Dr Clay shares 7 fundamental nutrition tips that serve as the foundation of any good diet.
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Showing posts with label NUTRITION. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NUTRITION. Show all posts
Monday, July 26, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Counting Calories & Weight Loss
Many people fret upon the idea of having to count calories in their daily diet, with reasonable justification. The one problem is is that there is a lot of hype regarding the process of counting calories, and another problem is that most people don't even know how to put that caloric information to work. It's all a very simple concept, and a simple process once you understand the basics.
First of all, let us get the facts down about calories themselves and what they are. A calorie is essentially a unit of energy. When a calorie is used, it's burned as energy. Macronutrients are all made up of calories. There are three primary macronutrients, and we've all heard about them. Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat. One gram of protein and carbohydrates contain 4 calories, and one gram of fat contain 9 calories (thus you can see why fat is a major culprit.)
Now how do macronutrients and their calories all correlate to weight loss? It's a simple principle that professionals in the fitness industry refer to as "Calories in vs. Calories out".
The "Calories In" portion represents the amount of food you're consuming on a daily basis. Remember, all of the food you eat comes equipped with food labels, which all contain macronutrients, which contain calories. All of us generally follow a "diet plan" even if we don't follow one intentionally. We all have certain foods we eat at certain times, and we can average that information out. What you need to do is spend some time figuring out how many calories all of those foods amount to, in an average day. Once you have this number, you will know how many calories you're taking in per day.
The "Calories Out" portion represents the amount of calories your body burns on a daily basis. You burn calories through two ways. One way is through involuntary means, which is referred to as your Basal Metabolic Rate. The many functions your body performs like your beating heart, brain functions, lungs, digestive system, etc... all require energy (calories) to function and they burn a lot of calories throughout the day. The second way to burn calories is through physical activity (voluntary action). You can visit the weight loss programs website to take a free fitness profile which will help you determine how many calories your burning on a daily basis.
Now here is where we bring it together. If the amount of calories your burning is fewer than the amount of calories you're taking in per day, you will gain weight. If they're equal to each other, you won't lose or gain weight. And if you're burning more calories than what you're taking in, you will obviously begin to lose weight. From there, it's only a matter of determining an approach in which you can control your diet by cutting back calories, and reinforcing your weight loss efforts by burning more calories through exercise.
First of all, let us get the facts down about calories themselves and what they are. A calorie is essentially a unit of energy. When a calorie is used, it's burned as energy. Macronutrients are all made up of calories. There are three primary macronutrients, and we've all heard about them. Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat. One gram of protein and carbohydrates contain 4 calories, and one gram of fat contain 9 calories (thus you can see why fat is a major culprit.)
Now how do macronutrients and their calories all correlate to weight loss? It's a simple principle that professionals in the fitness industry refer to as "Calories in vs. Calories out".
The "Calories In" portion represents the amount of food you're consuming on a daily basis. Remember, all of the food you eat comes equipped with food labels, which all contain macronutrients, which contain calories. All of us generally follow a "diet plan" even if we don't follow one intentionally. We all have certain foods we eat at certain times, and we can average that information out. What you need to do is spend some time figuring out how many calories all of those foods amount to, in an average day. Once you have this number, you will know how many calories you're taking in per day.
The "Calories Out" portion represents the amount of calories your body burns on a daily basis. You burn calories through two ways. One way is through involuntary means, which is referred to as your Basal Metabolic Rate. The many functions your body performs like your beating heart, brain functions, lungs, digestive system, etc... all require energy (calories) to function and they burn a lot of calories throughout the day. The second way to burn calories is through physical activity (voluntary action). You can visit the weight loss programs website to take a free fitness profile which will help you determine how many calories your burning on a daily basis.
Now here is where we bring it together. If the amount of calories your burning is fewer than the amount of calories you're taking in per day, you will gain weight. If they're equal to each other, you won't lose or gain weight. And if you're burning more calories than what you're taking in, you will obviously begin to lose weight. From there, it's only a matter of determining an approach in which you can control your diet by cutting back calories, and reinforcing your weight loss efforts by burning more calories through exercise.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Facts about High Protein Diet
One of the most important nutrient that the body needs is Protein. In its pure form, it consists of chains of amino acids - there are 22 amino acids that get together to form different proteins, and 8 of these must come from the foods we eat(essential). Our body utilises these amino acids to form body elements:muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails and internal organs. Proteins help replace and build new tissue, transports oxygen and nutrients in our blood and cells, regulates the balance of water and acids, and is needed to make antibodies.
However, much much protein poses danger to your health. Eating too much protein (specifically animal protein) results to heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and kidney stones.
Many are unconsciously practicing a dangerous eating style. Americans consume two times more protein than what is actually required. Some people who work on weight loss diets go on high-protein diets and are eating up to four times the amount of protein that their body needs. This is still a questionable kind of diet because according to the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, the ideal amount of protein that adults should consume should be as little as 50-60 grams. This breaks down to about 10-12% of total calories. Your body only needs 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. To calculate the exact amount you need, multiply your ideal weight by 0.36. This will give you your optimum daily protein requirement in grams. Since the amount of protein needed depends on the amount of lean body mass and not fat, ideal weight is used instead of actual weight.
People on high-protein diets are consuming up to 34% of their total calories in the form of protein and up to 53% of total calories from fat. Most of these people are unaware of the amount of protein and fat that is contained in the foods they eat. For instance, a typical 3-ounce beef hamburger, which is small by American standards, contains about 22 grams of protein and 20 grams of fat. Animal proteins are loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat.
Many people on these diets also experience an elevation in their LDL (the bad) cholesterol when they remain on this diet for long periods. High levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood clog arteries and is the chief culprit in heart disease, particularly heart attack and stroke. So while you may lose weight in the short-run, you are putting your cardiovascular health in jeopardy in the long-run.
By replacing animal protein with vegetable protein and replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat, like that found in olive and canola oils, you can avoid the pitfalls of the typical high-protein diet. You will be able to improve your health and regulate your weight while enjoying a vast array of delicious, nutritionally dense, high fibre foods.
However, much much protein poses danger to your health. Eating too much protein (specifically animal protein) results to heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and kidney stones.
Many are unconsciously practicing a dangerous eating style. Americans consume two times more protein than what is actually required. Some people who work on weight loss diets go on high-protein diets and are eating up to four times the amount of protein that their body needs. This is still a questionable kind of diet because according to the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, the ideal amount of protein that adults should consume should be as little as 50-60 grams. This breaks down to about 10-12% of total calories. Your body only needs 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. To calculate the exact amount you need, multiply your ideal weight by 0.36. This will give you your optimum daily protein requirement in grams. Since the amount of protein needed depends on the amount of lean body mass and not fat, ideal weight is used instead of actual weight.
People on high-protein diets are consuming up to 34% of their total calories in the form of protein and up to 53% of total calories from fat. Most of these people are unaware of the amount of protein and fat that is contained in the foods they eat. For instance, a typical 3-ounce beef hamburger, which is small by American standards, contains about 22 grams of protein and 20 grams of fat. Animal proteins are loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat.
Many people on these diets also experience an elevation in their LDL (the bad) cholesterol when they remain on this diet for long periods. High levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood clog arteries and is the chief culprit in heart disease, particularly heart attack and stroke. So while you may lose weight in the short-run, you are putting your cardiovascular health in jeopardy in the long-run.
By replacing animal protein with vegetable protein and replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat, like that found in olive and canola oils, you can avoid the pitfalls of the typical high-protein diet. You will be able to improve your health and regulate your weight while enjoying a vast array of delicious, nutritionally dense, high fibre foods.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Mushrooms Benefits on Health
Mushrooms are gaining new respect from nutritionists and medical doctors, as scientists discover that mushrooms may play a role in fighting any number of ailments from high blood pressure to infections and even cancer. After more than 15 years of researchs, American scientists finally have access to a mushroom compound called AHCC (which stands for Active Hexose Correlated Compound), which was once available only in Japan and has been used extensively by Japanese hospitals and medical clinics since its development in the mid-1980s as a safe, natural way to help support the immune system.
AHCC is obtained from a hybridization of several species of medicinal mushrooms (including Shiitake), all organically cultivated in Japan. After extensive clinical research and significant evidence supporting its effectiveness, AHCC is gaining mainstream acceptance in the United States.
“The studies have been quite amazing,” says Fred Pescatore, M.D., M.P.H., who has recommended AHCC adjunct therapy for many of his patients. “It has been shown to work well in patients with cancer, hepatitis, immunocompromised patients and liver disease.
The immune system in our body works in part by detecting and eliminating foreign cells. For people with healthy immune systems, viruses, bacteria and abnormal cells are routinely found and destroyed before any damage is done, often before the person ever feels sick. AHCC has been shown in clinical studies to safely and naturally support a healthy immune response by activating and increasing the number of certain types of immune cells, and triggering related immune reactions in the body.
The excitement among scientists is growing as research progresses. U.S. clinical trials are underway at the More-house School of Medicine and Yale University. These studies follow a number of previous studies conducted by prestigious Japanese universities.
After one such study, a human clinical study of liver cancer patients conducted at the Kansai Medical University in Osaka, Japan and published in the July 2002 Journal of Hepatology, researchers remarked that “AHCC intake resulted in improved liver function, the prevention of recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the prolonged survival of postoperative HCC patients without any adverse effect.”
AHCC is obtained from a hybridization of several species of medicinal mushrooms (including Shiitake), all organically cultivated in Japan. After extensive clinical research and significant evidence supporting its effectiveness, AHCC is gaining mainstream acceptance in the United States.
“The studies have been quite amazing,” says Fred Pescatore, M.D., M.P.H., who has recommended AHCC adjunct therapy for many of his patients. “It has been shown to work well in patients with cancer, hepatitis, immunocompromised patients and liver disease.
The immune system in our body works in part by detecting and eliminating foreign cells. For people with healthy immune systems, viruses, bacteria and abnormal cells are routinely found and destroyed before any damage is done, often before the person ever feels sick. AHCC has been shown in clinical studies to safely and naturally support a healthy immune response by activating and increasing the number of certain types of immune cells, and triggering related immune reactions in the body.
The excitement among scientists is growing as research progresses. U.S. clinical trials are underway at the More-house School of Medicine and Yale University. These studies follow a number of previous studies conducted by prestigious Japanese universities.
After one such study, a human clinical study of liver cancer patients conducted at the Kansai Medical University in Osaka, Japan and published in the July 2002 Journal of Hepatology, researchers remarked that “AHCC intake resulted in improved liver function, the prevention of recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the prolonged survival of postoperative HCC patients without any adverse effect.”
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Effects of VitE & Zinc on developping and preventing damage to Sperms
A lot of guidelines and medicines are available to improve and prevent fertility. Most of them claim that the ingredient are naturally available without any doctor’s prescription to improve Fertility, but does not necessarily mean that it is safe to take. These ingredients may have unknown side effects with its toxicity which may lead not to improve Fertility even some hazards.
You should always notify your physician before starting any type of medication, supplement, or over the counter medication in order to improve fertility which you wish to follow like friends recommendation or by word of mouth. Generally Vitamin E is recommended which prevents the damage to sperm cells by acting as an antioxidant. Vitamin E also supports the sperm motility. This is widely used to improve fertility, as there are no reported side effects.
Also Zinc plays an important role to improve fertility in the formation of new sperm and maintenance of sperm motility. Adequate levels of zinc in the body are essential for men's reproductive health. Even foods high in Zinc like Oysters, beef, pork, turkey, lamb, and nuts can improve fertility. In natural herbal roots like Ginseng can improve fertility by increasing sperm counts, motility, and sexual stamina and reduce fatigue.
Although the results are still uncertain, no side effect or tolerated well when used in limited doses. Homeopathic medications show good records with increased sperm counts and motility. Nutritional foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts like cashew, almonds or walnuts, sweet & juicy fruits such as mangoes, peaches, plums, and pears all can improve fertility of both men and women.
You should always notify your physician before starting any type of medication, supplement, or over the counter medication in order to improve fertility which you wish to follow like friends recommendation or by word of mouth. Generally Vitamin E is recommended which prevents the damage to sperm cells by acting as an antioxidant. Vitamin E also supports the sperm motility. This is widely used to improve fertility, as there are no reported side effects.
Also Zinc plays an important role to improve fertility in the formation of new sperm and maintenance of sperm motility. Adequate levels of zinc in the body are essential for men's reproductive health. Even foods high in Zinc like Oysters, beef, pork, turkey, lamb, and nuts can improve fertility. In natural herbal roots like Ginseng can improve fertility by increasing sperm counts, motility, and sexual stamina and reduce fatigue.
Although the results are still uncertain, no side effect or tolerated well when used in limited doses. Homeopathic medications show good records with increased sperm counts and motility. Nutritional foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts like cashew, almonds or walnuts, sweet & juicy fruits such as mangoes, peaches, plums, and pears all can improve fertility of both men and women.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Health Risks and causes of Overweight children
A sufficient energy intake is important for children while they are growing, and a varied and nutritious diet is essential for their development. However,and like adults, if they take in more energy - in the form of food - than they use up, the extra energy is stored in their bodies as fat.
If your child is overweight or obese, it's more likely that he/she will develop some serious health problems more usually seen in adulthood, like hardened and blocked arteries (coronary artery diseases), high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
Overweight children are twice as likely to be obese when they grow up than children who aren't overweight. This means that in adulthood, they will be at an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and certain cancers. The risk of health problems increases the more overweight you become.
As well as being a risk to the child's health, being overweight as a child may also cause emotional problems. Teasing about his/her appearance can affect a child's confidence and self-esteem, and can lead to isolation and depression.
An unhealthy diet combined with a lack of exercise are the main causes of childhood obesity. High-calorie foods such as chocolates, sweets and fast food are cheap and readily available to children. Alongside this, physical activity and exercise are no longer a part of most children's days - some children never walk or cycle to school or play sport. Instead, many of them spend hours in front of a television or computer.
Presence of a family history of being overweight or obese, your child may be more likely to be obese. Genetic factors may play a role in this, but the most important is shared eating and activity habits, or a combination of both,that are more likely to cause your child to be overweight.
It's unlikely that your child will be overweight because of an underlying medical problem.
What is a healthy weight for a child?
You may find it difficult to tell whether your child has temporary "puppy fat" or is genuinely overweight. Your GP will check height and weight charts (centile charts) when assessing your child to see if he/she is overweight for his/her age.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Almond as a source for calcium
Over all, you would still get some calcium by eating almonds, but at a lot higher calorie cost than from other foods, like milk.
The amount of calcium in a cup of whole almonds, 378 milligrams, is slightly more than in a cup of milk, about 300 milligrams, but you would be consuming about eight times as many calories.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Food Sources & Medicinal Importance of Zinc
Food Sources of Zinc:
Natural food sources of zinc include beans, oysters, red meat and poultry nuts, whole grains, pumpkin seed or sunflower seeds. Herbs that contain zinc include alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion, eye bright, fennel seed, hops, milk thistle, mullein, nettle, parsley, rose hips, sage, sarsaparilla, skullcap, and wild yam.
Deficiency of Zinc:
Low level of zinc can result in enlarged prostate, impaired sexual functions, dandruff, hair loss, poor sense of taste and smell, and stretch marks that commonly appear after extreme growth spurts such as in pregnancy and adolescence. In males, zinc is important for the production of semen. Up to 5 mg of zinc is lost during ejaculation. Deficiencies in zinc in males can lead to reduced sperm count and sex drive. Frequent ejaculations can lead to zinc deficiency.
Zinc is essential for the normal functioning of reproductive, neurological, dermatological and gastrointestinal systems. It is essential for normal, spermatogenesis, and normal embryonic development and for normal cell division and differentiation.
Function and Important Aspects of Zinc:
Zinc is also involved in nucleic acid degradation. The pancreas of the diabetic patients contains about one half of the normal amount of zinc. Zinc is also present in WBCs; in leukemia the WBCs have very low zinc content.
In post-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, urinary zinc excretion is increased and the zinc content of serum and liver is decreased; oral ZnSO4 has been found to improve liver function in this condition.
Abnormal metabolism of zinc has been claimed to result in a syndrome occurring in young males which is characterized by dwarfism, hypogonadism and anemia; this condition has been found in Iran and Egypt. Depressed immune response (due to malfunctioning of thymus, T cells and macrophages) and decreased smell and taste acuity are also seen.
Zinc deficiency is also seen secondary to acrodermatitis enteropathica (an autosomal recessive defect) and prolonged total parenteral nutrition. The normal serum zinc is level is about 100 ug/dL. Intestinal absorption of zinc is increased by amino acids and peptides and is decreased by fiber, phytate, phosphate, calcium and copper.
Zinc takes part in many enzymatic reactions such as those catalyzed by transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, ligases, oxidoreductases, transcription factors; specific examples include RNA polymerases, glucocorticoid receptors, uricase, carbonic anhydrase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and alcohol dehydrogenase.
Natural food sources of zinc include beans, oysters, red meat and poultry nuts, whole grains, pumpkin seed or sunflower seeds. Herbs that contain zinc include alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion, eye bright, fennel seed, hops, milk thistle, mullein, nettle, parsley, rose hips, sage, sarsaparilla, skullcap, and wild yam.
Deficiency of Zinc:
Low level of zinc can result in enlarged prostate, impaired sexual functions, dandruff, hair loss, poor sense of taste and smell, and stretch marks that commonly appear after extreme growth spurts such as in pregnancy and adolescence. In males, zinc is important for the production of semen. Up to 5 mg of zinc is lost during ejaculation. Deficiencies in zinc in males can lead to reduced sperm count and sex drive. Frequent ejaculations can lead to zinc deficiency.
Zinc is essential for the normal functioning of reproductive, neurological, dermatological and gastrointestinal systems. It is essential for normal, spermatogenesis, and normal embryonic development and for normal cell division and differentiation.
Function and Important Aspects of Zinc:
Zinc is also involved in nucleic acid degradation. The pancreas of the diabetic patients contains about one half of the normal amount of zinc. Zinc is also present in WBCs; in leukemia the WBCs have very low zinc content.In post-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, urinary zinc excretion is increased and the zinc content of serum and liver is decreased; oral ZnSO4 has been found to improve liver function in this condition.
Abnormal metabolism of zinc has been claimed to result in a syndrome occurring in young males which is characterized by dwarfism, hypogonadism and anemia; this condition has been found in Iran and Egypt. Depressed immune response (due to malfunctioning of thymus, T cells and macrophages) and decreased smell and taste acuity are also seen.
Zinc deficiency is also seen secondary to acrodermatitis enteropathica (an autosomal recessive defect) and prolonged total parenteral nutrition. The normal serum zinc is level is about 100 ug/dL. Intestinal absorption of zinc is increased by amino acids and peptides and is decreased by fiber, phytate, phosphate, calcium and copper.
Zinc takes part in many enzymatic reactions such as those catalyzed by transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, ligases, oxidoreductases, transcription factors; specific examples include RNA polymerases, glucocorticoid receptors, uricase, carbonic anhydrase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and alcohol dehydrogenase.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Lemon for Weight Loss
Lemon is a useful tool in any weight loss arsenal. With just 12 calories each, the lemon adds flavor instead of fat to recipes. It also adds vitamin C to your diet and even may aid in digestion. Experts at Shapefit.com report that just 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice provides 45 percent of the daily recommendation of vitamin C. Some people have tried a lemon juice diet to jump-start weight loss with Stanley Burroughs' "Lemonade Diet." Even in much smaller quantities, lemons can help you lose weight.
Step 1
Use both the juice and the pulp from the lemon when preparing drinks and foods. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best because it provides a little extra fiber along with the other health benefits of lemon.
Step 2
Spritz lemon juice on vegetables rather than of butter. Fats such as butter and oil make food taste better because it helps to transfer the flavor of the food onto the tongue. Lemon juice helps in this, too, and it also brings out the flavor of vegetables. Try cutting the amount of butter you put on your vegetables in half and adding a squeeze of lemon--a wedge has only 1 calorie--and see how your food tastes. Gradually cut the butter out entirely until you're using only lemon juice.
Step 3
Prepare a lemonade drink to sip throughout the day. Water is an appetite suppressant, according to the experts at the Because You Value Your Body website, and that effect is enhanced by adding lemon to the water. Take the juice of one lemon and add it to a half-gallon of icy water. Sip it throughout the day to stave off hunger. Sweeten with some no-calorie Splenda if the drink is a little tart.
Step 4
Start your day with a hot lemon drink. The ShapeFit website suggests tapping into lemon's liver-boosting properties by adding lemon to hot water and consuming the drink on an empty stomach. ShapeFit reports the lemony beverage may aid in digestion, act as a diuretic and help ease constipation.
Step 1
Use both the juice and the pulp from the lemon when preparing drinks and foods. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best because it provides a little extra fiber along with the other health benefits of lemon.
Step 2
Spritz lemon juice on vegetables rather than of butter. Fats such as butter and oil make food taste better because it helps to transfer the flavor of the food onto the tongue. Lemon juice helps in this, too, and it also brings out the flavor of vegetables. Try cutting the amount of butter you put on your vegetables in half and adding a squeeze of lemon--a wedge has only 1 calorie--and see how your food tastes. Gradually cut the butter out entirely until you're using only lemon juice.
Step 3
Prepare a lemonade drink to sip throughout the day. Water is an appetite suppressant, according to the experts at the Because You Value Your Body website, and that effect is enhanced by adding lemon to the water. Take the juice of one lemon and add it to a half-gallon of icy water. Sip it throughout the day to stave off hunger. Sweeten with some no-calorie Splenda if the drink is a little tart.
Step 4
Start your day with a hot lemon drink. The ShapeFit website suggests tapping into lemon's liver-boosting properties by adding lemon to hot water and consuming the drink on an empty stomach. ShapeFit reports the lemony beverage may aid in digestion, act as a diuretic and help ease constipation.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Grapefruit Health Diet
The Grapefruit Health Diet is an eating plan that involves eating grapefruit and consuming grapefruit juice as a way to lose weight. This is based around the premise that the grapefruit has fat burning capabilities. It is considered a fad diet and may not help you achieve permanent weight loss. If you wish to try the Grapefruit Health Diet, you should first consult with your doctor.
Step 1
Start your day off with ½ grapefruit and ½ glass of grapefruit juice for breakfast. You can also have two eggs and two slices of bacon in the morning.
Step 2
Consume another ½ piece of grapefruit and ½ glass of grapefruit juice. You can also have any kind of meat and any kind of salad with dressing for lunch.
Step 3
Include ½ grapefruit and ½ glass of grapefruit juice for dinner as well. You will eat meat and vegetables as your main course. Again, any style and any amount of meat are permitted. Green, yellow or red vegetables cooked in butter is recommended. Celery, onions and white potatoes should be avoided on the Grapefruit Health Diet.
Step 4
Have a snack such as a glass of tomato juice or skim milk before bedtime. No other snacks over the course of the day are permitted and cakes, cookies and candies are to be avoided.
Step 5
Limit the amount of caffeine that you consume on a daily basis. You should have only cup of a caffeinated beverage per day.
Step 6
Follow the Grapefruit Health Diet for twelve days. You are then instructed to take a two day break before resuming the diet.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Benefits of Green Tea
To cope up with emotional problems like stress, depression and anxiety during the cold season but also to develop and strengthen a healthy body, green tea is highly recommended.
Green tea contains numerous polyphenols which grant high antioxidant properties. Due to these properties, green tea has protective effects against cardiovascular diseases, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, seasonal diseases, Alzheimer and Parkinson and against aging also.
During the cold winter, the green tea helps you find the emotional equilibrium which is at high risk during this time of the year when the lack of sunlight and the cold can drag you to a continuous state of stress, depression and nervousness.
The more tea you drink, the less you feel stressed. Scientists have reached this conclusion after studying over 42.000 persons with age over 40s. Together with the disappearance of the stress effects, the pneumonia and depression risk is diminished to about 45%.
Against flu and cold green tea effect are even stronger. Polyphenols and flavonoids contained, strengthen the immune system making it much more resistant against cold, flu and all types of infections.
Because on the market there are many varieties of green tea, always go for the Japanese ones (the most concentrated and efficient ones) since many do not deserve their name.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Healthy food to avoid cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular diseases occur as a result of risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, obesity or smoking. Bellow you will find a range of foods and drinks which will help your heart function normally and help you avoid cardiovascular diseases.
Morning tea is very important for your heart’s health. Sage, rosemary and thyme have lots of antioxidant proprieties and protect you from the risk of developing diabetes, stroke or hypertension.
Cherries and blueberries are recommended for your heart because of their magnesium content and antioxidant proprieties which maintain normal cholesterol and blood sugar values.
A glass of red wine before bedtime improves blood circulation and does wonders for your heart. Try not to exceed one drink a day because too much alcohol hurts the heart.
Salmon and tuna are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which assure a normal heart rhythm and protect you against stroke. So does extra virgin olive oil which can successfully replace sunflower oil.
Hazelnuts, peanuts and walnuts are rich in fiber, contain large amounts of vitamin E and reduce the risk of stroke. Tofu helps you to normalize the amount of triglycerides, avoid a load of artery-clogging saturated fat and may be considered the perfect food for your heart.
Oranges are the most recommended fruits for improving your cardiac activity. So do green vegetables, rich in potassium and magnesium, which help to normalize cholesterol.
Yogurt provides the calcium requirements for your heart through a careful control of blood pressure. Coffee, if consumed only in the morning and in small quantities, is a good energizer for your heart. Also chili pepper helps your heart by preventing a spike in insulin levels after a meal.
To eliminate cardiovascular diseases risk factors you should limit salt consumption, coffee and if the case, quit smoking.
Morning tea is very important for your heart’s health. Sage, rosemary and thyme have lots of antioxidant proprieties and protect you from the risk of developing diabetes, stroke or hypertension.
Cherries and blueberries are recommended for your heart because of their magnesium content and antioxidant proprieties which maintain normal cholesterol and blood sugar values.
A glass of red wine before bedtime improves blood circulation and does wonders for your heart. Try not to exceed one drink a day because too much alcohol hurts the heart.
Salmon and tuna are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which assure a normal heart rhythm and protect you against stroke. So does extra virgin olive oil which can successfully replace sunflower oil.
Hazelnuts, peanuts and walnuts are rich in fiber, contain large amounts of vitamin E and reduce the risk of stroke. Tofu helps you to normalize the amount of triglycerides, avoid a load of artery-clogging saturated fat and may be considered the perfect food for your heart.
Oranges are the most recommended fruits for improving your cardiac activity. So do green vegetables, rich in potassium and magnesium, which help to normalize cholesterol.
Yogurt provides the calcium requirements for your heart through a careful control of blood pressure. Coffee, if consumed only in the morning and in small quantities, is a good energizer for your heart. Also chili pepper helps your heart by preventing a spike in insulin levels after a meal.
To eliminate cardiovascular diseases risk factors you should limit salt consumption, coffee and if the case, quit smoking.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Grapes may prevent cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome
Eating grapes may reduce the risk factors known as the metabolic syndrome, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Health System. These risk factors include obesity and hypertension that often lead to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
To test the effects of grapes on the development of heart disease and metabolic syndrome researchers used a breed of rats prone to develop metabolic syndrome. They divided the rats into two groups and fed a high-fat diet to one of the groups, while the other group received the same diet but supplemented with grape powder mixed from regular table grapes.
After three months, the rats that received the grape-enriched diet had lower blood pressure, better heart function, and reduced indicators of inflammation in the heart and the blood than rats who received no grape powder. Rats also had lower triglycerides and improved glucose tolerance.
“The possible reasoning behind the lessening of metabolic syndrome is that the phytochemicals (Grapes contain phytochemicals - a naturally occurring antioxidants) were active in protecting the heart cells from the damaging effects of metabolic syndrome. In the rats, inflammation of the heart and heart function was maintained far better,” says Steven Bolling, M.D (Steven Bolling, M.D. – heart surgeon at the U-M Cardiovascular Center and head of the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory)
Further study is needed to determine the effect grapes and other dark fruits have in preventing metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in humans.
To test the effects of grapes on the development of heart disease and metabolic syndrome researchers used a breed of rats prone to develop metabolic syndrome. They divided the rats into two groups and fed a high-fat diet to one of the groups, while the other group received the same diet but supplemented with grape powder mixed from regular table grapes.
After three months, the rats that received the grape-enriched diet had lower blood pressure, better heart function, and reduced indicators of inflammation in the heart and the blood than rats who received no grape powder. Rats also had lower triglycerides and improved glucose tolerance.
“The possible reasoning behind the lessening of metabolic syndrome is that the phytochemicals (Grapes contain phytochemicals - a naturally occurring antioxidants) were active in protecting the heart cells from the damaging effects of metabolic syndrome. In the rats, inflammation of the heart and heart function was maintained far better,” says Steven Bolling, M.D (Steven Bolling, M.D. – heart surgeon at the U-M Cardiovascular Center and head of the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory)
Further study is needed to determine the effect grapes and other dark fruits have in preventing metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in humans.
Friday, April 23, 2010
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