Healthy Living News & Tips

Health insurance rates are climbing, but why?

Read this story with more details on why they are on the rise, although the answer to the problem is simple. The health insurance industry is overwhelmed with paying for the health care expenses of those that are overweight, obese, smoke or related issues. The health care costs related directly to being overweight is over $100 billion a year alone... and rising. The answer: make simple lifestyle changes and take responsibility for your own health.

German scientists have found that by giving up sweets and avoiding vitamins, you can extend your life by about 15 years.

In researching the effect of reducing the amount of glucose given to worms, they found that it extended their lives about 25%, or 15 years in human terms.

But it isn't for the reason you and I would suspect.

When the glucose was reduced, it increased the amount of free radicals (we normally hear this as a bad thing) and in turn, used energy from other sources to build up long lasting defenses against free radicals.

Now, if they were fed anti-oxidants in the form of vitamins, those free radical defenses weren't built up. So the combination of lowering sugar and letting their system do what is supposed do naturally, they build up long lasting defenses.

This would go against the suggestion of many that anti-oxidant vitamins and supplements are good for you. From this research, it appears it may actually be the opposite.

In my research and experience, I go back to nature, letting your body do what it does best. Feed it as nature intended, avoiding the processed, fortified and modified foods and supplements and concentrate on fresh fruits, vegetables, natural grains, nuts and seeds. This automatically keeps the processed and added sugars and supplements out of your diet and not only could extend your life, but also increase the quality of your life!

Read more at Reuters.

To your best health!

Mark

If you value your health, probably the last place you'll want to go is to a hospital. (unless it's a life or death emergency of course)

Here's why.

A relative recently admitted herself to the hospital because she had trouble breathing (she's in her 90's). While in the hospital, here is what she was offered to eat over a one and a half day period:

• Steak
• Chocolate Pudding
• Ice Cream
• Hot Dog
• Bacon and Eggs
• Jello
• Pork

She has difficulties with her digestion and elimination and when she was admitted, that information was given to the nurses. Of course after the first day of eating these foods, she couldn't have a bowel movement and spent most of the day in the bathroom trying!

Where are the fresh fruits, vegetables and greens that have the needed fiber to allow you to eliminate easily? Why would a hospital, entrusted to 'care for your health' provide such unhealthy meals? Aren't the benefits of fresh fruits, vegetables and greens available to hospitals and health care facilities? This diet alone will shorten your life if not kill you! Certainly not a 'healthy' place to eat.

It baffles me that in this day and age with the common knowledge of the risks of increased animal food consumption along with processed foods that they are almost exclusively what are offered to patients who already have health issues to begin with.

This, in addition to the recent statistics that revealed over 100,000 people die every year from infections acquired while at the hospital as well as approximately 750,000 people dying each year at the hands of our health care system.. and doctors and health care facilities labeled as the third leading cause of death in America.

"The estimated total number of iatrogenic deaths -- that is, deaths induced inadvertently by a physician or surgeon or by medical treatment or diagnostic procedures -- in the U.S. annually is 783,936. In April the Journal of American Medicine itself reported that 'properly prescribed' legal drugs killed 106,000 Americans each year, due to toxic reactions."

Read more about the Modern Health Care System is the Leading Cause of Death. Going to the hospital should always be a last resort decision, after all other alternatives have been exhausted. They are wonderful at saving your life in an emergency situation and the only time I'd consider being admitted to one.

The real solution is to maintain your health and immune system by eating a diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables, greens, nuts and seeds, staying active, reducing unneeded stress and avoiding toxic elements in our life. This will allow you to take responsibility for your own health, avoid our health care system and allow you to enjoy a happy and long life.

To your best health!

Mark

Learn the truth about food and health: NaturalWholeFood.com

Recent research now shows that twice as many adults in the United States are obese compared to adults in Europe. About 33 percent of Americans are obese, compared with 17 percent in ten European countries reviewed.

Obesity, as past research has shown, leads to a number of other diseases including cancer, diabetes and others. This also increases our health care costs dramatically and they are directly tied to the 'obesity factor'.

Our health care expenditures related to obesity range from $100-150 billion per year and the costs are only rising. Why does this continue? The research's author commented "It is possible that we spend more on health care because we are, indeed, less healthy."

That's true, and only there is only one solution: taking responsibility for our own health. Watching what we eat, getting active and keeping a positive outlook on our lives. This is sometimes a challenge in today's fast paced, every busier world, although it's a choice. A choice we all make by either doing something about it or just letting things happen and then ending up in the hospital, bankrupt, or possibly an early death.

Life is a wonderful gift, take care of yours.

To your best health!

Mark Idzik

Source: NewsMax

Do you know the main reason that prevents people from losing weight? Find out what it is (I bet you're experiencing this right now) and how you can break through it fast. Find out now!

One of the few purely 'whole food' companies in the market today, WholeFoodFarmacy, has been granted Organic Certification on three of their popular foods, Phi Plus, Cranberry Phi and Coco Cherry Phi.

Organic certification means that all ingredients are sourced from foods that are grown naturally and free of pesticides and chemicals.

WholeFoodFarmacy is a great example of how food companies can encourage healthy living habits and provide products that support their vision. The company believes strongly in the benefits of whole foods and only supplies products that are minimally handled and contain only whole food vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices and natural grains. Here's a little more directly from their mission statement:

"The ingredients to health, happiness, vitality, and longevity are no secret. Every major non-profit health organization in the world has been offering the same advice for many years. Eat more fruits and veggies, drink more water, exercise on a daily basis, lose weight if you need to, don't smoke, avoid toxins, & reduce stress.

To that end, we have combined delicious, healthy foods, with convenience and affordability. Our salon quality personal care items offer superior results without the toxic chemicals.

Nothing short of a consumer based, grass roots return to healthy choices and lifestyles can steer our children, and future generations, in a healthier direction."

They plan to continue the Organic Certification of the balance of their products and provide only the best foods available.

Personally, my family enjoys the foods and many of the natural personal care products. In fact, one of their 13 day programs, the Tri-Decathlon, helped many family members, friends and readers lose excess weight, regain their health and their tastes for a more natural, whole food diet. I often recommend these programs to those looking to make an improvement in their health, be it losing weight, overcoming a health issue or just wanting to improve their diet.

The reason these foods work is because you eat only whole foods for the 7 or 13 days and your body regains its natural taste for fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and natural grains. They are conveniently packaged and the program is easy to follow (eat as much as you want!). Once you lose the 'addiction' to the Standard American Diet (SAD) of fats, clogging dairy products, heart un-healthy meats and processed and junk foods that a majority of Americans (and now becoming the world) eat, you regain your body's natural taste for what nature intended. You start eating more fresh fruits and vegetables in combination with the WholeFoodFarmacy foods and snacks. In this way, changing your habits is much easier since you are not fighting with the taste addictions (cravings) that cripple many diet efforts and makes it much easier to regain your health, your optimal weight and just feel better all around. The foods are convenient, mostly uncooked, tasty and made from all natural whole foods, nothing else.

And regardless of the fact the New Year is upon us when many of us look to make healthier choices, any time is a great time to take back your health, your body and continue a path to your best health for life. You only have one, why wait?

Visit the WholeFoodFarmacy for more information.

To your best health!

Mark Idzik

The use of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) has grown exponentially over the past few decades as a replacement for sugar in processed foods.

Besides the inherent health dangers of HFCS itself, a recent study published in Environmental Health by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) found Mercury in more than 1/3 of popular processed foods that contained HFCS as the first or second ingredient. "Mercury is toxic in all its forms", noted the co-author David Wallinga, MD.

HFCS is normally found in breads, sweetened beverages, cereals, breakfast bars, yogurt, soups, luncheon meats, dressings, condiments and many other processed foods. Americans consume on average about 12 teaspoons of HFCS a day, and teenagers and high consumption consumers can consume 80% over this average. That's a lot of HFCS, and now we know, a lot of Mercury intake.

The best alternative for your health is to avoid processed foods completely. If you do eat processed foods, carefully inspect the labels and at least avoid those containing HFCS.

To your best health!
Mark

Related:
> Do you know how many calories you eat daily?

> Healthy, HFCS free whole food snacks for the whole family

> How Many Meals To Good (or Bad) Health?

> 37 Free (Natural) Weight Loss Tips

Lots of folks are looking for the Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator at this time of year since new years resolutions are upon us.

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