Herbal Medicines

Healthy eating is a way of balancing the food you eat to keep your body in great health. With healthy eating, you'll have energy all day, get the vitamins and minerals you need, stay strong for activities you enjoy, and maintain a healthy weight.

Below, you'll find tips designed to help you with healthy eating.

1. Don't skip any meals
Eating 3 meals with snacks in between is the ideal way to maintain both energy and a healthy weight. When you skip meals and get hungry, you're more than likely to choose foods that aren't very good for you.

If you are eating away from home, take food with you or know where you can buy healthy food from.

2. Learn about how to prepare foods
Instead of deep frying, try grilling, stir frying, microwaving, baking, and even boiling. You should also try fresh or even dried herbs and spices to add flavor to your food. Before you eat any type of meat, be sure to trim the fat and skin off of it.

3. Avoid a lot of sugar
Drinks that contain sugar are a major source of empty energy. What this means, is that the drinks contain a lot of energy that your body may not need, and it doesn't contain any vitamins or minerals. If you plan to drink sugary drinks, don't go overboard - limit yourself to 1 a day.

4. Avoid thinking about diets
There are no good food nor any bad foods. All food can be a part of a healthy diet, when eaten in moderation. You don't need to buy any low carb, fat free, or even diet foods, as these foods normally have lots of other added ingredients to replaces the carbohydrates or fat.

Is this ever a good sign?

Following the recent tainted spinach controversy, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last month ruled that food manufacturers can now irradiate fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce to kill bacteria associated with food-borne illnesses.

Huh? Exactly. Essentially food irradiation refers to a process whereby food is exposed briefly to a radiant energy source (usually in the form of a gamma ray or electron beam) that is thought to kill harmful bacteria, thereby reducing the risk of contracting a food-borne disease. The FDA also contends that blasting your food with radiation can reduce the bacteria responsible for spoilage, kill insects and parasites, and delay ripening in certain fruits and vegetables. In fact, while we’re on the topic, it should probably be noted that the concept of irradiating foods is far from new: In 1999, the FDA began reviewing irradiation and has approved its use in meats, certain shell fish, produce, certain egg varieties, flour, spices and unpasteurized fruit juices. These foods, however, must bear an internationally recognizable stamp, known as a radura, to signal that the food has been irradiated.

Health experts – including the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association – and many food manufacturers agree that the process is an effective method to reduce the transmission of food-borne diseases. They also note that the irradiation process – which the FDA likens to putting your food through an airport luggage scanner – does not make foods radioactive, change the chemical composition of food or have any harmful consequences.

Certainly, when the radiation dose is kept on the low side the plants composition remains relatively unchanged. However, even the FDA concedes that at certain levels, the process can result in a “small loss of nutrients” – on the scale of general cooking practices, canning or heat pasteurization. Critics, meanwhile, suggest that the FDA is grossly underestimating the effects of irradiation, suggesting that the process can also damage antioxidants, essential fatty acids, protein, vitamins and minerals. In fact, one study found that irradiating spinach with 2.5 grays of radiation resulted in a 10% reduction in folate levels in spinach; under current FDA rules, spinach and lettuce is irradiated with up to 4 grays of radiation. In addition, some have suggested that irradiation can lead to the creation of chemicals known as furans and 2-alkylcyclobutanones (say that one three times quickly!), which can be toxic when consumed in high doses.

In addition, it should also be noted that the irradiation process does have some limitations. While it can significantly reduce the quantity of bacteria, its effectiveness depends on the amount – and type – of bacteria on the vegetable to begin with. For example, if the irradiation machine misses a couple hundred million E. coli bacteria, you’ll probably never notice a difference, but if it misses even a few of the bacteria linked to salmonella, you’ll be hugging the toilet in no time!

While the concept of irradiation certainly has its pros and pitfalls, is it merely a quick-fix for a far bigger problem with our agriculture and food manufacturing practices? According to a science policy analyst at the Washington D.C.-based advocacy group Center for Food Safety, for example, “food irradiation masks the unsanitary conditions of industrial agriculture.” Echoing these sentiments, other critics contend that more attention should be placed on food safety during the early stages of food processing. In fact, even the FDA notes in its information packet about irradiation food that the process “is not a substitute for comprehensive food safety programs throughout the food distribution system.”

The reality is that even though the irradiation process is generally safe and is unlikely to result in nutrient deficiencies for those following even a moderately healthful diet, there’s really no getting around the fact that those pathogens got there because of sloppy farm practices – and by sloppy, we mean those pathogens are there because your food has come into contact with animal poop.

With that in mind, there are a few steps you can take to reduce your risk of contracting a food borne illness. For one, be mindful of the types of produce you purchase – if buying at a local farmers market, ask the seller how they grow and cultivate their produce. Another option? Do your homework on the back end to shore up your own immune system so that if a pathogen sneaks in under the radar, you’ll be able to weather the storm. Your best bet, however, is to stay well-informed about all things related to health and nutrition and use that knowledge as a compass to guide your own decisions.

Tom Chambers Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

What do those produce stickers really mean?

Genetically Modified Foods: Super Solution or Franken Future?

How to Shop a Farmers’ Market

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When it comes to finances or lack of…that can cause a lot of stress on a person and on a family. There are ways to help you pay those bills in these hard times though like you may want to look into how you can consolidate debt. That is one way to put [...]

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I’m sure many of you are familiar with Jimmy Moore. These days you can hardly say low-carb without thinking of him first. That’s because he has a great low-carb success story and has created an amazingly comprehensive one-stop low-carb shop in his blog, podcasts, daily low-carb menus and other resources for all low-carb dieters.

I caught up with Jimmy recently for a podcast on his show. We discussed my past life as a marthoner and triathlete, the Primal Blueprint and gene expression, Primal Nutrition (my supplement company), and (surprise!) low-carb living. Check out the podcast and then come back to hit me up with a comment to let me know what you think. Also, be sure to check out all of Jimmy’s sites below.

Jimmy’s Sites:

Jimmy’s Main Blog: Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb

Jimmy’s Podcasts: Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show

Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Discussion Forum

Jimmy’s YouTube Channel

Jimmy Moore’s Book

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Heal Your Stomach by Herbs
By John K Crawford

If you're the type of person who keeps Rolaids in her pocket and Pepto-Bismol in her desk drawer, consider adding herbal teas to your stash. Since what we eat and drink (especially dairy products, sugar, alcohol, and coffee) often triggers gas, bloating, indigestion, heartburn, constipation, and diarrhea, how better to treat these common gastrointestinal problems, herbalists say, than by ingesting herbs that naturally offset the culprits?



Photo: instablogsimages.com

Peppermint essential oil contains menthol, a volatile substance that has a direct antispasmodic effect on the smooth muscle of the digestive tract. In addition, the pleasing smell of peppermint tea may help soothe nerves. The ability to calm cramping stomach and intestinal muscles makes it a superb treatment, herbalists say, for symptoms of indigestion including heartburn, gas, stomachache, and the "I ate too much" feeling.

Science is starting to back up some of mint's claims. Patients with chronic indigestion not caused by an ulcer who were treated with an herbal preparation of peppermint oil combined with caraway oil experienced about half as much abdominal pain due to gas as did people who received a placebo.

Peppermint tea allows the entire gastrointestinal system to function more fluidly. But, despite the enthusiastic reports, many doctors say that peppermint can lower the sphincter pressure of the esophagus, actually causing some people to have more heartburn.

Chamomile which is considered to be one of the safest medicinal herbs is frequently recommended as a gentle treatment for common gastrointestinal problems. It relieves flatulence and heartburn by mildly sedating and soothing the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. Its natural sedative properties can also help if your digestive discomfort is caused by stress or worry.

Ginger is a carminative and can be used to treat gas, along with its associated bloating and pain. In botanical medicine it's considered a warming herb. It causes the inside of the body to generate more heat. Herbalists say this can help regulate sluggish digestion, though some find this extra warmth uncomfortable and may instead prefer peppermint or chamomile teas. Ginger is effective in treating nausea and vomiting.

Leading eBooks Company Click to find more about Herbal Remedies, Natural Remedies.

For those readers who’ve been following this site for a while, you know that I’m big on the subject of happiness (happiness project). I’m blown away by the concept of happiness, its presence on everyone’s goals list, its potential, and how happiness can improve the quality of our lives, or at least the quality of our outlook.

I’ve previously defined happiness as:

“Happiness is being the creator of your experience, choosing to take pleasure in what you have, right now, regardless of the circumstances, while being the best you that you can be.”

I still stand by this definition. I believe that we make happiness for ourselves by deciding what it is that we’ll choose to take pleasure in. Today’s mussar (self-improvement) class with Rabbi Noach Orlowek provided me with some impressive insights.

Danger of Happiness

Rabbi Orlowek pointed out that “Happiness as a goal can be very dangerous.” If chocolate is what makes you happy, which is perfectly reasonable, and you have diabetes, then chocolate will kill you. It’s understandable why you would keep eating the chocolate, because you’ve impressed upon yourself that this, for you, is happiness, and why bother living if you cannot be happy?

There are plenty of examples in which happiness can be detrimental to your health and to many other aspects of your life. Just think cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. Such things may give you extreme sensations of pleasure and may make you happy. You may not want to live without this happiness, but what may happen is that you will literally not live if you indulge and experience some very bad luck.

The very same concept applies to mind, body, and soul. Some people might say video games make them happy, some might say pornography, or television, or any other wide array of things. Some of those sources might be ambiguous as to their harm/benefits, and others may very clearly stand out as bad, but you’ll do them anyway.

Happiness: An Asset, Not A Goal

When we look at happiness as a goal to achieve, we leave ourselves open to some detrimental decisions as to what we’ll allow to pass as happiness. If we look at happiness as an asset, something that gives us energy, and puts us in a great mood, then we will be able to use this asset of energy in order to accomplish our real goals.

Take my goal for instance; to operate with the greatest good of all in mind. This goal requires that I build myself up as a person, meaning that I grow, and then it requires me to share this knowledge and facilitate the growth and improvement of others, to the best of my abilities.

It’s an extra challenge to be writing about self-improvement, and for people to take me seriously, if I can’t even make my own self happy. However, being a happy guy, I can fill myself with happy energy and pass it right along to someone that I’m talking to (and maybe even to you through my writing).

This makes happiness a great tool, but not the ultimate goal. Thus, it can be dangerous to constantly seek more and more happiness, especially when the things that make us happy may be causing us to be self-destructive.

Create Happiness in Meaningful Things

If it’s meaningful to you, it will make you happy. If this assumption or theory is in fact true, then it’s very important for us to put meaning into truly positive things. If it makes you happy to compliment someone, improve their life, or to give of yourself in some way, than you’ll always be happy at the benefit of improving the world.

If happiness means making more money, even if it means ruining other people’s livelihoods, then you might be in a zero-sum situation, in which your plus is another persons minus. Here, your goal of happiness isn’t a positive contribution to the world.

If you put meaning into all the wonderful ways in which you can contribute to the world, and make this meaning positive, then you can harness the happiness tool to enable you to achieve your contribution goal.

Further Reading from Rabbi Noach Orlowek

I’ve had class with Rabbi Orlowek, and he’s a genius. I should be having class with him two or three times a week for the next 9 months. From what I’ve seen, I’ll be quoting him often in the near future, so you can find that information here. In the mean time, feel free to order and read one of his books.

• My Discipline, My Child
• My Child, My Discipline
• Raising Roses Among Thorns

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So many factors lead to vision disorcers, such as cataracts, glaucoma, etc. According to Leonard Levin, PhD, even certain prescription drugs can impair the health of the visual system. For instance, the Physician's Desk Reference lists 94 medications that can lead to glaucoma, including antihypertensives, steroids, and antidepressants. The anti-allergy drug, antihistamine, can increase pressure in the eye. And Digoxin, a heart medication can cause distorted or blurred vision.

Dr. Levine adds that out of the ten most frequently prescribed drugs; many hamper the optometric examination or cause erroneous findings such as cataracts and decreased accommodation (the inability of the eye to properly adjust to various distances) and may result in misdiagnosis or inappropriate treatment.

Even fluorescent light, electromagnetic stress, computer monitors, lack of sunlight and poorly lit work and school environments are potential hazards for the eyes. Dr. Swartout said this in one study involving 160,000 Texas schoolchildren.

There are also mental and emotional factors as well as physical factors that can lead to vision disorders. Fortunately, a new generation of optometrists is investing postgraduate years mastering programs designed to prevent and eliminate vision impairment and improve visual performance. Several research findings have made the possibility of reducing the dependency on prescription lenses much more tenable. The key apparently lies in diet and nutritional supplements.

Antioxidant anti-inflammatory eye drops are recently developed to help reduce stress to the eyes which could lead to vision disorders. Diet and nutrition also play a central role in the proper functioning of the eyes. It has been found that vision disorders, including cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration may be traced back to nutritional deficiencies.

Antioxidants are known to fight disease-fighting free radicals. By using antioxidant anti-inflammatory eye drops, you increase your defenses against the harmful effects of free radicals on your vision. Antioxidant anti-inflammatory eye drops can neutralize free radicals, breaking off the chain reaction which leads to massive cellular damage.

Antioxidant anti-inflammatory eye drops aids in reducing the aggravating effects of smoking, drinking alcohol, and use of some prescription drugs. Your eyes are constant stressed by a lot of environmental factors which could damage its tissues. By using antioxidant anti-inflammatory eye drops, you can improve your vision. The beneficial substances found in the antioxidant anti-inflammatory eye drops boost your immune system, thus making your body less susceptible to any environmental factors which could irritate the eye.

Some of the nutrients that make up part of antioxidant anti-inflammatory eye drops include zinc, selenium, taurine, vitamin C or ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin A. Antioxidant anti-inflammatory eye drops may also contain riboflavin, N-acetyle-cysteine, ginkgo biloba, and flavonoids.

Diapan, the new product for the natural treatment of diabetes, is being seen as a viable alternative for people to use who are suffering from diabetes, and low blood sugar ailments.