Tips On Preparing Health Food For Vitamin And Nutrient Sources

by: Deborah Prosser

Cooking a healthy meal day after day, night after night is not at all easy. However, if you want to start eating healthy, you need to pay close attention to the foods that you buy and serve on the dinner table. Be aware that eating health foods (and vitamins) involves knowing what the right foods are and making a conscious effort to consume more of them.

* Potatoes are good, as long as they are eaten in moderate amounts.

* Ideally, no more than five ounces of meat, beans and other sources of proteins (e.g., peas, nuts and fish) should be consumed per day to ensure that your diet has sufficient amount of protein. Bake, grill or broil meat instead of frying it.

* Consuming six ounces of grain each day is ideal. You can do this by consuming 3 ounces of whole grain breads, whole grain cereals, rice, pasta or crackers every day. A slice of bread and a cup of cereal roughly contain about one ounce of grain each.

* A nutritious meal consists of health foods rich in vitamins and other nutrients, which is why it is important to incorporate fruits and vegetables in your meals. Eat more of dark vegetables (e.g., broccoli and spinach). Sweet potatoes and carrots are rich sources of vitamins and nutrients too, and so are dry beans (e.g., peas, kidney beans and pinto beans. Instead of eating ice cream for dessert, try eating fruits, at least two cups per day. Eat a variety of fresh, frozen, canned and dried fruits.

* Fats, in reality, are essential to our health. Fats adversely affect the body and our health if they are consumed in excessive quantities. Among the adverse affects are high cholesterol levels, weight gain, cancer and heart disease. When cooking, avoid using solid fats (e.g., butter, margarine, shortening and lard). Use olive oil or canola oil instead. Learn to read food labels and check how much saturated fat and trans fat, as well as sodium, canned goods contain.

* Pay attention to serving sizes. A lot of people eat more than they actually need. Avoid making the same mistake; eat in accordance to your daily activities. For instance, reduce your serving size on days when you aren't doing any type of physical activity. You can increase meal portions when your schedule includes doing physical activities, as you will need the energy. Take also into consideration the particular needs of your family members when cooking a meal.

If you decide to follow the advice above, you’ll discover that cooking healthy meals is, in fact, extremely easy. Here’s an example of a healthy, well balanced meal (one serving):

* grilled or barbecued chicken breast (5-oz. per person)
* 1/2 baked potato
* mixed green salad
* fruits and frozen yogurt for dessert

With a little bit of will, consuming the right health food, vitamins and minerals your body requires is not going to be too hard at all.




About The Author
Copyright 2007, Deborah Prosser

Deborah is a partner in Ipcor Publishing and Personal Logs.com ( http://www.personallogs.com ). She is publisher of the website Get In Shape ( http://www.getinshape.ipcor.com ). You can find more information about healthy food choices on her webpage Health Food and Vitamins at http://www.getinshape.ipcor.com/Health-Food-Vitamins.htm

Alternative Health: Finding Help

by: Laurie J. Raphael

There are many ways that you can find help regarding alternative health. If you are interested in alternative health, you should consider the many resources that are available. Although you may not find as many resources on alternative health as standard medicine, there are still plenty out there for you to look into.

1. When it comes to finding information on alternative health it does not get much better than the internet. There are many websites maintained by alternative health doctors, people who practice alternative health, etc. Just remember, everything you read online is not necessarily true. But with that being said, you should be able to find plenty of information concerning alternative health online.

2. As of late, more and more books on alternative health have been published. By purchasing one of these you will get top notch information about this way of life. The nice thing about a book on alternative health is that it is more than likely written by somebody in the know. This means that you will get top notch information.

3. There are many doctors who specialize in alternative health. Of course, you are not going to find these doctors at your local hospital, so you may have to search around a bit. The best place to search for an alternative health doctor is in the local phone book. You may be surprised to find that there are many of these professionals in your area. Once you find several of them all you have to do is choose the right one.

Listed above are three places to find information on alternative health. You may be aware of other resources as well. If so, you should look into using them to find all of the information that you need. It does not matter where you find information on alternative health as long as it is accurate and reliable.



About The Author
Laurie J. Raphael

Visit my Alternative Medicine website featuring Feng Shui life and Herbal Remedy Medicines, Chinese Herbal Medicine and much more: http://www.AlternativeMedicineBasics.com

Sign up for my Newsletter at: altmedbasics@getresponse.com

Choosing The Wrong Individual Health Insurance Plan Can Be Very Costly

by Donald Saunders

There are literally hundreds of individual medical health insurance plans available today from a whole variety of different companies but choosing the wrong plan can end up costing you an arm and a leg. So how do you go about selecting the plan that is right for you?

Surprisingly enough the first thing you need to do is to forget about the cost of a plan and begin your search by deciding just what type of individual medical health insurance plan you need.

There are three main types of health insurance plan available today.

For many years the indemnity, or fee-for-service, plan dominated the market and this is the plan that most will recognize as it is a traditional form of insurance.

Rather like car insurance, an indemnity health insurance plan is not designed to cover everyday expenses but provides cover for accidents or unexpected illnesses and, in most cases, gives the policyholder a wide degree of freedom when it comes to deciding where to go and who to consult for treatment.

The responsibility for much of the administration of an indemnity plan falls on the shoulders of the policyholder who is normally required pay his own medical bills at the time of treatment and then to submit a claim for reimbursement.

Although indemnity health insurance plans have been around for many years now they no longer dominate the market and have been falling in popularity recently. Nonetheless, for many people, and particularly for those seeking a high degree of freedom to choose their own care provider, they remain a valuable option.

The next type of health insurance plan is referred to as a managed care plan, the best known example of which is the original Health Maintenance Organization, or HMO.

An HMO plan reduces overall medical costs by focusing attention on everyday medical care and spotting potential problems at an early stage so that they can be treated easily and quickly, thus avoiding the high cost of treatment for serious and advanced forms of untreated illness. In essence the idea is to reduce costs by keeping the policyholder healthy. Unlike indemnity insurance HMOs focus their attention on providing cover for routine medical care including such things as screening and check-ups.

The main disadvantage of managed care for some people lies in the fact that care is provided within a defined managed care group so that the policyholder loses the freedom to choose where and by whom treatment is carried out. The advantage of this however is that insurance companies normally deal directly with the managed care group and so policyholders do not need to become involved in paying their own bills and completing claim forms.

HMOs encountered several problems when they were first introduced and came in for a great deal of criticism. As a result considerable changes have been made to the original HMO model and you should not be put off by the experience of others, unless of course such experience comes from the holders of current plans.

The third main form of medical health insurance plan is the Preferred Provider Organization plan, or PPO, which is essentially a combination of both the traditional indemnity plan and the HMO plan.

Under a PPO plan policyholders are normally provided with medical care within a managed care organization, in exactly the same way as they would be under an HMO plan, but are also free within limits laid down within the PPO plan to seek medical treatment outside of the managed care organization.

Which of these three plans will best suit your needs is of course very much a matter of personal choice but deciding between the three needs to be your first step when it comes to choosing individual medical health insurance and you will need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each.

For example, if you are single, young, fit and healthy you may feel that you best option is to purchase an indemnity plan which will provide you with cover should you have an accident or encounter an unexpected illness. Alternatively, if you are married with children and have a family history of health problems you may feel that it is more appropriate to provide cover for everyday medical care.

Whatever your situation the important point to remember is that your starting point should not be to look at the cost of providing cover but to consider the type of cover that is needed. Once this decision has been made you can then go on to look at the choices available to you for your chosen form of cover and to consider the cost involved.

About the Author: MedicalHealthInsuranceToday.com provides information on all aspects of medical health insurance including individual and family health insurance plans, health insurance for pre-existing conditions and much more.

5 Reasons Why Wool Bedding Is Good For Your Health

by David Burnell

Staying healthy is a constant challenge in a world full of pressures and problems. Most of us are concerned about being fit and enjoying life to the full. So we need to maximise every area of our life to be healthy and enjoy a good wellbeing. We can sleep for up to a third of our lives so we should not ignore the impact of improving the amount of fitful sleep we obtain.

When we select poor quality bedding it can have a dramatic negative affect on our sleep pattern. It can leave us feeling irritable, weak, and with a reduced ability to perform tasks. Good quality wool bedding initially appears to be expensive when compared to synthetic bedding, but as with many things you get what you pay for. Here are some reasons why wool bedding may be the wiser choice.

Natural wool is a regulator of temperature. In practice this means that when we lay on the wool, it 'breathes', adapting to our body temperature either to keep us warm or cool us down. It will adapt to suit us personally in all seasons, promoting a better, deeper sleep all year round.

Natural wool is allergy-resistant. Dust mites often inhabit our bedding, but with a wool duvet this is far less often the case, as wool will not support the fertile living and breeding conditions the mites need to stay alive. So long as you keep the duvet clean, you should be safe from catching allergies that dust mites can transfer to humans.

Natural wool is supportive. Wool pillows, for example, will support your head as you sleep, as they are light and soft, but do not flatten excessively, in fact they will retain their shape even after many hours under your weight. So you will no longer need to 'plump up' your pillows during the night.

Natural wool is an absorber. When you sweat, you release moisture, but wool can absorb up to a third of its own weight without feeling wet to the touch. Wool allows water molecules to move freely and so perspiration is not such a problem, you thereby should have less chance of waking up feeling hot and sticky.

Natural wool is animal and eco-friendly. Being 100% sustainable and renewable, wool is in harmony with the environment. Its production does not involve any unnecessary cruelty to animals, which is always a comfort to animal lovers.

Sleeping under a wool duvet, on a wool pillow, and on a wool underblanket you will appreciate why wool is being used more and more in modern times. Sleeping with wool may enhance your ability to sleep fitfully to the extent that you may gain up to 800 extra hours of rest each year! You can look forward to feeling revitalised and refreshed each morning and you will notice the difference wool can make to your life.

About the Author
http://www.whitecloudtrading.co.uk White Cloud Trading Ltd are suppliers of wool from New Zealand, where pure, natural wool is produced from local sheepskin. All products are personally endorsed by the proprietors.

Relationship Health - 11 Red Flags Not To Ignore

Finding the right person to marry is a complex and difficult task. Our early relationships with our caregivers often shape who we are attracted to and what type of person we find comfortable to be around.

I have seen many individuals in my practice who have ended up in life-draining relationships. In most of the cases, they saw the problems well beforehand, but tolerated them for some reason or another. In my experience, the two most common reasons for ignoring warning signs were:

1. Having the belief that the person could change (perhaps if they are loved enough).

2. Although they may loath the person's behavior, they can't break away from the cycle of connecting with someone who behaves in a similar way as a hurtful parent because they are used to this kind of behavior or they want to conquer the early injury by replaying the relationship dynamic in an adult relationship.

Since we all have faults, how can we tell when we need to accept basic flaws and when we are overlooking serious issues?

People do grow and change as they mature, so it is not completely unreasonable to think someone can change behavior. However there are some behaviors/attitudes that don't change much as they are part of the person's personality. I have compiled a short list of some behaviors that I believe should be considered red flags NOT to ignore or think they will go away with time. Notice most of the descriptors have "chronic" or "pervasive" which is to emphasize the point that these are behaviors/attitudes that persist over time.

•Chronic anger (blow ups, irritability, moodiness, not due to a depressive disorder)

•Chronic sarcasm (anger disguised)

•Excessive neediness (this can be attractive to women who like a fixer upper)

•Disparaging humor (putting others down in a subtle way, also anger disguised)

•Punitive mindset (feels people deserve the bad things that happen to them)

•Controlling nature (needs to micromanage your affairs)

•Pervasive insecurity (needs you to reassure them constantly, can take the form of needing you to agree with them, do what they say, etc.)

•Extremely opinionated (a disguised form of someone who is judgmental and maybe critical)

•Manipulator (may use guilt to get you to do things, doesn't take no for an answer tries to get you to change your mind, makes you feel bad about things and see them as the victim)

•Predominate self-centeredness (take more than they give, things are always about them, These people have a hard time putting others first)

•Need to be on the offense (has a world view that people will always try to stick it to you or get over somehow unless you get yours first)

If you grew up around someone who did some of these things, you may find yourself being attracted to similar people even though you don't like their behavior. Even objectionable behavior can feel familiar and comfortable at some level.

Of course, there are other factors that influence how we choose our friends and significant others, but these are just a few ideas for you to consider to have a healthy relationship and prevent having an unproductive and/or hurtful relationship.

About the Author:
Tracey Marks, MD is a psychiatrist in private practice in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in adult psychiatric disorders and psychotherapy. For more information from Dr. Marks on various topics, you may visit her website at Marks Psychiatry
Source: Submit Articles at ArticlesBase.com

Use Flowers to Improve Your Health

Do you know that flowers can not only decorate our living spaces, but according to a scientific research conducted at Rutgers University, flowers can also improve our emotional health?

According to this research, which took 10 months and involved many participants, flowers can have three impacts on our emotional heath.

1. Flowers can bring happiness. This is no surprise. Most people will smile when they receive flowers and bouquets, won’t they? This research has shown that the smiles people show upon receiving flowers are excited and true smiles, and this applies to all age groups, no matter how old or how young the participants are.

2. Flowers can change our mood positively. Yes, seeing flowers around can indeed make us feel less depressed and more satisfied. Next time when your friends or family feel depressed, you might consider sending them some flowers to release their stress. Also, if feel depressed or stressful, you can buy flowers to yourself as a gift to cheer yourself up!

3. Flowers can improve personal relationships. Maybe that’s why we always bring flowers to our dates, friends and family members? So, next time if you can’t decide what gifts to bring when you visit someone, maybe you can think about flowers!

Although it’s a common knowledge that flower can make people happy, this research has added a scientific foundation to this fact. Let’s thank the nature for offering us such as gift! With the knowledge that flowers can improve our emotional health, maybe we should pay more visits to the flower shop on the corner of the streets!

John Lee has written many articles for websites such as Online Florist Guide ( http://www.florist4us.com ), Online Travel Guide etc.

Aromatherapy - Good Smell and Good Health

Is it just me, or it more than 50% of the ads you see on TV these days pushing some kind of drug or medication for ailments you might have never heard of? That is not entertainment and is not even remotely related to the TV show that I happen to be watching at the time. Where is the relevance?

Instead of filling yourself up with drugs and medications for ailments that you may (or may not) have, why not treat yourself? Consider aromatherapy and give it a try, because chances are that you are not familiar with it, perhaps have not tried it, and I have to tell you that you have been missing a lot of enjoyment by depriving yourself of an aromatherapy session at your local spa, or even at home.

Aromatherapy uses essential oils to create a soothing atmosphere that not only soothes the nerves and takes away the pressures of the day, but also smells great. Typically an aromatherapy session is less expensive than you might think, and outside of the psychological benefits of relieving stress and anxiety, it is also healthy for you.

The essential oils that are usually used in aromatherapy actually come from plants. Despite the name, they are not really oily at all, but are the "plant equivalent" of the blood that flows in our bodies, like the life blood of plants. There are many different types of aromatherapy oils you can try, so try them out until you find one you really like. You may find several that you really like, but since we are all different, our tastes vary. If you find you that you do NOT like, then by all means do not use it, but I would urge you not to dismiss aromatherapy as a whole because you did not care for one or two oils.

Also be sure to use the aromatherapy oil as directed for aromatherapy, which typically means diluting it first to the recommended levels. Most of these oils need to be diluted to varying degrees and should almost never be used without dilution.

Aromatherapy can be used as a rubbing solution, an inhaling solution, or in various other ways but the benefits vary depending on the type of oil used. But you will almost always enjoy the benefit of relaxation, along with stress release and tension release. If you have not tried aromatherapy yet, you owe it to treat yourself and give it a try.

For more information about Aromatherapy please visit our web site at http://www.aromatherapyexplained.com

Health Benefits of Sensual Awareness

Yes, something as scrumptious as sensuality is extremely instrumental in improving health. Sensuality and the tantric arts are not just about burning calories trying new sex positions. Sensual awareness and the tantric arts positively affect health by greatly reducing stress, generating more physical and mental energy from within, and creating an easy and foolproof method of weight control. Sensuality and tantra involve daily practices in which attention is focused on passion, creativity, enjoyment, and sensual perception in order to become and remain deeply connected with life.

Stress Reduction

Paying close attention what you feel, see, hear, smell, and taste, creates a sweet respite from life's discomforts and challenges and also allows you to come out of your head and observe your body and mind in an objective way. In a way, sensuality is expanded awareness of your breathing and energy movements. The body has various internal energies that work on their own to maintain homeostasis, or healthy equilibrium, that is your natural state. When your senses are alert, you are able to recognize the calm, awake, relaxation that occurs because you have stepped outside of your analytical mind. Many physiological changes take place as you focus on subtle sensorial pleasures. Breathing deepens and slows, blood pressure normalizes, oxygen is directed to areas of the body that need it, helping the body to repair itself, and preventing new damage due to the physical effects of stress.

Energy

Sensuality and tantric arts are both powerful methods that alter the chemistry of your body and brain to direct the body to a state of health and vitality. The brain and nervous system are transmitters and receptors of electromagnetic energy, similar to the earth's poles. Like magnets, we can attract these energies into and within the body. The state of the mind has a direct effect of the body's internal energy flow as well as the interaction between the internal and external energies. Sexual energy is the most concentrated form of human internal energy and tantric practice is used to consciously draw this higher energy into your body. The more sensitive you are to the energy movements, the easier it becomes to direct these energies to the body parts and organs where it is needed for strengthening or healing. Blockages of energy in tissues and organs create disease and degeneration. Once the energy flows are stabilized, the body operates more efficiently because energy is not wasted or stifled, and there is more available for exercise and everyday movement.

Weight Control

Preparing and enjoying food is a tantric art. When you bring consciousness to food and create a pleasurable ambiance, it is impossible to engorge yourself with unhealthy foods. Taking time to arrange the food attractively and receive the food with gratitude and full presence will not only make you take notice of what kinds of food you put into your mouth, but it also greatly extends the pleasure gained from eating smaller portion sizes and finding satisfaction with less. Essentially, mealtime can be an effective meditation. Taking your time and taking pleasure with the aromas, textures, and tastes of the food aids in easier digestion and allows the feeling of satisfaction and fullness to kick in before you have eaten too much. The food choices that you make as part of a mindful eating plan will gradually become healthier, fresher, with more emphasis on natural fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, seemingly with no effort at all. When you indulge in decadent foods in a mindful manner, you are allowed to enjoy the experience in moderation, without the guilt and without worry of gaining weight. Unhealthy cravings subside greatly. Eating as a tantric art is incredibly easy and leaves you more satisfied, with no complicated diet plans or restrictions.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that regular sensual awareness and tantric practices are absolutely the most pleasurable path to a healthy lifestyle. It is not too good to be true that you can release stress, maintain a healthy weight, and increase physical energy without a grueling, complicated regimen, and while having fun.

Lisa D. Branscomb, J.D. is the founder of LifeBliss Solutions. LifeBliss offers workshops, retreats, celebrations, and individual coaching on ways to use sensuality and tantric arts to create a richer, healthier, happier, more delicious lifestyle. For more information see LifeBliss Solutions.

How Can Health Drink Make Penile Erection Permanent

Christopher Woods, a New York man has sued the maker of the health drink Boost Plus, saying the vitamin-enriched beverage gave him an erection that would not go away; reposts AP .
Woods said he bought the beverage, which is made by the Swiss-based Novartis pharmaceutical company, on June 5, 2004, and drank it.
He woke up the next morning "with an erection that would not subside" and sought treatment of the condition, called severe priapism, court papers say.
Woods, 29, underwent surgery for implantation of a Winter shunt, which moves blood from one area to another.
Closing off some blood flow lessens the likelihood of an erection.
Novartis Boost Plus Website describes the drink having the Ingredients as follows in its Vanilla Flavor:
Water, corn syrup solids, sugar, vegetable oil (canola, high oleic sunflower, corn oils), milk protein concentrate, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, and less than 0.5%: potassium citrate, magnesium chloride, soy lecithin, calcium phosphate, salt, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, beta carotene, biotin, niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 hydrochloride, riboflavin, thiamine hydrochloride, folic acid, potassium iodide, magnesium phosphate, artificial flavor, choline chloride, vitamin E acetate, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3, vitamin K1, carrageenan, potassium chloride, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, cupric sulfate, chromium chloride, sodium molybdate, sodium selenite, ferrous sulfate.
In addition to the above: Chocolate-flavored BOOST PLUS contains cocoa processed with alkali and ferric pyrophosphate (instead of ferrous sulfate); Strawberry-flavored BOOST PLUS contains Red 3.
After having a look at the technical detail of the product nothing unusual was found. Though some research and testing of the product and various ingredients may reveal some useful fact that could be used for the people of erection problem if the claim is correct.
What do you think about it ? Have you ever encountered such symptoms from any health food un intentionally for even a short period? Have your say in the comment section.

Natural Health Remedies for Menopause

Menopause is a physical and psychological discomfort ranging from hot flashes, vaginal dryness, aches and pains to mood swings, anxiety and insomnia. Menopause affects every woman between the ages of 45 and 55. Fortunately, alternative medicine and natural health remedies for menopause have been proven very effective to correct the hormonal-imbalances and to relieve the discomforts of menopause.

Some preventative steps and natural health remedies for menopause help you deal with your menopause naturally and easily by balancing, regulating, and normalizing the menstrual system.

1. Plants, herbs and products that contain natural estrogens called phytoestrogens compounds are established natural health remedies for menopause. These help to minimize many menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, heart palpitations, vaginal dryness, moodiness, anxiety, irritability and other problems. A number of studies have demonstrated the benefits obtained with phytoestrogens, if used carefully.

2. Most soybean products (such as soy milk, tofu, tempeh, fermented soybean paste--miso and roasted soy nuts as well as the beans), Oregon grape, alfalfa, red clover (brand name Promensil) and dandelion are rich in phytoestrogens. Lignans, found in flaxseed, whole grains, legumes, and some vegetables are also high in phytoestrogens and omega-3 fatty acids.

3. Various studies have shown that Vitamins A and E along with bioflavonoids, Aloe Vera, melons, apricots, Hawthorn berries, elderberries, bilberries, Chasteberry (also known as Vitex agnus castus, hazelnuts, almonds, sweet potato, avocado and calendula are especially helpful to manage your early menopause and to relieve the discomforts during the transition to menopause. These are all natural health remedies and are readily available.

4. Also found easily are natural health remedies such as vegetables containing vitamin C and bioflavonoids. These include broccoli, beet greens, peppers, salad greens and parsley and all can help relieve hot flashes and counteract vaginal dryness.

5. St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Chinese angelica (dong quai) and kava kava herb, all natural health remedies, have been used traditionally as a natural tranquilizer to effectively facilitate the transition to and through menopause.

6. Extract of an herb black cohosh (scientific name--Cimicifuga racemosa and also known as black snakeroot, bugbane, bugwort, rattleroot, rattletop, rattleweed, and macrotys) has been one of the proven natural health remedies for menopause to be shown as quite effective especially for hot flashes in a very safe manner.

7. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an essential fatty acid that is used to combat menopausal symptoms. Evening primrose, borage, and currant seed oil are good sources of GLA.

Natural health remedies for menopause are an amazing blending of tradition and science that have much to offer as effective treatments for easing the transition to and through menopause.

This article is intended to provide assistance and information to people who are interested in learning more about natural remedies. It should not be used as a basis for any form of diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition. Always seek professional medical advice.

J. D. Sanders is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Natural Health Remedies where you can find even more information on treating various conditions the natural way for you to research at your leisure.

Natural Health Remedies For Joint Pain

Today’s markets are flooded with dozens of joint pain relievers but most of them have adverse side effects. That is why more and more people are now considering alternative therapies and natural health remedies for joint pain. There are a number of herbal products and natural health remedies that can help relieve that cranky and debilitating joint pain and inflammation.

Recent revelations show that these valuable natural health remedies and medications can be the best therapy if tailored to your individual case. Here, we are presenting general but useful information about some therapies and natural health remedies for joint pain.

1. Omega-3 fatty acids act as anti- inflammatory supplement to decrease pain and swelling. You can find them in fish oils which are the best source of omega-3, but they can also be found in walnut, flaxseed, borage, grape-seed and primrose oils. Take one tablespoon of oil or 2-3 capsules two times daily.

2. A healthy vegetarian diet low in arachidonic acid and high in calcium and vitamin B complex also reduces pain significantly. These natural health remedies include such things as dark green leafy vegetables, garlic, shiitake mushroom, whole grains and fresh fruits (especially pineapple, papaya, strawberries, blueberries and cranberries as these are antioxidant compounds).

3. Many studies have shown that ginger also acts as a natural active compound to reduce joint pain and inflammation in people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. You can use it in any form such as capsules, extract, powder and tincture.

4. Adequate amounts of vitamin D (400 to 600 IU of vitamin D) tend to keep cartilage healthy; has been shown in numerous studies of Arthritis and Rheumatism.

5. Nettle Leaf, Cayenne, Devil's Claw, bromelain, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), turmeric (Curcuma longa), and Boswellia serrata are powerful antioxidants and natural health remedies for joint pain as they have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.

6. S-adenosymethionine or SAMe is a proven one of the natural health remedies for joint pain that is produced naturally in the body. It increases the production of bone and cartilage supporting molecules.

7. Some studies have found that heat application to the aching joint can give temporary relief and comfort which can be provided by hot-water bottles, electric heating pads, heat lamps and ointments or massage that soothes pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis by supplying heat.

8. Hydrotherapy or hot or cold water compressing treatments is another easy ways to relieve stiffness and pain of joints but apply it very carefully.

Each of these herbs and supplements act differently but they can work synergistically if used carefully and wisely in combination rather than individually. Contact your natural health practitioner to determine which of these natural health remedies for joint pain might be suitable for your health regimen in your particular case.

This article is intended to provide assistance and information to people who are interested in learning more about natural remedies. It should not be used as a basis for any form of diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition. Always seek professional medical advice.

J. D. Sanders is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Natural Health Remedies where you can find even more information on treating various conditions the natural way for you to research at your leisure.

A Few Health Tips For Busy Moms

There’s no doubt about it- Moms are busier today then ever before. Most moms struggle balancing work life and home life, or if Mom stays at home, she often feels as if she is on a never-ending roller coaster that begins from the moment she wakes up until the time she falls asleep. It seems as if the most often complaint heard by mothers is that they don’t have time to take care of their health.

Lack of sleep, not enough time to exercise, eating fast foods are just some of the complaints that mothers feel contribute to their poor health. Well, here are some tips that will help ensure that all moms, no matter what their schedules, can take steps to protect their health.

First, make sure that you drink plenty of water. This may seem like an insignificant step, but you would be amazed how many women are actually dehydrated. Soft drinks, coffee, and energy drinks all hold a special appeal to moms who are busy as they suggest giving that boost that they need, yet the repercussions far outweigh the rewards. The calories that you gain from these drinks will only work against your health goals. You don’t have to cut these drinks out of your diet completely, just cut back and replace them with the required amount of water that you should drink daily. You need at least 8 glasses of water per day, but you may want to ask your physician exactly how much water he or she recommends you take.

Exercise is an area that many women neglect due to the hectic schedules that they keep. However, there is good news. New studies have shown that you don’t have to work out for a consecutive 30 minutes 3 times a week to be healthy. In fact, if you are a new mom, or just can’t find 30 minutes to dedicate to your workout, you can break it up throughout the day. If you can find ten minutes to work out three times per day, you will achieve the same benefits as if you worked out 30 minutes once during the day. The same rule applies if you break your workout into six segments of five minutes each. Therefore, find your work out schedule and break it up throughout your day. This way if the phone rings, or the baby cries don’t feel that you have to give up your workout. Just pick up where you left off, when you get another moment of time to yourself, and you will be fine.

If you find that you aren’t getting enough rest at night, then take naps when your baby is napping. If you have a hard time unwinding at night, try drinking chamomile tea. By incorporating these tips into your daily life, you will find that your health will improve no matter how busy your schedule is.

Find more great health tips at our Health reference website providing news / articles / directory / internet search.

Slim People at Risk for Fat Related Health Problems?

Do you assume that because someone is thin that they are also fit? Well, hold on to your hat, researchers are saying that many thin people have the same heart disease risk and type 2 diabetes risk as obese people. In fact, they say that some thin people are at higher risk than sumo wrestlers! The reason? Intra-abdominal fat.

According to Dr. Jimmy Bell, a professor of molecular imaging at Imperial College London, "being thin deosn't aurtomatically mean you're not fat". It's what's inside that makes a difference to your health. Internal fat surrounding vital organs such as the heart and liver can be as dangerous as the fat that you see. Since 1994, Dr. Bell and his collegues have been mapping the fat stores of people to show where people store fat. They have scanned and recorded more than 800 people.

When most people gain weight, the fat is subcutaneous and we see it. We have known for years that a person who gains fat around the middle of their body is at increased risk for heart disease etc., but this was viewed as an obesity related issue. Now, it's clear that even thin people are at risk.

Of the women scanned in the study, 45% of those with normal body mass indices (BMI) had excessive levels of internal fat. Of the men? 60%!

Dr. Bell's research indicates that people who control their weight with diet rather than exercise are likely to have major deposits of fat around their internal organs, no matter how slim they appear on the outside. This leads us to the idea that exercise is the key to controlling levels of fat you can see and fat you can't see.

What's the difference in the health risks of subcutaneous fat and intra-abdominal fat?

The metabolic characteristics of intra-abdominal fat are different from subcutaneous fat (the stuff you see). Intra-abdominal fat releases free fatty acids to drain directly into the liver, whereas subcutaneous fat drains into the systemic circulation. The influx of free fatty acids in the liver results in overproduction of very low density lipoprotein, and retention of low density lipoprotein, the "bad cholesterols" in the bloodstream. This can also lead to a lower level of high density lipoprotein, the "good cholesterol".

This research offers a possible explanation for, while the population in developing South East Asian countries still have lower rates of obesity, have a high per capita incidence of Type II diabetes and heart disease. Of course, smoking is still prevalent in this region as well…

What to do? Exercise and eat healthily! And remember… Muscles burn fat.

Around age 35, unless maintained through exercise, the body begins to lose muscle and gain fat. Since muscles require energy where as fat cells act as energy storage, a person who stays slim by dieting will require fewer calories as they lose muscle. Over the years, the metabolism slows down because the body has less muscle to burn energy. Any extra energy will be stored as fat somewhere even if it's not visible to the naked eye.

If the muscle mass is maintained, the body will simply use fat rather than store it.

It's a simple concept, really…. Dieting may keep a body slim; but healthy eating and a combination of aerobic and resistance exercise keeps a body slim, strong and disease resistant. Hmmm…just more proof that exercise keeps you younger.

About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Travel Health - 6 Ways to Maintain Your Travel Health

Want a vacation from travel-related health troubles? Try these tips:

Travel Health Tip #1: Take regular breaks Stroll the airplane aisle or highway rest stop periodically to prevent the blood in your legs from pooling. Another good reason to get moving: “Sitting in a car or plane all day can make you constipated,” says Rick Kellerman, M.D., president of the American Academy of Family Physicians and chairman of family medicine at the University of Kansas at Wichita, “but you can prevent that with exercise. Even moving around for just a few minutes helps.”

Travel Health Tip #2: Pack produce... and other high-fiber foods, says Dr. Kellerman. “You’re more likely to prevent stomachaches and other gastrointestinal problems by having family members eat the way they do at home. When you get hungry and pull off the road, head to the local grocery instead of a fast food joint.”

Travel Health Tip #3: Get your ZZZs. To head off jet lag, schedule your flight as follows: When heading east, fly early; when heading west, fly late. This long-practiced flying strategy ensures the least disruption to the body’s normal sleep-wake cycle, preserving your travel health.

Travel Health Tip #4: Wet your whistle. On a flight, you family is in a very arid environment that dehydrates the body and dries out the tender skin and mucous membranes in the nose and throat. “A good rule of thumb is to drink at least 16 ounces of water before leaving and 8 ounces of water every hour while flying,” suggests G. Richard Olds, M.D., a travel disease specialist and chairman of medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Fruit juice is also a good choice; cola, tea and coffee aren’t (the caffeine they contain may have a diuretic effect). Are you visiting a hot climate? A sports beverage can replenish sodium and potassium that are lost in sweat.

Travel Health Tip #5: Go the distance with germ warfare. You don’t need to vacation in Mexico to experience Montezuma’s revenge. “The farther you travel from home, even within the U.S., the more likely you are to be introduced to unfamiliar germs,” says Dr. Olds. “That increases your chances of respiratory illness, loose stools and other germ-caused infections.” So take precautions: “If you’re traveling across several states, pack some over-the-counter cough syrup, sore throat lozenges and an antidiarrhea medication,” Dr. Olds says.

Travel Health Tip #6: Shun the Sun Spending time outdoors at the beach, mountains or woods? Protect your family’s skin with a sunscreen that has a high SPF (30 and up). Apply it to exposed skin areas about half an hour before heading outside to allow the sunscreen to swing into action. And use at least two tablespoons per application. Reapply sunscreen every two hours throughout the day and immediately after you’ve gotten wet or have been sweating.

Follow these tips to protect your travel health, and your vacation will be made in the shade.

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Sid Kirchheimer ©MediZine's Healthy Living™, Second Quarter 2007. Robert A. Barnett is the Editor of HealthyUpdates.com, a health education website produced by MediZine, LLC.

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