This article has been contributed by Diana Smith. In 1991, something strange happened. A so-called Iceman, a naturally mummified body was discovered by hikers in the Italian Alps. The mystery surrounding a dead body frozen 5300 years before did not end there. Researchers found two lumps containing bracket fungus. Why he carried them with himself was to be discovered 7 years later. In 1998, an autopsy revealed that Iceman had intestinal parasite in his rectum and that he treated his condition with bracket fungus. The case of a mysterious Iceman is the first documented example of herbal medicine in the world. A long tradition The four major herbal traditions in the world, Chinese, Ayurvedic, European and Native American tell us about the importance of herbs throughout history. The Devine Farmer’s Classic of Herbalism, compiled 2000 years ago is the oldest book on herbalism. The roots of this type of medicine in Australia reach 1905, when naturopathic services were advertised in newspapers. Even though synthesized drugs have revolutionized medicine as we know it, a large number of people in developing countries still use herbs to treat various conditions. 90% of population in Africa and 70% of population in India still rely on traditional medicine. The situation is similar in developed countries. According to the estimates by the World Health Organization, 80% of people worldwide use herbal medicines. Multiple active compounds Major advantage of botanicals over drugs is that botanicals contain multiple active compounds. These compounds taken together may have a positive effect on our bodies no drug can have. Even though this may seem to you an advantage of herbs, separation of the active compounds is a serious challenge when it comes to scientific evidence. On the other hand, the type of environment, how and when the plant is harvested and processed can determine the effectiveness of the herb. This means that plants should be grown specifically for the purpose of research. Other benefits Another reason why people opt for medicinal herbs is that they cost less than drugs. Furthermore, they are effective for various conditions. For example, kava kava can be used for elevating mood and treating insomnia. Finally, they are usually available without prescription. Some of the most commonly used herbal medicines: Echinacea- decreases the odds of catching a flu by 58%; Ginkgo- improves blood circulation and slows down Alzheimer’s disease; St. John's wort- strong scientific evidence that it is effective for mild to moderate depression because it contains a chemical, hyperforin, which plays a role in depression; Garlic- produces a chemical, allicin which makes it effective in treating the conditions related to the heart and blood system, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, heart attack and atherosclerosis; Chamomile- used for treating chest colds, slow-healing wounds, abscesses, gum inflammation and skin conditions, including psoriasis, eczema, chickenpox, and diaper rash; Ginger- used for stomach problems, such as motion sickness, morning sickness, colic, upset stomach, gas, diarrhea, nausea caused by cancer treatment, nausea and vomiting after surgery and loss of appetite; Ginseng- lowers blood sugar levels, improves concentration and learning; when it comes to studies of mental performance, ginseng was combined with ginkgo; Saw palmetto- used for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland; Valerian- a common medication for sleep problems; has fewer side effects compared to sleeping pills Milk thistle- provides benefits when it comes to liver problems, such as cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatitis, and gallbladder disorders; Evening primrose- used for eczema, psoriasis, and acne, rheumatoid arthritis, weak bones, Raynaud’s syndrome and multiple sclerosis; Cannabis- the latest cannabis news link this herb to the treatment of epilepsy. Regulations in Australia Herbal medicines are referred to as complementary medicines in Australian law and they regulated under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. The risk-based approach includes that lower-risk medicines can be listed, while higher risk medicines must be registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. Even though herbal medicines are safe to use in most cases, some of them can have side effects as they can interact with prescription medications and as they may worsen certain medical conditions. Before you choose herbal medicines, research about them online. Make sure you look for scientific studies proving health benefits of the plant. Finally, if you are unsure about their usage, contact a healthcare professional.
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Iodine deficiency can cause many problems including breast cysts, menstrual problems, prostate and thyroid issues. I had a simple test at a holistic GP which showed I was deficient and now I supplement daily.
Iodine supplementation can also help prevent infections, cold and flus and many other diseases. Being healthy and staying healthy is a matter of constant work and commitment to your health maintenance. Fitness of the body is closely related to its health, and these two have gone hand in hand for as long as we can remember. In recent years we’ve witnessed an explosion of health and fitness tutorials, dietary plans, false advertisements on how to lose so and so lbs in as many weeks, etc. The pressure to look good is now more evident than ever with celebrities and their personal trainers as role models. And honestly – there is nothing wrong with being fit, if anything – we encourage it – but unless you choose the right way to do it, say goodbye to your health. This tutorial will place accent on one particular exercise and its benefits, that being cycling. Hopefully you’ll get an insight into benefits of working out and eating healthy, with some great tips on how stay strong and endure with your mission. Some of our favourite cycling benefits are listed below: It boosts your bowels Apart from tightening your legs, benefits of cycling extend deep into your core. Truth is, with all physical activity not just cycling, the body responds better to food moving through the large intestine, speeding up the process. The more you workout, the amount of water absorbed back into your body is getting limited, “leaving you with softer stools, which are easier to pass,”explains Harley Street gastroenterologist Dr Ana Raimundo. On top of that, “as well as preventing you from feeling bloated, aerobic exercise helps protect you against bowel cancer,” says Dr Raimundo. It increases your brain power The research shows that an improvement of up to 15 percent in mental health is achieved by only five percent improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness from cycling! Amazing, right? While cycling, your brain cells are regenerated and new cells built in the hippocampus. This is the region that’s responsible for memory. Exercising, cycling in particular, helps ward off Alzheimer’s as the blood flow and oxygen to the brain is boosted and receptors get regenerated. It improves sleep As research done at Stanford University School of Medicine shows, cycling has helped insomniacs reduce the time they normally take to fall asleep by half, and their sleep time was increased by almost an hour. Further, if you are cycling outside, you are exposed to daylight which helps get your circadian rhythm back in sync. Additionally, when spending time outside your body gets rid of cortisol which is a stress hormone that can prevent deep, regenerative sleep. It helps you look younger “Increased circulation through exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to skin cells more effectively, while flushing harmful toxins out”, explains Dr Christopher Rowland Payne. Also, while exercising, your body is optimizing collagen production. In the long run, collagen production will help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and speed up the healing process. It beats illness Believe it or not, regular exercising will keep you healthy as an ox! In fact, even when you are down with something, going to the gym and cycling it off is the medicine you need! Working out helps sweat out all the viruses and fight off nasty new ones – so, you know what to do to stay healthy! Oh and – if you prefer cycling outside to the one at the gym, just make sure all of the bicycle parts are properly wired. It will help improve your sex life, fight off impotence and delay menopause Being physically active is one of the key ingredients to your vascular health. Vascular health means healthy sex drive, and graces you with sexual prowess of men two to five years younger. In females who workout the menopause is delayed by a similar amount of time. As per Harvard University research, “men aged over 50 who cycle for at least three hours a week have a 30 percent lower risk of impotence than those who do little exercise.” Regular cycling and keeping yourself on a healthy diet can cut so many of the usual health risk to half. Cycling for just 20 miles a week may significantly influence your health, fitness and overall state of your mind and body – all it takes is to decide you’ll start working out and stay committed to it. Good luck! This article has been contributed by Diana Smith Living the stressful life we all live it is inevitable to hit a wall at one point and realize things need to change. Unfortunately, not all of us can sell our Ferraris (The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari) and hit the Tibet mountains, soul-searching our way into the better, brighter and more fulfilling future. Still, that doesn’t mean we won’t give the best of ourselves to change the present as we know it. Obsessed with work, recognition and in a constant chase for acclaim and improvement, we often forget to take a step back and take a look into ourselves, nurture our souls and feed our spirit. Good life is the little things – a smile of the person you love, your favorite TV show, a hug, a talk and a glass of wine with your significant other, waking up to someone’s smile, your kid’s first drawing… but, in order to notice all the good things and recognize them as treasure, you first need to be in peace with yourself. Going back to yourself is not a short, neither an easy journey. After all, it took you so and so to become distant to the spiritual person you used to be. So, now – you’ll have to build yourself up again. But once you are there, at the point where you actually do appreciate life for everything that it is – you’ll know you’ve found peace. Here are some of the ways to help you get there. Remember, no rushing – it’s a process. Accept who you are Often, we live our personal projections of who we think we are without even realizing it. We tend to create an idea of who we believe we should be and completely neglect who we are indeed. If you gave your real self a chance, you’d be surprised to find a completely new person underneath all the society-imposed shoulds and shouldn’ts. The key to being happy is truly knowing yourself. Don’t apologize for who you are Even though we were all raised to believe a certain personality type is right and the other one wrong, the truth is – every single person is an individual and there is no person with the same qualities anywhere else in the world. Cherish your uniqueness and love it. Don’t ever apologize for everything that you are. If anything – celebrate it! Believe in yourself No matter how tacky this may sound but believing you are capable of achieving things is one of the first steps to happiness. Yes, it is amazing if you’ve got the support of your loved ones but the first and ultimate support you need to achieve greatness is the one you give yourself. Believe you can attain it, and you will. Meditate This ancient technique of achieving inner balance has for a reason endured for so long. Meditation will help you take a step back from yourself and see the problem in its real light, as objectively as possible. It will help you get a whole new perspective on things that seemed difficult and hard. Meditating for a few days a week in your yard or at the local park will do wonders for your mind. Find a few minutes at the start of your day to collect your thoughts, appreciate life and organize your day calm and stress-free. Every day can be like going to a spiritual retreat, if you make it so. Care for others
Self-centeredness is the quality of the vain, shallow and unhappy. Let yourself think of others for a change. Treat them like you would want to be treated, in every aspect of life. Remember how much your best friend wanted that book? Buy it for him and enjoy the joy you’ve given him. You know how your mum always complains about you never making it for Sunday lunch? Make it. In giving, we are finding happiness. Reward yourself Remember when you were a kid and you were only allowed to get a candy if the homework was done? Well, grownups are no different than kids. Our brains are wired on the principle of action and reward. So, set goals for yourself, achieve them and reward yourself. It will feel amazing! Or, if you’ve been overall satisfied with your recent actions, business achievements, or anything else – reward yourself in a way you know you’ll enjoy. Author BIO: Sophia Smith is a freelance writer from Brisbane, Australia with huge interest in fashion, beauty, graphic design and well-being. She could be described as beauty addict and life lover. She writes in mostly beauty related topics, mainly through blogs and articles. Sophia is regular contributor at High Style Life on topics related to beauty and lifestyle. Find her on: Google + New initiative uncovers misconceptions about the healthiness of pre-ordered food Australia’s top nutritionist says consumers have been left in the dark with the lack of nutritional information available for takeaway. With our busy lifestyles leaving us little time to analyse our food choices, is it any wonder we’re unsure as to whether or not we’re eating healthily when ordering in? Dr Joanna, internationally known for her wholefood, low GI approach to eating and developed the Dr Joanna Plate – a healthy guide to meals that has helped thousands of Australians – says, “It is compulsory for restaurants with more than 20 outlets to release nutritional analyses of their menus to the public, and much of our packaged food comes with nutritional analyses. When it comes to ordering in from small restaurants, however, there is nothing available to us.” To help solve the challenge in takeaway, Menulog has launched Healthy+ on its web platform to help Aussies choose the healthier options on takeaway menus. Guidelines developed by Dr Joanna and Menulog specifically for takeaway have been used to analyse the dishes, initially, of 18 restaurants across Australia. Surprisingly, 40 per cent of dishes normally perceived as unhealthy have made it into the program. Major food misconceptions uncovered Dr Joanna explains why: “The initial rollout of Healthy+ across restaurants has uncovered some surprising results, and will demystify many misconceptions Australians have about takeaway. The eight cuisines that have so far made the Healthy+ program among participating restaurants are Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, African, Modern Australian, Italian, Japanese and Thai. “Factors that have made particular dishes on menus stand out have been healthy cooking methods, inclusion of lean meats or seafood, plenty of vegetables or good oils. The abundant use of antioxidant-rich herbs and spices are also major brownie points for many cuisines,” Dr Joanna says. Dr Joanna says the guidelines are important, as a recent survey by Menulog found that takeaway is here to stay, with 47 per cent of Aussies likely to cook from home at least three times a week, but 55 per cent feel that ordering in has been more affordable. The research also showed 72 per cent of us like to order in at least once a week. Dr Joanna’s top 8 healthy dishes around Australia that people may perceive as unhealthy: Of the 133 dishes that have so far been certified as Healthy+, 55 that could normally be perceived as unhealthy by Aussies have made the cut. Menulog lists 8 of these dishes from around the country – Dr Joanna says to simply team the mains with a green salad or steamed veggies for a winning meal. Her thoughts on the following dishes may surprise you. Garlic prawns – Red Rock Noodle, Brisbane“Prawns are often thought to be high in cholesterol, dietary cholesterol has very little influence on blood cholesterol levels: if you eat more cholesterol your liver simply makes less. Prawns are in fact a terrific protein-rich food that provides anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, several nutrients including the antioxidant mineral selenium and iron. In Red Rock Noodle’s recipe, they are teamed with egg noodles, which tend to have a lower GI than rice, and plenty of veggies. Overall it’s one of the lowest kilojoule dishes on the menu with only 1705kJ per regular serve, is high in protein, and low in fat, while meeting the targets for both sugar and salt.” Pad Thai – Oriental Healthy, Sydney“Noodles tend to have a lower GI than most white rice, so combined with the protein-rich meat, prawns and eggs, all fried in my favourite oil, extra virgin olive oil, this dish is a Healthy+ winner.” Beef and black bean sauce – Red Rock Noodle, Brisbane“This dish contains lean beef so that the saturated fat content is only 1.2g per serve, plenty of veggies and with just under 2000kJ per serve it's a good choice. Black bean sauce is made from fermented black beans which have terrific benefits for the gut,” Dr Joanna says. Beef Masala – Saffron Indian, PerthLean ingredients and the cooking method are key to this dish. “This Beef Masala is slow-cooked on the stove, and it’s fairly lean with little oil used and no cream added, as with some curries. Onions are the base of the sauce and these contain a number of sulphur antioxidants that have particular benefits in protecting us from cancer,” Dr Joanna says. Rogan Josh from Indimex, Greenslopes, Brisbane“This dish makes the cut as it uses lean meat or seafood, delivering plenty of protein, has added veggies and the spices are antioxidant rich. They also use mustard oil, a high monounsaturated fat, instead of the more usual ghee, boosting the health profile of the dish.” Lamb Kofta – Dine In, Melbourne Fried meat? “This dish made the cut as the kofta are pan fried, not deep fried, and in extra virgin olive oil. It's a myth that you can't cook with this. The yoghurt based sauce accompaniment adds protein and calcium to the meal,” Dr Joanna says. Penne pasta dishes (Napoli and Pollo) – Pasta Fiesta, Perth.Pasta as an unhealthy choice is a common misconception. “Pasta is low GI and much higher in protein than rice, so provided you watch your portion size it's actually a great choice. These dishes are also tomato-based, use extra virgin olive oil with their antioxidants and also boost the uptake of lycopene from the tomatoes. Thai Fish Cakes – Oriental Healthy, Sydney “These fish cakes are an aromatic mix of minced fish with spices and although fried, the restaurant uses canola oil - an oil that is primarily healthy monounsaturated fats.” Menulog.com.au is Australia’s number one for online and mobile takeaway. With more than 5500 participating restaurants offering more than 130 different cuisines and over 16,000 special offers at any given time, Menulog also offers Australia’s most comprehensive range of meal options on a single platform. About Dr Joanna McMillan Dr Joanna is one of the best-known nutrition and wellbeing experts in Australia and director of Dr Joanna and Get Lean. She has authored a number of books including the internationally published The Low GI Diet, The Low GI Diet Cookbook (Hachette Livre) and Star Foods. In 2010 she won Best Health, Nutrition or Diet Related Book at the Food Media Awards for Inner Health Outer Beauty. The last decade was filled with different food trends and wonder-promising diets. We’ve witnessed that many of them were just marketing tricks or unhealthy and inefficient. Now is the ideal time to return to all-natural food if we care about our health. As Michael Palin stated in the Monty Python's Flying Circus: ‘All you should want from your food is that it doesn’t harm you.’ Organic food won’t harm you, but bring you a lot of benefits. With more nutrients than processed and chemically treated food, it can prolong your life and prevent diseases. Don’t expect miracle weight loss, though. The effects may come slower, but they’ll come and stay. Nature’s Gifts With organic food, nature brought us more nutrients. On average, organic food contains significantly higher concentration of antioxidants than conventionally grown food. It is food that is grown according to certain standards and processed with specific methods. All of this makes organic food the perfect choice for someone who wants to improve their health and lose weight. Making healthy diet choices means that you will avoid chemicals. Some studies find that pesticides can influence weight gain, while others claim that the amount is so small that it doesn’t have any impact. We don’t know about you, but we wouldn’t like to take this risk. It’s not all About the Greens… … there is a little something about meat, too. Often there are misconceptions that organic food is linked only with fruits and vegetables. You don’t have to be a vegetarian to make healthy food choices. When eating meat, you should check the way the animal was grown and fed. If we compared organically raised chickens and chickens made to fulfill competitive market standards, we would notice that the former have less fat, leaner meat and are thinner and healthier. Conventionally grown chickens are being fed foodstuff with the purpose of growing as large as possible and it results in too much fat. It is the same with other animals too. Eat Your (Organic) Veggies and Fruits The genetically engineered approach to the production of fruits and vegetables results in more pesticides in the products. The food grown using organic methods contains more vitamins and minerals, and it is healthier. Higher levels of nutrients provide your body with more energy and better functionality, which further influences easier fat burning, digestion and easier removal of excess fat deposits. Eating healthy naturally-grown food may not help you lose weight directly, but indirectly it has a high impact on your organism’s willingness to process food into energy, and use that energy to lose weight. We would say it is worthwhile, wouldn’t you? Organic Meals You can opt for an exclusively raw food diet, which is a whole different way of preparing your food. Your meals would be based on such dishes as smoked fish, raw and dried fruit or vegetables, raw soups, smoothies, shakes, etc. You can find various recipes, including protein shake recipes, which will make a great addition to your diet. One more way to go is paleo diet, based on eating real unprocessed foods. You can also eat the way you’ve always eaten, with the change of eating organic instead of conventionally produced food. In the long-term, this will also have positive effects. When making organic meals the possibilities for delicious results are endless. Still, we’ll give you one treat to make your taste buds explode. Organic black beans Ingredients:
Preparation: Presoak the beans overnight. Add fresh water (5-6 cups) in the sauce pan and pour the beans. Simmer over gentle heat and stir occasionally. In separate saucepan fry the garlic. After 1 hour, mix in the seasonings and add the mixture to the beans. In the end, add the tomatoes and simmer for about 30 minutes more. It is possible to enjoy food, be healthy and reach optimal weight. All it takes is some consideration regarding the way the food comes to your table and what you do with it later. Bon appétit! This post has been contributed by Peter Minkoff We need to make sure we look after our eyes because we only get one set. But, more and more people are failing to take action. In fact, studies have shown that up to 36 percent of people leave it months before getting their eyes seen to. And this is even after they have noticed issues. Your sight is so important to how you live your life. So you need to make sure you look after it as much as possible. There are things you can do to help you maintain healthy and good eyesight. Have a look at these suggestions, and try to use as many of them as you can. Go to the Optician Step one should be taking regular trips to the local opticians. You need to take eye tests on a regular basis, so you know you have strong, healthy eyesight. Your optician will be able to tell you if you have any problems. They can suggest techniques and procedures that might help your vision. And they'll be able to tell you whether or not you need laser eye treatment or glasses. It’s essential that you get your eyes looked at as often as you can. This way you can help keep them in good condition, and address any issues as soon as they happen. Look After Your Eyes It seems like an obvious point to state, but you really do need to look after your eyes. And this means doing things in your life that are going to benefit and nurture your eyes. And this includes doing all the basic health stuff you already know about. So you need to make sure you have a healthy diet, and that you exercise. Believe it or not, these can have a big bearing on helping your eyes, and reducing the likelihood of sight loss. Also, make sure you quit smoking, and only drink in moderation. All the things you’d normally do to look after your body will help with the eyes too. You should also try to treat your eyes using eye drops and spray regularly. This will help keep them healthy and strong. Get Glasses as Soon as You Need Them You can’t mess around when it comes to your vision. And that’s why you’ve got to take action as soon as you feel something is wrong. Don’t wait around, or ignore the problem and hope it goes away. If you need to get glasses, you need to do it as soon as you need them. The longer you leave this sort of thing the worse it’s going to be on your eyes. Don’t hesitate, and don’t be scared. Make sure you get glasses (or contacts) as soon as you can, and you’ll help look after your eyes for longer. Eat the Right Sorts of Foods Did you know that there are certain foods you can eat that will help improve your vision? No, not carrots! But there are genuinely foods that will boost your eyesight, and help you to maintain healthy eyes for longer. A couple of the best foods you could eat to help with this are blackcurrant, and kale. They both contain plenty of lutein and zeaxanthin, and these are known to help and boost eyesight. Image Source As you can see, there is plenty you can do to try to boost, and look after, your vision. Make sure you treat your eyes with the care and respect they deserve. You’ll be grateful you did when you get older. This post has been contributed by Laura |
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