Ever Tried Black Pepper?

Michigan—A recent study conducted at the University of Michigan and published in Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics found several health benefits associated with consuming black pepper.

Researchers from University of Michigan have reported that adding black pepper daily with your meals have great health benefits and suggests that it can:

1.      Enhance digestion: helps prevent indigestion, constipation and diarrhea

2.      Fight cancer cells: research has shown that black pepper helps slow the onset of certain cancers (breast, skin, and colon cancers)

3.      Promote weight loss: the outer layer of black pepper contains a substance that helps breakdown fat cells.

4.      Relieve cough and stuffy nose: Research has shown that black pepper is a natural decongestant.

5.      Improve cardiovascular health: research has shown black pepper improves blood pressure levels, and reduces inflammation.

6.      Produce a high level in antioxidants: antioxidants helps fight off free radicals and other harmful molecules that lead to disease.

The team also noted that it is better to sprinkle freshly ground pepper on a dish rather than adding it to a dish while cooking.  Have you ever tried black pepper with your meals? 

Enjoy your day.

Have you Tried Garlic Yet?

 Studies conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina was published in the Journal of Neuro-Oncology discovered that garlic could help shrink cancerous tumors.

This study assessed the effects garlic had on cancerous tumors and looked at findings back in  2007. The researchers scientifically examined the different compounds found in garlic and the benefits associated with each.

The team recognized that a compound found in garlic called DATS is amazingly very effective.  They found that this compound can block pathways that help spread cancer cells. Specifically, they found 60 to 74 percent shrinkage in the rate of tumors when garlic was consumed in a designated amounts.

Apparently, the researchers believe, the best way to consume garlic in order to take advantage of the anti-cancer benefits is to cut and peel fresh garlic and allow it to sit for 15 minutes before you eat or cook it. 

They also noted that the 15 minutes is considerably important because that amount of time is necessary for the release of the enzyme that produces the cancer-fighting compounds.

If you or someone you know interested in preventing cancer or need to shrink cancerous tumors, you might want to pass on this valuable information while adding garlic to your own diet as well.

Have a great day.

Longing For Spring Time?

Even though the Spring should be a time anticipated for, especially from a long and harsh winter, for many, it can be a nightmare for millions of North Americans.  Hence, beauty of the trees, flowers, green grass and chirping birds cannot be fully enjoyed with the annoyance of allergy.  Like it or not, beautiful Spring summonds Allergy. The sniffing, watery eyes, sneezing,wheezing, and itching can rob you of all the enjoyment of the season.

In fact, dealing with the symptoms so you can get outside and enjoy the weather is a priority for most. However, taking antihistamines, getting allergy shots, or suffering through the symptoms without treatment is not an ideal situation.

A recent study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunity indicated nasal filters relieved throat irritation and runny noses in a trial group compared to a group using a placebo device. Now, it should be noted that it was a very small trial, with only 24 subjects and that the doctor who completed the study is also interested in selling filters.

That being said, the filter is an intriguing idea that makes sense. Subjects indicated after about an hour of wearing it they no longer noticed its presence and did not experience difficulty breathing through their nose.

Unfortunately, allergists are not taught about nasal filters in training, so there isn't a very strong consensus regarding their effectiveness on the issue. That being said, in a recent interview with NPR, allergists expressed they would not recommend against using one.

But on the other hand, i don't think you'll be able to find these devices in the drug store yet. However, you can do a search and find them online if you are interested to try.

Besides, there are some other natural antihistamines you can try if nasal passages don't seem like a good idea to you. There is some buzz surrounding a European herb called butterbur.

 Multiple studies published in reputable medical journals, including the British Medical Journal, have shown it can be as effective as pharmaceutical antihistamines. Taking a tablet four times per day is an appropriate dose.

Also, grape seed extract, which contains the flavonoid quercetin, can control the release of histamine to lessen allergic reactions. If you like red wine, this is great news because quercetin is  noted to be abundantly present in the popular beverage.

Like spicy foods? Likewise, can help clear nasal passages and reduce mucous secretion. In the mean time, do not disregard trying useful items such as, cayenne and ginger.

Finally, whatever you do, don't allow allergies hamper your enjoyment this time of the year. You deserve to take full advantage of your summer months. Not to mention, before you know it's here, it's gone!

Enjoy your day.

Think Before You Eat

In a world where you’re always on the go, it can be difficult to prepare each meal and snack you eat with wholesome foods from home.

As such, to help fill the need for energy, you might find yourself turning to a few convenience snacks along the way – ones that you can quickly grab and put in your purse, back, or desk at work.

There’s no question that snacking can be healthy and can help you achieve optimal energy levels throughout the day while keeping your blood sugar levels more stabilised, but, if you’re not careful with the snack choices you’re choosing, you could be doing far more harm than good.

There are many snacks that some people are choosing on a regular basis that are virtually toxic to the body and won’t be doing anything positive in terms of promoting good health.

By learning what these snacks are and then making sure to rid them from your diet plan, you can ensure that you are putting only the highest of quality foods in your body on a regular basis.

Let’s go over three toxic snack foods that you should do away with immediately.

 1. Anything With Processed Cheese

The first toxic snack food is anything that contains processed cheese.  Whether it’s string cheese, cheese spread, or some other form of artificial cheese, these in general are not a good idea.

They’re often very high in chemicals and can also add some saturated or even trans fats into your diet plan.

Plus, they won’t offer nearly the same amount of protein as a real source of organic cheese would, so won’t provide benefits in that regard either.

If you want cheese, choose a smarter variety. Opt for Greek cheese or feta cheese and you’ll provide your body with more vitamins and minerals along with energy for the hours to come.

2. Chips And Crackers

The second of the toxic snack foods that you must  immediately eliminate is any chips or crackers that you’re consuming.

Even if they are the ‘low fat’ variety, don’t be fooled. These are still not a healthy addition to your diet.

Snacks such as these do typically contain trans fats, which are the worst kinds of fats that you could be adding to your diet plan. Even very small amounts consumed each day can put you in harm’s way.

Second, these snacks are full of processed carbs that will send blood glucose levels soaring and then crashing shortly thereafter.  Finally, last but not least on the list of toxic foods to get out of your diet immediately is any cereal or energy bars.  

Not only are these very high in sugar as well (or high-glucose fructose corn syrup as the case may be), but many also contain artificial food dyes or colorings, which can harm your body.

Plus, they are devoid of protein content in most cases, so won’t provide you the balanced snack you’re after.

So there you have three toxic snack foods that you should give the boot from your diet immediately. Make sure they aren’t putting you in harm’s way.

Good health to you.

Good Sleep Pattern Keeps You healthy!

 A study that was conducted at Carnegie Mellon University recently, found there are 4 significant health benefits associated with getting a good night’s sleep.

This study included participants that volunteered to be monitored as they were sleeping. The researchers measured the amount and quality of sleep they received and compared that to their health and brain function.

The team found that getting a good night rest not only helps you feel more energized and productive but also has crucial health benefits. The four main health benefits they found include:

·         Improving brain function: retaining information and acquiring new skills go hand in hand with a good night’s rest.

·         Maintaining your figure: They found that people, who sleep less, tend to weigh more.

·         “Beauty Rest”: Found that those who slept an adequate amount looked more alert and attractive throughout the day.

·         Staying healthy: They found that those who slept less than seven hours per night were three times more likely to get the common cold, compared to those who slept an average of eight hours per night.

 WebMD, believes the average adult should sleep about 7-8 hours per night. It is also noted that the following suggestions could help improve your sleep:

·         Set a regular bedtime: establish a sleep schedule

·         Make sure your bed is comfortable

·         Be smart about when you take naps: if you were not able to get enough sleep at night, take a 30 to 60-minute nap during the day.

If you are interested in improving your brain function or staying healthy, you might want to consider getting a good night’s sleep every night.

Have a good day.

Obesity Issues?

Unfortunately, this country is in the midst of an obesity epidemic that everybody believes they have the answer to: eat less, exercise more, and you're bound to lose weight and be healthier.

But with obesity and diabetes numbers where they are, is it possible this conventional wisdom is incorrect?  Possibly.

I recently heard a talk by a doctor who's researching insulin resistance and obesity. And in his opinion, most people-including doctors-have the cause and effect of obesity and diabetes backwards. He hypothesizes that obesity is not the cause of insulin resistance, but rather a symptom. He thinks obesity might be the body's coping mechanism for insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

It's easy to blame people who have diabetes for doing it to themselves. They're stigmatized for not caring about their health, eating too much, and not exercising enough. But this isn't always the case. 

For example, the doctor said he exercised three to four hours per day and follow the food pyramid religiously. One day, however, he developed insulin resistance from metabolic syndrome out of nowhere.

He decided to make some changes to his diet-some surprising ones-exercised less, and in time, he was able to correct his condition. He wasn't overweight to begin with, but began to pack on the pounds when he became insulin resistant.

This however, led him to wonder if conventional thinking has it backwards, and if when it comes to obesity and diabetes, the majority of people actually blame the victim. He thinks that instead of obesity leading to insulin resistance, it's the other way around and doctors should start treating insulin resistance as opposed to obesity.

Have a great day.

Can Be Healthy Without leaving Home

This has been a cold, cold winter. In my city, it seems like cold records are shattered monthly. The drop in temperature can surely limit motivation to go outside!

Refusing to go outside, whether for a walk or to make it to the gym, can impact your health. After all, exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle and is proven to help with a number of conditions like weight loss, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer recovery-to name a few.

If you can't make it to the gym or go outside for some exercise every day, don't worry; you can stay fit without ever leaving the comfort of your home! All you have to do is stay committed and realize the space around you can contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

Concerned that there is nothing healthy about watching T.V.,  because you're just sitting there staring, completely inactive. But that can all change by using commercial breaks to squeeze-in brief workouts. By putting together a simple circuit consisting of body-weight strength exercises like squats, lunges, sit-ups and push-ups, you can work your muscles during commercial breaks.

What's great about this type of short-burst interval training is that's it's proven to greatly promote fat-loss and cardiovascular output. Come up with a number of repetitions of each exercise to perform-say five to 10-and repeat until the show comes back. Do it again over the next commercial break. Over the course of a half-hour show, you're likely to get eight to 10 minutes of exercise time, so be sure to keep the intensity up!

When people think of doing cardio they assume they need all kinds of space. They need to be outside where they can walk or run, at the gym to use the treadmill, stair-climber or elliptical, or take up a chunk of the living room with a large, unsightly piece of equipment. But this simply isn't true. Cardio has nothing to do with space or equipment, but rather with getting your heart beating.

In fact, most houses, apartments, condominiums and hotels are constructed with a great cardio system: the stairs. Walking up and down stairs is a great workout, so start with 10 minutes or so and see how it feels. You don't need to go fast because it's surprisingly difficult work.

Jumping jacks or running on the spot is also a great way to do cardio. Boxer Mike Tyson, for example, kept in shape while in prison by running on the spot in his cell. Doing some jumping jacks in the morning or when you get home from work is also an easy way to do cardio in the comfort of your home.

If your intensity is high enough, the strength-training circuit you perform during commercials can get your heart rate up, making it a cardiovascular activity too.

Dumbbells and barbells are found in large supply at the gym, but not so much around North American homes. However, that doesn't really matter. If you think about it, barbell and dumbbells are just weight to offer resistance. If you want to add resistance to your squat at home, just find something to hold. A milk jug, bag of ice, books, etc. can easily substitute for weights at the gym. Look for what you've got lying around to use as resistance for a workout. However, remember to stretch before and after you exercise to avoid injury.

So again, you don't have to feel guilty about not being able to make it to the gym for a workout because you've got one at home! Try these easy techniques and get your weekly exercise in without leaving the warmth and comfort of your home to maintain a healthy life-style!

Could Your Weight-Gain Be Environmental?

It is true that your atmosphere and environment are extremely important to encouraging a healthy lifestyle. If you're living in an environment that doesn't promote healthy living, it's almost impossible to effectively lead a healthy life for an extended period of time. For example, if your apples are stashed behind a box of cookies, you're going to eat the cookies while the apples are left to rot.

A report recently came out saying that obese men and women only get about four hours and one hour, respectively, of vigorous exercise per year. Now, I don't want to speculate, but I bet the environment they live in plays a big role in their weight problem.

So what are the things you need to change? First, take a look at your home. Is your house set up in a way that makes healthy living difficult? It very well might be and it's sabotaging your success in the process.

Take a look at how your living space is situated. If you have a television in your kitchen, in front of your table, or in your bedroom, you might want to think about moving it. Eating in front of the television leads to over-consumption, which is an easy way to put on excess weight. Eating in front of the T.V. is often called "mindless snacking."

Having a television in your bedroom impacts your health negatively because it impacts your sleep. The lights from the screen make it difficult for your body to process that it's time to sleep, leading to poorer quality sleep that has a number of associated health problems like increased stress, fatigue, and mental lapses throughout the day.

Next, move onto your kitchen. Take a look at the condition it's in. If it's a mess, you're not going to be motivated to cook, and more likely to rely on eating out and consuming processed and frozen foods. These foods are often packed with sodium, sugar, and chemicals that can lead to weight gain, heart problems, diabetes, and cancer. When your kitchen is clean, organized, and inviting, you're more likely to cook fresh meals.

Organize your fridge and cupboards so the healthier options dominate the landscape. Clear some space by getting rid of the junk food and replace it with healthy, fresh foods that promote longevity. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins are the fuel for a healthy body and the front lines of disease fighting and prevention.

Lastly, take a look at the people in your life. All too often so-called friends will try and hold you back. They might attempt to convince you to abandon your diet and come out for a good time, tell you that you're wasting your time, and that you'll never accomplish your goals.

In fact, tell these people you're moving ahead with these lifestyle changes and they can either accept it or find some new friends. It can be difficult, but it's true that people often hold grudges towards others who try to better themselves. At the end of the day, you have to think about what's really important to you.

Have a great day.