How to Make New Year Resolutions

My experience with New Year Resolutions has taught me some lessons which I am sharing with you.
Don't leave New Year Resolutions for the last moment to write! If you do, on the last day of the year you may end up hurriedly writing down something not better than a shopping list. Spend some time and energy in writing them. At the same time, if you fail to write them before the New Year commences, don't think that now it is too late. Write in the first week of the year or later. It is better writing late than never. In fact, every religion and, therefore, most of the countries, have different New Year days. India alone has more than half a dozen New Year days depending upon which religion you belong to or which calendar you followed!
Before writing the New Year resolutions, think about the bigger questions of life: God, creation, life, death, etc. Is life pre-determined? Is there an after life? What is the aim of life? Is rat race for success good? What is the place of happiness, health, family and friends in our life? You need not be or become a philosopher; but do give these questions some pondering. Before writing about the New Year and future, cast a glance at your past and the old year also. How has your life been? What are your successes and failures? What are your regrets? How was the old year? Did you keep your resolutions? If yes, to what extent? If not, why? Given another chance, how would you plan and live the old year. Have a vision of the future. How would you like to see yourself after one year or thereafter? Base your resolutions on this analysis.

Make new year resolutions a vehicle for change. While we are comfortable with status quo, we want to change our life too. Everybody thinks that he is in a rut. He or she would have been happier in another job, in different circumstances, in new places. But we fear change. Don't just foolhardily jump into change, but plan for it.
Plan for new and exciting things in life. Learn something new-dancing, playing a musical instrument, a new language, tennis, web-designing, or writing poetry. If you have never loved, love. It is an exciting thing. If you are in love, get married. It is intoxicating.
Write down specific goals rather than general. Instead of writing, "I will reduce weight," specify how many pounds or kilograms you want to reduce within which period and by what means. So write, during the year I will reduce my weight by 30 pounds. I will aim at reducing 10 pounds every quarter (so that I have some extra time towards the year-end). I will regulate my diet (be specific about diet too), will exercise or play some game, go for morning or evening walk, start yoga, and lead an active life.
Break down bigger whole year aims to smaller quarterly and monthly aims. In fact, each week write down the aim for that week also. Of course, also keep a daily to-do list (to be written at the start of the day or one day in advance). Revise the monthly and quarterly targets in the light of progress made and aims abandoned and new aims added. In fact, write down a continually evolving list of to-do for the year. Whatever you want to do in the year, just add to this list and Do when the right time comes.
Supplement the Resolutions list with other lists: Daily Prayer in which you may pray to God for giving you happiness, success, and health, etc. Daily Affirmations, in which you may use the power of affirmations. Daily Do's in which you may fix your daily routine which may be helpful in fulfilling your Resolutions, Daily Don'ts, things you should not do.
Use positive power! Most of our resolutions fail because they are about negatives rather than positives. We want to reduce weight or quit smoking, or drinking. But all these are negatives. We will surely be defeated fighting against them. Instead, if we decide to start playing tennis, it would be a positive thing. Little by little we will get interested in it. We will get addicted to it. We will not be able to stay at home when it is play time, whether it is at 5 a.m. or 5 p.m. We will have to go when our partner calls us. If we are over-weight, we will jog, eat less and sensibly. If we get fatigued easily, we will quit smoking and drinking. We would like to be at the top of our tennis team! We will reduce weight, quit smoking and drinking easily (because our game of tennis demands it!).

Don't forget the taken for granted important things in life! When we write our Resolutions we concentrate what we want to achieve in worldly sense. But we fail to mention other important things in life, like: I will be happy, I will love my family, and I will enjoy nature, etc. These unwritten resolutions are more important than the written ones. If we fulfill them and even fail at achieving the written aims, we have still won. If we succeed at both, that is superb! For this, I would suggest, make two lists of New Year resolutions-one for important basics of life (happiness, love, etc.) and another for worldly success (you may like to make one separate one for your job or office life, if required).
Don't forget others! New Year resolutions are not for and about you only. They concern others too. Make resolutions concerning others also. Resolve that you will give more time and love to your family and friends. You will help the unfortunate and poor people. You will give a fraction of your gains back to the society who made your worldly success possible in the first place. These resolutions may be a part of your other (I would say first) list mentioned in last paragraph.

Five Slimming World slow cooker recipes

Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Cake

The Truth About Body Wraps & Weight Loss

Have you been wondering how you can use body wraps for weight loss, and how the whole process really works? Of course, who wouldn't want to find out how they can use a simple wrap to help them shed unwanted pounds and tighten up their skin. You're probably wondering if all this body wrapping information you've been reading is a bunch of melarky too.

The fact is that there are no substantiated studies linking weight loss to wraps and the FDA states that using body wraps for weight loss can have serious side effects.

Of course while you shouldn't use body wraps for weight loss that doesn't mean you can't reap the benefits of them in other areas. It took me a while to get but I came up with a theory about how body wraps really work.
I'm going to share that theory with you now!
The secret is that body wraps work by a process that I like to call Compacted Absorption.
Compacted Absorption as I understand it is really two processes combined that work in unison on your body to help you get the results you want.
First there is the compaction phase, compaction takes place when you compress your body with the use of bandages or a similar wrapping material. What happens is there is a fluid called "interstitual fluid" that surrounds the space between cells.

Eventually this fluid gets squeezed or sweated out and you end up with spaces between the cells, which in time get compacted where the fluid once resided, leaving you with a more compacted body!

The next phase is Absorption, when you do a wrap you're wrapping yourself with essential oils, minerals, and clays that contain nutrients in them. The body then absorbs these nutrients through the largest organ in the body - the skin.
As you can see the process is all fairly simple and to see the real benefits of Body Wraps you should try one at home!
Remember! Always consult your physician before trying anything new with your body as there can be adverse effects.

Source:

Vegetable Juice for Health & Vitality!

As more and more people begin to drink fresh home-made juice for health reasons, it is vegetable juice that is being recognized as the perfect way of revitalizing the body and protecting it against disease.
Regularly juicing vegetables can have an enormous impact on your health, and of the many benefits of drinking vegetable juices my top three are:

• Improved Immunity Against Disease
• More Energy
• Better Digestion

1. Improved Immunity
The number one benefit of drinking vegetable juice for me has got to be the improved immunity against infections and disease. The immune boosting effect has meant that vegetable juices have become part of most nutritional therapies in the battle against many serious illnesses. The anti-oxidants in vegetable juice help to cleanse the blood which is good news for the heart, liver, and kidneys, and the chlorophyll in leafy greens helps to build red blood cells. As well as the vitamins and minerals the phyto (plant) chemicals in vegetables are also powerful anti-oxidants which help to detoxify and prevent disease.
2. More Energy
Drinking vegetable juice is a great way of increasing energy levels as many of the nutrients are converted by the body into energy. The cleansing and detoxifying effect transforms the whole body from being tired and sluggish, to more like an energy efficient well oiled machine. The energy saved in drinking vegetable juice instead of having to digest the whole food can be used by the body in other ways, such as in healing.

3. Better Digestion
Raw food contains digestive enzymes which ease the burden on the digestive system, these enzymes are only present in raw food as they are destroyed during cooking. Digesting food uses a tremendous amount of energy which can be apparent when you feel very sleepy after a heavy meal. The cleansing effect juicing has on the digestive system means less toxic undigested food remaining in the intestines and an easier absorption of nutrients.
More About Juicing!
Fruit Juice?
So, why vegetable juice and not fruit juice? The problem with juicing fruit can be the high sugar content which isn't suitable for anyone who is over weight, has diabetes, or high blood pressure. Although, you need to be aware that some root vegetables such as beets and carrots are also high in sugar. Juicy fruit is high in liquid content, so if you enjoy fruit and there's no health problem, why not just eat it whole?
Most people would agree that the big advantage fruit juice has over vegetable juice is the taste, (because of the high sugar content in fruit).
A Matter of Taste
For many people the biggest drawback in drinking vegetable juice is the taste, which is usually because they have an unhealthy acidic diet, and vegetables are alkaline in nature. This means the taste of many of the stronger vegetable juices can take some getting used to, so it's best to juice the milder tasting ones to start with. However, if someone is going to be drinking vegetable juice for health reasons, it's reasonable to assume that they will also be improving their diet, which will go some way in helping to solve this problem. Most folks sweeten up vegetable juice by including an apple or two in the mix, apple is generally accepted as being suitable to juice with vegetables.
Raw Vegetable Goodness
Raw vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and phyto (plant) chemicals, and drinking the juice from vegetables means that the nutrients can be consumed in tremendous amounts as you aren't having to digest the fibre of the whole food. The high amount of nutrients in vegetable juice are consumed in their natural state making them easily assimilated into the body. Vegetable juices are a great way of getting your five a day (and more) and can help to make sure picky eaters (usually children) get theirs.
When to Juice?
The best time to have vegetable juice is in the morning before you eat anything, this means that the digestive tract is clear of undigested food. Other times of the day are just before meals, certainly not just after, it's best to wait three or four hours after a meal before drinking juice.

Preparation: No need to be over elaborate here, just wash and cut into suitable pieces to be able to fit into the juicer.
Which Juicer?
Choosing a juicer usually comes down to two things, your state of health and your state of wealth. There are many types of juicers around, it depends on the quality of juice required and how much you're willing to pay. Centrifugal juicers shred the vegetables and separate the juice and fibre, and masticating juicers extract the juice by a chewing action, the latter is preferred as the way in which the juice is extracted destroys far less of the nutrients. A good juicing machine will last longer, be more reliable, likely be easier to clean, and importantly will yield a good quality juice.

Energy for Life!
Whether it is for general well-being or to help in the recovery from illness, there isn't a better way of cleansing and nourishing the body. For better immunity against disease, good digestion, and more energy for life, begin drinking vegetable juice for health and vitality!

Pete is passionate about self help, and believes that regularly drinking healthy juices is the best way to maintain or recover good health.

Source:

10 WEIGHT LOSS Life Hacks to LOSE WEIGHT FAST and EASY! (Tips That Actua...

Top 10 Alkaline Foods You Should Be Eating Everyday

Muscle Cramps and Exercise

Quite often runners and exercisers experience painful muscle cramping either during or immediately following a strenuous exercise bout and as a result, these types of cramps have become known as Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps or EAMCs. Much confusion surrounds the causes of EAMCs including dehydration to electrolyte imbalances. This article aims to explain the latest model for describing EAMCs, how to prevent them and how to deal with them once they occur.
What is a muscle cramp?
A muscle cramp is defined as a painful, involuntary, spasmodic contraction of a muscle. The muscle remains contracted and may last for a few seconds to several minutes. The muscles most prone to EAMCs are those that cross two joints - for example the calf muscle called the gastocnemius (crosses the ankle and knee joint) and the hamstrings (cross the knee and hip joint).
What causes an EAMC?
There are many theories surrounding the cause of muscle cramps. Some proposed causes are fluid loss and dehydration, electrolyte imbalances (sodium, potassium, magnesium), heat and congenital/inherited conditions. Recent evidence collected by Professor Martin Schwellnus at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa indicates no strong relationship between these causes and exercise cramps. After completing several studies and studying the results of other experiments using electromyography or EMG (measures muscle nerve electric activity), Schwellnus has proposed a novel model of the cause of EAMCs.
What is the new model for identifying the cause of EAMC's?
Dr. Schwellnus identifies two possible factors that may affect nerve activity - causing excessive muscle stimulation to contract and resulting in a cramp. The first suspected factor is fatigue; since motor nerve firing patterns have been demonstrated to be irregular during conditions of fatigue. The second factor is proposed as resulting from the muscle working too much on its "inner range" or "on slack".

To explain this concept it must first be understood that a muscle cannot work efficiently if it is not at its optimal length - a muscle works progressively less efficiently when overly stretched or overly loose/on slack. The protein filaments (actin and myosin) that make up muscle fibers require an optimal "overlap" to be able to generate force.
The position of the body's joints determine muscle length, so it follows that muscles that cross two joints like the gastroc and hamstrings might be more likely to operate in the slackened position and experience a cramp. For example, consider a free-style, swimmer who performs flutter kicks at the ankle with a slight knee bend. The flutter kick involves the ankle flexing and extending in a small range very near the plantarflexed (toes pointed) position. Couple this with a slight knee bend, and it makes the gastrocnemius muscle even more "passively insufficient".
Muscle physiology plays crucial role in the understanding of EAMC's. Most significantly, the small cellular bodies of the muscle spindle and the Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO). The muscle spindle is a tiny cellular structure usually located in the middle portion of each muscle fiber. Very basically its role is to "switch on" a muscle and determine the amount of activation and the strength and speed of the contraction. The GTO is a small structure located in the tendon that joins the muscle to a bone. This structure senses muscle tension and performs the opposite role of "switching off " the muscle in order to protect it from generating so much force as to rip right off the bone.
Dr. Schwellnus suggests that when a muscle works within its inner range and/or when fatigued, muscle nerve activity shifts progressively toward muscle spindle activity (contraction) and less toward GTO activity (relaxation). More specifically, the nerves that control the muscle spindle (Type IA and type II nerves) becomes overly active while the nerves that controls the GTO (Type Ib nerves) become under active or inhibited. The result of this nerve activity imbalance is an uncontrolled, painful cramp.
What do I do if I experience an EAMC?
If you should experience an EAMC, the best solution is to perform a gentle, passive stretch of the affected muscle. Do not attempt to walk or run it off. Slow, passive stretching will act to restore nerve balance to the muscle by increasing the activity of the GTO, while simultaneously minimizing that of the muscle spindle. Stretching increases tension in the tendon, which is sensed by the GTO.
The result is a relaxation of the contracted muscle and a breaking of the muscle cramp. For example, in the case of the swimmer mentioned earlier, to stretch the gastrocnemius he or she may perform a standard calf stretch while pushing against a wall or use a stretching strap or cord to pull the foot up toward the shin. To accentuate the stretch, it is important that the knee remain straight, since as mentioned this muscle crosses the knee joint.

How do I prevent EAMC's?
The best way to control and prevent EAMC's is to begin a regimented stretching routine. It may be beneficial to perform dynamic stretches after a brief warmup at the beginning of the exercise session or workout. Dynamic stretches involve using functional movements such as lunging, squatting and reaching and can be used to simultaneously train balance and core stability while sensitizing the muscles in preparation for exercise. In fact, dynamic stretches if performed correctly, may actually serve as a warm-up in themselves.
Static stretching may be more effective at the end of the exercise session as part of the cool down, as the muscles will be warm and more pliable. The best long-term solution to control EAMC's however is to restore muscle balance throughout the body by combining stretching with a well-designed functional strength training routine -concentrating specifically on core stability.
In conclusion, muscle cramping is a complex condition and this article has hopefully provided the reader with a new perspective on the scientific relationship between exercise and muscle cramping. The fact that cramps occur most often in the situations described make this model a very plausible and practical one. It is hoped that this information will assist the casual exerciser and professional athlete alike in understanding and dealing with exercise related muscle cramps.

Source:

3 Vegan Sandwiches | HEALTHY LUNCH IDEAS

Lose Weight Before Christmas Time!

With Christmas only a few weeks away, it is still not too late to lose those unwanted pounds and get fit for the festive season.
Before you start on an effective fat burning regime, you need to first get into the right state of mind and put your entire focus on your goal for the next few weeks.
And what is more - I am going to do it with you! I had surgery to pin my foot together after an accident, so put on a few pounds while I was out of action - so it's time for me to get back on the bike - literally!
Step 1
Set you fat burning goal.
How much weight do you REALISTICALLY want to shed before Christmas?
I am setting my target at one stone - roughly 2 pounds a week. My motivation will be how I will look and feel by the time Christmas arrives, and the fact that the timescale is short. You have to choose what will work for you

Step 2
Decide on your fat burning exercise programme. There are hundreds that you can choose from, so let me make it easy. Fat burning is best achieved through a combination of careful eating (note - not Dieting!) and an effective fat burning exercise programme. Head over to the website at the end of the article for a free video showing you how to do this:
Step 3
Having chosen an effective fat burning exercise process, now you need to make the right food choices. Aim to take at least 1200 calories a day, but you may need more depending on your size and metabolism. It has been proven that 1200 a day will assist the loss of about 2 pounds a week, without stressing your body or making you feel hungry.
So, what should you be eating?

• Let's start by what you should avoid over the next few weeks. Steer clear of fat - obvious but necessary. So you will need to bin the chips, fried food and anything else with a high fat content.


• Look for lean meat and fish to provide you with the protein that you will need. Grilled chicken is also a great source of protein and like many of these types of lean food, will help you to feel fuller for longer and provide you with the fat burning fuel for your exercise regime


• Make sure you get your 5 a day - fruit and veg. If you feel the need to snack, use fruit as a healthy alternative to stuff like cake, biscuits and crisps.


• Stay hydrated. Often, when you feel hungry, you are in fact thirsty, so drink as much water as you need to stay fully hydrated. One delicious way to get the correct amount is to mix one part cranberry juice with four parts water. This tastes great and has the added benefit of boosting your fat burning potential.


• Look for more sources of fibre. This will help to maintain a healthy bowel, but fibre is another great food for making you feel fuller for longer. It is also calorie free so make sure you get a good fix of fibre at the start of the day - porridge flavored with cinnamon is a great way to start the day

Step 4
Monitor your progress. Keep a record of how you are getting on - otherwise how are you going to know!

Source:

Plums For Better Vision Health

Many people say that if food is healthy for you it doesn't taste good. However, when it comes to protecting and improving your eye health this is a common misconception. In fact eyemany healthy foods that are good for your eyes are also appealing to your taste buds. These include cherries,grapes, watermelons,oranges, walnuts and dark chocolate to name a few. Plums are another example of a tasty healthy food to improve eyesight that supports better vision health. Therefore, here are some reasons why you should include plums as part of a healthy diet to improve vision and protect your eye health.

Plums are packed with vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins B1, (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), B-6 and Vitamin E. Additional nutrients include Vitamins A and C, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron and Zinc to name a few. This is a good snack if you are watching your calories. It is very low in calorie content and also rich in fiber that gives it properties useful in terms of weight loss.

Eye Health Benefits: Research provided by The Archives of Ophthalmology shows that a serving of 3 or more fruits including plums can help to reduce the risks for the age related vision disease macular degeneration. The vitamin A and beta- carotene content in plums are beneficial in maintaining healthy eyesight. This tasty fruit also possesses carotenoids that help to protect the macular tissues of the retina and reduces the risks for age related vision disorders.

Maintains Healthy Cholesterol Levels: A research study revealed that the juice from plums and prunes has health promoting properties that aid in raising the good cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and reducing the bad cholesterol, LDL cholesterol.

Improves Brain Health: Research shows that the flavonoids present in plum juice can reduce cognitive decline. This is due to the fact that these flavonoids play a role in reducing inflammation in the brain. Also research shows that this type of juice has health promoting phytonutrients that improve the neurological function of the brain thereby improving memory and learning.

Boosts Immune System: Due to its Vitamin C content it boosts the body's immune system's defenses against inflammation and infections. Oriental plums increase the body's production of nitric oxide and aid in neutralizing harmful cells in the body.

Digestive Benefits: Its rich source in fiber assists in an efficiently working digestive system. It also aids in good elimination due to its sorbitol and isatin content.

Better Heart Health: Research shows that regular consumption of plums results in an improvement in circulation to the arteries of the heart. This promotes better blood flow, and an efficiently working cardiovascular system. This also reduces the risks for heart attacks and strokes.

Cancer Prevention: This fruit is abundant in antioxidants and phytonutrients. These compounds are important in stunting the growth of cancer cells. Therefore, eating plums on a regular basis can aid in cancer prevention.

if you are searching for a healthy snack to help you maintain healthy eyesight while protecting important aspects of your general health, then, plums are a good nutritional choice for keeping your eyes in good shape.




Article Source:

Yam Noodles for Weight Loss

With the difficulties of the diet industry, it's good to find foods that are naturally healthy and can be used in every day dishes. This is great for health and weight loss. The Yam Noodle has recently been discovered in the U.S. and is better known as the Shirataki Noodle. Made from the flower of the Konjac plant, it's sometimes referred to as the Elephant Yam. These noodles are calorie and carb free. They can replace pasta in recipes removing unwanted glucose and extra starches.

The noodle is a powerhouse of soluble fiber. The glucomannan fiber base of manose and sucrose sugars, becomes an emollient mass slowing digestion and improving metabolic function. For those concerned with weight or even cholesterol, the yam noodle's fiber content aides in weight loss and lowering cholesterol. Its Atkins approved, and this pasta substitute has zero points if you're counting points for other popular diets.

Powdered yam flour is used to make the noodles. It's actually the dried root of the Konjac plant. Not an actual tuber, the yam in Asia has been a main staple of their diets for centuries. It can make more than just yam noodles. It can be used to make jelly that is also known as Snake Palm or Voodoo Lily. A native perennial of Asia, the yam has been used in several "cooler" noodle dishes in the warm summer months. It is available anytime and for any season.

The noodle is versatile which is beneficial for those with busy lives. It can also be beneficial for those using it to lose weight. When it's combined with exercise, it's a great weight loss tool. They are easy to prepare. All you do is rinse thoroughly and boil them for a few minutes. They can be added to any entree to bring more flavor to a dish.

The yam noodle will provide better absorption of nutrients and can increase your stamina and durability during workouts, making the most of your workout time. If you include vegetables with your noodles, you can increase the health benefits and boost the body's fat burning power.

Several recipes for these noodles are popping up all over the Internet and are quickly becoming popular. Several health and weight loss blogs have been boasting about the Shirataki or yam noodle and its versatility. They can replace traditional pasta dishes and can reduce binge eating. These noodles help satisfy hunger usually felt on restrictive diets. Foods that fill dieters and help with weight loss are always a necessity. With the internet and several markets available, these popular Asian noodles are right at your fingertips.

 Source: 

Healthy Snacks for Spring/Summer: DIY Shaved Ice, Green Juice

PALEO RECIPES: PALEO PANCAKES

Healthy Tacos Recipe - Low Carb High Protein

10 minute healthy recipes | Quick & easy meals! | Getting the Peach to t...

NO-EXERCISE NO-DIET LOOSE BELLY FAT IN JUST 6 DAYS

Food for Life: 5 foods you should never eat

What Healthy People Really Eat For Breakfast

Chickpea Curry - 5 Minute Dinner