Caffeine

We just mentioned caffeine here, in relation to the mood-enhancing effects of fast thinking.

So along comes a little more information about the connections.

Probing Question: Is caffeine harmful to your health?

The basic answer seems to be "no", when the stuff is used in moderation. Just as interesting are the details of how it works:

How does caffeine achieve its most sought-after effect of counteracting fatigue? To understand that, we first have to understand the chemistry of fatigue itself. Like all cells in the body, brain cells access fuel through an energy-storage nucleotide called ATP. ATP -- adenosine triphosphate -- loses one of its three phosphate molecules with each burst of energy it releases, eventually becoming a single adenosine molecule. The longer a person is awake, the more adenosine will accumulate on special adenosine receptors in the brain, signaling it to slow its activity.

Enter caffeine. Acting as a wolf in sheeps clothing, caffeine is molecularly similar enough to adenosine to fit into its receptors, blocking adenosine from getting through -- yet it is distinct enough not to be "read" by the brain as instructions to take a nap.

Without adenosines calming effect, the brains neurons fire more rapidly and the body reads this increased activity as an emergency requiring the release of the "flight or fight" chemical: adrenalin [AKA: epinephrine]. The result? You feel excited, alert, mentally quick, ready for anything.

Of course, if there actually is a lot of adenosine in the brain, thats a sign it may be running on a nearly empty tank. Probably not a good idea to continue this too long without replenishing the fuel supply.

Another thing to watch out for: If you take caffeine while pulling an all-nighter to finish that important assignment, you may not be able to come back and have a good nap after the work is turned in:

Negative Effects Of Caffeine Are Stronger On Daytime Sleep Than On Nocturnal Sleep

A new study at the Université de Montréal has concluded that people drinking coffee to get through a night shift or a night of studying will strongly hurt their recovery sleep the next day.

Tags: caffeine

The Best Time to Eat Carbs and Proteins to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle

Many people chose to go on a low carbs diet in order to lose weight and gain some muscle. But if you follow such a diet you still need to consume some carbohydrates, and the questions is when it is a good time to do so? We all heard that is not a good idea to eat carbs at night or after 6 pm.

In order to lose weight and gain some muscle you
need to eat between 4 to 6 meals a day. If there are days when you train really hard, you should have a snack before and after your workout. This snack
should be composed of 60% protein, 20% carbs and 20% fats. Usually a whey protein shake with milk, cheese and some natural fat (like peanut butter) will do the trick. It is also a good idea to have a small meal before going to bed so that your metabolism does not slows down.

When to eat carbs?

The best time to eat carbs is 30 minutes prior to your training session and 30 after the training.

Remember to also add some high quality protein and fat.

The reason you eat carbs before a workout is to get that boost of energy you need in order to complete your training. It is recommended to consume carbohydrates after a workout because you need to replenish the source of energy lost during your training, so that you can rebuild the muscles.

When to eat Proteins?

We all know that we should consume a protein shake right after a workout in order to rebuild muscles. But studies showed that eating proteins before your training session also has benefits. You get a higher response from your body when you eat proteins before and this can have a huge positive impact on your workout.

Therefore you should consume both, proteins and carbs before and after an workout. It is also important to mention that proteins should be taken within 30 minute of completing your training session in order to get the most benefits. Research shows that people who consumed proteins 2h after their workout did not show an increase in muscle size as the ones that took proteins immediately after the workout.

The need to take supplements before and after a workout for maximum benefits was also proven by a study made by Cribb and Hayes. Young men that performed weight lifting and resisting training had more strength and muscle gains if they had a protein/carbs supplement before and after their workout then the ones that consumed the same supplement in the morning and evening.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bobby_Grecu

15 Minute Meditation Can Make More Healthy Heart

Did You Know That The 15 Minute Meditation, Can Make Your Heart Healthier

One great if you think meditation is an activity that a waste of time and useless. A recent study published the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine indicated that regular meditation can improve health care quality by warping lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially among adolescents most at risk.

The study involves dozens of black teenagers who have high blood pressure proves that meditation significantly help improve health conditions. Those who meditate twice a day for 15 minutes is likely to have left ventricular mass (LV mass) was lower. In the medical world, an increase in LV mass is known as one indicator of future cardiovascular disease.

Half of the adolescents were trained in transcendental meditation and asked to meditate for 15 minutes in the classroom and 15 minutes at home for a period of four months. While other participants were only given education on how to reduce the health problems of blood pressure (hypertension) and risk of cardiovascular disease, but not with the practice of meditation.

LV mass was measured by means of two-dimensional echocardiogram before and after the study. Group of teenagers who meditated showed a significant reduction in LV mass.

"The increase in mass of the left ventricle of the heart muscle usually caused by the extra workload on the heart with high blood pressure. Some teenagers already have a higher left ventricular mass due to increased blood pressure, this condition will continue to carry into adulthood," said Dr. Vernon Barnes, of the Medical College of Georgia and the Georgia Health Sciences University Institute of Public and Preventive Health.

During meditation, the participants over the rest, the sympathetic nervous system activity is reduced and the body releases stress hormones less than usual. "As a result, blood vessels relax, reducing blood pressure and heart work less," he said.

In fact, says Barnes, school records showed improved behavior among adolescents who meditate. "Transcendental meditation is much deeper than the rest of the body to sleep," said Barnes.

"Statistics show that one out of every 10 black teenagers have high blood pressure. If practiced from time to time, meditation can reduce the risk of these adolescents develop heart disease as are other additional health benefits," he said.


Sources : Asian News Internationa

What Garlic Can Do For Your Health

Garlic, bulb-bearing perennial plant, Allium sativum Liliaceae, native to southern Europe, and widely cultivated in many parts of the world. Garlic plants, which are closely related to the onion, grow to a height of up 1 to 2 ft., and have very narrow, sword shaped leaves.

Ancient Traditions History

The earliest references of garlic as medicinal and culinary plant are found on Sumerian clay tablets (2600–2100 BC.). The use of garlic as medication for Egyptians, was listed in the Codex Ebers (1550 BC).

Ancient Chinese medication used garlic to help respiration, digestion, diarrhea and worm infestation. Ancient medical traditions in India (Tibbi, Unani and Auryveda), had made extensive use of garlic as a central part of the healing efficacy of plants.

Charaka-Samhita, an Indian ancient medical text, recommends garlic to treat heart disease and arthritis. While another ancient Indian medical textbook, Bower Manuscript (300), garlic was used for fatigue, parasitic disease, digestive disorder and leprosy.

Anti-Bacterial and Antiseptic

Louis Pasteur was the first who reported the antibacterial and antifungal properties of garlic. Albert Schweitzer then used this concept to treat dysentery in Africa with garlic. Pietro Mattiali, 16th century physician from Siena, prescribed garlic for digestive disorders, worms infestation, renal disorders, and also to help mother during difficult childbirth.

In England, garlic was used for toothache, constipation, dropsy and plague. Garlic was used as an antiseptic to prevent gangrene during World War I and World War II.

In an uncontrolled study in China, garlic has been used reasonably successfully in AIDS patients to treat Cryptosporidium, a protozoan that can cause gastro-intestinal illness with diarrhea in humans. Cryptosporidium is the organism most commonly isolated in HIV positive patients presenting with diarrhea. It has also been used by at least one AIDS patient to treat toxoplasmosis, another protozoal disease.

Stamina Booster

Ancient Chinese medicine used combinations of herbs to form a healing tonic. Garlic was used to treat fatigue, headache, insomnia, and improve male potency.

During the 1st Olympics in Greece, garlic was used by many athletes for increasing stamina. In 2007, the BBC reported that garlic may have other beneficial properties, such as preventing and fighting the common cold.

My friend had known this kind of information, 7 years before. In 2000, I was having an outbond (student camp) to train new college students. My friend used garlic to fight cold weather, when we were at Cuban Rondo, Batu, East Java. How? He directly ate it, just like eating an apple.

Anti Cancer Effects

Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used garlic to treat cervical cancer. Various studies did show the ability of garlic in prevent and treat cancers, mainly caused by the material-hazardous chemicals, such as prostate cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal (colon and rectum) cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, skin cancer, and lung cancer.

In China, garlic was also shown to reduce the risk of esophageal and stomach cancers by 70%. The effectiveness of garlic against cancers due to the presence of allyl sulfur components. The main property of garlic for therapeutic effects is as an effective antioxidant against oxidative damage in cardiovascular diseases.

Garlic is also commonly used as an alternative medication by most diabetic patients, because it can improve hyperglycemia in diabetic patients. The antihyperglycemic effect of garlic has been reported in several studies. Regular and prolonged use of garlic on therapeutic amounts, has been shown to prevent some complications of diabetes mellitus. Although, the information about the effects of garlic on the diabetic heart is very limited.

Pros and Cons

The effectiveness of garlic in cardiovascular diseases was prompted many scientists to conduct experimental studies, but many negative studies also have cast doubt on the efficary of garlic, especially its cholesterol lowering effect of garlic. Clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the US, in 2007, had found that the consumption of garlic in any form, did not reduce blood cholesterol levels, in patients with moderately high baseline cholesterol levels.

A 2012 report in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, concludes that:

There is insufficient clinical trial evidence regarding the effects of garlic in preventing or treating the common cold. A single trial suggested that garlic may prevent occurrences of the common cold but more studies are needed to validate this finding. Claims of effectiveness appear to rely largely on poor-quality evidence.

Lipid Lowering Effect

Since 1975 there have been more than 46 (from medline search) human studies on lipid-lowering effects of garlic and garlic preparations. The studies were mostly randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled using garlic powder rather than raw garlic, in hyperlipidemic patients for 4–16 weeks. Most studies showed significant decrease in serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride.

Only about one-third of the studies measured lipoproteins, where significant favorable changes in LDL-cholesterol level (11–26% decrease) were consistently observed. A few studies using garlic powder (having low allicin yields) failed to show any lipid lowering effects.

During the last one decade (1993–2002), 18 clinical studies have been published regarding the hypolipedemic effect of garlic. Nine studies showed negative results and garlic powder was used in seven of these studies.

Different composition and quantity of sulfur components, from different garlic preparations, that used in various studies, might result to the inconsistent findings. So, in order to meet valid conclusion, it might need for standardization of different garlic preparations. It also include the subject recruitment, duration of study, dietary control, lifestyle and methods of lipid analyses.

How To Gain Maximum Benefit From Garlic

Be aware on processing garlic! It can turn off its anticancer power agents. When garlic is processed, or heated one minute in microwave, the efficacy of garlic as anticancer will be gone. So what then? Should it be swallowed raw?

Its simple. Destroy garlic (chopped, crushed, or thinly sliced) then let it stand for 15 minutes before cooking (used as seasoning). In 15 minutes, chemical reaction occurs, in which activates allinase enzyme, present in garlic. If you want, you may also consume raw garlic, but still it must be first crushed and left for 15 minutes.

Negative Side Effects

Dont think that the more you are consuming garlic, the better the results. The recommended dose for consumption garlic is 4-5 grams of garlic/ day (about 1-2 cloves). If too much, it will cause bad breath (garlic breath) and skin.

Sometimes is also causing allergies, digestive disorders (vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, excessive gas production), bronchial asthma, dermatitis, reducing levels of protein and calcium in the blood. Too much garlic will also reduce sperm production, increasing the risk of bleeding, due to its ability to prevent blood clotting.

Therefore, the person who is going to have a surgery, or has recently undergone surgery, having pregnancy, and after childbirth surgery, garlic consumption should be limited, although culinary quantities are safe for consumption. Because garlic able to improve the work of enzymes in the liver, to remove toxins from the body. This capability is very useful for you to be more healthier. But it can also get rid of chemotherapeutic drugs in the body, or drug-medication that you had swallowed.

So, if you want to increase the consumption of garlic, or you might want to use the product supplement based on garlic, you must consult your doctor first!

References :

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic

Bagaimana Bawang Putih Melawan Kanker? (Bahasa Indonesia)
http://rumahkanker.com/pengobatan/alternatif/34-bagaimana-bawang-putih-melawan-kanker

The American Society for Nutritional Sciences
Historical Perspective on the Use of Garlic
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/131/3/951S.full

Nutrition Journal
Effect of garlic on cardiovascular disorders: a review
http://www.nutritionj.com/content/1/1/4/

National Institutes of Health

• Garlic Constituent Diallyl Trisulfide Prevents Development of Poorly-Differentiated Prostate Cancer and Pulmonary Metastasis Multiplicity in TRAMP Mice
  PMC2597366
• Freshly Crushed Garlic is a Superior Cardioprotective Agent than Processed Garlic
  PMC2775434
• Garlic Oil Alleviates MAPKs- and IL-6-mediated Diabetes-related Cardiac Hypertrophy in STZ-induced DM Rats
  PMC3137822

Million benefit from Marita red fruit

Benefits of Red Fruit to weaken the AIDS virus
Red fruit containing tocopherol and beta-carotene are very high that function as antioxidants and can improve the immune system. With the combination between tocopherol and beta-carotene would destroy the amino acids needed by the virus that causes AIDS, HIV, the virus dies.

Benefits of Red Fruit healing for Cancer and Tumor
Causes of cancer and tumors arise because hormones in the body that causes the growth of meat in the normal tissues. With the content of 11,000 ppm and 7,000 ppm tocopherol beta-carotene functions as an antioxidant and boosts the immune system and prevent the propagation of cancer cells.

Benefits of Red Fruit for healing. Blood Pressure and Stroke
For the cause of stroke is a blood clot and the narrowing of blood vessels. One of the triggers of this disease is high blood pressure. High blood pressure is itself the cause of the heart that pumps the blood too fast, so the lack of oxygen or oxygen blood is too thick. With the tocopherol content of the red fruit can thin the blood as well as improving blood circulation, so that the oxygen content of the blood is normal.
Benefits of Red Fruit for healing Gout
Causes of gout because tergangunya liver function, so that the liver produces excess uric acid. Cause uric acid deposited in the kidneys to stone and brought to the ends of the fingers and toes and collect there. Tokoperol in blood red fruit and improve the work system lever after lever system work better will memperoduksi uric acid levels were normal.

Benefits of Red Fruit for healing diabetes mellitus (diabetes)
The cause of this disease by the pancreas gland is unable to produce insulin in sufficient quantities. consequently increases the sugar content in the blood. Pancreatic tokoperol be repaired if found in red fruit, so it will be back to normal pancreas.

Benefits of Red Fruit for pregnancy
The content of Omega 3 and Omega 6 are contained in red juice will stimulate the brain and improve intelligence. It is therefore very suitable for red fruit consumed by children and pregnant women.

Benefits of Red Fruit to increase fertility. and male urges
Vitamin E in the red fruit will help children improve sperm production, but it red fruits containing high energy, which is 360 calories. red fruit extract red fruit oil red fruit recipe

Simfoni Luar Biasa A Special Symphony A Film by Awi Suryadi

Simfoni Luar Biasa, in which titled when played in Philippines as A Special Symphony, was a film that used 3 languages, Bahasa Indonesia, English and Tagalog (Philippines). A story about singer who gets life lessons from the children with special need. The singer was played brilliantly by famous Philippines singer, Christian Bautista.

The film was released in Indonesia, at September 29, 2011, while in Philippines was already released first at August 3, 2011. The story begins when Jayden (Christian Bautista), a musician, who is still struggled in the music industry, is trying to reach his goal to become a star. One night in Manila City, Philippines, had changed Jaydens life, becoming a broken man, with no money at all.

The funny thing is, he manages to fly to Jakarta, Indonesia to visit his mother, Marlina (Ira Wibowo), who had been separated. The meeting with Mrs. Rinjani (Ira Maya Sopha), the principal of school for children with special need, had made him becoming a new music teacher.

The video about the students choir which uploaded on youtube, had made the school gets an invitation to go to Students Choir Competition. My favorite scene is when Jayden gets mad to his students brother when he picked up him. Idiot! Get yourself into the car!, said his students brother. Dont you ever said that again! Ever!, said Jayden angrily.

But the boys parent is not happy with Jayden. They both then meet the principal, and ask Mrs. Rinjani to fired Jayden, or they will move their child to another school. Thats not our way to yell to our child like the way you did, said the mother. Children! You have 2 children, and not just one. Your son has very amazing voice. You should see his performance! Its too bad to not let him sing at the competition. Itll break his heart, said Jayden.

So what then? Will Jayden leave the school or not? You should see this film! This film had made my eyes is like a broken glass, but not dropped into tears.

Image from Wikimedia.

Source: RCTI, Friday, July 6, 2012, 5 pm (UTC+7).

Papaya Nutrition Various Health Benefits

Nutrition in papaya is proven to improve the health of the heart (cardiovascular) to prevent cancer and many other health benefits. Papaya is rich in enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. Other nutrients contained in the fruit called latin Carica Papaya, such as antioxidants like beta carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin B complex, flavonoids, folate and pantothenic acid.

Papaya also contains many minerals, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. These nutrients makes papaya is very beneficial to health. A high concentration of carotenoids (provitamin A), vitamin C, and E in papayas, acts as an antioxidant in the body. These compounds are able to get rid of the cancer-causing free radicals. Antioxidants are also useful to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol that is often attached to the walls of arteries, causing hypertension.

Papaya Health Benefits

1. Keeping the Immune System: 
   Since papaya is rich in vitamins A and C, and therefore the papaya fruit is very good to eat in order to keep your immune system functioning properly.


2. Fight Heart Disease: 
   Nutrition in papaya helps prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in your body. This is important because when cholesterol becomes oxidized to stick to the walls of your blood vessels, causing plaque that can cause heart attacks and strokes.


3. Improving digestion: 
   Papaya leaves is also good for the gut and prevent digestive disorders, namely because of the efficacy of antibiotic compounds in papaya karpain. The trick, papaya leaves can be processed into food to taste and then consumed.


4. Papaya as Antioxidants: 
   Antioxidants contained in papaya is especially Vitamin C helps protect skin from damage caused by excessive sunlight. Papaya juice is helpful to reduce brown spots due to exposure to sunlight for too long.


5. Slimming Body: 
   Papaya fruit has properties attenuate body. With regular papaya consumption, can produce two times more enzymes than the ripe papaya. Well, these enzymes act as decomposers of fat in our bodies. These enzymes also break down proteins better and eliminate excess flesh.


6. Increase appetite: 
   Behind the bitter tastes, papaya leaves has benefits for improving appetite.


7. As an acne cure: 
   Mask of papaya leaves can be used to treat acne on the face, so to maintain the beauty and health of skin.

There are still many more papaya health benefits, for detail papaya nutrition, you can read at nutrition facts below.

Papaya Nutrition Facts

Energy : 43 Kcal 
Carbohydrates : 10.82 g 
Protein : 0.47 g 
Total Fat : 0.26 g 
Dietary Fiber : 1.70 g 
Total sugars : 7.82 g
Water : 88.06

Vitamins 

• Folates : 37 µg 
• Niacin : 0.357 mg 
• Riboflavin : 0.027 mg 
• Thiamin : 0.023 mg 
• Vitamin A : 1094 IU 
• Vitamin B6 : 0.038 mg
• Vitamin C : 60.9 mg 
• Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) : 0.30 mg 
• Vitamin K : 2.6 µg 

Minerals 

• Calcium : 20 mg 
• Iron : 0.25 mg 
• Magnesium : 21 mg 
• Phosphorus : 10 mg 
• Zinc : 0.08 mg 
• Potassium : 182 mg
• Sodium : 8 mg

Phyto-nutrients 

• Carotene-ß : 276 µg 
• Crypto-xanthin-ß : 761 µg 
• Lutein-zeaxanthin : 75 µg

Lipids

• Saturated fatty acids : 0.081 g
• Monounsaturated fatty acids : 0.072 g
• Polyunsaturated fatty acids : 0.058 g
• Cholesterol : 0