I’m a huge fan of adding herbs to soups and other dishes for the additional nutrition and flavor. Herbs add nutrients without adding calories. They also contain phytochemicals that can help reduce the risk of diseases and even help recover from some. One of my favorite additions is cinnamon basil. You can make a delicious pesto made with garlic and olive oil. Another use is as substitute for cinnamon in pumpkin pie. I toss a few crushed leaves in chili for a yummy flavor. I’ve created a tea from cinnamon basil leaves and green or black tea (green tastes yummier) and it’s good for regulating the bowels (handling both constipation and diarrhea) cough, headache and kidney problems.
Real cinnamon has its own benefits.
If you’re starting to see cinnamon too many times, it’s because I really like the flavor. I have fond memories growing up to cinnamon toast for breakfast. Cinnamon can help lower blood sugar levels by improving insulin sensitivity. It’s been shown to lower fasting blood sugar levels in diabetics by as much as 29%. It can also act as a powerful anti-inflammatory and helps to improve cholesterol levels.
Turmeric is another potent anti-inflammatory.
There’s still a lot to learn about the power of herbs on overall health. One reason there aren’t as many studies is because it takes money and you simply can’t patent an herb, so drug companies that often fund these find there’s no money to be made from studying the effects. Turmeric fights inflammation, which is believed to cause everything from cancer to Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Because of that, turmeric reduces your risk for arthritis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer. It’s been found effective to relieve arthritis and may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. Be careful adding it. It stains everything yellow. I actually add it to create the color yellow in chicken soup. It has a mild, yet distinct, flavor.
Adding Cayenne pepper is a hot tip.
There’s a lot to say about the heat from cayenne or chili pepper. It has heat that comes from capsaicin. If that sounds familiar, it’s the same name as the balm for achy muscles and joints. In fact, that’s made from the seeds of hot peppers and aspirin. Capsaicin can help dieters by decreasing their appetite and Feeling nauseous? Try ginger or fennel seeds. Ginger tea is one cure for an upset stomach and munching on a fennel seed is another. Fennel is a gorgeous plant, which is why I grow it, but the seeds are also good, especially in marinara sauce.
- If you have allergies, try rosemary in your food. The Rosmarinus acid in rosemary helps reduce nasal congestion and allergic responses.
- Garlic not only keeps vampires at bay, it keeps colds away, too. Garlic contains allicin, which boosts the immune system, lowers bad cholesterol and also lowers blood pressure.
- Want to boost brain power, try sage. Recent studies show it boosts memory and brain functioning in people of all ages. It’s also thought to help slow the progress of Alzheimer’s.
There are lots of ways to stay younger looking. You can consult the best doctor for a little nip and tuck, but sometimes it doesn’t give the look you hoped to achieve. It also doesn’t make you walk younger or make your body healthier. One alternative to that drastic measure is exercise and healthy eating. Stress can also age you before your time, so learn to take it easy on yourself and others. No matter what the problem, you’ll get through it and get through it better if you don’t stress.
Reduce stress other ways.
Sometimes, you just can’t control stress. That’s another spot where exercising works. It burns off the hormones of stress and replaces them with ones that leave you feeling good and at peace. Whether you’re working hard at the gym pressing weights, running a mile, dancing or even taking yoga, it’s all good and keeps those frown lines away.
Boost the production of stem cells.
Cells get damaged. Cells die. They must be replaced with healthy cells or you get sick. The death and damage of cells also cause aging. When you’re active, you boost your stem cell production. Stem cells are versatile and can replace any cell in the body. There’s loads of research that says exercise boosts stem cell production. Doctors who use stem cell therapy for joint injury promote exercise before the procedure and a study in China found Tai Chi increased the production several fold. Besides staying active and working out regularly, you need can use intermittent fasting. The research has been around on fasting for years. More sleep and protecting yourself from radiation, think UV light, can also help boost the production.
The food you eat can boost your stem cell production or impede it.
Sugar and processed white flour products like pasta can make your blood sugar levels skyrocket. Too much insulin can affect the production of stem cells. Pomegranates, goji berries, cranberries, grapes, kefir or other fermented foods and even green tea all have components that can keep you looking your best. Eat a healthy diet that contains a wide variety of color to promote more than just healthy stem cells, but overall good health.
- To find out if you’re a sugar addict, use chocolate bars to test it. A 100% chocolate bar would have nothing but chocolate, no sugar or other additives. If you try a 70% bar and think it’s not sugary enough, you’re a sugar addict.
- Research shows that weight lifters produce more and better stem cells. It’s already known that exercise helps prevent osteoporosis, but just to support that, studies show that older animals that are active have more and better bone creating stem cells.
- Smile! Simple but sometimes hard to do. If you’re reading this right now, smile as though you’ve just seen someone that you really like. You feel better don’t you. Give everyone you pass a smile. You’ll look and feel better and they will too.
- Walk faster and take longer strides. Sounds simple enough and maybe a little wonky, but it’s true. Studies show that people who walk faster with longer strides, live longer and look younger.
I’ve tried all sorts of motivation for various things in life. I’ve had to overcome some bad habits to get where I am today. The most depressing part of giving up those things I thought I loved was saying good-bye to them for the rest of my life. I found that I could do it easier if I thought it was only for a short time. If you’ve had problems sticking with a healthy diet and a program of regular exercise. Don’t give up. You probably will find it easier if you just decide that you’ll do it for eight weeks. If you find a healthier you at the end of eight weeks and want to continue, then add another eight weeks to the schedule.
I learned this trick from an ex-smoker.
My mother was a smoker. In fact, she smoked most of her adult life. At the age of 60, she decided to quit. At first, she cut down on cigarettes, then she lit them and puffed but didn’t inhale. After that, she simply carried them with her wherever she went. When I asked her why she tortured herself like that, she said because she wasn’t really quitting, just postponing her next cigarette. She lived another 28 years smoke free. I used that technique when I was in college and had papers to write. I decided to get busy on them and didn’t have to finish them, but could quit any time I wanted. It worked like a charm. Tell yourself you’re not giving up sugar forever, just for a while. Exercise on schedule, knowing you can quit the routine after you’ve given yourself eight weeks of workouts.
Make the first four weeks a learning experience and make that learning count the last four.
Learning to eat healthier doesn’t happen overnight. You can start with eliminating sugar products and processed foods. However, to tweak it to the healthiest possible diet, even eight weeks isn’t enough. There’s a lot to learn. Trying new recipes until you’ve found ones the whole family likes is part of it, so is learning how to make substitutions. Eight weeks will allow you to accomplish quite a bit, break the sugar habit and eliminate some of the junk food cravings.
Working out for eight weeks will amaze you with the difference.
Whether you want to get healthier, lose weight or build muscle tissue, before you start on your 8 week adventure, take measurements, record your present level of strength, endurance and flexibility and step on the scales. All of these are important. Use the same exercise to measure each fitness level and work until you’ve reached your maximum. Don’t weigh in or take measurements until the eight week mark. You will need to track your workout, since adding more weight and/or reps is important. Compare all things at the end of eight weeks.
- Some people use daily tasks as a measurement for improvement. For instance, they count how many flights of stairs they can tackle before the 8-week workout and how many they can tackle afterward.
- Get a wall calendar and mark off the days if you need motivation. A visual reminder is important.
- This technique isn’t for everyone. Some people do far better with regular weigh ins and charting their weight. It’s a fun way to do it if you enjoy making a healthier lifestyle more of a game.
- For weight loss, increasing strength training is important. It’s also important not to do it every day. Muscles need time to heal. On those days you don’t do actual workouts, go for a walk as part of your program.