Curiously Awesome

Cinnamon may be the world’s oldest spice. In ancient times, Cinnamon was an expensive luxury that was used as an aphrodisiac. It was more expensive than silver and many people used it as currency.
Cinnamon was also used to treat colds, coughing and sore throats. Burning Cinnamon was thought to cleanse the air. Modern research has found that this ancient spice is very good for your health.

A study conducted in Sweden showed that eating a meal laced with cinnamon lowers the food’s effects on the blood’s sugar levels. The test included 14 people…half of them were given normal rice pudding and the other half had rice pudding with cinnamon. They repeated the test again with the same results. The researchers believe that cinnamon may slow down part of the digestion process giving the body more time to break up the carbohydrates.

Another test conducted in Copenhagen has found that cinnamon mixed with honey can reduce pain associated with arthritis. The study was conducted on 200 arthritis suffers who were given a honey and cinnamon mixture before they ate breakfast. All of the patients reported an improvement in their pain management. 73 of the patients reported relief from all pain within a month.

These tests are not conclusive…but anything that produces a positive result in these diseases is worth trying.

MSG is natural. It is a sodium salt from glutamic acid, which is an amino acid. MSG was originally isolated from seaweed but is now made by fermenting corn, potatoes and rice. MSG is naturally present in tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. MSG is also highly dangerous to your health.

A recent study used rats to determine the effects of MSG on obesity. Rats given MSG developed obesity, type II diabetes, and metabolic syndrome X. MSG can disrupt the endocrine system and wreak havoc with metabolism. This explains how a person can hardly anything and still putting on weight.

Natural flavors are what is known as “isolates.” Many natural products contain compounds that in isolation can be extremely harmful. When a whole plant, fruit or vegetable is consumed, other compounds are present that neutralize any harmful effects. When natural flavors are consumed as isolates, the compounds become harmful.

The word spice is another innocuous sounding ingredient. However, in the world of food marketing “spice” is a word that has hidden meaning. Ever notice how individual spices are not listed in ingredient lists? Most people think that the individual spices are not listed because the creator of the product doesn’t want to give away secrets. Untrue. When you see the word “spices,” it indicates that toxic additives are hidden in the food product.

A new study shows that getting at least seven hours of sleep every night can maximize the cancer prevention benefits in active women.

Women between the ages of 18 and 65 who slept at least seven hours per night in addition to getting an hour per day of moderate exercise were 47% less likely to have cancer compared to women who averaged less sleep at the same activity level.

Lack of sleep has been linked to diabetes, stroke, heart disease and depression. It’s rare that one singular action would prevent all disease. A combination of many healthy lifestyle habits results in a much better chance of maintaining good health. Physical activity, a diet consisting of natural foods, and proper stress management are other factors that have a strong influence on one’s health.

Add all of these lifestyle choices to a good night’s sleep and you’ve given your body a fighting chance against modern disease.

A new study is researching what factors lead laser printers to emit toxic particles into the air. Laser printers are the biggest polluting piece of equipment in the typical office.

Individual components were heated separately in furnaces so that researchers could observe how they emitted particulates in response to heat. They found that each component had a threshhold under which emissions were almost nonexistent. Then there was a higher threshhold determined at which only volatile organic compounds were emitted and another threshold at which both volatile organic compounds and particulates were produced.

The researchers also operated the printers in different settings to measure either the nature of particles emitted or to measure how long the particles persisted. The laser printer emitted about 100,000 percent more particulates than the other printer mostly because of a different pattern of particulate release.

Toner or paper type had only limited effect on volatile organic compounds or particulate emissions. These findings have led the researchers to conclude that printer design is the biggest indicator of emissions levels.

Being more physically fit appears to slow down damage to the brain’s memory centers in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers conducted brain scans on adults over the age of 60 who were in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, along with 56 who did not have any dementia. Alzheimer’s patients who were more physically fit exhibited less of a decrease in the volume of the brain’s memory areas than those who were less fit.

Prior research has suggested that remaining physically active slows the rate of age-related cognitive decline in people without dementia.

“The message is essentially if you have Alzheimer’s disease, it’s not too late to become physically fit,” said Sam Gandy, chairman of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Council.

1. Avoid Food Intolerances

If you are intolerant to certain foods, it may show up as bags or dark circles under the eyes. Sugar is one of the most aging toxins. Cow’s milk is linked with acne and poor skin quality. Excess alcohol and other toxins that make the liver overworked can make the skin look overworked.

2. Avoid Free Radicals and Eat Loads of Antioxidants

Free radicals such as household chemicals and cigarettes cause aging.

Kale, cabbage, chilli peppers, parsley artichokes and Brussels sprouts are some of the most powerful vegetables. Berries, pineapple, pomegranate, prunes and kiwis are some of the fruits with the highest antioxidant activity. Raw chocolate, bee pollen, goji berries, and spirulina are some of the new super foods shown to dramatically reduce aging, as well as most other health issues.

3. Find Your Optimum Weight and Stay There

The endless cycle of losing weight, gaining it back only to go on yet another diet is terrible for the skin, not to mention dangerous for the body and exhausting for the mind. This constant rise and fall of weight can potentially cause wrinkles and saggy skin.

4. Limit Intense Sun Exposure

Excess sun exposure can cause skin damage. The key is to get short bursts of sun so that you don’t get sun burned. Eating plenty of antioxidants will actually make you less likely to get sun burned.

5. Moisturize with Nature’s Most Perfect Oil

Coconut oil keeps the skin strong and supple, preventing sagging, wrinkled skin. It protects from free radicals and is a natural sunscreen.

6. Get Plenty of Essential Fats

Omega-3 fatty acids are a key ingredient for beautiful skin. Most people are seriously lacking in these fats that are vital for vibrant, healthy looking skin.

7. Relax Your Facial Muscles

Be aware of your facial expressions. If you frown a lot, try to relax the muscles.

New research concludes eating high-fat foods may disrupt your internal biological “clock” that mimics the 24-hour cycle of the turning of the Earth. The result could be health problems ranging from insomnia and obesity to even cancer.

The biological clock regulates the expression and/or activity of hormones and enzymes involved in sleep and metabolism. Although light is the strongest factor affecting the internal biological clock, it has recently been discovered that fat laden diets can also disturb circadian rhythms. In fact, recent evidence indicates that disruption of circadian rhythms can promote cancer in a variety of ways, including the rate at which some malignancies develop.

The recent studies indicate that eating a lot of fat could contribute to obesity because high-fat diets disrupt the phases and daily rhythm of clock genes. Researchers also suggest that eating a high-fat diet may affect other circadian rhythm-controlled systems associated with metabolic disorders.

The researchers say their findings may also explain why people who eat high-fat diets often have problems with blood pressure and insomnia.

A vitamin D deficiency can cause many health problems, including many kinds of cancers, osteoporosis, depression, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular issues and others. Many health issues can be prevented by getting an adequate amount of vitamin D.

As many as 36% of all Americans are deficient in vitamin D.

Healthy individuals are often able to convert adequate sunlight exposure to vitamin D. This may not be the case for everyone, however.

A study was conducted by University of Wisconsin researchers on people who lived in Hawaii. The participants in the study spent an average of 11.1 hours in the sunlight per week. None of the participants in the study used any type of sunscreen.

Even though the people in this study received a great deal of sunlight exposure, 51% of them were deficient in vitamin D. The conclusion is that as the body ages its ability to convert sunlight to vitamin D through the skin is reduced.

Obese people are often vitamin D deficient. This is because these people store vitamin D in large amounts of body fat where it becomes inaccessible.

Whether people get their vitamin D from sunlight, vitamin supplements, foods rich in vitamin D, or some combination of these sources, no one should ignore the body’s need for this vital nutrient.

It really isn’t much of a challenge if you think about it. The health problems that are becoming epidemic are a direct result of the diet that is commonly consumed. It isn’t unreasonable to say that half of the prescription drugs today could be eliminated just by fixing these three most common mistakes people make when grocery shopping.

Mistake #1: Spending Too Much Time in the Aisles

The worst place to shop in any supermarket is in the inner aisles. This is where the processed, chemical-laden foods in cardboard boxes are stocked. Stick to the produce, refrigerated and frozen sections and venture into the middle aisles only if you have a something specific on your list.

Mistake #2: Reading Nutrition Labels

On the front of most packages are claims like “healthy”, “fat-free”, “sugar-free” and “low calorie”. These are just marketing statements to deceive. Likewise, the nutrition statement is full of deception as well. This little box of information tells us that the calories or fat grams are low or there are a lot of vitamins. Bottom line: adding chemical sweeteners or other synthetic ingredients to lower the fat, sugar or calorie count does not make something healthier. The only information of any importance is the ingredient listing. If you don’t understand what each and every ingredient is, don’t buy it.

Mistake #3: Overlooking the Organics

Whole, organic foods rich in natural vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are the best choice. Organic produce and products should not just be a luxury or novelty. They are a necessity – not just to avoid chemical pesticides but also for the nutrients they provide that conventionally grown food can’t measure up to.

Additionally, products that contain corn or soy ingredients may be made from genetically modified seeds. It is estimated that up to 90% of all soy grown and up to half of all corn is transgenic. These foods will not be identified as such on ingredient labels. Buying organic is one way to assure you are avoiding transgenic foods.

The key to good health has always been tied to diet and exercise. If you are stocking your kitchen with the right things and leaving the processed foods at the store you will definitely improve your overall health.

Recent estimates suggest that people are gaining weight despite efforts to the contrary.  Could it be possible that the chemicals in our food, skin care, and detergents is making us fat?

The foundation for most reducing diets is based on the theory that consuming fewer calories than the body needs will force the body to burn up fat stores.

Could it be time to look beyond this and look at the root of weight gain?

One’s own natural weight control system is being poisoned by the toxins that we come into contact with during everyday living.  This damage makes it more and more difficult for our bodies to maintain a healthy weight and people end up gaining weight even if they consume less food.

Following a detox diet will teach us how to avoid the most fattening chemicals in food and in household products.  When we learn how to get rid of the body’s stored chemicals we can learn how to rebuild the body’s natural slimming system.

Synthetic chemicals work against us in two ways.

1. By poisoning us through exposure to large quantities (leads to sometimes violent reactions that are responsible for 222,000 fatalities each year).
2. By long term exposure at much lower levels.

Toxic chemicals (even in very small amounts) can damage muscles and disrupt hormones that control growth.  They interfere with metabolic processes and inhibit the body’s natural slimming systems.

The best thing to do is to replace foods, skin care, cosmetic, and household products that contain toxic synthetic chemicals with organic products.  Also, the highest levels of slimming  nutrients are present in fresh organic produce.