The facts on eating (Lean) Red Meat

There might not be an official definition for the term superfood, but it’s fair to say that when eaten as part of a balanced, varied diet, lean red meat is certainly up there on the list of superfoods.

Lean red meat contains a variety of different nutrients, including protein, hearthealthy monounsaturates and omega3 fats, plus a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. And better still, it has nothing added or taken away and is naturally low in salt and free from additives.

Because red meat contains a wide range of nutrients, it’s often called a nutrient dense food – in other words, it contains a lot of nutrients in a relatively small amount of the food. Indeed, a recent report from the British Nutrition Foundation (Red Meat in the Diet) highlights that red meat includes many nutrients that are important for good health, including protein, iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. This is important because many adults have low intakes of these nutrients in their diet and so are at risk of becoming deficient in that nutrient.
Lean red meat is not only a good source of protein and energy, but also has benefits in avoiding heart disease, however, consumption of animal fat should be reduced overall.

Health conscious consumers are often concerned by debates about how much meat is healthy, what kind is best for them and whether to eat it at all.
These attitudes have developed since the 1950s, when the western world became aware of the association between coronary heart disease, the consumption of fats (particularly animal fat) and high levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Protein, fat and energy :

Here are some key points regarding the superfood benefits of lean red meat:

* Red meat is an important source of iron, needed for healthy blood and to prevent anaemia. Currently a quarter of females aged 19 - 64 in the UK have iron intakes below the minimum amount to stay healthy. Meanwhile, 40% of women under the age of 34 have seriously low intakes of iron and so are putting themselves at risk of anaemia. Teenage girls are also at risk of anaemia as they have higher iron requirements due to menstruation – around half of all 11–18 year old girls have iron intakes below the minimum amount recommended for good health.

* The type of iron in beef (haem iron) is more easily absorbed and used by the body than the iron in plant foods (nonhaem iron). This makes beef a great choice for children. Numerous studies show even a mild deficiency of iron can affect a child’s learning ability, while boosting intakes improves behaviour, concentration, mental sharpness and cognitive development.

* According to a study in the journal Pediatrics children and teenagers deficient in iron are more likely to be overweight due to overall poor eating habits. Furthermore, children with poor iron stores may feel constantly tired and therefore be less active, which can promote weight gain.

* The iron found in red meat is in a form that the body can use more easily than the iron found in plant foods such as pulses, nuts, seeds and leafy green veg.

* Red meat is a good source of vitamin B12. This vitamin only occurs naturally in animal foods. Studies show that vitamin B12 intakes are consistently lower in vegetarians and particularly vegans, indicating that meat makes an important contribution to intakes of this vitamin.

* Red meat contains selenium. This nutrient is an important antioxidant, which has been linked toreducing the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

* Red meat contains protein, which helps to improve satiety and fills us up for longer. This makes proteinrich foods excellent for helping us to control our weight so that we don’t become overweight or obese.

* Red meat contains small amounts of omega3 fats, which help to keep the heart healthy. With the exception of oil-rich fish, few foods contain good amounts of omega3s. This makes the small amounts in red meat an important source, especially for people who eat little or no oily fish.

* Red meat has become substantially lower in fat in recent years with the fat content having been reduced by more than 30 percent for pork, 15 percent for beef and 10 percent for lamb. Lean beef now contains just 5 percent fat, lamb 8 percent fat and pork just 4 percent fat.

* It’s a myth that red meat is packed with saturates. At least half the fat in lean red meat is heart-healthy mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats. Choosing lean cuts of meat and trimming off any visible fat helps to reduce the saturated fat content further.

Susceptibility to heart disease :


It is possible to lower the risk of death from heart disease, brought on by atherosclerosis over many years, by following a diet that is low in fat, or one offering a high proportion of polyunsaturated fats from plants or fish.

Atherosclerosis can lead to death by coronary occlusion and irregular beating of the heart. Such arrhythmia can also occur spontaneously leading to sudden cardiac death.
Susceptibility to this latter form of heart disease has also been associated with the consumption of animal fat. Research has found that plant oils and marine (fish) oils reduce this risk.

It is believed that the polyunsaturated fatty acids found in these oils are instrumental in reducing arrhythmia of the heart. To some degree similar fatty acids are found in the structural fats of red meat.

Work has also shown that lean red meat (which has had the outer fat removed) is effective in lowering cholesterol. It is not the meat, but the visible fat of meat, that is the cause of concern.
It appears possible that lean red meat could diminish the susceptibility of humans to sudden cardiac death.

Lean meat - consumption and production :

Lean red meat is not only a good source of protein and energy, but also has benefits in avoiding heart disease.

Consumption of fat however, must be reduced. Public demand presents a challenge to farmers and scientists to jointly explore ways and means of producing this essential food efficiently. Although processed meat with high fat content and/or preservatives has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of cancer of the colon, this risk does not appear to apply to red meat in most studies.


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Facts on Walking

An active way of life is important for all of us and becomes more important as we grow older. Walking at a comfortable speed increases heart - lung function.It is also good for general fitness as well as being safe, cheap and convenient.It can be enjoyed alone or with friends.

Walking is good for you:

If you walk regularly, you tend to :

*Feel more happy,confident and relaxed.

* Control your weight better.

*Have a healthier blood cholesterol level.

* Have a lower blood pressure.

* Have stronger bones (less osteoporosis).

* Be less likely to have a heart attack.

* Recover better from a heart attack.

* Be less likely to have a stroke.

* Be less likely to develop diabetes in middle age.

How Often:

Try to walk everyday.Ideally, adults should get a total of 3o minutes or more of moderate exercise - like walking-on most (preferably all) days of the week.The more exercise you can do the better,provied you follow the steps outlined here.

How Hard :

Find the level that suits you best.You should still be able to talk (or whistle) comfortably as you walk.

Getting Started:

Walking is a great social activity.You can walk with a friend,join a club or you may prefer to walk alone.Whatever you do,the aim is for comfort and enjoyment while keeping active.

Before getting started see your doctor if:

* Have not been active for sometime.

* Have a history of heart disease or chest pains.

* Have diaetes.

* Are very overweight.

* Are a smoker.

* Have high blood pressure.

Staying Motivated:

* Walk with a friend,in a group or with your spouse & your family.

* Use the times you walk to think - and relax.

* Plan your walks in advance.

* Vary your walks.

* Visit a national park or an historical landmark.

* Visit a friend.

* Walk the dog.

* Join a walking club.

10 Important tips:

1.Wear a broad brimmed hat & sunglasses,and use a broad spectrum sunscreen SPF 15+ on exposed skin.Avoid the hottest times of the day,and keep to shaded areas.

2.Wear light,loose,comfortable clothing and well-cushioned flat soled shoes.

3.Always let someone know where you are going and your expected time of return.

4.Walk steadily,concentrating on a steady heel toe action,letting your arms swing freely by your sides.After a while, you will develop the rhythm and stride most natural for your height and weight.

5.If you are going on a long or strenous walk,drink water before you start and carry a supply with you,especially in hot weather.A small backpack is useful for carrying water,sunglasses,sunscreen and other items.

6.If your breathing becomes uncomfortable,slow down,and try not to stop completely if you have been walking briskly.Sudden halting can cause a feeling of dizziness as oxygenated blood drops with gravity away fom the brain.

7.In cold weather, a hat prevents heat loss from the head.

8.Avoid walking immediately after meals and don't walk if you have a fever or bad cold.

9.If you are walking in the dark,wear light coloured clothing so motorists can see you.

10.You may feel some soreness in early stages of your program,as your body adjusts to new demands being placed upon it.As your body adapts,the soreness will decrease.In addition stretching before and after exercise can help to minimize soreness.

Stretching :

It is desirable to stretch both before and after you go on your walk.Try the stretches below and remember you should always be warm before stretching.

* Ease into,hold and ease out of each stretch.

* Hold each stretch for a minimum of 20 seconds.

* Stretching shold never be painful,though you may feel a mild discomfort.

* Never bounce while stretching.

* Perform stretches on both legs.

- Prop legs aginst a tree or chair at a comfortable height with knee slightly bent, lean slowly forward to feel the stretch at the back of the thigh.

- Stand with hands placed on wall for support.Put one leg behind keeping heel flat on the ground.Keep other leg slightly bent with weight on back leg.Hold for 20 seconds.Repeat with other leg.

- Sit on chair with both feet on floor.Turn arms,head and shoulder to grasp the back of the chair.Keep buttocks on chair. hold for 20 seconds.Repeat on other side.

- Bring heel to bottom and push hip forward to increase stretch.Hold for 20 seconds.Repeat on other leg.

Sore Feet :

Your most important equipment ia a pair of sturdy,comfortable lighweight walking shoes.If your feet feel good, you will walk well and will continue walking.When choosing the right walking shoes,look for :

* Upper of breathable material- leather and / or nylon mesh.

* Comfortable,padded heel collar.

* Firm heel counter (that cups the heel).

* Stability for the entire foot and leg.

* Heel should be held in the shoe,well cushioned and supported somewhat higher than the rest of the foot.

* Entire hoe should be designed to absorb shock.

* Substantial arch supports.

* A sole designed specially for smooth heel-to-toe motion.

* The toe box should allow ample room.

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Snoring

Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.
by Anthony Burgess.

Forty-five percent of normal adults snore at least occasionally, and 25 percent are habitual snorers. Problem snoring is more frequent in males and overweight persons, and it usually grows worse with age.

More than 300 devices are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as cures for snoring. Some are variations on the old idea of sewing a sock that holds a tennis ball on the pajama back to force the snorer to sleep on his side. (Snoring is often worse when a person sleeps on his back). Some devices reposition the lower jaw forward; some open nasal air passages; a few others have been designed to condition a person not to snore by producing unpleasant stimuli when snoring occurs. But, if you snore, the truth is that it is not under your control whatsoever. If anti-snoring devices work, it is probably because they keep you awake.

What Causes Snoring?

The noisy sounds of snoring occur when there is an obstruction to the free flow of air through the passages at the back of the mouth and nose. This area is the collapsible part of the airway (see illustration) where the tongue and upper throat meet the soft palate and uvula. Snoring occurs when these structures strike each other and vibrate during breathing.

People who snore may suffer from:

* Poor muscle tone in the tongue and throat. When muscles are too relaxed, either from alcohol or drugs that cause sleepiness, the tongue falls backwards into the airway or the throat muscles draw in from the sides into the airway. This can also happen during deep sleep.

* Excessive bulkiness of throat tissue. Children with large tonsils and adenoids often snore. Overweight people have bulky neck tissue, too. Cysts or tumors can also cause bulk, but they are rare.

* Long soft palate and/or uvula. A long palate narrows the opening from the nose into the throat. As it dangles, it acts as a noisy flutter valve during relaxed breathing. A long uvula makes matters even worse.

* Obstructed nasal airways. A stuffy or blocked nose requires extra effort to pull air through it. This creates an exaggerated vacuum in the throat, and pulls together the floppy tissues of the throat, and snoring results. So, snoring often occurs only during the hay fever season or with a cold or sinus infection.

* Also, deformities of the nose or nasal septum, such as a deviated septum (a deformity of the wall that separates one nostril from the other) can cause such an obstruction.

Is Snoring Serious?

Socially, yes! It can be, when it makes the snorer an object of ridicule and causes others sleepless nights and resentfulness.

Medically, yes! It disturbs sleeping patterns and deprives the snorer of appropriate rest. When snoring is severe, it can cause serious, long-term health problems, including obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea :

When loud snoring is interrupted by frequent episodes of totally obstructed breathing, it is known as obstructive sleep apnea. Serious episodes last more than ten seconds each and occur more than seven times per hour. Apnea patients may experience 30 to 300 such events per night. These episodes can reduce blood oxygen levels, causing the heart to pump harder.

The immediate effect of sleep apnea is that the snorer must sleep lightly and keep his muscles tense in order to keep airflow to the lungs. Because the snorer does not get a good rest, he may be sleepy during the day, which impairs job performance and makes him a hazardous driver or equipment operator. After many years with this disorder, elevated blood pressure and heart enlargement may occur.

Can Heavy Snoring be Cured?

Heavy snorers, those who snore in any position or are disruptive to the family, should seek medical advice to ensure that sleep apnea is not a problem. An otolaryngologist will provide a thorough examination of the nose, mouth, throat, palate, and neck. A sleep study in a laboratory environment may be necessary to determine how serious the snoring is and what effects it has on the snorer's health.

Snoring Treatment:

Treatment depends on the diagnosis. An examination will reveal if the snoring is caused by nasal allergy, infection, deformity, or tonsils and adenoids.
Snoring or obstructive sleep apnea may respond to various treatments now offered by many otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons:

* Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is surgery for treating obstructive sleep apnea. It tightens flabby tissues in the throat and palate, and expands air passages.

* Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP) refers to procedures and techniques that treat snoring and some of them also are used to treat various severities of obstructive sleep apnea. Different types of TAP include bipolar cautery, laser, and radiofrequency.

* Laser Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty (LAUP) treats snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea by removing the obstruction in the airway. A laser is used to vaporize the uvula and a specified portion of the palate in a series of small procedures in a doctor's office under local anesthesia.

* Radiofrequency ablation—some with temperature control approved by the FDA—utilizes a needle electrode to emit energy to shrink excess tissue to the upper airway including the palate and uvula (for snoring), base of the tongue (for obstructive sleep apnea), and nasal turbinates (for chronic nasal obstruction).

* Genioglossus and hyod advancement is a surgical procedure for the treatment of sleep apnea. It prevents collapse of the lower throat and pulls the tongue muscles forward, thereby opening the obstructed airway.

If surgery is too risky or unwanted, the patient may sleep every night with a nasal mask that delivers air pressure into the throat; this is called continuous positive airway pressure or "CPAP".

A chronically snoring child should be examined for problems with his or her tonsils and adenoids. A tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy may be required to return the child to full health.

Self-Help for the Light Snorer :

* Adults who suffer from mild or occasional snoring should try the following self-help remedies:
* Adopt a healthy and athletic lifestyle to develop good muscle tone and lose weight.
* Avoid tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and antihistamines before bedtime.
* Avoid alcohol for at least four hours and heavy meals or snacks for three hours before retiring.
* Establish regular sleeping patterns
* Sleep on your side rather than your back.
* Tilt the head of your bed upwards four inches.

Remember, snoring means obstructed breathing, and obstruction can be serious. It's not funny, and not hopeless.

Ref: American Academy of Otolaryngology−Head and Neck Surgery

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Facts about Acne

What Is Acne?

Acne is a disease that affects the skin's oil glands. The small holes in your skin (pores) connect to oil glands under the skin. These glands make an oily substance called sebum. The pores connect to the glands by a canal called a follicle. Inside the follicles, oil carries dead skin cells to the surface of the skin. A thin hair also grows through the follicle and out to the skin. When the follicle of a skin gland clogs up, a pimple grows.

Most pimples are found on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. Acne is not a serious health threat but, it can cause scars.

How Does Acne Develop?

Sometimes, the hair, sebum, and skin cells clump together into a plug. The bacteria in the plug causes swelling. Then when the plug starts to break down, a pimple grows.

There are many types of pimples. The most common types are:
* Whiteheads. These are pimples that stay under the surface of the skin.
* Blackheads. These pimples rise to the skin's surface and look black. The black color is not from dirt.
* Papules. These are small pink bumps that can be tender.
* Pustules. These pimples are red at the bottom and have pus on top.
* Nodules. These are large, painful, solid pimples that are deep in the skin.
* Cysts. These deep, painful, pus-filled pimples can cause scars.

Who Gets Acne?

Acne is the most common skin disease. People of all races and ages get acne. But it is most common in teenagers and young adults. Nearly 85 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 24 get acne. For most people, acne goes away by age 30. But some people in their forties and fifties still get acne.

What Causes Acne?

The cause of acne is unknown. Doctors think certain factors might cause it:
* The hormone increase in teenage years (this can cause the oil glands to plug up more often)
* Hormone changes during pregnancy
* Starting or stopping birth control pills
* Heredity (if your parents had acne, you might get it, too)
* Some types of medicine
* Greasy makeup.

How Is Acne Treated?

Acne is treated by doctors who work with skin problems (dermatologists). Treatment tries to:
*Heal pimples
*Stop new pimples from forming
*Prevent scarring
*Help reduce the embarrassment of having acne.

Early treatment is the best way to prevent scars. Your doctor may suggest over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription drugs. Some acne medicines are put right on the skin. Other medicines are pills that you swallow. The doctor may tell you to use more than one medicine.

How Should People With Acne Care for Their Skin?

Here are some ways to care for skin if you have acne:
* Clean skin gently. Use a mild cleanser in the morning, evening, and after heavy workouts. Scrubbing the skin does not stop acne. It can even make the problem worse.

* Try not to touch your skin. People who squeeze, pinch, or pick their pimples can get scars or dark spots on their skin.

* Shave carefully. If you shave, you can try both electric and safety razors to see which works best. With safety razors, use a sharp blade. Also, it helps to soften your beard with soap and water before putting on shaving cream. Shave lightly and only when you have to.

* Stay out of the sun. Many acne medicines can make people more likely to sunburn. Being in the sun a lot can also make skin wrinkle and raise the risk of skin cancer.

* Choose makeup carefully. All makeup should be oil free. Look for the word "noncomedogenic" on the label. This means that the makeup will not clog up your pores. But some people still get acne even if they use these products.

What can make Acne get worse?

Some things can make acne worse:
* Changing hormone levels in teenage girls and adult women 2 to 7 days before their period starts
* Pressure from bike helmets, backpacks, or tight collars
* Pollution and high humidity
* Squeezing or picking at pimples
* Hard scrubbing of the skin.

What Are Some Myths About the Causes of Acne?

There are many myths about what causes acne. Dirty skin and stress do not cause acne. Also, chocolate and greasy foods do not cause acne in most people.

What Research Is Being Done on Acne?

Scientists are looking at new ways to treat acne. They are:
* Working on new drugs to treat acne
* Looking at ways to prevent plugs
* Looking at ways to stop the hormone testosterone from causing acne.

Ref: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

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Understanding Diabetes

What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The body is unable to produce or unable to properly use and store glucose (a form of sugar). Glucose backs up in the bloodstream — causing one’s blood glucose or "sugar" to rise too high.

Types of diabetes:There are three main types of diabetes.

* Type 1 diabetes , usually diagnosed in children and adolescents, occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that ensures body energy needs are met. Approximately 10 per cent of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.

*The remaining 90 per cent have type 2 diabetes , which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body does not effectively use the insulin that is produced. Type 2 diabetes usually develops in adulthood, although increasing numbers of children in high-risk populations are being diagnosed.

* A third type of diabetes, gestational diabetes, is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. It affects approximately 3.5 per cent of all pregnancies and involves an increased risk of developing diabetes for both mother and child.

* Pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

Is diabetes serious?

If left untreated or improperly managed, diabetes can result in a variety of complications, including:
* Heart disease
* Kidney disease
* Eye disease
* Problems with erection (impotence)
* Nerve damage

The first step in preventing or delaying the onset of these complications is recognizing the risk factors, as well as signs and symptoms of diabetes.

What are the risk factors for diabetes?

If you are aged 40 or over, you are at risk for type 2 diabetes and should be tested at least every three years. If any of the following risks factors apply, you should be tested earlier and/or more often.

Being:

* A member of a high-risk group (Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian or African descent)
* Overweight (especially if you carry most of your weight around your middle)

Having:

* A parent, brother or sister with diabetes
* Health complications that are associated with diabetes
* Given birth to a baby that weighed more than 4 kg (9 lb)
* Had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
* Impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose
* High blood pressure
* High cholesterol or other fats in the blood
* Been diagnosed with any of the following conditions:
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- acanthosis nigricans (darkened patches of skin)
- schizophrenia

What are the symptoms?

Signs and symptoms of diabetes include the following:
* Unusual thirst
* Frequent urination
* Weight change (gain or loss)
* Extreme fatigue or lack of energy
* Blurred vision
* Frequent or recurring infections
* Cuts and bruises that are slow to heal
* Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
* Trouble getting or maintaining an erection

It is important to recognize, however, that many people who have type 2 diabetes may display no symptoms.

Can you prevent diabetes?

Scientists believe that lifestyle changes can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. A healthy meal plan, weight control and physical activity are important prevention steps.

How is diabetes treated?

People with diabetes can expect to live active, independent and vital lives if they make a lifelong commitment to careful diabetes management, which includes the following:

Education: Diabetes education is an important first step. All people with diabetes need to be informed about their condition.

Physical Activity: Regular physical activity helps your body lower blood glucose levels, promotes weight loss, reduces stress and enhances overall fitness.

Nutrition: What, when and how much you eat all play an important role in regulating blood glucose levels.

Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy weight is especially important in the management of type 2 diabetes.

Medication: Type 1 diabetes is always treated with insulin. Type 2 diabetes is managed through physical activity and meal planning and may require medications and/or insulin to assist your body in making or using insulin more effectively.

Lifestyle Management: Learning to reduce stress levels in day-to-day life can help people with diabetes better manage their disease.

Blood Pressure: High blood pressure can lead to eye disease, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, so people with diabetes should try to maintain a blood pressure level at or below 130/80. To do this, you may need to change your eating and physical activity habits and/or take medication.

Ref: Canadian Diabetes Association.

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Chocolates - Health facts

Chocolate and its reported therapeutic properties have made recent media headlines. In fact, several different medical studies performed by reputable universities, organizations, and institutions cite the possible benefits of eating chocolate.The following is meant to be a fun, quick-reference guide to chocolate and your health. It gives a brief overview of research results as related by a variety of resources and publications. However, scientists are constantly uncovering new information about the more than 300 chemicals contained in chocolate. . . so keep your eyes on the news for the latest updates and changes in chocolate health.

Does chocolate cause cavities?

Not necessarily. According to a recent study by Osaka University in Japan, cocoa contains antibacterial agents that actually fight tooth decay.However, most mass-produced chocolate contains sugar, which is known to cause tooth decay and probably counteracts the benefits of these agents.

Does chocolate cause acne?

Not according to studies performed by the Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the U.S. Naval Academy. Eating or not eating chocolate made no difference in the skin condition of the study participants. In fact, most doctors believe that acne is not linked primarily to diet.

Will the caffeine in chocolate make me jittery?

Probably not. Cacao does contain a number of stimulants, such as caffeine and theobromine, but in small amounts that are diluted even further when processed into chocolate. In fact, one ounce of milk chocolate contains about the same amount of caffeine as one cup of decaffeinated coffee.Interestingly, one study has shown that the smell of chocolate may actually relax you by increasing theta waves in the brain.

Can chocolate cause headaches?

There is little evidence of this, according to research conducted by the University of Pittsburgh. However, some studies suggest that chocolate may trigger headaches specifically in migraine sufferers.

Is chocolate an aphrodisiac (mood elevator)?

Not really. Chocolate contains small amounts of a chemical called phenylethylamine (PEA), which is a mild mood elevator. It’s the same chemical that our brain produces when we feel happy or “in love.” The mild “rush” we get from this substance may be why some people say they’re “addicted” to chocolate.

Will chocolate raise my cholesterol levels?

Contrary to popular misconception, eating lots of chocolate does not raise blood cholesterol levels. According to Mayo Clinic studies, chocolate contains stearic acid, which is a neutral fat that does not increase bad cholesterol (LDL). Also, the cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat. This is the same type of fat found in olive oil that may actually raise good cholesterol (HDL).

Will eating chocolate make me fat?

It can—if you eat enough of it. Chocolate, especially milk chocolate, is high in calories. In fact, it was once prescribed to help fatten up patients suffering from wasting diseases like tuberculosis.However, some people claim that drinking a cup of hot chocolate before a meal actually diminishes their appetite. One researcher at the Aromocology Patch Co. Ltd. even experimented with helping patients lose weight by having them sniff a chocolate-scented patch whenever they were tempted to snack!

Does chocolate contain any nutrients?

Yes, it does, in small amounts. A 1.5-ounce milk chocolate bar contains recommended daily values of the following vitamins and minerals:

• 3 grams of protein
• 15% of the Daily Value of riboflavin

• 9% of the Daily Value for calcium

• 7% of the Daily Value for iron

And if you add nuts like almonds or peanuts into the mix, you increase all of the amounts of nutrients listed above.

Will I live longer if I eat chocolate?

Perhaps. A Harvard University study found that men who ate chocolate lived one year longer than those who didn’t. Scientists think that chocolate contains chemicals that help keep blood vessels elastic and increase beneficial antioxidants in the bloodstream, but research is under way and no conclusive results have been found.

Is Chocolate Addictive?

Millions of chocolate lovers insist that the sweet gives them a major “emotional buzz” and hooks them like a drug.

Is there any hard evidence to support their claims?

According to the consensus of reports from current research, not really.Chocolate can’t give you a strong, physical “rush.”Chocolate contains more than 300 chemicals, including stimulants such as caffeine and theobromine. But these stimulants aren’t present in large enough quantities to significantly affect the brain and nervous system.Chocolate isn’t chemically habit-forming.Researchers at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, California, report that chocolate does contain some minor mood-altering substances. These chemicals seem to mimic the effects of marijuana, to a small degree.

In other words, they trigger physical and psychological responses in the brain that are similar to those induced by THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.However, to get “high,” studies show that you would have to eat more than 25 pounds of chocolate in one sitting. And these chemicals cannot make you physically addicted to chocolate.Chocolate can be a culturally created craving.Despite the above facts, self-professed chocolate addicts aren’t delusional. Research performed at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, the American University, and other institutions seems to indicate that the human obsession with chocolate is more likely the result of learned behaviors and cultural factors rather than chemicals.As for chocolate’s other mood-elevating properties—carbohydrates present in the sweet can raise serotonin levels in the brain and lead to a feeling of well-being.

Chocolate: A Heart-Healthy Treat

Many people think chocolate is about as healthy as a stick of butter. However, recent studies by Mayo Clinic, the University of California, the University of Scranton, and Pennsylvania State University are proving that, in addition to cacao and sugar, chocolate may contain some healthful ingredients.

Chocolate contains flavonoids and antioxidants.

According to these studies, chocolate is chock-full of flavonoids—naturally-occurring compounds found in the cacao plant, as well as in red wine, tea, fruits, and vegetables.Recent research suggests that these flavonoids may have potentially beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. They may also act as antioxidants, which are believed to prevent or delay certain damage to the body’s cells and tissues.

Eating chocolate will not raise your cholesterol.

Chocolate and cocoa butter contain two main saturated fats (palmitic and stearic acids) and one mono-unsaturated fat (oleic acid). Unlike other saturated fats, stearic acid is a neutral fat and does not appear to raise bad cholesterol (LDL). Oleic acid is the same type of fat in olive oil and may actually raise good cholesterol levels (HDL).But chocolate also contains sugar and fat.Most of these studies don’t address how much chocolate is needed to achieve health benefits, nor do they mention any long-term benefits or risks of eating chocolate.

In addition, most chocolate consumed today is milk chocolate, which is high in saturated fat, sugar, and calories—none of which qualify as heart-healthy. So before you stick a bag of candy in your medicine cabinet, you may want to wait until additional research is completed. The link between chocolate and a healthy heart needs further clarification.

Choosing Healthy Chocolates

As some recent studies by the University of California, the University of Scranton, and Pennsylvania State University suggest, chocolate—in moderation—may be good for your health.For instance, chocolate contains antioxidants (which may help prevent cardiovascular disease) and stearic acid (which may increase levels of HDL “good” cholesterol).

Not all chocolate is healthy.

A single bar of dark chocolate contains more than twice as many antioxidants as a bar of milk chocolate. Also, dark chocolate harbors fewer calories than milk chocolate.Milk chocolate is much higher in unhealthful saturated fats and calories simply because it contains milk. Also, it contains fewer cocoa solids per ounce (and thus fewer antioxidants).In fact, it takes four cacao seeds to make one ounce of milk chocolate and 12 seeds to make one ounce of dark chocolate. About the only health advantage milk chocolate has over dark chocolate is that it contains calcium.

Florence Nightingale, the mother of nursing, considered chocolate a basic ingredient of healthcare.

Ref:Fieldmuseum.org

Did my article correct your myths about chocolates?

Have you feared eating chocolates for the worry of your weight or tooth decay??

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Am I having a heart attack?

We all think we know what a heart attack looks like - we've seen it on TV. Victim clutches chest in severe pain, heaves, groans, and collapses. Cut to ambulance speeding through the streets - straight to the Emergency Room to be zapped and revived, eternally grateful, knowing they'll soon be home.

But how accurate is this picture? Yes, crushing chest pain is a classic symptom of a heart attack. But in about a third of cases, heart attack differs so much from this scenario that a scriptwriter wouldn't recognise it.

These are what doctors call 'atypical' heart attacks - there's no chest pain, and the main symptoms are fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. They can fool patients and even doctors into making the wrong diagnosis, and because treatment must be prompt to be effective, increase the chance of death from heart attack.

Women are more vulnerable :

* These atypical heart attacks are especially common in women - they get less chest pain than men, for reasons we don't understand.
* Compared to men, women take longer to get to hospital, take longer to be treated and have poorer outcomes than men.
* These are the findings of an Irish study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing. Researchers looked at 277 women and 613 men in their sixties who'd been treated for myocardial infarction (the medical term for heart attack) in six teaching hospitals in Dublin, over the period 2001–2002.
* They found a big difference between men and women. Women waited an average of 14 hours after the first symptom of a heart attack to go to a hospital emergency room, compared with nearly three hours for men. And when the symptoms got bad, women took three hours to get to hospital compared to about two hours for men.

Why did the women wait so long?

One reason is that that this atypical picture of heart attack - without chest pain - is more common in women than men.
Another study published in the journal Circulation in 2003, for example, found that in a study of women who'd had a heart attack the most frequent symptoms were:
* shortness of breath - 58 per cent
* weakness - 55 per cent
* unusual fatigue - 43 per cent
* cold sweat - 39 per cent
* dizziness - 39 per cent.
In 43 per cent of cases there was no chest pain whatsoever.

Also, there's a misguided belief in the general community that women don't suffer heart attacks as often as men. It's not true - women get them just as frequently.
Women tend to put the symptoms down as a strained muscle, a hiatal hernia, menopausal symptoms, or indigestion - or they may have no idea what the problem is.
In the Dublin study, many women said they felt their symptoms were too trivial to warrant going to hospital, telling researchers 'I'd feel really embarrassed to go in an ambulance', 'I thought it would be needed for more urgent cases', or 'I didn't want to waste their time when it could be used for someone else'.

Delayed diagnosis :

Once in hospital, women then take longer to be diagnosed. Even doctors and nurses in hospital tend to make the diagnosis of heart attack on the basis of whether there's chest pain involved.

If there's no chest pain, the diagnosis, and therefore treatment, tends to be delayed - leading to a much worse outcome.
Treatments like clot-busting drugs and/or angioplasty (the opening of an artery to restore blood flow to the heart) need to be given within one to two hours; after this time they're much less effective.

So what's the message?

How do you know if you're having a heart attack, and when should you call an ambulance?

Dial 000 for an ambulance, without delay, if you have the following symptoms:
* chest discomfort
* feeling light-headed
* pain or soreness in the arm, neck, jaw, or stomach that lasts several minutes
* feeling sick to your stomach
* feeling short of breath
* feeling sweaty
* feeling suddenly very fatigued.

This especially applies if you’re at risk of a heart attack –

* you’ve had heart problems before,

* and/or you're a smoker,

* you’re overweight,

* you have a family history of heart disease,

* you have high blood pressure,

* raised blood cholesterol or you suffer from diabetes.

Don't worry about what the ambulance and hospital staff will think if it turns out not to be serious. As one Director of an Emergency Medical Centre in Western NSW put it: "We would much rather look at ten people who turned out not to have a heart attack, than miss one who did."

Ref: Health Matters- The Pulse

Did my article clarify the picture of recognising a heart attack??

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What is an Allergy?

What is an Allergy?

The topic of allergies has become routine in our lives, and certainly most everyone has an idea of what an allergy is. Allergies are so common a subject in fact, it seems acceptable to discuss your allergies at a cocktail party with strangers.
An allergy is an abnormal reaction by a person's immune system against a normally harmless substance. A person without allergies would have no reaction to this substance, but when a person who is allergic encounters the trigger, the body reacts by releasing chemicals which cause allergy symptoms. However, just because there is a cause and effect between exposure to a substance and the development of symptoms does not always mean that a person is allergic to that substance.

For example, medications have known and expected side effects; a person experiencing one of these side effects is not necessarily allergic to that medication.

What is Happening During an Allergic Reaction?

During an allergic process, the substance responsible for causing the allergy, or allergen, binds to allergic antibodies present on allergic cells in a person's body, including mast cells and basophils. These cells then release chemicals such as histamine and leukotrienes, resulting in allergic symptoms.

How do Allergies Start?

The allergic person can make allergic antibodies, or IgE, against a variety of allergens, including pollens, molds, animal danders, dust mites, foods, venoms and medications. This occurs through a process called sensitization, where a person’s immune system is exposed to enough of the allergen to make the body produce allergic antibodies to that substance.
With later exposures, that same allergen binds to its corresponding IgE on allergic cells, and the body reacts with symptoms of allergies. Allergic symptoms can vary somewhat with the type of allergen and route of exposure (airborne pollen exposure may cause different symptoms than eating a food to which you are allergic).

When and Why do People Develop Allergies?

It is unknown why some people develop allergies and some don’t. Allergies seem to run in families, and in some cases family members can share allergies to specific foods or medications. It appears that the allergic response was once meant to protect the body against parasitic infections, although now seems to be an abnormal response to non-infectious triggers.
Allergies can occur at any time during our lives, but are more common to occur during childhood or young adulthood.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors :

Allergy is caused by an oversensitive immune system, which leads to a misdirected immune response. The immune system normally protects the body against harmful substances, such as bacteria and viruses. In contrast, an allergic reaction is when the immune system reacts to substances (allergens) that are generally harmless and in most people do not cause an immune response.
In a person with allergies, the first exposure to the allergen triggers the immune system to recognize the substance. Any exposure after that will usually result in symptoms.
When an allergen enters the body of a person with a sensitized immune system, histamine and other chemicals are released by certain cells. This causes itching, swelling, mucus production, muscle spasms, hives, rashes, and other symptoms.
Symptoms vary in severity from person to person. Most people have symptoms that cause discomfort without being life-threatening. A few people have life-threatening reactions (called anaphylaxis).
The part of the body contacted by the allergen will, in part, affect the symptoms. For example, allergens that are inhaled often cause nasal congestion, itchy nose and throat, mucus production, cough, or wheezing. A food allergen can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, or a severe, life-threatening reaction. Allergies to plants often cause skin rash. Drug allergies usually involve the whole body.
Some disorders may be associated with allergies. These include eczema and asthma, among others.

Common allergens include those that contact the skin, breathing passages, or the surface of the eye (such as pollen; see also allergy to mold, dander, dust). Food allergies and drug allergies are common. Allergic reactions can be caused by insect bites, jewelry, cosmetics, and almost any substance that contacts the body.
Some people have allergic-type reactions to hot or cold temperatures, sunlight, or other physical stimuli. In some persons, friction (rubbing or vigorously stroking the skin) will cause symptoms. (See also atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis.)
Allergies are relatively common. Both hereditary and environmental factors have been found to play a role.

Symptoms :

Allergy symptoms vary depending on what is causing the reaction and the part of the body where the reaction occurs. Symptoms can include:
* runny nose
* tearing eyes, burning or itching eyes
* red eyes, conjunctivitis
* swollen eyes
* itching nose, mouth, throat, skin, or any other area
* wheezing
* coughing
* difficulty breathing
* hives (skin wheals)
* skin rashes
* stomach cramps
* vomiting
* diarrhea
* headache

Signs and tests:

The history of your symptoms is important in diagnosing all allergies, including whether the symptoms vary according to time of day, season, exposure to pets and other potential allergens, and diet changes. Severe reactions often develop very quickly after exposure, such as eating nuts or getting stung.
Allergy testing may be required to determine if your symptoms are an actual allergy or caused by other problems. For example, eating contaminated food (food poisoning) may cause symptoms that resemble food allergies. Some medications (such as aspirin, ampicillin, and others) can produce non-allergic reactions, including rashes, that resemble drug allergies but are not true allergies.

Complications:
* discomfort during the allergic reaction
* disruption of lifestyle
* drowsiness and other side effects of antihistamines
* side effects of other medications (see the specific medication)
* anaphylaxis (life-threatening allergic reaction)

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if severe symptoms of allergy occur, if previously successful treatment has become ineffective, or if symptoms appear severe or do not respond to treatment.

Prevention :

Children who have been breastfed are less likely to have allergies. In addition, a mother who avoids cow's milk, eggs, nuts, and peanuts while breastfeeding can prevent allergy-related conditions, including eczema, in some children.
If there is a family history of eczema and allergies it is wise to discuss the implications for infant feeding with your child's doctor. The timing of introduction of solid foods in general, as well as of several specific foods, can help prevent some allergies.

There is also evidence that infants exposed to certain airborne allergens (such as dust mites and cat dander) may be less likely to develop related allergies. This is called the "hygiene hypothesis" and sprang from observations that infants on farms tend to have fewer allergies than those who grow up in environments that are more sterile.
Once allergies have developed, treating the allergies and carefully avoiding those things that cause reactions can prevent allergies in the future.

Sources:
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

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The Importance of Flossing

I often get asked questions such as how often should I floss, is flossing necessary, and what teeth should I floss ?
My response is the cliche used by dentists the world over. You should only floss the teeth you want to keep! You see next to brushing, flossing is the most important thing that you can do to ensure good oral health.

The purpose of both brushing and flossing is to reduce the number of bacteria which inhabit our mouths. Normally, millions of these microscopic monsters call your mouth home, feeding on food particles left on our teeth.Ungrateful guests, these bacteria produce acid as a result of their feasting and it is this acid which eats into tooth enamel creating cavities. If this wasn't bad enough, the bacteria also pour out volatile sulfur compounds creating embarrassing bad breath.

Normally bacteria are found within a mesh of mucus and debris known as plaque. Regular brushing removes the plaque and the bacteria plaque contains. Unfortunately, many people only brush, forgetting that flossing is a key component to any good oral hygiene program.
Flossing removes the bacteria that escape the toothbrush by hiding in the tiny spaces in between teeth. Brushing without flossing is like washing only 65% of your body. The other 35% remains dirty! The American Dental Association recommends that you floss at least once a day.

What happens if you don't floss?

If you do not floss and allow plaque to remain in between teeth it eventually hardens into a substance known as tartar. Unlike plaque which can be easily removed by brushing, tartar can only be removed by your dentist.

Over time, levels of more dangerous types of bacteria build up within tartar. Mean and vengeful, these bacteria produce toxins which irritate and inflame the gums. This condition is known as gingivitis. If gingivitis is left untreated it can progress to periodontal disease - a condition where bacteria and their toxins invade not only the gums but also the bones and the structures supporting the teeth. This can lead to bone loss, loose teeth, and teeth which fall out.
We recommend Glide or any other coated dental floss because they slide easily between teeth. However, any floss that you can get between your teeth and which does not fray or break easily is good.

Alternatively, if you don't like using dental floss, consider an interdental cleaner (electric flosser) which makes flossing easy and convenient.
If you haven't flossed in a while, you may see a little red tinge of blood on the floss after you use it. This indicates that your gums are slightly inflamed and vastly in need of flossing to remove bacteria. With a regular regimen of flossing this red tinge should go away.
By brushing and flossing we help to eliminate the bacteria which can lead to bad breath, gingivitis, and periodontal disease thus creating smiles which last a lifetime.

How to floss your teeth?


* Select the Dental Floss :

Select the type of dental floss that you will be using. I like any type of floss that is waxed because it seems to glide through my teeth better.

* Tear off a Piece of Dental Floss:

Tear off a piece of dental floss about 18 inches long.

* Wrap the Dental Floss:

Wrap the dental floss around one of your fingers, either the index or middle finger, whichever feels more comfortable.

* Wrap Loose End :
Wrap the loose end of the dental floss around an opposite finger.

* Grasp the Dental Floss Firmly:

Hold the floss tightly between your finger and thumb.


* Gently Insert Dental Floss :


Gently insert the dental floss in between your teeth. Snapping it could damage your gums.

* Floss under the Gum Line:

After the floss is inserted, gently move it back and forth underneath the gum and against the tooth on both sides.


* Floss Upper and Lower Teeth:

Position your hands so that they feel comfortable when reaching the back teeth. Be sure to floss all of your teeth, upper and lower.

* Don't Forget Your Back Teeth:

It is important to floss behind the very back teeth and the back of teeth where a tooth is missing.

Ref: about.com

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Tooth loss: First aid

If your tooth is knocked out, get emergency dental care. It's sometimes possible to remedy tooth loss by successfully reimplanting permanent teeth that have been knocked out. But this is an option only if you act quickly.

If your tooth is knocked out:

* Handle your tooth by the top only, not the roots.

* Don't rub it or scrape it to remove dirt.

* Gently rinse your tooth in a bowl of tap water. Don't hold it under running water.

* Try to replace your tooth in the socket. Then bite down gently on gauze or a moistened tea bag to help keep it in place.

* If you can't replace your tooth in the socket, immediately place it in whole milk, your own saliva or a warm, mild saltwater solution (1/4 teaspoon salt to 1 quart water).

* Get medical attention from a dentist or emergency room immediately.

If you participate in contact sports, you can often prevent tooth loss by wearing a mouth guard, fitted by your dentist.

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How to brush your teeth

* Holding your Toothbrush:

Using just a pea size amount of toothpaste, hold your toothbrush comfortably at about a 45 degree angle.

* Back and Forth Motions:

In gentle, short strokes (about as wide as your tooth), move your toothbrush back and forth, brushing the outside areas of your upper and lower back teeth.

* Outside Surfaces :

In the same gentle back and forth motions, brush the outside areas of your upper and lower front teeth.

* Chewing Surfaces:

Brush the biting (chewing) surfaces and the inside (the side facing your tongue) of your upper and lower back teeth with the back and forth brushing motion.

* Front Teeth:

Brush the inside areas (the side facing your tongue) of your upper and lower front teeth with the tip of the brush using gentle up and down strokes.

* Brush your Tongue:

Brushing your tongue freshens your breath and removes bacteria.

Ref:About.com

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Fibre Facts

What is Fiber?
Dietary fiber is the part of plant material in our diet that is resistant to digestion by the human gastrointestinal tract. There are two types of fiber soluble and insoluble. Examples of foods rich in soluble fiber are oat bran, fruits, vegetables, brown rice, barley, and nuts. Examples of foods rich in insoluble fiber are wheat bran and whole-grain breads and cereals.Dietary fibre is the indigestible portion of plant foods. The health benefits of a high fibre diet are well known.

Fibre can:
* Reduce cholesterol levels
* Reduce the risk of colon and breast cancer
* Provide regular bowel movements and
* Improve glucose levels in diabetics

Benefits of bulking up:

Unlike other food components such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates — which your body breaks down and absorbs — fiber isn't digested by your body. Therefore, it passes virtually unchanged through your stomach and small intestine and into your colon. Dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. A bulky stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fiber may also help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool.

A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of specific disorders, such as hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and the development of small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease). Fiber — particularly soluble fiber — can also lower blood cholesterol levels and slow the absorption of sugar, which for people with diabetes, can help improve blood sugar levels. A high-fiber diet may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Eating a high-fiber diet may also help with weight loss. High-fiber foods generally require more chewing time, which gives your body time to register when you're no longer hungry, so you're less likely to overeat. Also, a high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger and linger longer, so you stay full for a greater amount of time. And high-fiber diets tend to be less "energy dense," which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.
Evidence that dietary fiber reduces colorectal cancer is mixed — some studies show benefit, some nothing and even some greater risk.

Is there a simple way to tell if a food is a good source of fibre?

Read the label on the food package to find out how much fibre a serving of the food will provide. Foods containing more than 4 grams per serving are considered high in fibre. Your daily intake of fibre should be 30 to 40 grams. Most people eat only 10 to 12 grams each day. When increasing the fibre in your diet, it is best to do so slowly. Start with small changes, like buying whole grain bread, and add a new source of fibre each week or two. Gas or bloating may occur initially, but the body will adjust in time. The benefits of fibre far outweigh any initial discomfort to people who increase the amount of fibre in their diet to the appropriate level.

One serving of a high fibre cereal can provide a jump-start in meeting nearly half of the daily goal of 30 grams of fibre. Adding fresh fruit or mixing several whole grain cereals together can make these cereals even tastier. Fibre supplements can help, but do not use them to replace real foods.

MAKE YOUR DIET HIGH IN FIBRE BY:

* Making high fibre food choices
* Eating foods closest to their natural state, like an orange instead of orange juice
* Substituting beans for meat and cheese
* Choosing fruit for dessert instead of pastries or ice cream

Easy Choices That Make a Big Difference!

Low Fibre Foods :
White bread
Instant or white rice
Canned fruit or juice
Canned vegetables
Potato chips
Chocolate chips
Cream of tomato or mushroom soup
Low fiber cereal
Sugar cookies
White flour

High Fibre Foods:

Whole grain bread

Brown rice
Fresh fruit with skins
Canned vegetables Fresh vegetables
Popcorn

Raisins
Lentil or split pea soup

Bran cereal
Oatmeal raisin cookies
Whole wheat flour

Remember. . .
* Accompany your increase in fiber with an increase in water.
* Increase fiber gradually.
* Eat foods high in fiber, not fibercontaining supplements.
* Eat a variety of fiber-rich foods.
* Too much fiber (50+ grams per day) may be unhealthy.

You will be glad you did!

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What are Empty Calories?

Empty Calories = High Calories but Low Nutrition

What Provides Calories: Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat (collectively known as Macro-nutrients)

What Provides No Calories: All vitamins & minerals including antioxidants (collectively known as Micro-nutrients) as well as fiber

In other words, Empty Calories describes foods high in calories but low in nutritional values, lacking the health-promoting micro-nutrients listed above.Empty calories aren't very fulfilling and leave hunger lurking around the next Diet Bend. They are much like the soda/water fixation in which an individual's thirst doesn't get quenched with soda, rather leaves one craving more soda. The more you drink water, you'll soon find it to be your favorite 'beverage' preference.

* Empty calories translate into 'quick weight gains' if left unaccounted in the diet.

Examples of foods containing mostly Empty Calories:

* French fries, fried chicken, chips and all other deep-fried foods.

* A large order of fries from a fast food chain can contain up to 570 kcal with a whopping 30 g of total fat and 8 g of trans fat! Tons of calories from fat but little micro-nutrients.

* Candy, pop and other sweetened packaged foods.A can of pop provides ~130 kcal as well as additives and colorings. Again lots of calories from sugar but no micro-nutrients.

* Beer, wine and all other alcoholic beveragesA can of beer provides ~150 kcal from sugar and not much anything else. In addition, calories from alcohol tend to be stored as fat in the abdomen.

* Refined grains such as crackers, cookies, white rice and white bread.Refined grains do provide some B vitamins, however that's it.

How to Avoid Empty Calories?

* Avoid deep-fried foods. Instead of deep-frying, use other methods of cooking. For instance, have a baked potato with skin instead of fries, or a piece of baked skinless chicken breast instead of fried chicken.


* Avoid sweetened drinks and canned drinks.
Try whole grains instead of refined grains. Whole grains are packed with beneficial fiber and antioxidants. For instance, have a slice of whole-wheat bread instead of white bread. Have a bowl of whole-grain breakfast cereals or unsweetened oatmeal instead of corn flakes.

* Snack on fruits! Instead of prowling for a box of crackers in the mid afternoon, snack on fruits. Better yet, dip them in low-fat yogurt to get additional calcium and protein.

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Turmeric - Miracle herb

Did you know that TURMERIC is Ayurveda’s top candidate as the world’s best ANTI-CANCER herb?

Many of you probably thought that it was used just to give the food a yellow color, but can you believe it actually has health benefits!Curcumin, turmeric’s top enhancing ingredient is what makes this little, orange, tasteless herb what it is.

* Turmeric is a serious cancer fighter.

* It is strongly anti-inflammatory, both orally and topically and like green tea it is anti-ulcerative.

* It inhibits leukemia at initiation, promotion and progression, inhibits precancerous colon lesions, inhibits the growth of multiple breast cancer cell lines and suppresses colon cancer.

* It is also inhibitory of oral tumors.

* Turmeric is good for your digestion, it will help to dissolve undesirable fats in the body instead of allowing them to accumulate.

* It also attacks free radicals, which protects your blood vessels. This herb also possess an antibacterial property and is a huge antioxidant.

* The best way to get the benefits of Turmeric is to cook with it! It can go on anything. I usually put it on my fish and chicken, but it can be added to lentils, vegetables and other meats as well, YUMMY!! It doesn’t change the taste of the dish at all and we still get all these healthy benefits.

* Turmeric not only is an herb that helps prevent cancer, it helps to prevent colds as well. Just add ¼ tsp. of turmeric to one cup of milk, boil it and it is ready to be sipped!Now, in this case, more is not better. Please be sure not to over due it with the turmeric.

* Turmeric stimulates the liver, making it more productive in producing bile. If you have any type of blockage in the bile duct, do not take turmeric. The herb can aggravate the situation, with the liver making more bile and the duct unable to allow it to pass through. Turmeric stimulates digestion and wakes up the liver. If you overdue it, you can create an imbalance, experiencing effects as hunger, a short temper or irritability.

So, take it easy.Enjoy its benefits for easing digestion, fighting free radicals, improving blood flow and literally preventing tumors before they start!

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Seven steps to sleep better

1. Set a wake-up time

Establish a wake-up time that you can realistically stick to every day.
You can allow yourself a one-hour sleep-in one day per week followed by a 30-minute sleep-in the following day. It is important, however, to stick to your set wake-up time the rest of the week.
Don't go to bed too early. Ideally, 85% of your time in bed should be spent sleeping.

2. Reset your body clock

Allow plenty of light into your eyes first thing in the morning to help your body reset its clock. A quick walk or eating breakfast outside should do it. If you need to have a nap, keep it to 5-10 minutes.

3. Reduce your anxiety about sleep

When you get up, find five minutes to write down all the unhelpful thoughts you may have had overnight about not sleeping. Perhaps you feel you can't do your job properly or that you are guaranteed to have a bad day if you don't sleep for eight hours. Challenge these thoughts and replace them with helpful ones, such as, “Sure, I will be tired and grumpy but I will get through the day as normal. And because I will be tired, I will probably get a better night's sleep tonight.”

4. Establish worry time

Bed is for sleeping, not for thinking and worrying. Set aside 30 minutes every day to go through your worries, plans and thoughts.
It can help to write them down. That way, when you go to bed you know you have already thought about those issues and that you have scheduled time to think about them again tomorrow. Say to yourself, “Stop, I thought about this today, I'll think about it again tomorrow, now's the time for sleep.”
Have a pen and paper next to the bed, so if new thoughts pop into your head while you are trying to sleep, you can write them down as a reminder for the next day.

5. Wind-down time

Avoid strenuous exercise three to four hours before bed, and stop working or studying at least one hour before going to sleep. Spend the time relaxing by reading a book (out of bed), listening to music, or doing any other activity that slows down your body and mind.

6. Bedtime

When you go to bed, make sure you are comfortable and relaxed. If you are uptight or anxious it will be difficult to sleep. If you are not asleep within 20 minutes and you feel tense or agitated, hop up and do a relaxing activity until you feel calm or sleepy. If you prefer not to get up, ensure you can get to a relaxed state so that you are at least resting peacefully and calmly.

7. Deal with unscheduled waking

If you wake in the night and can't get back to sleep after 15-20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing until you are ready for bed again or until you feel the wave of sleepiness. If you are tossing and turning fretfully in bed, you are not resting and your body is not replenishing itself.

Ref:Health Smart Magazine

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Interesting Facts

This is weird but true!
* While sitting at your desk make clockwise circles with your right foot. (go ahead no one will see you) While doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand.
Your foot will change direction.

* People with higher number of moles tend to live longer than people with lesser number of moles.
* When filming summer scenes in winter, actors suck on ice cubes just before the camera rolls - it cools their mouths so their breath doesn't condense in the cold air.
* Humans were first infected with the HIV virus in the 1930s.
* Thinking about your muscles can make you stronger.
* If left alone, 70% of birthmarks gradually fade away.
* Grapefruit scent will make middle aged women appear six years younger to men. The perception is not reciprocal and the grapefruit scent on men has no effect on women's perception.
* Women blink twice as many times as men do.
* Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
* We are about 1 cm taller in the morning than in the evening. Layers of cartilage in the joints gets compressed during the day.
* There are approx. 550 hairs in the eyebrow.
* The strongest muscle in the human body is the tongue.
* The life span of a taste bud is 10 days.
* The world's youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910.
* The largest known kidney stone weighed 1.36 kilograms.
* Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin.
* Kidney stones come in any color--from yellow to brown.
* Babies are born without kneecaps. They appear when the child is 2-6 years of age.
* Your body is creating and killing 15 million red blood cells per second!
* The average human produces 10,000 gallons of saliva in a lifetime.
* The force of 1 billion people jumping at the same time is equal to 500 tons of TNT.
* A baby is born every seven seconds.
* You breathe about 10 million times a year.
* The colder the room you sleep in, the better the chances are that you'll have a bad dream.
* The foot is the most common body part bitten by insects.
* The most common time for a wake up call is 7 a.m.
* The fastest growing nail is on the middle finger.
* The most sensitive finger on the human hand is the index finger.
* After eating too much, your hearing is less sharp.
* A person swallows approx. 295 times while eating dinner.
* There are more people alive today than have ever died.
* The human body is better suited to two four-hour sleep cycles than one eight-hour one.
* Women's hair is about half the diameter of men's hair
* 4.5 million people have their health 'adversely affected' by air pollutants each year.
* 4 million children die each year from inhaling smoke from indoor cooking fires that burn wood and Dung
* 4 million people die annually from diarrhea infections, caused by poor sanitary conditions
* The hardest bone in the human body is the jawbone.

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Soft Drinks - Hard Facts

Soft drinks are today's trend or much better, you can call them 'fashion' especially among the youth. Do you know that this colorful liquid does not do a bit good to you?

Soft drinks are everywhere you look today. From vending machines to school canteens to TV ads or giant billboards as you drive to work, it's hard for you (or your kids) to escape them. Recently, with concerns over childhood obesity, they've been deemed to be a bit too "cool for school" and most dentists will warn you of the effect of their acid and sugar on teeth. But what are the nutrition issues for adults? And what should you really choose to get your fizz?

Just think before you gulp down soft drink, what are you consuming? Scientific studies reveal that 1 to 1.5 liters of soft drinks a day can raise risks of numerous health problems, such as: To help separate fact from fiction,lets review the latest scientific findings, be forewarned, however: The results can be a lot like soft drinks themselves, both sweet and sticky.

Obesity:

Soft drinks are mainly composed of filtered H2O, artificial additives and refined sugar. Thus, they lack nutritional value and only add up calories through their refined sugar; therefore, they make you gain weight. But is shifting to "Diet Soft Drink" the solution? The fact is that diet soft drinks contain aspartame (an artificial low-calorie sweetener). Although aspartame does not add up the calories it makes you feel hungrier and crave for food. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) no longer allows foods containing aspartame to be labeled as "weight reduction product ". Now it insists to label these products simply as "Diet Drink" or "Diet Food ". Research also shows that aspartame causes migraines, dizziness and more over it reduces your memory.

Tooth Decay:

Sugar isn't the only ingredient in soft drinks that causes tooth problems(like caries). The acids in soda pop are also notorious for etching tooth enamel in ways that can lead to cavities. Acid begins to dissolve tooth enamel in only 20 minutes.Phosphoric acid, present in carbonated drinks is violently poisonous, it de-oxidizes blood. In detergent manufacturing industries, phosphoric acid is used to produce water softener. Water softener removes Ca²+ and Mg²+ ion from hard water. In human body, the function remains the same by removing Ca²+ from bones causing osteoporosis (porous bones).

Effect of Caffeine:

In most of carbonated beverages, caffeine is deliberately added to make it addictive. Caffeine in carbonated drink is more readily absorbed than any other drink (like coffee, chocolate etc.). Caffeine disturbs sleep by stimulating nervous system. It also makes premenstrual syndrome worse, causes dehydration and induces stomach to produce acids, aggravating hyperacidity. Since caffeine disturbs sleep, the body is more likely to produce C - reactive protein, which plays an important role in heart disease.

Bone risks?

There are also studies showing that cola drinks may lead to a decrease in bone density in women. The researchers have found that this is not due to women having lower calcium intakes from less milk consumption or due to the caffeine in soft drinks causing bone mineral loss. It's thought that it may in fact be due to phosphoric acid in cola drinks which is thought to interfere with bone absorption of calcium. Phosphoric acid, present in carbonated drinks is violently poisonous, it de-oxidizes blood. In detergent manufacturing industries, phosphoric acid is used to produce water softener. Water softener removes Ca²+ and Mg²+ ion from hard water. In human body, the function remains the same by removing Ca²+ from bones causing osteoporosis (porous bones).

Malnutrition:

Some people who are addicted to soft drinks deprive themselves from food until they become victims of malnutrition. Since gastrointestinal disturbance of these drinks lead to poor appetite thus surviving on soft drinks and little amount of food will cause malnutrition, retarded growth and other physiological problems.

Effect on Gastro-Intestinal System:

When you open the bottle of a soft drink, bubbles and fizz are immediately emitted out. This is due to phosphoric acid and carbon dioxide (CO2) content, which make these drinks highly acidic. The pH of soft drink ranges from 2.5-3.4 which generates a highly acidic environment in the stomach. Throughout the digestive system, that starts from the mouth and ends up at the anus (liver, gallbladder and pancreas play the role of accessory organs) only the stomach can resist an acidic environment up to pH 2.0. But before the acidity of soft drink reaches the stomach it passes through all the other organs involved in the digestive system thus causing an abnormal acidic environment. Hence the linings of the mouth, pharynx and esophagus are highly sensitive to acids. Also there is a very common practice of taking soft drinks when a person suffers from acidity or after having a heavy meal. However, this is wrong. The phosphoric acid present in soft drink competes with the hydrochloric acid of the stomach and affects its functions. When the stomach becomes ineffective, food remains undigested causing indigestion, gassiness or bloating (swelling of stomach). Thus people who are suffering from acidity should not be drinking soft drinks because actually it increases acidity further.

Effect on Kidneys:

Kidneys are less able to excrete phosphoric acid when it is in excess. Thus, there is extra work for kidney. Soft drinks remove Calcium from the body, causing an excess amount of Calcium that tend to be deposited in kidney, resulting in nephrolithiasis (kidney stones). Effect on Skin: Acidic blood affects the action of glutathione, which is an antioxidant enzyme. In addition, these drinks lack vitamins and minerals. By taking these drinks, people cut their intake of fresh juices, milk and even water and deprive themselves from essential vitamins and minerals that are mandatory for skin. Thus, the skin becomes more prone to wrinkles and aging.

Top choice?
Water is still the one, however, with zero sugar and virtually no kilojoules, while diet or "no sugar".

Prevention:

Use straw to reduce direct contact with teeth. Rinse your mouth with water after drinking aerated drink. Or simply do not drink soft drinks.

Remember that diseases do not develop overnight but do develop over the years with improper dietary habits. Also each individual has different tolerance level. So think of all long term effects on your body. The multitude side effects depend on your genetics and an individual's physical strength. Chronic illnesses are not a direct cause but they are triggered or worsened by bad food habits.

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Why is Smoking a Health Issue?

Smoking is a greater cause of death and disability than any single disease, says the World Health Organisation. Cigarette smoking is still the most important avoidable cause of death. Smoking is a very important public health issue. Half of all smokers will die of a disease caused by smoking.

The most common health problems associated with smoking are diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. However smoking damages nearly every organ in the human body. For almost all smokers, stopping smoking is the single most important step that they can take to improve their future health.

Health professionals have enormous potential to help people stop smoking. Interventions by health professionals have been shown to be effective. Young smokers stand to gain the most benefit from quitting, however there are health benefits to quitting at any stage of life.

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Why is quitting so hard?

Smoking involves an addiction to a drug called nicotine. Smoking a cigarette delivers the first shot of nicotine from the lung to the brain within seconds. After reaching high levels during the smoking of a cigarette, blood nicotine levels drop to low levels within about two hours. If smokers are not able to smoke, they report feeling irritable, depressed and have a very strong desire to smoke. Each smoker establishes his or her own preferred daily dose of nicotine so that if the smoker tries to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked daily, they smoke each cigarette more completely which tends to negate the expected benefit from reducing the number of cigarettes per day. Nicotine addiction is not the only factor determining whether a smoker quits or continues to smoke. The social context of the smoker, such as whether family members smoke, is also important.

What helps people to quit?

People should not be discouraged by previous failed quit attempts. Most quitters do not succeed on the first attempt. Simple advice by a health professional has been shown to result in quitting for 1 in 40 smokers. This evidence is a compelling reason for opportunistic advice by health professionals about quitting. However health professionals are reluctant to raise the issue of smoking because they are not confident that advice makes a difference (even though there is evidence that it does), they are not confident they have the skills to counsel smokers and they think that there is insufficient time. People who are motivated enough to attend a counsellor will quit in 1 out of 13 cases.

However the most effective strategy for quitting smoking is the combination of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and behavioural support.
About one in five smokers who use NRT and have intensive support will quit long-term.

Who benefits from a smoker quitting?

Obviously the person with the most to gain from quitting is the active smoker. There are also benefits to non-smokers previously passively exposed to cigarette smoke. This may be especially important for children. It has been estimated that passive smoking is responsible for 19% of expenditure on childhood respiratory illness. Despite this alarming statistic, for parents, stopping in the interests of their own health should be a good enough reason to quit.

Smoking during pregnancy is a special situation where smoking by the mother directly causes harm to the fetus, increasing the risk of growth retardation, preterm delivery and perinatal death. Smoking interventions for pregnant women reduce the risks of growth retardation and pre-term birth.

Second-hand smoke :

Environmental tobacco smoke or second-hand smoke is composed of the smoke exhaled from a smoker as well as the smoke released from the end of a burning cigarette, pipe or cigar. It consists of more than 4,000 chemicals including carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene, chromium, nickel, vinyl chloride, and arsenic.

Does it affect health?

Scientific evidence carefully collected over the last 30 years by many different scientists in a wide variety of settings clearly shows that people repeatedly exposed to environmental tobacco smoke are more likely to develop and die from heart problems, lung cancer, and breathing problems. It can also cause chest infections, ear infections, excessive coughing and throat irritation.

Diseases caused by smoking :

There are many serious and often fatal diseases caused by smoking. Smoking can also increase the incidence and severity of minor complaints such as coughs and colds. Smokers are also more likely to experience shortness of breath after minor exertion.

1. Heart and circulatory
*Coronary heart disease
*Atherosclerosis - fatty deposits in the arteries which can lead to strokes, peripheral vascular disease, gangrene, and aneurisms
*Buerger's disease, which can lead to gangrene

2. Cancers of
*Lung
*Mouth, nose and throat
*Larynx
*Oesophagus
*Pancreas
*Bladder
*Stomach

3. Respiratory Diseases
*Chronic Bronchitis
*Myeloid leukaemia
*Kidney hronic bronchitis, emphysema and other lung diseases
*Recurrent infections in the airways
*Damage and loss of efficiency in the lungs.

4. Other disorders
*Peptic ulcers (ulcers in the stomach and duodenum) - increase both in incidence and the time they take to heal
*Tobacco amblyopia (defective vision) and other eye diseases such as cataract
*Reduced fertility.


Because children breathe faster than adults they are particularly vulnerable to environmental tobacco smoke. Parents who smoke increase the chances that their children will develop asthma by 200 to 400 per cent. Children exposed to second-hand smoke are also more likely to develop ear infections. Your decision to smoke may also send a message to your children that it is okay if they start to smoke.

Environmental tobacco smoke works quickly. Tests show that within a matter of seconds after a pregnant woman breathes in environmental tobacco smoke it begins to affect her unborn baby. For example, at a certain age, unborn babies begin to "practice" the skills they will need to breathe later on. Muscles in their chests normally go through rhythmic contractions. But within seconds of being exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, these contractions can suddenly stop for hours at a time.

Even your pets can be affected by your second-hand smoke. They too are more likely to develop cancer and other health problems.

Can it be filtered or removed from the air?

Unfortunately, many of the harmful products in smoke are in the form of gas. Therefore, environmental tobacco smoke cannot be entirely filtered out through ventilation systems or special fans. In fact, ventilation systems in many office buildings actually act to spread environmental tobacco smoke into rooms where no one has been smoking. It can take many hours for the smoke of a single cigarette to clear.

What should I do?

If you smoke, the best solution is to quit.If you are a smoker, talk to your doctor about how you feel about smoking and strategies you would like to explore to quit. If you are a health professional, learn about the evidence and local services available to support smokers who want to quit and use every reasonable opportunity to counsel smokers about quitting, and support those who have started the journey to becoming a non-smoker.

If you can't or don't want to quit, limit your smoking to places where others won't be exposed to your smoke.

Be especially careful around children, pregnant women, and those who have heart disease and breathing problems.

Remember that smoke travels great distances; smoke from one room can easily spread to other rooms. Because space is confined, it is especially important not to smoke in your car when other people are present.Also, if other people live with you, try to make your home completely smoke-free. Smoke outside, away from open windows and air intakes.

Picture courtesy: www.allanCavanagh.com

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Cod Liver Oil : The Number One Superfood

Cod Liver Oil is obtained by processing the liver of the Cod (a species of fish).Cod liver oil is very good for you, more than you ever knew. Research studies give cod liver oil an A+ rating.

This marvelous golden oil contains large amounts of elongated omega-3 fatty acids, preformed vitamin A and the sunlight vitamin D, essential nutrients that are hard to obtain in sufficient amounts in the modern diet. Samples may also naturally contain small amounts of the important bone- and blood-maintainer vitamin K.

There is hardly a disease in the books that does not respond well to treatment that includes cod liver oil, and not just infectious diseases but also chronic modern diseases like heart disease and cancer. Cod liver oil provides vitamin D that helps build strong bones in children and helps prevent osteoporosis in adults. The fatty acids in cod liver oil are also very important for the development of the brain and nervous system. "If you want to prevent learning disabilities in your children," said David Horrobin, distinguished medical and biochemical researcher, "feed them cod liver oil."

Cod liver oil contains more vitamin A and more vitamin D per unit weight than any other common food. One hundred grams of regular cod liver oil provides 100,000 IU of vitamin A, almost three times more than beef liver, the next richest source; and 10,000 IU vitamin D, almost four times more than lard, the next richest source. Of course, cod liver oil is only consumed in small amounts, but even a tablespoon (about 15 grams) provides well over the recommended daily allowance for both nutrients.

In addition, cod liver oil contains 7 percent each of the elongated omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. EPA is the precursor of important prostaglandins, localized tissue hormones that help the body deal with inflammation; and DHA is extremely important for the development and function of the brain and nervous system. So it's no surprise that in numerous studies cod liver oil has proven to be a powerhouse in fighting disease.

Good for what ails you :

Cod liver oil greatly improves heart function to prevent heart disease and to treat it even in advanced stages, after a heart attack and after heart surgery. Cod liver oil alters the linings of the arteries in such a way as to improve healing after damage. This is attributed to the omega-3 fatty acids but vitamin A, D and K all have important roles to play in facilitating mineral absorption, improving muscle function and supporting elasticity of the blood vessels. The inflammation-reducing prostaglandins made from EPA help mediate the inflammatory response in the arteries. In other studies the heart-protective effect was associated with changes in the muscle response to serotonin, increasing the heart's ability to "relax." In a study with rats, treatment with cod liver oil actually caused artery-blocking atheromas to become smaller and blood vessel diameter to enlarge. It was noted that heart attack deaths increased during periods when the vitamin A content of the diet was low. Cod liver oil can provide vitamin A on a continuous basis throughout the year.

Many of the conditions addressed by cod liver oil are considered related under the title Syndrome X. These include obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, adult onset diabetes and stroke. Evidence is accumulating that these diseases of civilization are the result of high levels of omega-6 fatty acids and low levels of omega-3 fatty acids along with deficiencies of fat-soluble vitamins. We may be paying a very high price for our rejection of parental wisdom to take our cod liver oil.

In numerous studies, the elongated omega-3 fats found in cod liver oil have been shown to improve brain function, memory, stress response, immune response, allergies, asthma, learning and behavioral disorders, including bipolar syndrome and manic-depression.

Cod liver oil is most famous for contributing to bone health, preventing and reversing rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.Before the discovery of cod liver oil as a source of vitamin D, many children suffered greatly with deformed bones. Osteoporosis responds to vitamin D and to cod liver oil. Sufficient elongated omega-3 oils found in cod liver oil are one of the keys to keeping and rebuilding bone. In women, higher levels of vitamin D from cod liver oil improve bone mineral density.
Two of the symptoms of low levels of vitamin D are bone pain and muscle pain. This may manifest as pain in the legs, muscle weakness and difficulty climbing stairs. Numerous studies have shown improvement in muscle pain, muscle strength and bone pain scores with cod liver oil.

Cod liver oil is effective in treating arthritis as well. Researchers found that the elongated omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil reduce both pain and damage in inflamed joints.

Pregnant women using cod liver oil have infants with a lower risk for juvenile type 1 diabetes. This effect was found only in mothers taking cod liver oil, not in mothers taking multivitamin supplements. Cod liver oil taken by nursing mothers improves the fatty acid profile in breast milk to promote optimal brain development and also increases levels of vitamin A to prevent infections.

Interestingly, cod liver oil does not provide increased vitamin D in breast milk.
Cod liver oil given to infants after birth and during the first year had no protective effect against type 1 diabetes but it nevertheless is an important source of nutrients for optimal infant health. In more than forty trials, vitamin A has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality of children. Cod liver oil was the supplement of choice in many of these trials. Books on feeding infants published in the 1930s and 1940s routinely recommended cod liver oil, starting with 1 teaspoon at the age of three weeks. It was Dr. Spock who threw this wisdom out the window by recommending vaccinations instead of the powerful nutritional support of cod liver oil. Few modern books on infant care mention the importance of the fat-soluble nutrients in this wonderful superfood.

As for treating diabetes in adults, cod liver oil has been used in a number of trials with both insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes. In both conditions cod liver oil improved glucose response and other markers of the disease. Vitamin A in cod liver oil helps promote healing and protects the retina, both problem areas in the diabetic patient.

Cod liver oil has lowered blood pressure induced by stress-elevated levels of cortisol. Cod liver oil given to rats reduced intraocular pressure suggesting a use in prevention and treatment of glaucoma. Vitamin D in cod liver oil promotes absorption of calcium and magnesium, thereby lowering blood pressure.
Colitis responds more effectively to the type of omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil than to medication. Cod liver oil should be the first protocol for this condition as well as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease.

Topically applied, cod liver oil contributes to faster wound healing and improvement in skin quality. An excellent treatment for diaper rash and other skin conditions is cod liver oil mixed with zinc oxide. And cod liver oil taken orally helps maintain soft skin and minimize wrinkles.

And what about cancer? All the nutrients in cod liver oil help prevent cancer. Vitamin A has been part of every successful alternative cancer therapy so far. In a study in China, use of cod liver oil was found to be protective against childhood leukemia. In a study of Norwegian men and women, consumption of cod liver oil was found to protect against lung cancer.

Practical Aspects:

Eating fish will not provide the levels of nutrients that are found in cod liver oil. Even in heavy fish-eating populations, the addition of cod liver oil improves health. And taking fish oils is not the same as taking cod liver liver oil. One tablespoon of regular cod liver oil and one-half tablespoon of high-vitamin cod liver oil provide the amount of elongated omega-3 fatty acids found in twelve 1,000 mg fish oil capsules.

As for vitamin D, body oils of fish can be good sources as long as you are willing to eat a lot of them. One-half pound of fatty herring or sardines gives a dose of vitamin D equal to that of about one tablespoon of cod liver oil. But salmon oil has one-fifth the potency of cod liver oil.

One concern about taking cod liver oil is the presence of contaminants—heavy metals (such as mercury, cadmium and lead), PCBs and so forth.But consumers need not worry on this aspect,as all cod liver preparations must be tested according to protocols of the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) and approved free of detectable levels of 32 contaminants before they can be made available in the markets. Furthermore, mercury is water soluble. It may be present in the flesh of fish, but it is not present in the oil.

Another concern is rancidity. Cod liver oil can become rancid if improperly handled. Nevertheless, properly handled cod liver oil is relatively stable. It contains 21 percent saturated fatty acids and 57 percent monounsaturated fatty acids, which provide stability. The fishy smell of cod liver oil is due to the presence of small amounts of fish protein and is not a sign of rancidity.

To ensure that your cod liver oil is fresh, avoid buying the large economy size or the end-of-season sale item. Buy cod liver oil in small dark bottles and keep them in a cool dark place. Cod liver oil need not be refrigerated after opening if it is used up quickly—within two months.

Whenever taking cod liver oil, remember that good results were not obtained from cod liver oil unless it was given concurrently with high-vitamin butter. Just why this is so is a matter of speculation, but we do know that the very unsaturated fatty acids found in cod liver oil cannot be effectively assimilated and stored in the tissues without the presence of adequate saturated fatty acids, the kind that would be provided by butter. This means that even regular butter would help support cod liver oil therapy; but Price found that the combination of cod liver oil with high-vitamin butter, from cows eating rapidly growing green grass, was nothing short of miraculous, reversing tooth decay and bringing patients back from the brink of death.

For many, the big challenge is how to get this oily substance down. One technique is to add cod liver oil to a small amount of water or fresh juice, stir and then quickly send it down the hatch. If you can't bring yourself to take cod liver oil on a spoon or in water, then use the capsules. For babies and small children, use an eye dropper.

Downside:

Now that I have told you all this good news about cod liver oil, I need to comment on the research surrounding its possible toxicity. Over-elevated serum levels of vitamin D are a possibility if you combine summer or southern sun and cod liver oil. So if you are spending a lot of time out in the sun during the summer months, it's probably best to cut back on the dose. If you are unsure, you should test your blood levels of vitamin D.

Two tablespoons of regular cod liver oil provide 15,000 IU vitamin A, 2600 IU vitamin D and 6 grams of mixed omega-3 fatty acids, safe for pregnancy and good for mom and baby.

There is one situation in which high levels of vitamin A are not recommended and that is the condition of certain types of liver disease in which there is altered vitamin A metabolism. This is frequently the case with alcoholism. Alcoholics should not take high doses (not more than 1-1.5 tablespoons of regular cod liver oil) and what they do take should be accompanied by zinc supplements. The enzymes needed for vitamin A metabolism in the liver are zinc dependent.

However, it is important to never combine cod liver oil or vitamin A from supplements with oral or topical medications for acne or other skin disorders treated with retinoic acid derivatives. If you sunbathe regularly and have found that your vitamin D levels are within the normal range, do not use cod liver oil unless you are willing to test and retest to determine that your blood levels of vitamin D have not gone too high. We do not know enough to say whether or not sunbathing and cod liver oil work synergistically or antagonistically. Cod liver oil use is safe in most of the parts of the world in winter but it should not be combined with other sources of vitamin D without careful testing and monitoring.

We all need to take cod liver oil (and eat plenty of good butter). For growing children, and for almost every disease condition, cod liver oil is the number one superfood, the supplement of choice

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Heartburn or Acid Reflux

You've just enjoyed a big meal and are relaxing in front of the TV when it happens. A burning sensation begins to build in the upper abdomen, behind the breastbone, and makes your chest feel like it's on fire. The burning and pain may travel from your diaphragm all the way to your throat, and may be accompanied with a sour taste and the sensation of food re-entering your mouth.
You're suffering from severe heartburn.

Despite the name, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. It's a digestive problem that occurs when stomach acid comes into contact with the lining of the esophagus, causing irritation. Most people suffer from heartburn occasionally, usually after a meal.

If you have heartburn once a month, it's considered mild.If you have heartburn once a week, it's moderate. It's when your heartburn occurs daily that it's considered to be severe.

What Causes Heartburn?

A muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) located between the esophagus( the tubular structure that connects throat to stomach) and stomach normally opens after swallowing. This allows food to pass into the stomach. The LES muscle then closes quickly to prevent the return (reflux) of food and stomach juices back into the esophagus. Acid reflux occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter either relaxes inappropriately or is very weak.

This can occur for a number of reasons:

* When the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the valve that keeps stomach acid in the stomach, is weakened or relaxed and doesn't do its job properly. This is the most common symptom of Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

* Certain foods, such as chocolate, fried and fatty foods, peppermint, coffee, alcohol, sugars, citrus fruits & juices can weaken or relax the LES.

* Eating large meals or shortly before bedtime.

*Pressure on the stomach, including frequent bending over, tight clothes, lifting, obesity.
* Certain medications.
* Smoking.

* Stress can increase acid production and slow down the emptying of the stomach.

* Obesity ranks as a potential risk factor for heartburn

* Alcoholism

Is Heartburn serious?

People who suffer from mild heartburn may consider it more of a nuisance than a condition that can cause any serious complications. But for those who suffer from chronic heartburn, episodes occurring from several times a week to several times a day, if it's left untreated can lead to severe complications.
For people who suffer from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), heartburn can be chronic, and severe. This can cause scarring of the esophagus, which narrows the esophagus and makes it difficult to swallow. It can also lead to Barrett's esophagus, a condition where cells similar to those of the stomach lining develop in the lower esophagus. This severe damage to the esophagus increases your risk of developing cancer of the esophagus.

What treatments exist for heartburn/GERD?

Infrequent heartburn can often be controlled by 'lifestyle modifications' and 'proper use of over-the-counter medicines'.

Some tips to control heartburn:
*Do not lie down for three hours after eating
*Avoid foods, beverages, and medicines that can aggravate heartburn, such as fried or fatty foods, chocolate, coffee, carbonated beverages, citrus fruits, tomato products and alcoholic beverages
*Decrease the size of portions at mealtimes
*Avoid tight-fitting clothing
*Lose weight, if overweight
*Stop or decrease smoking
*If over-the-counter treatments and/or lifestyle modifications do not completely control heartburn symptoms, sufferers should see their physician for treatment.

Prescription medications to treat chronic heartburn/GERD include:
*H2 Receptor Antagonists: decrease the flow of stomach acid
*Proton Pump Inhibitors: also decrease the flow of stomach acid, but to a greater degree

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Alcohol Alert - Alcohol's Damaging Effects on Brain

Difficulty in walking, blurred vision , slurred speech , slowed reaction times , impaired memory: Clearly, alcohol affects the brain. Some of these impairments are detectable after only one or two drinks and quickly resolve when drinking stops. On the other hand, a person who drinks heavily over a long period of time may have brain deficits that persist well after he or she achieves sobriety. Exactly how alcohol affects the brain and the likelihood of reversing the impact of heavy drinking on the brain remain hot topics in alcohol research today.

A number of factors influence how and to what extent alcohol affects the brain, including :
• how much and how often a person drinks;
• the age at which he or she first began drinking, and
how long he or she has been drinking;
• the person’s age, level of education, gender, genetic
background, and family history of alcoholism;
• whether he or she is at risk as a result of prenatal
alcohol exposure; and
• his or her general health status.

Blackouts and Memory Lapses:

Alcohol can produce detectable impairments in memory after only a few drinks and, as the amount of alcohol increases, so does the degree of impairment. Large quantities of alcohol, especially when consumed quickly and on an empty stomach, can produce a blackout, or an
interval of time for which the intoxicated person cannot recall key details of events, or even entire events. Blackouts are much more common among social drinkers than previously assumed and should be viewed as a potential consequence of acute intoxication regardless of age or whether the drinker is clinically dependent on alcohol

Are Women More Vulnerable to Alcohol’s Effects on the Brain?

Women are more vulnerable than men to many of the medical consequences of alcohol use. For example, alcoholic women develop cirrhosis , alcohol-induced damage of the heart muscle (i.e., cardiomyopathy) , and nerve damage (i.e., peripheral neuropathy) after fewer years of heavy drinking than do alcoholic men. Studies comparing men and women’s sensitivity to alcohol-induced brain damage,indicate that women’s brains,like their other organs, are more vulnerable to alcohol induced damage than men’s.

Binge Drinking and Blackouts:

Drinkers who experience blackouts typically drink too much and too quickly, which causes their blood alcohol levels to rise very rapidly. College students may be at particular risk for experiencing a blackout, as an alarming number of college students engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking, for a typical adult,is defined as consuming five or more drinks in about 2 hours for men, or four or more drinks for women.

Regardless of the amount of alcohol consumption, females—a group infrequently studied in the literature on blackouts—are at greater risk than males for experiencing black-outs. A woman’s tendency to black out more easily probably results from differences in how men and women metabolize alcohol. Females also may be more susceptible than males to milder forms of alcohol induced memory impairments, even when men and women consume comparable amounts of alcohol

Damage may be a result of the direct effects of alcohol on the brain or may result indirectly, from a poor general health status or from severe liver disease. For example, thiamine deficiency is a common occurrence in people with alcoholism and results from poor overall nutrition. Thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, is an essential nutrient required by all tissues, including the brain. Thiamine is found in foods such as meat and poultry; whole grain cereals; nuts; and dried beans, peas, and soybeans.

Wernicke–Korsakoff Syndrome:
Up to 80 percent of alcoholics, however, have a deficiency in thiamine, and some of these people will go on to develop serious brain disorders such as Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrom (WKS)
The symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy include: mental confusion, paralysis of the nerves that move the eyes (i.e., oculomotor disturbances), and difficulty with muscle coordination. For example, patients with Wernicke’s encephalopathy may be too confused to find their way out of a room or may not even be able to walk. Approximately 80 to 90 percent of alcoholics with
Wernicke’s encephalopathy also develop Korsakoff ’s psychosis, a chronic and debilitating syndrome characterized by persistent learning and memory problems.

Patients with Korsakoff ’s psychosis are forgetful and quickly frustrated and have difficulty with walking and coordination. Although these patients have problems remembering old information (i.e., retrograde amnesia), it is their difficulty in “laying down” new information (i.e.,anterograde amnesia) that is the most striking. For example, these patients can discuss in detail an event in their lives, but an hour later

Liver Disease:

Most people realize that heavy, long-term drinking can damage the liver, the organ chiefly responsible for breaking down alcohol into harmless byproducts and clearing it from the body. But people may not be aware that prolonged liver dysfunction, such as liver cirrhosis resulting from excessive alcohol consumption, can harm the brain, leading to a serious and potentially fatal brain disorder known as hepatic encephalopathy. Hepatic encephalopathy can cause changes in sleep patterns, mood, and personality; psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression; severe cognitive effects such as shortened attention span; and problems with coordination such as a flapping or shaking of the hands (called asterixis). In the most serious cases, patients may slip into a coma (i.e., hepatic coma), which can be fatal.

Alcohol and the Developing Brain:

Drinking during pregnancy can lead to a range of physical, learning, and behavioral effects in the developing brain, the most serious of which is a collection of symptoms known as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Children with FAS may have distinct facial features. FAS infants also are markedly smaller than average. Their brains may have less volume (i.e.,microencephaly). And they may have fewer numbers of brain cells (i.e., neurons) or fewer neurons that are able to function correctly, leading to long-term problems in learning and behavior.

Summary:

Alcoholics are not all alike. They experience different degrees of impairment, and the disease has different origins for different people. Consequently, researchers have not found conclusive evidence that any one variable is solely responsible for the brain deficits found in alcoholics. Characterizing what makes some alcoholics vulnerable to brain damage whereas others are not
remains the subject of active research. The good news is that most alcoholics with cognitive
impairment show at least some improvement in brain structure and functioning within a year of abstinence, though some people take much longer. Clinicians must consider a variety of treatment methods to help people stop drinking and to recover from alcohol-related brain impairments, and tailor these treatments to the individual patient. Advanced technology will have an important role in developing these therapies. Clinicians can use brain imaging techniques to monitor the course and success of treatment, because imaging can reveal structural, functional, and biochemical changes in living patients over time. Promising new medications also are in the early stages of development, as researchers strive to design therapies that can help prevent alcohol’s harmful effects and promote the growth of new brain cells to take the place of those that have been damaged by alcohol might not remember ever having the conversation.

Ref:U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
National Institutes of Health & National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

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Eat Your Sunscreen

High-SPF (Sun Protection Factor) sunblock is hands down your best skin cancer defense, but you may be able to add protection from the inside out. In studies on people, animals, and skin cancer cells, certain nutrients blocked ultraviolet (UV) sunlight-triggered changes that can lead to cancer. So load up on those nutrients by eating more of these superstar sources.


*Iced green tea and mint help shield your skin


*Red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids, which reduced sunburn--a skin cancer risk factor--in studies in humans.

*Tart cherries and peppermint leaves are rich in perillyl alcohol, recently found to stop cancer formation in human cells under intense UV light.

*Leafy greens have lutein and zeaxanthin, which stopped UV-induced cell proliferation in Harvard animal studies.

*Green tea contains antioxidants called EGCGs, which blocked DNA damage in light-exposed human skin cells at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

*Oranges, lemons, and limes have limonene, linked to a 34 percent reduction in skin cancer risk among 470 people in a University of Arizona study.

*Wild salmon is a safe source of fish oils, which protected 42 people in a British study from UV-induced sunburn and cancerous DNA changes.

*Sunscreen Soup:



1 large cantaloupe, cubed
2 Tbsp honey
Juice of 3 limes
Pinch of cardamom
4 strawberries (garnish)



Microwave cantaloupe on medium for 2 minutes. Blend with remaining ingredients until smooth. Serve in chilled bowls; garnish with strawberries.

Makes 4 Servings.

Ref: by Gloria McVeigh in Prevention Magazine

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Facts about Sunscreens

Being outside in the sun without sun protection is no day at the beach. Be kind to your skin and find out how savvy you are about your sunscreen.According to the American academy of Dermatology, you experience 80 percent of your lifetime sun exposure before age 18. What's the point? It's never too early to start protecting your and your child's skin from the sun and taking measures to prevent skin cancer.If you are going to be out in the sun this summer, using sunscreen on a daily basis is a must.

Here's what you should know:

*Sunblock vs. Sunscreen

Contrary to popular belief, sunscreen and sunblock are not the same thing:

Sunscreen contains materials that act as filter to allow a certain range of UV light to be absorbed into the skin.

Sunblock contains metallic materials that reflect and scatter the UV light and acts a wall between the sun and your skin. The sun gives off two rays: UVA and UVB rays. Dermatologists believe these are the rays that cause tissue damage, wrinkles to form and skin cancer. UVA and UVB wavelengths can penetrate through almost anything therefore, protection from them is important all year round, not just during the summer months. You can be exposed to the sun's harmful rays during any season, any temperature and even on cloudy day. UV rays also reflect off any surface such as water, cement, snow and sand.

*What to look for in your sunscreen or sunblock?

The sun is at its strongest between the hours 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is when sun protection should be strongly advised. When buying a sunscreen or block look for:
Sun protection factor (SPF), which is labeled on every bottle. The SPF number indicates the length of time one can stay in the sun without burning. The higher the SPF number the more your skin is protected from the sun. Dermatologists recommend using lotion with an SPF of 15 or higher.
Active ingredients are what prevent UVA and UVB rays from harming your skin. Sunscreens or blocks should contain protection for both UVA and UVB rays. According the Food and Drug Administration, effective sunscreens and blocks should contain one or more of the following ingredients:

For Sunscreens · Octinoxate , Octisalate, Oxybenzone, Benzophenone, Menthyl Anthranitate

For Sunblocks · Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide, Zinc Oxide

*How do I know what sun protection factor (SPF) to use?

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15. Anything less than SPF 15 is "worthless." The SPF measures how much the sunscreen protects you from ultraviolet (UV) rays. For example, the higher the SPF is, the more protection you'll get. SPF 15 is good for "incidental exposure" to the sun — like when you're walking to the car or running errands outdoors. Using at least an SPF 30 for prolonged periods of time outside (e.g., playing golf or tennis or watching an outdoor sporting event). However, reasearches state that,fair-skinned and redheaded people should use SPF 50 and higher.Use this guide to determine your skin type and how likely you are to burn.

*How often should you apply sunscreen?

The AAD suggests you should put on sunscreen whenever you expect more than 20 minutes of sun exposure. "Don't wait [to apply sunscreen] until you've sat out in the sun for 20 minutes because you have already exposed your skin to damage,".Sunscreen should be applied at least 15 to 30 minutes before going outside and reapplied at least every two hours. Reapplying sunscreen more frequently if you are swimming or exercising outdoors.For example, if you are playing tennis and you towel off after the first set, you should reapply the sunscreen then.It's particularly important to make sure children wear sunscreen — whether they like it or not — and make sure they continue to reapply it throughout the day.

*How much sunscreen should you apply?

Sunscreen should be applied "liberally" on all parts of the body that are exposed to sunlight. At least 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) should be enough to cover those areas. Be sure your neck, ears and the tops and bottoms of your feet are covered as well. If overlooked, these can result in painful sunburns.

*Do sunscreens expire?

It's good practice to check the expiration date on your sunscreen. If it is expired, be safe and buy new sunscreen. According to the AAD, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that sunscreen work at its capacity for three years. That said, if you have a three-year old bottle of sunscreen, you haven't been using the proper amount.There are a lot of people who at the beginning of last summer bought an 8-ounce bottle of sunscreen and still have half of it left over. You are supposed to be applying 1 ounce — or 2 tablespoons — before you go outside, and you should be reapplying it every two to three hours, depending how active you are.

*Should everyone, regardless of skin color, wear sunscreen?

Yes, African-Americans and other dark-skinned people should wear sunscreen. Even though people with dark skin don't burn as easily as fair-skinned people, that doesn't mean that they are immune from skin cancer.Sunburn isn't the only side effect of sun exposure. The sun also can damage your skin and cause dark spots. Sun exposure also ages your skin and can contribute to wrinkles.

* Does a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 provide twice the protection as one that has an SPF of 15?

No, a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 provides protection against 93% of UVB rays, while one with an SPF of 30 provides 97% protection. Keep in mind that a sunscreen with an SPF of 2 only provides 50% protection, so be sure to use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15-30. Many experts question whether using a sunscreen with an SPF above 30 provides much more protection, since you are already blocking 97% of UVB rays.

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Disclaimer

Before we get too deep into the new version of Life in the Health lane, I thought it would be appropriate to add a much-needed legal disclaimer.

1. The writer of Life in the HEALTH lane is a dentist & not a general practitioner. She cannot diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any illnesses you may have. (Even if she were a general practitioner, you would still need a one-on-one appointment to get personalized advice.)

2. The information we provide on this site is for our own education and the education of others. It is not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease.

3. The statements on this site have not been evaluated by the federal Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Again, what we say here is not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease.

4. You should always consult a doctor before undertaking any diet or exercise program. So long as you keep this stuff in mind, feel free to read and comment as much as you like. Thanks.

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Tea - more than just a beverage

'Tea' the word brews in our minds picture of a steaming cup,that so charmingly steals us off all our laziness and fatigue as it slowly pours in to be a part our system.Tea is a dawn-breaker, a stress-reliever, a lets-get-together beverage from ancient times.

Lets' peep into the health aspects of 'tea drinking' to know about the miraculous effects,each cup of tea has on us in our day-to-day lives.


Health Facts and Nutrition Data :

*Tea without milk has no calories. Using semi-skimmed milk adds around 13 calories per cup, but you also benefit from valuable minerals and calcium

*Tea with milk provides 21% of daily calcium requirement in 4 cups

*Tea contains some zinc and folic acid

* Tea with milk contains Vitamin B6, Riboflavin B2 and Thiamin B1

*Tea is a source of the minerals manganese, essential for bone growth and body development, and potassium, vital for maintaining body fluid levels

*The average cup of tea contains less than half the level of caffeine than coffee. One cup contains only 50mg per 190ml cup

*Tea is a natural source of fluoride and drinking four cups makes a significant contribution to your daily intake

*Green and black teas are from the same plant, Camelia sinensis, and contain similar amounts of antioxidants and caffeine

* The antioxidant power of tea:
Like fruit and vegetables, tea is a natural source of flavonoids that generate antioxidant activity. In fact, many scientific papers suggest that as part of a
healthy lifestyle, four cups of tea a day could help to protect your body against the damaging effects of free radicals.

*Flavonoid antioxidants - what are they?
They are a group of compounds that occur in most
fruit and vegetables, as well as in tea.

*Flavonoid antioxidants - what do they do?
They may help to protect the body’s cells against
damage and assist with arterial function.

*Flavonoid antioxidants - where are they found?
Tea is the biggest source of flavonoid antioxidants in the UK diet. Other sources include apples and onions.

*The evidence for tea and cancer:
Tea and flavonoids have been identified as potential cancer preventatitive components. Drinking both green and black tea is compatiblewith healthy eating dietary advice to help reduce the risk of developing cancer, helping to maintain overall health and well-being.

*Counting caffeine :
Four cups of tea contain only moderate amounts of caffeine. Moderate amounts of caffeine throughout the day can increase concentration and alertness thereby improving performance. A typical cup of tea contains less caffeine per cup than coffee.

*Tea and hydration :
Tea helps you stay hydrated and can make a positive contribution to the required daily fluid intake the body needs to stay healthy. Contrary to popular belief, the caffeine content of a cup of tea is not sufficient to cause a diuretic effect in the majority of individuals. The Food Standards Agency and British Dietetic Association both advise that tea can help towards meeting daily fluid requirements

*Tea and theanine
Theanine is a non-protein amino acid that is rare in nature, but found naturally in black and green tea where it is thought to be a flavorous constituent of tea leaves. Tea drinkers have long believed their cup of tea has unique properties (relaxing and reviving) and early research on theanine is starting to help us understand why tea is so different from other hot beverages. Drinking tea has been shown to have positive effects on maintaining daytime alertness and has
a unique and positive effect on mood.

*Treat for teeth
Tea is a natural source of fluoride and drinking three to four cups makes a significant contribution to your daily fluoride intake. Regular intake of fluoride can contribute to dental health in both adults and children and help protect teeth and gums.

Note – The Food Standards Agency recommends that pregnant women limit their consumption of caffeine to 300mg per day, which is equivalent to six cups of tea per day.

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'Organic Foods': good for your health or a non essential luxury?

The decision to buy organic food over conventionally grown food is a personal one, and as you walk through the supermarket, many of which are now adding organic sections, you will likely ask the question: Is organic food really better?

While some people are making an effort to buy good quality organic products, many are still vary about spending the extra money or taking the extra time to find them.If you are unsure if the extra time and money spent on organic foods is worth it, the next time you are in the supermarket and have the choice between organic and conventional foods consider the fact that 98% of your body’s 100 trillion cells are replaced from one year to the next. So if you would like a healthy good looking body you need to give it healthy quality building blocks because there is no getting away from the fact you are what you eat. So read on to learn why organic food is a vital ingredient in keeping you healthy and looking good!

Definition:

Foods that claim to be organic use materials and practices that do not hurt the environment and should adhere to standards set by the Organic Foods Production Act, which states that the primary goal of organic agriculture is "to optimize the health...of soil life, plants, animals and people."

Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards. For crops, it means they were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. For animals, it means they were reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.

Identifying organic food:

At first, organic food comprised mainly fresh vegetables. Early consumers interested in organic food would look for chemical-free, fresh or minimally processed food. They mostly had to buy directly from growers: "Know your farmer, know your food" was the motto. Personal definitions of what constituted "organic" were developed through firsthand experience: by talking to farmers, seeing farm conditions, and farming activities. Small farms grew vegetables (and raised livestock) using organic farming practices, with or without certification, and the individual consumer monitored. Consumer demand for organic foods continues to increase, and high volume sales through mass outlets, like supermarkets, is rapidly replacing the direct farmer connection. For supermarket consumers, food production is not easily observable, and product labelling, like "certified organic", is relied on. Government regulations and third-party inspectors are looked to for assurance. A "certified organic" label is usually the only way for consumers to know that a processed product is "organic".

The health benefits:

There is increasing research showing the health benefits of organic food. When comparing organic food to conventional food you find that:
A. Organic fruits and vegetables have higher levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, polyphenols and important enzymes. The more of these you eat, the better your health!
B. Organic plants contain higher levels of protein. Getting sufficient protein is important to maintain your muscle mass which in turn slows down the aging process.
C. Organic foods are also free of harmful pesticides and toxic chemicals. There is a mass of new information emerging implicating environmental pollutants, farming chemicals and food additives as the source of degenerative diseases, obesity, allergies and mental dysfunction.
D. From the ground up, organic farming is better for the environment as a whole. Organic farming is the way we survived for millions of years. Modern farming technology such as, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, are destroying our soils which results in destruction of the plants and animals that humans ultimately dependent on for our health and prosperity.

Eating more organic foods help you to burn fat :

This may sound too good to be true but by eating more organic foods you will over time potentially be able to say goodbye to your love handles. Organic food will help you to loose fat via:

A. As organic food contains more nutrients your body gets the nutrition it needs faster. So you in effect don’t need to eat as much food or calories to become satisfied. By eating less you will have a good chance of burning fat if you are also exercising and living healthily such as going to bed on time.

B. Non organic food contains dangerous toxins that get into your body when you eat the poisoned food. These toxins need to be stored in your body and the safest place to store them is in your fat cells. So the more toxins you store the more fat cells your body needs to produce to store them, so the fatter you become.

C. Organic fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of protein. Today most people don’t get enough protein from their diet, protein not only satisfies you more than fats and carbohydrates but it also provides you with the building blocks for your muscles. The more muscles you have the higher your metabolic rate and the more fat you burn all day.

Taste the difference with organic foods :


Organic foods are not only healthier for you but you can also taste the difference. Grass fed meat has a far superior taste than grain fed meat. In addition by eating organic fruits and vegetables, you’re more likely to find that the natural sweetness and flavor are so satisfying, that your cravings for desert, lessens considerably.

Environmental impact : If you eat poisoned food you get poisoned as well!

You can only be as healthy as the food you eat and that’s becoming increasingly difficult as the quality of the food we eat has decreased dramatically in the last 100 years. At the start of the last centaury virtually all food would have been organic standard or even higher but today the quality of most of the non organic food we eat is sadly decreasing and decreasing.

Today lot of the animal meat that you find in supermarkets has been fed grains, to quickly fatten the animal, to maximize profits with no consideration for the consumer’s – your health. Grain feeding fattens the animals very quickly during the last few weeks of their lives. But a grain fed diet is not natural diet for animals; cows, lambs etc. are meant to eat grass and only grass. Eating grains leads to an abnormal and unhealthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the composition of the animal’s fat. There is also a growing trend amongst farmers to feed their animals especially pigs genetically modified (GMO) Soya. But if the pigs are eating the Soya and you are eating the pigs then this nasty GMO Soya is also getting into your body.

But it gets worse, animals are also in many cases given hormones, antibiotics etc that are often unnecessary and farmers of non organic farms use chemical pesticides routinely which get eaten by the animals even if they are grass fed. All these nasty chemicals get stored in the animals fat tissue and get eaten by you if you eat non organic meat that’s been exposed to them.

Furthermore oceans, rivers, lakes etc. are also the dumping grounds for many harmful chemicals. Once in the water these toxins are absorbed into plants. Little fish eat the plants. Bigger fish eat the little fish. We eat the fish so you get the picture? Our environment is polluted and as a result fish and sea food are often contaminated with dangerous heavy metals such as mercury, pesticides, toxic plastic residues etc. In addition farmed fish are fed unnatural fish food and often given dye to color them to make them look healthier. So that’s why you should never eat farmed fish and only consume fish 2-3 times per week.

Organic farming of fruits and vegetables differs from conventional farming in the methods used to grow crops. Where traditional farmers apply chemical fertilizers to the soil to grow their crops, organic farmers feed and build soil with natural fertilizer. Traditional farmers use insecticides to get rid of insects and disease, while organic farmers use natural methods such as insect predators and barriers for this purpose. Traditional farmers control weed growth by applying synthetic herbicides, but organic farmers use crop rotation to control weeds. The result is that conventionally grown food is often tainted with chemical residues, which can be harmful to humans. There is debate over whether dietary exposure to pesticides at levels typically found on food is dangerous, but experts say that consumers should use extreme caution. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers 60 percent of herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides and 30 percent of insecticides to be carcinogenic (cancer causing).

Pesticides can have many negative influences on health, including neurotoxicity, disruption of the endocrine system, carcinogenicity and immune system suppression. Pesticide exposure may also affect male reproductive function and has been linked to miscarriages in women.

Aside from pesticide contamination, conventional produce tends to have fewer nutrients than organic produce due to the poorer soil quality. To give you a sense of how times have changed, you would have to eat forty servings of spinach today to equal the amount of iron found in one serving of spinach grown in 1950!

This is because :
A. Most fruits and vegetables, (you know this with tomatoes) are picked green. Without a chance to sun-ripen, many of the antioxidants that protect you from cancer and cell damage don’t get a chance to develop.

B. Changes in the soil and commercial fertilizers wipe out important health giving trace minerals. When you grow vegetables in mineral deficient soil, the plant passes the mineral deficiency on to you.So not only are modern fruits and vegetables lacking in health protecting nutrients they in many cases contain toxic chemicals sprayed on them by farmers using pesticides etc.

Therefore always buy food that’s grown locally if possible, such as farmers markets which are excellent and it also gives you the chance to ask the farmers how they grow and harvest their fruits and veggies.

Avaliable Products:

These days, organic agriculture has become so widespread that you can go to a typical supermarket and get everything from organic soaps, detergents, insect repellent, and shampoos. You can also buy organic fabrics such as cotton and hemp, and give your doggie organic pet food.

Labeling:

If the label doesn't read organic, it's not organic. If a product is less than 70 percent organic, the organic ingredients may be listed on the side of the package but cannot say "organic" on the front.

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Emotional Eating

How to tell if you are an emotional eater?

Recollect of a time,when you woke up at your routine time.Had same chores as every other day.Ate the same menu at the fixed hours,yet,after a few stressful moments,you feel like giving yourself into an untimely comforting company of a cup of coffee with your childhood favorite cookies.I mean to point on a craving,when you were low emotionally,and suddenly felt the urge to be eating something you've loved since always.When such episodes are frequent in your life,you can safely tell yourself that indeed you are an emotional eater.

An emotional eater is someone who has a strong longing for food at moments of an emotional low tide.When you try to comfort your aching heart with a bar of chocolate,or alleviate your mood with a "junk snack" at hours when you are least likely to be hungry,you are giving yourself to the cravings for food for emotional security. Many people turn to food,whether consciously or unconsciously when they are facing a tough time or just to keep themselves occupied or even to divert their attention towards things that hold fond and tasty memories. Emotional eating,not only holds strong addictive tendencies but also sabotage our weight loss efforts.Eating to fight back stress, anger, frustration, boredom, sadness or even loneliness can be a cause of serious troubles in the long run on account of overeating foods rich in calories,sugar,salt and even fats. The most important step of stopping being an emotional eater is to recognize the triggers that force you to eat those all time favorite high calorie delicacies,which in routine you avoid to keep a watch on your weight.Be honest to yourself and answer,whether you are really hungry or just longing to eat whenever you crave to eat.That point of self assessment,shall be your first step to success of stop being an emotional eater.

How to stop emotional eating?

The biggest question of the hour is to realize the cause behind emotional eating.Chocolates,cookies,"junk foods" that seem to alleviate our mood and give us a "feel good" feeling do that by releasing 'opiates' and similar chemicals in our body.These secretions act as mood and satisfaction elevating factors.Attaining a control over emotional eating is in fact an uphill task of de-addicting ourselves to foods that satisfy our emotional cravings.
Emotional eating can be gradually controlled to a total stop by firstly recognizing the trigger factors.We need to learn to differentiate between true hunger and an emotional craving.When the craving rises,give yourself a few peaceful and thoughtful moments to relax and let go of the tide.Keep "junk" and other emotion alleviating high calorie foods out of reach in a work place.Give yourself a treat of a more relaxing distraction like a movie show or a stroll by the beach to relax rather than munching a chocolate bar. Glue to an adequate exercise and rest schedule,with filling frequent meal sessions.Do not stop eating,cause that would stimulate craving.To keep weight in check,snack frequently,but replace cookies,salty,fried etc by fresh fruits and salads.Giving oneself enough time and space with a healthy schedule can definitely help to reduce episodes of loneliness and emotional eatings.

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Apple

You've heard, "an apple a day will keep the doctor away." While it will certainly take more than a daily apple to keep you healthy, it is a step in the right direction. Apples are delicious, easy to carry for snacking, low in calories, a natural mouth freshener, and they are still very inexpensive.

Apples are a source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber such as pectin actually helps to prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls, thus reducing the incident of atherosclerosis and heart disease. The insoluble fiber in apples provides bulk in the intestinal tract, holding water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system.
It is a good idea to eat apples with their skin. Almost half of the vitamin C content is just underneath the skin. Eating the skin also increases insoluble fiber content. Most of an apple's fragrance cells are also concentrated in the skin and as they ripen, the skin cells develop more aroma and flavor.

There are hundreds of varieties of apples on the market today, although most people have only tasted one or two of the most popular such as Red Delicious or Granny Smith. Apples can be sweet, tart, soft and smooth or crisp and crunchy, depending on the one you choose. There is an apple to suit almost everyone's taste, so why not choose one. Have an apple today!

Apple Nutrition Facts(*One medium 2-1/2 inch apple, fresh, raw, with skin)
Calories 81
Carbohydrate 21 grams
Dietary Fiber 4 grams(Soluble Fiber &Insoluble fiber)
Calcium 10 mg
Phosphorus 10 mg
Iron .25 mg
Sodium 0.00 mg
Potassium 159 mg
Vitamin C 8 mg
Vitamin A 73 IU
Folate 4 mcg
*The nutritional value of apples will vary slightly depending on the variety and size.


Source:USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory.

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Facts & Fiction about Dieting

An attempt to correct common dieting & food myths, with research based facts and statistics.

Diet Myth
"Potatoes, bread, pasta and rice are fattening"

Diet Facts

there’s actually no proof that carb-rich foods are more likely to make us gain weight than any other food.

Ultimately, it’s an excess of calories that makes us pile on the pounds – and it really doesn’t matter where those extra calories come from.

In fact, more often than not, it’s the fat we add to carbs that boosts the calorie content, such as butter on toast, creamy sauces with pasta and frying potatoes to make chips.

Diet Myth
"People inherit being overweight"

Diet Facts

Scientists have been working hard to identify genes that have the potential to make us fat. And it does seem there may be a genetic link – but only in a small number of people.

As a result, most experts agree that while genes may have a part to play, they still don’t explain the recent rapid increase in obesity that’s been seen in the Western world. They believe that while we might inherit ‘fat’ genes from our parents, we also inherit their bad habits such as a poor diet and lack of exercise – and it’s these poor lifestyle habits that have a more important part to play in weight gain.

Diet Myth
"Diets don’t work"

Diet Facts
Ultimately, if you take in fewer calories than you need, your body starts to use up its fat stores to get the extra calories it needs to keep functioning properly. Over time, this will result in weight loss.

The key is to follow a moderately restricted diet rather than an extreme diet that bans favourite foods, only allows a limited number of foods or is so low in calories it leaves you feeling hungry.

Diet Myth
"Dairy products are fattening and unhealthy"

Diet Facts
Dairy products like milk, cheese and yoghurt are actually packed with essential nutrients that help to keep us healthy. As well as being good sources of protein, zinc and some B vitamins, dairy products are packed with calcium, a mineral that helps to build strong, healthy bones – and the stronger bones are, the less likely you’ll be to suffer from the bone-thinning disease, osteoporosis, in later life.

Dairy products don’t have to be ‘fattening’ either – there are loads of low-fat products available such as skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, low-fat yoghurts and reduced-fat cheeses.

Switching to low-fat dairy products doesn’t mean you’ll get less calcium either. In fact, skimmed and semi-skimmed milks actually contain slightly more calcium than full-fat milk.

Diet Myth
"Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables contain less vitamins than fresh ones"

Diet Facts
Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh ones, if not more so. Frozen or canned fruit and veg are often packaged within hours of being picked so they don’t lose many nutrients.

On the other hand, fresh fruit and vegetables can sometimes lose many of their vitamins if they’ve travelled long distances and are stored for days on end before reaching the supermarket shelves.

Diet Myth
"Red meat is bad for your health because it’s high in fat"

Diet Facts
Thanks to modern breeding programmes and new trimming techniques, red meat is now leaner than it’s ever been.Better still, while most of us think that red meat is packed with artery-clogging saturates, around half the fat in red meat is actually heart-healthy monounsaturates. In particular, red meat contains oleic acid, the same type of fat that’s found in olive oil.

Added to this, red meat is packed with a wide range of vitamins and minerals, especially iron. Around 40% of women aged between 19 and 34 have such low intakes of this nutrient that they’re at risk of suffering from anaemia, a condition that causes extreme tiredness, lack of energy and shortness of breath when exercising.

Diet Myth
"Cereal bars are lower in fat and sugar" than chocolate or sweets

Diet Facts
Cereal bars might sound like a healthy alternative to chocolate but check the ingredients and you’ll often find more than just oats, cereals, nuts and dried fruit.

It’s true they’re usually lower in fat than most bars of chocolate (unless they’re packed with nuts and seeds) but they often contain just as much sugar, which might appear in the ingredients list as rice syrup, maltodextrin, glucose-fructose syrup, raw cane sugar, fructose, honey, or a mixture of these.

Diet Myth
"Vegetarian diets will help you lose weight more easily"

Diet Facts
As is the case with diets that include meat, some vegetarian diets may contain fewer calories, less fat and more fibre. But if they’re not properly planned, more often than not, they’re equally high in fat and calories as a meat-eaters diet.

It’s just as easy for vegetarian diets to include fatty and sugary foods such as chips, crisps, cakes, sweets, chocolate, biscuits and fried foods!

Diet Myth
"Low-fat foods always help you lose weight"

Diet Facts
Foods that are described as ‘low-fat' or 'fat-free' aren’t automatically low in calories or calorie-free. In fact, some low-fat products may actually be higher in calories than standard products, thanks to them containing extra sugars and thickeners to boost the flavour and texture.

Some people also mistakenly believe they can eat more if they’re choosing low-fat products. But this is rarely the case. In reality, two low-fat biscuits, for example, will probably contain more calories than one standard biccie!

Diet Myth
"Honey is less fattening than sugar"

Diet Facts
Honey contains around 75% simple sugars and 25% water. It’s actually higher in calories than sugar making it a less appealing option for slimmers – 1tsp of honey contains 25 calories, compared with 16 calories in 1tsp of sugar! Plus it’s just as likely to cause tooth decay.

Nevertheless, the darker varieties contain good amounts of naturally-occurring plant chemicals called flavonoids, which act as antioxidants and may help to lower the risk of heart disease.

Diet Myth
"Products that belong to ‘healthy eating’ ranges are best if you’re trying to lose weight"

Diet Facts
This might be the case for some products, but not all. Many ‘healthy eating’ products focus mainly on cutting the fat content – and pay little attention to the calorie, sugar or salt content. In fact, some products in healthy eating ranges contain the same amount of calories, if not more, than the standard versions.

Meanwhile, some products simply cut calories and fat by providing a small serving size with the result that hunger kicks in soon after you’ve eaten, leaving you reaching for a calorie-packed snack.

Diet Myth
"Organic food is healthier than non-organic food"

Diet Facts
It’s easy to think a diet based on organic foods is healthy, but this isn’t automatically the case. The term ‘organic’ refers to the farming methods used to produce a food, not its nutrient content. So while organic foods might be better for the environment, eating more of them doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a lower-calorie diet. For example, organic biscuits, chocolate and cakes normally contain just as much fat, sugar and salt as their non-organic counterparts – and it’s often harder to find ‘healthier’ alternatives.

Diet Myth
"Nuts are fattening and should be avoided if you want to lose weight"

Diet Facts
Although nuts are high in calories and fat, most contain heart-healthy monounsaturates rather than saturates and have a low glycaemic index. This means they help keep blood sugar levels steady and leave you fuller for longer after eating them.

Nuts also contain protein, fibre and many other vitamins and minerals and so can contribute to a healthy diet. Better still, research has shown that a diet containing a moderate amount of fat – which includes peanuts and peanut butter – can actually help you lose weight and lower the risk of heart disease!

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