Friday 21 June 2013

How to Reduce Your Cholesterol Levels!

I NEITHER ENDORSE NOR OBJECT TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS BLOG. THEY ARE SIMPLY COLLECTED AT ONE PLACE.
Most of the points listed below are well known to the Cholesterol conscious people and I believe they are already taking the steps recommended in this article.
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How to Reduce Your Cholesterol Levels!

Before blaming family genetics, or panic over the latest blood test, it's important to first remember that cholesterol is, first and foremost, an essential molecule, without it there would be no life, and also - that we have the ability to influence the level of cholesterol in our bodies.

The level of cholesterol in our body is a result of the process of creating cholesterol by the liver. In fact, over 85% of our cholesterol is created by the liver. The rest comes from eating animal products: Beef, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy.

The body is an amazing system, and if a healthy body creates cholesterol, then it is indeed an essential material in our bodies:
-  Cholesterol is used to build needed steroids.
- Cholesterol is used to build hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
- Cholesterol is vital for the creation of vitamin D.
- The membrane of every cell in our body contains cholesterol.

When there's too much cholesterol

A situation of higher than normal levels of cholesterol can be worrying, because it may build inside the blood vessels and cause coronary diseases, which may lead to heart attacks or stroke.
As of today, the normal range of cholesterol in the body is up to 200 mg.

The common medicine to take care of additional cholesterol delay the enzyme that takes part in the process of creating cholesterol in the liver so in fact we limit the rate of building our own cholesterol. But is it logical for us to limit the internal creation of cholesterol without addressing the external source? Nutrition will always be at the forefront of dealing with a surplus of cholesterol.

How can we reduce the levels of cholesterol?

- Reducing or eliminating animal foods: Beef, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products and especially foods rich in fat and cholesterol.
- Consuming Phytosterols that come from vegetation. Phytosterols have a similar chemical structure to cholesterol and because of this similarity they both compete for absorption by the lower intestine, and so consuming them will reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed.  A good daily amount would be 1.5-2.5 grams a day.
Best sources for Phytosterols: Sesame oil and corn oil but also grains, nuts and seeds: wheat germ, flax seed, wheat bran, peanuts, almonds and cashews, fruits and vegetables: beets, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, onions, oranges and legumes: peas and beans. Legumes and grains are a good source of proteins instead of the fat rich foods.
- Staying away from trans-fats. Trans fat also appears as vegetable oil that has gone through hydrogenation in order to make it harder. This fat is not recommended at all and you'd be best staying clear of it. It is mainly found in processed foods such as margarine, puff pastry, pastries such as croissants, and processed cakes and cookies.

A few more tips...

- Consuming anti-oxidants will help limit the oxidation of cholesterol and consuming them will help getting the cholesterol off  the artery walls.
- Consuming soluble fibers, which are abundant in full wheat products, oatmeal, vegetables and fruit. These absorb conversion salts in the digestion system and the body then uses cholesterol to make new ones, thus reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood stream.
- Daily exercise.  We know it's tough, but you'll thank us when you get less bad cholesterol, and more good cholesterol.

 

Saturday 15 June 2013

Battle of the Bulge

I NEITHER ENDORSE NOR OBJECT TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS BLOG. THEY ARE SIMPLY COLLECTED AT ONE PLACE

'Stomach' means 'pot belly' or 'tummy' in this article .  You need a stomach and cannot live if it goes away. There are some yoga exercises of stretching and relaxing muscles around the stomach in the abdominal area. Baba Ramdeoji shows them in his programme.  One wonders how he can control those muscles. This Chinese method appears simple. However, most of the people having a 'bulge' are likely to have one of the problems listed in the end and are advised to not try this method.  
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Rub Your Stomach Away in 2 Minutes a Day?


Did You Know   that you can rub your stomach away effortlessly using nothing but your hand   for only 2 minutes a day?

After spending a lovely long weekend at Center Parcs, it was fascinating to observe just how many people seemed to be battling the bulge - especially that bulge around the middle!

I love this simple idea of  rubbing your stomach away in 2 minutes a day,   a good habit to add to your daily routine don' t you think?

This may sound hard to believe, but Dr. Stephen Chang, an M.D. and Ph.D. who s trained in both Western and Chinese medicine, states that this simple 2-minute internal exercise, which does not come from Western medicine, but rather from the wisdom of ancient Chinese sages   has been used successfully as a self-healing mechanism for over 6,000 years.

Whatever you do, don t confuse this internal exercise with the external exercises of the Western world, such as sit-ups, crunches and other movements that only firm up the underlying stomach muscles,   but do nothing to melt the fat surrounding those muscles.

According to Dr. Chang, losing weight is a simple matter of increasing the efficiency of the digestive system. If you' ve ever wondered why you fail to shed pounds even when you reduce your food and/or caloric intake,   the reason is because your digestive and eliminatory systems are not functioning efficiently.

The following 2-minute exercise works like a gentle colonic irrigation that helps speed up a sluggish digestive system (which usually carries at least 5 pounds of fecal matter within it), and this elimination of useless sludge has the effect of burning off excess fat. The exercise effectively metabolizes the fatty tissues around the stomach and intestines, and flushes them out of your body through blood, sweat, urine, and feces.

Here s how to do the stomach-rubbing exercise:

1) Lie flat on your back on your bed or on the floor. Take your top off or pull it up so that your abdominal area is bare.

2) Rub your hands together vigorously for about 15 seconds, or until they feel hot. Rub Stomach Away

3) Place one of your hands directly on your belly button and begin to rub in small circles around your belly button, and gradually make the circles larger (as shown in the diagram). Use fairly firm but comfortable pressure and rub at a slow, even pace, approximately 1 circle per second.

4) Concentrate on the heat building up in, around and throughout your stomach.

5) Do about 40 to 50 circles, or for an approximate duration of 2 minutes or more.
Note: It is important to keep the abdominal area warm while doing the exercise, especially during winter months when even heated indoor air tends to be cool.

For best results, do this routine twice a day for 2 minutes,  first thing in the morning (before breakfast) and just before you go to bed. Most people see noticeable results within 1 week of consistent practice.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the stomach is the center of energy. Massaging the stomach in the manner described above therefore accomplishes more than just melting away adipose tissue (fat). It also
* stimulates the abdominal organs
* helps speed up slow digestion and remedies constipation
* increases blood circulation in the abdominal area
* helps heal indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and the adverse effects of overeating

Caution:

The stomach massage should not be practiced immediately after a heavy meal.
Neither is it advisable for women who are pregnant, or have inflammation of the uterus, bladder, ovaries and fallopian tubes; and individuals who have the following conditions: hypertension; stones in the gall bladder, kidneys or bladder; general, femoral, inguinal and umbilical hernia; bleeding of the stomach, lungs or brain; or ulcers of the intestines and stomach.             


Friday 7 June 2013

COCONUT TREE - कल्पवृक्ष

I NEITHER ENDORSE NOR OBJECT TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS BLOG. THEY ARE SIMPLY COLLECTED AT ONE PLACE

A lot is being said about 'The Good / Bad cholesterol' in Coconut oil and the medical advice generally appears to be on the negative side. This article claims that "it lowers cholesterol", whatever that phrase may mean! Coconut oil is widely used in southern part of India for cooking. In Maharashtra, it is mainly used for applying on hair and for massaging the body. It definitely has some good effect on the skin. However, now a days some people do not want oily look of the skins. Tender coconut water is certainly very tasty and healthy drink, It is given to patients suffering from many deceases, especially related to digestive system. It is also given to expectant mothers as a nourishing drink.  However, it must be consumed within minutes of breaking the coconut. After some time it turns into an alcoholic drink called Maadi and consumed in coastal parts of India in that form, which is obviously bad for health. I have not heard of injecting it into the blood in place of saline water or for transfusion. It cannot be an equivalent of blood for obvious reasons. Raw Coconut flesh (ओले खोबरे) is added to many food items in coastal region, where it is easily available.  This is an important ingredient, probably a unique one, as it is widely used in preparation of sweets as well as namakeen or spice food items. For example it is used in the popular item Modak or Barfi (sweets) and also in a very tasty Chutney or certain vegetables, Masale Bhat (Indian fried rice) etc.
So on the whole coconut is good for health (as well as tasty food), perhaps not as good as claimed in this article. However, those who have to watch their cholesterol levels and weight have to restrict consuming any vegetable or animal fats and that would include all oils. So coconut should also be consumed in moderate quantities.
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COCONUTS


Did You Know...

That coconuts are one of the wonder foods on earth that amply provides for all human needs? They can even save your life!

Few people (even fewer doctors) understand how important the coconut is to stabilizing blood sugar; lowering cholesterol; healing; hydration; and even replacing blood plasma in an emergency.

Referred to as kalpa vriksha (Sanskrit for "the tree that supplies all that is needed to live") in ancient India, the coconut palm has been recognized as a top immune booster, antifungal,antibiotic, antiviral and antibacterial remedy for thousands of years all over the world. Yet, it has only been recently that modern researchers have begun to fully discover the massive health benefits this amazing fruit seed offers.

To give just one example of coconuts' live-saving properties, they were used extensively in the Pacific during World War II. Since blood plasma supplies were scarce, it was very common for medics to siphon pure coconut water from young coconuts to be used as emergency plasma transfusions for soldiers who were injured. Since coconut water is nearly identical to human blood, it was suitable for people of all blood types.

Because of its strong antioxidant properties, the coconut can be used to:
==> Lower cholesterol
==> Improve digestion
==> Ward off wrinkles
==> Stabilize glucose levels
==> Fight off viruses
==> Build cells
==> Regulate hormones
==> Increase thyroid production
==> Lose weight
==> Increase metabolism
==> Fight infections
==> Stave off memory loss
==> Kill bacteria
==> And more!

Considered one of the most treasured foods of all time, coconut products -- including coconut flesh, coconut water, coconut oil, and coconut cream -- each deliver superb health benefits.

Coconut oil, for instance, is considered the best and safest oil to use for cooking -- even superior to extra virgin olive oil when it comes to giving the body what it needs for optimum health. Unlike other fats and oils that we typically use for cooking and baking, coconut oil does not form polymerized oils or dangerous Trans fatty acids in our bodies, which can raise our cholesterol levels; clog our arteries and even make our skin sag and wrinkle. Plus, this ultra-safe oil can give your body important antioxidants that can help build stronger cells and improve your overall health and well being.

Here are a few ways that you can use coconut products to stave off disease and to recapture the look and feeling of youth:

Coconut Water - The coconut is a natural water filter. It takes almost 9 months for a coconut to filter every quart of water stored within its shell. This makes the resulting coconut water completely pure and sterile, which is one reason why it can be used for blood transfusions.

Another benefit of coconut water is the fact that it has the highest concentration of electrolytes than anything else found in nature. This makes it an excellent source of hydration.

Coconut Oil - In addition to being superior for cooking and baking, coconut oil also makes a superb topical oil that can help to naturally rid the skin of dangerous toxins. It also gives the skin the perfect mix of hydration and antioxidants that it needs to stay healthy, smooth and younger-looking longer.

Another great benefit of coconut oil is in protecting your teeth from the bacteria that can cause cavities and disease. Simply rubbing a little fresh coconut oil on your gums and teeth can keep them stronger and healthier than virtually any other dental treatment.

Most people don't realize that coconut oil can actually help you lose weight! Yes, simply changing your cooking oil from the unsaturated fat variety to coconut oil can help you lose those extra pounds. Here's why: Unsaturated fats found in canola, corn and other vegetables oils, as well as margarine suppress the metabolism, which makes it harder to lose weight -- and easier to gain it. Over time, this metabolism suppression may result in 20-30 pounds of excess weight that your body cannot get rid of. Coconut oil, on the other hand, helps to increase thyroid function and boost your metabolism -- 2 important components to shedding unwanted pounds.

Coconut Cream - The best skin treatment product one can use to achieve flawless skin may quite possibly be coconut cream. Unlike traditional skin creams which can actually introduce fats and oils to the skin that will break it down over time, making it look older, creams derived from the coconut can actually replenish the skin, giving it a more youthful and healthy glow than most other skin care products on the market.

When it comes to buying coconut products, coconuts are not all created equal. Wild coconuts are always best, but can be hard to obtain if you don't live in a tropical country. Whether you are using this wonder food to boost your immune system; increase your metabolism or fight wrinkles, using products from young coconuts will help you reap the most benefit.

Young coconuts contain the purest unsaturated fat, compared to the fat found in the more mature varieties. This is why they offer the most rejuvenation properties for the body's tissues. But how can you tell how old a coconut is? Young coconuts are usually green in color and oddly shaped. The brown hairy ones are mature coconuts, and while they offer a lot of healthy benefits, they aren't nearly as good for you as younger varieties.

The best place to find young fresh coconuts is, of course, in the markets of the tropics, so be sure to seek them out if you travel to those areas. Coconut-producing regions export coconuts all over the world, however, so it's relatively easy to find coconuts at your local health food store or Asian grocer.