Did you know that variety is the spice of life in many things, including your precious health? The new food guidelines issued by the United States government recommend that all Americans eat between five and nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. That number may seem like a lot, but it is actually much easier than you think to eat that many servings of fruits and vegetables with your daily diet. For one thing, the produce department of your grocery store is fairly overflowing with fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, fruits and vegetables are some of the least inexpensive, most nutritious, foods at the grocery store. With all these fruits and vegetables to choose from, it is very easy to make these healthy, delicious foods part of your daily meals and snacks.

When you take into account how much a serving really is, it is actually quite easy to get five to nine servings of vegetables and fruits per day. For instance, the recommended daily amount actually equates to two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables every day. When you consider the availability of fruits and vegetables, and how low the prices usually are, it is easy to see how attainable this daily requirement really is.

An easy way to get the nutrients you need from fruits and vegetables every day is to take advantage of the huge variety of these foods that are available. Eating the same thing every day quickly becomes boring, so pick a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, in all colors of the rainbow and in every imaginable shape, size and texture, to give yourself a wide-ranging diet every day.

When shopping for fruits and vegetables, it is important to choose a mixture of different colors. This is for more than purely creative reasons. Different colored fruits and vegetables have different types of nutrients, and choosing a mixture of colors will help ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day.

Finding new recipes is another great way to ensure you get those five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Almost everyone likes to try out new recipes, and the new recipes may just provide the momentum you need to eat all the required fruits and veggies.

New recipes can also provide you the key chances to try out some of those fruits and vegetables you have never tried before. For instance, almost everyone has eaten oranges, but have you tried kiwi fruit or mangoes? How about spinach or kale? Trying new things is a great way to find new favorites while getting the best nutrition possible.

A lot of people mistakenly think that they do not need to eat the full five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day if they just take a vitamin pill. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is because fruits and vegetables contain far more than the micronutrients identified by science and artificially manufactured in vitamin pills. While these micronutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E are important to excellent health, so are the hundreds of other essentials that are contained in healthier foods like fruits and vegetables. These fundamentals are not available in any pill. They must be taken in through a healthy, balanced diet that contains an abundance of fruits and vegetables.

To boot, fruits and vegetables are much less pricey than vitamin pills. Fruits and vegetables are very inexpensive, especially when purchased in season or grown locally. Ultimately, getting the nutrition you need from the food you eat is much less expensive, and much better for you, than those artificial vitamin pills.

It is easy to get your five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day by including fruits and vegetables as snacks, as garnishes, as side dishes as well as meals.

As the chefs say, presentation is everything. By using a variety of fruits and vegetables on your plate, not only with it look great and taste better, but also will provide you with the proper nutrition to carry on a healthy lifestyle and live longer.

About The Author

Randy Rowles is a researcher and author with Sorcerer Publishing. More Healthy Eating articles may be found at http://www.eating-for-better-health.info.

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The recent low-carbohydrate craze has given bread a bad reputation, but not all breads are created equal. There are more varieties of bread than there are supplement companies. This article will explain the history of bread, the types of bread, and the role that bread can play in the quest for good health and a better body.

The History of Bread

It is estimated that the first bread was made around 10000 years BC or over 12,000 years in the past. This bread was more than likely flatbread, similar to a tortilla, made simply of ground grains (flour) and water that was mashed and baked. The first tools and implements used in the making of bread are dated to about 8000 years BC.

Egypt is attributed with popularizing the art of making bread. Egyptians are considered to be the agricultural pioneers of the old world, probably benefiting from interactions with Samaria. The closed oven was invented circa 3000 BC and allowed for more varieties of bread to be produced. It is around this time that leavened bread is first described, that is bread, bread with yeast added so that it would rise during production. Refined grains were considered superior and therefore were prevalent in the higher courts, so the poorer populations used barley and sorghum in their breads.

Around 1000 BC the Mosaic laws were introduced. These laws, in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, contained instructions to the nation of Israel regarding proper food preparation. When the Hebrew people fled Egypt during the legendary Exodus, they were forced to make unleavened (flat) bread in their haste. Leviticus declares a feast commemorating the exodus using flatbread. Bread is a common symbol of bounty in the bible ? Leviticus 21:22 declares, "He shall eat the bread of his God." When the people of God were lost in the wilderness, they were fed manna, which was described as bread from heaven. The Christian Savior, Jesus Christ, is called the "Bread of Life".

The bible also gives one of the earliest recipes for sprouted grain bread. It reads, in Ezekiel 4:9-17: "The thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof." While more than a year of nothing but this bread sounds like quite a marathon diet, analysis of products today using the same recipe show that it was a well-balanced, nutritious bread that yielded plenty of protein, fiber, carbohydrate, and healthy fat.

In 400 BC, around the time when Socrates was providing sage dietary advice, Plato imagined an ideal world. In this world, men would live to a ripe old age. Their main source of sustenance would be whole grain bread from local wheat.

168 BC saw the establishment of baker’s guilds in Rome. Bread even played a major role in politics when, in 40 BC, as part of a campaign, it was decreed that bread should be freely distributed to every male adult.

In 1202 AD, English laws were passed to regulate the production of bread. While many people are aware of the differences between whole grain (brown) bread and white breads, few realize that it caused quite a stir in 1307 when the white bread bakers and brown bread bakers split to form separate guilds! It was not until two centuries later, in 1569, that the guilds were reunited and called the "Worshipful Company of Bakers."

As early as 1826, the whole grain bread used by the military was called superior for health to the white, refined bread used by the aristocracy. In fact, the term refined today comes from this fact. Before the industrial revolution, it was more labor consuming (and therefore costly) to refine bread, so white bread was the main staple for aristocracy. This made them "refined".

In 1910, Americans were eating 210 pounds of wheat flour every year. The commercial bread-slicing machine was invented in 1912 by Otto Rohwedder, and unveiled in 1928. The 1930s saw the United States pursue a diet enrichment program to begin fortifying breads with vitamins and minerals after their discovery in the late 1920s. In 1941, calcium was added to help prevent rickets, observed in many female recruits to the military. In 1956, it became the law to enrich all refined breads. By 1971 consumption of white bread had dropped to around 110 pounds per year, but by 1997 (possibly due in part to the low fat, high carbohydrate craze and the food pyramid) consumption was up to 150 pounds ? still 60 pounds shy of the fit, trim Americans at the turn of the century.

Types of Bread

There are many types of bread. This is by no means an exhaustive list.

In the most basic form, grinding grains, adding water, and heating it produces whole grain flatbread. Whole grain bread is similar, only yeast is added so that the bread rises. White bread starts out similar to whole grain bread. The grain is processed, however. The hard, outer portion of the grain is stripped, removing fiber and many vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats that are naturally available. The remaining portion is ground to a fine powder, the enriched with a generic spray of vitamins and minerals. This is then used to bake the bread.

Spelt bread is a grain-bread, but made from special wheat that does not contain gluten. Gluten, a form of protein, is a common allergen and gluten intolerance or allergies are quite common.

Since whole grains are not sweet, sourdough bread is simply wheat bread with no sweetener added. Once a sweetener is added ? often high fructose corn syrup in commercial breads, but typically brown sugar, honey, or molasses in fresh baked breads ? it becomes the typical bread you are used to buying.

Varieties such as oat, barley, rye, kamut, triticale, millet, and even rice bread are simply variations using different grains other than traditional wheat. Sometimes seeds and spices are added, creating varieties such as basil, garlic, onion, or cinnamon bread.

Sprouted grain bread has increased in popularity in recent years. Traditional bread is made from ground flour from the hardened kernel of grain. Sprouted grain bread involves soaking the grain and allowing it to sprout. The sprouted seedlings are then mashed together and baked. Sprouting allows the enzymes in the grain to convert some of the carbohydrates and fats to vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Due to the changes that take place, sprouted grain bread typically is higher in protein, fiber, and certain vitamins and minerals than regular bread. It is also less refined and processed than even stone ground wheat bread, so it has less of an impact on your blood sugar.

Bread and Nutrition

Many commercial types of bread are highly refined. Enriched breads have the original nutrients stripped out and replaced with inferior, often lesser quantities of standard vitamins and minerals. Some companies will try to produce wholesome-looking bread by adding grains to the outside, even when the main ingredient is enriched bread. High fructose corn syrup is often added as a sweetener.

The first thing to look at when purchasing breads is the ingredients list. Look for breads where the very first ingredient is "whole grain" or "stone ground" rather than "enriched" (even if whole grains follow the enriched flour ingredient). Look for natural sweeteners like molasses or honey over high fructose corn syrup. Preferably, the sweetener and salt should be last on the ingredients list. If you consume high quantities of bread or keep the bread refrigerated, it will last longer and you can purchase fresher varieties that do not contain additives or preservatives. The most basic ingredients list will look like this: whole-wheat flour, water, salt. There should be a few grams of protein and fiber per slice ? low protein and/or fiber is a sign of excessive processing that has stripped these nutrients, and implies that the other nutrients will be missing as well.

Rye bread typically contains moderate portions of protein and fiber per slice. A 100-calorie slice will contain a few grams of protein, a few grams of fiber, around 20 grams of carbohydrate, and decent amounts of calcium and iron. The addition of flaxseed increases protein and fiber (for the same 100 calorie slice) but also adds trace amounts of health, unsaturated fats.

There are actually some amazing bread recipes that can be very beneficial for the bodybuilder. A variety of bread called "Men’s Bread" by French Meadow Bakery contains the following: Organic whole wheat flour, filtered water, organic flaxseed, organic pumpkin seeds, organic oat fiber, organic low fat soy flour, organic wheat flour, organic sesame seeds, organic raw sprouted fava beans, organic sunflower seeds, organic millet, organic pea protein isolate (non-GMO), organic wheat flour (wheat germ restored), soy germ isoflavone concentrate (non-GMO), organic sprouted quinoa, organic sprouted amaranth, organic sprouted spelt, organic sprouted kamut, wheat gluten, organic sprouted barley, organic sprouted oats, organic sprouted wheat, unrefined sea salt.

This power-packed ingredients list provides a 100-calorie slice of bread with essential fatty acids, 5 grams of fiber, and 8 grams of protein to only 11 grams of carbohydrate. It is abundant in over 13 vitamins and minerals. Compare this to a typical slice of white bread, which contains no fiber, trace amounts of protein, and double the carbohydrate.

Summary

Bread has been around for ages. While trends such as low carbohydrate nutrition or low fat dieting come and go, bread is here to stay ? people "earn their bread" or "bring the bread home" and are constantly looking for the "best thing since sliced bread". Before eliminating bread from your program, consider the many types of bread that are available and decide if there is one that suits your needs. Bread can increase your protein intake, add fiber to your diet, refill you muscles by supply quality carbohydrate in addition to healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. People are always looking for the next great protein or power bar. Why not try a slice of bread?

Jeremy Likness is an International Health Coach and motivational speaker. After losing 65 pounds of fat, he discovered his true vision to coach thousands around the world to better health. A Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Performance Nutrition, Jeremy is the author of the internationally-selling e-Book, Lose Fat, Not Faith and the companion 5-CD set. Jeremy has been published in major online publications including Tom Venuto’s Fitness Renaissance and Bodybuilding.com. Jeremy’s approach is unique because he focuses on fitness from the inside out. Visit Jeremy online at Natural Physiques.

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I confess that as a child I used to occasionally watch professional wrestling. For the true fan I suppose it is pronounced rasslin’. Once in a while my kids will find a match on television. I try to explain to them that all the hard work to which they apply themselves during the week to bolster their intelligence can be nearly eradicated in less than one hour by watching such theatrics. My ten year old simply responds by saying something in Latin that I don’t understand.

The intrigue, I presume, is that of battle. As boys we hoped that one day we would be like these titans. Not in their goofy shenanigans, but in their sheer power. As men most of us realize that we never were like them. We enjoy the battle from the sofa or in our minds. But we do enjoy it. We enjoy the indomitable spirit, the raw strength, the clash. It is part of the human condition. Man against man, champion against champion.

Most of our battles are fought on fronts that are much more mundane. But they are real battles. The problem is some of our most significant conflicts are fought on such ordinary fronts that we tend to ignore them. Health issues are like that. As I sit here writing these words I realize I do that. I ignore preventive measures because the tyranny of the urgent captures my attention and occupies my time. After all I have five children with another on the way. I only have time to deal with the most pressing matters. When I get sick I must deal with it. But I find it difficult to take extra measures to prevent the ailments in the first place. If we are talking about a stomach virus or the common cold the issue is not very serious. But what about heart disease? Since the early 20th century heart disease has been climbing. Actually it is an epidemic. Ignoring it could be much more serious than catching a cold. Yet I ignore it. Most likely so do you.

For a long time we have known that high total cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol are bad news for heart health. But more recently it has become increasingly obvious that high triglycerides elevate one’s risk of developing heart disease. We hear about it on the television and we read about it on cereal boxes. Yet we ignore it. But perhaps by using a little imagination we might have our interest peaked a bit. What if we could tap into the intrigue of the battle in relation to triglycerides?

Triglycerides are fats. That immediately turns many of us off. Parenthetically triglycerides are necessary for life and are a good part of our wonderful design. But we are concerned with high triglycerides. These are the bad guys. They wear the black hats. These are represented by the wrestler who wears the ugly hood to conceal his identity. He is vile and unattractive. He spits as he yells his taunts. As he mocks all his opponents the audience mocks him. The only thing attractive about him is the blonde in his corner calling him baby. We know she is an add-on but she is part of the package.

High triglycerides are a nasty business. They have their attractive side, mostly in the sweets and fats that permeate our diets. But don’t be fooled. They are bad news. They are not worth the blonde in the corner.

What we need to do battle with this villain is someone in a white hat. We need someone who tips his hat to the ladies and who enters the saloon but never drinks whiskey. He is always a gentleman. But he has a deadly aim. Few wrestlers wear hats but we know the good guys when they enter the ring. They have a neat appearance, are polite to everyone and the crowd loves them. But in many respects they are like their opponents. They are human. And they are strong. They just happen to be on the opposite side of the conflict. They are on the right side.

In our universe there is a sense of drama. It is interesting to me that one of the greatest opponents to high triglycerides is also a fat. Like two wrestlers in the ring or two soldiers on the battlefield, what makes the battle so interesting is that two like things are paired up for the war.

In our battle for heart health two champions on either side of the conflict pair up against each other. It is a strange concept to many in our age of drugs. But if you want to reduce your triglycerides do so with another fat.

There is a whole list of fats that are good for us. They are called essential fatty acids. They are essential in the sense that they are necessary for health. But they are also essential in that our bodies can not make them. We must consume them in our diets. In other words we must eat fat to reduce the effects of fat. If we want to lower our triglycerides one of the most effective things we can do is eat more fat.

Sounds great doesn’t it? Like most things, however, we must be selective. All essential fatty acids are necessary for health. Not all of them, however, should be consumed in unlimited amounts. In relation, though, to reducing triglycerides one essential fatty acid rises to the top like a champion. That one is called omega-3. Omega-3 fatty acid has been studied and tested and shown many times to reduce triglycerides. The science is incontrovertible. So much so that even the American Heart Association recommends two to four grams of omega-3 per day for patients with high triglycerides.

Omega-3 is found in many places. Even vegetarians have a selection. But for lowering triglycerides the marine sources of omega-3 have been shown to be much more potent than their vegetative cousins. EPA and DHA (the two potent forms of marine omega-3) are found in fish oils from cold water fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna. Cultures that have diets high in fish (marine source omega-3) show a low incidence of heart disease. Their blood platelets are less sticky, their cholesterol levels are healthier and their triglycerides are lower. All this from eating fat.

So what should we do? If we can ignore the potential problems of pollutants like mercury we should eat more fish, especially cold water fish, lots of it. Not only would this replace many of the saturated fats in our other dietary choices but it would counteract some of the damage incurred from less healthy fats.

But for many of us eating fish is the exception rather than the rule. We would rather have the blonde in the corner. But in so doing we are getting the villain in the mask. It is all part of the package. Applying a little discipline in our dietary choices can help a great deal. But even a little discipline may not be enough. Consuming two to four grams of EPA plus DHA per day to reduce triglycerides takes a lot of fish eating. Unless you live in an igloo and take a dogsled to work you may find it difficult to eat enough fish. Fish oil supplements may be your answer. There are many on the market. Just make sure you buy yours from a trusted source. You want to make sure you are getting what you are paying for (omega-3) and nothing else (mercury).

Heart health does involve a sense of the theatric. In your battle to reduce triglycerides enlist your own titan. In many cases there is no need to send a drug to do a fat’s job.

For more information on triglycerides, healthy diets and omega-3 please use the links below:

http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/omega-3.html

http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/foodtolowertriglyceride.html

http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/triglycerides.html

About The Author

Greg Post has degrees in science, divinity and philosophy and is currently an I.T. developer.

greg@optimal-heart-health.com

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At least one Canadian group formed after SARS hit Toronto is working with the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) and other organizations to help boost public safety.

That group is the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), which was formed in 2004. It acts independently but is responsible to Canada’s health minister. PHAC is in the midst of creating a pandemic plan for Canada, said Aggie Adamczyk, media relations officer with the agency.

The plan is not being formulated just for the Avian Flu but for any disease that could reach pandemic proportions, although PHAC is monitoring the Bird Flu situation. The agency recommends “good respiratory etiquette,” she said, which includes using a tissue or sleeve when a sneeze comes upon you. Plenty of hand washing is also a PHAC suggestion.

Where the regular Influenza A symptoms include aching muscles, sore nose, high fever and coughing, people wary of the Bird Flu should be on the watch for symptoms pinpointed in a 1997 Hong Kong outbreak. In that outbreak, people “developed symptoms of fever, sore throat, cough and, in several of the fatal cases, severe respiratory distress secondary to viral pneumonia. Previously healthy adults and children, and some with chronic medical conditions, were affected,” according to WHO Web information.

As with the WHO, PHAC isn’t rushing to recommend the use of SARS-style face masks to ward off the Avian Flu, Adamczyk said, although that could change depending on the course the H5N1 virus takes. “It’s a little bit early (for masks or antiviral drugs) at this point,” she said. Even so, global health officials need to be ready for whatever new infectious disease comes their way, she said. “No one really knows if it will be Avian Flu or something like SARS. You have to be ready for (any disease),” Adamczyk said.

It is possible to create a vaccine for a pandemic flu, although making it ahead of time is risky because the flu could mutate, limiting the vaccine’s effectiveness. The amount of vaccine that would be needed for a pandemic could also prove to be a problem, although research is underway to find technologies to streamline the vaccine production process.

In the event of a pandemic, public health officials could ask people to remain in their homes and refrain from gathering in public places. Other viral outbreaks have led to similar scenarios in North America in the past.

The WHO recommends the following to public health groups dealing with cases of Avian Flu:

* Co-ordinate services: Agricultural, veterinary and health services (along with other sector services deemed as appropriate) should exchange lab information and other data.

* Vaccination for public health reasons: Health authorities may consider vaccination against more common, seasonal influenza for persons at risk of occupational exposure to the H5N1 virus. Vaccination against seasonal influenza is a public health measure aimed at slashing the progression of HN51 along with the seasonal flu. Even so, vaccination against seasonal influenza will not protect people against infection with the H5N1 virus.

* Protection of persons at risk of occupational exposure: This is aimed at helping protect people who work on farms or other businesses wherein contact with fowl is common. Such people should wear personal protective equipment as follows:

1. Protective clothing, preferably coveralls plus an impermeable apron or surgical gown with long-cuffed sleeves plus an impermeable apron.

2. Heavy-duty rubber work gloves that can be disinfected.

3. Standard well-fitted surgical masks should be used if high-efficiency respiratory masks are not available. Masks should be fit-tested and training in their use should be provided.

4. Goggles.

5. Rubber or polyurethane boots that can be disinfected or protective foot covers that can be discarded.

Tamiflu should be made available to people who work in at-risk conditions, the WHO recommends. In addition, people in such occupations should be aware of the early clinical signs of H5N1 infection and check for them daily (as well as for two weeks after the last exposure to potentially-dangerous conditions), with the caveat that many of those signs are also apparent in more common diseases.

The following symptoms should be reported to a doctor, according to the WHO: “Most patients infected with the H5N1 virus show initial symptoms of fever (38 C or higher) followed by influenza-like respiratory symptoms, including cough, rhinorrhea, sore throat, and (less frequently) shortness of breath. Watery diarrhea is often present in the early stages of illness, and may precede respiratory symptoms by up to one week. Gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, vomiting) may occur and headache has also been reported. To date, one report has described two patients who presented with an encephalopathic illness and diarrhea without apparent respiratory symptoms.”

People suspected of carrying the virus should be put in isolation and virus samples should be sent to WHO laboratories, the group said.

About The Author

Eric Schmiedl is a freelance journalist and a contributor to www.avian-flu-symptoms.com.

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When it comes to losing weight, what do you think is the biggest contributing factor?

The food you eat?

The amount of exercise you do?

Genetics?

You just have to look at the latest series of The Biggest Loser to get your answer: It’s attitude!

I’ve worked with many ‘losers’ over the past 15 years and I can tell you from experience that if you don’t have the right attitude, you just won’t succeed. The way you think effects the way you feel, and the way you feel effects the amount of effort you put in.

So, back to The Biggest Loser. Remember Nick? He was the guy voted off in week 3. Boy, did he have an attitude! He’s got people around him, trying to push him, trying to get the best out of him so that he can succeed.

But what does he do? He fights them. The trainers are trying to help him but his ego won’t allow him to accept that help. He’s more concerned with ‘not getting pushed around’, than actually getting on with the job and losing weight. I mean, who are the experts here?

Compare this with Pete. A guy who, I’m sure doesn’t like being pushed around, but accepts that he’s there for a reason. He has a problem and there are people there willing to help him. All he has to do is listen to what they say, then do it!

Well, the results are there for all to see. As each contestant gets voted off, they show a ‘Where are they now’ clip. When Nick was shown, he had the same attitude and also looks like he may have put on more weight. Pete on the other hand looks fantastic.

So what has this got to do with every person on this planet that wants to lose weight? Change the way you think and you will succeed! Each day when you wake up, don’t think about the foods you’re going to miss out on or the exercise you have to do. Think about how good you’re going to feel, how great you’re going to look, and how better life will be!

There are many people out there that want you to succeed and are willing to help you. You just have to provide the right attitude!

About The Author

Ray Kelly is an Exercise Scientist with 15 years experience in the health and fitness industry. Sign up for his free 7 Day Weight Loss Course at http://www.free-online-health.com or http://www.trainingdiary.ws.

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Magnetic therapy is a form of therapy that has been used for many years for a variety of different purposes, including pain relief, prevention of aging and the relief of a range of symptoms from a range of ailments. The problems that the therapy helped to alleviate are still present in the modern world, therefore it is logical that the method used to ease these problems before can still be used today. There are many products available today which can perform this magnetic therapy. Each group of products has a different design and can help with diverse problems, normally in the area around the place where the product is worn. Magnetic therapy has general benefits that most products will provide you with in addition to the specialized benefits that are received from the therapy.

The general benefits of magnetic therapy include enlarging the blood vessels, thereby increasing the rate of circulation within your body; this in turn helps to increase the level of oxygen in your blood and also helps to flush out toxins that have accumulated. These are believed to be the root causes of the general pain relief that can occur once you start using these products.

There are many categories of products which can perform the magnetic therapy, including magnetic jewelry and magnetic wraps, magnetic car seats and magnetic insoles, pulsed magnets as well as magnets for water and magnets for health and beauty. Within these general groupings are many smaller groups of products which are normally grouped by what the product is and whereabouts on the body it is placed. Examples of this are back wraps within the magnetic wrap category and necklaces within the magnetic jewelry category.

The area of you body that you place your magnetic therapy device on will be more strongly affected; the closer the magnetic product is to it. If you wish to relieve pain in the ankle then two of the most appropriate options for you are an anklet or a magnetic ankle wrap. These can relieve numbness of the lower leg and can relieve pain in the joints by keeping the joints dry in addition to relieving pain.

Magnetic therapy can also be used for cosmetic purposes since it can dilate the blood vessels, toxins are flushed away and if the magnet used is a facial magnet, for instance a magnetic facial mask, then toxins can be flushed away from the facial area and, due to the fact that toxins cause wrinkles, the therapy can leave you looking younger and have a face which feels refreshed and rejuvenated.

The magnets you use should be chosen with care and consideration of what functions you need the magnetic therapy products you buy to perform. The magnet you buy should perform the functions you need and preferably a little extra, but ensure that you are buying an appropriate product because while a magnetic necklace can benefit you greatly, it will not aid a pain in your ankle as well as an anklet or ankle wrap. Above all, relax and enjoy the benefits of the magnetic therapy flowing through your body.

About The Author

All magnetic therapeutic information has been researched and written by Juliette Pickup http://www.magnetsandhealth.com

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The invasion of Arabs into India nearly 1,000 years later in 642 A.D. led to the spread of sugar cane to the rest of the world. The Arabs discovered sugar cane and learned how it was processed by the Indians. They brought the cane with them as they conquered much of Europe, introducing it to lands such as North Africa and Spain. For many years, however, the rest of Europe was stuck with honey, because sugar did not make it to the west until the crusades. The first record of sugar in England occurs in the year 1099.

Sugar was brought to the Americas by Christopher Columbus. At the time, sugar was processed by boiling the cane juice and then harvesting the crystals left behind after the water evaporated. These crystals contained protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. While they were calorie dense, they provided essential nutrients. It was not until a few centuries later that the process of refining sugars, and stripping out many of these nutrients, was perfected and sugar became a profitable industry.

It is interesting to note that raw sugar is already refined. Only evaporated cane juice is truly "raw" sugar (of the cane variety - sugars can come from other sources as well, such as beets and fruit). Once the cane juice crystals are harvested, they are washed, boiled, centrifuged, filtered, and dried. The purpose of this is to remove all of the original plant materials (stalk, fiber, etc.) to produce the pure sugar. This process removes most of the fiber and nutrients that existed in the original crystals. The sugar then becomes refined, and is now a food high in calories with little nutritional value.

Several centuries ago, refined sugars were expensive to produce, and were also taxed at a higher rate. Therefore, only the affluent could afford them. Refined goods became a symbol of status. People who had access to these foods were called "refined" people. Interestingly, this affluent sector of the population also had a disproportionate rate of disease and illness as compared to the lower classes that only had access to unrefined, natural foods. There appear to be references to the evils of sugar as early as the 1800s when rations in the military were compared to standard civilian meals and it was determined that refined foods had a potentially negative impact on health.

Sugar has received a bad reputation lately ? not just refined sugars, but all sugars. Many people go out of their way to avoid sugar in the diet, without understanding how sugar affects health. Artificial sweeteners are a common substitute for sugars, but are these synthetic chemicals truly safe? For many people, sugar-free and fat-free food is an artificial "crutch" - comforted in the knowledge that their food contains no sugar or fat, they over consume this "safe" food. In the end, sugar may not turn out to be the enemy that many people claim it is.

There are a few reasons why sugar has a bad reputation. For one, refined sugars provide easy food for oral bacteria, and can promote cavities and the accumulation of plaque. There is also a prevalent belief that all simple carbohydrates are bad. In reality, the digestive system is very complex and there is more to consider than just the number of molecules chained together in a food - one must consider enzymes, where the food is processed in the body, and what changes take place to the food before the body utilizes it.

All carbohydrates are technically sugar. Before your body will use the carbohydrate in table sugar, a baked potato, or a green bean, it must break this carbohydrate down to glucose, the form of sugar that your body can "burn" for energy. Glucose is also stored as glycogen in the muscle cells. So, since all carbohydrates eventually end up as a sugar, the mere fact that they begin as sugars is irrelevant. So what is relevant? The rate at which the sugar enters the bloodstream, which is exactly what the glycemic index measures.

Another concern some people express is the "ease" at which sugars are converted to fat. I read one "system" for getting into shape that did not offer scientific evidence, but claimed that in working with extremely lean body builders, the author figured out that sugars cause fat to be stored quickly and easily. Other books simply state that sugar is quickly and easily converted to fat. Again, we have to understand our biological systems to analyze those statements. How does a sugar get stored as a fat? The liver processes the glucose molecule and turns it into a triglyceride, or fat molecule. This, again, complicates matters: whether or not you eat table sugar or a green bean, guess what? By the time your liver "sees" it, it has been broken down to a glucose molecule. There is no practical way that your liver somehow "knows" that the glucose molecule came from a green bean instead of a grain of table sugar, except that your entire body benefits from additional nutrients when you consume the green bean.

The only real way the sugar may be more readily stored as fat is if it impacts blood sugar or creates some environment that would promote the conversion of glucose to triglycerides. Theoretically, a huge surge in blood sugar due to a rapidly ingested carbohydrate would cause the liver to convert most of that sugar to fat, regardless of whether or not you required it for energy.

The glycemic index demonstrates that refined sugars are indeed dangerous - they have some of the highest indexes on the list. Many manufacturers use a "complex carbohydrate" called maltodextrin to sweeten shakes. They can state "no sugar" or "low sugar" on the nutrition label because maltodextrin is a complex carbohydrate, but it will impact blood sugar more than table sugar (table sugar is sucrose, which, by the way, is not a simple sugar - it is two molecules, glucose and fructose, bonded together). How do natural sugars fare? Fructose, the type of sugar commonly found in fruit; lactose, the sugar found in milk; and honey, the sugar produced from nectar by bees, all fare very well. In fact, if you are simply concerned about blood sugar, these three sugars will affect it less than brown rice, whole wheat bread, and baked potatoes!

We’ve determined that simply avoiding a sugar because it is a sugar has no real scientific foundation. One problem with sugars, however, is that many products add an extremely high amount of sugar to sweetener the products. This, in turn, causes the product to be higher in calories. Because consuming more calories means you must expend more calories to reduce or manage your weight, this can be of concern. The alternative to using a natural or refined sugar is to use a reduced calorie sweetener. There are five major reduced calorie sweeteners on the market today. These are Acesulfame Potassium (Acesulfame-K), Aspartame, Saccharin, Stevia, and Sucralose. Are these products the answer to your woes?

Acesulfame-K was introduced in 1967. It is 200 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose). According to studies, this sweetener is not absorbed in the body but passes through unchanged. How many studies? Around 90 studies have been conducted on this sweetener, with no documented health risks. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), however, reports that the product can break down to acetoacetamide. This chemical has been shown to affect the thyroid in rats, rabbits, and dogs. Administration of 1% and 5% acetoacetamide in the diet for three months caused benign thyroid tumors in rats.

Aspartame was introduced in 1965. It is a low-calorie sweetener that is also 200 times sweeter than sucrose. Aspartame is made from two amino acids (the building blocks of protein): L-phenylalanine and L-aspartic acid. More than 200 studies have been performed and the only documented health risks are to people who suffer from phenylketonuria (PKU), who cannot metabolize the L-phenylalanine. This is why there is a PKU warning on any product that contains aspartame. While there are no conclusive, formal, documented cases of adverse health affects, many people report headaches after consuming products that contain aspartame. Other adverse affects that consumers have reported (but have not been independently verified) include seizures, dizziness, tremors, migraines, memory loss, slurring of speech, confusion, fatigue, depression, nausea, and worse. Because children lack a "barrier" of protection that prevents the wrong nutrients from entering the brain (which adults have), some doctors have recently suggested that aspartame should not be given to children.

Saccharin was discovered 100 years ago. It is a low calorie sweetener. It is one of the most studied ingredients in the food supply. More than 30 human studies have been conducted with saccharin, and no adverse health effects have been reported. In 1997, a study using rodents reported a rise in bladder tumors, although this may be related to an increase in sodium and other products that were contained in the experimental diet. The CSPI reports several studies that may indicate a rise in tumor activity that correlates to saccharin intake.

Stevia is a plant that originated in the rainforests of Paraguay. It is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, does not impact blood sugar and has zero calories. The leaves have been used for over 1,500 years by the Guarini Indians of Paraguay. It was discovered and introducd to Europe by M. S. Bertoni in 1899. While Stevia has since become a very popular sweetener because it is “natural,” the FDA has yet to approve it as a food source - it remains classified as a dietary supplement.

Sucralose is a non-caloric sweetener made from sugar. It was discovered in 1976. A sugar molecule is modified to replace a hydroxyl (water) group with a chloride (chlorine) group. This creates a product on average 600 times sweeter than table sugar, which theoretically will pass through the body without being metabolized. Over 100 studies have been conducted using sucralose in order to approve it as a food additive.

Are these sweeteners really worth it? While there are many anecdotal reports of negative side effects, none of these have been confirmed through scientific investigation. In contrast, there is no anecdotal evidence whatsoever linking consumption of natural sugars such as fructose, honey, lactose, etc. with cancers, tumors, headaches, or other problems other than diabetes. Many diabetics use the glycemic index to control their food intake, and virtually many natural (unrefined) sugars fall within acceptable ranges for consumption based on those guidelines.

Do sugar free foods really help to control calories? I know many people who will avoid sugar like the plague, then purchase a box of sugar-free brownies and eat the entire box. What are they trying to achieve? Sugar-free may imply "reduced calorie" but when you over consume reduced calorie foods, you still create a problem! Do sugar-free brownies fit into a lifestyle, or are these a quick fix?

Adding one teaspoon of natural sugar to a bowl of oatmeal will add four grams of sugar or 16 calories and barely impact the rate at which that food is digested and released to the bloodstream (remember, your liver won’t know if the glucose molecule it is processing came from the oatmeal or the teaspoon of sugar). Remember the glycemic load? This would have a low load! Adding one teaspoon of an artificial sweetener won’t add any calories - but will introduce a new realm of possible side effects. On the other hand, if you avoid healthy food choices such as fruit due to the sugar content, you also miss out on thousands of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that don’t exist in any tablet or pill on the market - and have documented health benefits rather than risks! Oranges can reduce the risk of stroke. Bananas promote heart health by providing a tremendous amount of natural potassium. The list goes on and on.

What sugars are considered natural? A few natural sweeteners include: stevia (a herbal extract that is naturally sweet with no calories), barley malt, evaporated cane juice before it is refined (refined sugar is derived from cane juice, but is extremely processed with many of the natural enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and fiber removed), fruit juice (fructose), rice syrup, honey, and sugar alcohols. All-natural maple syrup is not only flavorful, but rich with iron and other micronutrients. Sugar alcohols have a "sweet" taste but are processed by the body as alcohol. This means that they are typically burned for energy and have a minimal impact on insulin and blood sugar, according to the latest studies. They are not known to be toxic like non-sugar alcohols.

I also recommend a product called Sucanat® that contains sugar cane molasses.

There is some confusion about what high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) actually is. You will find that the majority of processed foods contain this as a main ingredient. It is difficult to find bread in the supermarket that isn’t made with HFCS, and most sodas, treats, and non-natural juices contain this as well. HFCS is much sweeter than table sugar, which is one reason for its popularity in the food industry. HFCS can be misleading to consumers who are aware of natural sugars and the glycemic index. Knowing that fructose is a natural fruit sugar and low on the glycemic index, they may assume the HFCS falls under the same category. HFCS is actually hydrolyzed cornstarch, which means that cornstarch is mixed with enzymes and broken down. A chemical in the cornstarch converts some of the sugar in glucose form to fructose. The end result only contains 14% fructose - the rest is dextrose and other sugars and carbohydrates (so it is hardly "high" fructose, it is only "higher" in fructose than other corn products). HFCS has a glycemic index of 89, which is only slightly less than that of table sugar (92). In contrast, milk sugar (lactose) is 65 and natural fructose is 32, or almost 1/3 that of HFCS.

Sugar is certainly not your enemy. Refined and processed sugars are! Consume a protein and a whole, unprocessed carbohydrate with every meal, and add healthy fats to your diet. If these meals happen to contain some natural honey or cane juice, don’t sweat it! Eat 4 - 5 servings of fruit and or vegetables each day - there are far too many healthy compounds in these foods to pass them up out of fear of the natural sugar contained within. Make your own choice about artificial sweeteners, but keep in mind that you can easily control your portion sizes and use natural sweeteners instead. Are the potential risks worth the small benefit you may or may not be receiving from artificial sweeteners? Learn to let sugar work with you, not against you!

Jeremy Likness is an International Health Coach and motivational speaker. After losing 65 pounds of fat, he discovered his true vision to coach thousands around the world to better health. A Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Performance Nutrition, Jeremy is the author of the internationally-selling e-Book, Lose Fat, Not Faith and the companion 5-CD set. Jeremy has been published in major online publications including Tom Venuto’s Fitness Renaissance and Bodybuilding.com. Jeremy’s approach is unique because he focuses on fitness from the inside out. Visit Jeremy online at Natural Physiques.

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HGH or human growth hormone is a protein hormone of 190 amino acids, which is synthesized and secreted by the Somatotroph cells (hence called Somatotropin) in the anterior pituitary. The genes for human growth hormone are localized in the q22-24 region of chromosome 17. The structure of HGH includes four helices necessary for functional interaction with the GH receptor. Structurally, HGH is homologous to prolactin and chorionic somatomammotropin and it appears as if the three share some evolutionarily connection. The triad is known to promote growth and aid the lactogenic activity.

Human Growth Hormone Secretion

Synthesis and secretion of HGH is controlled by many factors such as exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress and sometimes even by growth hormone itself. The control, however, are wielded by two hypo-thalamic hormones (Growth hormone-releasing hormone or GHRH and Somatostatin or SS) and one hormone present in the stomach (Ghrelin).

Functions of HGH

Human growth hormone contributes in the building up of the human body. HGH has two different types of effects on the human tissues and the human system as a whole - direct and indirect. The direct effects are the upshot of the growth hormone binding its receptor to the target cells. Indirect effects are stimulated by an insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), a hormone secreted by the liver and other tissues in response to growth hormone action. In fact, most of the growth promoting effects of HGH are the consequence of IGF-I acting on the target cells.

Thus, it is apparent that HGH or Somatotropin plays a vital role in major physiological processes, including growth and metabolism.

HGH & Growth

The major role of growth hormone in effecting body growth is to stimulate the liver and various other tissues to secrete IGF-I. IGF-I. This, in-turn, it provokes proliferation of Chondrocytes (cartilage cells), resulting in bone growth.

HGH & Metabolism

Human growth hormone has been found to have important effects on protein, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. These effects in some are direct, others indirect and a few showing mixed effects.

Although height growth is an all-too-manifest effect of HGH on the human system, it has several other specific and essentially functions. These functions range from protein synthesis to building muscle mass, calcium retention to mineralization of bones, stimulating the immune system to maintaining fuel homeostasis, etc.

This is all about real human growth hormone. Biosynthetic human growth hormone, also known as recombinant human growth hormone and abbreviated as rHGH was first used for remedial use in the U.S. in 1985. Since then, the biosynthetic variety of HGH has nearly sidelined the pituitary-prompted human growth hormone, especially in therapeutic use.

About The Author

Anthony Bedore publishes health related articles on his website http://healthy-issues.com.

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People who suffer from weight problems would like to believe that there is a simple, easy solution to their situation. A quick fix of some kind that will help them lose weight rapidly and without any effort. And there is a multi-billion dollar industry that revolves around getting people to believe promises of results that are qualified with fine print stating that the statements they are making haven’t been evaluated by the FDA (US Food & Drug Administration). One of the largest areas of the industry is diet pills. Not only can they cause harmful side effects, but they can become both physically and emotionally addictive.

One of the most dangerous aspects of diet pills is that they are not required by law to be tested by the FDA before they are released to the public. However, the FDA will act to remove a product from the market once it has been shown to be dangerous. This happened in 2003 when the FDA banned products containing ephedrine (ephedra) after they were suspected of being at least partly responsible for the death of a prominent athlete. Secondly, these pills can be purchased over the counter as well as by prescription. It’s up to the buyer to make sure he understands and uses the pills as they were intended. However, some people who are trying to “fix” themselves and their weight problems can be inclined to overdose on diet pills in order to try to speed up the weight loss process even more.

The pills work in different ways. Many are appetite suppressants with active ingredients like phenylpropanolamine or caffeine. Many of them are supposed to increase the rate of your metabolism and at the same time they should help in controlling the appetite. Others claim to block the body’s ability to absorb fat. Others even claim to give the same results of a bariatric gastric banding surgery without the operation. These pills expand in the stomach to create a feeling of satiety. Last, but not least, some diet pills are based on the process of eliminating waste or fluid from the body. Many include some form of diuretic or laxative.

Diet pills can be addictive and can also have harmful side effects even when they are taken according to the doctor’s directions. If you have any health problems, consult your physician before taking any kind of diet pill. Be sure that you follow the directions and be sure that you’re aware of possible side effects. Stop taking the pills immediately if you experience any of them. Some known side effects of diet pills include:

* anxiety or nervousness,

* irritability,

* insomnia and a feeling of restlessness or hyperactivity,

* high blood pressure,

* tightness in the chest,

* heart palpitations,

* heart attack,

* stroke or congestive heart failure,

* digestive tract problems like vomiting, diarrhea, constipation or other stomach pain,

* fever,

* dry mouth,

* headaches,

* dizziness,

* blurred vision,

* profuse sweating,

* hair loss,

* menstrual cycle and sex drive disturbances and

* urinary tract problems.

In the case of overdose, users can experience tremors or convulsions, confusion or hallucinations, breathing problems, renal failure or heart attack.

As you can see, diet pills need to be taken with caution due to all of the physical risks. But there are emotional risks too. Often those trying to lose weight may start to feel emotionally dependent on the pills. They may attribute their initial success to diet pills only, forgetting any diet modifications, exercise or other lifestyle changes that may have been the true reason for the weight loss. People will often ‘pill hop’, trying one new pill after the other, looking for the magic cure that will let them continue to eat whatever they want but still lose weight. However, only a balanced, sensible diet combined with exercise has been proven to keep weight off over any amount of time. And no pill will cause the lifestyle and emotional changes needed to stop overeating and start losing weight.

About The Author

Margie James reviews some of the most known diet pills on the market at http://www.DietPillsCentral.com - a complete guide on diet pills where you can learn how they work, whether they give results and how they affect health.

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But that sensation won’t last too long!

People are surprised to find that acupuncture is relatively painless. Whilst the needle is penetrating the skin, there could be in a slight sensation of pain, but this is not usual. Sometimes, but not often, there could be an electric, “shooting” sensation if a nerve is hit. Sometimes, a sharp sensation if the needle is in the vicinity of a vein, or artery. If this happens this is the possibility of a small bruise in that the adjacent area, but this is really of little consequence, compared with the many attributes and advantages of acupuncture.

I one of the reasons for lack of pain, is because our needles are very fine, only about twice the fitness of a human hair. Totally unlike the hypodermic needles used in conventional medicine to inject liquids or take a sample of blood. These are hollow and of course have a greater bore than acupuncture needles. Ours are solid, flexible and much, much thinner. Patients are often very surprised at how flexible the acupuncture needle is and wonder that it can penetrate the skin and underlying flesh in a straight line. Because of the tiny diameter of the needles and the skill of the acupuncturist, this is not difficult. It is possible to penetrate much harder material, than the human skin, with one of these needles, without bending it.

Acupuncture is a very safe and mostly comfortable, form of effective, alternative medicine. Any discomfort that may occur on an occasional basis is more than made up for by its therapeutic activity.

The word ‘acupuncture’ comes from two Latin words: ‘acus’, meaning ‘needle’ and ‘punctura’, meaning ‘to penetrate’. Thus, the word ‘acupuncture’ means ‘to penetrate with a needle’.

Acupuncture, is a potent and efficacious, alternative to many of the treatments of western medicine, Acupuncture hails from China. Its origin goes back several thousand years.It is based on the premise, that there are energy patterns, or energy flows, throughout the body and these are necessary to maintain health and well-being of the organism. He is when these energy flows are disturbed that people become sick. Acupuncture often restores the body’s balance of these meridians and corrects the energy flow.

A treatment of acupuncture normally lasts from 30 to 40 minutes and is very relaxing. A number of very fine needles, usually 1 to to 10, are inserted in specific spots on the skin. These are called acupuncture points.

There are a often matched with organs of the body. Almost all acupuncture points lie along acupuncture meridians although there are several off meridian points which are utilised by the experienced acupuncturist. And each acupuncture point can treat many diseases, as it influences many organs of the body.

Acupuncture has also been used in animals to great effect. If you own a beloved animal, try acupuncture. Seek out the veterinarian who uses alternative medicine and who may also use such other natural aids, as homeopathy, herbalism and aromatherapy, etc, on animals. You might be surprised by the beneficial results, on your precious four legged friends. Using alternative medicine in animals is even more convincing, as there cannot be any suspicion of the ‘placebo’ effect, which is sometimes found in humans, who are taking medicaments.

About The Author

Ray Cunningham is an owner of two diplomas of acupuncture. One from Australia. The other from Hong Kong. At the moment he resides in Central Florida, U.S.A.. For more information, on acupuncture and alternative medicine, go to his website at: http://alternative-health-4.us.

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