Body Care Kits

A low glycemic load diet involves eating foods which provide a slow release of sugar, together with protein foods, like a few nuts with an apple. -- FAIRPRICE

Diabetes may not be for life

Patrick Holford
for Mind Your Body

Patrick Holford is the founder of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London and heads the Food of the Brain Foundation, pioneering nutritional approaches to mental health. He has written more than 20 health books, including the worldwide bestseller, the Optimum Nutrition Bible.

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Diabetes is for life, and you will need to take medication for the rest of your life. This is what most people diagnosed with adult-onset, or type 2 diabetes, are told. One in 10 people over 40 now suffer from the life-threatening condition.
Yet, complete reversal, without the need for medication, is being reported by an increasing number of former diabetics by following a low 'glycemic load' diet, in combination with a mineral supplement and the spice cinnamon.

World renowned diabetes expert Fedon Lindberg from Norway has reported complete reversal of type 2 diabetes, the most common form, even in those injecting insulin, by this radical non-drug approach. 'A balanced low glycemic load (GL) diet, coupled with a healthy lifestyle, can also achieve non-diabetic sugar levels without the need for medication - therefore 'reversing' the disease,' he says. He has challenged the Norwegian Diabetes Association to change its advice.

Despite 15 controlled studies on chromium, 13 of which show benefit for stabilising blood sugar, most diabetics are still being told 'you get all the nutrients you need in a well-balanced diet'.

This is simply untrue for chromium. A really good, wholefood diet might give you 50mcg a day. You need 500mcg a day if you are diabetic. (It is very safe to take this much as the toxic level is above 10,000mcg.)

Chromium is in unrefined foods. Sugar, white flour and white rice have up to 98 per cent of the chromium removed. It works by improving the sensitivity to insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. Insulin insensitivity, called insulin resistance, is the first indication of pre-diabetes, and affects the majority of overweight people.

Cinnamon, the other key natural remedy for blood sugar regulation, contains something called MCHP which mimics the action of insulin. There is a concentrated extract of cinnamon called Cinnulin® which is high in MCHP for those who do not like eating cinnamon every day.

In one study, volunteers with type 2 diabetes were given cinnamon capsules after meals. All responded to the cinnamon within weeks, lowering blood sugar levels by about 20 per cent. Some of the volunteers even achieved normal blood sugar levels. Tellingly, blood sugar levels started creeping up again after the diabetics stopped taking cinnamon.

The principle behind the low GL diet is eating foods which provide a slow release of sugar, together with protein foods. For example, having a few nuts with an apple, or seeds on an oat-based cereal, or fish with a small serving of brown rice. This leads to less hunger, reduced sugar cravings, increased energy and rapid weight loss, as well as stable blood sugar levels. But you have to do it properly - eating a strict 45 GLs a day.

If you have diabetes, I recommend supplementing 400mcg of chromium with breakfast, and 200mcg at lunch (it comes in 200mcg capsules). If you do not, but have low energy, weight gain or any other 'pre-diabetes' indicators, take 200mcg a day, with breakfast.

For cinnamon, you want 1g a day, or 500mg of a cinnamon extract. Half a teaspoon is 1g. If you are taking sulfonylurea medication be aware this might quickly become unnecessary and, in fact, cause too low blood sugar levels (a 'hypo') since the combination of diet plus supplements is so effective. This kind of approach is also great for prevention, and weight loss. Daily exercise is also an important part of the equation.

Labels: diabetes diet ii type, diabetes diet type

Herbal Medicine, Its Difference from Pharmaceutical Medicine

Herbal medicine was used to be connoted with medical myths, an old wives tale. And the use of it was discouraged as it was said that there was no known proof that these could help in the treatment and control of diseases. But nowadays, more and more people are resorting to it. In fact even medical experts are encouraging people to use herbal medicine in supplement and even in lieu of pharmaceutical medicines. Why the change of mind of these experts? What can herbal medicine really do to our health? What are its differences from that of pharmaceutical medicine?

Pharmaceutical medicine unknown to many is mostly for symptomatic relief. It does not really treat the underlying disease causing this symptom or discomfort. While herbal medicine on the other hand doesn’t only relieve the discomfort brought about by the illness, but the cure the illness itself. I have proven this when I came across a man afflicted with a burger gangrene in his hand. He was given antibiotics and pain reliever, but the doctor told him that these medicines could not stop the decaying of his hand. Amputation is necessary to stop the gangrene. Because of the cost of the amputation and the thought of having his hand cut, he did not agree. Instead he resorted to herbal medicine. You would not believe but he used guava leaves, ginger, garlic, chili (the very small ones), and drank aloevera juice (he bought it from herbal medicine dealers) and bee products. After almost three months his hands were healed! The only part he lost was half of one of his point finger because it was completely decayed when he started the herbal treatment.

Another difference is, pharmaceutical unlike herbal medicine, has side effects and possible over dosages. This is because it is manufactured in pure form and stabilizers and preservatives were added. These substances that were added could react reversely with the body. And because pharmaceuticals are in pure form, they are prescribed in specific dosage and taken only in a specific period of time.

Am not saying though that Pharmaceutical medicine is bad, and we should not use it. There also times when it’s the only remedy a patient could resort to for the relief of grave symptoms of advanced and irreversible diseases, which healing is no longer possible.

But there is something we should understand about our health and diseases. We get sick because of one thing, malnutrition. Our body needs energy, vitamins and minerals. It needs the proper and balanced amount of these substances to keep it working properly. An imbalance or lack of one of these would cause jeopardy to the body’s processes. This would result to possible mutations and degenerations which would cause diseases and leaving us at risk to infections. And when we get sick, pharmaceuticals treat our body, but doesn’t repair and restore what has been damaged, therefore there is no healing, the disease only controlled. We are still sick. This is what makes herbal medicine different. Herbal medicines are holistic medicine. They play a key role, not only to treat diseases and alleviate symptoms but nourish, maintain processes, and balance the over-all mechanism of our body, encouraging self-repair and healing. And this is the explanation unto how come a gangrene, which is clinically considered an irreversible damage, was cured and healed through herbal medicine. Our body, when maintained and nourished properly heals itself thus thwarting diseases and infections.

By Angel

Labels: basis herbal medicine pharmocodynamic, history of herbal medicine, philippine herbal medicine

Want Better Health ?
Take 2 kiwifruit every morning.

Did you know that the kiwifruit trumped 26 other most commonly consumed fruit such as papayas, oranges, bananas and more in a weight-for-weight nutrient study conducted by Dr Paul Lachance of Rutgers University ?

How the kiwifruit ranked

Vitamin C

-Has the highest level of Vitamin C - almost twice that of an orange

Potassium*

-Outranks the banana as the top low-sodium high potassium fruit

Vitamin E

-Has twice the Vitamin E of an avocado, but 60% of its calories

Folate

-Few foods equal the kiwifruit in folic or fotate

Lutein

-Ranked higher than spinach & all other fruit & vegetables, escept yellow corn

Fiber

-Excellent source of both soluble and insoluble fibre, provides more than a serving of brian flakes & 4 times that of a cup of chopped celery.

*

Beside potassium, 4 other minerals - Calcium, Iron, Magnesium & Copper are found in kiwifruit. In addition, kiwifruit is an unusual supplier of trace of minerals lie Maganese, essential to the enzymes involved in the body's use of protein and food energy, and Chromium, known to be a key factor in regulating the heartbeat and body use of carbohydrates.

Labels: better health, kiwifruit

Organic tomatoes better

Tomatoe! Tomatoe!Tomatoe!

Organic tomatoes have significantly higher levels of flavonoids, compared to non-organic tomatoes, according to the results of a 10-year study carried out by researchers at the University of California.

Flavonoids are a class of water-soluble pigments present in many plants. They are known to lower hypertension, thus lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The researchers believe that it is the quality of the soil that gives the organic tomatoes their higher flavonoid levels, specifically, the absence of fertilisers.

- MEDICAL NEWS TODAY

Labels: organic, tomatoe

Using herbal that are easily available from your own kitchen for oily skin care the natural way and not cause harm to your skin. Oily skin is caused by over productive sebaceous glands and some may have large pores with blemishes or blackheads on the face. Considering using natural herbal remedies for help may be one of the ways to control oily skin.

Here, I am helping your on tips for oily skin care:

Yarrow, peppermint and Sage

Combined these herbs for a good multi-herb astringent. These herbs are gently and would also help tighten the pores.
Method:
1. Boil one cup of water.
2. Add 1 to 2 tablespoon of each of these dried or fresh herbs into the boiled water. It should be taken away from the burner once the water is boiled. Cover the pan of boiled water and let these herbs in the water steep for about 30 minutes.
3. Strain the herbs and allow the herbal remedy to cool.
4. For effective oily skin care, use it as soon as its cools. You may apply the herbal remedy mixture to your face with a cotton ball on the oily skin especially on the face.

This herbal remedy is so gentle that you don not have to worry about it drying our your skin. You can then store your leftovers in the bathroom for 3 days or in your refrigerator for 5 days.

Lemongrass, Liquorice Root and Rosebuds

Combined these herbs for a Multi-herb facial sauna.
Method:
1. Once a week, simmer these herbs (about 2 to 4 tablespoons) in two quarts of water. When the pot is steaming, place it on top of a trivet on a table.
2. The purpose is to trap the steam onto your oily faces by placing your face over the steam or using a tower to trap those steam. Do it for about 15 minutes.
3. Next, rinse your face with cold water and then pat dry. Do not throw away the herbal mixture; use it as a toning lotion after the mixture has been cooled down.

Other Methods:

Lavender is also excellent for oily skin. In humid weather, mist your skin with lavender water several times a day.

For other oily skin care, you should also consider changing your diet to a low-fat one. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetable and try to avoid fatty and fried food. Drink about 6 to 8 glasses of water or herbal tea per day. Water can help to moisture your skin.

Try the above methods of oily skin care and see if they help!

Labels: Lavender, Lemongrass, Liquorice Root, oily skin, oily skin care, peppermint, Rosebuds, Sage, Yarrow