Gorgeous Acai Bowls That Are Also Insanely Healthy For You

These drool-worthy shots will have you making acai bowls for breakfast in no time.

Berries galore

Have you jumped on the acai bowl bandwagon yet? The superfood from Brazil is poised to be everyone's favorite breakfast, and for good reason. This tropical fruit has multiple health benefits and tastes great (some say it tastes like ice cream!). You’ll not only feel full and satisfied after eating this sweet treat for breakfast, but you’ll also feel good about treating your body well. There is a catch, though—acai bowls can be expensive to make at home, since the fruit is native to Brazil. In the U.S., acai is sold as a frozen puree and is typically found at health food stores. Lucky enough to find the frozen puree? Blending in fruit and some sort of liquid such as coconut or almond milk can help you achieve the right consistency at home. Once you’re done, you can go wild adding fresh fruit or oatmeal to complete your healthy and nutritious acai bowl. Need some inspiration? Check out some of these mouthwatering acai bowls captured for Instagram.

Bananas and coconut

Want more superfoods in your diet? These are essential ones that every man and woman needs in their diet.

Fully loaded

Try these easy ways to make these superfoods even healthier than they already are.

Crazy for kiwis

If you love acai, you have to try out these paleo smoothies even non-dieters will love.

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7 Clear Signs You Need to Move More

Yes, exercise can help you lose weight, but you’ll be surprised at how many other ways it can radically improve your health and well-being.

You're suddenly experiencing pain

We’ve all had one of those mornings—you wake up and your lower back, knee, or shoulder is suddenly aching. But while you might be tempted to wait it out, certified personal trainers Jim Karas and Michelle Blakely suggest getting your body in motion. Just moving your muscles, loosening your joints, and getting blood pumping to that area of your body can be enough to lessen the pain, Karas says. Even clients who have faced longer-term pain, like that which comes with rheumatoid arthritis, have improved their daily movement and ability to do chores by getting regular exercise. After your workout, chow down on one of these foods that fight pain naturally.

You're constantly fatigued

If you’re tired all the time, even with adequate food and sleep, maybe all you need is to move a bit more. It may seem a bit counterintuitive, but a study from the University of Georgia showed that just 20 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise three times a week increased energy levels by 20 percent. Researchers said the findings showed how exercise directly acts on the central nervous system to decrease fatigue, in some cases as much as 65 percent, according to the New York Times. “I like to tell my clients that an object in motion stays in motion,” says Chicago-based personal trainer Traci Mitchell. “It’s kind of like getting that big boulder of motivation moving, and once it gets moving, your energy increases.” Here are more tricks to beat fatigue naturally.

You're stressed

“Stress levels have never been higher,” Karas says, and statistically, he is right. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University showed that stress increased 18 percent for women and 24 percent for men from 1983 to 2009. We’re more worried about finances, constantly bombarded by media and information, and too busy to decompress—and that stress could be making us sick. But just walking, running, or strengthening your body for 20 to 30 minutes three to four times a week is enough to significantly decrease your anxiety, and research shows that adding in music makes that exercise even more effective in fighting stress. “If you’re dealing with a difficult decision, probably one of the best things you can do, whether it’s personal or business, is to get out and put your ear buds on,” Karas says.

Your hormones could use some TLC

Exercise is an excellent way to help regulate your hormones, and you’d be surprised at how much that can impact how you think, look, and feel. For example, boosting your testosterone levels, which can be done through exercise, helps increase your metabolism, maintains youthful-looking skin, and keeps your brain functioning properly, according to Karas.

Your digestion is out of whack

A 30-minute run or brisk walk will do more than just increase your appetite for dinner; it will help you digest your dinner, too. Aerobic exercise quickens your breathing and heart rate, which in turn improves the contraction of your intestinal muscles. As a  result, your digested food passes more quickly through your intestines and out of your body, decreasing constipation. Moving in whatever method (walking, running, swimming, dancing, and even stretching or yoga) will help with digestion.  Enhance the healthy belly benefits your workout by adding foods that boost good gut bacteria to your diet.

Your time-management tricks are failing you

Personal trainer April Sutton says a lot of her clients approach her for assistance when they feel like they’ve lost control over how they structure their time due to overwhelming work and family commitments. “They can’t really think for themselves outside of their jobs because they’re so burnt out,” says Sutton. Trainer Michael Moody has clients prioritize exercise, and think about how other habits (how they eat, sleep, and how much they sit at work) can impact how they feel when they exercise. Becoming “human scientists of their body” helps people better understand how their lifestyles can impact their health, Moody says. From there, it’s a matter of correcting bad habits, and continuing to put aside time to exercise regularly. Besides exercise, successful people do these things after work.

You're not sleeping well

If you’re having trouble nodding off or staying asleep at night, you may need to move a bit more during the day. In a study published in the journal Sleep Medicine, researchers at Northwestern University found that insomniac middle-aged and older participants who exercised and were taught to sleep in a cool, dark room and go to bed at the same time each night got 1.25 more hours of sleep nightly than those who did not participate in physical activity. Whether you have chronic insomnia or you just haven’t been sleeping well lately, getting some aerobic activity in during the day will probably help you catch more Z’s at night. Here are some signs you're not sleeping deeply enough.

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Ginseng Benefits: How It Heals

Wars were fought over this ginseng, which has the power to boost immunity and enhance physical and mental performance.

Few herbs are as highly prized as ginseng. Wars were fought over it in China, where it has been used for 8,000 years. Today, a single root of wild Panax ginseng can command as much as $50,000. Of many ginseng variants, three are in common use. Asian/Korean ginseng (P. ginseng) and American ginseng (P. quinquefolius) are considered “true” ginseng, while Siberian/Russian ginseng is a more distant relative. The two Panax varieties may be white (the dried, unprocessed root) or red (the steamed, heat-dried root, thought to be pharmacologically more active). The uses of all three are primarily based on ginseng’s reputation as an “adaptogen” that boosts immunity and enhances physical and mental performance.

How Ginseng Works

Now widely cultivated, ginseng has been the subject of thousands of studies. The active constituents in the two Panax types are called ginsenosides, which act on the central nervous system. Research suggests that American and Asian ginseng boost the production of protective antibodies that help the body resist infections such as flu, the common cold, and other respiratory illnesses; Asian ginseng may also offer some protection against cancer and speed recovery after treatment. Siberian ginseng, which can help combat flu and herpes viral infections, contains substances known as eleuthorosides that stimulate the immune system, encouraging the body to produce protective T-cells.

Various studies show that ginseng may boost memory and concentration and combat fatigue. Two specific ginsenosides—Rb1 and Rg1—are thought to be responsible for improving cognitive function. Ginsenosides may also combat male impotence by reducing blood levels of the protein prolactin, which can cause erectile dysfunction. Asian ginseng appears to increase sperm levels and motility, as well as boosting sex drive; Korean red ginseng may also boost sexual arousal in women.

How to Use Ginseng

Many different types of ginseng are available in whole root, extract, powder, tablet and capsule form. You can also buy ginseng tea. Check to ensure you have the desired herb and follow label instructions or take as professionally prescribed.

Safety First

Though considered generally safe, Panax ginseng may interact with diabetes medications, antidepressants and the blood thinner warfarin, and may enhance the effects of flu vaccines. Ginseng has not been widely tested during pregnancy or breastfeeding so it is best avoided or used only under medical supervision during these periods.

Where to Find Ginseng

Varieties of ginseng are available in health food stores, some pharmacies or from a qualified herbalist.

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Bitter Melon Health Benefits: Can Bitter Melon Help Treat Diabetes?

Thinking of taking bitter melon to help treat diabetes? Read this first.

In tropical areas from China, Asia, and Africa to the Caribbean and South America, bitter melon is both a food and a medicine. Unripe, its fruit resembles a warty, green cucumber that gradually turns orange with bright red edible seeds as it matures. Despite an exceedingly bitter taste, the fruits and sometimes the leaves are widely used in a variety of ethnic dishes. Bitter melon is a major constituent of the Okinawan diet and, some say, is key to the renowned longevity of the Japanese island people. Modern research has largely focused on its potential for treating diabetes.

How Bitter Melon Works

Although the human evidence is not yet strong, laboratory studies show that bitter melon has a hypoglycemic (blood glucose-lowering) action, and helps to control insulin levels. The constituents thought to be responsible for this action are charantin, plus alkaloids and peptides that mimic insulin. They may also trigger the production of a protein that encourages glucose uptake in the body.

In addition, charantin appears to stimulate the growth of pancreatic beta cells, which produce insulin. In type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys beta cells; in other types of diabetes the functioning of beta cells is impaired.

Laboratory studies support other traditional uses of bitter melon, suggesting that different constituents have antiviral and antibacterial properties that might help to treat disorders including salmonella and E. coli infections, herpes and HIV viruses, malaria, and parasitic worms. An extract of bitter melon proteins is claimed to inhibit prostate tumor growth and a number of in vitro studies suggest it may have potential for combating other cancers and leukemia.

How to Use Bitter Melon

Traditionally bitter melon is taken as a fresh juice, decoction, or tincture. Concentrated fruit, seed, and whole herb extracts are also available as tablets, capsules, or powders. Follow label instructions or take as professionally prescribed.

Safety First

Take care if taking bitter melon with blood glucose–lowering medications as it can enhance their effect. It has a weak uterine stimulant activity so must not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Bitter melon should not be taken by people with glucose-6- phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) deficiency (a genetic condition most common in people from the Mediterranean and Middle East) due to a risk of hemolytic anemia.

Where to Find Bitter Melon

The fresh fruit is available in some supermarkets and Asian stores. Bitter melon supplements are available in health food stores or from a qualified herbalist.

Get More Natural Remedies Doctors Approve!

The book Doctors’ Favorite Natural Remedies offers effective ways to treat more than 85 health conditions and evaluates the most commonly used alternative therapies and supplements. Learn more and buy Doctors’ Favorite Natural Remedies here.

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How Much Invisible Fat Is Hiding in Your Favourite Food Items?

Do you pay attention towards every calorie and crumb that you eat in the day but let the fat content go unnoticed? If yes it’s time to understand all about fat content and take it into consideration too. Not to forget, fats are as important as all the other nutrients that you consume every day.

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Greasy burgers, French fries and pizza, are all well known for their fat content and hence it’s no surprise when someone tells you that these are loaded with fat. But what you may not know is that many things that you perceive as low fat, may actually be just the opposite. These even include some vegetables and fish. One thing that we need to keep in mind, is that fat is an important component of our diet and not every fat is bad. What matters is that we closely evaluate the amount of fat that we consume day in and day out as well as the type of fat.

How much fat should you be consuming?

It is important to closely monitor the amount of fat grams that you have been consuming daily and to keep a tab on the right amounts of healthy fats. The daily recommendation of fat is no more than 20-30% of the daily diet. If you are consuming a 2000kcal diet, then you should probably be eating less than 65 gm of fat each day. However, it is easy to consume more than the required amounts of fats on a daily basis, especially in the case of invisible fats.

Invisible fats in food we all love eating

While we might be aware of the fat content of most of the foods but there are a bunch of other foods that tend to contain loads of hidden fats.

1. Movie theater popcorn (because of the way it’s processed, addition of butter, cheese and sugar)

2. Packaged meals with added sauces, butter, oil and salt
 
3. Chicken and other poultry if consumed with the skin

4. Packaged salad dressings (usually very high in fat content)

5. Highly marbled meats like red meat, lamb and pork (The white marbling is a thick layer of fat, easily seen in a slice of bacon)

However, it is important to realize that packaged snack foods and meals are the biggest sources of hidden fats. These foods contain high levels of trans fats which are listed as partially hydrogenated oil or vegetable shortenings (read the ingredients’ label carefully), which are responsible for the longer shelf life of these foods. Trans fats can act like demons as they have been linked to various health problems like high cholesterol and heart diseases. Hence, the consumption of these fats need to be restricted as much as possible.

Given the fat content of these commonly eaten food items, if you are not careful you might easily exceed the daily limits. Hence it’s important to include good fats i.e unsaturated fats in your diet, limit saturated and eliminate trans fats. Take care of your health and your heart and waistline will say a big thank you to you some day.

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Fruit Juices That Are Healthier Than You Thought

Orange juice: Prevents inflammation

Drinking a couple of glasses of OJ prevents the inflammation that can be triggered by a fast-food breakfast, making damage to blood vessels less likely, research shows. The protective effect may come from the juice’s high levels of flavonoids, plant pigments with anti-inflammatory properties. Drink a few ounces along with these healthy breakfast ideas.

Lemonade: Thwarts kidney stones

Several studies suggest lemonade can help ward off kidney stones, a painful problem that’s on the rise. If you’ve had kidney stones, cut your risk of a recurrence by as much as 90 percent with a daily dose of lemonade: Mix four ounces of lemon juice with two liters of water; drink straight up or sweetened, says Roger L. Sur, MD, director of the University of California, San Diego, Comprehensive Kidney Stone Center.

Grape juice: Boosts brain function

It’s a good source of anthocyanins, antioxidants that seem to enhance brain function. In one study, older adults who drank Concord grape juice daily for 12 weeks showed significant improvement on memory tests. These weird brain exercises can also help you get smarter.

Cranberry juice: Keeps your urinary tract healthy

At just 45 calories per cup, cranberry juice can prevent urinary tract infections and improve cardiovascular health, thanks to its powerful flavonoid antioxidants. Just make sure you're not not drinking "cranberry juice cocktail," as this drink is loaded with unnecessary sugar and calories. Here are other natural remedies for UTIs.

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