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A Weight Loss Program That You Can Follow

June 1st, 2009
dash diet
Jackie Serta asked:


The race to fitness is on and a lot of people are getting into the band wagon. Some people do it to achieve a sexy body, some people just do it because they are embarrassed with the body they have now, while others do it simply to remain fit and heatlthy. As such, many fitness programs are out in the internet, in gyms, spas and fitness centers all over. Some are too expensive to afford that one may even lose weight just by trying to work out the money needed to pursue these fitness programs.

One may not have to go to the gym or the spa or any fitness center and spend much just to slim down to obtain that longed for sexy body. There are many books available in the bookstore which offer weight loss programs which are convenient and for free, of course the books are not though. These weight loss programs, or diet plans are gaining immense popularity with so much publicity, testimonials and reviews that one may be confused which exactly to follow. So before choosing which weight loss plan to follow, try reading these summaries about the most popular diet programs out today.

Atkins’ New Diet Revolution by Dr. Atkins. This weight loss program encourages high protein diet and a trim down on the carbs. One can feast on vegetables and meat but should fast on bread and pasta. One is also not restricted against fat intake so it is okay to pour in the salad dressing and freely spread on the butter. However, after the diet, one may find himself lacking on fiber and calcium yet high in fat. Intake of grains and fruits are also limited.

Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet by Drs. Heller. This diet plan advocates low carbohyrate eating. Approves on eating meats, vegetables and fruits, dairy and grain products. however, warns against taking in too much carb. “Reward” meal can be too high on fats and saturated fats.

Choose to Lose by Dr. Goor. Restrains fat intake. One is given a “fat” budget and he is given the liberty on how to spend it. It does not pressure the individual to watch his carbohydrate intake. Eating meat and poultry as well as low-fat dairy and seafoods is okay. A go signal is also given on eating vegetables, fruits, cereals, bread and pasta. This weight loss plan is fairly healthy, good amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as saturated fats. Watch triglyceride levels though; if high, trim down the carbohydrates and tuck in more of the unsaturated fats.

The DASH Diet. Advocates moderate amounts of fat and protein intake and high on carbs. Primarily designed to lower blood pressure, the diet plan follows the pyramid food guide and encourages high intake of whole wheat grains as well as fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy. Some dieters think it advocates too much eating to procure significant weight loss.

Eat More, Weigh Less by Dr. Ornish. Primarily vegetarian fare and strictly low-fat. Gives the go signal on the “glow” foods but warns to watch it on non-fat dairy and egg whites. This diet is poor in calcium and retricts consumption of healthy foods like seafoods and lean poultry.

Eat Right for Your Type. Interesting because it is based on the person’s blood type. recommends plenty of mest for people with the blood type O. Diet plans for some blood types are nutritionally imbalanced and too low in calories. And for the record, there is even no proof that blood type affects dietary needs.

The Pritkin Principle. Focused on trimming the calorie density in eating by suggesting watery foods that make one feel full. Eating vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, pasta, soups, salads and low-fat dairy is okay. Although limits protein sources to lean meat, pseafood and poultry. Although it is healthy by providing low amounts of saturated fats and rich amounts of vegetables and fruits, it is also low on calcium and limits lean protein sources.

Volumetrics. For low-density calorie eating. Recommends the same foodstuff as Pritkin but restricts fatty or dry foods like popcorn, pretzels and crackers. This plan is reasonably healthy given the high amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as being low in calorie density and saturated fats.

The Zone. Moderately low on the carbs yet moderately high on the proteins. Encourages low-fat protein foods like fish and chicken plus veggies, fruits and grains. It is also healthy but lacking in grains and calcium.

Weight Watchers. High carbohydrates, moderate on fats and proteins. A very healthy diet plan and very flexible too. it allows the dieter to plan his own meal rather than give him a set to follow.



Deke

Diseases And Conditions , ,

Can a Healthy Diet Boost Your Metabolism ?

May 23rd, 2009
healthy diet
Sandra Essex asked:


 

Has your midsection grown over the years? Do you have higher-than-normal levels of blood glucose and triglycerides? Is your blood pressure high? Is your HDL (the “good” cholesterol) low? According to the National Institutes of Health, answering yes to all or most of these questions may signify metabolic syndrome. As of 2007, nearly 47 million Americans were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. If you’re one of them, then that means you are at an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Overweight and obese individuals are particularly at risk for metabolic syndrome.        

 

But metabolic syndrome isn’t only thing that can have you wishing for a metabolism boost. Aging often brings about a progressively sluggish metabolism. Beginning roughly at age 25, the average person experiences their first metabolism slowdown, usually by 5 to 10 percent. This metabolism drop continues each decade thereafter. A person living in the United States can expect to see a whopping 20 and 40 percent decrease in their metabolic rate during adulthood. 

The good news is that, by making simple healthy lifestyle changes, you do not have to become a part of these statistics. A healthy diet and regular exercise can do wonders in the treatment of metabolic syndrome and in the prevention of weight gain as we age. In particular, there are healthy foods you can eat that will stimulate metabolism and promote weight loss. 

Which foods boost metabolism? Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, eggs, and fish are all good examples of foods that help speed up a sluggish metabolism. The key to boosting your metabolism is to eat a variety of unprocessed foods. Unprocessed foods are often higher in fiber than processed foods. Your body will try hard, unsuccessfully, to digest the fiber. All this extra work your body does equates to a nice metabolism boost. 

Increasing fiber intake is only one of the ways good nutrition can boost your metabolism. Eating foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and tuna, is an excellent way to speed up your metabolism. Research has shown that fish oils can increase a person’s metabolism by up to an amazing 400 calories a day. 

Omega-3 fatty acids can be taken via pill form, but often leave a fishy aftertaste and the smell can seep out of your skin pores. A better way to obtain these important omega-3s is by eating a healthy fish dinner several times a week. You’ll be able to add your favorite seasonings and will also get a healthy dose of protein, which also helps to boost metabolism by increasing the thermal effect of food. 

So, do yourself a favor and stay away from frozen dinners and other packaged foods at the supermarket. Drive past those fast food restaurants and their artery-clogging meals. Instead, do what healthy people have done for generations—open up a recipe book and cook your own meals. 

The great thing about having a recipe book handy in your kitchen is the control it brings. You have the power to prepare the healthiest meals possible. You can use ingredients that will boost your metabolism. You control the cost of your meals. A healthy recipe book is the best investment you can make when looking to lose excess pounds or maintain your current weight. To find delicious, metabolism-boosting meal ideas, go to www.2yourgoodhealthrecipebook.com. This is one healthy recipe book you don’t want to miss out on!

 



PAS

Diseases And Conditions , ,

Lower Cholesterol Naturally Without Drugs

April 13th, 2009
dash diet
Paul Rodgers asked:


Diet to lower cholesterol is very simple if you know which type of cholesterol in the foods you must keep off. The best diet to lower cholesterol is one designed to lower blood pressure: * [the DASH diet, the all-around best diet for controlling cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure and weight. A diet to lower cholesterol is only a small factor in influencing your body’s total cholesterol level. There are also supplements on the market that can make it easier to lower cholesterol naturally. Changing your diet to lower cholesterol is usually the first step in cholesterol maintenance, before medicines are added.

Dietary cholesterol is found only in foods that come from animals. Diets have gotten worse because poor people are eating crappy food, not because the diet fairy left them with the pork rinds rich people didn’t want. Diet can be a very effective tool for lowering blood pressure. Dieting to lose weight will certainly improve your health but if you already have existing health problems , then you need to have a healthy diet based on what foods you need to include and what foods you need to omit at mealtime. Diets rich in beans, peas, rice bran, barley, oat bran, whole grains, citrus fruits and apple pulp can help lower cholesterol levels, especially when additionally cutting back on animal products and fats. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, raw when possible.

Most doctors and fitness specialists recommend that you exercise for at least 30 minutes a day for optimal health benefits. Be aware that lifestyle factors such as diet, health and fitness levels will all play a part in maintaining overall health and routine cardiovascular health. It’s really nice to know that now fast-foods establishments even offer low-fat or non-fried food options, helping those on the road to fitness stick to their plans.

Exercise and eating healthy foods is the key to long healthy life with out worry and fear of being within the high risk groups for hypercholesterolemia. It is important however to remember regular exercise and herbal supplements along with a lowering cholesterol diet to get the most benefit from it, as those two things are just as important to get the best results. Another benefit of regular exercise is weight loss, which can also help increase HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol levels. Exercise itself doesn’t directly lower cholesterol, but will strengthen the heart and entire circulatory system. Buying a rebounding video is a good idea if you’d prefer structured exercise instruction. Exercise 30 minutes a day as often as you can in a week.

Just a few diet changes, a good combination of supplements, vitamins, herbs, spices, and exercise is all that is needed to get started on a diet for

lowering cholesterol. Not just any herbal supplements, but those which only contain natural ingredients. It’s also critical that you only purchase supplements made from what are called standardized herbal extracts. Some of these supplements will actually help you to extend your life by insuring against poor health. Supplements lower cholesterol naturallyResearch also shows that improvement results can be dramatic if you were to strongly consider the combined use of regular exercises and the regular use of nutritional supplements, which are clinically proven to lower cholesterol naturally with no side effects. Supplements such as Omega-3, inositol hexaniacinate, pantethine, and guggulipid can be effective in lowering cholesterol. Remember

that the approach with drugs and / or dietary supplements is to supplement and not to replace a healthy diet and exercise.

How to lower cholesterol by 14 percent without cholesterol medications and without side effects. You can lower cholesterol naturally with many different cholesterol lowering herbs and nutrients. Dieting to lose weight will certainly improve health but if existing health problems already exist, such as high cholesterol, a diet to lower cholesterol is essential. The conclusion of the experts is that good regular exercising and a diet to lower cholesterol is a must.



Danny Boy

Diseases And Conditions , ,

How To Cure High Blood Pressure Naturally

February 23rd, 2009
dash diet
Kristi Ambrose asked:


There are several different things you can do to aid your high blood pressure. Of course, if your blood pressure is high enough it’s best to speak to your medical doctor about what options are best for you, but in most cases more often than not, high blood pressure or hypertension can be cured just by changing your lifestyle. Within these changes, you will find that just by eating the right foods, you can help aid yourself against high blood pressure. High blood pressure (or hypertension) is defined in an adult as a blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg systolic pressure or greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg diastolic pressure. If you have HBP your are more susceptible to risk of coronary heart disease (which leads to heart attacks), and stroke.

HBP can also occur in children as well, but it’s most common for adults over the age of 35. It’s particularly prevalent in African Americans, middle-aged and elderly people, obese people, heavy drinkers and women taking birth control pills. As stated by the American Heart Association the following statistics are the different sorts of blood pressure guidelines you should follow:

Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg.

Prehypertension is systolic pressure that’s between 120 to 139 or diastolic pressure between 80 and 89.

Stage 1 hypertension is systolic pressure between 140 to 159 or diastolic pressure between 90 and 99.

Stage 2 hypertension is systolic pressure higher than 160 or diastolic pressure of 100 or higher.

High Blood Pressure Symptoms -

High blood pressure usually doesn’t cause any symptoms in the early stages. Symptoms associated with high blood pressure can include:

Dizziness or dizzy spells

Headache

Nosebleeds

The following natural cures can be taken in order to reduce your blood pressure, but again, if you have blood pressure it’s a good idea to ask your doctor about these cures beforehand. The reason for this is because when high blood pressure is untreated or ignored it can cause you even more problems such as risk of heart attack, stroke, brain hemorrhage, kidney disease, and vision loss. Here are the following “key” foods:

Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) -

There is some evidence that the supplement CoQ10 may help to reduce high blood pressure.

Garlic -

In a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials of garlic supplements, three trials showed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and four in diastolic blood pressure.

Hawthorn -

The herb hawthorn is often used by traditional herbal practitioners for high blood pressure.

Fish oil -

Preliminary studies suggest that fish oil may have a modest effect on high blood pressure. Although fish oil supplements often contain both DHA (docohexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), there is some evidence that DHA is the ingredient that lowers high blood pressure.

Folic Acid -

Folate is a B vitamin necessary for formation of red blood cells. It may help to lower high blood pressure in some people, possibly by reducing elevated homo-cysteine levels.

DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet -

The DASH diet includes fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, beans and nuts. Sodium is limited to 2,400 mg per day. Studies by NIH (National Institutes of Health) have found that the DASH diet can reduce high blood pressure within two weeks.

*Warning there are also herbs and supplements you should avoid when you have HPB such as Licorice, Ephedra, Asian Ginseng and Rosemary Essential oil. Please be on the look out for any herbal remedies that may have these ingredients in them!



Tom

Diseases And Conditions , ,

Healthy Breakfast Foods

December 2nd, 2008
dash diet
Sharon Hopkins asked:


Breakfast benefits both, young and old. It is the key to jump start your muscles and your day. People who eat breakfast (healthy) daily are more likely to

- Consume more vitamins, minerals and less of fat and cholesterol.

- Increased strength and endurance.

- Better concentration and productivity all day long.

- Control over weight

- Low cholesterol = no risk or little risk of heart disease

Children who eat breakfast are likely to have better concentration, problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination. They will be alert, creative, and less likely to miss days of school.

If you think skipping this meal, will help you lose weight, think again. By passing over this meal, your body will go in the starvation mode and make you crave for snacks especially sweets. Impulsive snacking on unhealthy foods can lead to weight gain. So you motive of losing weight by skipping breakfast stays unachieved.

Try to choose healthy foods from at least two food groups each morning

- Fruits & Vegetables

- Grains

- Dairy

- Proteins

A glass of pure fruit juice, bananas, yoghurt, low-calorie muesli with semi skimmed or skimmed milk, fresh fruit salad with few spoonfuls of low fat yoghurt, fresh and raw veggies mixed with flavoured yoghurt, a slice of toast or plain bread with eggs, boiled or poached are some of the options for breakfast. Kids can enjoy a Smoothie with their favourite fruits; add dash of yoghurt or honey to make it more delicious.

If you look forward to eating different kinds of healthy foods for breakfast, you are less like to skip this meal. If time is your hurdle, think about packing your breakfast or eating on the ‘run’, its better than skipping it altogether.



Jose

Diseases And Conditions , ,

Can An E-Book Really Help You Lower Your High Blood Pressure?

November 20th, 2008
dash diet
Kristi Ambrose asked:


Well, obviously the book itself doesn’t have any magic powers but the information inside the book, does have some pretty significant information to help aid you in lowering your blood pressure! According to the American Heart Association nearly one in three Americans have high blood pressure and they aren’t even aware of it. According to the AHS there is no real way to pin point why some people have high blood pressure and others don’t, but the different aspects listed below are some of these reasons why:

Being Over-Weight - The greater your mass the more pressure there is on your artery walls. The reason for this is because more blood is produced to supply oxygen and nutrients to your body.

Activity Level - Activity level or lack thereof tends to increase your heart rate, which in turn forces your heart to work harder with each contraction.

Tobacco Use - Chemicals in cigarettes and tobacco can damage artery walls.

Sodium Intake - Overabundant sodium in the diet can lead to fluid retention and high blood pressure especially for people that are sensitive to sodium.

Stress - This is one of the major factors many people have in their lives, unfortunately it’s also can lead to raising your blood pressure!

HBP can also be caused by other underlying conditions such as kidney disease, hormonal disorders, thyroid disease, adrenal gland disease, and the use of certain drugs. Needless to say, HBP is not something you want to have and if you do have it you want to get rid of it or at least regulate it the best you can. If high blood pressure is not taken care of it can lead to even more severe things such as damaged organs which increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, brain hemorrhaging, kidney disease and vision loss.

One of the best things you can do right now, is take a look online. There is an abundant amount of websites, forums, and e-books you could take a look at in order to find out more information about high blood pressure, the factors and risks as well as some really natural ways of lowering your blood pressure. I think one of the best forms of “content” are e-books. For the most part these e-books aren’t just written by some quack that has no idea what he’s talking about. Instead they have proven facts, opinions, reports and much more located in the books from organizations such as the FDA, ADA, and AHA. The following books are ones you should seriously considering taking a look at!

Natural Treatment For High Blood Pressure -

This book is incredible because it includes all sorts of reports such as medicinal reviews, the truth about stress, the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) as well as many other informative content. Another great thing about this book is it’s very easy to read, another wards, its very unscientific, which allows you the reader to understand the entire process without all the fuss and muss that other books have.

Controlling High Blood Pressure the Natural Way -

This book features a triple-threat healing program that not only revitalizes your circulation system but also boosts your overall health as well as a thirty-day food regimen–ninety full menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus many recipes for delicious foods to eat as you control hypertension.

High Blood Pressure for Dummies -

This updated guide explains all the latest breakthroughs in the detection, treatment, and prevention of high blood pressure, helping you determine whether you’re at risk and develop a diet and exercise program to keep your blood pressure at healthy levels. You will also find new information on protecting your heart, kidneys, and brain and dealing with secondary high blood pressure.

All these books and many more can be found by looking online and other websites such as eBay and Amazon. All these books are very efficient in the way of the information they contain, and they are all very inexpensive, and available for immediate download!



Ricardo

Diseases And Conditions , ,

Getting your Child to Eat Vegetables

October 13th, 2008
dash diet
Sharon Hopkins asked:


How you eat and what you eat affects your child directly. If you want your child to eat something that you dislike, you have to make an attempt to eat it first and then encourage your child to try a spoonful or plateful of it. It is not easy to get children to like any new food the first time. Keep reintroducing them from time to time.

Some tricks of trade that you can try to get your child to eat vegetables.

- Blend vegetables in a blender and add them to spaghetti sauce or liven up any non-veg dish.

- Keep a plateful of green salad, either in raw or grated form. You can toss up a salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, lettuce, carrots, cabbage, onion, and radish and so on. You can have salads either at mealtime or in between meals, as a snack.

- While making sandwiches for lunch, add lettuce, tomato slice or carrots in between. Chicken, tuna or pasta salads taste great with dash of vegetables in it.

- If your child thrives on noodles, add boiled or lightly steamed vegetables to it.

- While making pizza, add chopped broccoli, spinach, etc in addition to other toppings.

- Vegetables with a dash of melted cheese added to soups changes the flavor altogether.



Isaac

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