Cholesterol is finally officially removed from Naughty List!

The US government has finally accepted that cholesterol is not a 'nutrient of concern', doing a U-turn on their warnings to us to stay away from high-cholesterol foods since the 1970s to avoid heart disease and clogged arteries.

This  means eggs, butter, full-fat dairy products, nuts, coconut oil and meat have now been classified as "safe" and have been officially removed from the "nutrients of concern" list.

The US Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for updating the guidelines every five years, stated in its findings for 2015: "Previously, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended that cholesterol intake be limited to no more than 300 mg/day.

"The 2015 DGAC will not bring forward this recommendation because available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum (blood) cholesterol, consistent with the AHA/ACC (American Heart Association / American College of Cardiology)

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee will, in response, no longer warn people against eating high-cholesterol foods and will instead focus on sugar as the main substance of dietary concern.

US cardiologist Dr Steven Nissen said: "It's the right decision. We got the dietary guidelines wrong. They've been wrong for decades."

"When we eat more foods rich in this compound, our bodies make less. If we deprive ourselves of foods high in cholesterol - such as eggs, butter, and liver - our body revs up .

The Real Truth about Cholesterol

The majority of the cholesterol in you is produced by your liver. Your brain is primarily made up from cholesterol.  It is essential for nerve cells to function. Cholesterol is the basis for the creation of all the steroid hormones, including estrogen, testosterone, and corticosteroids.  High cholesterol in the body is a clear indication which shows the liver of the individual is in good health.

Dr. George V. Mann M.D. associate director of the Framingham study for the  incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors states: "Saturated fats and cholesterol in the diet are not the cause of coronary heart disease. That myth is the greatest deception of the century, perhaps of any century"

Cholesterol is the biggest medical scam of all time.

There is no such thing as bad Cholesterol! 

So you can stop trying to change your Cholesterol level. Studies prove beyond a doubt, cholesterol doesn't cause heart disease and it won't stop a heart attack.  The majority of people that have heart attacks have normal cholesterol levels.  

OUR BODY NEEDS 950 mg OF CHOLESTEROL FOR DAILY METABOLISM AND  THE LIVER IS THE MAIN PRODUCER.

ONLY 15% OF CHOLESTEROL IS BEING  DONATED BY THE FOOD WE EAT.  If the fat content is less in our food we eat, our liver!

Got to work more to maintain the level at 950 mg.  If the cholesterol level is high in our body, it shows the liver is working perfect. 

Experts say that there is nothing like LDL or HDL.
…………..
…..  Cholesterol is not found to create block any where in human body.

Please post the recent facts about CHOLESTEROL

Read More

30 Health Benefits of Asparagus!

Asparagus is least likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues.

Asparagus, its fleshy spears topped with bud-like compact heads, is often thought of as a luxury vegetable, prized for its succulent taste and tender texture. It is harvested in the spring when it is 6 to 8 inches tall. While the most common variety of asparagus is green in color, two other edible varieties are available. White asparagus, with its more delicate flavor and tender texture, is grown underground to inhibit its development of chlorophyll content, therefore creating its distinctive white coloring. It is generally found canned, although you may find it fresh in some select gourmet shops, and it is generally more expensive than the green variety since its production is more labor intensive. The other edible variety of asparagus is purple in color. It is much smaller than the green or white variety (usually just 2 to 3 inches tall) and features a fruitier flavor. It also provides benefits from phytonutrients called anthocyanins that give it its purple color. With prolonged cooking, the purple color may disappear.

Health Benefits of Asparagus:

1) It is high in vitamin K and Folate 2) Eat asparagus when you are pregnant or thinking about conceiving – because of it being high in folic acid it helps prevent birth defects such as spina bifida 3) Great for your heart 4) Helps menstrual cramps with fertility problems 5) Great for your gastrointestinal tract and your colon 6) Helps menstrual cramps 7) Great food to help treat depression 8) Has been known to increase the success rate of chemo therapy 9) Is considered a diuretic which means it is a good anti-inflammatory – best for arthritis, asthma rheumatism, and even water retention…PMS 10) Help get rid of warts 11) Helps detoxify your body 12) Add more asparagus to your diet to lover cholesterol 13) Great for nursing mothers stimulating milk production 14) Has antioxidant agents – prevents the effects of aging 15) Has antifungal and antiviral qualities 16) Great for your kidneys – cleansing your body by stimulating urination and preventing kidney stones 17) Helps prevent bladder and urinary tract infections 18) Use to be used as an a aphrodisiac – increase sexual and comforting feelings 19) Helps with treating HIV 20 Helps prevent multiple sclerosis 21) Helps prevent scurvy 22) Asparagus has anti-cancer agents – especially lung cancer 23) Helps fight chronic fatigue syndrome 24) Helps fight off high blood pressure 25) If you bruise easily – eat more asparagus 26) Is considered a laxative – eat an asparagus if you have diarrhea and constipation 27) Great for your capillaries – eat more asparagus to avoid varicose veins 28) Great for your eyes preventing cataracts 29) If you are experiencing hair loss- eat more asparagus 30) Helps treat toothaches

Read More

Sun Gazing for Health: An Ancient Therapy

We are constantly looking for new ways to improve health and treat specific ailments – an endeavor that takes us around the world and into many different cultures. During one of those quests, we came across the process of sun gazing for improved health. It may sound like an unusual health treatment; however, it is actually considered to be one of the most effective therapeutic activities.

What Is Sun Gazing?

Sun gazing, a practice also known as sun eating, is a strict regimen of gradually allowing sunlight into your eyes at specific periods of the day. The goal when implementing the practice is to look into the sun at periods of the lowest ultraviolet-index which occur at sunrise and sunset each day. The practice follows specific guidelines to render the most benefits and to limit dangerous exposure.

The practice is also known as the HRM phenomenon, a termed that the practice received after Hira Ratan Manek submitted himself to NASA for testing. Research suggested that Manek actually did possess the seemingly super-human ability of not eating. With regular practice, following a strict regimen over a period of approximately 9 months, many practitioners report losing the need for food and subsisting on energy from the sun.

What Are the Benefits of Sun Eating?

In essence, sun gazing provides beneficial stimulation to the body. The process itself negates the body’s innate need for food and retrains it to run on the energy of the sun. As such, the process helps increase energy, clarity of thinking, and overall health. NASA research suggested that the process could make an individual maintain a level of health that was far better in comparison to other individuals of the same age.

The process has also been shown as an effective treatment for specific conditions. Melanoma, non-hodgkin’s lymphoma, and a number of other cancers benefit from the treatment. Likewise, the increased vitamin D gained from the process is a known healing agent.

How Do I Start Sun Gazing?

Following the specific process for sun gazing is crucial to prevent sun damage. The process involves a 9 month practice, which is typically broken into three phases: 0 to 3 months, 3 to 6 months, and 6 to 9 months. After the initial phase, you’ll continue walking barefoot for 45 minutes daily for the rest of your life.

To begin, select a safe period of the day (sunrise or sunset) and gaze at the sun for 10 seconds. Continue consecutively adding 10 seconds a day. Be sure to stand on the bare earth and look straight into the sun. During the first three months, you’ll notice mental depression subside and an increase in balance of the body and mind.

Continue daily gazing at the sun adding 10 seconds each day through the next phase and you’ll experience the curing of physical diseases. Progress into the last phase, 6 to 9 months, continuing to gradually increase the amount of gazing to 44 minutes. Once you have reached 44 minutes, begin walking barefoot on the earth for 45 minutes daily. Complete this practice for a total of 6 days straight at a period of the day when the earth is warm and the sun shines on your body. This period is when you’ll realize the full effects of the practice.

To maintain the benefits of sun gazing and to boost the immune system, continue the practice of walking daily. The process is illuminating and enlightening and has the potential for increasing health in super-human ways.

Read More

SUN'S OUT GUN'S OUT: VITAMIN D

DO YOU NEED TO TAKE VITAMIN D?

Vitamin D deficiency is recognized as an increasing problem around the world. Deficiency has been linked with a variety of health problems such as cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, asthma in children, and even cancer. Other health issues include rickets in children, osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures. As a result, vitamin D supplements have become very popular in recent years. However, most people aren’t sure how much vitamin D they should take or if they need to take it in the first place.

What Is Vitamin D Exactly?
Vitamin D actually refers to a group of fat-soluble compounds that serve as precursors to the active form of Vitamin D known as calcitriol. Exposure to sunlight causes the skin to produce a form of vitamin D known as 7-dehydrocholesterol. It is then converted into a form known as cholecalciferol, more commonly known as Vitamin D3.

If you are taking a Vitamin D supplement, it’s most likely in the form of cholecalciferol (D3). This form is also found in animal foods such as fish and egg yolks. Vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, is found in plant foods like mushrooms and nuts, and is also used to fortify processed foods.

Vitamin D is then converted by the liver into a form known as 25-hydroxyvitamin D, sometimes abbreviated as 25OHD. If you go to your doctor, or order a blood panel from an independent lab, this is usually the form that is being tested.

Finally, in the kidneys, 25-hydroxyvitamin D is converted to 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol). Interestingly enough, vitamin D isn’t really a true vitamin in the strict sense of the word. It’s actually more like a steroid hormone than a vitamin. This active form is similar to steroid hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol. A true vitamin can’t be produced in sufficient quantities by your body and must be acquired through diet. Vitamin D can be produced by your body but many people don’t get enough sun exposure to produce adequate amounts.

What Does Vitamin D Actually Do?
Calcitriol is best known for increasing intestinal calcium absorption. It’s essential for bone health, but also plays a role in reducing risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancers, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and infectious diseases. Adequate vitamin D levels can also help improve quality sleep and mood. Vitamin D is also involved in the regulation, either directly or indirectly, of hundreds of different genes in your body.

Can I Get Enough Vitamin D Through Sun Exposure?
Vitamin D production requires exposure of a large amount of your skin to ultraviolet B (UVB) light. Ideally, this is done sometime during midday. UVB light is blocked by the atmosphere earlier and later in the day. Also, most sunscreens will block UVB and prevent Vitamin D production.

Skin type will also affect how much sun you need. Generally speaking, paler skin types tend to produce more Vitamin D and darker skin types tend to produce less. A fair skinned person might only need 10 minutes of exposure around noon while someone that is darker could need up to 2 hours of exposure.

The climate you live in will likely determine whether or not you can get enough Vitamin D through sun exposure alone. If it’s winter time in Boston, you probably aren’t going to be doing any sunbathing. If you are fortunate enough to live in a sunny climate like San Diego, adequate sun is available almost all year round.

However, convincing your boss to let you take a midday Vitamin D break in your bathing suit might not be feasible for many people. Or you might avoid sun exposure due to concerns about skin cancer and skin aging from UVA exposure. In either case, supplementation is certainly worth considering if your Vitamin D levels are low.

How Do I Know If I’m Deficient?
The best way to know if you are deficient in Vitamin D is to get tested. You can check with your doctor and see if it’s covered by your health insurance. If not, you can always get a blood test done through a direct service such as WellnessFX.

Below 25 ng/mL is considered deficient and is associated with diseases like rickets and poor bone health. 30 ng/mL is considered the minimum level to achieve health benefits. A 25OHD level of 80 ng/mL seems to optimize intestinal calcium absorption. Athletes should try to keep their 25OHD levels between 40 ng/mL and 80 ng/mL.

How Much Do I Need To Take?
Recommendations for preventing deficiency and normative ranges vary quite a bit depending on who you ask. The Institute of Medicine updated their Recommended Dietary Allowance to 600 iu/day from the previous 200 iu/day guideline. Also, they have set 4,000 iu/day as the upper level intake. Though, some research suggests that the human body can use up to 5,000 iu/day [4] and even the Vitamin D Council suggests 5,000 iu/day for adults. Other research has found that toxicity starts to occur at doses in excess of 10,000 iu/day.

Based on research and current guidelines, about 2,000-3,000 iu/day is probably a safe yet efficacious dose for maintaining optimal Vitamin D levels. Athletes in colder climates will likely need to supplement with more as they probably don’t get as much sun exposure as athletes that live in warmer climates. Of course, you should get tested first to see if you are deficient and then consult with a qualified professional to determine how much Vitamin D you need to take.

Read More