Loss Weight: 7 Unbelievable ginger benefits

Ginger comes on the top of the list of effective natural home remedies. Ginger is one of the foods that can give you a health punch, because it is so full of healthy benefits for your body and mind.

Ginger helps regulate Cholesterol

Consuming ginger can have a profound effect on high cholesterol levels that are often attributed to obesity among women and men. High cholesterol levels in a person can indicate higher than normal BMI and can thus, lead to obesity-related illnesses like heart disease and certain cancers. Ginger helps lower cholesterol by significantly reducing serum and hepatic cholesterol levels. Ginger also acts as a blood thinner and reduces blood pressure.

Immune Boosting Action

Ginger helps improve the immune system. Ginger is one of the oldest cures for cold, nausea and flu as it has anti-viral and anti fungal properties. It cures cold and provides instant relief and also kills the bacteria that causes cold and ensures that it doesn’t return. Drinking ginger as a tea will ease sore throat, non-stop coughing and even congestion. Ginger contains chromium, magnesium and zinc which can help prevent chills, fever, and excessive sweat. Plus, it acts as an antihistamine and hence is useful in dealing with allergies. Ginger tea is used for weight loss as it increases metabolism, stimulates circulation and excretion of toxins from the body.

Gastrointestinal Relief

Ginger is very effective in preventing the symptoms of motion sickness, especially sea sickness. Ginger reduces all symptoms associated with motion sickness including dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating. Millions suffering from heartburn and indigestion might be saving a pretty penny if they gave ginger tea a try. The herb facilitates colon cleansing as well. Cleansing the colon also helps in good digestion, therefore more digestion, more weight loss.

Anti-Inflammatory

One of the most effective uses of ginger is that it acts as an anti-inflammatory agent that helps reduce joint inflammations. The anti-inflammatory compounds responsible for significantly reducing inflammation are called gingerols. Best for arthritis patients. The root of ginger is best known for this purpose. It does not allow blood vessels to get inflamed and thus it helps increase the flow of blood to the body and cures the pain. Ginger helps in expanding the blood vessels which increases your body heat. This makes your body burn more fat.

Food Satiety

In addition to increasing fat loss, ginger may also help a person to feel satiated, which in turn reduces food consumption. Also, it’s been proved that ginger works as a natural appetite suppressant which is the best way to lose weight. Natural appetite suppressants are safe and cause no rebound. Ginger is nearly calorie-free, and when used in cooking or brewed in tea, it can give you a slight advantage in meeting your weight loss goals. Ginger and weight loss go together well partly because ginger is known to be a thermogenic food. It raises the temperature of the body and helps boost metabolism, so you burn more fat than you would simply by dieting alone.

Cortisol Production

Ginger suppresses cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid hormone necessary for energy regulation and mobilization. But chronic stress can cause cortisol levels to rise too high. Adipose fat moves to the visceral area where it receives an increased blood supply that encourages tissues to produce an excess amount of cortisol. High cortisol levels may increase excess belly fat and weight gain.

Good for Digestion

Ginger has a beneficial effect on your overall digestive system, helping to regulate and aid the movement of food through your stomach, and small and large intestines. When everything moves more smoothly, you benefit by losing weight more easily.
Note that ginger should not be used by pregnant or nursing mothers except under physician supervision. Because ginger also has high fiber content, it increases gastrointestinal motility. By increasing the rate of metabolism, ginger can help burn off some of the fat stored up in the body.

HOW TO ENJOY GINGER

- Make ginger lemonade. Simply combine freshly grated ginger, lemon juice, cane juice or honey and water.

- Ginger for weight loss, it can be used not only in the form of tea, but also in handling salads. Since ginger tea invigorates, it is not advisable to drink in the evening.

- Add extra to your rice side dishes by sprinkling grated ginger.

- Combine ginger, soy sauce, olive oil and garlic to make a wonderful salad dressing.

- Spice up your healthy sautéed vegetables by adding freshly minced ginger.

- You can always brew with tea (black, green). If ginger tea drinks with honey, it is necessary to slow or has been diluted in warm tea.

7 healthiest teas and their health benefits

Tea is fabulous- and so are all of its benefits. Drink your way to good health by trying a variety of the healthiest teas. For those of you that have not embraced the tea drinking habit, maybe you’ll consider brewing a batch after reading this! Drink it hot, drink it cold…whichever way you like!

What are the healthiest teas?

1)     One of the healthiest teas is Green tea: It’s good for your eyes AND your heart! Just like any part of the body, your eyes and heart can suffer from oxidative stress. Green tea improves endothelial function which is related to cardiovascular health. Drink Green tea and not only will you see better but your heart will love it too!



2)     White Tea: This tea is anti-aging! Who doesn’t want to look younger? It has a high polyphenol count which makes you gorgeous! The extracts in white tea inhibit wrinkle production by strengthening elastin and collagen in your skin. Did you know the fountain of youth is inside one of your daily mug of healthiest teas?


3)     Black Tea: Black tea is good for you in so many ways! It is good for relieving stress as well as reducing blood pressure. As stress goes up, so does your blood pressure (which puts you at risk for heart attack and stroke). Hold the stress and grab a cup of black tea. You’ll also lower your blood pressure while you’re at it! In addition, black tea will also freshen your breath at the same time! Black tea is one of the healthiest teas around. It is full of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that inhibit plaque and bacterial growth in the mouth. In addition to this, it has glucose-inhibiting properties, meaning that it may also help to prevent diabetes! Drink black tea to have low blood pressure, a slim waist line, fresh breath, and to be stress free!



4)     Peppermint Tea: Sip on this delicious, yet potent tea to relieve constipation or GI irregularity. Whenever you experience an uncomfortable bout of constipation, peppermint tea is sure to improve motility in the GI tract and get you going.


5)     Ginger Tea: This anti-inflammatory tea is another on our list of healthiest teas. It will relieve any migraine because it blocks prostaglandins- the chemical messengers that cause swelling in the brain. It works just as fast, or faster than aspirin would, so why not go nautral! It will also help to relive sore muscles and joints. If that’s not enough it will also help to improve any gastrointestinal inflammation you may have.



6)     Kombucha Tea: What’s that? It’s a fizzy, fermented tea drink that is actually full of beneficial bacteria and yeast. Consumption of Kombucha tea promotes the growth of healthy flora and gut health. It is essentially a liquid probiotic supplement. You’re giving your body what it needs to function efficiently, keeping digestion working properly and your immune system working at its potential.



7)     Passionflower Tea: Passionflower has the flavone chrysin, which has anti-anxiety benefits. It works best for people with anxiety or OCD. Restless at night because you cannot shut your brain off? Try a cup of passionflower tea before bed to calm your mind.



You can use tea bags or go loose, drink it hot or cold, but either way, tea is fabulous! So why not try some of the healthiest teas as a refreshing alternative to other drinks.

5 Reasons You Should Be Eating Fermented Foods

 
Before you turn up your nose at fermented food, just remember this: If you’ve ever had pickles with your sandwich, or sauerkraut on your hot dog, or kefir, or yogurt, or kimchi, or miso, or beer, or wine, then you too have indulged with pleasure. What’s more, while savouring their distinctive flavors, you probably weren’t focused on their actual health benefits. The fact is that these foods have been shown to boost our immune and digestive systems by increasing the number of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
The word fermentation comes from the Latin term to boil, probably because early attempts at fermenting beverages resulted in bubbling and foaming that looked a lot like boiling. In the process of fermentation, organic substances are turned into simpler compounds by enzymes. Among the microorganisms that produce these enzymes are molds, yeasts, and bacteria.

Molds and yeasts belong to the fungus kingdom, and are distinct from both plants and animals.
Microorganisms, however, unlike molds and yeasts, need more than carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to feed and grow on. The fermentation that occurs along the way is incidental to their growth. Whatever the agents of fermentation, the healthy bacteria they provide to the gut increases the body’s defenses against harmful contamination, viruses, worms, parasites, and yes, unhealthy fungi and bacteria.

Almost all indigenous cultures around the world include some form of fermented food in their diet, and have been doing so since Neolithic times. The earliest in the West were yeast-based beer, wine, and bread, and cheeses made by bacteria and molds.
In East Asia, these were followed not long after with yogurt and other fermented milk products, pickles, vinegar, butter, and other alcoholic beverages. Fermentation has been an essential feature of Asian cuisines ever since. Japanese natto (soybeans), Chinese douchi (black beans), Korean kimchi (cabbage, radish, and other root vegetables), Vietnamese nuoc mam (fish sauce), Burmese ngachauk (dried fish), are all staples of each country’s daily diets. In addition, many fermented foods in Eastern cultures are valued for their medicinal properties as well.

Sad, then, that we seem to be seeing a decrease in traditional food fermentation in developing countries of the East – a decline partly due to the influence of Western supermarkets and fast-food culture. All the more reason for keeping alive this age-old culture of preservation, by introducing some fermented foods into our diet.
Here are five excellent reasons to do so:

Absorption of nutrients. The digestive enzyme in fermented foods increases absorption of nutrients by rendering them “partially digested,” thus helping the breakdown of food in our body before it's even ingested.

Lactose intolerance is a common allergic reaction to milk. Fermented cultures in yogurt may help alleviate this intolerance. For vegans, coconut kefirs are a great substitute.
Weight loss. Numerous studies demonstrate the effects that healthy bacteria  can have on weight loss.

A study on obesity published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that by simply drinking a probiotic-rich fermented drink for 12 weeks, subjects reduced their abdominal fat by nearly 5 percent.

Another study on infants aged 6 months and 12 months identified those with high counts of bifidobacteria as being far less prone to obesity than those with lower counts, perhaps explaining why breastfed babies are similarly less prone to obesity (since bifidobacteria are more prevalent in mother’s milk.)

Additionally, two separate studies detected 90% more of a healthy bacteria called bacteroidetes in lean people than in obese people.

Immune system boosts. Intestinal flora is often overlooked by conventional medicine in fighting disease. Perhaps knowing that 85% of our body's immune system lives in our intestines and carries approximately 100 trillion bacteria (both good and bad), should be sufficient reason to “go with our gut” in treating various ailments. It’s worth remembering too that fermented foods contain probiotics that colonize the gastrointestinal tract with beneficial microorganisms for a healthy immune system.

Studies published in Clinical Microbiology Reviews and The Journal of Nutrition show not only how probiotics may reduce diarrhea and other intestinal problems, but how they may even protect the body against colon cancer. In keeping with such findings, according to the United Nations University, kefir has been used in the treatment of tuberculosis, cancer, and pulmonary tuberculosis. Other maladies widely believed to benefit from probiotics therapy are diarrhea, gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Vitamin content. The process of fermentation greatly increases the vitamin content in foods containing B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Choline, Thiamine, and Biotin.
According to The International Journal of Food Science & Technology, “Fermented dairy products show an increased level of folic acid which is critical to producing healthy babies as well as pyroxidine, B vitamins, riboflavin and biotin depending on the strains of bacteria present.”

Longer food shelf life. If you’re ready and willing to try out food fermentation at home – whether for health, culinary, or experimental purposes – the good news is that one of the easiest and most common methods of food preservation.

It is thought that in early societies, before the process was understood, fermentation was seen as a miracle of transformation. The Egyptians praised Osiris for the brewing of beer; the Greeks worshipped Bacchus as the god of wine; in Japan, few miso and shoyu breweries were without a small shrine to the Gods.

Maybe the time has come now to recapture the sense of wonder inherent in this ancient practice of preserving our food and satisfying our taste buds at the same time. And to think that all it takes is the nearest vegetable to hand—carrots, cucumbers, onions, garlic, radishes, cauliflower, you name it; a bit of salt, and a nice clean jar … and a miracle is born!

3 Recipes for Sexual Vitality

Eager to rev up your libido? Click here to learn more about the best foods to feed your body's sexual vitality, then try these recipes from raw vegan chef Elyse Clark.
Super Kale Salad
1 head of kale

1 ripe avocado

1/3 cup unrefined flax oil 

2 tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos/Nama Shoyu/Tamari

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoons chili powder

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup hemp seeds



1. Wash kale and remove leaves from stem; place stems aside for juicing or composting. Break leaves into bite size pieces using hands or kitchen scissor

2. Massage kale with avocado, flax, and aminos followed by remaining ingredients until well incorporated. Serve.
Pumpkin Seed Pesto Sauce

 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup parsley

1/2 cup basil

1 tsp himalayan pink salt

1 garlic clove


1.  Blend in food processor or high speed blender until desired consistency is reached
Maca Brazil Truffles
(pictured above)
1 cup raw brazil nuts

1 1/4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

1 1/2 tablespoons maca

3/4 cup date paste or soaked and pitted Medjool dates

1 tablespoons maple

1 teaspoons vanilla powder


1.  Combine all in food processor (if the dough is too dry add teaspoon of water, too wet add extra coconut)
.
2. Form into balls and let set in fridge for 20 minutes or longer.

Hungry for More: What to Eat for Sexual Vitality

 

Rev up your sexual vitality with cinnamon and other surprising foods.

Envision a ripe, juicy apricot. It beckons from the kitchen counter—full, sweet, and ready to be enjoyed. Now think about a bag of dried apricots. They’re in the pantry, for use . . . whenever. Our sexuality should be like the fresh apricot: a nourishing and urgent part of our lives. Yet many of us struggle to feel desire, or we lack the energy to act on it.

“My mom confided in me that she only had sex when she went on vacation,” says Brigitte Mars, a herbalist and nutritional consultant based in Boulder, Colorado. “And I said, ‘But, Mom, you only go on vacation once a year!’” Luckily for Mom (and Dad!), Mars is the author of The Sexual Herbal and offered to make meals that contained a lot of cinnamon. The results? “After a week, she winked at me.”

“Cinnamon, consistently eaten, keeps you ‘user ready,’” explains Brian Clement. He and his wife, Anna Maria, both naturopaths and nutritionists, are the authors of 7 Keys to Lifelong Sexual Vitality. “It’s the biggest question we hear: How can I get my libido back?” says Anna Maria Clement. That’s a question worth pursuing, she says. “Sexual satisfaction is a major contributor to the quality of life.”

The right foods can support desire, but if you’re envisioning oysters, think again: Foods for sexual vitality are different from aphrodisiacs, says Mars. “You want to tone the whole body. It’s not, What can I do for tonight? but, rather, having extra energy for sex.” Here are the powerhouse foods that will fan your desire: 

Nuts and seeds, especially sesame, chia, sunflower, hemp, and pumpkin. “Raw nuts and seeds have a lot of life force,” says Mars, who suggests soaking chia seeds overnight and having them for breakfast with blueberries, nuts, and honey.

Grains, beans, and squash. “The best way to eat squash is raw,” says Brian Clement. “Grate it up and add it to salads or dips.”

Turmeric, lemon, and cayenne, which support healthy circulation. “Some of the smallest capillaries in the body go down to the penis and vaginal areas,” Clement says. “Blood flow is necessary for full arousal,” agrees Laurie Steelsmith, a Honolulu-based naturopathic physician and the author of Great Sex, Naturally.

Cruciferous vegetables, acai, mangosteen, and berries. These support liver health, which is also vital to good circulation, says Steelsmith.

Cardamom, garlic, and ginger. “You want to warm your body up, not cool your jets,” says Mars. “Make your food healthy and exciting.”

Maca. This root is associated with stabilizing hormones, says Elyse Clark, a raw vegan chef and educator from Deer Park, New York. She uses maca powder, beets, and Brazil nuts to make raw-food truffles.

Dark chocolate. It contains L-arginine (a vasodilator) and phenylethylamine, which makes you feel happy, Steelsmith says. Skip the chocolate bar, with its added sugar and fat. Instead, buy cocoa powder and add it to your smoothies.

Root vegetables. “Roots are said to energize your lower chakras,” says Mars. Try burdock root, carrots, and beets.

Avoid fatty foods and alcohol, which will make you sluggish, and coffee, which Steelsmith says lowers testosterone in both men and women.

Overall, focus on fresh, unprocessed foods. “When you eat cleaner, you function more optimally,” says Clark. “Even your response to human touch will change—you can get aroused by simpler things. Your body is getting the message more clearly.”

Six Coffee Hacks Everyone should know

Scientists work tirelessly to uncover the mysteries of the natural world, from the reasons we binge eat to the best way to wash our hands. Now they’ve figured out why coffee served in white mugs tastes so bitter. Researchers found that the contrast between the color of coffee and a white mug makes the joe look and taste bolder (read: more bitter). By the same line of thinking, coffee served in clear glass mugs tastes sweeter.
So, yes, those lab rats (the people, not the animals) are obsessed with getting (and studying) that jolt of java. This recent study got us thinking: What other crazy things do we know about coffee thanks to science? Answer: a lot.

1. The optimal temperature to serve coffee

Researchers at the University of Texas were tired of brewing coffee, taking a sip, and burning off a layer of taste buds because the brew was scalding. So they got 300 test subjects to determine what temperature makes coffee drinkable but not mouth burning. Those brave test subjects found that the sweet spot is 136 degrees .

2. The best time to drink coffee

We’ve been conditioned to get our caffeine fix first thing in the morning (just take a look at the line out the door at your local Starbucks around 8 a.m.). But as Steven Miller, a psychology professor at Rosalind Franklin University, points out, early mornings are probably the worst time to drink a cup of coffee. If we pay attention to our circadian rhythms, specifically the points when our cortisol levels (the magical way we naturally feel alert) are low, we should drink coffee in the late morning (9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.) and during the afternoon slump (1 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.) .

3. The coffee-ring effect

Spill coffee on your shirt and when it dries, it looks a little like a tree stump—light on the inside, dark around the edges. Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania spent more than a decade determining what causes those outer rings. The culprit: the shape of the particles. Round particles form a defined outer ring, while elongated ones do not .

4. A coffee a day keeps the ringing at bay

If we’re being technical, it’s four cups of coffee a day. A study tracked the incidence of tinnitus (a constant ringing in the ear) among 65,000 American women over the course of 18 years. Those who had one cup of coffee a day were 15 percent more likely to have tinnitus than those who had four or more .

5. Try a coffee nap

Coffee and naps don’t seem like a dynamic duo: One would think that the stimulative effects of coffee should stop you from being able to nap in the first place. But it turns out the boost of energy you get from a cup of coffee doesn’t happen in an instant. It takes upwards of 20 minutes for the caffeine to be absorbed by your body. Researchers at Longborough University found that drinking a cup of coffee and immediately lying down for a 15-minute nap kept tired drivers more alert than trying just coffee or a nap . We usually stick to a playlist with bumping beats to keep us awake on the road.