Our Feet Affect Our Health and Our Beauty!

I’ve been thinking about feet because mine in particular have been a little achy. I have an interesting foot life as I do teach and practice yoga a lot, where I get to be barefoot, but I also do live in New York City, and have lots of business meetings and social events, so I wear my fair share of high heels also!

Did you know that 25% of our body’s bones are in our feet? Our feet are delicate entities that support our whole body, and have thousands of nerves at the bottom that correspond to every organ and every part of our body. If we aren’t standing correctly on our feet, it can have a negative impact on our organs and our posture. For instance, Dr. Norman Walker stated that if women consistently wear heels that are over 2 inches, our digestive system can be thrown out of alignment and it can contribute to constipation and the holding of toxicity in our bodies.

We actually weaken our feet be wearing shoes, as encasing them this way weakens their natural strength. We were meant to walk on varying natural terrain and for our feet to be more flexible- nowadays we all walk on artificial surfaces and most always with shoes.

Be sure when you are walking that your feet point straight forward. To test this, you can find straight lines along the floor or sidewalk and see how closely your feet stick to the line. Most people walk with their toes slightly turned out. This interferes with the proper use of muscles and ligament in the feet, as well as with our knees and hips, and over time can cause damage. At first it might seem funny, but if you stay conscious of it and adapt to it, it will soon feel natural.

I know from yoga that if our posture is not good, then we don’t take in enough oxygen as we should, for our lungs are compromised in some way. We need as much oxygen as possible to nourish our blood, and we can actually have more cravings and feel more hungry when we are not breathing correctly. If we tuck our pelvises under (which most people do) it also weakens our abdominal muscles! I have some yoga clients that are very interested in toning their belly. While we work on that in our private sessions, I always remind them that if their posture was correct, they would be working out their belly, without even thinking about it, all of the time! Push weight into the back of your heels so you feel rooted down and can stand up straight and strong. I always tell my students to think of the four corners of your feet (thinking of your foot as a rectangle) and distributing weight through the four corners equally. The best way to know if you are doing this correctly is to see if you can actually lift all ten toes (!), then place them down firmly into the floor.

Here are some easy ways to start taking better care of your feet:

1. Walk barefoot as much as possible. I don’t let anyone wear shoes in my apt., and if you don’t already have a “take your shoes off as soon as you enter” policy, it is a great idea to start now! The more you are barefoot the better. Okay we all know (including me!) that high heels are bad and we shouldn’t wear them every day. Can you wear comfy shoes to work and swap out right before? Can you let your feet rest under your desk where no one can see? I’ve also read that those new workout shoes like the “Fit-flops” are terrible. The shape of the sole creates and an unnatural gait pattern that can harm the feet, knees, hips and spine.

2. Spread and stretch your feet (just like other parts of your body), and lift your toes! Our feet need loving too! I often have my students sit back with their heels, but tuck their toes under and gently open up the feet. I try to do this once a day to let my feet open up.

Run your foot repeatedly over a tennis ball – you can do this while you are in a seated position (even under your work desk!) and then slowly stand, increasing the weight on your foot.

Get some toe spacers! They are available at a lot of nail salons and drug stores. They fit between your feet and spread them out. They seem weird, at first they might scare your husband or your boyfriend a little bit!  But if you get used to putting them on while reading or watching TV, they help your toes relearn their normal spreading motion.

3. Professional or at-home reflexology. I have been getting some treatments lately, which I’m a huge fan of, and I always feel great afterwards. But that is not always feasible. But EVERY night in bed I do put coconut oil all over my feet, and take at least 2 minutes to massage every part of the bottom of my feet (did I mention it provides stress & headache relief?), massaging every single nerve. You can get yourself a reflexology foot chart, similar to the one that I have posted, if you want to work on specific areas. For instance, the middle of your left foot is your liver spot. Might want to give that spot an extra squeeze! 

Article written by Kimberly Synyder

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 10 عادات تجميلية تؤذي بشرتك

علامات الشيخوخة والتقدم في السن وشحوب البشرة قد تظهر نتيجة عادات تجميلية خاطئة نمارسها في حياتنا اليومية تؤذي البشرة دون أن نتنبه لمدى خطورتها والتي تجعل البشرة  أكثر عرضة للحساسية والبثور 

لذا سارعي عزيزتي المرأة في التخلي عن هذه العادات التي نستعرضها لك لتحافظي على نضارة بشرتك وشبابها الدائم

النوم دون إزالة الماكياج

ربما كانت مرّات قليلة ليست مؤذية فلا تخافي، ولكن من الضروري أن تزيلي الماكياج قبل النوم، وبالأخصّ «الفونديشن» الذي يتغلغل في مسامّكِ أثناء النوم ويؤدّي إلى تلف البشرة والمنطقة المحيطة بالعين وانتفاخها

مشاركة الماكياج مع الصديقات

ربما كنتِ الصديقة المفضّلة والتي تشارك بكرم ملابسها ومجوهراتها، وبالتالي تشارك أحمر شفاهها وكحلها مع صديقاتها، لكن هناك مخاطر شديدة من نقل العدوى والجراثيم من أحمر الشفاه والآيلاينر والكحل بشكل أساسيّ، وهو أمر لا يتعلق بمدى ثقتكِ بصديقتكِ أو نظافتكما

استخدام الماكياج منتهي الصلاحية

وهو أمر شائع جدّاً ومعظمنا مذنبات به، ولكنّ الأمر شديد الأهميّة، من الأفضل أن تكون آمنة على أن تتندّمي سيّدتي في المستقبل، فالماسكارا المنتهية الصلاحيّة قد تسبّب احمرار العيون، والماكياج التالف إلى تقشّر وبثور في البشرة، بالإضافة إلى الباكتيريا التي تحملها

عدم استخدام الواقي الشمسيّ

إن الأشعّة فوق البنفسجيّة تشكّل خطراً على بشرتكِ، وليس بالضروريّ استخدام الواقي الشمسيّ وحده، فهناك منتجات تجميليّة تحتوي هذه الخاصيّة

استخدام الآيلاينر السائل

ربما كان الآيلاينر السائل مغرياً جدّاً في رفع شكل العينين، ولكنّكِ تقومين في كلّ مرة بإعادة البكتيريا إلى العبوة واستخدامها من جديد على أحد أكثر المناطق حساسيّة لديكِ، وإذا كنتِ مضطرة ضعيه بعيداً عن خطّ الرموش

استخدام فرشاة متّسخة

لا تنسي سيّدتي أثناء استخداماتكِ اليوميّة بأن تهتمّي بغسيل فرشاة الماكياج، لأنّ البكتيريا تتموضع بين الشعيرات وتبني فيها مستعمرات

عدم غسيل الماكياج بأكمله

الكثير من السيّدات يتركن خطوط الكحل، الآيلانر أو الماسكارا خلال النوم حتى بعد إزالة بقيّة الماكياج، ولكن هذه العادة سيّئة جدّاً بدورها

استخدام المحارم المعطرة عوضاً عن المنظّفات الخاصّة

ربمّا تظنّين سيّدتي أن المحارم المعطّرة لإزالة الماكياج هي الحلّ الأسهل، لكنّكِ بهذه الطريقة لا تزيلين إلّا جزءاً من الأوساخ والجراثيم التي استقطبها ماكياجكِ، وبالتالي فإنّكِ تتركين بشرتكِ مفتوحة للتعرّض للالتهابات خلال اللّيل

استخدام إصبعك بالكريم عوضاً عن الأداة الخاصة 

الكثير من السيّدات يغمسن الإصبع في الكريم، هذا الأمر يسبّب انتشاراً للعدوى والبكتيريا. لذلك استخدمي الأداة المرفقة مع الكريم

قضاء الوقت في النتف والبحث عن البثور

ربّما تجذبكِ مرآتكِ سيّدتي، ولا تستطيعين إفلاتها، تبحثين عن أصغر شعرة في وجهكِ، وأصغر رأس أسود، تريدين التخلّص منها جميعاً، لكن هذه العادة بشكل دائم تسبّب العدوى والاحمرار، والأفضل عدم استخدام الملقط لإزالة شعر الوجه على الإطلاق

Better Food, Better Life!! Find all vitamins in your food!!

The Best Foods for Every Vitamin and Mineral

Want to get your nutrients the natural way? We break down the best food sources for 20 of the most important.

To keep itself running smoothly, your body requires an array of essential nutrients, ranging from disease-fighting antioxidants to bone-building heavy metals. Although you can get many of these nutrients in a daily supplement, nearly all of them can also be found in the foods you eat—or should be eating—every day.

Want to get your vitamins and minerals the natural way? 

Vitamin A

Why you need it: The vitamin A family plays a key role in immunity, reproductive behaviors, and especially vision. The A vitamins, which include beta-carotene, help the retina, cornea, and membranes of the eye to function properly.
Where to get it: 

-          Sweet potatoes and  Beef liver

-          Spinach

-          Fish

-          Milk, Egg, and Carrots

Vitamin B6

Why you need it: Vitamin B6 is an umbrella term for six different compounds that have similar effects on the body. These compounds metabolize foods, help form hemoglobin (part of your red blood cells), stabilize blood sugar, and make antibodies that fight disease.
Where to get it: 

-          Fish

-          Beef liver

-          Poultry, chickpea and garbanzo bean

Vitamin B12

Why you need it: Vitamin B12 is vital for healthy nervous-system function and for the formation of DNA and red blood cells. It helps guard against anemia, a blood condition that causes fatigue and weakness.
Where to get it: 

-          Animal products

-          Cooked clams

-          Trout, salmon, and tuna

Vitamin C

Why you need it: Vitamin C is an important antioxidant, and it's also a necessary ingredient in several key bodily processes, such as protein metabolism and the synthesis of neurotransmitters.
Where to get it: 

-          Sweet red peppers

-          Kiwi fruit

-          Broccoli

-          Brussels sprouts and cantaloupe.

Calcium

Why you need it: Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. More than 99% is stored in—and helps fortify—teeth and bones, while the remainder goes toward blood vessel and muscle function, cell communication, and hormone secretion.
Where to get it: 

-          Dairy products

-          Plain low-fat yogurt

-          Fortified fruit juices and cereals.

Vitamin D

Why you need it: Vitamin D, which our body generates on its own when our skin is exposed to sunlight, helps spur calcium absorption and bone growth. It's also important for cell growth, immunity, and the reduction of inflammation.
Where to get it: 

-          Fatty fishes including swordfish, salmon, and mackerel

-           Fortified foods such as milk, breakfast cereals, yogurt, and orange juice.

Vitamin E

Why you need it: Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from the harmful molecules known as free radicals. It's important for immunity, and for healthy blood vessel function and clotting (such as occurs when you cut yourself).

Where to get it: 

-          Wheat germ oil

-          Sunflower seeds and almonds

Folate

Why you need it: For pregnant women, folate—a type of B vitamin—can help prevent birth defects. For everyone else, it helps new tissues and proteins form.
Where to get it: 

-          Dark leafy green vegetables

-          Fruit

-          Nuts, and dairy products

-          Beef liver

-          Folic acid (a man-made form of folate)

Iron

Why you need it: Proteins in our body use this metal to transport oxygen and grow cells. Most of the body's iron is found in hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to tissues all over the body.
Where to get it: There are two forms of dietary iron:

-          Heme iron (found in animal foods such as chicken liver, red meat, fish, and poultry)

-          Nonheme iron (found in plant sources like lentils and beans)

 

Vitamin K

Why you need it: Vitamin K is a crucial ingredient in coagulation, or blood clotting. Without it, your body would not be able to stop bleeding when you bruise or cut yourself.
Where to get it: 

-          Green, leafy vegetables as spinach, turnip, mustard, and beet greens.

Lycopene

Why you need it: This chemical pigment, found in red fruits and vegetables, appears to have antioxidant properties and help guard against a range of ailments, including heart disease and several different types of cancer.
Where to get it: 

-          Tomatoes

-          Watermelon

Lysine

Why you need it: Lysine helps the body absorb calcium and form collagen for bones and connective tissue. It also plays a role in the production of carnitine, a nutrient that helps regulate cholesterol levels.

Where to get it: 

-          Protein-rich animal foods, especially red meat

-          Nuts, legumes, and soybeans.

Magnesium

Why you need it: The body uses magnesium in more than 300 biochemical reactions. These include maintaining muscle and nerve function, keeping heart rhythm steady, and keeping bones strong.
Where to get it: 

-          Wheat bran

-      Almonds, cashews, and green vegetables such as spinach.

Niacin

Why you need it: Niacin, like its fellow B vitamins, is important for converting food into energy. It also helps the digestive system, skin, and nerves to function properly.
Where to get it: 

-          Dried yeast

-          Peanuts or peanut butter

-          Beef and chicken liver

Omega-3 fatty acids

Why you need it: Omega-3s contribute to brain health and may help reduce inflammation.
Where to get it:

-          Vegetable oil, green vegetables, nuts, and seeds

-           Fatty fish as tuna

Potassium

Why you need it: Potassium is an essential electrolyte, needed to control the electrical activity of the heart. It is also used to build proteins and muscle, and to break down carbohydrates into energy.
Where to get it:

-          Baked sweet potato

-          Tomato paste, beet greens, and regular potatoes

-          Red meat, chicken, and fish.

Riboflavin

Why you need it: Riboflavin —yet another B vitamin— are an antioxidant that helps the body fight disease, create energy, and produce red blood cells.
Where to get it: 

-          Beef liver

-          Fortified cereals (like Total or Kellogg's All-Bran)

Selenium

Why you need it: Selenium is a mineral with antioxidant properties. The body only requires small amounts of it, but it plays a large role in preventing chronic diseases. It also helps regulate thyroid function and the immune system.
Where to get it: 

-          Six to eight Brazil nuts

-          Canned tuna

Thiamin

Why you need it: Thiamin, also known as vitamin B1, helps the body turn carbohydrates into energy. It's also an important nutrient for keeping the brain and nervous system running properly.
Where to get it: 

-          Dried yeast

-         Pine nuts and soybeans

Zinc

Why you need it: Zinc has been shown to play a role in immune function (you've probably seen it in cold remedies), and it's also important for your senses of taste and smell.
Where to get it: 

-          Oysters 

-          Red meat and poultry

-          Beef chuck roast

The greatest wealth is Health. Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.

Eat wisely, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life J

Everything will be wow!! What do you think?

Pamper Yourself! 7 Natural Stress Relievers

Treat yourself to less stress

Stress making you crazy? You probably know that some of the best ways to relieve stress include exercising, talking to friends, or simply getting outside. But what if you can't make it to the gym for your one-hour workout? 

It might be time for a little pampering to calm down; you'll also feel legitimately spoiled in the process.

1.      Decorate with lavender

This herb has a soothing scent that can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, both of which can help you relax and even drift off to sleep. Put dried lavender in a vase near your bed or slather on moisturizer infused with lavender.

2.      Have a chocolate-covered strawberry

When you’re stressed, you may be tempted to house every sweet treat in sight. But foods high in added sugar can increase your blood sugar levels and make you feel even more on edge. Instead, munch on strawberries dipped in dark chocolate. The vitamin C in the berries can fight body-damaging free radicals and the dark chocolate may help reduce stress hormones like cortisol. 

3.      Take a bath

Soaking in water has a soothing effect, experts say, since it connects us to our time in the womb. Add lavender bath oils or aromatherapy candles and you’re well on your way to complete Zen.

4.      Give yourself a scalp massage

You know how good it feels when you get your hair shampooed at the salon? You can (and should) recreate that experience at home. To melt away tension, massage your scalp with your fingertips, moving from your hairline to the back of your head several times. 

5.      Sip chamomile tea

Research shows that one of the compounds in this herbal brew binds to the same brain receptors as drugs like Valium, which means the tea acts as a mild tranquilizer. Not a tea person? Chamomile supplements may also help reduce anxiety, according to at least one study.

6.      Step in the sauna

If your gym has a sauna or steam room, use it after your next workout. When your body heats up, both muscle tension and anxiety subside, according to research. Plus, feelings of warmth can alter neural circuits that improve our mood.

7.      Give yourself a foot rubs

Reflexology is an alternative medicine therapy that involves applying pressure to different parts of the body. It may help ease stress, and possibly even help migraines. Do it yourself by running under the base of your toes to calm your head and massaging the ball of your foot to relax your chest.

Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. There's going to be stress in life, but it's your choice whether you let it affect you or not.

What do you think?