6 Steps to Lose Weight Fast and Easy at Home

A healthy way to lose weight is to follow a well-balanced diet that is combined with plenty of exercise. There are a variety of ways to lose weight naturally and easily at home. You can easily lose 3 or 4 pounds per week by adopting a healthy lifestyle..

What Do Exercise, Sleep, Genes, Viruses, and Stress Have in Common?

What do exercise, sleep, genes, viruses and stress have in common? Nearly everything when it comes to developing a weight loss regiment and an effective diet plan..

The Biggest trends for 2014 Sport and Health

As a result of lifestyle choices, more and more people develop chronic or debilitating diseases have become vulnerable to the risk of premature death across..

The Top Five Tools For Losing Belly Fat Fast and Forever

The Belly Fat Diet takes all of the current research and all of the new findings about losing belly fat and incorporates them into one, effective and easy-to-follow plan...

What foods you should never eat while dieting?

Conventional wisdom used to dictate the regime there were some foods that should never eat in any case when you're trying to lose weight. .

Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts

Saturday, March 10, 2018

emotional music : compile of life thoughts



some of my late night thoughts , i mixte two of my best music with adding some emotional editing . hope you enjoying it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J06bt7Ad9sI

Sunday, January 24, 2016

My Breakfast

a



that is my breakfast app easy and quick recipes i love It.

I can also share my recipes :)


https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.legend.easyrecipes

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Aurora Think About Sickness




sometime we are good and sometime we are bad ..

sometime we eat our favorite meal but sometimes we cant even imagine it ..

that is life always up and down . we  can not still at the same level .. oK now let me talk about what is sickness ?

in my world : been sick is been alive . why ?

feeling pain is one of the rules in the life everything has a opposite , if you laught today you will cry tomorrow 

if you make something wrong .... it will attract what is wrong to you  


but it is so beautiful to find somthing helps you in your daily life. for exemple, i have to take my medicines 3 times a day. but sometimes and when i have some works to do i forget to take it, i think Im not the only one :) im sure there is some one in your entourage that forget always to take his medicine the problem is that every time i return to the doctor and he repeats the therapy from the beginning. then he me that i have to buy a medicine reminder or anything alse to not skipping the medicine .. ok now i have to search for it . i thought that is not cool to buy a medicine reminder and take it with me where ever i go ... I told my friends about that and they advice me to find a simple app in my android phone and all will be fine .. i search in the app market about a reminders i did find some but i dont really enjoy working with some of them are complicated others has some bugs . than i contact the developer  of the app of yoga that i had already, he told me that he did develop a medicine reminder he send me the link i install it and i like it . so simple to use and very helpful . i write the name of my medicine and the time between the doses . when it is time the phone repeat the name utile i stop it . i was so shy in the beginning to hear the phone read the medicine name in public . so i dont like it and i contact the developer again . he advice me to right just a symbole for the medicine or anything alse that you can understand that is the medicine time and witch one . then i got the idea to call every medicine by a name like jack or marry ... i like it so much and i did not skip any dose utile now im progressing . that is the app if you need it Medecine reminder .

source

Sunday, December 13, 2015

my lovely yoga app




lastly i was searching in the google play the market of android mobile for some fitness app i search and i search every app i download it I find that i have to pay to get some options that i need then i decide to search for a yoga app i saw that the first row no one get my intention i then i find a logo a cute logo with a purple color and i like purple i pray god to be good i like to have it in my mobile . then i see some reviews i try to read the new  one :)

by 

Montgomery Jessy
I'm a beginner and this app has been the best I've used.

by

Bramston Issie

Great app I have tried many yoga apps, this is surely the best of all available.

 

by

Pearse Thomson

This app is totally awesome. I love it so much. Great to use.

 

what is encourage me a lot then i click the download button with the hope that it will helps me with my daily yoga . the first thing that it catch me is the simplicité of the design simple , clear and easy . i find two column one of different poses with a long and easy description with a animation picture shows the moves . the second column is a program of a week of daily yoga every day has a diffrent poses to do i really was so happy to not find a paying options .
i take my decision to start it the next day it was Monday i decide that Tuesday will be my first day i block my mobile than i hear a notification i see what happen i find a notification with the app name with a long quote i could not read it all i click on it and a subscription form blow up .
i was afraid that i have to pay something because i already payed for a app and i'm not happy of it . i enter my informations and it works smoothly . i find a lovely interface simple and easy like the app but this time it is a social network like twitter and facebook but just for yogis some questions and informations also videos, i enjoy it such a lovely place with great people .



if you like yoga join us if not join us too you will discover a lovely world 

source 

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Medicine Reminder

Medicine Reminder is a Free mobile app for families to use to remind each other when medicine should be taken.

With this app, taking medicine will be a lot easier!
Don't ever forget your medicines again, download this app and let it remembers you!

Medicine Reminder is a free app that manages your pillbox for you.  Just enter the medications you need to take and how often you need to take them, and Medicine Reminder well send a notification at the right time.

screen shots :

Download From Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V5G4FFO

Download From PLAY STORE : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Legend.medicament





Download From PLAY STORE : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Legend.medicament

Download From Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V5G4FFO

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

The Links Between Drinking Water and Weight Loss

The Links Between Drinking Water and Weight Loss


Drinking water and weight loss have always been two things that MUST go together. You just can't lose weight if you drink too little water or if you get dehydrated by too much caffeine, alcohol or sweating! So drinking water and weight loss is a key combination.
But does water MAKE you lose weight?
Here's an amazing fact!
Drinking water is essential to weight loss.
If you plan on losing weight and keeping it off, water is most probably the most important element of your weight loss diet. That is an amazing fact, wouldn't you agree, given the amount of money people spend on diets, diet products and diet pills - water costs almost nothing!
I guess most of us take water for granted, but it's a pretty potent catalyst for long term weight control as well as for good health.
But how are drinking water and weight loss linked?



The better you understand the effect of drinking water and weight loss, I think the more you will start to take this on board in your daily habit and become more conscious of how the dehydrating effects of tea, coffee, cola or alcohol are sabotaging your best weight loss efforts!
Firstly, one remarkable truth is that the body cannot metabolise stored fat efficiently without enough water.
Secondly, if you are retaining water, it figures that it's going to show up as excess weight. Although it might seem odd, to get rid of excess water you actually must drink more water to restore the body's water balance.
Here's FIVE really great tips to maximise the effects of drinking water and weight loss.
Tip 1: Water keeps your appetite suppressed AND helps your body work off stored fat.
Research have shown that reducing your water intake can cause fat deposits to increase while increasing water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.
Here's the science bit on drinking water and weight loss...
The kidneys cannot work very well with insufficient water. When they do not function to their full capacity and so some of the overload is dumped onto the liver. Since one of the liver's primary functions is to metabolise stored fat to give energy to the body, if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it cannot work on fat loss.
As a result, it breaks down far less fat than if it was working at its best. The consequence is that more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss grinds to a halt.
Oh my God! Not what you want, right?
So it's really all about drinking water and weight loss, but if you don't drink enough water, it can stop you losing weight and make fat loss like pushing a bit boulder up a steep hill.
Tip 2: Drinking water is the best treatment for fluid retention.
When the body gets an inadequate amount of water, it responds as if its survival is being threatened and starts to hang on to every drop, storing it in all the little spaces between the cells. The result is swollen feet, hands, and legs. Diuretics offer only a temporary solution, because they force out stored water but you also lose many essential nutrients into the bargain.
Again, because the body sees this as a threat, it will actually replace the lost water first chance it gets. And then the fluid retention returns. The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs - a bountiful supply of water - so that stored water can be released.
If you continually suffer with water retention, you might want to look at your salt intake - excess salt may be to blame. Your body will tolerate salt only to a certain level. The more salt you eat, the more water your system retains to dilute it. But getting rid of too much salt is straightforward - just drink more water, so it forces the kidneys to flush out excess sodium.
Tip 3: An overweight person needs more water than a thin one.
The larger you are, the higher your metabolic load. Tip 1 indicates that water is the key to fat metabolism. But water also helps keep up a good muscle tone, providing them the means to contract and by preventing dehydration. It also helps avoid that sagging skin that can happen after you've lost weight. Shrinking cells are buoyed by water which plumps the skin and leaves it clear, healthy and radiant.
Tip 4: Water helps detoxify the body.
During weight loss, the body has quite a stash of waste to get rid of, including all that fat it has broken down. Again, getting enough water helps flush out the waste and toxins. This can actually also start help with any problems you may have had with constipation. When the body gets too little water, it pulls off what it needs from other sources in the body and guess what? The colon is a major drain on water. So if you're not getting enough water, you're destined to get more than a little constipated! Drinking enough water will quickly get you back to a normal bowel function. BLISS!
Tip 5: How much water is enough?
On the average, a person should drink eight (8 oz.) glasses every day - that's around 1.5 to 2 litres. However, if you are overweight, you'll need to add one additional glass for every 25 lbs of excess weight. Obviously, if you are exercising and sweating or if the weather is really hot, you should increase the amount that you drink as well.
There's some debate as to whether these 8 glasses should be pure water. My view is that it doesn't matter if you add a little cordial or fruit juice to give it some flavour. In fact I'd even count tea and coffee as long as it's decaffeinated (although it's not ideal). And certainly natural herbal beverages or infusions would count towards your water intake. Of course, there's also water in some of the foods you eat, so that's just a bonus!!
As a final word on drinking water and weight loss, water should preferably be cold - it is absorbed more quickly into the system than warm water. There's also some evidence that drinking cold water can actually burn calories - the so-called 'thermojetic' effect or "negative calories".
What does reaching a 'breakthrough point' mean? When your body gets the water it needs to function properly, your fluids are perfectly balanced and you will have reached what is called the "breakthrough point".
  • Endocrine gland function improves.
  • Fluid retention is alleviated as stored water is lost.
  • More fat is utilised because the liver is free to metabolise stored fat.
  • Natural thirst returns.
  • There is a loss of hunger almost overnight.
SO KEEP TANKING UP ON WATER... and be conscious of the very strong link between DRINKING WATER AND WEIGHT LOSS.
To utilize water most efficiently during weight loss, follow this schedule:
· Morning: 750ml consumed over a 30-minute period
· Noon: 750 ml consumed over a 30-minute period.
· Evening: 750 ml consumed between 5-8 pm.
If you stop drinking enough water, your body fluids will be thrown out of balance again and you may experience fluid retention, unexplained weight gain and loss of thirst.
To remedy this situation, you have to go back and force another breakthrough.
So now if you ask about the relationship between drinking water and weight loss, you have a great understanding. Just live by the tips here, and water will be your best friend. To your success!
So now if you ask about the relationship between drinking water and weight loss, you have a great understanding. Just live by the tips here, and water will be your best friend. 
To your success!
Jay Allyson is founder & CEO of Belanda Consulting & Marketing helping people to achieve their full potential by enhancing their health, life and work through coaching, nutrition and a good dose of entrepreneurship!
Find out how you can work with her at Blog jayallyson.com or inquire about Joining the Challenge [http://vichallengeuk.info].

Friday, June 6, 2014

Weight Loss Tips - The Top 10

Top 10 Weight Loss Tips

Top 10 Weight Loss Tips

Losing weight and keeping it off isn't difficult - all you need is a few changes and the motivation to get you started. Not sure where to begin? Have a look at these great tips for easy weight loss...


1) Keep a Food and Exercise Diary
This is a great way of keeping track of your foods, drinks and how much you have worked out over a week. Be honest with yourself and write down everything - even if you have a bad day.
2) Exercise to Maintain Weight Loss
Exercise helps you burn fat and calories and also helps boost your metabolic rate, even when you're resting so try to work your way up to doing a 30 minute workout 5 days a week.
3) Measure Food Amounts at Home
Weigh out foods and don't eat too much of the 'wrong' thing. For example if a recipe tells you to use 2tbsp dressing, don't go over this as a few more excess measurements all adds up to excess calories.
4) Still Eat Foods you Like
Have a rare treat so that you don't feel too deprived - just don't let a small treat turn into a big binge of crisps, chocolate, alcohol and fast food - you'll destroy all the hard work you've put in!
5) Think Long Term - Not Short Term
Losing weight fast is what everyone wants, but losing weight slowly actually allows your body to adjust and keep weight off for longer. Set goals for losing weight but think of it as a long term venture.
6) Savour Your Food
When you eat - enjoy it! Chew and enjoy the textures and flavours of your food - this will keep you fuller for longer and will reduce the likelihood of you reaching for the unhealthy snacks later.
7) Increase Workout Intensity
As a beginner you may be able to manage short workouts 2-3 times a week. Find the time to exercise and gradually increase your workout program to help you keep the weight off.
8) Keep Motivated
Buy yourself treats such as new clothes to celebrate your weight loss, work towards your goals such as having energy to play in the garden with your children - anything that keeps you motivated.
9) Weigh Yourself Once a Week
Weighing yourself everyday is a bad idea - weight fluctuates when muscle mass etc is varying. Have a weekly weigh in (i.e. on Monday morning before breakfast) and use it as motivation for the next week's weight loss.
10) Enjoy Your Workout!
Performing the same workout day after day means that your body gets used to it, therefore making it less effective each time you do it. Varying your workout keeps it exciting and if you're enjoying it, you're more likely to put more effort in. Go cycling, swim, do dance classes, play football in the park, go jogging and mix up your workout regime and your body will continue to burn fat.
Try out these 10 simple tips and you'll not only be able to lose weight but also keep it off!
Hi I am Gary Abernathy author of this article 31 Day Fat Loss Cure and many more. I am a semi retired retail sales manager. I have been in Internet Marketing going on two years now, and I am enjoying every minute. I now write articles such as this one, and have a web site set up so that people can read more interesting articles about Weight loss and related topics.. Please go to 31 Day Fat Loss Cure for more information.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Weight Loss Benefit Of Jogging: How To Get Rid Of Love Handles

Weight Loss Benefit Of Jogging: How To Get Rid Of Love Handles
Use the benefit of jogging exercise to lose love handles


If you are anything like I was many years ago you might describe yourself as 'cuddly' or 'huggable'. Anything to disguise the fact that you're a little overweight and have a few rolls of unsightly fat around your middle. If this is you then you might want to learn the secret of how to get rid of love handles.
Sorry, there's no secret way to eliminate love handles but I can tell you about how I managed to lose my love handle fat. It didn't happen overnight and I did have to work at it but slowly the fat around my middle and other parts of my body started to melt away and I've managed to stay reasonably lean for many years now.
Nutrition and exercise is the key to losing love handles
I didn't know much about nutrition and exercise at the time and I still don't know that much but I did know that you need to do some exercise. Any exercise is better than none right? I also knew that the more calories you eat the more fat accumulates on your body. I've no idea why it all seems to go on around your middle first but it seems to be very common.
The first thing I did was cut down the size of my meals to reduce my calorie intake. This is very difficult to do if you have a low metabolism like I do because you don't have to eat much before you start putting on weight. This means that you probably don't eat much to start with. You can also make adjustments to the things you eat to help you lose fat. For more about nutrition see this article: Food To Help You Lose Weight.
The next step is to introduce some regular exercise. This will burn off some of the calories that you consume allowing you to at least eat something. When you decide what type of exercise you are going to do you should pick something that you'll enjoy doing and can see yourself doing regularly and consistently. That way you'll be able to keep it up for a long time to come.
Jogging to lose weight
I chose to start jogging. I wanted to lose body fat all over but I was most concerned about my love handles. I also knew that I would enjoy jogging in the park along the riverbank. Pleasant surroundings is a definite bonus and incentive to keep going as are the occasions when I happen to meet a girl jogging and swap weight loss notes.
Your weight loss from jogging
Exactly how many calories you'll burn by jogging depends on a number of factors. The heavier you are and the faster you run, the more calories you'll burn. A rule of thumb estimate suggests that jogging for weight loss will burn off roughly 10 calories per minute. You can use this estimate to work out how much jogging you are going to need to do.
The calorie burned jogging in 30-minutes 6 times a week will be roughly 1800 calories a week. Another rough rule of thumb suggests that 1 pound of body fat is equal to 3500 calories. At this rate you should lose about 1 pound of weight every 2 weeks, which is a very slow but healthy way to lose weight. This assumes of course that your weight was stable before you took up the exercise and that you don't eat more than you did before.
It was a slow process but over time it did show me how to get rid of love handles because they eventually disappeared. I still enjoy the jogging to this day and my love handles have never returned.
Steve Gee

Friday, May 30, 2014

Easy Weight Loss Diet Technique

If I tell you I know an easy weight loss diet program, would you laugh at my face? I'm guessing, most probably. It's a mystery why people see diet as a four letter word, and associate it with things grim, bloody and morbid. I exaggerate; make that torturous, hard and impossible. But,I disagree.
The reason why you don't see weight loss as being easy in the first place is because it takes away one of your most favourite past time a.k.a. eating, replacing it with your most hated one a.k.a. exercising. Need I say more?


More or less, the reason why you're being pessimistic in the first place is because you lack the drive and motivation to lose that extra weight. If you lack the inspiration to get off that couch by your own will, then losing weight will most definitely seem like an insurmountable obstacle for you.
Lest you change your outlook in life and actually start wanting to shed off those pounds, losing weight will never be easy. When you get motivated or inspired, weight loss can be an easy quest, highly attainable really.
How to get motivated in the first place? Well, you can try asking yourself why you want to get rid of fat in your body. Health? Beauty? Challenge? Ding! Ding! Ding! Those are probably the most common answers overweight people get. Once you have your hands on your answer - your purpose, I'm pretty sure you can ensure things no matter what. Just hold on tight to that motivation and you'll actually find out that losing weight is actually easy, especially if you put your heart and mind into it.
Eat less and exercise more. Seriously, that has to be the juiciest gist of this ancient weight loss story. A mix of good workout program and a healthy balanced diet is the easiest diet plan. It can be a new and big change for someone who's been a couch potato munching on potato chips for years. Get rid of all junks and processed foods from your kitchen, instead stock up on healthier foods rich in vitamins and minerals. I know the carrots and celery stalks can be like eating crayon when compared to that big mac. Stick to the program, the sooner your taste buds adapt the better for your body.
Here are some more guidelines to losing weight in an easy manner:
1. Never skip meals
The person who started the starvation needs to be shot in the head - twice! Why is it that many people associate dieting with skipping meals or starving themselves? Don't they realize that not only it is unhealthy, but it also doesn't help in getting rid of unwanted calories? When you skip a meal, your metabolism rate slows down, hence your body stores what little energy is left. To put it simply, it stops burning fat. Well, since now you know, it's best to avoid skipping meals from here on, okay.
2. Break even your meals to 5-6 portions
Breakfast, lunch and dinner - three meals. Do you see anything wrong with A lot won't but a few would point out that lunch is like ages ago from breakfast. "I'm hungry at 10:00 AM; do I hold it in and wait for lunch?" No, you don't have to; actually, help yourself to some snacks. It'll be good for you, so long as you watch the amount and munch on the healthy. See, that's the problem with three meals a day, people get too hungry, and when dinner arrives, they'll end up devouring a huge portion. By consuming large amount of calories in a single meal while your body has not time to burn fats at all, you will most likely end up becoming overweight. It is highly recommended by health nutritionist to split your meals into five or six portions, with four hours interval to lessen your calorie intake. This will not only help curb your hunger, but aids in keeping your blood sugar level.
3. Avoid soft drinks
What's wrong with water? Why does it have to be a soft drink? Especially during hot days, it becomes too tempting to indulge yourself with soft drinks. Keep in mind, that once they pass through your tonsils, it's just sugar loaded with calories heading straight to your thighs and belly. Quench your thirst with water. Not only is it calorie-less, but also helps boost your metabolism as well while flushing away-unwanted toxins out of your body.
4. Eat water-rich foods
As mentioned above, what better way to quench your thirst than by chugging on water? Choosing to eat water-rich food is a good move towards weight loss. Not only do they help get rid of toxins, but can also be a good solution for hunger. Some examples of water-rich foods are tomatoes and cucumbers. It's best to add them in your daily portions as they can be of good help to your calorie intake. Other great alternatives include salads and soups.
5. Cereals for breakfast
Who doesn't eat cereal? Or rather, who hasn't eaten cereal? Cereal is a primary breakfast meal that most people cannot live without. Not only does it has less fat, but contains a good amount of calcium, protein and fiber. It's practically the simplest weight loss diet type, one you can easily make yourself.
For more info on weight loss, pl visit http://www.fitness-mantra.com

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Key Fitness Training Tips to Help You Reach Your Goals





Key Fitness Training Tips to Help You Reach Your Goals

There are some basic rules to follow when it comes to training. This includes everyone from the elite athlete to the beginner. These key areas can be broken down to the age old F.I.N.D. Theory of;
Frequency, Intensity, Nature and Duration




FREQUENCY
Firstly consistency is the key part to your success. You need to maintain the basics of training four to five times a week for at least forty to sixty minutes each time. If you are really pressed for time, a quality session of thirty minutes is good enough. I do believe that training more than five days a week can lead to fatigue and overtraining. Over training needs to be monitored carefully as people often do not see the benefit of rest.
10 signs of overtraining
Agitation, moodiness, irritability or lack of concentration
Excessive fatigue and malaise
Increases perceived effort during normal workouts
Chronic or nagging muscle aches or joint pain
More frequent illness and upper respiratory infections
Insomnia or restless sleep
Loss of appetite
Chronically elevated heart rate at rest and during exercise
Menstrual cycle disturbances in women
INTENSITY
If you are going to train make it worthwhile. All exercise sessions need to be at a moderate or vigorous intensity. There is of course always the recovery session but that should be after an event or maximum output session.
Your intensity can be measured by two main factors, your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and your heart rate. I am not a huge fan of heart rate scales that are nicely painted on the gym bikes. If you are going to use heart rate buy yourself a heart rate monitor your own heart rate. You will soon learn what your optimal zone is. Remember exercise needs to push you out of your comfort zone to be beneficial.
NATURE
What are you doing in your training sessions? Find a goal and work backwards from there. If your goal is weight loss, variety is the key. Weight loss training requires constant change so that your body does not become too efficient at one activity. The variety will keep pushing you out of your comfort zone and allowing an overall fitness and weight loss.
If your goal is an event, you need to do the opposite to weight loss training. You need to get your body used to the activity so that your comfort zone gets to a higher level of that particular activity. This will enable you to push harder and faster on event day. Always include some cross training, this will add to your overall ability to deal with the stress that the activity places on your body.
DURATION
This was covered briefly in Frequency. Longer does not mean better, optimal training requires a fine balance between quality and quantity. A thirty minute maximum session can be as beneficial as an hour session. This is where having a heart rate monitor helps, on the days that you do shorter sessions you need to push harder. This can be quantified by your heart rate.
Follow these basic point and the results should all fall into place - go make it happen!
Lisa Kowen has 20 years experience in the fitness industry in South Africa She is director at The F.I.T. Principles Academy, American Council on Exercise (ACE) representative in South Africa, co-owner and developer of fitness-connect.You can find useful fitness training tips here.


8 Tips to Increase Mindfulness





8 Tips to Increase Mindfulness
Do you ever have such a stuffy nose that you can't taste your food properly? You go through the motions of chewing, swallowing and digesting, but with little pleasure or satisfaction. Well, that's exactly how many of us experience our lives-on autopilot, failing to process the richness and abundance contained within each present moment. The result? A life that feels diluted and joyless. But here's the good news-by practising greater mindfulness, we can bring the magic back to everyday life. Check out these 8 tips for getting the most out of your moments.





  1. Focus on one thing at a time.
In our increasingly hectic lives, multi-tasking has become a badge of honour. We try to maximize our productivity by juggling a million things at once-helping the kid
s with homework while making dinner and checking our phones while doing, well, pretty much everything. Sometimes multi-tasking is a necessity, but for the most part it simply fragments our focus, increases stress, and reduces our enjoyment of any given task. Whenever possible, try to begin a task and commit to it wholeheartedly. Experience every aspect and see it through to completion before beginning another. This is true of eating, too. Often we're already anticipating the next bite before we've finished the first one! Try shining a focused light of awareness into every moment. You'll accomplish a lot (no frustrating loose ends!) and feel much less frazzled at the end of the day.
  1. Breathe.
Our breath is our very life force. Focusing on our breath is one of the best ways to reconnect to our bodies in the present moment. As you inhale, experience the air entering your nostrils and expanding your belly, your ribs, and finally your lungs. Notice how your body flares and opens as you breathe in. As you exhale, observe the breath slowly leaving your body until your belly contracts. What other sensations do you notice as you breathe? Just pay attention. Wherever you happen to find yourself-on the bus, at your desk-you can root yourself into the moment by finding your breath and following it like an ebbing, flowing wave.
  1. Pay attention during tedious activities.
Let's face it-life is full of dull, ordinary activities like waiting in line, taking out the garbage, driving, and brushing your teeth. These moments comprise a good portion of our day, so we may as well enjoy them! They carry a lot more joy and texture than meets the eye, as long as we're paying attention. While standing in line at the grocery store, for example, focus on feeling your two feet planted firmly on the ground. Then look around and take it all in-the smell of the woman's perfume in front of you, the auburn curls on her daughter's head. Observe the heap of shiny apples in the produce section and the colourful rows of chocolate bars on the shelf beside you. Stop thinking of the present moment as a means to an end, but rather as a fulfilling experience in its own right-like a living poem.
  1. Observe the mind.
The mind is constantly chattering away, usually about nonsense: What did Susan mean by that comment yesterday? Or, I can't believe I put on 5 lbs! Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by the mind's endlessly distracting thoughts, all of which wrench us away from the present moment. But it's useful to remember that we are not our thoughts-the truer part of our being can step back and observe the mind's chaotic machinations without identifying with them. Whenever you catch your thoughts overtaking you, simply remind yourself: "I am not my mind." From the little space or distance thus created, you then can root yourself back into the moment, following your breath and paying attention to what's happening right then and there. Suddenly your thoughts will have less power over you, leaving you free to just be.
  1. Accept the moment for what it is.
Many of us fall into the trap of thinking that peace and happiness come from controlling our external environment. Unfortunately, no matter how perfectly we try to set things up, difficult or unsavoury situations that go against our preferences are an inevitable part of life. The only thing we can change, then, is how we perceive the moment that we're in. If we can face it for exactly what it is and accept it, warts and all, we become the guardians of our own inner harmony. By facing life's realities head-on, without avoidance, distraction or delusion, we can accept each moment gracefully and mindfully for what it is. No longer are we at the mercy of what is going on around us. Imagine if we could access an underlying stream of peace at all times-even if it rains on our special day or a much-anticipated flight gets delayed. What an empowering thought!
  1. Meditate.
Meditation can seem intimidating to the uninitiated. But try not to think of it as an attempt to repress every thought, which sounds much more like internal warfare than a peaceful, grounding experience! When thoughts arise, and they do, just observe them rather than getting caught up in all the emotions and chaos they can create. Then let them flutter away, and always come back to your breath. A regular meditation practice, even if it's only 5 minutes a day, will help you tap into your everyday mindfulness exercises with greater ease, and will generally leave you with a sensation of peace and stillness.
  1. Get Creative.
It feels so good to be in the zone, in flow, enjoying that little sweet spot that comes from doing whatever it is that makes your heart sing. Whether it's cooking, writing, painting, or gardening, try to include your favorite activities into your life as much as possible. Sometimes they take a back seat in our busy lives, but tapping into your sweet spot once in a while will take you straight to the heart of mindfulness-complete absorption in the moment-and leave you feeling rejuvenated.
  1. Be Kind.
Nothing brings us into the moment more than doing something kind for someone else. When we're paying a compliment, offering a meal to a stressed-out neighbour, or writing a thank-you card, we experience a warm, glowing sensation in the body. And one of the kindest gestures we can offer is to simply listen. When you're having a conversation with someone, rather than focusing on your next sentence or on how you're coming across, try giving your whole being over to the other person's story. It's a gift like no other-the gift of your caring, mindful attention, the gift of connection.
Remember, mindfulness is a practice. Don't get discouraged if you can't maintain it for long. Keep checking in with yourself at random moments and ask yourself, "Am I being present, or am I lost in the story of my thoughts?" Eventually, over time, being present may begin to feel more natural, and you may notice that you extract more peace, gratitude and joy out of life.
Alana Cheyne is a freelance writer (BJ), yoga instructor (RYT200), and co-founder of Arise Wellness Centre in British Columbia, Canada. She enjoys exploring topics that help bring the magic back into everyday life. Alana can be reached at Meditation HQ

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Visible Science - Argan - Oil

Argan oil is a one and only Moroccan oil with great cosmetic and medicinal benefits and favorably referred to as the liquid gold. It is made up of tocopherols, natural vitamins E constituents, whose primary function is promoting healthy hair, skin and nails. Argan Oil is exceptional most importantly because its 100% pure containing no additives, silicone's, synthetic additions or colorants making it the purest of all. The unsaturated fatty acids in argan oil are great for keeping the heart healthy and cholesterol levels down. The natural oils are highly nutritive and of high cosmetic value; best used for moisturizing the skin. This makes argan oil a product that is highly sought after by both manufacturers and consumers. The antioxidants in this product are useful in renewing the hair cell structure, for sealing in shine and creating lush softness. For hair, argan oil has a wide range of uses including use as a hair styling product, for heat protection, as a deep leave-in-treatment, as a hair growth treatment and for other scalp conditions. It is truly a Argan Oil as it can be used on all types of hair regardless of the condition or length with just a few applications of little amounts doing the trick. It is a wonderful product for dry, brittle, unmanageable, frizzy, thick, thin, coarse, straight, wavy or curly hair. It will add shine, tame frizz, help straighten your hair and enhance your natural curls.
This miracle one and only oil is used to massage the body and to cure cracked heels effectively. It is also great as a sun cream and sunburn treatment. On the skin it has wonderful results with a deep nourishment and moisturizing effect felt after. Argan oil is an affordable solution to problems occurring due to too many coloring sessions, lack of humidity and over exposure to the sun all of which strain out all the moisture out of the cuticle of hair. Another benefit of this product is that it's easily absorbed and penetrates the scalp and skin to bring about the best results. It gives hair a natural glow from roots to tips and restores the smoothness of hair by detangling and eliminating hair roughness.
This Argan Oil is a natural elixir and is also used on various dishes as cooking oil and it is considered a better alternative to olive oil which has also been used for a long time. It makes a healthy ingredient for salad dressings and due to its nutritional components it is a favored product. The antioxidants in argan oil have the ability to regress the signs of aging. When applied to the skin, this product can eliminate wrinkles, stretch marks, various skin degenerations, problems such as acne marks and blemishes. Other uses of this pure gold include protecting the skin and hair from environmental pollutants, it improves skin metabolism, promotes moisture retention, neutralizes free radicals, restores the skins lipid barrier and reduces wrinkles. The product has been praised for its non-greasy formula that doesn't weigh hair down. It is also used for medicinal purposes against rheumatism and healing of burns. This one and only product also has a nice and faint scent making it a number one choice for consumers' worldwide.

Friday, May 9, 2014

"Imaging" As the Key to Good Sleep



Do you have trouble getting to sleep when you go to bed, or even worse, do you wake up at 3:00 A.M. and have difficulty getting back to sleep? A good night's sleep is one of the most important things you need to stay healthy. Sleep restores and revitalizes your body and mind, and it also strengthens your immune system, so it is critical that you get enough. And one of the best things to help you achieve this is "imagery". This article shows you how to use it.
One of the reasons people can't get to sleep (or wake up in the middle of the night) is that they haven't turned off the "racing thoughts" in their mind from their stress-filled day. You need "closure" to get to sleep. For sleep to come, your heart rate, breathing rate and body temperature all have to decrease, and for this to happen, your brain waves have to slow down. They can only do this if you allow them to. For this you have to let go of any anxieties, worries, or negative thoughts you may have had during the day so that you are thoroughly relaxed.
In many cases, though, you have to do more than this. If you want to fall asleep fast, you'll find that images are extremely useful. To get them you'll have to start by getting rid of all thoughts and concentrate only on your feelings. Feelings are different from thoughts in that they are mostly in the body and not in the mind. Feelings are mainly concerned with comfort, but they're also concerned with happiness, joy, and satisfaction. To get the proper feelings you have to relax and enjoy yourself, and allow yourself "to have a good time." This might seem a little strange, but it is important.
The proper feelings should lead to images (which are nothing more than "pictures in your mind"). It's important, however, that they are pleasant, enjoyable images. Anything that makes you feel good is appropriate. A few examples are as follows:
  • Lying on a beach, soaking up the sun
  • A beautiful sunset
  • An enjoyable family fathering
  • A great vacation
  • A star-filled night sky
  • A crackling fire after a day's hike
  • An enjoyable dance
You may have a little trouble evoking good images at first, but keep trying. With a little practice you will get better. Also, try to evoke your senses. As you see the images, smell the ocean air, hear the crackling of the fire, feel the warmth of the sun on your back, and so on.
Waking Up at 3:00 A. M.
One of the times when feelings and images are particularly effective is when you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. The important thing if this happens is to avoid trying to force yourself to sleep. In most cases, the more you try, the less likely you are to succeed. Don't worry, or even think, about how you are going to fall asleep. Just relax and enjoy yourself, and as above, begin by concentrating on your feelings and your comfort. Employ the idea of "having a good time," and let it lead to images. If you don't feel relaxed, start with some deep breathing. Keep your mind blank at first; let the images form naturally. Then enjoy them and soon you'll be back to sleep.
The Most Important Sleep
Your body goes through several (usually 6 or 7) 90 minute cycles while you are sleeping. The first part of the cycle is light sleep, then comes deep sleep, and finally REM, or dreaming sleep. In many ways the most important part of this cycle is the deep sleep. When you are in deep sleep it is very difficult to wake you. During deep sleep your muscle energy is replenished and your immune system is rejuvenated, but strangely your brain is not very active. There is, in fact, less blood in your brain (compared to other times) at this time. Interestingly, most of your deep sleep occurs in the first half of the night. Dream sleep, on the other hand, occurs mostly in the second half. Because of this, it is important to sleep well during the first half of the night, if possible. This doesn't mean that the second half is not important. Sleep is generally lighter during this time (this is why you wake up more often in the morning hours), but REM sleep is more common at this time, and studies have shown that REM sleep is important for the brain. It appears to help in the process of memory, and it helps solidify anything you have learned during the day.
Barry Parker, Ph. D., is a professor emeritus (physics, biophysics) at Idaho State University. He is the author of 25 books on science, health, writing and music. He has a strong interest in health and fitness, self-improvement and music. His most recent book is "Learn from Yesterday, Live for Today, Hope for Tomorrow." He is also the author of "Feel great Feel alive." His website is http://www.Barryparkerbooks.com

My Spiritual Awakening



When I was a teenager I remember being overcome with obsessive thoughts. I didn't know how to differentiate between my thoughts and my Self. I would have to constantly tell myself comforting things in order to feel stable and in control. Little did I know... that I was feeding my highly unstable ego, not me at all, and not creating any sort of long lasting control or power.
It was after stumbling upon Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now" that I began to realize that I was not my thoughts... that I was a being far greater than my brain. I woke up to the truth of how the mind was a tool. A fragmented tool, but a useful tool nonetheless. I suddenly didn't have to identify with the thoughts in my head. After all, they were just thoughts, not me. I was a consciousness using the brain. I began to watch my thoughts and laugh at how silly some of them were. It started to dawn on me that all the suffering and pain I felt was because of my identification with the mind, with the ego. I knew that the pain I was experiencing could cease when I stopped this insane identification. I suddenly knew that I was exactly in the place I needed to be in for my own evolution and that denying the Now was not only insane but futile.
I had all this space to breathe and just be. Without the incessant chatter of thoughts racing through me, I could sense the rest of my body and really get in touch with my emotions. I was no longer just a head walking around, scared that if I stopped thinking I would somehow cease to exist.
It was strange at first, letting myself "lose" to the mind, but eventually I realized that letting go and surrendering to the moment brought more control and power. I began to loosen up and instead of worrying about the past or future, I began to simply just enjoy the present.
I realized that the present moment was all we were ever going to have. I made friends with life and began to say yes to whatever my journey threw at me. I stopped resisting the Now and soon began to understand that the Now was my point of power. Through surrendering to the moment and being fully present, I could not only feel my body and have full control over my emotions and thoughts, but I could also feel my spirit and my connection to God. And it was from this place of complete surrender that I began to fully awaken to my power. In the Now, the Source could flow through me. Finally, my consciousness could expand... I could do what I came here to do! That was my purpose for existence! To grow! Any resistance to the moment brought suffering. Any aversion was insanity. I realized that there were no negative situations... that everything was an opportunity for growth and "negative" was just a label. Nothing more. I knew that everything was light/love and that we each were here to express this light in our own unique way. I had nothing more to fear.
Through letting go of the ego and succumbing to spirit, I began to feel a lightness like I had never experienced before. I was calm and yet energized. I was thoughtless and yet I knew who I was and where I was going in life. Everything made sense and yet, I didn't have to articulate the meaning of life over and over again to myself. I began to trust life and in return, life began to trust me.
By leaving myself completely open, I began to receive information from higher frequencies. I allowed myself to open up to the light and the light illuminated my path. Yes, I still had free choice, but now life seemed so much easier. Everything flowed so effortlessly. I realized that I never had to worry again. The universe was on my side and God was everywhere and in everything. I was one with all.
These mystical sensations and messages continued to come to me. When I began to take my art more seriously and took some time off work to create, the messages came at full speed. I believe it was because I was totally present while I was painting that I was able to connect to the Divine.
I could hardly contain my own joy and excitement for life. I felt the need to write and through my writing I channeled my Higher Self. I began to remember things I had simply forgotten. Advice on how to live in complete harmony with nature, what foods would facilitate health in me, and what my mission was here on Earth: to help people wake up to their true power and evolve. It suddenly became extremely odd to me that I had rejected life before, that I had been afraid of my emotions. After all, they were only indicators of where life needed me to be. It became crystal clear that I had to remove all toxins from my body and that I had only been ingesting them before to escape the Now. I knew the path to Heaven was through the body and that health and nutrition were intimately intertwined with spirit.
It became extremely clear to me that I had to let go of all my fears, that I was completely and entirely loved and safe exactly where I was. I knew that taking time out to meditate and be still was necessary, as important as food or sleep. I knew I had to share this revelation with the world and explain to people that THIS was enlightenment, this feeling, this connection to our spirit. That enlightenment was our right, our natural state, not something to be sought after, attained, and then forgotten about. Our connection to spirit was just as important as our physical health. And it wasn't something only for spiritual gurus. This was for everyone! This was the key to happiness, the key to life itself.
Check out the video I made on my spiritual awakening: http://youtu.be/S6Ge7PrzJ90
Check out my blog: http://www.christinamartine.com