Hand Reflexology

Learn to read your hand with this reflexology map based on Barbara & Kevin Kunz's best selling reflexology books.

Do the Gratitude Dance

What are you grateful for? Your grandchild’s smile? Having breakfast with your spouse? A new opportunity that’s come your way?

Yet, when is the last time you really expressed your gratitude for the things that really matter?

Giving thanks for the good things in your life will help to reinforce your positive mental attitude, and even help you to cope with stress.

Focusing on the good in your life, instead of focusing on what’s missing, is also important to attract more good into your life. In fact, whatever you focus your thoughts on you tend to manifest in your life.

So take a break from your busy day to think about what you’re grateful for -- and do the Gratitude Dance!

(Watch this video -- 2 minutes, 42 seconds)

September is National Chicken Month

Chicken is an excellent choice for dinner any night of the week. Packed with protein, selenium, niacin and B6 vitamins, chicken is the low-fat centerpiece of limitless dishes, which might partially explain why the average American eats over 80 pounds of poultry each year! Whether baked, sautéed, roasted, shredded or stir-fried, it’s easy to see why chicken is one of America’s most popular choices for dinner.

Tips for Cooking With Chicken

• Many healthy chicken recipes call for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Chicken breasts are a very versatile cut of chicken, and are very low in fat, only 1 to 2 grams of fat per serving. Conveniently, one 4- to 5-ounce breast, tender removed, yields a perfect 3-ounce cooked portion. When preparing, trim any excess fat from the outer edge of the breast.
• Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free strips of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. When a recipe calls for chicken breasts alone, remove the long, thin tenders and freeze them wrapped in plastic. When you have gathered enough, use them in quick stir-fries, chicken satay or healthy kid-friendly breaded “chicken fingers.”
• Chicken thighs are slightly higher in fat than other cuts, but have the benefit of full-flavored, juicy meat. To minimize the fat, be sure to remove the skin and trim thighs thoroughly. For quick cooking, choose boneless, skinless thighs. When slow-cooking, such as braising, bone-in thighs work best because they will retain their moisture better. Two 2- to 3-ounce boneless thighs yield a 3-ounce cooked portion.
• Store-bought rotisserie chicken is convenient and practical—but much higher in sodium than a home-roasted bird (4 ounces home-roasted chicken: less than 100 mg sodium; 4 ounces rotisserie chicken: 350-450 mg sodium). Even the unseasoned varieties have been marinated or seasoned with salty flavorings. People with hypertension should think twice before choosing store-bought.
• One pound of raw chicken with bones yields 1 cup cooked, boned meat.

Green Tea Reported Beneficial For Weight-Control

In The News For Increasing Metabolic Rate To Assist Caloric Burn

For thousands of years, Green Tea has been an integral part of the Asian diet. Many people believe that drinking several cups a day leads to a longer and healthier life. In fact, after studying over 3000 women in Tokyo, scientists discovered that those drinking Green Tea lived longer than those that did not. More recently, researchers have concluded that Green Tea has substantial benefits for effective weight control...

In a study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was found that Green Tea extract stimulated a significant increase in metabolism (energy expenditure) and also had a significant effect on fat oxidation. While some of the beneficial effects were originally thought to be due to the caffeine content of Green Tea, the researchers discovered that the tea actually has properties that are more useful to increasing metabolic activity than the caffeine.

The same amount of caffeine (as was in the Green Tea) administered alone, failed to change energy expenditure in other studies. This led researchers to believe that there is valuable interaction with the active ingredients of Green Tea (including Catechins) that generates increased metabolism and fat oxidation.

The researchers indicated that their findings show that Green Tea has substantial benefits for effective weight control.

A 4% overall increase in 24-hour energy expenditure (metabolic activity) was attributed to the Green Tea extract, however, the research found that the extra expenditure took place during the daytime. This led them to conclude that, since thermogenesis (the body's own rate of burning calories) contributes 8-10% of daily energy expenditure, this 4% overall increase in total energy expenditure due to the Green Tea is equivalent to an overall 35-43% increase in daytime thermogenesis. None of the research subjects reported any side effects, and no significant differences in heart rates were noticed. In this respect, Green Tea extract is different from the prescription drugs for obesity, and herbal products like ephedra, which can raise heart rates and blood pressure, and are not recommended for many individuals.

MANGANESE Is One of The Most Important Minerals in Human Nutrition

Here's Why You Should Be Taking Daily Manganese Supplementation...

Manganese is an activator of several essential enzyme systems specifically involved in protein and energy metabolism as well as in the formation of beneficial mucopolysaccharides. It is necessary for optimal health of bone and connective tissue, muscle growth and regeneration.

This essential mineral is also involved in vital insulin activation, cholesterol synthesis and in the active functioning of enzymes necessary in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, protein and nucleic acids (RNA & DNA). Manganese and Vitamin K work synergistically in the promotion of healthy blood clotting function.

Good food sources of Manganese include: Blueberries, Lettuce, Beans, Peanuts, Potatoes, Soy Beans, Sunflower Seeds, Wheat Flour and Whole Grains (Barley, Oats, Wheat). Other rich sources include: Brown Rice, Rice Bran, Walnuts, Wheat Bran and Wheat Germ.

Supplementation of Manganese is recommended because food value is dependent on rich soil content which, unfortunately, has been depleted due to modern farming and food processing methods. Also, for people on wheat-restricted and other restricted diets, Manganese deficiency is not uncommon.