Nettle Health Benefits

It’s mentioned that Caesars soldiers introduced the stinging nettle into Britain. They grew the nettle alongside the roads of Britain. After walking for miles the soldier’s legs will ache and they would beat each other legs with nettle to soothe the aches in their legs. The roads and the nettle still exist to this day. Culpeper says that the juice of nettle with honey is safe and has medicinal properties that opens the passages and pipes of the lungs.

Today there are many uses for nettle. The extract of nettle mixed with alcohol serves as a stimulating hair tonic. Some rheumatic sufferers use fresh stinging nettle to beat their bare skin to relieve themselves from rheumatic pain. In the form of a juice, it reduces bleeding in the mouth. The juice also relieves painful hemorrhoids, when you take one tablespoon at a time for three times a day. Nettle has also been used topically to treat eczema and other skin rashes. Some of the active ingredients in nettle are histamine, formic acid, 5-hydroxytryptamine, Gallic acid, and Iron. According to the research of Dr. Herrmann and Neumann, after taking a glass of nettle juice the metabolic rate increased for hours. This was very useful when combined with therapies that remove toxins from the blood and for rheumatism.

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Nettle juice is also good when combined with iron therapy for anemia. Nettle juice also helps control diarrhea and is a diuretic that helps in the elimination of uric acid. It also helps treat bladder infections and kidney weakness. Nettle juice can also be used for malnutrition. Nettle juice is so powerful or potent and is normally taken in small amounts at a time. When picking nettle, the part of the plant you want to pick is the top leaves. You may wear gloves when picking nettle.

Top photo credit: Nettle by Sir_Iwan

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In text photo credit: Nettle by Lord Manley

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Bacterial infections and Amoxicillin

When we look under a microscope at bacteria, we see that they are living things with one cell. They can have the appearance of balls or spirals. Bacteria are microscopic and some bacteria help to digest food, give the body needed vitamins, and destroy cells that cause disease. However there are infectious bacteria that can cause sickness. Many of the infectious bacteria release toxins that can harm tissue.
Viral infections are different from bacterial infections. Viruses are not living organisms like bacteria are. Viruses require a living host like people, animals, and some plants to grow or multiply. When a virus enters the human body it invades and take over the cell functioning. Viruses spread directly from person to person such as the flu and common cold.

Bacteria have one cell and are microorganisms that can grow on surfaces that are nonliving and reproduce by dividing. When infectious bacteria invade the body it can cause illness because of the toxins that can harm the cells they enter. These bacterial infections can be contagious, such as tuberculosis.
Antibacterial antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections such as Amoxicillin, which is a penicillin type antibiotic that is used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections. Antibacterial antibiotics stops the growth of bacteria from multiplying and growing. It prevents the cell of the bacteria from forming a wall around them.

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The common uses of Amoxicillin are for the infections of the throat, pneumonia, tonsils, urinary tract, larynx, bronchitis, skin, gonorrhea, and middle ear. Amoxicillin oral can treat bacteria anthrax, typhoid fever, and intestine or stomach infection caused by anthrax. This may not stop the bacteria, but can stop it from growing or multiplying. Amoxicillin stops developing bacteria from forming the walls that surrounds them. The walls that surrounds bacteria keeps the bacteria cell contents together and protects bacteria from the environment their in. Side effects of Amoxicillin include heartburn, diarrhea, dizziness, itching, insomnia, vomiting, stomach pain, nausea, and etc. Amoxicillin can come in different forms including chewable tablets, liquid, capsules, and pediatric drops.

Top photo credit: Amoxicillin Close Up by rltherichman

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In text photo credit: Typhoid bacteria (Salmonella typhi) by Sanofi Pasteur

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Straightening your Teeth can be Good for Your Health and Enhances Your Smile

In addition to enhancing your smile, straightening your teeth can also assist you in decreasing your risk for developing serious illnesses. According to Dr. Jacqueline Fulop-Goodling, an Orthodontics, crooked, unevenly spaced, and crowded teeth are more difficult to clean and tend to store more food and bacteria than straight teeth. The food and bacteria increases plaque and bacteria which can lead to tooth decay and periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection of the gums, periodontal ligament, and bone that can enter the blood stream, come in contact with major organs and cause complications.

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Gum disease can cause the development of heart disease according to the American academy of periodontology. Gum disease can also contribute to premature birth and low birth weight, increase the risk of stroke, and is a serious threat to people who health is already at risk due to such things as respiratory diseases, osteoporosis, and diabetes. Straightened or properly aligned teeth can help keep tarter and plaque from building up. Tarter and plaque are causes of gum disease. Straight teeth make it easier for you to brush and floss and help gums have a tighter fit around the teeth. Therefore straighter teeth cause better gum health.

Friday 17th June, 2011. This is a picture of Kirsty's nice clean, healthy teeth! She had a dentist's appointment and wasn't particularly looking forward to it! Everything was fine though, which was a relief for her. I went to provide reassurance, it was absolutely hammering it down with rain on the way. So much for June!! We went to tesco on the way back, as a treat and we both bought mouthwash. In the evening we had a curry around mine with my family, which was cool!

Today we have more advanced technology than we did before. This advanced technology makes it easier to straighten teeth and makes doing so less noticeable than previous times. For example, invisalign is a well-known technique that straightens teeth utilizing a series of clear custom made and removable aligners. Research has shown that invisalign can improve gum health more so than other teeth straightening techniques, because there are no wires or brackets to be concerned about and users of invisalign can take out the invisalign braces very easily on their own before and after meals to brush and floss their teeth. Invisalign can be taken out any time, but you have to keep them on your teeth for a certain amount of time each day for it to work and be effective. Other health benefits from straightening the teeth are improved speech and chewing and less strain on supporting bone and jaw joints.

 

Top photo credit: Invisalign first tray by haleyhughes

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In text photo credit: 168/365 by Xelcise

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What Psoriasis is and How to Reduce It

Psoriasis is a skin disease that has white scales on lesions that shows up on the skin. It weakens the skin and joints. Psoriasis is described as red, silvery, thick and scaled patches or lesions on the skin. It is a chronic disease that affects the skin and sometimes the nails with yellowish spots, white color pits, ridges on the nails, and nail edge thickness. Psoriasis can be irritating and itchy and can appear all over the body. It appears mainly on the arms, legs, elbows, knees, chest, and buttocks. It can also affect the underarms, skin behind the ears, and genital areas. It rarely appears on the scalp and face.

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Dry skin is one of the causes of psoriasis. If you have psoriasis you will find irritations or lesions with bright silvery colored scales. The lesions come in different sizes on the skin and are always dry and rarely become infected. Psoriasis is a defect in the skin mechanism in which the skin grows and replaces itself. The defect is caused by the metabolism of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks for reproducing cell tissues. The development of psoriasis can be due to heredity which is a huge role or factor. Some factors that may cause an outbreak are emotional and physical stress, diet, and certain medications.
To calm psoriasis down you should eat an appropriate diet and avoid spicy foods. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Also eating curd and boiled bitter gourds can be very helpful. Experts recommend omega-3, fatty acids, beta-carotene, zinc, and folate to reduce psoriasis. Pectin, guar gum, and psyllium which are soluble fiber are helpful for binding toxins. You should also consume flaxseed oils, and folic acids. Folic acids can be found in spinach, beets, turkey, peas and oranges. Also eat omega-3 which can be found in fish such as trout, salmon, tuna, sardines, and herring.
There are some homeopathic remedies for psoriasis too that can be very effective. You can try or research more about sulphur, mezereum, sepia, and graphites just to name a few. Before trying any of the items mentioned above make sure you do your research on correct dosage, side effects, and etc. You can even try essential oils such as jojoba oil, almond oil, avocado oil, vitamin E, and buttermilk to reduce psoriasis. Visit your dermatologist or doctor, try remedies, and research more for more healthy skin.

Photo credit: is what it is. by Mysi Ann

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Flax Seeds Health Benefits

Adding flax seeds to your diet comes with many health benefits. They are very healthy for the body. It can assist in decreasing your risk of developing cancer, arthritis, and heart disease. It can also serve as a natural laxative. It will be a great idea to add flax seeds to your diet.

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There are different ways you can consume flax seeds. You can consume them from flax seed oil, raw flax seeds, flax seed supplements, and consuming foods that contain flax seeds. The best way to consume flax seeds is to eat them raw. Raw flax seeds have the best nutrients because they have not been processed. A lot of people grind flax seeds up and add it to their dishes such as salad, oatmeal, cereal, salad, desserts, and etc. Many people state that flax seeds add a nutty flavor to dishes such as pancakes and cookies. Remember that the minute you start cooking flax seeds some of the nutritional value along with essential omega 3 fatty acids will be lost. When making muesli, flax seed is a good choice over oils you normally use for muesli. You can utilize flax seed in many recipes or eat a tablespoon of flax seeds a day.

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Many people eat liquid supplements or capsules daily to add essential omega 3 fatty acids to their diet.
Some things to take note on is that flax seeds can go bad fast so do not buy too much flax seeds at one time. They should be stored in a dark, dry, and cool area inside the refrigerator or freezer. Eat flax seeds within a few days of grinding them. If you have a reaction or allergy from eating flax seeds you should talk to your health care provider. Many wonderful health benefits are offered by the essential omega 3 fatty acids, mucilage, and lignin in flax seeds. Consuming flax seeds in different forms including raw, oils, and supplements can boost your health.

 

Top photo credit: Brown Flax Seeds by HealthAliciousNess
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In text photo credit: tablespoon of flax seeds – _MG_8879 by sean dreilinger
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French Toast

Instead of making your ordinary toast with butter or jelly why not try French toast. This French toast will give your taste buds a sweet kick for the morning and bring you a delightful and delicious breakfast. French toast is a great source for energy and protein. This recipe serves 2.

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Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1/3 cup Heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 slices bread (preferably thick)
1 tablespoon butter

Instructions:
In a large bowl whisk together eggs, cream, sugar, and cinnamon until blended. Soak bread slices in 1 layer for 3 minutes on one side then flip to soak other side. Heat butter in a 12-inch frying pan over moderately high heat. Carefully transfer 2 soaked bread slices to frying pan with a spatula and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Repeat this process with the other 2 slices of soaked bread. You can serve French toast with maple syrup, fruit or honey.

Photo credit: French Toast_2699 by rob_rob2001

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Replacing Sugar with Honey as a Sweetener

Honey is a wonderful alternative to refined sugar when cooking desserts or sweets. Honey is considered healthy, while refined sugar is not. Honey is slowly metabolized by the body compared to sugar. Although honey is healthy it can be a little challenging to cook with. Many people don’t know how to cook with honey. Once you learn how to cook with honey it becomes easy to cook with.

Honey pot with some honey on display on white
Honey pot with some honey on display on white

One challenge of cooking with honey is that it burns easier than regular sugar. This challenge is usually solved when you bake or cook with honey at a lower temperature. Another main challenge when cooking with honey is that it’s liquid. Using honey can mess up some dishes if you don’t adjust the recipe for the liquid honey adds. You can make most easy quick breads, yeast breads, muffins, and etc. with honey without having to make adjustments. You should decrease the amount of liquids in recipes for cookies, cakes, and etc. to account for some of the honey. Honey is easy to add to pies because they are already somewhat liquidly. You can replace the sugar with honey into your pie and if the pie filling seems too runny, just add thickener before adding it to your pie shell or crust.

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Sometimes when cooking with honey, the flavor can be a problem. If you don’t want the flavor of honey to be dominant, then there are some things you can try. Use honey that has a very mild flavor, this can be a very pale clover honey. Generally the more pale the honey is then the milder the flavor and the sweeter it is. If you want, you can try using part honey with other sweetening ingredients such as stevia, agave nectar, apple juice concentrate and even sugar if you want.

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In text photo credit: butternut squash pie sweetened with honey. not a huge hit by cafemama
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Frittata

You can make this delicious recipe for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This dish includes different vegetables. You can use peas, tomatoes, onion, broccoli, celery, spinach, peppers, potatoes or pumpkin. You can choose the vegetables you desire. You can use leftover vegetables or you can chop up some vegetables and cook them. This dish serves 4 to 5. The combination of eggs and vegetables for this dish makes it a healthy delight.

 

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Ingredients:
4 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups cooked vegetables

Directions:
Chop cooked vegetables into small pieces. Crack 4 eggs into a bowl and add the salt and pepper. Next beat the eggs and salt and pepper with a fork. Turn the stove on to medium heat and put butter into the pan to melt over the heat. Add the vegetables to the pan and stir. Add the beaten egg mixture and turn down the heat to low. Cook gently over low heat until the egg mixture is firm. Serve

 

Photo credit: Mmm…frittata by jeffreyw

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How to Choose Healthier Meals and Prepare Them

When eating food with family and friends try not to eat unhealthy, high fat and high calorie foods. Food does not have to be tasteless neither when you eat with family and friends. Making a few small changes in your meal choice can make a huge difference.
You don’t have to avoid meat to eat healthier. Just make better choices when choosing meat. Meat is more leaner today than it has been in the past because of the fat trimming done by meatpackers or butchers. The best choices are beef that has been labeled round, loin, and extra lean. Cuts like tenderloin, sirloin, or top round qualify as lean and healthy according to the Wisconsin beef council. In addition to buying lean meats, there are some healthy ways you can cook meat as well; including baking, braising, broiling, grilling, roasting, and steaming. Use cooking spray instead of oil or butter while prepping and use nonstick pans. One way to decrease fat is to strain cooked ground beef, afterwards rinse it with hot water, and drain it very good before continuing to cook.

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When we think of lean meat, we often think about chicken. Many times we turn the healthy chicken into something unhealthy such as fried chicken. Try avoiding fried chicken including chicken tenders, patties, and nuggets. Try baking, broiling, roasting, and steaming chicken instead. Remember to use cooking spray with a nonstick pan. Take note that the dark meat of poultry contains twice as much fat as the white meat of poultry. The skin of chicken contains a lot of fat. You can always remove the skin from chicken or buy skinless chicken. You can usually find skinless chicken breast in the grocery stores.
Eating lean turkey is a wonderful choice as well. When preparing turkey, cook the stuffing separately. By cooking the stuffing separately you will decrease the fat content because you will keep the stuffing from soaking up the fat from the turkey. Also use less margarine or butter when preparing the stuffing and skim fat from the gravy. You can use a gravy separator or refrigerate the gravy. Choose the light meat over the dark meat because light meat has less calories. You can give the dark meat to someone who wouldn’t mind the extra calories.
Instead of serving vegetable casseroles or cheese based vegetable meals, try serving steamed vegetables. You don’t have to add any fat to vegetables when you steam or microwave them. You can replace margarine with herbs, lemon juice, or vinegar. You can also replace oil, cheese, or butter with spices and herbs or imitation butter sprinkles for taste. When sautéing vegetables you can reduce the amount of oil and use flavored vinegar and broth as a replacement for oil.

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When choosing bread choose whole grain. For example you can choose whole grain noodles, whole grain/wheat bread to make sandwiches, whole grain dinner rolls, whole grain breading for stuffing, whole grain hamburger buns and the list goes on and on. Refined/white bread is known to be high in calories and refined sugar than whole grain bread. The refined sugar is bad carbs. If you can’t resist white bread try eating a version with less calories.

Top photo credit: Turkey, preparing to be dried by rklau

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In text photo credit: Steaming Vegetables for lunch by Eyebee

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Ginseng Health Benefits

Ginseng is used in a very popular health drink in several Asian countries including China, Japan, and Korea. It has medicinal abilities and a distinctive taste. The Chinese term “jen-shen” which means in the image of man, is where the word ginseng came from. Ginseng is in reference to a group of herbs from the plant family Araliacae. The three main types of ginseng are American ginseng (panax quinquefolius), Oriental ginseng (Chinese or Korean), and Siberian ginseng (Eleutheroccus senticosis).

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According to traditional Chinese medicine each type has their own distinctive benefits. Ginseng contains complicated mixtures of carbohydrate and nitrogenous compounds in addition to other important minerals and vitamins. Research has found ginsenosides compounds as the main active component in ginseng. Ginseng is very useful for respiratory tract disorders, improvement of blood circulation, and fever because it has a cooling effect. Research has shown that the active component in ginseng called ginsenosides is responsible for the health benefits of ginseng. Because of the health benefits ginseng possess people all over the world is using it as an alternative medicine.
People consume ginseng in many different ways. Some people consume it through a health beverage while others may consume it in a ginseng candy that is sold in a lot of health food stores and some may use ginseng in their tea. Throughout Asia people drink a ginseng health beverage. It is believed that ginseng assists with the following: helps prevent diabetes, increase stamina, detoxify poisons, decrease effects of alcohol intoxication, treat the flu, increase secretion of body fluids, decrease fatigue, help liver to regenerate, prevent coughing, prevent asthma, increase formation of red blood cells, helps get rid of anemia, prevent tuberculosis, treat infections, increase the strength of the gastrointestinal system, helps prevent neuroses, get rid of hangovers, and normalize pulmonary functions.

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Ginseng is also used to increase mental and physical performance and fights mental and physical stress. Studies have shown that people who consumed ginseng supplements were able to overcome higher levels of physical and emotional complications. Regular consumption of ginseng can decrease the chances of developing cancers such as liver, lungs, and ovaries and can make you feel better and more alert. It may also improve memory. Some consumers of the ginseng health beverage may add gingko biloba, a healing ingredient.

Regular consumption of ginseng can treat impotence, improve sexual performance, and assist in increasing sperm production. Research shows that ginseng promotes the release of nitric oxide and improves blood flow to the penis, which improves sexual performance and pleasure. More research is still being done to learn more about ginseng effectiveness for medicinal purposes.

 

Top photo credit: Fresh ginseng roots by u m a m I

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In text photo credit: Korean Ginseng Drink [front] by robotbrainz

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