Simply Essential Blog

I just don't have the time

2015-10-22T09:53:00.005+13:00

I don’t have time to…

In our modern, and often hectic lives, this phrase seems to be thrown around with an almost unapologetic gusto. Bleated with pride as a badge of honour; “I would, but I don’t have time to (insert task/duty or meeting).”

The funny thing about people is that they will often go to great lengths to please others, yet they have a poor habit of letting themselves down often. One of the most common ways the ‘I don’t have time to..’ phrase is utilised is when it comes to exercise. It is not always a fun task, or endeavour, and for that reason people tend to put it off as long as possible in their lives.

There may be a solution to this personal crisis. How about an exercise regime that takes just six minutes of exercise per week. You did read that correctly, just six minutes of exercise. It should be noted at this point that the overall time needed is one hour in total per week.

The regime is really simple, and as mentioned involves only an hour of time per week. If someone is unable to devote one hour of their life to themselves and their own health per week then this probably isn’t for them. If, however they can devote that time then read on.

The exercise is known as HIIT or ‘High Intensity Interval Training.’ The task itself involves doing just thirty seconds of highly intense exercise, and coupling it with a rest period, and repeating the process. For this exercise, you can use an exercise bike, a rowing machine, or just a patch of ground to run on.

Due to the high intensity of the exercise, be sure to stretch prior to attempting any of this. It should also be pointed out at this stage that this should not be deemed as health advice, and appropriate medical advice should be sought before attempting any of the exercises mentioned.

We’ll use the exercise bike as the example on this occasion, but you can use anything that elevates your heart rate close to its maximum. First, start off on the bike with minimal resistance for two minutes, then crank the resistance up close to your maximum, and pedal as fast and as hard as you can for thirty seconds. Once your thirty seconds is up, take the resistance off and get your breath back for two minutes, then thirty seconds at your maximum once again.

Repeat this process four times. That’s only two minutes of intense exercise. Do this three times a week and you will be on your way to a healthier lifestyle.

There has been over two hundred studies conducted in the last decade that shows doing high intensity exercise has huge health benefits. Everything from lowering blood pressure, to even decreasing the risk of certain cancers and preventing diabetes. It also significantly lowers body fat.

Check out some further info here: http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4319131.htm

Whilst committing to any exercise regime can be a daunting prospect, doing a mere six minutes per week shouldn’t be too arduous. Good luck!

Hayfever Season and Some Natural Remedies to Try

2015-10-10T12:22:00.004+13:00

Hay Fever Season

The area in which I live is rural, and in the distance there are a great many pine forests. Lovely to walk in, but not so good when it comes to Allergies.

Pine trees produce amazing amounts of pollen, - yesterday I was watching clouds of it rising from the trees and wafting down the valley, giving everything a yellow-green look. Symptoms of hayf ever can vary, but may include those below

Runny nose and nasal congestion
Watery or itchy eyes
Sneezing
Cough
Itchy nose, roof of mouth or throat
Sinus pressure and facial pain
Swollen, blue-colored skin under the eyes (allergic shiners)
Decreased sense of smell or taste

At best it is uncomfortable, at worst, quite debilitating. There are various over the counter preparations which help, as well as some natural solutions

Natural Remedies to Try

Eucalyptus Oil
This pure essential oil can be healing to aggravated mucus membranes. You can apply a drop on a cotton ball and sniff it several times a day, add a few drops to water (or to a nebulizer, if you own one) for a steam treatment, or use a few drops in your bathwater.

Quercetin:

Quercetin is an antioxidant that belongs to a class of water-soluble plant substances called flavonoids. Although research is sketchy, many believe quercetin-rich foods (such as apples, berries, red grapes, red onions, capers and black tea) prevent histamine release—so they are “natural antihistamines.” Quercetin is also available in supplement form—a typical dose for hay fever is between 200 and 400 mg per day.

Local Honey (My personal favorite)

Many believe that consuming locally produced honey, which contains pollen spores picked up by the bees from your local plants, can act as a natural “allergy vaccine.” By introducing a small amount of allergen into your system (from eating the honey), your immune system is activated and over time can build up your natural immunity against it. I use local bush honey although I am currently researching getting my own hive.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is an age old remedy that is often suggested for a variety of health conditions. I’ve personally used it for allergy relief (and heartburn relief) with great success. The theory is that its ability to reduce mucous production and cleanse the lymphatic system makes it useful for allergies. It is also said to help digestion, weight loss and more so it is worth a try!

Mix unfiltered apple cider vinegar with “The Mother” (that part is important) into a glass of water and drank this three times a day.

Nettle Leaf
Nettle leaf is a natural antihistamine that can be very effective as it naturally blocks the body’s ability to produce histamine. It grows in many places (you should see my garden!) and can be made in to a tincture or tea, but for allergy relief, capsules made from dried nettle leaves are the easiest and most effective option.
Nettle leaf can also be used in combination with other herbs to make a soothing herbal tea for allergy relief. It is often mixed with peppermint leaf and sometimes red raspberry leaf to make a refreshing allergy relief tea

Hopefully, some of these remedies will work - I have tried them, and I think they help. Let me know if you try them.

And if everything else fails, you can still enjoy a southern hemisphere spring :)

While my friends from the other side of the world welcome Fall

That's it for now from Lynda at www.simplyessential.com

Natural Skin Treatments That Work Wonders – Part II

2015-07-07T00:35:00.003+12:00

I wrote about natural skin treatments earlier in the year. You can read the article on the link if you want to check it out.

I thought given its popularity, it would be worth doing a recap on some of its points, and I hope to add a few extra’s in there as well.

Given that Simply Essential has been in business for over eighteen years to help people with various skin problems, it should come as no surprise that we like to look at natural alternatives to traditional medicines and treatments. Often, the pricey anti-aging cream, or the colourfully bottled eye cream simply take what’s already in nature, and in some cases in our own homes and gardens and sell it back to us under the guise of cosmetics. It is quite brilliant when you think about it.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for skin treatments, and I sincerely believe that many of the products out there today are wonderful. I found myself chuckling recently when a television commercial sprung up with a line to the effect of; “we’ve taken the essence of nature to….” I thought ‘why take just the essence?’

Unfortunately, due to our consumerist nature, we would sooner believe the tv commercial due to its clever marketing than the organic products you may see around the supermarket.

Anyway, I digress. Check out some of these home health hacks to get your skin looking in great shape;

Suffering from saggy, baggy, been-up-all-night eyes?

You may well have heard of these remedies before, but a try these few things to help you look refreshed and somewhat more awake. Try using two cold teabags on your eyes for five minutes in order to reduce swelling, and puffiness. You can also try cutting slices of cucumber to place over your eyes as well. One slightly lesser known treatment is to freeze (yes, freeze) two spoons, and place them on your eyes to help reduce puffiness. Please ensure you warm the spoons enough so as not to suffer freezer burn.

Have a cut or abscess and nothing to dress it with?

Ok, so you may need a seat when you read this, but a potato actually has healing properties. Wait, what? Yep that’s right; the common potato actually has certain properties which can draw out infections. Simply grate some potato, and apply to the wound. You may wish to hold it there with some gauze, and replace every few hours or so.

You can also try using garlic for similar purposes. Allicin in garlic is similar to using penicillin. It is a great anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal treatment and can help heal a myriad of wounds. Garlic can cause damage to the skin if left too long. Ensure you don’t leave it on the skin for longer than 20-25 minutes. You can make a mix of 3 crushed garlic cloves and 1 cup of wine, blended, let stand for 2-3 hours and strain. Apply to the wound with a clean cloth 1-2 times a day.

Dull, lifeless skin?

A common herb many of us have in our cupboards is turmeric. Turmeric is a natural anti-sceptic that can help minimise scars and marks. Mix one tablespoon of turmeric, with enough pineapple juice to make a paste. Apply the paste to your face, and leave until completely dry. Remove the mask with warm water. Try this two to three times a week to help clear your skin and minimise the effects of sun spots.

Natural Cold Sore Relief

2015-06-27T15:34:00.001+12:00

If you suffer from cold sores, then you need to read the feedback from this customer

I personally feel really moved by their testimony - they have only identified themselves as 'x'. I am so happy that I have been able to help him/her. Maybe it can help you too? Thank you 'X' for taking the time to write your review. It is feedback like this that has allowed me to sell this product & help folk for the past 18 years :)

Life changing. Really.

Posted by X on 19th Jun 2015

I bought Virasoothe once I had hit wit's end with my cold sores. I was getting them with alarming frequency for 2 weeks at a time, they were moving above my lip, and looked and felt horrible. Abreva wasn't doing anything.

I bought virasoothe after seeing it recommended on a forum dedicated to cold sores. And, okay, the internet is full of crap, but when you're desperate, you start to do things you know are stupid. That having been said, I saw a statistically significant number of people talking about the effectiveness of virasoothe. I'm pretty sure that that day, on the 2nd cold sore of that month, I sat on the couch, crying and ordering 5 different remedies to try. Don't judge me.

Since the arrival of virasoothe, I have not had a cold sore. It has been several months. The second I feel the itch, I put some on and the blister never forms. My boyfriend also gets cold sores, and he came home with the beginning of a blister, put some of this on, and the thing never erupted.

When you're at wit's end, and ready to try anything, it's a really wonderful day that your act of desperation ends in success. I don't know that the stuff will work for everyone, but it certainly works for me.

Virasoothe Original - Natural remedy for cold sores.

Natural Remedies for Age Spots

2015-05-18T17:27:00.000+12:00

Many of us have age spots, (also known as liver spots,) and most of us do not like them, especially when they are on the face. Just looking in the cosmetic department of any store tells us that while we as individuals do not like them, the cosmetic industry loves them, as evidenced by the large array of expensive lotions and potions to treat them. Those of us with a Celtic heritage are more likely to get them, especially where there has been extended sun exposure.

Spots can be a variety of colors, and while harmless, they can disguise something more sinister – Melanoma, so getting a skin check occasionally is important. It takes a long time to develop these spots, and it will take time to fade them out, but persevere, you can get rid of them!

Apple cider vinegar is a very effective treatment for age spots. Apply with a cotton bud or finger, leave on for 20 minutes or so and rinse off. For an even stronger mix, blend with a little onion juice (not recommended prior to a romantic interlude!)

To speed up the process, you can mix 3 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar into a mug full of water (hot or cold), and drink this twice daily for a month. This will not only improve your age spots, but it will also give you a healthy young glow and make you feel energized and active.

Aloe Vera Juice is also effective – simply rub on the spot and leave it to do its work. Aloe does not need to be washed off

Lemon Juice will also bleach them and eventually they will no longer be visible. You need to use fresh lemon, not the stuff in bottles.

Castor Oil is also helpful, just rub on the spots twice daily and you should see visible results in about a month.

Sandalwood. (A personal favourite) You can make homemade pack with two tablespoons of sandalwood powder, two teaspoons of rose water, and one teaspoon each of glycerine and lemon juice. Apply this pack on the spots and allow it to dry naturally. Use cold water to wash it off. Repeat a few times a week until your brown spots disappear.

I use Sandalwood oil, glycerine and lemon juice. It smells great, and seems to be helping

Have you got Age Spots? Do they bother you? Do you treat them with anything?

6 Great Herbs For Home Health

2015-05-11T11:23:00.001+12:00

There are a myriad of natural alternatives for modern medicine. Even better to note is that many of these natural alternatives can be found in and around our own homes. You will also find that the majority of the herbs mentioned on the list can be bought for relatively cheap. Below is a list of common herbs and some of their uses. Many of the issues they can help with you will be aware of as they are often mentioned in old wives tales. Hopefully there are a few gems amongst them that you can make use of.

Rose

Roses are more than just a beautiful gesture to a loved one. They can also assist with a whole range of ailments. Rose petal preserves may help alleviate symptoms of PMS by helping to reduce the irritability of menstrual cramps. Inhaled, rose oil can help soothe asthma, calm anger, alleviate depression, reduce headaches, and even lighten the feelings of resentment, grief, and jealousy. Cool huh?

Stinging Nettle

Nasty to the touch, but it has its uses. Stinging nettle can combat inflammation and swelling. When taken in capsule form, it can also reduce redness and irritation in eyes.

Ginger

This is merely a glimpse of gingers powers, but its health benefits are endless (don’t take that literally. I mean, I’m sure its uses are finite, but you get the idea). To start with, ginger helps with nausea and motion sickness. It can help with blood flow. It helps the body release the proper enzymes to break down food so nutrients can be dispersed easier. It is a great natural immunity booster, and tastes great too!

Garlic

One cooking’s favourite additives. Use in any dish to bring an intense flavour to your cooking. Not only great to cook with, garlic also helps to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. According to the US National Health and Medical Research council, consuming half a clove of garlic per day can help decrease bad cholesterol by nearly 10%. Your breath may not thank you for it, but your heart will.

Dandelion

This is more than just a pretty flower. Dandelion has been used for centuries to aid in many cures. Dandelions roots and leaves can be used to cleanse the liver, treat diabetes, acne, anaemia, high blood pressure, cancer and urinary disorders.

Parsley

This herb is known more as a garnish on your plate than a health supplement. Parsley has a high level of chlorophyll which can help boost immunity, clear toxins, and lower inflammation. Parsley also contains alpha-linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 fatty acid that has been linked with reducing the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease, and arthritis.

This is a mere glimpse of what your garden can provide you with health benefits and cures. There are a myriad of other herbs, flowers, and vegetables that can also assist. Hopefully there are a few things on the list you should be able to find in at home. Happy gardening!

Living Life on Purpose

2015-05-06T00:28:00.000+12:00

Many of us live our lives in a perpetual state of unconsciousness. There, I said it. I know it is harsh, and I won’t be surprised if you are scoffing at the mere thought of a comment so audacious. It is indeed a harsh comment to make. I pose the question to you though; how purpose-filled is your life? It may not be easy, but being brutally honest with yourself in this case is a wise move. Us humans don’t seem to grow so well when we remain in our comfort zone. When you take a realistic audit of your life, and your daily doings, how conscious are you of your decisions and movements?

Do you set goals? Do you work towards those goals, and keep them in the forefront of your mind every day? If you don’t, then is it possible that you are merely drifting through life? Do you think if you say to yourself “Gosh darn it, I really need to lose weight” it is magically going to happen? Or, maybe, just maybe if you set a goal and write it down then it may be more likely that you will lose weight?

If you answered ‘yes’ to the latter then you are on the right track. Living life on purpose begins being conscious of your decisions (even your lack thereof), and how they affect where your life goes. By setting a goal to lose ten kilograms by xxx date, you are making a decision to change your behaviour, and as a result, the shape of your body. By further breaking up the goal into smaller pieces, you will be able to start living on purpose. As an example your goal may look like this:

By (date) I will have lost ten kilograms, look, feel and be healthier.

By (date) I will have lost five kilograms towards my goal of losing ten kilograms by (date).

In order to achieve this goal, I will go to the gym for one hour, three times per week. I will reduce my meal portion sizes, and reduce my sugar intake.

I will also stop eating chocolate every day.

Obviously this is just a guideline to go off. The moral of the story is that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This is the same theme that runs through any endeavour you undertake. Whether that is sports, education, or life in general.

Make a decision to be decisive. Consciously choose to make choices. Purposely live your life on purpose.

Goal Setting Your Way To Greatness

2015-04-28T12:01:00.004+12:00

Read any book on people that live successful lives (as society tends to base its judgements on at least), and you will find many traits in common. The most common theme among them is that they are master goal-setters. Some people even go so far as to set intra-day goals. The two questions to mull over for yourself are; are you where you want to be in life? and if not, are you are a goal – setter? If the answer is no to both of these, then following a few of the steps below may help you get to where you want to go.

In order to set effective goals that you will stick to, and remain motivated for, you need to be specific. If your goal is to lose weight for a wedding, or other event, it is pointless to simply set a goal to ‘lose weight’ When will you know when you have reached your goal? What will be a milestone to know you are on the right track?

The first step in setting a goal is to be clear about what you want to achieve. This is a vital step in setting goals that you will be able to achieve. If you only half want something to happen, then how do you think you will remain motivated down the track? You probably won’t. If you have a clear picture of what you want to achieve, you are already on your way.

The next part you need to consider is if the goal is actually achievable? If you have a goal to make $20,000,000 per year next year, is that a reasonable goal that you are likely to achieve in that timeframe? It is not unreasonable to have such a goal, but you need to be able to break it down into smaller parts that you can measure. Consider these as milestones. In order to set goals that you can achieve, it is imperative that you write them down. Think of it as similar to making a contract with yourself. Writing it down also reinforces the belief in your subconscious. That way each time you read it, it will help you focus on your vision.

It is also important to set a time frame when setting goals. If you leave it open ended you are not creating any urgency to try and achieve it. Because you have it open ended, it becomes easier to simply say; “oh, I’ll get onto that someday.” As John Fogerty once wrote someday never comes.

In order to remain focussed and disciplined towards your goals, you also need to set up milestones and rewards. For example, if you want to lose forty pounds, doing that all in one go is a bit tricky. Wisdom tells us that breaking the goal down into measurable components will help us keep on track. A saying that I once read (unsure of the source) was: If you take a sharp axe to a tree and take one swing at the tree per day, eventually, no matter how big the tree, it will fall down. The same applies with goals. Smaller pieces help to keep you on track.

To recap the steps:

1) Be specific about what you are wanting to achieve, and what the end result looks like
2) Make sure your goal is achievable
3) Write them down
4) Set a timeframe
5) Set milestones and rewards

As an extra kicker, read them as often as you can. This will help implant them into your subconscious mind and reinforce the belief that you will make them happen.

An effective goal may look like the following: By (insert date) I will have (achievement i.e lost twenty pounds etc). This can then be broken down into smaller parts eg. By xxx date I will have lost ten pounds to my goal of losing twenty pounds by xxx date.

I hope this introduction to goal setting helps!

9 Important Health Benefits Of Eggs

2015-04-22T19:53:00.000+12:00

Eggies, eggs, chicken missiles, or as an uncle once affectionately referred to them; ‘bum nuts.’ Indeed not the most eloquent use of the English language, but a comical description of one very versatile food group. Eggs are one of the most nutrient-packed foods in the universe. Just imagine that these tiny ovals of goodness can turn a single cell, into a baby chicken. That is pretty amazing to think about.

They are packed with goodness

One single large boiled egg contains:

· Folate – 5% of the RDA

· Vitamin A – 6% of the RDA

· Vitamin B5 – 7% of the RDA

· Vitamin B12 – 9% of the RDA

· Phosphorus – 9% of the RDA

· Vitamin B2 – 15% of the RDA

· Selenium – 22% of the RDA

(nb: RDA = Recommended Dietary Allowance)

On top of that list, eggs also have generous amounts of Vitamin D, E, K, B6, Calcium, and Zinc.

Eggs contain approximately 77 calories, 6 grams of protein, and 5 grams of healthy fats.

Eggs have high amounts of cholesterol, but don’t affect blood cholesterol

True to popular belief, eggs are actually high in cholesterol. A single egg contains anywhere up to 212mg, which is around half of the recommended 300mg daily intake.

One thing to note is that cholesterol in the diet doesn't necessarily raise cholesterol in the blood. The liver produces large amounts of cholesterol every day. When we eat things such as eggs, the liver produces less cholesterol to counter-balance the intake.

The response to egg consumption differs from person to person, but in general terms eggs won’t raise cholesterol in 70% of people. The remaining 30% are deemed as ‘hyper responders’ and can have mild increases in cholesterol. This is a simplified view of it, but you get the idea.

Eggs raise HDL levels (the good cholesterol)

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is often termed the ‘good’ cholesterol. People with higher levels of HDL are less likely to suffer heart diseases, strokes and other health issues. Eating eggs can help to increases HDL in the body.

Eggs contain choline

What the….is choline? Most people have never heard of choline before. Choline is grouped with the B vitamin family. Choline is used to build cell membranes. It also plays a role in producing signalling molecules in the brain. Eggs contain more than 100mg of this vital nutrient.

Eggs help stimulate muscle growth

A favourite snack for body-builders and gym-junkies everywhere, eggs contain 6 grams of protein each. Protein is a vital nutrient in repairing muscle fibre after exercise such as weight-lifting.

Eggs are great for eye health

A consequence associated with ageing is eyesight tends to worsen. One of the ways to counteract this is to take varying nutrients to reverse the effects of ageing. Two of these nutrients are; Lutein, and Zeaxanthin. These are powerful antioxidants that tend to build up in the retina of the eye, and help to reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Our good friends the egg contain high levels of these substances. Eggs also contain high levels of Vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency is the most common cause of blindness in the world.

Lower triglycerides

Sadly, not all eggs are created equal. Naturally it makes sense that the quality of the egg relies heavily on the quality of the food the chicken ate. Hens that are raised on pasture, or fed Omega-3 enriched foods tend to be much higher in Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce blood levels of triglycerides – a well-known factor in causing heart disease. In one nutritional study of eggs, it was shown that eating just 3 omega-3 enriched eggs per week reduced triglycerlides by as much as 18%.

Contrary to popular belief eggs do NOT raise the risk of heart disease

Eggs have had a bad rap in times gone by as being a major risk factor in causing heart disease. It was claimed due to the cholesterol levels in them that they must be bad for the heart. This, as it transpires has been disproven, and in one study alone, with 263,938 participants, there was no association found between egg consumption, and heart disease.

Eggs are filling

This may seem like throw-away benefit. Due to the high protein levels in eggs, they are incredibly filling. In fact, protein is the most fulfilling macro-nutrient. As a result of eating something such as eggs which are high in protein, it is likely that you will not feel the need to snack as much throughout the day. This, in turn means you can potentially lower your daily calorie intake, and lose weight as a result.

Here’s a great video of the wonders of eggs. Aren’t they great? Check it out:

12 Things you can do with an Egg from RUSCH MEYER on Vimeo.

Early Birds and Worms

2015-04-08T19:15:00.000+12:00

We've all heard the saying: 'The early Bird catches the worm.' Well what does waking early it get you? Other than being grumpy in the morning, and potentially less sleep? Let's probe a little deeper to find out.

In the interests of science and this article I searched high and low for answers to this question. Is it actually good for you to get up early? Is it worth it even? Success leaves clues as they say.

Some of the worlds most successful and notorious business people summon early everyday. The likes of Richard Branson, Tim Cook, Bob Iger, Helena Morrisey to name a few. Although some of the names listed may not be easily recognized at first glance, they all hold high-stress CEO roles in various large companies.

So, how early is early? Well, from what forbes claims with many of these people, the 'wake-up' times ranged from as early as 4:30am. Most of these people would do fairly normal human activities at these times, such as exercising, and reading the morning news papers. Others would start work as soon as they woke up.

As most of us reading this are balking at the thought of summoning at such ungodly hours, there is another side to this argument.

To look at some simple math here; if we assume that most (some) people wake up at roughly 7:00am on work days. If we decide to become proper early risers, and set the dreaded alarm at 5:30am, this gives us an extra 90 minutes per day (again, assuming that we don't adjust our night time schedule too much). If we do this for our work week from Monday to Friday, this gives us an extra 450 minutes per week. If we also assume that we work approximately forty 48 weeks in the year, that now gives us a grand total of 21,600 minutes extra per year. Put another way, it gives us an extra 360 hours per year, or...wait for it...15 extra days per year.

Impressive huh? Or, scary perhaps. That depends how you look at it.

While sleeping, and rest are vitally important (see prior article on rest here), it is also something to consider that an extra 15 days per year can be gained from getting up early.

Perhaps a slight readjustment of your daily schedule is in order?

Coffee - Natures Wonder Food

2015-04-03T02:13:00.001+13:00

Coffee Love

Coffee. The elixir of life. Coffee is no-doubt a delightful routine for many of us. In fact it is estimated that approximately 54% of adults over the age of eighteen are daily coffee drinkers. That’s a whole bunch of caffeine there!

So the question remains, is coffee actually good for you? You might be pleasantly surprised by these facts. It turns out you might not need to feel so guilty about at least one of your daily vices after all.

Here’s a few cold (or hot, we’re not here to judge how you have your coffee or your facts) hard facts about the delectable black drink so many of us can’t survive without.

Coffee can improve your brain function

Ok, so you’re not going to go from a Forest Gump to an Einstein by drinking the occasional mug of latte. Coffee contains a not-so-secret ingredient called caffeine. Caffeine does wonders when it hits the bloodstream by going straight to the brain. Caffeine contains something called adenosine which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. When it hits your brain it essentially aids in blocking some of your neurotransmitters, which in turn increases the levels of hormones such as dopamine (one of the chemicals that help make you happy). Strangely enough, the effects of this release improves various brain functions such as memory, mood, energy levels (yay!), reaction times and cognitive function. Pretty cool huh?

Coffee can help you burn fat

I know many of you have stopped reading by this point and have gone in search of coffee. For those vigilant enough to stay tuned, here’s another one of coffee’s gifts to us. Caffeine can help boost your metabolism by as much as 11%! A speedy metabolism burns fat stores faster, stronger, and betterer (err, you get the idea). It should be noted though that long-term users/drinkers may have diminished effects on the metabolism.

Improve Nay, drastically improve physical performance

Caffeine you marvellous thing you! It also increases the levels of adrenaline in the blood. Adrenaline is the ‘fight or flight’ hormone that increases your heart rate, and gets you prepared for intense physical activity. Caffeine helps the body break down fat-stores into free fatty acid and makes them available for fuel, which in turn powers the body/engine/turbines.

There are nutrients in coffee

You’ll hardly believe it, but coffee contains some pretty amazing stuff as well. Riboflavin, Pantothenic acid, manganese, potassium, magnesium and niacin are just some of it’s awesome properties. All of which help form part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Coffee can reduce the likelihood of developing type II diabetes

What? No way! Yes way. There have been numerous studies done in various ways that confirm this statement, but the truth is there have been a total test pool of nearly 460,000 individuals. The aggregate of the various studies showed that drinking just one cup per day can lower the chances of diabetes by 7%. Some tests show this figure to be as high as 67% reduction in chance of developing the disease.

The benefits seem to go on and on. Some of the other healthy side effects of this wonderful liquid include;

Lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Lowering the risk of Parkinson’s disease

Has protective effects on the Liver

Combats the symptoms of depression, and help make you happier

Lower the chances of developing certain cancers

Lowers the risk of heart disease, and strokes

Help you live longer? (awesome!)

Among all that, coffee has become the largest source of antioxidants in the western diet. For people that eat a fairly standard western diet (think small amounts of fruit and vege, and larger amounts of fried food), coffee contains a huge amount of antioxidants and even more than certain vegetables.

So you can let go of the guilt of drinking coffee daily. You may even decide to ramp up your coffee intake after reading this. It has been written here before, but like many things in life, the health benefits are there when the food group is ingested in moderation. Coffee is obviously wonderful, and not to criticize the liquid bliss, but it shouldn't be used to replace any part of a balanced diet.

Eating Healthy Doesn't Need to be Hard

2015-04-01T16:43:00.001+13:00

Eating Healthy

So Fresh!

This has been covered on this blog previously, but it is always good to give ourselves a reminder from time to time. With the low quality, easy to prepare diet available on your average super market shelves these days, it is easy to simply grab a meal completely lacking in any health benefits for your family. Obviously this is somewhat of a general statement, and I have seen many good quality items for sale as well. Unfortunately for us consumers though, the majority of the cheap, easy to cook meals available do not do our bodies justice by any stretch of the imagination.

Every time you reach for that microwavable meal in a plastic box, remember that the alternative to this is not always time consuming to cook. If that isn’t argument enough, then maybe the thought that some of the ingredients in the plastic box you are about to reach for is doing you damage? How about the simple truth that taking an extra few minutes per week to make and plan your meals is better for you all over?

Check out the video below of some of the world’s healthiest foods and see how you can incorporate these into your diet.

I hope you can start making a change in your life, and see the benefits. You will look better, feel better, and have more energy for the things you would rather do.

Nom Nom Nom

The Sun and Your Skin – How to win the anti-aging skin game

2015-03-31T14:30:00.000+13:00

The Sun and Your Skin – How to win the anti-aging skin game

There has been a major shift in recent years away from the golden tanned/bronzed look. Although it is still popular, and as a westernised nation, we seem to still find obsession in ‘looking brown for summer’ there is somewhat of a shift occurring with regards to what we perceive to look good. Cancer councils around the world are trying to reprogram our self-image compasses to a somewhat paler complexion than in previous years.

The shift comes from a scary increase in the statistics for skin cancer in the last two decades. The knowledge we now have regarding this subject has grown immensely, and as such, as a society we are slowly starting to make a change for the better. As good as it may look to have that golden tan, the sad fact is that we are damaging our skin when we expose ourselves to the sun.

When we get sunburnt, this is both extremely dangerous to our skin, and damaging to our aging process. The more we punish our skin by getting burnt, the quicker our skin will age, as it loses its elastin’s that help keep our skin fresh and youthful.

All is not lost though. By applying a few of the tips below, you can reduce the suns effects, and help to stave off some of the damage caused. You can also attempt to slow the aging process of your skin as well!

· Wear sun protective clothing

This may not always be a practical step, but the simple fact is that if you are able to cover up as much as possible, then you have a natural barrier from the sun’s harmful rays.

· Slop on broad-spectrum, water resistant SPF30+ sunscreen

For best results, apply a minimum of twenty minutes before exposure to sun. In an ideal world, you should reapply every two hours.

· Slap on a hat

Yes, this is all old news, but it’s there because it is effective. Put on a broad brim hat to protect your face and neck as best as possible

· Seek Shade

Again this is one that should be fairly obvious, and sometimes being out in the sun is unavoidable. Try not to overexpose yourself to the sun if you can.

· Wear sunglasses

Not only do these make you look at least fifteen percent cooler, they also help to protect your eyes. Well, some sunnies make people look cooler, others are just plain crazy.

Many people will read the above and think; ‘oh yeah, thanks captain obvious.’

Indeed these ideas are not new by any means. In fact they are all old news, rehashed. Perhaps a timely reminder might help you remember why you started wearing sunscreen in the first place?

You only have one skin, so be good to it. If you want to keep it looking young and fresh, then do yourself a favour and be careful in the sun. Better to be pale and youthful looking, than tanned and old before your time right?

http://simplyessential.com

Love Little Things – How to love life’s joys everyday

2015-03-31T11:36:00.000+13:00

If you were to ask yourself when the last time you found amusement in something really silly was, when would that be? Can you even remember the last time that was? It doesn’t need to be anything you even had an outward physical reaction to. Even just something that was amusing to you alone is fine. What was the feeling you had? Did you hold onto it? Or was it just a fleeting moment? The reason for the psychometric-like line of questioning is simply just a thought provoker. There is no right or wrong answer with this, as only you have to answer these for yourself.

The reason for the questions as mentioned is for the purposes of awakening your thoughts and attitudes. Are you the type of person that can appreciate the little things in life? Or like many of us out there in society, have you forgotten what it was like having such adoration, and finding amusement in the little things you witness as a child might? If you relate better to the latter group, the question is why?

What is so incredibly important in your life, that you can’t appreciate a moment of laughter at something silly? This is not written to antagonise anyone. It is to provoke thoughts more than anything. I hope it succeeds in that goal.

Where Am I Now?

As an example of enjoying little things in life, I recently witnessed a young bull who had managed to escape through an open gate. He had figured out that with a gentle shove on the gate, it would open, and he would be able to go munch the brown, not-so-greener-grass on the other side of the fence. For some reason when I looked up to see that the gate had swung close behind him I found his complete bewilderment hilarious. Not only did he have no clue as to how he had engineered his escape, he also appeared to realise that this was not the most thought-out escape plan ever hatched. When he had moved away from the gate, I opened it fully, and proceeded to usher him back to the original side of the fence, where he discovered that the grass had always been greener on the initial side after all! It was a silly conundrum that I witnessed, and I must admit, my story will not win any comedic writing prizes, for me I chose to view the amusing side of it. I chose in that moment to enjoy something fairly simple, and the entertainment value of a 1 tonne beast being scared because he didn't know how to get back to the greener grass from whence he came.

With the busy, hectic, and oftentimes stressful lifestyles that we lead, couldn’t we all do with taking a step back and simply just enjoying ourselves in the moment for a while? Look at the amazement of life around you, and take a moment to appreciate it all while you still can. As one quote I read goes:

“Enjoy the little things in life, for someday you will realise that they were the big things”

I think that fairly well sums up the crux of this article. One final quote worthy of note here is another by Arthur Conan Doyle:

“It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important”

Don’t forget to enjoy life for the little things that appear in our lives daily. It’s what makes it great!

Turning your passion into a business

2015-03-30T18:54:00.001+13:00

What do you absolutely love to do? What is your favourite pastime? If you had all the money you ever needed, what is the one thing you would do for fun? Ask yourself these key questions, and you will find the answer. Although one must admit that our modern-day society is shrouded in this type of advice and information, the undeniable truth of it all is that we live in a time where we have such abundant access to information. Check out the video below if you really want to blow your mind on the amount of info there is out there. It is some phenomenal times we live in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrJjfDUzD7M

When I first got started online, my passion was for helping people. Whether that was in a healing capacity, teaching, listening to, or just helping them, I was really passionate about helping people in my life. I was fortunate enough to be able to turn this into a business that has been successful for nearly twenty years. I found my passion, and I was able to harness that into a product that I had developed out of my own necessity to help myself, and those around me that suffered from cold sores as well.

When I realised that I had developed something that could help people in a drastic way, I knew I had found my calling. The tricky part for me was that I had no idea how to operate, or set up a business online. Especially given it was late 1996 when this occurred. It wasn’t as if the internet was filled with the same business set-ups and websites that are available today.

As I alluded to, I had passion, and I knew that my idea would work. I actually wasn’t too worried about the money at that point either, as I simply wanted to help as many people as possible, and thankfully I was able to.

When you find the core of what drives you, you can start to move towards that as a career aspiration. Maybe even a business? Doing what you love will give you more satisfaction and contentment in your life, as you will feel as though you are living your own life on purpose. You won’t be stuck in the job you despise, or be in a career path that is not fulfilling to you. You will be able to say that you do what you love.

They say that if you do do what you love, then the money will follow. Whilst this isn't always the case, is it not better to pursue a career, or job that you enjoy, rather than complain another day that you are not satisfied in your life?

Like many things in life, we have a choice to move towards pleasure, or away from pain. Given we only have one shot at this amazing thing called life, isn’t it better to become conscious of what we want, and aim to move towards our pleasures, than simply letting life go by and have a feeling of discontentment?

Here’s to health, wealth and contentment always

Contentment - The Art Of Happy

2015-03-27T14:33:00.002+13:00

When asked, many people will state their goals in life in a somewhat typical fashion; health, wealth, freedom, and happiness. I have always viewed the latter as something that seems outside of yourself. It’s like making the statement: “I want to be happy in… (insert typical area of want here. i.e work, family, career, myself etc), or “I’ll be happy when…” The problem with making such a statement is that it is like dangling the carrot just in front of you. You can see it, but can’t quite reach it. It is there, and if only you could get that promotion at work, or if only you could get along better with your co-worker then you would be ‘happy.’

I propose a slightly different option for you. What if instead of aiming for being happy, you became content instead? I say this because being happy in my humble opinion is also like a finite resource. You can be happy for a time, but then it goes away when one of life’s unexpected upsets transpires. By aiming for contentment, it is something that is more within you. It is something that you choose, as opposed to an outside force that needs to occur before you can catch a brief moment of the all elusive happiness.

Check out the video below about contentment. Certainly makes you think a little.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=627ddF06Gqs

So, the next time you catch yourself saying; I wish I was…, or I will be happy when… just stop and focus for a moment on what you already have, and be content.

Have a healthy, happy (ah, content) day...

Ok, so being 'happy' is pretty cool too, but you get the idea!

Nature’s Superfoods – Easy Ways to Eat Healthier

2015-03-25T13:27:00.000+13:00

Eating well doesn’t necessarily have to be an arduous task. You can eat well, and eat yummy stuff at the same time. It doesn’t always have to be either or. I should probably put in a disclaimer here and say that I eat almost anything. Whilst I am fussy in some respects, for the most part I love fruit and vegies and a variety of foods in general. If you are not naturally adept at chowing down on the occasional celery stick, or piece of fruit, you may need to suck it up a little for the following list.

As we all know, some foods are packed with vitamins, minerals and healthy goodness, while others are nasty to our bodies. Below is a list of some of nature’s superfoods. Try adding some of these to your diet on a regular basis.

Açai: An exotic berry from the Amazon which has seen a lot of hype in recent years. The hype is not unfounded though, as this little berry contains a very unique concentration of amino acids, antioxidants and essential fatty acids. You’ll also be pleased to know that this little piece of natural awesomeness can help combat premature aging due to its high content of something known as oleic acid. This helps omega oils penetrate cell membranes to keep them supple. Cool huh!

Yoghurt: You may have seen the ads on TV stating all the good bacteria it contains. The most well known culture in it is Lactobacillus acidophilus. This passes through the stomach and helps to restore balance in the digestive system. It can also help fight off infections. One cup of yoghurt contains fifty percent more calcium than a glass of milk. Some other big worded good stuff it contains are: potassium, riboflavin, magnesium and phosphate.

Broccoli: This lovely green vege is packed with vitamin C, folic acid, and carotenoids which are loaded with vitamin A and can help protect your body from free radicals. It also enhances the immune system, and even have an effect on reproductive health. One small serving of broccoli provides 175% of your daily vitamin K needs, which helps build strong bones and aids with blood coagulation. Broccoli is also said to have anti-carcinogenic properties as well.

Blueberries: These guys are awesome too! In fact blueberries are even cancer-fighting. They contain high levels of ellagic acid, an antioxidant that has been proven to slow the growth of some cancerous tumors.

Hopefully that is enough to start with. Start adding a few of these into your diet on a more regular basis and begin to feel the difference. Like anything in life, it is about finding balance. Unless you go to the extremes, you don’t need to make too many radical changes to incorporate some of these into your dietary routine. A healthy diet isn’t all about cutting out the bad stuff, it is more about limiting the bad stuff, and ensuring that the good stuff we put into our bodies far outweighs the bad stuff.

I hope these tips help you! Have a fantastic, healthy day!

www.simplyessential.com

Follow One Course Until Successful

2015-03-25T01:36:00.003+13:00

How many of you out there set New Year’s goals, or resolutions only to be wondering within the next few months exactly what happened to them? Could it be that you have too many goals to focus on, and your brain doesn’t know which one to really clamp into? Most folks are likely to repeat this habit year on year. It’s not something you need to beat yourself up on too much. We’ve all been there.

There is a potential solution out there that I’ll cover below. Hopefully it shouldn’t be too hard to implement in your own life. It may even mean you get some of those goals scratched off your list by the end of the year. Then again, why does it need to be end of year anyway?

It’s time to focus. Actually the entire focus of this article is actually that word. Focus. It also represents a nifty little acronym that I live by, and has helped me get better results in my life since I implemented it.

One

Course

Until

Successful

It certainly sounds simple enough, and in fact it is. The majority of people will set goals and resolutions in such a way that means their energy is completely scattered when they set out to achieve their goals. The natural progression that occurs is that when you let yourself slip in one, then it effectively becomes like a house of cards, and the rest crumble. Obviously I am making huge generalisations here for the purpose of the article.

So a potential solution to all this is to simply focus your energy on one major goal. This does not necessarily mean you limit yourself entirely to just one endeavour, but it means the majority of your focus is on achieving the one goal. As an example, let’s say that your goals list looks like this;

ü Fit into wedding dress by (insert date)

ü Learn a language

ü Learn rocket science

ü Save the animals

ü Save the forests

While all these goals are commendable, is it really reasonable to assume you will be able to complete them all simultaneously? Unless you are some kind of savant that can handle such things, then I suspect the answer is no.

The trick in this case is to prioritise what your most important goal is to you right now. If you have a wedding pending, then it is probably more likely you are going to want to fit into that dress, rather than worry about whether the computational fluid dynamics of an A4 rocket are calculated correctly (err, whatever that means?). If that is the case, then the primary focus should perhaps be to get fit/lose weight etc. If that is your primary goal, you can also fit in other goals around it. An example of this might be to incorporate an audio course on a language to listen to on your workouts.

The point being is that you will surprise yourself with your results when you really focus. By making headway in one area, you will feel a greater sense of motivation and achievement, which will help you achieve more by taking the same approach.

Go forth and F.O.C.U.S!

www.simplyessential.com

Natural skin treatments that work wonders

2015-03-24T14:04:00.002+13:00

Three Simple Steps for Healthier Skin

Ok, so you’ve tried everything, read everything, and seen everything to do with skin health. You may or may not have seen these ones before. Regardless, there is some handy hints written below which may assist you in keeping your skin clear, and healthy, and youthful.

Some of these may even be old wives tales, but strangely enough, it is the old wives tales that often have some great tips that are well grounded in truth. Funny that huh!

No need to head off to the pharmacy, or supermarket just yet, as all of these are made from ingredients you would find around the home.

Honey and Aspirin

Who would have thought that these two would work? Well thankfully they do, and well too for that matter. A combination of aspirin and honey can immediately reduce the redness that comes from acne. Aspirin helps reduce the redness of acne, while honey is a natural antibiotic that can disinfect your pores, which coincidentally were the initial cause of the acne in the first place. The method to the madness in this is first to clean the skin with toner to help open the pores. In a bowl, crush one aspirin into a small amount of toner to create a paste of sorts. Apply the paste directly to the acne spots and leave for a few minutes. Next, wash the paste off and apply a small dab of honey to the pimpled area. Wash off after approximately ten minutes. Your skin will look and feel clear and smoother.

Lemon and Sugar

I’ve previously written about my obsession with lemons here. Nature’s filled with wonderful healing, and antiseptic properties. Lemons are a natural antiseptic among many other talents they possess. Their antiseptic properties make them great for removing bacteria from pores. This in turn helps the skin become less oily, which can make it look smoother, and less prone to acne. Sugar on the other hand whilst is ‘good on the lips, bad on the hips’ should perhaps read: ‘great smeared all over the face, and still bad on the hips.’ Why? Well, the sugar in the mix acts as a powerful, yet gentle exfoliant. This opens the pores of the skin so the lemon can go to work. Simply cut a lemon in half, and sprinkle sugar on one of the halves. Apply this to your face each evening to remove dead skin cells. This will also help get rid of blackheads and help the skin look more radiant.

Sea salt

What the? Salt? Really? Yes really. Like our friend the lemon, sea salt is a natural antiseptic. Ever wondered why you feel fresh and clean after swimming at the beach? Salt is doing its work. So instead of rolling around in the sand on a daily basis (unless you enjoy that of course), you can try this instead; add a tablespoon of sea salt to a glass of warm water and stir until the salt dissolves. Pour the salty water onto a facecloth, or applicator and let the salty-goodness do its work. Make sure you wash off afterwards with fresh water.

So there you have it, three incredibly simple things to help clear your skin up and make you look great! Go ahead and try it today!

www.simplyessential.com

Keeping your Heart Healthy

2015-03-23T18:11:00.004+13:00

Protecting your Heart

The heart is no doubt a vital, if not one of the most vital organs…ok top ten at least anyway. The point being is that we can do so much to help ensure our hearts are healthy, and live as long as we do without putting undue strain on them.

I would even go so far as to say that increasing your heart health is even easy. You don’t need to make many changes, to change your heart’s health. By simply exercising regularly, and replacing some of the sugar in your diet, you will be able feel, and hopefully look better too!

By simply doing thirty minutes of exercise per day you can dramatically decrease the chances of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. If you think this sounds hard, this could be as simple as three ten minute blocks. Sounds pretty easy right! Well, it actually is. For all you nay-sayers out there that are pre-determining their excuses as they read this; walking to work counts, walking to your car counts, lifting items such as groceries, babies, and laundry counts. Sure it doesn’t necessarily elevate your heart rate too high, but it is still movement. Perhaps if you want to elevate your heart rate just a tad, you may also want to look at incorporating something slightly more strenuous into your morning walk. Perhaps a lunge or two? Maybe you could increase the pace a little with your walk?

Of course, if you are committed, and do actually want to make a change then you will. Some of the benefits of actually dedicating yourself to become healthy/healthier are;

Exercise releases endorphins (the brains ‘happy’ juice), which in turn helps relieve stress, anxiety and fights depression.
You feel better about yourself
You lower the risk of health problems
You help to lower your blood pressure
Helps with circulation
Gives a sense of achievement, which in turn helps to make you feel good about yourself, which in turn helps to release more endorphins, which in turn makes you more happy!

So we know that there are huge benefits of getting fit and active. Don’t feel pressured to do more than you can. Take baby steps with this, and eventually you will surprise yourself at what you can achieve. Rome wasn’t built in a day as they say, and those incred

ibly fit looking people you see on magazines were not sculpted overnight either.

Stop making excuses for yourself, and get moving! Remember that you alone are responsible for your body. If you do not take the time to care for it, it may not always be there for you. Keeping yourself fit, active and flexible will do wonders for your health, and wellbeing. This should be an absolute priority in your life. Not just a thought.

I challenge you to start right now! For those of you that are already fit, and active, keep up the great work.

Remember that exercise is only one half of the heart health equation. We will cover some diet hacks another time.

Have a happy, healthy, and wonderful day!

www.simplyessential.com

Poached Salmony goodness

2015-03-23T15:26:00.001+13:00

Poached Salmon on Rice

If you’re anything like me, then you will be able to relate to not having an abundance of time to cook in the evenings. I for one find less and less time the older I get. Funny thing with time is, they’re not making any more of it. You only get a certain amount of it in your life. A while ago I brought one of Jamie Oliver’s books Jamie’s 15 minute meals. Which I dare say changed my cooking life for the better. Whilst this recipe isn’t in his book, I managed to cook it recently in about twenty minutes, and is not only healthy, but delicious too. I figured instead of plagiarising poor old Jamie, I would put in my own recipe instead. Actually, this isn’t even my recipe, I just love it, and have cooked it often.

Ok, so I was about to write out a mammoth recipe for you to review and look over, but instead I noted that it is already available online. I got the below from an awesome site called: http://www.nutritionistinthekitch.com/

SIMPLE GINGER SOY POACHED SALMON

PREP TIME

5 mins

COOK TIME

15 mins

TOTAL TIME

20 mins

Slightly adapted.

Author: Chef Michael Smith - Fast Flavors

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

1 cup water

¼ cup low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar

2 tablespoons grated ginger

½ teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce or chili pepper flakes

4 4oz fresh salmon fillets

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1½ cups brown basmati rice

3 cups water (for rice)

20 spears of asparagus

INSTRUCTIONS

1.Get the rice started in a rice cooker or on the stove. Follow directions on package for rice.

2.Meanwhile poach the salmon. Match your favorite heavy skillet with a tight fitting lid.

3.Pour the water, soy sauce, sugar, hot sauce, and ginger together in the skillet.

4.Bring to a vigorous simmer over high heat, then lower to a slow, steady simmer. Nestle the salmon fillets in the mixture and cover the pan. Let simmer for 5 minutes then gently flip the salmon fillets.

5.Cover and simmer until cooked through, about 4-5 more minutes.

6.Steam the asparagus for 4-5 minutes.

7.Divide the rice and asparagus among 4 bowls. Position the salmon on each pile of rice and spoon the sauce over evenly. Sprinkle with green onion to garnish.

8.Enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serving size: 1 salmon fillet, with ¾ cup brown rice, 5 spears asparagus & sauce Calories: 405 kcal Fat: 10.9g Saturated fat: 1.8g Unsaturated fat: 6.9g Carbohydrates: 41.8gSugar: 3.4g Fiber: 4.2g Protein: 34.7g

Go forth and try this awesome meal. It’s quick, tasty and is really good for you too. For full details on the recipe, you can check it out here: http://www.nutritionistinthekitch.com/2012/12/27/simple-ginger-soy-poached-salmon/

Big thank you to Nutritionist in the Kitch too. Have a great day!

www.simplyessential.com

Lemons - Healthy Life Hack

2015-03-23T15:24:00.001+13:00

Benefits of Lemon Water – Healthy Life hacks

One of the easiest, and most simple ways to ensure you have a healthy start to the day is by adding a squeeze of lemon in a glass of water in the morning. My morning ritual consists of firstly waking up (duh!), and as part of my morning ritual, I squeeze half a lemon in a glass of water and drink it. There are a myriad of health benefits to not only drinking a glass of water to start your day, but even more so by adding lemon juice into it. If you really want to get technical, you could also consider adding a teaspoon of honey in it as well. My preference is without, but that’s just me.

Some of the health benefits of having lemon with water:

Lemon is high in Vitamin C. This is a vital part of our digestive intake as it helps boost the immune system, and is a powerful antioxidant. If you imagine our bodies as similar to an apple when you cut it in half. Notice after a brief time left out, it will turn brown? This is known as oxidization and in some respects is like akin to rust on metal. Our bodies need vitamin C to help fight such occurrences. Vitamin C may also increase our body’s non-heme iron bioavailability up to four times. What the heck’s that? Glad you asked; it’s our body’s ability to absorb iron from non-meat sources. Cool huh!
Lemon also helps with digestion. It has a very similar atomic structure to our own digestive system, so it can also help with bowel trouble. It has also been known to alleviate indigestion, and bloating.
Lemons help fight the aging process. No fricken way! Yes way! Lemons help with collagen synthesis which in layman’s terms means it can help repair skin and as such fight wrinkles. You’re falling in love with lemons already I can tell. But wait, there’s more.
Lemons may help you lose weight! What the?! So it turns out that lemons contain something called pectin which is found in citrus fruit. Pectin is a soluble fibre that gives a feeling of fullness, which in turn may (I say may, I don’t want to offer guarantee’s here) help you avoid snacking on the naughty stuff.
Lemons also help in maintaining a healthy PH balance in your body. Lemons are one of the more alkalising foods available which is needed in the body to help reduce acidity levels.
Cleanses the urinary tract. So lemons are a diuretic which helps to cleanse our bodies of toxins quicker. This also aids in reducing bad bacteria that may build up in the urinary tract.
Lemons contain antiseptic properties which will also help in freshening your breath. If you have any concerns about whether the acidity in them will damage the enamel on your teeth, then you can always rinse your mouth out afterwards if your prefer.
Lemons have high levels of potassium which helps with nerve and brain function. Lemons have also been known to ward off depression as this has been linked to low levels of potassium in the body.
Lemons also contain Vitamin P which assists with blood-flow and capillary permeability.
Lemons promote healing in the body. Due to the high levels of vitamin C, lemons can aid in the healing of the body by eliminating free radicals. Nifty huh!
Detoxifies the liver! Is there anything these things can’t do? Lemons help the liver to produce bile, and will also prevent any excess bile flow. This also helps to decrease the amount of phlegm the body produces, and assists in dissolving gallstones.

There are undoubtedly other miracles that these tiny yellow friends/fruits can do, but hopefully this gives a bit of an insight into how the can help your body.

On that note, I may go and chow down on a lemon I think. May you have a wonderful, healthy day!

www.simplyessential.com

The Importance Of Rest

2015-03-23T15:12:00.002+13:00

The importance of rest – ensuring you can function at full pace

This indeed is a very logical suggestion if you are tired, simply to get more rest! We all can relate to the tight deadlines, kids screaming, and constant struggle to keep your house clean and under control. Let alone the thought of work on top of that. So how do we find time for ourselves to recharge? To rest and relax? To find time for ourselves to do whatever we may choose?

The first step in all of this is to establish whether anything you currently do can be either outsourced, reduced, or discarded altogether. As famed Author Tim Ferris suggests, life minimization is a key strategy to finding more time. At your place of work, be conscious of your habits. Do you turn your emails on immediately when you get in the office, and feel overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of the tasks ahead of you for the day? What if you didn’t open your email account straight away? Would the world fall down, or would you be able to squeeze a few minutes in to focus on the deadline you need to keep?

Another idea for this part of your day is to minimise, reduce, or completely discard any distractions you may have. If you solely focus on one task, even just one task without any distractions at all, do you think you may be able to accomplish a little more than you’re used to?

As for your home life, how organised are you really? Using the same question from earlier, is there anything in your life that you could trim down, outsource, or discard altogether that may help free up some time. When I say time, I mean more time to sleep if you choose, more time to relax, or even just more time not to be doing the things you don’t enjoy!

With regards to outsourcing, perhaps you have a husband/wife/partner/spouse that may be able to assist in this regard. If not, what about a babysitter? How about delegating some of your work at the office to a junior? I understand that it’s not all black and white, and I completely get that it is a lot easier writing this stuff, than actually putting it into practice. My purpose for writing this is to make you aware of the fact that despite the fact you may feel desperately in need, perhaps there is a slightly more efficient way of doing things. It is simply just to make you more conscious of where you are, and conscious of how you may be able to make subtle changes in your life to ease your own burden.

Never underestimate the importance of giving yourself time to rest and relax. We’re not machines (yet), and our bodies were not designed to continually be on the go for days, weeks or months on end. Be conscious of where you are, be conscious of what your thoughts are surrounding rest, and winding down. As the saying goes, “don’t burn the candle at both ends.”

www.simplyessential.com

Healthy Living The Undisciplined Way

2015-03-23T15:06:00.001+13:00

Well, it's now the third month since the start of the year. Are your new years resolutions still intact, or are you like the masses and have fallen into old habits? If you're in the latter category don't fret, as it is very common when we set goals to set them in such a way that they can seem insurmountable. Our subconscious will often reject the goals as we don't truly believe we can achieve them.

Living in a healthy way is no different. If we set ourselves the task of not drinking, smoking, eating chocolate, or any of the other common ones we apply to ourselves then we will almost always fall into old habits. Don't beat yourself up regarding this as the solution may be easier than you think. What if, instead of going cold-turkey, we simply set the goal to cut down? What if, instead of depriving ourselves completely of the things that taste great, but we know are not good for us, we simply just take a view of reducing the size of the unhealthy meals we have? Or how about just attempting not to have, or do the unhealthy stuff so often? Wouldn't this be a heck of a lot easier than simply cutting off our favorite vices?

When we continually put undue pressure on ourselves to do the tough-stuff. i.e the tasks that our subconscious finds hard, or impossible, we will find ways of sabotaging ourselves, and as such our results. Perhaps those of us out there that are naturally lazy (*cough cough*....self included) might find some relief in knowing that we are not trying to do something too strenuous or hard when we set a particular goal. I know in my own life I have always achieved more through A) complete necessity, and B) knowing my own limitations when it comes to what I can and can't achieve. Sure, I could be doing a whole lot more, but in order for me to achieve anything relating to my health, wealth, or sanity, I need to ensure that my pesky subconscious isn't going to try ruin it for me.

You will also find that you may even become happier, as you can actually see the results due to lowering your expectations of yourself. Being a healthy human being isn't about eight hours of exercise a day, and only eating straw, or the next fad diet. It is about doing everything in moderation. As cliche as it sounds, this advice may even help you achieve more with your health. If you can ease your way into something, eventually that 'thing' will become a habit. Once it becomes a habit, it takes a very concentrated effort to break it. Just like getting out of your bad habits now!

I hope this helps! Remember next time you are wishing to achieve a health goal, or any other goal for that matter, make sure you are breaking it down into bite-sized chunks along the way.

I will leave you with two sayings I read a while back: If you take a an axe and swing it at a tree, with one chop per day. No matter how big the tree is, eventually it will fall.

You can't eat a whale in one sitting (not that you would want to try of course).

The point being is that if you want something, make sure you break it into pieces you believe you can reach. That is how success is done. Here's to healthy living.

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Wundabond Washable Fabric & Craft Glue

2014-10-12T15:31:00.004+13:00

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Although I have more than 150 uses for it listed, creative customers are already finding new things to do with it - one woman has just made a new skirt, made entirely with Wundabond - including the zip and not a stitch to be seen!

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