Researchers, after spending millions of dollars, not way that laughter is good for us. It reduces our level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, adrenaline, and dopamine. Laughter will raise the levers of endorphins, neurotransmitters, and antibody-producing cells.
How about this as a workout, scientists are saying that a good belly laugh provides exercise for the diaphragm, abs, shoulders, and heart. At the completion of this exercise it leaves the muscles more relaxed then before.
A daily supply of laughter reduces stress, it help lose weight, it gives the body more defense against all diseases, and it help the body heal from wounds and illnesses. It is amazing to see all the “new” discoveries of the benefits of laughter – or are these discoveries really new?
Almost 3,000 years ago King Solomon said, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). So how new is this finding? Well King Solomon also said, “…there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
New or old what does it matter just get out there and laugh it up. It is good for you.
(This post is earlier then usual because I will have to go out of town for a few days.)
Monday, September 24, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Antioxidants, what are they and why do we need them?
Most of the weight loss and weight management programs are all about cutting back on calories which usually means cutting back on how much we eat which also cut back on needed nutrients. Very few of us in the United States of America, and I am sure this is also true of most people World wide, do not get sufficient nutrition in our diets whether we are gaining, losing, or just maintaining our weight. The reason for this deficiency will be discussed in a later blog because it is a rather complex and multi facetted issue.
Many people take a daily vitamin tablet and think that is sufficient to replace their deficiency. This is an excellent beginning but vitamin tablets, even with minerals, will not replace all the missing nutrition. There may be enough to stay alive but not enough to stay healthy.
There is a whole list of nutrition called “Phytonutrients.” The value of phytonutrients is a fairly recent discovery but the fact that we need to eat our vegetables has been certainly been known for a long time.. Phytonutrients do a lot for us including, but not limited to, provide us with antioxidants. A more complete discussion of them will be on next week’s blog. This week’s article is going to just focus on Antioxidants.
The word Antioxidant is used a lot today. Most people have no idea what the word Antioxidant means or what they really do but almost everybody knows they are good for us and we should have them.
The prefix “anti” is from the Greek word αντί (For those who know Greek I know there is suppose to be a smooth breath over the α but I don’t know how to do this on my computer. If you don’t know Greek or what a smooth breath is don’t worry about it; it is really not important) which means opposite to, against, instead of and this meaning carries over directly into the English language. This being said then Antioxidant must mean against oxidant and it does.
Now the question is what is an Oxidant? The answer is, a substance that supports the oxidation another substance; an oxidizing agent. Salt will cause iron to rust and rust is iron oxide thus salt is the oxidant. So any chemical that would inhibit the salt form causing rust could be called an antioxidant.
Oxidation is necessary for survival but oxygen can also cause damage to living tissue by the process of oxidation. Oxidation is what happens when we burn calories but we do not want to burn tissue that should not be burning. Antioxidants help our bodies protect itself against this type of damage.
Oxygen can also create another problem. A molecule of Oxygen is made up of two Oxygen atoms electrically bound together. Sometimes the electrical bonds are broken by an outside influence such as ultraviolet light from the sun and the two atoms spin off by themselves. These atoms are not stable and are trying to link back into O2 (symbol for two oxygen atoms) but until it can find that other free radical (what a single oxygen atom is called) it may attach itself to another molecule which then upsets the balance of that molecule.
DNA is a very complex molecule and if that free radical attaches to a DNA molecule it can change it. Every cell in our bodies is suppose to have exactly the same DNA as all the other cells but because of the damage caused by the free radical a cell can have a different DNA. The body tries to defend itself against this by destroying the damaged cell. Some antioxidants give the body the necessary chemicals to allow it to do this process.
If a cell with damaged DNA is allowed to divide it will produce a new cell with the same DNA structure. As both grow and divide then there are now 4 cells with new DNA. If this is allowed to continue unchecked it will cause an abnormal growth we know a cancer.
Some antioxidants work by destroying free radicals by uniting them into a stable molecular structure.
Our bodies are designed to defend itself and repair itself but it needs proper nutrition to effectively accomplish this. Antioxidants, and there are several, are among these nutrients.
So the answer to the questions of what and why of antioxidants are: Antioxidants are chemicals that provide our bodies with the necessary elements to protect itself against damage caused by oxygen and we need them so our bodies can perform this vital process.
Many people take a daily vitamin tablet and think that is sufficient to replace their deficiency. This is an excellent beginning but vitamin tablets, even with minerals, will not replace all the missing nutrition. There may be enough to stay alive but not enough to stay healthy.
There is a whole list of nutrition called “Phytonutrients.” The value of phytonutrients is a fairly recent discovery but the fact that we need to eat our vegetables has been certainly been known for a long time.. Phytonutrients do a lot for us including, but not limited to, provide us with antioxidants. A more complete discussion of them will be on next week’s blog. This week’s article is going to just focus on Antioxidants.
The word Antioxidant is used a lot today. Most people have no idea what the word Antioxidant means or what they really do but almost everybody knows they are good for us and we should have them.
The prefix “anti” is from the Greek word αντί (For those who know Greek I know there is suppose to be a smooth breath over the α but I don’t know how to do this on my computer. If you don’t know Greek or what a smooth breath is don’t worry about it; it is really not important) which means opposite to, against, instead of and this meaning carries over directly into the English language. This being said then Antioxidant must mean against oxidant and it does.
Now the question is what is an Oxidant? The answer is, a substance that supports the oxidation another substance; an oxidizing agent. Salt will cause iron to rust and rust is iron oxide thus salt is the oxidant. So any chemical that would inhibit the salt form causing rust could be called an antioxidant.
Oxidation is necessary for survival but oxygen can also cause damage to living tissue by the process of oxidation. Oxidation is what happens when we burn calories but we do not want to burn tissue that should not be burning. Antioxidants help our bodies protect itself against this type of damage.
Oxygen can also create another problem. A molecule of Oxygen is made up of two Oxygen atoms electrically bound together. Sometimes the electrical bonds are broken by an outside influence such as ultraviolet light from the sun and the two atoms spin off by themselves. These atoms are not stable and are trying to link back into O2 (symbol for two oxygen atoms) but until it can find that other free radical (what a single oxygen atom is called) it may attach itself to another molecule which then upsets the balance of that molecule.
DNA is a very complex molecule and if that free radical attaches to a DNA molecule it can change it. Every cell in our bodies is suppose to have exactly the same DNA as all the other cells but because of the damage caused by the free radical a cell can have a different DNA. The body tries to defend itself against this by destroying the damaged cell. Some antioxidants give the body the necessary chemicals to allow it to do this process.
If a cell with damaged DNA is allowed to divide it will produce a new cell with the same DNA structure. As both grow and divide then there are now 4 cells with new DNA. If this is allowed to continue unchecked it will cause an abnormal growth we know a cancer.
Some antioxidants work by destroying free radicals by uniting them into a stable molecular structure.
Our bodies are designed to defend itself and repair itself but it needs proper nutrition to effectively accomplish this. Antioxidants, and there are several, are among these nutrients.
So the answer to the questions of what and why of antioxidants are: Antioxidants are chemicals that provide our bodies with the necessary elements to protect itself against damage caused by oxygen and we need them so our bodies can perform this vital process.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
DOES HOODIA WORK?
There are ads on TV, newspapers, magazines, internet, and on about the wonders of Hoodia. It is clamed to be the greatest thing yet.
If you have been following this blog for a while you know I do not have a very high attitude about diet pills. My wife pointed out to me that if you read the small print carefully these pills will tell you that if you take these pills and eat less you will lose weight. Why take the pills? Hoodia is suppose to reduce your appatite.
There was a free offer, that is free but I had to pay the shipping and handling, for Hoodia pills. In fairness before I speak on a subject I should research it and using a product is one of the best ways to research I know.
This is not a scientific test. All I can say is what it did for me. So what did it do for me? Nothing other then just a few minuets after taking them I was hungary and I should not have been even if I had not taken the pill.
If you have been following this blog for a while you know I do not have a very high attitude about diet pills. My wife pointed out to me that if you read the small print carefully these pills will tell you that if you take these pills and eat less you will lose weight. Why take the pills? Hoodia is suppose to reduce your appatite.
There was a free offer, that is free but I had to pay the shipping and handling, for Hoodia pills. In fairness before I speak on a subject I should research it and using a product is one of the best ways to research I know.
This is not a scientific test. All I can say is what it did for me. So what did it do for me? Nothing other then just a few minuets after taking them I was hungary and I should not have been even if I had not taken the pill.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
I HAD TO EAT A HORSE!
Well I really didn’t have to eat a horse but I did have one get into my computer and it did have to be destroyed.
Someone gave me a Trojan horse and I had all kinds of problems. That is why I did not leave a post last week. If you were looking for one I am sorry and I will try to keep up now.
The last post was on the importance of soy protein. The way I learned about the importance of soy protein and just how effective it is was when I started on Herbalife’s ShapeWorks. It was so effective for me I thought I could sell it. Boy was I wrong but the product is still great. One way of obtaining it for less is to purchase it on eBay. It is against Herbalife’s policy for dealers to sell product on eBay but they do it anyway. The products usually go above dealer price but below retail. It you want to know more just ask me through the comment section and even though I don’t sell it I will still try to answer any questions you have about this amazing product.
The product I mentioned last post, http://scrip.cc/shopsite_sc/index.html, can also be used to make shakes. Just ad 1 measure of protein to 8 ounces of nonfat milk and ad fruit or flavoring; blend. I freeze fruit and use a little Splenda to sweeten. It is also excellent if it is added to soup or mixed with peanut butter made into a sandwich.
You can order the Protein at my cost by going to http://scrip.cc/shopsite_sc/index.html and order. Use the ID # 109317 when asked and you will receive the product at dealer price.
Someone gave me a Trojan horse and I had all kinds of problems. That is why I did not leave a post last week. If you were looking for one I am sorry and I will try to keep up now.
The last post was on the importance of soy protein. The way I learned about the importance of soy protein and just how effective it is was when I started on Herbalife’s ShapeWorks. It was so effective for me I thought I could sell it. Boy was I wrong but the product is still great. One way of obtaining it for less is to purchase it on eBay. It is against Herbalife’s policy for dealers to sell product on eBay but they do it anyway. The products usually go above dealer price but below retail. It you want to know more just ask me through the comment section and even though I don’t sell it I will still try to answer any questions you have about this amazing product.
The product I mentioned last post, http://scrip.cc/shopsite_sc/index.html, can also be used to make shakes. Just ad 1 measure of protein to 8 ounces of nonfat milk and ad fruit or flavoring; blend. I freeze fruit and use a little Splenda to sweeten. It is also excellent if it is added to soup or mixed with peanut butter made into a sandwich.
You can order the Protein at my cost by going to http://scrip.cc/shopsite_sc/index.html and order. Use the ID # 109317 when asked and you will receive the product at dealer price.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Why is Soy Protein Better?
Sense 1977 there have been claims that soy protein was better then other sources of protein. The first question is: “Is it true?” In 1999 FDA allowed the health claims on food labels stating that a daily diet containing 25 grams of soy protein may reduce the risk of heart disease, it also allowed claims that it was low in saturated fat and cholesterol. If the FDA says it then it must be true; well maybe but I am not so sure. The thing is that many other independent researchers have come to the same conclusion.
Soy protein has all the amino acids needed to build a healthy human body; this is something that other sources of plant protein do not possess. While it has all the amino acids we need it does not have as much fat content as meat. Those two facts alone make soy protean an excellent choice.
Animal protein does not contain any phytonutrients but soy protein is high in phytonutrients including isoflavones which believed to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Soy protein also helps to lower the LDL (bad cholesterol) in the blood while raising the level of HDL (good cholesterol).
How to get 25 grams of soy protein is the next problem to solve. Here is a list of four ways to get that and more: Four ounces of firm tofu contains about 13 grams, one soy sausage link will yield 6 grams of protein while one soy burger will provide 10 to 12 grams, and for 19 grams of soy protein you could eat a quarter cup of roasted soy nuts. So you can two sausage links with breakfast, and a quarter of a cup of soy nuts as a snack during the day and you will have 31 grams of soy protean. One soy burger and one serving of soy nuts would equal 29 to 31 grams of soy protean.
Some people try to take soy supplements and that may be okay if they are high quality supplements but most of the time people pick up the cheapest brand they can fine. Cheap supplements do not provide the answer because you can’t really be sure how much of the desired elements these products actually contain and you don’t know what else might be in them. Pharmaceutical quality supplements are more expensive but you can be sure of the quality and quantity.
If you are going to go to the trouble of taking supplements then you should do it right that means taking high quality products. Cheap product may not give you the results you want and they may be more detrimental then beneficial.
I found a company named Scriptures with a soy protein powder with only 110 calories per tablespoon which provides of 27 grams of soy protein. . Scriptures products can be seen at http://scrip.cc/shopsite_sc/index.html click on 2 (Natural Products) on the main menu. Just three products from the bottom is Soy Protein 90%. If placing an order I would appreciate it if you would use the ID# 109317. This provides an excellent source of protein.
Soy protein has all the amino acids needed to build a healthy human body; this is something that other sources of plant protein do not possess. While it has all the amino acids we need it does not have as much fat content as meat. Those two facts alone make soy protean an excellent choice.
Animal protein does not contain any phytonutrients but soy protein is high in phytonutrients including isoflavones which believed to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Soy protein also helps to lower the LDL (bad cholesterol) in the blood while raising the level of HDL (good cholesterol).
How to get 25 grams of soy protein is the next problem to solve. Here is a list of four ways to get that and more: Four ounces of firm tofu contains about 13 grams, one soy sausage link will yield 6 grams of protein while one soy burger will provide 10 to 12 grams, and for 19 grams of soy protein you could eat a quarter cup of roasted soy nuts. So you can two sausage links with breakfast, and a quarter of a cup of soy nuts as a snack during the day and you will have 31 grams of soy protean. One soy burger and one serving of soy nuts would equal 29 to 31 grams of soy protean.
Some people try to take soy supplements and that may be okay if they are high quality supplements but most of the time people pick up the cheapest brand they can fine. Cheap supplements do not provide the answer because you can’t really be sure how much of the desired elements these products actually contain and you don’t know what else might be in them. Pharmaceutical quality supplements are more expensive but you can be sure of the quality and quantity.
If you are going to go to the trouble of taking supplements then you should do it right that means taking high quality products. Cheap product may not give you the results you want and they may be more detrimental then beneficial.
I found a company named Scriptures with a soy protein powder with only 110 calories per tablespoon which provides of 27 grams of soy protein. . Scriptures products can be seen at http://scrip.cc/shopsite_sc/index.html click on 2 (Natural Products) on the main menu. Just three products from the bottom is Soy Protein 90%. If placing an order I would appreciate it if you would use the ID# 109317. This provides an excellent source of protein.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON INFLAMMATORY DISEASE.
Stress has been with us sense Adam and Eve were in the garden. It was stress that drove them to try to hide for God.
Stress is actually just one of our body’s ways of defending itself. There is a problem when that stress becomes chronic. Excessive stress is a real hindrance to the good life. Chemicals ingested, pollutants we breathe and drink, technical advances testing our skills, crowded highways, and the list goes on all leads to increased stress. Stress leads to irritability which leads to short fuse syndrome when dealing with others frequently those closest to us which leads to more stress for them. Their response to our irritability is usually becoming irritated themselves and stressing us more. Thus a big viscous circle develops.
Some people deal better with stress then others but excessive stress has a negative effect on all of us.
A study at Texas A&M has shown one area excess stress appears to makes a significant negative effect is its effects on inflammatory diseases. These include rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), atherosclerosis, psoriasis, and many others.
Pro-inflammatory proteins, called cytokines, are increased by stress. This increase in cytokines inhibits the clearing of viruses and thus the process of inflammation becomes out of control. Again that big cycle like the one caused when dealing with people. Increase in inflammation increases pain. Increase pain increases stress which increases cytokines and around and around it goes.
We need to break the cycle.
We are not without some help. The lead researcher, Dr. Mary Meagher, said, “The adverse effects may be prevented or reversed by treatments aimed at blocking increases in this cytokine. Potential interventions include certain anti-inflammatory drugs, exercise, anti-depressant medication, omega-3 fatty acids and mindfulness relaxation training.”
Stress is actually just one of our body’s ways of defending itself. There is a problem when that stress becomes chronic. Excessive stress is a real hindrance to the good life. Chemicals ingested, pollutants we breathe and drink, technical advances testing our skills, crowded highways, and the list goes on all leads to increased stress. Stress leads to irritability which leads to short fuse syndrome when dealing with others frequently those closest to us which leads to more stress for them. Their response to our irritability is usually becoming irritated themselves and stressing us more. Thus a big viscous circle develops.
Some people deal better with stress then others but excessive stress has a negative effect on all of us.
A study at Texas A&M has shown one area excess stress appears to makes a significant negative effect is its effects on inflammatory diseases. These include rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), atherosclerosis, psoriasis, and many others.
Pro-inflammatory proteins, called cytokines, are increased by stress. This increase in cytokines inhibits the clearing of viruses and thus the process of inflammation becomes out of control. Again that big cycle like the one caused when dealing with people. Increase in inflammation increases pain. Increase pain increases stress which increases cytokines and around and around it goes.
We need to break the cycle.
We are not without some help. The lead researcher, Dr. Mary Meagher, said, “The adverse effects may be prevented or reversed by treatments aimed at blocking increases in this cytokine. Potential interventions include certain anti-inflammatory drugs, exercise, anti-depressant medication, omega-3 fatty acids and mindfulness relaxation training.”
THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON INFLAMMATORY DISEASE.
Stress has been with us sense Adam and Eve were in the garden. It was stress that drove them to try to hide for God.
Stress is actually just one of our body’s ways of defending itself. There is a problem when that stress becomes chronic. Excessive stress is a real hindrance to the good life. Chemicals ingested, pollutants we breathe and drink, technical advances testing our skills, crowded highways, and the list goes on all leads to increased stress. Stress leads to irritability which leads to short fuse syndrome when dealing with others frequently those closest to us which leads to more stress for them. Their response to our irritability is usually becoming irritated themselves and stressing us more. Thus a big viscous circle develops.
Some people deal better with stress then others but excessive stress has a negative effect on all of us.
A study at Texas A&M has shown one area excess stress appears to makes a significant negative effect is its effects on inflammatory diseases. These include rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), atherosclerosis, psoriasis, and many others.
Pro-inflammatory proteins, called cytokines, are increased by stress. This increase in cytokines inhibits the clearing of viruses and thus the process of inflammation becomes out of control. Again that big cycle like the one caused when dealing with people. Increase in inflammation increases pain. Increase pain increases stress which increases cytokines and around and around it goes.
We need to break the cycle.
We are not without some help. The lead researcher, Dr. Mary Meagher, said, “The adverse effects may be prevented or reversed by treatments aimed at blocking increases in this cytokine. Potential interventions include certain anti-inflammatory drugs, exercise, anti-depressant medication, omega-3 fatty acids and mindfulness relaxation training.”
Stress is actually just one of our body’s ways of defending itself. There is a problem when that stress becomes chronic. Excessive stress is a real hindrance to the good life. Chemicals ingested, pollutants we breathe and drink, technical advances testing our skills, crowded highways, and the list goes on all leads to increased stress. Stress leads to irritability which leads to short fuse syndrome when dealing with others frequently those closest to us which leads to more stress for them. Their response to our irritability is usually becoming irritated themselves and stressing us more. Thus a big viscous circle develops.
Some people deal better with stress then others but excessive stress has a negative effect on all of us.
A study at Texas A&M has shown one area excess stress appears to makes a significant negative effect is its effects on inflammatory diseases. These include rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), atherosclerosis, psoriasis, and many others.
Pro-inflammatory proteins, called cytokines, are increased by stress. This increase in cytokines inhibits the clearing of viruses and thus the process of inflammation becomes out of control. Again that big cycle like the one caused when dealing with people. Increase in inflammation increases pain. Increase pain increases stress which increases cytokines and around and around it goes.
We need to break the cycle.
We are not without some help. The lead researcher, Dr. Mary Meagher, said, “The adverse effects may be prevented or reversed by treatments aimed at blocking increases in this cytokine. Potential interventions include certain anti-inflammatory drugs, exercise, anti-depressant medication, omega-3 fatty acids and mindfulness relaxation training.”
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