Health

Low Sodium Foods

December 17, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Low Sodium FoodsHaving a low sodium diet is a smart and healthy thing to do. The reasons for needing a diet such as this is to help maintain blood pressure, prevent bloating, and help to increase circulation. Having a high sodium diet can also increase your risks for stroke, heart attack, and can make losing weight a challenging and difficult task. Especially when it seems like the food choices are not plentiful, and you have to be proactive about reading every label.
The thing to focus on when choosing foods that have a low sodium content, is to use common sense. Ask yourself, “does it have a lot of salt?” If the answer is yes, then that food choice is not low in sodium. Not all low sodium foods need to be tasteless either. Fruits and vegetables have no sodium, and are easily doctored with non-salt spices, such as no salt spice mixes, and heart healthy no sodium butter. Beans are also a fantastic low sodium food. They are easily mixed in with other foods, providing a full and filling meal. Remember, steaming vegetables always helps to lock in flavor, so that you do not need to add anything in order to enjoy your meal.
Depending on the health issue, you can also find cookbooks that offer low to no sodium recipes. If you are just looking to cut down on the amount of sodium in your diet, you can always just avoid particular foods such as processed meats, or meats that have salty cures. Ham and pepperoni are meats that have a particularly high salt content, which is evident by the next day bloating, or the sense of feeling extremely thirsty for the rest of the day. Some of the big tips in regulating sodium intake is to just be conscious of what you are eating, and to have healthy portions.

Filed Under: Health, Health Care, Nutrition Tagged With: Food, Ham, Health, Salt, Sodium

Health Consciousness in America

December 13, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

I took a trip to Europe many years ago and as I walked the streets of Paris I could not help but notice the absence of obesity. It was rather surprising. I went with a group of 8 and within our small group 3 of us could have been classified as obese. Yet I could scarcely find one obese Parisian, I’m sure they exist but they were terribly hard to find. Now I’m not suggesting we pass laws against obesity or make the producers of food abide by certain laws as far as the amounts of sugar and salt used in their products but I do see the problem. Americans like to eat, in the land of plenty there is plenty to eat and it calls for our attention 24 hours a day.

The good news is that many people are waking up and with the onset of familial diseases such as diabetes and cancer people are making changes to not only the way they eat but what they eat and why. Shows like “The Biggest Looser” inspire millions to do something about obesity and give practical examples of how and what to eat. Magazines are loaded with glossy pictures of good food that are “low fat” constantly reminding that there is a beast inside we all must control.

The New Year is approaching and many men and women will make resolutions having to do with health, weight or nutrition. I believe this is a good thing, that we are conscious of what ails us and deep down really do want to make a change. Who knows how many of these resolutions will be kept but at least we will be striving for something better and we will all know that deep down we have what it takes to make it happen.

Filed Under: Child Health, Health Tagged With: Health, New Year, Obesity

How to cure a sugar addiction

December 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Are you addicted to sugar? It’s common knowledge that a high consumption of sugar can bring about diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease but kicking the habit can be just as difficult as giving up cigarettes. If you have a sugar habit here are a few tips on getting the upper hand.

Limit your sugar intake: Rocket science I know, but really many people think that in order to let something go a “cold turkey” approach is the only way. Cold turkey only makes rebellious types want the forbidden item more. Simply begin to cut back your sugar intake on your terms. If you usually pour sugar in your coffee without thinking, start using a teaspoon and come up with a limited amount, a boundary you cannot cross. At least this gets the mind going in the right direction.

Get an accountability partner: Whether it’s your mother, spouse or best friend give someone permission to speak up when you go overboard with sugar. Their presence will be a gentle reminder to take it easy and soon perhaps you won’t even need that reminder.

Keep the healthy foods you love within reach: This tip has probably made it around the world and back but it really is true that if you keep healthy foods around it will be automatic to reach for them. So, at your next trip to the grocery store avoid the sugary treats you are used to and enjoy shopping for vegetables, cheese sticks, fat free crackers or pretzles that will be a guilt free way to keep the munchies away.

There are not many people in this world who truly want to be sick. Most of us are trying our best to be well. Paying attention to how we relate to sugar could definitely improve our health and keep deadly diseases at bay. If lowering the amounts of sugar consumed can improve nutrition and quality of life it is well worth the sacrifice.

Filed Under: Diseases, Health Tagged With: Food and Related Products, Smoking cessation, Sugar

Eating Healthy on Halloween

December 10, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Ask any kid the purpose of Halloween, and you’ll get one of two answers: trick or treating or dressing up. Even if the kid says dressing up, you can bet the driving motivation behind that answer is a pillowcase or a plastic pumpkin full of candy. While it’s easy to let this philosophy slide because you’re talking to a kid, it’s important to remember to eat healthy during this holiday.

This is sound advice, even for adults who may be long past the heyday of getting free candy. Many snacks, such as pumpkin cake or roasted pumpkin seeds, sound healthy. Until you consider the truth about these choices. Most cakes are going to have sugar packed into them. Add frosting to the top, and you’ll double or triple sugar consumption.

What about pumpkin seeds? Some people have health reasons why they should avoid pumpkin seeds. From a nutritional point of view, a person can take a healthy treat and make it unhealthy by saturating the seeds in butter and layering on salt.

So what can you do to stay healthy with your eating habits during this holiday? Here are a few suggestions.

Celebrate the harvest festival. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying corn, pumpkins, squash, and other healthy vegetable options. Focusing on the harvest element may make it easier for you to put candy and sweet treats out of your mind.

Limit candy consumption. Your success with this may vary depending on where you are with your goals. Some people find it useful to put the candy in the fridge and have one piece a week. If you do this right, you can have an after-dinner dessert for months to come. Others limit candy consumption to one piece each day.

Look for healthy alternatives to processed sugars. Natural sugar often gives kids the sugar high they want without the added calories. Plus, treats like 100 percent juice boxes fulfill one fruit serving for the day.

Filed Under: Health, Health Care Tagged With: Cake, Candy, Food, Halloween, Health, Health care, Pepita, Pumpkin, Sugar, trick-or-treat

Keeping up the fight against Aids

December 9, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Since coming on the scene Aids has affected the lives of more than 33 million people. HIV positive patient in Berlin received a stem cell transplant in 2007 after suffering in his health due to leukemia. His doctors unveiled their findings that suggests a cure for the HIV infection has been found. Many believe this could pave the way for a cure using genetically engineered stem cells.

However many stop short of calling the doctors’ research a medical miracle. While it is a “very good sign” according to Nobel Prize winning researchers many admit that it may be a fluke. At any rate though not calling it a cure those in the field believe a cure is on the horizon. Patients used to anti-retroviral medicine are waiting for this breakthrough and wondering if it will ever come. Till then, journalists and those in the media should not be lax in their coverage. There was a time when Aids awareness was more than a teaching about “diversity” We need to be seriously reminded of the causes and effects of Aids and HIV. Young people must be made aware of the risks of their sexual choices.

The fight against Aids is definitely about finding a cure but it should also be about giving this disease the attention it needs through the media. It’s one thing to lament the spread of Aids and the millions of deaths but then quite another to address the risky sexual practices of our populations. Teenagers especially receive conflicting messages through television programs, movies and music that encourage them to do what they feel like without thought of precaution and then receive condoms from their school as the highest form of sexual responsibility. If we are going to win this fight then the media must realize their responsibility as well. This is a fight that can be won but everyone including the media must play a part.

Filed Under: Child Health, Health Tagged With: Aids, Berlin, Health, HIV

How to choose a healthy cereal bar

December 6, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Concerned about your health and nutrition? Well you are not alone,more and more Americans are starting to become aware of what types of food they put in their bodies and what these foods contain. Taking a tour down the grocery store aisle in order to find healthy snacks can be overwhelming. Everything looks good and the packaging makes sure to display positive facts such as “less sodium” or “more fiber”. How can an average everyday shopper know which cereal bars are truly healthy?

The first step is to look for the ingredients that you want to avoid. If you are really going for the health aspect and not necessarily what your taste buds crave, avoid sugars and bars coated with chocolate. Cereal bars like most things these days are notorious for having long lists of ingredients. The less ingredients there are the better the bar and the more natural the ingredients. The second step is to look for the ingredients that you want. Real fruit, whole grains, fiber, nuts. These ingredients will do a lot more for a body health wise than those loaded with additives, sugars and fats. Certain cereal bars with these ingredients may taste good and trick the mind into believing the body is better off with a small snack but in actuality they are loaded with things we could all do without.

If all of this is still too confusing making tasty, nutritional snack bars at home is a very good option. There are tons of easy and interesting recipes to try on the internet. This way health conscious snackers can get the taste they crave and save a little money as well. If nutrition conscious shoppers are going to choose a cereal bar as a breakfast alternative why not be sure to choose something with whole grains, limited sugar and real fruit. It’s simple but simple things are where the battle is won. Happy snacking!

Filed Under: Child Health, Health, Nutrition Tagged With: Cereal, Health, Nutrition, Snack food

Subtle Signs of Dehydration

December 4, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

For many the command to drink 8 glasses of water a day seems impossible especially for those who do not like water. Although drinking an increased amount of water may feel like a chore water, like milk, does the body good. Water regulates body temperature, detoxifies, protects our organs, and many of our organs are made primarily of water. Hence the need for a healthy amount of water everyday.

What some water refusers may not know is that dehydration can cause several ill effects, from dark urine to seizures. It’s easy to only pay attention to the “serious” signs of dehydration but if you’d like to be more aware of what your internal water meter is saying, look out for these symptoms.

Feeling Thirsty: When thirsty, most people grab a can of soda or bottle of juice. Though these options are tasty they simply don’t do the trick. By the time you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated and the best remedy for that is good old H20. Try drinking at least one glass of water before going for the soda or juice.

Dry Skin: Skin naturally looses up to a pint of moisture per day and needs constant replenishing. Skin that has lost elasticity, is flaking, scaling, itching, red, tight or rough may be crying out for internal moisture.

Headaches: As the body adjusts to maintain proper fluid levels, blood vessels narrow reducing the brain’s supply of blood and oxygen. Headaches may result from the pain receptors in the lining that surrounds the brain.

Muscle Cramps: Often occur through overexertion and lack of fluid. It is recommended that those who are active drink at least 3 full glasses of water a day and also to drink plenty of fluid before and after exercise. In order to keep our bodies functioning properly and to stay generally healthy water is a must. What if we could bypass expensive medications by simply drinking the recommended amounts of water? It’s worth a try.

Filed Under: Health, Health Care Tagged With: Dehydration, Drink, Drinking water, Thirst

Is Organic Food Better?

November 22, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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As America begins to deal with its obesity issue, many families are looking for ways to improve nutritional quality. Some are considering buying organic food because they have heard it is better for you to eat. But is this myth or fact? Is there a difference between buying non-organic milk instead of organic milk? Or, is the word organic just a marketing ploy?

Well, thanks to the FDA, a food manufacturing company cannot label its product as organic unless it meets the criteria the FDA approved. This means that the word organic is not a marketing ploy but rather a stamp of approval. Compare this to natural, which doesn’t have such stringent guidelines. Splenda can market itself as natural, when its use of term would not match that of most nutrition experts. Organic is a sure bet, while natural is more of an unknown factor.

So what are the benefits of organic foods, and are they worth the elevated cost? One of the primary benefits to buying organic foods is that farmer’s cannot use chemical pesticides to help grow the product. With non-organic food, it’s almost guaranteed the products will contain traces of pesticides. But that’s not the case with organic food.

Next, take meat into consideration. In order to keep lifestock alive, non-organic ranchers medicate the cows. They often give them steroids to help them put more meat on their body. Organic ranchers don’t inject their cows with chemicals. In fact, many organic ranchers allow the cattle to roam free and grass feed, which can boost the omega-3 fatty acid content of the red meat, making it a healthier option.

Finally, many people who eat organic food enjoy the taste of it over non-organic foods. If you are considering switching to organic food, you should go ahead and take the first step. You can also do more research into the benefits of organic food.

Filed Under: Health, Health Care Tagged With: Carrot, Environment, Food, Food and Drink, Nutrition, Organic, Organic farming, Organic food

Examining Mental Health in Palestine

November 17, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Mental health problems can affect any person at any age regardless of gender, race, or social bracket. In most countries, treatment options for these conditions have continued to improve as researchers learn more about the conditions through study. However, the mental health treatments in Palestine are raising red flags with health watchdogs across several countries.

When a Palestinian has a mental health condition, the treatment options often include medications that research has proven to be ineffective. The country even uses electroshock to treat certain conditions. In a place where 33 percent of the population may be suffering from one type of mental health condition or another, this is a major problem.

The citizens in Palestine have such a high risk of developing a mental health problem in part because of the high level of trauma they can face from childhood through adulthood. Things that can elevate the risk factor include war, restricted movement, poverty, recurring humiliation, evictions, and imprisonment. Many people in the country suffer these things on a daily basis.

Acute and chronic stress can develop, further increasing the risk of mental disorders. Even if these don’t develop into anxiety or depression, the constant strain on the body can cause other health problems.

Adding to the problem is the stigmata surrounding mental health issues. Many people don’t want to seek treatment options because the local society still frowns upon them. The lack of health care options for these people often leads family members to become caregivers. Still, this can be a challenge for those without professional training.

Until the country overcomes its stigmata for mental health problems and updates the treatment options for these conditions, individuals will continue to suffer with problems they could handle with medication. Of course, it would also help the country as a whole to reduce the other factors contributing to the problem. With more watchdog organizations getting involved, many hope the situation will improve.

Filed Under: Health, Health Care Tagged With: Bipolar disorder, Disorders, Health, Mental disorder, Mental health, Palestine, Policy and Advocacy, Substance abuse

Cenergy Launches New Health Products

November 15, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Under the umbrella of Laufer Bridge Enterprises, Inc., Creative Edge Nutrition Inc. plans to release over $110 billion in nutritional supplements. The company, which goes by Cenergy, uses physiology and health to enhance the quality of life. Each of the products utilize scientific formulations to provide the maximum benefit to well being.

Cenergy organizes its core formulations into categories, which include protein products and energy drinks. Its line of nutracueticals includes powders, capsules, and tablets. Most of its scientific formulations fit into one of three categories: nutrition challenges, energy and fitness, or weight management.

To meet its goal of helping consumers, the company plans to offer value pricing, which is one way to gain attention in what many feel is a saturated market. The target audience for this new supplement and nutrition line targets a variety of consumers ranging from professional athletes to people wanting to improve health. Cenergy will implement different marketing strategies to capture consumers in each group.

One thing is clear about the new company; it understands marketing and attracting brand recognition. Cenergy is negotiating contracts with several professional sport leagues and players, including NFL and NBA favorites. Many professional athletes reviewed the product line from development through production, further improving the chances of the company appealing to its target audience. The company plans to attack the market through an aggressive marketing plan and price competition.

If the company plan is success, analysts expect to see featured in Sports Nutrition, which could boost its credibility. Cenergy plans to do more than enter the market with enough flare to gather attention—it plans to continue to introduce new products while expanding its territory.

With its current plan of attack, Cenergy may have what it takes to take on the industry giants in the health, nutrition, and sports nutrition fields.

Filed Under: Health, Health Care Tagged With: Dietary supplement, National Basketball Association, National Football League, NBA, NFL, Nutrition, Professional sports, Sports Nutrition