Health Benefits of Mushrooms

Health Benefits of Mushrooms

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Mushrooms have been used as medicines by humans for 5,000 years or more. As you will see, many mushrooms have properties that can improve your health and well-being. These eight healing mushrooms: maitake, reishi, shiitake,Cordyceps sinensis, Agaricus blazei, Phellinus linteus, Trametes versicolor, and Hericium erinaceus, as well as recent findings on additional mushrooms. It explains how ancient peoples used these mushrooms and the promise they bring for healing and preventing illness in the modern world. Mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruit bodies of several species of fungi. 

Mushrooms are making their mark. Contrary to their simple appearance, fresh mushrooms have a whole lot going for them. Fresh mushrooms are nutritious - low in fat and sodium and contain many important nutrients. More and more, mushrooms are becoming the focus of scientific studies exploring their health benefits. Currently, researchers are investigating mushrooms and many health issues including cancer prevention, immune function, diet satiety and weight management.  Here are some of the highlights: Antioxidants: Fresh mushrooms contain a powerful antioxidant called l-ergothioneine. Ergothioneine is found in both raw and cooked mushrooms.  Portabella and crimini mushrooms have the most, followed by white button mushrooms.   

1. Cancer-fighting: Fresh mushrooms offer nutrients such as beta-glucans and conjugated linoleic acid, compounds that are currently being studied for their chemopreventive potential. Recent research suggests that mushrooms and mushroom extracts may have potent anticancer activity, for both breast and prostate cancer.

2. Essential Nutrients: A 100 gram serving of uncooked, sliced fresh mushrooms has only 22 calories, no cholesterol, is virtually fat-free, is low in sodium and has 1 gram of fibre. They are a good source of riboflavin and a source of copper, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, niacin and pantothenic acid. Along with serving up great taste,fresh mushrooms also make an important contribution to daily intakes of folate, thiamin, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium and zinc.

3. Fibre: Mushrooms offer both soluble and insoluble fibre, which may have anti-cancer properties as well as promoting satiety and good bowel health.

4. Immunity: Emerging research indicates that certain mushroom extracts, such as beta-glucans, may have a positive effect on the immune system.

5. Weight management: Fresh mushrooms are a low-energy-dense food, meaning you can eat more of them without expanding your waistline.  

6. Good for cardiovascular health:Besides having minimal sodium, mushrooms are rich in potassium. Portabella mushrooms are specifically one of the best sources of potassium. You can also get twenty to forty percent of your daily copper requirement, from a single serving of mushroom. Both potassium and copper are essential for our cardiovascular health.

7. Anti-aging property: Mushrooms contain ergothioneine, an antioxidant necessary for healthy eyes, kidney, bone marrow, liver and skin. Mushrooms are also rich in riboflavin and selenium. These chemicals by strengthening the immune system, prevents the action of free radicals in the body, consequently reducing the aging process.

OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

One of most important things necessary for a strong immune system is the right kind of lifestyle, proper diet and a good nutrition. Our bodies are constantly attacked by hundreds of toxic chemicals and pollution everyday. We  are also exposed to a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that keep on forming newer breeds each time which again is a result of an exposure to our human advancement technologies like radiology, harmful chemicals, antibiotics, etc.

What is the immune system? 
The immune system is the part of our body that protects us from the constant attack of bacteria and viruses in our body. The bone marrow, spleen, liver, thymus, lymph nodes and white blood cells are the main soldiers that protect our immune system from this kind of an onslaught.

The cells and organs of each human being is made different from another since the body requires a system of recognition that protects it from all that is foreign and maintains the uniqueness of each person. These cells and organs of the body constitute the immune system. E.g. If the white blood cells that roam throughout the body find out some foreign body, they attack it and remove it from the body. That is why organ transplant patients must have their immune systems suppressed or else the body will recognize the foreign tissue and attack it.  Antibiotics are nowadays highly overused making the body not only dependent on them but also contributing to being one of the main and the most common causative factors for reduced immunity. Common illnesses have now become more and more difficult to treat, because of the newer, complex and more powerful strains of bacteria and viruses formed due to the abuse of these antibiotics.

One should help teach the body how to fight an illness by using more natural and non-toxic means of treatment and also by taking in good nutrition and a balanced diet.

FOOD, NUTRIENTS AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS WHICH BOOST UP THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

1. When trying to get recover from an illness, one should learn to take in more of fluids  (especially in the form of water, soups and sugar-free drinks like vegetable and fruit juices) and unrefined foods.

2. It has been seen through studies that chronic alcoholics and chronic smokers are more susceptible to infections. So stop smoking and drinking alcohol.

3. One should learn to stop using refined sugar since it tends to weaken the immune system for hours after taking it. Use natural ways of sweetening like jaggery and pure honey.

4. One should eat atleast one bowl of fresh fruits daily, since they contain a rich source of good natural nutrients.

5. The leaves of young barley (jau) and wheat plants are rich in beta-carotene, B vitamins, magnesium and potassium. Thus it is useful for boosting up the immunity.

6. Vitamins A, C and E are three of the most useful antioxidant nutrients for enhancing the immune system and so food items rich in these vitamins should be taken liberally.

7. The B Vitamins, especially the Vitamins B2 and B6 are especially valuable for enhancing the immune system. These help relax the nervous system and are also necessary for a faster healing process.

8. Exposure to sunlight for about twenty minutes every day has shown to have immune enhancing properties and is also a rich source of vitamin D.

9.  A shortage of magnesium will lower the number of white blood cells, especially the T cells which results in weakened immunity. So eat a diet rich in magnesium to boost up the immunity. Magnesium is found especially in apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, brewer's yeast, brown rice, dairy products, figs (anjeer), garlic, green leafy vegetables, kelp, meat, nuts, peaches, seafood, sesame seeds, tofu, wheat and whole grains.

10. Selenium – This is a trace mineral that also helps to boost up the immune system. Depending on the soil content, selenium can be found in Brazil nuts, brewer's yeast, broccoli, brown rice, chicken, dairy products, garlic, liver, meat, molasses, onions, salmon, seafood, tuna, vegetables, wheat germ and whole grains.

11. Zinc – A deficiency of this mineral will impair the immune system greatly. Sources of zinc are brewer?s yeast, egg yolk, fish, lamb chops, legumes, lima beans, liver,meat,mushrooms, oysters, pecans, poultry, pumpkin seeds, sardines, seafood, soybeans and whole grains.

12. Beta-carotene should be taken in doses of about 30 milligrams of beta-carotene per day for about two months to enhance the immune system.

13. The roots of the plant Echinacea Purpurea when taken in the form of an infusion are useful to boost up the immune system and are best used against viral infections like cold or flu and in chronic vaginal yeast infections. One should use this herb only when you need it and not on a daily basis since its immuno stimulating activity then decreases. Echinacea should not be used with HIV patients or in persons with autoimmune disorders.

14. CoQ10 is a non-vitamin nutrient and a powerful antioxidant that has been widely studied for its ability to protect arteries, lower blood pressure and strengthen the heart.

Vitamin D - Facts

Vitamin D - Facts

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is important for bone health. Having vitamin D in your diet will maintain the proper levels of calcium and phosphorus in your blood.

These two minerals are needed to build strong bones.  Vitamin D also helps keep the immune system functioning normally helping the body resist some types of disease.In adults, getting too little vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis or osteopenia (weak bones). In children, too little can result in rickets. Signs of rickets are muscle weakness, bowed legs, or knocked knees.Other effects of vitamin D are being studied. Some studies suggest adequate vitamin D may protect against certain cancers and lower risk of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Other studies suggest high blood levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of pancreatic and colorectal cancer in some people. More research is needed to establish how vitamin D affects risk of chronic disease.

Dissolves in fat but not in water

Where do you get vitamin D?
You have three sources:
1. Sunlight-in spring, summer, and fall your skin can make it for you. Exposing your arms and legs to sunshine for 15-30 minutes at mid-day will provide all the vitamin D you need for that day. However, sunscreen with a protection factor of 8 or higher reduces your skin’s ability to make vitamin D by more than 95 percent.
2. Foods-Natural sources are oily fish like sardines, salmon, and mackerel; cod liver oil; and eggs. Milk, some orange juice, and cereals can be fortified with vitamin D.
3. Supplements-both multivitamins and single doses of vitamin D are available. Supplements  may contain vitamin D2 or vitmain D3. Both D2 and D3 appear to be equally usable by the body.

On the issue of sunlight exposure, by the way, it turns out that super antioxidants greatly boost your body's ability to handle sunlight without burning. Astaxanthin is one of the most powerful "internal sunscreens" and can allow you to stay under the sun twice as long without burning.

Other powerful antioxidants with this ability include the super fruits like Acai, Pomegranates (POM Wonderful juice), blueberries, etc.

New breath of life for health body

The new health advisory body established to provide independent advice on the health needs of asylum seekers has officially begun operations.

   The Immigration Health Advisory Group (IHAG) members, led by former Defence Force medical officer Dr Paul Alexander, include medical professionals, psychiatrists, psychologists and GPs, as well as advocates and officials.

   A spokesman for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) said IHAG would have a broader scope than the former Detention Health Advisory Group (DeHAG) which had been “instrumental in facilitating improvements in health care for people in detention"

“Since DeHAG’s establishment, there have been significant changes in the size, nature and complexity of the immigration detention and status resolution environment, including expanded use of community detention and the use of bridging visas for clients who formerly would have been in immigration detention,” the spokesman said.

   “This has meant that the type of health services provided, and the way in which services are used by clients, have also significantly changed.”

   He said the new group would not only advise on the needs of people in detention but also on the health of asylum seekers in the community, as well as recent humanitarian visa holders.

   “The expanded capacity of the group includes the design, development, implementation and evaluation of health and mental health policies and services for asylum seekers, refugees or recently granted permanent visa holders receiving support through the department’s assistance programs,” he said. 

Source  http://www.psnews.com.au/Page_psn3537.html

Food as Medicine

Food as Medicine

HEADACHE? EAT FISH!
Eat plenty of fish — fish oil helps prevent headaches.
So does ginger, which reduces inflammation and pain.

HAVE FEVER? EAT YOGURT!
Eat lots of yogurt before pollen season.
Also-eat honey from your area (local region) daily.

TO PREVENT STROKE DRINK TEA!
Prevent buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls with regular doses of tea. (actually, tea suppresses my appetite and keeps the pounds from invading….Green tea is great for our immune system)!

INSOMNIA (CAN’T SLEEP?) HONEY!
Use honey as a tranquilizer and sedative.

ASTHMA? EAT ONIONS!
Eating onions helps ease constriction of bronchial tubes. (when I was young, my mother would make onion packs to place on our chest, helped the respiratory ailments and actually made us breathe better).

ARTHRITIS? EAT FISH, TOO!
Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines actually prevent arthritis. (fish has omega oils, good for our immune system)

UPSET STOMACH?   BANANAS - GINGER!
Bananas will settle an upset stomach.
Ginger will cure morning sickness and nausea.

BLADDER INFECTION? DRINK CRANBERRY JUICE!
High-acid cranberry juice controls harmful bacteria.

BONE PROBLEMS? EAT PINEAPPLE!
Bone fractures and osteoporosis can be prevented by the manganese in pineapple.

PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME? EAT CORNFLAKES!
Women can ward off the effects of PMS with cornflakes, which help reduce depression, anxiety and fatigue.

MEMORY PROBLEMS? EAT OYSTERS!
Oysters help improve your mental functioning by supplying much-needed zinc.

COLDS? EAT GARLIC!
Clear up that stuffy head with garlic. (remember, garlic lowers cholesterol, too.)

COUGHING? USE RED PEPPERS!
A substance similar to that found in the cough syrups is found in hot red pepper. Use red (cayenne) pepper with caution-it can irritate your tummy.

BREAST CANCER?  EAT Wheat, bran and cabbage
Helps to maintain estrogen at healthy levels.

LUNG CANCER? EAT DARK GREEN AND ORANGE AND VEGGIES!
A good antidote is beta carotene, a form of Vitamin A found in dark green and orange vegetables.

ULCERS? EAT CABBAGE ALSO!
Cabbage contains chemicals that help heal both gastric and duodenal ulcers.

DIARRHEA? EAT APPLES!
Grate an apple with its skin, let it turn brown and eat it to cure this condition. (Bananas are good for this ailment)

CLOGGED ARTERIES? EAT AVOCADO!
Mono unsaturated fat in avocados lowers cholesterol.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? EAT CELERY AND OLIVE OIL!
Olive oil has been shown to lower blood pressure.Celery contains a chemical that lowers pressure too.

BLOOD SUGAR IMBALANCE? EAT BROCCOLI AND PEANUTS!
The chromium in broccoli and peanuts helps regulate insulin and blood sugar.

Kiwi: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E &fiber. It’s Vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

Apple: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low Vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of Vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke…

Strawberry: Protective fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits &protects the body from cancer causing, blood vessels clogging free radicals. (Actually, any berry is good for you..they’re high in anti-oxidants and they actually keep us young………blueberries are the best and very versatile in the health field……..they get rid of all the free-radicals that invade our bodies)

Orange: Sweetest medicine. Taking 2 - 4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessen the risk of colon cancer.

Watermelon: Coolest Thirst Quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione which helps boost our immune system.  They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant.  Other nutrients found in watermelon are Vitamin C &Potassium. (watermelon also has natural substances [natural SPF sources] that keep our skin healthy, protecting our skin from those darn suv rays)

Guava & Papaya: Top awards for Vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high Vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber which helps prevent constipation.

Papaya is rich in carotene, this is good for your eyes. (also good for gas and indigestion)

Tomatoes are very good as a preventative measure for men, keeps those prostrate problems from invading their bodies.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips For Men

Better to stop than cure is one adage that's appropriate to try to to to maintaining health. Too many individuals still don't appreciate the health that have been obtained and eventually regret when sick. The main reason behind the present folks died before the life expectancy is because of be caused by lifestyle factors. Some of the lifestyle that adversely have an effect on health embody poor diet, alcohol consumption,smoking, lack of exercise.

Factor proximity lifestyle everyday guy who causes men a lot of prone to having diseases due tolifestyle. For instance, smoking, a ton of them think that smoking could be a natural thing for a person, and it turns out that habit has started since teen. Though smoking includes a negative effect on virtually all organs of the body and are terribly dangerous for health.

Alcohol consumption and stress additionally another issue. We all apprehend that alcohol consumption has adverse effects on health in the short and long run basis.

In the short term, dehydration, affects sleep patterns, alcohol can be rejected by the digestion by vomiting, shortened attention span, and the zero.40p.c concentration of alcohol in the blood will cause poisoning ensuing in death [*fr1] of these affected.

You'll find an extended list of diseases caused by consuming alcohol in the long run, as well as cardiovascular disease, malabsorption, chronic pancreatitis, alcoholic liver disease cancer and many additional.

Another factor contributing to the prevalence of more speedy mortality of the life expectancy is the environmental issues like air and water pollution. But for the chief issue is the result of our own lifestyle. By approach of adjusting our lifestyle is the most effective answer to maintaining health, although we have a tendency to can not avoid environmental pollution issue. Keep reading, we have a tendency to have other health tips for men.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips For Children

 Food is Fun… Enjoy your food; Breakfast may be a terribly important meal; Eat lots of various foods each day, selection is the recipe for health; Which cluster would you tip for the high? Base your food on carbohydrates; Gimme five!

Do you keep in mind after you learned to ride a bike? The foremost necessary part was getting the balance right. Once you could balance easily, the pedals may turn smoothly, to drive the wheels and get the bike moving.

The same factor is true when it comes to selecting our food. Once we tend to have learned to carefully balance the amounts and varieties of foods eaten, all the organs within the body can operate smoothly and therefore the body can work efficiently.

Sharing a meal with family and friends at home or at college is a great approach to fancy food. It is fun to see different individuals’s alternative of food – what do your friends eat? Do you try totally different foods each day? Check out your lunch box or dinner plate. How many different types of fruit and vegetables will you notice?

Just like cars, buses and trains cannot run while not fuel, our bodies want energy to work. Especially once a night’s sleep, energy levels are low. So, whether or not you are off to high school, or out and regarding at the weekend, start the day with breakfast. Masses of carbohydrates is simply the ticket: attempt cereal with milk, fruit or yoghurt, toast or bread, maybe with lean meats.

You need over forty completely different nutrients (such as vitamins and minerals) each day for smart health. Since there is no single food that contains all of them, it's important to balance your daily decisions. Of course there are no sensible or unhealthy foods, so you do not want to miss out on the foods you relish. The most effective way to form certain you get the right balance is to eat a big variety of foods every day.

About [*fr1] the calories in your diet ought to return from carbohydrate foods, such as cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes and bread, thus it's a good idea to include a minimum of one of those at each meal. Try whole grain bread, pasta and different cereals to provide you extra fibre. Have you tried baking your own bread? It’s sensible fun and smells wonderful!

Fruits and vegetables are among the foremost vital foods for giving us enough vitamins, minerals and fibre. We have a tendency to ought to all try to eat at least 5 servings every day. For example, a glass of fruit juice at breakfast, perhaps an apple and banana as snacks and two vegetables at meal times. Then you have got already reached your total. How many totally different kinds can you see in the supermarket? Why not attempt some new ones?

Eating too many of these fatty foods (such as fried potatoes, fried meats and sausages, pies and pastries) may not be so good for your body. Conjointly go straightforward on fat spreads like butter and margarines. Although we need some fats to induce all the nutrients we want, it's higher for our health if we don’t eat an excessive amount of of these foods and obtain knocked off balance. Therefore, if you have a high-fat lunch, see if you'll have an occasional-fat dinner at home.

Even if you eat regular meals during the day, there can still be times in between that you feel hungry, particularly if you have been very physically active. Snacks will fill the gap, but should not be eaten as opposed to meals, only as an additional. There are lots of different snacks accessible. Your choice might be yoghurt, a few contemporary or dried fruits, sticks of vegetables like carrots and celery, unsalted nuts or rice crackers, or perhaps a slice of fruit loaf or some bread with cheese. Occasionally, you will prefer crisps and other packet snacks, a chocolate bar, a chunk of cake or biscuits. Whichever snack you enjoy, keep in mind it is invariably smart to include a selection of various varieties to stay things in balance.

Did you know that additional than half of your weight is simply water? So along with giving your body all the food it needs each day to stay healthy, you need at least 5 glasses of liquids daily. It is particularly necessary if the weather is terribly hot or if you have done tons of exercise, to own plenty to drink. Usually – but not continuously – your body can tell you this, by making you are feeling thirsty. Plain water is nice of course; you'll try tap water or mineral water, plain or flavoured, sparkling or non-sparkling. Fruit juices, tea, soft drinks, milk and alternative drinks, can all be okay occasionally.

Brush your teeth a minimum of twice daily. Eating foods high in sugar or starches too often throughout the day can play a part in tooth decay. Therefore don’t nibble foods and sip drinks all day long! Sugar-free chewing gum can help you retain your teeth healthy. However, the most effective method to stay a nice smile is to brush your teeth twice each day with fluoride toothpaste. Conjointly, after brushing your teeth at bedtime, don’t eat any food, or drink something however water!

Just sort of a bike could become rusty if it is not used for it slow, our muscles and bones want to be kept moving too. Activity is required to stay your heart healthy and your bones strong. It will conjointly be good fun. Strive to include some form of activity each day: it may be just walking to highschool and running up the steps. However, games like skipping and football at break times are smart for giving the body a workout. Swimming may be a particularly good sport for keeping you healthy.