Tag: tips

  • 10 quick remedies for a sore throat

    10 quick remedies for a sore throat

    10 quick remedies for a sore throat

    Use your pantry staples!

    No one wants to fall prey to a sore throat! Wouldn’t it be great if you could simply go to your fridge or pantry to find relief? Well, you can! Many natural sore throat remedies are staples you probably have on hand.

    1. Saltwater gargle

    Gargling with saltwater is a tried-and-true method to relieve sore throat pain. Gargle with this mixture every three hours to achieve the best results. As an added benefit, gargling with saltwater can help flush out the virus causing your sore throat.

    2. Warm and cold fluids

    Have something to drink. Cold drinks, ice cubes, and popsicles reduce pain by lowering the temperature of the throat’s nerve endings. When you consume a warm drink, on the other hand, salivation increases. This increases lubrication and makes your throat feel better.

    3. Rest

    Your body is using its energy to fight off an infection or irritation. If you have a sore throat and want to rest, do so in an elevated position. Try propping yourself up with pillows or using a reclining chair.

    4. Honey

    Honey has been valued for centuries for its antibacterial properties. Make a soothing drink by stirring 2 Tbsp (30 mL) honey into a cup of tea or warm water. Remember, though, that honey is not to be given to infants under one year of age.

    5. Hot sauce

    Capsaicin, which is found in peppers used to make hot sauce, can help reduce pain by fighting the inflammation of a sore throat. Get sore throat relief from hot sauce by mixing a few drops of it in warm water and gargling.

    6. Lemon

    Lemon has vitamin C, which is thought to be effective in fighting infections. Lemon water can help reduce inflammation, and it can help break up the mucus that might be irritating your throat.

    7. Chicken soup

    Like a warm drink, chicken soup can break up the mucus in your throat to help ease your discomfort. It will also help to keep you hydrated. Chicken soup can be a good source of nutrients too, which is helpful when you’re not feeling well.

    8. Tea

    Many herbal teas offer anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which help in soothing and healing a sore throat. There are a number that you can choose from to help reduce sore throat irritation, such as peppermint or chamomile.

    9. Humidity and steam

    Dry air can cause congestion, dry skin, a dry nose, itchy eyes, and throat irritation. One way to ease and help lubricate your sore throat is to have a warm shower. You can add moisture to the air in your home by using a vaporizer or humidifier.

    10. Zinc

    Studies show that zinc lozenges can help you kick a cold faster, including shortening the severity and duration of symptoms like sore throat. For best results, take zinc supplements within 24 hours of the onset of cold symptoms.

    Article Provided by Alive Magazine

  • Ease Anxiety in Under 5 Minutes

    Ease Anxiety in Under 5 Minutes

    Ease Anxiety in Under 5 Minutes

    10 simple strategies to send that panic packing

    While it comes on a sliding scale—from the occasional experience to ranging severities of anxiety disorders—we all deal with anxiety in our lives. When things get to be too much, taking just five minutes to try one of these 10 strategies could help calm you down and rise above the anxiety.

    1. Acknowledge your anxiety

    Allowing yourself five minutes to lean into that feeling and break down what exactly it is about your situation that is causing you discomfort and worry can be a strong first step to overcoming it.

    2. Write in a journal

    Using a journal can be an effective way to organize your thoughts and work through what exactly it is that is making you feel anxious.

    3. Stand up to the to-do list

    Sometimes the simplest thing you can do to relieve the anxiety is to focus on the present moment by identifying one simple thing you can do now to take control over what is making you anxious.

    4. Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique

    Sitting up straight, place the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth. With your mouth closed, breathe in through your nose and count to four. Hold your breath and count to seven. Breathe out through your mouth and count to eight. Repeat these steps three times or until you feel calm.

    5. Give the 3-3-3 rule a try

    Look around and name three things that you can see, identify three things that you can hear, and then move three parts of your body (for example, rotate your ankles, roll your shoulders back, and wiggle your fingers).

    6. Take a lavender oil supplement

    Studies have shown that using lavender aromatherapy can help ease anxiety—a great reason to put a few drops of lavender essential oil in your diffuser next time anxiety makes an appearance.

    7. Drink a cup of green tea

    Green tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which has been shown to reduce stress responses in humans to create feelings of calm. L-theanine is available as a supplement.

    8. Take a yoga break

    If going to a yoga class seems like too much in your state of worry, a quick search on the internet or your favorite yoga app can reveal a treasure trove of 5-minute yoga sequences that can help ease anxiety in the comfort of your own home.

    9. Watch a funny video

    Spending five minutes to take a break and watch a funny video or two can reduce your stress response and provide a relaxed feeling to help lift your mood above the anxiety.

    10. Immerse yourself in a song

    Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, as well as benefit blood pressure, heart rate, and quality of sleep.

    Article Provided by Alive Magazine

  • Repair and Recover

    Repair and Recover

    Repair and Recover

    Post-exercise nutrition tips

    You drank your pre-workout shake. You stayed hydrated as you sweated it out. But have you given any thought to what you’ll eat and drink when you’ve wiped that sweat off your brow? Your post-workout nutrition is just as important for your athletic performance.

    Why your post-workout meal matters

    When you exercise, your body undergoes a lot of wear and tear and your muscles burn up their stored glycogen. And it’s during the recovery process, not during your actual workout, that you get stronger and start to see the benefits of your exercise routine. That’s why properly fueling your recovery process is important for every athlete.

    Post-workout nutrition perks

    With the right approach, your post-workout meal will boost your muscle strength and size, soothe muscle soreness and pain, and speed up your recovery so you can hit the gym again sooner.

    It’s all about ratios and timing

    You need the right combination of carbs to replenish your muscles’ glycogen, and protein for muscle repair.

    “An endurance athlete should aim for a 4:1 carbs-to-protein ratio in their post-workout meal,” recommends sports nutritionist Melissa Boufounos. “And a strength and power athlete, or someone looking to lose weight, may drop to a 3:1 ratio.”

    In other words, your post-workout shake or meal should offer up approximately 30 grams of protein, plus 90 to 120 grams of carbs (depending on your athletic goals). Ideally, eat within 60 minutes of working out—that’s when your body needs that food the most.

    Don’t forget hydration

    Getting hydrated quickly will magnify your recovery and performance. Drink 1 L (32 oz) of fluids for every kilogram of body weight you lost via sweating.

    The best post-workout foods and supplements

    • Simple carbohydrates
    • Coenzyme Q10
    • Easily digestible protein
    • Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)

    Laid up with an injury? Nutrition still matters!

    Taking an extended break from the gym often leads to a loss in mobility and muscle strength. Maintaining your healthy nutrition habits helps prevent this. Keep your protein intake up. In fact, increasing your protein intake to 2 to 2.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day may support a faster recovery and curtail muscle loss.

    The best foods and supplements for injured athletes

    • Whole plant foods
    • Creatine
    • Omega-3s
    • Tart cherry juice
    • Curcumin

    Healthy eating for rest day (and every day)

    Take a recovery day every three to five days, or whenever you’re feeling very sore.

    On days when you’re not engaging in strenuous exercise, you don’t need to emphasize high-energy, high-glycemic foods (e.g., very high-carb meals, sugar-rich sports drinks, etc.) like you normally would on workout days.

    However, most athletes—with the exception of those trying to lose weight—benefit from consuming roughly the same total number of calories that they’d eat on an active day.

    Use rest days to eat and supplement with the goal of protecting yourself from illness, wear and tear on your joints, and more. Think of it as nutritional insurance.

    Article Provided by Alive Magazine

  • How to Clean a Watermelon (Demo!)

    How to Clean a Watermelon (Demo!)

    Want to get every bite out of that gorgeous organic watermelon? Here’s how a pro does it!

    Watermelons