There is so much information about what is healthy and nutritious these days that it is very difficult to sort out the hype from the truth. Following a healthy diet can be accomplished by making some simple adjustments to your current diet.
There is so much information about what is healthy and nutritious these days that it is very difficult to sort out the hype from the truth. Following a healthy diet can be accomplished by making some simple adjustments to your current diet.
If you think it is just too much trouble to make some simple changes to improve your family’s diet, think again. Most people do not realize the incredible impact that a healthy diet has on our bodies, making the difference between poor health and good health.
Along with regular physical activity, a healthy diet is the most important factor that determines your weight. If you are overweight or obese, your chances of developing many diseases or conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers, increase significantly.
EASY STEPS TO A HEALTHY DIET
Your first step to following a healthy diet is to make sure you include food from all food groups. Vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, legumes, lean proteins and low fat milk products should all be incorporated into your daily diet.
*VEGETABLES – A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also contributes to a healthy weight, reducing your risk of obesity and the conditions associated with it. There are a multitude of vegetables to choose from, the healthiest being dark green vegetables like broccoli, lettuces, and kale, orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash, and red vegetables like red peppers and tomatoes.
*FRUITS – Eat a variety of fruits each day, canned, dried, fresh or frozen. Stay away from fruit juices as they can be high in sugar. (Unless you make the juice yourself.)
*WHOLE GRAINS – Choose whole grain cereals, breads, rice, and pasta. Read the food label and make sure the grain that is listed such as wheat, rice, oats or corn is referred to as WHOLE in the list of ingredients. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
*LEGUMES – This class of vegetable includes beans, peas and lentils. They are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, are high in protein, and have phytochemicals, compounds that help prevent heart disease and cancer. They are also a good source of fiber. Add pinto, kidney, black and garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils to your daily diet.
*LEAN PROTEINS – Choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Bake, broil, or grill it. Do not fry! Beans, nuts and seeds also provide protein.
*LOW-FAT MILK PRODUCTS – Eat low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese or low-fat milk every day. Dairy products can lower your risk of diabetes and help build strong bones, reducing your risk of osteoporosis.
There are a variety of foods that should not be present in your diet except in very small amounts. These foods, such as sugars, alcohol, and some fats, contribute to diseases and poor health.
*SUGARS – Avoid foods containing sugar. You know what they are! Always check food labels to see how much sugar is present as some foods contain sugar that may surprise you.
*ALCOHOL – Avoid alcohol. If you must drink, limit intake to one drink a day. Alcohol can increase your risk of many conditions including some types of cancers.
*FATS – There are different kinds of fat in our foods. Some are detrimental to your health and others are very healthy.
1. Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and avocados)
2. Polyunsaturated fats (safflower, sesame, sunflower seeds)
These fats raise your good cholesterol levels. To stick to a healthy diet, choose foods with these fats.
3. Saturated fat and trans fatty acids raise your bad cholesterol levels, contributing to your risk of heart disease. Limit your intake.
Saturated fats are found in beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk dairy products and can be present in processed foods like frozen dinners and some canned food. Always check food labels before purchasing.
Trans fatty acids, the kind of fats that increase the risk of heart disease, are formed during the process of creating cooking oils, shortening, and margarine and are found in commercially fried foods, some baked goods, and crackers. When checking food labels, make sure the ingredients do not include hydrogenated fats.
Following a healthy diet is a necessary step for the improved health of you and your family. It is not difficult to make the simple changes necessary to change an unhealthy diet to a healthy one. The advantages, better health, longer life, and more energy, far outweigh any inconveniences you may experience.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
What IS a Healthy Diet
Aromatherapy Bathing. What Essential Oils Can Be Used
Long before the term alternative medicine was being used, aromatherapy was being practiced by the Egyptians for over 5,000 years. When being used by the Egyptians oil was being extracted from the many aromatic plants around them through infusion and then used for their not only cosmetic and medicinal purposes but also for embalming as well.
Long before the term alternative medicine was being used, aromatherapy was being practiced by the Egyptians for over 5,000 years. When being used by the Egyptians oil was being extracted from the many aromatic plants around them through infusion and then used for their not only cosmetic and medicinal purposes but also for embalming as well. They then passed the knowledge they had gained on to the Greeks and it served as the beginning of their research into how to use the oils and fragrance of some flowers for their relaxing and stimulating effects. In fact when looking back further in history we find that ancient man depended very much on his environment for their basic needs and to survive which led them to discover the more natural ways of preserving food and how certain conditions could be treated using herbs and aromatics.
First of all we will look at Eastern Roots. The use of aromatics are shown in a Chinese Herbal Book by Shen Nung dated 2,700 BC and which provides specific details on over 300 plants and how they can be used. Also the ancient Chinese would burn incense and wood as part of their religious beliefs and practices and even in today’s modern society many Chinese still observe these practices today. You will also discover that the Chinese used aromatics in relation to the acupressure, massage and other therapies that they used.
Whilst now in modern society many people place a very high premium on their health and well being but due to the high cost of traditional and conventional medicines available (surgery and Medicare) more and more people are turning to aromatherapy and essential oil therapy as well as other forms of alternative medicine.
The basics of using essential oils in an aromatherapy bath are as follows:-
1. It facilitates equilibrium of both the physical, mental and spiritual health of a person through natural means.
2. In some cases it has been found that alternative treatments are considered as strong and effective as complementary treatments to regular medical practices.
3. The main component of aromatherapy is the essential oils and are highly concentrated essences which are known for their healing effects.
Essentials oils are aroma producing oils which come from flowers such as the rose, from leaves such as basil, twig, bark, fruit rind and many other parts of plants. Although experts say that extracting the oils can be quite time consuming and complex and requires a large amount of patience on behalf of the person carrying out the work the benefits at the end are great. Certainly you need to recognize and accept that if you want to get about 5 tsp of oil from rose petals it will take about 220lbs of petals to do it and this is why pure essential oils are so expensive. Although the effectiveness of the oils is not comprised as it only takes a few drops to generate the effect required. However there is a cheaper alternative namely synthetic oil, however they do not offer the person the same healing properties as their natural counterparts.
Essential oils work by stimulating a person’s olfactory system and later on the brain or limbic system. The fragrance along with other properties and effects relating to the oils will determine how a person’s body system and its parts are stimulated. Whilst having a massage using these oils they are not only absorbed by the body but are inhaled at the same time and eventually when being absorbed through the skin they will reach the organs and body system of the person being treated. The time it takes for the oils to absorb through the skin can be from as little as 20 minutes and take as long as 2 hours or more and there it is wise to avoid taking a shower or bath straight after any massage so that the maximum effect is received from the massage therapy.
The time that the effect lasts on a person can vary from 3-24 hours to 2-3 days or even as long as week. Oils that have a short live time span in regard to their scent are Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Thyme and Bergamot whilst Hyssop, Lavender, Balm and various other oils can last between 2 to 3 days. The oils that take as long as a week to completely evaporate are Jasmine, Sandalwood, Ginger and Cedar Wood.
Many people when using aromatherapy are looking to achieve a sense of calm in their lives and these people will look to using a combination of three types of oils to help with this and they will base them on how long they last. They can be used by mixing them into a warm bath and will help the person to become relaxed and calm, they will help to eliminate the stress and depression that they are feeling as well as both energizing and soothing the body of any aches that they are feeling. Certainly by using essential oils during a massage will help increase the healing and calming effect that the person is feeling. However any massage carried out using essential oils must also include a carrier oil to help prevent irritation and skin reactions on the person being treated. Such carrier oils that are used to help dilute the essential oils are avocado oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, wheat germ oil, almond oil, soya oil and hazelnut oil.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Diabetes, Blood Pressure And Bad Cholesterol Cause Heart Ailment
Diseases are best fought when those in the high-risk bracket understand as to what are the risk factors involved. It is true that you cannot avoid the genetic factor but you can still keep the situation in your control by making a few changes in your current approach to life and living.
Diseases are best fought when those in the high-risk bracket understand as to what are the risk factors involved. It is true that you cannot avoid the genetic factor but you can still keep the situation in your control by making a few changes in your current approach to life and living.
Bad Cholesterol is supposed to be a major culprit in case of heart diseases. It is a type of a lipid, a soft, fat-like substance. Atherosclerotic plaque, which can cause blockage of blood flow in the arteries and can also cause heart attack, can develop due to excess of cholesterol. Popular by the name of Bad cholesterol, LDL cholesterol gets deposited on the walls of arteries and is transported to different sites throughout the body where new hormones are developed and cell membranes are repaired. On the other hand the Good cholesterol called HDL cholesterol, carries cholesterol to the liver where the alteration process is done, after which it is removed from the body.
According to the physicians, the blood pressure level of a normal person is less than 130 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure and less than 85 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure. Every individual should get his blood pressure checked at least once in every two years so as to know the status, and if any increase is found, the treatment should be started forthwith. If your blood pressure level is little higher than normal then get it checked once a year, and take good care if it is very high and then get multiple measurements to check out whether it remains that high all the time or fluctuates. Immediate medical attention is a must in such cases.
If you are suffering from diabetes, which is a chronic disease of insulin deficiency or resistance, then you are more prone to heart disease. On the other hand if you are suffering from type 2 diabetes then you can easily avoid it by losing your weight either through exercise or by taking balanced nutrition.
If you smoke, stop smoking immediately because it affects your lungs very badly, and not just heart diseases, it may also lead to many other problems.
A daily 30 minutes physical exercise or fast walking can keep you away from heart diseases and can also be helpful in controlling obesity.
Minimize your daily alcohol intake to three ounces or less. It would definitely be a healthy step. Include fresh fruits and vegetables, sufficient amount of potassium, calcium and magnesium in your daily diet. Avoid saturated fats and cholesterol to keep your heart healthy. Just a little care and a little awareness is all it takes to keep heart diseases at bay.
Can B Vitamins Fix Your Thyroid Problems?
Imagine one day the station wagon you rely on to get you the office, ferry around the kids, and haul the weekly groceries home suddenly breaks down. You take it to the garage and the mechanic there tells you he doesn�t know exactly what�s wrong, but he has a quick-fix solution: push the car everywhere you want to go! You can still do all the things you relied on your station wagon for, only now you have to help it along a little.
Imagine one day the station wagon you rely on to get you the office, ferry around the kids, and haul the weekly groceries home suddenly breaks down. You take it to the garage and the mechanic there tells you he doesn�t know exactly what�s wrong, but he has a quick-fix solution: push the car everywhere you want to go! You can still do all the things you relied on your station wagon for, only now you have to help it along a little. Time to get a new mechanic, right? Yet when you want to treat your thyroid problem, your physician will often recommend you take a course of thyroxin, or other thyroid hormones. This is the job of your thyroid gland! It produces the hormones triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxin (T4), which control weight, heart rate, skin conditions, and energy levels of body, plus much more. By controlling your thyroid problem with artificial T hormones you�re not treating the problem but doing all the work instead, lugging around your thyroid gland like a broken-down Ford Woody.
But is there any alternative? We can�t trade in our thyroid gland for a new model, but the treatment of thyroid disease and thyroid problems is possible with the help of B vitamins. The B vitamins are a group of similar, but not identical, nutrients that work together and are vital to every function of your body and especially in providing immune support. Why is providing immune system support relevant to the treatment of thyroid problems? Firstly, we need to look at thyroid disease and related problem in more detail.
Under- and Over-active Thyroid Problems: Why?
Thyroid disease can arise from either an under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism) or an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) gland. With hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland makes less thyroid hormone than the body needs. Symptoms of this thyroid problem include:
Weight gain, constipation, depression,
Fatigue, weakness, nervousness, insomnia,
Immune system problems and poor memory.
That�s right, hypothyroidism patients often have weak immune systems and are more prone to infections. What�s more, the cause of hypothyroidism is often down to a weak immune system. Suddenly, B vitamins used for the treatment of thyroid disease is looking interesting.
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism, and over production of thyroid hormones, include:
Accelerated heart rate, weight loss, diarrhea
Muscle weakness, sensitivity to heat, and sleeping difficulties
Irregular menstrual cycles in women, coarse skin, and hair loss
The cause of hyperthyroidism is linked to Graves� disease, an autoimmune disorder, in which antibodies responsible for protecting the body mistakenly attack the thyroid gland, causing over-stimulation and too many T hormones in the body.
B Vitamins and Thyroid Disease
The first step in fixing a problem is knowing the problem. Thyroid disease, be it an over-active or under-active thyroid gland, is closely linked with a healthy immune system. As B vitamins are crucial in the healthy functioning of the immune system, they are also crucial in the healthy function of the thyroid gland. What�s more, when thyroid problems occur, extra supplements of B vitamins can be used to treat the disease, and get your thyroid gland firing on all cylinders once again.
Are the foods you are eating keeping you in pain?
Try An Anti-Inflammatory Diet: It Could Be The Answer To Eliminating Your Pain
When I say �Inflammation�, thoughts of painful joints, muscles, swelling and loss of mobility probably comes to mind. But did you know that recent research shows that chronic inflammation in your body can lead to serious disease such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and Alzheimer's disease, to name just a few?
Try An Anti-Inflammatory Diet: It Could Be The Answer To Eliminating Your Pain
When I say �Inflammation�, thoughts of painful joints, muscles, swelling and loss of mobility probably comes to mind. But did you know that recent research shows that chronic inflammation in your body can lead to serious disease such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and Alzheimer's disease, to name just a few?
The amount of inflammation in our body varies and is dependent on may circumstances like activity level, amount of sleep or stress in our lives and even the foods we eat. Now what you have to realize is that these factors are all accumulative and as the levels increase the risk for disease increases.
Now early in life these levels can be so low that you would not even know that you have any inflammation in your body and that is because our bodies do a fair job at controlling the inflammation at least for a while, and than one day you wake up and you are in your 40�s and something is just not write and than the fear sets in and you think to your self what did I do, what did I do wrong or what can I do right now to help my self.
Well, the first step is to get your C-Reactive Protein levels tested, you will need to ask you Doctor and may even demand to have the test done, all it takes is a blood sample and than have your levels evaluated by your Doctor and even by a registered dietician to help you formulate a plan of care because our diets can play a large part in achieving optimal health.
If you have pain from inflammation you may choose to take the traditional �medical� path for inflammation such as, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID�s), steroids and even joint replacement surgery in severe cases. The good news is that there are more natural ways to fight inflammation, and they do not have the undesirable side effects caused by most typical medical treatments.
What You Eat Makes All The Difference
The food we eat is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to controlling inflammation. The average American diet consists of high fat, high sugar, loads of red meat and a frightening amount of processed foods. These are all likely to increase inflammation, not to mention contributing to obesity, yet another high-inflammatory culprit. By switching to an Anti-Inflammatory Diet plan made up of healthy, whole foods, you can actually decrease inflammation and in turn ease the pain and discomfort associated with it.
The first step is to avoid processed foods, foods high in sugar and junk food whenever possible. Instead choose fresh, whole foods including anti-inflammatory varieties like lean proteins, fruits and vegetables. But choose carefully, in fact even some vegetables and pre-packaged �health� foods can work against you. Use this quick list of the best and worst foods in controlling inflammation:
Anti-inflammatory foods
Atlantic Salmon- (wild)
Fresh whole fruits, vegetables
Bright multi-colored vegetables
Green tea
Water
Olive oil
Lean poultry
Nuts, legumes and seeds
Dark green leafy vegetables
Old fashioned oatmeal
Spices, especially Turmeric and Ginger
Pro-inflammatory foods
Sugar, from any source
Processed foods
French Fries
Fast Foods
White bread
Pasta
Ice Cream
Cheddar Cheeses
Snack Foods
Oils such as vegetable and corn
Soda, caffeine and alcohol
In addition to these dietary changes it is also recommended that you:
- Maintain a healthy weight - There is no question that �Heating Healthy� is not easy now days, either at home or at a restaurant. But you must at least start to do these three things. Decrease your sugars, Decrease your hydrogenated oils and increase your daily intake of fiber to 35 grams, that is a ton of fiber but just try, you may hit it, you may not, the point is try to.
- Get better sleep � 7 to 9 hour is mandatory for optimal health and the one thing that most people do not know it that quality sleep is the key to controlling systemic inflammation.
- Relax more often to lower stress levels � Find time for yourself, morning, noon and night and focus on your breathing and clear the clutter in your mind, learn to stay focused on the most important tasks in your life.
- Exercise on a regular basis � Everyone always asks me what it is the best exercise to do and all I can say is �Do something you like to do, granted you can tolerate it, shoot for 15 to 20 minutes 3 times a week.
- Demand to have you CRP levels tested � This simple blood test is the best indicator of the level of systemic inflammation in your body, It is recommended that you have the levels evaluated by an certified health care provider to take the most appropriate action for you and your condition.
So if you are in pain and you are going to make a conscious choose to help your self get better than�
Making these changes to your diet and lifestyle will most certainly improve your overall health and help reduce the pain from inflammation. If you would like more information about reducing inflammation naturally and effectively click the link below to learn more. http://www.losethebackpain.com
What you can do today for Arthritis, to get your life back!
Red, burning, swollen and so stiff you don�t want to move�that�s what those who suffer from arthritis experience on a daily basis. If you know this all to well, you are probably one of the 46 million Americans (that�s 1 out of every 5 people) that are living with arthritis every day. To better understand how to get relief from this debilitating disease we need to dive deeper into its root cause.
Red, burning, swollen and so stiff you don�t want to move�that�s what those who suffer from arthritis experience on a daily basis. If you know this all to well, you are probably one of the 46 million Americans (that�s 1 out of every 5 people) that are living with arthritis every day. To better understand how to get relief from this debilitating disease we need to dive deeper into its root cause.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis actually means joint (arthr) inflammation (itis). Arthritis can be used to define a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and other conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints or any part of your body. Additionally, it can damage the joint cartilage which can lead to joint weakness, instability and visible deformities that can interfere and, in severe cases, limit a person�s ability to perform most basic daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, using a computer keyboard, washing dishes or brushing your teeth. Arthritis can affect anyone regardless of age and most commonly affects joints in the knees, hips, hands and spine. If left undiagnosed and not treated properly, arthritis can cause irreversible damage to the joints, bones, organs, and skin. Not to mention dramatically impair your quality of life.
Some of the types of arthritis which are associated with - rheumatoid arthritis
- gout
- tendonitis
- bursitis
- polymyalgia rheumatica
Arthritis-related conditions primarily affect the muscles and the bones but it is also considered to be systemic, affecting the whole body. Arthritis can cause damage to any bodily organ or system, including the lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, skin and even the heart. The Arthritis Foundation sites two independent studies (Brigham and Women�s Hospital in Boston and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota) both of which prove that the widespread inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis is linked to heart disease and an increased risk of early death.
No one really knows the exact cause of arthritis but there are certain risk factors to keep in mind:
Genetics - likely to contribute to risk but no one knows how much.
Age - the older you are the more at risk you become.
Weight - maintaining a healthy weight will ease the load on the joints.
Previous Injury - major injuries are likely to contribute to risk.
Occupational Hazards - repetitive, high demand jobs increase risk.
Certain Sports - high level, high demand sports can contribute to arthritis (however, general exercise is always a plus)
Illness or infection- an infection in the joint or gout can lead to arthritis.
What we do know is that when you have arthritis your immune system goes into over-drive and causes the joints to swell and become inflamed. Therefore, treating the inflammation becomes key in managing the pain and discomfort associated with this condition.
Sadly enough, the Arthritis Foundation reports that half of those Americans with arthritis don�t believe anything can be done to help ease their pain. You may be in that situation yourself, having thrown your hands up in frustration and simply decided to live with your pain. The good news is that by reducing the inflammation you can significantly ease the painful symptoms associated with arthritis.
Here are a few ways to reduce your inflammation:
Exercise - less weight equals less stress on joints
Diet - Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole-grain products; limit sugar, salt and fat (especially saturated fat found in animal products)
Rest - a good balance between rest and activity is the key to joint health
Over-the-counter and prescription medications - while these may provide temporary relief by masking the pain they are not always get to the root of the problem- inflammation. They can also have serious side effects, especially with long-term use.
Natural anti-inflammatory supplements - probably the most promising natural approach to reducing inflammation in a long while. We recommend looking for supplements containing systemic enzymes and all-natural herbal ingredients.
By taking these simple steps to reducing inflammation you will be well on your way to managing your arthritis pain and it devastating effects on your mind and body. Everyone should strive to achieve a healthy and active lifestyle for optimal health and wellbeing.
For more information on Arthritis and the simple steps you can take to control debilitating systemic inflammation at it�s core to finally get your life back go to� http://www.losethebackpain.com
