Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Naturally Increase Your Energy

1. Eat protein at every meal:
The best protein sources include
Fish,
Organic meat,
Chicken,
Eggs,
Yogurt,
Whey protein powder.

2.Reduce intake of caffeine and sugar
Despite giving you instant energy,sugar and caffeine tire you in the long run by sapping your adrenal glands(responsible for maintainig your energy levels)
It is better to consume something like GREEN TEA which is a very good Natural source of Antioxdants.

3.Make sure you do not have any medical conditions that can cause fatigue
Common conditions causing fatigue include:
Low thyroid function,
Low iron,
High iron (hemochromatosis)
Anemia

4.Get enough sleep!
We all need different amounts of sleep to wake up feeling rested. Figure out how much your body needs so that you are able to wake up without an alarm clock.

5.Exercise regularly.
After exercise,you should feel refreshed rather than wiped out.

6.Maintain emotional stability.
This is important to avoid sleepless nights, which stresses the body.
Our emotional health is important in order to avoid the stress and worry that often leads to reduced sleep quality, and affect our energy each day.

7 Take nutritional supplements.
Taking supplements is necessary to ensure adequate amounts in your system and to cover any deficiencies
Resource:
http://www.rockwellnutrition.com"

Monday, February 12, 2007

Weight Loss-10 Easy Steps


10 Easy to follow Tips to help YOU Lose Weight

Here are some tips that people have used to lose weight successfully.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 1: DRINK 8-10 GLASSES OF WATER EACH DAY

Okay, for many people this is a big problem. Water doesn’t taste all that great generally because water doesn’t really “taste” like anything. Drinking water 8 to 10 times each day gets easier the more you actually do it. It is simply a matter of conditioning your taste buds, and yourself, so that it becomes easier to do. Once you get started, you will begin to crave water.

To begin with, you should drink a glass of water in the morning first thing, before you eat. This is probably the easiest glass you will drink all day and it will help you remember to drink water all day long. Better yet, why not drink two glasses?

If you really cannot bear the taste of water, try using a water purifying pitcher or filter. You can also add a few drops of lemon or lime to your water – but no sugar or sweetener! Ice also helps.

Check out flavored waters on the market, too. Just keep an eye out for additives.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 2: EAT BREAKFAST

Do not skip breakfast. If you need to go to bed a little earlier so that you can get up 20 minutes earlier each morning – do it! Breakfast is so important to your good health and to weight control. According to Dr. Barbara Rolls a professor of nutrition at Penn State University, "Your metabolism slows while you sleep, and it doesn't rev back up until you eat again."

Eating breakfast is not only good for overall weight loss, it will help you stay on track with your diet the rest of the day. You are more likely to binge on something sweet and in the “bread” group if you skip breakfast.

You can always keep a couple of hard-boiled eggs in the fridge or some high-fiber, low starch fruit around. If you plan to eat fruit at all during the day, breakfast is the perfect time to do it.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 3: EAT AT LEAST 3 MEALS AND 2 SNACKS EACH DAY

This can be one of the hardest adjustments to make. After all, you are busy! You already have a “full-plate”. When do you have time to worry about filling your plate with more frequent meals?

Just like eating breakfast will increase your metabolism, so will eating more often. This will also help you curb your bad-carb intake by making sure that your snacks are planned and occur regularly throughout the day.

Really, it will just take a minimal investment of planning time at the grocery store and at home each morning before you head out for the day to make some healthy food choices and prepare a few healthy snacks and meals. For suggestions, just see the handy list of snacks and appetizers listed later.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 4: AVOID WHITE FOODS

This is one easy way to remember what not to eat. If it is made from sugar, flour, potatoes, rice or corn - just say no. Remembering this rule of thumb will make it easier to recognize those rice cakes as an unhealthy high-carb snack.

Always look for colorful fruits and veggies to substitute for the white ones. Buy broccoli, lettuce, bell peppers, green beans and peas, brown rice in moderation, leafy greens like kale and spinach, apples, melons, oranges and grapes.

These foods are not only colorful they are also high in fiber, nutrients and important antioxidants. Eating colorful fruits and vegetables will give your diet variety as well as give you added health benefits.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 5: EAT YOUR VEGGIES

It is so easy to use a low-carb diet as an excuse for poor nutrition. Resist this temptation. If the only vegetable you have eaten in the last 5 years has been the potato, now is a good time to begin experimenting with other vegetables. This is important for your overall health and to avoid some nasty side effects of not getting enough fiber in your diet.
If you try hard enough, you will find vegetables that you enjoy eating. Experiment with grilling veggies and cooking with real butter to add flavor. You can also search for new recipes on the Internet or in cookbooks.
Remember, if you are only eating 40 grams of carb a day or less, two cups of plain salad greens contain only about 5 grams of carbohydrate. You have no excuse not to eat your veggies.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 6: PREPARE YOUR OWN FOOD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
While more and more restaurants are offering low-carb friendly menu items, many of them are still not ideal low-carb fare. There are many recipes for quick and easy meals that you can prepare yourself at home. Try to do this as often as possible.

If you cook your own foods, you know exactly what the contents are and you will be able to better control for hidden sugar and otherwise processed foods.
Another benefit is the cost savings over the long run. Even if you must go to the grocery store more often, you will save a significant amount per meal as opposed to eating at restaurants and fast food establishments.
It will also be easier to maintain your diet with your own favorite fresh food selections on hand.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 7: INVEST IN A GOOD SET OF FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS
Having food storage containers of various sizes on hand will make it so much easier for you to plan your meals and snacks. When you buy nuts, fruits and vegetables in bulk you can simply prepare, separate and store them for easy use later.
For instance, you can pre-slice your apples and snack on them over several days. Simply cut them, rinse them in pineapple or lemon juice and store. This will make a quick and easy snack for later.
Fix your lunch and take it with you to work. Better yet, fix your lunch and 2 snacks for work.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 8: EAT SOME PROTIEN AT EACH MEAL & AS A SNACK
In addition to everything that’s been discussed before, eating protein helps you burn more calories. Jeff Hample, Ph.D., R.D., a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association says that, "Protein is made up mainly of amino acids, which are harder for your body to breakdown, so you burn more calories getting rid of them.”
Just think – eating a protein rich snack can help you lose weight. How about a few slices of turkey or ham or some string cheese?
Eating protein will also help you feel full so that you are less likely to crave unhealthy snacks.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 9: DRINK A GLASS OF WATER AFTER EACH SNACK
This will help you get in your 8 to 10 glasses of water each day but it can also have other benefits. Ever feel hungry after eating a handful or standard serving of nuts? Try drinking water afterwards. The water will help you feel full and prevent overindulgence.
Drinking water after a snack will also help remove the aftertaste from your mouth and can help curb your desire for more.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 10: EAT SLOWLY & ENJOY YOUR FOOD
You will feel full and more satisfied if you take the time to savor your food and chew it slower. Don’t get in the habit of eating while standing or eating quickly. Sit down and chew.
Eating slower will help you enjoy your food more, pay attention to what it is you are actually eating and get a better sense of when you are actually full.

Monday, February 5, 2007

Researching Glyconutritionals (a.k.a. Glyconutrients)


The Greek word "Glyco" means, "Sugar". Most people think of sugar as being bad for you. However, there are actually TWO kinds of sugars. One is the refined or "extracellular" sugars which have been long associated with human disease. The other sugars are "intracellular" which can be found in fruits and vegetables and provide the body with nutrition it needs. These sugars, also known as complex carbohydrates, have been studied for years. However, only recently have we begun discovering their purpose in the body. An increasing number of scientists believe that certain carbohydrates represent the next frontier in the search for non-toxic treatments for various degenerative conditions. Even though we have just begun to scratch the surface in understanding the full potential of these carbohydrates, the research being reported in just the last decade has ignited a new level of hope and optimism with some of the world's leading immunologists. One of the world's most renowned veterinary immunologists, Dr. Ian R. Tizard, writes in a published paper entitled Carbohydrates, Immune Stimulating, "there has long been a tradition in folk medicine that extracts of certain fungi and plants may be of assistance in the treatment of cancer. On investigation, many of these extracts have been found to possess potent immune- stimulating activity. In many cases, this activity is attributable to complex carbohydrates." Healthy bodies are comprised of many components working together in sophisticated harmony, and must have accurate internal communication to function correctly. In it's most basic form, this communication occurs at the cellular level. To maintain a healthy body, cells must "talk" to each other. Their language is one of touch, written in saccharides (or simple sugars) on the cell surfaces. These simple sugars combine with other molecules to make glycoforms such as glycoproteins when combined with proteins or glycolipids when combined with fat. Of the 200 monosaccharides (glyconutrients) that occur naturally in plants, 8 have been discovered to be components in the cell surface glycoforms (see Harper's Textbook of Biochemistry--1996). Like thousands of different "keys" projecting from the cell surface, they will either unlock the required functions of the adjoining cell or not. If the right keys are available, the body functions smoothly. If not, it doesn't. Acta Anatomica, which is a European journal, states that these simple sugars have a coding capacity that surpasses that of amino acids!! Glyconutritionals provide the cellular communication needed in the body. Only two of the eight monosaccharides (glyconutrients) are found in today's diet. Our diets have changed in response to the demands for quicker, cheaper food. Consequently, we are not eating foods that contain the necessary fuels for our cells to communicate in a healthy, effective manner. While our body has the capacity to manufacture these simple sugars, the conversion process is complicated. During the conversion process your cells are exposed to tens of thousands of free radical hits each day. This requires time, energy and a host of other micronutrients in order to complete the conversion. Viruses can also interfere with our body's ability to make these conversions. People who are ill or who have inborn errors of metabolism are especially vulnerable to a breakdown in the process. Whenever the monosaccharides cannot be made, communication is slowed down or impaired as a result. Since your body has more than a trillion cells and fully regenerates all of its cells in approximately 1 year, any miscommunication or slowdown could cause major health problems. With millions of cells regenerating each day, it's easy to imagine what could happen if during this process, the cells didn't regenerate correctly. This is why glyconutritional supplements are essential to our diet!

Saturday, February 3, 2007

OMEGA-3 and Sudden Cardiac Arrest


Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is responsible for numerous deaths around the world. It is not the same as a heart attack. A heart attack normally occurs when advanced atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries) slowly starves the heart causing irreversible damage. The heart finally cannot function properly and stops. Sudden cardiac death occurs when the electrical impulses that control heart function become erratic resulting in an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). When the arrhythmia is severe enough the heart suddenly stops, starving the brain of needed blood. Death often follows quickly unless emergency care is administered immediately. Often sudden cardiac death occurs when no other heart disease is detected.
It has long been understood that eating fish can reduce the likelihood of heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases. The reason? Fish, especially cold-water fatty fish, is high in two omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). These two fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega-3 has been shown to reduce the build-up of artery clogging atherosclerosis and keep blood platelets from sticking together thus reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
But more recent studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids also have an effect on the dangerous arrhythmias that can cause sudden cardiac death by regulating the impulses that control heart rhythm.
One study involved the use of mycocytes (cells that beat independently). By adding the free fatty acids to these cells arrhythmias were aborted. When the fatty acids were extracted from the mycocytes the arrhythmias would reoccur thus indicating that omega-3 fatty acids have a stabilizing effect on heart rhythm. The apparent mechanism for controlling rhythm involved cell ion channels, proteins that control the movement of sodium, calcium and potassium ions across the membrane of the cell.
Another study, conducted by Danish researchers, examined the relationship between heart rate variability and omega-3 fatty acids in healthy subjects. It had already been determined that heart arrhythmias could be positively impacted in patients who were recent heart attack victims. These researchers wanted to determine if people otherwise free of heart disease could gain the same arrhythmia controlling benefits from omega-3 fatty acids.
Sixty healthy adults were randomly divided into three groups. The first group received daily supplements containing 6.6 g of omega-3 (containing 3.0g EPA and 2.9g DHA). Group two received 2.0g of omega-3 (containing 0.9g EPA and 0.8g DHA). The remaining group received only an olive oil placebo. The supplements were given for 12 weeks. Before and after the supplements were consumed heart rate variability and blood cell fatty acids were measured. It was found that heart rate variability was favorably influenced by the amount of omega-3 consumed. In other words, the more omega-3 one consumed the higher the heart rate variability, especially in men with low heart rate variability before supplementing.
The researchers concluded that omega-3 fatty acids positively affected heart rate variability thus having a protective effect on heart function. These finding were similar to those of earlier studies showing that omega-3 positively affects heart rhythm in patients who had suffered a previous heart attack. Since sudden cardiac death is the result of erratic heart rhythm, omega-3รข??s heart protective qualities show great promise in the fight against sudden cardiac arrest. The mechanical studies completed by these and other researchers seemed to confirm other studies that the oral ingestion of fish and fish oils provide prophylaxis for the prevention of fatal cardiac arrhythmias when taken regularly in small amounts. In simple terms, consuming fish and fish oil supplements can save lives.

the health site