Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Hair Loss Remedies for Men and Women

Regardless of your age, you need to be concerned about your hair. The appearance and quantity of hair that you have is a reflection of your internal health. You can use natural hair loss remedies to save your hair.
Of course, when you are young you have plenty of hair. But, there are even some of you at an early age, twenties, start to lose your hair.

The appearance and quantity of hair that you have is a reflection of your internal health.

Aside from a having a serious illness, your hair loss is affected by scalp cleanliness, stress, diet, and excess DHT. Knowing this, you can check out many hair loss remedies available to you.

Scalp cleanliness
If you have dandruff, you need to get rid of it. Dandruff can be a source of hair loss when it combines with dirt, shampoo chemicals, excess sebum follicle oil. Over time this combination of chemicals can create a film on your scalp that hardens and start to plug up your hair follicles. Once plugged, your follicles can't support hair growth.

Dandruff can be caused by excess stress, dry scalp, or chemical irritations. Look to see if you have excess stress in your life and find a way to reduce it. Chemical irritations can come from the shampoos that you are using.

Look for shampoos and conditioners that have natural ingredients. Start moving away from those hair products that have so many petrochemicals and dyes. Petrochemicals are those ingredients that you are not familiar with on the ingredient label - propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and FD&C colorings.

Stress
Stress is a major contributors to many illnesses. It can also be the main reason you can experience loss of hair. Many years I was under a lot of stress at my new job. During the first 3 month there I experience excessive hair loss on the top of my head.

When you have hair loss due to stress, you can recover this hair if you take action right away. First look at your high stress level and start reducing it. Next, start supplementing your diet with a good hair loss nutritional supplement.

Diet
What you eat feeds your body. The type of body you have is based on what you eat. If you do not provide enough nutrients to your body, you hair will not receive enough nutrients to grow and be healthy. Your hair is last in line for the nutrient you supply your body. One way to improve your diet is eat more fruits in the morning and more vegetable for lunch and dinner. You can consider eating natural food hair loss remedies.

DHT (di-hydro-testosterone)
When excessive amounts of testosterone are converted to DHT by the enzyme 5 alpha reductase, this DHT accumulates at the hair root where it blocks blood circulation to that hair follicle. This decrease in blood to the hair root weakens it and it loses its health.

DHT also accumulates in the follicle and starts to plug it, thus further inactivating this hair follicle. The result is your hair start to thin out.

For women, DHT formation is not a major activity until menopause. Before menopause, estrogen blocks the formation of DHT. When estrogen decreases after menopause, DHT starts to form causing hair loss in women.

There are now shampoos that help to clean off accumulated DHT from the scalp and from within the hair follicles. Use them to stop hair loss and to recover some of the hair follicles that are still alive.

There are also some pills that block the formation of DHT in the blood, but I don't recommend them since it is not known what the longer term effects are of this blocking.
Go to google to find out more about DHT (di-hydro-testosterone) shampoos.


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Sunday, July 19, 2009

What is cancer in your mind?

The human body is made up of a wide range of cells. These cells are the simplest units of living matter. When cells become abnormal and they divide themselves without control, cancer appears. In this case, the extra tissue formed by the abnormal reproduction of cells, produces tumors, which can be benign or malign. Malign tumors are cancerous.

The word "cancer" is a general term to define a group of more than 100 diseases. There are many kinds of cancers. Cancer can develop in different parts of the body. For this reason, when people suffer from cancer, they need special therapy to treat their particular kind of cancer.

Nowadays, millions of people around the world have or have had cancer. It is important to explain some factors that can reduce the risk of developing cancer. First, some changing in lifestyle can reduce the possibility of having cancer (physical exercise, a healthy diet and giving up smoking, among others). Secondly, the sooner cancer is found, the better chances are for recovering from this disease.

Breast cancer develops in the cells of the breast in women and men. Despite that, this type of cancer is the most common in women and it is the cause of cancer death in millions of women around the world. In fact, it is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer. Although breast cancer is more common in women, breast cancer can occur in men also. Incidences of breast cancer in men is one hundered less common than in women, but breast cancer in men shows the same statistical survival figures as women.

Breast cancers are classified according to different categorizations, which have been designed for a special purpose:

1-Pathology: Pathologists are the experts who classify each tumor according to its histological (microscopic anatomy) appearance by using a variety of techniques and methods, which may include the most modern discoveries such as tumor classification by tissue microarray profiling. The most frequent pathologic kinds of breast cancer are invasive ductal carcinoma, malignant cancer in the breast's ducts, and invasive lobular carcinoma, malignant cancer in the breast's lobules.

2- Tumor grade: This is a method to evaluate cancer cells in terms of their abnormality under a microscope and how fast the tumor is about to develop and spread. A low grade tumor shows normal tissue. A high grade tumor is composed of disorganized cells therefore, so it looks like abnormal tissue. Regarding intermediate grade is situated in the middle of both grades that have explained before.

3- Protein & gene expression status: At present all types of breast cancer must be tested for expression, or detectable effect, of the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2/neu proteins. These studies are often performed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) process and are offered in every pathologist's report. The profile of expression of a given tumor offers the possibility of predicting its prognosis, or outlook, and helps oncologists choose the most appropriate treatment and chemical therapy, if necessary. More genes and/or proteins may be tested in the future.

4- Stage of a tumor. There is an accepted staging scheme for breast cancer and it is the TNM classification.

This general information can provide people with basic data to face their medical controls with responsibility.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukimia in Children

1. What is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)?

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the white blood cells, the cells in the body that normally fight infections. There are two main types of white blood cells-lymphoid cells and myeloid cells. ALL affects lymphoid cells.

Leukemia cells are abnormal cells that cannot do what normal blood cells do. The abnormal cells are immature white blood cells that cannot help the body fight infections. For this reason, children with ALL often get infections and have fevers.

ALL is also called acute lymphocytic leukemia. It is the most common leukemia in children.

2. What are the symptoms of ALL?

Like all blood cells, leukemia cells travel through the body. Depending on the number of abnormal cells and where these cells collect, patients with leukemia may have a number of symptoms. Children with ALL frequently have low amounts of healthy red blood cells and platelets. As a result, there are not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen through the body. With this condition, called anemia, patients may look pale and feel weak and tired. When there are not enough platelets, patients bleed and bruise easily.

Some of the common symptoms of ALL include:
• Fever;
• Fatigue;
• Frequent infections;
• Swollen or tender lymph nodes, liver, or spleen;
• Paleness or pallor;
• Easy bleeding or bruising;
• Tiny red spots (called petechiae) under the skin; and/or
• Bone or joint pain.

In ALL, the abnormal cells may collect in the brain or spinal cord, also called the central nervous system (CNS). The result may be headaches with or without vomiting, although most children with the disease do not have these symptoms. Leukemia cells also can collect in the testicles and cause swelling.

3. Is there a screening test for ALL?

No. Screening is a means of detecting disease in people who have no symptoms. As described in the National Cancer Institute's "Cancer Screening Overview (PDQ)," two requirements must be met for screening to be useful:

(1) There must be a test or procedure that will detect cancers earlier than if the cancer were detected as a result of the development of symptoms and,

(2) There must be evidence that treatment initiated earlier as a consequence of screening results in an improved outcome.

These two requirements have not been met for childhood ALL.

In cancers such as leukemia that appear throughout the body during their earliest stages, screening does not appear to be useful. Rather, children with any symptoms that suggest the possibility of ALL should be seen by their physician. The physician can then examine the child and determine if further testing is needed.

4. How is ALL diagnosed?

If a child has symptoms that suggest leukemia, the physician may first order blood tests. A sample of blood is examined to determine the number of normal blood cells, to see what the cells look like, and to find out if any leukemia cells are present in the blood. For a definitive diagnosis of ALL, a doctor who specializes in leukemia examines a sample of bone marrow under a microscope. The sample is obtained by a procedure called bone marrow aspiration. In this procedure, the doctor inserts a needle into a large bone, usually the hip, and removes a small amount of liquid bone marrow for examination.

If leukemia cells are found in the bone marrow sample, the patient's doctor orders other tests to find out the extent of the disease. For example, a spinal tap, which is also called a lumbar puncture, checks for leukemia cells in the cerebrospinal fluid-the fluid that fills the spaces in and around the brain and spinal cord.

5. Are there different types of ALL?

Although leukemia cells from different children with ALL often look very similar under the microscope, there are actually many distinctive subtypes of ALL. Most cases of leukemia are associated with changes in genes and chromosomes in the cancerous white blood cells. The various subtypes of ALL can be identified using special laboratory tests that look for specific changes in genes and chromosomes. It is increasingly important for doctors treating children with ALL to determine their patients' subtype of ALL, as some treatments work better for some subtypes than for others.

6. How common is ALL?

Cancer in children and adolescents is rare. But, ALL is the most common cancer in children, representing 23 percent of cancer diagnoses among children younger than 15 years of age. It occurs in about one of every 29,000 children in the United States each year.

7. What causes ALL?

With the exception of prenatal exposure to X-rays and specific genetic syndromes, such as Down syndrome, little is known about the causes of and risk factors for childhood ALL.

Scientists know that ALL in children occurs slightly more often in boys than in girls and in white children more often than in black children. However, they cannot explain why one person gets leukemia and another does not.

8. What treatments are available for the disease?

There are treatments for all children with ALL. The primary treatment for ALL is chemotherapy. The specific drugs used for chemotherapy are different for the various subtypes of ALL and are not the same for all patients.

Treatment for children with ALL is complex and involves multiple drugs given in precise schedules over a period of two to three years. Because of this, children with the disease should be treated by doctors with experience and expertise in the treatment of childhood leukemias.

Many children with ALL participate in clinical trials. These studies test a new drug or a new combination of drugs, often comparing them to the current standard treatment. A participant will usually be assigned to the standard group or the new group by chance, a process called randomization. It is not known at the start of the trial whether the new treatment is better than, the same as, or worse than the standard treatment. Clinical trials for children with ALL often enroll large numbers of children and are conducted at children's cancer centers nationwide. Much of the success in curing children with ALL is the result of better treatments that were identified in such clinical trials. Still, doctors are doing clinical trials to try to improve ALL treatments and reduce side effects.

9. What is the survival rate for children with ALL?

The improvement in survival for children with ALL over the past 35 years is one of the great success stories of cancer treatment. In the 1960s, less than 5 percent of children with ALL survived for more than five years. Today, about 85 percent of children with ALL live five years or more.

10. What factors determine successful treatment for children with ALL?

The chance of survival for children with ALL is dependent upon a number of factors. The most important factor is receiving optimal care at a center experienced in the treatment of children with ALL. Even with optimal care, some children with ALL are much more difficult to treat successfully than others.

In the past, factors such as age and white blood cell count at diagnosis were commonly used to predict outcome. For example, children 1 to 9 years old have higher survival rates than do infants or older children. However, factors such as age and white blood cell count at diagnosis are, at best, crude predictors of outcome.

It is now clear that the patient's subtype of ALL has a powerful impact on survival. For example, infants commonly have a subtype of ALL in which a specific gene is modified. This subtype of ALL is very hard to treat successfully and only a minority of infants with this subtype of ALL survive with current therapy. Other subtypes of ALL in which different genes are modified occur more commonly in older children and have a much more favorable outcome.

It is now common practice for the leukemia cells of children with ALL to be tested for the gene modifications. The type of treatment is then based on the particular change seen in the leukemia cells.

Aloe Vera


ALOE VERA

Living First-Aid Plant, Medicine Plant, Wand of Heaven, Burn Plant, Divine Healer

Aloe vera barbadensis F. Asphodelaceae

Description

Erect perennial, originating from North Africa and the Mediterranean, with thick, very succulent, dagger shaped 30- 80cm long leaves, encircling a thick, central stem. The oldest and largest leaves are at the base, with leaves in the centre of the rosette formation being younger and smaller. Mature leaves can be 2-2.5cm thick and 6-10cm wide at the base, gradually tapering to a point at the apex. The upper leaf surface is flat or slightly dish-shaped and the lower surface rounded, with both surfaces being smooth to the touch. However, the margins of the leaf are armed with firm, spreading, triangular-shaped teeth 2-4mm long. Leaves on mature plants are a distinctive grey-green, due to the surface being covered by a greyish bloom, although during summer they can be greener and during winter they can take on a bronze tinge. I personally feel the plant colour depends a little on fertility and moisture available to the plant. New young plants, called pups or suckers, develop near the base of the parent plant as it grows to a good size or to maturity, which may take 2-4 years, depending on climate and growing conditions. Leaves of young pups tend to fan sideways and are pale green with white spots. The spots and fan shape disappear as the pups become older.

Flower stalks develop from the main stem of the plant and stand upright, reaching a height of 60-90cm. They may have 2-3 terminal branches and poker-like blossom heads 5- 8cm long, made up of many pendulous tubular flowers with a green tinge that changes to bright yellow at maturity. Pistil and stamens protrude beyond the end of the petal tube, which is an identifying feature of this species. Another identifying feature of A. vera barbadensis is that when the leaf is cut, the sap has a str

Medicinal Uses

Man has used aloe for over 5000 years. Egyptians first wrote of the healing powers of the plant on their ancient papyrus texts calling it the plant of immortality. Cleopatra and Nefertiti bathed in aloe juice to retain their youth and beautiful looks. Aloe is mentioned several times in the Bible. It was used in the burial of Jesus. History and legend tells that Aristotle convinced Alexander the Great to conquer the island of Socotra in order to collect aloe plants to use as medicine for his soldiers. Greek writer Dioscorides made detailed accounts of aloe’s uses. Aloe’s influence spread far and wide. In our century, we have the opportunity to read numerous books, hundreds of scientific papers and search the internet to discover the many benefits of aloe.

Research studies highlight the tremendous healing powers of aloe when used both internally and externally. Some of the benefits include: as a pain and allergy inhibitor, for inflammation, fluid retention, perspiration odours, itching, hemorrhaging and to close cuts for cell regeneration and healing, to destroy parasites, harmful bacteria and fungi in the intestinal tract, to relieve bowel tension and help produce bowel movements, moisturise skin, increase blood flow, remove toxins and dead tissue, penetrate skin to reach tendons, muscles, joints and the lymph system, and promote the growth of new tissue. It also has a normalising action on fluid levels and the acid/ alkaline balance in the body. Research has shown that aloe vera can increase the proliferation of lymphocytes and stimulate natural immunity through killer cell activity. Aloe has a strong effect on the immune system, by activating and stimulating macrophages, monocytes, antibodies and T-cells, as well as increasing the number of anti-body forming Bcells in the spleen.

One of the most important functions of aloe is to aid the digestive system, as poor digestion can be responsible for many diseases. Our food comprises proteins, carbohydrates and fats that must undergo a process of digestion, which consists of breaking down complex substances into simpler ones so they can be absorbed and used by the body. Aloe is able to assist the body by providing the active properties of a large range of amino acids, monosaccharides, fatty acids and enzymes that act as catalysts in breaking down complex foods so the body can assimilate the nutrients more efficiently. Considerable in-vitro and in-vivo research has been done with the concentration of mucopolysaccharides (MSPs) found in aloe vera. MSPs are long-chained sugar molecules, which are found naturally in every cell of the body, however, around the time of puberty, the body stops producing them. When taken internally, they have been shown to have immune stimulating effects. The MSPs of aloe vera interact with the body’s immune system, enhancing rather than over-riding this system. MSPs interject themselves into the cell membranes of the body resulting in much greater cell fluidity and permeability, allowing toxins to flow out of the cells more freely and nutrients to flow in. These nutrients include electrolytes and water, so the MSPs are able to facilitate absorbtion in the gastro-intestinal tract. The overall effect on the body is a rise in energy and cell metabolism activity which leads to a feeling of wellbeing. MSPs also act to protect cells from invasion by microbes such as viruses by setting up a protective barrier, which forms a lining on the colon and keeps toxic wastes from entering the body. MSPs will also lubricate the joints and relieve pain by dilating capillaries, which increases the supply of oxygen and blood to the area. Aloe vera’s properties are extraordinary and have been used to treat man’s many ailments from A to Z. Its uses and the conditions it may relieve include: abscesses, abrasions, acne, allergies, AIDS, anemia, arterial insufficiency, arthritis, athlete’s foot, asthma, bad breath, baldness, blisters, bed sores, bladder infections, blood pressure, bruises, bronchitis, burns, bursitis, bunions, bed wetting, boils, bone fractures, candida, canker sores, cancer, carbuncles, cataracts, cramps, chilblains, chemotherapy side effects, chapped skin and lips, coughs, colds and cold sores, colic, constipation, cystitis, conjunctivitis, colon cleanser, complexion enhancer, chicken pox sores, lowers serum cholesterol, convulsions, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, dandruff, dysentery, depression, dry skin, dermatitis, denture sores, detoxifier, duodenal ulcers, oedema, Epstein Barr virus, earache, fevers, fungus, frost bite, fluid retention, gastrointestinal problems, genital herpes, gangrene, gingivitis, glaucoma, gynaecological diseases, gall ailments, heat rash, headaches, hemorrhoids, heart burn, high blood pressure, hang-overs, hives, heat exhaustion, insomnia, ingrown toenails, indigestion, insect bites, inflamed joints, jaundice, kidney infections, leprosy, laryngitis, lupus, liver ailments, leukaemia, lacerations, multiple sclerosis, mouth ulcers, moles, migraines, menstrual pain, nausea, nervous stress, nappy rash, obesity, psoriasis, prostatitis, pancreas problems, pimples, problems caused by protozoa (ringworm, fungi, virus), prickly heat, periodontal disease, radiation burns, rashes, scar tissue, skin lesions, stings, styes, sprains, sores, scalds, stretch marks, shingles, staph infections, sunburn, sore throat, stomach ulcers, sports injuries, sinus, sun spots, spurs, tonsillitis, tendonitis, trachoma, tuberculosis, tiredness, tropical ear, ulcers, vaginitis, venereal sores, varicose veins, worms, worts, wounds, X-ray burns, yeast infection and zoster (shingles).

Aloe vera has six antiseptic agents (sulphur, lupeol, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid, urea nitrogen and phenol) which act as a team to provide antimicrobial activity thus eliminating many internal and external infections. The pain relieving action is due to the effective analgesics in salicylic acid, magnesium and lupeol. Fatty acids also have a pain reducing, allergy and inflammation relieving effect, and work to lower harmful cholesterol levels.

Researchers have found that aloe vera applied externally has the ability to reach the deepest body tissues, penetrating some seven layers. Research at the University of Texas showed that aloe penetrates human skin almost four times faster than water. A friend, Joyce, who has discovered the many benefits of aloe vera says, "If it hurts, stings, itches or burns, put aloe vera on". Apply the gel from the leaf immediately for burns and scalds, insect bites, nettle stings, chilli burns, pain in general and for quick healing. For external use, a fresh leaf can be cut open with a knife and the gel applied to the skin. When wiping the aloe leaf directly on the skin, all the sap can appear to have been used up, but if you take a knife and score the inside surface of the leaf with a few cuts, more juice will be released.ong smell.

Constituents: beneficial HDL cholesterol, creatin, creatinine, aloin, aloe emodin, barbaloin, glycoside barbaloin, ester of cinnamic acid, isobarbaloin, chrysophanic acid, ethereal oil, resistannol, anthranol, anthracene, aloetic acid; enzymes oxidase, lipase, emylase, catalase, aliinase; mono and poly saccharides, cellulose, glucose, aldonentose, L-Rhamnose, mannose; lupeol, phenol; protein 2%, essential amino acids lysine, leucine, valine, isoleucine, threonine, methionene phenylalanine; and secondary amino acids histidine, proline, arganine, glycine, hydroxyproline, alanine, aspartic acid, tyrosine, chrystine, serine, glutamic acid; fatty acids linoleic, linolenic, myristic, caprylic, oleic, palmitic, stearic, B-sitosterol Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, choline, K Minerals: calcium, zinc, chromium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, manganese, chlorine, copper, phosphorus, sulphur, silicon, iron, cobalt

Actions: antimicrobial, astringent, antibiotic, antioxidant, analgesic, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antiperspirant, antipruritic, cathartic, demulcent, fungicidal, germicidal, diuretic, detoxicant, vermifuge, vulnerary, emmenagogue, emollient, cosmetic, aphrodisiac, coagulant, antipyretic

.. ... see How can I use HERBS in my daily life? for full text


Wednesday, July 15, 2009

5 Great Reasons for Drinking Wu Yi Tea


These days, more and more people are hearing about Wu-Yi tea and are making the switch. This particular type of tea, also referred to as oolong tea, is an ancient Chinese secret for losing and maintaining weight. It can be found in the mountainous region of the same name in the country of China. With effectiveness that has lasted for over four hundred years, it would be a wise decision for you to try out the Wu Yi system for yourself - right now, not later. This article provides you with 5 great reasons for drinking WuYi tea.

Reason number one is none other than how easy it is to follow the Wu Yi system. You only need to drink two cups of Wu-Yi tea every day, preferably around thirty to sixty minutes before you take your morning and afternoon meals. Taking it within three hours before you sleep should be avoided. In addition, it is strongly recommended that you consume a minimum of six 8-0z glasses of water every day and regular exercise to achieve weight loss faster. There are no strict schedules to follow, unlike when you opt to take weight loss prescription drugs or pills.

Reason number two is the cheapness of Wu-Yi tea compared to other weight loss methods you can find in the market. It does not cost as much as those expensive weight loss prescription drugs, pills, creams, sauna belts, spa treatments, and cosmetic surgery. You won't have to spend a fortune just to have the body you've always dreamed of. You can look like a slim, slender celebrity without having to burn holes in your pocket like celebrities do.
Reason number three is the safeness of the Wu Yi system. Most, if not all, of the weight loss methods around can give you side effects that may be harmful or dangerous for your body. Depression and mood swings are usual side effects since diet programs typically deprive your body from the sugar it needs. Drinking Wu Yu tea assures you of getting the energy your body require, so you can be free from an emotional down. And since it is tea, Wu Yi won't give you heartburns, headaches or stomachaches because it works to soothe and calm you.

Reason number four is the fact that the Wu Yi system embraces and all-natural secret weapon: the Wu-Yi tea. These days, more and more people are looking for healthier alternatives to losing weight; they have realized the importance of keeping the body pure from harsh ingredients. Wu Yi tea is organic so you won't have to worry about getting harmful chemicals into your body. Once again, Mother Nature proves her powers over manmade products.

And finally, reason number is nothing less than the effectiveness of Wu-Yi tea in helping you lose weight safely in a matter of weeks. Of course, real and lasting weight loss is achieved over time, and with the Wu Yi system, you'll see and feel significant results within four weeks. The first cup will tell you how much your body loves the soothing effect of tea.

So there are your 5 great reasons for drinking Wu-Yi tea. What are you waiting for? Get your pack of Wu Yi tea now.

About the Author: WuyiReview.com offers even more excellent reasons to start drinking wu-yi tea. Learn more about the wu yi system and see how it can help you look great and get healthier, visit our website today!

Monday, July 13, 2009

5 Reasons To Eat More Cherries

Fresh, canned or frozen, this flavorful stone fruit is great for your health. Find out why you should make cherries a regular part of your diet.

5 Reasons To Eat More Cherries1. Ease aching joints: Cherries’ rich red colour comes from anthocyanins—the antioxidants found in grapes (and red wine)—that inhibit enzymes associated with inflammation, and may help soothe soreness linked to muscle and joint pain.

2. Guard your colon: These mighty fruits also contain quercetin, which is a flavonoid with anti-carcinogenic activity.

3. Control cholesterol: All cherries are high in pectin—a soluble fibre that helps to prevent heart disease by lowering “bad” cholesterol.

4. Help your eyesight: A precursor to vitamin A, it helps maintain eyesight and healthy skin.

5. Improve your sleep: Cherries, part of the stone fruit family that includes apricots, peaches and plums, are one of the few known food sources of melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone that helps to regulate the body’s circadian rhythms and our sleep patterns.

[Via Best Health – Click to read the full post]

10 Reasons To Drink Your Milk Raw

Fresh, organic raw milk and dairy items are a treat – and a worthy treat at that. The consumption of organic raw milk and dairy products is linked to relief from asthma and eczema. Furthermore, organic raw milk is a living food replete with enzymes and beneficial bacteria that would otherwise be killed through pasteurization. In this post, I tell you more reasons to drink raw milk.
imageRaw milk is a living food: Unlike pasteurized and ultra-high-temperature (UHT) pasteurized milk, raw milk is a living food. Several of milk’s natural components including beneficial bacteria, food enzymes, natural vitamins and immunoglobulins are heat-sensitive.
Raw milk is rich in beneficial bacteria: As a living food, raw milk is rich in beneficial bacteria. These bacteria are critical to your health; indeed,beneficial bacteria are so critical to human health that you cannot live without them. like we cannot live without oxigen.
Raw milk is rich in food enzymes: As a living food, raw milk is also rich in natural food enzymes: lactase, lipase and phosphatase number among many of these natural enzymes. These enzymes help your body to better digest milk and better metabolize its vital nutrients.
Raw milk is rich in natural vitamins: The butterfat present in raw milk is rich in natural fat-soluble soluble vitamins, particularly preformed vitamin A, vitamin K and vitamin E. Raw milk is also rich in water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and B-complex vitamins.
Raw butterfat is rich in Conjugated Linoleic Acid: Meat and milk from grass-fed animals is rich in fatty compound called Conjugated Linoleic Acid or CLA. Actually classified as a trans-fatty acid (but a good transfat!), CLA offers myriad myriad positive effects for those who consume it.
Raw milk supports small farmers, not feedlots: Pastuerization of milk was born out of necessity – as unhealthy cows from concentrated animal feed operations produce unhealthy milk.
Raw milk is not homogenized: Raw milk is not homogenized; rather, the beautiful fresh raw cream rises to the top to produce a lovely creamline. You can skim this cream for use in making butter or a beautiful panna cotta, or just shake the jar up to evenly distribute the cream into the milk for drinking.
Raw milk is easier to digest: Fresh, raw milk is easier on your stomach and digestive tract. Components naturally present in raw milk, but killed by pasteurization, enable you to digest raw milk better than cooked, pasteurized milk.
Raw milk clabbers: Leave a carton of pasteurized milk out on the counter for a day, and you’ll end up with a putrid, stinking glop. By contrast, raw milk will clabber as its beneficial lactic-acid producing bacteria proliferate and turn raw milk into a probiotic-rich, yogurt-like food.
Raw milk supports your local economy: 100% of the money you spend on your raw milk stays in your farmers pocket and in your local economy.
[Via The Nourished Kitchen – Click to read the full post]

Friday, July 10, 2009

Can Yoga For Kids Be A Cure For Diseases???

Yoga for kids has been developed to build up stamina in the young children and to give them a better quality of life. However, children cannot do every type of yoga. Since they are growing and so are their muscles and organs, it will not be wise for them to do all the strenuous kinds of poses. It might take a toll on their physical and mental well-being. So specific poses in yoga can be given to the kids for improving their health and also concentration powers. Yoga can be used as a treatment for specific diseases. However, be careful that you don’t make kids with physical deformities do yoga. It will be very difficult for them to practice the various asanas.

How Yoga Benefits Kids

There are many ways in which yoga benefits kids. Besides endowing the children with perfect health, it also acts as a cure for many diseases.
• Overall health – Yoga for kids builds up the overall health. It makes him strong and fighting fit. Children can practice the easy and delicate poses and still get a lot of benefits. It improves the stability and brings about a general balance in him. It straightens the spine and lends good posture to the body. Yoga also strengthens the muscles and aids in digestion. A good workout will cause the perspiration to flow, releasing the toxins and the waste products of the body.
• Down Syndrome – One in every 700 kids has the Down syndrome. Most of the activities that a kid does during its growing stages are delayed or retarded. Learning to walk, motor skills, communicating with others and learning a language are all delayed. The eyes are very obviously defective. Yoga for kids helps children with Down syndrome in a significant manner. It perks up the body muscles and makes all the organs of the body perform their functions normally. It strengthens the body and the endocrine glands are systematized. It prevents the kids from putting on extra weight, which would have been unavoidable if the kids would not have been practicing yoga. The breathing exercises further stimulate the nervous system and improve the mental powers and concentration of the kids.
• Cerebral Palsy – This defect occurs when the motor areas of the brain are damaged thereby affecting the capability to make movements and also the posture of a kid. Some difficult periods during pregnancy or child birth result in this defect. Meningitis or traumatic brain injury can also lead to this dreadful condition. Yoga for kids is very helpful in such cases as it boosts muscle coordination and also the motor skills. It releases the pent-up stress in the muscles and joints. The stretching will lead to realignment of the spine. The child will be able to move his hands and legs in an independent way.

Yoga can be made a pleasure activity for kids. By introducing several interactive methods to interpret the poses, it will add a new dimension for the kids. Children will be delighted to indulge in poses which pique their curiosity. Thus yoga for kids can be made very interesting by an intelligent teacher and the kids will look forward to learning the various poses with pleasure.

By: MarkSmith01

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Mark Smith believes that yoga can be made an integral part of life. He believes that yoga should be started at the very beginning in the tender years of the kids. Yoga for kids is the best way to develop the concentration power of kids. Yoga for kids will also keep them healthy, both in body and mind.




Wednesday, July 8, 2009

What is Asthma?

As a parent with 3 children who suffer from asthma I appreciate the need to understand asthma and how to treat it.

The incidence of asthma has increase dramatically in Australia through out the 1980�s and 1990�s but seems to have levelled out since then. In Australia something like 2.2 million people suffers from Asthma, with the Indigenous people having a much high figure proportionate to their population.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America 20 million Americans suffer from asthma.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is commonly divided into two types; allergy induced asthma and non- allergic asthma. Both result in the similar symptoms:

  • A dry, irritating, persistent cough, particularly at night, early morning
  • A tightness in the chest
  • A shortness of breath and
  • A wheeze when breathing

When then symptom occur a visit to your local G.P. is advised.

People with asthma have sensitive airways and these become restricted when exposed to certain triggers cause by both allergic and non-allergic reactions.

In an allergic reaction can be triggered by inhaling allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mould and some food additives etc.

Non-allergic triggers could be things such as exercise, stress, anxiety, cold air, dry air, smoke, chemicals such as perfumes and other irritants.

Asthma is the restriction of the airway;

through inflammation where the airway becomes red and swollen

the production of excess mucous to block the airway

and bronchoconstriction where the muscle in the airway tighten restricting breathing.

As the airways become constricted the person begins to find it difficult to breathe in, but particularly difficult to breathe out causing a considerable amount of coughing and distress. Many asthmatics are so distressed they need to be hospitalized to help their condition.

The exact cause of Asthma and why some people are more susceptible to asthma than other is not yet fully understood, however, there is often a family history of asthma, eczema or severe hay fever. Although in Australia something like one in six children has been diagnosed with asthma, it can strike at any age. Evidence has shown that unborn babies whose mothers smoke during pregnancy or children who are exposed to a smoke filled environment during their early childhood have an increased risk of developing childhood asthma.

Australia is among the highest in world when it comes to asthma. People need to be aware of the symptoms and consult their doctors if needed. Asthma is controllable with the correct medications and asthma action plan.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

Asthma Australia

The Asthma Foundation Victoria

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Choose the Right Sunblock This Summer

By Kevin Purdy

Even if you're truly light-skinned, buying an expensive sunblock with a super-high SPF rating won't really protect you much more than a standard brand. Putting enough of that goop on is what really counts.

Photo by Robert S. Donovan.

Because the U.S. Food & Drug Administration had considered capping SPF claims at a level of 50, but has yet to take action. The reasoning holds up, however—even 100+ SPF sunblocks can't offer 100 percent protection against both UVA ("aging" rays) and UVB (the sunburn kind). And everything North of SPF 30 is just a numbers game:

The difference in UVB protection between an SPF 100 and SPF 50 is marginal. Far from offering double the blockage, SPF 100 blocks 99 percent of UVB rays, while SPF 50 blocks 98 percent. (SPF 30, that old-timer, holds its own, deflecting 96.7 percent).

Aside from scolding the sunblock makers, the New York Times article linked below offers an important take-away visualization:

To get the SPF advertised, you must use a full shot glass on your body. That's an ounce, which means a three-ounce tube should last, at most, a few outings. ... "If people are putting on about half, they are receiving half the protection," said Yohini Appa, the senior director of scientific affairs at Johnson & Johnson, of which Neutrogena is a subsidiary.

Bottom line: Find a sunblock that offers a decent SPF protection, contains UVA-fighting agents like avobenzone, put a full shot glass on your exposed body, and reapply every two hours or after noticeable sweating, or swimming.