Health Tips

Along with carbohydrates and fat, your body needs protein, a nutrient made up of essential and nonessential amino acids, for good health. Your body manufactures 13 nonessential amino acids, which aren’t available from food. For the body to process protein properly, the foods that you eat must contain the nine essential amino acids that are available only from dietary sources.Protein helps to maintain and replace the tissues in your body, and it’s found in almost every living cell and fluid. Your muscles, organs and many of your hormones are made up of protein, and it is also used in the manufacture of hemoglobin, the red blood cells that carry oxygen to your body. Protein is also used to manufacture antibodies that fight infection and disease and is integral to your body’s blood clotting ability. Both children and adults need plenty of protein to grow and develop.

Good Sources of Protein
Good low- or nonfat sources of protein include:

• Beef, poultry, pork and lamb
• Fish and shellfish
• Dairy products, including cottage cheese, cheese, yogurt and milk
• Eggs, egg whites or egg substitutes
• Dry beans, peas, oats and legumes
• Tofu and soy products
• Nuts and seeds

Proteins are considered either complete proteins (which supply enough essential amino acids) or incomplete proteins (which lack adequate essential amino acids). Meat, eggs and dairy products are considered complete proteins, but vegetables, beans and other plant products are considered incomplete proteins. However, some incomplete proteins can be combined to create a complete protein - rice and beans, peanut butter and jelly, and corn and beans are examples of complete-protein meals.The Role of Protein in Special Diets
Although many good sources of protein are found in meat or animal products, vegetarians can still consume adequate amounts of protein. Vegetarians who eat dairy products and eggs can still choose from a variety of plant and animal protein sources. Vegans who eat only plant sources of food can still rely on tofu, soy products, oats, beans, lentils and peanut butter for protein.

People who eat too much protein may be at risk for high cholesterol or gout, a joint disorder. High-protein diets, such as the Atkins Diet and Protein Power, have also been implicated in kidney problems because of the extra effort the body must expend to process large amounts of protein. High-protein diets may also be high in fat and may lead to heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.

If you are concerned that you aren’t getting enough protein in your diet, consult your physician or a registered dietitian for dietary help.

Diabetes in various forms affects up to 5 percent of the world population with 12 million diabetics in Western Europe alone. Of the different ways in which diabetes presents, noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is probably the most commonly encountered genetic disease. NIDDM or Type II diabetes is multifactorial, depending also on environmental factors including obesity, sedentary lifestyles and nutritional imbalances.

Yoga has shown some beneficial results in curing diabetes. The yoga exercises that are prescribed for curing diabetes is different from hatha yoga exercise because it involves positions tailored to treat certain conditions, as well as meditation, relaxation and stretching exercises.

One of the studies conducted to cure diabetes was the one set up by the Yoga Biomedical Trust, founded in 1982 by biochemist Dr Robin Monro, and an Indian yoga research foundation which discovered that practicing yoga for 30 minutes a day for one month helped reduce blood glucose levels in some diabetics.

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A sore throat, also called a throat infection or pharyngitis, is a painful inflammation of the pharynx the back portion of the throat that includes the back third of the tongue, the soft palate (roof of the mouth) and the tonsils (fleshy tissue that are part of the throat’s immune defenses). The most common cause of sore throat is infection with bacteria or a virus.

Because an infection of the pharynx almost always involves the tonsils, tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils) was once a common name for infectious pharyngitis.

Currently in the United States, infectious pharyngitis accounts for almost 10 million visits to doctors’ offices each year, and sore throat is among the top 10 complaints of people who seek treatment in emergency rooms. In about 85% of cases, throat infection is caused by a virus. Although people who have the flu (influenza), cold sores (oral herpes simplex) or infectious mononucleosis (”mono”) also commonly have a sore throat, these viral infections usually cause other telltale symptoms in addition to throat pain. Read more…