Jocelyn's Tips

Hypnotism - Stop Smoking

2010-09-23T20:31:00.011+10:00

There are many ways to stop smoking. One of the most effective is hypnotism either used by itself or in conjunction with other methods.

What is Hypnotism?
Quite often we tend to think of hypnotism as something in the entertainment field rather than a serious topic that can have a beneficial effect on our health.
Hypnosis is a way of accessing your subconscious mind. During hypnosis one is in an altered state of consciousness. That does not mean that you are asleep or that you have no control over what you do. Wikipedia describes hypnosis as 'a wakeful state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility, with diminished peripheral awareness'.

You must want to quit smoking for it to have any chance of working
For a person to use hypnosis to successfully stop smoking they need to be ready to quit. It is not a method to use if deep down you don't really want to stop. A person cannot be made to do something they don't want to do just because they have been hypnotized.

Is Hypnotism Effective
It has been estimated that using hypnotism to stop smoking is about three times more effective than nicotine replacement therapy. For those who have tried to quit by willpower alone and failed, hypnosis is 15 times more effective than going it alone.
As a bonus those who are worried about gaining weight when they stop smoking one study on using hypnosis for weight loss found it 30 times more effective than the control group in the study.

Ways to Access Hypnotism
Find a hypnotherapist in your local area.
Learn self hypnosis. There is actually quite a lot of information around about this.
Buy a product that combines both the above. There are many products out there that have been put together by hypnotherapists that you can use yourself in the convenience of your own home. These usually cost much less than sessions with a hypnotherapist and could be worth exploring. To get you started, one such product is the Hypnosis Vault. There are eighteen hypnosis sessions. When you buy one you get the other 17 included. Of course one of them is to Stop Smoking. Have a look and see how many of the other sessions would be of interest to you.

If you are a smoker and want to quit I wish you luck and success. I know it can be difficult but go for it. If one method doesn't work for you keep trying till you find one that does.

Good luck,
Jocelyn

Smoking Diseases

2010-09-14T19:42:00.005+10:00

As you can see it has been quite a long time since I have added anything on my blog. Things have been a little chaotic lately. The reason for this was that my Dad, aged in his 80's has recently had a below the knee amputation.

Until you see someone trying to come to terms with losing a limb one has no idea of what that really means in terms of day to day life. However he is gradually doing more and more and still hopes that he will be able to learn to use an artificial leg.

The thing is that he lost his leg because of poor circulation and the leg virtually died. According to the doctors the reason for the poor circulation along with the emphysema and congestive heart disorder is the fact that for many years he was a heavy smoker. Even though he has not smoked now for many years the damage was done. Smoking diseases have really taken their toll on his body.
Before you rush in to thinking that there was no use in quitting I would say that had he remained a smoker he would have been dead many years ago. The sooner one quits smoking the less damage is done and the shorter the time one is a smoker the less damage is done.

Some Smoking Diseases

Cancers - a variety of different types.
Heart disease
Stroke
Hardening of the arteries
Breathing and lung diseases
Diabetes
Cataracts
Impotence
Reduced fertility
Loss of taste and smell

Not a pretty picture. Perhaps if you are a smoker, finding out how you can quit smoking and improve your health is something you are interested in.
The "Stop Smoking...Once and For All" eCourse is a step by step 4 day battle plan to becoming smoke free in just 4 days. If quitting is your goal check this out and see if it will work for you.

Best of health to you all.

Jocelyn

More Dark Chocolate Antioxidant Benefits

2010-05-26T19:34:00.004+10:00

While I am on the topic of chocolate health benefits, I couldn't pass this interesting article from Science Daily. The article is called "Cocoa 'Vitamin' Health Benefits Could Outshine Penicillin"

The reason they believe it to be so important is that there is a compound in cocoa called epicatechin. Scientists are crediting this compound with huge health benefits.
Norman Hollenberg, a professor of medicine, studied the Kuna people in Panama, and the benefits of cocoa drinking. These people can drink up to 40 cups of cocoa in a week. That is about 5 or 6 cups a day. He observed that the diseases of stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes were reduced to a rate of less than 10%.

Natural cocoa, which is what these people used, contains high levels of epicatechin. Epicatechin and other flavanols give cocoa a bitter taste and so they are removed from commercial cocoas. I saw some raw cocoa in the health food shop today, maybe that would be one way to get this important compound.

Other sources of the flavonoid epicatechin are: white tea, green tea, dark grapes especially in the skins and seeds - hence also red wine, apple, apricot and blueberries.

So for good health chocolate really could be a great addition to the diet. Of course keeping the sugar content low at the same time would be something to keep in mind. I am thinking of using raw cocoa and rapadua (dehydrated cane juice) to make a healthy chocolate drink. No milk of course because it seems that using milk with cocoa inhibits the absorption of the flavonoids and antioxidants.

Enjoy good health,

Jocelyn

A Surprising Food to Benefit Health: Chocolate

2010-05-24T17:11:00.004+10:00

Here are some other chocolate health benefits.

Blood Pressure

One of the reasons that chocolate can be beneficial to blood pressure is that chocolate antioxidants called flavonoids help relax blood pressure. This is because they enhance the production of nitric oxide and also because they help balance certain hormones in the body
Nitric Oxide
Nitric oxide signals the blood vessels to dilate or expand. It has a role in transporting oxygen to the tissues. It is produced when the body relaxes. Anything that helps the body to relax, or anything that combats stress, can help the supply of oxygen to the cells and reduce blood pressure.

Cholesterol

Dark chocolate can lower LDL cholesterol by up to 10%. Remember to eat dark chocolate. Antioxidant levels in dark chocolate are much higher than milk chocolate or white chocolate.

Endorphins

Chocolate helps to stimulate endorphin production. It seems that eating chocolate causes more endorphins to be released into the brain. Endorphins can help to reduce pain and decrease stress levels.

Serotonin

Chocolate is high in the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan causes an increase in the release of serotonin. An increase in the serotonin level helps a person's mood to be better. The anti depressant action of serotonin is well known.

There are over 300 different chemicals found in chocolate. Undoubtedly there are benefits in chocolate that have not yet been discovered in a laboratory. However many people would attest to the fact that they feel good when they have eaten some chocolate. Perhaps we don't really need to know every action of this delicious food. It is good to know though that amongst other nutrients it contains potassium, magnesium and vitamins B1, B2, D and E.

Enjoy good health,

Jocelyn

Health Chocolate: Dark Chocolate Antioxidant Rich

2010-05-22T08:35:00.006+10:00

Chocolate antioxidants are known as flavonoids. Chocolate makers have been experimenting with new ways of processing and manufacturing chocolate that will retain a lot more of the flavonoids. That is good news because it is the flavonoids that give chocolate health benefits that have been found to be helpful regarding heart attacks and strokes.

The flavonols in cocoa help prevent clogging of the arteries by preventing oxidization of cholesterol in the bloodstream. They also help to make the blood platelets less sticky and so less likely to clump together and cause clots.

High antioxidant chocolate is dark chocolate as it is much higher in flavonoids than milk chocolate. So go for the dark every time. Look for chocolate that has at least 65% cocoa in the ingredient list. My favorite has 72%. Dark chocolate has been reported to have about 8 times the antioxidants of strawberries.

Scientists are still doing studies to find out more about how the chemicals in chocolate benefit health. They are now able to isolate some of these chemicals and study them separately. However it is always possible that it is the synergy of all of the components of chocolate that cause it to have the benefits that it seems to have. So why wait for scientists to deconstruct the cacao bean? Enjoy small helpings of dark chocolate as part of your regular balanced diet and reap the benefits of one of nature's delicacies.

Have good health,

Jocelyn

Chocolate for anti aging and youthful skin

2010-05-20T23:10:00.005+10:00

Had to share this Reuters Life article about chocolate. The chocolate makers of the world claim to have developed a chocolate bar to fight wrinkles and slow the aging process. The claim is that eating 20 grams of the chocolate each day may boost elasticity of the skin and improve skin hydration. This could help the prevention of wrinkles.
It is the chocolate antioxidants or flavanols in the cocoa bean that come up with the goodies. The chocolate makers are saying that they now have better ways of keeping more of those flavanols during the process of making the chocolate.
Hurrah for chocolate.

Enjoy your good health

Jocelyn

6 Foods that Help Your Skin Stay Young

2010-05-20T20:23:00.006+10:00

Yesterday I wrote briefly about some foods that help to increase the collagen in the skin. Today I want to look at some other foods that help to combat the increase of wrinkles.

Turkey
There are substances in turkey that help prevent wrinkles. It contains the protein carnosine. This protein slows down the process of cross linking. Cross linking is when fibers grow into the collagen making the skin stiff and less elastic. Eating turkey two or three times a week will increase the amount of carnosine in your diet.

Flaxseed
Flaxseed contains the essential fatty acid omega 3. Having sufficient of the right oils and fats in the diet make the fatty layer surrounding the skin cells stronger. This in turn plumps out the skin cells, disguising wrinkles.

Olives
Olive oil contains oleic acid which also can help to plump up the skin cells. Use extra virgin olive oil and eat olives to help your skin along.

Chocolate
I couldn't leave this one out of the list. I love it when chocolate comes up in the healthy food lists. However it is only dark chocolate that has enough antioxidants to have the desired results. It would seem that a high dose of cocoa increases the blood flow to the skin bringing it higher levels of moisture and nutrients.

Goji Berries
The goji berry is a very nutritionally dense food. It has gained quite a name as an anti aging food. They do contain vitamin C and are high in antioxidants so there is every chance that they would contribute to a stronger, firmer skin.

Blueberries and Prunes
These fruits are full of antioxidants. Antioxidants get rid of free radicals. Free radicals cause skin damage. A diet high in antioxidants is beneficial to general health as well as keeping the skin healthy and firm.

Add these foods to your diet as well as the collagen increasing foods listed in the previous article. Making sure you include several serves of these foods each day will certainly help your overall nutrition as well as your skin tone.

Be in good health

Jocelyn

Increase Collagen and Improve Your Skin by the Foods you Eat

2010-05-20T17:17:00.006+10:00

As we age our skin has less collagen in it. That is why wrinkles appear. Now I don't suppose the wrinkles can be held at bay for ever but there are some simple, natural things that can be done to help. For our body to be able to make collagen we must give it the necessary building blocks from our food.

Foods To Eat

Green leafy vegetables: These contain the antioxidant lutein amongst other vital nutrients. To help your skin stay hydrated and keep its elasticity try eating kale, spinach, asparagus, cabbage etc. These foods help to provide the building blocks for your body to make and use collagen.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables are also rich in luetin.

Beans: There is an anti aging element known as hyaluronic acid that is found in the body. It is needed for skin repair, amongst many other functions. Beans contain reasonably high levels of hyaluronic acid can help your body to have sufficient of this nutrient thereby increasing your collagen production. Try butter beans, broad beans, kidney beans in fact any kind of bean.
Try this resource for ideas on how to use beans in your diet regularly. The Bean Bible: A Legumaniac's Guide To Lentils, Peas, And Every Edible Bean On The Planet!

Beetroot: Another nutrient that is used in producing collagen is anthocyanins. This is found in the purple pigments of foods like beetroot and purple cabbage. It is also a good antioxidant.

Vitamin C: Whether you use a supplement or choose foods high in vitamin C. This is an essential nutrient for overall health including producing sufficient collagen. Vitamin C rich foods include strawberries, oranges, kiwi fruit, Brussells sprouts.

There are many other foods that are great for our skin. For a start try adding some of these to your diet regularly. It is better to make changes bit by bit rather than try to make huge changes that are unsustainable.

Have great health

Jocelyn

Banana Facial Masks to Reduce Wrinkles

2010-03-23T21:24:00.002+10:00

A reader has asked for more information on how to use banana in skin care for anti aging. Bananas are rich in nutrients that are beneficial to the skin. In addition putting banana on the face is reputed to assist in reducing wrinkles.

The simplest form of a banana facial mask is to simply mash up some banana until creamy then apply to the face. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes before washing off with warm water. Finish by washing with cold water to close the pores of the skin.

there are many recipes that combine banana with a range of other ingredients that also have a reputation of being beneficial to the skin. Perhaps experimenting with a few different combinations would result in finding a facial mask that suits your skin the best. Below are four combinations to get you started.

Combine mashed banana, 1/2 cup finely ground oats, 1/4 cup honey, 3 tablespoons milk.
1 small mashed banana, 2 tablespoons pure cream, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon oat flour.
1 mashed banana, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon finely powdered oats.
1 mashed banana, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/4 cup yoghurt.

the general method is to combine all ingredients until very fine and smooth. If you choose a recipe that has an ingredient that is coarse such as oats, grind them to a fine powder in a food processor. Adjust the quantities to gain a consistency that is similar to thick yoghurt. Apply to face and leave about 15-30 minutes. Wash off with warm water.

Regular use of facial masks is required to maintain the benefits gained. Using once a week may be sufficient, though some people use it three times a week.

12 Kitchen Hints

2010-01-15T21:38:00.006+10:00

Here are some kitchen tips I came across recently. Some I have used and some I have yet to try. They all looked reasonably useful. Try them when you have the need and see if they work for you.

Eliminate Odors from Disposal Unit - Put a lemon in unit and grind it up.
Get rid of fish smells - Rub butter on your hands. Rubbing toothpaste on them works as well.
Get rid of onion smells - Dampen hands and rub bicarbonate soda on them.
Keep salt free of moisture - Put uncooked rice or pieces of blotting paper in the salt shaker. They will absorb the moisture. My salt shaker has large holes and so I sewed the rice into a little netting bag.
Over salted the dinner? - Potato absorbs the extra salt. If possible cook it for a while with a potato or two in it.
Freshen stale nuts - Put them in the oven for 15 minutes at 250 degrees C.
Boil a cracked egg - Add a dash of vinegar to the water.
Be sure your boil eggs will peel easily - Keep lid on a few minutes after boiling. The pressure causes shell to fall off easily.
Make sure all the popcorn pops - Freeze it first.
Keep berries fresh - Don't wash until ready to use. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.
Keep vegetables fresh longer - Put paper towels in the bottom of the veggie bin or containers. It will absorb moisture.
Keep and use over ripe bananas - Mash and freeze for making cakes and baked goods.

As far as removing smells from hands I find that toothpaste gets rid of most things.
Regarding over ripe bananas. Mine never last to try the mash and freeze as I love fried banana with my breakfast egg so they all get used that way.

I am keen to try the popcorn one. How fabulous if they all popped.

Jocelyn

Easy Snacks - Looking for Healthy Foods? Snack on These

2010-01-11T10:22:00.006+10:00

It can be hard sometimes to find healthy snack foods. It is so easy to find cakes, sweets, cookies and the like that are ready made and delicious. The problem is they are generally filled with calories but no real food value. As much as we might sometimes crave these foods we know that they do nothing to increase our health but do plenty to increase our weight.

For really easy snacks there is always fresh fruit or a handful of nuts. These take no preparation time at all. They contribute lots of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. In fact they make great healthy food snacks. There are times though when that is just not the sort of food we are craving for. The question is can there be such a thing as healthy snack recipes to satisfy this type of craving?

The resounding answer is yes, delicious satisfying foods. Snack on these recipes and each one will contribute fabulous nutrients to your diet. These 20 recipes give you easy snacks that require preparation but no actual cooking.

These recipes for healthy treats and healthy snack foods use no processed sugar, flour or additives. They are based primarily on nuts, fresh fruit and dried fruit. It is amazing what delicious concoctions can be made with such simple ingredients. If you are looking for healthy foods snack on these. Not one of these free recipes could be said to have empty calories. They are all made with health giving ingredients.

For those who need a gluten free diet, 19 of the 20 recipes are gluten free. The Fridge Cookies on page 14 contain oats. All the other 19 recipes in 20 Healthy Raw Snacks and Treats are gluten free. It can be even harder for the gluten free to find easy snacks so I was especially pleased to find this resource.

Next time you crave something decadently sweet or tantalizingly delicious try Coconut Orange Chocolate Squares, Chocolate Fudge, Blueberry Slice or or one of the other healthy snack recipes found in this collection of recipes. Just click on this easy snacks link and save the pdf file to your computer.

Enjoy healthy foods. Snack without compromising your health.

Jocelyn

Aloe Vera Uses and Health Benefits

2009-12-15T14:30:00.006+10:00

Aloe Vera has been touted as something of a miracle plant. While I don't believe that any one thing is a silver bullet guaranteeing perfect health it does seem that the aloe Vera plant has a wide range of uses and health benefits. I recently read that there are at least 500 Aloe Vera uses medicinal . Even if the number was even half that it would still be an extremely useful plant.

Some Aloe Vera Health Benefits

Alleviates constipation, haemorrhoids, rectal itching
Heals ulcers, IBS, and other digestive disorders
Prevents and treats viruses, fungal and bacterial infections
Helps to alkalize the body
Accelerates healing of burns
Helps skin growth
Boosts immune system
Stabilizes blood sugar and reduces triglycerides in diabetics
Lowers high cholesterol
Protects the body from oxidative stress
Boosts the oxygenation of your blood
Helps manage allergies and AIDS
Eases skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and acne
Helps heal skin blemishes
Helps stop baldness
Eases sunburn

Aloe Vera can be used externally on the skin or taken internally. While it is a tropical plant it can be grown indoors in a small pot fairly easily. To use the raw Aloe Vera leaf break or cut a piece of the leaf off. Inside the leaf is a clear gelatinous substance. Rub this on the skin for external use. For internal use try mixing it into a smoothie. Another way to use it is mix a tablespoon of Aloe Vera gel with some water to make a juice and take before meals.

If you are not able to grow your own there are many Aloe Vera products available. Read the labels and look for products that are made with 100 percent Aloe Vera gel. The less processed and the less additives in the product the better.

Aloe Vera Resource

If you are looking for more detailed information about how to use and prepare Aloe Vera to benefit your health I would recommend 'Aloe Your Miracle Doctor' by Yulia Berry. Not only does this resource tell you all the great uses for Aloe Vera it also tells you how to grow it and prepare it for use in the many home remedies detailed. For those not likely to grow there own plants there is a chapter on commercial medicinal forms of Aloe Vera.
There are some very interesting bonus ebooks that come with 'Aloe Your Miracle Doctor'. It is available in both English and Spanish.

Enjoy good health
Jocelyn

Bruises? Treatment with Vinegar Helps

2009-12-06T19:36:00.004+10:00

Healing Bruises With Vinegar

If you do something and you know that you will get a bruise apply vinegar to it as soon as possible. The sooner you get vinegar to it the less bruising you will get. If the bruise is already apparent applying vinegar will usually lessen the amount of bruising and disperse it more quickly.

Finger Jammed in Car Door

My mother tells a story about my aunt. Her finger had got caught in the car door as someone slammed it. She was in such pain that she could hardly alert anyone to open the door to release her. My mother immediately brought her inside and put her finger in a bowl of vinegar. I believe she had a cup of tea and kept her finger in the vinegar for about an hour.
She did have some bruising but she did not lose the finger nail as everyone expected. I had forgotten this treatment for bruises until my mother retold the story recently.

How to Apply

Putting your hand, finger or foot in a bowl of vinegar is not that difficult. If it is your arm, leg or other part of your anatomy try soaking cotton balls in vinegar and putting that on the bruised part. If it is a fairly large area soak an appropriate sized cloth in vinegar and wring it out before applying it to the affected part. Leave it soak on the bruise for up to an hour. If it seems necessary apply again later.

There are other remedies around for healing bruise but this is the only one that I have a story for. The success my aunt had with this bruises treatment makes it a good one to try as an immediate first aid treatment.

I don't think it matters what kind of vinegar you use but ordinary white distilled vinegar is usually the cheapest around. In case of needing it for immediate first aid use what ever is handy.

If you have a favorite family first aid treatment share it by leaving a comment.

Jocelyn

Recipe - Almond Sticky Date, Gluten Free

2009-12-02T21:02:00.005+10:00

To follow yesterdays article about alternative sweeteners I thought a recipe using rapadura would be a good idea. This particular recipe is one I developed from an ordinary sticky date pudding recipe.

Why was I changing the original recipe? My family need to follow a strict gluten free diet. After much experimentation I have come up with a few things that really work well in the baked goods department. This is one of them. They will keep fresh for weeks in the refrigerator, if they don't get eaten first. In fact they get nicer with age which is a bit unusual in terms of gluten free baked goods.

Almond Sticky Date

Boil together 500 gram (17 ozs) chopped dates and 2/3 cup water.
Then add 2 1/2 teaspoons bi carbonate soda and leave for 5 minutes. Mash with a fork. (I have forgotten to mash them and it still worked)

Beat 5 eggs (6 if small) with a fork. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup rapadura (use honey or other sweetener if desired). Adjust the amount to your taste.
Add 1/2 cup coconut oil. Mix all these together.
Stir in 2 1/2 cups (20 ozs or 250 gram) almond meal.
Stir in dates.

Spoon into muffin cases and cook in 170-180 degree C oven for 30 minutes In Fahrenheit degrees that would be about 335-350 degrees.

Notes to clarify some points

I know that doesn't seem like much water to boil the dates in but it is right. You don't need to boil them for long. Just bring them up to the boil and the water is pretty much evaporated and it is time to take them off.

I use coconut oil in nearly all my baking and love it. If you prefer you could use butter instead or whatever you normally use for shortening. I am sure it would work satisfactorily.

Experiment with the amount of sweetening you need. Dates are quite sweet in themselves. When I first made these I used half a cup now I only use a quarter of a cup.

I hope you enjoy them. They are fairly easy to make. The most time consuming part is chopping the dates and grinding the almonds to make almond meal.

Jocelyn

4 Alternate Natural Sweeteners

2009-12-01T19:41:00.002+10:00

Refined sugar, whether it originates from cane or beet, contributes only empty calories to our diet. Sometimes, in our efforts to improve our diet and therefore our health we are looking for a natural option to sweeten our food that will add nutrients not just calories.

There are four options that I would like to briefly explore here.

Rapadura
Honey
Agave nectar
Stevia.

Rapadura

Rapadura is evaporated cane juice. In some places it is called Panela or Jaggery. If the label says it is 100% evaporated cane juice then it is the same as rapadura. It is made by extracting the juice from the sugar cane by using a press. The juice is then evaporated and dries into granules. It has a different texture from sugar as it has not been heated and spun to produce the crystals of sugar.
Rapadura still has the all the nutrients that are in the cane juice. It is metabolized more slowly than refined sugar and does not cause your blood sugar to spike. In other words it has a low glycemic index rating. For a comparison between the components of rapadura, raw sugar and refined sugar click here.
I use rapadura in much of my baking. I find it very successful in cakes and biscuits. I always reduce the quantity of sweetening of any recipe so I might use 1/4 -1/3 cup of rapadua when the recipe asks for 1 cup sugar. Others might prefer things sweeter so experiment and see what suits you.

Honey

Honey is said to be 25 to 50 percent sweeter than sugar. I can be used in all forms of cooking. I sometimes use it in some cake recipes. In large quantities it can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. Raw honey contains enzynes and other health giving substances that are damaged by heat. As raw, unheated honey is usually more expensive it is a good idea to use it only when not heating it and to use cheaper heat treated honey for cooking purposes.

Agave Nectar

Agave nectar is relatively new on the supermarket shelves. However it is made from a plant that has been used for food in Mexico for thousands of years. The agave is a large spikey succulent type plant.
When the plants are 7-10 years old the leaves are cut off, leaving the core of the plant called the pina. The sap is extracted from the pina, filtered using enzymes and heated at a low temperature (under 118F), giving the resulting agave nectar.
Agave nectar has about the same calories as sugar but is sweeter so less is used.

Stevia

Stevia is a shrub that is native to Paraguay. While the leaves of this plant can be 30 times sweeter than sugar extracts from the leaves called steviosides are said to be about 300 times sweeter than sugar. The body does not metabolize the stevia leaf or any of its extracts so there are no calories. It doesn't raise blood sugar.
Raw herbal stevia contains nearly 100 identified phytonutrients and volatile oils. Most of these will be nonexistant in the refined extracts. On the down side many stevia products leave an aftertaste.

Make Your Own Stevia Extract
If you have access to stevia leaves you can make your own extract. Combine a measured portion of stevia leaves or herval powder with pure USP grain alcohol (eg Scotch) and let sit for 24 hours. Filter and dilute to taste using pure water. Reduce the alcohol content by heating vely slowly to allow the alcohol to evaporate off.
To make a water based extract. Pour boiling water over the leaves and allow to steep, strain when ready. This will now extract as much of the sweet glycosides as the alcohol. Either extract can be cooked down and concentrated into a syrup.

Stevia can be used for any cooking where sweetening is the only use. It does not caramelize, brown or crystalize like sugar does so it is not suitable for anything that needs these properties.

If you have a favorite natural sweetener please share it with us by leaving a comment.

Be healthy
Jocelyn

Kitchen Beauty Instead of Expensive Alpha Hydroxy Acid Products

2009-11-27T17:50:00.006+10:00

Kitchen Beauty
Again Kitchen beauty comes to the rescue. Alpha hydroxy acids are used in the cosmetics industry. They are used in products intended to reduce wrinkles, aging and to improve the look and feel of the skin. Chemical peels also use alpha hydroxy acids. Most commercial products use synthetic alpha hydroxy acid. These products are usually quite expensive.

Instead of buying expensive alpha hydroxy acid products turn to your kitchen instead.

There are several types of alpha hydroxy acids derived from various foods.

Malic acid - apples, vinegar
Lactic acid - Buttermilk, yoghurt, kefir, powdered skim milk, sour cream, blackberries, tomatoes.
Tartaric Acid - Grapes, grape juice, wine, cream of tartar
Citric acid - Citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, grapefruit, orange.
Glycolic acid - Cane sugar

Glycolic acid and lactic acid are considered the two that are most useful in skin care because they have a smaller molecular structure which makes them more able to penetrate the skin.

How it works
The alpha hydroxy acid either in commercial products or simple ingredients from your kitchen work by loosening the glue between dead skin cells. The dead cells then fall away leaving smooth and soft skin. If you have sensitive skin test any thing new on a small patch of skin first. Be careful to keep any of these out of your eyes.

Just before I sat down to do this article I rubbed kefir into my face, neck and arms. It went into the skin really easily. It is just about time to go wash it off. You could rub a small amount of lemon juice on, leave 10 minutes and wash off. For something quick try cutting a grape or strawberry in half and rubbing it over your skin. Leave it on for a few minutes before washing off.

Other benefits from utilizing the alpha hydroxy acid from your kitchen produce

Can help prevent clogged pores
Enhance cell renewal through exfoliation
Help hydrate the skin
Increase collagen production
Improve skin texture making it appear more radiant

When beauty care products are the same as the food you eat you know you are not putting dangerous chemicals on your skin.

Have fun as you find what is in your kitchen to help your skin.

Jocelyn

If you are looking for a book that has compiled loads of kitchen beauty skin care together you might like "Leon's Anti-Aging Beauty Secrets" Ebook. Plenty of recipes including alpha hydroxy facial masks. This information allows you to take advantage of the natural powers of natural ingredients without all the useless added ingredients. Click now to check out Leon's Anti-Aging Beauty Secrets!

5 Banana Skin Care Ideas

2009-11-21T20:50:00.006+10:00

Do you want to rejuvenate your skin? Use banana. Skin care using bananas provides natural substances that will nourish your skin. Bananas contain many vitamins, minerals and other substances that help to regenerate your skin. You can just use mashed banana by itself or combine it with some other ingredients that are also beneficial for your skin.

Cracked Skin

If you have cracked or dry skin on your elbows, knees or feet mix some mashed banana with a little honey. Apply it to your skin. Leave on for half an hour then wash off with warm water. It will help make the skin softer. If your hands are sore and chapped due to weather conditions mash banana with either a little honey or a little milk and spread all over your hands. Wrap them in a layer of plastic or put rubber gloves on. Leave on for half an hour to an hour before washing off.

Hair Conditioner

If you need to give more shine and moisture to dry hair mix a mashed banana, an egg a little honey, milk and some water together. Apply evenly to the hair. Cover the hair with a warm towel for half an hour. Wash out thoroughly.

Skin Moisturizer

Mix mashed banana with milk or cream and use as a moisturizer on your skin. It will help the skin to be moist and soft.

Facial Mask for Treating Pimples

Bananas have some anti bacterial properties and are said to be useful in treating skin blemishes. Try mixing a tablespoon of milk, a pinch of nutmeg and a tablespoon of oatmeal with a mashed banana. Apply to the face. Wash if off after it is dry.

Anti-aging

Use Bananas to soften and hydrate your skin. The antioxidants and vitamins in the bananas can help restore collagen in the skin and so are useful to help your skin maintain a younger look.

Natural skin care remedies like banana skin care provide a natural moisturizer and solutions to a range of skin problems. Best of all, because you know you can eat what you are putting on your skin, you know that there are no dangerous chemicals or ingredients.

Bring out the natural beauty of your skin.

Jocelyn

6+ Skin Uses for Banana Skins

2009-11-03T20:13:00.006+10:00

So you thought that banana skins were just rubbish? I knew that rubbing the inside of the banana peel on an itchy insect bite could bring relief. Check out these other cool uses for banana skins.

Psoriasis - Rub the inside of a banana skin on the area of skin affected by psoriasis. It will be red at first but within a few days there should be a noticeable difference.

Acne - Rub the inside of the banana skin over the acne. It should soothe the skin and reduce acne breakouts. After a few uses the acne should be improved.

Poison Ivy - Rub the inside of a banana peel on to the area affected by the poison ivy. The inflammation should go and the itching stop.

Warts - Rub the inside of a banana peel on the wart each night. It takes about a week or two for improvement. It is reported that plantar warts as well as regular warts have responded to this. Some say that tapping the banana peel to the affected area overnight gives better results.

Bruises - Banana peel can speed up the natural healing and recovery so that the skin cells regenerate and restore themselves more quickly.

Wrinkles - Regularly pressing the inside of the banana peel on to large areas of the skin like the forehead or cheeks may help to tighten up the sink and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. This is not an instant fix.

Burns and Scratches - apparently the oil in a banana peel can help relieve the pain from burns and scratches.

Splinters - Tape a piece of peel over the splinter. The enzymes will help dislodge the splinter and heal the wound.

Plants - Not only are banana peels good for your skin they are good for your plants as well. When your houseplants are dusty wipe each leaf with the inside of a banana peel. It will clean off all the dirt and replace it with a great shine.

Shoe Polish - I know this is not exactly skin care but another use for the banana skin is to give a quick shine to your shoes. Rub the inside of the banana skin directly on the shoe and then polish with a dry cloth. Works for silverware as well.

Oh and for all the gardeners out there I believe they make very good fertilizer.

Banana skin contains antioxidants such as lutein and minerals, especially potassium and phosphorous, that help the skin restore itself naturally. The particular compounds in banana peel appear to be useful in reducing inflammation.

So next time you eat a banana consider if you have a current use for the skin before you throw it in the rubbish.

Have fun

Jocelyn

Homemade Facial Masks from the Kitchen

2009-10-31T22:06:00.003+10:00

Kitchen beauty can be extended to homemade facial masks. The following ideas are all simple homemade facial masks recipes. None of them are complicated. In fact most of them consist of just one ingredient. It is easy to make your own facial masks with these simple ingredients

Honey - Simple and easy just use plain honey. Open the pores by using a warm wash cloth. Smear the honey on and leave for 15-30 minutes. Wash off with warm water followed by cold water to close the pores.
Egg White - Beat the white of an egg until it is frothy. spread it on your face. Leave it on until it dries, then rinse it off. An egg white mask will tighten the skin.
Egg Yolk - Apply an egg yolk to your face and neck for 30 minutes then rinse with cool water. some people find this a great help in healing blemishes. That could be due to the great nutrients in the egg yolk.
Banana - Mash about 1/4 of a ripe banana, or as much as you think you will need. spread it on your face and leave it for about 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and then cold water to close the pores.

Try Some Combinations

Combine a little honey with egg yolk.
Mashed banana with about 1 tablespoon of honey is considered to be soothing and great for oily skin.
Egg yolk, honey and oatmeal - Use 1 teaspoon of honey and one egg yolk. Mix together then slowly stir in oatmeal until you have a soft paste. Smooth it on to the face. Leave for 15 minutes then rinse off with warm water.
Avocados and honey are considered to be great for moisturizing the skin. See previous articles about avocado and its uses on the skin.

Natural beauty treatments are very easy to use when you can use foods that are in your kitchen. You can feel confident that there are no harsh additives in your facial mask when you have made it from simple foods you would otherwise have eaten.

If you would like some extra facial mask recipes that use more than one ingredient try this page at wittyliving.com

Have fun as you experiment with kitchen recipes as part of your beauty care.

Jocelyn

Kitchen Beauty - Avocado for Your Hair

2009-10-25T21:34:00.006+10:00

Avocado in your hair?

Is this taking kitchen beauty too far?
I don't know. I have not tried this myself but I have come across two recipes for using avocado to strengthen and nourish hair.

Recipe #1

Combine 1 avocado, 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mash the avocado until smooth and mix in egg yolk and oil until well combined.

Recipe #2

1 ripe avocado, 2 tablespoons yoghurt, 1 gee, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary oil, 1 tablespoon jojoba oil.
Blend all the ingredients together until smooth and well combined.

How to Use

The idea is to work it into the scalp. Massage the mixture into the scalp and hair. Leave it in for about 20 minutes. Wash out with shampoo and conditioner.

It is supposed to help the hair regain elasticity, shine and body.

While I haven't tried this I can quite well believe that it could have very beneficial effects due to the wonderful nutrients in avocado.

Natural beauty aids from the kitchen are useful though this one sounds messy. If you try this one let us know how it goes and whether you liked it.

Jocelyn

Kitchen Beauty - Use Avocado for these 6 Skin Conditions

2009-10-25T21:08:00.009+10:00

Kitchen Beauty and Collagen

Avocado oil applied to the skin helps the skin to produce collagen. Some studies have found that the use of avocado oil on the skin gives a significant increase in the amount of collagen in the skin.

Collagen increases the strength of the skin and its elasticity. The amount of collagen in our skin decreases with age. It is lack of collagen that causes wrinkles.

Vitamin C and magnesium are necessary nutrients in the production of collagen. These, along with other beneficial to skin nutrients, are found in avocados.

Avocado oil is known to penetrate the skin to a higher degree than many other oils. This helps those nutrients to be transported from the outer layer to the deepest layer of the skin.

It is easy to see how using avocado pulp and avocado oil on your skin can be a help in your beauty skin care routine.

Natural Beauty for Skin Conditions

Rashes and rough skin - apply avocado to skin to make it smooth.
Sunburnt skin - rub fruit gently over affected skin for soothing relief.
Age spots, sun damage and scars - softens skin and gives moisturizing effect due to the high sterolin (plant steroid) content of the oil in avocado.
Dehydrated or sun/climate damaged skin - assists in the re-formation and rejuvenation of skin.
Psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis - relieves dryness and itchy, red or irritated areas. Avocado sugars produce an antimicrobial layer over the skin which helps bring this relief. Avocado is easily absorbed into the deep layers of skin.
Small cuts and bruises - hastens healing.

Mash avocado pulp smoothly and use it on any skin that could benefit from it. Alternatively keep some avocado oil on hand and use it on skin conditions as needed.

I usually keep avocado oil in the kitchen because mixed with apple cider vinegar it is my favorite salad dressing. When I use it on my skin it really is a kitchen beauty aid. Remember that avocado oil has a sun protection factor (SPF) of about 6-8.

Enjoy using natural beauty care from your kitchen.

Jocelyn

Kitchen Beauty - 5 Avocado Facial Mask Ideas

2009-10-25T16:58:00.007+10:00

Avocado

Avocado is an excellent food to eat. It is packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Of all of the fruits it is the richest in protein, potassium, magnesium, folic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, pantathenic acid and vitamins E and K. On top of this avocado has anti bacterial and anti fungal properties. In short a veritable storehouse of goodies.

What is not so well known is that it is also very good for the skin. Kitchen beauty treatment in the form of avocado might sound messy but it can have good results.

Facial Beauty

There are a few ways of preparing avocado to use as a facial mask.

Simply mash a ripe avocado until it is smooth and apply to the face.
Mash a ripe avocado until smooth and add a little honey and either lime juice or orange juice. The juice helps to thin it down a little.
Add a little milk or oatmeal to the mashed avocado.
Mash a ripe avocado until smooth then add 3-4 drops of almond or other essential fatty oil.
Add 3 tablespoons powdered clay (from health food store) to the smoothly mashed avocado. Leave on till it dries, rinse off with warm water and pat dry.

Apply your avocado mixture to the face gently massaging into skin. Leave the avocado mask on for between 15 - 30 minutes. Wash off with warm water and pat dry.

These kitchen recipes for an avocado facial mask will leave your skin feeling soft and moisturized.

Adding kitchen beauty ideas to your beauty care routine could easily reduce the cost of your skin care. The other benefit, aside from great results, is that you know what is in it. When you mix it up yourself you know that there is nothing in it that will harm either your skin or your health.

Have fun and enjoy your natural beauty.

Jocelyn

Procrastinating? Stop It In Its Tracks!

2009-10-19T14:11:00.007+10:00

Procrastination - The Thief

Can procrastination stop you from reaching your goals? Yes. Procrastination is a thief. It steals our time, our peace of mind and our ability to reach our potential. Procrastination can become so embedded in our lives that we don't always realize that we are procrastinating. Habits are like that though. They become so automatic that we don't really think about them. At least not until we are forced to. So it is with procrastination we go on doing it until that thing we have been putting off will be put off no longer.

How To Stop Procrastinating?

I hear you ask that question. Is it even possible to stop procrastinating? Actually it is. Just like any other habit you can help procrastination to have a speedy exit from your life. Is it easy? well that is another question all together and the answer could be different for everyone. But possible? Yes, a definite yes, no matter what you are procrastinating about, there are ways to stop procrastinating.

Recognizing it as a problem is a good first step. Next is to get a good source of information giving you the information on how to stop procrastinating. Using that information, make a plan using the strategies that you feel will work best for you. Finally start putting it into practice. Don't give up adjust your plan as you go. You might even find some new tips and strategies to help you stop procrastinating.

Don't Aim For Perfection

Don't be discouraged if you are not perfect in your efforts to stop procrastinating. Like any habit it takes some time of new behavior before the new has firmly displaced the old. The trick here is to recognize mistakes and keep working on the plan. You can do it. Learning to stop procrastinating can open up a whole new world of possibilities and options for you.

Beating Procrastination

Beating Procrastination is a book written by Jack Webster, a self confessed former master of procrastination. He takes us on his journey as he learned how to stop procrastination. He shares the highs and his lows of his journey. More importantly he shares the strategies that have worked so successfully for him. It is a tool that could give you that needed impetus to begin a life free from procrastination.

Do it now.
Yours in freedom,
Jocelyn

Nutrients in Eggshell Membrane

2009-10-11T20:47:00.011+10:00

Again I revisit the topic of eggshell membrane. I put this information together because someone left a comment asking about what nutrients were in the membrane.
I was aware of some of them but when I looked it up I found there was more to say on this than a brief comment.

Connective Tissue

Essentially egg shell membrane is connective tissue. It contains glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen and hyaluronic acid. These are also components of human connective tissues.

Because the eggshell membrane contains all the nutrients needed to create healthy joint tissue there is now a product that is made entirely of natural eggshell membrane. This product is known as NEM and is sold as a joint health nutraceutical. Studies conducted with this product have shown that people find benefits in their movement and comfort within 7 - 10 days. It is used for the relief of the pain and discomfort associated with joint and connective tissue disorders.
100% Natural Eggshell Membrane 30 Veg Caps

Other Nutrients

Calcium, magnesium, and protein are also found in the eggshell membrane.
The proteins in the egg shell membrane have a high concentration of the animo acids of arginine, glutamic acid, methionine, histidine, cystine and proline.

Hyaluroic Acid (HA)

HA gives elasticity to the joints and rigidity to the vertebrate disks. It is also important in the eye. It has a high water content. It is thought that because of its high water content the HA in some tissues is what causes them to be resistant to compression.
HA also acts as a type of shock absorber in some parts of the body.

Scientists have been able to isolate HA out of the eggshell membrane and use it to provide protection, lubrication, pain reduction and hydration to some cartilage and tissues in the treatment of arthritis. This is often administered by injection.

I am sure there is more interesting information out there about eggshell membrane and I look forward to hearing from any one who has information or a story to share about egg membrane.

Be well

Jocelyn

Increase Your Child's Intelligence

2009-10-09T00:13:00.007+10:00

All my children are grown up now but when they were about 2 years old I taught them to read. What fun we had. They loved it and they learned to read. They were all proficient readers when they started school.

I had read Dr Glen Doman's book "Teach Your Baby To Read". It was very exciting to read about how tiny children who were brain damaged were learning to read. He set out the process of teaching young children to read and I followed the instructions well more or less anyway. It worked.

The way to start is to make the print big enough. That meant that I made an enormous number of cards with very large words printed on them. I spent more time making materials than I did having fun showing them to my children.

Short Cut

Today I found a computer program that short cuts all that work but gives the same results. I wished that it had been around thirty years ago. It is fantastic. Whatever words, or groups of words you want to show is done simply by typing them in.
It even comes with beautiful pictures of birds, animals and other things with their names printed under the picture (deluxe version). I tested the bird pictures out on my two year old grandson today. He was enthralled. He loved the eagle and kept asking for it again.

I added some extra pictures as well. He was very excited to see pictures of his cousins with their name under their photo. It is easy to do this. Get your photos and resize them so they are not too large for the page. The file name becomes the word displayed under the picture. Go ahead and add whatever pictures will excite your child.

I thought it was so good I wanted to share it here in case others were interested trying it. It is very easy to use and you really only need to take a couple of minutes at a time when using this with your child. It is always fun and you always stop while it is still fun.
Go ahead and find out how to multiply your child's intelligence, quickly and easily.

I hope you have as much fun as I did when you teach your young children to read.

Have great success and lots of fun

Jocelyn

7 Natural Headache Cures

2009-10-04T23:02:00.004+10:00

There are very many remedies for headaches that people have used with success to get relief from headache pain.
Aside from the many herbs that can help with headache pain there are other natural methods that can help as well. Try some of these natural headache cures and see if they work for you.

Acupressure and Massage

There is an acupressure point just below the webbing between your thumb and index finger. Put the thumb of one hand on the palm of your other hand just below the webbing between your thumb and index finger and put your index finger on the other side of the hand and apply pressure. Sometimes it can be helpful in easing headache pain.
Massage the back of your neck by gently pressing the back of your neck with three fingers on each side.

Ice Pack

An ice pack applied to the back of the neck will sometimes ease the pain of a migraine.

Hot Foot Bath

Fill a bucket or tub with hot water and soak the feet and lower legs in it for about fifteen minutes each night. Do this for two or three weeks. It is suggested that this can be of benefit in cases of chronic headaches.

Lemons

Add lemon juice to a cup of tea and drink. Some people find this gives them quick relief.
Peel a lemon and place the peel on your forehead and temples. Have the yellow of the lemon skin up. It is best to lie down while doing this.

Relaxation

Practice relaxation. There are many forms of relaxation and they can help prevent headaches where the trigger is stress. It can also help to ease tension headaches.
Try to relax your jaw and take a few deep breaths.
If you are stressed experiment and find a method of relaxation that will work for you.

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a tool that can bring good results to some people who suffer from headaches. In biofeedback a person is hooked up to a machine that measures things like heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature and brain wave patterns. this information is used to help the person to learn how to control pain. As with most headache treatments, this does not work for all people.

Magnesium

For over 70 years there have been suggestions that magnesium deficiency could cause headaches. Many studies have shown that magnesium is effective in treating migraines. Many of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency are the same as conditions that are linked to migraine headaches.

Injections of magnesium sulfate can give immediate relief from migraines.
In his book, "The Magnesium Solution for Migraine Headaches", Dr Jay Cohen reports that studies show that 80-90 percent of patients improved with the use of intravenous magnesium for acute migraines.

Regular use of oral magnesium in the form of capsules, or transdermally (applied to the skin) in the form of magnesium oil (magnesium chloride) could be useful in the management of headaches.
Dr Cohen gives detailed information about how magnesium interacts with headaches and how to use it, including how much you need to use.

If you have a favorite natural headache cure that works for you why not share it by leaving a comment. There are probably hundreds of different ways that people use to get relief from headache pain. The one that works for you might be just the one that someone else is looking for.

Be pain free

Jocelyn

11 More Herbs for Headache Relief

2009-10-02T18:33:00.006+10:00

The majority, an estimated 90%, of headaches are tension headaches. Migraines, cluster headaches and headaches from caffeine withdrawal make up the remainder. Whatever the cause, headaches can be very debilitating.

If you are having trouble finding something that will ease your headache explore some of these herbal options. One of them might be the remedy for headache that you have been looking for.

Bay Laurel - This is sometimes used in combination with feverfew in the prevention of migraines. It contains similar compounds to feverfew.

Corydalis - Not only is this good for headache relief but also for pain relief in general. Traditional Chinese medicine uses corydalis as a pain reliever. People who should not use this herb include pregnant or breastfeeding women, children and those with liver or kidney disease. It is wise to talk to a knowledgable health care provider before using this herb. It is generally only available in prepared products.

Evening Primrose - Contains a phenylalanine, a pain relieving compound. 6-8 capsules of evening primrose oil can help those with chronic headaches.

Ginger - Ginger is used by some people who suffer from migraines. Try making ginger tea by infusing either chopped fresh ginger root or dried ginger powder. Alternatively use 500 mg ginger capsules. Some recommend combining ginger with turmeric.

Lavender Oil - Apply a few drops of lavender oil to the temples. This is one of the few essential oils that can be applied to the skin in full strength.

Lemon Balm - Sometimes known as melissa this herb is well known for helping relieve headaches. Steep 1 0r 2 teaspoons of dried herb in a cup of boiling water.

Rosemary - Make an infusion of 1 or 2 teaspoons of the dried herb in a cup of boiling water. Also try rosemary oil, juniper oil and lavender oil together in a carrier oil to massage into the back of the neck and shoulders.

Oregano - Make an infusion of dried or fresh oregano leaves for a cup of tea to help relieve nervous headaches.

Skullcap - This can be useful for headache relief. Make a hot tea from infusing the herb with water or use a tincture. Avoid skullcap if pregnant. The botanical name to look for is scutellaria.

Thyme - Thyme tea is another one to try in the arsenal against headache pain.

Valerian - Effective against headaches. It helps the body relax if pain is present. It is also used to help insomnia.

Some of these herbs can be combined together. For example try a tea made of lavender herb, lemon balm and skullcap.

I am sure that there are other herbal remedies for headaches that people have found useful in easing their headaches. If you have a favorite one that works for you please share it with us by leaving a comment.

Annie's Remedy has more detailed information about herbs and their other uses.

Be headache free

Jocelyn

Save on Supplements

2009-10-02T17:29:00.000+10:00

5 Herbs for Headaches

2009-10-01T09:21:00.002+10:00

Are there herbs that are known as headache remedies? Following the thought of herbs for pain relief I thought I would go hunting for which specific herbs were known as remedies for headaches.

Unlike the list of kitchen herbs with analgesic properties in the previous post not all of the herbs in this list are used in cooking.

Feverfew

While not a kitchen herb, feverfew has been used for a long time as a headache remedy. A study published in 1997 (Palevitch, Earon and Carasso) showed that feverfew significantly reduced pain, nausea and sensitivity to noise and light.
The easiest way to get feverfew is probably by buying a supplement. One of the most popular feverfew products for use with migraine headaches is Migrelief. This product contains feverfew, magnesium and Vitamin B2. It is intended to be used regularly as both a preventative and to reduce the severity of attacks.

Peppermint

Peppermint has been used for hundreds of years for headache relief. In 1879 the British medical journal Lancet reported that pepperment oil helped relieve headache. There are many different ways of using peppermint. A simple cup of peppermint tea can help some headaches.
Peppermint essential oil can be used in a variety of ways. Do not use it undiluted on your skin.

Break it down in equal parts with extra virgin olive oil and massage into temples, jaws and the back of the neck. This is useful for tension headaches.
Add about 10 drops of peppermint essential oil to a small pot of hot water. Use it as a steam treatment and inhale the peppermint from the steaming water. This can be good for relieving a headache from sinus pressure.
Add 10 - 15 drops of peppermint essential oil to a warm bath and relax in the warmth, inhaling the peppermint as you do. This can sometimes bring relief to a headache.

Ginkgo Biloba

This herb is known to improve circulation. It is thought that it helps reduce the pain of headaches by encouraging oxygen delivery. It is also known to help reduce inflammation. This can help with some headaches.

The best way to obtain this herb is with a standardized supplement.

Cayenne Pepper

This is one remedy for headache that you might have in the kitchen. Be careful because to much of it can cause stomach upsets. It is thought that the stimulating effect of cayenne affects the blood flow in some way and helps ease headaches and migraines.

Used in the form of a nasal spray it is sometimes used as a treatment for cluster headaches.
It is possible to put the spice in to empty capsules or buy a standardized supplement product.

Butterbur

Butterbur is a herb that has had quite a number of controlled studies done on it in relation to migraine prevention. Each trial showed that treatment with butterbur resulted in at least a 50% reduction of migraine attacks by more than two thirds of all patients in the trials. Details of these studies can be found at butterbur research.
There are a number of butterbur products on the market, perhaps a soft gel capsule might be the most convenient way of using this herb.

If you are unsure of whether it is appropriate for you to use any herbal treatment talk to a health professional who is knowledgeable about the use of herbs.

To a headache free life

Jocelyn

17 Kitchen Herbs for Pain Relief

2009-09-30T20:30:00.005+10:00

What options are there for pain relief when regular pain killers don't work for your pain? That is the question I have been contemplating recently. The question was sparked after talking to a couple of people who found that sometimes the pain killers just don't work.

Because I have found herbs to be very useful for all kinds of ailments in the past I thought it would be interesting to see how many culinary herbs and spices might have a pain relieving component.
There are other herbs that are not used in the kitchen that also have pain relieving function but I wanted to stick to those herbs and spices that people could reasonably find either already in their kitchen or easily buy in the supermarket.

All of the herbs in this list are known to have an analgesic factor. According to Wikipedia the word analgesic means without pain. Of course just because a herb has an analgesic factor does not mean that a cup of herbal tea for example will necessarily ease a particular pain. However, it can be useful to have some idea of the wide variety of herbs that do have this function.

Each of these herbs also has many other functions as well. Many of them are also antibacterial, anti spasmodic, anti viral, anti fungal or anti inflammatory.

The List

Allspice
Bay Laurel
Caraway Seeds
Cardamon
Chamomile
Cinnamon
Cloves
Coriander
Fennel
Ginger
Marjoram
Nutmeg
Peppermint
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Turmeric

I found a great web site that has loads of information about different herbs and spices. It includes common uses and information on how to use them. This page will take you to the list of analgesic herbs for natural pain relief.

The only ones in the list that I have personally tried are rosemary, sage and peppermint although I used mint instead. I did find that they helped me. All I did was use 1 teaspoon of dried herb in a cup of boiling water and let it steep for a while. Use a tea pot or an infuser in a cup.

To a pain free, healthy life

Jocelyn

Egg Membrane for Healing Wounds back in 1905

2009-09-08T21:50:00.006+10:00

On the topic of using eggshell membrane for wounds, I came across an article that was published in the New York Times July 1, 1905.

The article is reporting that at a session of the Therapeutical association of Paris, a Dr Amat gave a lecture on the use of the membrane of eggs in treating wounds.

The article reports briefly on two of his cases. One was a girl with a burn on her foot and the other of a forty year old man with a large leg ulcer. Both cases had good recovery with the use of egg membrane.

The method he used with both these cases was to spread the wound with six or eight pieces of the egg membrane, cover that with tin foil and cover that with dry antiseptic bandages. The bandages and foil were removed after four days. The result was that the membrane had partly grown into the tissues and that had caused good skin to grow.

He reported that this process helps wounds to heal very well and leaves little scarring.

Here is a link to the full New York Times article that I read.

I thought it was very interesting that this was a treatment that was being used successfully over 100 years ago. Particularly so as in the late 1990's experiments were done as to the efffectiveness of egg membrane as a dressing in skin graft donor sites. The results of these tests were that of the dressings tested the egg membrane gave the quickest healing time.

The limited size of the membrane was a problem that would need to be overcome. However the properties of pain relief, wound protection, promotion of healing and low cost that were observed with using egg membrane were considered to be of great advantage.

If you are looking for information on all things to do with eggs try this book, Egg Bioscience and Biotechnology. It is really a comprehensive reference that covers all the components of the egg and their known bioactive compounds. The information is organized according to the parts of the egg: egg shell and membranes, albumen and yolk. It includes information on egg shell membrane as a biological dressing for skin injuries.
The focus in the book is mainly on biologically active substances derived from egg components and their potential uses. Some of the properties include anti-microbial, anti-adhesive, immunomodulatory, anti-cancer, anti-hypertensive and anti-oxidant.

Modern science sometimes validates some of the knowledge and treatments that have been around for a long, long time. It is satisfying to find instances of this especially when it is using something that most people can easily access and use for a variety of uses.

Jocelyn

My Egg Shell Membrane Burn Story

2009-08-16T20:59:00.009+10:00

On 13th July, 2009 I wrote an article on this blog titled 6 tips Using Egg shell membrane. It has been quite a popular article. I have been surprised at how many people have been searching for information on uses for eggshell membrane. Sometimes it is also called egg shell lining or egg shell skin.

I have been using eggshell membrane on all sorts of little sores or scratches lately and it always does a good job. The story that follows is the first time I have used it on a burn. I was so impressed with the results that I wanted to share them.

Last week my husband burnt his finger on a soldering iron.
His first initial first aid was to spread kefir on it. This took the initial pain from it. Kefir by the way is a fermented milk drink.

For the first few days the burn was covered with its own blister. Yesterday the blisters burst and the raw skin was exposed and was very painful.
I covered both the burns with egg shell membrane and covered that with a band aid to make sure that it would stay there all night.
By morning the smaller of the burns was practically healed over. The other needed more membrane applied. Instead of throwing the morning egg shells away I placed them in a covered cup and kept them in the fridge in order to have a supply of membrane throughout the day. In this way it was easy to put a new application on each time it needed replacing.

When you put the egg membrane on a sore it sticks to the damaged area as it dries. It will then stay in place for as long as it is kept dry. However when it is on your hands then with normal hand washing it will need replacing a couple of times during the day.

It is still a little sensitive and there is the tiniest bit that is not healed over. I will put another application of egg shell membrane on tonight and at the rate it has been healing during the day expect it to be fully healed over by morning.

If you have a story of using egg shell membrane for healing something share it with us by leaving a comment.

Be in good health
Jocelyn

Do You Know These Surprising Benefits of Eating Eggs?

2009-07-29T20:25:00.004+10:00

Check out these benefits of eating eggs.

Weight Loss

There have been some studies that show that eating eggs can be a great help in losing weight. One study by the Rochester Center for Obesity Research discovered that a breakfast of eggs helps to reduce calorie intake for the day by at least 400 calories. One possible reason for this is that with an egg breakfast you don't get hungry so soon, thereby avoiding the trap of snacking on junk food during the day.
Another study from Louisiana State University compared the weight loss results of women who had 2 eggs for breakfast with women who ate a bagel breakfast of similar calories. Over an eight week period the women having 2 eggs for breakfast lost 65% more weight and had an 83% greater reduction in waist circumference. They also reported greater improvements in their energy levels.

Breast Cancer Protection

Another interesting piece of research discovered that women who ate at least six eggs each week reduced their risk of getting breast cancer by 44% compared to women who ate two eggs or less each week.

Eyes, Skin and Hair

Egg yolks contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants are better absorbed by the body when they come from eggs rather than vegetables. They protect the eyes from ultraviolet rays, help guard against macular degeneration and may also help to lower the risk of developing cataracts.
The high sulphur content along with the large variety of vitamins and minerals found in eggs help hair and nails to be stronger and healthier.

Eggs have long been one of my favorite staples. My most common breakfast is 2 eggs on toast. With all the good things about eggs I don't plan on changing that any time soon.

Enjoy your food
Jocelyn

3 Types of Nutrients found in Eggs

2009-07-28T20:42:00.002+10:00

Eggs are one of nature’s powerhouse. As well as being packed with essential nutrients they are also economical. For the nutrients in them they are one of the cheapest packages available in the supermarket.

Protein – A medium egg has about 6.5 grams of protein but only 70 – 85 calories. That makes it easy to get protein in a low calorie way.
Vitamins – Some of the essential vitamins in an egg include:
Vitamin B2 - needs to be obtained each day, cannot be stored.
Vitamin B12 – needed for the brain and nervous system and metabolism
Choline – part of the B group of vitamins. Essential for the brain.
Vitamin A – Only found in the yolk and needed for eyes, skin, bones, immune function
Vitamin D – One of the few food sources, only in the yolk.
Vitamin E – Only found in the yolk. It is an antioxidant
Minerals – Minerals are vital and must be obtained from our food. Amongst others these will be found in eggs:
Iron – Necessary for the blood
Zinc – Only found in the yolk and needed for growth, sexual function and immune system.
Phosphorus – Required by every cell in the body
Magnesium -
Iodine – needed for the thyroid
Selenium – an antioxidant

This short list is not by any means the total list of nutrients found in eggs. They do in fact contain almost every essential vitamin and mineral that is needed. Vitamin C is about the only vitamin not found in eggs.

Enjoy your eggs as they are packed full of goodness and will help you in your efforts to maintain a healthy diet.

Jocelyn

7 Home Remedies For Mosquito Bites

2009-07-19T18:18:00.003+10:00

Here are 7 tips for easing mosquito bites. Many of these will also work for sand fly or midge bites.

Rub vinegar on to the bites. Do not scratch before applying or it will sting.
A combination of olive oil and vinegar applied to the bites.
Apply a salt water solution to the itchy bites.
Dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water. Alternatively make a paste of baking soda with just a little water and spread on the itchy spots.
Rub dry soap on to the bites to relieve the itch and swelling.
The inside of a banana peel rubbed on the bite can relieve both the swelling and the itch.
Dilute lime juice with water and rub over the mosquito bites.

See how you go. One or other of these would be likely to be available when needed.
For more home remedies on various topics visit www.health-home-remedies.com

Have fun
Jocelyn

3 Ways To Use Cinnamon in Treating Acne

2009-07-15T21:38:00.003+10:00

It can be very difficult to get rid of acne. There are many simple home remedies that can be tried. Some will work more effectively for particular people than others. It can be a matter of experimentation to find the solution that will suit you.

There are several spices that can be applied to the skin to help deal with acne. One of these is cinnamon. The fact that cinnamon has both antioxidant and antimicrobial properties could explain why it has been found to be so helpful in treating acne.

Try these suggestions for applying cinnamon to the skin:

Mix equal parts of lemon juice and ground cinnamon and apply frequently to the acne.
Using unheated (raw) honey, mix 3 teaspoons honey to 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Apply to the acne and leave on overnight. Cover if necessary.
Mix milk and ground cinnamon together and apply to the acne.

For other hints on curing acne with home remedies visit health-home-remedies.com.

Jocelyn

6 Tips Using Egg Shell Membrane

2009-07-13T18:27:00.008+10:00

For something that is normally thrown out as rubbish, the membrane lining in an egg shell has some surprising uses. That's right crack that egg and use it as normal. Then, instead of throwing the shell away, peel that thin white skin or membrane out and use it as an aid to healing.

Peeling skin next to your fingernails, often called a quick, can get very sore especially if the skin is pulled at or torn off. This tip to solve the problem is magic. Tear off small pieces of the egg membrane and put them wet side down on the problem areas. Leave it there until it dries. Even if you wash it off before it falls off it will have done its job. Check the next day and if there are any areas that are not quite right apply more egg skin. Quite often one application is all that is needed.
Use egg skin membrane on any cut or scratch. It will promote healing. Put the wet side of the membrane on the cut and leave it there until it dries. An alternative method is to spread a little egg white over the top of the membrane after it is in place over the cut and if necessary bandage over that. Using egg skin will bring quick healing without any scarring.
Use the eggshell membrane to draw out blackheads or to clear up pimples.
Use egg membrane on splinters or glass fragments that are difficult to pick out with tweezers. This is a bit similar to using it for blackheads. As it dries it will tend to draw the splinter out a little enabling you to pull it out.
Useful for ingrown toenails.
Try using the wet egg membrane on boils. Keep reapplying until the boil is dislodged.

The membrane lining of the egg shell contains anti microbial substances. This would be part of the reason for its success in these healing situations. Apparently there have been some dressing developed using this membrane for use in skin grafts and burn situations. The healing time when using egg skin membrane is always reduced and scarring is greatly minimized.

If you know of other uses for egg shell lining please share them by leaving a comment.

Be healthy,

Jocelyn

Another List of Banana Benefits

2009-07-06T19:34:00.003+10:00

While I am on the topic of bananas, I have a list of other reported health benefits of eating bananas.
Even with these added to the six from yesterday's post, I would be surprised if that were all. I don't really think that we know all the benefits available from any food including the banana.

Hang over cure - with milk and honey added
Lower cholesterol
Stress relief
Improves nerve function
Helps in recovery from nicotine withdrawal
Morning sickness - keeps blood sugar levels stable
Heartburn
Helps in calcium absorption
Protects eyesight
Anemia - high in iron

Some of the known nutrients in bananas are as follows:

Potassium - one of the highest food sources
Fiber
Calcium
Magnesium
Phosphorus
Selenium
Iron
Vitamins B2 and B6
Vitamins C and E
Niacin
Folate
Pantothenic Acid

So there you have it. Not only are bananas good for us, they are a very handy package. Already naturally prewrapped, I call them the original fast food.

Enjoy some today and continue in good health,

Jocelyn

6 Ways Bananas Can Help Your Health

2009-07-04T21:20:00.007+10:00

Bananas are one of my favorite fruits. As I eat so many of them I thought it was interesting to see what type of health benefits were associated with bananas.

There are many of them and I will not mention all of them here. However I think the ones listed below make a good start.

Depression
Bananas can help to reduce depression. They contain the amino acid tryptophan which is converted to serotonin. Serotonin is associated with improved mood.

Kidneys
Bananas can help you have healthy kidneys. Bananas are high in potassium and a high potassium diet can minimize the risk of kidney stones. Studies have shown that eating 4 - 6 bananas a week can half the risk of developing kidney cancer.

Blood Pressure
Potassium is an essential mineral for the maintenance of normal blood pressure and heart function. The high potassium and low sodium content of bananas is the perfect ratio for preventing high blood pressure. Indian scientists have found that bananas contain compounds that have similar effects to anti-hypertensive drugs. They found that eating 2 bananas per day for a week would decrease high blood pressure by 10%.

Ulcers
Bananas neutralize the acidity of the gastric juices. This coats the lining of the stomach, so reducing ulcer irritation. Bananas also contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate the type of bacteria in the stomach that has been recognized as a primary cause of ulcers. Another benefit from bananas in relation to ulcers is that they contain a flavonoid called leucoyanidin. This helps to increase the thickness of the mucous membrane layer of the stomach.

Stroke
It seems that regular banana consumption reduces the risk of dying from stroke by 40%. This is thought to be because of the high potassium content.

Normal bowel Function
The non digestible fibers of cellulose, hemicellulose and alphaglucans in bananas help restore normal bowel activity in either constipation or diarrhea. Bananas are also rich in pectin, which is water absorbent and helps the colon's function of absorbing large amounts of water to enable regular bowel movements.

There are many ways of including bananas in your daily diet. Try to include them as part of your healthy diet plan so you can reap the banana benefits.

Be healthy,
Jocelyn

6 Physical Effects of Laughter

2009-06-30T21:46:00.004+10:00

Laughter:

Makes us breathe faster - sends more oxygen to our tissues

Massages heart and other organs

Quickens pulse

Stimulates Cardiovascular system

Increases release of disease fighting cells in immune system

Releases endorphins - natural painkillers of the body

6 Illnesses That Happiness Can Decrease

2009-06-27T22:11:00.003+10:00

Health Benefits of Happiness

Just as stress creates a negative impact on health so happiness creates a positive impact on health. This is not just the removal of the problems caused by stress but actual improvements in health due to happiness.

Some illnesses that happiness has the potential to either decrease the risk of or limit its severity include:

Diabetes
Hypertension
Cardiovascular disease
Pulmonary disease
Colds
Upper respiratory infections

With those sorts of benefits being happy is worthwhile, not that anyone really wants to be anything but happy. However, judging by the number of unhappy people around, being happy may not be that easy at times.

Even though your particular circumstances may be difficult, finding ways to create moments of happiness can pay big dividends.

Athletes have found that when they get fatigued and feel like they can't continue, if they smile it changes their body. They can have a 30% increase in their performance for the next several minutes. That tells us that even if we have to "act as if", even a pretend smile or laugh can bring some benefits to our health.

Things to do

Laugh
Smile
Maintain relationships
Make friends
Do some fun activities
Go for a walk
Smell the roses, enjoy the scenery
Think happy thoughts
Get proper sleep
Find ways to replace the worrying thoughts with happier ones

An article by the American Happiness Association says that neuroscience has discovered that optimism is important for the health of our brains. The brain has a center for optimism and if that center is not developed we get depressed. Food for thought anyway.

Be happy,

Jocelyn

A 9 Point Affirmation

2009-06-26T21:34:00.005+10:00

Affirmations could be said to be inspiring self talk. Now that has to be better than telling yourself negative stuff or beating yourself up about something.

Here are 5 positive benefits to using positive affirmations:

Develops a positive attitude to life
Relieves stress
Act as motivators
Helps to develop a happy frame of mind
Trains the subconscious mind

Over the years I have used affirmations at various times. I remember at one time I had a whole stack of affirmation cards that I would go through a couple of times a day.

In the last little while, I have come across an affirmation, that to me, is the most complete affirmation I have seen. It is like all the affirmations combined into one short statement.

I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, happy, intelligent and affluent.

I came across the concept for this affirmation in The Master Key System by Charles Haanel. This work, written in 1912, was the basis for the popular movie "The Secret". I have added the last two words to the original affirmation as I felt that it rounded it out more fully.

By memorizing this one affirmation it is easy to use it at any time, many times a day.

Be great,
Jocelyn

13 Money Saving Tips for 3 Areas

2009-06-24T20:03:00.007+10:00

In the economic times that we are living many people are looking for ways to make their money go further. More and more people are finding that they are spending more than they are earning. There is of course a limit to how long one can continue to spend more than what comes in.

Whether your situation is as dire as that or just under mild pressure, some tips on how to make your money go further never go astray.

Cut Food Costs - This does not mean cut your food.

Do not go grocery shopping when hungry
Shop with a list
Look for specials
Do not buy convenience items. - Cook from scratch as much as you can.
Buy meat when on special and freeze
Choose fruit and vegetables by freshness, cost and what is in season. Adjust menus to what you bought rather than buying something expensive because it is in the recipe.

Cut your energy costs

Keep your furnace filter clean
Whether it is for heating or cooling adjust your thermostat. Don't set it to hot in winter or for summer cooling don't set it to cool. This can save about 5% of your costs.
Use energy saving bulbs.
Check the deals for the different energy providers. Maybe there is a better deal.

Save on your phone bill

Check your mobile phone costs. Is there a provider that can meet your needs for less?
Check all your phone calling patterns. What offers are there that can provide what you need for less?
Consider using VOIP for your phone calls. If you already have high speed broadband it could save a considerable amount.

There are plenty of ways that costs can be reduced. Shop around for everything. Always get more than one quote.

More detailed tips and information on making your money go further can be found in Douglas Hanna's "Surviving the Recession". For more information on the book visit http://savemoney.jocelynkaye.com

9 Health Benefits of Laughter

2009-06-20T20:58:00.005+10:00

Laughter has often been said to be the best medicine. That statement is more than just a saying that has been around for a long time. There is actually a lot of truth in it. Modern research has found quite a number of ways that laughter benefits our health.

Laughter

Lowers blood pressure
Reduces stress hormones
Boosts immune function
Raises the level of T-cells that fight infection
Raises levels of antibodies that destroy disease
Triggers release of endorphins - natural painkillers
Decreases stress hormones
Protects the heart
Relaxes the whole body

Laughter Opportunities

With laughter having such healthy benefits, it is good to make sure that we laugh more often. Here are some strategies that can help you to increase the amount of laughter in your life.

Laugh with friends. Laughter is contagious. Find things to do with friends that will create laughter and good feelings - go to movies, play games, tell jokes.
Movies and other entertainment. Watching funny movies can be an easy way to get laughing.
Keep a sense of humor about life. Instead of seeing all the negatives, find something to laugh about in every situation. This really reduces stress and increases the opportunities to laugh.
Act as if. If you can't laugh for real, pretend until you can. Put on smiles and laughter gives the same results as real or spontaneous smiles and laughter. You still get the same positive results.

Laughter is free, and available at any time. It has tremendous power to heal and renew. It can foster good relationships, and support physical and emotional health. Be sure you get your dose of laughter each day.

Be happy
Jocelyn

Foods to Make You Happy

2009-06-19T20:57:00.006+10:00

It is interesting how much the foods we eat actually influence how we feel. While it is important to have a positive mental attitude and do those things that help keep us emotionally healthy, it will be difficult to do this if our diet is not adequate.

The foods we eat are the building blocks for our body. If the body is doing its regular repair and maintenance work and the necessary ingredients are not there, the repair and maintenance still goes on. The result though is a weakened structure. Over time this can seriously set one up for ill health.

How we feel, whether we are happy or sad is not only regulated by external circumstances or by how well we manage our self talk. It is also influenced by the food we eat. There are amino acids (proteins), vitamins and minerals that are needed to make sure that neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine and epinephrine are present in the correct proportions.
These neurotransmitters, amongst other things, are able to increase levels of alertness and energy.

Some examples of nutrients and foods that help to increase happiness are:

Folate

Green leafy vegetables
Beet root,
Strawberries
Oranges

Vitamin B6

Beans
Nuts
Eggs
Meats
Fish
Avocados
Bananas

Vitamin B12

Meat
Fish
Poultry
Eggs
Milk

Selenium

Brazil nuts
Walnuts
Eggs
Tuna
Meats
Legumes

Magnesium

Green leafy vegetables
Nuts and seeds
Whole grains
Fish
Quinoa
Avocados
Bananas
Potatoes

Foods that can help to keep depression and anxiety at bay, and increase memory and concentration are certainly useful in building a healthier and happier life.

If the right nutrients are not available your body will find it very hard to keep you feeling happy, alert and energetic.

Stay healthy
Jocelyn

10 Stress Reducing Techniques

2009-06-14T22:04:00.002+10:00

Stress comes from many different sources. If stress is allowed to accumulate and get out of control it not only decreases our quality of life but creates illness in the body. If allowed to continue it has been known to shorten the life span.

Here are 10 different ways that might help to decrease stress.

Play some relaxing music.
Get plenty of sleep.
Eat a good diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals. If necessary take a vitamin supplement.
Get some sunshine regularly.
Take a walk outdoors. Take time to enjoy the flowers, sunset, scenery etc.
Having soft squeezable items handy can help to release tension.
Take up a hobby. Find something that you enjoy doing and make time for it.
Running. Any form of exercise that is enjoyed will help to reduce stress.
Have a pet. Many people keep pets to help reduce stress.
Have an aquarium. Keeping an aquarium has been known to help to lower blood pressure and to relieve stress.

What ever method of stress reduction that you choose, it must be readily available. Choose something that will fit in with your way of life.

As a bonus tip I am told that playing computer games works to reduce stress but if they are played as a form of procrastination they will eventually increase the stress. So choose your stress reduction method wisely.

Enjoy life and have fun

Jocelyn

From Vegetables to Attitude

2009-06-13T20:22:00.003+10:00

The other day I was looking at the term 5 a day, meaning to eat 5 serves of fruit and vegetables a day. I came across an article that was asking did you get your 5 a day only they weren't talking about fruit and vegetables. What they meant was did you do 5 things today that would improve your mental state?

I thought that it was a great idea to apply the "did you get your 5 a day" to other things. Some things that I thought of were:

Keep good attitudes
Have a positive mental attitude
Improve your mental state
Enhance personal relationships
Improve or keep good health
Move ahead in your field of work

Undoubtedly, you might be able to think of some others.

It takes 30 days for an action to become a habit. If one was consciously aware of doing 5 specific things in the area they wanted to work on for a month, those actions would probably have become automatic by then. Once things become automatic, they become a part of the normal fabric of our lives, without having to be conscious of them.

Pick an area that you would like to work on. Find 5 things that you could do today that would improve it. Put it into practice. Here is an example of some things that could be done to improve mental state.

Get adequate sleep
Do some daily exercise
Watch your diet - don't eat junk food
Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
Drink plenty of water
Smile at people
Compliment someone
Find 5 things to be thankful for
Do something specific to relax
Laugh

Well that is 10 suggestions. What I noticed as I wrote them is that they would fit equally well in the improve or keep good health category. There will always be overlap with things like this. It really doesn't matter. The important thing is to be conscious of doing something that will improve things for you in some way.

Have fun and enjoy yourself,
Jocelyn

Fruit and Vegetables Get Your 5 A Day

2009-06-13T13:37:00.001+10:00

Fruit And Vegetables Get Your 5 a Day

View more OpenOffice presentations from Jocelyn Hodgson.

9 Benefits of Gratitude

2009-06-11T22:14:00.005+10:00

I was reminded today about the importance of gratitude.

Wallace Wattles, in his book "The science of Getting Rich" says:

"There is a law of gratitude, and if you are to get the results you seek, it is absolutely necessary that you should observe this law."

An attitude of gratitude can enhance our lives in many ways. Here is a list of 9 benefits of having an attitude of gratitude.

Can help you to have a more positive mood
Creates a sense of emotional well being
Can help to create better interpersonal relationships
Can improve physical health
Positive impact on both cardiovascular and immune functions.
Reduces stress
Live a longer life
Reduces depression
Reduces fear

Developing and nurturing gratitude is one of the things that can help our lives to be more pleasant, useful and fulfilling. Most of the difficulties in life can be eased by making some changes to our mental state. Having gratitude as a normal part of your daily life and thoughts is worth the effort that it might take to have it as your normal response.

If you would like to download a free copy of Wallace Wattles book, "The Science of Getting Rich" please follow the linked title.

Positively enjoy life

Jocelyn

What Can An Apricot Do For You?

2009-06-10T23:07:00.004+10:00

Apricots are one of those beautiful tasty fruits that go with summer. They are packed full of nutrients and have some little known uses in the form of health benefits. Fortunately, when they are out of season they are readily available in tinned or dried form. If you are using dried apricots and are trying to avoid eating the food preservative sulphur dioxide (220) look for dark colored fruit. The bright orange color of dried apricots is obtained from using sulphur dioxide. The preservative free dried apricots are quite dark in color, and sometimes not quite as soft.

Some Nutrients in Apricots:

Beta carotene - Our bodies convert some of this into Vitamin A. The rest is a powerful antioxidant
Lycopene
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Dietary Fiber
Potassium
Iron
Phosphorus
Calcium

Some Health Benefits

Heart protecting nutrients
Good for eye health
Protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation - Good for the heart
Fiber is good for colon health
Good for weight. Three apricots have about 50 calories.
Can help protect against stroke

Some studies are showing that diets high in beta carotene can also help in delaying the aging of the brain and hold the effects of Alzheimer's disease at bay. With that being the case, it is good news that there is more beta carotene in canned apricots than in fresh. This is because the heat in the process releases more beta carotene from the cell walls of the fruit.

Georgina Cundall's ebook Fabulous Fruits & Vital Vegetables gives lots of health benefits for many different fruits and vegetables, as well as plenty of tips and recipes for tasty eating. Check it out, and see if it can make the difference in your healthy diet plan.

Eat healthy and stay happy,

Jocelyn

The Secrets of 7 Fruits and Vegetables

2009-06-09T23:31:00.012+10:00

I have long been fascinated by the variety of health issues that particular foods can help to alleviate. It is interesting, and very handy to know which foods can assist us to gain the health outcomes that we are looking for.

Today I have a list of seven fruits and vegetables that can help to control blood pressure.

Apricots
Bananas
Cantaloupe
Chestnuts
Beets
Broccoli
Garlic

All of these also have other functions, and health issues that they can help to address. For example cantaloupe can also help to lower cholesterol. Garlic is well known for its wide range of health benefits and perhaps deserves an article of its own.

I have come across an excellent ebook that combines information about which health benefits go with which fruits and vegetables, with loads of information about the selection, preparation and preservation of fresh fruits and vegetables. Fabulous Fruits & Vital Vegetables by Georgina Cundall gives a great base of knowledge to help you to gain more benefit from your fruits and vegetables.

Have fun as you enjoy your fruit and vegetables and keep in good health

Jocelyn

Why Eat Brazil Nuts?

2009-06-07T07:41:00.006+10:00

Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are a marvelous little package. Interestingly, they are not farmed but grow wild in the forests of South America. Attempts to farm them have been dismal failures due to their specific needs for pollination. In fact, even if the forest has been partially cleared or unduly disturbed, the yield of nuts on the trees is drastically reduced. Because of this, some say that eating brazil nuts helps to keep those forests intact. There may be some truth in that because selling brazil nuts is an important cash crop to the people of those areas.
Selenium

Brazil nuts have the highest selenium content of any food. Just eating 2-4 nuts per day will give you ample selenium for your general needs. One chart suggests that there can be as much as 544 micrograms in 1 ounce of brazil nuts. This would probably equate to about 77 micrograms per nut. The selenium content of the nuts can vary so they may not all have this much.

What Do We Use Selenium For?

Selenium has a role in the prevention of some degenerative diseases. These include:

Cancer
Inflammatory diseases
Cardiovascular disease
Infections
Aging
Neurological diseases

One study, done in 1966, showed that people taking 200mcg selenium per day for 4 1/2 years had a reduction of their cancer risk by 32% and their risk of death by cancer by 50%. If eating a few brazil nuts could potentially give these benefits, it is certainly a tasty cheap way to add this nutrient to ones diet.

Selenium is also a very effective antioxidant. It also has the ability to regenerate vitamins E and C in the body. That is, in the presence of some nutrients, such as selenium and lipoic acid, vitamins C and E are able to continue working longer in our bodies than they otherwise would.

Selenium is useful in diabetes. It seems to be able to mimic the action of insulin as well as helping to slow down the progress of secondary complications such as neuropathy, cataracts and such like.

Arthritis sufferers often show low selenium levels.

Selenium is present in nearly every cell in our bodies and is essential for many processes. It is also useful in protecting against and neutralising certain toxins.

Some Other Nutrients in Brazil Nuts

Protein (all essential amino acids present)
Copper
Niacin
Magnesium
Fiber
Vitamin E
Zinc
Phosphorous
Iron

I am sure there is much more that could be written about the benefits of brazil nuts, but this is perhaps enough to show that they are an excellent choice to include in a healthy diet.

Stay healthy
Jocelyn

An Apple A Day Keeps The doctor Away

2009-06-05T17:47:00.007+10:00

With the old saying an apple a day keeps the doctor away in mind, I thought it would be interesting to discover what health benefits are attributable to apples.

What is in an apple?
It would seem that an apple is equal to more than the sum of all its parts. That is to say that the components in the apple work together to produce something that cannot be mimicked by taking the known nutrients of the apple separately.

Apples contain lots of phytonutrients. These function as antioxidants. A lot of these are found in and close to the skin, so throwing away the apple skin is to throw away a very important part of the apple.
Apples contain fibre, both soluble e.g. pectin, and insoluble e.g. cellulose.
Flavonoids are found in apples.

Heart Health

The antioxidant factors in apples help protect the cardiovascular system.
Both soluble and insoluble dietary fibre has been found to keep LDL cholesterol levels in check. Some say that one medium apple three times a week is enough to gain some benefits. Although one study showed that eating two apples per day may lower cholesterol by as much as 16%.
Flavonoids help the heart in many ways. They help to deal with inflammation and clumping of blood platelets. They can help to regulate blood pressure and production of fat in the liver cells. Flavonoids not only help to lower the risk of heart disease but they also improve heart health after heart disease has happened.

Cancer

There is still much research to be done but there has been some indication that apples can reduce the risk of lung cancer. Some studies on animals show that apples may help in reducing the risk of both colon and breast cancer.

Asthma and Lung Health

Apples seem to have a special ability in supporting lung health. One study showed that children suffering from asthma who drank apple juice each day had less wheezing than those who only drank it once a month.

Alzheimer's

A study on mice showed that apples may protect the brain cells from the damage that leads to Alzheimer's disease.

Diabetes Management

Apples contain pectin which supplies galacturonic acid to the body. This reduces the need for insulin and thus may help in managing diabetes. Eating an apple as a between meals snack can help to regulate your blood sugar.

Weight Loss

In Brazil a study found that eating three apples or pears each day gave a result of more weight loss when dieting than that obtained by those who did not eat the fruit.

Bone Protection

Apples are the only source of a flavonoid called phloridzin. It may increase bone density and protect post menopausal women from osteoporosis. Apples also contain boron which is also known to strengthen bones.

There could well be other health benefits of eating apples but that is enough on the list for the time being. Different types of apples have differing amounts of the various nutrients, so don't just stick to one variety, enjoy many. Remember that the skin of an apple is a valuable resource, so find ways to use it.

Enjoy your apples and stay well,

Jocelyn

Some Uses of 5 Essential Oils

2009-05-04T21:35:00.005+10:00

Pure essential oils can boost your immune system by combating diseases and pollution.

Here is a quick run down of some of the things you can use particular essential oils for.

Lavender

Help in sleeping
Relieves depression, migraines and nervous tension
Helps clear breathing e.g. in bronchitis
Useful for stomach ache
Helps skin conditions such as acne, eczema and many others
In infants helpful for colic and ear ache
Calming
Useful for insect bites. Rub a little directly on the sting.

Lemon Oil

Use it for cleaning. It is a very effective antiseptic.
Also is anti-bacterial. Use it as a disinfectant.
Diluted it helps reduce acne.
Use as a natural deodorant.
Deters insects
Enhances mood. Diffuse or spray into the air. Relaxing.
Mix with olive oil to clean wood.

Peppermint

Relieves headaches. Can use it in combination with lavender.
Relief from upset stomach.
Can help with sleeping.
Useful with dry coughs.
Repels insects such as mosquitoes, ants, flies etc.
Use for insect stings.
Helps remove bad breath
Helps to increase mental alertness.

Frankincense

Useful in skin care. Reduction of wrinkles.
Bronchitis. It causes the bronchii to dilate, deepening breathing. Also use with peppermint, lavender and eucalyptus.
Elevates mood in depression.
Aches and pains including joint pain.

Eucalyptus Oil

Also a great antibacterial. Diffuse or spray into the air to reduce airborne bacteria.
Relieves headache
Deodorant
Helps with coughs and colds.
Use for muscular pain.
Use in the bath to help relieve exhaustion.

Of course there are many other essential oils. Each one has its own list of useful benefits. These five oils are commonly used, and are probably fairly easy to find. There is much more to learn even about these five than is included here. This just gives a brief idea of their usefulness and, maybe a place to start in experimenting with these very beneficial gifts from nature.

Enjoy and have fun

Jocelyn

Essential Oils as Air Purifiers

2009-05-03T21:29:00.005+10:00

Here is an interesting concept. Diffusing essential oils into the air can help improve the air quality.

Some things diffused essential oils can do

Inhibit growth of infectious microbes - used in hospitals in France and England
Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-microbial
Remove odors - alters structure of odors making them harmless
Removes metallic particles
Removes chemicals from the air
Increases negative ions
May stimulate and oxygenate your brain
Neutralize mildew
Neutralize cigarette smoke

Which Oils?

Some of oils to consider using for diffusing are:

Lemon
Tea Tree Oil
Eucalyptus Oil
Rosewood
Lavender
Peppermint
Frankincense

How to Diffuse

The common aroma oil burner, heated by a tea light candle, is perhaps the method most well known. While this does work, some suggest that if the reason for diffusing the oils is therapeutic then it is better to use a method that does not use heat. The basis of this is the possibility that heat changes the chemical make up of the oil.
Some cold methods of diffusion include glass nebulizers, vaporizers, humidifiers and evaporation devices.

A glass nebulizer is the most effective as it will properly ionize and microscopically size the molecules of the essential oil. This ensures suspension of the droplets in the air for longer.

Misting the oil is an easy and inexpensive way to diffuse the oils into the air. Fill a 1 oz spray bottle with purified water. Add 10-15 drops of essential oil. Shake the bottle vigorously before misting the contents, as the oil does not mix well with water. The other alternative is to add a bit of vodka to the oil before adding to the water.

Inhalation is another way of dispersing the essential oils. Put 1-2 drops on a tissue, cotton ball or handkerchief. Place it in your pillow case, in front of your heating/cooling vents, in your car or other place where you want the effects of the essential oil.

Whether you want to improve the air quality or just enjoy the aromas experiment and see what works for you.

Have fun and enjoy the experience of essential oils.

Jocelyn

What is the SPF of Avocado Oil?

2009-05-02T21:02:00.004+10:00

In the last post I wrote about avoiding sunburn. A while ago now, I came across interesting information that gave the SPF (sun protection factor) of some natural substances.

Avocado Oil - SPF 6- 8

Avocado oil was used by some ancient civilizations as a skin moisturizer. It is great for repairing body tissue and maintenance of healthy skin because it is rich in vitamins and minerals. It is a good antioxidant. It is absorbed easily by the skin and does not clog the pores.

Red Raspberry Seed Oil - SPF 28-50

Because it provides a lipid barrier, raspberry provides skin protection and helps the skin retain moisture. It is high in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.

Shea Butter or African Karite Butter - SPF 6

Sesame Oil - SPF 4

Sesame oil is stable and has a good shelf life. In India it is used as a massage oil because it helps reduce skin aging. It soothes and softens the skin.

Vitamin C and the Sun

A researcher, Dr Williams, discovered that it is possible to gain some sun protection from making a 10% solution of vitamin C. Use pure ascorbate or ascorbic acid for this. Make a 10% solution of vitamin C powder and water. Spray it on your skin 10-15 minutes before going in the sun. Continue to apply it liberally while in the sun. I have used this myself. It does work but only if you keep reapplying it frequently. Dr Williams found that it also works to make the solution out of aloe vera gel.

These ideas may not remove the need for sunscreen on all occasions, but they are alternatives that may be suitable for some people in some situations. They certainly give some different ideas that you might feel are worth checking into.

Have fun

Jocelyn

Tips to Avoid Sunburn

2009-05-02T08:39:00.005+10:00

A change of topic today.

Some Ideas to Avoid Sunburn

Wear protective clothing - shady hat, long sleeved shirt etc. There are some nice UV protective shirts available now besides the rash shirts that children usually wear to the beach.
Stay out of the sun in the middle of the day. This may not be an issue in cool climates but in tropical/sub tropical areas if at all possible avoid the sun at that time, it is too easy to get burned then.
If you can't avoid long periods in the sun or the hottest time use a sunscreen. Be careful about what type of sunscreen you use. Many of them contain substances that, when absorbed by the skin, may be less than beneficial for our overall health. There are several brands available now that only contain natural substances. Please read the labels and gain an understanding of what the ingredients are.
Sunscreen needs to be applied about 20-30 minutes before going in the sun.
If you are swimming remember to reapply the sunscreen if you are going to still be in the sun.
If you are headed for a day of fun in the sun try to find a place that also has some shade. Or take your own shade with you e.g. beach umbrella or shade shelter.

That is about all the usual hints on avoiding sunburn. In the next post I will explore some other ideas that may help in both avoiding toxic substances on our skin and avoiding sunburn. Remember that to get some early morning sun, when you won't burn, on your skin is a good way of getting your vitamin D.

Stay safe in the sun

Jocelyn

20 of the 50 Plants To Purify Your Air

2009-04-30T19:27:00.011+10:00

Plants for Air Quality

2009-04-29T23:41:00.008+10:00

Indoor Air Quality and Plants

Spider Plant

I thought I would give you with some pictures of some of the plants that help improve the quality of the air through removing toxins.
This first one, the spider plant, is one of my favourites. They are very common and easy to grow. That means that even if plants normally die on you this one will probably be okay. They don't mind much what conditions they have.

They are also known as Ribbon Plant or Airplane Plant

Aloe Vera

Not only will aloe vera, also known as Aloe Barbadensis, help improve your indoor air quality but it is useful for healing burns, bites and skin problems.

In the NASA studies of plants and air quality, they studied 19 different plants. They found to improve the air quality in a 1,800 square foot house, you need about 15-18 good sized plants in 6 to 8 inch diameter pots.

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum's, along with the bamboo palm, are good for eliminating benzene. These are out gassed from things such as perfumes, scented candles, plastic and washing powders.

The other flower that was tested was the gerbera. This is effective in reducing formaldehyde from the air.

Other plants beside the nineteen tested by NASA may be useful in this regard as well. However the tests did show that not all plants were equal. Some were better against some pollutants than others. So even if you are not a green thumb having indoor plants is good for your health.

I am the world's worst gardener and I have a bamboo palm that does quite well in my house even though the gardeners in my family have been telling me for two years that it desperately needs re potting. Ah well one day it might get done.

Be healthy and enjoy your house plants

Jocelyn

Chemicals? Can We Reduce Our Exposure?

2009-04-28T22:24:00.004+10:00

What can we do?

What are some of the ways that we can reduce the amount of chemicals we are exposed to?
Can we really do anything about it?
Yes and yes. There are solutions.

Knowledge

Being aware of which products have harmful chemicals in them is a good first step. Knowledge is power.
When we know which things are harmful and why we are in a much better position to find other products to use or other ways of doing things.
Here are a few suggestions that might help you get started in making some changes that will bring you a more chemical free and therefore healthier life.

Chlorine is in our water and many of us have a water filter for drinking water. What about the shower? In the confined space of a shower, the chlorine levels in the air can rise to dangerous levels. As well as this we can absorb quite a lot of chlorine through our skin. There are shower filters, which attach to the shower rose, that will eliminate these and other chlorine problems.
Paints. There are a variety of eco paints now with low or no VOC's. Some paints are entirely plant based. I recently came across recipes for home made paint. They use the unlikely ingredients of milk and lime. I believe it is important to get the ratios right or it will flake off. If you do use conventional paints make sure you are in a well ventilated area, and use a mask. Allow the painted area to ventilate well while it is off gassing.
Household cleaners. Save some money on this one. Choose plant based cleaners or even cheaper, white vinegar, bi carbonate of soda and lemon juice do a great job. A few drops of oil of cloves in water will get rid of mold.
Air Purifier. Using an air purifier can help to reduce the chemical load in the air. There are many things like flame retardants that can be in things from our clothes to our furniture. When everything in the house is new, including the house, it can take quite a while before everything has out gassed sufficiently.
Add indoor plants NASA has been looking at the ability of plants to help clean up the air quality for years. It is found that they can help in reducing chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from the air. Which plants?

Aloe Vera: eliminates emissions from most toxic materials
English Ivy: petroleum based products
Fig trees: formaldehyde
Chrysanthemum: formaldehyde, benzene and ammonia
Spider plants: great for eliminating formaldehyde
Chinese evergreen, Bamboo palm and Lillies: many toxic materials

Gerbera daisies, philodendrons, golden pathos and snake plants are also useful.

Personal products Just to mention this one again. Many of them are full of chemicals that we would be horrified at the thought of putting on our skins.

That is enough of a list to start with.
Change can be difficult. It is better to make small changes that can be sustained rather than changing everything and then dropping it all and doing nothing in the long term.
Check out the things in your house. Which ones are contributing to your health and which are taking away from your health?
It takes a bit of time to find alternatives but it is worth it.

Be healthy

Jocelyn

How Many Chemicals Did You Put On Your Skin today?

2009-04-27T20:55:00.004+10:00

Our Skin

Our skin is a very important organ in our body. Through it we eliminate many toxins as we perspire. It acts as a protection to the body. It is also able to absorb many things that are placed on it.

When we realise the absorbency of the skin, it becomes obvious that we need to be careful what we put on it. If we use personal products that contain chemicals then those chemicals can find their way into the cells of our body.

Chemicals

It is amazing how many personal care products contain chemicals that are considered hazardous.
Because there are so many chemicals used, it is probably easier and safer to use only 100% natural products. That would save trying to know the names o,f and understand the problems associated with each chemical. In fact most personal care products are not required to list all of the ingredients on the labels, so it becomes difficult to know exactly what we are putting on our skin.

To give some idea of the scope of the problem there are more than 125 ingredients used on the skin that are possible carcinogens. 25 of them are associated with possible birth defects.
Reports show that hundreds of man made chemicals and residues have been found in breast milk and fat cells of people. No one really knows the extent of the health problems that these can cause.

Anything derived from petroleum is a dangerous substance to put on our skins. For example baby oil is mostly mineral oil which is made from petroleum. It can hinder the respiration of the skin and age it prematurely.
Even products like toothpaste, deodorants, body lotions and hair conditioners can contain chemicals like propylene glycol that can cause eye and skin irritation, headaches and nausea.

Find Natural Products

Now days there are a lot of different personal products available that are made entirely from natural products. It takes a bit of effort to search them out but it is worth it. Our health is very precious. It is a lot easier to stay healthy than to try to recover once illness has struck.

Stay healthy

Jocelyn

Are We Being Swamped in Chemicals ?

2009-04-26T23:18:00.005+10:00

Chemicals

There is an increasing amount of chemicals in our day to day environment. It is surprising how many different ways we can be exposed to chemicals that we have no idea are there.

It could be beneficial to our health to take some steps to reduce the amount of chemicals that we are exposed to.

Here are some simple ways to do that:

Use a water purifier or filter. This will help to eliminate some of the chemicals that may be present.

Foods can have a lot of pesticides on them. If possible use organic fruits and vegetables. Alternatively wash them well in a weak vinegar solution.

Do not use artificial sweeteners. Use honey, agave nectar or rapadua. Rapadua is dehydrated sugar cane juice. Because water is all that has been taken out it has a low GI and does not give a rush of sugar to the blood stream.

Do not use aluminum pots for cooking or cook food in aluminum foil. Use glass, ceramic or stainless steel pots.

Avoid chemical cleaners in the house. Many common products are loaded with chemicals. Air fresheners, for example can contain formaldehyde. Using vinegar, bi carbonate of soda and lemon juice covers many cleaning jobs.

Floor coverings can be packed with chemicals. Vinyl or linoleum can be problematic as can carpets that are moth or stain resistant. Hard tiles and timber are some suggestions.

Polyester fabrics can contain formaldehyde. Natural fabrics such as cotton, wool and silk avoid this problem.

Moth balls or naphthalene are extremely dangerous and it can take years for it to break down and dissipate. Use essential oils like clove, mint or orange.

That will do for a start. There are many other things in our lives that can contribute to the huge amount of chemicals that we are exposed to. This small list will give a start to thinking about what there is in our environment that could be potentially harmful.

Giving some thought to how this can be reduced could help us to be healthier.

Be healthy

Jocelyn

Mosquito Bites? Remedies From Home

2009-04-25T23:03:00.005+10:00

Itchy?

There is nothing like mosquito bites to spoil the enjoyment of outdoor activities. While it is better not to get bitten in the first place, it is not always avoidable.

Finding relief from those annoying mosquito bites with natural, easy, home remedies can bring the enjoyment back to your day.

There are actually quite a few home remedies for mosquito bites.

One of my favorites is rubbing apple cider vinegar over the bites. I must say this is more comfortable if you do it before scratching. Otherwise it will sting. Some people mix olive oil with the vinegar.

My mother always uses lavender oil to relieve her mosquito bites.

Try rubbing diluted lime juice over the bites.

A salt water solution put on the mosquito bite can help relieve the itch as can a baking soda solution.

If you are outdoors and there is mud. A bit of mud on the bites can be effective.

Rub the inside of a banana peel over the bites. I tried this on my granddaughter the other day. It worked.

Rubbing dry soap over the bite should reduce the itchiness and the swelling.

There are seven ideas for you to try next time you have mosquito bites to deal with. All of the ingredients are easy to come by.

In most situations at least one of them would probably be available. That was why I used the banana peel; it was all I had available at the time.

I hope you find that some of these work for you in relieving the itch of mosquito bites.

Keep safe and have fun

Jocelyn

Toothache? Dentist not Available?

2009-04-24T22:13:00.004+10:00

Toothache Remedies

Sometimes a toothache can strike when we can't get to a dentist for various reasons. Rather than suffer the pain have a list of remedies to try. Whether they work or not depends on many different variable circumstances so it is a good idea to have a few options.

Here are ten different ideas.

Cloves. If you have clove oil on hand use that but many people will only have clove powder from their spice rack. That will work quite well. Either put the dry powder on the tooth and around the gum or mix it with a little coconut oil first.
A few drops of vanilla extract placed on the troublesome tooth can relieve the pain.
Chew some raw onion for a few minutes.
Put pieces of cold cucumber on the aching tooth.
Chew on some ice.
Use a mouthwash of warm salty water.
Lightly crush a piece of garlic and put it on the tooth.
Mix a pinch of pepper with salt and put on the tooth.
Put raw potato on the tooth for about 15 minutes.
Put some peppermint extract or peppermint leaves on the tooth.

There are more toothache remedies available by following the link. These ten ideas will get you started. If you are having trouble with your teeth it is a good idea to visit the dentist if possible. Ensure that you have no food particles caught between your teeth.

My favourite tooth cleaner, instead of toothpaste, is a simple powder. Mix together 1 tablespoon sea salt, 3 tablespoons bi carbonate of soda and 1/4 teaspoon clove powder. Put a little on your tooth brush and brush as normal.

Another trick that keeps my teeth from being sensitive is to swish a little coconut oil around the mouth both morning and night after cleaning teeth.

Be well,

Jocelyn

A Bakers Dozen of Weight Loss Tips

2009-04-23T21:01:00.007+10:00

Weight Loss Plan?

How is your weight loss plan going? Are you still on track? Good on you if you are. You are doing great. Keep up the good work.

If not now is a good time to refocus and start again. What will make it work for you? Do you need a support team or person to help you keep on track?

Adjust your plan to something that might work for you and try again. Remember that you don't want to keep doing the same thing expecting a different result. Never give up, you can do it.

I have put together a bakers dozen of weight loss tips. Perhaps some of them might resonate with you.

The Tips

Choose the smaller portion sizes. If you start with a larger meal you will eat more than you need. Thus you will gain weight.
Drink a glass of water before meals. This will keep you hydrated and may reduce your feeling of hunger. The result is you are likely to eat less.
Choose unsalted nuts rather than chocolate, sweets, cakes or cookies. You will consume less calories but gain extra nutrients. This will build your health rather than pull it down.
Find ways to walk each day. Park your car further away. Walk at lunch time. Walk after work. Walk after dinner. Whatever works for you. Just do it.
Clean out your cupboards of all the foods that no longer fit into your healthy eating plan. If they are in the house you will eat them. Replace them with healthy options that will be kind to your weight loss efforts.
Eat smaller meals more often. Eat every 2 or 3 hours. That is about 5 or 6 times a day. Your metabolism will thank you by burning more energy.
Find a fun way to exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise. Some examples would be dancing, bike riding, kayaking or swimming. Find something that works for you and do it.
Make small changes that you can sustain rather than massive changes that you can’t keep up. This will not only help you to reach your goal weight but will help to keep it there.
Eat slowly.
Eat soup or salad to start the meal. This will add extra nutrients. Your main course will be able to be smaller.
Never skip meals especially breakfast. Skipping meals slows your metabolism down. Eat regular small meals. It will help you to lose weight.
Drink water not soft drink. Drinking 2 soft drinks each day can add up to 15 kgs each year.
Keep a bowl of fruit handy. It provides healthy snacks packed full of important nutrients. If you need a snack having fruit handy gives you a great way to eat but not wreck your eating plan.

There they are. If you have a favourite weight loss tip that you would like to share, please share it with us by leaving a comment. If you want to celebrate your weight loss success with others tell us about it so we can celebrate with you. Alternatively, if you need some support to keep pressing on to your goal, feel free to let us know and we will help you in any way we can.

Keep pressing on

Jocelyn

What Is There in the Kitchen to Clear Zits?

2009-04-22T23:54:00.005+10:00

Zit Remedies From the Kitchen

It is amazing just how many ordinary everyday foods and other common household substances can be of assistance in treating the dreaded pimple, acne, blackhead otherwise known as zits.

Cooked carrots, mashed, applied to the face and covered with a hot compress is one remedy. Leave it on for about 20 minutes.

Here is a brief list of some others:

Honey
Orange Peel
Lemon Juice
Avocado
Cucumber
Tomato
Potato
Cumin
Apple Cider Vinegar
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Turmeric

The list could go on. More details on how to use this list in treating zits can be found at health-home-remedies.com. Browsing through the related articles on that site will give further and more detailed information on these and other home remedies for dealing with the distressing problem of acne and pimples.

Using ingredients that are commonly found in our homes certainly makes for cheap treatment. Some remedies work better on some people than others. Experiment and see what works for you. If you find a remedy that is really great share it with us by leaving a comment.

Here's to a zit free life

Jocelyn

Quinoa Pilaf Recipe

2009-04-16T16:26:00.004+10:00

Quinoa is an ancient seed from South America. It is like a grain but technically it is a seed. It can be used in much the same way as rice. The following recipe is one that I make often. It is very versatile. Think of this recipe as a base that can be changed according to your tastes and flights of fancy. In fact this recipe is an adaptation of a different recipe that I have long lost track of.

Quinoa Pilaf

If you like to soak your seeds and grains before cooking them, then soak 1 cup quinoa in 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar overnight. This neutralises any anti nutrients that may be in the seeds, making the nutrients more bio available. This is not something that is just for quinoa but is recommended for all seeds and grains. However it cooks just the same if you don't do this.

Put some extra virgin olive oil, or coconut oil in a saucepan. Lightly cook cut up onion, carrot and celery. Add 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon coriander. Sometimes I also add 1 teaspoon ground ginger. Add quinoa and water. Use twice as much water as quinoa. Add frozen peas and corn or whatever vegetables takes your fancy. Add salt to taste. Cover and simmer until water has been taken up, approximately 15 - 20 minutes.

Eat either hot or cold. As a cold salad it is nice with the addition of avocado and tomato. Eaten hot it goes well with chicken.

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. Make changes according to your tastes.

Jocelyn

Are Your Hidden Food Allergies Making You Fat?

2009-04-16T11:58:00.006+10:00

I just came across a news article titled "Your hidden food allergies are making you fat". A 12 week study of 27 people, who had been unable to lose weight, had great success with this one treatment. All they did was to avoid foods that a special blood test (ALCAT) showed to be immune reactive. In other words they did not eat any foods that they had sensitivities or allergies to.

The results were fantastic. The average weight loss over 12 weeks was 37 pounds (17 kg). They had an average drop of 6 points in the BMI index and averaged a decrease of 30% of body fat.

Other studies have had similar results with significant improvement in weight within 4 weeks of following a ALCAT test based food elimination diet.

Roger Deutsch, co-author of the book, "Your Hidden Food Allergies are Making You Fat" says that chronic inflammation, caused primarily by exposure to incompatible foods, is the root of metabolic problems like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.

The authors also stress the importance of having a healthy lifestyle which includes eating quality food, getting adequate rest and exercise.

The source of this information quoted in the news article was :

Cell Science Systems: Middle East Journal of Family Medicine: April 2009.

May good health and happiness be yours

Jocelyn

12 Positive Sayings

2009-04-16T11:49:00.004+10:00

I recently came across a page of little saying that tie in with the theme of positive mental attitude and success. I thought I'd share them with you here.

It doesn't matter where you're coming from, all that matters is where you're going.
Do something to move yourself towards your major goal every day.
Until a goal is written down, it's just a wish or a fantasy.
Most of your happiness, and your unhappiness, comes with hair on top and talks back.
If you change your thinking, you change your life.
All change in your life comes when your mind collides with a new idea.
The one thing over which you have complete control is your thinking; use it well.
"Failure is merely another opportunity to more intelligently begin again." Henry Ford
What you think about most of the time is what you become.
Success comes when you do what you love and commit to being the best in your field.
Imagine you are already the best in your field' how would you behave differently?
The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all possibilities." Shunryu Suzuki

Well, there they are. I hope you enjoyed them and found one that you can use.

Have a great day

Jocelyn

Some More Ways to Say - You're Doing Great

2009-04-16T11:21:00.004+10:00

Here are some more ways to say that you're doing great. Tell yourself you are doing great and tell others as well. Even when your world looks to be in chaos there is something to be found to encourage yourself in. Try some of these thoughts to help you along the way.

Exactly right!
Beaut!
Not bad!
You make it look easy1
I've never seen you do it better!
Superb!
Wonderful!
You're getting better every minute!
I knew you could do it!
You're doing beautifully!
That's the way to do it!
That's good!
Nothing can stop you now!
You've got it made!
Awe inspiring!
Nicely done!
You are very good at that!
I'm really proud of you!
You're certainly doing well today!
Marvellous!
That's the way to do it!
That's better than ever!
Well done mate!
Fine job!
You figured that out fast!
Well look at you go!
You've got it down pat!
Tremendous!
Outstanding!
Now that's what I call a fine job!
You did that very well!
Congratulations!
That was first class work!
Right on!
I love it!
Sensational!
That's the best ever!
Right on the mark!
Brilliant work!
One more time and you have it!
You're incredible
100% stupendous!
It's a pleasure to watch you!
You are amazing!
You make it look simple
I'm amazed!
You've just about mastered it!
You haven't missed a thing!
You make learning seem easy!
Superfine, wonderful, sensational!!

Well, there are 50 different ways to encourage yourself and others. Pick out a couple to use today. Saying good things about yourself and others is a good way to feel great and encourage a positive mental attitude.

Have a lovely day

Jocelyn

A Positive Mental Attitude and Stress

2009-04-15T22:48:00.004+10:00

Can a positive mental attitude reduce or relieve stress? The evidence would say yes. One of the many reasons for this is that when in a state of positive mental attitude, we are more able to see stressful situations in ways that seem to be less of a threat or danger. In that case our body doesn't kick in the harmful reactions.

There are a variety of simple things that we can do that can help us to have a more positive mental attitude. Each of these will also help reduce stress levels. This list is far from complete. See how many more ideas you can add.

Regular walking - 30 minutes a day
Humor is a great stress reducer and encourages a positive mental attitude.
Take time each day to relax and review the positives in your life.
Smile
Laugh
Be nice to people

Our mental attitude, whether positive or negative, has an impact on whether our stress levels are high or low. Perhaps one of the following quotes might strike a chord with you, helping you to create a more positive mental attitude.

"Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which comes the inner voice which says, "this is the real me," and when you have found that attitude, follow it." James Truslow Adams
"One of your most valuable assets is a good sense of humor. In general, humorous people are fun to be with, have less stress and a healthier outlook on life." Catherine Pulsifer
"Your mental attitude is something you can control outright and you must use self-discipline until you create a Positive Mental Attitude - your mental attitude attracts to you everything that makes you what you are" Napolean Hill
"You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you." Brian Tracy
"Life can be wildly tragic at times, and I've had my share. But whatever happens to you, you have to keep a slightly comic attitude. In the final analysis, you have got to not forget to laugh." Katherine Hepburn
"Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure." Norman Vincent Peale
"To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world." Author unknown
"The optimist sees opportunity in every danger, the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity." Winston Churchill
"A strong positive attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug." Patricia Neal

I am sure that there are hundreds and thousands of quotes in existence that relate to a positive mental attitude. If you have a favourite quote that you would like to share. Please feel free share it with us by leaving it as a comment.

Positively reduce your stress today

Jocelyn

Reframing As A Way Towards A Positive Mental Attitude

2009-04-14T23:24:00.004+10:00

Yesterday I mentioned rephrasing or reframing as a way of creating a positive mental attitude. I would like to expand on that just a little.

This refers to how we view something. We all have a frame of reference that we use to work out what things mean. This frame of reference is quite complex and is made up of beliefs and values that we do not question. If we change any part of that frame of reference the meaning that we put on something may also change.

If you recognise what unspoken beliefs and values are being used to view a particular situation, it might be easier to consider alternative ways of viewing that circumstance. Change the frame from which you see the situation and see how that changes things. See how many different meanings you can get out of something. Which one serves you the best?

Another way of explaining reframing is to think of it as looking at something from another point of view. Some examples of this are:

See a problem as an opportunity
See a weakness as a strength
See an impossibility as a distant possibility
See a distant possibility as a near possibility
Turn oppression (something is against me) into neutral (doesn't care about me)
See unkindness as lack of understanding

In reframing or changing perspective, the "facts" of the situation remain the same. What actually changes are the assumptions that we make. If the "facts" of a situation are put into a different conceptual or emotional viewpoint the whole situation may well seem very different. Often these conceptual or emotional viewpoints are based on inferences or assumptions rather than on real facts.

Changing emotional state can often be enough to view something from a totally different viewpoint. For example people are more likely to be more positive or optimistic when they are happier.

Experiment with these thoughts and see if looking at something from different perspectives can help generate a more positive mental attitude.

"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude." William James

Positively towards success

Jocelyn

Positive Mental Attitude - Can You Get One?

2009-04-13T23:29:00.005+10:00

Mental State

Our mental state, attitudes and beliefs have a huge impact on our health, and in fact on everything in our lives.

We don't have to be stuck with whatever mental state we find ourselves in. We have the power to change it. We can choose to have a positive mental attitude.

There are many different ways to do this. Sometimes, just a simple rephrasing or reframing of a situation is enough to see it in a different light, and therefore make an impact on our mental state and attitudes.

The method of gaining a more positive mental attitude that I want to focus on in this post is to tell yourself you are doing great. Encourage someone else by telling them they are doing great as well. It might just be the tonic they are needing.

There are many different ways of saying that you are doing great. I will leave you with a list of just 30 different ways. See if you can think of some more.

30 Ways To Say "You're Doing Great"

You're on the right track now!
You're doing a good job!
Now you've figured it out!
That's RIGHT!
Now you're getting the hang of it!
That's the way!
You're really going to town!
You're doing fine!
Now you have it!
Nice going!
That's great!
That's coming along nicely!
Great!
You did it that time!
Terrific!
Fantastic!
Excellent work!
That's better!
You're outdoing yourself!
That's a great start!
Good for you!
That's the best so far!
Good going!
Keep it up!
That's really nice!
WOW!
Much better!
Keep up the good work!
Good thinking!
That's very much better!

Thinking positively about yourself is like a tonic. The more you encourage yourself by telling yourself in many different ways that you are doing great the more positive your mental attitude will become.

Create the positive mental attitude you deserve.

Till next time

Jocelyn

Healthy Lifestyle - Putting It All Into Practice

2009-04-12T18:40:00.007+10:00

Recap - Make a Healthy Diet Plan

Over the last few posts I have been discussing a range of things that can help in the quest towards good health. Just to quickly remind ourselves of the main points, eat healthy, natural food such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, meats and seafoods.

Remember that it is easier to get the all important vitamins and minerals from fresh, natural foods. Try to keep processed foods to a minimum, especially those that contain additives like colours and preservatives.

Healthy diets don't just happen by themselves, make a healthy diet plan. It is a bit like a road map. It shows the direction you want to go.

Eating foods that provide the nutrients that our body craves for, not only brings good health but makes it a lot easier to lose weight and to maintain a healthy body weight.

Adding herbs and spices to our diets helps to provide nutrients and contributes to good health. Some spices, such as cinnamon, have a reputation for assisting weight loss and also in helping control blood insulin levels. See my posts on Cinnamon and also Weight loss? for further details.

Then there are things like walking or other regular exercise, staying hydrated and getting enough sunshine to keep our Vitamin D levels up. There really are many things that contribute to being in good health.

Know what to do but it still doesn't happen?

Information like this, and then putting it into practice, is really important. However, many times people find that when it comes to putting it into practice is where it all falls down.

It is easy to know what to do but you get results when you know how to do it.

That in a nutshell is where the problem lies. We might know what we need to do but knowing how to do it is another story altogether.

Some of the answers to this lie in how we think, our attitudes and beliefs about the issue or topic.

For example, if a person feels as though they are missing out because they are not eating cream cakes, donuts and lollies they are much more likely to break out and fill up on those things than a person who believes that eating fresh fruit and nuts for snacks is delicious and exactly what they want.

The battle is largely won or lost in our brains. Reframing our questions or thoughts, evaluating our attitudes and beliefs go a long way towards being able to do what it takes to live a healthy lifestyle.

Ask yourself questions like does this serve me well? Is this useful to me? Is there another way to do this? How else could this be done?

Ask how can I do this? It is more beneficial than saying I can't do this.

Perhaps asking questions like this can help us to know how to do what we know we need to do.

I hope you have great success as you begin to sort out which attitudes and thoughts serve you the best.

Jocelyn

Benefits of Drinking Water

2009-04-11T17:43:00.005+10:00

Water, we all agree that we need it.

Benefits of Drinking Water

All functions of the body require water.
These functions occur efficiently and quickly when we are properly hydrated.
Helps maintain proper metabolism
Essential for digesting food
Aids in ridding the body of toxic elements
Helps cushion the joints
Water is important in the blood and lymph fluid
Helps regulate body temperature
Helps prevent constipation

More benefits of drinking water
Drinking water - a help in losing weight

Slows the rate of emptying the stomach
Increases metabolic rate
In mild dehydration thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Drinking enough water can therefore mean eating less.

How much and when?

There are a lot of different opinions about how much and when we should drink water.
Those who live in hotter climates or do more physical exercise will need more water that those in cool climates or who do less exercise.
Some say that we need to drink water in little sips throughout the day. Others say we need to drink a glass at a time.
Some say it doesn't matter if you drink water with meals. Others say drink half an hour before or 2 hours after a meal.
Dr Batmanghelidj, who wrote "Your Body's Many Cries For Water", recommends two glasses of water first thing in the morning with a pinch of sea salt, a glass of water half an hour before each meal and another 2 glasses of water with a pinch of sea salt before going to bed.

Avoid dehydration

However you decide to drink your water, it is very important to make sure you are properly hydrated. Some say that if you are thirsty you are already dehydrated. If you are thirsty have a drink.
In a person who is often under hydrated their thirst mechanism is not always reliable. They may be getting quite dehydrated before they feel thirsty.
Urine should be clear in colour. The darker the urine the more dehydrated the body. The exception to this is that some vitamins will cause the urine to be yellow coloured.

Another symptom of dehydration, especially for elderly people, is poor skin elasticity. If, when the skin is pinched, it holds its form rather than returning to its normal shape, dehydration is probable.

Dehydration can be serious if left untreated and in severe cases can lead to death.

If you want the benefits of drinking water. If you want your brain to work better, your digestion to be improved or your body to be more efficient in its processes, drink your water each day and avoid even mild dehydration.

Stay well hydrated

Jocelyn

Minerals - A Part of A Healthy Diet Plan

2009-04-10T20:25:00.007+10:00

If you thought there were a lot of different vitamins, wait till you see how many minerals are needed for good health. There are seven minerals that might be called macro minerals because we need larger amounts of them. The number of trace minerals is much larger. There are at least 30 that are known to be essential to life. So a healthy diet will require lots of mineral rich foods.

The way our body absorbs minerals and disperses them to do their jobs in the body is quite complicated. The simple story is that minerals are usually absorbed in ionic form. If they are not in that form when eaten then they are ionized in the gut.

Macro Minerals

Calcium is necessary for:

Strong bones and teeth
Heart and nervous system
Muscle growth
Keeps blood acid-alkaline balance right

Sources

Dairy products
Bone broth

Other Factors

Sufficient Vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption
Sugar and stress pull calcium from the bones
Phytic acid in the bran of grains bind with calcium and other minerals making the minerals less available. - Solution - soaking, fermenting, sprouting or naturally leavening will get rid of the phytic acid and make the grains more digestible.

Chloride

Distributed widely in the body in balance with sodium and potassium.
Regulates correct acid-alkaline balance in the blood
Needed in production of hydrochloric acid
Essential for proper growth and functioning of the brain
Activates production of enzymes needed for carbohydrate digestion

Sources

Salt
Lacto-fermented beverages
Bone broths
Celery
Coconut

Magnesium

Essential for at least 300 functions some of which are:

Enzyme activity
Calcium and potassium uptake
Nerve transmission
Bone formation
Metabolism of carbohydrates and minerals
Helps regulate acid-alkaline balance in the body

Sources

Dairy products
Nuts
Vegetables
Fish and sea foods
Meat
Beef, chicken or fish broth gives good usable magnesium

Even though it is found in many foods deficiencies are quite common. Some problems associated with magnesium deficiency include:

Coronary heart disease
Chronic weight loss
Obesity
Fatigue
Epilepsy
Impaired brain function

Phosphorus

Bone growth
Kidney function
Cell growth
Helps maintain acid-alkaline balance

Sources
It must be in balance with magnesium and calcium in the blood for it to be properly utilised.

Animal products
Whole grains
Legumes
Nuts

Potassium

Works with sodium
Important for many chemical reaction within the cells
Helpful in treating high blood pressure

Sources

Wide variety of nuts, grains and vegetables

Inadequate amount of fruit and vegetables can lead to a potassium deficiency

Sodium

Needed for many biochemical processes
Water balance regulation
Fluid distribution
Muscle contraction and expansion
Nerve stimulation
Acid-alkaline balance
Proper functioning of adrenal glands
Proper balance between sodium and potassium essential

Sources

Meat broths
Zucchini

Sulphur

Is part of the chemical structure of several amino acids
Aids in many biochemical processes
Helps protect the body from infection
Blocks harmful effects of radiation and pollution
Slows the aging process
Sulphur containing proteins are the building blocks of cell membranes

Sources

Cruciferous vegetables (cabbage family)
Eggs
Milk
Animal products

Trace Minerals

Only minute amounts of trace minerals are needed but they are essential for many biochemical processes. Here are a few examples of some trace minerals.

Boron

Needed for healthy bones
Found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains

Chromium

Essential for glucose metabolism
Blood sugar regulation
Synthesis of cholesterol, fats and protein
Found in animal products, molasses, nuts, eggs, vegetables

Cobalt

Works with copper to promote assimilation of iron.
Best sources - animal products

Copper

Needed for Bone formation
Hemoglobin and red blood cells
Collagen formation
Promotes healthy nerves
Healthy immune system
Memory and brain function
Found in nuts, molasses, oats and liver

Some other trace minerals are:

Germanium
Iodine
Iron
Manganese
Molybdenum
Selenium
Silicon
Vanadium
Zinc

This brief overview of minerals shows how important they are to our health and therefore to our healthy diet plan. Because minerals are absorbed in an ionic form, broth, stock or soups made from bones and vegetables are a very good, inexpensive source of absorbable minerals. With the knowledge of what our body needs for good health we are in a much better position to make a plan to truly have a healthy diet.

Be in good health

Jocelyn

Healthy Diets Must Include Vitamin Rich Foods

2009-04-09T21:48:00.005+10:00

Vitamins are a lot more complex than most of us realise. Each vitamin is part of a complex of compounds rather than just a single component. For example there are at least 17 vitamins labeled B and they all work together. Vitamin D also has several components while vitamin P has at least 5.

The nutrients found in food varies according to the soil and farming method used to produce it. Some vitamins are heat sensitive, others are water soluble, some are fat soluble. Oxidation causes most vitamin loss in food.

Below is a brief look at some of the known vitamins.

Vitamin A - Fat Soluble

Benefits

Catalyst on which many processes depend
Needed to utilise protein, minerals, other vitamins
Needed to digest protein
Antioxidant
Protects against pollutants and free radicals
Necessary in building strong bones
Needed for eyesight - formation of visual purple

Sources of preformed vitamin A (called retinol)

Butterfat
Egg yolks
Liver and other organ meats
Seafood
Fish liver oils

Sources of provitamin A or carotene

All yellow, red, orange or dark green fruits and vegetables.

Carotenes are converted in the body to vitamin A. This can only happen if all necessary conditions exist, one of which is the presence of fat in the diet. However, many people are not able to do the conversion. Therefore it is important to get some vitamin A from animal sources.

Vitamin B Complex - Water Soluble

Benefits

They work together as a team to promote healthy:
Skin
Eyes
Hair
Nerves
Liver
Muscle tone
Cardiovascular function
They protect us from:
Mental disorders
Depression
Anxiety

Sources

Whole grains - best source
Fresh fruits
Vegetables
Nuts
Legumes
Seafood
Organ meats
Produced by intestinal bacteria

Vitamin C - Water Soluble

Benefits

Necessary for tissue growth and repair
Strength of capillary walls
Lactation
Adrenal gland function
Formation of collagen, the body's structural substance
Promotes healing of wounds
Powerful antioxidant

Sources

Fruits
Vegetables
Certain animal organs

Destroyed by

Heat
Alcohol
Many common drugs including aspirin
Smoking

Vitamin D

Benefits

Needed for calcium and phosphorus absorption
Strong bones
Healthy teeth
Normal growth and brain development
Protects against cancer and multiple sclerosis

Sources

The body manufactures Vitamin D out of cholesterol in the presence of sunlight.
Butterfat
Eggs
Liver
Organ meats
Marine oils
Seafood - especially shrimp and crab

Vitamin E - Fat Soluble

Benefits

Needed for circulation
Tissue repair and healing
Retard the aging process
Deactivation of free radicals
Works with some trace elements to protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease

Sources

Unrefined vegetable oils
Butter
Organ meats
Grains
Nuts
Seeds
Legumes
Dark green leafy vegetables

Vitamin K - Fat Soluble

Benefits

Needed for blood clotting
Important role in bone formation

Sources

Liver
Egg yolks
Butter
Grains
Dark leafy vegetables
Cabbage family vegetables

Vitamin P (Bioflavonoids) - Water Soluble

Benefits

Enhance absorption of Vitamin C
Promote healing
Protect the structure of blood capillaries
Stimulate bile production
Lower cholesterol levels,
Regulate menstrual flow
Help prevent cataracts
Has antibacterial effects

Sources

Peppers
Grapes
Buckwheat
White pith of citrus fruits

Co enzyme Q10 - Vitamin Q

Benefits

Every cell needs it to produce energy
Antioxidant
Treatment of cardiovascular disease and periodontal problems

Sources

All animal products

There is much more data about vitamins than I have given here. It is easy to see how important it is to ensure that each of these vitamins are included in our healthy diet plan. They can be easily destroyed by storage, processing and cooking. Therefore it requires some thought and planning to be sure that we do indeed have a healthy diet that includes the necessary vitamins for good health.

Eat well

Jocelyn

Fat Facts for a Healthy Diet

2009-04-08T21:16:00.009+10:00

We must have some fats in our diet.

Role of Fat in Healthy Diets

Provides a concentrated source of energy

Provides the building blocks for cell membranes, hormones and hormone like substances

Slows down nutrient absorption - we can go longer without feeling hungry.

Act as carriers for the fat soluble vitamins A,D,E and K

Aids in converting carotene to Vitamin A

Assists in absorption of minerals

Different Types of Fats

Saturated

Highly stable
Do not normally go rancid
Solid or semi solid at room temperature
Found in animal fats or tropical oils
Your body makes them from carbohydrates

Monounsaturated

Your body makes them out of saturated fatty acids
Liquid at room temperature
Relatively stable - do not go rancid easily
Most common type in our food is oleic acid
Found in olive oil, and oils from almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts and avocados

Polyunsaturated - Two Types

Omega 6 - linoleic acid
Omega 3 - linolenic acid
Called essential as your body cannot make them
Must obtain essential fatty acids (EFA) from food
Liquid even when refrigerated
Highly reactive
Go rancid easily
Never heat or use in cooking

Fatty acids are also classified according to their length. That is how many carbon atoms they have.

Short Chain

Always saturated
Found in butterfat
Have antimicrobial properties - protect us from viruses, yeasts and bacteria in the gut
Absorbed quickly for quick energy
Contribute to health of the immune system

Medium Chain Fatty Acids

Found in butterfat and tropical oils eg coconut oil
Have antimicrobial properties
Absorbed directly for quick energy so unlikely to cause weight gain
Contribute to health of immune system

Long Chain Fatty Acids

Can be either saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated
Many different types
Oleic acid in olive oil
Palmitoleic acid - in animal fats - strong antimicrobial properties
The two EFA's are long chain fatty acids
GLA found in evening primrose oil - used to produce prostaglandins which regulate many processes at the cellular level

Very Long Chain Fatty Acids

Highly unsaturated
Some, but not all people, can make them out of EFA's. Others must get them from food.
Organ meats, egg yolks, butter, fish oils
Used in body to produce prostaglandins
Important roles in function of the nervous system

That is a lot of different types of fats. They all have important roles to play in our health. It is good to eat a balance of all of the different types of fats.

Be aware that many oils sold in our supermarkets have been processed by extreme heat and solvents. This damages the fatty acids. Use expeller expressed, unrefined oils or extra virgin olive oil. Store these in the refrigerator. Virgin coconut oil is an excellent addition to a healthy diet and can be stored at room temperature as it is very stable.

There is much more that could be said about fats, enough for now to know a little about the different types and why we need to eat them.

Enjoy your food

Jocelyn

Fiber as part of a Healthy Diet Plan

2009-04-07T23:28:00.005+10:00

In looking at different nutrients and components of a healthy diet plan, fiber must be included, if we want to build good health.

Eating enough fiber can help to lower the risk of developing certain diseases.
These include:

Heart disease
Cancer
Diabetes
Diverticular disease - disease of the colon. Causes pain, diarrhea, constipation.
Gallstones
Kidney stones

Two Types of Fiber

Fiber is actually carbohydrates that our enzymes are unable to break down. That means that instead of being used for energy, fiber is excreted out of our body. That doesn't mean it is wasted. It is absolutely necessary. The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble.

Functions and Benefits of Insoluble Fiber

Moves bulk through the intestines
Controls and balances the ph in the intestines
Promotes regular bowel movement
Removes toxic waste through colon more quickly

Insoluble Fibre is found in:

Whole grains
Bran
Legumes
Vegetables - green beans, dark green leafy vegetables, skins of root vegetables
Fruit skins
Whole wheat products
Seeds
Nuts

Functions and Benefits of Soluble Fiber

Bind with fatty acids
Prolong time it takes for stomach to empty - sugar is released more slowly into the system
Lowers total cholesterol
Assists in the regulation of blood sugar

Soluble fiber is found in:

Fruits
Vegetables
Oats
Nuts
Flax seed

If you choose unrefined carbohydrates, rather than the processed, refined variety, a side benefit will be the inclusion plenty of fiber. As you make your healthy diet plan, include a variety of foods with plenty of fruit and vegetables. Eat some unpeeled. Make sure that your fiber intake is spread out throughout the day to gain the most benefits.

Eat well,

Jocelyn

Carbohydrates as Part of Healthy Diets

2009-04-06T22:27:00.004+10:00

Carbohydrates are used in our body to provide energy. They are broken down into glucose which goes throughout the body as energy is needed. Our brain and nervous system need this energy. If we did not eat carbohydrates the body would use some of the protein as an energy source.

Two Types of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates form part of most peoples diet. However, in order to have a healthy diet, we need to pick and choose which carbohydrates we eat. Many of the carbohydrate sources available to modern people have been very highly refined. This removes vitamins, minerals, enzymes, protein, fat and fiber that were originally in the food. In fact, in order to digest refined carbohydrates the body's store of vitamins, minerals and enzymes are used in order for them to be digested properly. Foods like this are often called empty calories.

Blood Sugar Levels

Eating refined sugar and starches, particularly when eaten without fats or protein, enter the blood stream quickly and cause a sudden increase in blood sugar levels. This in turn floods the body with insulin. Repeating this day after day causes a big drain on the body and can result in the diseases of diabetes and hypoglycemia.

Examples of simple or refined carbohydrates:

sugar
white flour and then the products made of it eg bread, cakes, other baked goods
white rice
syrup, high fructose corn syrup
candy bars
processed cereals

A healthy diet would include carbohydrates. However choosing unrefined, unprocessed carbohydrates will build health rather than destroy it.

Examples of complex or unrefined carbohydrates:

whole grains, wheat, brown rice, oats, barley, maize, buckwheat, corn
potatoes
other root vegetables
peas
beans
lentils
quinoa
amaranth
fruit

These lists are not intended to be complete but just to give the idea of the difference between refined/simple carbohydrates and unrefined/complex carbohydrates.

All of the foods in the unrefined/complex list also provide vitamins, minerals and other things necessary to provide a healthy diet.

There is much more that could be said about carbohydrates and how our body uses them. However, the most important thing is to know which kind is the most beneficial to eat.

Be in good health

Jocelyn