TO HAVE AND HOLD

                  Hugging is a lovely way to show you care. It's also a proven stress-reliever. 

Revive your togetherness. If you have a particularly difficult day of deadlines and drama ahead of you, don't get worked up. Rather get up close and personal, because warm intense hug can greatly reduce the harmful physical effects of stress. According to studies conducted at the Touch Research Institute in America, wrapping your arms around your partner can lower your body's output of cortisol ( a dangerous stress hormone that drives up your heart rate and blood pressure) and create a surge of feel-good brain chemicals instead.

DINNER IS HERBED!

Kick-start your taste buds with fresh sprigs in your meals. You do not have to be a gourmet chef to increase your appreciation of the aroma and taste of herbs in food. All it takes is a little experimentation. Ensure your herbs don't overpower the dish. Start with the small quantities and add more if you so desire, and as your experience grows. Each herb has its own unique flavor and aroma that complements certain foods, and combines well with other particular herbs. Fresh herbs are almost invariably preferable to dried herbs, which lose a lot of volume and essential oils in the drying process.
Herbs can be used as "medicine". Fresh herbs have many good qualities to help your body system to cope against certain symptoms or it can help you to prevent illnesses. Herbs were used much more in a old day medicines. One of the most famous doctor that used nature to heal the body and prevent it to get sick was Alfred Vogel. We all know his Vogel products that many health shops and even chemist sell today. He said: " The nature, is the best doctor".

When you buy fresh herbs choose the ones that looks really fresh. You can mix herbs in your salads and here some advise how to use certain herbs easily in your food.

Basil
Fresh basil goes well any kind of dish with tomatoes. Sprinkle torn fresh basil leaves on your tomato salad or in your tomato soup. You can mix basil into a marinade of oil and garlic.

Mint
Mint leaves can be used for herbal teas: put few mint leaves on your mug and add hot water, let it cool down. This type of tea can be drink cool during the summer. After dinner it will help you digest. Mint goes well with Mediterranian food and same as other herbs you can add some torn leaves in your green salad. Fresh sauce for fish can be a yogurt/mint sauce.


Rosemary
Rosemary is very good for your blood circulation. It can be used in many vegetable dishes and with meat, fish and chicken. You can add rosemary in your soups and sauces as well.

Persil
This herb will help you kidneys to cleanse. Make persil tea same way than mint tea. drink this tea at least ones a day and it will help you to detox your kidneys.
Persil is excellent on top of the potato dishes and in soups. Always ad it at last don't let it boil, this will keep it fresh taste and as all the other herbs you can add some persil in your green salads. It contains a lot of vitamin A and C. It also contains vitamin B12 which is important for the red blood cell development.


Thyme
Thyme is excellent herb for cooking and it has calming effect on your digestive system. It can also be used in fresh salad.

Cumin, Coriander, Fennel, Anis and Aneth
Some of these herbs we can used the part of the plant and all of them have seeds that can be used in cooking. They are said to be warming seed spices that helps your digestive system. They also helps agains cold and infections. A mild fennel or anise tea helps the babies digestive problems.  Fennel tea has cleansing properties and it will help you for water retention, it has mild diuretic effect.

If possible make your own small herb garden at you home. In wintertime you can keep few pots next to your window and in summer you can plant your herbs in your garden or if you have a balcony. It is fun and you will always have some fresh herbs. Go and visit a garden center next to your home and ask the personal there to give you some  advise how to grow your own herbs. Growing your herbs at you home you will also have a nice fragrance in your kitchen. There are so many different herbs just try new ones and experiment them in your everyday cooking. And try to grow your own, it's fun for you and for your children too, you can teach them that some plants can be eaten and they are healthy too.

5 WAYS TO REVIVE YOUR SENSES

Enrich your awareness of everyday tastes, 

sights and sounds to enhance your enjoyment of life.

1. Open up to pleasure 

Sensuous living is about creating sensory moments that give you pleasure. Allow your senses to absorb to their fullest. You will find yourself completely in the moment, in the now -and that is the only time we are truly happy and in our natural state. Appreciating more of the world around us adds to the quality of our lives.

     2.  Practise the art

It may take time to build this new awareness into your life, so ones a week, set aside a few hours to be fully aware of your senses. As you walk into to work, acknowledge the colour of the sky. Feel the wind against your cheeks, notice the crunch of the gravel beneath your feet. At home, try something as simple as baking bread. Enjoy the eight of the dough as you knead, appreciate the smell of the freshly baked loaf when open the owen. Delight in the taste sensation of the hot buttered slice.

   3.  Appreciate beauty

Surround yourself with objects you find beautiful - a fragrant bunch of flowers, an exquisite shell, a delicate glass. Incorporate things that speak to you sensual self - textures, colours, music and scents. In the bathroom, use fluffy towels, scented candles and rose petals to transform your space into an uplifting haven. Shower with invigorating herbal shower gel, you can add some essential oils to you shower gel. In the bath you could share the pleasure with your partner. Step into the warm water with awareness. As you lather up, enjoy the tingling feeling on your skin, millimeter by millimeter. 

   4. Learn to listen

Pay attention to natural sounds around you, and don't neglect the sound of others. Each of us is a product of our upbringing, culture and life experiences. Even if aren't aware of it, this uniqueness can sometimes be an obstacle when it comes to being an effective listener. Try to remain open to what your daughter, friend or colleague is saying, and withhold evaluation or judgement. Become aware of what your triggers are in the communication process and what shuts your listening down.

  5. Feel healthier

Living sensually triggers endorphins, the natural hormones responsible for the physical sensations of pleasure. They also anesthetize pain and strengthen your immune system.

MEDIA BRAKE...

Detox your mind and soul by keeping a media brake. Most of us read the newspaper in the morning. On the way home from work, we likely to tune into a news bulletin on the radio too. Some people are listening the radio the whole day at work. So instead choose a nice music chanel. Given the often unsettling and tragic headlines we are fed. It's no wonder we feel anxious at times. Just for a week, try focusing only on the good news and nice soothing music that suites you. Cut your TV watching time in half and only watch positive programs, no news, no crime series, just funny and anything that you can maybe learn something new.
Tune out and made a date with your CD collection. The right piece of your favorite music in the evening makes you calmer and relaxes you. Soothing, calm music can have a profound and immediate effect on your stress levels. After a week you feel much better...

RELAXING BATH

Have a bath treatment at home...Your sense of smell is directly linked to the limbic system in your brain- the seat of emotion. this explains the extraordinary power fragrance has over your body and mind. indulge in a aromatic bath with some bath salts and aromatherapy oils and light few candles around you.

Cocoon your soul in the fragrant pleasure of a perfect bath... Close the door...Close your eyes. Breathe in the calming scents of essential oils and herbs. breath out stresses of the day. Relaxing in a warm bath relieves sore muscles and joints, reduces tress, and promotes a good night's sleep. Add soothing music, soft lighting and a bath with lavender and chamomile essential oils to calm your senses. You can create a real spa experience in the privacy of your own home.

There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't cure,

but I don't know many of them

-sylvia plath

JUST IMAGINE...

...How wonderfully restful it would be to get a good night's sleep. If you find it difficult to drift off, try this once you have switched off the lights. Imagine yourself on an island at twilight. Feel the warm evening breeze against your skin, carrying with it the sweet perfume of delicate flowers. Look at the darkening water and listen to the rhythmic sound of the lapping waves. taste the faint traces of salt and sand on your skin. The more vivid your visualisation, and the more senses you involve, the more effective it will be.