Berries How they keep your brain young

I spent the last month in Israel, where I was on a steady diet of beige foods: hummus, pita, tahini, falafel, and shawarma. It was delicious - and very filling - but I am happy to be back in Toronto for local fruit season. And my favourite part? Fresh, local berries. In addition to tasting great, there's new evidence that berries can help keep a woman's brain young.

Researchers have found that berries - especially strawberries and blueberries - can slow down the brain's aging up to two and a half years. (Which seems increasingly important since I hit my thirties and cognitive decline has kicked in. Does anyone know where I left my umbrella?) In other words, eating lots of berries can ward off dementia and keep your mind functioning more optimally.

And why are berries such health powerhouses? It all comes down to flavanoids, a type of antioxidant that fends off the free radicals harmful to your brain cells. But, as usual, researchers caution that these positive results could be associated with broader healthy habits. Women who are sure to eat their berries may also work hard to get their daily exercise, eat their leafy greens and try to learn a second language.

If you're looking for another way to eat berries - I like them by the handful, covered in plain yogurt and drizzled with honey or dark chocolate, and in smoothies - check out this blueberry and raspberry pie recipe.

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Ginger: Quell the Queasies and Inflammation With This Herb

Many of us are familiar with ginger as a spice used in cooking, however, did you know that this herb can treat medicinal ailments as well? The primary sources in ginger that helps treat the body via aroma and flavor are the gingerols, shogaols, gingerdiones and gingerone. The composition of the volatile oils differs in roots from the different locations where ginger is found. Some of the most popular regions where ginger is cultivated and used are China, Southeast Asia, Japan and Australia. In this article, let's look at some of the ways this herb can help the body.

Sea and Motion Sickness

For centuries, ginger has been used to quell the queasiness of movement. The Chinese have used ginger for boating and fishing with great success. In the last few decades, studies have found ginger to be an equivalent to the drug Dramamine. Ginger works its anti-nausea properties directly in the gastrointestinal tract, instead of the central nervous system. I personally take ginger for nausea and queasiness associated with motion sickness. Since it doesn't cross the brain barrier I find this herb easier to endure than medications that make me sleepy or dizzy.

Arthritis

Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the bones and joints. Most people are instructed to take NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) however these medications can cause havoc with the stomach. Ginger with its active ingredient, gingerol, has been scientifically proven to have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. Raw ginger can be chopped fresh and used in foods, salads and steeped as a tea. Powdered ginger supplements can also be used.

A Digestive Aid

Ginger is a potent herb to help with digestion and curbing flatulence. It stimulates the digestion process and relaxes the muscles of the digestive tract. Some flatulence (gas) is normal but when it builds up due to food intake, ginger helps the food pass through the act of digestion quicker.

How to Make a Ginger Tea and Other Forms of This Herb

Buy fresh ginger in your health food supermarket and cut off an inch or two from the root. Slice off the sides of the skin to expose more of the ginger. Place the root into three cups of water and boil this for about 10 minutes. Pour this in a teacup and serve warm or place it over ice as a cool drink. Add some lemon juice to enhance the flavor.

Ginger also comes in a candy form to suck on during the day and in standardized powdered capsules. The minimum dose for an adult is 250 mg, however doses of 500 to 900 mg are sometimes needed for medicinal purposes. When taking ginger for motion sickness, it's best to take it about one-half hour before your departure. Doses of ginger may be taken repeatedly every four hours as needed but not to exceed 4 grams daily.

Contraindications

Ginger is used by many as a spice and even when used medicinally it has very few side effects. Some people say they burp up the taste or get a mild heartburn. If you have gallstones or gallbladder disease, this herb should be avoided as it increases bile acid secretion. Also if you are on a blood thinning medications like Coumadin or Plavix, ginger may cause excessive bleeding. It's always best to check with your physician or pharmacist before starting any herbal treatment to make sure there are no possible interactions with the medications you are already taking.

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Fight Headaches Naturally With These 3 Foods

I suffer from headaches nearly every day. I try to get rid of it by following the routine that most people are likely follow: I grab an over-the-counter pain medication, a glass of water, take the medication and hope it kicks in quickly. Recently I was told about a variety of foods that may help to soothe headaches. I decided to try these out to see which -- if any -- would be effective for me and my headaches.

Watermelon

A lot of headaches come on due to dehydration. Watermelon is a very water-rich food and it also contains other nutrients that benefit us, such as magnesium. I am not a watermelon person, so I decided to add it to some plain yogurt and drizzle a bit of honey onto it. It really does not matter how you eat it, as long as you eat it. I have only tried this remedy twice and so far no luck, but I am thinking that I may not have eaten enough of the watermelon, so I am going to keep adjusting how much I eat and hope for the best.

Coffee

Coffee is being actively researched and many health benefits have been discovered. Many over-the-counter migraine and headache medications contain caffeine. So, it makes sense that a caffeinated beverage could be helpful in alleviating headaches. Personally, I have been using coffee for a long time to relieve my headaches. When my headache is severe, it helps to at least lessen it, and when my headache is mild, it usually completely takes my headache away. Coffee is said to be helpful because it is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it can reduce blood vessel size, which in turn, helps to alleviate headaches. Now, caffeinated coffee should be had in moderation because if we drink too much, it could have the opposite effect and actually increase the intensity of a headache, or even cause a new one to start.


Spinach

Now, the spinach will have to be fresh as canned spinach does not appear to have the same effects. I like to use fresh spinach leaves in place of lettuce in my salads. Spinach has been shown to aid in alleviating headaches and reducing blood pressure. Just two cups of spinach leaves are said to do the trick. I have had mixed results with this method. It appears to have worked once, but does not seem to consistently help my headaches.









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Latest Winter makeup trends 2012

Look gorgeous no matter how cold it gets with this season's hottest winter makeup trends! Get the lowdown on the best nail colour choices, smart eyeshadow shades and amazing lipsticks to keep your lips kissably soft.

With the change in seasons comes a change in fashion trends - makeup. Revamp your look this winter by staying in style with the best beauty products in the most fashionable colours of the season.

The biggest winter makeup trends for 2012 are focused on the eyes

Kitten flicks, coloured eyeliner and smoky eyes are all huge this winter. The key thing to remember is that bold eyes are in. The kitten flick is basically a watered down version of the cateye. Get the look by following the steps in Eye-makeup trick: the kitten flick.

For the perfect bold look with coloured eyeliner, the best choices are dark shades

Good options are deep purple, emerald green, chocolate brown, charcoal grey, basic black, navy and plum. Simply line along your upper lashline with a pencil or gel liner and smudge slightly. Follow up with a few coats of mascara to upper and lower lids to make your eyes pop. Finish off the look by smudging the liner along your lower lashline too.

To create this winter's perfect smoky eye

Follow the steps for coloured eyeliner but smudge halfway over the eyeliner, with eyeshadow a few shades lighter than the eyeliner. Blend the eyeshadow over your entire eyelid and follow up with a highlighter in a pearly shade on your browbone.

Try choosing a liner in a colour that makes your eyes stand out more

Brown or hazel eyes look best with black, purple, navy or green shades. Green eyes look great with plum, purple and black liner while blue eyes look best with brown, plum and grey liner.

Keep your brows defined

Defined brows are still in style! Keep yours looking natural and dark by avoiding a sparse, patchy look. Use a brow kit or matte eyeshadow in a similar shade to your hair colour to fill in the gaps. Blend gently for a natural finish. To keep your brows looking tidy, try spraying some hairspray onto an old mascara wand and run through your brows.

Winter makeup trends for your lips

If you like a dramatic look, take advantage of purple-hued lips being in style and opt for plum or purple shades. To keep the look classy rather than trashy opt for glossy rather lipstick for softly stained lips in a dramatic shade rather than goth-style lips. Other eye-catching options for your lips this winter include sexy red-hot lips or a hot pink pout. Remember to choose moisturising lipsticks.

Another winter winner is a natural-looking nude lip

Try rosy tints or neutral brown shades that mimic your natural lip colour or are merely a shade darker or lighter. This season's look is less structured and fuss-free, so with both lipliners and super-defined lips, the focus is on a softer, natural look.

Nailing the nail shades

Winter trends for nails are fairly straight-forward. Once again, pinkish, nude and natural shades are in as well as deep reds, dark blues and purple shades. Nail art is also huge. Check out Nail DIY: Newspaper nails and Nail DIY: pastel French tips  for some inspiration.

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How to be vegetarian on a budget

Many people believe that a vegetarian diet is more expensive than a regular diet. This is, in fact, not true. You can be vegetarian AND healthy on a very limited budget. Here are some tips to help you to be vegetarian on a budget.

Fruits, veggies, herbs 

You will save a significant amount of money and be healthier if you eat local and seasonal food. Cut out the 'middleperson' by supporting your neighbourhood farmers' markets and home industries, or try creating your own little veggie patch

Grow your own herbs for a cheap way to flavour your meals. Parsley, thyme, marjoram and basil are easy ones to start with – especially good with Mediterranean food.

Save waste by cooking just what you need, or make enough to freeze for another day's meal. Freeze all edible scraps and leftovers for future soups and stocks. If you don't eat your potato and sweet potato skins, freeze them, or bake with spices until dry and crisp for a low fat, cheap snack.

Consider a worm farm and a compost heap. You’ll save on fertilisers as well as help to minimise pressure on the landfill site.

Legumes

Dried pulses, such as varieties of beans, lentils, peas, etc. can be bought in bulk. This makes these high quality proteins more economical when prepared from scratch in your own kitchen than when bought in a can.

A 500gm packet of beans (around R15) will easily feed a family of six - whilst meat will cost you at least five times that much.

High protein pulses are delicious for soups, stews, curries, bobotie, or Thai dishes. Try mixing a number of beans together for a fabulous salad, drizzled with your own home-made salad dressing:

Sprouts


Pulses and seeds make great sprouts and are a cheap source of nutritious greens. Sprouts can be made in your own kitchen and are an essential ingredient for salads.

Whole grains

Brown long grain or short grain rice is cheap and a good source of carbohydrates. For a treat - try brown basmati. Although more expensive than other brown rice it's still a great stand-by for being vegetarian on a budget. Make sure that any other grains you eat are whole grains. Grains or pulses in bulk are always cheaper and can be shared with friends or family.

Salad dressing

Make your own salad dressing from pure ingredients, or flavour your food with a simple olive oil, chopped garlic and parsley dressing – delicious!

Nuts and seeds

Nuts are not cheap, but they are a fabulous source of proteins, fats and minerals for vegetarians on a budget.  Be sure to only eat raw and unsalted nuts, and never more than what you can fit in a closed fist every day. All nuts are nutritious but almonds and walnuts are the best.

Further savings for vegetarians on a budget

Saving on doctors’ bills: The vegetarian diet may reduce the risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease, cancer, sclerosis, obesity, and may slow down the aging process. According to some scientists, the human digestive system is designed for cereals, vegetables, and fruits, rather than for the flesh of animals.

Save on cookbooks: Check out your local flea markets or second-hand shops for vegetarian cookbooks, or find them in your local library.

Save the environment: The cost to the environment of producing meat is many times more expensive than the cost of growing vegetarian food, and contributes massively to climate change.

Save your conscience: By embracing vegetarianism you will be making a stand against the widespread and inhumane production and slaughter of animals for food.

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Foods That Make You Smarter

We all know that a healthy diet is very important for our well being. Food is our main source of energy and it also affects our mental performance. Find out what are the foods that are guaranteed to make you smarter.

Top-notch intellectual performance can be achieved only eating healthy. A diet high in lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, fibers, high quality fats and phytonutrients is a necessary requirement for a stellar performance at school or at work. Here are foods (in no particular order) that make you smarter:

Walnuts and flaxseed

Walnuts and are a source of healthy fats and they contain Omega 3 fatty acids which are among the most critical fuels your body needs to work properly. They are also a perfect energizing snack that is easy to carry.
Flaxseed is also a good source of Omega 3 and it can be easily added to your diet. You can sprinkle it on salads, add it to your cereals in the morning, you can use ground flax seeds as an egg substitute or you can blend it with a smoothie.

Berries

Berries are a wonderful source of antioxidants and have phytonutriens,not to mention the fact that they are a low-calorie delicious treat. Blueberries, in particular are considered a super food and scientists believe that these could protect from brain damage and also cellular damage. If you usually crave something sweet in the afternoon use try eating berries as substitute.

Eggs

Eggs are a fabulous source of high quality protein. They contain more than 12 essential vitamins and mineral and a unique substance, named choline which is beneficial for memory development and and improves cognitive functions.
Eggs are a perfect choice as a part of a balanced breakfast so if you want to start your day right include them in your diet.

Tomatoes

Aside from being delicious, tomatoes have a lot of other amazing properties. Is believed that a large consumption of tomatoes can improve skin texture and color and that they are a natural antiseptic. Tomatoes contain lycopene,an antioxidant that boost mental power and can help prevent dementia.
Lycopene is best absorbed when tomatoes are cooked so adding tomato sauce to your favorite dish is the best way to enjoy its benefits.

Sunflower seeds

Sun flower seeds are not only good for boosting your mental power but they can also improve your mood. They contain thiamine which enhances memory and our thinking skills. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid that the brain transforms in serotonin, improving our mood.

Dark chocolate

Although many of us don't need a reason to enjoy chocolate as a delicious treat,chocolate is perfect for increasing alertness. Due to its high content of flavanols it facilitates blood flow improving concentration, verbal and visual memory.

Next time you are preparing for a big exam, include some of these foods into your diet to be able to concentrate better, learn faster and more effectively

Foods That Make You Hungrier

We are used to look at food as filling and satisfying, yet this is not necessarily the truth as some foods can have the exact opposite effect, making us hungrier. Avoid consuming extra calories that will not fulfill your needs by avoiding these foods.


There are foods that make us feel full after just a small portion and foods we just can't get enough of no matter how much we seem to eat. Nutritional qualities vary greatly across different foods and so do satiety levels. We might have become used to the ''a calorie is a calorie'' mantra, yet it appears that there's more to the story than first thought. 


The fact that the healthiest foods are the ones that also generally provide the greatest level of satiety should be a good reason of excitement for those tackling the weight loss process with health aspects in mind. Because satiety is best provided by a mix of protein, fiber, water, turning to 'real' food instead of highly processed goodies is the best weight loss strategy one can adopt. Here are a list of food you should stay away from:


Pastries and baked goods 
Sweet, delicious and easy to grab, these products will spike your blood sugar and provide an impressive number of calories while providing little satiety or nutrients in return. The lack of fiber in combination with high amounts of sugar is the best recipe for energy spike followed closely by a crash shortly after, so keep pastries out of your daily menus.


Chewing gum
Chewing gum might help keep your teeth clean, but it definitely doesn't do your waistline any favors. The act of chewing stimulates saliva production, which signals the brain the fact that food is on its way, causing you to feel hungry by stimulating the production of gastric juices. 


Frozen dinners
Convenience is the greatest quality of frozen dinners, but a closer analysis reveals that it's a rather inconvenient truth. Especially in the case of diet frozen dinners, the caloric intake is often too low to provide satiety. Furthermore, processing depletes a myriad of nutrients that would have helped nourishing our body. 


French fries 
Being a fast food staple, it is abundantly clear that French fries are not exactly nutrition superstars. The frying process adds a lot of calories while depleting vitamins and other nutrients. Combined with ketchup, which abounds in high fructose corn syrup and makes you hungrier, these are the perfect recipe for diet disaster. Just like chips, it's impossible to eat only one. 


Some Chinese Take-out
Although Chinese cuisine is generally healthy, not all foods are recommended if you are watching your calorie intake. Some foods have a high MSG content, a flavor enhancer that has increased hunger as a side effect, among others that should not be taken lightly.