How to Eat Healthy - Rules and Guidelines

Eating healthy is important in order to keep you and your family live healthier and longer. This article will emphasize on certain rules and guidelines for healthy eating.

Include green leafy vegetables in your diet. They are a rich source of fiber. Various studies and researches have shown that vegetarian have lower rates of cancer and heart disease. Many major diseases begin with inflammation. Fruits and vegetables contain salicylic acid and inflammation-fighting compounds found in aspirin. In one study the blood of vegetarians contained 12 times more salicylic acid than the blood of meat eaters. This can very well explain the lower incidence of cancers, heart disease in vegetarians.

Many people want to know what is the best way to add fiber to their diets? Very simple. One must always add fibers slowly in 5 gram increments for five weeks. If the person is tolerating it well, he can continue until he reaches a level of 25 to 35 grams.

A common doubt among women is what cooking method is the least damaging? In a study using broccoli, microwaving zapped away 97% of the flavinoids and antioxidants. Conventional boiling killed 66%, high pressure boiling killed 47%. Nutrient loss was only 10% when the broccoli was steamed. So the present advice is ‘buy a steamer and start steaming the veggies’. This is the least damaging of all the cooking methods.

Another common doubts needing clarification is regarding the healthiest rice of the 1200 varieties of rice including Jasmine and Basmati. Brown rice has the nutrient profile because the Bran Jacket remains intact. The fiber, calcium, phosphorous, B1 and niacin have not been stripped away in processing as they have been with white rice.

Post menopausal women can benefit from having 5-6 meals (small ones) per day, which helps balance blood sugar. After menopause slight diet modifications are essential. A woman must include more fresh fruits, vegetables, wholegrain. Regular exercise will also be beneficial to digestion.

Grape juice, papaya and pomegranate juices are very high in antioxidant power. Medical experts recommend this as the best source for antioxidants.

Recent research says regular black tea is healthy. Black tea contains quarcetin, a compound that helps prevent blood clots, the triggers of heart attacks. When one plans a diet such points should be kept in mind. The diet must be balanced, nutritious, safe and must offer benefits as mentioned above. This becomes a complete diet.

To lower the risk of breast cancer, researchers suggest eating grapefruit regularly. Grapefruit contains the antioxidant compounds Naringin and Limonid. Naringin is found only in grapefruit. In lab studies, Naringin stopped the growth of breast cancer cells.

Eat healthy to live healthier and longer! It’s a natural and easy way to better living.

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Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

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How to Give a Back Massage

Our back represents a large part of the body, and is a very common place to accumulate tension. Back massage is extremely soothing and relaxing and great for relieving stress and tension. This article discusses how to give a back massage that gives relief from back pain naturally.

Steps for back massage -

Uncover the back to just show the buttock crease. At this point it is good idea to place a small rolled up towel under your partner’s forehead otherwise he or she will have to turn his or her head sideways or end up with a squashed nose through which it is difficult to breathe.

1. Starting at the lower back effleurage oil using both hands. Work slowly up the back to the shoulders, pressing gently on the upward stokes, releasing the pressure as you come back down.

2. Starting at the base of the spine work up on either side, using gentle thumb pressure or little thumb circles. Repeat five or six times.

3. With reinforced hands (one on top of the order) sweep up the spine then work around the shoulder blades in a figure-of-eight movement. Repeat the figure-of-eight four or five times.

4. Now work around each shoulder blade individually, still with reinforced hands, in a circular motion. Repeat four or five times each side. You may feel knots (little bumps) around the shoulder blades. These are an indication of tension and massage here gives great relief.

5. Work around the shoulder blades with your thumbs, helping to break down the knots and bumps. Allow your partner to be your guide as these areas can be tender.

6. Squeeze along the top of the shoulders from the neck out, using your fingers and thumbs. Repeat four to five times on each side.

7. Stroke up the back of the neck and out to the ears, using your thumbs.

8. Stand at your partner’s head and sweep your hands down the centre back, across the top of the buttocks, then firmly pull up at the sides. Repeat five times.

9. Move to your partner’s side and rub backwards and forwards over the whole back with frictions to warm the area.

10. Make thumb circles out from just above the buttock crease round towards the hips. This area can often be tender and massage here is soothing. Repeat several times.

11. Effleurage the whole back.

12. Gently stroke up the spine, hand over hand, several times, allowing your touch to get lighter and lighter.

13. Finish by gently holding your partner. Place one hand at the base of the spine, the other at the base of the neck. Hold this position and feel the warmth build up under your hands. After approximately one minute gently lift your hands off. Cover your partner over.

Note: Use massage oil to decrease the friction created on the skin and to prevent the pulling of hair.

Use slow movements for a soothing or calming response and fast movements for a stimulating effect.

Do not put any direct pressure on the spine. Avoid any broken skin, blisters or areas of possible infection.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

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How to Give a Neck and Shoulder Massage

A neck and shoulder massage helps you relax, particularly if you've been working at a desk all day. It relieves you from pain and stress and charges you with energy you were looking for after a heavy work schedule or an outdoor journey. In this article you will learn how to give a neck and shoulder massage to get relief from stress and tension.

Steps for neck and shoulder massage -

For massaging neck and shoulder your partner should be lying on his or her back. Uncover the chest by folding down the towel or blanket.

1. Apply oil to your partner’s chest, shoulders and neck.

2. Begin effleuraging by placing both hands on the upper chest, fingers facing towards each other. Now slowly pull your hands round the shoulders and under them, then bring your hands in to meet at the back of the skull. Repeat four or five times.

3. Gently knuckle the chest and shoulders in the sequence shown in the diagram on the left. To knuckle make your hands into relaxed fists, and move the knuckles make your hands into relaxed fist, and move the knuckles in circular movements. This sounds more difficult than it is.

4. Gently turn your partner’s head to one side. Stroke along the top of the shoulder and the side of the neck with your first three fingers. Repeat three times.

5. Repeat the above sequence, but circle your fingers this time. Do this three times.

6. Turn your partner’s head to the other side and repeat movements 4 and 5. Return the head to the centre.

7. Slide your hands down your partner’s back as far as you can comfortably reach. Find the groove each side of the spine with your fingers. Pull your hands up the spine with a little pressure on the groove each side. Repeat three times.

8. Now you are going to stretch the neck – these movements stretch out the muscles of the shoulders and neck and ease tension. If your partner is relaxed you will take all the weight of the head. If he or she is tense, go easy and make the movements slow and gentle. You don’t want any pulled muscles.

9. Cup both hands under your partner’s head, your fingers resting in the base of the skull. Lift the head slightly gently pull towards you. Lower the head slowly repeat.

10. Hold the back of the head in one hand and move it slowly towards the left shoulder while gently pressing down on the right shoulder with your other hand. Bring the head back to the centre and then repeat on the other side.

Finish with some effleurage movements as you began.

Note: This massage shouldn't be done on anyone with injuries to their shoulder or neck.

Hope you have now learned how to get relief from stress and tension with this natural method of pain relief.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

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Natural Remedies for Common Childhood Ailments

Children are the most precious gift for both mother and father. Everybody wishes to take the best possible care of their children. There are some common ailments like nappy rash, chapped skin, sunburn, cough, toothache etc. which puts parents into worries and take away their sleep. This article discusses how aromatherapy can be helpful in treating these common ailments.

1. Nappy rash and sore chafed skin

Commercial baby oils are made with mineral oil, which can eventually be drying to delicate skin on other hand sweet almond oil is much kinder. To make aromatherapy baby oil, add four drops of rose or camomile oil to 4 fl oz (100 ml) of sweet almond oil. This is very soothing when stroked on nappy rash or irritated skin.

2. Chapped skin

Because children are always in a hurry they don’t always dry them properly. This can lead to chapped, sore skin, especially in winter. Add six drops of benzoin or myrrh oil to carrier oil and rub into the affected areas several times daily.

3. Sunburn

However careful you are with protective creams and lotions, sometimes a little patch of skin seems to burn. Apply neat lavender oil if the area is small. For larger areas, make up a spray by adding 12 drops of lavender oil to ½ pint (300 ml) of cold water. Spray the affected areas as needed. This is really good for sore skin because it is very soothing and avoids having to touch the affected area.

4. Coughs

Add three drops of eucalyptus and three drops of thyme oil to 4 fl oz (100 ml) of carrier oil. Massage, or rub, it into your child’s chest and throat. These oils are also helpful when inhaled in steam and you can use them in a vaporizer in your child’s bedroom at night. Simply place it beside the bed.

5. Toothache

The old remedy for toothache – oil of cloves – is helpful to get relief from pain. It has an anesthetizing effect on the nerve, lessening pain and bringing a lot of relief until you can get your child to a dentist.

Dip a cotton bud in neat clove oil then apply to the offending tooth. Repeat as necessary. For a teething baby, rub the sore gums with a little neat camomile oil several times a day.

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Three Useful Essential Oils with Health Benefits

In this article you will know three useful essential oils with health benefits. You can inhale, massage or use them in bath to get the benefits of their healing properties.

1. Orange blossom

This essential oil is often called neroli. It is obtained from fresh orange flowers by steam distillation. This oil is one of the most expensive, along with rose and jasmine.

Orange blossom essential oil is helpful for:

1. Diarrhea: Blend in carrier oil and massage gently into the abdomen to relieve spasms.

2. Depression: Neroli is cheering oil. Try inhaling, or add a few drops to your bathwater.

3. Sensitive skin, high color: Blend in carrier oil and use to massage the affected area. Or, add a few drops to a bottle of orange flower water and use as a skin tonic.

4. Shock, fear: Inhale neat oil.

2. Petigrain

Made from the leaves of the orange blossom tree, this oil has similar properties to neroli and a pleasant, light scent. It is cheaper to produce than neroli, and often used in its place for economic reasons.

Petigrain essential oil is helpful for:

1. Fluid retention: Add to the bath, or mix with carrier oil for massage.

2. Memory: Inhale neat oil

3. Stress: Use in carrier oil for massage, or in the bath.

4. Spotty or irritated skin: Mix with carrier oil and use on the affected areas.

3. Ylang-Ylang

The Ylang-Ylang essential oil is obtained from the flower by steam distillation. This is used by the perfume industry as it has a lovely, exotic floral fragrance. It has a relaxing, sedative effect and is a pleasant oil to use in a burner to scent your home. It is said to have aphrodisiac powers!

Ylang-Ylang essential oil is helpful for:

1. Depression and nervous tension: Use in a burner, the bath or for massage.

2. High blood pressure: The oil is claming and can help to relieve high blood pressure. Use regularly in carrier oil for massage or in the bath.

3. Insomnia: Put a few drops on your pillow, use in the bath or a burner.

4. Panic, fear: Inhale neat oil.

5. Spotty skin: Use in carrier oil or dilute in water and use as a skin tonic.

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Health Benefits of Soyabean

There are a number of foods that have various health benefits. These foods not only give essential nutrition to your body but also prevent you from several diseases. Soyabean is one among them. This article will emphasize on the benefits of soyabean and how to prepare soyabean salad.

Soya, the complete plant protein, soyabean, belongs to the legume family and is a native of East Asia. It has been an important source of protein in the Eastern countries for thousand of years. Scientists and researchers concur that soya protein is complete. For many years we believed that complete protein (with all essential amino acids) came only from egg and milk. Now research shows that soya protein is as good as milk and egg protein.

Epidemiological studies indicate that incidence of chronic diseases like coronary artery disease is much lower in the Japanese population because they consume more than 50 grams of soyabean a day. There is increasing evidence that consuming protein regularly may help to lower cholesterol by binding bile acids. The isoflavones (antioxidants) present in soya is believed to reduce cancer cell activity. Unlike animal protein, soya protein decreases calcium excretion from the body and therefore may help in controlling osteoporosis.

Soyabean is high in fiber and has a low glycaemic index which helps in better control of blood sugar levels. Soya has more fat and protein compared to other pulses like Bengal gram, black gram and green gram and ahs fewer carbohydrates than these pulses. Soya contains a good amount of vitamins, mineral and fiber. How to eat soyabeans? – is the main question. Here is a recipe one can try:

Soyabean salad ingredients

Soyabean soaked overnight - 225 grams, green gram sprouts - 100 grams, shredded spring onions - ½ bunch, olive oil - 1 tablespoon, lemon juice - 2 tablespoons, clove garlic crushed – 1 and salt, pepper to taste

Method: Drain soyabean. Add fresh water to cover and cook till soyabean is tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Blend oil, lemon juice and garlic together and pour over warm beans. Toss and leave aside to cool. Mix with salt and pepper. Just before serving mix in the sprouts and spring onions.

Hope I have covered the major healthy benefits of soyabean. Always eat healthy for healthy life.

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Why Not to Skip Breakfast and Still Lose Weight?

Losing extra pounds of weight is good but losing them in a healthier way is more important. Don’t skip a breakfast. Eat a balanced breakfast that can fill nutritional requirement of your body. You can make your breakfast more delicious by adding variations in food stuffs.

Fruit juice is fine but recommendation is 4 to 8 ounces serving. Milk must be encouraged before juice is served. The protein content of milk is a very important point to be considered. Solid fruits are much better than juice as it is more filling. If time is the obstacle the table should be all set in the night before, with everyone’s cereal boxes and bowls. And when there is real rush, one can just pack a breakfast sandwich, such as peanut butter and apple slices, that the child can eat on the way to school.

Though the idea may sound bad, one can wake up earlier and fit breakfast into the routine. One has to take 10 or 15 minutes to eat a decent breakfast. It the parents sit down to breakfast, children also follow them. In some families breakfast is the only meal people have together to connect.

Cheddar cheese, whole wheat bread, scrambled eggs, peanut butter sandwiches, banana/apple slices, yoghurt, strawberries, high fiber breakfast cereals, almonds – all these can be mixed and matched, and interesting breakfast items can be made. With microwave, grill, toaster all at hand nothing is really a big deal.

A good morning meal should provide energy that burns steadily all morning long. For these who think that skipping breakfast is the answer to weight control medical researches point out that this is counter-productive. Study after study shows that people who skip breakfast take in more calories later in the day than people who eat three evenly spaced meals. The following suggestions will help in overcoming obstacles to a healthier breakfast.

• If a person is just not hungry in the morning he must start small. Drinking a glass of juice or eating a handful. Later on, when he really feels hungry, he can take some low fat yoghurt, a wholegrain sandwich, or a slice of low fat cheese.

• If there is no time for breakfast he must keep some quick to prepare foods on hand like wholegrain cereal, non fat milk, instant hot cereal packets or low fat yoghurt. One can prepare and package foods the night before. For example, cut up fresh fruit, or spread peanut butter on whole wheat bread and pack it to go for the morning. One can also spend a little time during the weekend preparing foods for the week. Good diet is often just function of good planning.

• Thinking must go beyond the box. What is wrong with a bowl of vegetable soup and some wheat crackers for breakfast? Leftovers can be just as good for breakfast as they would be for dinner.

Breakfast to be ideal must consist of one-third or less animal protein (preferably low fat) and two-third or more vegetables, fruits, wholegrain and beans.

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