Foods For A Leaner Body

Summer’s approaching and we all want that lean body!
Guess what?!  Vegetables can help – along with a good amount of water intake, balanced lifestyle, exercise, meditation and a nutritious diet.
Here’s a list of foods you can eat to gain a lean body -

Kale – kale is high in vitamins A, C, and K; manganese, antioxidants and fiber

Lemons – increases bone strength

Almonds – great for the heart and blood sugar levels

Spinach – improves vision, bones, blood pressure, immunity, skin, brain and nervous system

Blueberries – high in antioxidants and helps reduce belly fat

Olive oil – improves skin, complexion and slows the aging process

Parsley – rich in vitamin C, folic acid, iron and beta-carotene

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20 Healthy Reasons To Love Strawberries

Here’s a great find about strawberries!

1 – Prevents Hypertension: Strawberry contains potassium and magnesium, which are both highly effective in lowering high blood pressure or Hypertension caused by sodium.

2 – Prevents Leukemia: Strawberries also have a very good therapeutic effect for preventing leukemia, anemia (lack of blood) and blood diseases.

3 – Digestive Support: Strawberry contains soluble fiber and Vitamin C that can help stimulate the secretion of salivary and gastric juices, thereby improving the digestion of starchy and protein foods, and prevents constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.

4 – Hearty Health: Strawberry contains fiber, potassium, folate, anti-oxidants vitamin C, anthocyanidins, and flavonoids (quercetin), that helps reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, lowers homocysteine levels, platelet built up, blood clotting, and reduces LDL cholesterol. Strawberry also contains Vitamin B which strengthens the heart muscle.

5 – Anti Cancer: Strawberry is high in antioxidant with flavonoids, Vitamin C, and also phytochemicals called ellagik acid that fight oxidation, inhibiting tumor growth and decreasing inflammation in the body, and preventing damages caused by free radicals in our body.

6 – Boots Immune System: Strawberries are very rich in vitamin C, which plays a key role in enhancing immune system function, as well as in preventing and fighting infectious diseases such as flu and cold.

7 – Strengthens Bones: Along withpotassium, vitamin K and magnesium, strawberry contains manganese, a mineral that helps maintain bone formation and bone structure.

8 – Anti Inflammation: Antioxidants and the flavonoid- Anthocyanidin, in strawberries help inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX), reduce inflammation in the joints that can lead to asthma, intestinal bleeding, gout, artherosclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

9 – Healthy Brain: Strawberry contains iodine and folate, support the brain and nervous system, and help improve memory, concentration and the brain’s ability to process information. A variety of antioxidants also play a role in preventing brain cell damage that can lead to dementia.

10 – Anti-Anemic: Strawberries can help prevent and fight certain types of anemia, due to their high content in folate, which is essential for the synthesis of hemoglobin, the protein in red cells responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body.

11 – Anti-Coagulant: Strawberries contains moderate amount of acetylsalicylic acid, that helps thin blood and prevent blood clots formation, thereby reducing pressure on the heart and improving its function.

12 – Diuretic: The high content in potassium found in strawberries enhances diuresis, which contributes to detoxifying the body, as well as regulating blood pressure.

13 – Calms the Nerves: Consuming strawberries, as fruit or juice, stimulates the release of serotonin, which improves mood and is responsible for a feeling of relaxation and a general sense of well-being.

14 – Skin Tonic: Strawberry contain vitamin C, Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), salicylic acid, ellagic acid, antioxidants, flavonoids and exfoliants , that help remove dead cells, tighten pores, remove impurities, soothe allergies, removing age spots, freckles, wrinkles and blemishes, protects the skin against the sun’s harmful UV rays, and clear acne. Being astringent in nature strawberries can reduce puffiness and circles beneath the eyes.

15 – Prevents Alopecia: Strawberry is abundant in folic acid, vitamins B5 and B6, and ellagic acid, protects your hair from thinning or falling and delays onset of androgenetic alopecia. Manganese and copper in combination with dicarboxylic acids produce complexes that can inhibit fungal growth on the scalp.

16 – Fights Allergies: Anti-inflammatory effects of Vitamin C and quercetin, help alleviate symptoms of asthma and allergies including runny nose, watery eyes and hives.

17 – Diabetes: Strawberries have low glycemic index, are rich in fiber, and contain fisetin, a flavonoid, which helps to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce diabetic complications such as kidney disease and neuropathy.

18 – Pregnancy: Adequate folic acid intake is essential for pregnant women to protect against neural tube defects in infants.

19 – Depression: Folate in strawberries combats depression by preventing an excess of homocysteine formation, that interferes with the production of the feel-good hormones-serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which regulate not only mood, but sleep and appetite as well.

20 – Eyes: Strawberries provide abundant Vitamin C that your eyes need to protect from free radical damage from the sun’s UV rays and to strengthen the cornea and retina of our eyes, and preventing eye related diseases like cataracts.

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Walnut = Brain

Did you ever take a walnut, remove it from its shell and notice that it looks like the human brain?!  Well, it does!

Did you know that just a handful of walnuts everyday helps reduce your chances of heart disease, diabetes and cancer?

Here are some more benefits-

• Promotes good health for the brain! 
• Make sure you eat the skin of the walnut because 90% of the nutrients are on the skin.
• Contains a great amount of omega 3.
• Relieves irritable bowel syndrome
• Lowers cholesterol
• Reduces blood pressure
• Anti-inflammatory
• Has a potent phytonutrient quinone juglone, which is abundant in walnuts that destroys cancer and precancerous cells leaving healthy tissue intact.
• Decreases LDL cholesterol
• Increases sperm health

Benefits of Avocados

Avocados are really good for you and have such great health benefits.

They're great on your cholesterol level
Blood sugar regulation
Blood pressure
Great on digestion
The heart
The brain
The eyes
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-cancer
High level of natural fiber
Anti-oxidant booster
Boosts immune system
Promotes healthy bones because of its Vitamin K contents

9 Things Every Woman Should Know About Menstruation

9 Things Every Woman Should Know About Menstruation

By Anea Bogue

1. Menstruation Follows a 28-ish Day Cycle, Just Like The Moon. Many of us are told about the 5-7 day ‘period’ of bleeding, but not the whole series of amazing changes your entire body is cycling through over the course of 28-ish days. Just as the moon waxes (or grows outward into the night sky) until it becomes full and then wanes (or gets smaller) as if moving back into itself–so do you.

2. Your Period Isn’t the End. In Fact, It’s the Beginning. Day one (and phase one) of your menstrual cycle begins when your period arrives. Within hours of starting your period, your estrogen levels will slowly begin to rise and you will tend to feel a shift from the heaviness or ‘PMS’ of the days before. This is a time of release so it is a great time to let go of things you no longer need in your life: stuff, unhealthy relationships and emotions that may be weighing you down (anger, regret, anxiety).

3. Your Vagina Is One of the Most Porous Parts of Your Body. The lining of your vagina is one of the most absorbent parts of your body so if you use tampons during your period, it’s really important they are bleach and dioxin free. Since the EPA states there is NO SAFE LEVEL for dioxin exposure, 100% organic tampons are the safest option.

4. Estrogen = Energy, Enthusiasm & Expression. Throughout your Estrogen Phase (week 2), the steady increase in estrogen boosts your brain’s serotonin levels, which leads to an increase in energy, enthusiasm and a more upbeat feeling overall. It also heightens your verbal abilities so week two of your cycle is a great time to do presentations and have those important conversations.

5. If Your Cycle Were Ruled by a Queen, She’d Be Ovulation. Ovulation refers to the release of a tiny egg from one of your two ovaries (they alternate from one cycle to the next). This typically happens between Days 12-16, making it the time you are most likely to get pregnant. You are also likely to feel more attracted to others at this time and whether you believe it’s pheromones or just a healthy glow, others are likely to find you more attractive than ever, too!

6. Progesterone Heightens Introspection and Intuition. On the other side of ovulation, you’ll feel the effects of decreasing estrogen and testosterone and increasing progesterone. Progesterone is the ‘ebb’ to estrogen’s ‘flow’. It will increase your desire to move inward, like the waning moon. Research shows greater activity in the right hemisphere of the brain–the part associated with intuitive knowing–in weeks 3 and 4 of your cycle. Always trust your intuition. But pay especially close attention to it in the second half of your cycle!

7. Nutrition Profoundly Effects Your Cycle. You have the power to maximize each phase and reduce physical and emotional discomforts by maintaining a healthy, balanced diet and taking vitamins that support your female body. For example, increasing your magnesium intake (via food or supplements), especially in week 4 of your cycle, can significantly reduce cramping, while regular intake of vitamin B6 throughout your cycle can help to minimize bloating.

8. You’re Not Crazy! The Pre-Menstrual phase (week 4) consists of the final days before you begin a new cycle. Progesterone continues to rise until just before the end of this phase when estrogen, testosterone and progesterone all plummet to their lowest levels. If you deny the natural need you have to slow down and turn inward, feelings of resentment, frustration and anger find a way to surface. The solution? Give yourself permission to move a little slower and take care of YOU.

9. A Little PMA (Positive Menstrual Attitude) Goes a Long Way! Studies have shown that many of the less desirable physical and emotional manifestations of the Pre-Menstrual Phase (week 4) can be minimized by developing a more informed and positive attitude around your menstrual cycle.

For more information on this important topic, there are many great women dedicated to keeping women informed. Check out some of my very favorites: Vicki Noble, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, Kristi Meisenbach Boylan, and Miranda Gray.

Did You Know?

How Yoga Changes Your Body, Starting The Day You Begin

A great read.
(Click on picture for larger view)

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.