Sacred Eden - June 2011 Magazine

S Eden restoring people Back to Perfection

10

June 2011

It’s Father’s Day Month!

Steps to Lower Cholesterol

Caring for your liver

5 Snoring Treatments

Prevent hair loss, naturally

Men’s health issue

Age-old wisdom for overall health

• Diseases men should watch out for • Prevention and treatment of prostrate cancer • Alternatives to quitting smoking

A Close Up of Free Radicals

How they attack, how to gear your body up for battle

Publisher’s Note

Tweak Your Attitude to Regaining

I

Perfection

t’s been reported that more men die from the top 10 causes of death: (according to the Men’s Health Network) heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, accidents, pneumonia/ influenza, diabetes, suicide, kidney disease, and chronic liver disease/cirrhosis.

It’s not that men’s bodies are weaker, or they’re less able to cope with disease—it’s because they’re more unwilling to look for help. Or admit that anything is wrong with them.

It’s the classic machismo attitude kicking in: being male means one is immune to sickness, giving into illness means one is less-endowed, testosterone-wise.

This being Father’s Day month, though, dads—and any adult male for that matter—would do wise to visit the doctor for a routine check-up. A Center for Disease Control (CDC) report says that women are 33 percent more likely to visit a doctor than men.

"Any human being who is not connected to a physician to screen for major health problems is at greater risk (of disease and death)," says Jean Bonhomme, MD, MPH, and a board member of Men’s Health Network. It’s not diseases per se that kill, but the lack of monitoring.

In the case of heart disease, for example: "If you don't get your cholesterol checked when it's going high when you're 20, and if don't get your blood pressure checked when it's going high when you're 30, maybe your blood sugar's getting a little high when you're 40, what do you think is going to happen when you're 50?"

This issue covers almost all of the top causes of death among men–heart disease, stroke, prostrate cancer, lung disease (or cancer) in particular—plus the diseases that arise because of certain male-associated behavior (like liver cirrhosis, due to alcoholism).

We’ve got no-nonsense reminders for those who are at risk for heart disease (“The Habits that Lead to Heart Disease,” page 5); a thorough look at COPD and its complications (“No Wheezing Matter,” page 9); and cautionary pointers about your liver’s health (“All About Your Liver,” page 13).

We at Sacred Eden are committed to restoring everyone back to perfection, to how we were made to be before the modern world messed up our systems and our spirits. To do that, we also have to be truthful. If this issue yet doesn’t speak to you to take a second look at your health, maybe these quick facts will: • One in four men has some form of heart disease. The average age of a person having a first heart attack is 65.8 for men and 70.4 for women.

• The third top killer for men is stroke, and its incidence is 1.25 greater in men than women, according to the American Stroke Association.

• This year, it’s expected that 160,390 people will die because of lung cancer. Even if the numbers have fallen since the ‘80s and ‘90s, that’s still no excuse not to quit smoking.

There are many things that can move one towards a healthier, more balanced lifestyle—but fear doesn’t have to be one of them.

Unfortunately, this emotion is what spurs many people on—men in particular. We at Sacred Eden would like to invite you to think about the other, more uplifting things: more time spent with loved ones; more time to do what you love; more time and energy to experience the thrill of seeing new places, savoring new foods, meeting more people.

Think about it.

Here’s to more health, wealth, and happiness.

The Sacred Eden Team

Table of Contents 4

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1

9

A Note From the Editor

Regulars

Healthy Solutions

3

False Assumptions In Staying Healthy; 10 Easy Tips to Eat Your Way to Lower Cholesterol; 5 Snoring Treatment Tips; 4 Easy Health and Fitness Tips; 2 Steps To Six Pack Abs

Body

5

The Habits that Lead to Heart Disease. A quick reminder for those who still haven’t kicked certain modes of lifestyle

11

6

Your Personal Program to Health and Vitality. How you and your family can ease into a more healthy lifestyle

13

Beauty

7

What’s In Your Shampoo? Achieve hair health and prevent hair loss using natural products

Nutrition

15 17

8

5 Easy Ways to Lower Blood Pressure Using One Great Fruit. Commonly mistaken for a vegetable, the tomato contains all you need to maintain heart health

19

Parsley: A Cook’s Best Friend. Not just a garnish, this ‘curly’ herb is full of nutrients and flavor value—grow some and use it in your dishes today!

Features

9

No Wheezing Matter. COPD and the diseases associated with it are much more complicated and dangerous than you might think

11

Prostrate Cancer: Killer of Men The leading cause of death from cancers among males can be avoided, if not detected early on.

Here’s how

13

All About the Liver. When disease hits this organ, every function in your body is compromised. Here’s what to watch out for to nip any problem in the bud

15

The Five Fatal Diseases–How They Grow, and How to Stop Them. A close up look at what happens when our bodies are attacked by free radicals—disease has never been explained like this before!

17

Quit Smoking, Now! We’ve gathered what you need to know to quit this nasty habit. No more excuses!

HealthySolutions False Assumptions In Staying Healthy

I

f there are the different tips and paradigms that are constantly distributed in society regarding health in general and staying healthy, there are also many false assumptions in staying healthy.

These false assumptions pertaining to steps or practices to stay healthy may be risky for an individual. Worse, one of these false assumptions may lead to illness if done improperly to a significant extent.

Fallacy 1: Eating Too Much While Still Young Is Reasonable We have this common notion that as long as we are still young, we can be lenient and eat what we want without moderation.

The truth about this is that though we are actually able to rectify such situation, the damage has begun already. Furthermore, we do not know at what age our body starts to be unable to restore optimal health. For example, eating high cholesterol food would have a preemptive effect of deposits in the arteries. Before long, this would reach a stage wherein the process is irreversible and may cause the life of the person.

Fallacy 2: Not Eating Carbohydrates Will Make You Lose Weight Faster Another common misconception is that not eating any food rich in carbohydrates would make us lose weight faster. This would account breads, rice, and other starchy foods. Though it is a fact that these types of food are high in calories, carbohydrate deprivation will not contribute to faster weight loss. Certain parts of the body would require some nutrients that come along with carbohydrates in rice and other starches such as Vitamin B complex.

Fallacy 3: Starving Will Help You Lose Weight A much more drastic misconception is the notion that skipping meals would lead to a faster weight loss. Ideally, that should be the case if the aspect of caloric intake is the only thing to be considered.

However, there are also some other aspects such as ulcer developing in the gastrointestinal area, or perhaps a retroactive effect on the body of the starving individual wherein the body signals the brain that there is nutritive deprivation. The latter would cause the metabolism of the individual to slow down significantly to cope up with the body’s current situation.

Furthermore, if the body is further subjected to much more food deprivation, the body will not be using the fats right away. The surrounding muscles cells will start to take the brunt leading to muscle atrophy.

10 Easy Tips to Eat Your Way to Lower Cholesterol.

A

s with anything health related, diet and exercise are the two crucial components. Also, know the difference between LDL and HDL cholesterol. Simply think of HDL as "healthy" and LDL as "lousy." HDL can actually help carry cholesterol out of your blood vessels while LDL allows it to deposit inside your artery walls.

The good news is that you can change your cholesterol for the better. Here is how to do just that: 1. Have a nice sandwich on whole wheat bread or a pita with some lean turkey and lots of fresh veggies. Skip the hot dogs, bologna, and salami, and hold the mayo. All of those are highly processed and filled with fat and cholesterol.

2. Fish, like salmon, is good. Look for wild red salmon varieties, which are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids (good fat).

Also, flax seed is a good source of Omega-3s.

3. Avoid trans fats! Not only do they raise LDL levels, they can also lower your HDL levels! Stay away from foods like margarine, shortening, and processed foods containing partially hydrogenated soybean oil.

4. Go ahead, go nuts! Look for walnuts mainly but also try almonds, macadamia nuts, cashews, and pecans. Nuts are high in fat, but it's the good kind. Also, if you like peanut butter, go for the natural kind.

5. Limit desserts and try to eat only the healthier ones like angel food cake, graham crackers, Jell-O, and fat-free frozen yogurt.

6. Eat foods that are high in fiber. Examples include whole wheat bread, oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, beans, and some cereals. (Look for the boxes that say "may help lower cholesterol.")

7. Use the grill. If you're going to have steak or burgers, grill them at home and use lean meat. This practice avoids the grease, is fun, and the meat tastes great.

8. Find a new salad dressing. Most of them are full of trans fats and cholesterol. Olive oil is good; add vinegar or lemon juice. Also, skip the bacon bits, croutons, and egg yolks.

9. Go overboard on fruits and vegetables. They contain no cholesterol and they have lots of nutrients like antioxidants.

Here are some examples: green peas, broccoli, cauliflower, apples, oranges, mangos, papaya, pineapple, tomato, garlic, onions, spinach, water chestnuts, bananas, apricots, blueberries, and kiwi.

10. Avoid fast food like french fries and anything else from the deep fryer.

Those foods will raise your cholesterol like crazy.

Bonus tip: Use spices like pepper and oregano to add flavor to your dishes. They are a healthy alternative to other toppings like mayo.

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HealthySolutions 5 Snoring Treatment Tips Treatment Tip 1 Take a look at your diet. You could well have intolerance to certain foods which affects your breathing, especially when lying on you back. For example, too much (or an intolerance to) dairy produce is likely to cause you to become blocked up with mucus, when horizontal, this collects causing heavy breathing and snoring. Alcohol is another common offender.

Treatment Tip 2 Being overweight is another significant contributor. Excess weight in the neck and chest puts pressure on the breathing passage.

Treatment Tip 3 Sleep on you side or front. Now this is easier said than done, because it’s hard to control your sleeping position when you are asleep! However, there is an old trick that may be worth considering. You could stow a walnut, table tennis ball or similarsize object into the back of a shirt and wear that in bed. Each time you roll on your back it will dig into you, causing you to roll back again--providing you don’t take your shirt of in your sleep.

Treatment Tip 4 Nasal strips (often used by athletes) open the air passage for you, thus removing or preventing blockages. If you’re desperate, it’s worth a try, but the cost can add up over the days, months and years.

Treatment Tip 5

4 Easy Health and Fitness Tips #1 Drink more water. All too often Americans are borderline dehydrated--their bodies are working on the water starvation reflex and not flushing the toxins and junk out. #2 Eat more often. Get your body out of starvation mode.

Start the day off with breakfast. Even an instant breakfast drink and a piece of fruit as we head out the door in the morning. #3 Move more. Depending on your physical condition, you need to be moving more. Use the stairs rather than the elevator, park farther out from the office or the store, go for a walk around the block, go dancing, play with your kids. Make it fun. Running is not the only way to burn more calories. #4 Finally, determine your "Why". Decide why you want to discard fat. Make your reason big enough to motivate you through the slumps that invariably happen.

Exercising the muscles in your throat, tongue and doing breathing exercises can completely cure your snoring.

2 Steps To Six Pack Abs Step 1: Nutrition This is the single most important part of the puzzle, hands down. You can have the most impressive set of abs, but if they're covered with a layer of fat, you won't see them! Break up your day with 5 or 6 mini-meals because this jumpstarts your metabolism. And stop eating the food that is preventing results: white bread, loads of pasta, soda, candy, fast food, hydrogenated oils, sugars and fructose corn syrup.

Instead, replace them with foods that will help you reach your goal: oatmeal, olive oil, whole grain breads, fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, natural peanut butter, chicken, fish, protein and water. Be realistic- you'll slip here and there, but make a conscious effort to radically improve your eating habits because getting a six pack will be impossible if you don't.

Step 2: Exercise You need to concern yourself with 3 different exercises: cardio, weightlifting and ab exercises. And aim to work out 3-4 times a week.

The cardio you do can be anything: walking, running, biking, swimming....whichever cardio you don't mind doing so that you'll stick with it. Aim for 30-45 minutes, a minimum of 2 times a week.

Weightlifting is important because 3 pounds of added muscle burns as many calories as a 1 mile jog...and this is while you're just sitting around! Aim for 30-45 minutes, a minimum of 2 times a week.

The last exercise you need to incorporate into your workout is ab exercises. Aim to work your abs a minimum of 3 times a week. There are a ton of different ab exercises you can do so try to find 3 or so that you enjoy doing so you can mix it up.

A good database of different ab exercises is: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exername.php?MainMuscle=Abdominals Tip: mix up your workout routine every 2 weeks to keep your body guessing and changing. Add or take away different weight or ab exercises, or at the very least, vary the weight, reps or form of cardio you do. www.SacredEden.com

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Body

The Habits that Lead to

Heart Disease A quick reminder for those who still haven’t kicked certain modes of lifestyle

W

hat do lack of exercise, smoking, and a poor diet have in common?

All three are not only hard habits to break, but they are considered to be risk factors for heart disease.

Exercise Inactivity or lack of exercise makes people twice as likely to have heart disease as active people. It is also associated with obesity, increased blood pressure, increased risk of diabetes and high cholesterol. Experts have warned that failure to exercise can be as bad for health as smoking a packet of cigarettes every day. An estimated 65 percent to 85 percent of the world’s population fail to carry out enough exercise.

Smoking Smoking poses a higher risk of developing several chronic disorders, such as fatty build-ups in arteries (atherosclerosis), several types of cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Atherosclerosis is a major contributor to the high rates of deaths from smoking.

Several studies have shown that cigarette smoking is a major cause of coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack.

Hardened smokers need the support of their families, friends, colleagues and even doctors to wean themselves off nicotineaddiction (there are tips on how to kick the habit in this issue).

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Poor Diet

Good Food, Bad Food

Changing over to a healthy diet can be a major feat to some people. They have this notion of resigning to a life of vegetables and abstinence from chips and chocolates.

While nutritionists agree that it may be hard to overcome the habits of a lifetime, drastic changes may not be necessary. For instance, one can start by switching from full fat to semi-skimmed milk without affecting taste preference but have major health benefits.

There is also no need to abstain from your favorite desserts as long as it does not become a staple part of your diet.

The single largest source of dietary salt is bread while processed food, such as prepared meals, are also high in salt. The BHF advises against adding any extra salt to food since most already contains fairly high quantities. Research have shown that foods which are high in minerals like potassium, such as bananas and potatoes, may also play a role in lowering blood pressure.

According to The British Nutrition Foundation (BHF), there are five main areas of diet which can prevent coronary heart disease: cholesterol, blood pressure, healthy weight, blood clots and fiber. Cholesterol is a form of fat transported in the blood which is essential in small amounts. Since cholesterol can be both good and bad, it’s important to know the difference, how it affects health, and how to manage cholesterol levels.

Some forms of cholesterol are derived from saturated fats, such as butter, margarine, yogurt, meat, milk, cheese, cakes, pies, and can clog up the arteries in large amounts.

Since the blood supply to the heart is being cut off, heart attack occurs. However, antioxidants found in vitamins C, E and some forms of vitamin A can counteract this build-up of damaging levels of cholesterol. Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins A and C and unsaturated fats and oils are good sources of vitamin E. To keep hearts healthy, The BHF recommends that people eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

Obesity increases the risk of heart disease.

Physical activity can reduce the risk of high blood pressure caused by constricted arteries.

The way the fat is deposited around the body can also affect the risk. People with pear-shaped figures are those with most of their fat deposited around the hips, while apple-shaped figures have most of their fat deposited around the stomach. Women are more likely to be pear-shaped and run less of a risk of suffering a heart attack than men who tend to be apple-shaped.

Blood clots cause a heart attack when it blocks or stem the blood flow. Food that contain chemicals, such as omega fatty acids found in naturally oily fish like mackerel, sardines and salmon, help prevent blood clotting and protect against heart disease.

Fiber-rich foods, such as oats, pasta, potatoes and bread, are known to reduce blood cholesterol levels and may therefore reduce the risk of heart disease.

While genetic conditions may cause high blood pressure, diet is also thought to play a crucial role in coronary heart disease. Alcohol, smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and too much salt are likely to cause high blood pressure.

5 Parenting Tips To Help Your Child Get More Exercise According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the health of too many North Americans is in danger because of unhealthy lifestyles.

The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older--over 60 million people--are obese. The CDC reports the percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980.

Even if your kids aren’t obese, you should be concerned. In a world where walking is limited, school P.E. programs are being cut, and cars, elevators and buses eliminate our chance to exercise naturally, parents need to make a concerted effort to make physical activity part of yours and your children’s days.

The American Heart Association recommends that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.

Despite all the benefits of being physically active, most Americans are sedentary. Inactive children are likely to become inactive adults.

So how can parents we get their kids moving?

1. Lead the way You need to set a good example. Kids, especially younger children, naturally follow their parents.

2. Do it together In today’s overscheduled world, we need to make sure we are spending quality time with our children. What better way than to be active together.

3. Make it fun Put on some music and dance. Play tag.

Roller blade. Basically, just play. Provide them with toys and equipment that encourage them to be active while having fun. Bikes, scooters, hockey sticks and baseball bats will get your kids moving and active. For preschool children, ride-on toys that get them exercising like pedal cars, big wheels, and tricycles are always a great parenting purchasing decision.

4. Cheer them on Create positive reinforcements with encouragement and support. Help them find sports and activities that build their self esteem. Attend their sporting events and let them know you are their biggest fan whether they win or lose.

5. Turn it off Of course, we need to limit the time our kids watch TV and play video games. But make sure you do it in a positive way. If they are angry that you just turned off their favorite show, they might not be too excited about going out rollerblading with you. Allow screen time during designated hours, preferably after homework is done and when physical activity is finished, like in the evening or on Saturday morning when tired parents might need to catch a few extra minutes of sleep.

Your Personal Program to Health and Vitality How you and your family can ease into a more healthy lifestyle

H

ow many times have you gone to sleep at night, swearing you'll go to the gym in the morning, and then changing your mind just eight hours later because when you get up, you don't feel like exercising?

Or how many times have you said to yourself after a heavy meal, that you won’t eat food as rich and in as such huge amounts ever—only to dive into the buffet the next time you’re in a restaurant and head for the big chunk of ham as soon as you spot it?

While this can happen to the best of us, it doesn't mean you should drop the ball altogether when it comes to staying fit. What people need to realize is that staying active and eating right are critical for long-term health and wellness--and that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The more you know about how your body responds to your lifestyle choices, the better you can customize a nutrition and exercise plan that is right for you. When you eat well, increase your level of physical activity, and exercise at the proper intensity, you are informing your body that you want to burn a substantial amount of fuel. This translates to burning fat more efficiently for energy.

In other words, proper eating habits plus exercise equals fast metabolism, which, in turn gives you more energy throughout the day and allows you to do more physical work with less effort.

The true purpose of exercise is to send a repetitive message to the body asking for improvement in metabolism, strength, aerobic capacity and overall fitness and health. Each time you exercise, your body responds by upgrading its capabilities to burn fat throughout the day and night, Exercise doesn't have to be intense to work for you, but it does need to be consistent.

Engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise four times per week for 20 to 30 minutes per session, and resistance training four times per week for 20 to 25 minutes per session is mostly recommended by experts.

This balanced approach provides a one-two punch, incorporating aerobic exercise to burn fat and deliver more oxygen, and resistance training to increase lean body mass and burn more calories around the block.

Here's a sample exercise program that may work for you: * Warm Up - seven to eight minutes of light aerobic activity intended to increase blood flow and lubricate and warm-up your tendons and joints.

* Resistance Training - Train all major muscle groups. One to two sets of each exercise. Rest 45 seconds between sets. * Aerobic Exercise - Pick two favorite activities; they could be jogging, rowing, biking or cross-country skiing, whatever fits your lifestyle. Perform 12 to 15 minutes of the first activity and continue with 10 minutes of the second activity. Cool down during the last five minutes. * Stretching - Wrap up your exercise session by stretching, breathing deeply, relaxing, and meditating.

When starting an exercise program, it is important to have realistic expectations.

Depending on your initial fitness level, you should expect the following changes early on. * From one to eight weeks - Feel better and have more energy. * From two to six months - Lose size and inches while becoming leaner. Clothes begin to fit more loosely. You are gaining muscle and losing fat. * After six months - Start losing weight quite rapidly.

Once you make the commitment to exercise several times a week, don't stop there. You should also change your diet and/or eating habits.

Counting calories or calculating grams and percentages for certain nutrients is impractical.

Instead, use these easy-to-follow guidelines: * Eat several small meals (optimally four) and a couple of small snacks throughout the day. * Make sure every meal is balanced - incorporate palm-sized proteins like lean meats, fish, egg whites and dairy products, fist-sized portions of complex carbohydrates like whole-wheat bread and pasta, wild rice, multigrain cereal and potatoes, and fist-sized portions of vegetable and fruits. * Limit your fat intake to only what's necessary for adequate flavor. * Drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water throughout the day. * I also recommend that you take a multi-vitamin each day to ensure you are getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

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Beauty

What’s In Your

W

Shampoo?

Achieve hair health and prevent hair loss using natural products

e do our shopping and purchase our hair care products and assume we are doing the right things for hair health. Through promotion and marketing we are led to believe that some of the products available today are things we just can’t do without. But is that really true?

To find the answer you must first look at the structure of hair. Below the skin is the hair follicle, the sebaceous gland and blood vessels. The hair itself is made up of protein. When you brush your hair, it causes the sebaceous gland to produce sebum. This oily substance coats and protects the hair from the elements. It also stimulates the blood vessels to provide the nourishment your hair needs. Brushing your hair and or massaging the scalp are beneficial to hair health.

With commercial products, most shampoos and conditioners contain harsh chemicals and synthetic products. In shampoos, that means it can over-clean your hair and strip it of its precious oils. Now you need to condition it to replace the oils. That in turn can harm the scalp and hair follicles. It is the same with laundry detergents. They are loaded with fillers and less actual soap so that they can sell you more detergent. It’s a money-making strategy that has worked so they will continue to do so.

Now if you are like most people, you’ve read the labels but don’t have a clue as to what the ingredients really are and what their function is. Here it is in layman’s terms: 1) Distereate and propylene glycol or glycol are petroleum based (crude oil). They are very cheap which is why they are widely used in the cosmetic industry.

2) Isopropyl alcohol is another very cheap solvent.

3) Propylparaben or Methylparen are preservatives that are synthetic. The human body typically does not understand synthetic, it understands organic.

4) Cetearyl alcohol is an emulsifier and it can be natural or synthetic. Synthetic is often used because it’s cheaper and easier to produce.

These petrochemicals are absorbed through the skin, then down through the organs and tissues.

Many believe that long-term exposure to these toxins can cause permanent damage anywhere in the body, and yet, governments have sided with big industry to not require them to disclose what these products contain or what they really are. Instead we have big fancy names you can hardly pronounce let alone understand.

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The solution? It’s not as hard as you think. It’s as close as you health food store or even your own fridge. Here are some tips: 1) Buy a natural liquid soap from the health food store. Also purchase some essential oils such as lavender (for all hair types), rosemary, clary sage, cedar wood, birch and peppermint (for hair loss) bergamot, rosewood, eucalyptus etc. Also purchase natural oils such as olive, jojoba, or avocado.

Here’s what to do: in a clean spray bottle, pour in about 1/2 a cup of distilled or spring water. Add 1 cup of liquid soap. Then take 2 teaspoonfuls of your vegetable oil and add 10 to 20 drops of your chosen essential oils. It can be just one or several combined oils. Shake gently. There you have it. Simple as that! (Essential oils always need to be in a vegetable oil base because of its concentration). You should not need a cream rinse after that because oils will be replaced.

2) If you need deep conditioning, try saturating your hair in mayonnaise or warmed olive oil. Wrap tightly and cover with a shower cap and let rest on the hair for approximately 20 minutes, then rinse out. You can also take 2 egg yolks and whisk them until frothy, then add some warm water. Pour over hair and leave on for 2 minutes then rinse well.

3) It’s a good idea to do a final rinse on your hair with something acidic such as cider vinegar, lemon juice, beer or even milk. Add any of these ingredients with some water to rinse your hair with to restore the alkaline/acid balance of your hair and scalp, and take off any residue you may have left on your hair.

There are many good natural recipes for healthy hair but these are a few things to get you started in the right direction. Experiment with different essential and vegetable oils to find what you like best. Natural, your body understands, so here’s to a good hair day!

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5

Nutrition

Easy Ways to Lower

Blood Pressure Using One Great

H

Fruit

Commonly mistaken for a vegetable, the tomato contains all you need to maintain heart health

By Frank Mangano

ave you had your lycopene today?

If you ate a green salad with fresh chopped tomatoes, then you not only got a healthy dose of this powerful antioxidant, but you have also taken significant action toward lowering your blood pressure. A recent doubleblind study conducted in Israel has confirmed what heart-healthy Italians have enjoyed for centuries--tomatoes (and tomato sauce) lower blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.

The Israeli study was led by Dr. Esther Paran, head of the hypertension division of Soroka Medical Center. It involved patients who were already being treated for hypertension, but were not responding well to the medications. Dr. Paran had patients take a supplement of tomato extract. The results were a significant drop in blood pressure after just four weeks.

Tomatoes are so effective at lowering blood pressure because they contain lycopene. This potent antioxidant is even the focus of some hybrid tomatoes grown by the Israeli company, Lycomato, in order to have higher concentrations of lycopene in each piece of fruit.

Other antioxidants found in tomatoes make this one super-food in the prevention of heart disease. It can even help keep LDL cholesterol from oxidizing which makes it stick to the arteries and narrow the passage way causing blood pressure to increase.

Even during the peak growing season it can be difficult to consume four whole tomatoes each day, which is the recommended amount for having a positive impact on blood pressure. Here are some ways to get the benefits of tomatoes without having to eat them straight off the vine.

1. Make Chili. Using tomato puree, which is a concentrated form of tomatoes, as the base for your chili, utilizes the antioxidants without the bulk of a whole tomato. Add some ultra-lean and high protein ground bison and kidney beans with minced garlic and onions, and cayenne pepper and you have a

Tomato Home Remedies There are many tomato lovers all over the world and they would be more than happy to know the importance of tomato.

The number of qualities tomato possesses is impeccable, making it one of the finest fighting machines for cancer.

Other than preventing cancer it also prevents heart attack due to abundance of vitamin C and E. Tomato also contains lycopene-a fabulous anti-oxidant, which prevents bad cholesterol in the blood. This anti-oxidant gives tremendous boost in the fight for cancer. Lycopene happens to prevent cancer of the mouth pharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum. It also reduces risk of prostrate and cervical cancer.

The presence of vitamin C in tomatoes helps it to fight diseases like asthma. It is a useful antioxidant which prevents asthma and curbs its development which causes further problems. Children suffering from asthma and problems like constant wheezing can find relief if they have a diet rich in vitamin C. Other tomato tips: • Tomato is also known to treat the skin disease known as eczema.

By drinking tomato juice everyday you can see the difference.

heart-healthy main course and a full day’s allowance of tomato.

2. Since using olive oil with the tomatoes enhances the curative quality, make your pasta sauce red with tomatoes, tomato paste, and olive oil to sauté the garlic and onion. Tomato paste used in making sauce contains more than 10 times the nutrients of a single tomato.

3. Have a fresh salad as a side dish to either of these entrees and cut one whole tomato on top. You’ll get one-quarter of you tomato intake right there.

4. Drink tomato juice. It is better to make your own fresh juice so that you can control the sodium. Store bought juices can be high in sugar and sodiumbased preservatives. If you have a juicer, you can make some incredible veggie juices to suit your own tastes by adding carrots, celery and some low-sodium seasonings.

5. Take a tomato supplement. If you just can’t stomach tomatoes, then a 200 mg supplement provides the equivalent of more than the recommended four tomatoes.

Whatever way you slice it, tomatoes will keep strengthen your immune system and lower blood pressure.

Adding tomatoes to your diet can reduce systolic blood pressure by 10 points and diastolic pressure by 4 points as was evident in the Israel study.

• If you want to loose weight, have a raw tomato early morning.

• Having raw tomatoes can provide relief from mouth ulcers.

Gargling tomato juice 3 to 4 times a day would also help.

• If you have a farm but are not sure how to kill those worms that infest your vegetables, here is an easy solution. Immerse 10 -15 tomato leaves in one liter water for 24 hours. Strain it and use the water as an insecticide, especially for cabbage worms.

• To remove dark circles under your eyes make a paste by using 1 tsp tomato juice, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, a pinch of turmeric powder, and a pinch of gram flour. Apply this paste under your eyes and keep it for 10 minutes. You will notice the difference with regular use.

Before embarking on any treatment or medication, however, one should exercise all precautionary measures. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it or if allergic reactions occur.

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No Wheezing Matter

COPD and the diseases associated with it are much more complicated and dangerous than you might think

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hronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a slow progressing destruction of airways caused by gradual loss of lung function. It’s a combination of various lung diseases. Two lung diseases, namely chronic bronchitis and emphysema are the main diseases.

Other diseases like asthmatic bronchitis and bullous disease are also present. Though known to be a top killer among men, the disease is common among the older women in America. On a whole, about 11 percent of the American population suffers from COPD. According to research, it kills 85,000 people in the US every year and it is the fourth leading cause of death.

Smoking is the primary cause of COPD. Passive smoking can also lead to COPD. The effects of smoking on the lungs can be severe and permanent. Smoking causes irreversible damage to the lung tissues and causes inflammation of the lungs. This inflammation stops only when the smoking is stopped. The cigarette manufacturing companies add some chemicals to cigarettes for various reasons that block the production of alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT), which maintain the elastic fibers of the alveoli. This in turn destroys the walls of the lungs, which makes the process of breathing very difficult.

Other causes that lead to COPD are industrial pollution, occupational dusts, continuous contact with hazardous chemicals, outdoors air pollution,

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etc. In some cases, parents pass on the genes to their children. In some rare cases, COPD is found in people suffering from a gene-related disorder called alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Alpha 1 antitrypsin is a protein that inactivates the destructive proteins in the blood. The absence or the low level of alpha 1 antitrypsin in these people leads to the destruction of lungs and ultimately to COPD.

In many cases, when COPD is in its final stages, even oxygen therapy may not help the patient.

In such cases transplantation of the lungs may be the only way of increasing life expectancy.

Transplantation is suggested to those patients whose life expectancy is felt to be less than two to three years. However, at this stage, there is no average to determine the life expectancy of a patient.

As the disease intensifies, the patients suffering from COPD will find it difficult to breathe. Their difficulty may vary according to the changing weather. They sometimes require hospitalization.

COPD Medication

Prevention is the best medicine for COPD. There is no cure. All the medications for COPD are directed towards reducing the intensity of the disease. So, it is wiser for all of us to take steps to prevent this disease.

COPD And Life Expectancy In cases where the intensity of COPD has developed beyond the initial stages, giving up smoking alone may not help increase life expectancy. In such cases, oxygen therapy is given and the patient must inhale oxygen through a mask or nasal cannulae placed beneath his nostrils. The patient needs to purchase oxygen tanks for home use, or portable versions for travel.

Nowadays, oxygen concentrator machines that use air to produce oxygen are effective replacements for traditional oxygen tanks.

Different types of medicines cure different types of symptoms of COPD. Mucus, breathlessness, cough and fatigue are all the symptoms of COPD. Based on the intensity of the particular symptom and the prescription given by your doctor, you can use one or more than five types of medicines available to keep COPD under control.

Bronchodilators help ease breathing. The medicine in a bronchodilator opens up the airways of your lungs and eases breathing.

Oxygen therapy is suggested if it is becoming difficult for your body to get enough oxygen into your bloodstream. Oxygen therapy lessens breathlessness and improves physical stamina in patients suffering from COPD. COPD patients often suffer bacterial inflections that can cause severe flare-ups in the lungs. In such cases, antibiotics are used to kill the bacteria.

Different antibiotics such as Cipro, Amoxil, Septra, etc., kill different bacteria. Sometimes, because of

The Problem of Emphysema It may be a fairly uncommon disease but emphysema is one of the most common reasons for the increasing number of death rates. It is a pulmonary disease which damages your lungs due to the toxic air we breathe.

Some of the common chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases are bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema.

This condition takes place when the lung tissue loses it elasticity and finds it hard to maintain a normal breathing pattern. Many suffer through this disease and have lost their lives in this battle. Smoking is one of the common causes for this condition. The changing environmental conditions with increasing pollution and passive smokers fall victim to such condition.

Causes of Emphysema

The Dangers of Secondhand Smoke Did you know that puffing one cigarette can shorten a smoker’s life by 11 minutes?

Research has shown that smoking reduces life expectancy by seven to eight years. About 90 percent of lung cancer cases and 30 percent of fatalities from cancer is related to smoking. Deaths related to smoking are due mainly to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), heart disease, and cancers. Smoking-related illnesses kill about half of all smokers. In most cases, those who started smoking early also make it a life-long habit.

These early smokers are also those who are most prone to smoking-related diseases.

Cigarettes produce about 12 minutes of smoke, yet the smoker may inhale only 30 seconds of smoke from their cigarette. The rest of the smoke lingers in the air for non-smokers and smokers to breathe. Second-hand smoke contains more than 4000 chemicals. Many of these chemicals are known to cause cancer.

Moreover, second-hand smoke causes sore eyes, throat and nasal irritation, headaches, coughing and wheezing, nausea, and dizziness. One can also get colds and the flu. Breathing in second-hand smoke can also trigger asthma attacks and increase your chances of getting bronchitis and pneumonia. The longer you’re exposed to second-hand smoke, the more it will affect your health.

The only thing that really helps a person avoid the problems associated with smoking and second-hand smoke is staying smoke-free. Limiting your exposure to secondhand smoke may seem easy, but sometimes it is not, especially if everyone around you is smoking and offering you cigarettes.

One can keep his or her home and car smoke free by smoking outside.

However, remember that smoke can linger for up to two and half-hours, so opening a window or leaving the room doesn’t really count.

Even the slightest exposure to second-hand smoke is dangerous. A piece of advice for smokers: it is never too late to quit your unhealthy habit. By quitting smoking, you can help save other people’s lives, including your own.

extreme flare-ups in the lungs, a COPD patient may experience flu and pneumonia.

Here, vaccines are given to decrease the intensity of the symptom.

Some COPD patients experience severe cough and inflammation in the lungs.

These patients are prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of corticosteroids.

Usually, the patient inhales them.

Based on the symptoms and the individual reactions to the medicines, doctors prescribe various medicines. But all COPD patients should take some precautions while they use these medicines. Taking the medicines as directed, not stopping them without consulting the doctor, not sharing the medicines with other patients, planning for the refills well ahead of time and being well aware of the effects and side effects of a medicine before you start taking them etc., can be extremely beneficial in containing the symptoms of COPD.

• Smoking • Lack of protein also known as alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) in your immune system makes you vulnerable for this disease Symptoms of Emphysema • A routine climb of stairs may cause shortness of breath • Bouts of coughing • Wheezing • Hyperventilation • Increasing production of mucus • A slight bluish tint on the skin • Loss of appetite • Tiredness Self-Care Measures • Quit smoking, and stay away from the habit for the rest of your life • Do not be around smokers as passive smoking is equally harmful • Install an air purifier in your home to remove dust and any other particles • Stay away from allergens Home remedies for Emphysema • To get relief from the coughing you can drink garlic, fennel, and rose hips tea to heal your throat thoroughly • Rubbing eucalyptus or garlic oil on the chest helps clear congestion • You can consume comfrey and fenugreek capsules to alleviate congested mucus trouble • Develop healthy eating habits; consume a small number of small meals and chew on your food slowly and thoroughly • Keep yourself stocked up on fresh fruits, which are a good source of vitamins--citrus fruits, strawberries, as well as vegetables like peppers and broccoli • You can increase the beta-carotene intake by eating sweet potatoes, squash, carrots • Exercise • Try to get the Chinese medicinal mushroom cordyceps, which helps with chronic lung disease problem • Consuming 800gms of magnesium per day helps in clearing air passages due to its antihistamine properties • Take grape seed extract daily as it avoids cell damage because of its antioxidant properties • Drink eight to ten glasses of water as it helps in thinning the mucus to make coughing much easier

Prostrate

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The leading cause of death from cancers among males can be avoided, if not detected early on. Here’s how

he prostate is a small, walnut-shaped sex gland in men that produces the seminal fluid, which nourishes and transports sperm. The growth of the cells in the prostate gland is stimulated by the male sex hormone called testosterone. Though its causes are unknown, prostate cancer is a frightening prospect for men. This cancer threatens not just their lives, but also their sexuality. Possible consequences of treatment (even if the treatment has been successful in saving a person’s life) include erectile dysfunction and bladder control problems. Prostate cancer progresses very slowly and the early stages show little or no symptoms. If detected early, effective treatment with minimum side effects is possible. Once the cancer spreads (metastizes) treatment becomes more difficult.

When cells in the prostate grow abnormally, they form multiple small cancerous tumors. If the cancer is left untreated, it will at some point metastasize and begin to spread to other organs in the body via the bloodstream and lymphatic system.

Prostrate Cancer: Who's at Risk?

• Risk increases over the age of 50 years. Prostate cancer is rare in younger men.

• If your father or brother had prostate cancer, then risk increases. If they had it at a young age, your risk is even higher.

• A diet rich in high fat, lots of red meat. Countries with low fat and low meat diets have low levels of prostate cancer. A fat-rich diet and sedentary lifestyle also contributes to the risk. Fat causes an increased production of testosterone, which may in turn lead to the development of cancer cells.

• High levels of testosterone mean higher chances of developing prostate cancer. Therefore men who suffer from hypogonadism, or have been undergoing long-term testosterone treatments are at risk. A vasectomy may also result in prostate cancer, though there is no conclusive proof of this.

• Being overweight is a major risk factor for all cancers.

A man’s vulnerability to prostate cancer increases with age. Most often, prostate cancer is detected very late and people who lose their lives do not die from prostate cancer, but die with prostate cancer. As the cancer develops, it eventually squeezes the urethra, which surrounds the prostate. This is when the following symptoms show up:

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Cancer:

Killer of Men

• A need to urinate frequently, especially at night; • Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine; • Inability to urinate; • Weak or interrupted flow of urine; • Painful or burning urination; • Difficulty in having an erection; • Painful ejaculation; • Blood in urine or semen; or • Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs • General ill health, loss of appetite, and decline in weight.

Treatment Prostate cancer treatment generally depends on several different factors present in each case of the disease. The type of prostate cancer, the size of the cancer, its location, as well the health condition of the patient all play a part in how prostate cancer will be treated. Often, prostate cancer is a slow progressing disease although this is not always the case, but this is no excuse to procrastinate. Cure rates are very high if treatment begins while the cancer is in its early stages, but drop steeply once the cancer metastasizes. Get tested today-no pain, much gain!

Obviously, the sooner prostate cancer is found and diagnosed, the better the chance of recovery.

Success in prostate cancer treatment will depend on a number of factors including the progression of the disease upon discovery, where the cancer is located, the age

and health of the patient, and how it reacts to treatment.

A routine screening test may reveal the beginnings of prostate cancer. A DRE (Digital Rectal Examination), which involves inserting a gloved finger into the rectum, helps the doctor to examine the prostate. Any change in shape or size of the gland may mean trouble. A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test analyzes a blood sample for the levels of PSA. If a higher than normal level is detected, a prostate infection or cancer may be suspected. A transrectal ultrasound helps to further evaluate the prostate using sound waves. If initial tests produce positive results, a prostate biopsy may be done to verify the presence of cancer. If cancer is confirmed, the next step is to investigate the spread of the cancer. A bone scan, CT scan, and Ultrasound scan may be used for this.

The mode of treatment directly depends on how aggressive the cancer is. For most men, a combination of treatments (surgery, radiation paired with hormone therapy, chemotherapy) may prove effective.

10 Most Likely Cancers You Are Going To Get One of the greatest concerns America has today is cancer. The figures are alarming, according to the National Cancer Institute studies. Approximately one in every four deaths is due to cancer.

Research indicates that the lifetime probability of developing cancer is higher for men, at 46%, while for women it is 36%. The National Cancer Institute has put in place a challenge to eliminate suffering and death due to cancer by 2015. To meet this, the creation of awareness has become a priority. To conquer cancer, you must know what the risks are, how lifestyle changes can help, about intervention and preventive care, and where help is available.

The most common cancers are: Men: 1. Prostrate. This accounts for approximately 33%.

2. Lung and bronchus. Accounts for 13%.

3. Colon and Rectal. Accounts for 10%.

4. Urinary and Bladder - 7%.

5. Melanoma of skin - 5%.

6. Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma - 4%.

7. Kidney and Renal Pelvis - 3%.

8. Leukemia - 3%.

9. Oral Cavity and Pharynx - 3%.

10. Pancreas - 3%.

Women: 1. Breast - 32%.

2. Lung and Bronchus - 12%.

3. Colon and rectum - 11%.

4. Uterine Corpus - 6%.

5. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma - 4%.

6. Melanoma of the skin - 4% 7. Ovary - 3%.

8. Thyroid - 3%.

9. Urinary Bladder - 2%.

10. Pancreas - 2%.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention advocates adoption of a healthy lifestyle, eating nutritious and well balanced food, regular health checks, and screening for cancer. Screenings are quite often lifesaving as problems can be nipped in the bud--many cancers are curable if detected in the early stages.

It is important to know that a cancer is a disease where healthy cells in the body divide uncontrolled to form tumors. This could happen anywhere in the body and some tumors are benign while others are malignant.

Most cancers have different symptoms but to give you an idea, symptoms can include an unexplained lump in any part of the body may feel like a small marble; perceptible growth of a wart or mole; wounds and sores that do not heal; a persistent cough; changes in bowel or bladder habits; indigestion; weight loss or gain; unusual bleeding or discharge. These are symptoms that are caused by not just cancer but many other diseases. And, early cancer does not manifest itself in any outward signs so the only way is to undergo health checks. So, you need the help of a doctor to make an accurate diagnosis.

Screening will include routine physical examinations, lab tests, x-rays, and specialized tests like mammograms, CT scans, MRIs, sonography or laparoscopy. The physician will, after giving you a general check and noting down the history recommend any special tests if he finds anything that requires further investigation.

Cancer–Courage and Love

By Lorraine Kember Everyday we hear of people dealing with incredible sadness and loss and we wonder; how do they do it? Where do they find the courage the strength? We may even ask ourselves how we would cope under the circumstances. Sadly, we only become aware of the answer, when tragedy visits us and our own lives are thrown into turmoil.

When some one we love is diagnosed with a terminal cancer, life as we knew it changes forever. Suddenly we enter a new world, a world filled with helplessness, despair and fear of the unknown. We no longer walk aimlessly around shopping malls; we walk the Hospital corridors and sit in chemotherapy waiting rooms and are shocked by the number of people afflicted by cancer. We can not help but wonder if one day we too may be a patient and we fear for our own mortality.

Sitting in a Chemotherapy ward is an experience not to be forgotten.

Cancer has no respect for gender, age or wealth. There are people from every race, color and creed; rich, middle class and poor; and none of this makes the slightest difference. They are all united in their suffering, fellow human beings on the same sad journey.

One cannot bear witness to the incredible courage of those who have cancer, without being deeply affected. My husband’s courage in the face of his terminal mesothelioma cancer held me in awe and I decided to do everything within my power to help him.

I learned about the stages and symptoms of his disease; the pain he would experience and ways to bring it under control, so that I could work with his doctors, to achieve for him, the best possible quality of life for whatever time he was granted. It was incredibly hard to wake each day with the knowledge that my husband was dying; my anticipatory grief often overwhelmed me but somehow I managed to carry on. One day a lady said to me, “You are such a strong woman,” and I wondered what had made her say that. I didn’t feel strong, I felt like I was breaking.

Despite a prognosis of three to nine months, my husband survived for two years and was not bed bound until three short days prior to his death. My journey beside him as he traveled to the end of his life, has taught me many things, above all the true meaning of love and the strength of the human spirit.

Deep within ourselves there is strength and courage to sustain us in times of personal tragedy. I have come to realize that during my husband’s illness, I was indeed strong. I may have staggered with the burden of my grief but I did manage to help my husband achieve a quality of life few thought possible considering the nature of his disease. And, thanks to the expertise and dedication of the Palliative Care Team, I was able to fulfill my promise to him that he would not die in hospital. His death at home was as loving, sharing and peaceful as anyone could wish for.

I have witnessed courage; that of my husband as he battled his disease and of my own as I stood beside him, determined to improve the quality of his life. The knowledge that I was successful in this has brought me much peace. My husbandís illness and death have wounded me deeply yet I have emerged far stronger than ever before and gone on to achieve things I never thought possible.

My experience has taught me not to take life for granted and to live each day with thanks for the wonderful gift that it is. I have witnessed death; my awareness of the fragility of life, despite the strongest of wills strengthens my determination to grasp everything life offers me, with both hands.

All About the

Liver

When disease hits this organ, every function in your body is compromised. Here’s what to watch out for to nip any problem in the bud

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o many people who claim to be concerned about improving their health overlook their liver. The liver is called LIVE -R for a reason—it’s involved with digestion and assimilation, processing nutrients to give life to your body, and repairing diseased and damaged tissue. The liver, the largest organ in the body, is essential for proper health and bodily functions. It removes and neutralizes poisons found in the blood, produces immune agents to help control infection, and keep s the blood free of germs and bacteria. It removes toxins and eliminates pathogens from getting into the blood that flow to all of your body cells. The liver has the function of producing proteins and enzymes. It also helps in fighting infections, cleaning blood, digesting food, and acts as a storage for energy which can be used any time.

Because the health of the liver is sometimes overlooked, liver disease is now the seventh cause of death among Americans—and one of the top causes of death among males. Over 27,000 people every year die from chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis. People with diabetes have a high number of deaths from liver deterioration. Over 60,000 people die from liver failure. It is estimated that 9,000 die from chronic hepatitis C and over 12,000 from liver cancer. Over 25 million people create some form of liver and gallbladder disease every year.

Here is a list of symptoms that you should watch out for to indicate that your liver is not working the way it should: • Frequent headache not related to stress, eyestrain, or shoulder muscle tension • Frequent menstrual problems • Blurry vision or red eyes • Constant bitter taste in mouth • Excessive anger, depression, or moodiness • Tenderness in the liver area - just under your right rib cage • Acne, psoriasis, eczema, rashes, and other skin problems • Weakness in your muscles and joint areas Any two to three of them means you have some liver weakness.

So what can you do?

The first area to work on is to examine the types of fats and oils you eat and make the changes that will give you better liver health.

Saturated fats, such as found in butter, meat, lard, and other oils are highly susceptible to oxygen damage through the process called oxidation. When these fats are oxidized, they become rancid and form free radicals.

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But saturated fats are not the only fats that can be oxidized. Even unsaturated fats--the good oils--can be oxidized. Still, these are still better since saturated fats are associated with heart conditions.

All fats can become oxidized outside the body by using them to fry your food, or inside your body though the natural oxidation processes.

Liver cells are highly susceptible to free radicals. These free radicals are destructive to liver cell walls and weaken the health of the liver over time.

Also, scientists have found that 17% of the oxygen you breathe and have available in your body becomes a free radical. These free radicals, again, attack and destroy liver cells.

To counter eating free radicals and the free radicals that are created in your body, anti-oxidant supplements, fruits, and vegetables—especially the yellow and red colored ones--are the highest in anti-oxidants.

Cirrhosis Of The Liver Another serious disease is cirrhosis, a chronic disease which affects the liver and disables it from its functions. Here the disease affects the normal cells in the liver which leads to scarring of the same. This condition leaves the liver with an abnormal and scarred liver tissue. As the cells in the liver are injured or scarred, an inflammation occurs which chokes the flow of blood through this organ.

It is a life-threatening disease which has taken many lives and left them with high and dry with heft hospital bills. The damage is caused by the toxins, metabolic problems, chronic viral hepatitis or any other causes.

Cirrhosis is the twelfth leading cause of death by disease in the United States, and kills approximately 26,000 people every year.

Some of the causes for having this disease is the excess consumption of alcohol; chronic viral hepatitis (hepatitis B, C or D); autoimmune hepatitis which destroys the liver cells; drugs or toxins and infections; blockage of bile ducts which damages the liver tissue; diseases like hemochromatosis, Wilson’s disease, and protoporphyria.

Cirrhosis is often synonymous with chronic alcoholism, and alcohol addiction is one of the major causes of this disease, which typically develops after a decade or more of heavy drinking. The amount varies from person to person, but it has been shown that alcohol injures the liver by blocking its normal metabolism. Cirrhosis affects the body in many ways, including edema and ascites, which occur when the liver loses its ability to make the protein albumin.

As a result, water accumulates both in the legs (edema) and in the abdomen (ascites).

Bruising and bleeding can also occur as a result of the liver being unable to continue regular production of the proteins needed for blood clotting. Jaundice, also, is a common side effect and occurs when the liver is not able to absorb enough bilirubin. Another more serious side effect of cirrhosis brought on by alcohol addiction is the presence of toxins in the blood or brain, since a damaged liver is unable to remove these substances. Toxins can dull mental functioning and cause pronounced personality changes, and lead to coma and even death.

Alcohol addiction is a serious problem but fortunately, one that is also highly treatable with proper therapy and with the assistance of dedicated and trained professionals in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation setting. Treating alcohol addiction, then, does more than just help the addict to control their current problem; it also, if done correctly, can aid in the prevention of future problems, conditions, and diseases.

Coffee May Reduce Liver Cancer Risk A 2007 recent study conducted by the researchers of Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri (IRFMN) in Milan, Italy showed that drinking coffee may help reduce the risk of liver cancer. Led by Francesca Bravi, the team combined all published data to find the link between coffee drinking and hepatocellar carcinoma (HCC). HCC is a primary cancer of the liver. Liver cancer is the third largest cause of cancer deaths around the world, just behind lung and stomach cancer. At least 11 studies that were conducted in southern Europe and Japan were the foundation of the IRFMN study.

The IRFMN study was a meta-analysis of published studies on HCC that included how much coffee patients had consumed.

Researchers combined all published data to obtain an overall quantitative estimate of the association between coffee consumption and HCC development.

The figures showed that coffee drinkers have at least 41 percent reduction of HCC risk compared to those who never consumed coffee. The beneficial effects of coffee consumption were highly progressive in studies that were done in southern Europe, widely drank, and from Japan, where coffee drinking is less frequent, and in subjects with chronic liver diseases Animal and laboratory studies have shown that some compounds in coffee may act as blocking agents that work by reacting with enzymes involved in carcinogenic detoxification.

Caffeine is a component of coffee that has been shown to give beneficial effects on the liver enzymes and other enzymes of the body. Coffee consumption has also been linked to reduced risks of liver diseases and cirrhosis, both of which can lead to liver cancer.

Separate studies also show that caffeine may aggravate the symptoms of menopause or intensify the effects of certain antibiotics. On the other hand, heavy caffeine consumption may cause miscarriage. Other animal studies show that skin cream added with caffeine may lower the risk of skin cancer in mice.

While the study found a statistically significant relationship between drinking coffee and having less liver cancer, the authors note that it needs to be repeated in other groups. The authors note that despite the consistency of the results of the study, it is difficult to derive causal collaboration based on the observational studies alone. It may be that patients with digestive tract diseases, including liver disorders, naturally reduce their coffee consumption, even though avoidance of coffee is not routinely recommended.

While the study found a statistically significant relationship between drinking coffee and having less liver cancer, the authors note that it needs to be repeated in other groups to be more concrete.

The IRFMN researchers note that the perception of coffee consumption was solely based on patients’ reporting, although the recollection of coffee drinking has been shown to be accurate.

Factors like hepatitis B and C, cirrhosis, social class indictors, alcohol use, and smoking suggests that these factors did not influence the results of the studies.

The results from this research may provide some evidence of a link between coffee consumption and liver cancer. However, the interpretation of this research remains unclear because of lack of long-term evaluation of the results of the said study.

The Five Fatal Diseases– How They Grow, and How to Stop Them

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A close up look at what happens when our bodies are attacked by free radicals—disease has never been explained like this before!

here are five diseases that are fatal to humans: the first one is heart attack, the second is cancer, then stroke, lung disease and last but moving up fast in the list, is diabetes.

The fatal five share two common elements: Free radicals and Inflammation. Free radicals are molecules or atoms that are missing an electron. What they do is they attack any healthy cell they come in contact with and steal an electron, causing damage to the cell membrane.

Inflammation is a process that is intended to help our body heal, but in the case of disease, free radicals cause deformities or mutations in the cells, and the inflammation can not repair the damage so it actually begins to feed the now deformed or mutated cells.

Science has proven that all diseases and illnesses are caused by free-radical damage. There are risk factors for all diseases but free radicals are the source and cause of major complications.

Free radicals can not be avoided; they are in air and water pollution, in the junk foods we eat, and caused by traumas and injuries. Free radicals are a part of life; they even affect the aging process itself.

Heart Attack Clots in the arteries cause 80% of all heart attacks and 83% of all strokes. The most common

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cause is a condition called Atherosclerosis or “hardening of the arteries”. This is where a build up of plaque inside your artery has cracked and the platelets that are designed to clot in order to protect us from bleeding to death, end up clotting over the crack and cause a complete blockage of blood flow. In the case of heart attack, the blockage is near the heart and in the case of stroke. the blockage cuts off the supply of blood to the brain.

When it comes to heart disease, the freeradicals attack cholesterol cells (from bad LDL) in the blood supply, deforming them which in turn makes them sticky; now you have bad LDL that collects and sticks to the artery walls.

Inflammation does not play a major role in heart attacks and stroke but scientists are calling chronic inflammation a silent killer in a vast majority of diseases and illnesses.

Cancer Lately, statistics have been showing that the overall death rate is on the decline for some types of cancers, but there are others on the rise, such as esophageal, liver, and thyroid cancers. All cancers are caused by free-radicals damaging our DNA. DNA holds the blue print for each cell that it creates. This blue print is who you are; when the free-radicals attack the DNA the blue print becomes mutated and when the new cell

is produced with this new blue print you have a cancer cell.

You do not have cancer until the inflammation process begins; inflammation is the bodies' defense against illness or injury. Inflammation tries to destroy the cells that it does not recognize as being you. Even if the inflammation loses this fight, our bodies keep sending more, causing chronic inflammation. At this point the cancer cells start to feed on the inflammation cells and cancer growth begins.

Chronic Lung Disease More than 35 million Americans have chronic lung diseases. Every year over 349,000 people die from lung disease--a death rate of 121.4 per 100,000. The lungs are far more complex than other organs in the body.

The lungs have various minor roles to play and three major ones; they are defenders of intruders, they remove waste and toxins from the blood, and their main purpose is to supply oxygen to the blood. There are more than three dozen different types of cells inside the lungs and they all have very specific tasks to accomplish. Our lungs are constantly battling with the outside world with each breath we take. If the lung function is impaired in anyway, you may have a potentially fatal lung disease. Lung diseases such as asthma, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), chronic

Stress Levels Can Affect Overall Health, Too Stress is a formidable force in the lives of many people in this world today. By definition, stress is the body’s emotional, mental, and physical reactions to changes in one’s normal life. How you react to it can be positive or negative.

Unrelenting and continuous stress can be very destructive. This can lead to a condition called distress, a negative reaction to stress. Such physical symptoms that can ensue with distress are headaches, upset stomach, insomnia, high blood pressure, and chest pain, just to name a few. Medical studies show that it is possible that stress can cause or worsen symptoms of diseases.

obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis (CF), pneumonia, sarcoidosis, and many more can be fatal. In the case of lung diseases, free radicals come in from the outside world in all forms of pollution; this creates inflammation which causes the obstruction of air flow.

Diabetes Millions of Americans have type 2 diabetes; and millions more have it and are not yet aware of it.

Diabetes is the inability to use the sugar called glucose. Glucose is created when the body breaks down food for energy. The hormone insulin opens up the bodies' cells to allow glucose to enter into the cell and be used as fuel. In diabetes, the cell never opens up and the glucose flows through the blood stream, causing high blood sugar levels.

With diabetes, the body either does not make enough insulin or is resistant to its own natural insulin. High blood sugar can lead to very serious complications such as heart disease, kidney and eye disease, and other problems like nerve damage and death. Heart disease is the leading cause of premature death in people with diabetes.

Diabetes is the major cause of leg and foot amputations in Americans today. Free radicals are very active in a person with diabetes, attacking a number of cells because diabetes causes an abnormal immune function. Therefore, infections are much harder to control in people with diabetes, who are at greater risk of complications.

The number one risk for type 2 diabetes is too much body fat.

How Free Radicals Behave Lets take a look at free-radicals and inflammation and how they act.

If you have a room with ten 2-year old children, and they only have one toy in the room, can you imagine the mayhem--nine children trying to steal the toy from one child? Do you think that one child has a chance? This is what free radicals do to a cell. Now you have the parents come into the room and try to comfort the children who are without toys. The children are crying and throwing fits and are impossible to calm down. You'll do

anything, usually offer them cookies or some other sweet treat. This is only a momentary fix; you would have to keep feeding them to keep them calm. This is inflammation. But if you have 10 more children enter the room all with an extra toy to share with the others; it becomes peaceful and everyone is happy. This is what anti-oxidants do.

Empower Yourself You have the power to take your health into your own hands and put a stop to the damage now.

Anti-oxidants help the body fight against freeradicals. Anti-oxidants are a molecule or atom that has an extra electron. It gives this extra electron away and in turn the free radical stops attacking healthy cells.

Anti-oxidants are essential for health. Plants contain about 1,000 to 1,500 anti-oxidants. To keep healthy, a diet of fruits and vegetables is essential, supplements are key, and you need to take vitamins and minerals that contain high numbers of anti-oxidants. You need to do some research and try to find fresh supplements, as they tend to lose their potency the longer they sit on the self.

There are also super charged, super powerful anti-oxidants in nature called Xanthones.

Xanthones have the power to defeat a larger number of free-radicals at one time, due to strong carbon bonds that make the molecule stable. Each Xanthone performs a specific biological function inside the body unlike regular anti-oxidants.

Universities and scientists have been studying xanthones for years, and 200 have been identified in nature to date. The aloe vera plant contains one xanthone. The mangosteen fruit contains 41 xanthones. Mangosteen also contains 25,000 anti-oxidants. How can that help your health?

Mangosteen fruit has the highest number of antioxidants and xanthones ever found in one source.

The best way to fight disease is to be informed.

By understanding your health requirements and the part that nutrition plays in that, you can greatly improve your quality of life now, and well into your retirement years.

Forty-three percent of adults suffer from adverse health effects in connection with stress. Surprisingly, people do take their sufferings to the doctor, because 75 to 90% of doctors’ visits are related to symptoms and ailments of stress. Not only is stress a danger on a personal level, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has declared stress a true hazard of the workplace. Not only does it cost the employee money, but American industry loses $300 billion annually due to stress. The existence and or lifetime continuation of emotional issues is greater than 50% due to unresolved stress issues. Stress can also make diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, and heart disease worse.

Quit Smoking, N We’ve gathered what you need to know to quit this nasty habit. No more excuses!

H

ealth experts believe that every year 2.5 million people around the world, including 400,000 from America die because of smoking. And probably millions more suffer from smoke-related illness.

According to studies, an additional 3,000 deaths occur in America because of lung cancer due to inhaling second hand smoke.

Smoking is linked to lung cancer, which is the leading cause of death among cancers.

Studies show that smoking harms almost every organ of the body. Common diseases that may occur because of smoking are bronchitis, emphysema, and heart attacks.

Smoking is also responsible for the rapid aging of skin, and stained fingers and teeth because of exposure to nicotine.

Majority of smokers know the adverse effects of smoking but they just cannot or do not stop. Cigarettes contain nicotine, which is a very addictive substance. According to studies, nicotine, when taken in small amounts, acts as a stimulant. In effect it may enhance brain activity, which will be helpful in the cognitive process and also enhances one’s memory. But increase in heart rate and blood pressure are some of its harmful effects. That is probably the reason why smokers breathe faster compared to non-smokers.

Statistics have shown that nine out of ten tobacco users started smoking before the age of eighteen. Most adults who started smoking during their teen years would never expect to become addicted. This fact is not known by all smokers or for people who would want to try smoking. Naturally, if a person starts smoking, their lifestyle slowly changes,

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bringing in smoking as one of their pastimes.

People who smoke cigarettes or any other forms of tobacco do not consciously think about its consequences. They light a cigarette upon waking up to feel the nicotine rush, which helps them get rid of drowsiness. Smokers also light up a cigarette after eating, since this can eliminate any more hunger pangs, or to feel that they’ve fully savored their meal. It stops the feeling of hunger, and eventually makes the person feel full. Other people smoke when they are bored. This usually happens when they wait for someone, or when they are on breaks at work or in school, or just to pass the time away.

For all its negative effects, quitting “cold turkey” may not be an option for most. Nicotine is addictive, and therefore quitting cold turkey may bring uneasiness, restlessness, irritability, and aggressiveness.

For those who can’t cut the habit justlikethat, scores of “quit-smoking” products are available in the market. They come in different varieties and forms--patches, pills, and sprays. Then there are the alternative methods, like hypnosis and acupuncture. Here’s a list to check out and find out what works best for you: Zyban Zyban (bupropion) is a drug cheaper compared to its counterparts. Zyban’s side effects are generally tolerable. Dry mouth, increased sweating, headache, nausea, fatigue, and blurred vision may are some of the effects one may encounter while taking this drug. Each pill should be swallowed in full. It should not be crushed or chewed otherwise the effectiveness of Zyban will be spoiled and the chances of side-effect occurrences might increase. An overdose is also possible. So if it does occur,

contact the nearest local poison control center or hospital. Symptoms of overdose may include blurred vision, confusion, nausea, and seizures.

Title: The Four-Step Way Tip 1: Rise above the cravings Imagine the cigarettes as crutches. You’ve always had these crutches to lean on and soon, it becomes impossible to walk without them. The important thing to learn is that as soon as you walk on your feet again, they’ll quickly regain strength. It may be a little known fact, but about half of what a smoker inhales from his cigarette is pure air. The next time you’re hit with a craving, take a deep breath and and relax. You will soon be able to rise above the craving, feel refreshed, and move on.

Tip 2: All the reasons to quit Why do you want to quit? Do you have children? Do you want to live to see your grandchildren? Are you sick of the smell?

Whatever your reasons are, write them down.

Keep a daily journal of how you feel and in the very first entry list in bold letters every reason you have for quitting. List things like health reasons, expense, inconvenience, bad breath, or other reasons and make the list as long as possible.

Also be sure to list how you will feel when you’ve kicked the habit.

Tip 3: The good, the bad and the ugly After you complete your lists of reasons you want to quit and how you’ll feel after you’ve quit, make a list of the consequences of not quitting. Have other smokers in your family gotten cancer? Have they died? Do they have to speak through a hole in their neck? Will you

Now! Getting out of the Quitter-Backslider Rut Have you ever gotten yourself in a situation where you have quitted smoking for perhaps one, two, or three weeks, sometimes even months or years only to find yourself crawling back to square one as it if it was a snake and ladder board game?

be unable to pay off debt because you’re always buying cigarettes? Whatever you consequences, be sure to list all of them. As above, be sure to list the consequences (good consequences, of course) of quitting. Keep the list and look at it from time to time to remind yourself what you’re looking forward to.

life as a non-smoker. The calming effect of this herb may help one cope with stressful situations that may lead one to light a cigarette. However, individuals who want to try this herb should first seek the approval of a health professional because it might produce an allergic reaction and interact with other drugs.

Tip 4: Break time!

Hypnosis

Most smokers agree: a cigarette is a break.

When quitting, give yourself breaks, but do something. Go for walk, eat a piece of fruit or drink some juice. This is critical because the body will be going through changes expelling all the accumulated poisons. The fruit will aid this process in many ways.

Smokers have natural cigarette triggers. Factors like driving, eating, watching TV, and stress may entice individuals to smoke. With subconscious reminders about the positive effects of quitting smoking, hypnosis may help reduce nicotine cravings and improve one's ability to quit smoking.

In addition to these health benefits, hypnosis therapy uses no drugs.

Alternative Methods It is estimated that 70 percent of smokers want to quit. For those whom synthetic drugs or methods don’t work, many alternative therapies are available to help many individuals in their desire to be nicotine-free.

Acupuncture Medical studies show that acupuncture may increase the levels of endorphins in the body.

Endorphins are opiate-like substances in the body that are known elevate the mood and bring moments of relaxation. These factors may lower the cravings for that stick or pack of cigarette.

Many health professionals recommend at least four sessions of acupuncture during the first month of quitting.

Herbal remedies There are no herbs that contain nicotine.

However, there are herbs like chamomile that have a calming effect that may help one's transition to

Exercise and nutrition Regular exercise may improve blood flow and help individuals deal with tensions and stress without cigarettes. Studies show that moderate exercise like 30 minutes of jogging and brisk walking can also promote the production of endorphins. In addition to exercise, eating regular meals and cutting down fat in one's diet may aid in the management of blood sugar changes associated in quitting smoking.

Massage Having a massage may promote better moods and less anxiety which may lead to fewer and less nicotine cravings. A University of Miami Touch Research Institute study suggested that a twominute hand or ear massage may curb nicotine cravings and, therefore, cut daily cigarette intake.

Most of time, smokers use the excuse of “releasing stress” to smoke. For some reason, this has become a reality, which in fact is not. The only reason you feel relaxed is due to the soothing of the nicotine addiction. The fact is: you do not need cigarettes in your life!

The solution for this is, not only must you quit smoking, you must also: Find alternatives for relaxation and stress relief.

Exercise By nature, the human body needs exercise regularly at least twice a week. Someone who exercises is able to release stress and sleep better.

Meditation Meditation not only relaxes but boosts one’s energy.

Hot Baths Pamper yourself by taking a hot bath with soft music; turn the lights down low.

Reading Escape from reality for a moment.

Watch a comedies Laughter is the best medicine, and an excellent stress reliever.

Whatever it is, make sure you have an alternative to relax and release stress instead of finding “the excuse” of turning back to cigarettes. Try it and you’ll be surprised how all those can help you on the journey to be smoke-free forever.

A Parsley: A Cook’s Best Friend Not just a garnish, this ‘curly’ herb is full of nutrients and flavor value—grow some and use it in your dishes today!

How to M ake a Bouquet Garni

Tie 3 sprigs of parsley, 1 sprig of th yme, and 1 bay leaf toge ther with string to mak e a bouque t garni. Add the herbs to a soup pot an d pull out ju st before serv ing.

cook’s best friend, Petroselinum crispum, commonly known as curly parsley, is used in myriad ways in the kitchen. Often discarded by diners as “just a garnish,” parsley has many valuable nutrients including beta-carotene, calcium, iron, and Vitamins A and C in easily assimilated form. Parsley has a pleasant flavor and is often used as a breath freshener particularly after eating raw garlic and onions.

Growing it Parsley is a hardy biennial or short-lived perennial and grows 10 to12 inches (24 to 30 cm) tall. Cultivation requirements: fairly rich, moist soil, full sun or partial shade, water well during dry periods. In the second year, yellowish-white flowers are produced.

Parsley can be treated as an annual for cooking purposes, as the first year’s leaves are superior to the later crops. Parsley will self-sow so you can leave it where it is. Curly parsley makes a gorgeous edging along garden beds and is attractive planted with flowers and in container gardens. You can start the plants in the house prior to planting in the garden or you can seed it straight into the location where you want it to grow.

Parsley can be grown indoors or out.

Grow parsley from seed or you can purchase started plants at the garden centers. If growing parsley in pots, plant in a deep pot to accommodate the long taproot. Parsley can be brought indoors at the end of the growing season the same as other herbs. When bringing indoors, pot up in fresh potting soil, and check for critters. If there is an infestation, spray with a soap and water spray.

Parsley requires at least five hours of sunlight if grown indoors. If you are growing it on a windowsill, parsley should be turned regularly to ensure that all sides receive sunlight. Parsley grows well under fluorescents lights during the winter. Hang lights six inches (15 cm) from the plants and leave on for 14 hours a day.

In the garden, parsley can be planted near asparagus, corn, and tomatoes.

Using it in the Kitchen In the kitchen, parsley can be used fresh in salads, sauces, and soups.

Other uses?

• Add to stews, stuffing, vegetable dishes, eggs, tabbouleh, dips, biscuits, omelets, rice and pasta dishes, meat, fish, shellfish, poultry--the list is endless.

• Parsley can be mixed with soft cheeses such as ricotta or cottage cheese. Chop it finely, mash into butter and serve with bread, or melt it into casseroles, scrambled eggs, or pasta.

• Parsley can be dried or frozen. To store fresh parsley in the fridge, place the stems in a glass jar of cold water. It will stay fresh for several days.