Happy New Year!

Today is December 31st, 2013 - last day of the year.
I wish every one a wonderful celebration and a new year filled with love, happiness, perfect health and success.

Here's a little something for you all who will be drinking tonight - definitely try it.

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Tip of the Day

1 cup of Yogurt has about 13 grams of protein, B complex, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, folic acid.
Fresh yogurt takes about 1 hour to digest compared to the 3 hours it takes milk to digest.
That's why yogurt should be only taken during the day and not at night.
The digestion process slows down if taken during the night due to the cold quality of the yogurt.
Also, best to have yogurt with other foods and never alone.

Uses Of Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil is getting more and more recognition these days because of it's many and positive effects.  This oil has a rich source of fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Here are a few uses for coconut oil -

• acne
• eczema
• massage oil
• sunscreen
• moisturizer 
• pre shave
• after shave
• herpes
• body scrub
• hair conditioner 
• skin problems
• soothes pain and menstrual cramps
• use as sunscreen 
• boosts energy
• clears cellulite
• clears stretch marks
• relieves stress
• weight loss
• heart health
• healing
• used in cooking
• removes eye make up
• chap stick
• athlete's foot, fungus
• reduce itch of mosquito bites
• improves sleep
• natural deodorant
• helps treat yeast infections
• rub on cuticles to help grow nails

Wonders of Olive Oil

Olive oil is one of the most popular ingredients in the kitchen, but it can also be found in the medicine cabinet and even on a night stand.  In fact that it is rich in vitamin E and essential antioxidants, makes it one of the most efficient measures to balance blood pressure levels and cholesterol, to precent heart attacks, cancer and fight aging.  And if you thought that's where its benefits end, you are sorely mistaken.

Here are 25 more uses for this excellent material - the olive oil

1 - to precent snoring - swallow a spoon of olive oil before bed

2 - to reduce stretch marks - massage olive oil before bed

3 - to treat acne - prepare a mix made of 3 table spoons of olive oil with 4 table spoons of sea salt, put on your face for 1-2 minutes.  The mix will clean the pores and keep the moisture of your skin.  Wash with hot water and soap.

4 - to alleviate ear pain - spill one drop of warm olive oil in your ear

5 - to reduce stomach ulcers and pain - mix one table spoon of live oil with a 3/4 cup of citrus juice or vinegar and drink

6 - olive oil can serve as a substitute for shaving cream

7 - to strengthen your fingernails - soap them in a bowl of olive oil

8 - to rehabilitate your skin - to treat dry skin of the hands, elbows and knees, warm a few table spoons of olive oil (until it's luke warm) and smear on the relevant areas.

9 - to treat colds - warm a mixture of 1/3 cup of olive oil, 1/3 cup of sesame oil, 4 drops of thyme, 2 drops of rosemary oil and massage the warm mixture on the chest area 

10 - to treat dandruff - massage olive oil into your scalp and leave overnight.  Wash your hair in the mooring and wash with a regular shampoo.  Try this treatment for a week.

11 - to treat dry hair with split ends - warm the oil and smear on scalp for 45 minutes

12 - to treat after hair coloring - soak a soft cotton towel with olive oil and wipe the spotted skin, it may take some time but the color will come off the skin

13 - to prevent hair loss - mix 2 eggs with 2 table spoons of olive oil.  Smear on the scalp and hair for 40 minutes and then wash with cool or luke warm water.  It's recommended to repeat this 3 times a week.

14 - to treat lice - mix 1 table spoon of olive oil with 5 drops of the the tree oil and smear on the scalp for several minutes.  Then comp your hair with a live comb and wash with hot water.

15 - Relieve toothache - mix drops of clove oil with drops of olive oil, in about a ratio of 3:1 and use a cotton ball to put on the aching area.  Not recommended for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women. 

16 - remove mascara - drip a bit of olive oil on a cotton ball and wipe the make up from your eyes.

17 - relieve coughing - swallow a spoon of olive oil mixed with a spoon of honey.  Another option is to massage the upper back and chest with the oil at body temperature. 

18 - treating swollen/red gums - wash your mouth with a mix of olive oil and water.

19 - prevent diaper rash - mix 2 spoons of olive oil with a spoon of water and smear on baby's rear

20 - to polish furniture - mix olive oil and lemon juice at a ratio of 2:1.  Use a gentle towel soared in the mix to polish the furniture 

21 - to maintain garden tools - smear a bit of olive oil on garden tools to keep them from accumulating filth and corrosion.

22 - to prevent squeaks - smear some olive oil on screaming hinges to make them silent 

23 - for digestive problems - swallow a spoon of olive oil every morning on an empty stomach.  Another option is to drink a glass of water with a spoon of olive oil and spoon of lemon juice.

24 - to maintain knives - after washing thoroughly with water and soap, wipe the blades well and then use a small amount of olive oil and gentle rub it on the blades with a towel. 

25 - prevent wax from building up in the candlesticks - just drip a bit of olive oil and it won't stick. 

Best Remedy For Headaches

By sniffing on fresh juice drawn from the leaves of a lemon tree helps remove the chronic headaches.

Seasons Greetings

Seasons Greetings & Happy Holidays. 

Beware Of The Wax

Useful information

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Exercises for Lower Back Pain

Saw three patients yesterday and 2 out of the 3 are suffering from lower back pain.

Hope this helps. 

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Surya Namaskar - Sun Salutation

Thought I'd keep with the roll of yoga.

Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutations.

Surya, the sun, is the Hindu solar deity.

A sequence of asanas or poses are performed to build strength and awareness to the physical body, mind and soul.  There are a total of 8 different asanas in the sequence of 12 asana changes.

Benefits of Surya Namaskar - 

• your consciousness is raised
• develop inner peace 
• rekindle your drooping spirit
• face glows - balance of mind, body and spirit
• detoxification of body and mind
• mental clarity and concentration
• immunity is increased 
• loosens excess belly fat
• regulates menstrual cycle
• reduces anxiety and restlessness 
• enhances strength and vitality 
• various poses help regulate blood flow
• tones arms
• strengthens spine 

Special Features of Yoga

Yoga - yog - union - mental - physical - spiritual - practice - India - Hindu - philosophy.

Yoga and its special features - 

• natural
• holistic 
• systematic
• scientifically validated
• culture's perfect health
• develops higher state of consciousness
• authentic
• time tested
• cost effective 
• easy to practice
• free from harmful side effects 
• oriented towards correcting the root cause of imbalance 

Benefits of Yoga

Now that you've familiarized yourself with yoga from the previous blog, here is some more information about its benefits -  

Scientific research validating the benefits of yoga:

Physical benefits:

• improved physical activity
• fitness
• lung functioning
• athletic performance
• greater physical endurance
• normalization of weight
• important mind and body coordination
• reversal of aging 
• improves heart functioning 
• improves digestion

Mental benefits:

• improves memory
• increased positivism
• restful alertness by increasing alpha brain wave patterns
• improves cognitive performance (thinking, reading, problem solving)
• reduces mental fatigue
• improves mental health
• reduces neuroticism

Prevention of disease:

• lowers blood pressure
• reduced obesity
• lower serum cholesterol level
• relief from constipation and gas
• reduced incidents of common cold
• decreased insomnia
• improved kidney functioning
• improved liver functioning
• decreased backache
• normalization of blood sugar level
• alleviation of asthma 

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How Yoga Changes Your Body, Starting The Day You Begin

A great read.
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The Eastern practice of yoga has become a modern-day symbol of peace, serenity and well-being in the West. More than 20 million Americans practice yoga, according to the 2012 Yoga in America study, with practitioners spending more than $10 billion a year on yoga-related products and classes.

The mind-body practice is frequently touted for its ability to reduce stress and boost well-being, but it also offers wide-ranging physical health benefits that rival other forms of exercise. While the scientific research on yoga's health benefits is still young, here's what we know so far about its potential effects on the body. View the infographic below and scroll down for more detailed information.

After Class.

Improved Brain Function. 
Just 20 minutes of Hatha yoga -- an ancient form of the practice that emphasizes physical postures rather than flow or sequences -- can improve cognitive function, boosting focus and working memory. In a University of Illinois study, participants performed significantly better on tests of brain functioning after yoga, as compared to their performance after 20 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise.

Lower Stress Levels. 
Yoga's stress-busting powers may come from its ability to lessen the activity of proteins that are known to play a role in inflammation, according to a study published last year from University of California, Los Angeles researchers.

Alter Gene Expression. 
A small Norwegian study suggested that yoga's many healthy benefits might come from its ability to alter gene expression in immune cells.

Increased Flexibility. 
A recent Colorado State University study found that Bikram yoga -- a form of yoga in which a series of 26 postures are performed for 90 minutes in a heated room -- is linked with increased shoulder, lower back and hamstring flexibility, as well as greater deadlift strength and decreased body fat, compared with a control group.

After A Few Months.

Lower Blood Pressure. 
People with mild to moderate hypertension might benefit from a yoga practice, as a study from University of Pennsylvania researchers found that it could help to lower their blood pressure levels. Researchers found that people who practiced yoga had greater drops in blood pressure compared with those who participated in a walking/nutrition/weight counseling program.

Improved Lung Capacity. 
A small 2000 Ball State University study found that practicing Hatha yoga for 15 weeks could significantly increase vital lung capacity, which is the maximum amount of air exhaled after taking a deep breath. Vital lung capacity is one of the components of lung capacity.

Improved Sexual Function. 
A 2009 Harvard study published in the The Journal of Sexual Medicine showed that yoga could boost arousal, desire, orgasm and general sexual satisfaction for women. Yoga can also improve women's sex lives by helping them to become more familiar with their own bodies, according to a review of studies published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, as reported by CNN. 

Reduced Chronic Neck Pain.

A German study published in The Journal of Pain showed that four weeks of practicing Iyengar yoga (a type of Hatha yoga that stresses proper alignment and the use of props) is effective in reducing pain intensity in adults suffering from chronic neck pain.

Anxiety Relief. 
A 2010 Boston University study showed that 12 weeks of yoga could help to reduce anxiety and increase gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) levels in the brain (low levels of GABA have been linked with depression and anxiety disorders).

Relief from Chronic Back Pain. 
Researchers at West Virginia University found Iyengar Yoga to be more effective in reducing pain and improving mood than standard medical treatment among those with chronic lower back problems.

Steady Blood Sugar Levels in People with Diabetes.
Adding yoga to a typical diabetes care regimen could result in steady blood sugar levels, according to a 2011 Diabetes Care study. Reuters reported that just three months of yoga in addition to diabetes care resulted in a decrease in body mass index, as well as no increases in blood sugar levels.

Improved Sense of Balance. 
Practicing an Iyengar yoga program designed for older adults was found to improve balance and help prevent falls in women over 65, according to a 2008 Temple University study. 

After Years.

Stronger Bones.
A 2009 pilot  study by Dr. Loren Fishman showed that practicing yoga could improve bone density among older adults.

"We did a bone mineral density (DEXA) scan, then we taught half of them the yoga, waited two years, and did another scan,"Fishman previously told The Huffington Post." And not only did these people not lose bone, they gained bone. The ones who didn't do the yoga lost a little bone, as you would expect."

Healthy Weight.
Researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found an association between a regular yoga practice and decreased weight -- or at least a maintained weight -- among more than 15,000 healthy, middle-aged adults.

"Those practicing yoga who were overweight to start with lost about five pounds during the same time period those not practicing yoga gained 14 pounds," stud researcher Alan Kristal, DPH, MPH told WebMD. 

Lower Risk Of Heart Disease. 

As part of a healthy lifestyle, yoga may lower cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, according to Harvard Health Publications. 

Juicing Greens

My father is obsessed with juicing - fruits and vegetables.
He juices every morning for his family and gets our metabolism on check for the day.

Here are some benefits when juicing greens -

• bone and joints are improved
• improves focus and mental clarity 
• aids in weight loss
• boosts energy
• gives healthier hair, skin and nails
• digestion is improved
• builds a strong immune system
• loaded with nutrition 
• anti-aging 

Parsley & Asthma

Parsley is a great herb which helps relive cough and soothes the throat.
Use it in a tea.
It allows the mucus in the airways to be coughed out.

A Handful of Sunflower Seeds

A handful of sunflower seeds a day can lower cholesterol, are anti-inflammatory and has a great source of magnesium.

Natural Skin Remedies

Your face is the first thing a person sees when interacting with you.
There are 20,000 pores on the face.
Majority of the face products that are sold are chemical based which definitely clears the skin to an extent, but in the long run will cause some problem.
I have been putting lemon juice all over my face for about a month now before bed time.  And it's definitely looking good.
Below are some natural skin remedies for you all to try.
Take one from below and apply all over the face once a day, twice a day for better results.

Lemons - removes the skin of dead cells
Turmeric - lightens blemishes and pigmentation
Cucumber - prevents pimples, blackheads, wrinkles and dry skin
Coconut - wash your face with coconut water - your face will be blemish free
Neem - gets rid of pimples and cleans out pores

Dark Chocolate Lovers

Lately, I've been wanting dark chocolate every day, especially Kit Kat dark chocolate - it's great.

After knowing the benefits of dark chocolate, having a couple of these kit kat bars everyday makes me happy! 

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Signs & Symptoms of Undigested Food Particles

If you have experienced any of these below, then the food you're eating is not getting digested.
Below are some signs and symptoms of undigested food particles -

• blocked channels
• deranged strength
• heaviness
• laziness
• indigestion
• repeated spitting
• constipation/obstruction of excreta
• no taste for food
• mental and physical fatigue
• dullness
• pain in joints
• white coating on tongue 

Tip Of The Day - For Kids!

Did you know, if you give your child 2 of the Cuties, Clementines or the Citrus tangerine/oranges - it is equal to 300 grams of Vitamin C.  And because of it's natural vitamins, it helps rid the child from any coughs, colds and flu.  Stock up for your kids this winter.  I know I have for my nephew and niece!

How To Determine If An Egg Is Fresh

This is pretty interesting!

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Kale

As you all already know, my mother makes us all eat healthy by giving us a variety of fresh vegetables everyday!
We've been eating a lot of kale.
And it's delicious!
Especially the many different ways my mom cooks it.
Here's why we have kale once a week.

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Cabbage

I eat all my vegetables.
As an Indian, we sure do eat all types of vegetables and my mother cooks them all!
Cabbage is my least favorite so my mom always makes something else along with that.
But I just learned that the sulfur in cabbage gives you radiant skin and hair.
Bring on the cabbage mom!!!

Cloves & Toothache

I had a check up at the dentist today and all looks well.

My dentist asked if I was feeling any discomfort or pain anywhere in my mouth especially the teeth.

I said no, but if I were to what can I do.

He said I can use Orajel or Anbesol.

These medicines can cause allergic reactions and other side effects. 

That's when I told him about cloves and if used properly it can relieve toothache! 

Cloves have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anesthetic properties that help relieve tooth pain.  

You can chew on a clove to release tooth pain or use clove oil around the teeth and gums. 

Ginger - The Natural Pain Killer

I recently had someone reach out to me asking what he can do naturally to relive some joint and muscular pain.

Here's what I recommended -

Believe it or not - ginger reduces joint pain and inflammation.  The antioxidants in ginger reduces the production of pro-inflammatory compounds in the joints.

It can be used in different ways - 

- add a good amount of ginger in your meals

- chop 2 inches of fresh ginger - add a quart of water and let boil - add a pinch of sugar if needed and drink 2-3 cups daily

- finely grate ginger and mix about a tablespoon into a small cup of sesame oil (since it's Vata season).  Massage in clockwise motion to the affected area.  Best to do before shower and before bedtime - rinse off lightly if massaging before bed 

- take ginger tablets daily 

- make fresh ginger tea - boil a cup of water and grate some fresh ginger in the water as it boils

Sinus Relief Remedy

The weather is changing.
Our bodies are changing.
We are the universe and the universe is us.
Here's a great sinus relief remedy that can help during the weather change in and around us.

• 1 cup of boiled hot water
• 1 tablespoon of raw honey
• 1 teaspoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 pinch of turmeric powder
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper 
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar 

Drink this mixture a couple of times a day.

It will help improve your sinus symptoms, break up congestion and kill pathogens.