Five tips to start fresh in the new year

New Year's resolutions have become as synonymous with failure as with self-improvement. According to a survey conducted by LIVESTRONG.COM, 76 percent of people who made a 'weight loss' resolution say they have not been successful at keeping the weight off. Resolutions revolving around getting fit can seem daunting without the proper guidance for seeing them through. LIVESTRONG.COM has a list of five small changes to help accomplish fitness and nutritional goals for the New Year.

1. Clear Out That Kitchen
Toss high-calorie, high-fat foods and abstain from buying similar products. The purge will spur an instant sense of accomplishment and make it easier to maintain a healthy plan. You should dispose of all tempting foods, including sugary cereals, cake and cookie mixes, candy, ice cream and fried items.

2. Plan Your Meals
Use cookbooks or online resources focused on healthy recipes to map out days and weeks of nutritious food. Selecting healthy options that taste good and are tailored to fit your preferences will prevent you from nibbling on the bad stuff.

3. Go Local and Go Green
Organic and locally grown food items are often tastier and more satisfying than their conventional counterparts. Shop your local farmers markets or health-food stores to find these items. When you return from shopping, immediately wash and prepare the produce so it is ready to eat when you are hungry.

4. Use Available Resources
Sign up and follow fitness and nutrition platforms online as an easy go-to resource for questions and additional information. LIVESTRONG.COM's MyPlate is a great tool for tracking your food intake and fitness routine with over 625,000 food items and 2,000 fitness activities.

5. Set a Fitness Goal
Assess your previous physical activity in the past year and set a realistic goal to gradually improve fitness. Get a workout partner to help you stay motivated, and don't forget to track your progress!
LIVESTRONG.COM offers nutrition and fitness information for lifelong health and wellness. LIVESTRONG.COM's practical tools, expert resources and engaged community provide support to help you achieve your healthy living goals. At LIVESTRONG.COM, small, daily changes lead to big results and lifelong success stories.

Source  http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/27/3282982/five-tips-to-start-fresh-in-the.html

Health Benefits of Different Types of Milk

Health Benefits of Different Types of Milk

1. Coconut milk:
Coconut milk is a common ingredient in South Indian cooking that makes the curry rich and delicious.

What are the health benefits of coconut milk?
Coconuts provide vitamins, minerals and fibers that prevent diseases like gallbladder stones and liver diseases, inflammation and skin diseases, to name a few. If you want proteins, coconut milk is a good source. It also provides iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, vitamins: C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6. Surprisingly coconut milk is far richer in calcium than regular milk. Rest assured that coconut milk also supports the immune system, helps in weight loss and is great for digestion.

2. Almond milk:
Almonds are a great snack if you are fasting or if you simply want a potent healthy snack to keep you full for longer. Some dishes also use almonds as garnish and it is an excellent medium in desserts.

What are the health benefits of almond milk?
Almond milk, just like coconut milk, is a great alternative for vegans. Almond milk is a good source for proteins; it is also low in calories unlike cow's milk. This milk contains vitamin E, magnesium, monounsaturated fats, manganese, copper and riboflavin. Boost your energy and lower heart diseases with almond milk.

3. Cow's milk:
This is the most commonly used milk in India. Cow's milk is also used to make enticing Indian sweets.

What are the health benefits of cow's milk?
This milk contains fats, minerals and vitamins like vitamin D, proteins, vitamin B, potassium, iodine and it is a good substitute to Omega 3. Cow's milk is not fattening but it should be complimented with a healthy diet. Besides strengthening the bones with calcium, cow's milk is known to control blood pressure as it contains potassium, iodine promote thyroid function and prevents gout.

4. Goat's milk:
Most Indians may not use goat's milk, but high up in the hilly regions of northern Indian, goat's milk is widely used. But the buck does not stop there, globalization and India's love for Italian food has seen an increase in the import of goat cheese.

What are the health benefits of goat's milk?
According to researchers, goat's milk helps prevent softening of bone and anemia. It also aids digestion and 'metabolic utilization of minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium'. The secret lies in the high presence of iron, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Apparently goat's milk has less fat, builds your immune system, and reduces anti-inflammation of the bowel.

5. Raw milk:
Consuming raw milk is a trend that promotes the importance of organic food. But is it a wise choice?

What are the health benefits of raw milk?
The debate still continues on the health benefits of raw milk over pasteurised milk. Raw milk contains proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, but scientists do not believe the claims of health benefits of raw milk. There are healthy bacteria in raw milk; some say that pasteurised milk kills these microbes, but scientists believe it's all for a good cause.

You need to know:
- Pasteurization DOES NOT reduce milk's nutritional value.
- Pasteurization DOES kill harmful bacteria.
- Pasteurization DOES save lives.

6. Soy milk:
This is a common substitute for those who are lactose intolerant or vegetarian. Soy milk also comes under probiotic food choice.

What are the health benefits of soy milk?
Soy milk contains fatty acids, proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for the smooth functioning of our body. You can count on soy milk to improve good cholesterol and help in weight loss; the omega 3 and 6 in soy milk strengthens the blood vessels, claims to prevent prostrate cancer, osteoporosis and postmenopausal syndrome.

7. Cardamom or eliachi milk:
May not be a common ingredient in milk, but flavoured milk is always refreshing on a hot day. Cardamom milk is healthier than having flavoured milk like chocolate and strawberry.

What are the health benefits of cardamom milk?
Cardamom contains potassium, calcium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-C and magnesium. It is also used as an antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic and tonic. These are the traditional uses of cardamom.

Top 5 Health Tips for Gaining Lean Muscles Without Fat

Top 5 Health Tips for Gaining Lean Muscles Without Fat

Here in this Health Tips blog I am going to present an article which really helps every one especially the people who goes for a GYM.

Here are top 5 health pro tips that will help everyone to keep or maintain lean muscles without getting fat in your body.

1. Eat Clean and Hygienic Food Which has Lots and Lots of Calories

Eating clean and Hygienic food every day will help every individual to maintain their body with good shape. The food you in take much contains protein, low-glycemic carbs, health dietary fats and etc. Try to have some organic foods regularly in order to sustain much energy which will always help you to make you feel bit relaxed and happier through out the day.

2. Try to eat foods which contains much Carbohydrate

This is really a beautiful tips for having a lean muscles. Overdose of Carbs will leads to Hyper insulin which will ultimately leads to increase in Fat content in the human. But it is also not to avoid the Carbs in your meals totally. People are prone to sit in one place and do their work most of the time. It is better to center your carb consumption around your sitting place. Here are few carbs which are present in sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole grains, oatmeal..

3. Healthy fats don’t make you fat!

Dietary Fats don’t make you fat. Recent research has said that Fats have 9 calories per gram, but carbs and proteins have 5 calories per gram. Less calories per gram will help you in getting your muscles lean. Fats from rich source like avocado, whipped butter, eggs, nuts are a must if you want to put on size. Avoid eating saturated fats from junk foods, snacks, chips and eat.

4. Say no to SMOKE

This is the most important Health tips in order to Lean Muscles. Smoking is really bad for your health. But if you can quit the smoking, then your life will be better. Here in this post, i am going to tell you some important points and benefits of quitting the smoking and how it can be lead to a healthy lifestyle. 

Read this article Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking

5. High Intensity Cardio is a major key fact in fat loss

Don’t overdo Cardio, While High Intensity Cardio may be a solution for fat loss, going overboard with it'll solely kill your lean muscle. Bulking up is primarily regarding conserving calories and victimization them for the correct physical exercise. Limit your HIIT to 2-3 days per week and focus a lot of on strength coaching.

6. Lift only weights that are possible to you.

Lift only as heavy as you can. Many persons will try to lift heavy weights when compared to their weight, thinking that this would work out in making you lean. But it is not so. Lift only as heavy as you can and gradually scale up your weights.

Health Benefits of Red Palm Oil

Health Benefits of Red Palm Oil

The health benefits of olive oil have been touted for many hundreds of years. More recently, coconut oil has become all the rage and hailed by many as the king of oils. But, whatever oil you choose - whether it’s olive, coconut, almond, canola, peanut, safflower, walnut, or even avocado oil - none compare to the powerful nutritional virtues of virgin organic red palm fruit oil.

The health benefits of red palm fruit oil can be achieved by incorporating only 1-2 tablespoons into your daily diet.

Red Palm Fruit Oil vs. Palm Kernel Oil
Regarded as a sacred healing food by many civilizations, including the ancient Egyptians, crude or virgin red palm fruit oil should be regarded as one of the most nutritious edible oils in the world. It is not to be confused with palm kernel oil .

It is derived from the fruit of the oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis) and is referred to as "red palm oil" because of its rich dark red color in its unprocessed natural  state. Palm kernel oil is derived from the seed or the kernel.

Power-Packed Contents  

Red palm oil’s health promoting properties are largely attributed to its high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory contents. Red palm oil is a rich source of tocotrienol, a powerful form of vitamin E,  lycopene and carotenoids, the latter being responsible for the oil’s distinctive red color in its unprocessed state.

Red palm oil has great science behind it for its beneficial role in fighting heart disease and high cholesterol.

Red palm oil has repeatedly stunned researchers with its heart-protective and cholesterol-lowering properties.  Studies have shown that adding palm oil in the diet can reduce plaque build-up in arteries and, therefore, reverse the process of plaque and prevent blockages formation within blood vessel walls. Science now understands that inflammation in the artery lining is what causes cholesterol to deposit in the first place. So, it makes sense that the protective effects come from the high antioxidant, anti-inflammatory content of the red palm oil which works to quench free radicals and keep inflammation under control.  Apart from helping tear away plaque from blood vessel walls, red palm oil also helps maintain healthy blood pressure and
cholesterol levels.

Brain Health
One of the natural vitamin E forms found in high amounts in red palm oil is known for its neuro-protective properties. When it comes to your brain,  the special form of vitamin-E (tocotrienol) in red palm oil stops destructive damage and improves blood flow to brain cells, which can also help to prevent Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Anti-Cancer Food 
The high antioxidant content of red palm oil makes it a potent anti-cancer food. Though  tocotrienols can be found in rice bran, barley and wheat, red palm oil is the richest source of  tocotrienol. Research suggests that this form of vitamin E may help fight skin, stomach, pancreas, liver, lung, colon, prostate, breast, and other
cancers.

The  antioxidant power of red palm oil can be of help in protecting against a variety of health  problems, including osteoporosis, asthma, cataracts, macular degeneration, arthritis, and liver disease. It can even slow down the premature aging processes by protecting the skin against damaging UV rays.

Additionally, research has shown that red palm oil promotes  nutrient utilization, improves liver detoxification pathways and improves immune function. 

CANCER PREVENTION-DOGS CAN PROBABLY HELP!!!

German researchers say that highly trained dogs are able to reliably sniff out lung cancer in human breath.

In its early stages, lung cancer has few symptoms, making it difficult for doctors to catch it early, when it's still treatable.

"This is the holy grail," says Suresh S. Ramalingam, MD, associate professor and director of the lung program at Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta.

"The whole field is focused on using something that's readily available that does not involve an expensive surgery or scan that would allow us to find early cancers," says Ramalingam, who is developing technology that aims to replicate the ability of dogs to smell trace amount of chemicals produced by cancerous tumors. He was not involved in the research.

Recently a large, government-funded study found that longtime smokers at high risk for lung cancer who received annual rapid computed tomography (CT) scans of their lungs cut their risk of dying of the disease by 20%.

But that test has caused controversy because it falsely detects cancer in about one out of four people, leading to further invasive procedures.

Checking for Lung Cancer

The new study, which is published in the European Respiratory Journal, found that four trained dogs -- two German shepherds, an Australian shepherd, and a Labrador retriever -- correctly identified cancer in 71 of 100 samples from lung cancer patients.

They also ruled out cancer in 372 out of 400 samples that were known not to have cancer, giving them a very low rate of false positives, about 7%.

"The surprising result of our study is the very high specificity of our dogs to identify lung cancer," says study researcher Thorsten Walles, MD, a lung surgeon at Schillerhoehe Hospital in Gerlingen, Germany.

"It even surpasses the combination of chest computed tomography (CT) scan and bronchoscopy, which is an invasive procedure that needs some form of anesthesia," Walles tells WebMD in an email.

Doctors have previously reported cases in which dogs have alerted their owners to undiagnosed skin, breast, and lung cancers by repeatedly pawing or nosing an affected body part. Some dogs have even been trained to smell low blood sugar levels in people who have diabetes.

But dogs have had more mixed success in carefully controlled studies, where samples from healthy people and sick people have been mixed.

A study published in BMJ in 2004 found that dogs correctly identified bladder cancer an average of about 40% of the time, a rate that was better than the 14% accuracy that could be expected by chance, but was lower than available tests.

But in June, researchers in Japan reported that dogs could detect the presence of colon cancer in human breath and stool samples with nearly 90% accuracy, a success rate only slightly lower than colonoscopy.

The length of time the dogs are trained may be an important difference between the studies, Walles says. In his study, the four dogs were trained for nine months. Other studies have used dogs trained for as little as three weeks.

The kind of sample the dogs are asked to smell -- urine, breath, blood, or stool -- may also influence the results, he says.

In his study, 220 volunteers -- 110 who were healthy, 60 who had lung cancer, and 50 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) -- were asked to exhale into a glass tube filled with fleece.

The tubes were mixed up so neither the dogs' handlers nor two observers who placed the samples on the floor in front of the dogs knew the status of the person they were from, to avoid inadvertently giving the dogs clues about what they should find.

The dogs were presented with five tubes at a time. Only one contained a sample from a person with cancer.

The dogs were trained to lie down and put their nose to the tube if they detected lung cancer.

The dogs appeared to be able to accurately identify the samples from cancer patients, even when they were in very early stages of the disease. And they were able to pick up the scent despite competing odors of cigarette smoke or food on a person's breath.

How Dogs Detect Cancer

Researchers think dogs and other animals are able to smell disease by picking up on minute changes in compounds called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that comprise chemical signatures in the body.

As many as 4,000 different VOCs, for example, have been identified in human breath.

A dog's sense of smell has been estimated to be 100 to 1,000 times more powerful than a human's, says Gary K. Beauchamp, PhD, director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.

"It's not just how sensitive their nose is. It's how they process this into a recognition pattern," Beauchamp says. "The reason dogs can do this is that they're recognizing a complex picture, and that's the big trick, to find out how to mimic that in some sort of device that could be useful for diagnostic purposes in human disease."

Other researchers agree.

Ramalingam says because success rates vary between dogs and between samples, the real value of knowing dogs can detect cancer will likely be in building technology that can reliably repeat what they can do.

"The dogs show that it can be done. We need to find out what the dogs are sniffing so we can do it in a more scientific manner."

10 Tips for Reducing Sugar Intake

The average American eats more sugar in one day than our ancestors did during an entire lifetime. They prized sugary foods for their abundant calories and quick energy spike. Thus, now we are wired to reach for the cookie jar over and over and over – even though we have no lions to outrun.

Sugar has a very high caloric content and virtually no nutritional value. Besides causing weight gain, it also encourages inflammation and infection, compromises the immune system and raises insulin levels. Insulin encourages the storage of fat, elevates triglyceride levels and promotes cardiovascular disease, asthma, mood swings, diabetes, gallstones, hypertension and arthritis. Still want that piece of cake?

We all know that sugar can cause health problems, however our eating culture revolves around sugary, salty, fatty, unhealthy foods. Even those without a raging sweet tooth will find that it's almost impossible to avoid eating refined sugar these days, as grocery manufacturers routinely add it to everything from bread and pizza dough to spaghetti sauce and salad dressing.

Eating less sugar is one of the best actions you can take to improve your current and future health, but saying "no" to sweets isn't as easy as it seems. If you can't cut out sugar completely (who can?), then try the following tips to quickly and painlessly reduce your sugar intake. It seems this becomes increasingly handy during the holiday season...

1. Cut down on processed and packaged foods. Salad dressings, spaghetti sauces, soups and even pizza crusts contain sugar. If you make your own soup, you will unlikely be adding a cup of sugar to the stew pot, however this is exactly what manufacturers do. Try to purchase groceries with the least amount of packaging as possible.

2. Indulge in the highest-quality sweets that you can afford. You will get more satisfaction from enjoying one divine chocolate truffle than you will from six crappy little sandwich cookies. Resolve to only eat sweets that you really, really like. Forget the rest, and then don't beat up on yourself when you have a sugary treat that you really enjoy.

3. Free sweets aren't free. Many work sites, businesses or offices always have on hand candy, doughnuts or other sweets to snack on. It is human nature to grab these cheap calories and ingest them, however you will pay for the free treats later with poor health and a belly roll.

4. Banish the candy jar. Do you have a candy jar on your desk at work, school, or some other handy and convenient place? Remove it, and you will reduce your sugar intake. Even just moving a candy dish from your desk to a table across the room will drastically decrease the amount that you eat.

5. Know your sugars. Fructose, glucose, lactose, maltodextrin and dextrose are all types of sugar masquerading under their scientific names. Read grocery labels so that you know what you are putting into your body.

6. Don't drink liquid candy. Soda is basically that – liquid candy. Most Americans think of soda as a beverage, and most Americans are overweight. Think of soda as a special treat rather than a daily occurrence, and you will enjoy it even more and avoid all those empty calories. Besides, we've got the Top 10 Reason to Banish Soda. 

7. Watch your breakfast. Deep-fried dough topped with icing and candy sprinkles isn't anywhere near healthy, but doughnuts are a tried-and-true American breakfast. Just say no. Also passing as breakfast: giant muffins (muffins = cake), frappuccinos and smoothies – these are basically milkshakes. Starting your morning off with a sugar overload like this will offset your energy and unbalance your system for the rest of the day.

8. Indulge your sweet tooth naturally. Fruits, honey, maple syrup and molasses all contain natural sugars. Although these foods are no health superstars, they are a better option when the sweet tooth strikes and you are craving some sugary action. An apple will give you a sweet burst of flavor along with beneficial vitamins and fiber. Check out our Guide to 10 Natural Sweeteners. 

9. Go black and never go back. Resolve to drink your coffee and tea without sugar and milk; this small change of mind can save you several sweet teaspoons every single day, and you will most likely find that you do not miss it. And besides, ordering a straight-up black coffee or espresso is infinitely cooler (and cheaper!) than ordering the triple-no-fat half-caramel grande Flufficino with whip and chocolate drizzle. Don't let your daily caffeine requirements become an excuse to load up on sugar.

10. If you just have to have something sweet at the end of every meal, keep a pile of your favorite gum on hand and enjoy a piece for dessert. This will give your brain the sweet sensation it desires and will keep your mouth occupied from chewing other more high-calorie dessert options. Of course, conventional gum isn't healthy either, but you can find natural and even organic gums at your local health food store.

Source  http://www.organicauthority.com/health/10-tips-for-reducing-sugar-intake.html

Exercise in Health and Disease

Exercise in Health and Disease

A world famous physical educationist, Eugene Sandow, has very aptly said, " Life is movement, stagnation is death. " Physical exercise is essential for the maintenance of normal condition of life. Lack of natural exercise is one of the chief causes of weakness and ill-health. In recent years, the need for exercise has been recognised even in sickness. Physio and occupational therapy are now standard procedures in medicine to
restore the use of muscles and nerves that have been injured by disease or by accident. Patients with organic ailments are now advised to stay in bed for the minimum period considered necessary.

Exercise and Activity
For corrective living, it is essential to differentiate between exercise and activity. While both are important as they are involved in vital physical movement, they vary in degree and benefits. Both employ the body in voluntary movement. Activity uses the body to a limited degree and generally to achieve a specific purpose. Exercise employs the body over the widest possible range of movement for the particular purpose of maintaining or acquiring muscle tone and control with maximum joint flexibility.

Activity requires less physical effort and often less conscious effort once the routine has been established. Exercise demands considerable physical effort and is more beneficial as mental concentration is simultaneously employed.
Benefits
Systematic physical exercise has many benefits. The more important benefits are mentioned below :
1. Regular exercise taken properly can achieve the increased use of food by the body,which contributes to health and fitness. The basal metabolic rate and habitual body temperature will slowly rise during several weeks of physical exercise, if the programme is not too hard. The healthy person usually has abundant body heat and a warm radiant glow.

2. Regular progressive physical exercise can bring about the balance of automatic, or involuntary , nervous system. The tone of the vagus nerve, one of the nerves that control sensation and motion, is strengthened. This accounts for stronger pulse waves, higher metabolism and better circulation.

3. Exercise can prevent or reduce gravitational ptosis or sag, as it is commonly called.Ptosis results from uneven flow of blood in the feet, legs and lower abdomen.

4. Improved capillary action in the working of muscular and brain tissue results from exercise carried to the point of real endurance. This permits greater blood flow and gives the muscles, including the heart, more resistance to fatigue. Massage, heat and moderate exercise are relatively ineffective in producing additional
capillary action as compared with vigorous exercise.

5. The full use of the lungs in vigorous exercise can reduce or prevent lung congestion due to lymph accumulation.

6. Gas and intra-intestinal accumulations can be reduced by exercise that acts to knead and squeeze or vibrate the intraintestinal mass.

7. Better respiratory reserve is developed by persistent exercise. This ensures better breath holding, especially after a standard exercise. With greater respiratory reserves, exercise become easier.

8. Improvement in tone and function of veins can be accomplished by repetitiously squeezing and draining the blood out of them and then allowing them to fill.

9. Sweating in exercise aids kidneys by helping to eliminate the waste matter from the body.

10. Consistent exercise leads to improvement in quality of blood. Studies have shown improved haemoglobin levels, relatively greater alkalinity, improved total protein content and a grater red cell count. Systemic exercise promotes physical strength and mental vigour and strengthens will power  and self control leading to harmonious development of the whole system.