Depression: the Quiet Epidemic

Depressive disorder in its medical form, is a thoughts disorder in which the individual may feel sad, dependent, improbable, as if lifestyle is just too frustrating and difficult. Every one of us encounters frustrated thoughts from a chance to time; no one can break free the damaging items in lifestyle. Its how we respond that issues in the face of trouble.

Concern that often appears is- Can I get over depression? Yes, you can. To battle and get over depressive disorder all of us need to learn how to deal with and control issues efficiently. Despair and harm are components of life that no one destinations. Easy it may audio, the objective should be to deal with issues as momentary problems to be settled in effective ways.

Therapy Options

There are a wide range of treatments for dealing with depressive disorder. Each case is different and the prescribed therapy differs from individual to individual. Some treatments include:

• Psychotherapy
• Assistance groups
• Medication/antidepressants
• Normal remedies
• Hypnosis
• Meditation
• Exercise
• Any collaboration of the above.

In this area of the article we cope with, Self Help Techniques to cope with Depressive disorder. With improving adverse reactions of treatment for depression, like weight-gain, anti-depressants should be the last destination.

Meditation:

Relaxation can relaxed the mind and decrease pressure, making interacting with depressive disorder easier. This strategy delivers you in contact with the present time and makes attention of what is around you.

Breathe gradually and greatly. Think about your breathing starting at your go and visiting down to you, then arriving back again up again. Experience your breathing journey through your human body. How long you invest in this relaxation it all will depend on your patience for it. If you're new to relaxation, ten moments might be as much as you can manage. If you can last for or progressively improve your time to Half an hour that would be suitable.

Realistic success stories:

Success stories battles depressive disorder by assisting women restore a feeling of management over their life. Restoring management over life also increases self respect and helps with positive thinking. Remember that regardless of age, a one-week objective is a controllable way to begin with. Objectives should be “SMART”: Specific, Considerable, Obtainable, Genuine and Appropriate, to develop self-confidence.

Leisure Techniques:

Learning leisure techniques can ease stress, muscular tissue stress. Progressive leisure teaches- how to rest at will. This way of leisure allows you to regain control over your involuntary muscular tissue stress, and trains your human body to release that stress. Basically, you concentrate on one muscular tissue at a time (the left arm, for instance, or the lower back muscles). Which in turn helps you, to become conscious of the stress and tightness in that muscular tissue, examining where the stress occurs and how it seems. Now exaggerate the stress, tightening the muscular tissue tissue and then releasing. By making the muscular tissue even tighter than usual, you train your human body to recognize how a relaxing muscular tissue seems. Over time, the muscular tissue tissue rest more easily, and you become more conscious of your stress problem areas.

Respiration methods can help you remain based and relaxed. Respiration keeping track of is one of the more commonly used methods. Sit perfectly, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. As you breathe out, count each breath. When you reach five, start again at one. If your thoughts walks, return your thoughts carefully but strongly again to breath keeping track of.

Exercise

Training is an excellent tension-fighter. It can improve body picture, assurance and self-awareness. Training also improves the level of certain chemicals (endorphins) that are known to increase feelings. Summoning the energy to go to workouts class can be very difficult especially when you are sensation down and out. Begin off slowly—even ten moments a day is better than nothing. Training with a friend if possible, to help keep your commitment up. Even a simple walk around the prevent is better than nothing and is an excellent way to begin with training. Twenty to Half an hour of riding, boating, moving, running, or fast going for walks can reduce most common, gentle downturns. Yoga exercise workouts in addition to some respiration and relaxation in the day, will make you feel rejuvenated and better able to face the day.

Healthy therapy

Repairing lack, controlling glucose levels, and helping the overall diet can significantly help to lift depressive disorder. The role of certain meats, tryptophan and D, L-phenylalanine (DLPA) may also be significant.

Just when a healthy, healthy diet is needed most, women who are having difficulties form hosting server depressive disorder ignore their body needs. The condition is quite unique from a regular, sensitive reaction to frustration and often simply leaves some people with no hunger at all, while others go on binges or create urges for sugars.

As a result, sufferers of major depression may often suffer form lack or instability – particularly a lack of B vitamins and vitamin C, and of the nutritional value calcium mineral, birdwatcher, iron, mineral magnesium vitamin and blood potassium. The accurate relationship between different nutritional value and the brain’s biochemistry is still not yet determined but malnourishment or overweight clearly promote spirits spinning downwards.

Eat Plenty Of:

• Whole grain, peas, dried beans and other kinds of pulses
• Fruit and vegetables
• Learn meat, chicken and offal
• Seafood

Plenty of whole grains and impulses, and regular amounts of lean meat, offal, slimy fish, seafood and egg, will provide B vitamins, metal, blood potassium, mineral magnesium vitamin, birdwatcher and zinc. A high intake of fresh fruits and veggies (such as don't forget your asparagus, spinach, clothes, melons, grapefruits and berries) will provide ample Vitamin C. Dark for example will improve levels of calcium mineral, mineral magnesium vitamin and iron; while dairy produce (preferably low fat) will boost stocks of calcium mineral .

Too much caffeinated drinks (more than four glasses of java or six glasses of tea a day) can worsen depressive disorder. Since caffeinated drinks also results in sleeplessness, and sleeplessness is one of the the signs of depressive disorder, patients should avoid drinking tea of java before going to bed. People should be aware that the complications and problem, which are the signs of rapid caffeinated drinks drawback, can last from one to three days before real upgrades are sensed.

Acupuncture

Traditional traditional chinese medicine treatment or electro-acupuncture can ease depressive disorder. Some studies found it excellent to anti-depressant drugs and with less side-effects. Studies have shown that traditional chinese medicine activates the discharge of hormones in the mind. These substances impact various body systems, reduce pain and experience much better. Typically it is thought that traditional chinese medicine eliminates obstructions and encourages the flow of Qi energy on the meridians. This is considered to improve the performing of the areas.

Females need to know that excess weight is one of the side-effects of ant-depressants, and should be with training and fat limitation.

Article Resources: http://www.womenfitness.net/depression.htm

Health Meal for Pregnant Women

Quick and Healthy Meal Prep for Pregnant and Postpartum Mothers

For most mothers I know, there don’t seem to be enough hours in the day. So cooking can seem like just one more thing in an unending list of responsibilities and obligations.

A good method to assure that you are getting clean, nutrition dense food is to make a little extra for freezing and also to take some time every few days to cook some things that will keep in the fridge and allow you to put together easy, healthy meals.

Vegetables that are steamed and kept in the fridge in Tupperware can be eaten cold with or without a little salad dressing or added to salads. Cook vegetables so that they still have a slightly firm consistency and retain a deep rich color. Hard vegetables like carrots need a longer cook time, whereas soft vegetables like summer squash cook up quickly. Please use organic wherever possible, but especially with any roots or leafy greens.

Here are some suggestions as to what to keep in the fridge:

• Steamed Broccoli: Cook up short stemmed florets in steamer basket for 5 to 7 minutes (don’t let it get soft.) Can be eaten cold with a little dressing or added to salad. Source of vitamin C, fiber, folic acid and calcium.
• Baked Roots: Bake garnet yam, yellow fin or purple potato and keep in fridge. The combination of cold broccoli and yellow fins are one of my favorites! The garnet yams contain beta carotene, a good source of vitamin A.
• Shredded beets and carrots: Shred beets in a food processor and steam for 5 minutes. Add chopped basil and a little brown rice vinegar. Also good if you want to combine carrots with beets. Both beets and carrots are rich in antioxidants and fiber. Basil is a source of B6 which can help with that queasy feeling when you are pregnant.
• Lettuce in a bag: Wash a colorful lettuce like Boston lettuce that has red tips and tear into bite size pieces and store in Tupperware container. This base for salad can come in handy when all you have to do is add some meat and pre-shredded veggies. Warning: lettuce stored like this only lasts for about three days at a time, so don’t plan on storing it a week!
• Shredded roots: Shred carrots, beets, dicon radish and keep in separate containers for quick salad makings. Good sources of vitamins A,C and K.
• Roasted chicken breasts: bake a couple of boneless, skinless chicken breasts brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper and keep these in a container with a tight fitting lid. Makes for fast chicken sandwiches or salad topping and is a source of protein.

Here are some other must-haves:

• Beans: cans of chickpeas, black eyed peas and kidney beans which provide B-vitamins and fiber and can be used in salads.
•  Broths: I like and recommend Imagine Foods because the sodium content is reasonable and they do not use MSG or sugar in their broths. Broth can be a tasty lunch to which you can add peas, noodles or chicken for a fast and complete meal. I like to use rice noodles and some sesame oil or soy sauce for an Asian inspired meal.
• Frozen veggies: Those frozen vegetables are not my first choice, they are certainly better than no vegetables. There are quite a few companies who make organic, frozen vegetables that have no added chemicals. It’s easy to keep things like, frozen peas, asparagus, broccoli, carrots and corn in the freezer to add to broths or eggs or to just cook on their own for a fast and easy meal.
• Simple seasonings: brown rice vinegar, tamari soy sauce, garlic, gomasio (sea salt and sesame seeds), raw seeds and nuts for toppings (sunflower seeds, pepitas, pine nuts), salt and of course pepper.

Natural Exercise Tips dedicated to educating women about natural health care. She is a frequent guest speaker at colleges and community centers lecturing on the politics of women’s healthcare and women and spirituality.

Best Alcoholism Addiction Treatment

The Best Alcoholism Addiction Treatment

According to professionals, alcoholism pertains to any condition that result in the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages without considering the negative personal and social consequences. Hence, an alcohol addict is someone that indulges in alcoholic beverages despite the accompanying negative consequences.

Many forms of alcoholism addiction treatment exist out there. But the best alcoholism addiction treatment can be found within the walls of a treatment centre. Hey, wait before run away. You've got to hear me out on this. I know you have gone through something like this elsewhere but I want to say something you may not have gone through anywhere else. Why did I say the treatment centre is the best form of treatment?

Whether the person (the addict) is just a beginner or has gone deep into alcoholism, the alcoholism addiction treatment centre is the greatest place to go for backing. I have come across many people that have tried quitting on their own but could not help going back into it. They've mustered all the power at their disposal, yet they could not seem to overcome the attraction of the bottle. When you or a loved one wants to get off alcoholism, you need to attend a treatment centre. Now, which of the centre should you attend?

This is where many people get it wrong. I typically recommend to people like you or your loved one to attend only a Christian alcoholism addiction treatment centre. Frankly speaking, this is the greatest place to attend. These types of centres typically combine the spiritual and traditional route in order to assist addicts quit alcohol. This is what many people out there are ignorant of. They thought everything about the Christian alcoholism addiction treatment centre is bible. No, that is far from the truth. The centre will in addition to the bible use other traditional means to assist patients. The patients will be introduced to a higher power that can assist him or her quit if earlier attempt have not yielded any good result. Also, one on one counselling will be given to the addict. They would be counselled on the effects of alcoholism and what they can do to quit. Medically, they will be given some drugs that can assist their body so that they don't rely on alcohol again.

Article Source: The Best Alcoholism Addiction Treatment

Boosting Your Immune System

Instead of having to use your sick days for times when you're really ill, why not use your sick days when you're feeling fine and just need a break from the workplace? To do this, you need to build a strong immune system that can fight off the latest bug around the office. This means you need to boost your body's natural ability to fend off disease healthy food choices, plenty of rest and exercise. Here's your immune system prescription for more healthy days.

Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements That Make a Difference

Though current research is still being done on the effectiveness of certain health supplements, history tells us that certain vitamins and minerals have been used by other cultures quite effectively. For example, the use of Echinacea has been documented in Native American history as well as in other native cultures.

Another supplement that is garnering attention is zinc. I may reduce the duration as well as the severity of a cold. Zinc lozenges are readily available in drugstores, while the zinc itself is found in various Supplements and vitamins.

The effectiveness of Vitamin C is still in dispute in the scientific community, but since it is necessary in the body to help with cell maintenance, it seems like it's something that can be considered a successful immune system booster.

Mushroom Extracts, such as Noxylane4, also help support immune health by supporting the Natural Killer Cells in your body. The Natural Killer (or NK cells) are your immune system's first line of defense.

For immune health, it's important that you take certain supplements on a regular basis. It can be as simple as taking a multivitamin. An additional Vitamin C capsule or tablet may help reduce the risk of succumbing to the latest bug, while Echinacea needs to be taken for three week stretches at a time in order to be most effective.

Other possible supplements for your immune system include:

Astralagus - This Chinese herb may stimulate the body's immune system when taken over short periods of time. However, it is not recommended for those with heart problems or sensitivity to stimulants.

Fish oils - Taking fish oil supplements or adding more fish to the diet can help your body with cellular support, which can then help with immune system support.

Goldenseal - A similar ingredient to Echinacea, this is often combined in supplement form with the immune fighting herb in order to help boost immune system function.

Diet and Exercise for Your Immune System

In a perfect world, you would have healthy habits throughout the year in order to keep your immune system operating at its highest capacity. This means you would be eating a regular diet of fruits and vegetables while also limiting your sugar and fat intake. This will keep your body filled with good nutrition, allowing it to bolster the immune system and repair cellular damage on its own.

Exercise allows the cells in your body to work more efficiently as well as to process nutrients in a healthier manner. Studies have also shown that those who exercise tend to be less prone to illness and experts recommend at least thirty minutes a day of activity.

Prevention of disease is the best way to avoid taking 'real' sick days, so try adding healthy foods and perhaps a few supplements to your diet in addition to creating more healthy routines. Not only are you going to see healthier days, but you'll feel better too.

Article Source: Boosting Your Immune System

Practical Hints On Alcoholism Treatment Methods

With the glut of alcoholism treatment methods available these days, there is no alibi for you or a loved one coping with alcoholism not to acquire the needed aid. Due to intensive research and development, every alcohol addict can be helped to quit the addiction. Alcoholism is one issue that has caused many damage to individuals, families, organizations and even the government. Alcoholism is not restricted to a certain age, race or economic class. Many people have lost their brain, jobs, loved ones, money as a result of indulging in alcohol.

Alcoholism treatment methods are not new. They have been existing during the days of our forefathers and mothers. Back then, they apply what I call barbaric methods. Some of these are: imprisoning the addict, starving the addict, flogging the addict, ostracising the addict. All these measures, according to them are to make certain that the addict becomes himself or herself again. They reason that if they use any or all of these methods, the addict will quit alcohol.

Today, thanks to civilization, there are a variety of alcoholism treatment methods that can help you or a loved one quit alcohol. These methods are meant to help the addict understand why or he or she is drinking and how they can quit and enjoy their lives to the full. Some of these methods include the following:

Counselling:

This could be accessed in a treatment centre or given by family members. It involve talking one on one with the addict. But this should be done by a professional or an adult. The addict should be encouraged to discover the source of the snag while being shown how to deal with it. As an example, if it is a loss of a lover, he or she could be counselled to know that there are still many people out there can love him or her.

Treatment centre:

This method should be used if the first one failed. The centres have facilities that can help an addict quit alcoholism. Medical and psychological approaches are made use of to help the addict.

Support group:

This consists of a group of people that may have had some experiences with alcohol. They come together to share their experiences with the addict. Through this method, the addict can see that there are people like him or her that have successfully quit alcoholism.

Spiritual means:

This is mostly used by the Christian alcoholism addiction treatment centre. They apply the bible extensively. They introduce the addict to a higher power that can help him or her quit alcoholism.

These alcoholism treatment methods have been found to be very effective in dealing with the snag of alcoholism. Why not try it out?

Article Source: Practical Hints On Alcoholism Treatment Methods

Managing Anxiety - Three Keys to Success

Everyone feels anxious at some point in their lives. Whether they are under a lot of stress at work, in a bad relationship, or simply having troubles dealing with their responsibilities, each of us has had a moment where we began to worry. This reaction is something that we all share on a day to day basis, but for some, it's not something that's normal or easy to get a handle on. For those, as well as the rest of us, we need to think about managing our anxiety instead of simply responding to it.

Isn't Anxiety Normal?

There are a lot of good reasons why we become anxious when under stress. For example, when we are put into a life threatening situation, the stress activates our flight or flight response so that we can protect ourselves or someone else. Anxiety helps us to realize when things area going the way they should be and when we need to start looking for other answers or solutions.

But not all anxiety is normal. Being worried is something we can rarely avoid, but being worried about things we can not control can often begin to control us as people. These kinds of worriers will often be paralyzed by fears of things that might happen, causing them to be unable to function in everyday society. This is 'bad' anxiety.

Instead of just thinking that you have to live with your anxiety levels - no matter how high or low they are - you can take three steps to begin to manage your stress levels and get on with your life.

Key #1: Find Out the Cause

Nailing down the cause of your anxiety shouldn't stress you out. In truth, there are probably hundreds of things that make you anxious on a daily basis. But to start to recognize the triggers for your anxiety reactions, you will need to make some sort of list of the things that you do feel worried about. Try to keep this list short, focusing on the things that make you worried right now at this particular moment. This will help you understand what you can and what you can not actually change in your life.

For example, if you notice that you are worried about the number of hours you are working each week, you can start to take steps to shorten your work time. If you notice that you are worried about that promotion you're up for at work, you might not be able to do anything about the decision that will be made.

Key #2: Daily Habits Make the Difference

In fact, it might be a good idea for you to write down the things that worry you each night before you go to bed. This can help you to sort of lay your fears to rest so that you can relax and recuperate from your day. It might also help you to figure out what you can and can not do in response.

Eating right and exercising have also been shown to be effective in the management of anxiety, as they help the body stay balanced. When you're malnourished and sedentary, it can be more difficult for your body to fight off the effects of stress. You will also want to make sure you are resting during the day and sleeping at night to further reduce your levels of anxiety.

Key #3: Know When to Ask for Help

When you find that your anxiety is beginning to affect the way you live, you need to start looking for professional help to assist you. This might take the form of a therapist or a psychiatrist. These professionals can help you figure out what steps you need to take to calm your life down and to help you get a handle on your anxiety.

Article Source: Managing Anxiety - Three Keys to Success

Natural Remedies for Helping Mental Health

Though much attention to health focuses on preventing illness, there is far more evidence suggesting your mental health may play just as big a role in your physical well being. By taking the time to nurture your mind as well as your body, you can create a balanced life. Your mental health isn't something that can be neglected until it is having numerous problems; your sanity deserves just as much attention as the rest of you.

Here are a few natural remedies for helping your mental health now and in the future.

Diet and Lifestyle Changes

The more science and psychology delve into the mind, the more we see that the brain is a piece of human machinery. This is to say that the brain is affected by the habits we have, just as much as our body is. Since the brain requires certain nutrients and blood flow in order to process information quickly and efficiently, we need to understand how to provide the proper nutrition and activity.

Eating right allows your body to function as it normally should. When your body has the right nutrients, it will be able to interpret and to send information from the brain to other areas. The nerve tissues will be able to receive the proper information and they will be able to respond accordingly. When you aren't eating a balance diet, your nerves can't function properly, thus your brain may receive improper messages, affecting your mental health.

In the same way, exercise allows you to ensure that the blood in your body is moving as it should, delivering nutrients and oxygen to the right areas. When you add thirty minutes of activity to your day, you can significantly reduce the possibility of depression and anxiety - according to recent research.

Quitting smoking and other drugs can also benefit your mental health. Even if they seem like they are helping to calm you, these drugs are breaking your body down, making it more susceptible to mental disorders.

Natural Supplements

Of course, if there were a pill for better mental health, we would all be taking it. But since this magical pill doesn't seem to exist yet, there are several natural substances that seem to help certain patients.
Saint John's Wort - This herb has been used in Europe for decades as a mood booster. While science is having a hard time backing these claims up, the long term study of these users is enough to suggest its effectiveness.
Fish oils - Some studies have also indicated that adding fish oils and fish oil supplements to the diet can help with ADHD, OCD, and other mental disorders.

Meditation and Journaling

When you have mental health troubles like anxiety and depression, many therapists will tell you to find out the cause and to work on ways to distract yourself from feeling the pain or the anxiety. But how can you do this naturally? Meditation is an effective way to quiet your mind if you find your thoughts racing and causing you problems in your everyday life. By simply sitting down quietly for ten minutes a day, trying to block out all thought, you can significantly reduce your mental health issues.

Or if you're not interested in meditation, keeping a daily journal of your worries can help to ease your mental health stress. You don't have to write for hours, but you can simply write down things that anger or upset you, leaving them in your journal instead of in your head.

Your mental health is an important part of how your body responds to the germs and the illnesses around you. By taking the time to keep your stress levels at bay and your body in balance, you will create a healthier and happier life for yourself.

Article Source: Natural Remedies for Helping Mental Health

Body Building in the Online Era

The body building is a popular sport or practice that combines weight lifting with the necessary intake of proteins that stimulate the muscle development. The majority of people know what body building is, but they are not familiar with its history. The history of body building started in 1880, and these are called the sport's early years. This practice did not exist before this date, and there are no records of men or women displaying their muscles. In 1880 when it all started, a man from Prussia- Eugen Sandow promoted this practice.

Eugen is today called the father of body building. He used to display his generous muscles in front of the audience and they were delighted, encouraging him in his further career. Eugen Sandow became very successful and his prestige traveled in other countries as well. The display of muscles was a novelty at that time as people weren't able to see muscles only during wresting games. Eugen Sandow was also the first person to commercialize equipment for those that wanted to develop their muscles. He introduced the machined dumbbells, spring pulleys and tension bands and powerfully endorsed them. Eugen also promoted the Greek ideal body and proportions. The very first body building contest was held in 1901 in London at the Royal Albert Hall, and was of course organized by the great Eugen Sandow.

Several competitions followed, and it was clear that body building became a popular sport and show at the same time. The Golden Age of the body building was considered in the years after the WW II, when the muscles and the bodies became even bigger. In our times, the most famous body building competition is Mr. Olympia. This competition was first held in 1977 and still is a huge hit. The great prize for the best body builders is a statue that represents the father of body building, Eugen Sandow himself to remind the competitors where it all started. There were films made in the honor of Eugen, two of them made by Thomas Edison, back in those glorious days.

So, in case you are interested in taking up body building you know its history now, if you don't want to start developing muscles, you can still watch the body building shows.

Diet Bodybuilding is a website which has information on gym weight muscles and dieting types such as low fat diets and high protein diet.

Article Source: Body Building in the Online Era

Green Tea Health Benefits

The Miracle of Green Tea
"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." (Ancient Chinese Proverb)

Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years.

Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:

- cancer
- rheumatoid arthritis
- high cholesterol levels
- cariovascular disease
- infection
- impaired immune function

What makes green tea so special?

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

Other Benefits

New evidence is emerging that green tea can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.

Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.

Harmful Effects?

To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there are approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six - eight ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee.

Article Sources: Green Tea Health Benefits

Simple Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

You hear a lot about living a healthy lifestyle, but what does that mean? In general, a healthy person doesn't smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats healthy and exercises. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

The trick to healthy living is making small changes...taking more steps, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water...these are just a few ways you can start living healthy without drastic changes.

Exercise

One of the biggest problems in America today is lack of activity. We know it's good for us but avoid it like the plague either because we're used to being sedentary or afraid that exercise has to be vigorous to be worth our time. The truth is, movement is movement and the more you do, the healthier you'll be. Even moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.

Just adding a little movement to your life can:

- Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes
- Improve joint stability
- Increase and improve range of movement
- Help maintain flexibility as you age
- Maintain bone mass
- Prevent osteoporosis and fractures
- Improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Enhance self esteem
- Improve memory in elderly people
- Reduce stress

So, even if you opt for small changes and a more modest weight loss, you can see the benefits are still pretty good. One study has found that just a 10% weight reduction helped obese patients reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and increase longevity.

Simple Ways to Move Your Body

You can start the process of weight loss now by adding a little more activity to your life. If you're not ready for a structured program, start small. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories.

- Turn off the TV. Once a week, turn off the TV and do something a little more physical with your family. Play games, take a walk...almost anything will be more active than sitting on the couch.
- Walk more. Look for small ways to walk more. When you get the mail, take a walk around the block, take the dog for an extra outing each day or walk on your treadmill for 5 minutes before getting ready for work.
- Do some chores. Shoveling snow, working in the garden, raking leaves, sweeping the floor...these kinds of activities may not be 'vigorous' exercise, but they can keep you moving while getting your house in order.
- Pace while you talk. When you're on the phone, pace around or even do some cleaning while gabbing. This is a great way to stay moving while doing something you enjoy.
- Be aware. Make a list of all the physical activities you do on a typical day. If you find that the bulk of your time is spent sitting, make another list of all the ways you could move more--getting up each hour to stretch or walk, walk the stairs at work, etc.

Eating Well

Eating a healthy diet is another part of the healthy lifestyle. Not only can a clean diet help with weight management, it can also improve your health and quality of life as you get older. You can use the new MyPlate to determine how many calories you need and what food groups you should focus on or, if you're looking for smaller changes, you can use these tips for simple ways to change how you eat:

- Eat more fruit. Add it to your cereal, your salads or even your dinners
- Sneak in more veggies. Add them wherever you can--a tomato on your sandwich, peppers on your pizza, or extra veggies in your pasta sauce. Keep pre-cut or canned/frozen veggies ready for quick snacks.
- Switch your salad dressing. If you eat full-fat dressing, switch to something lighter and you'll automatically eat less calories.
- Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy. Switching to skim milk or fat free yogurt is another simple way to eat less calories without having to change too much in your diet.
- Make some substitutes. Look through your cabinets or fridge and pick 3 foods you eat every day. Write down the nutritional content and, the next time you're at the store, find lower-calorie substitutes for just those 3 items.

Find more ideas for healthy foods with this Healthy Foods Grocery List.

Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean drastic changes. In fact, drastic changes almost always lead to failure. Making small changes in how you live each day can lead to big rewards, so figure out what you can to be healthy today.

Article Sources: Healthy Lifestyle