Caring Properly for your Fruit Trees,

Caring Properly for your Fruit Tree
If you have just recently planted a new fruit tree, I think it is safe to assume you are not yet an expert on the subject. More fruit trees die in their beginning years due to poor care habits than any disease or pestilence. Therefore it is vital that you understand how to care for trees in a way that will ensure their immediate success as well as future good health.
During the first stages of the tree’s life, the roots, trunk, and branches have not yet fully developed to a self supporting strength. Therefore if your tree is growing fruits, occasionally the combined weight is enough to snap off an entire branch. If this is the case, you should provide external support for your branches – prop them up with boards, or tie them to something at a higher altitude. As long as you can provide your tree the support it needs in these early years, it should grow to be independent in no time at all.
Proper nutrition is not only necessary for the production of healthy fruits, but is also necessary for the tree to survive longer than one season. The exact specifications vary with the area, climate, and type of tree, but I’ve found that there is no better source than a nursery employee. Maybe they’re just eager to sell you the right type of fertilizer, but in my experience they are almost never wrong.  Just inform them about the conditions your tree is living in and how healthy it is looking, and they should be able to help you find something to improve the state of your tree.
Lots of people think that the only way to ensure a tree’s healthiness is to provide it insane amounts of water. This is not the case at all. As a matter of fact, giving too much water to a tree can be more harmful than making it go thirsty. At the best it will have a negative effect on the taste of the fruit. But at worst, your entire tree could die and prevent you from ever growing fruit in the future. So do not ever try to solve your problems by giving it lots of water! Solve your tree’s health problems at the root, so to speak. Go to where the problem originates from, and fix that.
If it is too late and you’re already starting to see unhealthy branches that look either diseased or damaged, you should always remove them. If the tree is wasting nutrients by sending them out to the branch that cannot be saved, it is practically throwing away all the nutrients that it could use on the other, healthier branches. As soon as you start to see a branch that is deteriorating or becoming unhealthy, chop it off right away. At the very least, trim down the unhealthy part but leave all the segments that still look like they could continue growing.
Once your tree has started to enter the picking stage, never leave any of the fruit on the ground that is bound to fall. Also, be careful to get every piece off of the tree. Even if it is an ugly looking fruit that you don’t want to keep, you should still pick it and throw it away. Once these fruits begin to rot, they provide a perfect home for unwanted insects or diseases that can transfer to the tree itself. So always remember to rake up these fallen fruits, and prevent yourself a lot of future grief.
Getting a fruit tree and caring for it throughout its life can be a daunting task. It may even seem impossible sometimes to keep track of all the factors that make a tree healthy. But if you just pay attention to the nutrients that your tree needs, you should be on a good path. In addition to nutrients, figure out the precise amount of watering that you should be doing to keep your tree’s thirst quenched without drowning it. Just do all these things, and you will have a great tree that produces delicious fruits.

Preventing Diseases in Fruit Trees

If you maintain any pitted fruit trees such as plums, peaches, or cherries, I’m sure you know that those types of trees are much more susceptible to diseases than any other type. While the fruits are delicious, it can be rather hard to live with all of the maladies that can plague the life of everyone who has ever grown one of those types of fruit trees.

The main disease that you will hear about the most is known as “Brown Rot”. This is a fungus that attaches to many of the leftover fruits after the picking season is over. Not only does it look disgusting on the leftover fruits, but it also can come back on the newer fruits, rendering them inedible (unless you enjoy eating fungus). To prevent this malady, you should prune your trees often to encourage good air circulation. Buildups of moisture are the main cause of the brown rot. Also when you are done picking for the season, you should get rid of all of the leftover fruits in the tree or on the ground.

A cytospora canker is a disgusting dark, soft area on tree branches. Gum protrudes through the bark, along with a large callus. The pathogen which causes these cankers usually enters the tree through older wounds. If you prune all of the sprouts that occur in late summer, cankers will have a harder time making themselves known within your tree. When you prune, always allow the wounds to heal naturally rather than use the wound dressings that you can buy at gardening stores. I’ve found that these usually do very little to help any situation, and only serve to make the tree look unnatural.

Those planting plum trees might deal with something called Black Knot. The symptoms of black not are rough tumors or growths that can be seen on the tree’s branches. If you see any of these, you should immediately chop off the branch it has attached to. If you use branches for mulch usually, don’t for this one. This disease can easily re-enter the tree if it is within a certain distance.

Almost everyone who has ever maintained a cherry tree has dealt with the “Cherry Leaf Spot”. It usually shows itself when there are old dead leaves accumulated on the ground. Preventing this disease is fairly easy. All you have to do is be fairly diligent in raking up all of the leaves that fall from your tree. If you have already seen signs of the disease, you should destroy all of your raked leaves. If not, then you can use them as mulch.

When your fruits ripen and become ready for picking, you should always be completely finished with picking within 2 weeks. It is best to daily go outside and pick all of the new ripe fruits, along with any that have fallen off of the tree or are starting to rot on the tree. By doing this, you will prevent bees and wasps from becoming too dependent on your tree for nourishment.

Growers of fruit trees are constantly faced with diseases and pests to worry about. However, if you take the proper precautions then you can avoid most of them. You should also look for any diseases that have been affecting your local area, and try to take steps to prevent those as well.

The Many Types of Cherry Trees

One of the most pleasant trees you can possibly maintain is a cherry tree. The word Cherry is derived from the name of an ancient city in Turkey. It describes both the tree and the fruit it produces. A cherry fruit is classified as a “drupe”. In the center it has a single hard core that holds the seed. The outside of the fruit is smooth and might have a small groove down one side. There are hundreds of different varieties of cherry.

There are two main groups that cherries can fall under. It is either a wild cherry or a sour cherry. Wild cherries are generally used for plain eating, and originated in Europe or western Asia. Usually if you buy a bag of cherries from the store, you can guess that they are wild cherries. The other type, sour cherries, also originated in Europe and western Asia. These are less pleasant to eat, and are used more in cooking situations, including the production of jam or jelly.

Cherry trees aren’t just known for their delicious fruits. They are also popular for their beautiful flowers or blossoms. The clusters of flowers that appear in the spring are rather breathtaking, and have inspired many a song or poem.

If you’re looking to plant a cherry tree, you might consider black cherries. It is best known for being the tallest tree available, and producing beautiful white clumps of flowers. The fruit, which becomes ready to pick in the summertime, is small and black. The only negative aspects about this tree are its vulnerability to certain caterpillars, and the tendency for the fruits to fall on their own and stain concrete. That’s why it is best to keep them over grass rather then near a sidewalk.

Another one of the most beautiful types of trees is the purple leaved plum. Contrary to its name, it isn’t a plum but rather a larger type of cherry. Its tree is most recognizable for its strikingly purple flowers. Through the course of its flowering season, they usually change from deep purple to light pink. Either way, you’ll probably be the only one on the block with such a colorful tree. One of its strong points is that it is particularly resistant to pests.

The Amur Chokeberry is most recognizable for its golden bark on the trunk and branches. When its flowers bloom in the middle of spring, they are very small and white. These trees specifically require moist, but well-drained soil. If your yard can’t supply that, then this is probably a tree you should skip. This tree is one of the most susceptible to pests and diseases unless you live in a very cold climate. It is one of the most high maintenance trees, but the cherries are delicious and the flowers are some of the lushest.

No matter what your yard or soil situation is like, you should have no problem finding a cherry tree that will do well in your area. They are a great thing to add to your yard, and when it flowers it will take the breath away from everyone that looks at it. It works great as a focal point for any garden. So go to your nursery today, and enquire about what types of cherry trees are known for doing well in your region. You’re bound to find something you like.

Vitamin Supplements

Although getting the proper amount of vitamins and nutrients from natural food is important, it can be very hard to do.  Those who can’t get the minerals and such they need from food, turn to vitamins and supplements.  With vitamin supplements being a big business, there are many manufacturers to choose from.  Each year, there are thousands of supplements out there, with customers spending billions and billions of dollars to get the supplements and vitamins they need. 

Right now, there are 3 different delivery systems for supplements – liquid, capsules, and tablets.  Although each one is good in its own right, you should always pick one that dissolves easy and doesn’t just pass through your system.  If your vitamin passes through your body, it will end up toilet and you’ll end up wasting your money.

Liquid is considered to be the best, although there aren’t that many supplements or vitamins available in liquid form.  Liquid is preferred by some, although others think of them as tasting like cough syrup.  If you aren’t able to swallow pills or capsules, then liquid would be a great alternative. 

The most common type of supplement is tablets.  Tablets are created from organic cement then formed into shape.  The only drawback here is dissolving.  For tablets to dissolve properly, organic cements need to be used, although they cost quite a bit more, causing manufacturers to skip adding them.  You can also find supplement tablets that have a coated shell, although they are normally found in the cheaper vitamin and supplement stores.

The capsule type of vitamin supplements is preferred by many, as they dissolve quickly, normally faster than the other delivery systems.  Due to the fact of them not being compressed like tablets, you’ll normally need to take two of them to get the same amount that’s provided with one tablet.

When you use vitamin supplements, you want to be sure that you are getting the most amounts possible.  Vitamins are a great alternative to minerals and nutrients found in food, and are ideal for those who aren’t able to eat the right foods.  Vitamin supplements are also great for athletes or those looking for more energy, as they will supply the levels your body needs for exhaustive activity.

You can buy your vitamin supplements on the Internet, or through a local nutrition store such as GNC.  GNC is among the most popular in terms of local stores, as they carry hundreds and hundreds of vitamins and supplements.  You can find everything from health vitamins to bodybuilding supplements.  They have rock bottom prices with plenty of manufacturers, including the top name brands.  With millions of dollars in revenue each year and over 100 chains throughout the United States, GNC is a dominant name in the world of vitamins and supplements.

If you need to take vitamins or supplements but aren’t sure what you should take, you should consult with your doctor.  Vitamins and supplements are a great way to get minerals and nutrients to your body, although they should never, ever, be used to replace food.  You’ll still need to maintain a healthy diet, even though you may be taking vitamins.  If you can maintain a healthy diet when taking your vitamins and supplements, you’ll find the benefits to be twice as good.  When choosing your supplements you should always choose them wisely, making sure that you get exactly what you need.  If you choose your vitamins and supplements wisely – you’ll find them to be the perfect addition to a healthy diet.

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The Psychology Behind Gardening

I don’t know what it is about a garden that has always drawn humans to them. But they’ve always been very popular, and an integral part of peoples’ lifestyles. Most religions feature gardens as the settings for some of the biggest events According to Christianity, humanity was started in a garden and the son of God was resurrected in a garden. The Buddhist build gardens to allow nature to permeate their surroundings. Almost every major palace and government building has a garden. But what’s so great about them? They’re just a bunch of plants, after all.

Of course, the reasoning is fairly obvious behind why people grow food in gardens. It’s to eat! If you live off the fat of the land and actually survive on stuff from your garden, it’s easy to understand the reasoning. But I’m thinking about those people who plant flower gardens just for the sake of looking nice. There’s no immediate benefit that I can see; you just have a bunch of flowers in your yard! However, after thinking extensively about the motivation behind planting decorative gardens, I’ve conceived several possible theories.

I think one of the reasons people love gardens so much is that while we have a natural desire to progress and industrialize, deep within all of us is a primal love for nature. While this desire might not be as strong as the desire for modernism, it is still strong enough to compel us to create gardens, small outlets of nature, in the midst of all our hustle and bustle. Since being in nature is like regressing to an earlier stage of humanity, we too can regress to a time of comfort and utter happiness. This is why gardens are so relaxing and calming to be in. This is why gardens are a good place to meditate and do tai chi exercises. A garden is a way to quickly escape from the busy world.

I’ve thought at times that perhaps we as humans feel a sort of guilt driving us to restore nature and care for it. This guilt could stem from the knowledge that we, not personally but as a race, have destroyed so much of nature to get where we are today. It’s the least we can do to build a small garden in remembrance of all the trees we kill every day. It’s my theory that this is the underlying reason for most people to take up gardening as a hobby.

Gardening is definitely a healthy habit though, don’t get me wrong. Any hobby that provides physical exercise, helps the environment, and improves your diet can’t be a negative thing. So no matter what the underlying
psychological cause for gardening is, I think that everyone should continue to do so. In the USA especially, which is dealing with obesity and pollution as its two major problems, I think gardening can only serve
to improve the state of the world.

Of course I’m no psychologist; I’m just a curious gardener. I often stay up for hours wondering what makes me garden. What is it that makes me go outside for a few hours every day with my gardening tools, and facilitate
the small-time growth of plants that would grow naturally on their own? I may never know, but in this case ignorance truly is bliss.

Dealing with Barren Trees

One of the most frustrating things that can possibly happen to someone who has slaved for hours and hours in growing a fruit tree is the unexplainable barrenness that can sometimes occur when there should be a plethora of fresh fruit. I know this from experience. My neighbors all consider me the gardening guru because of my extensive knowledge. But this is only because gardening has been my passion for years and years, and like a sponge I have accumulated so much information in my mind. My learning has also come from past experiences with failure. For about 5 years after I started planting fruit trees, I did not see a single fruit for all my labor. I was nearly ready to give up, until I met who I think is truly the guru of gardening.

I was in the gardening store, looking for some sort of new fertilizer to put my hope in for my quest to obtain fruit. I don’t know if there was a look of desperation in my eyes, but a kindly old man came up and started speaking with me. He introduced himself as Ralph, and for some reason I opened up to him and told him about all of my difficulties. I’ve never been the type to spill all my problems on anyone who asks, but Ralph seemed like such a nice fellow that I just couldn’t help it. And I’m glad I did, because what he taught me truly helped me to get my fruit trees in gear and start producing.

I learned that generally, the inability to produce can be caused by a number of factors. Sometimes the tree is simply too young; If your tree is less than four years old, you shouldn’t exactly expect it to be producing yet. If it has reached 4 years and you still have seen no sign of fruit, then you should start to consider other factors that might be causing the barrenness.

If the tree is undergoing any type of water stress (this can be poor drainage, too much water, or too little water), then it will have trouble growing. If you suspect this is the case, you should evaluate your own watering techniques and compare them with the needs of the tree to see if you are causing water stress. Also always be on the lookout for any diseases or pest damages. If your tree is constantly being molested by all kinds of little creatures, then you can’t expect it to be lively enough to produce fruit.

If your tree blooms but still doesn’t produce any fruit, this could be because of cold temperatures during the bloom. The coldness damaged the flower bud or damaged the baby fruit. Aesthetically the tree may look fine, but the inside could be damaged beyond any hope of ever seeing fruit. Unfortunately there isn’t much you can do in this case except for wait until next year and hope that it doesn’t happen again.

If the tree’s pollination process has not been fully completed, it could have troubles growing fruit. If you planted different varieties, you may find that the requirements are different than you had originally thought and they were incompatible. In this case you need to replant the correct combinations.

Once I evaluated the conditions of my tree and everything that has occurred in its life, I realized that not only had I cross pollinated slightly incorrectly, but I was also giving my tree too much water. After I fixed these problems, I had learned my lesson and I have not had any trouble bearing fruit since then.

So if you are struggling with a plant that is not being cooperative, you should consult an expert gardener. If you can find a gardening mentor like mine that is willing to teach you everything they know, then you should be able to get your garden on the right track with no problems.

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Caring Properly for your Fruit Tree

If you have just recently planted a new fruit tree, I think it is safe to assume you are not yet an expert on the subject. More fruit trees die in their beginning years due to poor care habits than any disease or pestilence. Therefore it is vital that you understand how to care for trees in a way that will ensure their immediate success as well as future good health.

During the first stages of the tree’s life, the roots, trunk, and branches have not yet fully developed to a self supporting strength. Therefore if your tree is growing fruits, occasionally the combined weight is enough to snap off an entire branch. If this is the case, you should provide external support for your branches – prop them up with boards, or tie them to something at a higher altitude. As long as you can provide your tree the support it needs in these early years, it should grow to be independent in no time at all.

Proper nutrition is not only necessary for the production of healthy fruits, but is also necessary for the tree to survive longer than one season. The exact specifications vary with the area, climate, and type of tree, but I’ve found that there is no better source than a nursery employee. Maybe they’re just eager to sell you the right type of fertilizer, but in my experience they are almost never wrong.  Just inform them about the conditions your tree is living in and how healthy it is looking, and they should be able to help you find something to improve the state of your tree.

Lots of people think that the only way to ensure a tree’s healthiness is to provide it insane amounts of water. This is not the case at all. As a matter of fact, giving too much water to a tree can be more harmful than making it go thirsty. At the best it will have a negative effect on the taste of the fruit. But at worst, your entire tree could die and prevent you from ever growing fruit in the future. So do not ever try to solve your problems by giving it lots of water! Solve your tree’s health problems at the root, so to speak. Go to where the problem originates from, and fix that.

If it is too late and you’re already starting to see unhealthy branches that look either diseased or damaged, you should always remove them. If the tree is wasting nutrients by sending them out to the branch that cannot be saved, it is practically throwing away all the nutrients that it could use on the other, healthier branches. As soon as you start to see a branch that is deteriorating or becoming unhealthy, chop it off right away. At the very least, trim down the unhealthy part but leave all the segments that still look like they could continue growing.

Once your tree has started to enter the picking stage, never leave any of the fruit on the ground that is bound to fall. Also, be careful to get every piece off of the tree. Even if it is an ugly looking fruit that you don’t want to keep, you should still pick it and throw it away. Once these fruits begin to rot, they provide a perfect home for unwanted insects or diseases that can transfer to the tree itself. So always remember to rake up these fallen fruits, and prevent yourself a lot of future grief.

Getting a fruit tree and caring for it throughout its life can be a daunting task. It may even seem impossible sometimes to keep track of all the factors that make a tree healthy. But if you just pay attention to the nutrients that your tree needs, you should be on a good path. In addition to nutrients, figure out the precise amount of watering that you should be doing to keep your tree’s thirst quenched without drowning it. Just do all these things, and you will have a great tree that produces delicious fruits.

Tags : nutrition zone, nutrition classes, nutrition store, natural nutrition, applebees nutrition facts, health nutrition

Insulin

Insulin has two critical roles in the body that we cannot live without, yet it can be the root of many health problems, including diabetes. Insulin carries sugar (glucose), fat and protein into your cells where they are used for energy and the repair of your cells. When you eat, a certain amount of the food will be converted into glucose and enter the bloodstream. As the sugar levels rise, the body senses it and the pancreas secretes insulin to lower the sugar. This is insulin''s second main function.

If you eat too much of any food, especially carbohydrates (starch and sugar) the levels of glucose in the blood rise to very high levels. In turn this triggers a large release of insulin from the pancreas. Your cells will take what they need and then insulin will begin the process of converting the excess glucose, fat and protein into fat and then put it all away in your fat cells. By combining foods the right way for your body, you will maintain optimum levels of insulin throughout the day.

The best way to control insulin and fight sugar cravings is to eat protein snacks when you are hungry or when you have severe "sweet" cravings. Also, try to limit yourself to three carbohydrate-containing meals per day and try to eat vegetables with most meals and snacks.
A particularly good snack is non-fat cottage cheese and salsa. The only vegetables to avoid in the evening are corn, yellow or orange squash, peas, beets and carrots. They have high simple carbohydrate (sugar) content.

Good natural sources of protein for meals or snacks are:

Chicken breast
Turkey
Fish
Lean Pork
Lean Steak
7% or less Ground Beef
Egg whites
Egg Beaters
Tofu
Non-fat cottage cheese
Non-fat cheese
Non-fat cream cheese
Non-fat sour cream
Fat-free Ham or Canadian bacon

You can also try protein powder and protein bars.

I recommend Labrada ProPlete Protein powder. It is low fat, low carb and high protein. It comes in several flavors and you can probably get it at GNC stores or any vitamin store. It does not have artificial sweeteners. It is sweetened with Stevia, which is all-natural and it made from the root and leaves of the Stevia plant.

Labrada also makes good low-carb, sugar free protein bars. Other good protein bars are Ultimate Lo-Carb, Ultimate Lo-Carb2 and Premiere Elite. These are good as a "pretend candy bar" when you''re having a craving. Just don''t over do it. The last three bars I mentioned do have artificial sweeteners. You can find them at GNC, Trader Joe''s and many vitamin stores.

The key is to eat frequently throughout the day and also have a real sweet treat once a week if that will help you stay away from sweets the rest of the week.

My fat loss and fitness plan "Every Body Loses" will give you the tools you need to begin a healthy weight loss program. The style of eating and exercising outlined in my book is one that you can follow for life without feeling deprived. If you''re serious about losing fat and getting fit go to www.aim4nutrition.com and get started TODAY!

Good Luck and Be Well,

Aimee Deak
Personal Trainer & Nutrition Analyst
AIM 4 NUTRITION
www.aim4nutrition.com

Aimee Deak is a certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Analyst,
author of the nutrition and fitness book "Every Body Loses" and
owner of AIM 4 NUTRITION.
She offers online personal training and training by phone.
www.aim4nutrition.com
', 136, 'Insulin, Diabetes, Diabetes articles, Diabetes information, about Diabetes, what is Diabetes, Diabetes Information', 'Insulin plus articles and information on Diabetes

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Three Cheers for Heart Healthy Oils!

You may have noticed an ever-expanding choice of oils at your local grocery store over the past few years. While once your options were limited to corn, canola, safflower and maybe olive oil, now your choices include walnut, almond, grapeseed and other types of oil as well. You may have even splurged on a bottle of fragrant truffle oil. Each of these oils has its place in the kitchen and serves a specific function. Understanding which oil is suited for which use will help you to make the best choices for you and your family. Also, understanding the difference between the so-called "good" and "bad" fats will allow you to cook and eat more healthfully.

"For years, Americans were told to consume as little fat as possible. Now, experts recognize that while too much fat is bad for you, some fat is a necessary part of our diet; fats are a source of essential nutrition and flavor,", Neil Blomquist CEO of Spectrum Naturals, a Petaluma, Calif.- based manufacturer of organic vegetable oils and healthy condiments. The trick is to consume the right kind of fat in the appropriate amount. When it comes to calories, all oils are the same. They each contain 9 calories per gram -- this includes oils labeled "light," a term which refers only to the oil''s taste, not its nutritional makeup. But some oils are better for you than others.

Fats and oils are either saturated or unsaturated; unsaturated fats can be either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. "No oil is completely made of one fat; they all are a combination of the three fats in different percentages, based on the nut, seed or fruit from which the oil is derived," explains Blomquist. Saturated fats, which come mainly from animal sources, increase cholesterol levels. Tropical oils such as coconut and palm are two non-animal examples of saturated fat. Hydrogenated oils such as margarine and vegetable shortening are saturated fats that have been chemically transformed from their normal liquid state into solids. During the hydrogenation procedure, extra hydrogen atoms are pumped into unsaturated fat. This creates trans fatty acids, the most unhealthy type of fat found to be the number one cause of heart disease.

Monounsaturated fats are known to help reduce the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol without lowering the good HDL cholesterol. The most widely used oils that are high in monounsaturates are olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil. Polyunsaturated fats, made up of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids are also considered relatively healthy and include corn, soybean, safflower, and grapeseed oil. . Oils high in omega-3 rich polyunsaturate fat such as walnut oil, flaxseed oil and canola oil are a good addition to the diet since our body require omega-3s for good health but cannot manufacturer them. New studies show incorporating omega-3s into your diet reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease. "The way the oil is extracted also plays a role in how healthy it is," notes Blomquist. Oil is extracted using one of two methods -- mechanical or chemical. Chemical extraction, often called solvent extraction, is the most common and cost efficient method. It employs high heat and a series of chemical processes, primarily exposure to hexane gas, to remove and refine the oil.

In mechanical extraction, called cold pressed or expeller pressed, oil is squeezed from the source, usually with hydraulic presses. This minimal exposure to heat preserves the natural flavor of the oil but limits the yield, making mechanically extracted oils more expensive than chemically extracted oils. "We use only mechanical extraction, to maintain the nutrients and health benefits of our oils," says Blomquist. Just as each oil has a unique nutritional makeup, they also have distinct flavor components and smoke points, making some oils more appropriate for certain uses than others. Heating oil past its smoke point can cause it to have an off flavor, lose its nutritional value and turn the once healthy oil into a trans fat laden heart disease machine. Oils that can take high temperatures make good all purpose cooking oils. Choose from canola, sunflower and peanut for high-heat uses such as searing and frying. Medium-high heat oils are good for baking, sautéing and stir-frying; try grapeseed, safflower or sunflower oil. For sauces, lower-heat baking and pressure cooking, medium-high heat oils are best. Good choices are olive oil, corn oil, pumpkinseed oil and walnut oil.

"There are some oils that should never be heated," Blomquist points out. Rather, These oils, found on the supermarket shelves in the nutritional supplement category in the refrigerator, can also be used as condiments.Use them in dips and dressings, or add to a dish after it has been removed from heat. For example, add walnut oil, with its nutty flavor, to your salad; or add sesame oil to your stir-fry after its done cooking to add extra flavor. Other oils to use unheated are Normally found in capsule form wouldn''t apply), flax, evening primrose, borage, black currant, hemp and wheat germ oils. This is also a good way to incorporate essential fatty acids into your diet. To extend the shelf life and preserve the nutritional value of culinary oils, store them in the refrigerator once they''ve been opened. Oils rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids such as flax, walnut, pumpkin and other nutritional oils should be protected from heat and light whether or not they have been opened. For other types of oil, a dark, cool pantry is a good storage option.

Author: Susan Rutter -- Publisher, Nutritionist, and Instructor who assists patients and the public make healthy choices and changes in their lives. Web Site: Healthy YOUbbies. http://www.geocities.com/healthyoubbies/', 190, 'Three Cheers for Heart Healthy Oils!, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'Three Cheers for Heart Healthy Oils! plus articles and information on Nutrition

Cholesterol Does Not Cause Heart Disease

Cholesterol is an essential building block of every cell in the body, required for all metabolic processes. It is particularly important in the production of nerve tissue, bile and certain hormones. On average, our body produces about half of a gram to one gram of cholesterol per day, depending on how much of it the body needs at the time. By and large, our body is able to produce 400 times more cholesterol per day than what we would obtain from eating 3,5 ounces (100 grams) of butter. The main cholesterol producers are the liver and the small intestine, in that order. Normally, they are able to release cholesterol directly into the blood stream, where it is instantly tied to blood proteins. These proteins, which are called lipoproteins, are in charge of transporting the cholesterol to its numerous destinations. There are three main types of lipoproteins in charge of transporting cholesterol: Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL), and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL).

In comparison to HDL, which has been privileged with the name ''good'' cholesterol, LDL and VLDL are relatively large cholesterol molecules; in fact, they are the richest in cholesterol. There is good reason for their large size. Unlike their smaller cousin, which easily passes through blood vessel walls, the LDL and VLDL versions of cholesterol are meant to take a different pathway; they leave the blood stream in the liver.

The blood vessels supplying the liver have a very different structure from the ones supplying other parts of the body. They are known as sinusoids. Their unique, grid-like structure permits the liver cells to receive the entire blood content, including the large cholesterol molecules. The liver cells rebuild the cholesterol and excrete it along with bile into the intestines. Once the cholesterol enters the intestines, it combines with fats, is absorbed by the lymph and enters the blood, in that order. Gallstones in the bile ducts of the liver inhibit the bile flow and partially, or even fully, block the cholesterol''s escape route. Due to back-up pressure on the liver cells, bile production drops. Typically, a healthy liver produces over a quart of bile per day. When the major bile ducts are blocked, barely a cup of bile, or even less, will find its way to the intestines. This prevents much of the VLDL and LDL cholesterol from being excreted with the bile.

Gallstones in the liver bile ducts distort the structural framework of the liver lobules, which damages and congests the sinusoids. Deposits of excessive protein also close the grid holes of these blood vessels (see the discussion of this subject in the previous section). Whereas the ''good'' cholesterol HDL has small enough molecules to leave the bloodstream through ordinary capillaries, the larger LDL and VLDL molecules are more or less trapped in the blood. The result is that LDL and VLDL concentrations begin to rise in the blood to levels that seem potentially harmful to the body. Yet even this scenario is merely part of the body''s survival attempts. It needs the extra cholesterol to patch up the increasing number of cracks and wounds that are formed as a result of the accumulation of excessive protein in the blood vessel walls. Eventually, though, the life-saving cholesterol begins to occlude the blood vessels and cut off the oxygen supply to the heart.

In addition to this complication, reduced bile flow impairs the digestion of food, particularly fats. Therefore, there is not enough cholesterol made available to the cells of the body and their basic metabolic processes. Since the liver cells no longer receive sufficient amounts of LDL and VLDL molecules, they (the liver cells) assume that the blood is deficient in these types of cholesterol. This stimulates the liver cells to increase the production of cholesterol, further raising the levels of LDL and VLDL cholesterol in the blood.

The ''bad'' cholesterol is trapped in the circulatory system because its escape routes, the bile ducts and the liver sinusoids, are blocked or damaged. The capillary network and arteries attach as much of the ''bad'' cholesterol to their walls as they possibly can. Consequently, the arteries become rigid and hard.

Coronary heart disease, regardless of whether it is caused by smoking, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, overeating protein foods, stress, or any other factor, usually does not occur unless gallstones have impacted the bile ducts of the liver. Removing gallstones from the liver and gallbladder can not only prevent a heart attack or stroke, but also reverse coronary heart disease and heart muscle damage. The body''s response to stressful situations becomes less damaging, and cholesterol levels begin to normalize as the distorted and damaged liver lobules are regenerated. Cholesterol-lowering drugs don''t do that. They artificially reduce blood cholesterol, which coerces the liver to produce even more cholesterol. But when extra cholesterol is passed into the bile ducts, it remains in its crystalline state (versus soluble state) and, thereby, turns into gallstones. People who regularly use cholesterol-lowering drugs usually develop an excessively large number of gallstones. This sets them up for major side effects, including cancer and heart disease.

Cholesterol is essential for normal functioning of the immune system, particularly for the body''s response to the millions of cancer cells that every person makes in his body each day. For all the health problems associated with cholesterol, this important substance is not something we should try to eliminate from our bodies. Cholesterol does far more good than harm. The harm is generally symptomatic of other problems. I wish to emphasize, once again, that ''bad'' cholesterol only attaches itself to the walls of arteries to avert immediate heart trouble, not to create it. This is confirmed by the fact that cholesterol never attaches itself to the walls of veins. When a doctor tests your cholesterol levels, he takes the blood sample from a vein, not from an artery. Although blood flow is much slower in veins than in arteries, cholesterol should obstruct veins much more readily than arteries, but it never does. There simply is no need for that. Why? Because there are no abrasions and tears in the lining of the vein that require patching up. Cholesterol only affixes itself to arteries in order to coat and cover up the abrasions and protect the underlying tissue like a waterproof bandage. Veins do not absorb proteins in their basements membranes like capillaries and arteries do and, therefore, are not prone to this type of injury.

''Bad'' cholesterol saves lives; it does not take lives. LDL allows the blood to flow through injured blood vessels without causing a life-endangering situation. The theory of high LDL being a principal cause of coronary heart disease is not only unproved and unscientific. It has misled the population to believe that cholesterol is an enemy that has to be fought and destroyed at all costs. Human studies have not shown a cause-and-effect relationship between cholesterol and heart disease. The hundreds of studies so far conducted on such a relationship have only shown that there is a statistical correlation between the two. And there should be, because if there were no ''bad'' cholesterol molecules attaching themselves to injured arteries we would have millions of more deaths from heart attack than we already have. On the other hand, dozens of conclusive studies have shown that risk of heart disease increases significantly in people whose HDL levels decrease. Elevated LDL cholesterol is not a cause of heart disease; rather, it is a consequence of an unbalanced liver and congested, dehydrated circulatory system.

If your doctor has told you that lowering your cholesterol with medical drugs protects you against heart attacks, you have been grossly misled. The #1 prescribed cholesterol-lowering medicine is Lipitor. I suggest that you read the following warning statement, issued on the official Lipitor web site:

"LIPITOR (atorvastatin calcium) tablets is a prescription drug used with diet to lower cholesterol. LIPITOR is not for everyone, including those with liver disease or possible liver problems, and women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. LIPITOR has not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks.

"If you take LIPITOR, tell your doctor about any unusual muscle pain or weakness. This could be a sign of serious side effects. It is important to tell your doctor about any medications you are currently taking to avoid possible serious drug interactions?"

My question is, "Why risk a person''s health or life by giving him/her a drug that has no effect, whatsoever, in preventing the problem for which it is being prescribed?" The reason why the lowering of cholesterol levels cannot prevent heart disease is because cholesterol does not cause heart disease.

The most important issue is how efficiently a person''s body uses cholesterol and other fats. The body''s ability to digest, process and utilize these fats depends on how clear and unobstructed the bile ducts of the liver are. When bile flow is unrestricted and balanced, both the LDL and HDL levels are balanced as well. Therefore, keeping the bile ducts open is the best prevention of coronary heart disease.

[Excerpt from the new edition of The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush, by Andreas Moritz]

Andreas Moritz is a medical intuitive; a practitioner of Ayurveda, Iridology, Shiatsu and Vibrational Medicine; a writer and an artist. He has authored four books on health and healing: "The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush", "Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation," "Lifting the Veil of Duality," and "It''s Time to Come Alive" (all books are available through http://www.ener-chi.com or http://www.amazon.com). Andreas also is the artist who created the oil paintings for a new innovative approach to healing through energized art, called Ener-Chi Art.

His latest healing tool for clearing emotional blocks and fear is called "Sacred Santèmony ? Divine Chanting for Every Occasion." Andreas runs a free forum "Ask Andreas Moritz" on the popular health website Curezone.com (5 million readers and increasing). For more information contact Andreas Moritz, visit his Web site http://www.ener-chi.com or contact him at tel. 1-864-848-6410, Greer, South Carolina, USA, E-mail andmor@ener-chi.com.', 190, 'Cholesterol Does Not Cause Heart Disease, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'Cholesterol Does Not Cause Heart Disease plus articles and information on Nutrition

Not all Fats are Bad

Fats have been unfairly lumped together as being all bad for too long. Fat doesn''t necessarily cause disease, and can actually cause a role in its prevention. The truth is that some fats are very bad for us and some fats are actually very good for us.

Time has shown us that diets that restrict all fats fail in terms of weight loss. Since the end of World War II, Americans have been told that they need to restrict saturated fat in their diets. So we switched to margarine from butter, and did what we could to restrict fat. We have been constantly told that the reason for our health problems is that we still eat too much fat, especially saturated fats.

Since Americans have been told to eat a low fat diet to lose weight, the results are that nearly two thirds of adult Americans are now classified as overweight and more children are overweight now than ever before. Obviously something is wrong. That is because we need special kinds of fats in our diets that we are not getting.

If you are like me, you grew up being told that vegetable oils were the good oils and saturated fats were the bad ones. Now we are finding out that it is just the opposite. Diets that are moderate to high in "good" saturated fats and oils such as coconut oil and olive oil are actually very good for us. They raise good cholesterol levels and lower bad cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure. As a matter of fact, people who started adding at least 4 tablespoons of coconut oil to their diets every day, have found that they can now lose weight when they could not before on a fat restricted diet. Sometimes the addition of these oils even helps with their health problems.

It turns out that the bad guys are polyunsaturated oils, which carry toxic fatty acids (long chain fatty acids or LCT''s). These LCT''s tend to produce fat in the body. Polyunsaturated oils are the vegetable oils we commonly see in the grocery store, such as soy, corn, cottonseed, rapeseed and safflower.

We have been told that they lower cholesterol, but they way that they do is not healthy, as it ends up collecting in the liver. These oils are easily oxidized and damaged by free radicals. When cooked they become rancid in a few hours, even in the refrigerator. This causes damage to our body at a cellular level, the end results showing up as problems like diabetes, cancer, hypothyroidism and heart disease. And if that is not enough, these oils help us to get fat, lower the metabolic rate in our bodies, help suppress the thyroid function and cause our skin to age quicker.

Trans-fat is one of the worst bad guys. Trans-fatty acids often appear on ingredient labels as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. It is what they do to vegetable oils to make them into hard fats such as margarine and vegetable shortening. It is used in the prepared food industry in baked goods like cookies, crackers, and most supermarket peanut butter to prolong the shelf life. These bad fats are used almost exclusively in fast foods that are fried. When heated and eaten, they turn into something like poison in your system, because your body can not process this kind of chemically made fat. Trans-fats not only increase levels of bad cholesterol, but they will decrease levels of good cholesterol in the blood stream and trans-fatty acids have been linked to heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Fats such as margarine and shortening should be totally avoided, as well as foods items that contain them.

The United States FDA is finally catching up to this truth, and by January 2006 they will be requiring food products to label the amount of trans-fat they have in them.) What is frightening is that trans-fats are found in over 40% of the products on our supermarket shelves.

The fatty acid chains in coconut and olive oil are medium-chain fatty acids (MCT''s) and they promote weight loss by increasing the body''s metabolism to create energy. Coconut oil has become popular lately, because it has been discovered that coconut oil is nature''s richest source of MTC''s. If you decide to add coconut oil to your diet, it is recommended that you purchase virgin coconut oil (VCO), usually found in health food stores, because it from the best part of the coconut and has not been chemically bleached and heat processed. It is better for cooking than olive oil, because olive oil can be damaged by the heat of cooking, making it similar to the other vegetable oils in the body when cooked.

Even saturated fat from animals is not as bad as it once was thought to be, especially if it is from organically raised animals (free range and grass fed). Organic butter has a very high conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content, which helps us lose weight and gain muscle. But non-organic meats may still be dangerous because of the way the animals were raised or fed. Most grocery store meats are filled with hormones, pesticides, medicines and unhealthy fat that gets transferred to us when we eat it.

Organic grass fed and free range meat and eggs avoid these problems, and give us a much healthier source of protein and saturated fat. Organic saturated fats and oils are actually good for you and should be eaten daily. The body needs these fats for healthy functioning.

So, forget the guilt and fry up that range-fed chicken in some coconut oil and enjoy!

By Dianne Ronnow © 2005 Mohave Publishing. All rights reserved. From the Coconut Oil Diets Blog found at Coconut-Oil-Diet.blogspot.com.

Dianne Ronnow''s best selling book, "Coconut Oil Diet Secrets" reveals how thousands of people are losing weight and getting healthier with coconut oil diets. To find out what the secrets of coconut oil dieting are, Check out her site at: Coconut-Oil-Diet.com. Get the book now and start losing weight today!', 190, 'Not all Fats are Bad, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'Not all Fats are Bad plus articles and information on Nutrition

Take Control of Your Health

In large part, you''re in control of your health, not your doctor. And taking control of your health doesn''t really depend on whether or not you have medical conditions.

Taking control means developing habits and discipline.

The most important thing you can do is educate yourself. Learn about your health problems and how you can take care of your body. What do the latest studies say? The Internet is an excellent place to research health issues. Sometimes just finding different ways of doing things can help.

Now, take the time to decide what your health goals for the next year will be. Write the goal(s) down. Some examples of goals might be:

- to stop yo-yo dieting and focus on get healthier.

- to start exercising regularly.

- to move toward my perfect weight.

- to find alternative ways to control diabetes.

Then list specific ways you can accomplish these goals. For instance, try a new healthy dinner recipe once a week, go to the gym five days a week, or research nutrition on the Internet 10 minutes a day.

Work on your mind and thought patterns. You have to believe that you can become healthy and reach your ideal weight before you will be able to do so. Learning to accept what you can''t change, but striving to change what you can, is key. A large part of succeeding in health improvement is being comfortable with yourself to begin with.

Find time to do something good to reward yourself for making this commitment to improve your health. Reward yourself each week as you find yourself accomplishing your goals.

If you have another person to work with, you will be more successful in meeting your health goals. This partner should be someone you can trust to share your feelings with.

It helps to have a partner for accountability. We work harder when we know someone is watching us and holding us accountable. A good partner also helps us stay realistic in our goals and challenges us to grow.

Try to find someone who will encourage you in the down times and celebrate your successes with you as you accomplish your goals. And of course you need to be that kind of a partner to your friend in return.

You might consider forming an informal support group with some of your friends or acquaintances. People who belong to a group with mutual interests and a shared purpose accomplish more. A group might get together weekly or monthly and discuss progress or concerns and help encourage each other. Sometimes all a person might need is another opinion or just a little encouragement to help them get past a place where they are having problems. Even if you are doing great, perhaps you could be of help to someone else who is struggling.

Communication is important when putting together a group. Set up a regular time and method to report progress to each other and stick to it. Set realistic benchmarks to monitor your progress. Reward yourselves for your effort. Do something fun as a group once in a while.

There can be great rewards in working with others toward common goals. It makes the journey more enjoyable as well as more productive.

By Dianne Ronnow © 2005 Mohave Publishing. All rights reserved. From the Enzyme-health Blog found at Enzyme-Health.com.

Dianne Ronnow''s best selling book, "Coconut Oil Diet Secrets" reveals how thousands of people are losing weight and getting healthier with coconut oil diets. To find out what the secrets of coconut oil dieting are, Check out her site at: Coconut-Oil-Diet.com. Get the book now and start losing weight today!', 190, 'Take Control of Your Health, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'Take Control of Your Health plus articles and information on Nutrition

Got Soy? Milk, Snuff, and Soy Beans

Milk is highly underrated. Experts say, America finds itself in a calcium crisis today because consumers aren''t drinking enough milk.

Milk is highly overrated. Experts say,If you really want to play it safe, you may decide to join the growing number of Americans who are eliminating dairy products from their diets altogether.

Which one of those statements is true? If you follow health and fitness news at all, you''ve probably heard about the debate over milk and its inclusion in our diet. There is a difference of opinion about the values and dangers of milk in our diet. Where did I find these opposing quotes?

The first statement is from whymilk.com, a website promoting the benefits of milk. If you look at the bottom of the home page, you will find that it is sponsored by an entity comprised of America''s milk processors.

That fact does not validate nor negate the content and statements on the website about milk. It does, however, make me think. It gives me a filter through which to view and analyze the statements made by the website. In other words, I now know the website''s bias.

The second statement is in an article posted on notmilk.com, a website dedicated to spreading the news about the dangers of milk. How did I find these websites?

Of course, I turned to one of the major search engines. Placing the word milk in the rectangular box, I pressed Enter, and off went the search engine''s spiders all over the web, searching frantically, hungry for data and content. What they brought back is interesting.

The two quotes at the beginning of this article are from the two websites noted above. The two websites noted above are,respectively, Result #1 and Result #2 from the major search engine as of the moment I am writing these words.

What''s the point? The web is a forum of different ideas, conflicting agendas, and polar opposites. Sometimes you have to do some homework to really find out what a website is all about.

The first website I browsed made the point pretty easy to understand. Examine, however, the second website. It is a little more difficult to ferret out my point.Search Result # 1 is from a website with a specific agenda, namely, the promotion of milk as a benefit to our health. At least that is the stated, obvious agenda.

The first website, whymilk.com, is sponsored by America''s milk processors. Now I know what the underlying agenda is for that website: sell more milk and dispel the notion that milk is not a part of good nutrition and a balanced diet.

Now there''s nothing wrong with that as long as the consumer knows about the underlying agenda or, at the least, can find out about it through a rather cursory perusal of the website.

Armed with that information, we can filter all of the content and advertisements we see from that website. In other words, we will keep in the back of our mind the entire time we are nosing around in the whymilk website the notion that they are trying to get us to buy milk. Fair enough.

Search Result #2 is also from a website with an agenda thatis a little more complicated. It is here where the consumer might make some decisions for the wrong reasons and based upon incorrect assumptions.

Notmilk.com is a website dedicated to evangelizing lactose saturated sinners who drink milk and bring them into the light of salvation. That salvation comes when each adherent realizes the evils of milk, rejects said evils, and turns from them unalterably, wholeheartedly, and irrevocably. Then, and only then, will you have turned from your wicked lactose laden life and be free of the Dairy Devil.

Now I have no reason to question or affirm this website''s sincerity in believing that milk is not good for human consumption. What does make me stop and think, however, is the ad for a device called a SoyToy right on the homepage.

With this device you can make fresh and delicious soy milk from dried beans in only twenty-five minutes at just four cents per quart. And it''s yours for only $159.00 (plus shipping and handling). Hmmmm. Are you beginning to get the point?

What is really interesting is that if you look hard enough you find that the owner of the amazing SoyToy is EVS Holding Company. This is without a doubt one of the most laughable things I have seen in awhile. Not that it''s that uncommon.

No, it''s because it is so common that it is laughable.While promoting your good health through the SoyToy found on the notmilk.com website, the same entity is the holding company for Arrowhead Smokes. There three major products? Cigarettes... Cigars... and Snuff. Yes, you read correctly?snuff! Now are you getting the point?

If not, here''s the Online Help button.

When it comes to your health, doesn''t it make sense to rely on the professionals to help you make choices about good nutrition, diet, and healthy weight loss?

Consult your physician or medical practitioner about milk or about anything that has to do with altering your diet significantly. He or she is a trained medical professional who, in most circumstances, is only trying to sell you his or her service by being the best medical professional they can be!

Now, I''m not expecting anyone to believe that doctors don''t give one product a little push over an equally effective product from time to time. They sometimes do a little "affiliate advertising" of their own in a roundabout sort of way.

But how long has it been since your physician offered you, along with your annual exam, a chance to make soy milk from dried beans in less than twenty-five minutes? And at such an "easy on the wallet" price of $159.00 (plus shipping and handling). Hmmmm.

And now surely there are those adept ones reading this who are now wondering just what is my angle? Where am I coming from?

I have a website too, along with my business partner, Michael Smith, MD. It''s called Diet Basics, and you''ll find it at www.weight-loss-professional.com. We offer really up to date content and tools to assist in healthy weight loss. Most of what we promote is absolutely free. But NEVER FORGETthis: I''m still going to try and sell you something!. And that''s true of almost every website you''ll encounter.

And that is absolutely fine. It''s absolutely fine as long as we as consumers have the opportunity to get to the site''s story behind the story. That is particularly important when it comes to your health.

So what''s the point? It does not matter whether it''s pro-milk.com, anti-milk.com, or whocaresaboutmilk?.com

It doesn''t even matter if it is my website you are surfing. Find out who has created the site, and why they created it before you make any decisions based on that site''s advice.

Dig a little! Find out just who sponsors the website, what they are saying and what they are promoting. Find out also, and perhaps more importantly, what they are NOT saying or promoting-?that''s the story behind the story.

And when it comes to your health, consult with your physician. Know the facts. Then you will be able to make sound decisions and choices regarding nutrition and balanced diet.

And by the way, I''ve been meaning to ask you..."Got Soy?"

Cheers to your health!

Mark Fuqua
http://www.weight-loss-professional.com

With 3 earned degrees and more than 16 years of experience as spiritual leader, pastor, director of marketing and investment banker, Mark Fuqua brings to the discussion table a breadth and depth of unique experience coupled with academic acumen. Yet he subscribes to the philosophy that you can approach life from either a positive or negative pathway. How you choose that determines your experiences in life whether you are trying to lose weight, build a career, raise a family, or prepare for retirement. He is Consultant and Chief Editor of Diet Basics, a website dedicated to healthy weight loss success.', 190, 'Got Soy? Milk, Snuff, and Soy Beans, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'Got Soy? Milk, Snuff, and Soy Beans plus articles and information on Nutrition

Nutrition Is Not Common Sense

I''d like to explain an important concept that most online trainers (even the "gurus") don''t "get"...

Have you ever heard that ''nutrition is common sense?''

Have you ever thought about why the United States has an epidemic of overweight individuals and kids that are out of shape? Or that most people talk about how in their younger days they were able to do this and that. Yet these people are only 30 years old?

Most people think nutrition is common sense. But these people are completely wrong.

You see, common sense isn''t specialized knowledge, but just native good judgment. Many times common sense is when it comes to many things in life are learned behaviors from parents, teachers, mentors or coaches. We get at lot of this common knowledge thru what we see as well. Driving on the right of left side of the road is common sense in your country. You get this from what you see.

The REAL four biggest problems when it comes to nutrition and common sense is that:

1- You learn what to eat from T.V. How crazy is that? I don''t think I''ve seen a good commercial about just eating right. It''s always about diets, points, fad diets, crazy workout stuff or fast food. Many kids get plenty of T.V. They don''t understand why sugar cereal isn''t part of a complete breakfast.

2- You learn what you see at home. If you were a witness to a lot of healthy eating habits (fruits, vegetables, moderate portions) then you probably got a lot of your good eating habits from your parents or guardians.

3- You learn to finish everything that''s put in front of you. Does it matter if your hunger was satisfied half-way thru the meal? Or have you been told it was rude not to eat everything. You start to learn that finishing what''s in front of you is more important then if you are hungry or not.

4- You learn nutrition at school. Some schools have good programs. Many do not. The only exposure most school children receive is the food pyramid. And then it''s off to lunch period where they are served fish sticks and a variety of other unhealthy items. Only a few schools have a very healthy lunch option. It''s pretty rare. You learn more about ancient Egyptians then you do about how to put together a healthy meal and what the heck is a complex carb.

This is an important concept -- so let me break it down and explain it in detail.

Most things we learn are common sense. It''s common sense not to touch a hot stove. Why? Somebody told you or you tried it and your body responded by telling the pain receptors in your hand that it didn''t like that.

You learned the stove was hot and not fun to touch. Common sense. It didn''t require any specialized knowledge.

Then it hit me...

Neither should nutrition. It doesn''t require any specialized knowledge to eat correctly. But yet it''s not common sense.

The reason most people get it wrong is because they were never taught!

They received a lot of information from T.V. which was promoting diets and fast food and sugar cereals.

Their parents didn''t learn either so they passed that onto their children.

There''s a pressure to finish everything that is put in front of you (don''t be wasteful) ignoring the absence of the hunger feeling.

The lack of sound nutrition in most schools. You learn how to read in school. You learn how to write. You learn how to solve math problems. You learn history and you learn different cultures.

I''ll bet you can guess what happened next.

You never learn the definition of a complete meal.

You start by learning that right now...

A complete meal always includes a lean protein and a natural, complex carbohydrate. The best meal of all for muscle-building and fat-burning purposes contains three things:

1. Lean protein (chicken, fish, egg whites, etc)
2. Starchy carb (potato, rice, etc)
3. Fibrous carb (broccoli, green beans, salad, etc)

And that, is the biggest benefit of having a complete meal and understanding just how simple it is to create meals with these three steps.

So watch for your next issue of this mini-course, where I''ll reveal the single most important question about how much cardio should you do.

Yours For Continued Success,

Marc David is a bodybuilder, writer, and author of the the e-book "The Beginner''s Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding" (BGFB): What Every Beginner Should Know but Probably Doesn''t. Marc has written over 20 articles and has been featured in several health and fitness websites. Marc''s opinionated and informative articles on bodybuilding, weight loss and training are featured regularly on: http://www.justaskmarc.com

To subscribe to Marc''s free b-weekly e-zine, visit the JustAskMarc website here: http://www.justaskmarc.com/content/view/71/61/; http://www.justaskmarc.com', 190, 'Nutrition Is Not Common Sense, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'Nutrition Is Not Common Sense plus articles and information on Nutrition

Post Nasal Drip

Post nasal drip is a sensation of mucous build up in the throat. Sometimes you may even feel a dripping sensation from the back of your nose. The cause is over-production of mucous by glands in the nose and in the throat.

At a healthy level those glands produce around two quarts of mucous each day. Most, if not all, of that is swallowed without knowing it. The mucous, however, serves a healthy purpose at this level, cleaning and moistening nasal passages, trapping foreign matter that has been inhaled, moistening and humidifying the air you breathe, and even fighting infection.

At an unhealthy level, mucous becomes either excessively thick or excessively thin, possibly due to irritation, infection, or allergic reaction. Those who have difficulty swallowing normally may especially need to be cautious, because build-up may fester and cause infection.

There are some things we cannot control. For example, more than 90% of irritants and bacteria which cause infection enter the body through the nose. Much of it will remain in the nasal passages and seek to live and grow there.

The body will react to the infection by sending its defense system of white blood cells to the nasal passages to trigger more mucous production in order to "wash out" the bacteria, irritants, or foreign matter. But this tends to further congest the nose. What makes matters worse, we often blow our noses, swallow the phlegm, or cough to relieve the congestion, but these actions force bacteria to other places in the body, including the sinuses, the throat, or the ears, causing further sickness.

Other complications that result from these beginning stages include sore throats, swelling tonsils, upper respiratory infections, ear infections, sinusitis or sinus infections, and dry mouth. Many may be shocked to know that studies show post nasal drip as a cause of bad tastes and even bad breath, but when bacteria settles in it extracts sulfur compounds from amino acids in proteins.

Preventing post nasal drip is surprisingly simple. Most of us recognize the need to frequently wash our hands in order to avoid germs that can easily be picked up by what we touch, but most of wouldn''t remember to wash out our noses every once in a while in order to flush out the bacteria that can easily be taken in with the air we breathe. But that''s all that is necessary to avoid most of the problem.

When searching for nasal cleaners or sprays, be sure to look for xylitol as a main ingredient. It is a natural threat to bacteria, keeping the bacteria from performing its normal routine of attaching itself and living in membranes of the nose and the throat.

Joe Miller is specialist in online advertising. For more information on post nasal drip, please visit Xlear.com.', 190, 'Post Nasal Drip, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'Post Nasal Drip plus articles and information on Nutrition

Healthy Eating Habits

I read a lot about the topics of health and especially diets. I have been experimenting with diets since 1990 and keep journals about my observations. Over time I tried several very different diets - ranging from the politically correct ones to highly controversial, along with diets of my own design. My general observation is that a healthy diet plays an essential role in the overall scheme of well being.

Why eat healthy?

Eating the natural foods humans are well adapted at utilizing, enhances ones ability to cope with the reality of every day life. This in essence improves the probability of living a longer, healthier life. Quality food consumption becomes especially important in the present world of high stress and pollution - making a healthy diet an essential aspect of modern self health care. (Although food is not the only aspect contributing to health or disease, it is significant enough to consider it''s effects seriously.)

I think anybody who seriously tried living healthier through a better diet, proper physical activity, adequate rest, and by addressing mental and spiritual factors have experienced a vast range of natural health benefits. Common benefits are overall better health and a sense of well being, better sleep, improved physical endurance and strength, sharper mental abilities and lower sleep requirements. Further more, no or little time and money and energy is spend on doctors, hospitals and health insurance bills.

What is a healthy diet?

Since this article deals with healthy eating, a question remains to be answered: what constitutes a healthy diet? Unfortunately, there are more opinions about this than there are health experts. To further complicate the matter, dietary concepts change over time, leaving most people confused and uncertain about what or whom to trust. One solution to this problem is to become sufficiently knowledgeable about the relevant subjects and rely on common sense to draw basic conclusions. Along with personal experimentation, such an approach will enable one to establish healthy eating habits. This takes time and energy, but considering the long lasting benefits a healthy diet can provide, the effort is more then well worth it.

In order to determine the minimal basic requirements of a healthy diet, I concluded that it is safe to start with the following two objectives:

examine human diet over time - the foods humans consumed since the arrival of our species.

examine diets of ethnical groups known for their good health.

Looking at the type of diets humans lived on through out pre-history, provides good insights into the kind of foods human body should be well adapted at utilizing and dealing with. Further, the diets of certain ethnical groups that are well known for good health - the people of Okinawa(Japan), traditional cultures in the Mediterranean region and many hunter-gatherer societies - suggest certain health promoting dietary habits. Upon closer examination, two main denominators emerged:

• diets are based on natural, whole or minimally processed foods in accordance to heritage.
• diets are lower in calories compared to a typical western diet.

In the context of present time, one can therefore make two general assumptions in regard to the question of what constitutes a healthy diet: 1) generally, the less a food is processed the better. 2) eat less - eat what is adequate, do not over eat.

Generally, the less a food is processed the better

The reason for this is simple. For 99.9% of human existence, our species lived on foods that were either raw or minimally processed. The technology needed to increase food processing did not exist until very recently. It is therefore reasonable to assume that our bodies are best adapted at utilizing and dealing with the raw or minimally processed foods which sustained us for hundreds of thousands of years: fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds.

Often, the more recent the food is, the more likely it is to be less beneficial or even directly harmful - possibly due to lack of full adaptation to such foods. For example, it is estimated that food cooking started about 500 000 - 250 000 years ago (depending on the source, the range may vary). During this time frame, it is likely that human species have at least adapted in some way to cooked animal and vegetable foods. On the other hand, the beginnings of grain consumption are much more recent. Evidence of earliest known, systematical collecting of grains for food goes back to about 23 000 years ago - giving less time for adaptation to grain based foods.

Now, let''s fast forward to recent times and consider all the new, human invented, highly processed foods so common today: fast foods, pizza, sweets, chips, convenience foods, canned foods, etc. along with the dramatic rise in heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, cancers, diabetes, kidney problems (and all the complications that arose from these conditions) during the past 100 years or so.

Considering the declining health of most western nations as opposed to good health of the ethnical groups described above, it seems reasonable that the most recent food inventions are directly harmful to human health. Further, it has been repeatedly observed that as ethnical groups around the world adopt the modern western diet, their health dramatically declines and they develop the same diseases that are so common to westerners. Not to mention the fact that the above mentioned diseases were far less common among westerners themselves barely 100 years ago.

The more a food is processed - through excessive cooking, pasteurization, homogenization, high heat, mechanical processing, etc, - the less natural and nutritious it becomes to a point of becoming a harmful burden to the body, rather then a useful and health promoting food. Some industrial processing practices deprive food of their nutrients to such a high degree that the food has to be "enriched" by artificially adding some nutrients back into the food. This is especially true of flours where vitamins are added back in after the processing is done.

A good diet is based on natural, whole or minimally processed foods. A large portion of it should consist of foods that can be eaten raw, such as fruits and vegetables. Fermented or cultured, unpasteurized foods such as kefir, yogurt, cheeses, miso, sauerkraut and pickles are considered highly beneficial. Cooking should be minimal and only applied to foods that must be cooked in order to be edible. Ancestral heritage also plays an important role as certain foods may need to be excluded or emphasized.

Eat less - eat what is adequate, do not over eat

During the past several decades, food in the western and westernized nations became increasingly affordable and more readily available then ever before in human history. This very fact combined with the enjoyment food consumption brings, results in all too frequent over eating. Which again leads to the above mentioned health problems.

In the past, as in the traditional way of living among the ethnical groups mentioned earlier, food consumption has always been significantly lower. Food quality, on the other hand, has always been higher. Resulting in a lower food intake, but of nutrient dense foods.

Finally, as an interesting note, it has been repeatedly confirmed through laboratory experiments on animals, including monkeys, that cutting down calories considerably lowers their susceptibility to diseases and prolongs their life up to 50%. It is believed by many, that life long caloric restriction can have similar effects on humans.

Health promoting eating habits

Over time, through reading and experimenting, I gradually arrived at several basic health promoting habits that in my experience are the most important:

Avoid or minimize:

• Avoid all junk, sweets, canned and convenience foods - including all foods with added sugar: most commercial yogurts, kefirs and juices, fruit and soft drinks.
• Avoid all refined or overly heated fats: margarine, any oil that is not cold pressed, leftover fat from cooking, all foods that contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and trans fatty acids (read the labels). Such fats are considered to be among the most health damaging foods.
• Avoid consumption of fish and water animals unless certain they came from unpolluted waters. Especially predators should be avoided as the toxins accumulate in them in far greater quantities.
• Keep the intake of foods high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) low - mainly nuts and seeds and any products made from them (mostly oils). PUFAs are unstable, they oxidize readily resulting in harmful free radicals. High PUFA intake have been repeatedly linked with cancer, heart and inflammatory diseases.
• Do not cook meat or fat at high temperatures while exposed to air. Such practice will avoid fat and cholesterol oxidation - believed to be responsible for build up of arterial plaque and injury to arterial cells. Grilling and frying is especially harmful. Boiling is probably the safest way of cooking meat.
• Minimize or eliminate consumption of foods frequently contaminated with mycotoxins: alcoholic beverages, wheat, rye, barley, corn and peanuts. Mycotoxins are poisonous substances produced by certain molds and fungi which cause a wide range of health problems including cancer, asthma, multiple sclerosis and diabetes.


Emphasize and do:

• The more natural and less processed the food the better. Emphasize whole, fresh foods. Replace white rice with brown rice; white bread with whole grain bread; sugar with small amounts of raw honey or dry fruit; pasta with millet or whole grain pasta; canned foods with fresh; candy and other sweets with dry or sweet fruit; etc. Organic foods are best as they are higher in nutrients and do not contain harmful pesticides, hormones or antibiotics found in conventional foods. Always choose fresh over frozen, dried or canned foods. Fresh foods taste better, have more nutrients in them, have no added salt, sugar or unhealthy additives.
• Enjoy simple meals. Generally, the simpler the food preparation the more nutrients are preserved and the easier it is to digest. Simple meals are easy and quick to prepare and use fewer resources like electricity and water - thus are more environmentally friendly and less costly.
• Only cook foods that need to be cooked in order to be edible (beans, grains and some vegetables). Foods that are edible in a raw state (fruits, most vegetables, sprouts, nuts and seeds) should be consumed on a daily basis and preferably with every meal. Raw foods are higher in nutrients, which to some degree get lost during cooking, and are easier to digest. At least 50% of the diet, by volume, should consist of raw foods.
• Steam vegetables that need to be cooked - steaming preserves more nutrients which when boiled leech into the water. Do not overcook. Cooked vegetables should be crunchy when you eat them, not soft.
• Chew food well (simply chew it longer) and eat at a comfortable pace. This improves digestion which already starts in the mouth while saliva gets mixed with the food.

• Variety in diet is very important - to prevent allergies, malnutrition and to lower exposure to natural and man-made toxins found in many natural foods.

• Always properly wash fruits and vegetables before consumption. This lowers the exposure to agricultural chemicals (used to cultivate conventional plants) and harmful microorganisms. Peel the skin if washing is not sufficient.

• Nuts and seeds should be soaked before consumption - to lower or eliminate natural anti nutrients like enzyme inhibitors. Soaking makes them much easier to digest. Do not eat more then a few handfuls a week as they are high in PUFAs and difficult to digest.
• Grains (except amaranth, millet and rice) and beans must be soaked before consumption. This lowers or eliminates anti nutrients like phytic acid which inhibits mineral absorption that can lead to mineral deficiency.
• Fruits are best eaten alone as a snack between meals. To improve digestion only eat one type of fruit at a time.
• Regularly consume unpasteurized fermented/cultured foods like sauerkraut, miso, pickles, kefir, yogurt, etc. These are pre-digested foods that are high in probiotics (friendly bacteria) and enzymes which provide numerous health benefits. Start with what your ancestors consumed and later experiment with other foods as well.
• Regularly consume enzyme rich foods: sprouts, raw honey, grapes, figs, avocados, bananas, papayas, pineapple, kiwi, mango and fermented/cultured foods (see above). Enzymes obtained from raw foods ease the digestion by reducing the body''s need to produce digestive enzymes.
• Consider the diet your ancestors ate for thousands of years - you will most likely do very well on such a diet due to the long period of adaptation to it. For example, the traditional Chinese diet is high in carbohydrates and low in fat and protein; Europeans, on the other hand, have been eating less carbs and more protein and fat; North American Indians did not eat grains.
• Drink adequate amounts of liquid through out the day. Water is best. Under normal conditions, most people need 2-3 liters of liquid/day.
• Unless very hungry, do not eat for 3-4 hours before bedtime. That way the nightly fast can be prolonged considerably. This gives the body more/adequate time and energy to perform the countless nightly tasks that are so essential to good health. (Rather then digesting the just eaten meal)
• Eat only when hungry and do not overeat regardless of food. I found this to be among the most important of all health promoting habits.

Good sources of protein:

• any meat that comes from organic, free range animals that are fed their natural diet (hard to find)
• when not organic: lean poultry meat (high fat cuts are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids which oxidize readily during cooking and in the body; toxins accumulate in the fat)
• beans
• fresh, soaked or sprouted nuts and seeds
• raw fermented milk products: sour milk, kefir, cheeses, etc (hard to find)
• wild game
• eggs

Most commercial meats including pork and beef, unless organic and not fed corn/grains/beans, contain antibiotics, hormones and too many polyunsaturated fats - thus should be avoided.

Good sources of carbohydrates:

• vegetables
• fruits
• whole or minimally processed fresh and mold free grains: rice, oat, amaranth, millet, barley, wheat, etc.
• beans
• potatoes

Good sources of fats:

• avocados
• butter
• fresh, soaked or sprouted nuts and seeds (mostly source of omega 6)
• coconuts or coconut oil
• full fat raw milk products (cheese, milk, cream, etc) from pasture fed cattle
• olives or first cold pressed (extra virgin) olive oil

Shopping

I always try to find organic foods to avoid harmful substances like hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, etc. The most contaminated fruits are: raisins, cherries, peaches, strawberries, mexican (winter) cantaloupe, apples, apricots, Chilean (winter) grapes. And the most contaminated vegetables are: spinach, celery, green beans, bell peppers, cucumbers, cultivated button mushrooms, potatoes and wheat. Lean poultry is probably the safest meat to eat if not organic.

Meal examples

What follows are weekly meals that closely resemble my diet at the time of this writing. When planning meals, the key idea is to have variety in diet and to rely on food combinations that agree with ones digestion.

TBS = table spoon
tsp = tea spoon
/ = or

• any fruit eaten alone
• 0.5L sour milk, 300g potatoes, fennel
• 0.5L kefir, 50-100g oatmeal, 25g raisins
• 0.5L plain yogurt, 300g grapes/2-3 bananas
• 50-100g oatmeal, 1-2TBS honey, cinammon
• ½ salad head, 1-2 tomatoes/pepper fruit, ½ cucumber/squash, 1-2TBS olive oil
• medium avocado, 1-2 bananas, cinammon
• 50-100g brown rice, 1-2 hardboiled eggs, 2-4 radishes, 25-50g leeks, 1-2TBS ground flax seeds, 50g sprouts
• 50-100g amaranth, 1-2 steamed parsnips, 1 steamed onion, 1-2 steamed carrots, celery stick, 1tsp freshly grated raw ginger, parsley, 1TBS olive oil
• 200g mung bean sprouts, 1-2 carrots, 25-50g leeks, 25g soaked pumpkin seeds/almonds/sesame seeds
• ½ steamed broccoli/cauliflower, 1-2 tomatoes/pepper fruit, ½ squash/cucumber, 150g turkey/chicken breast, 2-3 cloves of minced garlic, 1TBS olive oil
• 100g buckwheat sprouts, 2 carrots, florence fennel stick, 25g sprouted sunflower seeds, 25g raisins
• 50-100g amaranth, steamed onion, steamed asparagus, florence fennel stick, 1tsp freshly grated raw ginger, parsley, 1TBS coconut oil
• 50-100g millet, celery stick, 2-4 radishes, 25-50g leeks, 25g pumpkin seeds

I plan meals loosely, 1-2 days ahead. The meal preparation is very simple: meat and eggs are boiled in water, vegetables that need cooking are steamed. Since certain food vitamins become more bioavailable once exposed to low heat cooking, it is a good idea to alternate between cooked and raw vegetables. For example, Bio-carotene found in carrots becomes more absorbable after light steaming. I adjust the quantity of food according to how physically active I am during the day.

In addition to the above foods I also take vitamin and mineral supplements and drink bottled water. I use spices and salt. Kefir and sour milk are made at home from organic full-fat, unhomogenised pasteurized milk. Sprouts are home grown as well for maximum freshness. Both are very easy to make and require only few minutes of daily attention.

Final thoughts

Although a healthy diet can enormously improve ones health, it is only one essential part of healthy living. The other parts are proper and adeqaute physical activity, mental and spiritual well being, and adequate rest. All need to be addressed in order to achieve better health.

An important thing I learned while experimenting with diets and other health related approaches is to always pay attention to the signals from the body. It is essential to do this - in order to maintain good health - and adjust accordingly. As one gets better at reading the body, it becomes natural to self diagnose a lot of minor problems (which can become major if not paid attention to) and remedy them by simply adjusting the diet or other aspects of life. Finally, we are all different - what works for one person may not work for another - thus it''s important to experiment with ones diet to find out what works and what doesn''t.

Disclaimer: This article represents personal views and should be treated as such. Implementation of any ideas contained herein can only be done at own risk.

(If you found this article helpful, you may return the favor by buying a poster of one of my images at www.art.eonworks.com/gallery/gallery.html.)

Copyright © 2005 Dawid Michalczyk. All Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation, information and links intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. Author''s email: dm@eonworks.com

Dawid Michalczyk is a freelance illustrator and an artist. He enjoys learning about health, anthropology and computers. He loves to ride a bicycle and does it almost every day. To see examples of his work and other writings visit his website at http://www.art.eonworks.com. He can be reached at dm@eonworks.com', 190, 'Healthy Eating Habits, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'Healthy Eating Habits plus articles and information on Nutrition