Showing posts with label healthy eating food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy eating food. Show all posts

Sunday, April 12, 2009

"Brown fat" burns calories -- may lead to new obesity treatments

"Brown fat" burns calories -- may lead to new obesity treatments

  • Story Highlights
  • Special kind of fat, brown fat, burns calories in cold weather
  • Research showed adults retain brown fat on their bodies
  • Drugs may be created to fire up brown fat activity to burn calories faster

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Updated: Random Acts of Healing - Stevia

I've created a SquidLens for the Random Acts of Healing - Stevia article with more information on the herb, it''s uses and it's safety. Check it out!

http://www.squidoo.com/randomactsofhealing

Monday, March 2, 2009

Sweet Tooth? Try Stevia! By Bob Hubbard

Sweet Tooth? Try Stevia!
By Bob Hubbard

Walk through your sweetener area and you’ll find a wide range of choices. Cane Sugar our old stand by, as well as corn syrups, molasses, and a wide array of artificial sweeteners made in labs, each with it’s own associated health risks and concerns. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a safe natural low/no calorie sweetener to use instead of sugar, that tasted as good, and didn’t have the concerns of the laboratory creations?

Time to check out Stevia.

Stevia, or “Sweet Leaf” is an natural sweetener, tracing back to Central America. The leaves of the Stevia plant have 30–45 times the sweetness of ordinary table sugar with a slower onset and longer duration. It’s negligible effect on blood glucose makes it an attractive natural sweetener, and it’s low calorie nature helps make it a choice alternate to regular sugar and it’s high calorie count.

The United States banned it’s use as a sweetener in the 1990’s, but recently partially reversed that at the urging of Coca Cola and Pepsi, and there are now several Stevia derivatives available at your local super market under names such as Rebiana, Truvia and PureVia. Stevia has been widely used as a sweetener in Japan, and is also available in Canada as a dietary supplement.

Native tribes in South America used Stevia to sweeten various medical compounds. Recent research has shown Stevia to be a promising aid in treating obesity, high blood pressure and hypertension, as well as possibly enhancing glucose tolerance. It’s being researched as a possible treatment for osteoporosis as well. Stevia’s nature also makes it a good option for diabetics.

Stevia is however not without it’s controversy. Critics claim a wide range of concerns such as its compounds breaking down into mutagens, carcinogens, etc.

In general stevia constituents have not been found to be harmful. There is no evidence that stevia constituents cause cancer or birth defects. For over thirty years millions of Japanese have been using stevia with no reported or known harmful effects. Similarly, stevia leaves have been used for centuries in South America spanning multiple generations.

The World Health Organization performed a thorough evaluation of recent experimental studies of stevioside and steviols conducted on animals and humans, and concluded that there was no evidence of carcinogenic activity, or birth defects, and that there is some evidence of pharmacological effects in patients with hypertension or with type-2 diabetes, but that further study was required.

Overall, Stevia looks to be a safe, natural alternate to sugar, free of many of the concerns of artificial chemical sweeteners. Look for it at your local supermarket and health food store. Remember, a little bit goes a long way with Stevia.

===
Bob Hubbard is an administrator of the popular martial arts portal site MartialTalk.com and president of SilverStar WebDesigns inc., a web site design and hosting company specializing in affordable solutions for martial artists. Bob can be reached at webmaster@martialtalk.com
Article Copyright © 2009 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved. This article may be reproduced provided all text, the author bio and these terms are kept intact.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Health Tip of the Week - Drink Grape Juice

Health Tip of the Week - Drink Grape Juice

Recent studies have indicated that there may be a connection between drinking grape juice and lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and a lower risk of arteriosclerosis. Grape juice is also an excellent source of vitamin C.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Health Tip of the Week - Drink Water to Lose Weight

Health Tip of the Week - Drink Water to Lose Weight

Water is life. Drinking enough water can fill you up, decrease hunger pangs, and supress your appetite. It can also flush out your system,, removes toxins and keeps your cells hydrated for proper functioning. Try drinking water regularly through out your day, a couple of quarts at least.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Health Tip of the Week - Drink Pomegranate Juice

Health Tip of the Week - Drink Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranate juice is an excellent source of vitamins as well as many antioxidants. It works as a blood thinner, reduces plaque in the arteries, balances cholesterol, and may help prevent heart disease and reduce the risk of heart attacks. It may help reduce the risk of various cancers and even fight erectile dysfunction. Try a glass or two each day.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Health Tip of the Week - Want to lose weight? Eat Breakfast!

Health Tip of the Week - Want to lose weight? Eat Breakfast!

Don't skip breakfast. Eating a healthy breakfast is a important step towards jump starting your metabolism to optimum efficiency. But beware. What you eat matters. Research has shown that eating a ready to eat or cooked cereal or a "quick bread" like waffles or french toast can significantly lower your BMI (body mass index).

Friday, January 2, 2009

Health Tip of the Week - Healthy Digestion III

Health Tip of the Week - Healthy Digestion III

Irrigate that system! Drink plenty of fluids such as water, juice and milk. Proper fluid intake is needed to lubricate and hydrate your system, and helps to dissolve minerals, vitamin and other nutrients making them easier to absorb. Avoid carbonated drinks as they can impare your ability to digest proteins.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Health Tip of the Week - Healthy Digestion II

Health Tip of the Week - Healthy Digestion II

Make sure you eat plenty of fiber. A fiber rich diet may help to decrease your risk of colon and rectal cancer. Foods that contain fiber include whole grains, leafy greens as well as apples, pears and avocados. They bulk and soften your stools, decreasing risks of constipation and diarrhea.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Health Tip of the Week - Healthy Digestion

Health Tip of the Week - Healthy Digestion

Reduce the fats and oils in your diet for a healthier digestive system. Too much fat can slow your digestion, leading to heart burn, bloating and constipation. Diets high in saturated and animal fats may increase your risk of colon cancer.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Health Tip of the Week - Don't Skip Meals to Lose Weight

Health Tip of the Week

Don't Skip Meals to Lose Weight
Skipping meals to lose weight is self defeating. When you skip meals, your metabolism slows down, conserving resources and actually burns slower. Also, you brain thinks it's starving, and tells your body to store more food, so you actualy can get fatter by skipping meals. Rather than skip meals, eat smaller meals more often. This keeps you body running at peak efficiency, and lets you burn fat off optimally.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Guest Spot: Back Pain By: What Increases & Decreases Good & Bad Cholesterol? By: Linda Giles

What Increases & Decreases Good & Bad Cholesterol?
By: Linda Giles


Factors leading to and Increase in Cholesterol

Poor eating habits

Diet that is high in saturated fat tends to elevate cholesterol. Saturated fats are found mostly in foods that come from animals. Saturated fat raises you LDL ("bad") cholesterol level more that anything else in the diet. Eating too much saturated fat is the main reason for high levels of cholesterol and high rate of heart attacks.

Smoking

Cigarette smoking lowers HDL ("good") cholesterol levels and is one of the six major risk factors of heart disease. It also increases the tendency for blood to clot. Once a person quits smoking, HDL cholesterol levels rises within weeks or months to levels that are equal to their nonsmoking peers.

Excess Weight

Excess weight tends to increase your LDL ("bad") cholesterol level. If you are over weight and have high LDL-cholesterol level, losing weight may help you lower it.

Heredity

Heredity can make certain individuals more prone to high cholesterol. Genes play a role in influencing you LDL-cholesterol level. Your genes influence how high you LDL ("bad") cholesterol is by affecting how fast LDL is made and removed from the blood.

Stress

Stress over the long term has been shown in several studies to raise blood cholesterol levels. One way that stress may do this is by affecting your habits. For example, when some people are under stress, they console themselves by eating fatty foods.

Alcohol consumption

Alcohol intake increases HDL ("good") cholesterol but does not lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol. But drinking too much alcohol can damage the liver and heart muscle, lead to high blood pressure, and raise triglycerides. Because of the risks, the benefit isn’t great enough to recommend drinking alcohol if you don’t do so already.

Factors which Lower Cholesterol in the Body

Good Eating Habits

Eating healthy is a vital part of lowering you cholesterol. Increasing fiber intake by as little as 3 grams per day can help lower cholesterol. Good sources include oatmeal, soy, legumes, some vegetables, and beans. A healthy diet includes minimal saturated fat. However, monounsaturated fats (olive oils) have a positive effect on cholesterol. Alcohol should also be kept to a minimum.

Exercise

Along with diet, exercising is an important part of achieving a healthy cholesterol level. Being physically active can help lower you cholesterol level, whether it involves everyday activities like cleaning or gardening or structured exercise program. Exercise sets off a series of enzymatic reactions in the body that increases HDL’s and lowers triglycerides. This will ultimately lower LDL’s ("bad") and total cholesterol.

Weight Loss

This is actually the most significant independent contributor to cholesterol reduction. While exercise and proper diet contribute to cholesterol reduction. In most cases weight loss must occur to see an improvement. The good news is that only a five percent weight loss can alter cholesterol significantly.



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Linda Giles also writes on Fungrx: Ring Worm Treatment. More info: Treatment for Ringworm, Cure

Monday, December 8, 2008

Sushi, for Fun and Health

Sushi, for Fun and Health


Sushi. It's not just raw fish. Sushi, a seasoned rice treat from Japan, combines rice, rice wine vinegar, salt, sugar, and other healthy additions into an easy to eat package.

A key component of many sushi is the raw fish, or sashimi, which has to be top quality, and at the peak of it's freshness.

Some sushi however contains no raw components, but cooked crab, shrimp, egg or raw vegitables such as carrot, cuccumber and avacodo.

Sushi is usually a low fat, high Omega-3 food, and often a great source of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.



For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sushi
http://www.eatsushi.com/
http://www.c4vct.com/kym/bento/sushi.htm

Friday, December 5, 2008

Health Tip of the Week - Eat more Asparagus

Health Tip of the Week

Eat more Asparagus
Asparagus is high in vitamin K and folate, can help sufferers of menstrual cramping, is good for your digestion system, can help fight depression, detoxify the body, and can lower cholesterol. It also has some anti-inflammatory properties, and has anti fungal and anti viral qualities.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Health Tip of the Week - Use Vitamin C to fight off Winters Woes

Health Tip of the Week

Use Vitamin C to fight off Winters Woes
This winter, be sure to include plenty of vitamin C in your diet. Found in foods such as oranges, peppers, pineapples, strawberries, vitamin C can boost your immune system and is important in forming collagen, a protein that gives structure to bones, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels. It also helps to maintain capillaries, bones, and teeth and aids in the absorption of iron. Keeping your immune system at peak ability will help keep you from too much down time due to illness.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Enjoy some Healthy Shakes!

Enjoy some Healthy Shakes!
- Bob

Healthy Shake and Smoothie Recipes
Some of mine. Full nutritional breakdown is at the end. I'll also toss in some Blueberries when I have them, as well as apple or coconut milk (not listed) for variety.

Banana - OJ Shake
1 Banana
1 scoop Protein powder
1 cup ice
1 cup OJ
1 tsp Stevia Powder
=====
309 Cals, 56g Carbs, 2.3g Fat, 22g Protein


Strawbery - Banana Shake
1 Banana
5 small Strawberries
1 scoop Protein powder
1 cup ice
1 cup OJ
1 tsp Stevia Powder
=====
312 Cals, 58g Carbs, 2.4g Fat, 22g Protein


Tropical Delight Shake
1 Banana
1/2 cup fresh pineapple
1/4 cup Fresh Mango
1 scoop Protein powder
1 cup ice
1 cup OJ
1 tsp Stevia Powder
4 oz Plain Yogurt
=====
356 Cals, 80g Carbs, <5g Fat, 27g Protein




Full breakdowns on ingredients:
---------------------------------
Designer Whey Protein Powder - Natural Flavor
Calories = 90
Carbs = 2g
Fat = 1g
Protein = 19g

---------------------------------
Strawberries, fresh
Serving Size: 5 small (1" dia)
Amount Per Serving
Total Carbohydrate 2.5 g
Dietary Fiber 0.8 g
Calories 10.5
Total Fat 0.1 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 0.4 mg
Potassium 58.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 2.5 g
Dietary Fiber 0.8 g
Sugars 0.0 g
Protein 0.2 g

---------------------------------
Blueberries, fresh
Serving Size: 0.5 cup

Amount Per Serving
Total Carbohydrate 10.2 g
Dietary Fiber 2.0 g
Calories 40.6
Total Fat 0.3 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 4.4 mg
Potassium 64.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 10.2 g
Dietary Fiber 2.0 g
Sugars 0.0 g
Protein 0.5 g

---------------------------------
Banana, fresh
Serving Size: 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)

Amount Per Serving
Total Carbohydrate 27.6 g
Dietary Fiber 2.8 g
Calories 108.6
Total Fat 0.6 g
Saturated Fat 0.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 1.2 mg
Potassium 467.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 27.6 g
Dietary Fiber 2.8 g
Sugars 0.0 g
Protein 1.2 g

---------------------------------
Orange Juice
Serving Size: 1 cup

Amount Per Serving
Total Carbohydrate 25.0 g
Dietary Fiber 0.5 g
Calories 109.6
Total Fat 0.7 g
Saturated Fat 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 2.5 mg
Potassium 473.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 25.0 g
Dietary Fiber 0.5 g
Sugars 0.0 g
Protein 2.0 g

---------------------------------
Mangos
Serving Size: 0.25 cup, sliced

Amount Per Serving
Total Carbohydrate 7.0 g
Dietary Fiber 0.7 g
Calories 26.8
Total Fat 0.1 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 0.8 mg
Potassium 64.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 7.0 g
Dietary Fiber 0.7 g
Sugars 6.1 g
Protein 0.2 g

---------------------------------
Yogurt, plain, low fat
Serving Size: 0.5 container (4 oz)

Amount Per Serving
Total Carbohydrate 8.0 g
Dietary Fiber 0.0 g
Calories 71.2
Total Fat 1.8 g
Saturated Fat 1.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.5 g
Cholesterol 6.8 mg
Sodium 79.1 mg
Potassium 264.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 8.0 g
Dietary Fiber 0.0 g
Sugars 8.0 g
Protein 5.9 g

---------------------------------
Pineapple, fresh
Serving Size: 0.5 cup, diced

Amount Per Serving
Total Carbohydrate 9.6 g
Dietary Fiber 0.9 g
Calories 38.0
Total Fat 0.3 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 0.8 mg
Potassium 87.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 9.6 g
Dietary Fiber 0.9 g
Sugars 0.0 g
Protein 0.3 g


I have removed my recommendation of Splenda, due to concerns on it's safety, and replaced it with Stevia Powder, a completely natural herbal sweetener that has been used for generations without serious issue.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Healthy Food Brief: Brown Rice

Healthy Food: Brown Rice

What is it?
Brown Rice is a whole grain that is made from either unmilled or partly milled rice. It has similar calories, carbohydrates and proteins to the more common white rice, but sometimes contains more fat. The extra bran in brown rice may help lower cholesterol, and is a good source of dietary fiber.

Use:
Rice can be eaten plain, in soups and stews, ground into flour and made into pastas, noodles, breads and other baked goods.

Where to find it:
Most large supermarkets carry a few brown rices, and you can find a wide array of them at your local health food stores.


For more information please see the following:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=128
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_rice

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Featured Guest Article: How to Cure High Blood Pressure- 7 Blood Pressure Secrets Doctors Won’t Tell You by: Joe Barton

How to Cure High Blood Pressure- 7 Blood Pressure Secrets Doctors Won’t Tell You
by: Joe Barton




Do you know how to cure high blood pressure with no medication? Most people would probably say to eat healthy (lower your salt-intake) and make sure you exercise. Unfortunately, most doctors tell you this and forget to tell you the other treatments you can be doing to lower your score and eventually be med-free.

The truth is that doctors are educated in medical schools were natural health and simple 'common sense' secrets are not taught. Unfortunately, medicine and antibiotics are only being taught because our medical industry is completely reliant upon pharmaceutical companies.

But new research is now showing the sometimes medicines are not the only treatment. In fact, some natural treatments are just as effective as their medicine counterpart.

Which is making some think, "Is there something doctors are NOT telling us?"

Naturally Treat High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure Medications (Diuretics, Beta Blockers, Alpha Blockers, and Vasodilators) work because they lower your blood pressure. The problem is that they make it look that you are healthy but are your numbers showing the truth?

High Blood Pressure medications work because they synthetically alleviate the pressure of the arteries and blood. For instance, with diuretics the blood will become less salty (less thick) and your pressure with drop. Another example would be beta blockers which synthetically cause the heart to beat slower.

Though these medications look good on paper, they are NOT treating the disease known as the 'silent killer'. In fact, they could be prolonging your life but they will never fully treat the disease. And statistics show that users will eventually die from the high blood pressure.

But what if you could naturally treat high blood pressure.

7 Hypertension Tips Your Doctor Won't Share with You

So you want to know, 'how to cure high blood pressure'? First, you need to know how to prevent high blood pressure holistically. Because curing high blood pressure starts with a holistic treatment. Holistically treating hypertension simply means using the 'whole' body to cure the problem. This is completely different than taking a pill to synthetically thin out the blood.

1. Three Miracle Minerals- If you are suffering from high blood pressure, you should be supplementing your diet with 3 miracle minerals that lower high blood pressure. Magnesium, Calcium and Potassium have been shown to help lower blood pressure.

2. Garlic- Garlic has been shown to benefit the heart, lower cholesterol and lower high blood pressure naturally. The compound in garlic, allicin, is thought to naturally lower high blood pressure. Find a quality supplement today.

3. Folic Acid- Vitamin B which is found in green leafy vegetables reduces homocysteine levels in the blood. This vitamin will lower the risk of heart disease and alleviate the pressure naturally.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar- Many or my customers have found success with apple cider vinegar which contains vitamins C, A, E, B1, B2 and B6, in addition to potassium, magnesium, and copper.

5. Relieve Stress- Do you know there are numerous ways to relieve stress? Breathing exercises, exercising, or reading a book are simple ways to relieve stress and lower high blood pressure. And there are even more than this!

6. Your Diet! You know the major Do's and Don'ts about high blood pressure dieting. Just remember to be eating your water-soluble fibers (fruits and vegetables). Fibers, especially water-soluble, will flush your system and plaque. Also, switch to whole grains! With less plaque in the arteries you will eventually be hypertension-free! Our HBP report goes into great detail about how you can treat hypertension with your diet.

7. Green Tea! It is loaded with antioxidants and research shows it lowers high blood pressure. Whether it is the 'relaxing' factor or the natural herbs in green tea, 1 cup of green tea will be helpful for your health!

Normalize your High Blood Pressure in 3 Weeks or Less

What foods should you be eating? What other vitamins are a must? What exercises are an absolute do? What herbs are making doctors scratch their heads? Why is chocolate now good for you?

Are you interested in lowering blood pressure naturally, with out drugs? We offer a 100% guaranteed, medical doctor-approved HBP Remedy Report which shares numerous natural health tips and guarantees to normalize your pressure in 3 weeks or less. If you are serious about living young again, please visit our How to Cure High Blood Pressure Website.


About The Author

Guaranteed to work in 3 weeks or less! Joe Barton and Barton Publishing Inc. have been publishing Hypertension Remedy Reports that teach you how to cure high blood pressure naturally. Are you next?

http://www.bloodpressurenormalized.com/hbp1/

Friday, October 24, 2008

Healthy Food Brief: Barley

Healthy Food Brief: Barley

What is it?
Barley is a popular cereal grain, rich in fiber, selenium and tryptophan. It is used in cereals, and is an ingrediant in beer and other alchoholic beverages. Studies have recently indicated that eating barley can have a positive effect on bood sugar levels, lower cholesterol and help improve intestinal protection.

Use:
Barley is a key component in the making of beer and many breakfast cereals. It's a welcome addition to soups and stews, and sometimes used as a medicine to treat a variety of illnesses.

Where to find it:
Barley is easily found in a variety of forms at local supermarkets, as well as in the health food stores. Most whole grin breads include it as a main ingrediant.


For more information please see the following:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=127
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley

Friday, October 17, 2008

Healthy Food Brief: Quinoa

Healthy Food: Quinoa

What is it?
Quinoa (pronounced Keen Wah), is an ancient grain native of South America, that was once favored by the Incas. It is an excellent complete protein, including all 9 essential amino acids. A good choice for vegans who are concerned about their protein intake, quinoa is a good source of lysine, as well as other health building nutriants.

Use:
Quinoa is a versitile food. You can use it like you would rice, adding it to soups, served on it's own, as a breakfast porridge, and more. You can even find flour made from it, as well as pastas and sprouts.

Where to find it:
Quinoa is slowly turning up more and more in local supermarkets, as well as your local health food store. It's an affordable and nutritious addition to youor diet.


For more information please see the following:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa
 
Copyright © 2009 Bob Hubbard. All rights reserved.