May 3

Potassium, unbeknownst to many, is an essential mineral salt that is important for preserving the stability of our body fluids’ pH levels. It also plays a vital function in adjusting our kidney, heart, and adrenal functions, nervous system, blood pressure, muscle function, and bone mass. Small concentrations of potassium could produce potassium shortage and bring a plethora of negative health issues.

People with a potassium deficiency can boost the levels with potassium rich foods. You can find many esoteric foods included in that group and one of the tastiest, healthiest, and most well known are bananas. There are not many calories in a banana. They are a superfood and can be instrumental in reducing many of the causes found in a potassium deficiency. An inadequate nutritional regime that excludes food high in potassium levels are just one reason for a lack of potassium in the body. People suffering from kidney problems and or diabetes are also prone to mineral disparity.

Signs that you could be suffering from a potassium deficiency are finding yourself feeling generally weak during the day and always appear to be continuously worn out. You could also find that you will have a difficult time maintaining concentration on any of your daily activities, and may also experience trouble coordinating muscle movements. A deficiency in potassium can invariably lead to strokes, hypertension, heart abnormalities, and the aforementioned high blood pressure difficulties. If you believe you suffer any of these symptoms, see your doctor immediately.

Mar 12

Articles Submit by John at Hot Weightloss Tips.

Most of us may hear from friends or read from magazines about the many benefits of probiotics. But, you can find probiotics side effects as well that each customer should be aware of. With the hype surrounding these live microorganisms and their role in maintaining a healthy digestive system, a lot of people think that probiotics can offer you nothing but benefits.

The same with other things, these good bacteria can offer anyone both good and bad effects. Nearly everyone are aware of the benefits of these bacteria, so here are the probiotics side effects that consumers ought to know. Thus, before you take vitamins or eat meals abundant with probiotics, make sure that you find out more about this matter.

Diarrhea – We know that probiotics can help treat diarrhea, including one that is caused by antibiotic intake. What we do not know is the fact that probiotics can bring about diarrhea to some who are consuming nutritional supplements.

Gas – This is considered to be the usual side effect of probiotics. Fortunately, this is just a minor adverse effect.

Bloating – It is among the uncommon probiotics side effects that people who are getting health supplements caused by these types of microorganisms should discover.

Headaches – One adverse effect of probiotics is headache and if this persists, then you ought to stop taking supplements. Professionals fail to make clear how come this takes place.

Skin rashes – It is usually an uncommon effect of getting probiotics, however this ought to be given serious attention since it may aggravate. Professionals claim that the reason for the skin reaction could be a response to some substances included in the supplement.

When you think about it, there are much less probiotics side effects if compared to the overall health benefits. So, it means that probiotics can nevertheless be encouraged to buyers. But, if you are very worried regarding such negative results, a person might choose to begin with lower dosage of the nutritional supplement initially. The alteration has to be moderate also so that the body might become familiar with chemicals. What all of these indicate is that we need bacteria in our system, as long as the good and the bad are stable.

Oct 30

Your’s maybe one of the many families affected by the economic crisis which has seen the family income drop drastically. It may seem hard and sometimes impossible to adjust to the circumstances. But with a little planning you will be able to lower your food bills while at the same time eating healthy.

Make a list

Determine how much you are going to spend on your weekly groceries. Make a list of the necessities for the whole week to avoid further trips to the supermarket which will make you spend over the budget. Look for items on special and bulk buy items that can be kept for long or can be frozen.

Plan the meals

This way you will not be running out of food options which will result in costly take away. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in season which are nutritious and cheaper.

Cook in bulk

Cooking from scratch will allow you to save money but can be time consuming. When you do cook make an extra portion which can be frozen for later use such as soup or roast meat.

Overall, eating on a budget will encourage you to eat a healthier diet since you will be eating out less.

Jul 27

We consume grains in many forms and they form a large part of our daily diet. However are we consuming too much of the refined grains such as white rice and white bread? If the answer is yes, it is time to substitute your refined grains with wholegrain foods. The benefits offered by whole grains are many.

Whole grains provide dietary fiber, which is essential to maintain a healthy digestive system.

The low Glycemic index of whole grains ensures that you feel full for a longer period thereby reducing the urge to eat more often. This helps maintain a healthy body weight. The low Glycemic index also means that the body sugars are released to the body at a slower pace, which is helpful to control diabetes.

Whole grains are a good source of Vitamin B and many other essential minerals such as Manganese, phosphorus and iron and essential fatty acids. These help lower blood pressure.

Some whole grains such as oats have properties which can remove bad cholesterol from the arteries and help build good cholesterol while at the same time eliminating toxic material from the body. This helps keep any cardiovascular diseases at bay and promote a healthy heart.

Jun 13

Fresh fruits play an important role in a healthy diet. But are we maximizing the benefits that fruits offer? Unknowingly we are wasting most of the benefits of fruits we eat by eating it the wrong way. Here are some facts to consider:

Fruits take very little time to digest. If we have the fruit after a meal, the meal consisting of carbs, proteins and fats will take a long time to digest so the fruit will have to wait until the others are digested. The whole meal will ferment and turn to acid and putrefies on mixing with the digestive juices. This is the reason some people develop reflux and other conditions after having fruit. If the fruit is eaten on an empty stomach it will digest straight away and will not cause any discomfort. In fact certain fruits which you think you are allergic to will not react if eaten on an empty stomach.

Fruit should be eaten raw and not cooked as this will kill most of the vitamins. Eating the whole fruit is better than drinking juice as this contains the valuable fiber. When having juice, have it sip by sip instead of gulping it.

May 26

We grew up on the notion that you need to get eight hours sleep a night. But this can vary depending on several factors such as age and lifestyle, and these needs will vary over a lifetime. On average an adult needs 8 hours while infants and toddlers need up to 14 hours sleep.

Some people claim that just a couple of hours sleep a night is sufficient for them; research shows that this will decrease productivity. If you have been deprived of proper sleep over a period you will experience fatigue, inability to concentrate and think straight and even lead s to weight gain due to the decrease in metabolism. So if for some reason you have been sleep deprived you need to recover that by napping or sleeping early. If you are suffering from insomnia or any other medical condition depriving sleep, you should immediately seek medical attention.

Research also shows that too much sleep is as harmful as not having enough sleep. Sleeping over 9 hours a night on a regular basis has shown to decrease your life expectancy and could be the result of an underlying health issue.

Jan 21

Guest post by Dave Avakian of Get your Body Healthy

According to the Centers for Disease Control, as quoted by Meriter Health Services, “New research … suggests that the older you get, the happier you become.”

This finding is, of course, absolutely contrary to all of the brainwashing we have all received about old age being times of gloom and doom, and it is an invigorating departure from that tired old message.

The results are based on a study conducted by the University of Georgia, which compared two sets of interviews with the same subjects, the first when they were ages 59 to 80, the second 14 years later. Here’s how Meriter Health Services summarizes the findings: “In the earlier set of interviews, the largest percentage [of study participants] chose their 50s as the most satisfying period of their lives. An additional 18 percent picked their 60s and 70s. The childhood and teen years emerged as the unhappiest times; the 30s produced nearly equal feedback as being the best and worst years. When the same people were surveyed 14 years later, many of the responses remained the same. But 8 percent now said their 80s were their best years.”

Take that, Generation X, Y, and Z.

For more on the study, go to:
http://meriter.staywellsolutionsonline.com/RelatedItems/1,624 or to Judy Foreman’s article from Boston on page 28.

Dec 24


The British Columbia Center for Disease Control reports that people over 55 make up 8.7 percent of all new HIV infections in that venue, more than twice the percentage in 1995.

Dr. Perry Kendall, the province’s health coordinator, is not certain what caused the increase, but he told the Vancouver Sun that the growth in use of drugs like Viagra may have led to an increase in sexual activity in that population, and consequently greater transmission of diseases. Doctors also tend to neglect the possibility that an older person has HIV-related symptoms, mistaking such symptoms for something else.

Marcie Summers of the Positive Women’s Network told the Sun that HIV is one of the last things on the minds of older women getting back into dating after divorce or the death of a spouse. “Most middle-aged men are going to say: ‘A condom? Are you kidding? I haven’t used one of those since I was 25.’ ” She noted that the percentage of women with AIDS who are over 50 has grown from five to 15 percent in the past five years.

A problem in preventing HIV in this age group is getting oldsters to overcome their discomfort talking about sexual matters.

Dec 10

It sounds dangerous – stimulating your muscles, joints, and nerves with tiny currents of electricity. But, it is perfectly safe. And, for people in pain, it can feel like a life-saver.

Doctors and physical therapists all over the world use TENS units and muscle stimulators to help people who are in pain. Whether it’s due to an athletic injury, a car accident, or a chronic condition, muscles can spasm, joints can tighten, and nerves can be damaged. But no matter what caused your injury, you do not have to live in constant pain.

In fact, now you can take the power of the doctor’s office with you – with a LG-TEC Dual Combo TENS Unit and Muscle Simulator. The machine offers the same relief that the machines at your doctor’s office provide, but in a smaller, portable version that runs on rechargeable batteries. If you want, you can even carry the machine in your pocket, so that you will never have to venture out with the fear of being in pain.

And, the LG-TEC Dual Combo TENS Unit and Muscle Stimulator is just as safe as the machines your doctor uses. You can use it to increase your muscle tone and aid in your rehabilitation safely, without any side effects.

With all of these benefits, it’s easy to see why thousands of patients are turning to the LG-TEC Dual Combo TENS Unit and Muscle Stimulator!

Nov 26

When Chinese restaurants in the West began becoming popular, people flocked to them like bees to honey. But in 1968, several guests of these Asian restaurants, especially the ones who frequented these places, began exhibiting similar symptoms – flushing, sudden chest pains, pressure and tightening around the neck area, numbness in the mouth, swelling of the face, headaches and cold sweats. These reactions created interest among researchers who performed in-depth studies that eventually led to a conclusion:  It was the high contents of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)  in Chinese dishes that caused the reactions. But was this link proven?

More recent studies show that the shunned MSG is actually not an enemy per se. In fact, its makeup is actually very similar to the one of the human brain’s most crucial neurotransmitters (glutamate). While studies still cannot prove that MSG has some nutritional value, they do show that MSG is perfectly safe as a flavor-enhancing substance, when consumed in minimal to moderate amounts.

When folks present with these above mentioned symptoms, doctors would typically ask a series of similar questions, all leading to a diagnosis of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome – “Have you eaten any Chinese food within the last couple hours?” or “Have you consumed any foods containing MSG in the last two hours?” These questions are actually very limiting, and prevent a better diagnosis. 

Why? The symptoms mentioned are actually that of an allergic reaction, and while some people may truly be allergic to MSG, it is not fair to assume that everyone is. An allergic reaction may arise from the consumption of other allergens such as seafood, mushrooms, eggs, peanuts and the like.

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