9 Benefits of Gratitude

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.

1. Can help you to have a more positive mood
2. Creates a sense of emotional well being
3. Can help to create better interpersonal relationships
4. Can improve physical health
5. Positive impact on both cardiovascular and immune functions.
6. Reduces stress
7. Live a longer life
8. Reduces depression
9. 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?

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

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.

1. Apricots
2. Bananas
3. Cantaloupe
4. Chestnuts
5. Beets
6. Broccoli
7. 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?

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

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

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

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