SCIENCE FINDS A PROVEN WAY TO HELP YOU SLEEP MUCH BETTER

SCIENCE FINDS A PROVEN WAY TO HELP YOU SLEEP MUCH BETTER

By lifehack.org - Tara Massan

Many of us face difficulties getting enough sleep, some of us have difficulties falling asleep no matter how hard we try. There are myriads of medications to treat insomnia, plenty of teas to drink to aid in falling asleep and even suggested bedtime routines to help you sleep better. Maybe you may have tried all of these methods with no avail, or maybe you are seeking out a way to improve the overall quality of your sleep. Turns out there is a scientific proven way to help you sleep better.

The newest practice in living a more intentional day is the act of practicing mindfulness. You may have heard this word buzzing around the internet, peppered in news articles, and lifestyle websites. But, what does it mean to practice mindfulness?

Mindfulness

Mindfulness can be defined as the quality or a state of being conscious or aware of something. It can be seen as a, “moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgement.” A mindfulness practice promotes an acute awareness to one’s attention and mental “processes”, resulting in improved well-being, concentration, mental clarity, and peacefulness.

Mindfulness for better sleep

In a recent clinical trial published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, outlines a study of 50 adults with chronic sleep problems.  The participants were assigned to two separate sleep programs in order to determine which group improved the quality of their sleep.

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CHOCOLATE PIZZA WITH CACAO CAULIFLOWER CRUST

CHOCOLATE PIZZA WITH CACAO CAULIFLOWER CRUST

By cleaneatingwithadirtymind.com

Ingredients:

113g/1/2 cup of cauliflower puree

30g/1/4 cup blanched almond flour

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

50g dark chocolate 60% cacao or higher

3 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons coconut oil, liquid

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

57g/1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons smooth almond butter or nut butter of choice

1 organic cage-free egg

1 banana sliced

50g/1/4 cup chocolate chips

A handful of shredded coconut

chocolate drizzle* (See directions below)

Preheat oven to 425 F/210C.   In a food processor pulse the florets of half a small cauliflower until you get a rice like size and texture, this should be about 1/2 cup. Then transfer the cauliflower rice to a large microwave safe bowl and microwave for 5 minutes.   Use a paper towel to soak up any excess moisture from the cauliflower. Let cool.   When the cauliflower has completely cooled use the same large bowl to combine the cauliflower puree, almond flour, salt, and cinnamon and stir until combined.   In a separate small bowl, put the chocolate, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. Melt using the double boiler method, stirring frequently until completely melted and combined. *Set aside 2 tbs. of this chocolate mixture to drizzle on top of your completed Paleo Chocolate Pizza at the end.

After you have set this aside, add the 2 Tbs. of almond butter and the egg to the chocolate mixture in the bowl, make sure it’s cool enough that it won’t cook the egg, and then continue to stir until thoroughly mixed. You should have a chocolate like pudding texture and consistency at this point.  Then fold the chocolate mixture into the large bowl with the cauliflower puree and dry ingredients to create your cocoa cauliflower dough. Mix until well combined.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the cocoa cauliflower dough into the center of the parchment paper and use a spoon to spread the mixture out evenly into a circle that is about 1/4″ thick.  Bake for 10 minutes. Let completely cool. Then spread the 1/4 cup of almond butter on top of the cocoa cauliflower crust. Now you can add the rest of the toppings, the sliced banana, chocolate chips, shredded coconut and the 2 Tbs. of chocolate mixture you set aside earlier. 

For a fancy chocolate drizzle just put the 2 Tbs. of the chocolate mixture into a ziploc bag, cut a small hole in the corner and then squeeze moving your hand across the top of the pizza to create a drizzle pattern.

CAULIFLOWER FLAT BREAD

CAULIFLOWER FLAT BREAD

By goingcavewoman.com

Makes 7 large

Serves: 7

Ingredients

Touch of Coconut Oil – for saute

1 Cauliflower

½ Onion – Diced

1 Cup Spinach – Fresh or frozen

75G/½ Cup Nuts – Ground (optional)

2-3 Free Range Eggs

1-2 Cloves Garlic – Crushed

Any herb of choice, fresh or dry – Optional

Freshly Ground Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Instructions

In a food processor, chop the cauliflower until it resembles breadcrumbs.  In a skillet, melt coconut oil and heat the cauliflower, garlic and onion until it browns slightly, 10 mins.  Beat eggs in a bowl and add cauliflower mix and the remaining ingredients. Stir.  Place parchment paper on a baking tray and spoon mixture into rounds (or use a butterfly cutter) onto the tray. Use a cookie cutter for a perfectly round shape.  Bake at 350F/175c for 15 minutes until browned.

CAJUN BURGERS

CAJUN BURGERS

By onegreenplanet.org - Heather Nicholds

I love buckwheat and these burgers are great.

SERVES 4 burgers

COOK TIME 90

INGREDIENTS

150g/1 cup kasha (toasted buckwheat)

2 carrots, grated

Handful fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp ground mustard powder

1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Put the kasha in a pot with 2 cups of water. Sprinkle a bit of sea salt in the water, bring it to a boil for a couple of minutes, then turn down to low and simmer for 15 minutes. For these burgers, it should cook to be fairly dry. The ratio of water is important here.  Once it’s cooked, stir the grated carrot, fresh parsley and spices into the buckwheat. Form the mixture into patties and bake, fry or BBQ into a burger. 

To bake: form into patties and lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Put them in an oven at around 350 degrees F/175C for 30 minutes, or until browned on the outside. Flip them after about 20 minutes to get both sides browned.  To fry: heat a pan, add a teaspoon of olive oil and put the patties in the pan, being sure to get some oil on the bottom side. Allow them to cook for 5 minutes on both sides. 

To BBQ: heat the grill, then brush it clean and spray with oil (using a sprayer filled with olive oil is the best). Gently lay the burgers on the grill, let them cook for 7 minutes or so, then very gently flip them and cook another 5 minutes.

NOTES

To make them more solid for grilling, you can freeze the burgers before grilling them. Even if they're only partially frozen, they'll hold up better. If you want to be sure you're not going to run into disaster, put them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and BBQ them with the lid down, like an oven.

Serve your burgers on a bun, with tomato, lettuce and your favorite condiments (homemade guacamole is amazing on these), or try having them over a green salad.

11 SURPRISING CAUSES OF BAD BREATH YOU DIDN'T KNOW

11 SURPRISING CAUSES OF BAD BREATH YOU DIDN'T KNOW

By lifehack.org - Nancy Collins

No one likes bad breath. It’s embarrassing, annoying, and people around the world try to get rid of it or hide it as best as they can. The number one thing people do to get rid of bad breath is brushing their teeth, but did you know that brushing alone may not be able to get rid of bad breath? Sometimes you can floss, brush and use mouthwash and still suffer from bad breath. Scientists are still studying the causes of bad breath, and they have found a few surprising ones.

1   Don’t Skip Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and now we can add fresh breath to the list of reasons why. When you skip breakfast, your saliva glands aren’t as active in the morning and this can dry out your mouth, causing bad breath. Even if you brush and gargle before leaving the house, your breath will not be as fresh as it would be if you had eaten breakfast.

2   Coffee – Stainer of Teeth and Saboteur of Breath

Coffee lovers aren’t likely to give up their morning jolt over minor tooth stains or bad breath, but they can help the bad breath problem by drinking less coffee. This beverage will dry your mouth out, and the more you drink, the worse the problem will get. Try cutting back to one or two cups per day and drink a glass or two of water after each cup to keep your mouth from becoming too dry.

3   Bad Bacteria Will Make Your Breath Smell

You may be surprised to learn that your mouth is home to both good and bad bacteria. The bad bacteria is one of the causes of bad breath, and studies show that one in particular, H. Pylori, is linked to halitosis. Since it mostly lives on the tongue, make sure you brush your tongue each time you brush your teeth. If you can, brush more than 2 or 3 times per day.

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KEY LIME BREAD

KEY LIME BREAD

By freecoconutrecipes.com

KEY LIME BREAD

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

300g/1 1/2 cups grated courgette and then processed in a food processor until very fine

120ml/1/2 cup coconut milk*

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon grassfed gelatin

4 free-range eggs

1 1/2 limes, zested and juiced

2 tablespoons Virgin Coconut Oil

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

2 teaspoons chlorophyll

80g/1/4 cup Raw Honey, melted

113g/4 ounces unsweetened applesauce

90g/3/4 cup Coconut Flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Swirl:

2 tablespoons Virgin Coconut Oil

80g/1/4 cup Raw Honey, melted

2 heaping tablespoons Coconut Cream Concentrate

1/3 lime, zested and juiced

1 tablespoon coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350° F/175C.  Mix bread ingredients together in a large bowl and pour into a greased loaf pan.  Mix cream ingredients together and drizzle over top of bread dough. Swirl with a knife.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

5 SMART WAYS TO EXERCISE AT WORK

5 SMART WAYS TO EXERCISE AT WORK

By lifehack.org - Lim Kairen

We are all spending too much time sat at our desks or sat in our cars and it difficult to find the time to fit in some exercise during the day.  Here are some examples of what you could do while at work.  You could also do some squats.  I do some squats every time I go to the toilet.  Helps to keep your bum in shape.  You could also get in some exercise during your lunch hour.  I have seen a lot of people doing a half hour run in their lunch break or even just go for a fast paced walk.  It will help to clear your head, de-stress and get away from the office and screen.

A boss from hell, tight deadlines, an impossible workload and a sedentary life. Combine all four and what you get is a recipe to concoct a lifetime of gloom and an express pass to the obesity club. As the pace of our working lives grow, so do our waistlines as we are simply unable to find the time to start on our health goals.

Fortunately, finding time to exercise and keep fit isn’t as hard as most people think. Exercising doesn’t start in the gym; it can be carried out anywhere at any time. Here are five smart ways to exercise at work and to avoid that shock of your life when you step on the scale.

1.Take the stairs

Yes, this seems like an idiot-proof exercise but do not underestimate the burn you can get from just climbing steps everyday. At 0.17 calories per step, that’s already 17 calories burnt on 100 steps. And if you work on the 15th floor of your office building, all the better to have a post-lunch workout.

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