- This won't come as good news to bacon lovers. Researchers have found that as little as one ounce of bacon eaten on a daily basis can increase the risk of
certain cancers, such as stomach cancer and cancer of the esophagus, by as much as 38 percent. Eating processed meats, sausage, hog dogs, ham, or salami regularly
can pose similar risks. That's because such meats contain nitrates, nitrites, and other chemicals that can trigger changes in cellular DNA that can lead to the formation
of cancer cells. And the risk is even greater if when these foods are grilled or fried at high temperatures, since such cooking methods create a class of carcinogens
known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs). If you enjoy eating bacon or other processed meats, try to limit yourself to no more than one or two servings of such foods per week.
- Are you having trouble losing weight? If so, try eating two eggs for breakfast instead of carbohydrate-rich breakfast foods. According to a study
published in the International Journal of Obesity found that eating two eggs for breakfast instead of carbs helps study participants lose 65
percent more weight, and also improved the participants' energy levels. One of the reasons for such improvements is the fact that eggs, while rich in
protein, are low in calories, yet eating eggs leads to feelings of fullness faster than carbohydrate foods.
- Here's a quick way to balance out your body's organ systems and improve your mood and energy levels. Starting at the lobe of each ear, gently yet firmly
squeeze your ears, working up incrementally all the way to their upper rim area. Then slowly reverse direction and continue back down to your ear lobes.
According to the tenets of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the rim of the ear contains meridian points for all of your body's organ systems. Applying
gentle, yet firm pressure along the rims of your ears has the effect of balancing these energy meridians, very similar to what occurs during an acupuncture
treatment. Try performing this exercise 3 or 4 times a day and notice how you feel afterwards.
- If you are one of the millions of Americans who suffers from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during the winter months, chances are you can dramatically
improve your symptoms simply by supplementing with vitamin D. Often known as the "sunshine vitamin," vitamin D is significantly diminished during winter time
unless people are able to enjoy being out in the sun on a daily basis. Scientists have found that supplementing daily with 2,000 to 3,000 IU of vitamin D3
(also known as cholacalciferol), the active, nontoxic form of vitamin D can significantly improve SAD symptoms in at little as three months' time.
Note: Before taking vitamin D supplements, ask you doctor to conduct a blood test to see how much vitamin D is available in your body.
Recent research shows that the majority of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, including people who live in warm, sunny climates.
- During winter months, it's easy for your skin, especially on your hands, to become rough and dry. Here's an effective skin moisturizer you
can make at home. In a bowl, thoroughly mix equal parts of plain organic yogurt and either almond, olive, or sesame oil. Then apply this mixture
onto dry skin areas, massaging it into the area for a few minutes. Then rinse with warm water. Doing this once or twice a day can keep your skin
healthy and moisturized throughout the winter.
- If you are 50 or older, here's an easy way to help maintain your memory and cognitive function: Take a walk. According to a study published in
the Journal of American Medicine (JAMA), adults aged 50 or older improved their memory scores by walking as little as two and a half hours per week.
- Here's another easy way to protect against memory loss: Eat more greens. That's according to a study conducted at the University of Illinois, who found
that both foods may even help to protect against Alzheimer's disease. Green foods are rich with a chemical substance known as luteolin, which has been shown
to protect against inflammation in the brain. In addition, luteolin also has been shown to inhibit a brain protein known as CD40, which has been linked to brain
cell death and Alzheimer's. Two common green foods that are loaded with luteolin are celery and green peppers. To get the most benefit from them eat them raw and
make sure they are organic.
- Here's a five-minute technique that can quickly improve the appearance of your skin and also enhance circulation. Once a day, starting at your ankles,
brush upward on your legs, hips, and buttocks, using a dry, bristle brush. This simple exercise not only helps to remove dead, flaky skin cells and improve
the skin's elimination of toxins, it also has a very invigorating effect on circulation, and improve lymphatic function, which is responsible for filtering
out toxins from the body.
- As we age, our metabolism tends to become more sluggish, which can lead to unhealthy weight gain and lack of energy. To help boost your metabolism,
try switching away from the standard three meals-a-day approach of breakfast, lunch and dinner to eating five smaller meals. Research shows that this
eating smaller meals more frequently not only boosts metabolism, it also helps to stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels. The key, of course, is to
make sure the meals you eat consist entirely of healthy foods.
- Do you have trouble falling asleep at night? If so, consider buying a lavender plant and placing it near your bedside. Lavender's fragrant
scent has been shown to promote feelings of calm and relaxation, making sleep easier. (As an alternative, you can also place a drop of lavender oil on
your pillow. Just be sure to use a high-grade oil, which you can find wherever aromatherapy products are sold.)
- Environmental toxins pose serious risks to your health because of their potential to disrupt healthy cell function, damage cellular DNA, and
negatively impact your body's organ systems. Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize your exposure to such toxins:
- Eat organic foods. This will significantly reduce your exposure to pesticides and other chemicals commonly used in the production of nonorganic foods.
- Get in the habit of eating plenty of broccoli and drinking green tea. Doing so will help cleanse your liver and aid it in eliminating stored toxins in your body.
- Don't eat farm-raised fish, which are laced with unhealthy chemicals. Also reduce your intake of wild-caught fish such as salmon and tuna, both of
which typically have high concentrations of mercury and toxic compounds called PCBs. (Wild-caught salmon from Alaska is the exception to this rule.) To continue
to get the health benefits that fish provides, consider sardines and other less toxic seafoods. To find out more,
visit the Environmental Defense Fund's Seafood Selector.
- Switch to natural, organic home cleaning products, including dishwasher and laundry detergents. For many people, commercial
cleaning products in their home comprise the biggest exposure to harmful toxins and synthetic chemicals. Fortunately, today it is easy to
find safe, natural alternatives to such products.
- And finally, drink plenty of pure, filtered water throughout the day. Doing so will help your body flush toxins from your system.
- Researchers have found that it's possible to literally breathe away stress simply by inhaling soothing fragrances such as lavender, peppermint, or vanilla.
That's because such fragrances contain chemicals that cause the brain to release stress-reducing hormones such as serotonin. Inhaling peppermint has the added
benefit of increasing oxygen supply to the brain and body, resulting in feelings of greater energy, which can also counteract stress.
- Here's a simple and effective way to help you shed unwanted pounds. Begin lunch and dinner with a mixed. Not only will doing so help to ensure that you get
your daily quota of fresh vegetables, it will also reduce your appetite for higher calorie foods during the same meals, making weight loss easier.
- To reduce daily stress buildup, try starting each day by giving someone you love a hug. Research has shown that this simple act can set the tone for a more
positive outlook throughout the day and increase feelings of calm, even when exposed to potentially stressful situations. Hugs have also been shown to increase
levels of immune boosting chemicals in the body, as well.
- To promote more restful sleep, trying snacking on a small handful of walnuts before you go to bed. That's because walnuts are a rich source of the amino
acid tryptophan, which is a natural sleep-inducer because of the way it triggers the brain to release the sleep hormone serotonin.
- Contrary to what many people now believe, carbohydrates are not bad for you. In fact, complex carbohydrates, such as those found in grains, are essential
for good health. (Simple carbohydrates should be avoided, however.) Still, it is true that for many people, eating healthy carbs can cause a spike in insulin
levels, which can be dangerous over time. To avoid this problem, combine complex carbs with healthy fats, such as those found in nuts. This combination of
healthy fats and carbs will slow the release of blood sugar, helping to keep insulin levels in check.
- Olive oil, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, is increasingly being shown by research to provide a variety of important health benefits. Here's a
tasty way to boost those benefits. Add a handful of dry, clean sprigs of rosemary to a bottle of olive oil (6 to 8 sprigs for every 16 ounces of oil).
The added rosemary will help protect olive oil from oxidation, thus helping to keep it stronger for longer periods of time.
- Regularly monitoring your blood pressure level is an important step you can take to monitor your overall health. However, a variety of factors can interfere
with accurate blood pressure readings. One of the most common is known as "white coat syndrome," which refers to the natural anxiety many people experience
when seeing their doctor. As a result of this anxiety, blood pressure levels can temporarily rise, sometimes dramatically. Therefore, when seeing you doctor,
wait until your consultation has progressed a bit and you are feeling more comfortable before having your blood pressure read. Other factors can interfere with
blood pressure readings are talking, which raises blood pressure levels automatically, eating an hour or less before your reading is taken, and having a full
bladder. For all of these reasons, many doctors today now advise their patients to take their blood pressure readings at home when they are relaxed and
comfortable. This can easily be done today, due to the availability of high-quality blood pressure monitors at most drugstores. For best results, take
your readings multiple times each day and keep a record of them that you can discuss with your doctor during your next consultation.
Caution: If you find that your blood pressure readings are consistently high over a period of a few days, see your doctor immediately.