Striving4Zen

Required time: About 30-40 minutes
Skill level: Goof-proof

Labels: DIY, how-to, self-tanner, tea bags

Running is really tough on your feet and the muscles in your lower legs work very hard and absorb most of the shock. Ignore them and you can end up with cramped, achy, throbbing, or even numb feet, shins, or calves from running. The pain can be both bothersome and even prevent your from getting in a good workout.

Do your legs a favor, before you slip on your socks and sneakers, give your feet and lower legs a good rub down. Spend a few minutes on each leg's foot, shin, and calf. Knead your fingertips and the heel of your palm firmly into your muscles to bring blood to those areas, which will warm the muscles up. If the muscles are warmed up, they'll be less likely to ache. Plus, warming up your feet can help prevent injuries while exercising.

Source

Labels: exercise, how-to, living holistically, massage, running

• Take a small brown bag, the kind you use for lunches, and open it up.

• Pour enough popcorn kernels in to cover the bottom of the bag.

• Close the bag by folding the opened end tightly 3 times.

• Place the entire bag in the microwave, with the folded side on the bottom.

• Cook for about 2 1/2 minutes, or until the popping slows down. If it cooks for too long, you'll have yourself a bag of burnt popcorn.

• The popcorn tastes just like it came out of an air popper. Add sea salt for more flavor.

Thanks FitSugar!

Labels: healthy snacks, how-to, popped corn

Grapefruit seed extract, along with essential oils such as clove, lavender, and tea tree oil, have antiseptic properties and operate as natural fungicides. If you're dealing with mold when cleaning a bathroom or kitchen, try adding one to two teaspoons of essential oil to two cups of water in a spray bottle. You can also mix 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract with one quart of water.

Thanks for the tip!

Labels: essential oils, grapefruit seed extract, how-to, mold

Jonathan FitzGordon begins with a few basic principles in his FitzGordon Method walking program:

1. Bones stacked. Your body should fall in a straight line — ears, shoulders, hips and ankles.

2. Buttocks released. Unless you’re going uphill, your derriere should have no active role in standing or walking.

3. Legs back. Set the muscles of your inner thighs back to allow the legs to fall directly underneath the pelvis. This will keep the pelvis level and the spine balanced.

4. Belly strong. The stomach should be strong and the middle back filled out so that you are using your entire core as you walk.

5. Head lifted. Imagine someone is pulling a string from the back of your head, allowing the chin to fall to level (most of us walk with it slightly raised) and the throat to soften.

Source

Labels: how-to, Jonathan FitzGordon, walking

Apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, kiwi, nectarines, peaches, pears, plantains and plums continue to ripen after they're picked. The tomato, which is actually a fruit, also continues to ripen after picking.

Fruits that you should pick or buy ripe and ready-to-eat include: apples, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, oranges, pineapple, strawberries, tangerines and watermelon.

To speed the ripening of fruits such as peaches, pears, and plums, put them in a ripening bowl or in a loosely closed brown paper bag at room temperature. Plastic bags don’t work for ripening.

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Labels: fruits, how-to

How Long To Cook Them?

1 cup of: Water: Time:

amaranth 2 1/2 cups 20 minutes
brown rice 2 cups 50 minutes
barley 2-3 cups 60-90 minutes
buckwheat 2 cups 20 minutes
millet 2-3 cups 30 minutes
quinoa 2 cups 20 minutes
rolled oats 3 cups 30 minutes
wild rice 2 cups 60 minutes

1 – Be sure to rinse your grains before cooking.

2 – (Optional) Many people recommend soaking grains in a bowl of water before cooking (anywhere from 1/2 hour to overnight) – it makes their nutrients more bio-available, and removes their layer of phytic acid, which can interfere with absorption of some minerals. If you do decide to soak, be sure to drain the grains and discard the soaking water before cooking.

3 – You can add a pinch of sea salt when cooking, or even better – throw in a piece of kombu (or your sea veggie of choice) – it helps to make the grains more digestible and flavorful, and adds important minerals.

4 – Never stir or disturb your grains while cooking – they’ll cook more evenly and have a better texture if you just let them be.

For more ideas on cooking with whole grains, check out Rebecca Wood’s fabulous cookbook, The Splendid Grain. You’ll find loads of inspiration for dressing up your favorite grain varieties!

Source

Labels: cookbook, healthy cooking, how-to, Whole grains

BRAND
Some manufacturers do a better job of delivering viable microbes (identified on the label as CFU, short for colony-forming units) than others. Gary Huffnagle, PhD, a professor at the University of Michigan Medical Center, recommends Align, Culturelle, Florastor, Jarrow, and Theralac.

FREEZE-DRIED
Freeze-drying, which removes all water from the microbes, makes them more likely to survive in pill form. When you take the supplement, the fluid in your digestive tract reanimates the bacteria.

REFRIGERATED
Although some high-quality supplements don't require refrigeration, most do. Lower temperatures increase the length of time microbes can survive.

MULTIPLE STRAINS
Look for a supplement that contains different species of bacteria, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. “You want a variety in your probiotics just as you want variety in your diet,” says nutritionist Elizabeth Lipski, PhD, CCN, author of Digestive Wellness (McGraw-Hill, 1995). And look for a different formulation the next time you shop for supplements. “I generally have people take one supplement for a while and then switch so they get exposed to a wide range of benefits.”

OTHER INGREDIENTS
Because probiotics need food as soon as they reanimate, a supplement that contains a prebiotic, such as inulin, can improve the flora's chances of surviving in your digestive system.

DOSE
“For the average, healthy person, a dose between 5-10 billion microorganisms is protective and preventive, even if you take the supplements only a few times a week. If you've been on antibiotics or are recovering from illness, aim for 30 billion,” Huffnagle recommends. Look for supplements that clearly state each dose's CFU. Avoid those that list ingredients only by weight.

EXPIRATION DATE
Because probiotics contain live microbes, they won't remain viable forever. Make sure to purchase in quantities that will enable you to finish the supplements before the expiration date.

Thanks!

Labels: digestion, flora, how-to, Probiotics, supplements

Originally part of a millennia-old Indian yogic tradition, the practice of nasal irrigation — jala neti — is performed with a small pot that looks like a cross between Aladdin’s lamp and your grandmother’s gravy boat. The neti pot made its way into this country in the early 1970s as a yoga meditation device, but even as yoga became mainstream, the neti pot remained on the fringes of alternative culture.
That is, until now. Due to a confluence of influences, the neti pot is having what can only be termed a moment, sold in drugstores, health food stores, even at Wal-Mart and Walgreens.
The practice gained wide exposure last spring when it was introduced on Oprah Winfrey’s show by a frequent guest, Dr. Mehmet Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon and an author of health books. r. Oz explained that bathing the sinus cavities in a warm saline solution can reduce symptoms of allergies, cold, flu and other nasal problems.
Few if any Western medical schools teach the use of the neti pot. But Dr. Bradley Marple, the chairman of the rhinology and paranasal sinus committee for the American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery, said that nasal irrigation is a well-known remedy for various respiratory complaints.

NY Times

How-To Use A Neti

Labels: Dr. Oz, how-to, living holistically, natural health, natural therapy, neti pot, Oprah, yoga

Step one: cleanser
Obvious, yeah, but you must always start by washing your face to dissolve dirt, oil and grime, which can block pores and keep other products from getting in and doing their work.


Step two: exfoliant
Feel free to skip cleansing on days you exfoliate, since sloughing also removes dirt and oil, says Dr. Jeannette Graf, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine.


Step three: toner
Many experts don't promote toning, but there are exceptions. "It's good as a post-rinse following at-home microdermabrasion to remove tiny crystals, or as a soothing step following makeup removal," Graf says.


Step four: prescription products
"Always apply prescription topicals first, on clean, dry skin, to enhance their penetration," says Graf. Many are designed to be used twice daily, so make sure they're at the top of the order at night, too.


Step five: antioxidant serum
Think of layering skincare products as you would layering clothes in winter. "Start with the thinnest item and end with the thickest," Graf says. Free radical-fighting serums are crucial for daytime wear when your skin needs protection from the sun and pollution.


Step six: eye cream
Pat it on prior to moisturizing. "Topping an eye cream or serum with lotion will actually seal in its active ingredients," explains Ranella Hirsch, a dermatologist in Cambridge, Mass., and president-elect of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery. Your morning eye product should contain antioxidants, SPF and moisturizing humectants like glycerin and propylene glycol.


Step eight: moisturizer
Consider the chemistry of creams: "They usually contain more oil than water," Fein says. "So if you were to put them on first, your lighter, water-based gels and serums would slide off your face instead of sinking in." But by applying them almost last, they actually lock in your other products, boosting their efficacy.


Step nine: sunscreen
If your moisturizer doubles as an SPF 30 or higher sunscreen -- and you're spending the day indoors -- you can omit the additional sunscreen, Hirsch says.


Step 10: makeup primer
Whether using it to fill in lines, hide pores or just create an even canvas for color, silicone-based primer is your last step. It's like waterproofing your skin, says Jim Hammer, a cosmetics chemist at Pharmasol Labs in Easton, Mass. If you were to apply it before your day cream or sunscreen, those water-based products couldn't penetrate. "If you smooth it on after, your skin can absorb your moisturizer before the primer forms a slick film on top of it," Hammer says.



*of-course, each step (except sunscreen) is optional.


THANKS!

Labels: how-to, skincare

Step one: cleanser
Dissolve makeup, dirt, oil and daily grime so all those nighttime goodies can work on clean, bare skin.
Step two: retinoids/prescription skin care
Skin-smoothing retinoids take top precedence at night -- and not just because they're prescription products. "If your skin is moist from water or cream, a retinoid can become more irritating to skin," says Audrey Kunin, a dermatologist in Kansas City and founder of dermadoctor.com. Never apply retinoid products over any sort of serum or lotion, and only apply it after dark. "Sunlight can degrade retinoids, rendering them powerless," Fein says. Retinoids also increase your risk of burning by thinning your outermost layer of skin. If your complexion calls for a different kind of prescription drug, use that product here in place of retinoids.
Step three: hydroquinone spot treatments
According to Graf, hydroquinone and retinoids work synergistically, intensifying each other's performance. So wearing one on top of the other makes good sense. Why at night? "The sun, which promotes melanin production, can counteract hydroquinone's pigment-inhibiting effects," Hirsch says.
Step four: peptide serum
Peptides are most useful at night when the skin is in renewal mode because they heal and regenerate skin, and can even rebuild collagen, explains Graf. If you're already using one or more of the other products listed above, opt for a peptide-rich night cream instead of a separate serum to streamline your routine.
Step five: eye cream
Find a night version (no SPF) with reparative retinol or peptides.
Step six: night cream
At night, the skin's pH is lower, which means dead cells shed more easily. Microcirculation is higher, allowing the skin to make new cells and mend old, tired ones, says Graf. Smoothing on a healing night cream bolsters this activity. Hirsch says rich formulas are best because their thick, heavy base can help drive active ingredients into the skin. But if you're using retinoids, avoid creams with alpha hydroxy acids. "The two can inactivate each other when used back-to-back," Hirsch adds.

***Of course, each steps is optional. Not all steps are necessary.

SOURCE

Labels: Anti-oxidant, how-to, peptides, skincare