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HAVE YOU HAD A CUP OF COFFEE TODAY?

I have --- as soon as I woke up this morning, and I’m having my second cup in a little while.

I wasn’t really a coffee drinker until about 8 years ago, when I needed to be awake most of the time to tend to my dad. I didn’t even like the taste, then. It was like I was drinking it solely for the purpose of staying awake and alert for my dad.

But, I’ve learned that more than just an anti-sleeping pill, coffee, is a health drink, containing antioxidants and minerals, which help in glucose metabolism, thus reducing the risk for diabetes. And, not only that. coffee, too, has anti-bacterial properties that may even prevent tooth decay!

With these revelations, and with so many coffee flavors now to choose from, it isn’t very surprising to see quite a lot of the cozy and quaint coffee shops in malls, in town plazas, in practically every nook and corner. They have become the favorite hang-out place of businessmen and yuppies, and even to simple people, like me, who once have sworn off coffee!

So, go ahead, have a cup of your favorite coffee.

THE RIGHT EXERCISE FOR YOU

Okay, so maybe you’re a couch potato. You’d much rather prefer to stay in bed reading a good book (one by Anita Shreve or Melissa De La Cruz) to a glorious day in the sun, sweating out.

Then you look at yourself in the mirror and see a different person staring back at you. Is it really me? You ask yourself, stunned at your own reflection. You’re getting in pretty bad shape and have lost the glow of youth (haha).

Now you’re raring to get off your butt.

But getting into the right exercise program could be tricky. It’s not enough to be in your best shoes at 5 am, running around the oval. First, set your goal. Ask yourself what you want to achieve.

If you want to simply lose weight, a low-impact activity or no-impact aerobic activity may be a good start. If you wish to strengthen your muscles, you might want to invest in weight machines or try calisthenics or other strength-conditioning programs.

So what are you waiting for? Get those muscles revved up for a beautiful, healthier you!

Visit this site for more: http://www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/fitfacts_display.aspx?itemid=50

Ending Split Ends

You have long, dry, brittle hair. Very soon, without realizing it, a protective cuticle has already been stripped from the ends of hair fibers. And now, you have what no woman in her right mind would ever wish for --- split-ends!
What do you do, then? Cut it off. Yes, there’s no treatment for split-ends, except to trim the split end of the damaged fiber. To do this, divide your hair into small sections, and carefully twist them in a gentle downward motion (you will see the split ends sticking out this way). Then snip, snip, snip.
Now that you’ve cut-off the split ends, prevent it from coming back by:
1) avoiding brushing hair when wet;
2) cutting down on hair dryers, hair irons, and the like;
3) using a natural-bristle brush that doesn’t pull on hair
for more of this and other hair tips, visit this site, http://www.ehow.com/how_6177_prevent-split-ends.html

The Wonders of Papaya

My mom has been screaming her lungs out trying to get me to eat papaya because I often have difficulty moving my bowels. I never really liked papaya at all. Sure, I would eat it out of fear and in obedience only, but I wouldn’t care if I never saw one in my life.

Then, I came upon various articles about this wonder fruit, and since then I’ve regarded papaya in an entirely different light.

Papaya aids in digestion (my mom has been overemphasizing that point to me for years!), and because of this, the body is not stripped of the correct nutrients, thereby controlling premature ageing. So, for you who’s totally obsessed about looking young, simply have a daily dose of papaya.

More facts:

Ø papaya contains arginine (essential to male fertility), carpain (believed to be good for the heart)

Ø papaya is an excellent source of vitamin c and carotene

Ø papaya’s skin may be used in the treatment of skin wounds

Aren’t these enough reasons to eat papaya?

GARLICKY BENEFITS

The only health benefit I knew about garlic back then is its ability to lower the blood pressure. I could well remember my dad, a hypertensive, chewing off a clove to keep his BP down.

But, leafing through one web page to another, I soon learned that garlic has other benefits, as well. It may be used as a broad-spectrum antibiotic and even as a treatment for acne symptoms. It has also been found to have powerful antioxidant effects which protect the body from free radicals, and prevent incidence of common colds and flu. Garlic, too, can aid in managing high cholesterol levels, and may be used as a natural mosquito repellent. Visit this page for more http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-health.html

Largely responsible for the health benefits of garlic are allicin and diallyl sulphides. This site, http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-health.html, explains why.

Zzleep

I didn’t sleep well last night. Actually, I haven’t had a complete 8-hours of sleep for quite a while.

But last night was different. Something else kept me awake. I was up and about in my bed until the wee hours of the morning, my mind and ears alert to the sound of the big lizard.

I must have just closed my eyes for a split second when I had to open them again. The sun was up and so must I.

But I was so completely out of it. I was tired beyond tired, moody, stressed out. I was a basket case throughout the day. I was jumpy, irritable, forgetful. Heck, I couldn’t even speak sentences without having to stutter. --- all the signs of sleep deprivation.

Our brain relies so much on sleep for it to work effectively. Otherwise, such signs I have just mentioned, will occur. And heaven knows what worse scenarios could possibly follow with extreme fatique and exhaustion. I know, driving, for sure, would be risky.

So, get a good amount of sleep everyday for a sound mental health.

Queenly Mangosteen

Surely, you must have heard of Durian as the King of Fruits. Do you know that there is also such a thing as Queen of Fruits?

Yes, and it’s Mangosteen. Hailed as such, perhaps, because of its fragrant flesh that is sweet and creamy, and citrusy with a bit of peach flavor, Mangosteen is a tropical evergreen tree that grows from 7-25 meters tall. The rind of its fruit is deep reddish purple when ripe, and contains a generous amount of xanthone (an antioxidant found to be more powerful than vitamins). Xanthones have been found to have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, antihistamine, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Coping with PMS

You feel depressed, anxious. You easily get irritated, you overeat, you’re bloated. Plus, you don’t look good --- pimples invade your flawless skin. And your head aches like crazy.

You happen to glance at your calendar, and instantly, you figure out why you’re having all these symptoms. Seven days before your period --- that particular time of the month when you suddenly wish you were borne a man.

Don’t despair, here are some things you may do to ease these PMS symptoms:

1) eat fresh fruits and vegetables

2) cut back on chips, crackers, and foods with a lot of salt (salt causes water retention, thus it may aggravate your bloating)

3) avoid drinking coffee (caffeine makes you anxious)

4) take vitamin supplements, particularly, calcium, magnesium, vitamins E and B-complex

There’s a lot more info here http://www.kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=studenthealthzone&lic=180&ps=607&cat_id=20318&article_set=34952

DURIAN, KING OF THE FRUITS

To be honest, I never really liked the taste of the durian fruit. Living in the Philippines , I ought to feel blessed that I could eat durian anytime I want to without having to pay much for it. But it’s something I’ve taken for granted. I used to think that I wouldn’t really care if I never saw nor taste durian in my entire life.
Yet, everybody else is crazy about durian. And, despite my personal opinion of it, it’s easy to understand why. Hailed as the King of Fruits, Durian contains tryptophan (that raises serotonin levels in the brain), antioxidants with anti-aging benefits, protein, and nutrients for increased energy and endurance.
For more of the exciting benefits of durian, click right here: http://www.shop-4-vitamins.com/durian-fusion.html
Aside from these, durian is famous for its libido-enhancing properties. An aphrodisiac, some would claim. Legend has it that an old kind received the treasure of the durian from a mystical hermit to help him find love. The legend continues now with the reintroduction of this so-called treasure into the world in the form of durian-fusion, an exotic combination of papaya, mango, lychee, longan, and of course, durian.
Learn more at http://www.shop-4-vitamins.com/durian-fusion.html
So what are you waiting for? For a healthier you, include in your daily diet durian-fusion!
Click here now http://www.shop-4-vitamins.com/durian-fusion.html

DRINK TO YOUR HEALTH

It’s after dinner, and you’ve just eaten a truly hearty meal – a lot more than what it is necessary, in fact. Silently, you berate yourself. It’s gluttony, you say. Your stomach is so full you just have to have a sip of your favorite red wine.

Good thinking. Actually, more than just a sip won’t hurt you. A glass of red wine may even be good for your health.

Hip-hip-hooray!

But, don’t indulge in a drinking spree. It’s not the alcohol content that makes red wine a health drink, after all, but the antioxidants, such as resveratrol found in the skin of red grapes used in making wine. Resveratrol increases HDL cholesterol and prevents blood clotting, and is 20-50 times as effective as Vitamin C!

Drink to your health. But keep it at bay. One glass should be enough. More than that would be toxic.

Read more at
http://www.healthcastle.com/redwine-heart.shtml
and http://www.advance-health.com/redwine.html

I’ve always had sensitive gums. Ever since I was a kid, my gums would bleed easily. Even the mere touch of a toothbrush’s bristle on my gums could create ripples of blood. During my latest trip to my dentist, I was advised to massage my gums with kalamansi or orange at least twice a week, or Pyodontil if I could afford it.

Do you have the same problem as I? Don’t neglect it. It may be a sign of periodontal disease or gingivitis, and can lead to more serious conditions, if left untreated. Take care of your gums, floss regularly, and gurgle with lukewarm water with a pinch of salt.

Bleeding gums are unhealthy, not to mention unsightly. Surely, you wouldn’t want to have it all your life, would you?

A DASH OF CINNAMON FOR GOOD HEALTH

Surely, you must have met cinnamon sometime in your life. It may be in your favorite toast, rolls, coffee, tea, or even oatmeal. But do you know that cinnamon does more than spice up your food and boost your appetite? Recent studies have shown the remarkable ability of cinnamon in lowering blood sugar levels of type 2 diabetics!

Indeed, when I came upon various articles about this wonder-spice, I recommended it to my mom, a type 2 diabetic, and all she did was add a dash of cinnamon to her tea, and the result after a couple of months was astonishing. Her H1c was down to 5.2%, meaning, her average blood sugar level for three months was 90 mg/dL --- well within the normal values, even for non-diabetics!

And here’s more: aside from lowering blood sugar levels, cinnamon also supports digestive functions, lowers blood cholesterol, and has blood-thinning and anti-inflammatory compounds!

So what are you waiting for? Have a dash of cinnamon in your daily diet --- for a healthier you!