Staying Motivated – Four Important Suggestions

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Staying Motivated to Meet Your Goals

Keeping yourself motivated when you have a list of goals can certainly be a challenge.

Imagine having a to-do list of pressures that you’ve put on yourself – that’s basically what a list of goals is.

If you’re not motivated to get them done, you will give up and never make it there.

Here are some quick ways to make sure you stay on track and motivated to meet your goals.

1. Give yourself incentives for staying motivated.

You should be thinking about this when you’re making the goals. How will you benefit once the goal is completed?.  Will you get more than just a sense of achievement?.

Goals focused on qualifications and exams, for example, are beneficial to you since you will have a qualification for the rest of your life if you pass.

Work-related goals could lead to a promotion or increased pay.

For goals which are less incentivized and require an extra push, promise yourself a new wardrobe or a new pair of shoes if you complete it within your desired time frame.

2. Talk to other people about your goals, another great way for staying motivated.

Discuss your goals with other people if you feel comfortable doing so. Thousands of people make goals every year, so you’re bound to know somebody you could talk to about them.

It could give you inspiration, and you could get some useful tips off them on how they manage to complete their goals or how they maintain motivation.

3. Don’t see your goals in isolation

Those who view their goals in isolation are often less likely to meet them.

Rather than viewing your weight loss goal as just a number or another goal, think about other goals you have and ways it ties into them.

For example, you may have a goal to increase your overall health, or you might want to fit back into a certain piece of clothing.

Losing weight will help you to meet those goals, as well as potentially increasing your confidence to complete different goals.

4. Give yourself a break

Life shouldn’t be all about targets and meeting your goals, whether they are personal or work-related. Take some time to give yourself a break every now and then.

When you go on vacation, for example, try not to think about your goals as much and use the time to reflect.

Many people take one day a week to relax from fitness goals, or an entire weekend to stop thinking about work.

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Meditation and Relaxation for Wellness

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Meditation and Relaxation Exercises – You Can Do them just about Anywhere.

There are countless benefits to learning meditation and relaxation exercises to help deal with stress and alleviate tiredness.  Meditation is a means to find peace and calm, and relax the body and mind. It is a means to look inward, detach, and focus on a few moments for one’s self. Relaxation exercises are also a means to remove tension but have the added benefit of being able to not only affect one’s emotional and mental well-being but also affect the physical body positively because of the simple movements involved.

In this day and age where people are constantly on the go; and the hustle and bustle of life takes up so much of one’s day, it is important to have the know-how to deal with these stresses any time and to make sure that the body and the mind are always in tip top shape.  Additionally, there have long been connections between how stress manifests itself as illnesses of the body. Knowing how to meditate and learning and practicing simple relaxation exercises greatly help one’s well-being.

 

Meditation Basics

Follow these steps for a few minutes of meditation to center one’s self and de-stress.

  • Find a safe and comfortable place.

A few moments of meditation can be done just about anywhere.  All that is needed is a place where one is safe and secure and comfortable. It may be a few moments in the car, a quiet bench or seat in the house, park or even the mall, or even just sitting quietly at your office desk.

  • Close your eyes and try to block out the world for a moment and focus on just one’s self.

 

This step takes some time to master.  In the beginning it may take a few moments to consciously quiet one’s self and let go of all the distractions around, but as you practice, it gets easier and easier to do so. Try to maintain this calm for as long as possible. After some practice, it becomes easier and one can stay longer in this state.

 

  • Focus on your breathing

 

This is basically the best thing to focus on because it will always be there and present. Being conscious of the regularly and rhythm of one’s breathing helps create a sense of tranquility and peace.  Learn to appreciate each moment of breathing in – feeling the breath filling one’s being.  Also focus on breathing out, imagining stresses and all distractions leaving along with each breath that leaves one’s body.

 

  • Do this consistently for a few minutes, a few times each day

Practicing meditation daily will help improve one’s well-being and one’s ability to deal with the daily stresses and tensions throughout the day.  It only takes a few moments, but its benefits are well worth it.

 

Relaxation exercises that complement meditation

  • Stretching

 

Find a safe place to spend a few moments to relax.  While breathing deeply and purposefully, do the following simple stretches.

 

  • Head Tilts

From looking forward with one’s head straight, tilt your head from to center to one side, moving slowly for up to 8 counts. Slowly go back to the first position, breathing deeply and tilt to the other side.  Move on to tilting from front to back, again focusing on the slow and purposeful movements and doing up to 8 counts.

 

  • Head Turns

While focusing on one’s breathing and starting from head facing forward, lead with one’s chin and slowly turn to the right, taking about 8 to 10 counts to complete the movement. Stay there for a breath or two and slowly go back to front facing position and repeat on the other side.

 

  • Shoulder lifts

With both arms loose and relaxed, slowly lift the shoulder’s up. Pause for a breath or two and slowly lower back to first position. Do this a few times to loosen the shoulders and back.

 

  • Torso Twists

Beginning from the facing front position, slowly turn to one side, twisting from the waist. Do this slowly and be conscious to only twist up to what is a comfortable stretch. Pause for a moment or two and slowly go back to 1st position. Do this on both sides slowly and purposefully.

 

  • Leg Flexes

Slowly and purposefully move your legs to gently stretch and relax the muscles. Start with the knees, slowly bending each knee and pulling it up towards the chest. Additionally, maintain deep breaths and feel the stretch.  Slowly bring the knee back down and repeat on the other.

 

  • Mindful muscle flexing

 

While practicing meditative breathing, flex and relax the muscles to relieve them of tension. Moving up slowly from the toes do this for all muscle groups – the legs, buttocks, abdomen, fingers, hands, arms, shoulders, neck and then face; focusing on slowly flexing them and feeling them tighten, and then releasing them and feeling the tension leave.

These small movements are beneficial not only for one’s physical well-being but also to be more mindful and aware of one’s mind-body connection.

Meditation and relaxation exercises have a lot of benefits. It is not only good for the body but also for mental and emotional wellness. Those mentioned are a few ways that are simple and easy to do just about anywhere.

Meditation and Relaxation Exercises create a better sense of self and well-being.

Human behavior

Download this useful guide to begin your road to Wellness.

 

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Changing Your Outlook for the Better

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Reasons for Changing Your Outlook on Life

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

This quote is from the famous motivational speaker and self-help author Dr. Wayne Dyer. Think about what he said for a moment.

 

It is along the same line as the half-empty/half-full concept. In both theories, it points out the power of having a positive mindset. There are positives in everything; sometimes you just must look harder to find them over the more apparent negatives.

 

We all make choices in life; some of us choose to be negative about everything, while other people experiencing the same situation see nothing but the positives. How can that be? Two people experiencing the same thing but emotionally feeling what they experience at opposite ends of the spectrum. It is almost as if each is wearing a set of glasses that filter the experience differently.

 

Why changing your outlook is beneficial?

 

Before we get into the “how” of changing your mindset, let’s first look at why it is beneficial to see the positives in everything. The mind is a powerful thing in that it controls all parts of your body. Researchers have found in multiple studies that having a positive outlook produces some very beneficial health benefits. For one, they found it increases the immune system. It is a proven fact that positive people are generally healthier both mentally and physically.

 

And positive people have a lower stress levels because they are able to effectively deal with situations. As a result, they have less cortisol caressing through their body, a known hormone responsible for weight gain, so they are able to control their weight better.

 

Beside having an improved immune system and better weight control, having a positive mindset also:

  • lowers the risk of a cardiovascular event
  • lower rates of depression
  • and surprisingly live a longer life

 

How to change your mindset to one more positive

While there are several things we can do to improve our mindset, here are some that provide the most benefits:

 

  • Start your day with a positive affirmation – how you start the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. Many people like to write down their affirmation in a notebook or journal. Writing it down has more effect than just verbalizing it to yourself.
  • Look for the good in things – We all face situations during our day that can be viewed as either good or bad. For example, if stuck in traffic, view it as an opportunity to listen to your favorite podcast or to your favorite music instead of a waste of time going nowhere.
  • Change negative self-talk into positive – Instead of saying “I’m so bad at doing this” say “I’ll get better at doing this after I get more practice.”
  • Focus on the present – The past is yesterday, there is nothing we can do about it; the future is tomorrow and not here yet, so there is little we can do about it; but today is now and we can either choose to experience it either positively or negatively; the choice is yours!
  • Surround yourself with positive people. Positive people have positive outlook on life, quote positive affirmations and generally say positive things. Over time, these positives rub off on you, sink into your brain and you become a more positive person because of them. However, the opposite is true if you surround yourself with negative people. Again, it is your choice; choose wisely!

 

This article covers the health benefits of having a positive mindset and the ways you can use to become a more positive person. Hence the way you now view things will be positive.

Changing your outlook on life will make you happier and healthier!. Try it!

 

 

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Benefits of Cold Showers

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There are benefits of cold showers but singing is not one of them!

Taking a cold shower routinely can really change your life in powerful and subtle ways. There are some guys who have actually experimented with taking cold showers, wanting to find out about this powerful tool as a way of enhancing fitness, health, mental toughness and yes, quality of life!

 

Remember Wim Hof, known as the Iceman; who trained himself to endure the extreme cold. There are many lessons to be learned from his experience. Additionally it wakes you up, energizes you and increases alertness and the ability to concentrate. It strengthens the cardiovascular and immune systems, enhances recovery from disease. Also reduces inflammation, increases testosterone, and improves hair and skin health.

 

Here are some life lessons learned from John Sifferman, after taking a year of cold showers:

 

  1. You’ve got to be 100% in; willing to take the uncomfortable

If you are not 100% in it, you won’t make it, period. In an uncomfortable situation, you will be miserable, but if you are not willing and ready, you’re not a candidate for cold showers. In other words, you need to want this. If you’re not 100% on board, you’re not going to make it. The point here is, it takes willpower, it’s the simple idea of being comfortable with being uncomfortable, testing your resolve to see what you are made of.

 

  1. Learning to be flexible

It’s good to have a basic plan, sticking with it as best you can, but not too rigid. It requires flexibility to ease into the situations, the shower in this instance, more gradually – almost every time John would end up going colder, for longer. The key again is making progress, by pushing your limits.

 

  1. It requires endurance

Even after 18 months of disciplining himself to take cold showers, John still found it hard to do so, every time. He always heard a voice telling him to give up, just set the shower to warm. He said he had to beat the fear of facing that icy water, all the time, over and over again, but he knew that to endure would make him the champion.

 

  1. Refusing to weasel out of it 

You will want to quit, but you must be prepared for that eventuality. John often wanted to give in, thinking, ‘today, I’ll just skip this one’, giving himself excellent excuses for skipping the shower; early warning signs for quitting. But he never did budge from giving in. Not an inch.

 

  1. When facing resistance, search for the right motivation, but keep going! In this instance, John waited till after his gym when he was hot and sweaty, knowing it would turn out better! It might even be nice. It aided also, in recovery and inflammation reduction. He turned negativity into positivity.

 

There’s more to cold showers than just a long list of health benefits – a lot more.

 

Cold showering, simply, is one of the things you have to experience to understand. It teaches you a lot about yourself – it gives you superpowers. There certainly are heaps of health benefits, even relieving depression and stimulating weight loss. But as you can see from the above, it does far more. It builds character too! Additionally helps you focus and  overcome resistance. Also builds confidence where you believe you can reach any goal you set for yourself, even when resistance tries its best to get in the way.

If you can overcome the resistance to expose yourself to cold showers on a daily basis, believe it, you will have built a solid foundation of overcoming more challenging obstacles as well as uncomfortable situations. That’s aside from the health benefits! Go take a cold shower!

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Using Expired Vitamins – How Safe Is It?

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Using Expired Vitamins May Not Be The Smartest Thing To Do.

 

That’s a question a lot of people want to know. It’s not uncommon that people never finish a bottle of vitamins. They buy them to fight a cold or flu. After a few day however,  feeling better they forget about them. Months later they need them again and wonder if they can continue using those vitamins.

Expired Vitamins Lose Potency Over Time

As a matter of fact, using expired vitamins will not harm you. But they will be ineffective at best.
There are vitamins and herbal extracts that will actually start to decompose immediately after they are manufactured. They become exposed to heat, light, humidity, and air, causing the nutrients therein to break down more rapidly.
Additionally, some minerals like iron, calcium, or zinc don’t degrade even when improperly stored.
Some vitamins and nutrients deteriorate quicker than others. Examples are: folic acid, some of the B vitamins, vitamins D and C, as well as beta-carotene.
Silica gel packets are often inserted in the container to keep vitamins dry. This prolongs their useful life.
Also, always check tablets for unusual odors or discoloration. Definitely return them to the pharmacy if their effective date is still good.

Taking vitamins that are old does not make sense.

Using expired vitamins after they become less effective as they age simply does not make sense. While they are not dangerous, they might not be as potent as they were before the expiry date. Vitamin manufacturers will not guarantee their effectiveness after expiration.
There are some ingredients that are more fragile than others. Probiotic supplements, composed of live bacteria and yeasts must be discarded past expiration date. And that goes the same for oil supplements sold in gelatin casings. Cod liver oil, flax oil, fish oil, vitamin E, or evening primrose oil. These fats oxidize much quicker than what vitamins do. Just toss them out once they have expired. Vitamin flavors will change over time too. Those chewy vitamins aren’t going to taste right after the expiration date.

Always remember that if you want your supplements to stay fresh and potency-strong, follow instructions on the label. A lot of these say ‘keep away from heat and light’. And don’t remove that little silica packet either; they are there to protect the tablets. Store probiotics in the fridge to keep them active.

Take care of your vitamins if you want them to take care of you! Using expired vitamins is ineffective at best.

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Artificial Sweeteners What You Need to Know

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Artificial Sweeteners and The Law of Unintended Consequences.

Over the past 30 years scientists developed a large variety of artificial sweeteners. Their purpose was to to reduce excessive sugar consumption and diminish the numbers of obese people.

Since their introduction, obesity has skyrocketed. Alarming numbers of people now are diabetic even at an early age. Not to mention links to cancer found on some of those early sweeteners.

At the time it was believed to be a way for people to easily manage excess weight. The idea was that less sugar means less calories, and of course less weight gain. This, however was not the case. After 30 years of research, the results are completely different.

Here is what you need to know about artificial sweeteners and their effects.

Artificial Sweeteners and Their Effects on Gut Flora

Your gut has a large colony of microorganisms inside. And when they eat the things that you eat, there are good and bad effects as a result. One easy example: acidic foods. Many times these cause over populations of unhealthy destructive bacteria. Studies have shown that these sweeteners cause major changes to your gut flora. This, under some circumstances, can be really bad. Hence, there is a lot of information now that demonstrates that sweeteners don’t have much of an effect on weight loss.

How Artificial Sweeteners Affect Children’s Lives

Research has found that most overweight children simply eat the wrong kind of foods and large portions. Additionally, diet soda, originally meant to replace some of their sugar intake. Now is their main drink since most of them think they can drink as much diet soda as they want. They do not lose weight at all. For that to happen, changes in their eating habits must take place. Unfortunately, children are enabled by their parents. Mostly out of lack of knowledge.

Unintended Consequences of Using Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners have unintended consequence for its users. When the brain senses something sweet, receptors tell it that it is about to receive food. The brain signals the pancreas to make insulin. That breaks down sugars. The body then absorbs them. Sweeteners however, are not sugars, and insulin is not needed.

Tests of overweight people, showed their bodies were producing insulin continuously. This is the beginning of diabetes. Your body no longer properly responds to sugars entering your blood.

Finally, what seemed to be a great idea has left a sequel of millions of people struggling to regain their Health and Wellness.

Sugar substitutes

Self Improvement Starts with Self Reflection 

 

Report Topics

1. Identifying Your Need for Self-Improvement
2. Why Self Reflection?
3. Benefits of Self Reflection for Self Improvement
4. How to Get Started
5. Make Time to Self Reflect Every Day

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Holistic Wellness, Finding the Meaning of Life

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Holistic Wellness – The Pursuit of Balance, Happiness and Health.

 

What is wellness?.  Wellness is usually defined as a person’s ability to adapt to change and overcome obstacles in their lives.
It depicts how you live and function as a person including your emotional wellness and your intellectual state. Wellness and Health are often used as synonyms. Wellness, however covers a much broader range. That’s why you’ll hear about “emotional health” or “mental health” but not “emotional wellness” or “mental wellness”.

Elements of Holistic Wellness

How many elements there are in wellness tends to vary by source, but here we will discuss five basic ones. Most sources will recognize more than that, but many of those areas are similar.

1. Physical

Your general health is very important to your overall wellness. Other aspects of wellness are partially results of the chemical composition and functioning of your body, which is impacted by things like how much you exercise, what your diet is like, how much sleep you get, and whether you use drugs.
Other aspects of wellness can also impact your physical health. For example, chronic stress can impact your heart health, or depression can make it harder to take care of yourself. Our social or environmental settings may also threaten our physical health in various ways.

2. Intellectual

Your holistic wellness doesn’t rely on degrees, but everyone needs to have a certain level of “smarts” to handle the problems that they will face in their lives. If you have a college education that doesn’t mean that you can stop learning new things, and if you don’t have a college education it doesn’t mean that you can’t learn new things.
Intellectual development can come from formal classes, from conversations with our friends and family, from reading books or from using educational apps on your mobile device or computer.

3. Emotional

What emotions tend to arise in your daily life and how you deal with those emotions are very important to how you get through the day.
Emotional health here includes what other resources call “spiritual” health. Things like having a strong conscience and a concern for others are important to the decisions that we make.
If you are religious, you may be able to nurture your emotional health through your faith.
If you are not religious you can still lead a healthy emotional life, though it you may have to find your own social groups and moral guides.

4. Social

Your social health is important to your holistic wellness for a number of reasons.
Feeling important or appreciated is very important to our emotional health. For example, a famous study once found that people who had low job satisfaction had a higher risk for health complications.
A close group can also be an important support network in times of need. Social networks can also help to provide us with intellectual stimulation.
On the other hand, you may be spending time with people who put you down or get you into dangerous situations.
A social group doesn’t have to be made up of palls that you watch sports with on the weekends or however we see this portrayed on TV. Your social group can be like that, or it can be your family members, or relationships with people from work or school.

5. Environmental

Your environment can be a benefit or a threat to your holistic wellness.
If you work in a dangerous place, or live in a dangerous neighborhood, these may impact your physical health. Not having access to things like clean air can also impact our physical and emotional health. Environment can also be closely related to your social well being.

Holistic Wellness

 

 

Holistic Wellness

 

 

 

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Using Chinese Acupressure to Relieve Pain

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Using Chinese Acupressure to Ease Headaches and Stomach Pain

 

 

Headaches and stomachaches are two of the most common pain people experience in their everyday life. Caused by different factors such as stress, tension, and insomnia.

This traditional Chinese medication that helps relieve these kinds of pain using pressure. If done properly, it relaxes and dissipates pain. Known as an acupressure massage, much like acupuncture but without the use of needles.

Acupressure controls acupoints or pressure points which connect  the brain and different body parts. According to traditional Chinese medicine, there is an invisible flow of energy called “Qi” or “chi” that if blocked can cause imbalance therefore causing pain and various health conditions. Additionally, this natural technique will relieve pain in an all natural way.

Basic Pressure Points for Headache and Stomach Pain

These are some of the pressure points to ease headache and stomachache. These are easy to locate and to apply pressure on. Headaches are caused by stress, tension, fatigue and even an extreme weather condition. Along with this modern era, headaches are also caused by staring on the screen of our gadgets for too long either for work or for leisure time. Acupressure can help relieve pain through these acupoints. Massaging or applying pressure on these points can ease headaches and it only takes 3 easy steps.

  • Union valley points

These are located on the web between the index finger and thumb. This is an acupoint for easing both headache and stomachache as it is related to tension.

  1. Using a thumb, start pinching or applying pressure with your opposite hand on the said location for 10 seconds.
  2. After that, make small circles on the area in one direction for 10 seconds.
  3. Repeat these steps with the opposite hand.
  • Nose bridge point

This is located on the either side of the nose bridge near the eyebrows. Applying pressure on this part can relieve headache caused by eyestrain and sinus pain.

  1. Start by using the index finger to massage the points.
  2. Hold for 10 seconds, then release.
  • Nape point

This is located on the base of the skull on the either side of the hollow portion at the back of the neck. Massaging this part can help relieve headaches caused by tension on the neck.

  1. Apply pressure using the index fingers on these pressure points.
  2. Do an upward stroking manner on these portions for 10 seconds, then release.

Pains Caused by Overeating and Drinking

In addition, stomachaches and cramps caused by excessive eating and drinking are treated by applying pressure.

Here are some of the acupoints that relieve stomach discomfort:

  • Elbow crease point

This is located on the top of the elbow crease at the edge of the joint. This can relieve diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain.

  1. Apply pressure on the said location for 10 seconds.
  2. Do a circular motion while applying pressure.
  • Wrist point

This is located three fingers above the wrist crease aligned with the palm. Massaging this part can ease indigestion, vomiting, anxiety and tension.

  1. Apply pressure on the area using a thumb.
  2. Hold firmly for 10 seconds, then release.
  • Foot point
pain

This is located on the web portion between the big toe and second toe. This can help with nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

  1. Apply pressure on the location using a thumb.
  2. Hold for 10 seconds then release.

The pressure points can help relieving pain but not to cure any kind of sickness. This is to control the pain but not to be a cure for an illness. It is a good thing to know these kinds of techniques to manipulate pain and to improve circulation, especially headaches and stomachaches to have a better and productive day!

Benefits of using Chinese Acupressure

This kind of traditional Chinese medication do not only offer relieving pain but also a relaxing experience as it treats various kinds of pain and ailments. Acupressure includes advantages such as:

  • Improving sleep
  • Relaxing muscles and joints
  • Reducing digestive issues
  • Alleviating chronic pain
  • Restore balance in the body
  • Improve circulation and restore hormone balance.

Using Chinese Acupressure will ease pain, however it is lifestyle and diet that will provide pain free living. Hence, acupressure is a preventive measure rather than a cure.

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Fighting Insomnia – Change Your Diet!

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Fighting Insomnia With Foods that Help You Relax.

Having trouble sleeping is one of the most frustrating things to deal with, whether you can’t fall asleep or you have difficulty staying asleep. Lack of sleep is not only frustrating because it causes a lot of fatigue and restlessness during the day, but it can affect your physical and mental health.

While there are pills and medications that help in fighting insomnia, you might want to look at the natural remedies first. One great place to start is your diet. Use foods that are relaxants and make you sleep better.

Here are a few examples:

1.- Dark Chocolate

This amazing brown candy is good for more than just a treat, high in antioxidants. It also plays a hefty role in helping you sleep. Studies have shown that people who consume 40 grams of dark chocolate a day for 2 weeks saw a decrease in cortisol, a hormone produced when a person experiences stress. This could be possible due to its magnesium content which aids in regulating stress, muscle spasms, and anxiety.

TIP: Try eating it as a dessert with your favorite berries for a healthy snack option, eat it alone, or make some dark hot chocolate on cold nights.

2.- Chamomile Tea

This tea calms and has mild sedative effects because of the flavonoid apigenin it contains. It binds to benzodiazepine receptors located in the brain. Additionally there are a variety of caffeine free teas and sleeping aid teas such as Valerian available on the market. Another great tool for fighting insomnia.

TIP: You can use honey, lemon or mint to give your tea a different flavor.

3.- Cheese

Milk makes you sleep, science has revealed that all dairy products contain tryptophan. Cheese is also an excellent source of calcium which regulates muscle movement.

TIP: Eat cheese with low-calorie crackers for a light snack about an hour before bedtime.

4.- Walnuts

Walnuts contain an amino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan is responsible for the production for serotonin and melatonin, which are key components of controlling sleep cycles. Interestingly, walnuts contain melatonin on their own. Most diets, low calorie, low carb, Keto, and Paleo use walnuts. If you are looking into fighting insomnia in a simple way, eat walnuts.

TIP: Add a handful of walnuts to a half cup of Greek yogurt for a great snack or enjoy them with some of your cheese to help you sleep even better.

5.- Lettuce

Lettuce is great with almost every food and it turns out that it can fill a number of dietary needs for trace minerals, the real secret of lettuce however, is lactucin. Lactucin  aka “Lettuce Opium,”  has mild sedative effects.

TIP: Top some chips with thinly sliced lettuce and grated cheese for some easy bedtime nachos!

6.- Almonds

Almonds are a great low calorie snack that are high in fiber. They are also extremely high in magnesium, which is needed for a variety of body functions. They are also associated with headache relief, which can be a great aid to relaxation and sleep.

TIP: You can get whole or sliced almonds to add to some yogurt. You can even add walnuts to add more texture.

7.- Turkey

This is probably the most famous example of food containing tryptophan. Turkey is famous for its sleep inducing effect, commonly and somewhat endearingly referred to as a food coma.

Eat it fried, baked, broiled and barbequed. It is also a cost-effective meat substitute.

TIP: You can use leftover turkey in a variety of ways. Keep some sliced in sealed bags for easy use in sandwiches and other delicious dishes.

8.- Banana

It’s a little known fact that bananas also contain tryptophan. This elongated, fleshy fruit can be prepared in a variety of ways and contains enough tryptophan to help give you a noticeable and natural feeling of calmness.

TIP: Use a blender to whip a banana, milk and two teaspoons of honey for a delicious shake. Add a tablespoon of organic peanut butter for more protein.

9.- Kale

This coarse green vegetable is a favorite among many health enthusiasts. It is another green vegetable that is a great source of magnesium and its positive effects. Kale is also high in fiber which aids in proper elimination and digestion, thus helping you to relax and be more comfortable for a good night’s rest.

TIP: Try adding kale to your smoothie of choice. Fruit such as apple are very good at masking the bitter flavor of kale.

10.-Oats

This staple food is a major component of recipes all over the world, yet few see it as an evening food on its own. Eating a bowl of oats in the evening will give you a generous helping of melatonin, which helps the body to relax in preparation for sleep. Oats are also great for heart health, a key component in fighting physical anxiety symptoms.

TIP: Try adding banana to your oatmeal. That will add some flavor along with the combo punch of sleep inducing tryptophan.

11.-Tuna

This easily palatable fish contains an essential vitamin called B6 that is needed for the formation of melatonin. Omega 3 fatty acids fight depression, regulate anxiety, and weight. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for human health and cannot be made by the body. They also regulate the heart rhythm. Additionally, it facilitates the conversion of tryptophan to niacin which prevents anemias and other deficiency diseases. Hence, fighting insomnia by eating tuna is a great idea.

TIP: A tuna salad for dinner will give you both the benefits of the omega 3, B6 and Lactucin.

12.- Cherries

These sweet little fruits are a flavorful and delicious way to get your dose of melatonin. Many people simply eat them, both as snacks or in a fruit salad. Others are more prone to drink it in a juice form, as studies have shown that drinking 2 cups of very tart cherry juice a day can extend sleep time by as much as 90 minutes per night.

TIP: No need to juice it yourself, there are several organic cherry juice brands are available for purchase!

13.- Rice

Foods like rice with a high glycemic index are excellent when you’re looking for a quick road to deeper sleep. According to some studies, jasmine rice is the best rice for getting to sleep quickly.

TIP: Try eating rice about 4 hours prior to bedtime. This allows for the insulin spike to peak and fall in time for you to hit the pillow!

14.- Honey

For all recorded history, honey has been celebrated as the world’s most amazing and useful sweetener for its uses in medicine and the world’s oldest treats, but this delightful golden substance earned its place on this list because it contains orexin. Orexin regulates alertness and arousal. The natural relationship with orexin changes in amount helps us to become tired and limit brain functions allowing humans in fighting insomnia .

TIP: Add some honey to your oatmeal, and you have a naturally sweetened sleep aid!

15.- Hummus

The main ingredient in this delectable 13th century snack is the garbanzo bean. These versatile beans are high in B6, which is a key to melatonin production. They also regulate appetite which aids in calming the body and preparing it for sleep.

TIP: Lettuce wraps made with hummus and a sprinkle of cheese will get you in the mood for bedtime, or go traditional and just cozy up to hummus with your favorite crackers.

16.- Elk

Though not always available, this tasty meat contains nearly twice the amount of tryptophan as a turkey. Elk meat is extremely lean when compared to beef, but has a similar taste. This makes it easy to use as a low fat, low cholesterol substitution for beef.

TIP: Because of the low-fat quality of this meat, it can dry out or over cook very easily. Cook it hot and fast to retain the texture, moisture and flavor of the meat. Pair it with a complex carbohydrate.

17.- Pretzels

These little salty snacks are famous for being used in snack mixes or on their own for a quick pick me up. Due to their high glycemic index, a small snack of pretzels will give you a quick burst of energy, followed by a crash. That crash will make you sleepy and your body will be more prepared for sleep.

TIP: Eat a small portion about 1 hour before bed.

18.-Passion Fruit Tea

This refreshing tea is full of powerful antioxidants and trace minerals. Research has also shown that people who consume passion fruit tea are likely to sleep better.  The alkaloids in the tea act as Monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Alkaloids play a large part in managing depression as well as fighting insomnia, since they aid in relaxation and lead to better sleep.

TIP: Try adding lemon, honey or ginger to your tea to create a new adventurous flavor!

19.- Fighting Insomnia with Lobster

Crustaceans like lobster aren’t immediately associated with restful sleep, but crustaceans are high in tryptophan.

TIP: Try adding garlic bread with fresh garlic to get the vitamin B6 tryptophan needs to become serotonin and carry you off to sleepy land.

There are many other foods that help fighting insomnia, do a little research and find even more!

Sleep Habits
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Detoxifiying Benefits for Fitness and Health

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Detoxifiying Benefits Your Body and Mind.

Months have past since the end of the holidays, yet the effects linger on. You might need a good detox program. It may br the only way to return to wellness.

When your body shows signs of toxins buildup, it is time to detox.  Toxins affect both your fitness level and mental attitude.

First indications are feeling sluggish and stressed. Additionally, having aches and pains signal the need to act. Extreme symptoms will include, diarrhea, constipation or feeling clumsy.

Toxins also manifest themselves in rapid weight gains and the incapacity to lose that excess weight.

Moreover, toxins in the body get stored on your fat cells. Detoxifiying benefits include cleaning that unwanted garbage in your cells.

Several organs in your body handle cell waste management:

Liver

The liver recycles the unwanted chemicals in the body. Additionally, it sorts out the toxins and using blood circulation moves them  for elimination.

Lymphatic System

Lymph glands also play an important role in eliminating toxins. A network of glands channels the excess waste from the cells onto the final eliminating organs. The appendix, thymus, tonsils, and spleen are the lymphatic glands that assist major organs in the body to clean and detoxify.

Kidneys

The water management in the body is handled by the kidneys. They keep blood alkaline by eliminating the dissolved acid waste. Hence drinking plenty of water and alkaline drinks aids the process. Small amounts of alkaline liquids everyday will produce positive results.

Lungs

The lungs are the organs that oxygenate the blood. They allow the oxygen to enter the bloodstream. Additionally, they are responsible for removing waste gases found in every cell of the body. Deep breathing fresh air keep the lungs healthy and toxin free. If you live in a city, find oxygen rich areas such as parks where you can perform deep breathing.

Colon

The solid waste management organ in your body is the colon. Solid waste that accumulates on the walls of the colon. Detoxing and cleaning the colon takes time. Eating plenty of fiber over time will lead to a healthy colon.

Detoxifiying Benefits and Solutions

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, begin a regular walking routine. Exercise is a good key in having a fit and healthy body.

In addition doctors suggest drinking plenty of lemon water. This is an effective way of maintaining a very good circulation and will increase the rate of detoxification in the body.

For those extreme cases, consult a physician that will design a detox program.

Finally, detoxifying benefits will be seen in a short time after beggining the program.

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