How to Keep Pounds Off for the Long Run

6 Long-Term Weight Loss Success Secrets Based on Research

Maintain, don't gain
If you've ever dropped pounds and then tried to maintain your lower weight, you've probably blamed yourself when the scale started creeping back up. Well, emerging research shows that faulty willpower is not the main culprit. "Multiple systems in your body conspire against you in a push to regain lost weight," explains Michael Rosenbaum, MD, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University Medical Center and a top obesity researcher. After you've slimmed down, your brain, muscles and hormones work together to slow down your metabolism, so you naturally burn hundreds of fewer calories each day.

In fact, Rosenbaum's research reveals that people who've lost weight require about 400 fewer calories per day to keep the scale steady compared with people of the same weight who never went through a slim down.

Lose the weight for good
Fortunately, there are proven ways to counteract these pound-hoarding tendencies. "It's not a losing battle," stresses Holly Wyatt, MD, associate director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado, Denver. "You can keep the weight off for the long run." By analyzing data from the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR)—a database of more than 10,000 people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept them off for a minimum of one year—experts have discovered strategies that work, many of them quite different from the ones that help take off pounds in the first place. "Losing weight and maintaining it are really two different animals," Dr. Wyatt notes. Mastering the art of maintenance is the key to making sure your goal weight turns into your new normal.


Success secret #1: You have to move every single day
"The most successful dieters simply move more," Dr. Wyatt says. "When you're active, you're fighting your body's tendency to keep the weight from returning." Ninety percent of the NWCR's success cases exercise about 60 minutes a day on average. Being very active goes beyond just burning calories. Exercise also triggers helpful biological systems: Hormones like epinephrine and adiponectin that cut down on your fat stores kick into high gear, actively incinerating flab up to 24 hours after your workout. Plus, "When you're more active, you feel better about yourself and you make better food choices and avoid couch-potato behavior," Dr. Wyatt says. And as recent research from Stanford University School of Medicine shows, good habits truly reinforce each other. People who focused on changing both diet and exercise habits were significantly more likely to get in their regular workouts and to follow healthy eating plans than those who focused on either diet or exercise separately.

How to get moving more
If you don't have time for a full hour of exercise every day, it's fine to break it up into spurts of activity. Doing 10 focused minutes here and there throughout the day is effectively equivalent to one big workout, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Try using a tech tool, like the Nike+ Fuel Band ($149; nike.com) or Jawbone UP ($130; jawbone.com), to keep tabs on how many calories you're burning throughout the day, then challenge yourself to maintain or go beyond that amount by climbing a few additional flights of stairs or doing some extra laps around the office. You can get the same type of data through your smartphone with such free apps as Endomondo Sports Tracker.


Success secret #2: Maintaining muscle matters
There's an unfortunate side effect of losing weight: You tend to lose lean muscle along with the flab. (This can also happen if you always skip the weight training in favor of cardio.) Since muscle burns more than twice as many calories as fat (7 to 10 calories for a pound of muscle compared with 2 or 3 calories for a pound of fat), the more muscle you keep, the higher your metabolism will be. Recent research finds that doing resistance training—using weights or just your own body weight—a few times per week can increase the number of calories you burn even at rest by 100 a day or more. This is important if you are going to maintain your new lean profile: In a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, twice as many people who did regular strength training lost weight and kept it off compared with those who didn't.

Start strength training
You don't have to make like a bodybuilder to get stronger. Sneak simple body-weight moves, like squats, push-ups, lunges and dips, and even strength-building yoga poses (think Warrior 2 or Chair pose) into your routine a few days a week, whether it's a set of each in the morning before your shower or a pre-dinner circuit. You'll hit all your major muscles in just a short workout. For instructions on body-weight moves, go to health.com/strengthplan.


Success secret #3: Mediterranean means more burn
It's well-established that following a Mediterranean diet—which is high in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and healthy fats like those in fish and olive oil—is good for your heart, but it turns out it may also be vital to fighting the metabolism slowdown that follows weight loss. A study from Harvard University shows that eating this type of food, which is low on the glycemic index (a measure of how quickly certain foods are digested and how much they make your blood sugar spike), can help keep energy levels elevated, so you naturally burn about 20 percent more calories over the course of a day than you would following a low-fat diet.

Make Mediterranean work for you
"Eating Mediterranean eliminates those wild swings in blood sugar that can ultimately undermine your metabolism," says study author David Ludwig, MD, director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children's Hospital. The best part: It's not a diet, but rather a balanced, realistic way of eating, which makes it, as Dr. Ludwig says, "easy to follow for the rest of your life."


Success secret #4: Your scale is a weight-loss weapon
Regular weigh-ins may have been a mainstay when you were in reduction mode, but this habit is just as critical after you've hit your goal. National Weight Control Registry research found that dieters who stopped using the scale as a check-in tool gained back two times as much weight as those who kept monitoring their size. "You can't stay in a healthy range if you don't know what your numbers are," Dr. Wyatt points out.

Find your "red zone"
Numbers don't lie, so establish a "red zone"—a weight you find unacceptable. If you reach that number, or slip above it, it's time to go back to some of the stricter diet controls (such as cutting down on calories and measuring out proper portions) that helped you downsize in the first place. "Most people naturally fluctuate by a few pounds here or there, but if you notice your numbers creeping above your red line, you have to snap back into active weight-loss mode," says Dr. Wyatt. When you get back to your "green zone," you can relax...a bit.


Success secret #5: That rumor about breakfast being crucial is true
If you're tempted to start your day with a cup of coffee and nothing else, consider thisfact: 78 percent of the thin-for-lifers from the NWCR group rarely if ever skipbreakfast. And they make it a hearty one. "Most people simply don't eat enough atbreakfast time," says Angela Lemond, RDN, a nutritionist based in Plano, Texas, and aspokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "It's a meal, not a snack, soeat up."

Build a better breakfast
For a woman who is moderately active (exercises 30 to 60 minutes three times a week), your breakfast should be between 300 and 500 calories and rich in protein. Research from the University of Missouri--Columbia found that folks who ate about 35 grams of protein at breakfast felt fuller longer and had fewer cravings, making them much less likely to snack on high-fat or high-sugar foods later in the day. Try oatmeal with fat-free milk and some eggs on the side, or a bowl of Greek yogurt with nuts and fresh fruit. Then follow up with a mid-morning snack and a relatively early lunch.

"About 50 to 60 percent of your calories should be consumed by 2 p.m.," says Lemond. "When you front-load your day, you get a better energy balance, which helps you ultimately make better choices." Jumpstart your day with one of these High Protein Breakfast Recipes.


Success secret #6: Trying to eat perfectly is a recipe for failure
The occasional indulgence does more than just keep you sane—it keeps you slender for the long haul. "Being too rigid about eating healthily means eventually you're much more likely to go off track," points out J. Graham Thomas, PhD, assistant professor at the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center of the Miriam Hospital inProvidence, R.I., and a member of the research team for the NWCR. "Having a more flexible approach, which allows for the occasional indulgence, ultimately helps you control your weight better over the long term."

Follow the 80/20 rule
Since life would be pretty boring if you could never have that side of fries, keep the bulk of your diet well-balanced but allow yourself occasional goodies. "I call it the 80/20 rule," says Jennifer McDaniel, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy ofNutrition and Dietetics. "Eat healthy the vast majority of the time, and you can still have room for those treats." You get the brownie and the buff body. Who can argue with that?

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article source: chixrx.com

5 Breathing Exercises to Quickly Calm Down & Get Happier

Breathing Practices to Help Different Types of Problems

So many problems can be solved with a few deep breaths. Really. Doing controlled breathing exercises is a quick, convenient and effective (not to mention free) way to reduce feelings of stress and tension, boost confidence, ease muscle tension and pain, improve concentration, lower blood pressure and promote a general feeling of calm.  

And different types of breathing exercises can promote different types of wellbeing. So the next time you find yourself in each of these types of situations below, allow yourself to slow down for a moment to practice a mindful breathing exercise.    


To Combat a Bad Mood or Anxiety
Next time you feel yourself slipping into a gloomy, blue mood or starting to feel pangs of anxiety, step back and take a moment to center your breathing.  

“A few moments focusing on your breath in a meditation can do wonders to quiet the negative thoughts and get you centered into a calmer, more balanced state,” explains certified wellness coach for women in recovery Elizabeth McGann.  

McGann recommends the “Better Mood Breath” exercise:  
1.     Sitting up straight in a chair or sitting on the floor, close your eyes and put one hand in the center of your chest and one hand over your belly button.
2.     Take a deep breath in through your nose for eight counts, feeling your belly expand with the breath.
3.     Hold your breath for a count of eight.
4.     Exhale your breath slowly through your nose for the count of 10.
5.     Repeat three times.  


To Control Your Temper We get it, when you’re pissed off the last thing you want to do is to sit down, be calm and do some pansy little breathing exercise. But really, that anger you’re harboring inside (or that’s about to explode outwardly) isn’t good for yourself or anyone around you.  

Knowing how anger affects your body, it’s easy to see how breathing can help to calm you. “When something triggers your primitive wiring, it sounds your body’s alarm bells,” explains marriage and family therapist Lisa Bograd, “you experience shallow breath, a racing heart rate and tense muscles.”  

To compose yourself the next time someone makes a snide comment or cuts you off in traffic, Bograd recommends stopping, taking a deep breath where you focus on breathing from your lower belly instead of from your chest. This is because, as Bograd explains, when you breathe from your chest, your breathing is shallow. This excites the nervous system, feeding the stress or anger you’re trying to calm.  

Temper Controlling Breathing Exercise
1.     Do not engage in an angry reaction. Stop, take a deep, full breath from your lower belly. In through the nose, out through the mouth.
2.     Repeat.
3.     Repeat a calming word or phrase such as “relax” or “it’s going to be okay.”
4.     Remind yourself that you are in control of your responses and that the trigger setting off your anger is not worth the sacrifice of your peace of mind.    


Reduce Tension + Increase Energy
Perhaps in a yoga class you’ve practiced the humming breathing exercise, often referred to as humming bee breath. This practice helps to loosen chest tightness commonly associated with stress, reduce tension, improve your circulation, increase energy levels, and promote a clearer mental state.  

Humming Breathing Exercise:
1.     Sit on the floor with your legs crossed at the ankles or with one leg crossed over the other. Sit up straight with your hands rested on your knees and your eyes closed.
2.     Take a few deep, slow breaths in and out.
3.     On the next deep breath, slowly exhale through your nose keeping your lips closed, teeth slightly parted and making a humming sound (“hummmm”) as you exhale.
4.     Inhale through the nose without humming and then exhale while humming.
5.     Repeat the process 10 times.      


To Calm Your Nerves + Promote Focus
It’s common for nerves to try to abduct your body before a big presentation or meeting. Instead of letting the butterflies in your stomach get the best of you, take a few quiet minutes to yourself and perform an alternate nostril breathing exercise. It’s not as weird as it sounds—promise.  

This practice is believed to calm and center the mind, keep you in the present moment, and harmonize the left and right hemispheres of the brain to promote mental clarity and relaxation. It can also be very energizing, so do this breathing exercise when you when you want to be focused, calm, and alert.  

Alternate Nostril Breathing Exercise:
1.     Keeping your mouth closed for the entirety of the exercise, raise your right hand and place your thumb against your right nostril. You can lean your index and middle fingers on the space between your eyebrows. Cover your right nostril with your right thumb. Exhale slowly through your left nostril.
2.     Still holding your right thumb over your right nostril, inhale slowly through your left nostril.
3.     Now raise your right thumb off of your right nostril, and cover your left nostril with your pinkie finger (on your right hand). Slowly exhale out of your right nostril. Then slowly inhale through your right nostril.
4.     Once you’ve completed one full round (exhaling then inhaling out of one nostril and then the other), repeat the process nine times.      

To Wake You Up To warm up your body, wake up your brain, and release dull, sleepy (or even negative) energy from your system, do like the yogis and start your day off right with this “skull shining” breath exercise.  

The great thing about this exercise is you can do it quickly anywhere—lying in bed, at the breakfast table, sitting in traffic, etc.  

Skull Shining Breathing Exercise
1.     Take one long slow breath in through your nose.
2.     Focusing on releasing the breath from your lower abdomen, exhale through your nose in one quick, powerful movement. (Remember to keep your mouth closed throughout the exercise.)
3.     The exercise may seem awkward at first, as it’s pretty abdominal focused.

Repeat this pattern of inhaling and exhaling through your nose for a total of 10 breaths, resting for one to two seconds after each exhale.      



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Article source: chixrx.com

Top 6 Affordable Ways to Reduce Cellulite's Appearance

Expert-Recommended Techniques to Help Improve Cellulite

Why is it that dimples on your cheeks are adorable, but dimples on your thighs aren’t? Yep, we’re talking about cellulite. When fat presses against and bulges through the web-like layer of connective tissue below the skin it creates an uneven surface resulting in dimples, bumps and heavy sighs in dressing rooms everywhere. Cellulite most often lands on the thighs, hips, butt, abdomen and knees. While most women have it, cellulite is far more rare in men (lucky boys).  

Despite the fact that tons of different products claim that they can banish cellulite, researchers maintain that there is no cure for cellulite. While there are no ways to fully erase those obnoxious dimples, there are things experts say you can do that may help reduce the appearance of cellulite—we’ve outlined six of the most effective, inexpensive strategies below.    


Exercise
“Unfortunately, there is no way to remove cellulite, but you can minimize the appearance by toning the muscles under and surrounding the area,” explains certified personal trainer Jennifer Menzer.  

She recommends a blood-pumping routine of cardio plus strength training to tone up troubled areas.  

“Cellulite is just a fat, so toning muscles in the surrounding areas can help its appearance,” adds registered dietitian Daniela Knight. “Losing weight can help, as well.” We want to stress, though, that even the skinniest amongst us can still suffer from cellulite—it can be an equal opportunity fat problem.  

Depending on your body shape, your cellulite may appear more in certain areas.

Diet
While exercise is a critical step in tightening up at losing weight, so too is your diet.   “Make sure to follow a healthy, high fiber, lower calorie diet,” advises Knight. Menzer adds that to do this, you need “a combination of whole healthy foods such as fruit, veggies, lean meats and whole grains—think oats, quinoa and faro.”  

Watch your salt intake too. Too much sodium causes your body to retain excess fluids, which can make your cellulite more noticeable. Make sure you’re drinking enough water each day, which will help flush toxins from your body, reduce water retention, and make you feel less bloated.
And remember, as Knight advises, “Fad diets tend to not be effective.” But you’re smart ladies, we’re sure you already knew that.  

Side note: Healthy eating will not only help get you in your best shape and boost your energy levels, but it can also leave your skin glowing.


Lotions & Creams
Don’t get sucked into the hype from product manufacturers: There isn’t a miracle cream, lotion or gel out just yet, so don’t waste your hard earned money on an expensive product that will more than likely leave you unsatisfied.  

Two product areas that have gained popularity for reducing the appearance—notice we’re saying reduce appearance, not getting rid of completely—are retinol creams and caffeine lotions.  

The Mayo Clinic recommends a twice-daily application of products with 0.3 percent retinol (a form of vitamin A) cream to affected areas to reduce the appearance of cellulite, but only after a strict six-month regimen. Retinol stimulates collagen production, which may make the skin thicker and better able to hide cellulite dimples.

Just how caffeine leaves you thirsty for a glass of water, it can also dehydrate cellulite-affected areas of your skin. By flushing out moisture under the skin, it can slightly tighten the skin, potentially leaving it looking less lumpy and bumpy—but only temporarily, and you may not even notice a difference. If you want to give it a try, though, look for lotions that contain at least five percent caffeine. There are even several drug-store alternatives that hit the mark at the moment.    


Dry Brushing
Massages stimulate blood flow, which releases toxins and excess fluid—this can plump up your skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite. So massage is often recommended as an alternative natural treatment to temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite.  

But massage can be difficult to do properly yourself, and dropping into a massage parlor each time you want to wear shorts isn’t exactly affordable. So instead try dry brushing, which will give you the same massage effect for less money and with the added benefit smoothing your skin as it sloughs off the top layer of dead, dry cells.  

To dry brush, you simply need a natural bristle (not synthetic) body brush that you keep dry at all times. Before showering, sweep the dry brush over your dry skin starting at your feet and working your way up your legs and rear, working in the direction toward your heart. (The point here is you’re moving the fluid in the direction of circulation, to the heart.)    

Don’t go back and forth over the same area of skin and don’t press too hard as this can damage your skin.  

Once your legs are complete, perform the same technique on your arms: start at your hands and brush up your arms, toward your heart. For your stomach, simply brush in a counterclockwise motion.  

When you’re done just hop in the shower and wash off all those loose dead skin cells.      

De-stress
An often-overlooked fact is that stress may actually increase your risk for cellulite—who knew? This may be due to the fact that stress can cause an increase in certain hormones associated with the development of cellulite.  

If you needed one more reason to stop being a stress-junkie, perhaps this is it.  


Tanning
Being tan won’t reduce dimpling, but it certainly can reduce the appearance of it. Get bronzed with sunless tanner instead of tanning your hide with cancer causing, skin damaging UV rays.  

To disguise cellulite, apply one layer of self-tanner to your problem areas and then follow up a few hours later with your regular full body layer of tanner. The first layer should be a lotion self-tanner, but you can use a spray for the full body if you like. Strategically double layering your color in problem areas helps to conceal lumps and bumps in a contouring-like manner.  

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Article source: chixrx.com

Hand Washing

Ask a Scientist: Does Washing My Hands in Hot Water Cause Dry Skin?

The Scientist: Susan Stuart, M.D., a dermatologist in La Jolla, California

The Answer: Though it may seem like a more effective way to wash your hands, scrubbing up with hot water doesn’t do your skin any favors, especially during the brutal winter months. Because cold air doesn’t hold humidity well, it's very dry and leaches moisture out of your skin—especially those parts that are most often exposed to the elements, namely your face and hands. Your skin has natural oils that help create a barrier to keep moisture in. This is its main line of defense against the drying cold air outside, not to mention the just-as-dry hot air pumping in through the heating system at home and at work. When you wash your hands, you can wash away protective oils along with the dirt and germs you’re actually trying to get rid of. This leaves the moisture in your skin unguarded, allowing water to evaporate away and leaving your skin parched and susceptible to cracking.

Hot water is the most effective at stripping oils from your hands, so—good as it feels when you’ve just come in from outside—doctors recommend that you not crank up the heat when you wash your hands. Stick to lukewarm water instead. Not only does a hot hand washing damage the lipid barrier on your skin, it also dilates the blood vessels just below the surface. When these capillaries open, more blood flows to the area, exacerbating fluid loss. On the flipside of the faucet, cold water constricts blood vessels, shunting blood and moisture away from the skin surface. Whether it’s by wearing gloves outside or settling for tepid water when you come back in, shielding your skin from extreme temperature changes is the best way to keep hands hydrated and soft

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aricle source-youbeauty.com  

Spa Recipe: Acai Breakfast Bowl

Start your day off on a healthy note with this guilt-free treat!

by Carolyn Meers

The period just after the holidays is reality-check time for anyone watching their weight. The scales insist on registering every last buttery indulgence and, for many clients, those New Year’s resolutions fade faster than the final bars of “Auld Lang Syne”.

Kick-start your January regimen with this satisfying yet healthful recipe, the Açai Breakfast Bowl. 
It’s refreshing and restorative and, according to chef David Reardon, “a favorite because of its health benefits and invigorating combination of flavors and textures. It’s our top seller in the mornings!”

The recipe’s fruit base is a sweet, slightly tart blend of blueberries, strawberries, açai berries and goji berries. (The gojis should be parboiled for 15 minutes to rehydrate and soften them.) A splash of orange juice lends a smoothie-like consistency, while granola provides crunch.

The dish delivers a powerful antioxidant punch: açai berries are high in anthocyanins, a form of plant antioxidant thought to help lower cholesterol; strawberries and goji berries are rich in vitamin C, which helps fight free radicals and bolster the immune system; and blueberries are an excellent source of bone-strengthening vitamin K.

You can boost the bowl’s benefits by pairing it with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice or, in winter, a warming cup of green tea. Whatever the accompanying beverage, this is one tasty wake-up call!

Açai Breakfast Bowl

1 oz. organic açai purée
1 oz. frozen blueberries
1 oz. frozen strawberries
4 oz. fresh orange juice
¼ oz. goji berries, parboiled
1 oz. fresh blueberries
1 oz. granola
1 oz. fresh strawberries, sliced
1 banana, sliced
1 Tbsp. agave syrup
1 sprig mint
Purée the first five ingredients in a blender. Garnish with fresh blueberries, strawberry and banana slices, granola, agave syrup and mint.

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8 Natural Headache Remedies

How to Stop Headaches Without Taking Medicine

Though resolving a headache can be as easy as popping a pain reliever, it’s important to know that there are effective natural remedies. If you want to avoid growing dependent on pills, ChickRx has assembled 8 natural ways to treat and prevent the uncomfortable, annoying, and sometimes-painful pounding in your head.  

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.    

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33 Flu-Fighting Foods

Don’t let winter get in the way of eating a healthy mix of fruits and vegetables. Here’s how to enjoy a variety of produce and build a more beautiful immune system.

By Kristin Kirkpatrick, R.D. |

If you’re like most people, your produce consumption peaks during the summer months due to abundant availability, freshness, and the lure and trendiness of the mid-summer farmers' markets. Before you know it, winter is here and the appeal of the couch and the fireplace seem so much better when paired with mac and cheese rather than an arugula salad with tomatoes.

Enter what I call the winter color drain—the cold months between December and March where most vegetables are a blah color (think potatoes), your refrigerator rarely sees the color green, and the thought of a stroll through a farmers market is about as inviting as firing up the outdoor grill to make some fish in the frigid air. The truth is, your selection of fruits and vegetables doesn’t have to go away during the winter months—it may just need to come in a different form: frozen. It’s the winter months that you’ll really need to focus on knockout food selections to keep your immune system as beautiful as ever.

First, let’s start with availability. Just because spring and summer are gone doesn't mean that fresh, delicious and available produce is no longer an option. Fall and winter produce selections include apples, pears, cruciferous vegetables such as Brussels sprouts and broccoli, collard greens, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, kale and leeks. Also, remember that any vegetable can be enjoyed year round in the frozen section. These vegetables are frozen at peak ripeness, which means they contain the highest amounts of antioxidants. Just make sure your frozen vegetables are plain and void of added salt, sugars or sauces.

Next, let’s look at immunity. The top vitamins for keeping your immune system at peak performance are vitamins C, E, B6, A, D and folic acid, as well as iron, selenium and zinc. Here’s a breakdown of where you can find the best sources of these immune-boosting gems:

• Vitamin C: green leafy vegetables, bell peppers, citrus, papaya
• Vitamin E: almonds and spinach
• Vitamin B6: coldwater fish such as tuna, as well as chicken breast and bananas
• Vitamin A: foods high in carotenoids such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cantaloupe and squash
• Vitamin D: fatty fish, low-fat milk, eggs and certain varieties of mushrooms
• Folic acid: beans, lentils, ready-to-eat cereals and green leafy vegetables
• Iron: tofu, beans, broccoli, kale, shrimp and turkey
• Selenium: sardines, barley, Brazil nuts, tuna
• Zinc: shellfish, chicken, cashews, baked beans

Keep in mind though, that the best "immune boosting" diet is really one that incorporates a balanced amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean sources of protein. In other words, the overall quality of your diet may be more important than pinpointing specific foods for immune-boosting. Other major factors for a healthy immune system include getting adequate sleep and following a regular exercise routine.

Finally, let’s look at preparation. Winter is a tempting time to indulge in comfort food favorites. The good news is that you can easily incorporate nutrient-dense vegetables into your winter regulars. To make a healthier chili, substitute ground beef for ground turkey breast and throw in a whole bag of kale. Because kale absorbs so much water, it'll become nothing more than green specs in your pot—not really noticeable on the spoon but oh so noticeable to the body. Longing for mashed potatoes? Mix ¼ of the entire pot with pureed cauliflower. It’s got the same color and similar texture when pureed, yet gives the potatoes a cruciferous cancer-fighting boost. Want to indulge in a little immune-boosting vitamin A? Mix carrot puree into muffin mixes, soups and even spaghetti sauce. Finally, add some fungus in your wintery mix by folding mushrooms into scrambled eggs in the morning or simply sauté them in olive oil and add them to a panini.

Just because the snow shows up more than the sun doesn’t mean your diet has to suffer. Stay beautiful this winter by improving your immune system with the same nutrient-dense produce that keeps you healthy all summer long!

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Article source: youbeauty.com

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?

The Scientist: Michele Naumann Carlstrom, licensed massage therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York

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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Article source: youbeauty.com

Spa Recipe: Debloat Smoothie from Celebrity Cruises

This fiber-rich treat will get you on board the health train in no time!

by Lesley McCave

iStockphoto.com 

 

Just as the cruise ship spa business is booming so is the trend for healthy eating while on board. Gourmet banquets still have their place, but these days cruise ship cuisine is steering more toward overall wellness.

At the forefront of the movement is Celebrity Cruises, which recently partnered with SPE Certified, a program whose team of food experts, including chefs, nutritionists and dieticians, gives its stamp of approval to dishes based on such factors as seasonality, sourcing and sustainability. “SPE” is taken from the Latin phrase, sanitas per escam, or “health through food.” An SPE Certified dish is guaranteed to be low in salt, saturated fats and processed ingredients, and dense in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

“Consumers’ desire for healthy dining options has evolved from a small niche several years ago into the general mindset today, with developments like nutrition labeling and the banning of trans fats,” says John Suley, Celebrity Cruises’ executive chef and associate vice president of culinary operations. “At Celebrity, we’ve kept pace with those trends in our menu offerings, and have taken a particularly innovative approach to healthy dining by partnering with SPE Certified.”

The Debloat Smoothie, served at Celebrity’s AquaSpa Cafés, is a prime example of a healthy yet delicious SPE Certified dish. It’s packed with pumpkin (known for its fiber-rich properties) and banana (high in potassium, which helps rid the body of excess sodium, thereby reducing water retention). It also contains a touch of sweetness via honey and a hint of spiciness thanks to cinnamon and nutmeg. The smoothie is vegan and suitable for people with allergies to gluten or lactose.

So if you are complaining about your post-holiday waistline, this should help you get back on an even keel!

Debloat Smoothie

Serves 1
¼ cup canned unsweetened pumpkin purée
½ cup chopped frozen banana
1 cup unsweetened vanilla soy milk
1 Tbsp. protein powder
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1 tsp. honey
Blend all ingredients well and serve.

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Spa Recipes: Granola

It seemed too good to be true—a delicious, nutritious breakfast that could double as dessert?

by Carolyn Meers

Armando Sanchez 

San Diego’s Cal-A-Vie health spa has created a granola that hits all the marks; it’s rich on texture and flavor but light on the waistline. Chef, Jason Graham, developed the recipe to offer optimal flavor and nutritional value. Subbing in agave nectar for maple syrup was a start. “Agave is a lower glycemic sweetener,” Graham explains. “It’s about one and a half times sweeter than sugar, so you end up using less.” He also ditched heavy cooking oil for grapeseed oil to slash calories and fat.

Granola Recipe

Makes 10 cups
1.5 bananas
2 cups agave or maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
Small pinch salt
1 tbsp. grapeseed oil
4 cups rolled oats
1 box brown rice cereal
2 cups toasted slivered almonds or pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine bananas, agave, cinnamon, salt and oil in a blender. Coat with the oats.
3. Spread mixture evenly onto 2 large sheet pans and bake for 30 minutes, turning the oats every 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, and stir in the brown rice cereal. Add more agave as needed.
5. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake mixture, turning every 10 minutes, for
45-60 minutes, until crispy. Remove and cool on rack for 1 hour.
6. Transfer mixture to an airtight container, and mix in the nuts.

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Healthy Living: 8 Ways to Stop Sugar Cravings

The Secret to Controlling Cravings

Sugar cravings can get to even the most disciplined healthy eaters among us. One innocent little bite of a birthday cupcake and suddenly you’re face down in an empty bag of Oreos. Hey, it happens.  

While sugar cravings may seem uncontrollable, there actually is a science to them and clear-cut ways you can get them in check. So, to prevent ruining all that good work you’ve done at the gym or opting for that salad, follow these eight expert tips to squash those beastly sugar cravings.    


De-Stress You can thank stress for a huge chunk of those sugar cravings. These cravings begin in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis of your brain, which fires up when you’re stressed or coping with a busy lifestyle. “This HPA axis on overdrive makes your body actually crave more sugar because it thinks it’s constantly in ‘acute danger’ and needs more sugar to help you react quicker and survive,” explains Dr. Dani Gordon, an integrative medicine specialist and family physician.  

So to get to the root cause of many sugar cravings, you’ve got to de-stress. Dr. Dani recommends taking up yoga, get a massage, mediate or do breathing exercises to calm the HPA axis before it sends you into a sugar fit. (Indeed, whether your stressed or not, trying some calming breathing exercises can help you control a sugar craving.)  


Get Your Eight Hours When you’re not getting enough quality sleep, the hormone serotonin—the one that affects mood and appetite—dips below what the body needs to keep you happy and motivated. “The body knows that simple sugars will increase serotonin levels and hence the food cravings,” explains triathlon, fitness and nutrition coach Dr. Rick Kattouf.  


Try a Sugar Detox
While “everything in moderation” is the crux of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, sometimes even moderate amounts of sugar can send a girl careening down a slippery slope of sugar, sugar and more sugar.  

So to better control your desire for sugary foods, it can be helpful to simply avoid all processed, sugary foods and eat clean for a couple of weeks (clean out your kitchen so that you don’t get tempted!). Or, if you want to be more hardcore about it, you could try a detox or juice cleanse.

As your body becomes used to not eating these sugary, processed foods, it will gradually stop craving them. Think of it as sugar rehab.      


Treat Yourself to Fruit
Once you start avoiding processed food and sugary snacks, you’ll be surprised at how easily a sugar craving can be tackled with a few sweet strawberries, a banana or a cup of watermelon. Remember, fruits have natural sugars, but we sometimes aren’t attuned to their sweetness because our taste buds are so intoxicated by ridiculously sugary, processed foods.  

So if you’re having a sugar craving after a meal, try satisfying it with a sweet piece of fruit. Fruit is jam-packed with vital nutrients, unlike Oreos.   Don’t overdo it with the fruit, though. Because it’s high in sugar (fructose), certified holistic and clinical nutritionist Pamela Warren and registered dietitian Anita Mirchandani both recommend eating no more than 3 servings of fruit a day.    


Meal Timing
Sleep isn’t the only thing that affects those serotonin levels. Properly timing when your body gets nutrients is key to curbing serotonin-responsible sugar cravings as well.   Dr. Kattouf recommends fueling the body as soon as you wake—just have something small if you don’t have much of an appetite first thing in the morning. After breakfast, Dr. Kattouf recommends eating every 2.5 to 3.5 hours to keep your blood sugars (and serotonin levels) stabilized. Another good rule of thumb is to shoot for three meals a day plus two snacks, or five small meals a day.    


Balance Macronutrients It’s not just how often you eat, but also what you eat that can help combat cravings.  

To properly balance your blood sugar and seratonin levels, it’s important to eat a combination of carbs, protein and fat with each meal. (The worst thing you can do is to start your day with a sugary or starchy meal for breakfast.)   Although amounts vary depending on your fitness goals, weight, and health needs, Dr. Kattouf says a simple rule of thumb for caloric breakdown is 40 to 55 percent carbohydrates, 15 to 30 percent protein and 15 to 30 percent fat. Keeping a food diary can help you to track your levels throughout the day, as can planning your meals ahead of time.   Be sure to opt for healthy sources of carbohydrates (like whole grains), fats (like olive oil and avocados) and protein (like lean meats, Greek yogurt).    

And of course, drink plenty of water with and between meals. Sometimes being thirsty can trigger what we perceive to be a food craving.    


Exercise
Your body can crave sugar to combat an energy slump, so stay energized. Getting enough sleep, combating stress, eating frequently and balancing nutrients are all important components of that, but so too is exercise.  

Recognize Boredom & Emotional Issues
Many of us start thinking about, and craving, sweets when we get bored or are feeling down. Make a concerted effort to recognize if you fall into either or both of these patterns.  

If you’re eating as a response to boredom, make a concerted effort to find other ways to stimulate yourself. Cravings generally last for 10 to 20 minutes max, so go engage yourself with something else and let the craving pass.  

Some ideas for you: get a manicure, go for a walk or run, call a friend/family member, organize your drawers, etc. If you get antsy while watching TV, grab a couple of hand weights and do a few bicep curls while you watch.  

Just like boredom can trigger a sugar flare up, so too can emotional problems. While that cupcake may help you feel warmer and fuzzier, the pick up from it is only temporary. If you’re going through a tough time, acknowledge that food is not a solution, and consciously make an effort to find support through friends, family, or therapy if you need.


Call today to schedule your appointment at 831-373-2273.  Or book online at www.montereydayspa.com

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***Don't forget that Monterey Day Spa gift certificates make perfect gifts for the holidays!***

Article source: chixrx.com

Spa Recipe: Honey-Roasted Carrots

Since we support healthy living here at Monterey Day Spa, I decided to implement a new feature.  Going forward I will post the occassional healthy recipe!  Leave a comment and let me know if you enjoy this kind of feature!

Spa Recipe: Honey-Roasted Carrots from Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee

Serve up some farm-fresh fixings this season with this nutritious--and delicious--snack.

by Lesley McCave

Blackberry Farm 

 

As the holiday season gets into full swing, rich dishes quickly start to take their toll leaving us feeling sluggish and heavy. Fortunately, calorie-laden cookies aren’t the only treats that can satisfy during this time. For a creative twist, why not try these warm and soothing honey-roasted carrots?

This recipe comes from Blackberry Farm, a 58-room resort set on 4,200 acres in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, near Walland, Tennessee. Here, the focus is on food, wine and wellness, with activities from cooking demos to chakra balancing.

At Blackberry Farm, local ingredients are the order of the day.  According to Josh Feathers, executive chef of the Main House, while this recipe can be made with any type of carrot—summer, baby or regular—it helps if they’re locally grown, for maximum flavor.

But this dish does more than just taste delicious: carrots are a major source of the vital antioxidant beta carotene, which is converted into vitamin A by the body, helping to maintain healthy skin and eyesight. “To get the full potential from carrots and enable the body to absorb the carotenoids, I always recommend preparing or processing them in some way, whether through juicing, shredding or, in this case, cooking,” notes Feathers. “Plus, the fat from the olive oil also aids in the absorption of the carrots’ nutrients.”

So when it comes to easy-to-prepare nibbles, these really are all sweetness and light!

Honey-Roasted Carrots

2 cups peeled baby carrots
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
Dash of sherry or red wine vinegar
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. honey (preferably wildflower)
2 tsp. fresh thyme sprigs
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Combine the carrots, oil, garlic, sherry/vinegar, salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, covered. Remove the cover and stir once, making sure the carrots have begun to soften. Add the honey and thyme to the pan, tossing to coat. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until caramelized. Serves several people as a side dish or snack.

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Article source: dayspamagazine.com 

12 "Superfoods" You Should Be Eating Now

Foods to Add to Your Diet for Optimal Health

“Superfoods” are foods packed with nutrients that offer various health benefits, and have few if any negative properties. It’s not a medical term, but one that’s emerged more popular culturally. Since it’s best to load up on your vitamins through diet rather than through expensive vitamins, it’s always a great idea to reach for “superfoods,” and we’ve outlined the ones that are particularly good for women in their 20s and 30s. While these multitasking foods won’t make your Spidey senses tingle (or, maybe they will: read below about edamame), they may help to ward off diseases such as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis.    


Apples
Fiber-rich apples are a great food to help you feel fuller longer while providing you with a necessary dose of pectin, a soluble fiber. It’s believed that pectin reduces blood pressure, cholesterol, and the risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, and diabetes.    


Cranberries
You may know to gulp down cranberry juice if you’re suffering from a urinary tract infection (as a compound in cranberry juice helps to flush bacteria from the urinary tract), but did you know that cranberries also help to reduce cholesterol? Eat them dry, fresh, ground, as a salad topping, in a smoothie, or drink natural cranberry juice. Now that’s what we call versatility.       


Tomatoes Tomatoes are loaded with the antioxidant lycopene, and they’re thought to play a role in protecting the skin against damage that leads to skin cancer--cases of which have soared recently in young women. Apart from that, tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, which can give your immune system a boost.    


Kale While the research is still developing, kale may help to prevent breast and ovarian cancers. Researchers think that kale’s phytonutrients may cause the body to make enzymes that combat cancer-causing substances. If you need further evidence to try out this multi-purpose green, it’s also great for providing you with vitamin C, potassium and calcium. Remember, in your 20s and 30s you still need lots of calcium to build your bone mass to prevent osteoporosis.      


Blueberries Blueberries aren’t just delicious, they may protect you against cancer and dementia, and can even neutralize free radicals that cause cell damage. That is, the nutrition in blueberries can help to protect the skin against prematurely aging (we knew that would perk you up!).    


Turkey
While it’s the showstopper at Thanksgiving, consider eating turkey regularly year round. In terms of superfood criteria, the selenium in lean turkey breast meat will help boost your immune function. Need more reason? It contains niacin and vitamins essential for energy production.    


Eggs Women in their 20s and 30s disproportionately suffer from low iron levels that can lead to anemia, which can leave you feeling tired and low energy. Eggs are not only a great source of protein to start your day off right, but they also combat anemia because they are rich in iron. An added bonus: eggs have biotin and vitamin B-12, which can help make your mane lovelier by strengthening your hair.     


Spinach
Popeye was on to something with his obsession with this superfood, which is rich in vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, potassium, and vitamin B6. Spinach also provides antioxidants (via flavonoids), is anti-inflammatory, aids digestion, and helps lower the effects of stress in the body (via magnesium). Perfect, since being in your 20s and 30s may be fun, but it’s a crazy stressful time of life.    


Quinoa Quinoa is a whole grain that’s an excellent source of fiber and even has protein, so it’ll help you feel fuller for longer. Quinoa’s fiber and whole grain helps to prevent high cholesterol, and since it’s also rich in zinc, it’s thought to protect against stroke and cancer.     


Salmon
While salmon has omega-3 fatty acids, the key ingredient here is the DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Your body can use DHA to protect its cellular membranes, which can help combat depression, cardiovascular disease, strokes, hypertension, and Alzheimer’s. And did you know taht omega-3 fatty acids are great for keeping mucous membranes in tip top shape--dry eyes remedy, anyone?     


Pistachios Pistachios pack a wop of antioxidants your body needs to reduce cholesterol and even help reduce stress in some situations. In addition, they’re a great source of iron, calcium and potassium. If you’re looking to meet protein needs, pistachios will give you more than any other nut (apart from almonds). At snack time, go for unsalted in shells. And those shells are actually a good thing, since the time it takes to crack and eat each pistachio will make you more conscious of portion size (probably why we’ve heard pistachios be referred to as “the skinny nut”).    


Edamame
Folate isn’t just important for expectant mothers, but for all women of childbearing age. It’s even been shown to ward off grey hair in some cases. For a healthy folate-rich snack, steam edamame or sprinkle it onto a salad. Some have even pointed to edamame as something of an aphrodisiac. Looks like you may want to head to a sushi restaurant for your next date night…  


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article source: chickrx.com