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Archive for May, 2008

All About Alfalfa

Friday, May 30th, 2008

Used by the Chinese to treat kidney stones. Used by the Greeks for bladder and kidney conditions. This herb has been given many names such as Buffalo Herb, Lucerne, and Purple Medic, but it is known best as the alfalfa herb, meaning ‘father of all foods.’ So how can alfalfa help you?

To begin with, alfalfa is rich in vitamins A (eye health), E (heart and cardiovascular health), U (treats peptic ulcers), B6 (stimulates protein and fat metabolism), K (blood clotting and liver functions), and D (regulates the use of calcium and phosphorus in the body). It also contains many beneficial minerals such as calcium and phosphorus (bone and teeth health), iron (needed in hemoglobin), manganese (lowers blood sugar levels), potassium (muscle tone and nerves), chlorides (regulates fat, sugar and starch metabolism), sodium (regulates fluid balance), and silicon magnesium (stimulates brain function).

Protein and fiber are also plentiful within alfalfa. In addition, it contains eight essential enzymes: Amylase (acts on starches), Coagulase (clots blood), Emulsin (acts upon sugar), Invertase (converts cane sugar to dextrose), Lipase (fat splitting), Pectinase (forms vegetable jelly), Peroxidate (oxidizing effect of the blood), and Protase (digests proteins). These in turn help in digesting all four classes of food: proteins, fats, starches and sugars.

By attracting it to itself before the cholesterol can stick to vessel walls, alfalfa helps lower cholesterol. As a mild diuretic and laxative, alfalfa may improve appetite and relieve some causes of swelling. The chlorophyll, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins all aid digestion and help stimulate appetites. The chlorophyll in alfalfa is what helps fight bad bacteria. It is used in the treatment of urinary tract infections, as well as problems with the prostate, kidney, and bladder. Alfalfa has anti-inflammatory qualities and thus can relieve pain associated with arthritis and bursitis.

Other alfalfa benefits include that its richness has been found especially beneficial to health needs related to child birth. It can relieve morning sickness, anemia, heartburn, and constipation. The vitamin K both reduces postpartum bleeding and increase the K level in the baby. Alfalfa will also reduce swelling, balance blood sugar levels, and increase and sustain lactation. In addition, menopausal women have discovered alfalfa reduces hot flashes.

There are many ways to ingest the nutrition of alfalfa. It can also be purchased as a liquid, tablet, capsule, or bulk herbs. A word of caution: because if its potential blood thinning effect, alfalfa is not recommended for those with lupus.

Say Goodbye To Belly Fat

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

Belly fat is one of the most common body parts that people want to get rid of. This is something that we should get rid of in our lives if possible. The reason is that there is a possible link between belly fat and health risks. Doctors have reported seeing more patients who have unhealthy cholesterol, heart diseases and such all because of belly fat.

Here are some tips to help you lose your belly fat fast. You can lose belly fat by eating more often. Instead of eating three heavy meals a day, choose to eat four to five small meals during the day. Proper exercises and stress management are also keys to losing fats. Click on the link to learn how to lose fat fast.

How Countertop Water Filters Differs From Others

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

The need for pure water is world-wide. In some countries, the mortality rate is very high because of diseases spread through impure water. Even city water that meets minimum standards contains impurities so small they cannot be tasted or seen with the naked eye. Yet they are still present. One way to remove these impurities is to purchase and install a countertop water filter.

Countertop water filters actually go on the side of your sink and attach to the kitchen faucet. They are installed in minutes and there are no special tools required. With the flip of a switch, one can have clean, fresh water poured into his glass. It doesn’t get any easier than that.

Countertop water filters like the Travel Berkey work by running the water through a series of filters before returning it to the reservoir for use when you need it. Because of the amount of time the water is in the filter, a greater amount of contaminants are removed.

In this case, the Black Berkey filters remove chemicals like chlorine, lead, organic chemicals, but leave minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium that add taste to the water. These filters also remove algae by-products and other sources of bad taste or odor sometimes found in well or municipal water.

Some countertop water filters require that you change the filters every so often. This is because the filters, after removing so many impurities, can become clogged. When that happens, the filters aren’t working as well. The result is impure water, which defeats the purpose of having a countertop water filter. So check the filter’s documentation to see when to change the filters. Some models come with an extra change of filters but others require one to buy them so check to make sure an extra set is always on hand.

Countertop water filters have several advantages. In spite of the cost of replacement filter(s), the overall savings over bottled water is significant. Also, the convenience is a great selling point. Flip a lever and fresh filtered water for cooking or drinking pours from the faucet. Flip it back, and unfiltered water is available for washing.

If you’re looking for a filter with great value, look no further than the Berkey Water Filter. The filters included with the Berkey filter can purify up to 6000 gallons. Learn more about their effectiveness in cleansing your water of harmful bacteria while leaving in minerals that benefit you at http://www.berkeywaterfilterstore.com

Can You Reeally Obtain Healthy Rapid Weight Loss?

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

At one point in our lives, we find ourselves looking for that magic pill that will allow us to obtain rapid weight loss. Maybe it’s for our significant other, a reunion or just a day at the beach. We all want to look our best and will always look for that miracle weight loss pill.

There are other ways to drop the weight and get in shape. It’s called diet and exercise. We urge you to consult with a doctor prior to beginning any diet or exercise regimen. Listed below are a few tips to help you to obtain fast weight loss the healthy way.

Water

Water is nature’s purifier and the more water you drink, the more contaminants will be flushed from your body. You’ll also notice that your hunger level subsides after a cold glass of water, helping you to curb your appetite.

Remember that during an exercise routine you will lose a good amount of water, so to keep from being dehydrated, keep a few bottles of water with you and continue to sip the water while you exercise. To also save you money, get a water filter system (around $25.00) and you will have an endless supply of good clean water for your water bottles.

Healthy Food

Rid your refrigerator and diet of processed food sources. Processed food has most of its nutritional value removed and a lot of added salt so that the shelf life is increased. All of that added salt may also affect your regimen.

Look to fresh fruits and vegetables. When cooking, try to use fresh (not canned) foods as they will not only taste better but be better for you. The cost difference is also not that much more than the frozen or canned varieties. Case in point is pineapple. Did you know that pineapple is great for ailments and diet? But not the canned variety as it includes tons of sugars and other preservatives. Do this, get a whole fresh pineapple and a can of pineapple — you will certainly taste the difference.

3 Meals A Day

If you are thinking that skipping a meal will help you to lose weight, you have been misinformed. The idea is to get your body back in tune and one way to do that is to kick start your metabolism by feeding your body whole nutritious foods. A morning breakfast could consist of foods containing high giber content without the sugar. Think of whole fruits or even proteins such as eggs.

Don’t lose sight of your goal – healthy rapid weight loss – and don’t feel distressed if the weight won’t come off as fast as you like it. Your body is fighting you and if you just keep trotting along, eventually your body will give in.