Archive for the 'Food Guide' Category

Raw Food Diet Offers Considerable Benefits

A raw food diet is a healthy and nutritious natural way of eating. Followers of raw food diets finally have some support as to the health benefits, as mainstream studies have recently shown some considerable benefits associated with following a raw food diet.

Typically followers of a raw food diet consume at least 75% of their diet as uncooked and otherwise unprocessed plant based foods including but not limited to fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Nothing is to be heated above 115 degrees F in order to preserve the integrity of the enzymes associated with digestion and absorption.

80 Percent of Americans Have No Idea Which Foods Contain Trans Fats

While most people in the United States now know that they should avoid trans fats, only 20 percent actually know which foods are likely to contain the dangerous ingredients, according to a survey conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado-Denver and published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Trans fats, also known as hydrogenated oils, are artificially produced in the laboratory by adding extra hydrogen atoms to unsaturated vegetable oils. They have long been a favorite of the food industry for their increased shelf life over conventional oils. Unlike natural fats, however, trans fats have no nutritional value and drastically increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. Like saturated fats, they increase the body’s levels of LDL (”bad”) cholesterol, but unlike those fats they also lower its levels of HDL (”good”) cholesterol.

Study Finds New Hazard in Third-Hand Smoke

Most people take the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke seriously, but a study published in the January 2009 edition of Pediatrics shows this is not enough. A newly discovered hazard, labeled “third-hand smoke,” poses considerable risk, even more so because it is not always obvious.

A cigarette in the hand or a room full of smoke is conspicuous and easy to avoid. But what about after the cigarette’s been put out and the smoke disappears? Doctors from MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston say the dangerous toxins are still present, even if they are no longer visible. Smoke from tobacco products leaves a residue behind which exposes you to carcinogens, heavy metals and radioactive materials.

Tart Cherries May Help Reduce Belly Fat

A diet containing tart cherries may help reduce the symptoms of metabolic syndrome and the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan and presented at the annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association.

The study was funded by the Cherry Marketing Institute, which did not have any involvement in its design, implementation or analysis.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, including high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high fasting blood sugar, low HDL (”good”) cholesterol and central obesity (obesity characterized mainly by belly fat). In the current study, researchers evaluated several symptoms of metabolic syndrome in mice that were fed one of two diets, either with or without added whole tart cherry powder.

NaturalNews Posts Exclusive Interview with Paul Schulick, Founder of New Chapter

New Chapter is a top “truly natural” nutritional product company that specializes in whole food complexes that derive benefits from synergistic, complementary nutrients rather than isolated phytochemicals. With an organic production garden in Costa Rica and a line of highly-respected products (Zyflamend, Berry Green, etc.) New Chapter has become one of the most-respected success stories in the natural products industry while earning numerous awards and accolades from customers and media alike (NaturalNews has awarded New Chapter it’s Editor’s Choice award for its Zyflamend product, for example).

In this exclusive interview, Paul Schulick and Mike Adams discuss New Chapter’s formulation philosophy, key adaptogenic ingredients and many product innovations (including supercritical extraction technology).

Chiropractic Care Naturally Treats Colic

Colic is defined as inconsolable crying in an infant for as least three hours a day, at least three days a week, for at least three weeks. A colicky baby typically presents with a loud piercing cry, flexed legs, tensed abdominal muscles, and clenched fingers. It typically starts around three weeks of age and lasts until around three months but sometimes lasts for as long as six months. Approximately 10-20% of babies are affected by colic. Doctors diagnose colic based on the previously mentioned “Rule of 3″ and after ruling out diseases that may make a baby cry uncontrollably. Parents of infants with colic report significantly higher stress levels than parents whose babies don’t have colic. The stress and frustration of trying to soothe a colicky baby may interfere with mother-baby bonding and can increase the risk of postpartum depression. In addition, colicky babies are more likely to be victims of child abuse and shaken baby syndrome. Despite the research done on colic there is no known cause, which can make treatment difficult. Chiropractic care has shown some of the best results, with 94% of colicky babies demonstrating improvement with chiropractic adjustments.

Pilates Effective in Treating Low Back Pain

Many adults suffer from low-back pain at some point in their lives. In fact, low back pain is so prevalent that the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke lists low back pain as the number one cause of job disability in the United States. Treatment for low back pain varies from over-the-counter anti-inflammatory to surgery. Because of the invasive nature of surgery, side-effects, and low success rate many patients and their healthcare providers chose to turn to more conservative options if they are able. Pilates is one of those options and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of low back pain.

Western Diet Responsible for One-Third of Heart Attacks

One-third of heart attacks worldwide may be attributable to diets high in fat, salt, eggs and meat, according to a groundbreaking new study published in the journal Circulation.

“Thirty percent of the risk of heart disease in a population could be related to poor diet,” lead author Romania Iqbal said.

In the INTERHEART study, researchers from Canada’s McMaster University compared diet and heart attack risk among 16,000 people in 52 countries — 5,561 people who had survived a heart attack, and 10,646 who had no history of heart disease.

Five Ways to Make Your Food Help Save the Planet

Every action you take in buying foods and beverages has an ecological footprint. There is a CO2 footprint associated with every item you buy. From the transportation of the food item to the fossil fuels spent in the farming, ranching or processing of the ingredients, it all adds up to an “ecological footprint” that’s invisible but very real.

How big, exactly, is this ecological footprint? Astonishingly, the eco-footprint of your food is larger than the eco-footprint of the car you drive!

Injuries, Deaths Caused by Medications Skyrocket 38 Percent

(NaturalNews) The number of serious injuries and deaths linked to the use of prescription medications reached a new high in the first quarter of 2008, according to a report issued by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices.

Researchers found mention of 4,825 deaths and approximately 21,000 serious injuries among voluntary adverse event reports submitted by doctors to the FDA between January and March. These numbers were 38 percent higher than the quarterly average for 2007 and a striking 200 percent higher than the first quarter of 2007.