Simple Health Cures

    Blueberries owe their deep, blue color to a class of phytochemicals called anthocyanins. Like lycopene, anthocyanins have potent antioxidants power, but they are also true workhorses when it comes to fighting inflammation. Science is now telling us that excessive inflammation plays a major role in the development of a board range of diseases, including heart attacks, some cancers, Alzheimer’s, autoimmune disease, and allergic conditions. When you regularly consume blueberries, along with other anthocyanins rich foods, like cherries, blackberries, and raspberries, you are infusing your body with a forceful weapon against some of the most common and deadliest illnesses known to man.

Broccoli is teaming witj sulforaphane, one of the most powerful known anti-cancer phytochemicals. Like lycopene and anthocyanins, this phytochemicals star is also a potent antioxidants. Its special anti-cancer powers, though, are largely due to its ability to boost the body’s detoxifying enzymes systems. Fortunately, our systems possess a remarkable class of chemicals called phase 2 enzymes. Phrase 2 enzymes rid the body of carcinogens and other toxic agents. This innate system is one of the body’s primary defenses against carcinogens, and it protects us from many forms of cancer to include those of the breast, lung, and colon. Eating your broccoli, along with its cruciferous cousins, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and collards all of which contains similar phytochemicals will send your detoxifying, cancer-protective enzyme systems into overdrive.

Nature’s storehouse is filled with delicious fruits and vegetables of almost every color and texture. From the deep blue- purple of blueberries, to blackberries, to the bright orange-yellow of tangerines and bell peppers, the more colorful the food, the more packed with nutrients it is. Eat from the entire spectrum to take advantage of the ten of thousands of beneficial compounds these foods offer. When it comes to phytochemicals, you want the entire army, not just a lone soldier. Have a little bit of every color, blue, red, green and yellow each day and every day. Remember, color means health: the deeper and richer the color, the more phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals present in the food.

    I bet you’ve of the following conditions and disease: high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, heart disease/ atherosclerosis, stroke, overweight/obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation, cancer, plus wrinkles, ED and More!!!

   And when these conditions or disease turn up, I hear people bring up their family history/ genetics, normal aging, or both.

   The surprise is that all of these conditions and diseases are strongly influenced by lifestyle choices. The wrong foods (those lacking a balance of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants), and lack of activity are trial basis of declining health!

   Many experts agree that health is mostly due to the choices people make rather than genetics or family history: the choices you make each day are the most significant drivers of your health issues (about 70% of our health status is a result of our lifestyle choices as we get above 35 or 40). Even if genetics contributes to our health, you can’t change your genetics. What you can change is what you eat, how often, and how active you are!

   Refined Carbs and Inactivity the Basis of Disease?

   Let’s look at what happens when we eat common snacks or foods, such as chips, fries/fries foods, snack cakes, candy bars, white/refined or flavored crackers, cookies, soda/sugary drinks, and ice cream. ( I also include white carb: potatoes, bread, rice, biscuits, and well-cooked pasta).

    These food digest quickly because they are high-glycemic ( or sugar-like) foods. They cause a spike in blood sugar and glucose levels climb too high. We secrete insulin to bring the levels down ( if the pancreas is still able to). Did you know that high glucose levels are toxic to many tissues and organs? High-glucose levels irritate and inflame arteries, stress the pancreas ( insulin-producing cell can die), the liver ( which gets fatty from glucose storage), the brain and more! These foods can increase oxidative stress and inflammation which can spread. And they bring down your energy!

    The addictive quality of these carbs ( often including salt and unhealthy fats) cause us to crave more. The damage becomes chronic over time. Other processed foods are also part of this problem, from ketchup and barbecue sauce to salad dressings and so-called “low-fat” foods. These foods are common in our diets because sugar, refined carbs and high fructose corn syrup are everywhere in manufactured foods! Convenient but toxic in the amounts we are consuming ( about 150 pounds per year)!

    Many studies relate weight gain/obesity, high LDL cholesterol, heart disease, high BP, and cancer to high-glucose food consumption. What’s worse is that the spikes and drops of blood sugar cause hormonal and energy problems and we feel less motivated to be active when our energy is low. Less activity means glucose levels stay higher ( adding to weight gain), so being inactive/ not exercising contributes significantly to declining health and chronic disease.

    Less is More With Age!

   As we age, our ability to metabolize processed foods decreases, especially if we are less active. The solution is to simplify our food choices using more nutritionally-balanced, whole foods. Good choices are lean meats, fatty fish ( for omega-3 fats), soy beans and tofu, eggs and egg whites, nuts, veggie and greens, olives, avocados, beans, legumes, whole fruits, moderate amounts of healthy fats ( olive oil and omega-3 fats), and light amounts of dairy ( milk, cheese, etc).

    Avoid all hydrogenated oils/ trans fats ( read label and ingredients, they are very common), processed meats ( with nitrites, they are everywhere too). and only have red meat a few times per week.

   More nutritionally balanced foods like those suggested above will keep your blood sugar more level, especially if you have smaller meals every 3-4 hours ( that’s why non-carb snacks are important). That will help to balance your blood sugar all day long. Your energy will climb and you will feel better. We are made to move, not slump in a recliner for hours at a time! Our bodies suffer when we become inactive, including emotionally!

    The Choice Is Yours!

   It’s no longer a question of whether our lifestyle choices are contributing to, or causing most of the health conditions and chronic diseases we face today. Most health experts agree: they do.

    Why not decide to feel better today? It’s easier than you think! Just make one small change every week or two. Start by switching to non-carb snacks, and begin to work in light activity as you go. Increased activity gets the body moving which can help burn excess glucose and keep muscles leaner and organs more healthy. Build on things you like to do already ( biking, walking, dancing, swimming, gardening, etc). You’ll feel more like a well-tuned engine in a few weeks. Start with 10-15 minutes and work toward 15-30 minutes 4-5 times per week when you can.

   If we are to have a healthy body, it is necessary to provide it with everything it needs. The way we live and how we think about ourselves is also an important aspect of our well being. The golden rules for Healthy Life are a guideline for a well life.

    1. Be moderate ( Do Not Eat Too Much.)

   2. Do not skip breakfasts

   3. Never go out with an empty stomach

    4. Eat diverse and good quality foods

   5. Always compensate for lost fluid

   6. Respect the night’s rest

   7. You ought to be active

   8. Expose yourself to daylight and fresh air

   9. Cultivate the spirit of optimism and goodwill

   Why each of these rules is important?

   1. Moderation means that we behave in a way not expose our bodies to extreme challenges, especially not for a long time. For example, we should try to avoid many harmful substances that we consume in our everyday lives, such as ( coffee, alcohol, tobacco, preservatives, flavor enhancers). Undoubtedly, it is useful to drink a  a glass of wine after a good meal, or eat a piece of chocolate when you are depressed, but no more than that.

   2. People who skip breakfast have more problems with body weight, because it disturbs natural rhythm of their metabolism.

   3. When we are hungry we are tempted to eat something. If we persevere, we will return home even hungrier and eat uncontrollably all that comes to our hand. So it’s good to always have some fresh fruits and vegetables at home.

   4. The quality of food and beverages that we intake dictates the quilt of our health. For example, fibers pure body from harmful substances, certain foods stimulate metabolism, carbohydrates are the first source of energy for muscle, and proteins as their main structural material are the most valuable source of energy. As we age our body loses calcium, bones become weak, and it is very important to take enough calcium while we are still young.

   5. Disturbance of fluid balance is one of the key reasons for the occurrence of some disease. Daily our body may lose about 10 glasses of fluid even when we do nothing. We have to catch up with this loss and the best way to do this is to consume fresh water.

   6. The only time our body is being renewed is when we are asleep. We need to have enough hours of sleep in order to benefit from it. Sleep fine and live long.

    7. Regular exercise reduces the risk of a severe disease. Studies say that four hours of exercise per week reduces the incidence of breast cancer by 66.6%. walking is good for the heart and lungs and it also improves brain function by boosting its oxygen supply.

   8. Sunlight is the source of every life. It helps our vital organs to be strong and function properly. With fresh air, we breathe in the power of nature and oxygen that is necessary in the process of burning calories, making our bodily function optimal.

   9. Most of us would want to live the same way, and eat the same food as before, and to use a pill that would magically solve their problems. However, the solution is within us. If our mind is focused on good things, then we do good things. By identifying ourselves with a successful team, we may develop the competitive spirit. The quality of our life proves to be better when there is greater harmony in our family and when we have friends. The best way to get rid of stress is to live in a simple and relaxing way.

   Why is it important to apply this set of golden rules?

   Drugs help the body to defeat health problems, but drugs do not cure the causes. The cause of the disease is not in the absence of drugs, but however in violation of the healthy life rules. if we are to enjoy in a healthy life, we must fight on our own by the Golden Rules for Healthy Life, which we will respect to the maximum.

   Our discussion on diabetes will not be complete without discussing how to prevent diabetes. In your attempt to know how to prevent diabetes therefore, you need to appreciate the fact that this disease is as deadly as sitting on time bomb that can explode at any time and consequently needs to be prevented. Prevent this disease is mandatory because it have posed serious health problems to its sufferers.

   How to prevent diabetes is not as difficult as you may think as there are are many ways to do so. Nevertheless, eating healthy balanced diet and exercise or workout are the sure ways to avoid this TERRIBLE and DANGEROUS situation. The nutrientists are also of the opinion that the best way to prevent diabetes is to eat healthy balanced diet regularly and workout on regular basis. Also, consumption of plenty vegetables and fruits will prevent this disease drastically.

   Furthermore, you can consult your physician to advice you further on how to prevent diabetes, which is paramount to healthy living. This disease is affecting a lot of the world population and has even claimed the lives of those who were careless of how to prevent diabetes. People living with this disease are with high stroke, heart attack, circulation and high blood pressure problems.

   The main reason why it is important to know how to prevent diabetes is basically to control blood glucose levels and consequently reduce the risk of long term health problems. Therefore, knowing how to prevent diabetes will enlighten you on the foods you will eat to avoid high sugar concentration in the blood. It will also expose you to the importance of exercise as far as this disease is concerned. From there you will be able yo know that exercise will make you lose excess weight which may result to this terrible ailment.

   Others means by which you can prevent this disease is to make foods with low glycemic index (GI) part of your meal. GI is a category of carbohydrates which are rich foods from 1-100 that shows how quickly a food will cause a rise in blood glucose levels. Therefore, the rise in blood glucose level is determined by the GI that is present in that food. GI regulates appetite and blood glucose, hence the lower the GI the more gradual the rise.

   Another effective way to prevent this disease through eating habits is to avoid saturated fats. Too much of this kind of food can cause the cholesterol levels to rise which will result in stroke and heart disease. Eat beans, fruits, and a lot of vegetables and aim for at least five portions of each on daily basis. These foods contain vitamins, fiber, and protective antioxidants that will assist in reducing the risk of heart disease and ensure healthy blood circulation.

    You need to know how to prevent diabetes because this disease is as dangerous as sitting on a bomb. The best way to do this is to consult your doctor for professional advice. However, you need to embraces healthy balanced diet through the tips given above. All you need to do is to do conversant with the tips and make them part of your daily life.

   Diabetes is a disease that makes it difficult to live a normal life, especially when it comes to a person’s eating habits. Normally, a person inflicted with this chronic disease is advised not to eat certain kinds of foods. At the very least, they are even told to control the number of times that they eat everyday. Here we will be presenting the foods for people with diabetes to ensure that they still enjoy their meals without sacrificing the quality of their foods. Also these foods are good for everyone to eat!!

   Green Vegetables: Needles to say, vegetables are powerful sources of many nutrients. They are low in calories and are therefore low in sugar content, too. On top of that, vegetables have high fiber content that significantly makes a person feel filled up and this makes a person avoid eating more that what he is supposed to everyday. If you eat, vegetables, you are ingesting fewer carbohydrates than what you’ll get from eating meat. This means less sugar for you.

   Fruits: Although it is true that some fruits are sweet, they are nevertheless overflowing with vitamins and nutrients that your body needs. These essential nutrients include antioxidants that will significantly help your body ward off free-radicals. Just eat around four serving a day and you should be in good shape.

   Beans: Beans are very rich in dietary fiber and this helps the body slow the digestion process. When this happens, your body gets adequate time to absorb sugar and reduce that sugar spike when you eat.

   Berries: Although we have mentioned fruits earliest, the berry deserves special attention because it is packed with antioxidants. These antioxidants directly fight the free radicals in a person’s body. These free radicals are damaged cells that are also continuously damaging other healthy cells.

   To mates: As we all know, this is a fruit that has very high levels of vitamins C. It significantly improve the immune system and fights diseases. Although it does not directly fight diabetes, it plays a critical role in reducing the complications caused by the chronic disease.

   Fish: Fish is rich in protein and serves as a good substitute for meat. It is also the best source of omega-3 fatty acids that helps clear up the arteries of bad fat. This will do wonders for people with diabetes because they normally have low content of good fat. You should at least eat fish twice a week.

   Cereal: This is what we normally eat during breakfast but little do people know that this is one of the foods for diabetes. Cereal is very rich in fiber and makes a diabetic eat less because the fiber makes them feel full.

   Potatoes: Packed with starch potatoes contain high levels of vitamin A, fiber is another essential content of potatoes that will help the diabetic control food portions everyday.

   Nuts: Nuts are oily and fatty and it is true people avoid them for fear of bursting acne and pimples. However they can do wonders for diabetics.

   Yogurt: The last food for diabetic is yogurt. It’s rich in protein just like fish. It’s great for the digestive system. and releasing the stomach of bad content.

   The disease of diabetes is characterised with a high level of blood glucose in the body due to the malfunction of the pancreas. This makes it impossible to make the required amounts of insulin needed by the body to digest the sugar released by food as it is processed in the body. This is why diabetes is also known as a metabolic disease.

   The presence of diabetes in the body is linked with the possible development of a number of other related disorders and diseases such as heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular diseases, peripheral neuropathy and a number of other neurological disorders. To keep these complications at bay it is important for the person to have strong immunity.

   The strength exercises for muscles are a good way to build this immunity. With regular practice of resistance training the individual will have improved blood cholesterol, decreased blood pressure, improved insulin sensitivity, more muscular strength, increase in bone strength, better blood glucose control and more endurance levels.

   Research has shown that circuit weight training for three months can bring about all these benefits to even those who are suffering from diabetes. 15 to 20 repetitions with 30 seconds rests between stations is seen as the ideal to reach with progression.

   China is said to have the largest population of diabetic people after a recent study conducted by the government. However it was estimated that there were many people who suffered from this disease but were unaware of the fact as they had not yet been tested for diabetics.

   While a number of people in the west are aware of the risks that diabetes can put you at, many people in the east are aware of these consequences. There is wide spread ignorance about the disease and millions don’t even know that they have diabetes.

    The only way to combat diabetes in the third world is by spending the word about diabetes. The largest diabetic population was earlier found in India with 50 million diabetics, but now after a study recently it was found that one in ten adults in China is believed to be diabetic. Even at conservative figures that will put the Chinese diabetic population at 92 million.

   The tragedy is that a large number of this diabetic population have not been tested and are not aware of the fact that they have diabetes. A number of health complications related to diabetes can be expected in the next decade due to this negligent attitude.

   Art therapy is known for its stress releiving benfits. Stress is the trigger for most diseases including diabetes and if it is nipped in the bud it can be good news for diabetics. Diabetics looking for a method of releiving stress can opt for art therapy, since it helps on both mental and physical level.

   It is believed and observed that art leads to self awareness and understanding. It soothes one’s nerves by engaging in a creative process. Art has always been a medium to express oneself and relieve stress. It helps to vent out feelings which could be harmful if left unexpressed inside our mind.

   Alternative medicine is gaining popularity and is a preferred medium to deal with life’s stresses. Art therapy is a natural cure which can control stress and help reduce the effect of disease like diabetes. Art therapy uses creativity as a therapy based on the principle of awakening the body and mobilizing all the senses. This can result in positive self esteem which is very good for wellbeing.

   There are emotional as well as physical benefits of reaching within ourselves and developing positive changes. Creativity frees us from our preoccupations which take an adverse toll on our health in form of diseases like diabetes.

   You are what you eat. This is something which our parents and elders have been saying ti us for all our lives. The healthier food you eat the healthier your body is likely to be. It is actually common sense, but how many of us actually make that effort to stay healthy.

   On a ypical day it is easier to grab an energy bar and dump it in the bag than it is to pack a bunch of grapes. You can take a swig out of an earated cold drink bottle with much more ease than you can get fresh fruit juice to drink. It is the bane of modern living.

   We have a lot of things around us to eat and drink. However in that abundance of food there is hardly anything which is health or good for us. That is why we eat the wrong things all the time. Then we develop lifestyle disease such as diabetes and obesity.

   The simplest way to prevent lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity or hypertension is by paying attention to you diet. The better your nutrition the stronger your defence against developing diabetes. So make sure that you eat healthy, nutritious food no matter how tempting it is to take the easy way out.

   We are usually blessed with strong bones in our youth. It is when we start to grow middle aged that our bones begin to thin out. In the case of women this process can be accelerated far more than in the case of men making them more vulnerable to osteoporosis and bone disease.

   If anyone tells you to take care of your bones you start thinking of taking a calcium supplement. While it is true that eating calcium rich food will help strengthen your bones, it will not help too much if cannot stop eating foods which are harmful to your bones.

   Foods with a high pH value are acidic in nature and leach the calcium from our bones. Examples of such food to be avoided are refined  white sugar, refined white flour, high fructose corn syrup, soft drinks, cookies, candies, sweets and desserts.

   On the other hand foods that keep the body pH balance in a healthy equilibrium include broccoli, cabbage, celery, green leafy vegetables, sprouts, dairy products, sardines, salmon, soya foods, nuts and seeds. Avoid too much salt as it carries away calcium in your urine.

   Also you need to get some sunshine to get vitamin D without which you will not be able to absorb the calcium you eat into the body.