Your Body, Your Temple

Best natural stress relievers

Lynn — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:47:21 +0000

As much as we love the Yuletide season, it also brings a lot of stress when we travel, shop, or try to be within our budget. During the holidays, a lot of people are suffering from stress. This negative stress brings a big plate of worries which in the long run may lead to heart disease, anxiety, obesity, depression, or hypertension among others.
Before popping a pill, there are a lot of natural methods you can try to relieve that stress:

Massage

This might be the first thing to come to mind and it has been pretty effective since it has been used for thousands of years by the Chinese, Romans, and other ancient civilizations. It is said to be effective to improve energy channels, decrease pain, relax tense muscles, and improve circulation. Overall, massage does wonders to a stressed mind and body.

Meditation

You only need around half an hour to step back and be aware of yourself. You can do this even with a hectic day ahead. You do not need to spend for anything since all you need is a quiet place and your mind. Spend some time with yourself and just let your thoughts flow. Focus on your breathing and think of a great day ahead of you. This short time of calmness and peace helps you release some stress.

Exercise

Run, do yoga, or maybe join a group doing tai chi and the routine works like meditation. Aside from burning some calories, these activities also gives you some time with your thoughts. Exercising also triggers the release of endorphins which is a hormone that helps us get that good mood.

Organize

Stress is pretty much caused by some form of disorder. You might be stressed because your schedule is a mess, cannot find things at home or in the office, or just keeps forgetting things that you need to do. Organize your life and make everything easier for you. Remove all the clutter. Write down your schedule and things you need to do. Put everything in order and you can see that you have dealt with a ton of stress .

Sleep

We all have a very busy lifestyle but making sure that you have enough sleep is essential to properly manage that stress. The body needs this down time to do all the necessary repairs. Try to find the number hours which gets you to a great mood. Too much sleep and it can mean you will be a bit depressed and sluggish while lack of it makes us a bit cranky.

6 Good habits for a healthy living

Lynn — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:46:48 +0000

Here are simple ways to help improve your health and your life:

Do yoga every morning

Yoga will help you with the stress you encounter everyday at home, at work, and your daily dealings. Do some seven minutes of yoga poses and this will help rejuvenate your day. It helps keep the muscles and joints lose and also help with better blood flow.

Take care of your teeth

You spend a lot of time in the bathroom preparing for your day. Make sure you a lot at least two minutes for brushing your teeth and flossing. Problems with your teeth cause unnecessary aging of your arterial and immune system. Clean your teeth and you might be protecting yourself from heart disease in the future.

Say no to soda

Instead of getting a dose of sugar with your daily soda practice, go for a cup of tea instead. Tea either green, white, or black, hot or cold, is a healthier choice since it contains a lot of antioxidants. If you will make a diet soda as your excuse, take water instead which is the best thing for your hydration.

Enjoy your commute

Instead of reading or listening to the news, listen to your favorite music. Music can help you relax, improve your mood, help with your behavior, and brain function.

Spice up your food

Use those spices on your cupboard. They have a ton of anti-aging magic in them. Cinnamon for example helps lower cholesterol and also helps in controlling blood sugar. Cayenne pepper and paprika aid in controlling high blood pressure.

Have a night ritual for better sleep

A good sleep is the best source of energy and rejuvenation of your body. A lot of us are deprived of good sleep. One way to guarantee a good night’s rest is to prepare a ritual to help you sleep soundly. Create a sleepy ambiance by dimming your lights, avoiding turning on the TV or computer, and set when you want to wake up. Try to slow down as you are about to sleep to help your body and mind relax.

My Perfect Healthy Breakfast

Lynn — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:25:52 +0000

Breakfast today is very different than it was back in the days of the four food groups. With the invention of low-carbohydrate diets and the food pyramid, what we eat has changed. We are no longer eating as many fried foods, fat or pork as we once did. Overall, the amount of food we eat for breakfast is decreasing, but we are focusing more on nutrition. I like to focus on a meal that is high in protein, rich in complex carbohydrates and low in fat and cholesterol. Whenever possible, I buy natural and organic foods that are rich in nutrients and delicious. Below are my choices for my perfect healthy breakfast that will leave you feeling full and contribute to better health.

A breakfast that I eat often consists of two eggs with light cheese, two slices of wheat toast and an apple. I buy organic whenever I can because the food will be free of pesticides, free of hormones and will not be genetically modified. The eggs I buy are from free-range hens that are fed an organic diet of vegetarian food. I also buy organic apples of different varieties, depending on what is fresh and available. My favorite apple varieties are Granny Smith or Pink Lady. I love these varieties for their textures, flavors and colors. The toast and apple provide complex carbohydrates for energy to get you going in the morning, and the eggs and cheese provide protein to build muscle and leave you feeling fuller for a longer period of time. Sometimes I skip the toast and add even more protein by adding two strips of either soy or turkey bacon. Both of these options are rich in protein, have great smokey flavor, a crunchy texture and are low in fat. Breakfasts that are low in fat but high in protein and unrefined carbohydrates will leave you feeling energized and ready to take on your busy day.

Tips for People who suffer from Heartburn

Lars VT. — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 06:13:57 +0000

Most likely you have several friends among your circle that suffer from gastroesophageal reflux or what is commonly known as heartburn. If you are suffering from the condition yourself, here are some tips to help you minimize the symptoms:

Take medications as prescribed

Upon consult, your doctor might prescribe some Histamine 2 blockers or antacids to help with heartburn. In case you do not know how to take or when to drink your meds, we are pretty sure your doctor is just a phone call away to give you the instructions.

No sleeping when the stomach is full

After consuming a large meal, it is not advisable to hit the bed immediately after or even after 3 to 4 hours. This habit spells trouble for your tummy and you. You have to refrain from eating large meals late at night and recumbency. In case you encounter regurgitation of the acidic fluid up your throat at night, doctors suggest elevating your head and torso by using more pillows.

Drop some pounds

A study a few years back showed a strong link between your body mass index and occurrence of heartburn. They found out that obese individuals are several times at higher risk to encounter esophageal reflux compared to those with normal weight. Some weight gain for someone with heartburn also showed worsening of symptoms. Shedding of around 2.5 pounds may be a big help in decreasing or eliminating the symptoms of reflux.

Trigger factors

Consider skipping food or other factors which trigger your heartburn. You can also take some medications an hour prior to taking your favorite food which triggers your reflux symptoms.

How Congestion Can be Cured Naturally: 2

Heather — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:33:51 +0000

It is a good time for chest congestion. That is, a lot of people are suffering from it.

If you are not interested in over the counter medications, there are plenty of natural remedies for this problem.

For starters, herbal tea can be extremely helpful, especially if you inhale the steam. By adding apple cider vinegar to hot water and/or herbal tea, you can also get a lot of help.

Eucalyptus oil is another helpful cure. Specifically, again, add it to hot water so you can inhale the steam. Lavender, oregano, and thyme as herbs or essential oils can also be used in this remedy.

How Congestion Can be Cured Naturally: 1

Heather — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 17:24:32 +0000

The weather is changing. That has a lot of people getting sick.

They might just get little colds, but those are still awfully unpleasant, especially as the weather starts to get warmer.

So let’s take a look at some natural ways you can get rid of your chest congestion!

Benefits Of Dark Chocolate: 2

Heather — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:05:39 +0000

Now that we have discussed dark chocolate and how it is healthy for you, let’s figure out how exactly chocolate is healthy for you! For one, dark chocolate is actually jam-packed with an antioxidant called phenol, which actually has a lot of positive effects on your blood pressure and can actually increase the nitric oxide which trims down your aggregation and will help lower your LDL cholesterol.

Another cool thing about dark chocolate is the fact that it can actually increase a person’s insulin sensitivity, which is good. You can also increase your attention span, which is something that a lot of people need, especially in this day and age.

You want chocolate that is good for you all around? Make sure that you opt for dark chocolate versus milk!

Benefits Of Dark Chocolate: 1

Heather — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:57:05 +0000

By far, one of the most consumed foods in the world is chocolate. It is sweet, smooth and can certainly help make you feel better whenever you are on PMS or just had a bad day and to be honest, I love chocolate. Did you know that there are actually health benefits that you can gain whenever you are consuming that chocolate?

All you have to do is switch up your milk chocolate to dark. Dark chocolate is one of those chocolates that is good for you versus bad and it can actually help you go through some things.

That is what we are going to explore in the next blog, what some of the benefits are to eating dark versus milk.

Using Turmeric & The Benefits: 2

Heather — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:51:14 +0000

Now that we have talked about exactly what Turmeric is and what properties it has in it, let’s talk about how you can use Turmeric in order to treat some of those cuts and wounds that you might be experiencing. One thing that you should know is that Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and what that means, is that when made into a paste, you can use it has a treatment.

Also, while it might not taste all that great, when you mix Turmeric with warm milk, you can actually cure a sore throat, which in this season is fantastic! Just drink that mixture up and instantly, you should be feeling better.

You can also use Turmeric to cure gastrointestinal discomfort, which comes with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

Using Turmeric & The Benefits: 1

Heather — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:35:37 +0000

Something that you traditionally see in the kitchen is an herb called Turmeric. It is a fantastic flavoring agent and it is certainly an herb that you should be using in your dishes, but did you know that this particular herb is also good for other things? Believe it or not, most people do not.

Turmeric is actually an herb that has been used in China for quite some time and it is a fantastic herb to treat small cuts and wounds. It is actually an antiseptic and anti inflammatory herb, which means that you can stick it right into your first aid kit.

In the next blog, we will teach you exactly how to use Turmeric as a healing agent!