Great Grains: Barley, The Perfect Food For Health

‘Superfood’ is one of those buzz words that we hear so often; they seem to change daily, divide opinion and have us buying bizarrely named berries that we have never heard of and taste awful, all in the pursuit of greater health and, ultimately, longevity. Sometimes, however, we overlook the simple things in life: introducing the humble barley. Barley is essentially a member of the grass family, which is widely cultivated as a cereal grain, although 98% of barley grown in the United States ends up being used in beer, rather than playing an active role in healthy lifestyles! Barley comes in different states, depending on how processed it is. De-hulled barley has simply had the outer, inedible husk removed and is a wholegrain, whereas pearl barley has been steamed to remove the bran, and is not a wholegrain.

But whichever state the barley is in, its list of health benefits is impressive. Firstly, barley is a carbohydrate, so can be compared to the likes of rice. The Glycemic Index (GI) of pearl barley is 28 compared to 89 for white and 50 for brown rice (Harvard University). In fact, it is the lowest of all the grains. Stabilizing blood sugar prevents the sudden cravings caused by dips in blood sugar, allowing a fuller for longer feeling and snacking resistance. This has the benefit of weight control and decreasing risks of Diabetes Type II. Not only does barley stop the food cravings, it is high in protein, which suppresses the appetite, and it contains no saturated fat, but it does contain a wealth of vitamins and mineral (Vitamin B1 and B3, selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and copper), phytochemicals, which may reduce heart disease, diabetes and cancer (American Cancer Society), and antioxidants, the great anti-aging chemicals.

Barley is a great source of dietary fiber. Unlike most other cereals, the fiber in barley is found throughout the grain, so even after being processed, a much larger proportion of the fiber is retained. The recommended daily intake of fiber is 25 to 30 grams (UCSF); however, the average intake is 18 grams. ½ cup (80g) of pearl barley contains 3g of dietary fiber compared to only 1.75g in brown rice. A diet rich in fiber is needed for good colon health, and can even prevent colon cancer. This is particularly true of insoluble fiber, known as roughage, which is found mainly in de-hulled barley but also in pearl barley. The soluble fiber (beta-glucans) in barley assists in healthy blood sugar by reducing the rate at which glucose is absorbed. It also reduces blood cholesterol levels, which helps to reduce to risk of heart disease.

So this ‘Superfood’ can reduce cholesterol, the risk of heart disease, Diabetes Type II and cancer, boost your fiber intake, give you a vitamin and mineral hit, control your food cravings and keep you feeling fuller for longer, all whilst being low in fat and only containing 100Kcals per serving? It can! Plus, compared to many other ‘Superfoods’ it is inexpensive and readily available in health stores and supermarkets. Many think barley is only for soups, but it can be easily substituted for other grains, so it can be made into risottos and pilafs, sprinkled on salads, baked into muffins and stuffed into artichokes.

Truly a great grain!

Written by Alice from http://www.tutorsville.net/

Food for Muscle

Whether your goal is to get a six pack, get strong for a sport, or get a body like Jay Cutler’s, the key to achieving your goals remains pretty much the same: pack on some lean muscle.

Even if you’re looking to lose weight and get “ripped”, you still need to pay attention to your lean muscle mass – lose too much weight too quickly, and you’ll end up looking small, skinny, and soft, which is not the look you’re going for!

Building lean muscle is simple. All you have to do is lift heavy weights, and eat the right foods in the right quantities. A lot of people manage the lifting bit, but end up burning out because they don’t see results after a few weeks. The lack of results is usually down to bad judgement in the kitchen, rather than in the weight room. Here’s a few tips to help you get things right in the kitchen.

Eat For the Body You Want, Not the Body You Have

Before you can figure out what you need to eat, you need to decide your goals. If you want to lose weight, you’ll have to eat differently to the way you’d eat if you wanted to pack on some lean muscle mass.

Photo by: pdstahl

The first thing you need to do is figure out your current BMR (Base Metabolic Rate), and your maintenance calories (which is based on your BMR, and your usual daily activity level). Once you’ve worked that out, you can figure out how much you need to eat to achieve your goals. If you have a lot of weight to lose, start by eating around 500 calories fewer per day than your maintenance, this should lead to you losing about 1lb of weight per week, and most of that should be fat loss, rather than lean muscle loss.


If you have only a few pounds to lose, shoot for 250 calories fewer per day than your maintenance. This will lead to slower weight loss, but again, it should be mostly fat loss.

If you want to gain strength and “bulk up”, eat around 250-500 calories more than your maintenance each day, and try to eat a lot of protein.

Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fat

Photo by CleanseAndBlend

Proteins, carbohydrates and fat are the three “macro-nutrients” that make up your diet. The first thing you need to remember is that none of those macronutrients are the enemy. Fat doesn’t make you fat, and neither do carbs. The reason people think that carbs and fat are bad is because fat is so calorie dense, and carbohydrates are also calorie dense, and tend to not leave you feeling full for long. When you’re trying to lose weight, what matters is the number of calories you consume. Some foods are more satisfying, and therefore a better choice for someone on a calorie restricted diet, but no food is “evil”.


If you’re trying to gain strength and build muscle, then eating a lot of protein is a good idea. Chicken, turkey, tuna, and lean cuts of meat are all good choices. Snacking on nuts and cheese can also help with your protein intake. A good goal is 0.8g of protein per lb of lean body mass. If you’re struggling to reach that through food, try having a protein shake post-workout.

Don’t neglect vegetables, however. Green, leafy vegetables are a good source of nutrients, and very low in calories too. No matter what you’re training for, there’s a lot of value in a balanced diet.

This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Slimming.com who have great ideas to help you build lean muscle.

A Food Database Can Hold the Key to Weight Loss

Everyone who’s ever been overweight is familiar with the desire to find a quick fix for your weight problem. You may have tried diet pills that were advertised to help you burn fat without changing how you eat, or even tried a fad diet or two. The problem with all the hype and advertising is that there is no real quick fix to weight loss, but there is a guaranteed way to lose weight. A mobile calorie tracker can help people lose weight because it helps you to create the calorie deficit that is required in your body in order to burn fat.

The secret to weight loss really can be found in your mobile calorie counter. Your body needs to burn 3500 more calories than you ingest in order to lose 1 pound of fat. Over a week’s time that is 500 calories each day that your body needs to burn. Of course, that’s 500 more than you take in. so if your BMR is 1500 and you eat a 2000 calorie diet, even with 500 calories of exercise you are simply maintaining your weight. That’s why most people who want to lose weight have to go on a restricted calorie diet.

You can lose weight with your mobile food diary because it will tell you what your BMR is likely to be and allow you to track the calories that you eat and the calories that you burn. A BMR is the number of calories that your body burns every day just to function. So if your BMR is 1500 and you restrict your calorie intake to 1200 calories a day, you would still need to burn 200 more calories in exercise every day to lose 1 pound per week. Of course, if you eat an additional 200 calories that day because you’ve burned 200 thought exercise, you won’t be helping yourself to lose weight at all. 


Once you understand how your body loses weight, it becomes easy to use your mobile food journal to implement that weight loss plan. You can carefully track the calories that you take in every day, as well as the calories that you burn. Your diary will tell you if you have reached the required calorie deficit on any given day to reach your goals. With all the tools right at your fingertips, it’s no wonder that people who use a mobile journal lose twice as much weight as those who do not.


 Ryan Newhouse is a longtime health writer, avid cyclist and general outdoorsman. He has traveled extensively and appreciates sourcing local ingredients for healthy meals and drinks.

Stay Healthy By Tracking What You Eat

What you eat is what you are. You’ve heard that your whole life and you know that it is true. If you eat fast food, in the largest sizes, every day, you probably are not in the best of health (or you are very young and lucky). We will get this out of the way right now; do not go on a diet. Diets trick you into thinking that you will sacrifice the things you love for the next six month or a year or whatever amount of time you choose to get into good shape and then go back to living normally. This doesn’t work for anyone. You need to change the thought of dieting to a way of thinking that changes your eating habits.

Start off by tracking what you eat. Don’t make any major changes to your diet yet. Just use your iPhone as a little notepad and type in that you ate a quarter pounder with fries and a Coke at McDonald’s for lunch. Put that you skipped breakfast but had three cups of coffee. Then write whatever you have for dinner. Do this for a few days and then look at your eating patterns. Look up some of the calorie counts on what you have been eating. Look at what that caffeine spike does to you in the morning, look up everything. Just do some research and see what you are doing to your body.

Now that you are used to tracking what you eat and you have seen what you are doing to your body, it is time to start changing things out. The biggest mistake you could possibly make is changing everything at once. Instead, change your McDonald’s lunch to something you make at home and bring to work. Make a salad, or sandwich, or a stew that has that homemade custom touch that fast food places can’t compete with. Keep tracking what you eat and after a week or so, see what a difference this one change has done for you.

Starting to feel a little better about yourself and your health? Now add in a little extra time for breakfast and find something healthy. You don’t need anything huge to start your day, some toast, a bagel, a few hardboiled eggs or a parfait can all do the trick. Keep tracking your daily eating habits for a while and see what things look like in a couple of weeks.

Now for the final change (which your body has probably already forced you to make); start eating lighter dinners earlier in the evening. When you sleep your metabolism slows down. You will want some food in your gut as you lay down to drift off to slumber land, but you shouldn’t be full. Give yourself time to digest a good portion of the food in your system and then crash with less for your body to work through. Now, after a couple of weeks compare the list from when you started this adventure and the list from today. Words can’t express how much better you are going to feel about the changes in your eating habits.

Candy C. is a writer for HowDoIBe.com. If you are interested in a career in wellness, take a look at this site for more information.

10 Real Life Health Concerns

We all know about diabetes, the importance of exercise, and healthy eating. This article isn’t to point of
the obvious but to point out things that we do every day that really does affect our health and overall
our lives. These are things we might over look and even think as harmless habits but in reality it’s really
bad for us.

1. Drinking Coffee- Although having coffee every now and again is not bad for you if you’re having a coffee craving you’re addicted. Coffee in moderation's is good but if you’re finding yourself needing a cup you’re addicted to the caffeine and it can have bad affects on your health. It can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. Although coffee does have its benefits if you aren’t careful it can be the reverse.

2. Worry/Stress- Stress is a killer! It causes a lot of the “good”  things in your brain to decrease and allows the “bad” stuff to take the wheel. It can cause health issues such as anorexia, bulimia, organ damage, depression, suicide, etc. It also causes you to age much quicker. Try doing a sport you love and taking 30minutes to an hour of your busy day to De-stress.




3. Eating junk foods/artificial sweeteners – Nothing is good about replacing natural sugar with artificial sugar aka chemicals. How’s that healthy? If you eat junk food it gives you the extra calories no one needs and helps your insides become exactly what you eat...junk.

4. Not chewing your food- This is bad in several ways. Sometimes we are so hungry that we just scarf down our food without really chewing. You’re body prepares for digestion by first having your saliva breakdown your food and chewing also makes your stomach secrete bile. No chewing means you’re going to choke, have a tummy ache, and you might not see something beautiful come out next time you decide to visit “the throne”.

5. Constipation- Constant constipation means that you aren’t eating the right foods and that you might have digestive problems that can become quite serious in the future. If you suffer from constipation every now and again go to the doctor and keep track of the foods you eat. It may be an indication of something more serious.

6. Lack of sleep- Your body must recharge every night and if it doesn’t you’re headed for disaster. Your brain will begin to shut down and it can be very dangerous. You’re supposed to shut those eyes as soon as you hit your bed and feel drowsy.

7. Over counter the medicine dependency- In today’s world taking medication is the easy solution for a lot of things. It’s best to stay away from medication and try more natural remedies. If you have a headache try and eat some starchy foods, if you’re tired take a nap, etc. usually a headache means you are lacking something in your daily regime and your body is letting you know. Stress can also cause migraine and headaches. To avoid these pains De-stress everyday and be aware of what you do.


8. House work every day – Although a clean house is a good house cleaning everyday can be bad for you. It exposes you to chemicals everyday and also doesn’t keep your body up to date with the latest germs. You body fights illnesses and bacteria by recognition that’s why you get sick when you are around someone that’s sick. Their germs are different than yours and catch your body off guard. But after few days your body knows exactly what to do and is ready for a fight at anytime.




9. Cancelling plans for alone time- If you have too much alone time its actually bad for you. If you go out and socialize its actually very healthy and good for you. Research shows that having few friends and only going out from time to time is like smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Its bad for you and decreases your longevity. So go out and have fun!

10. Soft drinks and sugar – Drinking carbonated drinks erode tooth enamel and promotes kidney stones! Not only that but sugar is only good if you need quick spurt of energy but if you down candy all the time your body turns that into fat and can even become plaque stuck in your artery walls ew!

Priscilla covers health and wellness topics for the Term-Life Insurance blog because living a healthier lifestyle helps to keep life insurance premiums lower.

Unhealthy Eating Habits Causing You to Gain Weight

According to statistics from the National Institute of Health, about 50 percent of American women and 25 percent of American men are on a diet at any given time. However, estimates also show that the average dieter will regain two-thirds of any weight they do manage to lose within five years.

Why is the weight gain turnaround so great, and how to do many men and women manage to sabotage their own success?

The answer lies in diet and nutrition. It isn’t as simple as a fast food window and overly large portion sizes, however—some eating habits can damage your weight loss efforts no matter how healthy you eat.

Here’s a look at five of the most common unhealthy eating habits that prevent you from losing weight despite your best efforts.

1. Skipping Breakfast

As with most things in life, how you start your diet in the morning can set the tone for your eating habits the rest of the day.

Whether you skip your first meal of the day because of a time crunch, or simply because you’re not hungry, you’re doing your body—and your weight loss goals—a disservice.

Skipping breakfast usually leads to increased snacking later in the day, which can easily outweigh the calories you would have eaten during breakfast, explains Milton Stokes, chief dietitian with St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City.

“People skip breakfast thinking they’re cutting calories, but by mid-morning and lunch, that person is starved,” Stokes says. “Breakfast skippers replace calories during the day with mindless nibbling, bingeing at lunch and dinner. They set themselves up for failure.”

By contrast, a government-funded study published in the American Dietetic Association found that participants who ate cereal most mornings had a 13 percent lower risk of becoming overweight when compared to their peers who skipped the first meal of the day.

2. Eating Late at Night

Since we’ve already established that the time of day when you choose to skip meals can compromise your weight loss plan, it makes sense that the time you do choose to eat can be equally important.

One of the worst things you can do when trying to lose weight, for example, is to snack or eat dinner late at night. This is one of the most widespread bad behaviors out there, since the body tends to crave sweet things at night when you’re feeling stressed, lonely, or just bored.

However, the effects can be shocking.

“Just an added 300 calories in the evening after dinner while watching TV—when you’re not even hungry—will pack on 30 pounds in one year,” Katherine Tallmadge of the American Dietetic Association tells ABC News.

And because you’re eating at night—with less of a chance that you’ll work off these calories later in the day—these are calories that will undoubtedly add to your waistline.

3. Eating On The Go

Nearly 36 percent of young American adults report having little to no time to prepare meals. As a consequence, they tend to choose pre-packaged meals or restaurant outings to replace what they might have made at home.

Unfortunately, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who choose convenience meals often eat energy-dense snacks that leave them less satisfied. As a result, they eat more.

And when you’re on the run and opt for a drive-through instead of a homemade lunch, eating more is the last thing you want to do.

Furthermore, being in a hurry or being in the car takes your mind off of what you’re eating and you have less time to make beneficial choices. Once you do have your meal, you tend to eat too quickly and even overeat as you don’t have the time you need to properly pause between bites and evaluate your feelings of fullness.

If you do have problems combatting feelings of hunger, you may want to check out an appetite suppressant. You can find reviews of many popular options at WeightLossPills24.com.

4. Eating in Front of a Screen

After a long day in the office, settling down in front of the television with a bag of chips or popcorn can be an attractive option. However, when your attention is distracted, you can end up eating significantly more than you ever meant to.

“If you are going to watch TV and eat, prepare your meal fully and portion it out,” Nolan advises.

Another good idea is to portion your time—eat during one half-hour television show, instead of until you go to bed.

This is true for all forms of media. Don’t eat in front of your computer screen, e-reader, or even a traditional book. Even if you’re dining alone, a simple half-hour meal without distraction will allow you to focus on your calorie count and more easily control your portion size.

5. Using Food to Relieve Stress

Even if you’ve committed to a healthy eating plan, your emotions can get in the way. According to John Foreyt of the Baylor College of Behavioral Medicine Research Center, feeling weak, vulnerable, or overly stressed is all it takes to cause a person to slide back into their old ways.

“Everything can be going along just fine until you hit a rough patch and feelings of boredom, loneliness, depression…or any kind of stress,” Foreyt tells WebMD.

In these cases, you equate eating with comfort and before you know it, you’ve overdosed on your calorie count for the day.

Binge eating is especially dangerous to the diet because it throws the body into an irregular eating pattern, making it difficult for it to properly digest food.

Breaking These Habits

Instead of rushing to adopt new habits or to cut out bad habits from your lifestyle, try making both long- and short-term goals that are realistic and manageable. To get there, take small steps in the right direction so that you’re not overwhelmed by your new lifestyle.

“Try to gradually incorporate new habits over time, and before you know it, you will be eating more healthfully and losing weight,” advises Keri Gans of the American Dietetic Association.

Every new challenge can be daunting, but over time, you’ll see how great you feel eating in a more healthy way and you’ll want to continue making progress.

Get Fit Fast

Life is busy.  Sometimes, it’s too busy to exercise.  However, getting in a short workout is better than no workout at all.  This 20-minute interval workout is an effective tool to lose weight and relieve stress. 

An interval workout is a timed workout that combines all out exertion with short rest periods.  Intervals are four minutes in length.  Within that time, you complete eight sets. Each set consists of working hard for 20-seconds then resting for 10 seconds. During each four-minute interval, your exercise of choice remains the same, whether it's jumping jacks, squats, jumping rope, sprints or something else. Repeat that exercise for each set. Once you have completed the four-minute interval, you choose a new exercise for the next interval.

Here's a sample workout.

Warm-up for 4 minutes (walk to easy jog)

Interval 1:
20 seconds: Jumping jacks
10 seconds: Rest
Repeat 8 times

Interval 2:
20 seconds: Push-ups
10 seconds: Rest
Repeat 8 times

Interval 3:
20 seconds: Burpees
10 seconds: Rest
Repeat 8 times

Interval 4:
20 seconds: Squats
10 seconds: Rest
Repeat 8 times

In order to get the maximum effectiveness out of this, you must push yourself during the 20-second work interval each and every set trying to complete as many reps as possible for each set.  Both cardio and strength exercises can be used during the intervals.

This workout can be adjusted as your fitness and endurance increases.  This can be done a couple of different ways.  You can increase the exercise interval beyond 20 seconds.  Or, you can add more intervals and exercises.

It’s important to take time for yourself.  By taking as little as 20-minutes a day to exercise, you can lose weight, relieve stress, increase your muscular endurance as well as improve your heart health. It’s a small change you can make to improve your life.

Freelance writer Phyllis Edson provides a variety of writing services including blogs, social media posts, copy writing, ebooks and web content--- www.phyllisedson.com

Hidden Calories

credit: sigalonhealth.soup.io

Although losing weight is very rewarding and potentially life-changing, it can be a very
frustrating process. The most common reported frustration is when you feel that you are
doing all of the right things but the weight just won’t come off. This can leave you feeling
down and useless, and could potentially lead to the end of the diet. But why does it happen?

In some, rarer cases, it is a case of the body’s metabolism catching up with the dieter and
simply refusing to lose any more weight. Ironically, the main reason this happens is that the
dieter is taking in too few calories so the solution would be to add a few more calories into
the diet to kick-start your metabolism.

For most, this isn’t the issue. For most, it is the opposite; they are taking in too many
calories. The main culprit in this tale is hidden calories. Hidden calories are the enemy of the
dieter and are the root of all the frustration and anger that you are feeling. So where are these
calories and how do you bring them out into the open?

The main perpetrators of hidden calories are the foods and drinks that you think are healthier
choices. When we start our weight-loss plan the first thing that many of us do is to look for
healthy alternatives to the snacks and drinks that we thought were making us overweight.
However, shop bought fruit smoothies are often packed full of calories. They are nutritious
and full of vitamins but they can have just as many calories as a full-fat can of fizzy pop. The
reason? All of those fruit sugars that make the smoothie so tasty! The tropical fruits often
used in smoothies, such as mango, pineapple and banana, are full of natural sugars and are
also relatively high in calories. So, although you should make sure to eat plenty of fruit,
enjoy these varieties in moderation.

Salads can be full of hidden calories too. Lettuce, tomato and cucumber are super low in
calories but the added meat, dressing, croutons, cheese and avocado that can dramatically
raise the calorie content. In fact, a salad such as a traditional Caesar with chicken, bacon,
croutons, cheese, and a creamy dressing can potentially have more calories than a burger! So
be sensible – go for vinaigrette dressings and drop some of the fattier elements such as the
cheese and bacon.

As far as food goes, one of the worst things you can eat when on a diet is pasta. Pasta can be
a healthy choice as it is virtually fat free and relatively good for you but, unfortunately for
those trying to lose weight, it is packed full of calories. Even a small serving of pasta can
have as many calories as a bucketful of couscous, for example, so avoid it when you can.

Finally, you should look at your drink choices. You may have swapped out sugar for
sweetener but you need to also consider skimmed milk in your hot beverages rather than
semi-skimmed or whole. This will save you calories with every mouthful. Also, look out for
alcohol. Although it’s hard to cut out alcohol completely, there are no low calorie alcoholic
drinks and you would be shocked at how many calories there are just in a glass of wine.

So hidden calories are everywhere but they can be beaten. You just need a little knowledge,
and maybe the help of an online calorie counter, and you can understand what’s really in
your food.

Written by Kat Kraetzer, an experienced blogger working in the health-care industry.

Ten Simple Ways To Be Happy In Life

We often feel depressed and want to be happy but we cannot see that even the smallest changes around us can make us happier. So, here are ten ways by which we can be a more happier person than before.

1. Sleep Properly

Happiness means fighting off stress and stay fresh and fit. If you are not sleeping enough you feel more fatigued, stressed hungry and much more. Sleeping make you stress free, heels your damages. More sleep means less hunger so you have a lesser weight and good looks which obviously make you happy from inside.

2. Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is waking up, connecting with ourselves and connecting with every moment of life. It is the trending topic in western psychology as it is effectively reduced stress, increase self awareness, enhances emotional intelligence and handles negative thoughts and feelings. It means paying attention in a particular way, in the present moment and none judgmentally which is one more way to make you happier.

 

3. Stretch

As soon as you get up, throw your arms to the sky and inhale deeply. Bend down and try to touch your toes. Loosen up your body that’s been still for an entire night. Do a few jumping jacks. Move your neck around in circles. Stretch!

    Stretching makes your muscles relax and reliefs from the pain. You will feel more stronger from inner self when you stretch and bend. You will find that you understand and work with your body. Take time to listen to your body as we many times we ignore what it wants to say. It will definitely make you happy.

4. Laugh out loud

Joy is contagious and you can totally spread it. Laughing makes you relief from the stress and as I mentioned earlier makes you more happy.

5. Go Outside

Go outside into the sunlight; light deprivation is one reason that people feel tired. Research suggests that light stimulates brain chemicals that improve mood and increase motivation. If you cannot go outside daily as I can't due to busy schedules, try to go occasionally.

6. Just say no

We should learn to say NO to the things we really don't like. It's better to not doing than badly doing.

Don't force yourself to do things which you haven't interested in. Eliminate activities that aren’t necessary and that you don’t enjoy. After all, you have your own priorities and needs, just like everyone has his/her own needs. Saying no is about respecting and valuing your time and space.

7. Social around

Meet your loved ones once in a week or as it suits you. One of the most powerful ways to better your relationship with happiness is to surround yourself with people who want to make a difference. When we feel safe and supported, we don’t have to narrow in on survival tasks like responding to danger or finding our next meal. We are able to explore our world, which builds resources for times of stress and adversity.

8. Accept yourself

If acceptance feels so good, then why don’t we accept ourselves? We hate ourselves for being fat to get ourselves to diet. We judge ourselves unfavorably with the hope it will motivate us to change. Does this work? Hardly.

    Acceptance allows change. The "acceptance mode" includes everything, even my judgments. It allows me to be okay now, even before I reach my goals.

9. Befriend Failure

Do not be afraid of failure. Always remember failure is the key to success. I’m not going to say you will ever reach the point to where you will actually enjoy failure, but with each mistake you make there is always a lesson to be learned. As soon as you accept it you will be more happy.

10. Choose happiness

We always hand between the past and future and do not focus on present. Learn from your past decisions and actions and make your present beautiful. Of course, there are things in our lives that we cannot control, yet for the most part, your actions or lack of them is responsible for your present circumstances.

    There is no formula to be happy but we can be happy simply by understanding our self what makes us happy.

Importance of Peace of Mind in Your Busy Life

The hectic pace of life can often invoke feelings of stress, anxiety, and restlessness in anyone. How can it not be so when every second of the day is accounted for, every minute is spent on accomplishing important tasks, and every hour is allotted to a certain goal?

In this age when taking a few minutes to relax is frowned upon, people continue with their relentless schedules, totally neglecting the importance of taking a break. What they do not realize is that they are sacrificing and giving up one of the most valuable things in life – the state of calmness and tranquility known as peace of mind.Some individuals scoff at the idea of peace of mind being important in one’s life. It is all just mumbo-jumbo and psychological make-believe, they say. Just do what you have to do, and you will be fine. They could not be more mistaken.

A moment of peace and quiet, in which all unnecessary worries, problems, and anxieties are stripped away, can help you think clearer and direct your attention to what needs to be done.Additionally, peace of mind is also one of the major ingredients in whipping up the perfect dish of happiness and success.

How to Obtain Peace of Mind

Most think that peace of mind is achieved when they have reached their goals in life, have as much money as they want, and are in perfect health. Some even think that it can be found at the peak of the highest mountain or in the middle of the most majestic ocean. Yet, even in the presence of all these, a person can still struggle for that elusive sense of inner peace.

Peace of mind is an inner state and does not depend on external conditions.  You could be in a roomful of hyenas and still experience peace. So how do you get to this level of calmness and tranquility? Here are some tips.

1. Spend some “me” time.

You should be your own best companion. Learn to love your own company and get to know yourself well. Turn off everything, from the television set to the computer to your mobile phone.  You do not need to know everything that is happening in the world every second of the day. Learn to meditate and other similar techniques. Some quiet time on your own will calm your mind and relax your body.

2. Focus on the things you can change and let go of the ones you can’t.

Recognize the fact that as much as you want to exercise absolute control over things, chances are there will be some that will slip through your fingers. Do not wallow in misery if things do not go your way. Let go of what happened in the past, and set your sights on the present. Do not hold grudges. It will be your peace that will be cut up, not the object of your hatred.

3. Love yourself.

Jealousy is a green-eyed monster that will keep you awake into the early hours of dawn. Stop comparing yourself to others. Use the time to better yourself instead. Work on achieving your full potential so you need not feel inferior to anyone. Remember, if you do not love yourself, you cannot expect anyone else to appreciate you, either.

Peace of mind is a priceless commodity in this bustling world. Guard it as you would defend your life. Never let anyone or anything take it away. In the end, you will have this valuable treasure to enjoy when you most need it.

Patric Seeley is a Global Brand Manager at Mattressnextday.co.uk - offers the full Silentnight mattress Miracoil range, a perfect mattress for any divan or bedstead at competitive prices with free next day delivery

Foods Help In Weight Reduction

Almonds and other nuts (with skins intact)
Build muscle, reduce cravings

Dairy products (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese)
Build strong bones, fire up weight loss

Eggs
Build muscle, burn fat

Turkey and other lean meats
Build muscle, strengthen immune system

Berries
Improve satiety, prevent cravings

Enova oil (soy and canola oil)
Promotes fullness, not easily stored as fat

Peanut butter
Boosts testosterone (a good thing even in women), builds muscle, burns fat

Fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, mackerel)
Trigger fullness, fire up fat burning

Grapefruit
Lowers insulin, regulates blood sugar and metabolism; be sure to eat the fleshy white membranes

Green tea
Fires up fat burning

Chili peppers
Spikes metabolism

Spinach and green vegetables
Fight free radicals and improve recovery for better muscle building

Whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, whole grain cereal)
Small doses of whole grains prevent body from storing fat

Beans and legumes
Build muscle, help burn fat, regulate digestion

Whey
Builds muscle, burns fat

How To Make Sure You Don’t Ditch The Diet On Holiday

If you’ve ever struggled to do up your plane seat belt after a particularly wonderful holiday, you will know the peculiar feeling of revulsion, worry and frustration that accompanies your fruitless yanking. Especially if you’ve dieted for months before to ensure you look your best...

However, it doesn’t have to be this way, ladies and gents. If you’ve got a dollop of self-control and an ounce of discipline, you can still have a great time on holiday without undoing all your hard work. Firstly, there are plenty of opportunities to take a holiday that allows you to get as active as possible. British holiday parks offer you the chance to roam around the UK’s beaches, explore pretty coastal beaches, get active with your family, and avoid sitting on your backside drinking sickly cocktails all day. Not only will you tone up after spending a day swimming, throwing a frisbee around, or hiking along some breathtaking coastal walks, but you’ll also tire yourself out enough to ensure you sleep well. Everyone’s a winner.

Secondly, if you are heading somewhere with warmer climes, why not take a look at what’s available at your hotel, or complex? Plenty of hotels have gyms, as well as swimming pools. Many also boast tennis courts. If you want to really enjoy your evening meal all night with no guilt, it’s worth burning off some calories during the day. Also, don’t snack! If you fancy something substantial at lunchtime, fine - but don’t binge on ice creams, chips, and other sweet snacks. A good rule of thumb is to have a big drink of water, then re-evaluate your hunger. Sometimes, the body confuses hunger with thirst, which can lead to overeating.

Everyone loves a drink. Well, nearly everyone. Either way, it’s a very popular activity. However, booze is effectively liquid fat, so try to limit your intake if you want to save your figure. If you must overindulge in the evening, avoid cocktails or anything with a high sugar content. Drink a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you drink, and don’t do shots - you run the risk of becoming more inebriated that you want to (foreign drinks are normally much stronger than UK ones), plus, your waistline won’t thank you.

If you’re on a boozy girls’ or lads’ holiday, you’re probably worried about looking like a bit of a killjoy by refusing drinks or not having a dessert every night. The truth is, people are probably more concerned with making sure that they’re having as much fun as possible, so your lack of drunkenness probably won’t filter through to them. If anyone does pick up on your good behaviour, don’t be shamed into spoiling your resolutions by giving in to temptation! Remember, you want to walk off the plane in the UK feeling refreshed and ready to go, not bloated and sick.

If we’ve told you once, we’ve told you again - exercise! To shift stubborn pounds, make yourself take a 15 minute swim every hour that you’re by the pool for. It’ll also stop you getting burned and encourage you to reapply more sun tan lotion, which is never a bad thing.

Finally, late-night snacking, even after a relatively-sober night, can add more calories than you’d like. If your family/friends/other half drags you to a kebab shop, opt for a wholemeal pitta with heaps of salad and hummus. If you’re feeling particularly naughty, a bit of halloumi doesn’t go amiss, but steer clear of mayo, dressings, and any kind of meat that looks like it’s floundering in grease.

How To Know A Migraine Headache

Victims of the migraine feel tender pain, generally positioned at one side of the head with nausea and sensitivity to sound and light. Some people may have visual effects like light flashes and blind spots.

According to a survey migraine headache affects about 30 million Americans in which the women are three times more than men. People cost $24 billion on the disease annually directly or indirectly. Almost sufferers cannot perform normally during migraine and some require bed rest.    

There is no proper cure for this but migraines can be handling with medication and lifestyle alteration. 

Clinical reports have listed few symptoms that help to define Migraines:

• Normal to sever pain at one side but can be on both sides. 

• Head pain with hurting quality

• Pain get worse with physical work

• Pain that disturb your daily work

• Nausea and/or vomiting

• Sensitivity to light and sound.

Different types of treatments for migraines and methods to prevent them: 

• Pain medications:

These consist of general products such as ibuprofen and aspirin.

• Preventive medications:

These include cardiovascular drugs, such as calcium-channel blockers and beta-blockers. some antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, and Botox.

• Reduce the effects of estrogen:

If you're a woman with migraines and estrogen seems to trigger or make your headaches worse, avoid or reduce these medications. These medications include human growth hormone therapy and birth control pills.

• Nausea medications:

These include Reglan and Compazine.

• Avoid triggers:

Avoid definite foods if they have prompted migraines in the past. Establish regular sleep patterns and meal times.

• Quit smoking:

Smoking can enhance headaches or make is worse. 

• Exercise regularly:  

Regular exercise reduces tension and can help avoid migraines.

Hormonal headache is a type of migraine headache that typically upset women. Because of hormonal influences, women are liable to experience migraines three times much more often than their man equivalents. Migraines are more common in pregnant women and the best treatment for this is to balance hormone in the body with female hormone replacement therapy.

Learning to Love Running

In high school, I always wondered if parents forced their kids to run track or be on cross country teams. I never understood why the kids would just voluntarily join something so miserable. It never occurred to me that maybe they actually enjoyed running.

I've never been much of a runner. Every time I step onto that track or onto that treadmill, I simply feel disgusted and I am already dreading what is to come. It is a love-hate relationship. I hate the running part, but I love the benefits.

I've been thinking. I am sick of running to just exercise. I want to run to actually enjoy it. I want running to become an activity that I reward myself with at the end of each week. I realize this is going to be a hard path, especially for me. I do not know what it is going to take and I do not know how long of a process it will be. But I am willing to try anything at this point.

In the past couple of days, I have been reading others blogs and stories and finding out what they love about running. I've taken what I thought would help me and combined it with other thoughts that may help you.

Do you want to become a dedicated runner? Do you want to learn to actually love running? Well then, read on..

Find Inspiration: This is an important step. How do you think I got the motivation to write this article? I had to read others blogs and testimonials. It helps a lot to see that others are going through the same thing as you and that they have overcome these struggles. It is possible to fall in love with running or just exercising in general, you just need to find the right story to inspire you.

Make it Part of Your Life: Have you ever heard the expression, “when you love something, surround yourself in it?” Do not get confused with the expression, “when you love something, set it free.” That would be the opposite of what we are going for,  here.  Anyways, running can have the same effect. If you want to create a new passion for something, you have to think about that passion at least once a day. Learning to love running is a process. You will have to actually try  and love it. At least that's what I had to do. Try reading an article on running everyday or talking about running with a friend.

Take Your Time: This step has two different meanings. First, when you're starting off with a routine, don't push yourself too hard. This will cause you to despise running, trust me. It happened to me. Second, once you're involved in a routine, make sure you are starting off each run slowly and finishing strong at the end. This will make you look forward to that pushing point at the end and you will feel more accomplished after the run.

Make it Fun: This last step is probably the most important of all. Whatever you do, whatever you take from this post, remember to make running fun.  I don't care what you have to do to make it fun. If it's dancing around, or listening to your music too loud, do it. Do whatever makes you pumped to run! Don't worry about looking silly, this is your time  to do and be whatever you want. Make it your play time.

If you're interested in running on or learning more about treadmills, check out this website: http://www.treadmillsensei.com/best-buys

Author Bio : Katy Stephens is a 19 year old college student who enjoys writing about health and wellness. She has a passion for graphic design and writing blogs.  If you'd like to see more, check out her: Google+.

iPhone Apps That Facilitate Wellness

There are many apps available that help people become and stay healthy.  The most common of these are weight-loss and fitness apps, but there are others as well.  Here are some of the best wellness apps available for the iPhone.

LoseIt
LoseIt is one of the best calorie-counting apps available.  It allows people to track the amount of calories consumed in each meal, as well as how many are burned through exercise.  After entering their weight and ideal weight, LoseIt will create a weight-loss plan that is based on calories.  It provides daily and weekly charts, so people can monitor their progress.  The app also fully integrates with LoseIt.com.  Price: Free.

Medsy
Medsy reminds people to take their medications, vitamins and supplements.  With this app, people no longer need to use pill boxes that arrange medications according to the day of the week.  It also can help people remember to take medications during the middle of the day, which pill boxes cannot do.  All medical information is stored on the local iPhone, not Medsy’s servers.  On the one hand, if Medsy is uninstalled, all the data will be deleted.  On the other hand, no one has access to a user’s information, except the user.  Price: $3.99.

Instant Heart Rate
Instant Heart Rate is one of the most popular wellness apps available in the iPhone store and on the android market.  It has been downloaded more than 4 million times, and there are over 40,000 five-star reviews for the app.  By using the phone’s camera, Instant Heart Rate reads a person’s heart rate.  It only takes 10 seconds, and users just place their finger over the camera.  Price: $0.99.

Asthma MD
Asthma MD helps people who suffer from asthma track their attacks.  Users can immediately log an asthma attack after it is over.  By tracking one’s attacks, it can be easier to identify triggers.  The reports can be sent to a physician, and they can be anonymously uploaded to a database that helps asthma researchers.  Price: Free.

QuantiaCare for Diabetes
QuantiaCare for Diabetes is a multi-purpose tool.  It allows people with diabetes to monitor their blood glucose, insulin doses, weight, exercise and nutrition.  It also has an index of more than 60,000 pharmacies and 80,000 medical professionals.  Price: Free.

WebMD
Web MD has several apps, which are sold on the android market and in the iPhone store.  The most commonly downloaded is WebMD App, the most general of the website’s apps.  WebMD App has a symptom checker, which helps people identify their illnesses, as well as a database of drug and treatment information.  Users can also use this app to find nearby medical services.  Price: Free.

These six apps are among the best wellness apps in the iPhone store.  They can be used to create a weight-loss plan or check one’s symptoms.  But, their use is not limited to general information.  There are also apps available for specific uses, such as monitoring asthma or diabetes.  By using a combination of these apps, people can track their health.

Wayne Page writes for CNA Training Center, an outstanding guide for any and all prospective CNAs looking for more information.

Sources:
http://www.loseit.com/
http://cnatrainingcenter.net/
http://cnatrainingcenter.net/cna-certification-and-training-in-california/
http://www.webmd.com/webmdapp

Benefits And Risks Of Meal Replacement Shakes

Meal replacement shakes are a great way to lose weight. These are usually liquid shakes that have extra protein and nutrients that are used in place of one or two meals. Many of these are pre-made, so you simply shake and drink. Others are in powder form and you mix with milk or water.

There are many great benefits to using meal replacement shakes, along with proper meals and exercise to help lose weight. These benefits include:

* Convenience

These are convenient to take with you on the go and are also quick to drink, so no matter what your day consists of, you can always find time to drink your meal.

* Control

You can easily control the amount of calories you intake by using meal replacement shakes in your daily routine. All the nutrient information is displayed on the can or box of powder, so you can easily plan your meals.

* Energy

These shakes are packed with nutrients and vitamins that you need to keep your energy up throughout the day. Different shakes have different nutrients, so you should look at different labels to find the best fit for your needs.

Along with the benefits, there are also some risks from using these shakes. These risks include:

* Obesity risk

If you do not use the shakes as described, you could gain weight. These are to be used instead of a meal. If you consume three or more meals and snacks per day, along with drinking these shakes, you could gain more weight.

* Stomach pains

These shakes contain whey, lactose, soy and other products. If you have an intolerance for any of these ingredients, you should not use these shakes, because you could have digestive problems.

* Long-term Safety

There could be some long-term problems from using these shakes. Long-term safety has not been tested and could also have a bad effect on the liver and kidneys.

For the most part, meal replacement shakes are a great way to help you lose weight. If you are concerned about risks, talk to your doctor. Make sure you read all information on the product and follow directions.

Mandi writes health-related topics dedicated for patients who have had laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery to promote proper weight management and healthy lifestyle.

Attention Fellow Slackers... Get Active!

                                             

                                                              
It's often far too easy to find excuses not to get active. By saying we are too busy, too broke or too self-conscious to exercise, we can all justify a lack of physical activity. Finding the motivation to get active can indeed to be tough, but as things get easier and we reap the benefits, there are plenty of incentives to continue.

Finding Motivation

The scales can be a good indicator of weight loss but it can also be soul destroying to step aboard merrily only to find a disappointing result. Likewise, it's easy to rely too much on what the scales say and use them as an excuse to give up. If you don't like the numbers, find a new way to measure success, such as trying on a favourite item of clothing regularly. As those jeans begin to fit better, the results of exercise are more obvious.

A new exercise regime can seem daunting if you think about how much you need to lose to reach your target, so instead focus on mini-goals to make things more achievable. Go for a walk, sign up to a class that grabs your attention or perhaps make small dietary changes gradually.

Seeing Results

A negative attitude can play havoc with attempts to get fit, so to get the most out of exercise it can help to look at it in a positive light. Don't dread pounding away on the treadmill but instead use it as an opportunity to claw back some precious 'me time' and think of the end result to stay motivated.

If you really hate the idea of group activity, there are plenty of activities which can be done at home, such as using a step machine or exercising via computer games. Each chunk of activity burns calories and helps improve fitness levels, regardless of the environment.

If a home-based routine gets boring, or you require more of a challenge, try mixing it up by trying something new or getting out and about instead. A change of scenery can do wonders for motivation levels.

The gym may seem unappealing, but many are friendly and sociable places and if yours is a little competitive or intimidating, search around or seek recommendations to find somewhere ideal. With so many fitness jobs available, you might even find that achieving your ultimate goals can lead to a new career!

Although solitary exercise can have the desired effects, socialising will make any activity seem less like exercise and by committing to an activity with a friend you both have an important role in raising each others spirits when things get tough or you reach a plateau.

Try to keep things fresh by varying workouts and trying new activities that appeal. When the weather is good make the most of the great outdoors and when it is miserable outside take comfort from exercising somewhere warm and dry. Variety is the spice of life and can make all the difference when it comes to seeing good results.

Losing weight and getting fit can seem like a slow process, so constantly reward yourself for any progress made. It can also help to set new goals and challenges when things seem a little stale and to remind yourself of why you embarked on this journey in the first place.

Zoe is an avid health blogger and freelance writer from Cheshire in the UK. She loves to vary her exercise routine by attending fitness classes in between long walks with friends and family. Currently, Zoe is writing for healthcare charity Nuffield Health’s career site. Tweet your thoughts on this article to @bloggingstyle.

Coconuts - New Cold Drink For This Summer

Coconut water is a very refreshing health drink to beat tropical summer thirst. Nature always create wonderful and full of benefits. The liquid found in coconuts are rich in ascorbic acid, iron, vitamin B, protein, fructose, nitrogen and some basic minerals like potassium, phosphoric acid, calcium and magnesium. It is considered as fluid of life. It's sweetenedw water has lesser calories, so it's good for those who are weight watchers. It has nimerous benefits if consumed in it's natural form.

Nutrional Facts And Health Benefits:

Fights Dehydration

It is better than any commercial drinks as it is richest source of electrolytes and potassium. The isotonic qualities in it helps in regaining fluids and salts which we often losses in sumers.

Helpful in intestinal disturbances

It is well known suggested for the old age peoples as it is good for those having digestion poblems. It sweet in nature and helps inintestinal disturbances for all ages.

Helpful in managing urinary symptoms

It relives in urinary infection. It has diuretic quality which dissolves kidney and urethral stones naturally. it cleans urinary passage. In case of UTI(urinal tract infection) it acts s antiseptic and removes the poisonous minerals.

Most prefered for Pregnant womens

Good for those women who hace acidity, heartburn and indigestion. It provide energy to women at different stages of energy. It boosta amniotic fluid which id good for the development of the baby.

Helps in increasing immunity

It is good source of Lauric acid, which has antimicribial properties. It not only prevents but helpful in treating bacterial infection caused by pathogens bacteria i.e. HIV, Herpes, Flu. In fever like malaria, chicken pox etc. It has electrolytes helps to settle stomach and control nausea.

It is a universally appealing drink and no reaction has been notified yet. It's not only healthy but safe for all ages. So, avoid all commercial summer drinks and enjoy coconut water this summer.

Five Healthiest Fruits You Can Choose