As we all know, a sluggish digestion has an effect on our entire bodies, making us feel listless, tired and bloated, with the increased possibility of causing more serious problems. A little understanding of the benefits of digestive enzymes can help us use food for its purpose: to nourish the body, help it grow and repair itself.

Digestive enzymes are an essential part of our digestion system. They break down the food we eat into the basic components the body can then use to nourish and build cells, while elements that cannot be digested are eliminated by the body. These enzymes occur naturally in the body along the route of our digestive tract; however they can also be taken as additional supplements to help a weak digestive system.

There are 22 enzymes that the body needs to help break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Each enzyme deals with a specific element. Digestion first takes place in the mouth, where our saliva contains salivary amylase, which helps to break down carbohydrate into its individual components. Thorough chewing food before swallowing is therefore important to help this process, and allow the enzymes further down in our digestive system to do the job they were designed for.

Once in the stomach, the food is then dealt with by hydrochloric acid, or gastric acid, which contains, amongst other enzymes, pepsin to help break down protein. Too little acid can cause digestion problems, peeling finger nails and anemia, as iron contained in food cannot be absorbed sufficiently without enough acid. Too much acid however can cause that too-familiar feeling of heartburn, gas and even ulcers.

More enzymes in the intestines, secreted by organs such as the pancreas and the liver, break down any food that still remains to be absorbed into the blood stream, or safely expelled by the body.

Enzyme deficiency can be the cause of digestion problems such as bloating, flatulence or more serious problems such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Without proper digestion, many elements will remain in our system which the body finds difficult to expel. This leads to a build up in toxins within our digestive tract, causing further risk to our health. In these cases, many people find that taking additional supplements can help ease their symptoms.

The benefits of digestive enzymes taken as an additional supplement can be far reaching, affecting the well-being of the whole body. Many supplements are on the market which can help slow-moving digestion.

However, digestive enzymes also occur naturally in food, and an increase in certain foods can help digestion. Both pineapples and pawpaw fruit contain enzymes, bromelain and papain respectively, that can help decrease inflammation and repair tissue damage.

A good way to kick-start your digestive system is half a lemon squeezed into warm water first thing in the morning, before taking anything else. Other people swear by half a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar taken in warm water before each meal. In fact any bitter food is beneficial to digestion.

Eating more raw foods also increases the amount of digestive enzymes within the body, as the process of heating food can destroy important enzymes, as well as other nutrients. Taking the recommended five fruit and vegetable portions in a raw rather than cooked state will go a long way to eliminating the tell-tale signs of digestion problems.

As we all know, a balanced healthy diet is the key to a healthy digestion system, and in turn a healthy body, however with our busy and stressful lives, this isn’t always possible. Taking additional digestive enzymes could therefore be the key to a smoother journey for our food.

This article was written by Linda Kelly of HealthyNewAge.com, the alternative treatment blog and web site.

Berries are small juicy fruits, which can be round or semi-oblong, sweet or sour, with seeds embedded in the flesh or aril. Though most berries are healthy and edible, some are known to be toxic in varying degrees. Some berries which are harmless to animals can be hazardous to humans, causing illness, injury or even death.

Pokeweed Berries

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A pokeweed, also known as pokeberry or inkberry, is a perennial plant native to the North America.

Pokeweed berries grow in bunches and become purple when they fully ripen. If crushed with bare hands, the hands turn purple. These berries contain traces of phytolaccatoxin and phytolaccigenin which are toxic for mammals.

Consumption of pokeweed berries may lead to headaches, diarrhea and severe abdominal pain. If consumed in large quantities, these berries can lead to complications such as quickening of heartbeats and a feeling of giddiness or seizures, eventually leading to coma or death.

Actaea Pachypoda

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Actaea pachypoda, a perennial plant from the Ranunculaceae family, is native to the eastern regions of North America.

This herbaceous plant can grow up to 50 cm, and sports white flowers in a dense cluster. The actaea pachypoda berries, known as ‘doll’s eyes’ are 1 cm in diameter. The entire actaea pachypoda plant, including the berries, are considered to be extremely poisonous to human beings.

The cardiogenic toxins in these berries have a sedative effect on the cardiac muscle tissues. Therefore consuming these berries can lead to cardiac arrest, and eventually death of a person.

Yew Berries

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Yew is an evergreen shrub, sporting soft bright green needle-like leaves, resembling a ‘Christmas tree’.

Yew berries are usually red in color. They look like capsules, and have a hard green stone in their center. Although the aril, the fleshy part, is not poisonous, the green seeds within are highly poisonous and bitter in taste.

Eating yew berries can lead to severe abdominal pain, vomiting, breathlessness, nausea and dizziness. If consumed by children, it may affect their heart rate. Call the poison control center immediately, if you consumed Yew Berries.

Holly Berries

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Holly berries are one of the 600 species of flowering plants from the Aquifoliaceae family of flora.

The bright red colored berries, hard in nature, are mildly toxic. Consuming these berries can lead to severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and make the person feel drowsy. While Holly berries are not the most poisonous berry, you should still be cautious and aware of them.

Though they are poisonous for human beings, various species of birds and wild animals feed on them.

Ivy Berries

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Ivy berries, also known as Hedera, are a species of evergreen creepers from Araliaceae family, native to some parts of Europe, Africa, Asia and Atlantic Islands.

These creepers can climb to a height of 25 – 30 feet on trees as well as rocky surfaces. Ivy berries are small and black in color, ripening in late winter season. Although various species of birds feed on these, they are considered to be highly toxic for humans.

Ivy berries contain a polyyne, known as falcarinol, which can cause allergic reactions on consumption.

Other Relatively Non-Toxic Berries

Other than these there are some berries which are relatively non-toxic, but can lead to complications if consumed in large quantities. Mistletoe berries found in parts of the United States and Europe, can lead to problems like stomach upset, if consumed in large quantities.

These mouth watering fruits can sometimes tend to be very costly for the health, so if there is even the slightest doubt about them, they are better avoided. Its not a wise idea to risk the lives of yourself or your loved ones, just for the sake of being tempted by these colorful, but poisonous berries.

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This article was written by Abhijit Naik and syndicated from Buzzle.com.

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To be faster you have to get stronger. To get stronger you have to increase your resistance, right? Right!

You probably know that taking things like anabolic steroids and growth hormones will help build muscle mass, forget about the side effects for a momment, and think about where the “muscle-building” compounds come from? They may be right there in the kinds of food you eat!

An amino acid is a building block of protein and it controls everything about the structure and function of the proteins it affects. The amino acid Arginine, in its L form (L-arginine) is one the 20 most common amino acids, and cannot be made naturally by your body.

L-ariginine is an “active” amino acid that is caused by the hydrolysis (break down) of certain proteins. It has been used as a growth stimulant, and its ability to encourage vasodilation makes it useful in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

L-ornithine is a basic amino acid that your body produces naturally. It is a nonprotein amino acid, so it is not ingested in foods. L ornithine is used to biosynthesize L-arginine and other amino acids, like L-proline and polyamines. Many people supplement L-ornithine because research has suggested that L-ornithine may promote muscle-building activity in the body. It does this by increasing levels of the hormones that promote growth, such as insulin and growth hormone.

Luckily, arginine can be found naturally in a variety of foods. Sources of arginine include meat, dairy, a variety of (raw) nuts including pecans, cashews, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pinenuts, and peanuts, not to mention many other foods.

Many of the following meal suggestions are excellent sources of protein that may help you get stronger, faster. Eating “whole foods” rather than processed foods from a box is a key to getting the proper nutrition so that your muscles can not only form, but heal after a hard training session.

Breakfast Recipes to Start Your Day Strong

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Smoked Salmon Omelet

Try an egg white omelet with the following ingredients to give you a protein punch:

• Smoked Salmon or tuna (substitute chicken or turkey meat if you don’t like fish)
• Bacon
• Cheddar cheese
• Spinach & mushrooms
• Season to your liking: I personally like to add Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper.

Protein Enriched Oatmeal

Unflavored oatmeal with your favorite flavor of whey protein powder and raisins mixed in. I personally like to sprinkle ground walnuts on top. You can also add on the side, a slice of whole wheat toast with ricotta cheese and a sliced tomato.

Go Natural

Whole fruits like berries, bananas and oranges with a handful of cheese or nuts will give you a burst of energy and vitamins to help you make it through the morning. If possible, always go with raw nuts and organic, locally-grown fruits. Here’s some useful info about following a raw food diet.

10 Snacks That Keep You Energized

1. A hardboiled egg
2. ½ cup of coconut
3. Yogurt with granola and ground almonds mixed in
4. Chocolate covered raisins or peanuts
5. Half of a protein shake
6. Shrimp cocktail
7. A handful of pumpkin seeds
8. A small can of tuna with some sesame seeds sprinkled on top
9. A slice of turkey or chicken lunchmeat with cream cheese rolled up in the middle
10. Raw vegetables – ANY raw vegetables (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes) are an excellent choice!

Lunches That Win

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Pork & Bean Sandwich

Shredded BBQ pork mixed with dark kidney beans or black beans on a bun. Add a slice of cheese for an extra boost

Tuna Salad Sandwich

Tuna with light mayo, hardboiled egg and shredded cheese on sourdough bread

Carbonator

Hamburger patty or grilled chicken fillet smothered with smoked cheese and mushrooms (no bread for this one)

Soup and Salad

Low sodium soups that are loaded with veggies and brown rice or whole grain pasta with a side salad that has nuts and cheese provide you with a variety of vitamins and fill you up without weighing you down for the rest of the day

Dinner Ideas That Build Muscle

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Your main course should always be meat or seafood, but I’d recommend that you get even more creative beyond that.

Experiment with recipes, make breakfast for dinner, or go “bunless”. You can use steak, ham, fish (halibut or salmon), lobster, turkey, shrimp or chicken. If you have a salad on the side add some sunflower seeds, pinenuts, cheese and hardboiled egg to it.

It’s important not to eat too much at one meal and store it as fat, but rather to space out small meals and snacks throughout the day so that your body can use the energy to pack on more muscle.

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Over 10,000 years ago the diet of man was quite different from today’s. Lacking agriculture, dairy farms, or modern food processing methods, man ate only what he could either kill or pick. Many scientists believe that returning to man’s earlier dietary habits will make us thinner, healthier, and with less susceptible to cancer and diabetes.

The modern food industry is a wonderful thing. Through advances in science we can now feed millions more people on the same amount of land that once fed thousands. We lose fewer crops to disease and drought, and we can produce more bushels per acre than ever before. Our livestock are more healthy, the animals are less susceptible to disease, and they grow much larger (providing more food) than before antibiotics, steroids, and genetic engineering entered the picture.

Once the food enters our homes, we enjoy longer shelf life and easier preparation. Canned and dried goods can stay “fresh” literally for years. And it is quite possible to exist with no knowledge of cooking other than how to turn on the microwave.

With all of these modern advances one would think that the human species would be healthier, and better nourished, than ever in our history, but the truth is quite the opposite. While it is true that hunger is less of a problem in most of the developed world, we now face an obesity epidemic, and diabetes is growing ever more common. Disease and death from chronic overeating, and eating the wrong food, could be considered the major contributors making heart disease the leading cause of death in the United States.

By going back to the way our ancestors ate we can alleviate many of the causes of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. This type of diet is also believed to drastically reduce incidents of cancer. The diet I’m talking about has been called many things. Some refer to it as the Hunter-Gatherer Diet, others call it the Paleolithic Diet, and in this article I’m referring to it simply as the Caveman Diet.

The Caveman Diet, as the name suggests, means we eat like a caveman; well sort of. What all of these diets prescribe is that we eat the way people ate before modern farming, ranching, or even agriculture existed. This type of diet means we eat what the human species evolved (or was created) to eat, before man learned how to place a seed in the ground or dig a crude irrigation ditch.

Hunter-Gatherer perhaps best describes the Caveman diet. If you can kill it or pick it, then that is what you eat. This is exactly what our pre-agriculture ancestors ate. In this type of diet any and all meat, including fish, poultry, beef, pork, etc. is on the menu. Also, most items that can be picked and eaten WITHOUT cooking, such as fruits and vegetables, are also on the menu. What we avoid is processed foods, added sugars, excessive salt and dairy products.

Specific items to avoid are:

• Grains – including bread, pasta, noodles (processed grains are thought to provide excessive carbohydrates that can damage our gastrointestinal tract. Other studies have show that carbohydrates are not as necessary as previously thought)
• Beans – including string beans, kidney beans, lentils, peanuts, snow-peas and peas (while very controversial, beans produce gastrointestinal problems and could result in a mineral deficiency)
• Potatoes
• Dairy Products
• Added Sugars
• Added Salt
• Canola Oil

Here is what you can eat:

• Beef, Poultry, and Fish
• Eggs
• Fruit
• Vegetables (except potatoes or sweet potatoes)
• Nuts such as walnuts, pecans, macadamia, and almond. (Do not eat peanuts, which are not actually a nut, but a bean.)
• All types of Berries
• Honey can be used as a sweetener
• Olive Oil

This type of diet is obviously extreme, and goes against most conventional wisdom. A change of this magnitude will also undoubtedly take some getting used to. Try starting with only one meal per day, with breakfast probably being the easiest place to incorporate it. As you become comfortable with your new diet for breakfast, then move on to other meals.

The goal of the Caveman Diet is to bring us back to the foods that the human body was intended to consume prior to man’s ingenuity taking over. This type of diet is not without controversy, but the empirical evidence suggests that societies employing the Caveman Diet are thinner, healthier, and live longer, while greatly reducing heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

About the Author:

Article about ‘Cave Man Diet’ was written by: Scott Pettigrew from Capstone Health and Fitness

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Article syndicated from Buzzle.com

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While most of us are aware of the importance of drinking a sufficient amount of water each day, we do not always think about our body fluids in terms of our health.

Tears, one of our most important body fluids, are made up of three different materials:

• Mucous secretions
• Watery tears
• Oil

Mucous secretions originate from what is called the goblet cells. Goblet cells are found in our eyelids, and they are responsible for producing the layer of tears that are in the closest contact with our eyes. It is important for our bodies to ingest adequate amounts of Vitamin A and carotenoids because they play an important role in helping our goblet cells to produce mucous. All it takes is the depletion of one component of our tears to create a dry-eye situation, and to put our eyes at risk of developing health problems.

The watery part of our tears comes from the lachrymal glands. This component of our tears is critical for maintaining healthy moisture in our eyes, so drinking lots of water is very important.

The oil component is produced in the Meibomian glands. This oil is generated on top of the watery component so that more moisture can be retained in our eyes. You must consume appropriate amounts of fatty acids in order to keep the oil production in your eyes at a healthy and constant level. While most people never think of any oils as being a part of our vital body fluids, they are an intricate and necessary component of maintaining good health.

What You Need To Know For Maintaining Healthy Tear Production

Overall, it is very important for us to consume adequate amounts of protein, potassium, zinc, and Vitamins A, B6, and C in order to maintain healthy tear production. It should be noted, however, that it is possible to consume too much when it comes to certain parts of your diet. Studies have shown that eating too much salt, alcohol, fat, protein, sugar, or salt can lead to abnormal tear production.

Lactoferrin

Lactoferrin is a protein that serves many functions in our bodies. It is found in some of our body fluids, most notably our mucous secretions such as tears, saliva, nasal secretions, and pancreatic juice. The highest levels of lactoferrin are found in human milk. This protein is very important because it acts as an antibacterial and antifungal agent.

Though research is still ongoing as to the many benefits that lactoferrin may potentially offer to human health, it is known to be a huge defense against a variety of pathogens. For example, recent research has shown that lactoferrin prevents bacteria from generating into potentially deadly biofilms.

Biofilms

Biofilms are microorganisms that are known to bear at least some responsibility for various microbial infections in the human body. There is a definite relationship between normal goblet and cilia cells and biofilms. Those who have normal levels of body fluids in their goblet and cilia cells do not develop biofilms. Biofilms are believed to play a part in the following health problems:

• Gingivitis
• Dental plaque
• Inner ear infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Catheter infections
• Coating of contact lenses

Biofilms grow and develop from a variety of bacteria that may be present in the human body. These microorganisms thrive on iron, as it is a necessary component for biofilms to be able to grow and flourish.

Did you know that biofilms generally only develop in people whose immune systems have been compromised?

It is important to note that biofilm research is still in the early stages. It has only been in the last 20 years that scientists have realized that there was more to disease than simple bacteria. What this means is that a vast majority of vaccines and antibiotics are ineffective against diseases and illnesses that are caused by the presence of biofilms.

The best precaution that we can all take is to make sure that we have sufficient lactoferrin in our bodies, as it is the best defense against the development of biofilms.

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These days there is a lot of talk and more than a little bit of hype about internal cleansing and detoxification. In this article I want to clarify what internal cleansing is, identify the types of cleansing and give you an idea of where to start.

The first thing to understand about cleansing and detoxification is that it’s something that the body does everyday, all day long. The body is perfectly designed to eliminate toxins and unusable substances on its own.

The major cleaning organs of the body are the lungs, the liver, the kidneys, the colon and the skin. When these organs are working at their best, radiant health naturally follows. However, over time, they can start to function poorly, which opens the door for disease.

There are three major factors that determine how well the 5 organs of elimination work. First is the quality of the air you breathe, the water you drink and the food you eat. If any of these is contaminated with chemicals like chlorine and pesticide residues or pollution like dust and carbon, you put extra stress on these organs.

Second is the quantity and type of food you eat. The organs of elimination do best with simple whole fresh foods eaten in small quantities. Finally there is the question of exercise. All internal systems work better when you get plenty of exercise.

Simply changing these 3 elements will help your body detox naturally. It can also help to regenerate and restore your organs. And that’s where internal cleansing starts – with changing any habits that interfere with the function of the lungs, liver, kidneys, skin and colon.

7 Things You Can Do To Help With Cleansing

Here are 7 things you can do to support these organs.

1. Practice deep breathing – yoga and chigong are two traditional disciplines that can help you learn how to do this.
2. Take liver cleansing herbs such as dandelion and milk thistle.
3. Drink 1 oz. fresh parsley juice to cleanse the kidneys.
4. Practice skin brushing and stop using any chemical soaps and lotions on your skin.
5. Complete a cleansing program that addresses you colon health.
6. Change your diet to include mostly fresh fruits and vegetables.
7. Learn to fast regularly – this gives your body a chance to regenerate.

There is no doubt that the range of potential health benefits is broad and impressive when you learn to care for internal systems of your body.

For the beginner I recommend starting with a complete program that teaches you how to change your diet and slowly add herbs that will help restore the function of the internal cleansing organs.

About the Author:

Mark Ament is an expert on internal cleansing and raw foods nutrition. He is the author of “Homemade Colon Cleansing Made Easy” and several other books on natural health. Discover how to make your own safe homemade colon cleanse, using Mark’s proven colon cleanse recipes at: http://www.safecoloncleanse.com

This article was syndicated from Buzzle.com.

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