28 Famous People When They Were Young

John Paul II

George Bush

Bill Murray - Top Middle

Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee

Albert Einstein

Elvis

Osama Bin Laden (Right)

Fidel Castro

Vladimir Putin

Bill & Hillary Clinton

Hugo Chavez

JFK

Kim Jong Un

Kim Jong Il with his mother and father

John lennon

Marylin Monroe

Michelle Obama

Lawerence Tero (Mr. T)

Muhammed Ali

Queen Elizabeth

Nelson mandela

Nicholas Cage

Barack Obama

Rob Ford

Pope Francis

Richard Nixon

Joseph Stalin

Steven Segal

Incredible Pictures Of A Tragic Shuttle Launch From 1986 (23 Pics)

Challenger Disaster

Pigeon Poop Brooches (11 Pics)

Frances Wadsworth-Jones from Ealing, west London, is an artist who makes special brooches in the form of pigeon droppings inspired by a pigeon poop. The brooches are made out of crushed precious and semi-precious gems which sell for up to £2,500.

7 Day Alkaline Diet Plan to Fight Inflammation and Disease

Did you know that a proper pH is a crucial aspect to health?  PH levels show the extent to which something is acid or alkaline.  It is measured on a scale from 0 to 14. The more acidic a solution is, the lower its pH. The more alkaline, the higher the number is.

 

The first line of defense against disease is a proper pH balance. Disease can only grow in an acidic body, which makes a condition favorable for the growth of bacteria, yeast, fungus, mold, viruses, and any other unwanted organisms. Cancer always strikes those with an over-acidic body.

 

The idea that certain foods influence the pH of the body isn’t new. Even in the early 1900s, many doctors found that  while a few foods were “neutral” in their effects, most foods were either “alkaline-producing” or “acid-producing.” They also found that simply changing the diet could change the pH of the body. Thus, bringing the body’s pH closer to the normal range helped patients get rid of many of their health issues.

Eating a diet of 75–80 percent alkaline-forming foods—and minimal in acid-forming foods—is the best way to maintain a slightly alkaline pH in your body.

These are the basic rules:

Most fruits and vegetables, including citrus, make your body alkaline. You need 8 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables to keep your body alkaline. Meat, dairy, and grains make your body acidic.

 

This is a list of the alkaline musts:

Artichoke
Asparagus
Broccoli
Beetroot
Dates
Figs
Cauliflower
Fennel
Lemon
Kale
Spinach
Watercress

Avoid:

Processed foods, sugar, dairy, meat, eggs, alcohol, most grains, caffeine, as well as soy, processed corn, safflower and sunflower oils, hydrogenated oil and margarine,

7-Day Alkaline Diet Plan

Day 1

Chia and Strawberry Quinoa

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup cooked quinoa

For the Strawberry Chia:
4 Tbsp chia seeds
1 1/3 cup your favorite non-dairy milk
3/4 cup quartered strawberries
1/2 Tbsp coconut sugar, optional

Toppings:
4 to 6 quartered strawberries ( 2 to 3 per portion)
2 to 4 Tbsp pecans ( 1 to 2 Tbsp per portion)
2 to 4 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut ( 1 to 2 Tbsp per portion)

INSTRUCTIONS:

To prepare the strawberry chia, add the strawberries, milk of your choice, and coconut sugar (if using) to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the mixture into a jar or a glass container and add the chia seeds. Mix well until all chia seeds are covered with the liquid. Cover with a tight lid and leave in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, place the chia seeds in a bowl. Add the quinoa, quartered strawberries, pecans, and shredded coconut.

Sweet and Savory Salad

Ingredients:
½ cucumber, sliced
1 avocado, cubed
1 large head of butter lettuce, washed
1 pomegranate, seeded or 1/3 cup seeds
¼ cup shelled pistachios, chopped

Dressing Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:
In a bowl, tear the lettuce, and add the ingredients. In the end, add the dressing.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
1 1/4 pounds parsnips
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Chopped parsley
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Instructions :
Peel and cut the parsnips, and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the parsnips on a rimmed baking sheet, along with the sweet potatoes. Season with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for half an hour, until they become golden and tender.
In a smaller bowl, mix the mustard and maple syrup, and pour the mixture over the vegetables. Sprinkle with parsley.

Day 2

Vegan Apple Parfait

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped apples
1/3 cup chia seeds (soaked)
½ cup soaked raw cashews (soak 20 mins-1 hour)
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon hemp seeds

Instructions:
Blend the coconut milk, cashews, and vanilla together. In a small cup, layer the ingredients, first pour the cashew cream, then the apples, and the chia seeds and hemp seeds on the top.

Avocado Wrap

Ingredients:
½ avocado
1 teaspoon chopped basil
Small handful of spinach
1 tomato, sliced or chopped
1 butter lettuce or collard leaf bunch
1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped
¼ red onion, diced
Sea salt and pepper

Instructions:
Spread the avocado onto the leaf, add the toppings, and fold in half.

Lunch: Kale Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale

2 cups fresh basil

1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1⁄2 cup walnuts

2 limes, fresh squeezed

Sea salt and pepper

1 zucchini, noodled (spiralizer)

Optional: garnish with sliced asparagus, spinach leaves, and tomato

Directions:

The night before, soak walnuts to improve absorption. Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and blend until you get a cream consistency. Add to zucchini noodles and enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts with Red Peppers

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, smaller
2 plump garlic cloves (to taste), minced
1 medium red bell pepper, cut in small dices
1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated lemon zest
Salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint (to taste)

Instructions:
You should initially trim the Brussels sprouts at the base, in order to get rid of the unattached leaves. Then, cut them in halves and put them in a larger bowl.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt. Then, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment. Over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy skillet.

Add the Brussels sprout halves, cut side down, and sear until they get a nice brown color, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Then, transfer them to a baking sheet, put them side down, and repeat with the other sprouts. Put the baking sheet in oven and roast until they become tender, for another 10 minutes.

Over medium heat, heat the oil and add the red pepper, stir often, and cook it for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the roasted Brussels sprouts, stir again, and then add the mint, lemon zest, and freshly ground pepper. Heat a bit and season. Enjoy!

Day 3

Kale caesar salad

1 very large bunch of curly Kale
1 cup sunflower seeds (save a few for a garnish if desired)
1/3 cup almond nuts, raw
1/8 tsp chipotle powder or to you liking – it’s spicy
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 garlic cloves
1 1/4 filtered water
1 1/2 tsp agave syrup (substitute to rice malt syrup if you’re sugar free)
1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Wash and pat dry kale leaves, removing center membrane just up to where it thins out, tearing kale leaf into bite size pieces. Place in a very large bowl. Measure remaining ingredients into blender and combine until creamy and smooth. Pour half the mixture over the kale leaves. Using two spoons or your hands, toss kale to coat, adding remaining mixture and ensuring that leaves are coated in folds and curls,working the mixture thru the leaves really well. Allow to stand for 10 minutes to tenderize the kale leaves. Plate the greens and sprinkle with sunflower seeds if desired.

Day 4

Coriander and Avocado Soup

Raw Green Veggie Soup w/ Avocado & Cilantro

Please use Organic Veggies:)
1 avocado
1 small zucchini, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups raw spinach
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 slices green pepper
1/8 cup raw onion, chopped
1 small clove garlic
1/4 cup raw almonds, preferably soaked over night and rinsed
1/4 tsp sea salt to taste
1 1/2 cups filtered water
juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon
1 small watermelon radish for garnish, diced small

InstructionsPlace all the ingredients in the blender except the sea salt and process to desired consistency and warmth if you have a Vitamix. If you have a regular blender you may pour into a sauce pan and gently warm over low heat until just warm enough to enjoy but not hot. Adjust seasoning further with sea salt to your liking and add a squeeze of lime juice to brighten the flavour if you wish, garnish with radish and enjoy!

Day 5

Kale and rainbow Swiss chard frittata

Ingredients
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 1 shallot, finely chopped

2 leeks, diced 1 bunch rainbow-coloured Swiss chard

1 small bunch kale

zest of half a lemon

half a teaspoon of each, ground cumin and coriander

1 pinch chilli flakes, optional

6 eggs

100 g mozzarella, grated 60 g feta salt and pepper toasted pine nuts, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Rinse the chard and kale under cold water and pat dry. Remove the hard central stems from both vegetables. Layer all the leaves together, roll into a tight cylinder shape and chop into thin strips.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the shallot until it is softened and slightly coloured. Add the leeks and cook for 2 more minutes. Now pile all the chard and kale into the pan and cook on a medium high heat until the vegetables start to wilt down. Add the lemon zest, cumin, coriander and chilli. Season with salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Mix in the Mozzarella, cooked vegetables and chunks of feta cheese. You can pour the mixture back into the same pan. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes Turn the oven to grill for a minute or two for a deeply golden top.

Day 6

Antioxidant-Rich, Green, Alkaline Smoothie

Ingredients:
A handful of Kale
A handful of Spinach
2 Broccoli heads
1 Tomato
A handful of Lettuce
1 Avocado
1 Cucumber
1/2 clove Garlic
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
A little water to the texture you like

Instructions

Blend the avocado, cucumber and lemon juice to form a paste, then add the other ingredients.

Day 7

Roasted Cauliflower & Turmeric with Coriander and Mint

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground turmeric (preferably organic)
1 large cauliflower, broken down into bitesized florets
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons coriander/cilantro, chopped roughly
1 tablespoon mint, chopped roughly
Himalayan salt to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°/220°
In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, cumin, turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix together with your hands (to warm the oil and properly combine everything)

Add in the cauliflower florets and mix it all through so everything gets covered and oily

Spread the cauliflower out onto a large baking tray and put into the preheated oven for around 15-20 minutes until the cauliflower softens and just starts to brown

And while this is cooking, chuck the pine nuts onto a little baking tray and put into the oven too for about a minute to toast them slightly.

To serve, transfer the cauliflower to a large serving bowl and sprinkle with the pine nuts, coriander/cilantro and mint and serve.

Wash Pesticides off your produce with this science-approved method

Baking soda is a magical product with so many practical uses, such as curing heartburn, cleaning white clothes, and now, new research has found that this wonder ingredient can remove up to 96% of pesticides from fruit and vegetables.

  

A team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts has conducted a study on gala apples to determine baking soda’s efficacy in cleaning the fruits.

  

During  the research team has applied two most common pesticides thiabendazole and phosmet to organic gala apples. Thiabendazole is a fungicide that has been previously noted for its capacity to penetrate apple peels. Phosmet is a popular insecticide, the experts say. The scientists have then washed the contaminated apples with three different liquids, which include: tap water, a one percent baking soda/water solution, and a commercial bleach solution approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The commercial bleaching solution is the most commonly used liquid in cleaning produce.

The results have revealed that submerging apples in a baking soda solution for two minutes removed more pesticides than a two-minute soak in the bleach solution, or two minutes of rinsing in running tap water. But it took 12 to 15 minutes in the baking soda solution to completely get rid of the pesticides used in this study

How to Use Baking Soda to Wash Produce

Baking soda can be used to scrub pesticide residue from hard-skinned vegetables and fruits. Because baking soda is an alkaline salt, it makes an eco-friendly and effective produce wash.

 

To use it, simply add a few tablespoons of baking soda to a bowl of water when soaking your fruits and vegetables, which should be done a few good minutes before rinsing them with fresh cold water. Or, shake some baking soda on produce and scrub away with a produce brush. By the way, this method is especially great for things like musk melons, because their rinds have all kinds of nooks and crannies that love to trap microbes and dirt.

10 Science-Backed Ways to Avoid Overeating

Most of us overeat during the holiday season. Unfortunately, for some, this habit doesn’t end there. Folks overeat throughout the year and end up gaining excess weight.

Willpower alone can’t help you avoid overeating. You need to supplement it with science-backed methods that help people eat less.

If you want to avoid overeating during the holidays or any time of year, the tips below will help you.

1. Reduce variety

According to research, people who eat a wide variety of foods consume 23 percent more calories.

Researchers explain that eating a wide variety of foods numbs your senses, and this can push you to eat more.

In one study, researchers found that people who given a bowl of M&Ms with 10 different colors (all with the same taste) ate 43 more M&Ms compared the group that was given a bowl with 7 different colors.

2. Get enough eye-shut

Sleep has a big impact on hunger than most people realize. Lack of adequate sleep can make you overeat and increase chances of binge eating. 

According to this study, participants who slept for 4.5 hours for 4 days snacked on 300 more calories in one sitting compared to participants who got 8.5 hours of sleep per night.

Make sure you get 7-8 hours of deep, uninterrupted sleep.

3. Go for a walk

Walking takes the mind off food and makes it easier to control cravings. Researchers say that walking for 15 minutes can reduce chocolate cravings – one of the most craved foods.

Going for a short walk before meals can also help control appetite and reduce chances of overeating.

4. Use smaller plates

You’ve probably heard this before, but have you tried it? Research shows that reducing plate size is one of the easiest ways  to avoid overeating.

One study showed that reducing plate size from 12.5 inches to 9.5 inches can reduce calorie intake by 27 percent.

5. Avoid liquid calories

Calorie-containing drinks trigger overeating due to high sugar content. Sodas and fruit juices spike blood sugar levels which in turn increase appetite.

A study on obese women found that replacing sweetened drinks with water helped the women eat less and lose weight.

6. Don’t shop for groceries when hungry

You’re more likely to buy junk food if you go grocery shopping when you’re hungry.

In this study, researchers found that hungry shoppers bought one-third more junk food compared to shoppers who were full.

7. Drink water before meals

This is one of my favorite weight loss tips. Not just because it is easy, but because it can help you eat less and drop pounds fast.

Research shows that people eat less and feel full for long when they drink a glass of water before meals. Speaking of glasses…

8. Use short wide glasses

According to research, short, wide glasses help us drink 57 percent more fluids. Use these glasses when drinking water or lemon water.

On the other hand, thin and tall glasses help us drink less fluid. So serve sodas and fruit juice in such glasses.

9. Turn off the TV while eating

TV, computer games and music are distractions that make us overeat. People can eat up to 71 percent more food when watching TV, research shows. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re eating junk or healthy food.

Turn off the TV and all other distractions that can make you overeat.

10. Eat high-fiber foods

The foods we eat can trigger overeating. Processed and sugary foods will probably make you overeat.

High-fiber foods on the other hand increase satiety and keep us full for long. According to this study, eating 14 extra grams of fiber can help you eat 10 percent fewer calories.

7 Habits That Are Destroying Your Immune System

It’s cold and flu season, and people everywhere are terrified of being brought down by an illness spread by their kids or coworkers.

While these bipedal germ factories often spread illness by touching us or public items that we then touch after them, they’re not always to blame for your aches, sniffles or sore throat.

Lifestyle and diet choices often determine whether you get sick more than your germ-y acquaintances.

Keep reading to discover several ways your habits could be putting you at risk this cold and flu season.

1. SMOKING

It boggles the mind to think that with all the known health consequences associated with tobacco use, some people still do it. But if you’re smoking this cold and flu season, know that the nicotine exposure is making your immune system a sitting duck for illness. Yes, even if you’re smoking e-cigarettes.

Nicotine increases cortisol levels, while reducing B cell antibody formation and T cells’ response to antigens. A study published in PLOS One last February also found that vapor from e-cigarettes may damage the lungs and make them more susceptible to infection. If you hate wasting PTO days because you’re sick, now’s the time to quit smoking for good. 

2. EXCESSIVE DRINKING

Drinking too much is a one-two punch for your immune system. First, it deprives the body of valuable immune-boosting nutrients. Second, “alcohol, like sugar, consumed in excess can reduce the ability of white cells to kill germs. High doses of alcohol suppress the ability of the white blood cells to multiply, inhibit the action of killer white cells on cancer cells, and lessen the ability of macrophages to produce tumor necrosis factors,” explains Dr. Sears. “Damage to the immune system increases in proportion to the quantity of alcohol consumed. Amounts of alcohol that are enough to cause intoxication are also enough to suppress immunity.” Remember that at all your holiday parties.

3. LACK OF SLEEP

Sleep is the time when your body recharges and heals. If you’re not getting enough sleep, your body is denied the downtime that’s necessary to stay on top of invading pathogens. “Previous studies have associated sleep restriction and sleep deprivation with the development of diseases like obesity, diabetes and hypertension. Others have shown that sleep helps sustain the functioning of the immune system, and that chronic sleep loss is a risk factor for immune system impairment,” reports The Sleep Foundation.

4. STRESS

Ultimately, a lack of sleep triggers the same response as chronic stress. Although we might not realize it, the physical and emotional demands of our everyday responsibilities can indeed drain our immune system’s ability to fight off bacteria and viruses. When your body is constantly fighting to repair the damage caused by stress, it has fewer resources available to address invading pathogens. 

5. EATING JUNK FOOD

Added sugars lurk in almost every single processed food available to us, even the savory ones. “Eating or drinking 100 grams (8 tbsp.) of sugar, the equivalent of about two cans of soda, can reduce the ability of white blood cells to kill germs by forty percent,” explains Dr. Sears. The negative effects of sugar on the immune system start less than thirty minutes after consumption and may last for five hours. So you might want to rethink eating that morning donut while sitting next to your sniffling coworker. 

6. EXERCISING TOO MUCH

So far most of the things on this list were obviously negative, but exercise?! That’s right, overdoing it at the gym can be just as bad for your immune system as not exercising enough. Too much strenuous exercise can be debilitating for the body and make it more vulnerable to infection, according to a December 2012 review in Acta Clinica Croatica. But a 2014 study suggests that regular, moderate physical activity can make you less susceptible to viruses. So keep exercising during the winter, but be careful not to overdo it.

7. BEING A LONER

All this talk of contagious people might make you want to become a hermit during cold and flu season, but isolating yourself can be detrimental to your immune system. Researched published in the Journal of Neuroimmunology found that anxiety caused by loneliness actually suppresses the immune system and triggers more oxidative stress, or damage caused by free radicals. Research published in Psychological Science in February 2015 suggests that simply hugging someone can have a stress-buffering effect and reduce susceptibility to illness.