Healthy 4You

Sugarless Applesauce Cake Recipe

2011-07-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup brown sugar twin
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray an 8x4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
Beat the eggs until light and add sugar twin. Add applesauce and vanilla.
Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Fold in raisins.
Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.

Chicken and Red Wine Sauce Recipe

2011-07-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon paprika
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup red wine
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook garlic in oil until tender. Place chicken in the skillet, and cook about 10 minutes on each side, until no longer pink and juices run clear.
Drain oil from skillet. Sprinkle chicken with paprika and 1 cup brown sugar. Pour red wine around chicken. Cover, and simmer about 15 to 20 minutes; lightly baste chicken with wine sauce while cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fresh Tomato Salad Recipe

2011-07-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

5 tomatoes, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 cucumber, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the tomato, onion, cucumber, bell pepper, basil, parsley, garlic and vinegar. Toss and add salt and pepper to taste. Chill and serve.

Tomato Cucumber Salad Recipe

2011-07-01T07:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
    2 tomatoes, chopped
    1 cucumber, peeled and diced
    1 onion, chopped
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    salt to taste
    ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Combine tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions in a salad bowl. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Chill.

Tomato Tang Salad Dressing Recipe

2011-07-01T07:37:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ketchup
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

Directions
Place tomato, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, basil, and thyme in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate until serving.

Pumpkin-hazelnut tea cake Recipe

2011-07-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

3 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup homemade or canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup whole-wheat (whole-meal) flour
1/2 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
2 tablespoons flaxseed
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts (filberts)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat together the canola oil, pumpkin puree, honey, brown sugar and eggs until well blended.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, flaxseed, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and, using the electric mixer on medium speed, beat until well blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the hazelnuts evenly over the top and press down gently to lodge the nuts into the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the loaf out of the pan onto the rack and let cool completely. Cut into 12 slices to serve.

Prostate Cancer Prevention

2011-07-01T03:23:00.000-07:00

Because the causes of prostate cancer are not fully understood, it is impossible to prevent prostate cancer with 100 percent certainty. Studies have found several promising possibilities, though, that can help lower the risk of prostate cancer.

Diet and Exercise
Men who eat a diet that is low in red meat and high-fat dairy products and rich in fruits and vegetables have been found less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. In addition, men who exercise most days of the week have been found less likely to be diagnosed, compared with those who get little to no exercise. There have also been a number of studies on the possibility of vitamins, minerals, and other food components to prevent prostate cancer. The items on the list below have shown at least some promising results in studies, but none are yet considered preventers of prostate cancer:

lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit
vitamin E, which is found in highest quantities in nuts, oils, and green leafy vegetables
selenium, a mineral found in highest quantities in nuts, grains, fish, and eggs
soy isoflavones, chemicals found in soybean products, such as tofu, soy milk, and edamame

Drugs
A class of drugs called 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors commonly used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, or enlarged prostate) have also been found to prevent or delay the onset of prostate cancer, especially in men older than 55. Some doctors recommend the use of these drugs by men with high risk of prostate cancer. Two 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors are available:

dutasteride (Avodart)
finasteride (Propecia, Proscar)

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

2011-07-01T03:12:00.000-07:00

A diagnosis of prostate cancer generally takes place in three steps. To learn more about the tests involved in each diagnostic step, visit the Prostate Cancer Tests section.

Screening
A digital rectal exam (DRE) or a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test can indicate problems with the prostate but cannot confirm prostate cancer for certain. These tests are commonly performed on all men above a certain age. Depending on other risk factors, this age may range from 40 to 60.

Biopsy
If initial screening tests indicate a need, a doctor will take a small sample of tissue—biopsy—from the prostate. The sample is then examined under a microscope for signs of cancerous cells. Biopsy is the only way to confirm prostate cancer. The biopsy is obtained via needle into the prostate which is accessed through the rectum.

Staging
Once a prostate-cancer diagnosis is confirmed, doctors must determine how extensive the cancer is before deciding how to treat it. Several postdiagnostic tests—including blood tests, computed tomography (CT or CAT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and bone scans—are used to establish the cancer’s stage using the following scale:

Stage I Prostate Cancer
Cancerous tumors affect only a small area of the prostate and generally cannot be felt during a DRE or detected via ultrasound; the cancer has not spread outside the prostate.

Stage II Prostate Cancer
The cancer affects more of the prostate and may be seen on ultrasound or felt during a DRE; the cancer has not spread outside the prostate.

Stage III Prostate Cancer
Cancer cells have spread to other tissues near the prostate, such as the seminal vesicles, but are not present in lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

Stage IV Prostate Cancer
Cancer cells have metastasized to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body or have spread to a large amount of the surrounding tissue, such as the bladder or rectum

Prostate Cancer Risk Factors

2011-07-01T03:07:00.000-07:00

Although the causes of prostate cancer may not be known, there are several clear risk factors for the disease. Several factors—such as age, heredity, and race—are beyond your control. Others—such as diet and obesity—can be managed through healthy lifestyle choices.

Age
Age is the single most important risk factor for prostate cancer. The disease is extremely rare in men younger than 45 but is the most common cancer diagnosed in men older than 70.

Family History
A man whose father, brother, or son was diagnosed with prostate cancer is more likely to be diagnosed and should begin screenings at an earlier age.

Race
African-American men have a higher risk of prostate cancer than any other ethnic group, and they are also more likely to be diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer and to die from the disease. Asian-American, Hispanic, and Native-American men are less likely to get prostate cancer than non-Hispanic white men; the reasons for this are not known.

Diet
A diet high in red meat and high-fat dairy products and low in fruits and vegetables increases the risk for prostate cancer and other cancers, but no conclusive studies have been done on exactly which aspects of this diet increase risk or why.

Cell Abnormalities
There are several types of cell abnormalities that are detected with a microscope and are associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. These changes—known as intraepithelial neoplasia, acinar proliferation, or inflammatory atrophy—are seen in advance of prostate cancer developing in the gland. These conditions can only be diagnosed via biopsy, which would only be done if another test indicated prostate problems.

Obesity
Obesity does not increase prostate-cancer risk, but obese men who are diagnosed are more likely to have advanced cancer and to die from the disease.

What is Prostate Cancer

2011-07-01T03:03:00.000-07:00

Prostate cancer is the out-of-control growth of abnormal cells in the prostate gland, a walnut-sized organ that wraps around the urethra and sits just underneath the bladder. It is a part of the male reproductive system and makes the chemical components of semen. Women do not have prostate glands and, therefore, cannot get prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men. It is also the second leading cause of death in American men. In 2010, nearly 218,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed, and more than 32,000 men will die of prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. However, the prognosis for prostate cancer is generally positive, with a 5-year survival rate of nearly 100 percent and a 10-year survival rate of 91 percent. As with any cancer, early diagnosis is vital to survival. As methods of detection and treatment become have become more sophisticated, many prostate cancers are now found in the early stages.

Types of Prostate Cancer
Almost all prostate-cancer cases are adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that originates in glands. Most other types of cancer that are found in the prostate originate in other parts of the body. They are implanted in the prostate when cells from the primary cancer travel in the blood to “seed” the prostate.

Lung Cancer Prevention

2011-06-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

The majority of lung cancer is preventable. By avoiding your exposure to risk factors—especially to smoking—you significantly limit your chances for developing lung cancer.

Quitting Smoking
Because smoking is responsible for 90% of lung cancers, quitting is the most important thing you can do. Almost immediately, your lungs will begin to heal themselves. The amount of time you smoked and the frequency will affect their ability to repair, but even after many years of smoking, quitting can significantly reduce your risk of lung cancer.

Asbestos and Radon
If you work around asbestos or other harmful materials, be careful to limit your exposure as much as possible. Radon testing is available for home and commercial spaces. If you live or work in an old building and suspect the presence of either radon or asbestos, testing for unsafe levels can provide you with peace of mind.

Diet
Nutrition is important for maintaining good health. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals provides your body with the nutrition it needs to function properly and heal damaged cells. Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Include other plant-based foods like beans and grains. Stay away from high-fat foods and avoid or limit your alcohol consumption.

How to Quit Smoking

2011-06-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

So you’ve decided to become a former smoker? Congratulations! Nearly four out of five smokers want to quit, and each year 40 percent of smokers finally attempt it.

Before you start, it is important to remember this; research shows that the most success comes to smokers who use more than one method to fight their cravings and withdrawals. Despite your best efforts, you may not succeed the first time. But because you have already committed yourself to quitting, you are one step closer to being a former smoker.

Start by researching all your options to find the best quit-smoking strategy for you. You might want to do this in collaboration with your doctor or another healthcare professional because the right thing for you may require a prescription. It is also wise to have a doctor involved so that he or she can monitor you for any side effects or possible complications.

Here are some of the more common and proven treatment options and why they may be right for you.

Nicotine-Replacement Patch
Nicotine patches are available over the counter and are generally easy to use.

How does it work?
The patch is designed to release a steady dose of nicotine throughout the day. As cravings and withdrawal symptoms decrease, you can begin to reduce the length of time you wear a patch or switch to a patch with lower dosage strength. However, if you have sudden cravings or severe symptoms of withdrawal, you may be left unable to quickly satiate them; the patches aren’t designed for an instantaneous shot of nicotine, and you cannot smoke while using the patch or you risk nicotine overdose that can cause heart attack and paralysis

Who should use the patch?
Many people trying to quit can benefit from using the patch. It is simple to use and easy to apply. Most nicotine replacement patches have been designed to wean users off very carefully through controlled dosages. But because you won’t be able to handle intense cravings or symptoms of withdrawal, it might not be the best option to try first. Many people try other aids at first so they can control symptoms more immediately.

Nicotine Gum
Nicotine gums are available over the counter, and they work for a great number of people who are trying to quit. But this is no typical chewing gum.

How does it work?
Nicotine gums must be used in a specified manner in order for them to work properly. (Instead of chewing endlessly, the gum is chewed for a few minutes and then placed between your gum and inner cheek where it stays for about 30 minutes.) You don’t get an endless supply of chewing gum either. Instead, you follow a schedule of one piece every one to two hours. As your cravings subside and the withdrawal symptoms become more manageable, you can reduce the dosage in the gum or chew less often.

Who should use gum?
People may choose the nicotine chewing gum because they need to satisfy an oral activity craving, something an actual cigarette fulfilled previously. Unlike the patch, the gum can provide a quick boost of nicotine in the event of severe cravings or withdrawal symptoms. However, if you follow the schedule, this shouldn’t be a problem. If you have a hard time keeping track of a schedule or don’t think you would be able to chew gum on a regular basis (because of work or social commitments), this may not be the best aid for you.

Nicotine Inhaler
The goal of all nicotine-replacement therapies is to provide the body with as pure a form of nicotine as possible and without all the carcinogenic additives found in cigarettes. Many smokers crave the feeling of having smoke in their mouths—something neither patches nor chewing gum can provide. Enter nicotine inhalers.

How does it work?
These prescription devices work by vaporizing liquid nicotine for you to inhale. The nicotine is then absorbed in the mouth and throat and delivers a quick nicotine boost. As the body grows accustomed to less and less nicotine, you will gradually stop using the inhaler until you’ve fully quit.

Who should use inhalers?
You may be giving yourself an inhalation treatment six to 16 times a day when you start. If taking the time out of your schedule to provide this treatment will complicate work or social schedules, the inhaler may not be for you. The use of inhalers is also limited due to possible complications and side effects in sensitive groups—the elderly, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, as well as women who are nursing.

Nicotine Nasal SpraySimilar to how the nicotine inhaler supplies pure nicotine through the mouth and esophagus, nicotine nasal spray delivers through the nose.

How does it work?
Nasal sprays use a liquid-to-spray route to make absorbing the nicotine easier. Your doctor will set up the best dosage plan for you; most suggest one to two doses per hour. As your cravings decrease, you will work with your doctor to reduce the number of doses each day until you no longer need the spray entirely.

Who should use sprays?
As with the inhaler, sprays require frequent treatment, and unlike chewing gums, this treatment is less than discrete. If you will not be able to maintain the schedule for work or social reasons, a spray may not be the best aid for you. If you also have complications inhaling medicine through your nose, nasal spray might not be pleasant or effective for you.

Electronic Cigarette
Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, are battery-operated devices shaped like a traditional cigarette.

How does it work?
Users inhale from e-cigarettes the same way they would traditional cigarettes, but instead of inhaling nicotine mixed with other potentially dangerous chemicals, the e-cigarette turns a purer form of liquid nicotine into a vapor. Some people believe e-cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes and prefer to smoke them; others use e-cigarettes as a nicotine-replacement therapy to quit.

Who should use e-cigarettes?
E-cigarette makers claim their products are safer than traditional cigarettes, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend these devices because they have not been evaluated for safety. (Some individual analyses have shown the vapor to be toxic and possibly contain carcinogens.) Until more is known about e-cigarettes, this may not be a safe alternative for people looking to quit.

Prescription Medicine
A couple of drugs have been approved by the FDA for smoking cessation. They do not contain nicotine, so it is recommended that they be used in conjunction with nicotine-replacement therapy.

How does it work?
Unlike nicotine-replacement therapies, prescription medicines like bupropion SR (Zyban, Wellbutrin) or varenicline (Chantix) do not provide your body with nicotine. Instead, they reduce cravings and lessen withdrawal symptoms by altering chemicals and nicotine receptors in your brain. Both medicines require doctor supervision and prescription—many insurance companies pay for prescription smoking-cessation aids. The FDA also requires that both medicines carry a black box warning; that’s the strongest safety warning the FDA can issue about a prescription medication. The reasons for these warnings: Bupropion may cause suicidal thoughts or behaviors, depression, and hostility. Patients taking varenicline report increased risk of falls and road accidents, as well as vision troubles and vivid or unusual dreams.

Who should use prescription medicines?Unlike with nicotine-replacement therapies, neither of these drugs contains nicotine, so the risk of nicotine overdose is small. For that reason, you may still be able to smoke the first few weeks of using these drugs (unless you are also using a nicotine-replacement therapy at the same time). That is a plus for many smokers who are trying to quit.

Alternative Therapies
Research does not always support alternative therapies with hard evidence, but many former smokers who have used these techniques swear by them. In your quest to quit, you may find one or more of these helpful. While nicotine-replacement therapies or prescription medications can subdue your cravings and whittle away at your withdrawal symptoms, you may find you are still battling the desire to smoke.

How do they work?
Hypnotherapy or hypnosis can help identify unconscious triggers—things that make your body crave a cigarette without your understanding the underlying reason, like a time of day or a certain odor. The therapist may then try to replace your unhealthy cigarette-smoking response to these triggers with something more healthful. Acupuncture—a therapy in which tiny needles are used to stimulate certain points on the body—may help reduce nicotine cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms. Meditation can help you relax and ease anxiety. Quitting smoking can be stressful and frustrating, and meditation may help you ease the angst you experience.

Who should use alternative therapies?
Most of these can be used in conjunction with other therapies. In fact many doctors and therapists will recommend a multidimensional approach to beating your addiction.

Group or Individual Counseling
The use of medication (nicotine-replacement therapies included) more than doubles your likelihood for success. But study after study also shows the importance of therapy and counseling when fighting an addiction.

How does it work?
Counseling provides you the opportunity to ask questions, learn from others’ experiences, and prepare for the next stage of your journey.

Who should use counseling?
Almost everyone can benefit from some type of counseling or support when trying to quit smoking. Whether it is one-on-one with a therapist or in a group setting with fellow future nonsmokers, it is important to talk to others about what you are experiencing and ask for the additional accountability you will need to see your journey through to the end.

Reasons to Quit Smoking

2011-06-30T18:09:00.000-07:00

There are the things you can’t ignore—bad breath, yellow teeth, stained fingers and lips, age spots, and wrinkles. Then there are the things you cannot see—the steep increased risk for lung cancer, emphysema, fertility problems, heart disease, and stroke. If you are a smoker who is thinking of quitting or has tried to quit before, chances are you already know all the reasons why you should.

Who Smokes?
Smoking crosses all racial, gender, and socioeconomic lines. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 46 million American adults smoke—more than 20 percent of the adult population. (That is down from 24 percent 10 years ago.) More men light up than women—23 percent of men compared to 19 percent of women. And it is not just adults. Nearly a quarter of high school students in the U.S. smoke cigarettes.

What is in a Cigarette?
Cigarettes are made with dried tobacco leaves that naturally contain the drug nicotine. Cigarette manufacturers add chemicals like ammonia, tar, lead, and cyanide and other ingredients, like cocoa, coffee, and menthol, to change the flavor of the tobacco in an attempt to make smoking more enjoyable. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), more than 4,000 different chemicals have been identified in cigarettes and cigarette smoke. Of those 4,000 chemicals, 60 are known to cause cancer. These cancer-causing chemicals are called carcinogens.

Until recently, cigarette companies were not required to make public a list of the ingredients that were added to their cigarettes, so scientists have been unable to determine what, if any, effects all these additives might have on a person’s health. Recently passed federal legislation now requires cigarette manufacturers to provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with a list of additives in their cigarettes. A list of harmful or dangerous chemicals found in each cigarette will be made public for consumers by or before June 2011. For the most part, tobacco products are unregulated—unlike medications, spirits, and most foods—which means their potential health risks, beyond what we already know from years of consumer use, are still being discovered.

Smoking, Pregnancy, and Fertility
Smoking and tobacco use affect reproduction and fertility. Research shows that men who smoke have lower sperm counts, and the sperm they do have is often misshapen and has a harder time moving—making conceiving more difficult. Experts also believe smoking affects sperm DNA which may lead to developmental and physical health problems in a child.

For women who are pregnant and still smoking, you are damaging the health and future health of your unborn child. Babies born to mothers who smoke are about 30 percent more likely to be born prematurely, and those who do make it full term are more likely to have a low birth weight. Babies born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy are also at a greater risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Smoking and Disease Risk
The leading cause of death in American men and women is heart disease. Smoking increases your risk for heart disease two to four times compared to a nonsmoker. The same thing goes for your risk of stroke. Smoking narrows your blood vessels and arteries. This may lead to peripheral artery disease (PAD)—the obstruction of the large arteries in your arms and legs. If you continue to smoke, PAD can cause a range of complications including pain, muscle determination, and eventually muscle death.

Smoke damages your lungs and your airways, putting you at greater risk for respiratory disease. In men, the risk of developing lung cancer increases 23 times if you are a smoker. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women, and smoking increases a woman’s chance of the disease 13 times that of nonsmokers. Most smokers will also develop a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)—one of a few diseases, like bronchitis or emphysema, that block airflow into and out of your lungs, making breathing increasingly difficult.

Smoking and Death
Smoking remains the number one cause of preventable disease and death in American adults. In addition, second-hand smoke kills tens of thousands of people who never took a single puff in their lives each year. On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than nonsmokers. If you don’t quit, you could be one of the estimated 443,000 adults who die each year from a disease or complication attributable to smoking.

Here’s some good news, though: The moment you are no longer a smoker, your risks for many diseases and health complications begin to fall. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, one year after you smoke your last cigarette, your increased risk of heart disease is reduced by half. Fifteen years later, the risk for heart disease is similar to that of people who’ve never lit up. The same is true for the risk of stroke. Your health and the fate of your health are not set in stone. You can change your future by making the decision to quit.

How to Prevent High Cholestrol??

2011-06-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

For people who do not have familial hypercholesterolemia (a genetic disorder in which the body produces too much cholesterol), high cholesterol is completely preventable. To a large degree, high cholesterol is considered a lifestyle disease. In other words, how healthfully you live your life determines whether or not you will get it. The same healthy habits that can lower your cholesterol can also prevent high cholesterol in the first place.

Not Smoking
Smoking cigarettes can have a negative impact on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol—the good stuff that helps keep your arteries clear. Smoking also damages blood vessels and speeds up the hardening of the arteries.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Being overweight or obese can raise “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Because it’s much harder to lose weight than maintain a healthy weight, controlling calories to avoid weight gain is optimal. Some experts believe weighing yourself every day is a good way to gauge whether you’re eating too much. If the scale starts climbing, you know it’s time to cut back on how much you’re eating. Extreme dieting can also slow down the metabolism and lead to weight gain. That’s why it’s better to eat a healthy and balanced diet. If you feed your body the nutrients it needs and avoid the junk it doesn’t, you are more likely to keep your weight and your cholesterol down.

Exercising Regularly
Getting 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, like brisk walking, most days of the week can help lower high triglycerides. Bumping up the intensity by climbing hills or stairs or by running can boost “good” HDL cholesterol. What’s more, exercising regularly can lower blood pressure and help overweight individuals lose weight, which can lead to lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.

Eating a Healthy Diet
To keep your weight down and your heart healthy, you should avoid eating more calories than you burn each day. Extra calories are converted into triglycerides—a type of fat—in the blood. Consuming too many calories also leads to weight gain, which can elevate your cholesterol.

What you eat is just as important as how much you eat. When it comes to high cholesterol, saturated fat, trans fat, and refined carbohydrates are some of the biggest dietary culprits. Heart-healthy diets should be low in saturated fat, cholesterol, trans fat, sodium, and sugar. In fact the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends a so-called “TLC diet” (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes)—a low-saturated fat and low-cholesterol eating plan.

Foods that contain high amounts of saturated fat include:

Red meat
Processed meats
Fried food
Butter
Hydrogenated vegetable oil
Many processed baked goods, such as cookies and cakes
Dairy products that aren’t low-fat.

You can limit the amount of cholesterol-boosting fat in your diet by swapping saturated fats for healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These kinds of fats can actually lower your cholesterol. Those foods include:

Olive oil
Sunflower oil
Peanut oil
Canola oil
Flaxseed
Fatty fish
Avocados
Nuts
Seeds

It’s also important to include plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes in your diet, because fiber-rich food plays a role in bringing down cholesterol. Limit or avoid foods that have added sugar, like juice drinks, soda, and packaged foods. Excess sugar can boost blood pressure and triglycerides and lower “good” HDL level.

High Cholesterol Risk Factors

2011-06-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

Many factors can increase your risk of developing high cholesterol. The good news is that most of them are things you can control. There are only a few risk factors for high cholesterol that are out of your hands.
Gender and Age

Being a man or a post-menopausal woman increases your risk of high cholesterol. The female hormone estrogen appears to offer a protective effect on cholesterol. For that reason, from puberty to menopause, women generally have higher levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol than men. After menopause, however, women tend to have higher levels of LDL than men.
Family History

Having a family history of high cholesterol can put you at risk as well. Most of the time, this is due to shared eating habits and lack of exercise. You can reverse your risk by leading a heart-healthy lifestyle. However, if high cholesterol is due to inherited genes, a person could be born with high levels of LDL cholesterol and must work with their doctor to control it.

Diet
A diet high in calories from saturated fat, trans fat, and sugar can elevate your "bad" LDL and triglyceride levels and raise your overall risk of high cholesterol.

Obesity
A body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more puts you at greater risk of high cholesterol. Losing weight, ideally through a healthy diet and exercise, can lower it.

Physical Inactivity
Regular exercise can help lower your LDL cholesterol. Not getting enough exercise, on the other hand, increases your risk of high cholesterol.

Smoking
Cigarette smoking damages your arterial walls, making them more susceptible to plaque buildup. It may also lower your “good” HDL cholesterol.

Diabetes
People with diabetes are more likely to have low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. Like smoking, high blood sugar can damage the lining of the arteries and, when coupled with high cholesterol, increase the risk of plaque buildup. High cholesterol due to diabetes is called diabetic dyslipidemia.

High Cholesterol Causes

2011-06-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

Your body manufactures some cholesterol and gets the rest from food. Your genes play a role in how much your body makes on its own. The rest is determined by what kind of lifestyle you lead. The following factors can contribute to high cholesterol.

Diet
What you eat plays a significant role in your cholesterol levels. Eating foods with trans fat or high levels of saturated fat can increase “bad” LDL cholesterol. Foods high in saturated fat include red meat, dairy products, chocolate, and processed foods made with cocoa butter, palm oil, or coconut oil. High levels of dietary cholesterol, found only in foods made from animal sources such as meat and dairy, can also raise your bad cholesterol level. Eating too many calories, in general, can elevate triglycerides.

Obesity
Being overweight or obese increases your risk of having high cholesterol. People with a high body mass index (BMI) tend to have lower levels of “good” HDL and higher levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides than people of normal weight. One study found that for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of weight a person loses, they may be able to raise their HDL by .35 mg/dL. A BMI of 25 to 29 is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 or above is considered obese.

Smoking
Cigarette smoking damages your arterial walls, making them more susceptible to plaque buildup. It may also lower your protective HDL cholesterol. Research shows that quitting increases a person’s HDL by an average of 4 mg/dL.

Inactivity
Not being physically active can contribute to high cholesterol. Getting regular exercise—30 minutes of moderate intensity activity most days of the week—can help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Family History
High cholesterol can run in families. Although that is often due to shared eating habits, sometimes it can also be genetic. The inherited type of high cholesterol affects one in 500 people. The younger you are when high cholesterol strikes, the more likely it is due to genetic factors, especially if you are of a normal weight and you eat healthfully. In these cases, a genetic abnormality leads to the overproduction of cholesterol in the liver.

Types of Cholesterol

2011-06-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

Cholesterol is a fatty, wax-like substance that circulates throughout the bloodstream. Your body manufactures some of it, and the rest comes from your diet. Cholesterol is an essential building block of every cell in the human body. High cholesterol—also known as hypercholesterolemia—is a lipid disorder that can significantly raise the risk of heart disease. When the body has more than it can handle, excess cholesterol can build up and clog the arteries, cutting off the blood supply to the heart. That’s why it’s important to have your cholesterol tested regularly and to keep your levels down. Eating a heart-healthy diet and exercising regularly can help prevent high cholesterol.

Types of Cholesterol
There are several types of cholesterol in the body. When you have high cholesterol, one or all of the types may be within an unhealthy, abnormal range. At the doctor’s office, your physician may talk to you about your total cholesterol, or he may break it down into the different types: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides. The term “high cholesterol” is actually a bit of a misnomer because, while it’s true we want to keep our LDL and triglycerides down, we should strive to push our HDL up. Low levels of HDL are considered abnormal and are a risk factor for heart disease.

High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)
High-Density Lipoprotein is the so-called “good” cholesterol that may help protect against heart disease. (You can remember that by thinking “H” is for healthy.) The higher your HDL, the better. That’s because HDL cholesterol sweeps excess LDL cholesterol (the “bad” artery-clogging kind) out of the body. The clinical term for having abnormally low levels of HDL is hypoalphalipoproteinemia (HA). Although there is no cut-off number that diagnoses HA, low HDL levels (less than 40 mg/dL for men and less than 50 mg/dL for women) are associated with a greater risk of heart disease. To protect against heart disease, the American Heart Association recommends that men and women should keep their HDL levels above 60mg/dL.

Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)
Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) is the “bad” cholesterol that contributes to atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque along the arterial walls. (You can remember this by thinking “L” for lousy.) Atherosclerosis can cause your arteries— which transport blood, oxygen, and nutrients—to harden or rupture and lead to blockages, strokes, and heart attacks. That’s why high levels of LDL cholesterol are a major risk factor for heart disease. Guidelines state that people with no risk of heart disease should aim for an LDL score below 130. However, some medical experts believe that number is too high.

The American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute both state that everyone’s LDL should be below 100 for optimal health. People who are at high risk of heart disease should keep their LDL below 100, and people who have heart disease or are at an extremely high risk of heart disease should aim to keep their LDL below 70.

Total Cholesterol
This is the sum of your HDL and LDL scores. In general, you want to strive to keep your total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL. Although some physicians will only give you this result after you get your cholesterol tested, it’s a good idea to ask them to break it down for you so you know if your HDL is as high as you’d like and your LDL is as low as you’d like. A total cholesterol score of 200 to 239 mg/dL is considered borderline high-risk, while a score of 240 mg/dL or more is in the high-risk category. According to the American Heart Association, nearly half of all American adults have a total cholesterol score above 200 mg/dL.

Triglycerides
Triglycerides are another type of lipid (fat) found in the bloodstream. Extra calories that your body doesn’t use get stored as triglycerides. As such, frequently overeating and being overweight may lead to elevated triglycerides. High triglyceride levels, known as hypertriglyceridemia, usually go hand-in-hand with high levels of “bad” LDL and low levels of “good” HDL. A triglyceride level below 150 mg/dL is considered normal. Between 150 and 200 is borderline-high; 200 to 499 is high; and more than 500 is very high.

What is Asthma?

2011-06-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the lungs that often makes breathing difficult and causes attacks of coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest, and shortness of breath. Asthma symptoms occur when the lining of the air passages swell and the muscles surrounding the airways tighten. Mucus fills the airways, further reducing the amount of air that can pass through them and causing an asthma attack.

Types of Asthma
Asthma is sometimes referred to as bronchial asthma because it involves the narrowing of the bronchial airways. The distinction is often made between childhood asthma and adult-onset asthma, when symptoms don’t appear until at least the age of 20. Other types of asthma include:

Allergic Asthma (Extrinsic Asthma)
Allergic asthma is triggered by allergens, such as pet dander, food preservatives, mold, or pollen. Allergic asthma is more likely to be seasonal because it often goes hand-in-hand with allergies that are also seasonal.

Non-Allergic Asthma (Intrinsic Asthma)
This type of asthma is triggered by irritants in the air that are not related to allergies – including wood or cigarette smoke, air pollution, room deodorants, household cleaning products, and perfumes.

Cough-Variant Asthma (CVA)
Cough-variant asthma does not have the classic symptoms of asthma – such as wheezing and shortness of breath. Instead, CVA is characterized by one symptom, a persistent dry cough. Cough-variant asthma can lead to full-blown asthma that shows other asthma symptoms.

Exercise-Induced Asthma (EIA)
Exercise-induced asthma affects people during or after physical activity. EIA can occur in people who are not sensitive to classic asthma triggers such as dust, pollen, or pet dander.

Nocturnal Asthma
This type of asthma is characterized by asthma symptoms that worsen at night. Those who suffer from nocturnal asthma can also experience symptoms anytime of the day. However, certain triggers – such as heartburn, pet dander, and dust mites – can cause those symptoms to worsen at night while sleeping.

Occupational Asthma
Occupational asthma is induced by triggers that exist in a person’s workplace. Irritants and allergens include dusts, dyes, gases, fumes, animal proteins, and rubber latex that are common in a wide range of industries—including manufacturing, textiles, farming, and woodworking.

Insomnia Causes

2011-06-30T07:42:00.000-07:00

Insomnia can have a significant impact on everyday life. Overall health, lifestyle, relationships, and work-productivity can all suffer from inadequate sleep. If you have difficulty sleeping, it is important to determine whether or not an underlying issue or medical condition is causing the problem. Secondary insomnia is the most common type of sleeplessness, and is most frequently caused as a result of anxiety or on-going stress. Some common factors leading to insomnia include:

Stress and anxiety
Worries about work, school, health, finances, or family can keep your mind active at night, making it difficult and sometimes impossible to sleep. Traumatic events, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, or a job loss often cause long-lasting stress and anxiety, which can lead to chronic (long-term) sleeplessness.

Depression
Depression can make you sleep too much or too little. This may be due to chemical imbalances in your brain, or because fears that accompany depression may keep you from relaxing enough to sleep. It is not unusual for insomnia to accompany other mood disorders such as bipolar disorder, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Medications
A number of over-the-counter medications can contribute to insomnia. These include some pain medications, decongestants, and weight-loss products that contain caffeine or other stimulants. Antihistamines may make you drowsy initially but can lead to more frequent urination, causing more nighttime trips to the bathroom. In addition, certain prescription drugs can interfere with sleep. Potential culprits include antidepressants, heart and blood pressure medicines, allergy drugs, stimulants, and corticosteroids.

Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol
Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks containing caffeine are stimulants that can interfere with sleep. Drinking coffee in the late afternoon can keep you from falling asleep at night. Nicotine in tobacco is another stimulant that can inhibit sleep.

Alcohol is a sedative that may help you fall asleep initially, but it prevents deeper stages of sleep, so you end up tossing and turning.

Medical conditions
A host of medical conditions can contribute to insomnia. Some of these include chronic pain, breathing difficulties, sleep apnea, or arthritis. Insufficient sleep is also associated with a number of chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.

Other medical conditions that can lead to insomnia include:

Frequent urination
Cancer
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Overactive thyroid
Stroke

Sleep disorders
Common sleep disorders, such as restless leg syndrome (a crawling sensation often felt in the lower part of the legs that can only be relieved with movement) can inhibit sleep. Sleep apnea—a breathing disorder accompanied by loud snoring and periods of time when breathing stops—can also lead to insomnia.

Changes in environment or schedule
Working the late or early shifts, or travelling long-distances, can disrupt the body’s circadian rhythms (24-hour biochemical, physiological, and behavioral cycle), making sleep difficult. These rhythms act as internal clocks, regulating sleep cycles, body temperature, and metabolism.

Worries about sleep and bad sleep habits
Unfortunately, the strain of worrying about not getting enough sleep can lead to even more sleep deprivation. If this is the case for you, try changing your usual bedtime routine. Save your bed for sleep by avoiding bad habits like watching TV or working in bed.

Eating too late
Consuming too much food too late in the evening may make lying down uncomfortable. Late meals can also contribute to heartburn or a backflow of acid and food from the stomach to your esophagus. Not surprisingly, this can keep you awake.

Insomnia Symptoms

2011-06-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

Symptoms of insomnia can vary greatly between cases. Some people suffer from severe symptoms, such as the inability to fall asleep, while others may get a full night’s sleep but find they don’t feel well-rested when they wake, often because their sleep is very light. Many people experience symptoms during the day, such as the inability to focus or concentrate, or find it difficult to stay awake.

Common insomnia symptoms include:

Difficulty falling asleep at night
Some people suffering with insomnia may find they have trouble falling asleep at night and can lie in bed for hours without being able to drift off to sleep.

Awakening during the night
Sometimes people are able to fall asleep but wake frequently during the night. This restlessness can lead to inadequate sleep and if persistent, leads to insomnia.

Waking too early
Many people are able to fall asleep and stay asleep for a period of time, but wake before they’ve gotten an adequate amount. They usually wake feeling exhausted. Most people need about seven to eight hours of sleep a night, and children and teens tend to need more. Seniors often require less sleep at night, but may require a daytime nap.

Not feeling rested after a night’s sleep
Some people are able to get a full night’s sleep, but don’t feel refreshed or well-rested when they wake. This is often because their sleep is too light and doesn’t allow the body to fully relax.

Daytime fatigue or sleepiness
People that suffer from insomnia often experience symptoms such as fatigue and a loss of concentration during the day.

Difficulty paying attention or focusing on tasks
If insomnia persists, it can lead to mental sluggishness and a decrease in mental functioning, such as focusing or paying attention.

Other symptoms of insomnia include:

Ongoing worries about sleep
Tension headaches
Gastrointestinal problems
Irritability
Anxiety
Depression

10 Home Remedies for the Flu

2011-06-30T05:34:00.000-07:00

10 natural remedies for flu:

1. Drink up.
The flu can leave you dehydrated, especially if fever is accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea. So be sure to get enough fluids. Water is fine. So are fruit juices, soda, and electrolyte beverages. You may want to stay away from caffeinated drinks, because caffeine is a diuretic. Herbal tea with honey can soothe a sore throat. If you feel nauseated, try taking small sips of liquids -- gulps might cause you to throw up. How can you be sure you’re getting enough fluid? Your urine should be pale yellow, almost colorless.

How about drinking alcohol? No way. “When you have the flu, the last thing you want to do is drink alcohol,” says William Schaffner, MD, chairman of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tenn. “It makes you sleepy, and flu does that already.”

2. Sip some soup.
For generations, caring parents have been serving chicken soup to kids with colds and flu. But was mom right? Possibly. A 2000 study published in the journal Chest showed that chicken soup may help relieve symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections.

“I believe that chicken soup does help with symptoms,” says Reid B. Blackwelder, MD, professor of family medicine at the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University in Kingsport. But not all doctors agree that chemistry alone explains the soup’s apparent benefits. “When you lean over a bowl of hot chicken soup and the vapor gets up your nose, you feel better,” says Schaffner. “But some [of the benefit] is clearly emotional. It just makes you feel better having someone make soup for you.”

3. Be a couch potato.
The advice may be clichéd, but it’s sound: Listen to your body. If it’s telling you not to exercise, don’t. If it’s urging you to spend all day in bed, do. Don't press on with daily responsibilities even in the face of severe cold or flu symptoms. Rest is “another way of supporting the body’s ability to fight infection,” says Blackwelder.

And don’t skimp on nighttime sleep. “Good sleep cycles help the immune system work well, so it’s important to get your full eight hours of sleep each night,” says Schaffner.

4. Humidify.
Breathing moist air helps ease nasal congestion and sore throat pain. One effective strategy is to indulge in a steamy shower several times a day -- or just turn on the shower and sit in the bathroom for a few minutes, inhaling the steam. Another is to use a humidifier. Clean it regularly to make sure it’s free of mold and other impurities.

5. Pitch a tent.
Need a quick way to open clogged airways? Bring a pot of water to a boil and remove it from the heat. Drape a towel over your head, close your eyes, and lean over the water under the “tent,” breathing deeply through your nose for 30 seconds. David Kiefer, MD, clinical instructor of family medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, recommends adding a drop or two of peppermint or eucalyptus oil to the water for extra phlegm-busting power. Repeat this as often as necessary to ease congestion. People with asthma should not use this method of decongestion.

6. Try a warm compress.
On the forehead and nose, a warm cloth is a great way to relieve headache or sinus pain.

7. Be a sucker.
Cough drops, throat lozenges, and hard candy can be surprisingly effective at easing a cough or sore throat. Some doctors, including Kiefer, swear by lozenges containing slippery elm. Others recommend zinc lozenges to help shorten cold symptoms -- though Schaffner is not convinced of their effectiveness. “If there is an effect [against colds and flu], it’s a small one,” he says. “I wish their effect were as good as their taste is bad.”

8. Swish and spit.
Gargling with salt water helps get rid of the thick mucus that can collect at the back of the throat, especially after you've been lying down. It can also help ease stuffy ears by opening clogged eustachian tubes, Kiefer tells WebMD in an email.

9. Try nasal irrigation.
To ease stuffiness and post-nasal drip -- and perhaps cut the risk of developing a sinus infection -- some doctors recommend nasal irrigation. You can buy a neti pot in natural foods stores and some drugstores, or opt for a saline squeeze bottle. You pour salt water into one nostril and let it run out the other, clearing out your nasal passages. You can buy pre-made saline solution or make it by mixing salt and lukewarm water.

10. Line up a caregiver.
A caregiver can’t lower your temperature or cure a sore throat, but “having someone to tuck you into bed and bring you fluids is very comforting,” says Blackwelder. If a friend or family member offers to help, even if it’s only to stop by and check in on you, count your blessings -- and take them up on it.

5 Ways to Kick Your Cough At Home

2011-06-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

Try these five tips to manage your cough at home:

1. Stay Hydrated

An upper respiratory tract infection like a cold or flu causes postnasal drip. Extra secretions trickle down the back of your throat, irritating it and sometimes causing a cough, Mosnaim says.

Drinking fluids helps to thin out the mucus in postnasal drip, says Kenneth DeVault, MD, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla.

Drinking liquids also helps to keep mucous membranes moist. This is particularly helpful in the winter time when houses tend to be dry, another cause of cough, he says.

2. Try Lozenges and Hot Drinks

Try a menthol cough drop, Yoder suggests. “It numbs the back of the throat and that will tend to decrease the cough reflex.”

Drinking warm tea with honey can also soothe the throat. There is some clinical evidence to support this strategy, Yoder says.

3. Take Steamy Showers and Use a Humidifier

A hot shower can help a cough by loosening secretions in the nose. Mosnaim says this steamy strategy can help ease coughs not only from colds, but also from allergies and asthma.

Humidifiers may also help. In a dry home, nasal secretions can become desiccated and uncomfortable, Mosnaim explains. Putting moisture back in the air can help your cough, but be careful not to overdo it.

“The downside is if you don’t clean it, (humidifiers) become reservoirs for pumping out fungus and mold into the air and bacteria,” says Robert Naclerio, MD, chief of otolaryngology at the University of Chicago.

4. Remove Irritants in the Air
Perfumes and scented bathroom sprays may seem benign, but for some people they can cause chronic sinus irritation. This leads to chronic cough because of the production of excess mucus, says Alan Weiss, MD, a general internist at the Cleveland Clinic. Take control by avoiding such scented products.

The worst irritant in the air, of course, is smoke. Almost all smokers eventually develop the “smoker’s cough." Everyone around the smoker may suffer from some airway irritation. The best solution? Smokers need to stop smoking. (Yoder warns that severe chronic coughs can be a sign of emphysema or lung cancer in smokers, so be sure to see a doctor if you’re a smoker with chronic cough.)

5. Take Medications to Treat Coughs
When steamy showers, hot teas, and cough drops don’t help, you can turn to over-the-counter medicines to ease your cough.

Decongestants: Decongestants relieve nasal congestion by shrinking swollen nasal tissue and reducing mucus production. They dry up mucus in the lungs and open up the airway passages, says Weiss.
Decongestants come in pills, liquids, and nasal spray formulations. Oral decongestants such as pills and liquids can raise blood pressure, so people with hypertension need to be careful with their use, Mosnaim notes. Also, overuse of decongestants can lead to excessive dryness, which can trigger a dry cough.

Nasal sprays, if used for more than three or four days, can lead to rebound congestion, Mosnaim says. It’s best to use them for two or three days and then stop.

Cough suppressants and expectorants: If you’re coughing so much that your chest hurts and you’re getting a bad night’s sleep, consider a cough suppressant, such as dextromethorphan (found in Robitussin-DM), says Mosnaim. Yoder recommends using cough suppressants only at night.

Cough expectorants such as guaifenesin (found in Mucinex) are useful when a person has a cough that is thick with phlegm, Mosnaim says. Expectorants help to thin out the mucus so one can more easily cough it up, she notes.

Healthy Foods Choice: Fruits

2011-06-30T05:17:00.000-07:00

Watch "Healthy Foods Choice: Fruits"

5 steps to hearth health

2011-06-30T05:15:00.000-07:00

Watch "5 steps to hearth health"

Succesful Diet Tips

2011-06-30T05:13:00.001-07:00

Watch "Succesful Diet Tips"

Diet Recipe - healthy Foods For Breakfast

2011-06-30T05:11:00.000-07:00

watch "Diet Recipe - healthy Foods For Breakfast"

How to Take Care of Your Eyes

2011-06-30T04:45:00.000-07:00

Watch "How to Take Care of Your Eyes"

Foods High in Vitamin B12

2011-06-30T04:41:00.000-07:00

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Healthy Hair Tips

2011-06-30T04:36:00.000-07:00

Watch "Healthy Hair Tips" Video

Jogging Better For Your Mental Health

2011-06-30T04:32:00.000-07:00

Watch "Jogging Better For Your Mental Health" Video

Adjust Your Diet to Prevent Diabetes

2011-06-30T04:26:00.000-07:00

Watch "Adjust Your Diet to Prevent Diabetes"

4 Ways to prevent heart attack

2011-06-30T04:19:00.000-07:00

Watch The "4 Ways to prevent heart attack" Video

Vegetarians May Have Lower Risk of Cataracts

2011-06-30T04:09:00.000-07:00

People who eat meat may be at increased risk of developing cataracts compared to vegetarians, a new study shows.Researchers at the University of Oxford in England say vegetarians and vegans are 30% to 40% less likely to develop cataracts than people who eat a lot of meat.Other factors, such as smoking, diabetes, and exposure to bright sunlight, also have been linked to greater risk of cataracts.

Researchers studied data on 27,670 people participating in the European Prospective Investigation in Cancer and Nutrition study. The participants in the study, all older than 40, were asked to fill out dietary surveys between 1993 and 1999. They were checked on between 2008 and 2009 to see if they had developed cataracts; about 1,500 had developed cataracts.

The participants were divided into groups according to the amount of meat they ate:

Highest meat consumption: 3.5 ounces or more a day.
Mid-range meat consumption: 1.7 to 3.4 ounces a day.
Low-meat consumption: less than 1.7 ounces a day.
Fish eaters: Those who ate fish but not meat.
Vegetarians: Those who did not eat meat or fish but did eat dairy products and/or eggs.
Vegans: Those who did not eat meat, fish, dairy products, or eggs.

Compared with those who ate the most meat, the risks for developing cataracts were lower for all other groups. Mid-range meat eaters had a decreased cataract risk of 4%, low-meat eaters 15%, fish eaters 21%, vegetarians 30%, and vegans 40%.

The researchers found that the progressive decrease in cataract risk was seen for both men and women but appeared to be confined to participants 65 and older at recruitment.

Health Benefits of Honey

2011-06-30T03:49:00.000-07:00

Honey has been used by mankind since the past 2,500 years, all over the world. While the numerous health benefits of honey have made it an important aspect of traditional medicines such as Ayurveda, scientists are also researching the benefits of honey in modern medicine, especially in healing wounds.

What makes honey so popular? It is the ease with which it can be consumed. One can eat honey directly, put it on bread like a jam, mix it with juice or any drink instead of sugar, or mix it with warm water, lime juice, cinnamon and other herbs to make a medicine. It is savored by all due to its taste as well as health benefits.

The health benefits of honey include the following:
Sweetener: Sugar can be substituted with honey in many food and drinks. Honey contains about 69% glucose and fructose enabling it to be used as a sweetener.

Energy Source: According to USDA, honey contains about 64 calories per tablespoon. Hence honey is also used by many as a source of energy. On the other hand, one tablespoon of sugar will give you about 15 calories. Further the carbohydrates in the honey can be easily converted into glucose by even the most sensitive stomachs. Hence it is very easy to digest honey.

Weight Loss: Though honey has more calories than sugar, honey when consumed with warm water helps in digesting the fat stored in your body. Similarly honey and lemon juice and honey and cinnamon help in reducing weight. Read more about benefits of honey in weight loss.

Improving Athletic Performance: Recent research has shown that honey is an excellent ergogenic aid and helps in boosting the performance of athletes. Honey facilitates in maintaining blood sugar levels, muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration after a workout.

Source of Vitamins and Minerals: Honey contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. The type of vitamins and minerals and their quantity depends on the type of flowers used for apiculture. Commonly, honey contains Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron. Check for the vitamin and mineral content in sugar from any source, you will find it to be either nil or miniscule.

Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties: Honey has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and hence it can be used as a natural antiseptic.

Antioxidants: Honey contains nutraceuticals, which are effective in removing free radicals from our body. As a result, our body immunity is improved.

Skin Care with Milk and Honey: Milk and honey are often served together as both these ingredients help in getting a smooth soothing skin. Hence consuming milk and honey daily in the morning is a common practice in many countries.

Honey in Wound Management
Significant research is being carried out to study the benefits of honey in treating wounds. Nursing Standard provides some of these benefits in the document - The benefits of honey in wound management. These have been given below:

Honey possesses antimicrobial properties.
It helps in promoting autolytic debridement.
It deodorizes malodorous wounds.
It speeds up the healing process by stimulating wound tissues.
It helps in initiating the healing process in dormant wounds.
Honey also helps in promoting moist wound healing.

Cabbage

2011-06-30T03:41:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the cheap, humble looking and so widely used cabbage could work miracles? Cabbage is a leafy vegetable of Brassica family, round or oval in shape, consisting of soft light green or whitish inner leaves covered with harder and dark green outer leaves. It is widely used throughout the world, eaten cooked or raw as salad and is a very popular vegetable.

Deficiency Symptoms:
Deficiency of Vitamin C: Scurvy, which is recognized by spongy and bleeding gums, cracked lip corners etc., very weak immune system, frequent infections and cold, ageing, depression etc.
Remedy: Cabbage is abundant is Vitamin C. You will be surprised to know that it is richer in vitamin C than the famous oranges. Vitamin C, being one of the best anti oxidant, reduces free radicals in your body which are the basic causes of ageing. It also helps repairing the wear and tears in the body. Thus it is very helpful in treating ulcers, certain cancers, depressions, for strengthening immune system and fighting against cough and cold, healing of wounds and damaged tissues, proper functioning of nervous system and thereby help curing Alzheimer’s disease etc.

Deficiency of Roughage: This is a very serious deficiency but most neglected. Lack of roughage in the food results in constipation, the root cause to innumerable other ailments and health hazards such as stomach ulcers, headache, intestinal cancer, indigestion and resultant loss of appetite, skin diseases, eczema, ageing and hundreds related problems.
Remedies: Cabbage is very rich in fiber. This helps retain water and forms the bulk of the food and the bowels. Thus it is a good cure for constipation and related problems.

Deficiency of Sulphur: Sulphur is a very useful nutrient as it fights infections. Its deficiency results in microbial infections and late healing of wounds.
Remedy: Again, cabbage is rich is sulphur. So, it helps fight infections in wounds and ulcers.

Detoxification by cabbage: Cabbage is a good detoxifier too, i.e. it purifies blood and removes toxins (primarily free radicals and uric acid which is major cause for rheumatism, gout, arthritis, renal calculi, skin diseases, eczema, hardening and de-colorization of skin etc.). This detoxifying effect of cabbage is due to the presence of vitamin C and sulphur.

Other benefits of Cabbage: Cabbage, being rich in iodine, helps in proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system, apart from keeping the endocrinal glands in proper condition. Thus, it is good for brain and treatment of neurotic disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. The various other nutrients present in cabbage such as vitamin-E which keeps the skin, eye and hair healthy, calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc., are very useful for overall health. The cabbage can also be used for treatment of varicose veins, leg ulcers, peptic and duodenal ulcers etc.

Potatoes

2011-06-30T03:35:00.000-07:00

This shapeless and ugly looking tuber, bearing the scientific name Solanum Tuberosum, has cast a spell on us. Potato lovers (including me), and those who do not like them, will be equally delighted to know that potatoes have more in store for them than just carbohydrates and calories. Let us uncover them.

The health benefits of potato include the following:
Weight Gain: Potatoes are mounds of carbohydrates and contain little proteins too. This makes it an ideal diet for those lean and thins who desperately want to put on weight. The vitamins like vitamin-C and B-complex also help in proper absorption of this carbohydrate. That is why they make an inevitable part of the diet of Sumo Wrestlers.

Digestion: Since potatoes predominantly contain carbohydrates, they are easy to digest and facilitate digestion. This property makes them a good diet for patients, babies and those who cannot digest hard food but need energy. But you must remember that eating too much of potatoes regularly may cause acidity in the long run. Potatoes also contain considerable amount of fiber or roughage, more in raw potatoes and cold ones than boiled or hot ones.

Skin Care: Vitamin-C and B-complex and minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc are good for the skin. Apart from that, pulp obtained from crushed raw potatoes, mixed with honey, can serve as excellent skin and face packs. This helps even curing pimples and spots on the skin. Again, this pulp, if applied externally on burns, gives a quick relief and heals fast. Smashed potatoes, even water in which potatoes are washed, are very good for softening and cleaning skin, especially around elbows, back of the palms etc.

Scurvy: The vitamin-C present in potatoes can help prevent this dreaded deficiency disease, caused due to lack of vitamin-C. It is characterized by cracked lip corners, spongy and bleeding gums, frequent viral infections like cold etc.

Rheumatism: There are two aspects of this factor. Vitamins, calcium and magnesium in potatoes help giving relief in rheumatism. Water obtained from boiling potato gives relief in rheumatism. But due to high starch or carbohydrate content it tends to increase body weight which may have adverse effects on rheumatic people.

Inflammation: Potato is very effective in inflammation, internal or external. Since it is soft, easy digestible and has a lot of vitamin-C (very good anti-oxidant and repairs wears and tears), potassium and vitamin-B6, among others, it relieves inflammation of intestines and the digestive system. It is very good diet for those who have mouth ulcers. Again, raw smashed potato can be applied to relieve external inflammation, burns etc.

High Blood Pressure: Since high blood pressure is caused due to a number of reasons, including diabetes, tension, indigestion, nature of food and many such, different are the cures. Potato can be used to relieve High Blood Pressure due to tension, indigestion etc. due to abundance of vitamin-C and B in it, but should be avoided if it is due to diabetes. The fiber present in it is helpful in lowering cholesterol and improves functioning of insulin in the body, which aids to lowering of blood pressure, since there is a direct relation between the blood pressure and the glucose level in the blood and insulin regulates this glucose level.

Brain Function: Proper functioning of the brain depends largely on the glucose level, oxygen supply, some members of the vitamin-B complex and some hormones, amino acids and fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids. Potatoes cater to almost all the needs mentioned above. They are high in carbohydrates and thus maintain good level of glucose in the blood which does not let brain fatigue creep in and keeps the brain active and alert. Next is oxygen which is carried to the brain by the haemoglobin in the blood and whose main constituent is iron. Potato contains iron too and thus aids to this function also. Next is the turn of vitamin-B complex. Here again, potato is rich in vitamin-B6 and contains traces of other members of this complex. In addition, it contains certain other elements like phosphorus and zinc which are good for brain too.

Heart Diseases: Apart from the vitamins (B-complex, C), minerals and roughage, potatoes also contain certain substances called Carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin etc.) which are beneficial for heart and other internal organs. But again, since it raises the glucose level in the blood and over intake may cause obesity, which in turn can put a lot of pressure on your heart; hence it is not recommended for obese or diabetic people.

Kidney Stones: Kidney Stones, also known as Renal Calculi, are caused mainly due to raised level of uric acid in blood. In such cases, high proteins should be avoided, particularly animal proteins such as meat, turkey, shrimps, sea fishes, eggs, milk etc. as well as spinach, raw plantain, black grams and certain beans, which drastically increase the level of uric acid in blood. Iron and calcium also help form the stone. Potato is rich in both of these and normally seems not fit from this point of view. But it is very rich in magnesium which resists accumulation or deposition of calcium (calcification) in the kidney and other tissues, thereby proving beneficial for treatment of renal calculi.

Diarrhea: It is an excellent energy-rich diet for those suffering from diarrhea, since it is very easy to digest as well as contains mild roughage. But an over intake may cause diarrhea due to excess ingestion of starch.

Other Benefits and Cautions: Juice of potato is a good treatment for burns, bruises, sprains, skin problems, ulcers, effect of narcotics, cancer of prostrate and uterus and formation of cysts or tumors. On the other hand, some care also needs to be taken while eating potatoes. Green potatoes are poisonous, and so are potato leaves and fruits, as they contain alkaloids like solanine, chaconine and arsenic whose overdose may prove fatal. Moreover, the glycemic index (in simple words, the energy or sugar content) of potatoes is very high (above 80) and so obese, diabetic and those who are slimming down should avoid eating potatoes. If eaten, potatoes are better baked than raw or fried.

Sweet Potatoes

2011-06-30T03:29:00.000-07:00

Sweet Potato or Yam is a tuberous crop with scientific name Ipomoea Batatas. Its plant is a creeper with heart shaped or lobed leaves. The tubers color vary from purple or red to pale yellow or white, depending upon the variety, soil type, climate and minerals.

The red variety has drier and harder flesh while the white or the yellow type has more juicy flesh. The red variety has a characteristic aroma which becomes more prominent on boiling. The more reddish or orange the color of the flesh of the sweet potatoes, the stronger is this aroma. Perhaps this is due presence of beta carotene whose concentration also increases with the color.

Let us study the benefits of sweet potatoes:

Immunity: Being very rich in beta carotene, which is a major anti oxidant, apart from vitamin-C and B-complex, iron and phosphorus present in them, sweet potatoes are excellent immunity boosters.

Inflammation: Like the common potato, sweet potato also has anti inflammatory properties, although it does not belong to the family of common potato. This is primarily due to presence of beta-carotene, vitamin-C and magnesium. It is equally effective in curing internal and external inflammations.

Asthma: The sweet potato is effective in curing congestion of nose, bronchi and lungs, thereby giving relief in asthma. Its typical aroma helps in this.

Bronchitis: The concentration of vitamin-C, iron and other nutrients help curing bronchitis. The sweet potatoes are believed to be capable of warming up the body (may be due to the sweetness and other nutrients). This property also is beneficial in bronchitis, apart from its property to ease congestion.

Arthritis: Beta-carotene, magnesium, zinc and vitamin-B complex, among others, make sweet potato a helping hand to cure arthritis. The water in which the sweet potatoes are boiled can be applied externally on joints too to ease pain in arthritis.

Digestion: The fiber content of sweet potatoes is higher than that of common potatoes and it tastes good too. When these two factors are combined with other minerals like magnesium present in sweet potatoes, it makes an excellent facilitator for digestion. Sweet potatoes are easy to digest too, since they mainly contain starch. They are soothing for the stomach and intestines too.

Cancer: Beta-carotene, the champion anti oxidant and anti carcinogen, the pigments responsible for the color of the peel of the sweet potatoes and vitamin-C, are very beneficial for curing many types of cancer, mainly those of colon, intestines, prostrate, kidneys and other internal organs.

Water Balance: The fiber or roughage present in sweet potatoes helps retain water. This maintains water balance in the body.

Stomach Ulcers: Sweet potato has a soothing effect on the stomach and intestines. The vitamins (B-complex and C), beta carotene, potassium and calcium are very effective in curing stomach ulcers. Moreover, the roughage in sweet potatoes prevents constipation and resultant acid formation, thereby reducing the chance of ulcers. The anti inflammatory and soothing properties of sweet potatoes also reduce the pain and inflammation of the ulcers.

Diabetes: Contrary to the popular belief, the sweet potatoes are beneficial for diabetics. Amazingly, they are very effective in regulating blood sugar lever by helping proper secretion and function of insulin. Of course, that does not mean that diabetics should eat them indiscriminately. The idea is that they can replace their rice or carbohydrate intake with sweet potatoes.

Weight Gain: This is easily understood. The sweet potatoes are sweet as well as contain very good amount of complex starch, apart from healthy vitamins, minerals and some proteins too. Moreover, they are very easy to digest. Thus they provide a lot of energy and are excellent bulk builders. Those suffering from inferiority complex due to their bones visibly sticking out of their skin, will welcome this news, without having any risk any side effect, which most of the synthetic bulk building dietary supplements run.

Other Benefits: They are effective in quitting addictions like smoking, drinking and taking certain narcotics. They are good for the health of arteries and veins, as they protect their walls against hardening. The high concentration of beta carotene (an alternative of vitamin-A) and phosphorus are excellent for ocular and cardiac health.

Radish

2011-06-30T03:25:00.000-07:00

Radish, the well known part of your salad, is a root crop, pungent or sweet in taste with a lot of juice. Radishes can be white, red, purple or black, long cylindrical or round in shape. They are eaten raw, cooked or pickled. The oil obtained from the seeds of radish is also used. The other parts of radish which are consumed are the leaves, the flowers, the pods and the seeds. The scientific name of radish is Raphanus Sativus which belongs to the Brassicaceae family. Radish is also known as Daiken in some parts of the world.

The benefits of radish against certain ailments and on certain body parts are listed below:

Jaundice: Radish is very good for the liver and the stomach and it is a very good detoxifier too, that is, it purifies blood. It is miraculously useful in jaundice as it helps removing bilirubin and also checks its production. It also checks destruction of red blood cells during jaundice by increasing supply of fresh oxygen in the blood. The black radish is more preferred in jaundice. The leaves of radish are also very useful in treatment of jaundice.

Piles: Radish is very rich in roughage, i.e. indigestible carbohydrates. This facilitates digestion, retains water, cures constipation (one of the main causes for piles) and thus gives relief in piles. Being a very good detoxifier, it helps heal up piles fast. Its juice also soothes the digestive and excretory system and this also relieves piles.

Urinary Disorders: Radishes are diurectic in nature, i.e. increase production of urine. Juice of radish also cures inflammation and burning feeling during urinating. It also cleans the kidneys and inhibits infections in kidneys and urinary system. Thus it helps a great deal in curing urinary disorders.

Weight Loss: Radishes are very filling, i.e. fills your stomach and satisfies your hunger easily without giving you many calories, as they are low in digestible carbohydrates, high in roughage and contain a lot of water. It is a very good dietary option for those determined to lose weight.

Cancer: Being a very good detoxifier and rich in vitamin-C, folic and anthocyanins, radish helps cure many types of cancer, particularly those of colon, kidney, intestines, stomach and oral cancer.

Leucoderma: The detoxifying and anti carcinogenic properties of radish make it useful in treatment of Leucoderma. The radish seeds are used in this case. They should be powdered and soaked in vinegar or ginger juice or cows urine and then applied on the white patches. Eating radish also aids treatment of Leucoderma.

Skin Disorders: Vitamin-C, phosphorus, zinc and some members of vitamin-B complex, which are present in radish, are good for skin. The water in it helps maintaining moisture of the skin. Smashed raw radish is a very good cleanser and serves as a very efficient face pack. Due to its disinfectant properties, radish also helps cure skin disorders, such as drying up, rashes, cracks etc. and also refreshes it.

Kidney Disorders: Being diurectic, cleanser and disinfectant, it helps cure many kidney disorders. Its diurectic properties help wash away the toxins accumulated in the kidneys. Cleansing properties clean kidneys up and lessens accumulation of toxins in the blood, thereby decreasing their concentration in the kidneys. Its disinfectant properties protect the kidneys from any infections too. Thus it is good for overall health of the kidneys.

Insect Bites: It has anti pruritic properties and can be used as an effective treatment for insect bites, stings of bees, hornets, wasps etc. Its juice also reduces pain and swelling and soothes the affected area.
Fever: It brings down the body temperature and relieves inflammation due to fever. Drink radish juice mixed with black salt. Being a good disinfectant, it also fights infections which cause fever, thereby helping cure it.

Respiratory Disorders, Bronchitis and Asthma: Radish is an anti congestive, i.e. it relieves congestion of respiratory system including nose, throat, wind-pipe and lungs, due to cold, infection, allergies and other causes. It is a good disinfectant and also rich in vitamins, which protect respiratory system from infections.

Liver & Gallbladder: Radish is especially beneficial for liver and gallbladder functions. It regulates production and flow of bile and bilirubin, acids, enzymes and removes excess bilirubin from the blood, being a good detoxifier. It also contains enzymes like myrosinase, diastase, amylase and esterase. It protects liver and gallbladder from infections and ulcers and soothes them.

Other Benefits: Apart from above benefits, radish is a good appetizer, mouth and breathe freshener, laxative, regulates metabolism, improves blood circulation, is a good treatment for headache, acidity, constipation, nausea, obesity, sore throat, whooping cough, gastric problems, gallbladder stones, dyspepsia etc.

Celery

2011-06-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

Celery contains amino acids, boron, calcium, chlorine, essential fatty acids, folate, inositol, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, sulfur , zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K. Celery is also a salad ingredient, which contains fiber.

Celery is a crunchy vegetable that belongs to the umbelliferae family.
The health benefits of celery include the following:

Reduced blood pressure: Celery contains a chemical that can lower levels of stress hormones in your blood. This allows blood vessels to expand, giving your blood more room, thereby reducing pressure.

Reduced cholesterol: Eating celery daily may reduce artery-clogging cholesterol

Good antiseptic: Celery seeds help in uric acid elimination. So, celery is good for people with bladder disorders, kidney problems, cystitis etc. Celery seeds also assist in avoiding urinary tract infection in women.

Healthy joints: Celery is good for people suffering from arthritis, rheumatism and gout. Its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce swelling and pain around the joints. Celery sticks contain a diuretic substance, which help to remove uric acid crystals that build around joints.

Prevents cancer: Celery contains phthalides and polyacetylenes. These anti cancer components detoxify carcinogens. Celery also contains coumarins that enhance the activity of certain white blood cells.

Improved immune system: Celery is rich in vitamin C; therefore it booststhe immune system.

Relief from cold: Because of the presence of vitamin C, taking celery gives you relief from cold.

Reduces severity of asthma: Vitamin C prevents free radical damage and thus reduces the severity of inflammatory conditions like asthma.

Cardiovascular health: Presence of vitamin C in the roots of celery promotes cardiovascular health.

Diuretic activity: Celery is rich in both sodium and potassium. These minerals help in regulating fluid balance.

Relief from migraine: Presence of coumarins gives relief from migraines.

Treats rheumatism: Celery extracts, which contain85% 3nB, are effective for treating arthritis and muscular pains.

Good for diabetic patients: Celery leaves are also eaten for treating diabetic conditions.

Relief from ophthalmologic disease: Dripping celery tea drops on eyelids is good for ophthalmologic affectations.

Because of the high calcium content, celery calms the nerves. So, eating celery helps people to be calm. Celery acts as an antioxidant too. All parts of celery including seed, root and leaves, can be used. Drinking celery juice before meal will help you to reduce your weight. Celery has many other nutritional benefits: Eating celery regularly helps to avoid diseases of kidney, pancreas, liver and gallbladder; neuritis, constipation, asthma, high blood pressure, catarrh, pyorrhea and dropsy, brain over work, acidosis, anemia, obesity and tuberculosis. It also helps in the improvement of teeth.

Precautions: Celery seeds contain volatile oils, flavonoids, coumarins and linoleic acid and are therefore not good for pregnant women because they may cause contractions in the uterus.

Mushroom

2011-06-29T16:57:00.000-07:00

The health benefits of mushroom include relief from high cholesterol levels, breast cancer, prostrate cancer, and diabetes. It also helps in weight loss, increasing immunity.

Almost all of us are familiar with mushrooms and their miraculous and magical powers. Particularly those who have read or heard a lot of fairy-tales such as Alice in Wonderland, Three Bears and a Baby etc. or those who have been playing the Super Mario Brothers.

You have seen mushrooms making somebody big or playing shields against the dreaded monsters. Actually, these are just symbolic representations of the actual health benefits of mushrooms. Believe me! They can really make you big and protect you against diseases and infections, as they are full of proteins, vitamins and minerals, amino acids, anti biotic and anti oxidants. Mushrooms are edible fungi bearing a common scientific name “Agaricus”, having different names for different species. They are essentially Saprophytes, the organisms (plants without chlorophyll) which thrive by extracting nutrients from the dead and decaying plant and animal matters. They vary greatly in their color, texture, shape and properties

The health benefits of mushroom include the following:

Cholesterol Levels: Mushrooms themselves provide you with lean proteins as they have zero cholesterol, fats and very low carbohydrates. The fiber and certain enzymes in them also help lower cholesterol level. Moreover, the high lean protein content in mushrooms helps burn cholesterol when they are digested.

Breast Cancer & Prostrate Cancer: Mushrooms are very effective in preventing cancer of breast and prostrate due to presence of Beta-Glucans and conjugated Linoleic Acid having anti carcinogenic effects. Out of these two, linoleic acid is particularly helpful in suppressing effects of estrogen. This estrogen is the prime reason for breast cancer in women after menopause. The Beta-Glucans, on the other hand, inhibit growth of cancerous cells in cases of prostrate cancer. Selenium in mushrooms is very effective in inhibiting cancerous cells.

Diabetes: Mushrooms can be an ideal low energy diet for diabetics. They have no fats, no cholesterol, very low carbohydrates, high proteins, vitamins and minerals, a lot of water and fiber. Moreover, they contain natural insulin and enzymes which help breaking down of sugar or starch of the food. Again, they are known to contain certain compounds which help proper functioning of liver, pancreas and the other endocrinal glands, thereby promoting formation of insulin and its proper flow. Diabetics often suffer from infections, particularly in their limbs, which tend to continue for long. The natural antibiotics in mushrooms can help protect them from this dreaded situation too.

Immunity: Ergothioneine, a powerful anti oxidant present in mushrooms is very effective in giving protection from free radicals as well as boosting up immunity. Mushrooms contain natural antibiotics (similar to penicillin, which itself is extracted from mushrooms) which inhibit microbial and other fungal infections. They also help heal ulcers and ulcerous wounds and protect them from infections. A good combination of vitamins A, B-Complex and C, found in mushrooms also strengthens immune system.

Weight Loss: Would you believe me if I say that a totally lean protein diet is ideal for losing fat and building muscle mass? Perhaps no! But it is true. A lot of fats are burnt to digest (break-down) proteins in the food, more so when the protein is accompanied by a very low carbohydrate, zero fats and cholesterol and a good amount of fiber. This is exactly what mushrooms offer.

Other Benefits: Mushrooms are the only vegetable and the second known source (after cod liver oil) to contain vitamin-D in edible form. They are rich in calcium (good for bones), iron (benefits in anemia), potassium (very good for lowering blood pressure), copper (anti bacterial) and selenium (very good for health of bones, teeth, nails, hair and as an anti oxidant). The best source of selenium is animal proteins. So, mushrooms can be the best choice for vegetarians to obtain selenium.

Few Words of Caution
Let me put it very straight without any word of condolence. Mushrooms can even kill! Most of the mushrooms are not edible, are highly poisonous and look strikingly similar to their edible counterparts. Even certain edible mushrooms can go poisonous depending upon the substance they grow on. Don’t ever try picking them up from woods unless you identify them very well. Do not trust on the unknown vendors too. Always trust sealed products from reputed companies or those which you grow yourself under controlled conditions after buying their seeds (called spawns) from trusted source. Because a single poisonous mushroom among others can send a whole lot of people to coma, induce severe poisoning symptoms, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, cramps, insanity or worst, can kill them. Avoid eating discolored mushrooms or those which are different in color than the characteristic color of their species.

Tomato

2011-06-29T16:50:00.000-07:00

Health benefits of tomato include eye sight, good gut health, low hypertension, diabetes, skin problems and urinary tract infections. Tomato is considered both a fruit and vegetable and forms an integral part of the cuisine all across the globe especially in the Mediterranean region. Daily consumption of tomato provides a great boost to health apart from improving the flavour of food. It consists of a large number of antioxidants which have been proven to fight different forms of cancer. It is a rich source of vitamins and minerals and exerts a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases. It also improves eye health and prevents hypertension and urinary tract infections.

Health benefits of tomato have been known to mankind since ages. Tomato is a rich source of antioxidants that have been proven to be effective against many forms of cancer. Some of the other health benefits of tomato are as follows:

Abundant Source of Antioxidants: Tomato contains large amount of lycopene, an antioxidant highly effective in scavenging cancer causing free radicals. This benefit can be obtained from even heat-processed tomato products, including ketchup. The lycopene in tomato fights against cancer and has been shown to be particularly effective in fighting prostate cancer, cervical cancer, cancer of the stomach and rectum as well as pharynx and oesophageal cancers. It also protects against breast cancer and cancer of mouth according to studies published by Harvard School of Public Health.

Reduces Cholesterol and Protects Heart: The lycopene in tomato prevents serum lipid oxidation, thus exerting protective effect against cardiovascular diseases. The regular consumption of tomato has proved to decrease the levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. These lipids are the key culprits in cardiovascular diseases and lead to deposition of fats in the blood vessels.

Rich Source of Vitamins and Minerals: A single tomato can provide about 40% of daily vitamin C requirement. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant which acts against cancer-causing free radicals. It also contains abundant vitamin A and potassium as well as iron. Potassium plays a vital role in maintaining nerve health and iron is essential for maintaining normal blood health. Vitamin K which is essential in blood clotting and controls bleeding is abundant in tomatoes.

Counters the Effect of Cigarette Smoke: The two main components of tomatoes, coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid, fight against nitrosamines which are produced in the body and are the main carcinogens found in cigarette smoke.

Improves Vision: Vitamin A, present in tomato aids, aids in improving vision, preventing night-blindness and macular degeneration.

Keeps Gut Healthy: Tomato keeps the digestive system healthy by preventing both constipation and diarrhoea. It also prevents jaundice and effectively removes toxins from the body.

Lowers Hypertension: Daily consumption of tomatoes reduces the risk of developing hypertension.
Alleviates Diabetes: A study conducted by Journal of the American Medical Association shows that daily consumption of tomatoes reduces the oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes.

For Healthy Skin: Tomato aids in maintaining healthy teeth, bones, hair and skin. Topical application of tomato juice is known to cure severe sunburns. Daily consumption of tomato protects the skin against UV-induced erythema. Tomato ranks high in preparation of anti-aging products.

Prevents Urinary Tract Infections: Tomato intake also reduces the incidence of urinary tract infections as well as bladder cancer.

Prevents Gallstones: Regular consumption of tomato can also dissolve gallstones.

There have been various studies to prove the efficacy of tomato against many chronic diseases and cancers. The antioxidant properties of tomato can also be derived from processed foods which include tomato such as ketchup and puree. Daily consumption of tomato fulfils the daily requirement of vitamins and minerals and exerts protective effect on the body.

Cucumber

2011-06-29T16:46:00.000-07:00

It is still not known since when cucumbers have been used for pickling, but the researchers have speculated that the gherkin variety of cucumber was developed from a native African plant. Spain was one of the countries during the ancient times that started pickling cucumbers since Roman emperors imported them from this Mediterranean country.

The health benefits of cucumber are yet to be widespread amongst all cultures. The taste of fresh cucumber is somewhat bland in comparison to other squashes, but it’s thirst-quenching and the cooling quality of this squash is truly refreshing. Cucumbers often act as antioxidants when you consume it with barbequed and fried foods. You can also drink a glass full of cucumber, carrot or orange juices. This will not only give you its wholesome nutrient value, but it genuinely tastes good.

Cucumber benefits ranges from preventing acidity to keeping skin well-toned. Cucumber has high alkaline levels, thus regulates the body's blood pH and neutralizes acidity. The gastric patients should necessarily consume cucumber frequently. It regulates blood pressure and contributes to the proper structure of connective tissues in our body as in the muscles, bones, ligaments, cartilage, and tendons. During summers, cucumbers help to normalize body temperature. Cucumber juice is diuretic, thereby prevents kidney stones. Cucumbers also counter uric acid, thereby preventing inflammation in joints in arthritis, asthma, and gout. You will be quite surprised to know that this squash also promotes healthy hair growth and can treat skin ailments like psoriasis, eczema, acne, etc.

A bright and glowing complexion
Cucumber is rich in silica, this is the essential component that aids in keeping strong and healthy connective tissues including muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and bone. Doctors often recommend cucumber juice to utilize the silica content and get a healthy, bright skin. The quality of cucumber's high water content makes it naturally hydrating. Its known to all moisture is the best friend of a healthy skin, so why not acquire the hydration naturally. The extract of cucumbers is often used topically through medication for various types of skin ailments, including sunburn and swelling under the eyes. Ascorbic acid and caffeic acid are the two vital compounds in cucumbers that prevent water loss from the body. This is the reason why cucumbers are applied topically for varied skin problems.

Prevents constipation and keeps kidney healthy
Cucumber is a perfect blend of both fiber and water. Thus, it helps you to stay away from both constipation and kidney stones. By having cucumber juice, you can consume both fiber and water at the same time. Reports say that majority Americans prefer to have a cucumber rich salad regularly as it is a great way to increase your fiber intake. Cucumber is also a good source of vitamin C, silica, potassium and magnesium; thereby you get all the more nutrition. Cucumber has an extraordinary amount of water (about 96%) that is naturally purified, thus making the water content much better in quality to ordinary water. The cucumber skin contains a high proportion of vitamin A, thus you will gain more nutrition if consumed with the skin.

Control blood pressure levels –
the studies done at DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), the people consumed foods high in magnesium, potassium, and fiber, their blood pressure came down to normal levels. The group eating a diet rich in these complexes along with the other foods on this diet like seafood, low fat dairy foods, lean meat and poultry checked their blood pressure to have fallen by 5.5 points (systolic) over 3.0 points (diastolic).

Checks Diabetes
Cucumber has been useful for diabetic patients since ages. Cucumber possesses a hormone required by the beta cells during the insulin production. The Glycemic Index of cucumber is found to be zero. The existence of the nutrient carbohydrate and its result on the body is measured by the quantity Glycemic Index. Every food item contains essential nutrients in different percentages. The carbohydrates contribute in raising the glucose level, however the carbohydrates present in the cucumber can be easily digested by diabetic patients. Thus, consumption of cucumber keeps the glucose level in check. Nowadays most of the commercial stores have the cucumber supplements as spiny sea cucumber extract powder, which is very effective in combating diabetes.

Keeps healthy body in long run
Cucumber has excellent cleaning properties, thereby removing amassed waste and toxins from our body. In many cases cucumber is been seen as effective treatment for arthritis since it removes uric acid. Aiding in urine secretion, cucumber has proved to be a natural diuretic. Cucumber is very good for urinary bladder, kidney, liver and pancreatic functions. Cucumber juice along with carrot juice is extremely effective for rheumatic conditions caused by excessive uric acid in the body. It is good for digestion especially proteins and controls blood pressure. It is good for controlling Diabetes mellitus also. Cucumber juice on regular basis also helps in curing gout and eczema. If you are having lung and stomach problems, ensure having cucumber in your diet. It also promotes muscle flexibility. The magnesium content of cucumber ensures proper blood circulation and relaxed nerves. Since cucumber is rich in minerals, it prevents splitting of nails of the fingers and toes.

Carrot

2011-06-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

The health benefits of carrot include reduced cholesterol, prevention from heart attacks, warding off certain cancers and many others. Most of the benefits of carrot can be attributed to its beta carotene and fiber content. This root, which has a scientific name of Daucus Carota, is a good source of antioxidant agents as well. Carrots are rich in vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and potassium.

Both adults and children like carrots because of its crunchy texture and sweet taste. Even though the color of original carrot is orange it grows in other colors including white, yellow, red or purple.

The health benefits of carrot include the following:

Prevent heart diseases: In a study meant to reveal therapeutic value of carrots researchers at the Wolfson Gastrointestinal Laboratory in Edinburgh, Scotland revealed that cholesterol level reduces by 11 percent if seven ounces of raw carrots a day is taken for thee weeks. High cholesterol is a major factor for heart disease. Since regular consumption of carrots reduces cholesterol level it is good to prevent heart related problems. A group of Swedish scientists discovered that root vegetables can reduce the chances of having a heart attack. A study conducted at the Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research in Italy found that those who ate more carrots had one third the risk of heart attack as compared with those who ate fewer carrots.
Prevent cancer: Beta-carotene consumption has been linked to reduced risk of several cancers, notably lung cancer. British researchers discovered that increasing beta-carotene consumption from 1.7 to 2.7 milligrams a day reduced lung cancer risk more than 40 percent. The average carrot contains about three milligrams of Beta-carotene. In a study, researchers found that eating fiber rich carrots reduce the risk of colon cancer by as much as 24 percent. Another study shows that women who ate raw carrots were five to eight times less likely to develop breast cancer than women who did not eat carrots.
Macular degeneration: This is a common eye disease of elderly. It impairs the macula. Researches found that people who ate the most Beta-carotene had a forty percent lower risk of macular degeneration compared with those who consumed the least.
Improves eyesight: Deficiency of vitamin A can cause some difficulty seeing in dim light. Since carrot is rich in vitamin A it is good for improving eyesight.
Stroke: A carrot a day reduces stroke risk by 68 percent. Many studies have strengthened the “carrot effect” on brain. Studies conducted on stroke patients revealed that those with highest levels of Beta carotene have the best survival rate.
Diabetes: Carrot is good for blood sugar regulation because of the presence of carotenoids in carrot. Carotenoids inversely affect insulin resistance and thus lower blood sugar

Carrots have antiseptic qualities and therefore, can be used as laxative, vermicide and as remedy for liver conditions. Carrot oil is good for dry skin. It makes the skin softer, smoother and firmer. Carrot juice improves stomach and gastrointestinal health.
Thus, carrots, as raw fruits juice or in cooked form, are good for your health.

Watermelon

2011-06-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

The watermelon, a member of the Cucurbitaceae family which comprises fruits like cantaloupe, pumpkin and similar plants that grow on vines on the ground.

Watermelons can be round, oblong or spherical in shape; light to dark green in color, with white mottling stripes. Its flesh are commonly bright red in color but there are also other varieties where its flesh are dark brown, orange, yellow, pink or even white.

Watermelon is another of my all-time favorite. Not only is it cooling for the body in our tropical climate, it is excellent for flushing out the kidney and bladder, aiding in excretion of waste materials.

As the red watermelon juice can be very sweet on its own, I usually juice them together with the rind as well. Rind is the whitish green part of the watermelon, between the skin and the red flesh. This part of the fruit contains the highest level of quality minerals and chlorophyll, and should not be discarded.

Nutritional Benefits
The water content in watermelon is extremely high at 92%. It is rich in beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin B5 and smaller amounts of B1, B2, B3 and B6.

This big fruit is a rich source of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and smaller amounts of copper, iron and zinc.

As in tomatoes, watermelon is loaded with lycopene, the red carotenoid pigment that gives it the red color. This important anti-oxidant is powerful in neutralizing harmful free radicals in our body.

Health Benefits
Watermelon is basically very cleansing, alkalinizing, diuretic and mineralizing. It is very effective in promoting intestinal elimination, keeping the body free from toxic wastes.Its juice is easily digestible and are completely absorbed for all its minerals, providing much needed nutrients to the body.

The alkalinizing effect maintains the acid-alkaline balance in the body, neutralizing the toxic condition of the body resulting from excessive intake of acid-forming foods.Drawing from the rich anti-oxidant and beta-carotene, the health effects of watermelon juice are immense.

Asthma: The powerful anti-oxidant in watermelon reduces toxic matters in the body, that in turn reduces asthma attacks.

Arthritis: The rich beta-carotene and vitamin C content in this big fruit do wonders in quenching inflammation that contributes to conditions like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Bladder problems: Its cleansing and natural diuretic effect is totally healing for kidney and bladder problems

Cholesterol: Watermelon juice is healthful in preventing cholesterol from clogging arteries and can increase HDL, the good cholesterol, reducing the risks of cardiovascular diseases.

Constipation: Drink a big glass of watermelon juice. It is very effective in aiding the elimination of wastes. Consuming plenty of this red juice will do a lot of good.

Fluid retention: Its diuretic action helps to eliminate excess fluids from the body, reducing water retention, especially for women during their monthly menstruation cycle and in pregnant women.

Heart attack: The combination of folic acid and the other essential vitamins in this fruit plays an important role in reducing the risks of heart attacks, strokes and colon cancer.

Itchiness: As watermelon juice cleanses the body of toxic wastes, it also greatly reduces itchiness that result from toxicity of acidosis.

Prostate Cancer: Lycopene (from red watermelons) has been extensively researched for its anti-oxidant and cancer-preventing properties. It is reported to be especially protective against prostate cancer.

Skin Blemish: Use watermelon externally by applying a small piece liberally on your face. Leave for ten minutes, then wash off with warm water, followed by a splash of cold water.

Strawberry

2011-06-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

Strawberry is the most popular type of berry anywhere in the world. There are hundreds of varieties of strawberries that vary in size, color, taste and texture. But they all basically have the same characteristic heart shape and red flesh with seeds on the surface.

Although the strawberry is usually referred to as a fruit, it is actually an accessory or false fruit, since its red fleshy part doesn’t develop from the flower’s ovary, but is derived from the non-reproductive parts of the flower. The real fruits are achenes, the minute hard seeds of varying color (yellow, green or red), embedded in the strawberry surface.

Ripe, fresh strawberries are sweet and juicy. They can be eaten as they are, used to garnish a variety of sweets and desserts, or enjoyed as delicious refreshing juice and smoothies.

Nutritional Benefits
Strawberries are packed with a variety of anti-oxidant substances, including the flavonoid anthocyanidins (which gives the fruit its characteristic red color), vitamins C, E and beta-carotene.

They are also rich in dietary fiber, flavonoids, potassium, folic acid, vitamins of the B complex (B2, B5, B6), biotin, manganese, iodine and zinc; and very low in protein, sugar and calories, and virtually devoid of fat and cholesterol.

Health Benefits
Strawberry is a highly nutrient dense fruit, with such huge amount of healthy substances that they are included in the list of so-called “superfoods”, tasty and packed full of nutrients.

Anti-anemic: Strawberries can help prevent and fight certain types of anemia, due to their high content in folic acid, which is essential for the synthesis of hemoglobin, the protein in red cells responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body.

Anti-cancer: Strawberry is included in the list of top "superfoods" that help lower cancer death rates. This is because of the very high content of various anti-oxidants with flavonoids that work synergistically and more powerfully against oxidation and preventing damages caused by free radicals in our body.

Anti-coagulant: Strawberries contain moderate amount of acetylsalicylic acid, the same active ingredient found in aspirin. Although the amount of acetylsalicylic acid found in strawberries is not enough to relieve influenza symptoms, it can be actually helpful to thin blood and prevent blood clots formation, thereby reducing the work of the heart and improving its function.

Anti-inflammatory: Anthocyanidin is a unique flavonoid that makes strawberries a very powerful protector against inflammatory conditions such as asthma, gout, artherosclerosis, arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. At the same time it protects against intestinal bleeding.

Brain and mental health: It has been shown that, besides having an anti-anemic effect, folic acid found in strawberries can help improve memory, concentration and the brain’s ability to process information. It is also essential for preventing brain defects in babies during pregnancy.

Digestive health: Due to their high content in vitamin C, strawberries stimulate the secretion of salivary and gastric juices, thereby improving the digestion of starchy and protein foods. In addition, fiber contained in strawberries effectively reduces constipation and cleans the colon, with a beneficial detox effect for the body.

Diuretic: The high content in potassium found in strawberries enhances diuresis, which contributes to detoxifying the body, as well as regulating blood pressure.

Heart health: Anti-oxidants found in strawberries, and especially vitamin C and anthocyanidins, may help protect arteries from damage, as well as preventing the formation of blood clots within blood vessels.

Immune system: Strawberries are very rich in vitamin C, which plays a key role in enhancing immune system function, as well as in preventing and fighting infectious diseases such as flu and cold.

Mood: Eating strawberries and drinking strawberry juice stimulate the release of serotonin, which improves mood and is responsible for a feeling of relaxation and a general sense of well-being.

Pineapple

2011-06-29T08:15:00.000-07:00

It resembles a large, pinecone, hence its name. Its shape is oval to cylindrical with a tough, spikey, waxy rind. Its tough skin has many hexagonal sections (fruitlet) that looks like scale.

On top of the fruit is a "crown" of thick pointed leaves with spines along the edges. Be very careful when handling this part of the pineapple!

When ripe, its flesh is yellowish in color and gives out a nice fragrant aroma. It is a very fibrous fruit, is sweet with a tinge of acidic taste to it.

Pineapples do not ripen much more once harvested, so it must be harvested when it is ripe, and quickly distributed to the consumer. This is why pineapples are commonly canned so that they last a little longer. (But please avoid canned pineapples as these are usually soaked in sugar water!)

Nutritional Benefits
Pineapple is loaded with vitamin C, B1 and smaller amounts of B2, B3, B5 and B6. It is also an excellent source of manganese, copper, magnesium, potassium, beta-carotene, folic acid, and dietary fiber.

Perhaps, the most outstanding feature of pineapple is its amount of bromelain content. Bromelain is an enzyme that has many uses for our body.

Bromelain in pineapple has the special ability to help our body balance and neutralize fluids so that it's neither too alkaline nor too acidic. It also stimulates hormonal secretions in the pancreas that aids digestion.

Health Benefits
Bromelain in pineapple is a protein-digesting enzyme which also effectively reduce inflammation and swelling. So drink fresh pineapple juice and say goodbye to all your pains.

Digestion: After a heavy meaty meal, drink pineapple juice, as the protein-digesting enzymes help do the extra work of digesting for you.

Inflammatory conditions: As pineapple juice causes an anti-inflammatory effect, drinking this yellow juice can relief sufferers of much pain in the following inflammatory conditions:

Carpal tunnel syndrome
Gout
Rheumatoid arthritis
Osteoarthritis
Injuries
Surgeries
Etc.

Respiratory conditions: Bromelain helps to break down and dissolve excessive mucus, providing much relief to sufferers of asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and sinusitis. It would also help tremendously if you reduced your intake of harmful foods, as mucus are formed mostly from consumption of these foods.

Sore Throat: Drinking pineapple juice significantly reduces the soreness and redness in the throat.

Papaya

2011-06-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Christopher Columbus called papaya the "fruit of the angels". He noticed that the Caribbean natives ate the fruit after huge meals and never encountered any digestive distress. And they were 'strong'.
Papayas are shaped like elongated melons or pears. The flesh is deliciously sweet with a musky undertone, and its texture has a soft melting quality. Ripe papaya flesh is a rich orange color with either yellow or pink hues.

The inner cavity contains a wealth of black round seeds, encased in a gelatinous-like substance. Some sources say that these seeds can be used as a black pepper substitute when ground, or that they have a deworming effect.
I advise that the seeds are not to be consumed as it is known to contain a toxic substance called carpaine. Carpaine, when consumed in large quantities, may lower the pulse rate and depress the nervous system.

Nutritional Benefits
The nutritional highlight of papaya is a proteolytic enzyme called papain which is an excellent aid to digestion. This enzyme is so powerful that it is said to digest an amazing 200 times its own weight in protein. It assists our body's own enzymes in assimilating the maximum nutritional value from the food we eat.

Papain can be made into an immediate home remedy treatment for jellyfish sting or other wounds, even surgical wounds. The highest concentration of this substance is on the skin of unripe papayas. Cut the skin and apply it directly to the affected area.

Papaya is a wholesome fruit, another of my favorite. It is a rich source of anti-oxidant nutrients such as beta-carotene (which is what gives it the orange color; green papaya does not contain this carotene), vitamin A and C and flavonoids, B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid.

It also contains small amounts of of the minerals calcium, chlorine, iron, phosphorus, potassium, silicon and sodium.

The carbohydrate content in papaya is mainly of invert sugar which is a form of pre-digested food. The ripe papaya is endowed with an abundance of energy-boosting natural sugars.

Health Benefits
The papaya has remarkable medicinal virtues recognized from ancient times. It is not a commonly allergenic food. Being one of the most easily digested fruits, it is an excellent wholesome food for young to old, a rejuvenating choice.

The health benefits of papayas are too many to mention, but here is a list of cures for some of the more common ailments:

Anti-Inflammatory: The anti-inflammatory virtue from the papain in papaya greatly reduce inflammation in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout and asthma.

Colon Cancer, Prevention Of: The rich fiber in papaya bind to cancer-causing toxins in the colon and is eliminated from the body during bowel movements.

Digestive Aid: Papaya is commonly known for its fine and natural laxative virtue which aids digestion. Taken regularly, it can help habitual constipation, bleeding piles and chronic diarrhea.

Emphysema, Protection Against: If you are a smoker, or are frequently exposed to secondhand smoke, consume papaya juice regularly for its high vitamin A content. This may save your life as it will highly reduce your lung inflammation.

Heart Disease, Protection Against: The three very powerful anti-oxidants in papayas help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. Oxidized cholesterol forms dangerous plagues that can eventually cause heart attacks or strokes.

Intestinal Disorders: The papain in unripe papaya is extremely beneficial for those who are deficient in gastric juice, have excess of unhealthy mucus in the stomach, dyspepsia and intestinal irritation.

Menstrual Irregularities: Consumption of unripe papaya juice help to contract the muscle fibers of the womb, resulting in proper and regular menstrual flow. It is especially helpful in cases of menstruation cessation in young ladies due to cold or trauma.

Skin Diseases: The juice from unripe papaya is highly beneficial in treating skin disorders like acne and psoriasis. When applied to wounds, it prevents pus formation and swelling. Paste made from unripe papaya when applied to the face, may remove pigmentation or brown spots, and making the skin smooth and delicate. Try it.

Spleen Enlargement: Immerse cut ripe papaya in vinegar for a week, then consume twice a day with meals until spleen is normalized.

Throat Disorders: Drink honey mixed in fresh juice from unripe papaya regularly over inflamed tonsils for diphtheria and other throat disorders. It dissolves the membrane and prevents infection from spreading.

Lime/Lemon

2011-06-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

Lime and lemon add refreshing zest to almost any drink which cleanse and enhance immune properties of your already healthy glass of juice.

Lime: The lime is a small citrus fruit, like a small orange, with skin and flesh that are green in color. It is round with a diameter of about one to two inches. Most limes are sourish and have an acidic taste, but when consumed is really alkaline.

Lemon: The lemon is a small, oval fruit which is approximately two to three inches in diameter. Its outer peel is bright yellow in color and contains essential oil that is mainly limonene. Like the lime, lemon has a sourish and acidic taste, but when consumed has an alkaline effect in the stomach.

Nutritional Benefits
The nutritional benefits of limes do not differ very much from those of lemons. They are both excellent sources of vitamin C, B6, potassium, folic acid, flavonoids and the outstanding phytochemical, limonene.

Limonene have anti-cancer effects and help increase the level of enzymes that detoxify carcinogens.

Health Benefits
Limes and lemons contain outstanding phytochemicals that are high in anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties. They are potent detoxifiers with anti-biotic effect that is protective against bacterial poisoning.

Asthma: Take a tablespoon of lemon juice at least one hour before each meal to relieve asthma.

Burning soles/feet: Rub a sliced lemon over the burning sole/foot/heel to relieve from pain and for toxin elimination through the pores of the feet.

Cholera: The potent anti-viral properties in lime/lemon can kill cholera bacilli within a very short period of time. Drink one part juice and one part water regularly, especially during an epidemic.

Cold: The anti-viral properties in lime/lemon fight infections and halt the progress of a cold. Take the juice of two lemons in half a liter of hot water and add raw honey to taste. Sip it slowly before bedtime.

Constipation: Drink a glass of warm water every morning with some lime/lemon juice with raw honey. Stir in a pinch of cinnamon powder. This will help your body to detoxify and relieve constipation.

Digestion: Lime/lemon juice have amazing digestive qualities that are very similar to our digestive enzymes. Thus it is effectively helps with digestion and relieve bloating and belching.

Feet, tired: After a long day on your feet, soak your feet in very warm water containing lime/lemon juice to enjoy the cooling, astringent feeling. This will also help promote deep sleep due to the relaxing action on the foot nerves.

Gums, swollen: Drink a glass of diluted fresh lime juice with a pinch of sea salt to relieve the pain of swollen gums. Use the albedo (the white matter under the peel) from the squeezed lime and rub on the gums.

Heartburn: Add two teaspoon of concentrated lime/lemon juice into a glass of warm water and drink to relieve heartburn.

Inflammatory disorders: Even though lime/lemon juice are sour and taste acidic, it is actually very alkalinizing in the body and is highly effective in the treatment of inflammatory disorders like rheumatism, arthritis, sciatica, etc. It also prevents the deposit of uric acid in the tissues, thus reducing the risks of gout.

Skin, dry: Rub the peel of a lemon on dry or scaly skin to restore softness and add moisture to the skin.

Sore throat: Mix one part lemon juice with one part water. Gargle frequently and feel its soothing effect on the throat. You may also add in a pinch of sea salt for added effect.

Guava

2011-06-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

Guava is a tropical fruit and is seldom mentioned when we talk about nutrition. I don't really fancy this fruit because its flesh is hard but its nutrition is immense. I tried juicing it once with my centrifugal juicer and it broke my juicer. That's how hard this fruit is. But when done properly, the juice is amazingly healthful.

Guava fruits may be round, ovoid or pear-shaped. The better varieties are soft when ripe, some crunchy in texture with edible rind and seeds. The varieties may come in white, pink, yellow and even red. Its small seeds range between 100 and 500 per fruit.

Nutritional Benefits
Guava has an incredibly high content of vitamin C. In fact, one guava fruit contains four times more vitamin C than an average-sized orange; and ten times more vitamin A than a lemon!

Guava is an excellent source of fiber, almost 70 times more fiber than can be found in an orange! Other key nutrients are vitamins B2 and E, calcium, copper, folate, iron, manganese, phosphorus and potassium.

Health Benefits
The high content of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in guava makes it a powerhouse in combating free radicals and oxidation that are key enemies that cause many degenerative diseases.

Cancer: The anti-oxidant virtue in guavas are believed to help reduce the risk of cancers of the stomach, esophagus, larynx, oral cavity and pancreas.

Cholesterol: The vitamin C in guava makes absorption of vitamin E much more effective in reducing the oxidation of the LDL cholesterol and increasing the (good) HDL cholesterol.

Constipation: The fiber in guavas promote digestion and ease bowel movements.

Diverticulitis: The insoluble fiber is beneficial in preventing and treating diverticulities.

Heart disease: Eating guava or drinking guava juice regularly helps keep heart disease at bay.

Vision: The high content of vitamin A in guava plays an important role in maintaining the quality and health of eyesight, skin, teeth, bones and the mucus membranes.

Cranberries

2011-06-29T07:49:00.000-07:00

Cranberries are the fruit of a low woody shrub of the genus Vaccinium, which grows naturally in mountain woods. Today cranberries are mostly cultivated and mechanically harvested for commercial purpose.

One of the cousins of blueberry, cranberry is a small, round fruit with a rather bitter or acidic flavor. The color varies from white to brilliant red depending on when cranberries are harvested. Specifically, white cranberries are simply regular cranberries which are harvested early, before they turned to red.

Cranberries can be eaten fresh or after being deep-frozen. In fact, report shows that frozen-thawed cranberries give better yield in terms of its taste, nutritional values and juice amount. They can be eaten as they are, or used to prepare jams, jellies, syrups or fresh, healthy juices.

Nutritional Benefits
According to several research studies, cranberries are one of the foods with the highest anti-oxidant content, since they are an excellent source of phytonutrients anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, resveratrol and tannins that give cranberries the blue, purple and red pigments. It is rich in vitamins A, C and E; and is also a good source of selenium, manganese and copper, just to name a few important trace minerals.

They are rich in organic acids (such as malic, succininc and citric acids) and soluble fiber (pectin), and also provide moderate amounts of the B vitamins, folic acid and iron.

Health Benefits
Besides their nutritional and refreshing properties and their anti-oxidant potential, cranberries have also astringent, anti-diarrheal, anti-septic, diuretic and detoxifying properties that make them a true curative food. Cranberries are recommended in the following cases and circumstances:

Anti-aging: Several aging-related conditions, such as degenerative disorders of many organs and tissues and certain types of cancer, are associated with cellular damage from free-radicals. Due to their high content in anti-oxidants, cranberries can help prevent and fight such free radical-induced damages and hence protect the body against the risk of developing aging-related diseases and conditions.

Anemia: Cranberries are an excellent source of vitamin C (which enhances the intestinal absorption of iron) and also contain moderate amounts of iron and folic acid, which are essential for the synthesis of hemoglobin and the maturation of red cells. This is why cranberry juice can be a great aid in the prevention and treatment of many different types of anemia.

Atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease: The anti-oxidants found in cranberry juice can help prevent the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol, which is one of the first step involved in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. It is well known that atherosclerosis is one of the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, stroke and heart attack. Therefore cranberry juice can be used as an effective preventive remedy against these conditions.

Diarrhea: Cranberries can help control and combat different types of diarrhea, especially those caused by alteration in the intestinal flora which allows E. coli bacteria to grow without control and release toxins responsible for water accumulation in the intestine and hence diarrhea. The anti-diarrheal effect of cranberry juice is due to its antiseptic properties, as well as to its content in tannins and anthocyanins which prevent the bacteria from adhering to the intestinal walls and then grow and proliferate.

Digestive disorders: Due to their content in organic acids, cranberry juice can help stimulate the secretion of saliva and gastric juice, which contain the enzymes responsible for digestion of starch and proteins.

Eyesight: Although cranberries are less effective than blueberries in preventing and treating eye conditions, they are also helpful. In addition, anthocyanins act on eye’s capillaries by improving the blood flow to the retina, thereby helping to improve sight and treat certain types of retinal degeneration.

Kidney stones formation, prevent: Cranberry juice helps excrete oxalic acid and uric acid from the kidneys. It contains quinic acid that is useful to prevent kidney stones formation in kidneys.

Probiotic: Cranberries is an anti-biotic and also a probiotic. It has the ability to kill certain viruses, bad bacteria and pathogens; while acting as a natural probiotic to help breed the good bacteria. This promotes a healthy intestinal flora.

Skin conditions and disorders: The topical application of certain cranberry formulations in form of lotion or cream can help prevent and treat skin irritations, eczema, couperose, as well as many other skin conditions associated with weak capillaries.

Venous disorders: It has been shown that anthocyanins found in blueberries and, at a lesser extent in cranberries, help protect and strengthen the walls of veins and capillaries, thereby improving the symptoms of varicose veins and swollen legs.

Urinary tract infections: Fresh cranberry juice is particularly helpful to remedy and prevent urinary tract infections, especially cystitis (bladder infection) from E. coli by "stripping" off the bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract and then proliferate.

Cantaloupe

2011-06-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

The cantaloupe is also widely called the muskmelon, I suppose for the musky aroma that it gives out when ripe. In some parts of the world, it is also known as the rockmelon, perhaps for its rough skin that looks like a rock.It belongs to the "curcurbitaceae" melon family, along with cucumbers, gourds and pumpkins.

The cantaloupe is shaped round and sometimes oval with skin that looks like it's being wrapped in a net.
The yellow-orangey colored flesh is soft, succulent and sweet. Its texture is very much like that of the honeydew. Although available throughout the year, cantaloupes are at their best in its season sometime from June to September.

Nutritional Benefits
Cantaloupe is one of the most common fruits but its full health benefits may not have been fully understood, and often taken for granted. It is extremely nutrient-packed but yet has very low calories.

This wonder fruit is highly concentrated with excellent levels of beta-carotene, folic acid, potassium, vitamin C and dietary fiber. It is also one of the very few fruits that has a high level of vitamin B complex¾B1 (thiamine), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), and B6 (pyridoxine).

Cantaloupe is rich in anti-oxidants that can help prevent cancer and heart diseases.

Health Benefits
The high amount of beta-carotene and vitamin C (anti-oxidant) in cantaloupe makes it an excellent fruit in helping to prevent many degenerative diseases. I get excited just thinking how much more my body can absorb these precious nutrients when I drink of its juice.

Anti-coagulant: A unique compound in cantaloupe helps decrease the viscosity of the blood, hence preventing the abnormal formation of blood clots in the cardiovascular system.

Arteriosclerosis: Regularly consuming vitamin C retards the development of hardening of the arteries.

Cancer prevention: The high vitamin C content acts as a good anti-oxidant that protects cells from damages by free radicals. Regularly drinking juices high in anti-oxidants keep cancer at bay, especially against intestinal cancer and melanoma.

Cataracts: The natural vitamin A from beta-carotene in this juice lowers the risk of cataract and generally helps improve your vision too.

Cholesterol: Drinking juices high in anti-oxidant has been proven to fight the oxidative stress that is the main culprit in oxidizing the LDLs in the blood.

High blood pressure: Potassium in this rockmelon helps excrete sodium, thus bringing down high blood pressure especially in those with salt-sensitive hypertension.

Immune system: The strong content of vitamin C stimulates white cells to fight infection, naturally building a good immune system.

Insomnia: A special compound in cantaloupe relieves the nerves and calm anxieties. A help for insomniacs.

Menstruation problems: For women, drink this wonder juice around the time of menstruation and it will help reduce heavy flow and clots.

Muscle Cramps: A deficiency in potassium can cause muscular cramps and greater susceptibility to injury. Drink cantaloupe juice to prevent these.

Pregnancy: The high content of folate (folic acid) prevents neural tube defects in infants.

Quit Smoking: The natural nutrients and minerals found in this juice provides a synergistic combination that helps the body recover from nicotine withdrawal of one who is trying to quit smoking. Smoking also quickly depletes the vitamin A in a smoker, but cantaloupe juice can help replace it with its beta-carotene.

Stress: When going through a stressful period, keep this musky melon on the side and drink its juice regularly. The potassium content helps to rebalance and normalize the heartbeat. This in turn sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the body's water balance.

Water retention: Especially in pregnant women. Muskmelon juice helps your body excrete excess sodium, thus reducing water retention.

Blueberries

2011-06-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

Blueberries belong to the Ericaceae family, along with other berries, with a variety including whortleberry, billberry, huckleberry and many more.

Blueberries grow in clusters and range in size from that of a small pea to a marble. Ripe, fresh blueberries are full and have deep color, ranging from blue to deep garnet to almost purple-black. It is covered with a powdery waxy "bloom" on their surface as a protective coat.
Its flesh, like grapes, are semi-translucent and encases tiny seeds.

Nutritional Benefits
These little berries are packed with so much goodness. They are an excellent source of flavonoids, especially one called anthocyanidins, an anti-oxidant that is anti-inflammatory and keeps the elasticity of capillary walls. It is a phytonutrient that is responsible for its deep colors.

Blueberries are also rich in vitamin B2, C and E, manganese, soluble and insoluble fiber such as pectin.

Health Benefits
The exceptional health benefits of blueberries is mainly due to its high quality phytonutrient, anthocyanidins, which is rated as the best and highest capability anti-oxidant.

Alzheimer's Disease prevention: Blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress, improve learning capacity and motor skills. Consumption makes the person alert in a healthy way, unlike stimulants.

Bladder infection: Blueberry juice has a unique compound that is able to cleanse E.coli bacteria from clinging to the cells lining the urinary tract, making it an effective potion to stop recurring bladder infections.

Cancer: The ellagic acid in blueberries is an anti-cancer property that can help retard the growth of tumor and cancerous cells.

Cholesterol: The soluble fiber pectin not only helps lower cholesterol but its anti-oxidant virtue is also important in combating oxidation of cholesterol.

Constipation: The fiber in blueberries promote ease in bowel movement. Drink half a cup of blueberry juice twice a day on empty stomach half hour before food to encourage movements.

Diarrhea: Like for bladder infection, the anthocyanosides in blueberries help kill the E.coli bacteria which is a common cause for diarrhea. Particularly effective when diarrhea is caused by food poisoning. Another compound, tannins, also help to firm up loose stool in this case.

Inflammation: The powerful proanthocyanidins in blueberries is an excellent anti-oxidant that can help combat inflammations like osteoarthritis and gout.

Nasal congestion: This magical fruit contains a substance called vasodilators that help dilate blood vessels, providing temporary relief for nasal and lung congestions.

Vision: Helps improve vision and providing protection against age-related macular degeneration. Also particularly helpful in improving night vision, including easier and quicker adjustments to darkness or sudden glares. Also instrumental in protecting against the development of cataracts and glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

Apricot

2011-06-29T07:33:00.000-07:00

The apricot is a stone fruit with a seed nut within it. Its shape is similar to that of the peach but slightly smaller, with skin that is velvety and golden orange in color.
Apricot is not suitable for juicing but can be blended to be mixed with other juices. The fresh fruit tastes smooth and sweet, with a flavor that is a cross between a peach and a plum.
An apricot in its raw state is somewhat acidic but the acidity decreases as it ripens and its sugar content increases. When it ripens, the vitamin A within also doubles.

Nutritional Benefits
The apricot has highly health-building virtues. The fresh fruit is rich in easily-digestible natural sugars, vitamins A and C, riboflavin (B2) and niacin (B3).

It is also an excellent source of minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron and traces of sodium, sulphur, manganese, cobalt and bromine.

Apricots are often dried, cooked into pastry or eaten as jam. The calories in apricots multiply many times over when dried, but the amount of calcium, phosphorus and iron also increased significantly.

The beta-carotene and lycopene in this golden fruit helps protect the LDL cholesterol from oxidation, which in turn helps prevent heart disease.

The apricot seed is a nut that is rich in protein and fat like any other nuts. It also has an extremely high content of vitamin B17 which is known as Laetrile. Daily consumption of this seed is claimed to be highly effective in preventing cancer. Cancer patients on Laetrile Cancer Therapy have reported that their tumors have shrunk with high doses of vitamin B17.
These bitter seeds may be chopped up or ground and swallowed with a teaspoon of honey.

Health Benefits
The fruit, kernel (inner softer part of the seed), oil and flowers of the apricot have always been used in medicine and medical treatment from ancient days.

The kernel yields an oil that is similar to that of the almond and is widely used for their sedative, anti-spasmodic relief to strained muscles. It is also useful for healing of wounds, expelling worms and as a general health tonic.

Anemia: The high content of iron in apricot makes it an excellent food for anemia sufferers. The small but essential amount of copper in the fruit makes the iron available to the body. Liberal consumption of apricot can increase the production of hemoglobin in the body. This is ideal for women after their menstrual cycle, especially those with heavy flow.

Constipation: The cellulose and pectin content in apricot is a gentle laxative and are effective in the treatment of constipation. The insoluble cellulose acts as a roughage which helps the bowel movement. The pectin absorbs and retains water, thereby increasing bulk to stools, aiding in smooth bowel movement.

Digestion: Take an apricot before meal to aid digestion, as it has an alkaline reaction in the digestive system.

Eyes/Vision: The high amount of vitamin A (especially when dried) is essential to maintain or improve eyesight. Insufficiency of this vitamin can cause night blindness and impair sight.

Fever: Blend some honey and apricots with some mineral water and drink to cool down fevers. It quenches the thirst and effectively eliminates the waste products from the body.

Skin Problem: Juice fresh apricot leaves and apply on scabies, eczema, sun-burn or skin itchiness, for that cool, soothing feeling.

Benefits of Banana

2011-06-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

Nutritional Benefits
Bananas have very high content of potassium, a mineral that is essential to the normal muscular function, in both voluntary muscles (e.g. the arms and hands) and involuntary muscles (e.g. the heart and intestines).

They are also a good source of dietary fiber, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. This is also one of the few fruits which contain the entire range of vitamin B—thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), folic acid (B6) and very little B5 and B12.

Compared to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice all the other vitamins and minerals.

Along with all the above, bananas also contain ample amounts of copper (to prevent graying hair), chromium, fluoride, manganese, selenium (to prevent pigmentation) and zinc. It's really an amazing fruit!

Health Benefits
Bananas have been known to alleviate a number of short and long term conditions. When taken consistently over time, it has also been reported to cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Banana consumption has been reported to be effective in overcoming or preventing many illnesses and conditions. Here is a mention of only a few of them:

Anemia: Bananas provide iron which is essential for the production of hemoglobin, myoglobin and many enzymes essential for the formation of red blood cells.

Blood Pressure: A recent study has revealed that "two bananas a day will keep blood pressure at bay". This is definitely a cheaper and definitely a much healthier alternative to expensive drugs.

Brain Food: Research has shown that students eating banana at breakfast, break and lunch are more alert in the class. The potassium in banana boost their brain power, assisting much in their learning ability.

Constipation: The pectin content in bananas is water-absorbent, creating the necessary bulk in easing constipation. Definitely a healthier choice over laxatives.

Diarrhea: Eat a ripe banana. It normalizes colonic functions in the large intestine by absorbing large amounts of water and helps regulate proper bowel movements.

Energy: The carbohydrates content in bananas is used as fuel for your muscles. Eating bananas is a good energy booster for athletes.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana to counteract the stomach acidity for a soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas frequently helps to keep your blood sugar levels up, thus preventing the nauseous feeling.

Mosquito bites: When stung by a mosquito, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. It is amazingly effective at reducing swelling and itchiness.

Muscle Cramps: A deficiency in potassium can cause muscular cramps and greater susceptibility to injury. Make bananas a regular part of your diet if you exercise a lot, both for an energy boost and to prevent cramps and injuries.

Quit Smoking: The vitamins B6 and B12, and the potassium-magnesium combination found in bananas has a profound effect in helping the body recover from nicotine withdrawal of one who is trying to quit smoking.

Stomach Ulcer: This is the only fruit that a chronic ulcer sufferer can eat without causing distress to the stomach. It neutralizes the over-acidity of the gastric juices and reduces the irritation of the ulcer by coating the stomach lining. Ripe bananas relieve acute symptoms and promote the healing process.

Stress: When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, causing the body potassium levels to be reduced. By snacking on the potassium-packed banana, it helps to rebalance the vital mineral, and helps normalize the heartbeat. This in turn sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the body's water balance.

Health Benefits OF Pears

2011-06-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

Pears are often recommended as a hypo-allergenic fruit that is high in fiber but less likely to produce adverse reactions. Pear juice is safe to be introduced to infants as they are mild, yet healthful.

Blood pressure: Pears have anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogen glutathione which help prevent high blood pressure and stroke.

Cancer prevention: The high vitamin C and copper content act as good anti-oxidants that protect cells from damages by free radicals.

Cholesterol: The high content of pectin in pears make it very useful in helping to lower cholesterol levels.

Colon health: When not juicing, eat the pear whole for its precious fiber that are highly beneficial for your colon health.

Constipation: The pectin in pears is diuretic and have a mild laxative effect. Drinking pear juice regularly helps regulate bowel movements.

Energy: You can get quick and natural source of energy from pear juice, due largely to its high amounts of fructose and glucose.

Fever: The cooling effect in pear is excellent in relieving fever. Best way to bring a fever down quickly is by drinking a big glass of pear juice.

Immune booster: The anti-oxidant nutrients in pears are critical in building up your immune system. Drink pear juice when you feel a cold coming.

Inflammation: Pear juice has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps relieve sufferers of much pain in various inflammatory conditions.

Osteoporosis: Pears contain high level of boron. Boron helps the body to retain calcium, thus prevents or retards osteoporosis.

Pregnancy: The high content of folate (folic acid) prevents neural tube defects in infants.

Shortness of breath: The summer heat may cause children to have shortness of breath with excessive phlegm. Drink pear juice during this period to help clear the phlegm.

Throat problem: The pears are in season during the summer for a reason. Drinking pear juice every morning and night helps to cool your body down during this time. It nourishes the throat and helps prevent throat problems.

Vocal chord: Boil two Chinese pear juice with some raw honey and drink warm. This is extremely healing for the throat and the vocal cord.

10 Health Benefits of Broccoli

2011-06-29T04:22:00.000-07:00

Broccoli is a veritable goldmine of nutrition. Here are 10 reasons why broccoli should be an essential part of your diet.

Nervous System
Broccoli contains a high amount of potassium, which helps maintain a healthy nervous system and optimal brain function, as well as promotes regular muscle growth.

Blood Pressure
Along with a high amount of potassium, Broccoli also contains magnesium and calcium that help regulate blood pressure.

Vitamin C
One cup of broccoli contains the RDA of vitamin C, an antioxidant necessary for fighting against free radicals. Moreover, vitamin C is an effective antihistamine for easing the discomfort of the common cold.

Bone Health
Broccoli contains high levels of both calcium and vitamin K, both of which are important for bone health and prevention of osteoporosis.

Sun Damage
Broccoli is helpful in repairing skin damage thanks to the glucoraphanin it contains which helps the skin to detoxify and repair itself.

Immune System
One cup of broccoli bolsters the immune system with a large dose of beta-carotene. Trace minerals, such as zinc and selenium, further act to strengthen immune defense actions.

Cancer
Broccoli contains glucoraphanin, which with the body processes into the anti-cancer compound sulforaphane. This compound rids the body H. pylori, a bacterium found to highly increase the risk of gastric cancer. Furthermore, broccoli contains indole-3-carbinol, a powerful antioxidant compound and anti-carcinogen found to not only hinder the growth of breast, cervical and prostate cancer, but also boosts liver function.

Diet Aid
Broccoli is high in fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar, and curbs overeating. Furthermore, a cup of broccoli has as much protein as a cup of rice or corn with half the calories.

Vision
Studies have shown that the carotenoid lutein helps prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, as well as possesses anti-cancer effects. Additionally, broccoli is a good source of vitamin A that is needed to form retinal, the light-absorbing molecule that is essential for both low-light and color vision.

Heart Disease
The carotenoid lutein may also slow down or prevent the thickening of arteries in the human body, thus fighting against heart disease and stoke. The B6 and folate in broccoli also reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke.

11 Health Benefits of Spinach

2011-06-29T04:15:00.000-07:00

It is difficult to overestimate the nutritional powerhouse that is spinach. Here are eleven reasons why spinach should find its way into your grocery bag.

1. Diet
One cup of spinach has nearly 20% of the RDA of dietary fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar, and curbs overeating.

2. Cancer
Flavonoids -- a phytonutrient with anti-cancer properties abundant in spinach -- have been shown to slow down cell division in human stomach and skin cancer cells. Furthermore, spinach has shown significant protection against the occurrence of aggressive prostate cancer.

3. Anti-Inflammatory
Neoxanthin and violaxanthin are two anti-inflammatory epoxyxanthophylls that play an important role in regulation of inflammation and are present in unusual amounts in spinach.

4. Antioxidants
The vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, manganese, zinc and selenium present in spinach all serve as powerful antioxidants that combat the onset of osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.

5. Blood Pressure
By inhibiting the angiotensin I-converting enzyme, peptides within spinach have been shown to effectively lower blood pressure.

6. Vision
Both antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin are especially plentiful in spinach and protect the eye from cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

7. Immunity
One cup of spinach contains over 337% of the RDA of vitamin A that not only protects and strengthens "entry points" into the human body, such as mucous membranes, respiratory, urinary and intestinal tracts, but is also a key component of lymphocytes (or white blood cells) that fight infection.

8. Skin
The high amount of vitamin A in spinach also promotes healthy skin by allowing for proper moisture retention in the epidermis, thus fighting psoriasis, keratinization, acne and even wrinkles.

9. Bones
One cup of boiled spinach provides over 1000% of the RDA of vitamin K that can prevent excess activation of osteoclasts (the cells that break down bones), as well as promote the synthesis of osteocalcin, the protein that is essential for maintaining the strength and density of our bones.

10. Calcification
Vitamin K is a crucial component of the process called carboxylation, which produces the matrix Gla protein that directly prevents calcium from forming in tissue. Eating one cup of spinach contributes to this process that fights atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and stroke.

11. Brain and Nervous Function
The abundance of vitamin K in spinach contributes greatly to a healthy nervous system and brain function by providing an essential part for the synthesis of sphingolipids, the crucial fat that makes up the Myelin sheath around our nerves.

10 Health Benefits of Ginger

2011-06-29T03:17:00.000-07:00

Ginger has been used as a natural remedy for many ailments for centuries. Now, science is catching up and researchers around the world are finding that ginger works wonders in the treatment of everything from cancer to migraines. Here are ten health benefits of this powerful herb.

1. Ovarian Cancer Treatment
Ginger may be powerful weapon in the treatment of ovarian cancer. A study conducted at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that ginger powder induces cell death in all ovarian cancer cells to which it was applied.

2. Colon Cancer Prevention
A study at the University of Minnesota found that ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells.

3. Morning Sickness
A review of several studies has concluded that ginger is just as effective as vitamin B6 in the treatment of morning sickness.

4. Motion Sickness Remedy
Ginger has been shown to be an effective remedy for the nausea associated with motion sickness.

5. Reduces Pain and Inflammation
One study showed that ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and is a powerful natural painkiller.

6. Heartburn Relief
Ginger has long been used as a natural heartburn remedy. It is most often taken in the form of tea for this purpose.

7. Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment
Ginger has long been used as a natural treatment for colds and the flu. Many people also find ginger to be helpful in the case of stomach flus or food poisoning, which is not surprising given the positive effects ginger has upon the digestive tract.

8. Migraine Relief
Research has shown that ginger may provide migraine relief due to its ability to stop prostaglandins from causing pain and inflammation in blood vessels.

9. Menstrual Cramp Relief
In Chinese medicine, ginger tea with brown sugar is used in the treatment of menstrual cramps.

10. Prevention of Diabetic Nephropathy
A study done on diabetic rats found that those rats given ginger had a reduced incidence of diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage).

Avocado Benefits

2011-06-29T03:15:00.000-07:00

1. Prostate Cancer Prevention
Avocados have been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer.

2. Oral Cancer Defense
Research has shown that certain compounds in avocados are able to seek out pre-cancerous and cancerous oral cancer cells and destroy them without harming healthy cells.

3. Breast Cancer Protection
Avocado, like olive oil, is high in oleic acid, which has been shown to prevent breast cancer in numerous studies.

4. Eye Health
Avocados have more of the carotenoid lutein than any other commonly consumed fruit. Lutein protects against macular degeneration and cataracts, two disabling age-related eye diseases.

5. Lower Cholesterol
Avocados are high in beta-sitosterol, a compound that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. In one study, 45 volunteers experienced an average drop in cholesterol of 17% after eating avocados for only one week.

6. Heart Health
One cup of avocado has 23% of the recommended daily value of folate. Studies show that people who eat diets rich in folate have a much lower incidence of heart disease than those who don't. The vitamin E, monounsaturated fats, and glutathione in avocado are also great for your heart.

7. Stroke Prevention
The high levels of folate in avocado are also protective against strokes. People who eat diets rich in folate have a much lower risk of stroke than those who don't.

8. Better Nutrient Absorption
Research has found that certain nutrients are absorbed better when eaten with avocado. In one study, when participants ate a salad containing avocados, they absorbed five times the amount of carotenoids (a group of nutrients that includes lycopene and beta carotene) than those who didn't include avocados.

9. Glutathione Source
Avocados are an excellent source of glutathione, an important antioxidant that researchers say is important in preventing aging, cancer, and heart disease.

10. Vitamin E Powerhouse
Avocados are the best fruit source of vitamin E, an essential vitamin that protects against many diseases and helps maintains overall health.

Health Benefits of Green Tea

2011-06-29T03:02:00.000-07:00

Green tea comes from the same plant from which normal tea is obtained. Scientifically, it is known as Camellia Sinensis. In fact, it is the same tea but processed differently. The normal black tea is obtained by fermenting the tea leaves. This fermentation changes its colour, flavour and raises the level of caffeine and tannin in it. Whereas, in case of Green Tea, the tea leaves are dried or slightly steamed but not fermented. This makes it look green when brewed and otherwise.

Health Benefits: The health benefits from Green Tea are primarily due to its anti oxidizing properties which come from its Caffeine, Catechin Polyphenols and Theonine. These health benefits can be listed as under:

Anti Ageing: The free radicals created in body are responsible for corroding the body, i.e. for ageing and the related symptoms. The main job of anti oxidants is to neutralize the oxidants or free radicals present in the body and green tea is very rich in anti oxidants. The Catechin Polyphenols present in green tea are mainly responsible for the anti oxidizing effects, the most powerful among them being the Epigallocatechin Gallate. Thus, regular consumption of green tea can effectively delay symptoms of ageing.
Stimulating: The main reason behind acceptance of any kind of tea, be it green, black or Wwwhe, by human civilizations and its popularity, is its stimulating effect. This effect, again, is due to the Caffeine and Tannins present in it. Caffeine & Tannins, despite their adverse effects on health in the long run, are very good as stimulants. That is why; a cup of tea makes you feel fresh and highly energized. Tea is ideal to counter fatigue, laziness, sleepiness and lack of energy and to improve blood circulation. No doubt it is so popular with any kind of professionals, housewives and students.
Immunity Boosting: Researches show that people who regularly drink green tea do not fall prey to common bacterial and viral infections easily, and even if they do, it is far less frequently than those not consuming it. The message is clear. Green Tea boosts immunity. The Catechins present in green tea prevent bacterial and virus from attaching themselves to cell walls and thus infecting them. These Catechins also counter the toxins released by microbes. This anti microbial property also protects from bad breathe, dysentery, diarrhoea, tooth decay, indigestion, flu, cough & cold, colitis etc. which are caused by microbial & fungal action.
Astringency: This is yet another benefit from green tea. It triggers contraction in muscles and tissues and tones up muscles and skin. Even if you do not wish to drink green tea, a mere mouthwash with this daily will cause sufficient contraction in gums to keep them firm and tight on teeth and thus prevent loosening and falling of teeth for long. Wash your hair with it and see them grow stronger each day.
Anti Carcinogenic: Apart from ageing, free radicals are also responsible for causing certain types of cancer. The Catechins present in green tea neutralize these free radicals, prevent formation of carcinogens like nitrosamines and reduce the chances of cancer. Green tea is now being clinically used in prevention of cancer, particularly those pertaining to colon, rectum, pancreas and intestines.
Reducing Cholesterol: Green tea has been seen effective in reducing cholesterol level to some extent, probably due to its alkaline nature.
Cardiac & Arterial Health: Certain components in green tea prevents thickening of blood, thereby reducing chances of Arterial Sclerosis, Thrombosis, Cardiac and Cerebral Strokes etc.
Anti Diabetic: If not taken with sugar, the alkaline nature of green tea helps reduce the blood glucose level. Moreover, the anti oxidizing and astringent nature of its constituents ensure good health and better functioning of pancreas and thereby better secretion of insulin and resultant better decomposing and absorption of sugar. This helps keep diabetes away.
Weight Loss: You believe it or not, but green tea also helps lose weight by enhancing rate of metabolism and thereby faster consumption of fat storage of the body. Recently green tea has replaced other beverages in the webstern world as its helps in weight loss. Drink a cup full of green tea in the morning and you are sure to lose a few pounds of excess weight.
Stamina & Endurance Booster: You can prove this yourself. Just have a cup of hot green tea after rigorous exercise and within no time you will be ready for a few more sets. Further, it effectively counters muscular pain due to over exercise of muscles. Haven’t seen any athlete taking this? You must visit Japan & China then, where it is a popular drink among practitioners of Martial Arts.
De intoxicating: Green tea is the best cure to get rid of hangovers and fatigue caused by consumption of alcoholic beverages and lack of sleep due to late night parties. A big glass of green tea with lemon, and lo, feels as if there was no hangover at all. Green tea with Lemon juice is a very good and popular remedy to cut effect of alcohols effect instantly.

How to Treat a Diabetic Wound

2011-06-29T02:26:00.000-07:00

If you have a wound, no matter how small, take the following steps to avoid infection and promote healing:

Take care of the wound immediately. Even a minor wound can become infected if bacteria are allowed to build up after injury.
Clean the wound. Rinse the wound under running water to remove dirt. Don't use soap, hydrogen peroxide, or iodine, which can irritate the injury. Then apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection, and cover the wound with a sterile bandage. Change the bandage daily, and use soap to clean the skin around the wound. Inspect your wound daily for any signs of infection.
See your doctor. Don't take any chances -- have your doctor check minor skin problems or areas of redness before they turn into larger problems. Err on the side of caution, says podiatrist and wound specialist Robert Snyder, DPM, medical director of the Wound Healing Center at University Hospital in Tamarac, Fla., and incoming president of the American Academy of Wound Management in Washington, D.C. "It's far easier to treat a minor skin problem before it becomes serious," he says.
Keep pressure off the wound as it heals. For example, if your wound is on the bottom of the foot -- a common place for diabetic people to develop calluses and blisters -- stay off it as much as possible so it will have a better chance to heal, says Snyder.

Why Diabetic Wounds Can Cause Problems??

2011-06-29T02:24:00.000-07:00

Diabetes is a chronic disease where your body can't use glucose, or sugar, the way it should. It can cause a number of complications, including some that make it harder for wounds to heal. These include:

Nerve damage (neuropathy). When you have neuropathy, you may not feel the pain of a cut or blister until it has grown worse or become infected.
Weakened immune system. When the body's natural defenses are down, even a minor wound may become infected.
Narrow arteries. People with clogged arteries in their legs are more likely to develop wounds, have severe wound infections, and have problems healing. Narrowed arteries makes it harder for blood to get to the wound. Blood flow promotes healing, so anything that blocks it can make wounds more likely to become infected.

Taking 10,000 Steps a Day May Lower Diabetes Risk

2011-06-29T02:19:00.000-07:00

Building up to 10,000 steps a day can help control weight and may reduce diabetes risk, suggests new research in the journal BMJ.

Of 592 middle-aged Australian adults, those who increased the number of steps they took during a five-year period and built up to 10,000 steps per day had a lower body mass index, less belly fat, and better insulin sensitivity than their counterparts who did not take as many steps daily during the same time period.

A hallmark of diabetes, insulin resistance occurs when the body's cells stop responding as well to the action of the hormone insulin, which helps the body use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. The pancreas tries to compensate by producing more insulin, but ultimately fails to keep pace. As a result, excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream, setting the stage for diabetes.

Weight loss is known to increase insulin sensitivity, so researchers suggest that increased walking led to weight loss and decreased body fat which, in turn, improved diabetes risk factors.

“These findings, confirming an independent beneficial role of higher daily step count on body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and insulin sensitivity, provide further support to promote higher physical activity levels among middle-aged adults,” conclude researchers, who were led by Terry Dwyer, MD, director of Murdoch Children’s Research Institute of Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. “The use of a pedometer for measuring physical activity allows quantification of the magnitude of these effects.”

Participants answered questions about their diet and other lifestyle factors and had a full physical exam when the study began. They were also asked to wear pedometers to count the number of steps they took each day. Researchers followed up with the study participants five years later to see how many steps they were taking, and reassessed their diabetes risk factors.

Those who built up to 10,000 steps a day and kept at it showed a threefold improvement in their insulin sensitivity at five years, when compared with participants who only increased their daily steps to 3,000 per day, the study showed.

The Effects of Smoking on Bone Health

2011-06-29T02:11:00.000-07:00

Whatever your age, the effects of smoking on bone health can't be ignored.

The years from childhood until age 30 are prime time for building bone mass. "If an adolescent is smoking, they will not develop maximum bone mass. They will end up with a smaller skeleton and less bone mass, compared to a nonsmoker," says Primal Kaur, MD, an osteoporosis specialist at Temple University Health System in Philadelphia.

Smoking continues to affect bone health in your 40s and 50s. Women that age begin to lose estrogen, which is very important for bones. If you smoke, bone loss is more rapid -- and with more complications, Kaur tells WebMD.

Why Is Smoking So Damaging to Bone Health?
"Nicotine and toxins in cigarettes affect bone health from many angles," Kaur says.

Cigarette smoke generates huge amounts of free radicals -- molecules that attack and overwhelm the body's natural defenses. The result is a chain-reaction of damage throughout the body -- including cells, organs, and hormones involved in keeping bones healthy.

The toxins upset the balance of hormones (like estrogen) that bones need to stay strong. Your liver produces more estrogen-destroying enzymes, which also leads to bone loss, says Kaur. "Smoking makes bone loss even worse in the menopausal years. It adds to the bone loss that's already occurring."

Smoking triggers other bone-damaging changes, such as increased levels of the hormone cortisol, which leads to bone breakdown, says Kaur. "Research also suggests that smoking impedes the hormone calcitonin, which helps build bones -- so that hormone can't do its job."

There's more: "Nicotine and free radicals kill the osteoblasts -- the bone-making cells," she explains. "Smoking also damages blood vessels, so there is poor blood supply of oxygen. People who smoke have repeated fractures. Studies show that when a smoker suffers a fracture, they don't heal very well because of poor blood supply."

Because smoking damages blood vessels, it also damages nerves in toes and feet, which can lead to more falls and fractures. "Smokers have double the risk of having a fracture. Heavy smokers increase the risk of fracture even more," Kaur says.

If You Quit Smoking, Is It Possible to Improve Bone Health?

"Bone building is a slow process, and it takes a long time to fix the damage, so some of the damage may be irreversible," Kaur says. "The heavier the smoker, the longer it will take to recover."

But there is hope. She points to one recent study, published in 2006 in the Journal of Women's Health: After one year without smoking, a group of postmenopausal women had improved bone density, compared with women who continued smoking.

How do you get started if you want to quit smoking?
"I've known people with diehard habits who have quit," says Murray Dabby, LCSW, director of the Atlanta Center for Social Therapy. He's a former smoker who has guided many to nicotine freedom.
"You learn to cut back, phase it out," Dabby tells WebMD. "You find you don't need it as much as you think you do."

The experts advise: Set a quit date and stick to it. Get support. Get and use medication. Be prepared for relapse.
Also important: Decide what you will be doing instead of smoking. It's a critical part of quitting.
Smoking is a habit -- and a statement about your lifestyle, says Dabby, a therapist who has helped many work through addictions.
"Our habits aren't small things," he tells WebMD. "They are part and parcel of how we tend to live our whole lives. If you want to quit smoking, it's a very large decision. It's not just about giving up cigarettes. It's about choosing to live our lives differently. It's about choosing healthy living."

As you prepare to quit smoking, think about your relationship to cigarettes, he advises. Think about the ordinary times you pick up a cigarette -- after a meal, at a break, after sex, first thing in the morning, when you get into your car.
Then, switch things around, Dabby tells WebMD. "Don't smoke at times you ordinarily might. Change up the times. Instead of smoking after a meal, wait 10 or 15 minutes. When you're in the middle of an anxious moment, let that moment be -- wait until you're relaxed before you smoke. Don't light up first thing in the morning; wait an hour."

With this step, you ease out of habits -- yet you're not depriving yourself immediately, says Dabby. "You're learning what the impact is on you. Do you really need a smoke first thing in the morning? You find you don't need a cigarette after a meal -- and if you don't smoke, you can actually taste your dessert."

Drink Less Alcohol For Strong Bones

2011-06-29T02:06:00.000-07:00

Heavy drinking is a health risk for many reasons, including the effects on bones.

Research shows that chronic heavy alcohol use, especially during adolescence and young adult years, can dramatically affect bone health and increase the risk of osteoporosis later in life.

What do doctors advise? Drink less for strong bones.

Calcium is an essential nutrient for healthy bones, and alcohol is its enemy. "Alcohol has multiple effects on calcium," says Primal Kaur, MD, an osteoporosis specialist at Temple University Health System in Philadelphia. "The bones deteriorate because not enough calcium is getting into bones -- and the body is leaching it away from bones."

How Does Alcohol Harm Your Bones?
When you imbibe too much -- 2 to 3 ounces of alcohol every day -- the stomach does not absorb calcium adequately, Kaur explains. "Alcohol interferes with the pancreas and its absorption of calcium and vitamin D. Alcohol also affects the liver, which is important for activating vitamin D -- which is also important for calcium absorption."

The hormones important to bone health also go awry. Some studies suggest that alcohol decreases estrogen and can lead to irregular periods. As estrogen declines, bone remodeling slows and leads to bone loss. If you're in the menopausal years, this adds to the bone loss that's naturally occurring, says Kaur.

There's an increase in two potentially bone-damaging hormones, cortisol and parathyroid hormone. High levels of cortisol seen in people with alcoholism can decrease bone formation and increase bone breakdown. Chronic alcohol consumption also increases parathyroid hormone, which leaches calcium from the bone, she says.

Also, excess alcohol kills osteoblasts, the bone-making cells, Kaur adds. To compound the problem, nutritional deficiencies from heavy drinking can lead to peripheral neuropathy -- nerve damage to hands and feet. And chronic alcohol abuse can affect balance, which can lead to falls, she explains.

Drinking and Your Risk of Fracture
Heavy drinkers are more likely to suffer frequent fractures due to brittle bones and nerve damage, especially hip and spine fractures, Kaur says. Those fractures will likely heal slowly because of malnutrition.

When you quit drinking, your bones may recover fairly rapidly. Some studies have found that lost bone can be partially restored when alcohol abuse ends.

If you're a smoker, it's important that you quit that habit, too. "If you are a heavy drinker who also smokes, it makes your bone problems even worse," Kaur tells WebMD. "You need to quit both habits, or osteoporosis treatment is not going to work." In fact, studies suggest that quitting smoking helps people recover from alcoholism.

Drink Less for Strong Bones
Summer barbecues, family get-togethers, after-work happy hours -- they're full of temptations. Everyone's drinking, having a good time. If you're used to imbibing, it's hard to say no. But if you're goal is strong bones, these tips will help you drink less.

"It's difficult to deny yourself," says Murray Dabby, LCSW, director of the Atlanta Center for Social Therapy. "Therefore, you have to find something to say 'yes' to. ... That's the more winning strategy."
Saying 'yes' to healthy living is a good first step, Dabby tells WebMD. "Take the focus off 'not drinking' or 'not smoking.'"

As a coach and therapist, he asks people to understand their relationship to alcohol. "That relationship says a lot about how you see yourself -- 'I'm socially awkward, I'm shy, I'm anxious, I'm insecure, and alcohol makes me feel more comfortable.'"

To overcome shyness sans alcohol, here's his suggestion: "As Shakespeare would say, 'Life is a stage. Create a new performance for yourself. Act like the person you want to be," Dabby says.
If parties make you self-conscious, here's a positive approach: Act like you're the co-host. "Focus on making people comfortable rather than worrying about yourself," he explains. "Go around greeting everyone, asking how they know the host. Perform as if you're the friendliest person at the party. You won't need alcohol to cover up your nervousness."

Another tactic: Pretend that you're tipsy. If you love going to karaoke bars but can't enjoy it without alcohol, simply pretend, Dabby suggests. "Order ginger ale, but act like you're tipsy." That's the approach that one person took, he tells WebMD. "It was very successful for him. He found he could ham it up without alcohol."
If after-work happy hours are a problem, don't focus on drinking:

"Focus on getting to know your co-workers. Be curious, ask questions. Focus on relationship-building, because that's a positive thing,” Dabby says. “Order ginger ale or another nonalcoholic drink. You don't have to tell anyone you have trouble with alcohol."

Know More About Autism

2011-06-28T22:13:00.000-07:00

Just about every family, now, has been touched by autism. If it’s not your children, it’s another child in their classroom, or a child on your block. About 1 in 110 to 1 in 160 children has some degree of autism. One “silver lining” of this increased familiarity with autism will hopefully be an improvement in parents’ perceptions: these are good kids. With therapy (especially starting early), most children with mild-to-moderate autistic spectrum disorders can expect significant improvement, and will do well.

Symptoms of autism can be noticed before age one, though the diagnosis isn’t usually firmly established until later. The main manifestations are decreased verbal communication, repetitive movements, and problems with social interactions (the degree and severity of these three “cardinal features” can vary quite a bit between children. That’s why autism is now considered a broad “spectrum”.)

The cause of autism has been difficult to pin down, but good recent research is helping us understand multiple genetic influences. About 20% of autistic children who undergo state-of-the-art genetic testing will have a known genetic problem that has been firmly linked to autistic behaviors — and this 20% figure is increasing year by year as more studies find further genetic markers. It’s not all in the chromosomes and genes, though. We also know that complications from birth and some congenital infections (including rubella, which ironically can be prevented with the MMR vaccine) also cause autism. As with other complicated diseases, there will not be one single cause, nor one single cure.

An exciting new development in autism research is the confirmation that at least some of these genetic problems, when bred in mice, can lead to autistic behaviors in those animals, too. Being able to “model” autism in an animal will not only allow for better development and testing of treatments, but will also get us closer to understanding exactly what those gene mistakes do in the body. Understand the gene, then understand the function; understand the way the function is broken, then understand how to fix it. It is not quick science, but it’s how we’re going to defeat this disease.

Families touched by autism may be frustrated by the slow pace of science. But take heart: effective treatments (at least for mild-to-moderately affected children) are available, though it is a long, expensive process. Better prevention strategies, earlier identification of cases, and more-effective and quicker treatments (especially for more severe cases) are sorely needed, and will take time to develop. But there has been good progress, and there should be plenty of hope.

10 Ways to Reduce Stress While You Quit Smoking

2011-06-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

Here are 10 ways to reduce stress while you quit smoking:

1. Cut yourself plenty of slack.
Don’t be hard on yourself while you’re quitting. Kicking the habit is tough enough. Recognize in advance that you’ll experience stress. Understand that your temper may be short and that you may feel discouraged and even depressed. Try not to be critical of yourself or others. Remember: quitting is your most important goal. Try to have an optimistic, “can-do” attitude. “Optimism turns out to be one of the most important determinants of success,” says Rabin. “If people are convinced they can do it, they stand a much better chance of succeeding. If you’ve tried and failed before, don’t let that discourage you. Most smokers have to try several times before they succeed.

2. Resolve short-term problems in advance.
If you can easily resolve any nagging short-term stresses, do it before you quit. Fix that leaky faucet. Clean up the clutter that’s been bugging you. Clear away as many stressful issues as possible.

3. Set long-term worries aside for now.
The first few weeks of quitting are the hardest. During that period, don’t burden yourself unnecessarily by worrying about long-term problems. Make a deal with yourself that you’ll worry about them later, after you’ve made it through the first few weeks. Focus on the here and now.

4. Learn to recognize signs of stress.
The sooner you deal with stress, the less likely it will be to derail your efforts to quit. Signs of stress include a feeling of being overwhelmed and unable to cope, anxiety, restlessness, headaches, sleeplessness, depression, agitation, and anger. As soon as you feel yourself under stress, act fast.

5. Do things you enjoy doing.

One of the simplest ways to ease stress is to distract yourself with activities that give you pleasure. Listen to a favorite recording. Watch a comedy movie. Take the dog out for a run. Play with your kids. Enjoy a warm shower. Luxuriate in the bathtub. Beyond helping you let off steam, life’s simple pleasures can remind you of why you want to quit in the first place, strengthening your resolve to stick with it.

6. Get moving.
Many studies show that physical activity can help ease stress and anxiety. Exercise even appears to boost brain chemicals associated with feelings of well-being. “Antidepressants help only about half of people with mild to moderate depression. Physical activity, on the other hand, eases depression in about 80% of people,” says Rabin. Almost any kind of activity helps. But doing something you really enjoy, such as swimming or walking in a beautiful area, may be especially helpful for easing stress.

7. Practice relaxation.

Stress reduction techniques also help many smokers quit. These include yoga, progressive relaxation, guided imagery, deep breathing exercises, and various forms of meditation. Mindfulness meditation, which encourages focusing on the here and now, has also been shown to help smokers kick the habit. No one technique works for everyone, so it’s worth trying out a few in advance. If possible, get comfortable with a few stress-reduction techniques before your quit date.

8. Put it in writing.

“Writing about something that’s bothering you -- whether it’s a long-time worry or something that happened yesterday -- can be a powerful way to ease stress,” says Rabin. His advice: Find a quiet place and spend 15 minutes writing about what’s nagging at you. Don’t reread or revise. Just write. Afterward, tear up what you’ve written and toss it away. “Just the act of writing can be enormously helpful in sorting out how you feel and putting stresses into perspective,” says Rabin.

9. Call on a friend.

Being with other people helps relieve stress. Before you quit, make a list of the people you can turn to for support and a friendly conversation. Turn to them when you’re beginning to feel stressed. “Social support turns out to be one of the most important determinants of success for smokers trying to quit,” says Scott McIntosh, PhD, associate professor of community and preventive medicine at the University of Rochester in New York and director of the Greater Rochester Area Tobacco Cessation Center.

10. Be patient.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed during the first few days of quitting. Almost all ex-smokers experience moments when they doubt their resolve. Remind yourself frequently: The effects of nicotine withdrawal get weaker every day that you don’t smoke. Every time you resist lighting up, you’re one step closer to a smoke-free life. Even when you’re over the hardest first few weeks, expect to hit some rough patches. “It takes about six months for remodeling in the brain to change behavior and make it second nature,” says Rabin. But once that occurs, you’ll be comfortable in your new life as a nonsmoker -- and happier and healthier for it.

Take Up a Hobby

2011-06-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

Look up the word "hobby" in the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, and you will find the definition as "a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation."

Since they are relaxing activities, hobbies are usually enjoyable. Some people find joy in craftwork, bird watching, sports, going to flea markets, walking in the park, or playing cards.

The joy may help people live healthier and recover better from illness. For one thing, taking part in hobbies can burn calories, more so than just sitting in front of the TV.

In a study of people who had undergone surgery, Jenkins found that people who were involved in hobbies before their operation had better recovery six months later, compared with people who did not have hobbies.

The participants with hobbies tended to have more drive and interest in things and other people, says Jenkins. "It was a more active orientation to life."

Always Make Social Connection

2011-06-28T21:46:00.000-07:00

Volunteer. Go to church. Join a club. Whatever you do, do it with people. Communal activities are good for your physical and mental health, according to a study published in the March/April 2004 issue of the American Journal of Health Behavior.

It makes sense, says C. David Jenkins, PhD, author of Building Better Health: A Handbook of Behavioral Change. He says social ties have many benefits, including:

Providing information. You may think for instance your frequent nosebleeds, coughing, and sneezing episodes are trivial, but when a close friend or relative hears of it, he or she may encourage you to go to a doctor. If the symptoms turn out to be a serious condition, the social tie could have saved your life.
Instrumental help. Friends and family can provide physical support in time of need. They may help with cooking, cleaning, running errands, doing grocery shopping, and driving to the doctor's office.
Emotional support. Sharing a problem with a trusted person can help alleviate an internal burden. "It's a load off your chest," says Jenkins.

Offering a sense of belonging. This feeling not only helps reinforce a person's identity, it also assists in preventing and overcoming depression and anxiety.

Community ties also help improve mental functioning, says Fleming. Group activities can help keep the mind active and maintain desirable levels of serotonin -- the brain chemical associated with mood. "Lack of social interaction will [decrease] serotonin levels," says Fleming.

Get Enough Sleep

2011-06-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

"Your body has to have enough time to rest," says Michael Fleming, MD, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Otherwise, he says you may find yourself feeling cranky and tired.

This may sound like common sense, but according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), more than two-thirds of older adults suffer from sleep problems and many American adults don't get the minimum amount of shuteye needed to stay alert.

Sleep is vital to good health and to mental and emotional well-being. The NSF reports that people who don't get enough slumber are more likely than others to develop psychiatric problems and to use health care services. Plus, sleep deprivation can negatively affect memory, learning, and logical reasoning.

Not enough ZZZs can also be hazardous. More than one-half of adult drivers -- some 100 million people -- say they have driven drowsy in the past year, according to NSF polls. About one out of five of these drivers -- 32 million people -- say they've fallen asleep while driving.

Each year drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 car crashes, 1,500 deaths, and tens of thousands of injuries, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NSF recommends taking a 15 to 20 minute nap. Because it takes about 30 minutes for the caffeine to work, taking a nap while you wait for the caffeine to kick in can help restore alertness.

To avoid the pitfalls of insufficient sleep, make sure to get at least seven to 10 hours of slumber each night. Kids need more sleep, depending on their age.

Eat Breakfast Every Morning

2011-06-28T21:25:00.000-07:00

Breakfast eaters are champions of good health. Research shows people who have a morning meal tend to take in more vitamins and minerals, and less fat and cholesterol. The result is often a leaner body, lower cholesterol count, and less chance of overeating.

"That one act [of eating breakfast] seems to make a difference in people's overall weight," says Melinda Johnson, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). She says breakfast can hold off hunger pangs until lunchtime and make high-calorie vending machine options less enticing.

Not only that, researchers at the 2003 American Heart Association conference reported that breakfast eaters are significantly less likely to be obese and get diabetes compared with nonbreakfast eaters.

Another study in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition showed that people who consumed breakfast cereal every day reported feeling better both physically and mentally than those who rarely ate cereal in the morning.

For kids, breakfast appears to enhance alertness, attention, and performance on standardized achievement tests, reports the ADA.

To get the full benefits of breakfast, the Mayo Clinic recommends a meal with carbohydrates, protein, and a small amount of fat. They say that because no single food gives you all of the nutrients you need, eating a variety of foods is essential to good health.

Yet, even with so much scientific support that breakfast does the body good; many people still make excuses not to eat in the morning. They include not having enough time and not feeling hungry. For these people, Johnson suggests tailoring breakfast to the day.

"When I'm getting ready in the morning, I don't really want to take the time to eat breakfast because that would mean sacrificing sleep," says Johnson. "So I bring my breakfast with me, and I know I have an hour when I'm reading emails in the office when I can eat it. By that time, I'm hungry because I've been up for almost a couple of hours."

Kiwi Fruits

2011-06-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

Don't judge this fruit by its cover: Under that bristly brown peel you'll find a bright green star bursting with antioxidants and full of fiber. Kiwifruit works to:

Protect against free radical damage: A study on healthy foods from Rutgers University compared the 27 most popular fruit and determined that kiwifruit was the most nutritionally dense. Plus, it makes the short list of fruit with substantial amounts of vitamin E, and contains more vision-saving lutein than other fruit or vegetables, except for corn.

Lower blood-clot risk: In a 2004 study from the University of Oslo in Norway, participants who ate two or three kiwis for 28 days significantly reduced their potential to form a clot. They also got a bonus benefit: Their triglycerides, a blood fat linked to heart attack, dropped by 15%

Pomegranate

2011-06-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

If you're going to have a martini, at least make it a pomegranate one. This fall fruit has higher antioxidant activity than red wine and green tea, which may be why a number of studies show it may prevent skin cancer and kill breast and prostate cancer cells. This healthy fruit also helps:

Fight Alzheimer's disease: Researchers at Loma Linda University found that mice who drank pomegranate juice experienced 50% less brain degeneration than animals that consumed only sugar water. The pomegranate drinkers also did better in mazes and tests as they aged.

Guard your arteries: A group of diabetics who drank about 2 ounces of pomegranate juice a day for 3 months kept their bodies from absorbing bad cholesterol into their immune system cells (a major contributing factor to hardened arteries), discovered Israeli researchers.

Lemon Balm

2011-06-28T18:08:00.000-07:00

Tradition says: Melissa officinalis, a lemon-scented member of the mint family, has long been used to banish anxiety, boost memory, and aid sleep and digestion. It is “good against the biting of venomous beasts, comforts the heart, and driveth away all melancholy and sadnesse,” wrote Elizabethan-era herbalist John Gerard in 1597.

Research proves: Got a presentation or other stress-filled occasion? As in days of old, a tea made of lemon balm may help you sleep soundly the night before and keep you calm and focused, says a 2003 article in Neuropsychopharmacology. Research suggests this plant is effective in extreme situations too. Four weeks of lemon balm aromatherapy cut agitation in patients with severe dementia, reports a 2002 study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
Lemon balm appears to calm an overactive thyroid (Graves’ disease), according to Eric Yarnell, ND, an assistant professor of botanical medicine at Bastyr University. It also fights viruses; recent studies indicate that lemon balm cream speeds healing of oral herpes lesions and reduces the frequency of outbreaks.

Get the benefit: For lemon balm’s calming effects, try a daily tea made with one-half to one full dropper of tincture or 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried herb steeped in 1 cup of hot water for 5 to 10 minutes, says herbalist Linda Different Cloud, a PhD candidate in ethnobotany at Montana State University. Ask your doctor first if you take thyroid medication, as the botanical may change the amount you need. To use topically, follow the instructions on OTC creams, such as Cold Sore Relief or WiseWays Herbals Lemon Balm Cream, available online or at drugstores or health food stores.

Onions

2011-06-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

Tradition says: Onions are considered cure-alls in many cultures. In Middle Eastern traditional medicine, they were prescribed for diabetes. During the early 20th century in the United States, William Boericke, MD, recommended onions for respiratory and digestive problems in his influential medical treatise, Homeopathic Materia Medica. Believing that onions would help improve athletic performance, ancient Greek Olympians scarfed them down, drank their juice, and rubbed them on their bodies before competitions.

Research proves: A stack of new studies has confirmed many old-time uses of onions. Their thiosulfinates (sulfur compounds responsible for their smell) reduce diabetes symptoms and protect against cardiovascular disease. Quercetin, a flavonoid found in onions, prevents the inflammation associated with allergies and also protects against stomach ulcers and colon, esophageal, and breast cancers. And it looks like the ancient Olympians had it right: A 2009 study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that quercetin extract increased

Get the benefit: Onions may keep the doctor away even better than apples do. Your body absorbs quercetin from onions at least 3 times faster than it does from apples (or from tea, another top source), says a report for the Federation of European Biochemical Societies. To get the most thiosulfinates, choose red or yellow onions. “The more colorful, the better,” says Michael Havey, PhD, a USDA geneticist and University of Wisconsin professor of horticulture. Heat diminishes the thiosulfinates, so eat onions raw or lightly cooked, Havey adds. “Make them a regular part of a vegetable- and fruitfilled diet.”

13 everyday ways to avoid cancer

2011-06-28T17:43:00.000-07:00

First, the good news: You probably won't get cancer. That is, if you have a healthy lifestyle. "As many as 70% of known causes of cancers are avoidable and related to lifestyle," says Thomas A. Sellers, PhD, associate director for cancer prevention and control at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Diet, exercise, and avoidance of tobacco products are, of course, your first line of defense, but recent research has uncovered many small, surprising ways you can weave even more disease prevention into your everyday life. Try these novel strategies and your risk could dwindle even more.

1. Filter your tap water
You'll reduce your exposure to known or suspected carcinogens and hormone-disrupting chemicals. A new report from the President's Cancer Panel on how to reduce exposure to carcinogens suggests that home-filtered tap water is a safer bet than bottled water, whose quality often is not higher—and in some cases is worse—than that of municipal sources, according to a study by the Environmental Working Group. (Consumer Reports' top picks for faucet-mounted filters: Culligan, Pur Vertical, and the Brita OPFF-100.) Store water in stainless steel or glass to avoid chemical contaminants such as BPA that can leach from plastic bottles.

2. Stop topping your tank
So say the EPA and the President's Cancer Panel: Pumping one last squirt of gas into your car after the nozzle clicks off can spill fuel and foil the pump's vapor recovery system, designed to keep toxic chemicals such as cancer-causing benzene out of the air, where they can come in contact with your skin or get into your lungs.

3. Marinate meat before grilling
Processed, charred, and well-done meats can contain cancer-causing heterocyclic amines, which form when meat is seared at high temperatures, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which get into food when it's charcoal broiled. "The recommendation to cut down on grilled meat has really solid scientific evidence behind it," says Cheryl Lyn Walker, PhD, a professor of carcinogenesis at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

If you do grill, add rosemary and thyme to your favorite marinade and soak meat for at least an hour before cooking. The antioxidant-rich spices can cut HCAs by as much as 87%, according to research at Kansas State University.
30 Ways to cancer-proof your life.

4. Caffeinate every day
Java lovers who drank 5 or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day had a 40% decreased risk of brain cancer, compared with people who drank the least in a 2010 British study. A 5-cup-a-day coffee habit reduces risks of cancers of the pharynx and mouth almost as much. Researchers credit the caffeine: Decaf had no comparable effect. But coffee was a more potent protector against these cancers than tea, which the British researchers said also offered protection against brain cancer.

5. Water Down Your Risks
Drinking plenty of water and other liquids may reduce the risk of bladder cancer by diluting the concentration of cancer-causing agents in urine and helping to flush them through the bladder faster. Drink at least 8 cups of liquid a day, suggests the American Cancer Society.

6. Load up on really green greens
Next time you're choosing salad fixings, reach for the darkest varieties. The chlorophyll that gives them their color is loaded with magnesium, which some large studies have found lowers the risk of colon cancer in women. "Magnesium affects signaling in cells, and without the right amount, cells may do things like divide and replicate when they shouldn't," says Walker. Just ½ cup of cooked spinach provides 75 mg of magnesium, 20% of the daily value.

7. Snack on Brazil nuts
They're a stellar source of selenium, an antioxidant that lowers the risk of bladder cancer in women, according to research from Dartmouth Medical School. Other studies have found that people with high blood levels of selenium have lower rates of dying of lung and colorectal cancers. Researchers think selenium not only protects cells from free radical damage but may enhance immune function and suppress formation of blood vessels that nourish tumors.

8. Burn off this breast cancer risk factor
Moderate exercise such as brisk walking 2 hours a week cuts risk of breast cancer 18%. Regular workouts may lower your risks by helping you burn fat, which otherwise produces its own estrogen, a known contributor to cancer.

9. Ask your doc about breast density
Women whose mammograms have revealed breast density readings of 75% or more have a cancer risk 4 to 5 times higher than that of women with low density scores, according to recent research. One theory is that denser breasts result from higher levels of estrogen—making exercise particularly important (see previous item). "Shrinking your body fat also changes growth factors, signaling proteins such as adipokines and hormones like insulin in ways that tend to turn off cancer-promoting processes in cells," Walker says.

10. Skip the dry cleaner
A solvent known as perc (short for perchloroethylene) that's used in traditional dry cleaning may cause liver and kidney cancers and leukemia, according to an EPA finding backed in early 2010 by the National Academies of Science. The main dangers are to workers who handle chemicals or treated clothes using older machines, although experts have not concluded that consumers are also at increased cancer risk. Less toxic alternatives: Hand-wash clothes with mild soap and air-dry them, spot cleaning if necessary with white vinegar.

11. Head off cell phone risks
Use your cell phone only for short calls or texts, or use a hands-free device that keeps the phone—and the radio frequency energy it emits—away from your head. The point is more to preempt any risk than to protect against a proven danger: Evidence that cell phones increase brain cancer risk is "neither consistent nor conclusive," says the President's Cancer Panel report. But a number of review studies suggest there's a link.

12. Block the sun with color
Choosing your outdoor outfit wisely may help protect against skin cancer, say Spanish scientists. In their research, blue and red fabrics offered significantly better protection against the sun's UV rays than white and yellow ones did. Don't forget to put on a hat: Though melanoma can appear anywhere on the body, it's more common in areas the sun hits, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers have found that people with melanomas on the scalp or neck die at almost twice the rate of people with the cancer on other areas of the body.

13. Eat clean foods
The President's Cancer Panel recommends buying meat free of antibiotics and added hormones, which are suspected of causing endocrine problems, including cancer. The report also advises that you purchase produce grown without pesticides or wash conventionally grown food thoroughly to remove residues. (The foods with the most pesticides: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, and blueberries.) "At least 40 known carcinogens are found in pesticides and we should absolutely try to reduce exposure," Sellers says.

Five ways to avoid a heart attack

2011-06-28T05:34:00.000-07:00

1. Know your cholesterol and keep it in check
Here’s what your optimal numbers should be:

Total cholesterol: < 200
LDL-cholesterol: < 100
HDL-cholesterol: 40 or higher
Cholesterol ratio (total chol/HDL): less than 5

2.Know your blood pressure and keep it in check
Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure has two readings — systolic and diastolic. The higher (systolic) number represents the pressure while the heart contracts to pump blood to the body. The lower (diastolic) number represents the pressure when the heart relaxes between beats. Blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg is considered optimal for adults.

3. Be physically active — every day
Regular exercise helps control your weight (which in turn helps lower LDL-cholesterol and blood pressure). What’s more, according to a meta-analysis published this year in the “Archives of Internal Medicine,” exercise also appears to increase levels of HDL-cholesterol — that’s the good cholesterol that lowers your risk for heart disease. On most days, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (60-90 minutes to lose or maintain weight loss).

4. Minimize your middle
It’s always important to maintain, or lose weight if you’re overweight, by balancing physical activity with a calorie-appropriate diet. However, when it comes to heart-disease risk, research shows that where you carry fat — NOT necessarily how much fat you’re carrying — markedly increases the risk of calcium and plaque buildup in the arteries of the heart. Abdominal fat — as opposed to fat around the hips — seems to trigger a chain of inflammatory activities that translates into harmful metabolic changes and plaque buildup … and ultimately heart disease. In other words, the bigger your belly is in relationship to your hips (this is known as the “waist-to-hip ratio”) is a better indicator of early signs of heart disease than other common measures of overweight and obesity, such as body mass index (BMI) and height/weight charts.

Know your waist-to-hip ratio. Here’s how it works:

While standing, use a tape measure to measure your waist in inches at its smallest point OR at your navel (without holding in or pushing out your tummy).
Next, measure your hips in inches at the widest area.
Lastly, divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement.

For example, if your waist measures 38” and your hips measure 38” … you’re 1.0.

Ideal waist-to-hip ratio:

For men, .9 or less is considered safe.
For women, .8 or less is considered safe.

For both men and women, 1.0 or higher is considered “at risk” for heart disease

The good news is that even small improvements prove to be beneficial. Lose an inch or two off your waist and you’re already better off.

5. Eat a heart-healthy diet
Incorporate the following 5 guidelines:

Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
Limit saturated fat to less than 7% of calories.
Limit sodium to less than 2,300 mg/day.
Limit alcohol to one drink/day for women and 2 drinks/day for men.
Eat fish rich in omega-3 fats 3 times a week (wild salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, lake trout and Pacific oysters).

Benefits Of Orange

2011-06-28T05:19:00.000-07:00

Orange is a citrus fruit, considered to be a hybrid, of ancient cultivated origin, between pomelo (Citrus maxima) and tangerine (Citrus reticulata). Native to the countries of Southeast Asia, it is today cultivated in almost all the warm climate countries of the world. Its consumption is as popular in the raw, peeled form, as in the juice form. Even the rind of orange is used by people in recipes, either for flavoring or for garnishing purposes. Being a rich source of nutrients, orange has been associated with a number of health and nutrition benefits.

Nutritional Value of Orange
Given below is the amount of nutrients present in 100 gm oranges:

Vitamin A - 190 IU
Vitamin B - Thiamine .08 mg
Vitamin C - 49 mg
Calcium - 33 mg
Phosphorus - 23 mg
Potassium - 300 mg
Calories - 60

Apart from this, oranges also contain:copper, Fats, Fiber, Folic ,Acid, Iron, Magnesium, Proteins, Sodium, and Sulfur

Health & Nutrition Benefits of Orange/Orange Juice

Being rich in calcium, oranges have been associated with protection and maintenance of the health of bones.
Beta-carotene, a nutrient present in oranges, is a very powerful antioxidant that protects our cells from damage.
Consumption of oranges has been found to result in lesser outpouring of mucus secretions from the nose.
It is said that oranges are beneficial in maintaining the dental health of an individual.
Oranges have been associated with keeping blood pressure under check, mainly owing to the presence of magnesium.
Oranges, being rich in Vitamins B6, help support the production of hemoglobin in the body.
Regular consumption of orange juice can significantly increase HDL levels and improve the LDL-HDL ratio of a person.
The folic acid present in oranges helps in proper brain development.
The high content of potassium in oranges helps maintain electrolyte balance in the cells and also aids the maintenance of a healthy cardiovascular system.

APPLE FRUIT BENEFITS

2011-06-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

Eating healthy foods like fruit are highly recommended. One of the fruits that you can include in your daily healthy menu is apple.These are benefits of apple:

1. They are Slow Food

Packed with five grams of fiber content is able to meet 20 percent of the value of your daily nutritional intake. Crunchy texture of the fruit which can force you to try to chew. This activity is useful as a replacement for facial gymnastics.

In addition, a natural sweetener in apple were able to enter the bloodstream gradually, helping maintain blood sugar and insulin levels steady so you feel full longer.

2. Protect Lungs and Prevent Asthma

Based on research developed from the United Kingdom states, women who eat apples regularly during pregnancy may provide health benefits to infants who will born.

In addition, the consumption of apples can prevent children developing asthma when he reached five years. It also can protect the lungs of adults, lowering the risk of asthma, lung cancer and other diseases.

3. Cholesterol scraper
Thanks to two key components, pectin (a type of fiber) and polyphenols (powerful antioxidants), apples can take to reduce blood cholesterol levels and preventing oxidation of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, a chemical process that converts into artery clogging plaque.

The trick to maximize benefits, do not discard the peel, apple skin has two to six times the antioxidant compounds such as meat.

4. Against Cancer
Lab studies have shown that several compounds in the fruit juicy and crunchy flesh is capable of killing cancer cell growth. However, efficacy will work best if the fruit is consumed as a whole.

People who chew more than one apple a day,has low-risk from cancer of the mouth, esophagus, colon, breast, ovarian, prostate, and others. The Italian researchers estimate, those who eat apples regularly can prevent this deadly disease 42 percent.

5. Preventing senile
Maybe because they increase production of acetylcholine, a chemical that transmits messages between nerve cells, so the content of apples is able to maintain the sharpness of the brain, enhance memory, and potentially reduce the likelihood of getting Alzheimer's disease.