Women’s Health Test – Is There an Early Signs of Menopause Test?

Yes, there is a free online women’s health test from a leading women’s health clinic. Why? As early as in their 30’s and 40’s, many women begin experiencing symptoms that make them wonder - are these early signs of menopause?

What are common early signs of menopause? The most common symptoms include PMS, insomnia, fatigue, weight gain, loss of sex drive, hair loss or unwanted hair growth and fibroids. Some women have one or two of these symptoms while others may experience several symptoms at the same time. The result can be mildly irritating or it can be exhausting and overwhelming.

Menopause itself is not an illness but a natural process for a woman’s body. There are normal changes in the reproductive system and cycle and ultimately, the reproductive system will cease to function. That is normal. However, certain menopause symptoms are indications of underlying hormonal imbalances or damage from poor eating habits, stress and other factors. And you may feel like you're the only woman to experience symptoms, but millions of women in the industrialized countries are going through the same experience many years before the normal age of menopause.

What happens so frequently is that women put enormous demands on their bodies – much more stress than it was designed to handle – and then do not give it the support it needs. Women likely have demanding and stressful careers. Women have families to take care of on a daily basis. The relationship with one’s spouse or partner may not be the best. Aging parents may require help. These and other responsibilities add up in the toll taken on a woman’s body.
And at the same time, the woman’s body may not be receiving the support it needs to function as it was designed to do. Poor eating habits, lack of exercise, excess caffeine and alcohol add to the problem instead of helping the body cope with the demands placed on it.
This lack of balance between the "demands made" and "support given" is what gives rise to many symptoms. And are the health problems you are having related in any way? Very likely!
When taking a women’s health and early signs of menopause test, here's what should be considered:

1. Which symptoms do you have? Certain symptoms are related to each other and are related to the same underlying causes. Knowing which symptoms you have is important information.

2. How mild or severe are your symptoms? Perhaps a symptom is "mild" and it’s not a big deal. It may be “moderate to severe”, meaning you can deal with it but it is a real problem. Or you may consider it “very severe”, in other words, you can barely function because of it.

3. What are you demanding of your body? Are you frequently under stress? Do you not always eat when you should? What prescription drugs are you taking? What about the consumption of caffeine and alcohol?

4. What kind of support are you giving your body? What do you eat, do you exercise and are you taking a high-quality nutritional supplement?

5. What is your age? Your age is important, because you need to compare your health with other women your age.

By taking a women’s health test, you can find out more about your health, symptoms you may have, what that means and what to do about it. For additional information about the early signs of menopause and the online health test, visit the "Womens Health Clinic".

Heart Health – Fish Oils To The Rescue

In a world where heart disorders and diseases are becoming more common, lets take a look at something most of us can add to our weekly diet for prevention of heart problems.
Omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish oil promotes heart health. A daily dose of fish oil has helped prevent, slow or even reverse the hardening and narrowing of arteries in heart disease in some studies.

In a 2001 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the University of Munich reported that a fish-oil capsule a day may "modestly" improve blood flow to the heart and bolster traditional therapy in patients with atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. In a study of 223 men and women, those who took a dose of fish oil per day for two years had fewer atherosclerosis complications such as heart attack and stroke.

Fish oil, found in fish such as salmon, it is a key component of the low-saturated-fat Mediterranean diet that has been linked to the lower incidence of heart disease in that area of the world.

How does fish oil work? Researchers are not ready to say, but one team of doctors used x-ray to peer into patients heart arteries at the beginning and end of one study. They found that after two years, the arteries of the fish-oil patients, on average, offered more room for blood flow to flow through, with less plaque.

The improvements were not dramatic, however the doctor’s team concluded that the benefits found in this study are significant enough to warrant including fish oil as part of traditional heart-disease treatment. At minimum, taking a daily capsule or dining on fish twice weekly would fulfill the needed amount.

Fish oil has also been found to help heart rhythm problems and can help to thin the blood as well. Research continues and always finds Fish oils to be helpful for the heart. It is certainly worth adding fish a couple times per week to the diet, isn’t it?

Health and Anti-Aging

Some words about anti-aging and disease prevention

The aging process is for the greater part no mystery anymore. It consists for a great part of daily damages done on the macroscopic, tissue, cellular and genetic levels. These add up as the years are passing. These damages have specific causes like oxidating agents, sun beams, mechanical wear and tear, psychological stress, lack of some nutritional components and too much of others, like fat.
Another component of aging is the reduction of the telomere chains at the chromosome ends, as each cell division occurs. However, the body has means to repair these ends again, with an enzyme called telomerase. The rapidity of the aging process depends on lack of efficiency in this repair process. The above mention aging causes also slow down this repair process.
The factors causing aging, also causes other diseases like cancer and coronary heart disease. Both aging and these diseases can in great extend be prevented with the knowledge possessed today, and the damages can in great extend be reversed. The components to achieve this are:

1.Adequate dayly food containing whole cereals, peas, beans, vegetables, fruit, fish, mushroms, fouls and seafood, and with just a moderate amount of red meat.

2.Just a moderate amount of fat and most of the fat supply comming from sources like olive, fish, nuts, sun-flower, etc. Then you will get a good balance between mono-unsaturated fat (olive), poly-unsaturated fat of the omaga-3-type (fish) and poly-unsaturated fat of the omega-6-type.

3.Just a very moderate amount of butter, soya oil, corn oil and palm oil. A high consumption of these fat sources gives you too much saturated fat and poly-unsaturated omega-6-fat.

4.Just a very moderate amount of sugar, refined flour or refined cereals.
Supplements of specific nutritional components like vitamins, minerals, lecitin and some essential fatty acids.

5.Adequate training, that both gives both a muscular load, work up your condition and stretches out your body. To stretch out, yoga-exercizes are ideal.

6.Adequate rest and stress-reduction. Daily meditation is a method of achieving this. Natural relaxing agents or spesific tools for meditation or relaxation may also be useful.

7.Supplements of specific anti-aging agents like anti-oxidants or human growth hormone.

8.Use of spesific anti-aging agents to apply upon the skin surface.

8.To protect the skin against excessive sun exposure.

The amount one needs of nutritional supplements, like vitamins and minerals, differs very much according to a person`s health condition, work load and exposure to environmental stress. A person having a poor digestion, doing high performance sport or being exposed to a high amount of environmental stressors, may need more than an person in an average situation.

Health Benefits of Noni Juice

Noni Juice, Morinda Citrifolia
Morinda Citrifolia , a deciduos creeping vine with twining stems and white flowers which is native to Malaysia, Austrailia, and Polynesia, is gaining popularity in the west due to it’s apparently wide ranging health benefits. Part of the Madder family, Morinda’s thick, intertwined purple roots are harvested in the spring and fall for use in herbal medicine and to make the increasingly popular noni juice.
The Polynesian culture has long used morinda to treat a wide variety of symptoms ranging from respiratory problems, poor digestion, and high blood pressure to menstrual problems and immune deficiency. Rich in vitamin C, noni juice also contains the hill spectrum of amino acids, as well as naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes, beneficial alkaloids , co-factors and plant sterols.
Recent research suggests that noni root compounds contain natural sedative properties and may lower blood pressure. Biochemist , Dr Ralph Heinicke, asserts that proxeronine, an alkaloid precursor to a vital compound called xeronine, helps in the normalization of abnormally functioning cells. Heinicke claims that noni juice provides a safe and effective way to increase xeronine levels, which can be decreased by anger, stress, trauma, disease and injury.
"Rich in vitamin C, morinda provides natural antioxidants that support the kidneys, increasing the flow of urine to flush toxins from the body. It works to correct problems with the structure of proteins and cells. Working at the cellular level, morinda solves problems within the body ranging from cancer to digestive distress." - From Prescription For Nutritional Healing, by Phyllis A Balch, CNC

Depression
Morinda contains antidepressant compounds in the form of two sugars, inulin and nystose, as well as succinic acid, a compound created from simple sugars. Morinda also contains xeronine, which brings about a feeling of well-being by opening brain receptor sites to receive more endorphin hormone.

Rheumatoid Arthritis
There is promising evidence that morinda helps reduce inflammatory conditions while strengthening bones and ligaments. People with rheumatoid arthritis report relief from pain and swelling as well as an increase in mobility.

Menstrual Problems
Traditional Chinese medicine has prescribed Morinda for centuries to treat irregular menstrual cycles in women, especially when accompanied by pain in the lower back or pelvic area.

Other Benefits
Studies show that noni stimulates the immune system, regulating cell function and cellular regeneration of damaged cells. It's also been shown to increase stamina and endurance and is thought to be beneficial in treating impotence and infertility.

Morinda works slowly, and is best taken daily over a period of six to eight weeks for best results.

Fish Oils And A Plethora of Chronic Health Problems

I recently heard of an older couple that eats salmon every day for breakfast. To my finicky palate that does not sound as appetizing as waffles. Why do they do it? They argue that salmon is the most perfect food on the planet, full of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. They do it because they plan on living a long time.

Most of us know that fish makes for a healthier dinner than steak. It is lower in bad cholesterol and a few other things. But numerous studies support the hypothesis that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil have positive effects on a whole list of chronic disorders. Among these are high triglycerides, arthritis, Chrohn's disease, cancer, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, coronary artery disease and the neural development of children. To say it would be difficult to cover all these topics in a single essay is an understatement. But here are a few examples.

Japanese women have a much lower risk of breast cancer than do their American counterparts. However, Japanese women who move to America and adopt its dietary patterns have an equal risk of contracting breast cancer as American women within one generation. Women living in Japan have a high ratio of omega-3 fatty acids compared to omega-6 fatty acids in their breasts. Studies have shown that women with breast cancer have up to a five-fold higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. Omega-6 imbalance has been shown to promote tumor growth.

Breast tissue changes in response to diet shift within about three months. Supplementing with three grams of fish oil a day (equivalent to eating two large salmon) has demonstrated a four-fold increase in the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 in the blood and a similar ratio increase in breast tissue thus decreasing the risk of contracting breast cancer.

The 1991 Rotterdam Study considered the incidence of chronic diseases among the elderly on a test population of 5,000 participants at least 55 years of age. In particular the study focused on the effects of dietary fat intake in relation to these chronic ailments. Dietary profiles were collected including statistics of total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and polyunsaturated fats. Particular attention was directed toward fish consumption because fish is high in the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Of the total study population 1.1% suffered with Alzheimer’s disease. The statistics indicated a relation between Alzheimer’s and high saturated fat intakes. Fish consumption was associated with a low incidence of dementia, especially Alzheimer’s. Autopsies indicate that a decreased level of DHA in the hippocampus and frontal gray matter of the brain are associated with Alzheimer’s.

Saturated fats and cholesterol may negatively influence dementia because they affect cardiovascular health. Adverse cardiovascular events are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to this, omega-3 has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to play a role in brain and neurological development in infants. Omega-3 may have dementia preventing powers as well.

Some studies have indicated that there is an adverse relationship between lowering blood cholesterol levels by dieting and medication and the emotional health of the individual. Increases of depression, suicide and homicide have been linked to dieting. But it may not be hunger pangs that are the influencing factor. The quantity and distribution of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids may play a significant role by influencing serum lipids and altering biophysical and biochemical properties of cell membranes. Epidemiological studies in various countries and in the United States in recent years suggest decreased omega-3 fatty acid consumption correlates with increasing rates of depression. This is consistent with the established relationship between coronary artery disease and depression. Omega-3 deficiency may also be related to the depression associated with alcoholism, post-partum depression and multiple sclerosis.

What about attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? It has become an epidemic in our time resulting in millions of children being placed on medication. In addition to the fact that we are destroying the attention spans of kids by placing them in front of televisions and computers instead of good books, there may be dietary influences as well.

A 1995 study involved 96 boys in Indiana schools, 53 of which had been diagnosed with ADHD. Dietary intake statistics of essential fatty acids were established based on 3-day surveys of each boy. There were no significant differences between the ADHD boys and the others in relation to consumption of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. An additional 22 measurements were taken designed to establish the lipid and fatty acid levels in each group.

It was found that the ADHD group possessed significantly lower amounts of specific lipid fatty acids in plasma, and lower concentrations of total fatty acids in red blood cells than did the non-ADHD group. Since omega-3 is the primary polyunsaturated fatty acid found in the retina and cerebral cortex it was postulated that low levels of omega-3 might negatively affect proper brain function and therefore the ability to concentrate. What was not determined was whether the omega-3 deficiencies were due to inadequate intakes of the fatty acids or the individual ability to metabolize them. In either case, however, higher intakes of omega-3 through eating fish or taking fish oil supplements could help to raise omega-3 levels and therefore help counteract to effects of ADHD.

9 Simple Ways to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Eye Health - 9 Simple Ways to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Do you eyes feel tired and sore by the end of the day? Modern life puts a lot of stress on our bodies and eyes are among the first things to suffer. But it doesn't have to be this way. Learn simple things you can do for your eye health and your eyes will feel and look much better in only a few days.

Have your eyes checked every 12 month

Uncorrected vision problems can progress, and wearing corrective contact lenses or glasses that are no longer right for you can cause vision problems and severe headaches.

If your contacts don't feel right in your eyes, it is probably time to visit an eye doctor, even if it hasn't been a year since your last visit.

Go for the best quality contact lenses

Not all contact lenses are equal. Some are safe for you, while others put you at risk of damaging your eyes. Knowing what the modern contact lens industry has to offer will help you make an educated choice, not just blindly follow what your doctor says.

In summer, always wear sunglasses

It is proven that UV rays can seriously damage your eyes, but good sunglasses can prevent this damage. When buying sunglasses, make sure that they block at least 98% of UV radiation. Contrary to popular belief, light sunglasses can block UV as well as very dark ones, even though dark glasses usually offer more protection against bright sunlight.

By the way, did you know that you need sunglasses on cloudy days as well? Clouds might provide shade, but they are no barrier for UV light. Clouds are basically water, and water is UV-transparent.

Finally, remember that you would need sunglasses even if your contact lenses offer UV protection. Even a very high quality lens can only protect the area it covers, but the entire surface of your eye needs protection.

Eat what is good for you and your eyes

The good news is that there are no foods that would be harmful for your eyes. Most foods don't affect your eyesight at all, although the right vitamins and minerals are helpful. Recent studies have shown that vitamins of the antioxidant group can prevent, or at least slow down, age-related conditions like macular degeneration and the development of cataracts. So a healthy diet won't restore eyesight that is already lost, but it can definitely slow down the process of the disease, or prevent one from starting.

Vitamins C, A and E, folic acid, selenium and zinc are definitely beneficial for the health of your eyes. The effects of the other vitamins and minerals aren't determined yet, but it seems likely that they affect your eyesight as well. Thousand-page books have been written on the topic of nutrition for eye health but, to summarize, it is known that whatever is good for your body is good for your eyes, too. So put a carrot and a bunch of grapes into your lunch box.

When you read or work on the computer make sure that the light is right

It is a common knowledge that working with poor light can cause eyestrain, but light that is too bright can do as much damage.Keep your blinds down on sunny days and switch off half of the household lights, if possible. The best lighting for working on the computer is a soft desk light, coming from the side. Also, you can try decreasing the brightness of your monitor. The colors won't be so vivid, but your eyes will feel much better by the end of the day

Give your eyes a health break

The great invention of the 20th century - computers - is not so great from the point of view of health. Almost everybody feels discomfort in their eyes after peering at a computer screen all day long. This is because people blink about 25% less often then usual, while working at the computer, which causes eye dryness. I won't advise you to blink more often - it is almost impossible to control natural reflexes. One thing you can do, though, is close your eyes and count to 5 before opening them, whenever your computer decides to take its sweet time doing something. Another thing is to look away from the screen and focus on some faraway object, as often as possible. If you train yourself into the habit, your eyes should feel much better at the end of your working day.

If you wear contact lenses, take proper care of them

Contact lenses don't require a lot or fuss, but you can't neglect their cleanliness. Every time you put your lenses in or take them out, rinse them. You should also take care to change the solution, when you are putting your lenses to rest for the night.

Wear your contact lenses to the recommended schedule

Daily disposable lenses should be replaced daily, two weeks replacement lenses should be replaced every two weeks, and so on. Some people try to save money by wearing their lenses for much longer than is intended. This isn't a good idea. Even though the quality of the lens itself might not decline, protein build-up will make your vision less clear. Another thing to consider is that the longer you wear your lenses, the higher is your risk of eye infections.There are other ways to save on your contacts without risking your eye health. Try not to wear your contact lenses from 6 in the morning until midnight. Most lenses aren't designed to be worn for longer than 12 hours. If this doesn't suit your life style, though, try using extended wear lenses. You can wear Acuvue contacts for a week without removing them, or Focus Night and Day lenses for up to 30 days.

If you want to change the color of your eyes, choose only top quality color contact lenses

Color contact lenses are great fun. If you didn't try them yet, maybe you should. But only high quality color contacts, like Freshlook or Acuvue 2 Colors, are as safe and comfortable as they are beautiful. Many beauty salons, however, sell color contacts lenses of questionable quality, and these can do serious damage to your eyes.

If you follow these simple rules, your eyes should feel much better. They will look better too - you might notice that your eyes shine and their whites are actually white, again.

Amazing Green Tea Health Benefits.

Green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years. It's benefits to human health have been widely known and talked about ever since it was first discovered. Legend says that green tea was discovered in 2737BC when the emperor Shen Nung was boiling some water
for drinking and some leaves from a tree nearby blew into it. The wonderful smell induced the emporer to try this new drink and he found the taste heavenly and very refreshing.

Green tea was later brought from China to Japan by Buddhist monks. Green tea, like black tea is made from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis. The difference between the three main types of tea is the way that they are produced. Green tea is unfermented tea meaning that the leaves used for green tea are steamed soon after been plucked in order to prevent the oxidation of the leaves. In this way the leaves remain green and the active substances within the leaves
retain their qualities. Black teas on the other hand are made from fermented leaves and as a result have less nutritional and enzyme content as the green tea. Thus green and black teas have different chemical properties.

Modern science has in recent times been able to demonstrate that green tea is beneficial to one's health and this is mainly due to the fact that tea contains high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols or flavonoids. The antioxidant activity of tea has been compared to that of fruit and vegetables in a number of studies. One study concluded that consuming three cups of tea a day produced a similar amount of antioxidants as eating six Antioxidants help your body fight against free radicals which cause damage to cells and tisuues in your body. While all tea is healthy to drink, it is green tea that contains the highest level of flavonoids. Recent medical studies suggest green tea to be beneficial in many areas including the following:
-Digestive and respiratory health.
-Lowers cholesterol levels
-Boosts your immune system
-Reduces high blood pressure
-Arthritis - anti-inflammatory effect.
-Oral hygiene - due to antibacterial properties.
-Skin conditions such as acne
-Lowers blood sugar

Another potential benefit is in the area of weight loss. Research recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that an extract from green tea may speed up fat oxidation. Ten healthy men in their 20's were studied for 6 weeks and it was discovered that those men who were given a green tea extract used more calories in a day than those who did not. This appears to be due to green tea having thermogenic properties thus causing the body to burn fat faster than usual. One word of caution though - if you need to lose weight - and all you do is drink green tea without making any other lifestyle changes then do not expect an instant miracle! However green tea combined with a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise provides will help you in your weight loss program.
For more information about tea. visit: http://fogtea.com

Question to ask your Doctor about Arthritis Pain

Arthritis Pain Relief : Questions To Ask Your Healthcare Provider
A great place to begin taking charge of you arthritis pain relief and prevention planning is by making an appointment with your healthcare provider and finding out more about your condition and treatment options. Make sure to jot down questions ahead of time, and take them along in your journal or notebook, armed with a pencil to fill in his or her replies.

Some questions to begin with may be centered around these:
1. Do I have a form of arthritis? If not, what is wrong & what do I do next?
2. If so, which type is it? And what can I expect short-term and long-term?
3. What pain relief treatments are available? Which have side affects & what are they?
4. What self-care solutions do you advise?
5. Are there any limitations I should know about; i.e. special dietary issues, special activities to avoid, any OTC meds to NOT mix, etc.?
6. What resources do you have to help with my diet and exercise planning?
7. What other arthritic and other health resources do you have for my family and me?

When you take in your questions, also take in a description of your symptoms so that your doctor can help better understand your situation and health. Make sure to note: Where you have pain (same joint both limbs?)
When you feel pain - with certain activities, in the morning, when it rains, etc. How long you have had the pain If the pain increases or decreases, comes and goes, etc. The type & intensity level of pain - stabbing, dull, cramping, stiffness - and low, mild or high pain Note any limitations - can't bend over too far without pain, can't get out of car, etc.
Share any family history of arthritis Tell about any OTC or prescription medications or other treatments you currently take or use. Discuss any special diet you are on and exercise programs So try the different options available for arthritis pain relief and prevention. Give your joints a break as soon as possible from any excess weight they're hauling around, even if it's the weight of excess stress. Lighten up and make pain relief and prevention care part of your normal, everyday routine.
For a comprehensive report on arthritis, visit Arthritis Remedies http://www.arthritisremedies.org

How to Reverse the Signs of Aging through Healthy Eating

How to Reverse the Signs of Aging through Healthy Eating: A brief guide to anti-aging foods

Growing old is an inevitable part of life. We all get older year by year, the hair begins to go grey, the wrinkles and line start to appear, and before we know it the transition has occurred. We look in the mirror one day and we have become old. However, it doesn’t happen like this for everyone. Some people have learned how to keep the signs of aging at bay, so although they may be getting older in terms of years this isn’t reflected in the skin. In fact, some people can reach their fifties and sixties and still look amazing – and without having to resort to surgery and chemical procedures.

One of the factors that can contribute to younger looking skin is our diet. What we eat can affect both our physical and mental well being, and by eating the right foods you can improve the health of everything from your joints and bones to your skin and hair. We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” Well, if you eat loads of unhealthy foods such as refined sugars and rich foods, you are going to end up looking and feeling unhealthy both inside and out. If you are eating healthy, nutritious, vitamin-rich foods, then you are more likely to enjoy healthy looking skin and body.

Dr. Atkins’ Theory

Dr. Robert Atkins has become world famous for his once-radical diet based on minimal carbohydrate consumption. However, this wasn’t Dr. Atkin’s only diet-based theory. He also wrote about what he claimed was an effective anti aging diet, which could reverse the signs of aging. Atkins stated that a lifetime of eating rich, refined, processed foods is what often led to the signs of aging, and that by assessing and changing our eating habits we could start to turn back the clock.
Atkins believes that in order to beat the signs of aging we need to eat more protein and fewer refined carbohydrates. He recommends eating plenty of nuts and sunflower seeds, which are rich in protein and in the recommended vitamins C and E. These vitamins contain anti aging properties that will help keep your skin healthy and retain more elasticity and resilience, which resultantly cuts down on wrinkles and lines. Dr Atkins believes that a healthy diet that is rich in the right nutrients and vitamins can help to reverse the signs of aging in the skin as well as in the brain and other parts of the body.

Recommended foods

There are a number of foods, vitamins, minerals, and supplements that are known to slow or delay the signs of aging both in terms of the skin and the brain. Some of the most well-known anti aging foods that are recommended include:

Olive Oil: This contains antioxidants that can help to slow down cell damage and deterioration, therefore keeping the skin looking fresher and younger. This can also help with joints and internal organs as well as skin.

Seaweed: This contains a valuable source of Iodine, which helps to produce a hormone called thyroxin. This hormone stimulates the nervous system, which helps to slow down damage and oxidization of the cells.

Various fruits and vegetables: These can be rich in antioxidants, which play a large part in delaying the signs of aging. You can enjoy fruits and veggies such as: prunes, raisins, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, raspberries, broccoli, spinach, beets, peppers, sprouts and more.

Vitamins C & E: These are essential vitamins that can help delay the signs of aging in the skin and other parts of the body. These vitamins can help to produce natural collagen, which helps the skin to retain elasticity, thus reducing the signs of wrinkles. You can find these vitamins in a range of foods, but can also buy them in supplement form.

Water: This is one of the most important considerations when it comes to your diet, as it is water than keeps us hydrated and alive. Drinking plenty of fresh water every day and minimizing on alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks can help to replenish your skin and keep you feeling and looking hydrated both inside and out.

Foods that cause healthy and unhealthy cell regeneration

Scientific studies have shown that cells can regenerate themselves in two ways; either by replacement with a weaker cell or by replacement with a stronger cell. The foods that we eat contribute to which route cell regeneration takes. There are certain foods and food types that promote weaker cell regeneration, which can lead to signs of aging, and there are foods that promote healthier cell regeneration, which can keep the signs of aging at bay.

Unhealthy cell regeneration can be caused by the following foods:
• Refined carbohydrates
• Sugar
• Caffeine
• White flour
• Processed foods
• Artificial sweeteners
• Alcohol
• Artificial colourings and additives
• Fatty and processed meats
• Vegetable and hydrogenated oils
• Fried food
• Foods containing mercury (e.g. many types of fish such as tuna)
• Genetically modified foods

Healthy cell regeneration can be promoted through the following foods:
• Raw seeds, nuts and grains
• Fruit • Vegetables (including leafy greens)
• Bean and lentils
• Seaweed
• Barley greens
• Antioxidants
• Olive and evening primrose oil
• Foods containing Omega 3 fatty acids
• Foods containing Omega 4 or 5 fatty acids

It is important to base your diet on certain types of foods if you are looking to delay or reverse the signs of aging, and the good news is that a great deal of this food is probably incorporated into your daily diet anyway. All you have to do is identify the good foods from the bad, and make sure that your diet leans heavily towards the good foods. Quite simply, you need to:
• Incorporate a variety of foods into your diet
• Eat a diet high in grain products, fruits and vegetables
• Eat a diet low in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol
• Use low to moderate amounts of sugar, salt, and alcohol
• Balance energy intake with physical activity

Although diet plays a large part in the anti aging process, it is important to remember that there are other factors in play in the skin rejuvenation process as well. It seems pretty pointless to change the things that you eat if you are simply going to smoke twenty cigarettes a day, allow your skin to frazzle in the midday sun, and gulp back twenty cups of coffee. You need to ensure that you take all of the necessary steps to promote health and well being. This includes:

Cutting out cigarettes: Apart from putting you at risk of cancer and heart disease, cigarettes can make you look older than you are. Long term smokers tend to end up with very deep wrinkling of the skin, premature age spots, and a host of other skin problems.

Avoiding unprotected exposure to sun: The sun’s UV rays can have a very damaging effect on the skin, and can result in very haggard, old looking skin and deep wrinkles. Like cigarettes, unprotected sun exposure also puts you at risk of getting cancer. You should ensure that you always wear UV protection in the form of a barrier cream or sunscreen, which can block the sun’s rays. Also, minimize time spent in intense, direct sunlight (usually midday) as this has a damaging effect on your skin.

Take care of your skin: It is still important to look after your skin even if you have developed a good anti aging diet plan. This means cleaning, toning, and moisturizing twice daily with appropriate products. You can find plenty of anti aging products on the market these days, and you can even try natural skin care products and home remedies. A good facial skin care routine will help to keep your skin feeling fresh, rejuvenated, supple, and soft.

Summary If you want to enjoy the benefits of younger, fresher skin and all around health without having to resort to medical procedures and surgery, the combination of a good diet and healthy living can make a real difference. With a little time and commitment, you should be able to see a real difference in the way you look and feel.

Your Guide To Preventive Healthcare

Medical experts all agree that good health depends on improved access to and increased use of preventive services. With health insurance premiums being what they are and skyrocketing even further year after year, the first part (affordable access to quality healthcare) can serve as a worthy subject for a whole book. Notwithstanding the significance of the problem, it is beyond the scope of this article. More information on getting affordable access to quality healthcare is available from http://www.megaone.com If you already have access to preventive services, you are responsible, in large part, for managing your own care. Your primary-care practitioner is your partner, but numerous decisions of paramount importance are up to you.

The following should help to decide if you need any of the tests listed below. You should, if possible, have a copy of your test results and records. These are the major screening tests (that is, routine tests for people without symptoms) and adult immunizations. The advice is based largely on the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Most HMOs and Medicare cover these services; fewer traditional insurers pay for them. Infants, children, and pregnant women need other kinds of preventive care not described here.

Blood pressure measurement (to detect hypertension) Who needs: All adults. How often: Once every 2 years for those with normal blood pressure.
Comments: More frequent monitoring for those with readings of 130/85 or higher.

Cholesterol measurement Who needs: All adults. How often: Once every 5 years. More often if total or LDL ("bad") cholesterol is high, HDL ("good") is low, and/or you have risk factors.
Comments: Those at high risk for heart disease need medical advice about life-style changes and possibly drug therapy.

Diabetes screening (fasting blood glucose test) Who needs: Everyone 45 and older; earlier for those at high risk. How often: Every 3 years.
Comments: Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, obese people, and those with a strong family history need more frequent screening, starting at age 30.

Dental checkup Who needs: All adults. How often: Every 6 months, or on professional advice.
Comments: Should include cleaning and exam for oral cancer.

Tetanus/diphtheria booster Who needs: All adults. How often: Every 10 years.
Comments: People over 50 are least likely to be adequately immunized.

Hepatitis B vaccine Who needs: All young adults, as well as adults at high risk. How often: On professional advice.
Comments: All newborns should be vaccinated.

Chickenpox vaccine Who needs: Anyone who has never had chickenpox. How often: Once. But above age 13 it requires two shots.
Comments: Not recommended for pregnant women or those with compromised immunity.

Pap smear (for early detection of cervical cancer) Who needs: All women with a cervix, starting at age 18, or earlier if sexually active. How often: If 3 annual tests are normal, then once every 3 years. More often if you smoke, have multiple sex partners or other risk factors.
Comments: Some experts advise that women who have never had an abnormal result can stop being screened after age 65.

Breast cancer screening (mammography) Who needs: All women 50 and over; those 40-49 should discuss riskfactors with a doctor. How often: Annually. Medicare reimburses for it.
Comments:
Clinical breast exams are also important-consult your doctor.

Colorectal cancer screening (fecal occult blood test, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy) Who needs: Everyone 50 and over; earlier for those at high risk. How often: Occult blood test annually; sigmoidoscopy every 5 years or colonoscopy every 10 years.
Comments: Digital rectal exam and X-ray with barium enema may also be done. Medicare now pays for colonoscopy.

Prostate cancer screening (prostate specific antigen, or PSA, test; and digital rectal exam, or DRE) Who needs: Blacks and men with family history, DRE and PSA starting at age 40. For others, DRE, and possibly PSA, starting at 50. How often: DRE annually; PSA on professional advice.
Comments: Usefulness of PSA screening for all men remains controversial.

Thyroid disease screening Who needs: Women 50 and over; those with high cholesterol or family history of thyroid disease. How often: On professional advice.
Comments: Routine screening remains controversial. Talk to your doctor about risk factors.

Chlamydia screening Who needs: Women 25 and younger, if sexually active. How often: Annually, or more often.
Comments: Men and women of any age who are at risk for STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV) should be tested.

Glaucoma screening Who needs: People at high risk: those over 65, very nearsighted, or diabetic; blacks over 40; those with sleep apnea or family history of glaucoma. How often: On professional advice of eye specialist.
Comments: Many eye specialists advise screening all adults every 3-5 years, starting at age 39. Influenza vaccine Who needs: Everyone 50 and over, people with lung or heart disease or cancer, and others at high risk. How often: Annually, in autumn.
Comments: Even healthy younger adults can benefit and should consider getting the shot.

Pneumococcal vaccine Who needs: Everyone 65 and over, and others at high risk for complications. How often: At least once.
Comments: Effective against most strains of pneumococcal pneumonia; lasts at least 5-10 years.

Rubella vaccine Who needs: All women of childbearing age. How often: Once.
Comments: Avoid during pregnancy.There are other important preventive measures not listed above-the kind of commonsense steps that could save millions of medical dollars and prevent injury, illness, disability, and premature death.

Here's a checklist:
Don't smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke. Maintain a healthy weight. Get regular exercise. Brisk walking for just half an hour every day can be a big factor in weight control and in staying healthy. Choose a diet low in animal fat and sodium, and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or nonfat dairy products. Eat at least two servings of fish a week. Keep alcohol consumption moderate: no more than one drink daily for a woman, two drinks for a man. If you are a heavy drinker, seek counseling, and cut back or quit. Do self-exams of your breasts or testes, as well as skin. Fasten seat belts, see that kids ride in proper restraints, and obey the law. Drive sober and defensively. Brush and floss to prevent dental disease.
Someday there may be one magic test that will accurately detect anything and everything. Until then, this guide may be useful in making the right healthcare decision for yourself and your family.

STAY HEALTHY AND YOUNG

Yes, it is possible for the people of all ages to keep themselves healthy, physically fit and young looking throughout their whole lives. Just take the following three steps and enjoy a healthy, happy and a long life.

1. Eat Balanced Food
It’s OK to eat for taste or for fun and eat whatever you like most but only occasionally. Remember, if you develop bad eating habits then you would have to pay its price in the shape of bad health and illness. Hope you are wise enough not to play with your health. Eat a wide variety of foods containing a good balance of carbohydrates, vitamins, food fiber and minerals, which are essential elements of a healthy diet. Eat simple and natural foods that are easily digestable and promote good health. Fruits, vegetables, green leaves, grains, whole grain breads, fish, poultry, low fat dairy products, honey, nuts etc. are good and nourishing food. Limit you intake of full-fat milk, full-fat yogurt, cheese, chocolate, ice cream, milk shakes, cakes, eggs, all kind of fried foods, red meat, sugar and salt.

2. Exercise Regularly
A simple way of living a healthy life is to exercise regularly. Regular exercise keeps your body in good shape, physically as well as mentally. It increases your stamina, builds and tones your muscles and energize your whole body. It also reduces the chances of having heart attacks, colon cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. Engage yourself in some kind of regular exercise of your own choice; brisk walking, jogging, hiking, swimming, dancing, cycling, skiing, climbing, aerobics or yoga. These are good exercises. Choose one or more exercises which you like most. Do it regularly. Give top priority to your health. Put it in your agenda. Make it a part of your goal.

3. Get Rid of Negativity
If you are a person with negative approach to everything then nothing will work for you. Even eating the balanced diet and taking part in regular physical activity will not show any sign of recovery in your body if it is charged with negativity. Get rid of negative feelings about yourself and others. Think positive, feel positive, be friendly with positive people, read a lot of self improvement and motivational material and charge your body with positive currents. Depression, stress, tension and anxiety are the products of negative thinking about life and thus increases your chances of having a heart attack and other diseases like colon cancer, high blood pressure, indigestion problems, gastric troubles, body pains, headaches etc. Find the reasons of depression and try to address them through positive thinking and a sensible approach to day to day problems. Learn from your mistakes and try your best not to repeat them. Get rid of negativity and enjoy a healthy life!

Achieving Optimum Health

Achieving Optimum Health "Optimum health is not just the absence of disease but the presence of wellness in mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and social areas. Some would also include financial health."

Introduction
Optimum health is essential at all levels, from the individual to the society we live in to the environment around us. We have to start thinking of wealth not just in terms of possession of money and properties but also the possession of mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual well-being.

Mental Health
The truth is mind is the forerunner of all states. With a proper mindset, a poor man can still be happy. Conversely, if the mindset is not right, no matter how much material possessions you may have, you may still be a very unhappy person. Thus, Gandhi said, "The world has enough for everyone's needs, but not enough for even a single person's greed." So a healthy mind is one that possesses a mindset that can lead to happiness and contentment with self and the world around us. It provides clarity of thoughts, good insight and the ability to see things through an unbiased mind. To be able to see things through an unbiased mind is no small feat. It is extremely difficult to note or observe the unfolding of events and phenomena without judging. We habitually associate emotions or feelings to events, and allow such emotions to direct our actions. Our likes for certain things and dislikes for others are closely associated with our emotions.

Emotional Health
It is our emotions that lead us to act impulsively at times. Thus a high level of self-awareness in this area is extremely useful. In fact, it is essential to our well-being. After all, things and relationships that may take us years to build can be destroyed in a moment of anger. There are positive and negative emotions. Positive emotions such as love, compassion and joy should be cultivated, while negative emotions such as fear, anger and hate need to be eradicated. When asked about this, a wise sage of India once illustrated with a story: An old man said to his grandson, "Boy, I have two tigers caged within me. One is love and compassion. The other is fear and anger." The young boy asked, "Which one will win, grandfather?" The old man replied, "The one I feed." At times, it may seem that we have no control over our emotions. This is not true. The truth is how well we manage our emotions depends on how aware we are of our emotions, particularly on the arising of our emotions. The earlier we are able to note the arising of our emotions, we better we can manage them.
More and more researches are showing that our well-being is closely linked to our emotional and mental health. Our body's immune system is generally enhanced by positive mental outlook and emotion. Conversely, it is depressed by negative mental and emotional states. Thus, stress, worry, anger and fear are some states that may lead to physical illnesses such as hypertension, cardiac diseases, peptic ulcers, depression and a host of other ailments.

Physical Health
To maintain an optimum physical well-being, therefore, requires us to focus not only on our body but also our mind and emotions. On a physical level, our body can be kept healthy through adequate sleep and rest, proper nutrition, regular exercises and a healthy environment that is free from pollution.

Spiritual Health
Throughout the ages, wise men have consistently informed and taught us that we are essentially spiritual beings. Although medical science has not been able to reveal to us our spiritual nature, there are many indirect evidence that we would be foolish to ignore. Stories from people who had gone through a near death experience (NDE), or dying people with heightened nearing death awareness, or simply a cure from an 'incurable' disease all suggest that there is more to life than just the physical state. Major religions of the world all based their teachings on the belief that we are essentially spiritual beings. According to these teachings, our physical existence is secondary. While it may be true that we should focus our life more on our spiritual nature than our physical nature, it would be difficult for the majority of people to do so, at least not immediately. Things cannot change overnight. Mindset, however, can, and that is perhaps the best place to start.

Financial Health
However, on a more mundane level, most people are still stuck on how to survive from day to day, where to get the next cheque to pay for the house installment, so on and so forth. Practically, therefore, we need to look into ways to achieve a financial state that would theoretically free us from the constrain of 'forced' work. This is where the concept of financial freedom is so attractive. According to this concept, one should strive for a state where we have one or more than one source of income that can be generated passively, that is, even when we don't work. This is what Robert Kiyosaki termed as 'passive income'. According to him, passive income can only be achieved by becoming an investor or a business owner, not a sole proprietor or an employee. To become an investor or a business owner, you must spend the time and money to acquire financial intelligence. Unlike IQ or EQ, you can acquire financial intelligence through self education. To get a financial health check-up, consult an accountant, a banker or a financial planner you can trust.

Healthy Relationship
"No man is an island, entire by itself."As a medical doctor, I am in a unique position to confront and comfort dying patients. One of the most important thing that I have observed is that dying people do not ask about their money or possessions. Instead, they focus their remaining energy and strength on trying to heal wounded relationships. It is as though there is an inherent need to get a proper closure to a relationship. Thus, forming and cultivating a healthy relationship is important for our well-being. Unfortunately, this is something we often ignored until it is too late. If there is any forgiving to be done, or the need to be forgiven, leaving things to the last minutes may end up with an unfulfilled desire for a closure. Knowing this now, shouldn't we spend more time and effort in improving our relationship with our loved ones, especially with our parents, spouse, children and siblings?

A Surefire Way To Manage Your Fears While Leading A Happier, Healthier Life

Imagine discovering a way to get rid of your fears in a quick and painless manner. In fact it can even become fun! Did you know only two of all the fears you have are innate: The fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. Most of your fears were learned in early childhood and then in later life under stressful conditions. Traditional therapeutic approaches would probably have you trying to figure out where your fear originally came from. Maybe they'd have you digging around in your childhood memories, recalling times you ate the next-door neighbours purple Tulips. This type of approach tends to associate the client into reliving unpleasantness and can take a long time to achieve useful results. Personally I think this style is way out of date and bordering on torture. You'll probably be glad to know we're not going to be doing anything like that.
The truth is you can easily and quickly undo the learnings that created specific fears and change your responses to something much more useful. So just how do fearful feelings occur then? Well lets use a common example: Fred wants a raise and he's been wanting to ask his boss for months. Finally he decides to go and ask. BUT when he starts the walk down the corridor he starts to feel certain sensations in his body. Weird stomach feelings. His breathing is constricted. Slight sweating on parts of his body. His vision is effected. Fred decides to turn back and then sits down feeling slightly annoyed with himself. His body started producing 'fear chemicals.' What happened? “Well it was because he defied his Dad one time when he was four. Let's explore those forgotten memories....” NO! NO! NO! Let's do something much smarter and definitely more fun. Hey Fred come over here I want to show you something really cool! O' come on, pick your lip up. You know how before you got up to go and ask the boss for a raise, you felt OK right? So between the time you got up and started walking something happened. Something triggered those feelings in you.
Here's a fact for you: You either made a picture in your head or talked to yourself in a way that created those fearful sensations and that happened at an unconscious level out of your awareness. “OK Colin that might be true but so what, what's your point?” Well the point is by changing the internal sounds, pictures and voices in your head you can begin to gain control of your emotions.“Fair enough but how can I do that so when I'm in a similar situation I automatically make useful pictures, sounds and voices in my head so I remain in a resourceful state?” Good question, here's just one way you can achieve the results you want using a simple and powerful tool from the field of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Soothing Movie Music
1.Think of a situation where you feel fear.
2.Dissociate: See yourself in the situation like you would a movie with you in it.
3.Imagine running the memory from the END of the fearful situation, BACKWARDS to the START. Do this very fast in less then 1 second!
4.Think of some music that makes you feel the opposite of fear. For example soothing classical music makes you feel relaxed. Perhaps certain rock or dance music makes you feel energised/courageous etc.
5.Now hear the music, nice and loud, inside your mind whilst looking at yourself going through the situation from START to END.
6.Break state. Now think of the situation you choose in Step 1 and notice how your fearful l feelings have diminished.
7.What will you see or hear just before you want this new feeling to set in?
Get Your FREE NLP eBook! It's a Five Chapter eBook revealing powerful secrets to boost your self-esteem, increase your confidence and much more download your free ebook at http://www.NLPToolBox.com** Attention Ezine editors / Site owners ** You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the resource box above is included. Feel free to substitute your affiliate link in place of my link in the resource box. Earn 50% on every purchaser you refer! If you do use the material please send me a note so I can take a look. Thanks.

Acai Berry Making for a Healthy Heart

Acai is a new fruit from Brazil that offers vital nutritional benefits for people over 40 years of age. The Acai contains 33 times the cholesterol fighting anthocyanin than a glass of red wine, a Daily Value (DVS) of calcium, twice the DVS at the antioxidant 'Vitamin E and a substantial amount of dietary fiber„
Anthocyanins are cholesterol regulating compounds with well researched data (indicating their value in Cardiovascular support Elevated blood cholesterol is one of the major modifiable risk factors for coronary heart disease and the leading cause of death in the US The fact is that 490,000 Americans die of Coronary Heart Diseases each year with cost of over $60 billion annually in medical expenses and lost productivity Therefore, regulating and reducing cholesterol through dietary means can contribute to prolonging life and reducing medical expenses.

Low cholesterol foods and exercise are only a part of the natural program to prevent and mitigate cardiovascular diseases. The consumption of foods rich in compounds that reduce cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and carry antioxidant protection completes the program. Acai is an excellent example of such a functional food that is now accessible to food, beverage and supplement markets in an economical and convenient form.

Calcium rich Acai also provides several cardiovascular health benefits. According to a research summary by the Just-Food.com editorial team. More than maintaining skeletal strength and reducing the impact of osteoporosis, studies have shown that people who suffer from high blood pressure often also have diets low in calcium, When calcium is added to their diet, blood pressure drops. Some research also suggest that calcium may help reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Also the lower risk of stroke, found in a study of 86,000 women, was attributed to calcium. Diets rich in calcium have also been linked to reduced occurrences of colon and breast cancer in various laboratory studies.

The generous amount of Vitamin E in Acai, twice the D.V., (Daily Value), is essential for regeneration of damaged tissue and as a protective antioxidant. Cancer prevention and Intestinal
function: "Acai" high fiber content is very favorable to the consumers proper intestinal function, " reports Dr. Herve Rogez , "Fiber accelerates the intestinal processes and has a very important role in avoiding colon cancer, The D.V. is 35g of fibers/adult a day, Acai consumers reach this dose very easily,"

References (1)Claire Madden, VP Marketing at MarketResearch.com, (2) "Biochemical and Technical Studies on Acai" by Dr. Herve Rogez 2, Sofia Pascal 2, Jesus N.S. de Souza, Arlete R. Aquino & Raphaele Buxant Dept.. de Engenharia Quimica - Centro Tecnologico, Diaouiweir ria I niinnin, Beligica) (3) National Contor for Health Statictice. Annual summary of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths United States, 1993, Monthly vital statistics report-, vol 42 no 13. Hyattsville, MD: Public Health Service, 1594. (4) American Heart Association. Heart and stroke facts 1995 statistical supplement. Dallas, TX: American Heart Association, 1994, (5) National Cholesterol Education Program. Second report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults Adult Treatment Panel II). BeM6sda National Heart, Lung

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A Heart Healthy Diet Makeover

Heart Disease remains the number one cause of death in the U.S. among both men and women. Part of the problem is it is truly a silent killer. There are few warning signs of a heart attack and the signs that are there don’t necessarily make us feel bad. The good news is there are many lifestyle changes you can make to significantly decrease your risk of heart disease.

Here are 9 simple steps to make over your diet for heart health.
1.Use the right fats: The good fats are found to preserve HDL (protective cholesterol) and lower LDL (Bad Cholesterol) levels. The good fats are found in foods such as olive, canola, and peanut oils as well as nuts, avocados and olives.
2.Decrease the Saturated Fats: These fats tend to increase the cholesterol made by your body. They can increase your total and LDL (Bad) cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found in animal products such as dairy, poultry (especially the skin), meats, butter and cream based sauces and dressings. It is not necessary to omit these foods, just choose leaner options and have the higher fat foods once in awhile.
3.Remove all Trans Fats from your pantry! : Trans Fats are oils that have been hardened by the hydrogenation process, such as stick margarine and shortening used to make commercial baked goods, chips, and fast foods. Like saturated fats, these fats increase total blood cholesterol and LDL (Bad) cholesterol levels and may even lower HDL (Good) cholesterol levels. Food labels will be required to list the amount of Trans fats in a food product by 2006. Until then, if the ingredient list on the food label includes the term hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated, it contains Trans Fats. Avoid these products!
4.Increase Your Fiber! : Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol levels in the blood by binding to cholesterol in the intestine so it cannot be absorbed by the body. Good food sources of soluble fiber include beans and legumes, oranges, apples, prunes, broccoli, carrots, oat bran, oatmeal, and some cereals. Use whole grain products in place of their white counterparts. Eat at least 20-40 grams of fiber a day. (Most Americans only eat around 12 grams of fiber a day.)
5.Omega-3 Fatty Acids every day: Omega-3 Fatty Acids are essential fatty acids meaning we have to get them from our diet. These fatty acids may reduce the risk of blood clotting, decrease inflammation, lower triglyceride levels, normalize heart rhythms and improve the immune system. Consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids daily may reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac death by 50-70%. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in: fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, lake trout, halibut, and sardines. Other sources include ground flax seeds, soybeans, canola oil, and walnuts.
6.Five To Eight Fruits and Vegetables a day: Eating fruits and vegetables can help to decrease your risk of heart disease, cancer, cataracts, and can help to lower blood pressure. Fruits and Vegetables are loaded in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. The more fruits and veggies you eat, the more antioxidant activity in your body. How do antioxidants work? Every day we are exposed to free radicals from our diets, sun, chemical exposure, pollution, etc. These free radicals promote the plaque build up in our arteries leading us to increased risk of heart disease. Antioxidants work by neutralizing these free radicals before they can cause damage to our bodies.
7.Folic Acid: High levels of an amino acid called homocysteine in the blood have been associated with damage to the blood-vessel walls, increased blood clotting, and overall increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Folate is a B vitamin which has been shown to decrease these homocysteine levels in the blood. Good food sources of Folate include green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, beet greens, and chard as well as legumes, asparagus, broccoli, oranges, orange juice, whole and fortified grains, walnuts and peanuts.
8.Add some almonds! Studies show that eating an ounce of almonds a day can help to lower your cholesterol. A matter of fact, a recent study published in Journal of the American Medical Association found that eating a diet that included plant sterol margarine (such as Benecol or ProActiv), soy products, almonds and increase fiber was able to lower cholesterol levels as much as the statin drugs and in just 2 weeks time! Have an ounce of almonds as a snack, or sprinkle them in your cereal or salad.
9.Have a little soy: Soy has also been shown to lower cholesterol levels. Using soy on a weekly basis is a great step towards protecting your heart. If you are not a tofu fan, try soy milk or yogurt, garden burgers, edamme (soy beans), or soy sausage patties. There are all kinds of ways to include soy in your diet! Sample Heart Healthy Meal Makeover: Sample day Before: Breakfast: - glass of orange juice - 2 fried eggs - 3 slices of bacon - 2 slices white bread with 3 tsp butter Lunch: - roast beef sandwich on white bread - potato chips Snack: - 1 cup Cheez It crackers Dinner: - fried fish strips - 1 cup mashed potatoes cooked w/whole milk and butter - ½ cup corn Diet make over: Breakfast: -glass of calcium fortified orange juice - scrambled egg beaters - 1-2 slices of whole grain bread with 1-2 tsp Benocol or ProActive spread - 1-2 slices soy bacon or sausage links Lunch: -½ turkey, lettuce, tomato, and avocado sandwich - 1 cup vegetable soup - 8 oz vanilla non-fat yogurt with 1/3 cup of berries added Snack: 1 ounce almonds Dinner: -3 ounces baked or broiled salmon - ½ cup broiled red potatoes with olive oil - ½ cup broccoli - 1-2 cups of salad with cut up pears and toasted walnuts with 1TB olive oil vinaigrette salad dressing Results: Day 1 = 2300 calories and 114 grams fat; 98 grams sat fat; 45% calories from fat Day 2 = 1800 calories and 58 grams fat; 14 grams sat fat; 29% calories from fat.
Making small changes can go a long way to improve your heart health! What changes can you start making?

Menopause and Women's Health

Creating a “quality” menopause transition requires following certain guidelines to minimize its effects on women’s health. You probably know that this condition wrecks havoc on female anatomy creating chemical imbalances and overall discomfort for a period of time (both short and long). Bouts of anxiety, physical symptoms such as hot flashes and vibrations ripping through the body, vaginal discomfort, relationship issues, and the realization that women are stepping into the next phase of their lives are critical changes one must face.
Menopause and exercising proper women’s health can easily go hand in hand with a little extra effort. In order to lessen the severity of symptoms, women need to be informed about proper nutrition including vitamin and other supplement consumption. Let’s look into some vitamins that can help.
Some of the physical symptoms of menopause include night sweats, itchy, crawly vibrations throughout the body, and general discomfort. An excellent vitamin to take is Vitamin E. Taken in a dose of 800 IU daily, it helps prevent these conditions from happening. Make sure you take one pill with each of your meals, as capsules are best activated in the body when consumed with food. A good vitamin to aid depression and hot flashes during sleep is magnesium as well (taken in a dose of 1,000 mg. daily). Another one of the ¨letter¨ vitamins that is great for menopausal symptoms and immune system building is Vitamin B-6. It is a diuretic, which means it flushes out any excess liquid in the body that can cause discomfort. It also aids in processing protein and fights against disease.
Women suffering under this condition also experience depressive symptoms, something Vitamin B-6 can combat. Regular Vitamin B can ease anxiety and fight stress as well.Did you know menopause can cause weak bones? In a condition known as osteoporosis, bones start to become brittle and can break with ease performing the simplest tasks, such as opening a car door or turning suddenly. A quality vitamin such as calcium can help. However, make sure you also take calcium with magnesium and Vitamin D together because they help absorb calcium into the blood stream. Hormones are also impacted by this wonderful vitamin, as it acts as its ¨engine¨ in being spread out throughout the body.
Remember, if you don’t want to consume pills and capsules, you can eat foods and drink liquids rich in vitamins such as orange juice, peanuts, soybeans, broccoli, bananas, and milk (calcium loaded). Most doctors would recommend a daily multi-vitamin and antioxidant.
Taking the hormone known as DHEA can also do wonders to battle the effects of menopause. One of the few over the counter pills that also serves as a hormone, it actually produces sex hormones in both men and women. DHEA promotes the functioning of enzymes that speed up bodily processes, block fat cells, and fights disease. DHEA is actually produced by the body in the adrenal glands, but declines in amount as we get older. That’s why it’s crucial to keep taking DHEA to keep the body in optimum health and fight this condition.
Pound for pound, the most critical thing women can do to lessen the severity of menopause is to follow a clean and healthy lifestyle including exercise and listen to their doctor. Avoid eating McDonalds, drinking sodas, and consuming other foods packed with sugars and preservatives. Make it a habit to drink water and provide yourself with a solid social network of friends that will provide support to you when you’re down and need someone to talk to.
Overall, keep your body in line and in shape against menopause by acquainting yourself with proper nutrition and necessary vitamins.

Lose weight naturally

How To Drop Weight and Become Healthier Using These 7 Simple Everyday Life Tips?

These days more and more people are getting intellectual instead of physical jobs. Sitting in the office chairs all-day long has become a norm for many of us. Stress, busyness and rush make us forget about regular food and stuff our stomachs with cheeseburgers and sodas, which don’t do anything good for our bodies. As a result of such crazy life rhythm, we rarely find time for exercises, gyms or balanced nutrition. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the reasons why there are now more that 60% of U.S citizens that have overweight. However, it is possible to change your lifestyle and lose your weight if you are willing to.
These 7 day-to-day life tips provided below will help you to drop your extra pounds, become more energetic and healthier.

1. Drink More Water

Our bodies need a lot of water. Water removes waste from our organisms and carries various nutrients into all our organs and cells. Your body also loses water by using it for various ways. For this reason you have to replace it and drink water more often than you are used to. Start your day with a glass of water in the morning. Drink a glass of water before any meal. Take a bottle of water with you when you go to work. Your body needs approximately 3-5 liters of water during one day. So don’t hesitate to drink plenty of water wherever and whenever you can.

2. Eat Fruits and Drink Fruit Juices

Eating fruits and juices helps you eliminate toxins from your body. Eating a variety of fruits also helps you get enough fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. That’s why you should eat fresh fruits and drink natural fruit juices as often as possible. Fruit juices from stores are often sweetened. If you want to drink juices, make fresh juices yourself. If you think it takes too much of the time, then look for juices with labels that say “100% fruit juice”. These are much healthier for your body as long as they contain much more vitamins.

3. Eat Lots of Vegetables and Vegetable Salads

When it comes to losing extra pounds, vegetables are a great choice. They are natural and contain different vitamins, minerals and tons of other useful chemicals known to provide benefits for your body. Vegetables are low in fat and calories, they help control blood glucose levels, reduce blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of colon and other cancers. All these features also help control your weight effectively. If you feel that eating vegetables alone isn’t great choice for you, then make some salads. Mixing vegetables together gives you even more different vitamins and health benefits. There are tons of tasty, healthy salad recipes on the internet. You can also use you imagination to make some great salads.

4. Eat Only When You Are Hungry

How many times you’ve been to a party where you saw lots of different and tasty looking meals, which you were offered to try. Don’t eat, because you are offered to. Eat only when you want to.
Many people also like snacking. In between meals or when have nothing to do. Quit snacking. Most snacks contain a lot of fat and calories. Replace your usual snacks with vegetables or fruits. These are healthy to your body and you’ll never get fatter, only thinner.

5. Carry Healthy Food with You

Many of us work busy office jobs and don’t have time to eat regularly. In this case, bring your own made food with you. Instead of bringing sandwiches with meat, take vegetable salads, carrots, chicken salads. Any low fat food will do. This way, you won’t have to wait for a break to fill your stomach. You’ll be able to have fixed times when eating food. It’s also important to try to eat about 5 times a day, rather than 3 or 2. Eat in smaller quantities, but more often. This helps you to increase your metabolism.

6. Work Out When You Can

Working out in a gym is not only a great way to grow some muscles, but also to drop a few pounds. Exercising helps you burn your calories instead of storing them in your body as fat. Our bodies were made to be active, so exercising slowly and easily can actually help you get more energy and make you feel much better. At the end of the week, try to lose all the stress and burn your calories in a gym or having some kind of physical activity at home. If you have time, then try to do easy exercises everyday.

7. Don’t Lie Down or Sit When You Can Move

Many of us like to watch TV lying on a couch or sitting in a comfortable chair. Of course, when you come home after hard working day, you’re tired, and all you can think of, is a couch and a remote in your hand. But such laziness won’t help you lose weight. Contrarily, it will make you grow some more pounds. So don’t lie or sit, when you can walk and move. Instead of staring at TV, like a goofy, go ahead and work out in your garden for example, clean your garage, fix your car, go to walk in park or beach. Breathe fresh air and move more often. Not only does it help to reduce stress after work, but also ups your mood and makes you more energetic.

In Conclusion
Remember that all these tips will help you to lose weight, but only if you are determined and are ready to devote some of your time. Don’t expect to slim down 4 sizes after eating 5 carrots and drinking orange juice. Your body, just like many things in this world, needs time. So be patient. And if you will honestly use at least some of these tips, you are going to change your lifestyle, which in the end will lead you to a thinner and healthier body.

3 Easy Tips to Keep Your Skin Healthy

There are plenty of articles out there about what to do to make your skin look young again. But what if you still have it? How do young women keep their skin looking the way it is now well into the future? The following five easy tips can help you keep your youthful glow.
1. Use Sunscreen, Never Tan. It's hard for young women to resist the warm glow that a few hours of tanning can bring. But the damage that it does beneath the surface accumulates over time--ultimately leaving the skin dull and thin. By the time premature aging becomes evident, significant amounts of damage has taken place below the surface. Rather than a week of beauty, think of long-term beauty. If you really want to give your skin an added glow, try shimmering lotions and makeups. Or, for a darker look, try artificial tanners (but be careful, they can sometimes leave you looking more orange than tan). Don't forget that you can experience the damaging effects of the sun even if you aren't deliberately trying to tan. Make applying sunscreen part of your daily routine. Purchasing moisturizers with sunscreen already in them can help. Remember, only 15 minutes of sun exposure each day provides you with the vitamin D you need to stay healthy.
2. Eat the Right Foods. You've always heard the phrase "You are what you eat" and that is exactly right when talking about your skin! What you eat is not just relevant to your weight. It also affects the health of your skin. Clinical studies have shown that eating diets rich in fatty acids and antioxidants can help skin retain its youthful appearance. Foods good for your skin include fish, vegetables, whole grains and fruits including all kinds of berries. Antioxidants in the diet may help reduce the appearance of age spots. Fatty acids are one of the components of metabolic processes within the body that are also integral to the maintenance of healthy skin. Making these foods a part of your daily diet can benefit you for years to come.
3. Clean and Moisturize! Don't neglect your skin. For normal skin, a gentle daily cleanser is all you need. Using a washcloth needlessly pulls and tears at the skin. Cleanse your skin with your fingers using gentle, circular motions, paying particular attention not to stretch the delicate eye area. Moisturizing the skin is also important to protect it from the effects of the elements including wind, pollution, and sun (if it is a sunscreen moisturizure). Not only does it protect the skin from the outside, but also helps it to retain its natural moisture from the inside. Keep in mind that spending a lot of money is not necessary. If your skin is oily or you have a problem with acne, use products designed specifically for your skin type. You may want to consult a dermatologist to seek prescription treatments. Never attempt to pop your pimples. This will increase the size of your pores and possibly cause scaring. Essentially, if your skin is young, value it!
Taking simple precautionary steps can help keep it that way. Think of the benefits of having healthy skin in the future. Use sunscreen, eat healthy, and following a daily skin regimine. You don't need alot of money to keep your skin healthy. All it takes is common sense and good lifestyles choices.

3 Easy Tips to Keep Your Skin Healthy

There are plenty of articles out there about what to do to make your skin look young again. But what if you still have it? How do young women keep their skin looking the way it is now well into the future? The following five easy tips can help you keep your youthful glow.

1. Use Sunscreen, Never Tan. It's hard for young women to resist the warm glow that a few hours of tanning can bring. But the damage that it does beneath the surface accumulates over time--ultimately leaving the skin dull and thin. By the time premature aging becomes evident, significant amounts of damage has taken place below the surface. Rather than a week of beauty, think of long-term beauty. If you really want to give your skin an added glow, try shimmering lotions and makeups. Or, for a darker look, try artificial tanners (but be careful, they can sometimes leave you looking more orange than tan). Don't forget that you can experience the damaging effects of the sun even if you aren't deliberately trying to tan. Make applying sunscreen part of your daily routine. Purchasing moisturizers with sunscreen already in them can help. Remember, only 15 minutes of sun exposure each day provides you with the vitamin D you need to stay healthy.

2. Eat the Right Foods. You've always heard the phrase "You are what you eat" and that is exactly right when talking about your skin! What you eat is not just relevant to your weight. It also affects the health of your skin. Clinical studies have shown that eating diets rich in fatty acids and antioxidants can help skin retain its youthful appearance. Foods good for your skin include fish, vegetables, whole grains and fruits including all kinds of berries. Antioxidants in the diet may help reduce the appearance of age spots. Fatty acids are one of the components of metabolic processes within the body that are also integral to the maintenance of healthy skin. Making these foods a part of your daily diet can benefit you for years to come.

3. Clean and Moisturize! Don't neglect your skin. For normal skin, a gentle daily cleanser is all you need. Using a washcloth needlessly pulls and tears at the skin. Cleanse your skin with your fingers using gentle, circular motions, paying particular attention not to stretch the delicate eye area. Moisturizing the skin is also important to protect it from the effects of the elements including wind, pollution, and sun (if it is a sunscreen moisturizure). Not only does it protect the skin from the outside, but also helps it to retain its natural moisture from the inside. Keep in mind that spending a lot of money is not necessary. If your skin is oily or you have a problem with acne, use products designed specifically for your skin type. You may want to consult a dermatologist to seek prescription treatments. Never attempt to pop your pimples. This will increase the size of your pores and possibly cause scaring. Essentially, if your skin is young, value it!
Taking simple precautionary steps can help keep it that way. Think of the benefits of having healthy skin in the future. Use sunscreen, eat healthy, and following a daily skin regimine. You don't need alot of money to keep your skin healthy. All it takes is common sense and good lifestyles choices.

4 Ways to Prevent the Number One Women’s Health Problem by Julie Lenz

What disease kills more American women than any other?
If you answered anything except heart disease then you must read this article. According to the American Heart Association heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 3 killers of women. They are two of the many cardiovascular diseases that kill nearly 500,000 women each year. That’s more than the next seven causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. But there are steps you can take to protect yourself.
1. Get your cholesterol tested every year. Many women don’t know they have high cholesterol. They assume that heart disease is a man’s problem. Even many doctors don’t realize the risk that women have of heart disease so they fail to suggest testing.
2. Increase your weekly exercise. We now know that as little as 10 minutes of exercise three times a week can greatly reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk the dog a little bit longer each day. Get your heart pumping by dancing to your favorite music while you clean the house. Walk during your lunch hour instead of eating at your desk.
3. Eat more fruits and veggies. Fruits and vegetables are low in fat and high in fiber. They contain heart healthy nutrients. Leafy greens are particularly healthy. Orange juice is high in folic acid, a nutrient known to protect the heart and prevent birth defects. Add one vegetable or fruit to every meal and you will likely double your current intake. You can make it easier by keeping prepared vegetables in the refrigerator to throw into a salad or munch on for snacks.
4. Learn about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS affects as many as 5-10% of all women. It is one of the most common endocrine disorders and is one of the most common causes of infertility. PCOS is a cluster of symptoms that can include: unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight, depression or mood swings, painful or irregular periods, absent periods, acne, hair loss, unexpected hair growth (face, arms, stomach, etc.), infertility, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and more. Untreated PCOS can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and endometrial cancer. Protecting your heart is easier than you might think and it will reward you every moment of every day. Take care of yourself. You are worth it!

Feel Happier, Be Healthier and Live Longer

10 Easy Ways to Feel Happier, Be Healthier and Live Longer

Let’s just say… first thing when you popped out of bed this morning, you woke up and found a little yellow post-it note stuck on the bathroom mirror that could transform your life. You smiled, instantly recognizing this very familiar word. And on the back were instructions on how to incorporate more of it in your life so you’d feel less stress, pain and tension… more carefree, fun and energetic. Even without the handy-dandy instructions (you think to yourself)… adding a little more is no big thing. After all, you’ve done it every single day of your life without even thinking about it. It comes as natural to you as blinking. It’s as much fun as a long overdue chat with one of your dearest friends, as cheap as an afternoon daydream, as good for you as a 15 minute workout, yet as vital as the air you breathe. You glance again… it says L-A-U-G-H-T-E-R. Laughter is the no cost, no effort, super simple, fabulously fun, overnight solution to happier, healthier, better living. American scientific and medical journals have cited the medical and psychological benefits of laughter. This is no laughing matter.Laughter can heal your pain… reduce your stress… help you sleep like a baby… diffuse tense in difficult situations… boost your immunity… foster creativity… multiply your productivity… extend your life… expand your point of view… bond you to others… increase your charm and charisma… make you feel happier… and help you live in the moment. With so much to gain and absolutely nothing to lose, are you ready to take these 10 tips to heart so you can giggle a little, snicker some, chuckle boisterously, cackle raucously, snort unexpectedly and hoot and holler through happy tears of joy? Wrap yourself in a humorous perspective and laugh your way to a seriously healthy, happy and upbeat life!Here are 10 easy ways to grab more giggles and exercise your funny bone…
1.Get a Funny Buddy. Unite yourself with a laughing partner, friend, buddy or companion that you always know you can turn to for a laugh. Make a laughing agreement and shake on it, then surround yourself with more funny people. Make an effort to be around these lighthearted folks every chance you get.
2.Lose your wits. Be super silly for 10 seconds and let your brilliant foolish kid out to play.
3.Be a Silly Spectator. Stand back and scope out the outlandish, outrageous and crazy hilarity of humans. You will thank me the next time you are trying to ward off feelings of frustration and boredom in line at the DMV, out shopping or in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. Take it up a notch and bring your entertainment home with you and imitate their quirks, qualities or peculiarities that made you snicker earlier in the day.
4.Make Over the Ordinary. Recount your everyday experiences in a fun way and relive them! People laugh at the stuff they can relate to. It’s the ordinary, everyday, run of the mill things we find funny. Some of the best sitcoms and funniest comedians (Seinfeld is a perfect example) create material out of the everyday perils of life. It’s their passion and strong point of view that strikes an emotional cord in us and makes us burst out with laughter. Go for it and liven your stories up with attitudes, opinions, voices and dialects. Be spontaneous and let it fly!
5.Give Your Stories a Pay Off! The best stories have a punchy point, a profound lesson or a great big finish. Start with the end in mind. Give your friends a payoff for their attention. When you get close to the end, stop, take a deep breath and give the story a moment of silence. Let ‘em dangle in anticipation before you end with a big bang! Adding more energy, impact and volume will give your story meaning, closure and give you the rewards of laughter.
6.Make it Big! Describe something gigantic. On your morning commute to work (of course while navigating your vehicle with the utmost in attentive care and caution), describe something humongous. Maybe it’s the biggest cell phone, coffee maker or Fourth of July sparkler ever to be seen at the World’s Fair.
7.Demand Door to Door Comedic Entertainment. Rent your favorite classic comedy flicks or a few of the new ones you’ve been meaning to get around to. What some may consider the demise of America, I argue could be the comedic cure. Blockbuster now offers unlimited door to door delivery service with your favorite DVDs without any pesky late fees or due dates. No kidding! You’re in for some serious first rate livin’ when you think about the movies, laughs and life entertainment that will be waiting for you on your doorstep.
8.Fake a Roll or Take a Part. Play Scarlet O’Hara or just ham it up for the day and walk through life with a particular point of view, strong opinion, clever persona, funny accent or problem that you must solve. Juice it up and have a dinner party where everyone has to maintain a character for the night. I’ve got a New York City cowgirl (don’t call me an urban buckle bunny) persona in my hip pocket just waiting to come out. “This girl just ain’t sure how she’s gonna lasso herself up a ride on one of them quick four wheeled, yellow stallions.”
9.Let Off Some Silly Steam. Before things get too heated up think of something quirky, cool, comical or witty. Have a few funny incidents lined up in your head that you can flash to before you disagree, bicker or complain. Even the slightest smile will ease ill feelings and spread goodwill throughout the land. The absolute worst situations still have a silver lining… you are getting some really great comedic material for later. Focus on the amusing or just plain weird moments that you’ll want to recap with your friends and laugh about later.
10.Hunt Down the Funnies. Look for humor everywhere you go. Stalk it, pursue it and chase it down ‘til you fall over with laughter. Think about what makes you laugh, the ironies of life that amuse you, the comedians you adore, the books that make you laugh aloud and which funny shows you refuse to miss. Read, watch or do all of the above as often as you can. With adults laughing on average 15 times a day and children laughing about 450… we’ve got some serious work to do. Try a tip, grab a giggle and go. Track your laughs the fun and funky way. The free ‘Laughin’ Log’ is yours at www.shesite.com. Who knew at the end of the day you could add up 100 laughs (the equivalent to 15 minutes on an exercise bike) and fit in to your skinny jeans?!! Exercise your sense of humor so you can trim your body, increase your joy and be a magnetic force that attracts others to you. Let your fun, gregarious side shine and give gushing benefits of laughter to everyone around you.

CAUTION: Laughs have been known to be contagious. So watch out, you might even infect the grumpy, irritable and cantankerous folks in your life who always seem to have something to complain about.

Healthy Diet

A Healthy Diet For Life

Having established that your body needs a well balanced diet, with a good supply of carbohydrates, especially high - fiber foods, water vitamins and minerals, and a certain amount of protein, fat and bacteria, you need to know how to put it into practice. Much media attention is focused on foods that one should not have, yet there has been very little to tell women how they can use food to enhance their life rather than make it more difficult. Forget the labels; every figure is relative and food manufacturers are frequently very selective about what they tell you, making your task of deciding what is right for you an impossible one. Instead build your choices on the following guidelines.

RESPECT YOUR MOUTH AND BODY:
GET INTO THE HABIT OF ONLY EATING THINGS YOU LIKE AND NEED
Before you put anything in your mouth, ask yourself three questions: Do I want it/ Do I like it/ Do I need it? If you want it and like it then go ahead and enjoy it, if you don’t why bother wasting the eating experience? Throw all the boring, unnecessary eating out of your life. The worst thing you can do with food is to feel guilty about eating it. If you have eaten something that you know is not the healthier but you really fancied it or were in a situation where you didn’t have any choice, enjoy it an forget about it. Don’t beat yourself up with guilt. Guilt is a negative emotion, which is likely to lead you to bingeing on comfort foods. This can then get you into a negative sugar or salt cycle in which you eat more of these foods, which in turn makes you feel even more guilty. You might then decide it’s not worth continuing with you healthy eating lifestyle. It is always worth persevering. Remember that life is for living and food is there to help us, not hinder us.

AIM TO EAT FIVE PORTIONS OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES EVERY DAY
This provides your body with a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber, to maintain your body in peak condition to fight diseases. Fiber helps your food to move effectively through the body, keeps you feeling pleasantly full and satisfied and in control of your eating habits, and your energy levels steady.

EAT THREE MEALS A DAY
This is usually made up of one main meal, a smaller snack or lunch-type meal and breakfast. You may, however, feel that you need two smaller snacks, such as a piece of fruit, a small sandwich or a piece of cake, in between two smaller meals. It all depends on your body rhythms. Meals should be based on carbohydrates, such as pasta, whole-meal bread, wholegrain cereals, rice or potatoes, along with fruits and/or vegetables. The main meal should include a source of lean protein, along with carbohydrate and plenty of vegetables and fruits.

CHOOSE LEAN SOURCES OF PROTEIN
Fish, shellfish, lean red meat, game, poultry, eggs or pulses meet your body’s protein requirements without overloading on fats.

TRY TO GET INTO THE HABIT OF USING JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF FAT
You can use butter, olive oil, sesame oil or walnut oil to enhance the flavor of your food or for cooking, but do try to keep the quantity low.

KEEP YOUR INTAKE OF REFINED SUGAR FOODS LOW
Too much sugar disrupts your natural energy balance, and can cause headaches; mood swings and – if eaten in large quantities – sugar sensitivity problems such as hypoglycemia and diabetes mellitus. It is much better to get into the habit of using the natural sugars in fruits to provide sweetness.

INCLUDE SOME DAIRY PRODUCTS OR ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF CALCIUM IN YOUR DAILY DIET
This has far reaching benefits for all women of all age group .

DRINK TWO THREE LITERS (FOUR TO FIVE PINTS) OF WATER EVERY DAY
Water helps the fiber in your food to swell and perform its duties. It also helps to metabolize other nutrients from your food, keep your skin and hair healthy and prevent your body from becoming dehydrated.

TRY NOT TO DRINK MORE THAN THREE CUPS OF COFFEE, TEA OR COLA .
All such drinks contain caffeine, which inhibit the absorption of vitamins and minerals from the gut, causes your body to excrete vital nutrients and interferes with the fluid and energy balance mechanisms in your body. Caffeine also causes your body to be stimulated in an artificial way, which in the long run has the opposite effect of supressing your performance and general feeling of well

INCLUDES SOME ‘GOOD’ BACTERIA IN YOUR DAILY DIET, IN THE FORM OF ‘LIVE’ YOGURT CONTAINING BIFIDUS AND ACIDOPHILUS
A small pot of ‘bio’ yogurt a day should help to keep a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut. If you don’t like or are unable to eat live yogurt, seek the advice of your dietician

TRY TO EAT REGULARLY AND IDEALLY NOT LEAVE YOUR STOMACH EMPTY FOR MORE THAN FOUR TO FIVE HOUR
This helps to keep your gut functioning effectively. Regular eating helps your gut maintain a steady supply of digestive enzymes, protects it from excess acid secretion and enables it to metabolize food in the most efficient way, to keep your energy level and moods on an even keel

KEEP YOUR ALCOHOL INTAKE MODERATE
Some drinks, especially young red wines such as Beaujolais, contain anti-oxidant vitamins and minerals, which can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers. Beers and Champagnes can also provide beneficial nutrients. Drinking can be a very pleasurable part of a healthy lifestyle, but drinking to excess can cause liver damage, mood and energy-balance problems. Try not to drink on an empty stomach as this can cause your blood sugar levels to crash.

FOOD COMBINING/SEPARATING
The issue of whether you should eat proteins and carbohydrates at the same meal is one that regularly crops up in the media. Some diet consultants feel strongly that proteins and carbohydrates should be separated, and advocate that proteins should be eaten only with vegetables and fruit, not mixed with carbohydrates. Many people feel that their body functions better if they out this into practice; it is commonly known as food combining.From the physiological and nutritional viewpoint, proteins (meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts, pulses) provide the body with amino acids, used as building blocks within muscles and other tissues. Carbohydrates provide energy and fiber. If you eat proteins on their own, without carbohydrate present, the protein can be broken down into energy, rather than used for building body tissue. Proteins also have other important functions to perform in maintaining body health and carbohydrates protect proteins, enabling them to fulfill these functions.The choice is yours, but there is no physiological reasoning behind food combining. I believe that food is there to be enjoyed. Women should not have to agonize over whether they are ‘allowed’ to eat certain things at certain times.