A Healthy Kind of Something

Sex + Exercise = Sexercise

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:40:00 +0000

Is that exercise bike in your bedroom gathering dust? You can still turn the room into a fitness haven – but forget the bike and head straight to bed: Having vigorous sex can burn off about 130 calories per half hour. You can burn off two kilograms a year with 135 lovemaking sessions – that works out to 2.6 times a week.

And there are other health benefits to habitual sex: British researchers who examined 914 middle-age men over 20 years found that frequent sex might help the heart. Moreover, results from a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggest that frequent ejaculation may be related to a lower risk of prostate cancer.

So for the sake of your waist and heart not to mention a few other body parts consider the horizontal workout. After all, it’s a lot more fun than heading to the gym.

Honestly speaking sex is the great exercise next to swimming!, so enjoy your healthy sex life.

10 Diet Destroying Drinks: Discover The Truth About Popular Drinks

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:37:00 +0000

Most of us pay a great deal of attention to the foods we are putting in our bodies. We read labels, read information on nutrition, and probably take a multivitamin just for a little extra insurance. When it comes to our diets, food is well covered.

One aspect that often gets overlooked, however, is what we choose to quench our thirst with. No doubt you've got a good protein powder in place for your pre- and post-workout meals, but what about the beverages you choose to drink throughout the day? You may be quite amazed at the harmful effects they could be having on both your health and your body composition.

Here are some specific ones you should consider, not only for yourself, but also for parents and what your kids may be consuming as well.

Red Bull:

Favored by many as a quick pick-me-up when you feel that afternoon crash hit in, or for some, used as a mixer with alcohol, this is anything but conducive to your dietary attempts. Each 8.3 oz can is going to send 27 grams of sugar flowing into your body, causing your insulin levels to go up. For those on lower carb diets, one can could constitute an entire days worth of carbohydrates.

If you're looking for a healthier alternative to boost your energy mid-day, why not try out BSN's Endorush Drinks. You can get them in Fruit Punch, Grape, Lemon-Lime, or Orange, and not only are they almost calorie free, but they also will boost your energy, performance, endurance, mental focus, cognition, and serve to make sure your electrolytes are where they need to be. It's definitely a better option than the former choice.

Sunsweet Prune Juice:

Packaged to look healthy, prune juice states it's not from concentrate. This must mean it's healthy, right? Wrong. For each 8 oz. serving you drink down, you'll be adding 180 calories and 24 grams of sugar to your daily intake. That's more calories and just about as much sugar as what's found in a cup of cola!

Do note, prunes are actually fantastic as a post-workout food due to their sugar content, so instead of opting for this beverage, have some fresh prunes washed down with Noni Juice, which contains the trace minerals you need to function optimally.

Hawaiian Punch:

If you're a proud parent, you've likely sent your kids off to school with one variety of Hawaiian Punch before. While it may seem like a better option than them purchasing a Pepsi from the vending machine, that's far from the truth. Each 8 fluid oz serving of this red beverage will contain 120 calories and 28 grams of sugar.

Not only does this affect their body weight, but it will also create an energy high followed by a crash. As you've probably experienced a few times before, when you get an energy crash, your concentration level goes with it. The last thing you want is for your kids to be having trouble focusing in their afternoon classes.

Not to mention that this product also contains high-fructose corn syrup, one of the leading causes of weight problems amongst kids today. If you're looking for a fruity tasting drink, instead of having one of these high-sugar options, consider one of the fruit-tasting protein powders. Syntrax's Nectar line is especially good.

Hershey's Chocolate Milk:

While milk is definitely a better option than many of the 'juices' that are available, if you opt for pre-made chocolate milk, you're getting more than you bargained for. Each cup of this drink will contain 270 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 45 grams of sugar.

There will be some protein - which is great, but that is just too much sugar to be consuming. Instead, opt for a ready to drink meal replacement in chocolate flavor such as EAS Myoplex. This is available in regular and light, low-carb versions, so there will be a product to match anyone's dietary needs.

Glaceau Vitamin Water:

More and more you are starting to see flavored water beverages coming to supermarkets and vending machines as an alternative to soda. While many of these are good replacements and are low calories (some even containing electrolytes for those involved in physical activity), some varieties you need to watch out for. The Glaceau brand of vitamin Water will supply you with 125 calories per 20 oz and a whopping 33 grams of sugar. You might as well just have eaten a candy bar.

If you need to get your vitamins in, choose a good multivitamin that will help you meet your nutrient needs. Then, if you're looking to flavor water, have a look at some of the flavored amino acid products out there such as SciVation Xtend. By mixing this product with water, not only will you enhance the taste of plain water, helping it go down, but you'll also be providing essential amino acids to the muscles, helping with recovery and growth.

Starbucks Frappuccino Blended Double Chocolate Chip Crème:

Coffee lovers rejoice! Coffee has now been proven to have beneficial effects on the body, especially as it relates to exercise when consumed in moderate doses. How you choose your coffee beverage though can mean the difference between you losing body fat and you rapidly expanding outwards.

If you choose to have your caffeine in a more dessert-like fashion, choosing Starbucks' ever popular Frappucino in the Venti size, you can tack on an additional 550 calories, 11 grams of fat and 79 grams of sugar to your daily diet. For you women out there dieting and taking in between 1200-1500 calories a day, that will constitute a third to almost a half of all the calories you can have! Definitely not a sound way to diet.

If you are looking to get a dose of caffeine in, consider purchasing a caffeine supplement and then serving that up with a cappuccino flavored protein powder such as Dymatize Café Mocha.

Jamba Juice Green Tea Blast:

If you decide you're in the mood for a smoothie, you need to choose your options very carefully. While green tea offers many beneficial health benefits, taking it in the form of a Jamba Juice will leave you with 67 grams sugar. While post-workout this may pass as okay (if combined with a good source of protein), at any other time of the day, it is definitely not what you want.

If you're looking for the fat loss benefit of green tea, consider buying Designer Supplement's Lean Xtreme. It'll give you a good dose of green tea extract and is great for those who are both trying to lose fat or build muscle.

Gatorade:

A very common choice among athletes involved in hockey, soccer, or track and field, Gatorade is known for its electrolyte balancing properties that keep muscular contractions occurring as they should. While this is essential, if you consume the regular version of Gatorade, you're also going to be getting 125 calories and 35 grams of sugar. For those doing endurance activities, this may be okay as they are burning this sugar off.

For those of you who aren't out there running miles at a time, opt for Now's Arginine Power Super Stack. It will still help replenish your electrolyte balance just as Gatorade does, but will only contribute a measly 60 calories to your diet. This is much more appropriate for those who are looking to control their weight.

Tropicana Fruit Smoothie:

This is another one you may have sent your kids off to school with, or perhaps something you've reached for when you're in the mood for a fruity-tasting beverage. You definitely should include a few pieces of fresh fruit in your diet, but not from a drink such as this.

Each 11 oz. bottle consumed will contribute 220 calories and 44 grams of sugar to your daily diet. Do this every day on a regular basis (in addition to the other foods you'd normally eat) and you've just gained 1/2 a pound a week. Not the best way to control your weight.

Instead, create your own smoothie by blending up fresh or frozen fruit, some low-fat, low-sugar yogurt, and adding in Syntrax Matrix 5.0 in Simply Vanilla flavor. This will give it that creamy taste of a real smoothie but really boost the protein content.

Baskin Robins Heath Cappuccino Blast:

Finally, coming in as the worst possible beverage you could consume, is the Heath Cappucino Blast from Baskin Robins. While it definitely will be tasty, if you decide to really treat yourself and go for a large, it's almost 1/2 pound's worth of calories! Each of these blended beverages ranks in at a massive 1240 calories, 55 grams of fat, and 161 grams of sugar.

The top five Foods that can cause Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:33:00 +0000

1. Hot Dogs
Because they are high in nitrates, the Cancer Prevention Coalition advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs a month. If you can't live without hot dogs, buy those made without sodium nitrate.

2. Processed meats and bacon
Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.

3. Doughnuts
Doughnuts are cancer causing double trouble. First, they are made with white flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oils, then fried at high temperatures. Doughnuts, says Adams , may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.

4. French Fries
Like doughnuts, French fries are made with hydrogenated oils and then fried at high temperatures. They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides which occur during the frying process. They should be called cancer fries, not French fries.

5. Chips, Crackers, and Cookies
All are usually made with white flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels claim to be free of trans-fats generally contain small amounts of trans-fats.

How to avoid Eyes Strain

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:31:00 +0000

Have a thorough eye examination. While everyone should have their eyes checked once a year, annual eye exams are especially important for computer users.

Follow the "20/20 rule." Keep your face at least 20 inches from the screen and pause every 20 minutes or so to look around the room, so your eyes can focus on distant objects. Regular eye exercise helps prevent eye strain.

Place all materials you are working with at the same distance as the screen. This reduces strain of your eyes and neck.

Make sure you have a glare screen, which should block glare without making the characters on the monitor appear fuzzy. Also if possible, move or adjust the computer screen to avoid reflections from windows or indoor lights.

Sit on a stable, comfortable, adjustable chair. If it is possible to put the keyboard a few inches below the desktop, for example, with an adjustable table, or by using a center drawer of a desk for a pullout keyboard rest, do so. This will keep your arms at a more comfortable angle.

Place computer monitor at a 35-degree angle below your eyes. This reduces incidence of Dry Eye.

Use preservative-free artificial tears intermittently when on the computer if your eyes get red and irritated. Much of computer fatigue is caused by Dry Eye.

Finally, take periodic breaks from the computer during the day, walk around and do some non-computer tasks for about 15 minutes every two or three hours.

Do's and Dont's of Back Pain prevention

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:30:00 +0000

Do's
To prevent/treat back pains be sure to strech your hamstrings. You can do this by sitting in a long sitting position or by sitting with both knees extended. Try to gently touch your toes but be sure to do it gently. If You can't reach it then dont! Do this everyday for a week for five to ten minutes.

Dont's
If your back pain comes with a radiating pain down to the hip, knee & toes, this exercise is not for you. If you experience this kind of problem be sure to go to your Ortho Doctor, Rehab Doctor or Physical Therapist to check you up.

Steps that ensuring to have a good Sexual Health

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:28:00 +0000

Having good sexual health does not mean that you have to remain completely abstinent from sex altogether. What it does mean is that you have to be careful, take precautions and most importantly take care of your body, since it’s the only one you have. Here are some easy ways to maintain good sexual health.

Step1:
Always make sure you have protection with you. The one biggest mistake anybody can make when it comes to good sexual health is by not always carrying protection with them. If you do always carry protection with you, then you never have to worry if a spur of the moment intimacy occurs.

Step2:
Get tested and have a check-up regularly. The best way to maintain good sexual health is by frequently getting tested for STD’s and by following your doctor’s recommended annual physical plan.

Step3:
Get to know somebody before becoming intimate with them. By having sex with a stranger, you are essentially also having sex with anybody they have ever been with prior to you. You really should get to know them first, their habits and their sexual habits before sharing intimacy with them and putting yourself at risk.

Step4:
If you think you may have contracted something, see a doctor right away. Often time’s people will deny that they may have gotten infected with an STD, putting it out of their minds and ignoring the issue. If you think that there is even the smallest chance you have contracted a sexually transmitted disease, see a doctor and get tested right away.

It's a good way to have a healthy sexual life.

Steps | Methods | Ways of getting a birth control

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:24:00 +0000

Birth control is a great way to control a country's population and a good family planning to raise a child. To undergo a birth control method you must follow these simple steps.

Step1: Birth Control at Convenience Stores.

You can easily find condoms, creams and other similar types of birth control at convenience stores such as Walgreens or Walmart.

Step2: Birth Control from Your Primary Physician.

If you're over 18 years of age and are female, you should be seeing your gynecologist at least once every 1-2 years. While you're in their office, let them know you are interested in birth control and they can administer that for you while you're in their office or they can write a prescription that can be filled at a local pharmacy.

Step3: Birth Control from Planned Parenthood.

Visit your local Planned Parenthood Center and one of their staff members will assist you in finding the right birth control for your needs. They will also be able to get you the emergency contraceptive pill if you need it.

Step4: Birth Control by Abstinence.

Of course if you don't have sex at all, that is a form of birth control as well.

The steps above are the ways of having a birth control, but it's up to you on how many child you want to raise. But it's a good practice to have a birth control.

A Combo of Healthy Juices

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:23:00 +0000

I would like to share this, The healthy juices combo, a healthy tips i've got from my friend. This thing need a blender, I hope you guys had a blender in your home to do this. It depends upon your taste and I don't know how many fruits to mix with. Don't add sugar, just add sweetened fruits instead.

Carrot + Ginger + Apple = Boost and cleanse our system.

Apple + Cucumber + Celery = Prevent cancer, reduce cholesterol, and eliminate stomach upset and headache.

Tomato + Carrot + Apple = Improve skin complexion and eliminate bad breath.

Bitter gourd + Apple + Milk = Avoid bad breath and reduce internal body heat.

Orange + Ginger + Cucumber = Improve Skin texture and moisture and reduce body heat.

Pineapple + Apple + Watermelon = To dispel excess salts, nourishes the bladder and kidney.

Apple + Cucumber + Kiwi = To improve skin complexion.

Pear + Banana = Regulates sugar content.

Carrot + Apple + Pear + Mango = Clear body heat, counteracts toxicity, decreased blood pressure and fight oxidization .

Honeydew + Grape + Watermelon + Milk = Rich in vitamin C + Vitamin B2 that increase cell activity and str engthen body immunity.

Papaya + Pineapple + Milk = Rich in vitamin C, E, Iron. Improve skin complexion and metabolism.

Banana + Pineapple + Milk = Rich in vitamin with nutritious and prevent constipation

10 Essential Health Tips! |The Basics to Practice Every Day

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:16:00 +0000

1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!

2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!

3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.

4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds then float on them.

5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: 'Smoke gets in your eyes and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants. hum the tune daily.

6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.

7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body's boss.

8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can't be unhappy when you're smiling or singing.

10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.

10 Different Ways To Lose Weight and Maintain It

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:12:00 +0000

1. Do it for yourself. The motivation to lose weight and keep it off has to come from within you. If you're relying on gimmicky diets, you may still be hoping for some magical solution outside yourself.

2. Think 10 per cent. People who focus on losing just 10 per cent of their weight may have the best chance of long-term success. And dropping those first pounds produces the biggest health gains like decreased blood pressure, lower blood cholesterol and lower blood sugar, to name a few.

3. Take it one pound at a time. Crash weight loss programs rarely work. Even if you're able to stick with the severe calorie deprivation or the extreme energy output required, such quick-fix regimens leave you totally unprepared for the moderate but permanent changes needed to sustain the loss. Experts recommend that you strive to drop no more than half to one kilo a week while working to develop eating and activity habits that you can maintain for a lifetime.

4. Weigh in weekly. Evidence from several studies indicates that people who maintain weight loss hop on the scale at least once a week.

5. Get support. Finding a buddy to cheer you along will make the weight loss effort that much easier.

6. Expect to slip. Most people believe that you've got to do it all or it isn't worth doing. But that's not true. If you can't exercise the equivalent of walking 30 miles a week, it doesn't mean you shouldn't exercise at all. Make a start. Do what you can do. Something is always better than nothing.

7. Ease in. Just because you're suddenly burning to lose weight doesn't mean you should immediately plunge into full-throttle workouts. That's prescription for agony, injury and failure. And there's no rush. After all, if you want the weight loss to last, you'll be exercising for the rest of your life.

8. Make it fun. If you don't enjoy your workouts, you probably won't stick with them. For example, you could go dancing, play badminton, or take up a hobby that keeps you moving, like biking, hiking, or gardening.

9. Break it up. You don't have to do all your exercise in one long session. You'd burn just as many calories, and get nearly the same health benefits, by squeezing several shorter bursts of activity into your day.

10. Blend it in. You can exercise practically anytime, anywhere, without any special clothes or equipment. For example, deliberately park your car in the farthest corner of the parking lot, get off the bus one stop short of your destination, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or attack your housework vigorously. Counting up your minutes or mileage at the end of the day can provide an encouraging reward.

Okra Vegetable - Remedy for Diabetes and High Sugar

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:09:00 +0000

I've got this good information from my friend about this great vegetable which can be found in the Philippines which is helpful for a person having a Diabetes and High in sugar. This is the email of my friend to me.

Last month, while watching a TV program, I learned of a treatment for High Blood Sugar (Diabetes). Since I am diabetic, I tried it and my Sugar is in control now. In fact, I have already reduced my medicines. Take two pieces of Lady Finger (Bhindi) and cut both ends of each piece. Furthermore, put a small cut in the middle and put these two pieces in a glass of water.Cover the glass and keep it at room temperature during night.

Early morning, before breakfast simply remove the two pieces of lady finger (bhindi) from the glass and drink that water. Keep doing it on a daily basis.Within two weeks, you will see remarkable results in the reduction of your SUGAR. My sister has gotten rid of her diabetes. She was on Insulin for a few years, but after taking the lady fingers every morning for a few months,she has stopped the Insulin but continues to take the lady fingers every day.

She chops the lady fingers into fine pieces at night, adds the water and drinks it all up the next morning.Please try it for it will not do you any harm. You have to keep taking it for a few months before you see results, as most cases might be chronic.

10 Tips To Healthy Eating And Physical Activity

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:02:00 +0000

1. Start Your Day With Breakfast
Breakfast fills your "empty tank" to get you going after a long night without food. Eating a good breakfast can help you do better in school. Easy to prepare breakfasts include: cold cereal with fruit and low-fat milk, whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, yogurt with fruit, whole-grain waffles or even last night's pizza.

2. Get Moving
It's easy to fit physical activities into your daily routine. Walk, bike or jog to see your friends. Take a 10 minute activity break every hour while you read, do homework or watch TV. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator or elevator. Try to do these things for a total of 30 minutes every day.

3. Snack Smart
Snacks are a great way to refuel. Choose snacks from different food groups - a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, or some dry cereal. If you eat smart at other meals, cookies, chips, and candy are okay for occasional snacking.

4. Work up a sweat
Vigorous work-outs, when you're breathing hard and sweating, help your heart pump better, give you more energy and help you look and feel your best. Start with a warm-up that stretches your muscles. Include 20 minutes of aerobic activity, such as running, jogging or dancing. Follow-up with activities that help make you stronger such as push-ups or lifting weights. Then cool-down with more stretching and deep breathing.

5. Balance your food choices - don't eat too much of one thing
You don't have to give up foods like hamburgers, french fries, and ice cream to eat healthfully. You just have to be smart about how often and how much of them you eat. Your body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat, and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron, and calcium from a variety of foods

6. Get fit with friends or family
Being active is much more fun with friends or family. Encourage others to join you and plan one special physical activity event, like a bike ride or hiking, with a group each week.

7. Eat more grains, fruits, and vegetables
These foods give you carbohydrates for energy, plus vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Besides, they taste good! Try breads such as whole-wheat, bagels, and pita. Spaghetti and oatmeal are also in the grain group.

8. Join in physical activities at school
Whether you take a physical education class or do other physical activities at school, such as intramural sports, structured activities are a sure way to feel good, look good and stay physically fit.

9. Foods aren't good or bad
A healthy eating style is like a puzzle with many parts. Each part, or food, is different. Some foods may have more fat, sugar or salt, while others may have more vitamins or fibre. There is a place for all these foods. What makes a diet good or bad is how foods fit together. Balancing your choices is important. Fit in a higher-fat food, like pepperoni pizza, at dinner by choosing lower-fat foods at other meals. And don't forget about moderation. If two pieces of pizza fill you up, don't eat a third.

10. Make healthy eating and physical activities fun!
Take advantage of physical activities you and your friends enjoy doing together and eat the foods you like. Be adventurous - try new sports, games, and other activities as well as new foods. You'll grow stronger, play longer, and look and feel better! Set realistic goals - don't try changing too much at once

The Role Of Sugar And Salt In A Healthy Diet

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:58:00 +0000

Sugary Drinks and Sweets

It is natural to like sweets. And it is okay to enjoy them as an occasional treat, but it is vital to keep consumption to a minimum. Refined sugar is one of the bad carbs mentioned above. Not only does it cause problems with our blood sugar level, but it also uses up stored resources within our body (such as minerals and enzymes) in order to process the sugar. In addition there are many negative health effects that sugar contributes to including: hypoglycemia, suppression of the immune system, arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, headaches, and depression.

Choose sweet treats that are home made or have naturally occurring sugar, such as fruits. Try making your favorite dessert with half or one-third less sugar than usual. Make dessert a special event once a week. Many foods have naturally occurring sugars, such as fruits, vegetables, grains and beans. Incorporate naturally sweet foods into your diet to help crowd out unhealthy sweets. Strawberries, apples, sweet potatoes or winter squash are all great options.

Avoid or severely limit sugary drinks – they are an easy way to pack calories and chemicals into your diet without even noticing it. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it! And just because a soda is sugar-free doesn’t make it healthy. Recent studies have shown that the artificial sugar substitutes used in soft drinks may interfere with your body's natural regulation system and result in your overindulging in other sweet foods and beverages. Try water with a squeeze of lemon or water with a splash of 100% fruit juice.

Salt
Once again the problem with salt comes with the over-use and over consumption of processed salt most commonly used. It is best to limit sodium to 2,300 mg per day – the equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. Most of the salt in our diets comes from processed, packaged, restaurant, and fast food. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen meals can contain hidden sodium that can quickly surpass this recommended amount. Many of us are unaware of how much sodium we are consuming in one day.

Salt itself is not bad. A high quality sea salt can have up to 90 minerals, which are healthy for our body. Look for sea salt that has a reddish or brownish tint, has no coloring, additives, chemicals and has not been bleached.

The Pill: Not Just for Birth Control

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:45:00 +0000

Hello to my precious blog article readers, I just want to share this to you, this great article about pills that I read from the forum that I've always visited everyday. And I hope you guys that this will help not for me, for you but all of us.

Women choose to take oral contraceptives for many reasons besides birth control - to reduce the number of periods they have per year, for example, or to lessen cramps during menstruation. And so I was surprised recently to meet a young woman who had disabling pain from her cramps every period but did not want anything to do with the pill.

I certainly understand the challenge of taking a pill every day, but wondered if her fear of this medicine stemmed more from the bad rap estrogen has gotten in the media of late. It's worth a moment to look at the pros and cons of the pill, to help you choose what's best for you.

Pros:

Pregnancy prevention. When taken exactly as prescribed, the pill can offer 99 percent protection. Notably, the "Lo" versions - which provide only 20 micrograms (mcg) of estrogen - are 98 percent effective when used in perfect accordance with directions.
Cycle predictability. You may even opt for an "extended" cycle formulation that allows you to have just one period every three months.
Less painful cramps. Especially when ibuprofen is not adequate.
Less bleeding. The pill is even used as a treatment for women with anemia because it limits the growth of the endometrial layer that is shed during each period.
Decreased risk of ovarian and endometrial cancers.
Decreased problems with acne.

Cons:

Inconvenient. The pill needs to be taken at the same time, every day.
Does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). These include herpes, HIV, and chlamydia.
Increased risk for some cancers. It does not prevent cervical or breast cancers-and may even increase their risk.
Increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Estrogen is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks, blood clots, and strokes.
Liver cysts. The pill is associated with cysts in the liver that may bleed.
The problems listed here may sound scary, but let's put them into perspective.
Heart attacks, clots, and strokes are much more likely if you smoke, are older, or have a family history of these events. For example, I generally tell women with a family history of blood clots or PEs (pulmonary embolus - blood clot in the lung) that they really shouldn't opt for the pill.
Cervical cancer is associated with an STI called HPV (human papillomavirus), which we can now vaccinate against and easily look for in precancerous stages with a Pap smear.
Breast cancer is a risk for all women and is associated with lifelong estrogen exposure and age. This risk is increased during pill use but is very low before age 35. And the increased risk of breast cancer from using the pill dwindles within 10 years after stopping the pill.
Liver cysts or hepatomas. I have yet to see a liver cyst or hepatoma linked solely to the use of the pill.
The greatest info associated with the Pill is weight gain. Yes, you may put on a few extra pounds over the first year, but this weight will stabilize - and is a lot less than you might gain with an unintended pregnancy.

Ways To Reducing a Weight Fast

noreply@blogger.com (kankuro) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:25:00 +0000

The body needs to be working as efficiently as possible to lose weight fast; as if your body organs are working at maximum efficiency you will shed weight quicker. Logical but not many people think about this when dieting.

Eat cherries and strawberries, these foods are rich in ellagic acid a nutrient that helps mop up free radicals and help combat pollutants such as alcohol and as a by product they boost brain power. You can also add raspberries an alternative to the above 2 choices.

Eat Grapes, these are rich in flavinols, which help your arteries work to their maximum and make blood run smoothly and quickly around the body.

Eat citrus fruits such as berries, these foods are rich in vitamins C & E, which will help cleanse and detoxify the liver making it work more efficiently.

Prunes & Fibre, eat prunes as they will naturally cleanse the colon stimulating the gut and help expel waste quicker, you should also up your intake of fibre as well to cleanse the colon further.

Apricots, if you're a smoker this food is particularly useful, apricots are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C which helps repair smoke damage to the lungs.

Cranberries or juice, contains proanthocyanidin which are antitoxants that will help cleanse and flush out the kidneys. You can also add a couple of supplements if you wish top the above list to help detoxify further. Alfalfa and milk thistle are good choices. The first acts as a general cleanser and the second as a cleanser for the liver.

Your organ will be working more efficiently with above foods and this will help you get rid of weight faster as your kidneys and liver in particular will work more smoothly.

Five Easy Weight Loss Steps

Drink Iced Water, two litres a day minimum. Water has to be iced as the body will burn 100 calories just heating the water to normal body temperature. Also hunger pangs are very often thirst pangs, so this will help you stop over eating. Add lemon to flavour if you wish and gain the added benefit of cleansing your liver at the same time.

Water also helps your body metabolize stored fat by helping the kidneys flush waste quicker. When you don’t drink enough water the liver needs to help the kidneys perform this function. When the liver has to help the kidneys its normal function of providing stored fat for energy is slowed down.

Green tea, drink 5 cups a day. Research shows this can burn a massive 80 calories a day! It is believed the antioxidant catechins in green tea boost the metabolism and help burn fat.

Chilli sauce & mustard, these foods increase your calorie burning capacity by between 5 – 10% for up to 2 hours after eating. This is because they contain capsaicin which speeds the metabolism, so if you enjoy hot food your in luck!

Low fat diary foods, can increase fat burning in the abdominal area. Why? Because these foods are rich in calcium which encourages the release of fat from fat cells and also reduces the amount of fat absorbed.

Eat Fibre, eating fiber foods to help keep things moving through your bowel as stated above and makes you feel full.

The average person can lose 9-10 pounds in one year just from doubling their fiber intake aim for 25grams per day ( the average for most adults is just 8grams ) fiber rich foods include strawberries, apples, brown rice, chick peas, potatoes ( with skins ) and brown rice.

The above tips should be incorporated into a sensible diet and they will enhance it and help you lose weight fast.