Diet - How It Impacts Your Health

Natural Dangers In Your Food

In recent years, scientists and the general public has become more aware of  how our diet can affect your health , especially regarding the production of cancers. Research has shown that your diet contains an enormous variety of natural mutagens and carcinogens.  They are dangerous substances that can build up in your body over years of ingesting them.   It is also apparent that we are ingesting vastly greater amounts of these substances than was ever previously suspected.  In 1989 the United States had a big publicity generated scare concerning the plant growth regulator Alar, which is used to slow down the ripening of apples so that they do not drop prematurely. Alar was said to be carcinogenic, but when put in perspective with chemicals in our daily diets , it does not appear to be as big a danger.  For example, the naturally occurring hydrazines in a helping of mushrooms are 60 times more carcinogenic than the Alar consumed in a glass of apple juice or 20 times more than a daily peanut butter sandwich, which can contains aflatoxin B. Our diets contain literally millions of natural chemicals; in fact it is not practical to test them all for carcinogenicity.

Animal tests  have been used to evaluate cooked foods for their potential for inducing cancers; and it has been found that browned or burnt sugars or breads contain a variety of mutagens. In addition, caffeine and its close relative theobromine found in coffee, tea, cocoa, and some soft drinks may increase the risk of tumors by inhibiting DNA repair enzymes. Plants produce many carcinogenic or teratogenic chemicals as defense mechanism to ward off insects and animals that want to consume them. Examples of plants plant carcinogens include psoralen and its derivatives, which are widespread in plants and have been used as sunscreen in France; solanine and chaconine are teratogens and are found in the skin of potatoes that have been exposed to light. Other foods that contains natural carcinogens includes banana, basil, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, horseradish, mustard turnips, and black pepper. In addition, red wines are believed to be responsible for the high occurrance of stomach cancers among the  people of France, although red wine also seems to decrease the incidence of coronary heart disease. It seems that many of the foods that we consume contain naturally occurring compound that are harmful to some degree of other.

Fat Kills In Several Ways

 There is another major concern regarding the North American diet and that is the large amount of fat the is consumed.  This problem is amplified by the excessive consumption of processed foods.
 Studies have found that the average American diet can get 40 percent of their calories in the form of various fats. 
 Cancer ocurrances and death rates vary from country to country depending on variations in nutritional content in the national diet.
  Very different types of cancers appear in the United States than are found  in Japan. In United States, colon, breast, and prostate cancer are most prevalent, whereas stomach cancers are in excess in Japan.  When the amount of dietary fat intake is plotted against the number of deaths by breast cancer, the results are striking; the greater the amount of fat in the diet, the  higher the rate of breast cancer. How might fat intake cause cancer? It may be caused by rancid fat because it represents a sizable percentage of the fat are very prone to oxidation, which produces a variety of carcinogenic compounds. Another likely explanation is that may carcinogens are soluble in fats and accumulate in the fat of the animals we eat.  Higher temperatures used in cooking that cause fat to burn can increase the amount of dangerous compounds the are created.

Weight Loss with Alternative Medicine

Weight loss is one of the big topics-no pun intended-on the late night television circuit. While flipping through the channels after 11p.m., you are apt to come across several advertisements for weight loss pills and diet supplements, each promising to help you drop those unwanted pounds and remove stubborn belly fat once and for all.

Let's face it, if these pills really worked, America wouldn't be the top overweight country in the world.

There are types of alternative medicine which can help with weight loss, however, and with great results. While no alternative medicine is a magic solution, practicing these principles can help you become more limber, feel more energetic, and the end result-or side effect if you will- is weight loss.

Take yoga for example. The low impact stretching involved with yoga will help you feel less stressed, and as a result less likely to over eat as a result of depression or anger. Acupuncture has exact pressure points in the ear which help reduce cravings, and detoxifying teas and herbs can help you feel healthier, and the side effect would be thinking twice before deciding that you want to "pollute" yourself again with oily and fatty foods. In this respect, alternative medicine is wonderful for weight loss.

Click on any item to buy or click to go to Amazon and shop the entire store.
____________________________________________________________________















--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most alternative medicines for weight loss come in the form of detoxifying teas, energy supplements, and vitamins. The exercise and diet plans are the basis-as they should be- for safe and effective long term weight loss. There is no magic potion to lose weight. Truly dropping pounds and keeping them off requires regular daily exercise and a change in eating habits, period.

However, to get you ready for weight loss, here are some alternative medicine detoxifying teas and interesting supplements;

Take turmeric, ginger, and lemon-about a half teaspoon each and the juice of half a lemon, and boil it all in 2 cups of water. Drink every morning as a detoxifier before you start your diet.

All diets should consist of fresh fruits and vegetables, and buying a juicer is a great way to make a habit out of eating healthy. Please see your doctor before starting any kind of diet plan.

Omega three is a fine source of nutrient, and can be added to any smoothie or juice that you're drinking.

Visit your local food co op or herbalist, they can get you set up with all sorts of alternative teas and nutrition advice, and can refer you to a good homeopathic doctor who will evaluate you as to what your individual nutrition needs are.
Bovine and shark cartilage are two dietary supplements to hit the alternative market. Both have been used for years outside of the United States and Britain, but now are big business in the health food stores.

The most popular form of alternative medicine for weight loss isn't really medicine at all, rather behavior modification through hypnosis. Hypnosis doesn't make you rely on will power, that's one of the reasons it's so popular.

How hypnosis works is that it investigates what is subconsciously holding you to the thinking and eating habits that keep you overweight. Hypnotists believe that if the root cause of the obesity can be alleviated, the patient will naturally begin to lose weight. It is actually a very effective form of alternative medicine, and overall can cost much less than trips to day spas and expensive over the counter weight loss pills. Through hypnosis you can let go of fears that keep you from eating healthy, and begin to allow a positive energy flow through you, causing you to want to stick to the new way of eating and exercising.





DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”