February 1, 2011 
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February 1, 2011 January 31, 2011 The debate is raging on how to help sick people. I do not hear a lot about how to help people not to get sick.
In the long run this is the way to cut cost.
About health care…. again. And about personal responsibility.
- Healthcare
Here is the plan.
Get educated in what you eat, when to eat and how often you eat. Watch what you drink.
Information is available – watch the movies: Sicko, Food. Inc, Sweet Misery, World according to Monsanto
Exercise regularly. Why do some people take pills every day but neglect to exercise?
I would ban the escalators in the USA for the first three floors. Use your legs. You legs are designed for it.
I have noticed that when I go to the gym, people go up the escalator, work out and go down the escalator.
Only in America.
Alone with the TV
Caring, well-meaning parents drive their kids a half a block to the school bus stop, kids sit in the bus, sit in school, go back home sitting on a bus, and their caring parents drive them to the TV or computer.
Bus exhaust pollutes the air we breathe. We can stop buying Arab oil if we just use common sense and use our body’s abilities to move by itself. And we would save a bunch on health care because, if we would not be so lazy, we would have health not sickness. And because we would get healthier, we will not be stressed out so much about health insurance cost.
Trust yourself more then your doctor. I meet my doctor in the gym. Every time he seems to be surprised that I am in a better shape then he is. Why is he surprised? Have you seen doctors that look worse then their patients? Next appointment, pay attention to what shape your doctor is. Does your doctor look healthy? If not – change your doctor.
How can doctors help others if they cannot help themselves?
Eat in moderation
Do not “pig out”. You are supposed to enjoy your meal, not destroy it. Do not worry – you will have food to eat when you will get hungry.
Vote with your wallet. Do not buy junk, especially for kids. Sugar drives them crazy. It is not ADD or ADHD. It is sugar and lifestyle. Kids need to exercise. They need to use their energy. It is OK if they get a few bumps and bruises. Our kids get sick all the time by being around other kids – colds, ear infections, pink eye, etc. We understand the dangers and are used to it.
But why are we afraid of bumps and bruises? Bumps and bruises do not create chronic diseases, constant colds and infections do.
Because if we do, we are not any better then chickens in one of the industrialized farms.
The difference is, we have a choice.
January 20, 2011 Transitions is an extensive plan that covers everything you’ll need to get fit and trim, not just a set of foods you can or cannot eat. In fact, a big part of the Transitions Lifestyle System is helping you make healthy choices while still eating a normal, diverse diet!
The plan doesn’t focus just on food like many other systems. The Transitions Lifestyle System™ provides a total-system approach that promotes healthy food choices, behavior modification and menu plans.
The Transitions Lifestyle System includes: low-glycemic index (GI) meal plans, a daily journal to guide you, weight-management supplements to accelerate weight loss, entrees, bars and shakes to keep you on track, behavior modification and support materials to ensure your success, an interactive Web site to track your progress and more!
December 25, 2010 
Telomere shortening
Just as those plastic nibs keep your shoelaces from fraying, cellular tips called telomeres protect your DNA from fraying when cells divide. When telomeres are tattered, they’re harder to use. That’s what causes cells to stop dividing and growing and replenishing your body — which means more aging for you.
Lengthier telomeres are associated with longer life. In addition, they keep chromosomes intact. Telomeres are known to shorten with age. The major aging markers are oxidation, inflammation and sugar.
The 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded for telomere research.
“The question of how cellular aging relates to abnormal cell division, such as cancer, and the aging of organisms continues to be the focus of rigorous study, thanks to the insights of Drs. Greider, Blackburn and Szostak, ” said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.
Modern medicine, pharmacology, nutrition and exercise are known to extend life. Examples of life extension products and processes are, antioxidants, diet, gum hygiene, clean water, hazardous chemical cleanup, air purification, refrigeration, nutrition, exercise and reduced smoking.
20 telomere foods are described. These foods have a strong association with longer life. Examples are blueberries, grapefruit, almonds, avocado, cabbage, veggies, beets, arame, wakame, tomato, tea (white, green, black), salmon, garlic and broccoli .
In people older than 60, those with the shortest telomeres have been shown to be three times more likely to die from heart disease and eight times more likely to die from an infectious disease than those with longer telomeres.
Shorter-than-usual telomeres have also been found in many cancers, including those of the pancreas, bone, prostate, bladder, lung, kidney and head and neck.
Healthy lifestyle
The most stressed-out women
have enough telomere shortening to make themselves 10 years older; moms of disabled children also tend to have shortened telomeres. So do pessimists.Researchers have shown that meditation, coupled with walking and a diet change — toward healthy choices only — lengthens your telomeres. Other researchers are studying whether mindful meditation alone can preserve telomere length.
Get an attitude.
Worrying about pounds, food choices and calories is associated with shorter telomeres, according to a University of California San Francisco study of constant dieters.
Step off the diet roller-coaster and achieve a consistent lower weight, and longer telomeres, with exercise and a meal plan packed with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean protein and good fats from foods including fish, nuts and avocados.
Telomeres, in one study, were longest in those eating the most vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruit, strawberries and red bell peppers, and vitamin E-rich foods, such as whole grains.
Drink green tea
Add salmon, trout, olive oil and a cup of tea — or two or three. Researchers in Hong Kong found the longest telomeres in men who drank three cups of green tea or sometimes black tea a day.
December 12, 2010 
Raw almonds
Health benefits of Almonds
Almond nuts are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals and packed with numerous healths promoting phyto-chemicals; This kind of well balanced food offers protection against diseases and cancers.
These nuts are rich source of energy and nutrients. They are especially, rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic and palmitoleic acids that help to lower LDL or “bad cholesterol” and increase HDL or “good cholesterol”. Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids helps to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.
The nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E; contain about 25 g per100 g (about 170% of RDA). vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin by protecting it from harmful oxygen free radicals.
Almonds are free of gluten and, therefore are a popular ingredient in the preparation of gluten free food formulas. These formula preparations are in fact healthy alternatives in people with wheat food allergy and celiac disease.
These nuts are packed with many important B-complex group of vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and folates.
Almonds are also rich source of minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium.
Are almonds safe for you?
Almonds are one of the most useful and wonderful of seeds (it is not a nut as many people would have you believe). It has a unique taste and its excellent suitability for use in cooking have made it one of the most popular ingredients in pastry kitchens for centuries.
The most flavorsome almonds are bitter almonds (as opposed to “sweet” almonds). They have the strongest scent and are the most popular in many countries.
But there is one problem: they are full of cyanide. Before consumption, bitter almonds must be processed to remove the poison. Despite this requirement, some countries make the sale of bitter almonds illegal Heating destroys the poison. In fact, you may not know that it is now illegal in the USA to sell raw almonds – all almonds sold are now heat-treated to remove traces of poison and bacteria. The almonds are labeled as raw because the steam pasteurization of almonds is an industry standard and all almonds that have been steam pasteurized will be labeled in this manner not just Trader Joe’s. If you are looking for almonds that have not been pasteurized please look in our stores for a country of origin labeling,
Ther is a controversy about pasterising almonds. Here is one opinion: Pasteurization not only kills the micro-organisms in the nut, but also the nut itself. A nut is a seed, and if you plant it, it will grow – it has life-force. Cooking the nut kills the life-force, so if you plant it it will not grow. The enzymes that make the seed viable also help our bodies digest it. Furthermore, heating the nut destroys those delicate polyunsaturated fatty acids in them, making them rancid, and therefore what was once a nutritious food now becomes at best questionable, at worst, harmful.
Also..
The almond is one of the oldest known aphrodisiacs and fertility symbol. It’s even mentioned in the Bible as Samson courted Delilah with fragrant almond branches. In India they use the kernel of the almond in healing premature ejaculation. The nutrients and scent of the almond is one of the all time favorites for many pursuits of love and seduction, not to mention plain healthy eating.
The aroma of the almond is known arouse women particularly. Ancient Persians used to put almonds in with flower petals to perfume them before adding them to desserts to gain the sensual benefits this wonderful smell provides. You can find a large variety of almond scented bath and body products. Almond scented candles can help set a romantic ambience that can be hard to resist.
December 8, 2010 My advise: no pills if at all possible.
Here we go again!
Here is some more information.
Vitamin D
In a study published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, children who took daily vitamin D supplements (1,200 IU) were 40 percent less likely to get a common flu virus than kids who took a placebo. Laboratory studies indicate that the nutrient may help immune cells identify and destroy bacteria and viruses that make us sick, says Adit Ginde, M.D., M.P.H., a public health researcher at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver.
Eat fish. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish and in other foods such as walnuts, flaxseeds and canola oil are known to boost the immune system and reduce inflammation in the body.
Green tea
Polyphenols, potent plant antioxidants, are what’s believed to give green tea its immune-boosting effects. One laboratory study suggested that a particular type of polyphenols called catechins may kill influenza viruses. To maximize benefits and minimize bitterness, use just-below-boiling water and steep green tea no more than a minute or two. A little lemon and honey can also help blunt the bitterness. But don’t add milk, because the proteins will bind to the polyphenols, making them ineffective.
Soluble Fiber
Mice that ate a diet rich in soluble fiber for six weeks recovered from a bacterial infection in half the time it took mice that chowed on meals containing mixed fiber, according to a recent study in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity. Soluble fiber—abundant in citrus fruits, apples, carrots, beans and oats—helps fight inflammation, says lead author Christina Sherry, Ph.D., R.D., of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Insoluble fiber—found in wheat, whole grains, nuts and green leafy vegetables—is still important for overall health, but it doesn’t seem to have the same impact on immunity. Strive for 25 to 38 grams of total fiber a day, Sherry says, paying extra attention to getting the soluble kind.
Monounsaturated fats in foods such as olive oil and wheat germ also protect our bodies from microorganisms, bacteria and viruses. In fact, researchers have found that diets low in fat weaken the immune system and increase depression.
Antioxidants
Brightly colored greens and other vegetables also contain large doses of immune-enhancing antioxidants that help fight wintertime illnesses. So, load up on strawberries, cantaloupe, blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and sweet potatoes – all a boon for your immune system.
Vitamin C is one of the safest and most effective nutrients, experts say. It may not be the cure for the common cold (though it’s thought to help prevent more serious complications). But the benefits of vitamin C may include protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling.
ost of the studies Moyad and his colleagues examined used 500 daily milligrams of vitamin C to achieve health results. That’s much higher than the RDA of 75-90 milligrams a day for adults. So unless you can eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, you may need to take a dietary supplement of vitamin C to gain all the benefits, Moyad says. He suggests taking 500 milligrams a day, in addition to eating five servings of fruits and vegetables.
Another suggestion from me:
Even in the winter try to get some sun exposure!
December 8, 2010 1. Milk is good for you.
Good for you?
by David Zinczenko
Plenty of new research says that we should be drinking more milk, not less. In fact, swapping soda, juice, sweetened iced teas, and other beverages for milk might be one major reason why Americans are gaining weight at such a rapid pace. Milk not only helps boost protein intake and cut down on sugar, but consuming calcium through dairy foods such as milk may actually reduce the fat absorption from other foods. Who wouldn’t want that?
Milk is one of the best muscle foods on the planet. Milk is full of high-quality protein: about 80 percent casein and 20 percent whey. Whey is known as a “fast protein” because it’s quickly broken down into amino acids and absorbed into the bloodstream—perfect for post-workout consumption. Casein, on the other hand, is digested more slowly—ideal for providing your body with a steady supply of smaller amounts of protein for a longer period of time, such as between meals or while you sleep.
It is true that hormones and antibiotics have never been part of a cow’s natural diet, and they have been shown to have adverse effects on the animals. Canadian researchers, for example, discovered that cows given hormones are more likely to contract an udder infection called mastitis.
2. Milk is bad for you
Got milk?
In our most recent past, American women have been consuming an average of two pounds of milk per day for their entire lives, yet thirty million American women have osteoporosis. Does this make sense?
In short, drinking milk does not prevent bone loss. The shocking part is that bone loss is actually accelerated by ingesting too much protein which forces the body to leech calcium from the bones to lower the acid level in the body. It’s not how much calcium you eat. It’s how much calcium you prevent from leaving your bones.
“Osteoporosis is caused by a number of things, one of the most important being too much dietary protein.”
Science 1986;233(4763)
“Countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis, such as the United States, England, and Sweden, consume the most milk. China and Japan, where people eat much less protein and dairy food, have low rates of osteoporosis.”
Nutrition Action Healthletter, June, 1993
“There is no significant association between teenaged milk consumption and the risk of adult fractures. Data indicate that frequent milk consumption and higher dietary calcium intakes in middle aged women do not provide protection against hip or forearm fractures… women consuming greater amounts of calcium from dairy foods had significantly increased risks of hip fractures, while no increase in fracture risk was observed for the same levels of calcium from nondairy sources.”
12-year Harvard study of 78,000 women American Journal of Public Health 1997;87
“Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, were associated with an increased risk of hip fractures…metabolism of dietary protein causes increased urinary excretion of calcium. “
American Journal of Epidemiology 1994;139
Another factor is milk(lactose) digestion ability.
Human Biology, Oct 1997
“In most of the world’s population the ability to digest lactose declines sharply after infancy. High lactose digestion capacity in adults is common only in populations of European and circum-Mediterranean origin and is thought to be an evolutionary adaptation to millennia of drinking milk from domestic livestock.”
The physiological cause of high lactose digestion capacity (LDC) in adulthood is the retention of high levels of lactase in the small intestine beyond infancy (lactase persistance), which contrasts with the standard mammalian developmental pattern of a steep decline in small intestine lactose levels after infancy (Flatz 1987).
In other words to drink a lot of milk is not normal!
Milk can also be consumed in a processed form, such as cheese or soured milk, which has a reduced lactose content.
It appears milk may be good for your muscles but bad for your bones.
So my conclusion: If you like to drink milk-buy organic and drink it in moderation.
November 23, 2010 My conclusion after studying all this: Use your common sense!
Stuffed!
Eat and drink what you like.
Moderation is the key! Everything in moderation. And you will be fine.
Now read on.
A new study.
The results of the study revealed how moderate alcohol consumption can help to prevent heart disease by blocking the signals of molecules linked to plaque build-up in arteries.
Drinking “small amounts, regularly, is how to get the best effect,” “It’s the people who drink one to two drinks a day who have the best protection” from heart disease.
However, large amounts of alcohol and binge drinking can be harmful to the heart and can lead to stroke, according to the American Heart Association.
The study was published Nov. 18 in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
The finding demonstrates how alcohol works to benefit the heart – and paves the way for future research for a drug that can mimic alcohol.
“If we can understand the mechanisms mediating the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption, we can develop therapy that can mimic good effects without the intoxicating and deleterious effects of alcohol,” researcher said.
Real-life applications
But what counts as a “healthy” dose of alcohol? The Mayo Clinic recommends healthy women drink no more than three drinks on one occasion, or seven drinks a week, and healthy men ages 65 and younger drink no more than four drinks per occasion, or 14 drinks a week. Healthy men ages 65 and older should drink no more than three drinks per occasion, or seven drinks a week.
A 12-ounce beer, 5-ounce glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits counts as one drink, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Try other versions of alcohol: instead of beer, cider, Bailey’s and Kahlua, try dry wine, red wine or spirits. Don’t drink chip stuff. Remember: Calories from alcohol tend to be stored in the abdomen. People who are overweight actually gain weight more easily when they consume alcohol.
Now about the food.
Don’t go to a party hungry: we often eat faster and more when we are hungry – therefore eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on the day to avoid overeating at the party.
My only advice: enjoy the food, enjoy the holidays. Positive emotions are good for you.
But here are some suggestions:
Watch your portion: treat yourself a nice drink, dessert, chocolate or sweets without guilt, but always watch your portion. Go for small portions.
I also suggest to consider supplements to help digestion.
Enjoy holidays!
Drink plenty of water: alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body. But don’t drink iced water and don’t drink water right after meal-water dilutes digestive enzymes in your stomach and slows digestion.
Physical activity: take nice brisk walks with your loved ones and enjoy their company in the holiday season.
I propose a toast: enjoy your holidays!
November 19, 2010 (Reuters) – A third of Americans say they have gone without medical care or skipped filling a prescription because of cost, compared to 5 percent in the Netherlands, according to study released on Thursday.
The study is the latest in a series by the non-profit Commonwealth Fund showing that while Americans pay far more per capita for healthcare, they are unhappier with the results and less healthy than people in other rich countries.
The study published in the journal Health Affairs also showed that 20 percent of U.S. adults had major problems paying medical bills, compared with 2 percent in Britain and 9 percent in France, the next costliest country.
“U.S. adults were the most likely to incur high medical expenses, even when insured, and to spend time on insurance paperwork and disputes or to have payments denied,” the report reads.
The Commonwealth Fund, which advocates for U.S. healthcare reform, commissioned a Harris Interactive poll of nearly 20,000 people in 11 countries between March and June.
“What we are hearing directly from adults around the world, and what we hear regularly at home, is that there is substantial room for improvement in the U.S. health insurance system,” said Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis.
Roughly 45 million people 65 and older have coverage through the nation’s Medicare program for the elderly and disabled.
The system leaves 47 million without any health insurance, and last week the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 59 million Americans had no insurance for at least some of the beginning of 2010.
The 10 other countries in the survey — Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland — all provide a mix of public and private insurance.
Broccoli not ice cream
This is not political. It is about your health. It is about health and well being of America.
We as a country spend more on health (sickness) care and get less.
I have said it before. We the people need to educate ourselves and to take control of our lifes!
Start now! Today! No healthcare system will help you unless YOU change your bad habits!
November 16, 2010 
Positive thinking
Positive thinking and feeling good about yourself.
We don’t have to feed ourselves negative thoughts about our body size, but we do have to be realistic about what goes on when we are overweight. There’s nothing wrong with being positive about our bodies and striving to be the best we can be. But just because someone has a positive mental perception of their body doesn’t always mean it’s physically good for them to be that way.
I don’t accept the idea that you should practice “feel good” self acceptance no matter what. It works both ways.
Work hard to look good! Eat right. Exercise!. And yes-practice positive attitude!
All of the above will help you to be healthy, fit and positive.
Don’t fool yourself that you are great and beautiful just the way you are. ALWAYS strive to improve yourself inside and outside. Nothing will happen without the effort!
Any achievement requires work. Just do it.
Don’t look for excuses like “I am beautiful just the way I am”
Get to work! And be positive!
Your self image has just as great an impact on your physical health as your nutrition and exercise program!
In recent times, it has been proven that our thoughts and emotions directly affect the state of our physical health. This is called the “mind-body” connection. This connection is made possible because of special chemical messengers, called neuropeptides, which help our body’s organs communicate directly with the brain.
Whenever you have a thought or emotion, your brain releases neurotransmitters and hormones, which trigger physical responses in your body. If you are caught in a stressful situation and you react to it with a negative thought (or words!), your heart starts racing and your body releases two powerful stress hormones, cortisol and adrenalin. When these hormones are secreted in response to continual stress, they have very negative impacts on your body. They accelerate brain aging, increase fat storage, suppress your immune system, and cause muscle and bone loss.
Sometimes we tend to focus on the negative aspects of our bodies and our life’s circumstances. Next time you look in the mirror, notice what thoughts arise. If a stressful circumstance arises, do you immediately think about the worst-case scenario or the positive side of the situation?
1 I enjoy eating healthy food.
2 I value my health.
3 I am successful at accomplishing my goals.
4 I look great and have loads of energy.
5 I love the way my body looks. (more and more)
6 I feel strong today.
So it’s a great day today! I feel great! Let’s get to work!
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