Mediterranean Diet to Fight Heart Disease

Recent study has once again confirmed that people who follow Mediterranean Diet will live longer than any Europeans. A Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil and low in red meat can combat inflammation that silently simmers away for years inside blood vessels, lowering the risk of a heart attack, a new study suggests.

The Mediterranean diet is not a specific diet plan or diet program but a collection of eating habits that are traditionally followed by the people of the Mediterranean region. There are at least 16 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and food habits vary between these countries according to culture, ethnic background and religion. Some common characteristics of Mediterranean dietary pattern are as follows:

• A high consumption of fruits, vegetables, potatoes, beans, nuts, seeds, bread and other cereals
  
• Olive oil used for cooking and dressings
  
• Moderate amounts of fish but little meat
  
• Low to moderate amounts of full fat cheese and yogurt
  
• Moderate consumption of wine, usually with meals
  
• Reliance on local, seasonal, fresh produce
  
• An active lifestyle
  

Many people have questioned whether previous benefits attributed to the Mediterranean diet were actually due to other lifestyle factors -- such as increased exercise -- in people following this diet. But the study clearly shows that this heart-healthy effect was independent of any other lifestyle factors, including exercise, says Demosthenes Panagiotakos, PhD, lecturer in the department of nutrition and dietetics at Harokopian University of Athens in Greece.

Panagiotakos, who presented the findings at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2003, says that previous studies have suggested that sticking to a Mediterranean diet -- which also emphasizes grains, fish, vegetables, and fruit -- may cut the risk of heart disease by up to 30%.

However, it is not fully understood how the Mediterranean diet exerts its protective effect, he says.

"Some have suggested it lowers blood pressure; others speculate it reduces cholesterol levels. Still others say it is not the diet itself but other characteristics of people who follow the diet, such as a healthy lifestyle."

Don’t Fall For These Weight Loss Gimmicks!

Have you heard about the new weight loss patch? You wear it behind your ear, and it speeds up your metabolism and helps you control your appetite. It sounds pretty reasonable, doesn’t it? After all, if someone had told you five years ago that you could quit smoking by sticking a circle of fabric on your skin would you have believed them?

Unfortunately, this one isn’t true. According to Dr. Michael Myers, who maintains the popular web site weight.com, it’s just another of the hoaxes that clever promoters are using to bilk you out of your money. Weight loss is a gold mine, and unscrupulous operators will use any gimmick to convince you that their product is the magic cure that will melt away your pounds without any effort on your part.

Here are a few of the current weight loss gimmicks and the truth about them.

The Diet Patch

Transdermal delivery of medication is a reality, and there are certain medications that are absorbed readily through the skin. However, the most common active ingredient used in diet patches on the market is ‘fucus vesiculosus’, a seaweed that is a major source of iodine. Iodine was once a recommended treatment for obesity, because it helps promote healthy thyroid function. It was abandoned because of side effects and the untoward effects when treatment with iodine ceases. In other words, it’s an outdated medication being revived for delivery in a new way.

Wash your fat away with slimming soap!

The claim is that this is an ancient Chinese soap that contains a unique blend of ingredients derived from seaweed which will ‘emulsify’ the fat. Further, it comes in several different versions, including one that is specifically meant to give you ‘beautiful thighs’. In all truth, the ingredients sound like they’d do a lovely job of softening and toning your skin, but there’s not an ounce of research quoted anywhere that can be checked for the results. Until I see the proof, I’ll just figure that any weight loss resulted from vigorous scrubbing - not the ingredients!

Magnetic Weight Loss… earrings

Yes, earrings. According to the press, it’s another ancient Chinese Secret that has to do with balancing the magnetism in the body. By wearing a magnet near the ear, you can suppress hunger, increase metabolism, speed up the healing process and reduce pain. Again, though there’s mention of ’studies’, none are cited, and I couldn’t find any in any medical journals. It won’t kill you, at least, and the earrings are pretty, but I wouldn’t put much stock in their weight loss properties.

All of these new weight loss discoveries should be filed in the “Yeah right” file, right next to sauna wraps, copper bracelets, and electro-slimming belts. If it sounds too good to be true, remember, it probably is. The only gimmick to weight loss is to eat less and move more!

5 Easy Tips to Beat Stress

If you wanna be stress free, try below 5 easy tips to beat stress:

1. Don't Skip Meals - When you're hungry your blood-sugar level drops causing strain on your adrenal glands and nervous system and giving you light headedness, cravings, anxiety and stress.

2. Reduce Your Intake Of Processed Foods - This includes saturated fat, sugar, salt, caffeine and alcohol. Processed carbohydrates turn into sugar in your body, which depletes stress-beating B vitamins.

3. Go For A 5 Minute Walk Everyday - Any exercise, especially aerobic, causes your body to produce endorphins which are soothing hormones that calm the nervous system and reduces stress.

4. Relax For 5 Minutes Everyday - Take time out each day to do some yoga or relax. The simple act of relaxing your mind, relaxing your body and concentrating on your breathing can produce a positive mental attitude to help you through a stressful day.

5. Get Enough Sleep And Go To Bed At A Reasonable Hour - Your body needs at least 8 hours sleep. Many of us get less sleep than we need which depletes our adrenal glands. These glands are repaired and restored while we sleep.


Rembember:
Do it! - Give someone you love a big hug to boost your health. It's a significant source of stress relief and comfort.

Ditch it! - The search for a perfect body. Strive for a healthy body that give you energy rather than getting stressed trying to fit into a size 8 bikini.