Is Organic the right choice?

By Kiiera Success Group

Since organic food started to gain popularity in the late 1990s, people have been skeptical about the superiority of organics. Many people claimed that the benefits of organic over traditional products could not be proven. The truth is that there had simply not been enough testing done to prove the benefits of organic products or the drawbacks of traditionally produced food.

There have been various studies done to show the improved nutritional value of organic agriculture by analyzing the vitamin, nutrient, and mineral content of both organically and traditionally grown produce. There are significantly higher levels of various components in organic products, including:

* Chromium, prevents hardening of the arteries and type 2 diabetes * Calcium and Boron, build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis * Lithium, a common chemical in antidepressants and mood stabilizers * Salicylic acid, an anti-inflammatory which can prevent heart disease * Antioxidants, protect cells from damage * Magnesium, helps prevent death during a heart attack * Selenium, helps prevent heart disease and certain cancers * Vitamin C, builds the immune system

While this list seems rather long, its not complete. While these nutrients have been found organic produce, they arent the only ones. This list could also get longer as more research is done about the nutrient benefits of organic food.

While its important to look at the beneficial properties of organic food, we must take into account the harmful effects of traditionally grown foods to fully understand why organic food is superior. When many of the chemicals used in farming were approved, there had been little research to show whether or not these chemicals we harmful. Research has since found that most of these chemicals have negative effects on humans. Non-organic foods have been analyzed and have been found to contain harmful chemicals, heavy metals, solvents, and various hormones. Some of the conditions linked with these substances include:

* cancer * heart disease * osteoporosis * migraines * hyperactivity * decreased intelligence * impaired hearing * less growth in childhood * anemia * Alzheimers * multiple sclerosis * rheumatoid arthritis * early puberty * increase in antibiotic-resistant disease strains

Again, this list is just part of the harmful side effects of these chemicals. There are likely many more conditions to be added to this list after more research is done. Also, most of the research has been done on the affects of single chemicals, and not multiple offenders as are normally found on conventional food. While several of these chemicals have been banned, they are still present in regular and organic food. This is because they linger in the soil; some have been there for over 20 years.

While there are obviously many benefits to organic agriculture, it is not without its faults. First of all, organic products are more expensive. Depending on where you buy organic food, it could cost twice as much as regular grocery store brands. There is also concern that natural fertilizers such as plant material and manure could contain harmful organisms, such as e coli. Although this can be rare it can also make consumers very sick.

Even with the drawbacks, organic food production is proving to be much safer for consumption than other foods available. Along with the health benefits, organic agricultural practices also benefit the environment; keeping it viable for years to come. - 17268

About the Author:

For further information about a healthy and organic supplement called Viv visit an independent Kiiera viv affiliate.

Organic Food is it the better Choice?

By Kiiera Success Group

Since organic food started to gain popularity in the late 1990s, people have been skeptical about the superiority of organics. Many people claimed that the benefits of organic over traditional products could not be proven. The truth is that there had simply not been enough testing done to prove the benefits of organic products or the drawbacks of traditionally produced food.

There have been various studies done to show the improved nutritional value of organic agriculture by analyzing the vitamin, nutrient, and mineral content of both organically and traditionally grown produce. There are significantly higher levels of various components in organic products, including:

* Chromium, prevents hardening of the arteries and type 2 diabetes * Calcium and Boron, build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis * Lithium, a common chemical in antidepressants and mood stabilizers * Salicylic acid, an anti-inflammatory which can prevent heart disease * Antioxidants, protect cells from damage * Magnesium, helps prevent death during a heart attack * Selenium, helps prevent heart disease and certain cancers * Vitamin C, builds the immune system

While this list seems rather long, its not complete. While these nutrients have been found organic produce, they arent the only ones. This list could also get longer as more research is done about the nutrient benefits of organic food.

While its important to look at the beneficial properties of organic food, we must take into account the harmful effects of traditionally grown foods to fully understand why organic food is superior. When many of the chemicals used in farming were approved, there had been little research to show whether or not these chemicals we harmful. Research has since found that most of these chemicals have negative effects on humans. Non-organic foods have been analyzed and have been found to contain harmful chemicals, heavy metals, solvents, and various hormones. Some of the conditions linked with these substances include:

* cancer * heart disease * osteoporosis * migraines * hyperactivity * decreased intelligence * impaired hearing * less growth in childhood * anemia * Alzheimers * multiple sclerosis * rheumatoid arthritis * early puberty * increase in antibiotic-resistant disease strains

Again, this list is just part of the harmful side effects of these chemicals. There are likely many more conditions to be added to this list after more research is done. Also, most of the research has been done on the affects of single chemicals, and not multiple offenders as are normally found on conventional food. While several of these chemicals have been banned, they are still present in regular and organic food. This is because they linger in the soil; some have been there for over 20 years.

While there are obviously many benefits to organic agriculture, it is not without its faults. First of all, organic products are more expensive. Depending on where you buy organic food, it could cost twice as much as regular grocery store brands. There is also concern that natural fertilizers such as plant material and manure could contain harmful organisms, such as e coli. Although this can be rare it can also make consumers very sick.

Even with the drawbacks, organic food production is proving to be much safer for consumption than other foods available. Along with the health benefits, organic agricultural practices also benefit the environment; keeping it viable for years to come. - 17268

About the Author:

To find out more information about a new healthy organic supplement stop by the authors site and discover Viv. In today's hectic and stress filled life, Kiiera's Viv can give you the all natural boost you need.

Fastest Way to Build Muscle with Foods that Build Muscle

By Wakelin Smith

Bodybuilding routines must include eating to build muscle as a component of an overall bodybuilding program.

Working your muscles utilizes considerable energy. So what happens if you fail to eat the right type of food to build muscle mass? It will take longer to build muscle, and it may even prevent effect muscle building altogether once you reach a certain point.

A diet that is low in fat goes without saying with any serious bodybuilder. Protein provides the building blocks to build that muscle. What types of protein are best? Chicken, eggs, steak (with the fat cut off), fish, cheese (especially cottage cheese), and nuts are all great sources of protein.

Finding out how much protein to eat when you are interested in building muscle fast is actually not difficult. Calculating your lean body mass uses some complex formulae, so ask a professional at the gym if you do not already have this figure.

Foods that build muscle include carbohydrates. So long as the carbohydrates you ingest include plenty of fibre, carbs will contribute to building muscle mass ? not body fat. Great carbohydrate based foods include rice, oatmeal, bananas and other types of fruit such as apples and pears.

Reducing fat in your diet is also important when considering what foods build muscle mass. I said earlier that protein is essential for the best muscle building nutrition. The problem is that many protein sources are also high in fat. The key, therefore, is to eating plenty of proteins that are low in fat. So cut all the fat off your meat, and the skin off your chicken, and drink low fat milk instead of the full fat variety.

Drinking sufficient water with your meals, between meals, and while you are working out is also very important. Two litres of water a day is what most experts recommend to maintain optimal health. Regular bodybuilding workouts are also essential to maximise the effects of good bodybuilding diets.

Knowing what to eat to build muscle is great, but if you do not combine this great new diet by building muscle mass with weight lifting exercises or other bodybuilding routines, you will not be able to build muscle fast. So you really must do both - eat foods that build muscle, and undertake bodybuilding workouts, and you will end up with a body you will be proud of. - 17268

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Do you know how to build muscle fast?? You can find out more in relation to bodybuilding routines, foods that build muscle other ways to build muscle, go to the best resource on finding the best ways to build muscle fast.

Rip and Repair: Building Muscle the Right Way

By Rudy Longfellow

One of the most important aspects of life is physical fitness. The fitness routines we choose to work into our every day lives can help to build muscle and thus increase strength and metabolism. With more and more people falling into the definition of obese or overweight, the time to build muscle and become more physically active through fitness is now and everyone needs to jump on the band wagon.

Very few people actually understand how the body can build muscle. The art of fitness is surrounding in cardio and aerobic exercise and even some of the most avid fitness people have little idea of how the body chooses to build muscle. These rules are simple, but effective.

Get that muscle ready. Stretching is one of the most important parts of a program aimed to build muscle. The muscle will need to be warmed up before it can go through the stages of building. As with any fitness program, stretching requires careful movements that are elongated and held in order to increase the blood flow to the muscle. To build muscle that blood flow is essential and necessary.

Drink for muscle build. Drinking water is essential for every day life and not just for those trying to build muscle. Fitness programs often suggest a daily intake of 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water per day. This is a minimum requirement. In order to build muscle, many muscle building magazines aim at higher amounts of hydration up to 1 gallon per day.

Tear the muscle. During a fitness routine to build muscle, the muscles will need to be torn in order to build back stronger and bigger. This is what happens when weights are lifted to the point of failure. Failure is the time when a certain amount of weight can no longer be lifted. Once reached, the muscle has effectively been torn and will begin to repair and build muscle. Stretching after the rip stage can decrease the pain in the muscle.

Rest Time. The time of rest between the programs aimed to build muscle is a minimum of 24 hours. This means that after the muscle has been ripped, it takes 24 hours for the muscle fibers to rebuild and build muscle. This can seem like a forever wait, but is essential to keep the muscle healthy and not overwork the muscle. During this time, hydration needs to be kept high and other parts of the body and other muscles groups can be worked to keep the rotation to build muscle going full circle.

Repeat. The key to fitness programs that build muscle is consistency. The careful pattern of rip and repair needs to be repeated over and over again to keep the muscle building. It can take up to a month to build one pound of muscle, but the time is well worth it. For every pound of muscle built, the body will naturally burn between 30 and 50 additional calories per day.

To build muscle is to increase the overall fitness level of the body. Routines that build muscles are often aimed at building that muscles as quickly as possible. The true art of the muscle build takes time and attention to details. These tips will help even the most novice fitness guru to build muscle and keep that strength growing over time. The natural way to build muscle takes a bit of dedication to the fitness program, but after a few short weeks, when the difference is clear, the work will be so much more rewarding. - 17268

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Find your free tips and advice on the most effective ways to build muscle. Before starting any training program, these tools and resources can help you to realize your fitness goals.

How to Design a Healthy Menopausal Diet

By Ricardo d Argence

Death and taxes are guaranteed for every person, but women face one more event from which they cannot escape. Menopause is a change in a female body and it usually occurs when a woman is between forty and fifty years old. Exciting and emporwering events begin to take place as hormone levels in the system change.

Doctors will agree that this is a natural occurence and it happens as you are no longer able to bear children and are moving on to a new time in our life. You will begin to experience hot flashes, mood swings and your body takes on new curves.

This seems a bit unfair to have to deal with excess pounds on top of all of the other symptoms, but nonetheless it happens. One of the reasons that menopause predisposes us to weight gain is because our natural estrogen levels begin to decrease during these years.

Over a third of most women between the ages of 45 and 50 are shown to gain a minimum of 5 pounds, although the most reliable studies indicate that actual menopausal weight gain is between 10 and 15 pounds. Less than half of all women in the studies maintained their same weight throughout the menopausal years and this was only through extreme dieting and determination.

Since increased pounds can also raise the danger for several diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke and heart failure caused by increase in weight it is advisable that this be managed or avoided. You need to exercise to keep a healthy weight and females need to do both cadio and weights to maintain proper weight.

The diet for women who are in the menopausal age range should be packed with nutrients and be well balanced. Even before menopause symptoms occur, women should be eating fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and calcium containing foods on a daily basis.

You should always take vitamins and minerals and eat food that are good for you, as they are the main factors to stay healthy and help stop a lot of menopausal symptoms if you make changes to your diet.

Some foods you should avoid are: sugar, processed foods, salt, edamame (soybeans), soy based products like tofu.

When you add these healthy foods to a more active lifestyle, you will be able to sail through the months of menopause. The second half of your life can well be the best years because you will have transformed yourself and become even stronger, healthier, and more radiant than ever.

Foods that should be in your Diet: Vitamins A, D, C and E, Vitamins and supplements that include B-12, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, fiber, phytoestrogens, and isoflavones; skim or fat-free milk; cottage cheese; yogurt; leafy greens like spinach, kale, and broccoli; seafood, especially fish; whole-wheat cereals and breads.

When you bring a new healthy diet and exercise program into your life you can meet those menopausal months with a bright smile. Many of those annoying symptoms can be decreased or eliminated and you can sail through this normal transition in style. With increased activity and natural, whole foods it is possible to make this new time in your life the best and most productive years of all. - 17268

About the Author:

Even if you are a teenager, there's nothing like a healthy diet and exercise if you want to look beautiful. But, after menopause, it is even more important. If you are looking for the best diet for menopause, in my website you will find a lot of articles and info that will help you to understand in a better way this period of your life. web hosting

Fructose Diet - Is it Really the Shangri-La?

By Deen Dragonovich

The Shangri-La diet or fructose diet as it is sometimes referred to, was invented by University of California at Berkeley professor Seth Roberts, Ph.D, using himself as a guinea pig.

Roberts believes in the Set Point theory, in which each person has a control system built into their bodies that dictates how much fat he or she should carry. He explains that "your set point is the weight your body is aiming you toward." When your weight is less than your set point your feel hungry. When it's about the same you feel comfortable. When your weight is over your set point you feel full.

He states that "our set point is determined by the flavors that we eat." And after much experimentation, Roberts allegedly found a way to trick the set point. The solution he says is to drink unflavored sugar water between meals or unflavored flavorless oils between meals, more specifically granulated fructose and unflavored canola or extra light olive oil.

According to Roberts, for best results drink 2-5 tablespoons per day of this concoction 1 hour before your meals. Taking it 1 hour before your meals will give you that feeling of fullness. He claims that this formulation has allowed him to lose 40 lbs.

Roberts states that "our set point is determined by the flavors that we eat." And according to him, as you eat foods more and more, the better it tastes. And because granulated fructose and extra light olive oil have no flavor, you stop thinking about eating your favorite foods and they become less attractive. He claims that this fructose diet has allowed him to lose 40 lbs. and he has kept it off.

You'll find testimonial after testimonial in his book, The Shangri-La Diet. However, there are many doctors and nutritionists who are highly skeptical of this fructose diet. Many claim it to be outright dangerous. There is much scientific evidence which show fructose may in fact be a contributor to the obesity epidemic.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition goes as far as saying that fructose in the form of high fructose corn syrup "...preceded the obesity epidemic and may be an important contributor to this epidemic in the United States."

Regardless of whether or not the fructose diet works, it is clear that fructose carries with it a lot of baggage and should be looked at with caution. - 17268

About the Author:

About the author: Deen Dragonovich has spent 30 years in the nutrition and wellness industry and has written a excellent free weight loss ebook with great weight loss tips to help those needing to lose weight fast!

Murder Mystery Dinner - Eating Out Redefined

By Doug Schlette

You've just started a delicious meal. Then a nearby table erupts. Two customers appear to be arguing. The argument turns to shoving. One man falls to the floor. He jumps up with a knife that he thrusts into the other's chest. Hold on, there may be more to this than meets the eye says a policeman who rushes in. The dead man also has a gun shot wound. Did you hear a gun shot? The murder mystery dinner is now in full swing.

Murder mystery theatre has been in action for years. Combined with dinner theater, these shows are interactive and often held at smaller venues. People enjoy the food as well as the chase. They can eat their steak and like Sherlock Holmes engage their minds once the game is afoot. A variety of types of mysteries exist. Sometimes the audience merely watches and talks to actors, but doesn't solve the case. Another is a game in which the diners have to discover clues to solve the murder. These can become very complex.

There are mystery parties and even mystery weekends. They've even been explored in popular media. One example has been done a few times in television and movies. People invited to a party die one by one. Murder by Death is a funny comedy based on that premise. Sometimes a staged mystery becomes a real crime in these shows. Adrian Monk, a TV detective, on his show was banned from a mystery weekend for solving the case in under five minutes.

Sometimes these mysteries happen at spooky locations. Some murder mystery theater groups say that real murders have happened in their facility. It's probably faked, but still fun. People may not believe it, but they play along for the duration.

A murder mystery dinner can be fun. Kids and adults can enjoy the show. - 17268

About the Author:

Doug Schlette is constantly doing his best to provide you with some good advice on dinner related topics such as murder mystery dinner. Take a look at his other cooking articles at http://simpledinnerrecipes.com.