Scientists believe that running is the fountain of youth. It improves overall health, heart function, bone health and burns calories. But, running is not that simple – you need a good motivation.
Here are some reasons to run more often.
1. You will feel much better
Regardless of your mood, running will make you feel much better. It stimulated the production of endocannabinoids.
A 2006 research found that running for 30 minutes improves mood in people who deal with depression. If you have not run before, start with walking or jogging.
2. You will look good
Running burns calories, aids in weight loss, but what many people do not know is that it burns calories even when you stop running.
3. Healthy skin complexion
Believe it or not, sweating cleans dirt from pores. It also keeps you fresh and healthy.
4. Perfect body line
Running not only burns calories but also tones your body and tightens your legs and stomach.
5. Stronger knees
Many people believe that running weakens knees. Scientists have proven the opposite – running improves the health of your knees. However, make sure that you run properly.
6. Stronger heart
Running reduces bad cholesterol. It decreases blood pressure and improves circulation.
7. You will be much stronger
Running will make you stronger, and you will do your exercises more easily. It will also improve the function of your lungs.
8. Better sleep
Insomniacs should stop taking sleeping pills and start running. A research has shown that insomniacs fall asleep within 38 minutes, but when they start running, they fall asleep in less than 17 minutes.
9. You will be more focused
A research conducted in Great Britain has proven that workers who exercise are more focused and productive, and do less mistakes, unlike workers that do not exercise.
10. You will save money
Do not fall in despair if you cannot afford going to the gym or buy special equipment. The only thing that running requires is a pair of good sneakers.
Source: Health And Healthy Living
If you enjoy the company of bananas, then you should be really careful next time you decide to buy some. They are so delicious that rarely anyone can resist them, but there is one thing you must be aware of before buying these tropical flavor fruits.
The fully ripe banana produces a substance called TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) which has the ability to combat abnormal cells. As the banana ripens, it develops dark spots or patches on the skin. The more dark patches it has, the higher will be its’ immunity enhancement quality . Hence the Japanese love bananas for a good reason. According to a Japanese scientific research, banana contains TNF which has anti-cancer properties. This substance, according to their study, helps to increase the immune system capacity. The conclusion of the study was that eating those ripe bananas may just prevent certain lifestyle-related diseases and carcinogenesis.
The degree of anti-cancer effect corresponds to the degree of ripeness of the fruit, i.e. the riper the banana, the better the anti-cancer quality.
It is a fact that nutrient content of fruits change slightly as they ripen. As a banana ripens and turns yellow, its levels of antioxidants increases. In full ripe bananas with dark spots on skin, the starch content changes to simple sugars that are easier to digest.
In an experiment carried out by Japanese scientists, the various health benefits of different ripe fruits, as banana, grape, apple, watermelon, pineapple, pear and persimmon were compared and it was found out that banana gave the best results. It increased the number of white blood cells, enhanced the immunity of the body and produced anti-cancer substance TNF. The recommendation is to eat 1 to 2 banana a day to increase your body immunity to diseases like cold, flu and others.
It’s believed that bananas having reached the stage of multiple brown spots may have a considerable amount more of TNF-alpha — and be up to 8 times more effective than the green skin banana version or fresher bananas without the same dark patches or spots, i.e 8 times more effective in enhancing the property of white blood cells.
Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF-α) is a cytokine, substances secreted by certain cells of the immune system that have an effect on other cells. This is indeed helpful in fighting abnormal turmor cells in body. Research done on ripening bananas has proved that the levels of TNF-α induction increased markedly with dark spots on skin before the entire banana peel turned brown. The research concluded that the activity of banana was comparable to that of Lentinan, a chemical immunostimulant that is intravenously administered as an anti-cancer agent. So, ripe banana can act as an anti-cancer agent by stimulating the production of white blood cells in the human cell line and preventing cell mutation.
Note: Once bananas ripen fully, store them in the refrigerator to minimize further vitamin loss. Fresh bananas with brown patches on the skin are ripe enough to eat immediately. Make sure to avoid over-ripe bananas whose skin has turned completely brown or split open.
Source: Healthy Food Style
Okra, known as ladies’ fingers or bamia, is a wonderful vegetable. It is perfect if you want to heal your body through diet. Here we present you all the medicinal properties of the okra.
Why you should eat okra?- Fibers: rich in fibers, which improves digestion and heals the bowels. It helps us easily dispose of toxins in the intestines.
- Diabetes: helps reduce blood sugar levels. It stabilizes blood sugar by regulating the rate at which sugar is absorbed.
- Pregnancy: okra is rich in folates, which helps in fetal development. It prevents miscarriage and defects in the fetal neural tube.
- Bones: strengthens your bones and prevents osteoporosis because it’s rich in vitamin K and folates, which makes the bones denser.
- Asthma: rich in antioxidants and vitamin C and has anti-inflammatory properties. All of that prevents the development of asthma and asthma attacks.
- Respiratory problems: the leaves and flowers of okra are used in treating pneumonia, bronchitis and common cold and flu.
- Constipation: the fibers in the okra facilitate proper absorption of water, lubricates the large intestines and ensure bowel movements. The works as a natural laxative.
- Sun strokes: if you suffer from sun strokes you can eat okra to relieve weakness and exhaustion from the heat.
- Colon cancer: the fibers in the okra reduce the risk for colon and rectal cancer. They clean our intestines tract, while the antioxidants eliminate the free radicals.
- Obesity: okra has almost no calories, while the fibers make you feel full. Plus, it is rich with nutrients.
- Cholesterol: it lowers the cholesterol levels because it’s rich on soluble fiber Pectin. The Pectin lowers the bad cholesterol and prevents atherosclerosis.
- Skin Detoxifier: it cleans our skin from wastes and repairs our tissue. It prevents skin pigmentation, reduces acne, and prevents psoriasis and other conditions.
- Hair: brings your hair to life; it acts as hair conditioner, it moisturizes your scalp while preventing dandruff. Your hair will look shiny and fresh.
- Detoxification: yet another benefit from the fibers; they bind cholesterol and bile acid and eject toxins.
- Immunity: boosts your immune system with the help of the antioxidants and vitamin C and other essential minerals like calcium, manganese, magnesium, and iron. These help your body fight against free radicals.
- Eyesight: rich in beta-carotenes, lutein and xanthine, which prevent glaucoma and cataract.
- Anemia: with the help of vitamin K, folate and iron the okra will help your fight against anemia. Hemoglobin forms, the blood coagulates, and the production of red blood cells is increased.
- Ulcers: it neutralize acids and speeds up the healing of peptic ulcers by providing a temporary protective coating for the digestive tract.
- Genital disorders: eat okra if you want increased sexual potency. The okra can also treat disorders like gonorrhea, leucorrhoea, syphilis and dysuria and prevents excessive menstrual bleeding.
- Proteins: okra seeds are rich in proteins, which is perfect for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. They are also rich in oils, amino acids like cysteine, tryptophan, and other.
- Blood network: support your blood capillaries by eating plenty of flavonoid and vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables, such as Okra.
- Probiotics: okra aids good bacteria thrive in your intestines, which helps for a healthy intestinal tract.
People run away from garlic like vampires, but little do they know how powerful medicine garlic can be. It can miraculously heal and protect your body from various bacteria and diseases, while stimulating the immune system and normalizing your gut flora.
People living on the country side use garlic as the first aid choice when they get sick or when they just want to use it as a preventive measure. They never question its powers and never turn away from its smell, because they know how wonderful it is.
Garlic was even cultivated 5,000 years ago. Many cultures used it in their daily diets, like the Arabs, Jews, Greeks, Assyrians, and the Romans and especially the Egyptians. Of eight hundred drugs that the Egyptians invented, 22 were made with garlic. It was even Pythagoras’ favorite spice.
The best way to make full use of the garlic’s power is to eat it on an empty stomach. This way you can prevent and treat many diseases on a more effective level. Scientists have found that this way you actually increase its powerful antibiotic properties.
Forget about Antibiotics
Garlic is good for fighting fungal infections, colds, flues and all sorts of diseases that people treat with the help of modern medicine. When you crush or grind a garlic clove, a phytoncide forms called allicin, which has strong bacteriostatic effects that help treating infections faster. Garlic is rich in many other phytoncides, but also in essential oils, extractives, phytosterols, Vitamin C, D, and B, phosphoric and sulfuric acid, silicon, magnesium, calcium, selenium, potassium, and sodium. It also contains many antioxidants and more than four hundred different mineral components.
The Amazing Health Benefits of Garlic- It prevents clogging and aging of all types of arteries.
- It reduces the levels of bad cholesterol.
- It strengthens the immune system, thus your body is able to withstand all kinds of harmful influences.
- It kills a large number of bacteria.
- It helps protect against heart diseases.
- It reduces the synthesis of triglycerides, thus preventing the development of atherosclerosis.
- It lowers blood pressure.
- It has anti-inflammatory properties.
- As a natural antibiotic it is an effective remedy for colds.
- It treats disorders of the nervous system.
- It kills the cells of a malignant brain tumor.
- It acts as an anticoagulant, which prevents the formation of dangerous blood clots, thus reducing the risk of a stroke or heart attack.
Source: Healthy Food Place
What happens to water when we reboil it?
It’s something they never taught us in chemistry class, but really should have. When we boil water, the chemistry of it changes, which is usually a good thing as it boils out volatile compounds and dissolves gases. This is why boiling water mostly ensures that it’s safe to drink.
If water is left boiled too long or is reboiled, the chemical compounds change for the worst. By leaving your water to boil down, you’re actually concentrating many harmful chemicals instead of getting rid of them.
The same thing happens when you reboil water, as the compounds concentrate and increase the risk of ingesting certain chemicals.
These chemicals could include arsenic, nitrates, and fluoride. Even the minerals that are healthy for us can become dangerous when concentrated, such as calcium salt which can lead to kidney stones and gallstones when taken excessively.
The Destructive Effects of Reboiled Water
1. Arsenic
“Drinking-water poses the greatest threat to public health from arsenic,” states The World Health Organization (WHO).
Exposure to arsenic may lead to arsenic toxicity, which can develop physical effects slowly over a number of years, depending on the level of exposure.
Dangers of arsenic toxicity include peripheral neuropathy, gastrointestinal symptoms, skin lesions, diabetes, renal systems effects, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer.
2. Nitrates
Nitrates are found naturally all over earth, in the soil, water, and air. However, the chemical can become harmful when used as a food preservative, such as in deli meats, or when exposed to high heat, such as boiling water.
When nitrates are exposed to high temperatures, they convert to nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic.
Nitrates have been linked to many diseases such as leukemia, non-Hodkin lymphoma, and different cancers, including colon, bladder, ovarian, stomach, pancreatic, and esophageal cancer.
3. Fluoride
Many studies have been done over the controversial chemical fluoride and its presence in drinking water. The fact is, it’s there and it could pose a threat to your health. Despite the proof of the dangerous effects of fluoride, the government insists to keep it in our water.
Harvard University took data from over 27 studies that were carried out for 22 years and linked fluoride exposure to neurological and cognitive function in children.
The results were published in the journal of Environment Health Sciences and concluded that fluoride found in drinking water resulted in lower IQ scored among children.
A more recent study completed in 2013 links fluoride to lower infertility rates in male mice.
Source: Healthy Holistic Living
As an infamous children's book puts it, everyone poops. But we hardly ever talk about it. When was the last time you sat down and talked to a friend—or even your doctor—about what your poop looks like, smells like, or even sounds like? If you're like most people, the answer is never.That silence hasn't just left us in the dark about our toilet-time activities, it's also allowed for some pretty pervasive (and mostly untrue) myths about what makes a "healthy" poo.We consulted to a poopologist (okay, a gastroenterologist) to decode those crappy myths. Here, everything you never wanted to know about poop.
Myth: Healthy people poop once a day
This is the myth that won't die, despite a total lack of scientific evidence supporting it. "At the end of the day, we define anything less than three times a week as abnormal," says Kyle Staller, MD, a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. "But any pattern can be healthy as long as your frequency doesn't impact your quality of life."
Myth: It's bad to hold your poop
While it probably won't make you feel great, holding in your poop won't cause any harm. "It's good to have the ability to hold it in until there's a socially acceptable place and time," says Patricia Raymond, MD, FACG, a gastroenterologist and associate professor of clinical internal medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Just don't make a habit of stifling your urges, says Staller. "We've found people who hold their poop longer because of their profession—nurses, teachers, or truck drivers, for example, or people who are afraid to go at work—can get into bad habits that cause constipation or dysfunction in the muscles used for pooping," he says.
Truth: It's normal for poop to smell bad
No matter what, poop is going to stink. But Raymond says the smell quality of your bowel movements does change depending on your diet. The more veggies you put in, the less it will smell. "Herbivore leavings smell much better than a carnivore's," says Raymond. Still, if your poo goes from kind of smelly to off the charts unbearable, there might be something wrong. "That can be a sign that you're not digesting food properly," Raymond says.
Myth: It's important to cleanse your colon
Once and for all, your colon doesn't need cleansing. Depleting the stores of healthy bacteria in your colon through a prolonged cleanse can lead to cramping, bloating, nausea, and electrolyte abnormalities, says Staller. "Your colon is meant to have stool in it at all times," he says. Unless your colon needs a cleanse for medical reasons, both Staller and Raymond suggest you leave the poor thing alone.
Myth: There's such thing as a "perfect" poop
The idea that poop should be perfect is just "something for those anal retentives among us," says Raymond. (Har.) And it's normal for people to have a range of types—which are officially classified on the Bristol Stool Scale (yes, that exists) from types 1 (hard little rabbit pellets) to 7 (liquid). None of the types are bad, unless you're straining too hard or worry about making it to a bathroom in time. The only true problem, Raymond says, is if your poop is consistently skinny. That could be a sign of hemorrhoids or colon cancer.
Truth: Poop shouldn't float
If you remember your middle school science, you know anything denser than water is going to sink. If you notice your poop is floating every time you go, make an appointment with a gastroenterologist, says Raymond. This can be a sign that you're not absorbing fat and oil properly. However, occasional floaters are nothing to worry about. "If you eat something that causes a lot of gas, it'll float," says Staller. That's just a reflection of your diet for the day.
Myth: White foods are good for diarrhea
While some white foods—like rice and toast—may help, there are others you definitely want to stay away from—like milk and cheese. In fact, Raymond says there isn't a single diet 100% known to help diarrhea, despite doctors prescribing the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, tea, or toast) to kids for decades. The only thing that definitely helps, she says, is to make sure you stay really well hydrated. But that doesn't mean you should guzzle a gallon of Gatorade or even put in your 8 cups of water that day. Neither will help your body regain the salt and potassium you've lost through your bowels. Instead, whip up a batch of the World Health Organization's Oral Rehydration Solution—1 liter of water, 6 teaspoons of sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Sip the solution throughout the day, making sure you're putting in twice as much as you're losing.
Myth: Pooping takes a long time
Although the magazine rack sitting beside your toilet suggests otherwise, taking a long time in the bathroom probably has more to do with what's distracting you while in the john. (Struggling to beat that level of Candy Crush?) "We were set up since we were cavemen to be able to squat quickly and then keep going," says Raymond. But don't worry if it takes you a little longer to let loose, everyone is different. But you shouldn't strain all the time, says Staller; if you do, talk to your gastroenterologist about possible causes and solutions.
Myth: Healthy poop doesn't splash
Raymond blames Dr. Oz for this myth, which she says is a gastroenterologist's nightmare. "He was talking on Oprah and he said that your bowel movement when it comes out and hits the toilet bowl should make almost no splash – like an Olympic diver entering a pool," she says. "And if your bowel movement makes a splashing noise you should see your gastroenterologist immediately." His statement sent waves of perfectly healthy people concerned about their splashing poo straight to the nearest gastroenterologist office. Raymond’s tip: stop listening to your poop. "There’s no particular sound your poop should make when it hits the toilet bowl."
Truth: Poop should usually be brown
"Doctors don't like red, purple, or black," says Raymond. "Those colors usually indicate blood." (Or it could be the beets or cherries you ate, so think about what you had for lunch before you freak out.) White or clay-colored poop mean there's a blockage in your bile duct. And the super rare silver, which Raymond has only seen in medical photos, means a tumor has latched on to the opening of the bile duct. On occasion the color may vary for perfectly natural reasons, says Raymond. "Sometimes you'll see yellow or green," she says. Those colors result from bile that's secreted up by the gall bladder and liver area, and should clear up by your next trip to the facilities.
Source: Prevention
We are all sometimes tempted by what we perceive to be a shortcut, only to realize we in fact took a detour. In their attempts to lose weight quickly, many people turn to fasting. But skipping meals is no time saver. When done a few times, it doesn’t present a big problem. However, when it becomes a habit or a part of a dieting strategy, it can have long-term effects on the body and even contribute to the development of some chronic conditions.
Moreover, by skipping meals, you don’t get any closer to developing a healthy-looking body. In fact, doing it might make it even harder for you to get rid of the extra weight.
Skipping Meals Causes Blood Sugar Rollercoaster
When you skip a meal, you don’t supply your body with the fuel it runs on. Consequently, your blood sugar levels drop and the body experiences a shortage of energy. Glucose (sugar) is something that all our organs need for normal functioning and it is very important for optimal brain activity. Within four to six hours of your last food intake
- The brain starts experiencing fuel shortage.
- You become tired, sluggish, moody and irritable.
- Your cognitive functions are affected, and you might have difficulty with attention, memory, concentration and general mental performance.
When you are physically and mentally feeling unwell, this of course affects all areas of your life. For example, you might want to give your exercise session a miss, because you’re simply not feeling energetic enough to do it. Or, you start craving unhealthy snacks just to bring those sugar levels up. Sticking to a healthy eating routine can become much more difficult when you skipped your last meal.
When your sugar levels drastically fluctuate between highs and lows, your dieting efforts get seriously compromised. Also, insulin – the hormone that regulates glucose levels – gets disturbed. There is a chance that you are contributing to the development of diabetes later in life.
Skipping Meals Changes Your Metabolism
If you’re set to lose weight, you really want your metabolism to be working well and fast as it will be much easier for you to lose weight if you increase your metabolism: this will help you to burn calories faster with less effort. Read about these 10 foods that can increase your metabolism as well as 10 factors that affect your metabolic rate.
However, when you skip meals, this slows the metabolism down. It gives it nothing to do. Next time you provide it with food to break down, it finds it harder to kick in. As a result, the food transforms into fat more readily and gets deposited in all the places you don’t want it to be.
When your body enters into starvation mode, it looks for new sources of energy. Your metabolism starts transforming fat into energy. This might sound like a good plan, but can have health consequences that include:
- nausea
- constipation
- fatigue
- kidney stress
- low blood pressure
With time, the body gets used to the shortage and starts holding on to fat stores, while reducing your lean muscle tissue.
Studies Related to Skipping Meals
A study published in the medical journal Metabolism, looked at what happens when people skip meals but end up eating just as much as they would in a normal day when they finally do sit down to a meal.
The researchers found that skipping meals during the day and eating one large meal in the evening resulted in potentially risky metabolic changes. The meal skippers had elevated fasting glucose levels and a delayed insulin response — conditions that, if they persisted long term, could lead to diabetes.
In another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers assessed the effects of two meal patterns, each on healthy normal-weight adults. The study examined a one meal a day diet vs. the traditional three meals per day.
The researchers found that the systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly lowered by about 6% during the period when subjects consumed the three-meal-a-day pattern compared to when they were on the one-meal regimen each day. But that’s not the only bad news for meal skippers. Both the total and artery clogging-LDL cholesterol were higher for the meal skipping group, with total cholesterol up by 11.7% and the LDL by a whopping 16.8%.
The Conclusion
Proper nutrition is paramount to your health and can help improve and prevent numerous conditions, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and stroke.
There are no shortcuts, and in the long run, skipping meals will only harm you. It’s much better to design a sustainable eating and exercising plan and make it a part of your daily life.
Source: Healthy And Natural World
