Everyone knows that being overweight can increase our risk of serious health problems. However, most people don’t realize that not all fat distribution is equal. Accumulating fat under our arms and thighs, for instance, is more of a cosmetic concern than a cause for significant medical alarm. Yes, we are better off without it and should endeavor to remove it, but fat in these areas is more likely to make us feel bloated rather than…
The general consensus among medical professionals is that whole grains are an essential component of our diet. After all, everyone knows that grain products comprise the entire base of the United States Department of Agriculture’s official food pyramid, and that adults should consume between 6 and 11 servings of grains per day for optimum health. Surely a food group that is promoted so widely, and is held in such regard by experts, couldn’t be bad…
In 2006, Felix Grun and Bruce Blumberg, two developmental biologists at the University of California, Irvine, published a research paper about artificial chemicals known to contribute towards obesity. These chemicals, which the researchers named “obesogens,” are foreign compounds that compromise the balance and development of lipid metabolism, often by disrupting endocrine function. Since 2006, peer-reviewed studies have identified approximately 20 substances as obesogens. Worse still, at least three of these substances are commonly found in…
Manganese is a trace mineral that is present in only small amounts in our bodies. It is considered an essential nutrient and is responsible for a large number of biological roles, including proper enzyme functioning, wound healing, nutrient absorption, and bone development. Manganese is also a component of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), which helps fight cell-damaging free radicals. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, up to 37 percent of the American…
Since the beginning of recorded history, apple cider vinegar has been used as an effective medicine to remedy a wide variety of ailments. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, for instance, was known to treat his patients with apple cider vinegar and honey for serious digestive conditions. Christopher Columbus would store barrels of apple cider vinegar aboard his vessels to guard his sailors from scurvy. Even the feared samurai warriors of Japan often relied upon apple…
