BE HEALTHY

Green Tea Extract Benefits
What are the known green tea extract benefits? The only thing that we know for sure is that catechins found in the teas are antioxidants and antioxidants protect the cells of the body from free radicals, one of the primary causes of cellular aging.

Free radicals are molecules that are found within the cells and in the spaces between them. Exposure to toxins causes them to behave erratically, causing damage to the cellular membranes, the body's fibers and to the DNA strands within the cell.

When the DNA strands become damage, cellular reproduction becomes faulty. The cell may reproduce to form a cancer cell or it may simply be weaker than its parent cell. Antioxidants are defensive molecules that neutralize free radicals and prevent them from damaging our bodies.

That's why you will see it said that one of the green tea extract benefits is in the area of cancer prevention. According to scientific studies, the extracts may reduce your chance of getting stomach cancer by as much as 50% and throat cancer by 11%. Most of us want to do everything that we can to avoid that disease.

Another of the green tea extract benefits is in the area of heart disease prevention. It is believed that the tea-catechins are responsible for what is known as the Japanese paradox. Despite high numbers of smokers, the incidence of heart disease is lower than would be expected.

But, for heart disease prevention, there are a number of important supplements, including omega3 fatty acids and a unique antioxidant known as resveratrol.

That antioxidant was found when researchers were looking at the "French" paradox, which is lower than expected cases of heart disease, despite a diet that is high in saturated fat. Red wine, a favorite beverage, was found to contain this antioxidant called resveratrol and it is believed to be the cause of the reduced incidence of heart disease.

Suppose you wanted to counter the other causes of cellular aging. One of them is glycation. In the bloodstream, glucose attaches itself to protein molecules and form what is referred to as a "grotesque" molecule.

These molecules cannot be used by the cells for energy or as a building block. As they decompose, they release toxic end-products that increase the number and activity of free radicals.

Preventing glycation is not one of the green tea extract benefits. The only nutrient that is known to oppose glycation is carnosine, a peptide composed of the amino acids beta-alanine and histidine.

It is not considered an essential dietary component, because, under normal situations, the body can synthesize it. But it has been found that carnosine levels are lower in the elderly and in those with age-related diseases.

Carnosine also has antioxidant activity, as well as the anti-glycation activity mentioned above and it helps to rid the body of heavy metals. The most effective anti-aging supplements combine the green tea extract benefits with those of carnosine, resveratrol and other important nutrients.

That's the kind of supplement that I recommend for everyone.

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By Mo Devine

Mo Devine is a consumer advocate and a dedicated researcher who has been on a quest to find the best nutritional supplements available. After extensive research, she has found an exceptional nutritional supplement that is now the foundation of her own health program. Visit her website at http://healthysupplementsforlife.info/ to discover what she personally recommends and why.

Labels: Green Tea, healthy lifesyle, healthy nutrition

How to Manage Diabetes
You need regular exercises, diet modifications and medicines (tablets/insulin injections) to keep your blood glucose in control through out the day.

Insulin injection is not needed immediately after the diagnosis of diabetes is made (unless your doctor feels this is an emergency).

Importantly if you are obese you need to reduce your weight through diet control and give up sedentary habits so that your insulin' works better. Your treatment should be started and supervised by an expert, who should review every 3-6 months to help you keep your blood glucose in control. You should register in a diabetic clinic for regular blood pressure check ups and also ECG and advice for care.

Treatment is aimed at maintaining the blood glucose in the normal range and HbA1c less than 7%, by balancing food intake with oral medication or insulin and physical activity year after year, to prevent complications of diabetes.

You must be alert in every walk of life and being lazy and neglecting things would trouble you like in the case of diet management and wound healing.

An emotional stress (a death in family, displeasure at work or at home) may increase and disturb the control of diabetes. You need to discuss the problem with your doctor for suitable adjustment in dosage of medication and do some stress control exercises.

Finally By keeping a good control of diabetes at all times, you will be able to prevent the complications of diabetes affecting the nerves, eyes, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.

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Diabetes and Foot Neuropathy
Aside form loss of vision and problems with kidney, another important thing that diabetics should be very careful with is foot neuropathy. Foot neuropathy is a kind of nerve damage. The covering of the nerves in the feet are stripped off which makes the feet feel hot and eventually takes away the sensation in the feet. Millions of diabetics' feet are amputated because of ignored care for foot neuropathy.

While it cannot be treated because it is a damage to the nerves that is caused by many factors one of which is diabetes, foot neuropathy can be controlled. Diabetics should always check their feet for callous and blisters. Since neuropathy takes away the sensation in the feet, they might not feel that their feet are developing very thick callous that can be the start of ulcers. These ulcers are very dangerous because they eat the tissues of the body. If the affected body part is not cut, the ulcers might continue on eating the tissues until they reach vital parts of the body.

People with diabetes and foot neuropathy should never walk barefoot. They should take care of their feet not be exposed to objects that might wound them. They may not feel the bump because of the neuropathy so they should always check. Patients should not dip the feet in very hot water because they might not feel it but their feet are already experiencing high degree of burn.

Finally, they should always have their feet checked by a podiatrist, a doctor whose specialty if with the feet and the diseases that are associated with feet. It is possible to have complete set of legs even with this disease. Just like the daily checking and care for the diabetes, foot neuropathy should also be checked and given attention everyday. With this, many patients will not have wounds in feet that can be the start of ulcers that can be the reason for the amputation of the feet.

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By Aarona Ban
The Symptoms Of Diabetes
One of the first steps you can take to prevent getting diabetes is to know when you are at risk for developing it. Of course then the next step is to be able to recognize the symptoms of diabetes. Type II Diabetes is a very serious disease that will have health effects for the rest of your life; however, if you catch it early, it can be treated with exercise and by changing your eating habits. In order to detect it early, you need to know the symptoms you are looking for.
There are many factors that can put you at high risk for diabetes, including age, genetics, obesity, and even ethnicity. Also your shape has something to do with it, with apple shaped people more likely to end up with diabetes, as well as high blood pressure and cholesterol. Also, a history of gestational diabetes can also raise the risk for women, or even having a baby that was more than 9 pounds when born. If you have any of these risk factors, then it is important that you are tested on a regular basis.
Since diabetes symptoms often are very near to other problems or the signs of aging, many times they are often overlooked. Many people can actually live with diabetes for many years and never even know it. However, diabetes that is left untreated can lead to some severe complications, such as nerve damage, kidney failure, heart disease, and even loss of vision.
One of the main symptoms of diabetes is excessive thirst. This occurs because the body has to get rid of the excess sugar through the urine, since the brain thinks that the blood needs to be diluted. Also, increased urination is another symptom, since this is how the body has to get rid of all the extra sugar. Overeating can be a symptom as well, since the increase of insulin can make you feel hungry. Also, since there is more blood sugar, often cuts don't heal as they should, since the white blood cells cannot carry out their anti-infection and healing functions as usual. Many people who deal with diabetes also feel fatigued or lethargic, since their body is not getting the fuel needed from glucose. Instead their body metabolizes fat cells instead, which takes more energy, making them feel tired. Weight loss can also be a symptom of this type of diabetes.
Many people suffer from other symptoms of diabetes as well. Some may include altered mental states, dry mouth, and even blurry vision. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms yourself, it is important that you have your blood sugar checked out by your physician. Detecting this problem early can help you avoid having long term complications if you have a good treatment plan that you follow carefully.
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By Nicholas Hurd
Nick Hurd writes about aging and baby boomer generation and how to not only cope with the changes, but live a very healthy and active life. Information for baby boomers and beyond. More information is available about diabetes and diabetics.
You'll also find other health related information like Hearing Aids for those of us over 50 and not hearing as well as we once did.
Copyright 2008 Nicholas Hurd all rights reserved
Labels: Anti Aging, Diabetes, diabetes symptoms