février 2015 ~ The Medicine

jeudi 26 février 2015

Change Your Lifestyle To Lose Weight For Good

Although it may seem like a long, arduous process, a little determination and patience can go a long way when it comes to weight loss. Maintaining a healthy weight has several benefits, including decreased risk of heart disease and diabetes. Read this article for some tips on how to lose weight and keep it off.

Have soup for supper when you are working at losing weight. Since this is the last meal of the day, it is important to keep the calories lower because your activity level is reduced at night. Soup has such a high content of water that it fills you up with fewer calories than other foods. Just be careful to avoid creamy soups or ones with high sodium content.

Diets don't work all the time. Instead of starting a fad diet, watch what you eat. Make small changes, one at a time and go from that point. You will start to lose pounds when you cut out foods or drinks that are not healthy for you.

If you want to get a handle on weight loss, it's important to understand the concept of nutrient density. Traditionally, nutrient density has been spoken of in terms of nutrients per unit of weight or volume, i.e. calories per ounce, etc. Of far more use, however, is to think of the nutrient density in terms of nutrients per CALORIE. Measured by that standard, a head of romaine lettuce, which has about 100 calories, is many times more loaded with nutrients per calorie than almost any other food. It's just that most of us don't think of eating an entire head of romaine lettuce. These findings, based on research suggest that focusing on the most nutrient-dense foods (by calorie, not by weight) will help people lose the greatest amount of weight.

To keep from overindulging when eating out, plan what you're going to eat ahead of time. When you look at a menu, it's easy to be tempted by the fatty appetizers or high calorie deserts. Instead, decide on what you want and avoid spending time on the menu. Make sure to pick something you enjoy so you aren't tempted by the meals of the people you're dining with.

To aid in your weight loss, then look to the color blue. Blue, as a tranquil color, works as an appetite suppressant. You could use a blue tablecloth, eat off blue plates, or even dress in blue. Stay away from colors like red, yellow or orange because these will increase your appetite.

To avoid being hungry while on a diet, split up your calories into as many small meals and snacks as you can. If you eat the same 1500 calories broken up into six small meals, you will be less hungry than if you eat 500 calories at each of just three meals.

It is important to realize that there will always be setbacks in weight loss. You will not be able to lose weight every single day. Some days your body may retain water or your metabolism may not have burned as quickly that day. It does not mean that you should give up on your weight loss goal.

A great way to help you lose weight is to hop on the elliptical machine at your gym. The elliptical machine burns more calories when compared to other machines, such as, the recumbent bike or even the stationary bike. The elliptical machine is also low impact, so you aren't putting that much strain on your joints.

Whether you want to lose weight to feel better about yourself or to become healthier, maintaining an appropriate way is very good for your health. Simply exercising and changing your diet can help you become slimmer. Remember the tips in this article if you would like to lose weight and keep it off.

jeudi 12 février 2015

Benefits Of Ginkgo Biloba

Introduction:

Ginkgo trees, are one of the oldest species of trees cultivated in China and are believed to be 150 to 200 million years old. The ginkgo trees grow in average soil and even in full sun. The tree can grow 100 – 120 feet. Ginkgo trees are very resistant to pollution and infection and hardly suffer any disease. Insects rarely attack these plants. Due to these reasons these trees are most tolerant even in urban conditions and are grown as shade trees.

Ginkgo or ginkgo biloba extracts is made from various parts of these trees. Chinease has used ginkgo biloba for the centuries for treating various ailments. Now it is most researched herb and is used by most of the countries as herbal medicine.



Working of Ginkgo Biloba:

Ginkgo leaves contains two groups of active components known as flavonoid glycosides and ginkgolides. These active ingredients helps in increasing blood flow to the brain and improving overall network of blood vessels, and consequently increases the inflow of oxygen and essential nutrients to brain and other important organs of the body and simultaneously helps controlling in allergic inflammation and asthma.

Benefits of Ginkgo Biloba:

The research on this herbal medicine continues for the last three decades and some of the benefits as evidenced by clinical studies have been summarized below.


Depression

Patients suffering from varying degrees of vascular insufficiency also noted an improvement in mood while taking ginkgo biloba extract. This has prompted a surge of interest in its use as a treatment for depression, especially in the elderly. Many people have found GBE to enhance other depression treatments and to often even prevent the need for pharmaceutical treatments in mild cases of depression. Those under the age of fifty may also benefit from ginkgo biloba's antidepressant effects. So far though, the greatest level of improvement has been noted with older patients.

Alzheimer's & Mental Function

As more than 300 studies demonstrate, ginkgo facilitates better blood flow through out the body, most notably the brain, where it both protects and promotes memory and mental function, even for people with Alzheimer's disease. It also offers a wealth of possibilities in the treatment of many other common ailments.

Alzheimer's

Since doctors are still not sure what causes Alzheimer's disease, we do not have a definite idea of how ginkgo works to stabilise, and in some cases, improve the quality of life for those suffering from this degenerative disease. Scientists have noted that Alzheimer's is marked by a major loss of nerve cells in the brain, particularly those in areas controlling memory and thinking. Since doctors have found antioxidants to help slow the destruction of nerves, it is not a stretch to see ginkgo's antioxidant properties helping in this area. The disease is also believed to have a connection to decreased blood flow to the brain. If so, ginkgo's vasodilating effects may be a big help in the treatment process. Either way, prominent doctors and scientists believe ginkgo to be the supplement of choice to help hold off and possibly treat Alzheimer's.

Antioxidant Properties

Although oxygen is essential for life, it can have adverse effects on your body. Unstable oxygen molecules can often be created during our body's normal break down and use of oxygen or can form in response to external factors and pollutants. These unstable molecules, called free radicals, can damage cells and structures within cells. If the genetic material in cells is affected and not repaired, it can replicate in new cells, contributing to cancer and other health problems. These free radicals may also weaken artery walls, allowing fatty deposits that can lead to hear disease. As an antioxidant, ginkgo biloba combats free radicals and repairs molecular damage. A great deal of research suggests that antioxidants such as GBE may play important roles in preventing or delaying heart disease, cancer and other ills. Antioxidants may even halt the damage to cells, thereby slowing the effects of aging.

Impotency

Another use for ginkgo biloba is in the treatment of impotency. The main cause of male impotence is poor circulation and impaired blood flow through the penis, which is often the result of atherosclerosis. Since ginkgo biloba increases blood flow, it's been found to help up to fifty percent of patients after six months of use.

Raynaud's disease

Raynaud's disease is believed to be caused by blood vessels that over react to the cold and spasm, reducing blood flow and there by depriving extremities of oxygen. Ginkgo biloba may help this condition by widening the small blood vessels, which would keep these spasms from completely blocking the blood flow.

Parkinson's Disease

The lack of dopamine is believed to produce the progressive stiffness, shaking and loss of muscle coordination typical in Parkinson's disease. Doctor's theorise that along with other treatments, Ginkgo biloba may help symptoms by increasing the brain's blood flow and thereby allowing more of the depleted dopamine to be circulated to the areas that need it most.

Other Conditions
Other uses for which ginkgo biloba extract is often recommended include depression, diabetes related nerve damage and poor circulation, allergies, vertigo, short-term memory loss, headache, atherosclerosis, tinnitus, cochlear deafness, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and PMS.

Strokes

Scientists continue to study the prevention and treatment benefits to stroke patients that are attributed to GBE. It's believed that by preventing blood clots from developing and increasing the blood flow to the brain, ginkgo biloba may help stop strokes from occurring. It's also believed that the herb inhibits free-radical damage of brain cells after a stroke.

Multiple sclerosis & Organ transplant

GBE also appears to have an anti-inflammatory action that may make it valuable in the future for conditions such as multiple sclerosis and organ transplants.