Cranberry Juice - The Extract That Leads to Many Remedies
The 'chicken soup' was and is the 'saviour' of any human being from fever and the Cranberry Juice is the saviour from bladder infections. Home made medical solutions have always been effective but this 'juice' has also been accepted by professional doctors as far as its healing abilities are concerned.
The medicinal abilities of Cranberry Juice have been recognised long time back by the Red Indians who used this juice for treating stomach related pains.
Today, this juice is being given its fair share of recognition and its space among the numerous medicines in this world. This has been done with the physicians providing prescriptions that advocate the usage of cranberry juice for treating infections.
The method of curing bladder infections is not only a natural one but is rather quite an ingenious one. This juice is known to possess anti-bacterial abilities and is, therefore, capable of treating any bacterial induced infection.
The medical world, however, is still quite apprehensive about the abilities of Cranberry Juice. Therefore, a number of studies and surveys have been carried out in order to find concrete evidence as to whether this juice is actually helpful in preventing bacterial infections or not.
Some of the studies have formed the opinion that Proanthocyanidins present in this juice inhibit the negative influence of bacteria to the Uroepithelial cells and, therefore, reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.
The consumption of this juice is being done in the solid form with it being available in the form of tablets in this world. These tablets and capsules are also prescribed by doctors. This act of prescribing is quite a clear indicator about the curing abilities of cranberry juice.
These pills and capsules are easily available in any drug store and they are also sold online on many shopping websites in this world. Hence, for anyone who is affected with bladder infections the chances of an effective cure is quite high with the entry of these tablets in the picture.
Cranberry Juice is, therefore, having its benefits being given to the world either its natural form or in the form of tablets. Irrespective of the medium in which it is being given, one thing that is quite certain is the ability of this juice in effectively treating bladder infections.
posted by Healthy Life at 12:03 AM
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The medicinal abilities of Cranberry Juice have been recognised long time back by the Red Indians who used this juice for treating stomach related pains.
Today, this juice is being given its fair share of recognition and its space among the numerous medicines in this world. This has been done with the physicians providing prescriptions that advocate the usage of cranberry juice for treating infections.
The method of curing bladder infections is not only a natural one but is rather quite an ingenious one. This juice is known to possess anti-bacterial abilities and is, therefore, capable of treating any bacterial induced infection.
The medical world, however, is still quite apprehensive about the abilities of Cranberry Juice. Therefore, a number of studies and surveys have been carried out in order to find concrete evidence as to whether this juice is actually helpful in preventing bacterial infections or not.
Some of the studies have formed the opinion that Proanthocyanidins present in this juice inhibit the negative influence of bacteria to the Uroepithelial cells and, therefore, reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.
The consumption of this juice is being done in the solid form with it being available in the form of tablets in this world. These tablets and capsules are also prescribed by doctors. This act of prescribing is quite a clear indicator about the curing abilities of cranberry juice.
These pills and capsules are easily available in any drug store and they are also sold online on many shopping websites in this world. Hence, for anyone who is affected with bladder infections the chances of an effective cure is quite high with the entry of these tablets in the picture.
Cranberry Juice is, therefore, having its benefits being given to the world either its natural form or in the form of tablets. Irrespective of the medium in which it is being given, one thing that is quite certain is the ability of this juice in effectively treating bladder infections.
posted by Healthy Life at 12:03 AM
Type 2 Diabetes - Tools For Your Diabetic Diet
The quality of your food will most likely have to change to control your type 2 diabetes and other factors involved; like weight, blood glucose, cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It is suggested that everyone, diabetic or not, consume a diet where carbohydrate, preferably low-GI, contributes 40-55 per cent of the total energy, protein 15-30 per cent and fats, mostly mono and polyunsaturated, 25-30 per cent.
Researchers have tried to find the optimal combination of protein, carbohydrates and fat; it is not possible that any one combination meets everyone's needs, likes and dislikes.
Calories: How many should you be on? These will depend on your physical activity levels and your weight goal, such as trying to lose, gain, or maintain your current weight. If you are in doubt consult a Dietitian.
Total Fat: Your daily intake of total fats should be limited to 15-30 per cent of your total calories/kilojoules. For an adult this would be no more than 50g of total fat per day.
Saturated Fat: Your saturated fat intake should be less than 7 per cent of your total calorie/kilojoule allowance. This will be less than 10g per day.
Cholesterol: Less than 300mg per day.
Sodium: Sodium intake does not affect blood glucose levels; it can influence blood pressure and fluid retention. Use low sodium products and aim for 2400mg per day unless advised otherwise by your health care provider.
Carbohydrates: Use low-GI wherever possible.
Protein: Your protein intake should be the equivalent of about .5g per pound/1g per kilogram of your ideal body weight.
GI Estimates: Low-GI: these foods should give you a gradual and sustained blood glucose response that will help keep hunger pangs away between meals and your blood glucose levels within a healthy range. Medium-GI: recipes and foods estimated to give an intermediate response. High-GI: this indicates foods that will raise blood sugars higher and more rapidly.
Sugars and Sweeteners: It is no longer recommended diabetics remove all sugar from their diet. It is advised they look at the total amount of carbohydrates they consume and try to choose low-glycemic index carbohydrates where possible. Sugar has a medium-GI.
Your diet should be tailored to your individual requirements, likes and dislikes by an Accredited Dietitian. Following an individual assessment, the Dietitian will prescribe a diet to cover your weight loss requirements, type 2 diabetes and other medical conditions.
posted by Healthy Life at 12:03 AM
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Researchers have tried to find the optimal combination of protein, carbohydrates and fat; it is not possible that any one combination meets everyone's needs, likes and dislikes.
Calories: How many should you be on? These will depend on your physical activity levels and your weight goal, such as trying to lose, gain, or maintain your current weight. If you are in doubt consult a Dietitian.
Total Fat: Your daily intake of total fats should be limited to 15-30 per cent of your total calories/kilojoules. For an adult this would be no more than 50g of total fat per day.
Saturated Fat: Your saturated fat intake should be less than 7 per cent of your total calorie/kilojoule allowance. This will be less than 10g per day.
Cholesterol: Less than 300mg per day.
Sodium: Sodium intake does not affect blood glucose levels; it can influence blood pressure and fluid retention. Use low sodium products and aim for 2400mg per day unless advised otherwise by your health care provider.
Carbohydrates: Use low-GI wherever possible.
Protein: Your protein intake should be the equivalent of about .5g per pound/1g per kilogram of your ideal body weight.
GI Estimates: Low-GI: these foods should give you a gradual and sustained blood glucose response that will help keep hunger pangs away between meals and your blood glucose levels within a healthy range. Medium-GI: recipes and foods estimated to give an intermediate response. High-GI: this indicates foods that will raise blood sugars higher and more rapidly.
Sugars and Sweeteners: It is no longer recommended diabetics remove all sugar from their diet. It is advised they look at the total amount of carbohydrates they consume and try to choose low-glycemic index carbohydrates where possible. Sugar has a medium-GI.
Your diet should be tailored to your individual requirements, likes and dislikes by an Accredited Dietitian. Following an individual assessment, the Dietitian will prescribe a diet to cover your weight loss requirements, type 2 diabetes and other medical conditions.
posted by Healthy Life at 12:03 AM
Diabetes and High Blood Pressure - Is Insulin Resistance the Culprit?
You may be heading for disaster. Diabetes and high blood pressure are by-products of bad eating habits. About 75% of diabetics have type 2 diabetes, and 50% of them will go on to develop high blood pressure and the implications are far reaching.
Symptoms to Watch Out For
Other symptoms that may occur before diabetes and high blood pressure surface are weight gain, elevated triglycerides, insulin resistance, and decreased HDL cholesterol. If a person has all of these symptoms together, they are said to be suffering from Metabolic Syndrome X. The reason for the name is that the organs and cells involved in this group of ailments, undergo a breakdown in metabolic processing linked to a common cause; the regular intake of high glycemic foods.
High glycemic foods include white bread and rolls, white rice, sugar, chips, baked potatoes, broad beans, many breakfast cereals, and the list goes on.
Insulin Resistance Symptoms
Your pancreas is an amazing organ and can normally function quite well even when we eat high glycemic food. The beta cells will release a hormone called insulin that will trigger receptors, the gateways into the body's cells, to receive glucose (sugar) from your food. It all works efficiently. When too much glucose is produced the insulin will then "signal" your muscle and liver cells to store the excess glucose as glycogen, and that store house will serve as a supply for when your body glucose levels drop, maintaining a regulated level of 70-110 mg per dl.
Problems will only begin to take root if you habitually eat a diet of glycemic foods. Your glucose levels will be constantly high. Your beta cells will produce more insulin to cope with the load which will result in the destruction of those little gateways into liver, fat, and muscle cells. When that happens the beta cells work even harder, producing more insulin to try and force insulin into the cells, destroying even more cell receptors. The vicious cycle continues.
At this stage your cells have become insulin resistant. Diabetes and high blood pressure will soon develop as well as the other metabolic syndrome X symptoms. How
Insulin Resistance Rebounds
When fat cell receptors become insulin resistant, triglycerides are broken down and released into the blood, elevating the fat in the blood. When muscle cells become insulin resistant, uptake of glucose is reduced raising the glucose in the blood higher. And when liver cells become insulin resistant they can't store any excess glucose as glycogen, so again adding to the already high levels of glucose. You are now diabetic. Blood pressure is raised due to the faulty insulin metabolism. You will probably develop -
Narrowed blood vessels
Hardening of arteries
Damage to artery walls
Damage to the kidneys
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Fat burning mechanism switches off
Weight gain
So your wonderful working pancreas is now overworked with producing so much insulin that the beta cells are beginning to burn out. Soon you will have to rely on insulin injections, on top of all the other serious health issues you will now have to deal with. But it hasn't happened yet. Or has it Don't self-harm. Change your diet now!
Jamesina Goulbourne is an article expert on the natural approach to alternative therapy for High Blood Pressure. She firmly believes in helping people take control of their own health by educating on how to work along with nature to help the healing process.
posted by Healthy Life at 12:03 AM
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Symptoms to Watch Out For
Other symptoms that may occur before diabetes and high blood pressure surface are weight gain, elevated triglycerides, insulin resistance, and decreased HDL cholesterol. If a person has all of these symptoms together, they are said to be suffering from Metabolic Syndrome X. The reason for the name is that the organs and cells involved in this group of ailments, undergo a breakdown in metabolic processing linked to a common cause; the regular intake of high glycemic foods.
High glycemic foods include white bread and rolls, white rice, sugar, chips, baked potatoes, broad beans, many breakfast cereals, and the list goes on.
Insulin Resistance Symptoms
Your pancreas is an amazing organ and can normally function quite well even when we eat high glycemic food. The beta cells will release a hormone called insulin that will trigger receptors, the gateways into the body's cells, to receive glucose (sugar) from your food. It all works efficiently. When too much glucose is produced the insulin will then "signal" your muscle and liver cells to store the excess glucose as glycogen, and that store house will serve as a supply for when your body glucose levels drop, maintaining a regulated level of 70-110 mg per dl.
Problems will only begin to take root if you habitually eat a diet of glycemic foods. Your glucose levels will be constantly high. Your beta cells will produce more insulin to cope with the load which will result in the destruction of those little gateways into liver, fat, and muscle cells. When that happens the beta cells work even harder, producing more insulin to try and force insulin into the cells, destroying even more cell receptors. The vicious cycle continues.
At this stage your cells have become insulin resistant. Diabetes and high blood pressure will soon develop as well as the other metabolic syndrome X symptoms. How
Insulin Resistance Rebounds
When fat cell receptors become insulin resistant, triglycerides are broken down and released into the blood, elevating the fat in the blood. When muscle cells become insulin resistant, uptake of glucose is reduced raising the glucose in the blood higher. And when liver cells become insulin resistant they can't store any excess glucose as glycogen, so again adding to the already high levels of glucose. You are now diabetic. Blood pressure is raised due to the faulty insulin metabolism. You will probably develop -
Narrowed blood vessels
Hardening of arteries
Damage to artery walls
Damage to the kidneys
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Fat burning mechanism switches off
Weight gain
So your wonderful working pancreas is now overworked with producing so much insulin that the beta cells are beginning to burn out. Soon you will have to rely on insulin injections, on top of all the other serious health issues you will now have to deal with. But it hasn't happened yet. Or has it Don't self-harm. Change your diet now!
Jamesina Goulbourne is an article expert on the natural approach to alternative therapy for High Blood Pressure. She firmly believes in helping people take control of their own health by educating on how to work along with nature to help the healing process.
posted by Healthy Life at 12:03 AM
Psoriatic Arthritis and Other Autoimmune Diseases - An Imbalance in the Immune System?
I recently read an article in a local newspaper pertaining to the subject of Psoriatic Arthritis. It brought out that the same biological medications used for conditions such as, RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis), are also used for psoriatic arthritis sufferers.
It highlighted that there are five different types of psoriatic arthritis currently known. They are:
* Asymmetric Psoriatic Arthritis (joint pain usually on one side of the body)
* Symmetric Psoriatic Arthristis (joint pain on both sides of the body)
* Distal Interphalangeal or DIP joint pain predominant psoriatic arthritis (joint pain of the fingers and toes)
* Spondylitis Psoriatic Arthritis (affects the spine)
* Arthritis Mutilans (destructive arthritis)
The article also mentioned that the risk factors included:
* Already having psoriasis
* A family history of psoriasis
* Being between 30 and 50 years of age
Sadly, it mentioned, there is no cure for psoriatic arthritis. Conventional treatments involves the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).
Of course, the common problems of these drugs and others like them, are the number of serious side effects that can occur. If you presently use any of these types of medications, you know what I mean.
Interestingly, these drugs are immunosuppressant medications that literally suppress the immune system, because both arthritis and psoriasis are autoimmune diseases. This essentially means that the body's ability to differentiate between self and invader is hampered.
In other words, the body's first line of defense, the immune system, is imbalanced.
On the one hand, a healthy immune system is both balanced and dynamic. According to one internet medical source (http://www.diagnose-me.com), it should be balanced between Th1, cellular immunity and Th2, humoral immunity.
Cellular immunity, that is, what takes place inside the cell, involves T-cell and macrophage activity. Humoral immunity, outside the cell, typically involves the activities of antibodies. In a healthy immune system Th1 and Th2 activity switches back and forth between the two responses as needed. However, an inability to respond adequately with a Th1 response can result in chronic infections and cancer; while an overactive Th2 response can contribute to allergies.
The failure of Th1 arm of the immune system and an overactive Th2 arm is implicated in a wide variety of chronic illnesses. These include:
* AIDS
* CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
* candidiasis
* Multiple Allergies
* MCS
* Viral Hepatitis
* Cancer, and other illnesses
If these two arms of the immune system could be balanced, by stimulating Th1 and decreasing Th2, then many of the symptoms associated with the chronic illnesses would diminish, or, disappear and we would have found the answer to immune restoration and balance. With more than eighty (80) types of autoimmune diseases currently known, such an approach would make a significant difference in the lives of suffers and their families.
One treatment for immune system imbalance (Th2 Dominance) is raising glutathione levels. Glutathione levels in antigen presenting cells determine whether Th1, or, Th2 response patterns predominate. Increasing glutathione levels helps reduce Th2 dominance.
Glutathione (pronounced "gloota-thigh-own") is a naturally produced protein manufactured within each of the trillion cells in the body. This small protein maintains three crucial protective functions. It is the body's master antioxidant, immune system modulator and potent detoxifier.
posted by Healthy Life at 12:03 AM
It highlighted that there are five different types of psoriatic arthritis currently known. They are:
* Asymmetric Psoriatic Arthritis (joint pain usually on one side of the body)
* Symmetric Psoriatic Arthristis (joint pain on both sides of the body)
* Distal Interphalangeal or DIP joint pain predominant psoriatic arthritis (joint pain of the fingers and toes)
* Spondylitis Psoriatic Arthritis (affects the spine)
* Arthritis Mutilans (destructive arthritis)
The article also mentioned that the risk factors included:
* Already having psoriasis
* A family history of psoriasis
* Being between 30 and 50 years of age
Sadly, it mentioned, there is no cure for psoriatic arthritis. Conventional treatments involves the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).
Of course, the common problems of these drugs and others like them, are the number of serious side effects that can occur. If you presently use any of these types of medications, you know what I mean.
Interestingly, these drugs are immunosuppressant medications that literally suppress the immune system, because both arthritis and psoriasis are autoimmune diseases. This essentially means that the body's ability to differentiate between self and invader is hampered.
In other words, the body's first line of defense, the immune system, is imbalanced.
On the one hand, a healthy immune system is both balanced and dynamic. According to one internet medical source (http://www.diagnose-me.com), it should be balanced between Th1, cellular immunity and Th2, humoral immunity.
Cellular immunity, that is, what takes place inside the cell, involves T-cell and macrophage activity. Humoral immunity, outside the cell, typically involves the activities of antibodies. In a healthy immune system Th1 and Th2 activity switches back and forth between the two responses as needed. However, an inability to respond adequately with a Th1 response can result in chronic infections and cancer; while an overactive Th2 response can contribute to allergies.
The failure of Th1 arm of the immune system and an overactive Th2 arm is implicated in a wide variety of chronic illnesses. These include:
* AIDS
* CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
* candidiasis
* Multiple Allergies
* MCS
* Viral Hepatitis
* Cancer, and other illnesses
If these two arms of the immune system could be balanced, by stimulating Th1 and decreasing Th2, then many of the symptoms associated with the chronic illnesses would diminish, or, disappear and we would have found the answer to immune restoration and balance. With more than eighty (80) types of autoimmune diseases currently known, such an approach would make a significant difference in the lives of suffers and their families.
One treatment for immune system imbalance (Th2 Dominance) is raising glutathione levels. Glutathione levels in antigen presenting cells determine whether Th1, or, Th2 response patterns predominate. Increasing glutathione levels helps reduce Th2 dominance.
Glutathione (pronounced "gloota-thigh-own") is a naturally produced protein manufactured within each of the trillion cells in the body. This small protein maintains three crucial protective functions. It is the body's master antioxidant, immune system modulator and potent detoxifier.
posted by Healthy Life at 12:03 AM
