Why You Should Go Nuts for Nuts

Why You Should Go Nuts for Nuts 

Nuts are underrated as nutritious snacks — particularly raw tree nuts, such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, and more, which have been linked to lower cholesterol, better heart health, weight control, and even a lower cancer risk. Eating nuts helps your heart. Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet may be good for your heart. Nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients. And they're a great snack food — inexpensive, easy to store and easy to pack when you're on the go. One drawback to nuts is that they're high in calories, so it's important to limit portions.

But choosing nuts instead of a less healthy snack may just help you stick to a heart-healthy diet. Although a great deal of research suggests that nuts can benefit heart health and reduce the risks of dying early from heart disease and other causes, the evidence is still inconclusive. But, unless you're allergic to nuts, there's no real danger in eating nuts, so you can certainly include nuts as part of your heart-healthy diet. One way nuts may help your heart health is by lowering cholesterol levels. Eating more nuts has also been linked to lower levels of inflammation linked to heart disease. Eating nuts may also reduce your risk of developing blood clots that can cause a fatal heart attack. Nuts also appear to improve the health of the lining of your arteries.


Besides being packed with protein, most nuts contain at least some of these heart-healthy substances:
Unsaturated fats. It's not entirely clear why, but it's thought that the "good" fats in nuts — both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — lower bad cholesterol levels.


Omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in many kinds of fish, but many nuts are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are a healthy form of fatty acids that seem to help your heart by, among other things, preventing dangerous heart rhythms that can lead to heart attacks. Fiber. All nuts contain fiber, which helps lower your cholesterol. Fiber makes you feel full, so you eat less. Fiber is also thought to play a role in preventing type 2 diabetes.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E may help stop the development of plaques in your arteries, which can narrow them. Plaque development in your arteries can lead to chest pain, coronary artery disease or a heart attack. Plant sterols. Some nuts contain plant sterols, a substance that can help lower your cholesterol. Plant sterols are often added to products like margarine and orange juice for additional health benefits, but sterols occur naturally in nuts.

Larginine.

Nuts are also a source of larginine, which is a substance that may help improve the health of your artery walls by making them more flexible and less prone to blood clots that can block blood flow.

Western Education for IDP Children in Nigeria

7 HEALTH BENEFITS OF HONEY

HONEY IS A POWERFUL HOUSE  OF HEALTH BENEFITS

There is something undeniably enchanting about honey; the product of flower nectar transformed by bees, as if by alchemy – but in fact through the far less-poetic act of regurgitation – into a sweet, golden elixir. Honey has held sway over humans since ancient times.

Honey contains a treasure chest of hidden nutritional and medicinal value for centuries. The sweet golden liquid from the beehive is a popular kitchen staple loaded with antibacterial and antifungal properties that has been used since the early days.

Consume honey responsibly and reap the numerous health benefits of this liquid gold.

1. Alleviates Allergies

Honey’s anti-inflammatory effects and ability to soothe coughs has led to the belief it can also reduce seasonal allergy symptoms. A common theory is that honey acts like a natural vaccine." It contains small amounts of pollen, which if the body is exposed to small amounts of it, it can trigger an immune response that produces antibodies to the pollen.

2. All-Natural Energy Drink

Honey is an excellent source of all-natural energy at just 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon. This natural unprocessed sugar — fructose and glucose — directly enter the bloodstream and can deliver a quick boost of energy. The rise in blood sugar acts as a short-term energy source for your workout, especially in longer endurance exercises.

3. Boosts Memory

The sweet nectar is loaded in antioxidants that may help prevent cellular damage and loss within the brain. Honey’s ability to help the body absorb calcium, helps aid brain health. The brain needs calcium in order to process thought and make decisions

4. Cough Suppressant

Honey can be the all-natural cure when it comes to pesky colds. A persistent cough that won’t go away can easily be remedied with two teaspoons of honey. Children between the ages of 1 and 5 with nighttime cough due to colds coughed less frequently when they received two teaspoons of honey 30 minutes before bed.

Honey is believed to be as effective as the common cough suppressant ingredient dextromethorphan. It can be used in treating upper respiratory tract infections.

5. Sleep Aid

Honey can be a health aid for sleepless nights. Similar to sugar, honey can cause a rise in insulin and release serotonin — a neurotransmitter that improves mood and happiness. Moreover, honey also contains several amino acids. Honey’s steady rise in insulin, causes the tryptophan in honey to enter the brain, where it’s then converted into serotonin and then into melatonin, which is a sleep aid. This hormone is responsible for regulating sleep and wake cycles.

6. Treats Dandruff

Honey can bring temporary relief to the scalp by targeting dandruff. Research found applying honey diluted with 10 percent warm water to problem areas and leaving it on for three hours before rinsing led to itch relief and no scaling within a week. Skin lesions healed within two weeks and patients even showed an improvement in hair loss. The patients did not relapse even after six months of use.

7. Treats Wounds And Burns

Honey is a natural antibiotic that can act both internally and externally. It can be used as a conventional treatment for wounds and burns by disinfecting wounds and sores.Honey has been utilized for its medicinal properties for over 2,000 years and continues its legacy

BEST WORKOUT FOR PEOPLE OVER 40

BEST WORKOUT FOR PEOPLE OVER 40

As we get older, we start to lose vitamins and minerals and our health deteriorates. Our bones become smaller, weaker and more prone to serious injuries. We start to lose our strength and our cardiovascular health begins its downward spiral.

Our skin begins to lose some of its natural elasticity and starts to sag. Instead of waiting for all kinds of diseases, we can choose to fight back. We can choose to exercise. A few of the hundreds of benefits of weightlifting and exercising include the prevention of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, back pain, osteoporosis, psychological effects and many more.

Studies show that 13.5 million people have coronary heart disease, 1.5 million people have heart attacks per year, 8 million people have onset diabetes, 100,000 people are diagnosed with colon cancer each year, 250,000 people suffer from hip fractures per year, 50 million people have high blood pressure and over 60 million people are overweight. All this can be prevented with regular exercise and a good diet. Come on, what have you got to lose.

The older you get, the weaker your body becomes. An adult over age 40 should start to experience a decrease in muscle size, strength and recovery time. Bones becomes increasingly more fragile and more prone for injury. Testosterone levels begin to decrease and the ability to build quality muscle decreases greatly. Joints begin to ache after a hard day’s work. However, there is an easy way to slow this aging process down. Simply follow a good diet with a good routine and you can slow down this decay on your body.

THE WORKOUT:

Do 5 minutes of light cardio before workouts to get the blood flowing through the body. Do 30 minute of moderate intensity cardio after workouts. Be sure to stretch before and after workouts. Allow 2-to-3 minute rest periods between each set.

CHEST / TRICEPS DAYS:

• Chair Upper Body Stretch: Sit on the edge of a chair, gripping the back of it. Straighten your arms, keeping your back straight, and let your upper body pull you forward so you feel a stretch.

            Chair Upper Body Stretch. 

• Doorway Chest Stretch: Face perpendicular at the end of a wall and place the inside of bent arm on the surface of wall. Turn the body away from the positioned arm. You should feel a nice stretch on your chest. Hold for ten seconds.
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•                                                  Doorway Stretch. 

• Overhead Tricep Stretch: Raise you right arm in the air and drop your hands and forearms towards your neck. With the left hand, push your right elbow back until you feel a nice stretch on your triceps. Hold for ten seconds.

                                               Overhead Tricep Stretch. 

BACK / BICEPS DAYS:

• Middle Back Stretch: Stand so your feet are shoulder width apart and your hands are on your hips. Twist at your waist until you feel a stretch. Hold for 10-to-15 seconds, then twist to the other side.

 

Middle Back Stretch. 

• Standing Torso Reach: Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart and facing forward. Place your right hand on your right hip and reach you left arm over your head to bend your torso until you feel a stretch through your sides. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat for your other side.

  

Standing Torso Reach. 

• Standing Bicep Stretch: Clasp hands behind the back with palms facing together. Straighten and rotate arms so that the palms are facing downward. Raise the arm away from the body. Hold this stretch for approximately 10 seconds and repeat with the other arm.

 

Standing Bicep Stretch. 

SHOULDER / TRAPS DAYS:

• Side Wrist Pull: This stretch works best standing. Cross your left arm over the midline of your body and hold the left wrist in your right hand down at the level of your hips. Start the stretch with a bent left arm. Slowly straighten, pull, and lift it up to shoulder height, as pictured. Feel this stretch originate in your back, not your shoulders, and don't pull too hard on the shoulder joints. Switch sides.

  


Side Wrist Pull. 

• Hands Interlocked Over Head: Interlock your fingers above your head, palms facing upward, and push your hands farther above your head until you feel a stretch in your shoulders.

 

Hands Interlocked Over Head. 

• Rear Deltoid Stretch: Position arms across the neck. With the other hand, push the elbow toward the neck area. You should feel a nice stretch on your posterior deltoids. If you don't feel it, push the wrist instead of the elbow for greater leverage. Hold the stretch for ten seconds and repeat with the other arm.

  

Rear Deltoid Stretch. 

• Trapezius Stretch: On your hands and knees, pull your belly and round your spine completely - lower back, shoulders and neck (let your head drop). Hold for 15 seconds.

 

Trapezius Stretch. 

Healthy Foods That Help Slow Aging

Healthy Foods That Help Slow Aging

Salmon.  It’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation.  The best choice is wild-caught salmon. Herring, mackerel, and sardines are also loaded with omega-3s.

Walnuts. These nuts are another plentiful source of omega-3s and other healthful compounds, including vitamin e, which is a powerful immune booster.

Onions. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant that prevents harmful enzymes from triggering inflammation. Onions also contain sulfur compounds that bolster the immune system. Other good sources of quercetin include apples, broccoli, red wine, red grapes, grape juice, and tea.

Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are rich in carotenoids, a type of antioxidant known for boosting immunity and preventing inflammation. Not a sweet-potato kind of guy or gal? Try chomping down on other orange, red, yellow, or green fruits and veggies like carrots, yellow squash, peppers, and mangoes.

Spinach. Spinach also has carotenoids, not to mention immune-boosting vitamin E. Any green leafy vegetable is powerful for immune support.

Garlic. Like onions, garlic is rich in sulfur compounds that boost the activity of immune cells. Garlic is also a powerful anti-inflammatory agent.

Pineapple. Bromelain, found in pineapple, is an enzyme that decreases inflammation and confers some immune-enhancing effects. Pineapple is also an excellent source of the antioxidant vitamin C.

Ginger. Fresh ginger root acts as an anti-inflammatory. It works by dampening the action of inflammation-promoting enzymes in the body.

Any and all vegetables. Besides the veggies I mentioned above, I want to emphasize the importance of all vegetables for circulatory health. Vegetables, which many people now refer to as “plant foods,” contain phytonutrients—protective disease-fighting substances in foods. some of these may help the body produce nitric oxide, which is a vasodilator and can help reduce blood pressure.