10 Foods for Gorgeous Hair

Taken from Real Beauty

One secret to getting luscious locks? Your diet, says nutritionist Dana James. Nibbling on nutrient-rich goodies stimulates the hair's proteins, nourishes and protects its fibers, and increases circulation to its follicles. Here are the best things you can eat for healthier, stronger, and shinier strands. Bonus: These foods help lashes and nails, too.

 BY DANA JAMES 

OLIVES

Olives are rich in vitamin E, which increases blood flow to the hair follicles and stimulates growth and vitality. The oil in olives keeps hair soft and flexible. Eating olives can also decrease split ends and reconstruct the hair fiber to prevent dryness and breakages. Unfortunately, those few olives at the bottom of a martini do not count.

Easy meal ideas: Snack on olives, add olives to a kale salad, or make an olive tapenade and serve it with vegetables crudités.

RED CABBAGE

What do blueberries and red cabbage have in common? Anthocyanins. This pigment keeps hair strong by helping to reduce damage caused by exposure to the sun and environmental chemicals, including abrasive shampoos.

Easy meal ideas: Put together a red cabbage and carrot salad with sunflower seeds, toss red cabbage into a kale and avocado salad or add it to wok-tossed vegetables.

Brown Rice

Brown rice is highly concentrated in biotin, a B vitamin that helps improve the elasticity of hair and reduces brittleness. Eating brown rice also nourishes the hair follicle and stimulates hair cell renewal, which leads to thicker strands.

Easy meal ideas: Add brown rice to wok-tossed vegetables, make chicken and vegetable soup with brown rice, or toss brown rice through a kale salad.

SWISS CHARD

The magnesium, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and sulfur in Swiss chard pack a powerful punch, activating the production of keratin, elastin, and collagen. This makes hair resilient, glossy, and less likely to tangle. (And nurtures eyelashes and nails, as well!)

Easy meal ideas: Sauté Swiss chard with olive oil, garlic, and chili flakes or shiitake mushrooms, followed with a sprinkling of lemon zest; toss cooked Swiss chard with dried apricots and sunflower seeds.

CHIA SEEDS

Chia seeds contain omega-3 fats, which improve the integrity of elastin and keratin, creating thick, voluminous tresses. The fats also nourish the scalp boosting shine.

Easy meal ideas: Make a chia seed pudding with poached pears, cardamom, and cinnamon or whip up a batch of cacao maca trufflesand add chia seeds.

 

 

ORGANIC EGGS

These are high in zinc, sulfur, and choline — all nutrients that help bring out the best in your hair. Zinc regulates the oil production in the follicles, sulfur strengthens the fibers, and choline improves flexibility, which decreases the likelihood of spilt ends.

Easy meal ideas: Hard-boil eggs, slice and serve over arugula; fry in coconut oil and toss in turmeric or make a frittata of vegetables.

FIGS

Figs are rich in iron, which improves circulation and stimulates hair regrowth. Iron deficiency is one of the most common reasons for hair loss and eating foods rich in iron, like figs, have been shown to also improve strength and fullness.

Easy meal ideas: Serve figs with Greek yogurt, or toss them in greens.

PINK GRAPEFRUIT

This fruit is highly concentrated in vitamin C — essential for synthesizing collagen (key to protecting and nourishing hair). What happens if you have a lack of vitamin C in your diet? Dull, lank hair. The other result? Short eyelashes. 

Easy meal ideas: Dip pink grapefruit in coconut sugar and have it as a snack, toss it into a watercress and avocado salad or add it to a citrus fruit salad with cinnamon and golden raisins.

KALE

Kale is rich in magnesium and carotenoids, phytochemicals that prevent degradation to the cells that make up hair fibers. The result? Shiny, happy hair.

Easy meal ideas: Add kale to an almond milk, banana, and cinnamon smoothie; make a raw kale salad with avocado and red cabbage or add kale to a green vegetable juice.

Use  the vudu organic shampoo from Blackbox Cosmetics  check it out here! 

      

      

 

   

  

 

BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches

Healthy vegetarian recipe

from the blue Apron

• serves 2
• 1 Large Russet Potato
• ½ Cup Barbecue Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
• 1 Lemon
• 8 Ounce Package Tempeh
• 1 Head Broccoli
• 1 Large Bunch Cilantro
• 1 Red Onion
• 1 Tablespoon Herbes de Provence
• 2 Potato Rolls
• Prepare your ingredients:
  Preheat the oven to 500°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Thinly slice the tempeh on an angle. Cut the broccoli into florets. Roughly chop the cilantro. Cut the potato in half lengthwise, then cut each half lengthwise into quarters to make 8 wedges. Peel and thinly slice the red onion.
  Make the potato wedges:
  In a medium bowl, combine the potato wedges,about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the herbes de Provence, and plenty of salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then transfer them to a lightly oiled baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes.
  Roast the broccoli:
  While the potato wedges roast, drizzle the broccoliwith about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer the broccoli to the baking sheet with the potatoes. Roast them together for 8 to 10 minutes (about 25 minutes total for the potatoes), or until the broccoli is browned and the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork.
  Cook the tempeh:
  While the potato wedges and broccoli roast, heat a little olive oil in a medium pan on high until hot. Add the sliced tempeh in a single layer, and cook about 2 minutes per side, or until browned. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the onion. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in the brown sugar, barbecue sauce, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  Toast the rolls:
  Lightly drizzle the insides of the potato rolls with olive oil. Place the rolls directly on the oven rack to toast for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until lightly browned. (Keep a close eye on them, they can burn quickly.)
  Plate your dish:
  Place a toasted potato roll on each of 2 plates. Spoon half the barbecue tempeh mixture over the bottom halves of each of the potato rolls. Top the tempeh with the cilantro and then the top halves of the rolls. Divide the potato wedges and roasted broccoli between the plates. Garnish with lemonwedges. Enjoy!

10 Bizarre Things that Happen While You Sleep

By Jane Bianchi 
Sleep-such a peaceful word, isn't it? It evokes images of closed eyes, slow breathing, dreamsand relaxation. But while you're dozing, your body's systems are doing lots of crazy things that will blow your mind. Don't worry: They're all normal. Still, you may never think of hitting the hay the same way after reading this. Photo by Getty Images. 
1.Your body temperature drops. 
Just before you fall asleep, your core body temperature begins to decrease, says Michael Breus, PhD, a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist in Scottsdale, AZ, and author of The Sleep Doctor's Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep. This drop signals to your brain to release melatonin, which affects your circadian rhythm (or sleep/wake cycle) and tells your body it's time for bed. Your temperature is lowest around 2:30 A.M., so if you're able to, program your thermostat to rise one degree at that time for an hour or two. Otherwise, you may find yourself stealing your spouse's covers for extra warmth. 

Related: 20 Simple Ways To Burn More Fat
2.You lose weight. One reason you should always step on a scale in the morning, not in the evening: You lose water through perspiring and breathing out humid air during the night, according to Dr. Breus. This happens during the day too, but eating and drinking while you're awake negates any weight loss. If you're sleeping just four or five hours per night, you could be canceling out whatever smart diet and exercise choices you're making during the day. To whittle your waistline, get at least seven hours of sleep per night. 

3.You get taller. You won't exactly wake up feeling like the Jolly Green Giant, but you do gain height while you sleep. "The discs in your spine that act as cushions between the bones rehydrate and get bigger because the weight of your body isn't pressing down on them, like it is when you're standing," says Dr. Breus. "If you have a firm mattress, sleeping on your side in the fetal position may be best for getting taller because it decreases the load on your back." 

Related: 6 Foods That Cure Stomach Aches
4. Your blood pressure and heart rate decrease. 
When you're resting, your body doesn't need to work as hard or pump as much blood, so these systems slow down. Blood pressure needs to dip at night so your cardiac muscle and circulatory system have time to relax and repair, says Dr. Breus. It's especially important for people with high blood pressure to get at least seven hours of sleep to experience that temporary drop-it reduces the risk for heart disease. And if you have sleep apnea, get treatment right away because that condition can increase nighttime blood pressure, says Dr. Breus. 

5. Your muscles are temporarily paralyzed. 
Sounds scary, but it's actually what keeps you from acting out your dreams, says Lisa Shives, MD, an internist and sleep medicine specialist in Evanston, IL, and the medical expert for SleepBetter.org. Comedian Mike Birbiglia, the writer and star of the film Sleepwalk With Me, has a rare condition called REM Behavior Disorder. In his performances, he shares how dangerous it can be to do whatever weird thing is going on in your head in the middle of the night. So this is one type of paralysis you want. 

6. Your eyes twitch. 
During REM (aka rapid eye movement) sleep, your eyes dart from side to side, not that scientists know why exactly. Dreams occur during REM sleep, so it can be disconcerting to wake up during this deep-not light-sleep stage. You might feel most refreshed if you wake up right after you cycle through all the sleep stages, with REM occurring toward the end. Though it varies from person to person, one sleep cycle usually lasts 90 minutes, so try sleeping in intervals of 90 minutes. For example, you may find it easier to awaken after sleeping for 7.5 hours (five cycles) than after 8 hours (5⅓ cycles). 

Related: 8 Surprising Foods To Eat For Gorgeous Skin
7. You get sexually aroused. 
Just as men get erections during REM sleep, women become sexually stimulated then, too. And no, it's not tied to whether you're having that Brad Pitt dream again. Your brain is more active during REM sleep (since you're dreaming), so it requires more oxygen-as a result, blood flow all over the body increases. "There is natural clitoral engorgement because blood rushes to that area and causes swelling," says Dr. Shives. Does that make you more likely to orgasm if you engage in middle-of-the-night nooky? Scientists aren't sure, but go ahead and experiment! 

8. You're more likely to have gas. 
You won't be happy to hear this, but during the night, your anal sphincter muscles loosen slightly, making it easier to let out a toot or two. Luckily, your sense of smell (and your spouse's) are reduced while you sleep-that's why fire alarms were invented, because it's hard to smell smoke while you're snoozing. So even if you experience flatulence, rest assured: Nobody is likely to notice. 

9. You may have a full-body spasm. 
"As people fall asleep, many of them experience a full-body jerk, and it's totally normal," says Dr. Shives. As many as 70% of people experience this phenomenon in which muscles suddenly contract (the technical name for it is "hypnic jerk"). Some experts think that these spasms may have to do with anxiety and/or an irregular sleep schedule, while others think they're unavoidable. So if you like to snuggle with your spouse as you wind down in bed, be sure to pry yourselves apart before you're both out cold, or else you may accidentally shake each other awake. 

10. Collagen production in your skin increases. 
Collagen is a protein that strengthens blood vessels and gives skin its elasticity. When you're asleep, you're in a fasting state, so growth hormone is released to tell your fat cells to release energy stores-as it turns out, growth hormone also stimulates collagen growth. "Since collagen production spikes while you sleep, moisturizing facial creams that contain retinols and retinoids are best to use before bed because these products boost collagen turnover, combat pigment problems and fight fine lines and wrinkles," says Melanie Palm, MD, a dermatologist in Solana Beach, CA, an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Diego, and a staff physician at Scripps Encinitas Memorial Hospital. 

A Guide to homemade tea bags — plus a couple recipes to get started.

Check out this simple guide to homemade tea bags — plus a couple recipes to get started.

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A cup of tea can sometimes cost the same as coffee in local shops, cafes and restaurants, but tea is simply herbs and hot water. Tea bags alone will hike up a grocery store visit. Not anymore! Here’s a simple guide to crafting your own versions with a couple recipes to get started.

What You’ll NeedScissors
Coffee filter
Stapler*
1 tablespoon of tea
* The bags can also be sewn shut by stitching the edges with a piece of thread.

Instructions1. Cut frilly edges off one coffee filter
2. Trim circle that remains into a square
3. Fold square in half
4. Staple or sew the sides leaving one edge open
5. Insert a tablespoon of tea
6. Seal with another couple staples

Tip: Make a quick tea diffuser if you’re short on time. Place loose tea in the center of a coffee filter, and secure the filter edges around the cup with twine or ribbon.

Batch Tip: To make a large quantity of hot tea, simply brew loose tea in a coffee maker like you would with coffee. Once you’ve got the hang of making your own tea bags, feel free to get creative — you might even come up with a special blend yourself! Try one of these out for starters:

Ginger Tea

Ingredients (Makes 1 cup)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled
1 1/2 inches orange peel
1 pinch of turmeric

Instructions1. Place ingredients in a homemade tea bag, then steep in hot water until desired strength is achieved.

Spiced Tea

Ingredients (Makes 1 cup)
1 nutmeg bulb
2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon of honey
1 cinnamon stick (for garnish)

Instructions1. Place nutmeg and cloves in a homemade tea bag, then steep in hot water and honey until desired strength is achieved
2. Garnish with a cinnamon stick

Tip: Grow your own tea herbs with an indoor herbal tea garden!

What kind of tea are you planning to make? Or are you already a tea fanatic and making it already? Either way, let us know in the comments section below!
COFFEE RECIPE HERE

Stop Aging with Coffee

New research shows that coffee has major youth-boosting benefits

from Women's World

1. It lengthens your life!  Says National Cancer Institute,people who drink 3-4 cups of coffee a day are 15% less likely to die from any cause. Hard to believe right? Regular as well as decaf  contain 1,000's of  natural compounds , including powerful polyphenols  which have countless health benefits, according to nutritionist Jennifer Neily R.D.N. 

2. It blocks disease! Coffee lovers are less likely to get type 2 diabetes, and some cancers! coffee's antioxidants may play a part in decreasing cancer cells. this said by Kelly O'Connor R.D.from Baltimore mercy medical Center.

3. It keeps you sharp! Downing a cup before a meeting will rev your brainpower for 45 minutes, recent study's have  reveals this. Drink it on a daily basis and university of Miami researchers say yo'll reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease.

4. It protects your heart! study's done on over 130,000 people found folks who sip several cups a day are less likely to die of heart disease than those who don't.
 Hey and skip the percolator and french press  coffee: filtered coffee lower "bad"  cholesterol 

story by Camille Pagan 

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Cheers To Our Good Health

Wine's Amazing Secret: Resveratrol

from first for women 




Here is just a few benefits of wine,
1 Increases energy.by activating  the energy producing  cells called mitochondria, a study in the journal cell found that higher resveratrol  intakes increased subject's stamina and endurance during physical tasks by 180 percent.
2 A daily dose of sangria can reduce the formation of new fat tissue up to 80%, Purdue University study and  reports wine's resveratrol produces a metabolic by-product that blocks receptors on immature fat cells, preventing them from taking in fat and growing or maturing.
3 Soothes inflammation,  the Phytonutrient activates a key gene called SIRTI this suppresses production of pro-inflammatory proteins, from a study at Harvard medical. This  in turn reduces cellular inflammation known to cause weight gain, diabetes and heart disease.

Three Sangria recipes that will help you look and feel Great!  cheers to better health!

Sparking Apple Surprise  The vitamin A in peaches boosts immunitys
1 Bottle red moscato, like Gallo
2 Fuji apples,sliced
1 Lime,sliced
1 Peeled mango, sliced
1 Pear,sliced
2 Cups sparkling lime water, chilled
In a pitcher, mix first 5 ingredients. Chill over night for best favor.Add sparkling water just before serving.
Makes 6 servings

Ruby Red Rendezous  The pectin in grapefruit lowers" bad" LDL cholestleral 
1 Bottle Chianti, like Carlo Rossi
2 Granny Smith apples,sliced
1 Red grapefruit, sliced
2 Cups sparkling apple cider, chilled
In large pitcher,combine all ingredients except the sparkling apple cider.Chill over night for best favor flavor. Add sparkling cider just before serving.
Makes 6 servings

Orange Peach Zen-gria  The quercetin in apples balances blood surgar
1 Bottle Pinot noir like Robert Mondavi
2 Peaches, sliced
1 Lemon,sliced
1 Orange, sliced
1 Cup strawberries
1/4 Cup sugar or agave nectar
1/4 Cup peach liquor
In large pitcher, combine all ingredients, chill over nigh for best flavor.
Makes 6 servings


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Did you know That Greek olive oil is 300 times healthier

It's Being Called The fountain of Youth!

Most of us know the benefits of olive oil, smoother skin, a sharper brain etc.

Recent research now has revealed that the less processed Olive oil  from Greece has  up to 300% more antioxidants and polyphenols! 

press from olives grown in volcanic, nutrient-rich soil, will have  high levels of oleocanthal, a substance  that can protect cells from age-related damage and slows wrinkling and memory loss. will also lower your risk of arthritis,cancer,osteoprosis and alzheimer's

What it Says on the Label

To be assured of excellent quality Greek olive oil, read the label. It should be clearly marked "Extra Virgin Olive Oil," and acidity levels will be at or below 0.8 percent. Look for the area or region where the oil was produced, and verify that it is, indeed, from Greece.