Water - A vital Nutrient

The human body can last weeks without food, but only days without water. The body is made up of 55–75 per cent water. Water forms the basis of blood, digestive juices, urine and perspiration and is contained in lean muscle, fat and bones.

As the body can’t store water, we need fresh supplies every day to make up for losses from lungs, skin, urine and faeces (poo). The amount we need depends on our metabolism, the weather, the food we eat and our activity levels.

Facts about water in our bodies
Some facts about our internal water supply:

• Body water is higher in men than in women and falls in both with age.
• Most mature adults lose about 2.5–3 litres of water per day. Water loss may be more in hot weather and with prolonged exercise.
• Elderly people lose about two litres per day.
• An air traveller can lose approximately 1.5 litres of water during a three-hour flight.
• Water loss needs to be replaced.
• Foods provide about one litre of fluid and the remainder must be obtained from drinks.

Water is needed for most body functions
Water is needed to:

• Maintain the health and integrity of every cell in the body.
• Keep the bloodstream liquid enough to flow through blood vessels.
• Help eliminate the by-products of the body’s metabolism, excess electrolytes, for example sodium and potassium, and urea which is a waste product formed through the processing of dietary protein.
• Regulate body temperature through sweating.
• Keep mucous membranes moist, such as those of the lungs and mouth.
• Lubricate and cushion joints.
• Reduce the risk of cystitis by keeping the bladder clear of bacteria.
• Aid digestion and prevent constipation.
• Work as a moisturiser to improve the skin’s texture and appearance.
• Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells.
• Serve as a shock absorber inside the eyes, spinal cord and in the amniotic sac surrounding the foetus in pregnancy.

Water content in food
Most foods, even those that look hard and dry, contain water. The body can get about half of its water needs from food alone. The digestion process also produces water as a by-product and can provide around 10 per cent of the body’s water requirements. The rest must come from liquids.

Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when the water content of the body is too low. This is easily fixed by increasing fluid intake. Symptoms of dehydration include headaches, lethargy, mood changes and slow responses, dry nasal passages, dry or cracked lips, dark-coloured urine, weakness, tiredness, confusion and hallucinations. Eventually urination stops, the kidneys fail and the body can’t remove toxic waste products. In extreme cases, this may result in death.

Causes of dehydration include:

• Increased sweating due to hot weather, humidity, exercise or fever.
• Not drinking enough water.
• Insufficient signalling mechanisms in the elderly – sometimes they do not feel thirsty even though they may be dehydrated.
• Increased output of urine due to a hormone deficiency, diabetes, kidney disease or medications.
• Diarrhoea or vomiting.
• Recovering from burns.

When you need to increase fluids
If you regularly don’t drink enough water there is some increased risk of kidney stones and, in women, urinary tract infections. There is also limited evidence to suggest an increased risk for some cancers including bladder cancer and colon cancer. It can also lower your physical and mental performance and salivary gland function. People who need more water in their diet include those who:

• Are on a high protein diet
• Are on a high fibre diet, as fluids help prevent constipation
• Are children
• Have an illness that causes vomiting or diarrhoea
• Are physically active
• Are exposed to warm or hot conditions.

Dehydration in elderly
Elderly people are often at risk of dehydration. This is due to:

• Changes to kidney function, which declines with age
• Hormonal changes
• Not feeling thirsty (because the mechanisms in the body that trigger thirst don’t work as well as we age)
• Medication (for example, diuretics and laxatives)
• Chronic illness
• Limited mobility.

Dehydration in babies and children
Children are susceptible to dehydration, particularly if they are ill. Vomiting, fever and diarrhoea can quickly dehydrate a baby. This can be a life-threatening condition. If you suspect dehydration, take the child immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department. Some of the symptoms of dehydration in a child include:

• Cold skin
• Lethargy
• Dry mouth
• Depressed fontanelle (a fontanelle is soft spot on a child’s skull)
• A blue tinge to the skin as the circulation slows.

Water intoxication (or hyponatremia)
Drinking too much water can also damage the body and cause hyponatremia. This is when sodium in the blood drops to a dangerously low level. Sodium is needed in muscle contraction and for sending nerve impulses.

If too much water is consumed, the kidneys cannot excrete enough fluid. Water intoxication can lead to headaches, blurred vision, cramps (and eventually convulsions), swelling of the brain, coma and possibly death.

For water to reach toxic levels, you would have to consume many litres a day. Water intoxication is most common in people with particular diseases or mental illnesses (for example, in some cases of schizophrenia) and in infants who are fed infant formula that is too diluted.

Water and sports performance
Fluid needs of athletes during training and competition vary greatly depending on many factors. So, the following is a general suggestion. Athletes are advised to drink 500ml of water two hours before an event, and up to 300–500ml every 30 minutes during the event (depending on individual thirst, surrounding temperature and exercise intensity).



Fluid retention
Many people believe that drinking water causes fluid retention. In fact, the opposite is true. Drinking water helps the body rid itself of excess sodium, which results in less fluid retention. The body will retain fluid if there is too little water in the cells. If the body receives enough water on a regular basis, there will be no need for it to conserve water and this will reduce fluid retention.

Recommended daily fluids
Approximately six to eight glasses (at least 150ml each) of a variety of fluids can be consumed each day. More than eight glasses may be needed for physically active people, children, people in hot or humid environments, and breastfeeding women (who need an extra 750–1,000ml per day). Less water may be needed for sedentary people, older people, people in a cold environment or people who eat a lot of high water content foods.

Sources of fluid

Fluids include fresh water and all other liquids like juice, soft drinks, coffee, tea, milk and soup. Fresh water is the best drink because it does not contain kilojoules and has fluoride that is good for the teeth. Milk is important (especially for children) and tea can be a source of antioxidants, which appear to protect against heart disease and cancer. Fresh fruit is preferable to fruit juice because it has more fibre and nutrients and less sugar. Sweet drinks should be limited because they add calories without nutrient value.

Mineral water contains salt
Commercially bottled mineral water contains salt, which can lead to fluid retention and swelling and even increased blood pressure in susceptible people. Limit the amount of mineral water or choose low sodium varieties (less than 30mg sodium per 100ml).

Where to get help

• Your doctor
• An Accredited Practising Dietitian
• In an emergency, the emergency department of the nearest hospital.

Things to remember

• Water is essential to most bodily functions.
• The body has no way to store water and needs fresh supplies every day.
• Dehydration is life threatening to a baby and requires urgent medical attention.
• It is recommended that you consume around eight glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration.

Source: Better Health Channel

How to Treat Eczema with Vitamins

Many people that suffer from Eczema lack the proper vitamins which can be a factor in the development of Eczema and Eczema breakouts. Below are the most important Vitamins needed to help treat Eczema and help prevent Eczema breakouts.

Instructions

• Take 1,00 mg of Vitamin C, two to three times per day. Vitamin C helps to reduce inflammation and helps promotes healthy skin cell growth and healing of the skin.

• Take 400 IU of Vitamin E daily. Children should take around 200 IU per day. Vitamin E helps to promote healing of the skin and also prevents the oxidation of essential fatty acids.

• Take a Fatty Acid supplement that contains Omega-3, 6, and 9 fatty acids. If you can't find a product like this, just take 1.8 grams of Fish Oil with a 480 mg dosage of EPA. Fatty Acids help to reduce inflammation and relieve dryness, and also helps to heal eczema

Source: ehow.com

Treating Weeping Eczema

Do you have inflamed skin? How about that maddening itch that you can’t scratch enough to get rid of? Sounds like eczema to me. All types of eczema have itching as the most common symptom. When you go to a dermatologist, that doctor’s first job is to identify the type of eczema. There are multiple conditions and symptoms of eczema. The causes are varied and the treatments available really depend of the diagnosis of which type of eczema you are experiencing.

On top of all the factors that go into diagnosing the correct forms of eczema, there are also stages of the disease. The stages affect the skin in many ways and symptoms can help in the diagnosis. There are a few different stages ranging from mild through to moderate and then severe forms. In a mild case the skin shows redness, becomes dry, feels warm and is very itchy. This form of eczema can be eased with creams and lotions. The creams and lotions irrigate the affected skin and protect it from other irritants.

Weeping or wet eczema shows gradual changes in the skin condition. Your skin starts out inflamed and then progresses to the point where it will even bleed. As a result of all the skin excretions, the skin eventually becomes raw and crusty. The skin is rough at this stage. Eczema that is characterized by liquid or blood seeping out from the patches is weeping or wet eczema. So the sufferer has to deal with not only the pain, itch and excretion, but also the appearance. This adds embarrassment for the sufferer.

Eczema excretions can be very bad in that the fluid can be contagious and if you accidentally spread it, it will find new patches of skin to infect. The sufferer should be very aware of hygiene and the use of a handkerchief to dab the liquid comes in very handy. Without some special hygiene attention, the disease could get worse.

There are ways to get more comfort for a person suffering from weeping eczema. For example the use of pure cotton for clothing will add to the comfort level. Things to avoid would be cleaning chemicals, soaps and detergents. These elements may make the condition worse with repeated contact. One of the most consistent causes of weeping eczema is your clothing.

To treat weeping eczema, moist compresses should be used on the patches at least until the inflammation and weeping has subsided. The dressings should be somewhat loose with the ability to let the fluids evaporate from the skin. After the conditions have subsided the sufferer should switch to ointments or gels.

The process of using moist compresses should be done three times a day for 10 to 15 minutes per times. The compresses should be either a linen cloth or gauze. Absorbent but light. They should be changed at any sign of dryness or warmth. Repeated applications will begin to help in the recovery and reinvigorate the affects areas.

A natural treatment for eczema involves Oak Bark. It doesn’t take very much either. One or two tablespoons of chopped oak bark boiled in half a liter of water for about 15 minutes produces a strained liquid that when cooled can be applied undiluted to the affected areas. Use a fresh batch every day. The concoction allows the skin to relax.

Another natural treatment involves Mallow (a flowering plant). It is much like oak bark and prepared the same way. Repeated applications of mallow will soon make it possible to move on to other faster more effective applications.

You should also consider Vitamin A and B. Vitamin A will keep the skin smooth. It can be included in either your diet or topically on the affected areas in its cream form. Vitamin B will make the skin more healthy by increasing circulation and reproduction of new skin cells.

Source: Buzzle.com

Benefits Of Alkaline Water

Restores the pH balance in the body

• Alkaline water (also referred to as ionized water) can neutralize the acidity of the body caused by stress, modern diet, air pollution, and many bottled waters.
• A higher pH in the body reduces the need for fat and cholesterol to protect the body from damaging acids.
• Alkaline water is negatively charged and an "antioxidant." Antioxidants reduce cellular and DNA damage caused by free radicals.
• Negatively charged alkaline water creates energy by giving up ions to positive ions.
• Alkaline water tastes lighter with a pleasantly sweet flavor.
• Improves the body's absorption of essential nutrients
• Improves body function by cleaning your cells from the inside out.
• Using water with a higher pH level improves the taste of beverages and food.
• Improves your immune system function to help you fight diseases.
• Cooking with alkaline water improves the taste and quality of foods and using acidic
  water when boiling eggs improves their quality.

Provides superior hydration and nutrition at the cellular level.

• Ionization breaks clusters of water molecules into smaller micro-clusters, reducing the size of the clusters from the 11-16 molecules in standard water to just 5-6 molecules in ionized water. Smaller clusters pass through cell walls more easily and hydrate the cells more quickly.
• Faster hydration allows the body to regulate its temperature more efficiently.
• Micro-clusters of mineral-bearing ionized water also deliver nutrients more efficiently to the cells

Detoxifies cells more efficiently than standard drinking water.

• Due to their smaller size, micro-clusters of ionized water molecules are expelled from the cells more efficiently, carrying damaging toxins out of the cells and flushing them out of the system.
• The negative charge of ionized alkaline water will attract the positive ions of acids and neutralize them within the body.

Don't Suffer From Stress And Anxiety Any Longer - Get Stronger, Effective Natural Relief Now

Stress is the body’s way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet that challenging situation or emergency with focus, strength, stamina, and heightened alertness. While we don’t want to turn off the stress response, for our health’s sake we don’t want to keep ourselves in a continual state of stress. Problems develop when you become over-stressed and it starts to affect how you cope with day to day living, but don’t despair, natural help is now available.

Everyone reacts to stress differently. Each of us has a different level of pressure and anxiety that we can handle without a negative outcome. Fortunately there are effective herbal remedies and nutrients with an impressive array of credentials to soothe stress, ease anxiety and help you better cope each day.

Cope With Stress
Tulsi is regarded as a sacred plant in Hindu culture, valued for centuries because of its benefits for the mind, body and spirit which may explain its common English name of Holy or Sacred Basil. Modern science and research has provided us with compelling findings, suggesting Sacred Basil possesses great potential in the areas of stress relief and relaxation through its adaptogenic activity. By helping the body function optimally during stressful times, an adaptogen enhances the body’s natural response to emotional and physical stress. This reduces the damaging effects that on-going stress can have on other aspects of your health. Supplementation with Sacred Basil has shown it dramatically reduces cortisol levels (a stress hormone) in turn helping the body cope with stress and improving mental clarity.

Ancient Herb Boosts Energy
Withania somnifera has been clinically used for over 5000 years in the Ayurvedic system of medicine for debility and nervous exhaustion, providing fresh energy and vigour for a body and mind worn out. To support this traditional clinical use, results of pharmacological studies reveal Withania to be a powerful adaptogen (there’s that stress-busting word again!), demonstrated by significant anti-stress activity, increased endurance and improved memory related performance. These actions may explain why Withania is now often referred to as ‘Indian Ginseng’. And for those of you who battle with the low energy that accompanies anaemia caused by low iron levels, Withania can help. Along with iron, Withania increases red blood cell count, haemoglobin and serum iron to keep energy levels at their peak.

Help Your Body Relax
In western herbal medicine St John’s Wort is used primarily for the nervous system, providing long-lasting effects.

Helping the body to relax and particularly indicated for anxiety, mild depression and irritability, St John’s Wort is regarded as a sedative and a remedy that nurtures the nervous system, helping to restore normal function to an out of balance system. A dose of between three to four grams per day of a standardised St John’s Wort extract is recommended. If you break out in cold sores at the drop of a hat when stressed, or if you suffer recurrent cold sores, St John’s Wort’s antiviral activity can be useful against the Herpes type virus that causes those unsightly cold sores to appear. Couple that with St John’s Wort’s nerve-strengthening activity and you have a serious remedy to help prevent and treat cold sores bought on by stress. St John’s Wort can affect the way some prescription medicines work, so before supplementing with the herbal remedy, always check with your health care professional for potential interactions with any medicines you might be taking.

While the underlying cause of chronic stress should be examined, herbal medicines like Sacred Basil, Withania and St John’s Wort, along with others like Magnolia and Korean Ginseng are an effective way to both combat and prevent the damaging effects of persistent stress.

Products containing herbal adaptogens are useful during stressful times and preparations that can help ease anxiety are available at your Healthy Life store.

Source: Tracey Hayes, ND

Life Essential Nutrients For Heart, Joints and Eyes.....

Want to enjoy the wisdom of your years and your health? With good nutrition it is possible writes naturopath Siobhan Jordan.

Every nutrient is essential to life whatever our age. However, at certain times the focus can shift, according to our needs and changes in our health. Certain things that used to be no problem before start to give us a bit of grief. Key areas as we age include our cardiovascular health, our joints and our eyes. We’ll call them the big three.

CoQ10 – The Cardiovascular King
CoQ10, or coenzyme Q10, is found in high concentrations in the heart muscle. A deficiency is associated with cardiovascular conditions and it can assist in the management of high blood pressure (HBP) and cholesterol. The problem is, as we age and need to keep an extra focus on maintaining a healthy heart, our bodies make less of this nutrient. So we need to keep a watch on our dietary CoQ10 intake and also take a supplement. Food sources include meats and fish and to a lesser degree, broccoli, spinach and nuts.

Calcium – It’s More Than Just For Bones
99% of absorbed calcium is deposited in the bones, so getting enough calcium is critical to preventing and treating osteoporosis. This mineral is also important for a healthy heart and a deficiency has been linked to high blood pressure.

Food sources include dairy products, tofu, fish with their bones (especially sardines and salmon) and your greens such as broccoli and bok choy.

Magnesium – For A Healthy Heart And Joints
Similarly to calcium, magnesium is also essential to our heart and bones. This multi-tasking mineral is critical to a number of cardiovascular functions such as the maintenance of normal blood pressure. It may also help those with coronary artery disease and ischemic heart disease. In addition, it may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

So eat up those trusty dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and also legumes, nuts and seeds and wholegrain cereals.

Lutein – For The Eyes, It’s The Great Preventer
Lutein belongs to the carotenoid family, along with betacarotene. Found in many parts of the body, it concentrates in the retina, and especially in the macular region of the retina. Playing a strong protective role in the eye, it may reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.

To boost your lutein levels, again, your dark green leafy vegetables are a must, as are egg yolks and corn.

Vitamin D – The Sun’s Gift To Your Bones
This unique nutrient can be produced by the body after sunlight exposure and also consumed through our diet. Vitamin D-rich foods include fish such as herring, salmon, tuna and sardines and also eggs, butter and beef.

Vitamin D supports healthy bones by regulating calcium levels. Signs of deficiency include osteoporosis and low vitamin D status is associated with an increased risk of falls in those aged 65-75 years.

Omega-3 For The Big 3
The omega-3 from fish oil is a must, especially as we advance in our years. A deficiency is associated with cardiovascular disease and omega-3 plays numerous roles in cardiovascular health including helping to reduce high triglycerides and maintain healthy blood pressure. The DHA component of omega-3 is also found in high concentrations in the eye tissue and is a gem for reducing rheumatoid arthritis symptoms such as joint stiffness and tenderness.

Excellent sources are, you guessed it, fish. Step up your intake of salmon, tuna, mackerel and herring. If you don’t eat fish take a fish oil supplement.

So take a proactive approach to your health. Focus on diet and supplements to provide life essential nutrients to support your health and well-being.

You may want to read the Reference here:

1. Rosenfeldt. Research on the effects of coenzyme q10 on the cardiovascular system in health and disease, viewed 25th June 2008, <http://www.coenzymeq10.com.au/index.html>
2. Braun, Lesley and Cohen, Marc. Herbs and natural supplements: an evidence-based guide, second edition. Marrickville: Elsevier, 2007
3. Higdon, Jane. An evidence-based approach to dietary phytochemicals. New York: Thieme, 2007.
 

Source: healthylife

How to Prevent Stroke

You can help prevent stroke by making healthy choices and managing any medical conditions you might have.

Live a Healthy Lifestyle

• Eat a healthy diet. Choosing healthful meal and snack options can help you avoid stroke and its complications. Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. 

• Eating foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber can help prevent high blood cholesterol. Limiting salt or sodium in your diet can also lower your blood pressure.

For more information on healthy diet and nutrition, see CDC's Nutrition Web site. 

• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk for stroke. To determine whether your weight is in a healthy range, doctors often calculate a number called the body mass index (BMI). Doctors sometimes also use waist and hip measurements to measure a person's excess body fat.

If you know your weight and height, you can calculate your BMI at CDC's Assessing Your Weight Web site. 

• Be active. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. The Surgeon General recommends that adults should engage in moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.

For more information, see CDC's Physical Activity Web site.

• Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking greatly increases your risk for stroke. So, if you don't smoke, don't start. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk. Your doctor can suggest ways to help you quit.

For more information about tobacco use and quitting, see CDC's Smoking and Tobacco Use Web site.

• Limit alcohol use. Avoid drinking too much alcohol, which causes high blood pressure. For more information, visit CDC's Alcohol and Public Health Web site.

Prevent or Treat Your Medical Conditions
If you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease, there are steps you can take to lower your risk for stroke.

• Have your cholesterol checked. Your health care provider should test your cholesterol levels at least once every five years. Talk with your doctor about this simple blood test.

• Monitor your blood pressure. High blood pressure has no symptoms, so be sure to have it checked on a regular basis.

• Manage your diabetes. If you have diabetes, closely monitor your blood sugar levels. Talk with your health care provider about treatment options.

• Take your medicine. If you're taking medication to treat high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, follow your doctor's instructions carefully. Always ask questions if you don't understand something.

• Talk with your health care provider. You and your doctor can work together to prevent or treat the medical conditions that lead to heart disease. Discuss your treatment plan regularly and bring a list of questions to your appointments.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention