2012年9月26日星期三

When Is The Best Time For Thailand Vacations?



When Is The Best Time For Thailand Vacations?

No matter where you want to go, right timing is very important. If you don't know the country's seasons as well as the probable weather in the place during your vacations, your much-planned holiday can turn into an unpleasant experience. So when planning your Thailand vacations, do a research first about the weather in such country so it will be easy for you to make decisions as to when and where to go.


 
Thailand has three seasons: rainy, winter, and summer. But the southern portion of the country doesn't experience winter. The best time of the year to visit Thailand is from November to February because it is during these times when the place has cooler weather but less rain. You should avoid rainy season which usually starts July and ends in October.

Since Thailand is a huge country with various landscapes, it is important that you know the seasons in different parts of the country.

Central and Eastern parts of Thailand
In Thailand's central and eastern provinces, hot summer begins mid February until April when the temperature can reach 40 degrees centigrade. Winter is from mid November through mid February. During these months, there are few days of really cold weather. Despite this cold climate, tourists from Europe may find this a little warm.

The month of May marks the beginning of the rainy season in this part of the country. Frequent rains and rainstorms that last for almost 30 minutes can be experienced and this weather goes on until October. So if you're planning to go to the famous beaches in the east such as Rayong, Pattaya, and Koh Chang, it is best to visit such place from the months of December to May.

Northern Thailand
Winters in this part of the country is cooler compared to Central and Eastern provinces. Mountainous provinces can get really cold; sometimes temperature even goes down to 0 degrees centigrade. Winters in this region begins in November and lasts until February. So this is basically the best time to visit Northern Thailand. During these months, flowers are in full bloom and the weather is dry yet cool. You'll usually observe fog formations that make the already beautiful scenery even more breathtaking. You can also consider an April visit because this month marks the celebration of Songkran festival.

Southern Thailand
Climate in Southern Thailand is very much different because this portion only has two seasons – summer and rainy. In this region, you'll find the Gulf of Thailand which lies in the east part of the Thai peninsula while the Andaman Sea is situated in the west. Those who want to visit the west part of the peninsula such as Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga should go there between mid November to April. This way, tourists can avoid monsoons that make island visits by boat not only difficult but dangerous as well.

On the other hand, vacations in the eastern part of the peninsula, which includes Hat Yai and Koh Samui, are best done from December to June. Its good news that the Gulf of Thailand can be visited any month of the year. But it is still advisable to monitor the weather situation in this area to avoid rain. If you want to visit both sides of the coast during your Thailand vacations, better go to this place between December and April. 


Popular Health Drink Alternatives

Health drinks have become a popular trend in achieving a healthy body. However, commercial health drinks that are available in the market today can be expensive than the usual drinks. Since they are specially formulated to contain vitamins and minerals, the manufacturers charge higher for their health drinks.

If you are one of those who are into healthy drinks but do not want to shift into the natural ones, you can try the following alternatives to the commercial drinks out there:

1. Purple grape juices. This type of juice is ideal as a health drink because it is rich in antioxidants, which are good for the heart. Experts say that this is an ideal health drink for all ages because it is not only a good source of anti-oxidants but of vitamin C as well.

2. Cranberry juice. Doctors usually recommend this health drink for those who experience gall bladder problems. But, ordinary people can drink it to protect themselves from having bladder infections that are recurrent. It is also a good source of your daily dose of Vitamin C.

3. Vegetable juices. If you don’t have time to prepare natural veggie juices on your blender, it is best to grab a carton of vegetable juice in the market. Vegetable juices can be considered as a great health drink especially to those who are into salty foods such as chips because it contains natural properties that can wash away too much salt in the body that leads to weight gain.

4. Soy milks. For milkshake lovers, soy milks are the perfect health drink for you. Today, there are so many ready-to-drink soy milks in almost all health stores and grocery stores nearby. Aside from the plain milk flavor, soy milks also come with other variations such as chocolate and other fruit flavors. Chocolate-flavored soy milks are perfect for young and old chocolate lovers because it comes with a natural chocolate taste less the fat and other unhealthy ingredients. Fruit-flavored soy milks are also perfect health drinks because these are rich in protein and calcium and can satisfy the craving of people who are not used to plain drinks.

5. Pomegranate juices. Pomegranate as a fruit is known to bring lots of healthy benefits to people once eaten. If made into a juice, this can be as healthy as eating the fruit itself. When buying pomegranate juices, make sure that these are 100 percent natural and with lesser additives as possible to ensure that you are getting the DHA, and Omega 3 that can help better brain function as well a antioxidants which is great for the cardiovascualr system.

6. Plum or prune juices. The common notion about prune juices is that it is for older people. To shake off that impression, many manufacturers have renamed their products as "plum juice" which is also derived from the same family of the fruit. Plum or prune juices are great health drinks because it can help you veer away from various digestive problems such as constipation because it is loaded with fiber. Other variations include certain herbs such as chamomile or ginger to make it better tasting and healthier.

These are just some of the existing drinks that you can use as an alternative to your commercial health drink. These may not contain all the vitamins and nutrients that you are getting from your current product but rest assured that these will help you achieve your goal of having a healthier body eventually.

The Healthy And Unhealthy Drinks




Wondering why you don’t eat too much but still keep on gaining weight? Then maybe you drink is not healthy at all. There are hundreds of beverages out there that can boost your waistline.

You have to be cautious of what you drink. Coffee, although it has significant health effects, can be making you fat. If you drink coffee with full fat dairy and artificial flavorings, and do not forget about chocolate sprinkles, then it is highly likely that this is more detrimental than beneficial.

To maximize the health benefits of coffee, it is better to drink it plain or with soymilk. Or you can just switch to green tea which is much better for you since it is a rich source of anti-oxidants.

Sugary summer drinks like margarita or a pina colada doubles your sugar and calorie intake. A can or a glass of this can give you 800 calories. If you’re looking for cool, alcoholic beverage to share in a hot night, then switch to red wine or light beer.

Red wine can reduce coronary heart disease and can lower cholesterol count, thus, reducing risk of high blood pressure or hypertension. Red wine can also maintain the immune system. It also have polyphenols which is an excellent anti-oxidant.

Polyphenols lower cholesterol levels, blood pressure, risks of cancer. It also has anti-bacterial properties. Aside form polyphenols, red wine also has flavonoids which is also an anti-oxidant. Wine can also be associated in reducing stress. It has a calming influence that helps the body to relax and unwind.

Before buying your juice drink, be careful on reading the label. There is difference between “100 % juice” and “made with real juice”. There can be a big amount of artificial sweeteners and big amount of calories included in your juice drink. Drinking real juice drink can give you the necessary nutrients and vitamins, while there re juice drink which is not different from drinking a glass of sugared water.

Whether it is diet or regular soda, soda still has no nutritional value. Unfortunately, this unhealthy drink is the leading and most favorite beverage. There are studies showing soda related to obesity. Soda is known to be high in calories and sugar. Even diet soda shows no significant difference in sugar and calories. Both regular and diet sodas are associated to weight gain.

Drinking soda has also been related to tooth decay. It is still attributed to high consumption of sugars which is present in all soda drinks. Caffeine is also present in sodas. So children who drink too much sodas can develop caffeine dependence. This may interfere with the development of the brain of children. Although, this is not yet proven, several medical researchers and health care professionals are expressing concern.

Unfortunately, there are more of unhealthy drinks than healthy drinks out there in the market. More and more people are forgetting to focus on healthy drinking. Yes, we try to be cautious with what we eat but we still neglect what we drink. Then definitely, we will be missing our healthy mark.

So if you would like to create your own drinks minus the sugar and calories, then definitely go ahead. There are health guides and magazines, even the internet, can help you concoct a savory but healthy drink without the risk factors.

How To Use Essential Oils For Skin Care


People have been using essential oils to nourish and soothe their skin since the time of the ancient Egyptians, at least. For awhile, chemical products were coming on the market every day. People went almost completely away from using essential oils. In recent years, it seems that they're back.

With the resurgence of the use of essential oils, people are finding ancient answers to common problems. Several different essential oils have been used for simple cleansing. Some of these are sweet basil, lemon, lemongrass, neroli, juniper, and peppermint. Any of these oils can be put in by a few drops in a mild soap. Acne is a distressing skin condition that is related to overproduction of sebum in the skin cells of the face. Essential oils have long been used to help the condition. Geranium, chamomile, tea tree, and lavender oils are among those employed.

These essential oils can be combined with a light carrier oil and applied directly to the skin. However, the extra oil of the carrier may seem to be too much. In this case, the essential oils can be dropped into fragrance-free lotion or cream and rubbed into the affected area. The biggest single factor causing skin to age is the fact that skin loses the ability to hang onto moisture. Thus, it dries out and becomes more fragile. Skin can also age because of exposure to sun or pollutants such as smoking.

Essential oils supply a variety of remedies for aged and wrinkled skin. Frankincense, neroli, or rose oils are excellent oils to use for this purpose. Put them in carrier oils or in fragrance-free lotions to rub on the face. Sandalwood oil, carrot root oil, and many others can be used.

Dandruff can be a bothersome ailment. There are all kinds of chemical remedies in your local stores to treat it. However, there are many essential oils that can help the condition in a more natural way. Cedarwood, geranium, lavender, lemongrass, or rosemary essential oils can be used. There are many other oils and combinations of essential oils that have been used successfully. Any of these can be dropped into hair oil, or added to a water and vinegar mixture to rinse the hair with.

Chamomile and lavender oils are the two best essential oils to use for sunburn. One method is to put a few drops into a cool bath and soak until the heat goes away. The other way to use them is to drop a few drops into a carrier oil and rub gently onto the burnt skin. For severe burns, see your doctor. It seems counterintuitive that essential oils can help to clear oily skin. However, people have been getting good results with these treatments for years upon end. Juniper berry, chamomile, cedarwood, and lavender oils, to name a few, have worked wonders. Add them to water to make a rinse for your face after you wash it.

Skin problems aren't new to the world. Using essential oils to treat them isn't new either. However, because these treatments were ignored for so long, they are new to many people now.