Category: Quality Control (Page 5 of 74)

Apple Cider Vinegar For All That Ails You

August 30, 2012 / Staff

Apple cider vinegar has a multitude of uses to keep you healthy.

The best vinegars contain the “mother” or the starter.

Prebiotics support the intestinal flora by providing nutrients and energy to good bacteria in the gut.

Preliminary evidence suggests that prebiotics can play a role in boosting the immune system, improving antibiotic-associated diarrhea, colitis and reducing irritable bowel problems.

1. Digestion and food poisoning. Vinegar contains malic acid, which can help common digestive issues like constipation or acid-reflux. And because it’s a trifecta of antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, a tablespoon or two in a 8 oz. glass of water may even help with a case of food poisoning.

2. Sleep issues. Many people swear by a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of hot water with honey before bed, citing its sleep-inducing powers and that it promotes a more restful night’s sleep.

3. Diabetes. A 2007 study published in Diabetes Care, showed potential for apple cider vinegar as a tool to lower glucose levels. (Note that it can interfere with diabetes medication, if you are taking them. )

4. High cholesterol. Its high levels of pectin can help regulate blood pressure and lower cholesterol, showed a 2006 study done with rats.

5. Bones and teeth. Apple cider vinegar has the capacity to extract calcium from fruits, vegetables, and meat in your diet, thereby helping strengthen your bones and teeth.

6. Joint pain. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may help provide pain-relief to neck, back, and shoulder joint pain (including arthritis).

7. Detox. High levels of potassium in the vinegar work like a clarifying tonic on the body, helping clear up sinus infections, candida, sore throats, and allergies. Some New Yorkers do a cleanse with it (and clean food) instead of juice.

8. Weight loss. It won’t replace eating well and exercise, but apple cider vinegar may help you feel full longer, and some natural-health experts say its enzymes and soluble fiber can aid in fat metabolism. A study done on mice showed that acetic acid (main component of the vinegar) slowed fat accumulation.

9. Summertime bug bites. It’s an antiseptic that can soothe bug bites and skin allergies almost instantly.

10. Beauty blemishes, burns, and bad hair days. When used as a toner, it helps curbs acne and blemishes with its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Add it to a bath for sunburn relief (about a cup) and rinse your hair with it for instant shine (a few tablespoons).

Nutrition, Quality Control, Wellness

apple cider vinegar apple cider vinegar health benefits detox diabetes food poisoning cure weight loss

Energy Drink Claims Scrutinized By New York Law Makers

August 29, 2012 / Staff

Beverages just can’t seem to catch a break in New York lately.

Now the claims of energy drinks are being examined by New York law makers to protect the public from caffeine toxicity.

Teens are admitted to emergency rooms for caffeine toxicity in record numbers and better labeling and awareness could help

The amount of caffeine in beverages can range from about 80 milligrams to more than 500 milligrams, and the health risks of too much caffeine consumption include cardiovascular problems. Health officials are also concerned about the common practice among young consumers of mixing energy drinks and alcohol, since the stimulation from the caffeinated energy drinks can mask intoxication.

Excessive sugar, caffeine and herbal stimulants contribute to addiction and abuse of beverages.

Quality Control, Wellness

caffeine caffeine toxicity energy drink claims energy drinks

Healthy Snacking Is Possible

August 28, 2012 / Staff

Free Image Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhoto.net

Snacking can be a necessary part of your daily routine.

When you’re not hungry enough for a meal but need to keep up your energy until the next meal a little nibble can be crucial.

Snacking rules have changed.

Empty calories and sweet treats are no longer the standard fare to quiet stomach grumblings at 3:30 in the afternoon; prime snack time.

Indulge in snacks when you are truly hungry and not out of a habit.

But do be prepared so that you don’t fill up on empty calories and junk food.

Keep healthy nutritious foods in reach but eat only when you’re hungry and can’t make it until the next meal.

This strategy will also help to prevent you from gorging yourself when you finally do sit down to a meal.

When to snack: Just because you always grab a granola bar and coffee at 10 a.m. doesn’t mean you should. Don’t snack because it’s part of your daily routine; do it when you’re a little bit hungry.
What to snack on: Keep these general guidelines in mind when choosing a snack: 150 to 250 calories, about 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, and no more than 12 grams of fat. “Protein and fiber help you feel full and satisfied,” says Crandall. “So you shouldn’t feel the need to grab another snack soon after, and you’ll be less likely to overeat at your next meal.” Realistically, hitting all these markers with every snack is near impossible. So aim for overall balance. If one snack is short on protein, for instance, make sure your next one has a little extra. Find 19 healthy snack ideas.
How to snack: One word: mindfully. Treat each snack as a mini meal by taking one serving and, if possible, putting it on a plate, says Marissa Lippert, a registered dietitian in New York City and the founder of Nourish, a nutrition-counseling company. She recommends keeping a salad plate in your desk drawer at work. Why? We tend to associate a clean plate with satisfaction and a feeling of fullness (something an empty 100-calorie–pack wrapper may not supply).

Nutrition, Quality Control, Wellness

diet healthy eating healthy snacking healthy snacks snacking

Smoking Patterns Around The World Alarm Researchers

August 25, 2012 / Staff

Women and young people in developing countries are smoking in increasingly alarming numbers.

According to a study in the Lancet Journal, after years of anti-smoking measures have been encouraged across the world, there exists an alarming rate of tobacco use in developing countries.

Tobacco is likely to kill half of its users as there are low quit rates.

Women and young people are among the most addicted.

“Although 1.1 billion people have been covered by the adoption of the most effective tobacco-control policies since 2008, 83 percent of the world’s population are not covered by two or more of these policies,” Gary Giovino of the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions in New York, who led the research, told Reuters.
Such measures include legislation in some developed nations banning smoking in public places, imposing advertising bans and requiring more graphic health warnings on cigarette packets.

Quality Control, Research, Wellness

smoking addiction third world countries Tobacco women smoking women's health world smoking statistics

Your Heart Can Benefit From Dark Chocolate

August 21, 2012 / Staff

Free Image Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhoto.net

More good news for chocolate lovers.

Healthy antioxidants and weight loss perks aren’t the only benefits of dark chocolate.

A recent study has found that the flavanols in dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure.

There are multiple lines of inquiry into flavanols in chocolate. For instance, we’ve told you about preliminary research that has found the compounds in cocoa can inhibit the activity of a digestive enzyme and block the breakdown of fat.
The new review on blood pressure included 20 studies varying in length from two to 18 weeks. Volunteers in the studies consumed dark chocolate or cocoa powder each day ranging from 3 to 100 grams (a regular-size 1.5-ounce Hershey bar is about 43 grams). And the results? Overall, there were small reductions in blood pressure, averaging 2-3 mm Hg. (Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury.)

As always the key is moderation.

Overindulgence in sweets is not the answer.

Limited portions of dark chocolate (1 ounce daily), does the trick.