March 26, 2024 / 7:30How Heart-Healthy is Alcohol?
How Heart-Healthy is Alcohol?
Dr. Joseph Mercola
Although past research suggests that drinking a glass or two of
wine a day may have some heart benefits, new findings suggest
that those studies were flawed.
Risks Outweigh the Benefits
There is some evidence that heavier drinking provides heart
protection — alcoholics have relatively ‘clean’ arteries — but
the other health risks of heavy drinking outweigh the benefits.
Early observations in the 1970s and 1980s seemed to indicate a
20 to 25 percent reduction in heart disease risk linked to light
drinking. However, the way those studies were carried out did
not allow researchers to say with certainty that the findings
could not be due to factors other than alcohol consumption.
Diet, Exercise, Quit Smoking
The British Heart Foundation responded to the new evidence by
saying that their advice remained the same: “… the best way to
reduce the risk of heart disease is to quit smoking if you
smoke, increase levels of physical activity and eat a healthy
balanced diet.”
BBC News December 2, 2005
Dr. Mercola’s Comment:Good advice from the British Heart
Foundation, so long as your balanced diet is nutritionally sound.
As I’ve said before about studies touting all the “benefits” of
drinking red wine, I personally do not advocate it. There are
many health experts that feel it is fine in moderation, but I am
still not convinced.
This is largely because I am convinced the alcohol itself is
actually a neurotoxin, which means it can poison your brain.
Additionally, it has the strong potential to seriously disrupt
your delicate hormone balance. Plus, drinking two or more
glasses (of wine or any alcoholic beverage for that matter) may
offset the benefit and increase your risk of certain cancers.
You also need to be aware that consuming large amounts of wine
will increase insulin levels and eventually have a negative
impact on your health that way as well.
If you absolutely insist on drinking red wine, check on the
growing conditions of the grapes used and how the wine is made.
And if you can, take a brisk walk to pick it up, as exercise is
your real ticket to preventing heart disease.
About the author:
This article is reprinted from Mercola.com, the world’s #1 most
visited and trusted natural/alternative health website. For a
limited time only, you can take the FREE “Metabolic Type Test”
to help you learn the right foods for your particular body type
so you can achieve optimal fitness & health. Just go to
http://www.mercola.com/forms/mt_test.htm right now to take this
quick test!
Tags: Alcohol Consumption, Alcoholic Beverage, Author, Bbc, Benefits Of Drinking Red Wine, British Heart Foundation, certain cancers, Condi, Diet Exercise, Dr Joseph Mercola, Dr Mercola, Good Advice, Health Experts, Health Risks, Healthy Balanced Diet, Heart Benefits, Heart Disease Risk, heart disease;, Heart Protection, Hormone Balance, Insulin Levels, Mercola, Mercola.com, Neurotoxin, New Evidence, Risk Of Heart Disease —
March 20, 2024 / 5:14Healthy Living: Simple steps to a better life
Healthy Living: Simple steps to a better life
Colin McDougall
When you watch TV or read magazines you get the impression that most people spend their days as lean, mean exercise fanatics who compete in triathlons, eat tofu, and drink a gallon of rain water a day.
If you dont fit this profile, you are not alone. Consider:
The writing is on the wall poor diet and physical inactivity is about as dangerous as smoking.
So, why dont we exercise and eat right?
For most of us, the answer is: time. Exercise and diet take time away from our work, our families, our lives.
Some of us have tried to fit exercise into our daily routines before and maybe even stuck with a program for a while, but finally saw too little gain for the effort and time it took.
Heres the good news: a healthy lifestyle wont consume you like it might have years ago. The science of healthy living has come a long way in recent years. Consider:
Realistic health improvement for real people
We all know we should take better care of ourselves, but modern lifestyles with hectic work schedules, commuting, and family and social responsibilities make it difficult for us to live a healthy life.
But you can begin to live a healthier life. You can start slowly and work in more healthy practices. Interestingly, even small changes can lead to big improvements over time. Begin modestly by making a commitment to starting to do something and to stay with it. As you proceed, remember to be proud of your accomplishmentsyou will be doing more than 70 percent of the population!
The doctor will see you now
Before embarking on a fitness program and making dietary changes, talk with your doctor about your plans. If you have prior health conditions, especially cardiovascular disease, your doctor may want you to avoid certain exercises. If you are on certain medications, your doctor may give you valuable information on avoiding drug interactions with certain foods such as grapefruit and with some herbal supplements.
A special word to smokers
If you smoke, you know you need to quit. Modern research links smoking to a vast array of cancers, as well as heart and cardiovascular disease. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking alone causes one-third of all cancer deaths.
The bottom lineif you are a smoker, stopping represents the single best health action you can take. Talk with your doctorthere are new treatments available.
Some basic health objectives
It can be hard to know where to start when you want to improve your health.
Here are three baseline objectives for a healthier lifestyle:
Lose weight / Eat a more balanced diet
Qualified health professionals agree the keys to losing weight are to eat less, eat a more balanced diet, and to increase your exercise level. In general, reducing your intake of protein and eating more fruits and vegetables is a good start. Try and reduce your intake of saturated fats common in fried foods. Your heart will thank you.
Here are some tips:
Eat a diet that contains lots of:
Ensure you are getting an adequate supply of:
Reduce your consumption of:
Other Tips:
Consider diet supplements for weight loss and health
Despite our best efforts, it is hard to eat a balanced diet everyday. Consider taking one or more of the excellent vitamins and supplements available, but check with your doctor first before taking them.
Today, you can get the latest high quality vitamins and dietary supplements at low prices and without leaving your home by ordering over the Internet. Here is an excellent example of a vitamins site.
Avoid fad diets
Use common sense and follow the advice of government health authorities, university nutritionists and other well-accredited health care experts. Reliable nutrition advice is available free by contacting your local health department and talking with a nutritionist.
Be wary of the latest Fad Diets put forward by authors. Healthy eating is not rocket scienceyou need to eat a balanced diet that includes the four food groups:
This is well documented by decades of research. Sure, the fad diets may help you lose weight temporarily but at worst you could seriously damage your health and at best, you will likely gain the weight back if the diet is not sensible and sustainable.
Get more exercise
The second key to losing weight is to add more physical exercise into your lifestyle.
Exercise takes some effort and time, so it is fair to ask why you should bother. The key reasons include the following:
Research continues to show that any exercise is better than none. For example, regular walking or gardening may be beneficial in reducing your risk of heart disease.
Exercise
At a minimum you should strive for at least three 20-minute bouts of continuous aerobic (activity requiring oxygen) rhythmic exercise each week.
Other exercise levels will depend on your physical condition and goals. Consider a session or two with a certified personal trainer to accurately assess your current physical condition and plan an exercise regimen.
Easy ways for non-athletes to add exercise to their daily lives:
Consider creating a home gym
More and more people are purchasing exercise equipment to use at home. The advantages include:
Here are some tips in selecting equipment:
Determine what goals you want to pursuestrength training, aerobic training or cardiovascular training before you look at equipment.
Buy sturdy, quality equipment from known manufacturers.
Purchase equipment that will meet your needs now and as you improve
Buy from a reputable retailer, who has a large selection, low prices, and stands behind their products. For an excellent example for home gyms (click here) and other fitness equipment.
Reduce Stress
The good news is that by eating a healthier diet and exercising more frequently, you will have already taken two of the most important steps to helping your body fight stress.
Obviously sources of stress are a personal matter. Be alert to chronic stress you have trouble managing. This can sometimes lead to more serious conditions for both men and women, such as depression. If you feel you are having trouble coping, it is best to talk with your doctor.
If on the other hand, you have the everyday level of stress most of us face, you may want to try these stress-reducing tips:
How can I get started on a healthier lifestyle?
If you are not living as healthy a life as you want right now, you may be wondering how you will find the time and the resources to make changes.
The good news is you dont have to make all the changes at once, but do resolve to make some improvements. Time is always an issue, but time taken to improve your health will yield big improvements in many other areas of your life.
There has never been a better time to start, because thanks to the Internet you can purchase quality heath care products and equipment, quickly and efficiently and save money too! Heres a link to get you started with weight loss programs and healthy living.
About the Author
Colin McDougall is a successful freelance writer providing valuable advice for people seeking weight loss programs and vitamins. Visit http://www.weight-loss-and-nutritional-supplements.com and http://www.vitamins-source.com for more articles. He also offers other health and exercise related sites such as http://www.a1-hockey-equipment.com and http://www.paint-ball-gun-reviews.com. His numerous articles offer several healthy living tips.
Tags: Alcohol Consumption, American Adults, American Cancer Society, Author, Balanced Approach, Body Mass Index, Body Mass Index Bmi, cancer;, cancers;, Cardiovascular Disease, Causes Of Death, Center For Chronic Disease Prevention And Health Promotion, certified personal trainer, Chronic Disease Prevention, Chronic Stress, Colin Mcdougall, depression;, Dietary Supplements, especially cardiovascular disease, exercise equipment;, Food Groups, Freelance Writer, Harris Poll, Healthy Lifestyle, heart disease;, Heightaccording, Metabolic Rate, National Center for Health Statistics;, National Guideline, Nutritionist, Paint, Physical Inactivity, Poor Diet, purchase quality heath care products, Rain Water, Simple Steps, Time Exercise —
March 7, 2024 / 11:19Get Your Baby Off to a Healthy Start–Begin Before
Get Your Baby Off to a Healthy Start–Begin Before It’s Born!
Larry Denton
Did you know that every year nearly one million American women deliver babies without receiving adequate medical attention? Or that babies born to mothers who received no prenatal care are three times more likely to be born at low birth weight, and five times more likely to die, than those whose mothers received prenatal care?
If you are pregnant, there are programs in your state, that can help you deliver a healthy baby. These programs offer medical care, support and advice for pregnant women, and information about health insurance and other services you and your baby may need. For information about prenatal services in your community call (toll free) 1-800-311-BABY (1-800-311-2229). For information in Spanish, call 1-800-504-7081. Or to gain the information you need to have a healthy baby contact your state or local health department.
There are five vitally important things you can do to have a healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy child. First, see a doctor or other health care provider from the start of your pregnancy. Prenatal care is medical attention given to the expectant mother and her developing baby. It also involves the mother’s caring for herself by following the health care provider’s advice, eating nutritious meals, getting plenty of rest, exercising sensibly, and avoiding things that could harm her or her baby.
Secondly, don’t drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or take drugs during your pregnancy. There is simply NO safe level of alcohol consumption if you are pregnant. One drink may be too many, since any alcohol you drink enters both your and your baby’s bloodstream. Alcohol usage during pregnancy may cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), in which babies suffer from physical, behavioral, and mental problems.
As for drugs, even some legal, over-the-counter medications–antihistamines or pain medications that contain ibuprofen–can be harmful to a developing fetus. Don’t take ANY medication without first consulting with your health care provider. Be careful of vitamins, as well. Although you may need more iron, calcium, or folic acid, too much of other nutrients can harm your baby. Again, consult your doctor.
A pregnant smoker is at higher risk for problems during her pregnancy. Babies born to mothers who smoke have a lower average birthrate, an increased rate of premature birth, and are at greater risk of death from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), than babies born to non-smokers.
Studies have shown that women who quit smoking early in their pregnancies can reduce the risk of damage to their baby. Even quitting in the last month of pregnancy can help your baby by increasing the amount of oxygen available to him/her at the time of delivery.
The third crucial thing you can do to have a healthy baby is to eat healthy foods–particularly fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk, eggs, cheese and whole grains. A healthy baby really starts with healthy foods. When you are pregnant, everything you eat or drink nourishes your baby as well. That is why it is so very important to eat a healthy diet. A pregnant woman only needs about 300 extra calories a day to meet her needs and provide her baby the necessary nutrients. Therefore, your goal should be to highly nutritious foods while avoiding excessive calories, fat, sugar, and sodium.
A fourth way to help have a healthy baby is to take care of YOUR health and exercise sensibly and regularly. Exercise promotes muscle tone, strength and endurance–three qualities that can help you better carry the weight you gain during pregnancy,
prepare you for the stress of labor, and make it easier to get back in shape after your delivery. You can’t beat walking or swimming or overall fitness during pregnancy. Again, as with most pregnancy related topics, check with your doctor before starting any exercise routine.
Finally, have your baby checked by a doctor or health care provider right after birth and throughout childhood. It is important to keep your health care appointments for both you and your baby, to get the proper medical attention you may both require.
Best wishes for an uneventful, healthy pregnancy and a happy, healthy new “bundle of joy” in the near future.
About the Author
Larry Denton is a retired history teacher having taught 33 years at Hobson High in Hobson, Montana. He is currently V.P. of Elfin Enterprises, Inc., an Internet business providing valuable information on a variety of timely topics. For a ob/gyn office full of advice, resources and suggestions about delivering a healthy baby, visit http://www.PregnancySense.com
Tags: Alcohol Consumption, Alcohol Usage, American Women, Antihistamines, ANY medication, Author, Bloodstream, Devel, Drink Alcohol, Drugs Pregnancy, Elfin Enterprises Inc., Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, folic acid, Health Care Provider, Health Insurance, Healthy Pregnancy, history teacher, Hobson, ibuprofen, Important Things, Internet, Larry Denton, Local Health Department, Low Birth Weight, Medical Attention, Montana, Nutritious Meals, Pain Medications, pain;, premature birth, Prenatal Care, Prenatal Services, Smoke Cigarettes, sudden infant death syndrome, V.P. —
January 6, 2024 / 10:44Preventable death and the pH miracle diet
The Center of Disease Control and Prevention evaluates several health factors when it compiles its list of preventable causes of death. Among the expected conditions on the list were death from tobacco, death from alcohol consumption and death from drugs. However, surprisingly, poor diet and lack of physical activity is actually the number 2 cause of preventable death in the U.S. It is poised to take over the number 1 spot from tobacco in the coming years.
Poor diet and lack of exercise currently count for 16.6% of total deaths, or 400,000 deaths in the United States each year. Yet the last twenty to thirty years have been marked with an increased interest in dieting and exercise. Most adults, especially women, claim they are on diets at least once a year. Despite this commitment, the nation is continuing to get fatter. Obesity rates are at an all time high, and childhood obesity is on the rise for the first time ever.
If many people are on diets, but the vast majority of the population is still overweight and unhealthy, the problem lies with the diets that people are trying. The pH miracle diet addresses the missing ingredient in todays diet that is causing people to gain weight even when they think they are eating healthfully. Conventional diets disregard the bodys natural pH. They encourage eating a variety of foods that are acidic to the body.
Low-fat diets fail because they often substitute sugar for fat. They also allow processed grain products, dairy products and acidifying vegetables. Low-carbohydrate diets fail because they emphasize meat and other dairy proteins, which knock the bodys natural pH off balance.
Dr. Robert Young, the creator of the pH miracle diet, explains that the best diet will address the pH factor. The body has a pH of 7.4, which is slightly alkaline. Eating alkaline foods and taking steps to reduce stress will help bring the body back into balance. Many of the conditions that people suffer from are a result from too much acidic waste in the body. This acidic waste builds up when you eat acid-producing foods, experience a lot of stress and ignore your bodys need for exercise.
Alkalizing the body with the pH miracle diet will bring your bodily pH back to normal and will give you relief from a variety of symptoms. However, you cannot alkalize your body if you continue to drink or eat high sugar drinks and fruits. Drinking alcohol will also disrupt the pH of your system, as will drinking coffee, soda and teas. The best beverage to drink for alkalizing is ionized water. Starchy foods like potatoes, pasta and breads all break down to sugar, and then produce acid waste that collects in the body. Eating any of the animal proteins (chicken, beef, pork, lamb etc) will create excess acid waste in your body as well. Dairy products have concentrated sugars that break down into lactic acid, which creates acidic waste.
Non-food related behaviors also increase the level of acidity in the body. If you dont exercise regularly you are allow acids to build up in your tissues. These acids increase your fat production and cause lethargy.
The solution for the acidic waste and the cure for the second most prevalent preventable disease both lay in some simple steps. Eat whole, natural unprocessed foods as the basis for your diet. You should emphasize alkalizing green foods, which have the vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs to restore balance. Drinking pH alkaline water will help, as will daily exercise. You need to get out there and get moving in order to release the excess acid from your body.
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