Boost Your Memory With Caffeine

There have been a lot of negative reviews of the consequences of consuming coffee, tea or eating chocolate because of the amount of caffeine that these substances contain. There might be a silver lining to the caffeine cloud though and that's how caffeine can play an important role in boosting your memory.

Often we experience short term memory problems. At times it can be whether we turned off the water after we brushed our teeth or if we locked the door before we went to bed. These things can nag at our minds enough that we turn our car around to make certain that we won't be faced with a flood because of running water or we jump out of bed only to find that we did indeed lock the door.

Life is busy and it's easy to forget some of the smaller things that we take for granted. Our minds might have trouble focusing because of a conflict at work or stress at home. This isn't an uncommon occurrence and it happens everyday to people of every age. Losing track of tiny details is common but certainly not something that we need to live with. There are steps that we can take to improve our memory enough that we never have to deal with having our minds filled with those nagging thoughts again.

If you find that you're one of the people who can't put their finger on certain small facts and it has become a frustration for you, it might be time to consider the benefit of caffeine in relation to short term memory.

Caffeine is a stimulant and it works to stimulate not only our hearts but our minds as well. It can give a person the extra boost they need to clear their mind. Many people feel the need to have a cup of coffee each morning so they can focus. The caffeine that is found within the coffee jolts the brain and the memory can retain more information. You probably know someone who says that they can't function until they've had their coffee. It appears that there's more truth in that statement than most of us have ever realized. That first cup of morning coffee gets the memory gears moving in many people.

This can be especially important for many people at work. Having the ability to retain important information is essential for their employment. If they find their memory lacking it could have serious consequences that stretch far beyond some of the minor annoyances that they might experience at home when they forget to do things.

A cup of coffee or tea in the morning might be just the prescription to boost the memory enough that the rest of the day you function at full memory capacity. The same can be said for the lull that many people experience by mid-afternoon. Having a piece of chocolate or a cup of hot chocolate stimulates your memory again and the rest of the day will flow as smoothly as the beginning did.

Benefits of Fasting...

Fasting is a way of rediscovering a simple life and giving the body time to recover from a rich diet. The U.S. National Weight Control Registry currently monitors over five thousand individuals who have lost weight of at least thirty pounds for a minimum period of a year. Half of them lost weight on their own, while half took part in a structured program. Fasting retreats are places where you can start the process of losing weight.

Knowing about the advantages of this method can motivate you to use it for losing weight. Let's take a look at these-

* In case you think that you will feel extra hungry during this process, that is unlikely to be the case. Fasting triggers rapid weight loss, with little hunger.

* Fasting promotes detoxification. When the body breaks down fat reserves, it mobilizes and removes stored toxins.

* Cravings for dugs like nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol are reduced when you fast. If you are finding it hard to give up an addiction to substances like these, you can consider going on a fast.

* People who have stayed in fasting retreats say that food tastes better after fasting. Your taste buds will be sharper, enhancing your enjoyment of food.

* Other senses also become more acute. Your sense of smell, hearing, and vision will all benefit, and even your mind will function better.

* Start with a one day fast, so that you can observe the effect it has on your body. This will also help you to feel more comfortable with the idea of fasting, once you see that it is doable.

* In case you are a heavy eater, you can reduce your meals to one in a day before you start fasting. This meal is usually eaten during the afternoon.

* After successfully fasting for a day, you can fast for two to three days at a time. This will help you prepare your body for a five to ten day fast.

* Fasting retreats are places where you can fast under supervision. Choosing a retreat which has been in operation for many years is a safe option.

Don't Forget to Eat Fruits and Vegetables

Remember the scene at the dinner table when you were a child? Negotiating with your parents on how many bites of peas and carrots you had to take in order to leave the table was most likely a constant struggle.

Unfortunately, people don't always grow out of this negative attitude toward fruits and vegetables. Studies show that the average American consumer eats only three servings of fruits and vegetables a day. When compared to the recommended five to nine servings a day, it's apparent that many of us have a long way to go.

The effort is worth it, though. The nutritional goodness of fruits and vegetables, along with a diet that is low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, may decrease the risk of developing certain diseases.

To help their patients get the necessary nutrients, some doctors recommend "green drinks." These powdered drink mixes are a natural source of vitamins and minerals. To many people, however, the drinks also have a strong, unbearable taste and an unpalatable texture.

Would you stick with a nutritious drink if you had to hold your nose while consuming it?

To get the health benefits found in green drinks without the unappetizing taste and texture, I recommend Earth's Promise from Enzymatic Therapy. With a combination of 20 vitamin-rich ingredients, one glass of Earth's Promise provides the essential nutrients your body needs to enhance energy, support digestion and boost the immune system. It also is high in fiber. In fact, drinking one glass provides you with more fiber than you would get from eating a bowl of oatmeal.

Earth's Promise comes in three flavors - Strawberry-Kiwi, Elderberry and Peppermint-Tea - making it easier to support a healthy lifestyle. In addition, it is laboratory-tested for purity, safety and performance and meets the highest manufacturing standards.

Your Obese Child & School Nutrition

Good Nutrition in School Can Help to Fight Childhood Obesity.

Perhaps you are trying to help your child lose weight, or you feel he or she may be in danger of becoming overweight or unhealthy because of their eating and exercise habits.

If so, it is important that you consider the impact of your child's time at school as you think about what you need to change.

As the U.S. government has studied obesity, many of their agencies have produced reports and established guidelines to help parents and school systems understand how to make important changes.

These guidelines are designed to encourage our children to eat healthy foods and get plenty of exercise.

Across the country, schools are beginning to offer more good food choices, and look at their physical education and extra curricular activities to ensure that they encourage good habits.

Of course your involvement and understanding is important if your child is going to get the right support while she or he is in school during the day.

And, you need to ensure that your child understands the importance of CHOOSING the healthy foods and participating in exercise programs, but the first step is to make sure these choices are AVAILABLE to your child.

Working with medical organizations, the USDA published a 'Prescription for Change', and 'Healthy School Nutrition Environments'.

These reports were meant to be used by schools to improve their nutritional program.

Here are some of the recommendations included in those reports.

** The Serving and Dining Environment
** The Federal, State and local government must provide adequate funding for food and eating environs to support healthy eating.

** Dining space will be adequate, pleasant and socially accommodating, and will accommodate all students and staff scheduled to eat at a certain time of day.

** Serving areas will be sufficient to ensure that every student has access to meals with a minimum of waiting time, so that they have plenty of time to eat before their next class.

** The staff and administration of the school, AND the students and parents will analyze the current environment, working together to create a space that matches the needs of all parties.

Nutritional Concerns Regarding Meals and Foods

** Meals should comply with USDA nutritional standards and guidelines, and students should have plenty of food choices, with new foods introduced to keep the menu interesting and healthy.

** Food preparation and preferences should be varied enough to comply with various tastes and ethnic preferences or religious requirements.

** Additional food and drink offered, over and above meals served, e.g. vending machines and packaged 'snacks', will represent the 5 major food groups in the Food Guide Pyramid.

**Students must have designated lunch periods, long enough for them to get their food and eat at a healthy pace.

** Lunch periods should be as close to the middle of the day as possible and should allow time for socialization and a relaxed eating pace.

** All decisions made by the school system regarding the type, variety and quantity of food and drink to be sold in the school will be based on nutritional goals and sound guidelines, NOT on the profit the school can make.

Nutrition and Health Focused Curriculum

** Kindergarten through Grade 12 classes should include education and information on healthy eating habits and the types of foods a child should eat to stay healthy and help them grow.

Now that you understand the concerns and recommendations of the USDA and the national medical organizations, go to a school board meeting and talk to the board members about what they are doing to comply with these guidelines.

If you don't know what your child's eating environment and food choices are, visit the school and find out. Get involved with the PTA or PTO in your school system and get to work!

Importance Of Soya

Soya bean has been part of Chinese diet for many centuries. As we all know soy has many health benefits which due to the presence of soy-proteins and isoflavones genistein and daidzein. It is consumed in various forms which makes it even more popular. It is one of the greatest fighters of dangerous diseases. Even though it is rich in fat properties like fiber, vitamins and minerals, protease inhibitors, flavonoids, isoflavones, polyphenols, terpenes, saponins, phytosterols and phytate makes it very useful.

- Benefits of Soya products

• It helps in reducing hormone-related cancers like breast and colon, capability of preventing osteoporosis and also in dealing with effects of menopause.

• Many of Soya bean products like tempeh (fermented soybean cake), miso (fermented Soya bean paste), tofu (a cheese-like substance), Soya drinks and shoyu (soy sauce) have low content of saturated fat and cholesterol, proving to be very useful for your health.

• Soya beans are mainly used for extraction of Soya oil which is used as cooking oil.

• The Soya bean flakes contain as much as 90 per cent protein which is a very popular in cattle feed in western countries.

• Soya has become popular mainly because of the benefits it provides similar to fish, eggs, meat and milk.

• Soya protein and isoflavones lowers LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and also decreases blood clotting, which help in reducing your chances of heart attack and stroke.

• Soya protein and isoflavones also provides antioxidants which improves your blood pressure and boosts healthy blood vessels.

• The presence of protein also increases your body's ability to retain and absorb calcium in the bones.

• It is very useful for people with diabetic conditions and kidney problems. The soluble fiber modulates the glucose level and any of kidney filtration.

• Soya beans are a great source of iron, vitamin B12 and protein.

• Soya is very useful for problems like red eyes, red face, high blood pressure, constipation and thirst. As Soya is termed as a cool food it becomes very useful for treating problems like hot flushes and vaginal dryness.

• People who have digestive problems (loose stools, irritable bowel or bloating) thyroid disorders, signs of dampness (mucus, tumors, cysts, parasites or yeast sensitivity) should avoid Soya products.

• One of the constituents of Soya products is the Soya milk which does not contain calcium buy soy isoflavones which reduces your chances of osteoporosis. It is a good source of vitamin E and lecithin. It is also rich in magnesium which is very useful for bones, heart and arteries.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Crunch Your Way to Healthy Nutrition

There's no easier way to add a dose of nutrition to your day than by crunching on a tasty apple. You probably first experienced its delightful flavor as a baby, when applesauce introduced you to real food. And now, whether it's a Granny Smith, a McIntosh, or a Red Delicious, you think of apples as old friends. Grown throughout the world, apples are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They're fat-free, cholesterol-free, and low in sodium. In short, eating apples is a smart part of a healthy lifestyle.

6 ways apples keep you healthy

Regulates your day.

You don't have to worry about staying regular anymore. Whether your problem is visiting the bathroom too often or not often enough, apples can help.

A British researcher, Dr. D.P Burkitt, believes one of the easiest ways to prevent all sorts of illnesses, is to avoid constipation. He calls the diseases caused by chronic constipation "pressure diseases." Appendicitis, diverticular diseases, hemorrhoids, hiatal hernias, and even varicose veins can all be caused by straining to pass small, hard stools.

Just one apple with its skin contains 4 to 5 grams of fiber - the most important nutrient in keeping your bowels working like a well-oiled machine. Keeping yourself regular without relying on harmful laxatives could be as easy as replacing that afternoon snack of potato chips or cookies with a crisp, delicious apple. And think of the calories you'll save. The average apple has about 80 calories while a serving of chips weighs in at 150 calories and you'll get about 200 from just a few cookies.

But that's not all apples can do. They're also good for diarrhea, thanks to an ingredient called pectin. This carbohydrate has a congealing effect in your intestines that helps firm things up and return you to normal. Applesauce is actually the best apple product for diarrhea, since it's made without the high.-fiber skin. But watch out for extra sugar. Some brands of applesauce dump a truckload of sweeteners into an otherwise healthy food, and too much refined sugar could make your diarrhea worse.

Keeps your body young.

By now you know antioxidants can protect you from many of the diseases that seem to be a part of aging. In fact, so many people are taking supplements for antioxidant protection that it's become a multibillion-dollar industry. But the evidence is mounting that whole foods can do more for you than pills.

When scientists compared a 1,500-milligram vitamin C supplement to one small apple, the results were astounding - the antioxidant values were equal. That means a fresh apple has more than 15 times the antioxidant power of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C. And that's just for starters. The researchers also found an ordinary apple was able to stop the growth of colon and liver cancer cells in test tubes. Unpeeled apples were especially effective. The question you need to ask yourself: Why waste money on flavorless supplements when you can get better antioxidant firepower from a sweet, crunchy fruit?
Cuts your risk of heart disease. Sometimes it's hard to remember which food is good for which part of your body. The next time you pick up an apple, examine it carefully. It's shaped a bit like a heart - and that should help you remember apples are good for your heart.

It's the magnesium and potassium in apples that help regulate your blood pressure and keep your heart beating steadily, and it's the flavonoid quercetin, a naturally occurring antioxidant, that protects your artery walls from damage and keeps your blood flowing smoothly.

In fact adding flavonoid-rich foods like apples to your diet has been scientifically confirmed to lower your risk of heart disease. There's proof of this in a study of Japanese women who ate foods high in quercetin. They were less likely to get coronary heart disease than other women and they had lower levels of total and LDL, or bad, cholesterol.

Strikes at the heart of strokes.

Apples are even a smart choice for helping avoid strokes. Scientists aren't sure which ingredient in this multi-talented fruit to credit, but the connection is clear - people who regularly eat apples are less likely to have strokes than people who don't.

Protects your joints.

In areas of the world where fruits and vegetables make up a large part of the diet, very few people get arthritis. Compare this to modernized countries where fruits and vegetables have been replaced with fast, processed food and you'll find up to 70 percent of the population suffers from some form of arthritis. Just a coincidence? Not according to nutrition experts. They link this trend in part to boron, a trace mineral many plants, including apples, absorb from the soil.

If you eat like most people, you'll get about 1 to 2 milligrams (mg) of boron a day, mostly from non-citrus fruits, leafy vegetables, and nuts. Experts believe, however, you need anywhere from 3 to 10 mg a day to affect your risk of arthritis. To boost your boron intake to this level, you'd have to eat more than nine apples a day.

This is probably an unreasonable amount for most people, but don't despair. Pair an apple with other boron-rich foods like a few tablespoons of peanut butter and a large handful of raisins, and you'll not only have a delicious afternoon snack, but you'll make your joint-saving quota of boron at the same time.
Helps you breathe deeply. Your lungs are assaulted every day by cigarette smoke, air pollution, pollen, and other air-borne nasties.

On top of that perhaps you suffer from asthma, emphysema, or similar lung condition. If all you want to do is take a deep breath, then grab an apple.
A five-year study of more than 2,500 men from Wales found those who ate five or more apples per week were able to fill their lungs with more air than men who didn't eat apples. Experts believe you might be getting some special protection from the antioxidant quercetin. Unfortunately, eating apples can't reverse a lung condition you already have, but you just might add a new line of defense against further damage.

Pantry pointers

Buy apples that are unbruised, firm, and have good color. Take them out of their plastic bag and store them in your refrigerator - loose in the produce bin or in a paper bag is best. And since they will absorb odors, keep them away from strong-smelling foods like garlic and onions.

Vitamins How to Get the Most From Your Diet

It's not easy to eat right, but when you are going out of your way to eat healthy you should be sure that you're getting the most from your foods. One important issue regarding vitamins is that some foods lose their vitamin content when they're not handled properly.

Raw is better. It's a simple fact of fruits and vegetables that cooking tends to damage vitamin content. If you have the choice between eating raw apples and applesauce, you'll find that raw apples generally retain more of their natural vitamins. But are those raw vegetables and fruits always going to provide you with the vitamins you need? Not necessarily.

Read the label of processed foods. Many manufacturers fortify their processed foods with vitamins. In some cases, you may find that the applesauce actually has more vitamins and a higher content than a raw apple. It's important to note that the vitamins you're getting from the applesauce aren't natural to the apple, but they're present nonetheless.

It's easy to tell the vitamin content of your favorite breakfast cereal, the fruit juice you had for a mid-morning snack or that granola bar you had on the way home from work. You tend to watch what you eat, so you also read those labels to be sure you're eating snacks that are high in the vitamins you most need for your body. But what happens when you grab an apple? Most fresh fruits don't come with a label so it's sometimes difficult to know just what you're eating. You'll find some very helpful charts that list vitamin content of most fruits and vegetables, but keep some important facts in mind.

• Harvesting and handling matter. The harvesting time and practices may enhance or decrease the actual vitamin content of individual fruits and vegetables.
• Variety counts. An apple isn't necessarily an apple. Different varieties have different vitamin content. The same is true of most fruits and vegetables.
• Cooking practices make a difference. Though fried vegetables will typically have a lower vitamin content than raw, the type of oil used to do the frying also makes a difference. Different oils have different vitamins and add (or detract) from the vegetables.

If you're really looking to get the most from particular vegetables, fruits and other products, take time to do some research into the particular food you're interested in or the vitamins you're looking to increase. You may be surprised to find out that handling, cooking and choosing make a big difference in the vitamins you actually consume.