Sunday, February 22, 2015

Alkaline food for better health

The medical community has established that an alkaline diet rich in plant foods is key to longevity, but maintaining an alkaline diet is increasingly difficult in modern western culture. Complex alkalizing minerals are contained in abundance in vegetables and a selection of fruits, yet convenience foods, soda, and excess proteins have replaced them. A whole cascade of health issues and degenerative disorders can be traced back to the excess acid caused by our changing habits. Bone loss , acidosis, gut issues, candida, cardiovascular concerns, inflammation, and accelerated aging are all connected to this phenomenon. Many doctors believe that an overly acidic system is a factor in cancer as well.
The good news is that we can do something about it; we can reverse the process and heal our bodies from a number of ailments in a matter of months. This is not a quick fix, and is a lifestyle commitment that requires some dedication. The following steps should help you on your way.
1. Increase your consumption of vegetables and fruits to 9 servings daily. Of the two, veggies are most important for bone building, and should include plenty of onions (these contain superior bone-building compounds), garlic, asparagus, kale, bok choy, endive, broccoli, cucumber, cabbage, collard greens, squash, sprouted seeds, sea vegetables, cress, leafy greens, and more. Wild edibles and grasses are also beneficial.
2. Eat root veggies and tubers: beets, carrots, yams, turnip, rutabaga, parsnip, radish, and burdock.
3. Eat fruits in moderation: avocadoes, tomatoes, grapefruit, limes, lemons, dried figs, watermelon, coconut, and ripe bananas are all beneficial. Dried prune plums are not alkaline but have a distinct benefit for bones and are therefore included on this list.
4. Eat grains in moderation, and concentrate on quinoa, millet, sprouted bread, and buckwheat. (Increase roots and tubers).
5. Reduce animal protein. Meat is highly acidic and should be consumed moderately or not at all. Choose fish and lamb over beef or chicken. Small amounts of goat or sheep milk may be tolerable.
6. Use olive, sesame, pumpkin, coconut, or flax oil.
7. Amongst the legumes, eat lima, white beans, and lentils. Fermented soy products such as tempeh or miso are good.
8. Nuts and Seeds: pumpkin, sesame and almond are best bets, along with fennel and cumin.
9. Increase your water consumption. Decrease or eliminate soda, coffee, processed juices, sports drinks, and alcohol.
10. Use plenty of herbs and spices in your cooking. Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, curries, cayenne and all the green herbs are wonderful not just for flavor but to help our bodies detoxify

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Sugar is sweet to taste but bitter to health

First, let’s set the record straight by saying that sugar in and of itself isn’t evil, per se. It occurs naturally in plenty of foods, including fruits and milk. With that being said, adding excess sugar to your dietary intake simply isn’t necessary. In fact, you’ll notice numerous positive things happen when you decide to quit sugar for life.
Although people living in the Western world have been trained to desire sugary treats, as well as foods that include copious amounts of sugar for flavoring, we certainly don’t need it. If you stop eating anything but naturally occurring sugars, you’ll notice that 5 very distinctive things will happen.

1. Your Energy Will Improve

Ironically, many of us have a tendency to reach for sugar-filled items, including so-called energy drinks and caffeinated beverages, when we’re tired. Yet without all the sugar, we’re guaranteed to have a higher energy level naturally. In other words, all that sugar is blocking our body’s ability to keep our energy stores at maximal levels. Plus, there will be no up-and-down with your blood sugar, so afternoon crashes will become an experience of the past.

2. Your Weight Will Stabilize

Sugar makes you crave more sugar, and we’re not just talking about sugar in its raw form. Let’s face it: most sugar comes in high-fat and/or high-carb foods that have been processed or at least contain tons of unwanted ingredients. There is, of course, the exception of fruit, which are nearly all sugar.
By going on a sugar detox, your body will not be subjected to the need to deal with all those additional calories. You won’t feel hungry, and you’ll end up losing weight – or at least not seeing the scale fluctuate as dramatically.

3. Your Intestines and Colon Will Perform More Efficiently

If your insides could tell you what they wanted on a daily basis, they would say lots of fiber and a minimum amount of tough-to-digest, impure foods. When you remove sugar, you’re enabling your tummy and bowels to reset their abilities to process what you’ve eaten. You may even find that you go to the bathroom more often … this is a good thing. It means everything is getting back to a normal routine.

4. You’ll Stop Wanting Sugar

It’s a fact: sugar begets sugar. After you rid it from your food regimen, you’ll slowly begin to lose the desire to eat anything with sugar in it. Fruits will taste plenty sweet, and if you do take a bite of a cake or pie, you’ll be shocked at how overpowering and overly sweet it seems.

5. Your Skin Will Look Healthier

Have you noticed that you can’t seem to crack the case on why your acne appears and disappears despite all the creams, potions, and ointments you’re using? It may be that sugar is hurting your skin from the inside out. Many people report that their skin feels and looks healthier after they stop giving in to sugar’s pull.

Ready to Start Your Sugar Detox and Quit Sugar for Life?

While a cold turkey approach to your sugar detox isn’t always recommended, especially if you’ve been a sugar-holic for most of your lifetime, it’s definitely a good idea to start cutting back now. The faster you begin, the faster you’ll start to reap the advantages of going sugar-free.
In fact, in light of the countless dangers of consuming too much sugar, the World Health Organization has changed its sugar recommendation—advising no more than 5% of your daily calories should come from the sweet stuff, down from the previously recommended 10 percent. Considering the average American consumes close to 5 grams each day, we have some work to do.

Start small by evaluating everything you’re eating and drinking. If you are addicted to sugar-laced coffee drinks sold at popular coffeehouses, scale back on how many times you drink them. Then, scale back some more. Soon, omit certain sugar-laden products. Over time, you will physiologically adjust to your new habits.
Remember that it takes about three weeks before a new way of doing something becomes a comfortable routine. If you have slight missteps, such as eating a candy bar after a stressful workday, just keep forging ahead. The results of your diligence will definitely be worth it.









Sunday, February 8, 2015

ED, erectile dysfunction due to side effect of prescription drugs


erectile dysfunction


Most men who take prescription medications know that they’re going to come with a list of side effects, which usually include drowsiness, headaches, dry mouth, or upset stomach. Sometimes, they’re a bit more serious, encompassing everything from skin irritation to allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock. But most of these guys forget one of the more unwanted side effects: erectile dysfunction.
Around the country, erectile dysfunction, or simply ED, affects as many as 30 million men, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Though this figure probably doesn’t include all those men taking prescription meds, they certainly experience the same effects, such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and a decreased quality of life. Nevertheless, it’s important to know which medications may cause these side effects, and speak to a doctor about possible alternatives — or just prepare to have trouble keeping it up. Here are five of them.
Benzodiazepines

It’s interesting that benzodiazepines, which are commonly used for anxiety — but also seizures and insomnia — can cause ED, and thus further anxiety. In fact, you’ll find that it’s a running theme. Anxiety is well known to cause ED, as increased levels of stress harm the body and take away from a man’s libido.
Though common benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, Ativan, Valium, and Librium, may help calm a man’s anxieties through sedative effects, they may also end up lowering a man’s desire to have sex, as well as his ability to stay erect.

Antidepressants

Another condition that causes ED in itself, major depression affected an estimated 16 million adults in 2012. Antidepressants are also used to treat anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, and even long-term pain. One of the major forms of antidepressants, called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are comprised of the drugs Celexa, Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro.
Up to 60 percent of people taking SSRIs may experience ED, according to Medscape. Though it’s unclear how it causes ED, experts suspect it relates to the way the drugs influence function of the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, all of which relate to feelings of well-being.

Beta Blockers

High blood pressure damages blood vessels, including those in a man’s penis; causing ED. But beta blockers, one of the drugs most commonly prescribed to people who have blood pressure, may also cause them to experience ED. Drugs that fall into this category include Sectral, Lopressor, Cogard, and Tenormin.
 Just like antidepressants, these drugs also affect neurotransmitters in the brain, specifically epinephrine (adrenaline). In this particular case, they counteract the stimulatory effects of the molecule, tamping down on a person’s excitement. At the same time, some evidence suggests beta blockers also messes with the areas of a man’s nervous system that make him erect.

Antihistamines

Millions of men suffer from allergies, but some of the most common drugs, such as Benadryl and Dramamine, may be causing them to have ED, too. Though it’s unclear exactly how it causes ED, personal accounts of its effects suggest that it could alter the way men’s nervous systems react to stimulation around the penis. It also seems to be temporary, with sensation coming back gradually after ending use.

H2 Blockers

Also called H2-receptor antagonists, this category of drugs include the popular heartburn drugs Zantac and Pepcid. They’re used to treat gastrointestinal disorders like gastric ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
For the most part, they cause ED when taken in high doses, and the drug Tagamet (cimetidine) is most likely to give men problems. Along with Ed and a decreased libido, they can also lower a man’s sperm count.
Though life on these drugs may seem grim within the sexual arena, taking them is important for treating whatever disease a doctor has prescribed them for. Also, by talking with a doctor about alternative treatments, lowering doses, or taking supplements, anyone who takes these drugs may be able to get some of their sexual health back.