Jasminum has medicinal uses

Jasminum, or Jasmine as it is better known is an evergreen shrub. It is a vigorous deciduous twining climber with green stems and pinnate leaves.

Medicinal parts used include leaves and flowers.

It is a bitter astringent cooling herb that calms the nerves, checks bleeding, and stimulates the uterus. It is regarded as an aphrodisiac for women. It is reputedly effective against various cancers, especially Hodgkin’s disease and cancers of the bone, lymph nodes, and breast.

An Introduction To Cystic Fibrosis

Image via Wikipedia

Cystic fibrosis has been around since medieval times. Infants in the middle ages who had “salty” skin were considered bewitched because they normally died during infancy. The disease is sometimes fatal, inherited, chronic, and progressive. There is no known cure for this genetic disease. Cystic fibrosis normally affects the digestive and respiratory organs of the body. Thick mucus collects in the passageways and lungs in the respiratory system and blocks the ducts that allow digestive enzymes to reach the small intestine.

Children and adults alike can be affected by cystic fibrosis. Sweat glands are affected and most of the time the reproductive system is also affected. Cystic fibrosis is a disease that is inherited when both parents are the carrier of a recessive gene. The CFTR gene is a recessive gene caused by mutations in that gene.

Caucasians are more at risk than any other ethnic group and the risk goes higher if their ancestors came from the Northern part of Europe. Although cystic fibrosis is a mainly Caucasian inherited disease it does cross into other ethnic groups.

It wasn’t until 1989 that the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis was found. Once that gene was discovered the number of babies born with cystic fibrosis started going down. There are nearly twelve million people in the United States that are unaware they are carriers of this mutant gene.

Treatment options vary according to each individual and the severity of the symptoms. The most common areas affected by cystic fibrosis are the respiratory and digestive systems. Symptoms also vary for each individual with cystic fibrosis. Symptoms can include too much salt in sweat. This will cause an upset in the balance of minerals in the blood. A disturbance in the balance of minerals can cause heart arrhythmia problems and shock can be the result.

Thick masses of mucus can build up in the lungs and intestines causing malnutrition, slower than normal growth, chronic infections, problems with breathing and eventually lung damage. The cause of death of most cystic fibrosis patients is lung disease.

There are many other medical problems that cystic fibrosis can create. Chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps, heart enlargement, chronic cough and pneumothorax are additional severe problems cystic fibrosis can cause. Pneumothorax is caused when lung tissue ruptures and air gets trapped between the chest wall and the lung. Coughing up blood is another severe complication when the disease attacks the lungs.

Complications can occur in the intestinal tract also. A cystic fibrosis patient may experience intense stomach pain, excessive gas, bloating, and diarrhea or bowel obstruction. Other serious complications are rectal prolapse. That occurs when the patient has chronic diarrhea or a bowel obstruction. Gall bladder disease, pancreatic inflammation, liver and diabetes may also be severe complications of this incurable disease. Staying as healthy and fit as possible is one of the best favors you can do for yourself.

LDL Calculator

Commenter Kiwi Geoff kindly wrote a program that calculates LDL using the Friedewald equation and the equation from this paper, which may be more accurate for people with a total cholesterol over 250 and triglycerides under 100. For people whose triglycerides are over 100, the Friedewald equation should be relatively accurate. You can plug your total cholesterol, HDL and triglycerides into the program (in mg/dL), and it gives you both LDL values side-by side. Here it is:

LDL Cholesterol Calculator

Thanks, Geoff.

The easy way to detox your life.

Get rid of illness and never feel under the weather again by boosting your immune system, and detoxing your life.

Many of us seem to be getting more colds and illnesses. They hang on for much longer, and then we catch something else because our immune systems have been weakened, due to the fact that they have just been fighting an illness. And so the loop continues.

There are many things you can do to strengthen your body's immunity.

Kombucha is a recently rediscovered mushroom beverage, which has been known for centuries in Asia and used as a reviving drink.
The tea has antibiotic, antibacterial and antiviral properties and purifies the body by binding to toxins and promoting their excretion. It contains digestive enzymes and valuable lactobacilli which improve metabolism, also several of the B vitamins and glucoronic acid, a liver detoxifier. Kombucha cleanses the liver and kidneys, creating several health benefits such as increasing energy levels, digestion, improving skin conditions, and promoting a feeling of well-being. Ready made Kombucha tea is now available in many health food shops. Please note diabetics should avoid Kombucha.

Many people have reported amazing improvements in a range of chronic conditions, from psoriasis, constipation, fatigue, thyroid deficiency, hair loss and brittle nails.

LDL Cholesterol - The Heart's No.1 Enemy

By Ned Dagostino

Cholesterol is a vital element for our health and
well-being. There are two basic types of cholesterol: HDL
cholesterol is good for our health, LDL cholesterol is bad
for our health.

The LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels are
maintained within a normal range by the body's natural
regulatory mechanism. Sometimes this regulatory mechanism
malfunctions, or maybe the body is flooded with cholesterol
by ingestion. In any case the blood cholesterol level
exceeds the normal range. This leads to a serious condition
which can lead to severe health problems.

LDL means 'fatty proteins of low density'. This in turn
means that LDL cholesterol tends to be loose and thick. LDL
cholesterol circulates with the blood and sticks to the
inner walls of the blood vessels, forming plaque and
gradually reducing the vascular passage. This condition is
called arteriosclerosis which results in atherosclerosis,
meaning degeneration of the blood vessels.

Blood backs up from this point leading to high blood
pressure which severely stresses the heart. Worse, small
bits of the LDL cholesterol blockage can get dislodged and
flow down with the blood. If these bits of LDL cholesterol
enter a capillary, which is a very fine blood vessel, the
capillary gets blocked starving the areas served by the
capillary network of vital blood. If this happens in the
brain, then areas of the brain just shut down leading to a
form of paralysis called a 'stroke'. If the blood flow to
the heart itself is cut off, a heart attack occurs possibly
leading to a fatality. These are just two situations which
can occur when LDL cholesterol exceeds the normal limit.
There are a great number of similar situations, collectively
called cardiovascular disease, which are directly linked to
the excessive LDL cholesterol level.

Heart disease can be prevented, or the risk of getting it
can be reduced, if we follow some very simple health
guidelines. The first is to counterattack the invasion of
LDL cholesterol into the body. LDL cholesterol gains entry
into the body with the food we eat. So you should mount a
watch on the kind of food you eat. Saturated fats are heavy
with LDL cholesterol and must be shunned. You can and should
include the healthy fats into your diet (e.g. omega-3 fats
found in fish) because they actively help to reduce the bad
LDL cholesterol. lots of water helps the circulatory and
excretory functions of the body, which at once improves
health and eliminates the bad LDL cholesterol.

Change your cooking medium from heavy saturated fats to
unsaturated fats and oils. Virgin olive oil is good for your
heart. These dietary changes will be very beneficial in your
battle against heart disease.

Cigarette smoking is bad for health. It harms the body in
more than just one way. Smoking increases the level of LDL
cholesterol. So quit now and your LDL cholesterol will be
gone tomorrow! The steps outlined in this article are very
easy to implement. You will avoid the risk of heart disease
if you follow them.

Medical research shows that stress leads to LDL cholesterol
buildup. Lowering your stress level will lower your blood
LDL cholesterol too. The moral of the lesson is that you
should relax more often, give up those activities that add
to your stress, and pick up those activities that reduce
your stress.

To sum up, LDL cholesterol can be controlled by eating foods
which are free of saturated fats, exercising, quitting
smoking and ridding yourself of stress. The worst thing you
can do is to panic about high LDL cholesterol levels. This
article is meant to educate you about the cause and
prevention of heart disease, not scare you. Use what you
have learnt in this article to control the LDL cholesterol
situation. Once that is under control, you can say that the
risk of heart disease is under control.

So, have you had your cholesterol tested lately?

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over the counter cholesterol test can help you keep an eye
on your levels and decrease the number of costly trips to
the physician.

Another Fatty Liver Reversal

Just to show it wasn't a fluke, reader "Steve" replicates the experiment:

I had a similar problem as what Sam described, and it just happened to coincide with my discovery of and commitment to a new eating plan (based on low/good carb, high in good fat and omega 3, and good protein--basically a mix of paleo, primal, low carb, whatever they call it). I consider myself lucky to have had great fortune in my timing of finding out about my fatty liver.

My ALT and AST [markers of liver damage] had been at 124 and 43 respectively, and then still at 80 and 30 in a follow up a few months later. I weighed in at about 205 (I'm 6'1.5" on a slimmish frame), which was my heaviest. I had been on a basic American (bad) diet. The whole thing shocked me, especially after a CT with contrast showed the fatty deposits on my liver (and prior to that, when the muddy ultrasound revealed a fatty liver and a possible pancreatic mass, later ruled out by the CT). Like Sam, though I was surely overweight, I was not fat or heavy. (Most people have noticed I look leaner, but are shocked when I disclose how much weight I have lost since they say "I cannot believe you had that much to lose.")

At about the same time I found out about my liver issue, I had been getting into reading about diet and health (something I had done once when I read the Zone stuff from Sears many years ago). I practically dove through Taubes, Eades, Cordain, and a bunch of blogs (including yours), and I made a commitment to fix my problem.

I started a pretty severe regimen at first, which included only protein and good fats with a minimal amount of non-starchy fruits and vegetables. Almost immediately, I started losing weight and body fat (as measured by an electrical impedance scale). I have always supplemented with fish oil, but I added krill oil and I also started eating grass-fed beef and pastured eggs and pastured pork as much as possible. I have added some coconut oil and pastured butter to my diet as well. I have dropped almost 40 pounds, I am down to about 10-11% body fat (from 24%), and my ALT/AST on my last test was 24/14 [normal]. I am getting another test soon, and I expect similar results.

And a later comment:

I can add to the story that I first found out about the fatty liver on a routine new patient blood screening when I moved to a new town. I can also add that it took a bit of initiative on my part to get to the right diagnosis. The first doctor suspected hepatitis, but when blood work ruled that out, he ordered the imagining tests. Once I was referred to a GI specialist, it was a quick diagnosis. Still, I had to undertake myself to figure out the best diet. The GI recommended eliminating white bread, rice, pasta, starches, etc. but also recommended lowering fat intake. Having done some of my reading on diet and health, I knew to follow the former advice and to modify the latter to be "get plenty of fat, but make sure its the right kind."

Steve took the initiative and fixed his damaged liver. He modified his GI doctor's advice based on what he had read about nutrition, with excellent results. I suspect his doctor will be all ears next time Steve comes into his office.

The liver is a remarkable organ. Besides being your "metabolic grand central station", it's the only organ in the human body that can regenerate almost completely. It can be 75% obliterated, and it will grow back over time. Fatty liver and NASH are largely reversible.

When Friedewald Attacks

I don't get very excited about nitpicking blood lipids. That's not to say they're not useful. There's definitely an association between blood lipids and certain health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease. The thing that tires me is when people uncritically interpret those associations as evidence that lipids are actually causing the problem.

Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is the cholesterol fraction that typically gets the most attention. High LDL associates with heart attack risk in Americans and some other groups. Statins reduce LDL and reduce heart attack risk in a subset of the population, and this has been used to support the idea that elevated LDL causes heart attacks. This is despite the fact that lowering LDL via diet doesn't seem to reduce heart attack risk (typically by reducing total fat and/or saturated fat). Statins may in fact work because they're anti-inflammatory, rather than because they reduce LDL. But both explanations are speculative at this point.

The fact remains that if you want to know if Mr. Jones is going to have a heart attack in the next five years, measuring his LDL will give you more information than not measuring his LDL. This association doesn't seem to apply to all cultures or to Americans eating atypical diets. Then you can get into the fractions that associate more tightly with heart attack risk, such as low HDL, high triglycerides, small dense LDL, etc. Triglycerides vary with HDL (that is, when trigs go up, HDL generally goes down) and the ratio also happens to be a predictor of insulin sensitivity. Total cholesterol is virtually useless for predicting heart attack risk in the general population. This is something I'll discuss in more detail at another time.

When you walk into the doctor's office and ask him to measure your cholesterol, the numbers you get back will generally be total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides. All of those except LDL are measured directly. LDL is calculated using the Friedewald equation, which is (in mg/dL):

LDL = TC - HDL - (TG/5)

Low-carb advocates have known for quite some time that this equation fails to accurately predict LDL concentration outside certain triglyceride ranges. Dr. Michael Eades put up a post about this recently, and Richard Nikoley has written about it before as well. The reason low-carb advocates know this is that reducing carbohydrate generally reduces triglycerides, often below 100 mg/dL. This is the range at which the Friedewald equation becomes unreliable, resulting in artificially inflated LDL numbers that make you have a heart attack just by reading them.

I had a lipid panel done a while back, just for kicks. My LDL, calculated by the Friedewald equation, was 131 mg/dL. Over 130 is considered high. Pass the statins! But wait, my triglycerides were 48 mg/dL, which is quite low. I found a paper through Dr. Eades' post that contains an equation for accurately calculating LDL in people whose triglycerides are below 100 mg/dL*. Here it is (mg/dL):

LDL = TC/1.19 + TG/1.9 - HDL/1.1 - 38

I ran my numbers through this equation. My new, accurate calculated LDL? 98 mg/dL. Even the U.S. National Cholesterol Education Panel wouldn't put me on statins with an LDL like that. I managed to shave 33 mg/dL off my LDL in 2 minutes. Isn't math fun?

*This equation was designed for individuals with a total cholesterol over 250 mg/dL.

Improve Your Digestion By Chewing Properly

Learn how to eat better by taking the time to chew your food. Don't be in such a hurry to eat and run. Your healthy digestion begins with your mouth, so chewing your food properly aids in a better digestive experience.

When you chew your food longer, it breaks up into smaller pieces and mixes it with the saliva in your mouth better. The saliva in your mouth contains digestive enzymes. The longer the food particles spend in your mouth, the more saliva they contain. When we take the time to chew our food properly we also retain the flavor longer and can enjoy the eating experience better than when we rush through the process of eating. Remember again, the joy of enjoying your food by taking the time to chew it thoroughly.

Digestion works better when it is not done while the body is being stressed out. Eating while you are working, driving, or watching a disturbing program or the evening news can create stress that does not benefit the digestive process. Another good reason to avoid arguments, lectures, and confrontations at the dinner table is that when these things occur stress is caused on all members gathered around the table, which means everyone, is eating while being stressed. To avoid stress while digesting foods, make snack and mealtimes a quiet, enjoyable experience by setting an atmosphere that will be enjoyable and soothing to eat by. You can light candles, or play music during the meal.

It is important to pay attention to what your body is telling you. Stop eating when your body signals that you are full. If you eat slowly, and pay attention to how your stomach is feeling, you are more likely to avoid overeating. It is a good thing to plan on eating only to satisfy your hunger and not just to be eating. When you eat only enough food to satisfy your hunger, you remain alert, relaxed, and you will not be placed into a "food coma", from overeating.

FACT: You should chew your food 30 times before swallowing!

7 Tips On How To Easily Lose Weight And Get Fit

You might end up thinking, "That could not probably make enough of a difference.And I'd feel silly doing it." First, the longest journey starts with a single step. And second, would you rather feel stupid being fat and unfit or doing something about it? I thought so. Here are 7 tips to change your life.

Diet Tip 1 : Move. Twiddle your thumbs. Squeeze one of those little exercise balls while you watch television to burn energy and tone your arms at the same time. Take that more distant parking spot. Even if you have physical restrictions, you can tailor a program to your requirements. Move whatever you can, whenever and wherever you can. And just think - laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.

Diet Tip 2 : Portions and Proportions. Concentrate on portion sizes according to the eating plan you select. Use a smaller size plate – don’t supersize it! Use some of the simple guidelines like “3 oz. of protein is about the size of your palm or a deck of playing cards” or “one serving of rice is the size of a tennis ball”.

Diet Tip 3 : Substitute low calorie Density Foods for High. Select foods with low cal density foods that have less calories relative to their weight. If you decrease the energy density of your diet, caloric intake will decline, says Barbara Rolls, professor of nutritive sciences at Pennsylvania State School and co-writer together with Robert Barnett of The Volumetrics Eating Plan. Foods like fruit and vegetables and salad greens and broth. The magic ingredient these foods possess is water! Water has zero calories, so the more volume represented by water, the less room there is for calories. Water also creates a feeling of fullness, helping one to eat less.

Diet Tip 4 : Be conscious of What You Eat. Keep a food diary and be honest, because no one but you is going to see it. Don't forget the spoon that you licked while putting away the left-overs or the sampling ( s ) you had while changing the seasoning. It will help you determine your eating habits. Keep it long enough and patterns begin to appear.

Diet Tip 5 : Eat More Slowly. This allows your body the several minutes it takes to signal your brain that it is full.

Diet Tip six : Try New herbs and spices in the place of Butter and Salt. When food tastes different or more flavorsome, we have a tendency to savor it more and eat slower.

Diet Tip 7: Add Variety. Along the same lines, The American Dietetic Association recommends increasing variety. Often adding a single new food to your diet can end boredom and increase nutrition.

Do you have any tips you feel should be added to the above that you have successfully applied to change your health?

Letter to the Editor

I just got a letter to the editor published in the journal Obesity. It's a comment on an article published in October titled "Efficiency of Intermittent Exercise on Adiposity and Fatty Liver in Rats Fed With High-fat Diet."

In the study, they placed rats on a diet composed of "commercial rat chow plus peanuts, milk chocolate, and sweet biscuit in a proportion of 3:2:2:1," and then proceeded to simply call it a "high-fat diet" in the title and text body, with no reference to its actual composition outside the methods section. We can't tolerate this kind of fudging if we want real answers from nutrition science. Rats eating the "high-fat diet" developed abdominal obesity, fatty liver and hyperphagia, but this was attenuated by exercise.

As I like to say, the problem isn't usually in the data, it's in the interpretation of the data. The result is interesting and highly relevant. But you can't use terminology that tars and feathers all fat when your diet was in fact high in linoleic acid (omega-6), low in omega-3 and high in sugar and refined grains. Especially when butter and coconut oil don't cause the same pathology. I pointed out in the letter that we need to be more precise about how we define "high-fat diets". I also pointed out that the study is highly relevant to the modern U.S., because it supports the hypothesis that a junk food diet high in linoleic acid and sugar causes metabolic disturbances and fatty liver, and exercise may be protective.

Natural therapy for head pain and migraine.

Migraine symptoms can come and go and may last for several hours.
What is migraine?. It is a severe and often disabling pain in the head, usually on one side only. Sometimes it is accompanied by alarming symptoms such as altered perception, a feeling that the skull is in the grip of a tightening vice, pins and needles or numbness in the limbs, nausea, vomitting, and the inability to do anything.

Migraine sufferers should first seek advice from a medical practitioner, and then verify that their problem is not caused by a food allergy.

Beneficial foods include carrots, celery, beetroot, cucumber, spinach, and parsley. Supplements of vitamin c, and b, (especially b3 ) and the mineral magnesium are said to help prevent attacks. Royal jelly is also said to be effective.

You may like to use the herb Feverfew, which is available in capsule form from any good health food store. The herb can also alleviate depression and nervous disorders.

Guarana is a native vine of the Brazilian Amazon, and can be bought in tablet form. It is claimed to relieve headaches and migraine quickly. Guarana is also used as an appetite-suppressant and is claimed as a slimming product. It is also reputed to be an effective sexual stimulant.

Other natural help for migraine/head pain comes from homeopathy. The remedies Nat mur 6c taken hourly may help although it is best not to self-help, and as always with homeopathy the remedy may depend on circumstances and symptoms.

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Potassium Rich Foods - List of Foods High in Potassium

Why Vitamin C Powder Must Be Part Of Your Daily Diet

By Richard Rosal

Vitamin C powder is a wonderful supplemental addition to the
diet, having a wide range of health benefits. Derived from
Ascorbic acid, this water soluble vitamin is important in
many bodily functions but its main use is as a preventative
measure in the degradation of LDL cholesterol (low density
lipoproteins) from causing irreversible heart damage.

The Ascorbic acid found in Vitamin C powder is necessary in
the maintenance and growth of cells in the human body.
Without it, your cells could not repair themselves. It
assists with cell and nerve growth, with the maintenance of
bones, cartilage, teeth, blood vessels and ligaments and
with wound healing and the formation of scar tissue.

A lack of this important protein in the diet can lead to all
sorts of health issues and problems, including bleeding
gums, gingivitis, rough, dry skin, slow rate of healing,
painful and swollen joints, a tendency to bruise more
easily, a penchant for nosebleeds and weakened tooth enamel.
All the more reason to make the addition of vitamin C powder
to your daily diet a regular one.

Vitamin C powder contains anti-oxidants which are useful in
the fight against free radicals. These are by-products of
our body's conversion process of food to energy.
Anti-oxidants can protect against heart disease, the
crippling effects of arthritis and even cancer.
Anti-oxidants can dramatically reduce the negative effects
of pollutants found in our air, water and food, as well as
toxic chemical and cigarette smoke.

There are a variety of available options to consider when
purchasing your vitamin C powder. Thanks to the convenience
of modern society the consumer can choose from a wide range
of products, some odorless and flavorless and some with
additional nutrients, including calcium and magnesium. The
addition of bicarbonate of soda makes for a fun and fizzy
drink. An intake of 60 milligrams of Vitamin C is
recommended for adults, an additional 35 milligrams to guard
against free radicals for smokers.

If you are looking for the best
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vitamin c powder, read up on Dr. Linus Pauling's
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acid treatment.

Fatty Liver Reversal

On April 15th, I received an e-mail from a reader who I'll call Sam. Sam told me that he had elevated levels of the liver enzyme ALT (alanine transaminase) in his blood, which indicates liver damage. ALT is an enzyme contained in liver cells that's released into the bloodstream when they rupture. Sam also had fatty liver confirmed by biopsy.

Liver damage with fat accumulation is very common in the United States. According to the NHANES health and nutrition surveys, in the time period 1999-2002, 8.9% of Americans had elevated ALT. Just 10 years earlier (1988-1994), the number was 4.0%. Fatty liver is a growing epidemic that currently affects roughly a quarter of Americans. Sam told me he had been trying to reverse his fatty liver for nearly a decade without success, and asked if I had any thoughts. He was not overweight, and from what I could gather, his diet was already better than most. I believe Sam knew intuitively that the right diet would improve his condition. With the usual caveats that this is not advice and I'm not a doctor, here's what I told him:

The quality of fat you eat has a very large influence on health, and especially on the liver. Excess omega-6 is damaging to the liver. This type of fat is found primarily in refined seed oils such as corn oil, soybean oil, and safflower oil... Sugar is also a primary contributor to fatty liver. Reducing your sugar intake will go a long way toward reversing it. Omega-3 fats also help reverse fatty liver if an excess of omega-6 is present. There was a clinical trial using fish oil that was quite effective. You might try taking 1/2 teaspoon of fish oil per day.

On May 11, I received another e-mail from him:

The day after your recommendations, less than a month ago, I started a regimen of 1200 mg/day of fish oil concentrate.

At the same time, I significantly reduced or even eliminated all forms of sugar from my diet. I did have a half glass of orange juice for breakfast every few days or so, and some fruits, and maybe a taste of dessert or a small candy bar here and there. I never exceeded the 30 g/day sugar limit you suggested.

I completely eliminated any and all fried foods and avoided most oils. I also avoided high glycemic index foods to some degree, e.g. white bread and potatoes. I did eat quite a bit more protein, including red meat, eggs, fish, chicken, and pork.

The balance of my diet and lifestyle was largely unchanged. I do drink a couple of beers every two to three weeks, but never more than three drinks in day. I have been doing more yard work, simply because of the season. Other than that, I don't get much more exercise than a typical inactive office worker.

In the same e-mail, he sent me his new ALT test results. He had been getting tested since 2002. The latest result, reflecting his progress since adopting the new diet, followed the previous test by less than a month. Here's a graph of his ALT levels. Below 50 is considered normal: The latest test was 52, just on the cusp of normal. That's nearly 50% lower than his next lowest result over the past 7 years, in less than one month of eating well. I suspect that his next ALT test will be well within the normal range, and the fat in his liver will gradually disappear, if he continues this diet. When I asked him how he was feeling, he said:

I did feel different after adjusting my diet. It's hard to describe, but overall I just felt better. I wasn't as tired when I woke up in the morning and I became a little slimmer, not a lot, maybe 3-5 pounds [note: he was not overweight to begin with]. I figured it was a placebo effect, but I think the fish oil has made a real difference.

Yesterday I had a few potato chips, corn chips, and some others. I didn't like it at all. Today I had half of a brownie for an afternoon snack and I completely crashed after an hour or so. I had a hard time keeping my eyes open. I no longer have much of a craving for snack food, I prefer to eat a full meal with more protein, e.g. beans, meat etc.

Fatty liver is a serious problem that responds readily to diet. I believe the main culprits are excess omega-6 from industrial vegetable oils; insufficient omega-3 from seafood, leafy greens and pastured animal foods; and excess sugar. The liver is your "metabolic gatekeeper", so it pays to take care of it.

How to Fatten Your Liver
Excess Omega-6 Fat Damages Infants' Livers
Health is Multi-Factorial

Know The Warning Signs Of Skin Cancer

By Kathy Forcey

It is essential for you to know the warning signs if you
want to detect skin cancer before it grows out of control.
You should look closely at your body, paying particular
attention to any changes that might be happening to any
discolorations or moles on your skin.

If you find a growth on your skin that suddenly appears or
changes in its size you should have it checked out by your
doctor. This is especially true if it is translucent, tan,
pearly, brown, black or has multiple colors. This could be
one of the early signs of skin cancer and you should have it
checked as quickly as possible so that you can get it
treated and dealt with while it is still in the early
stages.

While you are doing your self examination of your skin you
should pay attention to moles and other areas that have been
on your skin for a long time. You should be looking for
changes in the color or shape of existing moles and areas of
pigmentation as one of the skin cancer warning signs.

Keep an eye on wounds or cuts that will not heal. This is
another of the early warning signs of cancer that should be
watched. You most likely will notice if you have a cut on your
skin that is just not healing. Have your doctor take a look
and if they feel there is a reason they will test for skin
cancer.

It is very important to understand the skin cancer warning
signs so that you can monitor your own health. You are your
own best defense in the fight against skin cancer. Not only
must you monitor your skin you should also do everything you
can to protect it. This includes wearing sunscreen every day
and keeping your exposed skin covered.

You should cover as much skin as possible, and apply
sunscreen to all exposed skin. Between 10 AM and 4 PM, when
the sun is brightest, avoid sunlight when possible. Wear a
wide-brimmed hat if you need to venture outside during this
time.

You should learn how to protect your skin from damage, and
to understand early signs of skin cancer so that you can act
to protect yourself before things get too bad. Constant
vigilance is required to keep your skin healthy and to
prevent any problems from becoming too bad to easily treat.

Would you recognize the
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skin cancer warning signs ? Things to look for and whether
to seek medical assistance?? Spend some time to learn Things
to look for and save yourself stress and worry later on.

Mushroom has powerful effect against tumours and cancer.

Reishi (Ganoderma Lucidum) is a chinese mushroom that has long been highly rated in traditional Chinese medicine.

It is a tonic sedative herb that is expectorant, it lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels,controls coughing,relieves pain,and stimulates the immune system. It improves heart and liver function, and has anti-allergenic, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial effects.

Reishi contains germanium and is considered to have a powerful effect against tumours and cancer. Recent research has found Reishi to be beneficial in relieving fatigue and stress, treating viral infections and joint inflammations. It is also said to reduce the effects of chemotherapy.

Reishi mushroom is available from good health food stores in capsule form, and are now increasingly incorporated as an ingredient in many multivitamin-mineral supplements.

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10 Ways To Increase Your Potassium Intake

By Daniel Jackson

Many people wonder why potassium is so important. The fact
is that your body would suffer terribly if you were to ever
have a deficiency. The first to suffer would be your heart,
it simply cannot function without it. A lack of potassium
would damage your cellular process and make you feel really
weak. Try not to ever get to the point of a potassium
shortage.

With the importance of potassium out of the way, lets get
down to how best to increase your intake.

1. Nuts and seeds have very high concentration of potassium
so eat as much nuts as you can, that should give you a good
dose to last you for the day.

2. If eating nuts is an issue then your next best bet would
be to eat a bowl of cereal which is high in potassium such
as bran flakes. While it might not seem palatable it does
work.

3. Eat some muesli and you won't have to eat the nuts or
seeds and you can definitely avoid the bran flakes.

4. Between breakfast and/or lunch, have a handful of dried
fruits. They are very high in potassium.

5. You can also mix dried fruits into a food of your choice
such as a salad where something sweet wont be noticed too
much.

6. Do you like raisins? If you do that's great news as they
are very high in potassium content and could be another
source.

7. Do you like baked potatoes? Then you're in luck, they are
very high in potassium content and a single baked potato
will go a long way in terms of your daily intake. This does
not mean that you should be mixing it with anything else like
sour cream or cheese etc. Just the baked potato.

8. This might taste a bit unusual but the Cuban delicacy of
boiled plantains is a great source of potassium.

9. Whole wheat pasta and tomatoes are another great source
of potassium.

10. If you like sardines then that's yet another option.

Feeling motivated to increase your potassium intake?
Considering that twenty percent of Americans have
acute potassium deficiency and we all know where that can
lead to. Make the change today and get healthy.

Find out more about
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High in Potassium at the (http://fatlossschool.com/blog/)
Fat Loss School.

How To Get Rid Of Your Man Boobs

By Paul Turner Katie Turner Paul E Turner

Got man boobs? man boobs exercises are targeted to get rid
of even the biggest man boobs. You need to be careful not to
make the chest muscles too big as that can actually make
your man boobs appear bigger. Therefore it's a good idea to
focus on cardiovascular exercises which are designed to burn
chest fat.

For those of you that don't know man boobs are caused by
fatty deposits under the chest. They are caused by various
things but the effect is always the same - man boobs!

Gynecomastia is the technical name for man boobs, and to
cure it you will probably have to look at more than exercise
alone. One of the causes of Gynocamastia is hormonal, so you
may need to watch your diet as well as performing man boobs
exercises.

So the first of the man boobs exercises we will look at is
the humble push up. Why, because you get 3 benefits. 1 - you
get fitter. 2 - you tone up the man boob area, 3 - you tone
up the area around your man boobs which can actually make
your chest look smaller.

To really lose your man boobs though you are going to have
to burn chest fat. There is an excellent e-book that helps
you increase your metabolism and burn fat called "Burn the
Fat Feed the Muscle" and I highly recommend you take a look
if you are serious about effectively losing fat.

If you like the water then try swimming - it not only burns
fat but it works and tones the chest area with each stroke.
For some men it can be embarrassing going topless and
showing off their "moobs" but you should feel good that you
are doing something about it - don't worry.

If these man boobs exercises don't cut the mustard with you
then you can always go for a good walk. A good walk for an
hour can be as effective as a 15 minute jog, the reason
being that you are keeping your heart rate elevated for
longer. As with all of these man boobs exercises you need to
be consistent though - you can't just do it once and expect
to reduce your man boobs!

Did you know that (http://www.reducemymanboobs.com) man
boobs exercises alone may not get rid of your man boobs and
it's not your fault - find out more about the causes of man
boobs and the easy way to get rid of them here -
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A Little Tidbit

I'm gearing up for a new series of posts based on some fascinating reading I've been doing lately. I'm not going to spill the beans, but I will give you a little hint, from a paper written by Dr. Robert S. Corruccini, professor of anthropology at Southern Illinois university. I just came across this quote and it blew me away. It's so full of wisdom I can't even believe I just read it. The term "occlusion" refers to the way the upper and lower teeth come together, as in overbite or underbite.

Similar to heart disease and diabetes which are "diseases of civilization" or "Western diseases" (Trowell and Burkitt, 1981) that have attained high prevalence in urban society because of environmental factors rather than "genetic deterioration," an epidemiological transition (Omran, 1971) in occlusal health accompanies urbanization.

Western society has completely crossed this transition and now exists in a state of industrially buffered environmental homogeneity. The relatively constant environment both raises genetic variance estimates (since environmental variance is lessened) and renders epidemiological surveys largely meaningless because etiological factors are largely uniform. Nevertheless most occlusal epidemiology and heritability surveys are conducted in this population rather than in developing countries currently traversing the epidemiological transition.

In other words, the reason observational studies in affluent nations haven't been able to get to the bottom of dental/orthodontic problems and chronic disease is that everyone in their study population is doing the same thing! There isn't enough variability in the diets and lifestyles of modern populations to be able to determine what's causing the problem. So we study the genetics of problems that are not genetic in origin, and overestimate genetic contributions because we're studying populations whose diet and lifestyle are homogeneous. It's a wild goose chase.

That's why you have to study modernizing populations that are transitioning from good to poor health, which is exactly what Dr. Weston Price and many others have done. Only then can you see the true, non-genetic, nature of the problem.

The Lyon Diet-Heart Study: A Few More Thoughts

Although the degree of atherosclerosis (hardening/narrowing of the arteries) correlates with the risk of heat attack, the correlation isn't perfect. In fact, if you read my previous post on 20th century coronary heart disease trends in the U.K., you know that the frequency of heart attacks rose dramatically during the first half of the century, while the prevalence of severe atherosclerosis stayed the same or even declined.

If you accept the standard idea of how a heart attack occurs, first the coronary arteries become narrowed due to atherosclerosis. Then a clot forms, which lodges itself in a narrowed artery, blocking it and cutting off the blood supply to part of the heart muscle. The clot may be the result of a ruptured atherosclerotic plaque.

If you're unlucky, the loss of blood to your heart causes arrhythmia, or a loss of coordination of the heart muscle. This can cause it to pump blood inefficiently, sometimes resulting in death. Arrhythmias are estimated to account for about half of all heart attack deaths in the U.S. Sometimes they occur without a coronary blockage as well.

Omega-3 fatty acids seem to affect all three parts of the process: the atherosclerosis, the clot formation and the arrhythmia. Supplementing fish oil, even in the absence of reduced omega-6, may slow the progression of atherosclerosis according to a controlled trial.

Where omega-3 really shines is its ability to prevent clots and arrhythmias. In the DART and Lyon trials, the benefits of improving omega-6:3 balance appeared much more quickly than would be possible if it were acting by reversing atherosclerosis. This may have involved the blood-thinning properties of omega-3. The most dramatic effects were on sudden cardiac death, often the result of arrhythmia. Omega-3 fatty acids potently suppress arrhythmias in animal models.

You can have severely narrowed and calcified arteries, but if a clot never shows up, you may never actually have a heart attack. The modern industrial diet is extremely thrombotic (clot-promoting), probably in large part due to the combination of excessive omega-6 and insufficient omega-3. If the artery blockage doesn't cause an arrhythmia, the heart attack may not be fatal.

Omega-3 fats seem to prevent heart attacks on multiple levels.

The Lyon Diet-Heart Study: Background
The Lyon Diet-Heart Study
The Lyon Diet-Heart Study: Implications
Polyunsaturated Fat Intake: What About Humans?

How To Eat Veggies Correctly To Speed Up Metabolism

By Dan Beckwith

Is this you?

Of all the foods that speed up metabolism - which we feel as
increased energy - vegetables are tastiest, good for you and
fairly low in cost. But then, you already knew that.

You've been trying to eat a better, more balanced diet and
you try to include foods that speed up metabolism so you've
been eating plenty of vegetables. But for some unknown
reason, you barely have the energy to get through the day.

By the time you get home from work all you want to do is
plant yourself in front of the TV and relax until bedtime.

Finally, the next morning when the alarm goes off, you feel
like you've just finished running a marathon. You aren't
rested at all! You hit the snooze button as many times as
you can and then finally drag yourself out of the bed.
First destination? The coffee pot - ALWAYS!

You could be dragging because you aren't getting the proper
nutrition. You can stop blaming your bed! It could be your
veggies. Foods that speed up metabolism and provide the
right balance of vitamins and minerals will give you tons of
energy- if eaten correctly. Here's a possible culprit -
vitamins are water soluble.

Boiling is the most prevalent way of cooking vegetables.
But, boiling means you're dissolving the vitamins and
minerals! You literally pour them into the kitchen sink!
What's left - by comparison - is barely enough to keep you
alive!

Guess what? Most vegetables can be eaten raw. Plus, they
usually taste better that way! When given the opportunity,
always opt for raw. The up side is that there are TONS of
benefits to doing it that way.

First off, you'll stop wasting all those nutrients. Possibly
for the first time EVER, your body will start getting the
vitamins and minerals it needs. You will feel better in
general and will notice a bump in your energy levels almost
immediately.

Second, raw vegetables just plain taste better.

Third, you save on having to clean up the cooking utensils.

Fourth, families can be a little non supportive at times so
you can get back at them! Loudly biting into and chewing a
stalk of celery or a nice crisp carrot can interrupt
conversations, evaporate trains of thought and if done
properly can drive your family crazy! Just don't start
laughing so hard you choke. (I've always thought maturity
was overrated.)

Fifth, they provide a lot of good roughage and fiber.

Your goal...try to eat at least one raw vegetable at each
meal.

Vegetables do have chemical and pesticide residues on them
when you get them from the store. Be sure to clean them
thoroughly. For a healthier option, if you want to cut out
the pesticides, try to buy organic vegetables.

Do you take a daily vitamin supplement? If not you should
probably start. The average diet does NOT provide all the
nutrients our body needs.

As you start eating healthier foods that speed up
metabolism, your food will provide more of the nutrients you
need. You shouldn't stop taking vitamins, but at least you
won't need them so desperately.

Start eating raw veggies and before you know it, you too can
be one of those irritating people who jump out of bed in the
morning all full of energy and raring to go!

When you've decided to stop feeling tired and run
down...when you want to learn about
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Donations Gratefully Accepted

I've been incurring significant costs buying books and photocopying journal articles for the blog lately, so I've decided to add a donation button to the right sidebar. Anyone is still welcome to read posts and participate in the community, regardless of whether or not they donate. If you feel like you'd like to chip in, I'd appreciate it.

The button takes you to a PayPal webpage, where you can securely donate either with a PayPal account or using a credit card.

Fast Weight Loss is Bad Weight Loss

By Morgan Vernelli

You've seen the advertisements and you've heard the miracle
claims:

Lose twenty pounds in one week!

Drop four dress sizes in fourteen days!

Lose fat and build muscle without doing any exercise!

Most fat diets and diet supplements make the same outrageous
claim: You'll lose weight fast. And in today's society of
quick-fixes, most of us are willing to jump at a chance to
get rid of our flab in a mere 48 hours - especially if it
doesn't require any work! In fact, most of us wish we had
lost the weight yesterday!

But most health experts agree that fast weight loss is bad
weight loss. Instead, they recommend that people lose weight
at about a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week. And though this
may not seem like a speedy rate of weight loss especially
when compared to some of the outrageous claims made by diet
companies, a 2-pound-per-week loss of fat would mean you'd be
24 pounds lighter in just twelve weeks!

Sure, it would be great to lose those 24 pounds in just one
week. But it's not a good idea. Here's why:

It's impossible to sustain that rate for the long haul.
No matter why you're losing weight so quickly whether it's
diet, exercise or a supplement it's impossible to sustain
that kind of major weight loss rate for the long haul.
Eventually, you'll only lose a few pounds a week. And your
weight loss may even stall or plateau. For many folks,
especially people who have achieved big successes initially,
this can cause a rebound of returning to old habits.

The weight won't stay off anyway. Studies have found that
people who lose weight quickly almost always gain it back
again. There are exceptions, of course. But in general,
losing weight fast is a pretty good indicator that you'll
one day be wearing those pounds again. On the other hand,
folks who have managed to successfully lose weight and keep
it off are likely to have lost the pounds gradually over
time.

It's bad for your health. Dramatic and fast weight changes
like losing lots of weight very quickly stresses your body,
your heart and your immune system. And, since you're likely
to put that weight back on again, you could start a cycle of
yo-yo dieting that will negatively affect your overall
health. Losing weight slowly, however, allows your body to
adjust to the changes gradually, which lessens the stress it
endures when you're dieting and following an exercise
program.

It may be tempting to try a fad diet or extreme exercise
program in order to lose weight quickly. But the healthiest
method which is also likely to be more successful in the
long haul is to take off the pounds gradually and slowly.

Morgan Vernelli will give you the gut honest truth about
weight loss and the best and worst ways to go about shedding
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Simple Cogntive Behavioural Therapy. Help if you are feeling depressed

As a person you have a right to your own feelings. If you are depressed and anxious, look at these sayings every day and see how it relates to you

.

I have a right to be treated with dignity and respect
I have a right to have and express all my feelings
I have a right to take care of myself first
I have a right to be listened to and taken seriously
I have a right to make mistakes
I have a right to say no, and I do not have to give a reason
I have a right to say no without feeling guilty
I have a right to say no to anything I feel I am not ready for
I have a right to say no to anything that violates my values
I have a right to say no to anything I feel is unsafe
I have a right to terminate conversation, if I feel humiliated or put down.
I have a right to choose who I spend my time with
I have a right to enjoy myself
I have a right to set limits for myself
I have a right to make my own choices and decisions
I have a right to choose my own spiritual beliefs
I have a right to physical and emotional privacy
I have a right to grieve
I have a right to talk about things that are important to me
I have a right to be angry
I have a right to express my needs
I have a right to make noise, to laugh, and cry out loud

AFFIRMATIONS:

I feel happy and content

I feel relaxed and at ease with the world

I feel confident

People like me, and enjoy my company

I am witty and amusing

I am relaxed in the company of others

I do my job well, and I am appreciated

I have just as much a right to be here as anyone else

At the end of the day, does it matter?

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