Simply Salads

“It is just sensible.”exclaimed my friend. She was referring to the large plates sitting in front of us loaded with everything imaginable. As though, it was sensible ingesting a mountain of lettuces, sliced boiled eggs, chunks of ham, shredded cheeses, tomatoes,avocado’s and bacon rinds smothered in a creamy salad dressing. To another friend, a salad and a soup was a lunch of supreme importance. Somehow, salads were a part of our meals and also our lives. From the simple varations of salad greens tossed with a classic vinaigrette to the more complex salad ingredients served with various blended or whisked salad dressings, salads are a compliment to any meal.

A salad meal begins with a meatless vegetable soup that is filled with chunks of vegetables and topped with some shredded parmesan cheese.

Meatless Vegetable Soup
(Serves 4 bowls or 6 cups)
¾-cup celery, chopped

½-cup onion, chopped

1-large Russet potato, cut into one-inch chunks

2-whole carrots, sliced thin

1-cup cabbage, sliced

¾-cup fresh or frozen corn

1-large can stewed tomatoes, chopped

¾-cup fresh or frozen English peas

4-cans chicken broth

2-cans of water

½-cup fresh parsley, chopped

¾-cup fresh or frozen green beans

3-cloves garlic, sliced

1-Tlb. olive oil

¼-tsp. salt and cracked black pepper

1-Tlb. parmesan cheese(per bowl)

1-tsp. parmesan cheese (per cup)

Directions: In the one tablespoon olive oil, sauté the onion and the garlic until they are wilted. In a soup pot or a dutch oven add all of the raw vegetables plus the sautéed onions and the garlic. Cover the vegetables with the chicken broth and the water. Season with the salt and the pepper. Simmer the soup on medium low for one hour or until the vegetables are tender. Serve in individual bowls or cups and sprinkle the top of the soup with the parmesan cheese. Serve the soup with a tossed green salad of: mixed green lettuces, roma tomatoes, radishes and green onions. Salad dressing: In a bowl combine 2-Tlbs rice wine vinegar, 1-Tlb sugar, 3 or 4 drops hot sauce, and 2-Tlbs. mayonnaise.

Nothing is better than a bowl of fresh salad greens enhanced with a classic vinaigrette.

Simply Green Salad
1-head bib lettuce
2-heads red tip lettuce

2-heads butter lettuce2

-green onions, sliced

3-Tlbs olive oil

2-Tlbs red wine vinegar

1-tsp.dry yellow mustard

¼-tsp sea salt

¼-tsp cracked black pepper

Directions: Rub a salad bowl with a clove of garlic. Whisk the three tablespoons of olive oil, the two tablespoons of red wine vinegar and the one teaspoon of dry yellow mustard until they are well combined. Add the salad greens and toss until the salad greens are well coated with the vinaigrette. Serve with a slice of French bread and some butter.

The combination of bacon and avocado that has been combined with shredded bib lettuce and a blended blue cheese dressing has fewer calories than a sandwich made with the same ingredients.

Bacon And Avocado Salad(Serves 4)
1-head bib lettuce, shredded

1-medium tomato, chopped

¾-cup bacon, cooked and cut into pieces

1-medium avocado, chopped

2-green onions, chopped

Blended Blue Cheese Dressing (Makes 2 cups)
1-egg

¼-cup sugar

1-Tlb. fresh lemon juice

1-tsp. yellow mustard

2-cups canola oil

1-medium chunk blue cheese

Directions: Add the first four ingredients and set the blender on low. After they are combined, slowly add the canola oil. When it is of a mayonnaise consistency, cut the medium chunk of blue cheese into pieces and pulse the blender for a few seconds until the blue cheese is incorporated into the salad dressing.

The dessert for a healthful salad meal is a chocolate cake so rich and dense that it totally indulges all of the senses. The recipe below is from The Texas Cookbook and it is over a hundred years old.

Texas Cake
2-cups flour

2-cups sugar

½-cup shortening

½-cup butter or margarine

4-Tlbs. cocoa

½-cup water

½-cup buttermilk

2-eggs, slightly beaten

1-tsp. salt

1-tsp. baking powder

1-tsp. cinnamon

1-tsp vanilla

Directions: Sift the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and the cinnamon. In a saucepan,combine the shortening, water and the cocoa slowly bringing the ingredients to a boil.Remove the ingredients from the heat and add the eggs, the buttermilk, and the vanilla stirring until they are well combined. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and combine them. Flour and grease a nine-to-thirteen inch cake pan. Evenly coat the greased cake pan with the cake ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for thirty-five minutes.

Frosting:

½-cup butter or margarine

4-Tlbs. cocoa

6-Tlbs.milk

3-1/2-cups of powdered sugar

1-tsp vanilla

½-cups pecans
Directions: In a medium saucepan combine the butter, cocoa and the milk slowly bringing the ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat. Add the powdered sugar mixing well. Stir in the vanilla and add the pecans. Frost the cake while it is still hot for a fudge texture. Serve slices of cake with a dip of homemade vanilla ice cream.

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By Carol A Hill

Cooking since the age of fifteen, the author had always enjoyed making salads.

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The Four Cornerstones of Nutrition

What is nutrition? We hear so many reports today on different foods containing them, but the reporters rarely provide any context in which the informaiton can be understood. To receive the benefits of good nutrition, it is important to understand how the different components fit together. Here's one way to look at nutrition as a whole. In nutrition, we have components called micronutrients. There are different ways to group them, but I like to call the following the Four Cornerstones of Nutrition.

First, the cornerstones.

• Vitamins and Minerals
• Antioxidants
• Plant Sterols
• Glyconutrients
  

When you eat, all of these things should be in your diet. They don’t make up the bulk of your food but instead these are the "little details" that make up the smaller parts needed for cellular function.
Here’s how I think of it. With a car you have steel, glass and rubber. That’s like the bulk of the food you eat. It’s important.
In the same car you have just one little needle to say how fast your car is going. One steering wheel. One rear view mirror. As a percentage of the parts in the car, those things seem minor, but they’re extremely important, right?
In nutrition it’s the same thing Vitamins and Minerals, Antioxidants, Plant Sterols, and Glyconutrients are those little parts that make such a critical component of the proper function of our cells.
In a car plant extra parts can be stored without any time limit. In the body, nutrients are not stored. If one day your body decides it didn’t need all the vitamin C you got in your diet, be it from food, or from supplements, it’ll be filtered by the kidneys and flushed from the body. But because you body does not store any of these nutrients, your need for them tomorrow is a whole new day.
Here’s the brief summary of the types of nutrients.
Vitamins and Minerals: These are used as enzymes, and other catalysts for chemical reactions in your body. Take Vitamin A. Every day Vitamin A is used to repair gradual degeneration of the light sensitive rods in your eyes. This is why Vitamin A is called the “eye vitamin.” A long-term deficiency of Vitamin A causes a disease called Beri Beri. Many vitamins and minerals actually do not handle exposure to heat very well which is why having raw food in our diet is important. To make up for the vitamin and mineral losses in our food, caused by processing and cooking, we should take a supplement.
Antioxidants: Some vitamins and minerals, and even glyconutrients, behave as antioxidants. These are the neutralizers of “free radicals” in the body. Free Radicals are kind of like rust on a car, or like a cinder that popped through the screen in the fireplace. Our own ability to burn calories produces naturally produces Free Radicals and then many toxins we encounter in our environment are also free radicals.
Plant Sterols: The body, no matter how old or young, is regulated by nearly 90 different hormones. Hormones are made in your body out of cholesterol, plant sterols and some other vitamins and minerals contribute to the production of hormones.
Glyconutrients: These are the newly discovered nutrients that are all the talk in the research world. Both Harpers and Lippincott’s Biochemistry texts. which are used to teach med students biochemistry. include chapters on glyconutrients and their role as a necessary nutrient in normal cellular function. Most doctors in practice today learned from these textbooks before these nutrients were discovered and added to these text books, but Continuing Medical Education (CME) is available for doctors to learn about glycobiology.
Glyconutrients, are sugars, but not like the refined sugars we get far too much of. In function, they are like letters of the alphabet for the cells. By building structures from these glyconutrients, our cells talk to each other. Because cells under attack, or cells in need or repair, have more to talk about than healthy cells, some people benefit greatly by consuming large amounts of the glyconutrients. Mothers breast milk has at least 7 of the 8 known glyconutrients. It’s been shown that during pregnancy, the woman’s body does its best to manufacture extra glyconutrients for the fetus and later for feeding.
An important point should be made. All of these nutrients should be in the food you eat everyday. In fact, they always are. It’s just that they’re not in the quantities that they used to be. So when older generations say that you should be able to get all you need from diet alone, they are correct. But the food that was available in the 40s and before is not the food we have available to us today. The rules changed. We don’t have as many of these nutrients in our food which is why taking supplements helps get them back into the body.
When you read a report on nutrition, look at how that report fits into the four cornerstones of nutrition. No nutrient stands alone so seek informaiton about balanced nutrient intake and take the reports about single nutrient studies with a grain of salt.

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By David Saunders

Dave Saunders is a certified nutritional educator, wellness coach, member of the American International Association of Nutritional Education (AIANE) and author. He is also the host of a weekly, nation-wide telephone lecture on health and nutrition. For additional information, please visit his site on nutrition and glyconutrients at http://www.glycoboy.com or http://www.glycowellness.com or email Dave at dave@glycoboy.com

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Hyperglycemia, Diabetes, and Managing Blood Sugar

So, after a miserable 10 hours of blood tests it’s confirmed you have hyperglycemia. Well now isn’t the time to sit back and get depressed. Look at the positive side, now you know why you’ve been tired and worn out for all of this time. Diagnosed in 1982 with hyperglycemia it was harder to maintain a steady blood sugar rate. These days with the advanced technology available for instantly checking blood sugar, the disease is easier to manage.
You can now pick up blood sugar monitors that give you instant notification of your blood sugar level. Back in that day it was impossible to monitor this vital information. Now you can cruise down to the nearest Wal-Mart and pick one up off of the shelves.
Sometimes the easiest way to monitor your blood sugar is to stop and reflect on how you are feeling at that particular moment and then check your blood. If you get to a point where you know where your levels are before checking you can recognize the patterns of behavior and adjust your life accordingly. Sure, it’s important to keep your monitor on you but after awhile you’ll automatically recognize the way that you’re feel and be prepared to take the appropriate action prior to getting that familiar sick feeling.
You need to get to a point in your life that you can recognize how you feel and adjust your diet accordingly, then you’ll have the disease whipped. The problem is it takes some “on the job” training to recognize the symptoms and how your body reacts to the amount of sugar in your blood. The only way to get to this point is to train yourself as to the warning signs of a dangerous low blood sugar level. This is not to replace the family doctor’s advice, just be observant of your own body.
We’re not accustomed to this type of behavior so it may take awhile, but don’t give up! Before long you’ll be managing yourself without the pain in your finger from testing your blood..

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By Alexis Allen

Alxis Allen is a person that know how to deal with the ups and downs of low sugar conditions. With diabetes tips and secrets at http://diabetes-news-online.info she writes and teaches low sugar diets and lifestyles. In addition to that http://www.diabetes-news-online.info has some great diabetes health news on a regular basis.

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Diabetes May Lead to Erectile Dysfunction

Researches have established that a diabetes patient is more prone to succumb to erectile dysfunction than a normal person. Erectile Dysfunction besides diabetes can prove a disastrous combination that can have an impending effect on the psychological and physical well being of a man's life. Men who are having erectile dysfunction problem may became so concerned with the inadequacy that they try to avoid the sexual situation altogether. Same time it increases the stress level, frustration and can trigger a bout of depression.

It is estimated that more than 50% diabetic patient are suffering from ED. Erectile Dysfunction occur at younger age. Within 10 yrs of the diagnosis of the disease trait of ED begin to surface, although not all diabetics develop ED.

Why the diabetics are easy prey to Erectile Dysfunction? Men endowed with healthy blood vessel, nerves, male Harmon and “desire” to perform gets the erection on wish. Diabetes can kill blood vessels and nerves that make the erection possible. Therefore even the normal amount of male hormones and desire to have sex can not help getting a firm erection.

Medical people believe that presence of a blood sugar in diabetic prove an impediment to the enzyme that start the series of events which lead to erection.

Endothelial nitric acid syntheses (eNOs) enzyme considered responsible to start the chain of vascular events that produce and sustain erection.Enzyme (eNOs) cause the release of Nitric Oxide at the nerve ending in penis. The initial release of NO get a quick and short duration increase in penile blood flow it also cause short time relaxation in penile muscle to get an erection. Enhanced penile blood vessel and smooth penile muscle relaxation increase the blood flow in penis which results in erection.

When blood sugar O-GLcNac present in hyper glycemic(high blood sugar) circumstances interrupt eNOs enzyme this may cause permanent penile impairment over time.

A patient of diabetes should always take extra care to understand the complexities of his health psychosexual counseling is mandatory in these situations. Sexual therapy is vital for people with diabetes, since the chronic condition is fraught with situational stresses, performance anxiety, and problems in relationships.

A range of different modes of medication are available for the diabetics. Penile injection or vacuum erection device therapy has been used by many patients with satisfaction. A penile prosthesis was certainly a viable option in these individuals should they fail those therapies or wish to go directly to penile prosthesis. Obviously one must bear in mind that diabetics have a higher incidence of infection and thus they should be counseled in that regard. Sildenafil is also proving a good source that diabetics can look up to.

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By Tody Parker

Tody PARKER is a freelance writer specialized in men's health issues. http://www.genericpills4less.com is most reliable cheapest and fastest growing site for online purchase of generic viagra.

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Understanding Vegetarianism

Like the Sun, Moon, and Earth, there are three kinds of vegetarians in existence: ovo-lacto, a vegetarian that eats vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, as well as eggs and dairy products. Lacto, a vegetarian that eats everything the "ovo-lacto" does, except eggs. Finally, we have vegans, a vegetarian that eats what the rest of the others eat, except for any kind of animal products, period. Each group of vegetarian is unique, but branches from the same tree of life.

Why would anyone want to be a vegetarian? Well there are many reasons as there are stars in the heavens. Some reasons are for health purposes, religious/spiritual, environmental, and the love and protection of animals. Other reasons may be for very personal ones. No matter the reason, we all meet at the same intersection on the road of health.

What Can Vegetarianism Do For Me?

Science has proven time and again that vegetarians are among the healthiest people on the planet. They live longer and are less prone to chronic diseases. Eating a low fat vegetarian diet can also help in losing excess weight. Obesity can lead to adult onset diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer. Eating a vegetarian type diet can reverse heart disease and other health complaints such as arthritis. In addition, the vegetarian diet can lower blood pressure. Because potassium is plentiful in fruits and vegetables, the vegetarian diet lowers blood pressure by helping the kidneys abolish sodium and modify blood pressure-regulating enzymes.

A vegetarian diet decreases the thickness of blood. As a result, it flows more easily through blood vessels. This in turn means the heart works less to push the blood. Further more, a vegetarian diet benefits you by using millions of kidney cells to filter and purify your blood. A meat diet over works the kidneys and slowly kills off the kidney cells called nephrons. Animal protein, when broken down in the body, produces waste products that strain the filtering power of the kidneys. If you’ve lost any kind of kidney function, due to infection, diabetes or even high blood pressure, your increased chances of nephrons damaging your kidneys are high. Plant based proteins on the other hand, do not damage or harm your kidneys in anyway.

Nutritional Vegetarians

As a new vegetarian, no doubt you'll be wondering if you'll be getting the right nutrition and certainly enough of it. Yes and yes, there's no reason why you would be under nourished being a vegetarian. Fruits and vegetables provide crucial nutrients such as vitamins C and E, beta carotene and lycopene. Such nutrients are referred to as antioxidants and their function is to help fight diseases by neutralizing substances called free radicals. Antioxidants contain disease fighting properties that protect cells from damage.

Religious & Spiritual Paths

Many religions practice some form of vegetarianism. In the East, you have the Hindus and Buddhists. In the West, you have Christians like the Seventh Day Adventist. Many Eastern and Western Mystics also follow the vegetarian path. Through meditation and other spiritual practices, they have gained a greater awareness of how they should be eating and treating their bodies. Even Jewish Mystics follow the vegetarian lifestyle.

For The Love of Planet & Animals

Among other reasons for becoming a vegetarian are environmental and animal rights issues. Raising animals for food causes topsoil loss, erosion and isn’t a light matter. This sort of farming (livestock agriculture) is rapidly deteriorating the world's crop lands. It takes 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat, compared to 390 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef. Livestock produce massive amounts of excrement, which has been shown to pollute soil, water, and air. Animals such as chickens, pigs and cows are forced to live in In-Humane conditions which cultivate disease and emotional, physical, and mental pain, as well as discomfort. The methods used to kill these creatures for the sake of feeding the masses are usually pretty violent and heart breaking. Scientist has proven that animals have feelings too and they surely feel pain.
Eat Right -- Live Well

That's right, many people just want to eat healthy and feel better in there lives. It truly feels good to be a vegetarian in everyway. You can't go wrong with better health, helping the planet and its creatures. You also share a common bond with some of the world's most famous people: Pythagoras, Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, Gandhi, and Charles Darwin. There are plenty of other famous people such as actors and actresses of our time, that are vegetarians and proud of it.

A New Beginning

Vegetarianism isn’t just something that you do or way of eating, but also a state of being that illuminates your mind, spirit, emotion and body in a way of existing, that allows you to experience life in a very rewarding and positive way. To be a vegetarian, is to see the hidden harmony in a world of disguised chaos. I can assure you, we're unique individuals.

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By Gabriel Foster

Gabriel Foster is the editor for http://www.gabrielfoster.com, the online magazine for both vegetarians and natural health enthusiasts.

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Why Should I Lose Weight?

According to the BMI chart, if you are overweight, you may be more at risk of developing disease. That should be reason enough to lose weight. Weight related conditions include:

• Premature death
• Cardiovascular disease
• High blood pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Stroke
• Gallbladder Disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep apnea and breathing problems
• Some cancers
• Diabetes
  

Obesity can also cause irregular periods, complication with pregnancy, hirsutism (excessive body and facial hair), incontinence, depression, surgery complications and more.
If your health doesn't concern you, maybe your pocketbook does. By staying overweight, you may increase the amount of time spent visiting various healthcare professionals. Most of them don't work for free. Medications to treat these diseases can run into hundreds of dollars a month. Not to mention, you may have to take more time off work to care for your ailments. This means less income for you. And, you may notice that your health insurance premiums keep going up. It's because the amount being spent on healthcare keeps going up. A majority of which is related to treating problems that could be prevented by exercise and staying at a healthy weight. What a vicious cycle it is.
The annual cost associated with obesity and being overweight is staggering. The national cost of healthcare related to this is well over $100 Billion dollars. Diabetes and heart disease are among the fastest growing diseases that could easily be prevented in most people by staying at a healthy weight and exercising. Visit the NIDDK to get a breakdown of the costs associated with each disease that is related to being overweight.
By losing weight and starting a healthier way of life you can really save a lot of money. Eating healthier usually also means eating less. You may be able to save on the amount you spend on groceries and eating out each week too. Think of all the other things you could do with that money you'll be saving. It may require an initial investment to get the weight off but the rewards are well worth it.
Calculate your daily caloric needs and BMI for free and find many weight loss programs at http://www.natural-weight-loss-programs.com. Order a free trial of Te-Lite today.

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By Gerald Meyer

Gerald Meyer is a registered pharmacist and provides advice on the many weight loss programs available today. Many natural weight loss programs can be found at http://www.natural-weight-loss-programs.com

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Relieve PMS with the Food Diet Changes

Almost every woman suffers with premenstrual syndrome at one time or another. The symptoms are familiar: mood swings, cramping and bloating, trouble sleeping. Fortunately, alternative therapies and dietary changes are now providing many women with relief.
Reducing salt, alcohol and caffeine for a few days before your period should help with the bloating and mood swings. Some women have been helped by limiting sugar during this week as well. Be sure to get plenty of vitamin B-6, which can be found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, fish, poultry and potatoes. Vitamin E has also been found to have a positive effect on premenstrual symptoms.
Research has shown that the consumption of fat increases estrogen levels, so reducing the amount of fat that you consume will help normalize estrogen levels and ease premenstrual syndrome. Increasing your intake of whole grains and fibers will help your body to eliminate the excess estrogen in your system. Combine the two and you have a powerful weapon against cramps and bloating.
Calcium has also shown significant results when used to treat premenstrual symptoms. Taken with manganese and vitamin D, calcium aided in concentration, reduced cramping, bloating and mood swings. You can get plenty of dietary calcium in green leafy vegetables and legumes.
Evening primrose oil has also been used to treat premenstrual syndrome. It is rich in omega 6 fatty acids that seem to act as an anti-inflammatory in the body, helping relieve cramps. These fatty acids are found in salmon, mackerel and tuna as well as safflower, sunflower and grapeseed oil.
Before turning to prescription or over-the-counter medications for premenstrual syndrome, try making some dietary changes. You may get to feel better quickly, without resorting to popping pills!

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By Sandra Kim Leong

Sandra Kim Leong publishes information on food diet and nutrition remedies for common health ailments. For resources and free articles, please visit http://www.food-diet-remedy.com

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Simple Food and Diet Nutrition Remedies for Your Common Health Ailments

You are what you eat is a simple, time tested adage that still holds true today. There are non-medical remedies that can help with many of today’s most common illnesses and conditions. In fact, making simple changes to your food diet to cure your common cold, acne or constipation problems is a much better choice than resorting to drugs. For one, natural food and diet remedies most often do not give you harmful side-effects that western allopathic medicine can bring.
Here are some health ailments that can be easily treated with a simple food and diet remedy:
Allergies. More Americans suffer from allergies than ever before. Perhaps the best remedy for allergies is drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. Garlic and cayenne pepper have been used for years, and a good intestinal cleansing has been shown to provide relief. Almonds and walnuts, as well as sunflower seeds, reduce symptoms, and make sure that you are taking a multi-vitamin with the recommended doses of vitamins C, A, E and zinc.
Acne. Acne in both teens and adults is also becoming more and more common. There are many natural dietary changes that you can make to help clear up your skin. First, drink water. It flushes out the impurities. Soy protein helps, as does increasing your consumption of whole grains, fresh fruits and root vegetables. Have three servings of oily fish weekly and add some cold pressed seed oil daily.
Constipation. To help constipation, increase your intake of folic acid. Apple pectin can help relieve constipation and add fiber to your diet. Try drinking some ginger tea or yerba mate in tea form. Cod liver oil is a tried and true, but hard to swallow, remedy. Warm dandelion tea also helps.
Stress. Holy basil, also known as Tulsi, has been used to relieve stress and normalize cortical levels. Limiting caffeine can help the body to reduce the level of adrenaline. When you’re particularly stressed out, eat carbohydrates and fresh vegetables. They help the body release serotonin which produce a feeling of well-being.
Cancer. Consuming the trace elements that are plentiful in seafood has been shown to help cancer patients. Broccoli, mustard greens, cabbage and turnips have been recently touted as not only preventative maintenance but perhaps even cures for different types of cancers. Limit your fats.
Help your body cure itself by trying some of these simple food and diet changes. By also including them in your regular diet, you also help in the prevention of these health problems and to build a strong immune system.

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By Sandra Kim Leong

Sandra Kim Leong publishes information on food diet and nutrition remedies for common health ailments. For free articles and resources, please visit http://www.food-diet-remedy.com

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How To Find Your Ideal Body Weight

A calorie is the unit used to measure the energy value of food and the energy used by the body to maintain normal functions. When the calories from food intake equal the calories of energy the body uses, weight remains constant. But when more calories are eaten than the body needs, the body stores those additional calories as fat, causing subsequent weight gain. One pound (1 lb) of fat represents about 3,500 excess calories.
Obesity is partially determined by a person’s genetic makeup. If a child inherited the excessive body fat cells of his obese parents, more likely, he will tend to eat more than his body needs; thus, making him an obese too. Copying poor eating habits of parents also affects a child’s body weight.
Lifestyles also play a key role in the triggering obesity. Eating big servings of food at restaurants and fast foods more frequently than nutritious home-cooked foods could help adding more calories and fats rather than limiting them. Devoting less time for exercise and other physical activities do not control weight gain.
Doing sedate recreational activities such as browsing the internet, video games, movies, and television, using labor saving devices such as personal computers, telephones, and remote controls, promote an inactive lifestyle. This is a potential risk factor for heart disease in later life.
Obesity is defined as being 20 percent or more above one’s desirable weight range. It is a medical condition that refers mainly to storage of excess body fat. The human body naturally stores fat tissue under the skin and around organs and joints.
Fat is critical for good health because it is a source of energy when the body lacks natural energy necessary to sustain life processes, and it provides insulation and protection for internal organs. But the accumulation of too much fat in the body is associated with a variety of health problems.
Physical health can be measured through the appropriateness of a person’s weight to his height; where the body weight refers to the measure of one’s body mass, and the height is the measure of his tallness.
Body Mass Index is an accurate indicator of surplus body fat than kilos or pounds. It is a mathematical ratio of height to weight that can be linked with body composition (or body fat percentage) and with indices of health risk.
For instance, a woman measuring 5 ft high (1.52 m), with a medium body frame should weigh between 103 lbs to 115 lbs (46.72 kg – 52.16 kg) to be considered healthy.
Another example: a man standing 5 ft 8 in (1.72 m) tall, with a large body frame is healthy if he is weighing between 144 lbs – 163 lbs (65.32 kg – 73.94 kg).
Otherwise, if their weight is lower than the desired body weight for their height, they are considered underweight, and if, in turn, their weight is higher than the desired body weight for their height, they are said to be overweight.
In the second part of this article I will discuss how you can determine your ideal body mass.

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By Christopher Ruane

For more related information visit: http://www.Hoodiaa.com - a site that offers product advice for coping with weight loss. Get professional knowledge on dealing with symptoms, side effects and improving your life!

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Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes affects the manner in which the body handles digested carbohydrates. If neglected, diabetes can cause serious health complications, ranging from blindness to kidney failure.
Approximately 8% of the population in the United States has diabetes. This means that approximately 16 million people have been diagnosed with the disease, based only on national statistics. The American Diabetes Association estimates that diabetes accounts for 178,000 deaths, 54,000 amputees, and 12,000-24,000 cases of blindness annually. Blindness is 25 times more common among diabetic patients compared to nondiabetics. It is proposed that by the year 2010, diabetes will exceed both heart disease and cancer as the leading cause of death through its many complications.
Diabetics have a high level of blood glucose. The blood sugar level is regulated by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, which releases it in response to food consumption. Insulin causes the cells of the body to take in glucose from the blood. The glucose is used as fuel for cellular functions.
Diagnostic standards for diabetes have been fasting plasma glucose levels greater than 140 mg/dL on two occasions and plasma glucose greater than 200 mg/dL following a 75-gram glucose load. More recently, the American Diabetes Association lowered the criteria for a diabetes diagnosis to fasting plasma glucose levels equal to or greater than 126 mg/dL. Fasting plasma levels outside the normal limit require additional tests, usually by repeating the fasting plasma glucose test and (if indicated) giving the patient an oral glucose tolerance test.
The symptoms of diabetes include excessive urination, excessive thirst and hunger, sudden weight loss, blurred vision, delay in healing of wounds, dry and itchy skin, repeated infections, fatigue and headache. These symptoms, while suggestive of diabetes, may be due to other reasons also.
There are two different types of diabetes.
Type I Diabetes (juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes): The cause of type I diabetes is caused by pancreatic inability to produce insulin. It is responsible for 5-10% of cases of diabetes. The pancreatic Islet of Langerhans cells, which secrete the hormone, are destroyed by the body's own immune system, probably because it mistakes them for a virus. Viral infections are thought to be the trigger that sets off this auto-immune disease. It is more common in caucasians and runs in families.
If untreated, death occurs within a few months of the onset of juvenile diabetes, as the cells of the body starve because they no longer receive the hormonal prompt to take in glucose. While most Type I diabetics are young (hence the term Juvenile Diabetes), the condition can develop at any age. Autoimmune diabetes can be definitely diagnosed by a blood test which shows the presence of anti-insulin/anti-islet-cell antibodies.
Type II Diabetes (non insulin dependent diabetes or adult onset diabetes): This diabetes is a result of body tissues becoming resistant to insulin. It accounts for 90-95% of cases. Often the pancreas is producing more than average amounts of insulin, but the cells of the body have become unresponsive to its effect due to the chronically high level of the hormone. Eventually the pancreas may exhaust its over-active secretion of the hormone, and insulin levels fall to below normal.
A tendency towards Type II diabetes is hereditary, but it is unlikely to develop in normal-weight individuals eating a low- or moderate-carbohydrate diet. Obese, sedentary individuals who eat poor-quality diets based on refined starch, which constantly activates pancreatic insulin secretion, are prone to develop insulin resistance. Native peoples such as North American Indians whose traditional diets did not include refined starch until its recent introduction by Europeans have extremely high rates of diabetes, up to 5 times the rate of caucasians. Blacks and hispanics are also at higher risk. Though Type II diabetes is not fatal within a matter of months, it can lead to health complications over several years and cause severe disability and premature death. As with Type I diabetes, the condition is found primarily in one age group, in this case people over 40 (which is why it is often termed Adult Onset); however, with the rise in childhood and teenage obesity, it is appearing in children as well.
If neglected, diabetes can lead to life-threatening complications such as kidney damage (nephropathy), heart disease, nerve damage (neuropathy), retinal damage and blindness(retinopathy), and hypoglycemia (drastic reduction in glucose levels). Diabetes damages blood vessels, especially smaller end-arteries, leading to severe and premature atherosclerosis. Diabetics are prone to foot problems because neuropathy, which affects approximately 10% of patients, causes their feet to lose sensation. Foot injuries, common in day-to-day living, go unnoticed, and these injuries do not heal because of poor circulation through the small arteries in the foot. Gangrene and subsequent amputation of toes or feet is the consequence for many elderly patients with poorly-controlled diabetes. Usually these sequelae appear earlier in Type I than Type II diabetes, because Type II patients have some of their own insulin production left to buffer changes in blood sugar levels.
Type I diabetes is a serious disease and there is no permanent cure for it. However, the symptoms can be controlled by strict dietary monitering and insulin injections. Implanted pumps which release insulin immediately in response to changes in blood glucose are in the testing stages.
In theory, since it caused by diet, Type II diabetes should be preventable and manageable by dietary changes alone, but in practice many diabetics (and many obese people without diabetes) find it personally impossible to lose weight or adhere to a healthy diet. Therefore they are frequently treated with drugs which restore the body's response to insulin, and in some cases injections of insulin.
Please note that this article is not a subsitute for medical advice. If you suspect you have diabetes or are in a high risk group, please see your doctor.
For more information, please visit our site, http://www.diabetes-testing-2006.info

___________________________

By Frank Vanderlugt

Frank Vanderlugt http://www.diabetes-testing-2006.info

More about → Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Where Does Your Drinking Water Come From?

Have you ever thought about where your drinking water comes from? Most of us never give this question a thought. Yet, the sources of our water tell us a lot about its quality.
The Importance of Water Sources
Very early in the development of civilizations, people recognized the importance of finding reliable water sources. A clean, constant supply of safe drinking water is essential for every community. Consequently, the earliest civilizations developed near sources of clean water.
As time passed, people began to migrate and settle in areas many miles from a reliable water source. So they developed delivery systems that drew water from those distant sources. The Roman aqueducts are an excellent example of such a delivery system.
Today, people in large cities frequently depend on surface water sources, such as lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, for their drinking water. Sometimes these sources are close to the community. At other times, water suppliers get their water from sources many miles away.
In either case, when you think about the source of your drinking water, it's important to consider the entire watershed in which the source is located. The watershed is the land area over which water flows into the river, lake, or reservoir.
In rural areas, people are more likely to drink ground water pumped from a well. These wells tap into aquifers or natural reservoirs under the earth's surface. These aquifers may be only a few miles wide, or may span the borders of many states. As with surface water, remember that activities many miles away from you may affect the quality of ground water.
Both public and private water supplies can be drawn from a variety of sources. Different sources of raw water demand different treatment methods to render it fit for human consumption.
Deep Groundwater Sources
The water emerging from some deep groundwater sources may have fallen as rain many decades or even hundreds of years ago. Soil and rock layers will naturally filter the groundwater to a high degree of clarity. Deep groundwater may emerge as springs. In places where the water does not emerge as springs, water suppliers will often bore wells to extract it.
Usually, groundwater has a very high bacteriological quality. Because the water passed through layers of soil and rock, it may also be rich in dissolved solids including carbonates and Sulfates of Calcium and Magnesium.
Depending on the strata through which the water has flowed, other ions may also be present. These could include chloride and bicarbonates. Often, water from deep sources requires special treatment to remove its iron or manganese content to make it pleasant for drinking, cooking, and laundry.
Seepage of surface water recharges these deep groundwater sources. This seepage introduces industrial, chemical, animal and human contaminants into these underground aquifers. As these contaminants merge with natural elements in the water, health threats are introduced and disinfection is required.
Shallow Groundwater Sources
While deep groundwater lays far below ground level, shallow groundwater travels in streams within a few hundred feet of ground level. Access to shallow groundwater is usually through wells or boreholes.
The bacteriological quality of these shallow sources can vary depending on the nature of the underground reservoir. A variety of soluble materials may be present including potentially toxic metals such as copper or zinc. In some places, shallow ground water sources contain unacceptably high levels of Arsenic contamination.
Upland Lakes and Reservoirs
Typically, municipalities place upland reservoirs in the headwaters of river systems, above any human habitation. They often surround them by some form of protection zone to restrict the opportunities for contamination.
Bacterial and pathogen levels are usually low, but some bacteria, protozoa and algae will be present. Where uplands are forested or are peaty, humic acids can give the water a brown color. Many upland sources have low pH which requires adjustment before the water enters the supply.
Rivers, Canals and Low-Land Reservoirs
Lowland surface waters primarily come from rain runoff. As rainwater washes the streets of our cities and filters through landfills and farmlands, it picks up a significant bacterial load. It may also contain algae, suspended solids and a variety of dissolved elements.
Conclusions
All water sources contribute to water contamination. The source of your water determines the kind of contaminants it carries.
While water treatment facilities neutralize most of the contaminants, some escape and end up in your drinking water. Many of these contaminants are harmless and, at most, give the water a bad taste or odor. Other pose potential health threats.
To protect yourself and your family from these potential threats, we recommend the use of a home water filtration system to assure that your drinking water is clean.

____________________________

By Earl Calvert

Earl Calvert is a freelance writer. His writings include Bible study curriculum materials and articles for national business magazines. As an advocate for clean drinking water, Earl designed his website on drinking water to educate the public water quality issues.

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7 Tips on Using Food Diet Remedies for Your Common Health Ailments

Making simple changes to your food diet can help remedy some of the common health problems. Increasingly, more health experts are acknowledging that natural food is a good alternative medicine against many diseases. The use of antibiotics or drugs may not necessarily be the “cure all” answer. Recent studies have shown that cabbage, garlic and apples, etc provide good nutritional remedies.
If you are interested to find out more, there are quite a couple of health and nutrition books that are available on this topic.
However, before you gorge yourself silly based on the recommendations in these books, here are 7 tips to ensure that you don’t run into more health problems:-
1) If the recommendation is on a natural food, then it is generally considered safer versus one that is not. Examples of natural food will include your vegetables and fruits. Two examples of non-natural foods are instant noodles and salty pototo chips in a packet.
2) Proceed slowly as you may not know if you are allergic to that food or not. Your food allergies may also extend to natural foods too eg. peanuts.
3) It is best to take the remedies in small quantities and diluted form. You can increase the concentration once your body is okay with it and there are no apparent symptoms.
4) “Listen to Your Body” and discontinue any remedy if you experience any body discomfort.
5) Exercise caution if you want to give natural remedies to your children. If you are unsure, always consult a doctor.
6) If you are on medication, check with your doctor first before taking up any suggestions relating to your food diet.
7) It is recommended to rotate the consumption of a wide range of fresh and natural foods and juices.

___________________________

By Evelyn Lim

Sandra Kim Leong believes in using natural food and nutrition remedies for common health ailments. For more information, please visit her article resource site at http://www.food-diet-remedy.com

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Warning: If You're a Woman Over 25, You Should Eat These Foods To Prevent Diseases

Do you keep your health care plan in the fridge? It’s not a bad idea actually because if you pick your foods the right way, you can pack heart disease, colon cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes prevention all in a day’s worth of groceries.
Heart Disease
It kills nearly 500,000 women a year. The American Heart Association warns that heart disease, including stroke, claims more women’s lives than the next six causes of death combined. Yet few women realize their risks for heart disease.
Hip 30-something singer Toni Braxton thought her chests pains were just from parenting stress before she discovered that she had heart disease. While the singer is OK now, she’s getting the word out about heart disease as the spokeswoman for the American Heart Association’s “Go Red For Women” campaign.
If you want to be heart smart, you need to be food wise. For example, according to the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, a diet loaded whole grains may lower your risk of developing heart disease.
Other clinical research from the Archives of Internal Medicines found a link between increased dietary fiber and reduced blood pressure. In short, more fiber my reduce hypertension and thus lower the blood pressure.
Where to get fiber and whole grains:
Apples, grapes, celery, whole grain bread and cereal (make sure that sugar is not a main ingredient), whole-wheat pasta, popcorn, barley, oats and oatmeal, rye, corn, brown rice, bulgur or cracked wheat, and wheat germ
Colon Cancer
The fiber gleaned from a whole oat rich diet also reduces the risks for developing colon cancer. Similarly in animal studies, selenium has shown anti-cancer benefits. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health noted that calcium limits the development of rectal lesions, which could become cancerous.
Where to get calcium and selenium:
Broccoli, bran, brown rice, cottage cheese, garlic, onion, Brazil nuts, molasses, eggs, yogurt, celery, tahini, kidney beans
Osteoporosis
Are you going scream if someone else tells you to drink your milk to make strong bones? While calcium has hoarded the spotlight for osteoporosis prevention, Dr. Alan R Gaby points out in the Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients, that magnesium, manganese, and zinc are just as important in the fight against osteoporosis.
Where to get them:
Magnesium: Almonds, bran, oat, hazel nuts, pecans, lentils, sunflower seeds.
Manganese: Avocado, walnuts, pineapple, buckwheat, parsley, spinach
Zinc: Cheese, raw cashews, egg white, sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, wheat germ
Diabetes
Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., R.D., spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association suggests limiting your risks for diabetes by consuming orange and leafy green veggies. Adding on a high quality fiber rich cereal can also limit your risk for diabetes.
Where to get orange and leafy green veggies:
Spinach, yams, papayas, peppers, rich green varieties of lettuce, lemons, parsley, cilantro.
Here’s a final reason to stash your health care plan in the fridge. A finding presented at the Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology that analyzed the records from 2,857 heart attack survivors treated at Michigan hospitals found that men had a better chance of surviving after treatment than women.
One reason for this could be that the women receive less one-on-one sessions with the doctors or nurses before going home. The lesson here is to put health in your own hands before you even need to use your health insurance.
Increase your chances of beating heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis now. It’s as easy as buying apples, beets, and carrots. I’ll see you in the produce section.

______________________________

By Naweko San-Joyz

Are you a pro at yo-yo dieting? Let Naweko show you how to go from slob to sexy using the secret mind tools that even fitness models won’t tell you about. Get the real scoop on how to lose weight and keep it off at http://www.Noixia.com, home of “Skinny Fat Chicks: Why We’re Still Not Getting This Dieting Thing” ISBN:0974912212.

More about → Warning: If You're a Woman Over 25, You Should Eat These Foods To Prevent Diseases

Healthy Aging - The Clean-Meat Connection

It is shocking how many people are not taking advantage of the lessons from 21st Century research on cellular health. The syntax of disease is known by many researchers; and many of them are telling you what you can do to protect yourself. They wonder why so many still choose to age and ultimately die prematurely.
Throughout human history, infectious disease was the leading cause of death. By the 20th Century, non-infectious ailments like heart attacks, strokes and cardio-vascular disease along with cancer replaced it as the leading cause. Furthermore, this occurred among the industrial nations, despite greater wealth, better housing and so-called, better nutrition.
So, whether you live longer and healthier than your parents just may depend, not on your monetary wealth or your medical insurance card, but on how well you know and react to the mechanisms of disease in the modern world.
While the message of ancient wisdom has also spoken clear enough, leaving us clues for the last 6,000 years of mankind's history, our modern world has equally spoken. In a world that has the greatest scientific research available, men, women and children still die prematurely. Why? Is there a root cause for this effect?
To find the answer, just compare how many people suffer from disease and early death, while others live long full lives in radiant health. Why does John, an 89 year old man, who smoked cigars and drank a shot of whiskey every night before he went to bed still live, while Josephine, a tea drinker who never smoked, died of cancer at the tender age of 51?
How can that be? The answer must be there for all to see. Your metabolism must be unique; and, therefore, requires a unique set of solutions to maintain better health, stamina and longevity; meaning, one-size health care strategies does NOT fit all needs, except for one: The health strategy that is tailored to you and your metabolism. And that is one of the principle beliefs of healthy agers!
For some, that may be as simple as finding the right combination of nutrients that your body may be lacking. For others, it may mean undoing some habits that may be OK for your neighbor, but not for you!
These solutions, 21st Century style, are available in what I call, "Personal Longevity Technologies." in direct obedience to the original, natural laws designed to protect mankind. Unfortunately, religion and science have not always agreed, haven't they? And mankind has suffered many consequences as a result.
In fact, it was written in the bible many years ago, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because they have rejected knowledge." Please, don't let that be you!
For sure, there is a wealth of knowledge about healthy living that is thoroughly backed by sound scientific research. And you can have access to this wealthy information to begin your very own wellness program! That's right. You can devise your very own, tailored wellness program based on "Personal Longevity Technologies" and the knowledge of cellular health research.
And nobody is saying you should quit seeing your doctor either. Simply be more informed so you can help your doctor help you. You would be surprised how some doctors appreciate patients who take a concerted interest in their own health. When you feel good, they look good; but we won't tell them, will we? It's your personal wellness program at work!
For the record, I have spent multiple years searching for links in multiple research papers that provide information not found in your average health magazine. For example: Did you know that not all meat is fit for human consumption? Do you know what they are? Did you know that you can feed your body with the building blocks of collagen so your arteries won't harden? What are they? And what combination of vitamins assist your body in its processing?
Unfortunately, on average you won't find answers to those kind of questions talking to your doctor! Why? He or she won't take the time. Furthermore, doctors primarily follow what the pharmaceutical companies promote to them, never questioning the ultimate validity of the research. That's why awakening your body and mind to healthy aging is so valuable to you and the state of your longevity.
Choose the Cleaner Human Food Chain
It is amazing with all of the higher education available that many do not understand that the human food chain does NOT include everything that flies, crawls, swims and wiggles.
Putting organized religion aside for the moment, ancient writings like the Bible and the Koran agree on what defines food fit for human consumption, and what is defined as unfit for human consumption.
In reality, those animals fit for human consumption by nature eat grain, grass and roots. In other words, the animals are vegetarean. Their metabolisms are, therefore, designed differently than scavenger animals. If they were to eat like a scavenger, they surely would die of disease, just like those mad cows that ate cannibalized animal feed.
That means that scavenger animals like buzzards, snakes, crabs, lobsters, clams, mussels and pigs have metabolisms for being environmental cleaners. That is their created purpose.
When you eat a scavenger animal, you are actually partaking of THEIR food chain, including decaying, dead animals. That means that you are introducing into YOUR system much of the cells, bacteria and viruses common to THEIR food chain.
Some question rightly if there is a connection with the stress of the modern lifestyle with an unclean diet. While stress reduces the immune system, the unclean foods have the ability to feed on the human host with its micro-organisms, thus compromising the human immune system's ability to fight off disease.
While it's true that modern forms of farming often break natural laws by forcing the land have a reduction in elements that are vital to human health, eating "clean" foods' will certainly support your immune system.

____________________________

By Frank Sherosky

Frank Sherosky is a research author with a passion for health and nutrition. His ebook, "Awaken Your Body to Healthy Aging" supports Hippocates' philosophy of "First, do no harm!" For more information and research links, visit http://www.HealthyAger.com

More about → Healthy Aging - The Clean-Meat Connection

Tips to Avoid Trans Fats Hidden In Food

Recently, trans fats have risen to the forefront of the nutrition world. It is not uncommon on a regular visit to the grocery store to see a wide range of products advertising themselves as being “trans fat free”. This is helpful information for the regular consumer to help avoid over consumption of trans fats, but what are trans fats, why are they harmful and how does one identify trans fats “hidden” in non-labeled foods? This article aims to help the average consumer understand more about trans fats and identify sources from everyday consumables.
What are trans fats and why are they bad?
The technical term for fats is fatty acids. Fatty acids are one of three varieties: unsaturated (most vegetable oils), polyunsaturated (soft margarines, essential fatty acids like omega 3 and omega 6 from fish and nuts) or fully saturated (coconut oil, lard, hard margarines). The term “saturated” refers to the type of chemical bonds (single or double) between the carbon and hydrogen atoms. Most fatty acids in their natural state are in their “cis form” that is, all the hydrogen atoms bonded to the individual carbons atoms are on one side of the fatty acid molecule - on the “cis” side.
Unsaturated oils are not as useful to be made into finished food products since they are prone to “oxidation” and can go rancid – destroying the taste and texture of the product. So to avoid this spontaneous oxidation, the industry practice is to “hydrogenate” the oil. This then creates what is known as a “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” (polyunsaturated fatty acid) that is more stable and less likely to become rancid. Hydrogenation may help increase the quality of the finished food product, however it often involves the formation of trans fats – where the hydrogen is bonded to the carbon on the opposite side of the fatty acid molecule (“trans” side). A trans fatty acid has a different structure than a regular cis fatty acid.
Studies have shown a strong connection between trans fat consumption and the development of cardiovascular disease like arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and heart disease. Evidence also seems to indicate that trans fats may be even more harmful than regular saturated fats like coconut oil, animal fats and lard. Therefore it is very important to be able to avoid consuming high concentrations of trans fats.
How To Spot “Hidden” Trans Fats
A good rule of thumb is to read the ingredients list on the side of the product packaging and look for the words “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil”. Any product containing this ingredient has a higher probability of containing trans fats. It is surprising the number of products that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and the consumer must be vigilant to avoid consuming too many of these foods. Examples of products are: almost all baked goods, foods with breading (chicken breasts, snacks ect.), fried foods, margarines/spreads and even cereals (even “low fat” granola).
In conclusion, it is hoped that this short article provided some basic knowledge on the importance of avoiding trans fats. An informed consumer will be able to make sensible and healthy choices and avoid potentially harmful nutrition sources.

_____________________________

By David Petersen

David Petersen is a Personal Trainer/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar, Florida. More articles and information can be found at http://www.bossfitness.com
NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information and all LIVE website links as above.

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Tools to Manage Your Diabetes

It’s estimated that in the US, over 18 million people over the age of 20 have diabetes. If you happen to have been diagnosed with diabetes, make sure you’re getting all the right diabetes treatment supplies. Also check to make sure that your glucose levels are within the accepted guidelines. Take any other additional steps your physician has advised – but most of all, go out and live your life because your diabetes IS manageable!
People over the age of 45 and those who are considered obese are especially risk prone for this potentially fatal disease. Some of the potential health problems that may result are: partial to complete blindness, kidney disease, hypoglycemia and certain sexual and urological problems. These include erectile dysfunction in men.
Even though these are serious concerns and should be carefully watched for, diabetes is in fact quite manageable, especially with some of the tools we currently have to work with. For example, blood sugar monitoring devices can accurately check your blood glucose levels in a matter of seconds.
Check your levels at least daily. Depending on your particular diagnosis, you might need insulin shots to manage your blood chemistry effectively. These shots may be required several times a day. Also, be sure to have a glucogen emergency kit on hand at all times for your diabetes treatment. This is an important element that should be part of your diabetes supplies kit.
Even though diabetes is manageable, don’t make the mistake of thinking that it isn’t a serious condition that doesn’t require daily attention. It is and it does. Be sure to always keep on hand all of the supplies necessary for proper monitoring and treatment. Like the glucagons kit I just mentioned. Speaking of which, all of the medical supplies you need are available online and can be delivered to your home as needed.
A diabetes diagnosis means that you will probably live with the condition for the rest of your life. But it doesn’t mean the end of your life. Far from it. Millions of people live very full and complete lives despite the condition’s very real potential to bring about serious consequences to one’s well being.
And if you’re worrying that your diabetes diagnosis means that you’ll automatically be going in and out of the doctor’s office every other day – don’t. With self-discipline, a good understanding of the disease and effective diabetes treatment and monitoring techniques, diabetes becomes a very manageable condition.

____________________________

By Carla Peterson

Carla Peterson is a freelance author from Des Moines, Iowa. For examples of other articles, see http://www.1st-in-diabetes-resources.net

More about → Tools to Manage Your Diabetes

After WLS: Silica Vitamin Helps Slow Hair Loss

The question of hair loss comes up all the time in the LivingAfterWLS community. Is there anything we can do to prevent hair loss or at least decrease the severity of it?
Some bariatric centers say there is nothing to be done, that patients have to just live with the hair loss as part of the gastric bypass experience. Other centers say a diet of 70g. protein a day will prevent hair loss. Still other centers recommend taking a daily multi-vitamin and supplemental vitamins intended to improve hair health. I believe in taking a supplemental vitamin that contains silica which is known to improve the health, texture and volume of hair.
Hair loss usually occurs in the fourth of fifth month following weight loss surgery. During the phase of rapid weight loss, caloric intake is marginal. This puts the body in a state of panic called starvation. A healthy body normally sheds ten percent of hair follicles at any given time. When a body is starving roughly thirty to forty percent of hair follicles are sacrificed as the body channels nutrition to more vital areas. During this phase hair loss is dramatic, often patients find clumps of hair on the shower floor. Remaining hair becomes drab and lifeless.
I knew hair loss was a potential result of weight loss surgery, but because I’m a “cup-half-full” person, I didn’t believe that hair loss would happen to me! That just happens to other people, I told myself! Imagine my surprise when my blonde locks were littering the bathroom floor like hair saloon
The hair loss is a transient effect of your gastric bypass surgery and will be resolved when nutrition and weight stabilize. Many patients report favorable results from taking a silica tablet that contains calcium, magnesium, zinc, boron, betaine and horsetail extract. Usually this vitamin and mineral supplement is marketed under the “healthy skin, hair and nails” category at vitamin stores and discount stores.
This is a large vitamin - I call it "the big ugly" and for new post-ops it will be nearly impossible to swallow. The pill can be split with a sharp kitchen knife or purchase a pill splitter at the drugstore. As always, check with your bariatric center if you are newly post-op before taking any nutritional supplement or medication.

_________________________________

By Kaye Bailey

Kaye Bailey © 2005 - All Rights Reserved
An award winning journalist and former newspaper editor Kaye Bailey brings expertise in writing and personal experience with gastric bypass surgery to EzineArticles.com. Having spent most of her life overweight Ms. Bailey is strongly empathetic toward the obese, particularly overweight children. This compassion compelled her to found the website http://www.livingafterwls.com, a fast-growing resource of information, understanding and support for the weight loss surgery community.
The LivingAfterWLS.com site is complimented with daily blog. The blog, http://livingafterwls.blogspot.com offers readers the chance to comment or leave feedback about fresh content added daily. This site contains success stories and recipes, general information and WLS inspired topics. Complementing the site is a monthly newsletter titled “You Have Arrived” available exclusively to people who subscribe through the website or the blog.

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Weight Loss : Keep It Simple

An increasing trend over the last few years has been for diet books to make things complex.
I expect it's because each one vies with the other to come out with some brand new theory or other about why we gain weight and why their diet plan is the only one to help us lose it. And the low fat, low calorie stuff has already been covered!
My problem with this new trend is that the diets all involve more counting and while basic maths was never a problem at school I don't want to use it at the dinner table to know what I can eat. And while counting calories is one thing (most of us are probably walking encyclopaedias by now with how many calories our usual choices contain) the new diets are so much more complex.
With the new diets we need to know carbohydrate counts and fat grams, GI index and all sorts. And sometimes it's not enough to have a straight count we have to work out our percentage of carbohydrates, proteins and fat (yes, follow one particular diet and you have to balance these at EVERY meal).
Somehow I think food was not meant to be eaten like this. It was meant to be enjoyed. Most of us know what is healthy and what is not. Most of us know we'd be better with an apple than a cream cake. Most of us know we need a good variety of all types of food to feel great.
The new diets will not last. More complex stuff will come along and it's sad because we could all lose weight with a few SIMPLE changes.

1. Make healthy choices for most of the food you eat
2. Vary your choices
3. Occasionally enjoy a small portion of whatever it is you love even if it's high in fat or sugar or whatever
4. Eat only when you're physically hungry
5. Stop when you're just satisfied, not stuffed
6. Fill half your plate at lunch and dinner with vegetables or salad, quarter carbs and a quarter protein.
   

If everyone who wanted to lose weight just followed these simple guidelines there would be many more successful dieters around and a lot less hassle in losing weight.
Why not start today?

__________________________
By Janice Elizabeth Small
Janice Elizabeth is a successful weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of "The Diet Exit Plan", an 8 week coaching program for automatic permanent weight loss. Request her F.REE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!

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Tips to Avoid Trans Fats Hidden In Food

Recently, trans fats have risen to the forefront of the nutrition world. It is not uncommon on a regular visit to the grocery store to see a wide range of products advertising themselves as being “trans fat free”. This is helpful information for the regular consumer to help avoid over consumption of trans fats, but what are trans fats, why are they harmful and how does one identify trans fats “hidden” in non-labeled foods? This article aims to help the average consumer understand more about trans fats and identify sources from everyday consumables.
What are trans fats and why are they bad?
The technical term for fats is fatty acids. Fatty acids are one of three varieties: unsaturated (most vegetable oils), polyunsaturated (soft margarines, essential fatty acids like omega 3 and omega 6 from fish and nuts) or fully saturated (coconut oil, lard, hard margarines). The term “saturated” refers to the type of chemical bonds (single or double) between the carbon and hydrogen atoms. Most fatty acids in their natural state are in their “cis form” that is, all the hydrogen atoms bonded to the individual carbons atoms are on one side of the fatty acid molecule - on the “cis” side.
Unsaturated oils are not as useful to be made into finished food products since they are prone to “oxidation” and can go rancid – destroying the taste and texture of the product. So to avoid this spontaneous oxidation, the industry practice is to “hydrogenate” the oil. This then creates what is known as a “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” (polyunsaturated fatty acid) that is more stable and less likely to become rancid. Hydrogenation may help increase the quality of the finished food product, however it often involves the formation of trans fats – where the hydrogen is bonded to the carbon on the opposite side of the fatty acid molecule (“trans” side). A trans fatty acid has a different structure than a regular cis fatty acid.
Studies have shown a strong connection between trans fat consumption and the development of cardiovascular disease like arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and heart disease. Evidence also seems to indicate that trans fats may be even more harmful than regular saturated fats like coconut oil, animal fats and lard. Therefore it is very important to be able to avoid consuming high concentrations of trans fats.
How To Spot “Hidden” Trans Fats
A good rule of thumb is to read the ingredients list on the side of the product packaging and look for the words “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil”. Any product containing this ingredient has a higher probability of containing trans fats. It is surprising the number of products that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and the consumer must be vigilant to avoid consuming too many of these foods. Examples of products are: almost all baked goods, foods with breading (chicken breasts, snacks ect.), fried foods, margarines/spreads and even cereals (even “low fat” granola).
In conclusion, it is hoped that this short article provided some basic knowledge on the importance of avoiding trans fats. An informed consumer will be able to make sensible and healthy choices and avoid potentially harmful nutrition sources.

________________________

By David Petersen

David Petersen is a Personal Trainer/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar, Florida. More articles and information can be found at http://www.bossfitness.com
NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information and all LIVE website links as above.

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Health Update: Have Your Chocolate and Eat It, Too!

According to the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis & Haemostasis, a report released on August 10, 2005 elaborates how "Cocoa is the New Red Wine..."
In Southampton, England, a research team headed by Dr. Denise O'Shaugnessy, presents new evidence that drinking a cup of cocoa is benefiicial in the prevention of potentially life-threatening strokes and heart attacks. Per Dr. O'Shaugnessy, "Cocoa contains a substance called flavenoids, which are also present in red wine. Flavenoids can be preventive for coronary heart disease..."1
What exactly are "Flavenoids?" Flavenoids are chemical antioxidants that help to lower cholesterol levels. Not only effective in boosting immune systems, flavenoids help in the fight against heart disease, support weight control, and can even shield against some cancers.
Cocoa powder and chocolate, especially, contain sources that are rich in high quality polyphenol. According to one Dutch study, research discovered that chocolate contained a rich source of polyphenol flavenoid catechin -- which had four times the amount found in tea!2
In addition to cocoa and chocolate, apples and grapes are great sources for flavenoids. Some other good flavenoid sources include: blueberries, cranberries, hazelnuts, pecans, pintos, pistachios, plums, red kidney beans and small red beans.
Guilt-free chocolate? Perhaps. Like all dietary consumption, certain foods are best used in moderation and should never replace the advice of a professional practitioner.
To learn more about flavenoids or natural wellbeing and health, feel free to peruse our Holistic and Naturopathic directories at Holistic Junction today.

References:

• The XXthCongress of the International Society on Thrombosis & Haemostasis: Media Release: Cocoa is the New Red Wine
• World Cocoa Foundation: Antioxidants/Arts IC, Hollman PC, Kromhourt D. Chocolate as a source of tea flavonoids. Lancet, 1999; 354:488
• Health Bulletin: Using Foods Instead of Drugs for Health
  

Copyright 2005 -- All Rights ReservedHealth Update: Have your Chocolate and Eat it, too!Report by C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot

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By C. Bailey-Lloyd

C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations Director & Writer for Holistic Junction -- Your source of information for Holistic Practitioners; Naturopathic Schools, Massage Therapy Schools, and Reflexology Schools; Alternative Healthcare; Insightful Literature and so much more!
NOTICE: Article may be republished free of charge as long as Author Resource Box (above) is included, and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN in tact and active.

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Welcome to the Middle Aged Diet

You are not a kid any more and becoming a senior is just around the corner. By now, you are monitoring, at least, one of the following: Blood pressure, blood sugar, or cholesterol levels. If not, you are using a prescription, or an herbal remedy, to deal with being borderline or worse.
Your doctor has told you to make some lifestyle adjustments, that don’t fit. You don’t like the diet options, don’t want to be on a prescription, and don’t have the time to stop working, to make healthy meals.
Remember when, we had time to park and eat at the local A&W drive-in. Now, everything is a drive-thru, and most of us have seen one drive-thru too many. Those days are gone, and if we want to live a quality life to the end, fast food is limited to salads. Fast food restaurants are not at fault for serving what is in demand. Fat, salt, and butter, are very popular ingredients to add, resulting in massive sales and consumption of food.
We can bring back the good old days by getting back to the basics. Our parents did consume fresh vegetables, fruit, hot cereal, cold cereal, and homemade soups. The biggest problem is our diets were compromised, for the convenience, and to save time. Our parents didn’t eat out nearly as much as we do.
Let’s say you have no choice, for lunch, and you must go out to eat. Your best option, instead of the local fast food restaurant, is the supermarket salad bar. Usually, there are a wide variety of prepared fruits and vegetables to choose from. This is also a great way to lower your eating expenses.
The local deli might seem like your next best option, but you should be eating grainy breads, if you order a sandwich. Lunchmeat is no longer a wise choice with nitrates and triglycerides, so vegetables, eggplant, or salmon are your best sandwich options. Turkey might be fine, if it is fresh and roasted by the deli. Tuna should only be consumed once a week due to the amount of mercury, within a serving. Some delis do have healthy specials, salads, and hot meals worth considering.
When eating at local restaurants, proceed with caution. With extra preparation there is more of a chance that salt, butter, and fat will be hidden in your food. If you feel you can trust the establishment, ask them about the item you want to order.
Lastly, read all your labels. Consume sodium, saturated fat, trans fats, and sugars with extreme caution. Make food at home, when possible, and drink plenty of water.

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By Paul Jerard

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

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Facts About Virgin Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is less known compare to olive oil, corn oil, canola oil or any other vegetable oil. It is sad to hear that many terrified titles such as "fat contributor" or "cholesterol raiser" has been sticking on it for years. Do you want to know the facts?
Before you go further, it is important to differentiate between coconut oil we are talking about and "frying oil" that crowds the market and mistakenly has been accepted as coconut oil. The frying oil is made from copra, that is coconut flesh dried by smoking, by spreading out under the sun, by drying machine, or by combination of them. After that, the copra will be processed to be oil.
However, all the process to turn fresh coconut become oil is susceptible to dirt brought by insects or fungus. Therefore, purifying becomes critical session in RBD (Refined, Bleached, Deodorized) oil - this is such oil named. In this method, high heat and chemical additive are commonly used as well as hydrogenation. The hydrogenated oil is considered as cholesterol serum liver raiser and increase heart attack risk.
While the virgin coconut oil in our interest is produced in such a totally different way. It is made from old fresh coconut without any of high heat process, chemical additive or hydrogenation process. The only process virgin coconut oil pass trough is fermentation.
It is lauric acid makes coconut oil beneficial. Inside the body, lauric acid will be changed to monolaurine, a monoglycine compound that can damage lipid layer of virus such as HIV, hepatitis, influenza and other pathogenic bacteria. Lauric acid can also build body immune system, exactly the way mother's milk does.
Besides, coconut oil also contains 6 % of capric acid. Inside the body capric acid will be transformed to monocaprine, that is beneficial element againts sexual disease such as HSV-2 and HSV-1 and neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria.
Furthermore, coconut oil can also be an answer on weight loss problem by its lauric acid. Unlike any other nutrients, lauric acid does not need anzyme to pass through our body cells. As it comes to digestion system canal, intestines without hydrolysis process will absorb it. Afterwards, following blood stream, it reaches liver for metabolism process. This way, energy will be produced faster, just like ready to use fuel, without any chance to be heaped up as fat.
It won't be happened on common fatty acid called long chain fatty acid. Because of the length, it has to be cut and be divided into lipoprotein before taken by blood stream to all over the body and enter the kiver. The long process increases the chance of problem such as fat level raising, cholesterol and fat piles.
The opposite is medium chain fatty acid (lauric acid) needs short burning process. It can increase metabolism, too, as well as body immune and recovery process. Our cells will work more efficiently to produce new cells and to replace the broken cells.
A study in Papua New Genea shows that community who consume virgin coconut oil are more slender and never had heart attack problem or stroke. Besides, the cholesterol and blood tension are also lower compare to those do not consume it.

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By Ida Sagita

For more information about Vegetable Cooking Methods and Recipes visit http://www.vegetable-recipes-by-cooking-method.com/

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Lifting for the Love of It!

Over the last couple of years I have taken a number of layoffs, for a variety of different reasons. Many times I wonder why I lift at all. The prevailing belief is that lifting must be one’s top priority if one is to be the best at it. That may be true and that is one of the biggest problems I have had. Lifting is not my top priority, it is more like fourth after God, family, and work. Actually work is only ahead of lifting because I need it to support my family, otherwise it would be further down the list. So given the fact that lifting is not everything to me, why do I do it?
I guess what makes this a complicating situation is that I love lifting. I love competing against myself and others in everything. That’s why I have done so many different kinds of competitions. I have done 3 strongman contests, 2 highland games, and numerous powerlifting contests.
A perfect illustration of this competitive nature of mine was the exhibition that Bill Kazmaier put on in Spokane, Washington in July 2001. I hadn’t been lifting for a couple of months and didn’t plan on doing it anytime soon. But I heard about Kazmaier doing a show in the park and I thought it would be cool to watch him. When I got there, I met him and he invited me to do some dumbbell presses with him. When my turn came, I pressed the 100’s 14 times overhead. I had done more than that in the past, and so instead of being thrilled about lifting with Kazmaier, I was mad at myself for not preparing better (even though I had not planned on being there). I also felt that I could do much better and I was just chomping at the bit to try something else and redeem myself.
A little bit later Bill brought out an 11/16” steel bar and asked if anyone wanted to try to bend it. I jumped at it and did it without a problem. When Kazmaier brought out a ¾” bar and said that nobody had bent that size of bar before, I wanted to try it. Not because nobody had bent it before, or because so many people were watching, but because my adrenalin was pumping and I felt like I could do anything at that moment. I didn’t care if I failed. I would have tried it alone in my garage. That is what I am talking about. It wasn’t about winning an award or having a place in history. It was about being the best on that day and conquering the challenge before me. By the way, I did bend the bar.
I am 6’3” and my weight varies between 295 and 335, so it’s not surprising that I might do well at the activities listed above. Now get this. I like to play basketball and I like to play it well. I don’t post up or play underneath the basket like everyone expects me to. I won’t accept the idea that someone my size is slow and can’t jump. I like to drive to the hoop, taking people off the dribble. I like to shoot 3-pointers and pass the ball. Just like everything else, I want to excel all the time. When I play basketball I get frustrated with myself for allowing myself to get so heavy and out of shape. You see, playing basketball and lifting in the Super heavyweight class do not go hand in hand. Why don’t I give up one and work on the other? Because I love them both!
So to clarify myself to anyone who hasn’t yet figured out what I am talking about, I want to know why I can’t have it all. I don’t want to be limited by other people. Maybe I can’t be the strongest man in the world without becoming obsessed with that goal. But since when is obsession a good thing? Last year I took 10 weeks and worked out with a well-known lifter. I wanted to see how the best train, and what sets them apart from the rest of us. We lifted 3 days a week for 2+ hours per workout. This lifter was in constant pain and talked of the day when he could retire from competitive lifting. Needless to say, I was surprised. I did get stronger in those 10 weeks than I had ever been, but I quit after that. It wasn’t that the workouts were too hard for me. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed them and the opportunity they provided me to compete against a top lifter. What I didn’t like was missing time with my family. At first I was excited and thought about lifting all the time and what great heights I would reach. After a while I was tired of focusing on only one thing at the expense of everything else. I am not writing this to point fingers at those whose priorities are different than mine, but rather to encourage those lifters who feel like I do. I know now that I do not want success in powerlifting at the expense of everything else, but I am not going to quit. I am going to lift the way that I want to lift. The way that will make me happy. I want to use the act of lifting weights to benefit me rather than becoming a slave to that act.
How many times have lifters been told that if you don’t do something, you won’t succeed? If you don’t use steroids, or buy this equipment, you won’t be the best. If you don’t do a certain exercise you will not be a truly strong person. If you don’t train like a madman you’ll never make it. Well, I know one thing for sure. I am going to do it my way from now on. I will weigh whatever I feel like weighing no matter how it affects my strength. I will not give up family activities or other important things in my life so I can win a contest or make it on the top 100 list.
Don’t get me wrong. I want to be strong and I love to win. But true happiness comes from a well-rounded life. Family, friends, success in all areas instead of one. This may not sound appealing to everyone, but to those who feel like I do, don’t let others limit the way you do things. You don’t have to sacrifice everything to lift. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
I hope that this benefits somebody, but either way, I know I will be happier lifting this way than I was before.

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By Aaron Anderton

Aaron Anderton competes in both Powerlifting and Strongman and has won several titles. He won the Superheavyweight class at the 2001 Washington State Powerlifting Championships. He won the 2004 Washington's Strongest Man Contest, and placed 9th out of 43 at the 2004 National Strongman Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. Aaron and his brother Sam own No Limits Physique, which is dedicated to providing effective training information and supplements to everyone. The website address is http://www.nlpbodybuilding.com

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Vitamin D - The Sunshine Vitamin!

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin like A and E. This vitamin is hard to obtain from food. Luckily, sunshine is a significant source of this vitamin because UV rays from the sun trigger Vitamin D synthesis in the skin.
Vitamin D is tasked with the crucial role of maintaining normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. By promoting calcium absorption, the vitamin helps to form and maintain strong bones. It also has to work efficiently with other vitamins, minerals, and hormones in order to promote bone mineralization.
Because it acts as an overall guardian of the human skeletal system, Vitamin D helps maintain a healthy immune system and regulate cellular growth and activity.
Vitamin D Sources
One cup of Vitamin D fortified milk supplies one-half of the recommended daily intakes for adults between the ages of 19 and 50 and one-fourth for adults between the ages of 51 and 70.
Although milk is typically fortified with Vitamin D, this is not the case with dairy products made from milk, such as cheese and ice creams. Some ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, though, may be fortified with the vitamin.
Unfortunately, there are only a few commonly consumed foods that are good sources of the vitamin and these are cod liver oil, salmon, mackerel, tuna fish, sardines, margarine, egg, liver, and beef.
The classic Vitamin D deficiency diseases are rickets among the young and osteomalacia among adults. Deficiency in this vitamin indirectly causes osteoporosis since the vitamin is required to promote calcium absorption in the body.

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By Lorna Mclaren

Lorna Mclaren has more information regarding vitamins at http://www.123-nutrition.com. There are informative articles regarding Herbal Alternatives and Health Food Supplements.

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