Archive for the ‘Nutrition’ Category

Eating Right While Pregnant

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

You are about to go through the best nine months of your life! Truly wonderful, these nine months will be filled with happiness, joy, excitement, changes in your body and diet and other mixed emotions. No matter, this period of your life is definitely something you will not forget and you will retell to your child over and over. As exciting as this may be, there are a lot of precautions that you have to take because you are pregnant, especially with what you eat.

Many women think that once they get pregnant, they are free to eat whatever they want. This is a common mistake. In fact, when you are pregnant, you should be more careful with what you take in as this goes to your baby as well. Your babys development is affected by your food intake so eating right while pregnant is something you should observe.

Because of your pregnancy, you can be at risk of aquiring gestational diabetes. Be mindful to not eat a lot of sugar. Caffeine shouldn’t be eaten as well. Artificial sweeteners are not good either as there are studies showing that it could impair your babys development.

Even some fruits like mangoes should not be eaten. These have a lot of natural sugar content that is not good for your child. Choose things like bananas because of their potassium. You also should have fiber to help stay regular.

Make sure that you consume a couple glasses of milk daily. Your doctor might recommend milk designed for pregnant mothers. This milk has many nutrients that you should have and calcium which is imperative for your babys brain and bone development.

Oily food should be avoided. Similarly, intake of salty foods should be minimized as salt retains water. You can get edema, or swelling of ankles and feet, because of the water retained in your tissue due to the salt that you take in.

Finally, it is good to know that eating right while you are pregnant includes drinking correctly. Take at least 8 glasses of water daily. A baby floats in water and if you are dehydrated, they may not have enough of the fluid they need everyday. Just remember, that the better you eat, the better your baby will be.

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How to Stay in Top Shape with the Best Cardio Exercises?

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

Everyone has wondered at some point which is the best of cardio exercises. To put it simple, either low or high intensity cardio exercise program will help us to burn off body fat. The question here is which is the best cardio exercise to burn off more body fat.

Under a high intensity cardio exercise, glycogen will be burned. Glycogen is a sort of carbohydrates stored in the liver and muscle. The body uses carbohydrates for energy. On the other hand, low intensity exercise burns a lot of fat. This is scientific theory.

If you’re wondering whether or not it works, the answer is no because there are so many obese folks still around, even though they are working out with low intensity routines. It still makes you wonder how it can be.

What scientists claimed about the impact of low intensity cardio exercises is true. These exercises, such as walking and swimming, are great fat-burners. But that does not mean high intensity exercises do not burn as much fat. They require a huge amount of energy from glycogen and fat.

To put the icing on the cake, when our store of glycogen gets low, the carbohydrates from the food we eat will later be converted into glycogen to fill up the store instead of body fat when they are left unused.

High intensity cardio exercise will juice up our metabolism even after we have completed our workout. What this means is that the body will continue to burn body fat hours after we have left the gym.

On the other hand, low impact cardio exercises do not offer that metabolism benefit. So overall, high intensity workout probably burns more fat than low.

In order to utilize both low and high impact cardio exercises, we need to put them together in a routine. For example, walk for about 5 minutes, then power walk (almost jog) for the same amount of time.

Continue to rotate afterward until you’re finished. For the best cardio exercises, I recommend you do a continuous routine of 15 minutes or more. If you do not like walking, you can use a cardio exercise machine.

Burning fat is not everything cardio exercise can do. The best thing is that it keeps your energy level high.

If you’ve never tried cardio before, give it a shot. If you like exercising, you’ll find cardio one of the best ways to boost energy and stay in top shape. For those who are just starting out, go slow and keep your cardio exercises on track - as it is very tempting to overexert yourself.

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The Most Popular Diet Plans, Aren’t The Most Effective? True!

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

It is nearly impossible to flip on the television today and not see an advertisement of one kind or another for a weight loss plan. If all these plans worked are there so many? the best that I can give you in order to pick the best diet is right for you is to know how your body works. Directly below I’ve outlined some of the most popular weight-loss programs available online and below I have provided links to highly successful ones you had never heard of.

1. Jenny Craig. This diet is always in the news. It spokespeople Kirstie Alley and Valerie Bertinelli, are everywhere. And the public has seen what Jenny Craig has done for these celebrities. This plan is deceptively expensive. The monthly fee is only $20, but the food is very expensive and not included in this monthly fee. However the program combines great food with salads, low-fat dairy, fruits, lots of water, and exercise. Plan matches to the counselor when you can speak with about your progress when you go for weigh ins.

2. Weight Watchers. The Weight Watchers diet has been one of the most successful diets in the history of dieting. What makes it so popular is that no food is off limits. As long as you do not exceed your daily point limit you can eat whatever you want. The diet is instructive has great literature and the teachers provide great information about what to eat, how to lose weight and not feel hungry. Exercise while not a large part of this diet or a central theme is always encouraged. My advice, as you may well guess, is to develop your own exercise plan and follow it religiously. Exercise should be made part of your daily routine. When you do this you will feel better, look better and feel better.

3. South Beach. The South Beach diet gets so much attention because of its advertisement that you can lose up to 13 pounds of fat in the first two weeks you’re on the diet. this weight is lost because the diet is extremely restrictive than the first two weeks. The idea behind the diet, is to reprogram the body in order to burn calories more efficiently. Those foods that are excluded in the first two weeks are then slowly added back into the diet over time. This diet became so popular so quickly because there are many different makers of South Beach diet products: frozen meals, bars and breakfast cereals. These products are sold in thousands of very popular grocery stores.

4. Nutrisystem. The Nutrisystem diet centers around the glycemic index. A rating system for carbohydrates. He carb is low on this index is one that releases energy and very slow rate throughout the day. This means that the sugar levels in the body will remain stable when you eat low glycemic index carbohydrates. On the other hand, high glycemic foods are those that cause a surge in blood sugar. These foods give you a burst of energy but you crash afterwards. In this diet meals come in ready-made, prepackaged containers. There is no calorie counting, fat watching, or carb calculation.

Which one is for you? If you have questions about which diet is right for you visit my site to learn more. At my site, there is fantastic information about all of these diets. And you’ll learn more about exercise, nutrition, and health. When You visit today and sign up for my newsletter I’ll give you free diet software. Click on the links below now!

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Fish oil benefits

Saturday, March 21st, 2009

Through the history people, scientists, traditional and homeopathic medicine have “blamed” fish oil for many different health benefits. Some of them turned out to be just a myth but others - like being a source of Omega-3 acids - are widely accepted and today fish oil is prescribed to patients that have Omega-3 fatty acids deficit.

It is a known fact that great health problems can occur from an unbalanced diet, and the lack of Omega-3 essential fatty acids makes no exception to the case. On the contrary, Rheumatoid Arthritis, breast or prostate cancer, heart disease, strokes, psoriasis and depression can be caused by a low Omega-e factors intake, and can also be prevented or controlled after being administered an Omega-3 dietary supplement, in the form of fish oil (or other Omega-3 supplements on the market).

There have been quite a few researches made in the past decades and all have proven that fish oil is a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Even though there are (or can be) some side effects to taking fish oil, the benefits definitely prevail.

The main reason that our western diet and cuisine is short on Omega-3 fatty acids is the fact that we do not eat a lot of sea food. Fish, shellfish, seaweed are all sources of these fatty acids. On the other hand our nutrition is rich with the other, not so good type of fatty acids - Omega-6. So until we improve our way of cooking and eating it is wise to take some sort of supplements that will introduce enough Omega-3 in our system.

The Omega-3 essential fatty acids contained in fish oil can help prevent coronary heart disease, Crohns disease, strokes, prostate and colon cancer, kidney malfunctions, lupus. It will also help prevent arteriosclerosis, arrhythmias, cardiac arrest by normalizing the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and maintaining a good cholesterol balance.

Another disease where fish oil can be helpful is the prevention of the onset of schizophrenia. Especially if fish oil is included in the diet of young patients that have only shown the first signs of schizophrenia it seems that fish oil helps control this disease or even reverse the symptoms. Studies on this matter have not been fully confirmed yet.

Fish oils seems to work well in cases of mental illnesses. Another condition where fish oil has confirmed beneficial effects is depression. This is especially the case when depression itself is triggered by the Omega-3 fatty acids deficit.

Fish oil has many benefic effects which have been recognized by medical communities worldwide. Even though it is not the all miracle cure that some have deemed it to be in an attempt to extort money from the unsuspecting sufferers looking for a cure for their ailments, fish oil can be a very effective dietary supplement that can help you preserve your good health.

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Important Note before Buying Green Lipped Mussels Extract

Saturday, March 21st, 2009

For the reason of the amount of lipids and other important substances obtained naturally in this marine animal, numerous health advocates consider this green mussel extract can be a powerful anti-inflammatory relieve in strictly natural form only. The green lipped mussel extract was originally developed as another healthy alternative synonymous to fish oils. This is because of its rich content in essential fatty acid omega-3. Extract of the seafood also includes iron, betain, and chondroitin sulphate and all of these substances are theorized to deliver an anti-inflammatory or other preventive result on the body.

The Latin name for the green lipped mussel is Perna canaliculus. This marine creature is also called as the Green Lips, Greenback, or Greenshell mussel. These are all trademarks determined by the New Zealand Mussel Industry Council (NZMIC). In addition, Blue Ocean Institute, a United States environmental agency, has named the green lipped mussel one of the top types of eco-friendly seafood. This particularly is for the appreciation of the manner in which it is farmed.

Some companies speedily realized the possible promise for producing and distributing green lipped mussel extract in the health-conscious market. While it could be a gain to numerous inflammation sufferers, not all extract products are what they exact to be. The problem sets in with the commercialization of the extract.

Part of the trouble is that the NZMIC does not have a mandated definition in place which limits the required elements to call a product green lipped mussel extract. Therefore, there are numerous companies out there which opted to sell a nutraceutical bearing below significantomega-3 or other nutrients.

Until there is a move from the authorities to standardize natural green lipped mussel extract products, the buyer should beware. Select the company with good reputation before making your purchase.

Nz Pure Health is a specialist in New Zealand Green Mussels as a natural dietary supplement. Green Lipped Mussel Capsules have been growingly popular as a great way to combat joint pain, learn more details at NZ Pure Health Natural Anti Inflammatory cures.

For more free information about natural remedies and cures, check out this Natural Cures blog. As mentioned, Green Lipped Mussels are found effective as natural treatment to arthritic pains, log on to treatment arthritis.

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Your Life and Turmeric - Super Combination

Saturday, March 21st, 2009

The inquest of healing herbs and useful concoctions has been in vogue from the earliest centuries. But in actuality you do not have to look far. Just peep in your kitchen and grab the element of wonders called turmeric. Though its healing properties have been acknowledged even before the 18th century, it has become a distinguished herb of today which is used to treat diseases and maladies.

Ever wondered what gives turmeric its healing properties? Curcumin, a chemical component and an active agent in turmeric gives the turmeric its yellowish hue and is also famous for its anti inflammatory properties. Moreover, it has also shown its benefits in creating antibodies and fighting HIV bacteria and various other cancers.

Turmeric also assists in liver disorders. It aids the liver in bile secretion thus protecting it from radiation and other injurious chemicals. It can also treat hyperacidity, indigestion, high cholesterol and blockage of arteries. Regular use of turmeric can be life-saving for people who have a weak immune system and likely to catch fatal diseases quickly. Turmeric is commonly used in India and other eastern countries, to spice up foods and sauces.

Turmeric also has medicinal and antiseptic properties where acne and wounds are concerned. To treat acne, you can simply crush a handful of neem leaves and mix them with a tsp of turmeric, applying the paste on acne spots. Coconut oil can also be used if neem leaves are not available. A paste of coconut oil and turmeric can be prepared and applied on acne spots to be kept overnight. Two to three days of application is guaranteed to show desirable results.

Wounds can also be healed swiftly by applying turmeric on them. It works by remodeling the injured skin and guards it from outside infections. Frequent application of turmeric on the skin helps it to maintain its glow and shine and ensures that the skin’s surface remains smooth and shiny. Multiple skin disorders can also be healed by the continual use of turmeric.

Turmeric’s benefits extend even to the blood of the body. If taken regularly in the form of juice, it purifies the blood. It is also a natural detoxifier and can even act as a painkiller. It even helps with Alzheimers disease to a positive extent. Not only that, curcumin is also responsible for the reduction of plaque, tissue inflammation and memory loss.

Arthritis can be alleviated with turmeric as it inhibits the enzyme which is responsible for inflammation, puffiness and throbbing. It also normalizes the sugar levels and is very beneficial for diabetes patients.

Turmeric has countless benefits. Making it an integral part of your diet by utilizing it as a spice to season your food will safeguard your health and ensure your well-being. It is a very economical medicine suited to heal your maladies.

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What You Need to Know About Degenerative Osteoarthritis

Friday, March 20th, 2009

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the skeletal system that occurs with aging. Osteoarthritis usually occurs in the joints wherein the cartilage breaks down causing pain and stiffness. It is a progressive disease and usually manifests symptoms in a later age. It affects both men and women especially those in their middle to late adulthood. However, men usually experience symptoms earlier than women.

People with osteoarthritis often feel joint stiffening accompanied with pain. This occurs when the affected joints swell. The range of motion of the joint affected is also limited and if moved about, causes pain. Humid weather can aggravate the pain experienced by a person with osteoarthritis.

Pain is subjective and therefore differs in every person. It can range from tolerable to unbearable pain. Muscle spasms and contractions often accompany joint pain in osteoarthritis. This pain usually happens for a couple of hours but should not last for one whole day. If the pain is prolonged, prompt medical treatment should be given.

Pain attacks don’t happen at regular intervals. Patients with osteoarthritis can feel pain today but will not feel pain in the next three days. Therefore, patients can perform normal activities when pain is absent, but have to stop when pain occurs. This inability to perform activities makes life adjustments hard for a patient with osteoarthritis.

Age is the most common factor associated with osteoarthritis. People who are in their 40s to 60s are often the ones affected with osteoarthritis. This happens because as people age, the bones and cartilages are getting weaker and can no longer meet the demands of strenuous physical work. There are also a lot of symptoms associated with osteoarthritis other than pain. Some of which are bony enlargements and formation of bones from cartilages.

Little is known about osteoarthritis being genetic, but it is a common finding for patients with osteoarthritis to have other family members with the same condition. Experts have found out that this incidence is associated with lifestyle. Therefore necessary lifestyle modifications should be done. An exercise routine every day is very ideal to have an active lifestyle to prevent osteoarthritis.

Lifestyle modifications in the prevention of osteoarthritis do not stop with just having an active lifestyle. Obesity is also a major risk factor for osteoarthritis. People who are obese should start doing healthy methods to lose weight because it will help them to avoid serious complications brought about by osteoarthritis. One way of losing weight aside from exercise is eating a proper and balanced diet. Instead of eating foods that are rich in sodium and cholesterol, nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables should be taken.

Osteoarthritis is a serious condition that should not be neglected. Younger people who do not want to be diagnosed with osteoarthritis should take necessary preventive measures as early as possible. Osteoarthritis can cause pain that can’t be tolerated by people who have a low threshold for pain. Although medications are available to relieve pain, other symptoms can’t just be treated by simple medications. It needs prompt treatment and surgery if possible.

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Fish Oil for What Ails Meghan McCain? Yes.

Friday, March 20th, 2009

I received three video clips from a friend of mine yesterday, one showcasing Meghan McCain’s appearance on the talk show “The View.” At first, I could not remember exactly who she was, but then it dawned on me.

She’s the daughter of Senator John McCain, and as such, considers herself fairly important to the future of the Republican Party. Others disagree, and her appearance on “The View” was used to promote her political point of view, which is “moderate republicanism” (whatever THAT means).

McCain got into a scrum with Ann Coulter, basically telling her where she could put her message (where the moon don’t shine). Coulter parried back, and then Laura Ingraham, a talk radio host, joined in the battle, on the side of Coulter. Insults were hurled, and McCain said Ingraham called her “plus sized” (a euphemism, if ever I heard one).

Now I’ve listened to Ingraham before, and I think she was trying to score two points with one shot, with the insult of McCain. I think she meant McCain’s criticism of Coulter was off the mark, and she meant that McCain was a big fat a$$ (as in donkey.) But I could be wrong, and either way, after watching the video of “The View,” I’m more inclined to think that Ingraham and Coulter came off as brighter, wittier, and more fun.

McCain looked as though she fit right in with Joy Behar, Sherrie Whoever, and Whoopie (and that ain’t a good thing). Jay Leno had already called the sneering Behar “fat,” among other things, on his show a few weeks back. McCain, with her own sneer and sense of entitlement, told all who could hear that they could kiss her fat a$$ (just like Tyra Banks, who was starting to look like Oprah Jr.).

Looking back at her father’s campaign last fall, I have to say that I don’t remember Meghan McCain at all. But it now seems that she believes that the successful future of the Republican Party is her responsibility. Take a look at her blog and you’ll see what I mean. And after viewing the clip from “The View” we can safely say that she is like her father in at least one way: her temper.

If she is thinking of running for her father’s seat in Arizona anytime in the near future, I would strongly advise her to stock up on some fish oil.

My suggestion that Ms. McCain take fish oil has to do with recent behavioral studies that show fish oil can be very beneficial for the mind, with some studies pinpointing that fish oil can be helpful in decreasing occurrences of anger or violence in those that take the supplement.

There have been a few studies in Britain that showed that young adults who were prone to “hooliganism” and were given fish oil showed a marked improvement in the reduction of their destructive behavior.

What I am suggesting is that maybe the young Miss McCain might not have been so quick to drop the hammer and insults, had she been taking Dr. Bill’s Powerhouse Omega Formula. It’s just possible that the omega-3 fatty acids might have facilitated a better choice of response. Clearer, more precise thought processes…are just one of the many benefits enjoyed by those who take pharmaceutical grade fish oil, on a daily basis. That’s one reason why I do, myself.

One thing I must add: I don’t believe it is a good idea to call oneself “young, fat, and proud of it”, whether you are Meghan McCain or Tyra Banks. I would be willing to bet good money that after proclaiming on national television that their critics could kiss their fat a%$ they went on a diet. And I think that’s part of the problem.

If they just followed my advice: good food, moderate consistent exercise, proper rest, and a daily dose of pharmaceutical grade fish oil, things might go a little better for them. And their behind wouldn’t be on the frontburner.

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Why Eat Bananas For Energy?

Friday, March 20th, 2009

If you watch athletics and sports events on the TV or go to a stadium live to see a meet or a match then you may quite often see athletes/sports people snacking on a banana. This isn’t just about the fact that they may like the taste of this fruit, the fact is that the humble banana is a bit of an energy super fruit!

Bananas are a rich source of naturally occurring sugars so basically eating a banana can give you the kind of immediate energy rush or sugar hit that you might get from a candy bar. But, the energy rush you get here will be a healthy one which is why this fruit is often the snack of choice for people participating in sports or training.

So, eating a banana can give you a quick energy boost but what happens when this initial boost wears off? Well, the beauty of a banana is that, unlike the candy bar, the rush doesn’t disappear almost immediately leaving you wanting more. A banana is absorbed relatively slowly into your system so that you get a slow and steady release of energy over time rather than that simple one-off hit.

So, if you are going to the gym or for a long run then eating one or two bananas before your workout can actually supply your body with the energy necessary to cope with the effort you’ll be expending. And, as an exceptional source of potassium bananas can also help avoid muscular problems related to workouts and fitness programs such as cramps and spasms. This is another reason why athletes love them!

The energy giving properties of bananas can also suit you if you are on a diet or looking to eat more healthily. For many of us the changes in the foods we eat when we start to diet can be quite depressing and we can feel for a while that we lack vim and vigor.

A lot of the time this is simply down to the bad things in the junk food that we used to eat. It made us feel good but was bad for our bodies. But, bananas can help here. The energy that they can provide can be a healthy alternative and they can also help your body produce serotonin which can have a significantly positive effect on your mood.

In addition, eating a banana as a healthy snack is a great way of making your stomach feel that it is full as this fruit can be quite bulky. You may also find that your brain is less likely to tell you that you are hungry after snacking on a banana as the energy/nutrients that it brings into your body can take a while to be completely sorted.

So, if you are looking for an energy boost — no matter for what reason — then consider picking up a banana next time you need a lift. This is the healthy way to an energy boost that could keep you going for hours at a time!

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Why Acetyl-L-Carnitine increases brain function

Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Acetyl-L-Carnitine or ALCAR is an amino acid which facilitates the remembering process and it is also known to work towards generally making you feel better. Most people know it to be very good for the health of your brain. Nourishing elements which help the brain perform better are always welcome because they lend an extra support so that the brain can recall things better. In today’s environment, it is essential to consume brain powering foods because it usually not possible to take it naturally through the food we eat. So, it’s very important that we understand how important Acetyl-L-Carnitine can be for our mental health.

If you are taking Acetyl-L-Carnitine, then you will want to make sure that your brain works properly and you can remember things more quickly. Nonetheless, you will have to make sure that however your way of life, or whatever your diet, it does not have any adverse effect on the brain. The next step would be to eradicate stress from your mind and to give up bad habits like smoking, drinking or doing drugs. Even if your life appears a little boring, you will still get to do what you want to do the most.

What you Should Know about Acetyl-L-Carnitine Acetyl-L-Carnitine is chockfull of healthy nutrients such as vitamins(B), phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylcholine, magnesium and DHA/EPA (fish oils) which make this a very valuable form of brain food. These nutrients bolster the efficacy of Acetyl-L-Carnitine amazingly well.

This compound also helps in protecting your brain cells thereby accelerating memory retention. According to a research study conducted in human beings, it can be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease as well. The best thing about Acetyl-L-Carnitine is that, it is one of the vital nutrients used for precluding Alzheimer’s disorder.

There are various methods in which this compound works to stop the damage of brain cells that inevitably happen as a result of the ageing process. What it does is that it acts as a very powerful antioxidant and boosts your brain with beneficial energy while at the same time, honing the powers of Acetylcholine, a very important molecule that acts as a go between. Deficiency of acetylcholine is one of the main reasons that causes patients of Alzheimer’s to forget constantly, causing memory retention trouble. So, if you can push acetylcholine levels higher, then the Acetyl-L-Carnitine works in a way to increase memory retention as well as reducing the chances of Alzheimer’s too.

It’s important to give energy to your cells because with the right amount of energy they can perform optimally and they can even develop further. But without energy, they can die and this is a worst case scenario if the cells in question are your brain cells. Once they are gone, they cannot be revived and that’s why you need to boost your brain cells with top quality brain food like Acetyl-L-Carnitine.

More Remarkable Points: Considering that Acetyl-L-Carnitine is entirely an organic compound which helps in recalling things better, it is also harmless for the brain and helps it work at its best. Acetyl-L-Carnitine performs four functions which are very valuable for the proper working order of your central nervous system, that is, your brain and your spine:

1. Lets the neurons remain active and fine 2. Works on membrane signal transduction receptors to fix and save them 3. Safeguards neurons from injury that can come about because of nervous tension 4. Boosts the levels of acetylcholine to speed up the remembering process and learning ability

It’s obvious by now that if you want to maximize your memory retention powers Acetyl-L-Carnitine should not be ignored. It is easily available at all health care stores, and can be bought as an over the counter supplement.

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