Dr. Kevin Patterson on Western Diets and Health

A few readers have pointed me to an interesting NPR interview with the Canadian physician Kevin Patterson (link). He describes his medical work in Afghanistan and the Canadian arctic treating cultures with various degrees of industrialization. He discusses the "epidemiological transition", the idea that cultures experience predictable changes in their health as they go from hunter-gatherer, to agricultural, to industrial. I think he has an uncommonly good perspective on the effects of industrialization on human health, which tends to be true of people who have witnessed the effects of the industrial diet and lifestyle on diverse cultures.

A central concept behind my thinking is that it's possible to benefit simultaneously from both:

• The sanitation, medical technology, safety technology, law enforcement and lower warfare-related mortality that have increased our life expectancy dramatically relative to our distant ancestors.


• The very low incidence of obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease and other non-infectious chronic diseases afforded by a diet and lifestyle roughly consistent with our non-industrial heritage.

But it requires discipline, because going with the flow means becoming unhealthy.

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How to Prevent Coronary Heart Disease

Prevention is better than cure. A wise phrase we often hear and read in relation to human health. It should be applied to the sentence, considering the suffering and torment ill. Especially now an age of cost for treatment is very expensive. One of the diseases we need to prevent early to not attack the body ie heart disease, especially coronary heart disease. The heart as an organ of the body that are vital to humans, if disturbed or ill be very harmful to our overall health. Heart disease is now one of the diseases that cause the most human deaths.
How to prevent coronary heart disease?
The following 8 (eight) activities should be done:
1. Blood pressure checked regularly
2. No smoking
3. Keeping body weight remained normal weight
4. Perform regular sports activities
5. Reducing the impact of stress with relaxation
6. Implement a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat
7. Controlling blood glucose levels if you are patient diabetes
8. Perform regular health checks

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Randy Tobler Show: Welcome

This morning, I had a conversation with Dr. Randy Tobler on his radio show "Vital Signs", on 97.1 FM News Talk in St Louis. Dr. Tobler is an obstetrician-gynecologist with an interest in nutrition, fitness and reproductive endocrinology from a holistic perspective. He asked me to appear on his show after he discovered my blog and found that we have some things in common, including an interest in evolutionary/ancestral health. We talked about the history of the American diet, the health of non-industrial cultures, what fats are healthiest, and the difference between pastured and conventional meat/dairy-- we took a few questions from listeners-- it was fun.

The show is available as a podcast here (3/26 show), although as far as I can tell, you need iTunes to listen to it. My section of the show starts around 8:20.

To everyone who arrived here after hearing me on the air this morning: welcome! Here are a few posts to give you a feel for what I do here at Whole Health Source:

The Coronary Heart Disease Epidemic
US Weight, Lifestyle and Diet Trends, 1970-2007
Butter vs. Margarine Showdown
Preventing and Reversing Tooth Decay
The Kitavans: Wisdom from the Pacific Islands
Potatoes and Human Health, Part I, Part II and Part III
Traditional Preparation Methods Improve Grains' Nutritional Value
Real Food XI: Sourdough Buckwheat Crepes
Glucose Tolerance in Non-industrial Cultures
Tropical Plant Fats: Palm Oil
It's Time to Let Go of the Glycemic Index

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Safflower Oil Study

A few people have sent me a new study claiming to demonstrate that half a tablespoon of safflower oil a day improves insulin sensitivity, increases HDL and decreases inflammation in diabetics (1). Let me explain why this study does not show what it claims.

It all comes down to a little thing called a control group, which is the basis for comparison that you use to determine if your intervention had an effect. This study didn't have one for the safflower group. What it had was two intervention groups, one given 6.4g conjugated linoleic acid (CLA; 50% c9t11 and 50% t10c12-CLA) per day, and one given 8g safflower oil. I have to guess that this study was originally designed to test the effects of the CLA, with the safflower oil group as the control group, and that the interpretation of the data changed after the results came in. Otherwise, I don't understand why they would conduct a study like this without a control group.

Anyway, they found that the safflower oil group did better than the CLA group over 16 weeks, showing a higher insulin sensitivity, higher HDL, lower HbA1c (a marker of average blood glucose levels) and lower CRP (a marker of inflammation). But they also found that the safflower group improved slightly compared to baseline, therefore they decided to attribute the difference to a beneficial effect of safflower oil. The problem is that without a control (placebo) group for comparison, there's no way to know if the improvement would have occurred regardless of treatment, due to the season changing, more regular check-ups at the doctor's office due to participating in a study, or countless other unforeseen factors. A control group is essential for the accurate interpretation of results, which is why drug studies always have placebo groups.

What we can say is that the safflower oil group fared better than the CLA group, because there was a difference between the two. However, what I think really happened is that the CLA supplement was harmful and the small dose of safflower oil had no effect. Why? Because the t10c12 isomer of CLA, which was half their pill, has already been shown by previous well-controlled studies to reduce insulin sensitivity, decrease HDL and increase inflammatory markers at a similar dose and for a similar duration (2, 3). The safflower oil group only looked good by comparison. We can add this study to the "research bloopers" file.

It's worth noting that naturally occurring CLA mixtures, similar to those found in pastured dairy and ruminant fat, have not been shown to cause metabolic problems such as those caused by isolated t10c12 CLA.

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New Ancestral Diet Review Paper

Pedro Carrera-Bastos and his colleagues Maelan Fontes-Villalba, James H. O'Keefe, Staffan Lindeberg and Loren Cordain have published an excellent new review article titled "The Western Diet and Lifestyle and Diseases of Civilization" (1). The paper reviews the health consequences of transitioning from a traditional to a modern Western diet and lifestyle. Pedro is a knowledgeable and tireless advocate of ancestral, primarily paleolithic-style nutrition, and it has been my privilege to correspond with him regularly. His new paper is the best review of the underlying causes of the "diseases of civilization" that I've encountered. Here's the abstract:

It is increasingly recognized that certain fundamental changes in diet and lifestyle that occurred after the Neolithic Revolution, and especially after the Industrial Revolution and the Modern Age, are too recent, on an evolutionary time scale, for the human genome to have completely adapted. This mismatch between our ancient physiology and the western diet and lifestyle underlies many so-called diseases of civilization, including coronary heart disease, obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, epithelial cell cancers, autoimmune disease, and osteoporosis, which are rare or virtually absent in hunter–gatherers and other non-westernized populations. It is therefore proposed that the adoption of diet and lifestyle that mimic the beneficial characteristics of the preagricultural environment is an effective strategy to reduce the risk of chronic degenerative diseases.

At 343 references, the paper is an excellent resource for anyone with an academic interest in ancestral health, and in that sense it reminds me of Staffan Lindeberg's book Food and Western Disease. One of the things I like most about the paper is that it acknowledges the significant genetic adaptation to agriculture and pastoralism that has occurred in populations that have been practicing it for thousands of years. It hypothesizes that the main detrimental change was not the adoption of agriculture, but the more recent industrialization of the food system. I agree.

I gave Pedro my comments on the manuscript as he was editing it, and he was kind enough to include me in the acknowledgments.

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How To Make a Small Living Room To Be Comfortable

Dismiss the notion that the family room should be broad, because the container assembly so the whole family. Want to narrow or broad, as long as comfortable, the whole family would love to gather and move there. Well, if by chance you have the area classified as narrow, do not be discouraged. The following points can be a guide to make a narrow living room still feels comfortable.
    * Enter as much natural light, into the family room. That is, as much as possible place the family room near the window, or open areas. Bright family room will feel more relieved.
    * Choose bright colors and soft. The colors make the room feel so much lighter. In addition, these colors can also reflect light, making the room look more spacious.
    * Smart choose the design and size of the furniture. Do not force it to place the sofa, if it does not fit. Replace the couch with a pair of single chair. Or use the carpet and the cushions are soft and comfortable.
    * Solution classic and most widely used to "expand" the space is to install the mirror. Place a large mirror, in the family room. Or might just as well, one wall lined with mirrors.
    * Minimize use of the bulkhead or divider of space. Forget the massive wall, replace with glass. The nature of transparency make the room appear "without limit". It could also make room divider with a choice of colors, or carpet.
    * Create a multi-purpose room. For example, put a Japanese table, this table can serve a twofold purpose, coffee table and dining table. Thus, the family room also doubles automatically. A family gathering place once the dining room.
    * Take advantage of all the existing space. Create a built-in cabinets or racks as high as the ceiling. Place the television here. In addition, this cabinet can be used also to accommodate a collection of books, CDs, or DVDs you. The rooms are neat, although the size of a narrow, definitely feels good.

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How To Eliminate Bad Breath

Bad breath is a serious problem for every individual human being, how to prevent bad breath or how to overcome bad breath is annoying and if there is rid of bad breath therapy, or tips eliminate mouth odor, so we're free to talk to us without the other person distracted the sting of bad breath.
It's every man and women are always having bad breath problems, therefore a lot of searching for articles about tips eliminate bad breath, well today I will discuss it for you, below are some tips to prevent bad breath:

- Use toothpaste triclosan

When buying toothpaste, avoid toothpaste containing sodium lauryl sulfate. Therefore, these compounds can cause a number of health problems such as irritation. Instead, look for toothpaste that contains triclosan, an antibacterial agent that is useful for reducing bad breath.
- Clean up your mouth

Diligently maintain oral hygiene by brushing teeth, gums, and tongue every morning and evening. If you fail to maintain oral hygiene, then the leftovers would be rotten by the bacteria that cause bad breath and tooth decay, do not forget to clean the back of the tongue using a toothbrush made from a soft nylon. Therefore, the area is a gathering place of bacteria.
- Dental floss

Use dental floss (dental floss) to clean up leftover food from between your teeth perfectly. Therefore, regular toothbrush can not reach the narrow gap between the teeth. If necessary, rinse with a solution of the mouth freshener (mouthwash) to prevent bad breath. However, avoid mouth freshener solution containing alcohol.
- Avoid smelly food

Avoid some foods that have a distinctive smell like garlic, red onion, banana, or durian. These foods still leaves the smell on the breath and belching even up to 72 hours after consumption.
- Familiarize Blowing nose

Frequently the air blowing out of the nose, especially when suffering from colds or allergies, to prevent bad breath odor.
- Expand to drink lots of water

Expand the water consumption at the time of dawn and breaking fast to make the mouth supple. Dry mouth can cause bad breath odor. saliva plays a role in preventing growth of bacteria that contribute to bad breath, by cleaning the mouth and remove food debris that cause bad breath.

The above are some tips on how to eliminate and prevent bad breath, please do therapy eliminate bad breath at the top, maybe can help you in your face the problem of bad breath.

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Gluten-Free January Survey Data, Part II: Health Effects of a Gluten-Free Diet

GFJ participants chose between three diet styles: a simple gluten-free diet; a "paleo light" diet diet that eliminated sugar and industrial seed (vegetable) oils in addition to gluten; and a "paleo full monty" diet that only included categories of food that would have been available to our pre-agricultural ancestors. The data in this post represent the simple gluten-free diet group, and do not represent the other two, which I'll analyze separately.

To get the data I'll be presenting below, first I excluded participants who stated on the survey that they did not adhere to the diet. Next, I excluded participants who were gluten-free before January, because they would presumably not have experienced a change from continuing to avoid gluten. That left us with 53 participants.

For each of these graphs, the vertical axis represents the number of participants in each category. They won't necessarily add up to 53, for several reasons. The most common reason is that for the questions asking about changes in health conditions, I didn't include responses from people who didn't have the condition in question at baseline because there was nothing to change.

Question #1: What is your overall opinion of the effect of gluten free January on you?

Participants had a very positive experience with the gluten-free diet. Not one person reported a negative overall experience.

Question #2: Did you note a weight change at the end of gluten free January?

And here are the data for people who described themselves as overweight at baseline:

Two-thirds of people who were overweight at baseline lost weight, and only one person out of 37 gained weight. That is striking. A number of people didn't weigh themselves, which is why the numbers only add up to 37.

Question #3: Before January 2011, did you have a problem with intestinal transit (frequent constipation or diarrhea)? If so, did your symptoms change during the month of January?


Responses are heavily weighted toward improvement, although there were a few instances where transit worsened. Transit problems are one of the most common manifestations of gluten sensitivity.

Question #4: Before January 2011, did you have frequent digestive discomfort (pain, bloating, etc.)? If so, did your symptoms change during the month of January?


Digestive discomfort was common, and the gluten-free diet improved it in nearly everyone who had it at baseline. I find this really impressive.

Question #5: Before January 2011, did you have acid reflux? If so, did your symptoms change during the month of January?

Acid reflux responded well to a gluten-free diet.

Question #6: Before January 2011, did you have a problem with tiredness/lethargy? If so, did your symptoms change during the month of January?
Lethargy was common and generally improved in people who avoided gluten. This doesn't surprise me at all. The recent controlled gluten study in irritable bowel syndrome patients found that lethargy was the most reliable consequence of eating gluten that they measured (1, 2). That has also been my personal experience.

Question #7: Before January 2011, did you have a problem with anxiety? If so, did your symptoms change during the month of January?

Anxiety tended to improve in most participants who started with it.

Question #8: Before January 2011, did you have a problem with an autoimmune or inflammatory condition? If so, did your symptoms change during the month of January?

Autoimmune and inflammatory conditions tended to improve in the gluten-free group, although one person experienced a worsening of symptoms.

Question #9: If you ate gluten again or did a gluten challenge after gluten free January, what was the effect?

Just under half of participants experienced moderate or significant negative symptoms when they re-introduced gluten at the end of the month. Two people felt better after re-introducing gluten.


Conclusion

I find these results striking. Participants overwhelmingly improved in every health category we measured. Although the data may have been somewhat biased due to the 53% response rate, it's indisputable that a large number of participants, probably the majority, benefited from avoiding gluten for a month. At some point, we're going to compile some of the comments people left in the survey, which were overwhelmingly positive. Here's a typical comment in response to the question " In your own words, how would you describe your January 2011 experience" (used with permission):

Amazing! I would recommend the experiment to anyone. I felt completely more alert, and less bloated. When I ate some gluten at the close of the experiment, I felt gross, bloated, and lethargic.

I think it's worth mentioning that some participants also eliminated other starches, particularly refined starches. Judging by the comments, the diet was probably lower in carbohydrate for a number of participants. We may try to assess that next year.

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How To Increase The Body's Immune System

Improving the immune system is not just that you do not easily catches cold, cough or other daily disease, but, also to protect you from dangerous diseases, one of cancer. Moreover, every day we are surrounded by pollution, whether from air, water and food are not healthy, so it is important to increase endurance. We may not be able to control the inhaled air, but we can control the food and beverages. Here are 10 foods that can enhance our immune system:

1. Garlic

Perhaps many do not like this one, probably because of the smell and taste unpleasant. But it turns out the garlic is very good efficacy. Research shows that garlic is rich in antibacterial and antiviral substances, which serves both of these substances stimulate the formation of white blood cells in the body and act as antioxidants in the body.
2. Mushrooms

  Mushrooms was highly efficacious as a weapon against the flu and cold. Further study in animals found that mushrooms like shitake, maitake and reishi, contain antibacterial that can function as an anti-tumor.
Presentation of the simplest: Add mushrooms to taste the meatball soup, or miso soup.
3. Brightly colored vegetables

Carotenoids such as beta carotene is one of the important antioxidant functions to help the human immune system. And carotenoids are found in colors of bright yellow, bright orange, and bright green in the vegetable. Combining these types of vegetables were no less important because some substances can work together to strengthen the immune system.
4. Nuts

Nuts contain vitamins and minerals that are very rich and powerful antioxidant, such as omega 3, vitamin E, and zinc. Research shows eating nuts may reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Presentation of the simplest: the original Peanut butter (no other mix) together with the bread of choice is very simple.
5. Berry Fruits

Berry fruits, like strawberries, blueberries, elderberries are very rich in vitamin C and bioflavonoids that act as antioxidants and prevent damage to the cell. One cup of strawberries contains 100 mg of Vitamin C that is almost equal to one cup of orange juice. Black berries (dark) contains more bioflavonoids.
6. Fish

Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids and other fatty acids that can help increase white blood cell activity. These substances also play an important role to form a compound to regulate the body's immunity and help reduce damage in the body after a reaction to infection.
7. Chocolate

This is good news for chocolate lovers. Chocolate is one food additive immunity because chocolate is an antioxidant concentrate. This chocolate will be provided while maintaining healthy levels of sugar in the minimum level, such as bitter chocolate and cocoa powder can work to enhance immunity. Research shows that eating chocolate can reduce the risk of heart disease, helps maintain cholesterol levels, and repair damaged blood vessels in diabetics.
8. Yogurt

Research shows that there is content of lactobacillus in yogurt that can enhance immune function against infections and even cancer. Usefulness lactobacillus in yogurt, among others to prevent fever and other infections.
Presentation of the simplest: Yogurt with strawberries and nuts on it is the best choice.
9. Persimmon

Persimmon proved to be extremely rich in vitamins A and C are very important in the immune system. Foods rich in vitamin A with others, such as Pumpkin, sweet potato, and spinach, and rich in vitamin C include strawberries, papaya, kiwi, cantaloupe, and oranges.
10.beans

High protein foods, like beans contain high levels of zinc, a mineral that can increase the production of red blood cells and T-cell function to fight infection.

So there is 10 foods that are very useful to enhance the body's immune system, hopefully useful:)

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How To Be Success

Success is the obsession of every person in this world. And whatever will be sought to achieve that success. Indeed, although the measure of success for each person is different, but whatever the title surely everyone wants to succeed. Perhaps many are still confused, how does it succeed? Do you have to always work hard, never give up, and knows no fatigue?
According to David C. Mc Clelland, a professor at the American who studied the way successful people in the world, those who succeed are the ones who never stop trying, even if initially they have to meet with failure. For more details, for those of you who want to succeed, try to follow what is being done by people following this success, according to research done by Mc Clelland: 
 
1. Successful people always confident and feel that they are doing something for the world. They see a big world and want to play an important role in it. They still work according to their skills, while remaining aware that the core skills to give value to other skills. They are also aware, the best work will result in compensation for them.
2. Successful people are willing to take risks. They strive to achieve the target, make savings, build relationships with people, and agile to try something new to follow the development of the era. Whatever will be done by them to achieve success, along the road that passed positive.
3. Successful people are able to enjoy what they do. They always see work as a hobby or pleasure. They also chose a job that can be whipped up their morale. Because successful people love a challenge. They enjoy the process of achieving their success, wherever they are.
4. Successful people are those who never stop learning. They are very aware that science never ends even if life was almost over. Science can be obtained from knowledge of books, newspapers, magazines, television, internet and others.
5. Successful people are positive outlook on what they can do. They were able to encourage themself to successfully achieve success. Because generally, successful people have a way to motivate themselves until they can continue working. Remarkably, they were able to encourage others to achieve the desired success.
6. Successful people  have a burning passion and power management to achieve success. They are good at using the time well in the physical and mental abilities to achieve success.
 
Well, are you also want success? if you want to succeed just try it follow what is often done by those who succeed. Who knows, Success That Belongs to You.

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How To Make Fried Rice

Would you like to make a nice, steaming, pan full of fried rice? Fried rice is very easy to make, also delicious.Fried rice is known as Indonesian specialties. There are different kinds of fried rice recipes but the main element is the rice, cooking oil, soy sauce. In addition, many other extras that can be included, ranging from vegetables, meat, until the chili, sauces, crackers and fried eggs. It can be prepared in many ways, this is just one of them. It takes 20 minutes to prepare and it goes with lots of things! Read on to learn how to make this excellent dish:

Ingredients:

* White Rice that's previously been cooked and refrigerated

* Two Carrots

* 1/2 an Onion

* Celery

* 3 Eggs

* Beef Bullion

* Black Pepper

* Garlic Powder

* Ground Ginger

* Soy Sauce

* Butter

* Vegetable Oil

* Shrimp,Chicken,and/or pork/tofu(optional)

Steps:

1. Put about 6 cups of rice into your rice cooker. Let it steam until it is ready.

2. Wash the vegetables. Then, dice the carrots and onions into small pieces. Set them aside for the next step.

3. Add oil and heat up the pan to 100 degrees.

4. Toss the vegetables into the pan for about 3 minutes. Then toss in the carrots and onions for 3 minutes with the vegetables. Add the 1 teaspoon of salt into the pan.

5. Boil the chicken or shrimp with the rest of the ingredients (optional).

6. Put a bit more oil into the frying pan.

7. Toss the rice in carefully.

8. Add an egg and scramble with the other ingredients. Add approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons of soy sauce while frying.

9. Put fried rice on a dish and it's ready to serve!

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Tukar Link / Banner Dengan Akses Informasi Terkini

Baca Keterangan. Para blogger yang ingin bertukar link / link exchange silahkan anda copy kemudian anda paste di blog/web anda. Konfirmasikan jika link atau banner sudah terpasang melalui pesan komentar atau melalui chat box, saya akan langsung back link blog/web anda silahkan anda lihat code di bawah ini :

Apa Manfaat Tukar Link / Link Exchange?

Manfaat tukar link tersebut antara lain:

1. Mendapatkan banyak linkpartner di blog Anda;
2. Rangking blog di SERP meningkat;
3. Mendapatkan banyak anchor text dari blog lain;
4. Visitor ke blog Anda meningkat;
5. Meningkatkan pagerank blog Anda;
6. Mendapatkan backlink dari banyak blog; 

Nah tunggu apa lagi, segeralah bertukar link dengan sesama blogger. Nah jika mau bertukar link dengan blog ini ikuti cara di bawah ini:

Copy Kode di bawah ini kemudian paste di blog sobat :

Link Text
Akses Informasi Terkini

<a href="http://kingarif86.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Berbagi Informasi | Berita | Tutorial Blogspot">Akses Informasi Terkini</a>

Banner Link

<a href="http://kingarif86.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/bcc_photo1/cooltext527163369.gif" alt="Akses Informasi Terkini"></a>

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Gluten-Free January Survey Data, Part I: Demographics and Limitations

Thanks to Matt Lentzner for organizing Gluten-Free January, and everyone who participated and completed the survey, we have a nice data set illustrating what happens when a group of people stop eating gluten for a month. Janine Jagger, Matt and I have been busy analyzing the data, and I'm ready to begin sharing our findings.

GFJ had over 500 participants, 527 of which received the survey and 279 of which completed the survey at the end of the month. Of those who received the survey, 53 percent completed it. I think these are respectable numbers for a survey of this nature, and it reflects the conscientious nature of the people who participated in GFJ.

Demographics

Although respondents were primarily from the United States, I'm happy to say that the data represent 18 different nationalities:

Respondents represented a diversity of ages, the largest group being 30-39 years old, with similar numbers in the 20-29 and 40-49 year groups.
Respondents were just under 2/3 women.

Respondents represented a variety of weights, but the sample was biased toward lean people, in comparison with the general population. There were not many obese participants.
Overall, I was pleased to see that the demographics were quite diverse, particularly in the age and gender categories.

Limitations

There are a few caveats to keep in mind when interpreting the survey results:

1. GFJ participants do not represent a random cross-section of the population at large. They represent primarily health-conscious individuals who were motivated enough to make a substantial dietary change. In addition, many of the people who participated probably did so because they already suspected they had a problem with gluten.
   
2. The survey response rate was 53%. Although I think that's a reasonable number considering the circumstances, it leaves open the possibility that survey responders differ from non-responders. It's conceivable that participants with better adherence and better outcomes were more likely to complete the survey than those who did not adhere to the diet or had neutral or unfavorable outcomes, despite our efforts to encourage everyone to complete the survey regardless of adherence or outcome. So the results could be biased toward positive outcomes, meaning that we will need to see a strong effect for it to be believable.
   
3. This was a non-blinded diet trial without a control group. There's no way to know how much of the effect was due to avoiding gluten per se, how much was due to overall changes in diet patterns, and how much was a placebo effect.
   

With that in mind, what can we take from the survey data? I feel that we can use it to answer the following question: "what is likely to happen when a motivated, health-conscious person decides to avoid gluten for a month?" And I think we can also use it to generate (but not test) hypotheses about the effects of eating gluten on the general population.

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How To Quit Smoking

Have you decided to stop smoking ? It doesn''t have to be hard! One of the keys for breaking the habit once and for all is to tap into the power of your mind. Here are some tips to help you succeed.

1. Make quitting smoking your number one goal. Rather than having a long list of different goals, make quitting smoking your number-one top priority.

2. Keep the end result in mind. Focus on how much better your life will be as a non-smoker. Think about how you''ll be able to breathe better and your energy level will increase.

3. Make it easier on yourself. Think of ways that you can make quitting easier for yourself. Can you quit with a friend or family member.

4. Make a commitment to yourself. Plan the date and time that you will smoke your last cigarette. Make this promise to yourself as if your life depends on it.

5. Put your plan in writing. Write down everything you''ve thought of while reading this article, plus any other ideas that you believe will help you to remain smoke free.

6. Flip off negative thoughts like a switch. Instead of thinking, "This is hard" change it to "Its getting easier and easier". You could even come up with your own mantra.

7. Give yourself rewards. Why not have a quit jar and put all the money that you would have spent on cigarettes in it? You could save up for a tropical vacation or a down payment on that new sports car.

8. Approach quitting with a "I can. I will. I must." attitude. If your child or loved one was burning in a building and you were the only one there to get them out, would you just "give it a try ?

9. Visualize your way to success. Every morning and evening, close your eyes for a few moments and rehearse in your mind how you will say "no" to any temptations to having a cigarette, and notice how good it feels to be in control of your triggers and urges.

10. Learn to Manage Stress. Stress is everywhere, and while we think that cigarettes help us to relax, in reality, nicotine is a stimulant to the body.

Source : 10 tricks To Quit Smoking

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How To Decrease Fat Belly

How to decrease fat belly? Are there any tips naturally shrink the stomach? Having a fat belly is not something to be proud of. In addition to the unsightly, this condition can also ruin the appearance. Excessive fat deposits in the abdomen in fact may inhibit the function of the liver as a filter for toxins in the blood.
With this condition makes the body's circulatory system does not run normally and lead to various health problems, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Mostly, distended stomach caused by fundamental factors namely diet and lifestyle. Here are some ways to get rid of belly fat in both men and women:

1. Drinking water
If the fullness of the stomach caused by water storage, you can actually reduce the problem by drinking more water. This will dilute the concentration of sodium in the body thereby increasing the amount of water coming out of the system. Drinking more water also ensures effective biliary function to remove waste products. Do not change water consumption during the diet as many ingredients that are difficult to digest and can cause stomach bloated.
2. Eat slowly
Avoid eating quickly, because when you swallow too quickly, at least retained air in the intestines and form a gas that can trigger abdominal distension. Always sit down when eating and chew food slowly. The food is not chewed into small pieces can not be digested properly and then make a lot of gas that causes distention.
3. Reduce salt intake
Too much salt in the diet adds extra sodium to the body fluids that slow mechanism to encourage water out of cells. As a result the stomach feel full and bloated.
4. Consumption of the proper fiber
Fiber is an important element in the diet, but to compensate for water storage which causes the bubbles, eat fiber in fruits such as apples and pears that have a lot of water content.
5. Supervise treatment
Expanding belly is the side effects of drug consumption. Aspirin sometimes causes problems that lead to constipation and abdominal distention, including the contraceptive pill.
6. Avoid constipation
Constipation is defined as having fewer than three bowel movements in a week or if the tension involved. As a result of adding a large stomach. To stimulate the bowels, increase consumption of fiber from fruits and vegetables, do it gradually to avoid fermentation and excessive gas production.
7. Sports
Sport is one way to be taken to eliminate the distended stomach. Exercise will help move the fluid in the abdomen that can cause major stomach by pushing it out of the network and enter the blood stream which will be issued as sweat or brought to the gall to pass as urine.

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How To Reduce Stress

stress can actually be positive. For example, when you were attending school / college and face the test / exam. Stress faced repeated / exams will increase your abilities. Also suppose that events such as marriage, having babies, or have a new home - these things can actually change your life for the better.
Beyond the positive things over, and deal with stress instead may harm your health, your emotional stability and your relationships with others. Signs and symptoms of stress vary depending on each person, such as: headache, fatigue, tension in muscles, depression, irritability, anxiety, memory loss, has no sense of humor, anxiety, overeating, smoking, drinking and even addiction drug.
So, what can you do to reduce stress in your life? Here are 7 steps that can help release stress:
1. Have realistic expectations
Many people put expectations / goals that are unrealistic for himself and others. Actually no one does, because there is proverb that says: "hang your ambition to the skies.". Setting expectations / goals high can increase your abilities, but if you hope / goal is actually to bring a negative stress to you, you should reconsider expectations / goals you are.
2. Active
Exercise can reduce stress, through the release of endorphins, the hormone that has anti-depression body, so said the experts. Sports activities such as jogging, swimming and aerobics to get rid of excess energy which if ignored can accumulate in the body. Something buried, whatever, is not very good.
3. How to get started earlier
Stress is often caused by certain situations where you are. Many people for example have a fear of public speaking. But I think all of us was definitely nervous and stressed at the first time speaking in public, is no exception. One of the most effective strategy to overcome this is to prepare you with the best, including visiting the location where you will speak to begin to familiarize yourself. Often people say, to get the feeling first. You also can do exercises in front of your family or your friends.
4. Make a break on the sidelines of your work
Many of us work in environments that require speed and accuracy. You actually have the ability to measure levels of stress and your own energy. If you feel your head is very tired, do break. After all, if forced too, your focus will definitely be disrupted. As a result the quality of your work will decrease. If possible, go walk out, like to the park for example, to clear your brain.
5. Reduce caffeine
Symptoms of stress such as anxiety are closely related to the amount of caffeine in your body. Many people drink coffee glasses in one day. Try to limit your coffee consumption a maximum of 1 cup a day. Reduce caffeine helps you to sleep well and eventually you will get more energy.
6. Enough sleep
Many people do not get enough sleep every day. Seven to eight hours a day is the recommended amount, varies between each person. You'll know when you get enough sleep, you will wake up fresh every day (often naturally we wake up before the alarm sounds), so that you will face the day with more energy.
7. Balance between work and play
People who did not allow himself to have fun will get a high stress level. Do not feel guilty when you indulge yourself with exercise, relaxation, entertainment and do your hobbies.

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Flu Season is Here

I've noticed everyone around me getting sick lately (I seem to have become mostly immune to colds and the flu in the last couple of years), so I took a look at Google Flu Trends. Lo and behold, the United States is currently near peak flu incidence for the 2010-2011 season. Here's a graph from Flu Trends. This year's trend is in dark blue:


Flu Trends also has data for individual US states and a number of other countries.

It's time to tighten up your diet and lifestyle if you want to avoid the flu this year. Personally, I feel that eating well, managing stress effectively, and taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day in winter have helped me avoid colds and the flu.

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Gluten-Free January Raffle Winners Selected!

Raffle winners have been selected and shirts are on their way. You know who you are. Thanks to everyone who participated and filled out the survey! For those who didn't, there's always next year.

Janine Jagger, Matt Lentzner and I are busy crunching the mountain of data we collected from the GFJ survey. We got 279 responses, which is remarkable for a survey of this nature.

Stay tuned for data!

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Oltipraz

Oltipraz is a drug that was originally used to treat intestinal worms. It was later found to prevent a broad variety of cancers (1). This was attributed to its ability to upregulate cellular detoxification and repair mechanisms.

Researchers eventually discovered that oltipraz acts by activating Nrf2, the same transcription factor activated by ionizing radiation and polyphenols (2, 3, 4). Nrf2 activation mounts a broad cellular protective response that appears to reduce the risk of multiple health problems.

A recent paper in Diabetologia illustrates this (5). Investigators put mice on a long-term refined high-fat diet, with or without oltipraz. These carefully crafted diets are very unhealthy indeed, and when fed to rodents they rapidly induce fat gain and something that looks similar to human metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance, abdominal adiposity, blood lipid disturbances). Adding oltipraz to the diet prevented the fat gain, insulin resistance and inflammatory changes that occurred in the refined high-fat diet group.

The difference in fasting insulin was remarkable. The mice taking oltipraz had 1/7 the fasting insulin of the refined high-fat diet comparison group, and 1/3 the fasting insulin of the low-fat comparison group! Yet their glucose tolerance was normal, indicating that they were not low on insulin due to pancreatic damage. The low-fat diet they used in this study was also refined, which is why the two control groups (high-fat and low-fat) didn't diverge more in body fatness and other parameters. If they had used a group fed unrefined rodent chow as the comparator, the differences between groups would have been larger.

This shows that in addition to preventing cancer, Nrf2 activation can attenuate the metabolic damage caused by an unhealthy diet in rodents. Oltipraz illustrates the power of the cellular hormesis response. We can exploit this pathway naturally using polyphenols and other chemicals found in whole plant foods.

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How To Make Your Life More Healthier

Healthy living is one of your resolutions this year? The following are some tips that will make your life healthier:

1. Started the day with breakfast
Studies show that people who used to eat breakfast more slender bodied than those who skipped breakfast. breakfast is also good for maintaining ideal weight, reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
2. Avoid Cigarettes and Alcoholic Beverages
3. Choose a balanced diet
Do not let your plate filled only with food that contains all carbohidrat or protein. Try to keep a vegetable or fruit salad. Choose fruits and vegetables are brightly colored, because the bright colors of fruits and vegetables contain more vitamins and minerals.
4. Always Think Positive
5. Move in!
Park the car farther than usual, avoid the elevator / elefator and use the stairs. 30-minute walk with a 10-minute workout. Not bad, right?
6. Consider Cleanliness
7. Enjoy your food
Most people think that healthy food is not tasty and boring. Choose the type of low fat foods and delicious that you also enjoy it.
8. Choose your favorite sport.
Sports should be healthy, instead of torture. This activity is an effective outlet for stress to make your body healthy. Choose the type of exercise you like, so that feels good while doing it.
9. Avoid stress
Stress affects your weight and your health. Also a negative impact not only on appetite but also on the ability of the body in digesting food. Think positive as much as possible to avoid stress.
10. Choose healthy snacks
Studies show that healthy snacks are a great way to control appetite and reduce weight. Choose a snack of fruit or fresh milk.
11. Consume more water
Studies show that adequate water consumption is not only good for health,
but also helps the process of dieting. Water useful to help smooth the body's metabolism.

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