Posts Tagged ‘wellness’

Polyphenols are the natural life savers that are in the vivid colored fruits and vegetables. This is the non-manufactured life saver.

Research

Researchers have found that baking British garden rhubarb for 20 minutes increases its levels of anti-cancerous chemicals. The findings are from academics at Sheffield Hallam University, together with the Scottish Crop Research Institute, were published in the journal Food Chemistry.

These chemicals, called polyphenols, have been shown to selectively kill or prevent the growth of cancer cells, and could be used to develop new, less toxic treatments, even in cases where cancers have proven resistant to other treatment.

Dr. Nikki Jordan-Mahy, from Sheffield Hallam University’s Biomedical Research Center, said: “Our research has shown that British rhubarb is a potential source of pharmacological agents that may be used to develop new anti-cancerous drugs.”

Plant Polyphenols

The natural source of polyphenols is plants. Dietary polyphnols have caught the attention of nutritionists rather recently. Up till the mid-1990s, the studies centered on antioxidant vitamins, carotenoids, and minerals. After 1995 research began in earnest on flavonoids, and other polyphenols, and their antioxidant properties. Their effects on human health are now being studied.

Polyphenols have been found in a wide array of phytochemical-bearing foods. These include such fruits as apples, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, cranberries, grapes, pears, plums, raspberries, and strawberries. The highest levels of polyphenols are found in the fruit skins.

Vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, celery, onion and parsley are rich in polyphenols. Red wine is known for its health benefits, which in large part come from the grapes. Coffee is considered healthy because it is an alternative source of this, as is green tea, olive oil, bee pollen and whole grains.

Studies

Population studies have linked fruit and vegetable consumption with lowering the risk for many chronic conditions. These included heart disease and many cancers. What the medical community wants is to establish proof that documents the role of functional foods in healing.

Population studies found that elderly men with the highest intake of dark green and deep yellow vegetables had about a 46% decrease risk of heart disease compared to those who consumed the least amount. The men who consumed the darkest green and yellow vegetables had about a 70% lower risk of developing cancer than those consuming the lowest amount of these vegetables.

The most interesting part of the study was that the men that consumed the highest level which was more than two (>2.05 and >2.2) servings of dark green and yellow vegetables a day. The men at the lowest level consumed less than one serving daily (<0.8 and <0.7). This is proof that small consistent changes matter. (Gaziano et al. Annals of Epidemiology 1995; 5:255 and Colditz et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1985,:41:32)

This study was one conducted in 1995. Where are all the physicians advocating this diet change for their patients?

While many alternative health and wellness advocates have actually produced some remarkable discoveries, the scientific community has their head in a test tube.

Strategy

Searching for a strategy to remain healthy?  Follow Kathy Bee our nutrition/lifestyle educator with www.yourhealthupdates.com

Which is the best diet for you? There are so many diets that are being touted, slogging through them will be labor intense. Food ideas seem to have religious undertones. The believers in each food system are sometimes overzealous.

Pitch

Food is not food anymore it is a philosophy. A critical review of each way of eating shows they all get results. They seem to be effective and explain their philosophy with clarity. They spreads by word of mouth. People adhering to the eating plan tout the benefits.

The pitch can be strident, and in your face. These are generic plans that at best work because of the adulterated foods that you have given up.

Types

They range from the fruitarian diet, vegetarian diet, low carbohydrate diet, macrobiotic, and high protein.

The reality is they all work to some degree, because of what you are giving up.  

Fruitarian

This is not a diet that everyone should blindly embrace. On this diet you have to be alert to see the down side. This is a high sugar diet, even thought it is in a natural form. It supplys vitamins and minerals, but it is high in fructose. For many people it has some critical nutritional elements missing.

What happens many people get caught up in trust and theater; they do not employ deep and critical thinking when embarking on this way of eating. It without a doubt can set some people up for problems in the long haul.

Yes, many people seem to do well at the beginning, what happens is that health issues appear later that don’t always attribute to the diet.

Vegetarian Diet

This can be a good diet for some, and others can’t figure out how to do a really good version. So vegetarian diets can become either a high end or low end junk food diet. In the vegetarian diet there is a lot of latitude, and pre-packaged food, which is high in sugar and sodium, can be a good part of the food supply.

Some of the best sources of iron, vitamins, and omega 3 fats come from grass fed animals. Everyone’s needs are different so it does matter when you leave out a food group.

Low Carb Diet

This has a lot going for it, but again you need to roll up your sleeves, and be prepared to figure out how to do it. Most of the today’s diets are too high in carbohydrates.

This is what matters where are your carbohydrates coming from. Vegetables are a good source, some whole grain works. Mankind started on a low carbohydrate diet and that is what our system is designed for. This diet includes some fruits. It is not neccesarily a high fat diet. Many people use low fat protein sources.

All the diets that work are a variation of cutting out the empty calories, and that means fabricated foods.

Macrobiotics

This is an unusual diet for most of the public, even thought it can be a healthy diet.

This diet is a high whole grain diet, with plenty of vegetables, including sea vegetables. What it has going for it is there are none of the standard pre-packaged foods that have become a staple in the American diet. People do eat animal protein in small amounts.

The draw back is that many people get so drawn in to the principal that they can overload on carbohydrates. This diet needs to be individualized to create a diet that works on a long term basis.

Individualized

Diets must suit lifestyles, genetic predisposition, and current health status.

The scourge of the 21^st century is the sedentary lifestyle. Lack of activity is not well tolerated by the body. To plan fitness into your day is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. 

In an issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine, specialists argue that prolonged periods of sitting are truly detrimental. In addition, we should focus on the harms caused by daily inactivity rather than on the lack of regular exercise alone.

The term “sedentary behavior” has come to mean “taking no exercise” according to doctors from the Karolinska Institute and the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden.

The authors explain that the health of people who already do too little exercise will suffer even more if combined with extended bouts of sitting.                                                                                                                                      
Neutralize The Effects

Neutralizing the effects of muscular stagnation is not that difficult. It is very important to do because it is effective at glucose control, cancer prevention, and circulation optimizer.

Well, I bet you can’t wait to find out how to get killer abs while not having to do any difficult exercise. If that is what you expect you are at the wrong place. Our aim is to provide defensive strategies that require the minimum effort.

Good abs are not what is going to be as important as energizing for lifelong health. Restoring healthy function is paramount to stimulating your immune system.

Recent Studies

Recent research indicates that prolonged periods of sitting and lack of whole body muscular movement are strongly linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and cognitive decline.

An Australian study suggested that for every additional hour a woman sits in front of the TV, her risk of metabolic syndrome which is a precursor to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, increases by 26 percent. This is irrespective of how much moderate exercise she does.

Fight Back

Reap the benefits of boosting your non-exercise activities. Insufficient movement is the culprit, not a lack of hard core exercising. Before inertia gets a hold there is way to obtain the benefits of a non-sedentary lifestyle.

All movement counts, and that is what is missing in most peoples day to day activities. While you unpack groceries, clean, make lunches, blend drinks, you have an oportunity to contributed to you daily activities. Planing your daily routine to include some extra steps can help keep you fit for life, It is easy to implement into your everyday activities.

Strategy

These exercises look puny compared to the feats of the barbell lifting crowd. However, you have another goal that is even more important, which is to prevent illness, and energize your life. So instead of worrying about building a six pack lets opt to start by becoming aware of your muscle groups.

With just small changes you could be on your road to a healthier and more productive life. The point is everything in your day takes some type of planning from your daily meals, to your bill paying. So start planning to put exercise on your immediate horizon. Quality, value, and choice are the three criteria for choosing some fun activities. The quality is how good it is at achieving what you want. The value it what it will add to the quality of your life. Above all the choice is yours.