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Some of these tips you may have guessed, while other could be new!
Practice Being Positive. Agree with a friend that for one week, neither of you will complain, but rather focus on the good things in your lives. You may find it hard, and at the beginning you can expect quite a bit of silence, but you’ll notice that focusing on the positive will make you feel better. Not to mention the fact that you’ll build a stronger immune system, and in the long run, will catch less colds! Remember, your life-cup is half full, not half empty.
Live With Your Eyes Wide Open. Color equals life. Breathe in the shades of the mountains and sky, landscape and cityscape. Know the sounds of leaves rustling, waves crashing, the smell of soil, the texture of bark. Create joy wherever you are – tell jokes, dress colorfully, pick flowers, or just leave them to grow. Love every minute.
Push by Chamomile. You may already know the calming effects of chamomile tea, though have you sipped on a steaming cup of passionflower, lavender, licorice, or even catnip tea? They all work well to r-e-l-a-x you. To get the benefits of herbs use loose tea (1 teaspoon per cup of hot water) or tea bags, and steep for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!
On the Move. In as little as 15 minutes, you can have more energy and a greater sense of calm, with a simple short stroll. Researches at Iowa State University, Ames, asked 20 men and women, (average age being 53), to walk on a treadmill for 15 minutes. Participants answered questionnaires before, during and after walking. After each 15-minutes walk, participants reported feeling more energetic, calmer and in a better mood.
Bonus: Walking helps to reduce body weight, lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Grab your shoes and head out for a stroll, skip or pump some weights!
Let Your Ears Move You. Music will encourage you to exercise and will increase your pleasure while doing the activity of your choice. More then just a motivator, music will bust away your blues, improve your mood and self esteem. With your move elevated, and a new healthy self esteem, your energy will rise, giving you the feeling of exercising and going about your day with less effort.
Have Better Sex. Because of stress, poor nutrition and aging, many women and men find their desire for sex taking second place to their new interest in sleeping more often. The main cause of diminished libido is low hormone levels, according to Cynthia Watson, M.D. author of Love Potions: A Guide to Aphrodisiacs and Sexual Pleasures. Poor nutrition and stress can cause a drop in hormones, and for women, following menopause the ovaries no longer produce hormones. A loss of desire should never be accepted as inevitable, however, says Watson. “Sexual vitality is about more then just having good sex. It’s about how you approach life. It’s about being excited, and vital and taking part,” she says.
Expert Advice: For women, the balance between estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, determines their degree of sexual desire. Good nutrition, supplemented with a quality multivitamin, combined with stress reduction, can help maintain that balance.
Natural Support: Watson suggests these three aphrodisiacs: Organic Maca Root (1,000 mg to 6 gm daily) to raise hormone levels and improve vitality, and Siberian Ginseng (250 mg twice daily of an extract for eleutherosides) to aid in hormone production. Arginine (1 to 5 gm daily in divided doses) is an amino acid and key source of nitric oxide, a potent blood vessel dilator. Warning – if you have herpies, do not take Arginine, and refrain from foods high in arginine,…but that’s another article!
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