Basil: The Secret Ingredient to Keeping Your Youth

When it comes to anti-aging products, you may have all kinds of lotions and potions piled up in your bathroom cabinet and on the nightstand. Anything that claims to look after the wellness and wellbeing of your skin as you get older has got to be worth a try, right? What if we told you that one simple plant could be the key to the youthful glow you have been seeking?

 

Basil is a herb that is commonly used in cooking. It has a sweet and distinctive smell, and is commonly used in pesto, where it is mixed with pine nuts and parmesan cheese to make a delicious accompaniment for pasta.

 

Basil originally comes from Asia’s tropical regions, and nit is absolutely packed with nutrients and antioxidants. For this reason, it has all kinds of different health benefits. Amongst other things, it is known to have fantastic anti-bacterial properties, antimicrobial properties and, most importantly of all for you, anti-aging properties. Not only this, but basil helps to fight against serious health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and even cancer.

 

Having been used in Ayurvedic medicines for several hundreds of years, the effects of basil have been studied extensively. It is no surprise then, that the latest studies carried out at the College of Pharmacy in Maharashtra in India prove, once again, that basil can help stop the body from aging prematurely.

 

Researchers found that basil worked by protecting the body against the effects of free radicals. Basil contains something called flavonoids, which stopped the free radicals from causing damage to the body. The study showed quite clearly that the herb helped to keep the cells young and intact.

 

As well as the flavonoids, basil contains volatile oils, which help to fight against strains of bacteria called Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas and Enterococcus.

Categories: aging, anti, anti aging, Basil, body, Food, Free Radicals, nbsp, nbsp basil

Tips to Enhance your Fertility through Nutrition

Struggling in different ways to improve your fertility might land you into a mess by applying the methods whose side effects are worse. If you are not very careful, you may not get pregnant forever. Most women turn to buy gonal f hormone so that they can use to improve fertility. You need to understand its proper use since this hormone still has worse side effects. Lifestyle changes have in most cases improved fertility in many women and men. However, the best methods to improve your fertility lie in nutritional changes. As a result, this article dwells on nutritional tips to get you fertile. These tips are as follows:

 

• Change your Health Measures following the right Reasons.

 

As a way to avoid tying your health improvement to fertility, you need not to judge your success or failure using your status in pregnancy. Overweight women are believed to have less fertility and as such you need to lose the weight to a desirable one. This improves ovulation in obese women.

 

• Healthy Sane Goals are crucial

Your fertility will improve upon eating plenty of vegetables, fruits and avoiding foods with high calorie content. Physical body exercises are also good in improving your healthy which will in turn set your fertility level higher. Plenty of foods that are gluten-free, nut-free and dairy-freerender the body hard time in digestion and other processes. This reduces fertility level.

 

• Vitamins, Herbs and Supplements are Important in your Diet

 

Your diet needs to be balanced with good amount of natural stuff which includes herbs, vitamin-foods and herbs. In fact, not all natural stuff is good for fertility. For instance; Poisonous mushrooms are natural but can not be eaten to improve fertility. For this reason, you need to see your doctor who will recommend to you pre-natal vitamins/ foods to take.Taking herbs for fertility increase too needs the doctor’s recommendation. Some herbs hinder fertility when they are used in the wrong proportions. In using supplements, you need not combine them as they bring about adverse effects in your fertility.

 

• Antioxidants are great supplements to your diet

Various antioxidants such as heart disease and cancer fighters help to boost fertility levels. The antioxidants are chemical substances meant to prevent the damage of body cells from free radicals. You need to understand that since you live by eating, your body is continuously breaking down thefood to thus producing these radicals. Upon exposure of your body to cigarette smoke, pollution, radiation or chemicals these free radicals can also be formed.

 

Antioxidants also improve the health of sperm cells.  It has been proven in research that men who have taken antioxidants in supplement have less DNA damaged sperms than those who have not. Some of these researches have found that couples whose men have used antioxidants experience higher pregnancies.

 

Examples of antioxidants which are very useful in improving the health of sperms are; Zinc, Selenium, Vitamin C, Folic acid, Lycopene and Vitamin E.

i.            Zinc is found in crabs, red meat, beans, poultry and oysters.

ii.            Selenium is majorly found in Brazil nuts, cod, tuna, chicken and turkey.

iii.            Vitamin C is found in several fruits and vegetables such as grapefruits, kiwi, oranges and red peppers.

iv.            You will obtain Folic acid from the liver, beans, fruits, peas, leafy green vegetables and fortified grains.

v.            Vitamin E is found in seeds, nuts, leafy greens and oils.

vi.            Lycopene is also found in watermelon, apricots, pink grapefruit and tomatoes.

 

• Moderation in Diet

When you decide on your diet, planning is very important. This will avoid overeating of these foods. For instance, Brazil nuts are not recommended to be eaten on a daily basis.You need to consult with your doctor prior to planning on your diet for these foods. You will realize that some food supplements easily interfere with other medications. Most doctors will not recommend you to buy gonalf first before advising on diet moderation.

 

Categories: Brazil nuts, enhance, Fertility, fertility level, folic acid, Free Radicals, improve fertility, natural stuff, nbsp, nbsp antioxidants, nutrition, Tips

Can Vitamin C Improve your Hair Growth?

The health and beauty industry has realised in recent years that the natural way is popular amongst consumers, which is why there has been an influx of products on the market that include plant derivatives and vitamins. One of the more popular choices in hair products is vitamin C which is essential for hair growth and many other cellular processes in the body. For centuries, it was given to sailors on long journeys to stave off illness and keep the body healthy – whilst scurvy may not be a risk nowadays, it’s still a vital nutrient in our everyday health. Many studies have shown how important vitamin C is in keeping our skin strong and supple, helping to boost the levels of collagen in the skin which help to fight ageing and wrinkles, but what can it do for your hair?

 

On the surface, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant to combat the damage from free radicals that the environment causes. On the skin, this translates into wrinkles and lines, as well as a dull complexion. However, there are limited studies into the effect of vitamin C on your hair, as the complicated cellular processes are less prevalent in the hair. Vitamin C is the more common name for ascorbic acid which is a small chiral molecule – this means that it can occur in two different forms. The types of ascorbic acid which are found in plants, synthesised in animals and used in cosmetic products are left-handed molecules. The right-handed version doesn’t occur in nature, though researchers are unsure why.

 

Vitamin C is a mild acid and therefore works as a great ingredient in clarifying shampoos. It can be very useful in removing mineral build-up which can build up on the hair follicles. This process can help to enable the hair to absorb moisture, keeping it soft and shiny and stopping it from breaking so easily. When this nutrient is included in conditioners and styling products it works as an antioxidant, much as it is used in skin creams as well. Free radicals lead to damage in the structure of the hair, so using vitamin C can help to reduce the effects of split ends. Free radicals also react to the natural melanin and synthetic dye molecules which can remain in the hair strands – vitamin C can be useful in this regard, helping to keep the colour fresh and bright. In other products, vitamin C is used as a pH adjuster or a preservative, and can have no significant impact on the final effect of the product. If it is low on the list of ingredients, you’ll know that this is the case.

 

With regards to hair growth, vitamins C can help to repair a damaged or unhealthy scalp. Your scalp goes a long way to determining the health of your hair and while it is true that ascorbic acid is capable of transferring tissue and cells in certain products, this isn’t usually the case in shampoo. This is because the pH of hair care products is usually very high and this can stop the acid from being effective. Most products with vitamin C in them will have little impact on your scalp health. Whether it is possible for hair products to improve your hair growth, it remains to be seen – it won’t hurt to try them, but the effects may only be in moderation. If you’re suffering with severe problems with your scalp, however, speak to your GP in case you’re lacking something in your diet.

Categories: acid, ascorbic acid, cellular processes, Free Radicals, hair, hair growth, hair products, products, scalp health, vitamin, vitamin c

New Cream Could Completely Reverse The Signs Of Ageing

A new wrinkle cream called MitoQ could be a revolution in the anti-ageing market, as it is thought to both soften the skin and actually reverse the signs of ageing. This was discovered by scientists Rob Smith and Mike Murphy from Cambridge University, who stumbled across the blend of ingredients by accident. It is thought that the cream floods the cells with antioxidants and that these destroy any lurking free radicals.

 

If proved, this discovery will join a whole host of accidental medical breakthroughs which have occurred when scientists are looking for something else altogether. These include Botox, Quinine and Viagra, which were all discovered by accident.

 

In this case, the scientists at Cambridge University were working towards a cure for liver damage, and in the course of this they accidentally created a cream which they now feel sure will work as a powerful reversal for the signs of ageing.

 

Naming their product MitoQ, the scientists have patented the product which they say floods cells which the health-giving molecules and send them straight to the mitochondria, to eliminate the free radicals that cause tissue damage. The team claims that this discovery could massively enhance the body’s antioxidant capacity and restore ageing cells to their optimal function.

 

Other accidental discoveries include Viagra, which was discovered when scientists were looking for a medicine for angina. When the medication, designed to relax blood vessels, was tested on trial volunteers, the results for angina were disappointing. Then, the volunteers started to report that the side effect of the drug was that they were experiencing more erections. At this time, there was no treatment for erectile dysfunction and so this discovery was incredibly exciting.

 

Ritalin was also discovered by accident. It was originally intended to medicate depression in adults and is now used to tread ADHD in children.

Categories: ageing, aging, cambridge university, cream, discovered, Free Radicals, nbsp, reverse, scientists

Could Living in the City Be Having an Effect on your Skin?

In today’s fast-paced and career-focused world, many of us will find ourselves living in the city for work-related reasons at some point in our lives. There are some great things about living in the city, and of course many people choose to live in the city regardless of work, but could this type of urban environment actually be damaging to our wellness?

 

A new study has come to light which has revealed that spending time in the city could actually be bad for the wellbeing of your skin. The impact that the city environment could have on your skin is often hugely underestimated and this impact generally falls into two categories: pollution and stress.

 

Pollution is always worse in cities due to industry and high concentration of people in one place, but it also prompts the release of unstable chemicals known as free radicals which are produced in the body to attempt to fight the pollution.

 

Free radicals have been linked to serious health conditions such as heart disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and cancer, but they can also steal oxygen way from your skin cells and make them age prematurely. The best way to fight against this is to take a regular vitamin supplement which contains vitamins A, C and E.

 

Eczema is often higher in cities too, due to the smog, deficiencies in vitamin D and pollution factors.

 

Whilst also wonderful, city living can be stressful because it is busy and noisy. It is also full of unnatural light, and this can deplete your skin of nutrients.

 

Stress can also make people more likely to make poor food choices (and of course junk food is readily available in a city) and this lack of nutrients and addition of fat and chemicals to the diet can also lead to poor skin, as can smoking and drinking alcohol – two things that people often turn to to relieve stress.

Categories: city, environment, Free Radicals, nbsp, people, pollution, skin

Red Meat and Eggs: Man Food to Help Build Strong Muscles

Building muscle mass isn’t just a fitness issue; it also concerns other wellness elements, such as diet. Not only do you need plenty of carbs for energy and protein for muscle growth and repair, but there are several muscle-friendly foods which are greatly beneficial to your well-being, and can help you get the most out of your workouts in the process.

 

Eggs – The list for the benefits of eggs is as long as your arm; they are packed with folate, riboflavin, zinc, phosphorus, iron and vitamins B6, B12, D and E. On top of this, the proteins in eggs have the highest biological value, which means they are the best for supporting your body. If you’re concerned about the yolk’s cholesterol content, you actually need that little bit of yolk to facilitate muscle contractions and break down fat.

 

Almonds – This is the best source in the world for alpha-tocopherol vitamin E, which is a potent antioxidant that will reverse the effects of free radicals on your muscles. Plus, almonds are high in fibre and omega-3 fatty acids, and reduce your risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s.

 

Oily Fish – The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like salmon and tuna decrease the breakage of protein after your workouts, and enhance the recovery process of your muscles. Plus, Louisiana State University researchers found that oily fish improves heart health and reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes.

 

Yoghurt – This is one of the few foods found in nature that contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) – a special kind of fat that reduces overall body fat. Plus, yoghurt is the perfect combo of carbs, proteins and calcium you need for stronger bones and growing muscles.

 

Lean Red Meat – Red meat offers two, crucial muscle-building nutrients; zinc and iron, but more than that, lean read meat is the number one natural food source for creatine. When shopping, remember you want lean cuts; otherwise you’re eating products that are high in cholesterol.

 

Olive Oil – In healthy oils, monounsaturated fats work to prevent the breakdown of your muscles. Using extra virgin olive oil is even better because it contains high levels of vitamin E which, as you now know, helps to fight the effects of free radicals on muscle breakdown. Plus, olive oil has been known to reduce your risk of heart disease, colon cancer, osteoporosis, premature ageing and diabetes.

Categories: Eggs, fatty acids, Free Radicals, meat, Muscle, muscles, nbsp, oily fish, olive oil, red meat, strong muscles

Turmeric and Almond Oil: Spices Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

One day, drinking a glass of milk and munching on cheese and crackers will be all you need to guard your wellbeing against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. This is according to Dr. Mahesh Narayan, associate professor of chemistry at The University of Texas at El Paso, whose recent studies have led him to suggest that everyday spices could prevent neurodegenerative diseases from damaging mental health, as well as overall wellness.

Dr Narayan has recently undertaken studies, in which he found that everyday spices such as turmeric, most commonly found in Indian food, neem, almond oil and the creosote bush may contain key neurodegenerative disease-preventing ingredients. Narayan, a native of India, explained, ‘The long term prospect for us is to actually lace everyday food, such as potato chips, milk, cheese, etc., with these ethno-pharmaceuticals, and then have them neuro-protect you without you even knowing.’

A brain process called “protein misfolding” is the most commonly known to cause many neurodegenerative diseases, and Dr Narayan’s experiments with curcumin, a polyphenol in turmeric, show the potential of these kitchen table ingredients to intervene in this process. Free radicals help to spread Alzheimer’s [AD] and Parkinson’s [PD], and Narayan explained that polyphenols are good at scavenging free radicals. This helps to prevent the progress of the pathogenesis of AD and PD.

Narayan is currently working with Dr Edward Castaneda, chair and professor of psychology, and Dr Manuel-Arrango, assistant professor of biological sciences, at UTEP, with the shared goal of moving on to animal studies. Commenting on his future contributions to Narayan’s research, Castaneda said, ‘If you develop a drug that is useful for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, you don’t know if it will be useful unless you investigate the behavioural effects of that drug.’ The researchers aim is to explore an animal model, and the effects that polyphenols have in diminishing and or preventing the animal’s neurodegenerative diseases.

Narayan commented, ‘The more we exploit the more possibilities.’ None of the spices studied are related to one another, but each of them contain polyphenols-rich extracts. Narayan noted, ‘The ingredients are mild. We hope they are incorporated into diets and the general population is neuro-protected without them having to do much about it.’

Turmeric and Almond Oil: Spices Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

Categories: almond oil, alzheimer, Alzheimer's Disease, Disease, dr narayan, everyday spices, Free Radicals, narayan, neurodegenerative, neurodegenerative diseases, Research, spices

How to Get Enough Antioxidants in Your Diet

When wellness experts talk about guarding your wellbeing against disease, you often hear words banded about like “antioxidant” and “free radical”, but what exactly are they talking about, and is it worth listening to all the hype? Let’s settle this once and for all; can antioxidants really prevent or cure heart disease, cancer and other diseases?

Free radicals are a normal part of your body chemistry, occurring when you liver breaks down drugs and other chemicals, exercise, radiation, inflammation and some foods. The reason why they are a concern is because they have a small electrical charge, which has the ability to damage the DNA of your normal cells. When you have free radicals in your body in excessive amounts, you can increase your risk of cancer and heart disease, and, potentially, neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s.

Another word for free radicals is “oxidants” and so you can begin to see how the relationship between them and antioxidants might work. Antioxidants neutralise free radicals, and so you would hope that getting plenty of them in your diet would help you to keep the oxidants in check. However, with the chemicals in your food and environment, the stresses of modern life, and an infamous western diet with its emphasis on high (bad) fats, sugar and empty calories, it’s hard to get enough antioxidants to beat all that free radical damage.

So how do you get enough antioxidants to neutralise your body’s free radicals? Firstly, you need to consume a variety of antioxidants as some only neutralise the charge of specific free radicals. There are many vitamins, minerals, herbs, foods and chemicals which have antioxidant activity, and fresh, colourful, organic fruits and vegetables is the best place to begin. This is partially why it’s recommended you get your five-a-day.

After this, evidence indicates that a multivitamin is worthwhile for getting the antioxidant power you need. It’s best to get one with an even 100% of the RDA for ingredients, rather than 20% of this and 2000%. You can also try additional antioxidant supplements, as these are likely to add benefit as well, but there’s no use going over board as high doses of supplements are often not useful, and potentially damaging to your wellness.

How to Get Enough Antioxidants in Your Diet

Categories: Antioxidant, Antioxidants, body, diet, free, free radical, Free Radicals, heart disease, radicals

Forget Acai Berries – Aronia are the Berry Best Super-fruits

Acai berries and mangosteen get all the praise in antioxidant wellness, but another superfood, used by Native Americans for generations, is now set to take the spotlight. Less expensive and easier to eat, aronia berries are packed with antioxidants and could give your environmental wellness a real boost.

Mae’s Health & Wellness are now producing a line of aronia berry products, and Tammy Ross, director of marketing for Westin Foods, who owns Mae’s Health & Wellness, explained why: ‘It’s got kind of an astringent taste to it. It’s very naturally tart,’ she said. ‘It’s very similar in taste to a wine grape. What you’re tasting in that tartness is actually very good for you — a type of an antioxidant and type of a compound that can be found in wine and can also be found in tea.’

Many aspects of daily living create cell-damaging free radicals in your body. Whether it’s due to stress, environmental pollution, x-rays, or even exercise, the natural blend of polyphenolic antioxidants found in aronia berries combat free radicals, as well as diseases caused by oxidative stress such as cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammation, and certain types of cancer. The USDA reports that aronia berries have twice as much antioxidant power as cranberries and four times as much as pomegranates, strawberries, goji berries, and blueberries.

Brett Blumenthal, author of 52 Small Changes: One Year to a Happier, Healthier You, said ‘I think generally speaking over the last five years or so our culture has become more and more educated about nutrition. We understand that antioxidants help fight off the free radicals that are all over. They’re in the air we breathe, they’re in the food we eat, and we really can’t avoid them.’

The dark-purple clusters of aronia berries grow wild on bushes in North America, with several round fruit clumped together on rosy-red stems. Their tart taste has led to the nickname ‘chokeberries,’ but Ross commented that this hasn’t stopped Native Americans from benefitting from their wellbeing-enhancing properties as part of their diet, as preservatives for their meat, and also for dying cloth.

Aronia berries are available as whole fruit, whereas trendy acai berries are usually found mixed into other products or in powdered supplement form. They’re available online, and at almost half the price of goji berries, and nearly a fifth of the price of dried wild blueberries. You can use your aronia berries to make wine, jam, syrups, and tea, or else add them into fresh sauces or on top of your breakfast muffins.

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Forget Acai Berries – Aronia are the Berry Best Super-fruits

Categories: Antioxidants, Aronia Berries, Free Radicals