Rare and Stunning Flowers

Is there anything more lovely in nature than the explosion of grace and color that is the flower? It is small wonder that humans have been using flowers to convey emotions and as decoration for thousands of years. Studies have even shown that looking at flowers, and being surrounded by them, has a positive effect on our overall well-being. So take a few moments, breath in, breath out, and enjoy the simple beauty of these gorgeous gifts of nature.

Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul. Luther Burbank

Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put a soul into. Henry Ward Beecher

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. Claude Monet

Don't send me flowers when I'm dead. If you like me, send them while I'm alive. Brian Clough

You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry, don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way. Walter Hagen

Source: Frederick T.

15 Ways to Recharge Your Energy Levels!

 

Do you get that feeling sometimes like you're so tired your head is just going to drop down at any moment? We've all been there, and it's hard to deal with this feeling, especially when doing something important like work or hanging out with family. Here are 15 ways to energize yourself you can do almost anywhere!

1. Eat a banana Bananas provide minerals, nutrients and stimulants such as potassium, which provides controlled energy, preferred to the type of energy obtained all at once from simple sugars. 2. Place head between your legs This trick will get blood flowing to your head. Sit on a chair and put your head between your legs. Send your arms towards the floor and relax your body for 20 seconds. After the time has passed, rise slowly, vertebra by vertebra. This exercise will give you energy that gradually unfolds. 3. Drink Green Tea

 

Yes we've said it before, but the fact still remains that green tea has an abundance of phytochemicals called tannins. These help, among other things, to calm the nervous system and thus increase the feeling of well-being. 4. Pinch your cheeks Our grandparents probably had a good reason to pinch our cheek. This stimulates the blood flow to the face and makes you feel more alert. 5. Drink lots of water All body systems require a large amount of water to function. In the absence of water in the body, proper functioning slows, blood flow becomes weaker and less oxygen reaches the brain. Drink a glass of water every two hours at least, when the goal is to drink 8-12 glasses of water a day. 6. Get some sun Small doses of vitamin D can be a great incentive. Take a walk or sit a few minutes in the sun. Fresh air combined with natural light will make you feel more alert. 7. Move the body Once you feel the fatigue taking over, get up and shake your body. Do some stretching, push-ups, a short trip or just a few jumps instead. Movement stimulates blood flow in the body and releases endorphins that make you feel alert. 8. Laugh out loud

 

Laughter has been shown to de-stress us but also acts as a natural stimulant. A good belly laugh releases endorphins that neutralize the bad effects of the hormone cortisol (stress hormone), increase blood flow and oxygen and give you a sense of well being. 9. Take a deep breath

 

Take a deep breath and slowly let it out through your nose, and again, fill your abdomen and exhale, emptying all the air from your lungs. Do it three times. Breathing will help your body relax and get rid of toxins, and the oxygen will stimulate you. 10. Put in a house plant Stuffy offices have limited air movement which can increase fatigue and cause headaches and allergies. Insert household plants that can help filter out volatile chemical compounds and airborne pollutants, as well as stimulate air movement to better help you deal with the standing air, and make you feel less fatigued. 11. Smell a lemon Certain smells like citrus, ginger and mint can produce a stimulating effects and increase alertness. Light a scented candle or sniff a lemon for stimulating energy and improved mood. 12. Surround yourself in red  Studies show that the color red is associated with a sense of victory and confidence. Try to surround yourself in shades of red to elevate your mood. 13. Sit upright

 

it wouldn't hurt to stand up straight in the chair. An Upright posture not only helps blood and oxygen to move more freely, but also enhances the sense of security. 14. Wake up the brain  When the brain feels drowsy, try to wake him by solving a crossword puzzle, reading aloud, talking to a friend, a quick recitation or singing.  15. Play with a pet

 

Spend time with your furry friend. It will make you feel happier and more energetic!

Drinking Water is the First Step to Good Health

While we cannot survive a full day without water, so few of us actively drink water each day. Well shying away from what you may classify as a 'bland' beverage could be costing you in a number of other areas. Here are some common ailments that usually result from dehydration and a reminder on just how important drinking water is to our health.

1. Fatigue If you wake up tired after a full night's sleep or find yourself wanting a nap at mid-day, you may not be drinking enough water to keep you going. Water is a vital source of energy in the body, which keeps our enzymatic activity and bodily processes up to speed. If you are not drinking enough water, your body is taking the remaining water in your system to conduct its various actions, such as digestion. Before bed and after waking, try drinking at least 2 cups of water so that you are squared away with hydration at the end and the beginning of the day. 2. Asthma and Allergies If you or someone you know has suddenly begun to suffer from allergies, it is possible that it's not the pollen's fault, but rather their own for not drinking enough water. When you are dehydrated, your body restricts airways in order to conserve water and keep it from exiting the body. In addition, as the body loses water, its histamine production increases, and allergy symptoms worsen. 3. High Blood Pressure Although blood pressure fluctuates in response to a number of factors, and it is possible that one of them is dehydration. The blood is made up of 92 percent water when the body is fully hydrated. But when we are dehydrated, the blood becomes thicker, causing a certain resistance to the blood flow and thus resulting in elevated blood pressure and even a higher risk of clotting.   4. High Cholesterol Like blood pressure, high cholesterol could be the result of a number of factors, but it is certain that being dehydrated doesn't help. When the body is dehydrated, it produces more cholesterol to prevent water loss in the cells. As your body is in defense mode as a result of not drinking enough water, your cholesterol spikes to make up for the change. 5. Skin Disorders If you suffer from dry skin, eczema or are prone to rashes and dandruff, it is possible that your skin is not receiving the moisture it needs. When you are dehydrated, the body's ability to eliminate toxins through the skin is impaired, making it more vulnerable to all kinds of skin disorders and dryness. Not drinking enough water could even cause pre-mature wrinkling and discoloration in the skin, that we end up spending big bucks on to find a miracle cream that works. Instead, make sure to drink your 8-10 cups of water daily and you may be able to save your skin and your wallet a lot of the effort.   6. Bladder and Kidney Problems Dehydration triggers the accumulation of toxins and acid waste that creates an environment for bacteria to thrive. These bacteria-ridden areas can result in bladder and kidney problems, and increase the chances for infection, inflammation and pain in these areas. 7. Digestive Disorders It's no secret that the key to a good digestive system is drinking enough water, especially lukewarm (room temperature) water. The shortage of water in your body also means a shortage of alkaline minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals are essential for your digestive system to work effectively, and when you have a short, you become more prone to painful and uncomfortable conditions like ulcers, gastritis and acid reflux. 8. Constipation Possibly the most stressful of all digestive disorders, constipation is one of the earliest and clearest signs that your body is not getting the water it needs. Your colon (where the final stages of digestion take place) is one of the primary sources for water in the body. When you are dehydrated, the water continues to draw water from the colon, but this means that waste moves through the large intestine much slower or not at all. This results in painful cramps in your lower abdomen as well as frustrating constipation and discomfort. 9. Joint Pain and Stiffness One of the most important parts of the joint, its cartilage padding, is composed mostly of water, so when you are dehydrated, this cartilage is weakened. This makes it difficult to move and use your joins freely, and repair to the joints is much slower and more painful. 10. Weight Gain Probably one of the least obvious results of dehydration, weight gain can occur easily when an individual is not properly dehydrated. Cells are depleted of energy and seem to cry out for more nutrients. The problem is that most individuals confuse the cells' cry for help as a reason to eat a sandwich, when what they really need is a glass or two of water. 11. Premature Aging Don't put off drinking water until you're too old for it to count! When you are chronically dehydrated, the body's organs, including the skin, begin to wrinkle and 'wither', just like your hands do after being in the bath for too long. Once this process begins, it is difficult to stop, and it may leave you looking a lot older than you actually are! In order to control some of these conditions and to remain properly hydrated, it is recommended to drink between 8-10 8 ounce glasses of water every day. You should especially drink more water when you are exercising, experience a change in environment, or when you are sick. Keep in mind that each day we lose about 10 cups of water by just breathing and sweating, so try and keep the balance in your favor. If you aren't drinking water each day, and instead prefer soda, just remember that water has 0 calories and loads of health benefits while a can of soda has 35 grams of sugar and 140 calories. It's quite silly to be getting your sugar from drinks when all you need to stay hydrated is a sugar-free glass of water!