Recommend below are the secret recipe for healthy drinking.
Carrot + Ginger + Apple
> Boost and cleanse our system.
Apple + Cucumber + Celery
> Prevent cancer, reduce cholesterol, and improve stomach upset and headache.
Tomato + Carrot + Apple
> Improve skin complexion and bad breath.
Bitter gourd + Apple + Milk
> Avoid bad breath and reduce internal body heat.
Orange + Ginger + Cucumber
> Improve skin texture and moisture and reduce body heat.
Pineapple + Apple + Watermelon
> To dispel excess salts, nourishes the bladder and kidney
Apple + Cucumber + Kiwi
> To improves skin complexion.
Pear & Banana
> To regulates sugar content.
Carrot + Apple + Pear + Mango
> Clear body heat, counteracts toxicity, decreased blood pressure and Fight oxidization!
Honeydew + Grape + Watermelon + Milk
> Rich in vitamin C + Vitamin B2 that increases cell
activity and Strengthen body immunity.
Papaya + Pineapple + Milk
> Rich in vitamin C, E, Iron. Improve skin complexion and metabolism.
Banana + Pineapple + Milk
> Rich in Vitamin with nutritious and prevent constipation
August 28, 2008
August 26, 2008
Food as medicine
HEADACHE? EAT FISH!
Eat plenty of fish -- fish oil helps prevent headaches.
So does ginger, which reduces inflammation and pain.
HAY FEVER? EAT YOGURT!
Eat lots of yogurt before pollen season.
Also-eat honey from your area (local region) daily.
TO PREVENT STROKE DRINK TEA!
Prevent buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls with regular doses of tea. (actually, tea suppresses my appetite and keeps the pounds from invading....Green tea is great for our immune system)!
INSOMNIA (CAN'T SLEEP?) HONEY!
Use honey as a tranquilizer and sedative.
ASTHMA? EAT ONIONS!!!!
Eating onions helps ease constriction of bronchial tubes. (when I was young, my mother would make onion packs to place on our chest, helped the respiratory ailments and actually made us breathe better).
ARTHRITIS? EAT FISH, TOO!!
Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines actually prevent arthritis. (fish has omega oils, good for our immune system)
UPSET STOMACH? BANANAS - GINGER!!!!!
Bananas will settle an upset stomach.
Ginger will cure morning sickness and nausea.
BLADDER INFECTION? DRINK CRANBERRY JUICE!!!!
High-acid cranberry juice controls harmful bacteria.
BONE PROBLEMS? EAT PINEAPPLE!!!
Bone fractures and osteoporosis can be prevented by the manganese in pineapple.
PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME? EAT CORNFLAKES!!!!
Women can ward off the effects of PMS with cornflakes, which help reduce depression, anxiety and fatigue.
MEMORY PROBLEMS? EAT OYSTERS!
Oysters help improve your mental functioning by supplying much-needed zinc.
COLDS? EAT GARLIC!
Clear up that stuffy head with garlic. (remember, garlic lowers cholesterol, too.)
COUGHING? USE RED PEPPERS!!
A substance similar to that found in the cough syrups is found in hot red pepper. Use red (cayenne) pepper with caution-it can irritate your tummy.
BREAST CANCER? EAT Wheat, bran and cabbage
Helps to maintain estrogen at healthy levels.
LUNG CANCER? EAT DARK GREEN AND ORANGE AND VEGGIES!!!
A good antidote is beta carotene, a form of Vitamin A found in dark green and orange vegetables.
ULCERS? EAT CABBAGE ALSO!!!
Cabbage contains chemicals that help heal both gastric and duodenal ulcers.
DIARRHEA? EAT APPLES!
Grate an apple with its skin, let it turn brown and eat it to cure this condition. (Bananas are good for this ailment)
CLOGGED ARTERIES? EAT AVOCADO!
Mono unsaturated fat in avocados lowers cholesterol.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? EAT CELERY AND OLIVE OIL!!!
Olive oil has been shown to lower blood pressure.
Celery contains a chemical that lowers pressure too.
BLOOD SUGAR IMBALANCE? EAT BROCCOLI AND PEANUTS!!!
The chromium in broccoli and peanuts helps regulate insulin and blood sugar.
Kiwi:
Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E &fiber. It's Vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.
Apple:
An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low Vitamin C content, it has antioxidants &flavonoids which enhances the activity of Vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.
Strawberry:
Protective fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits &protects the body from cancer causing, blood vessels clogging free radicals. (Actually, any berry is good for you..they're high in anti-oxidants and they actually keep us young.........blueberries are the best and very versatile in the health field........they get rid of all the free-radicals that invade our bodies)
Orange:
Sweetest medicine. Taking 2 - 4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessen the risk of colon cancer.
Watermelon:
Coolest Thirst Quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients
found in watermelon are Vitamin C &Potassium. (watermelon also has natural substances [natural SPF sources] that keep our skin healthy, protecting our skin from those darn suv rays)
Guava & Papaya:
Top awards for Vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high Vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber which helps prevent constipation.
Papaya is rich in carotene, this is good for your eyes. (also good for gas and indigestion)
Tomatoes:
Tomatoes are very good as a preventative measure for men, keeps those prostrate problems from invading their bodies.
Eat plenty of fish -- fish oil helps prevent headaches.
So does ginger, which reduces inflammation and pain.
HAY FEVER? EAT YOGURT!
Eat lots of yogurt before pollen season.
Also-eat honey from your area (local region) daily.
TO PREVENT STROKE DRINK TEA!
Prevent buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls with regular doses of tea. (actually, tea suppresses my appetite and keeps the pounds from invading....Green tea is great for our immune system)!
INSOMNIA (CAN'T SLEEP?) HONEY!
Use honey as a tranquilizer and sedative.
ASTHMA? EAT ONIONS!!!!
Eating onions helps ease constriction of bronchial tubes. (when I was young, my mother would make onion packs to place on our chest, helped the respiratory ailments and actually made us breathe better).
ARTHRITIS? EAT FISH, TOO!!
Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines actually prevent arthritis. (fish has omega oils, good for our immune system)
UPSET STOMACH? BANANAS - GINGER!!!!!
Bananas will settle an upset stomach.
Ginger will cure morning sickness and nausea.
BLADDER INFECTION? DRINK CRANBERRY JUICE!!!!
High-acid cranberry juice controls harmful bacteria.
BONE PROBLEMS? EAT PINEAPPLE!!!
Bone fractures and osteoporosis can be prevented by the manganese in pineapple.
PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME? EAT CORNFLAKES!!!!
Women can ward off the effects of PMS with cornflakes, which help reduce depression, anxiety and fatigue.
MEMORY PROBLEMS? EAT OYSTERS!
Oysters help improve your mental functioning by supplying much-needed zinc.
COLDS? EAT GARLIC!
Clear up that stuffy head with garlic. (remember, garlic lowers cholesterol, too.)
COUGHING? USE RED PEPPERS!!
A substance similar to that found in the cough syrups is found in hot red pepper. Use red (cayenne) pepper with caution-it can irritate your tummy.
BREAST CANCER? EAT Wheat, bran and cabbage
Helps to maintain estrogen at healthy levels.
LUNG CANCER? EAT DARK GREEN AND ORANGE AND VEGGIES!!!
A good antidote is beta carotene, a form of Vitamin A found in dark green and orange vegetables.
ULCERS? EAT CABBAGE ALSO!!!
Cabbage contains chemicals that help heal both gastric and duodenal ulcers.
DIARRHEA? EAT APPLES!
Grate an apple with its skin, let it turn brown and eat it to cure this condition. (Bananas are good for this ailment)
CLOGGED ARTERIES? EAT AVOCADO!
Mono unsaturated fat in avocados lowers cholesterol.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? EAT CELERY AND OLIVE OIL!!!
Olive oil has been shown to lower blood pressure.
Celery contains a chemical that lowers pressure too.
BLOOD SUGAR IMBALANCE? EAT BROCCOLI AND PEANUTS!!!
The chromium in broccoli and peanuts helps regulate insulin and blood sugar.
Kiwi:
Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E &fiber. It's Vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.
Apple:
An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low Vitamin C content, it has antioxidants &flavonoids which enhances the activity of Vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.
Strawberry:
Protective fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits &protects the body from cancer causing, blood vessels clogging free radicals. (Actually, any berry is good for you..they're high in anti-oxidants and they actually keep us young.........blueberries are the best and very versatile in the health field........they get rid of all the free-radicals that invade our bodies)
Orange:
Sweetest medicine. Taking 2 - 4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessen the risk of colon cancer.
Watermelon:
Coolest Thirst Quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients
found in watermelon are Vitamin C &Potassium. (watermelon also has natural substances [natural SPF sources] that keep our skin healthy, protecting our skin from those darn suv rays)
Guava & Papaya:
Top awards for Vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high Vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber which helps prevent constipation.
Papaya is rich in carotene, this is good for your eyes. (also good for gas and indigestion)
Tomatoes:
Tomatoes are very good as a preventative measure for men, keeps those prostrate problems from invading their bodies.
August 21, 2008
Vanilla Magic
Much more than just an ingredient in baked goods, vanilla is a magical flavoring and can do wonders for most foods and beverages. It's also very useful in calming our minds and bodies and helping us to feel good. Here are some thoughts and suggestions for making use of vanilla's magic. For instance, did you know that vanilla is...
an antacid?
Add a few drops to pineapple, fruit salads, or sauces containing citrus, to soften the sharpness and give it extra sweetening. Put a little vanilla in tomato sauces to neutralize the acidity.
a lifter and enhancer?
Add vanilla to give new "life" to flavorless seasonal fruits or other foods that need a flavor boost. Did you know that chocolate by itself tastes "flat" which is why it usually contains vanilla?
an emulsifier?
Add vanilla extract to egg batters (sweet or savory), waffle or pancake mix, baked goods, or cream sauces to smooth and blend overpowering flavors.
a natural sweetener?
Add a few drops of vanilla to vegetables, sweet potatoes, and salad dressings. It increases the natural sweetness of vegetables and provides a delicate, subtle flavor to salads.
an adjunct flavor for seafood, fowl, and meat?
Use with roasted, sautéed or barbequed meats, poultry, wild game or seafood. Split a vanilla bean and place it in a bottle of olive or other quality oils for sautéing meats, poultry, or seafood, or add a few drops of vanilla extract to cooked fish, fowl, or game as well as to sauces and marinades.
a stomach sedative?
Add pure vanilla extract to mineral water or apple juice to settle a nervous stomach. To soothe and please cranky, teething or sick children add a few drops of vanilla to their milk or juice. Away from home and need something quickly? Coca cola is filled with vanilla, and therefore used in many countries for calming an agitated stomach.
a natural calmative?
Place several vanilla beans in a bottle or jar. Use as aromatherapy to soothe jangled nerves. Sloane-Kettering and other medical facilities use the vanilla aroma to calm patients undergoing MRI and CAT scans.
More Vanilla Magic :
Burn your tongue on pizza or other hot food?
Put a few drops of vanilla on your tongue to ease the pain and soothe the burn.
Love the flavor of chilies but can't take the heat?
Sweet neutralizes heat: add some vanilla to soften the bite but bring out the sweetness and flavor of the peppers.
Have problems with spiders living on the underside of your furniture?
Add a vanilla bean or two to your furniture polish. Apply to both sides of your furniture. Bugs don't like the smell and will leave, whereas you will have the sweet smell of vanilla lingering in the air.
House paint smell too strong?
Add a tablespoon of vanilla extract to a gallon of paint to help cut the smell.
Want to disguise your scent when fishing?
Rub vanilla on your hands before handling your fishing line. Lots of seasoned fishermen and women use this trick.
Want to attract attention with the opposite sex?
Maybe even bring that special someone into your life? Wear some vanilla, check out the section on love and aphrodisia, and be sure to look at our wonderful selection of natural and pure vanilla-fragranced products.
an antacid?
Add a few drops to pineapple, fruit salads, or sauces containing citrus, to soften the sharpness and give it extra sweetening. Put a little vanilla in tomato sauces to neutralize the acidity.
a lifter and enhancer?
Add vanilla to give new "life" to flavorless seasonal fruits or other foods that need a flavor boost. Did you know that chocolate by itself tastes "flat" which is why it usually contains vanilla?
an emulsifier?
Add vanilla extract to egg batters (sweet or savory), waffle or pancake mix, baked goods, or cream sauces to smooth and blend overpowering flavors.
a natural sweetener?
Add a few drops of vanilla to vegetables, sweet potatoes, and salad dressings. It increases the natural sweetness of vegetables and provides a delicate, subtle flavor to salads.
an adjunct flavor for seafood, fowl, and meat?
Use with roasted, sautéed or barbequed meats, poultry, wild game or seafood. Split a vanilla bean and place it in a bottle of olive or other quality oils for sautéing meats, poultry, or seafood, or add a few drops of vanilla extract to cooked fish, fowl, or game as well as to sauces and marinades.
a stomach sedative?
Add pure vanilla extract to mineral water or apple juice to settle a nervous stomach. To soothe and please cranky, teething or sick children add a few drops of vanilla to their milk or juice. Away from home and need something quickly? Coca cola is filled with vanilla, and therefore used in many countries for calming an agitated stomach.
a natural calmative?
Place several vanilla beans in a bottle or jar. Use as aromatherapy to soothe jangled nerves. Sloane-Kettering and other medical facilities use the vanilla aroma to calm patients undergoing MRI and CAT scans.
More Vanilla Magic :
Burn your tongue on pizza or other hot food?
Put a few drops of vanilla on your tongue to ease the pain and soothe the burn.
Love the flavor of chilies but can't take the heat?
Sweet neutralizes heat: add some vanilla to soften the bite but bring out the sweetness and flavor of the peppers.
Have problems with spiders living on the underside of your furniture?
Add a vanilla bean or two to your furniture polish. Apply to both sides of your furniture. Bugs don't like the smell and will leave, whereas you will have the sweet smell of vanilla lingering in the air.
House paint smell too strong?
Add a tablespoon of vanilla extract to a gallon of paint to help cut the smell.
Want to disguise your scent when fishing?
Rub vanilla on your hands before handling your fishing line. Lots of seasoned fishermen and women use this trick.
Want to attract attention with the opposite sex?
Maybe even bring that special someone into your life? Wear some vanilla, check out the section on love and aphrodisia, and be sure to look at our wonderful selection of natural and pure vanilla-fragranced products.
August 18, 2008
The top 5 cancer-causing food
There are some food that people who are at high risk for developing cancer should definitely avoid. Generally, said natural-health researcher Mike Adams, they should avoid food which contain ingredients known to cause cancer such as refined sugar and grains, hydrogenated oil, and nitrates. But which food are the absolute worst?
The top 5 cancer-causing food are:
1. Hot Dogs
Because they are high in nitrates. The cancer-prevention coalition advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs/month. If you can't live without hot dog, buy those made without sodium nitrate.
2. Processed Meat & Bacon
Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.
3. Doughnuts
Doughnuts are cancer-causing double-trouble. First, they are made from flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oil, then fried at high temperature. Doughnut, said Adams, may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.
4. French Fries
Like doughnuts, french fries are made from hydrogenated oil and then fried at high temperature. They also contain cancer-causing acrylamides, which occur during the frying process. They should be called "cancer fries", not french fries, said Adams.
5. Chips, crackers, and cookies
All are usually made from flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels claim to be "free of trans fat" generally contain small amount of trans fat.
The top 5 cancer-causing food are:
1. Hot Dogs
Because they are high in nitrates. The cancer-prevention coalition advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs/month. If you can't live without hot dog, buy those made without sodium nitrate.
2. Processed Meat & Bacon
Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.
3. Doughnuts
Doughnuts are cancer-causing double-trouble. First, they are made from flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oil, then fried at high temperature. Doughnut, said Adams, may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.
4. French Fries
Like doughnuts, french fries are made from hydrogenated oil and then fried at high temperature. They also contain cancer-causing acrylamides, which occur during the frying process. They should be called "cancer fries", not french fries, said Adams.
5. Chips, crackers, and cookies
All are usually made from flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels claim to be "free of trans fat" generally contain small amount of trans fat.
August 16, 2008
Stroke
STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters...S.T.R.
My friend sent this to me and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree. If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks. Seriously.. Please read: STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00pm , Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to iden tify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead. It only takes a minute to read this...
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough. RECOGNIZING A STROKE Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps, STR . Read and Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S * Ask the individual to SMILE.
T * Ask the person to TALK to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out today).
R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
NOTE:
Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 911 immediately!! and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
My friend sent this to me and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree. If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks. Seriously.. Please read: STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00pm , Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to iden tify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead. It only takes a minute to read this...
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough. RECOGNIZING A STROKE Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps, STR . Read and Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S * Ask the individual to SMILE.
T * Ask the person to TALK to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out today).
R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
NOTE:
Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 911 immediately!! and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
Sleep more to slim down, scientists say
by Brigitte CastelnauFri Apr 4, 3:00 PM ET PARIS (AFP)
An extra hour between the sheets at night might be the key to shedding excess weight and fighting obesity, according to recent research. ADVERTISEMENT "More sleep could be the ideal way of stabilising weight or slimming," said neuro-scientist Karine Spiegel, of France's INSERM, a public organisation dedicated to biological, medical and public health research. While poor eating habits and lack of exercise clearly play a role in the global rise of obesity, recent data indicates that lack of sleep may also be a factor, and one that is often under-estimated.
Around 30 surveys carried out on wide population samples in seven countries have underlined a link between lack of sleep and excess weight or obesity in both children and adults, Spiegel said. The first of the studies, carried out in 1992 in France, highlighted the problem in children and teenagers. Spiegel said the increase in obesity in the US in the second half of the 20th century corresponded with a mounting decrease in sleep.
Two key hormones produced at night which help regulate appetite were at play, she said. Grehlin makes people hungry, slows metabolism and decreases the body's ability to burn body fat, and leptin, a protein hormone produced by fatty tissue, regulates fat storage. "We have shown that less sleep (two four-hour nights) caused an 18 percent loss of appetite-cutting leptin and a 28 percent increase of appetite-causing grehlin," she said. Such hormonal changes made people hungry for foods heavy in fats and sugars such as chips, biscuits, cakes and peanuts, she added.
The sleep loss caused a 23 to 24 percent increase in hunger, Spiegel said, translating into an extra 350 to 500 kilocalories a day, "which for a young sedentary adult of normal weight could lead to a major amount of added weight." It was unclear whether several years of sleep deprivation could lastingly harm the body's ability to restore a balance between the two hormones.
A study released in Washington in February showed children lacking shut-eye faced a greater risk of becoming obese than kids who got a good night's sleep. Each extra hour of sleep cuts a child's risk of becoming overweight or obese by nine percent, according to an analysis of epidemiological studies by researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
By contrast, children who got the least sleep had a 92 percent higher chance of being overweight or obese than children who slept enough, said the study published in the journal Obesity. "Our analysis of the data shows a clear association between sleep duration and the risk for overweight or obesity in children. The risk declined with more sleep," said Youfa Wang, a senior author of the study. "Desirable sleep behavior may be an important low cost means for preventing childhood obesity and should be considered in future intervention studies," Wang said in a news release.
The researchers reviewed 17 published studies on sleep duration and childhood obesity. Some research recommends that children under five years old sleep 11 hours or more a day, while children age five to 10 should get 10 or more hours of sleep, and children older than 10 should sleep at least nine hours.
An extra hour between the sheets at night might be the key to shedding excess weight and fighting obesity, according to recent research. ADVERTISEMENT "More sleep could be the ideal way of stabilising weight or slimming," said neuro-scientist Karine Spiegel, of France's INSERM, a public organisation dedicated to biological, medical and public health research. While poor eating habits and lack of exercise clearly play a role in the global rise of obesity, recent data indicates that lack of sleep may also be a factor, and one that is often under-estimated.
Around 30 surveys carried out on wide population samples in seven countries have underlined a link between lack of sleep and excess weight or obesity in both children and adults, Spiegel said. The first of the studies, carried out in 1992 in France, highlighted the problem in children and teenagers. Spiegel said the increase in obesity in the US in the second half of the 20th century corresponded with a mounting decrease in sleep.
Two key hormones produced at night which help regulate appetite were at play, she said. Grehlin makes people hungry, slows metabolism and decreases the body's ability to burn body fat, and leptin, a protein hormone produced by fatty tissue, regulates fat storage. "We have shown that less sleep (two four-hour nights) caused an 18 percent loss of appetite-cutting leptin and a 28 percent increase of appetite-causing grehlin," she said. Such hormonal changes made people hungry for foods heavy in fats and sugars such as chips, biscuits, cakes and peanuts, she added.
The sleep loss caused a 23 to 24 percent increase in hunger, Spiegel said, translating into an extra 350 to 500 kilocalories a day, "which for a young sedentary adult of normal weight could lead to a major amount of added weight." It was unclear whether several years of sleep deprivation could lastingly harm the body's ability to restore a balance between the two hormones.
A study released in Washington in February showed children lacking shut-eye faced a greater risk of becoming obese than kids who got a good night's sleep. Each extra hour of sleep cuts a child's risk of becoming overweight or obese by nine percent, according to an analysis of epidemiological studies by researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
By contrast, children who got the least sleep had a 92 percent higher chance of being overweight or obese than children who slept enough, said the study published in the journal Obesity. "Our analysis of the data shows a clear association between sleep duration and the risk for overweight or obesity in children. The risk declined with more sleep," said Youfa Wang, a senior author of the study. "Desirable sleep behavior may be an important low cost means for preventing childhood obesity and should be considered in future intervention studies," Wang said in a news release.
The researchers reviewed 17 published studies on sleep duration and childhood obesity. Some research recommends that children under five years old sleep 11 hours or more a day, while children age five to 10 should get 10 or more hours of sleep, and children older than 10 should sleep at least nine hours.
August 14, 2008
Rat Droppings
This is information worth sharing stock clerk was sent to clean up a storeroom in Maui, Hawaii. When he got back, he was complaining that the storeroom was really filthy and that he had noticed dried mouse/rat droppings in some areas.
A couple of days later, he started to feel like he was coming down with a stomach flu, complained of sore joints and headaches, and began to vomit. He went to bed and never really got up again. Within two days he was severely ill and weak. His blood sugar count was down to 66, and his face and eyeballs were yellow.
He was rushed to the emergency at Pali-Momi, where he was diagnosed to be suffering from massive organ failure. He died shortly before midnight . No one would have made the connection between his job and his death, had it not been for a doctor who specifically asked if he had been in a warehouse or exposed to dried rat/mouse dropping s at any time.
They said there is a virus (much like the Hanta virus) that lives in dried rat and mouse droppings. Once dried, these droppings are like dust and can easily be breathed in or ingested if a person does not wear protective gear or fails to wash face and hands thoroughly.
An autopsy was performed on the clerk to verify the doctor's suspicions. This is why it is extremely important to ALWAYS carefully rinse off the tops of canned sodas or foods, and to wipe off pasta packaging, cereal boxes, and so on. Almost everything you buy in a supermarket was stored in a warehouse at one time or another, and stores themselves often have rodents.
Most of us remember to wash vegetables and fruits but never think of boxes and cans. The ugly truth is, even the most modern, upper-class, super store has rats and mice. And their warehouse most assuredly does! Whenever you buy any canned soft drink, please make sure that you wash the top with running water and soap or, if that is not available, drink with a straw.
The investigation of soda cans by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta discovered that the tops of soda cans can be encrusted with dried rat's urine, which is so toxic it can be lethal. Canned drinks and other foodstuffs are stored in warehouses and containers that are usually infested with rodents, and then they get transported to retail outlets without being properly cleaned.
A couple of days later, he started to feel like he was coming down with a stomach flu, complained of sore joints and headaches, and began to vomit. He went to bed and never really got up again. Within two days he was severely ill and weak. His blood sugar count was down to 66, and his face and eyeballs were yellow.
He was rushed to the emergency at Pali-Momi, where he was diagnosed to be suffering from massive organ failure. He died shortly before midnight . No one would have made the connection between his job and his death, had it not been for a doctor who specifically asked if he had been in a warehouse or exposed to dried rat/mouse dropping s at any time.
They said there is a virus (much like the Hanta virus) that lives in dried rat and mouse droppings. Once dried, these droppings are like dust and can easily be breathed in or ingested if a person does not wear protective gear or fails to wash face and hands thoroughly.
An autopsy was performed on the clerk to verify the doctor's suspicions. This is why it is extremely important to ALWAYS carefully rinse off the tops of canned sodas or foods, and to wipe off pasta packaging, cereal boxes, and so on. Almost everything you buy in a supermarket was stored in a warehouse at one time or another, and stores themselves often have rodents.
Most of us remember to wash vegetables and fruits but never think of boxes and cans. The ugly truth is, even the most modern, upper-class, super store has rats and mice. And their warehouse most assuredly does! Whenever you buy any canned soft drink, please make sure that you wash the top with running water and soap or, if that is not available, drink with a straw.
The investigation of soda cans by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta discovered that the tops of soda cans can be encrusted with dried rat's urine, which is so toxic it can be lethal. Canned drinks and other foodstuffs are stored in warehouses and containers that are usually infested with rodents, and then they get transported to retail outlets without being properly cleaned.
The One Anti-Aging Trick That Works
Live Longer: The One Anti-Aging Trick That Works
Robert Roy Britt LiveScience Managing Editor LiveScience.comTue Jul 8, 11:51 AM ET While the quest for the proverbial Fountain of Youth is endless and typically fruitless, one method known to extend the human lifespan by up to five years has quietly become accepted among leading researchers.
The formula is simple: Eat less. It could add years to your life, several experts now say. And done in moderation, it could at least help you live a more healthy life. The only question is: Will the average person do it? While little short of a nip-and-tuck will make you look younger, calorie restriction, as it is called, is as close to a real Fountain of Youth as any known technique comes.
Even scientists who are cautious about anti-aging hype say it works, both by cutting risks for some diseases and by allowing all body cells, somehow, to hang in there longer. "There is plenty of evidence that calorie restriction can reduce your risks for many common diseases including cancer, diabetes and heart disease," says Saint Louis University researcher Edward Weiss, who last week announced a new study that brings fresh understanding to how it works. "And you may live to be substantially older."
The numbers Here's a rough rule of thumb that many experts generally agree on now: Eat 15 percent less starting at age 25 and you might add 4.5 years to your life, says Eric Ravussin, who studies human health and performance at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana.
One important caveat: Ravussin's estimate is based mostly on studies of other animals and only preliminary research in humans. But the work by Weiss and others is unlocking the mysteries of aging and suggesting the animal studies apply to humans. "There is absolutely no reason to think it won't work," Ravussin told LiveScience.
Perhaps even more promising, though in early stages of research, are drugs designed on the basis of what's been learned from calorie-restriction studies. Those drugs would target human cells to deliver the same benefits, turning off bad things and turning on good things to extend cell life in general, or offer new therapies and cures to vexing diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer.
If you can hang in there until these promising new drug therapies are developed, you may live in a world where lifespan increases by 10 to 15 years, researchers say. Don't plan on living to be 200, Ravussin said, "but I think we're going to gain quite a few years." Mysteries remain Scientists aren't sure exactly why calorie restriction slows aging. But they're on the verge of a firm understanding.
In a nutshell, it is thought to lower metabolic rate and cause the body to generate fewer damaging "free radicals." One hypothesis is that it decreases a thyroid hormone, triiodothyronine (T3), which then slows metabolism and tissue aging. Weiss and colleagues studied men and women, aged 50 to 60, who did not smoke, were not obese and were in good health.
The volunteers were split into three groups - a calorie-restriction group, an exercise group, or a control group - and followed for one year. The calorie-restriction group cut back by 300 to 500 calories per day. (A typical healthy adult diet should include about 2,000 calories.) Volunteers in the exercise group maintained their regular diet and exercised regularly. While both the calorie-restriction and exercise groups experienced similar changes of body fat mass, only those in the calorie restriction group also experienced lower levels of the thyroid hormone.
A longer-term study is still needed to pin down whether reducing T3 levels through calorie restriction indeed slows the aging process as suspected, the scientists say. The results were published in the June issue of the journal Rejuvenation Research. Step-by-step Weiss' work advances the body of anti-aging knowledge, said Christy Carter, an aging researcher and assistant professor at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
"The more that scientists can demonstrate similar biological profiles between rodents and humans with regards to calorie restriction, the greater the possibility that lifespan extension will translate to human as well," Carter said. Weiss figured it's sensible to take steps now. You can cut 300 to 500 calories by simply skipping dessert or substituting a turkey sandwich for fast food.
A nutritional diet and exercise are important to any weight-loss effort, Weiss and others caution. "Our research provides evidence that calorie restriction does work in humans like it has been shown to work in animals," Weiss said. "The next step is to determine if this in fact slows age-related tissue deterioration. The only way to be certain, though, is to do a long-term study."
Others agree: more research is needed. "I think that they've documented a real and interesting effect of caloric restriction in humans," said UCLA evolutionary biologist Jay Phelan. "But they are still a long way from demonstrating that it changes human lifespan at all." Proven in animals Evidence that calorie restriction boosts lifespans in rodents is solid.
Christiaan Leeuwenburgh of the University of Florida's Institute on Aging showed in 2006 that eating just 8 percent less and exercising a little more over a lifespan can reduce or even reverse aging-related cell and organ damage in rats. Various studies have shown that cutting calories by 20 to 40 percent significantly both extends life and, with a little exercise, leaves old animals in better shape.
Eating fewer calories also reduces age-related chronic diseases such as cancers, heart disease, and stroke in rodents. That's important because it suggests ways to not just make us live longer, but to allow us to age more gracefully, healthwise. Research last year found that rats on a restricted diet are more physically fit in old age, apparently slowing the typical onset of physical disability.
The rodents also looked and probably felt better: "Rats that ate a normal diet lost a significant amount of lean muscle mass and acquired more fat, while calorie-restricted rats maintained lean muscle mass as they aged," said lead researcher Tongjian You from the University of Buffalo.
The finding was published in the October issue of the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. Rodents are thought to be good analogues to humans. Dogs are even better. A 14-year study of 48 Labrador Retrievers found restricting their diets by 25 percent starting at 8 weeks of age extended their lives by an average of 1.8 years. For a creature that typically never gets beyond its early teens, that's a big number.
The findings were published back in 2002 in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. "The study also showed that lean body conformation forestalls some chronic illnesses, most notably osteoarthritis," said University of Pennsylvania researcher Gail K. Smith, who worked on the dog study. Ailments typically struck the lean dogs 2.1 years later than the others. Probably works in humans Convincing humans to eat less, and then studying the effects over a lifetime, is considerably more challenging.
But mounting research suggests that what works for rats and dogs seems to apply to people. Studies are under way with monkeys, which have lifespans of around 25 to 30 years, and early indications are promising, Ravussin said. A study of humans last year found that cutting calories in human test subjects reduced oxidative damage in muscle cells.
In the journal PLoS Medicine, the researchers speculated that the effect might translate into longer life. Researchers caution, however, that longer lifespans does not mean immortality. The vast majority of mainstream researchers envision lifespans extending a few years. "My estimate would be that 40 years of caloric restriction would give a 3 to 7 percent increase in longevity, so an optimistic estimate would be an additional four years or so," said Phelan, the UCLA researcher.
But researchers are quick to point out that human nature is not conducive to life-long calorie-restriction diets. "It's going to be limited to a few people who are going to try to do that," Ravussin said. Seeking balance "Suffering years of misery to remain super-skinny is not going to have a big payoff in terms of a longer life," Phelan said back in 2005 when the idea of "living forever" was particularly hyped in the media. "I once heard someone say caloric restriction may not make you live forever, but it sure would seem like it. Try to maintain a healthy body weight, but don't deprive yourself of all pleasure. Moderation appears to be a more sensible solution."
Phelan uses rodents as an example of why caution is warranted: Mice will live longer if their diet is restricted by 10 percent, he said in 2005. "If you restrict their intake by 20 percent, they live even longer, and restrict them to 50 percent, they live longer still. But restrict their intake by 60 percent and they starve to death." In an email interview the other day, Phelan said he stands by this assessment.
And Phelan now thinks there is "nothing" on the research horizon "that would extend lifespan in a significant amount, on the order of 10 or more years." Big promise? Other experts are optimistic that research into calorie restriction will lead to greater things. Scientists are investigating what they call CR mimetics, or compounds that mimic the effects of calorie restriction. "This includes naturally occurring compounds and pharmaceuticals," explained Carter, the University of Florida researcher. "One that has received much attention lately is a compound called resveratrol, found in red wine."
Researchers have long pondered the French paradox: The French eat high-fat diets but live relatively long lives. Resveratrol and other compounds in red wine are thought by many to contribute to that good life. But testing any anti-aging drug or therapy sets up another tricky paradox: Nobody wants to invest in a 70-year test, and the Food and Drug Administration won't approve a chemical's use without thorough testing.
There's a potential shortcut: Researchers are testing compounds thought to thwart aging on Alzheimer's patients to see if they slow the degradation of neurons. And similar human trials will begin soon on diabetes patients. "However, many of these studies are still in the development phase, still being tested in rodent models," Carter said. "I expect that this field will begin to explode in the next few years. Caution is still merited given the need for extensive study of these compounds as to their efficacy and long-term safety."
Eventually, Ravussin thinks the combined efforts of all these research angles could extend lifespans by 15 years later this century. In a society where lifespan has already increased significantly in recent decades, many people are at least as concerned with aging well as they are with living long. "Many researchers are focusing on the effects of CR on health-span as opposed lifespan," Carter said. "We know that small reductions in caloric intake, even as little as 8 percent, result in improvements in health related outcomes."
Robert Roy Britt LiveScience Managing Editor LiveScience.comTue Jul 8, 11:51 AM ET While the quest for the proverbial Fountain of Youth is endless and typically fruitless, one method known to extend the human lifespan by up to five years has quietly become accepted among leading researchers.
The formula is simple: Eat less. It could add years to your life, several experts now say. And done in moderation, it could at least help you live a more healthy life. The only question is: Will the average person do it? While little short of a nip-and-tuck will make you look younger, calorie restriction, as it is called, is as close to a real Fountain of Youth as any known technique comes.
Even scientists who are cautious about anti-aging hype say it works, both by cutting risks for some diseases and by allowing all body cells, somehow, to hang in there longer. "There is plenty of evidence that calorie restriction can reduce your risks for many common diseases including cancer, diabetes and heart disease," says Saint Louis University researcher Edward Weiss, who last week announced a new study that brings fresh understanding to how it works. "And you may live to be substantially older."
The numbers Here's a rough rule of thumb that many experts generally agree on now: Eat 15 percent less starting at age 25 and you might add 4.5 years to your life, says Eric Ravussin, who studies human health and performance at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana.
One important caveat: Ravussin's estimate is based mostly on studies of other animals and only preliminary research in humans. But the work by Weiss and others is unlocking the mysteries of aging and suggesting the animal studies apply to humans. "There is absolutely no reason to think it won't work," Ravussin told LiveScience.
Perhaps even more promising, though in early stages of research, are drugs designed on the basis of what's been learned from calorie-restriction studies. Those drugs would target human cells to deliver the same benefits, turning off bad things and turning on good things to extend cell life in general, or offer new therapies and cures to vexing diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer.
If you can hang in there until these promising new drug therapies are developed, you may live in a world where lifespan increases by 10 to 15 years, researchers say. Don't plan on living to be 200, Ravussin said, "but I think we're going to gain quite a few years." Mysteries remain Scientists aren't sure exactly why calorie restriction slows aging. But they're on the verge of a firm understanding.
In a nutshell, it is thought to lower metabolic rate and cause the body to generate fewer damaging "free radicals." One hypothesis is that it decreases a thyroid hormone, triiodothyronine (T3), which then slows metabolism and tissue aging. Weiss and colleagues studied men and women, aged 50 to 60, who did not smoke, were not obese and were in good health.
The volunteers were split into three groups - a calorie-restriction group, an exercise group, or a control group - and followed for one year. The calorie-restriction group cut back by 300 to 500 calories per day. (A typical healthy adult diet should include about 2,000 calories.) Volunteers in the exercise group maintained their regular diet and exercised regularly. While both the calorie-restriction and exercise groups experienced similar changes of body fat mass, only those in the calorie restriction group also experienced lower levels of the thyroid hormone.
A longer-term study is still needed to pin down whether reducing T3 levels through calorie restriction indeed slows the aging process as suspected, the scientists say. The results were published in the June issue of the journal Rejuvenation Research. Step-by-step Weiss' work advances the body of anti-aging knowledge, said Christy Carter, an aging researcher and assistant professor at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
"The more that scientists can demonstrate similar biological profiles between rodents and humans with regards to calorie restriction, the greater the possibility that lifespan extension will translate to human as well," Carter said. Weiss figured it's sensible to take steps now. You can cut 300 to 500 calories by simply skipping dessert or substituting a turkey sandwich for fast food.
A nutritional diet and exercise are important to any weight-loss effort, Weiss and others caution. "Our research provides evidence that calorie restriction does work in humans like it has been shown to work in animals," Weiss said. "The next step is to determine if this in fact slows age-related tissue deterioration. The only way to be certain, though, is to do a long-term study."
Others agree: more research is needed. "I think that they've documented a real and interesting effect of caloric restriction in humans," said UCLA evolutionary biologist Jay Phelan. "But they are still a long way from demonstrating that it changes human lifespan at all." Proven in animals Evidence that calorie restriction boosts lifespans in rodents is solid.
Christiaan Leeuwenburgh of the University of Florida's Institute on Aging showed in 2006 that eating just 8 percent less and exercising a little more over a lifespan can reduce or even reverse aging-related cell and organ damage in rats. Various studies have shown that cutting calories by 20 to 40 percent significantly both extends life and, with a little exercise, leaves old animals in better shape.
Eating fewer calories also reduces age-related chronic diseases such as cancers, heart disease, and stroke in rodents. That's important because it suggests ways to not just make us live longer, but to allow us to age more gracefully, healthwise. Research last year found that rats on a restricted diet are more physically fit in old age, apparently slowing the typical onset of physical disability.
The rodents also looked and probably felt better: "Rats that ate a normal diet lost a significant amount of lean muscle mass and acquired more fat, while calorie-restricted rats maintained lean muscle mass as they aged," said lead researcher Tongjian You from the University of Buffalo.
The finding was published in the October issue of the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. Rodents are thought to be good analogues to humans. Dogs are even better. A 14-year study of 48 Labrador Retrievers found restricting their diets by 25 percent starting at 8 weeks of age extended their lives by an average of 1.8 years. For a creature that typically never gets beyond its early teens, that's a big number.
The findings were published back in 2002 in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. "The study also showed that lean body conformation forestalls some chronic illnesses, most notably osteoarthritis," said University of Pennsylvania researcher Gail K. Smith, who worked on the dog study. Ailments typically struck the lean dogs 2.1 years later than the others. Probably works in humans Convincing humans to eat less, and then studying the effects over a lifetime, is considerably more challenging.
But mounting research suggests that what works for rats and dogs seems to apply to people. Studies are under way with monkeys, which have lifespans of around 25 to 30 years, and early indications are promising, Ravussin said. A study of humans last year found that cutting calories in human test subjects reduced oxidative damage in muscle cells.
In the journal PLoS Medicine, the researchers speculated that the effect might translate into longer life. Researchers caution, however, that longer lifespans does not mean immortality. The vast majority of mainstream researchers envision lifespans extending a few years. "My estimate would be that 40 years of caloric restriction would give a 3 to 7 percent increase in longevity, so an optimistic estimate would be an additional four years or so," said Phelan, the UCLA researcher.
But researchers are quick to point out that human nature is not conducive to life-long calorie-restriction diets. "It's going to be limited to a few people who are going to try to do that," Ravussin said. Seeking balance "Suffering years of misery to remain super-skinny is not going to have a big payoff in terms of a longer life," Phelan said back in 2005 when the idea of "living forever" was particularly hyped in the media. "I once heard someone say caloric restriction may not make you live forever, but it sure would seem like it. Try to maintain a healthy body weight, but don't deprive yourself of all pleasure. Moderation appears to be a more sensible solution."
Phelan uses rodents as an example of why caution is warranted: Mice will live longer if their diet is restricted by 10 percent, he said in 2005. "If you restrict their intake by 20 percent, they live even longer, and restrict them to 50 percent, they live longer still. But restrict their intake by 60 percent and they starve to death." In an email interview the other day, Phelan said he stands by this assessment.
And Phelan now thinks there is "nothing" on the research horizon "that would extend lifespan in a significant amount, on the order of 10 or more years." Big promise? Other experts are optimistic that research into calorie restriction will lead to greater things. Scientists are investigating what they call CR mimetics, or compounds that mimic the effects of calorie restriction. "This includes naturally occurring compounds and pharmaceuticals," explained Carter, the University of Florida researcher. "One that has received much attention lately is a compound called resveratrol, found in red wine."
Researchers have long pondered the French paradox: The French eat high-fat diets but live relatively long lives. Resveratrol and other compounds in red wine are thought by many to contribute to that good life. But testing any anti-aging drug or therapy sets up another tricky paradox: Nobody wants to invest in a 70-year test, and the Food and Drug Administration won't approve a chemical's use without thorough testing.
There's a potential shortcut: Researchers are testing compounds thought to thwart aging on Alzheimer's patients to see if they slow the degradation of neurons. And similar human trials will begin soon on diabetes patients. "However, many of these studies are still in the development phase, still being tested in rodent models," Carter said. "I expect that this field will begin to explode in the next few years. Caution is still merited given the need for extensive study of these compounds as to their efficacy and long-term safety."
Eventually, Ravussin thinks the combined efforts of all these research angles could extend lifespans by 15 years later this century. In a society where lifespan has already increased significantly in recent decades, many people are at least as concerned with aging well as they are with living long. "Many researchers are focusing on the effects of CR on health-span as opposed lifespan," Carter said. "We know that small reductions in caloric intake, even as little as 8 percent, result in improvements in health related outcomes."
August 12, 2008
Healthy lifestyle triggers genetic changes
Healthy lifestyle triggers genetic changes:
study By Will Dunham Mon, Jun 16, 9:21 PM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters)
Comprehensive lifestyle changes including a better diet and more exercise can lead not only to a better physique, but also to swift and dramatic changes at the genetic level, U.S. researchers said on Monday. In a small study, the researchers tracked 30 men with low-riskprostate cancer who decided against conventional medical treatment such as surgery and radiation or hormone therapy.
The men underwent three months of major lifestyle changes, including eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products, moderate exercise such as walking for half an hour a day, and an hour of daily stress management methods such as meditation. As expected, they lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and saw other health improvements.
But the researchers found more profound changes when they compared prostate biopsies taken before and after the lifestyle changes. After the three months, the men had changes in activity in about 500 genes -- including 48 that were turned on and 453 genes that were turned off. The activity of disease-preventing genes increased while a number of disease-promoting genes, including those involved in prostate cancer and breast cancer, shut down, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research was led by Dr. Dean Ornish, head of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, and a well-known author advocating lifestyle changes to improve health. "It's an exciting finding because so often people say, 'Oh, it's all in my genes, what can I do?' Well, it turns out you may be able to do a lot," Ornish, who is also affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco, said in a telephone interview. "'In just three months, I can change hundreds of my genes simply by changing what I eat and how I live?' That's pretty exciting," Ornish said.
"The implications of our study are not limited to men with prostate cancer." Ornish said the men avoided conventional medical treatment for prostate cancer for reasons separate from the study. But in making that decision, they allowed the researchers to look at biopsies in people with cancer before and after lifestyle changes.
"It gave us the opportunity to have an ethical reason for doing repeat biopsies in just a three-month period because they needed that anyway to look at their clinical changes (in their prostate cancer)," Ornish said. (Editing by Julie Steenhuysen and Xavier Briand)
study By Will Dunham Mon, Jun 16, 9:21 PM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters)
Comprehensive lifestyle changes including a better diet and more exercise can lead not only to a better physique, but also to swift and dramatic changes at the genetic level, U.S. researchers said on Monday. In a small study, the researchers tracked 30 men with low-riskprostate cancer who decided against conventional medical treatment such as surgery and radiation or hormone therapy.
The men underwent three months of major lifestyle changes, including eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products, moderate exercise such as walking for half an hour a day, and an hour of daily stress management methods such as meditation. As expected, they lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and saw other health improvements.
But the researchers found more profound changes when they compared prostate biopsies taken before and after the lifestyle changes. After the three months, the men had changes in activity in about 500 genes -- including 48 that were turned on and 453 genes that were turned off. The activity of disease-preventing genes increased while a number of disease-promoting genes, including those involved in prostate cancer and breast cancer, shut down, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research was led by Dr. Dean Ornish, head of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, and a well-known author advocating lifestyle changes to improve health. "It's an exciting finding because so often people say, 'Oh, it's all in my genes, what can I do?' Well, it turns out you may be able to do a lot," Ornish, who is also affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco, said in a telephone interview. "'In just three months, I can change hundreds of my genes simply by changing what I eat and how I live?' That's pretty exciting," Ornish said.
"The implications of our study are not limited to men with prostate cancer." Ornish said the men avoided conventional medical treatment for prostate cancer for reasons separate from the study. But in making that decision, they allowed the researchers to look at biopsies in people with cancer before and after lifestyle changes.
"It gave us the opportunity to have an ethical reason for doing repeat biopsies in just a three-month period because they needed that anyway to look at their clinical changes (in their prostate cancer)," Ornish said. (Editing by Julie Steenhuysen and Xavier Briand)
Exercise slows Alzheimer's brain atrophy
Study: Exercise slows Alzheimer's brain atrophy
Sun Jul 27, 7:13 PM ET NEW YORK - Patients with early Alzheimer's disease who exercised regularly saw less deterioration in the areas of the brain which control memory, according to a study released Sunday at the 2008 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Chicago. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies showed that exercise positively affected the hippocampus region of patients' brains, an area which is important for both memory and balance.
In Alzheimer's, the hippocampus is one of the first parts of the brain to suffer damage. Exercise and physical fitness have been shown to slow down age-related brain cell death in healthy older adults, and earlier this month a preliminary study was published showing that exercise may help slow brain shrinkage in people with early Alzheimer's disease.
Now, researchers at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., have used MRI and other neuroimaging tools to analyze how exercise affects the brains of those with early Alzheimer's. The researchers found that patients with early Alzheimer's had a "significant relationship" between the size of key brain areas associated with memory and fitness, unlike healthy older adults. Those patients with better fitness ratings had less brain tissue atrophy and those with worse fitness had more brain damage.
"This is the first study to get an inside look into specifically where these changes occur in the brain we're able to locate the changes associated with fitness to the actual memory region, the hippocampus, which is a key area for Alzheimer's-related atrophy," said Robyn A. Honea, PhD, a lead investigator on the study.
"This suggests that maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness may positively modify Alzheimer's-related brain atrophy." The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Another report from ICAD 2008 showed that a 12-month home-based exercise program reduced falls and improved balance in patients with dementia.
According to researchers from Western Medicine, a consultant physician service provider for Hollywood Hospital in Nedlands, Western Australia, people suffering from dementia fall up to three times more than those who have no cognitive impairment. "Falls have a negative impact on a person's quality of life, often resulting in nursing home placement, increased mortality and significant costs to the community," said Megan J. Wraith, a speech pathologist at Western Medicine and a researcher on the study.
"Targeting this high risk group may be a relatively cost effective way of having a significant impact on the overall rate of falling in the elderly." The study was funded by the Sir Charles Gairdner Research Foundation and Hollywood Private Hospital Research Foundation. Currently, the prognosis for patients with Alzheimer's is bleak.
The Alzheimer's treatment market is small, led by Pfizer Inc.'s Aricept, Forest Laboratories Inc.'s Namenda, Razadyne from Johnson & Johnson and Shire Ltd., Novartis AG's Exelon and Sciele Pharma Inc.'s Cognex. But while those drugs fight Alzheimer's symptoms, they can't stop its ultimate progress.
Wyeth and Elan Corp. are currently developing a new kind of Alzheimer's treatment, bapineuzumab, which is designed to actually slow progress of the disease. In June, study data showed that drug was shown to benefit Alzheimer's patients who lacked a certain gene.
Sun Jul 27, 7:13 PM ET NEW YORK - Patients with early Alzheimer's disease who exercised regularly saw less deterioration in the areas of the brain which control memory, according to a study released Sunday at the 2008 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Chicago. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies showed that exercise positively affected the hippocampus region of patients' brains, an area which is important for both memory and balance.
In Alzheimer's, the hippocampus is one of the first parts of the brain to suffer damage. Exercise and physical fitness have been shown to slow down age-related brain cell death in healthy older adults, and earlier this month a preliminary study was published showing that exercise may help slow brain shrinkage in people with early Alzheimer's disease.
Now, researchers at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., have used MRI and other neuroimaging tools to analyze how exercise affects the brains of those with early Alzheimer's. The researchers found that patients with early Alzheimer's had a "significant relationship" between the size of key brain areas associated with memory and fitness, unlike healthy older adults. Those patients with better fitness ratings had less brain tissue atrophy and those with worse fitness had more brain damage.
"This is the first study to get an inside look into specifically where these changes occur in the brain we're able to locate the changes associated with fitness to the actual memory region, the hippocampus, which is a key area for Alzheimer's-related atrophy," said Robyn A. Honea, PhD, a lead investigator on the study.
"This suggests that maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness may positively modify Alzheimer's-related brain atrophy." The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Another report from ICAD 2008 showed that a 12-month home-based exercise program reduced falls and improved balance in patients with dementia.
According to researchers from Western Medicine, a consultant physician service provider for Hollywood Hospital in Nedlands, Western Australia, people suffering from dementia fall up to three times more than those who have no cognitive impairment. "Falls have a negative impact on a person's quality of life, often resulting in nursing home placement, increased mortality and significant costs to the community," said Megan J. Wraith, a speech pathologist at Western Medicine and a researcher on the study.
"Targeting this high risk group may be a relatively cost effective way of having a significant impact on the overall rate of falling in the elderly." The study was funded by the Sir Charles Gairdner Research Foundation and Hollywood Private Hospital Research Foundation. Currently, the prognosis for patients with Alzheimer's is bleak.
The Alzheimer's treatment market is small, led by Pfizer Inc.'s Aricept, Forest Laboratories Inc.'s Namenda, Razadyne from Johnson & Johnson and Shire Ltd., Novartis AG's Exelon and Sciele Pharma Inc.'s Cognex. But while those drugs fight Alzheimer's symptoms, they can't stop its ultimate progress.
Wyeth and Elan Corp. are currently developing a new kind of Alzheimer's treatment, bapineuzumab, which is designed to actually slow progress of the disease. In June, study data showed that drug was shown to benefit Alzheimer's patients who lacked a certain gene.
August 10, 2008
Green Potatoes
Green = vegetables = good, right?
Not when it comes to potatoes.
Here's an important piece of information that my mother taught me years ago, but fewer and fewer people these days seem to know about. Green in potatoes indicates the presence of a rather harmful toxin . When you see patches of green in your potatoes as you peel them, cut out the green parts entirely and discard them.
What is the green? Actually it's chlorophyll. Not bad for you at all. But the chlorophyll indicates that the potato has been exposed to sunlight. And where the potato has been exposed to light is where a natural toxin in the potato (solanine) becomes concentrated at harmful levels. So, never store your potatoes on the counter. Always keep them in a cool, completely dark ple.
According to the Wikipedia , deep-frying potatoes at a high temperature (306°F) effectively lowers the level of toxins. But boiling them (212°F) has no effect.
Best to stay on the safe side and just cut away the green parts. The NIH website mentions that the potato sprouts can also have concentrated solanine, so those too should never be eaten.
Good marriage equals good blood pressure
By MALCOLM RITTER,
AP Science Writer Thu Mar 20, 7:32 AM ET
NEW YORK - A happy marriage is good for your blood pressure, but a stressed one can be worse than being single, a preliminary study suggests. That second finding is a surprise because prior studies have shown that married people tend to be healthier than singles, said researcher Julianne Holt-Lunstad. It would take further study to sort out what the results mean for long-term health, said Holt-Lunstad, an assistant psychology professor at Brigham Young University.
Her study was reported online Thursday by the Annals of Behavioral Medicine. The study involved 204 married people and 99 single adults. Most were white, and it's not clear whether the same results would apply to other ethnic groups, Holt-Lunstad said. Study volunteers wore devices that recorded their blood pressure at random times over 24 hours. Married participants also filled out questionnaires about their marriage.
Analysis found that the more marital satisfaction and adjustment spouses reported, the lower their average blood pressure was over the 24 hours and during the daytime. But spouses who scored low in marital satisfaction had higher average blood pressure than single people did. During the daytime, their average was about five points higher, entering a range that's considered a warning sign. (That result is for the top number in a blood pressure reading). "I think this (study) is worth some attention," said Karen Matthews, a professor of psychiatry, psychology and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh.
She studies heart disease and high blood pressure but didn't participate in the new work. Few studies of the risk for high blood pressure have looked at marital quality rather than just marital status, she said. It makes sense that marital quality is more important than just being married when it comes to affecting blood pressure, said Dr. Brian Baker, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto.
AP Science Writer Thu Mar 20, 7:32 AM ET
NEW YORK - A happy marriage is good for your blood pressure, but a stressed one can be worse than being single, a preliminary study suggests. That second finding is a surprise because prior studies have shown that married people tend to be healthier than singles, said researcher Julianne Holt-Lunstad. It would take further study to sort out what the results mean for long-term health, said Holt-Lunstad, an assistant psychology professor at Brigham Young University.
Her study was reported online Thursday by the Annals of Behavioral Medicine. The study involved 204 married people and 99 single adults. Most were white, and it's not clear whether the same results would apply to other ethnic groups, Holt-Lunstad said. Study volunteers wore devices that recorded their blood pressure at random times over 24 hours. Married participants also filled out questionnaires about their marriage.
Analysis found that the more marital satisfaction and adjustment spouses reported, the lower their average blood pressure was over the 24 hours and during the daytime. But spouses who scored low in marital satisfaction had higher average blood pressure than single people did. During the daytime, their average was about five points higher, entering a range that's considered a warning sign. (That result is for the top number in a blood pressure reading). "I think this (study) is worth some attention," said Karen Matthews, a professor of psychiatry, psychology and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh.
She studies heart disease and high blood pressure but didn't participate in the new work. Few studies of the risk for high blood pressure have looked at marital quality rather than just marital status, she said. It makes sense that marital quality is more important than just being married when it comes to affecting blood pressure, said Dr. Brian Baker, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto.
Don't eat too much rice
The human body was never meant to consume rice! You see, our genes have hardly changed in more than 30,000 years. However, our food choices and lifestyle have changed dramatically. The caveman would hardly recognize our food or way of life. Caveman food was never cooked as fire was not yet tamed. Thus, he ate only those foods that he can eat without treatment with or by fire. He ate fruits, vegetables, fish (sushi anyone?), eggs, nuts and meat. Yes, even meat. You can even eat meat raw if you were starving in the forest. You have the necessary enzymes to digest meat. However, rice - like wheat and corn - cannot be eaten raw. It must be cooked. Even if you were starving in the desert, you cannot eat rice in the raw form. This is because we do not have the system of enzymes to break rice down. We were never meant to eat rice. To make matters worse, we not only eat rice, but also make it the bulk of our food. In some parts of Asia, rice forms up to 85% of the plate. Even if we take rice, let's keep it to a minimum. Remember, it is only for our tongue... not our body. Actually, rice and other grains like wheat and corn are actually worse than sugar. There are many reasons:
Rice becomes sugar - lots of it!
This is a fact that no nutritionist can deny: rice is chemically no different form sugar. One bowl of cooked rice is the caloric equivalent of 10 teaspons of sugar. This does not matter whether the rice is white, brown or herbal rice. Brown rice is richer in fibre, some B vitamins and minerals... but it is still the caloric equal of 10 teaspoons of sugar. To get the same 10 teaspoons of sugar, we need to consume lots of kangkong... 10 bowls of it.
Rice is digested to become sugar.
Rice can be digested only when it is thoroughly cooked. However, when thoroughly cooked, it becomes sugar and spikes circulating blood sugar within half an hour... almost as quickly as it would if we took a sugar candy. Rice is very low in the "rainbow of anti-oxidants".
This complete anti-oxidant rainbow is necessary for the effective and safe utilisation of sugar. Fruits come with a sugar called fructose. However, they are not empty calories as the fruit is packed with a whole host of other nutrients that help its proper assimilation and digestion.
Rice has no fibre.
The fibre of the kangkong fills us up long before our blood sugar spikes. This is because the fibre bulks and fills up our stomach. Since white rice has no fibre, we end up eating lots of "calorie dense" food before we get filled up. Brown rice has more fibre but still contains the same amount of sugar.
Rice is tasteless.
Sugar is sweet. There is only so much that we can eat at one sitting. How many teaspoons of sugar can we eat before we feel like throwing up? Could you imagine eating 10 teaspoons of sugar in one seating? Rice is always the main part of the meal.
While sugar may fill our dessert or sweeten our coffee, it will never be the main part of any meal. We could eat maybe two to three teaspoons of sugar at one meal. However, we could easily eat the equal value of two to three bowls (20 - 30 teaspoons) of sugar in one meal. I am always amused when I see someone eat sometimes five bowls of rice (equals 50 teaspoons of sugar) and then asks fo tea or coffee without sugar!
There is no real "built in" mechanism for us to prevent overeating of rice.
How much kangkong can we eat? How much fried chicken? How much steamed fish? Think about that! In one seating, we cannot take lots of chicken, fish or cucumber, but we can take lots of rice. Eating rice causes us to eat more salt.
As rice is tasteless, we tend to consume more salt... another villain when it comes to high blood pressure control. We tend to take more curry that has salt to help flavor the rice. We also tend to consume more ketchup and soy sauce which are also rich in salt.
Eating rice causes us to drink less water.
The more rice we eat, the less water we will drink as there is no mechanism to prevent the overeating of rice. Rice, wheat and corn come hidden in our daily food. As rice is tasteless, it tends to end up in other foods that serve as rice substitutes... like rice flour, noodles and bread. We tend to eat the hidden forms which still get digested into sugar. Rice, even when cooked, is difficult to digest. Can't eat raw rice? Try eating rice half cooked. Contrary to popular belief, rice is very difficult to digest. It is "heavy stuff". If you have problems with digestion, try skipping rice for a few days. You will be amazed at how the problem will just go away.
Rice prevents the absorption of several vitamins and minerals.
Rice when taken in bulk will reduce the absorption of vital nutrients like zinc, iron and the B vitamins.
Are you a rice addict?
Going riceless may not be easy, but we can still go riceless. Eating less rice could be a lot easier than we think. Here are some strategies that we can pursue in our quest to eat less rice:
1. Eat less rice - Cut your rice by half. Barry Sears, author of the Zone Diet, advises "eating rice like spice". Instead, increase your fruits & vegetables intake.
2. Take more lean meats and fish.
3. You can even take more eggs and nuts. Have "riceless" meals. Take no rice or wheat at say, breakfast. Go for eggs instead.
4. Go on "riceless" days - Go "western" once a week. Take no rice and breads for one day every week! That can't be too difficult. Appreciate the richness of your food. Go for taste, colors and smells. Make eating a culinary delight. Enjoy your food in the original flavors.
5. Avoid the salt shaker or ketchup. You will automatically eat less rice.
6. Eat your fruit dessert before (Yes! No printing error) your meals. The fibre-rch fruits will "bulk up" in your stomach. Thus, you will eat less rice and more fruits.
*********************************************************************************
OUR WATER AFTER EACH MEAL
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It says it is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed.
It will slow down the digestion. Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine!
Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer.
It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
Rice becomes sugar - lots of it!
This is a fact that no nutritionist can deny: rice is chemically no different form sugar. One bowl of cooked rice is the caloric equivalent of 10 teaspons of sugar. This does not matter whether the rice is white, brown or herbal rice. Brown rice is richer in fibre, some B vitamins and minerals... but it is still the caloric equal of 10 teaspoons of sugar. To get the same 10 teaspoons of sugar, we need to consume lots of kangkong... 10 bowls of it.
Rice is digested to become sugar.
Rice can be digested only when it is thoroughly cooked. However, when thoroughly cooked, it becomes sugar and spikes circulating blood sugar within half an hour... almost as quickly as it would if we took a sugar candy. Rice is very low in the "rainbow of anti-oxidants".
This complete anti-oxidant rainbow is necessary for the effective and safe utilisation of sugar. Fruits come with a sugar called fructose. However, they are not empty calories as the fruit is packed with a whole host of other nutrients that help its proper assimilation and digestion.
Rice has no fibre.
The fibre of the kangkong fills us up long before our blood sugar spikes. This is because the fibre bulks and fills up our stomach. Since white rice has no fibre, we end up eating lots of "calorie dense" food before we get filled up. Brown rice has more fibre but still contains the same amount of sugar.
Rice is tasteless.
Sugar is sweet. There is only so much that we can eat at one sitting. How many teaspoons of sugar can we eat before we feel like throwing up? Could you imagine eating 10 teaspoons of sugar in one seating? Rice is always the main part of the meal.
While sugar may fill our dessert or sweeten our coffee, it will never be the main part of any meal. We could eat maybe two to three teaspoons of sugar at one meal. However, we could easily eat the equal value of two to three bowls (20 - 30 teaspoons) of sugar in one meal. I am always amused when I see someone eat sometimes five bowls of rice (equals 50 teaspoons of sugar) and then asks fo tea or coffee without sugar!
There is no real "built in" mechanism for us to prevent overeating of rice.
How much kangkong can we eat? How much fried chicken? How much steamed fish? Think about that! In one seating, we cannot take lots of chicken, fish or cucumber, but we can take lots of rice. Eating rice causes us to eat more salt.
As rice is tasteless, we tend to consume more salt... another villain when it comes to high blood pressure control. We tend to take more curry that has salt to help flavor the rice. We also tend to consume more ketchup and soy sauce which are also rich in salt.
Eating rice causes us to drink less water.
The more rice we eat, the less water we will drink as there is no mechanism to prevent the overeating of rice. Rice, wheat and corn come hidden in our daily food. As rice is tasteless, it tends to end up in other foods that serve as rice substitutes... like rice flour, noodles and bread. We tend to eat the hidden forms which still get digested into sugar. Rice, even when cooked, is difficult to digest. Can't eat raw rice? Try eating rice half cooked. Contrary to popular belief, rice is very difficult to digest. It is "heavy stuff". If you have problems with digestion, try skipping rice for a few days. You will be amazed at how the problem will just go away.
Rice prevents the absorption of several vitamins and minerals.
Rice when taken in bulk will reduce the absorption of vital nutrients like zinc, iron and the B vitamins.
Are you a rice addict?
Going riceless may not be easy, but we can still go riceless. Eating less rice could be a lot easier than we think. Here are some strategies that we can pursue in our quest to eat less rice:
1. Eat less rice - Cut your rice by half. Barry Sears, author of the Zone Diet, advises "eating rice like spice". Instead, increase your fruits & vegetables intake.
2. Take more lean meats and fish.
3. You can even take more eggs and nuts. Have "riceless" meals. Take no rice or wheat at say, breakfast. Go for eggs instead.
4. Go on "riceless" days - Go "western" once a week. Take no rice and breads for one day every week! That can't be too difficult. Appreciate the richness of your food. Go for taste, colors and smells. Make eating a culinary delight. Enjoy your food in the original flavors.
5. Avoid the salt shaker or ketchup. You will automatically eat less rice.
6. Eat your fruit dessert before (Yes! No printing error) your meals. The fibre-rch fruits will "bulk up" in your stomach. Thus, you will eat less rice and more fruits.
*********************************************************************************
OUR WATER AFTER EACH MEAL
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It says it is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed.
It will slow down the digestion. Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine!
Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer.
It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
August 08, 2008
Academic warns people not to store eggs in refrigerators
Academic warns people not to store eggs in refrigerators
Eggs should not be stored in refrigerators because the cooler conditions might allow the bird-flu virus to live longer, increasing the chance of exposure to humans, a senior Chulalongkorn University researcher said Thursday.
Professor Yong Phuvoravan, who is part of a team examining patterns of genes in bird flu, said that while the virus can be caught only through direct contact with chickens, refrigerated conditions could allow the virus to live longer on the outside of egg shells.
Speaking at a bird-flu seminar at the Chula Academy Exhibition Thursday, he urged people towash their eggs carefully, especially thoses mattered with chicken droppings, and not tostore them in their fridges. He added that people should wash their hands well after touching the eggs and cook the eggs in 70-degree Celsius heat. The virus has mutated by about 3 per cent from the first batch found in 2003, which was a natural process, he said.
However, as yet there has been no evidence of a mutation to make the virus transmittable from human to human.
Yong did say, however, that over consumption of the Tamiflu vaccine could lead to the virus building up a resistance.
Eggs should not be stored in refrigerators because the cooler conditions might allow the bird-flu virus to live longer, increasing the chance of exposure to humans, a senior Chulalongkorn University researcher said Thursday.
Professor Yong Phuvoravan, who is part of a team examining patterns of genes in bird flu, said that while the virus can be caught only through direct contact with chickens, refrigerated conditions could allow the virus to live longer on the outside of egg shells.
Speaking at a bird-flu seminar at the Chula Academy Exhibition Thursday, he urged people towash their eggs carefully, especially thoses mattered with chicken droppings, and not tostore them in their fridges. He added that people should wash their hands well after touching the eggs and cook the eggs in 70-degree Celsius heat. The virus has mutated by about 3 per cent from the first batch found in 2003, which was a natural process, he said.
However, as yet there has been no evidence of a mutation to make the virus transmittable from human to human.
Yong did say, however, that over consumption of the Tamiflu vaccine could lead to the virus building up a resistance.
Green Tea
Green Tea
Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits. It is extraordinarily amazing what green tea can do for your health. And if you're not drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea today, you're definitely NOT doing your health a big favor. Here Are The 25 Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking Green Tea Right Now :
< http://www.finegreentea.com/green-tea-cancer.html>>
1. Green Tea and Cancer Green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer. The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E. This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer.
2. Green Tea and Heart Disease Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol. Even after the heart attack, it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells.
3. Green Tea and Anti-Aging Green tea contains antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals. What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity.
4. Green Tea and Weight Loss Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally. It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day. That translates to 7 pounds in one year.
5. Green Tea and Skin Antioxidant in green tea protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals, which cause wrinkling and skin aging. Green tea also helps fight against skin cancer.
6. Green Tea and Arthritis Green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.
7. Green Tea and Bones The very key to this is high fluoride content found in green tea. It helps keep your bones strong. If you drink green tea every day, this will help you preserve your bone density.
8. Green Tea and Cholesterol Green tea can help lower cholesterol level. It also improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, by reducing bad cholesterol level.
9. Green Tea and Obesity Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells. If you are on a healthy diet, exercise regularly and drink green tea, it is unlikely you'll be obese.
10. Green Tea and Diabetes Green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms, prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level, and balances your metabolism rate.
11. Green Tea and Alzheimer's Green tea helps boost your memory. And although there's no cure for Alzheimer's, it helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer's.
12. Green Tea and Parkinson's Antioxidants in green tea helps prevent against cell damage in the brain, which could cause Parkinson's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's.
13. Green Tea and Liver Disease Green tea helps prevent transplant failure in people with liver failure. Researches showed that green tea destroys harmful free radicals in fatty livers.
14. Green Tea and High Blood Pressure Green tea helps prevent high blood pressure. Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin, which leads to high blood pressure.
15. Green Tea and Food Poisoning Catechin found in green tea can kill bacteria which causes food poisoning and kills the toxins produced by those bacteria.
16. Green Tea and Blood Sugar Blood sugar tends to increase with age, but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level.
17. Green Tea and Immunity Polyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system, making your health stronger in fighting against infections.
18. Green Tea and Cold and Flu Green tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu. Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold.
19. Green Tea and Asthma Theophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes, reducing the severity of asthma.
20. Green Tea and Ear Infection Green tea helps with ear infection problem. For natural ear cleaning, soak a cutton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear.
21. Green Tea and Herpes Green tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes. First green tea compress is applied, and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment.
22. Green Tea and Tooth Decay Green tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases. It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath.
23. Green Tea and Stress L-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety.
24. Green Tea and Allergies EGCG found in green tea relieves allergies. So, if you have allergies, you should really consider drinking green tea. < http://www.finegreentea.com/green-tea-allergy..html >>
25. Green Tea and HIV Scientists in Japan have found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells. What this means is that green tea can help stop the HIV virus from spreading.
Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits. It is extraordinarily amazing what green tea can do for your health. And if you're not drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea today, you're definitely NOT doing your health a big favor. Here Are The 25 Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking Green Tea Right Now :
< http://www.finegreentea.com/green-tea-cancer.html>>
1. Green Tea and Cancer Green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer. The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E. This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer.
2. Green Tea and Heart Disease Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol. Even after the heart attack, it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells.
3. Green Tea and Anti-Aging Green tea contains antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals. What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity.
4. Green Tea and Weight Loss Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally. It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day. That translates to 7 pounds in one year.
5. Green Tea and Skin Antioxidant in green tea protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals, which cause wrinkling and skin aging. Green tea also helps fight against skin cancer.
6. Green Tea and Arthritis Green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.
7. Green Tea and Bones The very key to this is high fluoride content found in green tea. It helps keep your bones strong. If you drink green tea every day, this will help you preserve your bone density.
8. Green Tea and Cholesterol Green tea can help lower cholesterol level. It also improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, by reducing bad cholesterol level.
9. Green Tea and Obesity Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells. If you are on a healthy diet, exercise regularly and drink green tea, it is unlikely you'll be obese.
10. Green Tea and Diabetes Green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms, prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level, and balances your metabolism rate.
11. Green Tea and Alzheimer's Green tea helps boost your memory. And although there's no cure for Alzheimer's, it helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer's.
12. Green Tea and Parkinson's Antioxidants in green tea helps prevent against cell damage in the brain, which could cause Parkinson's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's.
13. Green Tea and Liver Disease Green tea helps prevent transplant failure in people with liver failure. Researches showed that green tea destroys harmful free radicals in fatty livers.
14. Green Tea and High Blood Pressure Green tea helps prevent high blood pressure. Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin, which leads to high blood pressure.
15. Green Tea and Food Poisoning Catechin found in green tea can kill bacteria which causes food poisoning and kills the toxins produced by those bacteria.
16. Green Tea and Blood Sugar Blood sugar tends to increase with age, but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level.
17. Green Tea and Immunity Polyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system, making your health stronger in fighting against infections.
18. Green Tea and Cold and Flu Green tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu. Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold.
19. Green Tea and Asthma Theophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes, reducing the severity of asthma.
20. Green Tea and Ear Infection Green tea helps with ear infection problem. For natural ear cleaning, soak a cutton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear.
21. Green Tea and Herpes Green tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes. First green tea compress is applied, and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment.
22. Green Tea and Tooth Decay Green tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases. It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath.
23. Green Tea and Stress L-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety.
24. Green Tea and Allergies EGCG found in green tea relieves allergies. So, if you have allergies, you should really consider drinking green tea. < http://www.finegreentea.com/green-tea-allergy..html >>
25. Green Tea and HIV Scientists in Japan have found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells. What this means is that green tea can help stop the HIV virus from spreading.
August 05, 2008
Don't after a meal
* Don't smoke
Experiment from experts proves that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of cancer is higher).
* Don't eat fruits immediately
Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1 hr before meal.
* Don't drink tea
Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid. This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.
* Don't loosen your belt
Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted & blocked.
* Don't bathe
Bathing will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.
* Don't walk about
People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you will live till 99. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.
* Don't sleep immediately
The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. Thus will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine.
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