Chocolate that clear up acne?

Posted by Joy-O | Skin care,health and beauty,nutrition | Monday 20 July 2009 9:38 am

A revolutionary new chocolate bar that reduces acne is set to hit Australian shelves.
Manufacturers of the Acne Care range say pimple-plagued sufferers will experience dramatic results within just two weeks of eating the chocolate.
Developed by US-based Frutels, the chocolate-coated treatment is believed to be the first of its kind.
Packed with antioxidants and micro-nutrients, the bars support the body’s defenses and clarify the skin from within, it is claimed.
Frutels recommend consumers eat between two and five chocolate bars a day for the fastest results.
Company figures reveal 73 per cent of people surveyed observed and improvement in their skin after taking just two bars per day for two weeks.
A company spokesman said: “This product takes beauty foods to another level by not only tackling acne in an ingestible form, but by using a food that has been associated with causing acne to make these claims.
“Chocolate has long been taboo for acne sufferers.”
The bars have swept the UK and US, prompting to move to the Australian market.
The bars cost about $40 for a months supply.

No carbs may curb memory?

Posted by Joy-O | Health and Science,nutrition,weight loss | Saturday 27 June 2009 1:40 am

Cutting out the carbs may help you lose weight-but it can also help you lose your memory.
Dieters who avoided starchy foods do worse in mental tests than those who allowed themselves pasta, bread and potatoes.
Scientists found that the mental performance dropped after just a week on an Atkins-style diet. The study demonstrates that the food you eat can have an immediate impact on cognitive behavior.
The popular low-carb and and non-carb diets have the strongest potential for negative impact on thinking and cognition.
The Atkin’s diet, popular in the early 2000s, bans carbohydrates such as flour, sugar and potatoes, but allows protein and fat. Some fruit and vegetables are also restricted.
Scientists believe that lo-carb diets reduce the amount of glucose, or blood sugar, which is carried to the brain and used by nerve cells for energy.
A low-carb diet means less fuel to power brain cells.

Immunity Boosters

Posted by Joy-O | health,immune system,nutrition | Friday 19 June 2009 3:00 am

I got very down immunity right after I got sick for one week. Maybe that’s why my system can’t fight much with this skin allergy that I’m suffering and it keeps on getting worst. I’m so worried and this is very depressing. I research and get some help in the internet of the ways to boost immune system. I found some but not satisfied until I stumble into an interesting article. The top 20 immunity boosters. Hope the others will help since I’m already performing the others. I just need to continue.

Here are some essential information that represent many of their key ideas to help boost your immune system into great shape.
1. Put some color on your plate.
Eat nine to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

2. Sample the supplements.
Take a multivitamin plus vitamin E, vitamin C, and calcium.

3. Discover the wonders of working out.
Get moving for 30 minutes a day.

4. Enjoy the powers of sleep.
Get your eight hours.

5. Up your emotional quotient.
Pay attention to your psychological health.

6. Listen to your body and learn your family history.
Study your family tree to target your disease prevention.

7. Wet your whistle.
Drink eight to 10 8-ounce glasses of water and once cup of tea a day.

8. Remember, variety is the spice of life.
Eat a wide variety of foods.

9. Be a fat detective.
Eat the good fats, not the bad.

10. Exercise kitchen care.
Use safe cooking methods.

11. Hold hands with a friend.
Be social, stay connected, have fun.

12. Celebrate your sensual side.
Have great sex!

13. Discover the dynamic D
Take 400 IU of vitamin D a day.

14. Seek out serenity.
Practice stress reduction techniques.

15. Turn on the magic of touch.
Get a massage.

16. Tap the poet within.
Keep a journal.

17. Embrace cleanliness.
Brush up on good hygiene.

18. Practice an ounce of prevention.
Get appropriate vaccinations and make doctor and dentist appointments.

19. Send those sneezes packing.
Protect yourself against allergies.

20. Treat yourself to the miracle herbs.
Try herbs to heal and protect your body

Source: Care2.com

Beefing up your green intake

Posted by Joy-O | health,healthy environment,nutrition | Tuesday 26 August 2008 4:33 am
Asparagus.jpg Asparagus image by BreStoner3

A diet in green veggies is healthy for you and planet. We all know vegetables are good for us. Now it seems that eating veggies are is also good for the environment. “Eating green” is as beneficial as “eating your greens”. Some facts that have emerged in recent years may encourage even keen carnivores to cut back their meat intake.
So why are vegetables-based diets better for the planet? For a start, research has found that it takes 15,000 litres of water to produce one kilogram of grain-fed beef. It’s also claimed that if all the grain used to feed cattle in the US were given to people worldwide, almost 800 million people could be fed. And a study by the National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science in Japan has shown that the production of one kilogram of beef causes more greenhouse gas emissions than driving car for three hours while you leave all the lights on at home.
Starting to feel guilty about popping into your mouth? Well, instead of rushing to the greengrocer, consider growing some of your own veggies.
Start with one of the super foods, such as broccoli. Broccoli is full of goodness – it contains no fat, is high in fiber, is a good source of folic acid and is high in vitamin C.
Researchers have found that the star component in broccoli is the phytochemical sulforaphane are found in sprouted broccoli and young shoots but sulforaphane is also found in mature broccoli, and other members of the Brassicaceace family contain it in smaller amounts. Commonly called brassicas, these include cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage and Asian greens.
Brassicas will grow during the cooler months. You can sow seed or buy seedlings from your local nursery. For the best results, give them a sunny position and rich, well-drained soil.

Dairy Discomfort

Posted by Joy-O | healthy drink,nutrition | Sunday 27 July 2008 6:54 am

You get the munchies and decide to grab for a cheeseburger and a giant milk shake. An hour later you get stomach crams and feel bloated enough to inflate a raft. You may just be lactose intolerant. This is a condition that affects three out of four people in different levels of intolerance and my man is one of those people.

To start off, lactose intolerance is totally different from a milk allergy. An allergy to dairy or dairy products is caused by a protein that your system could be allergic to as opposed to being lactose intolerance where the system doesn’t have the enzyme lactase that is used to digest the milk into forms much more suited for bloodstream absorption.
What happens next is that the unbroken down milk travels all the way to the large intestines and gets fermented. That’s where the actual discomfort comes from. Some lactose intolerant people may be able to take in small amount of dairy while some couldn’t take it in at all without experiencing discomfort.
The symptoms which include bloating, gas, nausea and extremely bad breath occur from 30 minutes to a couple of hours from the time that the lactose is taken.
Although this is not an alarming condition, it does put a hold back on the good life and keeps you crawled up in a ball with all the discomfort it comes with.
Lactose isn’t just found in milk and cheese. There are traces found in baked goods, margarine, cereals, salad dressings and other products, so make sure to check the label. There are even drugs that contain lactose that could cause the same effect.
Since milk is the product where we get the majority of our calcium intake, then being lactose intolerant would make a calcium intake a dilemma. Taking calcium tablets or calcium-fortified products may help in maintaining the constant level.
There is no permanent treatment of cure that you can do to get rid of it. All you can do is avoid the products with milk and hidden lactose altogether or you can use lactose pills or drops. You take it before meals and it will give you enough lactase so you can enjoy a lactose-enriched meal without having to worry about the symptoms later on. Maybe your level of intolerance may allow even one glass of milk a day. If it’s like that then you can still enjoy milk products. But even of a sip of milk upsets you already then the pills and drops can help you.
Being lactose intolerant shouldn’t keep you from a healthy life or prevent you from enjoying your favorite foods.

If you want to enjoy the benefits of milk without the side-effects of lactose, you might want to try this following alternatives.

SOY MILK – enjoy the pleasure of drinking milk. It is made from soy flour or soy beans.
YOGURT – it is researched that the bacteria found in the yogurt actually fights against the negative effects lactose have on people.
CALCIUM-FORTIFIED ORANGE JUICE – not just orange juice but anything really fortified to help calcium intake that is hindered by lactose intolerance.

Calcium is vital for healthy teeth and bones

Posted by Joy-O | health tips,nutrition | Thursday 3 July 2008 12:21 am

If the body notices that not enough calcium is circulating in the blood, it will use hormones to reduce the amount put out by the kidneys in the urine. If not enough calcium is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract, calcium will be taken from the bones.
If your dietary intake of calcium is constantly low, your body will eventually remove so much calcium from the skeleton that your bones will become weak and brittle.
There are lots of alternatives in getting calcium everyday. Like for example if you’re always on the go because of your work and sometimes you skipped meals. You can have or carry with you some high protein bars that can be bought from any store. If you don’t like the idea of taking tablets why not try calcium powder supplements that you can just dissolve with what you already drinking without altering the taste or texture of beverages.
It is much better anyway to get calcium from foods (which also provide other nutrients) than from calcium supplements. If you have difficulty eating enough foods rich in calcium, you might consider a calcium supplement, especially if you are at risk of developing osteoporosis. It’s a good idea to discuss this with your health care professional.

Olive oil is packed full of health-giving properties

Posted by Joy-O | Cholesterol,nutrition | Tuesday 3 June 2008 9:08 am

Known in ancient times as “juice of the god” , olive oil has only enhanced its reputation over the years. While it may not be the ticket to immortality, there is evidence that it can lead to a longer and healthier life.
“The traditional Mediterranean diet is high in olive oil and certainly there’s evidence to suggest these people live longer and have fewer lifestyle diseases.
There are many other factors that are part of the Mediterranean diet but olive oil is a big part of it.
Nutritionally, olive oil is a complex substance, jam-packed full of health-giving properties.
“It is one of the best sources of monounsaturated fats and definitely one of the tastiest.
The nearest competitor is canola oil, which is also high in omega 3 fat content, but not as high in antioxidants as olive oil. Olive oil is also more versatile than canola, which is pretty tasteless.
Unlike some polyunsaturated oils, olive oil is likely to form harmful trans fatty acids when overheated.
Olive oils help to lower the LDL bad cholesterol and raise the HDL good cholesterol. The effect on blood cholesterol is a positive one compared with animal fats and saturated fats. Extra virgin olive oil had the greatest levels of antioxidants with light olive oil the least. Regardless of the quality, you should restrict consumption to a maximum of two tablespoons a day,
Unfortunately, the two word on olives themselves is not as favourable. Olive have a lot of goodness but they are also very high in salt. Olives are something you should consider a treat.

Easy ways to balance meals

Posted by Joy-O | nutrition | Wednesday 21 May 2008 1:30 am

. Reduce your portion of breakfast cereal by adding sliced banana, strawberries or kiwi fruit.
. Have vegetable soups or salads for lunch with small amounts of protein.
. Add a piece of fruit before or after a meal.
. Eat meat, poultry or fish with a mixed salad, instead of potatoes (one of the few acid-forming vegetables), rice pr pasta.
. If planning rice and pasta meals, add another vegetable to the dish.
. Sip high-alkaline fruit juices (try watermelon) or combined vegetable juices (such as V8) at least once a day.
. Drink your eight glasses of water a day with a squeeze of lemon.
. Eat fruit snacks every meals.
. Drink herbal teas instead of coffee and black teas.
. Take a calcium citrate supplement daily.
By doing all this, you’ll not only balance your body’s pH, but also take in more nutrients and enzymes that will boost your looks and vitality.

Iron for kids

Posted by Joy-O | children's health,healthy food for kids,nutrition | Thursday 15 May 2008 10:54 am

We parents strive hard to send our kids to a good school to help make him smart. our desire to raise intelligent kids, however, many of us overlook the fact that good education goes hand in hand with proper nutrition.
When it comes to food, children in the growing up stage 1 to 3 years do not fare very well. While feasting on their hotdog breakfast and persistently snubbing bittermelon (ampalaya) and liver, chances are, they may be missing out on an important nutrition.
Iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world according to The World Health Organization. It affects 2 billion people over 30 percent of the world’s population.
But more than being a global health issue, the more urgent problem iron deficiency poses is its impact on a child’s development. When a child doesn’t get enough iron, it can lead to a condition known as Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA)
According to WHO, one of the most dramatic health effects of Iron Deficiency Anemia is its negative consequences on cognitive and physical development of children. There is a considerable evidence that iron is important for neurological functioning and development. What’s more, there is evidence that the effects of iron deficiency on our nervous systems are irreversible.

Good Iron Sources include:
liver and other meats
whole grains
shellfish
green leafy vegetables and nuts

Iron is one of the nutrients added to enriched cereals and breads. If you’re child eats little or none of these foods, make a special effort to include other sources of iron in his diet, like a good iron supplement.

Omega-3

Posted by Joy-O | health alert,nutrition | Wednesday 7 May 2008 2:35 am

Recent investigation have found that the daily ingestion of a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids called Omega provides great health benefits, principally to the cardiovascular system. it helps prevent problems of the cardiac and circulatory systems like arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, heart attacks and embolism. There are other combinations of oils in this Omega group named, Omega-3, and Omega-9.
One of the principal fatty acids is Omega-3 (liloleic acid) as well as Omega-9 (oleic acid), which along with Omega-3 have wonderful therapeutic properties.
The Greenland Eskimos and the Pacific Northwest groups, who consume large amounts of fish, rarely develop coronary artery disease and have a reduced risk of heart-attacks. The Eskimos have very low levels of LDL (Low Density Lipoprotien).
It has been found that Eskimos and fishermen who eat a large amount of fish have fewer heart problems, fewer problems with diabetes, high blood pressure and cases of cancer that people whose diet contains a high consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in cold water fish and other marine animals.

A mix of these fatty acids, Omega 3, and 9 gives us a highly efficient combination for the reduction of cholesterol and triglycerides, improving general health by helping to:
1. Reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems because it reduces cholesterol in the blood.
2. Avoid deposits of cholesterol on the arterial walls.
3. Reduce the level of triglycerides in the blood, (fats that are strongly implicated in obesity and heart attacks, strokes.)
4. Reduce the risk of thrombosis.
5. Helps to normalize blood pressure.
6. Eases symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
7. Slows the advantage of multiple sclerosis.
8. Slows the effect from the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
9. Slows the growth of cancerous tumors.
10. Increases the mobility of blood cells.
11. Helps avoid blood clots, making platelets less sticky.
12. Prevents the development of rheumatoid arthritis.
13. Helps to combat skin disorders like Psoriasis and Eczema.

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