Health Free Articles

By: Jonny Bowden
Theres a lot more to foods than just the nutrition they contain. Some can act as medicines, helping to tame inflammation in the body, or protect cells from DNA damage. Others can act as aphrodisiacs (see number 2 below). Still others can protect your memory.

Superfoods are super precisely because they offer more benefits than what you can find on the nutrition facts label. Every one on this list qualifies!

1.Blueberries

These amazing berries are on anyones list of superfoods. Recent research shows that theyre brain food– feeding blueberries to rats actually slows their age-related mental decline. Blueberries contain pterostilbene, a plant compound recently shown to have cholesterol-lowering properties. Their ORAC value (antioxidant rating) is the highest of any fruit. And blueberries are rich in fiber. Tip: try them frozen. They taste like sherbet!

2.Maca

Based on a long history of traditional use in Peru, maca has recently become known as a natural Viagra, and is popular as an aphrodisiac, and for increasing fertility and stamina. (I talked about it in my book The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth as part of a natural treatment for restoring sexual potency.) But macas also a superfood from a nutrition point of view. Its an important staple for the Andean Indians, has been around since 3800 BC and is rich in sugars, protein, starches and essential minerals, especially iron and iodine. You can buy it as a supplement, or, even better, as a powder which you can add to shakes.

3.Cherries

Cherries are absolutely loaded with anti-inflammatory, antiaging, anticancer compounds that dont show up on your average nutrition facts label. These include quercetin, a member of the flavonoid family which has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Cherries also contain anthocyanains which act like natural COX-2 inhibitors, reducing pain and inflammation. Thats one reason why theyre so great for gout. My favorite healthy desert- frozen cherries mixed with full fat yogurt. Tastes like Cherry Garcia only way better for you.

4.Guava

Among the superfoods of the world, guava is a sleeper. With a taste thats been described as part strawberry part pear, one low-calorie cup of this vitamin rich fruit contains a whopping 8 grams of fiber. And in one widely used nutrition lab test for antioxidant power, guava scored second only to blueberries, and right behind kale. Guava also contains cancer fighting lycopene.

5.Kale

Kale is a member of the brassica family, vegetable royalty that boasts cabbage and broccoli among its relatives. Its simply loaded with nutrition. Its rich in potent cancer fighting substances called indoles, and loaded with bone-building vitamin K. Kale also contains sulforaphane, a powerful nutrient that helps the liver detoxify carcinogens and other toxins. Kale has the highest antioxidant rating of any vegetable and is ridiculously low in calories. Try it tossed with olive oil, a few dried cranberries and some pine nuts.

6.Sardines

These are the best kept nutrition secret in the world when it comes to health foods and the secret weapon of travelers looking for a cheap, portable, easily available source of protein. Sardines are rich in omega-3 fats, and one of the least contaminated of any seafood since its so low on the food chain. Eat them out of the can or throw them on some salad.

7.Coconut oil

This superb oil has been long neglected as a healthy oil because it contains saturated fat. But not to worry: the saturated fat in coconut is a very healthy kind called MCT (medium chain triglyecerides) which is easily burned by the body for energy. Coconut oil also contains lauric acid, a natural anti-viral and anti-microbal. And todays excellent virgin coconut oil- unlike the inferior products of a few decades ago- doesnt contain trans fats. Note to skeptics: The Puka Puka islanders consumed 80 % of their diet from coconut products and had virtually no heart disease.

8.Green tea

Heres a superstar beverage if there ever was one. Green tea helps with weight loss and helps fight against cancer. It contains EGCG, a catechin (plant compound) which stimulates metabolism and has anti-cancer properties to boot. Green tea also contains theanine, a natural relaxant which helps explain why the caffeine in green tea doesnt make you nearly as jittery as coffee.

9.Flaxseeds

Flaxseed oil is one of the only plant sources of omega-3 fats, but the flaxseeds themselves provide the added nutrition benefit of fiber along with the omega-3s. Flaxseeds can be thrown on salads, tossed into smoothies, or sprinkled on vegetables. They also contain lignans, a group of plant nutrtients that have been studied by the National Cancer Institute for their cancer preventive properties.

10.Eggs

The protein source against which all others are judged. And for goodness sake, stop with the egg white omlettes. The yolk is loaded with good stuff! Half of the measly 4.5 grams of fat are actually monounsaturated fat, the same heart-healthy fat thats in olive oil. The yolks are also one of the best sources of lutein, the superstar of eye nutrition. Plus they contain choline, which helps support brain function and help keep harmful homocysteine levels down. Look for the new designer eggs with increased omega-3 content.

11.Pomegranate juice

If youre wondering if all the hype about pomegranate juice is for real, stop wondering: it is. Animal studies suggest that pomegranate juice combats artherogenesis (hardening of the arteries) as well as other cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks. Its rich in antioxidants and has a higher amount of polyphenols- heart healthy plant compounds– than even red wine. Look for the pure pomegranate juice (not the watered down cocktail). You can always dilute it with water or mix it with other juices.

In the long run, the rules for healthy eating are a lot simpler than you might think: Eat food that your ancestors could have hunted, fished for, gathered or plucked.

If its food your grandmother would have recognized as food, its probably good for you.

And if it doesnt have a bar code, so much the better.

Article Source:http://www.contentfueled.com

By: Brett MacPherson
Recently I was out with some friends and they wanted to stop at a junk food Restaurant. I really don’t like junk food, but sometimes everyone else wishes to go there, so you just have to make the best of it and find something reasonably healthy. If you’re required to eat junk-food, here’s a tip to ensure that you’re not doing much damage to your body…ALWAYS AVOID the soft drinks and anything deep fried this includes french fries, hash browns, and anything crumbed like chicken nuggets, chicken patties, or breaded fish burgers. These are all absolutely drenched in damaging trans fats from the industrial hydrogenated vegetable oils they use to fry all of these foods.

Consider, as I’ve said before, I’ve seen studies showing that as little as 1 gram of trans fat per day can have serious degenerative effects on your body like inflammation, blocking and hardening of the arteries, heart disease, different types of cancer…not to mention leading to more fat on your stomach. That’s as little as 1 gram! A typical junk-food meal of a breaded chicken burger (or fish burger), along with an order of fries can have as much as 10 grams of trans fat! Add on a cookie or small portion of pie for dessert (which are commonly made with destructive margarine or shortening), and now you’re up to about 13 grams of trans fat with that whole meal. If 1 gram a day is destroying your body, imagine what 13 grams is doing to it! And this is only one of your meals. Some people are consuming 20-30 grams of trans fat per day, and not even realising what they’re doing to their bodies internally. Please realise that no-one, I mean NO-ONE, is looking out for your Body, with the exception of YOU.

Back to the idea of how to avoid this junk and eat a reasonably decent meal on the unusual event that you’re forced to eat junk-food. As for drinks, avoid the soft drinks…they’re nothing but highly processed high fructose corn syrup which will just end up as more belly fat. Water is always the best thing to drink, but if you need something with taste, try unsweetened iced tea. At breakfast, a good idea is an egg, ham, and cheese on an english muffin (not on a croissant, which is full of dangerous trans fats!), or a fruit %26 nut salad. At lunch or dinner, the best ideas are a grilled chicken sandwich, the chili, a grilled chicken salad without croutons (again…croutons = more trans fats), or even just a normal cheeseburger. The major take-away idea from this little junk-food piece is that the worst things at most junk food restaurants are the soft drinks and anything that is deep fried.

For any of you that have seen the movie “Super-Size Me”, you saw how eating junk food every day was very bad for the guys health, but did you notice the one guy that was the king of eating big macs (or something like that)? I don’t recall what kind of burger it was, but this guy has eaten these junk food burgers almost every day of his life for the past 30 years. Did you see that he said that he almost never eats the fries or soft drinks, even though he eats the burgers every day? And he’s not necessarily overweight. Now I’m not telling you that junk-food burgers that are made with their processed white bread and low quality beef and cheese are the best thing to eat, but the idea is…it’s the fries and sodas that are the genuine health disaster.

So if you’re out at one of these restaurants, remember these tips and choose wisely!

From 2006 Mcdonalds has added a nutrition label to all of their food packages. Remember that as little as one gram of trans may negitively affect your body and now you can actually see how many grams of trans fat you’re eating right on the food wrapper. You can now make the right decisions and look after your body.

Article Source:http://www.contentfueled.com

By: Shawn Phillips
To tone your body, gain muscle, and lose fat, you must really be willing to change your habits and lifestyle. I will be the first to tell you that it is not easy to lose fat. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and consistency.

From my experience with clients, I have found that initially people are always, or ready and willing to train hard in the beginning; but what many lack is follow-through and consistency. In order to have success, you must be dedicated and consistent. Without these two principles as your motto, you are bound to fail in the long run.

I completely understand that you probably have more important priorities in your life such as family, work, religion, etc. It then becomes an issue of time management which is to fit all of these important priorities into your week. Taking this into consideration, I have put together a few tips that should help you along your way. The rest is up to you?

The following tips I use with my clients which should help you transform your body. They are broken up into the following categories: Diet, Strength Training (weight lifting), and Cardio.

You should be able to grade yourself in each category. Be honest and grade yourself between the letters A through F. For example, A is for a person who does extremely well within a particular category, C is doing okay, and F would be pretty much zero effort within a particular category. Ask yourself the question: Am I making an A in all three categories?

What I have found from working with my clients is that many people might do well in one or two categories, while completely ignoring another. In order to transform your body as efficiently and quickly as possible, you must grade yourself and get at least a B+ or higher in each category. Please be honest when your grading yourself.

Because of the lack of space, I won?t be able to elaborate on the physiological details as to why these tips work. However, the tips included in this article are an up-to-date reflection of the medical, bodybuilding, and scientific community.

Strength Training

Strength Training is a important aspect of changing your body. This is the #1 best way to increase your metabolism.

Rest time in between sets should vary between 60 to 120 seconds. There are cases where you should wait longer in between sets, but for most this is the ideal rest period for muscle growth.

Change your workouts every 4 to 10 weeks. Your body can grow accustomed to training with the same routine. In order for it to continuing adapting and growing you should change your workout routines.

Keep a workout journal. This tip is avoided by most people. Most people can?t remember exactly what they did in their last workout which had 10 to 15 sets. The workout journal will help you keep track of the weights that youve lifted in previous workouts.

Also, you need to either buy a stop watch or consistently use the clock to monitor time in between sets.

Lift more weight. Now that you?re keeping a workout journal, you know exactly how much you lifted last week and the week before. One of the fundamental principles of growing muscle is simply adding more weight at your next workout. Every time or every other time you workout you should be a little bit stronger than the last workout. Thereby, your next workout you should be able to go up in weight on various sets in your routine. Try increasing the weight by increments of 2.5 to 5 pounds.

Eat immediately after your weight training session. Your body will need the nutrition.

Many women do not lift weights and primarily focus on cardio and diet. While those two categories are important, you must not forgot to do strength training at least twice a week. Building some muscle will add shape to your body. It tones your arms, legs, and of course your backside. Trust me, you won’t look like a body builder or too masculine if you lift weights. Gaining muscle is a lot harder than you think.

Cardio

Switch up your cardio routines consistently. For example, on one day perform sprint training for 20 minutes; the next cardio routine try walking on an incline treadmill. Next workout use the stair master or spin classes, or elliptical, or the bike. Also, you can use 2 or 3 different cardio exercises in one workout. For example, 20 minutes workout on the bike, then 20 minutes on the stair master, then 20 minutes of boxing or kick boxing. Your body is an efficient machine. It will get used to habitual cardio workout routines. By changing it up, your body will continue to burn more calories then if you keep performing the same cardio routine month after month.

Diet and Nutrition

Drink lots of water. Your body will hold less excess water weight.

80% or more of your carbohydrates should be from oatmeal, vegetables, fruits, and beans.

Eat enough protein. This tip would be in relation to your body weight and how active you are. Athletes should consume about 1 gm for every pound of body weight. If you?re working out 2 to 3 days a week, then you would need within the range of .5 to .7 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Eat 5 to 6 times a day or every 3 to 4 hours. Don?t skip meals.

Keep a food journal. If you have a trainer, have them review it weekly. If you don?t have a trainer, still keep a food journal. Having a journal will keep you aware and accountable with respect to your eating habits.

Your diet should be broken up into the following macro nutrients - approximately 30% Protein, 50% Carbs, and 20% fat.

If you feel like you need advice with your own training program, feel free to give me a call (310-720-8125) or email me shawn@perfectbodyinc.com. I am more than happy to personally help you achieve your goal. During our phone consultation I would customize a fitness program which would include outlining a nutritional plan and supplement protocol, and advice on the best cardio and strength training program based on your goals and lifestyle.

Good luck with your pursuit of a leaner and healthier body.

Article Source:http://www.contentfueled.com

By: Zev Sztajer
Hi, this is Zev from www.weightloss-healthy.net Im sure youre going to enjoy this article about improving your health and longevity by reducing your weight to its optimum level - one of the most important things in your life! Read below, and if you would like to see more, you can visit my website www.weightloss-healthy.net
Why Losing Weight is Good
(Fri Aug 17th, 2007, by Petar Karadzhov)
There is a great benefit acquired from losing weight. Though losing weight is not easy, the long term effects brought by it would probably be of help to anyone considering to shed those unwanted and unhealthy pounds.

The following are a few of the remarkable advantages from losing those excess weight.

Weight loss prevents high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke
That is a three in one benefit from losing weight. It is a fact that heart disease and stroke are one of the primary reasons for disability and death in both men and women in the US. People who are overweight have a higher risk to have high levels of cholesterol in their blood stream as well as triglycerides (also known as blood fat).

Angina, one type of heart disease, could cause chest pains as well as a decrease in the oxygen pumped to the heart.

Sudden death also occurs from heart disease and stroke, and usually this strikes with very little warning, signs and symptoms.
It is a fact that by decreasing your weight by a mere five to ten percent, this could positively decrease the chances of you having or developing heart disease or a stroke. Plus, how your heart functions would also improve as well as your blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride count will decrease.

Weight loss prevents type 2 diabetes
Diabetes puts in jeopardy one’s life as well as how one leads his or her life because of the complications that result from having it. Both types of diabetes, type one and type two are linked with being overweight. To those who already have diabetes, regular exercise and losing weight could help in controlling your blood sugar levels as well as the medication you may be currently taking. Increase your physical activity. You could simply walk, jog or dance. It helps get those blood streams moving as well as lose those unnecessary pounds.
Weight loss helps reduce your risk for cancer

Being overweight is linked with a number of kinds of cancer. Specially for women, the common types of cancer that is associated with being overweight include cancer of the uterus, gallbladder, ovary, breast, and colon. This is not meant to scare you, this is only to keep you informed. Men are at risk too from developing cancer if they are overweight. These include cancer of the colon, prostate and rectum. Extra weight, a diet high in fat and cholesterol should as much as possible be avoided.

Weight loss reduces sleep apnea
Or it could eliminate it all together. Sleep apnea is a condition wherein one could temporarily stop breathing for a brief period and then would continue to snore heavily. Sleep apnea could cause drowsiness or sleepiness during the day and - because of being overweight - could result in heart failure. Shedding those excess pounds could help in eliminating this problem.

Weight loss reduces the pain of osteoarthritis
When one weighs heavily, the joints of his or her knees, hips and lower back would have to exert double - if not triple - effort to carry him or her through out his / her waking, walking and moving life. This could cause tension and stress on these joints.

Weight loss decreases the load these joints carry thus decreasing - if not eliminating - the pain of one who has osteoarthritis.

This is Zev from www.weightloss-healthy.net , coming to you with an article to help you achieve your optimum weight and thereby improve your health and longevity. If you would like to find out more, please visit www.weightloss-healthy.net

Article Source:http://www.contentfueled.com

By: ann777
Your thoughts have a lot to do with nutrition and your attitude to what you eat. Let’s have a look at how your thoughts can influence you with regard to nutrition, taste and health concerns:

” Repeating thoughts, whether consciously or not can make you believe them to be factual, whether true or false. If your mother told you that it’s unhealthy to drink wine with your meal, that notion may remain with you the rest of your life.

Whether true or false, the ‘wisdom’ of your teachers must constantly be challenged as new nutritional discoveries are made.

” “Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat..” (Luke 12:22) The Lord is your Provider. He does not want you to worry and fear.
” It is good to take time to be quiet and meditate on the Word of God. Listen to the still voice and follow your instincts when buying food. They’re usually good.
” Check how you express yourself. For instance, do you say things like “I’d die for it,” “these shoes are killing me?” Maybe you express that you hate spinach or that you wouldn’t touch squash with a ten-foot pole.

Every time you say such things, you confirm your thoughts about that food and can ‘taste’ it in your mind the way you think you remember it from long ago. Some people have such preconceived ideas - maybe based on one less than tasty experience - that they refuse to ever re-discover certain foods.

Words are powerful! Consider this: God spoke the universe into being! His Word is all powerful. It is the implementation of His thoughts. We speak substance to our thoughts! When we speak negatively, whether in jest or a common expression, we give power to those words as we declare them as truth.

Conversely, as we learn to declare our wishes and needs out loud, they will manifest themselves! The more we speak good things over our lives, the more we believe them and they will come true!
” How do you react when you hear a bad report on the news? The media may ‘warn’ that “everyone who does not get the ‘flu shot will be seriously ill and chances are blah, blah, blah,” Those are all spoken words!

You can choose not to entertain all the negative news coming your way! Instead, make a conscious choice to replace it with positive thoughts and words. You can direct your destiny with how you think and what you say!

” The more open your mind is to trying new things that you know are good for your health, the more your attitude will change and your taste buds will follow!

” The Dutch have an expression stating that whatever food a farmer is not familiar with, he does not like. In other words, if he’s never tried it, he has already condemned it in his mind by assuming he won’t like it and therefore won’t even try it!
How about you? Are you willing to try new things for the benefits they can supply to your body? Or, would you try ‘wrapping’ some of the vegies you’re not very fond of in new recipes? When etiquette demanded that I at least try something I did not like at someone else’s home, I very often discovered it was actually delicious! Why? Well different spices or sauces along with a graceful setting and good company can make all the difference.

Enjoy God’s ample variety of deliciously nutritious provision to keep your body functioning at optimum health!

Article Source:http://www.contentfueled.com

By: Jack Smith
What are minerals?
Without minerals, vitamins are literally worthless. Our body is unable to process vitamins without the help of minerals. Minerals are inorganic compounds which are essential for the structural composition of hard and soft tissue, like our teeth, bones, muscles and even blood and nerve cells. Minerals, which are essential for the overall physical and mental welfare of the body, are basically catalysts which help in several important body reactions like muscle contractions, message transmission in the nervous system, production of hormones, to name a few.

Can our body produce minerals?
No. Like some vitamins, out body cannot make minerals. Minerals have to be provided through the diet or dietary supplements. Minerals can be classified into two types: The major elements or the macro minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, iodine, and potassium; and trace minerals or micro minerals like copper, cobalt, manganese, fluorine, and zinc. Minerals are required in minute quantities and usually a well balanced and healthy diet will meet the necessary requirement. However, some people may need to take a supplement to meet their bodies requirement.

Important minerals and their sources

Calcium is required for the formation and maintenance of healthy bones. Over 90% of calcium is contained in the bones and teeth, from where it is reabsorbed by the blood and issues. The primary source of calcium is milk and milk products.

Phosphorous is important to release energy from carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. It combines with calcium in our bones and teeth. It can also be found in milk.

Magnesium aids bone growth and also aids the function of nerves and muscles, including regulation of normal heart rhythm. It also maintains the electrical circuitry in the nerves and muscle cell and is extremely important for metabolism. It is found abundantly in a variety of foods.

Sodium is found in many natural foods and also found in cooked foods in the form of added dietary salt. Excessive sodium in the body can cause edema, or water retention

Iron is essential for the formation of hemoglobin, the pigment in our red blood cells which transports oxygen. Women are usually deficient in iron and have to resort to iron supplements. It is found abundant in leafy green vegetables.

Iodine deficiency can lead to goiter, which is a swelling of this gland located in the lower neck. Salt is usually fortified with iodine.

Article Source:http://www.contentfueled.com

By: Spencer Hunt
Eye Problems can include macular degeneration, amblyopia (Lazy Eye), astigmatism, blepharitis, cataracts, conjunctivitis (Pink Eye), color blindness, glaucoma, keratoconus, myopia (Nearsightedness), or simply eye fatigue. You engage in regular physical activity to exercise your body and to promote overall health, right? Well, why not do the same for your eyes? Patients and doctors alike agree that eye exercises are often effective in relieving eye strain and stress. These exercises may also help to improve conditions such as esotropia (the eye turns in) or exotroia (the eye turns out).

Just as you would do when starting physical exercise, you may want to discuss with your eye doctor before doing any eye exercises. There are some rare conditions that could cause your eyes to be strained even further or quite possibly incur further permanent damage to your eyes. When doing the exercises explained here you will need a pencil. Also, if you are wearing contacts, you may want to remove them. You could possibly have problems with your contacts if you wear them during the exercises, they could fold, become dislodged or even suction to the eyeball. Whatever you do, do not apply pressure to your eyeballs and you may want to do the exercises in private (or at least tell those around you what you are doing - you will see why in a second.).

Recommended Eye Exercises:

Find a comfortable position in a chair. Briskly rub your hands together until they are warm. With your palms slightly cupped, close your eyes and cover them gently with your warmed hands. Do not apply pressure to your eyeballs. Do not cover your nose. Relax and practice some deep breathing as you de-stress your body as well as your eyes. You can repeat this process for a few minutes.

Now, squeeze your eyes shut for several seconds (about 5), then open them wide for several seconds. Repeat this 7 or 8 times, then close your eyes and gently massage your eyes with the tips of your fingers. Using a circular motion, remember a circular motion and remember to not press too hard. Do this for a minute or two. The next step is to gently press three fingers against the upper eyelid of each eye and hold for 1-2 seconds then release. Repeat this process five times.

Now, roll your eyes in a clockwise direction, then in a counter-clockwise direction. Repeat this motion five times, making sure that you blink between each repetition. Now sit near a window, about six inches from the glass, and make a mark on the glass at eye level. Make sure that the mark is large enough and dark enough for you to see. A red or black sticker would work well in this instance. Direct your eyes toward the mark and focus on something beyond it for 10 to 15 seconds. Return your focus to the mark for 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat this several times. (This will allow your eyes to focus on something in the distance, and then to focus on a close up object.) You can do different personalized variations of this. But you get the general idea.

Now grab your pencil. Hold your pencil at arm’s length in front of you. Slowly move the pencil toward your nose, keeping your eyes on the pencil until you can no longer focus on it. Repeat this about ten times. This is an easy exercise you can do at any time.

Make time to do these exercises on a regular basis. If you spend a lot of time in front of the computer, make sure that you look away for 5 to 10 seconds at a distant object every 30 minutes, in order to reduce eye strain and damage.

Eating healthy and taking the right nutritional supplements can also help your eyes. For example, vitamins A and C, vitamin E have shown that they may reduce your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Article Source:http://www.contentfueled.com

By: dv
Midwives, health-visitors and doctors all highly recommend breast feeding for numerous reasons. Breast milk contains the perfect balance of nutrients for your baby, and also antibodies that will boost your baby’s immune system providing a strong defence against infection. Breast stimulation by your baby immediately after delivery encourages your uterus to contract and hence reduces bleeding. Breast feeding enhances bonding with your baby. There are very few medical reasons why a mother shouldn’t breast-feed.

Cow’s milk and soya contain different sets of proteins to human milk. Most formula milks are derived from cow’s milk which may be perfect for calves, but babies can have difficulty digesting it. Bottle fed infants tend to be fatter than breast-fed infants, but not necessarily healthier. The volume of milk you produce for your baby is independent of the size of your breasts, as both small and large breasts contain virtually the same amount of mammary glands. Only the fatty tissue varies.

Colostrum is the first food available to breastfeeding newborns, and is tailor-made to meet the nutritional requirements. Breast feeding babies do not require the large volumes of fluid required by bottle fed babies during the first few days of life.

Breast milk may reduce the onset of late onset B streptococcal disease, a potentially lethal condition that rarely afflicts newborn babies. It has been suggested that the antibodies in breast milk would be neutralized by the acids in your baby’s stomach. However, it has been shown that protective factors are present in higher concentrations in the stools of breast-fed infants than in stools from formula-fed infants. A breast-fed baby’s digestive tract contains large amounts of Lactobacilli, which are beneficial bacteria that prevent the growth of harmful organisms.

Human milk straight from the breast is always sterile and never contaminated by polluted water or dirty bottles which can lead to diarrhoea in the infant. Breast-fed infants have a lower incidence of diarrhoea, respiratory disease, and otitis media (middle ear infection). Diarrhoea claims a toll of 5 million children each year in the developing countries. The risk of dying from diarrhoea would be reduced 14-24 fold by universal breast feeding.

Predominantly breast feeding for at least six months and partial breast feeding for up to one year may reduce the prevalence and subsequent morbidity of respiratory illness and infection in infancy. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be breast-fed for six to 12 months. In the USA, almost two thirds of children had ever been breastfed and only 27.0% and 12.3%, at 6 and 12 months respectively, were receiving some breast milk. In a study in Greece reported in 2007, breastfeeding initiation was reported by 96.1% of the participants but exclusive breastfeeding was initiated only in 19.1% and predominant breastfeeding in 7.2% of the cases. On-going breast feeding continues to require encouragement.

Full breastfeeding lowers the potential chance for hospital admission as a result of infections among infants who are younger than 1 year within an industrialized country.

Breast milk reduces childhood asthma and skin problems such as eczema, childhood and adolescent obesity and it seems to have a beneficial effect on blood pressure, lipid profile and possible insulin resistance/type-2 diabetes.

Breast feeding may protect against infection later on in childhood. There seems to be an association between a high breastfeeding rate in the population and a reduced incidence of HI meningitis 5 to 10 years later.

Breast feeding reduces the prevalence of several chronic diseases. It has been estimated that in the population of the 596,122 babies born in England and Wales in 2002, the number of cases of asthma, obesity and coeliac disease that could have been prevented over 7-9 years if babies that had “no breast feeding” as a risk factor would have received breast milk were 33, 00 for asthma, 13,639 for obesity and 2,655 for coeliac disease. The incidence of childhood leukaemia is reduced in children who have been breast fed.

Human milk is flavoured by the taste of the food that the mother has eaten and provides her baby with its first insight into the rich variety of culinary delights to come. The infant’s response to a particular flavour in milk may depend upon the recency and duration of previous exposures. Breast-feeding has been significantly and positively associated with educational attainment achieved in childhood and even as far as age fifty. There is, however, conflicting evidence on the benefits of breast feeding and intelligence with some showing a positive relationship and others finding that enhancement of the child’s intelligence is unrelated to initial feeding method.

Natural feeding allows you and your baby to get closer - physically and emotionally. So while your child is feeding, the bond between you can grow ever stronger. Mothers who breast feed are less affected by stress. Despite popular belief, there is no compelling evidence that breastfeeding is effective in combating postpartum depression.

Breast milk is free so that you can save a lot of money not having to buy formula and it is readily available. Women who breast feed return to their pre-pregnancy figure faster as they give calories to their babies. Breast feeding suppresses ovulation (egg release), reduces menstruation and the chance of pregnancy, but there are no guarantees. Mothers who do not plan to conceive should use contraception even while nursing. The mini-pill is acceptable but the combined pill can suppress milk production.

Rheumatoid arthritis and hip fractures due to osteoporosis after the menopause are less common in those who have breast fed their babies. Breast feeding reduces a mothers risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Breast cancer risk decreases according to the total months of breast-feeding. Average duration of breast-feeding of 11-12 months reduces the risk of breast cancer by 54% compared with the duration of 1-4 months.

Some medications contraindicate breast feeding. Always check with your health care provider. Most common illnesses, such as colds, flu, skin infections, or diarrhoea, cannot be passed through breast milk. Just a few viruses can pass through breast milk. Unfortunately, HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is one of them. Women who are HIV positive should, therefore, not breast-feed.

Breast feeding can have some disadvantages. In the early weeks, it can be painful. A woman’s nipples may become sore or cracked. She may experience engorgement more than a bottle feeding mother, when the breasts become so full of milk that they become hard and painful. Some nursing women also develop clogged milk ducts, which can lead to mastitis, a painful infection of the breast. While most nursing problems can be resolved with home remedies, mastitis requires prompt medical care.

A nursing mother is tied to her baby more than a bottle-feeding mother. The baby needs her for nourishment and she needs to nurse regularly to avoid uncomfortably full breasts.

Some women simply do not feel comfortable with the idea of nursing. They find the thought of handling their breasts to be unattractive, or they want to think of them purely as sexual, and not functional. They may be concerned about modesty and the possibility of having to nurse in public. They may want a break from child care and let someone else feed the baby, especially in the small hours of the morning.

If a woman is unsure whether she wishes to nurse, she can try it for a few weeks. It’s very difficult to switch to breast-feeding after bottle-feeding is begun. The decision to breast-feed is a personal one. Provide yourself with all the information you require and then come to a decision. Obstetricians, paediatricians, childbirth instructors, nurses, health visitors and midwives can all offer information about nursing. But perhaps the best ongoing support for a breast feeding mother is someone who has successfully nursed a baby, particularly her mother. Only you can decide if breastfeeding is appropriate for you.

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By: grace john
Important of Nutrition

Nutrition is essential to mens health. Good Nutrition products can put a stop to many health problems, including becoming overweight, developing weak bones, and developing diabetes. All the foods that have all the important nutrients will help your body grow.

Mens body prospers on certain nutrients that work together to promote growth and development. There is no specific nutrient or group of nutrients that is more important to a mens health well-being.
Nutrition is a science that examines the relationship between diet and health. Dieticians are health professionals who specialize in this area of study, and are trained to provide safe, evidence-based dietary advice and interventions. Nutrition science investigates metabolic and physiological responses of the body to diet. Many common diseases and their symptoms can often be prevented or alleviated with better nutrition.

The science of Nutrition products attempts to understand how and why specific dietary aspects influence health. Nutrition is all about the study of food and how our bodies use food as fuel for growth and daily activities.

The Five Most Important Nutrients

1. Calcium: the richest mineral in the body, that helps in the development of bone growth.
2. Protein: is another important nutrient in health diet.
3. Fiber: is needed for body for good nutrition and healthy growth
4. Antioxidant nutrients: are vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and the mineral selenium Antioxidant nutrients are known to help immune system.
5. Iron: is also very important to a childs diet. Your body depends on iron to get bigger and stronger. Iron also helps in brain development and function

There is no specific nutrient or group of nutrients that is more important to health, than these five nutrients I am about to mention to you right:

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By: David Pratt
Leading a normal life is what every person desires. But it can be severely hindered if you are suffering from obesity. Proper dieting, regular exercise and yoga therapy can provide you relief from over-weight if you can practice them regularly for a long time of your life. These will require you to make them a habit and also spend considerable time on them. Weight loss pills can give you faster relief but they are also not free from side effects. To get rid of these factors, you can opt for Weight Loss Surgery for reducing your weight. Weight Loss Surgery can bring a change in your lifestyle once you get a slim and flexible body. It will provide you long-term respite from extra flesh and there is least possibility of side effects too.

With the advancement of medical science, surgeons tried for finding out the potential for weight loss surgical operation by removing a section of patients intestine and stomach. They noticed that after the operation, the patient could not maintain their weight they had before the surgery and starts losing it. This is actually due to the reduction of size of stomach, which ultimately lowers the intake of food. In fact, a person takes food according to their size of stomach. In Weight Loss Surgery program, intake of food is restricted for supplying fewer amounts of calories to our body. If the production of calorie is greater, there is a possibility of developing weight and consequentially it may turn to overweight if not restricted by some external factors.

A number of techniques are commonly used to carry out surgical operations for reducing weight. They have been categorized according to their procedures and functions on human health. In case of Restrictive Weight Loss Surgery, staples or bands are used to shorten the size of stomach and intestine. An obese person is forced to take lesser food materials to stop producing heavy amount of accumulated energy, which is the root cause of over weight. As the food value from that small amount of intake is burnt while maintaining other body functions like respiration, circulation, movement and locomotion, very few amounts of energy remains in the body for building body structure. In case of Mal-absorptive Weight Loss Surgery, intake of food material is not hampered; rather this process inhibits the absorption of calories.

A substantial segment of small intestines are eliminated from the body to reduce the absorption process. Small intestine is the core area, which is responsible for absorption of simplified food materials and sending them to various organs and organ systems of human body. Finger like elongated structures are present on the inner lining of the small intestine, which absorbs food materials in liquefied form, and help the body to absorb them according to the necessity. Due to elimination of a portion of small intestine, absorption of food is reduced and ultimately helps human body to stop from gaining extra flesh. Weight Loss Surgery is more effective when these two types of surgery are combined together, which is technically termed as Restrictive and Mal-absorptive Weight Loss Surgery. In this case, a combined surgery is done to get dual action restriction of food intake and absorption. This surgical method is found to be more effective in maintaining health as well as to keep fitness level high.

Weight Loss Surgery functions very similar to that of liquid diet or a hunger-suppressing pill. The results of both these tools are risky and complicated and can also be drastic if not used in appropriate way. However, Weight Loss Surgery can be taken as a supportive tool but never as a remedy.

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