3 Herbal Remedies You Can Find in the Grocery Store

Herbal remedies are plants that have a medicinal effect. Herbal remedies have been around for thousands of years. In fact, some evidence suggests that plants were used for medicinal purposes over 60,000 years ago. The earliest written evidence dates back to over 5,000 years ago.

Such herbal remedies have been making a real comeback in recent years.

Herbal remedies contain powerful chemicals that many pharmaceutical companies and scientists are studying. Many of these plants are either available in the grocery store or can be grown quite easily in a garden. Using these plants in your diet can have a significant effect on your health and overall wellbeing.

These herbal remedies can often be just as effective as pharmaceuticals in the prevention and treatment of disease:

#1 Ginseng

Ginseng is one of the most popular plants in Chinese medicine. The most popular varieties are American ginseng and Asian ginseng. American ginseng is considered to have a greater relaxing effect, while the Asian variety is more stimulating.

Consider these benefits: Ginseng is an excellent antioxidant and reduces inflammation. Ginseng has shown promise for improving brain function and treating erectile dysfunction. It could also lower blood sugar, lower fatigue, and have benefits against cancer.

#2 Garlic

Garlic is readily available and a powerful herbal remedy. Most people enjoy the taste of garlic, bad breath notwithstanding.

Garlic has been shown to significantly reduce the duration and severity of cold symptoms. Hypertension responds positively to garlic consumption. In fact, garlic is at least as effective in treating hypertension as some medications.

Garlic also lowers cholesterol levels, may help prevent Alzheimer’s, and could help with the process of removing heavy metals from the body.

#3 Turmeric

Turmeric is used in Ayurvedic medicine and is also a popular spice in Indian food. Turmeric is also readily available in any grocery store. The primary active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin.

Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory. It is as effective as aspirin and ibuprofen in treating inflammation. It is also believed to be beneficial in treating and preventing cancer. Depression, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s are also believed to be helped by the consumption of turmeric.

---

You can easily find ginseng, garlic and turmeric in grocery stores and their recipes on the internet. Get this super food in stock so you get healthy food right from home.

8 Natural Ways to Manage Your Cholesterol

We’ve talked about three tips to adjust your diet, so you can possibly manage your cholesterol in the last article. It includes increasing fiber intake, choosing the right fat and limiting red meat. Today we’re going to talk about some lifestyle-related tips to manage your cholesterol.

More suggestions on food choice:

#1 Drink in Moderation

At least one study suggests that having one or two drinks can lower cholesterol for some adults. Keep in mind that heavy drinking has the opposite effect, potentially harming your liver and other organs.

#2 Switch your snacks.

A healthy diet can include some treats. Munch on fruit, nuts, and air popped popcorn.

#3 Lose weight.

Slimming down can lower your cholesterol too. Find a diet you can stick with for the long run. Let your family and friends know about your goals and how they can support you.

#4 Cook light.

The way you prepare your food matters too. Cut back on cooking oil.  Bake and boil instead of frying.

Other Lifestyle Choices

Studies have shown that aerobic exercise and other smart choices can enhance the lipid-lowering effects of a heart-friendly diet. As a bonus, many of these habits will enhance your overall wellbeing, as well as lower your cholesterol. Try these lifestyle enhancements:

#1 Exercise regularly.

There are several theories about why exercise lowers cholesterol, including promoting weight loss and stimulating enzymes that remove cholesterol from your bloodstream. Aerobic activities and resistance training are both beneficial.

#2 Move.

You’ll see more results if you stay active in between workouts. Do manual chores like vacuuming and raking leaves. Take the stairs instead of riding the elevator.

#3 Quit smoking.

The tar in tobacco damages blood vessels and increases your risk for high cholesterol. Combining nicotine replacement devices and social support may help you to quit. Keep in mind that many adults make multiple attempts before they succeed.

#4 Consider supplements.

There’s a big market for cholesterol-reducing supplements like fish oil and niacin. Your doctor can advise you about possible drug interactions and other safety concerns.

---

Talk with your doctor about developing an action plan based on your individual needs. Natural methods may help you to manage your cholesterol without taking drugs or may enable you to reduce your dosage.

How Diet Adjusting Can Help You Manage Your Cholesterol

If your doctor is telling you that your cholesterol is too high, you’re probably wondering about your options. Drugs like statins can lower your cholesterol, but many patients worry about the side effects. You may want to explore lifestyle changes that can provide natural relief.

High cholesterol is a serious matter that increases your risk for a heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. However, your body needs some cholesterol to make cell membranes, vitamin D, and a wide variety of hormones.

For optimal health, you want to limit how much low-density lipoprotein (LDL) your liver makes, because that’s the cholesterol that causes clogged arteries.

At the same time, you want to maintain adequate amounts of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) that transports cholesterol back to your liver.

Simple changes can make a big difference in helping you to balance your cholesterol. Try making these ideas part of your daily routine.

Adjusting Your Diet

Your liver adjusts how much cholesterol it makes in response to how much you get from food sources. You can help the process along with these strategies:

#1 Increase Your Fiber

Soluble fiber can reduce the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream and help you live longer. Smart choices include beans, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

#2 Choose healthy fats, Avoid trans fats.

Replace solid fats like butter with liquids as much as possible. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish are especially helpful. Avoid trans fats as well, the hydrogenated fats increase total cholesterol and LDL while decreasing HDL. Manufacturer’s use them to increase shelf life, so check the labels on cookies, margarine, and other products.

#3 Limit red meat.

Beef is the top source of saturated fat for many Americans. Consider a plant-based diet or meat-free days with vegetarian or fish dishes. Using low or no fat dairy products helps too.

Basic Rules to Arrange Your Daily Diet

We’ve talked about how to eat before and after working out, however, you need to take care of your consumption throughout the day. Since it affects your performance from the exercise dramatically, choose your food cautiously.

#1 Monitor your protein.

Most adults need to get about 10 to 35% of their daily calories from protein. If you’re trying to build muscle, you may need slightly more. Your body can digest protein more efficiently if you spread your intake out throughout the day.

#2 Calculate your calories.

You could wind up gaining weight if you overestimate how many calories you burn while exercising. Keep a journal if you need help tracking your activity level.

#3 Increase your fiber.

Eating foods rich in fiber is beneficial for any fitness level. It can help you manage your weight, lower your cholesterol, and maybe even increase your lifespan.

#4 Start with breakfast.

The first meal of the day replenishes your energy and helps you say alert. If you work out in the mornings, finish your meal at least an hour before exercising, or wait until afterward. You may be comfortable working out on an empty stomach, or you may need a snack first.

#5 See the professionals.

For individual nutrition advice, talk with your doctor or a registered dietician. They can advise you about specific supplements, meal plans, and other options.

---

Taking care of yourself involves many choices. Along with eating a nutritious diet, be sure to manage stress, exercise regularly, and sleep well. Your lifestyle can help you lead a longer and more active life.

A 5-Minute Guide to Fitness Nutrition

There’s some truth in the saying that you are what you eat. If you want to be a fitness buff, it’s important to follow a healthy diet.

It’s easy to feel overloaded by the nutrition information provided by daily news and the diet industry. That’s especially true when some advice seems to contradict each other, and you’re trying to maximize your workouts as well as your general wellbeing.

Still, it’s worth paying attention because the foods you choose and the way you eat can help make your workouts more effective.

How to Eat Before and After Working Out:

#1 Keep it light before working out.

When you’re preparing to work out, you want to eat enough to give you energy and stabilize your blood sugar. On the other hand, overeating could weigh you down. Many adults prefer to have a small snack before exercising but finish any large meal at least 3 hours in advance.

#2 Consume carbs for pre-workout snacks.

Focus on carbs for your pre-workout snack. They’re easy to digest, so your body stores them in your muscles as glycogen and breaks them down when you’re exerting yourself.

#3 Choose whole foods.

Energy bars and protein powders can be convenient and safe for most adults. However, you can also get the nutrients you need from a wide range of ordinary unprocessed foods.

#4 Drink fluids.

Staying hydrated enhances circulation and prevents fatigue. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends about 3 cups of water before a workout, one cup every 20 minutes while you’re exercising, and three cups afterward.

#5 Refuel your body.

Eating after a workout aids recovery. Have a snack if your next meal is more than 2 hours away. Choose foods high in protein, such as milk or fish.

Shape Up the Back of Your Body by Training Your Posterior Chain Muscles

We’ve talked about how worse it could be if you don’t train your back and what benefits you’ll get if you do so in the last article. Today we’re going to give you some ideas about how to train your posteriors chain.

There are many ways to target these muscles. In fact, whether you prefer yoga or lifting weights, there are probably movements you already know that you can start doing more consistently to shape up the back half of your body.

How to Train Your Posterior Chain:

#1 Try deadlifts.

This productive movement isn’t just for bodybuilders and weightlifters. Hold a barbell on the floor in front of you as you stand up with your knees bent. Keep your back straight as you lift the bar and carefully lower it back to the ground.

#2 Squat down.

Squats with or without weights are another great way to target your glutes and legs. Experiment with different variations to keep it interesting.

#3 Raise your calves.

This productive movement isn’t just for bodybuilders and weightlifters. Hold a barbell on the floor in front of you as you stand up with your knees bent. Keep your back straight as you lift the bar and carefully lower it back to the ground.

#4 Practice down dog

Many yoga poses tone the rear side of your body. Each time you do down dog, you’re strengthening your back, glutes, and legs.

#5 Work on backbends

This productive movement isn’t just for bodybuilders and weightlifters. Hold a barbell on the floor in front of you as you stand up with your knees bent. Keep your back straight as you lift the bar and carefully lower it back to the ground.

#6 Go rowing.

Whether you use a boat, machine, or dumbbells, rowing motions engage your back too. In fact, some experts believe that rowing machines reach 84% of the muscles in your body, which may be as close to a full-body workout as you can get.

---

Give your posterior chain muscles equal time when you’re working out. You’ll be rewarded with greater strength and mobility.

Why You Should Shape Up the Back of Your Body

Even if you think you’re doing a full-body workout, chances are you’re paying more attention to the front half of your body than to your back. After all, that’s the side you see most often when you look in a mirror or put on clothes.

This can create imbalances over time and make your gym sessions less effective.

That’s because those posterior chain muscles in the back of your spine and legs are some of the largest and potentially strongest muscles in your body. They include your glutes, the calves and hamstrings in your legs, the latissimus dorsi in your middle and upper back, and the erector spinae that run up both sides of your spine.

Benefits of Training Your Posterior Chain:

#1  Increase mobility.

When the quadriceps in the front of your thighs become stronger than the muscles around them, they might start doing work that your hamstrings and glutes were designed for. Keeping your legs balanced helps to stabilize your hips and give you an efficient stride. That way you can move more comfortably, especially as you grow older.

#2  Enhance sports performance.

A powerful posterior chain creates strength and speed. You can jump higher and run faster.

#3  Prevent injuries.

Weak glutes can affect your posture. If your rear end tends to stick out behind you when you’re trying to stand up straight, you may develop aches and pains in your knees and lower back.

#4  Relieve stress from sitting.

How did your posterior chair become so vulnerable in the first place? Prolonged sitting puts strain on your back and glutes. Take a break every 30 minutes to move around for at least a minute.

#5  Burn calories.

If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll find that posterior chain exercises are great for torching calories. That’s because they usually involve compound movements that require multiple large body parts to work together.

3 Tips to Start Your Day Off Differently

If you're trying to live a healthier life, you would do well to incorporate these habits into your mornings. Making changes in your lifestyle are best when introduced gradually. Keep your health goals foremost in your mind and these healthy habits will automatically have you starting your days with a smile.

Consider these tips to start your day so you feel great on your day off:

#1  Get plenty of sleep the night before.

Feel excited because the day off is coming? You don’t want to sleep early because you know you can sleep in a lot the next day? However, experts advise 7 to 8 hours of sleep nightly for your health. So you better get control of yourself.

It's widely known that caffeine can cause sleep disturbances. If you're having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, consider stopping your use of caffeine. Switching to decaffeinated beverages, for example, might improve your sleep.

If you get a good night's sleep, you'll be ready to get out of bed at a reasonable time. For best results, arise at the same time each morning and you get a free whole day to chill your mind!

#2  Consider taking a morning walk either before or after breakfast.

Exercising in the morning brings vitality to your day.

In addition, psychologically, you'll feel pleased with yourself because you accomplished something, and feeling good about yourself contributes to good mental health. When you start your day feeling so positively, the rest of the day is less stressful.

#3 Write a short list of tasks you hope to accomplish.

Being organized is another healthy way to start your day. Make it a ritual to sit down for a few minutes in your morning to gather your thoughts and make a plan for the day.

It’s not gonna be like you’re working or other pressure things to do. It’s more like you get your lifestyle in your own control. Hence, you’ll feel powerful and more energetic.

Summary

Day off is a day for you to relax and fulfill yourself. Try to sleep at the same time the day before and go for a walk in the morning. After all, make a list that you wanna do and go for it!

4 Steps to Start Your Day Off Right

If you're striving to live a healthier life, starting the day off right can make the difference in achieving your goals for the day. It's not always easy to live a healthy life, but if you incorporate changes gradually, you'll affect your lifestyle in positive ways. Starting your day with healthy practices helps establish a healthy mindset for the rest of the day.

Following this healthy routine in the morning will invigorate you all day:

#1  Drink plenty of liquids as a healthy start to your day.

Hydrating your body and skin for the day is a habit that will pay off in many ways. It helps your body and mind all the way down to the cellular level for peak performance. You get immediate benefits by just drinking a big glass of water right after you get up!

#2  Establish a quick routine to take care of your skin.

Clean your face with facial soap or cleanser, apply a toner or astringent, and finish with your facial moisturizer.

Apply lotion to the rest of your body in the mornings as well. Many free radicals in the environment assault your skin throughout the day. Providing a protective layer of lotion over your skin every morning is an excellent healthy habit.

#3 Have a good breakfast

The possibilities for a healthy breakfast are varied:

·  Fat-free yogurt with blueberries and strawberries with a bit of granola

·  Oatmeal with bananas and skim milk

·  A boiled egg with a slice of toast and some fruit

Make sure you spare enough time for a good breakfast, you’ll get lots of energy and a clear head!

#4 Take care of your teeth after.

So important to healthy living, brushing your teeth thoroughly is integral to good health and a great start to your day. Even if you’re planning to stay at home all day, a good breath will make your day fresh!

Summary

Drinking a decent amount is the first thing! Secondly, take good care of your skin so you wake your body up. And then have a good breakfast time. Either with yourself or with your family will make your mind cill up. The last thing is to brush your teeth, so you get good breath the whole day.

How to Eat Well Year-Round

Eating nutritiously year-round is the best way to keep off those extra winter pounds. It will also help you lose excess weight, give your body the nutrients it craves, and make you feel good!

Here are some exercise tips to help you say "goodbye" to those extra pounds forever:

#1  Try to stick to a 1,500 to 2,000 a day calorie diet.

Yes, calories do count. If you're unsure what your caloric intake should be (as it can vary from age, sex, and even height), enlist your doctor's help or ask a nutritionist.

#2  Eat a well-balanced variety of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

You don't need to become a vegetarian, but including as many fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet as possible will bring you a plethora of benefits.

Substitute fruits and vegetables for unhealthy snacks and calorie-laden desserts. Can't find fresh fruits during the winter months? Frozen fruits with no added sugar are a good backup choice.

#3 Keep your portions at acceptable levels.

Don't pile on that food! Just because fast-food restaurants are supersizing everything, it doesn't mean you should too.

#4 Eat good carbs.

Many fruits, veggies, legumes, and grains are full of the good carbohydrates your body needs. They're also high in vitamins, fibers, and minerals and free of cholesterol.

#5 Drink water.

Every cell in your body needs water to function properly. Drinking lots of water will not only keep you well hydrated, but it also can help you lose weight. For example, a glass of water before a meal can help you control overeating.

Summary

Don't feel like you have to make each of these changes tomorrow. Sometimes when people make too many drastic changes at once they have a harder time sticking with their plan.

Work on making one or two of these changes each week to get used to them. Before you know it, these weight-loss strategies will be second nature to you and you'll avoid those pounds altogether!