Showing posts with label body health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label body health. Show all posts
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
How to Draw a Winter Bath
Dermatologists say hot baths are bad for your skin, but that won't stop us when it's 10 degrees outside. Here's how to make a bath a skin-safe ritual.
By
Grace Gold
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And while experts often scold against hot water submersion during the wintry months of dry skin, we can’t help but luxuriate in this soothing mind and body ritual. So we’ve sought out a dermatologist who loves a good soak herself, for tips on how to transform bath time into a hydrating salve for skin and spirit.
Use bath oil.
Most importantly, the base of your bath should infuse hydration. “Don’t soak in soap product like bubble bath or shower gel that can add to the drying effect of hot water and provoke itchiness by triggering histamine release,” advises Washington, D.C., dermatologist Noëlle S. Sherber, M.D. Use bath oil, or if you love bubbles, counter it by adding bath oil to the water, too.
Rinse with plain water.
Bathing oils and soap products are generally not designed to remain on your skin, and can cause irritation if left on, says Dr. Sherber. Simply do a rinse before stepping out of the tub to prevent related dryness, or do a quick once-over in the shower.
Moisturize ASAP.
Keep rich moisturizer nearby so that you can apply a generous layer within a minute or two of leaving the tub. “A good rule of thumb is that if the product is thin enough to dispense through a pump, it has too much water to be sufficiently moisturizing—look for products that are thick enough to have to be dispensed in a jar or tube, or use body oil,” says Sherber.
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Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Incredible Health Benefits of 7 Types of Tea
Teas that Are Natural Health Remedies
Green Tea
Though it seems to have been around since the beginning of time, green tea has solidified its massive cultural popularity in the past decade (Green Tea Frappuccino anyone?).
“Green tea has enjoyed fame in recent years as it has been under the research spotlight,” explains registered dietitian Jacqueline Aizen. “Green tea is rich in EGCG, a powerful antioxidant that has been linked to improved cholesterol, and possibly inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.”
Registered dietitian Samantha Lynch adds that the chemicals in green tea also have been shown to help prevent heart disease and uplift your mood.
But here’s what may just be your favorite part: The EGCG in green tea also makes it an incredible fat burner. Studies have shown that EGCG in green tea may both reduce the body’s ability to absorb fat and enhance the body’s ability to use fat. Pretty magical, huh?
Ginger “Tea”
Ginger can be a godsend for your stomach. Internist Dr. Andrea Ruman explains that ginger is “used to aid digestion and treat stomach upset, stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea and nausea.” Ginger accomplishes this mighty task by suppressing stomach contractions and improving the movement of food and fluids through your intestines. You can buy pre-made ginger tea, but why not make your own from ginger root when your stomach needs calming.
Aizen recommends slicing two inches of fresh ginger root and boiling in it in a cup of water for five minutes. Then strain the ginger and sip the “tea” slowly.
“I also like to boil one tablespoon of fennel seeds in one cup of water for five minutes, strain, and sip on it slowly,” she explains. “Both ginger and fennel are excellent digestive aids.”
Hungover? Ginger tea can help quiet your rollercoaster stomach the next morning. With its anti-inflammatory properties, ginger tea is also used to help silence pounding headaches.
Oolong Tea
You may remember hearing rumblings of oolong tea a few years back when it burst on the scene as a weight loss aid.
The antioxidant catechin in oolong tea, along with the tea’s caffeine, is thought to boost the metabolism for up to two hours after you drink it. Oolong also contains Polyphenols, which have been shown to help block the body from storing fat, which in turn may help you to keep the weight off.
The high concentration of polyphenols also helps improve dental hygiene by fighting tooth decay and helping prevent cavities.
Oolong’s antioxidants are so potent that they help remove harmful bodily toxins, reducing the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes. It also helps remove toxins that damage the skin and cause wrinkles, age spots, and slowed exfoliation. We’ll drink to that.
Black Tea
Get ready for this: studies have shown that black (and green) teas have many more times the antioxidants of fruits and vegetables. These antioxidants work to detoxify free radicals in the body as well as block DNA damage. Translation? They may reduce cardiovascular disease, cancer and delay the onset of diabetes.
If chronic disease is too far in the future to motivate you to drink-up, know that black tea may also boost the metabolism, fight halitosis (bad breath) and improve skin.
Like with any tea, be careful not to add too much sugar and avoid tea lattes (that chai latte ring a bell?), which can be packed with sugar and high in calories. For a healthier black tea fix, try an iced pure black tea for an afternoon pick-me-up. Black tea does, after all, have the highest caffeine of teas.
Nettle Tea
If you suffer from seasonal allergies, try a dose of nettle tea before popping a few anti-histamines. And yep, nettle tea does come from nettles—those stinging weeds found in parts of the U.S.
Nettle tea works to relieve those sneezing, stuffy nose, scratchy throat, rub-your-eyes-out allergy attacks through its antihistamine properties. If you start drinking it before your allergies reach full-blown status, you may even be able to ward off the attack entirely.
It’s nice to know nettles are good for something besides ruining afternoon picnics and hikes.
Chamomile Tea
The word chamomile just sounds soothing doesn’t it? People have long used chamomile as a before bed ritual when they are feeling anxious or need to wind down from a busy day.
Researchers believe chamomile acts as a sedative in part because it can increase levels of the amino acid glycine in the body, which is known to act as a nerve relaxant. Try having a cup of chamomile tea 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime if you need help winding down.
In addition to these calming properties, chamomile is also shown to help ease menstrual cramps. This may be because glycine also helps reduce muscle spasms, and may help to relax the uterus. (Likewise, chamomile has also been found to be effective at calming stomach and intestinal cramping—great for irritable bowel syndrome sufferers, who are commonly women).
Evelyn Resh, a certified sexuality counselor and nurse-midwife, even recommends drinking chamomile tea and mint as a natural remedy for upset stomachs related to our old frenemy PMS.
You can also use chamomile tea bags to help reduce puffiness under the eye area, recommends certified holistic and clinical nutritionist Pamela Warren. Just dip the bags in warm water, let them cool to room temperature and then rest them over your eyelids and under-eyes to sooth the area and help fluid dissipate.
Peppermint Tea
Like chamomile, peppermint tea is also shown to help release tension, promote relaxation, and aid in calming the body to prepare for sleep.
Peppermint tea is also great for relieving constipation (how’s that for a segue?). It can also help relieve mild stomach pain, flatulence and diarrhea.
The tea can also help keep you smelling better in other ways too: the minty aroma is a great natural remedy for bad breath.
This, combined with its ability to ease the unfortunate symptoms listed above, just may make peppermint the perfect tea for a first date.
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Friday, January 17, 2014
8 Natural Headache Remedies
How to Stop Headaches Without Taking Medicine
If you’re suffering from migraines, which internist Dr. Andrea Ruman describes as “severe, recurring, intense, throbbing pain on one side of the head that can be very debilitating” and last 4 to 72 hours, it’s best to consult with your primary care physician. However, common headaches are a great candidate for natural remedies.
These headaches range from a dull, aching sensation to a sharp, throbbing pain, located on either side or radiating to both sides of the head. They’re often caused by stress, sleep deprivation (or oversleeping), caffeine withdrawal, alcohol, poor posture, dehydration, skipping meals, and dietary influences. More so than headaches caused by preexisting health conditions or migraines, common headaches are more easily managed through natural remedies, such as these.
Dietary Changes
“Some food additives, nitrates and food colorings are common headache triggers,” explains registered nutritionist and health coach Princess Carey. “Additives often increase blood flow to the brain causing headaches.”
She recommends avoiding substitute or artificial sweeteners, canned, processed or smoked foods--especially processed meats, sodium packed foods and foods that contain monosodium glutamate (MSG). Also steer clear of foods such as chocolate and cheese, which contain headache trigger phenylethylamine, and tyramine found in some nuts, meats and cheeses. Instead, opt for magnesium-rich choices like spinach and sweet potatoes, and foods contained essential fatty acids such as olives, beans, fish and flaxseed oil, and look into adding supplements containing vitamin B2 and CoQ10 to your vitamin routine and making sure you get your daily intake of vitamin D (2000 mg/day).
Hydration
Dehydration is one of the most common headache causes that often gets overlooked. If you’re not thirsty, it doesn’t mean dehydration isn’t causing your pounding head--oftentimes thirst isn’t even a primary symptom of being low on your H2O needs. If you think that dehydration may be causing your headache, alternate glasses of water with an electrolyte-rich sports drink such as Gatorade until you feel an improvement; then make sure you’re getting around 64 to 72 oz. of water a day to ward off any future water-related aches.
Ginger Tea
Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, meaning sipping on a cup of ginger tea will reduce the inflammation that is leading to your headache. Even better? It’s fast acting. Add crushed fresh ginger root to boiling water for a few minutes and then sip like you would regular tea. Ginger tea is also a great remedy for hangovers.
Feverfew
Possessing similar benefits as ginger, feverfew is an herb made from drying the leaves of a small flowering feverfew plant. The herb is used commonly in supplements for its anti-inflammatory benefits. The best way to take feverfew if you feel a headache coming in is in an over-the-counter supplement that also contains ginger. The good thing is that there are very few side effects to feverfew; however, if you are pregnant you should not take this supplement as it may cause uterine contractions.
Hot & Cold Compresses
If you’re in a pinch, apply a warm compress to the back of your neck toward the base of your head to help with headaches brought on by poor posture. Go for a cold compress at the temples, however, if you are experiencing a throbbing headache. The cold will help to lower inflammation by reducing the temperature of the blood that is being pumped through the lining of the brain, meaning a bit of the throbbing will be reduced.
Take a Breather
If you are in a position where you can, take a break from whatever you are doing and try to rest for 20 minutes. You don’t have to nap, just quieting your mind and relaxing the muscles in your body can be a huge step toward reducing headache tension and pain. Taking the moment to simply relax will help to interrupt the pain cycle and likely relieve or at least lessen the headache.
Unfortunately, most of the time headaches attack in environments that aren’t exactly conducive to adult naptime. Instead, try to take a few moments to perform breathing exercises like those found here to help get you centered and hopefully alleviate some of the tension in your head and body.
Reduce Caffeine Intake
If your go-to headache relief is to pop ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen, be sure not to double up on the caffeine afterward. Most pain relief medications already have caffeine in them as a way to speed up their metabolism and get them working faster in your blood. So why not drink more caffeine after taking a pain-killer to speed it up? It seems logical, but unfortunately that’s not how the body responds to caffeine. If you take in too much your body is going to respond with an even more intense headache than you were initially trying to treat.
Even if you’re not taking pain medication, be mindful of how much caffeine you’re drinking daily as simply drinking too much can bring on pounding headaches and light sensitivity.
Find Your Headache Triggers
The best way to treat your headache effectively is to figure out what is actually causing it. Clinical pharmacist Stacey McCoy recommends keeping what she calls “A Headache Diary,” and jotting down the answers to the following questions:
1. Usual time of onset
2. What you were doing when it started?
3. How long the headache lasted?
4. Time of onset until the headache peaked
5. How often you're having headaches?
6. Where the headache is located?
7. Is there nausea or vomiting associated with the headache?
8. Are there any food triggers?
9. How many hours of sleep are you getting?
10. Which medications you're using to treat your headache and the amount of medication you're using
Answering these questions will help you establish a pattern of behavior in relation to the headache. Are you getting the same dull headache an hour after indulging in your favorite Thai food or after a late night out? Chances are those lifestyle choices are bringing on the headaches, and at least this way you’ll be able to track down the culprit, whatever it may be.
Book your appointment online now at www.montereydayspa.com! Let us help you get rid of that headache with a relaxing massage!
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Monday, January 6, 2014
Why Do You Have to Drink Water After a Massage?
Great article worth a share. The Question - Why do you have to drink water after a massage?
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The Answer: If you’ve ever gotten a massage, whether at a spa, a sports medicine facility, or a kiosk at the airport, chances are that your masseuse instructed you to drink a lot of water when you got home (or wherever your travels may have taken you). The reasons for this are twofold.
First off, massages are dehydrating. Kneading and working muscle gets fluid pumping out of the soft tissue and into your circulatory system, where it heads toward your kidneys. That’s why many people have to pee right after a massage. You have to replenish all that lost water—by drinking more.
Then there’s the issue of metabolic waste, which is produced by muscles in the course of everyday function. When your muscles are tight or you’ve got a major knot, it constricts circulation in those areas, inhibiting the body’s ability to flush out this waste. And, since tight muscles are probably what prompted you to make a massage appointment in the first place, chances are you’ve got some compromised circulation happening. Massage relaxes the tension, releasing the circulatory pathways and allowing nitrogenous metabolic waste to dump into the system. Drinking provides your kidneys with the water they need to effectively eliminate the newly liberated waste.
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