Protect Your Heart By Eating Spinach

We tackled the health benefits of spinach yesterday and we learned that it is a nutrient-dense food and rich in antioxidants that could protect us from various diseases and cardiovascular protection is one of the health benefits we can get out of eating spinach.

With the said topic, we learned that spinach is rich in vitamins A and C. These two vitamins is not just essential because of their nutrient value but of being powerful antioxidants as well. Vitamin A is a fat soluble antioxidant while vitamin C is water soluble. Vitamins A and C team up could help us by preventing cholesterol to be oxidized.

What is in oxidized cholesterol that we need to be alarmed? If cholesterol is on its oxidized form, it could easily cling and build up on the walls of your arteries. If your arteries are blocked, blood could not easily circulate. At first you may suffer from high blood pressure that could double the workload of your heart in pumping the blood for all the essential elements to be carried to all your cells. Too much of oxidized cholesterol that we commonly term as “bad cholesterol” could result to atherosclerosis, heart attack, or stroke.

Aside from Vitamins A and C, spinach is rich in magnesium. Magnesium could help protect us from heart disease and could lower blood pressure. Spinach is an excellent source of folate or folic acid too. We need folate for our body to convert the harmful homocysteine into a less dangerous bi-products. High level of homocysteine in our body could cause heart attack or stroke. An antioxidant called Factor CO-Q10 plays an essential role in strengthening all muscles in our body, especially our heart muscle that never rest, it continuously work for our body to stay alive and healthy.

A cup of spinach a day will do a lot for us to have a healthy heart and cardiovascular system as a whole. So, never forget to include spinach in your diet.

The Necessity of Taking A Multivitamins

My younger sibling asked me if it is really needed to take multiple vitamins. As for me, taking multivitamins is necessary only if you cannot meet the  “grow”, “glow” and “go” food groups that your body is needing and if the food you eat is somewhat routine, no variation at all. Those people who has no time to cook and those that are transient who just buy food from nearest restaurants, those that solely depend on the available of food on the restaurant really need to take supplements, I said.

Of course, aside from essential nutrients, we also need antioxidants to fight and sweep away toxins away from our system. Who among us could accomplish eating at least five servings of variety of fruits and vegetables everyday? That is another reason why it has been a necessity to take multivitamins since lots of people are always on the go and prefer to eat food that are easy to prepare, does not require lots of time preparing for it, and could be stock on the kitchen for long period of time without being ruined. Antioxidants and other essential elements could only be found in fresh foods, thus, to compensate for this need people take multivitamins.

It is weekend and we all have time to prepare freshly extracted juice from fruits and vegetables and cook wholesome food. We already discussed about harmful effects of too much of good things, thus, my sister now fully understood when she will take her multivitamin supplement and when not to.

The Symbol of Lifestyle

One of my male friends asked me if I have idea what is the best supplement he should take. I remember him posted some pictures on his profile taken just a week ago in which he and his circle of friends are smoking cigar. He even put a comment on the album that it is a symbol of lifestyle. I immediately remember the health info I’ve read that smokers need more vitamin C than non-smokers so I stress more about the importance of vitamin C to his health by sharing the info I got aside from other essential vitamins and minerals.

I reminded him that supplementation could not make up for unhealthy lifestyle, it just fill in nutrient gaps. I know he got my point thus he smile and nodded. I told him also about the importance of antioxidants that could be taken from right diet for him to enjoy optimum health. I jokingly added that next time he need to post photos in which he is holding vitamin C-rich foods and, or supplement too on his profile as  symbol of his lifestyle. And, to read my posts every now and then. How, about you, what is the symbol of your lifestyle?

How to Effectively Prevent Wrinkles

Best wrinkle cream helps a lot in erasing wrinkles. But, did you know that what you eat could delay or even prevent wrinkle formation? Food rich in antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E could protect your skin from environmental damage. Diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and polyunsaturated oils helps a lot not just against skin aging but good health in general. Especially if you limit yourself from processed foods, butter and sweet goodies. Why not start to eat right today to prevent wrinkle formation tomorrow?

Why We Consider Junk Food an Unhealthy Food

“Why we consider junk food an unhealthy food and why it is called junk Aunt Midas?” my niece asked me yesterday afternoon while we are buying some stuff at the supermarket. I simply answered her that junk foods are bad foods especially those that are preserved, they are not good for the body. Junk food is an unhealthy food, not fit for eating. But she insisted that there are healthy junk foods too because of some nutritional value you could find on its packs that is why eating junk foods is fine. She made me smile that time, yes, all foods have some value but it does not mean that it has a little nutritional value you could categorize it as healthy or nutritious food. I explained to her that junk foods effects, could not be seen immediately, that it takes time before she could see its bad effects.

Why we categorize junk foods as unhealthy foods? Not just because of its low nutritional value that it was called unhealthy food but because of junk foods effects, the hazards it could cause to one’s health. Junk foods are usually high in fats. As we could see on the back label of a junk food, the fats they mostly use are hydrogenated oils, the common term for trans fatty acids or trans fats (could cause cancer). Manufacturers hydrogenate the healthy unsaturated fats so that it will last long. Unfortunately, hydrogenation causes the healthy unsaturated fats to become unhealthy saturated fats which could result to clogged arteries and heart problems. That is just one reason why eating junk foods is not advisable.

And what are some of the junk food effects why junk foods were called an unhealthy foods? High level of salt in a junk food could cause hypertension and, or kidney problems because of its sodium content. If it is a sweet junk food, too much sugar could not only ruin the teeth but could cause obesity and diabetes in the long run. Other junk foods uses aspartame or saccharin as sweetener. These  sweeteners has been linked with other health problems including certain cancers in laboratory animals. Have you seen monosodium glutamate (MSG) listed on the junk food content? This additive is flavor enhancer, as we all know it has bad reputation and been controversial that it could cause cancer. Antioxidants such as Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and  Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) that are widely use in oils of junk food has been linked with certain cancers in laboratory animals too. Now, tell me, is eating junk foods good for the health? Is there such thing as healthy junk foods or you will consider junk foods now as a group of bad foods? Yes, junk food may contain low nutritional value but junk foods effects are so hazardous to ones health.

Television advertising, greatly affects child’s desire for food, especially on unhealthy foods like junk food. Relatives and friends that gives food to the children is another great factor that influences the child’s choice of food. Parents, just bear in mind that your influence in choosing the right food for your kids is still the greatest influence of all. Though it is a little bit difficult to have complete control over what your children are taking in (especially when they are with friends or relatives) but you can and should control the foods that are available at your home. If junk food or any high sugar, high fat, high salt, low nutrient and preserved foods are not available at your home, the child would be force to eat the nutritious food available. So, the best thing is do not keep foods that you do not want your child to consume, those you consider unhealthy foods for your family like junk food.

Health Benefits of Garlic

Health Benefits of Garlic

A simple clove of garlic, minced garlic, garlic sauce, garlic oil, garlic butter, roasted garlic for your garlic recipes like garlic chicken, garlic bread, garlic pizza, garlic potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes and other garlic recipes are so healthy for your  health.

Garlic is considered miracle food by the herbalists and naturopaths because aside from its culinary uses it is beneficial to our health and has medicinal properties.

Allium sativum L. or garlic as we commonly call it, has good reputation not just on our taste buds but in our health in general. And, because of the said reputation, we consider garlic an important component in nutrition for those who are following a healthy lifestyle.

Did you know that garlic has lots of minerals that is good for our body and some of it are iodine, selenium, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc and potassium? It has vitamins A, B and C too.

Its pungent flavor made it to be a fundamental component in many dishes and it can be eaten either raw or cooked. Garlic cloves or minced garlic is often paired up with onion and tomato in sauteing. Garlic stems are often used in stir frying and its leaves is cooked as vegetable, but just in small amount, like leaks and onion leaves. Garlic sauce, garlic oil, garlic butter, roasted garlic for your garlic recipes like garlic chicken, garlic bread, garlic pizza, garlic potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes are some of garlic products we usually enjoy with garlic.

When cloves of garlic is cut or minced or crushed, sulfur compounds like allicin, ajoene, vinyl dithin and D-allyl mecaptocysteine were released. These compounds are considered as anti-carcinogenic and anti-atherosclerotic. Thiosulfonates are phytochemicals or antioxidant components we can get from garlic that are known to reduce the risk of heart disease and has anti-cancer effect. Allicin is responsible of its pungent taste and smell and is thought to be accountable of most of garlic’s therapeutic attribution.

In several studies it has been shown that the compounds in garlic are good for the heart and it offers us a protection against stroke: it lowers blood pressure, beats down cholesterol production in the liver, lessens LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and raises HDL (good cholesterol) in the blood. It also decelerates hardening of the arteries and maintain its tensility. The recommended daily dose of fresh garlic is about 4g, equivalent to 1-2 small garlic cloves.

Garlic could also inhibit blood clotting and increase the rate at which blood clots are broken down, but at least ten garlic cloves a day-may have to be eaten before any effect is noticed.

Garlic helps us also fight infections because of its antiviral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. It is a good expectorant and is also good in asthma, common colds, arthritis and a good remedy for dozens of other complaints. It has impressive antioxidant effect that protects us against harmful “free radicals”. And, it has even been suspected that garlic help regulate blood sugar level. Indeed, garlic can be considered a wonder drug.

Though it is considered a miracle food, and whether you admit it or not garlic sauce, garlic oil, garlic butter, roasted garlic for your garlic recipes like garlic chicken, garlic bread, garlic pizza, garlic potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes are so irresistible but we have to take it in MODERATION for it is also known in causing halitosis and pungent ‘garlicy’ smell of the sweat. Too much eating of garlic, especially if it is taken raw, may cause irritation to our digestive tract.

Tips to Improve Your Memory

Few minutes ago, my younger sister asked me what to do to improve her memory. Then she added, “I hope there is a wonder drug that provides a high quality upgrade for human memory. A wonder drug that can simply be bought anywhere and then I can just have my memory upgraded anytime. How I wish it were as easy as upgrading the Mac memory of my MacBook Pro or my PSP memory stick.” Silly as it sounds, she seemed serious when she said those words. I’m sure a lot of people also wish for the same thing, but even if some products on the market promises to do wonder in improving one’s memory, such wonder drug does not exist. However, I can give her some tips how to improve her memory.

Here are my simple tips:
HAVE TIME FOR EXERCISE.  Family exercise will not just act as bond for your family and not just good for your heart but for the wellness of your family in general. Regular exercise boosts memory. Lots of research has been conducted from small children to adults about the connection between exercise and mental functioning of the brain. All of them have proven that it does not just release happy hormone that has anti-stress effect but it boosts memory and good cognitive functioning too.

EAT A BALANCED DIET. Eating a balance meal with more emphasis on plant foods – grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts will help your brain to function well. Foods that are rich in antioxidants like strawberries and spinach may help retard age related problems and that includes memory. Foods that are rich in choline or lecithin, riboflavin and zinc are also good for the brain. Zinc is involved in enzyme reaction in the brain that could influence its functions while choline or lecithin and riboflavin improves memory.

SUPPLEMENT YOURSELF WITH VITAMINS B, C and E.  Vitamin B6, B12, thiamine and choline have big roles to play in brain functioning while vitamin C and E are powerful antioxidants that may protect your brain from normal aging.

DRINK AT LEAST 8 GLASSES OF WATER DAILY. More than 60 percent of our body is made up of water. For more info about the importance of water to your brain just click here.

Operation Erase Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Operation Erase Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Let us make our mothers feel special today, let us help them look good and feel good by our “Operation Erase Fine Lines and Wrinkles bonding.” No, we do not need to spend money to erase those fine lines, crow’s feet and wrinkles. All you need to spend is time and effort for your mother. If your aim is to help her get rid of fine lines and, or prevent wrinkles, better make your “Operation Erase Fine Lines and Wrinkles bonding” at least once a week and, help her correct her daily lifestyle that triggers premature wrinkle formation.

Let us understand first what causes wrinkles. Having wrinkles is part of aging process; however, premature wrinkles, fine lines and crow’s feet exist due to some factors like sun damage; harmful elements in alcohol and tobacco smoking; lack of water intake; wrong choice of food leading to depletion of important elements for a healthy skin; squinting while smoking or under the sun and other facial muscle movements or contraction like in raising the eyebrows, concentrating and smiling; and rapid weight loss.

What you will do today in our “Operation Erase Fine Lines and Wrinkles bonding” to make your mother look good and feel good? Just follow these simple wrinkles home remedy steps:

1. Let you mother take a bath or wash her face to freshen up for your bonding. Tell her not to apply any beauty product on her face, neck and chest after bathing.
2. While she is taking a bath, prepare the things you will need. Cotton balls, facial tissue, face towels, Castor oil, fresh pineapple cores or crushed apple, 3-4 tablespoons of crushed, juicy, fresh, ripe papaya, clean lukewarm water in a small basin, and a relaxing music as background for your bonding.
3. Using cotton, thinly apply Castor oil on her face, concentrating more on wrinkle prone areas: on the forehead, in between eyebrows, bridge of  her nose, outer corners of the eyes, nasolabial folds, around the mouth, neck and chest.
4. While you are applying the Castor oil tell her how happy you are that she is your mother.
5. Let the Castor oil stay on her skin for at least 30 minutes while letting your mother think of the funny things that happened to her.
6. Rinse it with dipped clean cotton ball on lukewarm water and pat dry using facial tissues.
7. Gently massage your mother‘s chest, neck and face with fresh pineapple core.  An enzyme from pineapple dissolves her dead skin cells, revealing her fresh and healthy skin while apple is rich in natural alpha hydroxy acids (AHA): tartaric and malic acid that is good for the skin.
8. After a gentle, brief massage, apply the crushed papaya.  Tell her that papaya is rich in vitamins A, B, C and E and antioxidants that is good for the skin.
9. Let the papaya stay on her skin for at least 30 minutes while letting her think of all the blessings she received in life.
10. Rinse it with dipped clean cotton ball on lukewarm water, then with a clean tap water. Pat dry using facial tissues.

Note:

• You may omit pineapple or apple in your facial massage if it is not available, your own fingers is fine.
• You may use thinly-sliced cucumber, egg white, fresh grapes or mashed fresh potato (10-15 minutes only for fresh potato).

“Operation Erase Fine Lines and Wrinkles bonding” is a great relaxing moment for your mom physically and mentally. Definitely, she will love it! A perfect gift for Mother’s Day.

To all the moms, Happy Mother’s Day!

Now that we knew what triggers premature wrinkle formation let us now proceed to how to help your mother get rid of fine lines and, or prevent premature wrinkles through her daily diet and healthy lifestyle. Let us talk first about sun exposure because it is the major culprit in premature wrinkle formation. Direct exposure to sunlight before eight o’clock in the morning or past four o’clock in the afternoon for 30 minutes is good for her health. However, too much exposure to sunlight, especially between 10 A.M. to 4 P.M., causes not just premature wrinkles and signs of aging but permanent damage to her skin and that includes skin cancer. One more thing, going out under the sun without sunglasses will cause her to squint, squinting triggers to form eye wrinkles or crow’s feet so better remind her to always protect her eyes with sunglasses and wear sunscreen and protective clothing when she is out in the sun.

Generally, tobacco smoking, alcohol intake and drugs are harmful to our total health not just to the skin. So, if you want to help your mother not just to get rid of fine lines and, or prevent premature wrinkles but for her to be healthy, lead her away from those harmful elements. Be a good model to your mother, instead of bonding with an alcoholic or soda drinks, why not lead her to water therapy and have an exercise bonding?

Encourage her to eat nutritious foods and lessen her fatty meals and processed food intake. Diet plays a big role not just to get rid of fine lines and, or prevent premature wrinkles but to her overall health. Eating lots of various fruits and vegetables everyday, especially those that are rich in antioxidants is good for her.

Do not forget to check the soap and other beauty products she is using. Harsh products may cause premature wrinkles.