Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure

It seems like everywhere you look, there’s a new pill or medicine that will ‘instantly cure’ your sickness, disease or health issue.   

And while taking a pill to cure what ails you might be convenient and simple, maybe it’s really time to sit down and take a good, long look at what you’re feeding your body, or as it might be, not feeding your body.   

Are you truly giving your body the nutrients it needs to take care of itself? 

 Most of us find when we take a look at what we’ve been eating that the choices we’ve been making in the name of convenience, simplicity, or saving time have actually been detrimental to our overall health – body, mind and spirit.  
 
Our modern day diet largely consists of excessive consumption of starch, sugar, fried and fatty foods. 

As a result, diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s and some cancers are becoming more and more common.

Healthy foods and good nutrition can not only help keep you fit, but treat disease as well. 

You may not even have to go to a health food store. 

You can purchase them right at your grocery store, or make a trip to your local farmer’s market. 

And if you focus on basing a healthy, well-balanced diet on the 14 “Superfoods,” the detrimental effects of these diseases can be slowed, stopped or even reversed. 

And when you nourish your body physically with these nutrient-dense foods, your mental capacities increase, and your spiritual wellness is enhanced as well. 

 In addition, since your spiritual health is optimal, it will shine through to the outside, and people will notice you’re happy, calm, and that your stress levels have decreased dramatically. 

So look for ways to cut the junk out of your daily eating and replace it with members of the Superfoods group.  Your body, mind and spirit will all be healthier as a direct result.

Some Nutritional Hope For Schizophrenic Patients Explained

Schizophrenia is a difficult malady, both to diagnose and to treat. It’s defined as any of a group of psychotic disorders usually characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations, and accompanied in varying degrees by other emotional, behavioral, or intellectual disturbances. 

Recent research suggests that those who suffer from schizophrenia could benefit from incorporating more B3 (niacin), essential fatty acids (EFAs) and eating more whole grain carbohydrates to help level out blood sugar levels so that bouts with hypoglycemia are lessened. 

Food sources high in niacin include light-meat chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, enriched flour, peanuts, and fortified cereals. 

Niacin is an important player in the digestion process, and it aids in converting food into energy. 

Therefore, it also plays a role in the essential fatty acid metabolism of the brain, processes of which are disrupted in schizophrenia. 

Because these processes are disrupted in the brain, it’s imperative that essential fatty acids are a base in the diet of a schizophrenic patient.  

 Since they can’t be synthesized by the body, they must be obtained from food. Look to fish, shellfish, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, dark green leafy vegetables and walnuts for EFAs.

 Essential fatty acids play a part in many metabolic processes, and there is evidence to suggest that low levels of essential fatty acids, or the wrong balance of types among the essential fatty acids, may be a factor in a number of illnesses, including schizophrenia.

Some schizophrenic patients also suffer from bouts of hypoglycemia, which can be greatly helped by choosing healthy, whole grain carbohydrates such as whole grain breads and pastas, as they help the body maintain a steady blood glucose level.   

Other research shows that some schizophrenic patients suffer from food allergies that greatly affect their thinking and behavior.   

For this reason, keeping a detailed food journal and paying close attention to moods and thinking patterns after eating is imperative.

Research has also shown that some schizophrenic patients suffer from high levels of copper, an essential metallic element that can adversely affect the brain in high doses.   

Vitamin B6, found in bananas, turkey and spinach, as well as zinc, found in red meats, peanuts, chickpeas and almonds, can help remove excess copper from the body.