the wonder food= weight loss, anti-aging and prevents disease

I am a huge fan of the olive, especially the Kalamata. I love the taste but there are many more exciting benefits to olives than just the flavor. Here are some of the miraculous benefits:

1. Weight Loss: Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat. Studies have shown that people who eat monounsaturated fat eat less. The "British Journal of Nutrition" published a 2003 Australian study of eight overweight men who lost a significant amount of body weight when on a diet high in monounsaturated fat as opposed to a diet they had been on that was high in saturated fat. In "Diabetes Care" a Spanish study published in 2007, they found that a diet rich in monounsaturated fat discouraged distribution of fat at the belly as compared to diets high in other fats like saturated. 

2. Beauty and Anti-Aging: The oil is not only good for cooking but women have been using it for years in the Mediterranean on their skin as an anti-aging moisturizer. The olive oil can protect the skin from free radicals and is high in vitamin E which is a great skin enhancer. You can also add olive oil to your lips for a shiny lip gloss. Sophia Loren claims olive oil as her beauty secret. 

3. Overall Health: Olives are full of vitamins and antioxidants such as Vitamin B1,2,3,5,6, E, K and beta carotene. All of these vitamins do great things for the body; they combat stress, create energy, enhance the skin and smooth wrinkles, fight free radicals, prevent cancer, strengthen eyesight, and bring overall health and wellness.

4. Herbal Remedy: Olives leaf can be made into a potent herb for healing. Olive leaf extract is an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. It was the first medicinal use of herbs recorded in the bible. God sent an olive leaf to Noah by a dove after the rain. 

If you don't like the taste of olives, try olive oil but get this amazing fruit (yes it's a fruit) in your diet!

coconut oil not only great for cooking but for skin, weight loss and hair too

Over the last few years I have discovered coconut oil and its many health benefits. Many of the Health Guru's like Jordan Rubin and Dr. Mercola have been saying that olive oil is great on vegetables but too delicate for cooking, and suggest coconut oil instead. In fact Dr. Mercola says, "Coconut oil is the smartest oil you can use in cooking" and Jordan Rubin calls it the healthiest unprocessed cooking oil. I do all my cooking with coconut oil but here are some other great reasons to buy extra virgin coconut oil:

1. Hair: Coconut oil is one of the best nutrients for hair. I have tried it and it makes my hair silky.

2. Skin: It is a great moisturizer and delays wrinkles. Polynesian women have been using coconut oil for centuries as a great skin beautifier.

3. Aging: It's full of antioxidants and helps prevent degenerative diseases and premature aging

4. Metabolism: It increases the metabolism by taking stress off the pancreas, by burning out more energy.

Coconut oil also has a ton of other health benefits including lowering stress, aiding the healing process, is great for weight loss and best of all it taste great.

Less than 6 hours sleep linked to premature death

A recent study from Britain’s University of Warwick is saying that people who sleep less than 6 hours are more likely to die prematurely. “If you sleep little, you can develop diabetes, obesity, hypertensionand high cholesterol,” said Francesco Cappuccio, the lead researcher. The findings were published in the Sleep Journal. I find it ironic that the main researchers last name was Cappuccio, so close to the drink that used to keep me up all night. Well, anyway, I myself am a huge fan of 8 hours of sleep. There have been times in my life that I survived on much less, sometimes no sleep at all but I found that my body always paid for it, in lack of concentration, sense of poor well being or in weight gain. If you cheat your body of its needed sleep, there are consequences.

Here are some benefits to a good night sleep:

Heart Healthy- More heart attacks and strokes happen in the early morning. Lack of sleep can worsen blood pressure and raise cholesterol.

Beauty - Tissue repair happens during sleep including repair of skin damage by UV light.

Concentration- lack of sleep causes poor concentration and poor decision-making. Memories also are not formed well without a full night’s sleep (7-8 hours).

Healthy Immune System- When the body gets a good night’s sleep (7-8 hours) the body can fight off infections and disease better.

Happy- Not getting enough sleep can lead to a decrease in serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is the hormone that produces that happy well feeling.

Getting the right amount of sleep leads to mental clarity, feeling energized, and enhanced appearance as well as protection from heart disease and infections.

I will follow this blog with herbal and natural ways to get a good night sleep.