The Benefits Of Daily Exercise

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, studies that have followed large groups of people for many years are all drawing the same conclusion: A sedentary (inactive) lifestyle increases the chances of becoming overweight and developing a number of chronic diseases.

Exercise or regular physical activity helps many of the body's systems function better and keeps a host of diseases at bay. According to the US Surgeon General's report, regular physical activity:

1. Improves your chances of living longer and living healthier
2. Protects against heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol
3. Helps protects against certain cancers, including colon and breast cancer
4. Helps prevent or control type 2 diabetes
5. Helps prevent arthritis and may help relieve pain and stiffness in people with this condition
6. Helps prevent the insidious loss of bone known as osteoporosis
7. Reduces the risk of falling among older adults

Relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety and improves mood If you already exercise on a daily basis - keep it up! If not, please consider taking a walk each day. Start off easy if you need to with a short 10 minute walk. From there, gradually increase your walking to 30 minutes a day - the results will amaze you! Your mood will improve, your energy levels will increase and you'll enjoy all of the health benefits listed above.

Garlic & Your Heart

A new study just released in the Oct. 16th , 2007 issue of the prestigious medical journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that garlic causes red blood cells to release hydrogen sulfide in the body thereby causing blood vessels to relax.

When blood vessels relax, they become larger and are able to carry more blood and more oxygen to the brain and other important parts of the body. Blood pressure also comes down when blood vessels relax. It is well known that high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, so this newly discovered health benefit of garlic, once again, is an example of modern day researchers confirming the wisdom of the ancients. Garlic has been used for medicinal purposes throughout all of recorded history.

The lead researcher is Biology professor David Kraus from the University of Alabama. He said that there is also another study in progress that shows "sulfide can protect from cardiovascular damage during a heart attack, it can alleviate various sorts of inflammation, and it can reduce platelet aggregation that would cause a blood clot to form".

When you eat garlic, your body metabolizes garlic's active ingredient, allicin, and produces hydrogen sulphide. The hydrogen sulphide then signals your blood vessels to relax, increasing blood flow, reducing blood pressure and supporting heart health.

Apple Juice

When it comes to apple juice, "cloudier" may mean healthier, according to a study published in January 2007, in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

In a head-to-head comparison of apple juices, Polish researchers found that pulpy, non-clarified juice carried a greater antioxidant punch than clear juice. Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals, molecules that can damage body cells and contribute to disease.
Unlike cloudy apple juice, the much more common clear variety undergoes additional processing to remove any apple solids. Manufacturers typically think the public will favor the more attractive, clear juice over its cloudy cousin, and retailers prefer the clear variety for its longer shelf life.

But the new findings suggest that health-conscious consumers should reach for the cloudy variety, according to Dr. Jan Oszmianski, the study's lead author. "Cloudy apple juices contain much more antioxidant than clear," says Dr. Oszmianski, a researcher at the Agricultural University of Wroclaw.

In fact, Oszmianski's team found, cloudy juice packed up to four times the level of polyphenols, a group of antioxidant plant compounds. And in experiments, cloudy juice was the more effective free radical "scavenger," the researchers report in their findings.

In addition, Researchers at the University of California-Davis recently reported that apples and apple juice may help protect arteries from harmful plaque build-up. In the first study conducted in humans, adults who added two apples, or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice, to their daily diet demonstrated a significant slowing of the cholesterol oxidation process that leads to plaque build-up - thereby giving the body more time to rid itself of cholesterol before it can cause harm. Enjoy some apples or cloudy apple juice each day and keep the doctor away!

Eat Your Oats!

Oats are a nutritious whole grain that can help to prevent heart disease and diabetes. Oats contain a special type of fiber that is called beta-glucan. Studies dating back over 40 years have consistently shown the beneficial effects of beta-glucan on cholesterol levels. In individuals with cholesterol above 220, consuming only 3 grams of soluble oat fiber per day (an amount found in one bowl of oatmeal) typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23%. Each 1% drop in cholesterol equates to a 2% decrease in the risk of developing heart disease. Now that's an easy way to take care of your heart.

Studies also show that beta-glucan has beneficial effects in diabetes as well. Type 2 diabetics who ate foods high in this type of oat fiber such as oatmeal or oat bran experienced much lower rises in blood sugar compared to those who were ate processed foods. Starting out your day with oats may make it easier to keep blood sugar levels under control the rest of the day, especially when the rest of your day is also includes other whole foods that are rich in fiber.

More recently, researchers from the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, report that oats may have another heart protective quality. Their findings were reported in The Journal of Nutrition, June 2007, and indicate that oats contain unique antioxidant compounds called avenanthramides. These special antioxidant compounds help prevent free radicals from damaging LDL cholesterol thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

In another study also conducted at Tufts and published in the journal Atherosclerosis, researchers exposed human arterial wall cells to purified avenenthramides from oats for 24 hours, and found that these oat phenols significantly suppressed the production of several types of molecules which cause arteries to become clogged.

What's Your pH

The concept of pH was first introduced by Dr. Sorensen at the Carlsberg Laboratory in 1909. pH stands for "potential of Hydrogen" which is the measure of hydrogen-ion concentration in a solution. pH is measured on a scale from 0 to 14 in reference to the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. In this context, the word "solution" simply means something mixed with water.

A pH of 7 is considered to be neutral - a pH of less than 7 is more acidic and a pH higher than 7 is more alkaline. If you mix acid with water, for example, the pH of the solution will be less than 7 - if you mix an alkaline with water the pH of the solution will be greater than 7.

In general - the latest research has associated many types of diseases and chronic conditions with a body that is more acidic than alkaline. The consensus of opinion indicates that the body should be slightly alkaline for optimal health.

The foods that we eat become mixed in solution with all of the water in our bodies. This is significant because our bodies are about 70% water. For optimal health, the pH of the body's fluid should stay within normal ranges. The normal pH balance in the human body is 7.35 to 7.45, which is slightly on the alkaline side of the pH scale.

If you have an interest in your body's pH balance, the first step is to find out what it is. Testing is easily done using pH testing strips with saliva or urine - these inexpensive testing strips are available at most pharmacies - they are also available online from many sources.

From there, it's a process of trial and error with respect to food and drink choices. We are all different and unique - so the choices that work for one person may not be the ideal choices for another.

The prevailing wisdom indicates that eating 75% alkaline foods and 25% acidic foods will keep your body at a healthy pH balance. When we talk about foods in this context, we're talking about the result in the body of eating the foods, not necessarily the pH of the foods themselves before we eat them.

Examples of alkaline foods include most fruits and vegetables along with water and vegetable juices. Acidic foods, in general, are meat, dairy, junk food, processed food, fast food, alcohol, drugs and medications. There are some exceptions in both directions so if you have an interest, we encourage you to search online for "alkaline foods" - after reviewing a few websites you'll have a better understanding concerning alkaline foods and acidic foods and some good guidelines to follow with respect to food choices.

An Apple A Day

"An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away" - Is it just nursery rhyme? The latest scientific research shows that this old nursery rhyme is more fact than fiction.

WHOLE-BODY HEALTH BENEFITS OF APPLES

The disease-fighting profile of apples provides a multitude of health benefits, including a potential decreased risk of cancer and heart disease. Several recent studies suggest apples may provide a "whole-body" health benefit which include Lower blood cholesterol, improved bowel function, reduced risk of stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma.

A number of components in apples, most notably fiber and phytonutrients have been found in studies to lower blood cholesterol and improve bowel function, and may be associated with a reduced risk of ischemic heart disease, stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma. Preliminary research from Finland indicates diets with the highest intake of apple phytonutrients were associated with a 46 percent reduction in the incidence of lung cancer. Findings indicate that two apples a day or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice reduced the damaging effects of the "bad" LDL cholesterol. (Interpoma 2002 Conference, Bolzano , Italy / Dianne Hyson, Ph.D., M.S., R.D., University of California-Davis )

CANCER PREVENTION

Over the past four years, apple consumption has been linked with reduced cancer risk in several studies. A 2001 Mayo Clinic study indicated that quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in apples, helps prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells. A Cornell University study indicated phytochemicals in the skin of an apple inhibited the reproduction of colon cancer cells by 43 percent. The National Cancer Institute has reported that foods containing flavonoids like those found in apples may reduce the risk of lung cancer by as much as 50 percent. (Carcinogenesis March, 2001 / Nature June, 2000 /Journal of the National Cancer Institute January, 2000)

HEALTHY LUNGS

Two recent British studies indicated that eating apples can improve lung health. A study of Welsh men indicated that people who ate at least five apples per week experience better lung function. Researchers at the University of Nottingham reported that those who ate five apples per week also had a lower risk for respiratory disease. In the Netherlands at the University of Groningen , apples were singled out as a fruit that could cut smokers' risk of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in half. Scientists believe antioxidants found in apples may ward off disease by countering oxygen's damaging effects on the body. (American Thoracic Society Meeting May, 2001 - Thorax January, 2000)

HEART DISEASE & STROKE PREVENTION

A Finnish study published in 1996 showed that people who eat a diet rich in flavonoids have a lower incidence of heart disease. Other studies indicate that flavonoids may help prevent strokes. (The British Medical Journal 1996)

WEIGHT LOSS

Apples are a delicious source of dietary fiber, and dietary fiber helps aid digestion and promotes weight loss. A medium apple contains about five grams of fiber, more than most cereals. Also, apples contain almost zero fat and cholesterol, so they are a delicious snack and dessert food that's good for you.

UC-DAVIS: APPLES ARE HEART-HEALTHY

Researchers at the University of California-Davis recently reported that apples and apple juice may help protect arteries from harmful plaque build-up. In the first study conducted in humans, adults who added two apples, or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice, to their daily diet demonstrated a significant slowing of the cholesterol oxidation process that leads to plaque build-up - thereby giving the body more time to rid itself of cholesterol before it can cause harm.