Posted on

Broccoli Linked to Reduction of Breast Cancer

As a child, you may have had those moments when your parents would not excuse you from the dinner table until you cleared all the vegetables off your plate. While vegetables are not exactly the best tasting foods, they are jam packed with nutrients and antioxidants. Nutritionists are now recommending that people consume one to two serving of vegetables at every meal.

Of course, not all vegetables are created equal. Some veggies are more nutrient-dense than others. Broccoli, for instance, has often been hailed as the “king of vegetables” due to its high nutritional content.

A research conducted in China showed that broccoli may have additional benefits for women diagnosed with breast cancer. The study shows that women who regularly consumed broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables were 62 percent less likely to succumb to breast cancer and up to 35 percent less likely to have the cancer reoccur. Aside from broccoli, the report showed that other vegetables, such as turnip greens, green cabbage and cauliflower were also consumed as a part of a regular diet.

Previous research done in China, Sweden and the U.S. hinted that normal consumption of such greens can reduce the risk of the cancer developing. However, the current study is the first to show that it can also have a positive effect post diagnosis.

A separate study done by Vanderbilt University also shows a link between consumption of cruciferous vegetables and a reduced risk of heart disease. The results were the same regardless of external factors, such as the consumption of meat, daily exercise and use of vitamin supplements.

Studies like these have long validated the health benefits of having some form of greens on your dinner plate. It does appear that part of the key to longevity lies within fresh vegetables. Even if it feels like a chore to eat your veggies, it’s good for you, so eat up whether you like it or not.

Posted on

The Perfect Showerhead

showerheadCheck out this shower head. Most water-saving showerheads save their water by pinching the output and increasing pressure. This shower head does two things. First, it squeezes the output, and it also adds air to the mix, adding extra water pressure for your cleansing fun, as well as giving you a little breeze when you’re bathing.

It has four spray settings which are operated by a push-button instead of a head-twist, and it surprisingly never requires any cleaning. The material it’s made of is already protected against mineral deposits accumulating in the head, which as we all know, seriously disturbs flow if it isn’t taken care of by some solvent. But with the Oxygenics showerhead, you don’t have to worry about any of that.

By the numbers, average shower heads spray at 2.5 gallons per minute at 60 PSI. This one sprays only 2 GPMs at the same pressure, and if you’d like a lower pressure, it can save as much as 70% on your water usage.

Available colors are bronze, chrome, gold, and nickel. Does anybody know the difference between chrome and nickel? I’m sure shower head connoisseurs like yourself are intimately aware of the complex differences.

For a video of people luxuriously showering using the Oxygenics Showerhead, click here.

Posted on

The Mooncup – Goodbye to Tampons and Pads!

mooncupAs a male, it is a little strange for me to be writing this, but my wife insisted on giving it a whirl on the blog, since she’s so excited about the thing she wants other women to know. I, for one, don’t quite understand the wild enthusiasm since I’m generally not that menstrual, but I respect rubber cups and other environmentally friendly inventions that make women actually excited to have their period. (I’ve seen it. She actually looks forward to it now. It makes marriage just that much easier.)

The Mooncup, shown here, is a simple 30mL container made of hypoallergenic silicone that, you guessed it, collects instead of absorbs. It does not, and cannot cause TSS, it doesn’t leave behind any fibers, and it can be left in for a whole day. Where does the environment come in? Simple. This is totally reusable, and pays for itself in just a few months.

There are two sizes. One for women pre-vaginal birth, and one for post. It can be cleaned with sterilizing fluid or being boiled in water for five minutes. And – I’ve seen this myself – it can be restored to new by letting it soak in a weak peroxide solution.

Menstrual cups were developed in the 1930s and went on commercial sale at around the same time as the first tampon.
In that early post-Victorian era it was not considered ‘proper’ for women to touch their vaginal area. The manufacturers of the tampon overcame this obstacle by providing those disposable applicators that can still be found floating in our toilet bowls, needlessly.

Since tampons were much more commercially viable, as they needed to be repurchased, menstrual cups went out of style. When they finally began showing up again in the 80’s for eco-friendly reasons, they were made out of latex rubber, a known allergen. That is, until the Mooncup came out with their silicone version.

My wife recommends you try it. In fact, she insists. (She’s a bit weird.) I say go for it. Make women happier during that time of the month. It’d do well for all of us. And it will get her off my back.

Posted on

Divorce May Lead to Heart Disease

Divorce Dictionary

Apparently, divorce can be bad for your health. So can being widowed. So says Linda Waite, a sociologist at the University of Chicago. Leave it to sociologists to make such amazingly innovative observations.

But here’s the data she found. Divorced and widowed people have 20 percent more chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or cancer than married people. They even have 23 percent more limitations on their movements, like walking, climbing nonfunctional escalators (or stairs), or doing ballet. Ha ha, that last one was not part of the survey, but I’m guessing it’s true anyway. In all seriousness, though, her survey included the health of 8,652 middle-aged people with different marital histories. There were big differences between those who stayed married and those who divorced.

Though it’s obvious that divorce is just a bit stressful, Waite found that people who remarried still retain the scars of the damage done by the original divorce.

In the surveys, health was assessed in four categories. They are chronic conditions, mobility, symptoms of depression, and what respondents thought of their own state of health.

Here are some more sociological observations Waite made: (Warning: the self-evidence of these may cause temporary blurring of vision.) “Married men have better health habits. They lead a cleaner, healthier life, and less times in bars and eat better. Women tend to manage men’s interactions with the medical system, get him in for a colonoscopy and make sure he gets a flu shot.”

Now that we know, and with Swine Flu on the rise, it’s more important than ever to grab a wife, hold her down, and make her force you go to a proctologist immediately.

Mark Heyward, another sociologist at the University of Texas, found in a similar study that divorce has a lasting impact on cardiovascular disease, even after remarriage, by as much as 60 percent.

Even so, we’ll go out on a limb and make the claim that being stuck in a miserable marriage can also be bad for your arteries. So the best advice is, if your marriage is just boring and you need to revitalize it, try doing that instead of getting divorced. It’ll save you on medical bills and keep your arteries nice and smooth. If you really hate each other’s guts, then you can get out of it if you need to.

Picture a divorce as a guy with a jackhammer drumming on your cardiovascular system as you sit in divorce proceedings and discuss dividing property, visitation rights with kids, and other things that may make you choke. Your system, says Heyward, may never go back to original condition after that.

Something not so obvious is that those who never married are usually better off than people who married, lost a spouse through divorce or death, and didn’t get remarried. I remember seeing 40-year-old cousins of my wife who have never been married looking just a few years older than me, and I’m 25. Though I think that’s more of a function of not having kids and not having to deal with changing soiled diapers several times a day. I’m think that could add decades to your lifespan, at least.

Posted on

Omega 3 Oils for Prostate Cancer

For all men with enlarged prostate glands, and especially those with early stages of prostate cancer, there may now be a treatment available that is relatively inexpensive and completely painless. In addition this same treatment will protect you against cardio vascular diseases as well. And to make it even more worthwhile, this product can be purchased in bulk sizes and can be found in a number of retail and discount stores, ranging from pharmacies to mega-super markets like Wall Mart or Costco. And if you haven’t guessed the name of this product yet, it’s none other than Omega 3 oil, found in both certain “fatty” fish as well as flax seeds and other plants, including olives.

Omega 3 oils contain some essential fatty acids that appear to be wonderful in not only preventing prostate cancer but even treating existing cases. For those people who dislike fish or are on special vegan vegetarian diets, Omega 3 amounts are even higher amounts of Omega 3 oil than fish. The idea of treating prostate conditions by Omega 3 oils has come partially from research made on men from Asian countries like Japan who eat large quantities of fatty fish ( tuna in particular) and have much lower percentages of both heart disease and prostate cancer than those from western countries. Fish receive the omega 3 fatty acids either directly from easting seaweed or from eating fish that eat the seaweed (i.e. the food chain). Men living in western countries have a disproportionate imbalance between Omega 6 fatty acids, which cause heart disease and cancer, and Omega 3 ones, which actually inhibit these diseases.

Women also benefit greatly from diets high in Omega 3 which not only lower risks of heart disease but breast cancer as well.

Omega 3 fatty acids contain folic acid (vitamin B-9) and lycopene, that bright red pigment found in tomatoes and other red fruit, such as bell peppers. Lycopene has been found to be excellent in the prevention of prostate cancer.

When looking for Omega 3 food supplements, be sure to check to see whether the processing involved in manufacturing is cold processed and not heat processed. Heat processing destroys much of the nutritional value of the oil. If you like fish, however, eating fatty fish like salmon, tuna, or mackerel may be your best source of Omega 3. People preferring more natural and organic food product sources can find excellent amounts of Omega 3 oil in flaxseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocados.

Posted on

Blueberries for your mind

Blueberries For Your BrainBlueberries are more than just a wonderful tasting fruit. They help improve our memory and delay the effects of aging. The beneficial properties of the berries of this plant, known by it’s Latin term of Cyanococcus vaccininum, has been evident for centuries. The plant has many varieties, and is found in both North America and Europe.

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants which help deter aging. They are an excellent source of flavonoids which have positive attributes to keep the brain from losing its memory function, even in old age. Scientific studies of the effects of flavonoids on the brain have found that they help brain cells by enhancing existing neuronal or brain cell connections. Parts of the brain dealing with learning and memory are especially benefited by eating blueberries. Blueberries are also said to help improve eyesight, which was related by British air force pilots during the Second World War, who ate blueberry pie or jam prior to going on flying missions.

Prominent neurologists have found that the high level of flavonoids found in blueberries are very helpful to older people and helps slow down memory loss and even more pronounced memory loss conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. While all blueberries are high in antioxidants and flavonoids, wild blueberries or bilberries as they are often called in Europe, have even higher levels of these anti-aging and memory retentive compounds.

Besides the benefits previously noted, blueberries have also been found to be good in treating various forms of cancers as ingredients such as anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, flavonols and tannins are effective in keeping cancer cells from developing. The berries are also effective in preventing strokes in both humans and animals. Other healthful ingredients in blueberries include vitamins C and E, dietary fiber, and the mineral manganese.

Because of their healthful benefits, blueberries are very popular in organic and whole foods stores, where their healthful ingredients are very much appreciated.

So, next time you decide to make some pancakes or muffins for breakfast, consider adding some fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter, as well as using a spread made from blueberry jam. The benefits received will be more than just good taste.

Posted on

Include Bananas in Your Health Food Diet

Although the advice of eating bananas has often been noted in information dealing with health and nutrition topics, there is a lot more to eating this fruit than many people are aware of .The advantages of eating bananas has been known since ancient times, and was considered an excellent food for armies such as the Roman Legions, due to its nutritional content and easy portability.

Include Bananas in Your Health Food DietBananas have been found to be not only be high in proteins and carbohydrates, but also contain many essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C, B6, calcium, iron, potassium and manganese. Organic versions of this fruit have a higher vitamin and mineral content; although the fruit tends to be smaller and more prone to insect infestation. Being low in sodium, bananas are an excellent choice for people on a low or salt free diet. Their high fiber content makes bananas a smart choice for those suffering from constipation, and they are also very beneficial for those suffering from stomach problems such as ulcers.

A number of ailments and physical problems have been found to be relieved and even cured by eating bananas. These include:

Stress: potassium in bananas help regulate heartbeat and send oxygen to the brain

Depression: a protein substance called Tryptophen produces a substance called Serotonin which induces relaxation and improves a person’s mental outlook.

Anemia: due to the fruit’s high iron content bananas are good for persons suffering from anemia.

Heartburn: bananas are a natural antacid

Morning sickness: bananas help keep blood sugar levels up in pregnant women, helping to prevent morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: rubbing the inside of banana skins on a bite will help reduce itching and swelling.

Strokes: eating bananas has been found to help prevent strokes due to their mineral content that is helpful in reducing cholesterol levels.

Wart control: This benefit really works, and involves putting a piece of banana skin, inside up, on a plaster and then applying it to the wart. This is especially effective for warts of the sole of the foot, otherwise known as “planter’s warts”.

One word of advice is to never put bananas into a refrigerator, as this lessens the fruit’s nutritional value. Bananas are also excellent for people trying to lose weight as it satisfies the craving for sugar while supplying needed nutrients. Many nutritionists claim that bananas are an almost perfect fruit. And don’t be so quick to throw that banana peel away, for in addition to curing warts and relieving mosquito bites, the inside part of the peel is also excellent for shining shoes. Try it sometime!

Posted on

Smart Ways For Muscle Building

Building body muscles requires more than just working out in a gym or health club. Experts in the field of sports medicine and nutrition generally agree that there are three important steps in body building for muscles that not only look good but give your body power as well. These three steps are planned and intelligent work outs, including weight lifting, proper nutrition, and adequate and proper sleep.

First of all, in work outs and weight lifting, a work out plan should be drawn up in advance with consultation from an experienced supervisor or trainer. The plan should include progressive exercises according a person’s age, present weight and height, and overall fitness goal. This plan can be changed or amended as the program progresses, and care must be made not to overdo it in the beginning as the damage to both muscles and connecting tissue can be very harmful. The progress should be gradual and reports should be made to indicate changing fitness status, progress made, etc.

Nutrition is not less important and a proper diet to benefit the workout program should be carefully planned. Certain foods containing sufficient proteins and energy building carbohydrates (carbs) should be consumed both before and after the workout. Following an intensive weight lifting and workout session, foods and food supplements containing protein derivatives are vital to nourish muscles and other tissues that have been strained and even damaged during the workout. The proper diet required can be worked out with the aid of an experienced expert on sports and fitness nutrition.

Sleep is often referred to as “nature’s great restorer”. A sufficient amount of sleep, usually between 7 and 8 hours is important for helping to restore tissues that are broken down during a strenuous workout session or from athletic competition. If this amount of sleep is difficult due to a person’s daily schedule, then emphasis on “quality sleep time” should be, including taking catnaps during the day. Many sport’s trainers agree that even a 30 minute mid-day nap can be very beneficial if done properly and without any distractions.

Contrary to what many people believe, it is possible to achieve a desired body muscle fitness program without having to resort to taking supplements that may be considered illegal in many sports and body building competition. All that’s required is to simply make a sensible plan using the three steps already mentioned and stick with it until the desired results are reached.

Posted on

Successful Bodybuilding & Goal Setting

Successful Bodybuilding & Goal Setting(Hat Tip: Fitness Muscle)
Many people engage in the activity known as bodybuilding. The definition of the term refers to the goal of reaching maximum muscle tone and appearance which is accomplished by a combination of body work outs, sufficient calorie intake, and ample rest. Before beginning a fitness and workout program, it is wise to visit your family physician and make sure your body is capable of undergoing a serious physical exercise program. Afterwards, it is good idea to consult with a trained fitness and bodybuilding instructor in order to determine what kind of working out program is best suited for your age, weight, and present physical condition.

A bodybuilding program must be started gradually, with care not to over exert untoned muscles which can result in dangerous consequences. Older people, particularly those over 40, should build their bodies and not put too much stress on their bodies.

There are several areas of bodybuilding that can be considered, including natural body building without the use of muscle enhancers such as anabolic steroids, professional bodybuilding for those wishing to enter into professional competitions, and age and gender bodybuilding. Professional body builders who plan to enter numerous contests should become a member of the International Federation of Body Builders (IFBB), and those wishing to take the natural approach should join an organization known as the North American Natural Body Building Association.

Diet and adequate rest are no less important than actual work out sessions themselves. Besides eating a well balance diet, serious body builders who want to develop sufficient muscular structure will need to eat special diets that are high in proteins and low in fats. Consulting a dietitian who is familiar with nutrition requirements for successful bodybuilding is advisable; and a number of books dealing in proper nutrition for bodybuilding are also available. Professional bodybuilding trainers recommend a diet of around 25 – 30% of proteins per total calorie intake.

Those embarking on a long term bodybuilding program, especially considering being a professional bodybuilder must accept the fact that it is long term commitment that has to be undergone continuously to prevent built up muscle tissue from reverting to “flab”. It is also recommended to avoid long term use of muscle enhancers, such as steroids, and to get plenty of rest. For without adequate rest and sleep, exerted muscles are not able to recover from the stress of the workouts and rebuild themselves.

The bottom line is to seek professional advice before embarking on a serious body building program.

Posted on

“Computer Neck” Shoulder Massage Techniques

Many people who sit long hours in front of a personal computer complain of pains in their neck, shoulders and forearms. Neck and shoulder pains used to be quite common among athletes and those who carry back or shoulder packs or satchels, such as postmen.

These aches and pains can be reduced significantly, and even eliminated entirely, if proper periodic massage treatments are given by either a knowing friend or a professional massage therapist. The general procedures for these treatments are as follows: Have the person lie down face up on either a massage table or firm mattress or floor mat. A rolled towel place under the upper back will help to stabilize the back and neck. Cradle the person’s head with one hand, while turning the head slightly to the right. Glide your other hand firmly out from the center of the chest to the top of the arm, and then back along the shoulder, then back along the neck to the base of the skull Make circle like motions with the fingers along the back of the neck to make the neck less tense. Continue these motions down the neck and then on the chest. Then, stroke firmly along the side of neck and then to the shoulder. This will help to stretch the neck muscles.

Turn the head to the center and then place both hands on the head to stretch the neck muscles Then turn the head to opposite side and repeat the procedure from the opposite direction. Make small, circular movements on the back of the neck, and stroke the back of the head with circular movements. Then lower the head to the prone position.

The fingers, particularly the finger tips, are very important in this kind of therapy. Use firm, gliding strokes to give the most effect. Since the source of the discomfort is often away from the skull, it is very important to concentrate of the areas where most of the pain is coming from.

When massaging forearms, use both hands and firmly ‘wring’ the arm, beginning at the wrist. Continue up the arm until reaching the upper arm and shoulder.