20130429

Top 5 Cancer Causes Hiding in Your Home


Believe it or not, everyday items in your home contribute to your health. Household items can affect your ability to stay healthy and fight off serious diseases like cancer. Even your toothpaste makes a difference.

Eliminate These Top 5 Cancer Causes From Your Home

Check out this list of the top five toxins to eliminate immediately so we all can become cancer-fighting machines. Of course – in addition to these tips – men everywhere need to make sure they are exercising, eating healthy and strengthening mindset on a daily basis.
  • Food Additives. Stay away from foods containing food additives, dyes, colorings, flavorings, stabilizers, fake fats, artificial sugars and preservatives. The average person ingests 140 to 150 pounds of additives a year.
  • Medications. The nearly four billion prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and vaccines are themselves chemical toxins. Additionally, phthalates, heavy metals and commercial preservatives are used to both coat the drugs and preserve the materials.
  • Plastics. Food wrapped in plastic, plastic take-out food containers and water sold in plastic bottles expose you to very high levels of phthalates and other chemicals. Plastics damage hormone receptors, cause fatigue, harm brain chemistry, accumulate in organs and lead to illness. They’ve been specifically linked to cancers of the prostate, lung and thyroid.
  • Water. Monitor the quality of the water you drink, bathe in and use to clean and prepare foods. Tap water is full of chlorine, heavy metals, contaminants, and other toxins. Chlorine is a big red flag. If it is strong enough to kill all bacteria and other dangerous compounds in our water, do you really think it’s a good idea to pass it through our systems?
  • Personal Care Products. These toxins are hiding in plain sight on the shelves and in the drawers of your bathroom. The list of toxic substances includes sunscreenssoaps, shampoos, detergents and—as previously mentioned—toothpastes. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a common degreaser used in practically every soap, shampoo and toothpaste on the market today. The compound has been used in studies to induce mutation in bacteria and irritate skin. It has also shown to enter the heart, liver, lungs and brain from skin contact and has been proven to maintain residual levels once inside these organs.

Top 5 Cancer Causes Hiding in Your Home


Believe it or not, everyday items in your home contribute to your health. Household items can affect your ability to stay healthy and fight off serious diseases like cancer. Even your toothpaste makes a difference.

Eliminate These Top 5 Cancer Causes From Your Home

Check out this list of the top five toxins to eliminate immediately so we all can become cancer-fighting machines. Of course – in addition to these tips – men everywhere need to make sure they are exercising, eating healthy and strengthening mindset on a daily basis.
  • Food Additives. Stay away from foods containing food additives, dyes, colorings, flavorings, stabilizers, fake fats, artificial sugars and preservatives. The average person ingests 140 to 150 pounds of additives a year.
  • Medications. The nearly four billion prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and vaccines are themselves chemical toxins. Additionally, phthalates, heavy metals and commercial preservatives are used to both coat the drugs and preserve the materials.
  • Plastics. Food wrapped in plastic, plastic take-out food containers and water sold in plastic bottles expose you to very high levels of phthalates and other chemicals. Plastics damage hormone receptors, cause fatigue, harm brain chemistry, accumulate in organs and lead to illness. They’ve been specifically linked to cancers of the prostate, lung and thyroid.
  • Water. Monitor the quality of the water you drink, bathe in and use to clean and prepare foods. Tap water is full of chlorine, heavy metals, contaminants, and other toxins. Chlorine is a big red flag. If it is strong enough to kill all bacteria and other dangerous compounds in our water, do you really think it’s a good idea to pass it through our systems?
  • Personal Care Products. These toxins are hiding in plain sight on the shelves and in the drawers of your bathroom. The list of toxic substances includes sunscreenssoaps, shampoos, detergents and—as previously mentioned—toothpastes. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a common degreaser used in practically every soap, shampoo and toothpaste on the market today. The compound has been used in studies to induce mutation in bacteria and irritate skin. It has also shown to enter the heart, liver, lungs and brain from skin contact and has been proven to maintain residual levels once inside these organs.

Are Most Cold Medications a Complete Waste of Money?


In a nutshell, there’s nothing that works.”
That’s according to Aaron Glatt, an Infectious Disease Society of America spokesman (who, reassuringly, also happens to be a doctor). Glatt goes on to tell USA Today:
“There’s a tremendous industry out there, and some people really swear by them. But there really aren’t great studies to show any benefit.”
Americans spend over $4 billion a year on cough and cold medications. And, according to the experts and many studies, buying over-the-counter cough syrup and pouring it down your throat is pretty much like pouring money down the drain.
So that’s that, right? Actually, the issue’s more complicated. For one thing, the human brain is involved—and that’s always sure to complicate things. Placebos have been shown to make cold sufferers feel better about one-third of the time, demonstrating that if you believe some mysterious medication is helping you, then that alone may help you.
Using various medical studies, the USA Today story gives a brief assessment of popular over-the-counter and alternative remedies. The effects of decongestants “are modest at best,” while Vitamin C doesn’t decrease the chances of catching a cold and only reduces a cold’s duration by a few hours. Echinacea was proven no more effective than a placebo.
Zinc, on the other hand, seems to yield the best results. As reported by Healthland, the NY Times’ Well blog, and others, new research indicates taking zinc soon after the onset of a cold is a smart move. Here’s the lowdown from the Healthland post:
Meenu Singh and Rashmi Das at the Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India, conducted a detailed review of the available trials involving zinc’s effect on colds. Their data, published in the Cochrane Library, included 1,360 subjects and showed that zinc, if taken within 24 hours after the first signs of a cold, can shave off about a day of illness and lessen symptoms by about 40%.
So that’s that, right? Actually, again, there are some complications, along with a dosage of skepticism in the medical community. Rachel Vreeman, one of the authors of Don’t Swallow Your Gum! Myths, Half-Truths and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health, and one of the sources interviewed in the USA Today story, points out that the zinc research might not be entirely trustworthy, and that future research could very well offer different results. Why? For one thing, it’s difficult for researchers to compare zinc to placebos—because zinc’s awful taste tends to tip off patients as to who’s getting the real goods. A quote from Vreeman via USA Today:
“One of the big challenges with this research is that they have a hard time making a placebo that people actually believe in,” Vreeman says. “The bad taste of zinc, and the fact that it often makes people feel nauseous, are common, and tend to make it clear who is getting the zinc and who is getting the placebo.”
So where does that leave the common cold sufferer? Either frustrated and still stuck with an annoying achy cold, or nauseous and on the way to a speedy recovery.
The takeaway here is that if you believe a cold remedy helps, then take it. If you’re not sure what cold remedy to try, opt for one that tastes disgusting. That way, you’ll know it’s working.
Time

Are Most Cold Medications a Complete Waste of Money?


In a nutshell, there’s nothing that works.”
That’s according to Aaron Glatt, an Infectious Disease Society of America spokesman (who, reassuringly, also happens to be a doctor). Glatt goes on to tell USA Today:
“There’s a tremendous industry out there, and some people really swear by them. But there really aren’t great studies to show any benefit.”
Americans spend over $4 billion a year on cough and cold medications. And, according to the experts and many studies, buying over-the-counter cough syrup and pouring it down your throat is pretty much like pouring money down the drain.
So that’s that, right? Actually, the issue’s more complicated. For one thing, the human brain is involved—and that’s always sure to complicate things. Placebos have been shown to make cold sufferers feel better about one-third of the time, demonstrating that if you believe some mysterious medication is helping you, then that alone may help you.
Using various medical studies, the USA Today story gives a brief assessment of popular over-the-counter and alternative remedies. The effects of decongestants “are modest at best,” while Vitamin C doesn’t decrease the chances of catching a cold and only reduces a cold’s duration by a few hours. Echinacea was proven no more effective than a placebo.
Zinc, on the other hand, seems to yield the best results. As reported by Healthland, the NY Times’ Well blog, and others, new research indicates taking zinc soon after the onset of a cold is a smart move. Here’s the lowdown from the Healthland post:
Meenu Singh and Rashmi Das at the Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India, conducted a detailed review of the available trials involving zinc’s effect on colds. Their data, published in the Cochrane Library, included 1,360 subjects and showed that zinc, if taken within 24 hours after the first signs of a cold, can shave off about a day of illness and lessen symptoms by about 40%.
So that’s that, right? Actually, again, there are some complications, along with a dosage of skepticism in the medical community. Rachel Vreeman, one of the authors of Don’t Swallow Your Gum! Myths, Half-Truths and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health, and one of the sources interviewed in the USA Today story, points out that the zinc research might not be entirely trustworthy, and that future research could very well offer different results. Why? For one thing, it’s difficult for researchers to compare zinc to placebos—because zinc’s awful taste tends to tip off patients as to who’s getting the real goods. A quote from Vreeman via USA Today:
“One of the big challenges with this research is that they have a hard time making a placebo that people actually believe in,” Vreeman says. “The bad taste of zinc, and the fact that it often makes people feel nauseous, are common, and tend to make it clear who is getting the zinc and who is getting the placebo.”
So where does that leave the common cold sufferer? Either frustrated and still stuck with an annoying achy cold, or nauseous and on the way to a speedy recovery.
The takeaway here is that if you believe a cold remedy helps, then take it. If you’re not sure what cold remedy to try, opt for one that tastes disgusting. That way, you’ll know it’s working.
Time

Natural Ways to Treat a Cold


Americans spend over 4 billion dollars on cold medicine each year. Some experts think you’d be better off pouring that money down the drain.
natural ways to fight common cold
If you want to use remedies that will save you money and actually work, try these natural ways to treat a cold instead.

Natural Ways to Treat a Cold

Rinse with a Neti-Pot
Studies have shown that neti-pots can help alleviate congestion associated with allergies, so it should do the same for those suffering from the common cold.
Some studies show that using nasal irrigation can actually prevent the common cold!
So, if you’re suffering from the sniffles, or just want to avoid them altogether, grab a neti pot like the one found here and give your sinuses the cleaning it deserves.
Be sure that you always clean your neti-pot with clean filtered water.
Take Zinc
Loads of studies have been conducted about the benefits of zinc and it’s ability to help fight the common cold. A new study shows that taking zinc can reduce the length of a cold by about one day.
Zinc can be taken easily as a lozenge, and is most effective when used right after signs and symptoms of a cold appear.
Drink Hot Tea
Drinking hot liquids like warm water and tea, and inhaling the steam can help relieve nasal congestion.
Sleep more
When you sleep your body produces proteins called cytokines which fight infection and inflammation. Not getting enough sleep can affect your immune system, increasing your chances of getting the common cold.
So don’t feel guilty calling in for a sick-day; chances are your boss and co-workers will appreciate you keeping your germs out of the workplace anyway.
Take Echinacea
Echinacea is an herbal plant remedy that is commonly used in the form of tea or extract in order to treat the common cold.
Studies show that taking Echinacea does improve the immune system by increasing the white blood cell count in the body.
If your young son or daughter has the sniffles, keep the Echinacea in your medicine cabinet; one studyshows that the use of Echinacea shows little to no effect when relieving the cold symptoms of children.
Inspyir

Natural Ways to Treat a Cold


Americans spend over 4 billion dollars on cold medicine each year. Some experts think you’d be better off pouring that money down the drain.
natural ways to fight common cold
If you want to use remedies that will save you money and actually work, try these natural ways to treat a cold instead.

Natural Ways to Treat a Cold

Rinse with a Neti-Pot
Studies have shown that neti-pots can help alleviate congestion associated with allergies, so it should do the same for those suffering from the common cold.
Some studies show that using nasal irrigation can actually prevent the common cold!
So, if you’re suffering from the sniffles, or just want to avoid them altogether, grab a neti pot like the one found here and give your sinuses the cleaning it deserves.
Be sure that you always clean your neti-pot with clean filtered water.
Take Zinc
Loads of studies have been conducted about the benefits of zinc and it’s ability to help fight the common cold. A new study shows that taking zinc can reduce the length of a cold by about one day.
Zinc can be taken easily as a lozenge, and is most effective when used right after signs and symptoms of a cold appear.
Drink Hot Tea
Drinking hot liquids like warm water and tea, and inhaling the steam can help relieve nasal congestion.
Sleep more
When you sleep your body produces proteins called cytokines which fight infection and inflammation. Not getting enough sleep can affect your immune system, increasing your chances of getting the common cold.
So don’t feel guilty calling in for a sick-day; chances are your boss and co-workers will appreciate you keeping your germs out of the workplace anyway.
Take Echinacea
Echinacea is an herbal plant remedy that is commonly used in the form of tea or extract in order to treat the common cold.
Studies show that taking Echinacea does improve the immune system by increasing the white blood cell count in the body.
If your young son or daughter has the sniffles, keep the Echinacea in your medicine cabinet; one studyshows that the use of Echinacea shows little to no effect when relieving the cold symptoms of children.
Inspyir

20130428

37 Superfoods To Start Eating Today


What are SuperFoods

Superfoods are a group of natural, nutrient-dense whole foods that truly are nature’s medicine cabinet. You won’t find these foods created in a processing plant. You probably won’t see them advertised on sexy television commercials either.
But if you start to include these foods in your diet, it’s likely you’ll experience improved health and wellness, from the inside-out.
So here they are, 37 superfoods you should start adding to your diet today!
1. Apples. Apples are packed with antioxidants and fiber, so they make a filling and sweet snack.
2. Blueberries. Possibly the smallest superfood on our list, blueberries pack a punch. They’re high in potassium, vitamin C, and healthy antioxidants that can lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and inflammation.
3. Apricots. Rich in fiber, iron and copper, apricots pack a whole lot of nutrition into each bite. Apricots have also been shown to improve indigestion, earaches, and certain skin diseases.
4. Artichokes. This low calorie vegetable is naturally rich with fiber, vitamins C and K, folate, magnesium and potassium. Artichoke is also versatile and can be prepared in a variety of ways. No matter how you eat them, be sure to eat the leaves and not just the heart!
5. Olive Oil. Our friends in the Mediterranean do it right; olive oil has been proven to improve heart healthdue to its high content of monosaturated fats. Olive oil is also an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-microbial
6. Beets. Beets are loaded with fiber, potassium, and folate, and are free of saturated fats and cholesterol. Researchers believe the red pigment in beets – betacyanin – may protect cells against cancer.
7. Cabbage. Just one serving of cabbage contains 15% of your daily fiber, along ...
with vitamins A, C, and K. Eating cruciferous vegetables, including cabbage, has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer.
8. Tomatoes. Tomatoes are high in antioxidants and can reduce risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, as well as minimize UV damage.
9. Bananas. At just 110 calories per serving, bananas are a great way to get in some potassium and vitamin B-6.
10. Carrots. Carrots are filled with beta-carotene which can improve eyesight and slow down aging cell growth.
11. Dark Chocolate. Dark chocolate is full of compound flavanols, which are a type of antioxidant that decreases inflammation, lowers blood sugar, and improves both positive and negative cholesterol levels. Just make sure you eat it dark, not the candy-coated chocolate found in most supermarkets or snack-shops.
12. Beans. Beans are a low-cost high-impact food that are high in protein and fiber and low in fat. .
13. Mangos. Nicknamed the “King of Fruit, eating mangos can improve your eyesightskin, memory, digestion, and sex drive.
14. Sardines. They may not look appealing, but sardines can help prevent cancer, improve your bone health, and act as an anti-inflammatory.
15. Mushrooms. Mushrooms can help us be healthier, fitter, happier, and live longer. So go make friends with your favorite fungi
16. Pomegranates. A symbol of fertility and health, the pomegranate is great tasting fruit that’s an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, and can also help you lose fat.
17. Avocado. Avocados are packed with over 25 essential nutrients: vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, as well as lots of fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
18. Coffee. Benefits of coffee include reduced risk for heart disease, dementia, and skin cancer. It has even been proven to lessen symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
19. Oranges. Eating oranges can help with arthritis, prevent kidney stones, and with ample amounts of calcium, contributes to healthy bones and teeth.
20. Broccoli. Mustard oils found in broccoli have been shown to fight the most malignant cancer stem cells. It’s also high in fiber and phytonutrients.
21. Honey. Honey’s antibacterial properties
help guard against bacterial viruses like E. Coli and salmonella.
22. Oats are extremely high in insoluble fiber, and are a good source of low-glycemic complex carbohydrates.
23. Kale. Kale is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, not to mention fiber and calcium.
24. Brussel Sprouts. Brussel sprouts may not have been your favorite food growing up, but there’s a reason your mother made you eat them. These small vegetables can improve your digestion, lower cholesterol, and protect your DNA..
25. Figs. In only one half a cup of dried figs there are 7.3g of both soluble and insoluble fiber. This makes figs the perfect superfood for slowing digestion and keeping you full longer.
26. Bok Choy. This extremely nutritious cruciferous vegetable provides plenty of calcium and potassium, along with carotenoids (such as beta-carotene), which may improve eye health.
27. Pumpkin. More than just a Halloween decoration, pumpkins are a low calorie food with lots of vitamin Aand fiber.
28. Oysters. Oysters are a low density, high energy food and a good source of lean protein.
29. Brown Rice. This high-fiber food has a lower glycemic index than white rice, so it will keep you full for longer without causing a dramatic increase in your blood sugar levels.
30. Edamame. These beans include all nine amino acids, as well as lots of vitamins and minerals that improve immune health and battle disease.
31. Salmon. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids as well as protein, selenium, and vitamin D, making this superfood a must have if you’re interested in protecting your heart’s health and improving yourmetabolism.
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32. Spinach. Spinach is densely packed with nutrients, and although one cup can hold your entire daily dose of vitamins K and A, its only about 40 calories! Spinach can also be paired with most foods on this list in order to really reach maximum nutrient intake.
33. Garlic. From cancer prevention to heart health to immune system boosting, you can thank allicin (the active ingredient in garlic) for these benefits.
34. Tea. Tea has less caffeine than coffee but still performs as an agent against cancers, heart disease and clogged arteries.
35. Ginger. Ginger has long been used for curing ills of all kinds, from minor stomach pains to arthritis, and even migraines.
36. Turkey. Your favorite Thanksgiving meal is a low fat source of protein with vitamins B3 and B6, as well as selenium, which promotes thyroid health.
37. Walnuts. Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, and are loaded with monosaturated fats, which can improve your heart health.
Inspiyr