It's an unfortunate reality that in attempting to address the problems created by modern living, we often end up making matters even more complicated.
An example of this is the air purifier techno-fix. These devices are sold as a cure for polluted air and the host of lung and allergy problems it creates.
Manufacturers have devised a wide variety of technologies to scrub the air. The most common ones draw air through a filter. Common complaints about these devices are that they are noisy and that their reach is limited in terms of how much air they can process.
A more controversial device uses so-called "activated oxygen." In reality these devices produce ozone, a volatile version of the oxygen molecule. The reasoning is that ozone can bind with particles in the air and cause them to break down. However ozone is also a volatile substance which can aggravate respiratory problems and even cause lung damage.
If you are interested in improving your home's air quality with an air purifier, check out some air purifier reviews and see what positive and negative experiences people have had with different models. Also check the manufacturer's specifications to see if their model produces significant amounts of ozone.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Fats for Health
Researchers Are Overturning the Low Fat Myth
A year never goes by without a guilt-inducing study being released about the poor cardiovascular health and high obesity rates of people in western societies. But it's hard to fault people for their poor eating habits when the experts themselves can't agree on what makes a good diet.
Take the low fat diet gospel. Cutting out fat from our diets was supposed to help us to lose weight and prevent heart disease. Ironically, people have found these diets not only don't help you lose weight but can actually make you fatter.
Fat and Health
Clinical nutrition specialist Dr. Al Sears, argues that saturated fats such as those found in meat, eggs and dairy products are actually critical for our health, as they play an important role in many of our bodily functions, such as the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. He points to evidence that societies which consume larger amounts of animal fats actually have lower rates of heart disease.
Essential fatty acids or EFAs, which are found in fish, seeds and nuts, are another type of fat that is considered critical for our well-being. Dr. Udo Erasmus researches the role that omega-3 fats play in health. These fats are important in weight loss because they control the gene responsible for fat production, and activate the body's fat-burning gene. EFAs are also necessary for nerve and brain function, and a lack of these fats has been associated with ADHD.
A Healthier Diet
One of the reasons that fat has become a scapegoat for all our health problems is that the sources that we get fat from have become degraded. For example, grass fed cattle have been replaced in our diets with grain and hormone fed feedlot meat which lacks many of the nutrients of traditional meat sources, like omega-3 fats. And vegetable fats are subjected to artificial processing, which removes the benefits of EFAs and makes these oils toxic. The solution is to get your food from unprocessed and organic sources as much as possible.
A year never goes by without a guilt-inducing study being released about the poor cardiovascular health and high obesity rates of people in western societies. But it's hard to fault people for their poor eating habits when the experts themselves can't agree on what makes a good diet.
Take the low fat diet gospel. Cutting out fat from our diets was supposed to help us to lose weight and prevent heart disease. Ironically, people have found these diets not only don't help you lose weight but can actually make you fatter.
Fat and Health
Clinical nutrition specialist Dr. Al Sears, argues that saturated fats such as those found in meat, eggs and dairy products are actually critical for our health, as they play an important role in many of our bodily functions, such as the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. He points to evidence that societies which consume larger amounts of animal fats actually have lower rates of heart disease.
Essential fatty acids or EFAs, which are found in fish, seeds and nuts, are another type of fat that is considered critical for our well-being. Dr. Udo Erasmus researches the role that omega-3 fats play in health. These fats are important in weight loss because they control the gene responsible for fat production, and activate the body's fat-burning gene. EFAs are also necessary for nerve and brain function, and a lack of these fats has been associated with ADHD.
A Healthier Diet
One of the reasons that fat has become a scapegoat for all our health problems is that the sources that we get fat from have become degraded. For example, grass fed cattle have been replaced in our diets with grain and hormone fed feedlot meat which lacks many of the nutrients of traditional meat sources, like omega-3 fats. And vegetable fats are subjected to artificial processing, which removes the benefits of EFAs and makes these oils toxic. The solution is to get your food from unprocessed and organic sources as much as possible.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Is Your Food Eating You?
Understanding the Role of pH Levels In Our Health
Many years ago, scientists discovered a nasty side-effect of coal burning. Lakes were becoming acidic when air pollution came down as acid rain. Acidic water is poisonous to fish, sometimes killing entire populations in small lakes.
It seems now that human beings are not all that different from fish. Our physiological environments can become acidic as well, not by air pollution, but by our own dietary choices. The common western diet, unfortunately, is a prime culprit. In his book, The Acid-Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health, Dr. Christopher Vasey of Switzerland argues that our diets can lead to acidic pH levels which eat away at our organs and bones faster than our bodies can repair them. If your body becomes too acidic, he argues, it can lead to fatigue, weight gain and chronic health problems.
Diet Is The Key
In recent years, a new industry has arisen to help people achieve ideal alkaline pH levels in their bodies. Products such as pH test-strips, supplements, water ionizers and alkaline diet books are offered to restore and protect our health. In his book, The pH Miracle, Dr. Robert O. Young of California argues that by following the alkaline diet alone patients can experience amazing recoveries from seemingly incurable chronic conditions, like psoriasis and fibromyalgia.
If you want to follow an alkaline diet, recommended foods include fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables. At the same time, go easy on grains, meat and dairy. The idea is not to eliminate acidic foods altogether, but to make them the smaller part of your diet. Eliminating some of the most acidic foods and drinks like liquor, cola, baked desserts and trans fatty acids can go a long way in making the shift. Also important is minimizing stress and consuming enough water. Achieving a balance in your pH, as with other aspects of your life will ensure your body can function normally and fend off disease.
Many years ago, scientists discovered a nasty side-effect of coal burning. Lakes were becoming acidic when air pollution came down as acid rain. Acidic water is poisonous to fish, sometimes killing entire populations in small lakes.
It seems now that human beings are not all that different from fish. Our physiological environments can become acidic as well, not by air pollution, but by our own dietary choices. The common western diet, unfortunately, is a prime culprit. In his book, The Acid-Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health, Dr. Christopher Vasey of Switzerland argues that our diets can lead to acidic pH levels which eat away at our organs and bones faster than our bodies can repair them. If your body becomes too acidic, he argues, it can lead to fatigue, weight gain and chronic health problems.
Diet Is The Key
In recent years, a new industry has arisen to help people achieve ideal alkaline pH levels in their bodies. Products such as pH test-strips, supplements, water ionizers and alkaline diet books are offered to restore and protect our health. In his book, The pH Miracle, Dr. Robert O. Young of California argues that by following the alkaline diet alone patients can experience amazing recoveries from seemingly incurable chronic conditions, like psoriasis and fibromyalgia.
If you want to follow an alkaline diet, recommended foods include fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables. At the same time, go easy on grains, meat and dairy. The idea is not to eliminate acidic foods altogether, but to make them the smaller part of your diet. Eliminating some of the most acidic foods and drinks like liquor, cola, baked desserts and trans fatty acids can go a long way in making the shift. Also important is minimizing stress and consuming enough water. Achieving a balance in your pH, as with other aspects of your life will ensure your body can function normally and fend off disease.
Welcome
Thanks for visiting. This is a place to share my thoughts about alternative health. You can read more by visiting HealthInsights.Info.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)