Obesity is becoming an epidemic in our country; every year, statistics tell us that more and more Americans (and Canadians) are crossing over the threshold to obesity. Not only is this a frightening fact for adults, but the number of children who are now classified as obese is also on the rise (One in Four). The chronic diseases associated with obesity consume billions of health care dollars, with no end in sight.
Studies show that sudden death occurs 13 times more often in people who are overweight. The US Public Health Service reports that approximately 300,000 Americans die each year from obesity.
Of all the human diseases, obesity is the easiest to overcome. It is not so much a matter of will power as a matter of "won't power". It is extremely rare that overweight is caused by gland problems -- unless, of course, we consider the salivary glands.
The two dietary factors which precondition obesity may be grouped as:
(1) the amount of food one eats; and
(2) the nature of the food one eats.
When the diet includes a significant majority of fresh raw fruits and vegetables, one's chances of developing obesity are almost zero. The extent to which processed and cooked foodstuffs replace the raw is invariably the degree by which weight problems develop.
If you have recurring infection of the flu virus you might not be washing your hands as often as you should. Keep the work area swabbed with an antiseptic.
Washing your hands, with soap especially after visiting the washroom, is imperative to do to keep the virus away.
Should you take willow bark or aspirin for pain relief? Both are made from the same components (salicylates). So why not just take an aspirin? Because it is too harsh for the delicate lining of your stomach and can cause bleeding. Willow bark, on the other hand, is naturally buffered. Its action is so gentle that it does not upset and irritate the stomach.
Last year, there were 10 million reported adverse reactions to prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines. As many as 140,000 of these people died. That's more lives lost in one year than in the entire Vietnam war!
The carotenes, vitamins A, C, and E all have powerful antioxidant effects that destroy potential carcinogens, promote healthy heart tissue, stimulate the immune system and promote anti-aging.
Phytochemicals are biologically active natural substances derived from plants. They are integral constituents of natural disease resistance. A well known example is the broccoli phyto-chemical sulforathane, which reaches a potential cancer cell and activates a sequence of enzymes that efficiently remove the carcinogen from the cell before any damage occurs.
Did you know that a big bowl of broccoli can interfere with certain high blood pressure medications? Or that an extra glass of wine could be fatal to a person with diabetes who is taking medication to lower his blood sugar?
Drinking grapefruit juice with some drugs can inhibit intestinal enzymes that help your body absorb the drugs. The result? The amount of medication that ultimately enters your system may be more or less than you really need, which could negatively affect your treatment. The best advice: When taking these drugs avoid grapefruit juice for at least 2 hours before and after ingesting them, and stick with plain water.
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EXERCISE QUICK TIP
Lifting weights two or three times a week is a great way to build muscle.
You may lose as much as 35% of your strength if you don't lift for as little as four weeks.
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Are You Eating Enough Nutritious Foods
Recent provincial surveys suggest that many Canadians aren't eating enough nutritious foods. In Ontario, 80% of women don't eat even the minimum number of recommended Grain Products. In Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec, the Milk Products and Meat and Alternatives groups seem to be underconsumed by large segments of the population. (No wonder calcium and iron intakes are often low). Data also indicates that many don't eat the recommended servings of Vegetables & Fruit. That means great numbers of Canadians aren't deriving either the short or long-term benefits that may come with a balanced diet.
Which Exercise Machine Burns the Most Calories?
The Dairy Bureau of Canada thinks "the best way to prevent the onset of osteoporosis is to eat a diet rich in calcium and be physically active throughout life."
Surprise! According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it's the treadmill. Put against a cross-country skiing simulator, ergonomic cycle, stair-stepper and rowing machine, the treadmill proved significantly better at burning calories and gave the best cardiorespiratory workout.
Biggest Dietary Blunders
Cutting out red meat
Thinking of bread as fattening instead of part of a healthy diet
Choosing food for what it doesn't have (like sugar or fat) instead of what it does have (like vitamins and minerals)
Having diet soft drinks or "designer" water with meals instead of nutritious beverages, like juice, to save calories.
LOWERING TRIGLYCERIDES NATURALLY
THE BEST HERBS FOR YOUR MONEY
GARLIC - Capsules or tablets
BUY: products that are coated capsules of dried garlic powder that release allicin in the small intestine. Daily dosage should equal 1 clove fresh garlic; (4 grams of fresh garlic that yields between 2500 to 5000 micrograms of allicin per day).
Triglycerides are the type of fat found in dairy products, lard, shortening and the marbling seen in red meat. It is the fat that makes up the bulge in the waistline that makes belt-tightening so difficult. High levels of
triglycerides are associated with excessive caloric intake and obesity, sedentary behavior, smoking, alcohol consumption and a high carbohydrate diet (especially breads, pastas and cereals). Sugar in any form, in particular table sugar, honey, molasses and various syrups, raise triglyceride levels. A heavy intake of fruit juice, sweetened or unsweetened, also elevates triglycerides.
TRIGLYCERIDES & EXERCISE
Daily one hour walks alone can reverse high triglycerides and obesity.
Scientists know that, in addition to water, everyone needs five basic types of chemical substances: carbohydrates, lipids (fats), minerals, proteins and vitamins. How much of these substances people require depends on their age, sex, heredity (their unique genetic structure), the amount of exercise they get, and the amount of poisons (toxins) that exist in the body. Proteins and most carbohydrates and fats contained in foods are too large to be absorbed directly into the body. They first must be metabolized (broken down) into smaller chemical constituents before they can be utilized. On the other hand, vitamins and minerals can be absorbed directly.
When a person eats a piece of meat for example, it must be ground down by the teeth and mixed with saliva into smaller particles that can enter the gastrointestinal tract. As these particles reach the stomach and intestines they are further broken down into proteins and fat that are absorbed directly into the blood. Elements of the meat that are not absorbed into the blood are eliminated later through the colon.
Each person's digestive system breaks down proteins, carbohydrates and fats at slightly different rates. Some people eat faster than others, the amount of food consumed varies as well. What people eat and the speed and efficiency with which their bodies convert food into carbohydrates, fats, minerals, proteins, and vitamins, largely determines their energy level and the overall state of their health.
PARSLEY: An Effective Diuretic
This herb is also a strong diuretic, so strong in fact that parsley juice should never be taken if any type of kidney inflammation exists. The rapid flushing out of excess water places too great a strain on a weak kidney.
Parsley is able to stimulate the digestive system. (that's why it is a good idea to actually eat the parsley that adorns your plate!)
DIETERS NOTE:
When you go on a very low calorie diet (less than 1,200 calories per day), about 25 percent of the weight you lose is muscle. The less muscle you have, the lower your metabolism is, and the fewer calories your body burns. The best solution is to avoid very low-calorie diets and to exercise to build muscle and boost your metabolism.
'STRIVE FOR FIVE'
It's a simple strategy! By including 5 servings of vegetables and fruits in your daily diet you can automatically improve your diet AND your health!
Fruits and vegetables are NATURALLY good for you.
-- plenty of Vitamins & Minerals and when you are eating five servings of fruits or vegetables each day, you have less room for other foods that might be less nutritious.
Strive for Five is a campaign to help people
enjoy a healthier diet.
They have:
Better Health: Nutrition
- A TV sitcom lasts 30 minutes.
- A pizza is delivered in 30 minutes.
- A typical laundry wash cycle takes 30 minutes.
- There are 336 30-minute blocks of time in a week.
cardiovascular fitness.
Ending hunger and poverty depends on choices that we make as nations and as individuals. We could provide basic nutrition and health care for all people in developing countries by spending $13 billion more each year-that's $4 billion less than what Americans and Europeans spend on pet food.
"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor,
it cannot save the few who are rich."
quote by: John F. Kennedy
DISCLAIMER
The information on these webpages is intended to help you better understand health and fitness issues. It is not intended to replace the advice of a physician or healthcare provider. If you read something that contradicts what your physician or healthcare provider tells you in any way, always follow your physician's or healthcare provider's advice.
