Healing Flowers to Grow in Your Garden

Can you imagine yourself swinging outside your lawn smelling the sweet scent of the blossoms that are vividly blooming? Isn't calming? Simply seeing and getting a whiff of flowers will give you calmness-- a spiritual healing.
Across history and cultures, we have witnessed how flowers are used for medicinal design. You know what's the best thing? These gifts from Mother Nature can easily be grown in your garden. Indulge in the wonderful activity of gardening with these invigorating blossoms.
Calendula
These flowers come mostly in yellow and orange. Ironically, the fire-colored blooms help in healing. Cream created from brightly colored calendulas is perfect for treating skin burns and wounds. A plus to this flower is that it is also edible. It will give your salad a kick with its spicy and zesty flavors.
When growing calendulas, they prefer a cooler atmosphere. You can care for them indoors. But, always remember that any plant requires the sun for nourishment. It is advised that you place them where they get enough sun and shade.
Dandelion
From its roots to its leaves, dandelions are used to cure various ailments. A round of applause to Mother Nature for creating such wonderful plant. Ancient people use the leaves for curing illnesses. These are perfect for problems with kidneys, gallbladders, and skin among many other ailments. Herbal healers use the roots for detoxification. Surprisingly, it can cure your hangovers. You should probably stack-up on these roots or better yet grow it in your backyard.
The dandelions are very adaptive to its environment. It can grow in almost anywhere! These vigorous flowers can also thrive in the summer and winter. You should prepare a well-fertilized and drained soil to grow healthy flowers that could last.
Lotus
You guessed it right. The lotus came from China (as it is known) and some parts of Asia. It has been a used as a traditional healing plant. Say goodbye to diarrhea, high blood sugar, and cholesterol. Like dandelions, the lotus' roots promotes healing. It is used to cure upset tummies.
Despite growing in the mud, the lotus flower is tantalizing and even aromatic. The roots are deep into the mud while the leaves and flowers are above water. Growing lotus is an exciting change of gardening technique that will challenge your green thumbs.
Peonies
A bouquet of flowers made from peonies is a wonderful gift. But, a cup of peony tea is the bomb! The roots may help with menstrual cramps and muscle pains. These flowers are not only pretty but, they are truly relaxing as it relieves you from bodily pains. Peonies are beauty and value grown in magnificent blooms.
You can grow peonies in your garden during the spring or fall season. These blooms require colder weather to grow healthy. They can be nourished in the garden or in pots. Be sure to water them regularly.
Allow yourself the relaxation that you need in this mad world we live in. Go and have fun growing them!

Quitting Smoking Can Improve Your Sex Life

Did you know that quitting tobacco not only makes you healthier? It seems that it can also improve your sex life. Yes, really! How? Well for starters you get more attractive and able to have better chance to have someone in the sack with at the end of the day. So how does quitting can make your sex life rocking. Here are some reasons why it is best to quit today and have someone on your bed in the morning.
It makes you attractive
Have you experienced being told that you look older than you actually are? If you smoke then it is a possibility. You see smoking accelerates the aging process. The free radicals in tobacco smoke can destroy the elastin and the collagen in the skin. This makes the skin less elastic as it should be. This is where the fine lines and the wrinkles begin to appear making you older than you should. Unless the babes go for a father figure, it is best to keep your skin age at the same range as your chronological age for better chances of having someone in the sack.
It improves the blood flow
When it comes to erections, blood flow is all there is to know. Without proper blood flow it is impossible to have a sturdy and sustained erection. Smoking is notorious in causing malfunctions in the body. The carbon monoxide that is contained in cigarette smoke causes the blood to be less potent and it prevents the oxygen from attaching properly to be distributed by the blood in all parts of the body. The veins and the arteries get less efficient causing a steady decline in the quality of the blood flow. So, if you want to sex up your partner for the night it is best to take a long hard look at your blood flow because that is the only thing that matters.
It improves your breath
It is obvious that you may get some a kiss or two from your partner. That is why you need to freshen up that breath. But can you be confident to kiss someone with that cigarette mouth that is like potty? We're sure you know where this is heading. Tobacco smoke increases the bacteria count in the mouth due to the warm smoke. If oral hygiene is not properly maintained, it can lead to halitosis which is something that could surely ruin a romantic night out.
It can make you stronger
Quitting tobacco will make you a more potent person. You are less likely to get exhausted faster because the cardiopulmonary system is able to get more oxygen and pump it to areas that need it. This way it improves your stamina enough to provide satisfaction to both parties.
Sex is an essential part of life. Smokers usually get the raw end of the deal and for good reason. People hate smokers and they are not that attractive anymore (sorry Marlboro Man). It is best to finally hit the wall and quit as it can give you tremendous benefit when you are hitting the sack with someone.
Thanks for reading.

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The Secret Guide To Get Your Best Night's Sleep

Sleep - it seems as if you can never get enough. You go to wake up tired, go through your day tired and fall into your bed tired, only to lay there, zillions of thoughts about your day zipping through your mind. When will you ever get a good night's rest? Is it just you?
No, you're not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 50 to 70 million adults have problems with sleep; they add that inadequate sleep is "a public health problem." Lack of sleep, or inadequate sleep (sleep that is not deep), can lead to:

• Falling asleep at the wheel, even during daylight hours
• Difficulty performing daily tasks
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Obesity
• Reduced quality of life and productivity

It's no wonder chronic lack of sleep, with its accompanying problems and illnesses, is a real concern.
How much sleep do you need?
The amount of sleep you need changes as you age. The national institutes of health (NIH) recommends children, including teenagers, need between nine and 10 hours of sleep each night; adults need between seven and eight hours. Yet most adults are getting less than six hours of sleep and high school children less than eight.
Obviously, you'll need more sleep if you are stressed, either physically or emotionally. A stressful job, the flu, surgery or family issues are all reasons to add extra hours of sleep to your day. However, those are also reasons why you're not getting good, quality sleep with an average of seven or eight hours each night.
The bedtime routine
Experts agree - the best way to get a good night's sleep is to have a set bedtime routine; you have one for your kids, why shouldn't you have one yourself? The National Sleep Foundation has a list of tips and tricks to getting regular, quality sleep:

• Eat your biggest meal at lunchtime. Eating a heavy meal in the evening, especially later in the evening, can keep your system awake and active, leading to gastric reflux, heartburn and nausea.


• Skip the alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes at night. Obviously, both alcohol and cigarettes have health complications of their own. Caffeine and cigarettes are stimulants, which will fool the sleep receptors in your brain into thinking you have more hours to be awake. Alcohol may help you go to sleep, but the result is bad-quality sleep; long-term alcohol before bed leads to a vicious cycle of needing more sleep without being refreshed by it, leading to more drinking.


• Have a wind-down routine. Get into the habit of winding down the same way every night. Listen to quiet music or enjoy some silence. Read, take a warm shower, do whatever it takes to get yourself into a more sleep-ready frame of mind. Jerri, a single mother of three from Oregon, says she has a routine of reading to each of her children every night after their baths, starting with the youngest; this helps her wind down, because she's snuggling her kids, reading and relaxing them, which relaxes her. Once they're in bed, Jerri takes a warm shower, sprays some lavender on her pillows and gets into bed to read. She says, "Most nights, when I follow this routine, I'm asleep within 30 minute and wake ready to take on the next day."


• Exercise. You don't have to run marathons every day for exercise to help you sleep. Ben, a New York financial planner, says, "Just before it's bedtime, my wife and I take our dog for a leisurely walk around the neighborhood. Even in the winter. The nightly walk gives us time to talk, laugh and reconnect after our hectic days."


• Cool down. Surprisingly, the best temperature for sleep is between 60 and 67 degrees; most sleep with the bedroom temperature above 70. Your body cools in the evenings, signaling other areas of your brain that it's time to sleep. Keep the bedroom cooler and adding a blanket or two will ensure the best environment for sleep.


• Opt for comfortable bedding. Bedding plays important role in the kind of sleep you are going to get. While the comfortable bedding can ensure you the smooth sleep throughout the night, on other hand, an uncomfortable bedding will keep you awake throughout the night. While buying designer flat sheets, you must keep comfort your topmost priority. Cotton flat sheets are one of the most comfortable, though it works on simple principle, the more thread count is, the smoother you will sleep.


• Turn off the lights and the noise. George, a Michigan teacher, said he couldn't sleep unless the TV was on which is why George has had chronic sleep problems. The problem was that he needed sound to keep his brain from swirling thoughts around, keeping him awake. When he went for a sleep study. George's doctor suggested turning off the lights and the TV at a set time every night and using a sleep-inducing app on his phone, with ambient sound, like a fan or a rainstorm. Julie, a firefighter in Texas, uses a box fan and ear plugs to keep the noise out.

Sleep is one of the basic necessities to maintain a healthy life. Set yourself up for the best night's sleep by planning ahead, relaxing and putting the lights out.

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Benefits of a Fruit and Vegetable Diet Plan

People have always assumed a diet high in fruits and vegetables was essential to losing weight because they help curb your snacking habits. However, there are many more benefits to eating fruits and vegetables besides just to curb your appetite and lose weight. If you opt for a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables—preferably organic–, then you are sure to reap several benefits.
Helps Prevent Weight Gain
Excessive weight gain is prevalent in our society because more people than ever are consuming foods high in fats and low in vital nutrients. However, If people decided to eat more foods with essential nutrients like fruits and vegetables, they would be able to avoid the unnecessary weight gain that comes from empty calories. Avoiding empty calories would also allow the body to start functioning at an optimum level because it would be getting the needed nutrients.
More Health Benefits
When the body is receiving the essential nutrients, it tends to work better at warding off illnesses and other deadly diseases. As long as you incorporate a 50% fruit and 50% vegetable regimen into your diet, you will be able to change the cycle of having commonly widespread diseases such as cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and many others.
Immune System Upgrade
Because the immune system is important in protecting the body from unhealthy substances, it is considered to be the body’s primary defense mechanism. However, if not properly nourished, the immune system will not help the body rid itself of harmful bacteria and viruses. Therefore, it is important to eat raw fruits and vegetables or fruits cooked at temperatures no higher than 115 degrees to receive the maximum amount of nutrients available. It is also preferable to eat organic fruits and vegetables because they tend to have the least chemicals added and fewer nutrients removed from these types of foods.
Self-esteem Boost
Most people do not realize there is an association between increased positive self-esteem and eating fruits and vegetables. When people do not get the proper nutrients, they tend to be sluggish physically and mentally. The opposite happens when people get the proper nutrients. The body acting at its optimum level tends to make you have an overall good feeling, which in turn gives you a positive self-image.
Energize Yourself
Eating fruits and vegetables, combined with the appropriate exercise allows the body to produce extra energy to use throughout the day. Make sure you do not overdo it with eating mostly fruits because that would cause the body to stop wanting to burn fat. So much time as they are equal, you should have an efficient diet that will give you extended energy. This type of diet also means that you will be able to succeed in doing more things throughout the day and feel better getting them done.
An equalized diet of fresh fruits and vegetables is not only useful for losing weight, but it is also helpful to our overall health. If more people transformed their diet to include more fruits and vegetables, then the obesity epidemic and the increasing illnesses that are accompanying society’s general unhealthy eating habits.

How to Increase Energy and Productivity in 4 Steps

Everyone wants to know how to increase energy and productivity, but there aren't many of us willing to do what it takes to achieve it. Most of us would simply like for someone to hand us a magic elixir that says, "drink this" (insert energy drink of choice here) and call her good. Nope, that is not the way to get the results I'm guessing you're looking for if you are reading this article.
Here are 4 key steps to increasing your energy and productivity throughout your day.
GET PLENTY OF SLEEP:
Well heck, you say... that's a no brainer, you say. Sure, everyone knows you should get plenty of sleep, but how many of us actually make it a priority to get the rest we need to be productive and energetic the next day?
Your body requires 7-8 hours a night for you to be your most effective self the next day. Sleep reduces cortisol levels which kills energy and makes you better able to handle stress. It also reduces depression caused by lack of rest. Sleep clears toxins from your brain and gives you better cognitive abilities, such as better decision making, reasoning and deduction capabilities, as well as better short term memory recall.
EXERCISE:
Yes, you do have time to exercise. Make it a priority. I find the best time to exercise is first thing in the morning, rather than waiting until you get home from work when the last thing you want to do is exercise. You don't even need to go to the gym, you can do a 25-30 minute workout at home at least 3-5 times a week.
Exercise increases your energy levels and increases your feel good hormones, serotonin and dopamine, which in turn decreases depression. Exercise increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain which is very important for healthy brain function and regeneration of brain cells. As you grow older your brain mass decreases and exercise can actually reverse that and increase brain mass by generating new brain cells. And of course, the more oxygen and brain cell regeneration your brain has, the better reasoning, decision making and memory recall abilities you have.
QUIET TIME:
It is very important to take time to just be silent. Turn off the television, take your head phones off, find a private spot and just let your mind drift. You will be surprised at the amazing restorative calm this practice gives you, if you have never tried it.
Take time everyday to try this essential restorative technique. Silent time releases tension in your body and reduces cortisol levels. It restores your brains ability to focus and concentrate and to make decisions. Taking time to be silent can actually regenerate brain cells. When you give your mind the opportunity to rest from the noise and to just drift, you'll discover that this can be the time when you have ah ha moments and when you get your best creative ideas.
DITCH THE COFFEE:
Whaaaaat, you say?! Before you circle the wagons, hear me out. Coffee is a roller coaster of highs and lows and after time you find you may drink it all day long just to keep you going. It affects your ability to focus and concentrate and your mind will hop around from thought to unrelated thought.
Coffee causes anxiety. The caffeine increases your cortisol levels and blood pressure, which increases stress and kills energy levels. And then what? You need more coffee right?
Try taking Ashwaghanda, an adaptogenic herb that increases energy levels naturally and gives you focus and balances hormone levels. Take Siberian Ginseng which is also an adaptogenic herb which helps to increase energy, focus and concentration and helps to reduce stress.
A final thought, (which really leads to another article) do you have a purpose or a plan? No? When you don't have a plan for your day or a purpose for your life, your day and your life tends to plan you, which leaves you unproductive, fatigued, depressed and ultimately, unfulfilled.
Feel free to comment if confused about any of these steps taken