Archive for July, 2009
Male germ cells can be directly converted into other cell types
Scientists have found a way to directly convert spermatogonial stem cells, the precursors of sperm cells, into tissues of the prostate, skin and uterus. Their approach, described that month in the journal Stem Cells, may prove to be an effective alternative to the medical use of embryonic stem cells……..
Original post by Heather Craven
The DASH Diet
Many Americans have hypertension and need to keep track of it with the help of a physician and often are prescribed medication to control it. From a dietary standpoint, high blood pressure can be brought under control more effectively with nutritional measures combined with specific medications as prescribed. The DASH diet is specifically designed to lower blood pressure. The DASH stands for the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension. that diet has been proven to lower blood pressure in clinical studies. It is more than the traditional low sodium approach only.
The DASH diet is very high in the fruits and vegetables category. The recommendation calls for 4-6 servings of fruit in addition to 4-6 servings of vegetables per day. On the average, Americans typically eat 2-3 serving of fruits and vegetables combined per day. The DASH diet calls for 8-12 servings of the fruits and vegetables combination daily.
In the grains food group, the DASH diet calls for 6-12 servings for an individual on a 3100 calorie diet per day and 7 to 8 servings for someone on a more calorie restricted diet of 2000 calories per day. At least 3 whole grain foods need to be included in that category per day.
Dairy products need to be low fat or non fat on the DASH diet. Two to four servings of the dairy are recommended on the DASH diet. For lean meats, fish and poultry, the DASH diet recommends 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 servings for the public who are on a 3100 calorie per day diet and 2 or less servings for those who are on a 2000 calorie per day diet.
Nuts, seeds and legumes are more limited on the DASH diet. Three to six per week are recommended for the 3100 calorie per day diet and four to five servings per week for the 2000 calorie per day diet humans. While the DASH diet was designed with blood pressure control in mind, often public who are on it have the added benefit of losing weight.
Adherence to the DASH diet provides a high fiber nutrition with low caloric intake and is well balanced. Another added benefit, that was not what the diet was initially designed for, is that it may curb memory loss and help to increase your focus and mental skills.
Original post by EatingToLive
Appetite Suppressing Foods
Diet pills and products are plentiful promising rapid weight loss and instant results. There’s a more natural approach to weight loss by selecting convinced foods that build you feel full longer and curb your appetite without pills.
One such food would be nuts as they are rich in protein and are more satisfying than carbohydrate rich snacks. Research backs up that society who snack on nuts tend to be slimmer than humans who don’t. The calories in nuts are high but worthwhile for their effect on your eating patterns and on your metabolism.
Eating a bowl of high fiber cereal in the wee hours can act to suppress your appetite for the rest of the day. Therefore, you’ll eat less at the subsequent meals of the day. The higher the percent of fiber in your cereal, the more effective the appetite suppression works.
Eggs are another food item that tends to stay with you longer for feeling full. A couple of eggs contain protein which helps to avoid sharp rises in blood sugar that lead to food cravings and overeating.
Tofu acts much in the same way as eggs for controlling appetite and food cravings. While it is a light food, as an appetizer before a meal, it will keep your meal consumption under control. Tofu is high protein and that is the key.
Using olive oil, either in your cooking or on your salads, can help you burn calories. Physiologically, there’s a quality about monounsaturated fats that boosts your metabolism. The pectin fiber found in either pears or apples has a favourable effect on blood sugar levels. that maintenance of your blood sugar will help you to avoid snacking and overeating. I’ve noticed that when I eat apples particularly. When I combine an apple with a handful of nuts, I’m not hungry for hours afterward.
Beans are naturally high in protein and fiber. The consumption of beans helps to elevate the digestive hormone, cholecystokinen, which is a natural appetite suppressant.
Other foods that can be utilized for appetite curbing and or metabolism boosting are salad, green tea, grapefruit, lean beef and vinegar. It is a safer method for weght loss without worrying about the expense of diet pills with possible adverse side effects.
Original post by EatingToLive
Stem cells not the only way to fix a broken heart
Scientists seem to have a new way to fix a broken heart. They have devised a method to coax heart muscle cells into reentering the cell cycle, allowing the differentiated adult cells to divide and regenerate healthy heart tissue after a heart attack, as per studies in mice and rats published in the July 24th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication. The key ingredient is a growth factor known as neuregulin1 (NRG1 for short), and the scientists propose that the factor might one day be used to treat failing human hearts……..
Original post by Heather Craven
Vanity Sizing Back In?
I remember the first day I heard the term “vanity sizing”. My mom actually used the term and was laughing at me when I was younger considering I liked to shop at a assured store where I could fit in pants that I normally couldn’t fit into in other stores. She said something like “oh that vanity sizing will get you” or something along those lines.
I didn’t really get what that meant at the instance and had to have her explain it to me (I was very young), but it’s basically where the fashion industry sizes their clothes a bit bigger than what some of the standard sizings are, in order to prepare you feel better about buying their clothes, and to entice you to come buy their clothes by other retailers who size their clothes smaller and therefore narrow their customer pool to skinny minnies.
For example, I can go into a New York and Company clothing store and fit into a size 4 very comfortably. But whether I go to the junior agency at Dillards, I may not be able to fit in size 4 pants there. You get the drift. And of course, where do I prefer to shop? Well, I’ll confess, I’m only human, and I like to shop where I can get clothes that are sized more to my advantage!
Actually, vanity sizing is making a big comeback and is pretty much being done by most clothing companies as America’s waistlines increase, and now you may be a size ten whereas before you would have been a size 14, which is quite a substantial difference. But are the clothing companies really doing us any favors? Not really, they’re helping to lull overweight Americans into a false sense of complacency with their weight, since humans tend to go by what size they are to determine whether they are still in their healthy comfort zone as far as weight goes, BMI and all that good stuff that goes along with maintaining a healthy weight and slimmer waistline.
Original post by EatingToLive
Do Digestive Enzymes Help?
As I get older, I notice that some foods, in specific dairy or a lot of meat in a meal, or particularly a high fat meal, cause a lot of havoc in my digestive system. The fat part I think may have something to do with my pancreas, and that scares me a bit considering the pancreas is an critical organ, so that is part of why I lost so much initial weight, considering I really focused on cutting out a lot of the fattening foods in my diet. Here and there I will treat myself to pizza or a cheeseburger and french fries, both of which are extremely greasy, fatty foods.
I inevitably will be extremely uncomfortable after a high fat meal though, and will take digestive enzymes to help with the discomfort as well as to help break down the food properly and completely so that it doesn’t clog up my whole system. However, whether you eat right, and you don’t eat decent, you really shouldn’t need digestive enzymes since your body should be pumping out just the right amount of these helpful little organisms on it’s own. You may have a deficiency though, and that most likely could be disagnosed by a Doctor or even a naturopath, and they may recommed that you always use digestive enzymes, even with meals that are properly portioned and combined.
I do notice a difference when I take them with meals that may normally bother me, or meals that are too large that prepare me uncomfortable afterwards. So does my boyfriend, he says that when he takes them after too large a meal, it does invent the discomfort subside within a half hour, so that’s useful as well. I would say to keep digestive enzymes around for those times when you know you’ll have indiscretions about what you eat. It really is helpful during those times in assisting your digestive system in doing what it needs to, when you’re not treating it right.
Original post by EatingToLive
Lower Fat Lentil Soup Recipe
I was looking for a lower fat, high protein and high fiber lentil soup recipe with some kick, and found the perfect recipe online, which I added my own little touches to (as everyone always does), and we had five nights of tasty, delicious, healthy lentil soup that had a lebanese flavor to it due to the curry powder. I had never actually made lentil soup before, but I had it at a local Lebanese restaurant, and I absolutely loved it as did my mom, who came along with me and got it as an appetizer as well.
That’s when I decided that it could be a great addition to my repertoire of menus, which had grown a little tired and old as of late. I found the recipe for curried lebanese lentil soup, and liked most of the recipe, except added my own twists, like adding way more chicken broth so that it wouldn’t be more of a stew but more like a soup, particularly after the lentils expanded a lot after a few days in the fridge. Lentils are a great bean, they have a somewhat nutty flavor, and their texture is nearly that of a pasta after they really soften, so it’s nearly like you’re eating a pasta after they’ve been softening a few days, which is different.
Here is the recipe, tip, whether you want to eliminate some of the fat added by the coconut milk, use half to three fourths of the can instead of the whole thing. I do recommend using some though, it adds a wonderful flavor in conjunction with the curry powder.
Recipe for Lower Fat Lentil Soup:
1 bag of lentils.
10 cups of lower sodium chicken stock
2 tsp. olive oil for sauteeing
2 cups of celery finely chopped
2 cups of carrots finely chopped
2 cups of red bell pepper chopped
2 cups of onion chopped
2 TB curry powder
1 TB cumin
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 can coconut milk
1 bunch of kale or other preferred greens. Kale is loaded with nutrition, so I chose kale and it tasted great.
Sautee the celery, carrots, onions and red bell pepper in the olive oil. When done sauteeing, add to the mixture of the coconut milk, chicken stock and lentils. Bring to a boil before you add the sauteed veggies though, to cook the lentils. at the last moment, add the chopped kale. It will turn a bright green color, let it wilt and your soup is done. The curry combined with the coconut milk gives that soup a delicious, satisfyingly nutty and somewhat smoky flavor. It gets even better as it sits, as with most soups, and is packed with nutritious foods. Enjoy!
Original post by EatingToLive
