Natural weight loss detox recipes, beauty remedies, tips for women.

How to Find Your Perfect Weight and Live Five Years Longer

Written by Irina Wardas on August 31st, 2010

Do you know your Body Mass Index? Are you skinny, overweight or obese? We know already that obesity leads to high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, etc. But what is the difference between overweight and obese? How do you know that you have already crossed that dangerous line from being overweight to becoming obese?

“Whether you want to be thick or thin is a matter of taste“ –Daniel Worona

Study (published in the medical journal The Lancet ) indicates that it is important not only to know your weight but also your body fat, because Body Mass Index is crucial. Obesity can shorten your life by about three- four years (death because of high blood pressure leading to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney and liver problems), but if you are very obese, it might be shorten by eight – ten years according to new study. apple2

I always tell my clients to watch their weight and weigh themselves frequently. I teach them not to be obsessed with their weight loss or gain but be healthy weight smart.

The first sign of gaining a couple of pounds is always your tight clothes. But it is always easier to maintain the weight you want if you know about your extra pounds as soon as you gain them. I don’t believe in a sudden extra 20 pounds gain. How can it be possible to gain 10 – 20 pounds without knowing it? Of course, it takes time, and if you are not alert, if you don’t weight yourself, don’t watch what you eat (I don’t like the word “diet”), you might get in trouble. Sometimes it can be too late, and it means you cross the line from being healthy to being at risk.

Body Mass Index is a ratio of weight to height to estimate body fat and obesity. It is better than only using your scale, even it is not very accurate for those who have a lot of muscles.

Click here to calculate your Body Mass Index, Body Fat and Activity / Calories Used

Taking your age into consideration:

Under 35:

recommended: 18 -24; overweight: 25 + ; obese: 30+

35 and over:

recommended: 19 -26; overweight: 27 + ; obese: 30+

No matter what, let us be BMI smart, if we want to live longer and be healthier.

And don’t be too skinny either: several reports say that underweight women have a lower life expectancy than people who have an average or healthy weight.

P.S. Click to listen to weight loss tips from my fabulous guests on “Feel and Look Fabulous with Irina”

Breathe, smile and be happy.

Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Posted in Healthy Heart, High Blood Pressure Remedies, Tips to Lose Weight | No Responses »
Tags: Body Mass Index for Women, Overweight or Obese, Weight Loss Tips

Homemade Beauty Remedies for Natural Exfoliation and Instant Face Lift

Written by Irina Wardas on August 28th, 2010

Do you know that some women put more that 500 chemicals on their bodies every day? These toxic chemicals can cause cancer, hormonal imbalance, headaches, menopause problems, headaches, etc. There are two alternatives: to use safer personal care products or make your own beauty remedies.

I am going to interview Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the national Campaign for Safe Cosmetics on Wednesday, September 1st. Click to learn more about our discussion on how to avoid chemicals in personal care products and which alternatives are safer.

If you prefer homemade beauty remedies for natural face lift, exfoliation, rejuvenation and moisturizing your skin, I would like share with you these two recipes I adopted from the book The Green Beauty Guide: Your Essential Guide to Organic Natural Skin Care.. by Julie Gabriel. They help me turn my dull and sagging skin into glowing and younger looking.

* Yogurt Face Scrub as Natural Exfoliator

Ingredients:

20 gr of powdered brewer’s yeast

2 tsp plain yogurt

2 tsp almond meal

1 tsp raw honey

Directions:
Mix all ingredients. Use scrub immediately, and do not store in the refrigerator.

* Clay and Egg Mask as a Deep-Cleansing Face Lift

Ingredients:

2 tbsp white clay

1 tbsp

corn flour

1 egg white

1 drop chamomile oil

Directions:
1. Blend ingredients; mix well to dissolve egg white completely. Apply to clean, dry face. If paste is too thick, you can add a little bit of freshly brewed chamomile tea. Let it dry and wash off with warm water. Yo can keep the mix in the refrigerator for a week. (adopted from the book The Green Beauty Guide..)

* Click to listen to more Holistic Beauty Remedies with author Julie Gabriel.

* Click to listen and try facial exercises for natural face lift with Cynthia Rowland,Facial Fitness Expert and Creator of Facial Magic.

* Click to listen to our discussion with Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the national Campaign for Safe Cosmetics on How to Find Safer Personal Care Products.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Posted in Beauty Remedies, Green Living | No Responses »
Tags: anti-aging, Homemade Beauty Remedies, Natural Exfoliator, Natural Face Lift Mask

Cooking Meditation as a Stress Relief Tool, Weight Loss Technique and Relationship Boost

Written by Irina Wardas on August 25th, 2010

Do you like cooking? Do you cook at home for yourself or your loved ones? If your answer is yes, then there is always room for improvement to become a good stress free cook. If your answer is no, then let’s start cooking to reduce stress, lose weight, sleep better as well as lower our blood pressure and cholesterol level, prevent heart disease, reduce risk of cancer.

Meditation often involves turning attention to a single point of reference. Wikipedia

You might think that home cooking is complicated and time consuming. Not necessarily. It can be both a challenging and fun learning experience. Learning to cook as well as cooking by itself can be your meditation time if you put your mind into it.

Cooking Meditation as a Stress Relief Tool

1. The first step of meditation is concentration. In cooking meditation, you have to:

– pick the recipe or idea what to make,

– read the recipe carefully a couple of times,

– decide what to do first

– focus exclusively on making the dish without any distraction.

You maybe even have to repeat the ingredients a couple of times while you look for them in your fridge. Does it sound like meditation? Of course it does. Your mind is focused on preparing meal and distracted from all troubles and worries you have at the moment- refocusing helps you to relax and reduce stress.

2. Cooking consists of preparation time and cooking time. To have a stress free first cooking experience:

– pick your favorite veggies and put them together for a salad;

– add nuts, fruits, dry fruits (you don’t need cooking time – only preparation time to rinse, chop and mix all the ingredients).

– use olive oil as a simple dressing or try super healthy and easy to make Turmeric Dressing

– season with love and positive energy, and voila, you have created your own signature salad to impress your friends and relatives.

3. Another form of meditation is visualization. You can visualize what you want to prepare while you are in bed getting ready to sleep. Deep breathing and visualization of your future meal will help you calm down, relax, and sleep better.

If you want to reach your goals, you have to take one step at a time. To become a good and stress free cook, try to master the dishes you like with one recipe at a time.

Remember: home cooking can help you reduce stress and sleep better as well as improve your relationship with food and significant other.

P.S. For more tips on healthy cooking click to listen to my guests on “Feel and Look Fabulous with Irina”, radio show for women.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Posted in Headache Migraine Relief, Healthy Relationship and Sex, Prevent Cancer, Stress Relief | No Responses »
Tags: Home Cooking, Imagery meditation, Meditation, Stress reief technique, visualization

Two Mediterranean Diet Recipes as Anti-Aging Remedy

Written by Irina Wardas on August 20th, 2010

Did you know that adding nuts and seeds to your meals will add more than 2.5 years to your life according to CA study? Omega-3 in nuts (walnuts), and fish (wild salmon) will help you have a healthy brain, skin and heart.

Studies (University of Athens) also show that meals with vegetables, fish, olive oil, in other words, Mediterranean diet, will help you live at least one year longer. Plant based foods and healthy fats in olive oil, nuts and seeds, avocado, and fish will keep your heart healthy and stress free.

Here are super healthy and delicious recipes to add at least three years to your life:

* Mahi Mahi with Lemon

Ingredients: mahi mahi with lemon

2tbs live oil

1 (6 to 8-ounce) mahi-mahi fillet

1 tbsp garlic, chopped

1 lemon, juiced

2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Saute the mahi mahi until the underside is golden brown. Turn the fish over and add the garlic, lemon juice. Once the wine and lemon juice have cooked down, add the ghee. Finish cooking and season with salt and pepper.

* Caesar Salad with Walnuts and Mango Dressing

Ingredients:

1 head romaine lettuce

½ cup walnuts, chopped

For Dressing:

1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed mango dressing
1/2 cup mango
2 tbsp unfiltered extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp agave nectar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp tahini
1/8 tsp cayenne, optional
Pinch of Himalayan Pink sea salt
Put all ingredients in vitamix and blend until smooth. The dressing is adopted from www.carolynakens.com

Directions:

Assemble the salad: Tear the lettuce into a large bowl. Add enough dressing to coat the salad to your liking: add walnuts and toss the salad well. Serve immediately.

* Click to listen to Healthy Italian Cooking with Celebrity chef Maria Liberati.

** Click to listen to tips on Healthy Cooking with award winning nutritionist and cookbook author Robyn Webb.

*** Click to listen to tips on how to Heal Thyroid with Whole Foods with Natural Foods Chef and Holistic Health Counselor Andrea Beaman.

Bon Appetit!

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Posted in Healthy Heart, Healthy Recipes, Tips to Lose Weight | No Responses »
Tags: anti-aging, Fish Recipe, Home Cooking, Mediterranean diet, Salad Recipe

How to Get Sleepy and Prevent Breast Cancer with One Yoga Move

Written by Irina Wardas on August 17th, 2010

Studies show that exposure to light at night may increase breast cancer risk by suppressing production of melatonin, a brain hormone that is made during dark hours. bridge pose for bette sleep

If you suffer from insomnia, you need to reduce stress before you go to bed. Some of yoga positions will help you not only relax the body and calm the mind but also might get your body ready for sleep.

Here is how to do Bridge Pose to get sleepy:

1. Lie on your back with knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your heels parallel, close to your butt as possible.

2. Lift your hips up off the floor, pushing your pelvis toward the ceiling. Arch up onto your shoulders, then lace your palms together underneath your body and press your arms into the floor or mat. Hold the posture while taking 10-15 long slow breaths.(yoga/life/prevention)

P.S. Click to listen to the tips on how to reduce stress and sleep better with Qigong.

P.P.S. Click to listen to the tips on how to detox/calm our mind with self-discovery techniques.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Posted in Better Sleep, Easy Yoga, Prevent Cancer, Stress Relief | No Responses »
Tags: Better Sleep, Breast Cancer Prevention, Easy Yoga, Melatonin

Raw Cauliflower Salad with Kiwi Dressing to Protect Our Breasts

Written by Irina Wardas on August 14th, 2010

Studies show that all cruciferous vegetables, such as brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, watercress, etc. contain sulforaphane, a compound that triggers liver enzymes to help detox the body and even stop the growth of breast cancer cells. If you don’t like broccoli, try to add more cauliflower, radishes, or kale to your meals.

I would like to share with you this super healthy Raw Cauliflower Salad with Kiwi Dressing Recipe to easy detox, prevent breast cancer, boost our immune system.

Cauliflower is better to eat raw, steamed or grilled. If we boil it, 75% of the cancer-fighting compounds leaches into water (which you can use for soups).

Radish is another cruciferous vegetable that contains sulforaphane to help detox the body and get rid of carcinogens and extra estrogen.

Carrot contains beta-carotene, a carotenoid to help our body metabolize estrogen better.

Kiwi is rich in vitamin C to boost our immune system.

Raw Cauliflower Salad with Kiwi Dressing

Ingredients:

For the salad:

2 cups raw cauliflower

2 carrots, chopped or sliced

3 radishes, sliced

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

2 tbsp dill, chopped

2 tbs raisins

2 tbs nuts of your choice

1 clove garlic, minced

Dressing:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 kiwi, mashed or blended

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop the cauliflower in a food processor or do it by hand. Mix with the other ingredients and set aside.

To make the dressing, mash kiwi with a fork or in blender. Mix all the ingredients, add to the salad, toss and serve immediately.

Bon Appetit!

P.S. If you have hypothyroid problems, keep in mind that raw cruciferous vegetables contain thyroid inhibitors known as goitrogens. So steaming vegetables will be a better choice.

P.P.S. Click to listen to our interview with Elisabeth Squires, the Boob Lady, on How to Take Care of Our Breasts.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Posted in Benefits of Whole Foods, Detox, Healthy Recipes, Prevent Cancer | No Responses »
Tags: Breast Cancer Prevention, Kiwi Dressing, Raw Cauliflower Salad

How to Make Dairy Free Strawberry and Watermelon Ice Cream

Written by Irina Wardas on August 11th, 2010

If you want to lose weight, balance your hormones, avoid headaches and migraines, prevent cancer and heart disease, you need to reduce consumption of high calorie, high fat and high sugar content foods.

But what shall we do if we like ice-cream which has at least 240 calories per serving and it is hot outside? This delicious and healthy dairy and guilt free ice cream recipe from www.americanyogini.com will help you cool off and feel fabulous in a hot weather. You can also have it as a healthy snack for more energy and better mood when you feel sleepy or tired.

Strawberry Watermelon Swirl

Un-Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
2 Cups Watermelon, cubed
3 Cups fresh Strawberries, sliced
1 Cup Cashews, soaked 3 hours
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Cup filtered water ( in addition to soaking water) 1/4 – 1/2 cup agave nectar

Equipment and tools:
blender
mesh milk bag
ice cream machine – center vessel in freezer for 6 hours. I store mine in the freezer at all times so its just ready to go: I just take it from the freezer instead of the cabinet.
2 ice cream parfait glasses
2 mixing bowls
rubber spatula

Un-Cooking Instructions:
Cut watermelon into rough cubes about 1-2 inches, and place in freezer on cookie sheet.

Be sure the ice cream maker is frozen for several hours, placed in your freezer according to manufacturer instructions.

Meanwhile:
Blend soaked cashews with water and 3 Tablespoons Agave Nectar until very well liquefied.

Squeeze through a mesh filter bag or force through a fine sieve , stir in vanilla, and set aside.

Slice strawberries, and taste for natural sweetness. Add more agave if desired to taste.

Blend into the cashew vanilla cream in your blender, allow some of the strawberries pieces to remain chunky.

MINDFULNESS TIP: Tune in to the “cleansed” you and be “sattvic” (truthful and present) when tasting for sweetness: So many times when it comes to desserts we revert to old information and programing that will tell us “add more sweetness” rather than slow down and be present with each ingredient acknowledging the ‘Sattvic” or “true” level of sweetness nature is presenting at this moment.

A strawberry may be more or less sweet according to region, season, weather conditions. All these natural factors become a part of us, and allow us to be fully in control. This does not mean that if you have sour berries you should not add sweet agave, that too would be untruthful. The blessing of this cleansing practice is our growing ability to truthfully give ourselves what delights and nourishes us and our friends and families.

Assemble your frozen ice cream bowl into the base and turn on.
With motor running, Slowly pour strawberry ice cream base into your ice cream maker.

In only a few minutes you will see the ice cream forming in your ice cream maker.

While the ice cream maker is doing its job, remove watermelon from freezer, and place in blender to quickly blend into a frozen slush.

With spatula, place softly frozen strawberry ice cream into a mixing bowl and swirl in the watermelon slush.

Bon Appetit!

P.S. Click to listen to Happy and Healthy Cleansing Tips for Singles and Couples with Mary McGuire-Wien, founder of AmericanYogini and author of the book The 7 Day Total Cleanse.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Posted in Healthy Recipes | No Responses »
Tags: Dairy Free Ice Cream, healthy snacks, Homemade Ice Cream