Which is better?

Take our quiz to test your knowledge and learn to make smart food choices

The key to maintaining a healthy body weight is eating lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, while limiting sugar and fat. But we're confronted with so many food choices every day. How are we to guess which ones are the most nutrient-rich or lightest in calories?
While most of the items could fit into a healthy diet, nutrition expert Elisa Zied, R.D., compares some everyday foods and snacks and suggests which ones can best help you stick to a well-balanced -- and leaner -- diet. Interested in testing your skills: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21570923/

Parents face jail for not vaccinating their kids

In an article on Msnbc.com today November 18 2007,
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Scores of grumbling parents facing a threat of jail lined up at a courthouse Saturday to either prove that their school-age kids already had their required vaccinations or see that the youngsters submitted to the needle.
The get-tough policy in the Washington suburbs of Prince George’s County was one of the strongest efforts made by any U.S. school system to ensure its youngsters receive their required immunizations.
Two months into the school year, school officials realized that more than 2,000 students in the county still didn’t have the vaccinations they were supposed to have before attending class.

More details at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21839294/

Mangosteen can help you stay healthy!

Mangosteens are Packed with Beneficial Xanthones, a New Class of Powerful Phytonutrients
Xanthones are found in the most quantities in the mangosteen hull (or pericarp) and can help you to STAY healthy by boosting your immune system. According to professional journals such as Free Radical Research, Journal of Pharmacology, and the Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, these Xanthones...are some of the most powerful antioxidants to be found in nature. While it’s true that most young people are healthy -- and thankfully so -- no matter how old you are, you're being exposed to free radicals by the millions each day.
"It has been estimated that each human cell undergoes ten thousand hits from free radicals each day... causing damage to cell proteins, DNA, fat lipids, and membranes through oxidation. This results in the generation of dysfunctional molecules responsible for conditions as diverse as cancers, lung disease, demential, cardio vascular disease and eye diseases." For more details: http://researchmangosteen.com/

DHEA improves women's in-vitro fertilization chances!

An article published in the October 27, 2007 issue of New Scientist magazine revealed the benefits of the use of the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) by women attempting to conceive using their own eggs via in-vitro fertilization (IVF). In vitro fertilization involves the extraction of eggs from a woman's ovaries to be fertilized outside of the body. Women who produce few ripe eggs have a reduced chance of IVF success.
Norbert Gleicher, MD, of New York's Center for Human Reproduction observed an increased in the pregnancy rate in his clinic from 11 to 23 percent among patients over 40 years of age who have supplemented with DHEA. Dr Gleicher began suggesting three 25 milligram doses of DHEA per day after observing the spectacular results achieved by one of his patients who supplemented with the hormone. Acting on the results of a small trial published in the October, 2000 issue of the journal Human Reproduction, the patient tried supplementing with DHEA in an effort to boost the number of eggs produced by her ovaries. The 42 year old woman increased the amount of extractable eggs from one per IVF cycle to 19 over the course of seven cycles. "We were kind of stunned,” said Dr Gleicher. more info at: http://www.lef.org/whatshot/index.html#diwi

Autumn: Time for Sour Flavors

By Dr. Maoshing Ni, L.Ac., D.O.M., Ph.D.
Autumn marks the turning point between the heat of summer and the cold of winter. The cooling weather ushers in the harvest and heralds the dying cycle in nature. The seasonal change also causes the respiratory system to constrict, leading to cough, asthma, bronchitis, and even pneumonia. Chinese medicine has always associated autumn with the lungs and large intestine. The Yellow Emperor advises early to bed and early to rise, practice breathing exercises, avoid pungent flavors but increase sour ones in the diet, drink fluids and eat soups, and remain calm and relaxed to avoid the diseases typical of autumn. for more details: http://www.acupuncture.com/newsletters/m_oct07/autumn_nutrition.htm

High fiber and magnesium may cut diabetes risk.

High fiber and magnesium may cut diabetes risk
Last Updated: 2007-05-14 16:00:21 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - High levels of cereal fiber and magnesium are associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
The findings stem from an analysis performed by Dr. Matthias B. Schulze and colleagues from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Nuthetal. The study involved over 25,000 adults, between 35 and 65 years of age, who were followed from 1994 to 2005 for diabetes. A food-frequency questionnaire was used to assess the participants for the amounts of dietary fiber and magnesium.
During follow-up, 844 subjects developed type 2 diabetes, the report indicates. Compared with the subjects with the lowest cereal fiber intake, those with the highest intake had a 28-percent reduction in diabetes risk. read: http://www.meta-ehealth.com/site/office/latest_news/article.jsp?path=latest_news&id=11&category=nulld:

Fatty acid tied to depression and inflammation.

Fatty acid tied to depression and inflammation
Last Updated: 2007-04-17 11:50:28 -0400 (Reuters Health)
By Anne Harding
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The imbalance of fatty acids in the typical American diet could be associated with the sharp increase in heart disease and depression seen over the past century, a new study suggests.
Specifically, the more omega-6 fatty acids people had in their blood compared with omega-3 fatty acid levels, the more likely they were to suffer from symptoms of depression and have higher blood levels of inflammation-promoting compounds, report Dr. Janice K. Kiecolt-Glaser and her colleagues from Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus.
These compounds, which include tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6, are "all-purpose 'nasties' for aging," and have been tied to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis and other ailments, Kiecolt-Glaser told Reuters Health.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in foods such as fish, flax seed oil and walnuts, while omega-6 fatty acids are found in refined vegetable oils used to make everything from margarine to baked goods and snack foods. The amount of omega-6 fatty acids in the Western diet increased sharply once refined vegetable oils became part of the average diet in the early 20th century.

Read: http://www.meta-ehealth.com/site/office/latest_news/article.jsp?path=latest_news&id=5&category=null

The 10 Best Foods You’re (MayBe) Not Eating

Beets: These grungy-looking roots are naturally sweeter than any other vegetable, which means they pack tons of flavor underneath their rugged exterior.
Why they’re healthy: Think of beets as red spinach. Just like Popeye’s powerfood, this crimson vegetable is one of the best sources of both folate and betaine. These two nutrients work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Plus, the natural pigments - called betacyanins—that give beets their color have been proved to be potent cancer fighters in laboratory mice.

Cabbage: Absent from most American kitchens, this cruciferous vegetable is a major player in European and Asian diets.
Why it’s healthy: One cup of chopped cabbage has just 22 calories, and it’s loaded with valuable nutrients. At the top of the list is sulforaphane, a chemical that increases your body’s production of enzymes that disarm cell-damaging free radicals and reduce your risk of cancer. In fact, Stanford University scientists determined that sulforaphane boosts your levels of these cancer-fighting enzymes higher than any other plant chemical.

GuavaGuava: is an obscure tropical fruit that’s subtly acidic, with sweetness that intensifies as you eat your way to the center.
Why it’s healthy: Guava has a higher concentration of lycopene—an antioxidant that fights prostate cancer—than any other plant food, including tomatoes and watermelon. In addition, 1 cup of the stuff provides 688 milligrams (mg) of potassium, which is 63 percent more than you’ll find in a medium banana. And guava may be the ultimate high-fiber food: There’s almost 9 grams (g) of fiber in every cup.

Swiss chard: Hidden in the leafy-greens cooler of your market, you’ll find this slightly bitter, salty vegetable, which is actually native to the Mediterranean.
Why it’s healthy: A half cup of cooked Swiss chard provides a huge amount of both lutein and zeaxanthin, supplying 10 mg each. These plant chemicals, known as carotenoids, protect your retinas from the damage of aging, according to Harvard researchers. That’s because both nutrients, which are actually pigments, appear to accumulate in your retinas, where they absorb the type of shortwave light rays that can damage your eyes. So the more lutein and zeaxanthin you eat, the better your internal eye protection will be.

Cinnamon: This old-world spice usually reaches most men’s stomachs only when it’s mixed with sugar and stuck to a roll.
Why it’s healthy: Cinnamon helps control your blood sugar, which influences your risk of heart disease. In fact, USDA researchers found that people with type-2 diabetes who consumed 1 g of cinnamon a day for 6 weeks (about 1/4 teaspoon each day) significantly reduced not only their blood sugar but also their triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Credit the spice’s active ingredients, methylhydroxychalcone polymers, which increase your cells’ ability to metabolize sugar by up to 20 times.

Purslane: Although the FDA classifies purslane as a broad-leaved weed, it’s a popular vegetable and herb in many other countries, including China, Mexico, and Greece.
Why it’s healthy: Purslane has the highest amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fats of any edible plant, according to researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The scientists also report that this herb has 10 to 20 times more melatonin - an antioxidant that may inhibit cancer growth - than any other fruit or vegetable tested.

Pomegranate juice: A popular drink for decades in the Middle East, pomegranate juice has become widely available only recently in the United States.
Why it’s healthy: Israeli scientists discovered that men who downed just 2 ounces of pomegranate juice daily for a year decreased their systolic (top number) blood pressure by 21 percent and significantly improved bloodflow to their hearts. What’s more, 4 ounces provides 50 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.

Goji berries: These raisin-size fruits are chewy and taste like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry. More important, these potent berries have been used as a medicinal food in Tibet for over 1,700 years.
Why they’re healthy: Goji berries have one of the highest ORAC ratings—a method of gauging antioxidant power—of any fruit, according to Tufts University researchers. And although modern scientists began to study this ancient berry only recently, they’ve found that the sugars that make goji berries sweet reduce insulin resistance—a risk factor of diabetes - in rats.

Dried plums: You may know these better by the moniker “prunes,” which are indelibly linked with nursing homes and bathroom habits. And that explains why, in an effort to revive this delicious fruit’s image, producers now market them under another name.
Why they’re healthy: Prunes contain high amounts of neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids, antioxidants that are particularly effective at combating the “superoxide anion radical.” This nasty free radical causes structural damage to your cells, and such damage is thought to be one of the primary causes of cancer.

Pumpkin seeds: These jack-o’-lantern waste products are the most nutritious part of the pumpkin.
Why they’re healthy: Downing pumpkin seeds is the easiest way to consume more magnesium. That’s important because French researchers recently determined that men with the highest levels of magnesium in their blood have a 40 percent lower risk of early death than those with the lowest levels. And on average, men consume 353 mg of the mineral daily, well under the 420 mg minimum recommended by the USDA.

(Source: Men’s Health) http://www.health-sky.com/html/the-10-best-foods-youre-not-maybe-eating.html

All alcohol raises breast cancer risk

Ladies, here's something to consider before tapping into another bottle of wine. Doctors say all types of alcohol - if consumed in excess - increase the risk of breast cancer. The study adds context to the whole I-drink-wine-for-my-health notion. As Dr. Patrick Maisonneuve told the Associated Press: "Women drinking wine because they think it is healthier than beer are wrong. It's about the amount of alcohol consumed, not the type." So how much is too much? The risk of breast cancer increased for women who averaged just one alcoholic beverage a day. Those who had more than three drinks a day experienced a 30-percent increase in risk. Keep reading for more information from the AP story.
Continue reading "All alcohol raises breast cancer risk" »

FDA criticized on food safety issues

According to the Orlando Sentinal a former employees bashed the FDA this week, saying the agency hasn't done nearly enough to improve the safety of imported fruits and vegetables. "FDA has failed to implement literally hundreds of proposed solutions to specific import problems," Benjamin England told a House subcommittee. According to an article from Reuters, the FDA was given numerous suggestions four years ago for beefing up safety. Consumer groups hope Congress will step in and give the agency more power to oversee imported foods. Keep reading to learn more from the Reuters article.
Continue reading "FDA criticized on food safety issues " »

The science of Biofeedback!

Dr. Bob Whitehouse is a psychologist certified in biofeedback, and a former board member for the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, and Sunny Turner is a MA/biofeedback practitioner.
Biofeedback uses electronic equipment to monitor people's internal physiological states and gives feedback that helps the recipient learn how to control these states, to activate, balance, release or to recover from them. Usually this also involves a coach, who guides the process, interprets the results, and makes suggestions. In The Journey to Wild Divine, however, the game itself gives you information about whether you're progressing or not. And, if you're having trouble, you can ask for help from a mentor within the game on how to change your energy.
The Journey's biofeedback component measures a player's Skin Conductance Level (SCL) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV). SCL measures sweat gland activity. Increased perspiration indicates increased autonomic nervous system activation, which is associated with increased energy-both positive, like excitement, and negative, like nervousness.
HRV is calculated from the differences in heart rate from one heartbeat to another. No two intervals are exactly the same, and you need a device more sophisticated than just taking your pulse to determine it. Greater HRV is a healthy goal. In fact, people who exhibit this tend to live longer and enjoy life more. Parts of The Journey require users to attain this goal in order to move forward in the game.

Examining HRV is the fastest growing area in biofeedback and it can provide important methods of working with our own physiology. The Institute of HeartMath is one of many research groups that has been studying the effects of greater HRV. It combines research-based techniques and unique technology to help people fight the stresses of everyday life. Its research suggests that when you increase your HRV you can reach a state of coherence within the power spectrum frequencies of the heart that then gets the brain to synchronize with the heart and boost the immune system. This coherence pattern in the heart frequencies is also known as the heart's Resonant Frequency. Meditation, slow and easy abdominal breathing, or connecting with positive emotions are three researched ways for getting this desired pattern of both strength and balance.

By synchronizing your heart rate with the breath (two skills that can be gained through playing The Journey), you can quite easily reach your heart's Resonant Frequency. . Also, when we are in this state of coherence, its desired vibration pattern ripples out around us in an electromagnetic doughnut shape detectable eight or more feet in all directions. It even shows up in the brainwaves of anyone we touch! Who wouldn't want to experience the positive effects of such a state more and more often?Biofeedback is scientifically proven to have a powerful, positive effect on your emotional and physical well-being by teaching you to alter your brain activity, blood pressure, muscle tension, heart rate and other critical bodily functions. For more information about biofeedback, Read Dr. Bob Whitehouse's article on the Science of Biofeedback or visit the Mayo Clinic's Complimentary & Alternative Health Center.

By Dr. Bob Whitehouse and Sunny Turner.Biofeedback Technology in The Journey to Wild Divine

Bottled water vs. Tap water?

Bottled water has become as uch a permanent fixture in our everyday lives as cell phones. Why have we become so obsessed with the Evian? What exactly are we paying for? And is it really necessary to turn away from tap and grab a bottle instead?

Cynthia Sass, RD, a sport nutritionist in New York City, addressed this topic at he recent Aerican College of Sports Medicine's Health & Fitness Summit in Dallas, Texas. She suggests the issue is ''a combination of some city water contaminations making headlines and bottled water companies doing an excelent job of marketing water'' The truth botled water isn't what it promises, and tap water isn't as bad as it seems.

Just because water's bottled doesen't mean it's more rigorously tested. Water bottled in the state in which it's sold as more than 50 percent are, can slip by federal regulations. After testing more than 1,000 bottles representing over 100 brands, Sass found that 22 percent contained synthetic chemicals, bacteria, and arsenic.

Part of the problemis the perception. The National Resource Defence Council reports that 25 percent of bottled water contain repackaged tap water. This shocking stat results from the varying standards for bottled water: for some, the original source may be municipal tap water.

Tap water does not deserve its bad reputation. According to the Environmental Protection Agency Over 90 percent of water systems meet standards for tap water quality. To check your town water quality check the National Resource Defense Council findings at www.nrdc.org/water

So what is the solution?

Find a good filter system that will give you water that is free of bacteria, metals and chemicals. Our body needs water more then anything, drink lots of clean water.

Article by Health Matters Jessie Rosen

How is your air quality at home?

Human beings function best in the suroundings where they lived for thousand of years....the natural world. Do we know how it feels to breath fresh air, from a mountain stream, or an open forest?

We are indoors 90 percent of our time. More then 65 percent of that time is spent at home. This can mean exposure to very high levels of indoor air polution. Daily exposure to indoor pollution can be from two to five times higher sometimes as much as 100 times higher than outdoor polution!

Carpeting, furniture,paint, cleaning products, building materials paneling and glues can emit chemical vapors. Dust, pet dander, pollen,and odors are typically in houshold air. Mold and mildew and dust mites may be present. Even gasses such as radon, carbon monoxide are found in measurable quantities in many homes.

As we know food, water and sleep are all very important, but air is in most immediate need. It's something we use several times a minute! What could be more worthwhile then improving our air quality?

What about deodorants!

Antiperspirants and deodorants contain deadly poisons, most notably aluminum. These poisons are being put on the skin close to the lymph nodes. Anything absorbed in the skin from the armpit gets picked up by the lymph system and first travels to the breasts. It is believed that one of the major causes of breast cancer in woman is the use of these poisonous products. A healthy person should not have an offending odor: however, if you must use an antiperspirant or deodorant, there are all- natural products available. Go to your local health food store and inquire. Read the label, and if you can't pronounce the words, don't buy it!

Article by Kevin Trudeau

Do not use sunblock!

This is one of the greatest misconceptions in history. The sun does not cause cancer. Sun block has been shown to cause cancer. The ingredients in sun block are now strongly believed tobe the number one cause of skin cancer. There is no skin cancer in Africa. People stay in the sun all day long with no sunscreen. It is not the pigment in the skin as some suggest. People with African heritage living in America have the highest rate of skin cancer, and they stay in the sun the least. You do not want toget sun burn, so wear a hat orcover your body with light clothing. The sun is healthy for you and thesun should be on your skin. Statistics show that people that use the most amounts of sun block have the highest skin cancer rates. This goes for tanning lotions as well. Remember, whatever you put on your skin is going in your body. If you can't eat it, don't put it on your skin!

http://naturalcures.com/