When someone mentions spearmint leaf, most people probably think of Wrigley’s gum. It was first made in 1893. Real spearmint oil is used in its favoring. In fact, almost half of the spearmint oil produced in the US each year is used to flavor gum. Most of the rest is used to flavor toothpastes. The answer is 13,000. The question is, how many sticks of chewing gum can be made from one pound of mint oil?

Though spearmint is not as popular as peppermint, it does have its own unique flavor. Spearmint plant has a creeping root and unequally serrated and smooth leaves. It is a herbaceous plant with branching, quadrangular, smooth stems, that grow to 2 ft. high. The leaves are the only part of the plant used.

Spearmint is native to the Mediterranean region. Its history goes back thousands of years. In 1568, herbalist John Gerard Writing wrote of ‘spere mynte’, it “rejoiceth the heart…” The Bible mentions mint twice, in Matt. 23:23 and Luke 11:42. Both spoke of religious people tithing the tiniest of leaves. In the Middle Ages spearmint is mentioned as a strewing herb. It was scattered on the floor to get rid of rodents, to give health to those in the house, and to add a beautiful scent.

Spearmint made its way to America during the Colonial period. Because mint was not taxed by the English government, it soon became a popular tea substitute during the American Revolution. After the war, spearmint became a significant cash crop in Connecticut. During the American Civil War when imported black tea was hard to get, spearmint’s popularity flourished. It was used to help purify drinking water and as a cleansing tonic. They used spearmint to treat dog bites and wasps and bee stings by mixing salt and mint and applying it directly to the wound.

Spearmint contains volatile oil, the flavonoid thymonin, caffeic acid, rosmaric acid, carvone, and limonene. It also contains aromatic compounds that increase the production of digestive fluids and enzymes, relieve smooth muscle spasms, increase blood circulation, promote sweating, relieve pain and are antiseptic. Spearmint contains astringent compounds that shrink inflamed tissues. It has been used to treat indigestion, morning sickness, nausea, menstrual cramps, flatulence, muscle aches, flu, and vomiting. Ice cubes of mint tea are useful to promote healing and to soothe the pain of canker sores.

Externally the application of a strong decoction of spearmint will heal chapped skin. Spearmint can be inhaled to relieve tension headache and to revive memory. Sugary juices can be diluted with herbal teas such as mint.

Some women suffer from hirsutism, which is excessive hair growth in locations where hair normally does not grow. Spearmint’s anti-androgenic properties reduce the level of free testosterone in the blood, while leaving total testosterone and DHEA unaffected. Drinking two cups of spearmint tea a day for five days can reduce androgen levels in women with hirsutism. The dosage is 1 c. morning and evening during each of the 5 days of the follicular period (the five days leading up to ovulation) of each menstrual cycle.

What is the recommended dosage to get the best Spearmint benefits?

• For a decoction: mix 2 tbsp. dried leaf in one cup water. Steep 10 min. Do not boil. Strain.
• For an infusion: mix 2 tsp dried leaf in one cup water. Steep for 10 min. Do not boil. Strain.
• For a bath decoction: mix 3 tbsp. dried leaf in one cup water and follow the above directions.

There are no known side effects to spearmint. It is safe and useful for children. Use it for relief in colic and congestion for the gentle menthol content is warming and relaxing to the esophagus. Spearmint has a mild anesthetic effect to the mucous membranes of the stomach and can thus ease motion sickness and help restore the appetite.

It is a common thing for a person to wish they could get rid of the fat around their stomach. The choice of whether they want to accept it or not is theirs. The idea of trimming away all of the belly fat is hard. Message boards such as the biggest loser weight loss forum are crammed with chat rooms where people talk about their weight loss failures and successes. It is possible to lose the fat if a person does a couple of things.

Eat smaller dinners. Don’t only put less food on the plate, but make the food good for you. Include a fist size portion of unrefined, complex carbs. If you’re hungry, snack on fruits or other healthy, low calorie snacks. Large dinners tend to hurt a fat loss process because most people aren’t very active after dinner, and doing a six pack ab exercise program for ten minutes before you go to bed for the evening is not enough activity for most people.

Adding these types of foods to your diet can keep you satisfied while providing you with essential vitamins. There are also many benefits to drinking waters before you eat a meal.

Increase the amount of fiber that you consume. Most people don’t get enough fiber. A person is able to get the fiber that their body requires fairly easily if they eat a balanced diet. A diet that has whole grains and other foods high in fiber is easy to attain. Other options are fiber supplements.

Eat a big breakfast. Many people skip breakfast because they claim they don’t have time for it. The truth is that a person must make the time for a proper breakfast if they want to be healthy. Not eating in the morning is like not putting gas in the car, your body needs something to keep it running right. When you eat a huge lunch you get that after meal drowsiness so now you’re both unproductive and inactive. There are a lot of ways that a person can get a quick, healthy meal in the morning if they want to. Your breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day, lunch the second, and dinner the smallest.

Start a weight lifting or other exercise program. The more muscle your body has, the more calories your body burns, even at rest. To get rid of that fat quickly lift weights combined with cardiovascular exercises. Make sure you devote a proper amount of time to exercise to give your body a chance to work at losing the weight.

Keep your routine the same. It has been proven that if you snack more often in between small meals your body will burn fat much more effectively.

Add eight glasses of water to your diet daily. For fat loss purposes, it is important to remind yourself that thirst is a much weaker stimulus than hunger. Just because your stomach is growling does not mean you must eat food, water could solve the growling. Don’t mistake hunger for thirst. Drinking eight glasses of water is an important part of any diet.

Processed foods can trigger increased storage of dietary fat storage and make losing weight that much harder. Do not consume large amounts of salt as that will lead to water retention and more weight gain.

For someone who does not want to come up with a plan of their own they can turn to web sites such as http://www.fatlossfactor.com where professionals can guide them through a weight loss program. Whatever a person tries to do the important thing is to try. For someone who doesn’t like the fat that is on their midsection they do have options. The benefits will be felt by you.

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Some Related Articles:

1. Ideas for a healthy breakfast
2. Exercise and Water
3. Fitness (and weight loss) is not a “12 weeks and you’re done” program

If you want to lose weight fast, there are many different exercise routines and regimens to turn to that claim they work. It’s always best to do things the natural way when possible though, because that way, you’ll know it’s healthy and you won’t have to drastically change your lifestyle. Crash diets shouldn’t be resorted to because they starve your body of the nutrients that it needs to function. You also do not need to exercise too much that you will only be left feeling tired.

Quick Note: Get On board now and get your body in the best shape that you can, get the P90X And The Insanity Workout and see the results faster and be healthier sooner. If you are really ready to make that change to your body, then get the P90X and the Insanity Workout Now at Xtreme Body Fitness stores.

Eat less meat – You may be eating too much meat if you’re trying to lose weight. And it may be even more important to cut down if the meats you’re eating are processed because you’ll gain fat easier with artificially enhanced meat. You should barely eat any meat. Of course, slow steps are needed and you really just have to reduce your intake with each day. Try to just eat half of your steak for a while, then reduce it to a quarter of your steak until you get used to eating less. Replace the rest of the meal with vegetables and fruits.

Vegetables and fruits – So, by eating less meat, you need to now eat more fruits and veggies. Chances are that you are not eating either of the foods at all. This isn’t a good thing, because fruits and veggies are what keep your body healthy. Plus, you will find that there are elements inside the fruits and vegetables that actually stop your body from absorbing fats. This way, you can enjoy the foods you eat and not worry about gaining weight from them.

Exercising - Any simple exercises can be done, like biking, jogging, or even walking each day and they’ll make you sweat. By doing this, it shows that you’re burning the calories and that you’re cleansing your body of fat as it flushes out slowly, but surely.

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G4F’s comment:

Views on meats and other proteins vary, but if you’re doping something called an Insanity Workout then you should be getting enough protein for your body to make all the necessary repairs. This is in addition to the above mentioned healthy assortment of fruits and veggies.

For more on the subject:

• The Paleolithic Diet for Maximum Fat Loss – The Peleolithic diet is a very low carb diet designed for maximum and rapid fat loss.
• and… Are Low Carb Diets For Weight Loss Just a Myth After All?

Everyone cherishes moments of being a champion. The sensation of being victorious is both elevating and healthy. Winners are admired by the masses. Many would want to emulate Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Thomas Edison, Oprah Winfrey, Usain Bolt, and many more. Do you know you are a champion?

Before anything else, it’s important to clarify the origin and cultivation of the qualities of a winner. Champions exhibit high levels of energy, courage, confidence, self-belief, and a strong character. The soft-hearted get broken-hearted, but the victory-hearted person thrives on challenges and defeats intimidating trials. One way they stay motivated is by reading talent quotes.

Champions never walk like little chickens but rather keep the company of eagles. Little chickens are people who have no desire to climb higher heights of success. Their vision is limited and their dreams are not worth dreaming. Eagles are people with a strong vision for the future. Eagles are big dreamers and are eager to tackle their future opportunities and challenges. Winners are eagles.

Victors have a good sense of direction. They know where they are going. They know their starting and finishing lines. They set clear and smart goals to realize their dreams. They have a pointed concentration on the end result. There is no provision for loss of concentration.

You are a winner. Now is the moment to decide not to be intimidated by negative influences and people. Negative voices should serve to increase the momentum in your life. The company you keep ought to motivate and inspire you. You have to think it, believe it, speak it, walk it, and speak it – the way a winner feels. You have what it takes to be in the winner’s circle. The potential of a champion is always inside you.

Related:

• Visualization is one of the techniques that winners use to insure success. Take a look at this article on Visualization to learn more about how to apply that technique:  The New Visualization Breakthrough: Mental Training Tactics For Health And Fitness Success

Plantain (officially Plantago major) is a weed commonly found in the wild and (much to suburbanites’ chagrin) the lawns of almost everyone living in temperate climates. Just think, here’s a weed probably found in your yard that you used to kill, and now, after reading this, you will want to harvest! There are over 200 species. You can find it quickly when you see the green, nubby spikes, which stick up out of a cluster of round leaves.

Plantain was used in time past to heal the bites of “mad dogs, snakes, and venomous creatures.” On this side of the ocean, Native Americans learned to use plantain in the same way. In colonial America a slave would be freed if he taught them how to use plantain to cure rattlesnake bite. An article written in 1710 listing the benefits of plantain leaf made it sound like the proverbial medicine man’s elixir, Doctor Magic’s Cure for everything!

Take a few fresh leaves, crush or chew them, and see how quickly they stop the bleeding of an open wound or the pain and inflammation of bites and stings. Plantain can also be used to treat minor cuts and a wide range of skin disorders, including dandruff, eczema, or sunburn. Plantain is like a First Aid kit growing in the lawn! A cup of strong Plantain tea will calm indigestion, and the leaf will relieve the pain of a toothache. In Europe they endorse plantain as a treatment for bronchitis, sore throat, and cold symptoms.

In more recent times, plantain has been acclaimed for its ability to relieve bee stings, insect and spider bites, and rashes from an unfortunate encounter with Poison Ivy or Stinging Nettles. Dr. Christopher called Plantain, Jewelweed, and Hound’s Tongue “Nature’s erasers.” He said, “Stand anywhere within sight of Poison Ivy, and look about. You will always see at least one of these plants, placed by the hand of God to come to your aid, if you should need it.”

Plantain will protect the body against tumors and help resist damage to the liver from chemotherapy drugs. The fiber and mucilage from the seeds of the Plantago species are the primary fiber supplement for millions of people around the world.

Plantain leaves contains allantoin, an anti-inflammatory substance that kills germs, speeds wound healing, and stimulates the growth of new skin cells. It is listed as an active ingredient in many commercial cosmetic creams and lotions.
Plantain is a must in case of physical injuries because it is a contact healer. As such, along with cayenne, and comfrey, it is essential for emergency situations to stop itching and/or bleeding, kill infection, reduce inflammation, etc.

Plantain is also available as a supplement in liquid extract and capsule form. The usual dosage for, say, bronchial symptoms is 6 grams in capsules or one teaspoon of liquid extract three times a day.

A simple ointment can be made using olive oil, extract of fresh plantain, and a little beeswax. Apply this to skin ailments, including diaper rash. Or rub fresh plantain leaves on the skin to soothe poison ivy, bug bites, eczema or other minor skin irritations. You can also make a soothing poultice of fresh, mashed leaves mixed in a little cool water. Apply it to sunburns.

There have been no toxic reactions reported with the use of plantain though consuming extremely large amounts could cause diarrhea, skin rash, or other allergic reaction. It is very critical to store plantain in a dark, dry, and cool place. Refrigeration or freezing is highly recommended, but not necessary. By doing this you will delay the loss of its highly valued nutritional and medicinal properties.

The above was a syndicated article

You can learn more about herbs on our herb blog.

Located behind the bones of the face are hollow spaces filled with air. These hollow spaces are the sinuses and they act as a passage between the nasal cavity and the nostrils. So what is sinusitis? Sinusitis is an inflammation or swelling of the sinuses. Common symptoms include pain or pressure in the face, nasal obstruction or blockage, and a thick post-nasal drip. Those suffering from sinusitis may also experience headaches, a fever, or feel fatigued.

Sinus problems seem to affect everyone these days. Many try to relieve the headache pressure by using very warm cloths over the eyes. Another remedy would be the use of a saline solution in the nose. Yes, these things may give relieve briefly. However, we know that sinus infections are caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi growing inside of our sinuses. One thing that may pop into our mind is to sign up for sinus surgery.

There are many remedies available to one suffering from sinus trouble. First of all its important to stay in a place where plenty of fresh air is available. The rooms where one stays should not be too cool or too warm. It is also important to undertake regular exercises so as to keep the body healthy. It is important to take plenty of cool liquids like water and fruit juices and to avoid alcohol intake or take it moderately. Inhaling hot water vapor is a welcome remedy so is being in hot compresses, saunas and even steam rooms.

Take a eucalyptus leave along with a pinch of salt and boil it in water until leaf becomes tender. You can use this one or two ways. Cover head with a towel and inhale vapors and or take a bulb syringe after water has cooled a bit suck the water into the bulb, hold your head back squeeze inside of each nostril eucalyptus works as a natural decongestant. So this will relieve the pressure in the nasal passageways so you can breathe better. You may also use a humidifier or clean air purifier to improve the air you are breathing in.

We want quick relief to our headaches and stuffiness. We simply want to feel better fast. Some people may want to have sinus surgery thinking that this will get rid of the infection in one fast trip to the hospital operating room. You may find that sinus surgery helps but it does not mean you will never have sinus infections again. You may try antibiotics but the side-affects are not to your liking.

There are antihistamines that can be taking to give you temporary relief, but its best to use when going to bed since they cause drowsiness. If you would rather a natural remedy that is safe and effective at getting rid of sinus symptoms, with no harmful side effects as antibiotics and other chemical drugs. Try Sinuvil its been clinically tested to promote a healthier immune system, soothes the inflammation in your sinus cavities, in order for you to breathe better. It gives you a boost of energy to revitalize you and make you feel better then you did before the sinus infection.

Looking to find info on Severe Sinus Infection, then visit our site to find the best advice on How To Get Rid Of A Sinus Headache? for you.

Did you know that one of the most effective weight loss supplements is good, old fashioned water? That’s right. Nevermind the plethora of pills, powders, and potions you’re bombarded with on the shelves of your local health and nutrition emporium, you need water to lose weight as quickly as possible. How does drinking water help you lose weight, and are there any special tricks you need to know in order to maximize your progress?

Drinking water helps you lose weight through two main mechanisms: the first is thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is just your body producing heat. In order to do that, it has to turn up your metabolism and burn calories. Could it really be so easy to lose weight?

The fact is that drinking cool water does make your body burn more calories through this process. Drink cold water, because then , your body must expend energy in order to heat it to body temperature. That energy has to come from somewhere. If you are eating correctly, this stored energy will be derived from fat.

The other way that drinking water can help you to lose weight and more importantly, burn fat, is because most people are chronically dehydrated. This causes your kidneys to function below par. When your kidneys aren’t working at peak efficiency something has to take up the slack for them. In this case it is your liver that gets pressed into duty helping rid the body of excess waste products.

That’s okay, because the liver is great at doing that , but there is something else the liver is also great at. The liver’s other function is metabolizing fatty acids. For those of us without medical degrees, that means the liver burns fat. The problem is that when the your body is dehydrated and the kidneys need help detoxifying your blood, helping them takes precedence over burning fat, so your liver stops metabolizing fat and starts helping out with waste management duties.

Drinking water can help make you lose fat in other ways as well . One of these is a bit counter intuitive. If you are in the early stages of dehydration, your body actually holds onto water, because in the dark recesses of our past, you couldn’t just go to the 7-11 and pick up a bottle of it. It might be days before you found any clean water to drink. This response causes you to retain water when you’re beginning to be dehydrated. Water is fairly heavy at over 8lbs per gallon, so it doesn’t take too much hiding inside your body before it can make the scale edge it’s way up. Chronic dehydration will eventually deplete these reserves, but cause many other problems.

You’ll know if you are drinking enough, because your urine will be clear, or very pale yellow . You will find that when you drink more water, your body will start purging itself of the excess water it has been storing for emergencies, so for a short time you will urinate more frequently. After your body is well hydrated, you will actually carry less water.

Drinking enough water will enable your body to regain the blood volume lost to dehydration. When propoerly hydrated, your body’s systems will be more likely to operate at maximum efficiency. This is especially important when you are exercising frequently. Your blood carries nutrients and oxygen to your muscles. When your blood volume is low you’ll feel lethargic and not want to work out.

These are a few of the reasons that drinking water helps weight loss. Grab a bottle of cool, clean water and drink it right now! Experts recommend about 8 12 oz glasses per day, but some of that is supplied by the foods you eat. Go to it!

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If you’ve been having trouble losing fat, whether you are trying to get rid of those last, obstinate 10 pounds, or want to lose 100, you’ve got to see this. There are many “insider” ways to strip fat from your body that can have you losing fat more quickly and easily than you ever thought possible. You don’t need any of those fat loss potions, pills or spend an hour doing cardio either. Most people are going about losing fat all wrong, and that’s why it’s so backbreaking. It doesn’t have to be! There are many super effective ways to lose fat fast that “short circuit” your body’s fat storage process and have you on the path to weight loss. Click now for some quick fat burning exercises that can put your fat burning furnace on “high” almost overnight.

We’ve all probably been in this situation before.

We didn’t think that we can do something but when told that it’s real easy, hey presto, we too can do it.

It can be something as simple as unscrewing the cap of a bottle. We all know how tight these things can be. Sometimes we will try to unscrew the thing to the point were we are red in the face but it just wouldn’t budge. But when we see that somebody else can easily do it (sometimes these people are not necessarily bigger or stronger than us), we find that we can do it too.

What’s the difference?

It’s because when we were handed the bottle the first time, we were usually told that the cap is tight or it’s stuck, so we too believe that it’s going to take a lot of effort to unscrew it and we just don’t have it in us. But when somebody else succeed where we failed, we immediately see that it is possible.

Whatever we do, if we believe that it can be done, we can accomplish anything and achieve success.

You’ll be amazed at what can happen when you believe in your abilities. An example is the man who lost his ability to walk after an accident. But if he believes that he will be able to walk again, it is possible. It might take time and many hours of physiological therapy, but as long as he believes in his ability, he will walk again.

Isn’t that what happens to our life most of the time?

There are people who want salary raise but don’t believe that they deserve it so they never got it.

There are people who want to start a business but don’t believe they have the capability so they failed.

There are people who want to win but don’t believe they could be the winner so they lost.

When you have the right belief system, you’ll succeed simply because you know it is POSSIBLE for you to be successful. Most of the time, the hardest part of becoming successful is to convince your own self of the possibility, not others. It is YOU who decide whether you want to achieve your goal or not and when you set your mind to it, nothing’s going to stop you.

Everything else is just background noise that can be tuned out.

Isn’t that interesting? All it takes is a shift in our believe system.

We provide thousands of self improvement articles and videos at successandlife.com where you can also submit yours to be read and watched.

You’re invited to receive self improvement tips at personal improvement blog.

Consistently believing in yourself is a habit and habits are learned. Go here to grab a book on building good habits and, while you’re there, sign up for their free Health and Happiness letter.

If you have been looking at your options for weight loss you may be wondering if those off-the-shelf fat burners are a good option for you. Before you making any decision find out a little more about fat burners and how they work in your body.

The first question most people ask is something like, “what exactly is a fat burner? These are supplements you take that will help your body remove fat in a number of different ways. There are a number of active ingredients that are able to do this such as Ephedrine and other natural ingredients or chemical compounds that enhance areas of your body that do help burn fat. For example, Phen375 uses enzyme boosters that go to work in your body to help burn away fat.

How Do They Work?

Well, there are three different ways that fat burners can go to work in the body and see results:

Metabolism Boost – The chief way many fat burners work is to increase your metabolism so your body will burn off more calories in each and every activity it does.

Appetite Suppressant – Generally fat burners make you feel fuller than you are which allows your body to burn off more fat from it’s stores when it requires fuel rather than using all of the calories you are taking in.

Energy Boost – Another positive side effect of fat burners is that they often give you a boost of energy. This will allow you to do more exercise and other activities that will burn off more fat.

How Well Do They Work?

This is going to differ by the person and a number of variables. One thing to keep in mind is that there are a lot of people who assume that once they are taking fat burners they don’t have to do anything else. This is not the case. The best way to use fat burners is a supplement to the rest of your health care and weight loss program. You need to get into a healthy living lifestyle that you can maintain with or without the fat burners.

Over time your body may get used to the fat burners being in your system and not respond to them as well, meaning you will not be burning as much fat. Therefore it is vital that you know how to maintain your weight loss and take a break from the fat burners for a while before starting them again to see continued results.

g4f note: I’ve used the ephedra based fat-burners and had some success with them. With any given brand you mileage will vary. Person A can take two pills and get some effect, person B will take a half pill and be climbing the walls. In my opinion their best use is as a supplement to kick start a healthier lifestyle.

As with any such product, whether herbal or lab created, follow the instructions carefully.

Also, as you may know, there are ways to get that lifestyle started that don’t involve any of the above products.