Coffee and tea drinkers have been reaping the rewards of a healthier liver for years while studies are only just now revealing the benefits of caffeine to the rest of us.

Recent experiments concerning caffeine consumption and liver function have found the stimulant to be quite effective at ridding the organ of excessive amounts of built up toxins.

The positive effects seem to be most beneficial for those people that are at a high risk for liver injury related to excessive alcohol consumption, iron overload, hepatitis B or C, impaired sugar metabolism or obesity.

The actual cause of the mechanism that stimulates the healthier liver functioning is not known however there is some speculation that it is because caffeine blocks a receptor that exists in both the brain and the liver.

What is known is that the beneficial effects of caffeine on the liver transcends race, gender and age and that the beneficial effects are more directly derived from caffeine consumption rather than a particular type of caffeinated beverage.

Scientists are hesitating to draw any distinct conclusions from the tests that they have conducted but all professionals are under a general consensus that the issue deserves to be studied in quite a bit more detail.

These findings tend to fly directly in the face of previously held beliefs that caffeine is indeed a toxin that adds to the over all pollution of the liver as opposed to helping to eliminate or reduce toxins.

The trouble with caffeine is that it can be a negative substance to have in the bodies’ system as it can contribute to many ailments such as hypertension, anxiety, insomnia, and irritability just to name a few.

The jury is still out with the conclusive verdict on the pros and cons of caffeine but in the meantime coffee drinkers can enjoy their beverages with an added feeling of personal well being.

A press release about the study can be found here.
Nothing on this site should be considered advice. You should contact a qualified advisor for health, beauty or medical advice.

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Understanding and tracking the two types of cholesterol that are present in the body can lead to lifestyle changes that can actually heal and improve the quality of health for seniors.

The first type of cholesterol is high density lipoprotein cholesterol or HDL. The second type is low density lipoprotein cholesterol or LDL. Each of the two cholesterol levels can be checked with a simple blood test.

HDL cholesterol is considered to be good cholesterol. It removes excess cholesterol from the walls of the arteries.

Beneficial levels of HDL tend to run higher than 40 mg/dl of blood. Women tend to have generally higher levels of HDL. The higher the level of HDL cholesterol in the system the lower the calculated risk of heart disease is.

Conversely the LDL cholesterol level is considered the bad cholesterol. It is the cholesterol that forms deposits along the insides of the artery walls. HDL cholesterol actually works to eliminate this particular cholesterol from the insides of the artery walls.

Optimal LDL cholesterol levels are lower than 100 mg/dl, near optimal levels are 100 – 129 mg/dl, borderline high levels are 130 – 159 mg/dl, while high levels would be anything greater than 160 mg/dl. Many professional organizations consider the LDL cholesterol level to the best indicator of a persons risk for heart disease, the lower the level the lower the risk.

Some studies have shown that LDL cholesterol levels are largely hereditary but there are things that can be done to elevate the good cholesterols and reduce the bad. LDL cholesterol levels are elevated by certain drugs such as aspirin, oral contraceptives, and phenothiazines.

LDL cholesterol can also be lessened by reducing sugar intake, alcohol included. Dramatic results can be achieved over the course of a year of dietary change that includes eating considerable amounts of fresh vegetables and other whole foods.

The benefits of monitoring personal cholesterol levels can help to ease the progression of life and its impacts upon our bodies.

Many people have found that elimination of bad cholesterols has lead to a better functioning body as well as a better general feeling of welfare.

Further useful information can be found at the americanheart.org Cholesterol page.
Nothing on this site should be considered advice. You should contact a qualified advisor for health, beauty or medical advice.

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Good fitness comes from a combination of good exercise and good diet techniques. These two factors go hand in hand to produce a quality level of fitness. Of course, good exercise starts with a good warm-up period and ends with a good cool-down period.

Good diet consists of a balanced intake of the four food groups and a regular consumption of three or four meals a day. Let’s look at the basics behind a good exercise program first and then say more about diet.

Warming up in a good exercise program is important because it raises the temperature of the body. For each degree of temperature elevation in a person’s body, the metabolic rate of the cells increases by about 13 percent.

The effects of a good warm up on the blood supply is also important in exercise because as the blood supply to the muscles increases, this allows for a greater release of oxygen to feed the muscles. Warming up also helps prevent injuries because the elasticity and the flexibility of the tendons and ligaments is increased. In addition, heart function is improved and ready for the increased demand of intense exercise. Warm up can eventually become heavy exercise and this period will really increase the flow of blood and the increase of the heartbeat which are all great for the body.

After heavy exercise it is best to finish off with a good cool-down. This is just as important as the warm-up. Respiration, body temperature and heart rate should be slowly returned to normal so that an irregular heartbeat will not develop later in life. The cool-down period helps the return of blood to the heart.

In terms of a proper diet to increase the overall level of fitness, there are basically four food groups to consider. The four food groups are meats, fruits & vegetables, breads & cereals and dairy products. Having a healthy diet is not always easy.

People eat less healthy foods because of the tastes they are used to and ease of preparation. Taking the time to buy the right ingredients for a healthy meal sometimes can seem like too much trouble. Still, it isn’t so hard to make simple changes to improve your diet.

A little learning and planning can go along way and then it may be easier to find a diet to fit your lifestyle. Fitness is not an impossible task if you simply take it one day at a time and don’t overwhelm yourself about the future. Building good habits slowly over time will be the best strategy for improved fitness and a generally healthy quality of life.

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You are in your midday rush, and you reach into the fridge to find something to eat before you’re back on the run again. You grab whatever you can find, knowing that you don’t have enough time to consider the calorie content or healthful aspects of what you’re eating. You sigh and vow that you will spend more time planning your next meal.

But that time never seems to come. You realize you’re probably not eating a healthy diet, but you aren’t even really sure anymore just what a healthy diet really is. And is it even possible to eat healthy in the fast paced world of today?

A simple Internet search for “a healthy diet plan” turns out several million hits. It’s a fact: we want to know what we should eat to make us healthy. Yet finding that information can be frustrating and somewhat elusive. Luckily, eating healthy is not some kind of mystery science that demands special and/or time consuming formulas. It’s really all about common sense.

What do you need to do to eat healthy? There are three simple rules that will help you on your way.

First, take your mother’s advice and eat your veggies. An easy way to add them to your diet is to have them sliced and ready to go. You can add cucumber slices to a sandwich, a handful of orange slices for dessert, and you are on your way. Skip the chips and pretzels, as they are considered empty calories and don’t provide any useful vitamins or nutrients.

Second, plan the majority of your meals. Yes, this takes time, but it is well worth your efforts. Shop with a healthy diet in mind, and avoid the foods that pull you away from your goals. If you have healthier choices available, it won’t matter if you are short on time.

Third, think about what you are eating and work towards moderation. It doesn’t make sense to swear off chocolate forever, and the sense of deprivation might even make you crave it. Having a small amount infrequently is much more reasonable.

Healthy eating is all about common sense. Eating your veggies, planning most of your meals, and focusing on moderation will have you eating a healthy diet in no time at all.

For more informtion about diet and healthy eating, the following are useful reference sites:
Nothing on this site should be considered advice. You should contact a qualified advisor for health, beauty or medical advice.

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Using an online calorie counter sites can really help you keep track of your weight loss and diet goals. There are several sites around that offer broadly the same service, tracking calories consumed and burnt, but their implementations vary.

Fit Day

One of the original weight loss tracking sites, boasting over 2 million members. Good features, but ultimately promoting their PC based diet tracking software.

The Daily Plate
Good selection of foods in their database, and well presented. From our brief look it seemed a little bit busy, but in fairness does track a lot of information for you. Friendly feeling forum.

Spark People
More than just a calorie tracking site, the set up helps suggest nutrition programs and goals which you can then track with their online application. Includes articles, information and an established community.

Start Your Diet
Offers basic and delux membership (at the time of writing $29.95 / year). The basic membership allows you to track weight loss goals with weight tracking, but to be able to track or count calories you’ll need to sign up for the delux version.

Well, that’s a few sites for starters, if you know of any other good sites we should add to the list, let us know.

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By Ismael D. Tabije

As years creep in, the cheeks sink in and hollows appear where once they were full and plump. This is due to the shrinking of the supporting muscles. There are four of these muscles on each side of the face. As we grow older these muscles lose their strength and elasticity. And this change produces the pendant or loose jowl characteristic of age, just as their lessened size is the cause of the hollows in the cheeks.

These are voluntary muscles and can be exercised at will. Just as exercise of the muscles of arms, legs and any other part of the body can improve them; exercise of the facial muscles will yield the same result. There have been wide publications of these systems of facial exercises in beauty books and essays. It is termed as “facial gymnastics or making faces” and will produce remarkable results when practiced faithfully and persistently.

A far better and quicker method is a massage system, which I have devised and practiced while the cheek muscles are contracted. By this, satisfactory results can be obtained in a very short time, and with very little trouble.

First familiarize yourself with the position of these cheek muscles. There are eight long muscles, four on each side. They are attached to the cheekbones immediately below the eyes. From there, it descends to become attached to the wide muscular band surrounding the mouth. You can contract these cheek muscles at will, this action forming a bunch on the cheekbones under the eyes.

There is another set of strong muscles that holds up these cheek-supporting muscles. Theyr are also fastened to the cheekbones extending downwards and are attached along the jawbones. These may be termed as the chewing muscles, and while they play an important part in supporting the cheeks and determining their contour, they cannot be contracted or exercised at will, except in the act of chewing. Their action is independent of the cheek muscles; although when they are contracted upward some tension is placed upon them.

In youth these muscles are, or should be, strong, elastic, and can support the tissue and skin overlying them, giving the cheeks the full, round appearance characteristic of that period of life. As years advance, lack of exercise can shrink and lose their former size, strength and elasticity just as any muscle of the body will do under like con?ditions. The skin covering will lose its support, fall into the creases and create wrinkles.

These are the obvious indications of physical age, as they tell the tale of the shrunken muscles underlying. There is one cure for these wrinkles, wasted chin and hollow cheeks and that is the restoration of the supporting muscles to their former plumpness and strength. All the so-called solutions such as medicinal preparations, “skin foods”, etc. would not work especially if not accompanied by exercises.

It is true that by a system of diet, and especially by drinking copious amounts of milk, an increase of fatty tissues can be obtained. The face will become more plump and the surface of the skin smoother. But if the underlying muscles are not developed the face will still present a flabby look, the jowl may sag and the appearance of a double chin be more pronounced. These facial indications of physical age are not especially the signs of advanced years, being principally due to lack of exercise of the supporting facial muscles.

The explanation of the speedy enlargement of the muscles “deeply massaged” would be that the network of blood vessels and the countless capillaries become distended when pumped by blood through the process. This is a healthy congestion and if persistently practiced, will have a permanent development thus returning the elasticity and fullness of youth.

I do not claim that large muscles produced by this method indicate great strength. But for a faster and obvious result in regaining the plumpness and filling out of the cheeks, chin and jaw, this is the most effective way.

About the Author
This article is an excerpt from the e-book, The Man Who Grew Younger: Secrets to Fitness & Health for the Middle-aged and Beyond. Visit the e-book’s website to find unique natural fitness and health tips, all proven highly effective. Numerous other excellent fitness e-books are also available at http://www.fitness.e-mart4all.com.

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By Ismael D. Tabije

When I was younger, I used to sing a great deal in public and earn from it. A bad cold, therefore, meant harmed voice, equals no income. In those days, I believed a great deal in the curative powers of medicines and so every time a cold attacked, I did the usual “stuff a cold and starve a fever”. What was worse was that it usually took me too long to recover from a single attack that left me unable to perform and earn a living. There was this very important concert that I had to perform in along with others. I was so excited because this was no small-time concert. All forms of advertisements were exhausted for the event and the venue had been long prepared. Suddenly, three days before the anticipated performance, I caught an awful cold.

I went to the manager of the affair and reported my sad predicament. Fortunately, the manager was a doctor who was not overly convinced by the curative powers of medicines. He was the one who introduced me to the “fasting cure” which he, himself practices when he’s afflicted with a co;d. I was advised to starve and eat nothing but I could drink all the water I wanted until my pulse and body temperature returned to normal. I was also advised to rest in bed for about three days and he promised me I’d be as good as new after that. I was told not to listen to my family, relatives and doctor if they told me to eat to gain my strength back. He assured me that I would not grow weak for lack of nourishment in a three-day fasting. I also learned about not being able to digest food well if one has a fever, so it is really advisable to fast.

I took his advice and the results were exactly as he had stated. After the end of the three-day fast, I was able to join a last rehearsal in the afternoon of the big event. And that night, I sang my numbers without a trace of the bad cold! In three days I was able to recover fully from a bout of cold through fasting, which would have normally taken me much longer if I had succumbed to purely medical solutions.

Digestive disorders are caused by many factors. Eating a lot and eating more than what is required is quite a common cause. Other factors include hurried and improper eating. These two alone cause about 80% of digestive disorders. Then there’s the tobacco or after-meal cigar, “treats” and the business-first-before-meal attitude.

I have a very good appetite or digestion though some things can cause it to falter once in a while. In those cases, I eventually resort to fasting to give my stomach a few days rest. For my fever, catarrhal problems and bad cold and glandular disorders, fasting never fails to restore me up. Fasting can help clean the digestive system. It can be done through the supervision of a capable nurse without inducing any other commercial medicine. Under these conditions a satisfactory cure is almost certain.

My summary of the matter is, as I have stated, that the difference between starving and fasting lies in the mental attitude. The beneficial effect of fasting is that it gives the stomach needed rest from any digestive disorders. While in “bad colds” the clogging rubbish or surplus matter is burned up or eliminated from the body and glandular structures, very much in the same way that this is accomplished by prolonged systematic exercise.

The only danger in the fasting system, if not of too long duration, seems to lie at its termination. Taper off gently and don’t gorge yourself. Do this and no harm will result. At the end of the four days’ fasts I have taken, I ate in moderation; grape juice, well-boiled rice, green peas and carrots. The next day I eat anything I like, provided I chew it properly and slowly.

About the Author
This article is an excerpt from the e-book, The Man Who Grew Younger: Secrets to Fitness & Health for the Middle-aged and Beyond. Visit the e-book’s website to find unique natural fitness and health tips, all proven highly effective. Numerous other excellent fitness e-books are also available at http://www.fitness.e-mart4all.com.

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By Dr. Robert Fleishmann

Contrary to popular belief and some dubious scientific studies, your body may not be functioning as well as it should. Though doctors and scientists will caution against the idea of a body cleanse, this can truly be an important step along the way to good health. By taking the time to learn about products that really work to clean your body of harmful toxins and ions, you can begin to focus on your health and not just what everyone else is saying.

IonCleanse

A common name around health concerned groups is IonCleanse. This footbath system works to restore the balance of ions in your body by utilizing one of the most pure sources of balanced ions ? water. By sitting your feet in this machine on a daily basis, your body will begin to reestablish the natural balance of ions, creating a more healthy life for you. Also known as BEFE or bioelectrical field enhancement, this kind of therapy is painless, relaxing and easy to do no matter where you are. The regulation of your ions allows the body systems the ability to function properly as well as restores energy to your entire being.

Ioncleanse is different from other footbath systems such as aquadetox and bio cleanse because it uses dual polarity. Dual polarity will allow you to use both positive and negative ions in order to receive the full benefit of a body cleanse. You will be able to switch polarity very easily using our footbath system.

Other Benefits of Ioncleanse

As with any BEFE program, you are attempting to realign your body’s energy, or chi, in order to create a natural state of balance and energy. When your body’s energy is out of balance, it can create a number of problems internally. Cells can become clustered together instead of moving freely, which can lead to an inefficient energy transport system. When your cells aren’t able to perform their job, other parts of the body aren’t able to receive the nutrition that the cells are carrying and thus they can begin to lose their functioning capabilities. What’s more is that non-functioning cells or poorly functioning cells can also lose their ability to remove their own waste or biocleanse on their own, causing disastrous results and even cellular death.

Ioncleanse offers customers two different types of plates to choose from, which help product the ion charges in the water. The 316 plates are the standard plates you will receive when you purchase the system. These plates will allow you to comfortably complete thirty minute sessions each day, while the 304/321 plates offer a higher level of ion concentration, which will cut your time down to twenty minutes per day.

Excellent customer service and EU and FCC approval also make this body cleansing system very attractive to those who are new to the benefits of a biocleanse.

Choosing the system for you

When you’re trying to decide which system is right for you, remember that any body cleanse is one that is going to make your health and your life better. The idea of biocleanse is somewhat new to the health scene, but the science that backs up the claims is strong. If you’re seriously considering a cleansing unit, try to find a local retailer that will allow you to try it out before you buy. There are some retailers that will allow you to do this, and it’s highly recommended. Of course, if you have any outstanding medical conditions, you will want to speak to your doctor before trying the system.

Once you have tried the system, give yourself a few days to see how your body responds, if at all. What you will probably notice is a lighter overall energy as well as fewer low points in your day. If you still feel good in a few days, that might be the only sign you need that tells you to place your order to continue the cleansing effects in your home.
About the Author
This article was written by Dr. Robert Fleishmann, a board-certified neurologist and specialist in total mind body wellness, and consultant for A Major Difference ? makers of the Original IonCleanse , Light Rejuvenizers, and Body Clensing Products.

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A lot of people are hurrying through their weight loss goals without even thinking twice whether the food they’re eating fits best with their body. They drink weight loss pills, think about surgeries and other super fast ways to lose weight without the health benefits. What they don’t realize is that how to lose weight naturally comes from all natural products and that they don’t have to digest supplements and teas. Here are 3 ways on how to lose weight naturally:

1. Exercise

How to lose weight naturally involves exercising and it is the most natural way to be fit. Do not even think about surgeries just so you can have firmer arms or legs. By exercising for 45-minutes 3-4 times a week, you’ll be feeling stronger and more energized each day. Plus with the right exercise, you’ll also feel less cranky and more proactive at work.

There are a lot of exercises you can do that can make you lose weight. There’s jogging and bicycling, wherein you’ll be toning your leg muscles and swimming, that makes use of your legs and arms to keep you fit all over.

Take note that you do want to keep your exercise intensity high but at the same time try not to push yourself because that might just cause a strain on your part. Also remember to get some rest and get your 8 hours of sleep otherwise you’ll feel restless.

2. Drink Lots of Water

Drinking lots of water is one of the ways on how to lose weight naturally because it replenishes you after a tiring workout without adding pounds. Unlike health drinks or protein shakes that contain a lot of sugars which stores up as fat inside the body, water contains all natural elements so you’ll feel refreshed.

Drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day is a must. You’ll also feel full making you settle down on your cravings. Water also sorts out the bad toxins from your body keeping you healthy and naturally fit.

3. Eat Fruits and Vegetables

Losing weight will make you feel tired due to all the exercise that you will be doing so in order to keep yourself more alert and rejuvenated, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables.

How to lose weight naturally needs you to eat fruits and Vegetables that are high in fiber because it will keep you stocked up for the rest of the day. With fruits and vegetables, you’ll be able to control you hunger and you also get your nourishment. Vegetables that are rich in fiber are broccoli and Brussels sprouts and they can be made into delicious meals. As for the fruits, bananas, papayas and berries help when you’re on a diet too and they can be substitutes for desserts such as cakes and ice cream.

You’ll also want to check with your doctor if there are other ways on how to lose weight naturally but these 3 will always be recommended. These 3 tips are helpful when you are living in a world that’s filled with unhealthy temptations all the time. What you need to improve your lifestyle are these 3 and you will see the wonders it can do to your body.

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By Ng Peng Hock

GL stands for glycemic load. It is believed by many health professionals that low GL diet will be more popular than low-fat, low-carbohydrate (carb) or low-calorie.

The low-fat and low-calorie diets do not stop obesity epidemic in countries like Britain and United States despite the fact that the average number of calories and percentage of calories from fat went down. To the contrary, the obesity epidemic has in fact accelerated. Obesity will cause a higher risk of developing many medical health issues including heart disease.

Dr Atkins realized that it was the carbohydrate that increases the blood sugar and hence the weight. In order to prevent the body from converting carbs into fat, a high-protein, high-fat and low-carb diet was proposed. It works but it does not really make one healthier.

In 1980s, people started measuring GI (glycemic index) of foods, which is a measure of how fast the sugar in food increases one’s blood sugar level compared with glucose. GI diet suggests limiting high-GI foods but does not restrict the quantity of carbohydrates.

GL means the quantity of carbs (the Atkins factor) multiplied by the quality (the GI factor). For instance, watermelon has fast-releasing sugar (GI of 72), but a large slice has only 6g of carbs. So multiplying the quantity (6g) by the quality (0.72) gives 4.3 GLs.

The GL value of food tells us more things: what that food will do to our blood sugar level and hence, our appetite, energy and weight.

A low GL diet can be achieved either by eating a low-carb, high-protein diet (like Atkins) or with a higher carb, but strictly low GI carbs and moderate protein diet. Patrick Holford, founder of the Institute of Optimum Nutrition in London, prefers the latter approach. What he suggests is a meal of 45 GLs a day, spaced out in 3 meals and 2 snacks, combining protein with carbohydrate will even out blood sugar and maximize weight loss.

In clinical trials, Atkins and South Beach diets give a weight loss of about 500g a week while the above-mentioned low-GL diet causes a weight loss of 590g a week with 94 percent of participants claiming better energy. The findings were published in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine.

A paper published by the American Medical Association also suggested that dietary glycemic load (GL) and not just overall energy intake (calories), influences weight loss.

Moderate reduction in GL appears to increase the rate of body fat loss, particularly for women. Diets based on low-GI wholegrain products maximize cardiovascular risk reduction, particularly if protein intake is high.

Will GL diet become the future of safe, effective and life-long weight control, as Holford suggests? Perhaps it is too early to tell. Let us wait and see if more favorable clinical findings will emerge to make this come true.

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