Sharpen your wit and boost your brain power simply and naturally. Read on to find out how!
Flex Your Brain Muscle
The best way to keep your brain sharp is to exercise it. A dwindling memory and decreased concentration are generally caused by decreased blood flow to the brain and loss of brain cells.
Research shows that physical exercise may encourage the brain to work at optimum capacity by causing nerve cells to multiply, strengthening their interconnections and protecting them from damage.
Try these actions to sharpen your thinking cap:
• Incorporate mind-stimulating games into your daily life that keep your mind working and stimulated. Listen intently and memorize names, shopping lists, and daily activities. Puzzles and memory games are also helpful.
• Regular cardiovascular exercises, including brisk walking, slow jogging, biking, or swimming, improve circulation to the brain and can help improve memory 20 to 30 percent.
• The sleep factor: A good night's sleep is crucial for mental energy because our body regenerates during sleep. When you feel tired, take a 15-minute power nap.
Brain Foods
A balanced diet rich in essential amino acids, omega oils, minerals and vitamins will ensure a vibrant and sharp memory. Make sure to eat some form of protein with every meal-as nuts, seeds, beans, legumes or animal products.
Fish, especially deep ocean fish, provide a good source for the essential oils that our cells need to function optimally. Other brain foods include: apples, bamboo shoots, beets, bell peppers, celery, yams, squash, snow peas, pumpkin, potatoes, parsley, mushrooms, goji berries, papaya, pineapples, raspberries, oats, adzuki beans, black beans, chestnuts, sesame seeds, and (black) walnuts.
Micro-algae-blue-green algae, spirulina and chlorella-are easy to digest, high protein, and high-energy supplements that support healthy brain functions.
Dr. Mao's Anti-Aging Brain Mix
The essential fatty acids, rich carotenoids, and antioxidants in this mix will nourish and support your brain.
1 cup walnut
1/2 cup pine nut
1/4 cup sesame seed
1/2 cup pumpkin seed
1/3 cup dried goji berry (lycium berry)
1/2 cup apricot and 1/2 cup blueberry.
In addition to eating the right foods, drink green tea every day, which prevents an enzyme found in Alzheimer's and is also rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that help prevent premature brain aging.When you need to concentrate or find your focus waning, try making a tea from herbs and spices rich in volatile oils and B vitamins that naturally perk up your brain.
Steep any of the following herbs in hot water for five minutes:
dill, clove, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, sage, fennel, anise, cardamon, garlic, onion, ginger, leek, scallion, pepper, chive, cinnamon, basil, and coriander. Feel free to combine more than one!. Herbal Help
These herbs will help improve your memory and tune up your concentration:
• Ginkgo boosts circulation to the brain and other organs, improving memory and cognitive functions. Ginkgo has been most effective in helping symptoms of senility, dementia, anxiety, forgetfulness, and inability to concentrate and attention deficit disorder in adults. Gingko biloba supplements have been found effective for strengthening learning, thinking, retention and recall.
• Goji berry, also known as lycium berry or wolfberry, is a delicious fruit native to China that has long been known for its tonic effects on vision and the brain.
• Schisandra berry is a prized energy tonic that enhances mental concentration as it simultaneously soothes the nerves.
• These and other Chinese herbs that support healthy brain functions can be found in my herbal formula, Super Clarity.
I hope you find the ways to power up your brain! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Lose weight on New Year : 6 Tips
do you want to lose weight fast or want to find some weight loss exercises . you are the right place. If your resolution is to lose weight - and keep it off, then keep reading! Here are six simple tips that will have you losing weight in a balanced and healthy way.
1. Lose weight with water.
Water is essential for everybody - it is also the key to losing weight. If you haven't been drinking enough water, your body has developed a pattern of storing water. This water retention equals extra unwanted weight.
By drinking more water, you are not only flushing out toxins, you are also teaching your body that it no longer needs to store water. Drink at least 60 ounces of water (about 8 glasses) a day. Boil water and sliced lemons, and drink this throughout the day to help with fluid retention. If you are still not sold on the merits of water, try this on for size: water is a natural appetite suppressant.
2. Soup up your weight loss program.
A simple dietary change will have you shedding pounds: eat a bowl of soup at least once a day. Nutritious, low-salt soups will nourish you as they flush waste from your body. People who eat a serving of soup daily lose more weight than those who eat the same amount of calories but don't eat soup. Go for homemade soup whenever possible, as canned soups are loaded with salt and chemicals.
3. Eat early to keep weight off.
The human body follows a circadian rhythm, which means that the same foods eaten at breakfast and lunch are processed differently than when eaten at dinner. Studies show that when you eat your daily protein and fat at breakfast you tend to lose weight and have more energy; however, eating the same things at dinner tend to increase tendencies toward weight gain. I suggest that you eat your last meal of the day by 7 p.m.
4. Eat smaller meals, more frequently.
Follow an eating schedule with five little meals every day. Eating steadily through the day keeps you from becoming famished and overeating at your next meal. Make a low-fat trail mix from raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, dried plum, and apples and have it available at all times to avoid the tempting lure of high-calorie snacks.
5. Adopt a balanced approach to your diet.
Most of the fad diet programs out there nowadays are extreme in a few recommended foods, or else deprive the body of food altogether. This works in opposition to our metabolism and the results usually don't last, producing a yoyo effect that depresses your metabolic function - not to mention your self-esteem. We are natural beings that need a balance of nutrition from all sources. Your diet should consist of a balance of organic sources of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Instead of white rice and pasta, opt for brown rice, bulgur, millet, or buckwheat.
Eat more green, chlorophyll-rich foods such as broccoli, kale, spinach, and asparagus. Eliminate candy, sugar, soda, and all simple sugars from your diet. Excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain. Also, keep dairy to a minimum because most dairy products are high in saturated fat. Avoid fatty foods, processed or fried foods.
6. Walk off the weight.
The No. 1 cause of weight gain is inactivity. Physical activity is the key to speeding up your metabolism and burning excess calories. The best way to be physically active is to use your legs! Walk as often and as long as you can. Always take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Step outside during your break at work and take a walk around your building. Consider joining a local hiking club. Try taking a walk 30 minutes in the morning or 30 minutes in the early evening.
I hope this article helps you shed some pounds and add on the years! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
1. Lose weight with water.
Water is essential for everybody - it is also the key to losing weight. If you haven't been drinking enough water, your body has developed a pattern of storing water. This water retention equals extra unwanted weight.
By drinking more water, you are not only flushing out toxins, you are also teaching your body that it no longer needs to store water. Drink at least 60 ounces of water (about 8 glasses) a day. Boil water and sliced lemons, and drink this throughout the day to help with fluid retention. If you are still not sold on the merits of water, try this on for size: water is a natural appetite suppressant.
2. Soup up your weight loss program.
A simple dietary change will have you shedding pounds: eat a bowl of soup at least once a day. Nutritious, low-salt soups will nourish you as they flush waste from your body. People who eat a serving of soup daily lose more weight than those who eat the same amount of calories but don't eat soup. Go for homemade soup whenever possible, as canned soups are loaded with salt and chemicals.
3. Eat early to keep weight off.
The human body follows a circadian rhythm, which means that the same foods eaten at breakfast and lunch are processed differently than when eaten at dinner. Studies show that when you eat your daily protein and fat at breakfast you tend to lose weight and have more energy; however, eating the same things at dinner tend to increase tendencies toward weight gain. I suggest that you eat your last meal of the day by 7 p.m.
4. Eat smaller meals, more frequently.
Follow an eating schedule with five little meals every day. Eating steadily through the day keeps you from becoming famished and overeating at your next meal. Make a low-fat trail mix from raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, dried plum, and apples and have it available at all times to avoid the tempting lure of high-calorie snacks.
5. Adopt a balanced approach to your diet.
Most of the fad diet programs out there nowadays are extreme in a few recommended foods, or else deprive the body of food altogether. This works in opposition to our metabolism and the results usually don't last, producing a yoyo effect that depresses your metabolic function - not to mention your self-esteem. We are natural beings that need a balance of nutrition from all sources. Your diet should consist of a balance of organic sources of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Instead of white rice and pasta, opt for brown rice, bulgur, millet, or buckwheat.
Eat more green, chlorophyll-rich foods such as broccoli, kale, spinach, and asparagus. Eliminate candy, sugar, soda, and all simple sugars from your diet. Excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain. Also, keep dairy to a minimum because most dairy products are high in saturated fat. Avoid fatty foods, processed or fried foods.
6. Walk off the weight.
The No. 1 cause of weight gain is inactivity. Physical activity is the key to speeding up your metabolism and burning excess calories. The best way to be physically active is to use your legs! Walk as often and as long as you can. Always take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Step outside during your break at work and take a walk around your building. Consider joining a local hiking club. Try taking a walk 30 minutes in the morning or 30 minutes in the early evening.
I hope this article helps you shed some pounds and add on the years! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
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