Eating less and exercising more are equally good at helping take off the pounds, US researchers said on Friday in a study that challenges many of the popular tenets of the multibillion dollar diet and fitness industry…..click & see
Tests on overweight people show that a calorie is just a calorie, whether lost by dieting or by running, they said.
They found there is no way to selectively lose belly fat, for instance, or trim thighs. And their carefully controlled study added to evidence that adding muscle mass does not somehow boost metabolism and help dieters take off even more weight.
“So long as the energy deficit is the same, body weight, fat weight, and abdominal fat will all decrease in the same way.”
Ravussin said the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism is one of the few done under controlled conditions that can actually show what happens to a human body while dieting and exercising.
Ravussin’s team has been testing volunteers for another reason — to see if taking in fewer calories helps people live longer.
Strict diets have been shown to help animals from worms to dogs live longer, but it takes longer to study monkeys and humans.
They tested 24 people, 12 who ate a calorie-restricted diet, and 12 who dieted and also exercised five times a week for six months.
The dieters ate 25% less than normal, while the exercisers reduced their calorie intake by 12.5% and increased their physical activity to lose an extra 12.5 in calories.
Another 10 volunteers acted as controls. All food was provided in carefully measured portions for most of the study.
The volunteers in both groups lost 10% of body weight, 24% of fat mass, and 27% of abdominal visceral fat. Visceral fat is packed in between the internal organs and is considered the most dangerous type of fat, linked with heart disease and diabetes.
The distribution of the fat on the body was not altered by either approach — helping prove that there is no such thing as “spot reducing”, Ravussin said in a telephone interview. This suggests that “individuals are genetically programmed for fat storage in a particular pattern and that this programming cannot easily be overcome”, he added.
Ravussin has published other studies that also dispute the idea that exercise builds muscle that helps people lose weight.
“If anything, highly trained people are highly efficient, so they burn fewer calories at rest,”Ravussin said. Dieting alone also did not appear to cause the volunteers to lose muscle mass along with fat, Ravussin’s team found.
“There is a concept that if you exercise, you are going to lose less of your muscle,”he said. But his team found no evidence this is true.
Habitat : Sumac is native to Middle East and Mediterian countries.It grows several places in the Euperian Continent.
Description:
Sumacs are shrubs and small trees that can reach a height of 1–10 m (3.3–32.8 ft). The leaves are spirally arranged; they are usually pinnately compound, though some species have trifoliate or simple leaves. The flowers are in dense panicles or spikes 5–30 cm (2.0–11.8 in) long, each flower very small, greenish, creamy white or red, with five petals. The fruits form dense clusters of reddish drupes called sumac bobs. The dried drupes of some species are ground to produce a tangy crimson spice. CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
Propagation: Sumacs propagate both by seed (spread by birds and other animals through their droppings), and by new shoots from rhizomes, forming large clonal colonies.
Edible Uses:
The fruits (drupes) of the genus Rhus are ground into a reddish-purple powder used as a spice in Middle Eastern cuisine to add a lemony taste to salads or meat. In Arab cuisine, it is used as a garnish on meze dishes such as hummus and is added to salads in the Levant. In Iranian (Persian and Kurdish) cuisines, sumac is added to rice or kebab. In Jordanian and Turkish cuisines, it is added to salad-servings of kebab and lahmacun. Rhus coriaria is used in the spice mixture za’atar.
In North America, the smooth sumac (R. glabra) and the staghorn sumac (R. typhina) are sometimes used to make a beverage termed “sumac-ade”, “Indian lemonade”, or “rhus juice”. This drink is made by soaking the drupes in cool water, rubbing them to extract the essence, straining the liquid through a cotton cloth, and sweetening it. Native Americans also use the leaves and drupes of the smooth and staghorn sumacs combined with tobacco in traditional smoking mixtures.
Sumac is a very popular condiment in Turkey and Iran, where the ground fruits are liberally sprinkled over rice. Mixed with freshly cut onions, it is frequently eaten as an appetizer. The well-known Turkish fast food specialty döner kebap is sometimes flavoured with sumac powder.
In Jordan, a spice mixture called zahtar is extremely popular; it took its name from a local species of marjoram which is one of its main ingredients. Since this West Asian marjoram is hardly available outside of the region, it must be substituted by a mixture of marjoram with some thyme or oregano. Zahtar is, then, made by combining the dried marjoram herb with nutty sesame seeds, acidic sumac, salt and optionally some pepper. Similar mixtures are reported from Syria and Israel. Zahtar is mostly used to spice up fried and barbecued meat up to taste; combined with olive oil, it can also be used as a bread dip like the closely related Egypt spice mixture dukka.
Another use of sumac is recorded from Lebanon, Syria and Egypt: The fruits are cooked with water to a thick, very sour essence, which is, then, added to meat and vegetable dishes; this method was also common as early as in Roman times (see silphion for details of Roman cookery) and finds a close parallel in the usage of tamarind in contemporary Indian and Indonesian cuisines.
Outside of the Middle East, the true sumac spice is not known; yet, there are sumac species with culinary merit also further in the East. For example, Rh. chinensis (Chinese Sumac) grows in the Himalayas, in China and South East Asia. In Nepal, it is used to prepare a delicious sour and fruity pickle (amilo achar by some Himalayan ethnicities like the Thakali. In the North East Indian states Nagaland and Mizoram, sumac fruits are dried, coarsely ground and used as table condiment, or (often mixed with salt and chile powder) just enjoyed between meals.
Medicinal Uses:
It is said to have diuretic and antipyretic properties.Sumac was used as a treatment for half a dozen different ailments in medieval medicine, primarily in Middle-Eastern countries (where sumac was more readily available than in Europe). An 11th-century shipwreck off the coast of Rhodes, excavated by archeologists in the 1970s, contained commercial quantities of sumac drupes. These could have been intended for use as medicine, as a culinary spice, or as a dye. Staghorn sumac is a powerful antioxidant.Medical uses have included digestion and bowel problems.
Other Uses:
Dye and tanning agent:
The leaves of certain sumacs yield tannin (mostly pyrogallol-type), a substance used in vegetable tanning. Notable sources include the leaves of R. coriaria, Chinese gall on R. chinensis, and wood and roots of R. pentaphylla. Leather tanned with sumac is flexible, light in weight, and light in color. One type of leather made with sumac tannins is morocco leather.
Some beekeepers use dried sumac bobs as a source of fuel for their smokers.
Sumac stems also have a soft pith in the center that is useful in traditional native American pipemaking. They were commonly used as pipe stems in the northern United States.
Dried sumac wood fluoresces under long-wave ultraviolet radiation
Known Hazards: Some species formerly recognized in Rhus, such as poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans, syn.Rhus toxicodendron), poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum, syn. Rhus diversiloba) and poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix, syn. Rhus vernix), have the allergen urushiol and can cause severe allergic reactions. Poison sumac may be identified by its white drupes, which are quite different from the red drupes of true Rhus species.
Mowing of sumac is not a good control measure, since the wood is springy, resulting in jagged, sharp-pointed stumps when mowed. The plant will quickly recover with new growth after mowing. Goats have long been considered an efficient and quick removal method, as they eat the bark, which helps prevent new shoots. Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Approximately 16 million people in the United States suffer from diabetes. Many would do well to consider the use of herbs and nutritional supplements, which can complement conventional medical treatment and help prevent some complications of this chronic but manageable disease……….click & see
Symptoms Excessive thirst.
Frequent and excessive urination.
Extreme fatigue and weakness.
Unintentional weight loss.
Slow healing of cuts and wounds.
Recurring infections, such as urinary tract infections or vaginal yeast infections.
Blurred vision.
Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
When to Call Your Doctor
If you experience any of the symptoms listed above. Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.
What It Is
A person with diabetes doesn’t produce enough of the hormone insulin or is unable to use it effectively, which causes high blood sugar (glucose) levels. Over time, this imbalance can lead to heart disease, nerve damage, kidney disease, vision loss, and other complications. There are two types of diabetes. Less common is insulin-dependent diabetes (type 1), which usually develops before age 30. Non-insulin-dependent diabetes (type 2) accounts for 90% of cases; it usually appears after age 40.
What Causes It Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin. No one knows exactly why this happens, but some experts believe a virus or an autoimmune response, in which the body attacks its own pancreatic cells, is responsible. People with this type of diabetes must take insulin for life. Type 2 diabetes develops from insulin resistance. Here the pancreas secretes plenty of insulin, but the body’s cells don’t respond to it. Obesity plays a major role in most cases of type 2 diabetes. Genetic factors, however, can contribute to the onset of both types.
How Supplements Can Help
All the supplements can be used along with prescription drugs and by people with both types of diabetes. Taking some supplements may require altering dosages for insulin or the hypoglycemic drugs used for type 2 diabetes. Dosage changes must be supervised by your doctor.
What Else You Can Do
Exercise regularly. Those who burn more than 3,500 calories a week through exercise are half as likely to develop type 2 diabetes as those burning less than 500. People with type 1 can benefit from exercise too.
Lose weight. Being overweight is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
Eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to keep blood sugar in check.
People with diabetes may find it beneficial to add soy foods to their diet. These products — including tofu, soy protein, soy milk, and soy flour — may improve glucose control, protect against heart disease, and lessen the stress on the kidneys.
The herb ginkgo biloba is useful for two common side effects of diabetes: nerve damage and poor circulation in the extremities. If you have signs of either complication or if you have trouble controlling your blood sugar levels, try taking ginkgo biloba at a dose of 40 mg three times a day.
Vitamin B Complex
Dosage: 1 pill each morning with food. Comments: Look for a B-100 complex with 100 mcg vitamin B12 and biotin; 400 mcg folic acid; and 100 mg all other B vitamins.
Chromium
Dosage: 200 mcg 3 times a day. Comments: Take with meals.
Gymnema Sylvestre
Dosage: 200 mg twice a day. Comments: May require change in insulin or diabetes medication. Talk to your doctor.
Essential Fatty Acids
Dosage: 1,000 mg evening primrose oil 3 times a day; 1,000 mg fish oils twice a day. Comments: Or use 1,000 mg borage oil once a day for primrose oil.
Antioxidants
Dosage: 1,000 mg vitamin C, 400 IU vitamin E, and 150 mg alpha-lipoic acid each morning. Comments: Alpha-lipoic acid may affect blood sugar; use with care.
Zinc/Copper
Dosage: 30 mg zinc and 2 mg copper a day. Comments: Add copper only when using zinc longer than 1 month.
Bilberry
Dosage: 160 mg twice a day. Comments: Standardized to contain 25% anthocyanosides.
Taurine
Dosage: 500 mg L-taurine twice a day on an empty stomach. Comments: If using longer than 1 month, add mixed amino acids.
Source:Your Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs (Reader’s Digest)
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.
Cacao (Theobroma cacao) belongs to the genus Theobroma classified under the subfamily Sterculioidea of the mallow family Malvaceae. Cacao is one of 22 species of Theobroma.
The generic name is derived from the Greek for “food of the gods”;
The specific name cacao is derived from the native name of the plant in indigenous Mesoamerican languages. The cacao was known as kakaw in Tzeltal, K’iche’ and Classic Maya; kagaw in Sayula Popoluca; and cacahuatl[dubious – discuss] in Nahuatl.
Cacao flowers.
Cupuaçu, Theobroma grandiflorum, is a closely related species found in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. Like cacao, it is also the source for a kind of chocolate known as cupulate or cupuaçu chocolate. Cupuaçu is considered as having high potential by the food and cosmetics industries
Habitat :Theobroma cacao is native to the deep tropical regions of Central and South America. Its seeds, cocoa beans, are used to make cocoa mass, cocoa powder, and chocolate.
Description:
Leaves are alternate, entire, unlobed, 10–40 cm (3.9–15.7 in) long and 5–20 cm (2.0–7.9 in) broad.
The flowers are produced in clusters directly on the trunk and older branches; this is known as cauliflory. The flowers are small, 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) diameter, with pink calyx. While many of the world’s flowers are pollinated by bees (Hymenoptera) or butterflies/moths (Lepidoptera), cacao flowers are pollinated by tiny flies, Forcipomyia midges in the order Diptera. The fruit, called a cacao pod, is ovoid, 15–30 cm (5.9–11.8 in) long and 8–10 cm (3.1–3.9 in) wide, ripening yellow to orange, and weighs about 500 g (1.1 lb) when ripe. The pod contains 20 to 60 seeds, usually called “beans”, embedded in a white pulp. The seeds are the main ingredient of chocolate, while the pulp is used in some countries to prepare refreshing juice, smoothies, jelly, and nata. Each seed contains a significant amount of fat (40–50%) as cocoa butter. Their most noted active constituent is theobromine, a compound similar to caffeine.
CLICK TO SEE THE PICTURES
Although not often considered to be a spice, the seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree deserve to be thought of as an exotic, aromatic, flavor with medicinal values, i.e. as a spice. It originated in the Yucatan area of Mexico, and it was used as a hot drink by the Maya and as a cold, sweetened drink by the Aztecs. Linnaeus chose to call the chocolate tree Theobroma, meaning “food of the godsâ€, since it was used as an offering by the Maya and Aztecs in their religious ceremonies. The word “cacao†is from the Mayan, ka-ka-io; the word chocolate comes from Mayan “chocol†(hot) and Nahuatl “alt†(water) implying that the chocolate content of the bean was extracted by hot water.
The Spanish brought chocolate beans to Europe in 1544, but the original criollo cacao trees have since been replaced by a variety of the tree called forastero; this has resulted in a blander form of chocolate which now comes from many parts of the world, including West Africa. The harvesting of cocoa pods in some African countries has become notorious, since it is based essentially on slave labor. Over the centuries and in different countries, chocolate has been enjoyed in many different forms and flavors. The Mayans added vanilla and chile to it, and this exists today as mole. Allspice, annatto, cinnamon, mace and other spices have been added to this sauce; less popular were combinations including ambergris (a secretion of sperm whales), musk, jasmine, lemon peel and so on. Sweetening with honey or sugar and the addition of milk made chocolate drinks and confections more addictive.
At one time, chocolate houses were as popular in Europe as coffee houses have become in the U.S.A. Schivelbusch comments that coffee was a “Protestant, northern drink†while chocolate was its “Catholic, southern counterpartâ€. However, as chocolate and cocoa spread from the aristocratic courts of Spain to become a more mundane drink in France, it became a more social, Bohemian, non-alcoholic alternative social drink in England and other northern countries. Eventually, the chocolaty drink, cocoa, declined in importance as it became a beverage directed at children, as an alternative to tea and coffee. Nevertheless, countries such as Switzerland and Belgium produced famous varieties of chocolate confections that appeal to ordinary and sophisticated consumers who accept that their delight in the product is a mild addiction, based on the sweetness and the deliciousness of the manufactured product. Surely, this makes the chocolate seed a spice, equal to spicy flavors such as vanilla and cinnamon. Useful Parts:
All cocoa beans are fermented, dried, roasted, crushed into nibs or pieces, then further ground into a liquid mass usually containing 50% cocoa butter.†(Mulherin. Spices, 1992)
Constituents: caffeine, flavonoids, phenylethylalamine, anandamide, magnesium, sulfur, oleic acid, theobromine, tryptophan Medicinal Properties * Antioxidant * Aphrodisiac * Diuretic * Emmenagogue * Stimulant
The theobromine content may stimulate the brain, since it is an xanithine similar to coffee. Recently, the polyphenols in chocolate have been generously praised as being potent anti-oxidants that may prevent degenerative diseases, thus reducing the guilt sensations of chocaholics. However, true medicinal values have not been established for pure chocolate.
Chocolate is made from the fermented, roasted and ground beans taken from the pods of the tropical cacao tree. Cacao Theobroma, named for the Latin ‘food of the gods’, contains oleic acid which may raise good cholesterol. There is plenty more good news for those of us who are chocolate lovers. Dark chocolate’s cacao content has been shown to have positive effects on mood swings, coughing, high blood pressure 119 and even contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. Chocolate contains stearic acid, which does not raise bad cholesterol levels, and cocoa butter which is in chocolate, contains oleic acid, which actually may raise good cholesterol.
There are over 350 known chemicals found in chocolate, including stimulants like caffeine, theobromine, phenylethylamine and anandamide. Theobromine, the alkaloid contained in the beans, resembles caffeine in its action, but its effect on the central nervous system is less powerful and does not have the sleep disturbing effects of caffeine. It may actually be a more effective cough medicine than traditional remedies making it a safe nighttime calmer for children. 120
Phenylethylamine (PEA) is partly responsible for the “high” that you get from eating chocolate. PEA facilitates the release of dopamine a naturally occurring chemical into your body. The neurotransmitter anandamide, also found in chocolate is responsible for the prolonged pleasurable sensation of the previous mentioned PEA. This positive feeling can help support your diet goals along with cardiovascular exercise and reduced calorie intake. Whatever the reason recent studies show that adults who eat chocolate on a regular basis are actually thinner that those who don’t and that modest, regular chocolate consumption might be calorie-neutral. 3
Chocolate – what women want!
Chocolate enjoys an reputation as an aphrodisiac, which may explain the tradition of chocolates and Valentines day. It’s interesting to note that most researchers claim that women prefer chocolate over sex. Cocoa Butter is an aromatic solid butter pressed from the roasted seeds of the cacao tree that brings a supple, luxurious feel to dry skin.
. Historical View:
Cacao butter has been but lately introduced into the British and United States pharmocopoeias, but it has been long used on the Continent. It is peculiarly well adapted from its consistency, blandness, and freedom from rancidity, for the preparation of suppositories for which purpose it is official. It is also used as a basis for pessaries, as an ingredient in cosmetic ointments, and for coating pills and other purposes.â€
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider
Just when you thought you had covered the bases with your teenager about drugs and alcohol, you are hit with a new trend in drug abuse: prescription drug abuse. Unfortunately, prescription drug abuse is on the rise among our youth. Data from the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows the second most popular category of drug use after marijuana is the non-medical use of prescription drugs.Always remember, taking prescription drugs without a doctor’s approval and supervision can be a dangerous even deadly decision.
What can you do to prevent prescription drug abuse?
Once again, the answer is simple: Talk to your kids. Let them know that you oppose all illicit drug use including prescription and OTC drug use. Monitor their behavior by randomly checking up on them to make sure they are where they say they are. Know their friends and their friends families.
Also, itâs time for you to take inventory in your own home. Keep your prescription medications out of reach. They should not be in a place where your kids or their friends can find them. Put them in a safe place where only you have access. Move your OTC medications to a safe place as well. Just as you do for alcohol, make a note of the levels in each bottle.
Monitor the Web sites that your child visits on the Internet. Some teens actually order medications via Web sites (or “pill millsâ€) that are not monitored by the FDA. These sites are sometimes in countries outside of the United States. Be sure to review the history trail on your computer and carefully track where your teen is making purchases on the Web especially if you allow them access to your credit card, or if they have their own card.
What are the signs of abuse?
The symptoms are pretty obvious: slurred speech, staggering walk, sweating, nausea, vomiting, numbness of extremities, dilated pupils, drowsiness, dizziness. If your teen shows these signs of drug abuse, ask questions immediately — then talk calmly with them about the risks of abuse. Also check your mail and your Internet history to make sure your child isn’t ordering medications over the Internet. There are Internet pharmacies that will sell to just about anyone.
What can you say to your teens?
If your teen shows these signs of drug abuse, ask questions immediately — then talk calmly with them about the risks of abuse. Make it a rule that they should never take prescription drugs unless you or their physician prescribes them. Visit the Action Guide for Parents for more information on how to start the conversation.
Always remember Parents can make a difference. Your kid may be mad now, but they will thank you later.
