Monthly Archives: May 2012

The Case for Svetol Green Coffee Bean Extract

May 22, 2012 by Veronica Davis · Comments Off

look-good-svetolGreen coffee bean extract has quickly become one of the most talked-about weight loss products to hit the market. It’s been touted as the magical weight loss pill we’ve all been waiting for, and though it’s been proven again and again, many are still skeptical. That’s easy to understand though. Once you’ve been duped one too many times, you start to believe nothing is true.

The Svetol Factor

Once people seen the kind of weight loss that green coffee supplements can provide, it didn’t take long for marketers to take interest. It was popping up everywhere. Suddenly everywhere you looked online you found “Dr. Oz Recommended Green Coffee Bean Extract”. Truth is, many of these products were not real. Why? They lacked the quality ingredients that pure green coffee extract has.

Svetol green coffee bean extract is created from Robusta beans. The extract that comes from it gives you 45 to 50 percent of the magical chlorogenic acid. If you aren’t getting at least 45 percent chlorogenic acid then it isn’t going to be nearly as effective as you hoped. It’s ok if it has more, but 45 percent is the minimum you want to see on the label. Look for Svetol or GCA (green coffee antioxidant) on the label.

Proof that Green Coffee Extract Works

weight-loss-excited-green-coffeeThe Original Study Showed 15% Body Fat Loss

In January of 2012, The Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity Journal published the findings of a green coffee extract study. This is the original study that sparked such a craze and the one that Dr. Oz originally talked about when he brought Dr. Lindsay Duncan onto his show in March. Dr. Lindsay Duncan is a naturopathic doctor and celebrity nutritionist.

While he typically doesn’t endorse supplements like this, he said that the potential of green coffee bean supplements was so exciting that he had to.

Over a 12-week period, participants in the study took the extract and did nothing different i.e. no exercising or dieting.

In fact, they were eating over 2,000 calories per day. Astoundingly, the end result was substantial weight loss and decrease in fat. They lost about 17lbs and over 15 percent body fat.

svetol-double-weightl-lossDr. Oz’s Study Proved Svetol DOUBLES Weight Loss

Fast forward to September of 2012. Dr. Oz was so intrigued with this magical weight loss pill that he decided to do a study of his own. Although he’s a well-known and respected doctor for very good reason, he brought in his team of medical experts to oversee the study.

Almost 100 women participated in this study: half were given the extract and half were given a placebo. They were medically screened and the only change they made was to keep a food journal to ensure healthier eating habits weren’t a factor in the results. As with the first study, they didn’t add any kind of exercise either.

“Dropped 2 Dress Sizes in 2 Weeks!”

And green coffee bean extract was proven yet again to be a powerful weight loss aid. The women taking the extract lost twice as much weight as those taking the placebo. All the participants were on-set and in the audience for the live show where he revealed the results. One lady even said she dopped two dress sizes during the 2-week study. If you missed it, we believe that Dr. Oz is going to rerun the episode showcasing the green coffee study on Dec. 27, 2012.

Why You Lose Weight With Green Coffee Extract

cut-fat-with-green-coffeeGreen coffee bean extract is created from raw, unroasted ‘green’ coffee beans. These beans contain the magical ingredient: chlorogenic acid. When coffee beans are roasted, just about all of this acid is destroyed. It’s the key ingredient and what makes this extract so powerful. It speeds up metabolism, hinders glucose from forming in the liver and slows down how much fat is absorbed.

There are three reasons that green coffee extract is so potent and why medical experts like Dr. Oz believe it could be the answer for weight loss.

#1 You don’t have to do any dieting. You can continue to eat whatever you normally eat now and still lose weight. Of course, if you did make a point to eat healthy that’s just even more weight you could lose.

#2 You don’t have to change your exercise habits. Most diets come with the typical fine print that says you need to eat well and exercise. Not this time. It’s been shown to help you drop weight even if you don’t exercise (that’s not to say that you shouldn’t, though).

#3 It works for anyone and has no side effects. Some people automatically think that it would have a lot of caffeine and make you jittery like some ‘energy pills.’ But truth is, there’s very little caffeine it.

Green Coffee Extract Warning

There isn’t any data about how it affects young children or unborn children. Therefore, kids and pregnant women should not take it. At a minimum, talk to your physician. If you are sensitive to caffeine, remember that it does have a small amount. We’re talking less than your typical cup of coffee.

Choosing Your Green Coffee Extract

This is such an amazing discovery for weight loss. But that doesn’t mean that all the suppliers you find will be selling a quality product that really works. As is the case when anything hot hits the market, there will be some companies that are just after your money. After researching all the brands available, the one that we highly recommend is this brand of SVETOL green coffee extract.

Just as Dr. Oz recommends, it:

  • Is SVETOL, which is very important
  • Comes with nothing but pure, natural, quality ingredients
  • Doesn’t have any of those fillers, additives, binders and other junk
  • Comes with an no-catch money-back gaurantee (the easiest refund policy we’ve ever found)
  • Has 50% Chlorogenic Acids
  • Is proven to be effective
Posted in diet, featured, Green Coffee. Tagged with , , , .

Apples VS Applesauce, Which is Best for You?

May 11, 2012 by Veronica Davis · Comments Off

Have you ever wondered if applesauce is as good for you as apples since, well, it seems to be pretty much just made up of apples right? Sure, the primary ingredient is you guessed it… apples, but that doesn’t mean that they’re equal in regards to nutrition. They look completely different and that difference leads right into the nitty-gritty, too.

You might assume that naturally raw apples would be better for you and more nutritious. Sure, that may be the case for the most part. But believe it or not, which one you eat (or you decide to give to your kids) might have a lot to do with your dietary preferences and needs. Let’s take a look at some of the points to consider when choosing between apples or applesauce.

Fiber

Fiber is an important part of any diet. Getting enough fiber will help your digestion system work more efficiently and also keep you feeling fuller for longer. Apples and applesauce are both normally a good source of dietary fiber. Both applesauce and apples will provide you the same amount of fiber, 3 grams per cup (cup of raw apple slices or a cup of applesauce). So the question is which you prefer and how much fiber should you be adding to your diet? Men and women are different: men should get about 38 grams daily and women should get about 25 grams.

Calories

Applesauce provides more calories than apples. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you are an active person then you need more calories than someone who isn’t very active. A cup of raw apple slices will only consist of about 65 calories. A cup of applesauce on the other hand, will consist of about 167 calories. If you’re on a diet or a strict calorie-count then apples make the better choice. But if you’re on the go, exercising, training or just a very active person then the applesauce may make more sense.

Carbohydrates

Your body needs carbohydrates since it’s one of the easiest nutrients to transform into energy. In fact, most of your body’s energy comes from what carbohydrates you eat. In regards to carbohydrates, raw apples are the lesser again… if you’re following a low-carb diet then you probably want to choose raw apples. A cup of raw apples will give you about 17 grams while a cup of applesauce will give you about 43 grams.

Potassium

If you need more potassium in your diet, then this time around it’s the applesauce you should likely choose. A cup of raw apples will give you about 134 mg. A cup of applesauce will give you about 184 mg. Potassium is important for many things, such as healthy heart functioning and muscle contraction. It’s recommended that adults get about 4.7 grams per day. However, there are medical conditions that can affect this so talk to your doctor about your potassium levels if you’re unsure.

Vitamin C

Fresh fruits and veggies are well-known for providing plenty of vitamins and minerals we need. Vitamin C particularly helps your body heal wounds more effectively and repair bones and teeth. Women are advised to get 75 mg per day and men 90 mg per day. Apples and applesauce are very close in nature when it comes to Vitamin C. A cup of apples will give you about 5.8 mg and a cup of applesauce will give you about 4.2 mg.

 

Posted in Health and Fitness, nutrition. Tagged with , , .

Boost Low White Blood Cell Count and Immune Function Naturally

May 11, 2012 by Tina Wolverton · Comments Off

Low white blood cell counts are indicative of a suppressed immune system and can have many causes. Emotional state and stress, an unhealthy diet and lifestyle, and nutritional intake can all cause lower immune system response and low white blood cell counts. Low immunity can also be caused by a number of health conditions, by surgical or medical treatments and by the natural aging process. Whatever the cause, low immunity and low white blood cell counts prevent the body from being able to have an optimum response to infections and illness. Here are some things which can help prevent low immunity and keep white blood cell counts high:

- Avoid sugar and keep sweet stuff to a minimum. Sugar prevents white blood cells from being their strongest
- Eliminate unhealthy fats. Polyunsaturated fats in vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, and sunflower oil are deterrents to a healthy immune system.
- If you are overweight, lose a few pounds. Being overweight is very detrimental to your immune system and studies have shown that overweight people are less able to fight off infection.
- Drink plenty of water to boost the immune system as well as flush out toxins
- Exercise is a proven immune system booster. Exercise is best in moderation, however, since too much exercise may wear the body down and create immune system problems.
- Avoid stress and try to relax. Stress is rightly called the silent killer and too much stress invariably leads to a lowered immune system.

Many food items help boost immune function and white blood cell counts. For example:

Carrots and other red, yellow, orange, and dark-green leafy vegetables contain beta carotene which helps protect the immune system, especially the thymus gland. Beta carotene and other carotenes also strengthen white blood cell production, and foods rich in beta-carotene help the body better fight off infection.

Yogurt can be very beneficial for the immune system. It helps the body produce antibodies and strengthens white blood cells.

A cup of kale will give you your daily requirement of vitamin A. This is an antioxidant that helps your body fight cancer cells and is essential in the formation of white blood cells. Vitamin A also increases the ability of antibodies to respond to invaders.

People who eat more garlic have more natural killer white blood cells.

Other helpful foods include chicken, kale, almonds, guava, crab, dark grapes and navy beans.

Supplements can play a big role in boosting immune function and white blood cell counts. Some examples:

- Oleander extract in herbal supplement form. One herbal oleander based supplement was 100% effective in a clinical trial of raising white blood cell counts in HIV/AIDS patients with extremely compromised immune systems.

- Astragalus root helps stimulate white blood cells and protects against invading organisms. It also enhances production of the important natural compound interferon to fight against viruses.

- Zinc is necessary for white blood cell function and it acts as a catalyst in the immune system’s killer response to foreign bodies.

- Vitamin C is an immune enhancer that helps white blood cells perform at their peak and quickens the immune system response.

- The trace mineral selenium is vital to the development and movement of white blood cells.

- Both Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) and Asian ginseng provide support for the immune system.

- Echinacea helps stimulate the immune system in a variety of ways, including increased white blood cell production.

- Green Tea also stimulates production of white blood cells.

Some other potent immune boosters are pau d arco, suma, medicinal mushrooms, beta glucans and aloe vera.

Sources included:

http://www.herbalist.com/wiki.details/175/category/8/

http://health.howstuffworks.com/home-remedies-for-low-immunity1.htm

http://www.naturalnews.com/023243_Oleander_HIV_placebo.html

About the author

Tony Isaacs, is a natural health author, advocate and researcher who hostsThe Best Years in Lifewebsite for those who wish to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. Mr. Isaacs is the author of books and articles about natural health, longevity and beating cancer including “Cancer’s Natural Enemy” and is working on a major book project due to be published later this year. He is also a contributing author for the worldwide advocacy group “S.A N.E.Vax. Inc” which endeavors to uncover the truth about HPV vaccine dangers.
Mr. Isaacs is currently residing in scenic East Texas and frequently commutes to the even more scenic Texas hill country near Austin and San Antonio to give lectures and health seminars. He also hosts the CureZone “Ask Tony Isaacs – featuring Luella May” forum as well as the Yahoo Health Group “Oleander Soup” and he serves as a consultant to the “Utopia Silver Supplement Company”.

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/028275_white_blood_cells_immune_function.html#ixzz1xVIDLeDm

Posted in Health and Fitness. Tagged with , , .

Improve Your Immune System & White Blood Cell Count

May 11, 2012 by Shawna Rhodes · Comments Off

There are many reasons that you could have a low white blood cell count. While it can indicate a possibly suppressed immune system, it can also be anything from stress and diet. Simply eating the wrong foods or not enough of good foods can lead to a decrease in your immune system’s capabilities and a low white blood cell count.

While it can be caused by many reasons, one thing is for certain: if you have a low white blood count or an inferior immune system, you should try to fix it asap. If not, you’re greatly increasing the risk of developing conditions and being susceptible to sickness and infections. So what do you do? How can you make sure your immunity is running full speed ahead and your white blood cell count doesn’t dip too low? Here are a just a few things that can help:

  • Limit the amount of sweets you eat and stay away from sugar. Sugars are known to weaken your white blood cells.
  • Steer clear of unhealthy fats like safflower, vegetable oil and sunflower oil. They’re all potentially harmful to your immune system.
  • Keep a healthy weight. If you’re overweight, strive to lose weight until you reach a healthy weight.
  • Make sure you drink enough water to flush out harmful toxins from your body.
  • Get active. When you exercise, you give your immune system a boost. Don’t overdo it, though.
  • Relax. Find healthy ways to reduce stress. Stress is often called the silent killer for sound reasons.

What to Eat

There are many foods that you can start eating to increase the effectiveness of your immune system and up white blood cell counts. Here are some foods you should try to incorporate into your diet:

Beta carotene foods: Beta carotene is well known for helping your body produce white blood cells and keep your immune system running smoothly. These foods include leafy green veggies and red/orange/yellow veggies like carrots.

Yogurt: Help your system produce much needed antibodies with yogurt.

Kale: By simply getting a cup of kale per day, you can get your daily recommended dose of vitamin A. Vitamin A, an antioxidant, is vital for producing white blood cells, as well as helping ward off cancer and other dangerous ailments.

Garlic: If you love garlic, good news. Eating plenty of garlic will usually mean you have some amazing white blood cell counts.

Consider Supplements

In addition to eating the right foods, many people can benefit from taking the right supplements. Some supplements to consider for boosting your immune system and increasing white blood cells are:

Astragalus root: This will ward off foreign organisms trying to attack your body and encourage white blood cell production. It also helps your body produce interferon, which is an extremely helpful compound for battling viruses.

Oleander extract: A supplement based on Oleander was used in a clinical study with AIDS/HIV patients who naturally have very poor immune systems. It worked 100%, in every case to increase white blood cell counts.

Green tea: Helps encourage your body to produce more white blood cells

Vitamin C: This will naturally enhance your immune system, including speeding it up to jump into action quicker when needed

Zinc: This is vital if you want your white blood cells to be able to perform their best.

 

 

Posted in Diets and Weight Loss. Tagged with , , .

Seven Foods that Will Naturally Cleanse Your Liver

May 11, 2012 by Shawna Rhodes · Comments Off

Your liver is probably more important to your health than you think. It provides the main way your body is able to get rid of dangerous toxins in your body. Throughout the day, your liver is constantly working to filter out poisons that enter through your skin, digestive system and respiratory system. At times though, it can get wore down from working too hard. This happens when too many toxins are constantly flowing in.

Bad news. Your liver, as well as other systems in your body get thrown out of whack and you significantly compromise your health.

In order to stay healthy, your liver needs to be able to do its job. So it’s important that you understand how it works and how you can help keep it running properly. If you don’t, your body won’t be able to absorb the important nutrients it needs. It won’t be able to expel toxins. When you consider that the health and condition of your joints, brain, eyes, heart and kidneys all rely on a healthy liver it’s easy to see why it’s so important.

So what can you eat to help keep your liver in good working condition? Here are just a few…

The 4 G’s

Garlic:  Garlic has two potent nutrients that have been shown to provide protection for your liver from toxic damage: selenium and allicin. Garlic also has a number of sulfur-containin compounds. These compounds kick-start liver enzymes that make it possible to flush out toxins.

Grapefruit: Antioxidants and vitamin C play an important role in cleansing your liver and grapefruit has both. A bonus? Grapefuit has naringenin, a flavonoid compound that gives your liver the ability to burn off fat instead of storing it (great news if you want to lose weight).

Green veggies: Leafy green veggies are good for you for many reasons. The most important reason they’re good for your liver is that they break down heavy metals that can otherwise put extensive stress on your liver. Examples of leafy greens to eat include spinach, arugula, mustard greens and gourd.

Green tea: Green tea prevents toxins that can build up and damage your liver. Plus, it also prevents fat from building up on your liver, which of course means it can function better.

 

The Last 3 Foods

Walnuts: Your liver can accumulate unhealthy amounts of ammonia that lead to disease. But you can prevent that with walnuts, as they contain many ingredients that fight against this: amino acid, omega-3 fatty acids, glutathione and l-arginine. An additional benefit is that it helps get the oxygen into your blood that’s needed.

Avocados: Your liver will cleanse more effectively if you eat avocados. In fact, some experts believe that if you can eat just a couple per week for a month and fix a liver that’s been damaged.

Turmeric: We saved possibly the best for last. Not only can turmeric act as a barrier to toxic liver damage, but damaged liver cells can even be regenerated.

 

Posted in Health and Fitness. Tagged with , , .

Spirulina Explained: Here's What You Need to Know About this Healing Superfood

May 11, 2012 by nancy watney · Comments Off

One of the oldest life forms on Earth, spirulina is a blue-green microalgae that helped produce the oxygen in our atmosphere billions of years ago so that other life forms could appear. The original ‘superfood,’ spirulina is so nutrient dense that you could survive on it and water alone.

Hundreds of studies have confirmed spirulina’s powerhouse status. It has 60-70% complete protein, meaning it has all 8 essential amino acids and 10 non-essential ones that support good health. That’s more protein than beef, chicken or soybeans. According to Balch, it contains concentrations of nutrients “unlike any other single grain, herb, or plant.” Some of its other valuable components include: gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, vitamin B12, iron, nucleic acids RNA & DNA, chlorophyll and phycocyanin, which is found only in blue-green algae and has been shown to increase survival rates in mice with liver cancer (Balch).

Spirulina is highly digestible, protects the immune system, aids in mineral absorption and reduces cholesterol. Originally from warm alkaline lakes in Africa and Central and South America, spirulina was consumed by Aborigines of those places (including the Aztecs) for centuries, verifying its safety and healthful effects on the body.

Why take it?

In his book Eat to Live, Dr. Joel Fuhrman talks about the importance of eating nutrient-rich foods to maintain healthy weight, avoid or correct chronic and degenerative disease and maximize longevity. Spirulina is perhaps the most nutritious food source known to humans and has been used all over the world for centuries for both its nutritional density and its medicinal qualities

Spirulina is a source of vitality and life energy. Consumers of spirulina usually notice an increase in energy and overall health. It supplies nutrients needed to cleanse and heal while providing protection from all kinds of cancers as well as multiple viruses including influenza, herpes, mumps, measles and AIDS.

It’s common knowledge that we should all eat fish for the omega fatty acid content. Where do fish get their high omega content? Blue-green algae like spirulina. Omegas are essential in fighting heart disease, reducing arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, and depression as well as lowering bad cholesterol. The high content of vitamin B12 makes it excellent for the development of healthy nerve tissue and the metabolism of every cell in the body. This means spirulina helps with nerve damage and diseases such as fibromyalgia. Spirulina is also known for its high content of beta carotene, which is converted into vitamin A, an essential nutrient needed for healthy immunity, teeth, bones, mucous membranes, skin and eyes.

Spirulina also contains all the other B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin E, calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc. It has various antioxidants, phytonutrients and carotenoids. It protects the brain and detoxifies the liver and kidneys. It balances pH to reduce inflammation, the root of much disease. It balances the immune system, including calming an overactive one, which is significant because overactive (or inflamed) immune systems are responsible for autoimmune diseases. These usually have their root in poor nutrition and digestion, which spirulina also helps correct.

Additional Benefits

Its superfood status means spirulina has many more benefits. It increases antioxidant protection, fights free radicals, fights the aging process, curbs appetite and promotes weight loss, supports health cardiovascular function, improves the digestion process and gastrointestinal health, creates beneficial flora in the digestive tract and makes the body produce more red and white blood cells which kill germs and viruses (http://www.chinese-herbs.org/spirulina/).

Spirulina’s antimicrobial effects help control the growth of pathogenic bacteria and yeasts. The chlorophyl means it is a blood cleanser. It also oxygenates the blood. Polysaccharides improve the functionality of bone marrow, thymus, and spleen cells (http://www.naturalnews.com/034194_spirulina_superfood.html).

Spirulina is good for the skin too: it improves age spots, eczema, acne and rashes. It’s good for the eyes as well, helping with glaucoma, cataracts and poor vision (http://www.naturalnews.com/034194_spirulina_superfood.html).

Studies have shown that spirulina improves allergies and respiratory function and enhances exercise performance (http://www.naturalnews.com).

Balch says taking spirulina between meals is beneficial for hypoglycemics because the high protein content stabilizes blood sugar levels.

How to get it in your diet

Spirulina is named for the spiraling shape it makes as it grows. It grows best in warm, fresh water lakes, but is also found in saltwater and natural springs. It is what gives bodies of water their dark green color. It is harvested and turned into a thick paste, dried, and packed into powder or flakes to be turned into tablets or capsules (http://www.naturalnews.com/033698_spirulina_superfood.html).

It is highly digestible and does not have the tough cell wall that others algae have. Most find the taste unpleasant. You can get flakes to add to food or smoothies, but most prefer to take it as a supplement, in pill form.

Other things you should know

Spirulina is one of the main go-to foods for protection from harmful radiation. It protects the organs and helps detoxify the radiation out of the body (http://www.naturalnews.com/031779_spirulina_radiation.html). It was used to treat the children of Chernobyl.

Spirulina has no side effects; it is very safe. It does contain iodine, to which some may be allergic. If you haven’t detoxed in awhile, add it to your regime slowly or you may experience the ill effects of detoxing.

Some of it is wild harvested and tested for safety and purity while other is farmed to control environmental contaminates. Research the brand you choose or ask a qualified supplement consultant at a health food store.

It is inexpensive, easy to find and it stores well. It is a great addition to your diet (as well as your disaster kit) so stock up!

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036101_spirulina_superfood_nutrients.html#ixzz1xV00FcQL

Posted in nutrition. Tagged with , , .

Spirulina Explained: You Need to Know This

May 11, 2012 by Shawna Rhodes · Comments Off

Spirulina is one of the oldest life forms found on earth to this day. It’s actually an a algae – a microalgae to be exact. It’s fascinating to learn that it actually assisted in the formation of our atmospheres oxygen billions of years ago.

Today there are lots of superfoods you hear about. Some really are superfoods, while others are just part of a new diet or supplement that’s being promoted, but spirulina is truly a superfood. The very first one if you think about it. The original. In fact, you could live on a diet of water and spirulina.

Spirulina a Powerhouse of Nutrients

There have been literally hundreds of studies done on spirulina. The information we have on it is so overwhelming and makes you wonder why we don’t hear about it more often. It contains ALL 8 essential and ALL 10 non-essential amino acids that provide the basis of a healthy body. That means it has up to 70% proteins… yes, that’s providing more than soybeans, chicken, beef, you name it.

The amount of nutrients found in spirulina isn’t comparable to any other plant, grain or herb you can find on earth. Consider these facts:

  • It’s easily absorbed and digested by your body
  • It naturally protects your immune system
  • It reduces your cholesterol
  • It has iron, vitamin B12 and other important nutrients
  • It helps your body absorb minerals
  • It was used for centuries by historical populations, including the Aztecs

It’s easy to understand how spirulina is very likely the most nutritious food ever known by man. Some consider it to be the original source of life energy. Those who add it to their diet report an overall improvement in their health and an increase in energy. It can help protect you from everything from the mumps to AIDS.

The Omega Fatty Acid Fish Connection

You know that fish is an important food source for getting the omega fatty acids that you need. It helps reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, depression, high cholesterol and arthritis – just to name some. If you think about it, why do you think that is? Why do you think they’re such amazing sources for it? It is very likely due to algaes in the water like spirulina. Why not go straight to the source?

The list of benefits seem to never end. Spirulina contains vitamins K, D, B and E. It has magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc, selenium and copper. All this means it can:

  • Reduce inflammation (inflammation is very often the underlying cause of diseases)
  • Boost a slow immune system
  • Balance an overactive immune system
  • Improve digestion
  • Slow down aging
  • Fight off free radicals
  • Reduce appetite and help with weight loss
  • Improve production of white and red blood cells
  • Cleanse blood of impurities
  • Improve skin appearance (age spots, acne and more)
  • Balance blood sugar levels

How to Get Spirulina

Spirulina has to be harvested from the warm water it grows in. It’s often processed into flakes, powders or pills. The flakes and powder can be added into drinks, but most people don’t like the taste of it. The most popular form of spirulina supplements is in capsules or tablets.

Other Notes

Spirulina can help when the body is exposed to radiation. In fact, the children from Chernobyl were given Spirulina.

One of the most common concerns about supplements, for good reason, is potential side effects. Spirulina has no side effects. It does have iodine in it, so if you’re allergic to iodine talk to your doctor before you start taking it. Of course, if you haven’t detoxed recently, start slowly. Detoxing too fast when you aren’t used to it can always lead to some ill feelings.

Always do your homework on a supplement before you take it. With spirulina, it can be harvested from the wild or it can be farmed in a controlled environment.

Considering its amazing benefits and the fact that it provides pretty much everything you need to survive besides water, this is the perfect item to stock up on and put away in your survival kits.

 

Posted in Diets and Weight Loss. Tagged with , , .

Fighting Fatigue – Top Foods, Herbs, Supplements and Tips

May 11, 2012 by Veronica Davis · Comments Off

It’s no secret that many people experience some level of fatigue on a regular basis. Whether it’s at the office, at home or anywhere else, fatigue can truly make you miserable and it can cause the quality of your work suffer. Fatigue makes you feel both mentally and physically tired and weak. In short, it’s no fun. All too often people that suffer from fatigue reach for an energy drink. While this method may work for the short term, it’s only masking the root cause of the fatigue, while at the same time causing negative health consequences.

A smarter and more permanent approach to beating fatigue is to determine the real cause and start making the changes there. It is safe to say that the primary reasons most people suffer from fatigue are poor diet, lack of nutrients, dehydration, lack of exercise and lack of sleep.

Diet

Here is a list of types of foods that are known to cause fatigue: starchy carbohydrates such as cakes, cookies, doughnuts and foods that contain bleached and processed flour. Any of these types of high-sugar foods that contain lots of simple carbohydrates will give you short-term energy followed by a serious crash.

Certain foods do the opposite and fight fatigue by supplying long term, clean energy with no crash.

Unprocessed complex carbohydrates are the enemy of fatigue. Some of the very best fatigue fighting foods include quinoa, plums, nuts and brewers yeast. Be sure to include sufficient amounts of protein in your diet as well, as a lack of sufficient protein can cause fatigue. If you don’t eat meat, buying either a whey or vegetarian protein powder can make this much easier.

Exercise

Lack of exercise can cause the body to feel tired and fatigued because the metabolism slows down and the body starts storing excess fat. Being overweight alone can cause chronic fatigue. Even mild daily exercise is extremely effective in reversing this.

Going for walks outside during the day will help increase your blood circulation. Poor circulation is a known cause of fatigue. Going for daily walks is an easy way to stay healthy and is extremely useful in weight management. Even if you only have a 10 or 15 minute break at work, going for a short walk outside can make you feel refreshed and re-energized.

Dehydration

Dehydration is an under-recognized leading cause of fatigue. Many people don’t drink water at all during the day; instead they drink soda, energy drinks and coffee, all of which can cause even further dehydration. Dehydration not only causes fatigue, but a variety of negative side effects including:

-Joint pain
-Dry skin
-Muscle cramps
-Bloating
-High blood pressure
-Build up of toxins in the body
-Weight gain

Dehydration is the sole reason may people experience fatigue. Luckily this is an easy one to fix; drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day to avoid dehydration.

Vitamins, herbs and supplements for fighting fatigue

Supplementing a proper diet and exercise regiment with the right nutrients can give you the edge you need to stay energized and stave off fatigue.

The best fatigue fighting herbs, vitamins and supplements include:

-Ginseng
-Longan berries
-Bee pollen
-Chlorella
-Magnesium
-Carnitine
-B vitamins
-Silymarin

Other causes of fatigue

Other external factors that can cause fatigue include:

-Alcohol
-Caffeine
-Prescription drugs
-Illegal drugs
-Stress

Being sure to get between seven and eight hours of sleep every night is vitally important in the battle against fatigue. If you feel that your diet, exercise regiment, sleeping schedule and supplement regiment are all on track and you’ve ruled out any other external causes of fatigue, but you’re still experiencing fatigue it may have another cause such as anemia, diabetes or a thyroid disorder, which is something that you should visit your doctor or natural health practitioner about.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.healingfoodreference.com/fatigue.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003088.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fatigue/MY00120/DSECTION=causes

About the author:
John Mckiernan is a health and fitness writer. He is the owner ofSupplement Helperwhere he writes about supplements, health, fitness and more. He also managesCNA Info, a small blog that is aimed at answering questions for those interested in becoming nursing assistants. All articles are contributed by Fallon C Clark, California registered CNA.

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/036069_fatigue_herbs_supplements.html#ixzz1xUz8AkGl

Posted in Health and Fitness. Tagged with , , .

Foods, Supplements and Other Tips to Fight Fatigue

May 11, 2012 by Shawna Rhodes · Comments Off

Fatigue is something we’re all plagued by from time to time. It doesn’t matter if you’re working, at the movies or just trying to run errands, when fatigue sets in it makes anything a true challenge. You can feel mentally wore down. You can feel like you’re trying to lift a building with every step. To speak frankly, it sucks.

A lot of the time, when you’re suffering from fatigue you probably go for the closest energy drink or quick-fix pills. Right? That’s understandable. But it isn’t going to help you much long term. It works because it’s simply covering up the real issue and not dealing with the true cause. Unfortunately, sometimes it can even be detrimental to your health.

The better thing to do is to find and understand the root cause. What is it that’s dragging you down? Many times, fatigue stems from one of the following:

  • Dehydration
  • Not enough sleep
  • Not enough exercise
  • Not eating right

So how do you deal with it once you know what the problem is? Here are some tips for the above common causes of fatigue:

Treat Fatigue with a Better Diet

There are many foods that are known to trigger fatigue. They include starchy and sweet foods like cake, doughnuts, white bread and anything else with processed bleached flour or lots of sugar. They might provide a bout of energy, but it’s short lived. When that energy dissipates  you come crashing down. Instead, try to eat foods that will give you steady, longer lasting energy without the sudden crash.

What foods do that? Unprocessed, complex carbs. Some great foods that provide this are plums, nuts and quinoa. You also need to make sure you’re getting plenty of protein.

Treat Fatigue with Exercise

If you don’t get enough exercise, several things happen: your metabolism slows to a trickle and your body starts storing away fat for energy. If you’re overweight and suffering from fatigue, that’s common. If you aren’t getting any exercise, just adding a tiny bit per day can have dramatic results. Not only do bouts of exercise boost your metabolism, but it improves poor circulation which is actually another cause of fatigue.

Treating Fatigue with Hydration

A lot of people don’t drink enough water. Unfortunately, this can often lead to fatigue and is not normally identified as the culprit. Not only can it lead to fatigue, but a whole slew of other problems like:

  • Joint pain
  • Overly dry skin
  • Muscle cramps
  • Commonly occuring bloating
  • High blood pressure
  • Build up of toxins in the body
  • Weight gain

Luckily, this is the easiest root cause to treat – drink more water! You should try to get at least eight glasses a day.

Fighting Fatigue with Supplements

There are also supplements that can help you fight fatigue. just be sure you’re treating the real cause first. Then by adding any of the following to your daily routine, you can really give yourself a boost:

  • -Ginseng
  • -Bee pollen
  • -Chlorella
  • -Magnesium
  • -Longan berries
  • -B vitamins

Less Common Causes of Fatigue

In some cases, your fatigue may not be caused by natural things outlined above. There are external factors that can contribute to fatigue:

  • Stress
  • Illegal drugs
  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Prescription drugs

 

Posted in Diets and Weight Loss. Tagged with , , .

Little-Known Superfoods You Should Know About

May 8, 2012 by Shawna Rhodes · Comments Off

 

There are new superfoods being found every year. Those that we’ve become accustomed to get replaced by even better ones that we discover. Some of the ones that you may not have heard about are cloves, maqui berry and baobab fruit. But what is it about them that make so powerful and beneficial for your health? Read on to find out…

Maqui Berry

Maqui berries will remind you of blueberries the first time you see them. Recent berries that hit superfood status, like acai and goji berries are having to make room for the new addition of maqui berries. These little berries originate from Patagonia, which is found in southern South America.

Tests that measure the effectiveness of antioxidants in foods prove that they’re a valuable source of antioxidants. This test, knows as ORC (oxygen radical absorbency capacity) has been used to test various other foods in the past. The ORAC test says that maqui berries are ten times better than blueberries and that they might be able to aid in weight management.

Acerola

Ever heard of Amazon cherries? If so, then you’ve heard of acerola. They’ve also been marketed as barbados cherries. Native to the South American and Central America regions, they pack an amazing amount of vitamin C – as much as 40 times the amount you get from oranges. Again, this is a food that’s a valuable antioxidant source. If you try to find them in your local grocery store, you’ll probably have a hard time. The easiest way to add them to your diet is to use the supplements created from them.

Baobab Fruit

This is another new superfood and luckily, it’s just very recently been approved for export. Originally growing in Africa, it has a really interesting texture to it. How many fruits do you know of that has a powder-like texture? Yep, not very many… if any! Like the acerola, you likely won’t be able to find it in your local grocery store. We hope that it’ll become more widely available once all the exportation details are settled. But for now, you might be able to find it in yogurt.

Cloves

Cloves is something you’ve surely heard of. But it wasn’t until recently it was discovered just how healthy they are for you.Thanks to Spanish research, we’ve learned about some very strong antioxidant properties in them. Experts believe, and hope, that we might be able to take that and use it VS synthetic ones that we commonly used as a food preservative.

 

Posted in Diets and Weight Loss. Tagged with , , .
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