Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts

Monday, February 6, 2012

The End of Illness by David B. Agus

Can we live robustly until our last breath? Do we need to suffer from weakening conditions and disease? Can we really increase the vibrant times in our lives? In The End of Illness, David B. Agus, MD, among the many world’s leading cancer doctors, researchers, and technology innovators, tackles these basic questions, challenging long-held wisdoms and taking apart misperceptions about what “health” means. By using a blend of storytelling, landmark research, and provocative ideas on health, Dr. Agus provides an eye-opening concept of the human body as well as the ways it works-and fails-showing us how a new perspective on our individual health will allow each of us to achieve that mostly elusive but now reachable goal of a lengthy, healthy existence.

This indispensable book isn't just a manifesto-a call for revising the way we ponder health-it’s also filled with sensible but impossible-to-ignore recommendations, including:

• How consuming multivitamins and supplements could significantly raise our threat for cancer in time.

• Why sitting down most of the day, regardless of a strenuous early morning workout, can be as unhealthy as or more serious than cigarette smoking.

• How sneaky supplies of daily inflammation-from high heels towards common cold-can lead to a fatal cardiac arrest, as well as deprive us of our peace of mind.

• How three inexpensive medications-aspirin, statins, as well as an annual flu vaccine-can substantially alter the course of our wellbeing for the better.

• How having cutting corners to health via blending vegetables and fruit, and sometimes even by buying what we think is “fresh,” might be shortchanging our wellbeing.

• The one most important thing we could do today to preserve our health and happiness that costs practically nothing.

The End of Illness may be a daring call for all of us to become our very own personal health advocates, and a significant departure from orthodox reasoning. It is a seminal work that promises to transform how we live.


Is coffee cherry the new acai?
Posted by at
Labels: , , , ,

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Youth Activities - Weight Loss Camp

By: Gargi

Do you want to encourage your youngsters to achieve wellness and health? If you do, then why don't you let them join a weight loss camp? This is one of the youth activities that your kid can greatly benefit from.

Lots of individuals often mistake a weight loss camp for a boot camp. The main difference is that the former is less harsh and fun. In a weight loss camp, the youth will be taught the importance of self discipline, proper nutrition, and health.

If your kid is having problems with losing weight, this is the best time to join the camp. Losing weight can put a lot of pressure to your kid but in the camp, you can remove the pressure. Your kid will surely lose weight without any pressure and in a fun way. Aside from losing weight, a youngster will also be taught how to improve their self-image and self-esteem. The eating habits will also be changed to a healthier one.

Kids who have an inactive lifestyle will soon be springing in action when they are in the camp. What about duration? The duration varies. There are camps that last for a week or for even 4-6 weeks. You can try out the shortest camp duration as a beginner. During school vacations, let your kid join the month long weight loss camp. But of course, there are some expenses to be paid. Weight loss camps are available in special packages and if you're quite lucky, you can even get discounts. After the camp, your kid will learn a lot about wellness and health.

The camps are held in attractive locations and not in buildings. Don't worry if your kid is going to stay long in the camp because it is equipped with up to date facilities. It will also be supervised by a trained staff and expert instructors. A nutritionist will be joining the camp and he or she will be in charge of preparing healthy meals for the campers. The various activities and programs during the camp can truly inspire your kid to change his or her current lifestyle as well as gaining enhanced self-worth.

Before you sign up your kid for a weight loss camp, you have to visit a doctor first. The doctor will assess if your kid is fit to join a weight loss camp. Even when your kid is already in the camp, his or her health will be monitored strictly. You see, the camp is supposed to make your kid healthier and so all the precautionary measures will be undertaken.

The activities and exercises included in the camp program will be carried out by expert instructors. You can be sure that the activities are safe and will not lead to accidents or problems. Even if the camp is far from home, your kid will not get homesick because all the important facilities are there.

So if your kids have weight problems, set an appointment with the doctor and ask if they can join youth activities like a weight loss camp. Don't forget to prepare a budget for the youth camp because you will be spending some money.

The camp is a worthy investment because it can help your kid lose weight and improve his self confidence, self esteem, and self worth. Find a good weight loss camp now.

Gargi Nath, a Professor in English in a reputed college in kolkata for the last 5 years having done masters and Phd. A keen creative author and have written many articles on numerous topics. Many of the articles are published regularly in newspapers and magazines. Please visit my blog activities-of-youth.blogspot.com for more youth activities.

Article Source: ArticleClick

Technorati tags

Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Wedding day planning requires a healthy perspective

By: Mark Henry

In fact, The National Women's Health Information Center's Web site cites getting married as one of the most stressful events in a person's life.

Barbara North, M.D., medical director for Instead, Inc., a company devoted to developing better alternatives for women's health, says too much wedding-related stress can actually hinder plans for the big day. "Women will sometimes worry so much about details like favors and bridesmaid gifts that they literally worry themselves sick," says Dr. North. "While it may seem necessary at the time, too much wedding stress can take its toll on both the bride and her relationship."

To avoid the wedding-day blues, Dr. North offers tips to keep brides happy and relaxed.

Don't forget to eat. It's not crucial to your marriage that you fit the coveted size-6 designer dress on your wedding day, but it is important for your body to be in good condition. Some women may exercise and start dieting before their weddings, which is fine, if you're staying healthy. If you eat right, drink plenty of water and get enough calcium, you can ensure you'll be in better shape both physically and mentally for the big day.

Also, don't forget to eat a light meat the morning of your wedding. You'll need fuel to make it through the ceremony, pictures and up to the cocktail hour.

Sense your cycle. Stress can actually impact a woman's monthly cycle, affecting everything from the timing of her flow to hormones and pain. While some women plan ahead and use the pill to "schedule" their periods around their weddings, you can't always ensure how your body will react. Plan instead by having the right tools. North recommends that her clients use the Instead Softcup, which addresses menstrual issues to avoid ruining bridal whites and the wedding night. Wearable for up to 12 hours, the Softcup can also be used to eliminate mess during sex.

Stop thinking. Taking a day before the event to do anything but think about the wedding can streamline planning and help you get back your focus. Worrying 24/7 can cause physical problems including muscle tension, insomnia, headaches, digestive issues, skin irritation, anger, sadness, or even decreased libido. No matter how fabulous your big day, there's nothing worse than avoiding intimacy on your wedding night because you've worried too much.

Rather than tying the knot with a knot in your stomach, Dr. North says you can de-stress by focusing on what really counts – your health and the health of your relationship. For more healthy wedding-planning tips, ask Dr. North online at www.softcup.com.

Article Source:

http://www.articlefasttrack.com/article31693.html

Other articles that might interest you

8 Super Food Secrets for Healthy Skin

Diabetic Friendly Chocolate Sweetened with Xylitol...

Honey, Bee Pollen & Propolis, Royal Jelly for Heal...

3 Natural Acne Blemish Treatments That Work

Natural Fat Loss: Green Tea Extract

Papaya - Good For Digestion And As An Antioxidant

Discover The Health Benefits Of Flaxseed

Alpha Lipoic Acid Is A Powerful Antioxidant

Minimize Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Posted by at
Labels: ,

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

A Natural Perspective On Autoimmune Disorders

By: Michelle Newport

Autoimmunity involves the immune system failing to recognize the body's cells and tissues as being a part of the body, which results in the immune system attacking those cells and tissues. Any disease resulting from autoimmunity is called an auto-immune disorder. There are over 60 known disorders thought to be related to autoimmunity. Below is a summarized list of conditions related to autoimmune disorders :

Alopecia Areata –
An autoimmune disorder that is characterized by hair loss. It is found commonly in men and women and can occur at any age, including childhood.

Alzheimer's Disease – Characterized as a progressive brain disorder, which involves a decline in social and intellectual abilities. Alzheimer's Disease is thought to be associated with free radical damage in the brain and inorganic aluminum.

Celiac Disease – A chronic inflammation of the colon that creates an intestinal breakdown due to an allergic reaction to gluten. Gluten is a protein that is found in grains such as wheat, barley, oat and rye.

Crohn's Disease – A chronic inflammatory bowel disease, which is characterized by severe inflammation of the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. This disorder is typically seen in persons between the ages of 15 and 35, but can also be found in young children and the elderly as
well.

Fibromyalgia – This disorder is characterized by aches and pains in the muscles along with chronic fatigue and insomnia. It is estimated between 3 to 6 million people in the US suffer with Fibromyalgia. Ninety percent of them being women.

Graves Disease – A disorder affecting the thyroid gland. In this disease auto-antibodies bind to the thyroid gland, which increases the production of thyroid hormone, which plays a major role in metabolism. Symptoms include nervousness, diarrhea, insomnia, sweating, and weight loss with increased appetite. More serious symptoms include irregular heart beat, tachycardia (increased heart rate), swelling of eyes and legs. In rare cases, cardiovascular collapse, shock or coma could occur.

Lupus – A disorder which instead of the body's immune system functioning properly as protection from harmful invaders, it forms antibodies that attack healthy tissues and organs. Symptoms include aching joints, inflammation, swelling, fatigue, fevers and rashes. Lupus is a mild disease affecting only a few organs, but for others it may cause serious, even
life-threatening problems.

Multiple Sclerosis – A chronic inflammatory condition which involves the central nervous system (CNS), which consists of the brain and spinal cord. This chronic inflammation causes severe damage to the myelin sheath (covering of the nerves). Symptoms include blurred vision, numbness and paralysis. Mercury toxicity may be a causal factor.

Psoriasis – A common chronic skin condition which is characterized by symptoms similar to eczema. It involves the hyperactivity of the immune system which creates a form of inflammation. This inflammatory reaction causes skin cells to multiply seven to twelve times faster than normal. The skin is often dry and itchy as well as being cracked or blistered.

Rheumatoid Arthritis – This disorder can affect many joints, but most commonly the small joints of the hands. An autoimmune attack on the tissues causes inflammation along with pain and swelling. If uncontrolled it could lead to destruction of the bones, deformity and eventually disability. It is thought that a factor of rheumatoid arthritis is holding onto bitterness.

What are natural ways that can be used which are helpful for
autoimmune disorders?

  • Most people with autoimmune disorders suffer from exhausted adrenals. The adrenals produce a hormone that controls the immune response called cortisol. Cortico-steroid drugs are used to treat autoimmune disorders to mimic the action of cortisol, but have undesirable side effects. A natural alternative to consider is Licorice, which is an herb that supports the adrenals, as well as having anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. Yucca also has anti-inflammatory properties as well as mimics the effects of cortisol. It also
    has a detoxifying effect as well as a blood thinning property. Wild Yam is another herb that can be taken as an anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic. Willow bark also has an anti-inflammatory property and can help bring relief from pain in autoimmune disorders.
  • Stress management is a key factor in dealing with autoimmune disorders as stress adversely affects the adrenal glands. Getting an adequate amount of sleep as well as having a positive mental attitude can be very helpful. Supplements that can be beneficial in helping the body manage stress are Siberian Ginseng, Chinese Mineral Chi Tonic and Nutri-Calm.
  • Antioxidants aid the body in balancing immune activity and also fight free radical damage. Green Tea Extract and High Potency Grapine are appropriate choices.
  • Essential Oils that may be beneficial for autoimmune disorders include Bergamot, Clary Sage, Lavender and Roman Chamomile.
  • Adding essential fatty acids to your diet like Flax Seed Oil and Omega-3 EPA can help to reduce inflammatory responses.
  • Magnesium deficiency is also common in cases of autoimmune disorders. Fibralgia contains magnesium as well as malic acid which is beneficial for generating cellular energy and may be helpful for Fibromyalgia.
  • Moderate exercise such as walking or swimming can be helpful but care should be taken not to over exert the body.
  • Taking a digestive enzyme is very beneficial.
  • Taking a Probiotic daily is recommended to help put healthy bacteria into the intestines which may help reduce allergic responses.

What should be avoided?

  • Immune stimulants are contraindicated as this could only make the problem worse. Avoid taking herbs and supplements that boost the immune system such as Colostrum, Dandelion Root, Echinacea, Goldenseal, and Yarrow.
  • Avoid essential oils that stimulate the immune system such as Geranium, Thyme and Ylang Ylang.
  • Food allergies may also be a factor in autoimmune disorders. Common allergens are hydrogenated fats and oils such as margarine and shortening, grains such as wheat and corn and dairy products. Foods that aggravate the condition should be avoided.
  • Avoid refined carbohydrates and sugars which feeds Candida, a fungus that may also be a contributing factor for autoimmune disorders.

Toxicity and Heavy Metal Poisoning

It is believed that heavy metal poisoning, such as with vaccines that contain mercury and other toxins that are injected directly into the bloodstream as well as other toxic chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis, are a major factor in the underlying cause of autoimmune disorders. A gentle detoxification is recommended so as not to detoxify the body too quickly causing a “healing crisis”. SAM-e can be helpful in detoxifying the liver and has been beneficial in some cases of Fibromyalgia. Enviro Detox taken in small doses can also be helpful.

Resources:

American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association

About the Author:

Michelle Newport is a certified herbalist and naturopath and is the founder of Nature For Life, a company offering natural health consulting services and education.

Information in this article is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly
contact your health care provider. Information and statements regarding dietary
supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are
not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Newport


Technorati tags

Antioxidants and Health
Posted by at
Labels: , ,

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Vitamin D: One of the Most Potent Antioxidants in the World

The following paragraph is from the article The Miracle of Vitamin D by Krispin Sullivan who has done a lot of research about vitamin D.

"Sun exposure at higher latitudes before 10 am or after 2 pm will cause burning from UV-A before it will supply adequate vitamin D from UV-B. This finding may surprise you, as it did the researchers. It means that sunning must occur between the hours we have been told to avoid. Only sunning between 10 am and 2 pm during summer months (or winter months in
southern latitudes) for 20-120 minutes, depending on skin type and color, will
form adequate vitamin D before burning occurs. "

Dr. Mercola talks with Krispin Sullivan in this video about the importance of Vitamin D to our health.





Vitamin D: One of the Most Potent Antioxidants in the World



Other posts

Suggest a topic

  • Email me

  • Suggest through the comment form.

Useful links

Sponsor link

Technorati tags

Posted by at
Labels: , ,

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Tea: Varieties And Grades Of Green Tea

By: Marcus Stout

If you’ve ever shopped for green tea, no doubt you’re aware that there are a
vast number of choices. There are green teas from many regions of the world, and
many varieties, grades and flavors from each region.

Green tea was likely the first kind of tea. About 3000 years ago in China,
people plucked fresh tea leaves and let them dry in the sun before storing them.
In the 8th century, tea processors began using the evaporation process, and by
the 12th century, they began sautéing the leaves. Basically, green tea came
about before tea processors learned the methods associated with processing black
tea.

Even today, green tea is one of the teas left in its most natural state.
Unlike black tea, green tea is unfermented. This lack of fermentation leaves the
chlorophyll in the leaves, so that they retain their green color. Green tea also
retains more of its natural anti-oxidants as a result of being unfermented. This
makes green tea a far healthier choice than black tea.

The natural anti-oxidants in green tea hold a great deal of power for
protecting our health and preventing disease. Anti-oxidants are important to our
health because they neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are created in our
bodies as a by product of digestion. These oxygen containing molecules damage
our cells and DNA if left unchecked.

A diet rich in foods such as fruits, vegetables and other plant products like
tea, helps rid our bodies of free radicals before they can damage our bodies.

In recent years, there has been an abundance of research showing that long
term drinking of green tea can protect our bodies from many forms of disease,
including cancer, heart disease and high cholesterol. Green tea has also been
shown to be an effective weight loss supplement as well as a natural way to help
regulate insulin levels. More research is needed, but it’s very likely that as
time goes on we’ll find more and more health reasons for making green tea part
of our everyday lives.

Classifying Green Tea

The many different varieties of green tea are classified, in part, by the
method in which they are dried. The five methods of drying green tea include:

•Stir Frying - Fresh tea leaves are sauteed in a pan. This process is mainly
used for export teas. Stir frying gives green a strong fragrance and taste. Some
common varieties of green tea that are stir fried include gunpowder teas and
Dragonwell teas.

•Roasting – Tea leaves are dried in a roast basket or roast chest. In most
cases roasted teas are used as the basis for flower scented teas. Roasting keeps
the leaves intact and makes them appear as though covered in a white fluff.
Monkey king teas are roasted.

•Semi-roast and semi fry – Sometimes the stir frying and roasting methods are
combined. This method is used in order to retain the beautiful look of a roasted
leaf combined with the strong fragrance and taste of stir fried tea.

•Solar drying – This is the age old method, whereby leaves are dried in the
sun. Today these leaves are typically used as the basis for compressed teas.
These are the “green tea cakes” you sometimes see.

•Steaming – The leaves are steamed at a very high temperature to dry them.
The most famous steamed green tea is Sencha.

Within each of these varieties of green tea, there are also quality grades.
It can be very difficult to determine, however, the quality of tea you’re
buying, because each country has different grading methods. China, which
produces more green tea than any other country in the world, grades their green
tea something like this.

First, teas for export are graded according to the age of the leaf and the
finished shape of the leaf. These categories include gunpowder, imperial, young
hyson, hyson, twankay, hyson skin, and dust. Within each of these categories
there are several quality grades; sometimes as many as nine grades within one
leaf shape.

With all the complicated categories of green tea, it can be difficult to know
which ones to dry. Understanding the different drying methods and how they
affect the flavor of the tea will give you a good start, as you can select
varieties dried in the method that produces the taste you prefer. However, when
it comes to selecting the best quality of this variety, you have little to go
on. There are a couple of ways to spot good quality tea:

•Form - Loose tea is higher quality than bagged tea. Whether it’s black tea,
green tea or white tea, you can bet that the lowest quality leaves are the ones
used in tea bags. For good tea, always buy loose tea.

•Price – If loose green tea is really inexpensive, it’s probably not very
good quality. Shop around to get a good idea of a fair price for good loose
green tea so that you can accurately judge prices.

•Reputation of Tea Company – One of the best ways to ensure that you get good
tea is to buy from a tea company with a reputation for selling only the highest
quality teas. This is particularly important when shopping online.

It’s true that there are many varieties of green tea. But, that’s what makes
trying green tea so much fun! There’s almost no end to the many flavors and
nuances you can find in the different varieties of green tea. You’re sure to
want to try them all!

About the Author:

Marcus Stout is President of the Golden Moon Tea Company. For more information
about tea, wholesale tea and black tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com


Article Source: www.iSnare.com



Technorati tags



Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

Saturday, February 23, 2008

How Are Antioxidants Linked To Anti-Aging?

By: Carina MacInnes

Antioxidants have been widely praised in the media. Many know they are linked
with anti-aging properties. However this is not new, it all began with one man’s
theory a half a century ago about how free radicals were associated with aging,
and science has been trying to catch up with it ever since.

As Dr. Nicholas Perricone, M.D., states in his 2001 book, “The Wrinkle Cure”:
“When it comes to aging, it’s not Father Time that’s public enemy number 1. It’s
the very busy, very nasty little molecule called the free radical.”

The Free Radical Theory of Aging was published by Denman Harman in 1956. He
theorized that aging is a result of free radical damage of the cells of the
body. This is also called oxidative stress.

Today, a great deal of experimental evidence supports the premise that length
of life is determined by the crucial balance of antioxidants with free radicals
in the body. Oxidative stress is being shown to be at the root of disease and
aging.

One example is that the life of the fruit fly was up to 30% longer when it
was genetically altered with an addition of enzymatic antioxidants. Not only
that, but the altered fruit flies also showed a reduced amount of age-related
oxidative damage.

Studies of humans have also shown evidence of free radical damage playing a
large part in human aging. One 1996 study compared markers of free radical
damage in the blood and found evidence of the highest oxidative damage
associated with the disabled elderly, an intermediate amount with the healthy
elderly, and the lowest levels with the healthy adults.

The study also found that higher blood levels of antioxidant Vitamins C and E
were associated with less disability, and signs of free radical damage were
associated with more disability.

We need to rethink our concept of aging. We accept disease, disability,
senility, wrinkles, and all the other many signs of aging as natural. Instead,
we should view this as ‘unsuccessful aging’ – ie., aging associated with
deterioration, disease and disability.

Successful aging is what happens when the human body is able to fight off
oxidative stress, and continue to regenerate and repair itself. Successful aging
is getting older healthily, without significant pathological conditions.

What the evidence is telling us is that it is crucial we take antioxidants
and free radicals very seriously if we want to ‘age gracefully’ and avoid the
many pitfalls of ‘unsuccessful aging’.

Even young people can be victims of unsuccessful aging, if they are not
providing their bodies with the necessary balance of having have enough dietary
antioxidants to fight off the free radicals.

In our modern culture, many of us are guilty of not getting adequate
nutrition. It’s ironic, when we are the richest we have ever been that we should
be feeding our bodies so poorly.

An interesting example of how a person can seriously damage their body with
the wrong diet was seen in the Documentary ‘Super Size Me’ by Morgan Spurlock
who ate only McDonald’s for a month. In just 30 days of having a junk food diet
as his sole source of nutrition, his health was spiraling downwards and out of
control.

The fact that he gained 25 pounds in a month was the least of his worries. He
experienced a toxic liver, a significant increase in cholesterol, headaches,
depression, a lower sex drive and poor skin. He returned to normal after his
experiment ended.

Unfortunately a great many of us continue to do damage to our bodies, by
smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee, eating junk food, and not eating our
vegetables. When the media began warning us of free radicals, many of us did not
understand the massive damage we were causing our bodies or how to prevent it,
especially as most of the signs of damage are invisible until it is too late.

Free radical damage is accumulative and spreads like wildfire over time. Do
your body a favor. Feed it a diet rich in antioxidant nutrition. Make it a
habit, eat your fruits and vegetables, take your vitamins, and try to stop or
cut down on damaging bad habits. You will thank yourself in 20 years.

Use antioxidants wisely to age successfully. Maybe like the fruit fly, you
too can live 30% longer.

About the Author:
Carina MacInnes is a writer who offers a free e-course on how free radicals
affect our health, using antioxidants for healing and anti-aging, and the latest
in superfood nutrition. For her health she uses an antioxidant-packed superfood
liquid nutrient. Get all the info now: http://acai-4life.com

Article Source: www.iSnare.com


Technorati tags
Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

Friday, February 22, 2008

Blueberry As Both A Superfood And Skin Care Treatment According To Dr. Perricone

By: David Maillie

Often times, when we think of superfoods we think of spinach, grapes, green tea
and other vegetables and extracts that are primarily listed for their levels of
antioxidants. Did you know that the blueberry is one of the most nutritious and
powerful superfoods? According to Dr. Perricone, one of the worlds foremost skin
care experts, “Blueberry along with the acai berry have one of the highest known
levels of antioxidants of any food.” Higher than red wine and green tea
combined. It is full of amino acids, vitamins, and antioxidants, and essential
fatty acids. Whole, fresh blueberries are best, but pure blueberry juice and
combination blueberry and pomegranate juice can be found at your local grocery
store in the produce section.

Blueberries have many uses as blueberry extract
has been used in ancient herbal and medicinal treatments for thousands of years.
Many skin care treatments now use blends of blueberry extracts along with other
herbs to help revitalize the skin and hasten healing. These treatments have been
clinically proven to decrease healing time for skin peels (especially deeper
skin peels like the TCA skin peel). They have also shown marked ability at
reducing scarring in wound and burn treatment, although more research is needed.

Dr. Perricone in his best selling book The Perricone Prescription states that
for optimum skin care one should regularly eat high antioxidant foods like
blueberry, acai, pomegranate, and spinach. These foods with their high
concentrations of antioxidants and nutrients help combat and can even reverse
the aging process. With the right diet full of antioxidant rich foods one can
virtually stop wrinkles in their tracks. A good diet along with a good skin care
regimen can produce amazing results. A good skin care regimen includes a mild
cleanser (no soap as it is too harsh and will dry out your skin), a moisturizer
packed with antioxidant extracts, and skin peels to increase exfoliation and
reduce oily build up (which can lead to acne). It is also a good idea to use a
high spf sun protectant.

The leading medical colleges are currently researching high percentage
antioxidant extracts like blueberry for anti cancer properties and possible and
promising treatments. In clinical settings there is evidence that these
antioxidant rich foods do have a marked effect on several types of cancer. In
addition to anti cancer properties, the blueberry has shown an positive effect
on the nervous system, and increase in cognitive function and reasoning, and an
increase in muscle function and regeneration. Truly the blueberry has many
current and promising functions and, as a superfood like acai according to Dr.
Perricone, should be made a staple of every diet for additional health, great
skin care and longevity.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical
research, clinical analysis and skin care. For more information on TCA peels for
in home use and great anti-aging products and ideas please visit
http://www.bestskinpeel.com


Suggest a topic

  • Email me
  • Suggest through the comment form.

Useful links

Sponsor link

Technorati tags:
Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

Friday, February 1, 2008

Medicinal Importance of Spices

by: Victor Thomas

Spices play an important role in the nutrition of our daily diet. Scientists have done a lot of research on this and have found out that spices contain more antioxidants than fruits and vegetables. The spices contain more antioxidants when they are dried than when they are raw. Half teaspoon of spices will contribute more amounts of antioxidants than half a cup of fruits. Spices play an active role by acting as medicines. Cloves, oregano, allspice, cinnamon, sage, peppermint, thyme and lemon balm are some of the spices. These spices may be of a significant dietary source.

Dried herbs and spices with high amount of antioxidants are:

Cloves

Allspice

Cinnamon

Rosemary

Thyme

Marjoram

Saffron

Oregano

Tarragon

Basil

The fresh herbs with antioxidants are:

Oregano

Sage

Peppermint

Thyme

Lemon balm

Marjoram

The addition of spices in our daily life not only keeps us healthier but it also adds taste to our food. There are different flavors we can make with different spices.

The function of antioxidants is that:

• They fight against cancer causing cells.

• Some spices reduce the cholesterol level in the blood.

• They prevent us from several skin diseases.

Now we will see about different spices and their medical properties.

Turmeric:

Turmeric belongs to ginger family. It is yellow in colour and is a traditional crop of India . Turmeric is used as medicines for centuries. It enhances immune functions, improves digestion and it also reduces the risk of heart attack.

People use turmeric as a lotion to their faces as it keeps your face shinning and prevents from pimples.

Ginger:

Ginger has several medical properties. It helps in preventing the symptoms of motion sickness, especially seasickness. Apart from this, it can also be used in reducing nausea and vomiting brought on by pregnancy. If your stomach is upset drink two teaspoons of ginger juice, it will clean your stomach. Ginger contains an inflammation-fighting substance called “gingerol”, which may help reduce pain and improve function in people who have arthritis.

Coriander:

Coriander is rich in protective photochemical and it is a very good source of iron, magnesium and manganese.

Cinnamon:

One of the oldest spices known is cinnamon. The benefit of cinnamon is that it reduces inflammation, and recently scientists have found out that consumption of cinnamon reduces cholesterol and is good for heart.

Researchers have found that oregano, dill, thyme and rosemary have some of the highest levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants. Many of the spices contains anti cancerous Enzymes, so it is advisable for cancer patients to consume spices.

Visit www.edealsuk.com to select your Health Food Shops and get cashback discounts on Dietary Supplements.

Technorati tags

Posted by at
Labels: , ,

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

How to Get More Antioxidants From Garlic

Garlic has substances that can benefit the body

Some of the properties of these substances are: anti-fungal, antibiotic, can treat athletes foot and nail fungus, enhances blood circulation and keeps the circulatory system in check, helps lower LDL(bad cholesterol), boost the immune system, antioxidant, relieves bronchitis, stops phlegm, an expectorant, soothes gastritis and dysentery, anti blood coagulation and a lot more.

The strength of health benefits it brings to your body depends on how you prepare and cook the garlic. If not prepared properly, the antioxidant strength may be strong. weak or none at all. I'll tell you in a little while on how to prepare garlic in order to bring out it's health benefits but first let's take a look at the substances.

Allicin has antioxidant properties

The main substance of garlic that can give us the most health benefit is called the allicin (a sulfur compount). It has many properties aside from being an antioxidant. Allicin however does not exist when the garlic bulb is intact and undamaged.
Allicin is only formed when the garlic is crushed or sliced rupturing the cell compartments which contain many substances including alliin and allinase,

When alliin (an amino acid) comes in contact with allinase (an enzyme), it produces a chemical reaction which turns aliin into allicin. That's the time you can smell the pungent odor of garlic. Allicin is now formed which could bring many health benefits for your body.

How to choose garlic

  • The bulb and cloves must be undamaged, no visible cracks or cuts.
  • Don't choose the big ones called elephant garlic because it is less potent than the small ones. The elephant garlic are more related to the leek than to garlic.
  • The bulb or cloves must be plump and firm when you try to squeeze it.
  • There must be no sign of sprouting
  • The outer or papery covering must be dry.
  • No rot.

Storing garlic

  • Never store garlic immersed in oil at room temperature as it would give rise to botulism (a toxin which could bring stomach illness leading eventually to death)
  • Never store garlic in the refrigerator for a long time as it could also give rise to botulism.
  • Store it at a dry well ventilated location. It could last for 3 to 6 months.

How to prepare garlic to obtain the most health benefit

To get the most out of garlic, it's pungent odor must be released because it is an indication of the presence of allicin. Some culinary techniques are used to lessen it's odor because some people does not like the smell of it. The health benefits however decline.

  • Smash the unpeeled cloves with the flat of a knife. These should create some formation of allicin.
  • Peel the leaves and slice the cloves into small pieces to have more aliin and allinase combine to create allicin.
  • Leave for several minutes before cooking to allow more reactions of aliin and allinase. The more the reactions, the better health and antioxidants benefits it will bring.
  • Pour the sliced cloves into the cooking pot only when you are almost done with the cooking. Allicin is very volatile and could be lost after a few hours. Long exposure to heat also shortens the life of allicin,

Your food is now loaded with antioxidants from garlic. Enjoy the holiday season with health in mind!

Similar posts:

Anthocyanin Antioxidants in the Acai Berry
Xanthones Antioxidants in the Mangosteen Super Fruit
Antioxidants in the Goji Berry
Punicalagin Antioxidants in Pomegranate

You may be interested in these:

Meditation Can Give You a Lift
How Long Does Caffeine Stay in Your Body?
Herbal Green Tea

Technorati tags

Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

What Are the Ingredients in Green Tea?

In the past decade, green tea has become an increasingly popular choice of beverage for a number of reasons. Known to help people lose weight while also fighting off things such as cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and bad cholesterol, green tea has become a part of people’s lives who are interested in being healthy. Interestingly, most people are completely unaware of the ingredients in green tea, which we wanted to cover in this article.

With more than 3,000 different types of tea, it is fascinating to find that green tea is among the top choice. Grown on the Camellia sinensis bush, the leaves actually produce three distinct tea types depending on how they are processed. For instance, unfermented leaves produce green tea, semi-fermented leaves produce oolong tea, and fully fermented leaves from this same plant produce black tea. For green tea, the leaves must be dried quickly, which is typically done in Chinese form by pan firing or steaming, which maintains the beautiful color, as well as high content of catechin.

When discussing the ingredients of green tea, keep in mind that this is more a reference to the nutritional value. Of course, you can purchase green tea in various flavors, which would change the actual ingredients in green tea. For instance, you might find green tea blended with mint in which case the additional ingredient would be mint or perhaps green tea blended with jasmine tea, again the additional ingredient being jasmine. Therefore, we are referring to ingredients in green tea as the nutrients.

The most vital of all ingredients in green tea is the antioxidant known as polyphenol, specifically Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, more commonly called EGCG. This particular green tea ingredient provides significant health benefits such as preventing cancer, lowering blood pressure, reducing LDL cholesterol, and even fighting oral bacteria that causes plaque, thus the reduction or elimination of tooth decay.

Another ingredient in green tea is 0.06mg of caffeine. Then, one bag of green tea contain between 80 and 100 mgs of the polyphenols with EGCG accounting for about 25 to 30 mgs of that. Then, other ingredients in green tea include theanine, which is a type of amino acid, catechin, chlorophyll, butyric acid, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E, F, P, and U, and certain minerals such as, saponin, saccharides, and pectin.

Each of these green tea ingredients works together to provide a wonderful product that is delicious, as well as healthy. Keep in mind that the way in which the product is made will determine the level of beneficial ingredients in green tea For example, the Chinese people have long pan fired or steamed the leaves, retaining the highest level of nutrients. The Japanese will also steam, as well as boil and dry to create powder.

Today, you can purchase green tea in bags for brewing, in loose-leaf form, which is great for steaming, in supplements to include tablet and capsule form, or in powdered form. With powdered green tea, you can use it for baking cookies, cakes, pies, breads, or mixing in with other ingredients to make smoothies. The bottom line is that no matter how you consume this substance, the ingredients of green tea will benefit your life while providing you with a relaxing beverage or delicious food.

Julie Health is a green tea lover who writes about the many and amazing health benefits of drinking green tea at her website benefitsofgreentea.info


Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

Friday, September 21, 2007

BlogRush Can Add More Blog Traffic

We want people to read our content and we need traffic to achieve that. Traffic can be had from many ways: blog directories, social networks, social bookmarking, discussion forums, etc. A new way of generating traffic is this new program developed by John Reese which he calls BlogRush.

How does BlogRush generate traffic for your site?

The widget you install in your blog displays recent posts from other BlogRush members whose blogs are of the same category as yours. What's good about this is that your posts are also displayed at other member sites which you could not otherwise 'reach' or cannot put your link into.

You just install the widget and it runs in auto pilot, exposing your posts to different blogs of the same category otherwise unreachable. This blog is under the category of Health & Medicine.

To see an example of the widget, scroll down and look for the widget entirled 'From the Blogosphere' at the sidebar.

Want to generate more traffic? Join BlogRush now and improve your exposure.

Technorati tag:

Antioxidants homepage


Posted by at
Labels: , ,

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Caffeine Can Elevate Your Stress Hormones

The levels of the stress hormone cortisol is raised when caffeine is ingested in your body. Caffeine can stay in your body for several hours when you drink coffee, tea or other foods that contain caffeine (read How Long Does Caffeine Stay in Your Body).

Although stress is not the only factor that raises cortisol, it is commonly called as such because it's levels are automatically elevated when a person gets stressed. What situations do we encounter that gets us stressed? To name a few:

  • Anger
  • Frustration
  • Fearfulness

Hearing tragic news, failing to meet deadlines, a reprimand from your boss, facing an angry customer are some examples of everyday events that can trigger stress. It could help you get through those moments though, as nature has designed it but for short periods only, extending the time of your 'stressed' level can be destructive for your health.

Cortisol is secreted by the adrenal glands and is involved in bodily functions such as inflammatory response, immune functions, regulation of blood pressure and glucose metabolism. It is sort of a survival response to get you through at the moment - your energy, memory, immunity shoots up, But If cortisol stays in the blood for too long

  • you'll be prone to sickness
  • it will retard your thinking
  • your blood pressure could rise
  • your blood sugar balance could be disrupted
  • your fat in the stomach could increase
  • bone density could decrease
  • your muscle tissues can weaken

Drinking cup of coffee or tea can leave caffeine in your blood for several hours which means that cortisol levels also rises for the same amount of time that caffeine is in your blood. It would be like having the effects of being stressed for several hours. Not good for your body right?

Among the beneficial effects of tea includes preventing the rise of blood pressure levels and reducing glucose levels but the caffeine contained in tea does just the opposite. Tea has a calming effect but caffeine can heighten your senses because of the rise of cortisol levels.

To get the most benefit of coffee and tea (antioxidants), several cups spread throughout the day would be needed. But then caffeine which raises our cortisol levels will also be in our blood throughout the day. The best way to get those antioxidants from coffee and tea are to choose the decaffeinated or caffeine free variety.

Next time you take a cup of coffee, think of cortisol.

Related Posts:

Adrenaline and Caffeine
Adrenal Fatigue Caused by Caffeine
Caffeine Intake and Pregnancy
How Much Caffeine Do You Take?
Can Caffeine Make Your Heart Stop?
How Long Does Caffeine Stay in Your Body?
Decaffeinated Tea
Caffeine and Tea
Herbal Green Tea
Calming Effect of Theanine in Tea
Meditation Can Give You a Lift
Caffeine and Meditation

Caffeine Free Tea:

Herbal Green Tea Extract

Technorati tags
Posted by at
Labels: , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)