15 Things to Do When You Have the Worst Headache Ever

Headaches, our arch nemesis—we meet again. Instead of staying up all night Googling natural cures, try these 15 fast headache remedies. They might not cure you completely, but in the throes of a migraine, any modicum of relief is a godsend.

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1. Drink water. It sounds simple, but many headaches are caused by dehydration.
2. Give yourself a scalp massage. Research has shown that massaging the greater occipital nerve (the back of your head at the base of your skull) can relieve headache pain.

3. Press the webbed area between your thumb and pointer finger. Lightly massage the spot for about one minute before switching to the other hand.

4. Stretch. Headaches are often caused by muscle tension. Simple neck stretches like thesecould help relieve some of the tension.

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5. Eat watermelon. Yep, if your headache is caused by dehydration, eating water-rich foodscould relieve your pain by rehydrating your whole body.
6. Massage peppermint oil onto your temples, the back of your jaw and your forehead. Peppermint oil has been shown to promote blood flow, which might get things moving in your head.
7. Breathe deeply. When you feel pain, your body gets stressed. Deep breaths will help you relax and could ease some of the tension.

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8. Drink a cup of coffee. Headaches are often caused by the expanding of blood vessels. The caffeine in coffee constricts these blood vessels, bringing them back down to normal size.

9. Drink apple cider vinegar. Dilute two tablespoons of ACV into a big glass of water and add a little honey or lemon juice to make it more palatable. Apples and ACV help restore the body’s acid-alkaline balance and could help with headache pain.

10. Hold a pencil between your teeth…but resist the urge to gnaw on it. Lightly holding the pencil between your teeth activates your “smile” muscles, relaxing your jaw. We sometimes clench our teeth when we’re stressed, and straining the muscle that connects the jaw to the temples can cause a tension headache.

11. Drink ginger tea. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that could alleviate some pain.

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12. Apply ice to your temples. The artery that supplies blood to the lining of the brain sits behind the thin bone at the temple. When you’re having a migraine, the lining gets inflamed, so lowering the temperature of the blood passing through that area could relieve some of the throbbing.

13. Take a hot shower. And let the water fall on the back of your neck. Heat relaxes tense muscles, which could also alleviate the pain caused by a headache.

14. Eat something spicy. Sprinkle some cayenne pepper onto your food. Cayenne contains an ingredient called capsaicin, which has some control over our pain perception.

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15. Meditate. Quieting the mind and focusing your attention away from the pain you’re experiencing could work in distracting yourself from a headache until it goes away. Breathe in, breathe out…

source: www.purewow.com

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This Exercise Will Improve Your Posture and Bring Relief to Your Back & Spine

NOTE: This is now a part of a series of exercises for strengthening back muscles, bringing relief and improving posture. The preceding exercise can be found here.

The series so far:

• Exercise #1: Cat-Cow
• Exercise #2: Back Extension (you are here)
• Exercise #3: Back Stretching
• Exercise #4: Heel Kick
• Exercise #5: Double Impact
• Exercise #6: Swimming
• Exercise #7: Stomach Rolls
• Exercise #8: Diving Swan

Please make sure to start from the 1^st exercise and only after perfecting it work your way up to the more demanding ones to ensure a gradual progression and avoiding any injuries. For example, if you are out of shape and just starting out, it may take several weeks before you’ll feel comfortable of advancing to a follow-up exercise. After you go through the entire program, you’ll find your favorites and the ones that benefit you the most. Remember not to push yourself too hard, a smart stretch must be controlled, gentle and continuous. Since you are taking the joint to a point close to its limits, a certain amount of discomfort is normal, but when this discomfort becomes pain, you may have exceeded your limit, and may be getting dangerously close to an injury. Stay concentrated at all times and observe how your body is reacting to the exercise. Good luck!

Back extension is a widely used exercise to strengthen the muscles on your back and protect your spine from injury. Physiotherapists apply this exercise not only in sports training, but also in medicine. Back extensions, when practiced regularly, help you get rid of round back and discomfort in the spine and give you an optimal posture. Office workers and anybody who tends to sit a lot will find this exercise very helpful in alleviating problems and symptoms associated with prolonged sitting.


Initial position. Lie on your stomach and put your forehead on the exercise mat. Place your arms at your sides and press your palms on the thighs. Straighten your elbows. Put your legs together, drawing out the toes slightly.

• Exale. Gradually lift the head, chest and upper abdomen from the mat, keeping the feet and hands in the initial position;
• Inhale. Slowly lower the trunk and head to the initial position. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

Doing this exercise 3 times a week will bring definite improvements to your glutes, back and stomach muscles. It will also positively affect internal organ functions, making you will feel much better overall.

Make Sure You:

• Provide some support for the spine during the extension of the back by tensing the abdominal muscles and not releasing your feet from the mat;
• Make your body rise gradually, vertebra by vertebra, starting at the cervical spine. Pay attention to the movement of the muscles around the spine and keep your head aligned with the body;
• Place your arms close to your sides so you can also use the adductor muscles, particularly the latissimus dorsi and pectoralis major. Activation of the latissimus dorsi muscle is needed as it plays a key role in stabilizing the torso.
• Move your body gradually back to the mat, from the lower spine to the top, using back extensors to control the lowering. The abdominal muscles at this time provide support for the spine.

Additional Notes

Abdominal muscles play a vital role in providing support to the spine with its extension. Because the position of the lumbar spine and the chest, when doing this and similar exercises there is a tendency to sag/drop the waist. Usually the pelvis tilts forward, as shown on the upper illustration here:

 By straining the muscles of the abdomen and pulling them up, we tilt the pelvis back into position. Make sure to firmly press the pelvis to the mat and pull your stomach and abdominal muscles to direct the effort toward your chest, as shown on the illustration just above. This will not allow the pelvis to tilt forward and it will remove unnecessary tension in the lumbar region. The ability to use your abdominal muscles to stabilize the lumbar region is necessary to optimally perform this and more complex exercises associated with back extension.

Source: SportWiki.to

 

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7 Weight Loss Mistakes Even Healthy Women Make

You snack on fruit, count calories, and get some form of exercise most days. So when you step on that scale and the needle stays put, you wonder what the heck you're doing wrong. Even with clean eating and  good fitness habits, you may be making a few small mistakes that can lead to a plateau and derail your results. Here's how to upgrade your already-healthy habits to finally reach your get-slim goal. (Snack AND lose weight with this box of Prevention-approved treats from Bestowed.)

1. If you count calories... Determine the right intake for you.
Only 11% of Americans correctly estimate their ideal daily calorie requirements, according to one survey. The rest of us tend to overestimate, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Let's say you assume that consuming 2,000 calories per day will allow you to reach your target weight, but it really takes 1,800: Those extra 200 are enough to keep an additional 20 pounds on your frame.

Do it better: If 1,800 calories is your max, split it into three 500-calorie meals and one 300-calorie snack.


2. If you're consistently active... Rev your routine.
When you spend a few hours running errands, it feels like you've worked off some serious weight. But despite hauling around those grocery bags, you burned only about 400 calories—that's about 1/10 of a pound.

Do it better: Short bursts of intense activity burn more calories—and up to 36% more fat, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Strolling around the mall or a park for an hour works off about 150 calories; pick up the pace 1 minute out of every 5 to burn over one-third more calories (try a similar method if you bike). Swimmers can switch from freestyle or breaststroke to a more challenging crawl every few laps, or just go a little faster. Give these quick calorie-burning interval workouts a try.

3. If you choose nutritious foods... Keep portions in check.
What you put on your plate is important, but healthy eating is also about being mindful of how much you consume. For example, your husband has pancakes with butter and syrup for breakfast, your son grabs a doughnut, and you opt for a cup of oatmeal with a handful of walnuts, a sliced banana, and a large glass of organic blueberry juice. You may win on nutrients, but when it comes to calories, you're dead last: That healthy-sounding meal adds up to almost 700 calories, more than a third of your allotment for the day.

Do it better: The best way to know if you're eating too much is to write it down. "Even if you note it on a napkin and then throw it away, that's okay. Just the act of writing makes you more aware," says Taub-Dix. Portion control cues help too: A baseball-size serving for chopped veggies and fruits; a golf ball for nuts and shredded cheese; a fist for rice and pasta; and a deck of cards for lean meats.

4. If you order the "healthiest" menu item... Do your dining out research in advance.

Photo by Jeffrey Coolidge/Gett Images

Choose the turkey sandwich over pizza and you think you're set, but again, looks can be deceiving. A turkey sandwich that comes on focaccia with cheese and mayo can deliver 970 calories. Two slices of pepperoni pan pizza total 520 calories. Put your sandwich in a spinach wrap instead of regular bread? It's the same difference, says Tara Gidus, RD, a former spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "My clients think they get more nutrients and save on calories with 'healthy bread,' but often that's not the case."

Do it better: Look up nutrition facts before you eat there. See if your favorite eatery has nutrition facts online or in the store—you may be surprised at what you see. Here are 13 helpful tips for dining out on a diet.

5. If you choose "diet" treats... Eat the real thing, but downsize your portion.
When you want something sweet, all those fat-free, sugar-free options seem like a smart choice for weight loss. But researchers at Cornell University found that overweight people who choose low-fat versions of snack foods rather than the regular kinds consume, on average, twice as many calories. "The terms 'fat-free' or 'sugar-free' can create a green light effect, triggering people to eat more," says dietitian Cynthia Sass, RD. But many fat-free foods have about the same number of calories (or more) as their full-fat counterparts.

Do it better: Go for reasonable amounts of the real thing. If you love ice cream, have a small scoop of premium. "You won't stick to a diet that doesn't include your favorites," says David Grotto, RD, author of 101 Foods That Could Change Your Life. Bottom line: Life's too short for forbidden foods.


6. If you're a crunch queen... Don't forget your cardio

Photo by Stockbyte/Getty Images

One of the biggest mistakes women make when trying to figure out how to lose belly fat: too many crunches, too little cardio. No matter how toned your abs are, your belly won't look flat until you get rid of the layer of fat on top of them, says Jessica Smith, a certified personal trainer and star of fitness DVDs. For that, you need to rev your calorie burn. Interval training, in which you alternate high-intensity bursts of activity with easier bouts, has been shown to zap more belly fat than steady-paced moderate workouts.

Do it better: Try these quick calorie-burning intervals. Each week, aim for three interval sessions and two or three moderate, steady-paced workouts of 30 to 60 minutes each—along with ab exercises—for best results.


7. If you eat snacks to quell cravings... Be more mindful of your intake
You may think you're vigilant about watching what you eat, but research shows that stolen bites and tastes can rack up a few hundred uncounted calories, which can put on pounds fast. Eating while distracted can cause mindless eating, too. When women who normally watched their portions had lunch in different situations, they ate 15% more (72 additional calories) while listening to a detective story, compared with when they ate alone and free of any distractions, found a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Do it better: Avoid eating when your mind's elsewhere (while on the computer, for example), and eliminate unnecessary distractions (turn off the TV; set aside the book).

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20 Cheat Sheets For When You're Trying To Eat A Little Healthier

1. For when you're finally ready to give this whole meal prep thing a try.

mealpreponfleek.com / Via mealpreponfleek.com

Basically just mix and match your way to healthy meals you can take on the go.

2. For a post-workout protein fix that comes with a bonus caffeine fix.

Listotic / Via listotic.com

Your coffee needs should never get in the way of your protein needs, and vice versa.

3. For when you want to make some ~mindful~ decisions about what you eat and when.

Body Mind Soul / Via bodminsou.com

Of course everyone's appetite is different, but these suggestions can be so helpful for anyone who's trying to put some more thought and planning into the way they eat throughout the day.

4. For coming up with quick ideas for a healthy lunch to pack.

Lexi's Clean Kitchen / Via lexiscleankitchen.com

Another opportunity to mix and match items from each category. And voilà: a healthy, filling lunch to bring to work.

5. For when being a little more ~regular~ couldn't hurt.

The Little Pine / Via thelittlepine.com

In addition to helping move things through (and out of) your body, fiber also helps keep you full and slows down your body's absorption of sugar. Basically, you want to make sure you're getting enough of it for a bunch of reasons. And it's best to get your fiber from whole food sources.

6. For making salads that don't suck.

Body Mind Soul / Via bodminsou.com

Down with sad, boring salads!

7. And for making your own salad dressings that are healthy and delicious.

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Down, also, with bottled dressing!

8. For when you want to remember which fats are the heart-healthy ones.

The Little Pine / Via thelittlepine.com

As BuzzFeed Health has reported, Americans tend to get more than enough saturated fat (the kind of fat in meat and dairy), but not nearly enough unsaturated fat from fish, nuts, seeds, and other plant-based sources. Unsaturated fats are really good for your heart, so eating more of them when you can is a great call.

9. For when you need a go-to high-protein recipe you can throw together super quickly.

Oh That's Tasty / Via ohthatstasty.com

It's also low-carb (if that's your jam) and the avocado provides heart-healthy fat. So, in conclusion, get into it.

10. For breakfast bars that aren't full of sugar and unpronounceable ingredients.

Neila Ray / Via darebee.com

Just four ingredients, no baking required.

11. For when you need a sweet treat that's also full of healthy stuff.

Listotic / Via listotic.com

This super easy recipe provides carbs, healthy fats, and some protein, which makes it great as a workout snack, as well as a healthier dessert.

12. For when you refuse to be fooled by sugar's alter egos.

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Sugar is basically hiding in plain sight all the time.

13. For when you're trying to go a little lower carb but need a game plan.

Under Armour / Via blog.myfitnesspal.com

Don't eliminate stuff entirely — just find some swaps you can live with.

14. For when you want to eat more vegetables but only if they taste good.

Cooksmarts / Via cooksmarts.com

Apparently vegetables taste a lot better if you prepare them properly.

15. For when you need some non-animal-based ideas for getting more protein.

Pop Sugar / Via popsugar.com

The sky's the limit when it comes to plant-based protein.

16. For a delicious on-the-go breakfast you prep the night before.

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Customize as you desire and enjoy your hearty, nutritious, homemade breakfast.

17. For when you've decided to cook for yourself more but need an assist.

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Hey, it's not like you're born knowing how to marinate meat.

18. For when you need a quick and dirty reminder of whether that thing is paleo.

Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed / Via buzzfeed.com

No need to memorize it.

19. For when what you really need is a formula for making a tasty stirfry.

Cooksmarts / Via cooksmarts.com

Just follow the step-by-step instructions for a nutrition-packed dinner you make in a wok (or pan).

20. And for when you just need a few basic reminders of what healthier eating might look like.

Neila Rey / Via darebee.com

Even if you don't feel like committing to all of them at once.

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3 Drinks To Help You Lose 5 Pounds In 1 Month

I have a major problem when football season comes around:

I get FAT.

It’s easy to do when you sit in front of the TV for 8 hours at a time while binging on beers and chomping on chips. And once the season’s over, I realize this:

I need to LOSE weight.

Well since I’m not a gym rat and lack discipline, losing weight can be tough. So instead of hitting the gym hard, I decided to simplify weight loss.

How did I do that?

By replacing all that belly-bloating beer with these 3 beverages: Water – I drank 8 glasses a day at the least. I also drank it one hour before eating to make me feel full and reduce my need to consume calories. Doing this also is said to boost metabolism 30% for 90 minutes after drinking it. Coffee – It’s loaded with antioxidants that burn fat. Its caffeine content provides an energy boost and can increase metabolism by 10%. Skip all the sugar, cream, and other additives. Take it black to get the full benefits.
Green tea – One of the best fat-burning beverages around. It’s loaded with catechins that burn fat, plus caffeine for added energy. Consuming those 3 beverages instead of beer helped me blast belly fat rather easily. But there’s something else consumed that gave me an EXTRA boost…

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15 Foods to Help You Sleep

Image Source: Flickr user Rachel Hathaway

If you rely on sleeping pills for a good night's sleep, take note: a recent study found that those who took sleeping aids like Ambien and Lunesta had a higher risk of dying sooner or developing cancer. While the jury's still out on whether the study found merely a correlation between being sick and taking sleeping pills (rather than the medication being the cause of the early deaths), why not play it safe with a natural fix? If you're a restless sleeper, try eating any of these foods a few hours before bedtime and be ready for a personal visit from Mr. Sandman.


1. Honey

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Anna Monette Roberts

Add a drizzle of honey to warm milk or herbal tea a few hours before you plan on heading to bed. That little bit of glucose lowers levels of orexin, a neurotransmitter that raises your level of alertness.

2. Whole Grains

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry

If you're feeling a little restless before bedtime, reach for a piece of whole grain bread or toast. Whole grains encourage the production of insulin, which helps neural pathways get tryptophan — an amino acid that acts as a sedative — to the brain.

3. Bananas

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Grace Hitchcock

Skip the Ambien; reach for a banana instead. Bananas are high in potassium, a mineral that is essential to a having a deep night's sleep. Bananas also contain tryptophan and magnesium, making this fruit nature's little sedative.

4. Beans

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Jenny Sugar

B vitamins have long been used to treat insomnia and help alleviate stress and anxiety. If you're looking for a natural vitamin B complex, try beans — they contain a nice smattering of different B vitamins like B6, niacin, and folate.

5. Dairy

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Jae Payne

It's true — that warm glass of milk your mom gave you when you were a kid does help you sleep better. Dairy is a natural source of sleep-inducing tryptophan, and the calcium content of dairy has a nice booster effect on the amino acid.

6. Nuts

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry

A handful of nuts are a great bedtime snack because they help boost serotonin levels in the brain and are an excellent source of magnesium and tryptophan. Walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds contain the highest levels of the natural sedative.

7. Oats

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Lizzie Fuhr

Melatonin is a hormone that helps to control the body's sleep/wake cycle. Oats are a natural source of melatonin. If you need a snack before bed, have a small bowl of oatmeal or a healthy oat cookie.

8. Poultry

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Susannah Chen

It's not just turkey that contains sleep-inducing tryptophan; all poultry does. If I'm hungry before bed, I'll nibble on a piece of chicken or put sliced turkey onto a piece of whole wheat bread. Both are great foods to help you sleep!

9. Chickpeas

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry

Chickpeas may just be the miracle legume. Not only have chickpeas been proven to help you eat less, but they're also high in vitamin B6, which plays an important role in helping your body produce serotonin, the feel-good hormone that boosts your mental health and helps you rest easy. If you're not in the mood for hummus, check out a few of our healthy chickpea recipes here.

10. Yogurt

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Anna Monette Roberts

A small bowl of yogurt with a few of your favorite toppings added in may be just what you need to fall asleep. That's because yogurt contains calcium, which is needed for processing sleep-inducing hormones trytophan and melatonin.

11. Cherry Juice

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

Cherries are high in melatonin as well, and a recent study found that regularly drinking cherry juice or eating cherries may help people with insomnia regulate their sleep cycles for better sleep.

12. Leafy Greens

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry

Leafy greens contain high levels of calcium, important for producing sleep hormones. Craving something salty and crunchy before you go to sleep? Make some kale chips (watch our video for directions) for a nutritious, sleep-inducing snack.

13. Tea

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Jae Payne

The tried-and-true mug of chamomile tea before you go to bed is effective for a reason. The herb has calming effects, and drinking a warm cup of (noncaffeinated) tea before bed may be just the bedtime routine you need to help you drift off to sleep.

14. Grapes

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry

A 2006 study found that popular grape varietals used to make wine, like Merlot, Sangiovese, and Cabernet, contain high levels of melatonin. The study tested the actual fruit, not wine, but the researchers say that melatonin levels in wine may be possible. Don't take this as a good excuse to imbibe before bedtime, however, since alcohol can make it harder for you to stay asleep throughout the night.

15. Eggs

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry

Eggs are also a good source of tryptophan, so have a hard-boiled egg alongside a cup of tea or a poached egg on whole grain bread to combine the power of your favorite sleep-inducing foods.

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This Simple Stretch Will Make Your Knees Feel Years Younger

Knee pain affects many people, and it’s predicted that by the age of 85, 50% of the American population will experience some knee condition. This percentage increases up to 66% in case you are obese or you have extra weight, as the lower extremities support all our movements and they are exposed to great pressure.

The knee pain can be a result of over-taxation, osteoarthritis, and injury, but it could be relieved with the help of some very simple stretches. You could find the stretches in the following below:

To support the health of your joints, you need to:

• Strengthen the surrounding muscles so as to lower the joint stress
• Consume a healthy dietthat is rich in vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium
• Maintain a healthy body weight
• In case you are leading a sedentary lifestyle or your work requires sitting, you need to get up every 10 minutes in order to maintain mobility and to generate pain
• Do not try some vigorous exercise in order to prevent further complications, and walk or try pool aerobics in its place, which is going to preserve the joint mobility
• You should always do some warming up before exercising, and you should be cautious while stretching cold muscles. To strengthen your joints, you can do a brisk 10-minute walk, and try stretching afterwards.

When it comes to topical applications of natural remedies to soothe your knee pain, you definitely need to try these:

Joint pain is often a result of a vitamin D deficiency, so you should make sure to enjoy the sunlight for 20 minutes a day, without applying sunscreen.

The lemon peels support the blood flow and also reduce the swelling. Therefore, you just need to grate the lemon rind, squeeze the pieces together, and then apply them to your knee. Then, cover the area with some gauze and leave the lemon peel to act for around 2 hours.

The antioxidants in Cayenne are able to inhibit the pain transmitters, and arnica loosens the joints and thus supports the mobility.

Epsom salt is very high in magnesium, so you can apply it directly on your painful areas. The skin is going to absorb the mineral, and this soothes the pain and the inflammation. You can also dissolve two tablespoons of it in half a cup of water, soak cotton cloth in it, and then apply it on the joints. Leave the compress for around 20 minutes, and then wash it off. Also, you should occasionally enjoy a whole Epsom bath, because the magnesium can stimulate the production of serotonin, and relax your whole body.

Ginger is one more powerful natural anti-inflammatory.

Coconut oil has very potent anti-inflammatory properties too, so you need to warm a teaspoon of it between your hands and rub your knees, first clockwise, then counter-clockwise for around 10-15 minutes.

To soothe the knee pain, you also need toconsume the following foods:

Herbs: in order to alleviate pain and soothe the inflammation, you need to use evening primrose, stinging nettle, and Boswellia.

Gelatin is high in collagen, the component of the bones and the connective tissue, which soothes the pain and improves mobility. You could add plain gelatin to smoothies, and yogurt, or you can also mix it with fruit juices, honey, spices, andherbs.

Vitamin D is found in a few foods, such as eggs, organic orange juice, mushrooms, and fatty fish, such as wild salmon, tuna, sardines, andmackerel.

Spices with anti-inflammatory properties areturmeric, ginger, cayenne, and cinnamon.

Source: healthyfoodhouse.com

So, in order to prevent and relieve knee pain, you need tobe physically active, get enough sleep, eat well, and maintain a healthy body weight.

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