Blackcurrants May Lower Diabetes Risk

'Antioxidants in the fruit affect how the body breaks down carbohydrates and sugars'

• Researchers carried out study at the University of Aberdeen
• Believe that antioxidants in the fruit affect how body breaks down carbs
• 'Reduce amount of sugar that ends up in the bloodstream after eating'

Can eating blackcurrants cut the risk of diabetes in people who are overweight?

That's the thinking behind a new clinical trial that is to be carried out at the University of Aberdeen.

The researchers believe that antioxidants in the fruit affect how the body breaks down carbohydrates and sugars, reducing the amount of sugar that ends up in the bloodstream after you have eaten a meal.

If blood sugar levels peak too high, this can put pressure on the pancreas and prevent the normal release of insulin.

Sixteen people will be asked to consume 200g of blackcurrants, or a 'placebo' dose of green currants that do not contain the antioxidants, with and without a carbohydrate meal - and their blood sugar levels will then be compared.

Drastic solution for sugar cravings

As well as cutting how much food is absorbed by the body, weight-loss surgery reduces sugar cravings, say U.S. researchers.

They compared brain activity in mice while they were offered sugary food - some of the mice had had bypass surgery, a technique used in obese patients to reduce stomach size and reroute food to the intestine to prevent it being absorbed.

The normal mice ate the food even if they'd just had a meal; the surgery mice didn't touch it - scans showed that their brains didn't release the chemical dopamine when looking at food, which would normally drive rewarding behaviour and make them eat.

The researchers say this finding could help develop drugs that interfere with brain signalling in the same way to reduce sugar cravings in obese patients without surgery.

Source: dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3416438/Blackcurrants-lower-diabetes-risk-Antioxidants-fruit-affect-body-breaks-carbohydrates-sugars.html#ixzz3ySW7AJfU

Best Morning Detox Drinks

Poor dietary habits and lifestyle choices are the root cause of toxic buildups in the organism. In this article we give you the healthiest detox drinks, and it is up to you to choose the one that works best for you.

These drinks are packed with vitamins and minerals, and they will help you lose weight naturally.

Warm Lemon Water

It is one of the best detox drinks. It tastes same as lemonade, and it will take you just a couple of minutes to make it. Juice half a lemon and add it to a glass of warm water. Drink warm lemon water every morning, before you eat or drink anything. Eat your regular meals, but carefully choose the ingredients.

Mango And Pineapple Juice

The combination of mango and pineapple juice is the best way to start your day. Its thick texture is packed with vitamins and minerals, essential for proper function of your bodily systems. These fruits stimulate the elimination of toxins in the organism, especially the digestive system, and they reduce the harmful effect of free radicals.

Watermelon Juice

It is easy to make, and its high content of nutrients will help you eliminate toxic buildups in your organism. It is super-fresh, which makes it excellent for the hot summer days. A few simple ingredients will help you improve your health and cleanse your organism. Use 2 cucumbers, a few watermelon pieces, mint leaves, and cold filtered water, and always make sure you use organic products.

Green Tea And Citrus Juice

When it is tea time, people prefer green tea, as it is considered to be the healthiest kind on the planet. It is even more powerful when combined with citrus juice. This combination is ideal for those who like having a drink or two more than they should. It will boost your metabolism and provide enough fiber and potassium, necessary for your overall health.

Source:healthyfoodhouse.com/best-morning-detox-drinks/

Healthy Herbs

HERBS CAN CHANGE YOUR HEALTH 

Melly Lou, naturopathic Doctor at Farm Girl and founder of Liquorice Lifestyle told FEMAIL:  'Adding medicinal and culinary herbs to your food and drink can drastically change your health.'

Herbs to incorporate include:  

Mint for calming your digestion.

Turmeric for anti inflammatory properties, building immunity, and having a positive effect on blood cholesterol, among many other things.

Nettle in Spring and Summer to reduce the effects of Hayfever.

Rose for calming the digestive system and cardiovascular health.

Cinnamon facilitates the movement of sugar from the blood into your cells by potentiating the function of insulin. This results in more stable blood sugar levels and less sugar cravings.

Coriander is a 'Metal Chelator', cleansing the central nervous system of unwanted heavy metals consumed mainly in large fish and canned food.

Juices and smoothies might appear to be a 'drink' but should always be viewed a meal. 

Adding herbal powders and different sources of plant based proteins such as chia seeds, spirulina, and soaked nuts, gives your body a huge dose of micronutrients which satisfies you. When you eat like this regularly your body is nourished by a lesser amount of food, as often hunger is actually the desire for vitamins, minerals, and what is commonly referred to these days as 'superfoods'.' 

Source:dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-3156251/FEMAIL-talks-experts-reveal-40-eating-habits-change-life.html#ixzz3hCLpCENU

Detox

For these days avoid all starchy carbs including wheat, potatoes, rice, bread and pasta. This will heighten your weight loss and limit bloating.

Eat plenty of green leafy veg like spinach and watercress, to keep your calcium intake up. You can also have soya or rice milk with added calcium.

The most important thing is to avoid wheat, dairy, sugar, alcohol and caffeine and fill up on vegetables (except root veg, unless raw carrots), fruit like berries, pears and apples and lean proteins like chicken, turkey, unprocessed ham, fish and eggs.

Eat small portions of seeds too, they are rich in healthy fats. Make salads big; not just leaves. Include sweetcorn, beetroot, olives, tomatoes and mushrooms.

Avoid shop-bought salad dressings, just use lemon juice and a teaspoon of olive or flax oil.

Tuna salad for lunch on Day One

DAY ONE

Breakfast: Smoked salmon and scrambled egg.

Mid morning snack: A pear and one tablespoon of pumpkin seeds.

Lunch: Tuna salad.

Mid-afternoon snack: A small bowl of prawns.

Dinner: Grilled chicken and vegetable stir-fry.

DAY TWO

Breakfast: Smoothie made with a handful of mixed berries, half a banana, half a glass of rice or soya milk, one heaped tablespoon of seeds.

Mid-morning snack: A hard-boiled egg.

Lunch: Ham salad.

Mid-afternoon snack: A punnet of blueberries.

Dinner: Roasted salmon with streamed green beans and curly kale.

DAY THREE

Breakfast: Natural soya yoghurt (about 150g) with fresh berries and one tablespoon of sunflower seeds.

Mid-morning snack: One hard-boiled egg.

Lunch: Avocado salad; slice up one ripe avocado and mix with onions, watercress, tomatoes, cucumber and salad leaves.

Mid-afternoon snack: An apple and one tablespoon of pumpkin seeds.

Dinner: Roast turkey with vegetable stir-fry

Drink detox tea to help the process

Source:dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-3162210/How-flat-stomach-just-24-HOURS.html#ixzz3g3pkL5PA 

19 Super Foods To Naturally Cleanse Your Liver

Eating the right foods is key, so here is a list of foods you can include in a diet that will promote a wholly natural, and perpetual cleanse of your liver.

Apples contain high levels of pectin, plus other natural chemicals which actually support your liver and facilitate the cleansing operation.

Asparagus is an excellent diuretic. A diuretic is a substance that helps to promote the production of urine, and as urine is the way that you body naturals evacuates itself of any excess toxins, asparagus actively helps to support detoxification.

Alternative grains can lighten the work that your liver has to do. Ordinary grains such as wheat, and flour made from wheat, contain gluten, which can be difficult to digest and is an allergen for many people. Substituting different grains, the likes of buckwheat, millet, and quinoa can make a significant difference.

Avocados are fantastically good for you as a source of nutrition. This renowned super-food also contains a compound known as glutathione, which is essential in helping your liver to extract toxins.

Beetroot (Beets) and carrots are another good source of glutathione that aids your liver to detox. They are also rich in flavonoids and beta-carotene, which both support healthy liver function.

Brussels sprouts are a rich source of the mineral sulfur, and the antioxidant glucosinolate. Both of these substances encourage your liver in producing certain enzymes that can prevent damage caused by both dietary and environmental toxins.

Cabbage facilitates your body’s production of ITCs (Isothiocyanates), another important substance that promotes the manufacture of detox enzymes.

Citrus fruits, and particularly lemons and limes, contain boatloads of vitamin C. This boosts liver function and helps to transform toxins into substances that are them more easily mopped up by water.

Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower also contain the antioxidant glucosinolate, the antioxidant that promotes the production of toxin busting enzymes.

Dandelion root makes a great tea which helps the liver to break down fat. It also boosts the manufacture of amino acids, another substance essential to the detox process.

Garlic s a rich source of Sulfur, (a great detox support agent), plus Allicin and Selenium, both of which are an important aid in helping to cleanse your liver.

Grapefruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, glutathione, and antioxidants, all of which combine to boost the manufacture of specific enzymes that can rid your body of various toxins including certain carcinogens.

Green tea contains a particular type of antioxidant known as catechins which are well known as substances that support healthy liver function.

Leafy green veggies contain certain chlorophylls that have the ability to absorb toxins that contaminate your body from the environment. They also help to deal with various chemicals, heavy metals and pesticides that find their way into your body system.

Olive oil and other cold pressed natural oils such as flax seed and hemp, also support healthy liver function, helping to produce a lipid base that assists with the absorption of toxins.

Spinach is another excellent source of glutathione.

Tomatoes are yet another great source of glutathione, but they also contain a substance known as Lycopene which can help to protect you against certain types of cancer including breast, lung, and skin cancer.

Turmeric is a spice that not only adds bags of flavor to soups stews and casseroles, but that also promotes the manufacture of detox enzymes.

Walnuts are packed with Omega 3 fatty acids, glutathione, and the amino acid, Arginine; all of which enhance the liver’s cleansing powers, and in particular help to rid your body of excess ammonia.

Source:justnaturallyhealthy.com/2015/04/21/19-super-foods-to-naturally-cleanse-your-liver/?c=nsfb

5 Beauty Benefits of Vitamin C

Time and time again, we hear experts sing the praises of vitamin C. Why is it so incredibly essential? Well, Rianna Loving, founder of organic skincare brand ORGO Beauty, says the nutrient is responsible for creating and maintaining collagen—the "glue that holds the body together." Specifically, this antioxidant strengthens blood vessels and gives skin its elasticity and strength.

However, vitamin C is water-soluble. Meaning: Your body doesn't store or accumulate it. That's why daily intake is highly important, says Loving. Not convinced? See how a daily dose of vitamin C can improve your hair, nails, and skin:

It Promotes Hair Health
Vitamin C is one of the most effective nutrients to help grow and strengthen hair, says Loving. To give your locks a vital dose of vitamin C, blend a partially-boiled sweet potato, a half-cup of gooseberries, three strawberries, and half a small red bell pepper until you get a creamy smooth mixture. Then apply it to your scalp and hair. Leave the mask on for 15 to 25 minutes, then rinse it off with warm water.

It Makes You Look (And Feel) More Energized
In your diet, vitamin C plays a vital role in iron absorption—and iron contributes to your overall beauty and wellbeing, says Elisa Zied, author ofYounger Next Week: Your Ultimate Rx to Reverse the Clock, Boost Energy and Look and Feel Younger in 7 Days. "When you deplete your iron stores, you can develop anemia and experience fatigue and weakness," she says. "That certainly won't help you look and feel vibrant or energized."

It Promotes Nail Growth
"Vitamin C helps maintain the integrity of our nails by strengthening our skin, connective tissue, bones, and blood vessel walls," says Loving.

It Helps Prevent Hangnails
Because vitamin C strengthens nails and helps them grow, it can also prevent hangnails. Ingesting vitamin C is the best route for optimal nail health, so be sure to eat citrus fruits often.

It Wards Off Signs of Aging
A 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutritionfound that middle-aged women who consumed more vitamin C from food sources appeared to have fewer wrinkles and less skin dryness. Experts suggest that vitamin C might delay the signs of aging due to free radical damage.

For a vitamin C-rich facemask, blend one kiwi and a half-cup of papaya, and apply the mixture to your face. After 15 to 20 minutes, wash it off with cold water.

Source:womenshealthmag.com/beauty/vitamin-c-benefits

The Healthiest Way to Get a Natural Glow

You’ve heard that age-old myth: Eating too many carrots can make your skin turn orange. Well, it’s true. Sort of. The bright pigments found in vegetables and fruit like broccoli, sweet potatoes and melons do increase skin yellowness. And apparently, it can give you a more attractive glow than you would get from sitting out in the sun.

In a new study, 60 volunteers were asked to rate how pleasing they found faces with different types of coloration: ones with pigmentation caused by "carotenoid coloration" from fruits and vegetables, and ones from "melanin coloration" caused by the sun. And more than 75% of the participants preferred the faces with the more natural coloring from eating a healthy diet. Researchers believe the glow from fruit and vegetables sent an overall signal of good health.

Looking more healthy isn’t the only upside to adding more fruits and veggies to your meals. They're also full of antioxidants that help keep skin looking young, while tanning too much can age the skin prematurely. Guess this is one more reason why Mom was right to insist you eat your vegetables.

Source: goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/anti-aging/healthy-glow-from-vegetables

Drinking tea 'cuts risk of dying early by a quarter'

Antioxidant ingredients in the drink are good for the heart 

• A study shows that drinking tea reduces the risk of dying from causes unrelated to the heart by a quarter 
• The benefits of tea are largely due to the antioxidant ingredients
• The study involved 131,401 people aged 18 to 95 
• Experts also say it is better for you than coffee and tea drinkers are more physically active

Tea really is the best drink of the day – it can cut your risk of dying prematurely, say researchers.

A study shows that drinking tea reduces the risk of dying from causes unrelated to the heart by a quarter compared with those who don’t drink tea.

Experts say it is better for you than coffee, although habitual coffee drinkers tend to be more unhealthy and smokers.

The benefits of tea are largely due to the flavonoid content, antioxidant ingredients that are thought to be good for the heart.

Study leader Professor Nicolas Danchin said previous research showed ‘divergent’ effects of tea and coffee on heart health.

He added, however: ‘If you have to choose between tea or coffee it’s probably better to drink tea.’

+3

The European Society for Cardiology in Barcelona said that a glass of wine a day works only if you exercise too

The study involved 131,401 people aged 18 to 95 at low risk of cardiovascular diseases attending the Paris IPC Preventive Medicine Centre between January 2001 and December 2008.

There were 95 deaths from cardiovascular (CV) causes and 632 deaths from non-CV causes.

 

Coffee or tea consumption was assessed by a questionnaire and classified as: none, 1 to four cups per day, or more than four cups. The researchers found that coffee drinkers had a higher CV risk profile than non-drinkers, particularly for smoking, with 57 per cent of those drinking more than four cups per day being smokers.

Non-coffee drinkers were more physically active, with 45 per cent having a good level of physical activity compared with 41 per cent of the heavy coffee drinkers.

+3

The Barcelona conference was told that the high caffeine content in energy drinks may cause heart problems

‘This is highly significant in our large population,’ Prof Danchin said yesterday at the European Society for Cardiology meeting in Barcelona. Tea had a marked effect on blood pressure, with a significant reduction in the heavy tea drinkers, compared with non-drinkers.

Professor Danchin said: ‘Overall we tend to have a higher [CV] risk profile for coffee drinkers and a lower risk profile for tea drinkers. We also found big gender differences.

‘Men tend to drink coffee much more than women, while women tend to drink more tea than men.’ There was a trend for tea drinking to lower cardiovascular deaths but the effect was not statistically significant after adjusting for age, gender and smoking.

But tea lowered the risk of non-CV death, by a quarter for tea drinkers compared with no tea at all.

The study did not define the type of tea, or whether milk was added. Participants were just asked how much tea they drank per day.

Professor Danchin, of the Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou in Paris, said: ‘Tea drinking lowered the risk of non-CV death by 24 per cent and the trend towards lowering CV mortality was nearly [statistically] significant.’

He added: ‘Interestingly, most of the effect of tea on non-CV mortality was found in current or ex-smokers, while tea had a neutral effect in non-smokers.’

Coffee significantly increased non-CV mortality but the increased risk disappeared when the effect was adjusted for smoking. 

Source:
dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2739310/Drinking-tea-cuts-risk-dying-early-quarter-Antioxidant-ingredients-drink-good-heart.html#ixzz3CManX04O