Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts

Monday, March 23, 2015

Go Loco with Avocado: 10 Reasons Why It’s Good for You

Go loco with avocado now!
credit: 123rf.com
Avocado is more than just a fruit, it’s a super fruit. Numerous studies show the many health benefits eating an avocado can do for you and your body. Avocados are like convenience stores—they’ve got it all for you. 
Here are 10 of the many reasons why you should add avocados to your diet now:
#1 Avocados are impressively nutritious.
Given its incredible health properties, avocado is often termed as a superfood. An avocado contains a wide variety of more than 25 essential nutrients, including 20 different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, copper, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. It also contains several beneficial phytochemicals such as beta-sitosterol, glutathione, and lutein.

#2 Avocados help maintain a healthy heart.
The vitamin B6 and folic acid content of avocados help regulate homocysteine levels—levels associated with increased risks of heart diseases. Avocado is also a high-fat food. No, it’s not the kind of fat that you imagine. Avocados are rich in a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid. Oleic acid is a “heart-healthy” fatty acid, which is also found in olive oil.

#3 Avocados can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Avocados are rich in beta-sitosterol, a compound proven effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Numerous studies have also proven that consuming avocados can regulate LDL and HDL cholesterol, and even blood triglycerides.

#4 Avocados regulate blood sugar levels.
The monounsaturated fats in avocados aren’t only good for the heart, they can also reverse insulin resistance to help regulate blood sugar levels. Avocados are also loaded with a rich amount of fiber. The soluble fiber in avocados doesn’t only contribute to weight loss, it also reduces blood sugar spikes.

#5 Avocados have anti-aging properties.
Avocados contain glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that combats free radicals and toxins in the body. Glutathione supplements are commonly used now by a majority of people to have beautiful, glowing skin. An avocado, aside from being natural, does more than that, it also defies symptoms of aging.

The avocado oil is also even added in many cosmetics because of its skin nourishing ability. An avocado a day may help you grow old, without making you look like it.

#6 Avocados may help prevent cancer risk.
The oleic acid in avocados does more than just keeping your heart healthy. Many studies have shown that it is also effective in preventing certain types of cancers such as breast cancer and prostate cancer. It can also help reduce the downsides of chemotherapy.

#7 Avocados can cure bad breath.
What you take in contributes to the smell of your breath. Avocados cleanse the intestine to rid you of coated tongue and bad breath. This fruit is considered as one of the best natural mouthwash and bad breath remedy.

#8 Avocados increase nutrient absorption.
Taking in nutrients isn’t enough. Our body needs to absorb them as well. Avocados can do the absorption trick for you. Some nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, and carotenoids are fat soluble—meaning they need to be combined with fat in order to be utilized by the body. A study showed that adding avocado or avocado oil to your meal can increase antioxidant absorption by 2.6 to 15-fold. Add an avocado whenever you eat vegetables to make sure the nutrients are absorbed in the body—not put to waste.

#9 Avocados promote eye health.
Avocados aren’t only good for antioxidant absorption; they are rich in antioxidants as well. Two of the antioxidants present in avocados, carotenoid lutein, and zeaxanthin are essential for maintaining healthy eyes. These nutrients even reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration in aging men and women.

#10 People who eat avocados are proven to be healthier.
A survey in the U.S. has shown that avocado consumers were found to be healthier than those who didn’t eat avocados. People who incorporated avocados in their regular diet weighed less, had a lower BMI, and less belly fat than non-avocado eaters.

Aren’t you convinced yet? More than these incredible benefits, avocados are delicious and easy to incorporate into every meal. Avocados are weight loss friendly, heart healthy, eye healthy, et cetera while being incredibly tasty! What more can you ask for in a fruit? Go loco with avocado now!

For more information on how to support your weight loss and nutrition success, click here.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Intro-juicing Anti-Aging Juicing Recipes

Experiencing aging is like riding a seesaw in life’s playground. It has its own set of ups and downs. With aging comes beautiful memories you wouldn’t want to leave and detestable side effects that wouldn’t want to leave you.

Anti-Aging Juicing Recipes
Credit: Pixabay.com
Though you can’t escape aging, you can befriend it. Through making wise choices in your life, exercise, and diet, you can triumph over aging’s side effects. One healthy and natural way to do that is through juicing. You are just a kitchen away from feeling younger, healthier, and looking more beautiful even with age.

Here are anti-aging juicing recipes you can try to achieve your healthy glow: 

Eggplant Carrot Juice

  • 1 eggplant
  • 3 carrots
  • 2 apples
  • 1 celery stalk

Vegetables that are dark in color, like eggplants, are rich in antioxidants that help slow down your aging process. This fruity-veggie mix also provides antivirus benefits, improves your blood flow, lowers your cholesterol levels, protects your cell walls, and reduce your risks of cancer.

Parsley Energy Explosion

  • 1 large bunch of parsley
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 apple
  • 1 celery stalk

Parsley doesn’t only boost up your energy, it can also oxygenate your blood with its high levels of chlorophyll. This energy explosion also helps you avoid that “old man’s breath” as it serves as a breath freshener. It also helps you look and feel young with its detoxification and energizing benefits.

Red Pepper Beauty Juice

  • 2 red peppers
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 apple
  • 1 broccoli spear

The high amount of carotenoids present in red peppers can improve the look of your skin even as you age while preventing symptoms of arthritis. This beauty concoction also protects your cardiovascular system and reduces your bad cholesterol enabling you to do more in your daily activities.

Parsnip Carrot Juice

  • 3 parsnips
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 apple

Parsnips are like carrots but are much sweeter. It is also a good source of Vitamins C, folate, and manganese. This powerful rejuvenation combo alkalizes your blood, benefits your weakening eyesight, soothes your nervous system, and prevents you from having skin cancer or melanoma which is most common in women.

Your fountain of youth hides within just a cup of mixed fruits and vegetables. Try adding these anti-aging juicing recipes to your diet for at least 30 days and feel the anti-aging difference!

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Know More of What Makes You Happy: Happy Hormones 101

Happy Hormones
Credit: Pixabay.com
You have always been in continuous pursuit of happiness. You are struggling to find your happiness elsewhere.

You may even be going through destination addiction, according to therapist and life coach, Lauren Britt. 

It is a preoccupation with the idea that happiness is in the next place, the next job, or with the next partner. 

She even added that until you give up the idea that happiness is someplace else, it will never be where you are. 

Instead of looking elsewhere, why not look inside you? To be truly happy, you have to know and understand yourself better.

Here are some of the happy hormones you’ll be very pleased to get to know and meet:

Oxytocin establishes intimacy, trust, and relationships. This hormone is sometimes referred to as the “bonding hormone,” as it leads you to love, bond, socialize, and build meaningful and lasting relationships with significant people.

New studies even show that oxytocin can make you more sympathetic, supportive, and open with your feelings towards your special someone. What could be happier than that?

Testosterone gives men vigor and confidence in their day-to-day activities. It also increases sex drive and libido which is vital for the enjoyment of physical intimacy with your spouse.

Studies also show that testosterone lowers the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. More than sex, you’ll enjoy growing old together.  Indeed, a happy wife equates to a happy life!

Progesterone elevates your mood and sense of well-being. It also acts as nature’s valium to keep you calm. You can be calm and stay beautiful as it improves your bust line and stops estrogen’s tendency to store fat in your waist, hips, and thighs. This hormone will make it possible for you to wear that keep-calm-and-just-be-happy shirt convincingly.

Serotonin like progesterone, regulates your mood, prevents depression and makes you feel happy. Increased levels of serotonin promote a more positive, care-free, and joyous mode, which is why it is even coined as the “happy hormone.” You can even be someone else’s happy pill if you keep your high level of serotonin. Happiness gets better when shared.

Endorphins make you feel good and act as your knights in shining armor. They are released in times of pain and stress, and act as an analgesic and sedative, weakening your sensitivity to pain. Exercise your way to happiness or laugh your heart out, and release more endorphins!

Dopamine helps maintain your focus. As the “reward hormone,” it motivates you to put your dreams into action and gives you an incomparable satisfaction when you achieve them. Create little versions of your big dreams and release dopamine for day-to-day motivation. Be a go-getter and keep your dopamine flowing!

Most of the things that bring cheer in your life can be found in these hormones. They do so many wonderful things to make you feel happier! Stop pursuing happiness and start creating it!