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Adequate sleep is
essential for good health. Get an average of 7-8 hours of sleep everyday.
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If you can't exercise at
a stretch, exercise in small intervals of one minute of high intensity
running or stair climbing or jumping followed by 1 minute of slow relaxed
walking or marching. Do it for 5-6 minutes 3 times a day.
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Jumping on a rebounder
is a great exercise. It helps tone and tighten the body, enhances blood
circulation, and reduces cellulite. It is also easier on the knee and
ankle joints and hence a great option for people who suffer from joint
pains but want to lose weight.
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Enroll in an exercise
form like Pilates, traditional yoga, power yoga or aerobics. Alternatively
enroll in a salsa class or kick boxing for added fitness.
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Kegel
Exercises are great for strengthening pelvic muscles. They are recommended
during pregnancy for ease of delivery.
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Deep breathing exercises
work wonders for health. Practically all diseases are believed to be
curable by practicing various deep breathing exercises on a regular basis.
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil
is best consumed unheated. It is best to use it as a salad dressing
instead of cooking with it. Drink 15 ml of Virgin coconut Oil twice a day
for increasing BMR, battling thyroid and losing weight.
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Wheat Grass or
Spirulina are great health tonics. Consume them once a day for total
health rejuvenation
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Substitute one meal with
black beans and salad. Black beans provide roughage and proteins and keep
you feeling fuller for a longer time.
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Avoid eating late at
night. It's best to consume the last meal of the day by 7:00pm. Eating
late or eating just before bed time does not give the body enough time to
digest it. Also, since activity levels decrease with the passing day, less
calories are needed and hence eating late at night risks the food being
stored as fat instead of being utilized as energy.
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Opt for organic sesame
oil or coconut oil as your cooking medium, as they are least prone to
oxidation due to heat and retain almost all nutrients on heating even at a
high temperature.
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1-2 garlic pods chopped
and swallowed with water first thing in the morning can keep heart
ailments at bay, reduce cholesterol, increase BMR, and boost the immune
system.
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Consume at least one cup
of organic green tea a day.
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Apples are a great
source of fiber. People suffering from constipation must include at least
two apples a day. Sprinkle with psyllium husk for added roughage.
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String cheese, pickles,
olives, and dried fruits make for healthy snacks instead of refined foods
since they are low calorie foods, rich in proteins and good fats. They
keep one feeling fuller for longer and hence help avoid binge eating.
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Calcium is one of the
key ingredients for weight loss. Lack of calcium will deter any weight
loss efforts. Include dairy products like milk, cheese, cottage cheese and
yogurt for daily calcium requirement.
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Try using organic whole
milk instead of the homogenized versions; the fresher the better.
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Ensure that that your
intake of good fats like the Omega 3 fatty acids in adequate amounts. They
help fight fat and keep the heart healthy. Rich sources of Omega 3 Fatty
acids include wheat germ oil, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, purslane (dark,
leafy green used throughout Mediterranean countries), hemp seed oil,
flaxseeds and its oil.
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Organic foods are
wholesome and nutritious as opposed to pesticide laden and genetically
altered foods. Hence it is always advisable to opt for the organic
varieties of foods.
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Refined foods contain
high sodium levels and empty calories. Avoid them.
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Ensure that you get
adequate proteins if you are a vegetarian. Pulses are an excellent
vegetarian source.
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Skim milk is made by
removing milk fat. The remaining milk is full of milk sugar or lactose and
devoid of many nutrients. Lactose is a simple sugar and is responsible for
massive weight gain. Instead of drinking skimmed milk, try diluting full
fat or whole milk with water. Alternatively prefer 2% milk.
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Almost any dental
ailment is known to be cured with gargling with organic sesame oil for 5
minutes for a few days.
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Stay clear of diet sodas
and sugar free foods. They contain artificial sweeteners, which contain
Aspartame. This causes insulin spikes, lowers blood sugar, and makes you
hungrier.
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Aromatherapy and steam
inhalation are great remedies that will rejuvenate and cleanse your
respiratory system irrespective of your health status.
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Beauty Tips:
Splash water over your
face at regular intervals for keeping the pores unclogged and the skin
hydrated.
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Keep your skin well
hydrated in both summer and winter. If you’re allergic to any moisturizer,
apply a mashed banana mixed with cream and honey. Rinse after 15 minutes.
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Castor oil is a great
moisturizer. Apply some to the face and dry elbows, knees and heels and
keep it overnight to soften them. Rinse with warm water in the morning.
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Add a teaspoon of olive
oil to a warm bath during winter to prevent the skin from drying. Olive
oil mixed with egg and lemon juice is a time tested face mask for younger
and firmer skin.
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Salt, sugar, oatmeal,
crushed almond, and gram flour, make for excellent scrubs. Mix with some
cleansing cream or simply with milk or yogurt. Scrub the face in a gentle
circular motion for removing dead skin cells.
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To combat greasy skin,
make a paste of lettuce leaf, a small rose and lime juice. Apply over the
face and keep it on for 15 minutes, before rinsing off.
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Cucumber is a good
cooler and a cleanser. Cucumber juice is also a great astringent. Just dab
it on before you leave the house to venture into the sunny outside.
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Olive Oil mixed with
equal quantities of vinegar is an excellent remedy to remove a sun tan.
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A pinch of camphor
powder mixed in coconut oil massaged over blemishes helps lighten them and
in many cases completely obliterates them.
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Rubbing a raw potato
slice over the eyes can help reduce dark circles.
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Tomato is known to
obliterate blackheads. Rub a tomato slice over the corner of the nose and
other areas prone to blackheads.
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Virgin Coconut Oil is
one of the most effective oils in treating skin ailments and allergies.
Psoriasis, eczema, and pigmentation, all find a remedy in Virgin Coconut
Oil. It is an excellent moisturizer and a night repair treatment.
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Evening Primrose oil in
capsule form is great for overall skin health.
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Ageing women often opt
for electrolytic peel treatments. Instead opt for homemade peels. Try this
peel mask: mix dried yeast, orange juice, raw milk and rose water in
sufficient quantities. Apply on the face till it dries and rinse off with
warm water. This is one of the most effective home peel treatments if done
consistently twice a week.
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Vitamin E is the secret
to great skin. Include wheat germ in your daily diet for a daily dose of
Vitamin E.
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Vitamin C enhances
overall skin health. Consume Indian gooseberry to obtain your daily dose
of Vitamin C.
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Daily intake of carrot,
beetroot and celery juice can keep the skin looking radiant and young.
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Massage your lips using
a soft toothbrush and any toothpaste. This is excellent for the removal of
dead cells and improvement of lip tone.
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Half a lemon dipped in
salt and rubbed over teeth is proven to polish dull teeth and whiten them.
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Mix iodine with olive
oil and rub over finger nails to strengthen them and prevent flaking.
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Dull and damaged hair
can be conditioned with the application of almond oil, left in over night.
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Rinsing your hair with
beer or vinegar helps soften rough hair.
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Henna and Indian goose
berry are great for your hair. Powdered and mixed with water or yogurt,
they nourish the hair and give it a natural color.
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Always opt for herbal
skin and hair care products since they have fewer side effects and the
results last longer.
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Lastly a good night’s
sleep ensures that you wake up to a radiant and nourished skin in the
morning.
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Lastly, your consumption
of water is of the utmost importance so make sure you get the required
amount. This amount may vary depending on your physical proportions, your
region, and the climatic and weather conditions, but is generally around
eight glasses.
