There is a saying that goes. "We are what we eat." This is so true as the food being consumed may affect the cholesterol levels inside the person’s system. This makes this makes the person prone to high blood pressure or heart disease through age, which could leave the patient, paralyzed or dead.
The only thing to do before it is too late is to make some changes in the individual's diet. While many of the good stuff that people love to eat have high concentrations of LDL better known as bad cholesterol, this can all change by consuming those that have HDL or good cholesterol. Here are a few examples.
A good way to start a healthy diet is to have a breakfast. Instead of eating bread, the individual can consume oatmeal instead. Studies have shown this can lower the cholesterol in the body by more than 20. This can be purchased at the supermarket and eaten during anytime of the day such as dessert after a light meal or as a snack.
During lunch or dinner, the person must have some vegetables in the meal. Those who order can have fish or poultry instead of eating red meat. Such dishes are not high in saturated fats, which are healthier.
Those who love to cook at home can try mixing some healthy things ingredients in the meal. One example is garlic that has natural properties that can declog the arteries and again lower the odds of succumbing to heart disease.
Having a can of pork and beans is also good for the diet. This is because it contains soluble fibers that can combat the bad cholesterol in the person's body. There are not that many people who will do this but those who are able to eat even a half an onion daily will be able to increase the HDL and lower the LDL.
People are often told that fats are not good for the diet. This isn’t entirely true because this comes in many forms. There are fats that are healthy such as unsaturated ones and omega 3 fatty acids.
Monosaturated and Polysaturated ones are also effective since these are usually found in cooking oils. This means food preparation also plays a big factor in reducing lowering one’s cholesterol levels.
The individual should read the label at the supermarket and read the ingredients to find out if this is healthy for cooking.
Being a bit overweight or noticing a lot of bulges in the body is one way of knowing that the person is potentially at risk for succumbing to disease to high levels of cholesterol in the system.
If the individual is unable to make a proper dietary plan, a specialist can help make one so all the person has to do is follow it.
source: Stewart Levison
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Mastering Leptin the Key to Weight Loss
Leptin leapt into the headlines when it was identified in 1995 as a protein that triggers weight loss in mice. Leptin (the Greek term for thin) is a hormone released by your fat cells. When you lose fat, leptin levels drop and when you gain fat, leptin levels rise.
Recent research into leptin has revealed what is likely to be very important in the control of appetite, weight loss and the regulation of body weight. Advances in leptin research and its role in the control of obesity would lead to reductions in diabetes, coronary heart disease and many forms of cancer, all of which are increased in obesity.
American adults are overweight and more than 30 percent are obese. Currently 50 million Americans suffer from metabolic syndrome - a disease associated with obesity and encompassing coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes.
Leptin affects our weight and our appetites. Levels of leptin rise just before a meal and fall when people are full. It is now known that leptin not only can affect the chemical responses that affect how hungry you are but also can affect the wiring of your brain.
Scientists are interested in whether leptin may be manipulated to help people, especially overweight people, to lose weight and not put it back on. They know that leptin is released by fat cells and tells the brain how much fat is on the body. Once leptin has been secreted by your fat cells, it travels to the hypothalamus. This is the part of your brain that controls eating behavior.
Defects in leptin signaling leads to obesity, overeating, and decreased energy output.
Normally, when leptin levels in the blood go up, the brain signals us to stop eating. But since obesity isn’t the result of a lack of leptin, it is a lack of response to leptin, and obese individuals tend to have more and larger leptin-producing fat cells than thinner people, their leptin levels increase substantially with every pound of additional weight gain. This is illustrated below.
Mice lacking leptin ate voraciously and grew enormously fat; leptin injections made them stop eating and slim down. The discovery led researchers to think that fat people might also lack leptin, and that it could make them lose weight. But it was not so. Scientists found that most fat people had lots of leptin, and giving them more had little effect. (The New York Times 26/11/2002).
Researchers at the Oregon National Primate Research Center conducted a study in mice involving two separate groups that were fed high-fat and low-fat diets. The high-fat diet group developed symptoms of diabetes and obesity while the low-fat diet group did not. The researchers tested cells which conduct nerve impulses and found the cells behaved as if there was no leptin present, even though levels were 40-times higher than in normal mice. (Cell Metab. 2007 Mar;5(3):181-94).
This is due to obese people becoming resistant to leptin’s signal. When the brain fails to sense the leptin hormone’s signal correctly it thinks that more fat is required, even though we have enough, and fat begins to accumulate while metabolism slows down. Some scientists think that either leptin is not transported through the blood-brain barrier properly or the brain is not interpreting the signals properly.
With the regular discovery of hormones involved in regulating body weight it is a diverse and rapidly expanding field.
My own research of the literature has revealed to me some dietary factors that block leptin from crossing the blood-brain barrier and interfere with leptin signaling. In addition, there are foods/methods that correct these problems. I will discuss these issues in due course.
If this article is reproduced please ensure the link to my website is kept live. If you can't see the links hover your mouse over the words in the bio box.
by: Kevin Flatt
Recent research into leptin has revealed what is likely to be very important in the control of appetite, weight loss and the regulation of body weight. Advances in leptin research and its role in the control of obesity would lead to reductions in diabetes, coronary heart disease and many forms of cancer, all of which are increased in obesity.
American adults are overweight and more than 30 percent are obese. Currently 50 million Americans suffer from metabolic syndrome - a disease associated with obesity and encompassing coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes.
Leptin affects our weight and our appetites. Levels of leptin rise just before a meal and fall when people are full. It is now known that leptin not only can affect the chemical responses that affect how hungry you are but also can affect the wiring of your brain.
Scientists are interested in whether leptin may be manipulated to help people, especially overweight people, to lose weight and not put it back on. They know that leptin is released by fat cells and tells the brain how much fat is on the body. Once leptin has been secreted by your fat cells, it travels to the hypothalamus. This is the part of your brain that controls eating behavior.
Defects in leptin signaling leads to obesity, overeating, and decreased energy output.
Normally, when leptin levels in the blood go up, the brain signals us to stop eating. But since obesity isn’t the result of a lack of leptin, it is a lack of response to leptin, and obese individuals tend to have more and larger leptin-producing fat cells than thinner people, their leptin levels increase substantially with every pound of additional weight gain. This is illustrated below.
Mice lacking leptin ate voraciously and grew enormously fat; leptin injections made them stop eating and slim down. The discovery led researchers to think that fat people might also lack leptin, and that it could make them lose weight. But it was not so. Scientists found that most fat people had lots of leptin, and giving them more had little effect. (The New York Times 26/11/2002).
Researchers at the Oregon National Primate Research Center conducted a study in mice involving two separate groups that were fed high-fat and low-fat diets. The high-fat diet group developed symptoms of diabetes and obesity while the low-fat diet group did not. The researchers tested cells which conduct nerve impulses and found the cells behaved as if there was no leptin present, even though levels were 40-times higher than in normal mice. (Cell Metab. 2007 Mar;5(3):181-94).
This is due to obese people becoming resistant to leptin’s signal. When the brain fails to sense the leptin hormone’s signal correctly it thinks that more fat is required, even though we have enough, and fat begins to accumulate while metabolism slows down. Some scientists think that either leptin is not transported through the blood-brain barrier properly or the brain is not interpreting the signals properly.
With the regular discovery of hormones involved in regulating body weight it is a diverse and rapidly expanding field.
My own research of the literature has revealed to me some dietary factors that block leptin from crossing the blood-brain barrier and interfere with leptin signaling. In addition, there are foods/methods that correct these problems. I will discuss these issues in due course.
If this article is reproduced please ensure the link to my website is kept live. If you can't see the links hover your mouse over the words in the bio box.
by: Kevin Flatt
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Fitness and Exercise Guide And Advice
According to few insulin levels play the largest role in losing weight. Other experts determine that our body type is the key to finding the proper exercises and diet plans that work with the body. To find out your body type you will need to talk to your doctor, or else visit the World Wide Net to find answers to your questions. Other details are available over the Internet that can help you decide on which diet is best for you, as well as which exercises works best with your body.
To achieve a healthier status and maintain weight diet must combine with exercise, since one without the other will not work. Combining healthy provisions with correct exercises can bring you good health and physical fitness, which will enhance your quality of life. It will also help you keep your body’s zone to a level.
The body and mind is complicated, however both work together to produce results. Many experts, including theorists, doctors, scientist, and philosophers are continuing to find answers to the body’s functions.
Some of the confusion comes when people diet, exercise and take care of them self, yet they still gain weight. Barry Sears wrote a compelling book titled A Week in the Zone, which produced some outstanding advice. Some of the information in the book helps us to decide on exercises and diets that suit us best, since insulin plays a large part in healthier living. The author lets us know that the hormones consequence of intakes of carbohydrates and caloric differ from the hormones that produce protein and calories. , he continues letting us know that the effects of hormones that produce fats and calories too differ in the direction of health. (p. 3)
The author brings us to see that a balance is needed, yet the balance is factored by the different hormonal levels. Thus, eating healthy, giving the body proper fluids and exercising is the only answer to living a productive and quality lifestyle.
One of the biggest setbacks that people adhere to is making excuses to avoid dieting and exercise. Countless of people find it easier said than done to stick with diet and exercise programs that facilitates them to remain healthy while maintaining weight.
One of the largest reasons is that most people do not understand their body and its type, or have difficulty adhering to a schedule. One of the largest reasons why this happens is that many people find it difficult to plan, set goals that work, and find solutions that help the person maintain a schedule. The threesome is the ultimate tools for working toward good health and fitness. If you are uncertain of the types of exercises, this too can hold you back. Walking up and down the stairs is an aerobic exercise. Mowing the lawn is another type of exercise. Anytime the body is in motion, producing actions it is exercising. Lifting 12’ ounces of beer is not an exercise. Alcohol if overused will affect the body and mind dramatically.
by: Peter Curtis
To achieve a healthier status and maintain weight diet must combine with exercise, since one without the other will not work. Combining healthy provisions with correct exercises can bring you good health and physical fitness, which will enhance your quality of life. It will also help you keep your body’s zone to a level.
The body and mind is complicated, however both work together to produce results. Many experts, including theorists, doctors, scientist, and philosophers are continuing to find answers to the body’s functions.
Some of the confusion comes when people diet, exercise and take care of them self, yet they still gain weight. Barry Sears wrote a compelling book titled A Week in the Zone, which produced some outstanding advice. Some of the information in the book helps us to decide on exercises and diets that suit us best, since insulin plays a large part in healthier living. The author lets us know that the hormones consequence of intakes of carbohydrates and caloric differ from the hormones that produce protein and calories. , he continues letting us know that the effects of hormones that produce fats and calories too differ in the direction of health. (p. 3)
The author brings us to see that a balance is needed, yet the balance is factored by the different hormonal levels. Thus, eating healthy, giving the body proper fluids and exercising is the only answer to living a productive and quality lifestyle.
One of the biggest setbacks that people adhere to is making excuses to avoid dieting and exercise. Countless of people find it easier said than done to stick with diet and exercise programs that facilitates them to remain healthy while maintaining weight.
One of the largest reasons is that most people do not understand their body and its type, or have difficulty adhering to a schedule. One of the largest reasons why this happens is that many people find it difficult to plan, set goals that work, and find solutions that help the person maintain a schedule. The threesome is the ultimate tools for working toward good health and fitness. If you are uncertain of the types of exercises, this too can hold you back. Walking up and down the stairs is an aerobic exercise. Mowing the lawn is another type of exercise. Anytime the body is in motion, producing actions it is exercising. Lifting 12’ ounces of beer is not an exercise. Alcohol if overused will affect the body and mind dramatically.
by: Peter Curtis
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Natural Weight Loss for Good Health and Well Being
Weight loss is becoming an unhealthy obsession dealing with body images, but in some cases can improve health and fitness. When weight loss is a result of eating healthy, exercising and/or taking natural weight loss supplements in contrast to synthetic prescription drugs with the risk of harmful side effects, weight loss can be effective, rewarding, and greatly improve overall health.
Extra weight, especially extra fat on a person's body, applies significantly increased stresses on the heart, joints and back. These stresses can be extremely detrimental to one's health. Healthy weight loss can reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, arthritis and other health problems, as well as generally extending an otherwise average life span. Recently, the scientific root cause or explanation of obesity has been revealed as being part of one's physiology. The internal functions of an obese person are different than those of a healthy person, and cause intense hunger pains and food cravings.
Natural weight loss supplements can help counteract this constant hunger and lead to healthy weight loss. Unbalanced hormones are a common cause of weight gain, therefore taking natural hormone balancers and herbal supplements would help to create a healthy weight loss regimen. Restoring your health allows you to lose weight naturally, without excess frustration and effort. It's all about losing weight from the inside out.
Emotional issues always accompany change, especially changes in our bodies e.g. natural weight loss. Weight loss affects our perception body image, our sense of identity i.e. who am I?, and how we feel about ourselves in general. Weight loss also effects our social relationships in that there may be people in our family or social contacts that are emotionally invested in our remaining the same i.e. overweight with all that it symbolizes e.g. friendliness, non-threatening, protective, jovial, helpful, etc. Beyond our physical health, it can be said that "size matters" cognitively and emotionally to ourselves and others. Eating and food have come to symbolize being accepted, being cared for and comfort. Having the support of others in our efforts to naturally lose weight and regain our health is a huge advantage.
We have been "conditioned" to fear any kind of loss, including weight loss. Especially if what we may lose is something with which we identify i.e. use to tell us who we are.
The emotions of fear, anger, anxiety and depression effect our weight. We often tend to "stuff our feelings" or numb these emotional feelings or stress by overeating. We may even overeat, thinking that will ease the physical discomfort caused by excess weight e.g. physical pain, lack of sleep, and lack of energy caused by moderate depression. To improve our overall health and support us through the process of natural weight loss and the emotional dynamics around it, we can take advantage of natural sleep aids, natural depression relief and natural pain relief health care products.
Our weight and health is greatly dependent upon our having a healthy digestive system or metabolism. Our digestive system converts, on a cellular and muscular level, the foods we eat, eliminates toxins, and uses and stores glucose for energy. Natural enzymes trigger hunger signals and facilitate absorption of nutrition. Good digestion with the help of natural enzymes aids in the conversion of fat to muscle.
Allergy and sensitivity to food, parasites, yeast overgrowth and emotional stress are signals of digestive disruption and inflammation. Natural essential fatty acids work to reduce intestinal inflammation, decrease harmful acids, help the liver process proteins that grow muscle, balance hormones and facilitate the elimination of toxins. Natural essential fatty acids help clear our digestive system of heavy metals, harmful bacteria, pesticides that we are increasingly encountering in our environment. Essential fatty acids along with natural fiber help us clean out the intestinal debris that harm our health and often lead to weight gain. Essential fatty acids also help our brain's neurotransmitters to function properly in order to deal with stress, emotions, and cravings that can lead to overeating and weight gain.
Natural amino acids are the building blocks that make up proteins. Next to water, protein makes up the greatest part of our body weight. Amino acids help increase metabolism, build muscle, ease moderate depression, and help burn fat. Natural antioxidants help carry more oxygen to cells and muscles to help increase energy, burn fat, build muscle and process the foods we eat.
Hormone balance is essential for natural weight loss. Our metabolism slows as we get older because of the decrease or imbalance of hormones. This contributes to weight gain. Hormone balance also helps us deal with stress that leads to weight gain. Proper hormone balance helps to decrease cravings and binge eating. There are many natural hormone balancing products available, e.g. natural progesterone, promensil, soy isoflavones, essential fatty acids and hormone balancing formulas.
Our metabolism's primary task is to nourish our brains. We need healthy neurotransmitters to help us curb craving, ease depression, and deal with stress that lead to weight gain. Balancing our natural brain chemistry has a calming effect and allows us to feel a sens of well being and safety. There are many natural health care products to help balance brain chemistry, e.g. essential fatty acids, natural depression relief products, natural products to increase serotonin, and more. When our brain feels well and safe, it is prone to change our metabolism from calorie saving to calorie burning.
Our bodies were designed to move and be active. Movement requires muscle activity. Muscle activity uses the glycogen supply found in our muscles. When this glycogen supply stored in our muscles is used, our body is forced to use stored fat as an energy source. Using this stored fat through movement and exercise, results in natural weight loss. There is no reason for us to become athletes to accomplish natural weight loss. Low impact exercise like swimming, walking, etc, can be done slowly and without strain. In order to lose real weight rather than "water weight", it is important to drink extra amounts of water when exercising. Drinking more water will also help our digestive system and metabolism to use and eliminate extra weight.
Remember, the first objective, accomplished through natural weight loss, is to improve our physical and emotional health. This involves having a healthy digestive system, a healthy emotional system and a healthy nutritional system. We can build these healthy systems with natural vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants, natural digestive aid, pain relief aid, natural sleep aids, natural emotional and mood aids, essential fatty acids and many more helpful natural health care products. We need to concentrate on improving our general health, feeling good, and living well through natural weight loss, rather than constantly comparing ourselves to someone else's idea about appearance from some magazine. Physical and emotional health is primary. Appearance may be important to us, but it is secondary. Through natural weight loss, we can live well and live long.
by: Jennifer Kays- articlecity.com
Extra weight, especially extra fat on a person's body, applies significantly increased stresses on the heart, joints and back. These stresses can be extremely detrimental to one's health. Healthy weight loss can reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, arthritis and other health problems, as well as generally extending an otherwise average life span. Recently, the scientific root cause or explanation of obesity has been revealed as being part of one's physiology. The internal functions of an obese person are different than those of a healthy person, and cause intense hunger pains and food cravings.
Natural weight loss supplements can help counteract this constant hunger and lead to healthy weight loss. Unbalanced hormones are a common cause of weight gain, therefore taking natural hormone balancers and herbal supplements would help to create a healthy weight loss regimen. Restoring your health allows you to lose weight naturally, without excess frustration and effort. It's all about losing weight from the inside out.
Emotional issues always accompany change, especially changes in our bodies e.g. natural weight loss. Weight loss affects our perception body image, our sense of identity i.e. who am I?, and how we feel about ourselves in general. Weight loss also effects our social relationships in that there may be people in our family or social contacts that are emotionally invested in our remaining the same i.e. overweight with all that it symbolizes e.g. friendliness, non-threatening, protective, jovial, helpful, etc. Beyond our physical health, it can be said that "size matters" cognitively and emotionally to ourselves and others. Eating and food have come to symbolize being accepted, being cared for and comfort. Having the support of others in our efforts to naturally lose weight and regain our health is a huge advantage.
We have been "conditioned" to fear any kind of loss, including weight loss. Especially if what we may lose is something with which we identify i.e. use to tell us who we are.
The emotions of fear, anger, anxiety and depression effect our weight. We often tend to "stuff our feelings" or numb these emotional feelings or stress by overeating. We may even overeat, thinking that will ease the physical discomfort caused by excess weight e.g. physical pain, lack of sleep, and lack of energy caused by moderate depression. To improve our overall health and support us through the process of natural weight loss and the emotional dynamics around it, we can take advantage of natural sleep aids, natural depression relief and natural pain relief health care products.
Our weight and health is greatly dependent upon our having a healthy digestive system or metabolism. Our digestive system converts, on a cellular and muscular level, the foods we eat, eliminates toxins, and uses and stores glucose for energy. Natural enzymes trigger hunger signals and facilitate absorption of nutrition. Good digestion with the help of natural enzymes aids in the conversion of fat to muscle.
Allergy and sensitivity to food, parasites, yeast overgrowth and emotional stress are signals of digestive disruption and inflammation. Natural essential fatty acids work to reduce intestinal inflammation, decrease harmful acids, help the liver process proteins that grow muscle, balance hormones and facilitate the elimination of toxins. Natural essential fatty acids help clear our digestive system of heavy metals, harmful bacteria, pesticides that we are increasingly encountering in our environment. Essential fatty acids along with natural fiber help us clean out the intestinal debris that harm our health and often lead to weight gain. Essential fatty acids also help our brain's neurotransmitters to function properly in order to deal with stress, emotions, and cravings that can lead to overeating and weight gain.
Natural amino acids are the building blocks that make up proteins. Next to water, protein makes up the greatest part of our body weight. Amino acids help increase metabolism, build muscle, ease moderate depression, and help burn fat. Natural antioxidants help carry more oxygen to cells and muscles to help increase energy, burn fat, build muscle and process the foods we eat.
Hormone balance is essential for natural weight loss. Our metabolism slows as we get older because of the decrease or imbalance of hormones. This contributes to weight gain. Hormone balance also helps us deal with stress that leads to weight gain. Proper hormone balance helps to decrease cravings and binge eating. There are many natural hormone balancing products available, e.g. natural progesterone, promensil, soy isoflavones, essential fatty acids and hormone balancing formulas.
Our metabolism's primary task is to nourish our brains. We need healthy neurotransmitters to help us curb craving, ease depression, and deal with stress that lead to weight gain. Balancing our natural brain chemistry has a calming effect and allows us to feel a sens of well being and safety. There are many natural health care products to help balance brain chemistry, e.g. essential fatty acids, natural depression relief products, natural products to increase serotonin, and more. When our brain feels well and safe, it is prone to change our metabolism from calorie saving to calorie burning.
Our bodies were designed to move and be active. Movement requires muscle activity. Muscle activity uses the glycogen supply found in our muscles. When this glycogen supply stored in our muscles is used, our body is forced to use stored fat as an energy source. Using this stored fat through movement and exercise, results in natural weight loss. There is no reason for us to become athletes to accomplish natural weight loss. Low impact exercise like swimming, walking, etc, can be done slowly and without strain. In order to lose real weight rather than "water weight", it is important to drink extra amounts of water when exercising. Drinking more water will also help our digestive system and metabolism to use and eliminate extra weight.
Remember, the first objective, accomplished through natural weight loss, is to improve our physical and emotional health. This involves having a healthy digestive system, a healthy emotional system and a healthy nutritional system. We can build these healthy systems with natural vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants, natural digestive aid, pain relief aid, natural sleep aids, natural emotional and mood aids, essential fatty acids and many more helpful natural health care products. We need to concentrate on improving our general health, feeling good, and living well through natural weight loss, rather than constantly comparing ourselves to someone else's idea about appearance from some magazine. Physical and emotional health is primary. Appearance may be important to us, but it is secondary. Through natural weight loss, we can live well and live long.
by: Jennifer Kays- articlecity.com
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Acidity verses Alkalinity
While I originally started to avoid this subject like the plague, I felt the need to at a minimum address it because there are so many widely differing view points on what this actually means, what to do about it and how this really affects your overall health.
I was very happy to find that the Chief Science Officer at Univera LifeSciences, Steven Cherniske, had published a very informative article, “The Acid Alkaline Mystery Solved”, on this very subject. For any of you that have read any of Stephen Cherniske’s work, you will not be surprised to see that it comes complete with all the references that you could hope for and the straight hard facts on this very confusing subject. As a result of this finding I am not going to attempt to do the subject justice, by trying to recreate an article of equal caliber. Verses re-inventing the wheel I am going to simply hit some of the high points for those of you who would prefer the cliff notes version. For those that would like to read all of the details I will leave that to Stephen and his article, “The Acid Alkaline Mystery Solved”.
First of all what is an Acid or for that matter an Alkaline substance? These substances are measured on a pH scale with water being neutral at 7.0. With values less than 7.0 being acid and the lower the pH value the stronger the acid. As you may have guessed alkaline (or base) substances have a value greater than 7.0 up to a maximum of 14. By now you may be wondering where our bodies should fall on this scale. First of all when we speak of an acid/alkaline balance in the body we are talking about the pH balance of our blood and tissues that should remain in a fairly narrow range of about 7.4 – slightly alkaline.
The real heart of the matter here is the byproducts of the digestion of foods that we consume and absorb. The biggest contributors to the fact that ACIDOSIS is at an all time high are the facts that most Americans are consuming beef and/or poultry multiple times per day, Americans are now consuming more soft drinks than water, consumption of coffee (caffeinated & decaffeinated) and lastly the processing of many of our foods have removed all of the alkaline forming minerals. When thinking about the foods that we consume you can not take the natural state of a food as the prime indicator of how that food will interact with our bodies. As an example, most fruits when consumed will result in an alkaline ash residue once digested even though naturally they maybe very high in acid in their natural state, even oranges.
The primary acid forming foods in your diet contain the minerals, sulfur, phosphorus and iron. Typically you will find these minerals in proteins, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, most nuts and soft drinks (due to the high phosphate levels).The minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium form alkaline reactions in the body and are found primarily in fruits and vegetables, and so these foods are classified as alkaline forming foods. As many of you are aware the consumption of alkaline-forming vegetables and fruit is at an all-time low. This has resulted in an increase of acidosis which accelerates catabolic damage and impairs our bodies anabolic repair processes. One of the best examples is the fact that it has been known for a long time that diets high in protein greatly increase the risk of osteoporosis. While there are many theories on this subject it appears that the body is simply taking from one part of the body to help support other systems that have been depleted due to the body staying in such a high state of acidosis.
In an attempt to help us make this shift in our diet Univera LifeSciences has created MetaGreens™. MetaGreens™ is extraordinary mix of land and sea vegetables, all of which are rich in alkaline minerals. I take great comfort in knowing that these greens are pesticide-free, grown on high-nutrient soil that has never been chemically fertilized. Additionally, Univera LifeSciences takes great care to ensure that the vegetables are harvested at the peak of their nutrient value and then these ingredients are processed by low-temperature dehydration to retain all the raw food goodness and manufactured in small batches to maximize freshness.
While the words “stomach acid” have a negative connotations for many of you it is because you have been brain washed over the years by the non-stop advertisements about how excess stomach acid is causing all of your discomforts. While I would be able to spend days address this issue I will pass. For those of you that want to read a very well presented explanation of why our stomach acids are in fact a good thing please read Stephen Cherniske’s article. For myself I continue to rely on Univera LifeSciences Aloe Gold product to help keep my digestive track in order and functioning properly. For those of you that have not tried Aloe Gold take a moment to ask anyone that have used the product and I am very certain you will hear fantastic praises about how it has helped them with numerous digestive track disorders.
I hope that you have found this latest entry to be of interest and most of informative. While I have barely scratched the surface here I hope that I have helped to clear up some of the confusion associated with the Acid Alkaline debate. For those of you that are hungry for more on this I can not recommend highly enough that you read Stephen Cherniske’s article the Acid Alkaline Mystery Solved.
by: Glen Antoine
While I originally started to avoid this subject like the plague, I felt the need to at a minimum address it because there are so many widely differing view points on what this actually means, what to do about it and how this really affects your overall health.
I was very happy to find that the Chief Science Officer at Univera LifeSciences, Steven Cherniske, had published a very informative article, “The Acid Alkaline Mystery Solved”, on this very subject. For any of you that have read any of Stephen Cherniske’s work, you will not be surprised to see that it comes complete with all the references that you could hope for and the straight hard facts on this very confusing subject. As a result of this finding I am not going to attempt to do the subject justice, by trying to recreate an article of equal caliber. Verses re-inventing the wheel I am going to simply hit some of the high points for those of you who would prefer the cliff notes version. For those that would like to read all of the details I will leave that to Stephen and his article, “The Acid Alkaline Mystery Solved”.
First of all what is an Acid or for that matter an Alkaline substance? These substances are measured on a pH scale with water being neutral at 7.0. With values less than 7.0 being acid and the lower the pH value the stronger the acid. As you may have guessed alkaline (or base) substances have a value greater than 7.0 up to a maximum of 14. By now you may be wondering where our bodies should fall on this scale. First of all when we speak of an acid/alkaline balance in the body we are talking about the pH balance of our blood and tissues that should remain in a fairly narrow range of about 7.4 – slightly alkaline.
The real heart of the matter here is the byproducts of the digestion of foods that we consume and absorb. The biggest contributors to the fact that ACIDOSIS is at an all time high are the facts that most Americans are consuming beef and/or poultry multiple times per day, Americans are now consuming more soft drinks than water, consumption of coffee (caffeinated & decaffeinated) and lastly the processing of many of our foods have removed all of the alkaline forming minerals. When thinking about the foods that we consume you can not take the natural state of a food as the prime indicator of how that food will interact with our bodies. As an example, most fruits when consumed will result in an alkaline ash residue once digested even though naturally they maybe very high in acid in their natural state, even oranges.
The primary acid forming foods in your diet contain the minerals, sulfur, phosphorus and iron. Typically you will find these minerals in proteins, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, most nuts and soft drinks (due to the high phosphate levels).The minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium form alkaline reactions in the body and are found primarily in fruits and vegetables, and so these foods are classified as alkaline forming foods. As many of you are aware the consumption of alkaline-forming vegetables and fruit is at an all-time low. This has resulted in an increase of acidosis which accelerates catabolic damage and impairs our bodies anabolic repair processes. One of the best examples is the fact that it has been known for a long time that diets high in protein greatly increase the risk of osteoporosis. While there are many theories on this subject it appears that the body is simply taking from one part of the body to help support other systems that have been depleted due to the body staying in such a high state of acidosis.
In an attempt to help us make this shift in our diet Univera LifeSciences has created MetaGreens™. MetaGreens™ is extraordinary mix of land and sea vegetables, all of which are rich in alkaline minerals. I take great comfort in knowing that these greens are pesticide-free, grown on high-nutrient soil that has never been chemically fertilized. Additionally, Univera LifeSciences takes great care to ensure that the vegetables are harvested at the peak of their nutrient value and then these ingredients are processed by low-temperature dehydration to retain all the raw food goodness and manufactured in small batches to maximize freshness.
While the words “stomach acid” have a negative connotations for many of you it is because you have been brain washed over the years by the non-stop advertisements about how excess stomach acid is causing all of your discomforts. While I would be able to spend days address this issue I will pass. For those of you that want to read a very well presented explanation of why our stomach acids are in fact a good thing please read Stephen Cherniske’s article. For myself I continue to rely on Univera LifeSciences Aloe Gold product to help keep my digestive track in order and functioning properly. For those of you that have not tried Aloe Gold take a moment to ask anyone that have used the product and I am very certain you will hear fantastic praises about how it has helped them with numerous digestive track disorders.
I hope that you have found this latest entry to be of interest and most of informative. While I have barely scratched the surface here I hope that I have helped to clear up some of the confusion associated with the Acid Alkaline debate. For those of you that are hungry for more on this I can not recommend highly enough that you read Stephen Cherniske’s article the Acid Alkaline Mystery Solved.
by: Glen Antoine
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