Why You Really SHOULD Eat An Apple A Day!
cancer, aging, hair loss prevention, reduce cholesterol, colon health
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The beginning of autumn means that we're entering apple season. Apples have been a staple of healthy eating for many years, and the often-repeated line of an apple a day keeping the doctor away is far from a myth. Apples really do have a wonderful variety of nutritional benefits, and are a tasty addition to any diet of good health and longevity.
Of all of the fruits we eat, apples are the best source of pectin, a natural fiber that has several health benefits. Apples also contain phytochemicals, quercetin, tannins, and antioxidants, all of which have different healthy properties. Below is a list of the top five benefits of making apples a standard part of your daily diet.
1. Apples improve the bowels. Pectin is a source of dietary fiber and a very handy nutrient to have in one's diet. While it is also found in citrus fruits, plums, and other fruits, apples have the highest concentration of them all. Pectin works to increase the stool's volume and resistance of fluids and is therefore helpful in treating constipation, diarrhea, and generally improving the health of the bowels. Studies have also found that apple pectin reduces the incidence of colon tumors, and that has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of colon cancer.
2. Apples lower cholesterol. A study on nutrition and heart disease found that eating three apples a day for three months can help you to drop your cholesterol by at least 20 points. How does this happen? Apple pectin, that miraculous source of dietary fiber, helps to draw bad LDL cholesterol out of the system. Not only that, but the antioxidant quercetin that is found in apples inhibits the LDL cholesterol from even accumulating in the body's bloodstream. When it comes to lowering one's cholesterol, apples provide a cocktail of nutritional benefits that are hard to pass up.
3. Apples reduce the risk of cancer. Apples do not stop at merely preventing colon cancer. The high amounts of querceti... read entire entry
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on 10/2/2008
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30.9
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Maintaining a healthy environment is important, too! Happy Earth Day!
earth day, environmental health, awareness, appreciation
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Here are some ways in which you (and your family/friends) can make Earth Day a true celebration:
1. Spend time outdoors. Whether you’re in the country, suburbs or an urban setting, make a point to spend some time outdoors. This may be your own backyard, a local park or reserve, or the botanical gardens. If you can, my vote would be to go somewhere special and beautiful in order to bypass the contempt of the familiar and to support an experience of appreciation and awe.
2. Check out a local fair. As the importance of taking care of the planet is becoming more a part of mainstream awareness, the number of green festivals and fairs across the country is increasing. Check out your local paper or bulletin board to see if there’s one in or near your town. It could be educational and fun for all.
3. Make a special meal using locally produced ingredients. Explain to your children where the products are grown, helping them to realize that food doesn’t “come from” stores. If the weather’s pleasant, a visit to a local farm might make a good outing.
4. Express thanks. At mealtime, have each person express something for which they’d like to thank the Earth.
5. Do something hands-on:
Plant a tree or a native plant. To find out which trees are indigenous to your area and where the best places are to plant them, contact your local Department of Forestry.
Clean up a room in your home, finding anything that can be recycled or donated for reuse. Don’t stop there. Actually dispose of items appropriately and celebrate with a yummy homemade treat.
Join a community project. Many communities have activities celebrating Earth Day in which your families can participate in helping to clean-up, conserve or preserve the health of your local environment. Where I live a river runs through our entire city. I joined a small group of volunteeers, and together we cleaned up a one-mile st... read entire entry
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on 4/22/2008
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11.3
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Smile If You Want To Be Healthy
oral health, heart disease, gums, prevention, dentists
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Yeah, a positive attitude is a sign of a healthy person, but that's not what this post refers to. Did you know that poor oral hygiene can compromise your overall health?
The Importance of Oral Health to Overall Health
Oral health means more than just an attractive smile. Poor oral health and untreated oral diseases and conditions can have a significant impact on quality of life. And in many cases, the condition of the mouth mirrors the condition of the body as a whole. Recent reports indicate a relationship between periodontal (gum) disease and stroke, heart disease and preterm low-birth-weight babies. Likewise, more than 90 percent of all systemic diseases have oral manifestations, meaning your dentist may be the first health care provider to diagnose a health problem.
What problems can poor oral health cause?
According to the Surgeon General's report on oral health in America, released in 2000, a large percentage of the population suffers from a reduced quality of life due to oral and facial pain. This pain is largely due to infections of the gums that can lead to tooth loss. More than 75 percent of the population is affected by some type of gum disease.
Reports show that infections in the mouth can affect major organs. For example, oral bacteria can travel through the bloodstream to the heart, where they can cause bacterial endocarditis, a condition in which the lining of the heart and heart valves become inflamed. Poor mouth care also can contribute to oral cancer. In addition, poor oral health affects the digestive process, which begins with physical and chemical activities in the mouth.
What symptoms of other diseases show up in the mouth?
Mouth tissues reflect symptoms of other problems throughout the body. In addition, many diseases can be diagnosed in their early stages... read entire entry
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on 4/10/2008
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13.4
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Healthy Diet Tips for Busy Women (no offense, guys, but we're the ones with the extra layer of fat)
women, health, diet, protein, supplements
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The following healthy eating tips will help you feel great, look great, carry out every-day activities better and empower you to keep it up for many years to come.
Poor health for most women is the build up of poor life-long nutrition choices and the lack of exercise, both cardiovascular and weight exercise. If you make good choices now and exercise on a regular basis, you're less likely to become a strain on the health system years later.
And it’s been proven over and over for many years that women who do make these good choices tend to be healthier and live longer.
You’ve probably heard most nutritionists say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And it is because if you eat breakfast you’ll not only gain fuel for a high-energy and productive day, but you’ll also have a tendency to make better food choices during the remainder of the day.
The mistake most women make when making a choice for breakfast is to just eat cereal. And it doesn’t help with all of the commercials out their telling us that cereal is all you need.
Yes, cereals rich in fiber like bran flakes, oat bran, all-bran, and raisin bran are very healthy for you. And most types of cereal with a banana, strawberries, low-fat milk etc are very good for you.
But it's important to know that while they may contain ample carbohydrates, calcium, fiber, other nutrients, are low in fat and easy and quick to make, they don’t contain nearly enough protein.
And it’s the protein that’s more than likely the missing ingredient in your diet.
Your muscles need protein, and cannot function properly without it. Women who attempt to lose fat and/or tone up their muscles, will get the best results when they consume an ample amount of protein with breakfast. But it difficult to get good quality protein during breakfast, unless you were to eat a bunch of eggs and bacon, which of course would lead to a whole ... read entire entry
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on 3/26/2008
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11.4
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