Food, Disease, and You

by Sandy Powers

The scenario for fighting diseases and building healthier immune systems with certain foods exists in all cultures. This is not to say we cast aside the marvelous strides in medicines that have been made over the last fifty years, but your best first defense against disease is nutrition. Healthy nutrition is quite simply back to basics. Wise food choices help fight those beginning cancer cells and prevent that build up of cholesterol in the arteries while making you feel a whole lot healthier. To begin that path to health, start with Vitamin C.

Vitamin C

Scurvy was the first disease recognized as being caused by a dietary deficiency. Scurvy, caused by a Vitamin C deficiency, with symptoms of bleeding gums, bruising, weakness, aches and pains that often lead to death, was common among sailors during the 15th and 16th centuries. It was not unusual on long sea voyages for a ship to loose half of its crew to scurvy. In 1747, scurvy-ridden sailors were being treated with lemons and limes through the efforts of the Scottish naval surgeon James Lind. By 1795, the British Navy added lime juice to the rations of sailors, which was successful in preventing scurvy. Born was the nickname "Limeys" for British sailors.

While today scurvy is not a familiar disease because of the efforts of fortified food, Vitamin C deficiency is still rather common. In the United States, one third of all adults receive less Vitamin C in their diets than is recommended by the National Academy of Sciences. One out of every six adults get less than one half of the recommended amount. Frequent colds and infections, bleeding gums, poor healing, and lung related problems are all symptoms of Vitamin C deficiency.

Vitamin C is the most important antioxidant of all the antioxidants because it defends the interior part of our cells against free radicals that provoke diseases like cancer and heart while fighting stress in our bodies. The human body cannot manufacture Vitamin C, nor can it store it. Vitamin C should be taken through food sources daily, not through a multiple vitamin supplement. Oranges, bell peppers, broccoli, and parsley are excellent sources of Vitamin C.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency that is associated with weak bones now has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. "The higher risk associated with Vitamin D deficiency was particularly evident among individuals with high blood pressure," researchers concluded. The study continued, "Low levels of Vitamin D are highly prevalent in the United States.....Twenty to 30 percent of the population...has moderate to severe Vitamin D deficiency." The research further provided evidence that people who tested low in Vitamin D are 45 percent more likely to have high triglycerides.

Since few foods are rich in Vitamin D, we must depend upon sunlight as our best source. Sunlight creates Vitamin D on the skin where it is absorbed into the body. The overuse of sunscreens is the main reason for Vitamin D deficiency. To get your needed dose of Vitamin D, go out daily into sunlight for about 15 minutes without sunscreen. Don't cover your arms. Your skin will convert the sunlight into Vitamin D where it will be stored in your liver for use. The daily 15 minutes in the sun without sunscreen will not increase your risk of skin cancer.

Cholesterol

Who isn't trying to lower the numbers? According to the Mayo Clinic, there are 4 great foods to help you do just that.

1. Fiber---The fiber in oatmeal, apples, pears, and kidney beans are excellent choices for lowing cholesterol. 2. Walnuts---When 20 percent of your calories come from walnuts, your "bad" cholesterol can be reduced by as much as 12 percent. Eat a handful of walnuts everyday. 3. Omega-3---Helps the heart by reducing blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. If you already had a heart attack, a good level of omega-3 in your body significantly reduces the risk of sudden death. Eat two servings of fish weekly. Good sources of omega-3 are lake trout, salmon, herring, sardines, and anchovies. Be alert for mercury contamination. Try to buy fish from the wild. 4. Olive Oil---Not canola oil, not flaxseed oil but Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. Buy Extra-Virgin Olive Oil's first cold press to receive more heart healthy antioxidants. Olive Oil is the only cooking oil that can be used as is: freshly pressed from the olive. Studies corroborate Olive Oil's protection against heart disease by its ability to control "bad" cholesterol while raising "good" cholesterol. Two tablespoons of Olive Oil are recommended daily. Use Olive Oil to sauté vegetables or mix with vinegar for a salad dressing.

Back to basics. Back to nutrition. Back to health. You're on you way.

SOURCE: http://www.goarticles.com

CONTROL AIDS

More circumcision needed to control AIDS in Africa

MEXICO CITY: Governments and health communities need to ramp up male circumcision to prevent HIV infection, particularly in vulnerable countries in eastern and southern Africa, researchers and advocates said on Monday.

Three studies were cut short in 2006 after they showed strong evidence that male circumcision could prevent HIV infection, but very little effort has been made to push for more men to go under the knife, they told a conference on AIDS in Mexico City.

"This is a call to action... to call for male circumcision. It's been two years and still there is not enough money, focus to scale up effort and more needs to be done," said Dvora Joseph, head of the HIV department at Population Services International, a US-based nonprofit organisation.

While people were beginning to accept this intervention measure, Joseph said stigma surrounding it was still strong.

"There is no national male circumcision campaign to promote it ... more education is needed," Joseph said.

The researchers said two studies in Africa showed the procedure did not reduce sexual pleasure and function, and did not result in any increase in risk-taking behaviour among newly circumcised men.

These two concerns have always surrounded male circumcision, which some studies indicate could be 70% effective in protecting men against HIV infection during vaginal sex.

"We found that there was no difference between the circumcised men and uncircumcised men -- that there is no increase in sexual dysfunction in circumcised men. And in fact, circumcised men did report greater penile sensitivity after circumcision," said Robert Bailey, an epidemiologist at the University of Illinois.

The study involved 2,784 men in Kisumu, Kenya, and the group who were circumcised reported no sexual dysfunction such as premature ejaculation, pain during intercourse or erectile dysfunction. More details of this study will be disclosed on Tuesday at the conference.

Bailey was also involved in another study published recently in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS ONE, which showed that circumcision did not result in any increase in risky sex behavior.

"In the trial, we are providing HIV testing and counseling every six months, so there's opportunity to follow up, especially counseling the circumcised men that they are not fully protected, that they still have to practice safe sex and use condoms," Bailey said. - Reuters

articles source: http://www.thesundaily.com

7 FOODS TO MAKE YOUR DIET

7 Foods To Make Your Diet An Anti Aging Diet

by Marcus Ryan

Nobody ever left planet Earth younger than when he or she arrived, and you won either. Aging is simply the natural consequence of being alive, and while you can do nothing to stop it, you can do plenty of things to keep the physical signs of aging at bay.

One of the most important weapons you have in the struggle to remain youthful is you diet. By committing yourself to following a diet which contains the following seven items, you will not only look younger than your chronological years; you feel much younger as well.

Avocado

The monounsaturated fats in avocado oil will boost your cardiovascular function by lowering your cholesterol, but even better, they will hydrate and smooth your skin so that wrinkles are minimized. Any fats which can keep your skin supple are the right fats to be eating.

Avocados make great additions to salads and sandwiches, and who doesn't love fresh guacamole? You should, however, limit yourself to half an avocado each day because of their calories.

Salmon

Salmon, especially wild salmon, is loaded with both lean protein and Omega-3 fatty acids, which like the fats in avocados, will work wonders on your skin. Eating salmon three times each week will get you all of its heart and skin rejuvenating benefits.

Salmon is delicious grilled, roasted, or baked, served hot or added to salad, with a simple sauce of lemon juice and fresh dill. But even canned salmon will get you the Omega-3 fatty acids you need.

Eggs

In spite of what you may have heard about eggs being bad for you cholesterol levels, that only applies if you eat them to excess. Eggs are high in protein, cheap, and can be easily prepared in all sorts of dishes.

Yogurt

Probiotics are all the rage in healthy eating circles, and yogurt is simply bursting with probiotics. It also contains plenty of the lean proteins which will slow the rate at which your body metabolizes carbohydrates, keeping your blood sugar stable and helping you burn fat more efficiently.

Yogurt's probiotics not only help you digest your food more completely; they will rid your intestinal tract of the unfriendly organisms which can wreak havoc on your intestines. You get the most benefits from all-natural or plain vanilla yogurt, free of the additives which simply take up space that could be given to the probiotics and protein.

Tofu and tempeh

Both tofu and tempeh are rich in both bad cholesterol-bashing flavonoids, and in lean protein. Tofu is exceptionally versatile as a protein source because it will assume the flavor of the foods with which it is cooked. Tofu has even been used as the base for delicious ice cream-like desserts, which except for t heir much lower fat content are amazingly close to the real thing!

Blueberries

The humble blueberry has not found tremendous respect as a source of free-radical destroying antioxidants, and blueberries make delicious additions t breakfast cereals, pancakes, and yogurt.

Spinach, broccoli, and Chinese broccoli

These leafy green vegetables are, like blueberries, high in antioxidants so they can minimize the free radical damage which plays such a significant role in the rate at which you will age. They will also regulate your body's insulin levels, so that you can lose weight more easily and age more slowly.

By eating a large serving of leafy green vegetables with your protein meals, you will also counteract the protein acidifying affects on your body normal pH with the alkalizing effects of the vegetables. Keeping your body pH its natural alkaline state is one of the best ways to avoid degenerative diseases.

As you can see, simply adding these seven foods to your diet will go a very long way to keeping you young and healthy. But eating these foods is also going to add some real enjoyment to your meals, so you really have no reason not to eat them, do you?

articles source: http://www.goarticles.com