Health & Fitness

Your Wealth is in Your Health

Saturday, August 29, 2009

When you are healthy, you are also wealthy. Not in a monetary sense, but in a body sense. Nothing is more important than your health, and if you were wealthy, you would not be able to spend money if you were in poor health. To make sure that you are in the greatest of health, you must exercise on a regular basis and eat foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. If you have poor food eating habits, then even small changes to your diet can really help a lot. The main thing is to be able to distinguish between healthy foods and not so healthy foods. You have to eat many vegetables and fruit, and grains, and stay away from foods with too many calories, and a lot of fat. You need five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. This is not always easy to do, so drinking fruit and vegetable juice along with healthy food can help. Making small changes gradually is much easier than trying to change your entire diet all at once. Writing down what you eat and drink everyday can give you a good picture of what you eat. This will help you decide which foods you need to eat more of and which ones you should cut back on. If you find yourself at a loss, ask a nutritionist for help. They can advise you on the proper nutrition you need to be your healthiest. Newspapers and magazines do not always have the right information. Do not rely on vitamins, as these are not as good as the real thing. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain many more vitamins and minerals. Try changing around what you eat, since variety is the spice of life. The same old foods get boring eventually, so look for new healthy recipes to incorporate into your daily menu. Avoid fried foods whenever possible, as these are high in fat and cholesterol. Baking or grilling low fat foods is much healthier. Do without salad dressing that is too oily, as they contain many calories. Try drinking diet drinks that do not contain sugar, or water and tea, as these are much better for you, and contain no calories. Sleep is also important when you are trying to lose weight. It will also give you the energy you need to exercise everyday. When you are sleepy, your body makes you think that you are hungry, which can lead to eating more calories than you need to. Sleep will make you feel better all around, and you will have energy to spare. Exercise will give you more energy the more you do it. When starting an exercise program, begin slowly with walking, and add more as your confidence level rises. Swimming, aerobics, and running are also great options. If you eat healthy everyday, and follow a good exercise program regularly, you can be sure to have a body that is full of the wealth of health.

An Introduction to the 13 Vitamins

Vitamins are essential nutrients that your body needs so that it can function effectively. Most vitamins are sourced from the foods you eat but some can be produced by your body as well. They are distinguished from minerals because they come from plants and animals whereas minerals come from the soil and water. Vitamins contain no calories and are not used by the body for energy but without them your body's cells cannot perform certain important functions. In this article I am going to be providing you with a simple introduction to each of the thirteen vitamins. 1) VITAMIN A:- The main function of vitamin A is to assist with vision. A deficiency can lead to a condition called night blindness where you struggle to see in dim light and if left untreated this can develop into full blindness. 2) VITAMIN B1 (THIAMINE):- This vitamin's main function is to work with other B-complex vitamins and help the body convert blood sugar into energy. Not getting enough vitamin B1 can cause beriberi which has a number of undesirable symptoms including pain, loss of feeling in your extremities and in the worst cases death. 3) VITAMIN B2 (RIBOFLAVIN):- Vitamin B2's main function is to work with the other B-complex vitamins and help the body's cells break down carbohydrates, fats and proteins for energy. A vitamin B2 deficiency can lead to skin problems and also damage the eyes. 4) VITAMIN B3 (NIACIN):- The main function of this vitamin is to work with other B-complex vitamins and help the body's cells convert blood sugar into energy. Not getting enough vitamin B3 can lead to the development of pellagra, a condition which causes diarrhea, dementia, delirium and ultimately death. 5) VITAMIN B5 (PANTOTHENIC ACID):- The main function of vitamin B5 is to work with the other B-complex vitamins and help the body's cells convert food into energy. Not getting enough of this vitamin is very rare but can lead to abdominal pain and muscle weakness. 6) VITAMIN B6 (PYRIDOXINE):- This vitamin's main role is to help the body's cells break down proteins into a form they can use. A vitamin B6 deficiency can lead to weakness, tingling in your extremities and seizures. 7) VITAMIN B7 (BIOTIN):- The main function of vitamin B7 is to work with other B-complex vitamins and help the body's cells break down carbohydrates, fats and proteins into a form they can use. Not getting enough can lead to hair loss, skin problems and depression. 8) VITAMIN B9 (FOLIC ACID):- The main role of vitamin B9 is to work with vitamin B12 and help the body produce DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid) which both contain important genetic information. A deficiency can lead to anemia, diarrhea, stunted growth and weight loss. 9) VITAMIN B12 (COBALAMIN):- The main function of this vitamin is to work with vitamin B9 and help the body produce DNA and RNA. Not getting enough vitamin B12 can lead to pernicious anemia, a condition where your body produces fewer, larger red blood cells. 10) VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID):- Vitamin C's main function is to assist in the production of collagen, a key component of connective tissue in animals that helps wounds heal. Being deficient in this vitamin can lead to scurvy, a condition which causes bleeding, swollen gums and slow healing wounds. 11) VITAMIN D:- The main function of this vitamin is to help the body use calcium and phosphorous which both help to strengthen your bones and teeth. A vitamin D deficiency can lead to weak bones that bend, break and fracture easily. 12) VITAMIN E:- Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects your body's cells from damage. Failure to get enough of this vitamin can lead to age spots (brown spots on the skin), hemolytic anemia (a condition where your blood cells become delicate and rupture) and other forms of cell damage. 13) VITAMIN K:- The main role of this vitamin is to help the blood clot. Being deficient in vitamin K makes it difficult for your blood to clot and in the worst cases can cause heavy, uncontrollable bleeding. As you can see each of the 13 vitamins are unique but collectively they are essential for good health. Being deficient in any of the above vitamins can lead to numerous health problems and stop your body from functioning properly. However, eating a healthy, balanced diet should allow you to consume adequate levels of each of the 13 vitamins and keep your body performing at an optimal level.

5 Things That You Should Know About Vitamin A

Vitamin A was the first of the thirteen vitamins to be discovered. Its discovery has been credited to McCollum and Davis between 1912 and 1914. The main function of this vitamin is to promote healthy vision but it also does a lot more. In this article I am going to help you learn about this vitamin by discussing five things you should know about vitamin A. 1) IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR HEALTHY VISION:- As I mentioned above this vitamin promotes healthy vision. This benefit was first noticed by the ancient Egyptians who used liver (a rich source of this vitamin) as a remedy for night blindness (a condition that makes it difficult or impossible to see in dim light). The reason for this is that night blindness is a symptom of vitamin A deficiency which can develop into full blindness if not treated. 2) IT IS A FAT SOLUBLE VITAMIN:- This vitamin is fat soluble which means that it dissolves in your body's fatty tissues. Fat soluble vitamins are generally more resistant to heat and light meaning that they are relatively stable when cooked. They can also be stored by your body for later use meaning that if you do not consume much vitamin A on a certain day your body can get its daily requirements from these stores. 3) IT CAN BE SOURCED FROM PLANTS AND ANIMALS:- Vitamin A that is sourced from animal products is called retinol whilst the plant source is referred to as carotenoids. Animal sources of this vitamin include liver, butter, eggs cheese and milk. Plant sources include carrots, peas and spinach. 4) IT HAS OTHER BENEFITS TOO:- Although healthy vision is the most well known vitamin A benefit this is not its only function. It is also essential for healthy growth (especially bone growth), the production of sperm cells and keeps your eyes, skin and mucus moist. 5) YOU CAN GET TOO MUCH:- Most people do not realise that you can overdose on vitamins. However, excessive consumption of vitamins can be just as bad as not getting enough. Overdosing on vitamin A generally leads to bone problems with osteoporosis (reduced bone density) and bone fractures both being symptoms associated with this. I hope this article has given you a better understanding of vitamin A and shown you that there is more to it than just promoting healthy vision. Although this is one of its key functions it is also required for healthy growth, reproduction and much more.

Back Pain – The increasing problem of poor PC posture

Most people who surf the net or work with computers probably get minor aches and pains from time to time. These back, shoulder and neck pains often seem fairly minor, and most of the time get better after a little while. The actual root cause can sometimes come from other areas of life, such as sports injuries, a poor mattress, gardening, just the ageing process. But there seems little doubt that spending long hours hunched over a keyboard is at least a contributory factor to back pain.

Better by design: engineering flu vaccines

New method could improve vaccines for both seasonal flu and bird fluHOUSTON -- (March 17, 2009) -- A new computerized method of testing could help world health officials better identify flu vaccines that are effective against multiple strains of the disease. Rice University scientists who created the method say tests of data from bird flu and seasonal flu outbreaks suggest their method can better gauge the efficacy of proposed vaccines than can tests used today.Rice's Michael Deem, the lead scientist on the project, will present the group's results March 19 at the American Physical Society's 2009 meeting in Pittsburgh. The results are also slated to appear in the forthcoming book "Influenza: Molecular Virology" from Horizon Scientific Press.Avian flu, or bird flu, is a particularly deadly type of flu that's transmitted from birds to humans. It hasn't yet evolved into a form that can be transmitted readily between humans, but scientists and world health authorities are trying to prepare for a potential outbreak. Because the virus mutates continually, creating a vaccine in advance is problematic. For example, scientists have already found that a vaccine designed for the 1997 strain of bird flu does not work against a 2003 strain."Current vaccines contain only a single version of a given flu subtype," Deem said. "We wanted to gauge the effectiveness of a vaccine that contained multiple versions of a given subtype."World health authorities currently test the efficacy of proposed flu vaccines using either ferrets, which can contract the same forms of flu as people, or genetic assays. Rice's new computerized method could be a cheaper and faster alternative.With the new method, flu virus mutations are assigned numerical scores. Deem, Rice's John W. Cox Professor of Bioengineering and professor of physics and astronomy, and colleagues developed the method so they could assign a number that captured the amount of difference or similarity between strains. The method can also be used to test how effective a vaccine will be against divergent strains. To verify this, the team checked their results against flu vaccine data collected by the World Health Organization from 1971 to 2004."For seasonal influenza, we validated our model against observational data compiled by the World Health Organization's Global Influenza Surveillance Network," Deem said. "We also ran tests against bird flu data. We found that multiple-component bird flu vaccines appeared to be helpful in controlling the simultaneous multiple introduction of bird flu strains."Influenza viruses are like chameleons. They constantly change the patterns on their outer surface to avoid being targeted by antibodies. This rapid mutation rate is the reason seasonal flu vaccines must be changed annually. However, the vaccines sometimes offer less than ideal protection against newly evolved strains. It takes about six months to produce annual vaccine supplies; also, ideal vaccine strains are often difficult to produce by the standard hen’s egg technology, and alternative strains are substituted."Oftentimes, bird flu seems to emerge with multiple strains, and something similar can happen with newly released or evolved strains of seasonal flu as well," Deem said. The computational approach Deem will discuss is able to estimate the need for and the efficacy of a multiple-component vaccine in the face of the emergence of multiple flu strains.Each year, world health authorities create a flu vaccine that protects against three types of seasonal flu -- two subtypes of type A flu and one subtype of type B.

Benefits of Chlorella Supplements

Chlorella is one of the most scientifically researched foods in history. It is green algae that grow in fresh water. Chlorella is one of nature's best foods, providing you with a rich variety of amino acid (protein), vitamins, enzymes, minerals and carbohydrates. Actually, chlorella is considered to contain every nutrient required by the human body. Each Chlorella microorganism is composed of a nucleus, starch grains, chloroplasts and mitochondria surrounded by a cell wall composed mainly of cellulose. Chlorella is a green single-celled microalgae that contains very high concentrations of chlorophyll. It also supplies high levels of Beta Carotene, Vitamin B-12, Iron, DNA, RNA and Protein. The cell wall in this high quality Chlorella has been broken down mechanically to aid digestibility. Some of benefits of chlorella are given below. Chlorella Improves Digestive System: It has such high chlorophyll content, people who have chronic bad breath is often overcome in just a few days with chlorella. Foul smelling stools are also very much improved and chlorophyll has been recognized to relieving constipation. Chlorella carries enzymes like chlorophyllase and pepsin, which are two digestive enzymes. Enzymes perform a number of important functions in the body. Chlorella has a lot of different types of enzymes that our bodies require.Chlorella Control Blood Sugar and Blood Pressure Studies have revealed that chlorella tends to control blood sugar in cases of hypoglycemia. In hypoglycemia, blood sugar is too low. Proper levels of blood sugar are essential for normal brain function, heart function and energy metabolism, all of which are crucial in sustaining good health and preventing disease. High blood pressure is one of the major risk factors in heart attack and stroke, which account for more fatalities in the United States than any other disease. Laboratory experiments have shown that regular use of chlorella reduces high blood pressure and prevents strokes in rats.Modern techniques have helped in the processing of chlorella as its full nutritional properties can now be accessed due to the techniques used to dry the alga. So you can take chlorella supplements for the betterment of your health.

10 Steps For Better Sleep

Ten point plan on going to sleep at night:

1: UNWIND ......RELAX: It's essential that your mind be geared for sleep. Sit down for half an hour or even an hour before bedtime. Let the mind wander .take it quietly, gently unwinds. Tensions and anxieties are gently released from the system through this simple way.

2: READ A BOOK: Many find it especially relaxing and mentally soothing to read for a while before the lights are out. This helps gear the mind to a low-key pitch which is an essential prerequisite for prompt and relaxing sleep.

3: SHORT BOUT OF ACTIVITY: Frequently a short, casual stroll before bed will similarly remove tensions and anxieties from the mind. Just amble, tiredness and a lovely sense fatigue. These days’ jogging is popular.

4: WARM BATH: There is little so relaxing as a nice warm shower or bath. The latter is more effective but it takes a bit longer. This warms the blood a little giving a soporific effect when it circulates to the brain centers.

5: WARM DRINK: Many people find a warm to hot milk drink very relaxing. Indeed recent research reported in the BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL indicates this definitely improves sleeping ability. It is preferable to have tea or coffee for this contains caffeine which is a nerve stimulant and will have the converse effect. Either milk as such, or with any of the many commercial0 additives is suitable. Take your pick.

6: WARM BED: It is desirable for the bed to be nice and warm. In summer this happens automatically, but in cooler weather, an electric blanket is the answer to cold bed problem. Warmth breeds relaxation, contentment and nervous satisfaction.

7: COMFORTABLE BED: Sleep comes best and fastest when the bed is comfortable. A bed you find that doesn’t allow you to relax completely will never a good starting point for prompt, restful slumber.

8: RELAXATION: You must learn to relax the entire system completely and utterly once you go to bed. When all the forgoing routines have been followed and you hit bed, gently stretch out into the most comfortable lying position you can find (it may on flat of the back or one side, rarely on the stomach) start with the left toes and systematically relax this part. Work up to the ankle, lower leg, knee, and thigh. Do the left side then the right. Then the whole body in the same way.

9: RELAXING THOUGHTS: As you relax the various joints and muscles system, you gradually phase out all conscious thoughts from your mind. This takes practice and time .It will not come overnight on the first occasion. You must work at it, and stick to the routine. Some prefer to think of happy-occasions, of relaxing situations-lying in the sun on the beach or on a freshly mown lawn. Mind pictures must be on pleasant experiences. These will give a way today dreaming thoughts, visions and sensations. Then they gradually become vague and vaguer, as you gradually drift into oblivion.

10: DEEP BREATHS: As you care for your mind in this manner, gradually take deep breaths. They should be rhythmical, deep, slow and regular. Softly, slowly, rhythmically as you breath in ... out....in....out......you then count. Slowly, very slowly taking one figure with each two to three breaths .Finally you softly tell yourself you will be fast asleep by the time you count to ten. "One ...in, out....in, out....in, out....two...in, out....."

Avoiding Mental Illness

DANGER SIGNS:Certain signs indicate the danger of mental illness. Inability to relax and persistent fatigue are two examples. Every one gets tired, of courses, but tiredness should not last too long. Normally a good night's sleep should refresh a person. When an individual feels "All keyed up," When he has difficulty in getting to sleep, and when he has terrorizing dreams, the indications are that his mental health is declining.Loss of interest in one's affairs is another unfavorable sign. Inability to control one's thoughts may be a danger signal. When the student finds his mind wandering aimlessly; when the schoolteacher can't keep up with her duties; when the Stenographer catches herself making frequent serious errors-then a checkup is in order .Forgetfulness is another danger sign.WHAT TO DO?Suppose some of the danger signs just listed are present in your case. What should you do about it? The first step is to search for the underlying stress or unsolved problem, whatever it may be. If you are disappointed in not having reached a cherished goal, get busy with plans for the future instead of brooding over the past. And in making these plans; make them realistic, reasonably within your ability to carry out. If someone has betrayed your confidence, don't lose faith in humanity. Learn the lesson that the experience can teach; plan a way of avoiding similar trouble next time, and then start over.Once you have found the trouble and remedied it as best you can, set about to improve your moral. This consists of more than biting your lip to keep from complaining. Emphasize the positive of living. Think courageously and then act the part.The person with good moral keeps clearly in mind his reason for living. He has a goal and is interested in making in progress toward it. He has faith-faith in mankind, in the future, in God. He can rise above life's grievances. This appointments and rebuffs do not get him down. He has courage that faced the future.

Avoiding Mental Illness

Facial Wash and Desert Essence

Women usually go through the problems of acne rough and dry hair and skin. The cause may be the exposure of dirt dust sun or anything else. Not only the Women who work outside can suffer such kind of problems but house-wife and school going girls also complaint for their frizzy and falling hair or tanning in skin.They pay a big amount monthly to get over such weakness and to avail their natural look. But the one who uses Desert Essence get the better results within a short period of time with natural shines and look as compare to those who has to serve a long duration for their facial treatment with some kind of synthetic and chemical products.Desert Essence not only recommended worldwide for its absolute results but its natural composition also reduces the dullness in skin and bounces the hair back with all oil controlling formula.

Quick Meals

No matter how passionate you may be about your culinary skills, there are times in everybody’s life when things get too rushed or you simply want to succumb to tiredness after a hard day at work, when you just wish a meal would just materialize. Although materializing cooked meals out of thin air is not one of my skills-sets, with a little ingenuity you can come close to something like that by incorporating quick meal ideas and recipes. One of the best ways is to have a collection of quick meal recipes. So, when dinner hour is approaching, and you find yourself in a state of comatose stupor, you can just pull out and cook up something in a jiff. If you have children, you can also have a collection of healthy recipes for quick meals for kids. Always make sure to choose a recipe that has ingredients that you know you have in your freezer, fridge, or pantry. Here are some quick meal ideas and recipes, which, apart from being made in a jiffy, are delicious as well.

Diets That Work Fast - 5 Tips

Need diets that work fast? For one thing look for diets that are flexible, enjoyable - and more importantly promotes healthy eating. Eating healthy is the key to fat loss - not eating less. Your body needs the necessary nutrition to function daily and stimulate more of the fat burning metabolism. Sure, some diets are harder to stick to than others so maybe you've chosen the wrong diets! Below are 5 healthy tips to make your fat loss efforts worthwhile: 1. Choose lose GI carbohydrate foods such as pasta, Dongara rice or Basmati Rica, and multi grain bread to curb hunger. And cut down the amount of added oil when preparing the meals. Remember to include veggies at each main meal - at least 5 serves of veggies a day! Use a variety of veggies and cooking methods to make veggies interesting in broth, roast, stir fry or bake. 2. Eat More Fiber - Fruits, vegetables, water based soups and whole-grains are high in fiber, and contains no calories. Fiber contains bulk, so when people consume it, they consume fewer calories. People on a high fiber diet are half as likely to become obese as those who eat less fiber. 3. Embrace Fat - You won't store it if you aren't eating too many total calories. Research shows that 50% fat are just as effective for weight loss as those that is low in fat. Fat is filling, and adds flavor to your meals - so it helps you from feeling deprived, and wanting more of other food! So go ahead, enjoy the fat in meat, dairy, avocados, olive oil and nuts. Shoot for half a gram of fat for every pound of your desired weight. 4. Invite a Friend : although it isn't a diet, this is a common missing ingredient that is often overlooked. Get at least one person, and preferably a lot more people, to encourage you, to keep you in line, motivate you, keep you on track. That way, you will be made accountable for your goals to these people. By doing this, you will have a greater chance of sticking to your meal plans and achieve more fat loss success. 5. Variety in your meal is a key. Without variety in your diet, you will lose motivation and interest. Who wants to eat the same food day in and day out! I don't. Not only that, our bodies are very adaptive and will not respond well to repetitive meals. Therefore continual use of the same diet, will result in a plateau. To prevent this, mix up your diet on a periodical basis. A small change can make a difference to your fat loss results. Whether you are preparing your own diet or looking for diets that work fast - a good diet must consist of eating lean fat, protein, more fruit and vegetables - and keep your stomach full with starchy carbohydrates.

Having a balanced diet

All of us need to eat healthy to stay healthy. Good health is something which solely depends on what you eat and how much which take care of our self. A balanced diet is very important for every individual to work and lead a healthy life. A balanced diet must contain carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, mineral salts and fiber. It must contain all these things in correct proportions. The following healthy Eating Guidelines will help you understand the importance of balanced diet in the life of a person. 1) Have your meal daily: Every one needs to plan their meals. Your food should be balanced with adequate proportion of nutrients. Avoid skipping meals as much as possible as this affects the growth of your body. You need to have three meals and two additional snacks every day. Try to have your snacks and food at the same time everyday. 2) Eat variety of food: You need to have different varieties of food everyday. Eating different types of food provides your body with all the nutrients required to stay healthy. 3) Avoid consuming Sugar: If you feel like having something sweet try avoiding it as much as you can, sugar deteriorates the level of energy in your body. You can rather have fresh fruits or high protein snack instead. However this does not mean you cannot have any sweets and desserts. You can have small proportions of cakes, muffins, cookies, honey or any other dessert at the end of a healthy meal. 4) Avoid eating excess food: Eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you are full. Proper intake of food will help you remain active, relaxed and at your best. You can consult your doctor as to how much to eat especially if you want to lose weight. 5) Drink sufficient water: Water plays a very important role as far as your health is concerned. You need to consume lots of water every day. Drink more water as compared to fresh juices and soda. 6) Avoid High fat food: Avoid eating high fat food such as butter, margarine, potato chips, fried food and junk food. They have high amount of fats and are not considered healthy for your heart. However you can choose fats that are healthy for your heart such as salads, nuts, olives, avocados and vegetable oil. 7) You need to be physically active for at least one hour every day. This will help your body to function properly and grow at a healthy rate.

Nutritional Counseling

Nutritional counseling is a wide subject that takes into account the various nutritional aspects of a diet, the eating habits and various other facets of a diet important for good health. Nutritional counseling can be used for maintaining the general well being of a healthy human being as well as to aid the remedial effects of medicines in case of patients. Goals of Nutritional Counseling It is a common misconception that nutritional counseling is required only if you are suffering or recovering from a particular ailment. Nutritional counseling can also be used to analyze and improve one’s diet for general well being. Here some of the basic goals of nutritional counseling.Spreading awareness about the importance of a healthy dietEnhancing the body efficiency by boosting energy levelsImproving the immune systemDetoxification and re-vitalizing the entire bodyReducing risks of diseases and ailments

Health & Fitness

About Me

Your Wealth is in Your Health

An Introduction to the 13 Vitamins

5 Things That You Should Know About Vitamin A

Back Pain – The increasing problem of poor PC posture

Better by design: engineering flu vaccines

Benefits of Chlorella Supplements

10 Steps For Better Sleep

Avoiding Mental Illness

Avoiding Mental Illness

Facial Wash and Desert Essence

Quick Meals

Diets That Work Fast - 5 Tips

Having a balanced diet

Nutritional Counseling

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