Ways to identify genetically modified food in shops or markets

There is no right way or a widespread answer to the question how you can identify organic foods from GMO foods. To know this, we need to depend on the ability of our instinct and information from the media, our own researches on suppliers of raw materials and food producers.

Principles:

GMO food is more pleasant, rounder, and shinier almost with equivalent size, these foods have brilliant shading and without any indications of decay. By the laws of nature we are not all the same as somebody is higher, somebody is shorter, some are fatter and some are skinnier, this same rule applies for the fruits and vegetables. So purchase natural products that are incompatible in look, also search for leafy foods with distinctive hues, sizes and shapes. It is not a bad thing if it is slightly hit and shows signs of being really alive i.e. start to spoil. If you find such fruits and vegetables on the shelves in the supermarkets, chances are strong that they are non GMO.

Buy your food from farmers who grow it by themselves and utilize the above tips. The farmers can also grow a GMO plant without being mindful of it and feed their farm animals with genetically modified foods (for the most part – corn). Meats come from such farm animals, on a basic level, should have a striking resemblance as the typical one. Note the appearance of the liver and kidneys, if they look at least slightly sick, you better stop purchasing from these farmers because there is a chance the animals might be nourished with GMO sustenance.

Ignore the wonderful packaging, producers now spend more cash on delightful bundling since the profit of GMO food is greater and allows them to spend more money on the packaging.

Educate yourself on the web for nations that are developing GMOs. On the off-chance that something is coming from the country which has allowed GMO, there is no doubt that it is GMO: Be careful and gather info from news on the nations that forbid imports of GMOs like France, Hungary. Along these lines, in any event, you should verify that the item is non GMO. The same applies for the nations that are significant makers of GMO products such as the USA, Argentina, Brazil, China and India.

Workers in Monsanto are not eating the products they produce; doctors who vaccinate other children, don’t vaccinate their own kids. Keep your eyes wide open while you’re in the stores. GMO foods are least expensive, and natural foods are generally more expensive. The old rule on how to keep a healthy well-being is eating a healthy diet with regular leafy foods. Every time you find in stores organic products or vegetables when it’s not their season; it’s typically foreign-made and imported (note the nation of origin) or developed in nurseries utilizing with bio-innovations that are agents for fast growing of bacteria and pesticides.

Any feedback or suggestions, please feel free to Comment.

        

Read More

Our Bad Habits which lead to Our Weight Gain

Old habits can be hard to break, but they may be breaking your weight-loss efforts. Nobody's perfect. We've all plowed through endless chips at the taqueria or eaten Sara Lee straight from the freezer. What's your secret meltdown?

When we recognize our bad eating habits, we are empowered, says Weight Loss Clinic Dietitian Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD. Then it's easier to break them. "Do something new for 21 days, and you can break the habit."

Her motto: "Slow, steady changes in your lifestyle can free you of diets forever."

Bad habits to watch for:

1.    Eating amnesia - Very often, this condition is TV-induced. "Your hand is stuck in the bag, and you don't realize what or how much you're eating," Zelman says. "That big ol' bag of chips can disappear pretty fast."

2.    Too few zzzz's -  Sleep loss makes you feel hungry even if you are full, becausesleep loss affects the secretion of cortisol, a hormone that regulates appetite, studies show. Also, sleep loss increases fat storage in your body.

3.    After-dinner treats -  "It tends to be mindless eating and usually involves something sweet," says Zelman. "Start a new habit -- have a warm cup of tea, sparkling water, something non-caloric. Most importantly, quit eating anything after dinner."

4.    Starvation-mode shopping - Face it, grocery stores and extreme hunger just don't mix. You end up buying the first quick-fix item you see. Slow down. Eat a little something -- something healthy -- before grocery shopping. Suggestion: Get a sandwich on your way to the grocery store -- grilled chicken breast, that is. "Then you won't be so hungry, so tempted," says Zelman. Also, shop with a grocery list and stick to it.

5.    Getting grabby -  You're at work, in the airport, anywhere, and hunger sets in. Easiest thing is to grab what's convenient -- and too often, junk food wins. Better bets: a homemade sandwich, a few carrots, fresh fruit, a smoothie, or trail mix. Plan ahead. Have healthy snacks at your fingertips.

6.    Drinking without thinking -  Beer, alcohol, wine, soft drinks -- they all go down easy. But the calories can really add up. "Save your liquid calories for when you really want them," says Zelman.

7.    Skipping breakfast - "That's a big mistake, because you've fasted overnight. Your body needs fuel, and your metabolism needs to be jump-started with food." Best breakfast choices: whole-grain cereal with fresh fruit.

8.    Portion distortion -  We tend to eat everything served to us -- whether at home or on the go. "Portions are huge these days," says Zelman. "Learn what normal portions are, and stick to them."

9.    Confusing "fat-free" with "calorie-free" -  Those "healthy" cookies and other snacks aren't really pure. "Calories are calories," says Zelman. Read the label. Polishing off 10 fat-free cookies won't help your waistline.

10.  Slathering sandwiches with mayo - Try using mustard or low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise for easy calorie savings. Layer lots of crunchy veggies into the sandwich for added flavor and extra nutrition.

11. Eating too quickly - If your body has one major flaw, this is it: It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s had enough. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that slow eaters took in 66 fewer calories per meal, but compared to their fast-eating peers, they felt like they had eaten more. 


12.  Let off the steam in you - You manage to avoid the office candy bowl, which is pretty impressive—especially on super stressful days—but you’ve got to let off some steam somehow. If you don’t, it could lead to chronically elevated cortisol levels, causing sleep and immunity problems, blood-sugar abnormalities and weight gain. Practicing yoga, meeting up with friends and unplugging from technology for an evening are all things which are worth a shot.

13.  You avoid all fats - at eating trans fats can increase your risk of heart disease, weight gain and stroke, so you’re smart to stay away. But not all fats need to make your “do not eat” list. Consuming healthy fats like flax seeds and nuts can actually help you slim down and stay healthy. “Fats not only help us absorb many of the vitamins from our diets, but they also help keep us fuller longer, which can aid weight loss efforts”. This could be 1/4 cup of almonds or walnuts, some sautéed veggies cooked with a tablespoon of olive oil or a few slices of avocado.

Any feedback or suggestions, please feel free to Comment.

Sources - http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity
                 http://www.eatthis.com/bad-habits-make-you-fat

Read More

Activate your muscles while seated

We sit in the car, while working, while eating, while we use the computer, watch TV and read … Do you ever think how it affects our health? If you are a person that sits six hours a day, this means that you are going to feel the effects in 10-20 years, and that you will shorten your life for seven years.

Because of the long hours of sitting the risk of fatal heart problems increases by 64 percent, while the risk of prostate cancer or breast cancer increases by 30 percent.

Prolonged sitting has a significant impact on your metabolism. This has a negative impact on blood sugar levels, triglycerides, cholesterol, blood pressure and levels of “appetite hormone” leptin, biomarkers of obesity and cardiovascular disease.

With sitting we sabotage the lymphatic system, which helps the body to suppress infections. Lymph vessels, which drain waste products, do not have a pump like the heart, they are controlled by the rhythmic contraction of the muscles in the legs. So, while you sit, the lymphatic system cannot do its job.

Most of today’s jobs require eight-hour sitting, which may cause some serious health problems. It is therefore essential that you get a bit of exercise every day, even if you are sitting down!

Fortunately, there are ways you can be active while you sit, so check out these simple ways to achieve that.

Sit on the edge of the chair

One of the best ways to activate your muscles while you are in a sitting position is to change the way you sit. It often happens that while we sit we bent our back and shoulders. Instead, spend some time sitting on the edge of your chair, so you will have to straighten your back and shoulders, and it will also give your arms greater activity. Except activating your muscles, sitting that way you will be able to rest your body from the bended position it was in.

Move your feet

This exercise can be done in two ways. One is to lift your feet, with the toes on the floor a few inches off the floor, and the second is making circular motions with your foot one at a time. This is a great way to activate your muscles, and also to help your circulation. Do this exercise at least once every hour.

Stretch your back

During sitting, your back is under pressure, so it is good to do a little stretch whenever you feel tension. Another way is to use the back of a chair and straighten your back. Do this several times a day, as this will prevent the occurrence of back pain, and do not forget to do this exercise every day.

Do arms exercises

Although it seems that while sitting your hands are not so much under pressure, after a while you get into a situation that you feel pain in your hands. Therefore, every day do a few short exercises for your arms and shoulders, so that you do 20 short circuits in a clockwise direction and in the opposite direction. Do the same with your joints.

Lift your legs

Same as lifting your feet, you should do the same workout with your legs also. Do this by straightening your back, and then raise both legs off the floor in a straight position and hold them like that for 2-3 seconds. Do a minimum of 10 such exercises daily.

Read More

Snoring - An overview and remedies

Snoring happens when you can't move air freely through your nose and throat during sleep. This makes the surrounding tissues vibrate, which produces the familiar snoring sound. People who snore often have too much throat and nasal tissue or “floppy” tissue that is more prone to vibrate. The position of your tongue can also get in the way of smooth breathing. 

Common causes of snoring

 

• Being overweight or out of shape. Fatty tissue and poor muscle tone contribute to snoring. Even if you’re not overweight in general, carrying excess weight just around your neck or throat can cause snoring. Exercising and losing weight can sometimes be all it takes to end your snoring.

• Age. As you reach middle age and beyond, your throat becomes narrower, and the muscle tone in your throat decreases. While you can do anything about growing older, lifestyle changes, new bedtime routines, and throat exercises can all help to prevent snoring.

• The way you’re built. Men have narrower air passages than women and are more likely to snore. A narrow throat, a cleft palate, enlarged adenoids, and other physical attributes that contribute to snoring are often hereditary. Again, while you have no control over your build or gender, you can control your snoring with the right lifestyle changes, bedtime routines, and throat exercises.

• Nasal and sinus problems. Blocked airways or a stuffy nose make inhalation difficult and create a vacuum in the throat, leading to snoring.

• Alcohol, smoking, and medications. Alcohol intake, smoking, and certain medications, such as tranquilizers like lorazepam (Ativan) and diazepam (Valium), can increase muscle relaxation leading to more snoring.

• Sleep posture. Sleeping flat on your back causes the flesh of your throat to relax and block the airway. Changing your sleep position can help.

How you snore reveals why you snore

It’s important to note the different ways you sleep and snore.

·         Closed-mouth snoring may indicate a problem with your tongue.

·         Open-mouth snoring may be related to the tissues in your throat.

·       Snoring when sleeping on your back is probably mild snoring—improved sleep habits and lifestyle changes may be effective cures.

·      Snoring in all sleep positions can mean your snoring is more severe and may require a more comprehensive treatment.

There are so many bizarre anti-snoring devices available on the market today, with more being added all the time, that finding the right solution for your snoring can seem like a daunting task. Unfortunately, many of these devices are not backed up by research, or they work by simply keeping you awake at night. There are, however, plenty of proven techniques that can help eliminate snoring. Not every remedy is right for every person, though, so it may require some patience, some lifestyle changes, and a willingness to experiment with different solutions.

Lifestyle changes to stop snoring

• Lose weight. If you’re overweight, dropping even a few pounds can reduce fatty tissue in the back of the throat and decrease or even stop snoring. 

• Exercise can also help to stop snoring. As well aiding weight loss, exercising your arms, legs, and abs, for example, also leads to toning the muscles in your throat, which in turn can lead to less snoring. There are also specific exercises you can do to strengthen the muscles in your throat (see below).

• Quit smoking. Quitting is easier said than done, but smoking irritates the membranes in the nose and throat which can block the airways and cause snoring. 

• Avoid alcohol, sleeping pills, and sedatives because they relax the muscles in the throat and interfere with breathing. Talk to your doctor about any prescription medications you’re taking, as some encourage a deeper level of sleep which can make snoring worse.

• Establish regular sleep patterns. Create a healthy bedtime ritual with your partner and stick to it. Hitting the sack in a routine way together can help you sleep better and often minimize snoring.

Bedtime remedies to help you stop snoring

• Clear nasal passages. If you have a stuffy nose, rinse sinuses with saline before bed. Using a Neti pot, nasal decongestant, or nasal strips can also help you breathe more easily while sleeping. If you have allergies, reduce dust mites and pet dander in your bedroom or use an allergy medication.

• Keep bedroom air moist. Dry air can irritate membranes in the nose and throat, so if swollen nasal tissues are the problem, a humidifier may help.

• Change your sleeping position. Elevating your head four inches may ease breathing and encourage your tongue and jaw to move forward. There are specially designed pillows available to help prevent snoring by making sure your neck muscles are not crimped.

• Sleep on your side instead of your back. Try attaching a tennis ball to the back of a pajama top or T-shirt. (You can sew a sock to the back of your top then put a tennis ball inside.) If you roll over onto your back, the discomfort of the tennis ball will cause you to turn back onto your side. Alternatively, wedge a pillow stuffed with tennis balls behind your back. After a while, sleeping on your side will become a habit and you can dispense with the tennis balls.
  
  

• Try an anti-snoring mouth appliance. These devices often resemble an athlete’s mouth guard and help open your airway by bringing your lower jaw and/or your tongue forward during sleep. While a dentist-made appliance can be expensive, cheaper do-it-yourself kits are also available.

Throat exercises to stop snoring

Practiced daily, throat exercises can strengthen muscles in the upper respiratory tract and be an effective way to reduce or stop snoring.

Try the following exercises to stop snoring. Start slow and gradually increase the number of sets you do. In some cases, you may be able to combine the exercises with other activities, such as commuting to work, housework, walking your dog, or taking a shower.

• Repeat each vowel (a-e-i-o-u) out loud for three minutes a few times a day.
• Place the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth. Slide your tongue backwards for three minutes a day.
• Close your mouth and purse your lips. Hold for 30 seconds.
• With mouth open, move jaw to the right and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on left side.
• With mouth open, contract the muscle at the back of your throat repeatedly for 30 seconds. Tip: Look in the mirror to see the uvula (“the hanging ball”) move up and down.

Any feedback or suggestions, please feel free to Comment.

Sources - http://www.helpguide.org

Read More

10 Signs And 10 Solutions For A Thyroid Problem

It's estimated that as many as 25 million Americans have a thyroid problem, and half of them have no idea that they do. Hypothyroidism, or an under-active thyroid, accounts for 90% of all thyroid imbalances.

The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in the center of your neck, is the master gland of metabolism. How well your thyroid is functioning is inter-related with every system in your body. If your thyroid is not running optimally, then neither are you.

Here are 10 signs that you could have an underactive thyroid:

1. Fatigue after sleeping 8 to 10 hours a night or needing to take a nap daily.

2. Weight gain or the inability to lose weight.

3. Mood issues such as mood swings, anxiety or depression. 

4. Hormone imbalances such as PMS, irregular periods, infertility and low sex drive.

5. Muscle pain, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or tendonitis.

6. Cold hands and feet, feeling cold when others are not, or having a body temperature consistently below 98.5.

7. Dry or cracking skin, brittle nails and excessive hair loss.

8. Constipation.

9. Mind issues such as brain fog, poor concentration or poor memory.

10. Neck swelling, snoring or hoarse voice. 

How does you thyroid gland work?

Thyroid hormone production is regulated by a feedback loop between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and the thyroid gland. Hypothalamic thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulates pituitary thyrotropin (TSH) synthesis and secretion. 

In turn, TSH stimulates production and release of T4 and T3 from the thyroid gland. When enough T4 is produced, it signals to TRH and TSH that there is enough thyroid hormone in circulation and not to produce more.  

About 85% of the hormone produced by our thyroid gland is T4, which is an inactive form of the hormone. After T4 is made, a small amount of it is converted into T3, which is the active form of thyroid hormone.

To complicate matters, T3 also gets converted into either Free T3 (FT3) or Reverse T3 (RT3). It's the Free T3 that really matters in all of this, since it's the only hormone that can attach to a receptor and cause your metabolism to rise, keep you warm, keep your bowels moving, mind working, and other hormones in check. The role of Reverse T3 is not well known, however, I do see it elevated in persons under extreme stress and those who have mercury toxicity.

And finally, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease, is the most common form of hypothyroidism and its numbers are rising annually. An autoimmune disease is one in which your body turns on itself and begins to attack a certain organ or tissue believing its foreign. 

  

Why is hypothyroidism so under diagnosed?

Many symptoms of thyroid imbalance are vague and most doctors spend only a few minutes talking with patients to sort out the cause of their complaint. 

Most conventional doctors use only one or two tests (TSH and T4) to screen for problems. They are not checking FT3, RT3 or thyroid antibodies.

Most conventional doctors use the ‘normal’ lab reference range as their guide only. Rather than listening to their patients symptoms, they use ‘optimal’ lab values and temperature as their guide.

Which lab tests are best to determine if you have a thyroid problem?

Make sure your doctor does the below panel of tests for you.

• TSH
• Free T4
• Free T3
• Reverse T3
• Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOAb)
• Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb)

What are the ‘optimal’ lab values for thyroid tests?

The below are the ranges in which patients thrive

• TSH 1-2 UIU/ML or lower (Armour or compounded T3 can artificially suppress TSH)
• FT4  >1.1 NG/DL
• FT3 > 3.2 PG/ML
• RT3 less than a 10:1 ratio RT3:FT3
• TPO – <9 IU/ML or negative
• TgAb - < 4 IU/ML or negative

What are 10 things you can do to improve your thyroid function?

1. Make sure you are taking a high quality multivitamin with Iodine, Zinc, Selenium, Iron, Vitamin D and B vitamins.

2. Take a tyrosine and iodine supplement to help with the FT4 to FT3 conversion.

3. Go gluten-free! If you have Hashimoto’s, try going completely grain and legume free.

4. Deal with your stress and support your adrenal glands. The adrenal glands and thyroid work hand and hand. I recommend restorative yoga and adaptogenic herbs, which support the adrenal glands in coping with stress.

5. Get 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night.

6. Have a biological dentist safely remove any amalgam fillings you may have.

7. Watch your intake of cruciferous vegetables.
               

8. Get fluoride, bromide and chlorine out of your diet and environment.

9. Heal your gut. A properly functioning digestive system (gut) is critical to good health.      This can be done by using the following 4 R approach i.e. remove, replace, reinoculate, and repair -  

10. Find a functional medicine doctor in your area and have them run the above laboratory test and work with you to find our root cause of the thyroid imbalance.

Any feedback or suggestions, please feel free to Comment.

Sources - http://www.mindbodygreen.com              

Read More