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The Pink Ribbon That Could Save Your Life

admin — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:24:47 +0000

Walk into any crowded room these days and chances are you’ll be standing next to someone who has either been diagnosed with breast cancer or knows someone who has. With over 2.3 million women diagnosed last year, next to skin cancer, it’s the second most common killer of women. According to 2007 statistics, there were 178,480 new cases of breast cancer in women and 2,030 cases in men. But, there is good news. It starts with a little education from the October National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Breast cancer is a disease that is caused by the uncontrolled division of cells in breast tissue and results in “Benign” or “Malignant” tumors. Benign tumors are the most common (representing over 80% of breast cancers) and the easiest to treat. Malignant tumors are far more dangerous, can damage other tissues and spread rapidly throughout the body. Allowed to progress without treatment, malignant tumors can advance to “Metastatic” cancer and reach the bones, lungs, liver or brain.

The most common risk factors for contracting breast cancer are:

Gender

Goji Berries Help Keep Your Digestive Tract Healthy

BLOG CONTRIBUTOR — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:25:19 +0000

Goji Berries Help Keep Your Digestive Tract Healthy Over 70 million Americans suffer from digestive diseases. Digestive disorders can be very painful, and if left untreated can lead into more serious problems. Eating a natural healthy diet will prevent most of these disorders. Tibet Authentic Goji berries have the nutrients and antioxidants to fight the toxins that cause digestive diseases.

Disorders of the Digestive Tract and How Goji Berries Help

Gastroenteritis is when the digestive tract becomes inflamed and irritated. This will cause abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. The cause is usually toxins such as bacteria, allergens in foods, parasites or drugs. Eating Goji berries will help fight off these toxins and will help prevent this disorder.

Gastritis is inflammation of your stomach lining. Just like the gastroenteritis, you will experience abdominal pain. Your diet plays a big part in this disease. With the antioxidants, Goji berries have helped in the treatment of gastritis.

Ulcers can develop in the stomach, esophagus or small intestines. The cause can be bacterial or by certain pain medications. Ulcers cause a lot of pain and possible bleeding. Stress can aggravate the problem. A special diet and certain medications are usually prescribed. Goji berries have the specific anti-inflammatory SOD enzyme that reduces the inflammation caused by ulcers.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is when the muscles in the intestines do not work properly. This can cause abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea. Stress can also bring on irritable bowel syndrome. A high fiber, low fat diet is usually prescribed. Goji berries help relieve stress, which can help in the prevention of the irritable bowel.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is caused by stomach acid backflow into the esophagus. A weakness in the muscle that acts as a valve between the stomach and the esophagus. This causes what is known as heartburn. The acid can cause major damage to the esophagus if left untreated. Usually people that are overweight suffer from GERD. Goji berries help with weight loss, and along with exercise will help prevent the acid reflux.

This is just some of the digestive disorders Goji berries can help prevent or help treat. There are autoimmune disorders, such as Crohn

Goji Berries Help Provide Relief for Arthritis Sufferers

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:53:12 +0000

Tibetan Goji berries have been around for many years. They have become known for having the most nutrients, of any fruit in the world. With their abundance of antioxidants, the health benefits of Goji berries seem endless. From preventing heart disease and diabetes, to improving your skin, Goji berries also help provide relief to arthritis sufferers.

Arthritis is one of most painful and debilitating diseases. Though, more common in the elderly, arthritis strikes people of all ages, including children. Arthritis is when your joints become inflamed, causing a lot of pain and discomfort. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis also known as degenerative joint disease. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage that serves as a cushion between the joints of the bones wears away causing bone against bone. Swelling usually occurs and this can be very painful. Osteoarthritis is usually due to aging, but can be caused by an injury, being overweight, and stressing the joints.

Studies have shown that antioxidants can help in the fight against the free radicals, responsible for the inflammation in arthritis. The free radical, superoxide anion, is the inflammation factor in arthritis, and our body produces the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) to help neutralize this free radical. In some cases of arthritis, the production of superoxide anion is greater than what the body can handle, and is unable to produce enough of the SOD enzyme to protect against the inflammation of the joints.

Foods with high levels of antioxidants are key to fighting free radicals, and eating Goji berries, known for the high levels of antioxidants, help produce the anti-inflammatory enzyme SOD therefore, reducing the inflammation and pain. SOD also plays major role in protecting the body against other diseases. This is most powerful natural free radical fighting antioxidant the body has.

Eating a natural healthy diet is beneficial to everybody. Including Goji berries in your daily diet will help your body maintain its natural defense against free radicals. If you are one of many people that suffer from arthritis, Goji berries will help your body fight off the free radicals responsible for internal inflammation. This will help relieve your joints from pain and stiffness. Also, there are aquatic classes to help with joint mobility offered through the Arthritis Foundation.

The Effects of Aging and Staying Young Forever

admin — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:05:32 +0000

When most people look back to when they were 18 years old, they remember a time when the world was their oyster. They were just beginning college, looking forward to getting married, raising a family and creating a meaningful career. But, scientists know that after a person enters young adulthood, physical signs of aging have already begun to appear.

As early as 20 years of age, many people notice that wrinkles are beginning to appear, they’re losing a little hair and even their nails are beginning to thin. By age 30, the majority of human organs have already started to show the effects of the aging process. At 40, you begin to show signs of a slowing metabolism – gaining weight is easier and losing it is harder. Between 40 and 65 years of age, you’re aware of losses in muscle strength, sight and hearing. Most women start to lose bone density at an alarming rate years before menopause. By the time you’ve reached 65, chances are you’ve been diagnosed with arthritis, osteoporosis or some other chronic disease such as heart disease, hypertension or cancer. Pretty grim news. But, it doesn’t have to be.
Over the past 50 years, researchers have learned a lot about how our diet affects the aging process. Most recommend that we make early changes to our diet that includes:

Limiting the number of calories we eat
Taking multi-vitamins
Eating more whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables
Switching from whole to non-fat dairy products
Eating more lean meats and fish

Another development that has been the basis of hundreds of published studies and countless newspaper and magazine articles is the value of antioxidants in diminishing the aging process.
Antioxidants are naturally occurring molecules that slow or prevent the oxidation of other molecules. They’re also used as additives to help eliminate deterioration of packaged foods and to extend their shelf life. Oxidation can be responsible for the destruction of cells in many diseases and significantly contributes to the aging process.
A number of foods are rich in antioxidants, are recommended to help slow the aging process and to prevent naturally occurring diseases. “ACES” foods that contain vitamin A, C, E and selenium are common in many of your favorite foods:

Vitamin A – dark green vegetables, carrots, sweet potatoes, eggs and many dairy products like milk, butter and cheese
Vitamin C – fruits, red peppers, broccoli, tomatoes and liver
Vitamin E – vegetable oils, peanuts, corn, asparagus and fortified breakfast cereals
Selenium – dried nuts, fresh pork, turkey, mushrooms, tuna and striped bass

Antioxidants are also present in a number of “superfoods” like Goji berries. While Goji berries are grown all over the world, the best quality berries are cultivated at high altitude in Tibet. They contain 18 amino acids, 12 times the protein of apples, oranges or strawberries, are a good source of vitamin C and beta carotene. The polysaccharides in Goji berries can help to combat many common diseases of aging like cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and osteoporosis and have been part of the Tibetan diet for thousands of years.
Getting on in years is an evitable part of life. But, getting old doesn’t have to be. By watching what you eat, drinking plenty of water and getting regular exercise, you can significantly slow the aging process and enjoy living into your “golden years.”

Saving Your Skin.Naturally….

admin — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:00:34 +0000

Our skin is the largest organ in our body. It’s our body glove, that protects our other organs from harmful elements. It is made up of three layers, epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. Your skin helps regulate your body’s temperature, keeps fluids in your body, helps protect against infection, and with the oil glands in the skin, waterproofs the body. Like a car, we have to keep this organ running smoothly and in order to do so we must put the right nutrients in our body.

Goji berries have all the nutrients needed to protect your skin. These small red berries, have more beta carotene than carrots which protects your skin from sun damage. In some cases, Goji berries have also helped clear up acne.

The women of Tibet have used the Goji berries in their diet for years, making their skin healthy and radiant. With the abundance of antioxidants, these anti-aging berries, accelerate the healing process which keeps the skin looking and feeling younger. If you think about it, your skin will endure a lot of abuse over the years. Especially, as we age, our skin looses its ability to produce the elastin and collagen it needs to stay smooth thus causing wrinkles. The Goji berries, will help slow down the aging process so our skin will keep its elasticity and continue to protect our bodies. Sun exposure, can cause the most and irreparable damage to your skin over the years. It doesn’t matter what type of skin you have, you should always wear a sunscreen with at least a 15 sun protection factor (SPF), that protects against UVA and UVB rays. You want to eat a balanced diet, that includes Vitamin A, fruits that are high in antioxidants, such as Goji berries, low fat dairy products, and whole grain foods. There are certain healthy oils, that help lubricate your skin; extra virgin oils are the oils you want to use. Natural healthy foods, have the nutrients, and antioxidants, needed to help protect your skin for a lifetime. As long as you protect it from the outside and choose the right healthy foods, your skin will continue do its job protecting the other organs in your body.

What Are Antioxidants and Why Do We Need Them?

BLOG CONTRIBUTOR — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:32:35 +0000

What Are Antioxidants and Why Do We Need Them?

We hear a lot about antioxidants on how important they are for our health, but what are antioxidants and what do they do for our bodies? Our cells go through the natural oxidation process in which we need a breakdown of that process to understand the need for antioxidants.

The Oxidation Process The oxidation process happens when cells of any type interact with oxygen causing a change in the cells. This is an everyday normal process and a good example would be when you cut yourself. The oxidized cells will die and new cells are regenerated thus healing the wound. Your body is continuously going through oxidation, but must keep it under control in order not to produce damaged cells which are commonly known as

Walking Toward an American Dream

admin — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:38:42 +0000

How Daniel Urbaetis plans to overcome his limitations by walking from coast to coast

Imagine going out for a long walk

High Cholesterol Can Be a Genetic Factor as Well as From a Bad Diet

BLOG CONTRIBUTOR — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:07:34 +0000

You have two types of cholesterol, the low density lipoprotein (LDL) which is the bad cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL) the good cholesterol. Elevated (LDL) contributes to heart disease and strokes, but increasing your (HDL) plays an essential role in preventing heart disease and strokes.

How does our body end up with too much low density lipoprotein (LDL)?

The cholesterol gets delivered to organs and tissues in your body by these lipoproteins. If you end up with too much cholesterol in your body, it becomes oxidized. These oxidized particles (plaques) can build up under the blood vessel lining and can obstruct the flow of blood causing coronary arterial disease along with other heart diseases. If you consume foods high in cholesterol and saturated fats, chances are your LDL will be elevated, which will put you at risk for coronary and heart disease. Also, another factor of concern is your family genetics.

Having a family history of hypercholesterolemia ( high LDL) is where a mutation in the gene allows the LDL cholesterol not to be absorbed into the cells as well as it should. This causes the LDL cholesterol to continue circulating in the blood where it eventually sticks to the artery wall thus causing a life threatening health hazard. Most of the time this gene is inherited from just one parent, but the children have a 50% chance of inheriting this mutated gene. Male children have a stronger chance of developing coronary artery disease before they reach fifty.

How do get your elevated LDL cholesterol under control

If you have a family history of hypercholesterolemia, it is vitally important to start exercising and eating foods that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Adding fiber and eating foods that provide antioxidants will help to balance your cholesterol. All natural goji berries are one of the best sources of antioxidants you will find. They provide an array of nutrients, your body needs, on a daily basis. Goji berries have more vitamin C than oranges. Goji berries will help to lower your LDL cholesterol and elevate your HDL (good cholesterol).

Remember to get regular physicals from your doctor. Through blood tests, your doctor can determine if you have elevated LDL cholesterol or if you have a genetic risk factor. Don