Archive - General Health
Red Wine - Exercise in a Bottle?
Scientists have known for some time that red wine holds a secret anti-aging ingredient, which they eventually discovered and termed “resveratrol.” They’re still conducting studies on this organic compound to see its true benefits. Recently, a new study published in the FASEB Journal, suggests that resveratrol may prevent the negative effects that spaceflight and un-active lifestyles have on people. The report describes experiments in rats that simulated the weightlessness of spaceflight, during which the group fed resveratrol did not develop insulin resistance or a loss of bone mineral density, as did those who were not fed resveratrol…
Can You Do Without Supplements?
Why Supplement?
Have you eaten 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables today? Even if you have there’s a good chance you didn’t get the nutrients you need from those fruits and vegetables.
In fact, The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that it takes seven cups of today’s spinach to equal the nutrition that a single cup provided in 1960!
“I can do without them, so do I really need to take them?” I have heard this argument more than a dozen times before.
The problem with most people is that they base their health on how they feel. Just because you feel healthy and perfectly fit now, does not mean you do not need supplements.
You invest in your future financially, why wouldn’t you invest in your future health?
The Truth about Sunscreen
Are the sunscreens you’re using safe or are they causing more harm than good? Is a tan really unhealthy? We’ll show you what sunscreens are safe and also what foods and nutrients will build up your natural sun defenses.
20 Foods for Losing Weight: Part I
High carbs or low carbs? High fat or low fat? We hear so much about the foods that will help us lose weight, but starving our bodies can be just as bad as the alternative. It’s important to find foods that are filling, nutritious but also healthy. So we can maintain a healthy weight.
We created a list of 20 great foods for losing weight. The foods on the list may surprise you…
6 Nutrients for Weight Loss
The nutrients you eat can play a very important role in weight loss. Losing weight isn’t just about cutting calories, as a low-calorie diet can do more harm than good if you aren’t getting the right nutrients. Many of us have bodies that are nutrient-starved, from an imbalanced diet. A balanced diet includes protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. You also need to drink plenty of purified water. Here are the nutrients that can help you lose weight…
Why Vitamin D Isn’t Enough
Although vitamin D is undoubtedly a miracle nutrient, current recommendations for this pro-hormone may be misguided. Because of this your health may be at risk.
In the past couple of years, vitamin D has grown in popularity very quickly and for good reason. Since 1922 47,000 peer reviews have proved vitamin D’s effectiveness at protecting us from:
- Cancer (colon, breast, skin and prostate)
- Heart Disease
- Diabetes
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Bone Disease
However, there are important things about vitamin D supplementing that most people don’t know that may actually be hurting them.
Are Cosmetic Products Dangerous?
Modified from an article by the Environmental Working Group
Have you ever counted how many cosmetics or personal care products you use in a day?
Chances are it’s nearly 10.
And chances are good that they include shampoo, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, hair conditioner, lip balm, sunscreen, body lotion, shaving products if you’re a man, and cosmetics if you are a woman. And what about your children? On any given day you might rub, spray, or pour some combination of sunscreen, diaper cream, shampoo, lotion, and maybe even insect repellant on their skin.
Most people use these products without a second thought, and believe that the government must certainly be policing the safety of the mixtures in these myriad containers. But they are wrong about this. The government does not require health studies or pre-market testing for these products before they are sold. And as people apply an average of 126 unique ingredients on their skin daily, these chemicals, whether they seep through the skin or rinse down the drain are causing concerns for human health, and for the impacts they may have to wildlife, rivers and streams.
Niacin - For Your Cholesterol
Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, has many health benefits. Check out this list just for starters,
• Digestion: As a family of B-complex vitamins, niacin aids in normal functioning of the human digestive system, promoting healthy appetite, good nerves and a glowing skin.
• Energy: Vitamin B3 performs the important function of converting proteins, carbohydrates and fats into energy.
• Cholesterol: Intake of large quantity of niacin such as 1100 or more milligrams in a day has been proven to considerably reduce the bad cholesterol LDL and raising the good cholesterol HDL for preventing the thickening of artery walls.
• Water-soluble: Niacin is a water-soluble vitamin that can travel through the human blood stream and body has the option to discharge excess vitamins through the process of urination. Therefore, such vitamins may be administered to human beings through food and liquid, as our body does need a constant supply.
Energy Drinks can Cause Seizures, Especially in Children
It’s no shock that most energy drinks contain overwhelming amounts of caffeine and sugar and other unknown substances. But in a news report published on Monday (Feb 14th), Florida pediatricians described cases of seizures, delusions, heart problems and kidney or liver damage in people who had consumed energy drinks. The report calls for regulatory action and more research.
“Across the world there are signs that for some people who consume these drinks, there are side effects,” said Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, who heads the department of pediatrics at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.
U.S. Sales of non-alcoholic energy drinks are expected to hit $9 Billion this year, with children and young adults making up half the market. Amazing enough, the beverages are classified as nutritional supplements, which puts them under fewer restrictions by the FDA.
Is Our Drinking Water Toxic?
In December, the Environmental Working Group published the first national investigation of the suspected carcinogen chromium-6—also known as hexavalent chromium—in drinking water in 35 cities around the country. Following this information, Senators Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., introduced Senate Bill 79, the Protecting Pregnant Women and Children From Hexavalent Chromium Act of 2011.
Exposure to chromium hexavalent, over a prolonged period of time can have many detrimental health effects. If it comes into contact with the eyes and skin, chromium hexavalent can cause irritation and even permanent damage if the exposure is long enough. If the compound comes into contact with a cut or laceration on the skin, it could cause chrome ulcers. Chrome ulcers are small crusted sores that feature a rounded border. They take a long time to heal and usually leave a noticeable scar.
If it is inhaled, chromium hexavalent can cause an irritated nose, throat and lungs. If inhaled long enough, it can result in damage to the mucous membranes, nosebleeds, cause ulcers and even perforate the septum. In Russia, exposure to chromium hexavalent is blamed for a wide number of premature senility cases. Studies have also proven that inhalation of chromium hexavalent can increase the chances of developing lung cancer.
