Amy Brown

Ginger Carrot Soup Recipe

September 24, 2015 by Amy Brown

Perfect soup, or cream of carrots& ginger. Of course with one condition, that you love carrots and that you love ginger. This recipe is great for fall, because it boost our immune system, for the incoming weather.

What is needed:

1 tablespoon of olive oil, or 1 tablespoon of butter,
5-6 large carrots,
1 -2 young onions (or one onion)
1 piece fresh ginger (the size of the thumb on the hand)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar,
1 bunch parsley leaf,
salt, pepper and a little cayenne pepper (to taste).

Wash the carrot and the ginger , clean them up and slice them and then grind in a blender or grate it. It is essential that ginger slices are small, so we avoid strings in the soup.

The pan with oil or butter, briefly fry a chopped onion and add the carrots. Sprinkle some salt and pepper, pour the vinegar or lemon juice and pour water. You do not have to pour a lot of water, you need just enough just water to cover the vegetables. Cook over low heat, covered, until the carrots are just cooked. Depending on how old is the carrot (and how much is chopped), it may take 15 to 45 minutes. Of course the older carrots cooking takes longer, that’s why this soup is most beautiful in the spring period, when we have a young carrots. But anyway, the taste, more or less is the same.

Chop up the cooked carrot in a blender, mixer or machine for mashed potatoes. Put the blended carrot back into the water in which you used to cook him, if desired, add more spices, chopped parsley and if necessary add a little water to thicken the way you want it, let it boil and serve it immediately.

As a great addition to this soup of carrots I recommend a little diced toasted bread with cheese.

10 simple tips to stay young

September 23, 2015 by Amy Brown

1. Discard all irrelevant numbers, including age, weight and height. Happiness comes from within, the numbers are only in your head.

2. Retain all happy and positive friends. Grumpy ones just pull you down (keep this in mind if you’re one of the grumpy).

3. Continue to learn about anything that interests you. Never let your brain be idle.

4. Enjoy the present moment in the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you run out of breath. And if you have friends that make you laugh, spend a lot of, a lot of time with him / her.

6. The tears happen: endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with you entire life is yourself. So, you live up to your life.

7. Surround yourself with what you love: a beloved person, pets, spirituality, music, gardening, books, nature, hobby, anything. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: if it is good save it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help and stay positive.

9. Do not go to the “journey” of guilt and regret. Go to the park, in another city or in another country, but forget about the unhealthy feelings of guilt, regret and self-pity.

10. Tell the people you love that you love – whenever you can.

3 simple exercises for firmer arms and flat belly

September 23, 2015 by Amy Brown

If you have a lot of things to do and do not have much time for recreation, then these exercises are ideal for you. You can do them daily at home and you will only need a 5 minutes.

Strength your arm muscles, legs and tight your belly. You will need about 30 to 60 seconds for each exercise.

Exercise 1

Lie on the floor, let your legs be flat with your body and put your palms under the shoulders. Lift your body up, but to stay flat. Rely on forearms and toes, and stay in that position for about half a minute.

Exercise 2

Breathe, relax your body and simultaneously lift up your arms and legs, relying only on the abdomen. This is an ideal exercise to strengthen the back muscles and stretch the spine.

Exercise 3

Repeat elbows moves from the first exercise, only this time lift the left hand (or right side) and rely on your right hand. After 30 seconds return to the starting position and do it on the other side.

Exercise 4

Turn aside, rely on the forearm and lift the body. Stay like that for about 30 seconds, put the other hand hon the hip , then repeat it on the other side.

How to Make an Effective Affirmation ?

September 21, 2015 by Amy Brown

Everything we think or speak is in fact an affirmation, our internal dialogue is also an affirmation.

Given that our thoughts and words are constantly determine by facts or conditions that process creates our life in every moment. Positive affirmations, which are in fact short positive statements, influence the beliefs in our subconscious. In this way, we influence on the negative attitudes and beliefs and change them with positive ones.

Affirmations actually serve to “brainwashing”, but in a way that negative beliefs replaces positive. Properly installed affirmations work wonders.

How to make your affirmation?

Make your own personal affirmation is very simple, it is essential that the affirmation always use positive words and affirmations to yourself evokes positive feelings. You affirmation must always be in the present, not in the future. If you eg. A person who does not finish things until the end your affirmation may be “All I start I finish with the success.”

What to do to get the affirmation worked?

For the affirmation to be effective it is important to repeat it because the subconscious is so imprinted on its contents. And be sure to include emotions, because dryly uttering any affirmation has no effect. It is not the same to say “I’m great,” as a statement, and “I am great!” with the confident and joyful tone. What makes the difference between these two affirmations is the strength of the feeling and energy that we have entered into it. You need to believe in it, you need to awake in yourself that the feeling as if it is already accomplished.

So the magic formula for the effective affirmation follows:

Always positive and in the present moment
Included emotions and beliefs
Repeating affirmations until you adopt as part of yourself

Make homemade ginger beer – refreshing drink that cures many symptoms!

September 20, 2015 by Amy Brown

Ginger is very popular and useful in many ways. It is rich in essential vitamins and minerals. It is best known for its anti-inflammatory action specifically suitable for rheumatic diseases, and it’s also the best remedy for nausea.

Its presence felt in the composition of many products, and among the most popular is ginger beer (Ginger ale). However, the store version is not as good as homemade beer that can exceptionally be used for health, because of that today I share with you a recipe for the preparation of ginger beer at home.

As it’s mention ginger is rich with nutritive composition. It contains potassium and manganese, which is why it’s good for heart diseases and prevention, and vitamins A, C and B complex.

Due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect is used to help treat pain and inflammation. It helps with muscle pain an, back pain and menstrual pain.

The healing properties of ginger include:

– Helps digestive health.
– It relieves nausea.
– It lowers bad cholesterol and blood sugar.
– It is used for respiratory problems and cough.
– Lowers temperature.
– It stimulates the circulation of blood.

Preparation of ginger beer at home

With preparation of ginger beer you’ll get super healthy fermented beverage. The benefits of fermented foods are countless, including the balance of digestive health which is important for a good immune system.

Ingredients:

– 5 centimeters minced fresh ginger root
– Half a cup of brown sugar
– Half a cup of lime juice (or lemon)
– ¼ tablespoons of sea salt
– 8 cups water
– Half a cup of ginger culture (recipe for ginger culture is at the bottom)

Preparation:

– Boil 3 cups of water, ginger, sugar and salt.
– Let it boil for about 5 minutes, the sugar has to be dissolved.
– Add the remaining water and allow to cool to room temperature.
– Add the lime juice or lemon and ginger culture.
– Pour the beer into a glass jar and close the well is not to come up.
– Leave for 2-3 days until aerated and sparkling if you want it without alcohol (if left longer it will become an alcoholic beverage)
– Strain into bottles and store in the fridge.

Speed fermentation of beer depends on the outside temperature, the type of sugar and the strength of the culture. The final product should have a taste of ginger with a special aroma of yeast. Do not let the beer ferment long as it could happen mini explosion.

Store the beer into a refrigerator.

How to make a ginger culture?

Culture ginger is actually a type of fungus like kombucha that you can do at home.

You will need:

– 1-2 ginger root
– Half a cup of sugar
– 2 cups filtered water

In the larger jar, combine 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh ginger and 3 tablespoons sugar. Mix with a non-metallic spoon and cover with gauze. Every day for 5 days per stir 1 tablespoon minced ginger and 1 tablespoon sugar. Depending on the temperature of ripening it can last up to 8 days. When culture is finished you will see a light at the creation of bubbles, sweet yeasty smell of muddy color. If there is a mold, just remove it. If the mixture does not have these characteristics after 7-8 days, discard it and try again.

In order to grow crops, keep the same feed with sugar and ginger. You can keep it in the refrigerator, and once a week she add sugar and ginger. When you want, activate it at room temperature on a daily basis, adding ginger and sugar.

Culture ginger can be used for the preparation of fermented drinks and carbonated drinks in proportion ¼ cup per quart of liquid.

Cheers!

Benefits of Cardio Exercises

September 18, 2015 by Amy Brown

For those of you that are exercising, and of course for those who aren’t here is why should you keep doing it, or even better start doing it. In addition to the strengthening of the cardiovascular system and the weight loss, the cardiovascular exercises are great for your brain. With improving the circulation, you will bring more blood to the brain, and that shall furnish in the oxygen and the glucose that your brain needs to function normally.
With each movement the muscles will stimulate the release of various hormones on the brain. These hormones affect the growth of brain cells, the regulation of mood and improve concentration.
With cardio exercises are released the next hormones:

Serotonin, which improves the mood.
Dopamine enhances concentration and the memory, positive effect on attention, perception, motivation and sexual arousal.
Noepinofren has positive effect on attention, perception, motivation and sexual arousal.

If you practice every day, the release of hormones will improve the blood circulation, that will stimulates the brain growth. In one study, researchers found that exercising of 1 hour, three times a week for 6 months is simulating the growth of the hippo-campus, a part of the brain responsible for memory and learning.

Productivity and cardio-exercising
People who exercise everyday have 23% higher productivity. Exercise acts are as a cup of coffee. The heart starts to work faster, improves blood circulation, the body is filled with energy and your thoughts become clearer. Only 30 minutes of easy cycling will improve concentration, which will stay at a high level for the next 60 minutes.

Memory and cardio-exercising
If you are not remembering how the name goes, leave games like sudoku and start practicing. In one study it was found that women resolve a memory test as much as 20% better after running.
The intensity of exercise is also important. Scientists have found that after intense physical activity memory information is improved for 20%.
Stress and cardio-exercising
Scientists have found that regular exercising significantly reduces the levels of stress. Only 20 minutes cycling will improve your mood. Best of all is that it will help keep on the good mood for the next 12 hours.
During exercise there is growth of new cells in the brain. They will help the brain to cope with stress. In other words, your brain will be able better to deal with any stressful situation if you exercise regularly.
Communication and cardio-exercising
The researchers found that people who exercise regularly, adept much better in the everyday communication, business and private life.
After a few months of regular exercise, you will feel more confident, which will lead to more successful communication that involves compromise, contracting and negotiation. In addition to better communication, people who exercise regularly are able and to make the best possible decisions.
Mood communication and cardio-exercising
Forget about antidepressants and start exercising. Scientists have found that exercising reduces the risk of depression and the frequency of sudden changes of mood.
Physical activity will release hormones that stimulates the good mood (endorphins, serotonin). Confidence plays a big role in determining the mood. Exercise will improve your appearance, you will feel more confident, and ultimately you will be in a better mood.

Raw Blueberry Cake

September 10, 2015 by Amy Brown

Blueberry cake that does not sting? Is there a better summer sweet!
Cake:
2 cups peeled almonds
1 cup dried figs, previously soaked in water
1 banana
1 pinch of salt
2 tablespoons honey

Put all the ingredients, along with the water in which are the soaking figs, in blender and chop to get a thick mixture of which will easily shaped biscuit. If necessary, add a little water.

Cream:
1 avocado
2 cups cashew nuts
2 cups blueberries
1 cup dates, previously soaked in water
2 tablespoons honey

Put all ingredients in blender, if necessary, add water in which are the soaking dates, blend it and you will get a nice creamy mass. The resulting cream apply to a biscuit which are well put into the mold for the cake. Decorate with the blueberries. Then again put a layer of cream, and add the blueberries.

Goji Berry Energy Bites – Raw and Vegan

September 9, 2015 by Amy Brown

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds or walnuts (soak in water 6-8 hours)
¼ cup of raw cocoa (pieces)
¼ cup of hemp seeds
¼ cup of dried goji berries
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil
pinch of Himalayan salt
7-8 dates, soaked in water and cleaned

Preparation:

Put all the ingredients in a blender grind, and blend them. From the resulting mixture make small balls and enjoy them!

Farmhouse stew with vegetables

September 9, 2015 by Amy Brown

Do not know what to make for lunch? Try this easy but taste meal!

For serves for 6 you will need:

1 and half cups (250g) dried white beans
2 waxy potatos
2 carrots
9 oz (250g) green beans
3 tomatoes
3 small zucchini
2 onions
3 garlic cloves
3/4 cup (160 ml) olive oil
6 oz (150 g) thin noodles
1 bunch basil
salt an paper
1 cup (100 g.) grated Gruyere

Standing time: approx. 1 hour

Cooking time: approx. 90 min.

Preparation:

Put the dried white beans in a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to boil, turn off the heat, and soak for 1 hour. Then simmer over medium heat for about 1 and a half hours.

Then peel and slice the potatoes and carrots. Trim and wash the green beans. Peel, seed and roughly chop the tomatoes. Wash and dice the zucchini. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a saucepan, and saute the onions and garlic until transparent. Add the tomatoes, pour over the cooking water from the beans and another 3 pints 1.5 liters of water and bring to boil. Add the potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Add the zucchini, white beans, and noodles and cook for further 15 minutes.

Wash the basil and shake dry, pull off the leaves and put in a blender with the cheese, garlic and 3 tablespoons of stock. Gradually add the remaining olive oil or enough to blend into a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve in warmed soup bowls. Pour the basil sauce into a sauceboat and serve with soup.

Delicious Squid and shrimp Pasta

September 2, 2015 by Amy Brown

Hope you are one of the seafood lovers! Yes it is hard and a bit smelly to make nice dish of sea food, so lets share a simpler and easier recipe, that I hope will motivate you to cook sea food often. The home cooked sea food pasta is more rich and believe me it is really healthier and more delicious if cooked properly.

Ingredients:
(4 servings)

500 g tagliatelle pasta
400 g frozen squid
500 g frozen shrimps
1 red onion
5-6 cloves garlic
500 g tomatoes
1 tbsp concentrated tomato
400 ml tomato puree
olive oil
Himalayan salt
a little sugar (if necessary)
some dried rosemary
For the serving:
1 tablespoon capers
1 bunch parsley leaf
1 red onion
some olive oil
little Himalayan salt

Preparation:
I thawed the squid and the shrimp, washed them well, cleaned them up (i cut the squid into rings.
At a hot pan with a little olive oil I added finely chopped onion (salted). when softened I added concentrated tomato and little bit later I added and tomato (chopped, peeled and cleaned of seeds). After 10 minutes stewing I added the tomato puree, a little sugar, salt and continued simmering until the sauce is thick enough.
In the second pan on a little olive oil fry 2 cloves finely chopped garlic and add the squid rings. Fry them a few minutes and then add the prepared tomato sauce and continue to simmer it for another 10 minutes.
In the meantime, I cook the pasta as directed on the packaging and in small pan with olive oil add 2 cloves garlic, and fry it on high heat with the squid tentacles, well salted and adding a little rosemary.
When the pasta is over add the sauce with the squids and then the prepared shrimp, half parsley leaf, one clove garlic (finely chopped) mix it nicely and serve!
While serving, add and capers, splash it with little olive oil and serve it with chopped fresh onion (salted and topped with olive oil).

Women’s Health – Natural Vaginal Baths

August 15, 2015 by Amy Brown

Vaginal steam baths have been long forgotten, but once they were a major ally in the treatment of symptoms of intimate areas. Natural medicine recognizes their value again as active substances of herbs mixed with steam to help in mild infections and painful menstruation.

Help in inflammation and infection
Woman intimate area requires special attention and care because of its specific structure, moisture and heat so its an excellent medium for the growth of bacteria and viruses. Women for centuries treated the body with healing plants, as preparations and treatments such as baths, washing and putting the lining, and one of the most popular method today again enters the range of major US and European wellness is vaginal steam bath.

Two variations
Vaginal bath has two variations. The first is a steam bath, which is carried out by a sitting on a chair with an opening underneath the chair and container with hot water in which they are immersed herbs. Healing steam is rising upward and gently treated intimately area. The effect is better if you wrapped with blanket so will make some kind of tent from which the steam will not be able to get out.

In another variation woman should sit in the tub with warm water into which you dipped herbs. It is important to immersed in a water your hips and lower abdomen and the water is not too hot.

The bath is not recommended during menstruation because it can encourage further bleeding. It also should not be used during pregnancy even as it relaxes the muscles and stimulates circulation, which may prompt the early opening of the cervix pregnant. If there are some wounds, be caution in treating wounds that would not have bled. The bath is carried out as you need, and treatment is the best to do as preventive to several times a year. If you have a milder infection or fungus, do the treatment for several consecutive days and take a break of at least ten days and then repeat the process. Note that the strong inflammation sometimes require medical intervention.
Bath is best period for it is 25 to 45 minutes. It is recommended to start treatment after five minutes of adding dry or fresh herbs to the hot water, so they will disposed of a healing substance. The basic ratio is a handful fresh herbs or a handful and a half dried herbs to eight cups of water. Do not go overboard with herbs, combine up to four types. Do not try to speed up the process with very hot water or supplements such as essential oils – both can damage the mucous membranes.

4 advises for summer running!

August 15, 2015 by Amy Brown

Here are some running tips for the summer period that will make your run easier, despite the very difficult conditions.

Gradually get used to the heat!

It takes a few weeks (or two weeks) to the body adjusts to the change in weather. Slow down and do not rush and force your self, if you are running in a very difficult period when the temperature increases. Better yet, when you get used to the heavy training in the summer period, running from October to November will be a real pleasure. You will feel powerful.

Plan your hydration!

The most important advice we can give you is to drink enough fluids. In one survey most runners and runner drink water during running. There are those who combine sports drinks and water, but still a number of people do not drink anything during training.

Planing hydration represents a decision when to drink and to what extent!

To prevent dehydration, during the training take a bottle of water, no matter how brief is the training. Choose where run so you pass by public fountains so you do not have to run with a bottle. In any case you still can carry water with you, previously kept cool or take a thermos on the run. If you do not know how to land this problem, cook a mild tea, then take it on the run. When it warms up, it will not be off-putting, on the contrary!

Fueling and electrolytes by drinking sports drinks!

For long training sessions for over an hour, along the curve of your sweat you lose precious minerals. With water it is advisable to take and isotonic drinks that you can make yourself or buy some of the finished bottle or powder.

Outdoor equipment for running

Shorts and T-shirts are sufficient, with lightweight shoes for training you are ready. Choose clothes in bright colors. T-shirt should be a light, non-cotton, because cotton keeps the sweat and after a brief training simply sticks to the body – this increases weight, reduces cooling and looks ugly 🙂 Synthetic shirts are preferable because they allow the skin to breathe. Try it.

And off course use, sunglasses and sunscreen!