HEALTHY EATING PREVENT AND HELP CURE DISEASES

As I already talked about hypertension was the major cause of heart disease, and several kinds of food and other factors which can cause hypertension.  I would like to go further about what kind of healthy foods we should eat and those we should avoid or limit the intake. 

It is important that you should know your limit, if you know that you have had too much of something, then you have to stop, indulging or intemperance is nothing good because anything which is too much is as bad as too less.  If you cannot refuse the temptation of the tasty, delicious but not-so-healthy food or drink, or some bad habits, then think about if someday when you or one of your family member gets sick, think about the agony and pain, and how much time and money you have to spend for regaining health (if the disease can be reversed), or the worst someone may have to say goodbye to your precious health or beloved family forever.  Healthy people may not have any symptoms for a period of time though they have bad lifestyle for years as their bodies still can get rid of the toxins, but the time will come though.  As for the people with the symptoms or disease, there is no time for procrastinating, they have to change their habit and lifestyle immediately.

As we say you are what you eat, this is particularly true about the food and our health, that is easier and better to prevent the disease rather than to cure it later, but if it happens that you have some kind of disease, there is still a hope to get better or cured.  Here are a few tips about the foods and beverages you should not eat or drink, and those you should limit the intake to help you healthier or regain your health:

1) Not to eat: Junk food or fast food – it is a big temptation for almost everyone, the fast food vendors have the right to sell the food to earn a living, and you have the right to choose, it is up to you whether you want it or not, and just remember this food is usually packed with something which is not so healthy. For those people with heartdisease, diabetes or cancer, indulge yourself just because you already have the prescribed medicine on hand is a big mistake, you should still avoid taking this food especially if it is fried or barbecued in which there is a lot of trans fat .

What to eat: home-made whole grain bread sandwich with turkey or fish fillet, make your own veggies salads with leafy greens, lettuce, tomatoes, beans, and the dressing made of olive oil and lemon juice.  It is worth to take some of your time to prepare your own meal and take it with you when you go out for a walk or to the office,  so you can avoid being tempted to eat the food that you should not eat or when you are too hungry to wait.

2) Not to eat: Snacks and bakery products which are made of white flour and margarine or butter, and sometimes with a lot of sugar, salt and eggs, which make these foods high in trans fat as well as saturated fat. You can make your own fruit jam or hazelnut carob-choco spread instead of purchasing the commercial products.

What to eat: make your own healthy snacks, whole meal pancakes and cookies or simply snack on some nuts and seeds, snack on fresh fruits instead of processed or canned fruits, and use brown sugar or molasses instead of white sugar.

3) Limit: the intake of red meat, eggs, cheese and full cream milk because these foods, especially meat and egg yolks are high in saturated fat. Replace milk with almond milk or soybean milk, and cheese with  plain yogurt or Greek yogurt.

What to eat: replace red meat with sea fish, take not more than 2 eggs per week, choose non fat milk or plain yogurt (Greek yogurt) over full cream milk, or use almond milk as substitute for cow milk.

4) Not to drink:  carbonated drink or other soft drink.  These products always high in sugar which will increase your cholesterol level, and they contain no nutrients.

What to drink:  fruit juice or mixed berries smoothies with some ground flax seeds or chia seeds, or green tea with lemon juice. Omega 3 in flax seeds is good for heart and catechin in green tea help reduce fat in our body.  

5) Limit: Sweets and chocolate products.  According to the researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), sugar and sweeteners are toxic to human body, they make blood pressure and cholesterol go up, along with the risk for liver failure, obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Chocolate not only has sugar in it, it also contains theobromine which has similar effects to that of caffeine.

What to eat:  snacks on fresh and dried fruits such as raisin, prunes, cranberries, figs and dates, and you can make your own tasty snacks or cake using carob powder instead of chocolate, the taste and color of carob powder are similar to those of chocolate, but does not contain theobromine, also use palm sugar or molasses  for making snacks instead of white sugar.

6) Not to drink: alcohol and coffee.  Alcohol may increase cancer risk though it is said to have some heart-healthy benefits. Caffeine and sugar in coffee are not good for your heart either.  

What to drink:  make your own beverages such as fruits and vegetable juice, or green tea with brown sugar, or you can replace green tea with non-caffeine mulberry tea or chrysanthemum tea.

7) Limit : fried food and barbecued food, frying or barbecue turns a good protein into bad protein （especially Lysene) because of high heat, besides it can increase cholesterol level and increase risk for heart disease as well as cancer disease as barbecued and charred food always contain carcinogens.
 

What to eat:  try to cook the food in low heat and with less oil, such as stir fry, sauté, or steam the food. 

8) Finally, be consistent and do exercise,  and avoid stress, try to meditate for 15-20 minutes a day will be very helpful, keep in mind that your health is priceless. Have a medical check-up at least once a year to monitor your health condition.   I personally also experienced of having high cholesterol levels five years ago, and not knowing until I had a medical check-up, then I decided to change my eating habit and it worked for me. (it should work for you too). Detoxification also helps to get rid of extra fat in the body and thus keep your heart healthier.

If you would like to know more about food categories, you can also see the http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health about go, slow and whoa foods chart.

EFFECTIVE WAY TO PREVENT HEART DISEASE

HEART DISEASE AND HOW TO PREVENT IT

Heart Disease or Cardiovascular Disease can be caused by :

The disruption of blood supply to the heart itself and the whole body due to the narrowing of arteries and blood vessels of the heart.  The plaque (cholesterol deposits) builds up in the arteries,  and causes the heart to work harder to pump the blood, this will also cause the liver to produce more cholesterol ( a fat-like substance in the body),  and if this cycle continues it will cause the arteries become less and less elastic, and contribute to hardening of the arteries, which is called atherosclerosis,  and also there will be blood clot in the arteries. The higher the force of blood pushing against the blood vessel walls the higher is the blood pressure, in this condition, if not treated timely, there is a risk of having heart attack or coronary artery disease and higher risk of having stroke. This is even more so if combined with high blood cholesterol levels, diabetes and smoking.

There are two types of hypertension:

Primary (essential) hypertension
This type of hypertension tends to develop gradually over many years in most adults, though no identifiable cause of high blood pressure. 

Secondary hypertension
This type of high blood pressure is caused by an underlying condition and can cause higher blood pressure than does primary hypertension.

Health problems such as diabetes or kidney disease, adrenal gland tumor and certain drugs or medications as well too much alcohol, salt consumption, older age and lack of physical activity can lead to secondary hypertension,

The ways to prevent heart disease

Prevention is better than cure, preventing heart disease also means that it will help prevent other diseases, such as heart, liver, kidney and colon diseases.  Here are the ways to prevent heart disease, but it require persistency as well as consistency.

·         High blood pressure may have no symptoms;  the best way to prevent it is have your blood pressure checked, and keep it under control if you already have.
·         Exercise regularly
·         Don't smoke and avoid drinking alcohol and coffee
·         Closely monitor your blood sugar levels and get tested for diabetes regularly
·         Monitor your triglycerides and cholesterol levels and keep them under control
·         Eat healthy meals everyday, with a lot of fruit, vegetables, and some seeds and nuts
.          Make your own healthy snacks and juices at home instead of eating junk food.
·         Limit intake of foods which contain high saturated fat and trans fat (see the list below)
·         Maintain a healthy weight, and take more healthy foods, see detox.
·         Keep your stress level low and get enough sleep.
·         Drink sufficient amount of water, it is good to have 7-8 glasses of water per day
·         If you have any sympton or feeling something (dizziness, tiredness, chest pain), talk with your            doctor about your health problem and about treatment options.

Major sources of saturated fat include:

·         Red meat with fat or lard
·         Dairy products, especially full cream milk and cheese
·         Palm oil and other hydrogenated oils
·         High calorie and high cholesterol foods
·         White sugar, salt and white flour
·         Fried foods and charred foods
·         High saturated food, such butter, eggs, animal fat
·         Smoking (cigarette) and drinking (alcohol)

Major sources of trans fat include:

§  Deep-fried foods
§  Unhealthy fast foods
§  Bakery products which contain margarine and hydrogenated oils
§  Packaged snack foods including crackers, cookies which are mostly made of sugar, salt, white flour and margarine
§  Margarines or butter in fried or baked foods

Keep positive thinking and good mood
Studies reveal that a person who always worries or has a serious trauma , or individual who has bad temper or gets irritated and angry easily is more likely to have heart attack that those with mild temper and positive thinking. 

6 TIPS FOR PREVENTING CANCER

6 TIPS TO HELP YOU PREVENT AND CURE CANCER

 In my previous post I talked about the cause of cancer and the prevention, now here are tips to help you prevent cancer, or even cure it and regain your health. As cancer is caused by free radicals which damage our cells in our body, these damaged cells also need oxygen and nutrients to survive and multiply, so if we cut off the supply of oxygen and  nutrients to these free radicals by supplying antioxidants to the good cells in our body and boost immune system, then the cancer cells or bad cells will die out and the chain reaction of damaging good cells in our body will finally end, and leave our body will recover from time to time.

 

According to some research and studies, cancer cells can be eliminated or cured, and the earlier it is discovered, the higher rate of recovery it will be, so see your doctor and have a medical check-up if you feel something unusual with your body, discover it at an early stage plus determination to change the lifestyle is the key to fight it and regain your health.  Some preliminary studies on the benefit of veggies, beans, legumes and nuts have suggested that soy help to cure prostate cancer, and this may suggest a more important role for food in the treatment of cancer in the future.     

Here are tips to help cancer sufferers to help restraint the spread of bad cells and to recover  faster:

1.  Change your diet - become a vegetarian or vegan is good for both healthy individuals and cancer sufferers.  Studies results show that processed meat and fresh meat, charred and deep fried foods, or even poultry and contaminated fish can increase cancer risk, so become a vegetarian will help boost the immune system by increasing antioxidants in our body.  I became aware of the benefit of whole grains, fruits and vegetables since 15 years ago, but not until two years ago that I fully understood why a vegetarian could be healthier than a meat eater.   That was when I met someone who has been totally vegetarian, she suffered from ovarian cancer, back bone cancer and her vocal cord was damaged due to the spreading tumor several years ago, and after she had undergone surgeries and medication, she decided to become a vegetarian and change her lifestyle, joined detoxification program, and she survived, then she got better and better and became active in her church and community, now she is   a speaker and health promoter and help people to enhance health and recover from serious illness.

 
The main reason that make fruits and veggies the best for our body is that not only they contain antioxidants which inhibit oxidation of molecule and terminate the chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, they are also rich in plant protein and nutrients which can be easily digested and absorbed by our body, that is about 90~99% of  the plant protein we eat can be absorbed, compared to 70~80% of animal protein.   

2. Try detoxification – after we have changed our daily menu from a not-so-healthy one to a healthier one, we need to detoxify our body to optimize the benefit of whole foods and veggies and boost metabolism.  Detoxification is total cleansing to get rid of toxins in our body, it is not only good for cancer sufferers, but also good for sufferers of other diseases such as liver, kidney and heart disease, and it is great for everyone who wants to stay healthy.  Detoxification can be programs of  two days and 21 days, first try a one-day, or can also try a two-day program, this let us get used to the new eating habit before trying a much heavier detoxification program.  As for 21-days detoxification program each individual should have different daily menu depends on his or her health condition. Detox not only good for body cleansing, it has the effect reducing waistline, and make the body slimmer.

If you are interested and would like to know more about the 2-day detoxification program for free, just leave your comment and email address in the comment box at the bottom of this post.
 

3. Cut down refined salt, white sugar, white flour -  replace them with natural sea salt, palm sugar or brown sugar, whole grains or whole mea了 flour,  it is necessary for a cancer sufferers to limit the intake of salt and sugar since salt is water retention and can raise your blood pressure, and sugar is toxic to our body, while white flour can increase your blood sugar. 

4. Stop drinking alcohol and quit smoking - drinking alcohol can make the already vulnerable body even more susceptible to cell damage because alcohol can resolve the toxins and make it easily absorbed and transferred to the whole body and organs.  Smoking is known as the main cause of lung cancer, also avoid second-hand smoke since it has the same or even more dangerous level.  Some experts always suggest that we drink plenty of water or mineral water each day is good for health.

5. Cook healthily - if you used to cook your food by baking, frying or microwaving, now it is the time to change your way of cooking by steaming, low heat sautee, quick stir fry with less oil, and eat raw food as much as you can handle (about 70-80% raw is the best), you can make veggies salad with french dressing, or blender them with your favorite fruits. I will talk about these healthy cooking foods in other post in future, ask for it  or subscribe this blog to get updates.
For those with cancer it is better to eat organic leafy greens just to avoid intake of toxins from pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizer.  In case you cannot get organic veggies, you can grow some in your own garden, or grow microgreens in containers (will talk more about this in my next post ).

See also: Good Food and Habit Help Reduce Cancer Risk

6. Positive thinking -  usually if a person discovers that he or she has cancer, the feeling of hopeless and fear will take control and this actually worsen that person’s health condition.  Cancer is actually not that bad, considering that it is only good cells turn into bad cells which can be reverse under a certain condition, thus you still have a chance to fight it and regain your health and survive for years.

7. Do not forget to do exercise and avoid pollutant - choose one or two kinds of sports you like and do it routinely. Avoid polluted environment  while you go out, and look for clean open air space for doing exercise, brisk walking, swimming, or any exercise that suits you. If you cannot go the sports center or gym, you can do it at home, even 25 to 30 minutes three or four times a week will do, and keep your house well ventilated.

Related: Healthy foods to prevent and help cure diseases

Keep in mind that nutrition for the person with cancer is important and it enables the body to fight at full strength, and it is necesarry to bolster the immune system, and the diet may be adjusted to cope with various symptoms, such as constipation, diarrhea or nausea. Extra protein may be needed to help prevent loss of muscle from weight loss.

 

 

 

GOOD FOOD AND HABITS HELP REDUCE CANCER RISK

THE CAUSE OF CANCER

There are various kinds of cancer, and it is a kind of disease that makes most people feel horrible or scared, however if we have a better understanding of the causes of cancer and the way to prevent it, then we can reduce the risk, and hence avoid a lot of troubles and perhaps help us save a huge sum of money too.

What causes cancer?

Cancer is caused by free radicals, some free radicals are formed normally in our body during metabolism, that is when our immune system purposefully create free radicals to neutralize viruses and bacteria which attack our body.  Environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides can also spawn free radicals. Carcinogens in foods, such as moulds and char-grilled food also increase the cancer risks.

What are free radicals?

A normal body cell consists of atoms of protons(positively charged particles) and electrons(negatively charged particles), when one of the electrons is missing because of one or more of the above-mentioned factors and leaves a molecule with an odd, unpaired electron, then free radicals are formed, and the good cell becomes a bad one.  The unstable free radicals can react quickly with other compounds, and attack another nearest molecule to “steal” its electron to gain stability, and thus beginning a chain reaction because the "attacked" molecule which loses its electron becomes a free radical itself.  If there are antioxidants available in our body, the body can handle free radicals, otherwise the free-radical production becomes excessive, and finally damaged cells will spread and form a tumor.

HOW TO REDUCE THE RISK AND PREVENT CANCER

The foods we eat or bad eating habit and lifestyle, can affect our risk of developing certain types of cancer.

 

First we look at the foods that may increase cancer risks:

 
§  Burnt or charred meat or barbecued foods
Animal protein in meat, poultry and even fish can turn bad if not properly processed.  Burnt or charred meat may increase cancer risk. Carcinogenic substances can be produced if foods are overheated or burnt, and the protein in the food will be damaged and turn into bad protein.  it’s best to use relatively low temperature methods such as  boiling, stewing, steaming, casseroling, braising and stir-frying wherever possible.
 
§  Fatty processed red meats and highly processed foods that are low in fiber
High-energy,  high-fat and low-fiber diets are thought to increase the risk of some cancers including bowel, lung, prostate and uterine cancers.  World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) recommends that people avoid eating processed meat, including any meat preserved by salting, smoking or by adding chemical preservatives such as sausage, hot dogs, ham, bacon and burgers. Other food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring and food enhancer should be avoided.

§  Fresh red meat, poultry and farm fish  
In this modern time some feed for livestock, poultry and farm fish always contain antibiotics, hormone and other chemicals which are dangerous to our health.  Besides, there is convincing evidence that red meat can increase bowel cancer risk, therefore if you are a meat eater, you should also limit the amount of fresh red meat you eat to 500g of cooked (or 700g uncooked) red meat a week.  

 §  Cured and heavily salted meat .  

These foods contain nitrate and are generally high in fat and salt. Salt not only has been associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer, but also can increase blood pressure which will also increase the risk for heart disease.
Limit the consumption of salt to 2300 mg/day is the rule of thumb. 

§  Peanuts
unlike other nuts such as almond, pecan, brazil nuts, it takes longer for our body to digest peanuts, and some studies show that animals that consume peanuts which are contaminated with toxin-producing moulds can develop cancer.

§  Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin and cyclamate could be dangerous if consumed too often or in huge amounts.  

 §  Alcohol, cigarette and coffee 

Drinking alcohol if combined with smoking can be deadly, consuming alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, colon, breast and liver. The risk is even greater in those people who smoke.  If you can quit smoking and stop drinking then you can improve your health significantly.  Otherwise it is suggested that drink moderately one or two standard drinks a day, but no smoking. Coffee and tea contain caffeine that can cause irregular hearthbeat and sleeplessness, it is better to stop or reduce the consumption of these two beverages if you feel something wrong.

The new studies on alcohol , conducted in conjunction with researchers in the U.S., Canada, and France, shows that the cancer risks of alcohol far outweigh any heart-healthy benefits.

As according to Dr. Timothy Naimi , an alcohol researcher at Boston University's School of Public Health and a physician at the Boston University Medical Center "Alcohol has long been known and recognized as a human carcinogen, so even some alcohol consumption raises your risks.”