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Research Proves That Laughing Really Is The Best Medicine

December 10, 2019 by Power of Positivity

There’s nothing that feels better than a good belly laugh. Who would you rather spend the day with, a person who is always laughing to make you feel good, or someone that is depressed and down in the dumps? Of course, you want to be with the person that makes you smile, because it lifts your spirits.

Laughter is like good medicine for the soul. Research shows that the entire body is affected by a good chuckle. Did you know that when you are laughing, your brain releases chemicals that can heal your mood and improve pain receptors?

There may be something to the adage about laughing and your overall health, after all.

Our Ancestors Didn’t Laugh As We Do

The University of Oxford conducted a study to prove the theory about belly laughs. Sadly, they based their study off early humans who from reports didn’t laugh much. Times were tough, and they focused on work more than pleasure.

Other reasons for a more serious lifestyle were the fact that they lived in tribal groups and lived alongside dangerous predators. Survival was always on their minds. Perhaps, never getting real rest is the reason why our ancestors didn’t live long — the constant fear they faced and never having any downtime for pleasure messed with their brains.

To conduct the study, Oxford researchers divided the people into two groups to test their pain thresholds. One group watched comedy videos that made them laugh while the other group watched golf. The volunteers that attended the comedy shows had a pain threshold that was 10 percent higher than the group that watched the more mundane shows.

The group that watched golf was unable to bear hardly any pain after just 15 minutes of boring television shows. Their test concluded that chuckling did have an impact on the pain tolerance of their test subjects.

Not Just Any Chuckle Will Do

Laughing can be broken down into several different categories. For instance, giggling and snickering is not the same as a belly laugh. During the study, they showed that a simple giggle here or there didn’t have much of a physiological effect on the participants.

It was those that experienced a good belly laugh that had more substantial benefits. Uncontrollable giggles seem to be the most healing. Oxford University’s own Robin Dunbar put his expertise on the findings.

Dunbar led the research, and he concluded that it’s when a person experiences comical hilarity that the brain reacts. Once an individual goes into this state, the brain begins to release endorphins. Each person is different, but the number of endorphins released was enough to relieve pain, and some even said they experienced a mild euphoria.

Why Does Laughing Sometimes Hurt?

When it comes to our early ancestors, he concluded that apes do have the ability to laugh or chuckle. However, human beings are the only ones that can belly laugh. When someone says they laugh till it hurts, there is some truth in what they are saying.

As a person laughs, they empty the air that’s in their lungs. Consequently, it’s this action that causes the body to go into protective mode. It releases these endorphins to combat the pain a person feels from the lack of air.

Some people feel faint and dizzy when they belly laugh for long periods. They not only deplete their lungs, but their brain isn’t getting enough oxygen. The oxygen deprivation is enough to cause a person to experience these feelings of panic, but they will quickly pass once the air is restored.

Chuckling Can Have an Effect Similar to Antidepressants

We’ve established that laughing can release endorphins to help with pain receptors. However, it’s also proven that someone jolly who laughs a lot may not need antidepressants. In a world where more than 25 million adults take these medications for anxiety and depression, something natural is welcome.

When you engage in a belly laugh, your brain is stimulated, and it releases neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are the same ones that are stimulated with antidepressant medicine. Though it’s yet to be proven how long the effects last, it’s unbelievable that engaging in such a pleasureful activity can bring calmness to the body.

A Belly Laughing Can Protect Your Heart

It sounds a bit farfetched that something as fun as a belly laugh can protect your heart, but it’s true. The University of Maryland Medical Center did a study to see what kind of effect chuckling had on cardiac patients. They found that it has an anti-inflammatory effect, which can protect the heart from disease.

Experts are not sure exactly how all this occurs, but they believe it has something to do with the body’s response to stress. When the body is under attack, the inflammatory system goes into overdrive, causing increased inflammation. However, engaging in a good chuckle proves to do the opposite.

So it’s true that those who stress more are putting their heart at risk, and those that less stressed-out individuals tend to have a better chance of keeping cardiovascular disease at bay.

Laughing Is Crucial to Relationships

Did you know that women laugh more than men? Consequently, the men are the instigators, but women are the ones who fall for their jokes and puns. There is an interesting theory that men rely on their humor to find the perfect mate.

Women want a man that has a good sense of humor, and they need someone who doesn’t take life too seriously. It helps to balance out the natural angst of the feminine nature.

Men want someone who is jolly and is not afraid to engage in a lot of laughs. When faced with potential suitors, a man will choose the girl that laughs a lot two times over one who doesn’t. The couple that chuckles together stays together.

It seems that many studies have been conducted regarding the top traits both women and men want in a relationship. Since it appears that a belly laugh is so important, it’s non-negotiable. Reports show that couples who are jolly and frequently engage in a good belly laugh, usually have a high-quality relationship. Plus, they are more likely to stay together for the long haul.

We Create Social Bonds Through Laughter

Laughter is contagious. Did you know that when a group of people is together chuckling and being silly, it gives them a sense of togetherness? It sounds crazy, but you bond with people who make you happy.

You are naturally drawn to folks who make you feel good and increase your endorphin activity in the brain. Have you ever started to laugh when you don’t get the joke or didn’t even hear what was said?

When you laugh, it’s infectious, and it causes others to do the same. Pretty soon, no one is sure why everyone is chuckling, but they know they feel good and want to experience it again and again.

Laughing Has A Similar Effect Like Taking A Narcotic

We live in a society where people are in so much emotional, mental, and physical pain that they use heroin and other opioid drugs to self-medicate. The more medicine they take, the stronger the effect.

However, studies prove that laughing releases the same feel-good chemicals from the opioid receptors in the brain. Those drugs bind to these receptors and cause euphoria.

Amazingly, you can experience the same euphoric feeling that comes along with drug use, but you won’t have any of the horrible side effects or addiction issues. If only more people could learn that a laugh is so healing and cleansing to the mind, body, and soul, we would be better off as a society.

Final Thoughts: A Jolly Heart Doth Like Good Medicine

All the research about laughing shows that it does your heart good. When you select your friends or a spouse, you want it to be someone that makes you happy. You need someone that can turn the most straightforward and most mundane task of going to the grocery store into a memorable event.

They say that life is about 10 percent of what happens to you and about 90 percent of how you react to it. You can keep on the sunny side by simply changing your attitude and incorporating a good belly laugh into each day.

It’s been proven many times over that chuckling has the same effect as opioids and prescription medicine; it can increase bonds with friends, and it can be healing to your heart and inflammatory system. Why would you choose to take medication when you hold the power of your health in your hand?

You can laugh your way through some of the most horrific things that come your way, and you will be a better person for it.

Research Reveals the Benefits of Chamomile (and how to use it)

December 9, 2019 by Power of Positivity

When you think about the word chamomile, you might remember your grandmother sitting in her comfortable chair before bedtime, sipping a steaming cup of tea. Most people associate this herb with a relaxing beverage to help you calm your nerves and fall asleep faster. What you might not know is that it contains secret powers discovered thousands of years ago by our ancient ancestors.

History and Facts About Chamomile

This herbal remedy dates as far back as the ancient Egyptians. While the Egyptians used it for its powerful properties in the embalming process, the name originated from the Greek words “Chamos,” meaning ground, and “Milos” the Greek word for apple. That name arises as the herb grows close to the ground and smells a bit like an apple.

It seems that this herbal powerhouse carries actual superpowers as a natural remedy

Where to find chamomile

If you’ve taken a walk through a meadow or field, you might have spotted this yellow-flowered herb. It looks like a small shrub and grows between 8 to 12 inches high. Its main branch has jagged leaves that line the stem. Look carefully, and you’ll see disk-shaped yellow florets in the center of the flower and white florets on the outer petals.

Look for this herb next time you take a nature walk, as it grows worldwide. The two main species cultivated for human use are the Roman and German varieties.

Fun chamomile facts

Let’s take a look at some of the fantastic uses and healing properties this incredible little plant holds.

Herbal practitioners use this herb to treat over 100 various disorders.
It has chemical compounds, oils, and extracts used in the cosmetic and medical industries.
You may use it in many applications, ranging from tinctures, teas, lotions, drops, and capsules.
Science proves this herb to be a potent anti-inflammatory agent.
Also, you can use this herbal remedy to relieve migraines.
Some of its other uses include treatment of urinary tract infections, rashes, respiratory infections, toothaches, and mental disorders.
It can be used to stimulate contractions and speed up the childbirth process.
You can plant chamomile in your garden to stimulate the growth of surrounding plants.

A Bright Future

The National Institutes of Health touts chamomile as an herbal remedy from our past that has a very bright future. This well-researched, peer-reviewed study attributes its potent medicinal properties to the terpenoids and flavonoids found in its dried flowers.

This study emphasizes that herbs played a part in many forms of medicine dating back 5,000 years. Today, herbs remain prevalent in our culture because they can offer effective relief yet have minimal side effects. This desire for natural healing brings us to our super healing herb. It is one of the documented oldest and most widely used medicinal plant in the world. It has a vast range of healing properties.

Furthermore, it is well-known that our forefathers used this herb as an herbal remedy for an abundance of health issues. A few applications include making poultices for inflammation, pain, congestion, and swelling. Finally, chamomile is a popular tea for insomnia, an ingredient in lotions, a calming bath additive, and has even been used in making beer. It is an ancient remedy for so many ailments but was also used as an antioxidant, astringent, and wound healer.

With so many and such a wide range of applications, it is almost head-spinning to think that one plant has so many great uses. Here are some of the scientific reasons this potent little plant has gained so much attention and why we should list it as a healing herb for a healthy future.

The Science Behind The Herb

Trying to put the scientific facts behind this super powerful herb into layman’s terms is kind of like trying to explain how Superman got his powers, but here goes! The list is long, but here are a few of the scientific findings behind this plant.

It contains the volatile oils, alpha-bisabolol, and alpha-bisabolol oxides, both A and B. It also contains matricin, which is the reason behind its antiphlogistic and anti-inflammatory property. These agents can convert to chamazulene and flavonoids.
The flavonoids and essential oils in this herb penetrate deep below the surface of the skin layers. This reason explains why it is such an effective topical anti-inflammatory agent.
Steam from chamomile extract helps to reduce cold symptoms.
Some healers believe that flavonoids can improve cardiac health.
The extract combined with apple pectin has safely and effectively treated infant colic disorders and diarrhea.
Gastrointestinal conditions, including spasms, upset stomachs, ulcers, flatulence, gas, and gastrointestinal irritations, respond effectively to this remedy. Also, it lowers gastric acidity and inhibits secondary hyperacidity.

Four Practical Uses of Chamomile

Now you understand just how powerful this herbal remedy can be. You might be wondering what practical applications it has in your daily life. You will certainly be able to find chamomile in your shampoos, lotions, soaps, and even cleaning products, but here are a few other purposes you might find useful.

1 – Insomnia and Restless Sleep

Looking for a natural remedy for insomnia? Perhaps you may be one of the 60 million Americans who have insomnia. If you are struggling to fall asleep and don’t like the groggy after-effects of pharmaceutical medications, you might want to give chamomile tea a try.

The causes of insomnia and difficulty staying asleep can be temporary or long-term. Temporary insomnia arises from a disruption of the typical sleep pattern. Long-term causes include a more severe condition such as depression, anxiety, or sleep apnea.

Regardless, there are effective but natural ways to cope with difficulty sleeping. These remedies are going to bed at a set time, journaling, exercising, eating foods to promote your gut health, and drinking this herb as a tea.

Chamomile tea proves useful in promoting quick and restful sleep, as evidenced by anecdotal information shared by healers for hundreds of years. It contains a mild sedative that eases nerves, helps you relax, reduces anxiety, and has no side effects. Next time you have sleep issues, brew yourself a steaming cup of its tea.

2 – Essential Oil to Reduce Anxiety

Essential oils prove to reduce anxiety. Doctors recommend many methods to reduce anxiety, including some all-natural alternatives. Since feeling anxious is one of the most common mental health issues today, people are looking for other options and practical solutions to reduce the effects of feeling anxious.

Essential oils are more accessible than ever. You can find them conveniently incorporated into lotions, bubble baths, candles, or for use in diffusers. One of the popular oils is, of course, chamomile. If you are one of the many who suffer from occasional or acute anxiety, try out this anti-anxiety herbal remedy.

3 – Sore Throat Remedy

We all know how irritating it is to get a sore throat, but there are natural remedies for sore throats.

A sore throat can make you feel uncomfortable, unproductive, and it pretty much will ruin your day. Throat irritation stems from an immune response to a virus, allergen, or bacterial infection. We learned earlier that our super herb has anti-inflammatory properties that will relieve the swelling and inflammation, and this healing property extends to your throat’s mucous membranes.

What’s a great way to help your sore throat? Our friendly neighborhood herb used in a tea will not help you get a restful night’s sleep, which will allow the body to heal, but it reduces pain and helps fight off the infection in your sore throat.

4 – Grey Hair

Just when you thought you’d heard it all, it turns out our healing herb also turns out to be an effective home treatment for grey hair. If you are not a fan of commercial dyes that contain caustic chemicals that are not good for you and may damage your hair, here is an alternative to try.

You can use our versatile herb to help restore hair to natural blonde color. (Sorry, this only works for lighter hues!) Using a tea preparation, which contains the pigment apigenin, you can coax your hair back to its beautiful golden hue!

Learn some helpful herbal remedies for migraines.

Final Thoughts on the Use of Chamomile

Chamomile may be an old, widely used herbal medication, but it is still trendy and will continue to be researched and used in the future. Its range of healing properties range from bioactive phytochemicals to ingredients that stimulate the immune system, improve cardiovascular and digestive issues, relieve insomnia and skin conditions.

This non-toxic natural alternative remedy for colds, sore throats, anxiety, inflammation, and even grey hair comes in many forms. Drink it as a soothing tea, use it as an essential oil in a diffuser, or discover its use in bath products, pills, or infused lotions. Make this healing herb a staple for many of your health needs.

Science Reveals the 10 Healthful Benefits of Biotin

December 9, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Biotin, or B7, might be one of the least discussed of the essential vitamins. Most have heard that it’s beneficial for you, but they know little about it. In fact, you may be vaguely aware of a few of its practical uses.

But few know the full extent of all this vitamin can do to contribute to our general wellness.

For instance…

Are you aware that B7 has at least ten proven healthful benefits? Did you know it can be useful for a variety of reasons, from improving your nail strength to helping regulate a diabetic’s blood sugar?

B7 is one of those nutrients that’s readily available if you eat a balanced, healthy diet, but deficiencies may lead to a variety of troubles. We’ll take a look at B7, how it works, and its uses.

What Is It?

Biotin is one of the B-complex vitamins. They’re essential to your health and well-being for everything from physical processes to your mental and emotional health.

It plays a massive role in keeping your digestive, metabolic, and nervous systems healthy. It helps the body metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. The body uses it to convert food into energy. It’s a critical component of enzymes that work to metabolize fatty acids, glucose, and amino acids. It also plays a significant role in regulating genes, histone modifications, and cell signaling.

As a water-soluble B vitamin, the body doesn’t store it or. That means daily intake (through diet) is necessary.

People generally can get the B7 they need through eating a healthy diet. You don’t need all that much daily to function. That works out to be between 30 and 35 micrograms (mcg) per day, though Western populations may take in as much as 70 mcg. You will generally hear that taking too much won’t have any adverse effects since it’s water-soluble.

Actual B7 deficiencies are relatively rare because intestinal bacteria tend to produce more than what the body requires. Specific populations of people may have higher requirements. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are among those.

Rarely, some people suffer an inherited condition in which their body cannot correctly process the vitamin. It’s called biotinidase deficiency. This is a recessive metabolic disorder in which your body does not release B7 is not released via normal cellular processes. In extreme cases, the patient may suffer from seizures, weak muscle tone, breathing troubles, vision or hearing loss, and susceptibility to candidiasis, a fungal infection. Someone suffering from this condition may require taking extra supplementation.

Hair Health

Many people mistakenly believe that this B vitamin promotes increased hair growth, and stronger, healthier hair. This myth may very well be nothing more than a marketing ploy aimed at shampoo consumers, as there is very little evidence to support this.

Vitamin B7 deficiency does, however, decrease the rate of hair loss and thinning hair. People diagnosed with biotin deficiency have been shown to benefit from B7 supplementation. In 2015, a study showed that women who had experienced thinning hair had a reduction in shedding after taking an oral marine protein supplement that included B7 for three months.

Nail Health

Many people commonly suffer from brittle nails. Their nails chip easily. They also are weak and can split or crack. Biotin can play a role in improving the strength and durability of fingernails. One study found that out of 45 patients taking a B7 supplement (2.5 mg per day), 91% of them exhibited “firmer and harder fingernails” after five months. Other, smaller studies have consequently been done showing similar results.

Skin Health

Deficiency of the B vitamin, B7, can lead to red, scaly skin rashes. It’s also been implicated in the condition, seborrheic dermatitis.

Doctors believe that the B vitamin’s link to skin health may be related to its role in fat metabolism, which is essential to the skin. When the vitamin is lacking, this process may be impaired. When a deficiency is suspected, you may benefit from supplementation.

Pregnancy and Breast Feeding

The body’s requirements increase during this stressful time. On top of that, B7 breaks down in the body much faster during pregnancy. It’s thought that approximately 50% of pregnant women may develop a mild form of deficiency. This could be a cause for concern, as some studies have revealed B7 deficiency during pregnancy could cause congenital disabilities.

Your doctor may recommend supplementation with folic acid before and during your pregnancy. Most prenatal supplements contain adequate amounts of both folic acid and B7.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that manifests as impaired insulin function, and subsequent high blood sugar levels. Given B7’s close relation to the body’s production of glucose, the correlation is no surprise. There are a few studies that have shown that people with diabetes may have lower levels of the B vitamin in their system when compared with healthy individuals.

Multiple controlled studies have shown lowered blood sugar levels in some people with type 2 diabetes when B7 is supplemented along with the mineral chromium by stimulating the secretion of insulin from the pancreas.

Multiple Sclerosis

It’s thought to play a big part in the production of myelin, the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers in the brain, eyes, and spinal cord. In a study treating patients with a progressive form of multiple sclerosis with high doses of B7, over 90% showed some degree of clinical improvement.

High doses may help to improve vision and reduce partial paralysis in some people. Other studies are currently underway that are showing more promising results.

Neuropathy

This B vitamin is essential for the function of pyruvate carboxylase, an enzyme involved in protein metabolism. When things aren’t in working order, high levels of pyruvate and aspartate may negatively affect the nerves.

Diabetic patients suffering from neuropathy as a result of dialysis may get some relief with supplementation. Early studies involving small patient numbers showed that patients taking a high dose of biotin for one to two years saw an improvement in their symptoms.

Basal Ganglia Disease

Basal ganglia disease is a rare, inherited disorder that affects the part of the nervous system that controls movement. Those suffering from it can experience involuntary tensing of muscles, muscle rigidity, muscle weakness, and even some episodes of altered mental state.

Early research shows that taking thiamine plus B7 together may shorten the length of the episodes when they hit.

Alcohol Abuse

Chronic alcohol use can do a number on the body. Among the damage, the intestines may not be able to properly absorb B7, leading to a significant reduction in plasma levels.

Those people may be suffering from a vitamin B7 deficiency and could benefit from taking a supplement.

Cigarette Smokers

Cigarette smoking has been shown to accelerate B7 catabolism, or degradation, in women, leading to lower levels of B7, which could lead to tumors. If you’re a long-term smoker, it may be a good idea to have a conversation with your doctor about supplementing your Vitamin B.

Read new research on reducing cigarette cravings.

Where to Find It

Most people get enough B7 through the course of their day by eating a variety of foods rich in the B vitamin source, so a true deficiency is rare.

Foods that are particularly high in the vitamin include:

Yeasty foods
Cheese
Leafy greens
Mushrooms
Meats of organs like liver and kidney
Egg yolks
Legumes like peanuts and soybeans
Cauliflower
Nuts like almonds, pecans, and walnuts (and nut butter)
Wheat bran
Oysters
Sunflower seeds
Whole grains and cereals
bananas
Many other fruits and vegetables also contain at least a small amount

Food processing may render vitamin ineffective. So if you’re concerned about your intake, then you should consume unprocessed, organic foods.

The bacteria that make up your intestinal flora also produce it through the normal process of digestion.

Can You Take Too Much Biotin?

There is no evidence linking high levels of B7 supplementation with any form of toxicity. As a water-soluble vitamin, your fat cells do not store it for later use. Thus, you’ll excrete any unused excess in your urine.

Another downside to taking in too much of this vitamin is it may skew laboratory testing results, which may lead to inaccurate treatment plans or misdiagnosis of a medical condition.

Additionally, the vitamin could interact with certain medications. That means that you should consult your doctor before taking any supplementation if you are concurrently also taking prescription medications.

Some medications, such as anticonvulsants, can negatively impact levels, so monitoring through your doctor may be recommended.

Learn how to spot a Vitamin B deficiency.

Final Thoughts on the Healthful Benefits of Biotin

Biotin is an essential nutrient for many of your body’s functions. It connects closely with protein metabolism, glucose synthesis, and other processes.

Scientists continue to conduct more research. They hope to strengthen the premise that taking B7 in some instances can prove beneficial in alleviating many common problems. In the meantime, it’s never a bad idea to eat a well-balanced diet, potentially alleviating the need for supplementation.

Doctors Reveal 12 Proven Benefits of Pomegranate

December 8, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Pomegranates are fruit categorized as a berry. Each piece of this fruit has a diameter of about 2-5 inches, is round and red, and has a flower-shaped stem. The skin is inedible and challenging to get through, but the seeds inside of the fruit are entirely edible and contain a large portion of the benefits.

Pomegranate is not only a delicious fruit, but it is also a fruit full of health benefits that have been backed by doctors. Even the pomegranate juice is full of the benefits, in some cases, in more significant amounts than in the whole fruit itself.

While the proven benefits of pomegranates are plentiful, many don’t realize just how many there are. It is truly an under-rated fruit and should gain much more recognition than it currently receives.

12 Proven Benefits of Pomegranate

1. This fruit contains many essential nutrients.

One cup contains the following nutrients:

7 grams of fiber
3 grams of protein
30% of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C
36% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin K
16% of the daily recommended amount of folate
12% of the daily recommended amount of potassium

2. Pomegranates encourage an anti-inflammatory response in the body.

Chronic inflammation can lead to many severe diseases, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes (type 2), Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, and many other conditions. Pomegranates have a high anti-inflammatory property. Research shows the capabilities of this fruit to reduce inflammation in the body far exceeds many other anti-inflammatory remedies.

3. They may help prevent or reduce the risk of cancer.

Incorporating pomegranates into your diet could reduce significantly the risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. The growth of cancer cells can be slowed down considerably by regularly consuming pomegranate juice. This happens because of the anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic properties of the fruit, which prevents cancer cells or tumors from finding a blood supply.

4. The fruit can help normalize blood pressure.

LDL oxidation leads to a build-up of plaque in your body, and this fruit reduces the LDL oxidation. It prevents plaque from building up, and it also helps clear away plaque that has already started to form.

5. Pomegranates can help treat arthritis or other joint pain.

This treatment is mostly due to the anti-inflammatory properties found in the fruit. Arthritis and joint pain can be debilitating if it gets bad enough, and pomegranates have been found to relieve the pain caused by inflammation rather quickly. There are fewer incidences of pain reported by those who consume the fruit regularly, as well.

It is essential to mention that the fruit also blocks damaging enzymes from reaching the joints, preventing and slowing the onset of osteoarthritis.

6. It can reduce your risk of developing heart disease.

Cardiovascular health is improved when pomegranates are regularly incorporated in the diet. By regulating blood pressure, reducing and preventing plaque buildup, and the other health benefits of pomegranate, the risk of developing heart disease (the number one killer in the United States) significantly lessens.

7. They serve as a natural treatment for erectile dysfunction.

Since this fruit encourages blood flow throughout the body and erectile dysfunction is mostly caused by oxidative damage (which is what poor blood flow creates), it only makes sense that pomegranates can treat the issue. Studies suggest that regularly consuming pomegranates in some form treated ED.

8. Bacterial and fungal infections can be treated or prevented by consuming pomegranates.

Consuming pomegranates regularly can help treat both bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. This fruit can stimulate the natural probiotics in the body, which work to fight and prevent infections. Furthermore, pomegranates work extra hard to fight against yeast present in the body.

This applies to oral health as well, as consuming pomegranates can prevent and treat gingivitis and periodontitis.

9. It can improve memory.

The seeds from pomegranates contain large amounts of polyphenols, which have been proven to help retain memory. Further studies have shown that it helps the elderly who have memory problems, and it can slow down the onset of Alzheimer’s.

10. Consuming pomegranates can lead to improved exercise sessions.

Dietary nitrates are necessary for efficient exercise performance, and pomegranates contain high amounts of them. Studies show that consuming the fruit about 30 minutes before exercise improves performance significantly.

11. The pomegranate juice contains antioxidants.

Found in the pomegranate juice, punicalagin is a potent antioxidant that has nearly three times the amount of antioxidants found in red wine, green tea, and many other popular sources of antioxidants.

12. It helps cure anemia.

Pomegranates contain quite a large amount of iron, reversing anemia and preventing it in the future. It also helps encourage blood flow through the body, which also helps with anemia.

How to Easily Include Pomegranate in Your Diet

While recipes that include this fruit may not be well known, there are many out there. If you can’t find a recipe you’re interested in or want a quick way to eat them without cooking or preparing, there are options for that, too.

Some of the best and easiest ways to incorporate pomegranates into your diet include:

Drink it

Pomegranate juice is one of the best ways to enjoy all of the benefits this fruit has to offer. You can buy it pre-bottled, but it is essential to make sure that the contents are pure pomegranate with no added sugars or additives.

If you’d rather play it safe, you can make your pomegranate juice by putting all of the seeds into a juicer or food processor. Once you’ve done this, you may want to strain the seeds from the liquid before drinking it.

Another way to drink the juice is to add it to a smoothie. It doesn’t matter which smoothie recipe you use. You can throw a handful of seeds into whichever one you choose.

Put it in a salad

For a splash of sweet flavor in your salad, you can throw in some seeds or make a vinaigrette from the juice. You can do this to a typical salad, or you can enhance a more flavorful salad.

Make it into a dessert

Some popular options include making it into a creamy yogurt or sorbet. You could also add them into a pie or cobbler, or bake them into cookies and cake. The options are limitless, as they can be added to nearly any dessert.

Eat them alone

The seeds make a delicious snack all on their own. Low in calories and packed full of nutrients, a handful of the seeds can give you all of the benefits you need while also holding you over until lunch or dinner.

How to Easily Peel a Pomegranate

Maybe the reason that pomegranates are so under-rated is because of the thick skin that is hard to penetrate. Many find it to be a struggle to get to the delicious pomegranate juice and seeds, but once it is figured out, the fruit will quickly become a favorite.

Step one:

Wear clothing you don’t mind getting stains on or put on an apron. Line your work surface with a paper towel, as well. This fruit is messy and stains, so taking the proper precautions is necessary.

Step two:

Remove the top and bottom of the fruit using a sharp knife. A dull blade will not cut through the skin, and even if it does, it could easily slip and cut you. The sharp blade is the safest, most effective option.

Step three:

Make four incisions on the fruit from top to bottom, cutting only through the skin and stopping when you’ve reached the fruit. These incisions should be equally spaced, making four equal sections.

Step four:

Get a large bowl and fill it with frigid water. Put the fruit in the cold water and break it into four sections, using the cuts made before.

With the fruit still in the water, pull the seeds from the skin. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl while the other pieces will float. This makes it easy to separate the edible parts from the inedible.

Remove the inedible parts and then strain the water from the seeds. You can store the seeds for about three days in a sealed container.

Final Thoughts On the 12 Proven Benefits of Pomegranate

Pomegranate has been proven to be one of the healthiest foods on earth. The many nutrients and other benefits make it a fruit that can’t be passed up. If you weren’t a fan before, try some new ways to include pomegranates in your diet so that you can reap the benefits.

Remember, the skin is inedible (as you will quickly find out when you try to peel it), but the seeds and pomegranate juice are entirely edible and delicious. It is well worth the work of getting through the skin.

Researchers Reveal How Muscular Men Have Lower Risk of Heart Problems

December 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Muscles aren’t just aesthetically pleasing or useful for lifting heavy things. They may actually save a man’s life. While men are more likely to develop heart disease and potentially die from a heart attack, researchers reveal how men with more muscle have a lower risk of heart problems. Admiring a man for having a more muscular physique may now also be related to your understanding that they may live longer and healthier. Who knows. Maybe male admirers instinctually knew this all along, and science is just catching up?

Men’s statistics related to heart problems

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 4 men died from heart disease in 2017 and it’s considered the leading cause of death of men in the United States. Heart disease does not discriminate. The percentage differences are within 1-3% of each race from the total populace of differing nationalities. That said, each nationality has an individual stronger factor related to the cause of heart disease.

Hispanics tend to have higher rates of obesity and diabetes, which leads to heart problems. African Americans tend to have higher blood pressure. In the case of Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders, cancer is the leading cause of death among men, with heart disease following second. Genetics or family history of heart disease affects all nationalities.

More alarming than those statistics is that 50% of the men who died suddenly of heart disease had no previous symptoms.

Causes of heart disease

Most people are familiar with the causes of heart disease. You can prevent some of these causes by smart lifestyle choices. However, you’ll find others out of your hands. You stand a higher likelihood of developing heart problems as you gain more related factors.

Uncontrollable factors related to heart problems

Age: Past the age of 40, men and women both increase their chances of developing heart disease. Women develop it more so after menopause, or in their 50s. Estrogen has proven to be beneficial to the heart in the previous years.
Gender: For reasons researchers are still investigating, being born a male increases your risk of heart disease.
Genetics: Should you be born into a family with a significant history of heart disease, then it will play a factor.

Lifestyle factors related to heart problems

1 – High blood pressure:

Men can most often control high blood pressure through diet, exercise, and decreasing cholesterol levels.

2 – High cholesterol:

Most cholesterol imbalances are related to diet and smoking.

3 – Smoking:

Smoking creates a decline in various body functions, which places a strain on your heart.

4 – Not being physically active:

Leading a sedentary lifestyle lends itself to weakening your arteries, veins, and heart muscle.

5 – Overweight or Obese:

Carrying extra weight or being obese is usually caused by poor diet choices and lack of exercise. Both of these can cause high blood pressure and cholesterol, and weakening muscles. Additionally, it is a strain on your heart to carry excess weight and to attempt to pump blood into a body that is bigger than the heart was designed to accommodate.

6 – Diabetes:

Whether you are born with diabetes or develop it later in life, diabetes is a factor in heart disease. It is essential to keep the blood sugar as stable as possible to prevent heart disease from striking too early.

7 – Stress:

Managing your stress levels is very important. Not only does stress increase your blood pressure, but it creates a strain on your heart as your body is releasing hormones designed for fight or flight. Staying in a stressed state for long periods creates wear and tear on your heart, arteries, brain, and other organs.

8 – Alcohol:

Use of alcohol should be limited to 2 drinks for men per day.

9 – Diet:

Eating healthy foods not only can prevent some of the aforementioned factors, but also equips your body with the nutrients and energy it needs to maintain healthy function of your organs, including your heart.

Muscle Mass as a way to a man’s heart

The connection to muscle mass and men’s cardiovascular health is not entirely new. UCLA performed one study and published results in the American Journal of Cardiology in 2016. Scientists studied the data from 1999 to 2004 of over 6000 people who had a history of heart disease. The scientists broke up the participants into 4 different categories. Low fat/low muscle mass, high fat/low muscle mass, high muscle mass/high fat, and high muscle mass/low fat.

The outcome demonstrated that individuals with low fat/high muscle mass had the lowest risk of heart disease and subsequential death from heart problems.

JAMA Study

Another study was published in JAMA in February of 2019, linking a man’s ability to do multiple push-ups to cardiovascular health. This study looked at the records of 1100 firefighters of an average age of 39 from Indiana who were able to perform 40 push-ups or more in a row. The exercising group had a reduced their lower chance of developing heart disease over a 10-year span of time by 96%. That is, in comparison to the men who could only do 10 or fewer push-ups.

The main disadvantage of this study was that it used firemen who presumably are already in good health and live an active lifestyle. Therefore, the push-ups aren’t necessarily an indicator of overall heart health but could be a determinator of one’s overall fitness level.

The most recent study was performed in Greece and published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health in October of 2019. This study was important because it focused on middle-aged men and women without a history of heart disease. They followed 1000 men and women for 10 years. Throughout that time, 272 participants received diagnoses of heart disease, including the incidence of strokes.

Those who had higher muscle mass were 81% less likely to develop heart disease, and those with the highest muscle mass also had fewer additional factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetes.

Upon additional evaluation, the researchers concluded that the muscle mass did not make a difference among women. It only affected men. Currently, there are only theories as to why. One reason is that women’s hormones tend to protect the heart until after menopause. Another theory is that men naturally have more muscle mass in general than women.

Summarizing the studies

All of these studies are based on observation but do seemingly point to the importance of men working to maintain their muscle mass as heart disease prevention.

Methods for men to retain or gain muscle mass with age

Men begin to lose muscle mass at a rate of 3-5% per decade during their 30s. During the man’s lifetime, he may lose about 30% of overall muscle mass. Medical professionals refer to this condition as sarcopenia.

some doctors believe that sarcopenia may correlate to a decline in the production of testosterone, which naturally occurs. Testosterone replacement therapy may help with lessening this. Another factor is protein. Protein aids in building muscle, and as we age, we need to consume more protein as our bodies can’t break it down as well. Men should consume 10-35% of their caloric intake as protein. Too much protein can damage the kidneys as you age, so don’t overdo it.

Less muscle mass also equates to bone fragility. Studies have shown that with a decline in muscle mass, there is an increase in the frequency of fractures in the leg, hips, arms, or wrist.

The type of activities recommended for maintaining or building muscle mass include:

Strength training or weight lifting for the entire body, particularly your large muscle groups.
Resistance bands
Floor exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups or crunches
Daily activities such as carrying groceries, taking out the garbage, playing a sport, or yard work. Activities that keep the body moving naturally while using muscles are ideal.

Final Thoughts on the Connection Between Increased Muscle Mass and Fewer Heart Problems

Scientists and medical professionals have been working to find out why men are more likely to develop heart problems, and at an earlier age than women, for many years. While the reason still is not clear, research is pointing to how men with more muscle mass have a lower risk of heart problems. Decreasing your risk factors is always a good option, but it appears that for a man, physical fitness and muscle mass may play a larger role than initially thought.

Science Reveals Pros and Cons of the Keto Diet

December 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

If you’re thinking of losing weight, give serious thought to the pros and cons of the keto diet.

The keto diet has recently gained popularity in media. Celebrities, nutritionists, and doctors have spoken regarding this dit plan, about its cure-all abilities in weight loss and health. Even without celebrity endorsement, keto is sensationalized for its unconventional approach to diet by promoting a high fat intake.

What a lot of people don’t know is that doctors have been using this eating plan to treat epilepsy since the 1920s. That might be interesting, but many people might remain skeptical about keto. It’s understandable since the U.S. has received mixed messages about fat. Initially, researchers warned against fat, and now it should make up most of the total intake? Is keto another fad diet? Does research show how effective it is?

Right on to learn everything you need to know to make an educated decision about the ketogenic lifestyle.

Keto Diet: What is it?

The ketogenic diet is a more advanced version of low carbohydrate diets like Atkins. About less than 20% of the total daily calorie intake should be carbohydrates. Fat should take up the most, while protein is consumed in a moderate amount. If you know anything about macronutrient biochemistry, you might be aware that fat molecules release more calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrates. In basic terms, fat is calorie-dense.

When the goal is losing weight, it seems counter-intuitive to eat more of something that already provides a lot of energy – something you’re trying to limit, according to the calories-in, calories-out principle. Classic diet advice recommended a low-fat diet, instead of having more room to eating high volume, lower-calorie foods. What people forget, however, is that with the difference in composition, each macro-nutrient affects the body differently. The body does not react the same way to carbohydrates as it does to fats – here’s where keto comes in.

How Does the Ketogenic Diet Work?

To understand how keto diets work, it’s helpful to examine how it originated. In searching for treatment for epilepsy in the 1920s and ‘30s, medications seemed lacking in their effectiveness. Before medicine, children with epilepsy were instructed to fast, a traditional treatment used in ancient Greece and Indian traditions.

Unfortunately, fasting was challenging to maintain and potentially harmful, especially for young children.

A doctor named Hugh Conklin combined fasting with a diet restricting starches and sugar in 1912. His patients found success in reducing seizures. In 1921, endocrinologist Rollin Woodyatt found that fasting and high-fat low carb diets had something in common: the presence of ketone bodies.

Ketone bodies are the alternative energy source the body creates when starved of carbohydrates or sugar. This state is called ketosis. After a few days up to a week of eating low carbs, the body depletes any remaining glucose stores and begins to break down fat to produce the ketone bodies. The body starts to extract from existing fat stores, thus burning fat more efficiently.

Continually eating a high amount of carbohydrates makes it more challenging to lose fat effectively. When glucose enters the bloodstream, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. Insulin is the vehicle that transports glucose away to convert unused sugar into glycogen. Usually, we probably eat a lot more carbohydrates than we can realistically use. As a result, the liver can pack away as many as 2000 calories of glycogen stores.

What if the liver is full, and there’s no longer any room for more glycogen to be stored?

Well, then the carbohydrates are stored as fat.

Ketogenic diets bypass this issue. If there are few, if any, carbohydrates coming in, the body never gets a chance to convert it to fat continually. Eating a diet high in fat allows the body always to be using energy straight from stored fat in the body. Furthermore, carbohydrates and fats affect different functions in the body differently, like hormones and inflammation. You’ll soon find out how these differences affect your metabolism, brain function, and overall health.

Types of Food on the Ketogenic Program

What constitutes a high-fat intake on a keto diet? Although it may seem to limit, there is quite a variety of fat-abundant foods. Just several cornerstones of keto include avocado, nuts like almonds, walnuts, macadamia, seeds like chia, flax, and eggs, cheese, fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, whole yogurt and milk, and oils ranging from olive oil to avocado oil. Such foods are already sources of other vital vitamins like iron, vitamin B-12, magnesium, fiber and unsaturated fats, and other essentials for optimal health.

Greens and vegetables are, of course, a large part of keto. Some common plants included in keto diets are broccoli, kale, spinach, cauliflower, zucchini, celery, bell pepper, Brussel sprouts, green beans, etc. Keto opens the doors to creative methods of filling up on these essential vegetables with delicious meals.

Otherwise, dieters limit or avoid carbs altogether. This includes bread, whether it’s white or whole grain, pasta, simple carbohydrates, potatoes, rice, beans, and many more.

Weighing the Pros and Cons of the Keto Diet

Together, let’s look at the pros and cons of the keto diet.

Pros of Following the Keto Diet

1 – Weight loss

Ketogenesis optimizes the ability of the body to burn fat. On top of that, keto helps revs up metabolism, helping you burn more energy than on another diet. A study examining the effects of different carbohydrate diets – high, medium, and low – found those on the low carbohydrate diet to have higher energy output than other groups. They burned more calories than before, contributing to weight loss.

In a longitudinal study on keto’s effects on obesity, patients ate a keto diet over six months. The diet was made up of 30 grams of carbohydrates, which is low enough to induce ketosis. Weight changes and other vital health markers were tracked throughout the period. Researchers found a significant reduction in weight. Cholesterol, blood triglycerides, and blood glucose levels all reduced by the end of the trial. The implications of this study are enormous – the idea that eating a diet high in fat leads to fat loss is revolutionary.

2 – Brain Health

The keto diet has also had significant effects on the brain and mental health. Some studies point to keto as a potential treatment for bipolar disorder and depression, helping in mood regulation. Eating a ketogenic diet has an impact on how brain neurons signal to each other. Keto even has a positive effect on neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s, which gradually deteriorates memory capacity and control over limbs. The brain is made up of 60% fat. To maintain brain performance, mental focus, omega-3 fatty acids are necessary. Furthermore, ketones are the only energy source other than glucose that the brain can use.

3 – Numerous Health Benefits

The keto diet has a significant role in improving heart health and chronic conditions. According to the aforementioned six-week study on keto and obesity, the risk for heart disease dropped.

Inflammation, which plays a role in exacerbating all other health issues, skin conditions, and weight loss, can be managed by eating keto. Reducing sugar largely reduces inflammatory markers. Because inflammation can contribute to stroke development, keto can help heal the effects of a stroke.

Other health-related benefits include anti-aging, as the high-fat content gives skin hair and nails a boost through the fat-derived molecules like collagen, keratin, and overall hydration.

Cons of Keto Diet

1 – Keto Flu

Upon starting the keto diet, there are 2-4 days (maximum is a week) in which the body is adjusting to the menu. On top of withdrawal symptoms from less sugar, the switch from glucose-derived energy to ketone bodies can be a roller coaster. People experiencing the keto flu feel symptoms like headaches, extreme thirst, lack of concentration, extreme fatigue and muscle weakness, insatiable hunger, and of course, severe cravings. It’s easy to want to give up at this point already, but remember that after that initial week, it goes uphill from there.

2 – Nutrient Deficiency

Despite having the potential to provide nutrients and vitamins from high-quality whole foods, keto also runs the risk of limiting others. This is especially true if the diet doesn’t include a diverse group of food groups. Some people use keto as an opportunity to fill up on cheese, meats, and nuts. By doing so, they disregard the micronutrients found in vegetables like magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin A and C, fiber, and others. A diet low in fiber can contributes to digestive issues like constipation.

3 – The Ketogenic Diet Isn’t for Everyone

It’s medically recommended for children or adults with epilepsy. Keto can reduce the frequency of seizures by about 50%, allowing for less dependence on medication. Their doctor or nutritionist may recommend those with numerous health risks combined with obesity the keto diet, but it isn’t necessary to lose weight.

It’s crucial to weigh all the advantages and disadvantages before embarking on keto. Because of its strictness, keto entails a high amount of planning, preparing, and investing in groceries.

4 – Long-term Effects Remain To Be Seen

Here’s a final caution. And this one is essential to know. Some studies warn us that scientists are still discovering the long-term impact of this eating plan.

Undoubtedly, people lose weight. A significant question posed by cardiovascular specialists is that of the future effect of the excess fat on blood vessels and the heart. While the initial drop in body weight helps the heart, the long-term impact remains unclear.

Final Words About the Pros and Cons of the Keto Diet

Keto diets have proven to improve various chronic conditions, neurological disorders, and reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity.

Should you try keto? Considering the pros and cons of the keto diet, or any new weight loss program is a key to success.

So your outcome depends on your goals, current state of health, and risks. Accept this as a lifestyle change, not just another crash diet. Many people are attracted to rapid weight loss, but consider the investment needed to begin and maintain keto.

One thing is for sure; whole foods and balanced nutrients go a long way in improving health markers. If you take anything from the research behind keto, remember that fats are vital and should be integrated one’s daily intake.

Drink it

Put it in a salad

Make it into a dessert

Eat them alone

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