Amy Brown

Braised Spinach With Eggs

July 12, 2015 by Amy Brown

This recipe is for a easy but very healthy meal. The preparation of this meal for 4 persons will take you about 40 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 kg leaf spinach
1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 fresh red chile
2 tomatoes
2 tbsp clarified seasoned butter
4 eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

First pick over the spinach, trim and wash thoroughly. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Seed the chile and chop finely. Peel the tomatoes, seed and dice.

Then melt the butter in a saucepan. Saute the onion, garlic and chile. Add the tomatoes and spinach, and pour over a generous 1/3 cup (100 ml) water. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring continuously, until the liquid has evaporated.

Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and stir into spinach. Remove from the heat when the egg has set and adjust the seasoning, to taste.

Cold Cucumber Soup

July 10, 2015 by Amy Brown

This soup, made of ingredients rich in water, is the right solution for refreshment and light meal for the summertime.

2 cucumbers
a small lettuce
freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 dl yogurt
2 cloves of garlic
½ avocado
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill

Start with preparing the cucumbers, first wash them, then peel, remove the seeds and cut them into cubes. Wash the lettuce and cut it into small pieces. Put the sliced cucumbers and lettuce into the blender, add lemon juice, garlic, yogurt and 2 cups of cold water. Mix with the blender until the mixture is smooth. Then add the sliced half avocado and olive oil and briefly mix at medium speed. If the soup is too thick, add more water. At the end add salt and pepper to taste and stir the dill.

(Photo Credit: sensaklub.hr)

Top 3 Vegetables Which Eliminate Cellulite

July 7, 2015 by Amy Brown

In the fight against cellulite, the most important is a healthy diet with plenty of fruit, but it must not forget the vegetables. Vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals that are necessary for the establishment and strengthening of connective tissue.

Diet based on vegetables, combined with a lower intake of sugars (simple carbohydrates), ie higher protein intake and water, helps in the establishment of normal levels of estrogen in the blood and normalization of blood sugar, which are also important factors against cellulite.

Remember that in the fight against cellulite, and unwanted weight, you need to permanently change eating habits. Fundamental change in diet can certainly help your connective tissue to be stronger and the ugly bumps on the skin of the buttocks and thighs to be reduced.

Why vegetables?

Fresh vegetables contain more vitamin C than some fruits. Given that vitamin C plays a major role in the establishment and strengthening of connective tissue, the best thing to do with the desire for smooth skin on the body’s daily menu is to include vegetables in your meals, especially fresh.

Let salad of fresh vegetables become part of yours everyday life, also try to include cooked vegetables in your lunch and dinner. Fresh spinach, red peppers, broccoli, kale, sprouts and parsley are truly vitamin C “bombs”.

On connective tissue strengthening affect certain amino acids and selenium, which are also found in many fruits and vegetables. Potassium, in turn, helps against fluid retention and harmful substances in the cells, and among the vegetables that are rich in potassium are tomatoes, cauliflower and asparagus.

We present you the vegetables that are the best 3 when it comes to fighting cellulite.

Sweet potatoes

This is one of the oldest vegetables and is one of the most nutritious and healthiest types, ideal against cellulite. Contains potassium, vitamin C and E and beta carotene. Sweet potato is number one among the vegetables in improving circulation and elimination of toxins, it is actually two most important things when you want to remove the cellulite.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a great fighter against cellulite because of three reasons. First, broccoli contains alpha lipoic acid, which helps to prevent hardening of collagen. Second, broccoli is a concentrated source of vitamin C and is an excellent source of dietary fiber. And third, it is one of the best sources of calcium among foods that are not milk, making it a great fighter against cellulite.

Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts are excellent in the fight against cellulite. Despite the large amount of vitamin C they contain material which is called indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which once inserted into the body through food, it turns into di-indolyl methane (DIM), which helps the enzymes in the liver to block the production of 16-OH estrogen, which is responsible for the deterioration of collagen.

Do not forget!

When you cook the vegetables, be sure to cook on lower heat, with less water or on steam. That way you save more vitamins in it. Also, remember that in the fight against cellulite, despite proper diet and sufficient water intake, and regular physical activity certainly helps .

Flax Seed Drink – For Losing Weight and Healthy Skin

July 7, 2015 by Amy Brown

Flax seed contains numerous beneficial components, including vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and fiber which normalize the work of the intestine.

This kind of seeds cleanses the body of toxins, normalize metabolism, lowers levels of blood sugar and reduces appetite. In doing so, absorb certain ingredients of the food you consume, cleans the intestines and also fill the body with lecithin.

Flax seed contains the fatty acids, which activate the fat tissue in the body and helps its melting. That is why this is the ideal nutritive that will help you to successfully lose weight.

This flax seed beverage has huge range of positive effects on the entire organism, and that will help you to lose excess weight in a healthy way without dieting and fasting, as well as to maintain the desired weight without yo-yo effect.

Recommended by many nutritionists, this drink is also very healthy and particularly useful for people suffering from gastritis, stomach ulcer, chronic fatigue and hemorrhoids, and it helps in the treatment of cystitis.

Preparation

Pour 1 liter of freshly boiled water on 3 tablespoons flax seed. Leave to stand overnight. It is best to use a thermos. If not, use a pot or container with a lid. Strain it the next morning. You will get a little thick mucous, but tasty drink that you should drink. Optionally you can sweet the drink with honey. Do not throw away the seeds after you strain, put them in the meals during the day.

Consumption

Consume the strained beverage throughout the day; 3-4 times a day in 150 ml; half an hour before a meal.

Prepare the drink each evening for the next day. Do not make a stock, as it must be consumed freshly prepared.

Consume the flax seed drink for a 10 days, after which you take a break of 10 days, then you continue (with the same intervals) until achieving the desired result. Also drink a lot of water during the day!

With regular consumption, you will also notice positive changes on the skin, which becomes strong, tight and elastic. During weight loss, the skin will not become lax, even better – from the effects of the drink the cellulite will disappear.

Contraindications

Despite all the useful properties of flax, there are contraindications that can occur with its consumption. This drink is not recommended for consumption in the following cases:

– If you have liver problems (if you do not have a serious disease you can decrease the dose and be under strict control)

– If you have kidney stones (flax seed actively extracted kidney stones but that process should be kept under medical supervision)

10 Tips For Good Hydration

July 5, 2015 by Amy Brown

Although drinking water seems like something that did not need directions, small changes ensure better hydration of the body. Just a little more awareness about drinking water can greatly change your life.

We present you advises based on ayurveda, they are very simple and really seem like something you intuitively know – but let us remind you.

1. First of all, when you drink water – sit down (just as you should sit down when you eat).

2. Drink in small sips: take a small sip of water, swallow, breathe in, breathe out. Repeat.

3. Take the sips throughout the day. If you drink too much water at once, the body would not absorbed it – most simply pass through you.

4. Drink water at least at room temperature. It is even better if the water is warm. Cold, especially icy water literally lowers the digestive temperature and that is contributing to the slow digestion.

5. Drink very little, when you are eating. Drinking too much water while eating, interferes with digestion. Remember this rule: 50 percent of the stomach fill with food, 25 percent with water and 25 percent it is free for digestive juices and the digestion process.

6. For the same reason, do not drink too much before or after a meal.

7. Drink when you are thirsty. Thirst is a natural sign that your body needs water.

8. What quantity of water we should drink depends of many reasons – body weight, dieting, lifestyle. The rule about 8 glasses of water a day, simply can not be applied at all. The human body has its own measuring system: thirst. If you’re thirsty – drink water. If you are led by your own thirst and sipping a little during the day, you will drink the proper amount of water.

9. One indicator of hydration is urine: it should be clear and light yellow. If it is dark yellow, you need to drink more water.

10. Another indicator of hydration are your lips: if they are dry, you may be dehydrated.

Eggplant rolls

July 2, 2015 by Amy Brown

Fast, easy, healthy and delicious. You must try this summer recipe for whom you will need just a little budget, and a bit of your time. Prepare serve and enjoy!

The flavor of this dish can vary different combinations of herbs in stuffing
Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cooked millet
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley and oregano
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and freshly ground pepper
Optional 50 g cream cheese or feta

Cut the eggplant into 5mm thick slices and coat them with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake them in a grill pan, 2-3 minutes on each side.

Mix the millet with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, chopped parsley and oregano, crushed garlic, salt and pepper and, if desired, cream cheese or feta cheese crushed.

Put the mixture on each slice of eggplant and tightly roll up into rolls.

Homemade Suntan Oil With Carrots

June 30, 2015 by Amy Brown

For carefree sunbathing and fast tanning you do not need expensive products – just invest a little patience and get the appropriate foods. Keep in mind that fast tanning is not good, it is best if you expose yourself on the sun rays gradually.

Ingredients: One large carrot • 10 ml sunflower oil • 90 ml light sesame oil

Preparation: First dry the carrot to dehydrated and then to finely grate. Carrot must contain less fluid so later in the preparation would not have emerged mold. Mix grated carrot with sunflower oil, pour everything into a glass container and hold it for about two weeks – make sure that the carrot is covered with oil.

During that time, the carrots will be rid of beta-carotene in sunflower oil . Drain the oil and mix with sesame oil. Use it as you need. Sesame oil will protect the skin from burns, and beta-carotene from carrots will accelerate the production of melanin, which is responsible for tanning.

Light sesame oil has a protection factor of 8, so oil does not protect enough from the sun very sensitive skin, but for the recommended sun in the late afternoon and early morning hours will be enough.

Refreshing Lotion For Soothing Skin After Sunbathing

June 30, 2015 by Amy Brown

On hot summer days cucumbers are a pleasant refrigerate, but also help restore moisture to the skin and promote its renewal after sun exposure. Their effects comes to the fore in these two skin lotions that can make by yourself :

1. For the lotion to soothe the skin after sun, peel and slice a cucumber then put it in a strainer and squeeze out as much of his juice. Mix it with 4-5 tablespoon of coconut milk and put in the refrigerator, where it can stand for about a week. Instead of coconut milk you can also use yogurt or buttermilk, but in this case immediately use all the preparation.

2. For refreshing skin lotion you can use green tea: Boil a cup of green tea and cool it in the refrigerator before you mix it with the juice of cucumber (at ½ l of tea, add 2 tablespoons of juice from a cucumber). For a stronger hydration you can add a tablespoon of gel or juice of aloe vera. And use this lotion for up to one week.

Yoga For Healthy Heart

June 29, 2015 by Amy Brown

We may think that yoga therapy is nothing more than work on the flexibility of the body and mental relaxation. However, medical studies indicate that yoga can directly act on the central nervous system, blood circulation and metabolism …

Yogic postures, or asanas, include slow rhythmic contraction and relaxation of muscles and deep, slow breathing. All this improves circulation and lung function. Even in 1969, scientists RA Stone and J. De Leo, investigating cases of patients with high blood pressure, proved to be a yoga and relaxation reduces the amount of DBH’s (dopamine-beta-hydroxylase) in the hypothalamus. Reducing the levels of this enzyme, which is essential for the synthesis of noradrenaline – a precursor of adrenaline – soothes and helps in lowering blood pressure.

In addition to a beneficial effect on blood pressure, yoga reduces other risks of cardiovascular disease – lowers cholesterol, tone down heart rate and helps in slowing the progression of atherosclerosis, which is evident from the results of several studies led by Dr.. Erin Olivo, Head of integrative medicine program at University of Columbia. Although science has not fully explained the effect of yoga on heart health, according to some Indian schools of yoga therapy, heart function is closely linked to our emotional metabolism, and repressed emotions heart burden on the physical level.

In other words, when we are nervous, full of care, we encourage action of the autonomic nervous system, which sends the bloodstream stress hormones. Then the muscles of the heart tense further, heart rate accelerates, the heart is under greater pressure, which eventually leads to high blood pressure. Yoga helps in timely awareness, balancing and release repressed emotions.

10-minute Morning Pilates

June 29, 2015 by Amy Brown

Looking for exercises for mobility, strength and breathing, we chose a combination for the ideal start to the day. Try this pilates exercises that clear the mind, speed up metabolism, to restore balance and make you more feminine.

1. Chairs

Strengthens the abdomen, improves circulation and breathing. Lie on your back and lift your upper body off the floor, till to the lower ends of the calfs. Then raise your legs in the air, but hold your back on the ground. Raise your hands and gently hit the floor, so every 3-5 strokes inhale and exhale 3-5 strokes. When you breathe out, squeeze the belly. Repeat 10-15 breaths.

2. Leg lifting

It strengthens the muscles of the buttocks and the back of the leg. Kneel on one knee and rely on both forearms on the floor. When you breathe out, raise the free straight leg up to hip height. Squeeze the stomach so you do not rotate. Repeat 10 times on each side.

3 . Side abdomen

Strengthens the abdomen with a focus on lateral muscles. Lie on your back, lift up your head and shoulders off the floor. Cross the legs and raise into the air. Hold the head with your hands. On exhalation, rotate your upper body, as well as the elbow want to touch the opposite knee. Stretch the free leg. When you inhale return to the center and on the next exhalation, rotate the body to the other side. Repeat 10 times on each side.

4. Rolling

Strengthens abdominal muscles and mobilizes the spine. Lie on your back, stretch your arms above your head, legs extend and tighten foot. Inhale and raise your arms in the air. On the exhale, continue to lift the body. In the following position inhale, and when you exhale again lift down whole body. Slowly move the spine. Repeat 8 times.

5. Breaststroke swimming

Strengthens the muscles of the back and buttocks. Lie on your stomach with your legs extended in the width of the hips. Fully stretch your arms and hold the body. When you breathe out, raise your chest, shoulders and arms from the floor. Hold the lower part of the belly on the surface. Lift your legs off the floor and tighten the buttocks. Lower your body and your feet on the floor. Repeat 10 times.

Vegan Chocolate Cake Without Flour

June 25, 2015 by Amy Brown

This is a recipe for a healthy and delicious chocolate cake without flour, which can be enjoyed by vegans too because there is no food of animal origin.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of minced flax
140 ml of water
120g dark chocolate
60 ml (4 tbsp) of coconut oil
½ apples, pears or bananas
4 tablespoons raw sugar
pinch of salt
50g cocoa

In a bowl, combine minced flax and the water and leave it in the fridge for 20 minutes. During this time, turn the oven to 180 degrees. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it on steam with the coconut oil. Leave aside. Mix half an apple, pear or banana and a measured 60 ml of it and stir in melted chocolate with coconut oil. Stir the sugar, salt and cocoa. Pour all together into a small cake pan (diameter up to 20 cm), align the surface and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool in the cake pan and remove it from it and serve it.

The Three Most Important Anti-Stress Tips

June 24, 2015 by Amy Brown

If you are hurrying, being late, nothing is going from first hand and you are under tremendous stress – the breathing is not helping, then it is time to apply these tips.

If You are waking up late and must get a quick outfit, you got to go work. Rush through the kitchen and you spill a coffee on the skirt. Return to change. Then at the door you realized that you have changed the bag and the wallet is not there. You return and take it from the shelf and rushed out again. In front of the building you can not find your car keys … Should you go back again to the apartment …

The picture of this kind of beginnings of the days certainly sounds familiar to many. If this often happen to you, it is time for some thinking changes, advises popular zen blogger Leo Babauta.

1. Dedicate yourself to one thing

Take one by one step and dedicate to the one task you are doing. Immerse yourself in it, feel the need to leave the dashed through it and then get to the next task. To-do list never stops anyway … So let that next one comes later. Be one with your task, let it be your entire universe.

2. Relieve idealization

Stress on creating external factors, work or family problems, these are just parts of our lives. Fear produces stress. Fear of failure, fear of not being loved, that you are not good enough, the fear that someone will leave you… The root of fear lies in the ideal that we create, then we are afraid that it will not reach. In the head we see the image of a successful and perfect ourselves, surrounded by similar people, who constantly enjoy. When we realize that this is impossible, we are hurt. Stays the stress that occurred while we despaired if we will attain the ideal of success. Instead you inflict pain, accept uncertainty and let you believe that everything will be fine. We will less fear, and stress will be significantly reduced.

3. Accept the other with a smile

We are usually upset when others do not behave as we think they should. Rather than look at it as something disturbing, try to accept others. If we accept them as they are, we recognized in them a part of yourself, imperfect, in search of happiness, in the struggle for happiness, behave the way they think they should be, doing what they know, everything just as we are. Because you accept them from the heart, enjoy the time spent with them and you will be happier and less stressed.

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