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Exercise

A Pose to Build Strong Abs

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With this pose, you’ll build strong abdominal muscles that will support your lower back. Your legs will need to be very flexible, so you might have to keep your knee bent for a while. In this pose, it’s more important to straighten your back than to fully straighten your leg.

Sit cross-legged on a padded surface or a mat. Bring your right knee toward your chest and hold the sole of your right foot with both hands. Inhale, sit up tall and move your knee toward your chest without rounding your back or collapsing forward. Pause for a few breaths while feeling a stretch in the back of your right thigh.

Continue to keep your chest and back lifted as you slowly straighten your right leg as far as you can. Balance on your buttocks, drawing your shoulder blades down and into your chest (don’t let your shoulders rise up toward your ears). Hold this pose for three to six breaths, keeping your breath relaxed. Release your leg and repeat on the other side.

Source: Los Angeles Times

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Healthy Tips

Pick the Right Veg’ for Health

Obvious choices of fruit and vegetables are not necessarily the healthiest, say researchers.
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According to US experts, making simple swaps like eating sweet potatoes instead of carrots and papaya rather than oranges could make a difference.

Foods, like raspberries, watercress and kale, are richer in phytonutrients which may help prevent disease, they told a US meeting.

UK nutritionists said a balanced diet is essential to good health.

The British Nutrition Foundation warned that relying on eating a few select food types to boost health was ill-advised and said there was no such thing as a “superfood”.

Experts recommend five portions a day of fruit and veg in a healthy diet.

Plant foods are known to contain “phytonutrient” chemicals that can protect the heart and arteries and prevent cancers.

But the most popular varieties may not be the best, according to US researchers.

They analysed data from US health surveys of people’s dietary habits to look at the most common sources of phytonutrients.

They found that for 10 of the 14 phytonutrients studied, a single food type accounted for two-thirds or more of an individual’s consumption, regardless of how much fruit and veg they ate overall.

Carrots were the most common source of beta-carotene, oranges and orange juice the most common source of beta-cryptoxanthin, spinach the most common source of lutein/zeaxanthin, strawberries the most common source of ellagic acid and mustard the biggest provider of isothiocyanates.

However, for each of these phytonutrients there was a richer food source available.

Richer foods:-

Switching from carrots to sweet potatoes would nearly double beta-carotene intake, say the researchers.

Similarly papaya contains 15 times more beta-cryptoxanthin than oranges, while kale has three times more lutein/zeaxanthin than spinach.

Raspberries have three times more ellagic acid than strawberries and one cup of watercress contains as much isothiocyanate as four teaspoonfuls of mustard.

Study leader Keith Randolph, who is a technology strategist for the supplement company Nutrilite, said: “These data highlight the importance of not only the quantity but also the significant impact the quality and variety of the fruits and vegetables you eat can have on your health.”

Dr Emma Williams of the British Nutrition Foundation said: “They are right that some foods are richer sources of phytonutrients.

“But at the end of the day, to be healthy you need to make sure you have a varied and balanced diet.

“No one food can give you everything you need.”

The findings were presented at the 2010 Experimental Biology conference in Anaheim, California.

Source
: BBC NEWS: April 27. 2010
http://www.healthyreader.com/2008/05/13/12-most-contaminated-fruits-and-vegetables/

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Healthy Tips

Vitamin K2 May Reduce Cancer Risk

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People who have the highest intakes of vitamin K2, not vitamin K1, may significantly lower their risk of cancer and cancer mortality, according to results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study

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After analyzing data from over 24,000 participants who were followed for over 10 years, those who had the highest intakes of vitamin K2 were 14 percent less likely to develop cancer and 28 percent less likely to die of cancer compared to those with the lowest intakes.

A separate study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic also revealed impressive anti-cancer effects from vitamin K. Those with the highest dietary vitamin K intakes had a 45 percent lower risk of developing Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system, than those with the lowest.

Resources:
NutraIngredients March 30, 2010
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition May 2010

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Herbs & Plants

Bush Groundsel ( Baccharis halimifolia)

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Botanical Name : Baccharis halimifolia
Family : Compositae/ Asteraceae
Genus : Baccharis
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Tribe: Astereae
Species: B. halimifolia

Common Name: Groundsel tree; Salt marsh elder; Sea myrtle,groundsel bush, consumption weed, cotton-seed tree, groundsel tree or silverling,Eastern Baccharis,

Habitat :  Eastern N. America – Massachusetts to Florida and Texas.. Open woods, thickets and borders of marshes near the coast, often in saline soils.

Description:
It is a fall flowering evergreen perennial plant of the genus Baccharis which is commonly found in the southeastern United States, although it may be found as far north as Maine. It is typically found in coastal plains and wet areas. It is dioecious — male and female flowers are found on separate plants. Shrub growing to 3.5m by 3.5m at a medium rate.

Height: 5 to 12 feet
Width: 5 to 7 feet
Texture: Medium
Form: Multi-stemmed, irregular, open, airy shrub; can become leggy
Flower/Fruit: Female plant is covered with cottony fruit that persists into early winter .

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Foliage: Alternate, simple leaves; 1 to 3″; coarsely toothed; bright green to gray-green; non-showy fall color .
Leaf: Alternate, semi-evergreen, variable in shape, obovate to narrowly oblong, some nearly diamond-shaped, 1 to 2 1/2 inches long, upper half of leaf with a few coarse teeth, leaves from upper crown and near ends of twig often lacking teeth, shiny green above, may be sticky, paler beneath.

Flower: Dioecious; both male and female flowers occur in terminal, branched clusters and appear as feathery white tufts (some purple), about 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, appearing in late summer.

Fruit: A small achene tipped with long feathery white bristles (dandelion like), ripen in early fall and often in great abundance giving the plant a silvery look.

 

Twig: Slender, green and angled, may be sticky.
Bark: Gray, reddish brown, developing furrows and flat-topped ridges.

It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower in October. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is not self-fertile.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline and saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Cultivation :
Succeeds in a sunny position in any well-drained soil, from heavy clays to pure sands. Tolerates saline conditions and dry soils. A useful shrub for coastal situations, resisting maritime exposure. Plants are hardy to about -15°c. A fast-growing plant, it is very tolerant of pruning and can be cut right back to the base if required. The presence of this plant growing wild was supposed to indicate areas where oil might be found. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation:
Seed – no pre-treatment is required. Surface sow in pots a cold frame in the spring, do not let the compost dry out. Germination usually takes place within 1 – 2 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Very easy. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, November in a frame. Easy

Medicinal Actions & Uses
Demulcent.
The plant is used as a palliative and demulcent in consumption and cough.

Other Uses:
Fuel; Hedge; Soil stabilization.
A good fast-growing hedge for exposed maritime conditions. It retains its leaves into the new year but is rather bare in late winter. Plants have an extensive root system and can be grown on sand or thin coastal soils in order to bind the soil. Resinous secretions on the leaves and wood make this a useful fuel. It is a fairly small plant though and would not be a very productive source.

Known Hazards: The plant is potentially toxic to livestck.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/shrubs/baccharis_halimifolia.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baccharis_halimifolia
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Baccharis+halimifolia
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/syllabus2/factsheet.cfm?ID=482

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Health Alert

Prevention is Better Than Cure

Latest Cancer Info…

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO COMBAT CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY…

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:-

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1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.

3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc., and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

 

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment
. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.

To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine.
Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water–best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

 

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body’s own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment.  Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

 

Source:Medical Journal

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