Soursop Benefits for Cancer

Soursop has certain properties that kill cancer cells 10,000 times more efficient than chemotherapy; and they only kill cancer cells leaving the healthy cells unharmed. This means the patient does not suffer from the side effects that chemotherapy has. One of its cancer cure properties is annonacin. Soursop is high in carbohydrates, especially fructose. It also has large amount of vitamins C, B1, and B2. Soursop knew can treat and prevent and also potent for curing many kind of cancer. "For the soursop itself has been studied to treat colon cancer (colon), lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer (breast)," said dr. Hardhi Pranata, sps, The Chairman of the Association of Medical Doctors Herbal Indonesia (PDHMI). The Part of soursop that useful for cancer drugs is stem, leaf, and also fruit or in juice form. The fruit can be eaten straight, made as ​​juice, or leaves are boiled, then the decoction drunk. "Either way, soursop juiced as drink water, or boiling 9 soursop leaves and drink the cooking water and then monitored the situation. Usually appetite will increase and the growth of cancer cells is inhibited," said dr Hardhi. Since soursop is rich in sugar, it should be consumed in restricted quantity. Moreover, excessive consumption of the fruit may contribute to neurological damage leading to the development of Parkinson's disease, as it is high in annonacin. It is true that one cannot rely upon the results of one or two studies about the use of soursop as cancer medication. No one would recommend use of the fruit as an alternative for chemotherapy, but cancer patients can consume soursop to reap its health benefits along with chemotherapy. It can at least lower the side effects of chemotherapy. And if it kills cancer cells naturally, then it's well and good. Cancer patients are advised to consult an oncologist or health care provider before opting for the fruit. The doctor will explain how much soursop would be sufficient for reaping its health benefits.

Coconut Water for Hydration

What is the healthiest beverage you can drink? Fruit juice? Milk? Sports drinks? Herbal tea? It may come as a surprise to you, but one of the healthiest beverages is coconut water. Most people respond to this statement with, "what the heck is coconut water?"

You've been to the grocery store, picked up a coconut, and shaken it, right? The sloshing sound you hear inside is coconut water. Contrary to popular belief, this liquid is not coconut milk. Coconut milk is made by crushing and squeezing the liquid from coconut meat. What you get is a thick, creamy, white fluid that looks much like dairy milk. Coconut water, on the other hand, looks pretty much like ordinary water, although it may be slightly opaque. The two are completely different in taste, texture, nutrient content, and health benefits. Coconut water is sometimes referred to as coconut juice and is consumed just like any other fruit juice.


Coconut water is being hyped as better than water because of its electrolyte content, but these nutrients are helpful, supplied quickly in a beverage, only for very active people and athletes who rapidly lose them through excessive sweating.

Water makes up 75 percent of muscle. It is needed for tissues and organs to work properly, and for nutrients to be transported into cells and wastes out. Humans can only survive about a week without water.

When fully hydrated the body performs optimally. Dehydration can cause irritability, fatigue, confusion, diminished athletic performance and, in severe cases, death.

A recent study by Consumerlab.com, an independent laboratory, found that two of the most popular varieties, Vita Coco and O.N.E. Coconut Water, contained even less sodium and magnesium than advertised. Only Zico Natural contained the amount of sodium listed on its label (160 milligrams).

Few studies have looked directly at coconut water and exercise. In one, researchers had subjects run for 90 minutes in hot temperatures and then tested the effects of plain water, a sports drink, coconut water or a sodium-enriched coconut water in the two hours after exercise. While all remained “somewhat dehydrated,” the sodium-enriched coconut water worked as well as the sports drink.

Sports drinks serve a purpose among elite athletes and those who exercise for long periods. But for those who exercise at a moderate intensity for an hour or less, water is probably the better choice.

Doughnut Health Facts

One of the most beloved foods in the United States is the doughnut or as it is popularly spelled, donut. Who invented the doughnut? Where did it come from? What is it made of? Why is it called a donut or doughnut? Why do I care?

Doughnuts are fried, full of sugar and white flour and most all varieties contain trans fat. Store-bought doughnuts are made up of about 35 percent to 40 percent trans fat.

An average doughnut will give you about 200 to 300 calories, mostly from sugar, and few other nutrients.

It's too bad that Americans view doughnuts as a breakfast food as, nutritionally speaking, eating a doughnut is one of the worst ways to start off your day. It will throw off your blood sugar and won't stay with you so you'll be hungry again soon. You are better off eating no breakfast at all, or better yet grabbing a quick glass of Whey Healthier.

Alberto Ascherio, a physician and Doctor of Public Health at the Department of Nutrition of the Harvard School of Public Health, and four associates reported that the amount of trans fatty acids consumed by the average American—though just 2 percent of total calories—was associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease of between 14 and 93 percent in three major studies. These studies and others suggest that, gram for gram, trans fatty acids pose a much greater risk to cardiovascular health than saturated fat. Why?

Saturated fat increases blood levels of bad, artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. But trans fatty acids go further: they also decrease blood levels of good, artery-protective HDL cholesterol.

Trans fatty acids are more likely than saturates to interfere with noncardiovascular processes in the body. Trans are the "evil twin brothers" of the cis fatty acids that naturally abound in vegetable oils. They have been mutated from cis to trans by extreme heat. In the body, while trans fatty acids can impersonate cis, they can't be put to the same constructive use, whether as precursors to prostaglandins (important hormonelike substances), components of supple cellular membranes, or for other vital functions. Trans are strictly bad news—the worst kind of fat you can eat, according to the Harvard scientists.

It's not just hydrogenated margarines that harbour these mutant fats. Extreme heat processing ensures that refined cooking oils are a significant source too, compounded by frying with them. Worst of all are the oils used and reused day after day in restaurants. They typically contain over 30 percent trans fatty acids, making deep-fried fast foods as deadly as they are delectable. Baked goods and other store-bought foods prepared with refined cooking oil or partially hydrogenated fat also are pretty poisons.

So. beware for you doughnut lover!!

It's Breakfast Time. Baby!

Choosing the best time to eat meals has many benefits. One of them is more energy. Skipping meals or eating meals on a random schedule can drain your body of energy. The meal schedule below is for people who have day schedules. Depending on your schedule, the hours may vary. For best results, eat only organic food because it is not sprayed with harmful synthetic chemicals, such as pesticides. Plus, organic food is usually free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and genetically modified ingredients.

You should always eat breakfast within an hour of waking up. About 4.5 hours after that, you should have lunch, and a couple hours after that, dinner. If you delay these times, you're going to be hungry, and the hungrier you are, the more likely you are going to cheat and eat fatty junk food. According to Dr. Oz, the big rule of thumb is that you need to have dinner more than three hours before you go to bed, so that you aren't going to bed with a full stomach.


If you're getting up at five you should DEFINITELY eat breakfast by seven... the longer you leave it, the bigger the gap is between your meals - dinner was a very long time ago and your system will running on low until you fuel it up again. The time when you're asleep doesn't really count, but the up-and-awake time definitely does.

Breakfast should include protein and plenty of fiber; the combination will help satisfy your hunger and will keep you feeling full until lunch time. The protein can come from low-fat meat, eggs, nuts or dairy products. High-fiber foods include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A healthy breakfast doesn't need to be extravagant or take a long time to prepare. Try something simple like a hard boiled egg, whole grain toast and 100% fruit juice. And there's nothing wrong with a bowl of whole-grain cereal with berries and low-fat milk.

If you really don't like to eat breakfast, you can split it up into two smaller meals. Eat a hard boiled egg at home, and an hour or two later, take a break from work and snack on an apple and a handful of healthy nuts like pecans or walnuts.

Positive Effects of Steroids

Before we can appreciate the positive effects of steroids we need to understand how they work. Essentially then, steroids are either natural of synthetic compounds that help regulate various bodily functions. When we refer to steroids however we generally are referring to anabolic steroids. These are synthetic compounds that mimic the effects of anabolic and androgenic hormones such as testosterone and are known by many names including ‘juice’ and ‘roids’ and someone who is using steroids can so be said to be ‘juicing’. Anabolic steroids can be taken orally as a pill or powder or commonly via an injection which has certain advantages for the user. This makes marks along an individual’s forearms a good indicator that they may be using steroids.


If taken under proper medical guidance, steroids can help an athlete get more of his efforts. Since they are helpful in enhancing muscle mass and levels of endurance to a considerable, athletes can attain expected results without putting too many efforts. A right combination of steroids along with protein-rich diet and a good sleep can do wonders for even a lean built athlete in a short span of time. It is important for an athlete to realize the capabilities of his body and take dosage of steroids accordingly else steroids can prove to be lethal.

Known for being helpful to body builders and sports professionals, steroids offer many health advantages. But aside from benefiting these people, did you know that steroids can actually help patients with muscle dystrophy? That’s right! Steroids can actually provide health advantages to people with this ailment. Because of the ability of steroids to increase protein synthesis and promote the growth of muscles, it can help patients who have muscular dystrophy, a disease that weakens the body’s muscles, making one extremely weak, resulting to death of muscle tissues. Steroids help restore the body’s lost tissues because of chronic wasting.

Whopper Calories

The Whopper sandwich is the signature hamburger product sold by the international fast-food restaurant chain Burger King and its Australian franchise Hungry Jack's. Introduced in 1957, it has undergone several reformulations including resizing and bread changes. The burger is one of the best known products in the fast food industry; it is so well known that Burger King bills itself as the Home of the Whopper in its advertising and signage.



If you are underweight, its cause you're just eating junk and not the things that you need. I have a high metabolism and used to each junk food all the time as a teen. I found that I gained and got in great shape by eating more veggies and things than just greasy food. That stuff is not only bad for you in obvious health issues, but is horrible for your complexion and hair and more.

The Whopper (670 kcal) has more calories than McDonald's Big Mac (540 kcal), but is larger - 290 g vs. 214 g. Therefore, the Whopper contains fewer calories per gram than the Big Mac. The Whopper contains 231 kcal per 100 g and the Big Mac contains 252 kcal per 100 g. Cheese comes standard on the Big Mac, but is optional on the Whopper.

Milk is Essential For A healthy Body

Did you know that 99% of your body's calcium is stored in your bones and teeth? This calcium makes up your bone bank. Calcium is "deposited" and "withdrawn" from your bone bank daily, based on your body's need for calcium. If your daily diet is low in calcium, calcium is "withdrawn" from your bone bank. Bone is broken down to keep your blood calcium level normal. This happens because calcium plays a critical role in supporting your body's vital functions; such as controlling your blood pressure and maintaining your heart beat.

Drinking two to three glasses of milk a day, whether it's skim, 2 percent, or whole, lowers the likelihood of both heart attack and stroke — a finding confirmed by British scientists.

If you're dieting, the lower-fat option is an easy way to save a few calories. When it comes to building muscle, though, whole milk may be your best choice: Scientists at the University of Texas medical branch in Galveston found that drinking whole milk after lifting weights boosted muscle protein synthesis — an indicator of muscle growth — 2.8 times more than drinking skim did.

Did you know that milk provides you with nine essential nutrients? The USDA defines an ‘essential nutrient’ as a dietary substance required for healthy body functioning. Essential nutrients must come from the diet because the human body can’t manufacture them in sufficient quantities to meet daily needs. And it’s more than calcium and vitamin D. From helping repair muscle tissue to maintaining healthy red blood cells, the nine nutrients in milk work together to help keep the body in optimal health.

Weight Lifting and Hydration

We all know that when we work out, it's important to stay hydrated. Something we may not be so clear on is what exactly we should drink when we exercise.

Ordinary water, of course, is the classic choice. But with store shelves everywhere full of sports drinks, energy drinks, and various flavored and fortified waters, what's an exerciser to do?

Experts say it all depends on your taste -- as well as the length and intensity of your workouts. Here's a look at how the various drinks measure up.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that people drink about 17 ounces of fluid about two hours before exercise, to promote adequate hydration and allow time for the body to excrete any excess water. During exercise, they recommend that athletes start drinking early and at regular intervals in order to take in fluids at the rate they're losing them through sweating.

Personally I usually stick with just water. Nothing keeps me hydrated as water, but i have seen people drink energy drinks while at the gym. Now im not sure if its good or bad for you to drink a energy drink while you workout so i cant tell you that but from personal experiance stick to water and gatorade (gatorade for all the electrolytes).

During your workout you need to drink one thing... WATER. If you do some extensive outdoor cardio in the heat then perhaps some Gatorade. Definitely stay well hydrated. If you don't have the energy stored up from carbs you consumed prior to the workout then it is too late to start loading up on them. Gatorade provides is a few electrolytes and some sugar, which will help replenish your depleted glycogen stores. Not a bad thing, but people rely to heavily on things like this when the best thing they could do is drink several litres of water a day instead.

If you are on a creatine cycle, you can sip on a diluted creatine solution during your workout for some added benefit. Make sure that you are taking creatine properly the rest of the day though.

Pizza Hut Cheesy Pizza Calories

The most basic pizza of all is the cheese pizza: a crust smeared with sauce and covered with a single layer of cheese. Each pizza restaurant and family cook has his own recipe for the perfect cheese pizza, each with its own proportion of ingredients and thus its own nutrition profile. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides data for cheese pizzas from popular national chains.

The USDA provides information for a slice of cheese pizza from Pizza Hut, Domino's and Papa John's. A slice from medium-size Domino's pizza has 187 calories, 50 of which come from fat. The Pizza Hut version has 240 calories, of which 90 come from fat. Papa John's has 212 calories, with 74 coming from fat


Nutrition Facts

Serving Size
1 slice (63.0 g)

Amount Per Serving
Calories
140

Calories from Fat
29

% Daily Value*
Total Fat
3.2g
5%

Saturated Fat
1.5g
8%

Polyunsaturated Fat
0.5g

Monounsaturated Fat
1.0g

Cholesterol
9mg
3%

Sodium
336mg
14%

Total Carbohydrates
20.5g
7%

Protein
7.7g
Vitamin A 8% • Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 12% • Iron 3%

Soya Milk Side Effects

Studies reveal that only one side of the soy coin has been revealed. Food companies and drug manufacturing companies have been touting the benefits of soy for decades together. However, they have conveniently ignored the existent soy milk risks. So what exactly are the different soy milk side effects?

Being high in protein soy-products do spearhead gas production. The amount of gas produced will vary depending on the amount consumed and the amount each one's body can tolerate. When eaten in moderate amounts a day, soy is not seen to cause any major gas problems, however, several pregnant women seem to be suffering from extreme bloating and gas after consumption of soy-products. In such cases, it is best for pregnant women to avoid soy and consume other protein-rich foods. It is up to each person to test how much soy milk can be consumed comfortably without facing gas problems.

A lot of people use soy products because they think dairy is bad. It's generally not an allery to dairy but an inability to digest it properly because of accumulated debri in the colon. Soy actually complicates this. It interferes with protein digestion and has numerous other dangerous side effecsts if used over a long term. Better to clean out, incorporate enzymes and find sources of raw dairy.

Don’t give children soy in amounts larger than what is found in food or formula. Researchers don’t know whether soy is safe for children at higher doses.

Cystic fibrosis: Soymilk can interfere with the way children with cystic fibrosis process protein. Don’t give these children soy products.

Breast cancer: The effects of soy in people with breast cancer are unclear. Some research finds that soy might “feed” certain breast cancers because it can act like estrogen. Other studies have found that soy seems to protect against breast cancer. The difference in effects might have something to do with the amount taken. Because there isn’t enough reliable information about the effects of soy in women with breast cancer, a history of breast cancer, or a family history of breast cancer, it’s best to avoid using soy until more is known.

Endometrial cancer: Long-term use of concentrated soy isoflavone tablets might increase the occurrence of precancerous changes in the tissue lining the uterus. Don’t take concentrated soy isoflavone supplements if you have endometrial cancer.

Eating Fish: Health Benefits and Risks

The foods we eat influence our health. Besides containing protein and other nutrients such as vitamin D and selenium, fish (either finfish or shellfish) contain a specific type of fat, omega-3 fatty acids, that may reduce the risk of developing heart disease and other medical problems. However, fish may also contain mercury and other contaminants that may have risks for health.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) tackled that question by undertaking the single most comprehensive analysis to date of fish and health. In the first review to combine the evidence for major health effects of omega-3 fatty acids, major health risks of mercury, and major health risks of PCBs and dioxins in both adults and infants/young children, the results show that the benefits of eating a modest amount of fish per week—about 3 ounces of farmed salmon or 6 ounces of mackerel—reduced the risk of death from coronary heart disease (CHD) by 36%. Notably, by combining results of randomized clinical trials, the investigators also demonstrated that intake of fish or fish oil reduces total mortality—deaths from any causes--by 17%.

Some fish contain mercury. For men and women not of childbearing age, it is not clear that mercury exposure from typical levels of fish intake has any adverse health effects. In contrast, fish intake has significant benefits for reducing the risk of death from heart disease, the number one cause of death. So, mercury exposure from fish intake should not be a major concern for men or for women not of childbearing age. The benefits of fish intake can be maximized by consuming a variety of different seafood.

However, when it comes to a healthier heart, the benefits of eating fish usually outweigh the possible risks of exposure to contaminants. Find out how to balance these concerns with adding a healthy amount of fish to your diet.

Aortic Valve Stenosis and Its Effect

Aortic stenosis is abnormal narrowing of the aortic valve. A number of conditions cause disease resulting in narrowing of the aortic valve. When the degree of narrowing becomes significant enough to impede the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the arteries, heart problems develop.

In the most severe cases, aortic valve stenosis occurs before a baby is born, and may affect the baby shortly after birth.
Less severe forms of the disease may be “silent”—causing no visible symptoms—until later in life.

Aortic valve stenosis can occur by itself, or as part of a group of abnormalities affecting the left side of the heart. Rarely, children can develop aortic stenosis as a complication of rheumatic fever. Although a physical exam and an electrocardiogram may suggest a possible diagnosis of aortic valve stenosis, an echocardiogram is the definitive test to confirm the condition. Echocardiograms are painless, do not require an IV and only take about an hour.

In adults, three conditions are known to cause aortic stenosis.

Progressive wear and tear of a bicuspid valve present since birth (congenital).

Wear and tear of the aortic valve in the elderly.

Scarring of the aortic valve due to rheumatic fever as a child or young adult.

The most common cause of aortic stenosis in patients 65 years of age and over is called "senile calcific aortic stenosis." With aging, protein collagen of the valve leaflets is destroyed, and calcium is deposited on the leaflets. Turbulence across the valve increases causing scarring, thickening, and stenosis of the valve once valve leaflet mobility is reduced by calcification. Why this aging process progresses to cause significant aortic stenosis in some patients but not in others is unknown. The progressive disease causing aortic calcification and stenosis has nothing to with healthy lifestyle choices, unlike the calcium that can deposit in the coronary artery to cause heart attack.

It is far less clear whether a similar effect can be achieved by oral long term vasodilator treatment in asymptomatic patients with AS. Furthermore, the best drug for lowering blood pressure in the presence of an AS has not been established. A specific potential benefit has been suggested for inhibitors of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), since ACE activity has been involved not only in an unfavourable left ventricular remodelling response, but also in the progression of valve degeneration.

However, use of vasodilators has been classically considered contraindicated in AS, because of their potentially hazardous effect related to the risk of decreasing coronary perfusion pressure in this population. Although there are no empirical data to support it, this hypothesis definitely cannot be overlooked. Patients with AS are known to have a diminished coronary flow reserve, as do patients with ischaemic heart disease. It is remarkable that lowering diastolic pressure below 80 mm Hg has been shown to increase the risk of myocardial infarction in ischaemic patients. Consequently, the particular “J shaped” curve of the blood pressure–risk relation needs to be specifically clarified for AS. Until the results of randomised placebo controlled studies become available, the role of these drugs should not be generalised.

Chocolate Increases Libido

The most recent finding has an Italian researcher saying he has found an association between eating chocolate and sexual fulfillment. Women who love chocolate, he says, seem to have better love lives. And that comes on top of earlier research that chocolate -- at least dark chocolate -- may be good for your heart.

Chocolate seems to straddle the line between a food and a beneficial medicine. Even the conventional wisdom that chocolate is related to acne has been challenged. Its chemical properties are complicated. Chocolate contains more than 300 substances, including caffeine in small quantities, and theobromine, a weaker stimulant. Some contend that these two chemicals form the basis of the much-touted chocolate high, postulating that they increase activity of key neurotransmitters. The stimulant phenylethylamine, which is related chemically to amphetamines, is also in chocolate.

According to Italian researchers, women who eat chocolate regularly had the highest levels of desire, arousal and satisfaction from sex. But for men, the findings of a British study were not so good.

In the chocolate/sex study, urologists from Milan's San Raffaele hospital questioned 163 women about their consumption of chocolate and their sexual fulfilment.

"Women who have a daily intake of chocolate showed higher levels of desire than women who did not have this habit," the study found. "Chocolate can have a positive physiological impact on a woman's sexuality."

Dr Andrea Salonia, author of the study - funded by a university, not by the confectionery industry - said women who had a low libido could become more amorous after eating chocolate.

She believes chocolate could be particularly medicinal for women who shun sex because they are suffering from premenstrual tension.

"Chocolate is not like a food, it's like a drug," Dr Salonia said. "Women who suffer mood swings as a result of their menstrual cycle may also suffer a dip in their sexual function. I strongly believe eating chocolate may improve their sexual function."

The research also looked at smoking and coffee consumption, but found no links with sexual enjoyment. From The Sunday Times of London

Lemonade to Avoid Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are solid pieces of material that form in a kidney. They can stay there or they may travel down the urinary tract until they are eliminated naturally. Unfortunately, kidney stones can also get stuck in the ureter, bladder or urethra. The result can be bleeding, blockage of urine flow and excruciating pain. Thankfully, there are natural ways to greatly reduce your risk of having this most common disorder of the urinary tract, including simply drinking lemonade.

New research shows that lemonade is an effective -- and delicious -- way for kidney-stone-prone people to slow the development of new stones.

"When treating patients in our kidney stone center, we put everyone on lemonade therapy," says Steven Y. Nakada, chair and professor of urology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Nakada spoke during a news conference on kidney stone research at this week's annual meeting of the American Urological Association in Atlanta.

Drink more water throughout the day. For people with a history of kidney stones, doctors usually recommend passing about 2.6 quarts (2.5 liters) of urine a day. Your doctor may ask that you measure your urine output to ensure that you're drinking enough water. People who live in hot, dry climates and those who exercise frequently may need to drink even more water to produce enough urine.

Lemons have the highest concentration of citrate - a natural inhibitor of kidney stone formation - of any citrus fruit.

In a recent study conducted by Sur, lemonade therapy - drinking four ounces of reconstituted lemon juice in two litres of water per day - was shown to decrease the rate of stone formation from 1.00 to 0.13 stones per patient.

Other fruit juices have less citrate and are often supplemented with calcium and contain oxalate, one of the principle components of kidney stones.

Sleepy and Headache Relationship

Pay attention to your sleeping habits and you'll lessen the odds and intensity of migraineheadaches, say researchers.

The idea sounds almost too simple, and headache specialists have long advised their patients to heed what they term "good sleep hygiene." But a study by a University of North Carolina sleep specialist provides some scientific evidence that good sleep habits can reduce the number of headaches and their severity.

Migraine sufferers who cleaned up their act reduced their headache frequency by 29% and their headache intensity by 40% compared with those who didn't change their sleep habits, Anne Calhoun, MD, reported at the 48th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Headache Society in Los Angeles.

Sleep complaints were common and associated with headache in a sizeable proportion of patients. Over half of migraineurs reported difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep at least occasionally. Many in this sample reported chronically shortened sleep patterns similar to that observed in persons with insomnia, with 38% of patients sleeping on average 6 hours per night.

Migraines were triggered by sleep disturbance in 50% of patients. "Awakening headaches" or headaches awakening them from sleep were reported by 71% of patients. Interestingly, sleep was also a common palliative agent for headache; 85% of migraineurs indicated that they chose to sleep or rest because of headache and 75% were forced to sleep or rest because of headache.

Patients with chronic migraine reported shorter nightly sleep times than those with episodic migraine, and were more likely to exhibit trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, sleep triggering headache, and choosing to sleep because of headache. Short sleepers (ie, average sleep period 6 hours) exhibited significantly more frequent and more severe headaches than individuals who slept longer and were more likely to exhibit morning headaches on awakening.

Fight Influenza with Herbs

Influenza, also known as seasonal flu, is an extremely infectious condition caused by one of many different types of flu virus. The virus that causes influenza targets your lungs and upper airways, causing symptoms such as aches and pains and a spike in your body temperature. Herbal medicines have been used for many years to help treat influenza. Meet with your doctor before using herbs for this condition to weigh the risks and benefits.

Herbal remedies cannot cure a cold or flu. But they can bring relief of symptoms, stimulate the immune system and speed recovery. We will describe several herbal remedies useful for colds and flu. Later we will describe important herbs for treating flu.

For example, flavonoids can inhibit neuraminidase (NA), an important genetic segment in influenza. The order of the inhibition potency by some flavonoids has been discovered. Some herbs can modulate immune responses such as enhancing the production of antiviral antibodies. Some herbs have continuous effects before and after the influenza infection, and can be used for both prevention and treatment. Some herbal extracts can be potential adjuvants for the improvement of immune responses of influenza vaccines.

Many of the herbs have been used for thousands of years in traditional medicines such as Chinese medicine for healing colds and fever. Scientific studies of these natural products are helpful for the development of antiviral vaccine adjuvants and drugs. The latest discoveries of herbs with effective anti-influenza activities are introduced here. The herbs or herbal extracts are explained with their backgrounds, effects and interactions, dosages, active components, scientific mechanisms, and references. For example, sometimes a low dosage may show a significant protective effect.

Reducing Sugar to Get Six Pack Abs

According to its publicist, sugar is a health food. After all, it contains zero fat, provides instant energy, and makes almost any food taste better. But these attributes are all trumped by a physiological fact: Sugar makes you fat. That may seem like a given, but by understanding why, you can minimize sugar's harmful effects and create a leaner, healthier body.

Reading labels is an important part of avoiding sugar, look out for the following in the ingredients list:

Sucrose
Glucose
Dextrose
Fructose
Maltose

These are all forms of sugar!

Other forms of sugar include: honey, syrup, raw sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, muscovado and concentrated fruit juice.

How to reduce your sugar intake?

Cut down on processed and packaged foods. Salad dressings, spaghetti sauces, soups and even pizza crusts contain sugar. If you make your own soup, you will unlikely be adding a cup of sugar to the stew pot, however this is exactly what manufacturers do. Try to purchase groceries with the least amount of packaging as possible.

Free sweets aren't free. Many work sites, businesses or offices always have on hand candy, doughnuts or other sweets to snack on. It is human nature to grab these cheap calories and ingest them, however you will pay for the free treats later with poor health and a belly roll.

Foods you think are healthy might actually contain excessive amounts of added sugar. Two of the most common culprits are yogurt and oatmeal. While many people believe that any type of yogurt is healthy, you should really choose only the plain varieties. Some types of fruit-flavored yogurt can contain as much sugar as a can of soda. Many instant and prepackaged oatmeal packets also contain high amounts of sugar. While the sugar might make the oatmeal more palatable, it does not do your body any favors.

Vanilla Latte Health Benefits

Skinny lattes offer a less caloric version of a flavored latte. Made with sugar-free vanilla syrup, nonfat milk and espresso, these treats pack all the benefits of a latte without the guilt. The chemicals in fake vanilla syrups used in these lattes are not universally appealing however, and the drinks can get expensive. There are ways of transforming your skinny vanilla latte into an even healthier pick-me-up by making your own vanilla syrup with real vanilla beans.

If you’re a caffephile, you don’t need this Johns Hopkins study to tell you that a cup or two a day increases your sense of well-being and happiness. You can thank dopamine for that, which also contributes to coffee’s addictive nature. But be aware, the study also noted that more than 2 cups daily increases the risk of anxiety and panic attacks. Some people respond more readily than others – if you find yourself feeling jittery or nervous, ease up on the joe.

LATTE

What is it: 1-2 shots of espresso with steamed milk.
Calories: Small, 200; large, 341.
Fat: Small, 10.6g (6.6 saturated); large, 17.9g (11.2 saturated).
Verdict: Surprisingly unhealthy. A large latte contains almost one third of the daily recommended fat intake for women. Add a vanilla shot and you 380 calories and 14.5g of fat in each large cup. This is equivalent to ten rashers of bacon.
How to make it healthier: Stick to skimmed milk and the calories in your large latte drop to 160, reduce saturated fat to zero and still provide a healthy dose (450mg) of calcium. Soya milk contains 50 calories more per large serving, but is still healthier than whole milk.

Foods that can Increase Uric Acid

Purines are organic compounds, which create uric acid on breakdown in the body. While your body needs uric acid for blood vessel health and other processes, a buildup of excess uric acid can lead to gout, diabetes and even cardiovascular disease. Purines consumed in the diet account for about 50 percent of the uric acid produced in the body. Therefore, avoiding foods high in purines or following a modified purine diet may help improve uric acid levels.

According to the American Medical Association, purine-containing foods include:

Beer, other alcoholic beverages.
Anchovies, sardines in oil, fish roes, herring.
Yeast.
Organ meat (liver, kidneys, sweetbreads)
Legumes (dried beans, peas)
Meat extracts, consomme, gravies.
Mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, cauliflower.

Any foods with a lower pH and that create acidosis in the system should be avoided, according to Dr. Theodore A. Baroody in his book "Alkalize or Die". Some of these foods are artificial sweeteners, food additives such as MSG, wheat, goat and lamb, pork, deer, chocolate, coffee, tea, turkey, white rice and liquor. Acid forming foods are known to aggravate gout and increase the levels of uric acid in the blood.

Headbanging Risks

Forget cigarettes, fried food and holding your breath too long – there's another indulgence that some doctors wish to quash. Rockers should cease their headbanging, Australian scientists have advised, or wear a less-than-rocking neck brace.

"We identified a definite risk of mild traumatic brain injury from headbanging," Dr Andrew McIntosh, of the University of New South Wales (UNSW), told the Australian newspaper. "We would suggest a proper public health warning, as for smoking." The results of his research were published in the Christmas edition of the British Medical Journal.

Head banging involves violent up-and-down, circular swinging, or side-to-side movements of the head and neck while dancing or listening to music, and the risk of injury increases as the music's tempo does, professor Andrew McIntosh and his research assistant Declan Patton report in the an online version of BMJ.

You can reduce your chance of injury by using protective equipment like neck braces, or simply moving your head to slower tempos, the researchers say.

So could someone render themselves unconscious while head banging? Unlikely, say the authors, unless they are banging their head on the stage or connect with someone else's head.

And what of two of the most famous head bangers, Beavis and Butt-head? When head banging at a tempo of 164 beats per minute to "I Wanna be Sedated" the range of motion of Beavis' head and neck is about 45º, say the authors, so he would be unlikely to sustain any injury. But the news for Butt-head may not be so rosy. Preferring to head bang at a range of motion of 75º, he may well experience symptoms of headaches and dizziness.

Luckily, there are a number of possible ways to protect against these injuries, write the authors. These include calling for bands such as AC/DC to play songs such as "Moon River" instead of "Highway to Hell", public awareness campaigns headed by musicians such as Cliff Richard and the labelling of music packaging with anti-head banging warnings.