When you embark on colon cleansing, you are trying to get rid of toxic waste from your colon. Accumulations in your colon can result to different sicknesses; colon cleansing is a way of boosting the health of your colon. Colon cleaning kits come in powder forms or tablets. However, you can choose to make your own homemade colon cleansing recipes. The making of homemade colon cleansing recipes dates back to several centuries ago. Even people of the past centuries were aware of maintaining good health by keeping the digestive system healthy.

With the passage of time, the food we take is likely to lodge against the walls of the colon and give room for waste substances to be reabsorbed into the blood stream rather than being excreted. This is why you need to occasionally cleanse your colon in order to boost your health.

A good number of homemade colon cleansers are made from Bentonite clay. This clay is edible and possesses great binding powers. It is capable of binding with the accumulation along the walls of the colon to facilitate expulsion. Usually, it is combined with water, juice or pysllium husk. The colon cleansing period with the homemade remedies lasts for several weeks. You will take plenty of water; take more of raw foods and lots of fruits and vegetables during this period.

Also, a good number of homemade colon cleansing recipes are juices. One of the effective natural ways of having your colon cleansed is by embarking on a juice diet. The extraction of juice from the fruits and vegetables has to be done while they are fresh; bought and stored one does not work that way. Juicing the fruits and vegetables fresh ensures that the powerful enzymes that facilitate colon cleansing are retained. Ensure that you always take a lot of water too. All these natural techniques work together for the flushing off of unwanted build-up from your body.

However, every colon cleaning program, whether homemade recipes or otherwise, require the inclusion of supplements to help keep up your health. One of the great supplements to include in your homemade colon cleaning recipe is probiotic such as acidophilus; this will help bring back the needful bacteria in your body. Also use Vitamin and Mineral rich foods such as raw egg yolks and Yeast flakes. Healthy oil supplements such as fish oil, cod liver oil, and coconut are also great for supplementing your colon cleanse program. Vitamin C supplement also aid in reducing any likely side effect like brain fog or tiredness, from the colon cleansing.

When using home remedy for colon cleanse, you need to be careful not to use the wrong quantity of herbs bought from the store. Research substantially about each ingredient that you use for your home colon cleanse recipe. Don’t just put them together like that without knowing what each ingredient does and the right quantity to use.

If you are looking for one of the excellent ways to keep your health in good shape, colon cleansing is one. Remember that you must get the right information about homemade colon cleansing ingredients before using them; this will ensure effective removal of toxin in your body in a natural way.

Periods of pressure and stress, short or long, are part of everybody’s life, whether caused by disturbing events (death in the family), unusual challenges (a new job) or even happy changes (promotion). You may not be aware of it but stress affects your body’s ability to handle various kinds of foods.

One thing that happens when you are under stress is a sudden constriction of your blood vessels. This raises your blood pressure and also reduces the amount of blood going to your stomach and intestines. The flow of enzymes (digestive aids) is slowed as well. Much of the food you eat, particularly if it has a high fat content, is therefore poorly digested. Instead of being broken down properly, it ferments in the intestine, causing gas and distension.

Another thing that happens right away in any stress reaction is a hormonal alert that your blood needs more glucose-in other words, you feel more hungry. This may prompt you to eat a lot of carbohydrates, either sugar or starch. The reaction is an appropriate one if you are facing strenuous physical exertion, but it gives you only surplus calories (increase in weight) if the stress is psychological.

Here are some helpful pointers you can follow for an anti-stress diet:

• Cut down on table salt and other sources of sodium because of their link with high blood pressure. Remember that preservatives may also contain sodium.
• Drink only moderate amounts of coffee and tea and remember that caffeine is present in both. Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are stimulants.
• You should have eight big glasses of fluids in a day. It can be in the form of any drink, but make sure you drink at least two glasses of plain water daily. This helps to flush waste products out of the body.
• Eat foods that are rich in potassium, like oranges and bananas. Potassium is essential for the right balance of the minerals within body fluids and plays a key role in muscle contraction.
• Be sure you are getting enough calcium, as you tend to lose more than usual when you are in a stressful situation. You should try to have at least two glasses of skimmed/toned (reduced fat content) milk in a day.
• Vitamin C is important, as it keeps the walls of the capillaries flexible. The blood vessels constrict at the first sign of stress, and this results in the depletion of vitamin C in the body. Sources of vitamin C are the citrus fruits (orange, lime, lemon, grapefruit) and fresh vegetables eaten raw as salad.
• The vitamin B complex serves as a catalyst in the production of energy, and in the metabolism of protein and fats. It is also necessary for the working of the central nervouS system. In conditions of stress (especially physical), supplements are advisable. Increase the intake of green leafy vegetables, eggs, milk, whole grains, sprouts and yeast (khameer).
• Nitrogen, the base of the body’s protein, is excreted under stress. So the protein intake should be increased by 10% during a stress period.
• Five small meals are lighter than three large ones on the digestive system. The additional small meals can take the form of afternoon or evening snacks.
• Relax before a meal. Sit down at the table for every meal, putting your worries aside.
• Try and include apples (with the skin), apricots, bananas, French beans, cabbage, cauliflower, cherries, corn, grapefruit, lemon, lettuce, melons, mushrooms, ladies’ fingers, oranges, peaches, pears, peas, pineapple, plums, potatoes, rice and tomatoes in your diet. They are high potassium and low sodium foods.

Relief in Hot Flashes

Not all women want to take hormone replacement therapy, although it’s known to make menopausal life better – especially the hot flashes. Instead, the diet can be modified to eradicate the flashes.

Soybean has been found to give hot-flash relief. Eating or drinking two servings of soya day in the forms of soybean dal, nuggets, soymilk or tofu, takes 4 to 6 weeks to show the effect.

Avoiding certain foods can also give relief in hot flashes. Hot and spicy foods and hot drinks (tea, coffee) should be avoided. Also, avoid large meals as they increase the body temperature, especially meals that are high in fat.

It is summertime and people often like to barbecue their favorite meats out on the grill for their family and friends. However, there are some people who think barbecuing is unhealthy because it involves eating a lot of hamburgers and hot dogs which are unhealthy for you. The truth is that there is a whole other side to barbecuing which most people do not even consider. This is a side where you implement techniques to make the barbecued food healthier and even more enjoyable. Below are 10 tips on how to achieve this.

1) White Meat

Red meat is often a tradition with barbecuing but it doesn’t have to be your tradition. Ditch the hot dogs, steaks, and hamburgers the next time you have a barbecue. Instead, replace these meats with chicken breasts, turkey breasts, trout, and/or salmon. The great thing about these meats is they have little to no saturated fat. If you eat the fish, you’ll be getting healthy fats such as omega-3s. All you need to do is add a little spice to the meat and it will taste just as satisfying as any red meat.

2) Use Skinless Meats

Even though meats like chicken and turkey are healthy, the skin which covers the meat is still bad for you. This skin has saturated fat and you should always avoid eating it for that reason. Also, if you find any fat on the meat, cut that off and get rid of that too. If you have any animals, feed the fat and skin to them so they can enjoy it.

3) Add Lots of Vegetables

Did you know vegetables are great for grilling? That is why you often see grilled peppers and onions on a kebab skewer. They actually taste great after they’ve been barbecued with rubbing spices just like the meats. Some vegetables that go great with a barbecue include onions, mushrooms, green peppers, red peppers, eggplant, and corn. Even if you don’t want to have a kebab, these vegetables make great side dishes or toppings for the meat.

4) Smaller Portions

Each guest at your barbecue doesn’t need to be served a buffet. One healthy sized portion of meat should come out to about three or four ounces. Serve the meat in between two buns along with a side dish and it will certainly be a satisfying meal for them. At the same time, they won’t feel too full and develop cramps afterward. They will just feel full enough to have their hunger satisfied.

5) Marinate Meats

Do not flavor your meats with lots of salt and pepper like most people do. Buy some marinade and just place about ½ cup of it on the white meat that you’re grilling. You could also buy some rubbing spice and put about 1 tablespoon on the meat instead. Some examples of rubbing spices include cinnamon, garlic powder, rosemary, paprika, and chili powder. These spices have hardly any salt and they are much healthier than processed spices.

6) Homemade Side Dishes

The traditional side dishes at a barbecue are macaroni salad, cole slaw, and potato salad. Whether you make these yourself or not, they typically have lots of sugars and saturated fats in them. That is why you should think of making your own leafy green salad or fruit salad instead. These side dishes will have 100% natural ingredients with no unhealthy ingredients at all.

7) Go Vegetarian

If you’re the type of person that must have burgers at their barbecue, at least consider using veggie burgers instead of beef burgers. Veggie burgers contain a variety of ground up vegetables such as corn, beans, potatoes, and mushrooms. There will also be some nuts, flax, and grains in the mix too. This will allow you to get your protein fix without having to consume meat.

8) Fruits

Just like vegetables, you can grill fruits too. They might not go great with a kebab, but they’ll still make wonderful side dishes. Try grilling plums, peaches, figs, pineapple, apples, or bananas. Some people used grilled fruits as their dessert after they’ve eaten the main course.

9) Fruit Condiments

It is normal for condiments like ketchup and mustard to be at a barbecue. But these condiments are loaded with sugars and salts that you shouldn’t have inside of you. Why not try some healthier alternative condiments? Try squeezing a slice of lime or a slice of lemon over your meat and let the juices drip onto it. This will add extra flavor without hurting your health.

10) Whole Grain Buns

You will never find a barbecue without buns for the meat. Even for white meats like chicken breast, it is common for people to put the breast meat in between two buns and eat it as a chicken sandwich. The problem is that most barbecues use white bread for the buns. But if you search hard at the supermarket, you will find whole grain buns available. These are a much healthier alternative to the white buns.

How healthy is your diet? If you were to be graded and given a report card based on the choices you make, would you receive a passing grade? The Center for Science in the Public Interest used data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the dietary habits of the average American and their report showed that there is a lot of room for improvement for the majority of us!

When compared to previous comparable report cards, there have been some areas where the scores were better, but there were also some areas in which the grades were slipping. For example, the average American did manage to decrease the consumption of red meat, scoring a B grade in the subject of Meat, Poultry, and Seafood. At the same time, the consumption of fruits and vegetables has risen, bringing the grade to a B- in that area.

However, one of the areas in which we aren’t doing as well is in our obsession with sweets. This consumption of sweeteners is primarily in the form of drinks, such as soft drinks and sugar-sweetened juices. In the consumption of sugars, the average American earned a dismal D+, an especially influential low score, give that the overconsumption of sugars is associated with increased risks of diabetes and obesity. Also lacking was adequate consumption of healthy grains. Although grains are being consumed quite highly, the majority of them are greatly processed, such as in products made out of white flour instead of those made from whole grains. In the area of grains, the average American earned only a C on the report card.

In terms of dairy, although we are eating a bit less 4% fat whole milk (which was viewed as positive), that habit may be offset by a considerable increase in the consumption of cheese and a large increase in the amount of yogurt being eaten. In terms of fats, some improvements are being made in that the amount of saturated fat in the form of shortening being consumed is dropping by quite a bit, being replaced by oil.

Overall, the grade point average or GPA that the average American received on this report was a dismal 2.42. When all was said and done, keeping improvements and declines in mind, we are eating about the same quantity of food and the dietary choices we are making in our diet has about the same health score as it did a decade ago. Looking further back, however, the average American in 2010 was eating nearly 500 calories more, per day, than was consumed in 1970. This represents an increase in 23 percent in daily calories. As vegetables, fruits, eggs, nuts, meats, and lean dairy are approximately the same during that time, it appears clear that the increase in caloric intake is primarily from the consumption of unhealthy fat sources, sugars, and carbs.

Familiarity with proper portion size, on top of general knowledge of nutrition is generally lacking among most Americans. Addressing these issues will be vital in helping to overcome the obesity problem across the country.