Tuna: Tuna is a good source of heart-healthy omega-3s; it generally costs less than salmon. Albacore (white tuna) contains more omega-3s than other tuna varieties. Use these other sources rich in omega-3s, also: mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, and anchovies. Tuna helps with tryglyceride, arrythymias and general heart health.   Resource: WebMD, Medical Encyclopedia, Food that Heal...

The Importance of Health Screening Being proactive and discussing screening tests with your doctor makes good health sense. Some tests, such as a Pap test or breast exam should be a routine part of every woman’s health care. Other tests become more or less important based on your risks. Proper screening won’t always prevent a disease, but doing these tests can find a disease early enough to give you the best chance of overcoming it. Reasons Why Screening Tests Are Important Getting the right screening test at the right time is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Screenings find diseases like diabetes or cancer early, many times  before you have any symptoms, and when they’re easier to treat. What test you should have done depends on your age and your risk factors. Learn more about the screenings your doctor may recommend for you. Talk to your doctor about breast cancer screening. The American Cancer Society recommends yearly screening for women at average risk beginning at 40. However, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends routine screening mammograms every two years from ages 50 to 74. These low-dose X-rays can sometimes detect a breast mass three years before you can feel it. But a normal mammogram does not completely rule out the possibility of breast cancer. Here are a lists of screening tests that should be discussed with your Doctors Screening for High Blood Pressure Breast cancer screening, Screening for Cervical Cancer Osteoporosis Screening Tests Screening for Skin Cancer Screening for High Blood Pressure Determining Cholesterol Levels Screening for Type 2 Diabetes HIV Screening Tests Screening for Colo-rectal Cancer Glaucoma Screening Watch this video and see more information about these screening tests.  Essential Screening Tests Every Woman Needs Source: WebMD , Clinical Nursing, Natural Remedies Encyclopedia. The American Cancer Society Living notes of life  does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment see...

Laxatives: Plums Plums stimulate intestinal function. Prunes are dried plums that also work as laxative. Other laxative foods are: eggplant, chard and whole grain nuts. Plums Health Benefits Delicious, fleshy, succulent plums are low in calories and contain no saturated fats; but contain numerous health promoting compounds, minerals and vitamins.  Plums are rich in minerals like potassium, fluoride and iron. Iron is required for red blood cell formation. Rich in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid. These vitamins  help the body metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They also provide about 5% RDA levels of vitamin K. Vitamin K is essential for many clotting factors function in the blood, as well as in bone metabolism and helps reduce Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly. Fresh plums, especially yellow Mirabelle type, are very good source of vitamin A and beta carotene. Vitamin A is essential for vision. It is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Eating fruits rich in vitamin A known to help in protectection from lung and oral cavity cancers. The fruit is also good in health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin in significant amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in the aging and various disease process. Zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. Certain health benefit in plums, provide dietary fiber, sorbitol, and isatin are known to help regulate the functioning of the digestive system and work as laxative help in constipation conditions. Fresh plums are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is also a powerful natural antioxidant. Consuming  foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infections , {strengthen the immune system} fight inflammation and scavenge harmful free radicals that the body do not need. Source :Food that Heal,  Center for Disease C Source: USDA National Nutrient data base) For education, informational purpose only, consult a healthcare practitioner for any health problems. See...

Melons: Most people don’t know that melons are in the same gourd family as squashes and cucumbers. Squashes are considered vegetables, while melons are known as fruits with sweet and juicy flavor. There are now endless varieties of melon.  Cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon are the most well-known varieties. Others are Crenshaw, Casaba, Persian, Santa Claus, and Sharlyn. Melons are a good source of vitamin C and potassium. They have high water content and are relatively low in calories. They are also fat-free and cholesterol free. Wash fruits and do not eat melons, cantaloupes, and water melons with other foods; eat them alone. Casaba melon   Crenshaw melon Persian melon Water melon, Honey dew and Cantaloupe  Sharlyn melon  Santa Claus melon Source: Foods that Heal, CDC, National Cancer Institute, Dept of Health and Human Services, Natural Remedies...

Are you interested in healthy eating and having a balanced diet? If so, you’ll want to learn more about food groups. You may have grown up with the “Basic 4”: dairy group, meat group, grain group, and the fruits and vegetables group. As nutrition science has changed, so have these food groups. What are the basic food groups? Foods are grouped together when they share similar nutritional properties. The groups below are based on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan. Depending on the plan you choose, you might find the food groups arranged with some slight differences. For example, My Pyramid has a meat and beans group instead of a meat, poultry, and fish group.   Food Groups Examples 1. Grains Whole wheat bread and rolls, whole wheat pasta, English muffin, pita bread, bagel, cereals, grits, oatmeal, brown rice, unsalted pretzels and popcorn 2. Fruits Apples, apricots, bananas, dates, grapes, oranges, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples, raisins, strawberries, tangerines, and 100% fruit juice 3. Vegetables Broccoli, carrots, collards, green beans, green peas, kale, lima beans, potatoes, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes 4. Fat-free or low-fat             milk and milk products Fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk or buttermilk, fat-free, low-fat, or reduced-fat cheese, fat-free or low-fat regular or frozen yogurt 5. Lean meats, poultry,           and fish Beef, poultry, pork, game meats, fish, shellfish Select only lean; trim away visible fats; broil, roast, or poach; remove skin from poultry 6. Nuts, seeds, and               legumes Almonds, hazelnuts, mixed nuts, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, kidney beans, lentils, split peas How much of each food group should I eat? To learn this, you’ll want to refer to a healthy eating plan. A healthy eating plan will show you how much you need from each food group to stay within your calorie needs and promote good health. A healthy eating plan can also help you learn— How many calories you need each day. How much of each food equals a portion. How to make healthy choices in each food group. What are some examples of healthy eating plans? Two examples of healthy eating plans are identified by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005: MyPyramid.gov (based on The USDA Food Guide) The DASH Eating Plan  Which eating plan should I choose? Either can work for you. Both are healthy eating plans that— Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products. Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts. Are low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars. Can provide your daily...

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage.                                                                                                             Over 200 dietary studies confirm that regular consumption of fruits & vegetables provide a significant amount of protection against cancer. Different fruits and vegetables seem to provide protection against cancer at certain locations in the body. Carrots and dark green leafy vegetables provide substantial protection against lung cancer. Broccoli, cabbage. cauliflower provides protection against Colon Cancer. Regular consumption of cabbage has shown to decrease the risk of colon cancer by 60 to 70 percent. It was found recently that regular consumption of tomatoes  substantially protect against prostate cancer. The National Cancer Institute has identified about 3 dozens plant foods that possess cancer-protective properties. The foods and herbs with the highest anticancer activity includes garlic, soybeans, cabbage, ginger, licorice root, and the umbelliferous vegetables (including carrots, celery, coriander, parsley,and parsnips). Foods with modest level of cancer-protective activity include onions, flax, citrus, turmeric, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower) tomatoes, sweet peppers, brown rice,whole wheat, oats, barley, mints, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, basil, cucumber, cantaloupe, and berries. Scientists have identified a lot of cancer productive phytochemicals in these foods. Source: Natural Remedies Encyclopedia, Foods that Heal, National Cancer Institute; Vibrant Life Magazine; check out their website Vibrant Life  ...