Monday, June 25, 2012

Butt Busting Brownies

This is a Butt Busting Brownie that Dr Oz introduced and it is amazing, this no-bake brownie is not your typical dessert. The cayenne revs up your metabolism to get your body moving and the cinnamon helps process sugar intake, which helps keep fat from being absorbed into your bottom.

Ingredients
1 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 cup organic raisins
1 cup oats

Directions
 In a food processor purée the cacao, cayenne, cinnamon, milk and raisins until a smooth paste forms. Add the oats to the food processor and quickly pulse to incorporate them. Transfer the mix into a square or rectangular container lined cross wise with wax paper. Press down to form the ‘brownie' base. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares before serving.

Points to Note
Don't use a blender (too hard to get the dough out). Use a small cookie dough scooper and drop balls of the dough into powdered cocoa, then roll them in your palms to make a tighter ball = butt-busting truffles. Then finally, to clean the food processor/blender, add a cup or so of milk and blend until the leavings are incorporated into a drink, then drink your first truffle. Much easier to wash the food processor/blender.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Ayurveda Diet


Ayurveda Diet

The Ayurveda diet is based on the Ayurveda medicine, the science of life which balances your mind, body and spirit.

Ayurveda is the traditional medical system of India and the oldest surviving healing system in the world (about 5,000 years old). “Ayu” means life and “veda” means knowledge, so ayurveda is the science of life. It is based on 3 fundamental concepts:


1. Food is medicine.

2. Disease can be prevented and eradicated through your daily habits.

3. Lifestyle recommendations are based on an individual’s physical, mental and emotional makeup.

Ayurveda is based on natural remedies that promote longevity, beauty and vitality.

Ayurveda is the most effective holistic approach to heal your mind and body.
The following are 4 common ayurvedic components and practices.
Curry Powder

There is no reason that eating healthy cannot be delicious, and that is the magic of curry powder. It is packed with spices that fight disease and serve as antioxidants. Ayurveda recognizes 6 tastes—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. The American diet often has plenty of the first 3 – sweet, sour and salty – but is often missing the last three. Because curry satisfies all 6 tastes, it helps you eat less at each meal.

Cumin and coriander in particular help with digestion. Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, gas and abdominal cramps can be remedied with regular use of these two spices.

The real “superstar” of curry powder is turmeric. It is a potent antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory that has been studied in relation to several conditions including cancer, wound healing, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease. You can use turmeric in curry powder or get it in tablet form to increase your consumption.

Holy Basil

Holy basil, or tulsi, is considered one of the most important herbs in ayurveda. It is used for many different conditions, but its ability to fight stress has led modern herbalists to label it as an adaptogen. Adaptogens are a class of herbs that help the body fight stress by reducing the production of stress hormones that result in the fight-or-flight response.

Sandalwood

 A sandalwood face mask will give your face an instant lift, the natural way. Sandalwood detoxifies the skin by removing impurities directly as it dries on the skin. It also removes toxins by increasing circulation in the skin, leaving it glowing and feeling tighter. Sandalwood also has an alluring fragrance.

To make your own sandalwood face mask, use about 5 teaspoons of sandalwood powder and slowly mix in water until you have a thick paste. If you have a tendency toward acne or rashes, add 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder. If you tend to have very dry skin, you can add some castor or almond oil to the paste. You can apply the mask for 1 hour on a weekly basis for regular skin care or leave it on overnight every few months for a deep skin cleansing.

Daily Oil Massage (Abhyanga)

We tend to think of only getting massages from a therapist on special occasions. But you can treat yourself as often as you want to a warm oil massage in your own bathroom. This daily oil massage has several benefits including reducing stress, keeping skin youthful, and improving immunity. You and your partner can also do this massage on each other on the weekends to create an easy, affordable, and health-promoting romantic experience.

For the majority of people, the best oil to use is organic, cured sesame oil. But if you produce a lot of body heat, tend to get rashes easily, or are susceptible to inflammatory conditions, then organic coconut oil may be a better choice.







Wednesday, June 6, 2012

3 Tests Woman Should Take

There are 3 tests every woman should take and they are available through your doctor or pharmacist. These tests detect and fight diseases and improve your health and may even saving your life.

Test 1: A Comprehensive Weight and Fat Assessment
A comprehensive weight and fat assessment is more than just standing on a scale and counting the pounds. This seven-in-one test gives you insight into your overall health by measuring the following: Body Weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Fat Percentage, Body Age, Resting Metabolism, Visceral Fat, and an important measurement that may be new to you, Skeletal Muscle. And while you may assume men are more concerned about muscle mass, knowing your percentage of skeletal muscle is just as crucial for women. In fact, skeletal muscle is the secret key to your body’s ability to burn fat over the long term and lose weight. Your doctor can tell you your ideal percentage based on a variety of factors, but generally women should shoot for close to 30%, while men should be closer to 35%. If your percentage is too low, it’s time to ramp up your muscle mass.

There are two great ways to build muscle for men and women. First, eat more eggs. One egg contains about 10% of your daily protein requirements – vital for building muscle – and is loaded with vitamins A, D and B12, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin. While most people think eggs are high in cholesterol, the amount contained in the yolk is actually negligible. To build even more muscle, add a creatine supplement to your daily shakes and smoothies. Consuming 2 grams of creatine a day while exercising provides your muscles with more energy, allowing them to grow as they’re pushed to work harder and longer. Put simply, the more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn.


  Test 2: Blood Pressure
Heart disease is the number-one killer of women, yet when it comes to blood pressure – a major contributor to heart disease – so many people continue to go unchecked and undiagnosed. Healthy arteries are vital for transporting blood through your heart and to the rest of your body.

Above-normal pressure puts too much force on your arteries, and can lead to arterial damage, including weakening, scarring, risk of plaque build-up and blood clots, and overall coronary artery disease. High blood pressure is associated with the development of life-threatening conditions such as stroke, kidney failure, and type 2 diabetes. An ideal blood pressure reading should be 115/75; anything over 140/90 is considered hypertension, while prehypertension is any reading in between.

Medicinal and all-natural options exist to lower your blood pressure. Try taking Coenzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10 or ubiquinone. It’s an over-the-counter supplement that helps maintain healthy blood vessels. Taking 200 mg per day has been demonstrated in studies to help reduce blood pressure. You should also add more garlic to your diet. Eating at least 1 clove a day may lower your blood pressure and slow the hardening of the arteries.

Test 3: Blood Test for Glucose and Cholesterol
This painless, finger-prick blood test measures both your blood sugar levels and cholesterol. The best part? You don’t have to fast beforehand!

If you haven’t eaten within a couple hours, your blood sugar levels should be between 70 and 100. A measure of 100-125 is considered prediabetic, and 126 means you’ve got diabetes. If you’ve eaten recently and your blood sugar level reads above 200, it also places you among the 80 million Americans living with diabetes. And as the sugar builds up in your body due to insulin resistance, it acts like shards of glass, scraping away at the walls of your arteries, leaving them severely weakened.

Walgreens have some special buses that will take these tests for you please check out the Walgreens Way toWell website, These free health tests include: total cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, body mass index, body composition, skeletal muscle, resting metabolism, visceral fat, real body age and body weight