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The list of benefits goes on and on
Flax seed is gaining more and more popularity in the health industry everyday. Although flax seed has been known to exist for hundreds of years, its benefits are becoming more widely known. You can’t go wrong with a naturally grown product that boasts the ability to reduce hypertension and arthritis, raise vitamin D levels in the body, fight against cancer and heart disease, promote fitness and beauty, and retain magnesium, phosphate, and calcium within the body. The fact that flax seed can also be used as an agent against weight loss furthers its usefulness. But what most don’t know is that there are different types of flax seed. They are golden flax seed and brown flax seed. So what’s the difference?
What do I buy, Brown or Golden?
One main difference is that Golden flax seed is more commonly associated with cooking and eating use. Brown flax seed can be eaten as well but is not as appetizing and is used more commonly for animal feed. The reason that golden flax seed is preferred when it comes to eating and cooking is that golden flax seed has a great taste to it. The nutty taste of golden flax seed has made it a favorite of those wishing to add it to their diets.
Canadian organic golden flax seed, what could be better?
Golden flax seed has the most flavor and nutrients when it is grown in a very cold climate. Canada is a prime location for great flax seed tempetures. For most of us who like the purity of organic food organic golden flax seed is available.
Grind it and add it to almost anything
Preparation for flax seed consumption comes down to a choice between whole flax seed or flax seed oil. It is recommended that whole flax seed be used due to the fact that more nutrients can be obtained this way. The flax seed can be ground up with the use of a grinder. However, if you prefer to use the flax seed oil, many benefits can still be obtained that way as well. So next time you want to have a healthy meal, add some flax seed to the mix and you’re sure to be fit and happy.
Visit this link to either read more about this great grain, to find recipe books or to purchase flax seed Flax Seed Online.
Everyone has an occasional sleepless night, and this is not a problem for most people. Shockingly, as many as 30% of Americans report occasional sleeping problems, and for about 15% of the population it is a chronic problem. In these cases, the lack of restful sleep impairs the person’s ability to carry out daily responsibilities because they are too tired or they have trouble concentrating. Chronic sleep conditions can also cause memory problems, irritability and even depression.
Imagine all the times lying in bed at night wondering what it will take for you to fall asleep. Is there a more frustrating feeling? Many people often consider using a prescription sleeping pill to solve their chronic sleep problems.
Is Prescription Drug Lunesta® Right For You?
Eszopiclone is the generic name for the sedative/hypnotic Lunesta®. This prescription medication was introduced earlier this year to the sleep aid market. Lunesta® must be taken immediately before bedtime and you should make sure you have a full eight hours to devote to sleeping before taking it. You may notice that you are not quite as alert, or have increased drowsiness the next day if you do not get enough sleep. Never stop taking it without talking to your doctor and never stop abruptly. This can lead to withdrawal symptoms that include anxiety, abnormal dreams, nausea, and upset stomach. Another warning: Avoid alcohol when taking this drug. Combining the two could cause a coma and even death.
And remember, although Lunesta® is not a narcotic, it could become habit forming. Potential side effects include chest pain, drowsiness, headache, unpleasant taste, nervousness, dizziness, and dry mouth. Using strong drugs to fall asleep often means that the body’s natural sleep cycle is disturbed and the ability to fall asleep naturally is lost. Keep this in mind when considering any prescription sedative.
Are there Natural Sleep Alternatives Available To You? Absolutely!
The best all natural sleep aid on the market today are:
1) Somnatrol
2) Ambiatol
3) Somnulin
What makes a non prescription sleep aid product so appealing? Is it the all natural and non physically addictive properties? Prescription products as we all know pose the risk for too many potential side effects and drug interactions.
These elite nonprescription products like Somnatrol contain the all natural herb Valerian Root as one of the main ingredients. This produces a two fold effect:
Stage 1: your body experiences a state of powerful relaxation.
Stage 2: your body experiences an improved quality of sleep by inducing longer periods of restfulness.
You might not need to resort to prescription strength drug to get a good night’s sleep. These natural supplements can support a sound and restful night’s sleep. Unlike prescription sleep aids, these natural alternatives can be used on only nights when you really need it. You can take them before you retire, if you go to bed and discover you can’t sleep, or even in the middle of the night. Get some sleep restful tonight. Your body deserves it!
About the Author
Cassandra is a health and nutrition counselor specializing in the study of natural alternative medicine. She is also a published author and an avid health and fitness enthusiast.
For some people it is really hard to give up the junk food and sweets and eat a better, more nutritious diet. So let’s use the example of eating the 5 to 9 fruits and vegetables we need daily.
There are ways to work with your mind so that it becomes much easier and more enjoyable to eat all those servings of vegetables we need each day.
Did you know that you think in pictures?
You are motivated by the things that you want to move away from that might cause emotions you don’t want such as pain, grief, anger etc. Examples: Ill health, overweight, not being able to join your family due to sickness is certainly things you want to move away from.
You are also motivated by the things you want to move towards. Emotions that would go with this are feeling happy, satisfied, loved, forgiven, respected, etc.
Move away from or move towards. These two ways you are motivated are the key to help you get past your dislike of vegetables and fruit if that is the problem .
Decide which type you are. Which are you most motivated by? Do you put moving away foremost in your mind or moving toward?
Ready to Start? Grab some vegetables. Look at them, feel them taste them, Chew on them. Snap them, break them up and hear the crunchiness. Involve as many of your senses as you can.
While doing that, do one of two things:
If motivated by what you are moving away from:
Paint the picture of what you are leaving behind. Accentuate the problems. Make them look really big and bad in your picture. Show your self what the big bad picture would be like a year from now or 5 years from now if you continued eating your bad diet. Put a lot of feeling into this.
If motivated by what you are moving towards:
Paint a big bright picture of what you will look like and feel like when you have better health. Think about who you love, who loves you and what you want to do and could do when you have good health.
Maybe you are not sure where you fit in to this process. Then play both pictures for yourself. Really put some pictures in your head. Use plenty of color. Turn the sound up.
Now which did you feel more motivated to eat the vegetables you need?
Play this picture over and over again as you eat the right foods, especially your vegetables and this will help you stay on track for better food choices.
Jeannie Crabtree C.Ac. shares health answers that work, tips, nutrition suggestions and research in her newsletter and health blog. http://www.health-doc.com
Dietary mineral supplements come in many forms - the best being minerals in a liquid supplement. Mineral supplements in this form contain more minerals, are non toxic, and are more readily absorbed into the body.
By contrast, dietary mineral supplements such as Tums, coral calcium, carbonates, lactates and minerals of metallic origin are only about 3-5% absorbable - meaning that you would have to consume a lo of them for little benefit.
Another form of dietary mineral supplements includes amino acid chelates which are around 40-50% absorbable. You’ll find these in many capsules and are commonly included in capsule supplements targeting a specific health challenge.
High quality plant derived dietary mineral supplements or colloidal minerals should ideally contain more than 70 minerals and have a concentration of around 15,000mg per litre. They are over 98% absorbable due to their natural negative charge and small particle size. Their plant-derived origin also renders them completely safe as they are wrapped in a plant amino acid coating.
Why Take Dietary Mineral Supplements
Today many people acknowledge that our food crops are grown in mineral depleted soil - this means, for example, that the amount of iron in a pound of spinach grown in the early 1900’s is about 30% more than you would find today.
These mineral deficiencies are further compounded by our use of fertilizers (that supply only nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium), pesticides, preservatives, long storage periods and our love of fast food.
These efficiencies then lead to diseases which many argue can be prevented or reversed by supplementing with dietary mineral supplements.
The common sense approach
Before you rush out and start buying supplements, the following dietary advice will save you from wasting your money. I’m not talking about showing you less expensive products - the first thing you should do is make some slight changes to your diet. This helps you absorb the supplements better and reduces the loss of minerals from the body.
Paul Newland is a health writer, sports training consultant and martial arts instructor and runs the Global-Longevity.com website.
He is the author of numerous health information books and guides, including the Wellness Report, The Ultimate Antioxidant Report, The Selenium Report, The Ultimate Nutrient Guide and The Essential Fatty Acid Report and The Ultimate Sports Nutrition Guide - available Free (for a limited time) through Global-Longevity.com
Eating is an essential part of life. We cannot sustain life for long without eating, so it is important that we take the time to learn how to eat well in order to have the best life possible. Our views of eating and the eating practices we adopt will affect our lives and our health in significant ways in the months and years ahead. Eating well can literally change everything.
Eating can be both a blessing and a curse. Many people struggle with eating because they cannot keep it in balance. They end up eating too little or too much and do not live healthy lives because of it. We all know the dangers of eating too little. Probably everyone has at least one friend that struggles with an eating disorder of some kind. That friend just cannot seem to get a grip on their eating patterns and they are unhealthy because of it. They think about or talk about food almost constantly.
Other people struggle with eating too much. Eating more food than we need to live is something that the majority of people, at least in the West, struggle with. Eating is associated with most kinds of social activities and events and therefore people learn to eat for reasons other than to satisfy hunger or prolong their health. Eating becomes a way to experience pleasure or to numb the pains of life.
The bottom line is that whether people struggle with eating too little or with indulging on food too much, they are not using food in ways that are healthy and life-promoting. Eating, while it is definitely meant to bring people pleasure and satisfation, is primarily to be a means of sustaining a healthy life. Our problems begin anytime eating is neglected or indulged in beyond what is necessary.
Take a look at your eating patterns. You may be surprised to see that you have established unhealthy eating habits over the years. Perhaps your schedule for each day is centered around when you can have meals or a snack. If so, there is a high chance that food has become a bit too high of a priority. Anytime that your thoughts are consumed with food, whether with restraining yourself from it or with consuming more of it, you are thinking of eating and of food in unhealthy ways.
Giving eating a rightful place in our lives without allowing it to become consuming is the key. Make an effort to keep your perspective about eating balanced and healthy. Your life will be better and longer because of it.
Author Martin Stoleman is a consultant for people who need to re-evaluate the place of eating in their lives. Learn more at www.eatingtimes.info
As of January 2006, the United States government has made it mandatory for all manufacturers to show trans fat content on the Nutrition Facts food label.
What are trans fats, and what role do they play in child nutrition?
Trans fats are made by manufacturing during a process called hydrogenation. Food manufacturers will add hydrogen to oils in order to increase shelf life and improve flavor stability.
You can find trans fats in foods such as vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oil. You can also sometimes find trans fats occurring naturally in some meats.
It’s been well established that trans fat can increase LDL (bad cholesterol) and increases the risk for heart disease.
There is no daily recommended value for trans fats. Instead, the USDA recommends limiting trans fat intake to as little as possible.
You should always look at the Nutrition Facts food labels when shopping. Make sure that you try to keep foods with trans fats out of your grocery cart when possible, keeping an eye out for alternatives.
Don’t fry your foods. If you have to cook with oil, use canola or safflower oil which will be lower in saturated and trans fats.
Also, choose lean meats and fish to limit the amount of trans fats and saturated fats your family consumes.
Michael P. Scaccia, MD, FAAP is a physician, child health expert, and author of “The Ultimate Parent Guide to Fitness and Nutrition”. From nutrition to fitness and beyond, this powerful, step-by-step guide is a must-have for concerned parents of overweight children. For more information, visit ==> http://www.UltimateParentGuide.com