So one of the most common misconceptions when people visit fast food restaurants is that its the main food items that are the cause of their weight gain….i.e. the big macs, the whoopers, the burrito supremes, when in fact the slow killer that has remained somewhat dormant in the news is that it’s really the sugar content found in the diet coke and potato products that lead to the slow gain of weight, especially when people who try to stay “healthy” yet are under a time crunch opt for the salad or more “healthier” options when visiting these fast food restaurants. This primarily is seen in mothers trying to satisfy their children’s craving for their happy meals while at the same time stay healthy themselves. Want to really lose weight? Go for the water or non-soda option on your salad. While at it, skip the fries, and with that all other potato-based products, especially potato chips.

According to a recent report by the New England Journal of Medicine, just one extra serving of french fries resulted in an average of 3.35 extra pounds gained every four years, accompanied by the findings that even just an extra handful of potato chips each day could potentially add 1.69 pounds in the same time period. So next time you’re thinking about a quick snack, don’t reach for the bag of chips, try opting for something more healthy, like carrot sticks, celery, etc.. The same exact advice that you’ve been given to keep your children from becoming obese before it’s even up to them to make their own dietary decisions.

In the same report, they also tracked sleeping habits of the participants. Those who had a decent amount of regular sleep (mind you by decent I don’t mean too much) were also prone to lose weight rather than gain it. That was defined as:

People who slept between six and eight hours per night gained less weight over time than people who slept fewer than six hours or more than eight.

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Now if you’re practicing a balanced diet that includes proper amounts of vegetables and other essential nutrients, that also has been shown to counter-act the occasional ‘binge’ at the fast food counter. It’s those that live hectic lives, i.e. having to take care of children and/or work, that sometimes will go without that natural balance which displaces the starch/sugar/carbohydrate levels in your body and results in the additional weight gain.

So as I said, next time you’re at the drive-through, think twice about ordering that diet coke and large fries…..the salad won’t counter-act the effects they’ll play on your body in the long run.

Speciality pharmaceuticals group Shire just posted its first quarter earnings with an extremely strong increase in sales in their hyperactivity treatment group of medications especially in the US market. In fact, they’re making about 19% more than they were this same time last year (keep in mind thats $972 million dollars).

Quoting one of their representatives:

“Sales of our ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) treatments INTUNIV, VYVANSE and ADDERALL XR were all up and the overall ADHD market in the US showed good growth.”

It seems like just another example of drugs being over-prescribed to me. “ohh, johnny didn’t do well on his test? He probably has ADD, let’s talk to a doctor and get him some treatment.” Meanwhile what little Johnny needs is less Xbox 360 and more studying. Parents are now-a-days looking for quick fixes for just about everything and sadly this has become one of them. Let’s keep in mind what we’re prescribing our kids shall we:
Adderall is just a version of amphetamine salts. Remember amphetamine? If you’re old enough it was probably called Dexedrine back when you first heard about it, but that’s just the medical prescription form that they had back then. Even if you don’t remember Dexedrine, you surely remember what the drug called “speed” is right? Think of it as a medically toned down version of the same stuff that is sold on street corners and first became popular by the beatnik generation (who’d usually inject it).

Now, back to adderall, if you think just because it’s not Ritalin that it can’t be that bad you’re wrong. It’s actually (on the scale of how addicting not to mention harmfull if used over time) far worse. From growth stunting, death, heart problems and high blood pressure as starters, this one can be a real problem if taken improperly. These drugs were made to be a supplement to real treatment for their ADD/ADHD. By that I mean behavioral treatment. It’s not just something you get prescribed and then forget about it until each month when you have to go refill the prescription, it’s something you treat with education on how to better train your brain to focus. Whether that’s getting in the habit of taking excessive notes, using a stress ball or other one-handed object to occupy yourself as you engage in another task or any other of the hundreds of treatments that can easily be learned. This isn’t alternative medicine i’m talking about. No new-age, hippie, take some vitamin C and you’ll be fine stuff, this is actually how to treat ADD/ADHD. Just think twice about having your child be prescribed any ADD/ADHD medicine. You don’t want them to still be taking it 10 years from now….because I promise you not only will they have been affected negatively by the drug, they also will most likely be taking a dosage thats 4x higher due to a growth in tolerance.

For more information on the drug visit drugs.com or the WebMD.com section on the drug.

According to a recent report released on Thursday there’s now speculation that there may be a nationwide smoking ban by the year 2010. This by no means has been confirmed however almost half of all US states currently have some form of anti-smoking law in place, with the most drastic being a ban on indoor smoking which from 2000 to 2010 led to 25 states making it illegal.

For you smokers out there, there are still seven states with no restrictions on indoor smoking, however a few specific cities in these states do have acting restrictions barring smoking indoors.

A quote taken from the Associated Press article includes a comment from active pro-smokers-rights group executive:

“Gary Nolan, director of a smokers’ rights group, said he wouldn’t be surprised if the CDC’s prediction came true. Public health officials and others have been putting tremendous pressure on bars and businesses to bar smoking, he added.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if they prevailed,” said Nolan, of the Smoker’s Club. “It’s just a little bit more liberty slipping away at the hands of big government.”

Now as far as research is concerned regarding the economic factors involved in banning indoor smoking, a report from the CDC on the Impact of a Smoking Ban of Restaurant and Bar Revenue showed that during the study taken in El Paso, TX there was zero decline in total revenue after the ban was enacted. (source) Smokers just get use to it and either work on quitting, or smoke in appropriate places.

Sleep, one of the most beautiful words in any language – it conjures images of darkness, dreams, and a feeling of utter relaxation and well-being when you wake up: that is, if you are one of the lucky who is able to consistently find refreshment from a night of slumber. It is known that humans will sleep nearly half of their life away, which can be a disconcerting thought for some, but those moments of sleep is when our bodies recharge for the upcoming day. Anybody can remember a day; multiple even, when they slept badly the night before for any number of reasons, and how badly they felt the next day and how it affected their day-to-day functions.

But for many, sleep can be a harrowing ordeal of tossing, turning, insomnia, and the inability to delve into REM sleep ( the most relaxing state of sleep, which is where dreams are able to occur). And the lingering question in those sufferers minds is, “How can I use healthier sleeping practices to ensure I wake fresh and wide-eyed for the day instead of the dreary, groggy, mental state I usually find myself in?”

There are many ways to contribute to healthier sleeping practices, so it is with great pleasure that I am allowed to share some of these practices with anyone who suffers from horrid nights of sleep.

One of the main things that people forget is that you must dedicate at least eight hours of sleep a day; every day. Your body needs to be fully refreshed for the day to come, and trying to skirt by on four or five hours for weeks on end can be very unhealthy for not only your physical, but mental state as well.

Some sufferers will visit their physician and obtain prescription sleep medication – and it works, truly; but there are a myriad of side effects of such medication. Natural supplements of melatonin and Valerian root have consistently helped men and women alike receive deep, refreshing sleep without the need to use a potentially addictive medication.

These are just a few healthier sleeping practices, there are many more, but even following these two; you may find the restful sleep you have always craved.

Sometimes it is easy to fall into a sedentary lifestyle and just let ourselves go and become fat and out of shape. The television is too alluring, the potato chips taste too good, and the sodas are both addictive thanks to it’s sugar and caffeine content but also dangerously delicious! And it is so easy to fall into this lifestyle as well, after all, it is the easiest thing you can do. Sit down, watch television, and eat your favorite foods and slurp down your favorite drinks. Heck, if you’re a freelancer it makes it even easier to fall into this routine. Just start working on your couch one day, then the next, and next thing you know you haven’t been outside or interacted with people face to face in weeks!

Or you could take charge and start doing a little exercise each day. What?! Sounds preposterous, does it not? I am not asking you to become Lance Armstrong or a rock climber, or to even breaking out a serious sweat. Just do something, well, actually let me rephrase that – do ANYTHING.

All I am asking is that you devote twenty minutes a day to any exercise, be it light or heavy. Yes, yes, it is hard, but that is the point; this is going to build your muscles and trim away that fat. Those potato chips encircling your waist are soon going to fall off and you will wonder exactly where the old you went!

It does not matter if you do the lightest, least stressful exercises you can think of; but do them for a daily twenty minutes, and I guarantee you will not only feel healthier, but look better as well! Think of it as rehab for your body. So what if you can’t run around the block one time without getting sick. Try walking it. Then after a few days walking around the block, walk around another. Soon you’ll be logging some serious walking time, at which point you can re-try the job around the block to find that it’s a piece of cake!

That method works with just about every other type of muscle in your body. Regardless of how small of a weigh or low of a resistance, if you keep at it that muscle of yours will slowly build up until you one day find yourself looking (and feeling) better than you did in high school.

Who says yogurt is just a diet food? Apparently not researchers and doctors around the world as evidence is continually being released that this tasty snack contains loads of microscopic warriors in the form of beneficial bacteria that are a must for good health.

The National Institute of Nutrition has released data stating that a cup of yogurt (250 mg) contains 370 mg of calcium. This is 30 – 40 % of most adults’ daily needs! Not only that but at eight grams of protein per cup, yogurt meets 20 – 25 % of the average daily needs of an adult not to mention is a great source of the B vitamins your body needs on a daily basis. Bet you didn’t know this either – A cup of yogurt contains 250 mg of potassium – which is the same amount that your average sized banana has!

Yogurt sets up an efficient little health factory in your intestinal tract and creates B vitamins for you and also provides lactic acid, a key protein aid, calcium and iron assimilation.

Now if you’re on a low calorie diet, yogurt will soon become your best friend. It is easily available anywhere from grocery stores to even gas stations and is a snack that tastes great at any time of the day (also when eaten at night); it is low in calories and can easily fill up your appetite when eaten combined with a high-fiber vegetable or fruit as a combo.

Lookout America – Yogurt may just be the perfect ‘health food.’

Chronic inflammation can make you look old before your time and cause many other aliments. However, changing your diet can help prevent or even reverse the process. As well, the body is able to make its own anti-inflammatory compounds as long as we eat the right foods.

An anti-inflammatory diet contains foods such as: blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries, sour cherries, red grapes, red and yellow onions, garlic, broccoli, and apples. As well as: carrots and orange winter squash, bell peppers, tomatoes, spinach and kale.

The anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3s provide significant benefit to patients with chronic inflammatory diseases also. The most potent omega-3s are found in seafood, especially coldwater fish like salmon (preferably wild), tuna, and mackerel. Vegetarian sources of omega-3s include flaxseed oil, dark greens, and walnuts.

An anti-inflammatory diet suggests olive oil, which contains oleic acid, for everyday cooking. If you prefer safflower or sunflower oil may be used and is always a better health choice than refined oils. Canola oil, however, is a refined oil that contains a good amount of omega-3s and oleic acid.

Spices for an anti-inflammatory diet include: turmeric, which is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory compounds in nature, and ginger and rosemary.

Ask your doctor before beginning any diet.

It is a common misbelief that drastic measures are required in order to have flawless, youthful skin. Women search for the best skin treatments out there that normal can cost up to $400 an ounce that at most offer only small proof that they do half of what they guarantee not to mention those that go and get expensive cosmetic surgery. Nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to how to get rid of wrinkles. Do you want a cheaper and simpler answer to prevent premature aging? You can improve your skin in 7 days or even start to see those wrinkles fade by pursuing these simple anti aging tips. Some are as simple as just adding certain fruits that are high in anti-oxidants like Cupuacu Fruit or other berries known for their health properties.

Healthy skin is wet and produces adequate total of oil from the sebaceous glands, generating a natural “glow.” Plump skin cells fit together like a delicately assembled mosaic, where any one has its own place. When skin cells dry out, yet, they proceed to lift & apart at an point of view, giving skin a lifeless, flaky demeanor that creates the skin appear earlier.

The 2 primary causes for dry skin are environmental factors (weather, chemicals, the use of the wrong private care commodities ) and poor diet. In order to demeanor superb on the outward, you should first delight your-self right from in.

A unchanging balanced diet is the number 1 defense contrary to wrinkles, outbreaks, dry skin and negligence down the aging routine. However, there are sure dishes that have holdings that are most critical for that glow that we hunger for. Here we’ll talk about some of these dishes and you’ll see how swiftly you can achieve time-honored, radiant skin without breaking the bank.

Wrinkle Free Tip #1 Eat Plenty of Fruits & Vegetables

The tone pigments that create bright orange & red refill antioxidant levels in your skin. These vegetables replenish your skin’s supply of antioxidants, so try to eat as much fruit as you can when it’s available. Free radicals are highly reactive oxygen molecules that damage cells & contribute to only around all that can go wrong with skin, from lack of moisture to crinkles.

Top picks involve SWEET POTATOES, TOMATOES, AND CANTALOUPE.

Your body can’t store a lot of wrinkle-fighting vitamin C, so you want to keep your reserve up. The easiest, simplest anti aging tip to get ahead this is to include some citrus every day.

Top picks include ORANGES, LEMONS, LIMES, GRAPEFRUIT.

Vitamin C helps keep collagen-the supportive protein fibers that stop the skin from sagging-strong & resilient (Flimsy collagen means lines and wrinkles. ) Since collagen breakdown unequivocally picks up in your mid-30s, an additional anti aging tip is to eat citrus early & mostly to conduct off aging.

Wrinkle Free Tip #2 Drink Plenty of ‘light’ Teas Everyday

You can get a potent antioxidant known as EGCG that does any classes of great things for the skin. Where is the foremost place to find it? It is in teas such as black, green, or white (not herbal). Brew a teapot full each morning & then you can splash four to six cups throughout the day.

Top pick : GREEN TEA

EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate ) is a good multi-tasker. EGCG reduces the inflammatory chemicals involved in acne and sun-related skin aging. It likewise helps to prevent skin cancer, and it has a calming outcome on growth cells. In addition, green tea holds L-theanine, a de-tensing amino acid- and anything you can do to stop the upsurge of the stress hormone cortisol helps you keep collagen fibers intact.

Wrinkle Free Tip #3 Eat Plenty of Green and Leafy Vegetables Each Day

By eating leafy greens, regardless of whether they’re in a salad, solidified, raw, or steamed, can definitely boost your levels of vitamin A which is one of the most skin-essential vitamins out there.

Top pick : SPINACH, TURNIP GREENS, BROCCOLI

These vegetables distribute a hefty supply of vitamin A, which supports skin cell turnover, the routine that keeps cell expansion & growth. Without adequate vitamin A, your skin becomes dry, difficult, and scaly.

Wrinkle Free Tip #4 Eat More Protein-Fish, Turkey and Chicken Everyday

There are several cold-water sorts of fish that can supply your skin a leg up in advantage : age-fighting omega-3 greasy acids and the physic powers of protein. Try beans or tofu as a high class protein source as well.

Top picks : SALMON, TROUT, TUNA, ATLANTIC MACKEREL, SARDINES, PACIFIC HERRING, MOST SHELLFISH

Omega -3s duel inflammation which is presently considered one of the top skin-agers, & they likewise benefit strengthen against sunburn, enhancing the results of your SPF sunscreen. Protein is further due to build and repair skin cells & it makes enzymes and hormones that assist keep it intense.

Wrinkle Free Tip #5- What Foods to Avoid to Achieve Healthy Skin

Junk food and snacks should especially be avoided when making an effort to retain able-bodied skin. Eliminating soda, sugarine and alternative empty-calorie dishes will not just develop your skin’s appearance, but it will assist take off the additional pounds.

Fried dishes are especially bad, because hot-processed oils (such as those established in the supermarket ) truly construct no money radicals and can destroy that look you’ve been applying so hard for.

Alcohol & caffeine should also be avoided, as these and additional sorts of diuretics make the body fluids and essentials minerals, which dries out your skin.

These 5 anti aging tips are elementary & easy to include into your busy lifestyle. All of these dishes are simple to discover in your local supermarket or illness store, & will price you much less than the myriad of skin care commodities which promise impractical results.

By following these anti aging tips, in only a few day, you’ll notice that your skin will begin to create adequate amounts of oil naturally, and will no longer show signs of being lifeless, scaly, flaky, or close. Chapping and cracking during the winter will be abundant reduction likely to occur as well.

Most importantly, these anti aging tips will assist you to slow down the results of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles, brownish-red spots, enlarged pores & sagging skin. Also adding fruits like cupuacu to your diet will help by boosting your immune system.