healthy body tips

You’ve probably heard how important calcium is for your bones. What you may not know is that calcium plays a roll in producing a regular heart beat, conducting nerve impulses, stimulating hormone secretions, and clotting blood. We all know we need a lot of calcium to maintain good health, but chances are you’re not getting enough; particularly if you are a woman.

While the best option for getting calcium is through a healthy balanced diet including dairy products and green vegetables; you can also take a calcium supplement if you don’t think you’re getting enough. You may think calcium is calcium, but it’s very important to choose the supplement that best suits your needs.

The first choice you need to make when in comes to calcium supplements is what compound you want to take. Calcium is not found by itself in foods; it’s bonded to other molecules. Different compounds are just calcium being bonded with different molecules. If you don’t want to take a lot of pills, calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate have very high calcium concentrations; however, calcium phosphate may not be absorbed into your system as well. Calcium citrate is the easiest compound to absorb; however, the calcium is not as concentrated. If you don’t mind taking more pills, calcium citrate is recommended for people who don’t produce a lot of stomach acid. No matter what compound you choose, be sure to check the label to make sure you’ll be getting enough elemental calcium (calcium by itself) to suit your needs.

Another consideration when buying a calcium supplement is the brand. Not all brand names are created equal, so here are some tips to help you choose wisely.

• Don’t get supplements containing natural ingredients that haven’t been purified. They may contain dangerous metals that could make you sick. The worst offenders that you should watch out for are oyster shells, dolomite, and bonemeal.

• You probably don’t need a combination vitamin for calcium. If you don’t get outside much, you may consider a vitamin D combination supplement (we get it naturally from sunlight), but other minerals can be obtained from diet and a daily multivitamin.

• If a supplement makes you gassy or bloated, switch to a different brand. If you have this problem with many brands, consider starting at a lower dosage and working your way up.

• Choose supplements that have the USP seal on them. This will help ensure purity of the product.

• If taking calcium pills, drop one into a warm glass of water and let it sit for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the pill has not completely dissolved within the 30 minute time period, it is probably not being completely absorbed by your body and you should find another brand.

Finding the right supplement for you may take a little work, but with a little patience and a little “try it a see” work; you’ll eventually find the perfect supplement to keep your body healthy and strong.

Garlic is an essential part of Indian Recipes. It gives the cooked food that tasty bitter taste and smell that makes it oh so inviting. You can make any recipe extra special by adding a few pieces of garlic.

I have known since long that garlic cures many ailments. But, recently I came across some studies that examined how garlic can help cure cancer as well. I want to share today with my readers some insights that I gained from these readings. So here we go –

The more scientists study garlic, the more benefits they find from eating it.

Scientists have conducted various studies to determine why garlic can fight cancer so well. The main cancer fighting compound in garlic is a chemical called allicin. Allicin is what gives garlic its distinct smell; it also protects the garlic plant from organisms that may attack it.

Allicin isn’t the only anti-cancer chemical in garlic. Garlic also contains allicin-derived compounds, as well as other chemicals that aren’t even related to allicin. That’s what makes garlic so special; it contains a whole slew of compounds to fight off cancer and help keep you healthy.

If we compare cultures that have large amounts of garlic in their diet to cultures that get very little of these foods, we find that the cultures with higher garlic intake have less incidence of cancer. While we cannot definitively say that garlic is the cause of this difference, other studies have shown its preventative power.

Studies have found increased garlic intake to be associated with decreased chance of colon and stomach cancers. Another study found that garlic prevented rats from esophageal cancer.

We also know that garlic helps fight a wide variety of infectious diseases. This means out immune system has to fight microorganisms less and can focus on preventing cancer cells from growing.

There have been many studies in humans and animals that show garlic to help not only with preventing cancer, but also in helping to treat it. It is considered most effective in fighting cancer of the stomach and esophagus because it helps to lower nitrite levels. Garlic has been proven to lower the death rate in stomach cancer patients. In studies of general cancer patients, garlic was found to cut tumor size in half in one study, and produce significant improvements of symptoms in over two-thirds of the patients in another study. While garlic should not be your only weapon in battling cancer, it can be a powerful tool to give you a leg-up in the fight.

Te benefits of garlic do depend on what kind of garlic you eat and how it is prepared. Most studies have found garlic to be equally effective whether it is raw or cooked; however, if you cook the garlic, wait at least 15 minutes after peeling before you cook it. You can also get the benefits from garlic powder or compressed garlic oil. Don’t rely on aged or spray dried garlic; they don’t have the same benefits.

If used properly and regularly, garlic can be a powerful tool in preventing or treating various cancers.

When bones get old, they tend to become less dense, weakening their structure. These weak bones begin to get tiny fractures. Because of their size, one of these fractures isn’t really a problem; however, if your bones are fragile enough for you to have osteoporosis, you will have many of these tiny fractures. In the end, they add up to a big problem.

The thing to know is that most osteoporosis cases are preventable. By following a few tips, you can keep your bones strong and dense, keeping you healthy for a long time.

1. Get plenty of calcium. Calcium is the building block of bones. If we’re short on calcium, then we can’t make our bones as dense and strong and you become susceptible to getting osteoporosis. You can get calcium through milk and yogurt, but also from green leafy vegetables and various soy products. If need be, you can also take a calcium supplement.

2. Get other essential nutrients. Calcium is actually no good if you don’t have Vitamin D, which allows you to absorb the calcium. During the summer, the best source of Vitamin D is the sun. During the winter you can try tanning beds, or try fortified products like Vitamin D milk and certain breakfast cereals. Other nutrients that are essential for preventing osteoporosis and keeping your bones strong are: Vitamin K, phosphorous, Vitamin C, magnesium, copper, manganese, zinc, iron, boron, and , protein. Unless you eat the world’s healthiest diet, it’s best to start taking a daily multivitamin.

3. Perform weight bearing exercise. You don’t need to start a weight training regimen at the gym. In fact, most women can get the appropriate amount of exercise simply by walking (you’re “bearing” your body weight). Getting up and moving for a few minutes every day is important for keeping bones strong. If you can exercise more, you should do so. Exercise is important for maintaining a healthy weight, another good way for preventing osteoporosis away. Just remember, losing too much weight is a good way to lose bone mass as well.

4. Drop bad habits. Some habits are better avoided for preventing osteoporosis. While having the occasional drink has actually been shown to improve the condition of your bones, you start to cause damage if you drink alcohol excessively. Smoking can also cause an increased fracture risk. Plus, quitting smoking is a good healthy choice all around.

5. Start Early. Most women wait until the first signs of menopause to start worrying about osteoporosis prevention. While menopause is when bones start to deteriorate faster, if you have weak bones to begin with, adding preventative measure may not do a whole lot of good. You should take the steps above as early as possible, and pass them on to your daughters too. Start early and prevent osteoporosis from afflicting your bones.

The best part about taking these smalls steps is that they’ll also help prevent other conditions besides osteoporosis. In no time, you’ll be well on your way to a healthier, happier life.

I have tried to make this blog more useful to you, my readers.


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Good Luck!

I remember the time when we used to maintain a home garden. We were kids, and it was such a fun to just walk into the plants and pick up the freshest of vegetables. The vegetables were fresh, true, but it was such a good experience to walk amongst the plants and look out for the 'just ripe' vegetable and pluck it with my own hands!


Remembering those days, I thought I will try to motivate you too to start a home garden for the health of your family...


You try to feed your family healthy foods, but often it’s cheaper and more convenient just to reach for the closest sugary snack. While it requires a little bit of work, growing your garden is a great way to have healthy food available right at your fingertips. Plus you get the satisfaction of knowing that you grew them all by yourself and that you’re providing for your family.



The most common healthy foods grown in gardens are fruits and vegetables. When planting these foods, choose carefully, especially if you have limited space. You want to be able to choose crops that will grow well in your area, but you should also consider what you have time and space to grow, and what your family will eat. You may have perfect soil and space for tomatoes, but it your family won’t eat them, there’s not much point in growing them. A garden is a great way to get inexpensive fruits and veggies that you know are fresh and healthy.



You can grow fruits and vegetables in your garden as a way to eat healthier, but don’t forget about herbs as well. You’re probably not eating just stuff you can grow on your own, but you can make the other food more flavorful without a lot of fat and calories by adding different herbs and seasonings. This way you can have great tasting food that isn’t so bad for you either.



Foods you buy at the grocery store have been grown using tons of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. These chemicals may make fruits and veggies look more appealing and will increase farmer yields, but they can also be dangerous to your health. You can buy from an organic food store, but you’ll end up paying a whole lot more. Growing your own garden is a great way to know your food is safe without having to pay a pretty penny. Start a compost pile to fertilize naturally and research other methods of safe fertilization and pest control, like companion planting.




When we consider how healthy our foods are for us, we usually just consider the calorie content, but what about taking into account what it takes to get them. We all know it takes more work to grow your own veggies than to buy them at the store, but we usually don’t take into account all the calories that work is burning. Gardening is a great workout. Growing your own fruits, veggies, and herbs can actually help you stay in shape. That’s a lot healthier than picking something up off a shelf.




Gardening isn’t just for pretty flowers anymore. You can grow a great garden to feed your family tasty, nutritious foods.

Recently a friend of mine ranted and raved about the benefits of Coconut oil. This is was something new for me, except for a few passing references here and there, that I came across now and then. So I decided to dig deeper for some information on benefits of coconut oil and came out with some gems.



The coconut oil was used extensively as cooking oil in USA, and also as an ingredient in various food products. During World War II Japan occupied Philippines and other North Eastern countries for long years. This cut off the supply of coconut oil to USA. During this period a whole new industry was born around poly un-saturated vegetable oils, which, due to want of availability of good substitutes gained in popularity.



It also served the interests of this industry to condemn the use of other saturated oils like butter oil and coconut oil. Then came the soybean industry, which also denounced saturated oils for increasing blood cholesterol leading to heart related problems.



Since heart problems were on the rise during that period, coconut oil and other saturated oils became the villains.



But, some recent studies find otherwise and show how coconut oil is beneficial for heart and for our health as a whole.


A study was made of the people in pacific regions and it was found that the people there are healthier and lean despite the presence of large fat content in their food!




All the oils are made up of fatty acid molecules. These fatty acids are of three types: short-chain fatty acids(SCFA), medium-chain fatty acids(MCFA) and long-chain fatty acids(LCFA). Our metabolism responds differently to different types of fatty acids.




The majority of the fat consumed by us is made of LCFA. The fats found in meat, milk, or other vegetable oils, all contain LCFA. On the other hand refined coconut oil is made up of MCFA. MCFA lowers the risk of heart diseases and this is what makes coconut oil so beneficial for health.




Poly unsaturated fats are largely responsible for heart attacks in the country. These are used in all the fast food, pastries and other favorite foods of this generation. These oils come in the way of normal functioning of the Thyroid gland and hinder the secretion of hormone in the blood stream.



Coconut oil contains perishable fats, which benefit your health. Coconut oil also benefits the normal functioning of blood platelets, while poly-unsaturated fats make platelets stickier.



Go through the list that I have compiled, of how coconut oil benefits your health. Then make up your own mind.

Coconut Oil Is Good For Your Heart. As I have talked above, Coconut oil benefits heart as it has been shown to help metabolize cholesterol faster, reducing overall levels. A study was done in a culture where coconut oil was used on a regular basis. When these people were moved to a different area and their coconut oil intake dropped, their cholesterol levels got much higher. Thyroid hormone is required for processing and eliminating cholesterol. Any deficiency in the hormone leads to the increase of cholesterol.




Coconut Oil fights Hypothyroidism: Coconut oil stimulates the thyroid gland and helps it in functioning properly. It stimulates the metabolism thereby increasing the energy level of the body.



Coconut Oil Keeps You Young. When the thyroid works properly, it uses cholesterol to make chemicals that are vital for preventing disease and help in slowing the aging.




Coconut Oil helps you lose weight. One more benefit of the coconut oil. As I already mentioned, coconut oil helps improve thyroid functioning. Improper functioning of the thyroid is a major cause of obesity. Cultures that use more coconut oil have less incidence of obesity.




Coconut Oil can prevent cancer. Increased thyroid function has also been shown to reduce the incidence of cancer. Studies have shown the occurrence of cancer to be lower, and in some cases nonexistent in areas that rely on saturated oils. They have also shown that the number of cancer cases increases with the addition of unsaturated oils to the diet.




It can prevent infections. Coconut oil has been found to contain 40% lauric acid. This is a fatty acid that is found in breast milk. The body converts it into a substance that fights bacterial, viral, and protozoal infection in infants. When your body has these chemicals, your immune system does less work and you stay healthy.



As I mentioned at the beginning, Coconut oil has been used in tropical areas and even modern cultures for many years. In areas where people switched to unsaturated vegetable oils, obesity, high blood pressure, cancer, and other problems have increased. Cultures that still use coconut oil have fewer of these problems.




As you can see, switching to coconut oil for your cooking needs is a great decision. It can help you live longer, and look and feel better. So why not go buy some coconut oil today?




But, you should remember that coconut oil alone is not the panacea for curing all the diseases. It works best when combined with other dietary controls. Always consult an expert before embarking on anything concerning your health.

We all want to look younger, right? That’s why people all over the world spend billions of dollars every year on anti aging products, the products that claim to help them look and feel ten years younger. We buy tons of pills, creams, and crazy gadgets hoping that they’re the one thing that will turn back the clock. The truth is, there’s no real miracle product that will melt the years away, but there are things you can do to slow the aging process.

The most important thing is to have a healthy life style, healthy diet, and a good anti aging supplement for all the vital nutrients we can’t get from our food. Here are a few hints and tips to help you sift through the thousands of products and find the perfect anti aging supplement.

The first step is to find a product that contains the ingredients you want. There are tons of supplements you can take on their own, but it’s best to take them combined. This way you get them in the right proportions so they can have maximum benefit to each other and to you. There are many anti aging ingredients that may be included in a good supplement, here are some important one’s you should make sure yours has.

* Alpha lipoic acid

* Acetyl L-carnitine

* Coenzyme Q10 (this can also be found in skin creams)

* Green tea

* L-lysine

* L-proline

* Ascobyl Palmitate

* Vitamin E

Once you know what ingredients you want in your anti-aging supplements, don’t just go buy the first one you see. Do your research first to make sure you’re getting exactly what you want.

Some tips to help ensure you’re buying a quality product.

Choose an appropriate brand name. Sure brand names you’ve heard of are probably better than random generics, but make sure they also have the right credentials. It’s probably better to choose a company that’s known for quality supplements over your local drug store’s generic brand name.

Find products without additives or fillers. There are no health benefits from them, so find a brand that doesn’t have them

Make sure the product has a certificate of analysis. This means someone else has analyzed the product and said it’s safe.

Find a company that follows the pharmaceutical GMP conditions. The producers of these products operate under higher quality standards, so you’re more likely to be getting a good quality anti aging product; nothing more, nothing less.

Find supplements that use standardized herbal extracts. This is another way to verify you’re getting pure, high quality herbal supplements.

Only supplements won’t do – change your lifestyle too!

Remember, no anti aging supplement is going to reverse the effects of a bad diet, poor lifestyle choices, and self destructive thought patterns. All these show on your face and make you look and become older. In order to truly look and feel younger, you need to combine supplements and other anti aging products with a healthy diet, exercise, stress reduction techniques, and plenty of sleep.

If you live this kind of lifestyle, you’ll be more youthful in no time.

Acid reflux, or heartburn as it is commonly known, occurs when the hydrochloric acid in the stomach backs up through the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and into the esophagus. The esophagus is a muscular tube that moves food from the mouth to the stomach for further breakdown into nutritional components for the body. When this acid enters the esophagus, it causes a burning sensation due to irritation of the mucosal lining. Acid reflux can lead to more serious problems such as GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease) and in some cases esophageal cancer. Knowing the culprits that cause acid reflux can help you to avoid future bouts.

 

The types of food you eat are the major cause of acid reflux. Acidic foods like fruits and tomatoes increase the acid production of the stomach. Avoiding these “triggers” will decrease the chances of acid reflux occurring. Other foods that cause acid reflux include: peppermint, chocolate, caffeine, and spicy fare.

 

Surprisingly, your smoking habit could be the cause of acid reflux. The nicotine in the cigarettes works to increase stomach acid production. Overeating leads to weight gain. Added weight puts pressure on the stomach, forcing acid through the LES and back into the esophagus.

 

Physiological issues could also become the cause of acid reflux. Hiatal hernias are a risk factor for developing acid reflux disease. A portion of the stomach has herniated up through the diaphragm into the thoracic cavity. People have lived with hiatal hernias and not experienced acid reflux. But, if acid reflux is a problem and there is a previous diagnosis of hiatal hernia, it could be the culprit.

 

Some times lying flat in bed could become the cause of acid reflux. If lower back pain is the reason why you are lying flat at night, try sleeping in a modified beach chair position with pillows behind your head and lower back. This position elevates the head enough for gravity to keep the acid in its place.

 

Wearing tight clothing could be the cause of acid reflux. Anything tight around the middle of your body puts pressure on the stomach. Eating a big meal without loosening the belt is almost sure to result in heartburn.

 

Eating too much food at one sitting increases the amount of acid in the stomach. You may feel like it’s about to bubble up and over. Eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. Weight loss experts advocate this way of eating to maintain a feeling of fullness and avoid overeating. Less acid is produced on the whole because less food is present in the stomach.

 

Late in pregnancy as the baby moves around more, soon-to-be mothers experience heartburn because the child displaces their organs as he/she grows. Smaller meals help in this instance, too.

 

Acid reflux can occur at any time to anyone. Decreasing your risk factors whenever possible will reduce the chances of an incident occurring.

Since our childhood we have been listening to our elders saying -

drink lots of water.

But, I believe that it is good to re-remember some good old lessons from time to time. So, here I go -

Drink lots of water - one or two glasses - first thing in the morning. It makes you feel refreshed as your body loses lots of fluid during the night time. It will also weaken your urge for taking tea and coffee early in the morning.


Drinking around 1.5 liters of water helps you in burning 50 calories during the course of the day. By drinking sufficient water, you help your body in keeping its weight under control. Drink more water and loose weight!

Next time when you are eating and savoring this sweet juicy fruit, double your joy by remembering that medical research now indicates that eating Pineapple benefits your health in many ways that you might not have imagined till now -


Fiber Rich - Eating Pineapple benefits digestive system as the fruit contains lots of fiber content.

Anti-inflammatory - The Pineapple is said to be rich in bromelain, which is a protein-digesting enzyme. The enzyme aids in digestion, but it also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Anti-Cancer - Scientists at Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Australia are finding that Pineapple benefits you in another way - by helping the body in keeping away cancer. This is due to the presence of molecules in the fruit that boost the immune system, and help it fight the cancer cells.


But, remember to take it in its fresh form. Canned Pineapple does not give any of these benefits.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the problems associated with processed food. We’re now being told that eating unprocessed and even raw foods can help us be healthier, happier, and live longer, but can unprocessed foods make us look better? Is unprocessed food good for skin?

While there are many recommended steps to take if you want to look younger, the most important is to work on having healthy beautiful skin. Processed foods can have harmful effects on the skin, so if you want to look younger and healthier, try adding unprocessed and raw foods to your diet.

When food is cooked and processed, it loses vital nutrients. When you eat processed food, you don’t get the nutrients your body needs to function efficiently. This leaves you less healthy, and it shows in your skin. If your skin cells aren’t properly nourished, they don’t look as good. You’re also more prone to acne and other embarrassing infections. A food not having sufficient nutrients is not a food good for skin.

People who advocate the raw food diet believe that cooking your food is too much processing. Raw foods contain live, active enzymes that help you digest your food more efficiently and improve your body’s functioning and your overall health. And remember, the healthier you are, the healthier your skin will be. Many people who increase their intake of raw food as opposed to cook notice a positive change in their skin. Raw food can help to reduce wrinkles, age spots, eye bags, and even acne, leaving your skin beautiful and radiant.

We all know that when we’re tired, we look worn down, our skin is duller, and we just get a haggard appearance. Having proper digestive enzymes from eating raw, live fruits and vegetables helps speed digestion giving use more energy from our food. When we have more energy, we feel and look less tired. If you want to have clear and bright skin, eat food good for skin and good for your health.

While I’ve already discussed what food loses through processing, what might be more important to this topic is what is added to food during processing. Most companies aren’t concerned about keeping you healthy; they’re concerned about selling their product. They add chemicals to keep food fresh longer, change its color, change its texture, or even to make you more hungry or thirsty after you eat or drink it. All these artificial ingredients do not let it remain a food good for skin and for your health. These chemicals can be toxic do your body. They build up in your cells, making them function improperly and be less healthy. Also, if you have acne or other skin ailments, your breakouts may be due to an allergic reaction to these chemicals.

In order to look good, your skin needs to be healthy. This means proper nourishment and fewer toxins. This can be achieved with a healthy diet including fresh, unprocessed foods. Remember, healthy foods are good for skin and good for your overall health too. Only healthy people have beautiful skins, isn’t it?

Many people dream of having large, sleek, muscles, but getting them is harder than most imagine. Many people just walk into a gym, lift weights and expect to get big and buff, but it doesn’t usually work that way. In order to build big muscles, you need a healthy diet and supplements for bodybuilding in addition to your workout routine. If you’ve been to a supplement store, you’ve probably seen shelves or even walls full of supplements claiming to help you get big muscles. Here are some tips and tricks for choosing the right one for you.

The most important step is to get the proper types of supplements for bodybuilding. These are the most important:

Protein. You likely learned in third grade that muscles are made of protein. If you want your muscles to grow, you have to put a lot of protein into your body. This is one essential supplement for bodybuilding.

Creatine. This keeps your muscles from getting tired as fast so you can do more reps and work out longer. It also decreases the time it takes for your muscles to recover between work outs, so you can lift weights more often.

Vitamins and Minerals. Keeping on with our search for effective supplements for bodybuilding, we come to Vitamins and Minerals. You don’t need special, specific health store supplements to get these nutrients. Just take a quality, well balanced multivitamin everyday. This will make sure your body has all the nutrients it needs to build your muscles. It’s also a good plan to take one even if you’re not trying to bulk up.

Many supplements for bodybuilding may include other ingredients to help boost muscle growth; just be sure to research them and make sure they’re appropriate for you before you actually take anything.

Now before you start taking any supplements for bodybuilding, take a look at yourself in the mirror. Is their a nice pudgy layer of fat surrounding your body? If you said yes, then these supplements are not for you; at least not yet. If you get tons of calories to fuel muscle growth, you’re just going to end up building muscle under the fat layer making you look even bulkier without the muscle definition. Sure, having more muscle burns more fat, but you’re going to get better results if you take supplements for bodybuilding that are specifically geared to burn the fat while you build the muscle. This will make it much more likely for you to get the lean, defined body you’ve always wanted.

The best way to find a suitable supplement for bodybuilding is to talk to an expert. Your first step should be to talk to your doctor. They may not be trained in which brand is which, but they should be able to tell you how your body works develop some guidelines for you. You should also talk to a nutritionist. If you belong to a gym, there’s probably a nutritionist there you can talk to for a small fee, or even for free. They can help you set up a diet and supplement regimen tailored for you.

Good luck with your bodybuilding endeavor!

It may surprise you that the most commonly used drug in the world is caffeine. Caffeine can be a great pick me up that helps get you through the day. Plus, quitting caffeine can cause annoying side effects like headaches and nausea. However, while it may seem harmless enough; there are studies that suggest negative effects of consuming too much caffeine. Before you make a decision to give up or cut back on caffeine, be sure you have all the information.

Having been a college student, I know the negative effects of too much caffeine. While caffeine may help you get a jump start during the day or stay up all night studying, too much caffeine can make you nervous and shaky. It can also cause your heart to race and even affect your breathing. If you find yourself a bit jittery or shaky, caffeine may be the culprit. Plus, too much caffeine can make you feel more stressed during the day, even if you haven’t had too much.

Your afternoon caffeine boost may be to blame for your insomnia. A lot of people think caffeine won’t keep you up if you don’t drink it before bedtime, but the stimulating effects of caffeine can last up to 6 hours. If you cut back your afternoon caffeine consumption, you may find yourself more rested in the morning.

Along with the side effects of caffeine; studies have suggested that there are more serious consequences from excessive use. Its stimulant properties can have negative effects on the heart including high blood pressure. Its diuretic effects may cause calcium loss, leading to osteoporosis, if you are taking too much caffeine. In addition, it’s been suggested that caffeine can raise cholesterol, cause stomach irritation, and may even be linked to certain cancers. While most of this research is inconclusive and linked to high consumptions of caffeine, it’s something to think about.

Caffeine has not only been linked to low birth weight, and miscarriages; some also suspect that it could prevent conception. If you’re pregnant or trying to conceive, you should seriously consider giving up caffeine.

While research suggests that taking too much caffeine may be bad for you, quitting is ultimately a personal choice. If you feel you just can’t get through the day without your coffee, try drink less throughout the day. You may feel withdrawal symptoms to begin with, but you’ll be much better off in the long run.

A diet high in fiber is important for many reasons. Adequate amounts of fiber are essential to good health. It keeps your digestive system working smoothly, helps elimination from the body and is rich in vitamins and nutrients.

An increased amount of food rich in fiber can also help you feel fuller longer, which is important if you’re watching your weight.

A study conducted at the Harvard School of Medicine found that men who consumed 12 grams of fiber a day were twice as likely to develop precancerous colon changes as men whose daily fiber intake was 30 grams or higher. Scientist are not exactly sure why taking food rich fiber can help reduce the risks of colon cancer but it is thought that insoluble fiber adds bulk to stools, which helps speed their transit through the intestines, leaving less time for carcinogenic changes.

Other studies have shown that consuming adequate levels of food rich in fiber can also help against breast cancer, heart disease, digestive disorders, diabetes and obesity. If you suffer from constipation, increasing your fiber content should help. It also helps to drink adequate amounts of water daily to help the fiber through your system.

An easy way to start the day with an adequate amount of fiber is to have a breakfast cereal and some fruit – both of which are foods rich in fiber. Vegetables and fruits are also high in fiber and also many other important nutrients.

Most people tend to eat breads and cereals which are very low in fiber. Even some brown bread varieties only have a small amount so it’s best to check labels and make sure you’re getting a natural whole grain product with sufficient fiber.

Now that you know all the benefits of adding to your diet the foods rich in fiber, here are some quick tips to help you increase your fiber intake:

High Fiber Foods List

1. Eat vegetables with every meal.

2. Switch from processed carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta to whole grains (these are rich in fiber and nutrients).

3. Add beans to casseroles, chilli or many other foods rich in fiber. Beans are an especially good source of fiber.

4. Snack on fruit with it’s skin on. Fruits like berries are particularly rich in fiber and apples and pears should be eaten with the peel on.

5. Eat dried fruits such as prunes, figs, and apricots. These are easy to sprinkle on cereal or add to homemade muffins.