Eat Nuts!

By Cristian Truers

Nuts are tasty, loaded with good fat, protein, fiber, nutrients and phytochemicals that are heart healthy and potentially good for the waistline. Barring allergies, there aren't many reasons not to include nuts in your diet. Let's take a look at some interesting studies, tips and tidbits about nuts.

Nuts and the Heart

A study of 31000 Seventh Day Adventists that ate nuts more than 4 times per week were half as likely to die of a heart attack than those who ate nuts less than once a week. The Iowa Women's Health Study came to a similar conclusion: Women who ate nuts or seeds 4 times per week were 40% less likely to die from heart disease than similar women who didn't eat nuts. The Nurses' Health Study showed that those who ate at least 140g/week of nuts were 35% less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease than those who ate less than 30g/month. Nuts and Weight

Most studies have shown that adding nuts to the diet does not cause people to gain much weight, if any at all. As an example, researchers gave participants 45-70g of almonds every day (320 calories worth) and gave them no further instructions about food intake. After 6 months, participants gained a very miniscule amount of weight (.2 lbs in women, 1.4 lbs in men). This study was funded by the almond industry.

There aren't many studies that show nut consumption to help people lose weight, but one study showed that a low calorie diet that included almonds led to greater weight loss than an equal calorie diet that did not include almonds.

The Seventh Day Adventist and Nurses Health Study showed that those who regularly ate nuts weighed less than those who did not.

The Best Nuts

Are some nuts better than others when it comes to health benefits? All nuts contain good fats, fiber and proteins, but different kinds of nuts have different nutrient profiles.

Almonds are richest in vitamin E (35% recommended daily intake) and calcium (8%) per 1 oz. (30g) serving. Brazil nuts are highest in selenium with just 1 supplying a days worth. Cashews are richest in copper and zinc Peanuts (technically a legume) contain the antioxidant resveratrol, and are highest in protein and arginine content Walnuts have the most alpha linolenic acids (plant-based omega-3's) How much?

Nuts are healthy but are a dense source of calories. 1oz/30g of nuts supply about 170-180 calories. Here is a chart that shows how many nuts are in 30g.

Number of Nuts in 30 grams (1oz)

Almonds: 20-24 Brazil nuts: 6-8 Pecans: 18-20 (halves) Cashews: 16-18 Pine Nuts: 150-157 Pistachios: 45-47 Walnuts: 8-11 Hazelnuts: 18-20

About the Author:

Stephen Trenen is trainer in a sport club and he runs his own informative website about Best Diet Plans, check it out to learn more tried-out Diet Plans.

What Causes Bad Hair?

By Payo Hernandez

Many of our daily activities and habits impact upon the general health of our hair. With so much advertising and marketing emphasis focused on weight loss and fitness it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that the state of your hair can actually tell a lot about the state of your over all health too.

Once your hair is damaged you'll find yourself having bad hair days everyday, however the thing to do is to look at your daily habits and it will become apparent where the damage is being done.

We all love that 'sun kissed' look in our hair however this is a sure sign of damage. UV rays are not only harmful to your skin but also to your hair, causing it to fade into lighter streaks and turning the follicles rough and dry.

To counter against sun damage it's advised to wear a hat and to regularly use a deep conditioner to repair and deeply nourish your hair.

These are the kinds of conditioners that you leave in for 5 minutes or more before rinsing and they should be used as often as once a week. You can also buy hair products which contain sunscreen agents for your hair.

How busy your lifestyle is can be the source of a lot of the problems causing bad hair. You may be in the habit of blow drying to save time in the mornings for example or not conditioning your hair well enough and having to instead brush aggressively to untangle it. All of this is impacting upon your hair. Let your hair dry naturally as much as possible and take care to really condition it well to avoid having to brush aggressively.

Blowing drying may save you a few minutes each day but it's destroying something which is so important to your over all appearance.

The one kind of damage everyone knows about is colouring. If you use these products too often your hair is going to struggle to stay naturally healthy so try to restrict your use of them and be sensible about it. Eat well, take time with your hair, condition properly and mind the sun!

About the Author:

I hope you've enjoyed Payo's article on Bad Hair Days! Make sure you check out his latest online product review site for womens snowboard jackets. You'll also find info, great reviews and fantastic deals for womens snowboard pants.

Reduce Backache And Get A Free Workout - Just By Choosing The Right Shoes

By Andrew King

Whilst walking barefoot through a rice field in Korea, Swiss engineer Karl Muller noticed that his back pain, which he suffered with, was quite a bit better. He did some further research and found that the Masai tribesmen of Africa did not experience bad backs. They are also famous for their good posture.

Considering the evidence, Muller deduced that walking on soft ground in bare feet was better for your back and joints than walking on hard surfaces. He decided to design a shoe which would attempt to produce the effect of this type of gait on a soft surface such as grass or sand.

What he came up with was the Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) shoe. According to the company website, this is so different to normal shoes that it can accurately be called the "anti-shoe".

MBT shoes feature a specially designed curved sole which has no heel. This produces a gentle rolling action when your foot makes contact with the ground. In fact, it's just like walking on grass. Different densities of material are used in different areas of the sole which helps further by minimizing jarring and impact shock.

Independent scientific testing has confirmed that this design is genuinely better for both joints and back - and there are further proven benefits. For example, walking in MBT shoes means that the wearer's muscles are used for longer (in comparison with walking in normal footwear). There is about a 16% increase in the duration of muscle activity. There is also a tendency to "walk correctly" and take marginally shorter strides. These effects mean that extra work is performed.

What this means is that each and every step you take when wearing MBT shoes provides you with extra exercise. It's like a lower body workout - but without the need to visit the gym. As well as reducing backache and improving posture, MBT shoes can also help you to tone your legs and reduce the size of your buttocks.

You would think that those benefits would be all the motivation required. However, some people do find MBTS a bit chunky and, dare I say it, a little ugly (beauty is in the eye of the beholder). However, there are now other, more cosmetically appealing, alternatives to choose from if you wish. Skechers Shape Ups and Fitflops both incorporate similar curved soles which will tone and trim your lower body whilst engaged in normal walking activities.

Regardless of what footwear you choose, the potential to reduce back and joint pain whilst simultaneously toning and trimming your lower body - and without requiring a visit to the gym - seems very attractive.

About the Author:

Find out more about Skechers Shape Ups and MBT Shoes

Natural Medicines for Swine Flu Prevention: The Essential Oils

By Kelly Smith

With the news of potential pandemic influenza prevailing the airwaves, many folks are turning to natural medicines to support their immune system. There's great interest in protecting one's self and one's family from Swine Flu, Avian Flu and the like. Although there has not been any large-scale trials on influenza-prevention using natural methods, there IS a good amount of data on the anti-viral and immunostimulant activity of essential oils. (For those of you not in-the-know, essential oils are the concentrated, carefully-extracted volatile chemical constituents of plants and plant materials). Interestingly, it's been the position of many of the world's foremost aroma-medicine practitioners that the most medically important use of essential oils is for the treatment and prevention of infectious illness. Here's a review of the scientific data, some suggested antiviral recipes, and instructions to use these oils for yourself and your family.

The Supporting Data: Antiviral Actions of Essential Oils

Over the last decade, laboratory researchers around the world have found many essential oils are capable of directly eradicating viruses. Further, they may even prevent viruses from moving between cells within the body and limiting the spread of infection. This is not an over-optimistic interpretation of the data by an essential oil proponent, but the actual conclusions of controlled research studies. Abstracts of all the research mentioned here can be found through pubmed.gov, the database maintained by the National Institute of Health and the US National Library of Medicine. If you wish, you can browse these results by entering search terms such as "essential oil virus", "antiviral essential oil", and more specifically "laurus nobilis SARS" (Laurus nobilis being Bay Laurel essential oil, and SARS a highly-infectious viral respiratory ailment). While there is not yet data where essential oils have been tested against Swine Flu and Avian Flu specifically, as we'll see there is every reason to believe the oils will be effective against these virus strains as well.

Looking At The Data: Many Viruses And Many Oils

With more than one hundred published research papers on the subject, a summary is in order. What scientists are finding is that many of the essential oils commonly in use today have antiviral properties. Whether an oil is effective against a particular virus depends upon the natural chemical makeup of the oil and the structure of the virus being studied. The data, without a doubt, is very encouraging. One study performed in Germany this year concluded with the note that Tea Tree was able to "reduce viral infectivity by greater than 96 percent". The same study went on to clarify that the whole, natural oil, rather than any single chemical synthetically extracted, was up to TEN TIMES more effective as an antiviral agent. The precise reason for this is not known -- it is clear that some of the most chemically complex oils exhibit the greatest antiviral effects, and perhaps this mixture of nature's chemicals attacks the virus AND supports immune function is several ways at once.

One Pandemic Virus and The Oil of Laurel Leaf

Many of the studies utilize the Herpes Simplex Virus as a "test subject", because of the widespread prevalence of infection, along with the relative ease of testing. However, if one digs into the data, many papers present information relevant in in influenza pandemic. SARS 'Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome' is caused by the highly infectious SARS-CoV virus that made world-wide news in 2003. A study in the March 2008 Journal of Chemical Biodiversity noted Bay Laurel essential oil to have significant antiviral action against this virus. They'd also noted the natural constituents of this oil, which are also found in a great many other essential oils. This is why you'll see MANY essential oils noted as antivirals -- because many oils share similar natural chemical constituents. So while this next oil is not readily available, the data is very interesting. In 2005, Chinese researchers evaluated the anti-influenza potential of the essential oil from a root used in Chinese medicine, concluding: "In vivo...it prevented influenza virus-induced deaths in a dose-dependent manner". And the list of oil/virus combinations goes on and on. But this begs the question: how do we derive a formula for Swine Flu prevention?

Selecting Oils For Daily Flu Protection

It is this sharing of natural compounds that supports the literature's assertion that there are a great many oils in use today that are antiviral -- one reason you'll typically see several oils, not just one, in an antiviral formula. But which oils to use for your needs? This is where the long-time historical practice of aroma-medicine therapists helps us choose. The antiviral and immune-supportive essential oils have been categorized by the symptoms the infection produces. The Cineol-containing oils, like Eucalyptus and Ravensara are chosen where the bronchial system is affected. Melissa and Tea Tree are most commonly used for viruses infecting the skin -- though their antiviral action for other parts of the body should not be ignored, because their synergistic effects with other oils creates a formula with a complex mixture of natural chemicals -- similar in respect to the balance found in the single oil Bay Laurel. Other oils are highly regarded for their positive effect on the immune system overall: Frankincense is considered by some to be the most potent immunostimulant, and Melissa has this property as well.

A selection of potentially helpful essential oils includes the following: Melissa (also known as Lemon Balm), Eucalyptus Radiata (one of many kinds of Eucalyptus, this one specifically noted for its antiviral effects), Ravensara (similar to Eucalyptus, also a highly regarded antiviral), Lavender (don't let its flowery aroma trick you -- it is also considered antiviral and an immunostimulant), Maleleuca ericifolia (a relative of Tea Tree), Hyssop, Bay Laurel, and Thyme.

Influenza Prevention Recipes

An example blend including these oils: 2 parts Melissa, 1 part Thyme (Thujanol, Geraniol or Linalool), 4 parts Lavender, 3 parts Ravensara, 4 parts Eucalyptus Radiata (Narrow Leaf), 3 parts Hyssop, 6 parts Rosalina (Melaluca ericifolia) and 3 parts Bay Laurel. A "part" can be anything -- a milliliter, a drop, an ounce -- just as long as they're consistently the same volume. For children between 2 and 13, use 4 parts Lavender, 3 parts Rosalina, 1 part Ravensara, 1 part Eucalyptus and 3 parts Bay Laurel. This recipe is excellent as a lower-cost version for adults as well -- and has been made more gentle for the young ones (consult Valerie Worwood's "Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child" for more on using essential oils with kids).

Diffusion: Getting The Oils Into The Air

The best way to use these oils is through diffusion, which is essentially "rapid evaporation". A nebulizing aromatherapy diffuser will make a fine mist of essential oil which cleanly evaporates in your surroundings. This method allows a low concentration of the oils to be inhaled regularly. The effect is to actually disinfect the air in your home, as well as getting the oils into one's lungs and bloodstream in small amounts. A feature of oils' activity is that they are reported to reduce the ability of viruses to penetrate cell walls, so the lungs and sinuses become protected just by breathing the oil-infused air. Be careful not to overdo it though -- the aroma should never be overwhelming or irritating, and your body will tell you if you've had enough. The oils do their immune-supportive job in subtle ways, which require only the smallest amounts of oil. The casual inhalation of the oils also gets them into circulation throughout the bloodstream, penetrating all the organ systems, and most importantly the lymph system -- home to our immune function. A cold air nebulizing diffuser (as opposed to an 'ultrasonic', which dilutes the oils with water) would ideally be run 5-10 minutes every hour for this purpose.

Topical Application and Baths

Immune-protection topical oil blends can be easily mixed, putting the essential oil formula in a carrier oil such as Coconut or Jojoba. This concoction can then be massaged daily into the feet (a highly receptive area of the body) or into regions of lymph nodes: the neck, armpits and sternum. Adding the essential oils to a carrier at a 5 to 10% concentration is suitable (10% would be 1 part essential oil mixture to 9 parts carrier oil). If you'd like to use a topical formula for children, use the "children's" recipe above, and lower the concentration in the carrier oil to 1% for ages 2-4, 2% for 5-7, 3% for 8-12 (a 1% concentration is 8 drops total essential oils in each fluid ounce of carrier, 2% is 16 drops per ounce, etc). Soaking in a bath with oils added to the water is also an excellent way to gain their benefits -- for young kids, add 2 drops essential oil to a teaspoon of ANY carrier oil (olive oil from the kitchen will do fine), then swirl this into the bath once it's been drawn. 4 drops essential oil blend for older children, and 6 drops for adults.

The Future of Aromatherapy: Aroma Medicine

While we cannot be certain of the direct effects of essential oils for our needs, it appears to the lay practitioner that the evidence supporting their use is just and solid as for any other natural medicine choice. Recall that the world's leading aromatherapists suggest that it is in the prevention and treatment of infectious illness that essential oils will find their place in our medical systems. Given the data that so many essential oils offer antiviral activity against a variety of viruses, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that they will be effective as Swine flu prevention. And with their relative ease of use, and ready availability, there's little reason not to see what they may have to offer for you and your family.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. They are not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease. The statements included in this document are the opinions of natural health professionals drawing on historical therapeutic practices and relevant scientific data. They are not meant to be a substitute for face-to-face consultations with trained and licensed medical professionals. Essential oils are considered to be supportive of the immune system's actions my a great many health practitioners; at the same time, it is important to be aware of all the options available to you to make the best choices for your health and the health of your family.

About the Author:

The author utilizes organic cold pressed carrier oils for aromatherapy. More information is available through The Ananda Apothecary at www.anandaapothecary.com.

A Birds Joy

By Kent Higgins

To the neat gardener mulberry might be a nuisance with its messy berries dropping on the ground and purple mulberry splashings on the bird bath, but it is a joy to birds. At least fifty-two varieties of birds delight in the fruit of the mulberry, which lasts from June until September.

June is a happy month for birds as well as humans, the month of long sunny days and fragrant nights when the honeysuckle perfumes the night breeze and the song sparrow wakes to sing a sleepy serenade to the summer moon.

And whenever honeysuckle is mentioned one usually thinks of the common Japanese honeysuckle that climbs over porches and fences. This will take the place over unless sternly kept in check. Within the dense growth catbirds or chipping sparrows locate their nests, and in winter the visiting white-throated sparrows make their headquarters in the shelter of the nearly evergreen foliage.

The viburnums, with their flat clusters of flowers which later develop into berries in the fall, attract the birds. Arrow-wood has dark blue fruit, and sheep-berry, also called nanny-berry, has showy flower clusters nearly 5 inches across followed by blue berries that are both sweet and edible.

Handsomest of the viburnums is the cranberry-bush, sometimes referred to as high-bush cranberry. The large clusters of bright red berries among freshly green leaves are a fine sight in autumn. According to old botanical texts the cranberries make an "agreeable jelly," but to make this jelly one will have to race with the birds, who make them disappear as fast as the dogwood berries.

The leaves of the cranberry-bush seem impervious to frost. Long after other shrubs are dried and shriveled the cranberry-bush is still a summer-like green. Sometimes you think it has forgotten about winter.

Many of our popular shrubs and perennials like hibiscus plants are native plants that have been brought under cultivation. Sometimes the process is reversed and a shrub escapes from the confines of the garden to make its way to the wilds where it leads its own life and gets on in the world without benefit of such items as pruning shears and fertilizer.

Such is the snowberry's career. From a prim orderly existence in old-fashioned gardens it wandered into the great outdoors, and there it has managed to survive among its less sheltered relatives of the honeysuckle family. The little round white berries, like tiny snowballs or camphor balls, are not eaten by birds as fast as the cranberry or dogwood berries; eventually, however, they too go, especially after they become a little droopy and brown and when more desirable fruit is no longer available to the hungry birds.

About the Author:

Kent Higgins frequently contributes to http://www.plant-care.com. The more you know the better decisions you can make, like the topic of hibiscus plant care.

The Close Of Growing Season This October

By Thomas Fryd

October is a time of brilliant color. Scarlet maples and yellow beeches, golden pumpkins and bronze chrysanthemums invite us to pause and enjoy the beauty around us. October is a satisfying month, too, with its harvest of vegetables ready to put into storage and a sort of "case closed" feeling about the end of another growing season.

Storing Vegetables You do not an old-fashioned root cellar to store vegetables. Some can be stored right in the garden. Carrots may be left growing all winter but, of course, should be covered with salt hay during the severe winter months. This way you can dig carrots all winter and they are far superior to stored ones. Pull cabbages out of the ground, turn them upside down in a trench 6 to 12 inches deep, and cover with a foot of soil and leaves for winter protection. Leeks and celery may also be left in the garden and covered with soil and leaves, but tie the celery first to keep the soil out of it. Carrots not left in the ground need damp sand over them. Onions need a cold dry place and must be stored in single layers.

Water Evergreens, especially those that have been moved within the last three years. Boxwoods, in particular, must never be allowed to start the winter without being well soaked. Thorough soaking is one of the best protections against winter-kill for all evergreens.

Newly planted perennials, strawberries, bulbs not planted under sod need a mulch as soon as there is an inch or so of frost in the ground. Salt hay makes the best mulch but straw will do or, if leaves are the only material available, cover the ground first with branches or brush. Evergreen branches, pine particularly, are excellent for this job. Leaves without the branches pack too solidly and cut off air when they become wet, thus encouraging rot. The salt hay may be saved when you rake it off in spring for use the next fall.

Rhododendrons, azaleas, sansevieria black gold, blueberries require a mulch but more for food value than winter protection. Leaves, rotted or not, humus and peat moss all help provide the acid soil liked by these plants. These materials can be used alone or in combination. The addition of aluminum sulphate is also helpful if the soil is not sufficiently acid.

October is the time for summer flowering bulbs to be lifted and stored. Inspect them all carefully and discard those that are diseased. Diseases can spread rapidly to healthy bulbs and corms while they are in storage. In fact, shaking the bulbs around in a bag containing a fungicide like captan or a similar material before storing is usually very helpful.

About the Author:

People have been so keen on sansevieria black gold. Be the first to master the art by checking on us at http://www.plant-care.com/sansevieria-black-gold-rooted-cuttings-i809.html.

Home Remedies For Dry Skin

By Linja Ilkowska

The best treatment for dry skin are homemade natural formulas. These are very popular and have been around forever. On this page you will find a few easy to use dry skin remedies. While these treatments for dry skin may not necessarily be a cure for dry skin, many people found relief from extremely dry skin conditions using some of these wonderful home remedies.

Dry Skin Care Tips - Home Remedies for Dry Skin

One of the most important home remedies for dry skin is to stop using soap. Even if you oily or normal skin, you should ever use soap on your face. All facial cleansers should be pH balanced. This means that your facial cleanser cream should have a pH that measures around 7 which is neutral.

What is a pH and what does it mean? The pH measures how acidic or alkaline your skin cleanser is. A normal healthy range should be between 4.2 to 5.6. At this level, the skin surface (called acid mantle) can stay in good condition and is able to protect the skin from dehydration and other damaging elements of the environment like wind, sun or bacteria. A pH below 7 is considered more acidic and above 7 is more alkaline.

Another great natural home remedy to help cure dry skin is to massage either olive or emu oil into your skin. Emu and olive oil can not only moisturize the skin; but can also heal and protect it. You should apply the oil after washing your skin, with a pH balanced cleanser, every night before bed. It is best to apply the oil while the skin is slightly damp.

Dry Skin Cure - Facial Mask

Try this great hydrating facial for dry skin a few times a week. This treatment for dry skin will also help exfoliate and clean pores so consider using it before going out for big night. Your skin will look fabulous! Here is what youll need for the Dry Skin Mask:

- 2 egg yolks - 1 teaspoon of honey

Mix the egg yolks first, then add honey and mix completely. Massage onto skin and let it sit for 30 minutes, then rinse off and apply a good quality moisturizer.

Home Remedies For Dry Skin - Diet

Your skin responds quickly to a healthy diet. We are so fat phobic that we often forget our bodies need a little bit of the good fat. So try adding a little more olive oil to your salads, flaxseeds to your yogurt or cereal and avocados in your salad. Science has proven the connection between low essential fat intake and skin disorders. Also, dont forget to eat your fish. Fish oil is excellent for not just the skin, but for reducing cholesterol, depression and arthritis. If you dont like fish, taking a good, high quality fish oil supplement.

About the Author:

Get a Free copy of the Home Remedies Skin Care Guide and find other tips and recepies for Natural Old Home Remedies