Natural Remedies

Health / Natural Remedies — No Comments
4
Nov 10

Foods That Contain Probiotics and What That Means For You

You may have heard or seen the word probiotic either on TV, in a magazine, at the gym, or at the supermarket. Chances are that you heard probiotics are essential and nutritious for our diet, but what are they and what foods contain probiotics? Hopefully this article will shed a little light on the topic and educate you on living a healthier life.

What Are Probiotics?

The word probiotic means “for life.” In short, they are a type of bacteria. Although, many people have related the word bacteria with something being harmful to you, probiotics side effects are helpful in making your body function properly.

What Foods Contain Probiotics?

You may be thinking that you have to go to a specialty store or natural food store to purchase foods that have good bacteria in them. Surprisingly, you don’t! Actually, you may have everyday foods in your refrigerator or cabinets that contain high levels of probiotics that you consume daily.

Yogurt is the most commonly known source to get these good additions to your body. Yogurts that contain” active and live cultures’ are your best choice. Some yogurts claim to have as much as 100 million active bacterium, so remember to read those labels.

Miso is also a great source of probiotics. Miso is a type of soybean that has been fermented and is used often in Japanese cuisines. Miso is described as having a salty flavor, and is also used in many soups, in a dried out form. However, we all know that fresh is the best and fresh miso will provide up to 50 times more probiotics.

Sauerkraut or Fermented Cabbage

Next time you are at a family cookout don’t shy away from the hot dogs, pile on the sauerkraut. Unlike foods that start with a dairy base, cabbage doesn’t need bacteria to begin the fermentation process. The only real ingredient required is salt and also a temperature controlled area. The combination of adding the salt and keeping the cabbage at the correct temperature will begin the process.

Ok, so you don’t like any of the foods mentioned above, so you want to know how you can still add probiotics to your diet. Manufacturers are beginning to add the good bacteria to our everyday foods and beverages. In fact, Kashi was one of the first companies to introduce probiotics into their products with Kashi Vive Probiotic Digestive Wellness Cereal. No matter what foods you eat to increase your probiotic levels, your body will thank you.

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26
May 10

A Cancer Fighting Food Pairing

If you have any inkling of desire to prevent cancer from ever becoming an issue in your life then maybe you should consider the research coming out on curcumin. Curcumin is a polyphenol which makes up approximately three percent of volume of the kitchen spice turmeric. As for the health benefits of curcumin, it is well known to have anti cancer properties and is being widely researched as a way to treat and/or prevent cancer. Until these studies conclude however you can get as much benefit from curcumin as we currently know how by following a simple food pairing rule.

When ever you cook at home and add black pepper to your food pair it every time with a pinch of turmeric. And vice-versa, whenever you use turmeric in your cooking make sure to add a pinch of black pepper. This food pairing is obviously simple but it has a profound affect on the way your body processes these spices.

By itself the curcumin which is in turmeric is very difficult for your body to absorb. Researchers however have recently found that that bioavailability of curcumin can be enhanced by one thousand times by simply pairing it with black pepper. Amazingly by simply adding black pepper to your meal you will be getting the health benefits that curcumin provides by roughly a thousand times what you would get without the pepper.

Again, this polyphenol is still being studied and the potential benefits are not fully understood in either scope or significance but the potential this spice offers for cancer prevention is significant. It is also assumed to have significant anti-inflammatory benefits as well so it may help with conditions ranging from joint inflammation all the way to systemic inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Remember, this food pairing is not a magic bullet to health but it is a simple thing you can do with every meal to give yourself the best chance for long-term health as you can. Make sure you follow all the other traditional methods for staying healthy but don’t forget the power of food pairings. They are often more significant than you might ever have realized.

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29
Apr 10

Sure Tips for Acid Reflux in Women

If you happen to be an expectant mother, you for sure are already suffering from the discomfort of acid reflux. The purpose of this article is to provide you with the knowledge as to why acid reflux seems to go hand in hand with pregnancy and also to give you some tips on how to relieve the pain associated with this dreaded disorder.

You see, there are many known causes of acid reflux, especially during pregnancy. Then again, by far the most common of them all is the hormonal imbalance that occurs inside the body of a pregnant woman. This hormonal imbalance causes the valve that provides a protective seal to relax and loosen up; thereby enabling the gastric acids in your stomach to back up into your esophagus to your throat and mouth.

The usual signs and symptoms of acid reflux in women are sour taste in the mouth, too much gas, indigestion, vomiting and sometimes, difficulty in breathing.

However, there is really no need for you to panic since acid reflux is very much treatable. To ease the signs and symptoms of acid reflux, here is a short list of tips that you might want to consider.

1.) As much as possible, try your best to maintain an ideal weight. It is a given fact that women tend to eat double while pregnant, but at best, keep your food intake to a minimum. Confer with a dietitian as to what are the right types of foods that you need to eat on a day to day basis that will enable you to keep your ideal weight intact without compromising the health of the baby inside you.

2.) Avoid food items and beverages which can trigger the onset of acid reflux. Some of the known culprits are alcoholic beverages, caffeinated drinks, carbonated drinks, citric foods, high calorie foods and spicy foods.

3.) Always maintain the correct posture. This is also a proven effective acid reflux natural remedy. Make sure that you sit erect and upright at all times, especially when you eat. Also, tilt your head up a bit whenever your sleep.

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16
Apr 10

Replace Hair Loss Drugs With A Natural Remedy

Every year people spend thousands of dollars buying pharmaceutical replicas of medicines that are already available naturally. Mother Nature has provided us with hundreds of different cures and natural antibiotics but companies still feel the need to spend large amounts of money trying to invent a mimicking drug. One example is the search for a remedy to hair loss to help treat male baldness. Human males start balding through a genetic condition known as Androgenic alopecia. A naturally occurring metabolite called DHT will attack the follicles of hair and which makes them stop growing, this is when a man will start going bald. By limiting the DHT production level, there is a way to prevent baldness and keep the hair follicles growing.

A drug called Finasteride is well known as an incredibly useful drug for preventing baldness by blocking the DHT. This FDA approved drug was originally created as a cure for enlarged prostate glands. Scientist found that when the trial group took this drug that many of the patients stopped suffering from hair loss. After studying further it was found that a high DHT level can cause both urinary tract problems and also baldness. So when the inflamed prostrate was treated by lowering the DHT level, the same cause of hair loss was treated as well. The drug took off and the company was able to make a lot of profit by using Finasteride both as treatment both for prostrate and as a hair restorer.  As with most artificial drugs there were side effects though including the possibility of birth defects if a woman even touched the tablets.

Urinary tract problems have actually had natural remedies for thousands of years. An example was found from an indigenous tribe who used a palm bush local to that area, this palm was known as the saw palmetto. An extract of this palm could treat urinary problems and the locals knew this so they would use it to treat anyone who was having those symptoms. Today, we have found that this extract works by blocking DHT which makes it a great hair restoration medicine. This remedy is completely natural and the extract can be found in tablets that can purchased at some pharmacy and local health stores. You may also be able to find them online.