Double Your Detox With This Powerful Water

There are many ways to detox yourself; diets and juicing, are just a start, and they are perfect to get your health back on track after vacations. If you really want to flush out all the toxins drink lots and lots of water, but if you want to intensify the power of plain water, you can add a little flavor as well with these delicious but especially detoxifying additions.

Add the following natural ingredients to a large pitcher of water and drink throughout the next day accompanied by your detox diet for more effective results:

Lemon: Lemon juice helps to cleanse and alkalize the body for a powerful detox drink

Mint: Mint helps settle your stomach and aids in digestion as well

Cucumber: Cucumber makes for excellent rehydration, and cucumber contains anti-inflammatory properties

Ginger: This spicy root helps clean out your system, aids in digestion, and settles your stomach

Using Home Remedies for Sore Muscles

If you’re a little hesitant to pop a pain reliever pill for sore muscles, try using home remedies to ease your muscle pain. All of these methods are easy to use and offer no side effects, in addition to being considerably cheaper than analgesic creams and pills.Fore moderate muscle pain, home remedies work great. For severe muscle pain, it’s best to visit your doctor and act on his recommendations.

1- For immediate relief as soon as you strain your muscle, apply an ice pack--20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. Make sure you drink plenty of water. Proper hydration helps heal your muscles quicker. Heat, although it might be much more soothing than ice, shouldn’t be applied in the first 24 to 36 hours after injury.

2- Take it easy! Gently stretching your muscles is fine, but continuing with a strenuous workout schedule won’t ease your muscles. To reduce swelling, lightly wrap the area in an ace bandage. Be careful not to wrap the muscle too tightly as this can cause swelling around the affected area.

3- Soak in a warm bath with 2 cups of epsom salt or 2 cups of white vinegar. Pour the vinegar or salt into the tub as it’s filling and soak for 30 minutes. Epsom salt contains magnesium sulfate that helps replace lost magnesium in the body. Vinegar helps draws out lactic acid from the sore muscles--a main culprit of muscle soreness.

4- Compresses soaked in apple cider vinegar should be applied to the sore muscle for 20 minutes. Again, drawing out the lactic acid is a great way to alleviate soreness.

5- Eat some bananas to boost your potassium levels. Muscles stiffen and cramp up when your body is low in potassium. Bananas are a great source of potassium. Make sure to drink plenty of water too!

6- Massage helps stimulate the blood flow in and around the affected muscle. There’s no need to pay for an expensive masseuse. Use your own hands and gently rub the affected area after applying an ice pack, soaking in the tub, or applying the vinegar compress.

The Best Home Remedy for Instant Muscle Pain Relief

Muscle pain may come from being tense, overworked or injured. This kind of pain is aggravated by use of those muscles. Muscle pain may also result when the body is affected by certain infections like flu.

Care for the Muscle

Rest the muscle. If you keep using the muscle the pain is going to worsen. It takes 48 hours for the muscle to heal from mild soreness. The amount of rest needed depends on the severity of the injury. If you don't rest, you could worsen the situation.

Immediately after an injury, apply an ice pack or wrap the injured part in a towel with ice. But don't overdo it; apply the ice in intervals. Avoid hot compresses, as they are bad for muscle pains.

A gentle massage of the sore muscles can help ease the pain and soreness.

Although it seems difficult to move the muscle, the best way to cure it is to use it gently. Stretch the muscle and exercise it mildly.

Take an anti-inflammatory drug like aspirin or ibuprofen or use an anti-inflammatory rub.

Stay hydrated. If the pain is due to cramping, dehydration may be the cause. Drink lots of fluids.

Home Remedies

Try natural home remedies that will cure the pain as well as prevent any side effects.

Garlic is anti-inflammatory and is therefore very useful to cure muscle pain. Apply mustard oil treated with garlic to the affected body part to provide instant relief.

Tart cherry juice is an anti-oxidant and an anti-inflammatory and helps muscle recovery.

Turmeric powder is an Indian spice that can be used in food to help with more serious conditions like arthritis or joint pain.

Take some ginger with honey to subside the pain.

Mix cayenne pepper with olive oil and apply in the affected area to lessen pain.

Herbal Cures

Clove oil, eucalyptus oil and lavender oil are often used to treat muscle pains. Rubbing the oils on the affected area will provide relief.

Epsom salt provides instant relief. Pour two full cups of epsom salt in hot water and take a bath in it.

Oil extracted from St. John's wort, an anti-inflammatory plant, may be applied to the affected area for instant relief.

White willow bark, arnica and devil's claw may also be used for their anti-inflammatory properties. Use as directed in the product label.

Doing a Flat Belly Diet

The flat belly diet lasts for 32 days, with four days of pre-diet preparation and 28 days of dieting. However, the author of the Flat Belly Diet, as seen on Oprah, insists that "diet" is a misnomer, and this method is simply a better eating plan that allows dieters to eat well, be satisfied and lose weight -- even without exercising. The diet can be tailored for individuals with allergies, vegetarians and other special cases. Here's how to lose weight and look trim with the flat belly diet

1- Begin the flat belly diet with four days of bloat-control eating to prepare yourself for the Mediterranean-inspired eating plan. For this pre-diet, simply avoid simple carbohydrates, sugary foods, carbonated beverages, fatty foods, chewing gum, spicy foods and fried items. You'll drink the "sassy water" during this time to help with weight loss and prepare you for your diet. The sassy water recipe is in the Flat Belly Diet book.

2- Buy ingredients for your flat belly diet and rid your kitchen cabinets and fridge of any junk foods. Remove temptation and surround yourself with healthy eating choices, including good snacks, to prepare yourself for success.

3- Create a meal plan using the flat belly diet book, in which you can customize each of your three meals by interchanging the choices. Each meal must include something in the monounsaturated fat category, such as nuts, olive oil, chocolate, seeds, avocados or olives. The reason for this is that these MUFAs, as they are dubbed, may aid with weight loss and help you feel satisfied even when eating less.

4- Eat each of your 400-calorie meals four hours apart. The diet allows 1,600 calories per day to nourish your body without adding weight, and to help your body burn calories already hanging on around your tummy area. IN addition to the three regular meals, you have 400 calories allotted to a floating meal or snacks.

5- Add exercise to your flat belly diet to supercharge your weight loss and improve overall body strength. While exercise is not required on the diet plan, there is a chapter devoted to the optional flat belly exercises, which you should consider doing 3-5 times a week to improve your flat belly diet results.

How to Deep Clean Your Skin

No matter how often you clean your skin, you may find pimples or blackheads still cropping up. Your skin can often start to look dull and lifeless during cold weather, or even during warm weather if your skin tends to be dry. When these things happen, it's time for a deep-cleaning. Not only does deep-cleaning your skin refresh your complexion, it's like a mini spa day at home. Using everyday, natural products make the process inexpensive but effective.

1- Boil a pot of water or fill a sink with steaming-hot tap water. Lay a bath towel horizontally across the back of your head, hold the upper corners, and lean over the pot. If you boil the water, set the pot on a hot pad on the counter. Be careful not to lean in so close that you burn your skin. Let the steam open your pores for five to 10 minutes.

2- Wash your face with a mild cleanser, working the cleanser into a foam with clean fingertips. Splash your face with warm water. Do not dry your skin.

3- Sprinkle a quarter-size amount of baking soda into the palm of your hand. Work the baking soda into your skin like you did the cleanser in order to exfoliate any dead cells. Pay special attention to areas with blackheads. Splash the baking soda off your face with cool water.

4- Apply the facial mask of your choice. Choose one containing clay if your skin is oily. If your skin is dry, use a moisturizing peel-off mask. Allow the mask to dry, then remove it according to the package directions.

5- Wash your face with gentle cleanser once more, removing the cleanser with cool water. Pat your skin dry with a clean, soft towel.

6- Wipe your skin with astringent applied to a cotton ball. If your skin is acne-prone, look for one containing salicylic acid. If your skin is dry, try rose water.

7- Apply a moisturizer formulated for your skin type, working it into your skin with your fingertips until none remains.

Putting Lemon Juice in Your Water Do

The lemon wedge on your water glass is far more than garnish. Adding fresh lemon juice to your water adds flavor to the healthy, but bland, beverage. Even better, it can have a host of medicinal uses and health benefits

Enhances Appearance

Drinking lemon water rejuvenates the skin. It can be used as an astringent, which purifies the skin and restrains the growth of bacteria, reducing the likelihood of pimples and blackheads. Daily consumption greatly improves the skin's appearance and gives it a healthy glow.

Aids Digestion

Adding lemon to hot water relieves many symptoms of poor digestion, including nausea, heartburn, and bloating. Regular consumption also aids in eliminating bowel waste more efficiently. The cleansing properties of the lemon also aid in the purification of the liver and kidneys.

Adds Vitamins and Minerals

Most people are aware of the high content of vitamin C in lemon. However, lemon water has a host of other nutrients. It contains vitamin B, riboflavin, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and potassium. It also has proteins and carbohydrates.

Relieves pain

Lemon water acts as a diuretic, which flushes out excess fluid and salt from the body. This can aid in relieving the inflammation, and thereby pain associated with arthritis and rheumatism. Applying lemon water to a toothache also aids in pain reduction.

Warning

Daily use of lemon juice in hot water can lead to erosion of tooth enamel, according to Purdue University's Center for New Crops and Food Products, and has been known to reduce teeth down to the gum level in extreme cases.

Easy Steps to Purify Your Complexion

Easy Steps to Purify Your Complexion And Hydrate Dry Skin with this Moisture-Boosting Facial

Your face has to put up with a lot, with the exception of your hands, it is consistently the most exposed part of your body, so it can fall prey to the vagaries of the weather, pollution, and home and office heating, and any number of factors. This can mean clogged pores and facial blemishes. Here is how to avoid them:

This facial steam will help you get rid of pore-clogging dirt and grime, and leave your skin squeaky clean:

Chamomile and Melissa Facial Steam

Steam opens up your pores and eliminates impurities, while Melissa and Chamomile are extremely soothing to the skin.

1- Wash and chop a handful of fresh Melissa leaves and Chamomile flowers.

2- Pour almost-boiling water into a medium heatproof bowl until it is half full.

3- Scatter the herbs on the surface of the water, then lean over the bowl with your face in the steam and your head under a towel. Stay under the towel for about 15 minutes, then wipe your face with a damp cloth and pat it dry.

Avocado Cypress and Lavender Nourishing Mask

Avocado is full of vitamin A, D, and E which nourish and protects the skin, meanwhile lemon juice and cypress oil tone the pores, and lavender acts as a soother.

1- In a small owl, mash the flesh of half a ripe avocado.

2- Add one teaspoon of lemon juice, then two drops of cypress and three drops of lavender essential oils

3- Apply the rich green paste all over the face, avoiding the eye area.

4- Leave on for 15 minutes, then wash off with tepid water and pat the skin dry.

6 Fun Steps to Live Longer

There is one thing you can do that will help you in the life quest more than anything, it’s to enjoy life, it’s a present, you do have the choice to enjoy every minute of it, and accept everything it gives you as a teaching.

Here are some suggestions that may help you:

• Laughter is good for you it’s official. Numerous studies have shown that the more you laugh the better you are likely to feel and the longer you will live. Nobody is quite sure why this is the case, although there is evidence that laughter releases positive hormones and endorphins in the brain and body, so that the reason for the resulting change in mood is primarily chemical. Do whatever makes you laugh and it will benefit you.

• Drink red wine, it is packed with resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant. This works to protects your body against the effects of aging. One or two glasses of red wine a day can help keep your body feeling young.

• Eat dark chocolate, it is made from cocoa and contains a large amount of antioxidants that protect your body from aging too. Eating chocolate may lower your blood pressure and cholesterol while providing an energy boost.

• Relax; always go in the opposite direction of stress. While stress brings harmful health effects, relaxation helps our bodies to rest, heal, and function better.

• Turn exercise into play, physical games and sports are great way to keep both your body and mind healthy. Simple exercise routines are excellent for maintaining balance, flexibility, endurance, and strength.

• Finally, get a good sleep; it is an essential body function. The health benefits of sleep include more energy, better immune functions and many more.

How to Substitute Natural Foods for Refined Foods

Most convenience foods are refined, which means while they may be affordable and tasty they are really bad for your health. So, if you are interested in getting healthy then you need to substitute natural foods for refined foods. It will take some time to get accustomed to eating natural foods, but you will find they taste better and are much healthier for you.

1- The first thing you need to do is eliminate all the refined foods from your kitchen. Once you have them cleaned out then you can make a grocery list of what you need. Believe it or not, you can find many natural foods that are just as good as their refined versions, but natural and healthy. A good example of this is peanut butter. Natural peanut butter has no hydrogenated oils in it and is good for you. That's not the case with traditional peanut butter. Cakes and cookies are traditionally full of refined ingredients like white sugar and white flour. But, you can find plenty of cakes and cookies made with natural ingredients that are healthier for you and taste better. The easiest thing to do is clean out your cabinets and then go shopping at a natural foods grocery store like Whole Foods.

2- When you buy fresh ingredients you will almost always be making a good choice. However, choose fresh ingredients that are organic or naturally grown. Natural foods are not refined so they are always a better choice than refined foods even if they aren't organic. However, if you are serious about your health then you will be better off spending a few more dollars and buying organic and natural foods. It really is worthwhile and will benefit you significantly.

3- You may find that changing all of your food eating habits at once is a little overwhelming, so start slow. Switch refined white bread for whole grain breads. Also, don't buy any pre-packaged cookies, cereals, or snacks unless they are natural or organic. Once you have made this switch, then you can start changing other things you eat, too. When you make the change gradually ,you will see that it is easier to do and easier to stick with.

4- Finally, you may want to carry your own natural foods with you when you travel, go to the movies or just to have in the car. These days more places are likely to carry natural or organic products. However, you won't always find this and it is better to be safe than sorry. So, buy natural foods and take them with you on a picnic, keep some in your purse for quick snacks and simply enjoy the fact that you are eating healthier than ever before.

How to Avoid Junk Foods

Junk food can have a terrible effect on your body. There are countless cases of people eating themselves to obesity. Why do they do this? Think of it like a drug: It makes them feel better in the moment, so they forget the future costs. Consider this piece of information published on the health site Mercola, quoting a Yahoo! News piece. "Research has shown that almost one-third of the U.S. diet consists of sugar-filled cans of soda and bags of potato chips." So how do you stop doing eating bad foods? Dieting is never easy, no matter what certain infomercials say. However, there are painless ways to diet and avoid junk foods. Start by understanding why you like them so much

1- Understand your thinking. Maybe chocolate does help your mental thinking for a moment. It’s apt to make you smile. So how do you avoid junk foods like chocolate? Find healthier eating escapes at all times of the day as junk food eating is often based on impulse. Bread is good and you can add peanut butter to have a healthy, high protein snack that can replace a chocolate candy bar.

2- Act. Do you find yourself eating late at night? This actually isn’t a bad thing; the myth of eating late at night and gaining weight has been discounted in many studies. But what are you eating? Are you more apt to go to the ice cream carton to fill up? You can stop this junk food habit by either deciding to cut out late night eating or replace the food you eat with healthy alternatives, such as fruits or even a large glass of water to fill you up. Yogurt is a good alternative to ice cream. Cookies can be traded in for the popular “100 Calorie” snack packs. Look to canned fruits next, which are much healthier than downing ice cream and potato chips. A nice vegetable mix can do wonders for your health. Look at the sodium contents of vegetables, because certain products like creamed corn are far from vegetables.

3- Consider the costs. Obesity can lead to countless health problems at the cost of your quality of life and even your life itself. The monetary cost of junk foods adds up, too. A good strategy is to write down your expenditures on junk foods from morning to night: That candy bar cost you a dollar, the bag of chips a few more, a half a carton of ice cream and so on. This financial reminder gives you another reason to quit. Bread and butter is far cheaper and healthier than consistently downing soda, sugar and bags of chips. Often, if you choose the right foods, you will be saving money from the start.

4- Other escapes. There are other escapes for you to do than snack. So how do you avoid filling your spare time with junk food? Junk food addiction is a battle of the mind in many ways, and where you think you need something, you really don’t. Read a book, do a craft, go for a walk, talk on the phone or write in a journal when you would usually head to the pantry.

5- Defeating impulses. The last hurdle is fighting the impulse. If you sense an impulse coming, examine it as you would any other irrational thought. Will this item truly make you happy? The next time you decide to take one box of cookies to bed, consider this strategy of eating right. Avoid your impulses—they are the enemy. Junk foods may hurt your wallet, but high starch and saturated fat does more than just add to your belly—they tend to lower life spans.

11 Ways to Boost Your Lymphatic System for Great Health

Glands, lymph nodes, the spleen, thymus gland and tonsils co-create the lymphatic system, which cleans our body’s cells and carries the body’s cellular sewage away from the tissues to the blood, where it can be filtered by two of the body’s main detoxification organs: the liver and kidneys.

The main symptoms of lymphatic problems are felt in your shoulder and neck area. If you have been suffering from injuries, excess weight, cellulite, pain disorders like arthritis, bursitis, headaches or others, a sluggish lymphatic system may be playing a role.

1. Breathe deeply.

Breathe in that sweet smell of healing oxygen. Breathe out toxins. Our lymph system relies on the pumping action of deep breathing to help it transport toxins into the blood before they are detoxified by the liver.

2. Get moving.

Exercise daily to ensure the lymph system flows properly.

3. Drink plenty of water.

To help ensure the water is readily absorbed by your cells add some fresh lemon juice or oxygen or pH drops.

4. Forget the soda, trash the neon-colored sports drinks, and drop the fruit “juices”

This sugar, color- and preservative-laden beverages add to the already overburdened workload your lymph system must handle.

5. Eat more raw fruit on an empty stomach.

The enzymes and acids in fruit are powerful lymph cleansers

6. Eat plenty of green vegetables

Green vegetables give you adequate chlorophyll to help purify your blood and lymph system.

7. Eat raw, unsalted nuts and seeds

These seeds are packed with fatty acids that may power up your lymph nodes.

8. Add a few lymph-boosting herbal teas

Astragalus, echinacea, goldenseal, pokeroot or wild indigo root tea are beneficial to your lymph system.

9. Dry skin brush before showering.

Brush your dry skin in circular motions upward from the feet to the torso and from the fingers to the chest. The lymph flows towards the heart, therefore you should work in the same direction.

10. Alternate hot and cold showers for several minutes

The heat dilates the blood vessels and the cold causes them to contract.

11. Get a gentle massage.

There is nothing more relaxing than a well done massage, and it can be extremely healing as well, studies have shown that a gentle massage can push up to 78 percent of stagnant lymph back into circulation.

9 Foods That Help You Sleep Well

Are you one of the 50 million Americans that have trouble falling asleep? Adding these foods to your diet may help to increase your odds of a successful slumber.

The health benefits of a good night’s rest are countless: it helps keep you happy, your brain sharp, your immune system strong, your waistline trim, your skin looking youthful and lowers your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

1. Fish

Most fish, especially salmon, halibut and tuna, boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness.

2. Jasmine Rice

The greater amounts of insulin triggered by the high-glycemic-index meals increased the ratio of sleep-inducing tryptophan relative to other amino acids in the blood, allowing proportionately more to get into the brain.

3. Tart Cherry Juice

Melatonin-rich tart cherry juice has been shown to aid sleep. Drink a cup of tart cherry juice twice a day for relief of severe insomnia.

4. Yogurt

Dairy products boast healthy doses of calcium, helping to prevent being calcium-deficient, which can make it difficult to fall asleep.

5. Whole Grains

Whole grains are rich in magnesium and consuming too little magnesium may make it harder to stay asleep.

6. Kale

Green leafy vegetables boast healthy doses of calcium too.

7. Bananas

Bananas are well-known for being rich in potassium, they are also a good source of Vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin.

8. Chickpeas

Chickpeas boast vitamin B6 too, which is needed to make melatonin.

9. Fortified Cereals

Fortified cereals also boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin.

7 Powerful Foods To Naturally Calm Your Nervous System

Today’s crazy lifestyle can do a lot to our central nervous system, especially if we are not taking proactive steps to counteract this perpetual negative effect on our body.

An overtaxed nervous system typically expends most of its resources just trying to defend the body against attack, whether it is in the form of anxiety, panic, or stress; all of which deplete your energy reserves and potentially even harm your endocrine system.

There is a simple way to counteract this damage, consume foods that minimize the amount of time and energy your nervous system spends in catabolic mode. There are many foods that nourish, heal, and regenerate the body.

Here are seven powerful foods that can help calm your nervous system naturally for maximum health:

1) Whey

Whey is naturally rich in L-tryptophan, which has been shown to assist in the production of serotonin, which regulates endocrine, digestive, nervous system, and blood health, and also a whole range of other healing amino acids and nutrients, which are excellent for calming your nervous system.

Whey is also rich in L-glutamine, a non-essential amino acid that is the precursor to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a substance that helps regulate the nervous system and promote calmness.

2) Sweet potatoes, yams

This starchy vegetable has bulk to keep you satisfied and an impressive nutrient roster, containing high levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, and B vitamins, sweet potatoes are a nutritionally-dense food that can help calm your nerves, eliminate stress, and even lower your blood pressure.

Similarly, yams contain an array of nutrient compounds that feed the glandular system and promote respiratory, urinary, and nervous system health.

3) Bananas.

This handy, easy-open package fruit is packed with high doses of potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and other nutrients that help boost production of digestion-enhancing mucous, as well as promoting feelings of happiness and calm inside the body. They aid in the production of serotonin and melatonin, which are crucial regulators of mood and sleeping patterns.

4) Green herbal tea

Green tea contains an amino acid known as L-theanine that enhances mood by stimulating the production of alpha waves in the brain and reduces stress and promote relaxation naturally.

5) Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate and cacao are packed with antioxidants, essential minerals and protective plant nutrients called flavanols, they also contain L-tryptophan, and magnesium, a mineral widely recognized for its ability to calm the nervous system.

Dark Chocolate also contains a neurotransmitter known as anandamide that has the ability to alter dopamine levels in the brain, causing a sense of peace and relaxation.

6) Brazil nuts

Said to be nature’s richest source of selenium, Brazil nuts are virtually unmatched in the nut world when it comes to relaxing the nervous system

7) Spinach.

Spinach is the best way to obtain a high input of fat-soluble vitamins that contribute to the building up of the fatty layers that protect your nerves from damage, such as vitamin K, in order for your brain and nervous system to function as they should

How to Treat Sweaty Palms and Feet Naturally

Sweaty palms and feet can be caused by hyperhidrosis, a rare condition in which the sweat glands on various parts of the body are overactive, or they may be a symptom of a more serious condition. Once the latter is ruled out, excessive sweating of the palms and feet may be treated with several natural remedies. These treatments may work well for some and not so well for others, depending on body chemistry and severity of the condition. However, they are all safe to use in moderation, so experiment and find what works best for you. There's nothing to lose but those embarrassing sweaty palms and feet

1- Steep five regular tea bags in one quart of hot water. Allow the mixture to cool completely, and then soak feet or hands for 30 minutes. This treatment works by clogging the pores that produce sweat, but may only provide temporary relief. However, it can be repeated as necessary and daily treatments are recommended. The tea treatment should prevent sweaty palms and feet for 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the severity of the condition.

2- Combine several tablespoons of Epsom salt with water as hot as you can tolerate. Soak the feet every night for at least 30 minutes in the solution. Prepare a separate batch for soaking the hands and you can treat sweaty palms and feet at the same time. Although it's not exactly clear how the salt works to treat excessive sweating, it has been used to successfully treat various types of hyperhidrosis according to a 2004 article published in "Podiatry Today."

3- Sprinkle alum powder, which can typically be found in the spice aisle of the grocery store, inside your socks before putting them on each morning. Dust a light coating over the palms first thing in the morning as well, and sweaty palms and feet should be eliminated for most of the day. Carry the powder with you and reapply if necessary in the afternoon. Alum has the ability to block the pores and prevent excessive sweating. It is extremely effective for most people, but frequent reapplication may be necessary for severe cases of hyperhidrosis.

4- Sprinkle 1 to 2 ounces of boric acid into a pair of white cotton socks. Put the socks on and leave them in place for 48 to 72 hours. Remove the socks and wash your feet thoroughly using soap and hot water. Follow with one of the soaks mentioned above for the best results, and then dry with a clean towel. There is strong anecdotal evidence that this treatment works for even the most sever cases of excessive sweating. Perform the same treatment using white cotton gloves for the hands, and you can treat sweaty palms and feet simultaneously.

10 Natural Remedies to Preventing Dementia

Dementia is characterized by emotional, mental, and physical deterioration caused by damage to the brain. Symptoms of dementia can develop suddenly or slowly over a long period of time, and the risk of dementia increases as you get older. There are different ways of treating the symptoms, which include: difficulty concentrating and planning things, memory loss and confusion, short attention span, lack of motivation, depression, personality, mood and behavioral changes, delusions or hallucinations, incontinence, muscle weakness, stiffness, or paralysis, slow and unsteady movements, trembling in arms and legs, sleeping difficulties, aggression and frustration, among others.

To prevent dementia in late life, it helps to keep physically and mentally active. There are other factors to consider regarding your general health and well-being. Pay attention to the following:

• Eat a healthy balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

• Limit foods that are high in saturated fat.

• Reduce your salt intake to no more than two-thirds of a teaspoon per day

• Don’t drink alcohol excessively. Men should have no more than two drinks a day, and women no more than one.

• Maintain a healthy body weight, obesity can cause high blood pressure.

• Get regular exercise to maintain good circulation.

• Avoid smoking.

If you are diagnosed with dementia a health care plan will be drawn up, the following natural remedies are also very helpful to relieve the symptoms of dementia:

• Add a few drops of calming lavender essential oil to a vaporizer to relieve stress, agitation, and depression.

• Take 60 milligrams of ginkgo biloba twice daily to support the central nervous system, increase blood circulation to the brain, and improve memory.

• Music therapy, despite the deterioration of mental function associated with dementia, people with the condition are often able to enjoy music. This therapy can reduce agitation and improve mood, thus enhancing quality of life.

9 Easy Ways to Boost your Metabolism Every Day

You can trick your body into burning calories more efficiently, here are some ways you can help revive and boost your metabolism.

Never skip breakfast

your metabolism slows down, every time you don’t eat breakfast, sending the body into “hoard mode,” thinking it’s starving because you’re going a long period of time without food.

Leave less for last

Dinner should be your lightest meal, and some experts recommend you shouldn’t eat any later than 3 to 4 hours before bedtime, to help your body process and burn the food when you’re awake and moving around, burning more calories.

Don’t starve

If your calorie intake is below 1,000 calories a day your body will send signals of starvation, and will slow down your metabolism.

Avoid or minimize snacking

Contrary to popular opinion, it may be better to eat three scheduled meals, and avoid snacks. This allows the body to go into fat-burning mode.

Get moving

As much as you can, its really a big help for your metabolism, and if you do it in the morning, you’ll raise your metabolism all day.

Build muscle

Add weight training or progressive resistance exercises at least two to three times a week to build muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat.

Water

The energy burning process of metabolism needs water to work effectively, therefore, water, water, water!!

Chinese Herbs

Schizandra, a Chinese herb that is used for fatigue may help as well as ginseng for energy.

Try mate tea

Mate, is an herbal tea native to South America. Mate is considered far more nutritious than black tea or coffee, and though it also has some caffeine, its effects are energizing, rather than making people jittery.

About Menopause

Menopause is when menstruation has ceased for at least a year and the function of the female reproduction system ends. This marks the end of fertility in a woman's life. Many women experiencing menopause refer to it as "going through the change." These women are indeed going through a normal change of life, which will affect every woman differently. There are many treatment options available for the symptoms menopausal women experience. Menopause may be the end of one chapter in a woman's life, but it is also the beginning of another.

Significance

Menopause marks a very important time in a woman's life. Although men are usually able to father children their entire lives, menopause ends a woman's ability to reproduce. This signifies the aging process in a woman's life. Becoming infertile as a result of menopause can have mental, physical and emotional effects on a woman as her body continues to change due to hormonal fluctuations.

Time Frame

Women usually begin going through menopause in their mid- to late 40s or during their early 50s, with the average age about 51. Some women begin menopause before this time and may be as young as their 30s, or in extremely rare cases, their 20s. Women who experience premature menopause do so as a result of premature ovarian failure that may be caused by conditions such as eating disorders, diabetes, radiation or chemotherapy, thyroid disease or other illnesses. Many cases of premature menopause are a result of unknown causes. There are also cases of late menopause that occur after the age of 55.

Features

Although each woman's experience with menopause is different, some common symptoms and experiences include irregular menstrual periods, hot flashes, night sweats, urinary symptoms, sleep disturbances, headaches, vaginal dryness, and decreased sex drive. Other effects women may notice after menopause include a decrease in collagen and skin elasticity, changes in hair growth, and increased risk for serious health issues such as osteoporosis, heart disease and diabetes.

Considerations

People should keep in mind that menopause will have many effects on women. Some women experience depression, mood swings, anxiety or erratic behavior as they go through menopause. It is important to know that these symptoms can be attributed to the change in hormonal rhythms that are a result of menopause. Estrogen production is decreased during menopause since the ovaries stop making it. Women have to adjust to their fluctuation in hormones, and some of the effects can be hard to deal with. If you experience changes in your behavior or mental state, speak to your doctor about treatments to help you to deal with these changes.

Misconceptions

Although complete menopause results in a woman no longer being able to get pregnant, a woman can still get pregnant when she is in the process of going through menopause. If she is still having menstrual periods, even if they are irregular, that means she is still ovulating and is still capable of becoming pregnant. It is important to practice safe sex and use birth control during menopause if you do not want to become pregnant.

Menopause Tea

Menopause marks the end of menstruation, which happens at around the age of 50. There can be disorientating side effects such as hot flashes and memory loss. Clary sage is a great mood enhancer and also balances the hormones, place a few drops on to a handkerchief and inhale as required throughout the day. To reduce the incidence of night sweats, take a bath before bed, simply add a few drops to a warm bath.

MENOPAUSE TEA

Mother wort is a traditional remedy for helping ease the body through the transition. Drink

mother wort tea as often as needed:

1. Steep 25g. (1 ounce) dried motherwort in a cup of boiling water.

2. Leave to infuse for ten minutes, strain and then drink while still warm.

You can also try:

NETTLE TONIC

1. Place several handfuls of nettle tops in a large saucepan

2. Cover with boiling water

3. Boil for 30 minutes

4. Strain through a muslin cloth and drink as needed.

7 Natural Remedies for Toothache

Severe or throbbing pain around a tooth, sensitivity to extremes of temperature, red, swollen gums and bleeding when brushing or flossing are some of the symptoms before this annoying ache appears in your mouth.

Most toothaches are caused by dental decay, gingivitis, (gum disease) or an abscess, often due to poor dental hygiene. If your gums become inflamed and infected they can recede, exposing the root of the tooth. The affected tooth can be sensitive to hot and cold food or liquids and may start throbbing.

Conventional painkillers are not always effective and may have side effects, so you may prefer to try natural remedies instead to deal with the nagging pain of tooth and gum disease while you wait to visit your dentist:

• The traditional way to ease the pain is to dab the painful tooth and the gums surrounding it with some cotton balls soaked in clove oil.

• Alternatively, you can chew on a clove with the affected tooth, biting into it will release the oil.

• Chewing a peeled garlic clove may also bring some relief.

• A soothing saltwater mouthwash can be repeated several times a day to fight infection, use one teaspoon salt to one cup hot water.

• Add five drops tincture of myrrh to a small glass of warm water and the use as mouthwash. You can apply a tincture of calendula to swollen gums to ease pain and swelling.

• Rub a little clove or chamomile oil around the affected tooth.

• Try applying pressure to the area between your thumb and index finder for up to a minute.

5 Natural Treatments for Intestinal Worms

Have you heard about this? Infestation of worms in the digestive system is common throughout the world, particularly in young children. Worms can sometimes be seen around the anus or in the feces, and they inflame the area of the bowel or rectum where they attach themselves. The most common worms in humans in the United States are pinworms. Other type of worms occurs, too, such as hookworms in tropical countries.

Intestinal worms present many symptoms such as diarrhea, bad breath, dark circles under the eyes, restlessness at night, anemia, and itching around the anus.

There are many natural ways to treat this situation depending on the type of worm such as:

• Rescue Remedy is good for discomfort or distress. Rub into the pulse points, around the anus to relieve itching. Crab Apple is excellent if you feel unclean or polluted.

• Rub a drop each of eucalyptus, lavender, and tea tree oil into a bland ointment, such as petroleum jelly or chickweed. Rub around the anus to prevent itching and to prevent eggs from being laid. This is particularly helpful at night.

• A teaspoon each of cayenne pepper and senna can be combined in a cup of yogurt with live cultures and taken by teaspoon before meals. The former stuns the worms and the latter encourages their explosion.

• Wormwood tea will stun the worms, but should only be taken under the supervision of a registered herbalist.

• Garlic is toxic to worms. Crush and add it to a tablespoon of honey and take before meals, followed by a tincture of laxative herbs, such as licorice and dandelion root to aid expulsion.

Conventional treatment is always necessary for any tapeworm infestations. Call your doctor if treatment is not effective after two courses, or if you begin to lose weight.