Reduce Uric Acid Naturally. . .

Uric acid is a byproduct of the chemical breakdown of compounds called 'purines' that exist in our body's cells and in our food. Purines are very important to us because they provide things like our energy that we all need and our protein. During this process uric acid is produced in the bloodstream.

And uric acid is good for us because it acts as an antioxidant and helps look after the internal linings of our blood vessels. It's our kidneys' job to process the uric acid produced and excrete waste out of our bodies via our urine, with a little via our stools.

If the diet is high in foods containing purine, or the kidneys are unable to eliminate excessive uric acid, high uric acid levels, known as hyperuricemia or gout, occur.

Although the kidneys usually maintain uric acid at healthy levels, there are times when they are unable to do this, with the result that excess uric acid is retained in, and circulates in, the blood.

Two of the main causes for high uric acid levels in blood are:

(1) The kidneys aren't working to their full potential so that they are unable to process and expel sufficient uric acid quickly enough, or...

(2) There is too much uric acid being produced by the metabolizing purines for healthy kidneys to process.

Whatever is the case, the result is high uric acid in the blood.

Hydration (water)

Keep your body hydrated. Although the body easily adapts to low water intake, optimum hydration is necessary to eliminate uric acid from your system. Water dilutes uric acid levels in the blood, and stimulates the kidneys to pass on waste products to the bladder. Recommendations vary, but a good rule of thumb is to divide your body weight by two, to determine the number of ounces appropriate for daily intake.

Adjust Your Diet

To gain control of uric acid levels, avoid eating foods high in purine, the chemical responsible for forming uric acid in the system. Red meat, seafood, organ meats and some beans are all high in purines. Refined carbohydrates and vegetables such as asparagus, peas, mushrooms and cauliflower, should also be avoided. A diet low in purine content is the best choice for gout sufferers or those prone to gout in order to keep serum uric acid levels at a minimum. A diet centered on fat-free or low-fat dairy products such as cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs and soy products should be followed to neutralize uric acid.

Avoid Fructose

Limit your soda consumption. In an article on the Arthritis Today website, researchers found men who drank more than six servings of high fructose soft drinks each week, increased the occurrence of gout. Although diet soda is not implicated, fruit juices and other sugary drinks are.

Reduce Inflammation

To reduce uric acid concentration, the University of Maryland Medical Center advises adding cherries, blueberries and strawberries to your diet. Bromelain, found in pineapple, is a digestive enzyme with anti-inflammatory properties that inhibits the proteins responsible for inflammation. Celery, a natural diuretic, helps alkalize your blood and decrease inflammation. Try a thimble full of seeds each day or take it in supplement form.

Limit Alcohol Intake

Because alcohol dehydrates the body, it is advisable to limit consumption, particularly when consumed with foods high in purine. Although consumption of wine doesn't seem to affect uric acid levels, the high yeast content of beer makes it particularly suspect. Beer drinkers are advised to limit intake or eliminate it from the diet altogether.

Body Weight

When combined with a diet high in purines, extra body weight is related to high uric acid levels, but rapid weight loss is also a factor. If you are overweight, it is best to avoid crash dieting. Develop a gradual weight-loss program to prevent an increase in uric acid levels.

Control Your Blood Pressure.. Naturally!

High blood pressure or hypertension is a medical condition where the arterial blood pressure increases.

The reasons could be too much stress, obesity, high intake of salt, diabetes etc. The probability of cardiovascular diseases such as heart strokes, heart failure, kidney disorders, heart attack etc. increases with a high BP.

Lifestyle plays an important role in medicine your blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure to a healthy lifestyle, you can prevent, delay or reduce the need for medication.

Eat more fruits, vegetables, grains, and low-fat dairy foods.

A lower level of sodium - 1500 mg per day or less - is suitable for people 51 years of age or older, and people of all ages with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

Given below is a list of 10 foods that can help you lower down the blood pressure:

Spinach: It contains magnesium, folate, iron, vitamin C and is very healthy for your body. Even if you don't like it, make sure that you include this nutrient rich vegetable in your diet as it contains those key ingredients.

Banana: It is rich in potassium which is perhaps the most important nutrient to lower down the high blood pressure. A banana a day keeps the high blood pressure away. It assures you of good health.

Kiwi: Of late, the kiwifruit is being prescribed to battle hypertension. Rich in potassium and Vitamin C, it helps lower down the BP. Kiwis are also rich in an antioxidant called lutein, which, it is thought, might help fight the disease.

Skimmed milk: Easily available and a part of daily consumption. It contains plenty of calcium and vitamin D and the two nutrients team up to bring down blood pressure.

Garlic: A single clove of garlic does wonders. It has several properties which help prevent clotting and thickening of blood vessels. Also, it can easily fight the damage caused due to high BP.

Beans: Kidney, pinto, lima and black beans are some types of beans you should include in your daily diet. Beans are rich, both in magnesium and potassium, capable of decreasing high blood pressure.

Broccoli: Oozing with potassium, it also contains chromium which fights against the cardiovascular diseases. It controls the blood sugar and insulin levels.

Celery: It contains an ingredient called phthalide which rests the muscles of the vessels and aids in the smooth flow of blood. Besides that, celery has a very calming effect and is highly recommended if you are prone to stress.

Tomatoes: It contains an antioxidant lycopene, which is known to significantly reduce the high blood pressure. Also, tomatoes are rich in calcium, potassium, vitamins A, C and E, all the essential nutrients required to curb the problem.

Others: Apart from the nine foods mentioned above, sunflower seeds, olive oil, avocadoes, papaya, dark chocolates and various juices are helpful in bringing the blood pressure levels to normal. It is advisable to eat vegetables and fruits rich in potassium and calcium. Intake of salt (which contains sodium) should be minimized. Avoid eating fried stuff.

Control your blood pressure at home and make regular appointments with the doctor

If you have high blood pressure may need to check your blood pressure at home. Learn to self-monitor your blood pressure monitor arm can help motivate you. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring before.

Regular visits to your doctor may also become part of your normal routine. These visits will help you control your blood pressure.

Weight Loss Tips for Women

Quick Weight Loss Tips for Women: Diet

The first thing you need to be asking yourself – how healthy is your diet? Note down where all improvements can be done, so that you can remove fried or oily foods, with non-fried and healthier foods. Also, reduce the amount of desserts, and replace them with a dessert which is made with fresh fruits. So, first make a weekly meal plan which includes healthy recipes.

Breaking your meals into 5-6 small meals is a better idea, as this will improve your metabolism and won’t let your binge. If you are pressed for time, then just make a quick smoothie, using fresh unflavored yogurt and berries.

To help the body improve its digestion capacity, include some metabolism boosters. 4-5 cups of green tea, lots of water every day, having a glass of cold water with a juice of 1 lemon, during the morning, and exercising are good ways to boost your metabolism naturally.

Fast Weight Loss Tips for Women: Exercise

If you are spending most of your time at home, then you can do workouts at home. Just play some high beat music, wear comfortable clothes and do all the chores like sweeping, swapping, clearing up clutter fast. Also, take your dog for a walk; playing with your children can greatly help.

If you tend to spend most of the time at workplace, then learning some office weight loss exercises for women can help you to lose weight. Avoid taking the lift, and use stairs. Also, after few hours take a break and stretch your body. There are certain exercises like the vacuum pose exercise, which involves pulling your belly button in and holding it for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, which can help you lose weight. You can also learn other desk workouts, and do them whenever you can find free time. However, if you are looking for weight loss tips for women over 40s, and can dedicate an hour to working out, then gym workout routine for women is a good idea.

ARE AVOCADOS GOOD FOR YOU?

Avocado Health Benefits, Nutrition, Calories, 

Avocados are said to be one of nature's perfect foods because of their health benefits and nutritional content. Avocados contain 60% more potassium than bananas and studies show that diets high in potassium can reduce the risk of hypertension and possibly stroke. Avocados are also rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamin E and vitamin K, all of which are essential for a healthy body. In addition, avocados are known to help lower blood cholesterol, reduce the risks of heart disease, and help prevent osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, among other things.

All the health benefits and nutritional value of avocados make avocados one super food deserving to be included in our daily diet.

Health Benefits of Avocados

• Avocados can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease - According to the American Heart Association, mono and polyunsaturated fats ("good" fats), when consumed in moderation and eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease risk for heart disease. Avocados are one of the few fruits that provide "good" fats. Avocados contribute good fats to one's diet, providing 3g of monounsaturated and 0.5g polyunsaturated fat per 1 oz. serving. Folate in avocados is also good for a healthy heart.

• Avocados can reduce the risk of hypertension and possibly stroke - Avocado is a good source of potassium. In fact avocados contain 60% more potassium than bananas. Studies show that diets high in potassium can help lower the risk of hypertension and possibly stroke.

• Avocados can help people with diabetes - Avocados have healthy fats which contain an essential hormone known asadiponectin which helps to speed up the absorption of glucose, and helps to regulate the blood sugar levels.

• Avocados can help prevent osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis - Avocados are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are essential for helping reduce the inflammation associated with arthritis.

• Avocados can help reduce the risk of cancer - Studies show that certain toxin found in avocados can kill cancer cells. Although more studies have to done, scientists believe that the toxin can help prevent or reduce the risk of breast cancer. Avocados are also high in potassium which help prevent or reduce the risk of cancer.

• Avocados can help in weight loss - The high fat content in avocados gives you a faster feeling of being full and this helps reduce overeating. Recent studies also show that calories are not the only factor in reducing weight. The timing of both consumption and exercise is also important.

Nutritional Value - Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They have a good amount of B vitamins and especially vitamin E, but less vitamin C compared to other fruits. They are also good for fiber and potassium. The potassium and fiber content in avocado is among the highest for fruits. They also supply a little of other minerals like phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. They also act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.

So there you go... Avocados are good for you!

Avocado Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1 teaspoons lime peel, grated
1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
One 10-ounce package mixed baby greens
4 kiwis, peeled and sliced in half rounds
4 grapefruits, sectioned
2 cups strawberries, sliced
2 star fruits, sliced
1/2 ripe avocado, sliced

Directions
To make the salad dressing, whisk together all the ingredients from olive oil to black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Combine the remaining ingredients, excluding the avocado, in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing, tossing to coat. Place the avocado slices on top and serve immediately.

Food for Brain Energy Boosters

You've probably heard that certain foods can help your memory improve, and will allow you to think with better clarity.

Keep in mind that all cells need nutrients to continue their growth. This means your brain needs foods that will give it the building blocks it needs to work right. When you have more neurons and connections within your brain, it means you have a stronger memory and your mind can work better.

Build Your Brain: Healthy Fats

The majority of the cell structure in the brain consists of healthy fats, including the most important healthy fats, called Omega-3 fatty acids. As the brain continues to fix itself and grow additional neurons, it needs a good amount of Omega-3s to be consumed.

The best food sources to get your Omega-3 from, in order of importance, are:

Wild Salmon

Deep-water fish, such as salmon, are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, not only good for the heart but for the brain function as well, Our brain neurons are coated with fats and omega-3 fatty acids can provide a good coating to keep the brain activities up and running.  Too much cholesterol only makes our neurons stiffer and our brain’ capacity to store information will be greatly reduced without the good fats.

Nuts and seeds are good sources of vitamin E, says Pratt, explaining that higher levels of vitamin E correspond with less cognitive decline as you get older. Add an ounce a day of walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, filberts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seed, and unhydrogenated nut butters such as peanut butter, almond butter, and tahini. . In addition to these, nuts and seeds are also rich sources of Vitamin E, thiamine and magnesium that are all known to keep our brains in tip-top shape. Just be careful with the salt content especially if you’re hypertensive.

Whole grains
Whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole-grain breads, and brown rice can reduce the risk for heart disease. Every organ in the body is dependent on blood flow. If you promote cardiovascular health, you're promoting good flow to the organ system, which includes the brain.

Protect Your Brain (Antioxidant)

As people get older, substances called free radicals, which are floating through the bloodstream, will break down the brain cells. If you don’t put up a fight, you’ll experience loss of memory as you age. However, there are a good deal of antioxidant food sources to choose from. Antioxidants will merge with these free radicals, turning them harmless. Make sure you eat foods that have this healthy food source.

A cup of blueberries a day in any form -- fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried is also known to improve one’s learning abilities and motor skills so a delectable blueberry dessert must be the perfect choice if you want to harness your brain powers.

Grapes: Eat grapes and notice a sudden boost in your energy

Dried Figs: Can serve as your spare energy pack. It has more potassium than bananas, more calcium than milk and is also a good source of dietary fiber. You won’t believe that figs don’t contain cholesterol, fats, or sodium. It can keep you pumped up all day long. The reason why figs are a good pick than processed sugar in junk foods, because figs contain natural, easily digestible, slow burning sugars

Ginseng can also be used to boost your energy levels in the morning that can last the whole day. It can lower your stress levels; improve your memory and immune system. Ginseng can also stabilize your blood sugar so you won’t crash when you’re hungry

Make a Cayenne pepper: Combine 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper into a cup of warm water. Drink it down and experience some boost of energy in your system. If you need to stay up all night, prepare a quart of any kind of juice without sugar or preservatives on it. Add 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in your prepared sugarless juice. Now take this mixture if you feel sleepy

Dark chocolate 
Let's end with the good stuff. Dark chocolate has powerful antioxidant properties, contains several natural stimulants, including caffeine, which enhance focus and concentration. It also stimulates the production of happy hormones called endorphins so dark chocolates can literally lift up your moods. One-half ounce to 1 ounce a day will provide all the benefits you need.

Add these foods to your daily diet, and will help increase your odds of maintaining a healthy brain for the rest of your life.

10 Reasons Why eating Breakfast is Important

HEALTHY EATING HABITS – 
It is well established that people who eat breakfast consume less fat and cholesterol and more vitamins, minerals, and fiber than people who skip breakfast.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT –
 The National Weight Control Registry reported that people who eat breakfast have an easier time managing their weight than people who skip
breakfast.

PORTION CONTROL – 
In general, people who eat breakfast have an easier time controlling their caloric intake throughout the day than those who don’t.

REDUCED RISK OF DIABETES – 
A report by the American Heart Association showed that people who eat breakfast are significantly less likely to develop diabetes than people who skip breakfast.

MORE ENERGY –
 A healthy breakfast can provide your body with the nutrients that you need to stay energized for several hours.

FITNESS – 
It is believed that people who eat breakfast have more energy and therefore may participate in more physical activity than people who skip breakfast.

FOCUS – 
According to the American Dietetic Association, people who eat breakfast have an easier time focusing and are more productive throughout the morning than people who skip breakfast.

MEMORY –
 Eating breakfast improves memory and learning.

BETTER MOOD – 
Skipping breakfast can make you feel grumpy and fatigued throughout the day. Taking just 10 minutes to eat something in the morning can really improve your mood.

BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL – 
Help your children to develop healthy eating habits at an early age by encouraging them to eat breakfast. If they see you eating breakfast, they are more likely to eat breakfast too.

Stay Healthy ~ Stay Happy ~ Share with friends and family

THYROID 101,

Your Power Center

A thumb-size gland rules your waistline, energy level, and mood. And for millions of women, this regulator is on the fritz.

Lodged between the voice box and the collarbone, and wrapped around the windpipe, the thyroid helps control tour body’s energy supply. The butterfly-shaped glands pumps out thyroid hormone, a powerful chemical that regulates metabolism and body temperature, says endocrinologist Jeffrey Powell, M.D., of Northern Westschester Hospital in New York. It also works with just about every system in your body to keep your brain sharp, your bowels moving, your periods regular and your skins, nail and hair healthy. The thyroid is like a car’s gas and brake pedals rolled into one: It can speed up or slow down the rate at which your body burns through its fuel supply.

Of course, when part of a car malfunctions, the whole system can stall. There are no comprehensive statistics in the regarding the number of people affected with thyroid disorders. But the majority of sufferers are female. It’s estimated that women are as much as 12 times more likely to develop a problem than men are, possibly because they are also more prone to developing autoimmune disease ( such as lupus are rheumatoid arthritis ), which can mess with the thyroid, says Armand Krikorian, M.D., associate director of endocrinologist at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. Thyroid disorders – which are often genetic and typically involve the production of too little hormone (hypothyroidism) or too much production (hyperthyroidism) – can also temporarily or permanently spring up after pregnancy.

SIGNS OF TROUBLE

Hypo and hyperthyroidism can have opposing suites of symptoms. In many cases, though hypothyroidism signs are subtler and increase in intensity over time. Unexpected or sudden weight gain may occur, but since that can be due to a variety of factors, it’s not enough to indicate hypothyroidism. Some experts also look for the following symptoms: dry skin, hair loss, forgetfulness, fatigue, frequent chills, constipation, and irregular periods. Another red flag of hypothyroidism is feeling very weak during a workout you use to have no problem getting through. “Thyroid hormones regulate how much energy reaches all cells, including muscles cells.

Much easier to identify is hyperthyroidism (Graves’ disease is a common type), in which the thyroid unleashes a flood of excess hormone. This can shock your body into sudden weight loss, rapid heartbeat, insomnia or bouts of diarrhea. Sufferers can feel constant weird, warm, and shaky, as if they’re hooked up to an IV filled with espresso. Similar to the warning signs of hypothyroidism, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism can become worse or more persistent over time - but both conditions are highly treatable with prescription meds.

Source: Women’s Health 

Coffee Benefits For COFFEE LOVERS. . .

COFFEE BENEFITS

The emotional and physical benefits of coffee are numerous. Not only does coffee taste good, it can stimulate you, relax you and refresh you.

Coffee stimulates your senses thanks to its caffeine content which stimulates metabolism and supports mental alertness and concentration. Your body absorbs it within 30 minutes, and its positive effects may last 2-5 hours.

Coffee relaxes you because it hydrates you. Because water is the main ingredient in a cup of coffee, it helps you work towards your daily water needs and is practically free of calories.

Coffee refreshes you with its wealth of polyphenols. Polyphenols are nutrients that help maintain your body in good health over time. They are also found in green tea, fruits and cocoa.

Coffee also contains minerals such as magnesium and chromium, which help the body use the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar (glucose). In type 2 diabetes, the body loses its ability to use insulin and regulate blood sugar effectively.

In a study of about 130,000 Kaiser Permanente health plan members, people who reported drinking 1-3 cups of coffee per day were 20% less likely to be hospitalized for abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) than nondrinkers, regardless of other risk factors.

Drink a lot of coffee and you may head to the bathroom more often. Caffeine is a mild diuretic -- that is, it makes you urinate more than you would without it. Decaffeinated coffee has about the same effect on urine production as water.

The next time you drink a cup of coffee, just think of all its benefits!

Have a Delicious Coffee Milkshake. . .

One serving
1/2cup Milk, Skim
1/2 cup Coffee Ice Cream, light
1/2 cup Ice cubes, crushed

Put all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Nutrition information
144 Calories
7 g protein
20 g Carbohydrates
4 g Fat
2 g Saturated fat
22 mg Cholesterol
58 IU Vitamin D
309 mg Calcium
125 mg Phosphorus
107 mg Sodium

Smile! Smiling is Good for Your Health... :)

Smile! Smiling makes you happy, more attractive and look younger. . . :)

Smile! Smiling makes you look younger.

This is true. Smiling lifts the face and makes you look younger. The muscles you use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger.

Smile! Smiling makes you more attractive.

Studies show that smiling makes you more attractive, sincere, sociable, and competent. Say you are already attractive--becoming more attractive, is even better, don't you think? And it doesn't cost you a penny. Such a waste of money being spent on cosmetics and Botox to make you look good, when all you need to wear is a smile on your face.

Smile! Smiling is good for your health.

Smiling changes your moods for the better, relieves stress, boosts your immune system, lowers our blood pressure, and releases endorphins, natural pain killers and serotonin... together these three makes you feel good, so smiling is a natural drug. Wow, better than sex.

Scientific studies also show that smiling leads to physiological changes in the brain, actually cooling the blood in the face, which in turn gives a feeling of happiness. Other research has shown that the very act of smiling releases more serotonin, the so-called "happy chemical" in the brain. So, does that include a fake smile? Well, good news for fakers - even a smile that starts out fake, could lead to genuine happiness. Imagine that! Also, Psychologist Professor Diener has found in his research on Subjective Well-Being, happy people live 9 years longer than depressed people. So, SMILE! Smiling makes you happy and happy people live longer than unhappy ones.

Now, let' all try this test...

Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It's hard. When you smile your body is sending the rest of you a message that "Life is good!"

Smile! Smiling is contagious!

Have you noticed that when you smile at someone, that someone, more often than not, smiles back at you? That's because smiling is contagious. Well, I'd rather catch a smile than catch a cold, wouldn't you? When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier.

"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy." - Thich Nhat Hanh

"If you smile you can change yourself, others and your future."- Japanese proverb

So SMILE! A smile is one of the best gifts you can give someone, and it costs nothing at all. Smiling spreads happiness to everyone around us. Wouldn't it be nice if you could make the old Japanese proverb come true?

And remember, it's easier to smile than to frown - it takes 43 facial muscles to create a frown, and only 17 to generate a smile.

So there you go. Smiling makes you more attractive - that's a big plus. Smiling makes you look younger - OMG, that's a HUGE plus. And to top it off, smiling is good for your health.

Three cheers for SMILE. HIP HIP HOORAY!!!

So, are you smiling? Yes? Then, Life is Good, my friend.

Detoxify Your Body. . .

Do you think fasting is the only way to detoxify the body??

I am a big fan of Detoxification! Even if we stop polluting our world right now, we will be dealing with the past damage for decades to come. I believe that the healthiest people in this millennium will be those who are the best detoxifiers. This is why I am totally against juice fasting and fasting in general for detoxification.

The body detoxifies in two phases. In the first phase the body releases the toxins from the tissues where they are stored. In the second phase the body eliminates these toxins through the sweat, feces and urine.

The second phase of excretion is dependent on amino acids (from protein) and if these are not readily available this whole process slows down or stops. 

You are freeing up the toxins and now they are roaming around your body which is a far worse situation than leaving them where they were sequestered in the first place. If you are doing a 'cleanse' or detoxification program through fasting or starving and you feel terrible this is probably what is happening and it means you are making yourself worse not better!

A MUST for Detox:

• Fill up with fiber through fruits, vegetables and cereals

• Drink 10 -12 glasses of water through the day

• Supplement with 1 or more servings of a green leafy vegetable drink daily

• Increase sulfur containing foods including garlic, onions and eggs (providing you don’t have sensitivity to them)

• Eat some high quality clean lean protein at each meal

• Eat 5 or more servings of organic non-starchy veggies and 1- 

2 servings of low glycemic fruits per day

• Increase circulation by walking for 30-40 minutes every day

• Take nutrients that support overall detoxification by eating the perfect food combinations.

If you are worried about your weight loss, remember that healthy is not just about the race to being size zero. By cutting carbs completely, you cut off the fuel supply. Your aim should be healthy bodies first; thin will follow. Besides, you wouldn't want problems like constipation, bad breath and bingeing on sugars, would you? That's exactly what happens when you stay off carbs completely.

Consistent daily detoxification can help overcome weight loss resistance, improve thyroid and overall hormone function, improve skin and help with overall mood and brain function. Make detoxification a daily habit as you are getting inundated with toxins on a daily basis. As far as toxins go ... better out than in!

Breastfeeding Benefits

There are many studies that have shown the advantages of breast feeding, not only for the baby, but also for the mother. There is no doubt that breast feeding carries many advantages. Many mothers find that they truly enjoy the process of breast feeding their babies, especially when they realize that their baby will be happier and healthier as a result of breast feeding!

Benefits to the Baby

1. Due to the anti-infective properties of breast milk, breastfed babies tend to have less incidence of or less pronounced symptoms of ear infections, respiratory illness, allergies, diarrhea, and vomiting

2. Due to the digestibility of breast milk, breastfed babies are rarely constipated.

3. The stools of breastfed babies are mild-smelling.

4. SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is less common in breastfed babies.

5. Breast milk is constantly changing in its composition to meet the changing needs of the baby.

6. It has the exact combination of protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and sugars needed for the human infant at various stages of his growth.

Benefits to the Mother

1. Studies indicate that breastfeeding helps improve mothers’ health, as well as their children’s. A woman grows both physically and emotionally from the relationship she forms with her baby. Just as a woman’s breast milk is designed specifically to nourish the body of an infant, the production and delivery of this milk aids her own health.

2. Breastfeeding helps a woman to lose weight after birth. Mothers burn many calories during lactation as their bodies produce milk. In fact, some of the weight gained during pregnancy serves as an energy source for lactation.

3. Breastfeeding releases a hormone in the mother (oxytocin) that causes the uterus to return to its normal size more quickly.

4. Breastfeeding appears to reduce the mother’s risk of developing osteoporosis in later years. Although the mothers experienced bone-mineral loss during breastfeeding, their mineral density is replenished and even increased after lactation.

5. Diabetic women improve their health by breastfeeding. Not only do nursing infants have increased protection from juvenile diabetes, the amount of insulin that the mother requires postpartum goes down.

6. Women who lactate for a total of two or more years reduce their chances of developing breast cancer by 24 percent.

Women who breastfeed their children have been shown to be less likely to develop uterine, endometrial or ovarian cancer.

7. The emotional health of the mother may be enhanced by the relationship she develops with her infant during breastfeeding, resulting in fewer feelings of anxiety and a stronger sense of connection with her baby.

Other Benefits

1. Breastfeeding makes you feel good; the hormones produced during nursing have an endorphin effect giving you a relaxed feeling.

2. You have a great excuse to sit down and relax…..

3. You can nurse while sleeping…nursing moms get more rest than formula feeding moms.

4. Breastfeeding saves moms about 7 hours a week off their feet.

5. It’s the only time you can ever lose weight without dieting or exercise!

6. During times of disaster, you don’t have to worry about finding formula.

7. Breastfed babies smell great….spit ups don’t stain, or smell and poppies diapers are not offensive… (Until solids are introduced)

8. The strong bond developed with nursing is much more intense.

9. The satisfaction of knowing you are giving your baby the best start in life!