Want to add zing to your summer drinks? Rather than dilute your iced tea or lemonade with melted ice, make your ice cubes out of tea or lemonade. You could even use them to add a touch of flavor to water. Refreshing!
For more ways to keep your summer cool:
People often are eager to get to their favorite restaurant or activity right away when they're on vacation, but that actually can work against maximizing your enjoyment. Memories of a great first day will have faded by the end of the trip but not before making everything else that follows seem a little less special. Research by Dan Ariely, PhD, author of Predictably Irrational, suggests that how you feel on the last day of your trip colors your impression of the overall experience. So don't hang around your hotel on the last day. Make that day a fun, fulfilling one.
More secrets to a great vacation from Dr. Ariely, Pauline Frommer—and others:
To improve the quality of your sleep, integrative physician Frank Lipman, MD, recommends a simple yoga pose. Do this pose right before going to bed or if you wake in the night. Lie on your back, arms at your sides, palms up. Close your eyes, relax and lie still, breathing slowly and deeply for five minutes. "This soothes the nervous system and eases mental and physical fatigue," explains Dr. Lipman, author of Revive: Stop Feeling Spent And Start Living Again. "You'll sleep soundly…and wake up rejuvenated."
For other doctor-tested ways to get your Zzzzs (they work!):
Move over, chamomile. The rising star among healthful herbal "teas" is red tea. It's not technically a tea but an herbal drink with a distinctive red color made from the leaves of the South African rooibos plant.
Research suggests that red tea has potent antioxidants that may protect against heart attack, stroke, arterial damage, inflammation and cancer. It's also used to ease digestive upset and asthma.
Red tea is sold in health-food stores and online…is prepared like any other tea…is caffeine-free…and has an earthy flavor with hints of vanilla and honey. Enjoy a cup today. Your heart will love you for it. Caution: People who have liver problems or hormone-sensitive cancers or who are undergoing chemotherapy should consult their doctors before consuming rooibos.
More teas with remarkable healing powers:
