THE HEALING EFFECTS OF PETAI

Petai contain three natural sugars -sucrose,
fructose and glucose - combined with fiber,
petai gives an instant, sustained and substantial
boost of energy. Research has proved that just
two servings of petai provide enough energy for
a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder petai is
the number one fruit with the world's leading
athletes.

But energy isn't the only way petai can help us
keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a
substantial number of illnesses and conditions,
making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND
among people suffering from depression, many felt
much better after eating petai. This is because
petai contain tryptophan, a type of protein that
the body converts into serotonin, known to make
you relax, improve your mood and generally make
you feel happier.

PMS(premenstrual syndrome)
Forget the pills - eat petai. The vitamin B6 it
contains regulates blood glucose levels, which
can affect your mood.

Anemia:
High in iron, petai can stimulate the production
of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases
of anemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in
potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect
to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food
and Drug Administration has just allowed the petai
industry to make official claims for the fruit's
ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and
stroke.

Brain Power :
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school
were helped through their exams this year by eating
petai at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to
boost their brain power. Research has shown that
the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by
making pupils more alert.

Constipation :
High in fiber, including petai in the diet can
help restore normal bowel action, helping to
overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to
make a petai milkshake, sweetened with honey.
The petai calms the stomach and, with the help of
the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels,
while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:
Petai has a natural antacid effect in the body, so
if you suffer from heartburn, try eating petai for
soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
Snacking on petai between meals helps to keep blood
sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try
rubbing the affected area with the inside of the
petai skin. Many people find it amazingly successful
at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Petai is high in B vitamins that help calm the
nervous system.

Overweight
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria
found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort
food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000
hospital patients, researchers found the most obese
were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs.
The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced
food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar
levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every
two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:
Petai is used as the dietary food against intestinal
Disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness.
It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without
distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes
over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the
lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:
Many other cultures see petai as a "cooling" fruit
that can lower both the physical and emotional
temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand,
for example, pregnant women eat petai to ensure
their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) :
Petai can help SAD sufferers because they contain
the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan.

Smoking:
Petai can also help people trying to give up smoking.
The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium
and magnesium found in them, help the body recover
from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize
the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates
your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our
metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium
levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a
high-potassium petai snack.

Strokes:
According to research in 'The New England Journal
of Medicine': "eating petai as part of a regular diet
can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as
40%".

Warts:
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if
you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of petai
and place it on the wart. Carefully hold the petai
in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
So, you see, petai really is a natural remedy for
many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has
four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates,
three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A
and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.
It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best
value foods around. So maybe its time to change
that well-known phrase so that we say, "A Petai a
day keeps the doctor away".

PROPER BREATHING FOR SUPERB HEALTH

Breathing for health

Life is but a series of breaths. Breath is life. We can live a long time without food, a couple of days without drinking, but life without breath is measured in minutes. Something so essential deserves our attention. Breath is the most important of all the bodily functions.

Proper breathing is one of the most important things you can do for maintaining your health. There is a right way and a wrong way to breathe. Children breathe deeply, from their diaphragm. As we age, however, our breathing shifts to the chest and becomes more shallow and more rapid. Deep breathing is best.

I recommend taking a few minutes each day to practice breathing deeply. You’ll find a breathing exercise at the end of this page to help you learn to breathe more deeply throughout the day.

Deep breathing and the lymph system

Deep breathing is important because it makes your lymphatic system work better. What is the lymph system? Some people think of it as the body’s sewage system. Every cell in your body is surrounded by lymph.

Here’s how the lymph system works: Blood is pumped from your heart through your arteries to the thin, porous capillaries. The blood carries nutrients and oxygen to the capillaries, where they are diffused into this fluid around the cells called lymph. The cells, having an intelligence or affinity for what they need, take nutrients and oxygen for their health and then excrete toxins, some of which go back into the capillaries. But dead cells, blood proteins, and other toxic material must be removed by the lymphatic system. And the lymphatic system is activated by deep breathing.

The body’s cells depend on the lymphatic system as the only way to drain off the large toxic materials and excess fluid, which restrict the amount of oxygen that the cells are able to absorb. The fluid passes through the lymph nodes, where dead cells and all other poisons except blood proteins are destroyed and neutralized. How important is the lymphatic system? If it were totally shut down for 24 hours, you would die as the result of trapped blood proteins and excess fluid around the cells. In addition to deep breathing, rebounding on a mini-trampoline is another great way to stimulate your lymph system.

The lymph collected throughout the body drains into the blood through 2 ducts located at the base of the neck, ultimately ending up in the 'thoracic duct'. Breathing drives this action. If you take a deep breath and exhale deeply, you’re massaging the thoracic duct upward into the neck so that the fluid flows abundantly. This duct empties the lymph into the veins, where it becomes part of the blood plasma. From there, the lymph returns to the liver for metabolization, and finally to the kidneys for filtering.

Did you know that the lymphatic system is twice the size of our other circulatory system? It's true. Twice as much lymph as blood is present in our bodies, and we have twice as many lymph vessels as blood vessels. One of the keys to health is to keep your lymphatic system open and flowing freely.

As most readers probably know, most of the body is made up of water. Part of the water resides in the bloodstream, but far more is in the lymphatic system. Our cells are located in a sea of lymph, a pale fluid.

Like the cardiovascular system, the lymphatic system is made up of channels, valves and filters, or nodes. Unlike the cardiovascular system, however, the lymphatic system lacks any central "heart-like" organ to pump lymph throughout the lymph vessels. Instead, the lymphatic system depends on muscular movement, simple gravity and BREATHING to move lymph fluid throughout the body.

When the lymphatic system is flowing freely everything is well. When the lymphatic system backs up, however, there’s trouble. The consequences can be serious, even life-threatening. Not only are the repair, building and waste disposal systems affected by a disruption, the body’s defenses against foreign substances are also impaired. In addition to filtering out toxic materials, the lymph nodes also produce substances which fight off invading bacteria and viruses and destroy abnormal cells which developed within the body, such as cancer cells. In addition to being part of the body’s plumbing and repair system, the lymphatic system is an essential part of our immune system.

The lymphatic system is as essential to bodily function as the bloodstream it complements. "To keep it clear, you need to increase its drainage capacity or reduce its intake of toxins. I suggest doing both - through diet, stress reduction, exercise and deep breathing.

A simple deep breathing exercise you can use in your daily routine

Are you ready to invest just 5 minutes a day in an exercise which will produce immediate and significant benefits? Try this breathing exercise from "Unlimited Power", by popular motivational speaker Tony Robbins.

Tony Robbins has helped me make improvements in not only my health but other aspects of my life as well. I highly recommend his life-changing programs.

You should breathe in this ratio:

Inhale for 1 count. Hold for 4 counts. Exhale for 2 counts.

Example: if you inhale for 4 seconds, you hold for 16 and exhale for 8. Do sets of 10 breathes, 3 times a day spread out through the day. While staying within your comfort zone, progressively increase your seconds count to develop greater lung capacity. This is a tremendously beneficial practice for your health and it's free.

METABOLISM TO GREAT HEALTH

10 Tips To Maximize Your Metabolism

Metabolism basically means the count of calories you burn per day. Repeatedly you have might read from the articles about accelerating the rate of metabolism. The most common reasons are consuming highly nutritious food and performing workouts. If your metabolism rate is slower, it shows you are burning less of calories. In order to increase the rate, you must follow the below tips:

1) Do not observe fasting because you burn too many calories at once, which is really harmful to your body. In this process your muscles turn weak and you face dehydration rather than minimizing the fat content.

2) Dine about 6-8 times a day by consuming nutritious items such as fruits and vegetables.

3) A heavy breakfast is a key factor in increasing the rate of metabolism. Since you are awake for the whole day, the rate of metabolism is fast.

4) There are many kinds of healthy fats available such as nuts, fish, olive oil, and flax oil. They can be the substitutes for processed carbs.

5) Consume less of sugar so that the insulin production is regulated and you will thus burn calories easily.

6) Eat about 1 gm of protein per pound because the excessive fat content will be drained away.

7) Remember that alcohol is uprightly harmful for the people planning to loose weight. It prevents fat burning and contains almost 100s of calories.

8) Green tea and water are the best forms of beverages that do not affect the metabolism process. So use them instead of tea, coffee and alcohol.

9) Night shifts are normally not advisable, but if you think they are unavoidable then follow the above-mentioned tips carefully.

10) In order to make your metabolism process effective use the Turbulence Training manual that provide you right instruction to perform workouts.

If your metabolism rate is slower, it shows you are burning less of calories. Remember the above points for a healthy life.

BEST DIET & EXERCISES FOR GOOD HEALTH

Which diet is best—low-fat or low-carb?
More people are looking for ways to help them lose weight. They want to look better and to keep from having a heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes (sugar), or other health problems. So this is a very important question. But it is only part of the question that needs to be answered.
If you look at pounds lost over the short term, the answer to the question is, “Neither.” Both diets work about the same. In fact, any diet that cuts down on the total number of calories eaten will cause a short-term weight loss.
So the more important question is, which diet is the best one to be on for a long time? Which diet will help you keep the weight off? To date, no studies have looked at long-term weight loss with a low-carb diet. No studies have looked at the effect of this diet on preventing health problems like heart attacks and strokes. Many studies have shown, however, that low-fat diets help to keep weight under control and prevent health problems. These include high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, arthritis, and maybe even some types of cancer. Some helpful tips are given below. For more information, talk to your doctor.

What is healthy eating?
The American Heart Association has come up with eating guidelines for healthy American adults. Babies, children, teenagers, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and people who already have medical problems have other needs that must be looked at before they start a new way of eating. These people should talk to their doctorS before they start any new diet. Everyone else should be able to follow the guidelines given here:

Eat different kinds of foods. This strategy helps you get all the vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and energy your body needs.

Make sure to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Not only does this approach help you get what your body needs, but it also could cut down on your chances of getting certain types of cancer and keep your heart healthy.

Make sure to eat at least 6 servings of grain products every day. This tactic also helps your body get the nutrients it needs. Plus, whole grains are complex carbohydrates, which are an importance source of energy. And whole grains help lower your cholesterol and may prevent bowel cancer.

Make sure your diet is low in saturated fat, trans-fat, and cholesterol. These are the “bad” fats that can cause you to have high cholesterol levels, a heart attack, or a stroke. When shopping for fats, oils, and margarines, look for those that have 2 grams or less of saturated fat per tablespoon.

Use nonfat or low-fat milk, cheese, and other dairy products. Full-fat dairy products also contain the “bad” fats. Changing to nonfat or low-fat ones helps to get rid of “bad” fats and cuts down on your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. It also lets you cut down on the number of calories you eat a day without having to give up anything.

Try to eat fish at least twice a week. Fish raises your “good” cholesterol level and lowers your “bad” cholesterol level, so eating it regularly will reduce your chance of a heart attack or stroke. As with meat, remember that an acceptable serving of fish is about the same size as a deck of cards. Taking the skin off and baking, grilling, or broiling is much better for you than frying fish.

Try not to eat too many “empty-calorie” foods. These are foods that are high in calories and low in nutrition. The list includes things like regular cola, sweetened ice tea, candy bars, and most desserts. They taste good, but they aren’t good for us. This doesn’t mean that you can’t ever eat these foods. Just do so on rare occasions and in smaller amounts. Remember that super-sized portions result in super-sized people.

If you drink alcohol, have only one drink per day if you are a woman and only two drinks per day if you are a man. Drinks made with alcohol, shots of alcohol, beer, and wine are all empty-calorie foods. Drinking more than the limits can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.

Eat less than a total of 1 teaspoon of salt a day, including whatever salt you put into the food when you made it. This will help keep your blood pressure low. And low blood pressure makes it less likely that you will have a heart attack or stroke.

What about exercise?
Exercise is important in any plan to lose weight or just to live in a healthy way. The secret to losing weight is to eat fewer calories than the number that your body burns each day. To lose even more weight, in addition to cutting down on the amount of food you eat, you can increase your activity level. When you do this, the calories that you burn exercising are added to those that your body uses routinely.
Everyone should try to exercise for 30 minutes almost every day. However, you should start with a shorter amount of time. Pick an activity that you enjoy, such as dancing or walking with friends, and start with just a few minutes every other day. Then slowly increase the time until you are exercising for 30 minutes a day. If you have been inactive for many years or have any medical problems, you should talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program.

I would also recommend signing up for a gym to workout just in case you do not have the discipline to follow through the strendous exercise program. Most gyms these days do have classes like YOGA, STEP AEROBICS, BODY COMBAT , BODY-PUMP etc. where you can take part so that it will not be so boring just to jog or run everyday.

AROMATHERAPHY FOR HEALTH

The use of essential oils, which is derived from the pure essence of a plant, is not new. Though the term aromatherapy was coined only in the 1920s (by Gattefossé in 1928), people knew of aromatherapy essential oils from the prehistoric times. Starting from the Chinese to Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Persian and Indian civilizations, each have added to the science of essential oils and to aromatherapy as a whole.
Research still continues in the field of aromatherapy essential oils, with new developments being made in the field. Aromatherapy and essential oils are no longer limited to cosmetic or aromatic uses only. Many of the essential oils have been proved to have medicinal and therapeutic benefits too. Take lavender oil for instance. French chemist Gattefossé would have been unaware of the properties of lavender oil to give instant relief without any scar in cases of burn, until he burnt his hand and accidentally put his hand in the jar full of the essence of lavender. Similarly, there are a large number of essential oils that have medicinal properties. The 'tulsi' plant or Indian basil, distinct through its strong aroma and taste, is considered "the elixir of life" since it is thought to bring longevity. The use of the plant’s extracts is made to treat illnesses like headaches, inflammation, heart disease, and malaria. The essential oils derived from ‘karpoora tulsi’ have found use in the manufacture of herbal toiletry.
Essential oils are derived from almost every part of the plant. Leaves, stems, flowers, roots, etc are distilled through steam or water to result into essential oils. Consequently, aromatherapy essential oils contain the true essence of the plant. In its purest form, a few drops of essential oil can give the same results that loads of that plant would have given. This is because essential oils are available in concentrated form.
Though referred to as oil, essential oils in aromatherapy do not give that oily feeing. Except for a few oils such as patchouli, orange and lemongrass, most oils are clear and see-through.
Aromatherapy essential oils must be differentiated from the perfume or fragrance oils. While essential oils contain the purest essence of the plant, fragrance oils are made of artificially created substances as a whole or a part of it. Fragrance oils may cause allergies or other skin reaction because of the use of artificial substances; but the use of essential oils brings upon no such allergic reaction.
Aromatherapy essential oils can be used by people either through inhalation or by applying them on skin in a diluted form. When essential oils are inhaled, they enter the bloodstream and lungs directly, thus producing an instant effect on the ailment.
Applying aromatherapy essential oils on the body is good for absorption. Since essential oils are available in a concentrated form, they need to be diluted using carrier oil. Sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, grape seed oil, etc are blended with the essential oil; and the mixture is used on the body or the part that is afflicted.
One needs to be very careful while purchasing an essential oil. Though readily available, people are not well equipped to differentiate between the good quality and poor quality essential oil. The following checklist might be helpful to all those people who are on their way shopping for aromatherapy essential oils:
• A vendor who allows you to check the essential oil is preferred more.
• If the bottle containing essential oils has terms such as fragrance oils, nature identical oils; they are not essential oils.
• Never buy a bottle of essential oil that seems old. It might be adulterated or just might not produce the medicinal benefits.
• A clear glass bottle of essential oils allows light to come in, thus reducing its aroma therapeutic benefits. Avoid buying essential oils that are sold in clear glass bottles.
• Essential oils sold in plastic bottles too must be avoided as it dissolves plastic and becomes contaminated for use.

THE PROS AND CONS OF GREEN TEA

There’s been lots of health-hype lately surrounding the benefits of green tea. Is drinking green tea a hype or treasure for you health ? Let's go on to discover more below:

First: The Claims:
A rich source of anti-oxidants:
What are anti-oxidants? Anti-oxidants neutralize “free radicals” or unstable molecules in the body that can eventually become unfriendly and wreak havoc on the cells. Free radical damage can cause everything from sun damage to hardening of the arteries. Green tea will help you bulk up on the anti-oxidant warriors that help to both lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease by controlling blood pressure.

Cancer prevention:
Green tea has been shown to lower rates of cancer in Asian populations. The cancers studied and which have been recorded include: bladder, colon, esophagus, pancreas, rectal and stomach. New evidence suggests green tea may also help prevent prostate cancer, as well.

Help with arthritis:
Studies also suggest there is possible anti-inflammatory and arthritis preventing effects in green tea although, I’ll admit, solid scientific evidence was difficult to come by. By simple suggestion, I’ll give green tea an A for effort in the arthritis category.

Liver protection:
Green tea has been proven to protect liver cells by stimulating the immune system. Green tea protects the liver by warding off toxins such as alcohol and cigarette smoke.
Teeth protection:
Green tea has been thought to promote oral health (although scientific proof was difficult to come by here, too). Green tea is supposed to work against bacteria, protecting teeth from cavities.

Weight loss:
Here’s another benefit that will raise many an eyebrow. Several sources I found claimed that green tea may actually help to stimulate weight loss. Yes! Green tea contains polyphenols (molecule compounds) that actually help the body to burn weight and regulate both blood sugar and insulin levels.

The Bad News
What’s the bad news?
The only negative side effect I’ve found is the simple recorded cases of insomnia due to naturally occurring caffeine in green tea. It looks like there’s only 30-60mg in 6-8 ounces of tea, however. That's less than half the caffeine content of coffee which weighs in at 90 mg. per 8 ounce cup.

Other FAQ’s About Green Tea:
How much green tea is enough to reap the benefits?
No one seems to be too sure about the answer to this question, either. Let's be realistic – most people could easily drink 3-4 cups of green tea daily. This is a good round number and one that I came up with based on its frequency in the research studied. A suggestion: why not try replacing your usual cup of coffee with a clean dose of health?
Where to get a good cup of tea?
Check out your local grocery for my favorite: Lipton. There's plenty of others, but I like the way Lipton aims to zip up green tea with variety. They even have a orange, passionfruit & jasmine flavor that's de-lish!
If drinking tea really isn’t your thing, but you still want the benefits – no problem! Green tea is now available in capsule form, too. This could be as close as your local pharmacy. Check around.

In summation:
In this scientist’s opinion, green tea is well worth your consideration. The simple speculation of benefits is enough to get excited about it. It’s easy to digest, tastes good and, hey, if it helps me with my goal of wellness and illness prevention, I’ll take ample tea time, any day!