Organic Food is Good for You

For people who are keen to know why organic food is great for our body, read what Mike Selvon Mike Selvon's got to say:

Organic food health benefits are debated more than ever. With people demanding to buy organic food more, researchers are tying to find the benefits and risks of eating organically.

Sometimes researchers have said that the organic food health benefits are really nonexistent, while with other studies, multiple benefits have been found. By researching organic foods, a person can find the real story about organic food health benefits.

Organic food health benefits may begin with the debate of the nutrition level of certified organic food versus regularly grown food. Depending on what information is read, different information is given.

According to the research on organic food that the New York Times did in 2003, their report was that "recent preliminary evidence suggests that the levels of certain nutrients, especially vitamin C, some minerals and some polyphenols -- naturally occurring antioxidants that may help bolster the immune system -- are higher in organically grown crops."

This comment alone reinforces such food health benefits that a person can gain by eating fresh organic food.

Outside organic growing, many farmers, in order to have their plants grow larger and more bountiful, add pesticides and toxins. Such food health benefits stem from the lack of these toxins and pesticides.

Pesticides have been linked to making people ill, and can cause a person to avoid fresh vegetables that are needed for an overall healthy diet. Toxins in the body can cause problems such as headaches and tremors.

Because organic food health benefits help reduce the risk of these undesirable benefits, natural and organic food should be definitely taken into consideration when choosing foods.

One particular such food health benefit occurs when the additives that are found in almost all foods are not used. Organic food production prohibits the use of food additives such as preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and hydrogenated fat.

This in itself is excellent for all people but especially children. The less artificial sweeteners that children can be exposed to the better according to most doctors.

Organic food health benefits are numerous. Debates rage as to what exact benefits organically grown food can offer the public. Some claim that the nutrient levels are higher, others say they are the same.

But one thing is for sure. Organically grown food offers little to no pesticides, and this can help everyone be healthier. No matter whether studies are right in linking certain ailments to pesticides or not, even children can gain from such food health benefits.

Because of the lack of artificial ingredients, children can be healthier and happier. This fact alone is enough to make anyone start enjoying fresh organic food.

Smoking create hormone imbalance

Sometimes, when you try to lose fats, you miss the most obvious things. Did you know that smoking creates an imbalance in women's hormone levels, which leads to changes in body shape?

There is a misconception that smokers are thinner than non-smokers. However, smoking actually affects the endocrinal system - the glands that secrete hormones - and changes your body shape, increasing the waist-to-hip ratio.

So, smokers can be pot-bellied with spindly legs. This is attributed to smoking upsetting the hormone levels. This, in turn, results in smokers storing fats in an abnormal way. So smokers tend to acquire an 'apple' shape.

When you stop smoking, your body can get back to normal and recover from the effects of smoking.You want to look young, you have to delay the process of aging. Smoking accelerates the process of aging.

Now you know, stay healthy. Stop smoking.

Music can make you healthy

Many people have believed this down through the years. Now, with modern medicine behind it, more people will start to believe it too - music is good for you. According to Dr Michael Miller, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland, you should listen to music to maintain good heart health.

You see, your heart will likely soar at the sound of joyous music. That's supposed to be good for you. Dr Miller's findings were reported at the annual meeting of the Amercian Heart Association in New Orlean in November 2008.

WebMD reported that 10 volunteers identified specific music that made them feel a sense of joy. While the music was being played, the researchers used an ultrasound device to measure how well each person's blood vessels responded to a sudden increase of blood flow. The volunteers' blood vessels dilated by 26% when they heard joyful music. That is a very healthy sign according to the good doctor.

What exactly is joyous music? Dr Miller says it depends on the individual. It's not the type of music that counts but a person's response to it.

In that case, you might want to download some joyous music to keep your healthy pink and healthy.

Take Soya for Lower Cholesterol

Some people have been talking about taking soya to lower cholesterol levels. How much of this is folk-lore and how much of it is true?

The FDA have allowed companies to claim that 25g of soya protein a day, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, "may reduce the risk of heart disease". This is based on the agency's evaluation of studies and they concluded that soya is able to cut cholesterol.

In 2006, an Americal Heart Association advisory panel reviewed a decade of studies and determined that soya product had no significant effects on good cholesterol or HDL, or triglycerides (fat in the blood), and little or no ability to lower "bad" cholesterol or LDL.

Another study published in August in The Americal Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that taking 24g of soya protein daily had no "significant effect on plasma LDL." in people with mildly elevated cholesterol.

Yet another line of research shows that soya seems to help if soya is taken with foods that's low in fat and high in fibre.

The evidence is rather inconclusive, but there are indications that it might be possibly true. For sure, it has no negative effect. So, try it and let us know.

Source: The New York Times

Soup can make you fat

Last week, I shared a soup recipe. Then, my friend who loves her soups cannot understand why she couldn't lose weight when she changed her diets to mostly salads, soups and bread rolls.

Well, you know that there are many different kinds of soup. I am guessing that her fondness for rich and thick soups is the main culprit.

Soups like cream of potato soup or cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup and beef strongnafoff are fantastic soups; unfortunately, they are also full of cream, cheese and meat. In other words, they are loaded with calories. When you add croutons or eat them with bread rolls, pasta, rice, you will end up with even more calories. So, just because you are drinking soupd does not mean that you are on a low calorie diet.

Choose to drink clear soups whenever you can. Broth-based and vegetable based soups and stews are excellent choices when you are trying to lose fats. They can fill you, but have much lesser calories.

Healthy Recipe - Hamburger and Green Bean Soup

This is a hearty soup idea for cold nights or hungry children. It is simple to prepare and low in fat. It is rather filling too.

Ingredients
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of tomato soup (low fat or low sodium, regular is fine too)


1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
2/3 cup instant rice, uncooked

1 (15 ounce) can cut green beans, rinsed & drained
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
butter-flavored cooking spray

Directions

1 Spray a large saucepan with cooking spray.
2 Brown beef and chopped onions over medium heat until cooked though; drain any fat.
3 To the browned meat & onions, add the can of tomato soup, tomato sauce, and water.
4 Bring to a boil, then add uncooked instant rice, green beans, parsley, and black pepper; stir well.
5 Cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring once or twice.

Hope you enjoy this recipe.

Apples and antioxidants

Have you heard: An apple keeps a doctor away?

You see, apples contain a natural antioxidant called *quercetin* which is found in red apples. This antioxidant gives the body an immunity boost.

Researchers have found that a group of athletes taking quercetin supplements maintained better mental alertness and reaction times over a control group who were given a placebo.

Red apples are available all year round, so there is no excuse not to include them into your diet. So do take advantage of eating the fruit at least once a day and you may actually find that the doctor may become a stranger to you and your family.