Music

Guitar

Hey, look what I found at “Men’s health” magazine:

There are Scientific Reasons You Should Play the Guitar!

What an inspiring news, ah?

According to a neuroscientific study, hearing music triggers the release of dopamine in the brain, the same chemical that’s released during sex.

A study found that stress could be reduced on a genomic level by playing an instrument. Rocking out actually reverses your body’s response system to pressure.

If you play the guitar—or any musical instrument, for that matter—you’re more likely to have sharper brain function

Stuck at work without your six-string? You’re still giving your brain a workout: According to a Cambridge University study, musicians continue being creative even when they’re not playing their instruments.

“We’ve found compelling evidence that musical interventions can play a health care role in settings ranging from operating rooms to family clinics,” says Prof. Levitin. “But even more importantly, we were able to document the neurochemical mechanisms by which music has an effect in four domains: management of mood, stress, immunity and as an aid to social bonding.” 

more here

Enough medicine- now the real thing:

Have you heard the sounds of an accordion in a warm night near table served with wine and sea food? So, trust me on this. If we cannot play it at least we can listen and truly enjoy!

Pic here

Coffee

Espresso

Every single morning I wake up with the sound of the coffee machine and

smell of my favorite espresso! I always start the day with this rich, aromatic, velvety cup of heaven!

You can make nearly real Italian espresso using few tips for home barista

          A standard espresso shot is 7g of coffee in 30ml of water – you can amp this up by adding more coffee or reducing the water.

         Use fresh water only. Discard any water that's been sitting in the tank for a few days.

         Adjust the grind fineness until you can get the machine to give you 30ml of espresso after about 20 seconds. (This time – which is called "extraction" – doesn't include the few seconds of "preinfusion" some machines go through.)

         Warm up the cups by leaving them on the cup warmer (if there is one) or running hot water into them

          If you want a "long black", add an espresso shot to hot water rather than extracting it for a long time. Over-extraction causes bitterness.

  Espresso has a creamy, pale, golden froth on top of the dark brown coffee. It's called the crema, and it's perhaps the most important thing that distinguishes espresso from other types of coffee. Crema is actually caramel. The high temperature and pressure in an espresso machine caramelize the sugar naturally present in coffee, aerate it, and expel it with the espresso.

  Perfect crema should be thick and stable, and preserve the coffee flavor, aroma and temperature. The state of the crema can help you diagnose where your espresso making may be going wrong.

( I don’t mention milk, because I’m dairy free but you feel free to add it to your favorite drink)

     Drink the espresso within a few minutes of it being made.

Its not only the pleasure of dinking, you get more benefits of it:

·       Just smelling coffee could make you less stressed.

·       Coffee could lessen the symptoms of Parkinson's d

isease.

·       Coffee can make you feel happier.

·       Coffee is great for your liver (especially if you drink alcohol).

·            Coffee consumption has been linked to lower levels of suicide…drink coffee...Im telling you ;-)

 .    Coffee could reduce your chances of getting skin cancer (if you're a woman).

·       Coffee can make you a better athlete

·       Coffee could reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes

·       Drinking coffee could help keep your brain healthier for longer.

For more information visit: here

If you've ever heard someone warn that coffee makes you dehydrated, you can ignore the myth and keep sipping your cup of joy. According to a new U.K. study published in the PLOS ONE online science publication, your caffeine kick won't cause dehydration. 

    In addition to not dehydrating you, results showed the coffee actually      contributed to a person's daily fluid requirements. 

   

(The study was funded by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), a nonprofit that focuses on the study of coffee and health. here)

 COFFEE IS THE BEST THING EVER. KEEP DRINKING It… of course moderately .

In a cold winter evening there is nothing more delicious than a hot coffee cocktail in front of a fireplace:

In a warm glass pour 20 gr. good quality Irish whiskey and light it.

In a few seconds add slowly 20 gr. coffee liqueur Kahlua, 1 hot espresso and some warm hazelnut rice milk. A dash of cinnamon will not hurt!

Pic from here

Chia Seeds

I love chia seeds!

We all know that energy levels have a lot to do with what a person eats. Chia seeds possess much protein that can raise energy levels pretty fast. These seeds have not only proteins, but also minerals, vitamins and blood sugar balancing properties that ensure one’s never jittery energy. Complex carbohydrates that are found in these seeds break down very slowly, improving and maintaining energy levels for endurance and stamina.

Chia seeds are high in antioxidants. The number of elements equals to that of blueberries. This feature makes chia seeds a pretty effective remedy to maintain a youthful and healthy glow and halt the aging process. Antioxidants present in seeds fight free radicals and can even prevent the occurrence of different types of cancers. When consuming seeds regularly, one reduces risks of degenerative diseases and cancer.

Seeds can form gel that converts starches into sugar much slower. Slow sugars released into the blood stream aid in their optimum absorption by the body cells. This is how the need for insulin diminishes. Regulating blood glucose chia seeds also prevent type 2 diabetes.

In addition to all the above-mentioned features, this one also takes a special place. Chia seeds are known for being a great source of a huge number of minerals that the human body needs to thrive. Calcium, zinc, magnesium and iron are among the primer ones. They are essential for bone health and proper functioning of all body organs.

Flax seeds contain much omega-3 fatty acids, but are you aware of the fact that chia seeds possess much more fatty acids? In case you don’t keep to a vegetarian diet and refuse to eat fish, a full tablespoon of chia seeds per day ensures you get the omega-3 fatty acids you and your body need. One more plus is the fact these seeds needn’t to be ground to let the body benefit from their intake. Even eaten whole, the body manages to process all the fatty acids it needs..

Here my favorite morning smoothie:

1 banana

1 pear

1 spoon chia seeds

½ spoon spirulina powder

1 cup almond milk or soya milk

Blend and enjoy!

Pic via here

Treasure tea

There are lots of reasons why I enjoy a hot cup of tea:

I love the aroma of various flavors of tea; holding onto a hot tea mug warms my hands on a cold winter morning; sipping tea in front of the fireplace is a great way to relax. And those are just the feel-good reasons.

Mountain Tea 

            (Mursalsky tea, Sideritis plants, Shepherds tea, Ironwort, Мурсалски чай) is enormously popular in the Balkans and used most often in winter when levels of physical activity decrease and colds, aches, and pains increase. It is said to have a positive effect on almost anything that ails but, most notably, it is used for colds, respiratory problems, digestion, the immune system, mild anxiety, and as an anti-oxidant. It is also used as an anti-inflammatory and to reduce fever. 

Mursalski Tea is the premium Mountain Tea available - organically grown, hand harvested and bunched, and despatched by Balkan Herbs directly to you from Bulgaria. Mursalski Tea is the only Mountain tea to have been awarded the prestigious Green Apple award in 2007

Drink tea and stay healthy!

Pic via here 

Happy New Year

Whats better start of a new year than a glass of champagne and hopes for a year filled with more  happiness and love than your heart can embrace!

  Photos via :here, here

                                                             

Welcome

Welcome!

My name is Stephanie and I live in Bulgaria.

Thinking of the most luxurious way of living, for me ... is being close to nature.

I create this blog to share my country lifestyle, close to nature but still attached to the glamorous life of the big city.

I would suggest one different lifestyle where, the organic egg produced at my own farm can be served in a silver tray!

I will convince you that my country is a great place to live and will inspire you to embrace life close to nature full of energy, health, cheerfulness and style!

So, please, join me!