody I ever heard. I don’t know what the lyrics are saying as they keep changing, but the melody is all I need to live this moment with peace, love, and joy.
Much love!
Boost Your Memory With Diet and More...
Modern research has found a number of different risk factors that may play a role in general memory loss and Alzheimer's, and most of them are directly related to unhealthy lifestyle choices.
These include:
Processed food diet. Mounting research suggests our modern diet is playing a significant role in the skyrocketing prevalence of Alzheimer's. Processed foods tend to be nearly devoid of healthy fat, necessary for healthy brain function, while being excessively high in sugar. This combination appears to be at the very heart of the problem. Fortunately, the solution is quite simple:
- Eat REAL food, and avoid processed food like the plague. Insulin resistance and diabetes are involved, as well. According to neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter, anything that promotes insulin resistance will ultimately also raise your risk of Alzheimer's.
- Lack of exercise. Exercise encourages your brain to work at optimum capacity by causing your nerve cells to multiply, strengthening their interconnections and protecting them from damage. John J. Ratey, a psychiatrist who wrote the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, says there is overwhelming evidence that exercise produces large cognitive gains and helps fight dementia.
He claims you can easily "push back cognitive decline by anywhere from 10 to 15 years" by incorporating an exercise regimen three to four times a week – even if you begin during middle age and exercise at a moderate rate.
- Sleep disturbances (such as sleep apnea, insomnia, or chronically insufficient amounts of sleep).
Prevention:
Diets rich in carbohydrates are associated with an 89 percent increased risk for dementia, while high-fat diets are associated with a 44 percent reduced risk. This combination of very little sugar and carbs, along with higher amounts of healthy fat, is essential not only to address Alzheimer's, but diabetes and heart disease as well, since all of these conditions are rooted in insulin and leptin resistance.
Understanding this can make your life a whole lot easier. You don't need to memorize the dos and don'ts for each and every disease you seek to avoid; all you need to do is shift over to a mindset that is focused on optimizing health. Disease prevention then becomes a beneficial "side effect."
In summary, the following four dietary instructions are key for maintaining brain health and staving off Alzheimer's:
- Eat REAL FOOD, ideally organic. Avoid processed foods of all kinds, as they contain a number of ingredients harmful to your brain, including refined sugar, processed fructose, grains (particularly gluten), genetically engineered (GE) ingredients, and pesticides like glyphosate (an herbicide thought to be worse than DDT, and DDT has already been linked to the development of Alzheimer's).
Ideally, you'll want to keep your added sugar levels to a minimum and your total fructose below 25 grams per day, or as low as 15 grams per day if you already have insulin/leptin resistance or any related disorders. Opting for organic produce will help you avoid synthetic pesticides and herbicides, many of which are associated with neurological dysfunction.
Be sure to choose organic grass-fed meats and animal products, as animals raised in confined animal operations (CAFOs) are routinely fed GE grains contaminated with pesticides, along with a variety of drugs. Some researchers have even suggested Alzheimer's may be a slow-acting form of mad cow disease, acquired by eating contaminated meats; and mad cow disease originated in the CAFO system, which forces herbivores to eat animal parts.
Research has also shown that vegetables in particular are beneficial for slowing down age-related cognitive decline. Nutritional intervention with vegetables may even play an important role in reversing such conditions, courtesy of the antioxidants they contain.
- Replace refined carbohydrates with healthy fats. Your brain does not need carbs and sugars; healthy fats such as saturated animal fats and animal-based omega-3 are FAR more critical for optimal brain function. Healthy fats to add to your diet include:
Avocados, butter made from raw, grass-fed organic milk, raw dairy, organic pastured egg yolks, coconuts and coconut oil (coconut oil actually shows promise as an effective Alzheimer's treatment in and of itself), unheated organic nut oils, raw nuts, such as pecans and macadamia, which are low in protein and high in healthy fats, grass-fed meats or pasture-raised poultry.
- Avoid all trans fats or hydrogenated fats that have been modified in such a way to extend their longevity on the grocery store shelf. This includes margarine, vegetable oils, and various butter-like spreads.
- Avoid gluten and casein (primarily wheat and pasteurized dairy, but not dairy fat, such as butter). Research shows that your blood-brain barrier is negatively affected by gluten. Gluten also makes your gut more permeable, which allows proteins to get into your bloodstream where they sensitize your immune system and promote inflammation and autoimmunity, both of which play a role in the development of Alzheimer's.
- Optimize your gut flora by avoiding processed foods (sugar, GE ingredients, pesticides, and various food additives all discourage healthy bacteria in your gut), antibiotics and antibacterial products, fluoridated and chlorinated water, and by regularly eating traditionally fermented and cultured foods, along with a high quality probiotic if needed.
Source: The Alzheimer's Diet Book and Dr. Mercola.
Happy Thoughts and Healthy Eating
A series of fascinating studies by Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab (run by Dr. Wansink) were designed to explain the mechanisms by which negative and positive moods influence your food choices.
Researchers found that individuals select healthy or "indulgent" foods depending on whether they're in a good or a bad mood, respectively. They discovered that if you think about what you're grateful for, you'll eat up to 77 percent healthier.
Why would this be?
Individuals in positive moods who make healthier food choices are often thinking more about future health benefits than those in negative moods, who focus more on immediate taste and sensory experience. Researchers wrote:
"When people are in a good mood, things seem okay and they can take a big picture perspective. This kind of thinking allows people to focus on the more abstract aspects of food, including how healthy it is....
Conceptually, when people feel uncomfortable or are in a bad mood, they know something is wrong and focus on what is close in the here and now.
We hypothesized and demonstrated that this kind of thinking gets us to focus on the sensory qualities of our foods – not things that are more abstract like how nutritious the food is."
The research team suggests that if you're in a bad mood and you want to reduce your temptation to overeat, or not eat the wrong thing, try focusing on something other than the present. If you want to change your eating, change your thoughts—think of something you're grateful for.
Comfort Foods May Not Be So Comforting After All
The healing power of comfort food may be overrated. Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that indulging in comfort food has little effect on how quickly you recover from a bad mood.
The study was funded by NASA in hopes of finding a way to improve the mood of astronauts on space missions. Astronauts tend to lose weight in space, where work demands are high and the food is generally bleak and uninspiring.
Individuals who didn't soothe themselves with food found their moods bouncing back just as quickly as those who indulged in "comfort food." Even when comfort food helped with mood, the effects were short-lived.
In a previous study, Dr. Wansink's research team found that, contrary to popular belief, people tend to eat "comfort foods" as a reward, rather than in response to sadness or stress.
About 86 percent of those surveyed reported seeking out comfort foods when they were in a happy mood, as opposed to 36 percent reporting eating comfort foods when feeling down.
Tips and Strategies to Prevent Overeating
1- Being mindful of your eating is important, but sometimes mindfulness alone isn't enough. Many human behaviors are driven by unconscious emotions, and eating patterns are no exception.
2- Smaller Plates Equal Smaller Portions
Although calorie counting is not an effective approach to weight loss, portion control can be important, particularly if you are inactive or have a sluggish metabolism. Westerners typically consume much larger portions than they need. One way to control portions with minimal effort is by using smaller plates. This seems to work by way of an optical illusion—food portions appear larger on a smaller plate, which tricks your brain into serving and eating smaller portions.
3- Slow Down Your Eating by Chewing Thoroughly
When it comes to eating, you might want to put on the brakes a bit. A recent study shows that eating more slowly can decrease your food consumption and prevent overeating. When you eat too quickly, your body doesn't have time to go through its natural appetite signaling process or proper digestion.
4- Vigorous Exercise Suppress Your Appetite
A common assumption about exercise is that it will cause you to eat more, but science now suggests the opposite may be true. Studies shows that exercise, particularly 45 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise in the morning, seems to reduce food cravings both immediately and throughout the day, leading to suppression of appetite and decreased food intake—even lingering into the next day.
Happy thoughts = Happy Body, Mind and Soul!
Alcohol - How many calories are YOU drinking?
How many calories are YOU drinking? The ways alcohol contributes to weight gain are shocking.
People who consider themselves average wine drinkers consume an excess of 2,000 calories per month - the equivalent of 141 ice creams a year.
In fact, for adults who drink, alcohol alone accounts for a whopping ten percent of the calories they consume.
Here are some more facts:
A spirit and coke is similar in calories to a blueberry muffin.
A pina colada = doughnut
A glass of wine = slice of cake
A 50ml of liqueur = two sausages
A pint of lager = slice of pizza
A frozen margarita = cheeseburger
- The juices and sodas that many alcoholic beverages are mixed with are loaded with sugar, which can be stored as fat.
- Drinking alcohol often increases your appetite and decreases your mindfulness, leading to poor food choices and overeating. Might as well binge on junk food; it's easy to convince yourself that alcohol isn't that fattening, but the facts show that this is far from true.
- Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram - that's almost the same as PURE FAT!
- When is comes to weight loss (or gain) it ultimately comes down to calories-in VS calories-out, and empty calories in alcohol (no nutritional value) can easily add up.
- Metabolism: Alcohol is ingested - Alcohol is metabolized - Fat oxidization stops = weight gain or/and slowed metabolism.
Once alcohol is in your system, your body makes metabolizing it a priority. That means that it will stop metabolizing anything else in order to first get the alcohol metabolized. The reason for this is because unlike protein, carbohydrates, and fat, there is nowhere for alcohol to be stored in our body, so it has be metabolized first.
- A 100-calorie shot of tequila turns into a 500-calorie margarita once it's swirled into the margarita mix.
- Alcohol can wreak havoc on a system that is in place for your health and well-being. Excessively low or high blood sugar levels have long-term consequences. If you choose to consume alcohol, here are some tips to help avoid this problem:
- Never drink on an empty stomach.
- Start with nonalcoholic beverages to satisfy your thirst and continue to have one available while you consume alcohol.
- Limit the amount that you drink.
- You can make a drink last longer and lower the impact that it will have on your blood sugars by having a wine spritzer.
- Consume beverages without alcohol during and after exercise.
- Eat a healthy meal before going out to keep you feeling full.
- Drink water between alcoholic beverages to help you consume less alcohol.
- Prepare healthy snacks before going out to prevent post-drinking noshing.
Best drinks to order:
- Vodka with lemon
- Light Beer
- Gin and tonic with lime
- Red Wine
Avoid having fancy cocktails.
Alcohol is considered a poison by your body, and all efforts are made to excrete it, including the cessation of maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.
Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation. The damage is not limited to alcoholics, so everyone who consumes alcohol needs to pay attention to how much they are drinking, what they are drinking, and when they are doing so.
Source: Dailymail and Medicine Net
BENEFITS of BRAZIL NUTS
Health Benefits of Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are high in calories, and contain good quantities of vitamins, anti-oxidants and minerals. The Brazil nut's kernels, in fact, are staple energy sources of native Amazonians even today.
100g of Brazil nuts provide about 656 calories. Their high caloric content chiefly comes from their fats. However, much of this fat content is mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) like palmitoleic acid (16:1) and oleic acid (18:1) that help lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increase HDL or "good cholesterol" levels in the blood. Research studies suggest that a Mediterranean diet that is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids offers protection from coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring a healthy blood lipid profile.
The nuts are also a very good source of vitamin E; they contain about 7.87 mg per 100g (about 52% of RDA). Vitamin E is a powerful lipid-soluble antioxidant. It is required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucusa and skin by protecting it from harmful oxygen free radicals.
Brazil nuts hold exceptionally high levels of selenium. 100g provide about 1917 µg or 3485% of the recommended daily intake of selenium, rating them as the highest natural source of this mineral. Selenium is an important cofactor for the anti-oxidant enzyme, glutathione-peroxidase. Just 1-2 nuts a day provide enough of this trace element. Adequate selenium in the diet helps prevent coronary artery disease, liver cirrhosis, and cancers.
Furthermore, just as in almonds and pine nuts, Brazil nuts too are free from gluten protein. The nuts, therefore, are one of the popular ingredients in the preparation of gluten-free food formulas. These formula preparations are, in fact, healthy alternatives for people with wheat food allergies and celiac disease.
Additionally, these creamy nuts are an excellent source of the B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin (51% of RDA per 100 g), riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), and folates. Altogether, these vitamins work as cofactors for enzymes during cellular substrate metabolism inside the body.
In addition to selenium, they hold very good levels of other minerals such as copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc. Copper helps prevent anemia and bone weakness (osteoporosis). Manganese is an all-important cofactor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.
Brazil nut oil, extracted from these nuts, has many traditional medicinal applications as an emollient and massage oil. It has a clear yellow color with a pleasant, sweet smell and taste. Its emollient property helps keep skin well-protected from dryness. It has also been used in cooking, and as “carrier or base oil” in traditional medicines in aromatherapy, and in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry.
THE BEST OF COFFEE
How to Make a Good Cup of Coffee
If you want to drink coffee for its health benefits, drink your coffee black, without sugar, non-dairy creamer or cream, or flavorings. If you are dousing your cup of coffee with creamer, non-dairy creamer, sugar, and other sweeteners and flavorings, you are missing out on the therapeutic benefits and potentially harming your health.
The natural blend of polyphenol antioxidants is part of what makes coffee so healthy. However, some research suggests that adding dairy to your coffee may interfere with your body's absorption of beneficial chlorogenic acids. Meanwhile, if you add sugar to your coffee you’ll spike your insulin levels, which contributes to insulin resistance.
Also, coffee beans are one of the most heavily pesticide-sprayed crops. So, you should select only coffee beans that are certified organic. Remember, you will obliterate any positive effects if you consume coffee that's been doused in pesticides or other chemicals. Whenever possible, purchase sustainable "shade-grown" coffee to help prevent the continued destruction of our tropical rain forests and the birds that inhabit them.
There are many who say shade-grown coffee tastes better as well. In addition, you'll want to purchase whole bean coffee that smells and tastes fresh, not stale; if your coffee does not have a pleasant aroma, it is likely rancid. Grind it yourself to prevent rancidity, as pre-ground coffee may be rancid by the time you get it home. If you use a "drip" coffee maker, be sure to use non-bleached filters. The bright white ones are chlorine-bleached, and some of this chlorine will leach from the filter during the brewing process. Bleached filters are also notoriously full of dangerous disinfection byproducts, such as dioxin.
Finally, while it appears that coffee in moderation is beneficial, be careful not to overdo it. Some studies have found adverse effects when about 10 cups a day or more are consumed. Most research considers a “cup” of coffee to be five to eight ounces with about 100mg of caffeine. In contrast, a small cup at many coffee houses starts at 12 ounces, while a large cup may hold 20 to 24 ounces. Simply be aware of how much you’re actually consuming.
Enjoy your coffee!
Emotional Eating Test
You're going about your day when the urge to eat sets in. Sure, you might be physically hungry ... but it's possible that you're seeking a security blanket to alleviate stress. Or perhaps you're just bored. Use "The Broccoli Test" to identify emotional hunger and stop it from ruining your diet.
There's a reason that "comfort food" exists. When you're stressed, your brain seeks ways to alleviate these stressors by eating certain foods, resulting in unwanted calories. If this wasn't bad enough, the act of self-medicating with comfort food also increases your body's propensity to store abdominal fat, leading to a greater risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
By giving into emotional cravings, we just prolong the problem.
Emotionally eating only suppresses feelings. It doesn't change them. It's like an annoying door-to-door salesmen … if we don't answer the door, they'll keep knocking. We might as well answer it sooner rather than later. Until we answer the door, we'll just keep suppressing our emotions.
Do "The Broccoli Test" to help you differentiate between physical and emotional hunger. You may have heard variations of this—the apple test, the fruit test, etc. Basically, what you’re doing is asking yourself if you'd eat a healthier food.
Ask yourself, "would I eat broccoli right now?" If you answer "yes," then you are physically hungry. Go ahead and eat.
If you answer "no," then you're emotionally hungry. You are not actually hungry for food. You are hungry for something else (stress relief, a distraction, a quick escape, etc). The idea is that, when we're physically hungry any food is appealing. If the thought of vegetables doesn't sound appealing, we're not physically hungry.
Helpful, right?
WHAT IS WRONG WITH BREAD FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
Some of us know that to stay fit and healthy, we need to “lay off the carbs.” This usually leads us to think of pies, pastries, pizzas, and donuts. We consider whole grain sandwiches a nourishing, well-balanced meal, right? How many restaurants automatically bring you a warm loaf of bread with your meal to satisfy your hunger until your order arrives?
The truth is, it is not just the carbs and the highly processed types of flours. The real culprit is what’s in bread… wheat. This one ingredient is not only a problem for people with wheat or gluten sensitivities, it is a problem for everyone. Wheat can cause health problems due to the effect it has on blood sugar and your body’s inflammatory response.
Wheat actually makes us fat
How? Wheat contains a chemical called amylopectin A, which can convert to blood sugar even quicker than table sugar! Two slices of bread — no matter how “whole grain” it is — can cause a spike in blood sugar greater than that of eating a candy bar. When blood sugar spikes this quickly, it then drops rapidly also, making us feel hungry. We get cravings and eat more, and the cycle continues throughout the day. Essentially, foods that raise your blood sugar make you hungrier. Eliminate the bread, and your appetite will decrease. Eating fewer calories causes weight loss, and that’s just simple math.
Even if you exercise regularly, wheat can cause a risk of heart disease
When you add high carbohydrates to your diet, they form small particles called lipoproteins, or LDL, particles, that put you at risk for heart disease or stroke, due to an increase in atherosclerotic plaque. So, even if you still look fairly slender, over time, this can cause an increase in this damaging plaque, and also is what causes belly fat — or visceral fat — which are the precursor to diabetes and heart disease.
But what about “whole wheat?” Isn’t that “low-glycemic?
All wheat contains gluten (which has a glue-like effect on our system), and can cause chronic inflammation and even degenerative conditions. The term “whole grain bread” is actually a myth, as the grains have to be broken down into flour to make bread.
Hidden ingredients in many foods
Soy sauce, salad dressings, soups, sauteed vegetables, and more. Cutting out bread is only part of it, and you have to become a real label-reader, or prepare your own foods to ensure there is no wheat in what you are eating. One of the quickest ways to lose the belly weight is to give up bread and wheat altogether.
Lose the wheat, lose the weight.
Source: lifehack
SPIRULINA - I have it every day!
Benefits
Spirulina often gets misclassified as an herb because of its amazing health-promoting properties, but it's actually a bacteria, or a blue-green algae that's found in pristine freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers. It is most commonly recognized as one of the world's most nutritionally complete superfoods, as it offers health benefits to practically every organ and bodily function.
Spirulina Modulates the Immune Response
Spirulina has long been revered for its ability to strengthen the immune system. Because it actively promotes cell regeneration, it helps wounds heal quicker, and makes recovery from illnesses occur faster. Spirulina fortifies one's immune system, leaving the person less likely to experience colds, flus, and other contractible illnesses.
Spirulina Assists in Keeping Eyes Healthy
Spirulina is an excellent supplement for those looking to improve their eye health. This blue-green algae is very rich in vitamin A, and this vitamin is exceptionally important for healthy eyes. For this same reason, eating more carrots has long been recommended to those looking to improve their eye health, but spirulina actually has ten times the vitamin A concentration gram per gram of carrots.
Spirulina Reduces Inflammation and Eases PMS Symptoms
Spirulina is one of the leading sources of Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory agents in nature. GLA is also particularly beneficial to women, as it can ease the symptoms of PMS. Gram per gram, it also has 26 times the calcium of milk, making it an excellent nutritional supplement for pregnant women.
Spirulina Helps Improve the Digestive System
Spirulina eases the passage of waste through the digestive system, thereby reducing stress on the entire system. It also promotes healthy bacteria in the digestive system, and helps to improve the absorption of dietary nutrients.
Spirulina Helps the Body Detox Naturally
Spirulina has a very high concentration of chlorophyll, one of nature's most powerful detoxifying agents. It has been shown to be effective at helping remove toxins from the blood, and it binds to heavy metals and radioactive isotopes, making it very beneficial for those undergoing radioactive therapy.
Additional Health Benefits of Spirulina
• Spirulina is very high in bio-available iron, making it beneficial to those with anemia or pregnancy, with reduced risk of constipation
• Spirulina is a good source of vitamins B-1(thiamine), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3 (nicotinamide), B-6 (pyridoxine), B-9 (folic acid), B-12 (cobalamin), vitamin E, and vitamins K1 and K2
• It is also a source of potassium, chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc
• It has four times the antioxidant ability of blueberries
• Spirulina is an good source of protein: gram per gram more so than beef, poultry, fish, and soybeans
Source: Nutrex
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS - Even ants have sense enough to avoid it
Women Drinking Two Diet Sodas Per Day Are 50 Percent More Likely to Die from Heart-Related Disease
Most recently, one of the largest studies of its kind, which included nearly 60,000 post-menopausal women who were followed for about 10 years, found that drinking just two diet drinks a day can dramatically increase your risk of an early death from heart disease
Artificial sweeteners can wreck your health. Aspartame is among the worst of the bunch, and in general, people who consume aspartame tend to be in poorer health. They also tend to develop more of a sweet tooth.
Why Artificial Sweeteners Are NOT a Dieter's (or Diabetic's) Best Friend
Despite being promoted for weight loss, foods and beverages with artificial sweeteners have never actually been proven to help weight loss. On the contrary, studies that look at this actually find artificial sweeteners promote weight gain. Part of the reason why artificial sweeteners don't work as advertised (such as help you lose weight and manage your insulin) relates to the fact that your body is not fooled by sweet taste without accompanying calories.
Choose Your Beverages Wisely
Sweetened beverages, whether it's sweetened with sugar, HFCS, naturally-occurring fructose, or artificial sweeteners, are among the worst culprits causing obesity and related health problems, including diabetes and heart and liver disease, just to name a few. Remember that sweetened beverages also include flavored milk products, bottled teas, and "enhanced" water products. I'd be leery of anything listing "artificial flavors" as well—especially if the products boasts being low in sugar.
Ditching ALL of these types of beverages can go a long way toward reducing your risk for chronic health problems and weight gain. Your best, most cost effective choice of beverage is filtered tap water. I strongly recommend using a high-quality water filtration system unless you can verify the purity of your water.
Aspartame is a neurotoxin. Even ants have sense enough to avoid it. Yet, diet drinks add this neurotoxic chemical as its sweetener, and they promote it as a health food to a public that naively puts its trust in the experts. It's a win-win situation for them, with the consumer as the loser. You don't lose weight. You lose health. Drink water. Drink tea. You will live longer.
Source: Dr. Mercola.
Weight Lifting and Brain Power
Lifting Weights Boosts Memory
Strength training in particular has been shown to have a very beneficial impact on brain function and memory. Just 20 minutes of strength training was found to enhance long-term memory by about 10 percent.
The Intriguing Link Between Leg Power and Brain Function
A recent study supports the findings that working your leg muscles helps maintain cognitive function as you get older. According to the authors, simply walking more could help maintain brain function well into old age.
The researchers found that leg strength was a better predictor of brain health than any other lifestyle factor looked at in the study. It suggests that simple lifestyle changes to boost our physical activity may help to keep us both mentally and physically healthy.
Previous research has demonstrated that exercise promotes brain health by releasing hormones from the muscles, which encourage the growth of new brain cells — a process known as neurogenesis or neuroplasticity.
Your brain's hippocampus, i.e. your memory center, is particularly adaptable and capable of growing new cells throughout your entire lifetime, even into your 90s, provided your lifestyle supports it.
For example, one year-long study found that adults who exercised regularly were actually enlarging their brain's memory center by one to two percent per year, where typically that center shrinks with age.
Enough! Stop reading this and start moving! :)