CHOOSE YOUR LOW-CHOLESTEROL, HEART-HEALTHY DIET

Written by Neill Abayon

MEAT,POULTRY, FISH and SHELLFISH

CHOOSE - Lean cuts of meat with the fat trimmed,chickes and fish.
GO EASY - Shellfish such as tahong and talaba.
AVOID - Fatty cuts of meat, goose, duck, liver, kidneys, sausage, bacon, lechon, regular luncheon meats, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, adobong baboy and dinuguan.

DAIRY PRODUCTS

CHOOSE - Skim milk, 1% fat milk,low fat yougurt, low fat cottage cheeses with no more than 3 grams of fat per ounce.
GO EASY - 2% fat milk, yogurt, part-skim ricotta, part-skim or immitation hard cheeses, lite cream cheese, lite sour cream.
AVOID - whole milk cream, whipped cream, hard cheeses, cream cheese, sour cream, kesong puti and queso de bola.

FATS and OILS

CHOOSE - Corn, olive, canola, sunflower, sesame, soybean and sunflower oils, margarine that has liquid vegetables oil as the first listed in ingredients and less than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving
GO EASY - Nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, peanut oil.
AVOID - SAturated fat, butter, lard, bacon fat, coconut.

BREADS, CEREALS, PASTA and RICE

CHOOSE - Most breads, pandesal, wheat bread, rice cakes, low fat crackers, hot and cold cereals, spaghetti, macaroni noodles,plain baked potato and rice.
GO EASY - Store-brought pancakes, waffles, biscuits, muffins and corn bread.
AVOID - Croissant, sweet rolls, doughnuts, crackers made with saturated or unhealthy oils, egg noodles, pasta,rice prepared with cream, butter or cheese, frenh fries.

FRUITS and VEGETABLES

CHOOSE - Fresh, frozen or dried fruits;canned fruits (watch sodium content).
GO EASY - Canned fruits in heavy syrup.
AVOID - Coconut; vegetables prepared in butter, cream or sauce.

SNACKS

CHOOSE - Low-fat frozen yogurt popsicles, hard candy, plain popcorn, freetzels, fruit juices, tea, coffee
GO EASY - Ice milk, homemade cakes, cookies and pies prepared with unsaturated oils.
AVOID - Ice cream, candy, chocolate, potato chips, buttered popcorn, milk shakes, frappes, floats, store-bought pies, most store-bought frosted and pound cakes.

EGGS

CHOOSE - Egg white.
GO EASY - Egg yolk (3-4/week)

How Much Exercise Is Enough?

Posted by Neill Abayon

Everyone should exercise for 20 minutes three times per week. No, make that five times per week for 30 minutes. No, make it more like an hour every day. No, scratch that — short bursts of intense activity for 10 minutes at a time, a few times a day.

You hear so much contradictory information about exercise, it's hard to know what to believe. No wonder so many people tune out completely, and go back to surfing the Net or watching TV. A logical conclusion might be that researchers do not know what they are talking about. Actually, the situation is much worse — all of those seemingly contradictory recommendations are probably true.

In actuality, you only need to do gentle activities like walking and gardening to lower your risk of heart disease. Below is a quick guide to what constitutes a reasonable prescription for exercise:

1. If you aren't doing much physically, then mild exercise a few times a week will cut your heart disease risk in half. Americans have become incredibly sedentary — remote controls, drive-up banks, elevators and other conveniences have made it possible to get through the day burning a trivial amount of calories. As a result, even mild activity — like walking at a reasonable clip — a few times per week can make a big difference in the health of your blood vessels. Just raising your heart rate and dilating those arteries modestly can help to lower your blood pressure and fight off atherosclerosis. So, if you are a true couch potato, the orders from this doctor are to begin doing 20- to 30-minute walks three days a week. If you feel chest pressure, light-headed or markedly short of breath, see your doctor right away. But if not, get back out there in two days.


2. If you do mild exercise a few times a week, increase the frequency to every day. At this point, we know it is safe for you to take those one- to two-mile walks. So what's the point of waiting two days before your next one? Going to daily exercise will help you to burn more calories, and that will have a whole range of beneficial health effects.


3. If you can do mild or moderate physical activities daily, start doing short bursts of more intense activity. You can jog five or 10 miles per day at the same slow clip, and you will burn plenty of calories, but you won't really make your cardiovascular system much healthier. One of the painful messages from recent research is that intense activity — 30 to 60 seconds of really pushing yourself — takes the health of your blood vessels to a new level. This kind of interval training is what athletes do, and for good reason. It conditions your arteries to pump out nitric oxide and other chemicals that help them dilate when your muscles really need a lot of blood. And there is pretty good evidence that this kind of stress on the arteries helps to keep them younger.

Naturally, you should not increase your activity level if you feel any of the warning symptoms described above. Those are good reasons to stop, rest and give your physician a call. But the bottom line on exercise is that whatever you are doing, try doing more. If you are burning a lot of calories with long bouts of exercise, you should try exercising more intensely for shorter periods.

It takes discipline to constantly move to a higher level of exercise. Sometimes working with a trainer or going to an exercise class can help. In the meantime, consider these recommendations a doctor's orders.

Are You Depressed?

Posted by Neill Abayon

You may think this is an easy question to answer, but it's not wise to make your own diagnosis of depression — leave that to a professional. However, you may want to ask yourself a few basic questions first:

• Do you feel unhappy, irritable or anxious?
• Have you stopped enjoying the activities that always made you happy? Or have you always had trouble enjoying yourself?
• Are you no longer able to do the things you need to do to keep things going at home or at work?
• Are you less hopeful about the future?
• Do find that it is hard to make important decisions without too much anxiety or distress?
• Are you sleeping poorly, too little or too much? Do you have trouble getting to sleep or do you wake too early?
• Has your appetite changed? Have you lost or gained weight as a result?
• Do you have less energy than you need?
• Do you think about hurting yourself? Do you wish for death or think about suicide?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, especially if your answer has been yes for more than a few weeks or months, you may have a depression that needs help. It may make you anxious to seek assistance, but you may also have a lot to gain.

Who should take vitamins?

Posted by Neill Abayon

When there is clear evidence of a vitamin deficiency, treatment decisions are generally easy. But when it comes to routine use of vitamin supplements, experts have come to different conclusions. And people often ignore expert recommendations anyway, taking vitamins that no medical provider has suggested and not bothering to take ones that may have been suggested as a preventive measure.

There is sound scientific evidence to support the regular use of certain vitamins by:

• Pregnant women — A daily prenatal vitamin is part of routine obstetric care. Probably the most important component is folic acid (or folate), which can markedly reduce the risk of certain birth defects (including neural tube defects). In fact, women of child-bearing age who might become pregnant are encouraged to take folic acid even before pregnancy.


• Perimenopausal women — Vitamin D (along with calcium) is recommended to prevent osteoporosis and other bone disease.


• People with cardiovascular disease — Folic acid (yes, again!) is recommended, especially for those with elevated homocysteine levels.


• Vegetarians — A multivitamin is recommended because certain vitamins, such as B12, are available only from animal sources. Strict vegans are particularly at risk. Riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D and vitamin A are also concerns for those avoiding meat or animal products. One daily multivitamin will provide enough supplementation for all of them.


• Smokers and heavy alcohol drinkers — Extra vitamin C and folic acid may reduce the risk of disease for people who smoke and drink too much. In addition, people who drink excess alcohol are more prone to thiamin (vitamin B1), pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and riboflavin deficiencies. A daily multivitamin provides inexpensive nutritional insurance.


• The elderly — Because poor nutrition is common in this group, especially those who are sick and frail, vitamin deficiency is also common. A multivitamin is often recommended to prevent complications from deficiencies in vitamin D and B vitamins.

BASIC HEALING PRINCIPLES

Written by Neill Abayon

The basic principle which modern medicine is based in twofold: poisoning and cutting. While in training every physician and nurse is taught that every drug is poisonous. Two primary types of poisons are used: chemical poisoning and radiation poisoning. The other method is cutting. If something is wrong with an organ, cut it out instead of letting it heal.
In great contrast are the natural healing principles which work with the body's own efforts to restore health. Here we find rest, generally brief liquid fasts, light meals, enemas, water applications, fresh air, sunshine, avoidance of harmful substances, and trust in divine power.

Here is a clarifying passage which is outstanding in its simplicity and breath of understanding:

1. The solution is to teach the people: the only hope of better things is in the education of the people in right principles. Let the physicians teach the people that restorative power is not in drugs, but in nature.

2. The true nature of "disease". It is a cleansing process: Disease is an effort of nature to free the system from conditions that result from violation of the law of health.

3. What we should do when a person is sick: In case of sickness the cause should be ascertained. Unhealthful conditions should be changed, wrong habits corrected.

4. Here are the eight natural remedies: Pure air, sunlight, abstemiousness, rest, exercise, proper diet, the use of water, trust in divine power - These are the true remedies.

5. Everyone should be taught how to use these remedies: It is essential both to understand the principles involved in the treatment of the sick and to have a practical training that will enable one rightly to use this knowledge.

6. The use of natural remedies requires thought and work,but is well-worth it: The use of natural remedies requires an amount of care and effort that many are not willing to give. Nature's process of healing and upbuilding is gradual, and to the impatient it seems slow...But the end it will be found that nature, untrammeled, does her work wisely and well.

7. Prevention is better than treatment: Too little attention is generally given to the preservation of health. It is far better to prevent disease than to know how to treat it when contracted.

8. There are important laws of life which govern every part of our bodies, and our behavior: It is the duty of every person, for his own sake and for the sake of humanity. To inform himself in regard to the laws of life, and conscientiously to obey them.

9. Health is not the result of chance,but of obedience to law: We cannot be too often reminded that health does not depend on chance. It is a result of obedience to law.

10. Athletes understand this principle better than many others: This is recognized by the contestant in athletic games and trials of strength. These men make the most careful preparation. They submit to thorough training and strict discipline. Every physical habit is carefully regulated. They know that neglect excess, or carelessness, which weakens or cripples any organs or function of the body, would ensure defeat.

11. When we weaken our health, we weaken our mental and moral powers: Whatever injures the health, not only lessens physical vigor, but tends to weaken the mental and moral powers. Indulgence in any unhealthful practice makes it more difficult for one to discriminate between right and wrong, and hence more difficult to resist evil. It increases the danger of failure and defeat.

12. Everyone can be a winner, if he will determine to control himself and practice right principles: In the warfare in which we are engaged, all may win who will discipline themselves by obedience to right principles. The practice of these principles in the details of life is too often looked upon as unimportant - a matter too trivial to demand attention. Every act casts its weight into the scale that determines life's victory or defeat.

13. We must urge upon men and women the vital importance of self-mastery in controlling the appetites and passions, and keeping the body in good health: Men and women must be awakened to the duty of self-mastery, the need of purity, freedom from every depraving appetite and defiling habit.

14. The mind must control the body, or the mind will lose control of itself: The body is the only medium through which the mind and the soul developed for the upbuilding of character.

15. If we would have success, we must obey the law of God: The foundation of all enduring reform is the law of God. We are to present in clear, distinct lines the need of obeying this law. I'ts principle must be kept before the people.

Onion Rings

Posted by Neill Abayon

This obviously isn't something that you would make on a regular basis, but weekends are for celebrating, and sometimes a normally forbidden food becomes a great treat. They were delicious and we savoured each one carefully. We had a delightful dinner and enjoyed each other's company, and that is what eating together is about.

Onion Rings

2 Spanish or Videlia onions
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp chili powder
pinch cayenne
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Slice onion into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Separate into rings. Place buttermilk in dish and add chili and cayenne. Add onion rings and soak for 15 minutes.

2. Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet or wok on medium-high heat. Place flour, salt and pepper in plastic bag. Add rings and sake well.

3. When a cube of bread turns brown in 15 seconds, add rings to oil a few at a time, without crowding the pan and fry until golden and crisp, about 1-2 minutes.

4. Drain on paper towels, salt and serve immediately. If you are cooking them in batches, keep them warm in the oven at 200F until they are all cooked.


This is good for your weekends salu-salu.

Breast Milk Contains C8, Study Concludes

Posted by Neill Abayon

C8 and related chemicals used in nonstick pans and stain-resistant fabrics have been found in human breast milk, according to the first major U.S. study to examine breast-feeding as a possible exposure route.

Perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, were found in all of the 45 human breast milk samples tested in the new study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Toxicologist Kathleen Arcaro of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and other researchers tested the milk as part of Arcaro's ongoing investigation of links between environmental exposures and breast cancer.

It's one of several sources of contamination

"While nursing does not expose infants to a dose that exceeds recommended limits, breast milk should be considered as an additional source of PFCs when determining a child's total exposure," Arcaro said in a news release issued by her university.

In West Virginia, C8 is a major issue because the water supplies for thousands of Parkersburg-area residents have been contaminated with the toxic chemical.

Around the world, researchers are finding that people have C8 and other PFCs in their blood in low levels. Evidence is mounting about the chemical's dangerous effects, but U.S. regulators have not set a federal standard for emissions or human exposure.

Scientists are still sorting out how humans are exposed, but previous studies have examined Teflon pans, food and food packaging, and household dust as potential routes.

Full Story: http://wvgazette.com/News/200805030359

New Study Reports Widespread Eating Disorders

Posted by Neill Abayon

Disordered eating among women in the U.S. may be more widespread than we thought. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of young American women report experiencing disordered eating behaviors, and ten percent report symptoms of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, or binge eating disorder, according to new study findings published in HealthDay News.

These findings resulted from information provided by more than 4,000 women in an online poll conducted by SELF Magazine in conjunction with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). The women ranged in ages from 25 to 45.

"Our survey found that these behaviors cut across racial and ethnic lines, and are not limited to any one group. Women who identified their ethnic backgrounds as Hispanic or Latina, white, black or African American, and Asian were all represented among the women who reported unhealthy eating behaviors," said Cynthia R. Bulik, a professor of eating disorders and director of the UNC Eating Disorders Program.

"What we found most surprising was the unexpectedly high number of women who engage in unhealthy purging activities. More than 31 percent of women in the survey reported that in an attempt to lose weight, they have induced vomiting or had taken laxatives, diuretics or diet pills at some point in their lives. Among these women, more that 50 percent engaged in purging activities at least a few times a week, and many did so every day," Bulik said.

Eating habits such as skipping meals, avoiding carbohydrates and, in come cases, extreme dieting, were thought by some women to be normal. But the study finds that these habits may actually be signs of disordered eating, which is often linked with emotional and physical distress.

Although there seems to be a widespread belief that eating disorders affect mostly young women, the study found that a surprising number of women in their 30s and 40s had about the same rates of disordered eating as younger women.

Among the additional findings:

* 67 percent of the women (excluding those with actual eating disorders) are trying to lose weight.

* 53 percent of dieters are already at a healthy weight and are still trying to lose weight.

* 39 percent of the women said concerns about what they eat or weigh interfere with their happiness.

* 37 percent of women said they regularly skip meals to try to lose weight.

* 27 percent said they'd be extremely upset if they gained just five pounds.

* 26 percent have eliminated entire food groups from their diets.

* 16 percent have dieted on 1,000 calories a day.

* 13 percent smoke to lose weight.

* 12 percent often eat when they're not hungry, and 49 percent sometimes do.

Source:http://www.organicconsumers.org

LOW CARB DIETS COULD LEAVE YOU FEELING DOWN

Written by Neill Abayon

Low carbohydrate diets could lead to mood swings and depressions and leave slimmers

feeling like an "emotional zombie", researchers have claimed. High-protein, low-carb diets

have prompted criticism from doctors who fear they may increase the risk of health problems

such as kidney damage, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Tuna that you can eat

Posted by Neill Abayon

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that we can safely eat about 12 ounces of fish--about two average portions--per week, to help us fill up on the good things fish can offer, like Omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality protein, while skipping out on dietary baddies like saturated fats. Sounds easy enough--12 ounces per week--but that measurement isn't universally applicable to all fish.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has created a handy tuna calculator to help determine how much tuna you can safely eat in a week, even calculating how much albacore tuna (which has more mercury) you can eat versus how much "chunk light tuna" is safe. For a 170 pound male, EWG's calculator says 5.3 ounces (almost a full can) of albacore and 15.5 ounces (about two and a half cans) of light tuna. For a 130 pound female, it's a different story: 4.1 ounces of albacore tuna per week and 11.9 ounces of light tuna (about two cans) is the recommended amount per week.

When it comes to women of childbearing age and children under 5, there's yet another wrinkle: because albacore tuna has more mercury per weight, it should be avoided altogether. To learn more about kid-safe fish, read our post on finding safer seafood for your family.

Toxic Fire Retardant Chemicals Found in Common Baby Products

Posted by Neill Abayon

Toxic fire retardant chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects, and neurological and other health problems are prevalent in common baby products, according to a study released today by national environmental group Friends of the Earth.

The study finds that these toxic chemicals, called halogenated fire retardants, appear in a high percentage of baby products, including portable cribs, strollers, car seats and infant carriers. Due to their prevalence in common household products, these chemicals have been found in breast milk and in children. Infants and children are especially vulnerable to the health effects of these chemicals as they impact development at critical stages of growth.

BEING LONELY IS DANGEROUS!

Written by Neill Abayon

American scientists have found that people who are lonely may face several serious health complications and die young.

Loneliness is an emotional state. Those who are lonely experience a powerful feeling of emptiness and isolation. It is already known that loneliness is bad for health.

The new study, by Steve Cole, a molecular biologist at the University of California, examined the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of about 22,000 people and found that those who described themselves as chronically lonely had weaker immune systems, reported the online edition of the Daily Mail.

Many earlier studies of large populations have shown that people who describe themselves as lonely or as having little social support are more likely to die prematurely and to have infections, high blood pressure, insomnia and cancer.

"This study shows that the biological impact of social isolation reaches down into some of our most basic internal processes - the activity of our genes." Cole said.

The findings that appeared in the journal Genome suggest that the loneliest people had unhealthy levels of chronic inflammation, which has been associated with heart and artery disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's and other ailments.

Household exposure to pesticides

Posted by Neill Abayon

Pregnant women exposed to household pesticides may increase the risk of their children developing leukemia, according to a recent study conducted in France. These findings add more weight to the idea that pesticides play a role in childhood blood cancers and may shed light on the actual causes of the diseases.

In the study, parents of leukemia patients were more likely to have used pesticides and insecticides either at home or at work. Exposure to these chemicals is a risk factor for blood cancers, particularly if children are exposed in the womb, the authors' conclude.

What did they do? This study looked at mothers' exposure to household pesticides during pregnancy and the child's risk of developing leukemia or lymphoma. Using the French National Registry of Childhood Blood Malignancies, the authors identified 1,316 cases of childhood leukemia. Of these, only French speaking parents whose children survived and are currently healthy were contacted for the study. This left a study population of 764 volunteers who were surveyed by telephone about pesticide exposure and use for both mother and father during the pregnancy.

Controls were selected randomly from the French population using a quota sampling method of phone numbers equally distributed within 22 geographic regions in France. Of 60,000 phone numbers dialed, 1,682 mothers were interviewed for the study.

Identical surveys were given by the same trained staff to both control and study subjects. Mothers classified their exposure to pesticides during pregnancy as “ever used,” “never used” or “do not know.” They also reported the type of pesticide exposure (insecticide, herbicide, fungicide), if it was household or occupational exposure and whether the father was exposed during the pregnancy.

Other personal and family history, such as socioeconomic status, degree of urbanization, housing type (flat or house) and a child’s contact with pets, were also determined by the survey and controlled for during analysis.

Using these data, the authors' performed a statistical analysis to determine if there was a higher exposure to pesticides during pregnancy among the mothers whose children had cancer. They also asked if the exposures could implicate pesticides as a contributing environmental risk factor for developing leukemia.

What did they find? The use of household pesticides by mothers during their pregnancies was higher in the leukemia group than the randomly chosen controls. More than half of the mothers whose children had acute leukemia or non Hodgkins lymphoma used pesticides at lease once during their pregnancy compared with a little more than a third of the control group mothers.

There were significant associations between maternal pesticide use and acute leukemia (AL) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), but not with Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL). Paternal use of household pesticides was significantly associated with AL and NHL, but the associations were slightly weaker.

The authors further broke down their analysis based on the type of pesticides used (insecticide, herbicide, or fungicide). When breaking down the analysis by pesticide type, the strongest association found was between insecticide use and AL and NHL, with weaker associations with herbicides and no association with fungicides.

What does it mean? Children exposed to household pesticides before birth may have an increased risk of developing certain types of leukemia. The results reinforce findings from other studies that also identified associations between pesticide exposure before birth and the risk of developing a blood cancer. The authors' conclude that "the consistency of the findings with those of previous studies on AL raises the question of the advisability of preventing pesticide use by pregnant women."

Source:http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org

Ease up on the meat

Posted by Neill Abayon

In order to conserve water study says humans should avoid meat.To produce 1 kilogram of boneless beef, according to a definitive 2004 UNESCO study on the "water footprint of nations," it takes 6.5 kilograms of grain, 36 kilograms of roughage (coarse grains and pasture), and 155 litres of drinking water (Now Magazine). In The Food Revolution, John Robbins calculates that a vegetarian diet requires only 300 gallons of water per day, while a meat eating diet requires 4,000 gallons per day. You save more water by not eating a pound of beef than you do by not showering for an entire year.

CARCINOGENS IN SKIN CARE

Posted by Neill Abayon

On average each of us use between 5-15 products a day from deodorant, shower gel, shampoo, moisturiser, cleanser, foundation, blush, concealer,the list goes on and so do the toxins. None of this would matter if the skin did not absorb 60% of what is applied to it. Unfortunately natural does not mean natural and organic does not always mean toxin free. It is very much up to you, the consumer, to identify which ingredients to look for.

Below you will find a list of the main toxins and what they do. It is not an exhaustive list by any means.

The groups below are separated into Direct Carcinogens, Hidden Carcinogens or Contaminants,

Formaldehyde Releasers and Hormonal Disruptors.

Direct Carcinogens

DEA & TEA

Diethanolamine & Triethanolamine
DEA and TEA can result in the formation of carcinogens in products containing nitrite preservatives. Chemical reactions between nitrites and DEA/ TEA occur during the manufacturing process and while products are stored in their containers forming carcinogenic nitrosamines.
Talc

Talc has been linked with ovaraian cancer particularly when used in the genitalia and inhaled.
Crystalline Silica

Coal Tar Dyes

Used in cosmetics, lipsticks etc.
Blue1
Green3

Para-Phenylendiamine (PPD) (used for temporary tattoos).

Research indicates:

• Linked to cancer in workers and users

• Suspected mutagen

• Associated with allergic reactions

• Can penetrate the skin

• Skin irritant.

Used in hair dyes particularlt dark colours and especially black.

Methylisothiazolinone & Methylchloroisothiazolinone

Preservatives used instead of parabens

Hidden Carcinogens or Contaminants

Contaminants
Organocholrine pesticides in, lanolin

(Lanolin itself is perfectly safe. But cosmetic-grade lanolin can be contaminated with carcinogenic pesticides such as DDT, dieldrin, and lindane, in addition to other neurotoxic pesticides).
Arsenic, lead in blue1, green 3: in, Coal tar dyes
Dioxane: in, PEG, Polysorbates, Laureth, ethoxylated alcohols

A wide range of personal care products including shampoos, hair conditioners, cleansers, lotions, and creams, besides household products such as soaps and cleaning products, contain surfactants or detergents such as ethoxylated alcohols, polysorbates, and laureths. These ingredients are generally contaminated with high concentrations of the highly volatile 1,4 – dioxane, which is both readily inhaled and absorbed through the skin. The carcinogenicity of dioxane in rodents was first reported in 1965 and subsequently confirmed in other studies including by the National Cancer Institute in 1978; the predominant sites of cancer were nasal passages in rats and liver in mice. Epidemiological studies on dioxane-exposed furniture makers have reported suggestive evidence of excess nasal passage cancers. On the basis of such evidence, the Consumer Product Safety Commission concluded that "the presence of 1,4 – dioxane, even as a trace contaminant, is a cause of concern." These avoidable risks of cancer in numerous personal care, besides other consumer, products is inexcusable, particularly as the dioxane is readily removed from surfactants during their manufacture by a process known as "vacuum stripping."

Nitrosamine Precursors
DEA
TEA
2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol

Padmitate O

Formaldehyde Releasers
2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol
•may break down in products into formaldehyde and also cause the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines under certain conditions.

Quaternium 15
Diazolidinyl Urea
Imidazolidinyl Urea
DMDM Hyadrantoin

Artificial Colors
Some artificial colors, such as Blue 1 and Green 3, are carcinogenic. Impurities found in commercial batches of other cosmetic colors such as D&C Red 33, FD&C Yellow 5, and FD&C yellow 6 have been shown to cause cancer not only when ingested, but also when applied to the skin. Some artificial coal tar colors contain heavy metal impurities, including arsenic and lead, which are carcinogenic.

Hair Dyes
The use of permanent or semi permanent hair color products, particularly black and dark brown colors, is associated with increased incidence of human cancer including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and Hodgkin's disease. There are several natural hair-coloring products which are relatively effective and safe.

Talc
Cosmetic talc is carcinogenic. Inhaling talc and using it in the genital area, where its use is associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer, are the primary ways this substance poses a carcinogenic hazard.

Silica
Some silica used in cosmetics, especially amorphous hydrated silica, may be contaminated with small amounts of crystalline quartz. Crystalline Silica is carcinogenic.

Hormone Disruptors

Phthalates Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP or BzBP).

Found in products such as : hair sprays, perfume, nail polishes. Used to soften plastic, skin moisturisers and skin penetration enhancers in cosmetics.

Research indicates:

• Known to cause serious reproductive and developmental effects in lab animals

• linked to premature breast development in young girls and interference with reproductive development in male foetuses

• hormone disruptors

Parabens

A group of artificial preservatives also known as Alkyl parahydroxy benzoates – butyl/methyl/ethyl/ propyl/isobutyl paraben.

Evidence shows them to:

• mimic oestrogens in the body

• penetrate the skin and appear in the blood.

• found in breast tumours.

Sodiumhydroxymethylglycinate

Toluene

Found in: lacquers and nail polish.

• May cause spontanious abortion in women exposed to it.

• skin irritant and may cause liver damage

• narcotic in high concentrations

• attacks the central nervous system, eyes, blood, liver, kidneys and skin.

Xylene

Found in: lacquers and nail polish.

Names to watch out for: xylol or dimethylbenzene

• skin and respiratory tract irritant

• may cause liver damage

• narcotic in high concentrations

BHT

Butylated Hydroxytoluene, E321

Used as a synthetic antioxidant.

• Irritation

• Linked to possible behavioural effects and reproductive problems

Propylene Glycol

• Can cause contact dermatitis

• Linked to depression of the Central Nervous System.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate

• Skin, eye and respiratory tract irritant

• May damage liver, lungs and immune system

• Some evidence to suggest reproductive effects.

SMOKING LINKED TO BLINDNESS

Posted by Neill Abayon

British researchers said that smokers are up to four-times as likely to become blind

in later life from age-related mascular degenaration.
Unfortunately,many smokers remain largely unaware of this risk, the researchers said

in the British Medical Journal.
AMD is the most common cause of adult blindness, which results in severe

irreversible loss of of central vision. As many as one in five cases of AMD might be linked

to smoking. Evidence also shows that quitting smoking slower the development of AMD, while

continued smoking can affect the long-term response to treatments such as laser therapy.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH

Written by Neill Abayon


1. Regularity in meals. Do not eat them early or late, but maintain a regular schedule. Your stomach is used to eating a certain time each day.

2. moderation. Only eat as much as you need. Never overeat. Only eat to satisfy hunger and then stop.

3. Take a small bites. Only put a small amount in your mouth at a time. You will chew and salivate it better, and tend to eat less at that meal.

4. Relax and eat slowly. If you are too rushed to eat, then don't eat. Do not be hurried, anxious, worried, fatigue or angry.

5. Chew your food well. You will derive for more energy you eat of less food, if you do this.

6. Do not eat too many things at a meal. Three or four items are all you need.

7. Avoid complicated mixtures. Say no to the gravies, vegetables, gluten foods. Keep your meal simple.

8. Avoid peculiar additives, such as vinegar, monosodium glutanate, etc., which only upset your stomach and slow digestion.

9. Vary your diet from meal to meal. If you ate oatmeal this morning, try rye or wheat tomorrow.

10. The food should be palatable. But if it is good food, this should not be hard to do.

11. Never eat anything prepared in aluminum. Never drink water or juice out of an aluminum container.

12. Aside from fresh, raw juices or the green drink all your liquids (water) between meals, not with your meals.

13. As a rule, eat your fruits at one meal and vegetables at another. acid fruits such as citrus can be eaten with either.

14. Greens have more compacted vitamins and minerals than other type of food. They only lack vitamin D, which the body can get from sunlight. But they do not have adequate amounts of trace minerals.

15. Blackstrap molasses is the only very rich source of iron. It is also a very rich source of choline and inositol, the two B vitamins used in the largest quantities.

16. The best pattern is to eat before the meal and walk around after it, not vice versa.

EATING HEALTHY WHEN EATING OUT

Written by Neill Abayon

Be just as careful with your diet when you dine out as when you make your own meals.

SALAD - Use vegetable oil and vinegar dressing.

BREAD - use margarine instead of butter, if desired.

CHICKEN - Eat broiled or grilled chicken; remove skin before eating.

STEAK - Ask the chef to trim off excess fat before cooking.

HAMBURGER - Avoid cheese or mayonanaise toppings; add tomato or lettuce instead.

FISH - Select broiled or poached fillets.

PASTA - Use marinara, clam, or tomato sauce without meat or sausage; avoid cream sauces.

PIZZA - Choose vegetable toppings instead of cheese or meat toppings.

BAKED POTATO - Avoid toppings such as butter or sour cream.

VEGETABLES - Eat plenty of these, but without heavy sauces.

DESSERT - Sherbert and fresh fruit are excellent choices.

COFFEE,TEA - use skim milk or non-dairy non-fat creamer.

WHEN TO CALL AN AMBULANCE

Written by Neill Abayon

1. If you are alone, breathing is absent, and the victim is an adult, call for an ambulance and/or for access to a defebrillator as soon as you realise the victim is not breathing. The cause is most likely to be a heart attack leading to cardiac arrest, and the most effective treatment is CPR and very early access to defibrillation.

2. If you are alone and the victim is an infant or a child under 8 years of age, provide 1 minute of rescue breathing or full CPR before calling for an ambulance. The cause is most likely to be a problem with breathing, such as choking or drowning, etc., and the most effective treatment is to get oxygen into the lungs.

3. If you are not alone, send a bystander for the ambulance as soon as you have confirmed that the victim is not breathing.

CALLING FOR AMBULANCE

* Dial 911

* Ask for the ambulance service.

* Listen to the operator - you will be acted for your name, contact details, and where you are.

* he operator will ask a series of questions about the victim and what has happened - give as much information as you can,

* Often the operator will give you advice on what to do next.

* Do not hang up the phone until you are told to do so.


SOURCES OF MEDICAL HELP

There is a variety of sources of medical assistance throughout the country. Investigate what is an available locally before an emergency happens, and keep a list of useful numbers by the phone or stored in your cellular phone.

* Ambulance
* Hospital, Emergency Department
* Doctor's Office
* Urgent case clinics
* Pharmacies

BREASKFAST IS BETTER

Written by Neill Abayon

Your mom always said breakfast was the most important meal of the day. But there are grown-up benefits to breakfast too. A new report compares breakfast eaters with breakfast skippers and finds that breakfast eaters:

* Take in significant less fat over the course of an average day.

* Have more fiber in their diets.

* Consume a more nutrient-rich diet, especially if they consume a fortified cereal.

* Tend to be leaner than breakfast skippers, in contrast to the common belief that foregoing breakfast is a good way to lose weight.

IS YOUR FOOD POISONED?

Written by Neill Abayon


When it comes to food, what you see or smell is not necessarily what you get.

Have you ever looked in your refrigerator and found some long-forgotten and covered with greenish, brownish or blackish fuzzy mold? You surely would throw the food away. Even the thought of eating it might make you sick.
But spoiled food isn't always green and fuzzy. It can look and smell normal but can have millions of bacteria in it.
So how do we know whether our food is safe?
One of the most common cause of food poisoning is Salmonella, a red-shaped bacteria that can cause various diseases such as thyphoid fever, malaise and intestinal disorder in man and domestic animals. This problem of food poisoning is getting worse because many animals are given food that contains anti-biotic drugs. Salmonella loves milk, eggs, seafood and meat especially poultry.
These bacteria grow well at room temperature. But they don't thrive in cold places and they die when cooked, my doctor told me. So, it's best to keep food hot or cold and not lukewarm. When food is not cooked properly and thoroughly,bacteria may survive. This is especially true for chicken or big chunks of meat. Many people seem to be in a hurry, and they don't have much cooking experience. Other prefer meat raw or rare. Most of the time it is safe - but the bacteria may strike without warning. Eating at "carenderias" or mobile stores can be dangerous. As food sits out on the table for hours, the bacteria are having a feast. If we eat some bacteria, they grow on us. Our bodies won't like that and will flush the bacteria out. And that's not a fun experience.
The way to prevent food poisoning is proper storage. Food should be cooled thoroughly. A big pot of stew may take several hours to cool off in the refrigerator. Separating it into smaller containers will help it cool faster.
Personal cleanliness is also needed. We should wash our hands before and after eating. Hand washing is particularly important after visiting the restroom. Tasting food with used spoon can also spread germs. Clean utensils area must. Knives, cutting boards and hands should be washed after handling raw meat.
Carefulness in handling food can prevent hours of misery. You'll have good memories of good food.

ARGUING CAN BE UNHEALTHY

Written by Neill Abayon

Even couples who have been happily married for decades can have their health affected by the stress of marital arguments. Ohio state University researchers have determined that abrasive arguments between couples married an average of 42 years led to a weakening of certain aspects of their bodies immune responses and increase levels of stressed hormones. These changes could make people more susceptible to illness.

ANTI OBESITY DRUGS

Written by Neill Abayon

As I promised in my last post, Today I will discuss the effects of antiobesity drugs in our health. You must be aware of this before anything might happen to you or to your friends.

The Food and Drug ADministration (FDA) approved a new antiobesity drug called Xenical, also known as orlistat. It works in the stomach by inhibiting the action of gastric and intestinal lipases. These enzymes break down fat into smaller components for absorption. When one 120-milligram capsule is taken with a meal that derives no more than 20 percent of its calories from fat, Xenical blocks the absorption of roughly 30 percent of ingested fat.
But beware. There are side effects. Symptoms may include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, urgency to defecate, oily formed stools, and increased number of bowel movements. And Xenical is not recommended for patients with malabsorption syndromes

or gallbladder disease, pregnant women, new mothers who are breastfeeding, or anyone who has allergies. Quite a downside isn't it? Because Xenical decreases the absorption of some fat-soluble
vitamins, it is recommended that vitamins D,E,K, and betacarotene be replaced two hours before or after taking the drug. Patients should decrease their fat intake to no more than 30 percent of ingested callories. The average reported weight loss after one year of using Xenical is 13.4 pounds. And don't ever use this without the supervision of a competent health-care professionals.
There are other antiobesity drugs that are called appetite suppressants. They promote weight loss by addecting chemicals in the brain to decrease appetite and give a sensation of being full.
In 1997 the FDA removed two popular appetite suppressants from the maket, fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine. The combination of the drugs with another appetite suppressant drugs, phentermine, caused valvular heart disease and life-threatening pulmonary hypertension - a disease of the blood vessels of the heart and lungs. Phentermine ("phen") is still in use today. Many brave souls are using it with Xenical in a new combination nicknamed "Xen-Phen". However you should be concerned about the safety of this new combination therapy, since it has not been recommended by the FDA.
Like other antiobesity drugs, appetite suppressants have side effects that range from dry mouth, headache, constipation, and insomnia to increased blood pressure.
There is a little information on the long-term effectiveness of antiobesity drugs. Most studies show that the majority of people who stop taking the drugs regain weight. The success of the drugs depends largely on a change in lifestlye, which suggests that in most cases the drugs may not be necessary. These drugs are not a substitute for a healthy lifestlye. The time-honored management of obesity requires dietary reform, regular exercise, and behavior modification.

HEAT STROKE

Written by Neill Abayon

SYMPTOMS - The body temperature goes very high (105 degrees F. or more). Sweating is reduced. There is a strong headache, accompanied by tingling, numbness, confusion of mind, and delirium. The pulse becomes rapid and breathing is faster. Blood pressure rises.

DANGER - Heat stroke is serious emergency. If not properly cared for, the person can go into comvulsions, permanent brain damage, and even death.

REMEDIES

* You must begin the cooling treatment immediately: do not wait!

* If near hospital, wrap him in an ice-cold sheet and immediately take him to the hospital. Apply more ice water as you travel. At least every 5-10 minutes, take his temperature. Do not give the cold treatment if it begins to drop below 10 degrees F.

* If you are not near a hospital, put him into an ice-cold stream or lake until medical help can be obtained. While he is in the cold bath, rub the arms,legs,hands, and feet in order to increase the circulation.

AFTER TREATMENT

Should consist of daily graduated cold applications (tonic frictions), to slowly build up the body. The head should be thoroughly cooled before each application.

HOW TO IDENTIFY A LOW FAT FOOD PRODUCT

Written by Neill Abayon

Ask yourself the following:

* Is fat a major ingredient?
Read food labels carefully. Go easy on products made with any ingredients that is high in saturated fat and cholesterol (e.g. oils,lard, and cheese).

* Is there more than one type of fat in the product?
When you see several high-fat ingredients on the label, the product is more likely to have too much fat.

* Is there serving size appropriate?
When trying to figure out the fat content of a food product, make sure that you use a serving size that is close to what you would really eat. This is often more than what's indicated on the label.

GUIDELINES FOR A HEALTHY DIET

Written by Neill Abayon

* With your doctor, determine the numbers of calories you need each day to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight.

* Eat fewer high fat foods. Keep fat intake to less than 30% of your total daily caloric intake.

* Replace some saturated or unhealthy fat with healthy oils/fat.

* Lower cholesterol in take to less than 300 mg per day.

* choose food high in starch an fiber.

A HEALTHY BREAKFAST

Written by Neill Abayon

I remember before, everytime I wake up in the morning and ready to take my breakfast, all of the sudded I saw the food. What a?? You know, its almost every morning that my food is ampalaya with egg or "ampalaya guisado" in tagalog. I cannot react to it because I'm the one who planted the ampalaya to our backyard!
Anyway, we almost found it a cheap food but we did not know that this is a very healthy food. It's true that it's cheap but the cheaper the food the healthier it is.
I will share to you my cheap recipe for my favorite healthy breakfast.

AMPALAYA GUISADO

INGREDIENTS

* 1 kilo ampalaya,sliced
* 3 egss beaten
* 3 tomatoes, sliced
*1/2 clove garlic, minced
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
* salt to taste

PROCEDURE

* Saute garlic, onion and tomatoes in vegetable oil until done.
* Add Ampalaya and cook until crisp and tender.
* Add beaten eggs and continue stirring.
* Season with salt.
* Serve hot.

And that's it. You can now taste your delicious and healthy food for breakfast.

ASSESSING A VICTIM

Written by Neill Abayon

Prompt action during an emergency could mean the difference between life and death. The following article describes how to assess a victims airway and breathing.


CHECK THE RESPONSE if faced with a person who appears to be unresponsive, check the response by gently shaking and asking loudly "Are you all right?". Speak loudly and clearly and squeeze gently because there may be a neck injury.

OPEN THE AIRWAY

1. Place one hand on the forehead and gently tilt the head back. Open the victims mouth and remove any obvious obstructions, including dislodged dentures, but leave well-fitting dentures in place.

2. Place the fingertips of the other hand under the point of the victims chin and lift the chin. If injury to the neck is suspected, handle the head very gently and try to avoid tilting the head.

IF THERE IS NO RESPONSE shout for help. If possible leave the victim in the position in which you found him and open the airway. When it is not possible to carry out an assessment of the victim in the position found, turn the person into his back and open the airway.
Apply the same techniques for a child as for an adult. For a baby, use only one finger under the chin and be very careful not to over-extend the neck when tilting the head back.

CHECK FOR BREATHING keep the airway open and look, listen, and feel for breathing for no more than 10 seconds.
* Look for chest movement.
* Listen for sounds of breathing.
* Feel for breath on your check.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF A NON-BREATHING CASUALTY
* Unconsciousness, stillness.
* Pale skin with possible blue lips.
* No movement of the chest.
* No feeling or sound of breathing.

These are the easy and quick tips of assessing a victim in an emergency.

How you can incorporate more phytochemicals into your diet?

Written by Neill Abayon

What is phytochemicals? Well for those who don't know phytochemicals are nonnutritive plant chemicals that contain protective, disease-preventing compounds. More than 900 different phytochemicals have been identified as components of food, and many more phytochemicals continue to be discovered today. It is estimated that there may be more than 100 different phytochemicals in just one serving of vegetables.

Increasing the consumption of plant products in one's diet should not be difficult or time consuming. There are plenty of simple strategies for increasing dietary fruits, vegetables, and grains, including the suggestions below:

* Keep fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, and canned) stocked and in sight.
* Reach for juice instead of coffee or soda.
* Add chopped fruit to cereal, yogurt, pancakes, muffins, or even a milkshake.
* Snack on fresh chopped carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and peppers (purchase at a salad bar to save time).
* Add fresh greens, carrots, celery, parsley, tomatoes, and/or beans to your soups.
* Store dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, and more) for a quick snack at home or work.

There are also several other easy methods for increasing fruits, vegetables, and grains in your lifestyle.

OBESITY

Written by Neill Abayon

Obesity is a chronic condition that affects millions of people. The successful management of obesity requires a comprehensive, long-term treatment plan. The national Institute of Health (NIH) in the US defines obesity as a body mass index (BMI). Your BMI is a number calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. Obesity is also defined as an increase of at least 30 percent above ideal body weight.
Not simply a cosmetic problem, obesity is a risk factor for coronary artery disease, high cholesterol, liver disease, sleep apnea, certain cancers and depression.
Traditional obesity treatments consists of a proper diet, regular exercise and behavior modification. However, in patients with life-threatening obesity, anti-obesity drugs and surgery may help.
There's a pill for everything under the sun. Obesity is no different. In fact many people spend lots of money on new miracle drugs that promise to throw off the weight. Maybe those drugs deserve a second look.

I will make a post on my next article about anti-obesity drugs in my next post.

ARE YOU A VEGETARIAN?

Written by Neill Abayon




Billions of vegetarians around the globe are enjoying the benefits of vegetarian nutrition.

Here are some of the health advantages of a vegetarian diet:

* Greater longevity.

* Greater vigor and endurance.

* Fewer heart attacks and strokes.

* Fewer weight problems.

* Lower blood cholesterol.

* Lower blood pressure.

* Less diabetes and improved hypoglycemia.

* Fewer hemorrhoids, less diverticular disease and good/regular bowel movement.

* Less cancer of the breast,prostate and colon.

* Less osteoporosis and stronger bones.

* Fewer kidney and gallbladder stones.

* Less kidney disease.

* Less gouty arthritis.

ACTION IN EMERGENCY

Written by Neill Abayon

1. IS ANYONE IN DANGER?
* If yes, can the danger be easily managed?
* If it cannot, call for emergency help and protect the scene.

2. MOVE TO THE QUIETEST VICTIM FIRST
* Gently shake the shoulder and ask him or her a question.
* If there is a response, treat any life-threatening condition before checking the next person.
* If there is no response, check the airway.

3. OPEN THE AIRWAY
* Lift the chin, check the mouth for any obstructions and remove then tilt the head back gently.

4. CHECKING FOR BREATHING
* Place your check close to his or her mouth and listen and feel for breathing. Look to see if the chest is moving.

a. IF NOT BREATHING
* Give 2 rescue breaths by pinching the nose, sealing your mouth over to his or her mouth, and breathing in to the person
b. IF BREATHING
* Check for and treat any life-threatening conditions and place in the recovery position.

5. LOOK FOR SIGNS OF CIRCULATIONS
* If the victim is a child, or an adult who has suffered drowning or an accident, proceed direct to CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
* Otherwise look for signs of life such as movement and normal skin color for 10 seconds.

6. CONTINUE RESCUE BREATHING
* Check for signs of circulation every minute.

I Got Mail!

Last day I was surprise to check my mail and I got an interesting reader who needs advise regarding about her problem. Here is the mail:

To Healthzones:
Hi! I decided to email you to ask some appropriate advise my brother who is suffering a mental disorder because of fellings of insecurity and inferiority. Being in a family, we wanted to comfort him, but we easily get irritated. We were all affected and disturbed by his condition. Please share me some tips and techniques on how to help him ease his burden and also us on how to help deal the problem with him. Thanks alot in advance and I really like your post, and your blog, it is very informative and helpful to the readers. Actually I have subscribed to your newsletter!
Thanks alot and more power.

Lesa of Cebu City


Well,first of all I want to thank you Lesa for sharing your problem to us. Secondly, I want to thank you for subscribing my newsletter and visiting my blog.
I just want to inform everybody that I am not an expert counselor or something but I will try to share my ideas to all as long as I have time to make a reply and post from your mail. I welcome everyone from sending your mail at my email add.

Here is my opinion regarding Lesa's problem.

As a family you should create an environment that will not trigger his condition. A lot of love, understanding and an open communication are needed to make him feel secure - thus helping stabilize his emotions.
You and your family have already provided the very first element of treating or helping him - support and love. According to my research, mental disorders have two major types - manic depressive and schizophrenia - have been found to be due to imbalance in the chemical supply like serotonin and it's transmission to the brain.
There is also a generic or personality predisposition. The environment and the emotional makeup of the patient also contribute a lot in developing the disorders.
There are medical that can help modify the imbalance. There are also those that can modify his behavior if he is very anxious or depressed. With a physicians help make the necessary adjustments in the modifications until you find the right combination.
The presence of this illness in the family can really be taxing. Remember that helps not psychologically capable of adjusting stressful situations, but don't spoil him until he becomes in capable of doing anything. A regular family counseling is also advisable. See a psychiatrist or a trained psychology counselor. This illness not only affects your brother, but every other family member. Everyone has to make adjustments in the way they treat other so as to create on environment that will not tax both the patient and the whole family.

I hope this could help and make some points of understanding to Lesa. To all my valued readers and visitors, if you have some questions, comments or suggestions , feel free to write me at neillhealth@gmail.com. Thanks alot.

Truth about cancer

Written by Neill Abayon

The primary cause of cancer was discovered by Dr. Warburg who is considered best biochemist of world. He was mainly interested in respiration of cells and particularly cancer cells. A quotation of DR. Warburg is-

"Life without oxygen in a living world that has been created by oxygen was so unexpected that it would have been too much to ask that anaerobiosis of cancer cells should be accepted at once by all scientists. "

Anaerobiosis means “life can sustain without Oxygen”

So the low oxygen level inside the human body promotes the growth of a special kind of cells named cancer, which is primary cause of cancer. For his discovery of the nature and mode of action of the respiratory enzyme DR. Warburg awarded with Nobel Prize in medicine. Enzyme is a catalyst that helps other cells to react together. But respiratory enzyme enables the body cells to respire.

For sustaining cancer cells require much less oxygen in comparison to healthy cells. But still cancer cells take more energy than healthy cells. Then what type of diet promotes the growth of cancer cells? Healthy cells rich in sugar and low in protein will prefer to change in to cancer cells in low level of oxygen. It should be vital that we find out how to give our cells all the oxygen they could possibly need.

Cancer can be accomplished by oxygenating the body in a normal healthy way that can be exercised through eating things, which promote the healthy respiration or breathing of body cells. Calcium rich food can also be taken. Avoiding the cigarette smoking, we will become able to avoid the primary cause of cancer but this does not mean that cigarettes cause cancer rather these can lower down the oxygen level of body which differ from man to man, for example some people smoke through out the life and do not become cancerous while other become cancerous in a short time.

Foods that can protect you against cancer

Written by Neill Abayon

There is no single food or its substance that can save you from cancer. But the scientists from the American Institute for Cancer Research have named 11 foods that can protect you from cancer. To use them effectively, you have to use the right combination of foods in a predominantly plant-based diet.

The facts are mounting that the minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals in plant foods interact to provide extra cancer protection and this idea is called synergy. Here is the list of those 11 foods that can protect you against cancer:

1. Beans

2. Berries

3. Cruciferous Vegetables

4. Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

5. Flaxseed

6. Garlic

7. Grapes and Grape Juice

8. Green Tea

9. Soy

10. Tomatoes

11. Whole Grains

Fat-Free Yogurt Aids in Weight Loss

Research by Neill Abayon

According to recent reports, studies have shown that fat-free yogurt may actually trim pounds off your tummy. For someone like me (who has battled the buldge since childhood), this was music to my ears! Most days I try my best to have a yogurt for a mid-morning snack. Bored with your yogurt routine? Try spicing it up with Bear Naked granola, cereal or even fruit. Just a minor change will keep you from succuming to routine!

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think it helps you lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle?

While there are dozens of “fat-free” yogurt brands on the shelves, be careful when you are choosing. It may be free of fat, but it could be loaded with sugar. For example, Columbia Fat-free Vanilla yogurt is low in calories, but it has 20+ grams of sugar!

Nine Tips To Keep Your Skin Looking Younger

Writen by Neill Abayon

Anti-aging skin care is very popular in today’s world. Today most people want to maintain their youthful looks through antiaging skin care procedures (and a number of people are successful too). However, anti-aging skin care is not achieved by any magic potion. Anti-aging skin care is about discipline. It is about being proactive.

Although most of the nine tips below are mentioned in other blog posts, it never hurts to continually emphasize some of the most basic steps needed for proactive anti-aging skin care. As you read through the tips below, make a list of two to three items that you can begin implementing today. Once accomplished, add the next two to three items until you have incorporated each tip into your daily routine.

1. Maintain healthy eating habits. A well balanced diet is the key to maintaining a proper body metabolism. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables (raw), they are the best source of fiber and have a very refreshing effect on your body. Avoid oily and fatty food; not only do they lack in essential nutrients but also cause obesity and other diseases which accelerate the aging process.

2. Beat stress. This is probably the most important anti-aging skin care measure. Stress disturbs the body’s metabolism and accelerates the aging process. Sleep, exercise and a relaxing bath, are all good ways of beating stress. Aroma-therapy is also known to bust stress.

3. Drink a lot of water: Anti-aging skin care can’t be any simpler than this. Water helps flush out the toxins from the body, hence keeping it clean and making it less prone to disease. Around 8 glasses of water (per day) is recommended by all doctors.

4. Regular exercise is a wonderful anti-aging skin care procedure. Besides toning your muscles, it also helps in cleaning the skin by flushing out the toxins in the form of sweat. Exercise should be followed by a warm shower in order to completely remove the toxins.

5. Avoid the use of strong, chemical based products on your skin. Natural skin care products are a good option. Use of organic skin care products (home made or commercial) can be a very effective anti-aging skin care measure.

6. Do not overuse skin care products. Excessive and harsh application can prove harmful to the skin.

7. Do not ignore skin disorders; it can lead to permanent skin damage. Try over the counter medication and if that doesn’t help, immediately visit your dermatologist and seek his/her advice.

8. Vitamin C based skin care products are a very popular means of anti-aging skin care. However, these seem to oxidize very quickly (which makes them harmful for the skin). So store them properly. If the product turns Yellowish brown, it means that vitamin c has oxidized and the prodct is no longer suitable for use.

9. Protect your skin against UV radiation. UV rays are known to speed up the aging process. So, a good sunscreen lotion should be a part of your anti-aging skin care routine.

By adopting these simple tips, you are well on your way to more youthful looking skin.

Natural Cure for Hair Loss

Written by Neill Abayon

Following are some of the less commonly known and yet astonishingly simple hair loss remedies. They are absolutely natural with zero side effects.

1. Rubbing your left and right hand nails with each other is a powerful hair loss solution and causes faster hair growth. It is extremely simple yet very effective. You need to fold both your palms inwards and place the fingernails of both hands against each other. Then with regular swift motions, rub them against each other. There are nerve endings below the nails which are connected to your scalp. This rubbing procedure increases the blood flow to the scalp and helps in strengthening the roots. It not only helps in curbing hair loss, but also leads to regrowth of lost hair in people suffering from baldness or alopecia areata. And if that is not good enough, it also brings back the color naturally thus getting rid of the problem of gray hair. Trust me, it is the best thing you could do for your hair. It is simple and can be done anywhere anytime. Do it for about 5-7 minutes twice a day. It is tried and tested and will definitely show results. You need to be patient though. You will begin to notice a difference in about a month and by the end of 6 months you would probably be successful in ridding yourself of all your hair problems.

2. Coconut milk is another magic potion for your hair. Take a dry coconut and grate it. Grind to a fine paste and then sieve through a soft fine cloth to collect the milk of the coconut. Make around 1-2 cups of milk depending on the length of your hair. Apply the milk on the scalp and hair and leave to dry. Keep it for about 2 hrs and then rinse your hair with normal water (do not apply shampoo). This will leave the pure coconut oil in your hair. Keep the oil for 24 hours and shampoo the following day. This process will make your hair softer and smoother to touch and you will see an almost immediate drastic reduction in your rate of hair loss. For chronic cases of hair loss, do this once a week. Eventually once the problem is resolved completely, you can do this once in 2 or 3 weeks. It helps not only in reducing hair fall but also improves the overall health and texture of hair.

3. Massage your scalp with a good hair oil at least twice a week. Be careful not to be too harsh. Use your finger tips to gently stimulate the blood vessels on your scalp.

4. Add small pieces of a medium sized onion to a cup of rum. Leave for 24 hours. Remove the onion pieces and massage your scalp with the rum. This helps cure hair loss and induces faster hair growth.

5. For long, black, thick and shiny hair, mix sesame oil or olive oil in juice of bottle gourd and apply to hair. This helps prevent grey hair and hair fall and is very good for the overall health of hair.

6. Mix one cup of brandy and one egg well. Apply this on the scalp and massage gently for some time. Leave on for about a half hour to one hour. Shampoo off. This encourages the growth of hair and is a good hair loss remedy.

7. Mix coconut, mustard and castor oil in equal quantities. Apply this on the scalp and massage gently at night at least once a week. Leave overnight. Shampoo in the morning. This is a very nutritious combination for the hair and is a good hair loss treatment.

8. Reetha, Amla and Shikakai: You will need to source these three herb powders in equal quantities by weight. Reetha (English Name: Soap Nut, Botanical Name: Sapindus mucorosai), Amla (English Name: Indian Gooseberry, Botanical Name: Phyllanthus amblica) and Shikakai (English Name: Acacia, Botanical Name: Acacia Concinna ) are well known for their hair nourishment qualities. Mix all three in equal quantities and store in a cool dry place. Once a week, soak about 2 - 3 tablespoons (depending on the length of your hair) of this powder in water overnight. In the morning, strain the water through a fine cloth and apply on your scalp and hair. Keep for a half hour and then rinse off with plain water. These herbs have astonishing hair rejuvenation qualities. Apart from stopping hair loss, they make the hair lustrous, black, strong and smooth.

9. Soak 2 tsp of fenugreek flour overnight in water and then apply the paste on the head. Leave for half an hour. Rinse out with warm water. This helps in reducing dandruff as well as hair loss.

10. Boil the leaves of celery and mint for 20 minutes in water. Strain and let it cool. Applying this water on hair everyday makes the roots strong and arrests hair loss and induces hair growth.

11. Regular exercise can work wonders to reduce hair loss and induce hair growth. Cardiovascular exercises that get your heart rate to go up increase blood supply to all parts of the body including the scalp. It also helps remove toxins from the body.

12. Maintain a regular bowel movement. Constipation should not be allowed to continue and immediate corrective action should be taken. There are natural mild laxatives available that can be taken at bed time. This helps keep the blood clean the reduces toxicity in the body.

13. Gently rub coconut oil cultured with hibiscus flowers twice a week into the roots of the hair. This nourishes the roots and makes the hair strong, long and shiny.

14. Take fuller’s earth in a bowl, put water in it and mix well. Leave it aside for 2 hours. After 2 hours mix it well again with a spoon and add water to reach a consistency apt for applying on the scalp and hair. Apply the mixture on your scalp and hair and gently massage the scalp for some minutes. Wash hair thoroughly with water. Then leave your hair to dry. This gives a lot of shine and bounce to the hair and makes them very silky to touch.

15. Apply a mixture of coconut water with little lemon juice to the hair to prevent them from falling. Leave on for half an hour and then wash as usual.

16. Boil one cup of nasturtium leaves in water for 20 minurtes. Let it cool and then strain. Apply this with a cotton swab everyday to the scalp. This helps nourish the hair and cure hair loss.

17. Soak dry gooseberries and fenugreek seeds in water overnight. Grind to a paste in the morning. Use it as a shampoo while washing hair. This makes the roots strong and is a good hair loss remedy.

18. Meditation. Now I hardly need to stress on the importance of meditation. Stress and tension is the most common cause of hair loss today. So it would be right to cure the root of the problem. In our fast moving lives, it is essential to take out 15 minutes for ourselves to maintain our peace of mind. It may not be possible for you to meditate for an hour everyday. It isn’t for most people. Here is a practical alternative. Choose a nice clean and quiet corner of your house where nobody would disturb you. Slowly close your eyes and filter out all thoughts from your mind. This may be extremely difficult to achieve at first, but keep persevering. Concentrate on your breath. Feel the air moving across your upper lip. While inhaling, think that you are taking in all the positive energy from the environment and while exhaling, you are removing all the negative energy from your body. Do this for 15 minutes. It is not easy to concentrate for 15 minutes on the first day, start with 5 minutes and slowly build it up over some days. Go beyond 15 minutes if time permits. After the session, open your eyes slowly. You are sure to feel peaceful and calm inside. Everyday practice will relieve you of stress and tension. This will help not only in the cure for hair loss, but also many other problems that are caused by stress. It should be as important a routine as eating and sleeping for us. Though difficult, the results will make you feel it was all worth it.

If you collectively do some or most of the tips described above, it will surely help in reducing your hair loss drastically.