Thursday, February 28, 2013

10 Foods to Stay Young


Age may just be a number, but it's not one we like to give out willingly. Knock a few years off by tweaking your diet with these foods proven to be full of anti-aging properties. Plus, they'll help you reap the benefits of a smaller waist, too.

avocado#1. Avocados Guacamole, anyone? According to Paula Simpson, BASc, RNCP, the oil found in avocados works to toughen your skin while also hydrating it. Another perk? "Avocados are full of monounsaturated fatty acids," says Robyn Flipse, MS, RD. "This is the healthiest type of fat for the cardiovascular system because it doesn't promote inflammation."
#2. Berries Stocked with antioxidants, these yummy snacks neutralize damaging free radicals, says Simpson. They also help the body manufacture collagen, leaving your skin firm and smooth.
#3. Low-Fat Yogurt You already know it's full of protein and calcium, but yogurt contains other vital nutrients as well, according to Lisa Drayer, MA, RD, author of The Beauty Diet. "The vitamin B in yogurt is essential for multiple body functions, including cell growth and division." Just one cup of yogurt has 450 milligrams of calcium, more than a cup of fat-free milk.
#4. Water-Rich Foods Foods high in water content, such as cucumbers, watermelon, apples, peaches, melons, and celery, are some of the best hydrating solutions for your skin, says Simpson. They keep away wrinkles and therefore keep you looking fresh-faced. Flipse also recommends hydrating fluids, like green tea or sparkling beverages, to keep the skin moist.SalmonSalmon
#5. Wild Salmon This fish is an anti-aging remedy for your mental health. The omega-3 fatty acids improve your memory and brain function while reducing inflammation, says Flipse. Drayer suggests choosing wild salmon over farmed to avoid the higher fat levels and chlorinated pesticides that farmed salmon often contain.

Read More: Retail Therapy: Gym-to-Brunch Clothes
#6. Zinc, Copper, and Selenium These minerals are required for collagen production, says Simpson. To stock up, choose foods like chicken, lean beef, walnuts, chickpeas, and dried fruits. "Zinc is essential for a healthy immune system, and selenium helps your skin retain its natural elasticity," says Drayer.
#7. Oysters Not only are oysters full of zinc and selenium, according to Drayer, the high levels of these minerals serve as an antioxidant and help protect you against eye-related disease.
#8. Carrots and Tomatoes The more colorful the better, says Flipse. These bright veggies are stocked with phytonutrients and antioxidants, both of which protect against damaging free radicals. The beta carotene and lycopenewatermelonfound in them also protect your skin from sun damage and repair skin cells, says Simpson.
#9. Tofu, Soymilk, and Edamame These nibbles favored by vegetarians contain natural phytoestrogens that help keep skin resilient and may even actually slow down the aging process, Simpson says.
#10. Broccoli, Beets, and Red Cabbage These veggies are all natural detoxifiers, says Simpson. They minimize toxicities that build up in our bloodstream and, eventually, dull our complexion. 


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

INTERESTING INFO FOR YOUR HEALTH & USE....

                         
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    "  Health  Benefits of Consuming Dates  "

1) Dates are free from cholesterol and  contain very low fat. Dates are rich in vitamins and  minerals.

2) They are rich source of protein,  dietary fiber and rich in vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B5  along with vitamin A1 and  C.

3)It  helps improve the digestive system as it contains  soluble and insoluble fibers and different kinds of  amino acids.

4) Dates are great energy boosters  as they contain natural sugars like glucose, sucrose  and fructose. To get more advantage add dates to milk  and make it a very nutritious snack.

5)Dates  are very low in calories and are extremely suitable  for health conscious people.

6) Dates are rich  in potassium and reduced in sodium. This helps  regulate a healthy nervous system. Researchers have  revealed the fact that potassium intake up to a  certain extent can reduce risk of stroke.

7)  Dates also help in lowering of the LDL  cholesterol.

8) Dates have high iron content  and are very useful in treating anemia. The patients  can eat many dates for better advantages.

9)  Dates also have fluorine that slows down the process  of tooth decay.

10) It helps people suffering  from constipation. Soak dates overnight and take it  along with water to have added advantage.

11)  Dates help in weight gain and are beneficial for those  who suffer from over slimming problem.

12)  Dates are excellent for alcoholic intoxication.Cures  abdominal cancer.

13) It also helps in  improving eye sight and helps in curing night  blindness as well.

"The best thing is that it  does not have any side effect on the body and is  completely natural as well as it works better than  medicine."
    
    
    
    

Monday, February 4, 2013

3 Ways to Stay Calm and Happy in an Age of Distraction


By Eileen Tan and Ui Wei Teck (guest contributors)
Everyone has a body, a mind, and a soul. Our bodies are guided by our minds and our minds are guided by our souls to live our lives, realize our potential and achieve happiness.
Deep inside us, we all want to be successful and be able to achieve something big. We want to be respected, envied and able to inspire others to achieve happiness and satisfaction. How do we stay calm and happy when we are at the same time eagerly trying to achieve something big? When deep inside we want to be successful and be able to “show-off”?
1. Fill your mind with positive thoughts
Just Breathe
(photo: MYANIC)
First, set yourself free from your perceptions about your limitations. Start by filling your mind with positive, noble, and good thoughts about yourself and others. In this way, you can choose how you want to deal with problems effectively so that stress, fear and negativity will not get to you.
When you wake up in the morning, be determined to keep your thoughts positive and your day happy. Figure out what you want to achieve and repeat positive affirmations to yourself regularly, at minimum once per day.
Examples of some positive affirmations are:
  • I am Rich
  • I am Happy
  • I am Loved
  • I am Healthy
  • I am Successful
  • I am a Go-Giver
  • I am a Problem Solver
  • I am Pretty or Handsome
By affirming certain truths about ourselves consistently and regularly, it gives a clear instruction to our mind and soul to deliver what we want to become who we want. This is sometimes described as having our conscious mind awaken the power of our subconscious mind by imagining the reality of what we desire to be.
2. Achieving Calm through Deep Breathing
{ Private Sunshine }
(photo: graphistolage)
For peace of mind, start with a simple breathing exercise followed by a constant state of gratitude to further calm your thoughts. Think about it this way: As soon as a body begins to take in air, there is life. As soon as one stops breathing, the body will have no air and there will be no more life. Shouldn’t we pay attention to our breathing technique? It gives us the ability to stay focused and transform energy into thoughts with possibility thinking and creative action.

Deep Breathing Exercise

Throughout the day, whenever there is an opportunity, you can do this simple deep breathing exercise. Doing a deep inhale will fill you with energy and help you to focus, which in a way is giving power to your body, mind and soul.
Proper breathing involves inhaling slowly and deeply through the nose until your abdomen is full, and then exhaling slowly though the mouth. When breathing in, you can pause after the first breath and breathe in again more deeply as most of us don’t breathe deep enough. This should be done slowly and deeply.
By doing deep breathing, you are building energy. The slow, gentle exhale is the key to breathing. As you breathe out, let go and relax the muscles and release your tension. This can be repeated for a few rounds, and while doing this, relax and focus on what you can see and hear. This can be done in bed too. It will help you to relax and get to sleep soundly.
This deep breathing exercise can be done when you need to calm yourself down. Instead of counting while breathing, say the affirmative words to yourself during the breathing exercise. You would be able to see positive results once you are able to keep calm, be mindful and immerse yourself with positive affirmations.

3. Being mindful and engaged

We live in the age of distraction with many things competing for our attention. Multitasking is not as cool as what people perceive it to be. It actually drains you. By trying to do too many things at one time, you cannot deliver good results most of the time.
On the other hand, you can improve your performance by being mindful and focusing on doing one thing at a time. By being mindful you will be able to appreciate and enjoy simple actions such as walking, talking, listening, learning, and sharing.
Being fully engaged and accepting things as they are enables us to embrace the changes in the second phase of our lives. You can then focus on achieving success which can benefit not just yourself, but others too. You can inspire others with what has inspired you!
By Eileen Tan and Ui Wei Teck, authors of Enjoying Mid-Life Without Crisis. Via HealthMatters.sg, aSingapore Health and Fitness blog that aims to help you lose weight, keep fit, and live healthy. Click here to get our free guide “Eat Your Way to Health – Secrets of a Healthy Diet”.

Ref:  http://sg.news.yahoo.com/3-ways-stay-calm-happy-age-distraction-075212594.html