Author: andrew-custard

Many antioxidant products are marketed with claims that, by blocking the action free radicals, they can help prevent heart disease, cancer, and various other conditions associated with aging. Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms that have at least one unpaired electron, which makes them highly reactive. Free radicals promote beneficial oxidation that produces energy and kills bacterial invaders. In excess, however, they produce harmful oxidation that can damage cell membranes and cell contents. It is known that people who eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers,…

Here is a list of persons which are most probable to suffer from Vitamin B deficiency: Alcohol abusers. Alcohol blocks your ability to absorb B vitamins and also makes you excrete them faster. Alcoholics are most likely to be deficient in thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, and folic acid. The elderly. You absorb less of some of the B’s as you age. Also, elderly people who live alone or in nursing homes often don’t eat properly and don’t get enough B’s from their food. Smokers. Tobacco smoke decreases your absorption of B vitamins across the board. People with chronic digestive problems. These…

Heat injuries, heat disorders, heat-related illness: all refer to a medical condition arising from failure of the body to properly regulate its heat level, resulting in over-heating. Heat injuries are common in physical activities of a strenuous nature (sports, outdoor activities, endurance events, outdoor recreation sports, outdoor power sports, outdoor water sports). These activities do not need to take place in an outdoor setting for someone to be at risk of developing a heat injury. It is important to realize that heat injuries can have very serious consequences including damage and failure of major organs in the body leading to…

Kale is a nutritious vegetable and is considered to be a form of cabbage. It can be green or purple and is a rich source of calcium, beta-carotene and vitamins. Like broccoli kale contains sulforaphane, which is believed to have anti-cancer properties. Kale chips are a popular and very nutritional snack and if you happen to have kale sitting in your garden, fridge or freezer and you are not sure what to do with all of it you can always dehydrate your kale. Dehydrating kale or any other collard greens is a relatively easy process and can be done in…

Although there has been a consensus that fruits and vegetables should be considered as cornerstones in a heart healthy diet, it is only recently that solid epidemiological evidence has linked these two food groups together. The largest relevant study has reported a significant inverse association between consumption of fruits and vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetables and vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables, and risk of Cardiovascular Diseases. Every single serving per day of fruits and vegetables was associated with a 4% decrease in Cardiovascular Diseases risk. It is still unclear whether the fruits and vegetables themselves have cardio-protective features, or whether…

Vitamin A plays a vital role in vision, and in being able to see at night. In response to light, vitamin A is part of the initiating signal which conveys the stimulus of sight to the brain’s optic center. In this process a little vitamin A is destroyed each time, thus we must keep our blood supply replenished to support this ongoing mechanism. It also keeps our cornea, the hard, clear membranous window of the eye, healthy. Vitamin A contributes to the health of our skin and all the protective linings throughout the body—from lungs to urinary tract. This is…

Training appears to cause the loose connective tissue and fascia underlying the skin to change in such a way that they can withstand knocks and blows better. Besides the sub-cutaneous fascia there is a compartmental fascia, that is, a covering around bundles of muscle fibers, individual muscles, and around groups of muscles. Fascia is the tough unchewable substance found in the middle of the leg muscles used in a typical Sunday roast beef. Its natural purpose is to provide the muscle fibers something to push against when they are contracting. Hence, fascia is very tough and weight for weight is…

When it comes to partying, bodybuilders seem to have only two extremes. There are those who don’t let bodybuilding slow them down—they go out as often as they like, staying out until the early morning and abusing alcohol and/or drugs. Then there are those who believe that they must never, under any circumstances go to a party or a nightclub, lest they destroy their physiques and set their gains back a decade. Whatever happened to moderation? Partying as if it’s 1999 every weekend will definitely have a negative impact on your bodybuilding success, but you can still go out every…

Phosphorus is the second most abundant mineral in the body. About 85% of it is found combined with calcium in bones and teeth. The concentration of phosphorus in the blood is less than half that of calcium. Deficiencies are unknown. It is a part of each cell’s genetic material, therefore essential for growth and renewal of tissues. It is essential for energy production and to maintain the acid-base balance. It is also necessary to form cell membranes. The main food sources containing phosphorus are: legumes, nuts, peas, dairy products, etc.

Eat Fat and Sea Salt – Your body uses good fats to make happy hormones, so if you are on a fat free diet your body doesn’t have what it needs to make any hormones. Good fats to eat include butter, olive oil, and coconut oil. You want to have plenty of sodium for your adrenals to function and sea salt also contains trace minerals. Eat Meat and Eggs – You want to make sure you are giving your body frequent, high protein meals and snacks. Proteins contain Amino acids, and they are the building blocks for healthy cells and…