HIV And The Cause ( By another writer )

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection has now spread to all countries in the world and has infected more than 40 million people worldwide at the end of 2003. More than 1.1 million people in the USA have been infected with HIV. The scourge of HIV has been particularly devastating in Sub-Saharan Africa. The proportion of women among those adults who are infected with HIV is increasing.
HIV is present in the blood and genital secretions of virtually all people infected with HIV, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. The spread of HIV can occur when these secretions come into contact with tissues such as those lining the vagina, anal region, mouth or eyes (mucous membranes), or with a break in the skin, like a break or perforation by a needle.

What are the early symptoms of HIV infection?

Many people do not develop symptoms when they first become infected with HIV. Some people, however, get a flu syndrome within three to six weeks after exposure to the virus. The disease, called acute HIV syndrome, May include fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea and enlarged lymph nodes (organs of the immune system that can be felt in the neck, armpits and groin). These symptoms usually disappear in a week to one month and are often confused with another viral infection.

Neurological and psychiatric participation: HIV infection May lead to a variety of neuropsychiatric sequelae, either by an infection now sensitive nervous system by agencies, or as a direct consequence of the disease itself.

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the unicellular parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, it usually infects the brain causing toxoplasma encephalitis, but it can infect and cause disease in the eyes and lungs



Risk Factors

Have unprotected sex with multiple partners. You're at risk if you are heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual. Unprotected sex means having sex without using a new latex or polyurethane each time.

Have unprotected sex with someone who is HIV-positive. If you have another sexually transmitted disease such as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea or bacterial vaginosis.

Low Status of Women: Infection rates were increasing among women and children in some states. As in many other countries, unequal power relations and the low status of women, as expressed by limited access to human resources, finance and economic weakens the ability of women to protect themselves and negotiate safer sex, which increases vulnerability.

Many of these risk factors are behavioral in nature. In other words, avoiding high-risk behaviors, you can reduce or virtually eliminate the risk of HIV / AIDS. Learn the risk factors. If necessary, change your behavior.



About the Author
Find tips about herpes transmission and herpes simplex 2 at the Herpes Facts website.

Causes of HIV virus

Causes of HIV virus How was the HIV virus spread to humans?

There is some suggestions that poachers may have killed the HIV infected chimps and then eaten them or even had sex with them. Another extremely controversial theory is that HIV was spread via the polio vaccine. Human immune deficiency virus has now spread to every part of the country. It has infected more than 40 million people throughout the world. In USA about 1.1 million of people are patients HIV/AIDS (acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome) is first time come to reorganization 1981 in New York City. Slowly this infection spreads out throughout the world and infected millions of people. AIDS gives way to the problem that result body doesn’t fight with the diseases of the body.

In Africa AIDS is caused by the malnutrition. Release of endogenous cortical and sometimes by opportunistic diseases. A lymphoid tissue Atrophy has been observed in HIV negative people suffering from malnutrition. HIV virus may be transfer through blood and blood products that you receive in blood transfusions. Whole blood, packed red cells and fresh frozen plasma and platelets come to this category. If the blood of an infected person transferred to normal person may affected HIV virus. Some of the reasons are given below; 1.If two persons shared the same needle and syringes to inject drugs, for tattoo or piercing, there may be chance of infection of HIV. 2.If mother is the patient of AIDS then chances of having same disease increases in the new born child as child can be infected during pregnancy or at the time of breast feeding. 3.People who already have a sexually transmitted disease, such as syphilis, genital herpes, Chlamydia infection, gonorrhea, or bacterial vaginosis are more likely to acquire HIV infection during unprotected sex with an infected partner.

You may be caused by this disease if you share sexual devices without washing or covered with condom. 4.If the infected person’s blood, semen or vaginal secretions enter normal person’s body he may be caused by the HIV. 5.Transmission of the virus between HIV positive people and health care workers through needle sticks is low. Experts put the risk at far less than 1 percent. 6.The virus may be transmitted through organ or tissue transplant or unsterilized dental or any surgical equipment. 7.People who inject illegal drugs, and share needles, are also at risk from getting the HIV virus. The condition can also be spread from a mother to her unborn child. However, medicines can now be used to prevent this from happening. The HIV virus breaks down genetic code of cells used by our immune system particularly the cells known as CD4 cells, and then uses the raw of genetic material to make copies of itself. The body can make more CD4 cells, but eventually the HIV virus will reduce the numbers of CD4 cells to such an extent that immune system will stop working.The virus attacks specific lymphocytes called T helper cells (also known as T-cells), takes them over, and multiplies. This destroys more T-cells, which damages the body's ability to fight off invading germs and disease.

A healthy, uninfected person usually has 800 to 1,200 CD4+ T cells per cubic millimeter (mm3) of blood. During HIV infection, the number of these cells in a person's blood progressively declines. When a person's CD4+ T cell count falls below 200/mm3, he or she becomes particularly vulnerable to the opportunistic infections and cancers that typify AIDS, the end stage of HIV disease. People with AIDS often suffer infections of the lungs, intestinal tract, brain, eyes and other organs, as well as debilitating weight loss, diarrhea, neurological conditions and cancers such as Kaposi's sarcoma and certain types of lymphomas. When the number of T-cells falls to a very low level, people with HIV become more susceptible to other infections and they may get certain types of cancer that a healthy body would normally be able to fight off. This weakened immunity (or immune deficiency) is known as AIDS and can result in severe life-threatening infections, some forms of cancer, and the deterioration of the nervous system. Although AIDS is always the result of an HIV infection, not everyone with HIV has AIDS. In fact, adults who become infected with HIV may appear healthy for years before they get sick with AIDS.

The first case of AIDS was reported in 1981, but the disease may have existed unrecognized for many years before that. HIV infection leading to AIDS has been a major cause of illness and death among children, teens, and young adults worldwide. AIDS has been the sixth leading cause of death in the United States among 15- to 24-year-olds since 1991.In recent years, AIDS infection rates have been increasing rapidly among teens and young adults. Half of all new HIV infections in the United States occur in people who are under 25 years old; thousands of teens acquire new HIV infections each year. Most new HIV cases in younger people are transmitted through unprotected sex; one third of these cases are from injection drug usage via the sharing of dirty, blood-contaminated needles. Among children, most cases of AIDS â€" and almost all new HIV infections â€" resulted from transmission of the HIV virus from the mother to her child during pregnancy, birth, or through breastfeeding. Fortunately, medicines currently given to HIV-positive pregnant women have reduced mother-to-child HIV transmission tremendously in the United States. These drugs (discussed in detail in the Drug Treatments section of this article) are also used to slow or reduce some of the effects of the disease in people who are already infected. Unfortunately, these medicines have not been readily available worldwide, particularly in the poorer nations hardest hit by the epidemic. Providing access to these life-saving treatments has become an issue of global importance.

Most scientists think that HIV causes AIDS by directly inducing the death of CD4+ T cells or interfering with their normal function, and by triggering other events that weaken a person's immune function. For example, the network of signaling molecules that normally regulates a person's immune response is disrupted during HIV disease, impairing a person's ability to fight other infections. The HIV-mediated destruction of the lymph nodes and related immunologic organs also plays a major role in causing the immunosuppressant seen in people with AIDS.

The great tragedy is that this failure to determine the root cause of HIV is a seemingly insurmountable obstacle in finding either a cure or even a vaccine



About the Author
HIV,AIDS,HIV Cure,HIV Treatment,HIV Infection,HIV Dating,HIV Positive,HIV Symptoms.

Anti-HIV vaccine by Johnson Pinto

Anti-HIV vaccine

The vaccine is made from a patient's own dendrites cells and HIV isolated from the patient's own blood. Dendritic cells are crucial to the immune response. They grab foreign bodies in the blood and present them to other immune cells to trigger powerful immune system responses to destroy the foreign invaders. Vaccines stimulate the body’s immune system to provide protection against infection or disease. Vaccines against HIV are being developed, and they are in various stages of clinical trial but at present none have proven effective.

It is important to conduct research to find an effective vaccine because: The availability of a safe, highly effective and accessible preventive HIV vaccine would be a valuable complement to other preventive interventions, significantly contributing to the interruption of the chain of transmission of HIV. Well conceived HIV immunization strategies could reach populations where other interventions are not sufficiently effective. Research on preventive HIV vaccines is providing new information on the possible use of vaccines as therapeutic interventions, to be used in association with antiretroviral therapies, which could lead to a lowering in the cost of the treatments and to an increase on their long-term efficacy.

The essence of traditional vaccine technology is to make a disease-causing microbe detectable by the immune system. The easiest means is to present a disabled or killed version that awakens this immunity. Once that's accomplished, a scientist can stand back and let the body take over.

However, HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is so changeable that such an approach hasn't worked. As an alternative, researchers are using a glycoprotein found on the surface of HIV--not the virus itself--as a red flag for the immune system. A vaccine is a substance that is introduced into the body to prevent infection or to control disease due to a certain pathogen (any disease-causing organism, such as a virus, bacteria or parasite); the vaccine 'teaches' the body how to defend itself against a pathogen by creating an immune response .Vaccines can be introduced in different ways, such as injection into the muscle (intramuscular) or under the skin (intradermal or subcutaneous); by application to the skin (transdermal);by application to the inside of the nose(nasal);or by being swallowed (oral). Right now there is no vaccine to protect against HIV/AIDS.

A vaccine's efficacy refers to how well it protects against disease or infection when it is tested in a large trial in humans; a vaccine's effectiveness refers to how well it reduces the amount of disease once it is used in the overall population. HIV infection normally turns these important immune system responses off. But animal studies show that when dendritic cells are "loaded" with whole, killed AIDS viruses, they can trigger effective immune responses that keep infected animals from dying of AIDS. Vaccines could be a promising strategy for treating people with chronic HIV infection," Andrieu and colleagues write. "The significant decrease of viral load as well as maintenance of ... [T-]cell counts observed at one year after immunization are particularly promising."

The researchers warn that their study is only proof of principle. It's still not clear which patients do best with the vaccine, although there's evidence that vaccination should be given as soon after HIV infection as possible. Only clinical trials comparing people who get the vaccine to those who don't can show whether this vaccine really is an effective AIDS therapy. Other experimental HIV vaccines made of viruses carrying foreign genes tend to slay the cells they invade. This rabies virus doesn't kill the cells it takes over, Schnell says. Thus, he says, "there's a better chance that the glycoprotein, after infection, will be expressed in the cell. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks human immune system and causes AIDS. HIV finds and destroys a type of white blood cell (T cells or CD4 cells) that the immune system must have to fight disease. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. Having AIDS means that the virus has weakened the immune system to the point at which the body has a difficult time fighting infections. There are three main types of HIV test: HIV antibody test, antigen test, PCR test. The standard HIV test looks for antibodies in a person's blood. The antigen on HIV that most commonly provokes an antibody response is the protein P24. P24 antigen tests are sometimes used to screen donated blood, but they can also be used for testing for HIV in individuals, as they can detect.

HIV P24 test detects earlier than standard antibody tests. Some of the most modern HIV tests combine P24 and other antigen tests with standard antibody identification methods to enable earlier and more accurate HIV detection. The HIV recombinant antigens provided by Hotgen include gp41, gp36 and gp41+36, all of which have been proved by IVD regnant companies to have high activity.

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HIV,AIDS,HIV Cure,HIV Treatment,HIV Infection,HIV Dating,HIV Positive,HIV Symptoms.

The Importance Of Bone Health

When we discuss exercise most individuals immediately think of losing fat and toning or gaining muscle. It is true that with regular exercise you will lose inches and gain strength in muscles but the importance of exercise on a regular basis really offers many more important health benefits then being able to fit into your skinny jeans or being able to flex an impressive looking bicep.
Another extremely important benefit from exercise which is often over looked until problems begin to occur is bone health. Most individuals do not give their bones much thought until they or a loved one is face with the reality of failing bones which can be detrimental because it will ultimately lead to immobility.

All of us reached our maximum bone mass in our twenties and if prevention is not a focus it is down hill from that point on. The important thing to remember is it is never to late to start.

Although there has been a focus on women's bone health in recent years with the discussion of osteoporosis men are not immune to the adverse affects of bone loss. Women are prone to increased bone loss or osteoporosis during and after menopause caused by the loss of estrogen; at the same time men as they age will also experience increased bone loss associated with the loss of testosterone. Although women in general are more prone to bone disorders such as osteoporosis men are by no means off the hook.

With that being said most bone loss actually occurs from disuse atrophy. Bone tissue is the same as any other tissue in the body; if you do not use it you will lose it. Your body does not waste energy maintaining something that is deemed important or necessary such as muscle or bone that is not worked. It is also important to recognize that the loss of muscle directly affects the health of your bones.

Watch this promising news for Osteoporosis sufferers :



Maintaining lean muscle mass is essential to keeping our bones healthy because this lean muscle puts good stress on our bones that in turn causes them to strengthen or in other words signals the body that our bones are important and need to be maintained. The best way to do this is to incorporate resistance training into your life two or three times a week.

Weight training does fall into the resistance training category however if lifting weights does not appeal to you there are many different options that can be done inside or outside of your home. Resistance training includes any activity that works and strengthens your muscles which in turn put the much needed stress on your bones. The possibilities are endless your workout can include any of the following: Pilates, using resistance bands, using the now popular exercise ball, yoga or simply using your own body weight. Try doing a lunge or yoga pose; when you do you will see that you do not need a fancy gym or tons of equipment to get a workout. The important thing is to find an activity or activities that you enjoy, embrace it and make it a part of your life.

Other important steps that you need to take in order to ensure you have healthy bones are; quit smoking, avoid excess drinking and ensure you are getting adequate amounts of calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K2 in your diet. If you are not getting your daily requirements of the necessary mineral and vitamins then take supplements.

Healthy bones are not always our top priority but by making a few changes to our lifestyle we can help assure we will not only live longer but can enjoy independence and mobility far into our twilight years.

About the Author
Looking for Anti Aging tips, facts and products to help you age gracefully and ensure you life your best life? Visit: http://www.antiagingproductsreviewed.com

Eating Healthy: Diet Plans That Work

It is not always easy to make healthy eating choices. Sometimes it is most convenient to head to the drive-thru or grab a snack from the vending machine when unexpected hunger occurs. Not everyone has the time to plan every meal or work out consistently, but below are some diet plans that work for the average person looking to make a few healthier lifestyle choices.

Some dieting and nutrition experts promote a high protein / low carb diet. This essentially means eating foods that have a high protein content, such as chicken or fish, that also have a low fat and carbohydrate content. Cutting highly-processed carbohydrates from your diet will help you reduce your body fat quicker. These foods, sometimes referred to as "white carbs," include anything made with refined flour and/or refined sugars. The foods include some but not all breads, cereals and pasta. Make sure you check the contents of the food you eat. Too many carbohydrates affect your blood sugar and insulin levels negatively.



Another classic dieting method is simply cutting out sweets, fats, or otherwise. Foods with high fat or calorie content offer a lot of energy to your body. If you are not using the energy you consume, your body naturally stores the energy by converting the calories to fat. Cutting down fatty and high-calorie foods is definitely a great diet plan that has been proven to work.

The best and most effective dieting plan is to simply eat less and exercise more. Without exercise to burn calories, you will continue to build unused energy in your body and will never shed the fat you currently have. Cardiovascular workouts are great calorie-burners. The more energy you use, the more calories you burn, so try to choose activities that take a lot of energy without over-exerting yourself. Heart-pumping workouts like jogging, skipping, aerobics and swimming are great cardiovascular exercises that burn calories efficiently. If you haven’t worked out in a while, start off slowly and increase your workout over time. Walking is a great way to burn calories while toning muscle throughout your body. Toning and building muscles is also an effective form of exercise to reduce body fat as calories are also used for muscle maintenance.

With the amount of diet plans out there and numerous professionals claiming they have the correct method, there is none more effective than simply making healthy eating choices and exercising on a regular basis. There is no easy answer to weight loss and it doesn’t come with a little discipline and hard work.



About the Author
Without exercise, dieting doesn’t work, and without watching your calories, exercising will get you no where. Essentially, maintaining life-long good health is the only real diet plan that works. Even better than that, visit http://www.waystolosebellyfat.com to read more!

Dangerous Food Additives That You Need To Know

In every food that we eat, there are food additives that you take without knowing the dangers it could bring you. These additives are being added in your food for preservation, flavor, coloring and other purposes. It is very risky to take those additives and we should avoid it if we can. Mostly these dangerous additives can be encountered in fast foods and can cause cancer. Here are the list of some additives that are dangerous to your health: 1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite) - this is a preservative commonly used in ham, bacon, luncheon meat, corned beef and more. 2. BHA and BHT - found in cereals, chewing gum, chips and vegetable oils. 3. Propyl Gallate - can be found in meat products.
4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) - is used as a flavor enhancer for salad dressing, soups and in restaurant foods.

5. Trans Fats - can be found in restaurants and fast food chains.

6. Aspartame - can be seen in most diet foods and artificial sweeteners. 7. Acesulfame-K - this is the new artificial sweetener found in baked foods, desserts and chewing gums. 8. Food Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow - the five food colorings that are linked with cancer in animal testing.

9. Olestra - this is a synthetic fat found in some potato chips.

10. Potassium Bromate - additives that can be found in breads, flour and rolls.

11. White Sugar - can be found inany food that contains sugar. 12. Sodium Chloride - commonly known as salt and can be found and most of our meals.



Read what Dr. Mercola has to say about these additives and get some tips and advice on how you can avoid it by checking out http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/06/24/12-food-additives-to-avoid.aspx

About the Author
Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder of the number 1 Natural Health Information website and publisher of the FREE Mercola.com health newsletter.

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Molecular gastronomy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A classic example of molecular gastronomy is the investigation of the effect of specific temperatures on the yolk and white when cooking an egg. Many cookbooks provide the instructions of boiling eggs 3-6 minutes for soft yolks, 6-8 minutes for a medium yolk and so on. Molecular gastronomy reveals that the amount of time is less important to cooking the eggs than specific temperatures - which always yields the desired result.[1][2]Molecular gastronomy is a scientific discipline involving the study of physical and chemical processes that occur in cooking.[3] It investigates the mechanisms behind the transformation of ingredients in cooking, attempts to explain them, and investigates the social, artistic and technical components of culinary and gastronomic phenomena in general (from a scientific point of view).

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Information revealed through the practice of molecular gastronomy research can be applied by cooks to improve their cooking, as it explains various reasons why things happen when cooking - for instance, why a soufflé rises. Knowing this information can enable a cook to create the optimum conditions for the rising of a soufflé, based on the science behind the transformation of the ingredients during cooking.[4]

In addition to its use in explaining the "why" of how we already cook, molecular gastronomy also often reveals information that is helpful in creating new techniques, recipes and dishes. For example, cooks are often taught that water is the enemy of melted chocolate, causing it to clump when being tempered.[5] Molecular gastronomy reveals that in fact given the proper ratio of water and chocolate one can produce a "chocolate mousse" without the need for any other ingredients.[6][7]

Observations made through the scientific investigation of the social and artistic aspects of food and cooking (e.g. how the ways food is prepared and presented affect us), can be used by cooks to understand and enhance the enjoyment of food.

This type of information is typical of molecular gastronomy, which seeks to dispel culinary myths handed down over generations and provide scientifically accurate information about the process of cooking, as well as provide information helpful in enhancing our enjoyment of food, cooking and eating.[8]

Since molecular gastronomy investigates cooking, it involves cooking during its investigations. Though it is often mistakenly applied as a term to describe the food and cooking of experimental chefs who embrace science, even though chefs are generally not scientists and the food and cooking of a chef involves much more than science, it also involves skill, creativity, art, craft, nature, technology and tradition - to name but a few things.

Why Does the Diabetes Diet Need to be About Weight Loss?

Sticking to a diabetes diet is one of the most challenging aspects of living with diabetes. The diabetes diet is not a special food package but is a diet plan for healthy living. Since food affects blood sugar levels, a healthful diabetes diet is a key part of treatment.

The reasoning behind this nutritional principal is that eating habits that emphasize fiber will assist your body’s ability to reduce glucose absorption. It can be really difficult for many diabetics to change their long standing food choice habits, even though they know following a diabetes diet is good for their overall health, not just the control of their blood sugar levels.

This is a Lifetime Commitment

So you think that a diabetes diet will not allow you to eat foods you like and normally form part of your daily diet? Well, yes, in part this is true - but there are lots of food substitutions for diabetics out there - you just need to be introduced to them in a fresh way. This is were support comes in.

So you don’t want to face a lifetime of boring meals - that’s perfectly understandable, you want this diabetic diet plan to work for the long haul, so you’ve got to think ‘outside the box’. At present, you’ve been happy to order food in, and have it delivered directly to your door, so what’s the difference now? The difference is just that you need that food to be planned by someone who knows what you can and can’t eat - someone who has your weight goals in mind. You need a diabetic meal service, delivered to your door so you just have to heat and eat!

Using a diabetic diet delivery service can open up a whole new world of everyday meals. Think about it this way, you will know that the meal is correctly structured not only for you - a diabetic - but also for your weight loss goals. Your body will learn correct portion sizes and, within a few months, you will have an array of meals that you know you can prepare for yourself in the future using diabetic friendly ingredients. It’s all just a matter of ‘opening yourself up to the possibilities’ of the menu options.

The cost of such services can be offset by stopping you from ordering junk fast food, or from stacking your cupboards high with ‘little snacks’ you should not be eating in the first place! You may even find that you save money each month on food bills - while enjoying a delicious and controlled diabetes diet weight loss plan.

A diabetes diet plan will be prescribed by the nutritionists and doctors at the service. You will give your weight loss goals, and state your preferences. Often, diabetic versions of your favorite foods can be included, along with new foods to try. You could find new favourites to take into your future dietary lifestyle!

You know that weight control is your main goal, but you have an added problem to focus on too, namely the diet has to be specifically designed for a diabetic - a tricky combination. Take advantage of all the help you can find, nutristionists and doctors who can provide you with diabetes diet plans, and any service that makes this transition into your new lifestyle easier to cope with. If isn’t all doom and gloom, unless you want it to be!


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For more information on finding a type 2 diabetes diet plan that is tailored to your personal weight loss goals, visit this popular website that provides advice and resources related to finding a diabetes diet

Coffee and 10 Health Facts

Coffee, like red wine, is a drink with both health benefits and dangers. Because coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant, it can increase the heart rate, boost adrenaline and up your cortisone levels. With this increased stimulation comes both pros and cons.
To learn more about the health impact of coffee, keep reading for 10 critical health facts about coffee.

1. Reduced Risk of Developing Alzheimer's Disease

A recent study published in the European Journal of Neurology shows that people who drank about 2 cups of coffee per day were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease when compared to people who only drank a cup a day or less.

2. Better Cognitive Performance

There may be another reason why students guzzle coffee during late-night study sessions - those who drink coffee regularly often perform better on short term memory recall, verbal memory and logical reasoning tests.

3. Increased Constipation

While coffee is a stimulant and can therefore stimulate the bowels, it is also a diuretic, meaning it can dehydrate the body and contribute to constipation. However, alternative medical practitioners often prescribe coffee enemas to clear out the colon.

4. Antioxidants

Coffee contains a number of antioxidants, particularly methylpyridinium which is formed during the roasting process.

5. Increased Anxiety or Sleep Problems

People suffering from anxiety or insomnia should not drink large amounts of coffee or caffeine products, especially after noon. Because it's a stimulant, it can keep you up and give you coffee jitters if drunk in excess.

6. Reduced Risk for Parkinson's Disease

A recent study showed that heavy coffee drinkers, those drinking more than 3 cups a day, were less likely to develop Parkinson's Disease when compared to non coffee drinkers or light drinkers.

7. Increased Cholesterol

The health risk of increased cholesterol only applies to coffee brewed with a French press. Coffee made with a regular paper filter tends to trap the brew's natural oils, therefore not causing as high of a cholesterol risk.

8. Reduced Risk for Gout

Thanks to its diuretic and stimulant properties, regular coffee consumption has been shown to reduce the incidence of gout in men.

9. Stained Teeth

Coffee will stain your teeth. While this isn't a health risk, it can adversely affect your teeth and their natural enamel. No doubt your dentist will routinely remind you of this drawback.

10. Pain Killer

If you read the ingredients for many over-the-counter painkiller medications, you'll see they contain caffeine. This is because coffee and caffeine increase the effectiveness of these medications.

About the Author
For additional informative details on coffee and enticing flavors that explode your taste buds, please visit http://www.coffeetryst.com, a popular site with insights on coffee options, such as flavored decaf coffee, gourmet coffee gift baskets, and many more!

Build Your Knowledge On Hypertension

One-third of the Americans with hypertension don't even know they have it. To test for high blood pressure, as it's commonly called, the doctor will place a cuff around your arm and gently tighten it through a pump so it feels a bit like a python hugging your bicep. Yet most people don't continue with annual check-ups after their childhood due to the rising costs of medical care.
You may get severe headaches, have difficulty breathing at times, feel tired or confused, and suffer vision problems or chest pains. Before the condition progresses into something more serious, like congestive heart failure, you'd better get it checked out!

If you are hypertensive, then it can be caused by many lifestyle choices. For instance, a 2005 study found that women who took 500 mg of Tylenol each day for headaches or pains were more likely to develop high blood pressure than women who did not. Users of cocaine and amphetamines, as well as smokers, were also more at risk.

High body fat, high salt intake, low potassium intake, high cholesterol levels, inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption and high stress are often linked to hypertension as well. Health experts say that this condition isn't so cut-and-dry, that poor lifestyle choices aren't always the culprit. Some people are just at risk because they're aging, pregnant or born into a family with a history of high blood pressure. People with hypertension may have to undergo several tests to determine the severity of their situation. The most basic test of heart health is the old inflatable arm cuff we've been seeing at every check up for our entire lives, no big deal.

A urinalysis where you pee into a cup is a very non-invasive way of checking the blood for abnormalities. In rare cases, an electrocardiogram will measure your heart's electrical activity, but generally, the little tests are enough to determine whether your cardiovascular health is poor or not.

What are the dangers of high blood pressure, you may ask? If left unchecked over a long period of time, hypertension will inevitably take its toll on your internal organs. Blocked or ruptured blood vessels leading to the brain can cause a stroke and weakened or narrowed blood vessels can cause kidney failure.

Some people develop glaucoma from narrowed or torn blood vessels leading to the eyes, while others develop a thickened heart muscle from too much exertion, resulting in heart failure. Atherosclerosis or aneurysms happen when the arteries sustain damage and diabetes or heart disease are the result of metabolic failure. The good news is that, unlike cancer or other conditions, simply changing one's lifestyle can go a long way for the person with high blood pressure.

About the Author
Learn more about hypertension at Mike Selvon portal. While you are there leave is a comment at our nutrition blog, and receive your FREE gift.

How To Make A Vegan Cake

Do you have a strict vegan in the family who
has a birthday or celebration coming up that traditionally
calls for cake? If you’re not familiar with vegan dietary
practices, you might not know what vegans do not eat.
Even worse, you might have no idea how to replace what
they do not eat.

But don't worry. In a few short paragraphs, I’ll explain
exactly what you need to make the perfect cake
for your vegan friend or relative. And best of all, no one
will be able to taste the difference.

Let’s start with what strict vegans do not eat.
They do not eat eggs. They do not drink milk.
They don’t eat certain types of sugar. They don’t
eat butter. And they don’t eat frosting.

Eggs can be replaced by "EnerG Egg Replacer," which you
can purchase at many grocery stores. The box will explain
how much replacer to use per egg.

Cow’s milk can be replaced by organic rice milk, which
doesn’t contain any animal byproducts. You can buy rice
milk at your local grocery store, too.

Many vegans do not consume sugar, either, because it is
often whitened by animal bone char. You can avoid sugar
that is whitened by bone char by purchasing "unbleached"
sugar, sugar in the raw, or beet sugar. There are some cane
sugars, too, which were not whitened using bone char,
but they hard to distinguish from others, unless you know
the exact name brand.

Strict vegans will not eat food made with butter, either.
If your cake recipe calls for butter, you can simply
replace it with margarine or vegetable shortening.

In addition to butter, sugar, milk, and eggs, strict
vegans also will not eat dairy frosting. If your recipe
calls for frosting, you can look for a similar flavor of
"non-dairy" frosting or you can make your own, replacing
butter with margarine.

And there you have it: an ingredient replacement key
for your vegan cake. Simply follow the key, replace vegan
-unfriendly items on your recipe, and your cake will be
perfectly fit for even the strictest vegetarian!

Why Some Vegetarians Will Not Consume Sugar

Some vegetarians--usually strict vegans--will not consume
sugar. This is because sugar is often whitened with bone
char from cows.

If you are a vegetarian and you want to continue eating
products that contain sugar, but do not want to cause
suffering in the process, you have a number of options.

Your first option is to only consume products made with
beet sugar. There are two major sources of sugar in the
United States: beet sugar and cane sugar. Cane sugar is
often whitened with bone char from cows; in contrast, beet
sugar is never whitened with bone char.

So, if you want to completely avoid the bone char, you can
do so by eating only beet sugar. The only challenge--and it
is a big one--is finding out which foods contain beet sugar
and which foods contain cane sugar.

To make things more complex, you can also consume a number
of types of cane sugar, as long as you are willing to find
out what the source of the sugar is.

You can do this in a lot of cases by looking at the
nutritional panel on food before you buy it. If it says
fructose or dextrose, the sugar is from a plant source
(either beet or corn). If it says sucrose, it could be from
a number of sources, which could include bone char-whitened
cane sugar.

Now, if you are cooking with sugar, you can personally
verify that is bone-char free by purchasing from the
following companies, which have publicly-stated that they
do not use bone-char: Florida Crystals Refinery, Imperial
Sugar Company, Irish Sugar Ltd., Sugar In the Raw (which is
also less-refined), and American Crystal Sugar Company.

If you can’t find these brands, but want to avoid consuming
bone-char sugar if possible, you can avoid these brands,
which have publicly-stated that they do use bone-char:
Domino, Savannah Foods, and C&H Sugar Company.

Three Health Advantages Of A Vegetarian Diet

While many people lament the nutritional disadvantages
of a poorly planned vegetarian diet, few stress the
health advantages of adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet.
In this article, I will cover the major three nutritional
advantages of becoming a vegetarian.

The first major advantage of a vegetarian diet is
increased heart health. Vegetarians, on average, consume
more nuts (often as a supplemental form of protein). Nuts
contain "good" fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6. This
promotes good heart health by reducing "bad" cholesterol
and unclogging arteries.

In addition to nuts, vegetarians also consume more soy
milk (often to replace milk), which reduces "bad"
cholesterol and has been linked to good heart health.

The second major advantage vegetarians enjoy is increased
skin health. In addition to consuming larger quantities
of nuts (which contain healthful oils), vegetarians tend
to consume more fruit and vegetables, which are rich in
essential vitamins, including A and E, which are linked
to good skin health.

Fruits and vegetables also contain high amounts of fiber,
which helps flush toxins out of the body, further
contributing to better skin health.

The last health advantage vegetarians enjoy is an increased
natural consumption of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are foods that help prevent cancer by
destroying free radicals. Vitamin C and Vitamin E, two
strong antioxidants, are commonly found in vegetarian
meals.

Vitamin C can be found in berries, tomatoes, citrus fruit,
kale, kiwis, asparagus and peppers.

Vitamin E can be found in wheat germ, seed oils, walnuts,
almonds, and brown rice--all foods that are commonly a
part of a well-balanced vegetarian diet.

So what does this all mean for you as a prospective
vegetarian?

It means the popular mythology about vegetarian diets
is false. Not only can a vegetarian diet be nutritionally
sufficient, but it can also affect better skin
health, prevent cancer, and increase your
heart health.

Does It Really Matter If I Become A Vegetarian?

As a prospective vegetarian, you probably question
whether or not it really matters if you stop eating meat.
You might wonder how much of a difference one additional
vegetarian can make.

And while it might be true that one vegetarian wont make
huge statistical difference in a world of meat-eaters--
and while it is also true that one more vegetarian
probably isn't going to turn the tide in the movement--
you can do a lot as an individual that will be good for
you and good for hundreds of animals animals.

Take, for instance, the number one cause of death in the
United States and other countries with meat-centered
diets: heart disease.

If it weren’t specifically for meat, eggs, and dairy
products--which are the three largest sources of
cholesterol--heart attacks and other heart and circulatory
problems would be far less prevalent. According to
EarthSave, the average vegetarian has about 1/4 the chance
of having a heart attack as the average nonvegetarian. As
for people who are pure vegans, it gets even lower: they
have less than 1/10 the chance of having a heart attack
as nonvegetarians.

In addition to heart health, you will get a number of other
health benefits as a vegetarian. For instance, you wont be
exposed to nearly as many preservatives, which are common
in meat and are linked to cancer. You wont be exposed to
various hormones (that are packed into animal feed), which
often disrupt normal hormonal processes in the body. And
you wont consume as much lactose, which most people cannot
digest properly--and which some dietitians have suggested
is a cause of digestive problems.

In addition to health benefits you will receive as an
individual, you will also reduce your share of the
suffering human beings inflict on animals.

According to veganoutreach.org, the average American
consumes 2,714 land animals in their lifetime. If you quit
eating meat now, you could literally prevent the suffering
and death of hundreds of animals of the course of a couple
decades.

In addition to this, if you stop eating eggs and drinking
milk, you will also reduce your share in the suffering and
death of battery hens and their offspring, as well as dairy
cows and their offspring, too.

So the answer is yes: it does matter whether or not you
become a vegetarian. It matters to the thousands of
animals you could potentially save and it matters to
you as an individual because you can greatly reduce
your chances of getting cancer and heart disease.

The Top Five Nutrients Vegetarians Lack

Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets have advantages.
Vegetarian diets tend to be rich in antioxidants, certain
vitamins, and healthy fats. Non-vegetarian diets, by
contrast, tend to contain more protein, iron, zinc,
calcium, and vitamin B-12.

If you already decided to adopt a vegetarian diet,
it is essential you learn how to increase your intake
and absorption of these nutrients to avoid short-term
and long-term health complications.

In the next few paragraphs, I will explain how you
can regularly assimilate larger portions of these
nutrients into your regular diet:

1. Protein. Different types of protein are made up
of different permutations of amino acid chains.
In order to create a "complete protein" or a
protein that can be assimilated into the human
body as tissue, you must consume foods that contain
complementary chains of amino acids.

Wheat, nuts, and beans are three types of vegan-friendly
incomplete proteins; however, wheat is hard to
digest and up to 50% of its protein is lost
during the process.

Isolated soy protein, which you can get from a number
of sources (including soy milk), can be digested
efficiently-enough to match the animal protein yields.

2. Iron. Plant sources contain a significant amount of
iron, but in nonheme form, which is more sensitive
to inhibitors than iron that comes from animal products.
You should do two things to increase your blood-iron
levels: 1) consume more plant iron; and 2) avoid absorption
inhibitors, such as tea, coffee, and fiber.

3. Zinc. Whereas non-vegetarian diets seem to enhance
the absorption of zinc; vegetarian and vegan diets
do the exact opposite--they inhibit it.

Nutritionists suggest that you can overcome
this by consuming more foods that contain zinc,
such as soybeans, cashews, and sunflower
seeds while reducing your intake of inhibitors
by washing vegetables and grains.

4. Calcium. While vegetarians can easily consume
an adequate amount of calcium without any dietary
additions, it is important that vegetarians avoid
consuming certain foods that are high in oxalates,
which inhibit calcium absorption.

Dietitians suggest that vegetarians do not consume
spinach, beet greens, and swiss chard as the
calcium component of a meal plan. While they are
rich in calcium, they also contain high amounts of
oxalates.

Rather than consuming those foods for calcium,
vegetarians should consider other options, such as
soy yogurt, tofu, beans, almonds, and calcium-
fortified foods.

5. Vitamin B-12. Many vegetarians lack
vitamin B-12 simply because it does not exist
naturally in any non-animal forms. Vegetarians
should seek out vitamin B-12 fortified foods,
such as certain soy milks and cereals to
supplement what they lack.

As I outlined, there are a number of nutrients
vegetarians can lack of they do not research
and plan. This is not meant to discourage
people from becoming vegetarians, but instead
to encourage them to spend time planning a
health approach to their vegetarian diet
before starting it.

When planned adequately, a vegetarian diet
can not only make up for what it lacks from
animal products, but it can far exceed
the healthfulness of most non-vegetarian diets.

Why Vegans Don't Consume Dairy Products

As with most dietary questions, vegans are split
on the issue of dairy products--not so much on the question
of whether or not they are acceptable, but instead for what
reasons they should not be consumed.

All vegans (or at least true vegans) abstain from consuming
dairy products. Some do so for nutritional reasons;
others abstain for ethical reasons.

Those who do it for nutritional reasons cite a range of
health problems related to the consumption of dairy
products, including high cholesterol. Many also have a
problem digesting lactose or have a blood-iron or diabetic
problem related to milk protein, casein. In addition to
this, milk and cheese often contain small portions of
undesirable hormones that are added to dairy cow feeds
to increase production.

Those who abstain from consuming dairy products for
ethical reasons also have a range of reasons for doing so.

Some cite the poor treatment of dairy cows as a main
reason for not consuming milk and cheese. They note that
dairy cows are forced to become pregnant once each
year to maintain a constantly high yield of milk.
They are also fed numerous steroids
to increase production.

Others who abstain for ethical reasons often cite the
maltreatment of dairy cow offspring. They note that calves
are not allowed to spend time with or suckle from the
mother, but instead are prematurely removed to be reared
for either veal production, beef production, or as
replacement dairy cows.

The calves selected for "veal" production are often forced
to live in crates so tiny that they cannot turn around.
They must face in one direction; they cannot groom
themeselves; and they are fed hormone-laden feed until
they are sent off to be slaughtered.

If you are a prospective vegan, you may want to take
some time now to think about what is best for you.
Ask yourself whether you wanted to become a vegan for
ethical reasons, dietary reasons, or both. And from
there, determine whether or not these arguments were
strong enough to compel you to do so. Either way, you
should emerge with a stronger viewpoint and a better
understanding of what you do and do not want.

Eating A Healthful Vegetarian Diet

Many people start vegetarian and vegan diets without
devoting an adequate amount of time to nutritional
research and meal planning. As a result, a considerable
amount of people who start vegetarian diets do not last
for more than 1-2 months.

Many dieters who fail to carefully research and plan
complain that they lack energy - and often experience
a significant loss in muscle mass. Others observe a
number of other more peripheral problems that come with a
poorly-planned vegetarian diet.

The first group--the group that most failed dieters fall
into--is actually experiencing a form of protein-energy
malnutrition (PEM). PEM emerges when a person fails to
consume enough protein, leading to muscle loss - and
subsequently feelings of weakness that are often
accompanied by head and muscle aches.

This problem can be circumvented by dietary alterations.
A vegetarian who is experiencing PEM should either a) find
out what foods contain what amino chains, so they can
combine them to form proteins; or b) start consuming
larger amounts and more diversified sources of protein,
such as nuts, soy milk, and yogurt.

The first group is often iron-deficient as well. Because
vegetarians can only consume nonheme iron, which
is more sensitive to iron inhibitors, they often do
not consume enough to maintain healthy blood-iron
levels. This can cause pervasive weakness and
even anemia.

Most nutritionists suggest that vegetarian and vegan
dieters consume roughly twice the recommended amount
of iron while greatly reducing their consumption of iron
inhibitors.

People in the second group--the smaller one--who suffer
from a range of other peripheral, diet-related problems are
often not consuming enough of the nutrients that they would
normally take in unknowingly on a diet that includes meat
and dairy products. These nutrients include, for example,
zinc, calcium, vitamin b, and riboflavin.

Some recent studies have suggested that vegetarians
also process certain types of foods with less
efficiency because they consume different amounts
and varieties of absorption inhibitors and enhancers.

Recent studies also suggest, however, that
a vegetarian or vegan diet, when done right, is
not only as healthful as a non-vegetarian diet, but it
is also much more heart-healthy - and usually
contains higher amounts of antioxidants.

What does this all mean for you as a prospective
vegetarian? It means that eating a healthful vegetarian
diet is not only a good alternative to your current diet,
but it can also lower your chances of getting heart
disease and cancer.

However, in order to eat a HEALTHFUL vegetarian diet,
you must actually put in the time to research and plan;
if you don’t, you most certainly will end up in one of the
two groups discussed above.

Natural Remedy for High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure can be defined as the force that is applied against the artery walls as blood passes through the arteries. Blood pressure is determined by the speed of blood-flow coming from the heart, and also the tone of the arteries. Adequate intake of calcium, potassium, and magnesium is necessary for blood pressure control. Less sodium will reduce blood pressure even more in many people. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is not a medical condition to take lightly. Once detected, it is essential that you comply with treatment for this condition, whether you use traditional medicine or a natural remedy for high blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure increases the risk for heart disease, stroke, aneurysm, kidney failure, heart attack and atherosclerosis. High blood pressure is not by itself fatal, but it is the main cause for additional life-threatening illnesses such as heart diseases, strokes, kidney diseases and blindness. Did you know that 90% of high blood pressure sufferers can treat themselves naturally.? Over the centuries, practitioners of herbal healing have isolated natural substances that act as natural remedies for high blood pressure. Garlic contains substances called alliin, alliinase and allicin that have beneficial effects on blood flow to the heart and brain. Garlic, however, has a negative interaction with blood-thinning drugs like Warfarin, and large doses used by pregnant women can cause a miscarriage. Olive leaves contain oleuropein, a substance that lowers blood pressure, treats infections and lowers cholesterol. Flax seed, whether ground or as oil, is another option for a natural way to decrease high blood pressure. Passion fruit juice is another option to keep away from the high blood pressure medications yet still decrease high blood pressure. Hawthorn leaves, flowers and berries are useful in combating mild high blood pressure by improving heart function and in treating irregular beating of the heart and angina. Another natural way to decrease high blood pressure, completely unrelated to food, it the idea of owning a pet or spending time with animals. Animals have a natural calming ability and studies have shown people who interact with pets have decreased blood pressure Higher dietary fiber can also lower blood pressure. One final way you can do in order to lower your blood pressure is eat low-fat, low-cholesterol foods. Don't saturate your bloodstream with fat and salt. In addition to the above natural remedies for high blood pressure ,lifestyle changes include following a low sodium diet, exercising, quitting smoking, losing weight, and avoiding excessive alcohol intake will increase your chances of lowering your high blood pressure. Are you concerned that your high blood pressure will keep you from leading a normal life? If you are serious about correcting this potentially life threatening condition for good Click Here!


About the Author
Mary Freeman is an accomplished Author who writes articles on Natural and Home Remedies. To access her remedy website, please visit http://www.eRemedySpot.com

MSG, Toxin in Our Foods

It is crucial today for us to live as natural as possible for human than ever. Human being in dire need of LOHAS (lifestyle of health and sustainability). Many unnatural or processed substances are comprised in our foods. We are exposed to those substances with unknown and proven effects. All of opinions are debatable, but we may take a glimpse into the proven quality of natural, healthy lifestyle.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) was invented as a food ingredient in 1908 in Japan, by Kikunae Ikeda. After that he formed a company, Ajinomoto, to manufacture MSG commercially. Lastly, this food additive appeared in the United States at the late 1940s, after the Second World War. It had been said during the war that Japanese soldiers' food provisions tasted better than US soldiers'. The difference was believed to be MSG. Nowadays, MSG or its reactive component, "processed free glutamic acid," is found in many processed foods in many countries.

In the beginning, people didn't know what the effect of MSG to human health. In 1957, Lucas and Newhouse found that normal neonatal mice suffered acute degenerative lesions when MSG was administered. In 1968, the New England Journal of Medicine published a Letter to the Editor in which Ho Man Kwok, MD, asked why he suffered reactions shortly after eating in some Chinese restaurants, though he never experienced such reactions when he lived in China. The journal titled the letter "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome," and researchers suggest that Dr. Kwok's problem was intolerance to MSG.

People differ in their tolerances to MSG, but typically always suffer similar reactions each time they ingest amounts of MSG that exceed their tolerances. Neuroscientists believe that the young and the elderly are most at risk from MSG. In the young, the blood-brain barrier is not fully developed, exposing the brain to increased levels of MSG that has entered the bloodstream. The elderly risk blood-brain damaged by aging, by disease processes, or by injury, including hypertension, diabetes, hypoglycemia, and stroke. MSG has now been implicated in some neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and Huntington's disease.

In reality, the natural glutamic acid found in food does not cause problems, but the synthetic free glutamic acid formed in industry is a toxin. In addition, when MSG is formed using hydrochloric acid the final product includes carcinogens. This is one indication for us that natural foods is always better to eat.

An FDA-sponsored study dated July 1992 concluded that "...it is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, children, women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders." (MSG is called glutamic acid when used in supplements.) After that, the industry stopped the practice. However, several years later, hydrolyzed proteins were introduced. Hydrolyzed proteins always contain MSG.

Based on those considerations, it is strongly recommended that you do your best to eliminate MSG from your diet, and that means avoiding all processed foods, having natural meals on your dining table, living with LOHAS (lifestyle of health and sustainability).



About the Author
Ozie Klein is health and natural therapy consultant. He is enthusiast for environmental issues and tips too. Just visit and get cool infos at his site, http://lohasian.blogspot.com

Eat Yogurt and Lose More Fat Around Your Tummy

According to recent studies, adding 2-3 servings of yogurt to your diet may increase your body's ability to burn fat, improve weight loss and trim fat from your waistline.
Obesity, especially in children, has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. The number of overweight children has more than doubled in the last three decades. Researchers have concluded that overweight adults who eat three servings of fat-free yogurt per day as part of a reduced calorie diet lose 22% more weight and 61% more fat than those who only reduced calories and didn't increase their calcium intake.

Those eating yogurt also lost 81% more fat from their waistline than those not eating yogurt. The calcium and protein from low-fat dairy products help the body burn fat and increases weight loss. The calcium in yogurt reduces the fat cells' ability to store fat.

Fat around the stomach is the most dangerous kind of fat. People carrying excess fat around their mid-section are more at risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some types of cancer.

Yogurt-eaters also hold on to their lean muscle mass while losing weight than subjects on a yogurt-free diet. This is extremely crucial when dieting - your goal is to lose fat, not muscle. Muscle is a critical component to burning calories.

If you are trying to lose weight, eating calcium-rich foods such as low fat milk and yogurt while increasing physical activity will yield surprising results. Your consumption of carbonated and sweetened drinks should be reduced.

I recommend plain yogurt because nutritionally it is the best. If you must have some flavor, try adding some sugar free maple, honey, bananas, apples or blueberries. Vanilla or lemon extract are tasty additions to yogurt as well. It is best to add your own flavorings to your yogurt so you can remain in control of the amount of added sugar.

I would also recommend investing in a yogurt maker. With a yogurt maker you have control over your ingredients. It's more cost effective and you can make a substantial amount of yogurt at a time. You'll have fun creating your own recipes and achieving the perfect taste for your palate.

It is unwise to exclude dairy products, such as yogurt, while dieting. It is critical to keep your calcium levels high to maintain bone density and muscle mass. The calcium from yogurt will also aid in increasing fat loss and will make your weight loss efforts easier.



About the Author
The author's website Yogurt Maker Enthusiast features tips on yogurt, using yogurt makers, yogurt starters and homemade yogurt recipes.

Slow The Aging Process And Disease By Reducing Blood Sugar And Fat

The main cause of any chronic disease of aging including Type II diabetes, CV disease, obesity, osteoporosis, and cancer are all caused by miss communication between signals that tell your body how to turn energy into life and the brain. The two most important signals that we know of today are given by the hormones insulin and leptin.
Leptin is an extremely powerful and influential hormone that is produced by fat cells. It has totally changed the way scientific researchers look at fat, nutrition, and metabolism in general. Before leptin's discovery in 1994, fat was regarded as strictly an ugly energy store that most everyone was trying to get rid of. However, after it was discovered that leptin is actually produced by fat, fat became an endocrine organ similar to the ovaries, pancreas, and pituitary, as it influences the rest of the body, especially the brain.

Leptin is the most powerful regulator known to date of eating and reproduction. Your fat tells your brain whether you should be hungry or eat and make more fat, whether you should reproduce and make babies, or whether to maintain and repair yourself. It can then be stated that instead of your brain being in control of your body, your body, especially its fat and leptin, controls your brain.

Throughout history, it has been in ones best interest to store some fat to call upon during times of famine. However, it is also just as bad to be too fat. For most of our history, it was necessary to run, hunt, and avoid being prey. Therefore, fat storage had to be highly regulated and it still is. When a person typically tries to lose weight, the body tries to gain it back, resulting in what is commonly known as yo-yo dieting. Because of this, it has long been theorized that there is a "set point" and there must be a hormone that determines this.

Science now believes that leptin is that hormone. So in order to break the yo-yo cycle, one must control leptin. If a person is getting too fat, the extra fat produces more leptin that is suppose to tell the brain there is too much fat stored and the excess should be burned. Signals are then sent to the hypothalamus to stop being hungry, stop eating, stop storing fat, and start burning off some extra fat. Controlling hunger is a major way that leptin controls energy storage. Hunger is a very powerful drive that will make you do all you can to eat if it is stimulated long enough.

The only way to eat less in the long-term is to not be hungry and the only way to do this is to control the hormones that regulate hunger. The primary hormone that does this is leptin. It has recently been found that leptin not only changes brain chemistry, but can also rewire the neurons in areas of the brain that control hunger and metabolism to do its bidding. The inability of the body to hear leptin's signals plays significant and even primary roles in heart disease, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases, reproductive disorders, cancer, and even the rate of aging itself.

In a process called glycation, glucose reacts with protein which results in sticky, sugar-damaged proteins called advanced glycated end products, or AGEs for short. When protein is damaged, it can't function or communicate properly. AGEs promote excessive inflammation and free radical damage. AGEs and free radicals from oxidation are two of the major molecular mechanisms that cause damage which leads to aging. AGEs cause skin and the lining of arteries to wrinkle and inflame, which contributes to plaque and heart attacks. They can also promote the formation of cataracts and macular degeneration leading eventually to blindness.

The glycation process has also been connected with the destruction of proteins and nerve cells that may lead to Alzheimer's disease, memory loss, and a variety of neuropathies. Glycation and oxidation are two of the major molecular mechanisms where damage accrues, disease occurs, and death results. High blood sugar can suppress your immune system, making you more vulnerable to infection and cancer. Highly aggressive cancers outpace the availability of oxygen and therefore must use an anaerobic fuel, in the form of glucose. By consuming glucose (sugar), we feed cancer. Lastly, high blood levels of sugar form non-fiber carbohydrates and excess protein send leptin and insulin levels upward.

If there is a known marker for long life, it is low insulin levels. Insulin's purpose is not only to regulate blood sugar, but to store excess energy for future times of need. Insulin also lowers blood glucose levels as a side effect from storing it away, not regulating it. Today, high glucose is quite normal, as our insulin levels are typically much higher than they were among our ancestors. When you are constantly bombarding your cells with insulin, they become insulin resistant. This causes insulin levels to rise, creating a hormonal derangement that has a catastrophic effect on the metabolism.

High insulin contributes to making you fat because it tells your cells to store nutrients as fat rather than to burn it. Repeated high levels of insulin cause insulin resistance. The more fat the body accumulates the more leptin the body can produce so fat works against to slow down insulin production causing insulin resistance..

High insulin causes the retention of sodium, fluid retention, excretion of magnesium, elevated blood pressure, cognitive heart failure, blood clotting, and arterial plaque formation. Heart attacks are much more likely to happen after a meal that is high in carbohydrates than after one that is high in fat. This triggers a stress response which can cause arterial spasm, constriction of arteries, elevated blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and sudden death. Insulin resistance along with low magnesium keeps you from metabolizing important fatty acids that are vital to your heart health in general.

As critical as insulin is in your health, leptin may even be more so. Leptin plays a significant role in obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, and cancer. But there are clues as to how to live a long and healthy life which brings us back to fat and leptin and our need to control it. One can control their insulin production and fat by dietary changes and blood sugar supplements.



About the Author
More information on diet and blood sugar supplements is available at VitaNet ®, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/

Getting anxious over Anxiety Depression?

A lot of people who are exerting too much of their brain power usually exhaust not only their physical strength when engaging in various multi-tasking activities, they also tend to over extend their brains up to the point when it plainly needs some good old time for relaxation. A lot of busy people who seem to cannot fathom the idea of relaxing and taking time of from work, as well as their worries, tend to actually start having nervous breakdowns, anxiety depression and all sorts of mental illnesses that can cause a person's sanity to go haywire, fortunately, if you're one of those poor unfortunate ones who are unable to distress and is constantly worried and fussing over things, there are actually available cures and various treatments for treating anxiety depression.

Anxiety depression is actually characterized by all sorts of irregularities and erratic behavior from the person who is suffering from it, this is usuallu due to certain stress triggers that may tend to easily cause a person undue jitters and stress. Also, a lot of people who tend to get easily nervous over stressful activities are actually prone to having anxiety depression, its just a matter of being strong-willed when it comes to facing difficult and stress-prone activities. It may be pretty hard to overcome at first, but trying to be calm and cool in times of extreme pressure is what'll actually save your mental health from going totally downward spiral.

When it comes to effectively curing one's self from a mental illness, one must keep in mind that you have to be actually honest with yourself and assess what kind of depression or mental illness you actually have, go to reputable psychiatrist to get yourself diagnosed correctly as well as be able to get the right depression treatment for yourself. Here are the various types of depression:

Manic or Bipolar depression - characterized by sudden and extreme changes in one's mood wherein one minute he or she is in an elevated state of euphoria while the
next minute (day or week) he or she is feeling to be in a personal hell.

Postpartum depression - characterized by a prolonged sadness and a feeling of emptiness by a new mother wherein physical stress during child birth, an uncertain sense of responsibility towards the new born baby can be just some of the possible factors why some new mother go through this.

Dysthimia - characterized by a slight similarity with depression, although this time, it's been proven to be a lot less severe, but of course with any case, should be treated immediately.

Cyclothemia - characterized by a slight similarity with Manic or Bipolar depression wherein the individual suffering from this mental illness may occasionally suffer from severe changes in one's moods.

Seasonal Affective Disorder - characterized by falling in a rut only during specific seasons (i.e. Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall) studies however, prove that more people
actually fall in to a rut more during the Winter and Fall seasons and lastly, Mood swings, wherein a person's mood may shift from happy to sad to angry in just a short time.

But the type of depression that has actually been proven to be quite common among people is anxiety depression, which is actually characterized by the state of being overly anxious about things. Anxiety, a supposedly normal behavior that'll actually help a person adjust more to a certain stressful activity like first date jitters or a grueling exam the following day. Anxiety actually helps you get psyched up towards facing certain "difficult situations"; anxiety therefore is actually a good thing. Anxiety depression however, is simply the opposite, not to be easily dismissed as a "case of the nerves"; Anxiety depression is in actuality an illness that can be caused from the biological makeup of an individual, or in other words, a hereditary illness.

Also, there are actually various types of Anxiety depression, each having its own unique characteristics. Take for example Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD, this kind of Anxiety depression is a lot more complicated than the average Anxiety depression, in spite of possibly being a day-to-day habit for those who suffer this kind of Anxiety depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder actually makes the individual quite more paranoid than usual, anxiety attacks are more frequent, even absurd at times. They can even be anxious even when there's no apparent reason that calls for them to behave in such a way. People suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder actually shows a lot of symptoms, from lack of sleep, to being unable to relax, getting tired easily, cannot concentrate on what they're doing and even suffering from depression. This kind of Anxiety depression is still curable; just a little work will actually do the trick.

Consult a reputable cognitive behavior therapist who'll help give the individual the therapy that he or she needs to help him or her loosen up, also prescribed medicines are sort of a must to help these individuals battle anxiety attacks, help them calm down and relax.

Nutrition Fact Label: Use It To Make Healthy Food Choices

Educate yourself about nutrition fact labels and use them regularly when shopping. They provide valuable information that will help you make wise food choices. Remember, knowing is always better than not knowing! You can bury your head in the sand but it will show up on your scale!
Serving Size and Servings Per Container:

Together, these two make up the most important information provided by your nutrition fact label! Note them carefully. This information can be very misleading. Everything else on the food label is based on this information! Many times, you will think you're eating one serving when you're actually eating two or more. Looks can be deceiving! BE CAREFUL! Always ask yourself, "How much am I consuming?"

Number of Total Calories and Number of Calories from Fat:

Remember that all information is PER SERVING. If you have two servings per package, you must double these numbers.

A calorie is a unit of measure that tells you how much energy is provided per serving of that food. A general guide to calories is that 40=low, 100=moderate, and 400=high.

In order to reach and maintain an optimal weight, you must expend more calories than you consume. (Sounds so easy, right?) It's that "expenditure part" that does most of us in.

To roughly estimate how many calories you need each day, follow this guideline:

Are you sedentary? Multiply your weight by 14

Are you moderately active? Multiply your weight by 17

Are you active? Multiply your weight by 20

Nutrition Numbers:

Nutrition numbers consist of total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, sugars, protein, and milligrams of cholesterol and sodium. Some nutrition labels also list monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and milligrams of potassium. Some important vitamins and minerals are not required to appear on the Nutrition Fact Label, but many manufacturers add them anyway.

Notice that the first several nutrients are the ones you want to LIMIT in your diet. Eating too much fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or sodium may increase your risk of heart disease, cancers, and high blood pressure. The nutrients listed next are the ones that you need to make sure you get enough of. Most people don't get enough fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron. Getting enough of these nutrients can improve your general health and reduce your risk of some diseases and conditions.

Some Nutrition Fact Labels list a footnote at the bottom of each label. Some footnotes are complete and some are not, depending on the size of the label. The footnote simply lists, based on the 2,000-calorie diet, the recommended dietary amounts for all Americans. This information is standard and does not change from label to label.

Percent Daily Values (%DV)

The Percent Daily Value (%DV) is a valuable tool that shows you how much of each nutrient one serving provides based on a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet. You do not have to consume 2,000 calories a day to use these numbers. This is just the standard. You don't have to calculate anything in order to benefit from this information! The %DV does the math for you!

As a rule of thumb, 5% DV or less is low, while 20% DV or more is high. Remember that everything is dependent upon portion size. If you double the amount you consume, you must double the numbers! Example: One serving of a product has 18%DV of fat, which is less than 20%, and therefore not "high." If you eat two servings, which is the entire package, you have consumed 36%, well above "high." That would only leave you 64% of your fat allowance for everything else you eat that day.

For nutrients that you tend to get too much of (fat, cholesterol, sodium), you want to try to total 100% or less of the Recommended Daily Value (RDV) each day.

When reading labels, look to see that the nutrients you want to get more of (carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals) have higher percentages and the nutrients you want to get less of (fat, cholesterol, sodium) have lower percentages.

You can also use %DV to compare similar products and you can check products labeled "reduced fat", "light", and "nonfat" to see which has the highest percentage of a nutrient.

If used correctly, %DV can help you make wise, daily food choices. If you eat something particularly high at one meal, you can use this information to balance your intake at another meal.

Note that trans fat, protein, and sugars do not have %DV.

Trans Fat: Research links trans fat to high LDL (L=Lousy!) cholesterol levels and should be avoided!

Protein: %DV only has to be listed for protein if the product claims to be "high in protein" or if the product is for children under the age of four.

Sugar: There is no daily recommended amount for sugar. Watch ingredient lists for sugar and its synonyms, such as:

Sugar
Sucrose
Fructose
Maltose
Lactose

Honey
Syrup
Corn syrup
High-fructose corn syrup
Molasses, and
Fruit juice
If used correctly, nutrition fact labels are a valuable resource to assist us with our dietary selections.

About the AuthorGail M. Davis is the author of the weight loss advice site www.easy-weightloss-tips.com. For more tips on weight loss visit our site today!

Adult Vitamin using Ginkgo Biloba - Ginkgo Biloba Properties

Ginkgo Biloba has gained so much fame internationally is such rapid time... do not be mistaken as they truly have a lot to offer. USA and European countries have been introduced to in the past thirty years, but for a country like China this herb is like an ancient heritage.
The inception of this herb can be dated back to greater than two hundred million years, and the credit for preserving the famous plant should be given to Chinese monks. During the 1700's Ginkgo Biloba was introduced to Europe while today in countries like Germany & France it has become a frequently prescribed drug. This herb is a world-wide well-researched herb. Due to its now widely accepted benefits it has become the target of hundreds of researches across the globe.

There are scores of Vitamin supplements that have Ginkgo Biloba extracts in them. Require solitary Ginkgo Biloba extracts, here are some listed below:

* Uniform extracts that have 24 to 32 percent flavonoids (also known as flavones glycosides or heterosides) & 6 to 12 percent terpenoids (triterpene lactones)

* Liquid extracts (glycerites, tinctures & fluid extracts)

* Tablets

* Capsules

* Some special dried out leaves for use in tea

If you are an adult consuming this thing then your intake should be eighty to two hundred forty milligrams of 50:1 unvarying leaf extract consumed every day. Consume through2 or then 3 substitutes of a dose & researched (uniform 24% - 25% ginkgo flavone glycosides & 6% terpine lactones).

Tea leaf too contain extracts ( tea bags have upto 30 mg of extract), range from three to six ml of 40 mg/ml extract every day to be consumed thrice in divided doses, also processed foods. What should be avoided are Ginkgo seeds as they are potentially toxic. Similarly intra venous options should not be opted for as they too can be harmful.

Are there any gains Adult vitamin added with Ginkgo Biloba gives? What is there in to make it this excellent? Why is Ginkgo Biloba chosen over other herbal medicines? There are almost no medical practitioners who would say it is necessary herb treatment for all but under some conditions it has been proven that it can cure superbly.

Ginkgo consist of 2 active groups of molecules, terpene lactones (trepenoids) & flavonoids, additionally it has bilobalide, ginkgolides A, B, & C, kaempfero & quercetin. Now let us list some benefits for you like ginkgolides help in containing allergy reactions, gives relief to asthma and anaphylactic shock.

Flavonoids provide relief with convincing antioxidant effects. Many researches have been conducted and they show that falconoid act as a wall of protection to retina from damage, nerves, blood vessels, & heart muscle.

Terpenoids benefits blood flow by widening blood vessels and also reduces the stickiness of the platelets. Antioxidants are vital for our body to function normally and in a systematic manner, Flavonoids does exactly that by freeing radicals that are present in bodies.

Toxins that are present in the environmental such as suspended particles, ultraviolet rays, radiation and cigarette smoking have a had a very disconcerting effect on us, this up trend in hazardous free radicals can lead to heart diseases, aging, cancer, cell death & Alzheimer's disease all the way to few forms of dementia.

For those who have any fear of heart related problems then Ginkgo goes a long way in managing the alteration of cholesterol to plaque that causes the blocking of arteries, also help in relaxing thin blood vessels.

Ginkgo Biloba vitamins is the by products derived from Ginkgo Biloba leaves. From the time you start using such supplements and thereafter if you tend to experience any irregularities in digestion or skin disorder then do visit your doctor for advise immediately.


About the Author
Discover more on ginkgo biloba properties and pollinator for ginkgo biloba when you visit http://www.myginkgobiloba.com

Easy Weight Loss Method

For people that need an easy weight loss method, the bad news is that no system is perfect; surprisingly, there are methods that provide a high degree of success. Apart from the medical issues that surround obesity, feelings of self-worth can be damaged as well as an inability to carry out even basic physical activities if you are overweight.
There is an abundance of information about easy weight loss methods on the Internet but how many pounds are lost will depend a great deal on the attitude of the user. Losing weight can be for health reasons, self image reasons or both but whatever the reason, you must be sure that you're doing it for your benefit and not another person.

There are a number of things to consider which will help make your weight loss program easier including; the time of day you eat, how often, what you in fact eat and of course what physical activity you carry out. Many people have unrealistic expectations about how much weight they should lose every month but weight loss should not be rapid which can have a serious impact on your health.

Considering that one pound represents 3500 calories which can be burned or lost in a week, it means you need to get rid of 500 calories a day either through exercise or proper diet. Most of us eat too much and definitely an excess of junk foods which we shouldn't rely on the way we do although it is not a good idea cut out everything you enjoy.

Stress can be a large determining factor in how much food is consumed and many women will eat more because they feel low or insecure and when they put on weight they feel worse which continues the cycle. Bad eating habits are a real issue that can cause diabetes, cancer, various heart problems and high blood pressure. When dealing with an overweight person, you cannot rely solely on any easy weight loss diet to be a ‘cure-all' when the psychological factor has not been considered.

One aspect that also needs to be included is how the person pursues the subject of their weight loss program as those who take a more relaxed approach are usually more successful. It helps to provide an environment of positive mental attitude which is necessary for us if we wish to be successful in any endeavor. Most people who have maintained their weight loss have found themselves with more energy and actually like themselves more because they have achieved something special.

Losing excess pounds using an easy weight loss program is as much about changing your mental attitude as it is your life style habits by reducing the amount you eat.

About the Author
www.w8lose.com

The 3 Different Acne Treats

Anyone that suffers with acne (Zits) may feel as if they spend most of their time searching for remedies. Fortunately, skin care treatments are plentiful. It is one of those areas where research has continued to make advancements. As a consequence, many of these new treatments are very affective. Although there may seem like a huge range of acne skin care products, they can be broken down into three broad categories: - Drugstore: Preventative treatment - Over-the-counter: Treatment - Prescription: Dermatologist or Doctor, specialist cream or ointment
The preventative products are formulated to treat the skin in an effort to prevent acne from arising like skin cleansers and makeup removers. Whilst many sufferers use these products there are even more people who just want to keep their skin clean and conditioned.

Many of these cleansers act in almost exactly the same way as acne skin care products which have been formulated to limit the amount of oil or sebum forming in the pores. When the pores become clogged with this oil, bacteria which can cause the problem begin to grow. These skin care products are designed to prevent this from happening.

Exfoliation skin peels have proved quite effective as a skin care treatment and at controlling the problem. There are now more and more of these types of products available over the counter. Dead skin cells and other atmospheric pollutants are removed cleaning the pores which reduce the chance of any bacterial growth.

Many other acne skin care products have become available over the counter and on the internet. They don't usually require a prescription. Products that contain the chemical benzoyl peroxide and the naturally occurring salicylic acid are used in vanishing creams. They work by removing the excess oil from the skin and halt the growth of acne.

You should start with a product that has lower concentration of benzoyl peroxide (e.g. 5%) and see how your skin responds. Alpha-hydroxy-acid based moisturizers are also popular as a skin care regime. As with any type of zit creams, you may need to try a few acne skin care products until you find one that will suit your skin. If this is proving difficult, your dermatologist should be able to help.

Products that your dermatologist or doctor will recommend will only be available on prescription, they may include a course of antibiotics or topical ointments. Under certain circumstances, having the infected material removed from the pores under a local anesthetic may be suggested by your dermatologist. This is something you should never attempt yourself.

Your doctor could prescribe a hormone-based treatment to treat your skin problem. Hormonal changes are known to cause acne and such skin care treatments are sometimes known to be effective. Tackling this skin condition is not the problem it once was and if treated properly permanently marked skin does not have to happen.



About the Author
Find more free info on acne blackheads natural treatment at http://www.cystic-acne-natural-treatment.com

All about the Sleep Disorder Chronic Insomnia

Recent studies by scientists have suggested that chronic insomnia is on the rise, with about 60 million American sufferers each year. Chronic Insomnia is just one out of a large range of sleep disorders that can bother us as we attempt to sleep. Chronic insomnia can be differentiated from transient insomnia which usually only lasts a few days or up to a week at most. Serious chronic insomnia can persist for many months or even years and could be caused by other sleep disorders.
Insomnia may be caused by many things such as stress, anxiety or bad sleep hygiene. What you must know is that insomnia can be treated - you don't have to suffer anymore and lose your rest because of this disorder. Insomnia is different from getting poor quality of sleep, though that may be an important factor.

If left untreated, sleep disorders such as this can become a major problem and may affect concentration and cause headaches. Your quality of life will be reduced and you may be at a higher risk of getting a serious illness due to a weaker immune system. Our body needs enough sleep to repair itself and keeping it deprived of sleep for extended periods will disrupt it's normal regenerative activity.

Fortunately, with the right steps, chronic insomnia can be treated and even completely eliminated. You may want to take a look at our article that will show you ways to fall asleep quickly, which may assist you in fighting chronic insomnia.

If chronic insomnia continues to persist, you should consider visiting a sleep specialist, who will recommend appropriate treatment after diagnosing the problem and finding it's root cause. Note that many sleeping pills will not help and instead worsen the problem. Please consult a doctor before you start on any type of sleep medication.



About the Author
8C8 has a blog where you can find sleep related advice. Visit his blog for more tips and tricks on how to get better sleep.

Health Insurance Woes and How to Fix Them

For those with health insurance, the rising costs can mean the difference between going to the doctor when you are sick and only going when it is an emergency.
With the rising cost of health insurance premiums, the rising costs of prescription medications, and the rising co-payments, many people find that they have to choose when they can go to the doctor. There are some things that you can do to lower the costs of health insurance premiums and actually go to the doctor when you need to. Here are some tips and tricks that can help you lower the rising costs of premiums and other health care expenses:

Adjust co-payments - Normally, health insurance carriers will allow customers to increase their deductibles and/or co-payments to help lower the monthly premiums that they pay. This can help customers when they need to go to the doctor by reducing the premium that they have to pay. You can easily contact your health insurance provider and find out your options when it comes to reducing your premiums by increasing your deductible or co-payments.

Cut out the extras on your health insurance plan - Every health insurance company will usually load down health insurance plans with extras that most people do not need, such as eye care, dental care, life insurance, and so on. These extras can add up pretty quickly and end up raising the monthly premium that people pay for their health insurance. By simply cutting out the extras that you do not need, it can lower your premiums. You can contact your health insurance company to find out the extras that are on your health insurance plan and see which ones you can cut out to save a bit of money.

Shop around - If you think that your premiums may be too high, then shop around. There are a ton of health insurance companies out there, and they are all trying to win more business. It is easy to shop around and see which company will give you the services you need and want for the lowest price. You may even find that you can save hundreds of dollars on your insurance plan by simply shopping around.

Switch your prescription plan - Some health insurance companies offer different prescription drug benefits that you can choose from. While this may mean that you pay more for prescription medications, it may mean a significant decrease in your health insurance premiums.

Of course, there are plenty of other ways that you can save money on your health insurance and medical care costs. These are just a few ways that you can cut back on the amount of money that you are spending on your health insurance premiums each month.



About the Author
Bradley Palmer is with Grouphealthflorida.com offering Florida Group Health Insurance. To learn more about group health insurance, visit http://www.grouphealthflorida.com.

Diet pills and diet to loose weight

If you are looking to lose weight fast appetite suppressants like Phenterthin are a great way to curb hunger pangs. However along with diet pills you also need to eat balanced diet. Mentioned below are some important food types that will help in loosing weight fast. a) Water: Water forms upto 60% of a human body. It is regarded as natures wonder element for fighting weight loss and effective weight management. Water fills up the stomach and cleanses the body system with any toxins. A lot of times during hunger pangs, drinking water instead does the trick. Some Dieticians recommend having warm water after every meal to melt body fat and remove any extra fat that might have been consumed in the meal before. Try to have between 1.5 to 2 liters of water each day. 2. Fiber: Fiber works by keeping the bowel clean and by also filling the stomach causing a sensation of fullness. Fiber also helps in preventing different kinds of illnesses. Foods which are high in dietary fiber are also low on calories and eating them means taking in low amount of daily calories. On an average a person consumes somewhere around 8gs per day and this can be taken upto 25 g each day. 3.Protien Protien is one of the best type of food group to eat of you want to loose weight fast and also stay full the entire day. Protein also helps in balancing carbs and blood sugar levels. It helps in building and maintaining muscle mass which in turn helps in burning a lot of calories.Goof protein options include: eggs, fish, soy products, skimmed milk and products made out of skimmed milk, lean meat like chicken etc., The above diet combined with a good diet pills like Phenterthin can help in loosing weight fast. Obviously these diet changes do not have to be temporary and have to be a part of your daily food intake. For more information on Phenterthin , please visit http://nexgenlabsusa.com



About the Author
http://nexgenlabsusa.com provides Phenterthin weight loss pills which is a very popular over the counter health supplements. Please visit http://nexgenlabsusa.com information on safe over the counter pharmaceutical and to buy them online.

Sexual Health of Men!

The sexual health of men is not as complicated as that of women. Show a man a certain type of image and if his brain and nervous system are working properly to produce nitric oxide, then a response will usually occur. That’s not to discount any mental, emotional, and spiritual components but it is the physical component that has the greatest impact on man’s sexual health. This article will focus on what men can do to improve the physical component of their sexual health. The side benefit is that these suggestions can also positively impact your overall wellness and how you age.

In all the information I gathered to prepare for this article, two overriding issues kept surfacing. These two health issues were consistently present. The first is hormone levels. The second is cardiovascular health. Most men would understand how hormone levels could apply but few ever consider cardiovascular health.

Cardiovascular Health!
Your cardiovascular health is as important to your sexual health as it is to your overall health. The reason why centers on the health of the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels of your body. The creation of nitric oxide occurs in these endothelial cells. Nitric oxide researchers believe that nitric oxide can correct up to 90% of all penile dysfunction. When the endothelial cells are damaged by high blood pressure, high sugar levels, cholesterol, and smoking this decreases nitric oxide production. Endothelial cells and their ability to produce nitric oxide are critical to the sexual health of men.

Hormone Levels!
At its simplest level, sex is just a hormone driven function designed to perpetuate the species. With that said, the sexual health of American men is in trouble. Testosterone levels have been decreasing over the last 20 years. Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone. It plays an important role in maintaining bone and muscle mass. Low levels of testosterone have been linked to lowered libido and diabetes. Diabetes can affect the endothelial cells of the blood vessels compounding the problem of lower testosterone levels.

Over the past two decades, the level of testosterone in American males has decreased by 16 percent. Researchers don’t know why. But there are some clues. The recent Nurses’ Health Study revealed some important truths as they apply to women. Some of those truths also apply to the sexual health of men because they affect both hormonal levels and cardiovascular health.

Additionally, as testosterone levels have decreased this has resulted in reduced muscle mass and tone, reduced metabolism and energy and an increase in body fat. Not a sexy combination! You can accept it and do nothing about it. Or, you can begin to live life by making healthier eating and exercise choices. Choices that will help your body actually be younger physically than your chronological age.

You Have Control Over the Process!
Every day you replace approximately 1% of your cells. That means that 1% of your body is new today, 1% is new tomorrow, and 1% is new each and every day of your life. You choose whether those new cells will be nourished properly or poorly. You choose whether you will have healthy and vibrant cells that act young. Or, sickly and sedentary cells that act old.

The sexual health of your body will be affected by the choices you make. I call it “The 1% Solution!” and it will positively affect the cardiovascular and sexual health of your body.

Choices Affecting Sexual Health!
The Nurses’ Health Study highlighted five critical lifestyle and diet behaviors. They are:

• Carbohydrates ��" Slow verses Fast!
• Fats ��" Natural verses Artificial!
• Protein ��" Animal or Plant!
• Body Weight ��" Your BMI!
• Exercise ��" Is It Important?

If you look at this list, three critical components emerge: Diet, Weight, and Exercise! Now you might think that this only applies to women. It doesn’t! Each of these factors will affect your cardiovascular health and hormonal balance. Each of these factors also affects the health of your endothelial cells and their ability to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide production is the most important component to the sexual health of men. Let’s look at how all of these factors impact your sexual health.

The Diet Component!
You are what you eat and drink. The sexual health of your body and the cardiovascular health of your circulatory system will be greatly determined by your food and drink choices. These choices will also impact the potential for disease and how you age.

Your first choice is in the area of carbohydrates. Are you choosing foods and drinks that are high in fast carbs (simple sugars)? If you are, then you need to understand that:

• Fast carbs disrupt hormone levels.
• Fast carbs create the potential for high blood sugar that can lead to diabetes.
• High blood sugar can damage the endothelial cells of your blood vessels reducing the production of nitric oxide which is critical for good sexual and cardiovascular health.

Learn to consume foods that are high in slow carbs (complex carbohydrates). Slow carbs will help to keep your blood sugar levels normal and your hormonal levels balanced. Drink water instead of sugary drinks and diet sodas. Drinking water hydrates your system, helps you balance your hormone levels, and aids in weight management.

Your second choice is in the area of fats. Eliminate all trans fats from your diet and replace them with natural, heart-health fats. The Nurses’ Health Study clearly showed how disruptive trans fats are to fertility in women. As little as four grams of trans fat (the equivalent of two tablespoons of stick margarine, one medium order of French fries or one doughnut) began to disrupt their hormonal balance.

How much of your diet consists of trans fats from fast food restaurants? How many orders of French fries and doughnuts have you consumed at work? Although I can’t give you any hard research on men, it makes sense that we can be as affected by trans fats as women are. It’s time that you incorporate foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (such as wild, cold-water fish, walnuts, and flax seeds) since essential fats help to balance hormone levels and promote healthy cell function.

Your third choice is in the area of protein. According to the Nurses’ Health Study, women who got their protein from plant sources rather then from animals took a big step toward improved fertility. Animal protein can adversely affect your sexual health. It also has a direct influence on cancer!

If you’re not willing to give up your beef, pork or chicken, then invest the time, energy and extra cost to make sure that these sources of protein are hormone free. This also applies to your dairy products. Much of the industry still relies on hormonal injections into their livestock to help increase food production. Eating meat from these animals and their byproducts will affect your hormonal levels. If you’re not willing to switch to plant-based protein sources, then make sure your meat and dairy sources are hormone free.

The Weight Component!
Like it or not weight impacts the sexual health of your body. Why? Because fat interferes with your hormonal balance! Fat also stresses your cardiovascular system. This additional stress on your cardiovascular system will compromise the sexual health of your body. Currently, 66% of Americans are overweight with at least a third being obese. Diets are not the answer. America has been dieting for the last 50 years. It has had no real impact on slowing down overweight and obesity rates.

You need a paradigm shift from “dieting” to “healthy eating”. Make food choices based on how it will improve your health and wellness, not on how it will impact your weight. Most people who do this see their weight stabilize or decrease.

The Exercise Component!
Exercise is important for both sexual and cardiovascular health. Inactivity saps the body of its ability to respond to insulin and makes you less efficient in absorbing blood sugar. A study from the Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality highlighted that people who exercised on a regular basis:

• Feel better about themselves.
• Think they are more sexually desirable.
• Experience greater levels of satisfaction.

It’s always important to check with your physician or health care provider before you start an exercise program. Once you have their OK, than strive to get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. Aerobic exercises like walking, jogging, biking, and swimming are important and seem to increase circulation to the pelvis and the reproductive organs. But don’t forget about strength training exercises. Strength training exercises will help you maintain bone health and density. Additionally, strength training exercises will increase your spatial awareness. This is a very positive feeling that improves your overall well being.

The Nitric Oxide Component!
You cannot live without nitric oxide. Your cardiovascular system could not function properly without nitric oxide. The sexual health of your body revolves around the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide production is dependant upon the health of the endothelial cells of your blood vessels, and adequate supplies of the essential amino acid L-arginine.

High blood pressure, high sugar levels, high cholesterol levels and smoking all affect your endothelial cells in a negative way. Damage to these endothelial cells will reduce nitric oxide production. This can compromise the blood flow to the sexual organ resulting in reduced sensitivity and/or erectile dysfunction.

Since nitric oxide is synthesized from the essential amino acid L-arginine, your diet needs to include protein sources and/or supplements that contain this amino acid. It needs to be emphasized that L-arginine is not a hormone and it is not testosterone. However, when properly brought into the body it can cross the blood-brain barrier to signal the hypothalamus to naturally trigger the pituitary gland to produce growth hormone. This is the key to eliminating any negative side effects typically associated with hormone supplements like DHEA and HGH.

Please note that L-arginine has a dark side and can cause some serious side effects. Read my article, “L-arginine, Nitric Oxide and Sexual Health!” for more information on this essential amino acid.

Conclusion!
If you continue a life of inactively, animal protein intake, sugary drinks, foods made from refined grains, increased body fat, and inadequate nitric oxide production, then you will become part of the new reality for America. This new reality includes epidemic increases in diabetes, continued high levels of cardiovascular disease and stroke, continued high levels of cancer, and poor sexual health especially for those over the age of 40. As Aristotle said, “We Are What We Repeatedly Do!”

By taking the necessary steps to improve your diet, manage your weight, exercise properly and increase your body’s ability to produce nitric oxide you will experience positive changes in the sexual health of your body. If you repeatedly take these positive steps you will also improve your wellness and slow down your aging.

One Final Thought!
Although the hormonal balance between men and women are different, the process of change is the same. Many of the steps that improve the sexual health of men will also help improve the sexual health of women. Encourage your spouse or partner to implement these changes with you. If you both take the steps to improve your health, then you will both be reward in the bedroom, and in living your life to its fullest.

Until next time, may we both age youthfully!


About the Author
Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years. His website www.Aging-No-More.com provides current information on how to slow down the aging process.