5 MORE INSIGHTS TO STAY FULLY CHARGED

TAKE A HIKE. Take that lazy body of yours and go for a walk. I suggest, do it in the morning to get more boost. Natural light suppresses the sleep promoting hormone melatonin, making you feel more alert.

KEEP MOVING. If you are inactive, you are putting your body in sleep mode. Physical activity increases blood flow and jump-starts your metabolism. Get your heart rate up at least 20 minutes everyday.
STRAIGHTEN UP. Check your posture while working on your desk. Slouching makes you tired that leads to back pain. Post a note on your laptop/desktop as a reminder....HEY, YOU! SIT UP STRAIGHT! works well for me :)
FIGURE OUT TO MANAGE YOUR SCHEDULES. Worry, worry, worry...it raises your stress hormone and increases your blood pressure, leaving you exhausted. Write down your to-do- list from the essentials and let the little things standby for a bit and do something fun with your kids instead.
HAVE YOUR MOMENT ALONE. Limit your time with needy friends. Are you happy and energized or depleted after talking or meeting with a friend? Focus on friendships that lift you up. If your kids are use to taking a bath with you; be tough to say no, " this is my bath time" and close your bathroom door.

LITTLE INSIGHTS FOR A HEALTHY SLIMMER YOU

SWEET TO SWAP NOW Skip the refined white sugar and drizzle a teaspoon or two of anti-oxidant shiny golden liquid into your coffee, oatmeal or tea and even in your slice of toast. This little change could affect hunger hormones in slimming ways.

ONE GOOD REASON TO EAT CHOCOLATE You've probably heard that dark chocolate can make you less likely to develop high blood pressure or suffer strokes, thanks to compounds called flavonoids, found in chocolates. Studies show that people who include this sweet in their diets have a lower risk of heart disease than those who deprive themselves. But remember, it's still high in calories, so......"not too much honey".

KEEP FOOD OUT OF SIGHT Don't bring more food you need to the table. Leaving extras on the counter will help us eat less. When that big bowl of yummy past is on sight, it is easier to take more and more and more......
USE SMALLER PLATES Studies show that we tend to eat what's put before us..... So bigger plates will lead to much bigger meals, so is the opposite....

3 SIMPLE WAYS TO KEEP YOU HEALTHY

Adding these 3 simple routines in our daily activity will help us stay fit and healthy!


1. START THE DAY WITH A GLASS OF WATER. It's been a popular habit in Japan to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. The latest weight-loss trick maybe as simple as drinking a glass of water before you eat! Drinking plenty of water is one way to flush out toxins from our body. Water has no calorie, hence the best drink to quench your thirst specially if you are on a diet. To zest up your drink, squeeze 1 calamansi in a glass of water warm or cold water.

2. WALK, JOG, RUN. I jog around our village at least 30 minutes early morning 5 days a week. As a beginner, since your body is yet to adapt to the rigor of running, it’s best that you alternate 2 minutes jogging with 5 minutes of walking. You can steadily increase the number of minutes you jog and reduce the number of minutes you walk, so that in a couple of weeks you are doing 5 minutes of jogging and 1 minute of walking. By the fourth week your body should feel adapted to jogging so you can do a steady 20 minute jog without any break for walking (of course it’s important that you always start your jog with 5 minutes of walking for warm up, no matter how veteran you become at your running skills).

3. SNOOZE TO LOSE. The optimal amount of sleep for weight control is between seven to eight hours a night. If you sleep fewer than six hours most nights of the week, you can put on up to 11 pounds over six years, say various studies. That may not sound like a big deal, but it can add to the creep of obesity caused by other factors such as stress or lack of activity. I usually go to bed at 9PM and wake-up at 4AM on week days, and on week ends at 10PM and wake-up at 5AM. And I do take 30-45 minutes afternoon naps on week days.

ADD ZEST TO YOUR PLATE AND PROTECT YOUR HEALTH

It's no secret that eating citrus fruits helps our immune system. Research shows that consuming plenty of the juicy fruits can also speed weight loss, reduce the risk for skin cancer and even keep bones strong. Fill up with this delectable picks, their flavors will transform your meal or drinks into a nutritious and delicious dish.

CALAMANSI or CALAMANDARIN This fruit is widely cultivated and available year round in the Philippines. It is usually seen and use widely in its unripened state as a dark green fruit that turns tangerine orange color when ripen. This fruit has many health benefits. Like other citrus fruit, it is high in Vitamin C. It is commonly used as a condiment for Filipino dishes like Pancit. The juice is used to marinade pork or chicken for barbecue, and to season sea foods. It is used in beverages like tea and to zest my water, I squeeze a piece of calamansi in a glass of warm water and drink it every morning as a part of my morning ritual. I also used it for beer. ( Cut it and squeeze it in your ice cold beer). 

Calamansi has several medicinal uses, like; as a natural acne medicine and whitening, rubbed it gently on you face once or twice a day, rinse it after a minute. When rubbed on insect bites, it relieves the itching and reduce the irritation. It is  also a natural dandruff control medicine by using the juice like shampoo and a deodorizer as well. Better yet add calamansi juice in your bath water to get all the benefits for your skin.

GRAPEFRUIT It's been a popular diet! Eating half of a grapefruit before meals helped people lose about 3.6 pounds in 12 weeks. The juice helps lower insulin levels, increasing calorie burn.

Use it with your salad: Peel and chop a grapefruit, combine 1/2 cup grapefruit pieces, 1/2 cup diced avocado, 1/2 cup diced apple, 1tpsd minced onion, 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper, dressed it with a tbsp of Bertolli extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of calamansi, sprinkle of salt, pepper and some mixed herbs.

TANGELO Branch out with tangelos, a sweet-tasting cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit. 

Use it for your smoothie: Peel and separate segments, mix with mango or banana, 1 cup non fat yogurt, 1 cup ice cubes, 1tbsp honey and blend it. Enjoy a great snack!

EAT THESE FOODS REGULARLY FOR A LONGER, SLIMMER, HAPPIER LIFE

TERRIFIC FOODS TO EAT REGULARLY
FRUITS and VEGETABLES are nature's wonderful natural medicines packed with good amounts of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and many phyto-nutrients (plant derived micronutrients). Eating them regularly will help our body protect from oxidant stress, diseases and cancers.  Eating these foods on a regular basis will keep us stay fit and healthy.

APPLES An apple a day keeps the doctor away? We've known that for a long time! They're a great source of filling fiber, which can help you slim down; one apple contains 16 percent of your daily dose. Although an apple has a low Vitamin C content, it has antioxidants and flavonoids which enhances the activity of Vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risk of colon cancer, heart attack and stroke.
AVOCADOS Contains heart healthy mono-unsaturated fats and fiber that helps you stay satisfied longer. This fruit is not high in calories, it's only about 100 for half of a medium avocado.
BANANAS Eating a banana settles an upset stomach! It has been said that there's too much calorie in a banana but it's a better snack than potato chips! Eating one medium banana a helps blood pressure in check.
BERRIES Any berry fruit is good for you, they're high in anti-oxidants and they actually keep us young; Blueberries are the best and very versatile in the health field, they get rid of all the free radicals that invade our bodies. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits and protects the body from cancer causing, blood vessels clogging free radicals.
KIWI Tiny but mighty. Eat 2 kiwis a day and it will give you as much potassium as a banana and twice vitamin C as an orange. It's also a good source of magnesium, Vitamin E and fiber.
MANGOES According to new research study, eating mango fruit may help to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. Several trial studies suggest that polyphenolic anti-oxidant compounds in mango are known to offer protection against breast and colon cancers. Mango is an excellent source of Vitamin A, potassium and flavonoids like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin. 
GREEN MANGO It's sour but a good source of Vitamin C. It is being used in preparation of pickles or chutney in Asian countries.
ORANGES Sweetest medicine. Eating 2-4 oranges a day may help colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent and dissolve kidney stones as well as lessen the risk of colon cancer.
PINEAPPLE One cup delivers more than your daily needs of Vitamin c, a nutrient that may help fight colds and create collagen, proteins that keep our skin smooth and supple. Eat a cup everyday and consider it and instant daily facial.
GUAVA Rich in fiber which helps prevent constipation.
PAPAYA Rich in carotene, good for your eyes, gas and indigestion. Both Guava and Papaya are the clear winners for their Vitamin C content.
WATERMELON Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92 percent water, it is also packed with giant dose of glutathione which helps boost out immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. It also has Vitamin C and Potassium, a natural source of SPF that keep our skin healthy, protecting it from sun UV rays.
TOMATOES They are very good as a preventive measure for men, keeps those prostate problems from invading their bodies.
BROCCOLI This flower vegetable contains Omega-3 fatty acids and exceptionally rich source of Vitamin C, a powerful natural anti-oxidant and immune modulator, helps fight against flu causing viruses. It's very low in  calories, about 34 calorie per 100 grams, rich in dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants that have proven health benefits.

CAULIFLOWER Very low in fat and calories. It contains no cholesterol. Excellent source of Vitamin C, contains a good amount of many essential B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, VitaminB5, pyridoxine, thiamin, niacin as well as Vitamin K. These vitamins are essential for our body requires them from external sources to replenish and required for fat, protein and carbohydrates.
CABBAGE It's low fat and low calories. A very good source of Vitamin K , an excellent source of Vitamin C. Vitamin K has potential role in bone metabolism by promoting osteotrophic activity in them. In addition, Vitamin K also established role in curing Alsheimers disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.
CARROTS They are exceptionally rich source of carotenes and Vitamin A. Studies have found that flavonoid compounds in carrots help protect from skin, lung and oral cavity cancers. It also has all the functions of Vitamin A such as vision, reproduction(sperm production), maintenance of epithelial integrity, growth and development. This vegetable is notably rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber with a negligible amount of fat and no cholesterol.
PUMPKIN It has no unsaturated fats or cholesterol. Rich in dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins. Recommended by dieticians in controlling and weight reduction programs.  It contains zea-xanthin, a natural anti-oxidant which has UV rays filtering actions in the macula lutea in retina of the eyes which helps protect from  "age related macular disease" ARMD  in the elderly.
EGGPLANT Research studies at the Institute of Biology of Sao Paulo State University, Brazil showed that eggplant is effective in the treatment of high blood cholesterol. The skin of this vegetable has significant amounts of phenolic flavonoid phyto-chemicals called anthocyanins. Scientific studies have shown that these anti-oxidants have potential health effects against cancer, aging, inflammation and neurological diseases.
BITTER GOURD (MELON) This tropical vegetable stimulates digestion and peristalsis which can be helpful in relieving indigestion and constipation problems. Early studies suggest that compounds in bitter melon might be effective for treating HIV infection.
OKRA Rich source of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. It has no saturated fats or cholesterol; recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs. It's a good source of folates. Eating regularly of this vegetable especially during pre-conception period helps decrease the incidence of neural tube defects in the offspring.
GREEN BEANS  They are good source of Vitamin A, folates and Zea-xanthin. They are very rich source of dietary fiber which acts as bulk laxative that helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as bi binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon. 

• There's more fruits and vegetables available in the market that are a good source of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants...mentioned above are just a few of them...

BEST MEDICINES in OUR KITCHEN

Not feeling well? Take a trip to your pantry or refrigerator...and you will find the best relief your doctor ordered....same as your mother told you to do!

1. COLDS? Garlic. So it makes your breath a little stinky. Boil 2 cloves in a glass of water, drink it warm and clear up that stuffy head with garlic. The bulb has heart healthy benefits you don't want to miss, and can protect against stomach and colon cancer. A recent study also suggests that adding garlic or onion to your whole grains may help you absorb more of their iron and zinc.

2. UPSET or QUEASY STOMACH? Bananas and Ginger. Bananas will settle an upset stomach. Ginger will cure morning sickness or nausea. Sip some ginger tea. Make your own by boiling a teaspoon of minced ginger in 2 cups of water, strain and share it with your hubby! The chemical compounds in ginger can ease nausea or relieve an upset tummy.

3. HEADACHE? Ginger and Fish. Sip some ginger tea, it reduces inflammation and pain. Eat plenty of fish- fish oil helps prevent headaches. If you're too busy to make a natural ginger tea, use Twinnings Lemon and Ginger flavor tea.

4. DIARRHEA? Eat Apples and Bananas. They are both good for these ailments.

5. CAN'T SLEEP? Drink a cup of black tea with a teaspoon of honey. Honey can be a tranquilizer and a sedative as well. Or drink a glass of milk with honey, works well for my son and me.

6. PMS? Drink milk! Studies show that taking 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily for 3 months can reduce symptoms of PMS by 48 percent. Eight ounces of milk has about 300mg of calcium, unless you are planning to gulp down 4glasses a day! Make sure to add to your diet other high calcium foods like yogurt, cheese and fruits.

7. INSECT BITE, BUG BITE, MOSQUITO BITE? Onion, Sugar, Meat Tenderizer. Try meat tenderizer that has a papain, an enzymes found in tenderizers that breaks down the insect-injected proteins that cause the pain. For maximum relief, mix the tenderizer with water to form a paste, and then lather over the sting. Granulated sugar put over the sting can prevent scarring of a bite wound. Slice of raw onion placed on an animal bite will discouraged infection and draw poison out.

8. INSECT WENT INSIDE YOUR EAR? Olive oil. Tilt your ear toward the sky, then sprinkle a few drops of warm olive oil into the ear canal and return your head to normal position. The bug will suffocate and float out. Johnson's baby oil works as well!

9. ITCHY? Quaker Oats. To relieve itchiness, soak in a soothing oatmeal bath. Oats contain unique anti-irritant/anti-itch compounds that work fast. Try to make your own: Pour 2 cups of raw quick-cooking oats into a knee-high stocking, knot the top, and swoosh the stocking into the bath water for the duration of your bath.

10. BRUISED? To stop bruising, grab a bag of frozen peas. Wrap it in a damp cloth, and press lightly against the injury for 20mins. This would reduce the swelling as well. Repeat 3 to 4 times throughout the day.