Thursday, March 29, 2012

Black Garlic: You Need to Eat This, Now.



In Taoism mythology, black garlic was rumored to grant immortality. Black garlic is sweet and savory, kind of like molasses with garlic undertones. It has a tender, almost jelly-like texture similar to a soft dried fruit. It has double the antioxidants of white garlic. Its antioxidants help support the immune system and it doesn't stay on your breath like other garlic does. It also contains S-Allycysteine, which is fancy talk for a natural compound that has been proven to be a factor in cancer prevention.
Imagine garlic without all of the annoying stuff: bad breath, pungent odor, acrid bite. It’s gloriously delicious and you can use it any recipe that normally calls for white garlic.

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Black Rice: Why You Should Be Eating It



Black rice is known as forbidden rice since it was only allowed to be served in the Chinese royal court, as a tribute to the Kangxi emperor of the Qing Dynasty. It’s deep black color turns deep purple when cooked. Its dark purple color is primarily due to its anthocyanin content. Black rice is high in nutritional value and contains 18 amino acids, iron, zinc, copper, carotene, anthocyanin and several important vitamins. According to a recent study by the American Chemical Society (ACS), one spoonful of black rice contains more anthocyanin antioxidants than a spoonful of blueberries. The study also showed that compared with blueberries, black rice offered more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants, with less sugar. Research has linked these nutrients to helping prevent cancer, diabetes and heart disease.  In China, black rice is claimed to be good for your kidney, stomach and liver.

Black rice takes longer to cook than white rice and should be cooked with more water to help tenderize it. A suggested rule of thumb is to soak the grain about an hour before cooking it and add a quarter cup more water than recommended. If using a rice cooker, keep an eye on it to ensure that it is not packed fuller than necessary and that it doesn’t boil over.

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Biggest Loser Gets Zumbalicious! You Can Too!

Afraid to try Zumba. If the contestants of The Biggest Loser Can do it, why can't you? Zumba is like stepping on the dance floor at a party, your party. No worries, no comparison, no competition, just let go and have fun.. Check out what the Biggest Loser contestants had to say...

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Tai Cheng: Live Pain Free and Mobile

Who should do Tai Cheng? Athletes, people who want to improve their movement, people who have difficulty with their movements. Want to improve your tennis or golf game? Want to walk up and down the stairs confidently? Want to play with your children and grandchildren? Then Tai Cheng is for you. Watch this short informational video.


Tuesday, March 13, 2012

What is Zumba Toning? A Great Cardio Option.


Zumba Toning takes the original Zumba dance-fitness class to the next level utilizing innovative muscle training and the addition of light weight toning sticks or dumbbells. Created to emphasize muscle work along with rhythms, this combination of cardio and dynamic resistive exercises is an effective use of progressive light weight training to improve overall performance. This Latin-inspired dance ‘n tone program also includes, for the first time, combination rhythms within the same songs which adds to the fun and flavor: Latin Disco, Reggaeton-Cumbia, Conga Hip-Hop, Merengue Hip-Hop, Reggaeton-Belly Dance, Techno and Salsa. This program is assured to provide the participant with a safe and effective, re-defining total body workout! Zumba Toning creates the same party atmosphere as every other Zumba program because the rhythm of the dance is the passion and foundation which keeps the participant engaged and coming back. Zumba Toning is fun, different, challenging and effective and provides, for the participant, a new avenue to weighted activity and calorie burn.

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Positive Thinking and Your Health



We choose our thoughts, whether positive or negative. Positive or negative thinking starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of mind chatter that run through your head every day.

Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

-Longer life
-Less depression
-Less distress
-Stronger immune system
-A feeling of psychological and physical well-being
-Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
-Better coping skills during hard times

It's not clear why people who are positive experience health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body. It's also thought that positive people tend to live healthier lifestyles — they

get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and don't smoke or drink alcohol in excess.

Focusing on positive thinking

You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking. The process is simple, but it does take time and practice. You're creating a new habit. Here are some ways to think and behave in a more positive and optimistic way:

-Identify areas to change. If you want to become more optimistic and engage in more positive thinking, first identify areas of your life that you typically think negatively about.
-Check yourself. Periodically during the day, stop and evaluate what you're thinking. If you find that your thoughts are mainly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them.
-Be open to humor. Give yourself permission to smile or laugh, especially during difficult times. Seek humor in everyday happenings. When you can laugh at life, you feel less stressed.
-Follow a healthy lifestyle. Exercise at least three times a week to positively affect mood and reduce stress. Follow a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body. And learn to manage stress.
-Surround yourself with positive people. Make sure those in your life are positive, supportive people you can depend on to give helpful advice and feedback. Negative people increase your stress level and make you doubt your ability to manage stress in healthy ways.
-Practice positive self-talk. Start by following one simple rule: Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say to anyone else. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself.
-Spend a few minutes a day acknowledging your worries in a tangible way. Creating a list of your top 10 worries or a calendar of stressful upcoming events allows you to strategize and deal with each problem directly, so they don’t balloon to an unmanageable size.
-Deep belly breathing. Whether in a yoga class, at the office, or on your couch, deep breathing is helpful in interrupting irrational thoughts. If you frequently experience toxic worry, try carrying a balloon in your pocket. Blowing up a balloon forces you to take long, slow breaths from the diaphragm, which slows down your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and helps your body use oxygen more efficiently, having a calming effect.

If you tend to have a negative outlook, don't expect to become an optimist overnight. With practice, eventually your self-talk will contain less self-criticism and more self-acceptance and your body and mind will thank you.

sources Mayo Clinic and Dr. Oz

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