TabsMagic

espite the powerful influence of genetics, studies show that exercise can enable children to reduce obesity. According to a person’s physical makeup and metabolism, some will find it easy to remain slim whereas other people find it a constant battle to keep off the pounds.

A recent study has revealed that the correct diet, good will power but most of all regular exercise can enable those people genetically predisposed towards obesity can lose weight and keep it off. The study especially focused on teenagers.

The study was carried out in 10 European countries over a 14 month period. 753 teenagers with a variety of genetic makeups took part. 16% of the group possessed 2 FTO mutations, 47% possessed one mutation and 37% did not possess any mutation. (An FTO mutation is fat mass-and-obesity-associated gene and one FTO mutation is equal to an average 3.3 pounds weight gain.)

Of all the teenagers in the group who had at least 1 hour of daily exercise, it was found that the body mass index was very close in both the group with gene mutations and those without. The difference was only 0.17 points higher. On comparing the ones who did no exercise the difference was greater at 0.65 points higher in the gene mutation teenagers.

Jonatan R. Ruiz, the lead researcher and scientist in physical activity and fitness epidemiology at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute said, “These findings have important public health implications, and indicate that meeting the physical activity recommendations may offset the genetic predisposition to obesity associated with the FTO [gene variant] in adolescents.”

So once again a study has just confirmed what most of us know to be common sense!!

Have you ever even comtemplated making your own shampoo? I must admit I never have!!

But,people making herbal shampoo at home are claiming that it is making their hair grow faster. Although hair loss is a natural, although unwanted result of getting older, many people go to great lengths (excuse the pun) to stop it disappearing. Several herbs have been discovered to help in reducing the extent of hair loss and actually encourage healthy hair to grow faster.
 
Natural herbal shampoos work by enabling the herbs to be absorbed into the scalp and it is the effect of these herbs that lead to hair growth. The reason why homemade shampoos are proving more successful over their commercial counterparts is because they do not contain the damaging chemical agents that the commercial one does.
 
The main advice given to anyone wanting to get their hair back is to clean their scalp with a mild cleansing soap that does not contain any petroleum products. Castile is recommended. Essential oils or herbal tinctures can then be added so long as they are alcohol free. Add one teaspoon to the soap base. You will be able to get these from any health store.
 
If you are making a shampoo for more than one session, then make a volume of soap base and add the herbal tincture, herbal nettles (dried is fine) or Rosemary to the base and store it in a glass container. When taking a shower it is wise to take the amount of shampoo needed in a separate plastic container into the shower with you, sop as to avoid the chance of breaking the glass.
 
As homemade shampoo is totally natural and has no preserving chemicals it cannot be kept at room temperature .

So thats the report- its healthier- and cheaper to make your own shampoo, I will be trying this and will report back, and i hope that some of you will do the same and let us now?

A study has revealed that bone fracture risk is reduced by taking Vitamin D and calcium supplements. The study involved almost 70,000 patients from all over Europe and America. The study especially revealed that the benefits were applicable to all people male or female, young or old and those who had or had not experienced a bone fracture in the past.

Although the study was first published in 2006, it has only just been made available online on the British Medical Journal’s website.

Professor of internal medicine at UC Davis and a joint-author of the journal article, John Robbins said: “What is important about this very large study is that it goes a long way toward resolving conflicting evidence about the role of vitamin D, either alone or in combination with calcium, in reducing fractures.”

He further added that “Our WHI research in Sacramento included more than 1,000 healthy,
postmenopausal women and concluded that taking calcium and vitamin D together helped them preserve bone health and prevent fractures. This latest analysis, because it incorporates so many more people, really confirms our earlier conclusions.”

Researchers working at Denmark’s Copenhagen University led the study that analyzed results obtained from seven big clinical trials that were conducted around the world. Each study was aimed at determining whether just vitamin D on its own was most effective at reducing fractures in people 70 years old or more or whether the addition of calcium made a difference. No benefits of vitamin D supplementation alone were found.

Summing up, Robins said that “This study supports a growing consensus that combined calcium and vitamin D is more effective than vitamin D alone in reducing a variety of fractures,” and that “Interestingly, this combination of supplements benefits both women and men of all ages, which is not something we fully expected to find. We now need to investigate the best dosage, duration and optimal way for people to take it.”

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has discovered that 92% of mothers are duped by artificial food labeling. Only 8% of mothers rejected all claims made by food companies on their packaging labels. This was the result of mothers being shown a variety of slogans that are found on popular foods that kids eat. They were asked if the label meant the food was healthy to eat or not. The BHF chief executive, Peter Hollins, said: ”Mums are having the wool pulled over their eyes by food manufacturers,” adding that ”Smoke and mirror tactics means that foods targeted at children and high in fat, salt and sugar are being disguised with partial health claims suggesting they’re a healthy choice.” Such slogans such as ”a source of calcium, iron and six vitamins’,” can be found on the side of milk bars and Coco Pops ceareal when in actual fact they contain more sugar and saturated fat than a chocolate cake. ”Regularly eating these types of foods could have serious implications for kids’ future health.”,” says Peter Hollins. Nestlé’s Honey Shreddies are described as ”wholegrain” and can ”keep your heart healthy and maintain a healthy body”, despite the fact that a serving of 45g contains 13.6g of sugar. A ring doughnut has 9.2g. The answer says the BHF is for the traffic light labeling system to be used by food manufacturers on the front of the products. ”Partial health claims and the mish mash of food labelling systems serve only to confuse shoppers about the nutritional value of what they’re putting in their shopping baskets,” said Hollins. He gave a clear message to food manufacturers by saying: ”It’s time for food companies to stop making excuses, support one system and ensure shoppers are given ‘at a glance’ information about the foods they’re giving their kids.”

This is the recently published list of all the disorders that a banana a day can help overcome!! Pretty impressive really!

So Bananaman really had it right! There are so many benefits of fresh fruit and veg that often get swept under the mat especially at snack time when the biscuit tin seems to be calling….

So do you eat yours? And do you insist that your family get theirs? May be worth a trip to the local grocers..

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier. 

PMS: Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. 

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia. 

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.  

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England  ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert. 

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. 

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system. 
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief. 

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness 

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation. 

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. 

Overweight and at work? Studies at the   Institute  of   Psychology  inAustria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips.. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.. 

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases.. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach. 

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a “cooling” fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In   Thailand  , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature. 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan. 

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal. 

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance.. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack. 

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%! 

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

Yoga for Kids is taking off in the UK, with the rising obesity levels linked to inactivity in children, this is surely a good thing?

Britain is also experiencing an increased interest in yoga for children. One such programme is called Yoga Bugs. Founder and director Fenella Lindsell recently turned down a £200,000 funding offer from the Dragons on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den. She works with children up to age 13 and has 40,000 of them taking her classes via the franchises she is licensing.

She says the way to keep the little ones interested is by asking them questions at the same time as they are doing the class…..that way she can keep their attention……..and a bit of education at the same time!

Fenella adds, “Yoga is truly holistic. Children get physical, emotional and mental benefits from it. Sporty ones can improve their performance. Not-so-sporty children can find a flexibility they didn’t know they had,” adding that “We also teach the techniques to teachers, who use them in short bursts throughout the day in order to calm children down, or energise them.”

Sosend them off and await the return of a calm and relaxed vibe!!

I attended a Birth and Beyond evening run by LifeDesignslast Thursday as an exhibitor. It was not until I really got to talking to the expecting ladies that I really realised how unsure many of them were feeling about the effect that the pregnancy would have on them both physically and mentally. It also dawned on me just how much I can help in both aspects.

Physically, massage reduces chance of stretch marks, makes the muscles more flexible and able to stretch in labour, thus aiding the recovery process and limiting the muscle damage done. personal training helps limit the loss of muscle tone during the pregnancy and keep the overall health and fitness of the individual to again aid recovery afterwards. Nutritional advice works to optimise the diet during pregnancy to ensure the baby is being provided with the best possible chance of a healthy start, and lessen the problem of gaining ‘baby fat’ for the mother.

Mentally, massage relaxes the body and mind, exercise releases happy hormones and good nutrition helps you stay above stress. All three keep you bodies energy levels high and lower the chance of post natal depression.

Pregnancy must be pretty terrifying for the first time mother, so it must be good to know that there is help put there!!