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Oprah and probably your doctor swear by them. Antioxidant foods are taking over—as they very well should be. To clarify, antioxidants are the collective term for the vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and polyphenols that protect your body. Some of the best-known antioxidants are vitamins A (found in daily and fish), C (found in citrus fruits), E (found in seeds, oils and nuts) and the mineral selenium (found in meats and plant foods).

Antioxidants basically help prevent disease because they protect your body from free radicals (radicals are believed to be involved in degenerative diseases and cancers). So now that you know what antioxidants are and how they can greatly and vastly improve and protect your health, I’m sure you want to know which types of food are high in antioxidants.

Fruits—basically all your berries (blueberry, strawberry, blackberry) are all high in antioxidants. Try eating a cup of plain yogurt with some fresh berries on top each day to incorporate them into your diet.

Vegetables—no meal is complete with vegetables. Leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale are high in antioxidants as well as peppers, cabbage, artichokes and brussels sprouts.

Nuts and seeds—pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts and sunflower seeds all tossed together make a great high antioxidant trail mix

Legumes—broad beans, pinto beans, and soybeans are filling, easy to prepare and healthy.

Cereals—barley, millet, oats and corn are easy to find and high in antioxidants

Don’t be afraid to mix these foods together. Combine oats, nuts and seeds with some fresh berries for new breakfast ideas. Or try make a soup with different legumes and vegetables for a Fall time favorite.

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“Although irresponsible sunbathing is unquestionably harmful and precautions need to be taken, regular, moderate, unprotected sun exposure is essential for good health. It is free, easy to get and good for you when used intelligently. It is the only reliable way to generate Vitamin D in your own body, which we now know to be an essential ingredient for optimizing health and preventing disease.?”

This quote comes from an article on Vitamin D Deficiency by Frank Lipman, MD, guest columnist on Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle blog, GOOP.com.

The GOOP scoop is this: our favorite extremely health conscious, fair-skinned actress has been diagnosed with osteopenia, a precursor to osteoperosis, because of very low levels of Vitamin D. She’s avoided the sun for ages, following the general wisdom like many of us, but it turns out this was not very good advice.

Vitamin D is incredibly important. New studies show that some 15-20 minutes every few days should be spent in bright sun without sunscreen or cover. Huh? We were as confused as Gwyneth when these studies came out. But science marches on, and we don’t want to be left behind, developing bone disease, heart disease and low fertility rates. Now that we know, we’re ready to start making some Vitamin D, and you should be, too.

Check out the GOOP article for more information here.

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Being in a recession isn’t much fun, but it turns out, it might be good for our health. Not just in a character building way, either: physical health.

In a study focused on mortality rates and life expectancy in the years 1920 to 1940,  researchers looked specifically at six causes of death: cardiovascular disease, tuberculosis, cancer, flu and pneumonia, motor vehicle deaths and suicide.

The only one that increased in down years was suicide. But suicide represented less than 2 percent of all deaths. Overall, mortality improved.

Why? They’re not sure. Maybe less pollution with less industrial activity? Less smoking and drinking?

In general, it can’t be denied that richer countries are healthier than poorer countries. But why not think of it as a silver lining to the position we’re in? After all, it can’t hurt. We know a positive outlook contributes to better health.

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Laughing makes you healthier and happier. You might think the happier part should come first, and sure, that helps, but laughter actually prepares the body for happiness.

“When you start laughing, your chemistry changes, your physiology changes, your chances to experience happiness are much greater,” says Madan Kataria, a physician from Mumbai, India, and the founder of and chief proselytizer for Laughter Yoga. Laughter Yoga is a movement that started in 1995 and has fostered some 5,000 Laughter Clubs worldwide. There are some 200 Laughter Clubs in the U.S. today. At Laughter Clubs, people get together, to…yep… laugh.

Studies have found that laughter increases circulation, stimulates the immune system, exercises the muscles, invigorates the brain, reduces stress hormones, and may even help prevent heart disease. Sounds fun, right? So what are you waiting for, go join a club!
Or at least watch this:

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You might remember chamomile tea from the classic Peter Rabbit stories of your childhood. In the stories, Peter’s mother brings him a cup of chamomile to help him fall asleep, but this tea is for more than just bunnies! Beatrix Potter must have known a thing or two about human natural remedies as well, since many people rely on chamomile to get a good night’s sleep, just like Peter Rabbit.

Taken as a tea, chamomile is a natural relaxant that can soothe your nerves and help you fall asleep. But chamomile does more than treat insomnia and nervousness; it can also relieve menstrual cramps, upset stomach, and irritable bowel syndrome.

How can one tea treat such varied conditions? Despite its many applications, chamomile really only does one thing – it relaxes muscle tissue, which means less tension and discomfort all over the body. For example, relaxing the muscles in the abdomen leads to decreased menstrual cramps.

Experts advise combining chamomile and peppermint to ease digestion, or adding lemongrass to increase the tea’s sedative properties.

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Some people simply do not have the same energy levels that other people do. This can be because of all kinds of things from your diet, your age, your weight, stress in your life, etc. Being tired is horrible. All you want to do is curl up in bed and take a nice long catnap. There is a way around this though and it does not involve taking OTC drugs, or any drugs for that matter and chances are if you are already reading this blog you may know what I’m going to recommend to you – a more natural and healthy remedy! Some people swear by prescribed drugs.

Other people, usually the ones that are healthier and have seen the effects of natural remedies will swear up and down by natural remedies. They work, they don’t clog your body with a bunch of unneeded chemicals and ingredients, and best of all they usually end up working three times quicker than any drug your doctor can prescribe! The first thing you need to consider is that you get most ALL of your energy from the food that you eat, hence if you aren’t digesting those foods correctly or efficiently, you simply won’t gain any benefits.

So it’s a good idea to follow along with a few digestive measures such as using ginger or turmeric in your meals. This is going to stimulate blood flow to your digestive system therefore helping to aid in the digestive process! Secondly, you will want to consider actually taking something to give you a boost or a “pick me up”. Some of the ways to increase your stamina is by taking ginseng, Gotu Kola or ginkgo to stimulate your immune system these also end up giving you a lot of energy because they are kick starting your metabolism!

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Now that the New Year is here our thoughts turn to resolutions. Many of us will be vowing to lose weight or give up smoking, stop eating chocolate or start a new venture. Whatever it is that you want to change you need the energy to take it forward.

So, how do we shake the winter doldrums and re-energise ourselves? It is hard to start jogging or going back to the gym when your body feels lethargic after the indulgences of the festive season.

Massage seems too much of an indulgence to be good for you, but the truth is that you will feel more in tune with your body and uplifted to face your new challenges. So many people think that massage is simply to relax you and ease aching muscles, but it is so much more than that. Massage increases blood flow to your muscles, tissue and every cell in your body which brings oxygen and nutrients to these critical areas. It also stimulates lymphatic flow, improving tissue drainage and the immune system.

There are many different types of massage to choose from. Which one you choose depends on your personal requirements. Some people feel uncomfortable to try massage as they don’t want to have to undress. In fact, Reiki is a therapy that can be done over your clothing and does not even require ‘hands on’. The therapist can either rest hands on or just above the body to realign chakras and dissolve toxic substances from your physical and emotional being. People often feel warmth or tingling sensations during Reiki and come away feeling uplifted.

The most commonly used massage is a Swedish Massage where oils are massaged into the skin with flowing strokes and kneading to relieve tension in the muscles.

Acupressure and Shiatsu apply pressure to the acupuncture healing points. This unblocks the flow of energy and encourages blood and lymphatic flow.

Other massage methods include deep tissue massage, sports massage and hot stone therapy which will all alleviate muscle pain. Craniosacral therapy can help treat headaches, ear and eye problems as well as whiplash and back problems.

If you just want the feel good factor, then an aromatherapy massage tailored to suit your personal needs could be just the thing.

To find a suitable therapist, check a Massage Listings directory. You may well be able to find out more information from the massage listings with each therapist explaining their own speciality.

Whatever massage you go for, you are sure to get that sense of well being that will kick start you into 2010!

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We all are advised by doctors to eat food that are rich in antioxidants. An obvious question that arises is what are antioxidants? Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances, like Vitamin A and Vitamin C that are found in various fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants prevent the body from aging process, heart diseases, cancer and skin diseases. Antioxidants help in the neutralization of the oxidation process in the body and thus, prevent the cellular damage, imparting agility and longevity to the body and cells. The antioxidants have also been found effective in cancer treatment and skin diseases. Antioxidants are good for the holistic health and the aim of this article is to enlist some best antioxidants. Read more on benefits of antioxidants.

Best Antioxidants for Skin

The first signs of aging usually occur when there are wrinkles on the skin. There are various antioxidants for skin that can help in decreasing the aging process. The effects of antioxidants are evident after a long period of time. Consulting a skin doctor before you incorporate any of the antioxidant supplements in your diet is always the safest option you can take. Here are some best antioxidants for skin. Read more on antioxidants: how they work.

Vitamins
Sun skin creams and lotions are rich in vitamin E and this is so, because the vitamin E in these cosmetics prevents the damage of cell membranes. It is believed that when vitamin E is applied before sun exposure, it helps in lessening the skin redness, swelling and sun burn. A vitamin supplement that suits your skin is a good choice, as an antioxidant. Wheat germ, safflower, corn, soybean oil, mangoes, nuts and broccoli are some foods that are rich in vitamin E. Similarly, there are Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and Vitamin A (1st antioxidant used for anti-aging) antioxidants, that one can use to control aging process. While vitamin C rich foods are cereals, beef, poultry, and fish vitamin A is found abundantly in potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks, and cheese. Read more on best antioxidant supplements.

Green Tea
A compound named polyphenols, found in the green tea is regarded as one of the best antioxidants. So, if you consume green tea in your daily life then keep doing that, as green tea is not only good for your skin care, it also helps in controlling free radical damage. Read more on green tea benefits.

Grapes
Proanthocyanidin, a chemical found in the grapefruit and grape seed extracts is known to have great effect on the healing of wounds and preventing the fat cell damage.

Some other best antioxidants for skin are as follows:
•Allantoin
•Copper Peptides
•Glutathione
•Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE)
•Panthenol
Antioxidants for Cancer

Cancer is related to the uncontrolled multiplication of cells and it has been found that antioxidants can at least prevent or possibly slow the free radical damage, that pose the threat of cancer disease. Here are some best antioxidant supplements for cancer.

Berries
Blue berries and strawberries are the fruits that are filled with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Proanthocyanidins, is the chemical present in the berries, that helps in reducing the effects of cancer. Read more on goji berry benefits.

Garlic
The most common and world’s oldest known herbal medicine, garlic is used as a supplement in the tea. According to studies, regular consumption of garlic slows and prevents the threat of cancer.

Lycopene
Tomatoes contain lycopene, a chemical that helps in reducing the risk of prostrate cancer in men. Some studies have also shown that lycopene can also help in the prevention of breast cancer.

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