GMOs and why you should never use Canola oil.

Posted on December 20, 2011 by

Olive oil comes from olives. Sesame seed oil comes from sesame seeds.

But what is a canola? Canola is actually a made-up word for a genetically modified product.

Canola stands for “Canadian oil low acid.” It’s (sadly) a Canadian invention and subsidized by the government. The subsidies make it very cheap to use, so almost all processed or packaged foods contain canola oil. Be sure to read the ingredients. Here’s why you should:

THE SCOOP ON CANOLA

Canola oil is developed from the rapeseed plant, which is part of the mustard family of plants. These oils have long been used for industrial purposes (in candles, lipsticks, soaps, inks, lubricants, and biofuels). It’s an industrial oil, not a food.

Read the full post at Vanessa Runs

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Vitamin Supplements – What The Government Wants You To Know

Posted on December 16, 2011 by

It is a fact that majority of people in the United States take vitamin supplements everyday or occasionally to prevent most of the illnesses that’s been plaguing people in the last century or so.

But did you know that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not determine whether a dietary supplement is effective before it is marketed? Yes, it’s true. This means that if you are not careful, you could end up wasting your money on ineffective supplements, or worse, put your health at risk.

The following are some pointers from the US Office of Dietary Supplements on vitamin supplements:

1. Supplements can NEVER take the place of nutritious food sources

The key to maintaining good health, really, is to eat a variety of foods that are essential for good health because they are readily absorbed by the body. A lot of factors interfere with the absorbability of synthetic dietary and vitamin supplements. These include their molecular size, your body’s PH level, among others.

2. Some supplements still need to be evaluated

It’s been scientifically proven that supplementing with calcium and vitamin D is important for keeping your bones strong and preventing bone loss, that folic acid decreases the risk of some birth defects and that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils can help people with heart disease.

However, all the other supplements need more clinical studies to prove their value or the lack of it. That said, you should not readily believe the claim on a product’s marketing copy. Instead, conduct your own research on its ingredients.

3. Always be aware of the side effects

There are some supplements that are harmful when taken with prescription medicine or when taken in combination with other vitamins. Some examples include the following:

• Vitamin K reduces the ability of Coumadin, a blood thinner, to prevent blood clotting.

• St. John’s wort can reduce the effectiveness of certain drugs by speeding up their breakdown.

• Antioxidant supplements like vitamins C and E can reduce the effectiveness of certain types of chemotherapy.

* Too much vitamin A causes headaches and liver damage, reduces bone strength, and causes birth defects.

* Excess iron causes nausea and vomiting and can damage the liver and other organs.

4. Most vitamin supplements have not been tested for safety

Be careful about giving and taking vitamin supplements beyond the basic multi-vitamin. Most of the dietary supplements in the market today have not been tested if they’re safe to use by pregnant women, nursing mothers and children.

Visit http://www.vitalnutritionals.com/ to know which vitamin supplement brands doctors believe are worth your money.

Author: Lyle Rutstein
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Anti-Aging Programs – Eight Major Factors to Consider

Posted on December 16, 2011 by

Rev Up Your Metabolism

Aging is accompanied by a decrease in your metabolic rate and an associated increase in your fat storage. As such, your body fails to burn excess fat as we grow older. To combat this anti-aging effect we need to control our metabolic rate by increasing daily activities. The best way to do this is to perform a 20 minute cardiovascular fitness program a few days a week to help rev up your metabolism. The best time to perform this fat burning workout is when you wake and before breakfast. This is the perfect time to workout because while you slept, your body depleted all the carbohydrates in your system, and since you have an empty stomach your body is forced to use your fat stores to provide energy for the workout.

Keep Your Heart Strong

Growing older also means a reduction in the ability of the heart to pump blood through the circulatory system. In addition, build up in the arteries also contributes to this reduced ability. Since your heart is a muscle its function and circulatory capability can be improved by aerobic exercise. Remember to always consult your doctor when starting any fitness program. However, I once heard a doctor say that if they could put exercise into a pill form, it would be the most prescribed pill known to mankind. As such, using exercise to keep the heart strong is an important factor in any anti-aging program.

Your Brain is a Muscle Too!

Anti-aging research has shown that memory capacity declines if the brain is not involved in mental functions. Mental inactivity causes poor memory function or in some cases memory loss. Playing games, participating in social activities, problem solving, reading and writing will all help “exercise” the brain. Exercising your brain will not only improve cognitive function but will also help eliminate boredom and depression.

Lung Capacity

Did you know that the oxygen uptake test, the one where they measure your lung capacity while your on a treadmill, is so accurate that if they gave a group of people the test and then had that same group run a distance race they could predict how each individual would place in the race before the race ended. With aging comes a reduced elasticity of the lungs and thus a reduced oxygen uptake or breathing capacity. Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise is an anti-aging solution that will increase the breathing capacity of the lungs.

Increase Your Lean Tissue or Muscle Mass

As you age your metabolism slows and you begin to lose muscle. Actually, muscle loss is a symptom of aging. However, you can increase muscle mass, burn fat, and increase your metabolism all at the same time. This is accomplished through an aerobic weight training workout. By using light weights that you can repeat 12 to 15 times per muscle group you will not only increase muscle mass and metabolic rate but also reduce fat stores. In addition, strength training exercises will increase your lean tissue which in turn increases your basal (resting) metabolic rate. Combining an aerobic weight training workout with a diet high in protein and low in fat is a good start for any anti-aging fitness program.

Stay Flexible

Stretching should be a part of any natural anti-aging fitness program. You not only warm up your muscles for the workout but also prevent any unnecessary injuries during the workout. Staying flexible will also eliminate any muscle cramping that is sometimes associated with aging. Moreover, being limber helps you perform better in your day to day anti-aging activities.

Your View of Yourself

Does growing old mean avoiding the bathroom scale or looking into a mirror? The way you perceive yourself is very important to your overall physical, mental and spiritual self. People are flocking to doctors for expanding waistlines and hair loss. Their buying anti-aging skin care products and cosmetics for younger looking skin and the list goes on. Your long-term whole-body physical, mental and spiritual picture of yourself is an important factor of your anti-aging program.

Bridge the Gap

Taking the steps necessary to take care of yourself will help you “bridge the gap” to a longer life. Developing a solid anti-aging program and strategy is essential. Without a plan or a process things are just left up to chance. You yourself can only implement the steps that will take you down the path of becoming a centenarian.

In conclusion, anti-aging overall is multidisciplinary. It involves, in part, the 12 factors discussed here but also total whole-body wellness and longevity. It involves incorporating the ingredients of wellness and longevity into your lifestyle. Anti-aging is an individual process – you decide what ingredients are part of the program. Anti-aging is what makes you feel good. It is what makes you “anti-age”!

Read more essential anti-aging information at Online-Anti-Aging-Guide.com a favorite website for topics like Anti-Aging Skin Care [http://www.online-anti-aging-guide.com/anti-aging-and-skin-care.htm] as well as general anti-aging lifestyle tips including Anti-Aging Diet and Fitness [http://www.online-anti-aging-guide.com/hard-to-lose-weight-after-30.htm] resources.

Author: Danny Nicholas
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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