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Green Tea: A miracle beverage

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Tea is already the world’s most-consumed beverage, second only to water, and its popularity is on the rise around the world. With gourmet tea leading the way, more and more people are discovering the magic of tea.

Green tea could be considered a miracle beverage because it is effective at fighting everything from cancer to acne.

Among the many health benefits of green tea may be boosting to the immune system. Green tea seems to have an impact on reducing the instance of catching a virus as well as reducing the duration of a virus. The antioxidants in green tea have been found to block the various phases of infection of healthy cells, weakening a virus and reducing the duration of cold-like symptoms and fever. This may be because green tea’s antioxidant polyphenols could affect regulatory T-cells that play a key role in immune function, according to research from Oregon State University.

Research on the benefits of green tea and cancer prevention is still in early stages, but the results are promising. Researchers suspect that polyphenols in green tea help kill cancer cells and stop their progression, an important role to prevent various cancers. The attached article from Readers’ Digest outlines many of the benefits researchers discovered.

In a study of 472 women with breast cancer, those who drank the most green tea experienced the least spread of the disease. Researchers also found that women in the early stages of breast cancer who drank at least five cups of green tea every day during their diagnoses were less likely to have the disease recur after they completed treatment.

In looking at more than 35,000 women in the Iowa Women’s Health study, those who drank two or more cups of tea a day were almost 30 percent less likely to develop colon cancer than those who rarely drank tea.

One Chinese study found that men who drank more than three cups of tea a day reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 70 percent.

In another study funded by the National Institutes of Health, 79 men with prostate cancer were told to either drink six cups of green tea a day or six cups of water. After three to eight weeks, the levels of prostate-specific antigen, a protein that may indicate cancer, were lower in the men who drank green tea than those who drank water. An indicator of inflammation, nuclear factor-kappaB, linked to cancer growth, was also lower in the men who drank the green tea.

In skin cancer studies, lab animals that were given green tea developed one-tenth as many tumors as animals that were given water. The EGCC in green tea inhibits the production of urokinase, an enzyme that cancer cells need in order to grow. It also seems to stimulate the process of programmed cell death, or apoptosis, in cancer cells.

Studies show that tea can help make your heart healthier; soothe arthritis; boost your brain; clear up acne; fight UTIs; relieve allergies; reduce puffy eyes; reduce asthma symptoms and reduce stress overall because of the high levels of antioxidants Green Tea provides.

We drink Hidden Garden Green Tea, iced or hot, it is a sweet, smooth Chinese green tea with a clean, refreshing finish. It’s light but satisfying, perfect for our evening treat.

Pour a cup, and let the health benefits commence!

Magnesium: the forgotten supplement

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Vitamins and minerals are called “essential” because they are needed to sustain life and health, and almost all must be obtained from your diet. The most common source is fruit and vegetables, but only 14% of U.S. adults and 9.5% of U.S. teens are eating the recommended servings.

Because magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body, a deficiency can wreak havoc on your health. The fact that researchers have detected more than 3,750 magnesium-binding sites on human proteins should give you a sense of how important this mineral is for your body’s optimal functioning. Your body needs magnesium for:

  • Activating muscles and nerves
  • Creating energy in your body by activating adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
  • Helping digest proteins, carbohydrates and fats
  • Serving as a building block for RNA and DNA synthesis
  • Acting as a precursor for neurotransmitters like serotonin

The human body is not capable of storing most vitamins and minerals, so optimal health relies on nourishing the body with ideal amounts throughout the day. Dietary sources of magnesium include avocados, Brazil nuts, brown rice, cashews, dark leafy greens like spinach and Swiss chard, oily fish, raw cacao, seaweed and seeds.

You may be suffering from magnesium insufficiency if you experience:

  • Constipation
  • Eye twitches, muscle spasms — especially “charley horses” or spasms in your calf muscle that
    occur when you stretch your legs, numbness or tingling in your extremities and seizures
  • Headaches and/or migraines
  • High blood pressure, heart arrhythmias and/or coronary spasms
  • Low energy, fatigue and/or loss of appetite

Since the body’s ability to utilize some minerals diminishes with age, I supplement my diet with additional calcium, magnesium, and chromium with a Multivitamin & the Mineral supplement of that provides 100% or more of the daily recommended dose I need. How about you?

Another powerful reason to avoid drinking diet sodas

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We already knew drinking sugary drinks was bad. Nutrition experts believe high levels of sugar contribute not just to rising levels of obesity, but also other health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, dental cavities and cancer.

Boston University researchers found aspartame, a low-calorie sweetener, wreaks havoc on the arteries – as opposed to sugar-sweetened drinks. This means drinking diet soda is far worse for your health than drinking regular soda sweetened with sugar.

The results showed that adults who had one or more diet drinks a day were 2.9 times more likely to develop dementia and 3 times more at risk of strokes compared to those who virtually had none at all.

The team of scientists from Boston University believe the artificial sweeteners including aspartame and saccharine may be affecting the blood vessels, eventually triggering strokes and dementia.

This new study involved data on 2,888 adults older than 45 and 1,484 adults older than 60 from the town of Framingham, Massachusetts. The data came from the Framingham Heart Study, a project of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and Boston University.

“Our study shows a need to put more research into this area given how often people drink artificially sweetened beverages,” said Matthew Pase, a senior research fellow in the department of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine and lead author of the new study.

“Although we did not find an association between stroke or dementia and the consumption of sugary drinks, this certainly does not mean they are a healthy option. We recommend that people drink water on a regular basis instead of sugary or artificially sweetened beverages.”

Now, you have proof that  Drinking One Diet Drink A Day Can Triple Risk Of Dementia And Strokes. Only one a day!

So what to do? Drink ordinary water? That’s boring. We know getting eight glasses of water every day can be tough, but we’ve found a solution, SplasH2O.

SplasH2O® transforms plain water into a thirst-quenching, body-revitalizing, flavor sensation with tantalizing bursts of fresh fruit that will keep you making smarter choices. It’s a fantastic alternative to high-calorie, high-sugar drinks, and replaces them with sugar-free deliciousness. This fun, lively fusion of 5 classic fruits makes ordinary water taste refreshingly good—with no calories, sugar, or artificial flavors and colors.

We are so glad we found a way to turn water into a refreshing, flavorful drink that satisfies – without the sugar, calories, or cost of soda or fruit juice. We also know that we are reducing the chance of developing dementia or a stroke by switching. Now that’s something to consider.

The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) have great information about the devastating consequences of eating too much sugar. It is very important to Know Your Limit for Added Sugars.

Another powerful reason to avoid drinking diet sodas

hayseedscreative's avatar by Leave a comment

We already knew drinking sugary drinks was bad. Nutrition experts believe high levels of sugar contribute not just to rising levels of obesity, but also other health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, dental cavities and cancer.

Boston University researchers found aspartame, a low-calorie sweetener, wreaks havoc on the arteries – as opposed to sugar-sweetened drinks. This means drinking diet soda is far worse for your health than drinking regular soda sweetened with sugar.

The results showed that adults who had one or more diet drinks a day were 2.9 times more likely to develop dementia and three times more at risk of strokes compared to those who virtually had none at all.

The team of scientists from Boston University believe the artificial sweeteners including aspartame and saccharine may be affecting the blood vessels, eventually triggering strokes and dementia.

This new study involved data on 2,888 adults older than 45 and 1,484 adults older than 60 from the town of Framingham, Massachusetts. The data came from the Framingham Heart Study, a project of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and Boston University.

“Our study shows a need to put more research into this area given how often people drink artificially sweetened beverages,” said Matthew Pase, a senior research fellow in the department of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine and lead author of the new study.

“Although we did not find an association between stroke or dementia and the consumption of sugary drinks, this certainly does not mean they are a healthy option. We recommend that people drink water on a regular basis instead of sugary or artificially sweetened beverages.”

Now, you have proof that  Drinking One Diet Drink A Day Can Triple Risk Of Dementia And Strokes. Only one a day!

So what to do? Drink ordinary water? That’s boring. We know getting eight glasses of water every day can be tough, but we’ve found a solution, SplasH2O.

SplasH2O® transforms plain water into a thirst-quenching, body-revitalizing, flavor sensation with tantalizing bursts of fresh fruit that will keep you making smarter choices. It’s a fantastic alternative to high-calorie, high-sugar drinks, and replaces them with sugar-free deliciousness. This fun, lively fusion of 5 classic fruits makes ordinary water taste refreshingly good—with no calories, sugar, or artificial flavors and colors.

We are so glad we found a way to turn water into a refreshing, flavorful drink that satisfies – without the sugar, calories, or cost of soda or fruit juice. We also know that we are reducing the chance of developing dementia or a stroke by switching products.

Now that’s something to consider.

The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) have great information about the devastating consequences
of eating too much sugar. It is very important to Know Your Limit for Added Sugars.

It’s time to talk about dishwashing

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I want to share something I learned a long time ago— you know it’s prohibited to vent your automatic dishwasher outdoors. Most dishwashers will have a vent on the outside of the door, others (like mine) will have a concealed vent located on the inside of the door, but both went the hot steam/air into your kitchen.

Why?

Because it’s prohibited to have chlorine gases emitted into the environment. Consider this, when you use an automatic dishwashing detergent that contains chlorine bleach, or other name-brand product containing a bleach chemical, it combines with the heat and steam which creates chlorine gas.

Since it’s not released outdoors, but released into our homes through the machines vents it creates an unhealthy or even toxic indoor air quality. That’s why it’s recommended to open your windows regularly to circulate air. If you don’t, those chlorine-based outgases can stay in your home for up to seven days! How unhealthy is that? No wonder so many children today suffer from asthma and other lung-related issues.

I stopped using those bleach-based toxic automatic dish soaps years ago.

I am so glad  I switched to a product that is free of phosphates and chlorine bleach. It’s also made with 100% nontoxic ingredients—because what’s on your dishes can also go into your body. The product also comes highly concentrated so the new resealable pouch uses 90% less plastic than the previous bottle, which was already significantly smaller than the competition!

It uses naturally derived water-softening agent naturally derived enzymes and all natural melaleuca oil. No bleach. No phosphates. No poisons. I love having sparkling dishes without endangering my family, and without polluting my home or the environment!

I like shopping with my online shopping club. Not only are the products non-toxic and the best of natural ingredients and science combined, but because I save so much money!

Recently, I placed my online shopping order and received two packages of this fabulous Automatic Dishwashing product FREE with my loyalty shopping dollars, saving me $14.33. Each time I shop, I get loyalty rewards, up to 18% back! I’ve yet to find another store that offers this type of reward, Even after 15 years of shopping with this club, I still get excited each time I order because of the savings!

Can you say that about your store?

Pancakes can be a powerhouse

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Getting a good healthy start to your day with a hearty breakfast can set the tone for a productive day. Eggs are a great choice, but eggs day after day can get boring. A tasty alternative can be pancakes. But knowing what the dangers packed in pancakes are can help you make them a healthy choice.

Pancakes are high in carbs and contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals, but they can contain lots of fat, calories, and sodium. Still, pancakes can be a great addition to the variety of your morning meal. Knowing what they contain can be helpful to your healthy diet.

A 3.5 oz. serving of pancakes (2 cakes) contains about  221 calories, although the addition of butter and maple syrup can add considerable calories, obviously. A serving of pancakes contains 8.8 g of fat/ 3.8g are saturated fat. Avoid more than 15g of saturated fat per day. They also contain 27.2 g of carbohydrates, which is about 10% of what you should have in a day. You also get 8.1 g of protein which is about 17% of the average amount of this macronutrient.

Pancakes pack both a savory and sweet taste which is what makes them so satisfying. They contain about 4.3 g of sugar. The American Heart Association recommends under 25 g for women and 37 g for men. Salt in your batter constitutes 308 mgs of sodium and the recommended limit is at about 2000 mg, so measure your daily intake carefully.

But pancakes are a good source of phosphorus (20%) and calcium (18%) of your daily requirements. This makes them a good option for increasing bone strength and your body’s ability to manufacture RNA and DNA. Pancakes also provide significant levels of iodine and riboflavin as well as smaller amounts of vitamin C, Thiamin, vitamin B-6, niacin, vitamin B-12, magnesium, zinc, copper, and iron.

Whole-wheat flour will provide extra fiber and whole grains. I have also have attached some great recipes for high protein versions of these little-griddled beauties. While we found the recipes to contain great food additives, we in no way endorse the brands promoted. We use the recipes as additional options to our already great pancake recipes. We shop directly from a manufacturer that manufactures an entire suite of performance supplements that can “jack up” the nutritional value of your morning meal, as well as help control blood sugar! We have discovered the amazing power of pancakes when made with the proper ingredients. No syrup needed. Yes, they are that good!

81 Percent of Dollar Store Products Tested Contain Chemicals Linked To Learning Disabilities, Cancer and Serious Illnesses

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HealthyStuff, in collaboration with the Campaign for Healthier Solutions, released a report today about toxic chemicals found in Dollar store products. The report — A Day Late and a Dollar Short: Discount Retailers are Falling Behind on Safer Chemicals — includes testing results for 164 dollar store products such as toys, jewelry, school supplies and other household items, that found over 81% (133 of 164) contained at least one hazardous chemical above levels of concern.

On average the dollar store products are some of the poorest peforming from a chemical hazard perspective. There is a comparatively high percentage of products containing hazardous plasticizers. The chemicals of concern found in Dollar store products tested for this report include: phthalates, linked to birth defects, reduced fertility, cancer, learning disabilities, diabetes, and other health
issues; polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC or vinyl), which creates hazards throughout its life cycle and has been linked to asthma and lung effects; and toxic metals such as lead, which harms brain development, leading to learning disabilities, lower IQ, and cause other serious health impacts, especially in children. Combined these discount chains have sales totaling over $36 billion
and operate more stores nationally than Walmart.

The attached article from Healthy Holistic Living gives a full report and explains what consumers can do.

In the meantime, families and communities let dollar store chains know that they want safer products, and join local and national efforts advocating for nontoxic products. Most importantly, consumers should read product labels to protect themselves and their families.

My company works hard every day to make sure that our products and business practices are environmentally friendly and safer for your home and family. We are passionate about and committed to eco-friendly practices that contribute to sustaining our environment and our customers health. Instead of harsh chemicals like chlorine bleach, ammonia, and formaldehyde, our products are powered by naturally derived ingredients including essential oils.

No matter how big or how small, nations, companies, communities, and families have the responsibility and opportunity to make a lasting, positive difference for our beautiful planet.

Do you need to add vitamin D and calcium to your diet?

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Because vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, it plays a role in your bone health. Studies involving older adults have associated low vitamin D levels with an increased risk of falls and fractures. Another finding shows that at age 50, your kidneys may become less effective at metabolizing inactive vitamin D into its active form.

At age 70 and beyond, your body will produce about one-third less vitamin D through sun exposure than it did when you were 21. Plus melanin, which determines your skin pigmentation and protects your body from harmful ultraviolet radiation (UV),can also impair your skin’s ability to produce enough vitamin D from sunlight. Darker-skinned individuals may need up to 10 times more sun exposure to produce adequate vitamin D levels as compared to a person with lighter skin. Who knew?

Another good thing about getting adequate sun exposure is that your mood automatically elevates when you are in the sun, thanks to the brain hormone serotonin. Researchers examining the effects of vitamin D on the moods of 80 elderly patients found the ones with the lowest vitamin D levels were 11 times more likely to suffer from depression. So sunning daily and taking a vitamin D supplement can help ward off depression.

If you are obese, some experts recommend you increase your intake of vitamin D. Why? Because vitamin D is fat-soluble, when your fat cells uptake it, less is available for use elsewhere in your body.

Here is a list of vitamin D deficiency symptoms that most people ignore from Healthyway.com.

The optimal vitamin D level for general health ranges between 40 to 60 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml). The ideal way to raise your vitamin D is by regularly and sensibly exposing large amounts of your skin, such as your arms, back, chest and legs, to sunshine. Getting outdoors at or around solar noon is the best time to soak up the sun. If for whatever reason you cannot get outdoors, or not frequently enough to receive sufficient UV exposure, consider taking an oral vitamin D3 supplement along with vitamin K2 and magnesium.

My company offers a wonderful K2-D3 supplement, offering the right balance of vitamins K2 and D3 is critical to regulating calcium and helping ensure you get optimal performance from this essential mineral.

Arsenic, Lead Found in Popular Protein Supplements

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Whether for weight loss, muscle building, or simply as a convenient quick meal on the go, many Americans turn to protein powders and drinks.

But a new study shows that many of the top-selling powders and drinks may contain concerning levels of heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead, and toxins like bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in some plastic containers and food can liners.

These substances have been linked to cancer, brain damage, and reproductive issues. When products were tested, many contained detectable levels of at least one heavy metal and 55 percent tested positive for BPA.The problem is, these toxins accumulate in your body and can stay there for years. Frequent consumption of foods that contain them can have adverse effects on your health.

This article from Consumer Reports provides a review of popular protein powders and drink supplements available today, and whether they’re necessary for most people.

The company I work with manufactures protein supplements and happily each product is made from only the finest ingredients to deliver the healthy, benefits. Every product in one line is also soy-free, gluten-free, and GMO-free, does not contain artificial sweeteners, and is kosher. A few specific products are also dairy-free and vegan.

Whether your goal is to maintain healthy blood sugar, build muscle, achieve a healthy weight, or just snack smarter, you need to be knowledgeable to protect your body every step of your journey. I’ve attached this article to help learn more about healthier for you flavors and formulas. You owe it to yourself to make an informed healthy choice.

Should you be gluten-free?

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If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease you should most certainly be gluten-free. Celiac disease is a genetic phenomenon which scientists trace to certain genes. There is a disorder called gluten intolerance that indicates that you should avoid excessive exposure to gluten.

Oddly, scientists know less about gluten intolerance than they do about full-blown celiac disease. The article below from Medical News Today will provide you with some more detailed information about gluten intolerance.

Gluten is the name for the proteins that give wheat its unique baking qualities. While wheat is the greatest source of gluten, there are other grains, which contain these proteins as well. This article gives us valuable insights into the foods and symptoms of gluten intolerance.

Remember, there are differences between celiac disease, wheat allergies, and gluten intolerance. You will find some answers here. Become a label reader (which most of us should do more of). Make sure you know which of the foods you eat contain wheat and try to avoid them.

Gluten can cause inflammation, which can be the source of risks to other diseases. While the gut is the most vulnerable to this inflammation, there is evidence that the inflammation can worsen symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, asthma, lupus and inflammatory bowel disease.

My company has developed, manufactures and offers many gluten-free products that can make living with gluten intolerance much more tolerable. It will never be easy, but it can be easier. It begins by knowing what you are ingesting and what it contains. Be well.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/312898.php