10 Simple Health Tips

Sip Oolong Tea

Research suggests that people with mild eczema who drink oolong tea three times a day may show improvement in itching and other symptoms. Compounds in the tea called polyphenols appear to be responsible.

Go Herbal

For varicose veins, try horse chestnut, an herbal extract that's been shown in studies to strengthen veins and reduce swelling. The herb is also available in topical creams, though there's not as much evidence for these.

Rub Your Temples

Tame tension headaches by rubbing peppermint oil, Tiger Balm, or white flower oil into your temples. All three remedies contain menthol, which has analgesic properties.

Enjoy Ginger

The volatile oils in ginger have long made it a useful herbal remedy for nasal and chest congestion. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over a 1-inch piece of peeled, grated ginger; steep for 10 minutes; and strain. Add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to the water and drink as needed.

Get a Good Pair of Sneakers

Is your energy lagging? Though it may be the last thing you feel like doing when you're tired, exercise -- even a brisk walk -- can be more effective than a nap or cup of coffee at fighting fatigue.

Sniff Rosemary

According to some research, catching a whiff of this aromatic herb may increase alertness and improve memory. To stay sharp, try smelling fresh rosemary or inhaling the scent of rosemary essential oil before a test or meeting.

Embrace Bitters

Combat a yen for sugar by following a Chinese medicine approach: Eat foods such as endive, radicchio, cooked greens, and olives.

Go Fish

If you suffer from dry eyes, up your seafood intake. Salmon, sardines, and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which the body uses to produce tears, among other things. Research suggests that people who consume higher amounts of these fats are less likely to have dry eyes.

Pop a Probiotic

To keep yeast infections at bay, head for the vitamin aisle. Supplementing with "good" bacteria (for example, Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium) may help restore the balance the of bacteria living in the female genital tract and inhibit the growth of yeast in women with recurrent infections. Foods such as naturally fermented sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir, as well as yogurt with active cultures, also contain these bacteria.

Benefit From Bilberry

Studies are mixed, but some have found that bilberry, a relative of the blueberry, may improve night vision. During World War II, fighter pilots reported better night vision after eating bilberry jam. Take 25 to 50 milligrams of bilberry extract; expect best results within the first few hours.

Preventing and Fixing Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Many people have bad breath without even realizing it. This can cripple your likelihood of enjoying a healthy social life, finding a significant other, and even advancement in your career. Halitosis or bad breath is mostly a result of poor hygiene and is completely treatable. It is quite easy to prevent and fix bad breath with the following guidelines.

• Brush your teeth and scrape your tongue first thing every morning, and also after each time you take a nap. Foul-smelling bacteria have had a chance to take over your mouth while you slept, and are most likely causing yucky "morning breath." Tongue scrapers can be found in most health food stores, and also in drug stores and convenience stores as they become more popular.


• After you brush your teeth and scrape your tongue, rinse your mouth thoroughly and gargle with fresh, cool water. This is a very important step, one that many people overlook. Nobody likes to smell your breath when it's laden with dirty, used toothpaste scum.


• Drink plenty of water - Insuring that you drink plenty of water throughout the day can help to control bad breath (halitosis). This can be an especially important consideration for those people who suffer from xerostomia (chronically dry mouths).
  
  If you allow yourself to become dehydrated your body will try to conserve moisture by reducing its production of saliva. Saliva has a cleansing and diluting effect on the bacteria and bacterial waste products that cause bad breath. A reduction in the amount of saliva in your mouth can make it harder for you to control odors associated with your breath.


• Rinse your mouth with water often - Rinsing with water can mitigate bad breath problems for brief periods of time. Rinsing will both dilute and partially remove the bacterial waste products that are the cause of breath odors.

• Stimulate your mouth's flow of saliva - You can help to minimize bad breath odors by stimulating your body's flow of saliva. This is because saliva has a cleansing and diluting effect on the bacteria and bacterial waste products that cause bad breath.
  
  One way to stimulate salivary flow is to chew on something. Doing so will trick your body in to thinking that it is getting a meal. And in preparation for digesting this meal your body will increase its production of saliva.
  
  Chewing gum, cloves, breath mints, or lozenges can also be used to stimulate salivary flow. If you elect to use one of these products make sure it is sugar-free since sweets will promote the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay.


• After you eat or drink anything (besides water), thoroughly rinse your mouth and gargle with water. Use this practice without fail, day and night, and you will keep abreast of nasty bacteria buildup in your mouth, which cause bad breath. Run your tongue along the surfaces of your teeth throughout the day, and if you ever notice any plaque buildup, brush your teeth again and rinse thoroughly with water, making sure that you feel your teeth, not plaque buildup, which is a contributing factor in bad breath

Fixing Bad Breath on the Spot -

• Drink water and ask for lemon to be included. Surreptitiously squeeze as much of the lemon into the water as possible, as it will help cover up the odor.


• Chew a piece of gum or eat some mint candy.


• Gargle with salt to neutralise some of the odour.


• Sneak a spoon into the bathroom. Check to make sure you're alone. Look into the mirror, stick out your tongue and check for a pasty white goo on it. Turn the spoon upside down and use it to scrape your tongue, using a back to front motion. If you can't manage to sneak off with a spoon, head to the restroom, wash your hands, use your fingernails to scrape your tongue.

Diet » Health Articles » Soyprotein and health benefits

Soy protein is generally regarded as the storage protein held in discrete particles called protein bodies, which are estimated to contain at least 60–70% of the total soybean protein. The Soybean is a legume that contains no cholesterol and low in saturated fat. Soybeans contain all essential amino acids. Soybeans are good source of fiber, iron, calcium, zinc and Vitamin B. Soybeans also contain biologically active or metabolic proteins such as enzymes, trypsin inhibitors, hemagglutinins, and cysteine proteases very similar to papain. Due to its functional properties like emulsification and texturizing it has been used as an ingredient in a variety of foods such as salad dressings, vegetarian foods and soups.

Soybeans are processed into three kinds of modern protein-rich products: soy isolate, soy concentrate, and soy flour.

Soy Isolates:

Soy protein isolate is a highly refined or purified form of soy protein with a minimum protein content of 90% on a moisture-free basis. It is made from defatted soy flour which has had most of the non-protein components, fats and carbohydrates removed. Because of this, it has a neutral flavor and will cause less flatulence due to bacterial fermentation.
Soy isolates are mainly used to improve the texture of meat products, but are also used to increase protein content, enhance moisture retention, and as an emulsifier. Flavor is affected, but whether it is an enhancement is subjective.

Soy Concentrates:

Soy protein concentrate is about 70% soy protein and is basically defatted soy flour without the water soluble carbohydrates. It is made by removing part of the carbohydrates (soluble sugars) from dehulled and defatted soybeans.
Soy protein concentrate retains most of the fiber of the original soybean. It is widely used as functional or nutritional ingredient in a wide variety of food products, mainly in baked foods, breakfast cereals, and in some meat products. Soy protein concentrate is used in meat and poultry products to increase water and fat retention and to improve nutritional values (more protein, less fat).

Soy Flours:

Soy flour is made by grinding soybeans into a fine powder. It comes in three forms: natural or full-fat (contains natural oils); defatted (oils removed) with 50% protein content and with either high water solubility or low water solubility; and lecithinated (lecithin added). As soy flour is gluten-free, yeast-raised breads made with soy flour are dense in texture.

The Soy Protein health benefits:

• According to studies, Soy protein reduces the cholesterol and help to reduce the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.
• Daily intake of Soy protein may show positive results in people with high blood pressure.
• Research studies suggest that consuming soy protein may protect against osteoporosis.
• Soy protein helps in controlling hyperglycemia and reduced body weight, hyperlipidemia, and hyperinsulinemia. Thus its helps in the control of obesity and blood sugar to both nondiabetic and diabetic persons.
• Genistein, one of the phytochemicals found in soy, can reduce the risk of cancer, including breast cancer and prostate cancer.
• It boosts the immune system of the body.
• Soy protein contains calcium, along with magnesium and boron, all of these are essential in keeping bones strong and healthy. Also helps in preventing loss of bone mass which is a serious issue for woman in menopause and perimenopause.
• Soy proteins reduce the development of skin discolorations, wrinkles, & lines as soy protein is rich of protein and antioxidants.

How to Increase Your Energy Levels Naturally

Everyday I hear the same complaints from the same people about how tired they are, how stressed they are etc. with no solution in sight! The key is to correct the situation versus standing idle and accepting it.

Forget about the energy drinks or pills. Learn to increase your energy naturally, and have a healthy steady supply to get you through each day. By adjusting your personal eating, sleeping and exercise habits, you can boost your energy the natural way and settle into a self-sustaining rhythm.

Essential Water – Keep your body hydrated throughout the day. The first sign of dehydration is fatigue. Your body can’t function at capacity without that good old H2O. A steady supply of water will naturally keep things flowing–including your energy.

Improve Sleeping Habits – Often a small adjustment of your sleeping habits can already do wonders for your energy levels.

• Lying in bed is not sleeping: Don’t go to bed if your not sleepy and end up lying in bed pondering and stressing.  If you are drifting off at the computer, while reading, or watching TV, it’s time to get to bed. Your bedtime should and will vary from night to night. Let your body tell you when to sleep as opposed to the following the 8-hour rule.
• Rise and Shine: Put an alarm and get up at the same time everyday.
• Sleepy at Noon?: Try a powernap of 20 minutes in a quiet place.

Experiment and find out what your optimal sleep levels are.

Yoga, Exercising & Stretching – It sounds counter-intuitive, perhaps, but by expending energy on a regular basis, you will actually give yourself more of it in the end. The key is to set up a fairly regular schedule–about three times a week–and push to the point that you feel refreshed, not exhausted. Don’t overdo it. It may take a couple of weeks to get into the natural rhythm, so have patience and higher energy levels will follow.

Deep breathing exercise – Another great way to re-energize your body is with a quick deep breathing exercise. Sit on a chair with a straight back and breathe deeply while you focus on your breath going in – going out. At the same time use a powerful affirmation to invigorate your mind and body.

Eliminate Energy-Sappers From Your Diet – Have more alkaline-forming foods like fruits and vegetables. Avoid excess sugar and coffee as they lead to lower blood sugar levels–and less energy–after they give you an initial kick. Also one could pack some almonds and nuts for a quick and convenient protein snack.