According to David C. Nieman, DrPH, director of the Human Performance Lab at Appalachian State University, NC Research Campus, "A brisk daily walk is the single most powerful thing you can do to prevent illness. He found that people who exercise 20 minutes a day five days a week reduced their number of sick days by 43%. Get walking!
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Do you know someone who has or has died of lung cancer? My father-in-law passed away several years ago from lung cancer. He was a heavy smoker for many years and that probably paid a big part in his cancer. However, nonsmokers also develop lung cancer. So what causes lung cancer? Below are a few facts about lung cancer.
Lung cancer happens when cells in the lungs grow out of control and form tumors.
Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer.
Lung cancer is serious, but there are many treatments available today. Also, research is ongoing into new treatments for this disease.
One of the most important things about lung cancer is that if you even slightly suspect lung cancer in yourself, a loved one or a friend, see a doctor immediately. It might not be cancer, which would be a big relief. It if is cancer, it is important to get an early diagnosis and start treatments.
Have you ever thought about the fact that some of the countries with the hottest temperatures also enjoy the hottest foods? Would you believe there is a logical reason why? Eating hot foods stimulates your sweat glands, and when that happens the sweat evaporates on your skin which cools you down. So go ahead and eat those spicy foods on hot days. Load those nachos down with jalapenos!
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\According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day appears to be a safe amount for most healthy adults. Here is a little something to help you figure out how much you are getting:
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For all you out there who are so proud of yourself for drinking smoothies. Beware of how much sugar, etc is in your smoothie and be careful of the amount you drink. Did you realize that a 6-oz smoothie is considered a snack while a 12-oz smoothie is considered a meal?
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When in the sun you should always use sunscreen, I want to be sure you know this post does not take away from that fact. But did you know that eating tomatoes consistently can make your skin less susceptible to UV damage? Tomatoes are high in lycopene which may account for the reason why this helps.
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Milk isn't the only place to get calcium in your diet. There are many other ways including leafy greens, etc. But how about some tasty almonds? Just 1/4 cup of almonds gives you 94 mg of calcium. They also offer fiber and healthy fats. Enjoy a few almonds every day.
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Brazilian researchers found that simply replacing the usual fats you use in cooking with EVOO can help you lose weight. EVOO contains the plant compound oleocanthal that works as a gently, natural diuretic and metabolism booster when it soaks into your tissues. EVOO may be a little more expensive that the fats you currently use, but it might be worth a little extra.
If you have problems with your digestive system you might want to try honey for relief. Most people know yogurt has probiotic properties but many don't like yogurt or have an allergy to dairy products. Honey basically provides the same benefits as does yogurt. Scientists have discovered honey contains 181 beneficial compounds and many of those act like probiotics. Probiotics are the healthy bacteria found in yogurt that helps ensure proper digestion. Honey can help keep healthy bacteria in the colon and intestines in balance and reduce the number of gas-inducing toxins. The dose? 1 tablespoon of honey a day.
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Research at Arizonia State University suggests eating a heaping cup of farm-fresh green beans daily could help you lose belly fat weekly. They suggest it is because green beans are packed with vitamin C, a nutrient that activates lipolysis, fat burn, inside the abominable fat cells. They didn't mention other vitamin C foods.
Antioxidants - those substances that prevent and repair cell damage - can be found in some tasty foods such as berries, walnuts, watermelon, tomatoes, etc. but did you realize a cup of coffee - decaf or caffeinated - has more antioxidants than a serving of raspberries, blueberries, or orange juice? Go for the dark roast as it has the most antioxidants.
According to scientists at UCLA, adding a small avocado to your diet daily could help you drop 5 pounds over the summer? They credit the phytosterols, plant compounds that fuel the growth of healthy intestinal bacteria. Not only do they aid digestion, but these good bacteria also send satiating signals to the brain helping you to eat less.
Who would have thought that using an aloe vera body lotion could cool you down in the summer heat? Studies have shown that smoothing on an aloe vera rich lotion actually lowers skin temperature on contact. Better yet, It penetrates skin cells 500% more effectively than does water. So it is actually five times more cooling than a cold shower. So invest in some good quality aloe vera lotion and keep it handy during the hot months.
According to Chinese researchers, cucumbers are helpful for digestion. Cucumbers are high in pectin, a plant fiber that keeps the digestive system moving. The researchers found that increasing pectin intake increased the concentration of healthy strains of gut bugs like bifidobacterium and lactobacillus. Both are known to ease constipation and aid in fat burning. You may want to be sure you add cucumber to your salad, etc.
How strange does that sound? When those nasty mosquitos bite on you, how can a banana help? According to some experts, painful welts on the skin can be relieved by a banana peel. You simply rub the inside of the banana peel against the inflamed areas for a minute and let it absorb to relieve the itching. You are probably wondering how that works. Evidently, the abundance of polysaccharides of the peel seeps deep into the skin cells and stops the irritation quickly. By the way, polysaccharides are a skin-soothing starch-like polymer.
Honey is a tasty natural sweetener, but it is also more than just a sweetener. According to naturopathic physician Shidfar Rouhani, N.D., D.C., a professor at Bastyr University School of Naturopathic Medicine in San Diego, "Honey is great medicine." He says, "It's antibacterial and boosts the immune system. When mixed with other botanicals, it strengthens them too." A tablespoon of honey in a liquid every couple of hours is considered safe for most people. However, you should consult your doctor before prescribing honey as a medicine for yourself, especially if you have health problems such as diabetes.
We know the carbs in foods contribute the most to a rise in glucose levels after eating. Knowing that, we assume to lower our glucose levels we cut carbs. A nasty little fact is research, and research shows that lowering glucose is not as simple as cutting carbs. If you have glucose through the actions of the pancreas, medications, or a shot you should be able to control your glucose level after eating.
If you are confused about carbs, you are not alone. Arguments regarding carbs are almost as contentious as arguments about politics. If you are one who thinks we Americans are gorging on carbs, sorry, but you are wrong. For many years now the percentage number of calories from carbs in the American diet has remained at around 50%. That information is from Joanne Slavin, Ph.D., RD. a food science and nutrition professor. She stated that studies have shown that people who get half or more of their calories from carbs are at healthier body weights.
According to the Mayo Clinic the dietary guideline for Americans recommends that carbs make up 45% - 65% of one's total daily calories. That means for a 2,000 calorie a day diet, for example, 900 to 1,300 calories should come from carbs. That comes to 225 and 325 grams of carbs. Surprised? That doesn't mean rushing to the nearest doughnut shop and loading up on sweets. There are different types of carbs and doughnuts, and candy are not on the 'good carbs' list.
"Carbohydrates: Your Body's Most Important Source of Fuel" from Everyday Health.
More on carbs on the next post.
Are you one of those people that sits home, places your grocery order and waits for someone to bring it to you? Hate going grocery shopping? Okay, why not consider it as exercise? You might be surprised to know the average 155-lb person will burn approximately 130 calories pushing a grocery cart for 30 minutes in the grocery store?
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Heart disease is still the #1 killer in America and high blood pressure is a big part of that. Do you know what your blood pressure reading is? Do you know what it should be? Would you believe that over half of Americans aged 60 and older have high blood pressure? It is easy to get your blood pressure checked. Local pharmacies often have free blood pressure check machines that are helpful but most doctor offices will check your blood pressure for free or a minimal fee. The American Heart Association says the average person should have a normal blood pressure reading of below 120/80. Prehypertension is a reading of 120-139/80-89, Hypertension is a reading of 140-179/90-109 and Crisis Stage is a reading of 180+/110+. There are many good medications to help control blood pressure and diet and exercise work wonders. If you don't know your reading, find out what it is. Your doctor is your best source for information regarding your blood pressure reading.
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If your blood pressure is out of control, it is very important to do everything you can to get it under control. Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension) is like a ticking time bomb. This time bomb can lead to such health problems as cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, etc. But controlling your blood pressure can greatly reduce your risk of these health problems. Some people, including myself, need medication to control our blood pressure. But there are lifestyle and diet changes that can be very helpful. One of the simple yet effective ways to help control your blood pressure is to drink green tea. Green tea has many benefits and one of them is that the catechins, powerful flavonoids found in green tea, can lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels. There have been studies that have also shown that some of the compounds in green tea can reduce the stickiness of blood thus helping to prevent blood clots and arterial disease. If green tea is not currently a part of your diet, I would suggest you start adding one to three cups of green tea per day.
Many doctors recommend an 81 mg aspirin a day to their patients for heart health. I was surprised by research a few years ago that found adults age 50 to 65 who took approximately 75 mg of aspirin a day for 10 years may significantly reduce their risk of developing and dying of the following cancers - stomach, colon, and esophageal. The study found it took 3 years for the benefit to kick in and at least 5 years for the death rates to fall.
Continuing today with more brain information from Dr. Fotuhi, credentials given in previous post, research shows that getting a certain type of DHA can increase the size of your hippocampus in about six months. (The hippocampus is the part of the brain responsible for short-term memory.) This is a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in fish, fish oil and algae. However, according to Dr. Fotuhi, it is almost impossible to get enough from your diet therefore this is an area where supplements are useful. He does state that you should buy supplements that come from algae rather than fish due to impurities such as mercury that might be in the fish oil. Dr. Fotuhi stated, "I really believe DHA is a super brain food. I take 1 gram a day, and so does my wife."
Remember for both your health and diet purposes portion control is key. Here is a tip for freezing leftover cooked meats such as pot roast, pork shoulder, etc so you don't try to eat it all "so it won't go to waste"! Freeze these meats in their cooking liquid as it will preserve the juicy flavor and tender texture. It will also guard against freezer burn.
Relatively few people are placed on omega-3 supplements by their doctors. If you happen to be one of those people and you are suffering from the side effects of stomach upset and/or fishy burps here is a little advice. Storing your omega-3s in the refrigerator may reduce those side effects.
Cold-water fatty fish ie salmon, sardines, halibut, etc are good ways to get omega-3s naturally.
Update: This is a repost from 4 years ago. I will 77 on Wednesday. My husband is now deceased, and I have added leukemia to my list of illnesses. My blood sugar now runs closer to 125 than to 100. Still doing well.
If you follow this blog, you know I have several auto-immune diseases including diabetes. Since my diabetes diagnosis at age 60 I have done extensive nutritional research and successfully learned to control my diabetes and improve my overall health. At age 73 I am proud of my health and that I am able to take care of my invalid husband, cook for the homeless and manage the church bookstore. I do not have to follow a yucky diet as many may believe and you don't have to, either. I eat small meals about every 4 hours, and I watch what I eat and how it is prepared. I try not to eat anything after 7 pm except for a slice of cheese to help regulate my overnight blood sugar. If I need something I make sure it is a small quantity of a healthy food. I have gone from a blood sugar level of almost 500 at my diagnosis to an average of around 100 -125 daily. I take 1 pill a day for by blood sugar and do the rest with diet. It is amazing how this has improved my overall health. My cholesterol is about half what it used to be, and I have gone from extremely high liver enzymes to normal. I have routine blood work every 6 months to follow up and it continues to be excellent. If you are interested in improving your health here are some simple guidelines to follow:
There are other posts of this blog about celery but this is pretty complete.
Would you believe studies have shown that Americans are meeting their dietary guidelines? That's right but here is the bad news, that's only on average about 1 week out of the year. That leaves 51 weeks when we aren't usually meeting those guidelines. It is a well known fact that supplements and vitamins cannot replace a good healthy diet. However, if you aren't eating properly and find it hard to get your diet on track ask your doctor if you should be taking vitamins or supplements. Don't waste your money on these products if you don't need them. Your doctor is the one to give you advice.
