Who doesn't want to live to a full long life? People who lived gracefully to a ripe old age and still hale and hearty always makes me pause and wonder what could be their longevity and health secrets.
Best-selling author David Niven, PhD, reveals simple secrets of healthy people in his very absorbing book "The 100 Simple Secrets of healthy People." Here's some of his findings backed up by tons of medical research while junking myths and misinformation :
* Easy does it with vitamins.
The author quotes Dr. Beverly McCabe-Sellers, professor of dietetics and nutrition at the University of Arkansas medical Sciences School : "Taking too much of an essential vitamin or mineral may be as dangerous as going without the nutrient at all." Sellers warns the consumers to heed the warning against "megadosing" on vitamin supplements.
* Stop the war on bacteria.
While it is true that cleanliness is next to godliness, it is also possible that too much cleanliness can be bad for us, according to geneticist Stuart Levy from Turfs University. "All that scrubbing and sponging with new antibacterial soaps and detergents may be weakening our immune systems," warns Levy. "It is killing helpful germs and spurring the growth of mutant strains of super bacteria."
* Exercise, you're never too old to improve your health.
A Case Western University research found that increasing the frequency of exercise among those over 72 years old improved their overall health and was associated with a better outlook in life and a 20-percent longer lifespan.
* A tomato a day is even better than an apple a day in keeping the doctor at bay.
Five servings of tomatoes a week in any form - raw, canned, cooked, in soups as sauce or ketchup or us juice - provide enough lycopene to cut the risk of cancer and heart disease in half, and to improve the health of the lungs, eyes, and the skin, according to scientists at Ohio State University.
* Breathe right.
Breathing slowly and deeply from the abdomen triggers a blood flow to the brain and up to a 65-percent reduction in stress, according to researchers at Harvard University.
15 September 2008
10 September 2008
Study Shows Eating Carrots A Day May Lower Risk Of Heart Disease
A study reported an interesting connection between eating carrots and the risk of stroke. Researchers reviewed the diets of 87,000 nurses eating five or more servings of carrots a week than in those eating one or less a month. Results of this 1993 study showed 68 percent lower risk of stroke in nurses eating carrots than in those eating less. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene.
In another research, called the Physician’s Health Study, researchers monitored a group of 333 doctors with angina pectoris and coronary revascularization. Subjects who were given beta-carotene supplementation at 50 mg on alternate days were shown to produce a remarkable 4 percent drop in all major coronary events and a 9 percent fall in cardiovascular problems, including stroke and death.. The results also suggest that beta-carotene may protect against heart attacks by protecting polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidation, researchers analyzed.
In another research, called the Physician’s Health Study, researchers monitored a group of 333 doctors with angina pectoris and coronary revascularization. Subjects who were given beta-carotene supplementation at 50 mg on alternate days were shown to produce a remarkable 4 percent drop in all major coronary events and a 9 percent fall in cardiovascular problems, including stroke and death.. The results also suggest that beta-carotene may protect against heart attacks by protecting polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidation, researchers analyzed.
05 August 2008
Thermal Therapy Helps Stroke Survivors, Study
A study published in Stroke : Journal of the American Heart Association found that thermal stimulation, which alternates heat and cold therapy, helped the recovery of the sensory and motor function of acute stroke survivors.
The thermal therapy session consisted of two alternating cycles of hot/cold, cold/hot and performed five days a week for six weeks. The thermal pack was placed over the patient's hand and wrist. The hot pack was set to 167 degrees Fahrenheit and the cold below 32 degrees.
Of the six criteria used in the study ( changes in sensation, wrist extension, grasping strength, wrist flexion, a six-poinr motor function scale, the modified motor assessment scale), four of the six measures showed a significant greater recovery rates. They showed a trend to greater improvement in grasping strength and wrist extension.
"Several aspects of function were significantly improved with thermal stimulation. Most importantly, the increase in mobility and muscle activity of the upper limb can prevent some complications, such as mild joint dislocation and shoulder pain."
The thermal therapy session consisted of two alternating cycles of hot/cold, cold/hot and performed five days a week for six weeks. The thermal pack was placed over the patient's hand and wrist. The hot pack was set to 167 degrees Fahrenheit and the cold below 32 degrees.
Of the six criteria used in the study ( changes in sensation, wrist extension, grasping strength, wrist flexion, a six-poinr motor function scale, the modified motor assessment scale), four of the six measures showed a significant greater recovery rates. They showed a trend to greater improvement in grasping strength and wrist extension.
"Several aspects of function were significantly improved with thermal stimulation. Most importantly, the increase in mobility and muscle activity of the upper limb can prevent some complications, such as mild joint dislocation and shoulder pain."
07 July 2008
Heart-Healthy Effects Of The Omega Oils
Researchs indicate that vegetarians and people who eat oily fish regularly tend to have lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of heart disease. This has been attributed to EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in the fish.
A famous study of the Eskimo community is a good case study of the benefits of omega oils in reducing the occurrence of heart disease. Members of the Eskimo community were found to have a very low incidence of coronary heart disease despite their diet of extremely high fat. Researchers found that the fat the Eskimos were eating was the "good" fat found in fish rich in the omega-3 fatty acids.
Deep cold-water fish such as cod, herring, salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel, and tuna all contain oils rich in the omega-3 oils of EPA and DHA.
A famous study of the Eskimo community is a good case study of the benefits of omega oils in reducing the occurrence of heart disease. Members of the Eskimo community were found to have a very low incidence of coronary heart disease despite their diet of extremely high fat. Researchers found that the fat the Eskimos were eating was the "good" fat found in fish rich in the omega-3 fatty acids.
Deep cold-water fish such as cod, herring, salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel, and tuna all contain oils rich in the omega-3 oils of EPA and DHA.
09 June 2008
Natural Remedies For Vertigo
What causes vertigo? According to the "Natural Remedies Encyclopedia," vertigo is caused by an "impaired sense of balance and equilibrium and is generally due to an inner ear disorder (labyrinthitis)." Other causes are anemia, high or low blood pressure, psychological stress, brain tumors, lack of oxygen or glucose in the blood, nutritional deficiencies, middle-ear infections, excess wax in the ear, or blockage of the ear canal. Lower oxygen levels at higher altitudes can also cause it.
Persons who have vertigo are said to have the following symptoms : Dizziness, faintness, or light-headedness. The person may feel that he is falling or sinking or that the room is moving around him, sometimes even spinning. There may be ringing in the ears. This sensation is usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, perspiration, headache, or hearing loss.
Here's some tips from the book that may help if you are suffering from vertigo :
* Immediately sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and stare at a fixed object for a few minutes.
* When an attack occurs, restrict your head movement and keep your eyes on a stationary object a great distance from you. Or lie down, with your unaffected ear against the floor, and look in the direction of the affected ear.
* If the cause is an inner ear disorder, the underlying disorder needs to be treated.
* But, if the cause is low blood pressure, lower your head while the blood gets up there.
* Eat a nutritious diet which includes the entire B complex vitamins and pantothenic acid, Vit. C, E, and lecithin.
* Avoid nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, and fried foods.
* If the problem is due to low blood sugar or not enough glucose, drink a glass of orange juice to overcome brief dizziness.
Persons who have vertigo are said to have the following symptoms : Dizziness, faintness, or light-headedness. The person may feel that he is falling or sinking or that the room is moving around him, sometimes even spinning. There may be ringing in the ears. This sensation is usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, perspiration, headache, or hearing loss.
Here's some tips from the book that may help if you are suffering from vertigo :
* Immediately sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and stare at a fixed object for a few minutes.
* When an attack occurs, restrict your head movement and keep your eyes on a stationary object a great distance from you. Or lie down, with your unaffected ear against the floor, and look in the direction of the affected ear.
* If the cause is an inner ear disorder, the underlying disorder needs to be treated.
* But, if the cause is low blood pressure, lower your head while the blood gets up there.
* Eat a nutritious diet which includes the entire B complex vitamins and pantothenic acid, Vit. C, E, and lecithin.
* Avoid nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, and fried foods.
* If the problem is due to low blood sugar or not enough glucose, drink a glass of orange juice to overcome brief dizziness.
18 May 2008
When You're Alone And Heart Attack Is Threatening : Tips To Help
The book "Natural Remedies Encyclopedia" offers some life-saving tips to help, if a heart attack is threatening and about to occur, and you're all alone. Here's what the book tells us :
* You can help yourself by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. Take a deep breath before each cough. The cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.
* A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds, without letup, until helps arrives.
The deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs, and the coughing squeezes the heart and keeps the blood circulating. Other life-saving tip, is to take half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper (red pepper, not black or white pepper) in some water and swallow it. Just placing some cayenne in the mouth, with or without water will help. It will nicely strengthen and speed up heart action.
* You can help yourself by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. Take a deep breath before each cough. The cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.
* A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds, without letup, until helps arrives.
The deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs, and the coughing squeezes the heart and keeps the blood circulating. Other life-saving tip, is to take half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper (red pepper, not black or white pepper) in some water and swallow it. Just placing some cayenne in the mouth, with or without water will help. It will nicely strengthen and speed up heart action.
05 March 2008
Controlling Diabetes
Diabetes is one of the most common diseases facing mankind today and is ranked among the top ten causes of death worldwide. It is a condition which results from a lack of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas and needed for the assimilation of glucose, amino acids and fatty acids by the body for energy or storage.
For the prevention and control of diabetes, here's some tips from Dr. Rodolfo I. Talag, taken from one of his medical newspaper writeups :
1. Eliminate all products that are high in sugar and white flour, such as cookies, cakes, ies, ice cream, candy and pastries. In addition to these foods, those found in full=fat dairy products such as butter, cheese and ice cream, block insulin activity in the blood.
2. Fiber is the key element to combat diabetes. Vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains rovide greater fiber to help slow the release
of sugar into the bloodstream, When increasing fiber-intake, we also need to increase our water intae to hel move the fiber through the intestines. If you don't drink enough liiquid, fiber can cause constipation.
3. A good way to reduce the craving for sweets is to kee protein levels steady. Dr. Talag suggests to include in your diet at least 3 oz. servings of fish, poultry, and other foods high in protein each day, including up to 4 eggs per week,
4. Zinc, an essential trace mineral, act as insulin cofactors and should be supplemented to the diabetic's diet. Zinc forms part of the insulin component secreted by the pancreas and is directly involved in the body's metabolism of carbohydrates. Some of the best sources of zinc are lean red meat, eggs, pumpkin seeds, whole-grain cereals and dried beans and legumes.
5. Chromium, another essentiall trace mineral, is absolutely necessary for proper insulin function because it regulates the metabolism of sugar. This mineral is useful for both diabetics and hypoglycemics, those with low blood sugar. The best food sources seem to be brewer's yeast and wheat germ.
For the prevention and control of diabetes, here's some tips from Dr. Rodolfo I. Talag, taken from one of his medical newspaper writeups :
1. Eliminate all products that are high in sugar and white flour, such as cookies, cakes, ies, ice cream, candy and pastries. In addition to these foods, those found in full=fat dairy products such as butter, cheese and ice cream, block insulin activity in the blood.
2. Fiber is the key element to combat diabetes. Vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains rovide greater fiber to help slow the release
of sugar into the bloodstream, When increasing fiber-intake, we also need to increase our water intae to hel move the fiber through the intestines. If you don't drink enough liiquid, fiber can cause constipation.
3. A good way to reduce the craving for sweets is to kee protein levels steady. Dr. Talag suggests to include in your diet at least 3 oz. servings of fish, poultry, and other foods high in protein each day, including up to 4 eggs per week,
4. Zinc, an essential trace mineral, act as insulin cofactors and should be supplemented to the diabetic's diet. Zinc forms part of the insulin component secreted by the pancreas and is directly involved in the body's metabolism of carbohydrates. Some of the best sources of zinc are lean red meat, eggs, pumpkin seeds, whole-grain cereals and dried beans and legumes.
5. Chromium, another essentiall trace mineral, is absolutely necessary for proper insulin function because it regulates the metabolism of sugar. This mineral is useful for both diabetics and hypoglycemics, those with low blood sugar. The best food sources seem to be brewer's yeast and wheat germ.
28 February 2008
Chicos and Mangoes : Diabetic-Friendly Fruits
Chicos and mangoes, both carbohydrate-packed, have been found to slow down digestion and absorption of glucose or sugar, according to Dr. Leonora Panlasigue and Dr. Ma. Teresa Guevara , both researchers from the Philippine Department of Science and Technology.
They said that chico is very diabetic-friendly because of it's high fiber and fructose (fruit sugar) with a good balance of anti-nutrients such as sapotin and achrasaponin, both credited for slowing down glucose digestion and absorption.
In contrast, papaya, pineapple, and wheat bread have high glucose response that are known through the use of glycemic index (GI), a method of classifying and ranking foods based on capacity to raise blood sugar. This means people diagnosed with type II or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus may feast on chico and mango more than papaya, pineapple and other fruits prescribed for moderate intake.
They said that chico is very diabetic-friendly because of it's high fiber and fructose (fruit sugar) with a good balance of anti-nutrients such as sapotin and achrasaponin, both credited for slowing down glucose digestion and absorption.
In contrast, papaya, pineapple, and wheat bread have high glucose response that are known through the use of glycemic index (GI), a method of classifying and ranking foods based on capacity to raise blood sugar. This means people diagnosed with type II or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus may feast on chico and mango more than papaya, pineapple and other fruits prescribed for moderate intake.
25 February 2008
Herbs For Calming The Anxious Mind
According to Dr. Earl Mindell, famous nutritionist and author of the bestseller "Dr. Earl Mindell's Secrets of Natural Health," the herbs that can work wonders to alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression are St. John's wort and Kava.
St. John's wort has been used by the Chinese, the Greeks, the Europeans, and the American Indians, for anxiety, insomnia, depression, and that illness associated with stress, heart disease.
Kava, a member of the pepper family, is one of the most useful antianxiety herbs, kava is described medically as a sedative and muscle relaxant. It's also a pain reliever just like NSAID's drugs. Studies demonstrated that Kava improved concentration, memory, and reaction time for people with anxiety symptoms. The best part is that, it is reported to have no side effects, except with very large amounts taken over a number of years. Dr. Mindell warns that Kava is not recommended for people with Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease.
St. John's wort has been used by the Chinese, the Greeks, the Europeans, and the American Indians, for anxiety, insomnia, depression, and that illness associated with stress, heart disease.
Kava, a member of the pepper family, is one of the most useful antianxiety herbs, kava is described medically as a sedative and muscle relaxant. It's also a pain reliever just like NSAID's drugs. Studies demonstrated that Kava improved concentration, memory, and reaction time for people with anxiety symptoms. The best part is that, it is reported to have no side effects, except with very large amounts taken over a number of years. Dr. Mindell warns that Kava is not recommended for people with Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease.
20 February 2008
On "Megadosing" Of Food Supplements
Dr. Beverly McCabe-Sellers, professor of dietetics and nutrition at the University of Arkansas medical Sciences School, gives this warning on "megadosing" on vitamin supplements : "Taking too much of an essential vitamin or mineral may be as dangerous as going without the nutrient at all."
This quote was taken from the book "The 100 Simple Secrets of Healthy People" by David Niven, Ph.D. The book reveals amazing secrets of people who have lived to a ripe old age while junking myths and misinformation.
This quote was taken from the book "The 100 Simple Secrets of Healthy People" by David Niven, Ph.D. The book reveals amazing secrets of people who have lived to a ripe old age while junking myths and misinformation.
Enzymes In Vegetables As Powerful Medicines
Certain vegetables have enzymes that release valuable vitamins, minerals and amino acids responsible for keeping the human body alive and well. Research reveals the absence of one simple enzyme can spell the difference between sickness and health.
What are enzymes? Enzymes are pepsin that breaks up the protein from the food we eat. Examples are rennin that releases the nutrients in milk, lipase that splits fat, hydrochloric acid (HCL) that works on fibrous meats, vegetable and poultry. Without hydrochloric acid, there could be problems like anemia, allergies and gastric complications.
What are enzymes? Enzymes are pepsin that breaks up the protein from the food we eat. Examples are rennin that releases the nutrients in milk, lipase that splits fat, hydrochloric acid (HCL) that works on fibrous meats, vegetable and poultry. Without hydrochloric acid, there could be problems like anemia, allergies and gastric complications.
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