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If you've sworn off ice cream because a) you're avoiding sugar, or b) all that dairy gives you a bellyache, good news: This rum raisin recipe doesn't call for any refined sugar or dairy. Nutrient- and fiber-rich dates and a little maple syrup give the "ice cream" plenty of sweetness, while a combo of cashews and coconut cream create a super-creamy, rich texture. Plus, it's spiked with rum-soaked raisins, so you don't have to share it with the kids. Boom.
Rum Raisin-Date Ice Cream
Yield: About 4 cups
½ cup raisins (about 3.5 oz.)
½ cup rum
1½ cups raw cashews (about 8½ oz.), soaked overnight in the refrigerator in cold water
1 15-oz. can full-fat coconut milk
3 Tbsp. coconut oil
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
½ cup pitted dates
2 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. salt
Place the bowl of an ice cream maker in the freezer overnight. In a small bowl, combine raisins and rum. Let stand for at least an hour (or up to overnight).
Drain cashews; rinse with cold water. In a high-speed blender, combine cashews, coconut milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, dates, vanilla, and salt. Drain raisins; reserving rum and raisins separately. Add 3 Tbsp. rum to blender. Blend until mixture is very smooth. (You should have about 4 cups.) Taste and add more reserved rum, if desired. Cover and refrigerate liquid until very cold, at least 3 hours or up to 6.
Pour liquid into an ice cream maker and freeze as manufacturer instructs. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, folding in reserved raisins as you go. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.
Source: health
We often describe the person we want to be with all of our lives as "the one." However, as much as we would like to believe that this person is everything that we want in life, there may be some certain warning signs that could indicate otherwise.
It's never wise to assume that every single person you date is "the one" for you. It's also important to remember that love will eventually find its way to you the more you love yourself! Here are some signs that you should recognize about them that they might not actually be "the one".
1. Broken Trust Or None At All
If this person has already broken your trust or just simply doesn't want to trust or you don't trust them in the slightest, then this is a pretty big warning sign that they may not be "the one" for you. Trust is a very important thing in a relationship as well as communicating to each other as to what's making you happy and what's making you not happy. You cannot have a functioning relationship if you do not have any trust for each other whatsoever.
2. Little To No Communication
As mentioned before, communication is one of the most important aspects of any relationship. You should not expect the other person to be able to read your mind 24/7. That is a very unrealistic expectation and they also shouldn't expect you to be able to read their mind all the time either. Communicate to each other on how you can make things better between the two of you. Communicate to see what it is you can improve on or what you can do for them that would make things easier on the both of you. If they do not want to communicate at all with you, then this person may not be "the one" for you.
3. Is There A Future?
If the person you are with talks about the future, without having another person by their side to experience life with or mainly claiming it's going to happen without you, then this person is definitely not "the one" for you. The future is a hazy topic to discuss whether or not anyone's going to last that long together, however, if they talk about it as if you don't even exist in their future, then you may want to consider leaving this person immediately. They see your relationship with them as something as temporary, so why be around someone who's only planning on using you for things?
4. Emotionally Unavailable
If the person you are with seems to not want to express any of their emotions to you, they may not exactly be "the one" for you right now. These people tend to have much deeper issues going on inside of them that is making them extremely insecure about how they feel. This may be something about them that you can't exactly fix all by yourself and they shouldn't expect you to be able to fix all of the problems that are going on with them in this moment of time. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, however, it can be pretty exhausting trying to help someone who doesn't even tell you how they feel or even know how to feel.
5. Still Growing Up
If the person you are with is not done growing up and still wants to act like a child, then this person may not be "the one" for you at this moment. Love does require two mature human beings that are able to understand each others wants and needs. If you are the only one who is giving any kind of effort in your relationship or you're the one who's doing all of the work in the relationship, then you may want to consider leaving this person.
Source: higherperspectives
Just when we thought lemonade was the latest thing in iced coffee, along comes a new trend to add to our must-sip list. It’s called nitro coffee, and it’s made by—you guessed it!—infusing cold brew coffee with nitrogen gas. It’s served straight from a beer tap to achieve a cascading, foamy brew (reminiscent of Guinness), and Starbucks announced on Tuesday that it’s on their summer line-up.
The smooth, creamy beverage, which comes out cold from the tap and is served unsweetened without ice, has already been introduced at the Starbucks Reserve Roaster and Tasting Room in Seattle, where it quickly climbed the ranks to become the second highest-selling beverage. The company will introduce the drink in 500 stores in select cities by the end of the summer, including Seattle, Portland, New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
But Starbucks isn’t the first coffee company to dabble with nitro coffee—in fact, it’s been on tap at Austin, Texas-based Cuvée Coffee since 2012, and you can now buy cans of it from the Portland, Oregon-based Stumptown Coffee Roasters. And though Cuvée sees an increase in nitro brew sales in the summertime, it's one of their top-selling menu items year-round, likely thanks to its unique texture, says Mike McKim, CEO and founder of Cuvée.
“[The nitrogen] affects the texture more than the taste,” he tells RealSimple.com. “The general consensus I get from people is that the coffee tastes sweeter, but there’s no sugar involved. I feel like the texture creates the perception of a sweeter drink.”
Want to stay ahead of the latest trends in beverages? Be on the lookout for other nitrogen-infused drinks (including beer!), because McKim predicts the nitrogen trend won’t start and end with coffee.
“I see nitro continuing to be a trend in beverages, period,” he says. “Nitrogen is the next big thing for sure.”
Source:health
You’ve seen how crunches on a Balance Ball exercise ball (a.k.a. stability ball or fitness ball) can tone your abs. But you might not know that Balance Ball exercises can also prevent and rehabilitate injuries and help alleviate chronic pain.
Exercise physiologist Tom Holland says a Balance Ball stability ball forces your body to use different muscles, as well as use your muscles in a different way, which can help prevent and correct muscle imbalances. “It connects your mind to your muscles,” he explains.
Here's some expert advice and four exercises with how-to photos to help you put that connection to work in your exercise routine.
How does a Balance Ball prevent or rehabilitate injury?
1. Improves balance by activating proprioception
A Balance Ball provides an unstable surface that activates the proprioceptive system — the system that tells the body where its limbs are within space, says exercise physiologist Rick Kaselj. “When you hurt yourself, your proprioceptive ability is decreased,” he says. So working on the ball not only improves your sense of balance but can decrease your risk of injury or re-injury. This is especially useful for older adults whose sense of balance is often compromised.
When you use a Balance Ball, you're “yelling at those muscles to work harder because the surface underneath you is unstable,” says physical therapist Chantal Donnelly, whose Strong Knees therapeutic exercise DVD from Gaiam guides a therapeutic routine to help prevent and treat knee problems.
2. Builds strength in weak or overtaxed muscles
Injuries and chronic pain are often caused by weak or overused muscles, or other muscles compensating for the weak or overused ones.
“We know that core strength can prevent everything from ankle, knee and hip injuries to back and shoulder injuries,” says Donnelly. “Without control and power radiating from the center of the body, the smaller, more peripheral muscles are overtaxed, leading to pain and injury.
Using a Balance Ball while exercising, she explains, forces you to challenge important core muscles.
If a golfer, for example, does not have strong core muscles, he may end up using only his shoulder muscles while swinging the club and, inevitably, suffer rotator cuff problems. You can also use the ball to increase strength in the gluteus maximus (butt muscles) to prevent pelvic instability, which can lead to knee, ankle or illiotibial band (IT) problems for runners.
3. Increases range of motion
After a knee or hip injury, part of the rehabilitation process is to increase the range of motion of the injured area.
Simply rocking back and forth on the ball can increase range of motion in your hips, says Kaselj. He also suggests doing exercises, like hamstring curls (detailed below), on the ball to strengthen the muscles around your knee and help extend range of motion.
Research shows that decreased range of motion in the hips can make people prone to shoulder problems, says Donnelly. “Everything is interconnected,” she points out.
Two ball exercises for back problems
Librarian Geoff Greenberg sits on an office chair all day, but when he gets home and needs to get on the computer, he sits on a Balance Ball. Greenberg hurt his back six years ago when he was lifting an amplifier. “It was like WHOAH!” he says. “I triggered something awful.
His chiropractor recommended sitting on the ball and doing sit-ups to strengthen his core muscles, and his pain subsided soon after.
Doing any type of exercise on the ball activates your deep stabilizing muscles, which support the lumbar spine. Just using the ball in a strength training routine, as opposed to a weight bench, will help decrease lower back pain.
If you have more serious pain or back injury, you may need to build up to using the Balance Ball, says Donnelly. The first step is to reduce inflammation with small movements and then move on to Balance Ball exercises to really challenge and strengthen your muscles.
1. Back Extensions
-Lie with your stomach on the ball.
-With your legs out straight behind you, curl your toes under to keep from sliding.
-Place your hands behind your head.
- As you exhale, draw in your abdominals and lift your chest off of the ball.
- Repeat 10 times.
2. Exercise: Planks
- Place your forearms on a mat, with your feet on the ball.
-Draw in your abdominals and make sure that you are in a straight plank position (no sagging in the lower back).
- Hold that position for 30 seconds.
- Be sure to breathe.
Two ball exercises for hip and knee problems
A weak core not only leads to lower back problems, but can also be the cause of lower body injuries, says Holland.
Using the ball for one-legged hamstring curls or one-legged ball squats helps correct imbalances in the lower body that can lead to numerous muscle, tendon and joint issues and injuries in the knees and legs. “These simple exercises force the body to recruit muscles in a way that traditional strength machines can’t.”
Strengthening the muscles around the knee, says Donnelly, can take strain off the ACL, which can help rehabilitate the knee after surgery or help prevent injury altogether.
IT band tightness and bursitis are two common hip problems that can be fixed by strengthening your glutes in order to stop overuse of the wrong muscles.
1. Hamstring Curls
-Lying on a mat, place your feet on the ball and bend your knees so that they are at a right angle.
- As you exhale, draw in your abdominals and lift your hips up towards the ceiling.
- Inhale at the top of the movement and exhale to return back to the mat.
-Repeat 12 times.
2. Hip Extensions
- Lie on a mat and place both feet on the ball. Your legs should be straight.
- Exhale, draw in your abdominals and lift your hips up towards the ceiling.
- Inhale at the top of the movement and exhale to return back to the mat.
- Repeat 12 times.
Source:life.gaiam
We all know that smoking is dangerous and a key cause of death everywhere in the world. In fact, smoking is the no. 1 cause of preventable death in the United States — ranking higher than obesity, substance abuse, infectious disease, firearms, and traffic accidents. A study by BMC Medicine asserts that in Australia, up to two-thirds of deaths in smokers are due to their smoking. Every 6 seconds, one person dies from a tobacco-related disease — that’s 10 people every minute.
Yet some people choose to smoke. In the US and UK, about one in five people smoke. (On a side note, I was pretty surprised to see how prevalent smoking was while I was in France, Germany, London, and New York; everywhere I went, there would be people smoking and cigarette smoke in the air.) While the reasons differ from person to person, for some, it may be because the benefits of quitting (and the dangers of continuing smoking) seem so distant. After all, if you’ve been smoking for X months or years, what difference does it make to continue another day? Also, who cares about the dangers (lung cancer or whatever) that come with smoking–these aren’t relevant concerns till 20, 30, 40 years later, which are so far off in the future! (At least, that’s what some think.)
Well, there is a difference. In fact, the difference starts as soon as within 20 minutes of you putting down the cigarette. Here is a timeline of some immediate and long-term effects of quitting smoking NOW:
My husband used to be a heavy smoker in his 20s, smoking 12–15 cigarettes a day for 6 years. He quit smoking 2 years ago, and some of the benefits he has experienced are (starting from most immediate)
Food tasting better (previously smoking numbed his senses),
Air smelling better, cleaner, and crisper,
No smoker’s breath,
Throat no longer feeling dry and sore,
Saving $120 USD/month (previously spent on cigarettes) which can then be put to better use,
Without any training, shaving one full minute off his 2.4 km fitness run in the army, and getting a silver award for the fitness test for the first time in 10 years!
More hair growth
Becoming more productive and sociable as he no longer needs to pause what he’s doing to get his cigarette fix
Improved self-control and focus as he has learned to overcome chemical/psychological urges of smoking
(He was going to cite more but I asked him to stop as the list was getting too long. LOL! )
While the quitting process wasn’t easy — he experienced acute coughing and wheezing for 3 weeks as his lungs purged out the toxins built up from the years of smoking — the results have made it worthwhile. Of course, knowing that he is now healthier and has dramatically improved his chances of living to an older age is probably the biggest reward of it all. We can’t prevent death nor know when it’s gonna hit us, but the least we can do is manage the factors within our control (not smoking, diet, exercise, sleeping hours, etc.) and leave the rest to the universe.
Whether you’ve been smoking for a few months, a few years or many years, know that it is in your power to quit. Ultimately, quitting smoking or any staunch habit like emotional eating, drinking, or junk food eating boils down to (1) having a strong and clear WHY to quit, (2) understanding your triggers and decoupling them from the negative habit itself, and (3) having a clear plan to stay off. I dive into habit triggers here: How a Relapse Begins: The Key To Removing Bad Habits From Your Life.
If quitting forever sounds intimidating to you, how about a 21-day trial plan? Not smoking for 21 days — that sounds more doable, doesn’t it? Perhaps by the end of the 21 days, you may have experienced enough benefits and mustered enough resistance to quit for good. Read: Cultivate Life Transforming Habits in 21 Days
I’ve gathered some quit-smoking resources:
smokefree.gov — A website that provides free information and assistance to help you quit smoking and stay tobacco-free.
Tips From Former Smokers — This CDC campaign Web site lets you view the ads, learn more about the people featured and their health conditions, and access quit-smoking resources.
Harms of Smoking and Benefits of Quitting — A fact sheet from the National Cancer Institute that summarizes the harmful effects of smoking and short- and long-term benefits of quitting.
The Easy Way To Stop Smoking (by Allen Carr) — Allen Carr, the writer, used to smoke 100 cigarettes a day until he quit and wrote this book to help others quit smoking. It has since become one of the biggest selling self-help titles with 13 million copies sold worldwide and is the #1 bestseller in Smoking Recovery.
What Happens When You Quit Smoking — Healthline has another quit smoking timeline which goes into further details.
And here’s why procrastination doesn’t help and how to beat it:
“I’ll do this tomorrow.” 5 Procrastination Lies We Tell Ourselves, Debunked
How To Overcome Procrastination (series)
Anti-Procrastination Program, my one-stop program to overcome procrastination permanently
If you’re a smoker wanting to quit, know that you’re not alone in this journey. Use the resources above to help you.
Source: personalexcellence
While fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) can be difficult to describe — and diagnose — those who suffer the aches and pains of this condition know it all too well. Tender points all over their body, joint aches, poor sleep, fatigue, depression and stiffness distinguish this musculoskeletal disorder. The pain seems to stem from the tightening and thickening of the connective tissue, or myofascia, that holds the muscles together. The muscles, according to Jeffrey Thompson, medical director of Mayo Clinic’s Fibromyalgia Treatment Program, “hold tighter than they need to and start fighting each other.”
All that muscle clenching takes its toll. Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., a specialist in FMS, describes it as “an energy crisis in the body.” But just like the current energy crisis, with a shortage of fossil fuels causing us to reexamine our driving habits, this kind of “crisis” can be a catalyst for making important lifestyle changes.
In fact, says Thompson, fibromyalgia is a condition that “you can manage and that you can live well with.” Gaiam worked with Mayo Clinic’s Center for Integrative and Complementary Medicine to create the DVD Mayo Clinic Wellness Solutions for Fibromyalgia. Although the conventional medical solution for the condition is painkillers, which often give unsatisfying results, many different alternative approaches have had proven success. And although each case requires an individualized approach, three of the basic tenets of coping with fibromyalgia include exercise, improved sleep and stress reduction.
Exercise
Mayo Clinic’s Amit Sood, M.D., sums up concisely the environmental triggers that can cause FMS: “an overactive mind and an underactive body.” One of the best ways to bring these two factors into balance is through exercise, which acts as a natural painkiller. Any kind of exercise works, from running, jogging or walking to yoga or Pilates. The golden rule for exercise intensity? Mayo Clinic stresses the importance of starting low and going slow, and stopping whenever you feel tired or in pain.
But any exercise plan, no matter how gentle, may feel like the catch-22 of FMS. Christine Reed, who has fibromyalgia, encourages fighting through the resistance. “Fibro causes pain, and this pain can easily lead to lethargy and lessened activity,” she says. “And yet, for me, the most important thing to do to feel better is to work out.”
In the beginning, it can help to split the exercise throughout the day, and do five minutes each time. Gradually you can build up your tolerance and increase both the duration and intensity of your workout. Being consistent — and persistent — is the key. “My joints ache so badly that it would be easy to say, ‘Oh, I better be careful,’ and then baby myself,” says Reed. “But this babying can too easily lead to a sedentary and depressed life. I wish I could just yell to every FMS person out there: ‘Get up and move!’”
Sleep
“Getting sufficient sleep is essential,” says Thompson. Most people who suffer from FMS awaken multiple times throughout the night. Make sure you set at least eight hours aside for sleep and develop a routine that works. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day, and if necessary, limit daytime napping. Caffeine, alcohol and nicotine can all interrupt your sleep, so it may be prudent to do without. A 2007 study published in The Journal of Psychosomatic Research showed that sleep quality was significantly predictive of fatigue and pain in patients with FMS. The less sleep, the more pain: You may find yourself in the grip of a self-perpetuating cycle. Break out of it by learning some deep relaxation techniques, which can help you with the way you handle pain.
Stress reduction, meditation and spiritual growth
The mind-body-spirit continuum can offer substantial solace, ease and relief from chronic pain. “The body responds to the positive input of the mind and spirit,” says Brent Bauer, M.D., director of the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic. Cultivating mindfulness, a technique based on purposefully paying attention, gives people a way to modulate their response to pain.
Brian Berman, M.D., founder and director of the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine, has used mindfulness-based relaxation techniques such as meditation with good results. “These techniques allow people to take a step back from their situation,” he says. “People sleep better and can better control their reaction to pain. It gives people a way to help themselves — not just wait for a magic pill.”
Source: life.gaiam
Benefits + 5 aromatherapy products you can use at home
Used to treat medical conditions and enhance mental well-being, aromatherapy oils are extracted from the flowers, fruits, roots, wood or leaves of plants. You can apply the oils in the form of lotions, shampoos, body oils and creams; dissolve them in a bath; burn them as incense; or inhale them, depending on the type. It's also easy (and fun) to make your own aromatherapy products from scratch — a few basic ingredients are all you'll need.
How did aromatherapy start?
The word "aromatherapy" was coined in France in the 1930s, but the practice goes back to the earliest civilizations. Scented oils were used to worship gods. The Egyptians, for example, burned incense created from herbs and spices as offerings. The ancient Greeks frequently used aromatic oils as well. In the first millennium, the Persians made important contributions to the field of aromatherapy, and, in the Middle Ages, Europeans used herbs to treat all kinds of illnesses.
Benefits and uses of aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is most often used to promote relaxation, although some people also use it as an alternative therapy for stimulating the immune system, improving circulation, encouraging new cell growth, eliminating toxins and many other purposes. While not medically proven, aromatherapy may be helpful for a range of health problems, from arthritis to indigestion.
DIY aromatherapy
Essential oils can be expensive due to the difficult process required to create them. But while they can be somewhat pricey, they are also very effective in the practice of aromatherapy. Each essential oil has a different effect on the body and mind, and different essential oils can be combined to create a unique blend. However, it is important to understand the oils' characteristics and properties, and what they generally are used for, before combining for aromatherapy use.
Oils are often described by their "note," which is the length of time the fragrance will last. A top-note oil lasts between three and 24 hours and therefore tends to have a very strong scent. Peppermint is a good example of a top-note oil. Middle-note oils, like chamomile and lavender, last between two and three days. Base-note oils can last up to one week; these tend to have a comforting effect on the body. Rose, ginger and clove are examples of base-note oils.
Dozens of plant oils are used in aromatherapy. Here are examples of the most popular, along with a few of their traditional properties:
Bergamot: mood enhancer; also used for colds, sore throat and acne
Eucalyptus: stimulating, antiseptic; also used for headaches, asthma and flu
Jasmine: relaxing; also used for anxiety, headaches and tension
Lavender: calming; also used for insect bites, burns and colds
Peppermint: stimulating, decongestant; also used for indigestion, muscle/joint pain and nausea
To make your own aromatherapy products, you'll just need a combination of essential oils, along with a carrier oil, such as grapeseed oil, olive oil or sweet almond oil. Many recipes are as simple as adding a certain number of drops to several ounces of the carrier oil or lotion, then mixing gently.
For inexpensive, go-anywhere aromatherapy, simply soak a cotton ball in your favorite oil and pop it in a plastic bag to take with you.
Aromatherapy products
Whether you use them to treat specific conditions or just to make your house (and yourself) smell good, aromatherapy products are ideal for the home. Try aromatherapy candles, diffusers, bath salts, room sprays and incense to create a fragrant living environment. Understanding the variety of essential oils and aromatherapy products available will help you choose the best combination of products for you.
Use of the word "aromatherapy" to describe products and practices is not regulated in every country. Some aromatherapy products contain artificial additives in addition to natural ingredients, making it important that you research the various aromatherapy products on the market before choosing what is best for you. Read the ingredients listed on the package to ensure you have found the right product for your needs.
The practice of aromatherapy is not limited to the use of only essential oils and oil blends. Other aromatherapy products include soaps, lotions, bath salts, incense, natural herb teas. These products are designed to soothe your body and mind. Some aromatherapy products focus on naturally reducing stress and anxiety, while others help naturally reduce pain and tension or depression. An aromatherapy pillow liner can help you get to sleep, or use an herbal shoulder wrap to relax.
Aromatherapy soaps
Aromatherapy soaps provide benefits beyond their pleasing scent. Although the fragrance is important, you should also make sure the aromatherapy soap you choose is made from natural ingredients. Aromatherapy soaps made with natural ingredients — meaning no chemicals — won't irritate your skin like other soaps. In fact, the oils in these soaps make them great for moisturizing, in addition to their aromatherapy benefits.
Aromatherapy bears
Combining aromatherapy with childhood comfort, aromatherapy bears are quite soothing. Some aromatherapy bears can be put in the microwave for added warmth. Heating the aromatherapy bear will also release the scent of the herbs — lavender and buckwheat are popular ingredients, while many other scents are also available. Aromatherapy bears can help comfort children during times of stress, sadness or illness.
Aromatherapy dispensers
Dispensers for aromatherapy oils come in all shapes and sizes. There are aromatherapy dispensers that fit in your pocket for traveling, as well as larger vessels made for the home or spa. A dispenser allows the soothing aroma of the oils to circulate throughout a chosen area.
Source:life.gaiam
