Health tips for better life

Juicing is an act of mixing fruits and vegetables in a juicing machine to extract the juice necessary give more benefits and nutrition to the body. A simple example would be to buy an apple and a cucumber and juicing them together to produce a refreshing drink. Juicing can make one lose weight in a very effective manner. Juicing to lose weight not only sheds the extra pounds but it also helps the body release toxins. Juicing to lose weight needs to be maximized to its fullest potential by taking note of the following:

First in order to juice, one needs a juicer. A juicer is not a blender – it is simply called a juicer. Period.

Before each meal, one must drink a vegetable juice. This habit will curb one’s appetite thus making a person not eat so much than the usual.

To increase one’s vitamin intake, he must include spinach, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, celery, cucumber and asparagus to his juicing recipes.

The above-mentioned vegetables are good for detoxification and weight loss. They can cleanse the body and the intestines and the colons too.

One may add ground hot spices to help boost the metabolism. Cayenne, allspice, cinnamon and pepper are among the few who can drive the metabolism of one’s body wild and fast in a good way.

Juicing to lose weight gives people the chance again to feel good about themselves.  Sometimes, some people finds it so hard to lose weight no matter how hard he tries; while some can lose weight without having to lift a finger. But juicing makes it easier for anyone.

This weight loss program does not even compromise nutrition but all the more gives dieting and balanced diet a good name.

Vegetables are so low in calorie and even lower in fats. By replacing one calorie foods with juicing, one can lose so much weight so easily. Juicing for weight loss can even give one the concentrated nutrition and help him also curb his appetite while giving him good skin at the same time.

To curb one’s appetite, avoid adding herbs like basil or coriander, because these two herbs stimulate it instead of curbing it. Dark greens are the best way to go and dark greens simply mean broccoli, cabbage, etc.

Carrot and parsley, when mixed as a juice help maintain bloodsugar levels. If one wants to lose weight then cumin, chilli powder, onion and garlic powder are the best spices to go with and their are many juicing recipes you can find that will offer great flavors.

Juicing for weight loss also works for people with hypothyroidism. Because hypothyroidism is parallel to people who are overweight, some do not know that they have low thyroid function. When one drinks veggie juice to lose weight, he also cures his problem as far as thyroid is concerned.

You would know if you have a thyroid problem because of the following telltale signs: you always feel tired, you feel constipated, or when one hair and skin feels dry. The person with a thyroid problem is also easily irritated.

So combat weight problems and hypothyroidism in one with juicing, the juicing benefits to your body are unending.

We all want to look young and stay in good shape but it requires effort and dedication to maintain a healthy lifestyle especially when we have so many temptations surrounding us. To look good and be healthy is just another vanity crisis that we all face. Good to know that there are natural methods to achieve optimum health by cleansing out toxins that can be one of the causes of aging.

Toxins contributes to Aging

As people live the everyday life they are exposed to certain toxins, chemicals and free radicals found in the environment. Right from the very start, we eat different variant of foods and drink various kinds of beverages that can contain harmful chemicals. Although our body has its own way of detoxifying, all these toxins and harmful radicals may lead to premature aging because waste products of the body and harmful radicals impede the body’s process of cell regeneration and oxygenation.

Eventually because of our environment and the processed foods that we eat our body cells slowly degenerate and shows signs of imbalance.

Natural healing and a balanced diet contribute towards bodies over all wellness. There are different ways to eliminate all the toxins in our body to prevent or delay signs of aging. The best way is to detoxify is doing juice fasting.

The benefits of Detoxification and Juice Fasting

Detoxification is a metabolic way of the body in clearing out all the unwanted toxins and chemicals. When our body detoxify, it cleanses, digest and as well as burn fat fast naturally. The process is not for weight loss but a way to improve the body’s metabolism. Juice Fasting is drinking organic fruits juice for mostly 1-3 days to detoxify the body. It can aid in clearing toxins that cause harm to our body. Detoxification through Juice fasting has numerous benefits:

Aids in cleaning of the digestive system
Promote weight loss by increasing body’s metabolism
Balances the sugar and pH levels of the body
Increases physical and mental function
Aids in cell repair
Reduce the levels of toxins
Promotes blood circulation
Recondition the liver’s function
Cleanses the blood and other tissues
Boost immune system
Overall feeling of wellness and more youthful glow

Keeping in shape and looking young

Juice Fasting is preferred by many because it unlocks the pure organic nutrients that come from fruits and vegetables that clears out toxins. When toxins and free radicals are removed from the body, our body cells became healthier. Healthy cells show signs of a more youthful glow. When the body is cleans, it gives a more vibrant outlook. It produces more energy to do physical activities and exercises. When we age, the body needs more nutrients so that it can function properly. Juice for fasting clearly increases vitality and even reduces the risk of certain illnesses like cancer therefore promising a better health and more joyful years of life ahead.

There are multiple advertisements claiming that fruit juice is healthy, particularly from the companies that are selling their product. As a naturopathic physician, I often provide clarity for patients when it comes to deciding what lifestyle practice is hype and what is healthy. One of the main guiding principles I follow is docere, or doctor as teacher. In this article I will guide you through the conversation I have with patients so that you can tailor the information to your own unique health needs. I will discuss how to identify health giving versus health degrading juice, why I might recommend the whole food over the juiced form of fruit and vegetables and how to decide what is right for you.

To begin, one of the main concepts that I teach is to eat a well rounded and balanced diet rich in organic whole foods (whole food is in the form nature intended) such as fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, wild-caught cold-water fish and lean meat such as chicken and turkey. Whole fruit and vegetables are a healthy part of our human diet. The grey area presents itself when we convert the whole food form to juice and the additives that are typically used to preserve and to enhance flavor for increased consumption and decrease production costs.

How to identify healthy juice?

There are so many products out there that purchasing can be overwhelming. Let me suggest a couple of tips to make your conscious shopping experience a breeze rather than a blunder. First, freshly juiced fruit and vegetables have more antioxidants and nutrient power than juice that is bottled on the shelf.

The longer fruit or vegetable juice sits the more nutrients and antioxidants are depleted. Also, during the bottling process heat may be used to prevent bacterial and fungal growth, which further degrades the nutrient content. If you have the option, choose freshly juiced fruit and vegetables over bottled for increased antioxidant and nutrient value. 

You can purchase your own juicer or go to your local health food store near you that provides fresh juice. Juicing can be part of a healthy lifestyle. I would recommend juicing organic produce and more vegetables than fruit, particularly the leafy green vegetables like kale, collards, spinach and Swiss chard. Fruit typically contains more sugar than vegetables (carrots and beets excluded). By juicing more vegetables than fruit you will cut down on the sugar content while getting a power packed cup of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. I recommend organic produce to juice with because you will increase your consumption of pesticides, waxes and dyes if you juice with conventional produce.

 My second suggestion would be to read the label if you are purchasing bottled juice. What you are looking for is minimal ingredients. For example, if you are purchasing orange juice you will want to see just oranges in the ingredient list rather than additives such as high-fructose corn syrup, sugar cane, pear juice, white grape juice, artificial food dies (i.e.

red #40 and blue #1), and artificial sweeteners (i.e. sucralose and aspartame) . Additives and preservatives add toxic burden and are best avoided.

Reasons to Eat the Whole Food Form:

I have multiple patients who come to me wanting to lose weight. One of the main suggestions I make is to switch from juice or soda to fresh filtered water and herbal tea. One example I use to explain the benefits of eating the whole food versus the juice form is as follows: when you eat an orange you receive fiber from the pulp and skin of the orange which help to reduce hunger, there are cancer fighting nutrients from the white flesh of the peel, and you typically stop after eating one orange. 

Additionally, while you are chewing, you mix an enzyme in your saliva called salivary amylase with the sugars from the orange to improve the digestion of the natural sugar in the orange. When drinking juice, you typically consume the calories of two or three oranges in one sitting, the salivary amylase does not bind to the sugars as readily due to the large volume of sugar consumed in a few gulps, and fiber content is greatly reduced if not completely eliminated. Since there is more fiber in the whole food form, you will typically consume fewer calories because you begin to feel full. Juice on the other hand has minimal amounts of fiber and usually contains higher calories as more fruit and vegetables are needed to make a cup of juice. 

 I especially recommend that children not consume large amounts of juice as it discourages them from drinking water as their main source of fluids. Also, increased sugar consumption can affect their mood such as hyperactivity or irritability due to a spike in blood sugar. Freshly juiced vegetable juice with some fruit in combination with a well balanced whole foods diet is the exception to the rule.

Should I drink juice?

Every person has unique health needs. In order to answer whether you should drink juice or not, I need to explain the glycemic index (GI) so you can make the right choice for you. The glycemic index is a numerical system of measuring how fast carbohydrates trigger a rise in circulating blood sugar (i.e. the higher the number, the higher the blood sugar response). The glycemic index is measured on a scale of 0 to 100. If a particular food has a GI of 0 than it will not have an affect on your blood sugar. However, if the GI is 100, such as pure cane sugar, than your blood sugar will spike rapidly. When blood sugar rises, a hormone called insulin is released from your pancreas. Insulin carries sugar from your blood into the tissues where it can be stored or used for energy. Insulin helps to bring blood sugar back down to normal. When foods have a high GI, blood sugar rises rapidly, causing a surge in insulin. 

Why should you care? The hyper-secretion of insulin can cause a rapid drop in blood sugar (reactive hypoglycemia), which often will leave you feeling dizzy, shaky, tired, lightheaded and hungry for more sugar shortly after you have eaten. In addition to increased hunger/cravings after eating a high GI food, the hyper-secretion of insulin causes increased fat storage and decreased muscle mass, which further decreases your metabolic rate. 

I usually recommend that patients with diabetes, heart disease, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or metabolic disorders such as PCOS choose low to moderate GI foods. Also, if you are obese or trying to lose weight, choosing low to moderate GI foods will help you stay energized while curbing your appetite. Fruit juice usually has a GI of moderate to high. Vegetable juices can be a great source of nutrients while having a low glycemic index (though healthy, carrot and beet juice have a higher GI than most vegetables).

Bringing It All Together:

You are now equipped with the information necessary to make the right choice for you in regards to juice consumption. You have learned that freshly squeezed juice has more nutrient value than bottled and how to identify pure fruit juice versus juice that is highly processed. In addition, you can weigh the benefits of eating the whole food with the juice form of produce. Lastly, I have explained the glycemic index so that you can understand how the consumption of carbohydrates such as fruit and vegetable juice affects your blood sugar and insulin levels. Thus, allowing you to choose carbohydrates that will help you to prevent or moderate diabetes, heart disease, metabolic disorders and obesity while having balanced energy levels throughout the day. 

Here is one of my favorite juice recipes I use to cleanse the liver and improve energy. Beets, carrots, lemon, kale, and parsley are nutritive to the liver and help with detoxification while the ginger helps to reduce inflammation and improves circulation. Enjoy!

Liver Cleanse Juice 
Using a juicer combine the following:

1 medium red beet, cut into quarters  
2 medium carrots 
1 tablespoon fresh peeled and grated ginger
4 kale
1/4 cup Italian parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Wash all produce with fruit and vegetable wash found at your local grocer. Organic produce is preferable to conventional. Nutrients are best preserved if consumed immediately after juicing as nutrient value degrades over time and with air, heat and light exposure.

People suffering from Diabetes or High blood sugar levels must be very cautious about their regular diet, which must be low in carbohydrates, and high in protein, vitamins and minerals. For most of the diabetics, it is tough to control the blood sugar levels, as there is hardly any food totally devoid of carbohydrates. It is advisable for the diabetics to include fiber rich food items in their daily diet that will supply the required energy without altering the blood sugar levels. Obesity is one of the vital causes of diabetes, so a high fiber diet also helps in controlling the body weight.

Fruits and Vegetables for Diabetics

The regular diet of the diabetics must include fair amounts of fruits and vegetables. These are not only rich in fiber, but are loaded with vitamins and minerals, which are essential for the body. Many diabetics are often in confusion, while choosing the right fruits and vegetables that will help in maintaining the normal blood glucose levels.

Most tend to avoid fruits, as they are rich in fructose. But a balanced diet consisting of everything is harmless for the diabetics and they can enjoy every kind of fruit, provided they are consumed in right proportions. Processed, refined and canned foods must be totally excluded from the diet.

1. Vegetables consisting of leafy greens are rich in fiber and vitamins, which help in controlling the blood sugar levels and also reduces the pangs of hunger. Whole grains, pulses, sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, beans, spinach, lettuce, peas etc. are most beneficial for the diabetics. The fiber rich diet not only regulates the blood sugar level, but also reduces the blood cholesterol level.

2. Vegetables like potato, yams, beet roots, corns and cassava are rich in carbohydrates, so these can be avoided or taken in very small amounts occasionally.

3. Sea weeds and sea fishes are highly beneficial for the diabetics, and these can also be included in the regular diet.

4. Fruits with high fiber, like nuts are beneficial for the diabetic patients. Almonds, walnuts and peanuts are some of the nuts that can be taken by the diabetics.

5. Fruits mainly contain fructose, which does not require insulin for its metabolism. So these can be taken in restricted amounts. Fruits like grape fruit, apple, avocado, grapes, guava and citrus fruits are ideal for the diabetics. Fruits rich in Vitamin C are must for the diabetics.

6. Juicy fruits are recommended for the diabetics as they are of high water content.

7. Fruits with high sugar content like mangoes, bananas, custard apple can be avoided or taken in small amounts.

8. Fruit juices available in the market must be strictly avoided, as these are devoid of the fiber and contain lots of added sugar.

Read about Diabetes Natural Treatment and its benefits. Know about Diabetes Supplement. Find how Diabetes Supplements help lower blood sugar naturally.

In a recent email received in our office, our patient was concerned about having experienced some hair shedding after taking Propecia medication. He is concerned if the medication will continue causing hair shed and of the additional possible side effects associated with Propecia. In addition, he wanted to know if having been “malnutrition” at the time and a family history of hair loss may be the reason for his current situation.

Propecia is a medical treatment that has been clinically tested, proven effective and FDA approved for safe consumption. In some cases, an increase in hair shedding may be evident during the first few weeks or months. Within or after 6 months of taking Propecia, hair growth should become more evident. It’s highly suggested not to be discouraged so early in the treatment and not to expect results too early as well. As for sexual side effects associated with Propecia, they have only been recorded in 1 out of every 100 patients tested and continued use has shown that side effects become minimal or non-existent.

If they do continue, you can take a lesser amount of Propecia or discontinue its use.

Most patients with a family history of hair loss are more prone to male or female pattern baldness than others. The positive side is if caught early the effects of hair loss can be prevented, slowed or corrected. Malnutrition can cause some loss of hair but that can only be attested to severe vitamin deficiency. If your body is lacking in vitamins, vitamin supplements can help reverse that. As long as you maintain a well balanced diet, vitamin deficiency should not be an issue.

At the patient’s current state, we have recommended that he start setting up a good relationship with a hair transplant surgeon to monitor his progress and suggest ways to prevent or correct current or future hair loss. He still needs a proper diagnosis for his current situation but once that is done we can better his personal situation and give him the options he needs to prevent or correct his situation.