Leave a comment if you have any questions pertaining to your health.
Every aspect of our live is connected by an infinite number of fibers and whether we are aware of some or not, they hold our world together in miraculous ways. Our body’s internal digestion system is dependent upon those fibers.
Fiber is one of the most important elements in lowering our body’s cholesterol. A plant based diet is rich in fiber can keep the body’s digestive stream flowing in a healthy and balanced way. Anyone eating a low fiber diet is not only creating a more acidic environment inside their digestive track but also stressing the body in ways that can lead to certain diseases.
Tips to lowering cholesterol:
1) Eat a more fiber-rich diet.
2) Eat more probiotic foods such as cultured non-dairy yogurts, fermented alive foods, fresh sprouts and possibly add some good quality living probiotic supplements into your diet. Remember 80% of your immune system is dependent on the health of your internal flora.
3) Make sure you’re getting enough enzyme rich foods in your diet supplementing with a good live blend of digestive enzymes.
4) Exercise on daily basis. A long walk after eating is helpful for your digestion and lymphatic system.
Why USANA Probiotics
You can take USANA Probiotic Supplement on its own or add to one serving of Nutrimeal, cold beverages or food every one or two days.
Add a comment below to request for the best price possible! Start taking probiotics for your gut health today:)
This is the last post for 2012. Happy New Year and let’s welcome 2013 together. I wish all readers good health and wealth in 2013. Cheers!
Healthy young adults can improve their working memory by increasing their Omega-3 fatty acids intake.
The experts examined healthy young males and females ages 18 to 25 from all ethnicity who heightened their Omega-3 intake with supplements for 6 months. Their progress was recorded through phone calls and outpatient procedures.
Before starting off on the supplements, all subjects had their blood samples analyzed and underwent positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, in order to observe how their tissues and organs were functioning.
A working memory test, known as “n-back test”, was then given to the participants, in which they were provided a series of letters and numbers. They had to remember what number/letter had been revealed one, two, and three times prior.
Moghaddam explained: “What was particularly interesting about the presupplementation n-back test was that it correlated positively with plasma Omega-3. This means that the Omega-3s they were getting from their diet already positively correlated with their working memory.”
The subjects completed the same series of outpatient prodecures after they finished taking Lovaza, an Omega-3 supplement approved by the Food and Drug Administatiom, for six months. Results of this last stage, from the working memory test and blood samples, showed an improvement in working memory.
In a more recent study, published in Neurology, researchers measured levels of omega-3 fatty acids in red blood cells of 1,575 older people (average age 67) who were free of dementia. The people were also evaluated for mental function and underwent MRI brain scans.
The results showed that people whose DHA levels were in the bottom 25% of the group had lower brain volumes compared with people with higher DHA levels.
In addition, people with both low DHA and all the other omega-3 fatty acid levels scored lower on tests of visual memory, processing, and abstract thinking.
Researchers say the results suggest that low DHA and other omega-3 fatty acid levels are associated with a pattern of memory and brain function problems even in people free of dementia.
Benefits of taking Omega-3 supplements
Are all Omega-3 Supplements created equal?
With reports coming out occasionally calling into question the quality of fish oil supplements and with a wide range of prices, you may find it difficult to know which omega-3 supplement to choose. Here are a few things to consider:
BiOmega has some additional “rockstar” factor because it contains 200 IU of vitamin D, too, which we all know is another nutrient that has a multitude of great benefits.
Watch this short clip of an experiment with USANA’s BioMega and understand better how a good supplement can have effect on your health.
USANA BioMega has been in the limelight in the Straits Times. The Environmental Defense, a leading United States non-profit organisation, has been studying fish and fish oil supplements since 1967. It has compiled a report on 75 brands of fish oil supplements since 1967. It has compiled a report on 75 brands of fish oil supplements across the world and rated them according to purity.
USANA is one of the 3 brands available in Singapore which are listed as “Best Choice”.
About USANA:
Founded in 1992, USANA Health Sciences (NYSE: USNA) is a U.S.-based nutritional company that manufactures high-quality supplements, personal care, energy, and weight-management products in their FDA-registered facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. USANA’s products, tested by NSF International and used by more than 600 professional athletes, are developed by the company’s award-winning team of scientists and sold directly to Preferred Customers and Associates in 18 international markets.
Promotion Price for Month of December
In order to encourage you to pick up USANA’s BioMega to try, I will be having a promotional offer of 2 bottles of BioMega going at $74. That’s a total saving of 20% of the usual price!
This article is taken from http://medicalnewstoday.com
Scientists presenting a new study at a conference this week suggest the reason skipping breakfast makes high calorie food more appealing later in the day is because our brain circuits may be primed toward seeking it when fasting.
Lead author of the study, Tony Goldstone of Imperial College London in the UK, and colleagues, compared people’s MRI brain scans and their eating patterns, both after breakfast and when they skipped it.
They presented their findings at Neuroscience 2012 in New Orleans on Wednesday. Goldstone, who is from Imperial’s MRC Clinical Science Centre, told the press: “Through both the participants’ MRI results and observations of how much they ate at lunch, we found ample evidence that fasting made people hungrier, and increased the appeal of high-calorie foods and the amount people ate.”
For their study, the team took several functional magnetic resonance images (fMRIs) of 21 normal-weight volunteers who were asked not to have any breakfast when they arrived in the test centre on the mornings of their visits.
After an initial visit, some days the participants ate a large 750-calorie breakfast about one and a half hours before undergoing scans, while on other days they underwent scanning without receiving a breakfast beforehand. They were served lunch after the scans each time, and the scientists observed how much they ate.
On each occasion, participants were also asked to rate the appeal of pictures of high-calorie and low-calorie foods while they underwent brain scanning. They were also asked to rate the appeal of household objects as a control.
The results showed that skipping breakfast increased hunger, appeal of high-calorie foods and food intake at lunch after scanning. When they compared the brain scans of the breakfast eating and the breakfast skipping visits, the researchers noticed different patterns of activity in the orbitofrontal cortex. This area is situated just above the eyes and influences judgements about pleasantness and reward value of food.
On the days the participants skipped breakfast, this area was more active when they looked at pictures of high-calorie foods than on the day they had breakfast.
The study suggests the orbitofrontal cortex plays a key role in making food choices. The researchers say their findings add weight to previous studies that have suggested fasting is not a good way to lose weight: it appears to “bias” the brain toward seeking out high-calorie foods.
They said it was possible, through looking at the MRI scans, to predict which individuals were “primed” to respond more strongly to high-calorie food.
Funds from the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), the European Union Marie Curie Fellowship, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, and the National Institute for Health Research helped finance the study.
This article is important to note that one of the reasons why there is a growing obesity in the working population or in children is due to skipping breakfast, the most important meal of the day. Many people choose to cut down to having only one meal per day in order to shed some weight, but this could have an adverse effect on your health. An important thing to note is that eating the right food for breakfast plays a major role as well.
Food To Avoid For Breakfast
1. Fast Food Breakfast
Mcdonald Breakfast is wonderfully tasty and I know many who will visit Mcdonald’s at least one a week to satisfy their cravings for hashbrown, scrambled eggs and beef sausage patties. However these food are high in fat and contain little nutrition.
2. Pastries
Avoid pastries, such as cinnamon rolls and donuts, for breakfast. These foods are devoid of nutrition, and they only add more fat and sugar to your diet. You also may end up eating more because the food doesn’t sustain you throughout the morning. Avoid blueberry muffins and any other pastries that are high in sugar.
3. Bason and Sausages
Avoid sausage and bacon, especially pork bacon. Even though bacon is rich in protein, it is still not a good option for breakfast because it contains high amounts of fat. High amount of unsaturated fat will slow your blood circulation, causing you to feel tired and run down after eating rather than full of energy. Breakfast meats are also high in sodium, and too much sodium can cause bloating, leaving you feeling uncomfortable.
What Is The Ideal Breakfast You Should be Having?
A new internet survey of more than 37,000 people has shown that the most popular British breakfast of cereal, toast and tea may lead to lethargy, weight gain and an inability to concentrate.
The Optimum Nutrition UK poll found that people who ate the most sugar, wheat, salt and caffeine had the lowest energy levels throughout the day. Those who ate plenty of fruit and vegetables and drank lots of water were far more likely to feel fit, healthy and happy.
Processed cereals and toast contain high levels of simple carbohydrates, which are converted rapidly into glucose. This produces a short energy boost followed by an energy slump and sugar craving.
Complex carbohydrates, found in whole grains, release their energy more slowly into the bloodstream. For this reason, porridge, made from rolled oats, and muesli are better than highly refined breakfast cereals, such as cornflakes.
My Ideal Breakfast
1. Drink 1 glass of honey/ plain water before brushing teeth.
2. 1 Bowl of fruits- usually dragonfruits which are good for digestion.
3. 1 full glass of Chocolate-flavoured Nutrimeal from USANA.
Why Drink Nutrimeal from USANA?
Nutrimeal is a low-glycemic meal replacement which is a quality source of protein, carbohydrats, dietary fibre and many micronutrients. As it has low-glycemic complex carbohydrates and 8 grams of dietary fibre per serving, it can make an ideal breakfast drink that is fat-free.
Having a glass of Nutrimeal together with a bowl of fruits will be fuss-free and provide you with energy you will need for the morning.
Register your interest here and get $5 off your first month’s supply.
Nutrimeal for Weight Management
From pomegranate juice in the supermarket to the anti-aging serum on the cosmetic counter, antioxidants are everywhere! Aside from the claimed benefits, what exactly do you understand about anti-oxidants?
To begin with, you first need to know a few concepts. Think antioxidants as ‘electron donors’ and free radicals as ‘electron thieves’. When you breather in oxygen, your body naturally produces free radicals and these ‘electron thieves’ will roam around your body stealing electrons from stable cell molecules. The superhero antioxidants will then quickly rescue the unstable cells or even to feed the free radicals before they strike. It is a natural process but if the free radicals are left unmanaged, your body cells may become damaged or even die.
In total’s world, things are far more complex. The pollutants in the environment, UV exposure, unhealthy dietary habits and mental stress are the biggest source of free radicals. When the amount of free radicals is too large for your body to defend itself, oxidative stress occurs. Oxidative stress causes your body to age faster than it should and damages your body’s cell foundation. That is the reason antioxidants are needed to help your body cope with oxidative stress.
Antioxidants like vitamin C, E and A, selenium, and zinc can be easily found in your diet but the whole cooking process may have destroyed significant amounts of the nutrients, not to mention the agricultural processes. Consciously speaking, how many servings of vegetables did you get from your bowl of wanton noodle? Unless you can find an unprocessed food that is super rich in all kinds of antioxidants, supplementing your diet with powerful antioxidants like grape-seed extract, Proflavanol C100 or Coenzyme Q10.
Bear in mind, free radicals are produced with every breath you take. If I were you, I will make sure I customize my nutritional programme with Essentials, Proflavanol C100 and CoQuinone.
Many people trust USANA, how about you?
Enroll as a preferred customer and save more than 10% every month with products conveniently shipped to your house!
This special post is brought to you by Ms. Chong Su Lee. She is a a trained chemist with more than 20 years experience in the specialty chemical business. Her passion is nutrition, health and wellness. Her mission is to help people achieve a healthy lifestyle and eating habits through sharing of knowledge and information.
Water retention is a common ailment that occurs to anyone and in any season. It can be an uncomfortable issue that can be alleviated by changing your diet to a low salt and taking certain foods that reduce water retention.
Here are 5 foods that reduce water retention:
1) Fruits and vegetables
Fruits contain water that can hydrate the body. They are natural diuretic and increase the body’s fluid flushing capabilities. Fruits and vegetables that are high in water contents are water-melon, tomato, lemon, celery and cucumber.
2) Potassium rich food
Potassium is an important electrolyte involved in nerve signaling. Deficiency in potassium causes water retention in the body. Dehydration, excessive exercise, diarrhea can cause potassium deficiency.
Food that are rich in potassium are banana, lima beans, plum, almond, melon and watercress.
3) Herbs and spices
Some herbs such as ginger, garlic, celery seeds can help to reduce water retention. Used as flavour in your cooking to get rid of water.
Urva ursi, buchu, horse-chestnut and dandelion are also herbs that help to reduce water retention.
4) Omega-6
Omega-6 help to reduce body swelling associated with Pre-Menstural Syndrome (PMS). Examples of oil with omega-6 are safflower oil and soybean oil. Put them in salad or stir fry your vegetables.
5) Vitamin B
Vitamin B complex encourages the body tissue to release fluid and reduce water retention. You can get vitamin b from brown rice, red meat, fresh fruits, yogurt and cheese.
Incorporate these foods into your everyday diet and you will reduce water retention issues anytime.
If like this post, you can receive more by filling in the form at the right side and you will get more tips and information coming your way.
Start checking whether you are taking sufficient vitamins or minerals from your diet!
If not start to seek help today!
Your Deadly Diet Habits from Dawn Ho
Many people are unaware of the improper diet habits that they have been having for years. Prevention can start as early once a child can start eating but many people only see the importance when the problems in their body starts to surface.
Three Reasons Why Diets Fail
1. A Quick Fix: Dieters often drastically restrict their calories or food choices now but return to their old habits once they reach their goals.
Solution: Permanent lifestyle changes are needed to achieve sustained ideal weight.
2. Fad Diets= Unbalanced Nutrition: Too often, diets focus on specific types of foods or nutrients and disregard the importance of everything else, leading to unbalanced nutrition.
Solution: For optimal nutrition, our bodies need a balance variety of nutrients, including the right types of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
3. The High-Glycemic Tap: Eating high-glycemic foods can sabotage even the best of diet plans because the resulting spike and subsequent drop in blood sugar leads to a more rapid return of hunger.
Solution: A better approach focuses on low-glycemic carbohydrates, which help to moderate blood glucose levels, leaving you feeling full and satisfied longer.
The Glycemic Index (GI) measures the rate at which carbohydrates are broken down and appear in the blood as simple sugars.
High-glycemic foods are absorbed into our blood stream rapidly, causing our blood sugar to spike right after a meal. They include fruit juices, breads, starchy foods like potatoes and sweets, and baked goods. These have in common a lack of fiber, fat and protein, which help moderate the release of sugar.
This stimulates a heavy release of insulin to drive the sugar into the muscles and liver. Excessive sugar is then stored as fat. The sudden increase of insulin also causes blood sugar to fall rapidly, often going below the “normal” blood sugar level.
One will have a feeling of hunger, and a craving for more food soon after a heavy meal, continuing the “roller coaster” ride. The continuous cycles of “highs” and “lows” can lead to weight gain and health risks.
Why do we choose Low-Glycemic Foods?
A recent Harvard study found that a low-glycemic diet was the best of three popular diets at both maintaining metabolism during weight loss and maintaining cardiovascular health.
Low glycemic foods include oatmeal, beans and vegetables, which are packed with fat, fiber and protein and cause a slow, steady digestion, leading to a longer period of satiety.
These foods provide greater satiety as they are converted to sugars more slowly and steadily, reducing the huge swings in our blood sugar level after a meal. They are the ideal choice.
There are stunning results featured on Oprah.com.
| High-G.I. | Low-G.I.* | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Foods | Rating | Foods | Rating |
| Glucose | 100 | Grapefruit Juice | 48 |
| Baguette | 95 | All Bran | 43 |
| Cornflakes | 84 | Oatmeal | 42 |
| Rice Cakes | 82 | Spaghetti | 41 |
Discover the Power of Low-Glycemic Foods
Nutrimeal is a low-glycemic meal replacement brought to you by USANA Health Sciences for ideal weight management.
If you are in a midst of a weight-loss regiment, let me lend you a helping hand.
Instead of skipping meals which is unhealthy, why not take Nutrimeal as a meal replacement. See results in 1 months!
Register your interest here and you will receive a free sample!
Nutrimeal for Weight Management
It used to be that fatty liver disease occurred largely in people who drank to much alcohol.
But doctors are finding more and more patients who do not drink.
These patients often suffer from metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions which typically includes central obesity (fat around the middle) and at least two of the following conditions- high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar, a high level of triglycerides and a low level of high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol.
Triglycerides are a form of fat in the blood and fat tissue, used to provide energy. Good cholesterol helps the body get rid of “bad” cholesterol, which can be deposited on artery walls, narrowing the arteries.
It was also believed that metabolic syndrome harmed only parts of the body such as the brain, heart, kidney and eyes. But now, doctors are increasingly realizing that it can harm the liver as well.
The liver, the largest organ in the body, helps regulate fat metabolism.
When a person becomes overweight, the liver is “overtaxed”. As the regulation process breaks down, excess fat starts to build up in the liver. This causes the liver to enlarge and form yellow fat deposits and fatty liver disease develops.
Chronic liver disease resulting from metabolic syndrome is called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
More people here are developing metabolic syndrome because of increasingly sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets, doctors said.
With this rise in the number of those with this disease, liver specialists in Changi General Hospital (CGH), National University Hospital (NUH) and Singapore General Hospital (SGH) said non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has overtaken other liver diseases, such as hepatitis C and alcoholic liver disease, to become the second most common liver disease in their clinics.
The proportion of obese adults here has grown from 6.9% in 2004 to 10.8% in 2010, in the latest National Health Survey found.
An obese person is 4.6 times more likely to have NAFLD, said Dr Lee Yin mei, a senior consultant at the NUH department of gastroenterology and hepatology.
Limited Treatment Options
While some patients with a fatty liver may complain of slight discomfort on the right side below the rib cage, due to the enlargement of the liver, most experience no symptoms until the condition becomes more advanced and complications such as liver cancer or liver failure have set in.
NAFLD is usually picked up incidentally, while the patient is being treated for other problems. Sometimes, patients may be treated for abdominal pain or other gastroenterological problems.
Using a blood test or an ultrasound scan does not tell a doctor if a patient has inflammation or hepatitis of the liver. A liver biopsy to test a sample of liver tissue is needed for this, but it is invasive and associated with a small risk of bleeding.
Right now, there is no good treatment for the condition, except to lose weight through regular exercise and eating healthily.
Doctors say it may be beneficial to avoid consuming high-fructose corn syrup, found mainly in soft drinks. Studies show taking fructose contributes to the development of NAFLD. Excess sugar can be converted to fat in the liver.
This article was adapted from Mind Your Body on 11th October.
You must understand all root of problems whether it’s high blood pressure or diabetes comes from the quality of blood. Over time, due to excessive consumption of oily and fatty food, your blood becomes laden with plaque and triglyceride.
One of the few options to make the blood thinner is by consuming Omega-3, found mainly in fish.
Health Benefits of taking Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids come in more than one form. The types found in fish, called DHA and EPA, have been studied most extensively and appear to have the strongest health benefits.
Our body cannot make Omega-3s, therefore we must get them from food or supplements.
These are the conditions Omega-3s have proven to help:
Benefits of taking Omega-3 supplements
I have been taking Omega-3 fish oil since I was in secondary school. My mother is a strong believer in health prevention which is why we seldom visit the doctors.
Currently, there is a promotion ongoing for BioMega from October to December.
One bottle is going at $49 including of FREE Shipping to your house. One bottle has 56 capsules which can last you approximately 2 months. That’s less than a cost of 1 cup of coffee a day for good health for your blood and heart.
Register your interest here:
By 2050, Singapore may have as many as one million diabetics. Every one in two people, by age 70, will be diabetic – up from one in three today. Of the adult population, 15 per cent will suffer from the disease, compared with 11.3 per cent now.
And because people here are not just getting older, but also fatter, obesity is likely to push up the risks of diabetes, which in turn raises the risk of stroke, heart and kidney failure, and blindness.
Ageing and obesity are the two main factors that will drive Singapore’s number of diabetics up in the next 40 years, according to new research by the National University of Singapore’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.
This problem is relevant and will be prevalent in future. The government can do so much to dispense advice but we need to be socially responsible for our own health and reduce all risk of having this chronic disease.
Here are some warning signs to take note of:
Diabetics who start to experience muscle cramps after walking a short distance should take heed and seek treatment. It could be an early sign of peripheral vascular disease which can lead to blocked arteries, ulcers, gangrene and even death.
If gangrene or ulcers are already present, the damaged tissue is removed first. This sometimes involves the amputation of one or few toes.
Diabetes can lead to a life-long problem if the root of the illness is not curbed. The price to pay could be high medication and hospitalization bills. Start prevention today and I am sure you will be relieved you heeded my advice.
I have some tips to share to you to get you started, hope it helps!
The Diabetic Foot
With a little extra care, a diabetic patient need not lose his limbs or toes
Staying in good health
1. Control your blood sugar levels
2. Be mindful of your diet and eat less if you are overweight
Foot care
1. Wash and moisturize your feet at least twice daily to prevent cracks that present openings for bacterial infections
2. Check feet for cuts, injuries or pressure ulcers daily
Preventing injuries
1. Wear a good comfortable pair of slippers at home, preferably with padding
2. Wear good protective footwear when going out, for example, covered shoes
3. See a podiatrist if you have corns or calluses
Diet
1. Drink quality drinking water eg. alkaline water >7.5
2. Consume 2 servings of fruits and vegetables daily
Usually once a person contracts a disease, the body’s acidity will drop to below pH 7 and be susceptible to many illness other than diabetes. Our body’s immunity against virus is strongest when our blood pH stays between pH 7.35-7.45.
Acidity of the blood starts from the air, water and food that we consume daily. As we drink water daily and it’s absorbed by our blood, the quality of water you drink daily is very important.
I have been drinking alkaline water for the past 4 years and it has put my family in good health. As the water does not contain any traces of heavy metal, chlorine or sand from the drinking tap, it significantly reduces any unknown substances that enters the blood. Therefore, I urge everyone to have a filter at home that can give you good supply of drinking water and can improve the valuable health of your family members.
Here is a video testimonial of my treasured customer who has kindly given me her time to share her personal testimonial of the alkaline water which I have advised her to consume.
I would love to share with you one of my secrets to staying healthy, email me at askdawnho@gmail.com and I will furnish you with more product details.
I believe in the above statement, so let’s work hand-in-hand for better health:)
Hope to hear from you soon!
Regards,
Dawn