Do you grab a muffin or bagel for breakfast as you rush out the front door every morning? Do you skip breakfast in an attempt to cut calories or simply because you do not feel hungry? If so, you are not doing your body a favor. In fact, a recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that skipping breakfast was linked with a greater chance of obesity. People who skipped breakfast were more than four times more likely to be obese than those who ate breakfast daily.
A perfect way to start your morning is with a high energy shake that is packed with essential fats, proteins, antioxidant-rich fruits and fiber. Not only are shakes an ideal meal to maintain energy and boost metabolic function for weight loss, they are also incredibly quick and easy to make. Just toss your favorite ingredients into a blender and presto – your meal is ready to eat! From peanut butter chocolate smoothies for chocolate lovers to tangy tropical delights – shakes are a winning breakfast food.

Consider the following tips to include optimal nutrition in your morning shake:

1. For shiny hair and beautiful skin, add some essential fats, such as a tablespoon of flaxseed oil, to your morning shake.

2. Include your favorite fruits and vegetables for a hearty serving of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

3. Try to use frozen fruit within 2 or 3 weeks as the taste will alter the longer fruit stays in the freezer.

4. Looking for an energy boost? Add some green powder to your am shake to put some extra pep in your step.

5. Add water and/or soymilk to your shake for a liquid base. If you are looking to cut calories, avoid sugary fruit juices.

6. For a creamier shake, add a high quality yogurt.

7. Instead of ice cream, create healthy Popsicles by freezing smoothies made from yogurt.

8. To help keep calories down, use low fat dairy products in your morning shake.

9. Try to drink your shake immediately after making it. Shakes tend to separate and change consistency when left to sit. If you have to make a morning shake in advance, toss it in the blender to mix it before drinking.

10. To prevent your blender from backing up, add liquid first, followed by solid ingredients.

Cure Insomnia By Relaxation

By: Phillip Jubb

Insomnia cures by relaxation have been popular since before man invented fire. We can trace them back, certainly in the case of China, for many thousands of years. It has only been in the last few years that we have been able to confirm the efficiency or otherwise of the Insomnia cure by relaxation.

Insomnia itself is a pernicious affliction bringing with it misery and despondency. Many sufferers of Insomnia and other sleep disorders lay there night after night staring into the dark checking the alarm clock every five minutes and worrying about the effects of sleep loss on their performance during the coming day. Getting more and more tense and finding relaxation ever more difficult.

How can we use relaxation to help to cure insomnia? One of the first stops for the sufferer looking to cure Insomnia by relaxation or any other way is the doctors surgery. This is an excellent idea as a physical checkup will reveal whether or not there is a physical reason for the Insomnia or just the need to relax. The drawback is that if the doctor finds no physical reason for the Insomnia he is likely to reach for his prescription pad.

The drawbacks here are well known. Unbelievably simply to cure insomnia you could also suffer addiction, morning headaches, daytime fatigue, personality changes, memory impairment, impaired concentration, poor judgment, mood disturbances, and in extreme cases irregular heartbeat, and high blood pressure. The list goes on and on. A safer insomnia cure may well lie in the direction of learning relaxation, a more natural remedy.
This is the reason why drug companies can afford large scale advertising such as TV ads and big internet ad campaigns. They know if they can get a hold of you once, they will trap you and continue to make money off of you for years to come. Their mission is to program you. Whenever you have sleep problems, they want you to think about their products.
Used to cure insomnia and many other ailments for thousands of years relaxation techniques are becoming more and more popular with main stream health care professionals to cure insomnia. As a cure for insomnia you need to practice relaxation regularly , notice the experience of the sounds of the simple things in life.

Look into what causes your need for relaxation. When you discover the ways you create stress, you can look for ways you to relax and avoid these stress creators.

Plan to cure your insomnia - You need to consider the timing of your relaxation. It should be daily. Perhaps a weekend is better suited to a night out so that you don't have to wake early the next morning for work or during the night for the bathroom.

Try relaxing music. Keep your favorite relaxation CD at the office, in the car, or wherever you'll need it most. Certainly by the bedside.

Walk a while. If you have at least ten minutes to spare, walking is one of the best relaxation techniques. I have a dog and we walk as often as we can. Pounding the streets or woodland paths is an excellent way of getting rid of frustrations, relaxing, and ultimately, when gently tired, I can can think much more productively.

Exercise - Find a form of exercise you will enjoy - yoga and tai chi are great for relaxation. Schedule in relaxation time every day - This could be for as little as 30 minutes a day or one hour away from the office during lunch time.

Get into yoga. This type of exercise puts an emphasis on relaxation and breath control. Could have been designed to cure insomnia by relaxation. Practice this at least twice a day, perhaps on waking and when you go to bed. This will train your unconscious mind to be able to quickly take you into abdominal breathing and hence relaxation.

A massage is also a great way to relieve stress from the body and ease insomnia. Its great fun and as long as its not your partner doing it :) It's very conducive to relaxation.

I will make a bold promise to you right off the bat: I will change the way you think about sleep forever.