Curcumin For Powerful Health Protection

March 5, 2008 | 9 Comments

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curcumin.jpgWouldn’t it be nice to have a spice that acted as a safe multipurpose drug?

Scientific researchers from around the world are studying curcumin (derived from the curry spice turmeric) for its effects in fighting . . . cancer, arthritis, diabetes, cataracts, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cystic fibrosis, and reversing Alzheimer’s disease.  Curcumin even shows promise as a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis and skin disorders such as psoriasis and wounds, among many other things.

The downside is, however, that despite its benefits, in the past the effectiveness of oral supplementation of curcumin has been limited by poor absorption into the bloodstream through the digestive tract.  But according to Life Extension Magazine, scientists have recently discovered an advanced formulation which is more readily absorbed than other curcumin supplement products.  The new formulation is called BCM-95® and it is a registered trademark of Dolcas-Biotech, LLC.   Compared to standard curcumin supplements, the BCM-95® formulation delivers up to seven times more curcumin to the bloodstream, sooner, and it sticks around nearly twice as long, which should greatly enhance the benefits of curcumin.   

Is curcumin safe?

Turmeric has been safely consumed for thousands of years and it can be taken as a simple daily supplement.  There have been few reports of mild gastrointestinal distress, which can be minimized by eating food with the supplement.   Seems to me like a fair trade-off for the benefits it provides. 

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Good Health Does Not Lead To A Heart Attack

March 5, 2008 | 3 Comments

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are-you-healthy.jpgHave you ever known anyone to say he/she feels healthy and has no symptoms so therefore must be healthy, but then a few days later dies from a heart attack?

Obviously, the person was not healthy as there was a health problem that caused the heart attack.  So how do we know if we are healthy?

Start this, stop that, eat what?

Each of us are on a road to either sickness (which leads to death) or wellness (which leads to good health).  We constantly read about things that we should or should not be doing in order to maintain good health.  And every decision we make affects our health.  But making lifestyle changes is not easy and it takes time, patience, dedication, and motivation to stay on track.  It is difficult to know if we are doing enough to increase the years we have left on this precious earth. 

But there are key factors that will help us know if we are at least moving in the right direction.

In order to have excellent health, we need to first examine what we are putting into our body and how we are treating our body, physically and mentally.  Namely, the foods we eat and the exercise we get.  But we must also acknowledge the good stresses in our life from the bad.  There is such a thing as positive stress and it comes from regular exercise, solving problems, and working towards goals.  And negative stresses come from sleep deprivation, bodily injuries, drinking alcohol excessively, worrying about finances, difficulties with career, and arguing with spouse.  Stress has a huge impact on our overall health and is a big factor in whether we will be going in the direction of wellness or sickness. 

It is detrimentally important that the good stresses outweigh the bad.  Some strategies to help accomplish that include, 

1.  getting lots of ZZZ’s
2.  smiling often
3.  drinking wisely
4.  maintaining a good attitude
5.  relaxing

Which direction are you going?

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Not Everything Causes Cancer Afterall

March 3, 2008 | 1 Comment

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cancer-prevention.jpgA group of researchers are telling us we can relax as studies now show that not everything causes cancer as we commonly read.

According to these researchers, the only cancer-causing things we really need to worry about are smoking, alcohol, and sunlight.  So we can put on our deodorant, drink our coffee, and eat our fruits with pesticides, and have no worry. 

But should we really not worry? 

According to the American Cancer Society, it is expected that over 1,437,180 cancer cases will be diagnosed in 2008.  They say cancer cases which are most preventable are those cancer cases which occur as a result of smoking, drinking alcohol, and being exposed directly to too much sunlight.  And only about 1/3 of all cancer cases could be prevented by making proper lifestyle choices.

Anyone can get cancer.  While it may be true that no one knows for certain what causes cancer, we do know that by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, we greatly decrease our chances of developing the horrible disease. 

The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends these guidelines for cancer prevention: 

1.  Choose mainly plant-based foods and limit red meat and processed meat.
2.  Be active every day in any way for 30 minutes or more.
3.  Aim to be a healthy weight throughout life.
4.  Avoid sugary drinks and processed foods high in added sugar, low in fiber, or high in fat.
5.  Do not use tobacco in any form.
6.  Limit consumption of alcohol.

We never know from one week to the next what the researchers will be saying.  But it doesn’t take a researcher to tell us that with a little common sense and a healthy lifestyle, we greatly increase our chances of living longer. 

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5 Steps To Living A Happier Life

February 29, 2008 | 1 Comment

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happiness.jpgSome people have a belief that happiness must be earned by first experiencing work, hardship, and pain.   

My question to them is, “How do you know when you have sustained enough pain to deserve happiness? 

Happiness is not something you earn, but rather it is something you bring about.  It comes from within by the thoughts you have and the choices you make.  Happiness is being at peace with yourself.

“There is one sure way to find happiness.  That is by controlling your thoughts.”  ~ Dale Carnegie

How do you find peace with yourself so that you can have happiness?

  1. By giving more.  Give to others for the simple joy of giving.  Give unconditionally. 
  2. By expecting less.  When you give to others, expect nothing in return.  Realize that many people are not good at expressing gratitude and then you won’t be disappointed when they don’t return the favor. 
  3. By living simply.  While buying that new sports car will bring you pleasure, it will not bring you happiness.  Pleasure is short lived while happiness is long term.
  4. By freeing your mind of worries.  If you are worrying about something, most likely it is something beyond your power to change.  Don’t dwell on problems such as finances or you may pay a higher price with your health.
  5. By freeing your heart of hatred.  Learn to forgive those who have hurt you.  Not forgiving someone hurts you more than it hurts them.  Chances are, they are going on with life as usual and don’t even know you are carrying the hatred for them. 

Happiness is having the freedom, health, and opportunity to do great things for yourself and others.  And happier people are healthier people, both mentally and physically. 

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How To Calculate Your Body Mass Index

February 27, 2008 | 12 Comments

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bmi-body-mass-index.jpgToo fat or too thin, you may be unhealthy.

Calculating your BMI can give you a general idea as to whether you are underweight, at a healthy weight, or obese.  Body mass index (BMI) is a standard measurement that represents the percentage of body fat for adult men and women.  It can help you determine if you are at an increased risk for health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers including breast cancer.  Starting in Europe more than 150 years ago, the BMI calculation became popular in the U.S. in the 1980’s. 

But a BMI calculation is nothing more than an estimate as it can only measure so much.  For instance, BMI may overestimate body fat in athletes and other people with muscular builds, and it may underestimate body fat in older people and those who have lost muscle mass.  Still, it is a good tool to help determine if you fall above or below the safety line. 

Here’s how to calculate your BMI.

There are several websites that will provide a calculation for you, but as first mentioned over at the Iowa Avenue blog, you can do a quick calculation with your own calculator . . .  take 703 times your weight, divide by your height in inches, and divide again by your height in inches (703 x weight / height twice). 

Here are what the results mean.

  • If your BMI is 14.9 or less, you are extremely underweight. 
  • If your BMI falls between 15-18, you are mildly underweight.
  • A BMI 18.5-24.9 means you are at a weight in good proportion to your height.
  • A BMI of 25-29.9 means you are overweight. 
  • A BMI of 30-39.9 indicates you are obese.
  • And a BMI of 40 or more indicates you are morbidly obese.

Of the U.S. population, only 33.5 percent of us have a good BMI in proportion to their height, 34 percent are overweight, and 30 percent fall under the morbidly obese category.   If you find yourself in the overweight category and are wanting to lose weight, keep in mind that in order to lose one pound per week, you need to eliminate 500 calories from your day.  You can do that by cutting back on the calories you consume, or by exercising, or a combination of both.   

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Health Sites … To Help Spread Links To Good Health

February 22, 2008 | 6 Comments

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health-links.jpgNeed some more good health sites to read?

Occasionally, I like to share links to other health sites that I find interesting, helpful, or just plain fun.  Here are a few worth checking out.

  1. Think Simple Now is a personal growth website that has taken off in a short amount of time.  The writer’s success is due to good interesting writing and having a true passion for helping others. 
  2. Healthy Habits For Life takes a strong stance on prevention for wellness.  The site owner is a clinical educator and health coach in Tucson, AZ. 
  3. Lazy Man and Health is an all-health website that provides great information, much of which he learned through personal experiences and setting goals. 
  4. Walker Talk is the blog of a woman on a fitness mission to get in shape before her son’s wedding.  One of her biggest motivators is her sister-in-law whom you can meet at Life Plus Fitness. 
  5. Health Ranker.  “Social Media Just Got Healthy.”  This is a “must check out” site for anyone in the health niche.  It is a new social media news site dedicated to all things health.  This is great news for us health sites AND for those who want to learn better health.  Health Ranker is a new site which just launched this month and is still in Beta.  So don’t be surprised if you find a bug here and there.  Once you become a member, you can rate health blog posts by a few simple clicks.

Oh, and if you enjoy reading my post, please be sure to rank it.  

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