Hidden Sources of Sugar in Foods

Human beings love sugar. Scientists speculate that we developed a love for sweetness because most of the sweet foods we ate early on were safe foods that nourished and did not kill us. Others say that our sweet tooth is naturally inborn and that we will suckle because breast milk contains lactose, a form of sugar.

We also love fat. Fat generally tastes very good and we eat a lots of it. Stored on our bodies, we use it as fuel to keep us alive until the next big meal. Fat and sugar work like hardwiring. But it is hardwiring for a time before our environment changed. Now we are scoring antelopes and apple pies all day long, and we are wearing them all over our body, mostly on our bellies. Processed food is loaded with sugar and fats.
Increasing Hidden Sugars

You can compare the ingredients of simple crackers which were made in the past and the ingredients those are being used now:
Ingredients used in past for making crackers:
Flour, water, Baking Soda, salt.

Ingredients used today:
Enriched flour, soybean oil, defatted wheat germs, sugar, corn starch, high fructose corn syrup, salt, corn syrup, Monoglycerides, barley malt syrup, leavening, vegetable color.

You might have noticed that besides fat and chemicals, the modern crackers have four kinds of sugar. There is sugar in your ketchup and even in the french fries that you buy. Americans now eat 114 pounds of sugar per year. That is over a quarter pound per person per day, totaling 500 calories a day in sugar. All this added sugar has a priming effect on our bodies. Besides creating toxic belly fat, sugar has been related to hyperactivity and emotional distress in teens, especially among those drinking four or more soft drinks a day.

Balancing Your Diet

In order to remain fit, you should nourish your body with high quality foods that will help you to sustain you over the long haul. There are all kinds of healthy options. Our bodies need healthy, whole fit macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats and protein to sustain them over time.

You need 20 to 30 percent of calories from protein. Protein is key to being lean and strong. Protein helps you feel full and fight carb cravings. They enable you to build muscles. Good proteins are lean meats, fish, chicken and turkey; low or fat free dairy products (yogurt, cheese and milk) nuts (almonds,walnuts,cashews, reduced fat peanut butter without added sugar) and beans.

You need 40 to 60 percent of daily calories from fit carbs. Fit carbs are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals and low in calories. Fiber has been shown to help stop the development of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases and reduce risk of obesity. Fruit and veggie intake will improve the health of your bones, no matter what your age is. People who eat the widest variety of vegetables with the deepest colors have been shown to live longer and have the lowest prevalence of dementia and Alzheimer’s. The deeper the fruit or vegetable’s color, the richer and higher the level of antioxidants. When picking fruit, remember that the vitamins and fiber are great for you, but fruits are high in fructose, a natural sugar. Just be careful with the calorie-dense fruit like berries and grapes. Make sure to stick to half to one cup at a time, no more.

You need some fats as well. Include 20 to 30 percent high-quality fats, no more than 10 percent should be saturated fat and absolutely no trans fats. Trans fats are made from partially hydrogenated fats. They are perhaps worse than than the saturated fats. The fats good for our body are olive oil, canola oil and fats from nuts, omega fatty acids from fish and coconut oil.

Avoiding Hidden Sugars

Avoid products with the words ending in “-ose” including sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, and dextrose. These are all varieties of sugar, which can add up to a lot of empty calories that the body may convert into and store as fat. Cane juice, honey, syrups, molasses and fruit juice concentrate are other, less refined, ingredients that manufacturers use to add sugars to food.

Source-http://www.greendivamom.com/author/savneet/

Support Mood with Nutritional Supplements and Herbs

Depression can be damaging to the brain and other sensitive tissues. Some recent studies suggest that depression is related to an overly sensitive immune system response and the excessive inflammation that results. A number of inflammatory hormones and other substances are elevated in the bodies of depressed people. Nutritional and herbal supplements can help you deal with depression in a very effective way with minimal side effects. Use supplements to boost you mood and energy levels. Get the help of your doctor to find the right dose for yourself. These supplements are required in three situations:

During stressful times: When you feel that you are under stress, you can take vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and essential fatty acids in moderate doses. It will help you to ward off the likelihood that stress will bring on depression. The amino acid precursor 5-HTP helps ward off excess stress.
Please note: Consult your doctor before you include any supplement in your diet. You should be particularly careful about you diet during these times. Don’t expect supplements to compensate for poor diet. They can boost but can not be a total remedy.

For prevention: Vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and essential fatty acids can be taken in lower dose as a general preventive measure. People with a good diet or with high resilience may not need to use supplement in this way, ut people with less resilience may rely on these supplements. Supplements will never make up for consuming too much sugar, caffeine and refined carbohydrates, however, nor will they make up for insufficient healthy carbs.

During depressive episodes: The highest amount of nutritional supplements can be taken when you are having a depressive episode, but never forget to take a good diet particularly in this time.

Vitamin B
The B vitamins are thought to be “antistress vitamins.” If you are having strain from work, a hectic and tough family situation, or a series of setbacks in your personal life, you might consider adding B-Complex to your daily diet. Beverages containing caffeine like tea, coffee and sodas tend to erode your store of Vitamin B. Vitamin B is recommended to people with low resilience. In addition to the B Vitamins’ extraordinary assistance with stress and depression, in the brain, they help transform amino acids into such neurotransmitters as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine.

Folic acid
People having psychiatric problems and some elderly people are found to be deficient in Folic Acid. Patients with depression responded very well when they added Folic Acid supplements. They were better able to function and enjoyed better sleep, appetite, mood, motivation, concentration and energy. They showed improvement in their social functions with reduced tendencies to withdraw or isolate themselves and increased ability to communicate and sustain relationships.

Antioxidants
Antioxidant have ability to combat oxidation, the process by which the byproducts of oxygen metabolism may destroy the body’s cell structures. Antioxidants help prevent heart diseases, cancer and possibly Alzheimer’s disease. Antioxidant intake may help counter harm from the brain’s exposure to stress hormones. Antioxidants dampen the inflammatory response and protect brain tissue. You should boost you antioxidant intake if you are suffering from acute depression or if you are prone to inflammatory diseases like asthma, arthritis, heart diseases, diabetes or gum disease, or if you have other signs of heightened inflammation like aches and pains in joints from aging or injury that don’t heal fully.

Include a wide range of vegetables, particularly bright red, purple or dark green vegetables. Supplement your daily diet with following antioxidants when you are undergoing excessive stress:

•Vitamin E
•Vitamin C
•Beta-carotene
•Selenium
Minerals
In 1950s, an amazing discovery found that lithium, a mineral found in some kind of soil had a profound effect on the mood, especially agitated states like mania. Our food supply has become relatively mineral deficient because of modern agricultural practices. Some minerals including calcium and magnesium are directly involved the in process whereby neurotransmitters affect our cells. The most important minerals are:

•Calcium
•Magnesium
•Chromium
•Copper and Zinc
•Manganese
Essential Fatty Acids
It has been found that some kind of inflammatory substances are elevated in major depression. These elements promote inflammation, which may effect brain tissues as well. Omega-3 fatty acid can prove to be effective in this situation. Evidence also shows that fatty acids have more effect on neurotransmitters. Boosting Omega-3 levels creates a healthy environment in the brain and central nervous system. Some good sources of essential fatty acids are:

•Fish oil
•Flaxseeds
•Ground flaxseeds
•Evening primrose, borage seed or black currant oils
Herbal therapies
The world has found herbs and herbal therapy therapy very effective in treating depression, anxiety and mood variations. Some of these traditional medicines have come into use among alternative and complementary physicians and some conventional physicians.

Some herbs have properties similar to prescription medications. They are effective but must be used with caution. In general, they are milder and have no or a few side effects. But there are exceptions. For examples, kava kava has recently been taken off the market because of its association with liver failure.

The most notable herb currently in use to treat depression and anxiety is St. John’s wort, though some others, including gingko biloba and valerian root- may also be effective.

Please note- While herbs are considered to be safe but there may be a few side effects or negative effects. They are natural, but natural does not mean safe always. Therefore, it is advised that you must work with a qualified herbalist or other health professional trained in uses of herbs.

Source-http://www.greendivamom.com/author/savneet/

Tips for Cleaner, Greener Laundry

Since we all like neat, clean clothes, we need to do laundry. While laundry is a cleaning process of cleaning, the process itself may not be clean enough. Our clothes may be soiled with germs, soil, oil and other matter that is not water soluble. Water alone can not be used to remove all of them, so we need some type of laundry detergent when washing our clothes.

Detergent isn’t the only point of concerns associated with laundry. The cleaning products we use contain potentially hazardous chemicals including bleach, solvents, chlorine and ammonia. Moreover, a dryer can use up to five kilowatts of electricity per hour and a top-loading washer uses approximately 40 gallons of water per load.

Some simple and far less hazardous alternatives can be used to make cleaning a far less harmful household chore. Keep in mind these tips to save water, electricity, environment and money when next time you head to the laundry room :
Washers

Wash clothes on the “cold” or “warm” settings rather than “hot” whenever possible. A washer uses maximum power to heat water. Detergents available in local stores can be used for cold-water washing.

Try to wash full loads to make the best use of the energy required to run the machine. If you need to wash a smaller load, adjust the water level accordingly.

Sort out clothes according to fabric type, color, weight, and degree of soiling to improve efficiency.

Wash heavy clothes such as curtains, towels and denims separately from light clothes like shirts.

If you are planning to buy a new washer, go for an Energy Star-rated model. These Energy Star washers use less water per load . Some machines use 18 to 25 gallons on an average. There are front-loading models that may use as little as five gallons of water. These kind of machines extract more water from clothes and thus reduce drying time.

Dryers
Choose a dryer with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts the machine off when clothes are dry.

Choose a warm location for the dryer so that less energy is needed to heat the air.

Clean the lint filter before each new load. It will improve air circulation and efficiency.

Use full loads to make the best use of the energy required to run the machine, but keep in mind not to fill the dryer so much that air can’t circulate around the clothes.

Laundry Products
Laundry routines can be made even “greener” by using environmentally friendly detergents, fabric softeners, and stain removers.

Boost the power of your detergent safely and inexpensively using white distilled vinegar. You can use vinegar for stained white socks, removing perspiration odor and stains, preventing yellowing and lifting stains like mustard, spaghetti, barbecue sauce or ketchup stains. Vinegar acts as a fabric softener as well. All you need to do is to add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. Don’t worry; the acid present in in white distilled vinegar is mild and does not harm fabrics, but it is strong enough to dissolve the alkalis in soaps and detergents.




Make Your Own Environmentally Friendly Liquid Detergent
Ingredients:

•1/2 cup sodium carbonate (washing soda)
•1/2 cup borax
•2 oz natural soap
•3 pints tap water and a bucket of hot water
Equipment:

•water bucket
•oven
•containers with lids
•grater
•saucepan (use a dedicated pan for this to avoid borax residue in food)
•lavender oil
Instructions

1.Grate the soap in a saucepan.
2.Add the tap water and mix the ingredients until the soap melts and forms a solution.
3.Add the sodium carbonate and borax and stir the solution until it becomes consistent and thickens.
4.Remove the pan from the oven stove and let the solution cool for awhile.
5.Take one quart from the bucket of hot water. Pour it in the empty water bucket.
6.Add the saucepan’s contents in the bucket and mix well. add and mix about 60 drops of lavender oil.
7.After mixing thoroughly, fill the bucket with hot water and let it settle for about 24
8.Pour the detergent in the containers. Keep the containers covered when not using the detergent.

Making Stress Management Routine

Stress - either you can eliminate it with a bubble bath, or you have to live with your stresses weighing on your mind with the weight of a cement truck, right? The truth is that stress management is not about eliminating stress; it is all about regulation-turning the dials of your emotions so you can best handle what life tosses at you. Stress–which is really a complex mix of emotional, physical and behavioral responses–doesn’t have to sideline you from life or send you straight to the ice cream tub. Here are some tricks to avoid letting your worries burden go away.

Identify the source of your stress
Though some sources are easy to identify, it can be difficult to really determine what is bothering you. Lashing at your kids be a reaction not to what your kids did but to an extra assignment piled on at work. The first step to managing your stress is pinpointing the culprit.
Every emotion has an “urge to act” that goes wit it. When you feel afraid or anxious, we avoid things. When we are depressed or sad, we withdraw. When we are angry, we want to lash out or yell. Unfortunately, each of these mood-inspired behaviors actually increases an emotion rather than decreasing it. However if you can act in an opposite way, you can decrease the emotion. Angry at someone? Do not lash out, but rather be empathetic. Similarly, if you are depressed, instead of shutting down yourself in, go out. Rather than letting your emotions determine what you do, take control and choose how you feel.

Focus on the moment
Though it can be hard, you will have better stress management by being mindful- that is, really paying attention to the present and trying to get out of the gears of the past and the future. That means especially noticing the things that you ignore, like your breath, body sensations, and emotions. One way to practice living in the moment: the body which will help you to relax:

1.Lie down
2.Close your eyes and notice your posture.
3.Think about the natural flow of your breath, focusing on air filling and leaving the lungs.
4.Notice your toes-any tension, tingling, or temperature change?
5.Move to thinking about your feet, heels and the ankles, all the way up through the knees, thighs and pelvis.
6.Continue with each body part, going through both the front and back of your body as you work your way up, finishing with the throat, jaw, tongue, face and brow.
7.Go through your health checklist. Stress is much more manageable when the other aspects of your life-from your general health, to your sleep patterns, to your eating habits-are in good order. When you do not get enough sleep, for instance, your body produces more stress hormones, making you more vulnerable to the damaging effects of stress. Evaluate what areas in your life your attention, and work on fixes.
Get Physical
Walk thirty minutes, stretch, do yoga, anything. Just get up and move. Exercise is one of life’s greatest stress relievers.

Focus on your muscles. By tensing and relaxing your muscles, you can help relieve some of your stored physical stress. While sitting of lying down, tense the muscles of your feet as much you can and then release the tension. Tense and relax different muscle groups of your body one at a time. Focus on your legs, stomach, back, neck, arms, face and head. When done, relax for a few minutes.

Two Spicy Healthy Recipes from Burma

People of Burma lay a great emphasis on contemplation and meditation, both in daily life and taken to their kitchens and eating tables. Burmese cuisine is sometimes taken as a fusion of Indian, Thai and Chinese cuisine, but it is not true. Burmese cuisine is influenced by its neighbors, but the dishes get their flavors from the thousand-year-old culture. Burmese spend time over each meal. No “fast food” is gulped here. The food is complex in a way so that each morsel is focused, and Burmese let the flavors reveal themselves slowly rather than expecting them to be immediately realized by the taste buds.

The meals are elaborated but small. The family gathers for lunch or dinner at a low table. Each dish is then passed around, followed by the bowl of rice. The appropriate accompaniments or condiments are then passed. The rice, mixed with all the items on the plate, is eaten with fingers. Although Burmese have begun using chopsticks as well. Burmese meals include an assortment of salads as well.

The common accompaniments are garlic, onions, ngapi (a shrimp-based paste), and balachaung which is a crispy combination of shrimp and several raw vegetables including cabbage, and mini-eggplants.

Two Burmese favorites are ta-yet-tea-tow which is a green mango onion salad, and khwauk swe, a chicken and noodle dish.

Ta-Yet-Tea-Tow
4 green mangoes
2 tablespoons shrimp powder
2 medium onions, sliced
4 green chiles
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons shrimp powder
2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds
3 cups fried onions
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Salt, as needed

Peel mangoes and soak in water. Cut or break lengthwise and sliver into small, thin pieces. Squeeze slivered mango dry. Cut green chillies finely, discarding seeds if you wish. In a small dish, mix baked shrimp paste with cooked oil till smooth.

Into a bowl put mangoes, sliced onions, shrimp paste in oil, shrimp powder, green chillies, sesame seeds, 1/2 of fried onion, and sauce, and mix well. Taste and add salt as needed. Serve garnished with remaining fried onion. Serves 4-5.

Khwauk Swe
Serves four to five people
Ingredients

2 pounds chicken, boiled and cut into strips
1 pound rice noodles
2-3 onions, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
1 sprig of coriander
1/2 teaspoon chopped ginger
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed peanuts
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cook noodles till tender. Remove from heat, drain and set aside. Combine garlic, ginger and salt in a large bowl. Add chicken strips, and coat each piece with the spice mixture.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and tomatoes, and cook, stirring and sprinkling with pepper, salt and turmeric. Cook until onions soften and mixture thickens, for about 5 minutes. Add chicken and a cup of water, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until mixture thickens. Serve chicken over noodles. Garnish with coriander and crushed peanuts.

A dash of lemon juice accentuates the flavour of the spices

Source-http://www.greendivamom.com/author/savneet/

Five Ways You Can Reduce Air Pollution

America needs to reduce transportation emissions. America’s cities face numerous problems because of the polluted air released by increasing number of vehicles on highways. Within the past few years, Americans have become more dependent on car travel and have more cars per capita than any other nation in the world. This has lead to problems like traffic jams, pollution and global warming.

Traffic congestion alone costs America’s economy approximately $78 billion. Transportation in America produces more carbon dioxide emissions than any other country in the world except China. Studies have found that, bus travel is 79% safer than driving your own vehicle. In addition, sedentary, car-dependent lifestyles contribute to health problems from lack of exercise.
Changing our commute patterns can decrease America’s effect on global climate change. Roads dominated by vehicles can be reclaimed and put to better uses. We can improve air quality at the same time as we build a sense of community cohesion. We should give people more reason to walk in their neighborhoods. Here are five ways you can play an important role in reducing the traffic jams and air pollution.

Carpool
Joining a carpool to work can lessen the carbon footprint by reducing the number of cars on the road. Fill the three empty seats in our car with new friends and go to your work place together. Carpooling helps you save money by not driving your car as often, and you may possibly qualify for employee benefits. Parents can set up carpools to take kids to school and activities.

Use Public Transit
Scale up from the carpool and take public transportation. Most metropolitan areas have comfortable, convenient public transport systems available,. Train systems are thought to be the most efficient of the mass transit systems, as they carry a large number of passengers at one time. In addition they also use less fuel than other transport like buses. Buses are also a good option, especially ones using bio-diesel or other eco-friendly alternative fuels.

If public transit is available, get a monthly pass. It will help you to make your commute more cost-effective. Monthly passes and smart cards let you avoid buying tickets every day. Many times, commutes are easier and faster by bus or other mass transit options than sitting in a traffic jam, and you can have pleasure of reading newspaper on your way to work.

Public transit isn’t just for the daily commute, though. You can use Google Maps to arrange multiple errands on your local public transportation system. Alternatively, many mass transit system websites have trip planners that allow you to plan the most efficient route between multiple stops.

Motivate Children to Walk
Try to inculcate the habit of walking wherever it is feasible. You can walk down to nearby market place with kids and pets rather than using a car. You can easily get children used to the idea of commuting with their legs while they’re young.

Use Bikes
Bikes can be really helpful and prove to be good for your health. They are great connector between transportation modes. You can use them easily if distance is less than a mile. Get a foldable bike that you can carry anywhere. You can even carry them in public transport system. All you need to do is to learn the rules of the roads. Get a helmet and stay safe. Do not forget to have lights so that drivers can see you.

Work from Home
If possible, work from home. Working from home for even a single day can reduce your transportation-based pollution emissions by a significant level. Countless software applications–such as Skype, Google Applications and IM–can keep you connected with your office, boss and co-workers even if they are all working remotely.

Source-http://www.greendivamom.com/author/savneet/

Harness Renewable Energy with a Home Wind Power System

Increasing prices of fossil fuels and the environmental pollution associated with them have forced homeowners to opt for cleaner and cheaper sources of electricity. A very good option is energy generated by wind. It has been estimated by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) that a small residential wind turbine can eliminate 1.2 tons of smog-forming pollution . A small wind system capable of generating 5 to 10 kilowatts of electricity under optimal conditions can actually lower the average electricity costs of your home by 50 to 90 percent. Thus, wind energy which is a clean and natural source of power will prove to be helpful in a long run.

When determining if a home wind system is for you, consider your power needs, available space, the wind conditions and local regulations. You need an acre or more of open property for a residential wind power system. Home wind systems require a minimum average wind speed of 10 miles per hour. State and municipal regulations may restrict the size and placement of a residential wind turbine.



Siting a Home Wind Power System
The wind turbine should be located so that it gets a wind at a moderate rate. The turbine should be sited upwind of any buildings and trees. The tips of the turbine’s blades should be at least 30 feet higher at the lowest point of their arc than any trees or structures within 300 feet. Keep in mind that local zoning ordinances might have some height restrictions.

Home Wind Power System Options
If you are planning to have horizontal wind turbines they must be mounted on tall towers so that they can catch the the wind. Vertical wind turbines do not need any tower. They can catch wind from any direction. Take the time to research wind energy, and see which option works best for you and your area.

Interfacing a Home Wind Power System with the Grid
Inter-tied or grid-tied systems are connected to the electrical grid. This helps in feeding energy you use into the grid. This may earn you a few extra dollars because of the this excess electricity. In addition, this inter-tied systems also give you the option of drawing power from the grid if your wind system is not generating enough power for your current needs.

You can also get interfaced systems connected to the grid where the excess energy is stored in batteries. In this case you will have a backup power. Keep in mind that a home wind power system with batteries may require you to deal with the operation, maintenance, and eventual disposal of the batteries.

Off-Grid Home Wind Power Systems
Off-grid systems are better for remote locations. These are not connected to the power grid, so they don’t feed excess power into the system or have the grid as a backup when wind power doesn’t meet demand. Homeowners who want to be completely self-sufficient have to make sure the system the have is sized to meet the maximum anticipated electricity needs because you will not be able to tap into the grid.

Costs of Home Wind Power Systems
Compared with solar photovoltaic panels, residential wind power systems are 50 percent less expensive to install. According to AWEA, the upfront costs are still high, at about $3,000 to $5,000 per kilowatt, including installation. You can reduce the upfront costs of wind power systems by making your home as energy-efficient as possible. Some states and utility providers have incentives for residential renewable energy systems.

Source-http://www.greendivamom.com/author/savneet/

Know Your Heart Disease Risks and How to Reduce Them

Heart disease kills more women in the US than any other single cause. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for one out of every four deaths among women nationwide, according to the National Institute of Health. Women experience heart disease differently from men. While chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack in both men and women, women more often exhibit the less common signs of a heart attack like heartburn, weakness and coughing. Heart attacks are also fatal more often in women than in men.

Understanding the risk factors for heart disease and making lifestyle changes can reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease and increase your chances of a full recovery if heart disease or a heart attack does strike. While the contributing factors for heart disease are complex, actions to reduce the risk factors are the same: maintain a healthy weight, be active and eat a healthy diet, with lots of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and little saturated or trans fat.
One of the major risk which is not preventable is family history. If your parents or grandparents have or had CVD disease, you are at a greater risk of CVD. However, other factors for heart disease are largely preventable through diet exercise and lifestyle. A few major risks factors are discussed below:

Gender-Dependent Risk Factors
Men and women undergo heart surgery at different rates. Women undergo fewer bypass surgeries than men. There are several reasons for this, some of them are fairly obvious.

Vascular size
Compared to women, men are generally taller, weigh more and have a larger body surface area. This means that men generally have larger coronary arteries, which do not clog readily as the smaller arteries in women. And the smaller size of women’s coronary arteries presents a greater technical challenge for cardiac surgeons performing angioplasty or bypass surgery.

Hormones
Because estrogen is thought to protect against cardiovascular disease, women are rarely affected by cardiovascular disorders (CVD) before menopause. As such, most women are older and in worst overall physical condition when they do require treatment.

Finally women are more likely to have complications including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart failure, obesity and cerebral or peripheral vascular diseases. African-American and Latina women tend to have more of these complications, so the NIH suggests that women of color pay particular attention to their cardiac health.

General Risk Factors
In addition to gender-related risks, a number of other factors can put both men and women at risk for cardiovascular disease. Risk factors are divided into major and contributing factors. The major risk factors have been proved to increase the risk of heart diseases. Contributing factors are those that doctors think can lead to an increased risk, but exact role played by them is not defined.

Smoking
Cigarette smoking has been medically determined to be a major risk factor for coronary artery disease. Smokers have 200 times the risk of developing coronary heart disease as compared to nonsmokers. Smoking clogs coronary arteries, which heightens the risk of blood clots resulting in a heart attack. Smoking also increases LDL, the “bad” cholesterol, while decreasing HDL, the “good” cholesterol. Smoking will kill your heart; do not smoke.

High cholesterol
Cholesterol is one of the groups that make up the fatty or lipid compounds in the bloodstream. Cholesterol is produced by the liver. The amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood is also affected by weight, diet and exercise. Losing excess weight, limiting intake of saturated fat and trans fats, increasing fiber intake through whole grains and plant foods, and exercising regularly can keep cholesterol in check.

Most cholesterol is transported to the body’s cell in small particles called low density lipoproteins (LDL). High level of LDL are associated with increased risk for heart diseases, earning it the designation of “bad cholesterol”. They deposit on the walls of the arteries as plaque. Over the period of the time, plaque can cause obstruction or occlusion of an artery, triggering a heart attack.

Diabetes
In the US, 6 percent people have diabetes. Factors like the inaccurate information about food and consumption people get on TV, plus personal behavior such as over eating and too much fat in the diet are primarily at fault in the soaring numbers of adult diabetic patients. Women with polycystic ovary disease are at greater risk for diabetes.

People with diabetes also tend to have other traits that make them more at risk for developing heart problems. These include obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Hypertension
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the leading cause of stroke and a major risk factor for heart attack and kidney failure. There are no typical symptoms for hypertension. Without regular, periodic blood pressure screening you may be unaware of its presence. Many drugstores and pharmacies have self-service blood pressure test stations that you can use to monitor your blood pressure between visits to your doctor’s office, or you can get an inexpensive home blood pressure monitor. Normal blood pressure should be below 120/80. Readings above 140/90 indicate hypertension. Regular exercise, such as walking 20 to 30 minutes per day, can reduce your risk of hypertension and may help lower borderline blood pressure.

Obesity
Obesity is defined as a body mass index greater than 30. Calculate your BMI with this handy tool. Obesity is directly related to heart diseases including hypertension, diabetes and vascular diseases. Weight reduction - even a 5% reduction, equivalent to losing 10 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds - can help lower your risk of heart disease.

Source-http://www.greendivamom.com/author/savneet/

Meal Replacements Benefit a Busy Lifestyle

Jam-packed lives with jobs, kids, parents, studies, friends, spouses and numerous other obligations leave very little time to map out meals with proper nutrients. For many of us, grabbing something and going becomes much easier. But sometimes this ‘grab and go’ kind of food increases health risks and improper intake of calories, which may result in weight gain and poor nourishment. Meal replacement bars and beverages can offer some help.

These supplement foods are formulated with proteins, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. These are convenient and are strictly portion controlled. They are usually designed to be filling, reducing hunger between meals. Keep in mind, though, that nothing can replace the benefits of real food. These energy-controlled meal replacements provide rounded nutrition that can fill in nutritional gaps and keep you from straying into unhealthy eating habits when you are tired, busy or over committed.
Meal Replacements for Convenience
Meal replacement bars and shakes may prove to be a healthy ‘grab and go’ nutritional option. Find meal replacements that can meet specific nutritional and metabolic standards. Meal replacements are available in various forms. You can get powders, drinks, soups, bars and biscuits. Some products can replace all meals while others are meant to replace only one or two meals per day. The formulas contain adequate vitamins and minerals. Meal replacement meals are very low in fat and they often have added fiber.




Meal Replacements for Weight Control
For losing weight, we need to reduce the intake of the calories below the daily activity needs. When we reduce the number of the calories, we draw from our fat stores to obtain energy. By replacing meals with specialized complete meal formula, we lose fat and weight.

Substituting meal replacement for regular snacks can increase your meal frequency and controls the weight, since the low-calorie meal replacements limit calorie intake. Meal replacements have become popular way for helping many people successfully start losing weight. Meal replacements can be a good therapeutic approach to weight loss but only if, they are used in combination with lifestyle and diet education and professional support.

Meal Replacements for Weight Maintenance
If you use meal replacements sensibly to replace several meals in a week as a part of long-term weight maintenance strategy, you can reduce your caloric intake and prevent rebound pounds from piling back on. Furthermore meal replacement diets have the calories in each portion calculated, which makes it easier to keep energy intake down leading to greater success with weight loss.

Meal Replacements for Changing Eating Behavior
The meal replacements can play a positive visual cue and a reminder that you should not overeat. When you see meal replacements in your bag, refrigerators, gym bag or kitchen, it can have significant behavioral impact.

Meal Replacements for Exercise Recovery
Meal replacements are biochemicallly valuable following a workout. The required carbohydrates and proteins to replenish your body following exercise can be readily supplied by meal replacements.

Shortcomings of Meal Replacements
A consistent diet of meal replacement can be nutritionally poor. It may sabotage your body in a long run. In addition you will never learn how to manage eating healthier with typical foods. They don’t provide a full feeling in your stomach. Your appetite may not be satisfied if you continue to get all or most of your food through meal-replacements.

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Blast Belly Fat and Sculpt Your Body with Weight Training

Muscles are our premium calorie burners. A pound of muscle burns three to five times the amount of calories compared with pound of fat. Doing cardio is not enough to cut the belly fat. You need to strengthen your muscles and cut back the fat around belly as well. Regular strength training -lifting weights for 1 hour twice per week- can eliminate your belly fat three times faster than doing only cardio exercise.

When you incorporate weight training along with you cardio, you can prevent fat accumulating in your body the first place. Lifting weights doubles the chances of keeping the fat around the belly off long term. Only 20 percent of us do strength training twice a week, with women slightly trailing men. That clearly indicates that almost 80 percent of us are ignoring this crucial aspect of being fit.
Body fitness is characterized by strength, optimal lean body mass (muscles) and minimized body fat. To achieve this, you should sculpt your body by removing fat and increasing muscle mass as much as your genetics allow and holding it there for lifetime.

Here are few principles to help you to strengthen your body:

Lift Weight to Shed Weight

Weight training tells you how fast you will burn fat. Strength training helps both building more muscles and increase the calories burning efficiency. For each pound of trained muscle on your body, you can burn 35 to 50 calories of energy per day. Each pound of fat requires only 7 to 10 calories to maintain. When you lift weights, you need more calories to feed those hungry muscle cells. That’s why it is key for trimming fat around the belly.

Form + Quantity = Results

Do not even lift weight every day. Do it four times a day. First concentrate on your form. As you begin a specific exercise move, realize that muscle is stimulated to grow when it is working the hardest. In a biceps curl, it is the journey up that is the toughest. Count it out. A count of four as you can contract to get up all the way, and a count of three to release and come down. If you run through them too quickly, you will not only injure yourself, but you wont get the optimal muscle training, toning and definition you want.

Mind Your Safety When Lifting

Do reps carefully, using good form to avoid injuring joints. When you lift, aim to keep increasing the intensity by exercising each muscle thoroughly and gradually increasing the weights. Wear weight-lifting gloves for a secure grip and wrist straps to stabilize your wrist when lifting heavier weights.

If you are using machines at the gym, make sure they are adjusted to your height. Have a trainer to help you get the right setting and then write them down on a card so that you can reproduce them on your own.

Core Strength Training

Core strength training is essential to eliminating fat around the belly. Become aware of your abdomen. This mental awareness helps you stay focused on your goal- to eliminate the excess inner abdominal fat and achieve your goal of a waist that is less than 35 inches for a women and less than 40 inches for men. Core training also builds a stronger calorie burning furnace when you build more muscles. Having a strong core is key to all kinds of daily activities like sitting down, picking things up, carrying groceries and even walking. The abs and the back work together as a team. The stronger the abs, the stronger is the back

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Create an Organic Bedroom

We spend up to 90% of our time indoors, and one-third of that time in our bedrooms sleeping. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the air inside our home is more polluted than on a road or in an industrial area. Moreover, exposure to indoor allergens, chemicals and irritants cause asthma and some forms of cancer. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like formaldehyde used in permanent press sheets, mattresses, foam, plastics and building materials cause insomnia, coughing, headaches, nausea, nosebleeds and skin rashes. They are neurotoxins and carcinogens.

Toluene, Xylene, and petroleum distillates used in paints and stain removers are also suspected carcinogens. Carpet pads, foam for mattresses, chairs, and couches all contain harmful chemicals which have known to cause problems in prenatal and infant brain development and wreak havoc with thyroid hormones.

Now is the time to get started and create a healthier sleeping environment. It’s time to take control of your bedroom. These 10 steps will tame the toxic monsters in your bedroom so you can enjoy peaceful rest in an organic bedroom.

Replace your Mattress

You spend nearly one-third of your life on your mattress. Flame-retardants, petro-chemicals and other harmful chemicals are sprayed on most mass market mattresses, and these treatments give off gases harmful for health. As a healthy, organic bedroom alternative, you can choose a natural cotton mattress or organic cotton mattress. Cotton mattresses are very firm. You can always use a wool topper to soften the top and relieve pressure points.

Those who are not allergic to latex can go for a natural latex mattress. But before buying that, make sure the latex mattress you buy is at least 97% natural. Some latex mattress available in market are a 60/40 blend of natural and petrochemical-based materials. Latex mattresses are anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, dust-mite proof, and relieve pressure points as well. On a new organic mattress, you will get a more peaceful sleep and allow your body’s immune system to rejuvenate for the next day’s activities.

Get a Mattress Topper

If a new mattress is out of the budget right now, consider adding a pure wool or natural rubber topper to your mattress to put some distance between your body and the toxins. Encasing your mattress and pillows in organic cotton barrier cloths will protect your lungs from dust mite allergens and relieve eczema suffering from bedding-borne allergens.

Replace Your Pillows

An organic bedroom has several options for pillows beyond the polyester fiber-fill. Go for pillows made with untreated cotton or, even better, organic cotton. Buckwheat hull pillows provide a great neck support. Wool works best moisture wicking. Natural rubber having 97% natural latex is also an option.

Switch to Organic Bedding

With your bed gone organic, choose sheets, blankets, and duvet covers made with untreated or organic cotton or wool. You can get many beautiful colors in Organic cotton now a days.

Go for a Natural Fiber Duvet

Complete your organic bedroom with a new comforter to top the bed. Select a wool comforter for warmth and superior moisture-wicking properties and they are light weight as well. Down comforters draw moisture in but don’t dry out quickly, so they can produce molds that may irritate the body.

With the bed organic, it is time to turn your attention to the rest of the organic bedroom.

Get an Air Purifier with HEPA Filtration

HEPA means “High Efficiency Particulate Air,” and HEPA filters capture 99.97% of particles floating around your bedroom. You can install special furnace filters designed to remove 90% or more of allergens and particles.

Let the Air In

Keep your windows open and let recycle the air regularly. Use a window guard to stops pollen, dust, and dirt particles from entering your room. Clean floors especially under the bed, using fresh mop heads.

Switch the Window Treatments

Many common commercially available window treatments are themselves treated with chemicals that may outgas VOCs. Shade the windows in your organic bedroom with fabric shades or untreated wood blinds instead of treated draperies or shades. Check out this GreenDivaMom article for tips on using nature to heat and cool your organic bedroom.

Shun VOCs

Next time you get your bedroom painted, use low- or no-VOC paints. An interesting organic bedroom alternative is hemp wall upholstery that can be stapled into place without using adhesives.

Tear Out the Carpet

Don’t forget the floor of your organic bedroom. Old carpet is a breeding ground for dust mites. Replace carpet with wood flooring or ceramic tiles. You can choose a recycled linoleum also.

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Dieting Carefully for Effective Weight Loss

It is a sad fact that many women are more concerned with the size of their thighs and waist than the overall state of their health. Physical fitness is being undervalued in favor of absolute weight and appearance for women. Many women think more about the number of pounds on the scale than about their cholesterol or blood pressure. They don’t think much about disease they may be risk for.

So many women with negative body images become so conscious about the way they look that they are ready to put any kind of effort to reduce weight which include strict dieting schedules. Most of the women don’t have a realistic view of what they actually look like. Dieting among women is still the favorite way to lose excessive pounds. In order to lose weight, they are avoiding fresh fruits and veggies. In their quest to be thinner, they think they’re fat when they’re actually not, and they prefer to stay away from healthy food.
But the real problem lies in being under-active. Our sedentary lifestyle can lead to health risks like diabetes and heart attack. Studies have found that 50% of the women put in an average of 80 minutes of exercise a week, and half do even less in a week. An average adult should put in at least two and a half hours of exercise a week.

We have conditioned ourselves to be dependent upon prepared foods, rather than responsible and mindful about what we eat. Women are bombarded with many distorted body images today that they focus more on the numbers and less on health. But actually they should be focusing on what they are eating versus what they shouldn’t be eating. They follow dieting plans that avoid nutritional foods.

If not attempted with proper care, dieting may create many issues and the net result can be negative to general well-being. The damage can be to the immune system and overall health of the person. However, the negative effect of dieting depends on external factors like calorie, carbohydrate intake, fiber and protein intake. Unhealthy diet plans like crash dieting may have short-term cosmetic benefits, but long-term health consequences.

We all are aware of the fact that daily calorie needs are calculated according to the energy required to perform our daily physical and mental activities. The Mayo Clinic has a calorie calculator that allows you to estimate your daily caloric need. ( http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598 ) Increased calorie intake above the daily requirements may result in over weight. On the other hand if you consume a low-calorie diet, you are risking your immunity and health. In case you get sick, the weakened immune system may not be able to support your recovery.

People on diet must understand the importance of carbohydrates and the dangers of associated with long-term low carb diets. If you do not take in enough carbohydrates from food, the body is forced to obtain glucose for the brain and red blood cells. The liver must metabolize protein to form the essential glucose which is required by the brain and red blood cells. In such cases the liver wastes away body protein in the form of muscle mass. The kidneys are taxed ridding the body of the waste products of this process.

Following a healthy diet plan is vital to staying healthy and fit. Most important is before implementing the plan, consult a doctor about the possible health consequences of the diet plan. Whatever diet you follow need to be evaluated according to whether you get all the required nutrients and avoid the ones which are responsible for weight gain. A diet with the right balance of carbohydrate, protein, and fiber will help you maintain good health and lose weight at the same time.

Do not cut protein intake. Protein is needed for building and maintaining muscles. Some sources of protein are all dairy products, some types of beans, and all kinds of nuts, meat, fish or eggs. Include whole grain cereals, corn, and rice, which are unprocessed carbohydrates.

If you want to cut weight in a healthful and efficient way, the key is to choose the complex carbs, leaner meats, unsaturated fats, proteins and lots of fruits and vegetables.

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Yoga to Strengthen your Natural Defenses

Yoga encompasses dozens of poses that have changed a little over the centuries. Experts say yoga poses work in many ways. Some stretch and strengthen the muscles, others improve posture and the skeletal system. Still others compress or relax organs and nerves. Together, yoga poses are a powerful weapons against diseases, making your body more resistant, resilient and ready to heal itself.

Here is a daily routine of 16 expert-recommended poses, along with brief description of the health benefits expert say you might expect from them.
Please note: Check with your doctor or yoga expert before attempting these poses, especially if you have special medical needs or a chronic medical condition or if you are pregnant.
To get started, find a comfortable, warm place with a level floor. Wear loose clothing. And go gently. Never push your body. The main aim of yoga is to make you feel good.

1.Mountain pose: This is an easy standing pose that may help people with osteoporosis.
2.Dancers pose: A standing pose that can improve balance, open nasal passage, stretch and strengthen hips and thighs and help beat fatigue. Be careful if you have lower back problem.
3.Tree pose: Again a standing pose that tones your legs and improves balance, concentration and breathing.
4.Standing sun position: Sit and turn for this pose, which may help deal with constipation and bladder problems, loosen hips and shoulders and improves nerve functions.
5.Windmill pose: If you tilt along with this standing pose, you may help loosen your hips and lower back and improve breathing. Be careful if you have lower back problem.
6.Knee squeeze: A simple pose, done while lying on the floor, that can relieve gas, increase circulation in your head and neck, ease lower back pain and strengthen stomach muscles.
7.Spine twist: Sit and turn for this pose, which may help constipation and bladder problems, loosen hips and shoulder and improves nerve.
8.Head to knee: This seated stretch can help improve the function of your internal organs.
9.Seated sun position: Another seated pose which can help with digestion and possibly with impotence along with strengthening the legs and spine.
10.Baby pose: This kneeling pose limbers your lower back, improves digestion and strengthen and relieves stiffness in knees, ankles and hips. If you have arthritic knees, this pose can be done in a chair.
11.Easy bridge pose: This pose is adapted from a difficult pose. It can help with lower back pain and fatigue, improves circulation to your head and face, bolster your endocrine system and may prove to be helpful in high blood pressure. Do not do this pose from second trimester of your pregnancy.
12.Boat pose: Done while lying on your stomach, this pose strengthen you back muscles and spinal column, aids digestion and helps vital organ function better.
13.Half boat pose: This is easier version of boat pose.
14.Cobra pose: This snake like pose helps strengthen your entire body. It aids digestion, makes your spine more flexible and might even help improve eyesight. This should not be done during menstrual periods and after any surgery.
15.Lion pose: A simple breathing exercise that relaxes facial muscles and eases tension.
16.Corpse pose: The ultimate relaxation pose. As its name suggests, you lie still and let everything go loose. This may help with back pain, stress and even high blood pressure. Use this rest pose whenever you need to relax. End your daily yoga or exercise routine with this pose.

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Buckwheat: A Healthy Gluten-Free Grain Substitute

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is not wheat or even a grain, but a fruit seed. Whole buckwheat seeds are three-sided with a thick, hard outer hull that must be removed before eating. The inner seed, also called as groat, is light brown or light green colored, soft and easily chewable. The seed has a pleasant and rich flavor.

The high fiber content makes buckwheat a good substitute for grains. The Chinese have been growing Buckwheat as a grain crop for over 1000 years. It is used by Japanese to make soba noodles. Buckwheat flour can be used to make delicious pancakes, biscuits, muffins or breads. In some parts of Eastern Europe, the toasted groats are known as kasha. Europeans use buckwheat groats as whole in hot cereals and soups. Buckwheat can also be boiled until it become soft and fluffy and then eaten like rice.
Buckwheat is a low-maintenance crop which can flourish even in poor soil. It has a growing season of only 11-12 weeks. It smothers weeds and adds nitrogen, phosphorus, organic matter and other nutrients to the soil. In addition, buckwheat crops attract beneficial insects.

Benefits of buckwheat

•Buckwheat is gluten free, making it an excellent substitute for grains for people who are sensitive to protein gluten present in wheat and rice.
•Regular intake of buckwheat lowers blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides.
•Buckwheat contains essential minerals like iron, copper, phosphorous, selenium, zinc, manganese and magnesium.
•Buckwheat is a good source of alpha-linolenic acid.
•One half cup of buckwheat provides 8.5 grams of dietary fiber. That is 1/3 of the recommended daily fiber intake. Harvard researchers have found that people having a daily morning bowl of whole grain cereal with groats had a lower risk of heart attack.
•Including buckwheat in your daily diet can be helpful in reducing weight.
•It reduces risk of diabetes. Magnesium in buckwheat acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes those are involved in the use of glucose and insulin secretion in the body.
•Buckwheat releases carbohydrate slowly, so that blood sugar levels don’t spike.
•It reduces the secretion of bile acids which contribute to gallstone formation.
•Buckwheat prevents breast cancer and heart disease because it is rich in lignans.
Delicious Buckwheat Recipe: Khuree

Here is a delicious and easy recipe buckwheat pancakes eaten with spinach and a spicy tomato chutney. This is very common dish eaten in Eastern India known as khuree.

Ingredients
For pancake:
1 cup buckwheat flour
Warm water - as required

For filling
1 pound spinach leaves
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

For chutney:
2 red tomatoes
1-2 fresh green chiles
Salt to taste.

Place the buckwheat flour in a large bowl and add warm water slowly, stirring constantly until you have a runny batter.

Heat a flat non-stick pan. Spread a little oil evenly in the pan.

Spread a large serving spoonful of batter on to the pan into a large round. Quickly spread the batter so that it does not accumulate in one place. In less than a minute the pancake will turn color. Turn it over.

In a separate pan, saute the chopped tomatoes and onions in a little oil. When these soften, add the chopped leaves. Season with salt. Cover and simmer until cooked. Cool before using as pancake filling.

For the chutney, simply grind all the ingredients together.

The khurees can be served hot with the tomato chutney and spinach. It can also be rolled up with the spinach filling with the chutney on the side.

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The Miraculous Jojoba

Nature has many wonderful things those are simply very effective but they are worthy of a little exploration. One such amazing thing is Jojoba Oil. It’s pronounced “ho-HO-bah”. Jojoba Oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the beans of the woody evergreen jojoba shrub (Simmondsia chinenis), found in northwestern Mexico and neighboring regions in Arizona and southern California. Jojoba oil and seeds have been used by Native Americans for different purposes for hundreds of years.
What Makes Jojoba Special?

Just like the sebum found naturally in human skin, a liquid wax ester, Jojoba Oil, is not really “oil”. Actually, it is chemically liquid wax esters that act as a waterproof layer formed on the skin and retain moisture. Jojoba also:

•protects both hair and skin and prevents skin from becoming dry and brittle
•controls the growth of microorganisms like bacteria and fungus on the skin•is easily absorbed by the skin
•is hypo-allergenic
•does not clog pores
•is relatively inexpensive and can be found easily in natural food and nutritional supplement stores
•contains essential nutrients like Vitamin E, Vitamin B complex, and minerals like silicon, chromium, copper, iodine and zinc
•has certain proteins and minerals that are very good for the balanced brain and pituitary functioning
How Can You Use Jojoba?

Jojoba is an excellent emollient. It works wonderful as a skin moisturizer, in my opinion. Jojoba oil helps balance the sebum levels in the skin. Moreover, its anti-bacterial properties curb growth of bacteria that cause acne. It gently unclogs blocked pores and removes embedded impurities. You can blend it with grape seed oil or almond oil.

Jojoba has antioxidant benefits as well and can be used as bath oil. You can prepare your own herbal oil by blending ¾ cup jojoba oil with ½ tsp each of rose, lavender and geranium oils. This mixture can be stored in a tightly sealed bottle in a cool place.

Jojoba repairs dry or damaged hair. Massage you scalp before you go to sleep with Jojoba oil and shampoo in the morning. Add two three drops of oil on ends of your hair before blow-drying for treating split end hair treatment, or add a few drops added to your regular hair conditioner for shiny hair. Apply 3-4 drops through your hair before you go for swimming in the pool or ocean.

Jojoba oil makes an excellent makeup remover, even for most expensive cosmetics. Soak a cotton ball in a mixture of half water and half jojoba to gently wipe off make-up. Rub a few drops on your hands and on cuticles once a week to get strong cuticles.

A few drops of Jojoba have an amazing revitalizing effect on dry lips. You can create lip balm for yourself by combining jojoba oil in a small glass jar with a few drops of your favorite flavoring. You can add eucalyptus, strawberry or citrus oil for fruity flavor.

Eye and throat infections can also be treated with this oil.

It not only softens the skin but also reduces wrinkles and stretch marks. You can apply it directly to the skin. It reduces lines and other signs of aging, and has a positive effect on skin conditions such as psoriasis.

Jojoba is used as a pesticide as well. It has specific action, therefore it does not harm non target pests. It is good for grape plant and few other ornamental plants.

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