Steps to Better Health

It's possible to learn HOW to better your health in only 4 steps and this article will show you how. Each step is a bite-sized nugget of healthy living information you can actually use.

Let's get started.

Step 1: Nutritional Supplements 

In my opinion, they are very necessary and very beneficial- especially when combined with healthy eating habits. It's very difficult to get all the nutrients your body needs through food alone, but combining proper nutrition with nutritional supplements is very powerful. 

That being said, the one supplement everyone should be taking is a good multi vitamin/mineral. Look at it as added insurance- eating well is crucial, but now that you're also taking a multi, you can rest assured you're getting the nutrients your body needs. 

Step 2: Nutrition 

Good nutrition is SO important. You are what you eat...remember that. Make a conscious effort to gradually improve your eating habits, eating more of the good foods (nuts, berries, peanut butter, olive oil, greens, chicken, whole grains, etc.) and less of the bad foods (fried food, saturated fat, fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, etc.). Reading the label of what you're eating will tell you a lot. 

You may think you lack the needed will power, but you'll be amazed at what happens when you start to gradually improve your eating habits. 

Step 3: Exercise 

Exercise is the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to better health. There are so many benefits of exercising, including stronger bones and improved libido- it's a no brainer to start doing it. Your goal should be to exercise 3-5 times a week with a combination of cardio exercises and strength training (but no more than 1 hour per workout session). 

It's been measured that if you add 3 pounds of muscle to your body, this added muscle will burn as many calories as if you ran 1 mile. Muscle burns calories! 

Step 4: Stress Management and Sleep 

Stress management and getting good sleep each night round out your path to better health. Until you find a way to manage your stress, it will continue to do damage to your body. Two tips you might want to implement include prioritizing your day each morning and practicing deep breathing exercises (yes, you probably already knew this, but have you tried it?). 

Getting enough sleep each night is equally important when you consider your body uses this time to repair itself. You should aim for 7-9 hours each night. Two tips you might want to implement include exercising and avoiding late night eating. 

Now that you have the basics, expand on this information. Step 1 research more about Nutritional Supplements, Step 2 research more about Nutrition and so on. I guarantee after the 4 steps you'll feel more confident about reaching your health & fitness goals.

Low Carb Recipes Made Easy

The low carb diet is now considered as one of the commonly applied form of diet among the series of diet fads. It is therefore no doubt that as many people were drawn to it, many companies that are concerned about the low carb diet have developed their low carb services by providing some of them to the people especially to the low carb dieters.

Speaking of the low carb services, many companies are now providing some products like the low carb breads, pastas, drinks, and others along with low carb recipes. With the accompaniment of low carb recipes, the low carb recipes then becomes one of the most favorite low carb services of the consumers. As such, many low carb dieters today often look for some of the available low carb recipes.

As we all notice, low carb recipes even invaded the domain of the internet. During the early times, prior to the advent of the internet, the low carb recipes are only found on several low carb books and other paper based resources. But today, wherever you look at, there are so many available low carb recipes on the web.

Low carb recipes are now one of the common features of most of the online companies that deal with nutrition, foods, health, etc. Many resources for this one of the hottest thing in the diet arena are now opening to provide some of the available low carb recipes. There are even companies that offered this kind of service that even create their own low carb recipes just to serve the recipe junkies. In fact, on the web there are so many low carb recipes that are given for free, but there are also that requires some registration before one can fully access the site.

Since the term “low carb recipes” is such a general term, that it may apply to different areas, it is then interesting to know that some of the accessible collections of the recipes provided by the online companies and even the nutritional and health books and other resources, include some of the low carb recipes that are among the personal favorites, some were even sent to most of the collectors, and others are taken from the best low carb cookbooks.

And the many collections for the low carb recipes generally include some low carb recipes for treats and desserts, gravies and sauces, meats and entrees, appetizers and snacks, soups and salads, veggies and sides, great egg dishes, beverages and shakes, and breads and pastas. And usually these categories for low carb recipes are even coupled with some of the helpful ingredient equivalents.

Healthy Summer Salad Recipes

Although this salad is delicious as a side dish, it’s so hearty that it can be the centerpiece of the meal. This organic salad is high-protein, so you get plenty of mileage with this meal; you will not be hungry in just two hours! 

It’s terrific served with hearty whole grain bread on the side, preferably organic and baked by a local baker, to sop up the vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

2 15 oz. cans organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

2 15 oz. cans organic black-eyed peas

2 15 oz. cans organic artichoke hearts

4 large organic tomatoes

½ large organic onion

6 large fresh organic garlic cloves

¼ cup organic olive oil

½ cup organic balsamic vinegar

A few pinches of dried organic parsley

Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

Drain chickpeas and black-eyed peas, and dump them into a large bowl. Chop artichoke hearts (into eighths if they’re whole, or into quarters if they’re already halved). Chop tomatoes and dice onion; dump artichokes, tomatoes and onion into bowl. Crush garlic gloves with garlic press and add to the luscious pile of goodies. 

Whip olive oil and balsamic vinegar together in a smaller bowl, then pour over the pile. Your mouth should be watering now. Add a few generous pinches of parsley, then salt and pepper to taste. Stir all the ingredients thoroughly with a large spoon to distribute them evenly and coat them with vinaigrette. 

You can increase the ratio of balsamic vinegar to olive oil if you like the vinaigrette to taste more tangy! And you can increase the overall amount of oil and vinegar if you want the salad to be more juicy. 

You can also experiment with which type of vinegar flavor you like best. Red wine or raspberry balsamic vinegar taste great in this dish. 

As for the fresh ground salt and pepper, you can either add them to the oil and vinegar mixture, just sprinkle them onto the ingredients before stirring, or both. 

Adding fresh chopped basil--or any fresh organic herb you think would harmonize well with this dish--is also an option. You can also substitute organic escallions (green onions) for the diced onions, which also adds more color. 

The trick to delicious recipes is to cook by your own taste, not necessarily by following the recipe verbatim. Besides, how fun would cooking be if you couldn’t sample the dishes while you’re creating them? 

This dish, which serves 6 or more, also works great for summer pitch-ins, especially if you’re vegan. You can’t always count on non-dairy, high-protein dishes at such gatherings, but you can definitely depend on this hearty summer salad!

Healthy Benefits of White Tea

It is not just chefs but also medical researchers who are praising the benefits of white tea for your health. In fact there are many different kinds of benefit of white tea that a person can have and we will look at some people. But first we will provide you with a brief explanation as to what white tea is. It is made from the immature tea leaves that will be picked before the buds have fully opened on the plant. The name comes from the silver fuzz which still covers the buds and this in turn then turns the tea white as it dries. There are many different varieties of white tea available and this all depends on the amount of leaves to buds that are used in each mixture. The White Peony for example has one bud for every 2 leaves in its mixture whilst Silver Needles (the crème de la crème) is made entirely from the down buds and these are normally picked within a 2 day period during early Spring.

So we have now looked at what White Tea is we will now go on to the different benefits a person can gain from using this particular product.

1. Anti-Viral and Anti-Bacterial Effects

Studies carried out at Pace University have indicated that White Tea extract may have prophylactic applications which can help to retard the growth of bacteria which can cause Staphylococcus infections, Steptococcus infections, Pneumonia and Dental Caries. It was also found that White Tea is more effective than Green Tea at inactivating bacterial viruses as well as having an anti-viral effect on human pathogenic viruses.

2. Anti-Fungal Effect

There have been studies carried out which indicate that this has an anti-fungal effect on Penicillium Chrysogenum and Saccharomyces Cerervisiae. It was found that in the presence of White Tea extract these were totally inactivated.

3. Skin Cancer and Cell Damage Protection

Scientists have now found that the White Tea extract can protect against the Langerhans cell obliteration. It was found that not only the extract protected skin after exposure to sunlight but also a person's immune system was restored also. They also found that the DNA damage which occurs to cells after exposure to sunlight was limited. It is believed that the anti-oxidant properties in the White Tea extract are the reason for it being so effective. It is also suggested that the extract may provide a person with anti-aging benefits.

So as you can see from above there are many reasons as to what the benefit of white tea can have for a person in order to help them live a much healthier and happier life.

Weight Loss Recipe - Avocado Walnut & Crispy Bacon Salad

Losing weight doesn't have to be boring when you focus on bright, colourful meals. What does this mean? Simply by making sure your plate reflects a range of colours, you'll naturally create more balanced and healthful menus. Not everyone has the time or the patience to count calories, but assessing the colours on your plate is something anyone can do - and it only takes an instant!

Why is colour important? Many fatty and caloric foods, such as dairy products and startchy carbs, are beige or brown. When there are too many of these drab colours on your plate, weight gain is almost certain.

That's because these beige foods often are high in calories and can leave you feeling hungry later. A cup of beige or brown beans can be over 200 calories....but a cup of red or green vegetables is under a hundred! Add fresh greens, deep purple-reds and bright yellow-orange to a meal, and water the nutrient content go up, while calories go down! Plus, you'll get more enjoyment from eating when there's a variety of colours and flavors on your plate.

Although these ideas may sound whimsical, they're grounded in scientific fact. Dr David Heber, renowned nutritional expert from University of California, Los Angeles established the role of colour in his book, "What Color is Your Diet?" So, next time you visit the refrigerator, think colorfully. And remember to mix, not match!

To get you started on the color plate, here is a deliciously interesting salad: Avocado, Walnut & Crispy Bacon.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: 8 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

7oz/200 g rindless bacon, chopped

½ cup walnut haves, roughly chopped

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh lime juice

sale and ground black pepper

6oz/150g baby spinach, trimmed and washed

3 ripe Roma (egg) tomatoes, diced

1 large ripe avocado, halved, peeled, seed removed and sliced

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Heat a non-tick frying pay over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside to cool.

2. Add walnuts to pan and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.

3. Add oil and lime juice to pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.

4. Combine spinach, tomatoes, avocado, onion, bacon and walnuts in a large serving bowl. Pour warm lime dressing over salad and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

The Health Benefits of Oolong Tea

The Health Benefits of Oolong Tea

What is Oolong Tea ? Oolong tea has a long and rich history that includes being one of the plants that were grown and prized by ancient Chinese emperors and today is prized for its many known health benefits around the world. The history of the plant that is botanically known as Camellia sinensis has been used throughout history for good health, healing and averting illness. These tea leaves generally originate from the Fuijan Province of China or the mountains of Taiwan and can also be referred to as Wu-Long tea. There is some evidence that the tea leaves from this region have a history of at least four hundred years; arriving toward the end of the Ming Dynasty.

This tea now known for ensuring many different health benefits can be found as straight oolong tea or with other enhancements such as jasmine, orange blossoms and others.

The process of manufacturing the tea is done with utmost care and in a fashion that has transcended the ages; from the time it is picked until the time it is packaged it undergoes a careful hand process. After the leaves are picked they are laid out to dry for a short amount of time where the oxidation process begins. Then the leaves are placed in baskets and shaken in order to bruise them. This exposes the juice of the leaves to the air whereby the oxidation process continues after which the leaves are laid out to dry for a second time. This process will oxidize the leaves from 20-80%, depending on the type of final product desired. The leaves will then be fired to halt the oxidation. Then they are sometimes rolled while still freshly roasted and fired several more times. As a way of finishing the process the leaves are completely cooled and then fired a final time to give the oolong tea the special flavor while reserving the healthful properties of the leaves.

Tea of all types have been under the microscope of late, and oolong tea has been studied and found to have numerous antioxidants, vitamins and minerals along with polyphenols, which all fit into a healthful regiment. Polyphenols that are found in oolong tea have the ability to remove free radicals, which are known for prematurely aging the skin along with causing the dark spots associated with aging. Free radicals have also been associated with hindering the immune system and they are also associated with cancer cells as well as muscle tissue deterioration or damage.

Oolong tea is also known for enhancing the function of enzymes, which in turn are known to dissolve triglycerides. These are the fatty deposits in the body and therefore it can aid in a weight loss regiment. There have been clinical trials done and it was found that this type of tea can raise the metabolic rate, which speeds up fat oxidation and the catechin polyphenols raise the rate that calories are burned in the body. This in turn means that oolong tea has the compounds in it to aid directly in weight loss. It is also an aid in reducing blood pressure that will in turn help to prevent hypertension; this is because of its ability to use the fatty deposits in the body as fuel for energy.

There is also possible evidence that along with the caffeine there is also an increase in stamina, which can help in an exercise regiment. Caffeine is also known to stimulate the frontal cortex of the brain; this helps in memory function and enhances the thought process.

There are other health benefits that have long been believed by Chinese herbalists such as the properties in oolong tea to reduce tooth decay and to aid in speeding oral healing because of tannic acid that is present in the tea. They also believe oolong tea assists in aiding the kidneys, as well as improving the utilization of glucose, which in turn aids the regulation of insulin.

Research and studies have shown that the Chinese who are known for their consumption of drinking have significant lower incidences of heart disease and prostate cancer than other ethnic groups. There is also scientific evidence that tea can also be an aid in breast cancer treatment, when used along with tamoxifen.

A recent study of Japanese elderly demonstrated that those who consumed two cups of tea per day had a lower chance of cognitive impairment by approximately fifty percent. Other studies have pointed to tea’s positive impact on the onset of Alzheimer’s.

While there is evidence that oolong tea and tea in general can benefit the health of the body there is also the fact that this tea is consumption friendly. Unlike vitamins, pills, health drinks and other health foods and drinks that are supposedly good for promoting health, oolong tea has a taste that is a pleasure to drink – and it is rehydrating, and nourishing.

This is a tea that has the ability to be flavored with different herbs and florals as well as served alone. Alone it can be dark in color with a robust taste that includes a hint of raisin, honeysuckle or almond. It can also be light and floral if only partially oxidized. Flavored oolongs can be found with names and tastes such as ginger peach oolong tea, orange blossom and plum oolong tea and others. Each of these teas has their own unique flavor and some have history behind their name like the Oriental Beauty, which received its name from Queen Elizabeth II. She named the tea after a tea merchant who brought it from Asia. The name is still used today.