Beta-Carotene: A Simple Vitamin Cancer Cure?

By admin | Published: February 2, 2010

Even if you’ve never heard of beta-carotene before, chances are you’ve known about its health benefits for most of your life. Most commonly known as nature’s source of vitamin A, beta-carotene is the pigment that lends the lustrous orange color to everything from carrots to mangos to pumpkins. Your mother may have just told you that carrots were good for your eyes, but really, those carrots were giving your body so much more. At the same time, however, beta-carotene isn’t a natural super-drug. When it comes to cancer, sometimes there’s such a thing as too much of a good thing.

There’s no denying that beta-carotene, and its related carotenoid cousins, are good for your health. Abundantly present in root vegetables, leafy greens, and a range of other fruits, beta-carotene is the most readily available source of vitamin A on the planet. It’s also an important part of our diet. Without beta-carotene (and in turn without vitamin A), we wouldn’t be able to see in color, our skin would be susceptible to UV radiation, and our body cells wouldn’t be able to regenerate. In short, vitamin A plays a very important part in keeping us alive.

As a result of its importance, an exceptional amount of research has been conducted in the hope of understanding exactly how beta-carotene benefits our health. Of this research, a fair portion has examined beta-carotene’s effects on cancer. And for a while, there was some evidence that suggested it might help reduce our risk of developing cancer. As a result, some people began to believe that large doses of carotene would be beneficial to our health.

Unfortunately, the truth of the matter isn’t quite as promising as originally thought. Although beta-carotene may slightly lower the risk of developing some kinds of cancer, it turns out that high doses may actually increase your risk of developing other cancers. In most cases, however, an increased intake of beta-carotene (as well as other related carotenes like lycopene) won’t change things one way or the other.

Among the people who actually experienced negative results from high doses of beta-carotene, smokers seemed to suffer the greatest risk. Heavy smokers who supplemented their diets with extra beta-carotene were actually more likely to develop lung cancer. Additionally, similar studies conducted on patients currently in aggressive cancer treatments revealed that beta-carotene significantly reduced the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

The moral of the story is that sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. Although experts insist that beta-carotene is the best way to get your daily vitamin A allowance, it should only come from natural vegetable sources. Artificial beta-carotene supplements are ineffective at best, and at worst, may impair your health, especially when taken in large amounts. Above all else, carotenes shouldn’t be thought of as cures for cancer. If you’re already in cancer treatment, or are about to start, talk to your doctors first to find out which foods will benefit you best. Otherwise, just make sure to eat plenty of orange vegetables. They’ll provide all the vitamin A your body needs.

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Food Most Likely To Trigger Headaches

By admin | Published: February 2, 2010

A headache can be a nuisance especially if it occurs frequently. Studies a decade ago pointed out that tension headache is completely different from a migraine. It was believed that headaches were caused by the contraction of the muscles while migraines were caused by the dilation and constriction of the blood vessels.  Today, many experts support that the origin of headaches and migraines are the same.

What is Tension Headache?

Tension headaches are caused by the tightness or contraction of muscles in the shoulders, neck, jaw and scalp. Often related to stress, is there anyone out there who has not experienced a tension headache?  It is also related to anxiety and depression, overworking, not getting enough sleep, not eating, too much eating, too much “eye-work” (i.e. computing, watching TV, and reading) or too much drinking of alcoholic beverages. A tension headache can be differentiated from a migraine as the pain of a tension headache starts from muscle tension from the shoulders, neck, jaw and then on to the two sides of your head.

Are There Cures for Tension Headaches?

Cures in terms of eliminating the pain are available as over the counter drugs are available in most countries. Some of the more notable pain relievers are aspirin, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid, paracetamol, naproxen and other relatively mild to moderate pain relievers. Caution should be taken though as most pain relievers cause upset stomach. Overuse of pain relievers can even compound a headache.

What Triggers Headache?

A tension headache can be triggered by an emotional or physical stress. A problem or an emotionally draining situation could cause you undue stress that could lead to a headache. A change in weather or temperature can trigger a headache. Hormonal changes in women can cause headaches so are some medications. Skipping meals can trigger a headache so as eating “trigger” foods.

What are Trigger Foods?

Trigger foods are those that could initiate a headache hours after it has been consumed. No two people suffering from tension headache have the same trigger food but medical history presents that the following food are known as “classic”  triggers for tension headache. MSG or monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer that is used most especially in Chinese restaurants.  Food that has MSG has been known to trigger headaches, big time.  Aged-cheese is another trigger. There are varieties of cheese that can bring on a headache: mozzarella, cheddar, blue cheese, etc. Caffeine and chocolates are known triggers too.

Here is a partial list of the most common known food that triggers headaches.

  • Alcoholic beverages such as beer and red wine
  • Aged cheese
  • Processes meats
  • Avocados
  • Overripe bananas
  • Nuts
  • Chocolate
  • Cola drinks
  • Ice cream
  • Pork
  • Venison
  • Soy-based food

If you think that certain food bring you headache, it is best that you keep a food diary and list down all the food that you eat in a day. If you develop a headache on a specific day, see the list of food that you are. By trial and elimination you would be able to eventually pinpoint your triggers.

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Cure Your Cholesterol with Strawberries

By admin | Published: February 2, 2010

Are you worried about heart disease? If you are, you have good reason to be afraid; and if you aren’t afraid, you should be. Heart disease is no laughing matter. Every year, heart and arterial disease kills more people than any other cause. And whether those deaths result from heart attacks or strokes, high cholesterol is usually the culprit. Fortunately, you’re not powerless against heart disease. Protecting yourself may even be easier than you think. But would you believe that preventing heart disease could be as easy as curing your cholesterol with strawberries?

As one of the most popular fruits in the world, strawberries can be found in abundant amounts on every continent. Strawberries are an integral part of almost every major global cuisine, and they have worked their way into every meal of the day. Strawberry remains the most popular flavor of jams, jellies, ice creams, yogurts, chewing gums, candies, and more. The world is in love with strawberries, but there’s more to love about strawberries than the way they taste.

It just so happens that strawberries are one of the healthiest foods in existence. Packed with dozens of essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, strawberries alone can provide us with almost everything our bodies need to function properly. They’re low in calories, high in fiber, and overflowing with all sorts of beneficial phytochemicals.

Among these many plant-based compounds, none are more beneficial for our hearts than the phenolic antioxidants found in abundance in strawberries. Although berry research is still in its infancy, numerous studies have already investigated the possible benefits of consuming strawberries. Almost all have turned up remarkable evidence.

Most recently, a major study conducted in Finland looked into the relationship between strawberry consumption and blood pressure in the elderly. In this study, a group of subjects were given half a cup of berry juice daily along with small servings of fresh berries. By the end of eight weeks, the researchers found that not only had these subjects significantly reduced their blood pressure, they had lowered their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels while raising their good (HDL) cholesterol levels by over 5%.

In addition to the immediate cardiovascular improvements to their blood pressure and arterial health, the researchers additionally discovered that the berry eaters experienced improved blood-platelet function, and had thereby reduced their risk of clotting in addition to other cardiovascular diseases. And at the time the study had finished, the subjects’ health was still continuing to improve, suggesting that continuing a berry-rich diet could only keep improving their health.

Since this study, other studies have confirmed these findings. A serving size of as little as 4oz of strawberries a day will have immediate and noticeable effects on your heart health. Who knew that curing your cholesterol could be so easy – or so delicious!

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Cholesterol Control Through Eating Habits

By admin | Published: February 2, 2010

The typical take on maintaining and lowering cholesterol levels through food is to reduce fats, increase fiber and for many this combination means taking away something that they love to do which is enjoy food. However, as more research comes out, there are many foods that can be used to help improve cholesterol. Some of these are things that are foods that many people already enjoy. Others are easy replacements in all types of dishes, making them heart healthy and cholesterol lowering foods. Some of the best are listed below:

Add Fish to your Weekly Diet

There are a couple reasons to add fish to your weekly protein consumption. First of all, it tastes great! There is a fish out there for even the pickiest person and is such a great platform for cooking that even someone who doesn’t typically like fish can find some method of cooking that makes it palatable. Salt water varieties that are on the oily side are the best choice when looking for a fish that helps knock out cholesterol.

Fish itself is fairly low in fat, even the “oily” varieties compared to many other animal sources for protein. Because of this, simply eating it is going to help but on top of that, fish has two more things going for it. First of all, it has nothing but unsaturated fat. As you are probably aware, saturated fats pretty much become cholesterol and mostly become bad cholesterol. Fish has none of this, so by switching to fish a couple times a week you are eliminating saturated fat.

On top of this, fish are full of cholesterol busting Omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids work in a couple ways. First of all they help convert bad HDL cholesterol into the good LDL cholesterol. Secondly, omega-3 fatty acids help make artery walls more pliable and elastic, essentially turning back the aging process of arteries throughout your body. Omega-3′s have been shown to help with other conditions as well, including lessening the pain of arthritis and even lowering blood pressure slightly.

Eat More Nuts

Most nuts have cholesterol busting ingredients. Of them, the most studied is Walnuts but studies are showing that many other nuts have similar, if not better cholesterol reducing properties. Just like with fish, adding nuts to one’s diet is pretty easy. A small handful of nuts make an excellent, long-lasting, afternoon snack and that small daily handful is all you need to start helping lower your cholesterol numbers too. Nuts are between 70%-85% fat and even though they are mostly fat, they are full of good, unsaturated fats that make fish such a good choice as well. They are also literally loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids.

That small handful has almost twice as much Omega-3 fatty acids as a serving of fish. On top of this, nuts have a good amount of fiber. Between the fat and fiber, this makes nuts a great snack choice as it won’t make your blood sugar crash and will help keep you from feeling hungry for hours. The fiber has the added benefit of being yet another way to help lower cholesterol numbers not to mention being shown to have other positive health effects including helping prevent a couple different types of cancer.

Olive and Canola Oil – The best oils for everything

We are told time and time again to avoid fat, yet here is another example of fat being good for reducing cholesterol numbers. What it boils down to is avoiding the wrong fats and trying to replace them with the correct ones. From this perspective, Olive and Canola oil are the best choices for any and all cooking that require oil.

Canola oil is a light oil which makes it incredibly diverse in its use. Its flash point is high enough that it can be used for frying and light enough to be used easily for any type of baking. It offers very little of its own flavor yet has most of the same benefits as olive oil. It is, like the other the other foods mentioned, a mono-unsaturated oil and is stable at temperature this way. Some unsaturated oils can actually become trans-fats when heated repeatedly.  Mono-unsaturated oils are not susceptible to this type of change and are the best choice for frying. Canola oil also is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. The downside to canola oil, due to the Omega-3 fatty acids, can go rancid a bit faster than other vegetable oils.

Olive oil adds to the heart healthy benefits of canola oil by including plant sterols. EVOO, or extra virgin olive oil, is full of plant sterols which are being proven to be the reason why the areas where olives are native are also areas of the world where heart disease is the lowest. Plant sterols restrict the absorption of cholesterol into the body and the sterols also help change bad cholesterol into good cholesterol.

Oatmeal – Not Just for Cookies Anymore

The final food here is one that we all know and all have had. However, as we have gotten older we have likely stopped eating oatmeal for the most part. While we may have a cookie here and there that has oatmeal in it, we otherwise avoid this very useful grain. Some of us may have just dropped breakfast as a meal and others of us feel that we have outgrown oatmeal since it was served to us as children. Regardless, adding oatmeal back into your weekly eating regimen will help lower your cholesterol and will help you make it to lunch easier.

Oatmeal and the oat bran that old fashioned oats comes with, is one of the best and easiest sources for soluble fiber. This type of fiber has been shown to help reduce cholesterol in study after study. The FDA actually allows marketers to call it “heart health” as a verified medical claim. If you can’t add oatmeal, adding a bowl of oat based cereal will work as well. A serving of oatmeal has 6 grams of fiber and will keep you going all morning.

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Avocados or Avoca-don’ts?

By admin | Published: February 1, 2010

As one of the more unusual foods to make a name for itself as a staple of popular western cuisine, avocados have a strange history. “Discovered” by conquistadores during the first visits to the Americas, avocados looked and tasted unlike anything European palates had ever known. At the same time, there was something about the avocado that captivated imaginations and kept us coming back for more.

In part, our obsession with avocados has something to do with the flavor. Mild yet aromatic yet distinct, avocados pair well with strong, spicy flavors. The texture too, especially when ripe, offers the comforting richness of butter. And yet, as romanticized as the avocado may have been, there’s still something inexplicable about the way we yearn for them. Even though many people have offered explanations, it may all be as simple as a matter of nutrition.

As of this moment, according to the Guinness Book of World records, the healthiest food in existence is the avocado. Avocados are rich in heart-healthy oils, bursting with over twenty different essential nutrients, chock full of phytochemicals and antioxidants that have an innumerable variety of beneficial effects on the body.

Although avocados once earned a bad reputation for their high calorie and fat content, they’ve been redeemed over the past decade or two. Now that we understand how certain fats affect our cardiovascular system, we’ve come to realize that the fats found in avocados do us nothing but good. The avocado’s high concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids has been shown to significantly reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and help ward off heart disease.

Avocados are also a superior source of over twenty different nutrients, including potassium, folate, copper, and vitamins C, B6, E, and K. Avocados are also rich in the antioxidants lutein and zea-xanthin, compounds that promote eye heath and prevent age related problems like cataracts. And studies have shown that when eaten in conjunction with tomatoes, avocados help our bodies absorb four and a half more times the amount of cancer-fighting lycopene.

Extracts taken from avocados have additionally been shown to have even more powerful applications. One such extract has clinically proven to kill off pre-cancerous cell growth that leads to oral cancers. Other extracts have been successfully used to treat osteoarthritis. And as researchers continue to explore the many wonders of the avocado, its almost certain that even more incredible uses for the avocado will be discovered.

When incorporating avocado into your diet, experts recommend using it in place of fats or eating it along with other fresh vegetables. For instance, instead of spreading mayo on your sandwich, add a few slices of avocado instead. Its heart-healthy fats will help lower your cholesterol, and its high fiber content will help with your digestion and metabolism. It’s also great when added to salads, fresh salsas, pastas, and more. Remember, regardless of how you manage to work a little avocado into your day, every little bit will help!

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The Dangers of Decaf

By admin | Published: February 1, 2010

For many people around the world, decaf coffee is looked upon as a healthy alternative to regular coffee. For those worried about the jitters or simply being able to go to sleep in the evening decaf does offer some benefits. As with many things however, there is a price to be paid for this benefit. There are a couple dangers and worries that should be considered before choosing decaf coffee as your go to beverage, morning or afternoon. These are the biggest dangers that should be considered:

Decaffeinated doesn’t mean Caffeine Free

If you are choosing decaf because you are hypertensive, that is you have high blood pressure, you first must realize that coffee and caffeine do not contribute that much to a hypertensive state, at least long term. However, a caffeine boost can and will temporarily raise blood pressure. Decaf coffee is the choice of many to try to prevent this. However, there is still a bit of caffeine in decaf coffee. To be called decaf, the coffee must be 97% caffeine free. On top of this, because of issues with product quality, there is a chance that your decaf coffee has as much caffeine as a typical cup of tea due to the wide variation in caffeine content that the product began with. Granted, 32 milligrams of caffeine is far less than the high of one test showing 281 milligrams from a similar sized cup of regular coffee but 32 milligrams is only one milligram less than the caffeine content of a typical 12 oz sized caffeinated cola beverage. If you chose to purchase a cola and were told to avoid caffeine, you would not choose the regular soda, would you?

Decaf tea also is not completely caffeine free; however, since it starts out with far less caffeine, far less caffeine is left over once the removal process is over with. For those who are really concerned about caffeine intake, a decaf tea is going to always have less caffeine than a decaf coffee beverage.

The Process to make Decaf can use Cancer Causing Chemicals

There are three processes that can be used to pull the caffeine out of coffee or tea. Of these, one produces the best taste results while the other two are more effective and use no hazardous chemicals. Ironically enough, the one with the best taste is the one that is branded “natural”. This is because the chemical, methylene chloride is an organic solvent and is derived from fruit sources. This chemical has been shown to cause cancer when inhaled. However, the FDA says that this process is safe because all testing has shown that this cancer causing effect does not occur with ingestion and there is none of this chemical left over in the product after having the caffeine is pulled out.

Decaffeinated Products still have other Chemicals in Them

Good or bad, there are many other chemicals contained in coffee or tea. Tea drinkers are typically aware of the good chemicals such as tannic acid and all the antioxidants that are present in their beverage of choice. Coffee too has other chemicals in it which can affect the body. These chemicals work together to still cause physiological effects on the body. A study found that coffee that was 100 percent caffeine free still caused many of the same blood pressure effects as regular coffee in groups of people that typically avoided coffee.

For tea drinkers, they should be aware that some of the healthy chemicals in their tea do not make it through the decaffeinating process. Flavanoid, one of the most researched chemicals in tea, levels are some of the most affected and the process of decaffeination is being researched to see if the specific process is the cause. However, it should be noted that not all of the individual flavanoids were affected and research has not narrowed down which ones are the most beneficial.

Overconsumption

The biggest risk of decaf beverages, however, is their overconsumption. Tea and coffee are known diuretics and can easily cause dehydration if they are relied on for hydration. Switching to water for most of your hydrating needs will reduce any ill effects that decaf coffee or tea could cause. Because there is no caffeine, there is a tendency to drink more. With caffeinated coffee, jitters kick in and the person will typically stop drinking coffee for at least a while. Without those early jitters, it is much easier to drink coffee all day without any water or other liquids. This taxes the renal system and can affect blood pressure as well.

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How Food Can affect Rheumatoid Arthritis

By admin | Published: February 1, 2010

Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating disease. It is an autoimmune disease that causes persistent inflammation of the joints and the tissues around them. It can also affect other organs of the body if the disease is allowed to progress. An autoimmune disease could be explained as the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. An rheumatoid arthritis patient has to deal with the fact that his own immune system is attacking his body tissues.

Is There a Cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

There is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis as its possible causes are still merely theories up to now. Though there is no single cure for rheumatoid arthritis, there are available drugs that can control flare-ups and inflammation. There are also exercises and some innovative joints protection and self management methods that have made rheumatoid arthritis patients lead happier, healthier and less “painful” lives.

Can Food Affect Rheumatoid Arthritis?

There are two schools of thought regarding this matter. The Arthritis Foundation and majority from the medical sector say that the food has no direct connection in the rheumatoid arthritis development and rheumatoid arthritis cure as there are no scientific proofs or study that is conclusive regarding this theory. On the other hand, there are other medical practitioners and alternative medicine practitioners who say that somehow, food medicines can affect rheumatoid arthritis.

Despite years of studies, there is still no irrefutable evidence that proves that a particular food has a direct effect on rheumatoid arthritis. Decades ago, it was believed that nightshade plants such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant will aggravate rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. However since rheumatoid arthritis is inflammation of the joints and tissues around the joints, does not it follow that a patient should avoid arthritis food that causes an allergic reaction on his person?

Allergic reaction to a particular food causes the immune system to produce immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. The body produces antibodies that go to every part of your system including the joints where they might add to inflammation. Avoidance of such food might or might not help your rheumatoid arthritis, but it would definitely control your allergies. If you have known food allergies then eliminate them from your diet.

Are There Foods that Could Reduce Inflammation?

Some studies have shown that there are certain foods that could reduce inflammation of the joints. Fish rich in omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids could help reduced inflammation. Mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines and trout are some of the fishes that were reported to have reduced symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Avoid food that has arachidonic acid. This fat is found in animals. Animal fat (pork, beef, poultry and dairy products) has been associated with various ailments aside from rheumatoid arthritis (see Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet). History evidenced that there were no cases of rheumatoid arthritis on cultures who ate natural and meatless food.

There were studies that showed that fasting also help alleviate rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Fasting flushes out the toxins from the body and those toxins could very well be allergens that added to the inflammation of the joints.

Inconclusive as the studies may be it still follows that eating a healthy and balanced diet is beneficial. Exercising and keeping your weight down would also do you good in the long haul.

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Can You Cure Cancer with a Cup of Tea?

By admin | Published: February 1, 2010

Tea. It’s one of the most popular drinks in the world. It’s a great way to start a morning. It’s a better excuse for a snack in the afternoon. It’s the perfect end to a lovely meal and an ideal companion on a cold and frosty night. Tea is so chock full of goodness that it can improve our lives and our health in every imaginable way. But is tea really powerful enough to cure cancer?

To be honest, any claim that tea can cure cancer might be a stretch of the truth. Diet alone can rarely – if ever – be seen as a cure for any major disease. However, when it comes to preventing cancer, tea has been the focus of a significant amount of research in which the findings have been jaw-dropping. By drinking a few cups of tea a day, you don’t just slightly improve your chances of preventing cancer – in some cases, you can drop your risk factor by over 50%!

The current popularity of tea, as well as its growing reputation as a verifiable super food, all stems from a massive long-term study of tea drinkers in Japan. Researchers followed over 120,000 people for more than twenty years, recorded the amount of tea each person consumed on average per day, and measured their tendency towards terminal disease. At the end of the study, the statistics suggested that people who drank several cups of tea a day were more than 20% less likely to die from any major disease.

Since then, tea has been closely examined for its effectiveness in treating and preventing just about every major disease – cancer included. The findings regarding tea consumption and cancer risk have been astounding. Multiple studies have revealed that regular tea drinkers are more than 30% less likely to develop digestive and pancreatic cancers, more than 40% less likely to develop colon and skin cancers, and most astoundingly of all, 60% less likely to develop rectal and urinary tract cancers!

Although researchers aren’t exactly clear on why tea is so effective, most agree that most of its benefits come from potent concentrations of anti-oxidants. Whether green or black or red, tea contains a variety of powerful polyphenols known as catechins. When introduced into the body, these catechins interact with other enzymes and proteins to prevent cellular deterioration and to help ward off excessive cellular reproduction – the primary mechanisms behind cancer.

Even in cases where pre-cancerous cells are already in place – such as pre-cancerous lung cells in smokers, or pre-cancerous mouth cells in tobacco chewers – studies have conclusively demonstrated that tea can prevent these cells from ever developing into full blown cancer. In some cases, tea can cause pre-cancerous lesions to shrink or even disappear entirely!

Regardless of your tea of choice, experts agree that drinking three to five cups a day will ensure that you receive the maximum benefit. You can further enhance the effectiveness of your tea by adding a slice of lemon, as citric acid greatly improves the amount of anti-oxidants your body can absorb. So the next time you’re looking for a little pick-me-up, go out and grab a cup of tea. Just be sure to raise a toast to your health when you drink!

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A True Superfood: Olive Oil

By admin | Published: February 1, 2010

Olive oil is a mainstay in cultures around the Mediterranean Ocean. At times, this oil and the fruit from which it comes from has been used as currency, a way to bathe without water and for quite a long time has been a major contributor to the diet of the cultures that surround the Mediterranean. For this region, olive oil is an integral part of almost every meal and in some areas forty percent of the average person’s daily caloric intake is from olive oil.

With all that fat in the diet, certainly these people are asking for heart problems as well as a host of other problems, right? The answer, however, couldn’t be farther from the truth. The people who live around the Mediterranean are some of the healthiest people around and, on average, have longer life expectancies than most of the other cultures around the world.

What can Olive Oil Do?

Olive oil has been shown to help with many different facets of health. First of all, olive oil has been used in traditional food medicine for hundreds of years. To this day, natural healing doctors use olive oil preparations as part of treatment for many ailments. For example, natural medicine calls for a tonic of olive oil and lemon juice to help treat gallstones.  The oil itself is very well tolerated by the stomach. Most people can easily handle the recommended amounts of olive oil and likely couldn’t handle similar quantities of any other oil. The olive oil encourages the production of bile and hormones in the pancreas far better than any drug. This combination helps break up the gallstones naturally.

On top of this, there are many studies into olive oil and its effects on the body because of the Mediterranean diet showing such promise in terms of healthy living. The research shows that because olive oil is full of monounsaturated fat that olive oil helps control bad cholesterol levels and help raise the good cholesterol levels. This helps prevent cholesterol plaque from adhering to cellular walls and helps prevent both heart disease and high blood pressure. The numbers from countries along the Mediterranean Ocean of cases of heart disease are the proof: There is one case of heart disease per capita to twenty seven cases in the United States.

There have been studies showing that olive oil helps prevent a number of different types of cancer. Of these, the most studied is colon cancer. The testing in rats has shown a dramatic decrease from what would be the equivalent of two tablespoons a day in humans.

What makes Olive Oil Work?

As mentioned, monounsaturated fats is one of the main causes for the health effects of olive oil. However, there are other components that contribute to the health effects which olive oil appears to contribute to. Extra Virgin olive oil is especially high in antioxidants and phenols. Both of which contribute to heart health as well as overall health. Both of these chemicals help bind to free radicals which otherwise could get into cells and do damage to the DNA and cell walls. Free radical damage has been associated with cancer as well as being one of the causes of aging.

As an added bonus, olive oil is very high in the much researched Omega-3 fatty acids. Most people outside of the Mediterranean has an imbalance of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6′s contribute to plaque and other issues while Omega-3′s have been shown to very helpful for overall health and research is showing that Omega-3′s help prevent heart disease by helping keep arterial walls pliable and flexible. This helps prevent the walls from developing cracks which then get sealed with clots; clots which can grow and lead to blockage or break off and cause an embolism or stroke. By helping maintain a positive balance of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids, olive oil helps counteract any potential damage which could be done by other foods consumed with the olive oil.

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A Heart to Heart About the Benefits of Tea

By admin | Published: January 31, 2010

For years now we’ve heard that tea is one of the healthiest things you can drink. We’ve read and heard about how good tea is for our immune system, how it can ward off cancer, and how it can strengthen our arteries and prevent heart disease. Tea has, in fact, been touted as a super-food, a natural source of unique compounds that help improve our health in every way. But just how effective is tea for keeping us healthy? And more specifically, just how good is tea for our heart?

Ever since we first noticed that people from eastern tea-drinking cultures seemed to enjoy longer and healthier lives, tea has become the focus for an intense amount of research. While initial examinations have conclusively demonstrated that regular green tea consumption reduces the risk of almost every major disease, more recent studies have begun to reveal exactly how and why tea is as beneficial as it is.

Scientifically speaking, tea derives all of its major healing benefits from a powerful group of antioxidants known as catechins. When it comes to your cardiovascular health, these catechins protect your heart and your arteries in two significant ways.

Firstly, these antioxidants have an amazing relaxing power on your arteries. Multiple studies have shown that by drinking a single cup of tea, you can make your blood vessels more flexible for up to two hours. Because your arteries are able to expand and contract more readily, your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood through your body, and as a result, your blood pressure will remain lower.

Secondly, these antioxidants also reduce the number of free radicals (harmful molecules) present in your blood stream. In layman’s terms, this means that the compounds present in tea prevent harmful plaque from building up on your arterial walls. These antioxidants are so powerful, that they will prevent damage and permanent arterial hardening regardless of how unhealthy your diet is. Even the greasiest fast food seems to have little effect on your heart so long as you have a glass of tea with your meal.

Although tea is a potent ally for protecting the health of your heart, there are a few ways to ensure you receive its maximum benefits. Just a little bit of citrus added to your tea has been shown to vastly increase the amount of antioxidants your body will absorb. At the same time, new research from Germany has revealed that adding dairy milk to your tea will render these antioxidants completely ineffective. So the next time you sit down to enjoy your afternoon cup, think lemon and honey instead of sugar and cream.

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