Foods for Better Eyesight.

You’ve probably heard that carrots and other orange-coloured fruits and vegetables promote eye health and protect vision, and it’s true: Beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A that gives these foods their orange hue, helps the retina and other parts of the eye to function smoothly.

But eating your way to good eyesight isn’t only about beta-carotene. Though their connection to vision isn’t as well-known, several other vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy eyes.

Make these five foods a staple of your diet to keep your peepers in tip-top shape.

1. Leafy greens

They’re packed with lutein and zeaxanthin — antioxidants that, studies show, lower the risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts.

2. Eggs

The yolk is a prime source of lutein and zeaxanthin—plus zinc, which also helps reduce your macular degeneration risk, according to Paul Dougherty, MD, medical director of Dougherty Laser Vision in Los Angeles.

3. Citrus and berries

These fruits are powerhouses of vitamin C, which has been shown to reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts.

4. Almonds

They’re filled with vitamin E, which slows macular degeneration, research shows. One handful (an ounce) provides about half of your daily dose of E.

5. Fatty fish

Tuna, salmon, mackerel, anchovies and trout are rich in DHA, a fatty acid found in your retina—low levels of which have been linked to dry eye syndrome, says Jimmy Lee, MD, director of refractive surgery at Montefiore Medical Center, in New York City. 

http://www.healthdigezt.com/foods-for-better-eyesight/

What To Do With Overripe Bananas (Besides Making Banana Bread).

There are endless recipes and coooking ideas for making the most of your fresh fruit, but what do you do when your ripe produce, like bananas, become discoloured and mushy after sitting a little too long on the kitchen counter? If you’re like most, you throw away the overripe offenders, but sustainable foods advocate says you shouldn’t be so quick to turn toward the trash can.

Jenny McGruther, food educator and author of The Nourished Kitchen, is all about cooking with simple ingredients that are inherently flavourful, and says that overripe fruits fall beautifully into that category. You just have to know how to use them. Her favourite combination? Overripe bananas and smoothies.

“You can absolutely use overripe, brown bananas in a smoothie,” she says during an interview for the web series #OWN SHOW.

The only thing McGruther suggests being cautious about is how the ripeness of the banana changes its flavour. “Overripe bananas can be sweeter than bananas that are just yellow,” she says. “So you want to cut down on any additional sweetener you might add.”

This natural sweetness makes bananas an ideal ingredient in smoothies, but McGruther points to two other big benefits in blending this fruit. “They’re also super creamy, so they can add a creamy texture to your smoothies without necessarily adding dairy,” she explains. “Another benefit to adding bananas to smoothies is that they are a binding ingredient. That means that they help the emulsification process, which helps all the ingredients blend together and stay together.”

Bananas aren’t the only overripe fruit that McGruder says are great in smoothies. She also suggests incorporating mushy peaches, plums and strawberries as well — with one caveat.

“You don’t want to add anything that’s clearly ‘off,’ like molded, for example,” she says. “But any of the other fruits that are slightly soft are really great in smoothies because they’re extra sweet, which is nice, and also because of their soft texture, they blend together really well.”

1.  Banana And Pineapple Smoothie

This smoothie has all the tropical flavour you need for a bright morning. The recipe includes banana, pineapple and orange juice. If you prefer a creamier, less tart smoothie, feel free to replace the orange juice with yogurt.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 2 cups ice cubes, about 12 cubes

Directions

• Peel banana, break into chunks, and put in blender with crushed pineapple, orange juice and ice. Blend until smooth.
• TIP: If you love orange juice in the morning, this smoothie is for you. If you prefer a less acidic start, add yogurt to this smoothie to mellow it out.
• TIP: Fresh pineapple is delicious (and works well in this smoothie), so give it a try. If you need a quick morning fix, canned pineapple does the trick.
• TIP: If you like your smoothies ice cold, put the pineapple in the fridge. Or, better yet, put all the ingredients (except the ice) in the blender the night before, refrigerate, and give a quick blend in the morning. Talk about your 30-second breakfast!

2.  Silken Tofu And Berry Smoothie

This quick-and-easy smoothie features silken tofu for a kick of protein in the morning. Feel free to use your favourite fresh mixed berries or frozen. Sweeten with agave nectar or honey.

Ingredients

• 3 cups mixed berries
• 1 cup silken tofu
• 2 1/2 cups vanilla soymilk
• 2 cups ice
• 1/3 cup agave nectar or honey

 Directions

• Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into tall glasses and serve immediately.

3.  Purple Berry Smoothie

Get all your antioxidants in this smoothies, which is packed with dark berries. Feel free to use raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. Sweeten with honey if you prefer.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup ice cubes, about 3 cubes
• 1 tablespoons honey, if needed

Directions

• Put raspberries, blueberries, yogurt, ice and honey (if needed) into a blender vase. Blend until smooth. Pass through a mesh strainer to remove the raspberry seeds, if desired.
• TIP: Before adding the honey, taste the berries to see if they are tart or sweet. If sweet, omit the honey. If tart, add it. You can also taste the smoothie after you’ve blended it to see if it needs a sweet boost.
• TIP: Use frozen fruit instead of fresh, and omit the ice. When fresh berries are out of season, frozen is the best choice. The berries will be sweeter and less expensive than out-of-season fresh berries. 

http://www.healthdigezt.com/what-to-do-with-overripe-bananas-besides-making-banana-bread/

Press-between-thumb-and-index-small Relieve Your Headache and Stress With Acupressure in 30 Seconds.

Squeeze the fleshy place between your index finger and your thumb, known as the Hoku spot in Chinese medicine. Applying firm pressure there for just 30 secs can reduce stress and tension and works wonder for Headache.Press and hold the point until pain subsides and you feel the muscles relax.

http://www.ideadigezt.com/relieve-your-headache-and-stress-with-acupressure-in-30-seconds/

19 Super Foods That Naturally Cleanse Your Liver.

We live in a world where disease is constantly on the rise. This should come as no surprise as the environment we choose to surround ourselves with is extremely toxic i.e. our food, air, water etc. One great example is bleach, it’s one the most commonly used and relied upon cleaners in the world. But it can be very damaging to the respiratory tract just by inhaling the gases it emits from being used.

Another example are pesticides, used en mass on our food, which have been linked to a number of health ailments. Scientists have been concerned about our toxic environment for a long time. Here is research showing how toxins commonly found in the environment can lead to a number of disorders, including autism.

The list goes on and the point remains, you do have a choice. Instead of surrounding yourself in a toxic environment, you can surround yourself in a completely natural, clean and chemical free environment. The importance of detoxification is huge today, and there are a number of ways to clean out your body and its organs from the drastic accumulation of toxic chemicals they retain over a long period of time.

The Liver Is Very Important

This is about detoxing the body’s largest gland, the liver. Without a liver, a person cannot survive. It has a number of functions including, but not limited to:

• Detoxifying the blood to rid it of harmful substances (like toxins, drugs, alcohol and more)
• Stores vitamins and iron
• Converts stored sugar to usable sugar when the body’s sugar levels fall below normal
• Produces bile, a substance needed to digest fats
• Breaks down hemoglobin as well as insulin and other hormones
• Destroys old red blood cells

The liver performs so many vital functions, and as a result it is very prone to disease.

Detox Your Liver With These 19 Super Foods

1. Beets and Carrots: Carrots are rich in Glutathione, a protein that helps detoxify the liver. Both are extremely high in plant-flavonoids and beta-carotene. Eating beats and carrots can help stimulate and improve overall liver function. (Related CE Article: The Mother of All Antioxidants)

2. Tomatoes: They have abundant amounts of Glutathione (see article above) which again, are a great detoxifier for the liver. As a side effect Lycopene in tomatoes will protect against breast, skin and lung cancer.

3.  Grapefruit: Another source of the liver cleansing glutathione. It’s also high in vitamin C and antioxidants, this boosts the production of the liver detoxification enzymes and increases the natural cleansing process of the liver.

4.  Spinach: Raw Spinach is a major source of glutathione that triggers toxin cleansing enzymes of the liver.

5.  Citrus Fruits: Lemons and Lime contain very high amounts of vitamin C, which helps stimulate the liver and aids the synthesizing of toxic materials into substances that can be absorbed by water.

6.  Cabbage:  The isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from cabbage’s glucosinolates provides liver detoxifying enzymes that help flush out toxins. 

7. Turmeric: Turmeric is the liver’s favorite spice and helps boost liver detox. It does this by assisting enzymes that actively flush out dietary carcinogens.

8.  Walnuts: Walnuts are a good source of glutathione, omega-3 fatty acids and amino acid arginine, which support the normal liver cleansing actions, especially in detoxifying ammonia.

9.   Avocados: The nutrient-dense superfood, avocado helps the body produce glutathione

10. Apples: They are high in pectin and other chemicals essential to cleanse and release toxins from the digestive tract. Apples make it easier for the liver to handle the toxic load during the cleansing process.

11. Brussels sprouts: Brussels sprouts are high in sulfur and antioxidant glucosinolate, which forces the liver to release enzymes that block damage from environmental or dietary toxins.

12. Garlic: Garlic is loaded with sulfur that activates liver enzymes that help your body flush out toxins. Garlic also holds high amounts of allicin and selenium, two natural compounds that aid in liver cleansing.

13. Dandelion: Dandelion root tea assists the liver in breaking down fats, producing amino acids and generally ridding it of toxins.

14. Leafy Green Vegetables: Green Veggies are extremely high in plant chlorophyll’s that absorb environmental toxins, increase bile production, neutralize heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides, which lowers the burden on the liver.

15. Cruciferous Vegetables: Eating broccoli and cauliflower will increase production of enzymes glucosinolate in your system that help flush out carcinogens and other toxins.

16. Asparagus: Asparagus is a great diuretic helping in the cleansing process and sharing the detox load of the liver and kidneys.

17. Green Tea: Green tea is full of plant antioxidants known as catechins, a compound known to assist liver function.

18. Olive Oil: Cold-pressed organic oils such as olive, hemp and flax-seed are great support for the liver, providing the body with a liquid base that can suck up harmful toxins in the body.

19. Alternative Grains: Gluten rich grains such as wheat, flour, or other whole grains increase the load on the liver’s detox function and enzyme production. Switch to alternative grains like quinoa, millet and buckwheat.

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/07/06/19-super-foods-that-naturally-cleanse-your-liver/

12 Best Ways to Burn Serious Calories When You Run.

Running is one of the greatest, and cheapest ways to improve your cardiovascular health. You can find avid runners going for their daily run regardless of the temperature, or the conditions outside of their window. If you’ve been stung by the running bug, you’ve probably not only felt the physical benefits, but also experienced the mental ones. It can be a great time to escape from your stress, and completely lose yourself. But after a while, your body adapts to this form of exercise just like any other that you do on a regular basis. When that happens, it’s time to bust your running rut by increasing the intensity and furthering your fitness health.

Here are twelve great ways to burn some serious calories on your run:

1. Sprints:

You probably run at the same pace, which is not a bad thing. But if you want to burn extra calories, adding the occasional sprint will definitely accomplish that. Try adding 30-second sprints every few minutes while on your run. Make sure you give yourself enough recovery time after the sprint, before you do another one.

2. Longer distances:

If you always run the same three miles every day, try adding another half mile or so. The longer you run, the more calories you will burn.

3. Hills:

Does your current running route have hills or is it mostly flat? Running uphill may slow you down, but it won’t slow your heart rate one bit. Try to map out a new route that incorporates some hills. Plus, the change of scenery will be a fun change.

4. Increase your pace:

Is your current pace a seven-minute mile? Try running faster to get it less than seven minutes. This may take a few tries, but you will be burning tons of calories in the process.

5. Add variety:

There is no rule saying you should only run. Add some walking lunges, forward squat jumps or even some push-ups on the curb. This break up the monotony of your run and it will add some power moves that will build muscle, along with burning calories.

6. Wear weights:

Weighted vests or ankle weights will make your run more challenging since you are carrying extra weight on your body. Start light and then if it’s too easy, go heavier. You can even hold small hand weights while you run if you don’t have ankle weights or a vest.

7. Push/Pull something heavy:

If wearing or carrying extra weights is not an option, how about pushing something heavy like a jogger stroller or wagon—maybe with your kids inside? Again, it may slow your pace, but it won’t slow your calorie burn.

8. Create your own obstacle course:

Without much effort, you can create your own personal obstacle course while you run. Leap over large puddles, jump over leaf piles and zig zag around fallen branches. If you live near a playground, you can use the monkey bars, see saws and rock walls as some of your obstacles. Be creative.

9. Lift before you run:

Lifting weights not only helps you build muscle, but if you do it right before you run, you will end up burning even more calories (and fat) than if you just ran. Even a short twenty to thirty-minute strength training session can maximize your calorie burn as you run.

10. Sign up for a race:

As odd as this may sound, if you sign up to run a 5K, 10K or half marathon, you will have to train for it. So now your leisurely runs just became instant training that you won’t want to skip. Having this goal will force you to run more, or faster, and that will result in burning more calories.

11. Run less:

Sounds strange, but there’s a catch. You can run less, but you have to increase your intensity during that short run time. If you usually run for forty-five minutes at a seven-minute mile pace, try running for a half hour, but at a six or five-mile pace. Over time, your pace will get quicker and your time may lessen. This is also great for those days when you are short on time.

12. Head for the beach:

If you live in the middle of the dessert this may not seem like the best idea, but it’s not the beach you need, but rather, the sand. That’s right. Running in sand is hard—really hard—and it will torch some serious calories while you try to get through it. Studies show you can burn up to 30% more calories if you run in sand. If you have access to a pool, you can run laps in the pool for the same effect.

Try one of these methods to increase your calorie burn on your next run. Not only are they effective, but they will also add some new excitement to your run just in case you are starting to get a bit bored with them. Happy, and healthy trails!!!

http://www.healthdigezt.com/12-best-ways-to-burn-serious-calories-when-you-run/