Archive

Archive for February, 2011

Feb
27

Congratulations are in order because you’ve purchased low fat milk and eaten an apple. By doing so you will, according to half of the internet, lose 5 kg’s by the end of business today and be capable of firing laser beams from your retina. In all seriousness, the net is flooded with hordes of unqualified information regarding healthy eating and weight loss, and all too many of these recommendations come with their own agendas.

Statistics are the favoured weapons of the layman since with just a slight creative touch, they can be altered to mean absolutely anything you want them to – ask your local government. In today’s society where fitness experts are going on TV and publicly endorsing scientific dribble, like the Power Balance Bracelet, and family doctors just pump you full of harmful antibiotics because you stumped your toe – we have to question our sources carefully. That being said, the catch phrase of a ‘healthy balanced diet’ is no lie or over exaggeration.


When experts publicly disagree who do you place your faith in? As someone from outside the health and fitness industry, who are you to separate value from hype? The fact of the matter is that we live in the age of free information flow, and although I’ve already pointed out that this has its down side, it also means that you can easily corroborate anything someone tells you.

Mix this in with a little bit of logic and common sense and you shouldn’t have any trouble finding the health foods which work for you. Any pill that solves all of your health woes is more than likely as scientifically valuable as the aforementioned Power Balance Bracelet. When someone attempts to sell you anything which would instantaneously cure a problem that has tormented humanity for hundreds of years – it’s time to check those credentials.

Fitness and exercise is clearly required, along with which ever products you eventually deem as a quality investment. Sure, it’s known that cutting bread and other carbohydrates out of your diet will cause you to lose weight, but remember that losing large amounts of weight when you’re not gaining additional vitamins and minerals, i.e eating healthily, will mean that your body will begin to break down. It’s all about balance. Lack of balance is what leads to poor health in the first place, so reversing that process in order to strengthen your body again is simple logic. Drop the hypochondria and stop listening to quacks – health is a science, not an art.

Feb
26

Do you know the meaning of breakfast? It means breaking the 6-8 hour fast that you kept while you were sleeping. A good breakfast sets the tone for the day. So, skipping breakfast means you failed to set out your day right. Eating a healthy snack early in the morning increases your metabolic rate as well which means fast calorie burning. It has been proven in many studies that children who eat breakfast regularly tend to perform better in school than those who skip breakfast. In the same way, adults too experience an improved performance if they begin their day with a nutritious breakfast.

Breakfast and Weight Loss

It is not uncommon to find people trying to lose weight by skipping breakfast. However, this is not effective and, definitely, not a smart thing to do. People who skip breakfast are bound to gain weight rather than lose it as shown by many studies. Such people, in fact, tend to eat more than usual during the course of the day, although unintentionally. Morning is the best time to refuel your body and nourish your brain to keep yourself up and running throughout the day. Moreover, breakfast keeps the metabolism high and the calories burning.

What to Include in Your Breakfast and What to Avoid

Protein and fiber are the two major components your breakfast should include. The best sources of protein are dairy products, eggs, beans and low fat meat. To include fiber in your breakfast eat vegetables, fruits and foods made of whole grains, such as whole grain bread and biscuits. An example of an ideal breakfast could be a boiled egg, a banana, a bowl of whole grain cereal and a glass of low fat milk.

White bread is widely eaten for breakfast and so are sugary cereals. Steer clear of such foods as they get digested fast, making you fell like eating very soon. Also, avoid eating pastries and syrups in the morning. Eating protein and fiber rich breakfast will not make you hungry until lunch hour.

If you never feel like eating in the morning, it makes sense to split your breakfast into two smaller meals. For instance, you can have a boiled egg before leaving home and have an apple an hour or two later.

To know more about which foods make an ideal breakfast, visit GNGH. Apart from nutritious food, the website provides relevant information on keeping yourself on track for losing weight.

Feb
25

Indigestion is a general term that results from inadequate breakdown of food or from faulty processes in the digestive system. Indigestion is not considered a medical condition but rather a symptom to deeper problems in the digestive system and may be used to diagnose those problems.

However, for a person to be considered having indigestion, it must have one or more among diarrhea, gas, heartburn, reflux, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and cramping and abdominal distension:

Diarrhea. This is manifested by having loose watery stool. Since the food are ingested are not properly broken down on how it should be broken down, the intestines may become irritated and as a result, it will increase its motility to expel the cause of the irritation.

Gas. The bacterial flora in the large intestines in needed in the digestive process. As the bacterial breaks down certain substance, it produces carbon dioxide as a by-product. As improperly digested food coming from the stomach and small intestines enter the large intestine, the bacteria finds large amount of food that needs to be digested as a result, large amounts of gas is produced.

Reflux, heartburn, nausea and vomiting. Reflux is a term that describes the regurgitation of the stomach content back to the esophagus and sometimes to the mouth. As food is improperly digested, its passage towards the other parts may be slowed or sometimes stopped. If food does not pass the stomach, there is a tendency that gastric content will go flow back to the esophagus as a result of increased pressure within the hollow organ and person may feel nauseated. As this happens, the acidic content of the stomach that flows back irritates the surrounding tissue and since the esophagus and the heart is of close proximity, one may feel a burning sensation as if coming from his heart. If there is already too much pressure, there a possibility that the person may vomit the stomach contents.

Abdominal pain and cramping. Since the improperly digested food may irritate the linings of the digestive system, pain may be felt by the person. The increase activity of the intestines to eradicate the cause of the irritation will cause cramping within the stomach.

Lastly, abdominal distention. Since food is improperly digested, there is another tendency of the digestive system not expel food as an attempt to properly digest it thus distending the intestines. Also food may accumulate in the tubes as there may be a slowed passage of food especially at the level of the stomach.

Feb
24

Have you ever heard of the difference between your body composition and your body mass index (otherwise known as your BMI)? Well, it’s not that complicated. Your BMI is calculated by a very complicated formula that we won’t go into here, and is based on nothing more than your height, your weight and your age and gender. Truth be known, age is not that big of a deal, but there is a commonly held belief in our society that older people are just supposed to be fatter. Don’t believe nonsense like that… you can be lean and mean no matter what your age. But what about this body composition thing?

Your body compositions is an extrapolation of the tradition that we humans have of comparing ourselves to other things. Certainly you’ve heard that women can have hourglass figures, and that men can have v-shaped backs. Some people have even suggested that the human body can be either apple or pear-shaped. If you’ve ever looked at those particular fruits, which rest somewhere far away from the string bean, you’ll notice that being called apple or pear-shaped is not exactly a compliment.

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Your body composition ultimately comes down to the percentage of your body which is lean mass (such as bones, organs and muscles), versus how much of it is fat (which is just fat). There are no delineations between “types” of fat… they’re all just useless. And in fact, the kind of fat that collects in a man’s midsection can actually begin to produce toxins, rather like an internal organ that you’d rather not have. The fact is, the amount of fat versus lean mass you have, is far more important than your BMI, because it’s actually about your body instead of about your demographic.

The BMI is just a table… it deals with people with severe muscle atrophy and also bodybuilders, just as much as it deals with those of us who are somewhere in the middle. It does not take into account your muscle mass, your bone density, or your amount of fat. It assumes (quite wrongly), that everyone on Earth has the same body composition. But if walking around teaches you anything, it should be that people come in all different shapes and sizes. And your health is far more dependent on how much (or preferably little) fat you’re carrying, than it is on what some number on a table says. More lean mass is better lean mass.

As a general rule, the BMI is a general measure, as it is a simple reference point that you can use as a personal benchmark. The point is that if you have a high BMI, it is likely that you have a seriously increased risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes.

But no matter how fat is measured: in the form of BMI, body composition or even by measuring your waist, being overweight and carrying fat around your abdominal area aggravates insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when the normal level of insulin produced by your pancreas does not allow sugar to enter your cells normally. Then your pancreas produces more insulin; when your cells still do not respond, sugar (too much) builds up in your blood, hence high blood sugar levels.

Feb
22

I have associated grapefruit with weight loss since the first time I ever tried to lose weight: High school. I brought home a book from the library on The Scarsdale Diet. I don’t remember a lot of the details of the diet other than I was basically eating grapefruit, yogurt and dry toast.

So over 30 years later, grapefruit is STILL my weight loss “go-to” food. Back in the early 1980’s, I doubt the science was available to show WHY that certain low-calorie fruit was so great for weight loss.

But science has been proving it’s merits for some time now. In a study by the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic, researchers have confirmed that the simple act of adding grapefruit and grapefruit juice to one’s diet can result in weight loss. The grapefruit diet is not a myth!

Grapefruit is high in fiber content and has a low glycemic index. Selecting whole foods that help curb appetite and prevent overeating is one of the primary goals for those wanting to shed some extra pounds. Research shows that we can actually eat larger quantities of food if they are high in fiber and water content. The foods that fit these criteria include fruit, vegetables, legumes and some soups. Carbohydrates should have low glycemic index (low impact on blood sugar). Oranges and grapefruit rank #1 and #2 in fiber out of the top 20 most-consumed fruits and vegetables. Studies provide evidence that these types of fruits and vegetables promote a feeling of fullness, stable blood sugar levels and better appetite control.

“In a 12-week pilot study, led by Dr. Ken Fujioka, doctors monitored weight and metabolic factors, such as insulin secretion, of the 100 men and women who participated in the Scripps Clinic ‘Grapefruit Diet’ study. On average, participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds, while those who drank a serving of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 3.3 pounds. However, many patients in the study lost more than 10 pounds.” (Gorinstein S. et al. Red grapefruit positively influences serum triglyceride level in patients suffering from coronary atherosclerosis: studies in vitro and in humans. J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Mar 8; 54 (5): 1887-92).

Researchers are starting to uncover the science behind this great fruit. First of all, grapefruit contains the antioxidant naringenin, which triggers the liver to break down fat.

Naringenin activates two kinds of PPARs and blocks LXR-alpha — resulting in fasting-type benefits. This means the liver behaves as if you were fasting, breaking down fatty acids instead of carbohydrates! Sadly, pasteurized grapefruit juice does not offer the same benefits.

Another bioactive component in grapefruit is limonoids, proven helpful to lower cholesterol, triglyerides AND inhibit the development of cancer! Grapefruit also contains lycopene, a carotenoid that has been associated with reduced risk of prostate and other cancers.

Overweight and high cholesterol too often go hand in hand. With heart disease the number one killer of women in the United States, all this information on grapefruit is more great news.

Just in case you think you will get tired of eating your daily grapefruit halves… Here’s a couple of recipes to liven things up a bit.

Grapefruit Salad

3 Red grapefruit 3 White grapefruit 2 Oranges Sweeten with Stevia, to taste 1/4 cup Grated fresh coconut 1/4 cup Chopped macadamia nuts

Cut the ends off the grapefruit and oranges and stand upright. Cut away the remaining skin and membrane, exposing the fruit. Cut between the membranes to release the sections. Combine the fruit sections in a bowl and gently toss with stevia and coconut. Arrange on individual plates and sprinkle with macadamia nuts.

Feb
19

Has someone told you that asthma is incurable? If so they are leading you away from one of the most amazing discoveries you could ever make! All you have to do is understand what the cause of asthma truly is and that cause is environmental pollution. Why do we believe environmental pollution is the cause of this life stealing disease? Because we have done some trials on a few people who were diagnosed with asthma and all we did was use a method that did one thing and one thing only, removed all those environmental pollutants from the body. The body does what it does best, it healed itself.

My son was part of this trial and I have to say it was the best thing I ever did for him. He was diagnosed at 4 years old, he had been having some severe health issues with coughs and harsh breathing since he was 3 but it was never identified as asthma till he was 4. He is now 6 and completely off his asthma medications, we now let his nebulizer and his prescription drugs and inhaler sit on a shelf collecting dust. A side effect from this discovery that we used is he has not been sick in these 2 years, we have now forgotten what it is like to sit in the doctor’s office all the time waiting to be seen, what a blessing!


Another amazing story was a woman named Phyllis who lives in California and has been suffering from asthma for many years. The first time I talked with her I could barely understand what she was saying because she was forced to speak in a whisper. She tried this amazing method and after the first week her voice started to return. Her voice had been gone for a few years and she was also was able to stop using those prescription drugs and inhalers that only managed her asthma and never really helped her overcome it, but she is now asthma free and living her life to the fullest!

We don’t tell you these stories to impress you, we tell you these stories to impress upon you that there is hope for asthma sufferers. You don’t have to rely on medications and inhalers to manage your illness. It is possible to leave it all behind and start a new life with proper working lungs. It is nice to have the ability to enjoy things that you had to avoid before. Don’t let yourself be controlled by prescription drugs, inhalers and horrible nebulizer treatments. They will only add to your already huge toxic burden. Environmental pollutions are in everything and are everywhere. The sooner you remove them and do it on a daily basis, the sooner you can free yourself.

Freedom from asthma is possible; don’t believe those that say it is incurable. After these stories I have shared with you, you now can see that it is very possible to overcome asthma. In fact beat it and stay asthma free for life. So, drop the skepticism and find your path to this newly discovered method. It’s here now right in front of you and learning more about it is only clicks away. Don’t wait till tomorrow. Choose to free yourself today!

Feb
18

An electronic nebulizer is like any other nebulizer used to convert the medicine into mist form so that it directly reaches the lungs for quick recovery. They are not only used by humans but it comes handy to treat animals from influenza and other kinds of respiratory issues. These nebulizers depend on membrane vibration to produce aerosol. Since the machine depends on vibration, air compressors are not required, thereby making the nebulizers compact and affordable. Electronic nebulizers are available in all leading medical supply stores. Online stores offer better deals when compared to offline stores. Browse elaborately to catch the best deals.

Ultrasonic nebulizer is also a kind of electronic nebulizer as they use sound waves to convert liquid medication into mist for easy inhaling. A crystal is placed inside the machine that generates sound and the conversion process takes place. A valve is also present in some models to control the flow of the mist. Ultrasonic nebulizer is not capable of handling all types of medicines. Another major application of ultrasonic nebulizer is that it is used in humidifier apparatus that helps to spray water particles to dampen dry buildings. Ultrasonic nebulizer is more popular because of its various applications. It is simple to use and easy to clean.
Electronic nebulizer was invented in the year 1930 and it was initially called a Pneumostat. This machine converted liquid medicine into aerosol using an electrical compressor. When these electronic nebulizers were new to the market they were priced high and hence it was used only by selected few while most of the users preferred hand driven nebulizer called the Park-Davis Glaseptic. It was only in the year 1964 Ultrasonic wave nebulizers were introduced. They were far more efficient and user friendly that most of them turned towards Ultrasonic nebulizers. With the passage of time more advanced electronic nebulizers have replaced the traditional models.

Electronic Vibrating Mesh Technology or VMT is the latest in the nebulizer world. They produce dense medicated aerosol by moving through a metal alloy mesh. VMT is lightweight and compact and is absolutely portable. In this wonder machine around 98 percent of the medication is delivered. This means there is very minimal wastage of the medicines. The adapters are compatible with any masks and T-piece. The head of the unit can be removed easily for cleaning purposes. Electronic Nebulizer with VMT comes with a main power unit, medication cup, mesh cap, mask adapter, mouth piece, instructional video and a carry case. This nebulizer weighs just 6oz. The product comes with a two years limited warranty.

Feb
17

Acne can lower your self-esteem and can create general discomfort no matter what your age is. While topical creams and various drugs work reasonably well, by following the 7 tips below you can get rid of acne in no time.

  • Don’t leave makeup on during the night – While it can cover acne during the day and make you feel better about your appearance, keeping the makeup overnight will only obstruct your pores. And this can only have one effect – more acne! So make sure you clean your face before you go to sleep.
  • Shower after exercising – Sweat contains toxins which normally infect your skin. If you work out or do any kind of physical work which makes you sweat, you should shower right afterwards. Instead of clustering in the form of acne, the sebum will be naturally eliminated.
  • Visit your dermatologist – If the natural remedies don’t work for you, it’s possible you have a more serious form of acne. Go to see your doctor and he will probably prescribe you some powerful topical creams containing Benzoyl Peroxide. These creams are very efficient and will improve the condition of most types of acne in several weeks.
  • Relax – A well known university in Sweden has shown that acne is strongly correlated to the level of stress. Try to relax by meditating or jogging. This will prevent your body from secreting sebum.
  • Keep your face clean! – We often tend to neglect the easiest solution available. Acne is often caused by the excess of oils in our skin. By simply washing your face at least twice a day with dedicated face cleansing solutions you can often see an overnight improvement.
  • Keep your hands off your face – Whenever a new pimple appears on your face, you immediately feel the need to touch it. Don’t! Poking and scratching will only make matters worse. This will only aggravate the infection and you will only carry the sebum from one pore to another.
  • Apply something cold – By placing a bag of ice directly on the pustule you will reduce the swelling. Keep it in direct contact and you will see results in about 30 minutes. By stopping the inflammation from the very beginning you may be able to get rid of the pimple in under one day.

Ultimately, as Albert Einstein said, success is only a matter of action. Start applying these tips right away and you will start seeing the results immediately. You will be amazed how simple it is to get rid of acne as long as you respect these simple rules.

Feb
16

There are several Noni juice benefits to be had. Noni is an Asian fruit; it also goes by the names the great morinda, cheese fruit, Indian mulberry and beach mulberry. The fruit is not restricted to Asia and can be found in several other regions of the world as well. You will find it in India, Tahiti, as well as Polynesia. Scientifically speaking, the Latin name for this fruit is Morinda Citrifolia.

The Noni fruit is an excellent source of fiber, carbohydrates as well as proteins. Its nutritional value is what makes the fruit a healthy option; an added benefit is in the fact that its pulp is fat free. This is what is used to prepare the juice. Besides this, the nectar is also loaded with Vitamin C, Vitamin A as well as niacin and iron.

Though medical research cannot really validate this, there are several benefits of Noni juice. It is believed that the juice is good for the skin. Those who have been using this nectar over a period of time claim to have great skin. It has helped cure many of acne. The juice has also been used in creams to help improve complexion and treat skin afflictions.

There are many people who also believe that this food can help treat constipation, stomachaches and those suffering from gum based issues as well; it is also believed to prevent hair loss. A few studies done on Noni-based shampoos have proven its ability to help reverse hair loss and help regenerate it in some cases. There are several researchers who also believe in its potential to help fight cancer. There is extensive research going on in labs and several mice are being tested to this effect. Preliminary results have shown the juice’s ability to slow tumor growth and even reduce it in some cases; though this information is yet to be validated. Despite the lack of research, many people feel that this nectar can help lower cholesterol rates as well.

As with overindulging with any medicinal substance, Noni juice benefits can be negated if had in excess. Having too much of this can produce some negative side effects especially for those who are on prescribed medication or special diets. It can lead to diabetic shock if one does not stick to prescribed blood sugar levels. For those who want to try this, it would be a good idea to consult a doctor before doing so.

Feb
15

The cause of hypertension varies from person to person. Some people have a family history of high blood pressure making it more likely that they too will suffer from the condition. For most people, the cause is usually ascribed to stress and or to being overweight and leading a sedentary lifestyle. You cannot do anything about a genetic predisposition to the condition, but the good news is that you can do something about these other contributing factors.

There is no cure for hypertension; the only thing we can do is to manage our condition with a preventative lifestyle. Our goal must be to keep our readings as close to normal levels for our age as possible.

Here are five practical tips for doing just that:

# 1. Take regular exercise:

The key to a successful exercise regime is to build it into our daily routine. As little as 20 to 30 minutes of exercise in which your heart rate is elevated is all that we need to do each day. Brisk walking, swimming, cycling and jogging are all good forms of exercise.

Taking daily exercise is a triple win situation for us. Exercise is one of the best antidotes to stress. Combined with a healthy, calorie-controlled diet, it can help you lose weight, which in turn has a beneficial effect on our condition. Exercise reduces our blood pressure levels for almost 24 hours.

# 2. Stop smoking tobacco products:

Smoking tobacco products does not directly cause hypertension. However, the damage it causes to our cardiovascular system is a major risk factor in our condition as well as being a leading cause of other life threatening conditions.

# 3. Take time out each day to relax:

We need to discover what really relaxes us and make it a part of our daily routine. It could be watching an old movie, listening to certain types of music, getting away to the country or taking up drawing or painting. Relaxing has an immediate beneficial effect on our condition. We should also do something positive about our work/life balance and take at least one day each week off work..

# 4.Heart-Healthy Food Choices:

The foods we eat play an important role in how our bodies deals with both high blood pressure and stress. Salt and some herbs will cause our blood pressure levels to skyrocket. A major cause of our hypertension is our high fat, high sodium, processed food rich modern diet. Link that to our modern sedentary lifestyle and there should be little wonder why so may of us are overweight.

We should try to eat at least five portions of fresh, raw or lightly cooked vegetables and fruits each day to help manage your condition making sure that we include at least one portion of leafy green vegetables in our daily diet. Soybeans, potatoes and nuts are superior to animal meat as a source of protein, but that does not mean we should become vegetarian. Choose lean, low-fat white meat such as chicken in preference to the more fatty red meats. Ideally, we should eat one portion of white fish and one portion of oily fish each week.

Calcium and magnesium deficiency can also be a cause of high blood pressure. Green, leafy vegetables are rich in calcium. Almonds and cashews are excellent sources of magnesium. Nuts and seeds are also a source of essential fatty acids, which produce hormone-like substances called prostaglandins that expand the veins and arteries. Foods rich in B vitamins, such as whole grains, green vegetables and eggs, help build resistance to stress.

# 5. A little of what you fancy does you good:

A little wine (especially red wine made from certain grape varieties) or even a tot of whiskey or brandy each day is good for the cardiovascular system. Be warned! The beneficial effects are quickly lost and harm caused if we have too much.

We cannot live without some blood pressure. Serious and even life threatening health issues can arise if our readings become too high for too long. There is no cure for this, only management. The best way to manage our hypertension is by following a preventative lifestyle.