Author: hfhadmin

Quick And Simple – Healthy Energy Bars Recipe

Post author By hfhadmin
Post date March 14, 2014

Going to the bakery right behind the corner or stuffing yourself with energy-consuming cookies that make you even more hungry is an everyday habit to all those who spend their working time in an office.

Energy bars will help you avoid bad carbohydrates and sugar. These bars are delicious snack rich in nutrients, and the best thing is that you can prepare some at home.

All you need is some dried fruit you have in your kitchen and some cereal, which will provide the energy you need and maintain the feeling of satiety.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp honey
1/3 banana
4 tbsp cereals (mixed, if possible)
1 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp roughly ground flax seeds
1 tbsp roughly chopped walnuts

Preparation:

Mash the banana and roast the cereal for a while. Mix well all the ingredients together in a bowl and spread the mixture evenly on a smaller baking pan previously coated with some baking paper.

Put the pan in the oven at 100 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes until the mixture feels a bit dry. Take the pan out of the oven and leave it for a while, then cut it in small bars.

Diet & Weight Loss Health Healthy Drinks Recipes

Delicious Green Smoothie For Cleansing The Body of Toxins

Post author By hfhadmin
Post date March 13, 2014

Abundance of food and drinks sounds like a gourmet’s dream, but your kidneys will most certainly not like it. Believe it or not, kidneys filter about 200 liters of blood every day, eliminating toxins and other harmful substances.

Kidneys eliminate about 2 liters of waste materia from the blood. Numerous diseases come as a result of too much toxins in the kidneys. We enter the majority of toxins through food and drinks, and we have listed some of the most dangerous enemies:

– animal protein
– salt
– genetically modified food
– artificial sweeteners
– carbonated drinks
– caffeine
– cigarettes
– dairy products

This smoothie will help you clean all the toxins from your organism:

Ingredients:

lemon juice (use 1/2 lemon)
1 kiwi
25 g walnuts
1 banana
1/2 bunch of parsley
1 cup of water

Preparation:

Blend all the ingredients well and consume the cocktail right after you prepare it. Optionally, you can also add half an avocado or a handful of young spinach or Brussels sprout.

Diet & Weight Loss

Anti-Cellulite Diet – Get Rid Of Cellulite In Just 7 Days !

Post author By hfhadmin
Post date March 12, 2014

Anti-cellulite diet consists of easily digestible foods beneficial for the body, and also helpful in the elimination of toxins from the organism. Today we present you a seven-day anti-cellulite diet.

Day 1

Breakfast: Yogurt, young cheese, whole grain bread
Snack: Fruit of fruit juice
Lunch: Potato salad and grilled fish, whole grain bread or rye bread
Snack: Fruit or fruit juice
Dinner: Steam-cooked vegetables, chicken breasts, salad, rye bread

Day 2

Breakfast: Muesli and low fat milk
Snack: almonds
Lunch: Cabbage stew, lean meat and beets salad
Snack: White coffee
Dinner: Steam-cooked vegetables, chicken breasts, salad, rye bread

Day 3

Breakfast: Carrot juice, black coffee
Snack: Unsalted sunflower seeds
Lunch: Cauliflower salad, some chicken, rye bread
Snack: Fruit or fruit juice
Dinner: Yogurt, rye bread, salad

Beauty Natural Remedies

The Best Home Remedy To Get Rid Of Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

Post author By hfhadmin
Post date March 10, 2014

If you cover the dark circles under your eyes with a concealer every morning, we offer you an alternative solution that you will definitely like.

It is cheap, easy to make, efficient and long-lasting.

All you need is a couple of fresh mint leaves and some olive oil. Blend the leaves and add a couple of drops of olive oil.

After you have blended the mint and olive oil combination, apply the freshly made cream under your eyes before you go to bed and leave it overnight. Repeat the procedure until you notice some improvement.

Dark circles appear as a result of improper diet, excessive intake of toxins and lack of sleep.

In addition to this, try sleeping at least 8 hours a day, drink at least 1liter (34 oz) of water and reduce the amount of alcohol and cigarettes you smoke.

Vegetables

5 Super-Healthy Spring Foods !

Post author By hfhadmin
Post date March 6, 2014

Spring is almost there, and besides having this nice and calming weather, and all those flowers everywhere, there is a variety of seasonal and healthy foods you need to include in your diet. Diana Henry, famous food writer helped us do this list.

1. Purple sprouting broccoli

PSB is considered as better than asparagus, as it is the best product found at the end of the winter, announcing spring. Broccoli is useful and beneficial (including its stems, too), but purple sprouting broccoli has the best looks (its heads are gorgeous purple) and it tastes really amazing and sweet.

All vegetables from the brassica genus, including PSB, are beneficial for the overall health, but PSB is their best and most often consumed representative. All brassicas are rich in useful minerals, phytochemicals, vitamin C, vitamin K and fibre.

2. Leeks

Onion, garlic and leeks are part of the allium family, one of the most powerful food group when it comes to health-friendly properties. Have you ever heard of the ‘Mediterranean diet’?

Then we have to say that it’s not the pasta you use that made it famous, but all those vegetables, including onion and garlic as main ingredients in every meal.

However, leeks play the main role, because they can be served as a single meal, not just as a base of a dish. Leeks are rich in phytochemicals, and they also contain a lot of vitamin C, important for the immune system and necessary in the fight against many diseases. Vitamin B found in leeks provides energy and supports brain functions.

Health

Kidney Stones Prevention: DASH Diet Could Help Reduce Risk!

Post author By hfhadmin
Post date March 5, 2014

According to a study published in the March issue of the National Kidney Foundation’s American Journal of Kidney Disease eating a lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes to reduce the risk of kidney stones and high blood pressure.

You should also avoid eating a lot of meat, low-fat dairy products, white sugar and refined grains.

The comparison of the low-oxalate diet, often recommended as a prevention and treatment of kidney stones, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, outlined the second as more effective in reducing the risk of calcium oxcalate kidney stones, considered as the most common type.

A lot of nutritious food products are rich in oxalate, icluding spinach, sweet potatoes, almonds, navy beans, kale, rice bran, beets and rhubarb.The National Kidney Foundation reported that kidney stones form as a result of the chemical reaction between oxalate and calcium, since urine is produced by the kidneys.

The latest research suggests that instead of avoiding the consumption of oxalate food products, you should try consuming calcium and oxalate-rich foods. It is more likely for the oxalate and calcium to bind in the stomach if consumed together, which excludes the possibility of kidney stone formation.

Nazanin Noori, MD, PhD and a group of researchers conducted a study including 41 participants at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto over an eight-week research.

The results showed that participants who followed the special DASH regimen reduced the risk of kidney stones by 35 percent, and those who consumed food according to the low-oxalate diet regimen reduced their kidney stone risk by 14 per cent.

In this study the levels of calcium, oxalate, citrate, sodium, potassium, magnesium, uric acid, pH and calcium oxalate in the urine samples were considered as kidney stone “risk markers.”

“Most people eat meals consisted of different foods, instead of eating isolated nutrients, such as oxalate,” explained Noori. “Which means that any special diet regimen for kidney stone prevention should focus on the overall effect diet has on kidney stone formation and the cumulative effects of the food products, rather than basing on any single nutrient.”

Health Herbs & Oils

Bay Leaf – Powerful Aromatic Pain Killer

Post author By hfhadmin
Post date March 3, 2014

Its dark green leaves are rich in essential oils, which relieve pain and suppress inflammation.

Bay Leaf (Laurus nobilis) grows as a low tree or a shrub, reaching a height of five metres. It has dark green, leathery, oval evergreen leaves, greenish flowers that emerge every 3-4 months and dark blue berry-like fruits.

Laurus nobilis originated in Asia Minor and thrives in the Mediterranean, where, especially in Ancient Greece and Rome, it was considered as a symbol of power and fame, so it was placed around the necks of rulers, heroes, artists and successful athletes.

At the ancient Olympics in Greece, the winners wore a laurel wreath placed around their neck, and the plant was devoted to Apollo’s son, Aesculapius, the god of medicine. Fragrant bay leaves have been used as a spice for centuries, but also in the treatment of many diseases.

The leaves are picked only when fully developed and leathery, because otherwise they will turn black during the drying process. Its berry-like fruits are picked when they are ripe and they are usually used in the preparation of medicinal oils.

Fresh bay leaves are rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that strengthens the immune system and they are an excellent source of vitamin A, which keeps eyes and skin healthy.

Bay leaves contain niacin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid and riboflavin which assist in the synthesis of enzymes responsible for the regulation of metabolism and the nervous system functions.This spice is a good source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, selenium, zinc and magnesium.

Health Vegetables

The Superior Health Benefits Of Onions

Post author By hfhadmin
Post date March 1, 2014

Without onion, your kitchen is just not the same. This plant with red, white or purple peel originated in Central Asia.

Records show that this plant first showed 6 000 years ago in Mesopotamia and Egypt. It is easily adaptable to different soil types, but it is best to cultivate onions on more loose soil without any humus.

Besides giving an excellent taste to meals, onion has proven to have a lot of healing properties. Ancient Slavs called it “the seven diseases cure”.

It contains around 150 nutrients, and its essential oils and organic, lemon and apple acid gives its distinguishing scent. Onion also contains high amounts of provitamine A, vitamins C and B, and minerals such as potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and iron.

Onion is recommended to diabetics, because it contains high amounts of plant hormone, which has the same effect as insulin.

Onion improves heart function because it increases blood stream through blood vessels which helps in reducing the cholesterol level. It reduces high blood pressure, helps in blood cells regeneration, so it is often used to treat mild form of anemia.

It is beneficial for the airways, because it opens the alveoli easily. This is the main reason why it is known as a folk remedy for colds, in any kind of syrup or compress.

Onion improves intestine and uterus function, it is an amazing diuretic because it reduces swelling, especially in cases of accumulated fluid in the abdomen. The sulfur found in onions causes teary eyes and it is amazing in the treatment of inflammations.

It is best to eat onion fresh, because cooking reduces its healing power significantly.

Onion and honey combination for clogged blood vessels, sinuses…

Onion juice and honey based remedy helps in cases of atherosclerosis, vascular congestion. Mix equal proportions of these ingredients, and you will obtain the best results if you consume a tablespoon of the remedy 3-4 times every day. This homemade remedy is also used to treat cough.

Onion roasted in olive oil or prepared with milk is a good remedy for cough.

Fresh onion juice is good for rinsing irritated mouth or nose mucous membrane, and it is also used as a sinus inhaler.

Onion juice for hair loss

Onion is an amazingly efficient remedy in the hair loss treatments, prevents baldness and stimulates hair growth at the same time. This treatment is completely natural, and the sulfur found in onions is the main ingredient in this remedy. Onion juice improves blood circulation in the head.

It is also recommended in inflammation treatments and it is a powerful ally against bacteria, the major cause for baldness.

Blend 1 onion and squeeze out the juice. Rub it on your scalp and hair roots, and leave it for at least 30 minutes. Wash your hair with mild shampoo. For better results it is necessary to repeat this procedure 2-3 times per week during a month. You can add some honey in the onion juice.

If you have not added this vegetable on your shopping list, it is time to start using it and feel all the benefits onion provides!

Diet & Weight Loss General

Calculate How Many Calories You Should Eat Per Day

Post author By hfhadmin
Post date February 27, 2014

Our body turns excess calories into fat, i.e. overweight.

Our organism needs an average of 2 000 – 3 000 calories daily – women and children less, and men need more. But, these values depend on many factors.

The number of calories for every individual can be precisely determined with the Harris-Benedict equation which gives different results depending on the gender, age, height and activity, by calculating the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

Calculate the optimal number of calories you should enter daily using the following equation:

Men:
BMR = 66 + 13,7 x weight in kg + 5 x height in cm – 6.8 x age in years

Women:
BMR = 655 + 9.6 x weight in kg + 1.8 x height in cm – 4.7 x age in years

Then, multiply the number you get with the lifestyle factor

Minimal physical activity – multiply BMR by 1.2
Poorly active life (1-2 times a week workout) multiply BMR by 1,375
Moderately active lifestyle (3-5 times a week workout) multiply BMR by 1.55
Particularly active life (6-7 times a week workout) multiply BMR by 1,725
Extremely active life with regular and intense physical effort – multiply BMR multiplied by 1.9

This shows that individuals who have extremely active life (have any kind of physical activity 2 times a day) can consume around 50% more calories than those who do not any kind of sport.

For example, a physically inactive man aged 50, who is 185cm tall and weighs 90kg, should enter just 2 220 calories daily to avoid gaining weight. If this man eats one and a half medium-sized pizza, which has approximately 3 000 calories, he should swim for an hour to get rid of the excess calories.

In addition to this, you should have in mind that latest researches also show that fruit and vegetables not only contain less calories, but these food products are immensely rich in numerous nutrients, which change intestinal flora and enhance the fat burning process.

Health Natural Remedies

Simple Natural Remedies For Stress And Anxiety

Post author By hfhadmin
Post date February 25, 2014

Stress relieving pills found in pharmacies are not the only solution in the cases of stress and insomnia. On the contrary, natural remedies are a lot healthier and more efficient alternative, whose benefits do not have any side-effects.

Nature offers numerous herbs with beneficial effect on overall health, so we have listed some of the most available and useful stress relieving remedies.

Lavender

Lavender has long been used to treat insomnia, and other nervous system disorders. You can add it in your bedtime bath, or just prepare a nice cup of tea. Lavender relaxes muscles, calms anxiety and nervousness, and it also helps in treating sleep disorders.

Lavender tea is easy to prepare, and you can feel the effect right away. Add 2 teaspoons of lavender flowers in a cup of boiling water and leave it for ten minutes. Filter the tea and add some honey to sweeten it. Drink 2 cups of lavender tea every day.