I was reading the Fit4Life section in the Sunday Star newspapers last week when an article really caught my attention. There was an article on poor blood flow / circulation. The symptoms of those suffering from poor blood circulation are:
1. Pale complexion — I am fair and at times pale!
2. Shortness of breath
3. Irregular heartbeats
4. Insomnia
5. Oedema (swelling)
6. Dizziness
7. Stiffness in neck, shoulder blades or lower back — I suffer from these all the time!!
8. Varicose veins — I had terrible bad varicose veins during my pregnancies!!
9. Osteoarthritis
10. Numbness in hands and feet — I suffer from numbness and tingling sensation in my right hand almost every night!!
11. Poor memory — I have that too!!
12. Lack of stamina
The following statement was like a slap on my face as I encounter 5 of the symptoms : If you encounter two or more of these symptoms on a regular basis, you may just be one of millions of Malaysians who suffer from poor blood circulation.
To improve blood circulation, you need to do the following:
1) Maintain a balanced diet — pass, I do that!
2) Healthy lifestyle — pass, I do that!
3) Regular exercise — Pass, I do that!
4) Stop smoking — I don’t smoke
5) Sit with correct posture — Fail, I must sit upright when I work on my PC. But how to when Baby is always latched on my boops?
6) Normalise cholesterol levels — I don’t have high cholesterol
7) Those with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, angina and arteriosclerosis have to be under medical supervision — I don’t suffer from any of these.
Ignoring the signs and symptoms of poor blood circulation can lead to serious repercussions. If not attended to in time, poor blood circulation can cause irreversible damage, affecting key organs of the body, notably the brain and the heart. The increased occurrence of heart attack and stroke in those below 50 is a clear testament to this!
Do you suffer from 2 or more of the above symptoms too?
Is that exercise bike in your bedroom gathering dust? You can still turn the room into a fitness haven – but forget the bike and head straight to bed: Having vigorous sex can burn off about 130 calories per half hour!! You can burn off two kilograms a year with 135 lovemaking sessions – that works out to 2.6 times a week.
And there are other health benefits to habitual sex: British researchers who examined 914 middle-age men over 20 years found that frequent sex might help the heart. Moreover, results from a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggest that frequent ejaculation may be related to a lower risk of prostate cancer.
So for the sake of your waist and heart – not to mention a few other body parts – consider the horizontal workout. After all, it’s a lot more fun than heading to the gym.
Article extracted from Reader’s Digest December 2007 issue.
Many of us like to store uncut, whole watermelons in the fridge so that we can eat it when it’s chilled. Chilled watermelons taste so much better and so refreshing, especially on a hot sweltering day. But did you know that it may be healthier at room temperature. Why? Cancer-fighting carotenoids still develop after a melon is picked, but cold temps seem to slow the process.
Lemonade may prevent kidney stones. In a long-term study, Duke University doctors found that people who drank a daily mix of lemon juice and water had increased levels of urinary citrate (low levels are linked to stones). Avoid sugary, calorie-laden mixes and stick to ’ades made with real lemon juice.
Did you know that sitting in an air conditioning room makes us fat? Without air conditioning, we have to expend energy and burn calories to regulate body temperature; with air conditioner, it’s done for us.
Modern technologies such as air conditioning and heating help keep us in “the thermoneutral zone,” a temperature range where we do not have to regulate our body temperature, a report suggests.
When our bodies are above or below this zone, we increase the amount of energy we spend, which “decreases energy stores,” such as fat, the study’s authors say.
The above article was extracted from Reader’s Digest and ABC News Medical Unit.
After reading an article from the February 2009 issue of the Reader’s Digest, I have been reminding myself to eat SLOWLY!! Most busy mothers, especially mothers with many kids have to eat hurriedly and gobble down their food without really enjoying and savoring their food. If you are one of them, I am sure you will be reminding yourself to eat SLOWLY… chew properly before swallowing your food, enjoy your food and eat slowly lol!!
Here’s the Reader’s Digest article :
Eating slowly could help you win the battle of the bulge. A study of more than 3000 Japanese adults published in the British Medical Journal found that those who ate their meals quickly were about twice as likely to be obese as their slow-munching counterparts.
People who ate quickly and who ate until they were full were three times more likely to be obese. The research supports previous evidence that people tend to consume more calories when they eat quickly, but also that eating quickly is linked to obesity regardless of how many calories are eaten.
Dr Elizabeth Denney-Wilson, an obesity expert from the University of New South Wales, says research suggests people can learn to eat more slowly and recognise their internal cues for fullness. She adds that while it is not known what drives us to eat quickly, behaviour such as eating while distracted and eating fast food on the go may be to blame.
Setting aside meal times and chatting between bites can help slow the rate of eating and allow your body to send fullness signals before you’ve overeaten.
Coffee addicts, read this! I got this interesting article from Reader’s Digest March 2009 issue:
Mounting evidence suggests that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, gallstones, Parkinson’s disease, cirrhosis and certain types of cancers.
Hundreds of compounds, including antioxidants, seem to be responsible for coffee’s many protective benefits. A Harvard study revealed coffee drinkers had a lower risk of dying of cardiovascular causes than nondrinkers. A Norwegian study found that a typical serving of brewed coffee is richer in antioxidants than a serving of blueberries, raspberries, or many fruit juices.
Brain bonus: Coffee might help the mind as much as the body. One study found that sleep-deprived rats were much calmer simply after inhaling the scent of roasted coffee beans.
Sipping tips: Still, many dietitians recommend drinking in moderation – only one or two cups of coffee a day and without the added whole milk and sugar (which jolt only the waistline). If you drink much more than that, the caffeine can dehydrate you or raise your blood pressure. Pregnant women should limit their intake as well, since coffee can boost the risk of miscarriage.
If you’re worried about high cholesterol, stick to paper-filtered coffees. Unfiltered coffees contain more chol esterol-raising substance called ”cafestol.”
I was reading the January issue of the Reader’s Digest and a very interesting health article caught my attention. Reading the article made me glad as I found out that my favorite food and foods that I include in my daily diet are anti-cancerous foods.
I would like to share the few foods here that are worth adding to your cancer-fighting menu:
Eggs
A recent US National Institutes of Health study suggests that eating one egg a day can reduce the risk of breast cancer by 24 percent. Eggs are rich in choline, a B vitamin. Meat and nuts are other top sources of choline. I have been eating an egg a day for umpteen years. I find that eggs fill you up easily and it’s one of the cheapest source of good protein.
Mushrooms and Green Tea
A new study of Chinese women by the University of Western Australia found that women who ate at least 10g of fresh mushrooms daily were 64 percent less likely to develop breast cancer. Women who added green tea to their diet saw an even greater benefit. I’m just right on track. Having a cuppa green tea every morning is a must-have for me.
Wholegrains
New research from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute suggests that low-GI foods may also have a protective effect. The researchers found that a high-glycaemic-index diet can increase breast cancer risk by 34 percent. High-GI foods increase insulin and sex hormones in the body, which may contribute to the spread of breast cancer cells.
Another interesting fact on Antioxidant and Cancer Treatments that I read from the January issue of Reader’s Digest:
Doctors warn that taking antioxidants at higher-than-recommended levels may interfere with certain treatments. Some radiation therapy and chemotherapy medicines work by producing free radicals that attack cancer cells. Since antioxidants destroy free radicals, it’s possible that taking high doses of supplements might reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.
I was at the pharmacy shopping for my fish oil yesterday when I noticed that several well-known brands of fish oil now has the word “molecularly distilled” printed on the bottle. I am still popping fish oil, all because I am still breastfeeding Baby and I want her to get the DHA, Omega 3 and what not nutrients from the fish oil, through my breast milk. Anyway, back to the molecularly distilled fish oil. I didn’t know what molecularly distilled (MD) meant but I knew it must be something good, an added advantage over non-MD fish oil. So I got a bottle of the molecularly distilled fish oil, which is slightly more costly than non-MD fish oil.
Today out of curiousity I googled what molecularly distilled fish oil is. Here are some excerpts that I have extracted from http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/molecularly-distilled-fish-oil.html:
First, let me remind you why it is important to choose your omega3 supplement well. With fish oils, there is slight danger because some fish sources may contain toxic chemicals such as mercury and PBAs due to environmental contamination. Toxins such as mercury in fish oil will undoubtedly bring danger to your health.
However, this should not stop you from taking fish oil supplements. The health benefits of fish oil are just too important to forego. To ensure safety and effectiveness, you should choose high purity, molecularly distilled fish oil.
What is molecular distillation anyway? Molecular distillation is a purification method which is conducted in vacuum. It is actually an industrial standard procedure which is best for the purification of vitamins. Molecular distillation is the only process that can effectively remove metals, PCBs and other harmful toxins to a level that is perfectly safe for human consumption.
Molecular distillation is a very expensive purification method. The equipment you need and the conditions required are expensive and difficult. Not all fish oil supplement manufacturers have the resources to produce molecularly distilled fish oil.
In fact, other companies simply produce fish oil only by one straight, filtration process. After this lenient filtration, the fish oils are then encapsulated and bottled. A simple filtration process obviously will not take away much of the toxins. Hopefully, these companies’ fish sources do not have as much contaminants. But we can only hope. The question is: are you going to risk your health with these cheap fish oil supplements?
On the other hand, note also that molecular distillation as a purification process uses a solvent for distillation. This is also an important factor to consider. Some companies use hexane as solvent because it is cheap. Sadly, hexane can retain residual components so it may not be very efficient in removing harmful substances which may have been ingested by the fish.
Better fish oil supplement manufacturers use ethanol (food grade) which does not leave residual component. With ethanol, you get the purest fish oil possible at the end of this highly tedious process.
Your health depends on the balance of an alkaline environment, created by eating foods such as tomatoes, avocados and green vegetables…striking the optimum 80/20 balance and regulating your body’s acid/alkaline chemistry through simple changes in diet can result in weight loss, increased stamina and strength, a stronger immune system and a greater sense of well-being.
Human blood pH should be slightly alkaline ( 7.35 – 7.45 ). Below or above this range means symptoms and disease. A pH of 7.0 is neutral. A pH below 7.0 is acidic. A pH above 7.0 is alkaline.
An acidic pH can occur from, an acid forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen and other nutrients. The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals. If the diet does not contain enough minerals to compensate, a build up of acids in the cells will occur.
An acidic balance will: decrease the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it’s ability to repair damaged cells, decrease it’s ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness. A blood pH of 6.9, which is only slightly acidic, can induce coma and death.
Each one of us is different – but most of us should aim to eat 70-80% alkaline foods and a maximum of 20-30% acid forming foods.
Generally, alkaline forming foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts.
ALKALIZING PROTEIN
Almonds
Chestnuts
Millet
Tempeh (fermented)
Tofu (fermented)
Whey Protein Powder
ALKALIZING SWEETENERS
Stevia
ALKALIZING SPICES & SEASONINGS
Chili Pepper
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Herbs (all)
Miso
Mustard
Sea Salt
Tamari
OTHER ALKALIZING
Alkaline Antioxidant Water
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bee Pollen
Fresh Fruit Juice
Green Juices
Lecithin Granules
Mineral Water
Molasses, blackstrap
Probiotic Cultures
Soured Dairy Products
Veggie Juices
Interesting fact:
Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying effect on the body, the citric acid they contain actually has an alkalinizing effect in the system.
Note that a food’s acid or alkaline forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For example, lemons are very acidic, however the end products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so, lemons are alkaline forming in the body. Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion, but it leaves very acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is very acid forming.
I am a WFHM with 3 beautiful girls - Alycia, Sherilyn and Cassandra. I quit the job that I love to stay home with my 3 angels as that's what I've always wanted to do. I am a health freak, fitness freak and a clean freak too. I love to eat and live the clean and healthy way; I want my kids and hubby to do the same too.
I always believe that your health is your wealth and if you have good health, that's the best gift you can ever ask for from God.
I have been writing product reviews, food reviews / restaurant reviews and product advertorials since 2007. Please email Shireen at shireenyong@gmail.com to inquire if you are interested to place an advertorial or review in this blog.
