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A Spotlight on Your Kidneys

How often do you think about your kidneys? Did you know that kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death in the United States, more than breast cancer or prostate cancer? Over 26 million Americans currently have kidney disease but many more may not yet be diagnosed or even aware of problems as there are frequently no symptoms until the disease has progressed. One in three people are at risk for kidney disease due to diabetes, high blood pressure or family history. March is National Kidney Month and the National Kidney Foundation is urging everyone to give your kidneys a second thought.

Your kidneys are two fist sized organs located in your lower back. Although we are generally born with two kidneys, you only need one functioning kidney to live a normal, healthy life.

Kidneys work hard to keep your body healthy and their remarkable functions include:

• Filtering waste out of 200 liters of blood daily

• Regulating the body's salt, potassium and acid content

• Removing drugs from the body

• Balancing the body's fluids

• Releasing hormones that regulate blood pressure

• Producing an active form of vitamin D

• Controlling production of red blood cells.

Kidney disease means that the kidneys are damaged and can't filter blood they way they should. Main causes of kidney disease include: high blood pressure, diabetes, recurrent kidney infections that may have caused scarring, inherited diseases, overuse of over-the-counter pain medications, illegal drug use and traumatic injury. Symptoms of kidney disease may not be detectable until the disease has progressed. Symptoms may include: swelling of the face or ankles, changes in urine frequency or color, foamy urine, nausea, vomiting, changes in taste, numbness of fingers or toes, and fatigue or exhaustion. Caught early, treatment of kidney disease is very effective. But kidney disease is a progressive disease, meaning the damage can't be undone.

If you have kidney disease, diet changes will play a big role in maintaining your health. You may need to watch your protein intake, as too much protein can cause waste to buildup in your blood, making it harder for the kidneys to remove. Watching your sodium intake is important to help control your blood pressure and limit fluid buildup. Too little or too much potassium can be dangerous; the amount you need depends on how well your kidneys are functioning and what medications you are on. As kidney function decreases, you may need to watch your phosphorus and calcium intake. Extra phosphorus can build up and result in weak bones. You may also need to restrict your fluids. All of these specific nutrition needs can be calculated for you by a Registered Dietitian. In addition to diet changes, you will be treated with medications.

Should your kidney function continue to decline, you may need dialysis. Hemodialysis uses a machine to help filter and cleanse your blood. If you a candidate, you might be eligible for a kidney transplant, either from a living donor or from a recently deceased donor. The current waiting list for kidney transplants is about 3.5 years.

Prevention is the best cure for kidney disease, so follow these tips for healthy kidneys:

• Stay hydrated. Kidneys need hydration to work properly as they filter out waste through your urine.

• Eat a healthy balanced diet. Eat foods high in antioxidants to promote kidney health. Antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables, including red bell peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, and berries.

• Lower your sodium intake. Too much sodium can increase high blood pressure, which can damage the kidneys.

• Control your blood glucose. Diabetes is a major contributor to kidney disease because it damages blood vessels in the body that prevent the kidneys from working properly.

• Live a healthy life. Don't smoke, get plenty of exercise, maintain a healthy weight, use alcohol in moderation, and avoid illegal drugs.

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Healthy Weight Loss Tips - Live Happy, Live Healthy

Healthy Weight Loss should be the only weight loss you take on.

Fad Diets, Weight Loss Pills, and other Fast Weight Loss deals could just plain and simply hurt you in the long run. Some of the things may even work, but not forever. To achieve healthy weight loss you must make a life time commitment.

Healthy Weight Loss is achieved through a mindset shift, in accepting a new healthier life style you can conquer your internal walls. It does even have to be hard!

When you make the transition into healthy eating and a healthy life style you will automatically become more and more conscious of how you eat. But before you can achieve anything you must first expect it of yourself! Carbohydrates are not evil, Proteins are not the miracle weight loss food group, and fats will not kill you (Well some of them).

The way you must look at healthy weight loss is with a conscious mind and common sense approach. The food pyramid and being told to eat your veggies as a kid were not things said and created just for fun.

The key to a healthy mind, body, and soul is a balanced approach. Out of balance even seemingly "good for you things" will become negative just as to much of any "bad for you things".

Life is about balance in all areas and even so in your approach towards healthy weight loss.

Check this out. The following are recommended sources that you should get from each food group each day or at least achieve a balance by the end of the week.

*Keep in mind the lower side of the servings is relating towards someone with a 1600 cal daily need where are the highest serving portions are targeted for someone around the 2600 cal needs.

Breads, Grains, Oats: You should strive to get 6-11 servings from this group each day. This food group can be anything from rice, bread, and pasta to cold cereals, oatmeal, and cream of wheat.

Fruits: Fruits contain many valuable vitamins like vitamin C and A. Making sure to get 2-4 servings a day can be very helpful in boosting immunities and vitality of your body. Plus most fruits vary from quick releasing sugars like Banana's to slow releasing sugars like Apples. Use fruit in place of candy bars to get you through a tough time, between meals, or when you need a little boost.

Veggies: Like fruits your veggies will give you valuable and very necessary vitamins + minerals to help your body rebuild, stay disease free, and balanced. You can also get many antioxidants from eating a variety of raw to lightly cooked veggies. Look to get about 2-5 servings a day and very your veggies. Think of it like this. How many colors of veggies did you eat today? The idea is to get a variety of different colors in there because each may provide an array of different but vital vitamins and minerals.

Dairy: OK so some people here develop something know as lactose intolerance which occurs when the body stops producing enough or any lactase which is the protein enzyme capable of breaking down the milk sugar known as lactose. But the idea in drinking dairy is to get a variety of vitamins and minerals like vitamin D and the mineral Calcium. Plus milk is rich in protein which is beneficial to your muscular growth. Also dairy products like cottage cheese and yogurt with active live cultures promote a healthy and balanced digestive system. These live cultures help balance the good bacteria within your intestines which in turn helps digest and break down foods. Try to get 2-3 servings of dairy a day.

Meat: Meats supply you with many vital minerals and is the best food group for iron absorption. Also, meats supply complete amino acids which help muscle repair, growth, and enzyme production. Eating meats low in fat like chicken and fish is a better approach than eating a 12 oz steak every night. Also, the portions of meat should be around 3oz each, nothing huge but just the right amount of proteins and minerals. 2-3 Servings a day around 3 oz each is appropriate.

Fats: This group is one to be taken sparingly. Now the truth is you need fat in your body. Your brain alone consists of about 60% fatty tissue so wouldn't it only make sense that your body needs fat to assist brain functions? But which fats? The idea is to supply yourself with fatty acids in the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated area but avoid saturated and trans fats (oxidized fats with no nutritional value) You could live your entire healthy life without ever consuming Saturated fats, you don't need them. But, you absolutely without a doubt need fats from nuts, fish, and oils like olive oil, flax seed oil, and sunflower oils. These beneficial fats will supply you with crucial omega fatty acids which your body can use for repair and function. I am sure you have seen labels with "essential Omega 3's and Omega 6's" Those are the good guys. Saturated and Trans fats are unnecessary and could be avoided altogether, though with that said, with moderation they certainly won't kill you!

With a journey for healthy weight loss goals are great but what's best is knowing what your goals are, reminding yourself every day, and doing what it takes in the moment to make the long term adjustment. Some days move slower than others, some days temptation is greater and in some cases you may even indulge. But remember, it's only right now that you have control over what your actions are. Keep in a conscious state of mind and realize your goals.

The idea here is not to deprive yourself of anything you love but to transition into a variety of things you can enjoy. The better your health, the better you will feel, the more you will want to stick with healthy weight loss.

Before you can achieve any of this, you must first give yourself permission to do what it takes.

A healthy weight loss goal should be 1-2 pounds a week. You can achieve this by figuring out your current calorie needs and then reducing your daily caloric intake to 500-700 less than what you need. In doing so you will create a "calorie deficit" and your body will be forced to use fat tissue as energy but you will not be starving or avoiding things you love.

It is important to note that 1 pound of fat is equal to about 3500 calories, so by reducing your calorie intake by 500 less than your maintenance needs daily, you will create a total deficit of 3500 calories a week and therefore burn 1 pound a week.

Of course by adding fitness you can easily increase calories burned each day while increasing the calorie deficit to advance results.

With a life style approach you will find balance in everything you eat and so even "bad for you things" will not be so bad. You can still enjoy the pleasures of cuisine but eat healthy, fresh fruits, and raw to lightly cooked veggies, more often than sugary sweet and late night take out.

Uncover real Exercise Programs that work and how you can add one into your healthy weight loss goals.

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Ideal Urine pH And Alkaline Urine - Plus How To Adjust It

The urine pH determines specific health conditions and diseases in human beings. PH means potential hydrogen or the measurement of hydrogen ion in a solution. It is advised by doctors to find out the root cause of certain illnesses. Urine pH is a term used to segregate urine as a base solution or dilute acid. The urine pH test can be performed at home also. Acidic and alkaline feature of urine depends upon the intensity of pH in the urine. If the pH is greater, the urine is more alkaline. If the pH is low, acidity is greater in the urine.

The urine pH of a healthy person varies from 4.5 to 8. Balancing the pH content of the urine is the responsibility of the kidneys. They maintain the balance by reabsorbing tubular secretion of hydrogen and ammonium ions and sodium. When the base or alkali content of the urine increases, alkaline urine, which contains bicarbonate-carbonic acid buffer is excreted. On the other hand, when too much acid and sodium is retained by the urine the pH level of the urine is maintained by the alkaline and acid content.

A highly acidic urine pH or a highly alkaline urine pH, are both injurious to the human body. Acidic urine pH creates various diseases and ailments in the human body. You are likely to suffer diseases like diabetes, dehydration, acidosis, respiratory problems and diarrhea. Too much alkaline content in urine pH causes renal tuberculosis, pyloric obstruction, urinary tract obstruction and various other health issues.

People whose urine has a balanced alkaline content are stable health wise. As per research, the alkaline level of the blood pH should be slightly high for the body to develop immunity. On the contrary, an increased alkaline level in the urine pH is not a healthy sign. Diseases cannot thrive in alkaline situations. They require acidic environment to flourish. People suffering from cancer lack alkaline content in their blood and urine, which results in the deadly consequences of the disease. In addition, people who eat a lot of meat and are non-vegetarians in general tend to suffer high acidic pH levels. They are also prone to infectious urinary tract diseases compared to vegetarians who eat a natural and fresh diet, which produces limited alkaline content in the urine and blood. Controlling and balancing the pH level is the only solution for human beings to live a healthy life.

Facts on urine pH tests

For any doubts on urinary conditions, or anything related to kidney, respiratory and metabolic disorders, health professionals recommend a thorough urine pH test. A fresh urine specimen is needed for the test, if it needs to be preserved, it must be stored in a refrigerator. Usually the first urine after a full night's sleep is considered effective for the test. A rich vegetarian diet and lots of legumes, green vegetables and citrus fruits will keep the urine alkaline balanced.

Healthy urine is slightly acidic. Too much alkaline in the urine breeds bacteria and invites infections and diseases. Extreme diets and irregular foods are the main reasons for excess alkaline formation in the urine. A regular diet and good food habits can keep your urine pH level balanced and help you lead a happy and stress free life.

Find out the 3 simple alkalizing steps you can use right now to instantly gain more vibrant health, energy and optimal weight - FAST...

Discover how the body ph test works & why a ph diet plan is highly recommended for your health. Including free alkaline food chart, food combining chart, recipes, acidity test and the steps you need to take next.

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Be Happy With The Healthy Life

It is very important to be healthy and maintain a Healthy Life but it is just as important to be happy in your life. Dieting, exercise, this doesn't have to be hard. When it becomes a struggle to diet and/or exercise, it's not fun anymore and your happiness in life may deteriorate.

If you need to diet, take it slow. Seek out a proper diet that you will lose over a period of time. Exercise is great but if you are just starting, again, take it slow. Too much exercise, when you're not used to it, can be harmful.

We now have greater awareness of our bodies through the sciences, the media, etc. The benefits of a healthy life are obvious to us all. To achieve the healthy life is not done by simply going to your local pharmacy and picking up some drugs.

A healthy life and a happy life is a combination of many things acting together. Because of the way our foods are grown and processed today, we need to start with a good, all natural supplement. The next ingredient is eating proper, and in proper portions. And, of course, along with these is proper and limited exercise.

It doesn't just stop with what to do... now comes when to do it. To maintain the healthy life and happy life, you cannot take a nutritional supplement once in a while, eat proper foods now and then, and exercise a couple times a month. This is what people do that always ask the question, "Why am I not losing weight?"

Once you start a routine, stay on it. Not for a week or a month, stay on it... period.

Think about this, you will not only look and feel healthier, your new eating and exercising routine will also reduce your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. You will see other benefits like, reduced costs of health care, reducing illnesses and injuries, fewer visit to doctors, etc.

Diet and exercise will lower blood pressure, reduce weight and lower the risk of developing diabetes. Exercise and a healthy diet helps the body use insulin more efficiently and can help control, reduce and prevent many diseases. Exercising, eating foods high in fiber, weight control, and learn to deal with stress, reduce the risk of heart disease.

Also... If you eat healthy food, exercise and pay attention to your body you will certainly life a longer, healthy and happy life.

Living healthy is important for everyone. This is a truth with which no one can disagree. And the matter is not that you will live longer due to following instructions for a healthy life. The matter is in the quality of your life: it will substantially improve. You will be living a healthy life and thus feel happy, work more efficiently and be able to reach the goals you set.

A few tips to follow:

If you want to make your meals healthier, forget the fast food and ready-to-cook meals. They have artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives that your digestive system will not like. By staying away from these products, you will pretty-much have no choice but to eat more vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, cereals and dairy products. You don't need a rigid diet, just proper portions of healthy foods plus your all natural nutritional supplement.

Only one more thing to remember, walking. Walk a lot. It's very good for you and your metabolism. Park your car out farther in the parking lot and walk. Do this at work, at the shopping mall, at the grocery store, everywhere you go. Not only is this good for you, it will also save a few dents in your car from other car doors.

Have a healthy life and a happy life.

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Buy Quinoa and Live a Healthier Life

Don't be the last to try! Buy quinoa now! 

This is the best time to really think about your health, not just for yourself but also for the people you love, not only to lose those extra size and weight for you will surely lose them, but to seriously consider having a longer and healthy life. Switch to a better eating habit and switch to a healthier lifestyle when you buy quinoa.

Where can you buy quinoa? You can buy quinoa online as a Whole Grain, a natural and organic cultivar mostly from Peru and Bolivia; it is usually sold in 12 oz. packages or boxes. It is cooked in just 10 - 15 minutes, wheat free and gluten free, this makes quinoa the perfect food for people who follow a wheat free and gluten free diet. It is certified organic which means it was planted and cultivated on an unfertilized and healthy soil.

Why buy quinoa? Simple, it's an amazing grain, a super food. Here are a few heartening reasons:

1. Buy your way to good health because it contains more high quality protein than any other grain. It is actually one of the best sources of protein in the vegetable kingdom.

That's right, it is a vegetable. Quinoa is a broad leaf plant vastly grown in South America, and the leaves are used in salads with other salad greens and served as a side dish, and the seeds of quinoa are consumed like grains and mostly substituted for rice. Quinoa in itself is a complete protein grain. It provides all the essential amino acids in a balanced fashion, close to the standard set by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Buy quinoa for a light, tasty and easy nourishment. This delicate grain is much less filling than most other grains and has a delicious nutty flavor all its own.

  2. Quinoa is fiber-rich, light and easy to digest.

3. Purchase quinoa to get a high level of carbohydrates that are slow-releasing and helps maintain your blood sugar level, and keep you full and satisfied and your energy high for most of the day with lesser cravings for more food.

Quinoa has a delicate nutty flavor and is very easy to prepare. Perfect for today's active lifestyle, quinoa can be served as a side dish; in soups, in salads, as a pilaf, and even as a nutritious breakfast cereal. When you purchase quinoa, the package should say that the quinoa grain had been pre washed and thoroughly rinsed and air dried to remove the naturally occurring bitter saponins, and there are some brands that do as they promise. Although it is always so much better if you wash it before cooking, to really enjoy its great flavor.

You can also find and buy Quinoa Flour, Quinoa Flakes and Quinoa Pops for their variety of uses in your kitchen. They come in three variants of natural whole grain; white quinoa, red quinoa and black quinoa. Although there is no big difference in taste or health benefits and the preparation, it will always make your presentation appealing with each color of quinoa grain.

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Yoga And Tips For Staying Healthy

The practice of Yoga is actually a spiritual practice. However, with the many benefits received it has quickly become a popular choice to thousands of people strictly for health. Yoga helps stretch out muscles and ligaments, tone the body, and the greatest benefit is that it helps to clear the mind. Having a clear mind works toward a healthy body.

You have probably heard this more times, than you can count but facts are facts! There is no other way to say it - smoking is not only bad for your health, it is deadly! One woman in her late thirties had smoked for 10 years. She had tried everything from watering down her cigarettes, throwing them away, wearing a patch, chewing gum, you name it, she tried it. She really wanted to quit but the addiction was so strong she was finding it impossible.

People often confuse "dieting" with nutrition. Your body needs to have nutrients replaced, whether through foods being eaten or supplements. Do you remember what you learned in elementary school about the four major food groups? As adult, eating balanced meals from these groups still applies. It is important to remove the "junk food" from your diet and stick with healthy foods. If you do not like certain things such as fruits or vegetables, be sure you are taking a supplement to get the nutrients needed. Another consideration is if you are a vegetarian. There are certain benefits taken from meat such as iron and B-12 that you should consider taking a supplement for in exchange for the meat.

There is nothing wrong with a couple of social drinks or a glass of wine or beer with dinner, but if you drink, you need to be wise. First, if you drink to the point of being drunk, keep in mind that you are causing damage to your liver. Second, if you drink, NEVER drink and drive.

Regardless of your age, if you start acting too old, you will actually not benefit yourself at all. Studies have shown that people who act old, feel old, and can actually suffer from problems before their time. Do not be afraid to be youthful, within reason. The next time you see a man in his seventies running a marathon or a woman keeping up in aerobic class, you can see that by refusing to give into age, they are healthier and live much longer lives.

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KISS Diet: The Only Diet You'll Ever Need

So here is the problem. You like millions of other people enjoyed the holidays and what with all the rich calorie laden meals, cookies, cakes and candy canes you put on a few pounds. You probably resolved that as soon as January second rolled around you would lose some weight. Well the second of January has come and gone. You gave dieting a try but after a few days you quit and you gain back the two or three pounds you did lose.

You have tried every weight lost plan there is and never really got any lasting results. You have seen the ads on TV and the internet. You read magazine articles about losing weight and watched celebrities strut their stuff. Weight reduction plans run the gamut from fast, cleansing, detox to Paleo, high carbs and low carbs. What is a person to do? Why can't I lose weight? If only I could find a diet I could live with and actually enjoy eating the meals.

Well there is such a diet! I call it the K.I.S.S. Diet or the Keep It Simple Silly Diet. You see most every diet out there is doomed to failure. Why? Because in order to lose weight and keep it off you need an eating plan that is easy to follow, easy to prepare, uses common everyday ingredients, one that will not break your food budget and that you will enjoy eating.

Most diets out there call for expensive and unfamiliar food items and/or require long prep times. Using exotic spices with unfamiliar tastes may be okay when you are feeling adventurous but not as a regular addition to your meals. The K.I.S.S. Diet uses everyday familiar foods, comfort foods if you will and a few simple principles.

Now I am not a doctor or dietician I am just a regular guy, who with his wife has tried nearly everything under the sun to lose weight and failed! Finally a few years ago I looked at all the highest rated weight lost programs and took the common elements they shared and developed my own system that has worked for my family. This is not a problem you can buy. I do not have a book, DVD or meal plan to sell you. As I said this is a Keep It Simple Silly plan that I freely share. So without further ado here are the key points.

1. Start each day with a lean protein breakfast. It can be eggs. I like mine poached. But a slice of whole wheat toast with peanut butter, non fat free plain yogurt with fruit or a smoothie.
2. Lunch is a salad or vegetable laden soup.
3. Dinner lean protein either meat or vegetarian.
4. Snacks: Fruit, low fat cheese, handful of nuts, non fat plain yogurt, olives, Hummus, etc
5. Drink plenty of water.
6. Avoid sugar in all its forms.
7. Do not eat any food that is white.
8. Eliminate processed foods from your diet.
9. Move! Walk, walk, walk! Insert five or ten minutes of some kind of exercise every day.
10. Get enough sleep!

Now I admit there is nothing new in this plan. In fact you probably knew all this before you read this article. But sometimes with all the hype out there regarding weight lost and new diets we forget the simple truth about eating. This truth is "Everything in moderation." You probably remember your Momma saying this, right?

My point in trying to grab your attention with my diet was to help refocus you and remind you that you don't need to spend buckets of money, drive all over town searching for strange foods or spending hours in the kitchen preparing unfamiliar meals. The solution was always right in front of you in your refrigerator and pantry. So relax use the simple principles above and rest assure that over time you will lose weight and keep it off for good!

Living a vital, vigorous life is possible. Your journey starts with the first step. Take that step now and start living! Lose Weight I hope this article was healthful and aids you in living a healthy and active life.

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