Less Microwaving - Push for Fresh Fruits for Better Health

Let's be honest no one thinks that popping a frozen dinner into the microwave is the best way to go about improving his or her health. The larger problem is that microwaving is just too easy a notion mothers in the 1950s would've been all too happy to test out. Invented the mid-60s to make things just that easy they've become a crutch for a society that is today too busy and too tempted to make healthy eating choices. It doesn't hurt that many microwavable food items, like Pop Tarts, are designed to make us crave them.

Vitamins and nutrients

Fruits have long been known to provide vitamins and nutrients that processed foods just don't offer, and they do it with a portability that many microwavable food items are only now beginning to rival. According to the United States government, a diet rich in fruit may reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke, as well as various types of cancers. High-fruit diets provide fiber, which can help with obesity and type 2 diabetes, while the potassium content in some fruits may help lower blood pressure. The risk of developing bone loss and kidney stones is also shown to decrease with a high potassium diet.

Unlike microwavable fare, fruits are generally low in not only calories, but also sodium and fat as well. If you have cholesterol be concerns, you should be aware that no fruits contain it. While many processed foods have nutrients added, fruits naturally contain vitamin C and other often under-consumed nutrients like potassium and folic acid.

Make the effort

Perhaps the biggest obstacle to eating a diet rich in fruits is cost and availability. In cold weather states, fruits have in the past been difficult to come by, and at an increased cost. Fortunately, stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes are increasing their reach, providing shoppers with greater opportunity to buy. Improving technologies in plant biology are also helping keep fruit on the shelves longer.

In the end, however, fruits biggest selling point is their taste. From apples and oranges to peaches and bananas, the vast array of fruits available are sure to leave most any person with some that please their palate. Even if you don't wish to just grab an apple and bite in, fresh fruits can often be made into sauces and jellies with relative ease. And even if you're putting them in a pie, they provide the same nutrients, albeit with additional calories.

While it may make sense to have a granola bar packed along with you on a hike, processed foods are a disastrous temptation when kept in the household. Make an effort to keep fresh fruits and vegetables on hand at all times to help model behavior for children, and to keep them healthy. Without adult support, children often gravitate toward sweeter, more fattening foods, which can manifest itself in health problems sooner than later. For a healthy diet, fresh fruits are the way to go.

Matt Anton is a partner in the online marketing venture BacklinksVault, and has extensive experience with nutrition and fitness, including health and diet concerns.

Essential Oils and their uses

Essential fatty acids are great as carrier oils for essential oils and other skincare products to help nourish and smooth skin.

Essential Fatty Acids

Essential oils are often mixed with carrier oils that help dilute the natural chemicals in the essential oils. Many carrier oils also contain nutrients that complement the essential oils and help nourish and heal the skin. Fatty acids are one category of carrier oils that have many helpful benefits.

We frequently encounter fatty acids as part of our daily diets. Though many people try to avoid certain kinds of fat in their diets, fatty acids can actually improve health. When ingested, fatty acids are a source of energy for our body's cells and can help strengthen the cells. Fatty acids are necessary for healthy organ tissues and for distributing oxygen through the bloodstream. Fatty acids are also responsible for preventing signs of early aging in the skin and clearing cholesterol out of the arteries, which promotes weight loss.

Omega-7 and Omega-9 fatty acids can be produced within our own bodies, so we don't need an external source for them. Other fatty acids, referred to as essential fatty acids, cannot be produced in our body and need to be provided through our diet and other means. Omega-3 and Omega-6 are essential fatty acids that can be found in foods like fish, nuts, seeds, and oils.

These essential fatty acids make excellent carrier oils for use with essential oils and skin care products. There is a very wide selection of carrier oils available that contain essential fatty acids, but it's best to choose one that has other benefits associated with it as well. Here are a few carrier oils that contain Omega-3 and/or Omega-6:

• Coconut Oil. This mild oil is great for healing dry or irritated skin. Its long lasting effects also help the skin to retain moisture. Coconut oil also has a delicious, rich flavor that makes it great for cooking.
• Hazelnut Oil. For those with oily skin, using essential oils or carrier oils topically may not seem like a good idea. But some oils, like hazelnut oil, act as an astringent, decreasing moisture instead of increasing it. You can get all the benefits of using essential oils and essential fatty acids while improving your complexion.
• Wheat Germ Oil. As well as containing essential fatty acids, wheat germ oil is also rich in vitamins E, A, and D. It helps smooth rough skin and reduce wrinkles.

Some other favorites include olive, jojoba, apricot kernel, avocado and rosehip seed oils.

John is a professional blogger and writes interesting articles related to health and beauty, this article was researched and written with the help of Wholesale Cosmetics

The Most Salutary Vegetables

Vegetables are doubtless salutary foods. They are rich in crucial nutrients, and another precious benefit they offer is a lot of dietary fibre. That is why it is recommended to consume vegetables in sufficient amounts, with daily quotas of at least five servings. Vegetables enhance people's immunity to diseases that plague humanity.

The most salutary vegetables, according to a number of classifications, comprise tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, eggplants, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, spinach, onions. In fact, the list of healthy vegetables could be continued, but let us dwell on the shortlist of the most salutary ones presented above.

Tomatoes are technically a type of fruit, but they are staples in salads, and their cancer fighting qualities have long been known to people. The vitamins contained in tomatoes are a prerequisite for good health as well.

Broccoli is an outstanding example of a powerfully salutary vegetable. They are packed with lots of antioxidants, and thus instrumental in reducing the hazard of a number of cancer varieties. Thanks to the amount of beta carotene and vitamin C, broccoli is also a natural means of preventing flu and colds.

Carrots are another staple on the table, and another dignified member of the most salutary vegetables' group. The nutrients contained in carrots are strong protectors of the human eyes, skin and hair. Another precious ingredient in carrots, vitamin C, helps people who regularly eat carrots to stay protected from cardiovascular diseases.

Eggplants are another treasure trove of antioxidants, but they are also replete with fiber, and they contain potassium that is why they are pointed out as vegetables that reduce the risk of stroke and the development of dementia.

Bell peppers are not only enjoyable for the eye with the profusion of colours. They are also rich in heart healthy substances, such as lycopene and folic acid. Bell peppers are also indicated as lowering the risk of development of cancer.

Spinach is chlorophyll packed, and also rich in vitamins and nutrients. They are recommended not only as protecting people from heart diseases, but also as lowering the risk of arthritis and osteoporosis.

Onions are welcome in salads, but they have other properties too. They are a healthy choice, especially recommended for people who suffer from osteoporosis, or people who are at risk of developing it. That is due to the content of peptide which is called GPCS and is believed to slow down the loss of calcium in the body. Heart disease risks can also be significantly lowered thanks to onion consumption. People at risk of developing diabetes should also choose onions as a health building food.

Each of the most salutary vegetables has its health boosting properties. Healthy people can combine them in their daily diet, to be certain to keep their health on a good level. People at risk of developing certain diseases should consume sufficient amounts of the salutary vegetable that is the best in fighting the respective condition. But doubtless each person should stick to the list of the above most salutary vegetables when shopping and planning the individual or daily meals.

The article has been submitted by Marble Arch Relocations

Hair Fall Remedy

Biotin! Biotin (also called hair growth vitamin) is a water soluble vitamin found in many foods. It is one nutrient that keeps skin, hair, eyes and a few other organs healthy!

An adult needs 30 mcg of Biotin per day.

FOOD Sources

1. Liver
2. Egg
3. Sardines and Salmon
4. Poultry
5. Avocado, cauliflower, mushrooms, raspberries, bananas, dairy, nuts such as peanuts, walnuts, almonds and pecans, soybeans,beans and legumes, whole-wheat bread.

A combination of Biotin and other Vitamins like Folic Acid, Vitamins A, C and D are said to be beneficial for hair problems.

7 Healing Foods to fight common cold

1. Chicken soup
why: It's been called nature's penicillin and is at the top of the list for its curative powers. Hot chicken soup helps clear clogged airways,

2. Hot and spicy food
Chilies or spicy sauces to help ease congestion. Cook Indian or other ethnic foods that contain
these ingredients, or simply add a spicy sauce to foods for extra zip

3. Garlic
This fragrant bulb contains a flavoring agent called alliin which acts as a decongestant. Garlic is also believed to act as an antioxidant and destroy free- radicals, the active oxygen molecules that damage cells

4. Fluids
To keep you liquefied.

5. Citrus fruits
Reach for citrus fruits to increase your vitamin C intake. Drink orange juice for breakfast, snack on half a grapefruit, or add tangerine slices to a lunchtime salad. Getting an increased
amount of vitamin C is especially important if you smoke, as smoking increases both your risk
of catching a cold and your body's need for this protective vitamin.

6. Ginger
Many people find fresh ginger root helps treat the coughing and fever that often accompany colds and flu. Try making a ginger tea:

7. Vitamin C sources
Citrus fruits aren't the only foods high in vitamin C. Potatoes, green peppers, strawberries and
pineapple can help as your daily cold-fighting food arsenal.

Vitamin D deficiency may cause weight gain

Older women who don't get enough vitamin D may be slightly heavier than those who do.

A Kaiser Permanente study, published online in the recent issue of the Journal of Women's Health, looked at more than 4,600 women aged 65 and older for a four and one-half year period. Researchers found women with low levels of vitamin D in their blood gained about two pounds more than those with adequate levels of the vitamin.

So what's the big deal, you ask?

"This is one of the first studies to show that women with low levels of vitamin D gain more weight, and although it was only two pounds, over time that can add up," said study author Dr. Erin LeBlanc, an endocrinologist and researcher at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon.

Called the "sunshine vitamin" because most of us get it from the sun, vitamin D helps maintain our bones and muscles, and keeps our central nervous system in check. But if you take too much it could be toxic, causing nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.

Although the sun's rays are the primary source, vitamin D can also be found in milk products, fatty fish and fortified items such as cereals and juices. But even with all these sources, prior research has found that women, especially older women, aren't getting enough.

In the Kaiser study, researchers found almost 80% of participants had insufficient levels of vitamin D. Because the vitamin's main source is sunlight, the investigators say those women lacking vitamin D may not spend enough time outdoors. They may also have a poor diet.

LeBlanc points out that this study was conducted among older women who, for the most part, were not trying to lose weight - though some of them did so as a natural result of aging. About 60% of the women in the study remained at a stable weight during the study period, 27% lost more than 5% of their body weight, and 12% gained more than 5% of their body weight.

"Our study only shows an association between insufficient levels of vitamin D and weight gain, we would need to do more studies before recommending the supplements to keep people from gaining weight," LeBlanc said. "Since there are so many conflicting recommendations about taking vitamin D for any reason, it's best if patients get advice from their own health care provider."