8 Ways Exercise Makes You Gorgeous

8 Ways Exercise Makes You Gorgeous

 
Anyone who makes a habit of going to the gym, unfurling a yoga mat or hiking in the woods is privy to a secret known only to the physically active: The rewards of exercise extend far beyond slimming down or adding muscle tone. Dozens of subtle changes visibly revamp the body and the psyche in ways scientists are only beginning to understand.

Maybe your skin looks brighter, your step is springier or you’re more confident at work. Such small victories may go unnoticed by unobservant exercisers, but those on the lookout for these benefits will find them every bit as valid as gains measured by scales and calipers.

Scientists chalk up such fitness boons to a range of powerful physiological and biochemical processes triggered by regular exercise. “Every cell in the human body benefits from physical activity,” says Tim Church, MD, PhD, the director of preventative medicine at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. And, he says, you feel tangible rewards right away. “Within an hour of exercising, you feel less anxious; that night you sleep better; and for 72 hours afterward your body processes blood sugar more efficiently.”
Need more incentive to lace up your sneakers? Here’s a peek into a few of the ways exercise can make you look and feel fantastic.

 

1. Smoother, More Radiant Skin
Working up a good sweat is the equivalent of getting a mini-facial, says Audrey Kunin, MD, a dermatologist in Kansas City, Mo., and author of The DERMAdoctor Skinstruction Manual (Simon & Schuster, 2005). “When the pores dilate, sweat expels trapped dirt and oil. Just be sure to wash your face afterward so the gunk doesn’t get sucked back into the pores.”

Breaking a sweat isn’t the only way exercise benefits the skin — it also reduces bodywide inflammation, helps regulate skin-significant hormones and prevents free-radical damage. When you exercise, the tiny arteries in your skin open up, allowing more blood to reach the skin’s surface and deliver nutrients that repair damage from the sun and environmental pollutants. These nutrients also rev up the skin’s collagen production, thwarting wrinkles. “As we age, fibroblasts [the collagen-producing cells in the skin] get lazier and fewer in number,” Kunin says. “But the nutrients delivered to the skin during exercise help fibroblasts work more efficiently, so your skin looks younger.”

42 Flowers You Can Eat

42 Flowers You Can Eat

The culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years to the Chinese, Greek and Romans. Many cultures use flowers in their traditional cooking–think of squash blossoms in Italian food and rose petals in Indian food. Adding flowers to your food can be a nice way to add color, flavor, and a little whimsy. Some are spicy, and some herbacious, while others are floral and fragrant. The range is pretty surprising.

 

It’s not uncommon to see flower petals used in salads, teas, and as garnish for desserts, but they inspire creative uses as well–roll spicy ones (like chive blossoms) into handmade pasta dough, incorporate floral ones into homemade ice cream, pickle flower buds (like nasturtium) to make ersatz capers, use them to make a floral simple syrup for use in lemonade or cocktails.

Eating Flowers Safely
So. As lovely as eating flowers can be, it can also be a little…deadly! Not to scare you off or anything. Follow these tips for eating flowers safely.

• Eat flowers you know to be consumable–if you are uncertain, consult a reference book on edible flowers and plants.

• Eat flowers you have grown yourself, or know to be safe for consumption. Flowers from the florist or nursery have probably been treated with pesticide or other chemicals.

• Do not eat roadside flowers or those picked in public parks. Both may have been treated with pesticide or herbicide, and roadside flowers may be polluted by car exhaust

• Eat just the petals, and remove pistils and stamens before eating.

• If you suffer from allergies, introduce edible flowers gradually, as they may exacerbate allergies.

• To keep flowers fresh, place them on moist paper towels and refrigerate in an airtight container. Some will last up to 10 days this way.  Ice water can revitalize limp flowers.

7 Ingredients to Ban From Your Bathroom

7 Ingredients to Ban From Your Bathroom

The following ingredients usually appear in the products we use daily — shampoo, sunscreen and the like — and general scientific consensus concludes that they’re best avoided:
 
Parabens are a synthetic preservative and antimicrobial agent commonly found in personal-care products with high water content: shampoo, conditioner, lotion, cleansers and body wash. They also turn up in solid products like deodorant. They appear as methyl-, ethyl-, butyl- or propylparaben. Studies have found that parabens mimic estrogen in the body and disrupt normal hormone function, and they have been found in breast-tumor biopsies.

10 Reasons to Take Nutritional Supplements

10 Reasons to Take Nutritional Supplements

 
Many people still question the importance of taking supplements at all.  Here are ten reasons to consider supplementing your diet with high-quality nutrients:

1. Current commercial agriculture techniques leave soil deficient in important minerals, causing the food grown in this soil to share the same mineral deficiencies.

2. Many foods are shipped long distances and are stored for long periods of time, both of which cause the depletion of vitamins in these foods, including the important B-complex and C vitamins.

3. Food processing, cooking, and preserving leads to nutrient depletion in our food supply that makes it difficult to obtain adequate nutrition from foods alone.

Top 12 Toxic Fruits and Vegetables

Top 12 Toxic Fruits and Vegetables

 
How would you like a dose of 67 pesticides with your celery? If you’re eating non-organic celery, that’s the number of pesticides you may very well be ingesting. According to the 2010 edition of Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides, the top 12 pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables contain 47 to 67 different pesticides per serving.  This year celery is starring in the number 1 spot (up from number 4 last year), peaches moved down, and there are a few new contenders on the list.

 

11 Dieting Truths You May Not Want to Hear

 11 Dieting Truths You May Not Want to Hear

 
In today’s non-stop media environment, there’s certainly no dearth of tips, advice, and gimmicks for weight loss. Advertisements tell you how to “Lose thirty pounds in thirty days!” TV infomercials claim that you can “Eat what you want and still lose weight!” And magazine headlines claim it’s easy to “Lose one jean size every seven days!”
But anyone who’s tried to lose five, ten, or one hundred pounds can tell you it’s simply not that easy. There’s no magic pill, it doesn’t (usually) happen super fast, and judging from the myriad plans out there, there is no one diet that works for everyone.
Looking past the outrageous claims, there are a few hard truths the diet/food industry isn’t going to tell you, but might just help you take a more realistic approach to sustained weight loss.
 
1. New nutrition news is often old.
Recently, I read this headline from a news report about a new study: “Fruit Is Even Better for You Than Previously Thought.” I find these kinds of studies somewhat silly—do we really need another reason to eat fruit? Or for that matter, is the nutrition advice from your grandmother or great-grandmother’s generation all that different from what it is today? Chances are they would’ve advised something along the lines of—eat your fruits and vegetables. Point being is that ebbing with trends and tides of “new” research often doesn’t make long-term sense. When fat was labeled as bad, people eschewed even the good stuff from their diets; when carbs went out of style, people took nutritious foods out with the bad. While new research certainly lends insights into what we should eat, common sense often prevails. When in doubt, eat what you know to be healthful foods—unprocessed, unpackaged, and natural.

9 Reasons to Drink Green Tea Daily

 9 Reasons to Drink Green Tea Daily

Have you been wondering “what’s all the fuss about green tea?” Now you can stop wondering and start drinking…green tea, that is. This flavorful beverage offers many health benefits to anyone who drinks it regularly. Green tea contains a potent plant nutrient known as epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, for short. But don’t fret, you don’t have to keep track of its chemical name to reap the health benefits.

Here are 9 reasons to start drinking green tea or continue drinking it if you’re already hooked.

1. Green tea is a superb fat fighter. Its active ingredient, EGCG, increases the rate at which fat is burned in your body.

2. It targets belly fat. Research at Tufts University indicates that EGCG in green tea, like other catechins, activate fat-burning genes in the abdomen to speed weight loss by 77 percent.

21 Unbelievable Photographs of Mars

21 Unbelievable Photographs of Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from our Sun in the Solar System. Out of the various planets and moons in our Solar System, Mars perhaps bears the most similarity to Earth, featuring an atmosphere, polar ice caps, and remnants of tectonic activity on the planet’s surface. Mars has fascinated both astronomers and the general public for years, and has been the subject of countless movies and fiction works. Currently, several nations in the world are planning to send missions to Mars for exploration, and NASA’s Spirit Rover recently ended a 6 year exploration of the surface after becoming trapped in sand.

This post will feature 21 unbelievable photographs of Mars, captured by  telescopes and space probe.

10 Cancer Fighting Foods

10 Cancer Fighting Foods

 
In numerous studies following large groups of people, eating more vegetables and fruits has been linked to a lower risk of lung, oral, esophageal, stomach, and colon cancer. The thinking behind these results points to antioxidants and phytochemicals, natural compounds found in plants.
 

What are antioxidants? As described by the American Cancer Society (ACS), the body seems to use certain nutrients in vegetables and fruits to protect against damage to tissues that happens constantly as a result of normal metabolism (oxidation). Because such damage is linked with increased cancer risk, the antioxidant nutrients are thought to protect against cancer. Antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and many other phytochemicals (beneficial plant compounds).

Studies aside, it’s really a no-brainer. Eat real food, stay healthier. So now you’ve got not only a host of government programs telling you to eat your 5 to 9 servings of fruit and vegetables per day, you’ve got me hovering over your shoulder telling you to do the same! But I’ll go easy on you and offer up a few other plant-based suggestions as well. Here are ten super-duper cancer-fighting foods to add to your regime–these ten were chosen for their special cancer-kicking properties, as described on the Living Strong Living Well page of the Stanford School of Medicine Health Improvement Program.


1. Beans
Beans contain a number of phytochemicals, which have been shown to prevent or slow genetic damage to cells. While this makes beans beneficial for helping to reduce your risk of many types of cancer, specific research has suggested they are especially potent in preventing prostate cancer. As an added bonus, the high fiber content of beans has been connected with a lower risk of digestive cancers.

iPad Art - PICS

 iPad Art

 The iPad is not just a computing device, its a piece of art which can be used to create some more pieces of art as shown by these pictures !

Top 5 Vitamins That Protect Against Cancer

Top 5 Vitamins That Protect Against Cancer

 
The best way to beat cancer naturally is to adopt a lifestyle to prevent it. Healthy, nutrient-rich food is an essential part of any anti-cancer plan.  Here are my picks for the top 5 vitamins that help protect against cancer.

 

1. Beta carotene
This precursor of Vitamin A is found in most orange and green vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, and other leafy green vegetables.  An amazing nutrient, it has been shown in research to protect the lungs against toxins that are linked to lung cancer.
Another study found that ex-smokers who ate green and yellow vegetables high in beta carotene daily decreased their risk of stomach and lung cancer.

Facts About Orgasms - PICS

 Facts About Orgasms

No one knows for sure why we have orgasms but did you know that even dead people can orgasm !! Well read on for more crazy facts .

7 Ways to Prevent and Treat Back Pain

 7  Ways to Prevent and Treat Back Pain

 
As anyone who’s suffered it knows, it sucks to have back pain. But it doesn’t have to suck for your wallet.
Don’t get me wrong; a professional back massage every once in a blue moon is worth every cent and feels A-MAAAZING!  For the rest of the time, though, practice the following 7 tips to relieve your stiff back and neck, and to practice good habits to prevent future back pains in the future.

 

1. Sleep with more than one pillow to support your back. To minimize future back pain, be mindful of how you sleep. You will need one pillow for your head and neck support, and depending on how you sleep, another pillow to support the bottom half of your body. If you sleep on the side, put a regular-sized pillow or body pillow between your legs. If you sleep on your back, put a small pillow beneath the small of your back. If you sleep on your abdomen, put a small pillow under your pelvis and lower abdomen.

Most Over Rated Places to Have Sex

 Most Over Rated Places to Have Sex

1. Car:

This one makes no sense at all. People have sex in cars for one of four reasons:
1. They can’t do it in their parents house;
2. They’re cheating on someone;
3. They’re with a hooker;
4. They’re homeless.
None of these things are the least bit appealing, or something to which one should aspire. And it’s not like it’s even comfortable despite its trashiness: unless you’re in a Hummer (or getting one), you’ve got precious little room to maneuver, it gets unbelievably humid, and no matter what, somebody is going to pass your car and you’re going to look like a jackass. There’s really no upside (except for, you know, getting laid). Use only when completely desperate.

The 6 Keys to Winning at Weight Loss

The 6 Keys to Winning at Weight Loss

 
You know the weight-loss hookup? The one where you meet a hot diet, drop a jeans size, fall madly in love with your new body... and then, before you know it, wake up heavy-hearted, and just plain heavy—even more so than before?

It's a funny thing, but scientists are discovering that weight loss is a lot like marriage: To succeed, you've got to commit to a long-term relationship with a healthy lifestyle, avoid cheating, and hang on to whatever on earth made you get involved in the first place (let's not think about Al and Tipper right now). Experts talk about "motivation," but what is that? And how, if you're not Maria Sharapova, do you get your hands on some?

It's not about the bikini: You, rocking a sexy little suit, might be the vision that gets you off to Spinning class, but it probably won't keep you going through bad cramps and work problems, according to new research by Kelly Webber, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Kentucky's department of nutrition and food science. Trying to lose weight to get into a bikini is an example of "controlled" or external motivation (as is, say, your boyfriend wanting you to be thinner.) In one study, Webber found that women with high controlled motivation lost only 2 pounds in 16 weeks. Others, who were inspired by internal or personal reasons like wanting to be healthier or have more energy ("autonomous motivation"), lost 14 pounds. 

Tips For a Great First Date

 Tips For a Great First Date

You have landed a first date and are ready to go. Make sure you don't goof up here and to avoid any faux pas on that day, follow these simple tips.

Timing is key :

First things first, don't leave your date hanging around waiting for you. It will start the date off on a bad footing and may cause tension. If you're going to be late, make sure you let them know well in advance.


Dress to impress:

Every girl loves a man who's dressed to impress, so under no circumstances turn up in your work clothes or fancy dress. You may think it's hilarious but we can guarantee your date won't.

Cover up :

Women need to be just as careful about their clothing. If you're wearing a low-cut top then cover up your legs, or if you're wearing a high-neck top then wear a skirt and vice versa. As for make-up, there really is no need to smother yourself - the natural look is more appealing all round.


Try something new :

When it comes to dining out, if you haven't agreed a restaurant beforehand then it's always a good idea to let the lady choose. It shows you are interested in her choice of dining and are willing to try new things. Also, never go for a beer and a take-away. It would be most womens idea of hell.


Silent treatment :

Another bad habit is that people answer phone calls during conversation. So, the mobile phone should at least be on silent, ideally it should be switched off.


Don't get drunk :

Drinking on a first date is fine - dates can be nerve-wracking and it's a good way to relieve tension. That said, the worst thing you could possibly do is to get drunk and make a fool of yourself. It's a fine line to walk, so be careful and know your limits.




Safety all the way : On the way home why not offer to walk your date back to their car, bus or train stop. This shows them that you are enjoying their company and are concerned about their safety.

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Da Factopedia Homepage

22 Surprising Safety Hazards Around the Home And Garden

22 Surprising Safety Hazards Around the Home And Garden

 
June is National Safety Month. How safe are your home and garden?
You might be surprised to check out these surprising home safety hazards you may or may not be aware of in your home or garden:

 

1. Plastic packaging: Did you know that many lacerations and puncture wounds occur when people use kitchen knives to open hard plastic clamshell packages? In 2004, more than 6,400 people went to the emergency room for injuries resulting from plastic packaging. Source: CPSC

2. Flooding: Did you know flooding can cause indoor air quality problems in your home long after floodwaters have receded? Microorganisms in floodwaters may present a health hazard. These organisms can penetrate deep into soaked, porous materials and later be released into air, causing illness and allergic reactions when inhaled. Source: National Safety Council

3. Pools, spas, hot tubs: Did you know drowning is not the only common risk associated with swimming pools and hot tubs? One of the biggest risks associated with pools, spas, and hot tubs in homes is electrocution. Faulty underwater lighting, aging electrical wiring, sump pumps, power washers, and ungrounded vacuums are among the most prevalent causes, in addition to electrical appliances and extension cords that fall into the water. Source: CPSC

7 Ways to Shrink Your Belly With Food

7 Ways to Shrink Your Belly With Food

 
 Good news: If your midsection is feeling puffy, the reason may be bloat, not fat. Why is this good news? Because it’s a whole lot easier to de-puff, quickly, than it is to lose actual body fat, which takes more time. Try these food tips and you should be flatter, sexier, and fitting more comfortably into your clothes in less than a week.

 

1. Eat fiber-rich cereal
Why It Beats Bloat: Constipation distends your belly, and one easy way to get rid of it is by starting each morning with a breakfast cereal that guarantees your body a daily dose of fiber. This gets the digestive system moving within a day or so and keeps it that way. Based on a recent study of cereals, University of Toronto researchers say that consuming two kinds of fiber at once is most effective. The scientists found that participants had an easier time staying regular with a cereal that contained both insoluble fiber (from bran) and gel-like soluble fiber (from psyllium). The two types work together to pull water into your colon and speed up elimination, explains Joanne Slavin, PhD, a professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota. The result? You’ll look and feel lighter.

15 Jobs You Never Knew Existed

15 Jobs You Never Knew Existed

Odor tester

Think your job stinks? Try being an odor tester. These employees test the efficacy of deodorants and antiperspirants by sniffing subjects’ armpits. Thanks to all of their nosing around, we’re spared the results of faulty products.


IMAX Screen Cleaner

6 Best Ways to Keep Frozen Foods Fresh

 6 Best Ways to Keep Frozen Foods Fresh

 To keep frozen foods at their best, it is important to understand how to package and handle them before putting them in the freezer.

 

 1. Fresh Berries
To prevent fresh berries from turning to mush in the freezer, wash the fruit thoroughly, pat it dry, and place on a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer until the berries are frozen, then pack the berries in airtight containers. By freezing pieces of fruit individually, you can take out only what you need for recipes and return the rest to the freezer

9 Tips For a Happier And Healthier Life

9 Tips For a Happier And Healthier Life

 
If you want to be happy now and in the decades to come, follow these nine great tips for boosting your mood, living your best life and making the most of every moment. Try one—or all of them—today!

1. Live in the now

Sometimes it feels as if you can replay childhood memories like a movie, and these scenes take on more importance than other life events. Freud called such past moments "screen memories" because we tend to filter our lives through them. Even though these memories may appear as clear today as yesteryear, they keep you from letting go and moving forward. Instead of dwelling in the past, live for today.

6 Ways Diet Can Impact Your Brain

6 Ways Diet Can Impact Your Brain

 
Many of us have been affected by family members, friends or loved ones who suffer or have suffered from mental illness, learning or behavioral disorders, or memory loss. These conditions and illnesses affect us as much as they affect the patient or loved one who has them.  They take a toll on ourl happiness, can require a lot of time and money and can be debilitating to our relationships.  Without memory, without mental wellbeing, life just doesn’t seem to be as worthwhile as without it.

Diet, not only is important to our physical health, but it is important to our mental health.  Further, there is scientific evidence that a lot of these conditions may very well be preventable through diet. In an interview Dr. Alan Logan – author of The Brain Diet: The Connection Between Nutrition, Mental Health, and Intelligence - on the Healthy Living Show, discussed how diet correlates to brain function and health. According to Dr. Logan, leading health research clearly shows a direct link between the decline of healthy eating and the rise of mental disorders including ADHD, depression, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and more.:

 

1. Depression: A number of studies show that individuals with low blood folate levels are more likely to have depression relapse.  It is recommended that individuals who suffer from depression take 800 mcg of folic acid (as compared to 500 mcg for average adults) and 1.0 mg of Vitamin B12 in order to ward off and fight symptoms of depression. Additionally, plant based foods rich in purple pigments have been shown to maintain levels of “mood-enhancing” hormones around for a longer period of time.
   

6 Reasons Why You Should Quit Facebook

6 Reasons Why You Should Quit Facebook

Unless you’re new to the internet (and/or using a Hotmail e-mail address), you’re more than likely aware of the ongoing battle between Facebook and its users over privacy issues. Specifically, Facebook’s continually resetting privacy settings are pissing users off as they see their names and details strewn all over the internet.

Here are five reasons to join the other 12,000 sensible people who are quitting Facebook.

1. One day, you’ll be hauled into court for something stupid (should’ve used lime, man). Suddenly, the opposition throws up a projection screen, plugs in a laptop, and pulls up your Facebook account. Six hundred drunken photos and foot-in-mouth status updates later, you find yourself in a cement square as prison’s freshest hunk of meat.

7 Reasons to Grow Your Own Veggies

7 Reasons to Grow Your Own Veggies

Growing up, springtime often meant it was gardening season.  We never grew vegetables or fruit, but we definitely had our fair share of plantings, bushes, flowers and trees.  Given my parents’ passion for creating a beautifully landscaped property, I’m surprised we never embarked on the idea of a vegetable garden.  Although I don’t have my own outdoor space today, I yearn to grow a vegetable garden.  Here’s why:

1. Rewarding: When we create and grow things ourselves, there is a huge sense of accomplishment and pride that one feels.  It is much more gratifying to eat the food that you grow and raise yourself then if you buy it at a store.
   

6 Secrets of Getting Better Doctor Care

6 Secrets of Getting Better Doctor Care

 
By Michael F. Roizen, MD, and Mehmet C. Oz, MD

An insider's guide to getting the best medical treatment.

To be a smart patient, you can't be passive; you need to be a first-rate Sherlock Holmes. Like Holmes, smart patients ask intelligent questions and have the instincts (and guts) to politely challenge things they don't understand. They don't need to know the most esoteric medical details, but they need to put at least as much effort into finding out the basics about their health as they did in getting the driving directions to our office. Ultimately, you are the person most responsible for the success of your health. Here, what great doctors know that great patients can learn.
 
1. Get your stories straight. Bring your spouse or partner to your doctor's appointment when you're giving your health history or describing a problem; there are a lot of questions that only a partner can answer (such as how many times an hour you stop breathing while asleep). But beware the doc's sixth sense. When you tell us that you rarely tear into the Pringles after 8 p.m. or that you've been taking your cholesterol-lowering drugs with the discipline of a Marine, your spouse will shoot you (or us) a look that says, "Are you kidding me?" We never miss it. And hey, sometimes your spouse wants to blow your cover. It's called love. But if you try to snow us, we might try to trip you up. For example, we'll ask if you're fit enough to climb three flights of stairs. You'll say yes, unless you're over 85 or bedbound. Then we'll ask, "When was the last time you climbed three flights?" You'll say "Maybe a month... " and your spouse will send a look that says, "You haven't climbed three flights of stairs since we voted for Ike."