Healthy Body

Much has been written about cardiovascular health and how to help fend off heart disease with royal jelly. What has research shown?

Research has indicated that royal jelly can be beneficial among individuals who have angina, an enlarged heart, and other cardio-related conditions. Along these lines, this jelly seems to increase adrenal function which ultimately allows the adrenal glands to keep the heart rate at a safe level.

This is very important for those who suffer from high blood pressure. In essence, royal jelly brings the heart rate to a relaxed state, thus lowering one’s blood pressure. Moreover, studies concluded that continual use of royal jelly will normalize blood pressure entirely.

Another condition in which royal jelly plays an active role is arteriosclerosis. Clinical studies have ascertained that this condition, which is the hardening of the arteries, can be reversed.

We also know that high cholesterol levels can contribute to heart disease. Research has found that there is a significant reduction in cholesterol levels when royal jelly is taken on a regular basis.

Although smoking is a major cause of heart disease, the cholesterol levels rise among smokers. Animal studies showed that royal jelly lowered the nicotine effect which produced lower levels of cholesterol.

Other positive benefits include regenerating tissue in the elderly. Royal jelly is a source of albumin, which the heart cannot function without. It takes hold of calcium and makes its way to the bones. If an annual check-up shows that the calcium level is low, royal jelly can help increase the amount of albumin in the blood.

Smoking, high fat diets, cholesterol, stress, and hypertension all have one thing in common – they lead to heart disease. Although research on the effects of royal jelly and its role in preventing heart disease is still ongoing, the evidence already collected suggests that royal jelly plays a significant role in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure: two of the major conditions that contribute to heart disease.

There is a caveat: pregnant women, women who breastfeed, and children should not attempt to take royal jelly. There may be severe side affects as well as an allergic reaction to the substance. Consult your physician if you have any questions regarding royal jelly or royal jelly extract.

As more people are choosing healthier lifestyles, eating the right foods has become a top priority. One area which has spawned renewed interest is grass fed meats. They are a great natural source of saturated fats. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits derived from grass fed meats.

Grass fed meats contains omega-3 fatty acids which are important in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and depression. On the other hand, grain fed meats offer little in health benefits and studies have shown they contain none of the necessary vitamins and minerals found in grass fed meats.

Saturated fat in grass fed meats may lower cholesterol levels due to the stearic acid that is contained therein. What is stearic acid? Well, it is a saturated fat that can also be found in chocolate, believe it or not. It is also utilized in margarine and shortening. When converted, it turns into monounsaturated fat. This conversion is good news since studies have indicated that the fat has little if any effect on cholesterol levels.

While we normally produce cholesterol in our bodies, there are some individuals who inherently produce more than others. The omega-3 fatty acids in grass fed meats help lower these levels, and grass fed meat contains less fat and calories than grain fed meats.

With the high amount of omega-3 which is found in grass fed meats, you have a healthy alternative to grain fed meats. Conversely, in grain fed meats the amount of omega-6 fatty acid is greater. Individuals whose diet does not consist of a proper ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 can be more prone to disease.

In the old days, livestock were traditionally grass fed. Unfortunately, today we find that most livestock are given grain and other food products to fatten them up. Cows, for example, are given corn which is not readily digestible. Thus, antibiotics have to be given to counteract the effects of these foods.

The recent outbreak of E. coli is a testament to the devastating effects of feeding corn to cows. Grass fed meat does not contain the E. coli bacteria.

It seems every time you listen to the news they are either telling you to eat meat or don’t eat meat. The fact of the matter is that the data collected from a myriad of studies and research shows that grass fed meat is a healthy alternative.

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
½ C. lite BBQ sauce
1 can refrigerator biscuits
¾ C. shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Brown meat and drain. Add BBQ sauce. Place biscuits in ungreased muffin cups. Press dough up side of each cup. Spoon meat mixture into cups and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes. (Serves 4)

Low calorie, low fat, low salt

Natural beef is becoming all the rage and the reasons why are even more important: natural beef is free of antibiotics, hormones, and steroids. Does natural meat cost more? Yes, but it’s worth it.

There is a farmer in Canada who, 30 years ago, decided to raise beef cattle the natural way. He started a company by attracting other local farmers who felt as he did, and together they are now one of the biggest producers of natural meat. Not only is he contributing to the environment by using this practice, but he has helped the economy as well.

Natural meat is not the same as grass fed meat. It is not organic meat. Natural meat is processed minimally and contains no artificial ingredients. Moreover, while some labels may say “all natural” it doesn’t necessarily mean it is natural. Natural meat comes from cattle that are able to graze on an open range.

However, even though there is a surge in the number of consumers who prefer natural meat, the supply does not consistently meet the demand. This is why the cost of natural meat is high. For example, a pound of ground beef may sell for $2.00, whereas a pound of natural ground beef will sell for $5.00.

There is another consideration regarding natural meat which should be mentioned. A study was conducted among consumers who purchased natural meat from a well-known company. As with most natural meats, the cattle had been fed corn within the last 90 or 100 days before production. The general consensus among the group was that natural beef tasted better than regular beef. What is the point of this scenario?

Consider that natural beef from cattle is in its prime at two years of age. Thus, farmers have to join cooperatives in order to supply enough natural beef to their respective companies. In addition to this, the farmers have to have the cattle certified and the companies have to market the natural meat to assure customers that it is indeed “natural” meat. This is a costly process on both ends of the spectrum. It is estimated that it costs 25% more to produce natural beef and the need to lower costs is a major consideration among cattle owners.

Another factor is that consumers tend to prefer the loin because it is more tender than other cuts of meat. Surveys show these consumers would definitely pay more for this particular cut.

The next time you decide to go out for dinner, why not find a restaurant in your area that serves only natural beef. You will be quite surprised at how fantastic it tastes. In addition, you can always check online where there are a number of farms who only sell natural beef products. It may cost more, but the health benefits and improved taste may well make it worth it.

Heart disease has become a pandemic in our society, often due to high cholesterol resulting from high fat diets and unhealthy lifestyles. Efforts to reduce heart disease and other related illnesses have become part of the collective mindset, and the use of cod liver oil for lower cholesterol levels is one area which has specifically come to the forefront.

If you take a look at native Alaskans, whose diet consists mainly of fish, you may be interested to learn they have lower cholesterol levels, which in turn has decreased their risk of developing heart disease.

In most countries today, however, the consumption of saturated fats is on the rise. This gives way to higher cholesterol levels among children and adults alike. Considering that obesity is also a major cause of concern today, alternative methods to reduce “bad” cholesterol are on the rise. Cod liver oil is one alternative that has been shown to be an effective agent in reducing LDL (or “bad” cholesterol) levels. In addition, cod liver oil can lower triglycerides as well as increase the “good” cholesterol or HDL.

Several studies have been conducted to determine the effects of cod liver oil and cholesterol. One study revealed that cod liver oil had a significant effect in arterial function. Another study asserted that a diet composed of omega-3 fatty acids lowers LDL levels, while simultaneously raising HDL levels. This study also confirmed that cod liver oil helps prevent blood clots and maintains a healthy heart.

Diet plays an important role in how much our cholesterol levels are increased or decreased. We know that unsaturated fats can reduce the amount of cholesterol while saturated fats increases it. With all of the diet programs available today, supplementing the diet with cod liver oil can have a beneficial outcome.

Let’s face it; we all want to live healthy lives. The cause of high cholesterol depends on many variables including improper diet and lack of exercise, family history, and a deficiency in essential fatty acids and nutrients.

If you or someone you love has high cholesterol, no doubt you have had the blood test to determine the numbers and perhaps a doctor has prescribed one of the many cholesterol-lowering medications available today.

Whether to take these medications or opt for an alternative method can only be determined by your doctor. Certainly pre-existing conditions or negative interactions with drugs may be the deciding factor. However, if you are a healthy individual whose cholesterol levels are a bit high, you may wish to ascertain if taking cod liver oil is a prudent course of action to lower cholesterol.

Ingredients:

1 C. uncooked, white rice
1 (16 oz.) can cut green beans, drained
1 lb. chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 4 pieces
1 (10 ¾ oz.) can lite cream of chicken soup
½ C. sliced mushrooms, drained
¾ C. water
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
Butter flavored cooking spray
Black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with butter flavored cooking spray. Layer rice, green beans, and chicken in baking dish. Combine chicken soup, mushrooms, water, parsley flakes, onion flakes, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Spoon soup mixture over layers. Cover and bake 90 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer. (Serves 4)

Low salt, low calorie, low fat

Just as there are differences between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil, so too is there a difference between coconut oil and virgin coconut oil.

How is coconut oil processed? First, the meat is removed from the nut. The meat is crushed and boiling water is poured over it. After it has been strained, the milk is extracted and boiled so that the remaining liquid evaporates. What is left is the oil. Next is the filtering stage, which is a process whereby impurities in the oil are removed. It is boiled again and another filtering process occurs after which the oil is bleached, deodorized, as well adding food color. The food color is designed to make it more attractive to consumers.

The process of making virgin coconut oil is vastly different. The meat is extracted in similar fashion from the nut. To begin with, care is taken to ensure the coconut is mature. Once it is chosen, the meat is taken out and a mechanical grater is used to extract the meat. The grated meat is put into a press twice so that the milk can be extracted.

Coconut water is then added to the milk. Culturing is the next step. This is a 20 hour process wherein the milk is allowed to settle. During culturing three levels appear: water at the bottom, oil in the middle, and protein at the top. The oil is then taken out and filtered twice. The curing process is next which allows for the oil to rest for two weeks. After that it is filtered one last time and prepared for bottling.

The difference between copra coconut oil and virgin coconut oil is that virgin coconut oil maintains the aroma, flavor, and scent of the coconut. In addition, virgin coconut oil is more popular than coconut oil because it can be stored for a year without worrying about it turning rancid.

Due to the extensive time and methods used to process virgin coconut oil, it is quite expensive compared to regular coconut oil. For example, regular coconut oil may sell for $3.00, and virgin coconut oil may sell for $12.00.

There are a number of online sites which sell both products; however, you may wish to visit your health food or bath and body stores to ensure that you can check the labels on the product.

Studies show that cod liver oil can prevent dry skin, help individuals who have arthritis and aid in increasing vitamin and omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for cardiovascular health. But the question some have raised is: can cod liver oil help asthma?

There is a definite link between asthma and cod liver oil. Experts suggest that one of the causes of asthma is a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids. They attribute this in part to children who have not been breastfed as well to as a diet which is lacking in vitamins and minerals.

Therefore, because cod liver oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, research suggests that asthma can be reduced as a result of consuming an appropriate amount of essential fatty acids a day. Scientists also state that among the fatty acids most consumers ingest, omega-6 is the highest while omega-3 fatty acid lags behind.

Asthma is considered to be an inflammatory condition and since we know that omega-3 fatty acids can curb inflammatory conditions, then it is reasonable to assume that cod liver oil can be an effective alternative in the treatment of this condition.

Moreover, other studies have indicated that children who are deficient in nutrients such as Vitamin C, E, B12, beta-carotene, magnesium, selenium, and zinc are also prone to develop asthma. Thus, a diet regimen composed of these nutrients as well as cod liver oil has been considered an effective treatment for asthma sufferers.

The results of these studies and research suggest that since omega-3 fatty acids cannot be easily obtained simply through diet alone, it is often necessary to supplement the diet with cod liver oil as a way to maintain the vitamins and fatty acids which are components of this oil.

One asthma sufferer stated that she was suffering from wheezing and decided to take cod liver oil. The wheezing ceased. After a while, she stopped taking the oil and the wheezing returned. One can deduce from this that cod liver oil can reduce the symptoms of asthma.

If you or your child has asthma, the first suggestion would be to consult with your physician to determine if cod liver oil is appropriate for you. There may be certain conditions under which you cannot use this oil, especially if you of your child have a pre-existing illness or have been taking medications which can interact with the oil.

Cod liver oil seems to help asthma patients and judging from the overall consensus in researching the relationship between the cause and effect of asthma, this may be an effective alternative.

Of course, like everyone out there, I’m all for body detoxification but is there any other easier way to detox your body without the dreaded body detoxification diet? Yup, i forgot to mention, a body detox diet can be pretty awful but i guess good things don’t always go well with your taste buds. You are basically only allowed to eat vegetables, fruits and other organic foods. There’s no frying, no sugar, no added preservatives. So you can imagine how your food would taste like.

There seems like quite a few detoxification diets out there too. You have the 24 hours diet, the 7 days detox diet, the 10 days detox diet, juicing whereby you are only allowed liquids-yikes and a few more others. There are even some that are designed to target certain organs of our body like lung, kidney and liver. These organs are part of our body’s natural detoxification system. So they are the best place to accumulate a lot of toxins and it make sense to target those organs.

This body detoxification thing does sound complicated doesn’t it? But during my research on body detoxification, I stumbled upon this so-called magic pill called Orovo Detox. It has gotten some rave reviews. I’m always careful when popping pills into my mouth and you should too. Do consult your doctors.

Anyway, I’ve done some research and it seems like this pill is made of natural ingredients such as barley, acai flaxseed and other natural components. These ingredients are called “Super Food”. In fact there are 10 Super foods with an additional 31 of Mother Nature’s best detoxing agents used in Orovo Detox. Wow!

Of course body detoxification is a must but I’m always looking for an easier way out and this Orovo Detox does sound like an alternative to a detox diet.

So, what does this Orovo Detox really do?

It’s claimed that it will detox your body by getting rid of the toxins accumulated through out the years. By doing that, it will make you loose weight too as your body is now free or has a lot less toxins than before. Now the kicker – it also help you fight aging! One of the 31 detoxing agents is Idebenone. Idebenone is an anti-aging agent.

Looks like a miracle pill if you ask me. You can find out more about Orovo Detox here:
Orovo Detox

Do comment if you have more to add about Orovo Detox or if you have tried this pill before.

Some research and studies done recently, claim that there are increasing amounts and traces of these heavy metals to be found in our bloodstreams, tissue, urine etc. The experts and scientists attribute these numbers and increased incidence to what they call extensive environmental exposure. Things like treated lumber, fillings (mercury) in teeth, preservatives in vaccines, the foods that we consume and even the air we breathe in.

The accumulation of these toxins will overtime cause a wide range of health related problems. These include stomach upset, skin irritation, nausea, kidney toxicity, joint pain, headaches, bloated stomach, fever, extreme fatigue, diarrhea, weight gain and even cancer.

Basically, there’s nowhere to run. These toxins will get into your body one way or another. No matter where we are or what we do. One of the biggest toxins contributors to our body is the food we consume. So, stop eating junk food, fast food, cigarettes and reduce coffee consumption.

While this is one way to reduce the amount of toxins going into our body, but how do we get rid of the toxins that are already inside our body, accumulated throughout the years. One way to reduce the amount of toxic substances in our body is through body detoxification. Body detoxification is a method to remove the accumulated toxins from within our body by means of body cleansing.

I have heard a lot about this method lately and most of it are good. Even some famous Hollywood stars are using it but mainly to loose weight. Yeah, i forgot to mention, body detox will make you loose weight! I guess this will appeal to a lot of people especially those trying to loose weight. I mean, it’s like the holy grail of the weight watcher world. It will help you to get rid of toxins and make you loose weight at the same time!
What else can you ask for.