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Monday, 29 December 2014

Seven Tips For A Long And Healthy Life

 

 
As good as modern medical technology is, it can never save you from the problems caused by a life style that is unhealthy. Instead of getting a modern medical fix for every problem, it is far better to live in such a way that you will hardly ever fall ill.

An ounce of prevention is certainly better than a pound of cure. Here are seven tips on how to live a long and healthy life. In addition, the same life style that helps you to avoid illness also helps you to lose weight.

1. Get Enough Exercise

In the past people had to use their physical bodies in the course of their normal work. But today someone may get up, go to work in a car, then sit down, get up to go home in the car and when arriving at home, sit down again for the rest of the day. In such a life there is no physical labour. This physical inactivity is one of the main reasons for a host of diseases. Sport, running. walking and other things must be added to our life if our normal work does not require us to exert ourselves physically. I

2. Go to sleep when you feel sleepy

This may sound simple, but many people stay up late even when their body is telling them that it is time to sleep. Yoga and Ayurvedic doctors also say that it is better to sleep in the night and be active during the day. However, people such as students will take coffee and stimulants to study late into the night. Others develop the habit of remaining active at night and sleeping during the day. While we can do this, it eventually takes a toll on health. Alternative health doctors say that this kind of unnatural living is one of the contributing factors in the causation of cancer and other diseases

3. Eat when you feel hungry
This is also a simple idea, but once again we often go against the messages of the body. If you eat out of habit or due to social pressure at certain time of the day, even when you have no real appetite, then you will not digest your food properly. Acidity and indigestion begin, and this contributes to the likelihood of other more complex diseases taking root. Having an appetite is actually a sign of good health, but if you have no appetite you should wait a bit and then eat. (If you have no appetite even after awaiting a reasonable amount of time, then you should consult a doctor because something is wrong.)

4. Fast on a Regular, Systematic Basis

If you would ask any person to work 365 days per year without any rest, they would complain and say that they must have some rest or else they will break down. But we have never bothered to ask or to think about our digestive organs which we compel to work day after day without a rest. They cannot protest the way a person would to his boss, but they do give us signals that they cannot work non-stop. When we ignore those signals and still compel them to work, those organs break down. That is why periodic fasting is necessary. Refrain from eating for one complete day. This gives a rest to your digestive organs and also helps in the elimination of wastes from your body. Regular fasting allows a person to gain extra time for intellectual or spiritual pursuits. Fasting is not for hermits in a cave, but is a sensible practice that anyone can practice.

5. Wash with cool water before going to bed
As mentioned above, proper sleep is essential for the maintenance of health. If you wash your important motor and sensory organs (hands, arms, eyes, legs, mouth, genitals) before sleep using cool water, this will relax you and prepare you for deep sleep.

6. Perform meditation on a regular basis

Your body is linked to your mind. Many of the diseases of this era are psychosomatic. Stress and anxiety take their toll on our physical health. Meditation is a mental exercise which, among other things, allows you to detach yourself from the worries of life. Learn a simple technique and do it regularly.

7. Get up early every day
Once again the old proverb, “Early to bed, early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise.” I don’t know if it will make you wealthy, but it will certainly make you healthy. Your body needs just enough sleep, not too much and not too little.

Follow these tips and you can’t go wrong.

Sunday, 28 December 2014

Healthy Dieting Tips



When it comes to dieting you will find all kinds of crazy and faddish diets on the market today. In addition to the many diets there seems to be every kind of diet aid you can imagine. From shakes the diet industry has evolved to include everything from candy bars and pudding to pills and patches. Each item makes the claim that it can help you drop those unwanted pounds quickly and easily. Well I can tell you for a fact there is very little easy for most of us about dropping a few pounds.

If you would like a few tips that should make your weight loss goals a little easier to achieve then perhaps the following tips will help you out.

Drink Plenty of Water

There really isn’t enough that can be said about the importance of drinking water in an effort to reach your fitness goals. Water hydrates the body first and foremost but water is also an important way of tricking your body into believing it is full. Other drinks do not work nearly as well as water in this endeavour and many drinks, even fruit juices, contain empty calories that you can ill afford when dieting.

Another great thing about drinking a lot of water while dieting is that it helps your skin retain its elasticity so you can avoid some of the ‘loose skin’ look that often accompanies massive weight loss. As an added bonus drinking plenty of water will have your skin looking radiant and beautiful as well.

Set Goals

Having goals is one of the most important things you can do when working to lose weight. Try to make sure that your goals are aggressive but can be achieved. If you are frustrated early in the dieting process by unrealistic goals you are much more likely to give up. However, challenges are always going to inspire us to achieve greater things in life. If you can find a ‘weight loss partner’ in order to have a little friendly competition for the weight loss totals for a week or a month then you are going to be far more likely to accomplish your goals than if you keep them quietly to yourself.

Eat More

Did you read that twice? Yes, eat more healthy foods that are high in fibre. Eat more vegetables and fruits-fill up on these foods that are good for you and you will not be inclined to binge on calorie laden junk food.

Move!

While this seems a little too simply stated for most, getting up and moving is one of, if not the absolute best way to burn calories. The simple truth is that you are not going to lose weight unless you use more calories than you consume. The more activities you enjoy that burn calories, the more likely you are to shed those unwanted pounds and meet your weight loss goals.

Some great activities that actually burn calories include the following: gardening, golf, dancing, playing volleyball, walking, jumping rope, playing hop scotch with your little ones, and playing tennis. I mention these activities because you can trick yourself into believing that you aren’t really exercising while burning calories. Even cleaning house requires movement and energy and if you dance around a little to some good music in the process you might burn a few extra calories.

Dieting, when successful can help restore self image and self-esteem in people who are otherwise beautiful people inside and out. The steps above are not the only things that are involved in the dieting process but they can help you reach your weight loss goals particularly when combined with a diet plan that you feel confident you can follow. Be sure that on those days when will power is non-existent that you do not derail your diet efforts all together by giving up. The most important thing you can do when dieting is to go back to dieting once you’ve strayed.

Saturday, 27 December 2014

How To Maximize The Health Benefits Of Green Tea





Whether you are trying to lose weight or improve your health in general, drinking several cups of green tea per day can help. Green tea is the next best thing to a warm cup of hot chocolate to sooth and clam you, especially in the winter months.

Fat Fighting Benefits of Green tea

Drinking green tea can be a great addition to a well-rounded nutrition and exercise program. Green tea works to raise your metabolism, therefore helping you to burn more fat even while you’re resting and sleeping. Although this doesn’t give you an excuse to slack off at the gym, it does help us to burn up the stored fat we carry a little quicker. It also oxidizes the fat. It burns the fat that commonly settles around our middles: the waist, hips and thighs.

The other benefit dieters receive from drinking green tea is having a reduced appetite. We all know that the fewer calories we take in and the more calories we burn are what it takes to lose weight. By this reasoning, green tea is the perfect diet companion.

The Other Health benefits of Green Tea

Dieters aren’t the only ones who should e drinking green tea though. There are many health benefits achieved from drinking this hot beverage every day.

Green tea will reduce your total cholesterol levels, decreasing the bad cholesterol and increasing the good cholesterol.

Because green tea is high in antioxidants it is a good tool to fight the flu. It will help boost your immunity against viruses.

Green tea kills bacteria in the mouth that causes plaque. This is good news for people who fear frequent trips to the dentist.

Green tea helps us to think more clearly. It also helps stave off memory loss, like that associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

In addition, green tea aids people with medical conditions like cancer, arthritis, heart disease and serious infections.

Maximizing the Benefits of Green Tea

Use high quality green tea leaves. Once soaked, the tea should turn out a pale green colour.

Experts suggest that drinking mildly hot green tea produces better benefits that making it into iced tea.

Let the tea brew in the mildly hot water for several minutes to help bring out the flavonoids.

Experts suggest drinking between 3and 5 cups of green tea per day for better health.

Skip adding sugar to your green tea. If you feel like you need to adjust the taste, add some honey, lemon or skim milk for added health benefits.

Just don’t like the taste of green tea? Don’t worry. You can still reap the many health benefits of green tea in the form of a pill.

However you manage to include green tea in your diet, including it on a regular basis will help you experience maximum results. Add green tea to a healthy, well-balanced diet and exercise routine for good overall fitness.

Friday, 26 December 2014

Lemon and Pineapple Shift the Body’s pH in Your Favor

Do you know there is a link between our body’s pH and numerous diseases? Health conscious people sometimes try to maintain higher pH value than normal.

Having lower pH value than what is considered to be healthy is pretty common occurrence in the world we live in today. Becoming acidic is very easy. Becoming alkaline, on the other hand, requires proper healthy diet and nutrition and optimum pH can be easily achieved.

lemon-and-pineapple-shift-the-bodys-ph-in-your-favor

If you are familiar with anything about pH balance in the human body, then you probably know that having a faulty regulation can lead to some serious health conditions and consequences. Our body’s enzymes require very specific pH value in order for them to work properly.

Any increasing or decreasing in the pH value can lead to improper enzyme work which leads to halting some important metabolic processes. If you have low pH value, you have increased risk of getting heart disease, arthritis, cancer and osteoporosis.

By eating acidic fruits you will gain an alkalizing effect upon your body. An important thing to know about alkalizing – when consuming acidic food, the food’s minerals are the one that count, not the initial acidity of the actual food.

If you try to regain pH balance, try to consume pineapple and lemon juice. These juices can be very helpful when trying to achieve the perfect pH balance. If you want to notice the difference you need to consume lemon and pineapple juices on a regular basis.
You can drink them in a raw juice form or you can add them both in a glass of water. Another important thing to remember is to avoid drinking carbonated water due to its acidifying effects onto human’s body.

Find recipes which will match your taste when it comes to drinking pineapple and/or lemon juice. Make sure you consume that kind of beverages regularly.

http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/lemon-and-pineapple-shift-the-bodys-ph-in-your-favor/

Monday, 22 December 2014

THE 10 BEST FAT LOSS SNACKS


Thursday, 18 December 2014

Burning Fat Vs Burning Calories

 
To lose weight and get in shape you must have a good diet and exercise regularly to burn fat. The first thing you must understand about exercise is that just because you are burning calories does not mean you are burning fat. Your main focus when you exercise should be losing body fat, and you can’t lose body fat just from burning calories. When we exercise, our bodies will start burning calories, but the calories that are burned are the calories from carbohydrates in our system. In order to burn calories from your stored fat, your body requires the presence of oxygen. There is a certain amount of oxygen that your body needs in order to start burning fat and the only way for you to measure the amount needed for your own body is to keep up with your target heart rate during exercise. Please understand that if you continue to only burn calories from carbohydrates, you will lose mostly “water weight” which leads to a decrease in your metabolism. Also, think of the calories that are burned from carbohydrates as your energy calories. If you lose too much energy calories then your muscles will not receive enough energy to increase your metabolism which indirectly burn fat. Therefore you must increase your calorie intake when you are on an exercise program to replace your burned energy calories.

Burning Fat Calories during exercise

During aerobic exercise, your body goes through several stages before it reaches the point where you are burning fat. You will hear people say that you are only burning sugar (carbohydrates) not fat during the first 10 minutes of exercise. This is true to a certain extent. I say this because you will continue to burn sugar past the 10 minute mark if you are not working out hard enough for your body to want more oxygen; or you are working out too hard and you can’t supply your body with enough oxygen for fat burning. When you exercise you must move at a steady pace (not too fast, not too slow) so your body will utilize your stored fat (not carbohydrates or sugar) as its energy source. Also remember that just because you reached the fat burning stage does not mean you will stay there. Staying at the fat burning stage once again depends on if you are moving at a pace that is right for your body. Make sure that you are within your target heart rate range.

Burning Fat Calories at rest

The only way for you to continue to burn fat calories hours after you have finished working out is through the anaerobic exercise of weight training. Weight training is the key to burning fat at rest. Weight training is an anaerobic activity that will cause you to burn more calories than aerobic exercise. The calories that you are burning during weight training exercises are mostly calories from carbohydrates (meaning you must eat even more calories per day for energy); but the calories you burn at rest are mostly calories from fat. The reason you are burning fat at rest is because weight training increases your metabolism which uses your stored fat as energy.

To make your body the ultimate fat burning machine you must do aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic (weight training) exercises.

Wednesday, 17 December 2014

Why Vegetarianism Is Good For You And The Planet

 
Even the Utah Beef Council admits, “Several epidemiological studies indicate that vegetarians have lower morbidity and mortality from chronic degenerative diseases.” Today, vegetarians only make up about two percent of the population, but everyday more and more people give up eating red meat or try their first bite of tofu. Aside from ethics, what are the main reasons people are turning away from meat? Health and the ecology.

Lower rates of disease amongst vegetarians

Hundreds of different studies concur, showing that vegetarians who eat balanced diets have lower rates of coronary artery disease, hypertension, obesity, and certain cancers. Registered Dietician Winston Craig says that meat eating costs Americans somewhere between $30-$60 billion per year in medical expenses for hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gallstones, obesity, and food-borne illnesses associated with meat. Craig says that a vegetarian diet is associated with lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and less obesity.

In 1997, the World Cancer Research Fund recommended a vegetarian diet for reducing the risk of cancer. Lifelong vegetarians have 24% less heart disease, while vegans have an astounding 57% less. A comprehensive study of a vegetarian religious group, the Seventh Day Adventists, found that they had half the rate of high blood pressure and diabetes, half the rate of colon cancer, and two-thirds the rate of arthritis and prostate cancer as other groups (2001). Furthermore, Cornell University reported that eating less meat did more to reduce osteoporosis than supplementing your diet with calcium.

Do you have to be completely vegetarian to benefit?

In 1999, a meta-analysis of several vegetarian and vegan mortality studies was conducted. The results of these studies were compared together and re-analysed. The researchers concluded that even reducing meat in your diet had a significant effect on lowering your rate of disease. People who ate meat just once a week had a 20% lower rate of dying from heart disease, and their over-all mortality rate was reduced by 10%.

Those who ate only fish saw as much as a 34% reduction in heart disease death, while their over-all mortality was lowered by 18%.

In the same sense, the more you reduce consumption of animal products, the more you appear to benefit. Only 7% of the vegans studied died of cancer (lung, stomach, and colorectal). Alarmingly, 19% of over-all deaths in the US are from cancer.

Vegetarian diets are good for the planet

Every year, meat eaters contribute to the cattle farming industry. This industry uses farm lands that could be producing human food to make grain for cows. As most people know, cows produce large amounts of environmentally-toxic methane gas. Raising cows also uses precious water resources.

Vegetarianism and the rain forest

What you may not know though is that eating meat also contributes to the destruction of the rain forests. In an effort to make a cheaper Big Mac and Whopper, companies are growing cattle in Central America, where labour and other costs are lower. Eager Central Americans are slashing and burning their native rain forests to make room for the beef industry.

Vegetarianism and carbon dioxide emission

Estimates show that a vegetarian diet saves 1.5 tons of greenhouse gas per person per year. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that producing one calorie of animal protein requires ten times the fossil fuel as producing one calorie of plant protein. Wow! Furthermore, eating a vegan diet reduces more carbon dioxide emissions than driving a hybrid car, according to the New Scientist.

Vegetarianism and water reserves

What’s more disturbing is that every hamburger that originated from a rain forest cow required the destruction of roughly 55 square feet of rain forest. Furthermore, studies show that one pound of beef requires 2,500 gallons of water. The water used to produce one hamburger patty is enough for two-week’s worth of daily showers.

Monday, 15 December 2014

Make Healthy Food Delicious (here's how)


Friday, 12 December 2014

Diet And Exercising For Weight Loss

 
Obesity is now being called an epidemic in the health community. In fact, it will soon be the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, even ahead of cigarette smoking. Obesity leads to type two diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke and even an increased risk of cancer. With all of these health risks, as well as the general improvement in the quality of life that can occur, losing weight is one of the best things that you can do for yourself.

No matter what we would like to believe, there simply isn’t a magic solution to losing weight. The body will shed excess fat when it needs more calories to function through the demands you place on it in a given day than the amount of calories that you feed it. It’s that simple. So, in order to lose weight, you need to decrease the number of calories that you eat as well as increase the amount that you burn.

There is a wide range of options to choose from when looking for a weight loss program. All of them often spend a lot of time explaining what to eat, in what amounts and even at what times or in what combinations. But few of them emphasize the importance of exercise – not just for losing weight, but for your general health and wellbeing. Exercise is vital when trying to lose weight for several reasons:

First, as you start to eat less, your metabolism will slow down somewhat. Exercising helps to elevate your metabolism back to an efficient level. Second, as mentioned, exercise burns more calories so that you can lose weight faster and stay motivated in your efforts. Third, exercise actually releases endorphins, chemicals that keep your mood elevated.

Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours at the gym or straining through exhausting workouts. In fact, in order for you to stick with it on the long run, exercising should be something that you enjoy. Start by increasing your activity level in an overall way. Take the stairs when you can. Park further from the mall door when you go shopping. Go for a walk in the park or through a neighbourhood you love and bring a dog or a friend along for company. Take dance or martial arts lessons.

Once you become more active in general, you’ll find it easier and more natural to move into regular exercise. Which you’ll need to do eventually in order to get regular, noticeable health benefits. You need to raise your heart rate to a fat burning level and keep it there for at least 20 minutes, 3 times or more a week. However, if you don’t want to go to a gym, there are other options. Videos and DVDs are now available in all kinds of exercise types. That way you can change your routine whenever you want so that you don’t get bored with what you’re doing. Try a range of aerobics, kickboxing, yoga, or pretty much any activity you want right in the comfort of your own home.

If you have physical limitations that would keep you off from exercising, you can still find a way to increase your activity level. Water aerobics is a wonderful option for those who have joint problems or limited mobility because it relieves the pressure on your body that your weight provides. But you still get the resistance to challenge your muscles from the water. There are even classes and videos available that let you exercise in a seated position.

Whatever kind of exercise you choose, it’s important to stay motivated and keep it fun. Try gathering a group together to make it a social event. Or get a pedometer, a device that tracks how far you walk, and see how many miles you can walk a week. Make a competition amongst your friends or family members and treat the winner with something special (not food related!). Make the experience of exercising something that you look forward to, and it will soon become a regular part of your healthier lifestyle.
 
http://plrplr.com/93503/diet-and-exercising-for-weight-loss/

Thursday, 11 December 2014

Boost Metabolism With Foods That Help Burn Belly Fat and Weight Loss


Wednesday, 10 December 2014

Healthy Green Tea to Lower Your Blood Pressure, and More

Expert Author Rich Carroll 
   
There are certain foods that should be a part of every person's diet, even if they don't particularly care for the taste. These foods could be referred to as natural medicine, as they do so much for us and yet have virtually no side effects. So why wouldn't you take them, even if you haven't yet developed a taste for them. One of those foods is green tea, and just by looking at the grocery shelves and their wide variety more people are obviously on to green tea.

The latest research published in the British Journal of nutrition states that the long-term intake of this variety of tea has a significance effect on lowering blood pressure. After drinking this tea for 12 weeks blood pressure was lowered the most substantially and black tea performed the next best. So significant are blood pressure reductions that they can reduce the risk of stroke by 8% and coronary disease by 5%. To get these results we would need to ideally drink about 3 to 4 cups per day.

By understanding the prevalence of high blood pressure and the effects it has on overall health would be reason enough to drink tea regularly. However, there are many other health benefits that have been scientifically proven through testing:

1. Weight control. Green tea has one of the most powerful catechins called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG has been shown to have a positive impact on a number of illnesses. In addition to its beneficial effects on your circulatory system, it has a regulatory effect on fat metabolism, thereby increasing fat oxidation and preventing obesity. It has also been shown that exercise improvement can be gained by drinking green tea.

2. Diabetes. Diabetes and obesity usually are related, so when there is a benefit for one there usually is a benefit for the other. An animal study found that EGCG was as effective as the diabetic drug Avandia in diabetic mice, suggesting this tea, or a high-quality green tea extract, could help in the treatment of diabetes.
3. Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Research has found the potential to enhance brain function, and this would be important in preventing healthy aging associated with brain degeneration. Specifically, EGCG can decrease the production of the protein beta-amyloid, which when it over-accumulates in your brain can result in nerve damage and memory loss over time.

4. Protection against glaucoma. Catechins in green tea seem to protect against eye diseases. In one study, scientists analyzed eye tissue from rats that consumed it and found that eye tissue in the lens and retina had in fact absorbed catechins.

5. Normalizing cholesterol levels. Because of green tea's ability to relax blood vessels and regulate blood clotting, cardiovascular health will be promoted.

So what is it about green tea that gives us all of these health benefits? Green tea tends to be the least processed of the teas, and therefore the most natural. When you look on the grocery shelves there is an abundance of these teas to choose from, and not all are equal health-wise. Also, remember that just because it has these health benefits does it mean they will be absorbed into your body. Many of the things that we use in conjunction with green tea will block absorption, and even ice can be an issue. Experts say that hot or freshly brewed green tea with lemon or other citrus will best preserve its nutritional content.
 
Rich Carroll is a health enthusiast and writer living in Chicago.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Healthy-Green-Tea-to-Lower-Your-Blood-Pressure,-and-More&id=8836892

Monday, 8 December 2014

TOP 4 HOMEMADE SMOOTHIES FOR WEIGHT LOSS!


Monday, 1 December 2014

How Drinking Soda Is Aging Your Body


Sunday, 30 November 2014

Saturday, 29 November 2014

How to Get the Most From Our Fruits and Vegetables



We won't go into a long dissertation here about the value that comes from eating fruits and vegetables. What we will talk about is an excellent way to get the most nutrition from these two important food groups. Many people won't eat a variety of vegetables because they either don't like the taste or that roughage doesn't really agree with them. The answer for these people could be juicing their vegetables, which can also be done with fruits.

There is no doubt that to get the most out of vegetables is through variety. Different vegetables provide different nutritional needs. The big advantage of a juicer is that it reduces a large variety of vegetables into manageable glasses. This provides for easy to take, quick food concentrates that can be spiced to taste, so for many people this is a better way to take those vegetables.

By going with a wide variety of vegetables you get the full gamut of minerals and vitamins, both soluble and insoluble fiber with practically no fat or cholesterol. Another value of the juicer is that it breaks down the cell walls of the vegetables, and this makes the nutrients easier to absorb. Those with irritable bowel syndrome and other types of gastrointestinal problems will have a much easier time of digesting vegetables that have been juiced.

So what should you look for in vegetables that you want juice? Organic produce is going to yield the best nutrition, as you won't be putting a lot of synthetic pesticides into your system. Some of the best vegetables to juice are also the most bitter, which include mustard greens and collard greens. You can offset some of this bitterness by using them in smaller quantities or offset them with other ingredients like cranberries or lime. The options that you can use to juice vegetables are only limited by your imagination.
We would like to points out two other factors where juicing vegetables can benefit everyone's health:

1. As a detoxing agent. Some people have added juice to their diet every day, but some people have used it as a great way to detox the body. This is done about once a month, where they drink nothing but vegetable juices for anywhere from 3 to 7 days.

2. As a supplement to water. Most people don't drink enough water, so when we take our food in liquid form it can actually qualify as water. Some experts think it better because it is structured water and far better than drinking filtered tap water. This would make it the best water you can get.

Ideally, you'll want to drink the juice as quickly as possible. Nutrients are destroyed through contact with air as this oxidizes them. The taste of your juice will also be compromised the longer it sits. Some spices that can be added for flavor are black pepper, turmeric, cumin, oregano, ginger and cayenne pepper. All of these spices have great health benefits in their own right, so you can develop a vegetable juice that is your very own personal recipe.
 
Finding foods that are truly organic take some research, you have to look at the facts. On our website we will not only will we tell you which foods will help in  aging in a healthy way, but also how to exercise. Diets with Mediterranean food fit this agenda. Find out more about this and other healthy foods on our website  http://losethatbellyfat.info/. Rich Carroll is a writer and avid health advocate now living in Chicago.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rich_Carroll


http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Get-the-Most-From-Our-Fruits-and-Vegetables&id=8816146


 

Friday, 28 November 2014

Superfoods That Enhance Your Life


    
In the past few years there has been a strong interest in natural foods and getting away from processed foods that are increasingly causing health problems such as diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. But, what are superfoods? Superfoods are grown in the earth and have extraordinary nutrition and health benefits. They are nutrient rich natural foods that have a high content of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. All parts of the body from the brain to the immune system are nourished through consuming these plant based foods. Superfoods should be consumed in raw and organic form to retain their high level of enzymes, which are broken down when cooked. Let's take a closer look at the top five superfoods.

Goji Berries
Packed with nutrients and orange-red in color, the Chinese have been growing and harvesting the goji berries for nearly 5000 years. The Chinese believe that this extraordinary fruit can significantly extend your life. Goji berries are also available in the United States, and grown in the Southwest desert regions. Goji berries boost immune function, stamina, strength, longevity, and improve vision. Their main function is to boost the body's natural healing process through its potent variety of nutrients. If you're using warfarin, or other blood thinners, you may want to consult your doctor first before consuming goji berries. As we age, HGH (Human Growth Hormone) decreases, causing the metabolism to slow down, and increase the appearance of aging. Goji berries are also known to stimulate HGH production, which is essential to longevity. A handful of dried goji berries can be consumed daily as part of a healthy diet.

Cacao
If this superfood sounds familiar, it is. The cacao bean is the source of all chocolate products. Cacao is the seed, or bean, encased within a fruit grown in Central and South America. Cacao trees grow well in tropical environments slightly below the equator. The Mayans and Aztecs held cacao as extremely precious, and traded it instead of gold as currency. Cacao has the highest level of antioxidants of any food group available. Antioxidants can prevent cell damage, age related health conditions, and illnesses. Cacao contains anandamide, and is only found in the cacao plant. Anandamide is known as the "bliss chemical", according to David Wolfe, and is a natural endorphin released after exercise or strenuous activity. Consuming cacao makes you feel good longer. Cacao also cleanses the cardiovascular system, by keeping the white blood cells and blood vessel walls from becoming sticky. For you chocolate lovers, 60-70% cacao content dark chocolate will have the most health benefits, while avoiding the bitter taste of chocolate above 70% cacao content.
Maca
Maca has been grown in the Andes mountains of South America for over 2,000 years. It is grown for its radish like root, and can be yellow or purple in color. It is nicknamed "Peruvian Ginseng." When harvested, it is dried, powdered, or cooked. Research has shown maca to increase fertility in animals. Maca is known for its properties that enhance strength, stamina, and sex drive. It also increases oxygen in the blood, reducing stress levels. Thyroid problems can be reduced by regular intake of maca. Maca can be consumed by simply adding the powder to shakes, smoothies, or any beverage. A teaspoon daily is the recommended dose. Rotating by taking a few days on and off is recommended.

Bee Products
Honey, bee pollen, and royal jelly are all products produced by bees. Bees produce honey as a food source for times when food is scarce, honey provides them with much needed energy. Honey has healing properties and is very easy to digest. It is commonly used for its medicinal properties. It's also popular as an alternative to sugar. A barista at Starbucks told me that honey takes away the bitter, acidic taste of certain coffees, giving it a smoother, richer taste. Bee pollen contains vitamin B9, and amino acids, and is a great source of protein, providing an energy boost. It is also loaded with antioxidants that increase longevity. Bee pollen is also known to increase strength, stamina, and energy levels. Royal jelly is a thick, milky substance that is fed exclusively to larvae that are to become queen bees. It is known for its powerful, stimulating effects, similar to caffeine intake, but it has no negative side effects. Bee products have so many health benefits that a complete article can be written on these products alone.

Spirulina
Spirulina is a blue green algae that grow in fresh water lakes, rivers, and streams. It is a basic food source for all marine life. Spirulina has a tremendous amount of nutrients, protein, vitamins, and antioxidants. It contains 60% protein in dried form, making it the most concentrated form of protein of any food known. The extremely high content of protein builds muscle, strength, and enhances endurance. The United Nations for the last 40 years, has been endorsing the global production of spirulina as the perfect food source for the future. It should be consumed in raw form, and not cooked. Spirulina can be added to drinks, smoothies, shakes, soups, salad dressings, and directly on food.

And there you have it, the Top 5 superfoods that can keep you healthy, increase longevity and energy levels, and keep you feeling great!
 
Visit me at http://www.caregivingandliving.com/main
It's a story of my 14 year journey of taking care of my aging Mom.
You can get a free report on caregiving on the website.
It also has tips on healthy diet, supplements, exercise, and more!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kent_Ochiai

http://ezinearticles.com/?Superfoods-That-Enhance-Your-Life&id=8814538
 

Thursday, 27 November 2014

Top 10 Foods That Detox Your Body and Cleanse Your Liver



Our liver is super important to keep our body healthy and clean. It converts nutrients, burns fat, stores vitamins and minerals, produces proteins and enzymes, and eliminates toxins and other waste materials. It performs so many vital functions that it is no wonder that it’s so prone to disease.

Our world is getting more toxic by the day. Pesticides, air pollution, GMOs, processed foods, chemical-laden cosmetic and household products are putting an extra weight on our body. Especially your liver will have to work extra hours to clean this mess up.

Here are the top 10 foods you may want to add to your daily diet to help support and heal your liver.

1.      Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are packed with health promoting nutrients that increase bile flow and help cleanse your liver and eliminate heavy metals, pesticides, and herbicides. Leafy greens include spinach, kale, dandelion, arugula, bok choy, watercress, and chard.

2.      Garlic

Its sulfur-containing compounds activate the liver enzymes to eliminate more toxins from the body. Allicin and selenium, also found in garlic, are 2 other powerful compounds which protect the liver from toxic damage.

3.      Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, increase glucosinolate, which is known to flush out carcinogens and other waste materials.

4.      Avocado

Avocados are the best food to help repair a damaged liver. Some studies suggest that only eating 1 to 2 avocado a week for 30 days can have a tremendous effect. Not only do they help repair your liver, avocados also protect it against toxic overload and boost your liver to work more efficiently.

5.      Turmeric

And why not try and sprinkle some turmeric on your avocado to enhance its effect? Turmeric protects the liver against toxins, improves bile flow, and can also aid the regeneration of damaged cells.

6.      Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C which boosts the production of liver enzymes responsible for processing and eliminating toxins, fat, and other harmful substances.

7.      Beets

Beets are a good sources of plant flavonoids and beta-carotene which improve the overall functions of the liver.

8.      Apples

Apples are loaded with pectin to cleanse and eliminate toxins and waste from your digestive tract, which puts less pressure on your liver.

9.      Asparagus

Asparagus is a natural diuretic which aids the elimination of toxins and takes the pressure of your liver and kidneys.

10.Green Tea

This liver friendly beverage is packed with antioxidants, catechins, which assist the liver and help to flush out toxins and fat.

http://blogs.naturalnews.com/top-10-foods-detox-body-cleanse-liver/

Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Water, Essential For Normal Body Function, Prevents Kidney Stones, Prevents Constipation

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If you were to run your car without water (coolant) in the radiator, it would stop running in a short period of time. Yet people who maintain their cars religiously fail to maintain their own body radiators. And since every cell in our bodies requires water to transport vitamins, minerals, glucose, and numerous other nutrients to the most remote locations in the body, not supplying the body with what it needs to accomplish this task just isn't the smart thing to do.

The average person loses about 2% of their body weight in perspiration and urine every day. If you are active, over the age of 55, large in stature, or sick, you will lose more than that.

To make sure you drink enough water, the brain has special sensors that monitor sodium levels in the blood. When the Sodium level rises, that indicates a low water level in the body. The brain then sends a signal which tweaks your thirst sensors and you head for the water cooler. As we get older, however, those thirst sensors become less sensitive than they were when you were younger. As a result, older people do not drink as much water as they should.

We all know smoking is bad for your heart. Not drinking enough water could be just as bad for your heart. And drinking soft drinks, coffee, or beer will not help the heart at all. Drinking water will prevent kidney stones, and if you ever had to pass a kidney stone you will be a water lover for life. Men say it's like having to pee razor blades and women say the pain is worse than the pain of child birth.

So how can you tell if your body needs water? Try this simple test. After urination, check the color of your urine. If it is clear or pale yellow, you're OK. If it is deep yellow or darker, you need more water in your system. To assure accuracy, do not perform this test in the morning.
OK, so we know water can prevent blood clots and kidney stones. What else can it do? 

Water can keep your stools soft which prevents constipation, the major cause of hemorrhoids, diverticular disease, and even prevent colon cancer. So you can safely say the consumption of water in sufficient quantities plays a major role in the prevention of colon cancer, diverticular disease, and hemorrhoids.

Water is also a major fatigue buster. How many times have you been watching a sporting event when, during a time-out, a sweaty seemingly fatigued player is seen consuming water? Then after the time-out they seem to have found a new source of energy. They actually have, and here are the mechanics of the process.

When they became dehydrated, the cells throughout their entire bodies started to become dry. To replenish the lost fluid their bodies drew it from the most convenient source, the bloodstream. This action made the blood thick and harder to pump. The thick blood required the heart to work harder resulting in a reduction in the energy level of the athlete. And they don't have to go bone dry to feel the adverse effects.

Trying to lose weight? Have a drink of water. Feeling hungry? Have a drink of water. Water has few calories and fills you up so that hungry feeling goes away. And if you drink ice water you actually burn calories because your body will try to raise the temperature of the cold water to body temperature (98.6 degrees). This process causes the body to burn a little less than one calorie per ounce of water. So if you drink eight glasses of ice water a day, you will burn somewhere in the neighborhood of 62 calories, 434 calories a week and you didn't even break a sweat.
 
Consuming water helps all of us, men and women, young and older. And the consumption of water can have a positive impact on numerous ailments we all may have. There are, however, numerous ailments that effect mainly women and as a result, I have written a book that addresses many of those ailments. It's titled Health Springs Eternal, A Holistic Approach To Women's Health Issues.
 
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_Sauciron

http://ezinearticles.com/?Water,-Essential-For-Normal-Body-Function,-Prevents-Kidney-Stones,-Prevents-Constipation&id=8815294

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

10 Health Benefits Of Green Apples

 
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Green apples provide a huge range of health and beauty benefits, especially when compared to red apples. There are various types of apples — the sweet ones being the most common. Green apples, on the other hand, are more the sweet and sour type (this is popularly classified as cooking apples).

The sweet and sour variety are amazing, as well. Here are some general benefits and perks you can find:

They offer a humongous range of health benefits, being used in the wine industry, in cooking, and, commonly they are specially grown for their healthy oils.

Green apples possess glossy skin, along with a juicy flesh. They’re high in fiber and help keep the digestive tract clean and healthy.

That’s not all, of course — these wondrous fruits offer loads of other benefits. Read on to learn about both the health and beauty benefits of green apples.

The Various Health Benefits of Green Apples
As mentioned, there are various green apple benefits. Here are just a few prominent health benefits of green apples:

1.)Dietary fiber content. The first and most important green apple benefit is its dietary fiber content, which helps in the regulation of the bowel movements and thereby helps in the overall digestive process.

2.)Decreases chance of colon cancer. Due to the high fiber content, green apples in turn offer another great benefit — the drastic reduction in the possibility of colon cancer.

3.)No bad cholesterol. Green apples have the benefit of giving your stomach a sense of satisfaction, so you don’t tend to overeat with them. Moreover, green apples don’t contain any bad cholesterol. Therefore, one can easily reduce their weight and still remain healthy by consuming green apples.

4.)Lower cholesterol. As already mentioned, one of the major green apple benefits is the high fiber content. These high levels of fiber can help to reduce cholesterol already present in the body.

5.)Easing digestion. If you’ve consumed something heavy and are worried about whether your stomach can take it, you could just go ahead and have a green apple. Green apples can help ease the digestion, due to the enzymes present in the apple.

6.)Reduction of liver and digestive tract issues. Green apples also reduce liver problems and can help prevent digestive tract problems.

7.)Prevention. Green apples can help prevent diarrhea, as well as constipation and gout. They contain both tartaric as well as Maleic acid, thereby helping to reduce the chances of indigestion.

8.)Antioxidants. Green apples contain both flavonoid and polyphenol — all forms of antioxidants. Because of this, they can prevent various forms of cancer and DNA damage.

9.)Appetite control. Green apples secrete organic acids that can help your appetite. So, if you suffer from low appetite due to intestinal peristalsis, you can help this by eating green apples.

10.)Energy. Green apples are energy givers. They contain carbohydrates, which are especially good for people playing any form of sport or leading a hectic life.

Bonus: Beauty Benefits of Green Apples
Green apples aren’t just good for one’s health, but they’re also one of the best fruits when it comes to restoring lost beauty. Of course, restoration of your beauty could be considered a health benefit, as these apples help cleanse your skin and keep your teeth and gums healthy. Therefore, in addition to providing health benefits, they’re also natural beauty therapists.

If you’re a person focused on your beauty and skin health, then you’ll certainly reap the benefits of green apples. Green apples contain vitamins A, B, C, as well as E. Hence, this can help in the whitening of skin — they also help keep your skin fresh and glowing.
Skin diseases can also be controlled by the consumption of green apples. Therefore, if you or anyone in your family suffers from rashes or any other form of skin condition, you could always enlighten them with this green apple benefit.


Lastly, here’s a list of small, but huge green apple benefits: they help purify blood, keep the gums healthy (and therefore even the heart), help in keeping the teeth clean, memory is enhanced (and elderly nervous problems could be reduced), gallstones could be prevented, and the control and cure of rheumatism can occur, as well.

Source: hubpages.com

http://www.healthdigezt.com/10-health-benefits-of-green-apples/

Monday, 24 November 2014

Antiviral Drink Prepared with Only 3 Ingredients, Highly Effective!

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Antiviral-Drink-600x330
  
During the autumn and winter, the body is exposed to all sorts of viruses and colds, but there is a mixture which will successfully protect it…
All the ingredients are simple and easy to get, especially in the folk medicine: lemon, ginger and honey.

Everybody is familiar with the advantages of the lemon, which in addition to vitamin C, also contains organic acids, improves the immunity and it is recommended for colds, while the ginger is absolutely magical and multi-beneficial root.

The using of ginger stimulates the mucus secretion and thereby relieves the cough and the pain in the throat. The ginger has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-toxic properties, and therefore it is used for prevention from flu and colds.

The ginger is also anti-histamine, and it is therefore used against allergies. The ginger has anti-inflammatory properties.

The chemical compounds which are contained in the ginger, are useful in preventing the process of biosynthesis of prostaglandins, which is responsible for causing inflammation.

For the preparation of the antiviral drink you will need:
– 2 small lemons or 1 big lemon, with the peel
– 1 medium ginger root
– 1 glass jar
– 200 ml of raw honey, according to your taste


Preparation:
Wash the lemon, peel the ginger. Cut them into small slices.
Put them in a blender. Add the honey and stir. Put the mixture into a clean jar, close it with a lid. Keep it in the refrigerator.

Consumption:
You can take one tablespoon a day, and for children 1 teaspoon a day. Also, you can add it into tea and other hot drinks.


http://complete-health-and-happiness.com/antiviral-drink-prepared-3-ingredients-highly-effective/


 

Sunday, 23 November 2014

Saturday, 22 November 2014

12 Superfoods That Warm You Up

Tomato-soup
 

Cozy up with warm foods

As the temperature drops, don’t be tempted to warm your belly with rich macaroni and cheese and creamy soup. Instead, get that toasty feeling from superfoods: healthy eats that are loaded with nutrients, antioxidants, and immune-boosting powers that your body needs to power itself through cold weather. Read on to find the best hot foods to eat on chilly days and a few healthy tidbits to prepare them for ultimate nutrition.

Oatmeal

When it gets cooler, it’s the perfect time to break out the oatmeal. Oats are a whole grain, so you’ll get a dose of fiber and plant-based protein to stop hunger with just one bowl. Plus, oatmeal contains a powerful starch called beta-glucan. Research in Nutrition Reviews found that just 3 grams a day of the beta-glucan in oats may reduce your bad cholesterol levels by 5 to 10%, whether they start out normal or high. You can get extra nutrition if you choose the right toppings too. “To get some healthy fat mixed in, I add almond butter and chia seeds,” says Keri Gans, RD, a dietitian in New York City and author of The Small Change Diet.

Hot chocolate

Curling up with a cup of hot cocoa is one way to feel snug—just nix the sugary powdered mix with marshmallow bits. “When I make it, I like to melt two squares of dark chocolate and stir it into regular or almond milk,” says Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, Health‘s contributing nutrition editor. Adding a little dark chocolate to your diet is a great health booster too. The sweet contains flavonoids, a type of antioxidant thought to reduce the damage caused by free radicals, potential instigators of cancer and cardiovascular disease. A study in the Journal of Immunology Research found that red blood cells were less susceptible to free radicals after people consumed a drink with flavonoid-rich cocoa.
 

Black bean soup

There’s nothing like a soup with cumin and chili pepper to heat you up when things get cold. The nutrition star of this dish, though, is the beans. Black beans are a good source of iron and copper. So sipping on this soup will help your muscles use more oxygen and boost your immune system, Gans says. A typical serving of soup would include nearly a cup of black beans, which provides 15 grams each of protein and fiber. Unlike animal protein sources, black beans contain almost no saturated fat. Research from the American Chemical Society also shows their black skins contain higher levels of the disease-fighting antioxidants flavonoids than any other type of bean.
 

Brussels sprouts

Eating these mini cabbages may just help you fight a cold this fall. In addition to being packed with fiber and cancer-fighting phytonutrients, Brussels sprouts run high in vitamin C at 74.8 milligrams a cup. It won’t prevent the sniffles completely, but vitamin C has been shown to reduce the length of cold symptoms. Though the bitter taste of Brussels sprouts tends to scare some people away, heating them up can make a huge difference in flavor. “I would roast them with olive oil,” Gans says. That will help bring out the sweetness. (You can make these 12 other veggies taste better too.)
 

Pumpkin soup

If you’re lacking vitamin A, the nutrient critical for promoting vision, a dose of pumpkin will do you good, Gans says. Most adult women should be getting 700 micrograms a day, according to the National Institutes of Health. In a serving of soup, you would use a third to a half cup ofpumpkin puree, Gans says. So you could be getting more than a day’s worth of this vitamin in most recipes. Be mindful of a recipe with cream, though, if you’re looking to cut back on calories. Pumpkin also has antioxidant properties thanks to beta-carotene, Gans says. It’s a pigment usually found in bright-colored produce, and it’s thought to have cancer-fighting powers. A study in Anticancer Research treated human breast cells using carotenoids, including beta-carotene and lycopene, and found they canprevent their growth.
 

Chili

The peppers in your stew contain a compound called capsaicin, which gives them their spicy kick. It’s also thought to boost metabolism and fight the buildup of fat. When paired with a high-fat diet, capsaicin was found to decrease body weight by 8%, according to an animal study conducted by Korean researchers. No matter the variety, the beans in chili also pack protein to help you build muscle. That’s not all. Tomato paste is rich in lycopene, and the onions provide unique antioxidants, Sass says. Think about cutting back on the meat in your chili from time to time though. A National Institutes of Health study found that men and women who consumed the most red meat were at increased risk for death from cancer and cardiovascular disease.
 

Avocado

There’s a way to enjoy this creamy fruit when it’s chilly. “Oven roasting avocado makes it even creamier,” Sass says. “Chop it up warm and put on top of another vegetable.” Bonus: about half of the fat of avocado comes from monounsaturated fat, which helps lower your bad cholesterol levels and provide nutrients for cells to function, according to the American Heart Association. They might also help you stay full. A study in Nutrition Journal found that eating a meal with avocado increased satisfaction by 23% over a five-hour period. Just watch your portion size: a serving is just one-fifth of an avocado.

Walnuts

Walnuts are good any time of year, but they make a lovely roasted snack in the fall. “Walnuts toast awesome on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 5 minutes,” Sass says. Lightly misting with oil and adding seasonings like pepper can up the flavor in a healthy way. Even better, walnuts are rich inalpha-linolenic acid (ALA), one omega-3 fat thought to boost heart health. In the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, a study found that people who ate a diet of walnuts, walnut oil, and flax oil had reduced resting blood pressure and blood flow resistance in their arteries than those who ate a diet lower in ALA.
 

Apples

Baked apples make the perfect sweet treat for fall. The fruit packs soluble and insoluble fiber. One slows digestion and the other helps food pass through your system more smoothly. That means less hunger and tummy troubles. Just make sure you leave the skins on—they’re a more concentrated source of fiber than the flesh, says Melissa Rifkin, RD, a bariatric dietitian at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. An unpeeled medium-sized apple contains 4.4 grams of fiber. “If you sprinkle some cinnamon on top you get more antioxidants,” Rifkin says. Plus, apples are made up of nearly 86% water, so munching on the fruit will help you stay hydrated as you bundle up.
 

Sweet potatoes

Like pumpkin, sweet potatoes are particularly high in vitamin A. One baked, medium-sized spud contains 438% of your daily value. Plus, you’ll get nearly 4 grams of fiber—mostly found in the skin—to fill your tummy. Sweet potatoes are also rich in vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and a bit of iron. “If you bake the sweet potato by itself, it’s generally a low-calorie food,” Rifkin says. Just try to avoid slathering fatty butter or margarine on top. A better bet: rosemary. It has B vitamins and cancer-fighting phytochemicals, Rifkin says. The compounds are thought to block carcinogens from acting on your body’s tissues, according to the American Cancer Society. Bonus: a little rosemary will give your sweet potatoes amazing flavor.
 

Squash

In addition to having some calcium and vitamin C, most varieties of squash are high in potassium. A study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found a diet high in potassium (while also curbing sodium) could reduce risk of stroke by 21% and lower odds of developing heart disease. Squash is also rich in vitamin A and contains hunger-busting fiber. Take one of Rifkin’s favorites, butternut squash. A cup of baked cubes has 457% of your daily vitamin A, 7 grams of fiber, and just 82 calories. Even better, you can warm up all its parts. Bake the insides and season with garlic salt, pepper, even cumin or turmeric, Rifkin suggests. “You could also take out the seeds and bake them like pumpkin seeds,” Rifkin says.
 

Ginger tea

If you’re thinking of reaching for a cup of tea, opt for a brew with ginger. “Ginger has thermogenic properties that can keep you warm,” Rifkin says. Because of its heating powers, ginger may also boost metabolism and promote blood flow. A study in Metabolism had one group of men consume 2 grams of ginger powder in a hot drink with their breakfast. Researchers found the men who drank the ginger beverage reported less hunger and greater fullness a few hours later than those who didn’t consume the ginger. Adding the spice to your tea could also help relieve body aches, like the ones you get after an intense workout. In a study for the International Journal of Preventative Medicine, one group of female athletes took three grams of ginger daily and reported less muscle soreness after six weeks than those who didn’t receive ginger.
 
http://www.healthdigezt.com/12-superfoods-that-warm-you-up/