Foods to Prevent Your Arteries from Clogging

Like any plumbing system, your arteries can get clogged up. When you have high blood pressure, inflammation causes cholesterol to stick to the walls of your blood vessels, forming a plaque. The following foods are powerful enough to prevent this dangerous clogging.

Kiwi and Cantaloupe

These antioxidant-rich foods work by reducing toxic LDL cholesterol, which is formed by a rusting process in your arteries. They can help stop the “rust” in its tracks and even prevent it from spreading. Eat 1 cup of cantaloupe or 1 kiwi a day to unclog your arteries.

Shrimp

Despite being a source of cholesterol, shrimp can be helpful for your heart. They contain taurine, an amino acid, which acts like plastic wrap so fats can’t cross the intestinal wall and get into your arteries. Try having 5 medium-sized steamed or grilled shrimp twice a week. Be sure to avoid the cocktail sauces.

Red-Skinned Grapes and Cranberry Juice

These foods strain the fat out your arteries. Instead of having fat build up in your blood vessels, these foods improve your cells' ability to absorb the fat and use it for energy production. Drink a glass of cranberry juice three times a week or eat 1 cup of grapes per day to unclog your arteries.

Continue reading ...

Reasons Lemon Juice Is a Superfood

• Prevent kidney stones: Drinking one half-cup of lemon juice every day raises citrate levels in the urine. Studies have shown that this could protect against calcium stones in the kidney.

• Soothe a sore throat: Mixing lemon juice with honey can help alleviate the discomfort that comes from a nasty sore throat.

• Support weight loss: Beyond the old notion that the Master Cleanse was the only way lemons could help you lose weight, new studies have shown the ways lemon juice supports your goals. Lemon juice contains pectin, a soluble fiber that has been shown to aid in weight-loss struggles.

• Start your day right: Leave caffeinated drinks behind, and start your day off with hot water and fresh lemon juice to stimulate your digestive track and add vitamin C.

• Stop an itch: When it comes to poison ivy or insect bites, the combination of lemon juice and cornstarch can help relieve some of the sting.

• Aids in digestion: Even Dr. Oz is a big believer in the power of lemon juice for weight loss. He suggests drinking a mixture of lemon juice and flaxseeds in order to eliminate waste more quickly from your body.

• Anticancer properties: Studies have supported the anticancer activity of citrus liminoids, compounds that protect your cells from damage that can lead to the formation of cancer cells.

Continue reading ...

Home Remedies for Pink Eye Relief

Causes

• Allergic substances, such as pollen
• Certain viruses or bacteria
• Weak immune system
• Exposure to the person, suffering from pink eyes

Symptoms

• Itchiness
• Redness
• Watery eyes
• Swelling in the eyes
• Mucus production while sleeping
• Constant pain
• Formation of crust near the infected eye
• Intolerance to bright light
• White discharge from eyes (due to allergy or viral infection)

Home Remedies for Pink Eye

If you are looking for the natural remedies for pink eye, you are at the right place! Here are some useful remedies that provide immense relief in pink eye.

1. Honey

Mix 3 tablespoons of honey in 2 cups of boiling water. Let it cool down, and then, pour a few drops of this solution in your pink eyes. You can also wash your eyes with it at least 2-3 times a day. Else, soak a cotton pad or clean cloth and put it on your eyes. Honey has excellent anti-bacterial properties and helps in curing the infection quickly.

Note- You can also use warm milk in place of boiling water.

2. Potato

Potato works as a natural astringent and works well to cure pink eye at home. Cut slices of raw potato and place it on the infected eye at least for 20 minutes. Repeat the process for about 3 days for better results.

3. Turmeric

Mix 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder in a cup of boiled water and apply it as a compress on the pink eye. Turmeric is a good antibiotic, and therefore, reduces the symptoms of a pink eye.

4. Fennel Seeds

Boil some fennel seeds in water and use this water as eyewash in order to cure a pink eye.

5. Aloe Vera

Soak a part of clean handkerchief in fresh aloe vera gel and place it on the infected eye. Aloe vera is one of the best remedies for pink eye due to its medicinal properties.

Continue reading ...

Simple Home Exercises for Neck Pain Relief

Painkilling drugs are associated with dangerous side effects, addiction and overdose. And it turns out they are also much less effective than harmless natural treatments. A new study shows that simple remedies like chiropractic treatments and home exercises relieve sub-acute neck pain better than pharmaceutical drugs – and without all the negative side effects.

 

Dangerous painkillers can (and should) be avoided

It’s estimated that 75 percent of Americans deal with neck pain at some point in their lives. Neck pain accounts for millions of trips to the doctor every year. The pain can be acute and severe enough to interfere with our everyday lives, but modern medicine offers little help. At best, you get over-the-counter pain relievers or narcotic drugs, all of which come with dangerous side effects and are often not effective enough to get rid of pain.

A study published on January 3, 2012 in The Annals of Internal Medicine demonstrates the power of alternative therapies for neck pain. Participants in the study were divided into three groups: one group made regular visits to the chiropractor, one group received traditional drug therapy, and the third group was instructed on how to perform therapeutic exercises at home to combat their neck pain.

At the end of 12 weeks, it was clear participants who engaged in non-drug therapy fared better than those who received painkillers. In the chiropractic group, 57 percent of individuals reported at least a 75 percent reduction in pain. In the home exercise group, 48 percent reported similar pain relief. However, only 33 percent of the painkiller group saw such results.

The long term benefits are equally impressive. Even one year later, patients in the chiropractic and home exercise groups were still experiencing benefits. About 53 percent in each of these groups still saw at least a 75 percent reduction in pain. In the painkiller group, only 38 percent reported this kind of pain relief.

Besides being less effective, the painkiller group was also increasing their medication over time, which can lead to more serious side effects.

Continue reading ...

Remedies for Burn Relief

Signs and Symptoms of the Burn

The common symptoms and signs of burn are:

• Redness on the skin
• Blisters
• Pain that may range from mild to severe
• Moistness
• Swelling
• Blackening, in case of severe burns
• Itchiness

Causes of Burn

Burns may cause due to:

• Fire
• Hot liquids
• Steam
• Chemicals
• Friction
• Any hot object
• Electricity
• Sunlight
• Radiation

Home Remedies for Minor Burn Relief

1. Honey

Applying raw honey directly on the burned area helps in producing fewer scars because of its antiseptic properties.

2. Aloe Vera Gel

The soothing and rejuvenating properties of aloe vera gel helps in cooling the sun burns and razor burns. Direct application of fresh aloe vera gel quickly soothes painful burns and even heals serious burns, without leaving any scar.

3. Diluted Vinegar

Cover the burned area with a cloth, soaked in diluted vinegar. It heals and soothes burns faster and is one of the widely accepted first aid medication in cases of burns.

4. Banana Peel

Putting a banana peel on the burned area till it becomes black is a beneficial remedy to cure burns.

5. Diluted Lavender Oil

A combination of lavender oil, aloe vera gel, vitamin C, and vitamin E can be applied daily to reduce the pain in the burns.

6. Egg White

To get relief from minor burns, beat the egg white and then, apply to the burned skin. It provides instant relief.

Continue reading ...

Alkaline Foods to Naturally Balance Your Body

Broccoli

This is a quintessential healthy food and it’s easy to understand that it’s an alkaline food. Broccoli is one of those vegetables that has so much going on you simply have to make an extra effort to get more of it into your system. Some people eat broccoli every day as a way to maintain good health and make sure they’re on the alkaline side. You at least want to eat it multiple times a week, with 3 or 4 times being a good rule of thumb.

Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 135%
Vitamin A – 11%
Calcium – 4%

Brussels Sprouts

Maybe you left your Brussels sprouts on your plate untouched as a child, but it’s time to get over it and learn to like these healthy vegetables. They’ve been shown to be able to help the body break down the acids caused by acid-forming foods, which boosts your pH levels and helps you get to or maintain an alkaline state. In addition to that, they’re also packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, so they make a great side dish to any meal. It’s best to buy them fresh and steam them.

Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin C – 142%
Vitamin A – 15%
Iron – 8%

Buckwheat

Buckwheat gets mentioned a lot in health food circles because it doesn’t contain wheat, but has a similar texture when it’s in noodle form. Great for gluten-free followers. It’s also an alkaline food, so you can eat it without worrying if it will be acidic in your system. It’s also a surprisingly good source of protein, and has a decent amount of iron in it as well. If you’ve never used buckwheat in your cooking before, there are plenty of recipes available to get your feet wet.

Top stats (per 100g):
Iron – 12%
Calcium – 2%
Protein – 13.3g

Carrot

Carrots are good for the eyes, but their overall effect is also an alkaline one. This makes them doubly good to eat, and they are tasty both raw, and steamed so they’re easier to chew up. Aside from the assist to the eyes, carrots also have plenty of vitamins, fiber, and potassium, making them a very well-rounded veggie. So make like Bugs Bunny and be sure to get your carrot fix every now and then.

Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin A – 336%
Vitamin C – 10%
Calcium – 3%

Celery

You’ve got to love celery, even if you don’t necessarily love the taste. In addition to being an alkaline food it’s also very low in calories, and can help you body with a host of different benefits. If you don’t like crunching it up and having the strands get stuck in your teeth, pulverize it in a blender while you’re making a green smoothie. It also plays well in a fruit smoothie, adding a bit of spiciness without overshadowing the fruit flavors.

Top stats (per 100g):
Vitamin A – 4%
Vitamin C – 2%
Calcium – 2%

Continue reading ...

Reasons Why You Should Drink Lemon Water In The Morning

It can boost your immune system. Lemons are high in vitamin C, which is great for fighting colds and they are also high in potassium, which stimulates brain and nerve function. Potassium helps control blood pressure as well. 

It can balances the pH. Lemon is one of the most alkaline foods around, if you drink lemon water everyday and you’ll reduce your body’s overall acidity. It is know that lemon has citric acid but it does not create acidity in the body once metabolized.

It can help with weight loss. It has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet lose weight faster. Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. 

It can clear your skin. Vitamin C component helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes and lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well. It can actually be applied directly to scars to help reduce their appearance.

It can freshens your breath. It can help relieve tooth pain and gingivitis. You should monitor this because the citric acid can erode tooth enamel. 

Tips:

Drink your warm lemon water in coffee cups that has coffee or tea stains.  The lemon water will help remove them.

Grind the used lemon rinds in your garbage disposal to help deodorize it.

Continue reading ...

Natural Remedies for Depression

1. Eat healthy 

Did you know that eating healthy could improve your mood. There are some foods that can help with serotonin, the chemical in the brain that contributes to “happy.” Helping to raise those levels naturally, some foods are serotonin enhancers. Food like:

• Fish-oil, rich in Omega-3 fatty acids
• -Healthy fat, such as coconut oil
• -Flaxseed oil
• -Sour cherries
• -Eggs

2. Drinking green tea 

Green tea has one other extremely important constituent: L-theanine and L-theanine works synergistically with caffeine to boost mood in such a way that you don’t get the same crash-effect. It is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, and has been shown to reduce stress as well as boost dopamine and the brain inhibitory transmitter GABA. We recommend to steep a cup of hot, fresh, green tea with your breakfast. 

3. Workout 

Exercise is fundamental to mood. Even just a fifteen minute walk through the neighborhood does wonders because, exercise releases endorphins in the brain, and endorphins are what make us feel good and happy.

4. Magnesium
Magnesium is the 4th most abundant mineral in the body that is supplemented through diet. We wouldn’t produce energy, we couldn’t synthesize DNA or RNA, or regulate our heartbeats without magnesium. It is recommended to take a supplement, or follow the best route-add magnesium rich foods to your diet. Try eating the following :

• -1 ounce of dry roasted almonds or cashews: 20% DV
• -1/2 cup of cooked black beans: 15% DV
• -1 medium banana: 8% DV
• -1/2 cup of boiled spinach: 20% DV
• -1 cup of soymilk: 15% DV

Continue reading ...

Natural Headache Remedies

Natural headache remedies are effective, but finding the one that works for you, may require you to try each one until you find success.

1. Use lemons for your headache by peeling a fresh lemon and save the peels than pick up a piece of the lemon peel, one in each hand and rub your temples in small circular motions.

2. Another great method is the following, wash your hands with antibacterial soap and place your thumb in your mouth with the pad of your thumb touching the roof of your mouth. Than gently rub the roof of your mouth making small, circular motions. This is useful because rubbing the roof of your mouth disrupts the pain signals in your brain.

3. Take a moderately soft hairbrush and brush your hair gently from front to back, better yet, have someone else brush your hair, while you close your eyes and relax. The brush massages your scalp and it increases the blood flow, which reduces and relieves headache pain.

4. Lay down and let your imagination help and create powerful happy, relaxing images in your mind for 20 to 30 minutes. If you like to ski, imagine yourself perfectly skiing double black diamonds and if you enjoy the beach, imagine what you would do on a perfect beach day.

5. It is recommended to add vitamin C and magnesium to your daily regimen, if you suffer from chronic headaches. Because these supplements help both relieve and prevent headache pain.

Continue reading ...