Archive for February, 2011

Stable Aloe Vera Gel

The aloe barbadensis miller is the most potent and nutritious of the more than 200 species of this plant.  The greatest benefits are gleaned from a mature plant and, if the aloe barbadensis miller plant is not used, than you are not getting the absolute best product.

Natural therapies have been neglected for too long and the use of aloe gel is attracting attention because of the many benefits to your health and lifestyle without the negative side effects offered by conventional treatments and prescriptions.

Search the healing properties of aloe gel, learn how to harvest this healthy gel and reap the benefits of an alternative means to a wholesome lifestyle.

To understand the importance of using Aloe manufactured to a high standard, take a bite out of an apple.  When the insides of the apple are exposed, than a brown color develops by means of oxidation.  That is what happens when the Aloe plant is exposed to oxygen; it oxidizes and becomes worthless.  The manufacturer of an aloe cream or gel has to be reliable and the species correct from the time it is harvested until the removal of the outer leaf.

The manufacturing process has to be less than four hours to prevent oxidation. Because the natural health market has rapidly expanded, a need was formed to police itself and this needed to be done by developing test procedures and provide a reliable database so that any product claiming to have aloe vera in its ingredients could be tested and certified.   Fraudulent claims were reduced and you, the consumer, could have complete confidence that the aloe vera product you purchased is the most potent on the market.  If no guarantee is forthcoming, than move to another manufacturer.

It is best that the manufacturer grows their own aloe vera using their own fields.  There are manufacturers who buy aloe vera in bulk and then let it sit around before processing it.  Companies who own and control aloe vera growth and harvesting guarantee a product that is fresh and possesses nutritional value. Because aloe “breaks down” fairly rapidly, using the freshest product in the shortest amount of time will guarantee a strong and healing product intended for its use.

When you cut an aloe vera plant’s leaf, inside you will notice a “gel like” substance.  If not stabilized, than this gel becomes oxidized and renders that leaf useless, losing its nutritional value.  Neither heat or chemicals are used when stabilizing aloe and the process is done in less than four hours from the time the leaf is harvested.  The gel is removed by trimming the rind and side layer from the leaf.  Ultraviolet radiation at the right temperature is used to produce a biologically sterile and stable extract which is similar to the fresh aloe vera juice.

If you want to ensure yourself of the highest quality gel available, either choose to grow your own plants and use the gel straight away, or look for products like aloe vera gel that guarantuee the highest grade of pure aloe in a dehydrated form to avoid oxidation.

by:Maya Tenney

Ask any short person about a personal goal that would make a huge difference to his life, the answer will most probably be – how to increase height naturally? People who are tall or have attained average height never come to know about the feelings of people who are short. There is no denying the fact that tall men and women enjoy benefits in all facets of life like – in sports, in career options, in attracting the opposite sex and many other areas.

A problem like this can be easily solved if you have lots of money to afford a limb surgery to elongate your legs. But the truth is that common man cannot really afford this. So the next big question is – are there ways to increase height naturally?

Although there are no guarantees, there are some simple tips that can be tried to achieve height gain naturally.

1) Simple exercises like rope skipping, hanging from a bar, stretching the body by standing on your toes etc can be performed on a daily basis as a routine. Not only can these steps help to grow taller, but they are also good for overall fitness.

2) Men and women who have an athletic body can attempt sprinting at high speed. This process helps in release of human growth hormone in good quantity and hence your body can grow well naturally.

3) Another step to boost the release of human growth hormone is to have 5-6 small meals during the day rather than the conventional 3 meals a day.

4) Many a times we consume items like antibiotics, drugs and other items that act as growth inhibitors. Knowing the growth inhibitors properly and avoiding them is a step towards growing taller naturally.

5) Performing yoga on a regular basis can also help greatly. Some of the posture correction steps can easily help to increase height naturally.

6) A key point that many people miss is proper rest. Your body needs time to grow and expand. This is only possible if you sleep well and take rest regularly. If you seriously want to increase height naturally, don’t miss this point.

By:Chris Veekay

A high blood cholesterol level has been linked to one of the leading causes of deaths in the United States – high attacks. Even seemingly healthy adults, both men and women, can fall victim to this deadly disease if left unchecked.

Cholesterol forms fatty plaques in the arteries that ultimately lead to the obstruction of normal blood flow to the heart. When this happens, a heart attack or some other form of cardiovascular disease can inevitably be in the offing.

There are many reasons why a heart disease develops. Some of these may include a high blood cholesterol level, sex (generally, men are more predisposed to cardiovascular diseases than women), age (older people are more prone to developing heart diseases) and an unhealthy lifestyle. While you cannot do anything with some of these factors (like sex and age, for example), you can definitely make some lifestyle changes to minimize your chances of catching these life threatening diseases. Here are some surefire ways to help you live up to a hundred!

Eat healthy – The American Heart Association has formulated a dietary guideline designed to prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases. The daily total allowable fat, cholesterol and protein intakes should not exceed the figures specified in the guidelines for maximum protection.

The guideline likewise specifies that complex carbohydrates should constitute a large portion of a person’s diet (preferably more than 50% of the daily calorie intake) while keeping sodium intake to no more than 3 grams per day. Alcohol intake should also be limited to one or two ounces per day.

Adopt a healthier lifestyle. To prevent cardiovascular diseases from catching you and your family unaware, it would be best to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Here are some tips that may just give you a new lease on life:

oGet moving! What would be wiser than starting a regular aerobic exercise routine? Exercise can bring you tons of benefits. It can help you keep off excess weight and maintain your cholesterol level at a safe level. A 30 to 45 minute routine performed 5 days per week can help you achieve your goals. Just be sure that you choose an activity that accelerates your heart rate and keep it up for about 20 minutes. After some months of regular exercise, you will be ecstatic to find out that your LDL (also known as the “bad cholesterol”) to HDL (the “good cholesterol”) ratio is tipped to a favorable balance!

oThrow your cigarettes in the waste bin! Smoking elevates your LDL levels so start quitting right now!

oAvoid “yo-yo” dieting. Losing weight and gaining it back repeatedly may cause your cholesterol level to rise.

oUnderstand that there is no miracle cures for your cholesterol problem. One week, the focus was all on rice bran. The following week, oat bran and fish oil took the center stage. While it is the American way to constantly look for shortcuts, there simply are no magic or miracle cures when it comes to your health. So, be extremely cautious whenever someone recommends these miracle cures to solve your cholesterol problem.

oInstitute good lifestyle habits for the whole family – You heard it right. You need to have your whole family adopt a healthier lifestyle. Even if a certain member of your family has a low risk of developing a heart disease, it doesn’t mean that he or she is excused from this healthy change.

A stroke or the so called brain attack causes a serious injury to the brain. It is connected with blockage of the blood supply to the brain or with bleeding inside the brain. In both cases brain cells stop receiving the oxygen and the other substances needed to function normally and start dying.

If you are at a risk of having a stroke you should be prepared to react especially if you live alone. Many people in this situation wonder how to recognize stroke symptoms, if they will be able to notice the warning signs early enough and to call for help in time.

First of all make sure you know stroke signs. Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body, confusion or trouble speaking or understanding, trouble seeing in one or both eyes, trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, severe headache, with no known cause – there are some of the stroke symptoms. In most of the occasions they occur suddenly and just in rare occasions develop in time. While it is possible another medical condition to be causing any of the above, you better seek help immediately. Quick reaction and urgent medical help are vital when it comes to stroke and the related damages.

Some people worry if stroke happen during their sleep. Of course it is possible, however it is not necessary that you will woke up if some stroke strikes. You may experience some of the symptoms when you woke up in the morning, in which case call your doctor right away. If you woke up in the middle of the nigh bothered by some of the above warning signs also seek help right away. A common mistake that many people make and that unfortunately costs their life is that they go on sleeping hoping that the symptoms will be gone in the morning.

Finally do not underestimate mild strokes. A mild stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is caused by a temporal interruption of the blood supply to the brain. It results in a brief decrease in brain function and the symptoms may be subtle or fleeting. A TIA may last an hour or even less. Do not feel relaxed that the problem has passed. A TIA is a serious stroke warning sign and it usually comes to alert you that a serious stroke may happen in minutes, hours or a day. If you feel even slightest stroke symptoms seek help. Even if the symptoms are gone by the time your doctor comes, he will be able to evaluate your condition and even hospitalize you for monitoring and prevention of a possible future stroke.

by:Keith Londrie