Calories

Incipient health crisis

2011-08-13T13:16:00.000-07:00

Fat Kiwis are forcing a looming health crisis as we bulge to United States levels of obesity, experts say.

A dozen medical specialists have penned an open letter blaming the "incipient health crisis" on cuts to healthy eating and obesity-prevention programmes.

New Zealanders' bulging waistlines are putting huge pressure on the burgeoning health system and causing more deaths.

Otago University public health researcher Associate Professor Louise Signal, the letter's lead writer, said the average New Zealander was now expected to be 7kg heavier than they were in 1989.

"We are just condemning our children and ourselves to feeling bad about ourselves, poor health, and an early death."

A 2006-07 survey found 63 per cent of Kiwis were overweight or obese. That number was expected to be even larger now. More than a third of children were overweight. Those figures put New Zealand in the same bracket of obesity as the US – one of the fattest countries.

The open letter, published yesterday in the New Zealand Medical Journal, said the direct healthcare costs of obesity were thought to consume up to 7 per cent of the healthcare budget.

"This will balloon out of control if New Zealand's weight gain is not reversed.

"In New Zealand, population approaches to reduce the burden of obesity have been systematically cut in the last three years," the letter says.

The health professionals suggest ways to address the problem. These include a ban on marketing of junk food to children, developing a national nutrition strategy, and ensuring low-income people can afford healthy food.

Meanwhile, demand for weight-loss surgery has boomed.

"There is a desperate need for organised, effective action to address obesity," the letter says.

In response, Health Minister Tony Ryall said: "The Government is doing quite a lot across a range of initiatives."

Although the Healthy Eating Health Action Strategy had its funding reduced, that cash was redirected to other similar programmes, he said.

Each year, $65 million was spent on programmes to keep people active, including one where doctors prescribed healthy food and exercise on top of regular prescriptions.

Better diabetes and cardiovascular services were one of the Government's health targets, and schools were required to promote healthy food and drinks to pupils.

The private sector was also playing its part, Mr Ryall said.

New Zealand broadcasters had limited advertising of children's junk food.

In 2009, Education Minister Anne Tolley removed a ban making schools sell only healthy food and beverages but said they still had to promote healthy options.

Suhagra 100

2011-04-15T07:48:00.001-07:00

Suhagra 100 is a successfully devised formulation which is prominent for its efficacy in treating Erectile Dysfunction which is also commonly known as male impotency. Sildenafil citrate is the main constituent that makes the drug a competent treatment for impotency. Suhagra 100 has its effect on the penile region which helps the ED victim to experience significant hard- on which enables the affected individuals to perform the session of coitus effectively.

Suhagra 100 is a fast acting medication which starts showing its effect in approximately 20 to 30- minutes. Suhagra 100 is an efficient drug which also enables the victim to maintain the achieved rigiodity to a prolonged time as well as the effect of this medication stays in the body for approximately 5 hours, eradicating the need of another pill to re-perform the intimacy act.

Drinking too much alcohol often leads to fuzzy memories

2011-04-07T05:25:00.001-07:00

Drinking too much alcohol often leads to fuzzy memories, lapses in good judgment, and a morning-after sensation that's less than pleasant. "The metabolites of the alcohol are the cause of the nausea, fatigue, and headaches, as well as the general sense of slowing," says Alan Weiss, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic Department of Internal Medicine. "Plus, alcohol is a diuretic and makes you urinate out more fluid than you actually take in. That can lead to dehydration, which makes the alcohol metabolites stay around longer in your system and make the hangover worse and last longer."

You've heard about several ways to make yourself feel better — but what really works? Find out which remedies you should try — and which ones are a waste of time.

Sexual problems

2011-01-06T13:28:00.001-08:00

Men with a variety of sexual problems would love to get all these benefits from a natural product. However, many will still be wondering: "How exactly do these products work?" The most important effect of most male enhancement products is improved blood flow to the penis. As blood enters the penis, it causes the spongy tissues known as the corpora cavernosa (along the shaft) and the corpus spongiosum (around the urethra) to become engorged and swell. It is this engorgement that leads to an erection, and the more blood that flows in the harder and larger the erection will be. Ingredients that can encourage testosterone production and boost libido are typically included to help with arousal, stamina, and other issues.

What Can I Expect From a Male Enhancement Product?

2011-01-06T13:26:00.001-08:00

What Can I Expect From a Male Enhancement Product?

Many men are curious about how a natural male enhancement supplement will affect their body. Since every man is different not everyone will experience the same type or level of results. Typical benefits associated with high-quality supplements, however, include:

    * More impressive erections (improved length and girth)
    * Firmer erections
    * An increase in testosterone production
    * More endurance during sex
    * Improved arousal
    * Enhanced sexual desire
    * Prevention of premature ejaculation

Familial occurrence remains the single strongest factor to account for variation in disease risk

2010-08-22T07:16:00.001-07:00

Familial occurrence remains the single strongest factor to account for variation in disease risk. Genotype-phenotype relationships have been central to many studies of heritable traits. These studies help elucidate that an individual affected with a genetic disease or condition dramatically increases the risk for everyone else in the family. Finding these specific genes proves difficult, hence 'missing heritability '.

This study involving chromosomes substitution strains (CSS) of mice as model organisms tested both the frequency of the affected traits and the strength of their phenotypic effects by observing the genetically inherited phenotypic effects from the father's Y chromosome on female offspring. Because daughters do not inherit their fathers' Y chromosome, any traits that are attributable to the Y must be transgenerational rather than convention! al inheritance. The carefully selected chromosome substitution! method allowed for the control of potentially confounding genetic, social and environmental factors .

"A CSS is made by substituting a single chromosome from a donor strain on an inbred host strain. The resulting strain is identical to the original inbred host strain except for homozygosity for the substituted chromosome"

Daughters (XX) do not inherit the Y chromosome and therefore should not share the phenotype of CSS fathers. However results from this study found that although daughters were genetically identical to females from the host strain, their phenotype is attributed to this transgenerational genetic effect. In this first test for the generality of heritable epigenetic changes, the authors found that the frequency and strength of phenotypic effects resulting from transgenerational and conventional inheritance were comparable in frequency and strength, suggesting that this unconventional mode of inheritance rivals conventional genetics in its impact on biological variation and disease risk.

How Do Neurons Become Excited?

2010-06-09T07:26:00.001-07:00

How Do Neurons Become Excited?
Neurons become excited in response to a stimulus. Sensory neurons
are sensitive to specific stimuli in their surrounding environment. For
example, sensory neurons found in human skin are sensitive to touch,
pain, and change in temperature outside of the body. Meanwhile, sensory
neurons located inside the body are sensitive to pain and changes in tem-
perature inside the body. Sensory receptors in the ears, eyes, nose, and
mouth register sound, light, smell, and taste, respectively. Once these
neurons are excited by a stimulus, the excitability or impulse moves along
that neuron toward the brain, where it is interpreted. Our brain initiates
impulses as well. Some of these impulses travel throughout the brain for
thinking processes and memory recall. Or these impulses may travel away
from the brain toward destinations outside the central nervous system
such as skeletal muscle, the heart, and other organs.

Energy Is Everything

2010-06-06T15:45:00.001-07:00

Energy Is Everything
What Is Energy?
Energy may be best understood as a potential or presence that allows for
some type of work to be performed. Some of energy's more recognizable
forms are heat, light, mechanical, chemical, and electrical energy. Without
energy we simply would not exist. The universe, if it existed at all, would
be a frigid, barren, motionless void.
Energy is neither created nor destroyed, however it can be converted
from one form to another. This means that while the total amount of
energy in the universe remains constant, the quantity of the different
forms can change relative to one another. For instance, you are probably
reading this site by the light of a nearby lamp. The light bulb has a thin
filament inside, which transforms the electrical energy running from the
wall socket and through the cord to the filament in the bulb where it
is converted into two other forms of energy—light and heat. As the fila-
ment illuminates, there is a reduction in electrical energy and an increase
in light and heat energies. So energy is not lost but transformed to other
forms.
A little bit closer to nutrition, food contains chemical energy in the form
of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and alcohol. Once inside our body the
chemical energy of these substances can be transformed into mechanical
energy to power muscular movement and other activities as well as heat
to maintain our body temperature. Furthermore, we can store these
energy molecules when we cannot immediately use them.

Sexual health & exercise

2010-05-19T03:21:00.001-07:00

Sexual health & exercise
From a healthy living and weight loss perspective, please bear in
mind that both sex and exercise have been proven to help
reduce stress.
If you manage to do both on a regular basis, this should help you stay
relaxed and happy. Exercise also helps increase your sexual desire.
Sometimes, if you have put on weight, you may feel less sexy.

This exercise is the precursor to seated or bent-over rows performed in the gym.

2010-05-13T11:26:00.001-07:00

Scapular Retractions/Rows

The muscles between the scapulas (rhomboids) are most responsible for keeping the shoulders in proper alignment. In a seated or standing position, squeeze your shoulder blades together. A maximum contraction will make the shoulder blades touch. Do not shrug your shoulders and do not arch your lower back. Try this exercise to banish back pain in a prone position as well. Place a pillow or a rolled-up towel under your forehead to keep your neck and spine in a straight line. Lift your shoulders off the surface, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then reach for your feet with your fingertips. Squeeze for five seconds and repeat 20 times. This exercise is the precursor to seated or bent-over rows performed in the gym.

Review Augmentin

IODINE This mineral is needed in trace amounts for a healthy thyroid gland

2010-03-30T10:25:00.001-07:00

IODINE This mineral is needed in trace amounts for a healthy thyroid gland, and to help metabolize excess fat.HERBAL SOURCES: Calendula, tarragon leaves, turkey rhubarb.

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Ginseng product Side Effects and Warnings

2010-03-27T09:13:00.001-07:00

Side Effects and Warnings

Ginseng has been well tolerated by most people in scientific studies when used at recommended doses, and serious side effects appear to be rare.

Based on limited evidence, long-term use may be associated with skin rash or spots, itching, diarrhea, sore throat, loss of appetite, excitability, anxiety, depression, or insomnia. Less common reported side effects include headache, fever, dizziness, chest pain, difficult menstruation, heartburn, heart palpitations, rapid heart rate, leg swelling, nausea/vomiting, or manic episodes in people with bipolar disorder.

Consumption of ginseng may increase or and decrease blood pressure. Caution should be used in those with high or low blood pressure or in those taking drugs for either of these conditions.

There is report of seizures after high consumption of energy drinks containing caffeine, guarana, and herbal supplements, including ginseng.

Based on human research, ginseng may lower blood sugar levels. This effect may be greater in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. Use cautiously in patients with diabetes or hypoglycemia, and in those taking drugs, herbs, or supplements that affect blood sugar. Blood glucose levels may need to be monitored by a healthcare provider, and medication adjustments may be necessary.

There are reports of nosebleeds and vaginal bleeding with ginseng use, although scientific study is limited in this area. There is also evidence in humans of ginseng reducing the effectiveness of the "blood thinning" medication warfarin (Coumadin®). Caution is advised in patients with bleeding disorders or taking drugs that may affect the risk of bleeding or blood clotting. Dosing adjustments may be necessary.

Several cases of severe drops in white blood cell counts were reported in people using a combination product containing ginseng in the 1970s; this may have been due to contamination.

Ginseng may have estrogen-like effects and has been associated with reports of breast tenderness, loss of menstrual periods, vaginal bleeding after menopause, breast enlargement (reported in men), difficulty developing or maintaining an erection, or increased "sexual responsiveness." Avoid use of ginseng in patients with hormone sensitive conditions, such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, or endometriosis.

A severe life-threatening rash known as Stevens-Johnson syndrome occurred in one patient and may have been due to contaminants in a ginseng product. A case report describes liver damage (cholestatic hepatitis) after taking a combination product containing ginseng.

High doses of ginseng have been associated with rare cases of temporary swelling of blood vessels in the brain (cerebral arteritis), abnormal dilation of the pupils of the eye or confusion.

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I had lost 2.2 pounds and nearly 2% body fat

2010-03-14T10:47:00.001-07:00

I vowed to enter my 30s in the best shape of my life. But my Lose the Dough challenge has been harder than I thought. I struggled to keep my sweet tooth in check and battled with my pantry to find healthy choices before moving to a new apartment, so the past month hasn't been easy. I also dined out quite a bit over the course of the month, so I didn't think that I would make much progress on the scale—and if I did, it would be in the wrong direction!

So I was admittedly a little scared when I had to check in with my trainer last week.

Here's the shocker: I had lost 2.2 pounds and nearly 2% body fat! I completely exceeded my expectations for the first month! I definitely didn't lay off the dessert, so how could this have happened? Somehow my minor changes added up in a big way. Losing weight has always seemed sort of painful for me—something that requires diligence and commitment. But since I lost weight this month without really trying, maybe I was wrong.

Here are three small changes that lead to big results:

1. I added more strength training to my workouts.
I've always been somewhat consistent with strength training, but this month, I increased my workouts with two 50-minute Body Pump sessions each week. I already feel stronger and muscles that I didn't know I had are starting to show. Plus I lost 2% of my body fat, and I know strength training is responsible for most of that.
no-pain-no-gain-scale

2. I cut down on alcohol.
One of my goals for Lose the Dough was to limit the number of cocktails I consumed in one sitting. Last month, I didn't have more than 2 drinks in an evening— and a couple of nights, I skipped the alcohol all together. I kept in mind that a cocktail was a treat and focused on enjoying it instead of slugging it down. I probably cut hundreds of calories from my diet—and it was completely painless!

3. I viewed dessert differently.
I had a few slipups with overdoing it on desserts, but I took my own advice and cut back on the amount and frequency of dessert that I consumed. I'm surprised that I don't miss it as much as I thought I would!

Small changes really do add up, so I'm actually looking forward to my next weigh in. Wish me luck on Month 2!

Commitment to losing weight

2010-03-14T09:20:00.001-07:00

Once I made a commitment to losing weight and eating healthier food, I realized that the best way to love my body was by making more nutritious choices. Now a funny little habit of mine has made me realize that food is the best way to show those around me that I love them, too.

Monday through Friday, I wake up with my husband at 6 a.m., even though I don't need to be at work for another four hours. It's not because I'm trying to squeeze in a workout or a sunrise yoga session—it's because I like to make him breakfast. Usually it's a big batch of banana oatmeal for the both of us, and I add all the fixings—like wheat berries, almonds, and a dollop of peanut butter. Being a grown man, my husband is more than capable of cooking himself a healthy breakfast, but I really enjoy helping him start his day off on the right foot. Plus, eating our breakfast together is easily my favorite part of the day.

I never considered myself a nurturing person until I started cooking for my husband. In fact, the act of cooking sort of scared me—mostly because I was terrible at it! Growing up, I never really learned to cook. My mom was a single parent, so the majority of our meals were quick and easy convenience meals—Pop Tarts for breakfast, boxed mac 'n' cheese for lunch, and microwavable meals for dinner—which, of course, weren't the most nutritious foods to eat.

But in my mother's defense, she managed to prepare three meals a day for my sister and me, all while holding down two jobs that had her working more than 50 hours per week. We never complained about what my mom made for dinner. If we did, her response was always the same: "I'm not running a restaurant." She made the effort to put something on the table, which we always appreciated.
food-is-love-oatmeal

My mom planted the seed that even if you're short on time, sitting down for a meal—any meal—is a form of bonding. Over the years I've changed the way that I eat—home-cooked meals instead of frozen fare—and I've realized just how much food is love. I used to focus on low-calorie and low-fat foods—typically ones made with artificial ingredients—but I soon learned that they don't make me feel as good as "real" food does. For instance, an apple with lots of fiber and nutrients satisfies me much more than an apple-cinnamon rice cake. Choosing real foods over fake ones makes me feel like I am choosing to treat my body right. Similarly, picking high quality ingredients for my meals also makes me feel like I am taking good care of myself—and now my husband too.

Culprit responsible for Type 2 diabete

2010-03-11T15:36:00.001-08:00

Alterations in our response to the taste or smell of food may be another culprit responsible for Type 2 diabetes, according to scientists at Duke University Medical Center who have identified the specific mechanism in human specimens and in mice.

When we anticipate or smell a meal, the parasympathetic nervous system triggers salivation and increases insulin production in response to the expectation that glucose will be entering the blood stream.

"We think this parasympathetic response is potentially important in type 2 diabetes ," said Vann Bennett, the James B. Duke professor in the departments of cell biology, biochemistry, and neurobiology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. "Our study showed there is a novel mutation in the gene encoding ankyrin-B, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes . This happens through an impairment of the insulin secretion that is added by the parasympathetic nervous system."

The study was released online on Tuesday, March 16 in Science Signaling.

Bennett was the first scientist to delineate a molecule called ankyrin and for years has been studying its roles in the heart and brain, as well as other organ systems. Bennett and colleagues discovered the importance of ankyrin-B in the insulin response and the source of a mutation that could lead to diabetes.

In earlier experiments, the group found that pancreatic beta cells that are ankyrin-B deficient display impaired insulin secretion in mice. Ankyrin-B-deficient mice had high blood sugar after eating a source of glucose, but not if the glucose bypassed the mouse's mouth. These findings indicated that ankyrin-B deficiency impaired the parasympathetic chain of events that enhance insulin secretion and had a measurable impact on blood sugar levels.

The scientists then asked whether mutations involving ankyrin-B loss of function were associated with diabetes in humans. They used the American Diabetes Association's GENNID genetic specimen collection from families with type 2 diabetes to genotype 524 people with diabetes disorders and 498 non-diabetic controls. They were searching for three ankyrin-B mutations that had previously been shown in heart muscle cells to create severe loss of function.

They found that one of these mutations of ankyrin-B (R1788W) was associated with type 2 diabetes in about 1 percent of Caucasian and Hispanic individuals. "Genomewide studies have failed to identify more than a small fraction of the genetic heritability in diabetes as well as in other complex diseases," Bennett said. "There are estimates that only 6 percent of the heritability of type 2 diabetes has been detected, by multiple genomewide studies."

Bennett said this implies there is a large reservoir of genes yet to be identified, that are risk factors in type 2 diabetes. "We are excited by our findings of a specific mutation with a known mechanism because of the potential for personalized treatment of diabetes ," he said. "This particular mutation is likely to play a role in 1 percent of adults with diabetes . We hope our finding will lead to strategies to specifically benefit these individuals."

Support for the study came from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the American Diabetes Association for management of the GENNID database and DNA samples, as well as a pre-doctoral fellowship from the American Heart Association. The National Institutes of Health also supported the study as did the Swedish Council and the Family Erling-Persson Foundation.

Co-authors included lead author Jane A. Healy of the Duke Department of Biochemistry, Kent R. Nilsson, Hans E. Hohmeier and Christopher Newgard, lab director, of the Duke Department of Medicine (Hohmeier and Newargard also are in the Duke Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology and the Sarah W. Stedman Nutrition And Metabolism Center); Jonathan Davis and Janis Hoffman of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute; and Martin Kohler, Luo-Sheng Li and lab director Per-Olof Berggren from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.

http://www.eurekalert.org/bysubject/index.php?kw=104

United States display

2010-02-27T09:14:00.000-08:00

Weight-watchers who swear by the calorie counts that many restaurants in the United States display on their menus, take heed: the numbers don't always tell the truth.

Researchers at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy found that around half the dishes served in popular US restaurants delivered more calories than stated on the menu, with some packing double the stated energy value.

And the researchers found discrepancies in the portion sizes the restaurants said they were serving and the actual size of the meal that showed up on the diner's plate, said the study published in the January edition of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

The researchers analyzed the calorie content of 18 side dishes and main courses from five popular sit-down restaurant chains -- Applebee's, Denny's, Olive Garden, P F Chang's and Ruby Tuesday -- and 11 sides and main courses from fast food restaurants Domino's, Dunkin' Donuts, McDonald's, Taco Bell and Wendy's.

Ten frozen meals bought at supermarkets were also analyzed.

On average, restaurant foods were found to contain 18 percent more calories than what was stated on the menu, and frozen meals averaged eight percent more calories than stated on their packaging.

"Those don't sound like huge numbers but that really adds up over time," said Susan Roberts, the study's lead author.

"It's the difference between maintaining your weight and gaining 10 pounds," she told AFP.

Some of the restaurant items contained more than twice the calories listed on the menu, including P F Chang's Sichuan-style asparagus.

It delivered 558 calories for a 348-gram serving rather than the 260 calories listed on the menu, according to the testing done by the Tufts researchers.

Frozen dinners fared somewhat better, but even there, three meals -- including from Weight Watchers and Lean Cuisine -- delivered around a quarter more calories than stated on the packet.

Restaurant side orders were among the biggest villains, often bringing more calories to the plate, and eventually the waist, than the main food item of a meal.

To illustrate the gravity of the problem, imagine ordering a veggie-cheese omelet at Denny's with a side of dry toast.

The omelet is listed as being a 340-gram serving with 394 calories, but the dish analyzed in the lab by the Tufts team weighed in at 270 grams and 419 calories.

The seemingly innocuous side dish of dry toast was listed as weighing 28 grams and containing 97 calories.

But the dry toast analyzed by the Tufts team was two-and-a-half times heavier, at 72 grams, and packed 283 calories.

"If you're getting 200 calories more, that's the difference between weight loss and no weight loss," Roberts said.

Roberts was inspired to do the study after writing a book called "The 'I' Diet," which took the results of volumes of research she had done during decades as a nutrition scientist and crafted them into a weight-loss program.

"In the process of doing the book I decided to test the scientific menus on myself. I have two menu tracks: one, you cook everything yourself at home, and I did great on that. Lost lots of weight, it was easy.

"Then I switched over to the supermarket track -- no cooking, just pick up the stuff in the supermarket or, if you go out, eat certain meals. Weight loss completely stopped.

"I came into the lab one day and said, 'Something's not right. I don't believe the numbers in these foods.'"

A second study is being set up to delve more deeply into the truth behind the calorie-counts.

Skin dry, scaly, greasy or spotty? Begins to be careful what you eat and drink.

2009-10-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

Water

Your body (including skin) needs 1.5-2.5 liters per day, or about 8-10 large glasses, and dehydration makes the skin dry and irritated. Do not wait to be thirsty before drinking. And remember that you still need more water, if you're in an environment with air conditioning or heating, and especially if you do physical activity.

Source: pure water is the best source, but they count even moderate amounts (2-3 per day) of tea and coffee, in addition to fruit juices. More or less carbonated drinks are not ideal, but you can drink in small quantities.

Iron

2% of men (8% of women) suffer from anemia. A larger number have low iron stores, causing fatigue and weakness. Another little-known symptom of iron deficiency, caused by the fact that he did not take enough, and the itching on the skin.

Source: clams, beef, pork, beef and chicken liver, oysters, mussels, shrimp, sardines and turkey. For vegetarians, legumes, canned, fortified cereals for breakfast, boiled beans and lentils, pumpkin seeds, baked potatoes in their skins and canned asparagus.

Essential fatty acids

Do not remove the fat from the diet in an attempt to avoid the greasy skin. For a healthy skin are the fat, but they must be right, namely the polyunsaturated, not saturated and trans fats that clog arteries and are found in fatty meats and junk food. The outer layer of skin is rich in essential fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6, which keep the skin waterproof. If you are deficient, the skin loses too much water and remains dehydrated.

Source: Omega-3 found in oily fish such as mackerel, salmon, sardines and herring. Are also present in flaxseed and their oils, even if the body is more difficult to exploit than those found in fish oil. For the Omega-6, eat nuts and seeds or their oils.

Those little warning signs that your body sends you when he needs rest. And you must be able to recognize immediately.

2009-10-12T13:33:00.001-07:00

Can not carry on a conversation

It's Saturday night and go out and have fun, yet six distracted, can not remember the name of that girl you have just made or have difficulty in participating in the discussion with your friends forever. And if you do not even go out of your proverbial jokes, it means that your brain has already gone to bed: it is time for you to follow his example.

You sleep at the wheel

From time to time, it could also happen that your view is clouded, for example while you're staring for hours at the computer screen, or you're stuck in an endless meeting. But if you happen when you're driving, and maybe even continue to yawn, then it is only a matter of boredom. In reality, you need more sleep. Consuming drinks that contain caffeine, shoot the music at full volume or pull down the windows (in January) are all solutions that can keep you awake for a short period, but will alert you if you drive long.

Do not you feel good, yet you are not sick

Your immune system is strengthened while you sleep, and if you sleep great difficulty just to protect you. Therefore, in addition to eating foods that fight the flu, at least 7 hours sleep a night, to keep you healthy in every season.

Would you like a hair thick and strong?

2009-10-12T13:26:00.000-07:00

Foods to be included regularly in your diet to keep healthy and strong hair. And - surprise! - Even your muscles

Would you like a hair thick and strong? Works hard in the gym and eats like a true sportsman: "Physical activity increases the blood supply to the muscles as well as to hair, stimulates growth," said Jim White, the American Dietetic Association. "Similarly, the food consumption to increase muscle, are conducive to the health of your scalp." It's not all: if your body absorbs a limited amount of nutrients and sends it automatically to those cells that are essential for survival ... with the cells of your hair that will be among the first to die. So as not to risk more then make sure the right amount of ...
01. Protein

You know that to build muscle you need an adequate amount of protein: the same that you need also to have healthy hair, since they consist primarily of protein.

The best sources: chicken, turkey, beef, eggs, low fat dairy products (cheese, milk, yoghurt).
02. Zinc

Several studies have shown that this mineral can affect the levels of androgens, which are related to hair loss.

The best sources: oysters, nuts (walnuts, cashews, pecans, almonds), beans, beef, lamb.

03. Iron

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic (Ohio) have reviewed 11 studies of the relationship between iron intake and loss of hair, and concluded that low iron levels can lead to baldness. And again according to scientists in Ohio, taking care of the deficiencies of this mineral you could also promote regrowth of hair.

The best sources: lean red meat, turkey, egg yolk, dried beans, dried fruits, whole grains.

2008-11-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

We all want to eat well. Not only healthy food, but The Best food - stuff we actually enjoy eating. To be The Best, a food has to have superhero qualities. It's gotta be able to save the girl, disarm the warhead and look good in tights, if you know what we mean.

SAVE YOUR HEART, NOT THE COW'S
Call it steak, hamburger, anything you want, just as long as you call it healthy. According to research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, as long as it's lean, any cut of beef will have the same effect on your cholesterol as eating chick¬en or fish. And a recent study found that adding protein to a person's diet may actually lower the risk of ischemic heart disease by 26 percent.

HEY CHUMP, EAT LIKE A CHIMP
Bananas are easy for an unsteady stomach to di¬gest, and they contain the В vitamins that are sapped out of your body by excessive alcohol consumption. Restoring your supply is important because you need В vitamins to think clearly. Bananas are also high in fructose, which will help speed the metabolism of alcohol and shorten your hangover.

SERVE FISH TWICE A WEEK
You know that eating salmon helps prevent heart disease. Now there's another reason for the fish to be nervous: It may also protect you from can¬cer. According to a study published in the Amer¬ican Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who con¬sumed two or more servings of fish per week had a 50-60 percent reduction in rates of stomach, colon and pancreatic cancers. The researchers speculate that the fatty acids in fish such as salm¬on and tuna inhibit the growth of cancer cells. We speculate that researchers may inhibit the growth of the tuna and salmon populations.

STOP DRY SKIN - EAT AN APRICOT!
Why slather on your wife or girlfriend's apricot-scented lotion when you can eat the real thing and prevent dry skin from the inside out? Accord¬ing to Dr. Richard Glogau, professor of dermatol¬ogy at the University of California at San Fran¬cisco, it's the vitamin A in apricots that does the trick. "Vitamin A helps your body manufacture more keratin, a substance that protects the skin from the elements," he says. Carrots, cantaloupes and sweet potatoes are also high in vitamin A. Avoid megadose supplements.

THICKEN YOUR HAIR - GRAB A BUNCH OF GRAPES!
To win the war against baldness, you need to beat dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that halts your hair follicles' growth cycle. And the best defense against DHT may be grape seeds. Japanese researchers discovered that when bald mice were treated top¬ically with grape seed extract, it stimulated their hair growth cycle in a manner similar to minoxidil, а к а Rogaine. Credit for the results goes to plant com¬pounds called proanthocyanidins. OK, you' re not a bald mouse. But it couldn 't hurt to take a supplement containing grape seed ex¬tract or include more red grape juice and red-grapes in your diet.

MAKE SCARS DISAPPEAR - SLICE SOME PEPPERS!
If you've suffered a nasty cut, make red bell pep¬pers part of your treatment plan. The extra vita¬min С will enhance the performance of tissue-building amino acids, which in turn will help prevent your gash from healing into an unsightly scar. "Vi¬tamin С is critical to the healing process and es¬pecially scar formation," says Chris Rosenbloom, a professor of nutrition at Georgia State Univer¬sity. Other foods high in vitamin С include kiwis, grapefruit juice and cranberry juice.

PREVENT WRINKLES - EAT SUNFLOWER SEEDS!
You already know that using sunscreen now will help prevent creases on your face later. What you may not know is that vitamin E can buy extra insurance for your mug. This antioxidant helps to combat wrinkle-causing free-radical damage. "Vi¬tamin E will help a sunburn heal faster if your body is stocked up on it," says Cindy Moore of the American Dietetic Association. In addition to eat¬ing avocados, sunflower seeds and whole grains, you can take a daily supplement containing 200 international units of E.

BEETS
Beets are high in folate (folic acid), a vitamin that helps protect against heart disease, stroke and colon cancer. They are also one of the best sources of anticancer antioxidants. Make them snack food. Cut beets into thin slices, top each with a dab of olive oil and fresh herbs and spices, and bake them on a cookie sheet for 30 to 60 minutes at 450e F. Baking intensifies beets' natural sweetness and locks in nutrients that are lost in the water if you boil them.