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Archive for April, 2010

Have you ever thought honey might be an ingredient in your anti aging natural skin care product? Most of us are looking for the skin care we can find, but I certainly never would have thought honey might belong in the ingredients of my best anti aging skin care product.

Let’s talk about honey for a minute. I grew up with my Mom putting honey in her tea from the honey bear that sat on our counter. It was sweet and sticky and gave her tea that wonderful sweet taste I love to this day.

As good as that honey makes my tea taste, it’s hard for me to imagine rubbing that sticky food on my skin as part of my best anti aging skin care treatment. I asked myself what good could that yummy stuff do to help protect my skin. I certainly don’t make a habit of eating my anti aging natural skin care product, so I didn’t think I wanted to start consuming my tube of skin cream.

Then I found out the honey in some anti aging natural skin care product is called Manuka honey. It comes from the nectar gathered from the Manuka bush, which is found only in New Zealand. Since I grew up in the mid west of the good old United States, I had never heard of this kind of honey. Then I started researching good nutrition and how to help my body heal naturally instead of using chemicals that were man-made, and I ran across information about this great healthy natural product.

Manuka honey is a natural antioxidant. It also has anti-microbial and antibacterial properties that have the ability to absorb and retain moisture. These elements help to protect the skin from damage caused by the sun and help to rejuvenate depleted skin. The antioxidants help to protect us from free radicals hanging around in our body. So it is not the tasty benefit you’re getting from the honey, but instead the healthy, natural benefit you need for your best anti aging skin care product that should motivate you too look for an anti aging natural skin care product with Manuka honey in it.

The finished product doesn’t look anything like the amber colored sticky honey my mother put in her tea, but instead it is a smooth cream that rubs in and helps heal the skin from the damaging effects of life. Now my questions were answered as to why I should look for skin care products with Manuka honey in them.

When searching for an anti aging natural skin care product look for one with true active Manuka honey. Your skin will thank you for it, and so will you when you look in the mirror and see healthy glowing skin.

How do you “freshen up” your meals? By incorporating some simple approaches into your everyday cooking you’ll find your food is both healthy and delicious! Here are some ways to do this:

* Use fresh ingredients whenever possible. Fresh adds flavors and nutrients to your diet that you might not get from using canned, frozen, or boxed ingredients. For example, instead of using canned or frozen corn, cut the kernels directly off the cob. The kernels are bursting with juice and flavor and require a minimum of cooking (if at all).

* Cook from scratch. You can control the amount of fat, sodium, and preservatives you consume when you’re in charge. By knowing exactly what (and how much) of any ingredient you are putting into your food allows you to make choices you can’t with processed or pre-made food. Next time you are tempted to reach for a box of pre-made food, look at the ingredients. The level of sodium, for example, is often close to the daily allowed rate.

* Be open to new ingredients or cuisines. The world is a big place. And there are great foods everywhere! Explore some of the spices, meats, produce, and grains from around the world. Always use pasta with your meals? Try rice, couscous, or quinoa instead. Experiment with cumin, curry, or chili powder to season your food.

* Try new cooking techniques. Always bake, broil, or microwave? Try stir frying, poaching, or sauteing instead! Cooking the same food but in different ways often adds to the taste in unimaginable way.

* Get out of the rut of the same old meals. Do you cook the same meals over and over and over? Try something new! Variety can go a long way toward making your meals refreshing, healthy, and interesting! Look for new recipes or mix and match. For example, take the sauce you normally use on chicken or use it on fish instead.

Once you start thinking “fresh” with your food, you’ll discover new ways to prepare and enjoy your meals.

Weight loss is the focus of millions of people every day. That’s why the weight loss product market is full of vitamins and minerals, supplements, fat burners, health shakes, fitness equipment, etc. This wide variety of products can assist in weight loss, but which products do you choose? Here are some great tips for choosing the right combination of weight loss products.

Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements

An important factor in weight loss is getting the right amount of vitamins and nutritional supplements. There are hundreds of products on the market with different brands such as TwinLab, Met-Rx, Glutamine, EAS, Muscletech, etc. Among these brand names are different health and weight loss supplements such as Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K or nutritional supplements such as CLA, protein blends, antioxidants, etc. So, you’ll want to choose supplements that fit well with your weight loss diet and lifestyle.

To decide which vitamins are right for you, keep a journal of the foods you eat. Determine which vitamins you are already getting plenty of by researching online or at your local library. It may be that you are getting a whole lot of one particular vitamin, but hardly any of another. The vitamins that are lacking in your diet are the ones you want to supplement with vitamin pills or a nutritional supplement. Your weight loss efforts will be safe and more effective if you are getting the right amount of vitamins and nutrition.

Sports Nutrition Products

If you enjoy playing sports or are very active, then sports nutrition products can help boost your energy and give you the zeal you need to succeed. There are a variety of weight loss and sports products available to build muscle and strength such as protein powders and shakes, nutrition bars, muscle building formula tablets, etc. There are also metabolism boosters, oxygen supplements, amino acid blends, whey protein, and more. See your physician before using these products to be sure they are safe for you.

Herbal Choices

Another option for weight loss is to supplement your diet using herbal choices. Herbal products are natural blends of the vitamins you need without harmful chemicals. They are great for weight loss because they usually don’t have ingredients that could hinder your body’s ability to burn fat and calories. Some great herbal choices are CoQ10 with Creatine, St. John’s Wort, DHEA, Saw Palmetto, Ginko Biloba, etc. With herbs, you’re getting similar weight loss benefits as those of other supplements, but in an all-natural way.

Diet Related Products

With every weight loss diet, there are related products that fit well with that diet. For example, with the Zone Diet there are products such as books, nutritional Zone bars, Zone meals, etc. For Weight Watchers, there are snacks and meals produced by the company to assist in weight loss. Every diet is unique, so these products help to stick with the plan.

Finding the right weight loss products is easy once you become familiar with the categories above. Determine which category will best fit your lifestyle and weight loss needs. You’ll see those extra pounds melt away in no time and enjoy a healthier body for life!

When you shop for an organic natural body care product, there are some ingredients that you need to avoid. You are actually looking for ingredients that are free of pesticides and herbicides. In other words, extracts from plants and other natural substances that are grown organically. Organic jojoba oil, for example, is a good ingredient.

There are other ingredients that are also organic, many sunscreens for example. Sun screening compounds may be synthetic or organic. They are popular additives for lotions and creams, because, until recently, it was believed that they helped prevent skin-cancer.

While they do seem to reduce the incidence of squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas; researchers have seen an increased risk of malignant melanoma among regular sunscreen users. Malignant melanoma is a rare, but very serious form of skin cancer.

So, for utmost safety, don’t buy an organic natural body care product that has an SPF rating. In particular, you should avoid products that contain oxybenzone or benzophenone. They are organic-substances, but researchers have shown that they increase the production of free radicals within the skin’s cells and damage DNA strands. That makes them probable human carcinogens, but they haven’t been taken off of the market.

To protect your skin from the sun, wear protective clothing. If you expect to spend more than 15 minutes in direct sunlight, use a sun-block that contains zinc oxide. It’s one of the organics, but has a proven safety record. Most of the sunscreens were rushed to market without being fully evaluated for safety.

Allergens

An organic natural body care product is not necessarily hypoallergenic. It really depends on what type of preservative (natural vitamin E is the only preservative that should be included) is used and what fragrances are added. Many of the lotions and creams on the market contain “essential oils”. That’s probably not what you think it is.

Essential oils are concentrated plant fragrances. Rosewater and lavender oil, for example, are essential oils. They are not essential in the sense that we need them, as is the case with essential fatty acids. They are called essential because they convey the “essence” of the plant.

They should not be used on the skin, because they are irritating. They are also common causes of allergic reactions.

When you are looking for an organic natural body care product, look for one that contains these ingredients:

o Grape seed oil; for its antioxidant and moisturizing effects
o Jojoba oil; to reduce stretch marks, improve moisture content and to prevent clogged pores
o Olive oil; because of its essential fatty acids and antioxidant activity
o Manuka honey; for its antioxidant and natural antibacterial activity

If you want to protect your skin from the signs of aging, you might also want to look for a cream that contains Functional Keratin. It’s a kind of protein that has been shown to support the natural cell rejuvenation processes. Only the best organic natural body care product contains it.

If you’re anything like me, when you think of summer barbecues you think of burgers, hot dogs, coleslaw, potato salad, and lots of other deliciously fattening foods. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can have a tasty, healthy barbecue without piling on the pounds. Here’s how.

1. Make Your Own Burgers

Instead of buying ready made burgers that are full of fat, salt and other nasties, make your own. Buy some 95% lean ground beef and pat it into burger shapes, using about 1/4 lb per patty. One patty will contain just 140 calories and 5.4 grams fat. Substitute whole wheat buns for white ones, add salad and avocado and, voila, a healthy, delicious burger!

2. Have chicken instead of hot dogs

Instead of gorging yourself on fatty, salty hot dogs, opt for some lean chicken in a tasty marinade. I like to use chicken tenders rather than full breasts because they cook quicker. An hour before you light the grill, mix the chicken with a marinade of your choosing. Then, when the grill is hot, throw on the chicken and enjoy.

Here are my two favorite homemade marinades:

(a) Mix together a bunch of chopped, fresh cilantro, 1 chopped chili, 2 cloves crushed garlic and 1 freshly squeezed lime.

(b) Combine 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 3 cloves crushed garlic, 1 chopped chili.

3.Grill Some Fish

Grilled fish is delicious and healthy. You can marinade it before cooking or just put a little salt, pepper and lemon juice on it before serving. Either way, this is a great, healthy alternative to many of the barbecue usual suspects.

4. Try Vegetable Kebabs

Vegetable kebabs are a wonderfully tasty way to up your daily intake of veggies. All you will need is some skewers, plenty of vegetables and a hot grill. I usually use red onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, garlic, and zucchini, but you can use any vegetables that take your fancy. Chop them into 1 inch cubes, line them up on the skewers and cook.

5. Throw on Some Corn

Fresh corn on the cob is a fantastic source of thiamin (vitamin B1), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), folate, dietary fiber, vitamin C, phosphorus and manganese. It can help maintain a healthy heart, support energy production, maintain your memory and support lung health. So what better reason could there be to throw some corn on the barby? Just make sure you savor the naturally sweet flavor without coating it in butter!

6. Kill the Mayo

Summer barbecues always seem to be filled with mayonnaise. It’s everywhere – in the coleslaw, the potato salad, the spinach dip. So if you want to have a healthy barbecue, make a pact with yourself that you’ll avoid all foods with mayonnaise.

7. Avoid the chips

I know it’s a lot to ask, but if you really want to stay trim this summer, you’re going to have to avoid the potato chips. It’s so easy to stand chatting, beer in hand, slowly working your way through a bowl of potato chips. But remember this – one 8 ounce bag of potato chips contains 85 grams of fat. That’s 131% of your daily recommended intake of fat and 124% of that is saturated. If you’re going to find this one difficult, just don’t stand near the bowl.

8. Salad, salad, salad

Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy tasty salads. Instead of gorging on 3 burgers, take just one and fill your plate with plenty of fresh salad. And instead of slathering it with hundreds of calories of dressing, try a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil instead.

9. Have a Fruity Desert

You can eliminate a huge portion of fat and calories from your usual barbecue intake by avoiding cookies and cake for desert, and opting for fresh fruit instead. Watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, mango and many other fruits make delicious summer deserts. And they are far kinder to your hips!

10. Don’t Drink Your Calories

We often forget that our drinks make up part of our daily calorie intake. Make sure you don’t consume your daily amount at the cooler next time you’re at a barbeque. Swap an ice cold sparkling water for that sugary soda you usually drink, or have a vodka, lime and soda instead of a sugary cocktail or calorie-laden beer. And if you really want a soda or a beer, just keep it at one or two. Don’t gorge yourself.

As you can see, I’m not suggesting that you eat rice cakes and low fat cottage cheese at your next barbecue. But with some simple tweaks to the usual menu, you can have a delicious feast without piling on the pounds.

Teaching your child to take care of their teeth may seem like a daunting task at first. Especially when they are young and energetic. The benefits of teaching great dental care habits can lead to a life of hassle free dentist visits for them. Here are 3 things to remember when teaching your child how to take care of their teeth:

Start young

Start even before they have teeth. Many mothers use a clean soft wash cloth to wipe the child’s gums. This not only helps to clean their mouth, but gets them used to the action of brushing. A finger toothbrush can also be used, especially when the first tooth arrives. When the child is old enough to hold a toothbrush, (under strict supervision) let them put the toothbrush in their mouth by themselves.

Have fun

Children love to play. Make sure to have fun while teaching your child great dental care habits. An easy way to play is to say “What did you eat for dinner? Let me see – Oh, yes I see the macaroni right there.” As they become toddlers you can play dentist with them. Pretend that they are the patient and you are the dentist. And for the most fun, make sure they have a turn in being the dentist too.

Be an Example

It’s obvious that kids learn by modeling behaviors. The best way to help a child develop great dental care habits is to take care of your teeth in front of them. When brushing their teeth, brush yours. When flossing their teeth, floss yours as well. And most important, be consistent. It’s common knowledge that dentist recommend brushing teeth at least twice per day – let your child see you be a good patient.

Great dental habits are formed at an early age. It’s never too early (or late) to start. Make sure to start young, have fun, and be an example.