Beware Of Healthy Fakes

There's so many healthy foods out right now, but beware some of these are healthy fakes.

Let's start with the foods that you pick up as a healthy alternative to a fatty snack like potato chips, rice cakes. Frankly, rice cakes taste healthy. There's very little to them, they're bland and one mini cake isn't nearly enough to curb an appetite. Rice cakes contain no nutrition, just sodium. If you select one of the tastier types, you'll find these have the bad fat, Trans fat. 

Therefore, you pass on the rice cakes but decide a health food bar is more to your liking. Beware, there's a lot that these bars hide underneath their packaged promises.

First, if they taste good, they contain sugar, but that's mostly in granola bars. Sugar raises the insulin level, which stops the body from releasing growth hormones. In turn, the reduction growth hormones released causes the immune system to be depressed. Sugar also elevates your blood sugar level, makes the pancreas work frantically to produce insulin and then the level drops dramatically. These rapid changes in the blood sugar add additional stress on your body.

Okay, you don't want a healthy fake no matter how good it tastes so you check the ingredients for every type of sugar that you know and your bar passes with flying colors. However, the label shows the bar contains soy rice crisp or soy protein.

Soy is healthy, right? Wrong! According to a not for profit nutritional education organization, the Weston A Price Foundation in Washington DC, processed soy protein and soy oil that you find in many health food products shows a direct link to problems with the thyroid, digestive tract, reproductive organs including infertility, dementia, heart disease, ADD/ADHD and even a direct link to cancer.

Women that are at risk for breast cancer are warned to cut back on soy products because of the ever increasing evidence that diets high in soy products causes a greater amount of cells to multiply in the breast.

What can you eat as a healthy snack? Either select something that your mother made, by that I mean Mother Nature, or make it yourself so you know what the snack contains. Goodwholesome fresh fruit, nuts, berries and seeds. Mix them together with some shredded wheat and you have homemade trail mix you can trust.

Drinks are deceptive also; there are many healthy fakes that pass themselves off as "good for you" and nutritious. Vitamin drinks offer a lot of healthy vitamins but also have an abundance of sugar.

These drinks contain as much as 8 teaspoons of sugar. Even though the vitamins enhance your immune system, the sugar in the drink suppresses it. Three teaspoons of sugar can suppress your immune system for up to four hours.

These have almost three times the amount of sugar. Twenty years ago, the average consumption of sugar was 26 pounds a year. Today the consumption has risen to an unprecedented 135 pounds per American, per year.

Is it any wonder that cancer and heart disease is on the rise, not to mention the increased number of Americans that even make their sweat pants scream under the strain of the extra body weight.

Bottled tea, even the unsweetened type, is also another healthy fake. Studies show that bottled tea contains no where near the antioxidants that brewed tea contains.

There are so many healthy fakes on the market everywhere you look. Why? Marketing. Manufacturers and fast food restaurants all know Americans want to eat healthy and now promote that with somewhat deceptive labeling. The easiest way to healthy eating is making the food, reading all labels and avoiding anything with sugars or corn syrup in the first 8 ingredients on the label. Next time you go shopping, read the labels and find some healthy fakes yourself.

Improving Your Life with Health Food Snacks

Today's busy lifestyles have made fast food, snacks and drinks loaded with sugar much more popular and convenient than healthy meals and health food snacks.

Unfortunately, this trend has resulted in a drastic increase in the number of individuals who are obese, especially the obesity rate in children. Not only does unhealthy eating cause weight gain, foods that are high in sugar can deprive your body of the fuel it needs to stay alert and active until your next meal.

Many people think of granola when they consider health food snacks. While granola is full of essential vitamins and nutrients, it is also made up of a lot of fat and granola products often contain high amounts of sugar.

Health food snacks are foods that are low in sugar and low in fat, especially trans-fat, but arefull of the complex carbohydrates that your body needs to keep going.

Fresh fruits are a good choice for health food snacks. The natural juices in fruit are terrific energy boosts and the added vitamins and nutrients benefit your body.

Dried fruits and nuts, like those found in trail mix, are also healthy snack options that are full of energy replenishing proteins.

A concentrated source of natures most nutrient rich fruits and berries like that found in beyound berries is the easiest way to get the nutrients your body needs especially durring those times a year when really good fresh fruit is hard to get

Low-fat yogurt mixed with fresh berries and smoothies made with low-fat organic milk and fruit, and raw veggies with a tasty, low-fat dip are all excellent choices for health food snacks as well.

Whole grain breads and cereals are also great foods that benefit your body in a number of ways. Health food snacks may consist of whole grain pitas full of your favorite veggies, like lettuce, cucumbers, and broccoli, drizzled with low-fat ranch dressing.

You may want to try mini pizzas on English muffins topped with low-fat cheese, this is a favorite healthy snack for children. There are also a variety of health snacks that offer a convenient way to snack healthy.

Eating health food snacks between your regular meals will help you feel better through the day and can also help you lose weight.

Many people, including children, have a hard time eating a balanced diet each day. Their hectic schedules often mean they grab chips, candy bars, and soft drinks to keep them going through the day.

Healthy snacks come from many different food groups and can give you and your family a more balanced, nutritious diet.

Health food snacks offer a more balanced diet and reduce the amount of sugars and fats in your diet. You will have more energy and vivaciousness so you can accomplish more each day and the diminishing fat cells in your body will boost your mood as well as your appearance.

Choosing health food snacks over chips, cookies, and other empty calorie munchies is one of the smartest decisions you can make.

Once you have made the decision to make a conscious effort to eat healthier snacks, you need to be constantly prepared for your snack cravings. If you're not prepared, you will once again fall victim to the lure of fast fixes from candy, chips, and the fast food industry.

• Schedule a regular snack time and try to stick to it.



• Keep plenty of healthy food snacks on hand, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat yogurts and cheeses, trail mix, oatmeal, etc.



• Stay on track wherever you go by carrying health snacks in your car, backpack, or to the office. Healthy snack are convenient on the go and can be ordered online.

A healthy, balanced diet is a vital part of living a successful and gratifying life. With today's hectic lifestyle, it is often hard to find time to eat a variety of foods from each of the major food groups.

Health food snacks are tasty and filling, and they are an easy way to give your body the nutrition it needs when you're always on the go.

How to identify anti-aging nutrients

Each of the food entries in the nutrition counter has information in the following categories: food name, portion size, calories, total fat, good fats, bad fats, fiber, sugar, beta-carotene, calcium, vitamin C, and B vitamins. Let’s look at each of these categories more closely.

Portion Size

This is the standard amount of food suggested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the food industry. Always check the serving size: it may be smaller or larger than you think.

Calories

This is the amount of energy provided by one serving of a food or beverage. You can use this value to help you plan your meals if you are trying to lose weight or restrict your total daily caloric intake.

Total Fat

The figure in the total fat category is the sum of saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and trans fats. We break down these four types of fat into two subcategories (bad fats and good fats) in other columns.

Overall, your daily fat intake should be 20 to 25 percent of your total daily calories. Based on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, that translates as 2,000 calories x 20% (or 25%) = 400 (or 500) / 9 (calories per gram of fat) = 44 (or 50) grams, which = 396 (or 450) calories. You can use this column to find foods that are low in total fat. Generally, such foods include fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, soy foods, fish, some poultry, and low-fat dairy. Highly refined or processed foods, meats, whole-milk dairy, baked goods, and snack foods typically have higher total fat (and usually high bad fat) content.

Good Fats

The “Good Fats” category includes the known values of monounsaturated and/or omega-3 fatty acids in the food or beverage. These are the healthy fats that benefit the heart, help lower cholesterol, and protect against insulinresistance. This value can help you choose foods that provide these advantages. Your intake of good fats should be 10 to 15 percent of your total daily calories. Based on the 2,000-calories-per-day model, your good fat intake should be 200 to 300 calories, as follows: 2,000 calories × 10% (or 15%) = 200 (or 300) ÷ 9 (number of calories in a gram of fat) = 22 (or 33) grams.

Bad Fats

This category contains the sum of saturated and trans fats in the food and beverages in the counter. These are the artery-clogging, heart-stopping fats, and the ones that you want to limit in your diet. Foods typically high in saturated fat include meats, butter, tropical oils, full-fat dairy products, margarine, and some processed foods. Trans fats are found in margarine, many processed foods such as snacks and crackers, packaged dinners, and fast foods.

Saturated and trans fat together should not exceed 10 percent of your total caloric intake per day. Given the standard 2,000 calories-per-day model, your daily intake of bad fats should not be more than 200 calories (2,000 calories × 10% = 200 ÷ 9 (number of calories in a gram of fat), or 22 grams. A quick look at the “Bad Fats” category will give you immediate information on the bad fat content of the foods and beverages you are considering and help you make healthier choices.

Fiber

This no-calorie nutrient plays many important roles in an anti-aging diet; for example, it helps reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, fight obesity, prevent constipation, reduce risk of intestinal problems, including colon cancer, stabilize glucose levels, and remove toxins from the body. If you are between the ages of 19 and 50, you should strive to get 38 grams of fiber daily if you are male, and 25 grams if you are female. If you are older than 50, the National Academy of Sciences, Food and Nutrition Board recommends 30 grams for men and 21 grams for women.

You can scan the fiber column to find foods that contain a good fiber content (at least 2.5 to 3 grams per serving). Foods that typically fall into this range or higher include fruits and vegetables, cereals, grains, nuts, seeds, and some soy-based foods.

Sugar

Sugar refers to simple sugars, the ones that are especially harmful because they cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels and lead to insulin resistance, both of which increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and many other serious medical conditions. High intake of simple sugars can also lead to weight gain.

Keep in mind that the “Sugars” category includes both naturally occurring sugars (like those found in fruit, fruit juices, milk, and some vegetables) as well as those that are added to foods and beverages. You can find added sugars on the ingredient lists on food packages.

You can use the “Sugars” category to help you limit the amount of added simple sugars in your diet and to ensure you get enough of the good sugars (complex carbs). When looking at foods that often have added sugars, such as breakfast cereals and cookies, you can scan the “Sugars” category for those that contain low amounts (between 0 and 5 grams of total sugars).

Beta-carotene

Beta-carotene is the most studied of the more than 600 different types of carotenoids that have been identified in plants. Carotenoids are pigments that give fruits and vegetables their color, and beta-carotene is an especially potent carotenoid. The role of beta-carotene in nature is to protect dark green, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables from the damage caused by solar radiation, and it is believed it also helps protect the human body as well. The colors give you a clue as to the fruits and vegetables that contain high levels of this antioxidant, and they include yellow squash, cantaloupe, peaches, apricots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and green leafy vegetables.

Calcium

As you know, calcium is critical for strong bones, and an insufficient amount of calcium in the diet significantly increases the risk of osteoporosis and with it, an increased risk of fractures from falls. Therefore you should make every effort to make sure you are getting enough calcium in your diet (l,000mg for men and women age 19 to 50 years; l,200mg for older adults). You can use the nutrition counter to help you identify the foods that are rich sources of this mineral. Some of those sources include dairy products, canned sardines, green leafy vegetables, yogurt, and soybeans.

Vitamin C

This potent antioxidant is an important member of the arsenal you should assemble in your fight against free radical damage and aging. Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is water soluble and is found in all body fluids. Because the body cannot store this antioxidant, it’s very important to replenish your supply daily. When you use the nutrition counter, you will see that the best sources of vitamin C are fruits and fruit juices, vegetables and vegetable juices, and products that are enriched with vitamin C, including cereals.

In the nutrition counter, the vitamin C content per serving is given in DV. The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI, formerly RDA) is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men; for smokers, 110mg for women and 130 mg for men.

B vitamins

The B vitamins are essential to help preserve and maintain optimal function of the central nervous system and the production of neurotransmitters, which are critical for brain function because they carry signals from cell to cell. Generally, B vitamins help fight the signs and symptoms of an aging brain: for example, slowing of reflexes, difficulty recalling names or words, increasing bouts of forgetfulness and confusion, and episodes of mental “fog.” B vitamins also play a critical role in the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose (to provide energy), and in the maintenance of muscle tone in the gastrointestinal tract.

The vitamins that make up what is commonly called the “vitamin B complex” include thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folic acid (B9), and cobalamin (B12). Each of these vitamins has distinct characteristics, but they also have many similar properties and are found in many of the same common foods. At one time, this fact led researchers to consider them as one substance. For the sake of simplicity, we treat the B vitamins as a single entry for each food or beverage item and rate the vitamin B content as “0” for none or insignificant; “+” for a moderate amount, and “++” for a high amount.

Because the B vitamins are water soluble, they do not stay in the body very long (except for B12) and therefore need to be replenished regularly, preferably daily. You can use the information in this column to help you identify foods and beverages that contain these essential vitamins.

The information in the Anti-Aging Nutrition Counter was compiled from many sources, including but not limited to organizations within the United States government (Food and Drug Administration, National Academy of Sciences, U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database), individual food labels, food manufacturers, fast-food restaurants, and various Internet sources, including Nutritiondata.com. It’s especially important to note that fast-food restaurants are constantly making adjustments to their menus, and so you may wish to ask about specific items to see if their nutritional content has changed.

This nutrition counter provides you with a wealth of information you need and can readily use to fight aging with every spoonful you take. Bring this site along with you to the supermarket, restaurants, farmers’ markets—anywhere food is sold!

A SECRET OF ANTI-AGING

By Eller J. Mejia

Anti aging is possible.  The body is designed to heal and repair itself with the aid of proper nutrition. The body requires two vital materials to complete this - energy and raw material. These two requirements are needed to maintain the cell's proper functions. The body is made up of cells and all cells are living. All living things need food. Each cell needs the proper food to keep it strong. Cells die and replace themselves at various intervals. To understand anti-aging, understand that when a cell replaces itself it has three options that it can replace itself with:

1.  A cell may replace itself with a weaker cell each time.  A cell will do this if it hasn't had the right nutritional foods available to it.  This process is called degeneration.

2.  A cell can replace itself with the same strength cell.  This means the body doesn't improve.  That is, you have a chronic condition.

3.   The cell is capable of replacing itself with a stronger and better cell.  This will happen only if the cell has an abundance of energy and the right raw materials.  This process is called regeneration.  It is anti-aging.

Many of the foods that we have been told are good for us in actual fact may cause degeneration.This can be shown by muscle testing. Your kinesiologist can supply you with information on which foods to avoid to stop degeneration, and which foods to buy to aid regeneration and anti-aging.

Foods which usually cause degeneration and aging are:

• High levels of carbohydrate
• Sugar
• Milk (especially homogenized milk) and cheese
• Caffeine - Including Tea, Coffee, chocolate, cola, chuppa chups, guarana (Try Chaga - The Coffee Substitute that is very good for you)
• Chocolate (MUCH worse than you ever realised)
• Cigarettes
• White flour
• Microwaved food
• Chemicals such as fluoride (which is a rat poison)
• Artificial sweeteners (especially aspartame / nutrasweet)
• Alcohol
• Processed foods
• Artificial Colorings (as in Gatorade)
• Additives
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• Preserved meat
• Moderate to high levels of meat
• Meat from animals on unnatural diets (eg pork)
• Margarine
• Vegetable oil
• Canola oil
• Cotton seed oil
• Olestra
• Hydrogenated oils
• Oil that is not cold pressed / expeller pressed (use olive oil, butter or ghee)
• Deep fried foods
• Chips / French fries
• Puffed grains
• Soy products other than soy sauce, miso and tofu (eg soy milk & soy oil)
• Meat and eggs raised by `normal' methods which have many toxins and hormones.
• Seafood which are garbage eaters (eg oysters)
• Foods with high levels of mercury. This includes most fish, such as tuna.
• Aluminium. Especially from aluminium cookware.
• Genetically Modified Food (GMOs). At present this is about 50% of all soy and corn. Even organic soy and corn can have GMOs in it unless otherwise stated.

Healthy Oils

Healthy oils are only healthy if you use them correctly. There are some oils that can tolerate the heat of the frying pan and others that just need to rest lightly on a salad with a little vinegar and spice.

Some oils don't pass as healthy whether you sauté, flambeau or simply use them cold. Healthy oils are those that fit the criteria for essential fatty acids, are lower in unsaturated fats, lower the blood cholesterol or at least not raise it, have little pesticide in them and are processed properly so the oil's integrity is maintained and the nutritional value isn't lost.

Oil is nothing more than liquid fat. The body needs to have fat to help it absorb nutrients, maintain the integrity of the cell membrane, insure proper nerve transmission and perform other important tasks. You can get too much of a good thing however. You also can choose the wrong type of oil and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. If you use the oils improperly, you also increase a potential for cancer.

Some oils are hydrogenated. Hydrogenation creates a longer shelf life but also makes the trans fatty acids that you hear so much about today. When you look at vegetable shortening, stick margarine or even the oil in microwave popcorn, you're looking at samples of hydrogenated oils.

There are oils that are polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, totally unsaturated and saturated fats. Each type of healthy oil has some saturated fat and some unsaturated fat. The chains of fat in the oil also are mixed. Saturated fat is what you need to avoid. Studies found that diets high in saturated fats are linked to a higher incidence of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. The studies also found that saturated fats negatively effected the cholesterol profile of the individuals that ate them regularly in their diet. Experiments that replaced the saturated fats with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat reduced the likelihood of a second stroke or cardiac death significantly. Oils that contain high saturated fats include butter, coconut oil, cottonseed oil and palm kernel oil.

Polyunsaturated fat lower both the total cholesterol and the LDL, bad cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats, however, actually raise the HDL, good, cholesterol level. The highest oil in unsaturated fat is canola followed closely by sunflower and safflower oil. However, if you divide the groups up between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated, olive oil ranks the highest with canola oil right behind it.

Oils that don't fare well when heat is applied include those that contain the omega 3 fatty acids. The heat changes the fatty acids and even makes them harmful. In this case, oils that are higher in saturated fats or monounsaturated fats tend to be higher when you use them for cooking. These include the ever-popular olive oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, high oleic sunflower oil, butter and peanut oil. Of course, coconut oil is high in saturated fat.

There's a technique that preserves the flavor and nutrition of oils that you use for cooking. It involves sautéing the food first in a small amount of water heated slightly below the boiling point. Cook the food for a while and then later add the oil. This practice is wet sautéing the food. Since the oil has a limited time in the heat, it helps maintain the integrity of the oil.

The way the manufacturers process the oil also makes a difference. Remember that some oils are damaged by heat that creates a toxin. Some manufacturers use heat or chemicals to process their oil. Always look for oils that are cold pressed to maximize the health value of the oil. Healthy oils are those from organic sources; contain lower saturated fats and where the manufacturer uses natural processing methods.

Fish Oil Is Healthy

Fish oil contains a large amount of vitamin F. If you never heard of that vitamin before, you aren't alone. It is one of the newer classifications and contains what used to be essential fatty acids. There are also two different categories, the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Fish oil contains the Omega-3 fatty acid.

Most of Americans diets are heavily Omega-6 fatty acids. The ideal balance between Omega-6 and Omega-3 should be a 2 to 1 ratio. Yet, in the American diet, the ratio balance is as much as 50 to 1. This leads to an imbalance of the types of fatty acids that affect all the areas of the body. One of them is the health of the cardiovascular system.

Studies show that increasing the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids tends to decrease the triglyceride levels, lowers the blood pressure, decreases the amount of plaque build up on the vessel walls and decreases the risk of coronary arrhythmia that may lead to death. The Omega-3 also showed that it helped those prone to strokes if they had known heart disease.

Even though there are other types of foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil contains a special type. The Omega-3 from plant oils like the soybean, flaxseed or olive oil contain alpha-linolenic acid known as ALA. Fish oil contains dicosahexaenoic acid, DHA, and eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA that has additional benefits.

Most of the scientific studies that showed the dramatic and pronounced effects came from the Omega-3 with DHA and EPA. While those that contained the ALA also had some effect, it wasn't as pronounced and the evidence was less convincing.

Logically and according to the way the body works, a human should be able to make their own EPA and DHA Omega-3 from the ALA found in dark green vegetables. Unfortunately, it only works on paper and is not nearly as efficient in real life. Because of this fact, those involved in medical research often propose that additional supplements of Omega-3 EPA and DHA provide the necessary fatty acids that your body doesn't make in enough volume.

In the second half of the 1970s, scientists studied the Eskimo Indians, the Inuit, in Greenland. They found that there were many diseases that were significantly lower than those of the general European population were. These diseases were diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, coronary heart disease and psoriasis.

The Inuit had a high diet of fat from their consumption of seal, whale and salmon, so it was directly opposed to the normal thinking about fat. It was only after analyzing the type of fat contained in the diet, those high in Omega-3 essential fatty acids, did the scientists realize that these types of fat actually benefit the individual, unlike their counterparts that cause distress to the body.

More research into the use of Omega-3 fatty acids is taking place to find whether large doses of this new vitamin F actually could bring a benefit to those with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, ADHD, alcoholism, bipolar disease, diabetes, depression or arthritis. There is hope on the horizon that not only would large doses be effective treatments but also effective as preventatives as well.

Although those treatments are simply investigations right now, we do know that Omega-3 fatty acids bring definite improvement to those with high cholesterol and heart conditions. Fish oil is just one simple way add that benefit to your diet.

Healthy benefits Of Flaxseed Oil

Dr Johanna Budwig, a Nobel Prize winner seven different times, did some amazing research on the health benefits of flaxseed oil. She formed a correlation between cancer and oxygenation of the cells. With this, she created the Budwig diet for cancer patients.

She found that if you use a mixture of oil-protein from organic cold-pressed flaxseed oil and combined it with quark, which is a dairy product in Germany and similar to cottage cheese, it balanced the Omega 6 fatty acids in the body that occur in many diets in the Western world. The combination provided detoxification and gave the cells an extra spark to allow them more oxygen. The diet contained no sugar and many other organic foods but the key was the combination of flaxseed oil and cottage cheese.

Dr Budwig wrote many more books and articles and believed that while her theories proved to work, they would never be accepted by the vast majority of the medical community. In her estimation it was because you couldn't patent flaxseed oil or cottage cheese, these ingredients were too readily available.

She isn't the only scientist to praise the use of flaxseed oil. Others find that the essential fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid, in the flaxseed oil might be beneficial for a number of other conditions which include heart disease, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, eczema and psoriasis.

Scientists do know, however, your body needs to maintain a balance between the amount of Omega 6 fatty acid and the amount of Omega 3 fatty acid. The flaxseed oil contains the Omega 3 fatty acid, which is normally lacking in most diets. The ideal ratio for the two is one part Omega 3 to 2 part of the Omega 6 acid. Unfortunately, most Western diets end up containing anywhere from 20 to 50 times more of the Omega 6 fatty acid. This affects the entire body, including the immune system.

Many studies show that the Omega-3 fatty acid found in flaxseed oil lowers the LDL, the bad cholesterol and triglycerides, while it raised the good, HDL, cholesterol. It also protected the body from high blood pressure and water retention. It also prevented the blood platelets from sticking together and clotting the arteries and increased the immune system function. Of course, with this came lowered potential of strokes, heart attack and thrombosis.

Athletes find that it shortens the muscle fatigue time after working out and increases their stamina. Sprains and bruises heal more rapidly when the individual takes flaxseed oil. Because it increases the energy output of the body, it also increases the potential for weight loss in people that have a hard time losing weight.

Flaxseed oil is also a beauty aid. Consumption of the oil strengthens the nails and aids the body in the absorption of calcium, necessary for teeth, hair, bones and nails. You'll see the world through a different set of eyes if you take flaxseed oil. It improves the eyesight and increases the perception of colors.

There are many other benefits attributed to flaxseed oil such as improved liver function, reduction of allergic reactions and asthma, help for PMS sufferers and even improved memory for the geriatric set. These and many more healthy benefits of flaxseed oil don't come from a doctor's prescription and that just may be the reason that you don't hear them recommended.

Oil Of Oregano

Oil of oregano holds true health benefits that are still not widely known. The oregano that the oil comes from isn't the type you find in a bottle on your grocer's shelf. Most of the time, thebottle labeled oregano is actually marjoram. It gets quite confusing since the genus is origanum or oregano and marjoram belongs to it. So all marjoram is oregano but not all oregano is marjoram. Medicinal oregano is "organum vulgare" also called common oregano.

To make matters worse, you'll often find plants and seed of "organum vulgare" sold as wild marjoram. Even though the name is confusing, the healing benefits are easy to understand.

The scent of the oregano has a hint of a piney scent, which we often identify with a disinfectant and that it is. It contains carvacrol, the same ingredient that gives Pinesol and Listerine their antibacterial boost. However, unlike Pinesol, it's not toxic because of the rest of the phytochemicals found in the oil. If you ingested the synthetic carvacrol, you'd find that it made you very ill because it does not contain these elements.

In tests conducted on the oil, scientists found that the disease fighting properties of oregano oil come from the carvacrol in the oregano oil and that kills both fungi and bacterial spores. One test study recorded in the "Archives Microbiology" October 2000 and "Quarterly Review Biology" March 1998, demonstrated that oregano's constituent carvacrol actually killed Bacillus cereus and Bacillus anthracis. If the second name sounded familiar, it's because the common name for that bacteria is anthrax.

Another study from the Department of Food Science, University of Tennessee in 2001 and reported in the "Journal of Food Protection, July 2001, that when using several different types of plant oils, oregano oil showed the most antibacterial strength against germs like staph. Listeria and E. col. This study followed one completed the previous year and reported in the "Journal of Applied Microbiology in February 2000. That study also showed that the oregano oil was effective in killing 25 types of bacteria.

Another study from the "Journal of Applied Microbiology," June1999, found that oregano had "pharmacologic" effects on yeast infections (Candida albicans), E.coli, Pseydomonas aeruginaosa and Salmonella enteric. Pseydomonas aeruginaosa is the cause of "hot tub rash" but also produces lethal reactions such as pneumonia in people with weakened immune systems.

Oil of oregano has more than just bacterial fighting qualities. It also contains many important minerals. While it contains twice the amount of calcium found in cheese, it's doubtful that you'll ever have a toasted oregano sandwich, but it does add to your daily nutritional intake. It also has magnesium, phosphorous, iron, zinc, boron, potassium and manganese. While oil of oregano has an abundance of iron, like spinach, it also contains ingredients that may stop the absorption of iron. Therefore, if you use the product on a regular basis, it's best to take an iron supplement.

You can use oregano oil for skin infections and irritations if you mix it with other milder oils like coconut oil. The carvacrol and thymol in the oil make it a good remedy for an upset stomach. Just mixing a couple of drops with juice helps mild indigestion. That same mixture taken for several days helps relieve sinus infections, sore throats and congestion.

Coconut Oil - The healthy Oil

Whether you have been looking into cooking more healthily for your family or you are just curious about what all of the fuss about coconut oil is, you'll find that there is a lot of information that can help you. More and more people are making the switch over to coconut oil for their cooking, and if you are curious about whether it makes that much of a difference, you will find that the answer is an unqualified yes! When you are thinking about cooking healthier and living healthier, you'll find that coconut oil can be a great place to start.

In the first place, you'll have to think about the foods that you will be replacing coconut oil with. When you look into foods that are considered unhealthy for you, like burgers or donuts, you'll find that they are filled with trans fats, but what does that really mean? Trans fats, which are also known as Trans Fatty Acids (TFA), are fats that are not good or healthy for you. They occur in trace amounts in meat and dairy products and when they are derived from partially hydrogenated oils, they are even more harmful. They have been linked to heart disease and to clogged arteries and as such can be quite dangerous for people who are already prone to these problems.

When looking at coconut oil, you need to understand thatit isa fat that is not harmful to you. It's made up of medium chain fatty acids, and these are the fatty acids that actually help our bodies function as they should. When your body processes coconut oil, you will find thatit does not require the use of your liver and gallbladder to emulsify it, leading to better transfer of energy and more heat production, not to mention better circulation. For people who have problems with digesting fats, coconut oil is an important oil as it is the only one that is so easily digested.

With all of this in mind, you should also understand how very beneficial coconut oil can be. Because of its chemical structure, it can be instrumental in helping you reduce heart disease, lower the cholesterol, lose weight and even improve diabetic conditions. When you are looking at coconut oil, you will find that it has very really antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, making it a great tool when you are looking to help your immune system fight invaders. It is also important to realize that coconut oil is instrumental in increasing the metabolic rate and giving you more energy.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why you should look into adding more coconut oil into your diet. Take a look at the various different advantages that this wonderful and wonderfully tasty substance can bring, and start looking up some recipes!

While oregano oil is antibacterial, it's not antibiotic. This means it doesn't kill your cells, but just the bacteria. It makes it safe for consumption by most people. However, there is always a possibility of an allergic reaction. Anyone allergic to thyme, basil, mint or sage should be careful using oil of oregano and seek medical attention if a rash or vomiting ensues after use.

Dark Chocolate Health Benefits

There have been a number of studies on dark chocolate health benefits these last few years and they all agree on one thing.

Eating dark chocolate can be good for you.

Minimally processed cocoa - dark chocolate is the least processed of all chocolate - contains antioxidants just like those found in green tea.

Some of the benefits of antioxidants are:

• Improved Digestion
   
• Improved circulation
• Helps the cells that line the blood vessels due their job
• Destroys free radicals in protecting against stroke and heart disease
• Lowers blood pressure
• lowers the death rate from heart disease
• Ignites the kidneys

**********************sidebar**********************
"A cup or two of hot cocoa every once in a while can
provide a delicious, warm and healthy way to obtain
more antioxidants"
Dr Chang Yong Lee,
Cornell University

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These antioxidants appear to be present in only the dark chocolate, not the white chocolate or the milk chocolate as the antioxidants are processed out.

If your eating for the dark chocolate health benefits then stay away from milk when eating the chocolate. Milk has been found to block the absorption of antioxidants while eating chocolate.

This would eliminate any dark chocolate health benefits.

Researchers are also considering the case for milk having the same effects on other antioxidant rich foods like green vegetables,fruits and green tea.

Dark Chocolate and Blood Pressure

Cocoa phenols are known to lower blood pressure. Dark chocolate is loaded with these cocoa phenols which will help lower your blood pressure just make sure to make up for the extra calories by eating less of something else.

Who said you can't have your candy and eat it too?

Honey Health Benefits

Honey health benefits were known to healers for centuries, yet today, Americans are just discovering them. This delicious nectar is a creation of the bee to provide nutrients and food when normal sources are scarce. It has qualities that few other sugars contain. For instance, honey is anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral. This not only gives it a long shelf life, it makes honey a natural antiseptic.

Honey also provides some protection against cancer, particularly colon cancer. A study from the University of Zagreb, in Croatia, used several different bee products on rats injected with cancer cells. If the researchers gave the rats honey orally before the injection, it caused the growth of the cancer cell to slow or not grow at all. However, if they administered the honey after the injection, it actually increased the spread of the cancer. However, other bee products like Royal Jelly, made by the worker bees to feed the young, injected at the same time as the cancer, inhibited its growth and spread.

Several studies show that specific types of honey, created from the bees' consumption of different nectars, may aid cancer patients. A study published in the international medical journal, "Medical Oncology" outlined the benefits of honey from bees fed specific types of nectar. The results showed that honey from bees fed Echinacea, Siberian Ginseng and Uncaria Tomentosa produced honey that provided cancer patients an increase in blood cell production. This aided those patients depleted by the stress of chemotherapy.

Other studies removed the active ingredients in the honey. There are four of them. These are caffeic substances, which are phytonutrients. Two of them, I. ipoxygenase and phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C act on the substances that cause the development of cancer in the colon. Unfortunately, processing often destroys the substances so the best choice is always raw honey. The immunity properties of honey also help cancer patients. When scientists conducted a study, they found that cancer patients given honey had 32 percent fewer infections and an improved quality of life.

Honey also provides a powerful antibacterial aid on wounds when applied topically. Many mothers from earlier centuries used honey as their method to prevent wounds from infection. It also speeds the healing process because it stimulates the new tissues to grow faster. It works to promote the healing of burns, too. A bottle of honey provides not only for sweet flavoring in tea but also replace many of the substances in the medicine cabinet.

Honey's healing properties vary by the type of food the bees receive, as mentioned previously. Acai honey shows many of the powerful antioxidant powers its berry shows. The honey from bees that consume buckwheat is a better cough remedy for children between two and eighteen than some many of the commercial blends of cough syrup, including those containing dextromethorphan.

No article on honey would be complete without mentioning the breakfast partner cinnamon. Studies show that a daily paste of honey and cinnamon on bread or toast not only helped reduce cholesterol build up in the arteries, it also increased the stamina so there was a stronger heartbeat and reduced fatigue which causes loss of breath.

These are just a few of the benefits. Beware; honey is still a sugar that contains calories. As part of a normal diet, it helps, but it shouldn't be used to the exclusion of vegetables, fruits and protein foods that make up a good diet. Honey health benefits are great and as a substitute for other sugars, it improves your health, therefore, the quality of your life.

A Cup Of Tea Is Nourishment For Body And Soul

Almost everyone loves tea. This delicious as well as healthy drink has been around for ages. Tea comes in a rich array of types and flavors. Whether you drink your tea hot or cold, you are sure to have an enjoyable healthy drink.

Tea Benefits

Tea has many beneficial properties one of which is flavoniod antioxidants and we all need those to keep our bodies in healthy working order. The antioxidants in tea can help protect the body from the affects of free radicals which can damage cells.

Some of these antioxidants have proven useful as anti-allergic, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agents, as well as helping to boost the immune system.

Tea is helpful in weight loss and the protection against Alzheimers, heart disease and may help lower the risk of some types of cancers. Tea also has fluoride, which is great news for your teeth and bones. Therefore, the next time you just want a nice drink of tea remember it is good for your body as well as being appetizing.

Actually, after water, tea is one of the most common consumed drinks. No matter whether it is black, green, white, Oolong or herbal teas. All of these different types of teas offer their own special tastes and health benefits.
All tea grows on a white flowering evergreen tea tree. Every bit of real tea comes from the same types of Camellia Sinensis trees better known as tea trees. Tea trees are harvested year round.

Most of the tea tree plants resemble a bush from being pruned, however if left to grow wild it reaches a height of nearly thirty feet.

Here is a list of the types of tea and some of their benefits:

• 1. Black Tea - Black tea is helpful by affecting the levels of stress hormones thereby aiding in a quicker recovery time from the stresses of daily life. It also lowers the risk of heart attacks. Black tea is helpful as a diet aid.
• 2. Green Tea - Green tea can protect against several different kinds of cancer, such as lung, breast and prostate cancers. It is also useful as a diet aid since it speeds up the metabolic rates while speeding up the fat oxidation. This offers a feeling of increased energy.
• 3. White Tea - White tea has more anti-bacterial and anti-viral agents than Green tea, while being generally comparable to Green tea. White tea is actually immature tea and has a fuzzy silver coloring. White tea also contains a stronger content of anti-oxidants that defends against cancer causing cells better than any other tea.
• 4. Oolong Tea - Oolong tea tastes more like green tea than black tea. It has a strong flowery taste that is a little on the bitter side, but surprisingly it leaves a pleasantly sweet aftertaste. It is helpful as a diet aid, while it also helps prevent skin damage and enhances the function of enzymes because of its anti-oxidant properties.
• 5. Herbal Tea - Herbal teas are the blending of flowers, seeds, leaves and roots from plants. They are not true tea, as they don't come from the evergreen tea tree. To be fair I need to say that all teas are herbal as they all come from plant source.
  
  Actually, herbal teas offer a much wider assortment of flavors and health benefits than most other real teas. There are a lot of claims made about herb tea and its benefits. We hope to be able to sort out these claims and report to you what works and what doesn't

5 Cups Of Green Tea Best Cancer Defense

Scientists now look at findings, which indicate 5 cups of green tea is the best cancer defense. The studies look at three different types of cancer and the reduction of the incidence of cancer in those that drank five or more cups of green tea every day. They also believe the significantly lower rate has a logical scientific explanation.

Green tea comes from the same leaves as black or oolong tea. The difference between these three types of tea is the amount of processing the leaves experience before they are packaged and ready for you to dip, steep and dunk in your hot water. Green tea has the least amount of processing. It seems amazing that even this century old drink confirms the fact that less is more when it comes to human intervention and processing foods.

Instead of allowing the leaves to ferment and change color, they're immediately steamed, rolled, spread out and then either pan-fried in a wok or dried with a blast of hot air. This leaves the most anti-oxidants in the leaves. The most important of these is the polyphenol catechin, epigallocatechin 3-gallate. If the name is a lot harder to swallow than the green tea, just call it EGCG.

Two studies lead reveal a close relationship to the consumption of 5 or more cups of natures healing nectar and lower rates of blood cancer, lymph node cancer and bile duct cancer. One study from the Tohoku School of Medicine in Japan tracked the food and drink consumption of almost 42,000 men and women of that country. While few things varied in eating pattern and liquid consumption of the participants over the nine-year study period, one difference was apparent when comparing those that eventually developed cancer and the cancer free population of the study. Since the study took place in Japan, where tea reigns over coffee, it was no surprise that all participants drank at least one cup of tea every day. Those cancer free participants went a step farther and drank at least five cups or more.

The second study followed 2623 participants consumption of tea. In the group, 627 of the participants had bile tract cancer, 959 were simply a control group and 1037 people were plagued with bile stones. Their findings were quite interesting. The female tea drinkers, ones that consumed at least a cup of tea each day in a six month period, had a 44 percent reduced risk of gallbladder cancer, a 35 percent reduction in bile duct cancer and a 27 percent reduced chance of bile stones. The male tea drinkers showed no significant difference from their tea-free counterparts.

These two studies are just a small amount of research showing the benefits of consuming green tea. Other studies on the benevolent beverage show that it protects the body in a myriad of other ways. It's particularly effective in preventing periodontal disease, increasing bone density thus preventing osteoporosis, decreases cardiovascular disease, prevents damage to brain cells from strokes of Parkinson's, prevents cognitive decline from diseases such as Alzheimer's, protects the body from both bacterial and viral infections, promotes improved cardiovascular health, promotes weight loss and even increases your exercise endurance. For those that imbibe in alcoholic beverages, green tea helped prevent liver damage in lab rats that scientists intentionally forced into a 4-week bender where they remained chronically intoxicated. Does this mean we'll soon be seeing alcoholic delights like green tea martini's or rum and green tea?

The amazing health benefits of the tomato

One of the most well known tomato eating benefit is its' Lycopene content. Lycopene is a vital anti-oxidant that helps in the fight against cancerous cell formation as well as other kinds of health complications and diseases.

Free radicals in the body can be flushed out with high levels of Lycopene, and the tomato is so amply loaded with this vital anti-oxidant that it actually derives its rich redness from the nutrient.

Lycopene is not a naturally produced element within the body and the human body requires sources of Lycopene in order to make use of this powerful anti-oxidant. While other fruits and vegetables do contain this necessary health ingredient, no other fruit or vegetable has the high concentration of Lycopene that the tomato takes pride in.

Studies involving the tomato have cropped up all over the world of medical science. There are more health benefits derived from eating a tomato than the scientific community is able to print, at least yet.

These studies have proven not only the benefits in preventing cancer, heart disease as well as high cholesterol are also in the tomato's sights.

This is really exciting information. The health benefits of tomatoes are becoming more and more documented every day as we learn new uses of this amazing fruit.

Cancers such as prostate cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, and cancers of the stomach, mouth, pharynx, and esophagus have all been proven to be staved off by high levels of Lycopene. 

Researchers introduced Lycopene into pre-existing cancer cellcultures and the Lycopene prevented the continued growth of these cultures. This is pretty powerful evidence that the health benefits of eating a tomato are really quite phenomenal.

It takes as little as 540 milliliters of liquid tomato product to get the full benefits of Lycopene. This means that a daily glass of tomato juice has the potential to keep a person healthy for life.

Tomatoes are equally as nutritious fresh as they are in other variable forms. When tomato products are heat processed the bioavailablity of the Lycopene actually increases rather than the anticipated decrease.

Even with all the plentiful research that has gone into the health benefits of tomatoes, there is still more research being conducted as the medical science community understands that we have not fully tapped into the potential presented by a tomato just yet.

Research is now slowly proving that there is a high likelihood that the consumption of tomatoes and tomato based products actually may prevent serum lipid oxidation and reduce the risk of macular degenerative disease.

Tomatoes are by far the healthiest of the fruits and vegetables with the power to ward off some of the worst known diseases to man. With the vast variety of tomato products on the market, it really shouldn't be difficult to get the full health benefit of tomatoes but,

if you would like to get the full health benefits of tomatoes and have some fun at the same time, consider raising your own organic tomatoes. It would be a lot of fun, get you outside for some vitamin D and best of all reward you with great taste and vibrant health.

10 Health Benefits of Soursop (Guyabano)

1. Prevents UTI (Vitamin C)

Soursop is an excellent source ofvitamin C, a nutrient which increases the acidity level of urine, resulting in decreased number of harmful bacteria that may be present in the urinary tract.

2. Prevents constipation (Fiber)

Go natural! Let this fruit’s rich fiber content be the solution to problems in bowel movement.

3. Prevents leg cramps (Potassium)

It contains half the potassium in bananas. Lack of potassium, together with magnesium, calcium and sodium (also known as electrolytes) in the body can cause muscle weakness and cramping.

4. Prevents water retention (Magnesium)

Women who experience water retention before their monthly period would benefit from the soursop’s rich magnesium content. It may help alleviate this annoying premenstrual symptom.

5. Helps the body produce energy (Thiamin)

Feeling a little tired? Eat soursop! It can supply the body a good amount of thiamin, the B vitamin which is needed in aerobic energy production, the process when oxygen is used to help convert sugar into usable energy.

6. Keeps bones healthy (Copper)

It is loaded with the trace mineral copper. Calcium contributes only about 25% to the prevention of bone loss as magnesium, manganese, zinc and copper are also equally crucial for healthy bones. Zinc and copper boost the effectiveness of vitamin D, which promotes the absorption of calcium.

7. Boosts good cholesterol levels (Niacin)

Worried about your cholesterol? Fresh fruits and veggies are the perfect choice! Soursop is a good source of niacin, a vitamin which studies show has significant benefits on levels of HDL, the good cholesterol

8. Prevents pregnancy complications (Folate)

This spiky fruit contains folate. Studies have proven that folate intake during pregnancy prevents deficiency in pregnant women. A lack of this mineral during pregnancy may contribute to birth defects and pregnancy loss.

9. Helps prevent anemia (Iron)

It can provide iron which prevents the common blood disorder anemia – a condition in which the blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells. RBC is responsible for the distribution of oxygen to the body tissues, giving the body energy.

10. Helps prevent migraines (Riboflavin)

Headache? Try soursop! It has riboflavin. Several studies have shown that high riboflavin intake helps prevent migraines.

Soursop is one of the top fruits high in sugar. Eating too much may also contribute to the development of Parkinson’s disease due to its very high concentration of annonacin.

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