Probiotics Help Fight Parasites

• No Comments
• Wellness

Scientists studying Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis, found that bacteria present in the human gut help stimulate the body’s defense mechanisms.

“It also suggests the possibility of developing novel probiotic strategies for treating parasitic infections such as toxoplamosisand cryptosporidiosis, a related disease caused by the parasite Cryptosporidium.”

Dr Yarovinsky told NutraIngredients that probiotics may occupy space in the intestine and thus reduce or prevent potentially pathogenic bacteria attaching to the intestinal wall.

Source: Nutra Ingredients

Common Foods That Fight Colds

• No Comments
• Wellness

Common foods that we can all use to help fight colds and other winter illness.

LEMONADE: 
This is wonderful to soothe sore throats, cleanse the blood, and loosen mucous. Add the juice of half a lemon and one teaspoon of maple syrup to a cup of warm water.

CHICKEN SOUP: 
Use of chicken soup goes back to the twelfth century, to a Jewish physician and philosopher, Maimonides, who recommended chicken soup to treat colds and flu.

MUSTARD: 
Mustard packs reduce fever, eliminate toxins and help heal the mucus membranes in the lungs.

GINGER: 
Ginger tea can help kill germs, as an antiviral and is also very good for an upset stomach. 
Boil two tablespoons of grated fresh ginger in two cups of water for fifteen minutes, remove from the heat and steep for ten minutes. 
Drink as needed. Adding ginger to a bath stimulates the lymph system and speeds lymph drainage. Pulverize a quarter cup of fresh ginger and place in cheesecloth and soak in the tub as water fills.

GARLIC: 
Common household garlic is great as a preventative and as a treatment for colds and flu. 
Raw garlic has anti-fungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. 
Researchers in England found that garlic can speed up recovery from the flu and increase resistance.Garlic can cause increased bleeding, so those taking medications for bleeding should take care when adding extra garlic to the diet. Continue Reading

Adding Extra Years To Your Life

• No Comments
• Wellness

Here is another interesting article that was written on MSN Health talking about how to add 22 years extra to your life. I find this research to very intriguing. Here are a few:

Never forget that your buddies have your back—even when it’s hunched over from osteoporosis. +7 years

In a study of seventysomethings, Australian researchers found that those with the largest network of friends had the longest lease on life. For the average guy, this could add up to seven additional years of existence. Yes, some buddies may encourage risky behavior from time to time, but friendship ultimately provides more protection than peril.

Repeat after us: “There is life after retirement.” +7 ½ years

Or at least that’s what you’d better believe if you want to live that long. In a Yale University study of older adults, people with a positive outlook on the aging process lived more than seven years longer than those who felt doomed to deteriorating mental and physical health.

Next time you’re asked, “Soup or salad?” order the salad. +2 years

Italian researchers found that eating as little as 1 cup of raw vegetables daily can add two years to your life. Why raw? Cooking can deplete up to 30 percent of the antioxidants in vegetables. To eat your quota, fill a plastic sandwich bag with chopped red and green peppers, broccoli and carrots. Toss the bag into your briefcase, along with a packet of dressing—the fat will boost your body’s absorption of certain nutrients.

To read more go to MSN Health

Food Of The Month: Pumpkins

• No Comments
• Wellness

Yes. It is the season again where we start to see our favorite orange food; the pumpkin. These wonderful fruits are a favorite this time of year. Pumpkins pack many health benefits that go unnoticed. Pumpkins are a great source of fiber, vitamins C,E, and A, and potassium.

Can Help Treat Depression
They contain L-tryptophan, which has been effective in treating depression.

Osteoporosis Prevention
Because they are high in zinc, pumpkin seeds are a natural protector against osteoporosis. Low intake of zinc is linked to higher rates of osteoporosis.

Natural Anti-Inflammatory
Pumpkin seeds effectively reduce inflammation without the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Prevention of Kidney Stones
Research shows that pumpkins prevent calcium oxalate kidney stone formation.

Treatment of Parasites
They are used in many cultures as a natural treatment for tapeworms and other parasites. Studies also show them to be effective against acute schistosomiasis, a parasite contracted from snails.

Great Source of Magnesium
1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds contains over 90% of your daily value of magnesium.

Lower Cholesterol
Pumpkin seeds contain phytosterols, compounds that that have been shown to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol.

Cancer Prevention
The same phytosterols that lower cholesterol also protect against many cancers.

Yoga To Keep Colds At Bay

• No Comments
• Wellness

Yoga is such an amazing way to exercise your body, rejuvenate you soul, and nourish your spirit. It also can assist you even when you are feeling under the weather. All these wonderful poses from YogaJournal.com can help you when you get sick.

1. Head Wrap
Before you begin, wrap your forehead to relieve tension in the head. Take a wide ace bandage (about 4 inches) and wrap it snugly around the head, tucking the free end in. You can also wrap it over the eyes, taking care not to wrap the eyes too tightly. The bandage will comfort your congested sinuses while you do the poses that follow.

2. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Brings energy to the head and respiratory area; helps clear the sinuses.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and rest your forearms on a chair seat. You can also place a blanket on the chair seat for extra padding. Hold two to five minutes.

3. Supported Bridge Pose (Salamba Setu Bandhasana)
Opens up the chest and increases circulation to the upper torso.

Align two bolsters or two to four blankets on the floor running the entire length of your body (the height of the support can vary from 6 to 12 inches). Sit on the middle of the support and lie back. Slide towards your head until your shoulders lightly touch the floor. Open your arms out to the sides, palms turned up. Rest with your legs stretched out on the bolster or with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Relax for a minimum of five minutes.

4. Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
Brings energy to the groin and opens the chest area to facilitate breathing.

With the back of the pelvis on a bolster placed 4 to 6 inches from the wall, swing the legs up the wall. Drop your sitting bones into the space between the blanket and the wall and open your arms out to the sides. If your hamstrings feel tight, try turning the legs slightly in, or move the bolster further away from the wall. Hold for a minimum of five minutes.

5. Supported Bound Angle Pose (Salamba Baddha Konasana)
Opens the chest, abdomen, and groins; relaxes the nervous system.

Sit on the floor, knees bent towards the chest. Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees open towards the floor. Support the outer thighs with folded blankets at a comfortable height. You can also place sandbags on each inner thigh to deepen relaxation. Release the arms out to the sides and let go of any tension. Relax in the pose for a minimum of five minutes.

To read more go to YogaJournal.Com