FitSugar

Got Seasonal Allergies? Eat the Local Honey

FitSugar — Wed, 16 May 2007 17:15:00 PDT

Honey is all the buzz. Not only does it taste like summer, but it has some amazing qualities that help your body.

It's antimicrobial because of its high sugar content, so it's great for treating cuts and burns to prevent scarring. You can keep a jar in your medicine cabinet for years - it's slightly acidic, so it never goes bad.

I've also heard that honey can be used to treat seasonal allergy symptoms. In order to understand why, you need to know how honey is made.

Honey bees (the female worker bees) travel from flower to flower, drinking nectar, and storing it in sacs in their little bee bodies. Then they buzz back to their hive and use their "honey stomachs" to regurgitate and ingest the nectar a number of times until it is partially digested. They then store the nectar in the honeycombs, fanning it with their wings to evaporate the water, and turning it into the thick sweet honey we know and love.

The reason it may help with seasonal allergies, is because honey contains a bit of pollen from the plants. So if you eat the sweet treat that is made by bees in your area, the honey will often act as an immune booster, reducing your allergy symptoms to the local flowering plants. It's a good idea to take 2-3 spoonfuls each day for several months prior to pollen season.

Fit's Tips: Eating local honey works for some people, and may not for others. It's a folk remedy, with no scientific research to back it up, but if you suffer from seasonal allergies, it's worth a try. If it doesn't help with your sniffles and sneezing, well at least you're getting vitamins B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and minerals like calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. Honey also contains antioxidants and vitamin C. All that and it tastes good too!

Source

A Reader Recipe: Southwestern Quinoa Salad With Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette

Fit Community — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 04:06:13 PDT

Get your daily fiber fix with this Southwestern quinoa salad recipe from FitSugar reader For the Love of Fiber. She shared it with us in our Healthy Recipe Group in the Fit Community.

This salad takes quinoa to the next level, and has been known to turn quinoa haters into ambassadors.

Learn how to make this recipe after the break!

Healthy Dose Link Time: 9 Reasons to Skip the Gym

Susi May — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:49:05 PDT

Nine good reasons to skip your workout - Shape
Hungry before dinner? Healthy snacks that won't ruin your appetite - Real Simple
Is Adele working to drop weight or get healthier? - Blisstree
Don't expect local honey to stave off your allergy sneezes - HuffPost Healthy Living
After losing weight, Rihanna wants her backside back - Fit Celeb
Pack your lunchtime salad with protein to feel full all afternoon - Prevention
Sculpt sexy shoulders with this 90-second routine - Self
Try Archer pose: where yoga meets The Hunger Games - Yoga Journal

Savvy Links: Why Is J.K. Rowling No Longer a Billionaire?

Emily Co — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:16:58 PDT

Why is J.K. Rowling no longer a billionaire? - LearnVest
10 absurd ideas on paper that made millions - The Grindstone
How to treat your honey on Facebook - Tecca
5 things to avoid doing as an intern - The Daily Muse
Quick and easy St. Patrick's Day recipes - AllYou
How to save money on groceries - Real Simple
Cheap ways to add big flavor to your food - Wise Bread
What makes a 401(k) plan great? - Bankrate
Are people more loyal to Starbucks or local java joints? - Bundle

22 Cheap Ways to Treat Yourself

Emily Co — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 00:15:30 PST

You've worked hard this whole week, so it's time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the weekend! Give yourself a treat this weekend to feel rejuvenated and to make yourself feel good. Don't worry, treating yourself doesn't always mean pricey massages at the spa or weekend getaways. Here are plenty of wallet-friendly suggestions:

Relive your Charlie and the Chocolate Factory memories and treat yourself to a bar of chocolate. Remember how Charlie savored each Willy Wonka chocolate bar? Eat yours in the same manner and relish every bite.
Buy yourself a steak and cook it. It's much cheaper than going to a steak house! Eat it while drinking a glass of affordable red wine.
Grab a few friends and go on a picnic in a nearby park.
Watch reality show reruns or shows saved on your DVR with a bowl of chocolate ice cream.
Explore a museum you've never been to.
Reread your favorite book (maybe The Hunger Games?).
Go to your local coffee shop and try a new coffee flavor. Bring your laptop with you and catch up with friends and relatives over email.

Read on for more.

5 Date Ideas to Get You in the Holiday Spirit

Tara Block — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:49:01 PST

Christmas will be here before we know it. So it's time to seriously get into the holiday mood! Cooler temps mean more opportunities to cozy up with your honey, be it a new guy, boyfriend, or hubby. To take advantage of the snuggly weather and get prepared for feasts and singing carols, I've come up with five holiday date ideas. Try some of these out for valuable one-on-one time during the holiday season craziness.

Get into the giving mood by volunteering together at a local homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or other cause you both care about. It's easy to get swept up with vacations and holiday parties as the month progresses, but this way you get a head start remembering what these seasons are really about. And helping others will bring the two of you closer together.
Snuggle up by the fire with a warm beverage and watch some of your favorite holiday movies together. Nothing gets me in the mood for Christmas like Elf.
If you're hosting any holiday dinner parties, start planning your menu with your significant other and do a trial run together. With a warm oven and a glass of wine, the kitchen can be a cozy, romantic place to be for a date night in.
Take a lazy weekend stroll with a cup of cocoa or cider down a local city street and window shop together. Find an area that's dressed up for the holidays and give each other not-so-subtle hints on what's on your wish lists. Maybe end the date ice skating at a downtown rink?
If you're a couple on a budget and still want to make your abode festive for the coming months, turn on some holiday tunes and get to crafting with some DIY decorating projects.

Do you have any more date ideas to add?

How to Have an Old-Fashioned, Fun, and Frugal Christmas

LearnVest — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:15:49 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Ray-Bans aren't the only piece of the past worth revisiting.

There are also old-school photos, discreetly boozy drinks and Judy Garland. Let's go ahead and combine all three: It's Retro Christmas.

This year, we're planning to enjoy what we call "Retro Christmas": A return to holidays past, when the season was about togetherness rather than excess gifts, affection rather than perfection.

Although scaling down our celebrations means spending less money, that's not the point.

We’ve put together our plan for making this year special . . . and focused on elegance, simplicity and genuine holiday spirit. In the end, our goal is to spend time with the people we care about. Of course, while we call this "Retro Christmas," you can adjust most of our tips for whatever winter holidays you celebrate (except maybe for our advice on ornamenting your tree).

Here's to Christmas in sepia!

Gift as a Group

To make gift-giving as meaningful as possible, concentrate on quality rather than quantity. So, instead of buying something just because you need to get a gift, get one that you know will be cherished, even if that means going in with a group of family or friends.

One easy aid is Share a Gift, a website that allows people to make donations toward a communal gift. It uses PayPal and organizes money better than the usual cash collection.

Read on for more tips for a retro Christmas.

Happy Hour: Midas Touch

Susannah Chen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:24:59 PDT

The balmier the weekends get, the more I reach for a beer over cocktails or wine. So I've been clearing out the beer aisles at the local Whole Foods, going by no methodology other than what sounds delicious and looks appetizing - and I've yet to encounter a brewski that disappoints.

My latest fixation is Midas Touch, a year-round specialty from craft brewing pioneer Sam Calagione of Dogfish. I was drawn to its unique ingredients - barley, honey, white muscat grapes, and saffron - but also discovered its uniquely storied history.

Dogfish's Midas Touch recipe is based off of chemical analysis of residues found in clay vessels belonging to King Midas and dating back to the eighth century BC. At the time of its release, it was the oldest fermented beverage in the world. If what King Midas was drinking tasted anything like what I've been sipping, then he had it pretty good. The liquid is half aromatic wine, half beer, with a nice honey nose and a lingering finish, thanks to the addition of the floral and fruity muscat grapes. A glass makes me feel like ancient royalty, too. What's your craft beer of the moment?

Keri Russell Shows Her Growing Baby Bump While on a Cheerios Run!

Allie Merriam — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:27:38 PDT

A pregnant Keri Russell stepped out of her Brooklyn home this morning to pick up Honey Nut Cheerios at a local deli. She's about six months along with her second child with husband Shane Deary, and soon their oldest, River, will become a big brother! The cereal may have been for Keri, her husband, or their son, but she has revealed in the past that her favorite craving lately has been for whoopie pie cookies. Keri's baby bump hasn't slowed her down from enjoying NYC. She and her husband were seen last month showing PDA while watching the US Open in Queens. Keri's also lined up another role, besides mother of two. She will star in Austenland, a film produced by Twilight's Stephenie Meyers about a Jane Austen fan who tries to find the perfect gentleman for herself.

10 Edible Wedding Favor Ideas

Katie Sweeney — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 03:10:19 PDT

The days of the useless tchotchke wedding favor are over. Modern brides are opting to give guests something they can enjoy and in many cases, something they can eat! If you've got plenty of time, consider giving a homemade treat. Cookies, truffles, chocolate-covered nuts, and savory crackers are delicious options. However, busy brides can offer an edible gift that's personal, but not homemade. Here are 10 scrumptious ideas.

Honey. A small jar of local artisan honey will last a long time. Guests can use it (and remember your wedding) weeks after the ceremony.
Spice rub. Do you and your husband-to-be love barbecue? Select a favorite spice rub and make your own labels. It's a great favor for Summer weddings because guests can use it immediately.
Pickles. Pickled vegetables, like jalapeños or carrots, are also great options.

Keep reading for the rest of my suggestions!