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!

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Hoodia Gordonii and a Healthy Diet
AudreyOverman

What does Hoodia Gordonii and a healthy diet have to do with one another you ask?

The fact is that your only true advantage in achieving a happier, ill-free, and definitely longer life is your knowledge and conviction in the payback of a healthy diet. Not only will eating healthier make you more active and stronger, it also strengthens you immune system and prevents the possibilities of the occurrence of life-threatening ailments like cancers and heart diseases.

For a healthy individual, a good diet can maintain the proper functioning of his or her body. Maintenance of every healthy single tissue and organ is necessary in order to achieve a healthy style of living.

A balanced diet means that the four food groups – vegetables and fruits, grains, meat, and dairy products – must be consumed according to how much your body needs it….BUT NOT MORE THEN IT NEEDS!

The fact is North America is full of fat people, everyday we hear of people dying of various conditions and diseases… and most of these can be traced back to overeating (eating more then your body needs) and eating the wrong foods.

The problem is food is so incredibly additive.. saying no or passing on the dessert is almost impossible or so we think. For years people of been using a herbal product which is a genus in the plant family Apocynaceae, in the part of the family previously treated as a separate family Asclepiadaceae. It is a strange looking plant (related to cactus but is not one), can reach up to 1 m high and present exuberant flowers, often with flesh color and strong smell. This little (and until recently unknown) plant which is called Hoodia Gordonii is now considered the worlds most incredible diet plant for weight loss.

Hoodia is the ONLY diet pill in history to be featured on Oprah, MSNBC, CBS the Today Show, 60 Minutes, and the BBC. There are Hoodia Gordonii Guide shows you how to keep from getting ripped off, how to begin a safe and productive weight loss plan, and shows you how to find and choose the best product. Or you can go right to the source of the supplement that was featured on these shows at http://www.pure-hoodia-diet-pills.info.

What does Hoodia Gordonii do?

Hoodia Gordonii will help you to stop over eating. This Hoodia plant with an appetite-suppressing effect greater than that of any other is credited for the endurance and survival of the hardy San people of South Africa whose heritage can be traced back to rock paintings 27,000 years old has taken center stage.

Realizing that Hoodia Gordonii stops hunger and provides a state of alertness (without the jittery feeling) the Western world is consternated by the prospects. With obesity-related health problems (cancer, kidney failure, diabetes, hypertension osteoarthritis, atherosclerosis, heart disease…) on the rise and health costs soaring the entire world is focusing on Hoodia and the promise it holds.
About the Author

Discover Hoodia Gordonii, an Amazing Herbal Appetite Suppressant that Kills Your Appetite, Ups Your Mood and Gives You Waves Upon Waves of Energy — with NO Side Effects! http://www.pure-hoodia-diet-pills.info

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There have always been new miracle diet supplements that seem to come into favor and disappear as quickly, usually under a cloud of suspicion that they have very bad side effects. Hoodia gordonii 500 is one of the newest in weight loss supplements to show up and so far, proves to be one of the most dependable and safe for achieving permanent weight loss.

Hoodia is only found in the deserts of South Africa and has been used for centuries by the San Bushmen who used it to suppress their appetite and thirst before they headed into the desert. The bushmen claim that the hoodia not only keeps their appetite and thirst in check but that it also gives them higher energy levels.

Hoodia is also called xhooba, khoba, ghaap, and hoodia cactus (though technically the plant is a succulent not a cactus). There are over 20 varieties of hoodia but the only one shown to help decrease appetite is hoodia gordonii. The supplements made from hoodia can vary greatly in their strength, they can start at 250 mg and go all the way up to 1,000 mg though 500 mg seems to be the popular choice since it isn’t too strong or too weak… it’s just right!

Hoodia has been featured on many news programs such as the BBC and 60 Minutes, it has been proven to be very effective for many people so it’s not a scam.

The compound in hoodia that is thought to be the ‘magic bullet’ of appetite suppressant is called P57 and is only found in the core of the plant, not in the skin or roots. For this reason it’s important to know what part of the plant the hoodia comes from when purchasing a supplement. The actual amount of P57 is considerably less in supplements that use the whole plant than in those that only use the core, therefore the price (and effectiveness) will also be less.

When purchasing hoodia look for a certification seal on the label stating that it is 100% pure hoodia. There are many unscrupulous vendors out there who will charge a premium for an inferior product, you have to do your homework. Check the label carefully before you buy.

Hoodia is renowned for it’s lack of serious side effects, though as always, the longer it’s in use the more things that may show up. Since it’s been used by the bushmen for centuries it would seem that it is safe, but remember the bushmen don’t have the same diet as we do and they don’t take it everyday or mix it with other supplements.

The one potential risk you do have to be on the lookout for is not eating or drinking enough to keep your body healthy and functioning properly. This appetite suppressant can also suppress your thirst so you have to remember to drink plenty of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty.

If you feel like you could use a little help with your diet and exercise program, hoodia gordonii may be just the thing. When it comes to choosing the best dosage, many people opt to start in the middle, with hoodia gordonii 500 since they don’t want their appetite suppressant to be too powerful. Start there and see if it works best for you, and good luck with your diet program.

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