Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Create Healthy Habbits for Healthy Kids

 
Children need exercise and excellent nutrition for physical and mental development. Fortunately, your concern and care for your child will help you ensure he has adequate time to play, exercise and eat healthy foods. Whether your child is toddler, preschooler or school-aged, it is never too late to help him learn to love being physically active and enjoy a nutritious diet.

Importance

Exercise, in the form of running on the playground, playing in your backyard or participating in organized sports can help you child avoid putting on excess weight due to a sedentary lifestyle. Likewise, proper nutrition also benefits your child's weight as healthy foods fill your child up, help him avoid fast foods and give him the nutrients he needs for healthy skin, bone, teeth and brain development. An overweight child risks developing type 2 diabetes as a child, heart disease as he ages and even a shorter life expectancy, according to the American Heart Association.

More than 30 percent of 2- to 19-year-old children are overweight or obese, and slightly fewer than 10 percent of babies and toddlers weighed in the top 5 percent of the infant and toddler growth charts, according to a January 2010 study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." In the last 10 years, the obesity weight among children has remained relatively steady, except with boys, whose numbers have risen slightly. Both excess food intake and lack of physical activity throughout the day most likely contributes to the large number of overweight, and obese adolescents and children.

Nutrition

Good nutrition for your child is similar to an adult's, as her body needs the same nutrients as you do, just in slightly different quantities. Toddlers up to age 4 need up to 1,400 calories a day. Boys and girls aged 4 to 8 years old need up to 1,800 and 2,000 calories, respectively and girls between 9 and 13 need between 1,400 and 2,200 calories a day, dependent on activity level. Boys who are 9 to 13 require 1,600 to 2,600 calories a day. In the teenage years, girls can eat up to 2,400 calories and boys up to 3,200 calories, if they are very active. In all calorie levels, children older than 3 need 45 percent to 65 percent of calories from carbohydrates, up to 30 percent protein and about 30 percent of calories from fat.
 
Exercise
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines for children recommend at least one hour of exercise or sustained movement each day. Fortunately, the natural inclination of many children is to enjoy physical activity, making increasing his physical activity minutes relatively simply. To meet the guidelines, sign him up for after-school sports, take him to the playground or park to run around after lunch, join a parent-child exercise class or try new physical activities as a family such as hiking, cross-country skiing or biking.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Settling The Soy Controversy

You hear so many things about soy products now days, it gets confusing. I found this article that explains and agrees with a lot other articles I have read, this one is from Dr. Neal Barnard.
Soy products are remarkably versatile. Manufacturers have found ways to turn them into soymilk, veggie burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, yogurt--you name it. One day, they'll probably turn soy into snow tires.
Because soy products are so widely consumed, some people have raised the question as to whether they are safe. The biggest question mark was whether they affect the risk of breast cancer and, for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, whether they would help or harm their chances for survival.
After years of research, science is weighing in. Here is what the studies show:
Cancer Prevention and Survival
Women who include soy products in their routines are less likely to develop breast cancer, compared with other women. In January 2008, researchers at the University of Southern California found that women averaging one cup of soymilk or about one-half cup of tofu daily have about a 30 percent less risk of developing breast cancer, compared with women who have little or no soy products in their diets (1). However, to be effective, the soy consumption may have to occur early in life, as breast tissue is forming during adolescence (2-3).
What about women who have already been diagnosed with breast cancer? A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2009 shows that soy products may reduce the risk of recurrence (4). In a group of 5,042 women previously diagnosed with breast cancer who were participating in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study over a four-year period, those who regularly consumed soy products, such as soymilk, tofu, or edamame, had a 32 percent lower risk of recurrence and a 29 percent decreased risk of death, compared with women who consumed little or no soy. An accompanying editorial suggested that inconsistencies in prior research may be attributable to the comparatively low soy consumption in the United States, making beneficial effects harder to identify (5).
Why should soy products reduce cancer risk? Most research has zeroed in on phytoestrogens found in soybeans (phyto means "plant"). These compounds are in some ways similar to the estrogens (female sex hormones) in a woman's bloodstream, but are much weaker. Some have suggested that phytoestrogens attach to the estrogen receptors in a woman's body, blocking her natural estrogens from being able to attach and stopping estrogen's cancer-inducing effects.
By analogy, the estrogens in a woman's body are like jumbo jets that have landed at an airport. Phytoestrogens are like small private planes that are occupying the Jetways, blocking the jumbo jets from attaching. This explanation is probably overly simplistic, but it may serve to illustrate how soy's weak hormonal compounds can have beneficial effects.
Fibroids
Soy products may reduce the risk of fibroids, knots of muscle tissue that form within the thin muscle layer that lies beneath the uterine lining. A study of Japanese women found that the more soy women ate, the less likely they were to need a hysterectomy, suggesting that fibroids were less frequent (6). In a study of women in Washington State, soy did not seem to help or hurt, perhaps because American women eat very little soy, compared with their Japanese counterparts (7). What did have a big effect in this study were lignans, a type of phytoestrogens found in flaxseed and whole grains. The women consuming the highest amounts of these foods has less than half the risk of fibroids, compared with the women who generally skipped these foods. So, again, phytoestrogens seem beneficial, countering the effects of a woman's natural estrogens, although in this case the benefit comes from foods other than soy.
Soy and Male Hormones
How about men? Although compounds in soy products have been likened to very weak female hormones, they have no adverse effects on men and may actually help them prevent cancer. A meta-analysis to be published in Fertility and Sterility, based on more than 50 treatment groups, showed that neither soy foods nor isoflavone supplements from soy affect testosterone levels in men (8). An analysis of 14 studies, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that increased intake of soy resulted in a 26 percent reduction in prostate cancer risk (9). Researchers found a 30 percent risk reduction with nonfermented soy products such as soy milk and tofu.
Thyroid Health
Clinical studies show that soy products do not cause hypothyroidism (10). However,
soy isoflavones may take up some of the iodine that the body would normally use to make thyroid hormone (11). The same is true of fiber supplements and some medications. In theory, then, people who consume soy might need slightly more iodine in their diets (iodine is found in many plant foods, and especially in seaweed and iodized salt.) Also, a note for people with hypothyroidism: Soy products may reduce the absorption of medicines used to treat the condition (10). People who use these medicines should check with their healthcare providers to see if their doses need to be adjusted.
Other Health Effects
Soy products appear to reduce low density lipoprotein ("bad") cholesterol (12). They may also reduce the risk of osteoporosis-related hip fractures. In a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, women who consumed at least one-fourth cup of tofu per day averaged a 30 percent reduction in fracture risk (13).
Protein: A Little Goes a Long Way
Many soy products are high in protein. Manufacturers have exploited this fact, packing isolated soy protein into shakes and turning it into meat substitutes. But some have raised the concern that pushing protein intake too high--from any source--might not be wise. The concern is that an overly high protein intake may boost the amount of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) in the bloodstream (14), a phenomenon known to occur with cow's milk (15). High IGF-I levels are linked to higher cancer risk. Some reassurance comes from the fact that soy intake is linked to lower, not higher, cancer risk, and simple soy products, such as tempeh, edamame, or soynuts, are unlikely to affect IGF-I levels, in any case.
In summary, evidence to date is reassuring. Soy products may reduce the risk of breast cancer and breast cancer recurrence. They do not appear to have adverse effects on male hormone function or on the thyroid gland, but may reduce the absorption of thyroid medications.
Having said that, soy products are certainly not essential. Many people who start a healthful vegan diet, as I and many other doctors recommend, seem to feel they must have soy products. But the fact is, a vegan diet can follow a Mediterranean tradition, focusing on vegetables, fruits, beans and pasta. Or it might follow a Latin American tradition of beans, rice, and corn tortillas. Soy products come from an Asian tradition with many healthful delights and the most enviable health statistics on record. So soy is handy, but it is certainly not essential. If you choose to include soy products in your routine, you'll have science on your side.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/neal-barnard-md/settling-the-soy-controve_b_453966.html

Monday, September 17, 2012

List of High Alkaline Vegetables


I found this link with alkaline veggies...great info:
List of High Alkaline Vegetables
Photo Credit spinach image by Ramon Grosso from Fotolia.com
High alkaline vegetables are included in each of the US Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid's vegetable subgroups. Eating alkaline-rich foods, such as vegetables and fruits, helps neutralize the excess acid that builds up in the body as a result of eating an abundance of meat, poultry and dairy products. Consuming more vegetable proteins and less animal proteins may decrease the risk of bone loss and fracture, especially in postmenopausal women, according to the online synopsis of "Building Bone Vitality," a 2009 book that discusses risk factors and preventive measures for osteoporosis.

Grasses and Sprouts

The vegetables with the overall highest alkalinity are grasses and sprouts. Raw foods are more alkalizing than cooked foods, which tend be acidifying. You can use sprouts raw in salads or blend grasses into your smoothies for an alkaline boost. Some of these vegetables are wheat grass, alfalfa grass, barley grass, soy sprouts and sprouted radish seeds.

Dark Green Vegetables

A healthy diet should consist of a higher percentage of alkaline-forming foods than acid-forming foods, according to a 2007 Tufts University study titled "Bone Health In The Elderly" that suggests protein's positive effects on lean muscle may be increased when you eat a vegetable-rich diet. Spinach and fresh endive are the most alkaline-rich leafy green vegetables. Other good choices to raise alkalinity are broccoli, romaine lettuce, escarole, kale and Brussels sprouts. Greens, such as dandelion, chard, collard, and mustard are highly alkaline as well.

Orange Vegetables

For an alkaline boost, choose orange vegetables, such as sweet potato, carrot, acorn or butternut squash and pumpkin. Orange vegetables are not only alkaline-forming, they are rich in beta-carotene, which helps the body create vitamin A, contributing to good vision and a healthy immune system.

Root Vegetables

One of the most alkalizing foods is the summer black radish, which is most beneficial when eaten raw and unpeeled. Red radishes, turnips, beets and parsnips are also high alkaline root vegetables.

Legumes

Some legume products raise the alkaline level in your system and help neutralize the acid. These include tofu, fresh soybeans, lima beans, white navy beans, green beans and green peas. Other foods in the legume or bean and pea family are more acidic than alkaline. If you eat too many acidic or acid-forming foods, your body begins to leach calcium from your bones to balance the pH levels in your system.

Other Vegetables

Asparagus, onions and garlic are high alkaline vegetables. Also alkaline-rich are
okra, artichokes and zucchini. Tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers and avocado are
alkalizing fruits that are sometimes classified as vegetables.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Health Benefits of Rosemary

Rosemary is so easy to grow and has great health benefits besides adding flavor to your food. Here is an article a I found about the great benefits of rosemary.

Herbs and Spices are Some of the
Top Antioxidant Foods


It's a little-known fact that herbs (and spices) such as rosemary have far greater concentrations of antioxidants than any common fruit or vegetable. Herbs also contain a particularly wide variety of antioxidants as well, making them one of the top antioxidant foods around.
Antioxidants are nutrient compounds found in virtually all plant foods (and also manufactured in your body). The primary job of antioxidants is to protect your cells against the oxidative stress caused by free radicals, considered to be the primary cause of the aging process.
Protecting yourself against free radicals with antioxidants is the most effective way to reduce the risk of many health problems associated with aging. The benefits of antioxidants include powerful protection against all types of degenerative diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, macular degeneration, Alzheimer's disease, and many more.
Antioxidants work together, synergistically, and each one has its own specific characteristics and benefits. One antioxidant may work in places in the body where another one can't go, and neutralize free radicals that other antioxidants miss. Therefore, getting the widest variety of antioxidants is just as important as how much of any one antioxidant you get. See my page on How Do Antioxidants Work? to learn more about this.

Adding more herbs and spices to your diet
greatly increases the variety of antioxidants that
you get from your diet, and is one of the most
effective measures you can take against
disease and premature aging.

Specific Health Benefits of Rosemary

Improved Mental Capacity. Rosemary has been shown to increase the blood flow to the head and brain, improving concentration. It stimulates mental activity and is a good remedy for depression and mental fatigue, and can relieve some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Inhaling rosemary oil can lift your spirits immediately.
Respiratory Problems. The benefits of rosemary oil in treating respiratory problems are well known. Rosemary oil gives relief from respiratory allergies, cold, throat congestion, sore throat and flu. Since rosemary oil is antiseptic it is effective for respiratory infections as well. Rosemary also contains anti-inflammatory properties that may make it useful for reducing the severity of asthma attacks.
Indigestion. The benefits of rosemary oil are often used for indigestion, flautulence and stomach cramps. Rosemary can be added to meat dishes as it helps in digesting these, especially lamb, beef and pork. It does this by causing the gallbladder to produce greater quantities of bile. Rosemary suppresses symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome such as flatulence and intestinal cramping.
Cancer Prevention. Another health benefit of rosemary extract is an ability to protect the body from certain carcinogens such as alfatoxin and help defuse carcinogens through the liver. Research is also being carried out to study its potential in treating various types of caners including colon, stomach, breast and lung cancer. Rosemary has also been shown to protect DNA from cancerous-causing chemicals.
Other Health Benefits of Rosemary. A daily dose of rosemary extract in liquid form can improve kidney function significantly. Other claimed health benefits of rosemary oil include its usage for disorders in menstrual cramps, peptic ulcer, urine flow, prostrate, gall bladder, intestine, cataract, heart and sperm mobility. Rosemary acts as a fungicide by killing candida yeast and destroying any yeast-infected cells.
Read more: http://www.antioxidants-for-health-and-longevity.com/health-benefits-of-rosemary.html

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Milk thistle benefits

Milk thistle benefits

Milk thistle benefits
Milk thistle benefits. Image source: Flickr
Information on Milk Thistle
Milk thistle was approved as a remedy for liver diseases in 1986. but it has been used for the treatment of certain ailments ever since the times of some ancient European civilizations. It is very efficient in protecting the liver and treating various medical conditions such as viral hepatitis, liver poisoning, cirrhosis, alcoholic fatty liver and alcoholic hepatitis. It is the only known treatment option for those who suffer from Amanita mushroom poisoning. It also protects the liver from the harmful effects of certain types of medications as well. Silymarin which consists of flavonolignands is the active ingredient contained in milk thistle, and it is that ingredient which is responsible for most health benefits this remedy provides. It repairs the liver cells and prevents the toxic substances from entering the liver. Silymarin is also known for its very potent antioxidant properties. Milk thistle  is also very efficient in relieving the symptoms of the inflammatory bowel syndrome, treating psoriasis, stimulating the flow of breast milk in breastfeeding women, reducing the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood and preventing certain types of cancer.
Health Benefits of Milk Thistle
Milk thistle is among the best remedies for numerous different types of liver oriented medical conditions such as alcoholic liver disease and cirrhosis. These are very serious medical conditions which are known for causing significant damage to the liver. Some sources also claim that milk thistle can be helpful to a certain degree when it comes to treating viral hepatitis. Silymarin contained in milk thistle has very potent antioxidant properties and it can be of great help in preventing cervical cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. Milk thistle can also be very beneficial when it comes to reducing the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood and increasing the levels of good cholesterol in the blood at the same time. Milk thistle may also come in very handy because it reduces the harmful effects which are sometimes associated with chemotherapy, radiation and certain prescribed chemical drugs. Silymarin is an efficient antidote to numerous types of poisoning and similar medical conditions as well. Milk thistle can also be of great help for all those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, gallstones, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, cholesterol problems, cancers, skin acne and numerous other medical conditions. Milk thistle leaves can be cooked and used in salads. Milk thistle can be consumed in tinctures, capsules and teas.
http://ic.steadyhealth.com/milk_thistle_benefits.html

Monday, September 10, 2012

Parabens Contributing to Breast Cancer


Are Cosmetic Chemicals – Parabens Contributing to Breast Cancer – Including Men?

According to a study published in Breast Cancer Research, it is suggested that male breast cancer has been on the rise for the past 15 years.  A study in the 2004 Journal of
Toxicology, 
found that “18 out of 20 breast tumors contained significant concentration of parabens.”  This study did not conclude a link between them and cancer; however, it raises red flags.  Most people are unaware of what a paraben is and what products actually contain them.  If finding significant levels of parabens in breast tumors have been found, this would logically lead us to ask many questions such as:  What are parabens?  Are they harmful?  In what products are they found?  Are their alternative products that don’t contain them?
What are parabens?
A paraben is a synthetic chemical preservative that is used in wide variety of personal care and cosmetic products.  They prevent the growth of bacteria and also help products to last  longer on the shelf.  One report estimates that they are used in over 13,200 products on the market today.   Before being altered, they actually are formed from an acid (p-hydroxy-benzoic acid) found in raspberries and blackberries.
What kinds of products contain parabens?
They are found in facial and body cosmetics, skin care products, hand and body soaps, shampoos, conditioners, sunscreens, colognes, perfumes, and under arm deodorants and antiperspirants. Most of the popular brands of the products generally listed above contain parabens.  You can see parabens in products that are labeled many different ways.  According  to the FDA, methylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben are commonly used in cosmetics. Isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben and benzylparaben are other types of parabens.
Are they harmful?
The verdict is still out.  No study has conclusively related parabens to cancer or other health problems.  It has been noted that parabens have an estrogenic effect on the body, binding to receptor sites that normally are reserved for estrogen, which could have a harmful effect on the endocrine system of both men and women.  If these sites were reserved for estrogen and are replaced by something else, is this a good thing?  From a general health point of view, many people are sick today because their bodies are overloaded and overwhelmed with exposure to toxic substances.  Our bodies are bombarded with toxic chemcials everyday and parabens are just another chemical preservative we have to contend with.  If we put this on our bodies every day, it can add up with thirty or forty years of exposure.  A good rule of thumb is to avoid most everything that is not natural, altered in a laboratory or isolated in large amounts for a specific purpose.
Organic products from companies you can trust are recommended
When we begin to chemically alter nature or move away from nature is when we can start getting into trouble.  Parabens may be one very small factor in a larger pool of other factors that all help to contribute to health issues.  Avoiding preservatives, whether in cosmetics, other health personal health care products and food is a good lifestyle choice.  Many organic health products exist that don’t contain parabens or other chemicals.  Ultimately, your health is in your hands and you should make your own informed choice.
http://www.saltroommillenia.net/2012/07/are-cosmetic-chemicals-parabens-contributing-to-breast-cancer-including-men/

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Rebounding Health Benefits

Rebounding is a great exercise for the entire body, especially the lymphatic system.

 Rebounding involves jumping on a mini-trampoline; this promotes circulation. The body contains 5-6 quarts of blood, which is circulated by the heart. But without the lymphatic system, the body cannot effectively eliminate toxins. Exercising on a rebounder for 5-20 minutes at a time will promote the flow of lymph, thereby eliminating toxins.

Poor lymph flow is common in sedentary people; this is one reason why less active individuals are more susceptible to illness. Sedentary people who live on junk food are often unwell because the body sends all the toxins and waste to the lymphatic system. The lymph flow is poor due to a lack of exercise, so toxins accumulate in the body.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/027719_mini-trampoline_lymph.html#ixzz25d3iFVyj



 Watch this great video explaining the health benefits of Rebounding. You don't have to jump high or do more than 5 min if you are not able. You will still get the great benefits even with a short time and small bounce.
http://youtu.be/D0th5xUMSz0
 

Monday, September 3, 2012

The Lemon Ginger Blast Smootie

 The Lemon Ginger Blast Smootie


The Lemon Ginger Blast

Description

Are you ready to rock the green mustache? It's juice week over at Rawfully Organic and Kristina has given us a great recipe for a non-sweet green juice with plenty of minerals and a great kick of flavor from ginger, lemon and cilantro. Fuel up and live a life of passion!

Ingredients

Half Head of Romaine
Italian Parsley
3-4 Leaves of Kale
3-4 Stalks of Celery
1 Cucumber
Juice of 2-3 Lemons
Bunch of Cilantro
Large Thumb of Ginger

http://www.rawfoodrecipes.com/recipes/the-lemon-ginger-blast.html

Recipe by:

Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram



Get more recipes on my Face Book Page:
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