Merry Christmas To All.

                                                    Merry Christmas to All.

WHAT ARE FREE RADICALS AND ANTIOXIDANTS

If you're wondering why there seems to have been an influx of health and wellness products emphasising their antioxidising properties in the past few years, you're probably not alone.

And though it may seem like a clever marketing ploy to get you in a panic, oxidation in your body has dangerous effects and enriching your diet with foods and supplements to aid your body's antioxidising efforts is important.

Related: Antioxidants

The bad guys at the root of it all are free radicals that are the result of natural biochemical reactions but which can also be generated by drinking alcohol, smoking, eating fried foods, and exposure to air pollutants and pesticides.

Although free radicals are naturally occurring in our bodies, they can cause major damage because when they latch onto healthy cells, they compromise their normal functions through the process of oxidation.

And because free radical reactions (oxidation) in our bodies can lead to the deterioration of healthy cells that in turn lead to degenerative diseases including various cancers, it's important to decrease your exposure to free-radical-generating substances as well as increase your body's chances of fighting their harmful effects with, you guessed it, antioxidants!

Related: Polyphenols? What Are They And What Are The Best Foods To Eat.

It's important to note, though, that your body needs a balance of free radicals and antioxidants to function, so you can't and shouldn't eat with the aim of completely ridding your body of the former.

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ADAPTOGENS: WHAT ARE THEY?

We’re all under stress, whether at home or at work or due to illness. So who wouldn’t like to find something that could boost resistance to the adverse effects of stress? 

A wide variety of herbal compounds are touted for their ability to help the body respond to or recover from physical or psychological stress, as well as for bolstering immunity and general well-being. One group of them is called adaptogens, a term coined in the early 1960s by Israel Brekhman, a Russian scientist.

The concept of adaptogens was based in part on a theory of stress called the “general adaptation syndrome,” proposed by an Austrian endocrinologist, Hans Selye. This basically holds that stress causes the body to go through three stages—preparing for fight or flight, adapting to the stress, and then exhaustion if the stress is long-lasting. Adaptogens are supposed to be a kind of general restorative tonic that counters the effects of stress, normalizes bodily functions, and helps the body heal itself.

Though not accepted by mainstream Western medicine, the concept that adaptogenic herbs can boost strength and vitality is integral to traditional Eastern medicine. As such, these herbs are often promoted as virtual cure-alls—“magic” or “miracle” remedies for everything from boosting mental attention and physical endurance to preventing a host of diseases. (Dr. Oz, in his typical pie-in-the-sky manner, titled one of them a “miracle pill for anti-aging.”) Even one supplement industry group, while praising adaptogens as “powerhouses,” warns that the marketing claims for adaptogens often are exaggerated, misrepresent the research, or are “pure fantasy.”

As with most herbs, there are few well-designed human studies on adaptogens. Moreover, the studies, many of them done in China or India, often use mixtures of herbs, so it’s impossible to know what is having an effect, if there is one.

One key problem is the variability of the herbs. Different species or varieties have different compounds and biological properties, and different parts of the plant (roots, leaves, stems) also contain varying chemicals. How the herbs are processed affects their biological activity as well. Moreover, it’s hard to study the many vague claims. How, for instance, do you measure increased “well-being” or “vitality”? Plus, it’s hard to know what you’re really getting in the bottles, since there is little meaningful regulation of dietary supplements.

That said, here are seven of the most popular adaptogens. Their potential adverse effects are grouped together at the end.

ANTIOXIDANTS

                                 


Check out this video with some great antioxidant containing foods to boost your health.

EIGHT FOODS THAT FIGHT ACHES AND PAINS

You know that taking certain supplements can help to combat aches and pains caused by arthritis and other conditions, but did you know that some foods have painkilling and anti-inflammatory properties?
Here are eight foods you might want to put on your plate if you suffer from chronic pain...

Turmeric

A spice commonly used in Indian cooking, turmeric contains the chemical curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties and can help ease the pain of osteoarthritis and regulate the body's immune response, reducing the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Extra-virgin olive oil

You already know the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. As well as helping you to live longer, it seems that enjoying a diet high in olive oil could help to manage your pain.

Extra-virgin olive oil contains a natural phenolic compound called oleocanthal, which prevents the production of pro-inflammatory COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes. This reduces inflammation and eases pain, much in the same way that ibuprofen works. Extra-virgin olive oil from Tuscany is said to have the highest oleocanthal levels.

Pomegranates

Pomegranates might not be something you think to eat every day, but you might want to give them a go if you suffer with chronic pain. The seeds of the fruit contain anthocyanin antioxidants, which reduce inflammation, and ellagitannin antioxidants, which studies show are effective at treating pain. 

QUICK GUIDE TO OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS

You’ve heard us tout the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for years, from their ability to boost your brainpower to their knack for protecting your ticker. But what exactly are these fats, and what’s their big lifesaving secret? Consider this your quick guide to omega-3s:  

What Are They?

Here’s a quick science primer: Omega-3 fatty acids and their cousins, omega-6s and omega-9s, are polyunsaturated fats. Two polyunsaturated fats—linoleic, an omega-6, and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3—are considered essential. “Our bodies can’t make polyunsaturated fatty acids,” says Stephen Smith, Ph.D, a professor of meat science at Texas A&M University. “We must have those in the diet for growth and normal health.” 

Two important omega-3s found in fish—eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)—are considered conditionally essential. The hitch: Your body can make them, but sometimes you don’t make enough.

 Related: Omega Fatty Acids - 7 Myths Debunked

CHRONIC INFLAMMATION? WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOUR HEALTH. PART 2

Can Reducing Inflammation Protect You From Getting Sick?

Much is still unknown, but physicians and researchers do believe it’s preventable and reversible. 

“People who are less inflamed over a long period of time have far less incidence of illness,” says Dr. Dillard.

You can assess your own situation with a quick blood test that measures a liver chemical, C-reactive protein (CRP), which rises in response to inflammation.

This test, available for as little as $35, can help assess your risk of heart attack, especially if you’re younger than 60 and have a family history of heart disease.

Your doctor will explain your results, but CRP levels between 1 and 3 milligrams per liter of blood signal chronic, low-grade inflammation with an intermediate risk of heart disease. Levels above 3 milligrams indicate a high risk.

Related: What to Eat To Stay Ahead Of Inflammation

If your CRP level is above normal, your doctor might suggest that you start taking statins, such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), says Dr. Libby. 

CHRONIC INFLAMMATION? WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOUR HEALTH. PART 1

Scan the obits and you’ll see the usual suspects listed as causes of death—heart disease, cancer, stroke, and complications from diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. 

What you won’t read about is chronic inflammation, a deep-body immune response that medical researchers are beginning to recognize as the underlying reason we develop these deadly conditions.

“Most major diseases seem to have a chronic inflammatory component,” says integrative medicine expert James Dillard, M.D.

“Evidence shows that arthritis, certain allergies, and asthma are increasing at alarming rates,” says Ski Chilton, Ph.D., a professor of physiology and pharmacology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and the author of Inflammation Nation. 

The dramatic upswing in these milder conditions suggests that chronic inflammation is also on the rise and that it will increasingly fuel serious diseases as well.

While the medical establishment is still trying to better understand chronic inflammation, a growing body of research is casting light on the poorly understood process and pointing us toward ways to fight it.

What the Heck Is Inflammation?

Chances are you’re already familiar with acute inflammation. This is the redness, heat, and swelling of a gum infection or a hammer-meets-thumb injury. 

These reactions are triggered by the flood of white blood cells summoned by your body to surround and protect the wound. 

Acute inflammation also occurs internally when you get an infection, such as pneumonia. In that event, those same white blood cells take aim at the bacteria in your tissues and bloodstream.

In both cases, the heat and swelling of acute inflammation are all part of your body’s battle against the invaders that cause infection—they help speed the healing process.

Related: 6 Surprising Inflammation Causes 

THE 5 BEST FOODS TO FIGHT HEART DISEASE

                   
                                


Check out these foods to help keep your heart healthy. 
Let us know what you think? 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Q: Why are some monsters so quiet?
A: Because silence is ghoul-den

We could not help it we had to add a cheesy joke. 

Have a Happy Halloween.

GINGER - A REMEDY TESTED

Used in cooking and herbal medicine around the world, ginger is the rhizome (underground stem) of Zingiber officinale, which grows in warm climates. It contains many interesting compounds. 

The best known of these are called gingerols, which produce the hot sensation in your mouth, as well as the pungent flavor and aroma. Fresh or powdered, pickled or candied, ginger adds a unique zest to any dish.

Like many herbs and plant-derived foods, ginger does great things in the lab (in animals or isolated human cells), but its proven medicinal effects, in real life, remain limited. Studies usually use ginger extracts, which can vary in their chemical composition.

Some findings:

Ginger may have anti-cancer properties. For instance, a lab study from the University of Michigan, published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine back in 2007, found that ginger keeps ovarian cancer cells at bay—in a test tube. Similarly, at 2013 lab study in Nutrition and Cancer found that compounds in ginger extract may inhibit the proliferation of prostate cancer cells. Other studies suggest that ginger may have beneficial effects on breast cancer and colon cancer cells. This is a long way from saying that ginger can prevent or treat cancer in humans, however.

ARTHRITIS - HOW CHANGING YOUR DIET COULD HELP REDUCE PAIN

According to Arthritis Care Northern Ireland nearly 230,000 people live there with the debilitating disease. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form, followed by rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

As the drugs used to treat arthritis often work through action on the immune system or reduction of inflammation, the role for diet in arthritis is targeted at these functions also. Unfortunately some medications can come with negative side-effects. Nutritional interventions, although perhaps not as consistent and sometimes not as effective as medications, will more often than not help with a condition, without consequences to health.

Additionally tailored dietary intervention will offer other health benefits alongside its expected therapeutic aid. This is why many people use dietary manipulation - alongside medications or in some incidences instead of medications - when tackling a health complaint.

A dietitian's role goes beyond treatment and prevention of arthritis. A dietitian must also help combat the side effects caused by the medications such as taste changes, mouth sores, abdominal pain, ulcers, loss of appetite, nausea, thinning of the bones, weight loss and weight gain.

In addition to nutrition-related side effects of the medications, dietitians also help with drug-nutrient interactions. For example certain medications interact with folic acid, calcium and potassium within the body.


Related: Managing Pain While Avoiding Opiod  Abuse

Osteoarthritis

When it comes to osteoarthritis (OA), obesity is a strong risk factor. Obesity is the greatest modifiable risk factor for OA. People with a BMI>30 kg/m2 are nearly seven times more likely to develop knee OA than people with a healthy weight. The reason for this is twofold.

Top 12 Cholesterol-Lowering Foods

            


Hi check out this video on cholesterol reducing foods. They also have lots of other benefits. Let us know if you found this useful.

PROBIOTICS - PROS AND CONS

Probiotics are a big and rapidly growing business, with annual global sales of products expected to rise to $42 billion by 2016. The term probiotic refers to dietary supplements (tablets, capsules, powders, lozenges and gums) and foods (such as yogurt and other fermented products) that contain “beneficial” or “friendly” bacteria. The organisms themselves are also called probiotics.

They are promoted to improve digestion, strengthen immunity, help in weight loss and even protect against periodontal disease, among other proposed benefits, as well as for general health. Will the friendly bacteria in these supplements and foods keep you healthy?

Proponents claim that probiotics (meaning “for life,” as opposed to antibiotics) confer health benefits primarily by rebalancing the normal microflora in the large intestine (colon). There are many general types of bacteria used as probiotics (two common ones are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium), and many different species as well as strains within species. They have different physiological effects—and thus possibly different health benefits (as well as possible risks). Some yeasts, such as Saccharmyces, can also act as probiotics.

OMEGA 3'S FROM ALGAL OIL?

Q: Are algal oil supplements a good alternative to standard omega-3 (fish oil) supplements?

A: They seem to be. Derived from various types of micro-algae, algal oil is gaining popularity among vegans and other people who want a source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) but don’t want to get them from fish or fish-oil supplements. But it’s also gaining buzz because it’s a more sustainable alternative to deriving oil from fish (due to declines in certain fish populations) and doesn’t pose the risk of contamination with pollutants, such as PCBs, that are found to some degree in many fatty fish.

Algal oil is largely composed of DHA, along with smaller amounts of EPAand alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which the body can be convert to DHA and EPA to a limited extent. Both DHA and EPA have known heart benefits, as well as helping to reduce blood clots, arrhythmias, inflammation, high blood pressure, and triglycerides (fats in the blood), though clinical trials on supplements containing them have largely had disappointing results.

Coffee Health Benefits

                 
                             


Check out these health benefits from coffee, and helps to reduce inflammation. Let us know what you think?

PROBOTICS - THEIR ROLE IN SUPPORTING OUR HEALTH

In recent years there has been a lot of conversation about the gut flora and this thing called the gut brain connection. Never before have people been so concerned about the trillions of bacteria that reside in our gut. The trillions of bacteria inside your body make up your microbiome. A majority of these bacteria reside in your gut and are referred to as the gut microbiota.

Pre-existing science used to think the gut had but one single purpose, to break down our food into fuel for our body. This is no longer the case.  In the past few years science has discovered that the gut plays a vital role in our psychology, in regulating inflammation, and in protecting immunity.

The gut microbiota plays a major role in our psychology through the 100 million nerves that line the gut called.  This neurological superhighway is called the enteric nervous system (ENS).  This system allows the brain and the gut to communicate through a series of hormones, neurotransmitters, and electrical pulses. The pathways of nerves that these two organs communicate through include endocrine, immune, and neural pathways. The discovery of the connection between the gut and the brain explains why emotions and psychological factors can show up in the stomach.

 Related: The Gut Microbiome? How Does It Affect Our Health.

Just as we might take care of the brain by eating antioxidants and omega-3, we should take the same precautions for the stomach. How? By introducing adequate amounts of live microorganisms into our system that incur health benefits on the host, also known as Probiotics. 

Thinking About Taking a Dietary Supplement?

               

                  

Always worth reinforcing the message that we always suggest that you check with your health care providers before taking any supplements.

EVERYDAY FOODS TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM.

Unfortunately, summer has ended and cold and flu season has started to arrive.  

Many individuals are quick to receive their flu shot in an effort to prevent a weeks worth of malaise and illness, but did you know that the foods you eat every day can also boost your immune system?  Try incorporating in these four foods as part of your regular diet…well at least from November through February.  

Garlic. Containing an organosulfur compound called Allicin, garlic has been proven to boost immunity by preventing viral illness. In the unfortunate event you do get sick, it has also proven to decrease the severity and length of illness.

How to include this in your diet?  Chop 1-2 cloves of garlic and allow to sit for a few minutes.  Allicin is created when garlic is chopped and exposed to the air. Try incorporating into salad dressing to avoid cooking garlic, which can destroy allicin.  Don’t like salads all that much?  Try a garlic hummus for a great immune boosting snack.

5 SURPISING THINGS THAT HURT YOUR HEART

                        

Check out this video and let us know your thoughts?

OMEGA 3 SUPPLEMENTS CAN HELP REDUCE LEVELS OF DEPRESSION

Omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in hemp, fish, and flaxseed, yield a number of health benefits including prevention of heart disease. But recent research found that a high dose of omega-3 supplements is not only great for one's physical health but can reduce symptoms of major depression.

Published in Translational Psychiatry, the analysis featured 13 studies with 1,233 participants with depression. Researchers looked at the effects of omega-3 supplements on their symptoms as well as how eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) — acids found in fish — had an effect in different doses. The former has been known to decrease levels of the disorder, and results showed that higher doses of EPA greatly reduced symptoms, especially for patients already on antidepressants.

"Omega-3 supplements may be specifically effective in the form of EPA in depressed patients using antidepressants," said the study's lead author Dr. Roel JT Mocking, researcher at the Program For Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in a released statement. "This could be a next step to personalizing the treatment for depression and other disorders."

Related: Can Probiotics Help With Treating Depression

Although the addition of omega-3 supplements isn't a definitive treatment for depression, the study supports the correlation as well as the health benefits of both EPA and DHA omega-3s overall.

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STRESS BUSTING NUTRIENTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM.

Food can be medicine in so many ways. If your body is out of whack, oftentimes the physiological issue at hand can be boiled down to a nutritional deficiency. Are you tired? Try eating more spinach and loading up on iron. Is your stomach irritated? Introducing good bacteria via probiotics could be a quick, drug-free fix to a healthier gut.

The same thing goes for stress and anxiety. But when talking about the delicate line between traditional and naturopathic medicine, we thought it best to consult women who are experts in both fields. We talked to a New York-based registered nurse with an emphasis in holistic medicine and a doctor with an MD and an ND (Naturopathic Doctorate), Rebecca Lee, RN and founder of RemediesForMe.com, and Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, a stress management expert and author of The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Women's Health.

Through our talks with these experts, we boiled it down to three nutrients your diet needs to naturally fight anxiety and stress.

EAT THESE FOODS TO LIVE TO 100

                                


Check out this video with some great examples of foods that boost your immune system, fight off disease and have anti ageing properties. Let us know what you think?

11 FOODS TO AVOID FOR ANTI - INFLAMMATORY EATING.

The one type of diet most systems of medicine agree on is an anti-inflammatory diet. Part of activating your full potential requires altering your eating to reduce and eliminate foods that cause inflammation. Inflammation is an immune response that happens when there is a perceived threat in the body.

 Often this shows up as joint pain and swelling, but many other symptoms including brain fog, depression, and anxiety can also be caused by inflammation.

Some people are more sensitive to gluten, while others need to be careful to avoid sugar and red meats. Every recommendation you'll find in the book, Super Woman Rx, is designed to reduce inflammation so your unique potential will be set free. The list below includes the main inflammation-causing culprits.

Gluten

A protein found in wheat, gluten can trigger an immune reaction that damages the surface of the small intestine and can cause a variety of problems including interference with the absorption of nutrients, bloating, diarrhea, and sometimes constipation. People with sensitivity to gluten can experience anxiety, depression, mood swings, brain fog, fatigue, dizziness, migraine headaches, swelling or pain in joints. 

9 WAYS TO A HEALTHIER GUT

Two thousand years ago, Hippocrates is said to have noted, “All disease begins in the gut.” As I see it, he was right: Our intestines contain trillions of microbes of many species that metabolize food and make vitamins accessible to us. Adding up to about 4 pounds of body weight, these good bugs protect us against “bad” microbes like tetanus and E. coli, the culprit behind traveler’s diarrhea. They are central to our health.

“Probably one of the most important services your microbes provide is immunity,” says Martin Blaser, director of the Human Microbiome Program at NYU Medical Center and chair of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. But for decades, researchers say, we’ve been inadvertently annihilating microbes through various behaviors: excessive use of antibiotics, scrubbing ourselves with antibacterial soap, and more. The microbes that live inside us amount to a vast community, Blaser explains, and when its balance is disrupted, the bad guys can flourish.

What can we do to support our beneficial bacteria? The single quickest way to change gut microbes for the better is to be selective about the foods we eat. Certified organic, high-fiber, and fermented ingredients show promise in helping to bolster gut health. But so does plenty of exposure to dirt, like you get through gardening. Conversely, processed foods and products like hand sanitizers include chemicals that harm good bacteria.

WHAT ARE TRANS FATS?

Really informative video about trans fats in our diet. Let us know what you think.

OMEGA 6 BENEFITS.

Omega 6 fatty acids are essential for our health. But they are healthy only in moderation. More important than to ask the question “What are the health benefits of omega 6”, is to ask “What is a beneficial quantity of omega 6 to consume”?

Omega 6 has without question major benefits: omega 6 deficiency will result in serious health problems. It must be stressed, however, that omega 6 deficiency is extremely rare, because the typical Western foods contain an abundance of omega 6 from corn oil, soybean oil, safflower and sunflower oil, as well as from animal fats. The Western diet is rich in omega 6, because the oils are cheap and stable. They prolong the shelf life of processed foods, and the food industry therefore replaces more healthy fats and oils with omega 6. Having said that, the benefits of adequate consumption of omega 6 fall into three categories.

Omega 6 is essential for three critical health benefits:

Benefits manifest on a cellular level, because omega 6 plays an important role as a messenger. 

TOP 6 FOODS TO IMPROVE YOUR DIGESTION

Have you ever heard the saying, “You are what you eat?” It’s true—and you are what you digest and absorb, too. You could be eating the healthiest food in the world, but if you are not able to break down your food efficiently and absorb the nutrients, then you are missing out on a big opportunity for nourishment.

The first place that many people look for digestive assistance is in the pharmacy or supplement section of a grocery store. But it hasn’t always been that way. Throughout history, different cultures have used various healing foods to aid digestion and other health ailments. If you are someone who experiences digestive discomfort such as bloating, gas, heartburn, acid reflux, constipation, loose stool,or diarrhea, it’s time to start using food as medicine to support a healthy intestinal tract.

Here are the top six foods that can aid with digestion.

ANTIOXIDANTS IN FOODS.

Check out this handy videos showing antioxidant rich foods. Let us know if you found it useful.

Related: Polyphenols? What are they and what are the best foods to eat.

ESSENTIAL TIPS TO BE AWARE OF BEFORE TAKING PROBIOTICS.

There are foods with health halos. And then there are probiotics, which have practically been canonized. The word itself means—no big whoop—"to give life." 

Probiotics are now a nearly $37 billion industry in the U.S. Sales of probiotic-rich yogurt and kefir surged nearly 30 percent in the past three years. And just slapping "contains probiotics" on a product helps it sell better, says San Diego attorney Tim Blood, who specializes in consumer protection in advertising. Not too shabby for bacteria, right?

Indeed, their initial claim to fame was hardly sexy: soothing digestive disorders such as diarrhea, constipation, and acid reflux, which plague 70 million people (mostly women). But that take on pro-b's now feels as dated as a Jamie Lee Curtis Activia ad.

10 TOP CANCER EXPERTS REVEAL WHAT THEY DO TO AVOID THE DEADLY DISEASE.

Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide. And while there have been lots of medical advancements towards treating some kinds and boosting survival, there is still lots of work to be done.

That's why your best bet is to play the preventive game: Work on ways to reduce your risk of getting cancer in the first place.

We asked physicians and researchers how they dodge this deadly disease. One answer is obvious: don't smoke. Here are 10 more ways these experts protect themselves from cancer.

CANCER PREVENTION TIP #1: MIST YOUR MUG

Your skin wins your body's prize for "most likely to get cancer." Every morning, dermatologist Joseph Sobanko, M.D., of the University of Pennsylvania, uses generic broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen with either zinc or titanium dioxide. He shuts his eyes and sprays an even coat on his face after he brushes his teeth and combs his hair.