Ajit Patel UK Goldshield - The Colour Of Happiness

The Colour Of Happiness – Ajit Patel UK Goldshield

Do you ever stop to wonder how the colours around you could affect your mood and wellbeing? Will wearing black all day really make you depressed? Can working in a yellow room make you more energetic? Well, some people believe that colours can have a major impact on our mood and emotional wellbeing.

Colour is incredibly important to the evolution of human beings. For example, the colours of fruit and berries can indicate if something is poisonous or ripe and ready to eat. And society has given colour important meanings – such as red for danger, or green for go. It’s therefore easy to see how some colours could stimulate an emotional reaction in our brains but there are also some theories regarding how certain colours could provoke less obvious reactions and feelings. Here are some examples:

Blue – some experts believe that the colour blue could be an appetite suppressant because humans evolved to avoid blue foods, which could often be poisonous. Blue is also used to lower high blood pressure, calm over-excitement and promote restorative sleep.

Yellow – although yellow is often linked to happiness and optimism, for some people yellow can cause headaches and nausea, as it is a difficult colour for the brain to process.

Orange – in colour therapy, orange is often used to increase energy levels as it is thought to increase blood flow to the brain.

Purple – because purple is rarely found in nature, it is often associated with magic and wizardry as well as with wealth and royalty – as only the rich would have been able to afford fabrics that were dyed purple. Indigo is used to calm anger, lower stress-related high blood pressure and to overcome addictions, while violet helps to calm anxiety.

Brown – with links to nature and earth, brown is a calming and reassuring colour that can provide feelings of comfort and safety.

Red – is the warmest colour and has a stimulating effect to help increase circulation.

Green – is the most relaxing colour and helps to promote freshness, regeneration and spiritual growth.

-          Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel UK Wellbeing - Smart Tips For Busy Cooks

Smart Tips For Busy Cooks – Ajit Patel UK Wellbeing

Do you want tasty, healthy meals without spending hours in the kitchen? Sometimes, it’s the little short cuts and clever tricks that can save you time and improve your cooking. Here are some tips for savvy home chefs:

Get More Juice From Your Lemons. To save time and get more juice from a lemon, simply roll the whole lemon across your worktop a few times before cutting and squeezing. This causes cells inside the lemon to burst and release their juice – giving you up to three times more juice. Works with limes and oranges, too.

Rescue Salty Soup. If you’ve been heavy handed with the salt, just pop a peeled and quartered potato into the soup. The potato draws away the excess salt leaving you with a tasty soup. Just remember to remove the potato before serving.

Say Goodbye To Garlic Odour. Although it may be delicious when cooked, the smell of raw garlic can remain on your skin, even after you’ve washed your hands. To remove the garlicky smell, rub a stainless steel spoon over your hands while rinsing.

No More Onion Tears. Fed up of crying when you’re preparing onions? Prevent irritated eyes by placing the onions in a large bowl of water while preparing. This way the fumes from the onions won’t be released into the air. Other tricks include rubbing your knife with limejuice as the acid reacts with the onion, causing it to release less gas.

Don’t Cry Over Spilt Milk. A simple way to prevent milk from boiling over is to put a long wooden spoon across the top of the pan while heating. The spoon breaks the surface tension caused by milk proteins and allows the steam to escape.

Help Cream Stay Fresh. Store unopened packs of dairy products such as cream or cottage cheese upside down. This creates a vacuum within the tub, helping to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Keep Bread Fresh. Increase the lifespan of bread by storing it inside a plastic bag alongside a stick of celery. The bread takes in moisture from the celery, helping it stay fresher for longer. And because celery has a mild taste, the flavour of the bread is not impaired.

Smart Peeler. With its knobbly lumps and bumps, ginger is a pain to peel. Rather than using a traditional peeler, try using the back of a teaspoon instead. Simply rub the spoon along the contours of the ginger and the delicate skin easily comes away.

-          Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel UK Wellness - How To Train Cardio Smart For Fat Loss

How To Train Cardio Smart For Fat Loss – Ajit Patel UK Wellness

Cardio and High Intensity Intermittent Training (HIIT) training can not only help you lose weight, but are the only proven method to remove the most dangerous fat you carry on your body, known as ‘stubborn fat’. Buried deep within the abdominal cavity and between your internal organs, this visceral and liver fat can trigger heart attacks, cancer and other potentially fatal diseases. 

“When it comes to increased health risks, where fat is deposited in the body is more important than how much fat you have,’ says exercise physiologist, Cris Slentz PhD, lead author of a study published in the ‘American Journal of Physiology’. Conventional aerobic cardio training is great at targeting this type of fat, where the shorter, hyper intense anaerobic HIIT training will raise what’s known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) to help your body burn more fat as fuel for many hours after your workout.

Regardless, cardio has received a bad name from some, with claims that it “can’t increase muscle mass”, it “heightens stress hormones” or even “cannibalises your own flesh.” However the world’s leading sport performance scientists and trainers from every sporting discipline all elect cardio/HIIT training not just to increase fitness levels but also when their athletes needs to lose body fat.

A good point to mention here is that to a coach, weight loss should never be in the expense of losing muscle. When you burn your own flesh as fuel, you go into a catabolic state, which will lead to a spiritual paralysis. So this leads to the next point, the best coaches and athletes get results from cardio because they follow a proven structure. They have a plan. They train to win. Those who don’t, who just turn up to a cardio workout without any thought or randomly add ‘30 minutes steady state’ at the end of their weights session, are simply wasting their time.

Cardio training is not to blame for a surge in cortisol (stress hormone) or loss of muscle mass; any negative elements are indications that someone is going wrong and training inefficiently. Here’s an example and the biggest reason why cardio training has so unfairly received a bad name. In short, when you elect to perform cardio in a workout, more often than not the aim is to burn fat (fat oxidation) as opposed to increase oxygen consumption. Now, fat oxidation can only occur under certain conditions. The correct moderate training intensity must be employed so your body elects to burn predominantly fat as a fuel and does not switch over to carbs, ie turning the workout from aerobic to anaerobic. However, there is one other condition to consider. If insulin spikes (from intake of sugar/certain carbs) before or during the workout, your body will elect to burn the sugar/carbs that caused that spike first. It then becomes a physiological impossibility to oxidise fat as fuel.

What one sees and hears so often is “I needed energy so I drank a non-diet coke, or ate a Mars bar, or had pasta just before my cardio session.” This means fat oxidation becomes Void! The workout may have been performed well, but no fat loss will occur. That person starts off with a 30 minute cardio session, feeling motivated by training hard, yet sees no results. So they eventually start to increase their training volume each week in the hope to turn the tide. Suddenly they are doing 60 or 90-minute sessions and placing too much trauma and stress upon their body… Everyone then wrongly waves the finger of blame at cardio!

-          Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel UK WeMet - Building A Bee-friendly Garden

Building A Bee-friendly Garden – Ajit Patel UK WeMet

Some people don’t like bees. The slightest buzz sends them into full-on screaming-and-arm-flailing mode. But although few gardeners would welcome a bee nest on their patch, there are some real advantages from inviting these fuzzy, buzzy friends in.

Bees help plants reproduce through pollination, while plant pollen and nectar allows bees and colonies to thrive. It’s a mutually beneficial cycle that has existed for millions of years. And while honeybee hives contain tens of thousands of individual insects, bumblebee nests typically contain fewer than 50 bees. Bumbles like to build nests in dry, dark cavities; some species prefer underground nests beneath garden sheds, compost heaps or abandoned rodent holes, while others nest above ground in trees or bird houses.

The first step in making your garden bee-friendly is to grow the right types of plants – particularly in spring. This is when queens search for an ideal nest location, and will be attracted to gardens with lots of pollen and nectar-rich plants to provide plentiful food for their first batch of eggs.

Consider organic planting of native and wild varieties with a simple flower, rather than more exotic blooms with complex flower structures. Think roses, geraniums and clematis, and even flowering herbs such as thyme, borage and chive. Ivy is also an important autumn source of pollen and nectar for bees preparing for winter.

Just as a pond, water feature or other source of drinking water encourages wildlife and birds into your garden, providing a place to drink also helps your bees – they need moisture the same as every other living creature. If you see a bee in distress – walking along the ground rather than flying – help it out by supplying a few drops of water/sugar mixture as a nectar substitute.

Most of us are afraid of being stung by bees, but they only sting when they perceive a threat to themselves or their colony. Most species of bees aren’t naturally aggressive and will not sting without considerable provocation. The best advice is to give them space – and in particular don’t get too close to the nest itself, as they may act to defend their colony and queen.

With experts warning of alarming reductions in worldwide bee populations – due to factors such as harmful agricultural insecticides and loss of natural habitats – we can all play our small part in supporting the humble bee and the important part it plays in the earth’s delicate ecosystem.

-          Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel Sanda Wellness Goldshield - Can You Eat To Beat Ageing?

Can You Eat To Beat Ageing? – Ajit Patel Sanda Wellness Goldshield

Sales of anti-ageing cosmetics are at an all-time high as we wage war against the signs of getting older. Taking the lead from nature, these beauty lotions and potions read more like a grocery list with everything from green tea, pomegranate and lemon zest infused into them. 

However, applying creams and cleansers to your skin’s surface is no substitute for eating and drinking foods that will heal, nurture, repair and rejuvenate your skin from the inside out. Nutrition plays a huge role in limiting the ageing process and protecting against damage from UV rays and other environmental and lifestyle factors.

Your skin tells us the state of your internal environment so the clearer, brighter, suppler, glowing complexion you have – the younger, healthier internal vital organs are likely to be. Specific nutrients help to prevent harm to your cells and tissues including your skin, whilst hydrating your complexion and keeping your skin cells functioning optimally. Including these in your daily diet will go a long way in the prevention and reduction of wrinkles, as well as a healthier, more energetic, younger you.

Lean Protein – provides your body with the building blocks for replenishing collagen, the main supporting structure of the skin, to help guard against fine lines and wrinkles. Eating the right type of healthy, lean protein, organic eggs, skinless chicken and turkey, oily fish are great choices.

Omega 3s – are essential fatty acids that suppress the inflammatory responses occurring when skin is exposed to sunlight which lead to collagen degradation. Aim to eat oily fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, sardines and trout two to four times a week. Walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia and hemp are also great sources to add to the diet.

Vitamin C – is vital for collagen production. It is also a powerful antioxidant that quenches free radicals – unstable atoms and molecules that damage your cells and DNA. Those with higher vitamin C intakes have fewer wrinkles and less dry skin. As Citrus fruits, bell peppers, tomatoes, kale, broccoli, dark leafy greens, peas and berries like cranberry, blueberry, blackberries and pomegranate are all great sources.

Organic Whole Grains – provide slow-releasing energy to stabilise blood sugar, and are an excellent source of fibre, which improves elimination of toxins. Whole grains also provide health-boosting nutrients such as selenium, which helps to protect the skin from UV damage. Brown rice, rolled or steel cut oats, spelt, whole wheat, buckwheat, quinoa and barley are great to introduce to your menu plan. Eliminate refined grains like white rice, white flour breads, pasta and cakes which raise insulin levels and promote the inflammation that can damage your skin.

Eat a Rainbow of Fruit and Vegetables – whose different colours are caused by powerful, antioxidant phytonutrients. Chlorophyll, for instance, is responsible for green foods, lycopene gives tomatoes and watermelon their red colour and beta-carotene gives an orange hue to mangoes, sweet potatoes and many other produce. Smoothies and fresh juices are great ways to get rich doses of these anti-ageing nutrients so experiment outside of your comfort zone by, for example, adding kale, beetroot, carrot, fresh mint, coriander, parsley and spinach to juices and smoothies. Combining avocado with fresh fruits and vegetables also increases the absorption of phytonutrients like lutein, beta-carotene and alpha-carotene.

- Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel Sanda Wellbing Goldshield - Frozen Berry Skin-Quenching Smoothie

Frozen Berry Skin-Quenching Smoothie - Ajit Patel Sanda Wellbing Goldshield

Packed with anti-oxidant powerhouse berries and omega-3 rich, anti-ageing seeds, this smoothie is a great way to start the day, fill you up until meal time or replenish energy after a workout session. 

Ingredients

· 2 cups frozen mixed berries (many supermarkets do pre-mixes of blackberries, cherries, redcurrants, blueberries, raspberries etc or you can buy them individually and freeze)

· 1 tsp Chia Seeds

· 1 tsp Flaxseeds

· 1 tbsp Raw Honey or Manuka Honey

· 50-100 ml Cranberry Juice

Method

1. Add all the ingredients to a smoothie maker or use a hand blender to process into a smoothie. Serve immediately.

- Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel UK Sanda Wellness - 6 Small Beauty Tips That Improve Your Health

Six Small Beauty Tips That Improve Your Health – Ajit Patel UK Sanda Wellness

There are several things that you can do at home to bring out your natural beauty. Below are some tips that will improve your health and beauty:

Protect Your Skin

You should make sure that you wear sunscreen if you will be outside for more than a few minutes. The ultraviolet rays not only damage your skin, but they can also increase the risk of skin cancer. You still need sunscreen during the winter months. Additionally, the cold air can cause dry skin, so you will need to moisturize your skin every day.

Exercise

Exercising improves circulation, which can give your skin a natural glow. It can also help fight depression, improve sleep quality and decrease your chances of developing numerous health problems. Furthermore, exercise helps fight cellulite, which is a problem that affects over 90 percent of women. Keep in mind that you can get cellulite even if you are thin. Try to get a half hour of exercise in your routine every day.

Drink Lots of Water

Water helps naturally detoxify your body. It also helps increase the elasticity of your skin. You should drink a minimum of eight cups of water per day. However, if you will be working outside in the heat, then you may need to drink eight cups of water per day.

Eat Lots of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are the best types of foods that you can eat. They are very low in calories. Fruits and vegetables also have antioxidants that not only fight disease but also help keep your skin healthy.

Sleep

People often talk about getting their beauty sleep. Sleep really does make you more beautiful. Your body produces growth hormone while you are sleeping. This hormone keeps your skin looking vibrant. On the other hand, a lack of sleep can cause you to develop bags underneath your eyes. Chronic sleep deprivation has also been linked to high blood pressure, obesity and early death. That is why it is important to sleep seven to eight hours per night.

Eat a Nutritious Breakfast

You should eat a breakfast that is high in healthy fats, protein and whole grains. A nutritious breakfast gives you the energy needed to perform your daily activities. A well-balanced will also supply you with the nutritious needed to give your skin a glow.

Go to the Dentist

Most people don’t go to the dentist as often as they should. The dentist can help improve your smile through routine dental work, teeth whitening and dental implants. Rotten teeth don’t only look bad, they can also do serious damage. “Not only do you experience a loss of confidence when you start losing teeth, but you can begin to lose bone as well,” explains Sierra Dental in Calgary.“That means your face, jaw, and ultimately your health are at risk.” When you lose a tooth your jaw shrinks and causes facial deformities. It is better to see your dentist often and make sure your mouth is healthy.

Many of the things that you do to improve your beauty can also improve your health. You can improve your health and beauty by eating breakfast, exercising, getting plenty of sleep, drinking lots of water and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. You should also protect your skin.

- Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel UK Sanda Wellbeing - Detox The Healthy Way

Detox The Healthy Way – Ajit Patel UK Sanda Wellbeing

Detoxing has deep roots in nearly all ancient medical practices, religions and cultures. It helps to support a balanced lifestyle and aims to prevent disease. Your body is equipped with a sophisticated set of organs and systems designed specifically to help the body get rid of all the wastes it doesn’t need. 

These organs of detoxification – the liver, kidneys, intestine, lungs, skin as well as your lymph nodes – process and remove what’s not wanted or what you can’t metabolise. But just as any machine needs regular maintenance and servicing so, too, does your body.

Your organs are bombarded with toxins from a polluted environment, pesticides in food, additives in processed, refined foods, alcohol, drugs and even the lotions and potions you use for personal hygiene and appearance. For this reason, giving your body a break – whether it’s once a week, or a twice-yearly fast or detox programme – will do wonders for your overall health. Of course, you can also use daily practices to help support your detoxification organs, by selecting foods with a natural, cleansing action, such as:

Artichokes promote liver health, bile production and aid digestion.

Lemons help with pH balance, improve digestion, strengthen the immune system, promote skin health and cleanse the urinary tract.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Cold-extracted) are high in mono-saturated fats and antioxidants, improve cholesterol balance, stimulate bile and pancreatic secretions and reduce the formation of gallstones.

Dandelion is a traditional herbal medicine that supports liver health and the flushing of impurities through the kidneys.

Garlic acts on your bile ducts and activates gastric juices as well as cleansing the bowels. It has anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial actions.

Broccoli supports liver function and contains anti-inflammatory compounds that to help reduce symptoms of toxicity.

Fennel has diuretic properties that help to remove toxic substances via the kidneys.

Avocado is rich in glutathione, a natural antioxidant that protects the liver from free radical damage.

Beetroot improves liver function due to its glutathione and betaine content.

Cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates, which have a powerful detoxifying action. Cabbage is also high in fibre that supports the digestive system and aids in the elimination of waste and toxins from the bowels.

Kale, like cabbage, is rich in fibre to aid digestion and is also packed with magnesium and chlorophyll.

Apple Cider Vinegar contains enzymes that encourage healthy bacteria. It binds to toxins and flushes them from the body in sweat, urine and bowels.

Asparagus is rich in asparagine and potassium, which cleanse the urinary tract and reduce excess uric acid.

Coriander has a powerful anti-bacterial and anti-viral action and naturally combines to heavy metals, helping to remove from the body.

Ginger is used in many detox programmes, as it stimulates digestion, circulation and sweating. Its digestive actions may serve to cleanse the build-up of waste and toxins in the colon, liver and other organs.

- Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel Sanda Wellbeing - How Can Hatha Yoga Help Balance Your Body, Mind and Spirit?

How Can Hatha Yoga Help Balance Your Body, Mind and Spirit? – Ajit Patel Sanda Wellbeing

Since the 15^th century, people have been using hatha yoga to improve their lives. It works by helping you to find a balance in the three main components of wellness; mind, body and spirit. The word yoga literally means the union or working together of mental, physical and spiritual health, whilst hatha is another word for balance, and so at its core, the simple and beneficial asanas of hatha yoga have your overall wellbeing in mind.

With a combination of stretching exercises, pranayama and meditation, hatha yoga helps you to relax and rejuvenate your senses, relieving you from all the stresses, worries, and tensions in life. It teaches you the most basic of yoga asanas, or exercises, and so you will be comfortable moving on to other forms of yoga. Anyone can benefit and learn from hatha yoga, as it makes you fit, active and healthy and provides mental stability.

There are several mental and physical benefits of hatha yoga, whether they are therapeutic or preventative. It calms you, heals your body, improves your blood circulation and provides oxygen to various internal organs. The breathing exercises, for example, provide your body with the inner strength to fight different types of physical pain, such as pain in your shoulder, back, head or neck.

One of the greatest benefits of this yoga is that it provides your body with agility and flexibility, especially if you practice this yoga on a daily basis. However, not only will you observe an improvement in your muscle joint mobility, but your posture will also improve with the help of this yoga. This is because the yoga exercises help to strengthen your spine, and increase your stamina.

Aside from this, a striking benefit of hatha yoga is that it prevents and fights against a myriad of wellness problems. It has the potential to improve your symptoms of arthritis, fatigue, chronic, asthma, arteriosclerosis, AIDS, diabetes and obesity. This type of yoga is great for weight loss in particular, as it helps to promote fat loss throughout the body. Not only does it boost your metabolic rate, but it also enhances the function of your digestive system, which is another important factor in weight loss.

Taking up hatha yoga is especially crucial in the winter months, as it guards your immune system to colds and flu. Finally, if you’re pregnant, hatha yoga can help you to avoid several problems such as backache, depression and excess weight, and it has even been said to help women handle the pains of childbirth in an easier and more effective way.

-          Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet