5 Natural Energy Boosters: Tips To Feel The Boost

Any discussion of natural energy boosters should first point out the unnatural methods and why they are so bad. Many people turn to caffeine and sugar to give them a quick jolt in energy, but these things will eventually do more harm than good.

Even if you don't experience a "crash" from caffeine or sugar, you are teaching your body to search for these things for energy. Eventually, you will need more sugar or more caffeine just to meet your cravings. This is a potentially dangerous situation and certainly not a healthy way to live.

So here are five natural energy boosters that will wake you up, make you alert, and increase your feeling of well-being without the harmful side-effects:

1. Berries

Berries are quickly becoming nature's golden food. The antioxidants in berries have become the craze of the health food world. But did you know that these things can also give you energy?

Yes, with berries we are talking about natural sugars. This will provide a nice boost in a healthy way. If you're going to have sugar then you might as well also improve your health at the same time. Simply awesome!

2. Citrus

Have you ever taken a good whiff of a citrus fruit? If so, you probably know what a refreshing feeling you get from the scent of a citrus. It certainly does wake you up and get that oxygen flowing through your brain. And it's not just the smell of citrus either that makes it so great as a natural energy booster. These fruits also provide you with natural sugars and a load of vitamin C. This all means a nice boost and health benefits. That's a beautiful thing.

3. Vitamin B12

Yes, vitamin B12 gets a lot of press for its energy boosting capabilities. This hype is well-deserved. Supplementing with vitamin B12 can give you a quick, yet sustained, energy boost without the drawbacks of caffeine. A lot of energy drinks have B12 in them, but why not just get the stuff and combine it with healthy foods for the best of both worlds?

4. Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise literally means "exercise with oxygen". This type of activity forces the body to take in more oxygen. This oxygen cycles through the body, including the brain. This will lead to a heightened sense of well-being and a greater feeling of energy. Running, power-walking, jumping rope, bike riding, are all great forms of aerobic exercise. So if you have enough energy to get up and get moving, you will be greatly rewarded for your efforts.

5. Fresh Air

This is perhaps the easiest and most underrated energy boosting tip. Just get outside and take in a nice big breath of fresh air. This will wake you up and get some good fresh oxygen flowing through your system. Many times this is all you need. So take a break from what you are doing and get some fresh air. Just a few minutes can make a big difference.

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What effect does milk have on your health?

Over the years I have concluded that there is no benefit from consuming dairy for the body in any shape or form. I do however believe it depends on the individual as to what level he/she is affected by consuming dairy. For example, the lifestyle each individual has, the level of stress, current diet, if dairy was consumed at a younger age, how much is consumed in their current diet. 

Studies have shown that by consuming dairy in the form of milk depletes calcium from the bones as animal protein produces acid which leaches calcium from the bones. A medical study showed that people that consume the most amount of cows milk has significantly higher fracture rates to a person that does not consume any or as much dairy. 

Milk and cheese have been linked to increased risk of developing prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, increased and development of acne in boys and girls, weight gain, stomach difficulties due to build up of bacteria in the gut as antibiotics are added to cows feed which we consume and are causing more health implications.  

People are gaining more milk allergies and are becoming lactose intolerant which causes health difficulties, concerns and problems. So it is important to get tested to check this from a medical doctor who has the nutritional background, through a blood sample, on an ongoing basis. 

A single serve of whole milk contains more than 20% of the RDA of saturated fat. Cheese is the worst for weight gain and this needs to be monitored. 

Humans are the only animal outside the animal kingdom that consume dairy. Calves have 4 stomachs not 1 so it is needed by a calf to aid development not people, in my opinion. Calves also need to gain weight more rapidly.

In my professional experience, symptoms vary from each person. If a client tends to gain more weight, suffers from acne, stomach problems, etc., they will react more, so it is vital they don't consume dairy. Others do not seem to react to the same severity, however, I do feel within my experience of consulting, you will see the signs of reacting negatively in some shape or form with each individual.

I would refrain from using dairy because of how it can make you feel and the difficulty of the enzymes to break down in your body can lead to more health complications throughout someone's life. 

The alternative I use and would recommend is oat, coconut, almond and rice milk depending on the needs of the individual.

10 Worst Fitness And Nutrition Mistakes

Many workout and fitness plans get derailed by some common mistakes and bad habits.

Be careful to avoid these...

Failing to fuel your body with sound nutrition

Nutrients are key to the regeneration of muscles. Your body needs protein and vitamins... not excess fat and junk food. Make sure what you take in each meal furthers your fitness goals, rather than hamper them. Go with lean meat, fruits and vegetables over processed and fatty foods. Make sure you eat regularly to keep your metabolism moving and to maintain energy for those workouts. Plan your meals like you plan your workouts if possible. It matters just as much.

Being active only during workouts

Most of us live sedentary lives. Workouts become harder to stick with when they're the only time you're physically active. Sitting around slows circulation and fat burning, counteracting your workouts. Do more outside the gym. Park the car and walk more. Play sports. Play with your kids or dog. Add hobbies and get out more. Or stay in, clean up the yard or pick up around the house. It's true what they say about bodies in motion -- tend to stay in motion, and that's a good thing.

Drinking sports drinks instead of water

Sports drinks contain electrolytes. They also contain sugar, and not the good kind. Most sports drinks contain high fructose corn syrup, which sends your liver into overdrive to process the high sugar concentration, storing anything else as fat. Check the labels of sports drinks to avoid the extras that you don't need, and only drink sports drinks when you need them -- they're not meant to quench your everyday thirst. Unless your workout is intense -- and we're talking marathon-intense -- you probably don't need a sports drink. If you need some flavor, try a spritz of lemon or lime. You may also try infusing your water with fruit (berries, pineapple, cucumber, orange, etc) to add flavor but no calories to your drink. Give them a try.

Working out without focus and efficiency

A good cardio session can take 20 to 30 minutes. Keep in mind that cardio doesn't only mean running, jogging or an exercise machine either. Dancing is a form of cardio also! A good weight workout can take 30 to 45 minutes. That 60-second rest period becomes 3 minutes if you don't watch the clock, making a 30-minute workout last more than an hour. Keep moving throughout the workout to completion. Too long of a rest period can decrease your workout's effectiveness.

Working out without a battle plan

Some people walk into the gym and wing it -- with no sense of how well they're working out all their muscles, and then wonder why they don't make progress. Write down a workout plan: Map out all your workouts to the set. Figure out your goals and set a plan to get there. Read books for ideas if you must, or take advantage of the trainers the gym makes available. The trainers can advise you on proper form, the right machines for you, the frequency of your workouts and so much more. The cost of one or two sessions is well worth it when you consider the invaluable advice you'll get. Stick to your plan, and keep notes. A good plan allows you to monitor your progress.

Doing incomplete workouts

Doing cardio alone doesn't develop fat-burning muscle like weights do. Focusing on chest exercises shortchanges other muscles that now have to compensate to balance an overdeveloped chest with your body. You don't have to work out every muscle group every day. Alternate upper and lower body workouts, and mix up heart-strengthening cardio with strength training. Stay balanced, and your body will show the results.

Failing to push yourself

Pushing your body as reasonably far as possible is the key to making progress. An un-challenging 20-minute cardio session or easy sets don't test your body. Make sure once you start finding sets easy that you increase the weight to continue meeting your goals.

Failing to vary your routine

Once your body accustoms itself to a routine, your growth slows, this is also referred to as a plateau. A workout strengthens your body by taking you beyond your comfort zone. Change exercises in your workout plan periodically. Switch your cardio from the treadmill to the exercise cycle. Use a barbell instead of dumbbells for those bicep curls. Take a class you've never tried --there's something for everyone offered in most gyms these days. Don't be afraid to take your workouts outside the gym also!

Trying to do too much at once

Enthusiasm can push you into doing too many sets, lifting too much or running too long. At best, your body's extra soreness hampers future workouts, but injury is the true risk. If you push your body too far, it breaks.

Working out without stretching

Stretching beforehand prevents muscle cramps and injuries by loosening up your ligaments and muscles. Stretching after workouts loosens up your muscles and ligaments, promoting healing.

You also want to get enough rest between workouts to let your body heal. Your body needs time to repair the damage a workout does. Alternate days of strength training -- do upper body one day, lower the next. This way, you'll be sure to minimize damage. A little soreness is OK. After all, the tiny tears in muscles that result from working out create mass as they're repaired. The most important thing to remember to do after a great workout is to nourish your body with protein, which helps to repair the muscles.

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The Good Bacteria: What Are Probiotics?

What is probiotics? We often hear or see this word in health commercials and products; it is deemed beneficial to human health. Probiotics derived its name from two Latin words: Pro meaning for and biotic meaning life (for life). From this etymology, we are at least given an idea on what are probiotics and how they work. Probiotics are composed of live bacteria believed to be beneficial to humans or other host organisms. Products which are called probiotics contain the right amount of these microorganisms, which in one way or another wield a certain benefit to the human health. Microorganisms that have health benefits include bifido bacteria and lactic acid bacteria. These two are commonly incorporated in yogurt products and other health supplements.

How Does Probiotics Work?

In the human world "bacteria" is one term that doesn't have a very good reputation. Bacterium is the main culprit for many infectious diseases that causes illness and even death among humans. Because of this, humans wage every possible measure in order to eradicate these microorganisms. We use antiseptics, alcohols, sanitizers; we purify our water sources and cook our food so we will not be infected by bacteria. Though bacteria have that very potent ability to cause illness and death, it also has the potential to be beneficial to human health. How? This depends upon the number and the type of bacteria. What most people do not understand is not all types of bacteria are harmful; furthermore their potential to cause illness is also dependent upon their number. Probiotics contain the types of bacteria that are not harmful, and they are present in controlled amounts. Lactobacilli, a very common microbe used in probiotics, have been found beneficial to improving digestion among humans. These microbes convert lactose into lactic acid. The presence of lactic acid inhibits the growth of other harmful bacteria. Lactobacillus is actually found in the gut and vagina. These areas in the body need an acidic environment in order to function well.

Potential Health Benefits of Probiotics

1. Gastro intestinal health

Lactobacillus is a microbe naturally found in the gut. It produces lactic acid in order to maintain an acidic environment and to prevent harmful bacteria from proliferating; this then improves a person's digestion and resistance to gastrointestinal infections. Probiotics with lactobacillus and bifidobacteria have also been found to manage diarrhea. Diarrhea is caused by harmful microorganisms that invade the gut. With the presence of these probiotics, the harmful agents cannot proliferate and cause damage.

2. Lactose intolerance

The use of probiotics can also help people with lactose intolerance. This condition happens because the person lacks the necessary enzyme to convert lactose into lactic acid. Probiotics such as lactobacillus aids in this problem because they are the ones that do the conversion. This helps people become more tolerant to lactose than they previously were.

3. Prevention of colon cancer

Certain studies reveal that the use of probiotics may help prevent the formation of colon cancer. Certain strains of lactobacilli have been found to exert an anti-mutagenic effect. Anti-mutagens prevent a cell from mutating and turning into a cancer cell. Preventing the cell from mutating prevents the formation of cancer. We may think bacteria only cause illness and harm, but we have to remember that we cannot also survive without them. The question: what is probiotics reminds us of this fact.

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Vegetable Green Smoothie Recipe

Vegetable Smoothie Recipes are Healthful and Tasty!

Are you thinking about introducing additional veggies to your daily diet? Maybe you have actually taken into consideration testing vegetable green smoothie recipes yet weren't certain if you want them.

I have been whipping up healthful vegetable green smoothie recipes each day for more than six-and-a-half years in my blender and I haven't stopped enjoying them yet!

When you settle into a consistent routine with creating your veggie smoothies, I believe you will find it very simple to mix a pitcher of smoothies for the job or your home. I am impressed with just how terrific green veggies taste as a smoothie.

If you want to drop a few pounds and inches and include additional veggies in your daily diet, keep reading to get a tasty recipe to start your day.

Can you have too many veggies? That is not very likely. It is difficult to picture somebody (such as your physician) suggesting that 'You are consuming JUST TOO MANY veggies. Cut that out!'

The food pyramid recommends getting a minimum of three to five portions of veggies each day. A good example of that would be one cup of leafy raw vegetables, 1/2 cup of prepared veggies, and 3/4 cup of vegetable juices. If you add in a number of veggies to a tasty smoothie or two, you will likely obtain your vegetable needs every day with no trouble!

I believe that uncooked veggies tend to be more nutritionally healthy than prepared veggies. Not everybody might accept my conclusions. That is certainly okay. I do encourage anyone to at least add more uncooked veggies to your daily intake and observe just how much healthier you feel over all.

To be able to respect my digestive problems, I tried my blender to split up the thick dietary fiber of the veggies. It really is much simpler for my system to digest and break down the remnants.

Frequently, I listen to people use the words 'Smoothie' and 'Juicing' interchangeably. The main difference is if you take your veggies in a smoothie as compared to juicing, you will be retaining the vital dietary fiber that we need to keep our colons healthy.

I've juiced veggies and will possibly do this again every once in a while. Juicing can be extremely advantageous while doing a veggie juice fast for instance. Smoothies nevertheless, appear to be exactly what my system likes the most!

Vegetable Smoothie Recipe

Out Of The Door So Quickly - Green Smoothie Recipe

Ideal for Weight Loss!

When among your main goals for the brand new calendar year is to drop a few pounds and you are considering weight reduction smoothie recipes, do this one! This healthful recipe may be rapidly whipped up in your blender in little to no time as well as have you out of the door each morning filled with energy.

When you have an inadequate amount of time in the early morning to prepare this recipe before departing, make it up the evening before and it is all good to go.

A few blenders only require a tiny bit of liquid while some may need a little more for vegetable smoothie recipes. When you prefer your smoothie a little heavier, begin with a smaller amount than the recommended volume and increase if required.

Be totally free to try things out, making this recipe precisely as you enjoy it!

Ingredients

Liquid - Begin with one cup of liquid-Perhaps filtered water/kombucha/kefir water/raw apple juice or your own liquid of choice. Increase liquid if required to make your vegetable smoothie recipe the perfect texture to suit your needs.

Beet - 1/2 inch piece or to liking

Carrot - One average sized

Cucumber - One average sized

Spinach leaf - One handful or two

Tomato - One smaller to average sized

Lemon juice - Liquid from freshly squeezed bigger sized

***Optional-Sweetener - A couple of droplets of liquid Stevia extract to preference (be cautious because it is VERY powerful!)

Directions

Put liquid together with cleaned and ready ingredients into your blender. Process all of the ingredients until silky.

Sip and savor!

*** Disclaimer-the above recipe and suggestions are merely that-suggestions! Make use of sound judgment and do your homework before using ingredients you might be new to. ***

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

The Top 5 Healthy Fat Foods (Eat These Daily)

Did you know that fat is an essential nutrient that your body needs on a daily basis? In fact, without enough (good) fat in your diet, your risk for developing major illness such as heart disease, blood vessel disease and atherosclerosis significantly increases.

But here's the thing, all fats are not created equal. The right fats (also known as essential fats because your body can not produce them on its own), will support your weight loss goals, improve your energy, make you look younger and support healthy cholesterol levels and a healthy, strong heart.

On the other hand, consuming the wrong fats can lead to a slow metabolism, a lack of energy, overall poor health and even worse, heart disease and even cancer.

The 5 foods listed below all contain healthy fats which will boost your health by increasing your HDL (good) cholesterol, decreasing your bad cholesterol and improving your energy, your looks and even your mood.

Healthy Fat Food #1: Salmon (Wild)

Without a doubt, wild caught Salmon is on of the best and highest sources of heart healthy omega 3's. Salmon is loaded with DHA and EPA, which have been shown is studies to have a direct impact on increasing good cholesterol and decreasing bad cholesterol. EPA and DHA have also been shown to improve symptoms of inflammatory disorders such as arthritis and Crohn's disease. In addition to its' excellent omega 3 content, wild salmon is also an excellent source of high quality protein, Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E and Vitamin A.

But, stay away from farmed Salmon. Thanks to modern fish farming practices, farmed salmon has nowhere near the amount of omega 3's found in wild caught salmon. Salmon farmers use dangerous antibiotics and chemicals to keep the farmed fish healthy in overcrowded fish pens where disease spreads quickly. Farmed salmon is also fed an unnatural diet of fish meal consisting of GMO soy and animal by-products, which dramatically reduces the omega 3 content of farmed salmon.

Eat wild salmon at least twice a week. Avoid frying it in oil. Instead, bake it in the oven and eat it with a side of fibrous veggies such as broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, green beans or a leafy dark green salad.

Healthy Fat Food #2: Walnuts

Walnuts contain a high amount of ALA, another essential fat that your body can't produce on its own. Walnuts are also a great source of fiber, Vitamin E, protein, Iron, Magnesium and vitamin B6. Eat a small handful of walnuts several times a week for optimal health benefits. Walnuts are great to eat all on their own and are a great appetite suppressant.

I like to snack on a handful of walnuts with a piece of fruit in between meals and at times where I may not have something healthy to eat (such as before going to a restaurant, an event etc... ) to reduce my appetite and eliminate bad food cravings.

Healthy Fat Food #3: Eggs (Organic & Cage Free)

Eggs have gotten a bad rap recently because studies have shown that egg consumption increases your cholesterol levels. That being said, higher cholesterol levels are NOT dangerous if you are healthy and have no heart conditions. You see, Eggs increase your LDL (bad cholesterol), but they also increase your HDL good cholesterol at the same time.

No study has ever shown that high cholesterol levels cause heart disease. But rather, a diet high in sugar, processed foods, omega 6 vegetable oils and trans fats (found in french fries, margarine, canola oil, soybean oil and other cheap oils) are the main culprits in the heart disease epidemic. That's because those foods all lead to inflammation of the artery walls, which is the main trigger for heart disease.

If you are eating a diet made up of mostly whole foods and you are staying away from processed foods, white flour, sugar, vegetable and hydrogenated oils, your health will not deteriorate from eating one, two, or even three whole eggs several times a week.

Eggs are an excellent source of protein and B vitamins, as well as brain and memory boosting Choline. Avoid cooking your eggs in vegetable oil. Instead, boil them or fry them in small amounts of our next healthy fat food...

Healthy Fat Food #4: Olive oil

Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids which have been shown to reduce inflammation in a similar fashion to the non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs Tylenol and Advil. But unlike drugs, olive oil has no side effects and is derived from nature, not made in some lab by scientists wearing lab coats. Just goes to show you that mother nature has the answers to even the most debilitating diseases and health problems.

All in all, olive oil is an excellent health food, but it is high in calories, so you have to limit your consumption especially if you're trying to lose weight. If you are experiencing slight to moderate joint or muscle pain, start cooking with olive oil and you just may find yourself not needing those over the counter pain medications.

Healthy Fat Food #5: Avocados

Avocados are one of my favorite foods because just like olive oil, avocados are high in health boosting monounsaturated fats. They are also an awesome source of fiber and potassium. In fact, one avocado contains twice the amount of potassium of a banana! Slice up an avocado into your next salad, or make guacamole out of it.

Eat these 5 foods on a daily basis and get ready to reap all of the benefits of a diet high in healthy, natural fats.

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