Learn why Minerals are so Important for your Body!

Juicing! Why It Should Be a Daily Part of Your Diet

In this modern world, with our fast pace of life we have become used to supplementing our diets with vitamins and mineral pills. These supplements have their place and can be very effective, but they can't take the place of a stable diet of fruit and vegetables.
Not only do they provide a wealth of minerals, nutrients and vitamins but they also cleanse and balance the body. Now there is a revolution that is happening at the moment and it is taking the food Industry by storm, which means you don't have to eat all your fruit and vegetables. So what is it? Juicing. That is, taking fresh raw fruit and vegetables. Then extracting the juice from them to produce a tasty cocktail of minerals and nutrients which are brimming full of goodness. And they taste great!
So here are my 8 reasons why you really should consider juicing as part of your daily intake of fuel for your body
1. Raw Juicing is better
Once you have tasted the freshly extracted juice made from your own raw vegetables and fruit you will realize there is no comparison between that and the juices you can buy in a carton which have things such as preservatives and sweeteners added. Homemade juices will have nothing added, nothing taken away just 100% goodness. Your own juice will retain all of its goodness because it's not undergone any processing. This makes a big difference, as any form of cooking destroys some of the content of minerals and vitamins.
2. Getting your vitamins and minerals on a daily basis
Freshly extracted juices are packed with many of the vitamins and minerals which the body needs to keep us fit and well. Those vitamins found in fruit and vegetables are often bound to other nutrients which help with absorption. For example, Bioflavonoids can be found in the pith of citrus fruits which help with the absorption of vitamin C. So obviously juicing on a regular basis is an excellent way of making sure you get the all the vitamins and minerals each day.

3. Antioxidants
You may have heard of Antioxidant nutrients in Newspaper and magazine articles. Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. Vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene can give protection against degenerative diseases such as cancer, heart disease, premature aging. It is believed that these vitamins hold the key to minimising the effects of these devastating diseases. The reason why these nutrients have such a positive effect on our preventative healthcare is that they are able to slow down the damage done by the unbalanced molecules, known as free radicals.
4. Free radicals
Free radicals are molecules produced when the body breaks down food, or it can be caused by environmental exposure: things like tobacco smoke and radiation. They react with other molecules in our body and destabilize them. In other words, putting your cells at risk. They have been linked to the development of diseases such as cancer and heart disease, because they are capable of destroying other healthy molecules which will in turn then be unstable. So drinking freshly extracted juices that contain all the nutrients on a daily basis is going to have a long term impact on your future health as well as benefitting you in the short term.
5. Easier to digest
Fruit and vegetable juices are easy for the body to digest, especially if your body can't cope with a lot of fibre. But they are not to replace the fibre in your diet which is necessary for the elimination of wastes. Because freshly extracted juice is a liquid it will be quickly absorbed and digested in the stomach, and the nutrients absorbed into the bloodstream. This works so efficiently that it will be absorbed within minutes of being eaten. Also of benefit is; plant enzymes which come from the vegetables. These also help in neutralizing any excess fat or proteins from other foods eaten.
6. Cleanses the body

Drinking Fresh juices are an excellent way of cleansing the body. Fruit and vegetables in their raw state hold good amounts of water which will have been filtered and distilled through their complex structures, making digestion a whole lot easier with no impurities to deal with. In addition to that, all fruits contain acid. This helps remove toxins from your digestive tract. Some fruits such as oranges and apples contain pectin; this will also absorb fats and toxins from your digestive tract. Green vegetables are also rich in chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a molecule that absorbs sunlight and converts its energy into carbohydrate. Vegetables with chlorophyll, such as watercress and spinach are helpful when on a detox programme. Carrots and tomatoes are also very good at acting as a tonic for the liver too.

7. Keeping a balanced diet
Freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juices act as excellent alkalizers once they have been digested. So this will help when eating normal foods, as they tend to be high in protein, with too many refined, processed ingredients. All of which can cause high acidity levels. The body has a finely balanced pH level, where it should be somewhere in the middle between acid and alkaline, tipping slightly towards alkaline. So drinking a glass of fresh juice each day will help in maintaining your pH balance to where it should be.
8. Good health insurance policy
Drinking just juice on its own won't give you perfect health, but added to a balanced diet and regular exercise you will increase your chances of a long and healthy life. It may be worth considering other changes you can make as part of your daily routine. Things like:
Stop smoking
Cut back on intake of alcohol
Take regular exercise (at least 3 times a week)
Increase your consumption of fruit and vegetables (juicing makes this a doddle)
Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water
Now that you have the facts, just go out and do it. Get yourself a juicer, buy some fresh fruit and vegetables and start juicing! There are plenty of resources for recipes and tips on juicing or sign up to makemeslim.net and learn how juicing and losing weight can be really effective. It was for me, I lost 40 lb's in just 3 months and I'm maintaining my weight too.

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Sodium and chloride

Usually a package deal, sodium and chloride are the major extracellular electrolytes in the human body, sodium providing the positive charge and chloride the negative charge. In addition to providing balance to one another, these ions are essential for maintaining blood volume and pH (Schauss, 1998). 

Sodium and chloride also happen to be the main electrolytes lost in sweat, especially during prolonged exertion in warm and hot environments. Though the average American consumes substantially more than enough sodium chloride, there are some individuals and situations in which these electrolytes should be supplemented. 

Those who experience higher than average sweating, either through recreational activities such as long-distance running, professional athletics, or mining, construction work, and the armed forces, need to replace both their fluids and their electrolytes (especially sodium and chloride) to maintain a healthy balance.

Drinking water alone can sometimes be counter-productive, as it will decrease the osmolality (concentration of ions) of the extracellular fluid, signaling the kidney to let go of even more fluid to find a balance. This “diluted blood” also tends to shut off the thirst mechanism. 

Because strenuous exercise actually requires fluid replacement to be slightly above fluid loss, thirst is a key way to assure that individuals will replace an adequate amount of fluid. 

Eating solid food is an effective way of replacing sodium and chloride, however there are many instances when this would be impossible or impractical. 

Therefore, adding sodium and chloride to the water of individuals who regularly sweat will not only replace the loss of these essential electrolytes, but will also help maintain proper blood osmolality, assuring thirst and kidney mechanisms to maintain adequate blood volume and hydration (Maughan and Shirreffs, 1997).

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How Alkaline Water Benefits Your Immune System

The food you consume and the polluted air you inhale, create a lot of acidic waste in your body. Even the tap water that comes to your home is not safe as it contains many pollutants, chlorine, fluorine and other minerals in it. Consuming alkaline water benefits your health and improves your immune system.
Alkaline water benefits your health by neutralizing acids and removing toxins from your body. Tap water normally has a pH value of 7 and is neutral. Alkaline water has a pH range of 7.2 to 9 that is safe for the body. The pH value describes the acidity or alkalinity in a water sample. If the body is excessively acidic, there is a lack of oxygen available in your body cells, and you will not be healthy. When your body is alkaline, and it is getting sufficient minerals from the food and drinks to remain alkaline, your blood will function normally. Providing oxygen to the body cells and removing all acidic waste from the body is significant for health.

The extra amount of acid present in your body weakens your immune system and can cause several diseases. On the other hand, if your body is alkaline, it will function better. Alkaline water acts to neutralize the acids present in the body and enables it to flush out the toxic, acidic waste.
Alkaline antioxidant water can be prepared in a number of ways. One of the best and economical ways is by ionizing the water. Ionized water is alkaline, rich in antioxidants and is free from bacteria as well as other volatile organic substances such as chlorine, fluorine and harmful trace metals present in tap water. It also contains an excess of oxygen atoms and retains healthy minerals. Ionized alkaline water benefits the health as it makes the passage of water between your body-cells easier. Alkaline water provides oxygen to the body cells to get rid of toxins. Antioxidants are important to improve your health. The ionized water has a higher antioxidant level, and is more beneficial for your health and immune system. ORP signifies the Oxidation Reduction Potential of ionized water and measures the antioxidant level of ionized water. A higher antioxidant level in the ionized water implies that it is better for your health. The alkaline ionized water is more beneficial than clean water to save you from abdominal complaints and chronic diarrhea, and it shows a better overall improvement. Alkaline mineral water reduces bone resorption. Ionized water protects the body against oxidative damage to protein RNA and DNA.
Alkaline water benefits your body to fight the aging process and numerous degenerative diseases. As alkaline water is more easily absorbed into your body-cells, it reduces the build up of acidic waste in your body and makes it less susceptible to degenerative diseases including gout, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure as well as heart disease. The high pH water forces the stomach to generate more hydrochloric acid that produces more bicarbonate to go into your bloodstream. With aging, the bicarbonate and as such the alkalinity in the blood stream reduces and the body is unable to neutralize acids. The increase in acid level causes cholesterol, uric acid, kidney stones, etc. Alkaline ionized water also refills the deficit of calcium, prevents bone loss, and also prevents kidney disorders. Thus, the alkaline water benefits your immune system in several ways.

Although alkaline water can greatly benefit your health.
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Why You Should Consider Eating Sugar Free Candy

As much as most people love candy, for some folks, sugar is not an option due to medical reasons such as diabetes.

For those affected by this disease, consuming excess sugar leads to unbalanced blood sugar levels. This in turn can do long term damage to kidneys, eyes nerves and the cardiovascular system. For healthy people, candy is often avoided because sugar can put a major dent in their waistlines if not consumed in moderation. Thankfully, there is an alternative out there for those adverse to consuming candy due to health or dietary issues. With no sugar versions candy no longer needs to be the proverbial forbidden fruit. Instead, everyone can enjoy an occasional sweet treat without putting their health at risk.

For folks who just cannot bear the thought of life without candy, candy versions are definitely something to consider. The main benefit to going the candy route is that they are less caloric than their sugar-laden counterparts. Now granted, just because you save some calories because of the absence of sugar does not mean you can eat the entire bag in one sitting. Chocolates still have calories from fat so while they are waistline friendlier, they will pack on the pounds if eaten to excess. Non-chocolate sugar free candy gives you a bit more play in the calorie department, though as they do not usually have a high fat content. On average, sugar free candy has an average of 40% less calories than their regular counterparts.

Another benefit to taking the sugar free candy route is that Xylitol, the chemical used to sweeten many of these treats, has some positives things going for it as far as your health is concerned. Xylitol is a 100% natural sweetener that is found in berries, fruits, and vegetables. It is not an artificial sweetener like saccharine or aspartame. Xylitol is also naturally found in our bodies with the average adult manufacturing up to 16 grams of it during metabolism. Pure Xylitol is a white crystalline substance that looks and tastes like sugar. On food labels, Xylitol is classified as both a carbohydrate and more narrowly as a sugar alcohol or polyol, which can be confusing because it is considered a sugar free sweetener.
The main benefit of Xylitol sweetened candies is that they have 40% less calories and 75% fewer carbs than regular sugar. Xylitol will not raise blood sugar so candy sweetened with it is safe for diabetics.
Folks who chew sugarless gum sweetened with Xylitol also benefit because this it has been found to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Tooth decay happens because sugar feeds bacteria in your mouth, which causes them to multiply. This metabolic process then produces acids that cause cavities to form. Using gum or mints with Xylitol stops this acid attack for over a half hour. This is because mouth bacteria cannot ferment xylitol in their metabolism, thus reducing their growth, inhibiting acid formation and keeping the pH of saliva steady.
Another reason to opt for candy is on par with the old beer commercial tag line "tastes great, less filling." While in the past anything labeled sugar free had that medicinal, chemical aftertaste, advances in how today's products are made have improved the taste significantly. The use of xylitol, stevia, or Sucralose as sweeteners puts these candies on par with their sugar-laden counterparts so the taste factor is no longer a valid reason to shun candies This is great news for people who cannot consume sugar, as they are no longer stuck with subpar products.
So now that the benefits of candy are clear, and you are considering making the switch, it is time to explore just what kinds of confections are out there. For folks in need of a chocolate fix, movie theater favorites like chocolate covered peanuts or raisins are two great choices. Delicious milk chocolate will satisfy your craving just as well as the classic Goobers or Raisinets but with less calories and no sugar to bust your belt.

Folks who want sweet but are not in the mood for chocolate can get their candy fix with classics like gummy bears and jellybeans. Gummy bears look, taste and have the texture of their regular counterparts and come in the traditional gummy flavors or cherry, lime and pineapple. Or, for an Easter treat any time of the year, Gourmet jellybeans are the perfect choice. Enjoy classic flavors like cherry and grape or go for more exotic tastes like buttered popcorn, cream soda, juicy pear, pomegranate and tons more!

For those who want a sweet treat that is long lasting, curbs cravings, and is incredibly diet friendly, sugar free gumballs are the way to go. Pop a few in your mouth and you will immediately think back to when you were a kid begging for a quarter at the old grocery store gumball machines. The only difference is that the gumball of yore could warrant a trip to the dentist while sugar free xylitol sweetened gumballs help to prevent tooth decay.
No matter what your reason is for considering a switch to sugar free candy, the benefits to your waistline, teeth and overall health are undeniable. In addition, with the improvements in the types of sweetener available and the actual candy processing, the difference in taste between sugar free and regular varieties are virtually indistinguishable. No more bitter aftertastes or waxy textures. Today's sugar free candies are the real deal and a perfect example of how a product adapts to fit society's needs.

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Water - What Are The Benefits Of Drinking Water

We know we should but how much water should I drink? One cup every hour? 8 cups a day? What are the benefits of drinking water? How about this one – 8 glasses of water before breakfast! Heard that one?
Water comes in many shapes and sizes. There's tap water, bottled water, filtered water, rain water, distilled water to name a few.

Most of you drink bottled water if at all or the odd glass of tap water. Of all the choices distilled and filtered are the best. You may say "I drink lots of liquids every day - tea, coffee, soft drinks and sodas so I must be getting my daily intake of water." Well these are not water. Somewhere along the production line the water got transformed into - tea, coffee, soft drinks, sodas etc they are not water! And they definitely contain substances that are not good for your health.

Well, there are certain things to know about water that will help you make educated decisions about it – how much to drink; what water to drink; its benefits etc. In my research into this subject I’ve discovered some very interesting facts.
Your body is about 70% water. You probably know this but look further – that’s your muscles and brain are 75% water, your blood and lungs are more than 80& water and even your bones are 25% water. So if your liquid intake consists of tea, coffee, soft drinks and sodas, then your body’s water is polluted.
Feeling tired all the time? Chronic fatigue? Cravings? Excessive hunger? Depressed? These are some of the symptoms of DEHYDRATION.

Next to know is that your water should be alkaline, that’s above 7 on the Ph scale. Having a high acid intake of liquids and food will lead to weight problems and disease.

Water is definitely essential in maintaining health. If you have any of the above symptoms then you may be dehydrated. Water effects your body at a cellular level.




















Article Source:
by Paul Graham