Be Healthy With Organic Food

Today's society is vigilant towards consciousness for health and people are constantly searching for factors that are able to give them an edge for achieving to be healthy. We all know that healthy diet, constant physical activity regime, and sufficient rest have profound impact upon our entire vitality. Subsequently, there are an overwhelming number of groups who swear that organic food is extremely beneficial for the overall health of individuals.

How Are Organic Foods Produced? Produced in organic farms, these foods are grown under stern supervision and guidelines and are packaged and grown without using any pesticides, man-made fertilizers, preservatives, artificial colorings and other chemicals. Non-organic products are subjected to various chemicals, which are usually not thoroughly studied so that their effects over the consumers' body can be understood and contemplated. These chemicals may be linked to anything from some types of cancer to food allergies.

Benefits Of Consuming Organic Food One of the main advantages of consuming organic food is that these food products are not at all subjected to any unreliable substances. Dairy and meat products prepared under organic principles are also free from any form of chemicals. Non-organic agricultural farmers usually subject the livestock to various chemical supplements designed for speeding their weight and growth. Further, cows in the dairies are given chemicals for increasing their milk productivity.

As per the guidelines for organic foods, the livestock is reared without using any antibiotics or growth hormones and are not genetically modified in any way. The benefits of organic foods are that the livestock are given only organic feed which is free from chemicals and supplements.

Another advantage of consuming organic food is its friendliness to the environment. The non-organic foods are treated through chemicals, which are responsible to change the landscape and contaminate the surrounding ground and water supplies. The ground in which organic food is grown experiences no changes. Making commitment towards using organic foods will make you healthy as the benefits of organic foods lie in enjoying natural whole foods free of chemicals.

As the benefits of organic foods are long lasting and varied to the environment, the decision for going organic is responsible and a healthy one.

In several countries, the producers of organic foods need to get an organic certification so that they can advertise their food products as organic. Chemical free food products are not able to cure any existing illness but are believed to reduce the risks of intoxication of the body, thereby leading to lesser health related problems. The market of organic foods has been fast developing, as the customers are becoming increasingly health conscious and aware about the after effects of pesticides and chemical fertilizers used in crops on their health.

Virtually, everyone may agree that organic vegetables, fruits, fish and meats are preferred to non-organic foods grown with insecticides, fungicides and chemical fertilizers. At present, non-organic food growers are allowed to make use of more than 1000 chemicals upon their crops, which may heavily lead to soil erosion because of over-farming to the dangerous toxics running off into drinking water.

The Secrets of a Very Long Life

There are several places in the world that are famous people who live a very long time. These places are usually in mountainous areas, far away from modern cities. Doctors, scientist, and public health experts often travel to these regions to solve the mystery of a long healthy life, the experts hope to bring to the modern world the secrets of longevity.
Hunza is high in the Himalayan Mountains of Asia. There many people over one hundred years of age are still in good physical health. Men of ninety are new fathers, and women of fifty still have babies. What are the reasons for this good health? Scientists believe that the people of hunza have these three benefits:(1) physical work, usually in the fields or with animals; (2) a healthful environment with clean air and water; and (3) a simple diet high in vitamins and nutrition but low in fat, cholesterol, sugar, and chemicals.
People in the Caucasus Mountains in the soviet Union are also famous for their longevity. In this area, there are amazing examples of very long-lived people. Although birth records are not usually available, a women called Tsurba probably lived until age 160; a man called shirali may have lived until age 168. His widow was 120 years old. In general, the people not only live a long time, but they also live well. They are almost never sick, and when they die, they have not only their own teeth but also a full head of hair and good eyesight.
Vilcabamba, Ecuador, is another area famous for longevity of its inhabitants. This region – like Hunza and the Caucasus – is also in high mountains, far away from cities. In Vilcabamba, too, there is very little serious disease. One reason for the good health of the people might be the clean, beautiful environment. The temperature is about 70o Fahrenheit all year long. The wind always comes from the same direction and the region is rich in flowers, fruit, vegetables, and wildlife.
In some ways, the diets of the inhabitants in the three regions are quite different. Hunzukuts eat mainly raw vegetables, fruit (especially apricots) and chapatis- a kind of pancake, they eat meat only a few times a year. The Caucasan diet consists mainly of milk, cheese, vegetables, fruit, and meat, most people there drink the local red wine daily. In Vilcabamba, people eat a small amount of meat each week, but the diet consists largely of grain, corn, beans, potatoes, and fruit.
Experts found one surprising fact in the mountains of Ecuador, most people there, even they very old, consume a lot of coffee, drink large amounts of alcohol and smoke forty to sixty cigarettes daily.
However, the diets are similar in two general ways: (1) the fruits and vegetables that the inhabitants of the three areas eat are all natural , that is, they contain no chemicals; and (2) the people consume fewer calories than people do in other parts of the world. A typical North America takes in an average of 3,300 calories everyday; a typical inhabitant of these mountainous areas, between 1,700 and 2,000 calories.
Inhabitants in the three regions have more in common than calories, natural food, their mountains, and their distance from modern cities. Because these people live in the countryside and are mostly farmers, their lives are physically hard. Thus, they do not need to go to health clubs because they get a lot of exercise in their daily work. In addition, although their lives are hard, the people do not seem to have the worries of city people. Their lives are quit. Consequently, some experts believe that physical exercise and freedom from worry might be the two most important secret of longevity.

7 Foods to Make Your Diet an Anti Aging Diet

Nobody ever left planet Earth younger than when he or she arrived, and you wont either. Aging is simply the natural consequence of being alive, and while you can do nothing to stop it, you can do plenty of things to keep the physical signs of aging at bay.

One of the most important weapons you have in the struggle to remain youthful is you diet. By committing yourself to following a diet which contains the following seven items, you will not only look younger than your chronological years; you'll feel much younger as well.

Avocado

The monounsaturated fats in avocado oil will boost your cardiovascular function by lowering your cholesterol, but even better, they will hydrate and smooth your skin so that wrinkles are minimized. Any fats which can keep your skin supple are the right fats to be eating.
Avocados make great additions to salads and sandwiches, and who doesn't love fresh guacamole? You should, however, limit yourself to half an avocado each day because of their calories.

Salmon

Salmon, especially wild salmon, is loaded with both lean protein and Omega-3 fatty acids, which like the fats in avocados, will work wonders on your skin. Eating salmon three times each week will get you all of its heart and skin rejuvenating benefits.

Salmon is delicious grilled, roasted, or baked, served hot or added to salad, with a simple sauce of lemon juice and fresh dill. But even canned salmon will get you the Omega-3 fatty acids you need.

Eggs

In spite of what you may have heard about eggs being bad for you cholesterol levels, that only applies if you eat them to excess. Eggs are high in protein, cheap, and can be easily prepared in all sorts of dishes.

Yogurt

Probiotics are all the rage in healthy eating circles, and yogurt is simply bursting with probiotics. It also contains plenty of the lean proteins which will slow the rate at which your body metabolizes carbohydrates, keeping your blood sugar stable and helping you burn fat more efficiently.

Yogurts probiotics not only help you digest your food more completely; they will rid your intestinal tract of the unfriendly organisms which can wreak havoc on your intestines. You'll get the most benefits from all-natural or plain vanilla yogurt, free of the additives which simply take up space that could be given to the probiotics and protein.

Tofu and tempeh

Both tofu and tempeh are rich in both bad cholesterol-bashing flavonoids, and in lean protein. Tofu is exceptionally versatile as a protein source because it will assume the flavor of the foods with which it is cooked. Tofu has even been used as the base for delicious ice cream-like desserts, which except for t heir much lower fat content are amazingly close to the real thing!

Blueberries

The humble blueberry has not found tremendous respect as a source of free-radical destroying antioxidants, and blueberries make delicious additions t breakfast cereals, pancakes, and yogurt.

Spinach, broccoli, and Chinese broccoli

These leafy green vegetables are, like blueberries, high in antioxidants so they can minimize the free radical damage which plays such a significant role in the rate at which you will age. They will also regulate your body’s insulin levels, so that you can lose weight more easily and age more slowly.

By eating a large serving of leafy green vegetables with your protein meals, you will also counteract the proteinas acidifying affects on your body normal pH with the alkalizing effects of the vegetables. Keeping your body's pH its natural alkaline state is one of the best ways to avoid degenerative diseases.

As you can see, simply adding these seven foods to your diet will go a very long way to keeping you young and healthy. But eating these foods is also going to add some real enjoyment to your meals, so you really have no reason not to eat them, do you?

By Marcus Ryan

Effective Ways To Weight Loss

You're already trying hard to lose weight. You're exercising and eating right. You're drinking more water and less juice. So how about doing a couple extra things this year to lose a couple extra pounds? Let's take a look at a few things you could do to supplement your weight loss:

1. Eat a salad before every meal. If you eat a full salad without dressing before you order or make your main meal, you may not find yourself eating as much of the high calorie foods to get full. You may be able to cut as much as 100 to 200 calories from each meal, which could help you lose one to two pounds per week. More importantly, you'll be eating healthier.

2. Use cinnamon flavored gum as your only snack. Whenever you feel yourself getting hungry and it isn't meal time, try popping a piece of sugar free cinnamon gum in your mouth. We're not sure why, but cinnamon gum seems to provide a hunger satisfaction not received from fruit and mint flavors.

3. Take 20 to 30 minutes to relax before consuming meals. This relaxation time could be taking a walk or talking with friends. In the mornings you may want to have your devotional time before your meal. Water the plants in your house or read a newspaper. Don't watch TV, as contrary to what many think, this causes a physiological stress reaction in the body.

4. Try new types of fruits and vegetables whenever you see some you haven't eaten before. Every new healthy food that you discover a liking for is another variety of alternative low-calorie food for you to use in your weekly meal plans. Many diets feel because they lack variety of flavors, so the more healthy variety you add the less you'll crave a change in diet. You may even play in the kitchen and create two or three great new recipes out of each new food you find.

5. Almost never combine eating with other activities. The only exception are family meals when some healthy conversation at the dinner table may be of more value than weight loss. You will almost always eat more if you're entertained while you eat.

It is important to keep your family and friends close while you are working on your weight loss efforts. Keep your support system close and take time to talk with people. Isolating yourself can undermine your weight loss efforts. Reach out and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

There is more than one effective way of dieting; the question is which diet is the right one for you? To learn more about how to choose the right weight loss diet program check out these articles about weight loss plans in particular how to get fit through sustainable, but quick weight loss programs.

By Gary Holdon

Nutrition Supplementation

By Rolf Rasmusson

Nutrition Supplement - nutrition.

Nutrition supplement is a term familiar to most of us. So what is nutrition supplement and why is it so important? Nutrition, by dictionary definition, is the sum of the processes by which someone takes in and utilizes food substances. One of the main advantages of utilizing food substances is the intake of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, herbs, etc. These are the things that make our body healthy. The study of supplementation is very interesting and useful.

Nutrition Supplement - what is it?

When people don't get enough of nutrients through food and when a well-designed diet doesn't work, people turn to the help of some type of nutrition supplement or supplements. A nutrition supplement is added to the diet to make up for a nutritional deficiency. The supplement increases the intake of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, etc. But you have to careful when purchasing some supplement, since supplements are not required to meet FDA standards.

Nutrition Supplement - the usage?

Many people nowadays use some type of nutrition supplement. In 1996 alone, consumers spent more than $6.5 billion on dietary supplements, according to Packaged Facts Inc., a market research firm in New York City. Nutrition supplement or supplements can be found in many forms: nutrition bars, tablets, capsules, powders, liquids, etc. A lot of supplements do not require any prescription. You can purchase them in health food stores, grocery stores, drug stores, or through mail or Internet.

Nutrition Supplement - nutrition supplement bars.

Some of the most popular types of nutrition supplements currently available on the market are nutrition supplement bars. There are many questions people have about nutrition supplement bars. Are they good? What are you getting with them? According to advertising of major nutrition supplement bars' manufacturers, their bars contain high levels of protein and low levels of carbohydrates.

Low Cholesterol Diet

By Peter Emerson

Nowadays, cholesterol is becoming a real threat to many people. The main reason behind this is that people tend to consume more products that are rich in saturated fats, such as whole milk dairy products, poultry, and egg yolks.
Additionally, most people also rely on food chains for their daily diet or perhaps on processed foods, especially if their schedule is too hectic to accommodate home cooking. So if you are one of these people who love to eat these kinds of foods, it’s time to reassess your diet and start eating a low-cholesterol diet.
The low-cholesterol diet is a diet low in saturated fat, which helps lower your cholesterol level and protect you from various heart diseases. The foods that should be included in this diet are fat-free dairy products, lean meats, fish and shellfish, skinless poultry, and whole-grain foods. Fresh fruits and green vegetables, especially when combined with large quantities of olive oil and monostaturates, should also be included because these are rich in vitamins and minerals that are good for your body and reduce your risk for high cholesterol. In addition to these, certain foods that contain plant stanols or plant sterols such as cholesterol-lowering margarines and salad dressings can also be added to your diet to boost your body’s LDL-lowering power.
Meanwhile, foods that are high in cholesterol and saturated fats should only be eaten in moderation. If possible, these should not be included in your diet. Avoid liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, full-fat dairy products, high-fat processed meats, and fried foods. Limiting the intake of these foods can greatly reduce your cholesterol levels and decrease your chances of developing heart disease, as well as protect you from future heart attacks.
A simple low-cholesterol diet is a big help to you, but only if you observe and follow these guidelines regularly. Remember that your health is in your hands.

Parkinson's Disease

What is Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder that is chronic and progressive, meaning that symptoms continue and worsen over time. As many as one million Americans suffer from Parkinson's disease, which is more than the combined number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's disease. Incidence of Parkinson's increases with age, but an estimated 4 percent of people with PD are diagnosed before the age of 50. The cause is unknown, and although there is presently no cure, there are many treatment options such as medication and surgery to manage the symptoms.
Parkinson's disease occurs when a group of cells in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra begin to malfunction and die. These cells in the substantia nigra produce a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, that sends information to the parts of the brain that control movement and coordination. When a person has Parkinson's disease, their dopamine-producing cells begin to die and the amount of dopamine produced in the brain decreases. Messages from the brain telling the body how and when to move are therefore delivered more slowly, leaving a person incapable of initiating and controlling movements in a normal way.
Parkinson's disease can also cause several different symptoms. The specific group of symptoms that an individual experiences varies from person to person. Some of the most common symptoms of Parkinson's disease are:
• tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face
• rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk
• bradykinesia or slowness of movement
• postural instability or impaired balance and coordination

Read more…

Identifying Depression

Everyone knows what depression feels like. Everyone feels the blues at times. Sadness, discontent, and fatigue are natural parts of life. There is a relation between the blues and clinical depression, but the difference is like the difference between the sniffles and pneumonia.

Depressive disorders are whole person illnesses; they touch the body, feelings, thoughts, and behavior. The depression itself can make us feel as if it's of no use to search for help. The nice news is that 80 to 90 percent of people with depression can be treated successfully, but the bad news is that only one sufferer in three seeks treatment. More bad news is that not quite half the American public perceives depression as a character flaw, rather than an illness or emotional disorder. In addition, only half of all cases of depression are exactly diagnosed, and only half of those get adequate treatment.

We tend to muddle depression, sadness, and grief. But the opposite of depression is not happiness, but vitality - the power to experience a full range of emotion, including happiness, excitement, sadness, and grief. Depression is not an emotion itself. It's not sadness or grief, it's an illness. When we feel at our worst, sad, self-absorbed, and helpless, we are experiencing what people with depression experience, but they don't recover from those moods without help.

The trademark of depression is a insistent sad or empty mood, sometimes experienced as tension or anxiety. Life is with out pleasure. People with slight depressions may go through the motions of eating, sex, work, or play, but the activities seem like pointless; people with more severe depression withdraw from these activities, feeling too worn-out, tense, or hostile to take part. There is often a nagging fatigue, a sense of being incapable of focusing, a feeling of being inefficient.

People with depression generally feel a lowered self-esteem. In a depression, you may feel that you are a defenseless victim of fate, but also feel that you don't deserve any better. Feelings of guilt, shame, and hopelessness are common.

There are often a host of physical symptoms, of which sleep disturbances are key. People may have trouble falling asleep or may wake up early without feeling refreshed. Others may sleep excessively, again without feeling rested. Appetite may increase or decrease. There may be difficulty in sexual functioning. There may be harassing aches and pains that don't act in response to medical treatment. But there are physical illnesses that cause symptoms like depression - Lyme depression, diabetes, thyroid conditions, anemia - and depressions can cause physical symptoms like other diseases.

If you are feeling depressed, it is important to be sure that an underlying health problem does not exist, and you should see your physician for a checkup. At the same time, if you know you have a health problem and are feeling depressed, don't presume you will feel better once the health problem is under control.

There is a sequential process in the recognition of depression. First is a stage of confused pain in which the sufferer knows he suffers, but doesn't know why. People often blame circumstances. Adolescents blame their home lives, married people blame their spouses, and employees blame their bosses. But there is recognition that the pain is not ordinary.

The second stage is recognition that something is definatley amiss. It may be that external circumstances have changed but the pain is on going, or it may be a slow recognition that the suffering is so dangerous that circumstances can't be blamed. This is a painful recognition that often takes years. It is an acknowledgment of a damaged self. But because of the nature of depression, the self-blame and guilt that are manifestations of the disease, this acceptance does not always lead to seeking help.

People then may move to the third stage, a crisis that frequently leads to professional intervention and diagnosis. It is often a suicide attempt or psychiatric hospitalization. The diagnosis often provides hope, that treatment or a cure is possible, and explanation, a way to understand what has only been confusion before. The fact is that this is a diagnosis of a mental illness, with all the shame and stigma that that entails.

The fourth stage involves acceptance of an illness identity. Depression comes to be seen as an outside agent invading the self, rather than as a manifestation of the self.

It is essential that anyone suffering from depression gets good help from a competent, qualified professional. If the warning signs are clear, always seek a professional diagnosis. Going to a health professional with your problems could prove, at worse, embarrassing, if the problem is really just a seasonal case of the blues that can be treated with without medical intervention, but the potential cost of failing to diagnose a serious case of depression should far outweigh any concern about conceivable embarrassment.


Source:
David B. Smith