The Centenarian

Cloudy apple juice is better for you than clear varieties, say researchers.

Polish scientists found the levels of antioxidants which protect against heart disease and cancer are almost double in cloudy apple juice.

The antioxidants, called polyphenols, are also found in red wine, berries and dark chocolate.

In the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, the researchers said the manufacturing process led to fewer polyphenols in clear apple juice.

The researchers at the Agricultural University of Wroclaw measured the amount of procyanidins, the main compounds containing polyphenols in apples, in two varieties of clear and cloudy apple juices.

They also measured the antioxidant activity in the four juices.

Juice made from the Champion variety of apples was found to have higher levels of polyphenols than juice made from Idared apples.

But overall cloudy apple juice, which contains more pulp, was found to have higher concentrations of antioxidants and showed more antioxidant activity in experiments.

There was a four-fold difference in polyphenols between the best and worst juices.

Study leader, Dr Jan Oszmianski, said they had found they same results for clear and pureed or cloudy strawberry juices.

“I recommend cloudy juices as they contain more polyphenols and pectins.

“Health benefits are expected mainly in the case of cloudy apple juice consumption.”

Polyphenols

Previous research has shown that polyphenols contained in fruit and vegetables help to protect against diseases such as cancer, by mopping up free radicals which can cause damage to cells.

Apples themselves contain a wide variety of polyphenols but when processed into apple juice some of these may be lost.

The manufacturing process used to make clear apple juice, which include using an enzyme to break down the pectin in apple cell walls and spinning to remove pulp, considerably decreases the levels of polyphenols in the end product, Dr Oszmianski explained.

Dr Paul Kroon, senior research scientist at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich said clear apple juices tended to be more popular and are more stable giving them a longer shelf life.

“A lot of polyphenols are lost when you make a clear juice. It could also be that because you’re retaining that cloudiness and pectin there’s the additional benefit of fibre.

“If you’re interested in health, you should go for a non-clarified apple juice.”

Dr Kroon said eating an apple would be better than drinking apple juice, although farmers had been growing sweeter less astringent varieties with fewer polyphenols.

“Before we knew about the them, polyphenols were bred out of apples and now we’re looking at putting them back,” he said.

Judy Moore, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association and registered dietitian said: “Almost doubling your intake of apple polyphenols by switching from clear to cloudy juice seems an easy option for apple juice drinkers.

“Don’t forget that eating apples offers more health benefits than drinking apple juice as you also get the fibre in apples.”

Filed under: Body on January 2nd, 2008 | No Comments »

More popular in Asian communities there is talk of a new  process called NEWSTART.

NEWSTART stands for:
N-nutrition
E-xercise
W-ater
S-unlight
T-emperance
A-ir
R-est
T-rust in the Lord

We will get more information on this theory shortly.

Filed under: Mind on December 26th, 2007 | No Comments »

Most people assume that there is not much difference between antiperspirant and deodorant, but you might be surprised. Antiperspirants use chemicals to obstruct pores, which prevents the release of perspiration. Deodorants, on the other hand, allow perspiration to occur but counteract the odor.

Many people worry that they will offend others if they forego using antiperspirant. Even if they use a deodorant to minimize unpleasant odor, they may be uncomfortable with appearing “sweaty” or fear that they are just covering up one smell with another.

Contrary to popular opinion, most deodorants do not just cover up odor with fragrance. They actually have antiseptic properties that work to kill bacteria, which is what causes odor to begin with.

However, both products may have adverse effects on your health. Some medical professionals believe that blocking the pores and obstructing the body’s natural method of lowering body temperature is unhealthy. More important, many believe that the chemicals used in antiperspirants, specifically aluminum compounds, may be linked to serious health problems.

While the subject continues to encounter heated debate, at least a handful of studies show a connection between the regular use of antiperspirant and the risk of breast cancer. At least one study shows the risk to be elevated if antiperspirant is applied directly after shaving underarms.

There is also research that indicates that aluminum compounds can be absorbed into the blood stream, and eventually build up in the brain. Researchers have tied this phenomenon to the increase in cases of Alzheimer’s disease.

Deodorant was believed to be a safer alternative, but a new study links parabens found in many deodorants to breast cancer as well. One study used autopsy results from women who died of breast cancer, which discovered parabens in their breast tissue. For many professionals as well as consumers, this is enough of a correlation to cause concern.

Some members of the medical community are not convinced that there is any validity to these concerns. Healthcare professionals and some health agencies claim the cited studies are flawed, and believe that any danger thought to be caused by antiperspirants or deodorants is just a myth. However, there are strong arguments on both sides of this issue.

This subject is likely to be debated for some time, and further study is indicated. In the mean time, consumer watchdogs as well as some health professionals advise consumers to reconsider using antiperspirants. They also advise checking deodorant labels to insure that they do not contain parabens.

Increasing questions about the safety of everyday products have led many people to choose natural alternatives. Natural deodorants are available in many health stores and online, and may provide a healthier choice. Consumers should still read labels to insure that such products do not contain dangerous chemicals. Not everything that is advertised as “natural” is made from 100% natural ingredients.

Some people have gone so far as to make homemade natural deodorant, mixing equal parts of baking soda and cornstarch and adding a few drops of essential oil for fragrance. This mixture can be applied by dabbing it on with a damp cloth. This concoction washes away easily and is believed to be a safer alternative than some of the commercial products available today.

Sweat of any person is without fragrance. Sweat makes lots of bacteria and smells.

One should use deodorants to control the growth of bacteria and smells.

There are large numbers of deodorants from many reputed companies available in the market.

People can easily make deodorants at home in a few minutes.

–

Homemade Deodorants:
Stick Homemade Deodorant
Ingredients:

* 2 ounces of baking soda
* Vodka about one ounce
* Beeswax- 8 ounces
* Cornstarch—4 ounces
* Liquid chorophyll—1 ounce
* Distilled water—about 2 ounces
* 10-15 drops of rose, honeysuckle, coriander oil according to the choice

Procedure:

Except chorophyll and wax, put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix and stir well. And then melt beeswax in a double boiler at low heat. After this add chorophyll and wax and blend it gently. Now leave it for cooling by before solid, mix essential oils and liquid clorophyll. And after this pour this mixture into a mold and leave it for solid. Remove the prepared deodorants from mold and keep in dry cool place.
No-Sweat Tea – homemade deodorants
Ingredients:

* One full teaspoon of dried hops
* One full teaspoon of fresh rose petals
* Stinging nettle, one teaspoon
* Four full cups of hot water
* Dried leaves of strawberry, one teaspoon
* Dried leaves of sage, three full tablespoons
* Fresh leaves of walnut-one full teaspoon

Procedure:

Take and Mix all ingredients and steep them for about 60 minutes. After this, strain the tea and take with honey.
Cream Deodorant
Ingredients:

* Glycerine one full tablespoon
* Cocoa butter—half ounce
* Rosewater one full tablespoon
* Beeswax—half ounce

Procedure:

Take beeswax and cocoa butter in a large boiler and melt them well. And then add rosewater and glycerine after removing from heat. After this, add a few drops of essential oils such as eucalyptus, lemon, sage, calendula, lavender, coriander, thyme or rosemary. If cream is separated, stir the deodorants before using it.
Herbal Deodorant Powder
Ingredients:

* Take one part of powder of white oak bark as an astringent
* Take two parts of powder of sandalwood for anti-microbal and fragrance properties
* Take one part of powder of lovage root

Procedure:

Take all powder in a food processor and blend them well until all powders change into a fine powder. Transfer this powder into a dry or clean iron skillet. Before using it pat bags on the feet and under arms.
Deodorizing Foot Bath:
Ingredients:

* Take 5-6 tablespoon of Epson salts
* White vinegar half cup
* Warm water about one gallon

Procedure:

Mix all ingredients and Soak the dirty feet in the solution to prevent sweat and bad smell.
Sage Deodorizing Foot Powder
Ingredients:

* Sage essential oil—2 or 3 drops
* Baking powder—One full tablespoon

Procedure:

Mix oil and baking powder in a bowl and shake well. And then leave it to dry for a few minutes.

Filed under: Body on December 26th, 2007 | No Comments »

The goal is to help you live 35% longer and a whole lot younger! How? By fighting life’s Major Agers. We’ve created a 14-day action plan, based on cutting-edge science, to help you extend your natural warranty and live to a ripe old age with all the vim and vigor of your youth.

The website has great tools and advise as well here Website

We recomend getting the book at Costco, it’s only about $14 to $15 bucks.

Filed under: Tools on December 19th, 2007 | No Comments »

Mormons have less heart disease — something doctors have long chalked up to their religion’s ban on smoking. New research suggests that another of their “clean living” habits also may be helping their hearts: fasting for one day each month.

A study in Utah, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is based, found that people who skipped meals once a month were about 40 percent less likely to be diagnosed with clogged arteries than those who did not regularly fast.

People did not have to “get religion” to benefit: non-Mormons who regularly took breaks from food also were less likely to have clogged arteries, scientists found.

They concede that their study is far from proof that periodic fasting is good for anyone, but said the benefit they observed poses a theory that deserves further testing.

“It might suggest these are people who just control eating habits better,” and that this discipline extends to other areas of their lives that improves their health, said Benjamin Horne, a heart disease researcher from Intermountain Medical Center and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

He led the study and reported results at a recent American Heart Association conference. The research was partly funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Roughly 70 percent of Utah residents are Mormons, whose religion advises abstaining from food on the first Sunday of each month, Horne said.

Researchers got the idea to study fasting after analyzing medical records of patients who had X-ray exams to check for blocked heart arteries between 1994 and 2002 in the Intermountain Health Collaborative Study, a health registry. Of these patients, 4,629 could be diagnosed as clearly having or lacking heart disease — an artery at least 70 percent clogged.

Researchers saw a typical pattern: only 61 percent of Mormons had heart disease compared to 66 percent of non-Mormons. They thought tobacco use probably accounted for the difference. But after taking smoking into account, they still saw a lower rate of heart disease among Mormons and designed a survey to explore why.

It asked about Mormons’ religious practices: monthly fasting; avoiding tea, coffee and alcohol; taking a weekly day of rest; going to church, and donating time or money to charity.

Among the 515 people surveyed, only fasting made a significant difference in heart risks: 59 percent of periodic meal skippers were diagnosed with heart disease versus 67 percent of the others.

The difference persisted even when researchers took weight, age and conditions like diabetes or high cholesterol or blood pressure into account. About 8 percent of those surveyed were not Mormons, and those who regularly fasted had lower rates of heart disease, too.

Horne speculated that when people take a break from food, it forces the body to dip into fat reserves to burn calories. It also keeps the body from being constantly exposed to sugar and having to make insulin to metabolize it. When people develop diabetes, insulin-producing cells become less sensitive to cues from eating, so fasting may provide brief rests that resensitize these cells and make them work better, he said.

But he and other doctors cautioned that skipping meals is not advised for diabetics — it could cause dangerous swings in blood sugar.

Also for dieters, “the news is not as good as you might think” on fasting, said Dr. Raymond Gibbons of the Mayo Clinic, a former heart association president.

“Fasting resets the metabolic rate,” slowing it down to adjust to less food and forcing the body to store calories as soon as people resume eating, Gibbons said.

Filed under: Body on December 11th, 2007 | No Comments »