Miracle foods: a special report

“Curry could save your life.” “Beetroot can fight dementia.” “Asthma risk linked to burgers.” Every day there’s a new crop of seemingly life-changing headlines about how the food we eat affects our health.

Food stories are one of the most common topics that Behind the Headlines covers, accounting for about one in five of our appraisals. Often, news stories have claimed that foods can offer remarkable health benefits, such as fighting disease or slowing ageing.

Our special report: Miracle foods: myths and the media (PDF, 2Mb) looks at some of the foods that regularly appear in the news and examines whether the reports match the scientific evidence behind them.

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2011/02February/Pages/miracle-foods-special-report.aspx

Easy Tips To Stay Healthy in Your Office Job

Hands up who works in an office - either at home or at the company workplace?

Lots of us do. For at least 8 hours a day we toil away at our desks indoors.

But only now are we starting to recognize the detrimental health effects this lifestyle has on our bodies. So whilst quitting the office life is likely not an option, how can we make changes can we make to stay healthy whilst maintaining an office job?

Sitting all day

Is sitting the new smoking? That's what some people are now claiming due to the serious effects sitting all day has on the body. The Smithsonian claims that sitting all day can increase rates of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

So what can we do?

Take regular breaks from sitting. Move around. Get a glass of water. Make an effort to take the stairs
Or even better is invest, or convince your boss to invest, in a standing desk.
Rather than sit or stand all day, the optimal goal is to mix it up, so as not to put excessive strain on the body.
Not getting enough vitamin D

It's so easy to not get enough vitamin D. If you are like me, maybe you commute to work early via train or car, work all day then return home or head straight to the gym. Vitamin D is really important for proper bodily functioning, including calcium absorption which can lead to nasty bone problems in the long term. We can all become easily depleted, especially in winter.

So what can we do?

While you may feel the urge to sit at your computer during your lunch break, often lunchtime is the only chance you'll have to get out and catch some sweet sun rays. So grab your lunch and get outside for a break that will do your body good and make you feel refreshed for the afternoon ahead.

If you are unsure whether you are getting enough vitamin D, get your levels checked by a doctor. Vitamin D supplements are commonly prescribed once a deficiency is identified.
Too much sugar and caffeine

Ah, sugar and caffeine. I have a love hate relationship with both. Both are great when you have them but then they let you down as the rush dissipates. Then you need more. And more. Suddenly I'm drinking four coffees a day and feeling crap. Eating chocolate in the afternoon and wondering why I'm not sleeping well. Then having more coffee in the morning to make up for not sleeping, and on and on goes the vicious cycle. Coffee is like the bad boyfriend I could never leave.

So what can we do?

Well, getting off the coffee train is not for necessary for everyone. But including some other options to help stay awake can promote a healthier lifestyle. This includes green apples, various teas such as yerba mate and going for a brisk walk at lunchtime all help. So try to mix it up a little and your body will thank you.



http://ezinearticles.com/?Easy-Tips-To-Stay-Healthy-in-Your-Office-Job&id=8794133

Benefits of Fasting As One of the Best Detox Methods

Many people are afraid of going on a fast because this is not seen as the norm. I believe that if you don't experience a fast then you're really missing out. Your body will heal at a greater rate through fasting, and the benefits of fasting are astounding.

When you fast, your body goes into a detoxification process. So this means that you may feel average or not the best earlier on as your body is dumping toxins and garbage into your bloodstream for removal that have been accumulating in your body over time.

The bad feelings you may experience earlier on in your fast may include moodiness, hunger pains, light headedness, tiredness and headaches to name a few. Everyone is different, so what and when you experience these and other feelings will differ from one person to the next. However this improves over a day or two.

On the other hand, the benefits of fasting are amazing. It's actually a little difficult to explain unless you've experienced it yourself. However, once you get over that "bad" period, you'll feel much better. Here are just 5 benefits of fasting:

1. You'll have more energy - I've had a number of people tell me they are amazed by how much more energy they have just by fasting on juice or water. Your body spends less time processing solids and your body is less burdened so you gain the benefit of more energy.
2. You'll have more clarity of mind - You'll find that finding solutions to problems or doing those crossword puzzles will be much easier than before. It's like your mind has been recharged.
3. Your senses will be heightened - For example, if you go to a market and smell the fresh produce or walk past a restaurant, you will notice that the different aromas are far more pungent than before a fast. Unfortunately the bad smells are more noticeable too!
4. You will see cosmetic benefits - You'll experience cosmetic benefits such as clearer skin, your eyes are more brighter, your hair has more vibrancy and you could even have less wrinkles!
5. Weight loss - although fasting really is the best detox, it also helps if you are wanting to lose weight. When doing an extended fast an average of 0.5 kgs (1.1lbs) can be lost per day. Sometimes more sometimes less, depending on your body, weight as well as how you are fasting, such as if you're doing a water or juice fast.

There are plenty more benefits to fasting.

I've helped people to overcome a range of health issues from weight loss, to chronic conditions including Ross River Fever, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and Type II Diabetes to name just a few... I've even helped people who couldn't conceive for years to conceive. Unfortunately many medical professionals and even your family and friends will influence you to not undertake a fast, because they believe that abstaining from foods is bad for you. And I'm sure most of them haven't even fasted themselves so they don't understand the benefits.

You will never have felt so good on a fast, especially if you go for extended periods of say 7 days or more. The ancients knew fasting as the doorway to healing and great health, and I consider this to still be correct to this day.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Benefits-of-Fasting-As-One-of-the-Best-Detox-Methods&id=8770562