Sheila Smith

Superfoods that help cope with stress

July 13, 2015 by Sheila Smith

The beginning of the week is always stressful. Going back to work after the weekend, the new assignments…all this causes a higher level of stress to the body while you’re trying to go back to your working mode.

Perhaps you will not notice the influence of stress on the body immediately, but over time it will begin to resist in various possible ways. Of those obvious as, irritability, headache and insomnia, to the less obvious, such as hair loss, cracked nails, metabolism imbalance, muscle cramps, problems with the nerves in the body or bone pain. And those less obvious and more insidious effects that are caused by stress,can eventually lead to chronic problems as well as ones more difficult to solve. You’ll wonder why you your back suddenly feels stiffened or why your leg is numb stress will be one of the most obvious solutions.

If you have a more stressful job, the body will eventually get used to the symptoms, but it does not mean that they are less harmful to the body. It is important to listen to your body and find solutions to problems so they won’t become your constant companion in life. Unfortunately the modern world does not allow constant stress relief and we have to solve it in small steps so that its effects would not be accumulated. Movement and exercise are very important factor in this story because you will have a brief moment of peace in the day that you take just for yourself, and at the same time you will prevent the physical effects of stress on the body – yoga class, fitness, swimming, running in nature or just take a walk, breathe fresh air for an hour.

You also need to pay attention to everyday meals. While in times of stress the body begins to look for large amounts of sugar and “junk” food, try to ignore these impulses and find food that will make you feel more satiated and satisfied. Such foods are full of vitamins and minerals, and in addition to helping in stressful situations, they are also very beneficial for the body in the long run and thanks to them you will not accumulate unnecessary weight. The first one was on the list are green vegetables, spinach, asparagus and avocado. Also blueberries are an awesome decision because they are full of antioxidants and vitamin C, and combined with oatmeal or yogurt they can work as a real meal that will soothe the body.

In the breaks between meals nibble almonds, and for lunch or dinner, consider the inclusion of salmon because of the omega-3 fatty acids help the brain function properly, allowing you to be more focused on the job and more effective. For dessert, chose dark chocolate as a healthy daily dose of sugar and chocolate with a high cocoa percentage that has a lot of magnesium, which helps fight stress.

Reach the desired tan in no time this summer – foods that affect the production of melanin

July 12, 2015 by Sheila Smith

Finally it’s sunbathing season and we just can not wait to get that nice tanned complexion.
In order to get the golden-brown tan as soon as possible, we should not fry in the sun for hours, because with a tanned complexion you can also get a number of skin problems such as burns, irritations, allergies, depigmentation, but also more serious diseases such as skin cancer!
There are far healthier ways to speed up the production of melanin – the pigment in the skin. The main function of melanin is to protect the skin from excessive exposure to harmful UV radiation. Therefore, it is very important and beneficial for the skin health!
To foster and accelerate the natural production you need to eat the right foods. Check out the list of foods that affect the production of melanin, start consuming them regularly and get that perfect tan you always wanted to have!

1. Foods of animal origin – Foods of animal origin contain many nutrients that affect the production of melanin. One of the most important mineral is copper. It is an essential for the body in very small amounts, but certainly its presence in the cells is crucial. Copper affects the production of melanin, and elastin, which gives the skin elasticity and provides a toned look. You can find it in oysters, mussels, animal innards – especially the liver, as well as feathered animals – chicken, turkey. Dairy products such as cheese and milk are also rich in copper.

2. Soybeans and seeds – Soy affects the production of melanin thanks to the nutrient called tyrosine. This is an amino acid that affects the formation of proteins in the organism. This nutrient, can be found in soybeans and products made from it, but also in various other seeds – pumpkin, sesame and green beans.

3. Other foods – Many other foods contain copper and tyrosine, which are the main responsible nutrients for the production of melanin. So you should introduce more nuts and legumes, especially almonds, peanuts and beans in your diet. Dark leafy vegetables also can be helpful, as well as avocados, bananas, whole grain cereals and chocolate (dark).

NOTE – If you want to speed up the process, you can take supplements of the mentioned nutrients (copper and tyrosine), but you MUST consult a doctor before using them!

9 Foods That Boost Metabolism Naturally

July 11, 2015 by Sheila Smith

Remember how you could eat anything when you were younger and not gain weight? Now as we get older, we notice that it is no longer so. One reason is that the metabolism slows down and this is related to age and a reduction in muscle mass.
We present to you 9 foods that will help maintain satiety, and will help in the regulation of body weight.
Natural products are still the best: if you want to speed up the metabolism it is better to use natural foods that you can easily incorporate into your daily diet, rather than artificial supplements with uncertain effects.
The term basal metabolism refers to the amount of energy consumed only for the maintenance of bodily functions, without additional operations, for example, breathing or heart rate.
Measurements have shown that as a rule people with greater weight, consume more energy to maintain body function. This is because they have larger body and larger internal organs.
So the basal metabolism is affected by the body weight. Muscles need more energy for operation than fat, and because as we age we lose muscle mass, the basal metabolism slows down.
Thus, two people of equal weight may have a different basal metabolism if one has more muscular mass, while the other has more fat in the body.

We present you the foods that will help you speed up your metabolism, and regulate the weight!
1. Green tea
When talking about weight loss and speeding up the metabolism, green tea is the right choice. Caffeine contained in green tea promotes energy and releases fat from the body. Two to three cups of green tea a day are recommended and are more than sufficient.
2. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is known to combat excess weight and it is one of the foods that accelerates the metabolism most efficiently. The reason is that it helps the digestive system by regulating the blood sugar levels. It is also very healthy for the heart and blood vessels. It is recommended to use cinnamon as a supplement to your coffee or milk drink.

3. Ginger

Ginger is known as the universal remedy that is used for the removal of toxins from the body, and improves the function of the digestive system.
It is known that this spice “melts” the weight and greatly facilitates digestion. It is recommended to drink ginger tea for the best results.

4. Avocado

Avocados are high in unsaturated fats, protein and a very high percentage of fiber which can be as high as 11 to 17 percent in a single fruit. It is also a food that keeps you feel full, even five hours after eating.

5. Chia seeds

The became popular only recently but they are known as a drug that is used to prevent diabetes, controls the weights, and it is used for cardiovascular diseases. It is rich with unsaturated fats, fiber and also is one of the foods that will make you feel satiated.

6. Eggs

Eggs belong in the group of foods that contain the most protein. They have all nine amino acids that are necessary for your metabolism to work rapidly.Scientists have proven that eating protein in the form of dishes with eggs for breakfast keeps you satiated for a long time.

7. Berries

There are many fruits in this group: strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, currant, and they are one of the most famous fighters against diseases of the cardiovascular system. They regulate body weight, are suitable for diabetics, and certainly they are the most important for proper blood count.

8. Chili peppers

Capsaicin, the main ingredient in hot peppers eliminate fat in the form of accelerating the metabolism. When your sympathetic nervous system
(One of the three parts of the autonomic nervous system, which is activated under stress) activates the release of the hormones called -katecholamines, they lead to warming of the organism, and thus the decomposition of fat from the body. This means that your fat is converted into liquid 20 minutes after you eat a hot pepper.

9. Quinoa

Quinoa seeds are rich in magnesium, which is an energy source and the main regulator of blood sugar. The reason why these seeds are classified in these nine foods that boost metabolism is that they do not contain gluten,and most makes you feel full.

Miraculous detox drink with milk and green tea – 2 kg less in a day!

July 10, 2015 by Sheila Smith

We recommend that you drink green tea at least twice a week, because of its beneficial effects on the body. To avoid bland taste, add a little lemon juice.
Green tee accelerates the metabolism and fat burning, it is anti-inflammatory and it helps to bring the blood and liver sugar to normal levels. If you have problems with high cholesterol, doctors and experts recommend that you consume this tea four times a week. It also prevents caries, and it is very rich in antioxidants.

This detox drink with milk and green tea is ideal for people who want to lose weight quickly, and subsequently maintain the desired weight.
It will satiate you, and it also has a very pleasant taste. You can lose a half to 2 kilograms of excess fluid in the body in one day. Do not consume this detox drink more than twice a month.
Preparation:

For this drink it is very important to use the right, dried tea leaves, there will be no effects if you use tea bags. Boil half a liter of milk and let it cool down. Add 2 tablespoons of green tea. Let it stand covered for 20 minutes. Drink a cup every 2 hours. In between, we recommend that you drink regular or non-carbonated water.

You must drink a minimum of 2 l of water per day because this tea is a diuretic. As for hunger, you will have a feeling of fullness because of the milk contained in the drink.

Work out according to your body type

July 10, 2015 by Sheila Smith

Everyone always bomb us of the need to practice if we want to achieve a better figure. And it is true!
BUT, before you start any training you have to determine your goal, above all, determine your body type and accordingly adjust the exercises. If you have stronger hips certainly you will not do exercises for your legs or if you do not have a pronounced waistline of course you will not focus on that region.
We recommend different types of exercise, depending on the physical constitution.
This are the 5 basic body types…

And now, after you recognized your type…

1. Hourglass – This body type is considered most feminine. Given that nature has endowed you bigger breasts and hips and a small waist, your job is very easy. You can do any form of cardio exercises. Every time concentrate on different muscle group.
Cardio exercise will help you keep the body weight under control, and lifting weights will help you keep a perfect balance between the upper and the lower body.
Recommended exercises: jogging, cycling, jumping jacks, swimming, biceps curls, shoulder exercises and squats.

2. Pear – People who have this body type narrower shoulders, smaller breasts, and generally smaller torso, while the majority of their mass is in the hips, buttocks and thighs. You should avoid cardio exercise that can increase the volume of the muscles in the lower body.
This means – avoid all forms of steppers. When it comes to weights, aim to define the upper body.
Recommended exercises: walking, easy cycling, rope jumping, squats, push-ups, chin-ups, exercises with weights for the shoulders, back and chest.

3. Rectangle – People with this body type have a wider waist and shoulders, which means you have to concentrate on reducing the waist. These include cardio exercises – treadmill with an incline and stepper. Use weights for the lower body. Squats with weights are the perfect exercise for you.

Recommended exercises: exercise on the treadmill with an incline, do different types of squats with weights and without them, different kinds of exercises for the abdominal muscles and hula – hop exercises.

4. Apple – This body type means that the middle part of the body is larger – the chest, waist, hips and buttocks, while the shoulders and legs are thinner. What should you do to get your body to the desired shape is doing cardio exercises for weight loss, but also to increase the muscle mass on the legs. So, the best exercise is the treadmill, while exercising with weights should be only for legs and shoulders. Be sure not to forget the exercises for abdominal muscles.
Recommended exercises: all forms of cardio exercise for losing weight, weight lifting, exercise for the abdominal and back muscles.

5. Strawberry – If you have this body type that means that your shoulders are wider at least two inches from your hips, which means that the upper body is wider than the bottom. Your goal should be to shape the lower part. As for cardio exercises for you stepper is a best decision. Avoid any kind of cardio exercise because of you can lose muscle mass in the legs. Focus on the lower part of the body.
Recommended exercises: exercises on treadmill, treadmill with an incline or without, leg lifts, squats and other types of exercises for legs.

Awesome scar removal scrub

July 9, 2015 by Sheila Smith

Unfortunately, hardly anyone of us has a perfect skin without any flaws and imperfections. In addition to stains that occur naturally due to depigmentation or excessive exposure to the sun, there are scars that result from minor and major injuries, surgeries and other interventions on the skin.
Most of them are here to stay and no plastic surgery can remove them, but there are local treatments which properties can reduce the visibility of scars, and make those smaller ones completely disappear.
Check out how to make a homemade scrub to remove scars and blemishes from the skin of the face and body.

Ingredients: 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons olive oil. The most important ingredient is the lemon. It contains vitamin C which is one of the ingredients of collagen and helps skin regeneration; it is rich in AHA acid that supports cleaning and whitening.
Olive oil nourishes the skin, keeping it from dehydration, and we know that nourished skin quickly heals and renews cells. Sugar serves as exfoliant- to remove the layer of dead cells, while honey is fantastic for hydration, care and renewal of the skin.

Positive effects of the scrub:
* Cleaning the skin – lightening scars;
* Strengthening the elasticity of the skin – a replacement for collagen;
* Hydration – renews the skin.
Preparation: In a glass with sugar, add the olive oil and stir until the ingredients are well combined. Add lemon juice and honey and stir. Apply to skin areas with a scar or stain and rub. Hold for 15-20min, then rinse.

This is a natural chemical scrub that can be used once every 10 days, and it will lead to the elimination of the surface layers of the skin where the skin becomes more sensitive and completely vulnerable from the outside and the physical or chemical influences, which among other things results in the formation of wrinkles , spots and stains from the sun! During this treatment, it is necessary to avoid exposure to sunlight as well as the compulsory use of SPF cream!

Power walking – for slim figure and healthy mind

July 9, 2015 by Sheila Smith

We believe that most of you are not fans of starvation and sweating in the gym or fitness center. Do not worry, there is a way to lose weight without doing that! The warm weather is perfect for power walks!

Why is it good?
– Regular power walks can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, strengthen the bones, improve metabolism and circulation.
– The time spent doing this physical activity will relieve tension and anxiety, so it’s great as anti-stress treatment.
– Besides being healthier, you can lose about half a kg of body weight in 10 days.
– Unlike jogging, power walking has no risk of overloading the joints or injuries
– Ideal for of all of you who sit a lot at work and don’t have physical activity.

Technique
The number of steps a day, in order to achieve visible results and effects to your health and body weight is 10 000 steps. That accounts for about 1 hour of power walking a day or about 7.5 km.
Of course, you don’t have to do this at once, but you can do few shorter power walks a day.
If you want your power walk to become a form of recreational sport it has to meet certain criteria.
– Move faster than the everyday walking with smaller steps.
– The whole body is completely straight and the hands are active.
– The upper body is straight, the back is relaxed, and the look is focused ahead.
– The palms are relaxed and closed.
– The foot on which you rely, while on the ground must be straight until immediately prior to separation from the ground.

-The breath is deep, in line with your walking rhythm.

– And most importantly – one foot must always be in contact with the ground, because if it’s not, then you are jogging.

Before training
– The last meal before the power walk should be an hour earlier. Do not do this activity with full stomach. If you are very hungry, eat wholegrain energy bars or a banana.
– Just before the walk, it is necessary to have a good stretch and warm up to avoid muscle injuries – especially if you’re a beginner!
– Start with a slow walk, which should take 10 min and then slowly accelerate.
If you breathe faster, but you can still say a normal sentence – you achieved the perfect pace.

Equipment
The clothes and footwear must be adapted to this activity.
You need to wear running trainers – as comfortable as possible and good support for the joints. Preferably, you can chose natural materials so that your legs won’t sweat.

There are no rules for clothing – it is important to be made of cotton and to be comfortable.

Always carry a bottle of water. A good trick is to take two bottles of water that can serve as weights. This way you increase the effort and the number of calories burned.

Note:
It is best to gradually enter into the routine of power walking. If you do it abruptly you may cause muscle fatigue. Follow the reaction of your body on a given pace and gently accelerate depending on your condition.

6 simple ballet exercises to bring your legs and buttocks to perfection

July 8, 2015 by Sheila Smith

Are there more gracious ladies than ballet dancers? They seem so gentle and fragile, but they are actually very strong, diverse and in perfect physical shape.
To achieve such a sculpted body and spindle-shaped muscles, ballerinas spend hours and hours of practice. For us, the ordinary mortals that is not necessary, but certainly we can steal some of the exercises of these dancers and bring our body in top condition. Many famous models use this type of exercises for shaping their bodies.
Today we present you 6 simple ballet exercises to bring your legs and buttocks to perfection.

1. Bridge and leg stretching – Lie on your back, bend your legs at the knees, rely on your toes – this is the starting position. Lift the hips, extend one leg, drop your hips and repeat with the other leg. This is a complete circle exercise. Repeat it 10 times. This exercise affects the tightening of the whole legs and buttocks, in addition to strengthening the back muscles.

2. Bridge – If the previous exercise is too intense for you, you can do just the bridge exercise. From the lying position lift your hips, and let the legs remain in the bent position resting on the toes.

3. Inner thigh beets – Another great exercise for tightening the whole leg. Lie on your back, raise your legs at a right angle with your feet straight. Spread your legs to the side and still holding the same position. Try to hold the leg muscles tight the whole time. Repeat the exercise 20 times.

4. Upside-down plié – Plié is an ideal exercise to tighten the inner thighs, and the upside-down variant will activate the muscles of the stomach. Lie on your back and take a position as in the previous exercise, bend your legs at the knees, keeping the heels connected.

5. Circles – This is perhaps the best exercise to tighten the inner thighs. Lie on your side, you can rely on the lower arm, bend the upper leg at the knee and lean the fingers on the floor, stretch out the other leg, tighten the muscles, lift it and make small circles.

6. Attitude pose – If you want to intensively activate the muscles of the gluteus, this is the ideal exercise for it. Sit on the side with a bent knee and rely on your hand. The extend the upper legs to the side and bend them behind, at the same time raising the arm above the head.

Miracle drink for weight loss and radiant skin

July 8, 2015 by Sheila Smith

Experts say that it is important to make detox drinks at least a few times a month which will help you cleanse the body of toxins. This miraculous drink will melt all the unwanted weight, and your skin will have an incredible shine! In addition it will help to remove excess water from the body, and it will help regulate the digestive system and digestion in general. All ingredients are fresh, no thermal treatment, and therefore their efficiency is maximized.
Your skin will restore its radiance and elasticity. We present to you a drink made from pineapple, ginger and beetroot!

Ingredients:

pineapple (fresh)
two beetroots
ginger

Preparation:

Clean the beetroots and the pineapple and cut them in small cubes and grate the ginger. Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix. Add chia seeds if you want an even better effect!

You will see the results of consuming this beverage after 4 days. You are allowed to do drink this detox beverage several times a week. Apart from losing weight, you will notice that your face is clearer, the acne subsided and pores drastically reduced. As with any diet, we recommend at least a minimum physical activity, which will only facilitate the effects of this beverage.

Healthy and light red lentil soup

July 7, 2015 by Sheila Smith

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. When you get bored with all that heavy meals or simply want to make something that can be stored easily, while being nutritious and tasty, then try to make this red lentil soup. The fact that it can be easily found in healthy food stores and a few supermarket, tells us that we should incorporate this food in our menu at least several times a month. It will take you about half an hour, and one serving has only 250 calories!

Ingredients:

1 cup red lentil
1 onion
1 tablespoon of flour
1 carrot
half tablespoon of cayenne pepper
1 spoon of peeled tomato
salt and pepper
About 1 liter of water
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter

Preparation:
In a deeper pot sauté the chopped onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Slowly add the flour and mix it and be careful not to create lumps. Immediately add the tablespoon of peeled tomato, and then the previously chopped carrots. After a few minutes, pour the well-washed cup of red lentil and boil them for few more minutes.

Pour one liter of boiling water, put the lid over the pan and leave it to cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes. Once the soup is cooked, mix it with a hand blender or mash with a metal strainer. It is essential that all the ingredients are cooked into a porridge. Allow to cook a little and add another cup of water if the mixture is very thick. Melt the butter in a small pan with a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and add it to the soup with constant stirring.
Serve your soup in a deeper small bowl, put croutons on the top and serve it on a plate next to a slice of lemon and add a few drops of lemon juice.
As with all types of lentil, red lentil is rich in numerous vitamins. This plant is very rich in proteins, and is therefore recommended as a meal because it is quite nutritious. Let your menu be varied, healthy and tasty. A soup like this will tickle your senses and it will make you feel good and satisfied.

10 minute butt-lift cardio workout

July 7, 2015 by Sheila Smith

If you want to tighten and shape your buttocks, while increasing muscle tone of your legs you have to work out!
Watch this video with great cardio exercises affecting specifically the leg muscles and buttocks!
Even though summer is already here it is never too late to start getting in shape!Also, get plenty of fluids! If you have a chronic granulomatous inflammatory pain or injury of some part of your body, consult your doctor before performing the exercises.

Ladies, start working out, be fit and sweet! You can do it!

Get rid of cellulite using apple cider wrap!

July 6, 2015 by Sheila Smith

If you haven’t been active this winter, but you have a lot of sitting you probably have cellulite. And that means long struggle to get rid of it. There are effective solutions such as proper nutrition, exercise and massage. However, many women have problems with deep cellulite, which can not easily be removed. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct regular in-depth treatments for cellulite removal. Although it is a known fact that these treatments and massages are very expensive, we have found an alternative that you can do at home!

Today we present to you vinegar wraps. They have proven to be an excellent solution in the fight against cellulite. Within a few hours they remove the surface cellulite, and if you use them regularly they will remove the deep cellulite too! For this wraps you ONLY need 2 ingredients, that you must have at home!

Ingredients:

body lotion
apple cider

Extras:

towel
transparent foil

Preparation:
Mix a quarter cup of body lotion and a tablespoon of apple cider. Stir the ingredients until they are well combined. The next step you’re doing is very important if you want effective results! Wet the towel with cold water, squeeze it and then put it on the part of the body that you want to wrap in foil later for a few minutes. It is important that the water is as cold as possible to further “open the pores” of the skin (the myth is that the pores are opened and closed, and because there is no muscle tissue around them, they can only be slightly relaxed and cold water promotes better circulation of the body which actually makes better absorption of all the nutrients). This will help the in-depth treatment of cellulite. After a few minutes, apply the mixture on your skin, but do not rub! Wrap tightly with the transparent foil (we recommend that you wrap in several layers of foil) and leave it for about 6 hours.

You can move with the wraps, but we recommend to reduce movement to a minimum so the foil will not move out of place.

You can wrap any part of the body where cellulite occurs. Also, for more effective and faster results, we recommend that you repeat this treatment at least 3 times a week. In addition, you should moisturize the skin and do some kind of physical activity.

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