February 22, 2012

The Facts about Enlarged Prostate: What To Do If And When It Happens

We can’t stop it…like gray hair and wrinkles. If it is going to happen… then it happens…

No clever metaphors. No sugar coating. This is what you need to know if you’re concerned about an enlarged prostate, or the threat of prostate cancer.

Today, we are going to talk about a topic that no one really wants to talk about…prostate health.

Admittedly, I was a bit…uncomfortable…when Cheryl – my good friend and editor – presented this hush-hush, yet all-too-common health concern for boys as this month’s Home Cures That Work topic. But after I began researching and breaking down the skinny, my discomfort transformed into curiosity. My curiosity blossomed into interest (and then fright), which set me on the path toward uncovering the best natural methods for keeping your prostate (or one belonging to someone you know and love) healthy and functioning to a “T”…or is it a “P”?

What I am going to share with you today is the fruit of my investigative labor. Today, I have some terrific all-natural foods and beverages to keep Mr. Prostate the right size and cancer-free – for life!

But, I must warn you up front. This is a mature discussion and you may find some of the information here a little “off color,” but only because of the subject matter: where the prostate is and what it does. So, if you are okay with that – then let’s get started…

What is a prostate…Where is it…Why does my dad call it “prostrate?”

If you know all there is to know about the prostate gland, then by all means skip to the next section. If not, let’s roll up our sleeves and dig in. Okay? Bad choice of words…

First, the word prostate comes from the Greek “prostates,” which translates exactly to “protector.” Simply put, the modern prostate is a gland found in most mammals. But today, we will focus on the male prostate and how to keep it from going from protector to widow-maker.

The prostate is an exocrine gland in the reproductive system, which is roughly the size of a golf ball and resides at the neck of the urethra and bladder. If it becomes enlarged with age or through neglect, it can make urination problematic by interrupting the flow. This can be discouraging and painful at best – and life-threatening at worst – but more on that in just a moment.

The sole responsibility of the prostate is to secrete the liquid that transports sperm. It is the fluid part of semen. In fact, it accounts for about 25% of the total volume of semen. The rest is spermatozoa and seminal vesicle fluid.

It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as “prostrate,” which means to throw oneself down in “submission or adoration.” So, if you or someone you know says “prostrate cancer” or “enlarged prostrate”  – stop them!

The problem with the prostate is not its function, nor its mere presence. The problem is that it can become enlarged and effect its owner very negatively. As it grows, it puts pressure on the bladder – making you feel like you have to urinate – as well as undue pressure on the urethra, preventing you from effectively answering the “call.” Urination becomes a dreaded task, sporadic, often painful and in extreme cases – downright impossible. An enlarged prostate also dramatically increases the risk of cancer in the gland… and that is where it gets ugly.

Now that I know what it is and what it does (and how to pronounce it), why does the prostate enlarge and how does it become a health threat?

The prostate needs adequate supplies of testosterone to work and regulate. As men age, their testosterone levels drop and they then jump into the higher risk category for enlarged prostate and prostatic cancer. In other words, if testosterone is not there to regulate and “babysit” the prostate, it runs amok and becomes like the honey badger – it just doesn’t care. Cells in the prostate gland begin to multiply causing it to grow and when it does, it causes stress on the surrounding organs. This is where the problems begin – as you will soon see.

Other effects of lowered testosterone levels are fatigue, lack of confidence and diminishing libido. If you experience any of these symptoms, then you are on your way to “growing” your prostate.

Although a growing prostate is a natural occurrence as men get older, the National Kidney and Urological Disease Information Clearinghouse says the problem becomes all too common in men over 50. “By age 60, over one-half men have [it]; by age 85, the number climbs to 90%.”

Not all enlarged prostates lead to cancer – some are benign. However, the risk of cancer skyrockets because what causes the prostate to enlarge is a blow-out in cell production. Whenever there’s increased cell production in tissues, our old enemy “Big C” likes to step in and take over. When that happens, your life takes a downturn from which you may not recover.

Here are a few symptoms of an enlarged prostate. If you have them, then ...


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Diet is Key in Kicking the Habit

Quitting smoking for good can be really tricky business.  Reason being it is very easy to switch from the smoking habit right into another bad habit.  The most common switch is from smoking to over-eating, and more specifically, to sugar addiction.

The average person who quits smoking gains anywhere from 4 lbs, all the way up to 30 lbs! This is why many experts are suggesting that smokers stop eating sugar and most carbs before they quit smoking.  This will make quitting smoking much easier and save you from obesity, which happens to be even more deadly than smoking!

Proper Nutrition = Smoke Free Success 

Getting vital nutrients into your body before you begin your journey to stop smoking is of the utmost importance.  Proper nutrition can help you quit smoking in several ways:

  1. If your body is “satisfied” with the proper vitamins, minerals and nutrients, then your craving for nicotine will be much less intense.
  2. Adequate nutrition minimizes depression and anxiety, which can easily occur when you smoking.
  3. When you eat healthy, it helps to strengthen your detoxification pathways, clearing the years of toxins that have accumulated from smoking.
  4. A healthy diet is going to make you feel stronger and more alert, enabling you to have more willpower to quit.

The Best Diet for Smoking Cessation 

A low carb diet is one of the best choices for smoking cessation.  I recommend...


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Adrenal Fatigue: Fact or Fiction?


Fatigue by Flickr the melody censor

The medical community does not recognize adrenal fatigue as a real condition – but if you suffer from it, you may beg to differ.

Do you have trouble falling asleep?

Are you restless, stressed-out and reliant on caffeine to make it through the day?

If so, you could be suffering from a condition that most doctors won’t acknowledge.

That is because there are no tests to prove it, no scientific evidence of its existence and treatment can be costly because insurance companies probably won’t cover the costs – if your doctor could even come up with a remedy.

It is called adrenal fatigue and if you suffer from it, then you know how real it is.

Here are some of the symptoms:

  • Feeling run-down
  • Difficulty keeping up with everyday life
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Trouble waking
  • An unusual craving for salty or sugary foods
  • Body aches
  • Loss of body hair
  • Low blood pressure
  • Unplanned weight loss
  • Nervousness
  • Problems with digestion

All that said, these symptoms are non-specific and could be attributed to any number of other ailments. In fact, adrenal fatigue could itself be a symptom of fibromyalgia or depression. If you experience any of these symptoms, then you should see your doctor.

Glands On The Run

More readily explained and easier to diagnose is a condition called adrenal insufficiency. This malady is caused by insufficient production of hormones, which are normally released in response to stress in order to lessen the impact of stress on your body. If you aren’t getting enough, stress will wear you down and cause physical illness. Simple blood tests and stimulation testing can reveal any decrease in the level of adrenal hormones.

Fight or Flight by Flickr Avery Carlton

See, your body operates on a fight-or-flight system that is governed by adrenal hormones. The theory behind adrenal fatigue is that it is a milder case of adrenal insufficiency. When you are constantly under stress, the adrenal glands simply can’t keep up with you in producing enough feel-good hormones to balance out the trauma. Standard blood tests cannot detect this mostly small decrease in hormone production – but your body detects it just fine!

You are not alone. Adrenal fatigue affects 80% of Americans just like you at some time in their lives – especially folks 40 years and older.

Two of the major hormones that help reduce stress and its impact on your body are adrenalin and epinephrine. They are responsible for elevated blood pressure and blood sugar to give you the energy you need in a fight-or-flight scenario. When your adrenal glands are on the run and resources deplete, you become unable to handle stress and everyday life in general.

Of course, it is natural for hormone production to decrease with age, but if you are under regular stress, it can decrease much faster than normal. One hormone in particular will be especially missed when its production declines…

Th-Th-That’s Cortisol, Folks…

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If your cortisol level is low, then you have fatigue, hypoglycemia, poor immune function, an increased tendency to allergies and environmental sensitivity, as well as an inability to deal with stress.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that keeps blood sugar levels normal and is a natural stress fighter. It also works closely with your pancreas to give your cells the energy they need to function properly and allow you to take control of your daily life. Plus, it is a super-strong anti-inflammatory element that is released when you get hurt.

Cortisol rushes to the area of trauma and helps keep swelling down to repair the injury. The more traumas you have, the more cortisol is released.

Unfortunately, when your adrenal glands slow down hormone production, cortisol goes with it.

The good news is we are here to help! In this article are some specific recipe ideas that can repair the adrenals and keep them running at tip-top shape so you can get back to your life and feel good again. These can give you peaceful, restful sleep, decrease your nervousness, reduce aches and pains and help fix any digestion issues you may be experiencing as a result of adrenal insufficiency.

First, here is some friendly advice on how to repair your adrenals....


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Survive Any Catastrophic Event By Storing Food For The Long Haul

They Laughed When I Told Them They Needed a Survival Guide. But Then the Prophecies Started Coming True…

How to live “off the grid” and survive any catastrophic event – even the Apocalypse

From the Mayan calendar’s end in December 2012 to the ravings of the Christian radio host  Harold Camping who keeps predicting the world’s end, we have all been told of catastrophic changes that will leave all of us doomed.

Speaking of Camping, here is a funny thing about that guy. Every time his predictions fail to come to fruition, he is kind enough to move the date of judgment forward so we can relax and have some more time to live life as we now know it. It reminds me of the old Henny Youngman bit where he talks about Dr. Wellsler, “Wonderful doctor gave the guy 6 months to live. When he couldn’t pay his bill, he gave him another 6 months!”

Now, while we do not put any stock into these “predictions,” we do believe in being prepared for anything that comes down the pike.

Have you noticed that storms are getting stronger and more frequent? Earthquakes are happening all over the place…tsunamis, tornadoes and wildfires – oh my!

The fact of the matter is we’re not immortal. We need to do whatever we can to live as long as we can so when we finally do pass on, it won’t be because we failed to be prepared for an event that does not need to claim our precious life.

This is the information you need to protect yourself and your loved ones

This month, we are handing you the best information we know to help you survive any catastrophic event — or even take you “off the grid” right now if you want.

You do not have to be a slave of the health care system that is a very unfunny joke. The trouble is we have been conditioned into thinking we need all these things: expensive cars and homes, HDTV, HBO, the internet, laptops and phones that can blow out candles. (It’s true there is an smart phone app for that).

You do not need any of those things to survive. Frankly, if you were hit with a major, game changing event, then you could lose power, the cable/internet, and cell service as signal towers crumble into the dirt like a house of cards.

Even if nothing happens, you will still want to take a look at this. Truthfully, it is useful no matter how you slice it. At the very least, it could save you a good chunk of money.

Store food for the long haul like a squirrel for the winter

Egg-static Results!

First, you are going to need food. Just like mister squirrel getting ready for the winter, you need to store enough to get you through a crisis situation.

One of the coolest little tricks you can have in your survival arsenal is ...


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You Can’t Avoid It – But You Can Purge It

They’re in the air we breathe…the water we drink…and the food we eat.

They are toxins. Sadly, there’s really no way to avoid exposure to these silent, deadly health threats.

Even the Clean Air Act is just an act…

On a clear, sunny day with beautiful puffy white clouds, the mild breeze out of the northeast gently brushing against your skin carries dangerous inhalants from vehicle exhaust (particularly diesel), factories, and plenty of other toxic gases – which can kill if enough is inhaled for extended periods of time.

This silent health threat serves to damage us two-fold:

  • For one, we’re breathing in airborne toxins that were never meant to inhale.
  • Secondly, they deplete the oxygen in the air that we need to breathe.

Ironically, our bodies use oxygen to get rid of toxins by…you guessed it…oxygenating them.

These airborne poisons bring on restlessness, dizziness, lethargy and nausea. They shred our skin, shed our hair and affect our ability to focus, which is no surprise considering they suck the oxygen out of our blood.

Is staying inside better?

Home Sweet Work

Most of us spend the majority of our time at home, work, school or some other in-door facility.

Whew! So, we’re safe from the deceptive “Fresh Air Scare” outside, right?

You guessed it! Wrong!

Here is what you may find inside…

  • Molds
  • Mildew (scrubbing it from your shower wall is like freeing a violent prisoner, which becomes airborne and assaults you)
  • Lead paint fumes (this admittedly archaic threat has been sponged from most of our dwellings, but it is, unfortunately, still a gross reality in some places)
  • Pet dander (eww)
  • Smoke

So what?

This possibly means billions of microorganisms are flowing in and out of your body at any given time, in any given place. Many of them stick around because they like you and would like nothing better than to see you die so that they may live and move on to the next sucker. As your body decomposes, they mercilessly head back into the air. Ah…the cruel circle of life!

There’s nothing you can do to stop it, though you may have been fooled into thinking there is.

“Health products” – Keep Your Armpits Dry and Hydrate Your Thirsty Skin

Toxic Chemicals in deodorant by Flickr In A Gorilla Custome

The toxic chemicals in health and beauty products have been known to contain engine degreasers. So, you have to watch the labels carefully.

What’s that, you say? You use antioxidant scrubs, lotions, even eye and face creams. So you are okay?

Sorry.

Many of the products we use everyday ring the dinner bell for toxin carrying free radicals – and you find them in the darndest places.

See, the FDA doesn’t have the high standards you do regarding you or your family. So, a product can claim antioxidant goodness no matter what other garbage they pack into it. It boils down to whatever the manufacturers can get away with to satisfy the government and turn a big profit in the process.

You really should thank the FDA. If not for them, these companies would produce even more toxic junk because it is cheap to use and they can charge a lot at the market. Why do you think organic products are so much more expensive? Because the ingredients they use are not so easy to cultivate. That’s why.

So, if you use typical, store-bought anti-aging face cream, body/hand lotions, shampoos and conditioners, then you are hosting a classic toxin party. Hors d’oeuvre?

Even deodorant is a culprit. Some of the chemicals in that stuff have been linked to early onset Alzheimer’s.

You already have to worry about sickness and disease from herbicides, pesticides and antibiotic residue, which is just a fancy-shmancy phrase for antibodies found in the meat, eggs and the milk we consume. Antibiotic residue has been called a “global health hazard” and a “threat to direct toxicity in humans.” Why exacerbate the threat by using toxic chemical sweeteners and slathering yourself with a list of chemicals that takes up half the label of your lotion?

Nasty, huh?

Need A Drink?

A nice bottle of cool refreshing Evian® will flush the toxic creepiness away.

Maybe not.

See, the bottled water that’s supposed to be purified, filtered and osmosis-ized sits on shelves for who knows how long. That water can turn bad yet remain sparkling clear. Drinking tap water would be better for you, perish the thought…

Most of the plastic bottles the water comes in are made with BPA (Bisphenol A). If you know all about BPA, then you might want to skip ahead.

This stuff is an endocrine disrupter, which is another fancy term that basically means BPA can mimic your hormones and cause cancerous tumors, deformities, learning disabilities (for developing fetuses), birth defects, abnormal cell growth, abnormal brain development, sexual develop-what? Sounds like a science fiction horror flick. Had enough? Well, just know there’s a few more.

Don’t drink bottled water? Good for you! However, BPA is also used to line cans to protect us from botchullism and rears its ugly head in the many plastic containers we use to store leftovers to transport food from place to place.

Author’s note: never heat food in the microwave without removing it from the plastic container. It stirs that stuff up like gangbusters. It’s like taking a vial of toxic chemicals and mixing it with your lunch. Bad, BAD!

Where Else Is It Found?

“Just one word: plastics.” (2 points if you got the movie reference there!) Here’s a short list of other everyday-products where BPA lives (2.8 million tons of this garbage is produced annually around the globe):

    BPA Free Baby Bottles by Flickr tiffanywashko

  • Food processor bowls
  • Baby bottles – yes, baby bottles
  • Plastic food ware
  • Dental sealants (resins) and appliances
  • Teflon coating – yes, some manufacturers are still carelessly using it
  • Small kitchen appliances

Save yourself and your family! Store food and fresh water in glass containers or check for BPA-free plastics.

Now, in just a moment, you’ll discover how to purge this stuff and get healthy pronto!

Just Eat It

Sadly, even our foods can trick us. Pesticides on fruits and veggies, mercury in fishes, toxic chemicals and foreign hormones in our meats plus a laundry list of additives and preservatives are in our meals.

Please don’t say you never eat processed foods. Always check for pesticide-free, organically grown produce and only buy meat from cage-free, grass fed, day-spa treated and pampered animals.

Really?

You know you’re fibbing!

But, the good news is there are certain foods and combinations of foods that provide fast, safe, and best of all natural opportunities to flush these toxins out of your body. When they creep back in, you just flush ‘em out again. This is your chance (and the only real way) to fight back and reclaim your body and your good health.

The Only Way To Remain Poison-Free In A Toxic World

We have seen that toxins are all around us and they love to infest your body, carrying health-threatening free radicals with them.

But, don’t fret just yet!

Here are a few things you can do to immediately begin flushing toxins from your precious body....


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Are You a Hungry Bipolar Bear?

Anger and Agitation Can Be Signs Of Bipolar Disorder

We all know that lethargy, daunting feelings of defeat, thoughts of suicide, and a keen unwillingness to go on with life can all take you – a perfectly good person – and leave you feeling empty, a fragile shell of who you once were or hope to be.

We call this manic depression or bipolar disorder – and it can be much more than just anxiety and sadness.

Intense anger is also a nasty by-product of this debilitating disease.

Depression can “drop the gates” and allow you to get irritated more easily and downright mad when things don’t go your way. Some examples of depression and induced anger can be:

.

If you have 3 or more of the mania symptoms below most of the day, nearly every day, for one week or longer, you may be having a manic episode of bipolar disorder:Excessive happiness, sudden changes from joy to hostility, less need for sleep, talkativeness, distractibility, racing thoughts, high sex drive, making unattainable plans, show poor judgement, grandiosity, reckless behavior.

  • When daily tasks prove harder than you thought…or when items you use every day don’t work the way they should.
  • Something as simple as refitting the canister in your vacuum cleaner after emptying it – if it doesn’t snap right into place as it should, you may grimace, grit your teeth, and shout obscenities in your head or even aloud (Yes, this one is from personal experience!).
  • A link to an internet page might not load as fast as it should, your email might not refresh and you miss an important message, a seemingly harmless storm could cause a power surge that leaves you without electricity and any of these could set you off.
  • And how about a relationship issue? A friend, loved one, or colleague might say or do something that under normal circumstances wouldn’t be worth a scowl but when you’re depressed, it commands as much negative attention as you can muster. You harp on the action or words until you go nuts with anger.

Sound familiar?

Explosive behavior in folks with bipolar disorder is very common, especially in children, tweens and teens.

What Causes the Fury-Fueled Conniptions?

The root cause of depression-induced hissy fits differs from person to person.  A few common causes are:

  • Lack of sleep.
    Depression can and does affect your sleep patterns. You may find it difficult to saw the wood no matter how tired you might be. Lying awake with too much on your mind and an internal dialogue that won’t quit can ruin your slumber. Sleep deprivation is responsible for all sorts of maladies in all of us and anger is a big one.
  • No more pleasure in things.
    If you can’t seem to take pleasure in the things you should or did in the past, you may find your level of tolerance for others and certain situations hits the ground with an annoying thud. Because your mind is tricking you into thinking your life isn’t worth the birth certificate it’s printed on, it’s perfectly logical to understand why you can’t enjoy the things that make for a healthy, rich living experience.
  • Inability to focus on work, family or friends.
    They say you don’t know what you got till it’s gone. It can be very frustrating to lose your desire to do a good job at work, take a picnic with friends and family, or even sit down to watch a good movie. It’s especially irritating when you were able to do these things before you became depressed.

If any of this rings a bell for you, or if you know someone who shows the signs, stick around. You’re going to discover how to beat it without using dangerous pills to alter your natural chemistry....


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Why Japanese Women Almost Never Worry About the Symptoms of Menopause

In fact, they don’t even have a word for hot flashes

Menopause is a word that generally makes people cringe— both men and women.

Women – because they have to go through the discomfort of hot flashes, night sweats, muscle fatigue, dehydration, insomnia or restlessness. Because they lose the ability to think straight, and sometimes even acquire the dreaded paunch of a spare tire in the midsection. Of course, there are the classic symptoms of menopause, such as irritability, mood swings, or becoming anxious are all noteworthy facts of this mid-life phenomenon.

Men – because their women are irritable and yell at them.

*Author’s note: Dear Ladies, I don’t mind you yelling at me. It probably makes you feel a little better and I’m more than willing to do anything I can to help relieve the uncomfortable symptoms brought on by your changing bodies. Just know that I’ll always be here for you and you don’t look a second older than that earth moving day when my eyes first feasted upon you.

Here’s a little news flash for you guys – there’s also a male menopause (there’s a gender joke in there somewhere) that has to do with a drop in testosterone. So, wipe that smug little smirk-of-superiority from your lips and be supportive!

And a great way to be supportive to any woman in your life going through this trying time is to give them good, solid, healthy suggestions for putting discomfort behind them so they can feel happy, healthy, and free from aches of mind, body, and spirit…

The secret is in Asia…

But, you won’t have to move to Japan to take advantage of this menopause mauling miracle!

You see, in Asia – specifically Japan – most women don’t worry about hot flashes or night sweats – or any of the other symptoms associated with menopause.

There’s a very good reason: it’s their diet.

First, the most common symptom of menopause is the hot flash.

Hot flashes, or vasomotor flushes, are intense feelings of heat and sweating, especially around the face and neck areas. Hot flashes can affect 50–85% of women – up to 20 times a day.

Hot flashes are of particular concern because they occur in the premenopausal stages, during, and even after the “change” has fulfilled its dastardly obligation.

It all starts with a dramatic drop in estrogen levels

Once a woman reaches a certain age, usually around 51 — but can start earlier or later depending on the woman — menopause signifies the end of fertility. It begins with a significant drop in estrogen levels and is marked by irregular periods and a decline in egg production.

You can’t avoid it. You can’t stop it. So if you must deal with it, why not make it as easy as possible? A change in your diet could work wonders…

Discover the natural wonders of Asian food remedies

Somen Noodles by Flickr FotoosVanRobin

Instead of the high animal protein diets we westerners take in, Japanese women eat more...


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The Eating Plan for Managing Fibromyalgia

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome, not a disease, in which people experience long-term, body-wide pain and tender points in joints, muscles, tendons and other soft tissues.  Fibromyalgia has also been linked to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, anxiety and other symptoms.

Since it is not necessarily caused by any one problem, fibromyalgia sufferers will benefit most from an overall healthy and balanced diet.

Eating Plan for Fibromyalgia

While there may not be a single set of dietary guidelines that are right for all fibromyalgia sufferers, there are certain foods, or food groups, that appear to make a difference for a significant number of people.

As important as sticking to a balanced diet and choosing foods wisely is, when dealing with fibromyalgia it is even more important to not choose the wrong foods. Certain foods and drinks could be causing you more pain then you can make up for by eating right.

It will take some trial and error to find what helps and what hurts, but with a little planning and diet management you can be on the road to managing your fibromyalgia.

Foods and Beverages to Avoid:

  1. Alcoholic beverages
  2. Artificial Sweeteners such as aspartame (NutraSweet) and saccharine
  3. Carbonated beverages such as colas and soda pop
  4. Coffee and caffeinated teas
  5. Dairy
  6. Food Additives such as preservatives, salt and MSG (monosodium glutamate)
  7. Fried foods
  8. Fructose
  9. Gluten
  10. High fat dairy foods
  11. Nightshade Plants such as tomatoes, chili and bell peppers, potatoes, and eggplan
  12. Red meats (especially salt cured, cured bacon, smoked, or nitrate cured)
  13. Simple carbohydrates
  14. Some acidic foods
  15. White flour
  16. White sugar
  17. Yeast

Control Inflammation

In many cases, inflammation is the leading cause of the underlying symptoms that lead to your pain. Like any inflammatory diet, people who suffer from Fibromyalgia Syndrome should limit intake of foods that are associated with typical allergies (gluten, milk, peanuts, shellfish and wheat). It is also important to add omega 3’s, antioxidants, lean proteins, fiber and water. These foods will help restore your immune system and help reverse chronic inflammation.

The Fibromyalgia Diet...


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Foods That Boost Sexual Performance In Both Males and Females

Top 10 Grocery Store Items For Improving Couple’s Libidos

Spanish fly. Rhinoceros horn. Phallic-looking foods. Throughout history, people have gone to a lot of trouble—not to mention in some cases putting their health in danger—trying to find libido boosters to improve their sex lives. Today, pleasure seekers have it easier because, as it turns out, the grocery store is the perfect place to find natural aphrodisiacs.

Bonus: In addition to making sex a little steamier, nearly all these foods have health benefits beyond the bedroom.

1. Chocolate

This dark, delicious dessert has long been associated with indulgence, but that’s not the only reason chocolate puts you and your guy in a sensual mood. The treat contains caffeine, which helps perk you up and also boosts serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters that contribute to feelings of well-being and happiness.

Chocolate brings on feelings of euphoria because it is a psycho-stimulant so it has an arousal effect.  This is caused by phenylethylamine, a chemical with an amphetamine-like affect that temporarily mimics feelings of falling in love. In fact, a 2007 British study found that letting chocolate melt in your mouth is more stimulating and raised heart rates more than kissing. Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, is also loaded with antioxidants that improve circulation and lower cholesterol.

2. Pumpkin Pie

The next time you want to seduce a guy, bake a pumpkin pie. A study that measured blood flow south of the border in men ages 18 to 64 found that the scent of pumpkin pie rated the highest response—a 40% increase. Romantic lavender rated equally high, while close runners-up included donuts and black licorice, which boosted blood flow to men’s nether regions by more than 31 percent. As surprising as it may seem, when it comes to sex, scent offers a greater libido lift than ingestion: 90% of what people call taste is actually smell.   The scent of these foods may reduce anxiety, which helps remove inhibitions.

3. Licorice

You probably won’t look at the candy counter at the movies the same way after reading this: Smelling and tasting licorice-flavored candy caused a 13% increase in vaginal blood flow, according to recent research. Why? The scent may trigger olfactory nostalgia, such as positive memories from childhood as well as feelings of security and safety—a state of mind that helps make sex more relaxing and enjoyable. Oddly enough, the smell of cherries...


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Diet and Foods That Affect Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) can affect anyone at any age. In fact, around one in ten people are liable to suffer from this unpleasant restless leg disorder at some point in their lives.

With symptoms ranging from mild to severe, sufferers experience an uncontrollable urge to move their legs to try and relieve the unpleasant tingling or aching sensations in their limbs. And while this in itself is not harmful, the effect of disrupted sleep can lead to excessive tiredness.

While there is no sure fire cure for restless leg syndrome, a diet high in folate and other essential nutrients can help manage the symptoms.

Restless Leg Syndrome Treatment and Dietary Needs

Obtaining relief from the RLS symptoms is the focus and that includes maintaining a proper restless leg treatment, diet and lifestyle.

  1. Change your diet to include an increased amount of foods high in folate such as asparagus and spinach. Dark green leafy vegetables are known to have high folate content.
  2. Diversify your breakfast menu with the use of whole grain products and various breakfast cereals. Read the labels to find the one you like with the highest level of folate.
  3. Increase your intake of eggs, unless contraindicated due to other dietary concerns such as high cholesterol. Eggs are a good source of folate and essential B vitamins
  4. Having an iron deficiency is known to increase RLS symptoms. Make sure that red meats and liver are included in your diet as these are great sources of iron. However, do not get all your iron sources from red meats. Resolving iron deficiency it is important to vary the source. Try ...


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