Add these Chinese health tricks into your diet for a flatter stomach

The Chinese have eaten foods known to expel toxins and restore balance to the body for centuries and, in fact, many of the detox methods now embraced by Western culture such as drinking green tea or starting the day with hot lemon water have a long history in Chinese medicine. 

Wing Yip, the UK's leading Oriental grocery supplier, has put together some simple rules for an effective Chinese detox to spring clean your body and mind. 

These handy hints and tips have also been known to lead to a flatter tummy, improved sleep, clearer skin and boosted energy levels. Result!

Detox Drinks

Ho Yan Hor Herbal tea is considered somewhat of a miracle worker in China, and is known for its ability to cure the common cold and sooth headaches. Made of a mix of 24 carefully selected Chinese herbs, this 65 year old recipe is perfect for a morning detox. It is packed full of antioxidants and has mild diuretic qualities that cleanse your digestive system of toxins and lead to glowing skin and a peak in energy levels. 

Oolong tea is said to increase fat burning ability by 10%, plus Green tea flushes out toxins and contains antioxidants called catechins that are known to increase liver function.

Chinese Super Foods 

Vermicelli noodles are made from the starch of the mung bean which are packed full of antioxidants. Add to any stir fry as a low calorie, gluten free alternative to heavier wheat based noodles. 

Leafy Pak Choi is also proven to aid digestion and contains a cocktail of vitamins A and C and powerful anti-oxidants.

Ginseng grows wild in north-eastern China and has been known aid the regulation of blood sugar levels. When brewed in tea it can act as a natural appetite suppressant. Ginseng has also been used as a natural alternative to Viagra. Ooohhh errrr. 

Sesame seeds, known to actually protect livers cells from the damaging effects of alcohol and other chemicals, sesame seeds are a fantastic choice for a body clean up. Tahini is a staple in Asian cooking, made from ground sesame seeds; a gem for everyday detoxing! 

Ginger is a powerful digestive aide and beyond settling tummy troubles, it is said to be a natural anti-inflammatory packed with antioxidants. Oh and don't forget garlic! It has been known to regulate blood sugar, aid the natural detoxification of nicotine and other toxins and can even help to reduce stress. Use freshly crushed garlic in all dishes and add to cooked dishes just before serving to preserve its anti-bacterial benefits. Just don't plan any romantic dates afterwards...

Balance your Yin and Yang 

Ancient Chinese dieticians categorised all foods as either yin or yang depending on whether they generate heating (yang foods) or cooling (yin foods) sensations in our bodies. These terms often have nothing to do with the food's taste, nor how it is cooked, but relate to deeper essences of the foods nature. 

Heating foods tend to be sweet, grow under the hot sun or contain lots of fats like apricots, grapefruits or walnuts. Cooling foods grow in little sunshine, are salty, lean, rich in potassium and have a soft and wet texture like corgettes, bananas, oysters, and seaweed. 

Get yourself back on track this January with a healthy balanced meal of three parts yang and two parts yin. 
Ref: http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/add-chinese-health-tricks-diet-flatter-stomach-123600978.html

7 shocking things that shorten your life span

No sense of humor 

You know how people always say “laughter is the best medicine?” Turns out they’re telling the truth. A study carried out by Sven Svebak at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, which covered 54,000 subjects, found that people with a high capacity for humor were 35 per cent more likely to be live longer than people who ranked at the bottom of the humor scale. If you are planning to go through life keeping laughter to a minimum, you’ll be missing out on health benefits such as stress reduction, immune system improvement, and increased blood flow, which could reduce your life expectancy when compared to your chuckling peers.

Flying

It’s been proven that taking regular holidays is a stress busting health booster, but it seems the way we travel to those holidays isn’t quite as healthy. In fact, flying can be downright bad for you. It’s already been proven by the Association of Flight Attendants that people who have careers in the aviation industry are more at risk of dying from cancer, and now it’s become apparent why. According to physicist Robert Parish, when you reach the average cruising altitude of 39,000 feet in a plane you are subject to 64 times more radiation than at sea level due to cosmic rays, which over time can seriously affect your wellbeing.  

Nasty co-workers

You know that person who you can’t stand at work? As if things weren’t bad enough already, they’re actually shortening your lifespan. Researchers at Tel Aviv University found that a person’s colleagues have a significant bearing on their wellbeing, with friendly and supportive co-workers leading to lowered stress levels and a reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol. People at work who cause arguments and don’t share the workload equally have the opposite effect, causing stress and subsequently a higher risk of dying amongst their colleagues. These negative effects were most obvious in subjects between the ages of 38 and 43, so if you fall into that bracket it might be time to bury the hatchet with your work enemies.

Retiring

Retiring is often the light at the end of the tunnel for stressed workers, especially for those who have saved all of their life so that they can do it earlier. Sadly, that lifetime of financial sacrifice is leading to a shorter lifespan according to research carried out by Shell Health Services. The study discovered that people who retire at 55 on average died younger than those who waited until they were 65. John Rother, chief lobbyist of the American Association of Retired Persons, explained it rather bluntly by saying “you use it or you lose it” – by retiring early, your body misses out on its daily dose of activity and you gradually become more unhealthy.

Not drinking alcohol

We’re always told to cut back on how much alcohol we drink, and rightly so – excessive alcohol consumption can severely damage your health. However, go to the opposite end of the drinking spectrum and you could be in even more trouble than heavy drinkers. A study at the University of Texas found that non-drinkers have a lower life expectancy than people who drink a moderate amount, and in some cases even lower than heavy drinkers. This is partly due to missing out on the health benefits associated with alcohol. Alcohol (in sensible amounts) helps to protect against heart disease, and decreases the likelihood of Alzheimer’s and dementia through improved neuron function in the brain.

Sleeping too much

Getting enough sleep is important when it comes to good health, so surely the more shut-eye you get the better, right? Wrong. Consistently going too far over the recommended eight hours can negatively affect your health according to a study conducted by RealAge.com. The findings showed that participants who slept for more than nine and a half hours a night suffered from a staggering 60 per cent increase in heart disease, and a higher mortality rate when compared to people who stick to the recommended amount. As well as heart disease, over-sleeping has also been linked with a whole host of health issues, including obesity, diabetes, headaches and depression. 

Not having sex

Sex is good for you. Is anyone still here? For those of you who haven’t frantically run off to tell a significant other the good news, we’ll explain why. The British Medical Journal conducted a sex survey and found that men who didn’t have sex at least once a month experienced twice the mortality rate of those who were getting lucky once a week. It’s not hard to see why this is the case – having sex burns kilojoules, lowers blood pressure, boosts the immune system, and much, much more. A study at Duke University also backed this up, finding that women who had enjoyable sex lives lived eight years longer than those who didn’t.

Ref:  http://sg.news.yahoo.com/7-shocking-things-shorten-life-span-090000150.html