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Diet for Healthy Skin, Foods to Clear Skin
January 30th, 2010 
admin Of course there are other reasons for unhealthy skin like smoking and improper cleansing but diet play a big role in maintaining healthy skin. Your diet needs to have the proper protein, fats, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals. Lots of nuts, seed, grains, fruits, and vegetables, milk, yogurt, and milk will help keep your skin young and healthy. Let’s have a closer look at what a diet for healthy skin entails.
The number one thing to do is to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Diets for healthy skin should include green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, asparagus and cabbage, and fruits like apples, oranges, and grapes. They would provide plenty of vitamins and minerals to keep your body as well as skin, healthy.
The number one thing to do is to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Diets for healthy skin should include green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, asparagus and cabbage, and fruits like apples, oranges, and grapes. They would provide plenty of vitamins and minerals to keep your body as well as skin, healthy.
Common problems that people experience include blemishes or acne and flaking or excessive dryness. These may be caused by dietary factors. To reduce the risk of excessive dryness or flaking, you can try to increase your intake of omega3 fatty acids. This is also beneficial for sagging or lost firmness. A recent study showed a 10% improvement in firmness after three months of supplementation with omega3 fatty acids.
Have you read about this recently? A number of different diets for healthy skin are currently being promoted. Here you can learn about the beneficial components of each one (no brand names mentioned). Remember that diet gurus are trying to sell books, food and supplements.
Keep your food as natural as you can. Just like skin care products that contain harsh chemicals will hurt your skin, so will the chemicals in food products. My rule of thumb is, if I don’t know what an ingredient is on the label, it probably isn’t a natural food.
The really bad foods are simple carbohydrates. They are digested too quickly and cause a spike in blood glucose levels. When they are eaten, a chain reaction begins that ends with the production of molecules called “Advanced Glycation End-products” or AGEs, for short.
No this doesn’t include fast food like burgers, fries and over processed foods. You should be consuming the right types of food which should be rich in antioxidants. This means avoiding sugar as well. It has been shown over time to damage one of our most vital skin proteins, collagen. Its fibers keep our skin smooth, soft and elastic. Stick to foods like soy, broccoli, spinach, berries and healthy fatty proteins like salmon.
Replace refined carbohydrate foods like white breads, donuts, cookies, bagels and pasta with their whole-grain cousins. Not only do whole grains provide more anti-aging antioxidants, they also provide the key element of a healthy skin diet – fiber. Try whole wheat bread, whole wheat pita bread or whole wheat tortillas. They even make whole wheat pasta! Try brown rice instead of white. Try whole wheat bagels or crackers and nix the desserts!
5 Healthiest Foods For Keeping Diabetes Under Control
January 28th, 2010 admin It is a bitter moment when you come to know that you or someone you love dearly is suffering from diabetes. When you are diagnosed as a diabetic it becomes very important to keep your blood sugar levels under control. The most effective way of controlling diabetes is to become aware about the nutritional contents of your food and what you should be having and what you should be avoiding. In this article let us find out some foods which are great for keeping diabetes under check.
Apples
It is a well known fact that diabetics are told to abstain from having white foods but apple is an exception and a wonder fruit for people suffering from diabetes. Apples have been found in many researches as the fruit that helps lessens the insulin need in the body. The presence of pectin in apples helps in the detoxification process. With such magical properties apples are one of the healthiest foods for diabetes patients.
Pomegranate
It is fruit which is quite popular in Asian countries. It has grown in popularity recently due to the findings of a recent research which states that it does not affect the blood sugar levels in the body. It has been also found out that people who consume 6 oz of pomegranate juice everyday are at a lower risk of atherosclerosis.
Herbs
There are certain herbs mentioned in ayurveda which are very effective in lowering blood sugar levels in the body. Gymnema sylvestre is one such herb which has been found quite effective in tackling both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
It also helps promote production of new beta cells in the pancreas which are a large source of insulin. Other herbs like pterocarpus or Indian kino are also excellent for keeping diabetes under control.
Vegetables
Karela or bitter gourd, broccoli, spinach and green beans are very good for the health of diabetes patients.
Protein Needs of a Diabetic Patients
A person suffering from diabetes should make sure that his diet comprises of at least 12% to 20% proteins. The best sources of protein are fish, soy and poultry. It is a good practice to take some protein supplement before going to sleep so that your blood sugar levels remain constant throughout the night.
Allergies Symptoms and Natural Foods That Fight Allergies
January 24th, 2010 admin Up to 50 million Americans, including 2 million children, have some type of allergy. For most people, allergies are just an inconvenience. According to the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, they are a major cause of disability in the U.S. In fact, it has been estimated that allergies account for the loss of over two million school days per year.
What Are Allergies?
An allergy is an overreaction of the immune system toward a substance that is typically harmless to most people. But in someone with an allergy, the body’s immune system treats the substance, called an allergen, as an invader and reacts inappropriately resulting in harm to the person.
Who Gets Allergies?
Children inherit allergic tendencies from their parents. A few children have allergies in spite of no family member having these, but if one parent has allergies, there is a one in four chance that a child will also have allergies. The risk increases if both parents have allergies.
Do I Have an Allergy to Something?
Some allergies are fairly easy to identify because the pattern of symptoms following certain exposures can be hard to miss. But other allergies are less obvious because they can masquerade as other conditions.
How Are Allergies Treated?
There is no cure for allergies, but symptomatic relief is possible. The most effective is by reducing or eliminating exposure to allergens. If reducing exposure is not feasible or is ineffective, medications may be prescribed. In some cases, an allergist may recommend immunotherapy (allergy shots) to help desensitize you. There are also medications you might be able to give yourself, including antihistamines and inhaled or nasal spray steroids. One medical suggestion is: ZYRTEC®
Just 1 dose of ZYRTEC® (cetirizine HCl) a day can keep allergy symptoms under control, year-round. Symptoms from both indoor allergies, like pet dander and dust. And outdoor allergies, like trees and ragweed. Plus, ZYRTEC is approved to treat indoor allergies in infants 6 months and up.
Some common allergies include those to:
Grasses
Mold Spores
Marsh Elder
Ash
Pigweed
Oak
Fall Elm
Mesquito
Elm
Sage
Red Berry Juniper
Pecan
Mountain Cedar
Ragweed
Willow
Privet
Cats
Dogs
Bees
Peanuts
Dust Mites
Food
Metals/nickle:
40 percent increase in nickel allergies is blamed on the new body piercing rage. Also some ingest nickel in foods and from chewing pens and paper clips.
Cobalt and chromium can also produce allergic reactions, but to a lesser degree than nickel. once a nickel allergy develops, it lasts for a lifetime.
Animals:
All warm-blooded, furry animals, such as the average household pet, can cause allergic reactions. This is because of proteins in their saliva, dander, and urine. When the animal licks itself, the saliva gets on the fur. As the saliva dries, protein particles become airborne and work their way into fabrics in the home. Cats are the “worst offenders” because their salivary protein is extremely tiny and they tend to lick themselves more than other animals.
Pollen:
Pollen is another important cause of allergies. Pollen allergies are seasonal. Trees, weeds, and grasses release these tiny particles into the air to fertilize other plants. Most people know pollen allergy as hay fever or rose fever.
Cockroach:
Cockroach body parts and waste products are also a major household allergen, especially in inner cities. Asthma rates of inner city children are high, probably due to air pollution and also cockroach exposure in overcrowded buildings.
Mold: One of the most commen allergen.
What is Mold?
Molds are fungi that thrive both indoors and out in warm, moist environments. As with pollen, mold spores are released into the air to reproduce. Mold is produced by several varieties of fungus. These fungi are single-celled organisms that have been around since the beginning of time.
Where can molds be found?
Although molds can be seasonal, many thrive year-round, especially those indoors. Outdoor molds may be found in poor drainage areas, such as in piles of rotting leaves or compost piles. Indoor mold thrives in
dark, moist and poorly ventilated places, such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms or damp basements (especially after flooding).
How do I know if I have a mold build up?
A mold test kit can be a easy soultion but does cost money, or you can simpley check crawl spaces for standing water, look for condensation forming around windows, and dampness in or on basement walls. If you are experiencing health problems, check bathrooms, bedrooms and family rooms as well. Mold requires three things to grow and multiply. It requires dampness, warmth, and a food source. Find areas that have these three things and you will surely find mold and mildew. Also a musty odor suggests mold growth.
How does mold affect my health?
Only in recent years have medical authorities realized what a health risk the kind of mold that grows in wet basements can be. According to the New York City Department of Health, in people who are allergic to it, mold can cause:
respiratory and eye irritation
flu-like symptoms
fatigue
trouble breathing
coughing
sinus congestions
nausea
chronic headache
loss of memory
other symptoms
Also when mold starts to reproduce inside a home, it can eat away at the structure, causing thousands of dollars in damage
How can I prevent mold build up and how can I keep allergy symptoms down?
Mold requires three things to grow and multiply. It requires dampness, warmth, and a food source. Simpley make sure you dont allow all three things to take place in your house. Mold is everywhere, and you wont completly rid yourself of ever having any contact with mold, but you can surley battle it.
Mold and mildew release mold spores in the air that can float throughout the house. There are several mold cleaning, prevention, and mold removal methods to deal with this problem. 2 suggestions are: Bio-Kleen and Sure Cote Mildew Resistant Coating.
Bio-Kleen can be used in any application in which you want to inhibit colonies of mold, mildew, alga, bacteria and other odor causing organisms. Easy to apply by spraying, wiping or soaking. Allow to air dry.
Sure Cote is a clear non-yellowing , non-toxic, odorless, interior/exterior, mildew resistant coating. It is designed to protect any surface exposed to moisture, high humidity or weather. Will not discolor, stain, stiffen or harm any surface which it recommended for use and gives year round protection.
It is important to try and prevent mold and mildew growth, but if it’s too late, try mold remediation and mold removal.
Allergic reactions can manifest themselves in many different physical ways, most of them extremely unpleasant. In the case of environmental allergens such as hay fever or pet dander, it is possible to limit allergic reaction severity by focusing on a diet that boosts the body?s ability to fight off reaction effects. Many of the materials that are found in medicinal allergy relief are extracted from naturally occurring ingredients in certain foods and drinks, and including these in your diet will help to alleviate your allergic symptoms. It is important to remember that these foods are for fighting environmentally triggered allergies only, and the only way to avoid food allergy symptoms is to avoid the food that cause it.
Green tea is quickly making a name for itself as a general purpose, natural cure-all. Recent studies have shown that green tea may help to combat environmental allergies as one of its many treatment applications. In an article published in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Japanese scientists claim to have isolated a compound found in green tea that blocks one of the cell receptors that is key in triggering the allergic response. Because green tea is less processed than any other kind of tea, its natural composition remains unaltered and thus the compounds within it are more concentrated and better able to produce results than those found in different varieties of tea.
The acids found in Omega-3 fatty acids also are beneficial in fighting allergies, as the acid acts as a natural anti-inflammatory
by countering the formation of inflammatory chemicals. There are several foods which are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids, including several kinds of seafood and fish; salmon, haddock, herring, trout, mackerel, and sardines are all full of these acids. Other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids are soybeans, flaxseed, walnuts, and canola, and the fatty acids are also available in a more concentrated version through the oils derived from these foods. These oils can easily be included in your daily meals by adding them to the ingredients for your cooking.
Foods that have a high level of Vitamin E are also excellent in combating allergic reactions. Some of these foods include greens, which are also very strong-tasting. Spinach greens, mustard greens, chard and mustard greens are all very high in Vitamin E. The highest Vitamin E food is far and away dried sunflower seeds, which contain almost 91% of the recommended daily intake of the vitamin. Almonds are also high in Vitamin E, as are olives, papaya, and fresh blueberries. Any of these foods are an easy addition to a regular diet.
One last food to consider when thinking about intakes that will limit your allergic reactions are juices. Natural fruit juices are high in antioxidants, which help to fight the inflammatory effects that allergies produce. Make sure when you buy juice, though, that it is indeed natural. Many juices on the market do not contain a lot of natural juice, and it is the natural juice that is essential when it comes to containing antioxidants.
Article Source: http://www.findmysearch.com/allergies-resources/
Joel Santoso 2007. For answers to All your frequently asked questions about allergy information resorces, please go to: http://www.findmysearch.com/allergies-resources/
High Cholesterol Foods – Healthy, not Harmful
January 23rd, 2010 admin High cholesterol foods are usually foods high in saturated fats. High cholesterol foods are the more delicious foods. High cholesterol foods are mainly found in all animals and animal products, for example, egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish and higher fat milk products. High cholesterol foods are a major contributor to having high blood pressure. High cholesterol foods are bad for us, and God knew it.
Your body produces three to four times more cholesterol than you eat. The production of cholesterol increases when you eat little cholesterol and decreases when you eat much. In other words, the more high cholesterol foods you eat, the less cholesterol your body produces. It is true that the body â?? more specifically the liver â?? can produce cholesterol for the body’s needs. But taking cholesterol from high cholesterol foods can be helpful. When you do not take enough high cholesterol foods â?? for example, if you take mainly vegetable oils rather than animal fat containing cholesterol â?? the cholesterol in your blood will the transferred to your cells.
In traditional societies, high cholesterol foods were regarded as healthy foods. Our ancestors did not know about cholesterol but they knew that eggs, organ meat (including the brain), seafood, shellfishâ?¦ were all highly nourishing for the body. Cholesterol is not a deadly poison, but a substance vital to the cells of all mammals. Cholesterol in its proper place is good, but it also has a dark side. Thus, the highest concentration of cholesterol in the body is found in the brain and other parts of the nervous system. And because cholesterol is needed for the brain, babies and children need high cholesterol foods for brain development. One of the richest high cholesterol foods is, in fact, human breast milk. And one of the worst foods to give to babies is soy infant formula, because it contains zero cholesterol.
People with very low cholesterol (below 150 mg/dl) are more prone to depression and nervous system disorders. Many scientific studies have found an association between cholesterol and heart disease. But this does not meant that high cholesterol foods cause heart disease â?? because there are people who eat plenty of high cholesterol foods and do not develop heart disease. And there are also people who develop heart disease even though they avoid high cholesterol foods. It is also important to understand that eating high cholesterol foods will not automatically lead to high cholesterol levels in the blood.
Among the many research findings published in scientific journals, Uffe Ravnskov discovered that: lowering cholesterol did not result in lower death rates from heart disease, but in HIGHER death rates from all causes. More significantly, Uffe Ravnskov has published over 80 scientific papers and letters in peer-reviewed journals criticizing what is commonly called the Lipid Hypothesis of heart disease â?? the belief that dietary saturated fats and cholesterol clog arteries and cause atherosclerosis and heart disease. Click here to read more about Uffe Ravnskov and the benefits of high cholesterol foods. Foods that are high in saturated fats and trans fat (such as coconut oil) can also raise your level of LDL (bad) cholesterol, so, in a way, they have a similar effect on your body as eating high cholesterol foods. But it does not stop there, because there are a number of other foods that may not be considered “high cholesterol foods” but that still raise your LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) more than high cholesterol foods do. If a food does not come from an animal (such as a fruit or vegetable), then it does not have cholesterol.
To appreciate why high cholesterol foods are not harmful, we need to understand what cholesterol is, and what role it plays in human health. Typically, high cholesterol foods are also high in saturated fats, which is part of what makes them taste good. High cholesterol foods should not be entirely avoided, as many of them are an essential part of a healthy diet, as noted above, but you should learn to reduce their intake in order to maintain or lower your LDL cholesterol levels. High cholesterol foods are animal products such as eggs, fatty meats, and any poultry with the skin on would be high in cholesterol.