Monday, December 13, 2010

Dry Fruits Are Healthy 4 Health

Dry Fruits Are Healthy 4 Health

How To Loose Weight

There are many misconceptions in the era of weight loss. Over the years a number of weight loss myths have emerged and this makes the weight loss process a difficult and often unsuccessful process. Weight loss is not a difficult thing to achieve provided that you follow proper, healthy and correct weight loss tips and advice. This article outlines 10 weight loss tips that can help you understand the proper way to loose weight in a fast and healthy way.

Tip 1: Find out how many calories you need.
For instance, you weigh 140 lb and you perform 20 mins of moderate activity every day. BMR of this example = (140 x 15) + (20 x 3.5) = 2100 + 70 = 2170 kcal. BMR minus 500kcal; it would be 2170 - 500 = 1670 kcal. Therefore 1670 kcal is the target in this example to losing 1 lb per week.


Tip 2: Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
Fruits and vegetables are packed with beneficial fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. They fill up your stomach fast so you feel full earlier. They are also low in calories and helps to keep your calorie count low.

Tip 3: Watch for Portion Size.
One serving of pasta means 1/2 cup of cooked pasta. However, most restaurants serve a pasta dish with 4 servings of pasta!!! You do not need to finish and clean off the plate every time. You can simply ask to take home the leftover.

Tip 4: Do not Skip Meals.
Eating small frequent meals help to balance your calorie intake throughout the day and also keeps your blood sugar level balanced. Instead of eating 3 big meals, try to eat 5 - 6 smaller meals throughout the day.

Tip 5: Go for wholesome fresh foods.
If possible, purchase fresh foods and avoid package (processed) and convenient foods such as fast food. Packaged and convenient foods are often higher in sodium and fat content. Many people we spoke to are amazed that they can easily lose weight by packing a home-cooked lunch to work instead of eating out.

Tip 6: Don't be overly-restrictive.
Everyone has his or her favorite treats. Simply allow yourself a little indulgence, but watch out for the frequency and the quantity. Having a small treat once in a while can be rewarding to your weight loss experience. Cutting too much of your favorite treats usually lead to an early relapse.

Tip 7: Understand Food Claims and Labels.
A product labeled with a fat-free claim does not mean that it is low in calories. Similarly a product labeled as low-sugar or low-crab does not mean it is low in fat or calories. Always read the nutrition label on the packaging.

Tip 8: Watch for the sugary drinks.
Juices, soda, cream & sugar in your coffee or tea all add up. Opt for drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. In addition to providing hydration to your body, it will also help you feel full.

Tip 9: Keep a food journal.
Keeping a food journal helps you pin point your eating pattern and will enable you to easily modify it. If possible, have your Registered Dietitian review your journal.

Tip 10: Exercise, period.
Most authorities recommend 30 - 60 minutes of physical activity a day to stay healthy. Also try adding weight-bearing exercises at least 2 times a week. This will help burn some of the unwanted calories.

Diet and Nutrition

What are diet and nutrition?
A person's diet is made up of the food they eat. Nutrition is the way that the food people eat nourishes their bodies.
Good nutrition means your body is getting all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it needs to work at its best level. Eating a healthy diet is your main way to get good nutrition.
Most people know that a balance of good nutrition and physical activity can help them reach and maintain a healthy weight. But the benefits of good nutrition go beyond weight. Good nutrition can also:Improve cardiovascular and other body system functions, mental well-being, school / cognitive performance, and wound healing or recovery from illness or injury.


Does everyone need the same things for good nutrition or a healthy diet?
No—A number of factors impact a person's nutritional and dietary needs.
Different age groups have different nutritional needs, and people's diets should meet those specific needs. For example, an infant needs a different diet and nutrition than a teenager. Likewise, the nutritional needs and diet of a pregnant woman are different than those of an elderly man.
In addition, factors such as a person's height and current weight, current health status, and activity level also affect what kinds of nutrients they need and how much they need.

What are some tips for healthy eating?
Some general tips for healthy eating include:

Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables – Eat fruit that is fresh, frozen, canned, or dried rather than fruit juice for most of your fruit choices. Eat dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, and beans and peas.
Get your calcium-rich foods. Get 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk, or other dairy products, such as yogurt and cheese. You can also try dark green, leafy vegetables, lactose-free milk products, and calcium-fortified foods and beverages for your calcium needs.
Make half your grains whole. Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta every day. Look to see that grains such as wheat, rice, oats, or corn are referred to as "whole" in the list of ingredients.
Go lean with protein. Choose lean meats and poultry. And vary your protein choices with more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.
Know the limits on fats, salt, and sugars. Read the Nutrition Facts label on foods. Look for foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars. Saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol tend to raise "bad" (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood, which in turn increases the risk for heart disease.

How do I know if I'm eating a healthy diet?
In general, a healthy diet—one that gives your body balanced nutrition—includes these actions:
Make smart choices from every food group
Find your balance between food and physical activity
Get the most nutrition out of your calories
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans—a report published every five years by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture—explains how you can accomplish these actions. The report recommends a general diet that can help lead to good health and reduce risk for diseases for people two years and older.

How is physical activity related to diet and nutrition?
Another important part of good nutrition is creating a balance between the food you eat (ENERGY IN) and physical activity (ENERGY OUT).
For ENERGY IN, choose foods and amounts of foods that will help you and your family maintain a healthy weight and provide the nutrients they need while keeping their calories under control.
For ENERGY OUT, get moving! Adults 18 and older need 30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days a week to be healthy; children and teens need 60 minutes of activity a day for their health.
Combine healthy eating with a balance between food and physical activity to improve your overall health.

How is obesity related to nutrition and diet?
Good nutrition requires a balance of food, vitamins, and minerals (from eating a healthy diet) and physical activity. Overweight and obesity can result if things get out of balance—such as eating too much food, not getting enough physical activity, or having too much of one or more nutrients in the diet.

Eyes Health

What are eyes.
Eyes are organs that detect light, and send signals along the optic nerve to the visual and other areas of the brain Complex optical systems with resolving power have come in ten fundamentally different forms, and 96% of animal species possess a complex optical system.
The simplest "eyes", such as those in unicellular organisms, do nothing but detect whether the surroundings are light or dark, which is sufficient for the entrainment of circadian rhythms. From more complex eyes, retinal photosensitive ganglion cells send signals along the retinohypothalamic tract to the suprachiasmatic nuclei to effect circadian adjustment.


Eyes Condition:
Acanthamoeba Keratitis: 
Poor contact lens hygiene often causes this rare but serious eye infection.
Allergies:
Itchy, red, swollen, tearing eyes may mean eye allergies. Get tips for relief.
Amblyopia (Lazy Eye):
Amblyopia usually develops in young children and can mean permanent vision problems if not treated early.
Bell's Palsy:
This condition causes sudden paralysis of one side of the face. Because of inability to blink, you may develop severe dry eye.
Blepharitis: 
Inflammation of the eyelids can cause chronic eye irritation, tearing, foreign body sensation and crusty debris.
Cataracts: 
If you live long enough, you will eventually have cloudy vision from cataracts. Learn about causes and about cataract surgery, which replaces your eye's natural lens with an artifical one.

 Eyes Diseases: 
CMV Retinitis:
About 80 percent of adults have been exposed to the cytomegalovirus (CMV), but it mostly affects people with poor immune systems, such as AIDS patients.
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye):
What you can do about redness, swelling, itching and tearing of pink eye.
Diabetic Retinopathy:
Diabetes causes sight-threatening retinal degradation.
Eye Herpes:
Ocular herpes is a recurrent viral infection that may lead to serious vision loss.
Ocular Hypertension:
High eye pressure has no symptoms, but it is easily detected in an eye exam. Take care of it before it develops into glaucoma.
Retinitis Pigmentosa:
Poor night vision and a narrowing field of vision beginning in childhood herald this rare disorder.
Stargardt's Disease (STGD):
Children and young people can develop Stargardt's disease, often leading to central vision loss.

Vision Problems: 

Astigmatism:
Don't despair: distorted vision is usually correctable with eyeglasses, contacts or surgery.
Double Vision (Diplopia):
Many conditions cause double vision, including stroke and cataracts.
Higher-Order Aberrations (HOAs):
Higher-order aberrations are vision errors causing poor night vision or double images.
Hyperopia (Farsightedness):
Farsighted people can have poor near vision or blurred vision at all distances.
Myopia (Nearsightedness):
Nearsighted people can see fine up close, but distant objects are a blur.
Peripheral Vision Problems:
"Tunnel vision" can have various causes, including glaucoma.
Presbyopia:
Presbyopia means difficulty seeing close up for people 40 and older.

EXAMINATIONS FOR EYE PROBLEMS:
The following are common exams for eye problems that your eye doctor or healthcare provider may perform on you:

Fluorescein or Rose Bengal staining: 
To perform this exam, your eye care professional or healthcare provider may put special eye drops into your eyes. Using a special light, they can see if there are any problems with the surface of your eyes. This may be done if eye prlblems include having eye pain, trauma, or a feeling of itchy eyes.

Ophthalmoscopy: 
This is when your healthcare provider uses an ophthalmoscope, to look at the back of your eye. They can see the structures of the eye, such as the lens, retina, blood veins and vessels. Your healthcare practitioner may do this in the office, whenever you notice any eye problems.

Pupil dilation:
The pupil is widened with special eye drops, to allow your healthcare provider or eye care professional to look more closely at the back of your eye.

Tonometry: 
This test is performed when the examiner wants to check the fluid pressures in the eye. It may be using a manual, hand-held device, or a more modern machine that blows a "puff" of air into your eye. Increased pressure in your eye may be a sign of glaucoma.

Visual acuity test: 
Your eye examiner will use a chart to test how well you can see at different distances. This test may be performed when you are getting new glasses or contact lenses.

Things you can do about eye problems:

  • To prevent or treat a blockage of the eye's drainage system: If you have a history of sinus infections, this may cause a blockage in your eye's drainage system. Make sure to seek healthcare advice if you think you are developing a sinus infection, and take oral antibiotics, if your healthcare provider suggests. 
  • Use warm compresses to help your eye to drain, if you have any type of eye infection. 
  • Surgery may be recommended for your eye problems if there is an extensive blockage. This also depends on many factors, including your health condition, and the location of the blockage. Discuss this with your healthcare provider. 
  • If you have tearing as a result of allergies of irritants in the air, try to eliminate them from your work or home environment. An air cleaner may be necessary. 
  • If you have a dry eye syndrome, ointments or artificial tears may help.

Health Facts - 1

  1. The average red blood cell lives for 120 days.
  2. There are 2.5 trillion (give or take) of red blood cells in your body at any moment. To maintain this number, about two and a half million new ones need to be produced every second by your bone marrow. That's like a new population of the city of Toronto every second.
  3. Considering all the tissues and cells in your body, 25 million new cells are being produced each second. That's a little less than the population of Canada - every second !
  4. A red blood cell can circumnavigate your body in under 20 seconds.
  5. Our blood is on a 60,000-mile journey.
  6. Nerve Impulses travel at over 400 km/hr (25 mi/hr).
  7. Our heart beats around 100,00 times every day.
  8. Our eyes can distinguish up to one million color surfaces and take in more information than the largest telescope known to man.
  9. Our lungs inhale over two million liters of air every day, without even thinking. They are large enough to cover a tennis court.
  10. We give birth to 100 billion red cells every day.
  11. When we touch something, we send a message to our brain at 124 mph.
  12. We exercise at least 30 muscles when we smile.
  13. We are about 70 percent water.
  14. We make one liter of saliva a day.
  15. Our nose is our personal air-conditioning system: it warms cold air, cools hot air and filters impurities.
  16. In one square inch of our hand we have nine feet of blood vessels, 600 pain sensors, 9000 nerve endings, 36 heat sensors and 75 pressure sensors.
  17. We have copper, zinc, cobalt, calcium, manganese, phosphates, nickel and silicon in our bodies.
  18. It is believed that the main purpose of eyebrows is to keep sweat out of the eyes.
  19. A person can expect to breathe in about 40 pounds of dust over his/her lifetime.

Yoga And Health


Yoga is an ancient science, which leads to healthy body, peaceful mind, joyous heart and liberated soul. Whether you pursue yoga as a spiritual path or for its psycho-physiological benefits, yoga is a methodology for developing a deeper experience of your self and the world. And it makes you feel really good.Yoga makes you feel better. Practicing the postures, breathing exercises and meditation makes you healthier in body, mind and spirit.Yoga lets you tune in, chill out, shape up -- all at the same time.
For many people, that's enough of an answer. But there's more if you're interested.
For starters, yoga is good for what ails you. And that's just the surface stuff. In fact, most of the benefits mentioned above are secondary to yoga's original purpose. According to the yogis, true happiness, liberation and enlightenment comes from union with the divine consciousness known as Brahman, or with Atman, the transcendent Self.
The various yoga practices are a methodology for reaching that goal. In Hatha yoga, for example, postures and breathing exercises help purify the mind, body and spirit so the yogi can attain union.Pranayama breathing exercises help clear the nadis, or channels, that carry prana the universal life force, allowing prana to flow freely. When the channels are clear and the last block at the base of the spine has been opened, Kundalini rises through the spine, through the central channel called the sushumna-nadi, and joins the crown chakra.
 According to the tradition, the release of Kundalini leads to enlightenment and union. Yoga gives us control of ourselves. It helps cut through the layers of miss-identities that arise in response to our actions, experiences and feelings. It calms the frenzy,clears the clutter and allows us to get back in touch with ourselves.Specifically, research shows that yoga helps manage or control anxiety, arthritis, asthma, back pain, blood pressure, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue, depression, diabetes, epilepsy, headaches, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, stress and other conditions and diseases. What more Yoga:
  • Lowers fat.
  • Boosts self esteem.
  • Improves circulation.
  • Reduces stress and tension.
  • Stimulates the immune system.
  • Improves concentration & creativity.
  • Creates sense of well being and calm.
  • Improves muscle tone, flexibility, strength and stamina.
  • Postures and breathing exercises help purify mind, body & spirit.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Copper Benefits



Our skin, bones and brain benefit greatly from copper. Here’s how it can be beneficial to us:

Helpful component
Many are aware of the importance of iron in preventing anaemia, but few know that copper, also plays a critical role. Without small amounts of copper circulating in the body, iron cannot be absorbed from the intestinal tract or released from its storage sites in the liver and elsewhere.

The healing agent
Copper is an essential ingredient in the making of melanin — the ***ment that is responsible for your skin and hair colour. It is also necessary in the formation of collagen. Copper deficiency leads to white patches.

Strong bones
Copper compounds are used in the treatment of numerous conditions characterised by arthritic changes, osteoporosis and inflammations.

Brain and nerve power
Copper is needed to build and maintain myelin, the protective sheath of nerves. It is also needed for the development of the brain from the embryonic stage.

Required dosage
The required copper intake, as per WHO standards is 0.4 to 2.0 mg per day for children and 1.5 to 3.0 mg per day for adults. It should not exceed 10mg a day.

Dietary source
The best source of copper for vegetarians lies in whole grains, nuts, raisins, lentils, chocolates, all cereals, potatoes, dark green vegetables, papaya, apples etc. Shellfish and red meat should be consumed by non-vegetarians .

10 Essential Health Tips

(The Basics to Practice Every Day)
"He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything." -Arabian Proverb

1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!

2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!

3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.

4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.

5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: 'Smoke gets in your eyes'…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants….hum the tune daily.

6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.

7 . Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body's boss.

8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can't be unhappy when you're smiling or singing.

10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.