Detox for Spring with Delicious Drink Recipes

It's good to do a detox every now and then because you absorb so many toxins from foods, products you use on your body and hair, medicines, and outside factors like pollutants and cleaning products. Even when you try to eat all organic and use healthy products on your body and in your everyday life, you can't escape it all. When you detox, your body gets rid of some of the toxins that have accumulated over time.

The Best Time to Detox 

One of the best times to do a detox is in the spring. At this time, many have just finished a long winter where they ate and drank extra just to stay warm or weren't able to get out so much to breathe in the fresh air and be physically active. Also, sometimes the body builds up an extra layer of fat to stay warm during the cold months. The world around you is renewing itself in spring, and you want your body to do the same.

Detox Benefits

While you may not lose much weight from a detox, the point is not to lose weight. The point is to cut down on the number of impurities in your body (such as heavy metals) and clean out your body so that the immune system is stronger, you aren't so tired, you have a healthy complexion, and your liver and kidneys can do their job better. In fact, some experts say that worthwhile detoxes are the ones that cleanse the liver and kidneys because these organs already do the job of ridding the body of toxins, and they just need to be given a good cleansing and some fuel every once in awhile to do their jobs in the most efficient ways possible.

Detox with Fresh Foods

Some of the foods with the most detoxifying powers are fresh foods like grapefruit; lemons, which have a special ingredient in the peel that works magic; guacamole, which is a mix of fresh foods that are all natural detoxers; asparagus, which helps get rid of toxins and protects the liver; bananas, which decrease bloat by diminishing gas and preventing water retention; and raw greens. As little as 1 1/2 cups is all you need per week. You could pack this amount into a smoothie.

Other Detox Foods

There are other foods that can help you detox. These include hibiscus flowers, which are naturally caffeine-free and good at slimming down your waistline; white tea, which helps get rid of an inflated stomach due to gas and bloating; and raw almonds, more potent when soaked, that diminish fat buildup around the liver and decrease your chance of getting liver cancer. You may be able to cut your risk by almost 50 percent when you eat 15 almonds a day. Legumes, such as chickpeas, peas, lentils and beans, may help you to lose weight, and they can be mixed right into many of the foods you're already eating. Rolled oats lower cholesterol, fight heart disease, and help you lose weight too.

Detox Flavored Waters, Tea and Smoothies

How intense you want your detox to be is completely up to you. There are some strong detox drinks that cut out everything but the essentials and really get your body cleaned out, and there are some milder detox waters that are much easier to get down; they have amazing benefits too. Detox smoothies are another option. Just add a scoop of protein powder to one of them, and you've got yourself a meal. From waters and smoothies to juices and shakes, you could get rid of a lot of toxins with whichever one you choose.

The great thing about detox waters is that they are mild enough in flavor that you can sip them all day, and yet they have just enough flavor to make you want to guzzle them all day. When the water is all gone, you can eat the pieces of fruit that are left at the bottom of the pitcher.

Making flavored water is as simple as taking two to four fresh and flavorful superfoods and adding them to 2 liters of drinking water, letting the flavors mesh in the fridge for several hours or overnight, and then just drinking away throughout the day. You can add as much of each fresh fruit or herbs as you like, but remember that the point is to give your water a little flavor without making it too strong to enjoy in large amounts. Here are some ideas. 

Detox Flavored Waters

Grapefruit and Mint Detox Water

Ingredients:

2 whole fresh grapefruit

5 mint sprigs or 20 leaves

Instructions:

1. Wash the whole grapefruit and mint sprigs or leaves thoroughly.

2. Slice the grapefruit into thin rounds or wedges, and add them along with the mint to 8 cups of water in a large pitcher.

3. Store this water in the refrigerator in a covered glass or plastic pitcher. Makes 8 servings.

Apple, Lemon, and Mint Detox Water

Ingredients: 

3 apples

1 lemon

5 fresh mint sprigs or 20 leaves

Instructions:

1. Wash and core your apples, wash and slice your lemons into thin rounds, and wash your fresh mint sprigs or leaves.

2. Combine with 8 cups of water in a large bowl or pitcher.

3. Store covered in the fridge for several hours or overnight before you begin drinking it. Makes 8 servings.

Hibiscus and Lemon Detox Water

Ingredients:

Handful of dried hibiscus flowers

2 tsp. fresh grated ginger

1 lemon

1. Wash the lemon and slice it into thin rounds. 

2. Add it along with the hibiscus flowers and ginger to 8 cups of drinking water. 

3. Leave it alone in the fridge for several hours before you begin drinking it. Makes 8 servings. 

White Tea, Berry and Lemon Detox Water 

Ingredients: 

4 white tea teabags or 4 Tbs/ loose white tea leaves

24 raspberries and blackberries

1 lemon

Instructions: 

1. If you're using loose tea, steep the tea in 3 cups of boiled water for three minutes, remove the loose tea, and add the berries. Let steep for an additional five minutes, and then add the rest of the water and the lemon, washed and sliced into rounds. 

2. If you're using teabags, you can steep everything at the same time. Remove the teabags before adding the rest of the water. Leave it alone in the fridge for several hours before you begin drinking it. Makes 8 servings. 

Detox Tea

Turmeric, Lemon and Ginger Detox Tea 

This detox drink has a strong flavor, but its benefits are immense. 

Ingredients: 

6 inches fresh ginger root

1 tsp. turmeric powder

1/2 tsp. cayenne powder

3 cinnamon sticks, about 6 to 7 inches altogether

6 fresh lemons 

Instructions: 

1. Peel and slice the ginger. 

2. Put 6 cups of water in the pot with the ginger and bring to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer, and after 10 minutes, add the cinnamon, turmeric powder, and cayenne pepper. 

3. Stir occasionally while letting it simmer for another 10 minutes. 

4. Remove from heat and strain. Once cool, store it in the fridge in a covered container. Each morning, put 1/4 cup of this mix in a glass with the juice of half a lemon and 3/4 cup warm or ice water. You can also add honey if you like. Makes 24 servings.

Detox Smoothies 

Turmeric Smoothie

If you want a gentler way to get the super powers of turmeric, try this smoothie. It's great as a snack or dessert.

Ingredients:

 1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup almond milk

2 frozen bananas

2 Tbs. chia seeds

2 tsp. ground turmeric boiled in 1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1 pinch of sea salt

1 pinch of cinnamon

1 pinch of ground black pepper

1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 

Instructions:

1. Put all the ingredients in the blender, including the turmeric with the water, and blend on high for 1 minute.

2. Serve in two 8-ounce glasses and sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired. Makes two servings.

Oat and Strawberry Smoothie

 This is an amazing smoothie, and in addition to being packed with powerful detox foods, it is a meal replacement or post-workout smoothie.

Ingredients:

2 cups plain almond milk

2 bananas

20 strawberries

2/3 cup rolled oats

2 scoops protein powder

4 handfuls of greens, such as collard greens, bok choy or spinach

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbs. non-alkalized cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

sliced strawberries for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Put the ingredients in the blender and blend for 1 minute.

2. Pour into two glasses and garnish with sliced strawberries. Makes two 8-ounce servings.

Fruit and Greens Smoothie

 This smoothie has a lot of superfoods in it to fuel your body.

 Ingredients:

 2 cups almond milk

1 cucumber with the peel

1 large handful fresh parsley

2 bananas, peeled

2 cups chopped pineapple

2 oranges, peeled and seeds removed

4 cups fresh dandelion greens

6 - 8 ice cubes

 Instructions:

1. Put everything into the blender and blend for 1 minute or until smooth. 

2. Pour into glasses and serve immediately or store covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Makes eight 8-ounce servings. 

Be sure to visit iherb Food, Groceries page:

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You can try Ready to mix smoothies:

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https://www.iherb.com/pr/Sunfood-Raw-Organic-Superfood-Smoothie-Mix

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ORAC-Energy Greens Powder Review

In the sea of greens powders that are flooding the market, there are all too many that make bold claims about their properties without offering any real way to quantify them.

That’s a problem that the California-based supplement company Paradise Herbs & Essentials sought to remedy with ORAC-Energy Greens, a mishmash of powdered grasses, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and probiotics that’s intended to be used as a whole foods-based-based antioxidant supplement.

Ingredients

Paradise Herbs & Essentials has a big focus on traditional herbalism, and they operate with a philosophy they claim is rooted in Chinese, Ayurvedic, and Euro-Native American herbalism.

ORAC-Energy has over forty-two ingredients that are organic, pesticide-free, and arranged by categories: there’s a blend of grasses like wheat grass and alfalfa grass, a blend of seaweeds, a “super beta-glucan mushrooms” blend, a probiotic blend, a berry blend, a “super antioxidants blend” made from tea and grape seed extract, “liver cleansing & tonic support” made mostly from milk thistle, “gingerzyme” made from assorted herbs, a “dual action energy formula” comprised of açai berry and maca root, and two more puzzling categories called “imperial adaptogen” and “nature’s C with Qpower™.”

The adaptogen blend is made from a variety of roots that are known in herbal medicine circles, like eluthero root, rhodiola, holy basil, Ashwagandha, and ginseng. The Qpower blend revolves around quercetin, a bioflavonoid that has antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic and stimulant properties.

The product does a good job of saying how much of each ingredient it contains. Some of the aforementioned blends only mention the weight of the blend and not the ingredients themselves, but most of them list the weight of each and every ingredient, which is uncommon.

One scoop (about six grams) contains 22 calories, 2 grams of protein, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, and zero fat.

Taste

It barely tastes of anything, which is a significant achievement on the part of Paradise Herbs & Essentials. With all the grassy-flavored greens powders on the market, it’s easy to think that’s impossible to make a tasty one, but ORAC-Energy is very mild with a slightly peppery finish. In that regard, it tastes a little like celery juice.

Effectiveness

What I liked about ORAC-Energy Greens is that they use the ORAC value to measure its effectiveness. That stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, and it’s a way to measure the antioxidant potency of the product. It’s not perfect, but it’s a lot more useful than simply stating the product has lots of antioxidants without quantifying the claim, which is frustratingly common in other greens powders. This product contains 40,000 total ORAC per serving, about three times as many antioxidants found in a cup of blueberries. That’s seriously impressive.

While we’re talking about quantified benefits, there are also 1.2 billion probiotics per serving. That’s actually not very high; most greens powders that do contain probiotics have at least two billion and some have up to 25 billion. But many of ORAC-Energy’s competitors don’t contain any probiotics at all, so it’s definitely a nice addition to the product that should do a little help to improve digestive health and nutrient absorption.

There’s not a lot of information regarding vitamins and minerals. The nutrition label only says it contains 75 percent of the RDI of Vitamin A, 58 percent of your Vitamin C, 7 percent of your iron and 2 percent of your calcium. There’s no information about other nutrients, but since the product positions itself as more of an antioxidant supplement than a multivitamin, I didn’t find that lack of information to be much of a downside.

The Takeaway

I was pleasantly surprised by ORAC-Energy Greens. It’s rare to find a greens powder that backs up its claims, provides detailed information about its ingredients, and doesn’t pretend it can replace a healthy intake of fruits and vegetables. It’s marketed as an antioxidant supplement and it provides an enormous amount of antioxidants, plus a billion bonus probiotics to boot.

It does what it says it does. You can’t ask much more from a product!

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QUEEN OF THE HIVE NATURAL BODY AND SKINCARE PRODUCTS – REVIEW

I’m a big fan of honey as a sweetener, half a teaspoon in my herbal tea – yum! But did you know that certain honeys not only add a bit of sweetness to your life, they also have topical benefits for your skin? From acne to minor burns, honey has been used as a treatment for thousands of years.

Not keen on the idea of walking around the house with a face full of sticky honey? Then rejoice and sing hallelujah because Wedderspoon Organic have taken their organic manuka honey, waved a magic wand and added it to their new range of Queen Of The Hive Natural Body And Skincare products.

I consider myself one lucky girl because they sent me their Face Contour Cream, Natural Soap and Natural Lip Balm to test. Here’s how I got on:

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

All the products I received were beautifully packaged; they scream, “I’m natural and organic!” They definitely pass the ‘would I give this as a gift’ test. The branding is spot on.

QUEEN OF THE HIVE FACE CONTOUR CREAM

This rich contouring cream, free from parabens and lauryl sulfates, claims to intensely moisturise and promote the production of collagen and elastin for smoother, firmer feeling skin. So how does it work? The cream contains bee venom, which essentially ‘fools’ the skin into believing it has been stung (sounds painful but I only felt a very mild tingle). This increases blood flow to the skin giving the appearance of a gentle lift.

But does it work? The cream can be used a an intensive night cream or a mask. As I’m pretty happy with my night cream, I opted for the mask option. The cream has quite a thick consistency, but doesn’t feel heavy and has a very light scent of honey. After leaving the product on for 20 minutes and then rinsing off, I was really pleased to see that there was indeed a very mild lift to my skin. My skin also felt incredibly smooth and soft – I believe Wedderspoon Organic has nailed it.

QUEEN OF THE HIVE ALL NATURAL LIP BALM

I love a good lip balm but I always struggle to find one that doesn’t overwhelm my sense of smell. I’m also not keen on balms that taste sweet or are sticky. Enter this organic lip balm with manuka honey and peppermint. I was just recovering from a cold when I tried this balm and found the scent pleasantly soothing.

Being beeswax based, I did find this balm somewhat difficult to apply. If the ambient temperature was pretty warm then it was a doddle – try to use it during a walk in the cold and it proves to be a bit of a fighter. However, the fact that one of its ingredients is Shea butter, which is known for its natural SPF properties, makes the fight worthwhile!

QUEEN OF THE HIVE HONEY AND LEMONGRASS SOAP

I must admit I was prepared to not get on with this SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate, which creates suds) free soap. I’m all for going down the natural route, yet I’m not a big fan of soap bars and I live in a hard water area which makes creating enough suds difficult enough with ‘normal’ soap. But I was more than pleasantly surprised. It foams perfectly well, smells nice enough to make you want to use it, but not strong enough to overwhelm your favourite perfume. It’s a pretty generous size; I’ve been using it for well over a week and it’s hardly shrunk. I also like its, for want of a better word, un-sliminess. Unlike other bar soaps I’ve tried, it hasn’t left a soap slick on my bathroom shelf – I’m a convert.

OVERALL VERDICT

I was really impressed with the quality of ingredients in all the Queen Of The Hive Products. A lot of research seems to have gone into creating natural skincare that can not only compete with some of the chemical packed products on the market, but can actually outdo them. I see a lot of manuka honey in my future.

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Get Hard In The Gym & Bedroom by Using Yohimbine

It pretty much goes without saying that men get in shape to attract a mate. Thus, men will do just about anything to get rock-hard abs. Hundreds of supplements on the market cater to the sex-hunting dieter. When he succeeds in attracting his mate, he also needs to be able to get rock-hard to please his partner. It’s common knowledge that if you have trouble getting rock-hard, there are drugs like Viagra or Cialis that will more than likely help. When these don’t work or he just can’t get the drugs, he needs to head out to the local GNC and pick up some yohimbine.

What is Yohimbine?

Yohimbine is a stimulant with diverse effects on the central nervous system and on tissues throughout your body. Yohimbine acts through blocking alpha-2 adrenergic receptors. You might say, “Blocking? But I thought yohimbine was a stimulant.” Alpha-2 adrenergic receptors actually block the release of stimulatory chemicals like noradrenaline (norepinephrine) at nerve endings. Thus, it is an inhibitor of a receptor that blocks stimulation. Get it? A double negative leads to a stimulant effect. Yohimbine’s actions on the central nervous system are so strong that it is used to induce anxiety attacks by psychiatrists to study cognitive behavioral therapy. However, yohimbine’s effects on the body make it very useful for the horny bodybuilder.

Yohimbine is utilized in two types of supplements: fat burners and “male performance enhancers.” Perhaps the most popular are the fat-burning supplements, as these are used by both men and women. Yohimbine has a stimulant effect that helps mobilize fat from its stores. When combined with other stimulants, yohimbine can have a synergistic (greater than just additive) effect. This is why yohimbine is often found in combination supplements with stimulants like caffeine and synephrine.

The Research

Laboratory studies performed in the ‘80s and ‘90s demonstrated that the activation of alpha-2 adrenergic receptors inhibited the release of fat from storage.¹ Similarly, studies showed that estrogen caused subcutaneous storage of fat by increasing the number of alpha-2 adrenergic receptors in fat cells.² Subsequently, it was theorized that inhibition of alpha-2 adrenergic receptors by supplementation with yohimbine could help mobilize and burn fat from storage.

A human study on yohimbine performed in 1988 provided subjects with a dose of 0.2 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight and observed its effects on fat release from storage.³ This study demonstrated that yohimbine mobilized fats in the fasting state, which was reinforced by exercise, but its action was abolished by eating a meal. Interestingly, even at this relatively high dose of yohimbine, it did not cause a significant elevation in heart rate or blood pressure.

Follow-up studies examined if the stimulant and fat-mobilizing effects of yohimbine might improve athletic performance. In a study using male soccer players, a dose of 20 milligrams daily for three weeks failed to improve muscle mass, strength or exercise performance.⁴ However, the soccer players did lose a significant amount of body fat during the three-week trial. Perhaps yohimbine’s stimulant effect affects another type of performance?

Yohimbine has been used for its presumed aphrodisiac properties for centuries, and science gives this some merit. In order to achieve erection, there is a complex interaction between the central nervous system (your brain) and the blood vessels in the penis. If you are psychologically stressed out or you have blood flow problems, you are likely to experience erectile dysfunction. Viagra is a drug that increases nitric oxide in the penis, resulting in more blood flow to produce an erection. Unfortunately, Viagra doesn’t work for everybody.

Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor stimulation on nerves in the penis results in an inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis and release.⁵ Thus, yohimbine has the potential to increase nitric oxide in the penis and potentiate the actions of Viagra by inhibiting those receptors. The erection-producing effects of both Viagra and yohimbine on penile tissue has been confirmed in recent laboratory studies.⁶

However, scientists believe that yohimbine has an even stronger effect centrally— that is, on the brain. Animal studies consistently demonstrate that yohimbine increases sexual motivation and the pleasure centers of the brain that lead to erection.⁷ Yohimbine is able to increase arousal and potency in rats placed in a stressful situation (immersion into cold water; talk about taking a cold shower).⁶ Furthermore, the combination of Viagra and yohimbine appears to be synergistic in its central nervous system effects and peripheral actions, thus improving sexual performance.

Precautions

Yohimbine is a relatively safe supplement, but some must take precautions. If you are on medications such as amphetamines for ADHD or anti-seizure medications, you should avoid yohimbine. Because of yohimbine’s strong central nervous system effects, high doses can cause impulsivity and drug-seeking behaviors.⁸ High doses can potentially cause high blood pressure and heart problems, especially if taken with other stimulants.

The Bottom Line

In summary, yohimbine is capable of getting your body hard in more ways than one. Used in moderation, yohimbine may help you burn more fat and make your body more attractive to your mate. If you are so lucky as to “score,” yohimbine can help ensure you are ready to perform.

You can find Yohimbine supplements at Iherb.com

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References:

1. Galitzky J, et al. Role of vascular alpha-2 adrenoceptors in regulating lipid mobilization from human adipose tissue. J Clin Invest 1993; May;91(5):1997-2003.

2. Pedersen SB, et al. Estrogen controls lipolysis by up-regulating alpha2A-adrenergic receptors directly in human adipose tissue through the estrogen receptor alpha. Implications for the female fat distribution. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004; Apr;89(4):1869-78.

3. Galitzky J, et al. Alpha 2-antagonist compounds and lipid mobilization: evidence for a lipid mobilizing effect of oral yohimbine in healthy male volunteers. Eur J Clin Invest 1988; Dec;18(6):587-94.

4. Ostojic SM. Yohimbine: the effects on body composition and exercise performance in soccer players. Res Sports Med 2006; Oct-Dec;14(4):289-99.

5. Saenz de Tejada I, et al. Regulation of pre-synaptic alpha adrenergic activity in the corpus cavernosum. Int J Impot Res 2000; Mar;12 Suppl 1:S20-25.

6. Saad MA, et al. Potential effects of yohimbine and sildenafil on erectile dysfunction in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2012; Dec 27;700(1-3):127-133.

7. Senbel AM, Mostafa T. Yohimbine enhances the effect of sildenafil on erectile process in rats. Int J Impot Res 2008; Jul-Aug;20(4):409-17.

8. Campbell AT, et al. Effect of yohimbine stress on reacquisition of oxycodone seeking in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2012; Jul;222(2):247-55.