Page 21 - Florida Sentinel 8-26-16 Online Edition

Health
The one part of the body that nearly everyone complains about wanting to trim down is of course the stomach, the midsection aka your belly.
Getting rid of belly fat can prove to be difficult for many of us. Most of us try to slim down our belly, but end up losing other parts of our body that we want to keep or vice versa.
However, have you ever heard that abs are made in the kitchen? It’s true.
It’s what you eat that helps build up your metabolism and break down the fat around your midsection. So whatever you’re putting in your body is to blame for your gut. Now there’s a way to slim it down while you sleep. Yes, while you sleep.
One simple way to speed up the me- tabolism and eliminate belly fat is to put into your body the very thing that does both of those. And you could accomplish this best in drink form.
Using a unique blend of one cucum- ber, parsley or cilantro, one... lemon, a
tablespoon of grated fresh ginger, a ta- blespoon of Aloe Vera juice, and half a glass of water can begin to work wonders on your belly fat.
Cucumbers contain only forty-five calories each, along with a high water and fiber content.
Parsley and cilantro are also low in calories, and high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to aid the body in coun- teracting the deterioration of stored food products. Put all of these together and you will start to change your body’s reac- tion to added fat.
There’s three main ingredients why this works:
Lemon - Lemons help to flush out toxins the body has collected over the course of the day.
Ginger - Ginger prevents overeating and constipation. Various studies have also recognized ginger’s ability to speed up the body’s metabolic rate.
Aloe Vera - Aloe Vera Juice works to stimulate one’s metabolism, and steadies and decreases the body mass index. Because the metabolism slows down significantly during rest, it is best to consume this drink just before bed. In- creasing metabolic rate during sleep aids in the calorie burning process.
Pour a glass tonight. This coupled with a proper diet will help shrink the midsection.
The benefits of coconut oil are end- less. Rich in a unique combination of fatty acids, this superfood can be used for just about anything from lip balm to hair conditioner to sunscreen to an in- sect repellent to a hormone balancer – you get the idea!
Coconut oil is something that all of us should keep at least one jar of in our kitchen pantries. Read on to find out some of our favorite ways to use this miracle product a.k.a. coconut oil.
1. Prevents chaffing
If your little one has a diaper rash, try dabbing a small amount of coconut oil on the area that’s irritated and allow it to dry before replacing the diaper.
2. Soothes sore throats
There’s nothing more irritating than an itchy, sore throat, right? The next time you feel one coming on, try swal- lowing a teaspoon of coconut oil or adding it to your cup of tea.
3. Heals wounds
Because of its antibacterial and an- tifungal properties, coconut oil can be lightly applied over superficial cuts and scrapes. This isn’t for deep cuts.
4. Improves cholesterol
Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which boosts your HDL cholesterol – the “good” kind – levels.
High HDL levels can reduce your risk for heart disease, which is the lead- ing cause of death for African-Ameri- can women.
5. Burns fat
While it seems like adding oil to your diet would do more harm than good, it’s actually quite the opposite with coconut oil. It contains medium- chain saturated fats, which can boost your metabolism and are easier to di- gest.
6. Fights congestion
Feeling congested? Instead of run- ning out to the store and spending money on a jar of vapor rub, try a nat- ural alternative, such as coconut oil to eliminate any congestion.
7. Prevents nosebleeds
One of the most common causes of nosebleeds is dry nostrils. Applying a tiny amount of coconut oil inside of your nose can moisten your mucus membranes.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 9-B