Category: Health

The Secret to Napping for Success

Posted by Nerd on March 13, 2018August 25, 2023

Some people are made to feel a little guilty about taking naps during the day like it equates to being a slacker. Then I read an article about sleep and the importance of naps. Snoozing is no longer considered losing, but gaining. Most people think the secret to being productive is managing your time, they believe that sacrificing sleep is necessary in order to be successful in their industry. But I know it’s all about managing your energy and will reveal some reasons why;

Daily naps reduces the risk of heart disease. Those who take daily naps are 37 percent less likely to die of heart disease?

“Taking a nap could turn out to be an important weapon in the fight against coronary mortality,” said Dimitrios Trichopoulos of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, who led the study.

Daily naps help to restore alertness. Most afternoons you start to feel drowsy, especially at work. This lowers your alertness and focus.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends a nap of twenty to thirty minutes. This supposedly, “improved alertness and performance without leaving you feeling groggy or interfering with nighttime sleep.”

Daily naps prevents burnout. In a crazy busy world, we are all in the “rate race” but we shouldn’t be racing without resting. Doing so leads to frustration, burnout, and stress.

Napping is the ultimate reboot of your computer, I mean body. It relieves any stress giving you a fresh start. The same reason we can’t wait to jump in the bed at night. Those who nap show greater emotional resilience, improved cognitive function, and more. All we need is 20 to 30 minutes daily to protect from frying our circuits.

Daily naps heighten sensory perception. Dr. Sara C. Mednick, author of Take a Nap, Change Your Life says, napping can restore the sensitivity of sight, hearing, and taste.

Napping relaxes your mind, which allows new associations to form in it, improving your overall creativity. So, rest before coming up with ideas and making important decisions.

Daily naps make you productive.

Numerous studies have shown workers becoming increasingly unproductive as the day wears on. This is where slacking comes from, and it’s mainly after lunch. Instead of taking a nap, they drink coffee or an energy drink, even worse, get up and walk. A twenty-minute nap defeats any and all energy drinks.

Daily naps improve mood. Which improves any and all actions and reactions.

A happier person makes better decisions, has a nicer demeanor, and is easier to approach.

Daily Naps improve performance including better mental memory and quicker reaction time.

Napping Tips

Take a twenty-minute nap right after lunch. If you can’t, try to squeeze it in before 4:00 p.m.

Keep it twenty to thirty minutes, anything longer may lead to “sleep inertia”, that feeling of grogginess when you awaken from a deep sleep. Long naps can also interfere with nighttime sleep. Set an alarm to avoid oversleeping.

Sleep deprivation affects work performance along with mental and physical health. At 36, 48, and 72 hours without sleep, your body and your mind begin operating in altered states that put your health, and your life, at risk,

There are many successful leaders who were known for napping, names you recognize. Could these leaders know that napping was the key ingredient to their success? You be the judge, here are a few.

John D. Rockefeller, who was an oil industrialist and philanthropist napped daily in his office.
Thomas Edison napped daily, but his ego forced it to embarrass him.
Ronald Reagan, a known nap taker was criticized for it.
Leonardo da Vinci preffered napping over long sleep.
Winston Churchill’s knew he would get twice as much work done daily if he took a nap, this wasn’t up for negotiation.
President John F. Kennedy took naps religiously after eating lunch.
Albert Einstein not only got 10 hours of sleep at night but napped daily.
Napoleon (The French Emperor) took naps daily.
Eleanor Roosevelt napped before speaking arrangements to boost her energy.
President Lyndon B. Johnson figured out a way to break up his day into 2 by taking a nap daily at 3:30 p.m.

The desire to stay connected

Mobile notifications can feel important—leading people to keep their phones close by, even when they’re asleep. An alarming amount of people sleep with their phones near their beds, mostly Millennials. It looks like technology is literally getting in the way of our dreams if you’re allowing it to.

Yearly we have #NationalNappingDay:

It typically falls the Monday After Daylight Savings. It’ a yearly celebration of naps that allow us all to re-evaluate naps and recover from the time change.This year it falls on…

2018: March 12

If lack of sleep can seriously harm you, how much sleep is enough to ensure that our brains are functioning properly?

Current guidelines say between seven and nine hours nightly for adults.

What are your thoughts, Please leave comments.

Some companies are offering their employees nap rooms. Does this mean in the future we will all be snoozing to improve the bottom line?

Some presenters at CES think so, See link -> http://ow.ly/KDva30iSRlX

Boost Health with This Backyard Secret

Posted by Nerd on March 9, 2018August 25, 2023

Warning! You may want to talk to your doctor before using a natural remedy to treat a serious illness.

Since we can remember, man has looked to nature to cure poor health. Within the last decade notably, herbs have made their way into thought culture with the recognition of plant medicines resembling ayahuasca, ibogaine, and cannabis in the headlines for their powerful abilities to heal the most prominent diseases. However, these plant remedies can be forbidden to use for healing in many countries.

The good news is that common weeds in our yards yield superb healing skills and guess what — they’re legal! Here are twelve weeds that possess fascinating medicinal properties.

1. Red Clover (Trifolium pre tense) has chemicals that mimic the female hormone estrogen in the body. Medical professionals examine the herb as a treatment for menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. Doctors also warn women with a history of breast cancer to stay away from the synthetic estrogen. Estrogen-like chemicals have a way of bringing on cancer.

The weed helps in reducing the complications during and after menopause.
It helps in improving bone density.
The plant extract is helpful to improve the immune system, treat could and respiratory disorders.
The decoction of this weed helps in regulating heart problems like high blood pressure.
The plant is also helpful in treating skin inflammation, eczema, and psoriasis.

2. Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) The plant is known to treat gout, aching muscles and joints, arthritis, anemia and eczema. It is widely used to treat joint pain. Capsules of dried stinging nettle is also a good remedy to reduce the symptoms of hay fever. It is also popularly used to treat bladder problems. If you boil nettle it can be eaten as a collared greens alternative. It is very easy to get stung by a stinging nettle. Applying crushed up dandelion, horsetail, Aloe vera, jewelweed or the leaf of a dock or lock plant can counter the acid in the sting.

https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/n/nettle03.html

3. Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum) is your livers best friend. This has been known for over 2000 years. Research found this may be good for people who damage their liver with alcohol. Silymarin is a chemical that may protect the liver from damage caused by a drug overdose, as well as damage from over the counter drugs like Tylenol. If you are a shroomer, this may be an antidote for a poisonous shroom.

The plant decoction is used to cure Jaundice and liver disorders, as it maintains the bile production.
The plant also cures heartburns and depression.
It is also used for allergies, blood disorders and has anti-aging properties.
The plant has been proved to cure Cancer, Malaria as it contains flavonoids which are helpful against the unwanted cells.

4. Horsetail (Equisetum Ravens) – The Greeks and Roman Empires used the herb to stop bleeding and weight gain, heal ulcers and wounds and treat tuberculosis and kidney problems. Used in a tea it tastes mildly bitter, like chamomile. It acts as a diuretic and increases urination. This stuff is so powerful, doctors suggest taking a multivitamin when drinking lots of horsetail tea because it can flush vital nutrients, such as vitamin B1, potassium and thiamine, out of one’s system.

https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/h/hortai39.html

5. Dandelion – within the past, Europeans used remedies made of blowball (Taraxacum sp.) roots, leaves and flowers to treat fever, boils, eye issues, polygenic diseases and symptoms. Practitioners of ancient Chinese medication take dandelions for abdomen ailments, and breast issues like inflammation or lack of milk flow. Dandelions have a bitter taste and contain vitamins A, B, C and D, and iron, K, and metallic element. Like Milkweed, Dandelion was a traditional remedy for warts. One would protect the skin surrounding the wart with Vaseline. Cover the wart with stem juices that were squeezed out. Let dry and cover with a plaster and repeat daily. After three days the wart should be dried up and a brownish color, it’s then it will fall off. This weed can be used like coffee, it’s washed, cut into large pieces and dried gently beside the open fire or in the sun until they became hard and brittle. You want to drink it because, the root contains bitters, which is good for cleansing the liver, spleen, and gallbladder. In Co Meath (Ireland) pieces of the dried root were simmered in buttermilk, strained and taken as a cure for yellow jaundice.

Serious about using this?

6. Milkweed – The main use of this herb is for its benefit on the lungs. It helps with breathing conditions, liquefying mucous and reducing spasms. It has also been widely used by Native Americans as a contraceptive. The sap produced, that’s milky white/The milky white sap produced, is used to remove warts, heal ringworms and snakebites. The sap contains latex, alkaloids, and cardiac glycosides. However, the herb also contains chemicals harmful to livestock and humans. The herb produces toxic chemicals to protect against hungry herbivores. It can help a person manage constipation and diarrhea.

7. Chicory (Cichorium Intybus), a sky blue flower is often seen along roads, provides the largest insulin supply. According to WebMD, patients use insulin to fight high cholesterol and triglycerides. Many women with type-2 diabetes benefit from taking insulin by reducing the rate of blood sugar increase they get after eating. hickory coffees happens when coffee lovers add roasted and dried root to their cups of hot water. Chicory coffee is big in New Orleans.

https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/chicor61.html

8. Burdock (Arctium sp.) – Traditionally, healers use burdock to clear toxins from the blood and increase urination, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The plant also is used to treat skin ailments, such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis. The leaves and roots of burdock are edible and contain inulin, like chicory, so they may aid digestion and/or cause a nasty case of flatulence. Burdock also contains high quantities of antioxidants that can prevent damage to cells.

https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/burdoc87.html

9. Plantain (Plantago Major) – This is the weed commonly found in sidewalk cracks is actually one of the best healing herbs on the planet. Since the age of the ancient, Greek doctors have used plantains to speed wound healing. Native Americans have used it to heal wounds, cure fever, and to draw out toxins from stings and bites, including snake bites.

Plantain as a poultice is recommended on wounds or as a nutrient-rich tea to treat diarrhea. Plantain leaves are mainly used for herbal preparations, so it is best to pick just the leaves, rather than dig out the entire plant. Pinch off unblemished leaves, selecting slightly mature ones over the very tender leaves, unless you’re planning to use them in salads. Mature leaves have a higher concentration of potent phytochemicals.

10. Purslane – Is commonly found in yards and gardens, but most people do not ever consider harvesting it. It has a slightly citrusy taste and a crisp texture. It is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. This herb is also rich in vitamins A, C, and various B vitamins, as well as a number of minerals. Tilling brings seeds to the surface where they quickly germinate. Purslane seeds germinate best with soil temperatures of 90 degrees so mulching may again help to control it. Since it germinates in high soil temperatures also means it doesn’t appear until June.

https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/p/prugol77.html

11. Lamb’s Quarters – Are Very Nutritious The leaves of Lamb’s Quarters can be harvested and used like spinach. Use this herb in your juice, salad, soup, or any recipe that calls for spinach. It has a high content of vitamins A and K, as well as calcium and magnesium. Lamb’s Quarters is considered one of the most nutritious wild foods. These are just a few examples of herbs and weeds that have nutritional value. You may have some of these growing in your backyard and not even know it. Before harvesting any outdoor weeds or herbs, verify the identity of the plant.

12. Bee Balm (wild bergamot) – Bee-balm is most often viewed as a wildflower and actually sold as an ornamental. However, this plant can occur as a weed in some pasture and rangeland environments. Bee-balm or wild bergamot is found throughout the United States except in Florida and along the West coast. The flowers make an attractive edible garnish in salads. Bee Balm herb is a source of oil of thyme, and is noted for its fragrance. The fresh or dried leaves are brewed into a medicinal tea. Bee Balm leaves and flowers and stems are used in alternative medicine as an antiseptic, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic and stimulant. A medicinal infusion is used internally in the treatment of colds, catarrh, headaches, and gastric disorders, to reduce low fevers and soothe a sore throat, to relieve flatulence, nausea, for menstrual pain, and insomnia. Steam inhalation of the plant can be used for sore throats, and bronchial catarrh (inflammation of the mucous membrane, causing an increased flow of mucus). Externally, Bee Balm is a medicinal application for skin eruptions and infections. Bergamot’s distinctive aroma, found in both the leaf and flower is wonderful for use in potpourri. While a fragrant herb in its own right, Wild Bergamot is not the source of the commonly used Bergamot Essential oil.

So there you have it, I covered some of the main backyard herbs, of course, there are many more. Maybe I’ll make a part 2 to this. Remember to be mindful that if you plan on ingesting these herbs, make sure they haven’t been sprayed with pesticides or treated with chemicals. Try looking in your own backyard to see if any of these wild medicinal weeds are at your disposal!

https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/bethro34.html

References:

https://wellnessmama.com/59478/backyard-herbal-remedies/

https://juicing-for-health.com/weeds-that-are-medicinal-herbs

https://www.theorganicprepper.com/10-medicinal-weeds-that-may-grow-in-your-backyard/

http://www.naturallivingideas.com/plantain-benefits-uses/

https://altnature.com/gallery/beebalm.htm

http://www.pracreation.com/10-common-weeds-that-actually-have-medicinal-properties/

Why Every Woman Should do Handstands Daily

Posted by Nerd on March 6, 2018August 25, 2023

Headstand (Shirshasana) is often referred to as the king of all yoga poses. Here are some reasons why you should headstand daily.

Some PROS

1.Let’s start off with my favorite, duh, a free facelift. While upside down, The inverted position of a headstand also flushes fresh nutrients and oxygen to the face, creating a glowing effect on the skin. Being upside down allows nutrients and oxygen to rush to the face. Not only is this healthy, it makes the skin glow.

2.Headstands release anxiety and relax the mind. It puts more smiles on your face, because duh when your upside down you automatically have a smile. Seriously though, your depression will decrease as you create more positive thoughts thanks to your flushed and detoxified adrenal glands

3.Headstands increase blood flow and nutrients to the scalp, decreasing the onset of grey hair. Some professionals believe it actually reverses grey hair back to its natural color.

4.Headstands give your heart a boost in circulation and make it easier to send blood up to the brain. De-oxygenated blood is able to flow easily from the extremities back to the heart

5.Headstands provide refreshed blood to the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. These are vital ass glands, they are like the masters that regulate all other glands in the body (thyroid, adrenals, and pineal). This includes our sex hormones, so expect hotter sexcapades with a consistent headstand practice.

6.People who have varicose veins will like the fact that being upside down drains the fluid that was retained in the feet.

7.Besides its healing power, headstands build on core strength. In order to stay upside down for a length of time, you will need a massive amount of strength in your upper back, arms, and shoulders. To accomplish a still headstand the practitioner must engage the transverse abdominus, the obliques, and the rectus abdominus. A tip to really strengthen the core would be to pike the legs at the same time when coming in and out of the pose.

8.Since headstands send more oxygenated blood to the brain, it eliminates your chances of having an ischemic stroke.

9.Helps to cure insomnia naturally.

10.Headstands increase memory improves mental balance and concentration.

Some CONS

1.Headstands can be contraindicative if you have neck injuries, extremely high blood pressure, ear and eye problems, if you are menstruating, or have acid reflux.

2.Headstands improve your balance, besides strength. You need good balance to be able to hold yourself up. Freestanding headstands require you to have superior strength. Especially so you can transition poses.

3.Just do it, start building handstands into your everyday routine, even if you’re not ready for 5 mins, start slowly with 1 minute, go up by a minute every 5 days. Not only is this healthy physically, and mentally, it comes with killer bragging rights, and you earned them.

Shirshasana Steps

Sit on knees like and interlock the fingers of both hands and place them in front on the yoga mat.
Slowly place your head into the hollow of palms. be careful not to put any pressure on your skull.
Slowly lift your both legs towards upwards and keep it straight. Ask a friend or find a wall for help.
The body should be in a straight line from down to up.
Breathe normally in this position for 15 to 20 seconds or more than that if you can.
Now slowly release pose to come to starting position by lower down your legs (Bending Knees) one by one.
Repeat this for 3-4 cycles.
You can practice it for 1 minute to a maximum of 5 minutes in the beginning. After a good practice increase duration.

Photo Credit: Th33BestICanBe

Why Every Woman Needs a Bidet

Posted by Nerd on February 20, 2018August 25, 2023

When it comes to personal hygiene save money and the environment with a Toilet Sprayer.

There’s environmental, and personal health benefits from using water over toilet paper for personal hygiene. Every day the average American uses 60 sheets of toilet paper, and 800 million tons a year. Forests are being destroyed to keep up with this demand. One economical way to cut down would be the use of a bidet.

The bidet isn’t standard in American homes, but you can find them all over the world. The bidet was invented by a French furniture maker around the 1870’s mainly to improve the aristocratic lifestyle.

It’s environmentally friendly because it uses about an 8th of a gallon of water when in use. Though people mainly connect the use of trees when making toilet paper. They usually forget the water usage during the production process. It takes 37 gallons of water to produce a roll of toilet paper. Overall you end up saving money, the environment, and lowering household waste.

Some health benefits are, the water replaces the paper that can destroy the skin around the bottom due to heavy wiping and friction. This greatly improves your chances of not getting hemorrhoids. Bidet’s also help with urinary tract infections in women since a popular cause is from wiping fecal matter too close to the urethra.

Side note, This may not be fun in the winter if you cannot adjust the temperature.

Another use of a toilet sprayer is to clean off cloth diapers and toilet rags. Not everyone is ready to leave toilet paper behind, but aren’t comfortable with the paper use. They usually gravitate toward cloth rags. These rags get soiled just like the cloth diaper insert. One-way to prep them for washing machines is with a pressurized sprayer. This sprayer guarantees you don’t touch poop.

Side note, Newborn breastfed babies poop is water-soluble.

Lastly, one final use would be to rinse off or hose down your pet in colder months. Animals don’t like being cold just as much as humans. That being said, during cold months when you wash your pet inside, the pressure controlled sprayer is great for washing off soap and dirt.

What goes into making toilet paper:

Wood Pulp
Chemicals
Water

Question: Knowing this information now, would you still stick with toilet paper or, are you more likely to install a sprayer or toilet seat in your home? Please give your opinions below in comments.

Here’s a sprayer I highly recommend:

Purrfect Zone

You can easily control water pressure from a gentle rinse to a strong jet spray to clean up dirty messes easily and it makes cleaning cloth diapers a breeze. The kit includes both wall and toilet mount options and the sprayer can be mounted on either side of the toilet making it ideal for both right or left-handed people. The kit has all accessories you need to install yourself, including plumber’s tape.

All parts of the kit are designed and constructed to the highest standards with steel to prevent water leakage and ensure that the sprayer will last. The flexibility of the hose makes it possible for the user to get the sprayer at the perfect angle for them. The best part, the sprayer comes with lifetime warranty. PurrfectZone wants to make sure their customers are happy and satisfied.

Purchase $38.00

If environmental impact and household waste is your concern, I encourage getting this toilet sprayer and lowering your carbon footprint one smart purchase at a time.

Say, “Thank You” and Shut up

Posted by Nerd on January 24, 2018August 25, 2023

Compliments are a simple effortless way to brighten someone’s day. It’s also an activity that starts off challenging. My favorite quote is, “Being nice is one of the hardest things in the world.” Compliments are equally not as easy to receive as they are to give. It makes me wonder why? But only a nice person can give and receive compliments graciously hence making handling compliments hard. Why?

Compliments can start with confidence. People with low self-esteem have more doubt and are less likely to accept compliments and praise. They usually end up answering in a weird or awkward way other than appreciation because they don’t feel deserving. We sometimes second guess a compliment. Accepting compliments doesn’t mean you’re arrogant or conceited, they actually increase your self-esteem on average by 10%.

You can tell a lot about a person by their reaction to a compliment.

Compliments are like paying it forward, it’s equally beneficial to the giver and receiver. The better you get at receiving compliments, the more it will build you up, and the easier it becomes for you to give compliments to others.

What we learned today; Give more detailed compliments, make more friends, have a better life, be more secure.

The Oil Pulling Effect

Posted by Nerd on January 10, 2018August 25, 2023

Oil pulling is an age-old remedy hailing from Ayurvedic medicine. Where one is using natural substances to clean and detoxify gums and teeth. It’s great for overall gum health and a natural teeth whitener. Certain oils combinations can also help fight harmful bacteria in the mouth.

Dr. Bruce Fife, whose written an entire book on oil pulling, says the oil acts as a c leanser.

“When you put it in your mouth and work it around your teeth and gums it “pulls” out bacteria and other debris. As simple as it is, oil pulling has a very powerful detoxifying effect. Our mouths are the home to billions of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other parasites and their toxins. Candida and Streptococcus are common residents in our mouths. It is these types of germs and their toxic waste products that cause gum disease and tooth decay and contribute to many other health problems including arthritis and heart disease. Our immune system is constantly fighting these troublemakers. If our immune system becomes overloaded or burdened by excessive stress, poor diet, environmental toxins and such, these organisms can spread throughout the body causing secondary infections and chronic inflammation, leading to any number of health problems.”

The basic idea is that oil is swished in your mouth for 15 – 20 mins each day helping to improve oral health. The idea is the oil is able to cut through plaque and remove toxins without disturbing the teeth or gums. It was first introduced to the United States in the early 1990s by a medical doctor named Dr. F. Karach, who used it with success in his medical practice.

Most sources do agree that oil pulling is safe but debate how effective it is. I can say I have been oil pulling for about a year, and it has tremendous results. I enjoy how easy it is to do during the day, allowing me to easily multi-task.

Some Good Oil Pulling Recipes are:

1 drop oregano oil substitute for (peppermint, clove, and cinnamon)

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. coconut oil

1 drop oregano oil

1 tblsp. coconut oil

1 drop oregano oil

1 tblsp. sesame oil

Coconut and sesame oils are natural, antibacterial, antimicrobial.

Instructions:

1. Drink 1 cup of water on an empty stomach.

2. Put 1-2 teaspoons of oil into the mouth.

3. Swish around 20 minutes.

Timing is key, you want the oil there long enough to break through plaque, but not long enough that your body starts to re-absorb toxic mix. The oil will become thick and milk as it mixes with saliva and toxins. When you first start 20 minutes may be really hard to do. When I started I worked my way up 5 mins. every week.

4. Spit oil into the trash can. Spitting in the sink and toilet can lead to clogged pipes. Swallowing it would completely defeat the purpose of trying to detox. You would be ingesting all of the toxins.

5. Rinse well with warm water.It’s better to swish the water like you did the oil. This will get any remaining bacteria out of your gums and teeth. If you swish hard enough you may feel like you just drank peroxide. That’s perfectly normal. It may even be better to swish with salt water.

6. Brush your teeth

See More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elyK-UjPXKE

Exploring Natural Sweeteners : Maple Syrup

Posted by Nerd on December 17, 2017August 25, 2023

One of our biggest issues as humans is our consumption of sugar or our addiction. On average we consume way too much sugar daily. Some great alternatives to help curve the habit, with moderation is maple syrup. Maple syrup was produced way before European settlers came to America. It holds cultural significance to many aboriginals and native American tribes. They viewed maple sap as a source of energy and nutrition.

Canada produces 30 liters of maple syrup a year, which leads to 80 percent of the world production. The maple leaf is Canada’s natural symbol which is featured on their flag. Maple syrup is graded by how much light passes through it. Make sure depending on the color that it’s not mixed with filler syrups like High Fructose, or Rice Syrup. Rice syrup is a common filler in honey.

Since maple is an unrefined natural sweetener, it contains higher levels of beneficial nutrients and antioxidants.

Some health benefits are:

Rich in antioxidants properties, 65 to be exact, that can help delay or prevent diseases caused by free radicals such as cancer, or diabetes.
Protects against various cardiovascular disorders
Helps maintain a healthy heart
Aids in maintaining male reproductive health.
Boosts Immune system
Fights Inflammatory Diseases
May Help Protect Against Cancer
Helps Protect Skin Health

In all plants, a sort of sugar is naturally present. Plants’ primary sugar is a product of photosynthesis that occurs when the sunshine comes into contact with the plant’s leaves. Sucrose is the most prevalent type of sugar found in maple syrup (at least 66 percent of the sugar in maple syrup must be sucrose in order for it to be considered pure).

Maple syrup is considered, by many, to be a “green choice.” This is due to the fact that a tree is not harmed when the sap is extracted. Keep in mind, the sap is the core ingredient, this is indeed a green choice. Maple syrup is quite popular in the vegan lifestyle. This choice has proven to be an excellent substitute for the ordinary sugar. Pure maple syrup has been called the complete and total “green choice.” Many individuals have named this is a green option. It ought to be noted, maple syrup does not harm the environment. This is a natural item.

Don’t Lock Your Knees! Are You standing Correctly?

Posted by Nerd on August 29, 2017August 27, 2023

Are you standing correctly with relaxed knees?

Most people carry tension in their muscles. When you’re constantly contracting your muscles you’re also reducing the blood flow throughout the area and compresses joints, the muscles cross. Compression of the joints can lead to decreased mobility, friction, misuse of the limb, and potentially arthritis.

One should be able to stand without clenching butt cheeks together or gripping our front thigh quadriceps muscles.Your legs must be straight in order to manage the tension. Just because the leg is straight doesn’t mean it’s locked. Your leg is “locked” when the quad muscles are contracted.

There are people who are able to hyperextend their knees, it looks like this.

There are people who stand with constant knee flexion (bent knees). It looks like this.

If the quads are relaxed, you should be able to contract your quads (notice your knee cap lift up) and return to the relaxed state. If you can’t tell if your knee caps are lifting, more than likely your quads are already in a contracted state (this means that your patella is compressed against your femur, creating decreased mobility and friction which can lead to arthritis).

It sounds pretty simple to just relax your kneecaps, but if quad tension has become an unconscious habit for you, or if you’ve been unknowingly using your quads to keep yourself from falling over when you stand, relaxing the knees won’t be as easy as it seems.

Your four quadriceps muscles are designed to activate equally and at the same time when you straighten your lower leg, but in our culture, we’ve acquired alignment faults that leave the femur bone internally rotated and our pelvis misaligned. This changes the ability of the quadriceps to activate properly.

When your pelvis is not aligned, it changes your uses of the appropriate muscles for walking and standing, so your quads pick up the slack.

The quadriceps can get so used to staying on and being recruited for extra work that it becomes difficult to figure out how to turn them off, even when your brain is asking them too! This is where people may get a lot of spasms.

See What’s In Your Deodorant

Posted by Nerd on August 16, 2017August 27, 2023

After a trip to Africa, I discovered something interesting. It’s common for people in Africa to not use deodorant. Deodorant is more of a chemical luxury, meant to guard you against the smell of the breakdown of the bacteria caught in your pits from perspiration. If you keep your underarms clean and control your hair growth your “pits” shouldn’t have much of a smell.

Let’s look at the list of chemical ingredients in an average deodorant:

Aluminum Compounds.
Parabens
Steareths
Triclosan
Propylene Glycol
TEA and DEA
Artificial Colors

Aluminum is the ingredient in antiperspirants that clogs your pores and prevents sweating. People are exposed to aluminum in some cosmetics, antiperspirants, and pharmaceuticals such as antacids and buffered aspirin. When it enters the body it accumulates in the liver, brains, lungs, kidneys, and thyroid where it competes with calcium for absorption and can affect skeletal mineralization. Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s and estrogen hormonal imbalance.

Parabens are preservatives for beauty products and pharmaceuticals. They are used to preserve products so they have a shelf life of many years. As you may not know all things eventually expire. The more preservatives you put in something, the longer it takes. But the less effective it is holistically. Parabens are said to mimic the hormone estrogen, which would leave anyone with a hormonal imbalance. The biggest concerns from parabens are endocrine destruction, reproductive toxicity, and its association with prostate and breast cancer.

Parabens can be found in most common beauty products such as;

Soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners, dyes, lotion, shaving cream, waxes, household cleaning products, ointments, eyeliners, mascara, eye shadows, blush, makeup, foundation, sunscreen, and fragrance.

Steareths is a synthetic polymer. It isn’t as bad as the other ingredients, it basically weakens harsh chemicals while simultaneously producing carcinogens and dioxanes. Steareths is found most often in eye creams, anti-aging skin care products, and moisturizers, but has been used to a lesser degree in many other forms of cosmetics.

Triclosan is a pesticide according to the FDA. It kills bacteria during the manufacturing process as well as the bacteria on your skin, which is the main cause of odor. The carcinogenic gas, chloroform is made when Triclosan is combined with water.

This ingredient can be found in hundreds of consumer products ranging from antibacterial soaps, deodorants, toothpaste, cosmetics, fabrics, toys, and other household and personal care products.

Here’s a full list of brands that use: Triclosan

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/programs/antibacterials/triclosan/products-containing-triclosan

If used every day, Propylene Glycol can cause damage to your heart, liver, and central nervous system. It is a popular skin irritant, especially if you are sensitive. Propylene glycol can be harmful at as small a percentage as 2%, yet deodorants generally have a high dose of 50%.

Surprisingly this ingredient can be found in antifreeze and some processed foods, what crazy extremes. You can also find it in many medications, and electronic cigarettes.

Triethanolamine (TEA) and diethanolamine (DEA) are chemicals that seep into your skin through pores, enter the blood stream, and directly affect the kidneys and liver.

In conclusion, the point here is to read and know what ingredients are being used in your products. Don’t just look at the marketing that says, clean, fresh, or natural. In some way some of these toxic chemicals are natural. But not natural for your body. So the only preventative measure is knowing, and being familiar with these terms.

This article is written a source of information. I encourage you to read more about the topic as everyone is different. Everyone’s body and immune system respond to chemicals and toxins differently. What may cause a disease in one person may not cause a disease in another. You can’t avoid everything you’re exposed to, as always the best solution is to detox.

Lemon Powers

Posted by Nerd on May 8, 2017August 27, 2023

When life hands you lemons, appreciate them, They are very good for you.

Lemons though acidic to the taste, but do the opposite in the body. They actually are alkaline-forming to the body. Lemons are in fact the highest alkaline-forming food and are great at keeping the bodies PH level balanced. Because of their antibacterial properties, lemons can be found in kitchens all over the world.

Lemons are your livers best friend. It helps to stimulate and detoxify the liver. Starting your day with lemon water is a great way to daily detoxify. Lemons help dissolve uric acid and other poisons.

Lemon peels contain potent phytonutrient tangeretin which protect against brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease

Guards you against Hangovers Lemon juice and room temperature water helps reduce nausea and aids in metabolizing alcohol.

Dissolves calcium like deposits Lemons decrease the acidity of urine; this prevents the formation of calcium oxalate and uric acid stones. Lemons are rich in citric acid this helps to dissolve gallstones, calcium deposits, and kidney stones.

Lemons contain flavonoids and Vitamin C, making it a great immune system booster to help the body fight off infections. Also, vitamin C helps neutralize free radicals that lead to aging and disease.

They Treat Scurvy This seems random but if you’re a cruise ship traveler this may intrigue you.

In 1747, a naval surgeon named James Lind cured scurvy with fresh lemons. To this day, the British Navy requires ships to carry enough lemons so that every sailor could have one ounce of juice a day. In the past, lemons were replaced with limes; this is where the English got their nickname “limeys.”

Lemons protect from intestinal worms. One cup of spearmint juice, black salt, and lemon juice daily removes all types of parasite infections from the stomach.

Lemon Nutrition:

Lemons contain vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, citric acid, flavonoids, potassium, calcium, iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and fiber.
Lemons contain more potassium than apples or grapes. Potassium is beneficial to the heart. But you still need Bananas for your potassium fix.

Warning: Stay away from restaurant and bar lemons. Lemons not washed properly can lead to microbial flora.