At katras Fountain of youth

Easy homemade face moisturizers

2011-12-01T07:04:00.001-08:00

Which kitchen cabinet ingredients are good to use as a natural homemade face moisturizer?

There are a few ingredients you can use when making a natural face moisturizer. These are specifically focused on the job

Besides the recipes below, you can carefully experiment with these specific ingredients and design your own signature homemade face moisturizer

Almond oil Aloe Vera Apricot & Apricot oil Avocado & Avocado oil Banana Chamomile Cream Cheese Coconut oil Cornmeal Cucumber	Egg yolk Ginkgo Biloba Honey Jojoba oil Macadamia Nut Oil Oats or Oatmeal Olive oil Peanut oil oil Sesame oil Shea butter Sunflower oil
More Natural Vegetable Oils like: Apricot Kernel oil, Peach Kernel oil, Soy Bean oil, Safflower oil, Wheat Germ oil

As you can see, some or most of these you will probably already have in your kitchen cabinets or fridge. No need to buy expensive facial moisturizers with designer labels to hydrate your facial skin; it is possible to do-it-yourself

It's that easy! You can apply one alone, or mix two or a few of them. After that you can also add whatever ingredient you think will satisfy your needs;

Homemade face moisturizer

This homemade facial moisturizer also makes your face glow

What do you need:

1 fresh Lime (juice)
1/4 cup boiled whole Milk
2 tablespoons extra virgin Olive oil

How to do it:

Mix the ingredients well; you can keep this for a few days in the fridge

Homemade face moisturizer

What do you need:

1 fresh ripe Peach
Heavy cream

How to do it:

Peel the peach and take out the pit, mash it to a pulp. Strain this through a sieve to extract all the juice. Mix the peach juice with an equal quantity of heavy cream. You can keep this refrigerated for a few days.

A homemade facial moisturizer that will leave your skin feeling silky soft and smooth. Honey is a natural humectant which means it attracts moisture and keeps it where it belongs: under your skin

What do you need:

1 teaspoon dark organic Honey
1 tablespoon Coconut oil
1 teaspoon fresh Lemon juice

How to do it:

Mix the ingredients to a smooth cream; you can keep this in the fridge for a few days

Homemade face moisturizer

A super hydrating homemade facial moisturizer

What do you need:

1/4 cup cooked Oatmeal
1 tablespoon Aloe vera gel
2 tablespoons dark organic Honey

How to do it:

Mix the ingredients to a smooth cream; you can keep this in the fridge for a few days

Homemade face moisturizer

A protein rich homemade facial moisturizer that will also soothe and nourish your skin

What do you need:

1 Egg yolk
1/4 cup whole Milk
1 tablespoon Grape seed oil

How to do it:

Mix the ingredients to a smooth cream; you can keep this in the fridge for a few days

Homemade face moisturizer

Glycerin is also a very powerful humectant that attracts water and feeds it to your skin

What do you need:

Rose water
Glycerin

How to do it:

Mix 2 parts rose water and 1 part glycerin and make a lotion. Apply it nightly and let it work into your skin

Homemade face moisturizer

This sounds like a very old fashioned natural moisturizer, and it probably is. But we heard from many sides that it is a surprisingly effective way to moisturize your skin

What do you need:

Natural Margarine

How to do it:

You can buy natural margarine in your health food store. Not the one you buy in the supermarket. Smooth this on your skin and it will gratefully absorb the natural oils, you'll be surprised. Will not leave any residue on your skin

Homemade face moisturizer

A homemade facial moisturizer especially for dry skin

What do you need:

1 fresh ripe Peach
1 tablespoon Coconut oil
1 teaspoon Almond oil
1/4 teaspoon Orange oil
1/4 teaspoon Rose water

How to do it:

Peel the peach and take out the pit, mash it to a pulp. Strain through a sieve or muslin and add the rest of the ingredients. Whip this until it becomes fluffy. You can keep this in the fridge for a few days

Some words of caution: Because you can never be too careful when it comes to your skin, always do a patch test on a small piece of skin (e.g. behind the ear) to see how your skin reacts to separate ingredients.

The worst ingredients found in face creams and lotions

2011-12-01T06:29:00.001-08:00

What skincare companies would prefer you didn’t know about the toxic chemicals contained in their products

In my 20 year quest to seek out the best anti-aging creams, I have found a boat full of lies and fancy packaging that tells you everything you want to hear, But the truth of the matter is your paying top dollar to destroy your skin. Behind the glossy images in magazines and on television there lies a dangerous secret. Most skincare products …. even the so called “natural” ones ….contain many of the same harsh chemicals used in industrial processes.

These chemicals are known to cause a wide range of adverse health effects, ranging from skin irritation to cancer. But the skincare companies don’t want you to know this.

If you knew the truth, you’d have second thoughts about buying many of the most popular skincare products on the market … even the expensive brands.

Dangerous ingredients to look out for in skincare products

The following list contains some of the most common ingredients used in skincare products, which have proven adverse health effects. I recommend you avoid products that contain any of these ingredients, good luck finding one.

Acrylamide: Found in many hand and face creams. Studies suggest it may cause breast tumors.

Alcohols: ethanol, ethyl alcohol, methanol, benzyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol and SD alcohol - Very drying and irritating for the skin. Alcohols strip away the skin's natural acid mantle, making you more vulnerable to bacteria, moulds and viruses. May promote brown spots and premature aging of skin. (Note: We do use stearyl and cetearyl alcohol, which are waxes and have nothing in common with the alcohols listed above.)

DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamine), and TEA (triethanolamine): Often used in skincare products to adjust the pH. TEA causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and could be toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time. These chemicals are already restricted in Europe due to known carcinogenic effects.

Dioxane: (a synthetic derivative of coconut). Widely used in skincare products. Usually contains high concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, easily absorbed through the skin. 1,4-dioxane is considered a chemical "known to the State of California to cause cancer." It is a by-product of the cancer-causing petrochemical ethylene oxide, which is used as part of a process called ethoxylation, which makes harsh ingredients milder.

1,4-Dioxane is also suspected of being a kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant, among others, according to the California EPA. It is also a leading groundwater contaminant.

Fragrance: The term ‘fragrance’ is a real minefield. It can refer to up 4000 separate ingredients, many toxic or carcinogenic. Many common fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, and irritability.

Mineral oil: liquid paraffin, paraffin wax, petrolatum – a petroleum by-product that coats the skin to keep in moisture. It clogs the pores, interferes with skin's ability to eliminate toxins, encouraging acne and other disorders. Can cause photosensitivity and strips the natural oils from the skin causing chapping and dryness, also premature ageing. Any mineral oil derivative can be contaminated with cancer causing PAH's (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons). Skincare manufacturers use mineral oil because it’s cheap.

Nitrosamines: Can be formed in skincare products when amines (such as DEA, MEA or TEA) are combined with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (such as bronopol or quaternium-15). Nitrosamines are known to be carcinogenic.

Padimate-O: (also known as octyl dimethyl) - found mostly in sunscreens. Like DEA, a nitrosamine-forming agent. There is concern that the energy absorbed by this sunscreen is then turned into free radicals, which may actually increase the risk of skin cancer!

Parabens: methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl paraben – Widely used as a preservative in skincare products (including moisturizers). Studies suggest they may cause cancer and interfere with the body’s endocrine system, as well as causing allergic reactions and skin rashes.

Phenol carbolic acid: Found in many lotions and skin creams. Can cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma and even death from respiratory failure.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG): Widely used as an emulsifier and humectant. Suspected of being carcinogenic.

Rancid natural emollients: Natural oils used in skincare products should be cold pressed. When oils are refined, they are stripped of vital nutrients and also contain poisonous trans fatty acids. Natural oils can also go rancid if kept past their use-by date.

Toluene: Made from petroleum or coal tar, and found in most synthetic fragrances. Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage, and may affect a developing fetus. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) contains toluene. Other names may include benzoic and benzyl.

Triclosan: An anti-bacterial agent, widely used in skincare products (also used in weed killers). There is evidence to suggest triclosan may contribute to creating strains of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, due to its wide use in skincare products.

It is virtually impossible to find a product that does not list these ingredients, there are a couple out there, but not many...So the best advice I can give you, is eat healthier and use homemade products...they are easy to make, also use fresh fruits as facials. I have recipes in my other blogs for you.

12 Household Toxins You Should Banish from Your Home

2011-11-13T06:05:00.001-08:00

1. Antibacterial soap

The dirt: The antimicrobial chemical triclosan, used in some toothpastes and antibacterial soaps, is believed to disrupt thyroid function and hormone levels in people; when it mixes into wastewater, it can cause sex changes in aquatic life. And health experts believe that overuse of this and other antibacterial chemicals is promoting the growth of bacteria that are resistant to antibacterial treatment.

Better alternative: Good old-fashioned soap and warm water will kill just as many germs, studies have shown. If you must use a hand sanitizer, pick one that’s alcohol based and doesn’t list triclosan, triclocarban (another related antibacterial chemical) or other chemicals described as "antimicrobial" or "antibacterial" on the label.

2. Synthetic Pesticides

Chemical weed, fungus, and bug killers all fit under this category and should be avoided both inside and outside of your house. Researchers have linked these pesticides to various forms of cancer, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; insecticides have been connected to brain damage in kids. “This is a good time of the year to resolve not to use pesticides on lawns and gardens,” says Phil Landrigan, MD, director of Mount Sinai's Children's Environmental Health Center, and Rodale.com advisor. “A few dandelions or buttercups or other little flowers in the middle of the lawn are not unsightly.”

Better alternative: Combating an indoor bug problem is as simple as cleaning up crumbs, sealing food in containers, and using wood shims and a caulking gun to fill pest entry points. If you’re spending big bucks on chemicals for a turflike lawn, reconsider. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers kill the health of the soil and create a lawn that allows for little rainwater absorption, which contributes to flooding. Try replacing some sod with plants native to your area; they don’t require as much water and maintenance.

If you’re set on the idea of a perfect grassy lawn, practice proven organic lawn-care techniques, such as mowing with the deck set at at least 3 inches high.

3. Synthetic Fragrances

Fragrance may be the most common type of chemical in your house. Used in laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, cleaning supplies, disinfectants, air fresheners, deodorizers, shampoos, hair sprays, gels, lotions, sunscreens, soaps, perfumes, powders, and scented candles—and dozens of other products you may not know about—fragrances are a class of chemicals that are well worth the time and effort to avoid. The term “fragrance” or “parfum” on personal-care-product labels can be a cover for hundreds of harmful chemicals known to be carcinogens, endocrine disrupters, and reproductive toxicants, even at low levels.

Better alternative: Go the unscented route whenever possible, especially with soaps and detergents. Avoid any kind of air freshener or deodorizer, including sprays, gels, solid disks, and oils, suggests Anne Steinemann, PhD, a University of Washington researcher who focuses on fragrances in consumer products. “These products do not clean or disinfect the air, but they do add hazardous chemicals to the air we breathe,” she says. “Instead of chemical air fresheners, freshen the air with better ventilation and by setting out some baking soda,” she suggests. You also can place a bowl of white vinegar in a room to dispel a funky smell.

4. Harsh Cleaning Products

Isn’t it ironic that we actually contaminate our air when we use harsh chemicals—some of which are known to cause cancer—to “clean” our homes? Ammonia can trigger asthma attacks, and harsh oven cleaners and drain openers can cause respiratory damage or burn the skin of children who come into contact with them.

Better alternative: Take any cleaner with an ingredient list that reads like a chemistry textbook to a hazardous waste disposal center in your municipality and replace it with an ecofriendly one that has simple, natural ingredients. Better yet, save tons of money and pull out Grandma’s homemade cleaning concoctions, including:

• A general cleaning solution of one part white vinegar and nine parts water will kill 90 percent of bacteria and many spores. Spray it on and let it dry to a nice shine on its own. The best surprise about distilled white vinegar? You can buy a gallon for less than $2 and make more than 10 gallons of cleaning solution. When you’re finished using a vinegar cleaning solution, dump it down your garbage disposal or toilet for bonus odor control.

• For a window/glass cleaner, mix one part white vinegar with one part water, and spray. You even can use newspapers instead of paper towels to wipe the glass clean and save money.

• When cleaning in the kitchen after prepping meat, use hot, soapy water first (we like simple, unscented castile soaps) and then follow with the vinegar-water solution. For extra germ-killing power, following the vinegar spraying with a spritz of hydrogen peroxide.

5. Nonstick Cookware and Bakeware

When you're cooking with nonstick pots and pans, you're essentially baking on plastic. That slick, shiny, enticingly nonstick surface is made from a synthetic material known as perfluoroalkyl acid, a class of chemicals that have been linked to ADHD, high cholesterol, and thyroid disease. They're also potent sperm killers and are suspected of contributing to female infertility.

Better alternative: Opt for safer cookware like made-in-America cast iron, glass or stainless steel. If you already cook with nonstick pots and pans, replace them with safer choices when you start seeing scratches and chips in the finish.

6. Roundup Ready Food

Roundup, the most widely used herbicide in the country, is sprayed on everything from cotton to canola, lawns to golf courses. So it stands to reason that the stuff winds up in our air and water. But when you're eating "Roundup Ready" food, as in, food that's been genetically modified to withstand all those dosings of Roundup, you're eating it too, according to plant pathologist Don Huber, PhD, professor emeritus at Purdue University. That's problematic because scientists are learning that Roundup affects defensive enzymes our bodies use to keep us healthy. Roundup also reduces a plant's ability to take up vital micronutrients that humans require for survival.

Better alternative: Corn, soy, and canola are common crops that have been genetically engineered to withstand heavy dousings of Roundup (or other glyphosate-containing chemicals), and foods containing these ingredients tend to contain higher levels of Roundup than other crops do. To avoid genetically engineered (GE) foods and Roundup in your food, buy organic.

7. Vinyl

Some environmental health groups have dubbed vinyl the "poison plastic," due to its harmful production process and its effects on humans. Vinyl is laced with phthalates, chemical plastic softeners linked to hormone disruption, stunted growth, obesity, and other health problems, as well as low IQs.

Better alternative: When it's time to replace flooring in your home, opt for wood, bamboo, or cork that's Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified or for real linoleum, instead of vinyl. Avoid plastic shower-curtain liners, as well as fake leather furniture, clothing, and accessories, to cut down on phthalate exposure. (Try hemp or organic cotton shower curtains.) Phthalates also lurk in anything with an artificial fragrance, including candles and many personal-care products

8. VOCs

Nasty indoor air-polluting culprits, volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, could be trashing your indoor air, especially in the kitchen, the basement, or even the laundry room. (Scented, petroleum-based laundry detergents contain high levels of VOCs.) These hazardous chemicals are linked to asthma and, in some instances, even cancer, and they add to indoor air pollution. Pressed wood and particleboard cabinets and other furniture are big emitters of the VOC (and carcinogen) formaldehyde in the home, too.

Better alternative: Choose unscented, plant-based detergents, or go old-school and use castile soap or washing soda and borax to clean your clothing. For new paint projects, choose readily available no-VOC paint, and avoid storing paint in your garage or basement—fumes can escape even tightly closed lids and enter your home. If you have leftover paint, take it to a waste-collection facility for recycling, or donate it to neighbors or a charity. Avoid plywood and particleboard when buying new household furnishings, and keep VOCs contained by sealing any plywood or particleboard furniture with a product like AFM Safecoat Safe Seal.

9. Flame Retardants

Flame-retardant chemicals can be found in electronics, carpets, carpet padding, and furniture foam. They've been associated with a wide range of health problems, including infertility, thyroid problems, learning disabilities, and hormone disruption. And the exposure to all these potential health threats could be for naught: Added to materials in the event they come in contact with a lit candle or cigarette, the chemicals only delay a fire, and for just a few seconds. When these flame retardants do burn, they release higher levels of carbon monoxide and soot, the two leading causes of fire-related deaths, than non-treated materials.

Better alternative: When shopping for new furniture, call the manufacturer and ask if it contains flame retardants. If you see a tag that says "complies with California Technical Bulletin 117," avoid bringing home that piece of furniture (California requires all upholstered furniture to be flame retardant, and nearly all furniture sold in the U.S. is made to comply with their law). And since flame retardants and other household toxins make their way into household dust, it's best to invest in a good vacuum. Take care when selecting electronics, too: Environmental Working Group lists electronics that are free of flame retardants.

10. Canned Food

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a hormone-disrupting chemical linked to male infertility, diabetes, heart disease, aggressive behavior in children, and other ills. The chemical is used in some No. 7 plastic bottles and most canned-food containers, and although some manufacturers are phasing the chemical out of their cans, it's not clear that the replacements are totally safe either. In 2010, scientists discovered that we absorb BPA from cash register receipts through our skin.

Better alternative: Opt for fresh or frozen fruits and veggies, and bypass cans as often as possible. Don't store food or beverages in plastic containers. And say no thanks to receipts for minor purchases like gas and coffee, and at the ATM.

11. Dry-Cleaning Chemicals

Sure, it's convenient to drop your clothing off with a dry cleaner, but the cleaning chemical of choice in this country remains perchloroethylene, also known as PCE, or perc. This chemical is classified a probable carcinogen and is linked to kidney, liver, and central nervous system damage. It's not something you want to wear or have holed up in your home closet. Although many states and cities are phasing out perc, it's still among the most widely used dry-cleaning chemicals.

Better alternative: You can work around "Dry Clean Only" instructions on clothing tags. You just need to know how to treat different types of fabric. Dry Clean Only? Nah, There Are Cheaper, Safer Ways for instructions on cleaning delicates like wool, rayon, and silk.

12. Coal Tar Driveway Sealant

If you plan to seal your blacktop driveway come spring, avoid coal tar–based sealants. They contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, which studies suggest can be toxic, causing cancer or other genetic mutations in your body. When rainwater and other precipitation hit your driveway, the toxic chemicals run off into your yard and into your local drinking water supply. In fact, this situation has been compared to dumping quarts of motor oil right down a storm drain.

Better alternative: Gravel and other porous materials are best for driveways because they allow rainwater to sink into the ground, where it gets filtered and doesn’t inundate water treatment plants. But if you do seal blacktop, pick asphalt sealant and stay away from any product that has coal tar in its name (or products simply called “driveway sealant”). Lowe’s and Home Depot have already banned the bad stuff, but smaller hardware stores may still carry it.

WARNING !!! Mold Exposure a growing problem

2011-11-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

Mold pollution is a key element of indoor air pollution that few people understand. Mold has been making the headlines more frequently over the last several years, largely as a result of Hurricane Katrina. And this year has brought enormous record-breaking floods in the U.S. not seen in more than a century, including the massive overflow of the Mississippi River, certain to activate serious mold infestations in certain areas of the country.

If you live in one of those water-stricken areas, you could already be "sleeping with the enemy."

Along with obvious places such as shower stalls and damp basements, there can be many hidden sources of mold in your home. Particularly if you've had plumbing problems or leaks in your roof, mold may grow and release spores from places such as behind drywall, under carpet or carpet padding, or in wood.

But mold can find its way into some rather surprising places. One study found that even Christmas trees can breed mold, quietly releasing millions of spores into the room and causing winter allergies and asthma attacks. The study found that indoor air quality dropped six-fold over the 14 days a Christmas tree typically decorates a room. Millions of mold spores may even be hiding in your pillows. And, surprisingly, if you live in a dry climate you may be even MORE at risk—mold grows routinely in desert regions, and the desert naturally selects the most tenacious forms.

Mold Can Be Deadly

What many people don't realize is that mold can make you extremely sick, or even kill you. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all molds have the potential to cause ill health. The type and severity of your symptoms depend, in part, on the types of mold present, the extent of your exposure, your age and general health, and your existing sensitivities or allergies.

At a 2003 environmental medicine symposium in Dallas, studies of more than 1,600 patients suffering health issues related to fungal exposure were presented. These patients experienced major medical problems, including the following:

Muscle and joint pain

Headache, anxiety, depression, memory loss, and visual disturbances

Immune system disturbances and fatigue

GI problems

Shortness of breath

Yet, medical professionals are sometimes not up to speed on how extensive and devastating mold can be to human health, often missing important biological clues that you're being affected by mold. It is important to be aware of these potential problems because your physician may NOT be, and you need to take the wheel as your own health advocate.

Mold's Favorite Places in Your Home

Fungi grow by releasing reproductive cells (spores) into the air, just as plants reproduce by spreading seeds. The airborne spores are invisible to the naked eye, which is a major reason mold is such a problem. It is not uncommon to find hundreds or even thousands of mold spores per cubic foot of indoor air. Spores are extremely small (1-100 microns)—20 million spores would fit on a postage stamp.

Spores can survive harsh environmental conditions, such as dryness, that do not support normal mold growth. In fact, many spores can lie dormant for decades until favorable conditions allow them to spring back to life.

Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance, provided moisture and oxygen are present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, tile, sheetrock, insulation, leather, fabrics and foods. Molds survive by digesting whatever substrate they are growing on, which is a real problem when it happens to be your floorboards. There is no way to eliminate all mold and mold spores from your indoor environment; the only way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture. The most common indoor places for mold to take hold are damp areas, such as:

Bathrooms and kitchens, especially under sinks—particularly leaky ones

Behind or under appliances that hide slow plumbing leaks (refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, etc.)

Roof leaks

Around windows where condensation collects

High humidity areas of your home, such as basements

Often, the first sign of a mold problem is a "musty" odor. You are probably familiar with the smell of mildew—mildew is simply a variety of mold. You could also notice bowed or buckled floorboards, discolored carpet, a new water stain on your wall, or black or white specks—all signs you could be developing a mold problem. But what type of life form is mold?

Types of Fungus Among Us

Mold is a type of fungus, as are mushrooms and yeast. There are between 100,000 and 400,000 types of fungi (estimates vary), and of these, scientists have identified more than 1,000 types of mold growing inside houses across America. Molds are classified into three groups according to human responses:

Allergenic Molds: These don't usually produce life-threatening effects and are most problematic if you are allergic or asthmatic. The challenge is in figuring out what you are sensitive to. Children are particularly susceptible to mold allergies.

Pathogenic Molds: These produce some sort of infection, which is of particular concern if your immune system is suppressed. They can cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an acute response resembling bacterial pneumonia. An example is Aspergillus fumigatus, which can grow in the lungs of immune-compromised individuals.

Toxigenic Molds (aka "toxic molds"): These dangerous molds produce mycotoxins, which can have serious health effects on almost anyone. Possible reactions include immunosuppression and cancer. Mycotoxins are chemical toxins present within or on the surface of the mold spore, which you then unwittingly inhale, ingest, or touch. An example of this is aflatoxin, one of the most potent carcinogens known to mankind. Aflatoxin grows on peanuts and grains, and on some other foods.

The five most common indoor mold varieties are:

Alternaria: Commonly found in your nose, mouth and upper respiratory tract; can cause allergic responses

Aspergillus: Usually found in warm, extremely damp climates, and a common occupant of house dust; produces mycotoxins; can cause lung infections (aspergillosis)

Cladosporium: This very common outdoor fungus can find its way indoors to grow on textiles, wood and other damp, porous materials; triggers hay fever and asthma symptoms

Penicillium: Very common species found on wallpaper, decaying fabrics, carpet, and fiberglass duct insulation; known for causing allergies and asthma; some species produce mycotoxins, one being the common antibiotic penicillin

Stachybotrys: Extremely toxic "black mold" that produces mycotoxins that can cause serious breathing difficulties and bleeding of the lungs, among other health problems; thankfully, less common in homes than the other four, but not rare; found on wood or paper (cellulose products), but NOT on concrete, linoleum or tile

Mycotoxins: From Antibiotics to Biological Warfare Agents

Molds produce a number of powerful substances that can affect your health in beneficial or detrimental ways. It should come as no surprise that fungi produce potent biologically active compounds—after all, lysergic acid (the parent compound of LSD) is produced by a mushroom! And penicillin is a mycotoxin produced by the mold Penicillium, better known as an antibiotic.

Some mold compounds are volatile and released directly into the air, known as microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). Fragments of the cell walls of molds (glucans) can also be inhaled and cause inflammatory respiratory reactions, including a flu-like illness called Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome (ODTS).

But the most serious danger comes from highly poisonous agents called mycotoxins.

More than 200 mycotoxins have been identified from common molds. Mycotoxins interfere with RNA synthesis and may cause DNA damage. The mycotoxins that have probably received the most attention by researchers are the trichothecenes, produced byStachybotyrs chartarum and Aspergillus versicolor. Mycotoxins, even in minute quantities, are lipid-soluble and readily absorbed by your intestinal lining, airways and skin. Some are so poisonous that they have been studied and developed as biological warfare agents as far back as the 1940s. Aflatoxin and trichothecenes are prime examples.

Even spores that are no longer able to reproduce can still harm your health due to these mycotoxins—in other words, "dead" mold spores are every bit as dangerous as "live" ones. The spores do not produce the toxins—rather, it is thought that the toxins are produced when the spores are produced, by the mold colony. Scientists believe that mycotoxins are the organism's way of holding a competitive edge by defeating other organisms that are trying to thrive in the same environment—like humans, for example.

Adverse Health Affects from Mold

A lot of people end up treating the symptoms of mold exposure and never get to the root of the problem. Oftentimes they don't even make the connection that mold is the cause of their problems… and neither does their physician. According to mycotoxin expert Dr. Harriet Ammann, exposure to indoor molds can damage the systems of your body in the following ways:

Vascular: blood vessel fragility, hemorrhage from tissues or lungs	Digestive: diarrhea, vomiting, hemorrhage, liver damage, fibrosis and necrosis
Respiratory: trouble breathing, bleeding from lungs	Neurological: tremors, loss of coordination, headaches, depression, multiple sclerosis
Skin: rashes, burning, sloughing, photosensitivity	Urinary: kidney toxicity
Reproductive: infertility, changes in reproductive cycles	Immune: Immunosuppression

One of the challenges of diagnosing a mold allergy is that reactions are so variable from one person to another. Some people start having memory problems, while others may experience sudden changes in disposition, such as agitation, anger, panic, or depression. Headaches are common but don't affect everyone exposed to mold.

Common symptoms are:

Coughing and wheezing

Sinus problems and post-nasal drip

Itchy rashes

Joint pain

If you would like more information about how to recognize a mold reaction and how to read your own body's "silent alarm system," I highly recommend listening to my interview with Dr. Doris Rapp. Dr. Rapp is a mold expert and author of several books, including Our Toxic World: A Wake Up Call.

What You Don't Know CAN Hurt You: The Billings Story

Kurt and Lee Ann Billings learned the hard way about the damaging health effects of mold—and the level of ignorance about mold's effects by medical professionals. Living in a home in the outer impact zone of Hurricane Katrina, they suffered a progressive array of symptoms for which their physicians had no solution. They later discovered that their illness was due to mold infestation in their home.

What started as tightness and burning in their chests and itchy eyes soon progressed into severely diminished lung capacity that did not resolve, despite moving out of their home. After extensive research and eventually recovering their health, they wrote the book Mold: The War Within in hopes of educating a poorly informed and disadvantaged public.

On page 11, they write:

"It appears, based on our experiences and research, that much of the medical community is stuck in a time warp when it comes to fungal illnesses—even in regard to the notably researched and highly publicized condition of fungal-induced sinusitis."

What they are referring to is research done by the Mayo Clinic in the 1990s that strongly suggests NEARLY ALL chronic sinusitis (inflammation of the membranes of your nose and sinus cavities) is caused by fungi, but blamed on bacteria—then mistreated using antibiotics. The findings were published in 1999 in two peer-reviewed journals, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Yet, the Billings report that most physicians are unaware of this study, or at least of its significance.

A 1999 Mayo Clinic press release stated:

"Mayo Clinic researchers say they have found the cause of most chronic sinus infections—an immune system response to fungus.

The Mayo Clinic study suggests that 96 percent of the people who suffer from chronic sinusitis are "fungal sensitized," meaning they have immune responses triggered by inhaled fungal organisms.

According to Billings, 37 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic sinusitis, and its incidence has been increasing over the past decade. Yet, most physicians continue to believe that fungi are an uncommon cause of respiratory infections, accounting for less than 10 percent. Furthermore, in most cases, antibiotics are not effective for chronic sinusitis because they target bacteria, NOT fungi. Antibiotics and steroids can actually worsen fungal-related infections by destroying your body's natural biological terrain, creating an internal incubation ground for fungi.

This points to an enormous number of chronic sinus infections that are being misdiagnosed and mistreated!

The bottom line in all of this is, if you have chronic sinusitis, you MUST approach it from the perspective of a fungal infection, not a bacterial infection, even if it means having to educate your healthcare provider. A good place to start is by sharing the Mayo Clinic study referenced above. Mold: The War Within is also a useful resource for you and your physician (you can read a review by NORMI here, the National Organization of Remediators and Mold Inspectors).

What to Do Once You've Established that Mold is a Problem

Mold spores are very difficult to destroy, even with cleaning agents such as hot water or bleach (which is itself toxic). The best way to reduce the problem is through smart preventive measures. According to Dr. Rapp, first and foremost you want to get away from the problematic area—which means move if you have to.

She warns:

"I've seen people try to stay in a moldy house when their child is very sick or they are very sick. They try to clean the place up. They take out the moldy carpet and decide to paint the moldy walls. But they can become so desperately ill that it is very hard to treat them in the future."

If you can't move, there are other remedial steps you need to take to address the problem:

Get a high quality air purifier to control mold toxins. In addition to the mold itself, you need to make sure you get rid of any mold toxins. When a mold breaks down, it disintegrates, and every little particle may contain mycotoxins that have the capability of making you very sick.

One option is a photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) unit. I personally like these because they cover the whole house (up to 3000 square feet), require little maintenance, and are relatively inexpensive.

***Please understand that no air filter in the world will take care of mold issues until you have the humidity under control and the mold properly cleaned from your house.

Professional remediation. If your mold problem is sizeable, or if you have black mold, you may want to consider hiring a professional remediator. Unless proper precautions are taken, undertaking black mold removal on your own can be almost as hazardous as doing nothing at all, because spores will be stirred up and sent airborne during the cleaning process.

This may not be cheap, but it's better than the alternative. If you catch the problem early, you can save yourself tens of thousands of dollars in extra clean up costs. (Trust me, as I made this mistake myself and wouldn't want to see anyone else go through it.) Make sure a remediator doesn't use chemicals you're sensitive to—a chemical allergy is the LAST thing you need while you are recovering from a mold poisoning!

Warning! Be Careful How You Chose Your Remediator

By Dr. Mercola
There is no question that a high quality active air purifier can help control mold issues but it will NOT remediate against them. You can use the best air filters and purifiers and they will never solve the problem if you continue to have water intrusion into you home that increases the humidity and feeds the growth of the mold.

You will need to stop the water at its source and carefully remove and clean the mold infested materials. While this may superficially seem an easy task, let me assure you that it isn't.

I recently had a leak in my basement that was improperly remediated for $10K and the cause was not addressed so the problem worsened, which more than tripled the price to properly clean it up. That is part of the reason that prompted me to contact some of the leading experts in this area and learn how to do this properly.

So let me tell you from personal experience, you need to fine a qualified expert and professional that is certified by one of the agencies below. I would also suggest getting several bids for the work. You can find a contractor or professional listings on the following sites. Both the IICRC and NORMI are certifying organizations for mold remediation, but the IICRC certification is perhaps the most widely used:

IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification)

ACAC (American Council for Accredited Certification)—a certifying body that is third-party accredited.

The IAQA (Indoor Air Quality Association)—a membership organization with no certification program (the ACAC handles this by agreement)

RIA (Restoration Industry Association)

NORMI (National Organization of Remediators and Mold Inspectors)

Keep in mind that a mere certification or listing may not be enough. Also evaluate the remediator's qualifications and insurance (liability as well as workman's comp). With the ACAC, there are a few different levels.

A Great Natural Treatment for Mold Allergy

If you have a mold allergy, there is a little-known treatment strategy that Dr. Rapp describes as "one of the best hidden secrets." It's called provocation neutralization.

Provocation neutralization (PN) offers allergy sufferers permanent relief with virtually no side effects, whether the allergy is to mold or something else. The success rate for this approach is very high, and you can receive the treatment at home.

Provocation refers to "provoking a change" and neutralization refers to "neutralizing the reaction caused by provocation." During provocation-neutralization, a small amount of allergen is injected under your skin to produce a small bump called a "wheal" and then you are monitored for a reaction. If you have a positive reaction, such as fatigue or headache, or a growth in the size of the wheal, then the allergen is neutralized with diluted injections of the same allergen. If you are interested in pursuing PN, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) has a list of physicians who are trained in this technique.

There is also research suggesting vitamin D may prevent mold allergies, so make sure your vitamin D levels are optimal.

REFERENCES:

BlackMoldExposure.com

NORMI

Mold Screening Kit

My Mold Guy

Mold-Free Construction

Common Household Molds

Mold-Help.org

Mayo Clinic

WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Dampness and Mold 2009

Mayo Clin Proc. September 1999

ScienceDaily September 10, 1999

An Introduction to Fungal Toxins: Trichothecenes and Aflatoxins

Doris Rapp, M.D.

American Academy of Environmental Medicine

Mold Removal

The Health Dangers of Energy Drinks

2011-10-05T16:03:00.000-07:00

Energy drinks claim to provide people with increased energy levels that will keep them active & alert. Energy drinks are sold in grocery stores, convenience stores, bars, clubs, and in some areas, even schools. Are energy drinks safe to drink? Most natural health professionals say no.

Most energy drinks contain at least as much caffeine as a standard eight-ounce cup of coffee (~80mg). To put it into perspective, a 12oz. soda contains 18-48mg of caffeine. In addition to large doses of caffeine, energy drinks contain excessive amounts of sugar & legal herbal stimulants.

Many of you might already be aware of the basic contents mentioned above, but still aren’t exactly sure about the specific ingredients in energy drinks, and what effect those ingredients can have on your body. The following list provides some answers.

Common Energy Drink Ingredients:

Ginseng – A root that is believed to help reduce stress and increase energy levels.
Carnitine – An amino acid that helps to metabolize fatty acids.
Gingko Biloba – Created from the seeds of the gingko biloba tree, it has been shown to enhance memory.
Taurine – A natural amino acid produced by the human body. Taurine helps to regulate normal heart-beats and muscle contractions. Its effects on people when consumed as a drink additive remain unclear.
Inositol – A member of the B-complex Vitamin that assists in the relaying of messages between cells. Inositol is not a vitamin itself.
Guarana Seed – A stimulant that grows in Brazil & Venezuela which contains high levels of caffeine.

Given this list of ingredients, it is fairly easy to see that energy drinks are a deceptive combination of soft drink and psuedo-nutritional supplement. The largest problem with them is that people tend to abuse them, drinking more than one at a time, or mixing them with alcohol.

The mass manufacturers of energy drinks are not required by law to list whether or not the herbs they use, have been sprayed with toxic pesticides, irradiated or watered with contaminated water supplies, so there is no telling what other toxins are contained in these drinks and whether or not these herbs will have a negative effect on the body.

The caffeine that is found in energy drinks is dangerous enough on its own. Not only is caffeine addictive, it acts as both a stimulant and a diuretic. As a stimulant, caffeine can make you have anxiety attacks, heart palpitations, and insomnia.

When consumed in large or regular quantities, caffeine can also make you jittery or irritable. As a diuretic, caffeine causes your kidneys to remove extra fluid from your body. If you consume energy drinks while sweating, these effects can be particularly dangerous because you can become severely dehydrated quickly.

The bottom line concerning energy drinks is that medical professionals simply do not know the long-term effects of consuming these beverages. It is known, however, that large amounts of sugar and caffeine are harmful to our bodies. For people to utilize energy drinks during exercise or other strenuous activity compounds the problem of dehydration, and does nothing to provide the body with any necessary nutrients or fluids.

Stop Losing Vitamins & Minerals

2011-10-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

Some vitamins and minerals can be lost during cooking, which means that cooked fruits and vegetables have less nutrition than when they were raw...

FACT! It’s true, vitamins and minerals are pretty fickle when it comes to certain cooking methods. In fact, cooking methods that utilize high cooking temperatures, lengthy cooking times and water are your foods worst enemies. Boiling vegetables, for example, leaches essential water-soluble nutrients out into the water, which is most always discarded rather than being used. Nutrients can also be lost in the water vapor that rises off of a pot of boiling food. Keeping the nutrition in your food is absolutely vital to getting that nutrition into your body where it really needs to go. So how are you supposed to do that – stop boiling foods altogether? What other cooking options do you have?

Keeping the Nutrients in Your Food
The best methods of cooking, in order of favorable to not-so-favorable are: microwaving, pressure cooking, and stir-frying, blanching, searing and steaming. All of these methods use little or no water, and shorter cooking times, especially the microwaving method. Remember, the more water you use and the longer a food is cooked, the more the nutrients will be lost.

The ugly truth about soap

2011-09-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

If you’re using one of the standard commercially-made bars, you may not even be using soap at all.

What is the difference between all the soaps on the market? The truth is, most of the products you see on grocery and cosmetics shelves are not actually soap at all—but rather detergents. And the products which are, in fact, true soaps, are generally very hard, shiny, molded bars laden with plasticizers, preservatives, perfumes and dyes.
And here’s a secret: About 90% of these soaps you see on the shelves were probably made by the same three soap companies, and all share roughly the same base, with merely different additives.
What has become known as “glycerine soaps” are some of the most misrepresented products of all, usually consisting of neither glycerine nor soap. These products are a far cry from the simple sudsy substance our grandmothers made. And there’s really nothing natural about most of them. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. So, how did something so basic as soap become so utterly complicated? Well, as usual, the answer begins with the bottom line.

Soap, in its simplest form, is the result of a chemical reaction known as saponification , or, where an acid and a base together form a salt. All anyone needs to make soap is a fat (which may be animal or botanically derived) and an alkali, most commonly referred to as “lye”, in the form of potassium or sodium hydroxide.

Ever wonder why it is that commercial soaps tend to feel drying to the skin? Well, it all comes down to magical glycerin again. Glycerin is so valuable in other cosmetic and even food applications that soap companies realized that they could make more money off the byproduct of soap than the soap itself.

When mixed together in a solution of water, the lye molecules collide with the fat molecules, splitting them apart, then neutralizing into two new molecules: soap and glycerin. Glycerin is a sticky, sweet substance that actually draws moisture from the air and conveys that moisture to the skin. This natural byproduct is the secret behind the finest handmade soaps today, making them ultra rich and superbly mild and moisturizing. It wasn’t until the industrial age when soap making corporations realized that the glycerin byproduct was more valuable than the actual soap—the old bottom line—and commercial soap, if it’s soap at all, has become what it is today.
Without the glycerin, commercial soap is very drying. In order to make up for it, and to make a longer lasting product, freshly cooked soap is extruded between chilled steel rollers, then shredded and chipped, amended with plasticizers to make it shiny and hard, then mixed with perfumes and dyes to make it look and smell pretty, along with preservatives so it has an infinite shelf life, then pressed back together under tremendous pressure, compacted into moulds, packaged and sold. This is what is known as “milled soap”.
What’s important to remember is this: Detergents and soaps have not evolved to benefit us. They have evolved to improve the bottom line of the companies who make them, at every turn. The large companies increase their profits, and our skin and our planet pays for it.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Soap doesn’t have to be drying. It doesn’t have to be made from animals. It doesn’t even have to be made with heat. In contrast, soap can be luxurious, gentle, vegetable-derived and natural.

There are alot of great soap makers out there, including myself..For your benefit seek them out !!!

Plant Stem Cells — New Hope for Aging Skin

2011-09-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

THE Discovery
Researchers have found that Plant Stem Cells extracted from a rare
Swiss apple, (Uttwiler Spätlauber), show tremendous ability to
stimulate skin stem cells, encouraging aging skin to behave like
younger skin.

Enriched with PhytoPlex24™
Plant extracts, vitamins and anti-oxidants work in
synergy with the Plant Stem Cell technology to help
minimize the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and
tired skin.

100% of the women saw a reduction in wrinkle appearance
within 2 weeks
Skin’s collagen matrix and elastin fibroblasts can look up to
15 years younger
They aren't kidding, this is a must have.
You can find it at Rite aid, Walgreens.com, GNC and Ulta.
I take skin care seriously at the same time I test alot of damaging products.
I like to buy the sample box for 20 dollars and it last a month. Buy a bigger cream though.
You do need to use each product in sample box for GREAT RESULTS !!
Once again you can't just slap some cream on your face and think it will work.
MAKE BETTER EATING CHOICES, I know its hard, at least add some in your diet.
Keep reading me and I will show you how, I like it simple with fast results...

THE AMAZING BENEFITS OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

2008-08-07T07:07:00.001-07:00

Apple cider vinegar benefits have been known for a long time.
For centuries people have been using natural apple cider vinegar as both a food and a medicine for themselves and for their pets.Since 400BC, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, and others, have used vinegar and vinegar mixed with honey, as an energizing tonic and a healing elixir.

More recently, the health benefits of apple cider vinegar have been promoted by many well-known authors such as Dr Jarvis, Paul C. Bragg and Patricia Bragg.D.C. Jarvis, a Vermont country doctor, noted that apple cider vinegar was a respected home remedy used by many Vermonters to successfully treat a number of common ailments and nagging aches and pains. He was so impressed that he went on to write a book on his observations and experimentations with home remedies, especially apple cider vinegar, and its beneficial effects on both people and farm animals.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. First let me say that apple cider vinegar is a completely natural product, resulting from the fermentation of apple juice to hard apple cider followed by a second fermentation to apple cider vinegar. This natural product retains all the nutritional goodness of the apples from which it was made plus it is fortified with the extra acids and enzymes produced during the two fermentation steps. It's the sum of all these ingredients that give apple cider vinegar its amazing health benefits.

Apple cider vinegar benefits include many external uses as well. It can be used to sooth sunburns and insect bites, to make your hair shine, and to treat dandruff just to mention a few.

Apple cider vinegar fits in well with today's trend towards eating natural healthy whole foods, and away from the overconsumption of highly processed convenience foods, which are depleted of much of their original nutrients.

Beware – Not all apple cider vinegars are created equal!

Many commercial apple cider vinegars have been pasteurized, filtered, refined or distilled in order to make the product look good, and thereby more appealing to the general public.Unfortunately this extra processing destroys much of the healthy goodness and thus many of the apple cider benefits that were in the product in the first place.

The best type of apple cider vinegar to use is one made from cold pressed, organically grown whole apples, in which no chemicals or preservatives have been added, which contains the "mother of vinegar", and is not pasteurized. The "mother of vinegar" is a natural gelatinous substance formed during the last fermentation step.This type of wholesome apple cider vinegar can be readily found in most health food stores and even in some general grocery stores.
Alternatively, you can brew your own nutritious apple cider vinegar at home.

Weight Loss

Another major apple cider vinegar benefit is weight loss. Although no one is sure how it works, it has helped many people lose weight. Click on the Weight Loss section to find out what the experts recommend as far as how much to take and how often, and the latest theories on why it works.

Animals love apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar benefits for our pets, from cats and dogs to pigeons and parrots to cows and horses, are numerous. It can be used as a daily health tonic, to deter insects such as mosquitoes, fleas and tics, to relieve skin conditions, and even to take away the smell of skunk.

Cooking with apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is an amazingly versatile cooking ingredient. It adds a tangy taste to many drinks and deepens the flavors of numerous foods. Its important to note that vinegar is a major ingredient in most condiments. Mayonnaise and tomato ketchup account for more than 10% of the vinegar production in America.

Other uses!

Besides the apple cider vinegar benefits for health, its use for weight loss, pet care, and cooking, it can also double up as a non-toxic household cleaner, deodorizer, and disinfectant.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND FACTS

2007-09-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

Function
Stem cells can form cartilage and bone-Science (The world's leading journal of original scientific research) 284, 143-
147; 2 Apr 1999

Stem cell patients showed significant improvements in nerve
conduction velocities, and showed maintenance or slight
improvement in bone mineral density
-
Bone Marrow Transplant 215-222; Aug 2002, published by the NIH Bone marrow-derived stem cells appear able to form neuronal
tissues
-Science 290, 1775-1779; 1 Dec 2000

Bone marrow stem cells can form liver, skin, and digestive
tract cells
-New England Journal of Medicine 346, 738-746; 7 March 2002

Bone marrow stem cells can also participate in cutaneous
healing, contributing to repair of wound healing
-Journal Of Cellular Physiology 196, 245–250; 2003

Stem cells participate in the generation of new neurons within
the human brain-Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 100, 1364-1369; 4
Feb 2003

Bone marrow stem cells have also been shown to contribute to Purkinje cells (Purkinje cells are brain cells that science had believed are
not generated after birth)-Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 100, 2088-2093; 18
Feb 2003

Mobilized stem cells have also been used in renewal of cardiac tissue (Mobilized stem cells are those that have released into the
bloodstream)
-Journal of Clinical Investigation 107, 1395-1402; June 2001

Bone marrow stem cells have also shown the ability to
participate in renewal of retinal tissues
-Nature Medicine 8, 1004-1010; Sept 2002
7
Scientific and Medical Facts on Adult Stem Cell Function

Human marrow stem cells have been shown to form cartilage
cells-Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 99, 4397-4402; 2
Apr 2002

Bone marrow derived stem cells have also been shown
capable of renewing muscle tissue
-Science 279, 1528-1530; Mar 6, 1998

Bone marrow stem cells can participate in restoring kidney
tissue
-Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 14, S48-S54; 2003

Repopulation of liver cells from bone marrow stem cells could
take place in humans
-Nature 406, 257; 20 July 2000

Bone marrow derived stem cells have also demonstrated the
ability to induce renewal of the pancreas
-Bone Marrow Transplant 215-222; Aug 2002

Bone marrow derived stem cells can renew cardiac tissue and
improve cardiac performance in humans
-Nature Medicine 7, 430-436; April 2001 and many more

Studies indicate evidence that bone marrow stem cells can
renew lung tissue
-Development 128, 5181-5188; December 2001

Stem cells can home to lung tissue, then participate in
renewal of lung tissue and reduction of inflammation-Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 100: 8407-8411; 8
July 2003

Bone marrow derived stem cells have been shown to
contribute to renewal of gastrointestinal tissue in human
patients
-Archives of Dermatology 137, 1071-1072; Aug 2001 and many more
8
The documentations of adult stem cell function by mainstream science and medical
research are virtually endless. The previous are just a fraction. To find more, just
visit the science and medical
community’s online source for
retrieving such papers andarticles, www.PubMed.gov. Type stem cell in the search box and have access to
more than 150,000 studies. Adult stem cell will yield 30,000+ papers.
To search for a specific condition simply search for:
Adult Stem Cell + Your Specific Condition
Be sure to use the plus sign (+) with a space before and after to maximize your
search.
Knowing what adult stem cells do in the human body, doesn’t
it make sense that having more of them in the bloodstream
will undoubtedly have profound effects on your health and
well-being?
StemEnhance is proven to increase the number of
circulating stem cells by up to 30%, and has a patent to
back it up.

ONLY IF YOU KNEW AN ALL-NATURAL PILL COULD REDUCE YOUR STRESS LEVELS

2007-04-15T17:08:00.000-07:00

Pantothenic acid- Vitamin B5
A Closer Look @ Supplements

Here's a quick thought exercise: If you knew of an all-natural pill that would help reduce your stress levels, would you order a lifetime supply of it? Well, actually, you’re in luck. Pantothenic acid plays a crucial, essential and important part in your body’s ability to produce the stress hormone. Therefore, a lack of this supplement might be one cause of depression or anxiety in many individuals. So what else can this seemingly amazing little supplement do for your body and health? Read on to find out more...

What is Pantothenic Acid

Stemming from the Greek root word pantos, meaning "everywhere," Pantothenic acid is abundant in the American food supply, especially in fish, legumes, organ meats, whole grains and yogurt. Although if you buy most of these foods pre-processed, their Pantothenic acid content will be significantly reduced. Whole grain products contain 50% less Pantothenic acid than the unprocessed whole grains, and legumes (beans) lose 80% of this nutrient when they’re canned. What’s the best way to get a healthy daily intake of Pantothenic acid? Eat fresh!

How does Pantothenic Acid work?

Also known as vitamin B5, Pantothenic acid assists the other B-complex vitamins in converting food into usable energy. It is also an essential part of the body’s ability to produce various enzymes, which act as the catalyst to numerous biochemical reactions in the body. Beyond these basic needs, Pantothenic acid also helps support the central nervous system by preserving communication lines between the nervous system (nerves) and the brain.

Pantothenic acid may also prove to be beneficial for dealing with allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, heartburn, migraines, and stress. Pantothenic acid is an essential part of the body’s ability to produce stress hormone, and it is believed that when a person becomes overstressed and thus overproduces stress hormones, the body becomes depleted of this vitamin and its stores must be replenished. Depression and anxiety are two forms of stress that increase the need for Pantothenic acid, so if you are experiencing any symptoms of stress, it is important that you take a daily multivitamin that includes vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid). Stress is also a common factor in life-changing events, even the little ones, such as trying to stop smoking. Migraines and chronic fatigue also trigger high levels of stress hormones, meaning that extra supplementation is also needed.>
Combining Pantothenic acid with choline and thiamin, two other B vitamins, may prove a helpful treatment for heartburn, by acting on the central nervous system to maintain the digestive process. Pantothenic acid can also act as a decongestant, helping to unclog nasal congestion, during the allergic response.

How can I make the most of Pantothenic Acid?

There is no RDA for Pantothenic acid, which is readily supplied in the foods we eat every day. In fact, Pantothenic acid is found is so many foods that deficiency is extremely rare. Experts recommend that you obtain between 4 and 7 mg of this vitamin every day. Toxicity reports are rare, but people who took a 10 gram dosage complained of diarrhea. You should be able to obtain plenty Pantothenic acid from diet or a multivitamin source.

PROTECT YOUR HEART AND NERVES, WHILE BOOSTING YOUR MOOD

2007-04-15T16:51:00.001-07:00

Thiamin – Vitamin B1
A Closer Look @ Supplements
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified,

Do you know which nutrient can protect the health of your heart and nerves, all while boosting your mood? Thiamin (vitamin B1) is a nutrient of many uses, including improving heart function, assisting in energy metabolism, protecting nerve health, and regulating your mood. Learn why you may need more thiamin in your diet.

What Is Thiamin? Otherwise known as vitamin B1, thiamin was the very first B-vitamin discovered.

As a part of that family, thiamin is mainly involved in energy metabolism:turning the foods you eat into a useable energy source for the body, otherwise known as ATP (adenosine triphosphate).

All of the B-vitamins work together to produce ATP, and each different vitamin is also involved in more specific aspects of the human body.

Thiamin helps support healthy nerves and a healthy heart, may positively influence mood, and may also be a useful tool for soothing heartburn

How Does Thiamin Work?Besides playing an important role in the breakdown, or metabolism, of carbohydrates, fats and protein, thiamin is also very important to maintaining heart health.

The human heart is the hardest working organ. It pumps blood in and out of its chambers numerous times a day.

This blood then travels to various parts of the human body, nourishing and oxidizing our cells.

Congestive Heart Failure
Thiamin may be useful for people suffering from congestive heart failure (CHF).

This B-vitamin has been shown to improve the heart’s “pumping power,” which is very important to someone who's heart is failing.

People with CHF often have very low levels of thiamin. It is believed that long-term use of diuretic drugs, which are often prescribed to CHF patients, deplete the body’s stores of thiamin.

One study of CHF patients on diuretics showed that taking 200mg of thiamin each day for six weeks improved the heart’s pumping power by 22%.

Diabetic Neuropathy Not only does thiamin help support a healthy working heart, it also helps promote nerve health throughout the body.

Diabetics especially suffer from nerve problems if their disease is uncontrolled.

Diabetic neuropathy, or "disease of the nerves" due to uncontrolled diabetes causes numbing of the extremities, which is usually detected first as a tingling in the hands and/or feet.

Since this B-vitamin is thought to support nerve health, diabetics may be able to minimize numbness and tingling by taking thiamin. Mood Disorders
Therapeutice doses of thiamin may help to boost mood, even when the vitamin is not deficient in the body.

One study of college-age women who were not deficient in thiamin reported improved mood, energy and alertness after just two months of taking 50 milligrams a day.

Another study showed that taking 10 milligrams of thiamin daily for three months can improve energy levels in the elderly. In this same study, thiamin was also shown to reduce blood pressure, assist in healthy weight loss and improved sleep quality.

Some reports even go so far as to claim that thiamin may be helpful in treating the memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease, although this has not been proven.

How Can I Make The Most Out Of Thiamin? The Recommended Daily Allowance for thiamin is 1.1 milligrams per day for women and 1.2 milligrams per day for men. The doses mentioned previously were for therapeutic reasons, and therefore should be administered by a physician. Most people get enough thiamin in their regular diet, although deficiency is still possible. Thiamin deficiency can cause mood disorders, by increasing irritability, depression, unexplained weight loss, and muscle fatigue.

Severe deficiency results in a condition known as beriberi, which is characterized by nerve damage, muscle loss, loss of mental function, paralysis, and eventually death.

Thiamin is often added back to foods that are milled, since this process can cause a loss of nutrients.

To prevent deficiency, it is advised that you eat a variety of foods to ensure healthy intake of all nutrients.

Thiamin is found specifically in enriched grain products, dried bean, nuts, seeds, lean pork, and whole grains.

Be aware that drinking diuretics, such as coffee, caffeinated tea or soda, can deplete your thiamin stores.

Drink these in in moderation or take extra thiamin to make up for the loss.

Since thiamin is a water-soluble vitamin, any excess that is taken in and not used by the body will simply be excreted in the urine, so toxicity is not a concern.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF LEMONS AND LIMES

2007-04-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

Nutritional Facts for Lemons and Limes
If you find it hard to get all of your fruit servings, try squeezing fresh lemon and lime juice into your water. The juice has few calories – just 20 per fruit – and offers unique phytonutrients. Lemons and limes contain flavonoid compounds, which are called flavonol glycosides and have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. In addition, lemons and limes are high in vitamin C, one of the most important antioxidants in nature. Lemons also offer 10% of the RDA for iron, 9% of the RDA for thiamin and 8% of the RDA for vitamin B6

Vitamin C is also vital to the functioning of a strong immune system. Research has repeatedly shown that consumption of foods high in vitamin C can help to reduce your risk of dying from cancer, stroke and heart disease. This is because, as an antioxidant, vitamin C travels through your body and neutralizes free radicals that can otherwise cause cell damage. Free radicals interact with the healthy cells of the body, damaging their membranes and organelles and leading to cell mutations. Free radicals can also cause inflammation, or painful swelling, in the body.

If you are searching for more vitamin C in your diet, eat more lemons rather than limes since they have twice the vitamin C of their counterparts. Once the British Navy discovered that lemons and limes would prevent scurvy, a condition caused by a deficiency in vitamin C, they were added to sailors’ staple diets. For this reason, British sailors earned the nickname “limeys” during the 1600s.

5 TOP BONE BUILDERS

2007-04-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

1. Calcium Function: Builds and maintains bone. Daily Needs: 1,000 milligrams if under the age of 50, 1,500 if over 50. Food sources: Dairy foods, canned sardines and calcium-fortified soy foods and orange juice.

2. Vitamin D Function: Absorbs and deposits calcium into bones. Daily needs: 800 to 1,000 IUs. Food sources: Vitamin D-fortified milk and dairy foods.

3. Vitamin K Function: Activates a protein necessary for bone strength.Daily needs: 65-80 micrograms. Food sources: Dark leafy greens, like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

4. Magnesium Function: Stimulates bone production. Daily needs: 100 to 400 milligrams. Food sources: Almonds, avocados, bananas, dried beans, lentils, nuts, peanut butter, soy, spinach, tofu, wheat germ, and whole wheat bread.

5. Activity Function: Helps the flow of calcium into the bone. Weekly needs: Strength train two to three days a week.Source: Weight-bearing exercise, such as running or walking, most days of the week.

The Secret to Beautiful Skin

2007-03-04T09:38:00.000-08:00

What’s the key to a clear complexion? Hint: It’s not the expensive cream at the department store. Amazingly, the secret lies in your cupboard, and it won’t cost you $85 for half an ounce. We sifted through the hype to bring you the beautiful skin secrets of three experts. They’ll tell you why a cover girl’s complexion is only a bowl of blueberries away. Change Your Diet It wasn’t until recently that skin care gurus switched from prescribing creams to focusing on food.“Beautiful skin on the outside begins with good health on the inside,” explains Nicholas Perricone, M.D., author of The Wrinkle Cure (Warner, 2005) and Dr. Perricone’s 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health, and Longevity (Ballantine, 2006). “You’ll never look your absolute best unless you eat right.” After all, food nourishes every part of your body, including your skin.One of the best incentives to eat for beauty is that your overall health will improve along with your skin. Not only will you get a silky, rosy complexion, you’ll also have more energy.
for an antioxidant boost.

Five of the Best Foods to put on your shopping list for beautiful skin is;

1. Blueberries
“The many benefits found in the blueberry lead to extended youth and beauty,” explains Perricone. Blueberries neutralize free radical damage to collagen cells, which keeps your skin supple and strong.

2. Buckwheat
This seed is rich in a substance called rutin, an anti-inflammatory antioxidant which can improve your complexion. Rutin reduces blood pressure and strengthens blood vessel walls, and can even help prevent varicose veins. Bonus: It delivers more protein than other grains, so you’ll stay fuller longer. “It’s a great weight-control ally,” says Perricone. It also puts carbs back on the menu! Use buckwheat flour in your favorite pancake recipe or add cooked buckwheat to a warm winter stew for a hearty flavor.

3. Olive Oil
Opting for olive oil over butter is a great first move. For the best results, choose extra virgin olive oil. It contains higher levels of polyphenols, compounds with antioxidant activity, according to Richard Asarch, M.D., of the Asarch Center for Dermatology, Laser and Skin Rejuvenation in Colorado and author of The Beautiful Skin Diet, (Ideal, 2003). Antioxidants protect against – and sometimes even reverse – the skin damage caused by free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules produced by pollution, sunlight and cigarette smoke. When cooking with olive oil, be careful not to turn up the heat too high when cooking or the oil will lose its nutritional properties.

4. Cherry Tomatoes
Seeing as how they’re packed with antioxidant-rich lycopene and vitamin C.

5. Strawberries
Strawberries' antioxidant properties are rejuvenating, especially to the skin, smoothing out lines and wrinkles.

Foods that will destroy your skin

If you want to put your best face forward, watch out for these five foods:

1. Sugar is exceptionally damaging to skin and accelerates the aging process, inside and out. Per Remember that there’s a difference between the natural sugar in fruit and the added sugar in packaged goods. Look out for the words fructose, sucrose, corn syrup, fruit juice, mannitol, and molasses on ingredient labels –all are forms of added sugar.

2.Raisins cause sudden and wide swings in sugar loads in the body, which can inflame and damage the skin. If you can’t resist raisins, pair them with protein or heart-healthy fat to prevent a blood sugar spike. Try mixing in a handful of walnuts or almonds for a high-energy, skin-savvy trail mix.

3.Bacon This breakfast favorite is high in saturated fat, which "increases the incidence of skin aging and wrinkling.

4. Restaurant Meals, Many restaurant dishes contain hidden fat, sugar, salt, chemicals, and preservatives that harm your body and skin. Make most of your meals at home so you can control what goes in, and what stays out of, your food.

5. Delicious Desserts, Even skin gurus need to indulge sometimes. Enjoy angel food cake topped with fresh strawberries, dig into pineapple and kiwis.

Burn More Calories with Vitamin C

2007-02-25T11:58:00.000-08:00

How can you lose weight quickly without starving yourself? A study conducted by Arizona State University found that people who supplemented their diet with extra vitamin C lost weight faster than those who didn’t consume enough of the nutrient. You only need 60 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C a day to meet your body’s basic needs, but according to this study, raising your daily intake to 500 mg could boost your fat burning potential during exercise by 39%. Yes, you still have to exercise to reap the benefits. But you were going to work out anyway, right? Just don’t give in to the false assumption that “if some is good, more is better” and do something stupid like overdose on vitamin C – 500 mg is plenty. Nutrition experts warn that taking more than 2,000 mg of vitamin C can cause toxicity, which has very unpleasant side effects (like diarrhea, bloating and flatulence – nothing you want to experience at the gym, or anywhere else for that matter). If you’d rather eat your vitamin C than pop pills, eat more citrus fruits. Just don’t put all your hopes in that morning glass of orange juice, which can lose more than 50% of its vitamin C levels during processing and storage. (It’s also got a lot of calories from sugar that you don’t need if you’re trying to shed extra pounds.) A better bet? Grapefruits, oranges, strawberries, limes, lemons, mangoes, and kiwis are all fabulous sources of this fat-burning vitamin. Now can you “C” how delicious losing weight can be?

Banishing Cellulite

2007-02-25T10:46:00.000-08:00

Banishing Cellulite is no easy task, but can it be done, with alot of persistance, “Too much oily food, fried food and sugar is toxic to the body". These toxins accumulate and cause cellulite.”The link between diet and cellulite is hotly debated, but keep in mind that eliminating junk food will lead to positive changes throughout your body, from weight loss to well-being. I also recommend massaging your body’s trouble areas with a warming body oil like bergamot or rosemary, or finding a good herbal lotion that eliminates cellulite. Massage stimulates the circulatory and lymphatic systems, which help break down fatty tissue and needs to be done on a daily basis, perferably after a bath or shower put on your lotion and rub and massage areas for a few minutes. Using Rosemary and Juniper oils in your bath will rid toxins in your body. Combine this with some tried-and-true tush-tighteners like lunges and squats to resculpt your lower half. Also after eating your largest meal of the day, take papaya tablets or chewables to keep fat from depositing in your body.

These must be done on a daily basis, and in one month you will see a huge difference.

1. Bathe in a Rosemary and Juniper oil bath, for 20 minutes. Even better, add Dead Sea Salts.
(don't use dead sea salts with fragrance)
2. Massage trouble areas with rosemary oil or a herbal cellulite cream, after bath, while pores are still open for several minutes on each area.

3. Take papaya tablets after eating.

4. Do squats and leg lunges for lower half, and for the stomach, hold your stomach in as long as you can and keep doing it throughout the day.

5. Drink alot of water.

6. Watch what you eat; add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. Read my 100 fat burning foods.

The four basic steps to fighting cellulite

If you do nothing else to fight cellulite, these four steps will make a difference.

Cut down on calories: If you’re overweight, losing weight will shrink the fat boxes. Aim for 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, focusing on low-fat, higher-protein and fruit and vegetable packed meals.

Fight fluid retention: Areas of cellulite contain higher than average amounts of water-attracting cells: if you have excess fluid in the body this will gravitate to these cells swelling the boxes (a major cause of cellulite in thinner women). Cutting down on salt and drinking at least eight glasses of water a day helps fight this.

Increase antioxidants: The walls that surround the fat boxes are made from collagen and therefore get damaged by free radicals (produced by things like smoking, sunbathing, pollutants etc). This makes them tougher and causes them to shrink, which stretches the skin more tightly over the top of the fat boxes making them more noticeable. Aim to eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, to help supply antioxidants that fight free radicals.

Reduce toxins: While it’s not true that cellulite is stored toxins it doesn’t mean that saturated fat, sugar, coffee, alcohol and cigarettes don’t play a role in its formation. All of these trigger free radicals, and they also put pressure on the lymph system (which flushes toxins from your body). This is bad news, as when the lymph system is sluggish it actually creates fibres which bind to the walls of the fat boxes, making them thicker. This is turn creates extra pressure on the fat squishing things further upwards.

Cellulite-fighting foodsHowever, to truly fight cellulite you should also aim to include in your diet foods that help power up all the processes above: Aim to eat at least of these top foods every day to improve results.

1. Proteins such as white fish, chicken, beans and pulses: these contain amino acids that fight fluid retention
2. Oily fish: As well as being a good source of protein, this also contains essential fats that hydrate the skin (making cellulite less noticeable) Like Tuna.
3. Avocado: also vital for healthy skin – plus essential fats help you burn more body fat
4. Blueberries, blackcurrants, raspberries: Among the highest sources of antioxidants out there
5. Eggs: Incredibly high in detoxifying agents
6. Bran and oat cereals: Breakfast the metabolism leading to easier weight loss – plus cereals contain high levels of antioxidants.
7. Watermelon, cucumber, celery and asparagus: Diuretic foods that fight fluid retention
8. Citrus fruit, pineapple, papaya: All high in vitamin C, vital for creating healthy collagen
9. Low-fat dairy products: calcium in these increases the amount of body fat you lose while dieting
10.Bananas: Circulation boosting and good fluid-retention fighters.

Foods that make it worse

1. Anything high in saturated fat – high in calories and free-radical producing
2. High sugar foods – sugar actually produces more free radicals than fat
3. High GI carbohydrates (like white bread, rice and baked potatoes). Raise levels of fat storing insulin
4. Coffee and other caffeinated beverages: These pressurise the lymphatic sytem
5. Alcohol: increases free radicals and may boost fat storage
6. High salt foods like peanuts, crisps, ready meals, canned soups etc.

All Natural Skin Cleansing Recipes

2007-02-25T10:29:00.000-08:00

It is much healthier for your skin to use ingredients that you can eat, to put on your skin, then to use chemicals and preservatives on your skin, which most products you buy have in them, and their not benefiting your skin at all.

1. For dry skin: Mix 1teaspoon almond meal + ½ teaspoon dry milk + 1 pinch sugar.

2. For Sensitive Skin: Mix 1 teaspoon almond meal + ½ teaspoon ground orange peel + ½ teaspoon dry milk.

3. For Oily Skin: Mix 1 teaspoon barley meal + 1 teaspoon lemon peel + ½ teaspoon dry milk.

Time to start washing…

In your palm, make a paste using ¼ teaspoon of the above mixture and warm water (or rosewater if you have sensitive skin).
Apply paste all over face and neck and gently massage into the skin for about one minute. Don’t scrub!
Dry and oily skin types should rinse well with warm, not hot water.
If you have sensitive skin, wash with cool, not cold, water.
Pat dry gently - do not rub.
Store the extra dry ingredients in a spice jar.

Emotions Will Influence Your Skin's Health

2007-02-25T10:12:00.001-08:00

Did you know that your emotions influence your skin’s health? It’s true. “Skin is the reflection of everything inside us,” says Dr. Pratima Raichur, founding director of Pratima Ayurvedic Skin Care and Spa in Manhattan. Think of a bride on her wedding day – she’s glowing and radiant, her happiness manifesting itself in the form of beautiful skin. Unfortunately, the opposite is true if you’re under chronic stress, your skin will reflect it. In the short term, you might notice a few extra blemishes here and there; in the long term, your skin will age faster, complete with worry lines and broken blood vessels. maintain a youthful glow – even into your eighties and beyond.The Fountain of Youth “Slowing down the aging process is more than just external,” says Raichur. Anti-wrinkle creams alone won’t do it. Youthful skin has everything to do with how you react to and internalize your daily experiences. Need balance in an anxiety-filled life?
Here are some tips:
Consciously change how you react to negative events. Is the long line at the grocery an annoyance that will ruin your day, or is it a chance to flip through your favorite magazine?
Maintain positive, loving relationships with your friends and family.
Get rid of that grudge – it’s dead weight you don’t need.
Walk through a garden, watch the sun set or do some stargazing.
According to Raichur, taking in beautiful scenery sparks hormonal changes in your body that trigger a euphoric response.
Add 10 drops of chamomile oil to a warm bath and soak for 15 minutes.
Put on soft music with rhythmic drumming.
A healthier lifestyle and an arsenal of relaxation techniques will send those stress hormones packing – and give you a glow that no cream can match.

Big Purses Put Strain On Women's Health

2007-02-25T09:56:00.000-08:00

Those oversized designer handbags are back in fashion, and may be bringing increased health problems with them. According to Baylor Medical Center researchers, consumer trends in favor of heavier, wider and more cumbersome handbags are raising women's risk of chronic upper back pain, neck pain and headaches. Researchers recommended that designers place informational labels on their oversize bags, educating women about the potential risks involved. For those women who just can't give up on those giant imitation Louis Vuittons, correct posture and alternating the burden between shoulders may offer relief.

GLUCASAMINE AND CHONDROITIN DONT MIX

2007-02-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

What are Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate?
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are substances found naturally in the body. Glucosamine is a form of amino sugar that is believed to play a role in cartilage formation and repair.
Chondroitin sulfate is part of a large protein molecule (proteoglycan) that gives cartilage elasticity.
Both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are sold as dietary or nutritional supplements. They are extracted from animal tissue: glucosamine from crab, lobster or shrimp shells; and chondroitin sulfate from animal cartilage, such as tracheas or shark cartilage.
What do they do?

Glucosamine has been scientifically proven to promote joint health.* Studies indicate that Glucosamine provides the building blocks for constructing cartilage.* It acts as a lubricant, nourishes cartilage, and promotes mobility and flexibility for comfortable movement.

Chondroitin Sulfate is necessary in the production of cartilage. Proteoglycans, a vital component of cartilage tissue, is produced by Chondroitin. Chondroitin attracts water to the proteoglycans and holds it there, which is important to maintaining health joints. It also protects existing cartilage from premature degeneration by blocking certain enzymes that destroy cartilage and prevent nutrients from reaching the cartilage.

But the problem is , used in combination, one cancels out the other.

Often they are recommended to be used together, they are also sold in combination form, dont waste your money.

The Glucasamine w/sulfate absorbs the Best.

Amazing Health Benefits of Cranberries

2007-02-23T13:17:00.000-08:00

Better than Broccoli

Cranberries are phytochemical powerhouses packed with five times the antioxidant content of broccoli. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which can damage cellular DNA and may contribute to everything from premature aging of the skin to various types of cancer. When compared to 19 other common fruits in a recent study, cranberries were found to contain the highest level of cancer-fighting antioxidant phenols.

You’ll find the greatest number of vitamins and nutrients in the fresh cranberries now in season. Dried cranberries lose some of their nutritional value, as do canned ones. Happily, you can freeze bags of fresh berries and seal in the good stuff. They’ll last for years.

Fighting UTIs
Cranberries may be helpful in treating urinary tract infections (UTIs), according to a recent Rutgers University study. Here’s why: The berries' natural condensed tannins, called proanthocyanidins, have anti-adhesive properties that prevent bacteria from clinging to urinary tract walls.

Broccoli, Tomatoes Slows Prostate Cancer

2007-02-23T13:08:00.000-08:00

Broccoli, Tomatoes Slow Prostate Cancer

A little more lush green and bright red on your dinner plate may make all the difference in the world when it comes to prostate health. According to a new University of Illinois study, eating tomatoes together with broccoli can slow the growth of existing prostate tumors, as well as cut the risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Researchers found that men who followed a diet including 1.5 cups of broccoli and 2.5 cups of tomatoes, at least three days a week, experienced a 30% lower risk of prostate cancer than men who ate less of the two antioxidant-rich foods. A supplementary study of lab mice found that compounds in broccoli and tomatoes can significantly slow the growth of prostate tumor cells. What This Means for You, While consuming tomatoes or broccoli alone has been shown to cut cancer risk, the current study highlighted the synergy of the two whole foods in combination.

GRAPE JUICE AS HEART HEALTHY AS RED WINE

2007-02-23T13:01:00.000-08:00

According to a new study, fresh grape juice can have the same heart-boosting effects as much-hyped red wine. Conducted by medical researchers in France – home to some of the planet's richest grape vineyards – the study was published in a recent issue of the journal Cardiovascular Research. Fresh juice from Concord grapes, the study's authors found, contains nearly identical levels of heart-healthy polyphenols as red wine. Past research had linked polyphenols to increased nitric oxide production, which can help lower blood pressure and stimulate healthy blood vessel activity. What This Means for You, This is fantastic news for heart-conscious adults who abstain from alcohol for personal, cultural or religious reasons. Researchers plan further studies to shed light on the health benefits of grape juice.

SUPER FOODS

2007-02-23T06:39:00.000-08:00

1. Artichoke
Helps the liver rid the body of toxins by increasing the production and secretion of bile.

2. Blueberry
Natural source of antioxidants like anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins which provide a high ORAC value.

3. Boysenberry
Rich source of red and blue anthocyanin pigments.

4. Broccoli
A natural source phytonutrients including isothiocyanates like sulforaphane.

5. Citrus
Phytonutrient group that supports and enhances the activity of vitamin C.

6. Cranberry
Rich source of quercetin and proanthocyanidins which help reduce inflammation in the body and prevent urinary tract infections by blocking the adherence of bacteria, like E. coli, to the wall of the urinary tract.

7. Dates
May be considered as an almost ideal food, providing a wide range of antioxidants, essential nutrients and their potential health benefits.

8. Red Wine
Natural source of anthocyanidin antioxidants that prevent abnormal clotting of the blood and protect tissues from free-radical damage.

9. Elderberry
Natural source of phytonutrients.

10. Figs
A rich source of calcium, fiber, protein, and potassium.

11. Grapes
rich in proanthocyanidin antioxidants that have been shown to have cardioprotective properties..

12. Green Tea
Natural source of phytonutrients including antioxidant catechins like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

13. Pomegranate
Natural source of phytonutrients including the antioxidant, ellagic acid.

14. Pumpkin
Rich source of beta-carotene and other carotenoid compounds.

15. Pumpkin Seed
Natural source of zinc and beneficial essential fatty acids.

16. Raspberry
Broad-spectrum source of berry phytonutrients, like ellagic acid, that are concentrated in the seeds of these fruits.

17. Red Apple Skin
Flavonoids and polyphenols found in the skin, provide antioxidant and anticancer benefits.

18. Red Bell Pepper
Contains lycopene and beta-cryptoxanthin, important carotenoids for prostate, cervix, bladder, lung and pancreas health.

19. Rosemary
Herb rich in antioxidants, such as caffeic acid, that have a variety of therapeutic benefits including chemopreventive properties.

20. Soy Protein powder
Extract from soy that has been shown to promote healthy cholesterol and homocysteine levels, improve vascular function and support bone health.

21. Spinach, Kale, Parsley and Collards
Rich sources of antioxidant carotenoids including beta-carotene and lutein.

22. Strawberry
Broad-spectrum source of berry phytonutrients, like ellagic acid, that are concentrated in the seeds of these fruits.

23. Tomato
A rich source of antioxidant carotenoids such as lycopene