Sometimes it’s not only how much you eat, it’s what you eat. It’s not how long you want to live, but the quality of your life and the health you desire.

I mean… What’s the point of having (or wishing for) longevity if you can’t enjoy it in good health, right?

Although it may be a good idea to have Echinacea (good for enhancing bodys immune system) or Glucosamine Sulphate (about the only non-prescriptive kind of supplement that encourages growth of thinning bone joints) in your dietery plans, without relying on a thousand and one supplements, here’s 8 rare tips that will greatly enhance your health and boost your efforts in maintaining your optimal weight (can help in slimming too!):

1. Surprisingly, coconut oil is the only kind of oil in the world that is scientifically proven to be non-carcinogenic (NOT cancer-causing) as compared to oil from peanuts, safflower, sunflower, canola, olive and soya beans.

Coconut oil may smell sweet when used for cooking but it does not give any sweet flavour when you use it for savoury dishes.

Many “fatty” dishes like curry uses coconut oil, but the real cause of “fat” is in the over-consumption of starchy potatoes. An excess of starch (carbohydrates) is stored as fat and cellulite in our bodies!

Look for coconut oil that has not been heat-treated (so its nutrients are preserved).

And when you are at the beach, have some fresh and natural coconut drink straight from breaking its tough husk!

2. It’s NOT where your potatoes came from or whether it has a smoother texture in your mouth. It’s not about a company’s branding seal of approval or triple A status either.

This only holds true for potatoes which are deep-fried. Yes, we’re talking about French Fries!

French Fries or any fast food for that matter, is commonly overlooked as one of the “natural” sources of dangerous foods.

Nowadays, many ‘healthy’ vegetarian dishes are either deep-fried or served with mayonnaise (some mayonnaise made with no care to the amount of egg-yolks that go into it).

In fact, anything deep-fried should be reduced from one’s diet.

The combination of saturated fat (not that it’s an entirely bad thing because we do need a little saturated fat just like how we need sugar in our bodies) and an abundance of carbohydrates spells trouble for a number of things, including heart diseases.

3. Are you taking multi-vitamins that are released from your body the next minute (through urinating)? Are you wasting money on multi-vitamins?

Try looking for vitamins that are ‘time-released’. Such vitamins are stored in your body until your body “asks” for it.

4. Never try more than a bottle of new supplements at any single time. Always try one at a time for a certain period before adding any new supplement to your list of “must-have health goodies”.

Example, if you are taking collagen supplements (known to be good for skin only if you have sufficient intake of some trace minerals) and aloe vera supplements (also known to be good for skin) at the same time, even if you are getting results, you will not know which is working for you. You do not want to be unsure!

There’s another reason why supplements or “new food” should be taken one at a time.

Because everyone’s bodies aren’t ‘made’ exactly the same! We all have different health traits (and allergies) possibly inherited from our parents and ancestors.

By “testing” one new supplement/food product at a time, you can be more certain if it works for you or not.

This way, you can also pin-point the product that may be giving you allergies (eg. not everyone can take Royal Jelly without rashes or other allergic reactions!)

5. Not every non-prescriptive supplement (like vitamins) is safe.

Which doctor is endorsing or backing up a product?

How was a supplement found to be effective and what laboratory tests were done on it?

Am I eating anything else (or smoking) to prevent good results from the supplementary I am using?

Always do your research (ask questions), read online reviews before you buy.

Make full use of the pharmacist at Guardian’s Phaarmacy for example -ask questions. The pharmacist does not charge you like a lawyer! lol

6. Unless cows are free-ranging (roam and eat freely), you’d be better off with goats’ milk!

It’s not only a fact goats’ milk does not have allergens (things that causes allergies from rashes to wheezing in babies), here are some reasons why:

Most farm cows are force-fed corn which makes them sick. Cows’ natural diet is GRASS and they shouldn’t be eating much of anything else other than grass.

These cows are then steriod-injected which makes them feel better (but are still sick). It is in my personal opinion that it is highly unlikely that sick cows give good healthy milk.

Makes sense, yes?

Warning: Goats’ milk must be drank right after you take it out from the fridge. One minute of waiting and you can SMELL the goat! lol

And the best milk for babies does not come from animals, but from their mothers’!

7. Surprisingly, children who drink soy milk regularly are shorter than those who don’t (given that tests were done on children with tall parents and grandparents and had about the same diet and excercise).

Although soya beans are known to help in healing of cuts and wounds, they also have been known to “kill” iodine levels in our bodies, thus causing giotre (swollen painful glands at the neck near back of ears).

You may not want to stop having your favourite soy food/drinks, so here’s a solution:

Go slow (reduce) on your intake of unfermented soya products, or counteract the ill effects by making sure you have meat with every intake of unfermented soya products.

Fermented soy products like Miso Soup and Tempeh are usually ’safe and healthy’.

8. Grains and sugar results in rapid rise in blood sugar. Our pancreas starts to produce insulin to reduce blood sugar. Insulin makes us hungry and reach out for cakes and french fries. We eat more sugary food!

It’s a vicious cycle that spells obesity and a wide whole range of illnesses!

Er… did I just reveal something that could help you slim naturally? Yes, I did! (Re-read above: reducing carbohydrates and “commercial sugar” intake will help you to control your appetite naturally.)

Have you ever asked yourself how a healthy food is ‘healthy’ and yet contain so much sugar or aspartame?

Many health foods (like yoghurt) are laden with sugar… Is that “health food” really healthy? What’s on that food label?

‘30% less fat’ means 70% fat.

‘Sugerless’ may mean more artificial sugar like ASPARTAME.

Even fruits may not be fully healthy because of its sugar content. That is why some companies are starting to extract fruit juice without the sugar.

Think of it, we have sugar in our soft drinks, biscuits, etc. Be very aware of what you are eating and GUARD your health!

An healthier alternative to commercial sugar is ‘Stevia’ that has been used for many centuries by Mexicans and Spainish! You only need a fraction of what you’d normally use, say, for your cuppa coffee.

Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fat - none of them is evil (we need them!)

The key is in understanding and choosing the healthy type of each of these in your everyday diet.

Be healthy for the ones you love! Every nation has “mini treasures” which you can fully make use of - Organic Health Food Stores!

These 8 tips will change the way you look at food around you, and what’s more important, for your health’s sake, I hope they will help you take some life-changing steps/actions to become healthier.

To your health (let’s dance!)

P.S. Always consult a doctor if in doubt of the pharmacist! Your doctor’s advise should supercede any advise given in this article. Thank you

I like writing for singles, couples and IMVU/MySpace homepage owners, health, interior-decorating, go-carting, beading, polymer-claying and swearing at bad tv news when I am not shooting aliens online. I also enjoy creating video tutorials about image/video editing & animation, and trying out new games and software.

Find me dancing here

Linked to free webpage maker I made (available for free download!) Non-malware, non-spyware and no-frills. Watch the video of it working - click on it!

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Stress has existed for humans since the beginning of time. If we weren’t fighting dinosaurs for survival, then we were trying to scavenge berries for food. Stress is always there – how we choose to deal with it determines will determine whether we have a happy and fulfilling life, or one that is fearful and negative.

Not all stress is bad. In fact, good stress can keep us on our toes and help us rise to a challenge. It can improve our performance. However, bad stress can overwhelm us and leave us feeling depleted and weakened.

Many of us are experiencing negative stress in every area of our life and are becoming quickly run-down by its harmful impact on our body and mind.

Negative stress can increase your risk for depression, and negatively affect the reproduction and cardiovascular systems, hamper adequate digestion, and promote ulcers, and contribute to other physical problems. It can also affect the quality of your relationships with others at home and work.

Stopping the negative impact of stress on your life is not impossible. There are steps that you can take today to help beat stress and stop it from taking over your life.

Techniques

1. Become aware of your negative thoughts and begin to replace them with positive affirmations. Some examples are:

a. I can do this.

b. I can succeed.

c. I am in control of my destiny.

2. Anticipate stress and develop a plan to beat it. For example: you are scheduled to present a public speech and are experiencing feelings of anxiety and stress. A good way to deal with this type of stress is rehearse the event several times in advance to enhance your performance and increase confidence. You can also reduce the significance of the event by reminding yourself that you have given successful speeches in the past and you will have more opportunities for speeches in the future.

3. Use imagery of a peaceful and restful place to relax your mind and body. Pick a place that you’ve visited or a place you’ve always wanted travel, and let the feelings of peace and tranquility flow through your body.

4. Find an exercise you enjoy. Frequent engagement in physical exercise is one of the best stress beaters available. It relaxes tense muscles and releases good-feeling endorphins into your blood.

5. Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR) is a technique that involves tensing and then releasing your muscles in order to create a sense of relaxation in the body. Beginning with your toes, tense each muscle in your body for a few seconds, and then release. You should feel total relaxation in those muscles.

6. Manage your time effectively. Being in control of how your time is spent allows you to reduce work stress and focus on priorities, permitting time for relaxation. Try using personal planners and to-do lists to manage your time.

7. Keep your life in perspective. Everyone experiences problems and how you view your problems determines how you will deal with them. Try to see the positive in every situation and not focus so much on the negative.

8. Eliminate stress from your diet. Some foods and drinks that ingest can cause a chemical stress on our body and mind. For example, consuming too much alcohol can disrupt sleep and damage the body.

9. Get rid of environmental stress. What’s in your living and working environments could be contributing to the stress you are experiencing. For example, noise can impair your ability to concentrate and cause irritability and headaches. Try using earplugs or use a quiet room when you need to concentrate.

10. Create a relaxing environment. Many people find it helpful to use any combination of candles, music, colors, pleasant scents, and water fountains to improve the quality of their mood.

11. Try the therapeutic benefits of massage therapy. The rewards of human touch have long been known to create a sense of well-being and peace for those who regularly engage in it.

12. Look for opportunities to laugh. Laughter has been called “…a tranquilizer with no side effects.� (Arnold H. Glasow). It has also been shown to reduce blood pressure, elevate mood, and boost the immune system.

13. Seek professional help if you find that you are unable to cope with stress any longer. Examples include – you can no longer sleep at night or your eating habits change drastically.

Stress is not something we must simply learn to live with. It is possible to cope with the negative side effects of stress by implementing a few of the techniques provided above. Practice them frequently and you will soon find yourself more in control of how your mind and body reacts to stress. Take control of the quality of your life today by overcoming stress and living a happier, more fulfilling life.

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It is very frustrating if you cannot train due to an injury. But it is even more frustrating to return too early, under perform and complicate the injury further because it will take longer to recover. Be patient and use the time to learn about your injury, ask your therapist or read up on your condition.

If it’s a non-contact injury

1. What are the possible causes?

2. Could it have been avoided?

3. Was it self-inflicted by over-training, poor technique or a bad decision?

4. What can you do to help with the recovery process?

Take responsibility for yourself and don’t leave it all for your therapist, they are not fixing your car that you leave at the garage and pick up once it’s fixed. Learn more about your body so once you are fit enough to return to your training you will have a good understanding of how to use yourself better. Your body doesn’t come with an instruction manual, which you probably wouldn’t read anyway, so take time to experiment with your movement and technique and see where you may be putting your body under too much stress.

We are told “if it ain’t bust don’t fix it“, but in the case of our bodies they may be “bust” long before we realise it. Percy Cerutty, the trial-blazing Australian running coach, had better advice. He encouraged his athletes to be aware of their bodies, he would say “if you can hear the whispers you never have to hear the screams“.

You may have heard the term feedback training. It is a method being increasingly used for training that encourages the athlete to feel and associate the feel with the movement and outcome. However, what you perceive is happening is not a constant. What you feel one day will differ from another depending on numerous factors, many of which you may be unaware of, for example, many sports people tighten their neck muscles before moving which will interfere with the coordination reflexes.

If you are oblivious to these habitual patterns how will you know if the tension is greater in your neck one day and absent the next? The amount of muscular activity in this area will affect what you feel elsewhere in your body. You may notice a difference in your movement, that is, it will feel easier due to improved coordination because you neck reflexes are working without interference, but you won’t always know why. If the cause is not known it cannot be managed. A truly great performance is then down to luck of the draw of whether you are unknowingly stiffening your neck or not. The importance of knowing how to stop and reducing all the habitual background noise of your nervous system becomes more obvious.

So before you go rushing back to your training, take time to stop, observe your technique and eradicate the poor habits that are damaging your performance.

Roy Palmer is a teacher of The Alexander Technique. For the last ten years he has studied performance enhancement and developed a new approach beyond fitness and developing technique. For more information about his theories please see his book on peak performance training

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