It is understandable that a medicinal drug having undergone double blind studies, several years of research, and millions of dollars spent on that research, should have a place of credibility. But what if the entire system was flawed to begin with, money and time wasted on treating a symptom rather than working to find a cure or better yet, prevention of the disease? Or what if the system was more than flawed but in many cases left the person in a less healthy state after having completed treatment using a pharmaceutical drug? With all of our knowledge about how the human body works, knowing its intolerance of unnatural elements, why are we, as medical patients, so accepting of the idea that we should be treating ourselves with synthetic drugs that are virtually poison to our body? To relieve one symptom we acquire two or three new symptoms, a new chronic condition we need to deal with and, of course, another prescription medication to fill each month.

Of course, those involved in the area of holistic medicine can never claim to cure, prevent, or treat a disease, even if that is the intended outcome and regardless of the numerous individuals finding themselves to be in a state of improved health. Only drug companies can make such claims. In fact, they own those words. Whether or not that right is deserved is irrelevant. It is worth noting, however, that most natural supplements have endured centuries of product testing.

Because of my interest in finding a holistic approach to addressing cancer, I recently came to distribute a product called Natural Cellular Defense which is a patented liquid detoxification product made from zeolite technology, marketed by the company of Waiora. Initially it was being researched as a cancer drug, however, because it is all natural, it was instead introduced to the market as a supplement. Studies show Natural Cellular Defense has the ability to remove heavy metals and harmful toxins in a safe and effective manner as well as activate the p21 tumor suppressor gene in cancerous cells. It also happens to be 100% non-toxic and is completely safe for all ages. This natural health product alone could conceivably help alleviate the toxins and waste accumulating in the average person, responsible for many chronic diseases. But no matter how many people are helped by taking this natural supplement, we make no claims. It is not a drug.

For years I have been frustrated by the radical and harmful techniques employed when treating tumors in cancer patients and would like to see non-toxic methods given greater attention and legitimacy. There is also far too much time and effort placed on detection rather than prevention of the disease. Prevention is the key, not detection. Detection means the disease has had a chance to manifest itself and take hold. At the very least we should not be poisoning a body with toxic drugs once a diagnosis has been made.

Here is the list of potential side effects of chemotherapy and you be the judge as to whether this sounds like a viable treatment option: Low hemoglobin, low white blood cells, low platelets, infection, need for blood transfusion, need for platelet transfusion, pain, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, skin injury, heart damage, lung damage, liver damage, kidney damage, loss of hearing, small stature, hormonal problems such as low growth hormone or low thyroid hormone, infertility, second cancer, intellectual decline, worsening of neurological symptoms, ineffectiveness, and death.

To understand better the hypocrisy of cancer treatment, consider the following: One of the largest and most prestigious cancer treatment centers in the world, The McGill Cancer Center in Canada, did a study of oncologists to determine how they would respond to a diagnosis of cancer. On the confidential questionnaire, 58 out of 64 doctors said that all chemotherapy programs were unacceptable to them and their family members. The overwhelming reason for this decision was that they believe the drugs are ineffective and have an unacceptable degree of toxicity. Do you imagine these same doctors are recommending chemotherapy treatment to shrink their patient’s tumors? Yes, indeed they are, as they must if they wish to follow standard protocol. There are alternative, non-toxic treatments available to cancer patients, but you must work to find these natural treatments on your own.

Of course, you may find a natural treatment you would like to pursue only to discover the medical profession standing in the way of implementing your treatment plan. A few years ago, I came across a story which is truly heart breaking. It involves a two year old boy named Alexander who was diagnosed with the most common pediatric brain tumor, medulloblastoma. After substantial consideration and thoughtful research by the parents following Alexander’s two brain surgeries, the parents chose for their son a non-toxic therapy, proven to be highly effective in treatment of brain cancer. However, the FDA denied the parents access to this treatment and the parents were informed by their oncologists that without their state of the art chemotherapy, the cancer would soon return. Alexander completed his third month of chemotherapy in December 1998 and died on January 31, 1999. He was just two and a half years old.

For you see, the state-of-the-art chemotherapy protocol recommended by the oncologists had already proven itself to be ineffective in pediatric brain tumors back four years earlier. The exact same chemotherapy drugs provided to Alexander in 1998 had been administered to children of the same age with the same brain tumor as Alexander with similar results. Of course, the parents were never informed about the failure of this therapy. You should note that when the parents hesitated to bring Alexander in for chemotherapy the oncologists were already preparing to take control by court order. The parents wanted to use a non-toxic treatment alternative, proven to be effective, and yet were forced to use an ineffectual, toxic treatment.

I am afraid these parents may have been harmed twice over by the medical establishment for there is also the possibility that the brain tumor was caused by vaccinations containing Thimerosal, commonly used in vaccinations at that time and responsible for numerous cases of neurological disorders in children, such as autism, ADD/HD, and brain tumors.

You can learn more about Alexander’s story by visiting http://www.ouralexander.org/index.htm.

Just how dangerous is chemotherapy?

The following excerpt can be found on the University of Iowa’s website. Their protocol for dealing with “chemo spills” conjures images of a rather frightening scene of contamination because it is, in fact, a serious state of contamination. It reads as follows:

Patients and caregivers shall be taught safe, proper, handling and disposal of waste generated during continuous infusions of chemotherapy.

The following procedures should be implemented immediately if a chemotherapy leak or spill should occur:

1. Put on a pair of disposable latex gloves.

2. If chemo has spilled on clothing, remove immediately and take a shower, scrubbing the exposed skin with soap and water. Watch for redness, blistering, or a burning sensation. Contact your nurse to report the spill. She will give you further instructions if necessary.

3. Remove any and all sharp objects, placing them into your sharps container or any can with a lid such as a coffee can.

4. Soak up the spill with an absorbent disposable material, such as paper towels.

5. Disinfect the spill area with soap and water or a household cleaner such as window cleaner, 409, alcohol, bleach, or liquid carpet cleaner.

6. Put the absorbent material and the gloves into a chemotherapy waste container or garbage bag and carefully mark it. It will be picked up later by the pharmacy personnel.

7. If a spill occurs on a patient's or caregiver's clothing or sheets, these articles should be washed separately from regular laundry in hot water.

8. If a spill occurs on unprotected furniture, the area should be scrubbed with soap and water and rinsed with clean water while wearing protective chemo safety gloves.

9. Patients and caregivers should be taught to use care when handling vomitus or excretions of the patient for 48 hours post treatment and to use good handwashing technique.

Now imagine the “spill” they are referring to as chemicals that an individual with cancer will be taking into their body because that is indeed the case.

By no means do I wish to demonize the medical profession as a whole because there are many quality doctors and instances when prescription drugs may be necessary, however, I encourage caution when taking advice that will affect your health. It is important to consider the possibility that sometimes the medical establishment may be leading us down the wrong path. Natural therapies may not be able to claim to cure or treat disease but sometimes you need to just take a step back and perform your own due diligence, take a look at the results and come to your own conclusion.

Copyright 2006 Paula Rothstein

About the author:

Paula Rothstein has been involved in the natural health industry for over 10 years with a specific emphasis on promoting products and introducing lifestyle changes which address chronic diseases relating to toxic overload. For more information on detoxification, please visit: http://www.medicinefreeliving.com. Comments and questions may be addressed to: Paula.Rothstein@medicinefreeliving.com.

Lasik surgery can be great to correct your vision so that you no longer need contacts or glasses. However, just like with any other surgery, there are some discomforts that you might have. One of the most common discomforts that may occur is dry eye after lasik surgery.

You might experience dry eye after lasik surgery because your eyes are not able to produce moisture or tears any longer. When your eyes are not able to produce tears, you are likely to have some discomfort in your eyes. As a result of having dry eyes, you may also not be experiencing the quality of vision that you should be. This is because dry eyes can cause your vision to be blurry, as well as having many other vision symptoms.

Dry eye after lasik surgery can be a permanent condition that you can not get rid of. This is a risk that you take when you have lasik surgery performed on your eyes. However, dry eyes are not the only risk that is associated with the lasik procedure, but one of the more common risks.

You will know that you have dry eye after lasik surgery because your vision might be blurry, you may be experiencing itchiness and redness of the eyes, as well as having a feeling that there is something in your eye. If you are experiencing dry eyes after your lasik surgery, you may want to consider having your tear ducts blocked so that you can keep the tear film on your eye. This is also known as a punctal occlusion. The second option, is artificial tears, which will make the eye moist again, and relieve you from the feeling of dry eyes.

If you have dry eyes before lasik surgery, you may not be able to have this procedure preformed on your eyes. However, some doctors will try to treat your dry eye syndrome, before attempting surgery. The reason many doctors will not perform lasik on patients with dry is because it reduces your quality of healing after surgery.

About the author: Penni Markle has done extensive research on vision care including the development of the latest contact lenses as well as vision correction procedures. Visit http://www.thevisioncare.com to get a free newsletter on the latest vision correction and contact lens technology.

Cardiovascular disease, also known as CVD, is the number one killer of men and women of all ethnic groups in the United States. Cardiovascular diseases include such ailments as high blood pressure, arrythmia, valve disease, congestive heart failure and stroke. Though worries of more "high profile" diseases such as breast cancer are on the forefront in many women's minds, the hard truth is that one in four women are affected with some form of cardiovascular disease.

Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are things such as high blood pressure, obesity, abnormal blood glucose, and even the use of tobacco, among other factors. When caught at an early age, these risk factors can be muted to help prevent manifesting themselves as cardiovascular disease later on.

Altering your lifestyle can help to lower your chances for cardiovascular diseases. Such alterations as eating a diet that is low in fat and cholesterol, adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, drinking enough water daily, and exercising for half an hour a day are all ways that physicians suggest can assist in lowering your chances for cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular diseases are known as silent killers, as they often have no symptoms. If you think you may be having any symptoms of heart disease, you should speak to your doctor about the many tests available. Doctors often begin with simple tests, the results of which can lead to tests that are more complex.

In connection with cardiovascular disease are "extra" heartbeats, which typically happen when there is an irritation in the lower part of the heart's pumping chambers. They interrupt the normal heart rhythm, which can feel like a missed beat. This can actually be a harmless "quirk" of your body's functions, or can lead to problems that are far more serious.

If a woman has these palpitations or any other symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, or shortness of breath, she should contact her doctor right away. A complete medical history, physical exam, and other tests will be run to determine the cause of these behaviors, which can be anything from stress-related behavior to something far more dangerous. The advice and consultation of a physician where heart disease is concerned is the only way to go.

About the author:

Amanda Baker writes for http://tobeinformed.com - a website for health, fitness and wellness information.

You've probably heard the saying that if you don't like Chardonnay, it's because you haven't found the right one. Tongue and cheek sentiment aside, it bears witness to the great variety of different wines that all masquerade under the single title of Chardonnay, some so disparate as to hardly be recognizable as coming from the same grape.

Much of this is no doubt due to the staggering popularity of the wine - the more popular a variety is, the greater number of vintners the world over will produce it, each with their own personal twist or addition. This phenomenon however is hardly limited to Chardonnay, or French wines at all for that matter. Even wines with identities that are traditionally more strongly defined may vary widely from region to region.

Riesling is one such versatile wine whose complexity, variety, and cellar longevity make it more than a worthy competitor for the title of most popular white wine.

Most people probably think of a Riesling as a fruity, crisp, light wine – maybe a touch on the dry side – and it wouldn't be a bad generalization to make. However, this remarkable grape is by no means limited to such. Rieslings run the gamut from an almost dusty dryness with piercing tartness to full-bodied and nectarous. How, then, does one single name manage to include such a variety of wines? To answer the question, we must first take a quick look at the grape itself.

In contrast to the many grapes of French origin, Riesling, as the name might suggest, traces its beginnings to the somewhat cooler hills and valleys of Germany. Rieslings are surprisingly tolerant to colder climes, thanks in part to their tough, woody vines. The grapes are relatively small, and are susceptible under certain conditions to a non-poisonous mold called Botrytis cinerea. The mold causes grapes to shrivel prematurely – the end result being the characteristically sweet, tart wine which is so removed from the dry, non-Botrytis wines.

For further explanation, we return again to the factor of popularity coupled with regional difference. A Riesling grown in Alsace, France for instance is likely to be a little sweeter and with more fruit overtones than the original German variety grown along the Mosel River, unique in its lower alcohol content and intense aroma. Other producing regions are New Zealand, whose combination of a cool, maritime climate with long sunshine hours has made it possible to produce high quality fresh-tasting Rieslings and California, whose traditional Riesling style is dry and oaky (though recently Californian vintners have increasingly been returning to the original German style).

It is interesting to note that many impostor wines masquerade under the title of Rieslings which are not, in the truest sense, made from Riesling grapes. Gray Riesling, Emerald Riesling, and Welschriesling (Italian Riesling) are all related varieties of somewhat lower quality which are often passed off as Riesling. Additionally, regional wine-dialect identifies several unrelated white grapes as various forms of “Rieslings” in different wine growing communities. True varieties are sometimes referred to as German-style or Rhine Rieslings.

Finally, Rieslings are renowned as excellent aging wines. The secret is the grape's potential to retain acidity and still achieve high sugar levels. As a result, the naturally fresh flavors of a Riesling can be preserved and even improved with age as opposed to the flattening effect that can take place in wines with low acidity and high sugar.

All in all, Riesling is an exceptional grape that yields equally exceptional wines. If you've never tried one, you're missing out, and if you have, Riesling's great variety will ensure that you never need run out of pleasing new wine experiences.

About the author:

David Roberts is a wine correspondent for www.savoreachglass.com, an online resource for wine lovers.

Have you been a little lightheaded lately? If you happen to set your eyes on an object and you see it spinning, then your dizziness may lead to something serious. If your wooziness is coupled with a whirling sensation, chances are you may be experiencing vertigo. Vertigo is a medical term for dizziness that can lead to a balance disorder.

Vertigo is also known as “hallucination of motion”. Individuals having this ailment begin to see blurred motions of stationary objects. It has almost the exact feeling of being in an unstoppable merry-go-round.

It may be left untreated many times, but vertigo is actually one of the most widespread medical problems among adults. In United States alone, around 40% of individuals experience the symptoms of vertigo at least once. This fact is so reported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Studies show that vertigo is more common in women than in men and as a person grows older, he or she may experience more frequent attacks of vertigo.

Vertigo is usually associated inner ear infection, which is also referred to as labyrinthitis. Fluid-filled canals or labyrinths have very small hair cells that are responsible for sending impulses to the human brain. The brain then identifies the individual’s correct body orientation. Once the small organs in the labyrinths gets irritated, then these cells may send incorrect messages to your brain. When this happens, you would feel a sudden drowsiness. Since the ear is responsible for the body’s balance, once your ears are malfunctioning you may often observe yourself getting dizzy and out of balance.

Vertigo can also be caused by balance disorders and inflamed vestibular nerves. If you are physically injured in a part of your ear, chances are you would suffer from vertigo as well. It is important to take not that vertigo is not a disease in itself. It may be a symptom to a more complicated illness like tumor and stroke.

At the first signs of vertigo, immediately consult your doctor for proper advice. The common treatment for vertigo is meclizine. The symptoms of vertigo usually go away on its own but comes back after a few weeks or so. If you experience any signs of vertigo, never tell yourself that’s it’s just a simple headache and would soon go away. As passé as it may sound, prevention is always better than cure.

About the author:Jason Rickard is the owner of http://www.yourfavouriteshop.com - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs - Visit http://www.hapahapa.com for more articles.

The coffee table talk goes very low when you whisper, "yeast infection", but the body screams RELIEF NOW! A trip to the doctor, adverse side effects and nothing natural would be the next thought. Can there be a natural solution to a disease that each woman will suffer at least twice in her life?

Yeast infection is like a ghost waiting to scare young and older women when their body becomes out of balance due to stress, dubious partners, hormonal changes and/or immune system weakness.

A few women will elude this voracious monster but unfortunately most will be frightened at least twice in their life and others will live with a chronic reoccurrence of yeast infection.

The most important message is to recognize the yeast infection early and try an available natural remedy that you can use in the comfort of the home that is safe and no prescription required.

Natural antibiotics are always a choice that should be taken over a prescription if possible. Colloidal silver has been a patented drug and then relabeled a natural supplement. Oregano oil is also a natural antibiotic.

In addition to natural antibiotics there are two other home remedies that have been used to control yeast infection, yogurt insertion and tea tree oil. The body will always respond quicker to a natural solution and return to a healthy state if it doesn't have a compound job to do. The dual duty of the immune system would be trying to rid the body of an invasive disease while expelling man made toxins in prescription drugs that usually cause unbalanced ph in the blood and immune system.

Natural antibiotics and home remedies are not in any way the answer to all medical problems and do not take the place of a medical doctor. However taking care of your body and boosting your immune system to support good health is your everyday job. Only you know that responsibility best.

The World Wide Web has become a highway to a library of testimonials for natural disease remedies. There is an effort to suppress all natural vitamin, herbs, minerals and home remedy practice. We are a voice crying RELIEF in cyberspace from the proven archives of our word-of-mouth ancestors. We practice freedom of speech, and deny that these references are an attempt to diagnose or treat any disease, symptom or individual.

About the author:

James Zeller writes for numerous alternative health websites and blogs. Unbiased evaluation of health and diet supplements are included in most of his articles. Natural products are always best for the body and usually chosen as a last resort. http://www.n-ergetics.com.

Sciatica is a relatively common condition which is characterized by sharp pains in the leg and trouble moving. The most important thing to do when you are suffering from sciatica is to rest in bed but there are other treatments available as well.

The main cause of sciatica is slipped disks. This will generally affect the nerves in the limbs but it is the pressure on some of the nerves toward the back of the leg that causes most of the discomfort. This pressure causes sharp, stabbing pain which may come on suddenly or may develop gradually. This pain will become recurrent if the disks do not heal correctly

The vertebral or spinal disks separate the vertebrae and are made of tissue with a soft centre. This acts as a shock absorber and allows the vertebrae to be flexible so that people can bend and stretch. Sometimes, excessive back strain or even age, can weaken the outer layer of the disk, causing the soft centre to bulge and put pressure on the nerve to the leg, causing the pain associated with sciatica.

The first indicator of a slipped disk is the presence of lower back pain which may happen suddenly when bending or it may happen gradually during a period of hard work. As the disk places pressure on the spinal nerves, it creates a sharp pain that is felt in the buttock and the back of the thigh. As the condition worsens, the slightest movement such as coughing may bring on or intensify the pain. Sitting for long periods can become painful as the nerves become stretched and thereby intensify the irritation.

A person with severe sciatica may find it difficult to walk as any movement causes the pain to reappear or to become worse. Often, the only comfort for the sufferer is to lie on his or her back with the knees bent to relieve the pressure on the nerves. Sciatica caused by a slipped disk will usually improve if bed rest is undertaken.

It is now routine for health care specialists to advise two weeks of continuous bed rest with the knees and hips flexed and with weight traction to the pelvic region. If this treatment does not reduce the herniation of the disk, surgery may be needed.

As well as bed rest, painkillers may be prescribed though ordinary analgesics such as aspirin may be adequate. It is crucial to stay in bed until the disk is fully healed. To give in to the temptation to get up before this happens can be appealing but to do so will return the process to square one.

Usually, surgery is only used as a last resort. This can sometimes happen when the person has had a number of episodes where bed rest has not improved the condition. It may also be used for those who cannot take lengthy periods of time off work. However, not all disk problems are operable. Only the doctor can decide, through the use of X-rays, whether the particular condition is suitable for surgery and also the extent of surgery.

Copyright 2006 Anne Wolski

About the author:

Anne Wolski has worked in the health and welfare industry for more than 30 years. She is a co-director of http://www.magnetic-health-online.com an information portal with many interesting medical articles and also of http://www.pharmacybyweb.com which has online physicians who can help you with any questions you may have.

Childhood should be joyous and free, with long days that never seem to end. That's the way most of us remember our childhoods. Unfortunately, we forget that childhood can be just as stressful for a child as adulthood is for an adult.

For a child with asthma, that stress is often multiplied many times over. Imagine never knowing when you might suddenly be unable to breathe?

Researchers have found there's a clear link between pediatric asthma and stress. But it might surprise you to know that the link may be spiral in nature, with asthma feeding the stress, then the stress worsening the asthma, which causes more stress, and on and on. In addition, when a child has asthma, additional stress is placed on the entire household. This stress is added to the burden the child is already bearing simply by having asthma.

The most important first step to reducing the impact of pediatric asthma and stress on your child is to stick to your child's asthma treatment plan. Research among families of children with asthma has shown time and again that families misunderstand the disease and have a tendency to treat it only after symptoms have appeared. This not only puts undue stress on the child and the family, it puts the child's life at risk. By sticking with the treatment plan on a daily basis, whether there are symptoms or not, you can actually prevent the symptoms from showing up. When you drift away from the treatment regiment because your child hasn't experienced any recent attacks, you allow the symptoms to return, which then contributes new stress to the situation.

No matter how well things are going, there will always be a nagging fear in the back of your asthmatic child's mind that it can only last so long. That sooner or later something will trigger another asthma attack. Unfortunately, the more your child worries about triggering an attack, the more likely the stress from that worry will actually lead to an acute episode. Which, in turn, leads to still more stress.

Caregivers can easily be caught up in the relationship between pediatric asthma and stress as well. Caring for a child with asthma can be stressful for parents and for siblings. There's the worry that his symptoms might flare up at any time. There's the fear that an acute attack might actually take your child from you. Then there's the concern about being able to afford the treatments and required medications.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, many families with asthmatic children operate in a constant crisis mode. They coast along, pretending everything is fine, until an acute asthmatic episode strikes in the middle of the night and necessitates another trip to the emergency room. Then once the episode is brought under control, things settle down again for awhile, until the next one hits.

The best way to deal with pediatric asthma and the stress it causes is to get a working asthma treatment plan, says the AAAAI. A plan should include management of the asthma and the environment, medication, and clearly defined steps to take in case of an emergency. A solid action plan gives you and your child the confidence to handle whatever situations arise, and the confidence to know you're controlling the asthma rather than the asthma controlling you.

About the author:David Silva is the webmaster of Asthma Insights (asthmainsights.com), a website dedicated to disseminating useful information about asthma, its symptoms, triggers, and treatments.

High blood pressure, joint pains, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, heart ailments, palsy, liver ailments, menstrual abnormalities, breast cancer, female infertility, decline in libido, endometrial cancer, mental stress, blood circulation diseases like arteriosclerosis, cholelithiasis etc. These are some of the diseases which might come up with obesity. This list seems endless. But before knowing how to end obesity one must know “what is obesity?”

Whom would you consider a person to be obese? A person who has BMI (Body Mass Index) of over 30 is considered to be an obese individual. But how does one become obese? In theory causes of obesity are gene, intake of fatty foods, lacking of physical activity, food habits, laziness and endocrine problems.

What are the available remedies for getting out of obesity?

Liposuction: It is a surgical process where the fat is removed by sucking out the fat from the body by inserting a needle.

Surgery: Commonly this procedure involves surgery of stomach and intestine to lower the intake of food.

Diet Pills: Majority of the diet pills are for short-term use only. These diet pills are effective only if they are used in combination with exercises and a controlled diet.

Fat burning pills: These are short-term quick fat burning pills. But the main problem with this medication is that the results are short lived. Once the medication is stopped the fats again show up.

Exercises: It is an age old technique of obesity reduction. It is a natural process so side effects are not there.

Controlled diet program: Like exercises this too is a natural process. Here a limited amount of food is taken which controls the formation of fat in the body.

Acupressure and acupuncture: Age old technique but nothing concrete has been proved yet.

Whatever be the method of getting over obesity there is no better method than natural methods like exercises and controlled diet program. And if a diet pill like Phentermine, Adipex, Acomplia is introduced the effects would be visible within a short time period.

Apart from physical aspects obesity may also let you feel dejected, out of the world and may make an individual abstain from social gatherings. If you are obese it is time to act. Whatever remedy you choose you should always consult your doctor for his view on that remedy.

Obesity is a health risk. It may lead to a multiple of diseases in future. It is better to get out of obesity to remain away from the future diseases. Change in food habits and doing physical exercises are the cost effective and natural way of treating it.

About the author:Clarence Carter received training as a healthcare scientist. She has been working in the same field and writes informative articles, weight loss being her pet subject. To find Xenical, Weight Loss Drug, Acomplia, Cheap Diet Pills, Childhood obesity, Xenical Online visit http://www.weight-loss-drug.co.uk. or you can look for more healthy way - Check out at www.fasteasydiets.com

Beans, peas and lentels are in the legume family and are excellent food choices. Legumes are healthy complex carbohydrates, full of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber. They are a good source of protein, although they do not have all the amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that the body needs, so supplement your legumes with a variety of foods to get the complete protein your body needs.

Beans have also been shown to help lower the risk of Diabetes and heart disease. Eating a cup of cooked beans a day can lower your total cholesterol by up to 10% in 6 weeks, which decreases your risk of heart disease by 20%. The phytonutrients in beans also help lower the risk of cancer.

Canned beans will give you the much of the same benefits as dried beans, so if you don't like to cook your beans from scratch, canned beans are a good alternative.

Some people avoid beans because of the gas and bloating that beans cause. This can be avoided in several ways. First always soak your dried beans overnight, and then discard that water and replace it with fresh water before you cook the beans. If beans still cause you problems, you might try gradually increasing the amount of beans you eat over several week, to help your body adapt. You could also try the product "Beano" found in most stores. It works well for most people.

Seeds and nuts can also be an important source of healthy fiber, plus they are often satisfying and help control the appetite. Nuts and seeds are full of healthy unprocessed monosaturated fats as well.

You might also seriously consider adding bean and seed sprouts to your diet, if you don�t eat them already. The nutritional content of sprouts is many times greater than the original seed or bean it sprouted from. Sprouts have the highest concentration of nutrition per calorie than any food. They are also known for their high enzyme activity, which is never surpassed in any other stage of plant growth.

Beans are almost always a good food choice, but one exception to this is soybeans. Although soy is a popular "healthy" additive to food today, originally the Chinese did not eat soybeans as they did other beans because they knew that soybeans contained harmful substances. Soybeans contain powerful enzyme inhibitors which block the action of the enzymes the body needs for protein digestion. Even cooking them does not get rid of these substances, which cause gas and bloating, as well as other very serious problems in the body, like cancer and blood clots.

The only soy products that do not cause these health problems are the traditional fermented soy products, such as tempeh, natto, miso and shoyu (tamari or soy sauce,) since the lengthy fermentation process seems to get rid of most of the harmful substances, and allow the soy to be easily digested. All other soy products should be avoided, and definitely not used as a replacement for meat in the diet.

About the author:

By Dianne Ronnow © 2006 Mohave Publishing. All rights reserved. From "The Enzyme Health Diet Plan", a free ebook found at http://enzyme-health.com.

Dianne's FREE ebook, "Coconut Oil Diet Secrets" reveals how people are losing weight and getting healthier with coconut oil diets. To find out the secrets of coconut oil, go to the web site at http://Coconut-Oil-Diet.com now!

This article may be freely copied as long as it is not modified and this resource box accompanies the article, together with working hyperlinks.