Brightly Colored Foods - JOKE
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November 19, 2007 |
Yesterday I went to the doctor for my yearly physical.
My blood pressure was high, my cholesterol was high, I'd gained some weight and I didn't feel so hot.
My doctor said that I needed to eat right and that it didn't have to be complicated.
It would solve all my physical problems, he said, if I just think in colors.
He told me to fill my plate with bright colors - greens, yellows, reds, etc.
So I went home and did just what he said. I ate a whole bowl full of M & M's and you know what?
He's was right, I felt better immediately. I never knew eating right could be so easy. |
posted by Maggie @ 3:30 pm   |
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The Wrinkle-Free Diet
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November 13, 2007 |
 Natural Beauty
The creator of this diet is Nicholas Perricone, author of the best-selling books The Wrinkle Cure and The Perricone Prescription, and a former assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine.
The essence of the diet is to cut out sugar, eat more fruit, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean protein, and add fish to the diet. The best fish is wild salmon, not farm-raised because it's higher in omega-3 fatty acids.
It is a good idea when starting this diet, to be fairly strict for three days, and then add more variety for a sustained way of eating. Each day, besides downing one or two servings of wild salmon, you could eat cantaloupe and a couple of cups of romaine lettuce with olive oil and lemon juice at lunch; a few almonds or olives, half a pear or green apple, and chicken or turkey breast for snack; and more cantaloupe and romaine lettuce, plus sautéed asparagus, spinach, or broccoli, for dinner. The only starch you should have at the beginning is a half cup of oatmeal at breakfast. Water -- lots of it -- and green tea or herb teas are suitable beverages.
In the regular diet you could add black bean and vegetable barley soups, chicken and tuna salads, and a wider array of fruits and vegetables to the mix.
It is also recommended that you take good quality antioxidants and anti-inflammatory supplements for general health as well as skin health.
Just as important as eating the right foods, says Perricone, is ridding your diet of the wrong ones. The initial diet should be almost completely free of saturated fat and starchy carbohydrates (especially highly processed carbs like white bread, white rice, and pasta) and allows no sugar or caffeine.
There are many factors that cause skin to wrinkle and sag, including the food we eat, stress, exposure to sun and pollution. What they all have in common is that they unleash free radicals -- unstable molecules that damage cell walls, inhibit the growth of new cells, and destroy collagen, protein fibers that give the skin structure and flexibility. On top of this certain foods (as well as the sun and other skin abusers) also create inflammation in cells, which triggers even more free radical damage.
It's well-established that applying antioxidants directly to the skin can reduce free radical damage, but Perricone believes you can also fight free radicals from the inside out. Perricone points to studies that show using DMAE (an antioxidant obtained from fish) topically for six to 12 months has the same effect on wrinkles as botox. DMAE also helps build a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which nerves use to tell muscles to contract. It's Perricone's belief that one reason we lose muscle tone is because acetylcholine declines as we age. Thus, by increasing acetylcholine levels, DMAE may improve muscle tone and help firm up the face.
Researchers at an Australian university found that elderly people who ate lots of vegetables, olive oil, fish, legumes, and cereal had less sun damage and wrinkled skin than people who didn't. The researchers attributed much of the skin-saving power of that diet to olive oil, because it's high in monounsaturated fat, which, unlike other kinds of fats, is not highly susceptible to free radical formation. The Australian study also found that what you don't eat may be as critical to the look of your skin as what you do eat: The people who consumed a lot of red meat (especially processed kinds), sodas, butter, margarine, whole milk, potatoes, and sugary foods had faces that were noticeably more lined.
But other people aren't so sure about the claims. For one thing, despite the Australian study, there's not much research showing a definite connection between what people eat and the luminosity of their complexions. "On the face of it, Perricone's claims seem like others in a long line of absurd claims based on some truths," says Robert Polisky, a dermatologist in Elk Grove, Illinois, and spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology. "For instance, his book infers that if you get your protein from nuts and beans or from lean meat, you won't look as good as if you eat fish. Let's see the evidence. We know that good nutrition is part of good-looking skin, but only up to a point."
I guess the way to find out, as with a lot of other things, is to try for yourself. If you are committed to making the most of your natural attributes and making yourself look and feel better and healthier, give this eating plan a try. From all accounts you will at least feel better and more alert.
Content provided by Alternative Medicine Magazine |
| posted by Maggie @ 8:35 am |
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Age, Enthusiasm and Truth
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November 09, 2007 |
Here are three different quotes to think about, all taken from the sayings of Aldous Huxley. I think they are quite thought provoking, whether you agree with them or not. What do you think?
The last one probably explains the transition from everything being black and white in youth, to the point where most of us later in life can see many shades of grey. 
The charm of history and its enigmatic lesson consists in the fact that, from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different.
The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm.
When truth is nothing but the truth, it's unnatural, it's an abstraction that resembles nothing in the real world. In nature there are always so many other irrelevant things mixed up with the essential truth.
Aldous Huxley
07/26/1894 - 11/22/1963
English critic & novelist |
| posted by Maggie @ 9:54 pm |
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Protect Yourself Against Cognitive Decline
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November 06, 2007 |
According to a study of more than 18,000 elderly women, regular physical activity - including walking - may provide significant protection against cognitive decline.
The study found that women who walked for three hours each week performed considerably better on cognition tests than women who walked less than one hour per week.
Women who walked for more than six hours per week showed even less cognitive decline.
Souce: Health Sciences Institute February 2008Labels: exercise, health |
| posted by Maggie @ 4:02 pm |
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Losing Your Memory
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November 05, 2007 |
Are you worried about losing your memory? There are a few basic things you can slot into your life that will probably make a difference. Once you get into the rhythm of these preventive measures, you will find that your life will improve in all sorts of ways.
One thing to remember is that inflammation damages the brain, and can lead to brain impairment, including loss of memory and dementia.
 * Preventive Measures
Eat Smart
Include fish,
whole grains,
beans,
fruit and
vegetables in your regular diet.
Avoid sugary foods.
Plant foods contain antioxidants, which neutralise free radicals, and this enables your body to repair any damage.
* Supplements
There are many vitamin and mineral supplements which can help with optimal brain function, but you should at least take daily:-
500-1000 mg of vitamin C
400-800 IU of vitamin E
60-100 mg of Ginkgo
250 mg of Turmeric
 * Life-style
Other measures you can take which are not only beneficial but also very pleasurable are:-
Get enough sleep
Practise some sort of relaxation ie. Yoga
Exercise
Have a good social life with friends and family
Do puzzles, games and other forms of mental stimulation.Labels: antioxidants, exercise, healthy diet, Memory loss, supplements, yoga |
| posted by Maggie @ 3:23 pm |
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Want To Lose Weight?
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November 01, 2007 |
One thing you can do is to eat more whole grains. That's the conclusion of an eight-year Harvard study of more than 27,000 men.
Researchers speculate that certain components of whole grains may reduce long-term weight gain by contributing to favorable metabolic functions in the body.
Whole grain intake has also been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.
Souce: Health Sciences Institute February 2008 Labels: health, weight loss |
| posted by Maggie @ 3:40 pm |
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