PESKY ULCERS? TRY FOOD!

Hullo readers! As a child i remember being wary of sores of any kind. It was common place for me to hide an offensive body part, be it finger or knee to avoid the inevitable sting of antiseptic that would follow once the injury is discovered by an adult. I know I still blow the affected part and I've been told a kiss goes far in calming a child's painful yelps.
The problem comes in when that sore is inaccessible, as is the case with Peptic Ulcers. No amount of hiding, blowing or kissing offers release from painful stomach ulcers. But what exactly are these ulcers, what causes them and how can one protect themselves?
A peptic ulcer is a sore in the lining of your stomach or upper small intestine. Ulcers form when the protective layer in the lining has broken down, often because of erosion from stomach acids. Now let me first mention that what we know about ulcers is not entirely true. They are not a direct result of stress and No, a glass of milk might not help with the pain.

Ulcers can be a result of a bacterial infection (a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori) that causes stomach inflammation; or the frequent use of aspirin, ibuprofen, and other anti-inflammatory drugs. A lifestyle including a lot of alcohol, drug use and smoking can make ulcers worse.
The main symptom of peptic ulcers is burning abdominal pain that extends from the navel to the chest, which can range from mild to severe. Ulcers can also bleed.
 Peptic ulcers are a fairly common health problem, and it is estimated that more than 20 million Americans will experience a peptic ulcer in their lifetime.
The good news is we can use diet to alleviate peptic ulcers. Let's start with eliminating offending foods that increase symptoms.
The major goal of the diet is to avoid extreme elevations of gastric acid secretion; milk that was previously encouraged should be avoided because it instead has a gastric acid secretion effect. Red chillis and other spices should be controlled if they make the pain worse and so should coffee. Citric acid juices (That is Orange, lemon) may also induce reflux and cause discomfort.
Now what to eat.

• Yogurt: can cool the fires of gastritis and ulcers by directly inhibiting Helicobacter pylori (the bacteria which increases the stomach's sensitivity to acid-mediated injury) growth in your gut.
• Honey:  Because honey fights bacteria and so may help thwart H. pylori and help heal a an ulcer.
• Broccoli: consider eating a cup a day of broccoli, raw or cooked, or broccoli sprouts. Not only will the broccoli begin to battle your ulcer, but it will also provide more than a day's worth of vitamin C and a generous amount of fibre; two more allies in the fight against ulcers.
•  Cabbage: it is amino acid glutamine that gives cabbage its anti-ulcer punch. Glutamine helps to fortify the mucosal lining of the gut and to improve blood flow to the stomach, meaning it not only helps prevent ulcers but can also speed healing of existing sores.
• Plantain (Yes, Matooke!):  It helps to soothe inflamed and irritated mucous membranes and has some antibacterial properties to boot. 
  
• Fruits, Vegetables, Whole Grains, and Other Foods High in Fibre: Fibre has a role in keeping ulcers at bay

And the diet?
Less frequent meals. Doctors used to recommend that people with gastritis or ulcers eat smaller, more frequent meals, but then research showed that this tactic promotes high stomach acid levels. Instead, you should eat a few regular, larger meals to keep stomach acid in check and reduce irritation.
A bland diet. The old, standard advice of eating a bland diet still holds to an extent. Less spice, less acid.

Now that you're dressed for battle, it is time to fight those pesky ulcers!

SORE THROAT REMEDIES

It's itchy, It's tender and It is most definitely swollen. You dread breathing, you dread swallowing even more. But you must swallow, and when you do, you brace yourself for the unavoidable pain. You've got THE SORE THROAT!
But what exactly is this sore throat? It's an inflammation of the pharynx, which is the tube that extends from the back of the mouth to the esophagus. A sore throat can be caused by;
1. Viral infections, like colds or the flu. Often accompanied by fever, achy muscles and runny nose. A sore throat from a viral source will generally disappear on its own within several days.
2. Bacterial infection, especially from streptococcal bacteria (strep throat). This might require an antibiotic.
While those are the primary reasons for a sore throat, there are others, including: Smoking, Acid reflux, Allergies, Dry air, especially at night when you may sleep with your mouth open, Mouth breathing and Throat abuse: singing, shouting, coughing and the like.
There should be a sore throat sufferers club; everybody gets them, in fact 40 million people trek to the doctor's office for treatment every year. But not every sore throat deserves a visit to the doctor, here's remedies to help soothe that pestilence;
Rest and take it easy. Common sense dictates staying in bed or at least resting when a sore throat's got you down. Taking it easy leaves more energy to fight the infection.
Gargle with turmeric. Try this gargle to calm a cranky throat. Mix together 1 cup hot water, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gargle with the mixture twice a day. If you're not good with the gargle, mix 1/2 teaspoon turmeric in 1 cup hot milk and drink.
Gargle with warm saltwater. Make a saline solution by adding 1/2 teaspoon salt to 1/2 cup of very warm water and gargle every three to four hours.Yes, when your mother told you to gargle with saltwater, she knew what she was talking about. It cuts phlegm and reduces inflammation.
Gargle with Listerine. Another good gargling fluid is Listerine mouthwash. If you share the product with anyone else in your household, don't drink straight from the bottle; instead, pour a small amount into a cup (and don't share that, either).
Sip chicken noodle soup or  broth.
I myself use warm tea with lemon juice, ginger and honey, apparently it has also been a long-standing and comforting remedy.


Now stop pouting and get rid of that sore throat today!!!

TROUBLE WITH WEIGHT GAIN?

Most of us are engaged in a constant battle against weight and the idea of wanting to gain weight seems absurd! "Who, what, why would anyone want to bulge up??!!!" many ask.
Its not absurd for people trying to put on a few pounds and it definitely isn't something to be jealous of.
For people who struggle to maintain a healthy weight or are trying to gain weight, it can be a real challenge.  The common reasons for needing to gain weight include health issues, lack of appetite, for sporting purposes, muscle building or just trying to overcome skinny genes.
Much as being being skinny naturally is not a real health problem, being underweight (weight as compared to height) can compromise your health. However, if you want or need to gain weight, do it the healthy way - which does not mean You stuff your face at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
For sustainable weight gain, a gradual increase of 500 kcals/day resulting in 0.5kg weight gain per week is advised. Foods rich in carbohydrates like cereals, bread and pasta should be incorporated in your daily diet as these provide you with the energy for your body. Do not neglect the proteins like pulses and nuts and
also the fats.
Here are some healthy ways to gain weight when you're underweight:

• Eat more frequently. When you're underweight, you may feel full faster. Eat five to six smaller meals during the day rather than two or three large meals.
• Choose nutrient-rich foods. As part of an overall healthy diet, choose whole-grain breads, chapattis, pastas (macaroni, spaghetti) and cereals (maize, breakfast cereals, posho, kalo); fruits and vegetables; dairy products (milk, yoghurt); protein sources (meat, fish, chicken); and nuts (ground nuts) and pulses (beans, peas).
• High calorie foods. Foods highest in calories and nutrients are those high in fat.. Plant fats from nuts, peanuts, seeds, peanut butter, almond butter, avocados, hummus and oils are great sources of healthy fats loaded with nutrients and calories.
• Try smoothies and shakes. Don't fill up on soda, coffee and other drinks with few calories and little nutritional value. Instead, drink smoothies, yoghurt and porridge with milk.   
• And most importantly: Drink fluids either 30 minutes before or after a meal, not with it, to avoid becoming full before you eat.                                                                                                       HEALTHY LIVING WITH THE DIET ASSISTANT!

FIGHT INFECTIONS WITH DIET

Diet and the Immune System

 

The immune system is our body's protective network designed to fend off invasion by harmful substances, including bacteria, viruses, and harmful chemicals, and to act as a surveillance system against the development of cancer.
An impaired immune system weakens the body's ability to fend off infection and malignancy, infections like flu usually take advantage of the immune system's weakness to attack. In fact, many of the symptoms of the flu (such as achy muscles and joints, fever, and headache) are caused by the immune system's response to the infection. We all know how painful the flu season can be, well guess what...you can empower your body to fight such recurrent infections just by improving your diet and lifestyle.
The three areas that are most important in protecting and bolstering the immune system are diet and nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction. First, you can enrich your diet with antioxidants: Antioxidants are vitamins and minerals, found in foods and available as supplements, that remove harmful oxidants from the bloodstream. The typical American diet is often deficient in a variety of nutrients including calcium, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C so second: you can make sure you are getting enough nutrients and micronutrients. Marginal nutrient deficiencies in the diet can also weaken the immune system.
You can further modify your diet by eating less saturated fat and animal protein (particularly red meat), by limiting dairy products (particularly those with fat), by modifying your use of oils and fats, and by eating more fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
BE THE LAST MAN STANDING THIS FLU SEASON!!

EXERCISE, Refuse to be a couch potato.

 Most of the people i know spend hours each day just sitting. It's either seated at a desk, seated staring at a computer or seated in class and yet at the end of the day they retire back home and do some more sitting in front of the telly! We call that a sedentary lifestyle. A sedentary lifestyle is a type of lifestyle with no or irregular physical activity. A person who lives a sedentary lifestyle may colloquially be known as a couch potato. It is commonly found in both the developed and developing world. Sedentary activities include sitting, reading, watching television, playing video games, and computer use for much of the day with little or no vigorous physical exercise.

A sedentary (inactive) lifestyle is one of the top risk factors for heart disease. Fortunately, it's a risk factor that you can do something about. Regular exercise, especially aerobic exercise, has many benefits. It can:

• Strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system
• Improve your circulation and help your body use oxygen better
• Improve your heart failure symptoms
• Increase energy levels so you can do more activities without becoming tired or short of breath
• Increase endurance
• Lower blood pressure
• Improve muscle tone and strength
• Improve balance and joint flexibility
• Strengthen bones
• Help reduce body fat and help you reach a healthy weight
• Help reduce stress, tension, anxiety, and depression
• Boost self-image and self-esteem
• Improve sleep
• Make you feel more relaxed and rested
• Make you look fit and feel healthy

How Do I Get Started Exercising?

Before starting an exercise program, talk to your doctor about:

• Medication changes. New medications can greatly affect your response to exercise; your doctor can tell you if your normal exercise routine is still safe.
• Heavy lifting. Make sure that lifting or pushing heavy objects and chores such as raking, shoveling, mowing, or scrubbing aren't off limits. Chores around the house can be tiring for some people; make sure you only do what you are able to do without getting tired.
• Safe exercises. Get the doctor's approval before you lift weights, use a weight machine, jog, or swim.

What Type of Exercise Is Best?

• Stretching the arms and legs before and after exercising helps prepare the muscles for activity and helps prevent injury and muscle strain. Regular stretching also increases your range of motion and flexibility.
• Cardiovascular or aerobic activity strengthens the heart and lungs and improves the body's ability to use oxygen. Aerobic exercise has the most benefits for your heart. Over time, aerobic exercise can help decrease your heart rate and blood pressure at rest and improve your breathing.
• Strengthening, repeated muscle contractions (tightening) until the muscle becomes tired; for people with heart failure, many strengthening exercises are not recommended. (See below)

What Are Examples of Aerobic Exercises?

Aerobic exercises include: walking, jogging, jumping rope, bicycling (stationary or outdoor), cross-country skiing, skating, rowing, and low-impact aerobics or water aerobics.

How Often Should I Exercise?

In general, to achieve maximum benefits, you should gradually work up to an aerobic session lasting 20 to 30 minutes, at least three to four times a week. Exercising every day or every other day will help you keep a regular aerobic exercise schedule.

LET'S FIGHT THE COUCH POTATO.

Veggie Tales

Every parent has fought the "eat your vegetables war"; every child dreads it and each of us remembers it. Hec they even made a cartoon to convince us to eat said vegetables!!! Didn't we all just love it when Popeye opened that can of Spinach and his muscles exploded only for him to save his Damsel and smash everyone in his his sight?!!! Why is everyone trying to get us to eat vegetables? Surely its not to get steroid looking muscles... Here's why you should eat a bit of green;
Vegetables are low in fat so you don't have to worry about weight gain when you indulge in them.
Vegetables contain good amounts of vitamins and minerals. All the Green-Yellow-Orange vegetables are rich sources of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, beta-carotene, vitamin B-complex, vitamin-C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. So get rid of those vitamin and mineral supplements and chew on a carrot.
As in fruits, vegetables too are home for many antioxidants that; firstly, help protect the human body from oxidant stress, diseases and cancers, and secondly; help the body develop the capacity to fight against these by boosting immunity.
Additionally, vegetables are packed with soluble as well as insoluble dietary fiber known as non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) such as cellulose, mucilage, hemi-cellulose, gums, pectin...etc. These substances absorb excess water in the colon, retain a good amount of moisture in the fecal matter, and help its smooth passage out of the body. Thus, sufficient fiber offers protection from conditions like hemorrhoids, colon cancer, chronic constipation, and rectal fissures.
Let's not forget that vegetables are easy to prepare, no need to wait for long baking hours; chopped up carrots, onion, cucumber, a tomato plus good old french beans in a pan, a drizzle of oil, a bit of spice and in five minutes you've got yourself a vegetable dish.
LET'S GO GREEN!

Adopt the Mediterranean Diet for Optimum Health.

The Mediterranean Diet is the name that has evolved to symbolize the healthy foods eaten by those people whose countries surround the Mediterranean Sea. Their diets are higher in vegetables, legumes (beans and peas), fruits, nuts and whole grain cereals. The main fat used is olive oil and there is less use of highly saturated fats like butter and lard. Instead of beef and poultry as the main animal protein, they eat mostly fish with soem dairy, although much of the dairy is in form of cultured products lie cheeses and yoghurt. the lower intake of poultry and red meats is coupled with a moderate consumption of wine (mostly with meals).

For thousands of years, residents of the Mediterranean coastal region have enjoyed this kind of delicious diet -- high in plant foods and monounsaturated fats (like olive oil) -- while getting plenty of regular physical activity. They don’t think of their eating habits as a diet plan; it's simply their way of life.  And it's a way of life that apparently leads to long, healthy lives virtually free of chronic disease.

For the past 50 years, scientists have studied the eating patterns characteristic of the Mediterranean diet -- and they continue to find additional health benefits. Recently, a large study published in journal BMJ showed that healthy people who followed a Mediterranean diet had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

Further, a recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that a restricted-calorie Mediterranean diet (as well as a low-carb diet) could be even more effective for weight loss than a low-fat diet, while also offering other health benefits.

"Research continues to demonstrate that being physically active and eating a nutritious diet of primarily whole foods that are filling and satisfying can enable people to control weight, lower blood pressure [and] cholesterol levels, reduce risk of diabetes, heart disease [and] Alzheimer’s disease, and basically protect against chronic diseases," says cardiologist Arthur Agatston, MD, creator of the South Beach Diet, based on the Mediterranean diet model.

Get Healthy Now!!!