You don’t have to spend hours on a treadmill or run for miles. In fact, doing that can be counterproductive. (more…)
You don’t have to spend hours on a treadmill or run for miles. In fact, doing that can be counterproductive. (more…)
Think you’re being good when you buy low-fat products? Do you marvel that such healthy items taste so good?
There’s a reason for that, says Total Health Breakthroughs’ Managing Editor Jon Herring. “The fat has been replaced with sugar and refined carbohydrates. And those are more dangerous to your health.”
In the 1960s, the edible oils industry began a campaign to convince us that vegetable oils are healthy.
Yes, these oils are derived from natural sources. But by the time they make it to your grocery store, they are anything but good for you. Corn oil, for example, contains none of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber found in the plant itself.
A number of studies have shown a link between processed oils and heart disease. Processed oils have also been associated with asthma, blindness, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, stroke, and liver problems. Meanwhile, the average American is consuming more than 50 times as much vegetable oil as he once did.
Vegetable oils are not easy to avoid. They are in all salad dressings and processed foods. But some are healthier than others.
Choose coconut oil for cooking. Choose olive oil (which is easily damaged by cooking heat) for salads.
(more…)
We’re seeing more and more junk food passed off as health food these days. Manufacturers have learned that they can increase sales (and justify significant price increases) simply by putting the word “organic” on the label. But “organic” doesn’t always mean “healthy.”
You can buy organic sugar, white flour, potato chips, corn chips, donuts, waffles, sugar-added cereals, pizza, and frozen dinners at your local health food store. All of these products are highly processed. They contain little to no nutritional value, and they have a high glycemic index.
My advice is to skip the same aisles in the health food store as you would in the regular grocery store. Avoid the baked goods, snack foods, cereals, and ice creams. Stick to whole foods and fresh produce.
(more…)
If you are too hungry when you sit down to a meal, you will probably overeat and end up feeling way too full. Try this: Drink two full glasses of water 15 minutes before you eat.
I tried it recently and found that I ate considerably less. You wouldn’t think the water could have that much of an effect. But it does!
We seek it here, we seek it there. We seek happiness everywhere.
Yet it eludes us. All of our activities — our pursuit of fame and fortune, our quest for meaningful relationships, our drive to build or change things — are directed searches for this ephemeral state. We get there, but we can never heave a lasting sigh of relief because the feeling is gone almost immediately. (more…)
Having trouble falling — and staying — asleep? The culprit may be additives in your food. Aspartame, MSG, artificial coloring, nitrates, and even soy contain “excitotoxins.”These chemicals can alter brain chemistry and lead to insomnia. (more…)
There’s nothing wrong with feeling tired. It’s your body’s way of telling you “Give me some rest.”
But staying tired — week after week — is a health problem, one you don’t have to live with and shouldn’t.
If you have been feeling tired for a while, answer these three questions: (more…)
Some former athletes (including you if you used to work out regularly) consider themselves “bulletproof.” Since they were in superb shape for so many years, they assume their health will always be better than average. (more…)
Do you depend on the major media for your health information? If so, you may think osteoporosis affects only women. (more…)
Americans were raised on “three square meals a day.” Most Americans are also overweight. So you might be interested to know that changing that time-honored habit can help you lose weight.
French researchers found that a group of people who normally ate four meals a day actually gained fat when they switched to three meals per day. A second group that did the opposite lost fat. In both groups, the amount of calories consumed remained constant. (more…)
Think you’re being “good” by eating low-fat foods?
Sorry, says Total Health Breakthroughs’ Melanie Segala. They’re bad for you. That’s because when the fat is removed manufacturers add starchy processed carbs to keep the food tasty.
So stay away from low-fat. The added carbs could cause heart disease and diabetes.
This is a fat country. And that means Americans are prone to a long list of fat-related health problems. Heart disease and high blood pressure are two of the big ones.
Dr. Al Sears, my personal physician, has helped me lose more than 25 pounds of fat, reduce my blood pressure, and strengthen my heart with an amazingly easy “eating program” he has developed over several years. It’s based on relatively large quantities of high-quality protein (wild salmon, grass-fed beef, and organic eggs, cheese, milk, beans, and nuts). (more…)
Surprise. Surprise. Yet another important bit of information has been swept under the rug by Big Pharma.
Turns out that statins, a $20 billion cash cow for the drug industry, have a serious side effect: They can cause a huge drop in the body’s level of CoQ10. And if you’re one of the 13 million people on statins, there’s a good chance your doctor is not aware of it. (more…)
Speaking of making yourself happier and your life easier, there are serious health benefits to both of these good habits. A recent study, for example, has confirmed that stress and anger can be linked to heart disease.
The researchers looked at 150 married couples. None of them had ever been diagnosed with heart disease. Each couple was asked to choose an issue that caused conflict (more…)
Familiarizing yourself with the ingredient list on food labels is now more important than ever. While some additives are fairly benign, too many of them can cause significant health problems. Take “inorganic phosphates,” for example, which are used to improve food texture and water retention in processed foods (including meats, cheeses, and baked goods).
It has already been shown that the phosphates in soft drinks and snack chips cause calcium to leach from the bones, linking them to osteoporosis and kidney stones. Now we can add cancer to that list.
Research conducted at Seoul National University has determined that inorganic phosphates have been associated with both the development and growth of lung cancer in laboratory rats. These effects were found at levels that mimicked our intake on a typical American/Westernized diet.
In a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, researchers observed lung cancer tumors in mice fed with either a 0.5 percent or 1.0 percent phosphate diet. At the end of four weeks, the mice on the higher-phosphate diet had an increase in the formation of new lung tumors as well as an increase in the size of existing tumors. The researchers think it may be due to the role phosphates have in biochemical signaling pathways.
Although naturally occurring phosphates are necessary for human nutrition, the researchers noted that the consumption of phosphates in processed foods has more than doubled since the 1990s. Our hectic American lifestyle – which leaves little time or energy for home cooking – often forces us to rely on convenient pre-packaged foods and restaurant meals full of health-harming substances.
While food industry experts have downplayed this study, I would strongly recommend limiting your intake of inorganic phosphates. Doing so will help protect your bones, and could even lower your risk of lung cancer.
Stick to foods in their most natural state. Especially limit high-carb processed foods laden with cancer-causing phosphates. If you want to save on prep time for meals, choose precut veggies and salads and frozen vegetables. But always read the labels to make sure they have no additives.
[Ed. Note: Making wise choices when it comes to diet and lifestyle can have a dramatic effect on your health. James B. LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN - founder of the LaValle Metabolic Institute and a nationally recognized expert on natural therapies - can give you easy-to-understand directions for living the healthy life you've always wanted. Learn more here.]
If you think all vegetable oil is created equal, think again.
In fact, if you’re using the wrong oils in your cooking, you could be aging faster than you should, developing serious hormonal problems, “gumming” up your pipes, and even encouraging cancer.
Today, I’d like to introduce you to one of the healthiest oils you can eat – avocado oil.
Here are four good reasons to stock up on this age-defying ingredient: (more…)
Last week, I was leafing through a natural health publication and couldn’t help but notice that detox foot pads, hydrotherapy, cleansing greens, and detox elixirs filled the majority of the ad spaces.
It’s true that our bodies are exposed to more toxins now than ever. And we do need to be aware of this fact. But drastic, costly methods for detoxing aren’t necessary (or even proven).
Effective detoxification may be as close as your backyard.
Research published in Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism showed that vitamin D can help increase intracellular levels of the master antioxidant and detoxifier glutathione. In fact, vitamin D is such a powerful detoxifier that the researchers found it even helped escort mercury out of the body. This is especially impressive because mercury is a dangerous heavy metal that’s notorious for being hard to remove.
Unfortunately, more than 50 percent of us are deficient in this essential “D”-toxifying nutrient. To kick up your natural cleansing system, aim for 15-30 minutes of sunlight, 3-5 days a week, or take 2,000-5,000 IU of vitamin D daily.
[Ed Note: Did you know that there's a hidden ingredient in some carb-rich foods that reduces your body's production of glutathione? Learn where it's found and how to avoid it in Kelley Herring's new book series Your Plate, Your Fate.]
“If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything.”
So said John Wooden, the Hall of Fame basketball coach for UCLA who won a record 10 NCAA championships.
So many people do everything they can to avoid making mistakes – yet mistakes are the corrective feedback we need to help us reach our goals. Better to take action and correct mistakes while you’re in motion than to sit idle trying to figure out how not to make a wrong move.
It’s like driving a car. You must always have your hands on the wheel so you can make minor adjustments. You must continually modify and correct your course based upon ongoing feedback.
When you make a mistake and someone points it out to you, don’t say “I’m sorry.” The correct response is: “Thank you for telling me that. I’ll work on it.”
People who see feedback as helpful are grateful to learn what is steering them away from their goals. It may be tough to listen and be open to change – but it’s what the best of the best do.
Yes, you have the option to agree or disagree with the feedback – and you’ll become better at discerning what is helpful and what isn’t the more you practice listening to it. But you’ll never get anywhere if you view mistakes as negative and feedback as undesirable.
My best students LOVE getting my advice – even, as they would say, “raked over the coals.” They beg me to show them their mistakes.
Keep all of this in mind as you go through your day today. Mistakes are nothing to fear. Nor is the feedback that will help you improve.
[Ed. Note: Matt Furey is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of self-development, fitness, and martial arts, and is the president of the Psycho-Cybernetics Foundation, Inc. With Matt's 101 Ways to Magnetize Money, you can learn the REAL SECRETS of financial success known only to the most prosperous men and women who have ever lived. Find out more right here.]
It seems like I receive at least one e-mail every day from someone asking about herbs that can treat anxiety and help them sleep.
As a result of the ongoing recession, this problem has become commonplace. According to a poll by the American Psychological Association, 80 percent of respondents reported significant stress because of the economy. And the National Sleep Foundation’s 2009 Sleep in America poll found that nearly one-third of people surveyed weren’t sleeping well due to increased anxiety.
Many are visiting their doctors to get sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medications. However, you don’t have to go the pharmaceutical route. There are plenty of natural alternatives. Exercise, deep sleep, and yoga, for example, have been proven to help many. Meditation and prayer works for others. In addition, there are several over-the-counter supplements to consider.
Kava is one of the most potent anti-anxiety herbs. In a recent study, Australian researchers gave 60 adults with chronic anxiety symptoms either kava or a placebo for one week. The second week, placebo patients were switched to kava and kava patients to the placebo. Anxiety symptoms declined for the patients on the kava extract, as did depression symptoms in some – often within an hour or two after taking it. However, there have been rare reports of liver damage when kava has been used daily. For this reason, I recommend taking kava no more than three days a week.
Another herb I like is passionflower. Its effects (which include relaxation and sleepiness) begin in an hour or two. Passionflower is quite safe, and can be used on the days when kava is not taken.
Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb that many find helpful in easing tension.
Certain amino acids and related compounds are popular for stress relief. These include 5-HTP, GABA, and theanine. I personally have not found GABA to be very effective, although some people really like it. 5-HTP helps to balance mood, reduces tension, and – like theanine – helps with sleep. The timing of these supplements depends on the severity of your anxiety. They can be taken during the day if you are very anxious. But if your symptoms are milder and you just need a natural pill to help you relax after work, they can be taken in the early evening.
If you are still having trouble sleeping, I have formulated an excellent product called Good Night Rx. A capsule is taken 2 to 4 hours before bed on an empty stomach, and the vast majority of users find they get a deeper and more restful sleep with hardly any side effects. Wait at least a half hour after taking Good Night Rx before eating dinner or a late snack.
[Ed. Note: If you are sick of sleepless nights and anxiety because of the recession, now's your chance to do something about it! Start your own Internet business and you could achieve financial freedom once and for all. And you don't have to do it alone. Get expert guidance from some of the top Internet marketers in the industry right here.
For more on Good Night Rx - and dozens of other natural anxiety-fighting and sleep-inducing options - visit the website of Ray Sahelian, MD, at www.raysahelian.com. You can also purchase Good Night Rx straight from Dr. Sahelian by clicking here.]
Selenium is an essential mineral and a powerful antioxidant. Your body needs it to:
Men should be especially concerned about getting enough selenium. It’s the prostate’s best defense against cancer.
Two studies – one an eight-year clinical trial – found that supplementing with selenium led to a 50 percent drop in the risk of (more…)
A number of studies have shown that a simple dietary maneuver may be one of the most effective anti-aging strategies ever. In the lab, it’s virtually the only thing that’s been shown to extend the life of every species tested, from yeast and fruit flies to monkeys.
It can help you lose weight.
It may also improve memory.
And it doesn’t require drugs or fancy equipment.
I’m talking about cutting calories.
Researchers in Germany asked one group of elderly volunteers to eat (more…)
Years ago, while I was living in California, there was a saying: “Curb your enthusiasm.”
It’s an important saying to know when doing business. Sometimes you can get so excited about what you’re doing or offering that you make foolish decisions.
Happens all the time.
My friend Kim Wood, an NFL strength coach for 27 years, points out: “An animal on the attack is cautious almost to the point of cowardice.”
Fascinating, eh?
Picture a cheetah running 70 mph after a deer or antelope. He doesn’t appear to be cautious at all. Yet prior to that 70 mph burst, the cheetah had very carefully stalked his prey and scoped out the terrain. He does not simply take off on a sprint as soon as he’s hungry.
So the key to enthusiasm is balance. Same with confidence.
There’s confidence and over-confidence. There’s enthusiasm and over-enthusiasm.
Conversely, there is under-enthusiasm and under-confidence. I think most people who are struggling fall into the “under” category. They don’t need to curb their enthusiasm. They need to unleash it.
Enthusiasm for what you do and what you’re attempting to do is a cornerstone of success. Without it, you cannot accomplish much. As Emerson wrote, “Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm.”
At the same time, being too enthusiastic, too confident, and too positive can hurt you. It’s a matter of balance.
When I was studying shuai jiao kung fu years ago, Dr. Daniel Weng once told me, “A strength overextended becomes a weakness.”
How true.
And lest you think this applies only to martial arts – think again. It applies to everything you do in life. It also applies to every virtue.
Even love.
[Ed. Note: Matt Furey, an internationally recognized expert in self-development, fitness, and martial arts, is president of the Psycho-Cybernetics Foundation, Inc. With Matt's 101 Ways to Magnetize Money, you can learn the REAL SECRETS of financial success known only to the most prosperous men and women who have ever lived. Find out more right here.]
The biggest breakthrough in anti-aging medicine in our lifetime involves telomere biology.
Each time your cells divide, they copy your DNA to make the new cell. But the telomeres – the sections of DNA at both ends of a chromosome – get shorter with every copy. And the shorter your telomeres are, the “older” the cell acts.
Once the telomeres get to their shortest length, your cells can no longer divide, and damaged or diseased cells aren’t replaced. This causes a chain reaction that weakens your tissues and organs. And that can only lead to disease… and, ultimately, death.
Fortunately, there are some ways to start to slow down the rate at which your telomeres are shortening right now…
1. Lower your homocysteine levels. According to a report in the journal Atherosclerosis,high levels of this amino acid can shorten your telomeres as much as 3 times faster.
I help my patients lower their homocysteine levels by having them supplement daily with the following:
You can find these supplements at your local health food store. If you don’t want to take them all separately, you can use the same formula I give my patients.
2. Take vitamin C. This inexpensive supplement is a powerful antioxidant. And recent studies – including one reported in the journal Life Sciences - show it can slow telomere shortening by over 50 percent. I recommend 2,000 mg per day to my patients.
3. Take SOD. Besides protecting your cells from the damage of toxins and stress, SOD (superoxide dismutase) has been shown to slow the rate of telomere shortening. I recommend 500 mg a day. You can find it at your local health food store. Or you can check out my formula, which contains SOD as well as other potent cell protectors.
[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears is a practicing physician and the author of The Doctor's Heart Cure. He is also a nutritional expert, a fitness expert, and is certified by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. Find Dr. Sears's practical solutions and get immediate access to more than 500 of his articles by visiting www.alsearsmd.com.
For more expert recommendations on how to feel better and live longer, check out ETR's FREE natural health newsletter.]
By Don Hauptman
Here’s another compilation of errors, all spotted during my routine reading of various print publications:
Note that the above are most likely not simple typos but rather what I call “errors of ignorance” – mistakes that neither the writers nor their editors caught.
[Ed Note: For more than three decades, Don Hauptman was an award-winning independent direct-response copywriter and creative consultant. He is author of The Versatile Freelancer, an e-book recently published by AWAI that shows writers and other creative professionals how to diversify their careers into speaking, consulting, training, and critiquing.]
You might think that a head injury has little in common with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurogenerative diseases. And, yes, they are unrelated on the surface. But when it comes to protecting your brain from all of these traumas, you can rely on one natural nutrient: magnesium.
Studies have confirmed that better magnesium levels help protect brain tissue from the damage that can be caused by any head trauma.
Magnesium acts as a natural calcium channel blocker, which makes it a principle nutrient for helping to control blood pressure. In the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study, researchers found that people who took in enough magnesium while on a (more…)
You don’t have to sacrifice flavor or variety to eat healthfully. In fact, two types of foods can help you fight disease and live longer – and they come in many delicious varieties.
According to cardiovascular health expert Dr. Shah, as reported in Men’s Health m agazine, these two super- food groups are:
1. Inflammation-fighting cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, collards, daikon, horseradish, kale, mustard greens, rutabagas, turnips, radishes, and watercress.
2. Blood pressure lowering berries, including blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
Dr. Shah recommends that you indulge in both food groups daily – at least half a cup of crucifers and half a cup of berries.
You’ll find that these fruits and veggies are ideal for mixing with other healthy foods. I especially like raw broccoli with hummus – and I include blueberries in all my breakfasts (whether with oatmeal, oat groats, or nuts).
Twice a week, I stock up on:
With so much to choose from during the summer months, you should have no trouble getting a daily dose of inflammation fighters, blood pressure reducers, and vitamins that your body needs to stay strong and free of disease.
[Ed. Note: Eating the right foods is only one aspect of losing fat and staying healthy. You also need to exercise regularly. Fitness expert Craig Ballantyne can help you burn fat and build muscle with three 45-minute workouts a week. Learn how right here.
For more easy-to-implement ideas about how to live longer and feel better, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
You can boost your performance, improve your stamina, and keep your energy high during your workouts just by having a well-balanced “munch” before you head to the gym.
Last week, I gave you some guidelines for putting together snacks that will make you feel fueled instead of full. But if you aren’t quite sure how to apply those guidelines, here are some of my favorites (more…)
My wife and I always take our kids with us when we go grocery shopping. It gives us the opportunity to teach them how to recognize sneaky labeling and deceptive brand names, and how to pick the best foods for a healthy meal.
We show them how to read labels so they don’t get ensnared in grocery store fat traps. We teach them to look for things like high fructose corn syrup, MSG, dextrose, and sucrose. And we explain how to avoid the hormone smashers that evaporate muscles. These include many sports drinks, juices, and flavored teas with words related to “health” or “nutrition” in their names.
Then we help them select a healthy balance of the right foods. We let our kids pick out their own veggies, which gets them excited about eating them. We also let them help prepare their meals – and that gets them even more excited about healthy eating.
Including your kids in your weekly shopping trip will help them realize how important healthy natural foods are to their bodies. In my family, health is wealth. And in this, we are abundant!
[Ed. Note: Shane Ellison's entire career has been dedicated to the study of molecules - how they give life and how they take from it. He was a two-time recipient of the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Grant for his research in biochemistry and physiology. He is a bestselling author, holds a master's degree in organic chemistry, and has first-hand experience in drug design. Take advantage of his knowledge and insights to look and feel your best in 90 days.]
My clients often question me when I tell them they can eat more almonds and cashews. “Don’t you know that nuts are full of fat?” they ask.
Well, I tell them, you can have your nuts and eat them too… even if you are trying to lose weight. In fact, nuts could be an important part of your fat-fighting strategy.
Researchers from Harvard completed an eight-year study on 51,188 women aged 20-45. After adjusting for lifestyle and dietary factors, they found that the women who rarely ate nuts were heavier than those who ate nuts twice per week. Their conclusion: Though it may be counterintuitive, incorporating nuts into a diet may help with weight control.
[Ed. Note: Eating the right foods is just one aspect of slimming down and firming up. To burn fat and build muscle, check out fitness expert Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training program right here.
For more easy-to-implement ideas about how to live longer and feel better, get your free subscription to ETR's natural health newsletter.]