What's the Deal About Antioxidants?

We all hear about the benefits of getting antioxidants into our bodies. Do you know why, though? The antioxidants really are phenomenal. I'm talking about vitamins A, C, and E in this article. After doing tons of research and sharing information with others, here is a summary list I have come up with...

Your appearance can improve. If signs of aging skin is a concern to you, getting more antioxidants can help your skin look more vibrant and younger. Your skin tone (coloring) will appear more bright. They will nourish your skin. Antioxidants also assist in disease prevention. Increased circulation also helps your body function at its optimum level.

Vitamin A contains retinol, an ingredient known for lessening the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The Mayo Clinic states that retinol was the first anti-aging ingredient found in original wrinkle creams.

Since antioxidants help increase blood circulation by fighting free radicals (harmful antibodies), they can increase the growth of your hair.

More later...

5 CHEAP Ways to Lose Weight

With our society being known for having an obese population, it seems that there is a multitude of 'ways to lose weight'. Some of pure nonsense, some surgical, and some common sense. Some ways are easy, some take some work. In other words, there is something for everyone. Here are some ways to lose weight that plain and simply – use common sense and are cheap.

1. Drink water. How simple is this? So many people are concerned about how many sodas to drink. Do they need to decrease the amount? Should they drink diet sodas? Come on. Make your life easier. Just do not drink any. DRINK WATER! It fills you up. It is, simply, delicous and satisfying. Part of drinking more water includes water-based drinks such as tea.

2. Exercise more. This is so common sense, it is embarrassing to mention. However, with all the miraculous ways suggested to lose weight, it is basic. Exercise more, plain and simple. No matter if it is as simple as walking more than usual, do it. Do anything that involves more activity than what your current level is at. Even isometrics is good. Just do something physical besides sit in front of your television eating chocolates or junk food.

3. Steam foods. When you prepare your meals, simply use steaming as your method of cooking. It only involves the time to chop your food and place it in a steamer. Usually takes about 10-15 minutes of time. The taste is superb. The cost is cheap. Plus, there is decreased fat. You can experience the natural taste of food.

4. Decrease portion sizes. Our society has become accustomed to HUGE portion sizes of food. When eating out, take half your meal home in a doggy bag. Instead of eating 2 cups of cereal, cut back to 1 cup. Learn to enjoy eating a protein portion the size of a deck of cards. By learning to enjoy smaller portions, you will be amazed at how easy it is. Measure your food intake. It takes time, but is worth it.

5. Eat a well balanced diet. Forget those fad diets that have you totally eliminating certain food groups. Your body needs all food groups to function properly. It does not take a food scientist to know this.

Losing weight is not easy, especially as we age. It takes work and discipline. And, yes, it is easier said than done. By incorporating these weight loss suggestions into your lifestyle – you will reap the benefits. Go for it!

The Best Natural Pain Med

Having recently undergone a total knee replacement, I have had my fill of 'pain meds'. None work that well. There is one method, however, that is surprisingly great. It is all-natural, cheap, and convenient. In fact, it can be found in everyone's freezer.

This effective pain reliever is known as ice. Plain and simple ice. I was really surprised when the doctor mentioned that the best way to alleviate pain was with ice. I like that. All the other pain meds had awful side effects like nausea and breathing difficulties. :(

Ice has no side effects, of course. The only drawback is the fact it can be cumbersome to fill up an ice bag every two hours. Those large ice gel packs are real nice, however.

The cheapest way, I find, is to simply fill a gallon size plastic with ice. Wrap the plastic bagin a towel to keep your clothes from getting wet. When the ice melts, simply replace it with a fresh pack.

A Natural Digestive Aid

Yesterday was a surprising day. One of my friends was constipated and only knew about Metamucil or prescription stool softeners. That blew me away. There is a wonderful natural digestive aid that is cheap, super effective, and convenient to either buy or make. It is...

Yogurt. I find that plain yogurt works best. By plain yogurt I mean the store bought kind that does not have any sugar, fillers, or fruit...or anything, for that matter...in it. It is labeled as PLAIN.

Simply eat some spoonfuls of this and wait for the magic to happen. For me, it is quick and efficient. Plus, the plain variety is tasty.

Even better than the store bought, mass produced variety is the homemade variety. Making your own yogurt is so easy and cheap that it's surprising more people don't do it. You don't need any fancy equipment or know-how. You can, however, buy a yogurt maker if you'd like.

To make:
I simply bring a quart of milk to the boiling point.
While the milk is heating, I put a tablespoon of plain yogurt (already on hand) in a glass cup. Once the milk starts to bubble, simply pour it into the glass cups.
Cover the individual glass cups with plastic wrap (to keep it from forming a filmy layer).
Either place the cups into the yogurt maker or into a cake pan.
If using a cake pan, pour about an inch of hot water into it, then place the cups in.
Cover with a thick towel to help with the fermentation process.,
Place in a non-drafty area, away from any cold.
Let process for hours. The longer you let it 'cook', the stronger the taste.
Store in fridge when done.

Willow Bark - A Natural Remedy

For those times when you need help with pain relief or inflammation, there is a natural alternative to aspirin or other pharmaceutically manufactured drugs. It is known as willow bark. Willow bark dates back to the days of Hippocrates when he had patients chew on the tree bark to help decrease pain and inflammation.

Being an herb, willow bark takes longer to see results from than drugs. And, the effects can last longer. Willow bark is known to have less side effects than pharmaceutical drugs. We know that acetiminophen (Tylenol) can be damaging to the liver. We also know that aspirin is a blood thinner and can cause stomach problems.

Try willow bark. You can find it in health food stores, or the natural living/healing section of your grocery store.

Also, you can find more information on it by searching the Internet. Enjoy!

Why Organic Food?

If one is not familiar with all the benefits of organic food, they are missing out. It is not just a fad or trend. Choosing organic food over non-organic food has many advantages, including:

* Taste. This is the deciding factor for choosing organic food. Once you taste unadultered food, you won't want to go back.
* No pesticides. Many times, a non-organically grown food will have a very strong aftertaste of chemicals. It is just repulsive.
* Environmentally friendly. By not using chemically-produced pesticides, the soil is healthier for all involved.
* Less food allergies. The pesticides used on traditional agriculture crops is known to cause food allergies in a variety of people.

These are but a few of the reasons to eat organic. Yes, the products will cost more than the traditionally grown, but the alternative is well worth it.

Easy Citrus Squeeze

This is so easy, it's almost embarrassing. A very easy and tasty way to add some extra pizzazz to some steamed (or baked) seafood is to simply squeeze a fresh orange over it.

As soon as you remove the seafood (salmon is especially scrumptious) from cooking, place it on your serving plate. Cut an orange in half and just squeeze the juice over your piece of seafood.

Besides adding some extra sweetness to your seafood, the citric acid from the orange will aid your digestion.

This works equally well with tangerine, lemon, or lime. I, personally, prefer a nice, sweet orange. Actually, whatever your favorite citrus fruit is, will do.

Now, isn't that easy? Enjoy!!