Healthy Living - Food and Fitness

Want The Body? Eat Clean!

More healthy foods in this post, and I'll start with a couple of foods that are essential for healthy eyes; 

Salmon - Ideal if you work all day sat in front of a computer screen. Japanese research found that office workers reported a 54% reduction in eye fatigue, after taking astaxanthin, 5mg daily, for a month. A medium salmon fillet provides the perfect dose. 

Aubergine - Stop age-related vision problems by eating aubergines. A Columbia University study showed antioxidants found in the skin prevented the accumulation of vision-clouding pigments in later life. 


3 Quick Tips 

1. Train harder by sucking mints! Cyclists who could smell peppermint before training perceived 15% less effort, so went further, according to studies done in West Virginia.

2. Add 2 alcoholic drinks and three moderate cardio sessions into your week to reduce your risk of heart failure by 20%. But go steady, regular alcohol in-take, of 30 units or more a week, can lead to congestive heart failure. 

3. Lose an extra 33 lbs of fat if you swap running regularly for playing football, plus you can gain an extra 2kg of muscle too.

Health Benefits of Blueberries

Natural Viagra

This post focuses on 3 natural 'Viagra' products widely available to you, instead of reaching for the 'blue pill' every time. 

 L-Arginine - This amino acid increases the body’s production of nitric acid, which is proven to help maintain erections, according to the journal Neurology. “It relaxes and widens blood vessels,” says Jayney Goddard, President of the Complimentary Medicine Association, “which means your penis gets a better, more consistent supply of blood.” Giving you a better, more consistent supply of sex. 

Recommended Dose - 500mg daily

Horny Goat Weed - According to Chinese folk law this was discovered by a goatherd who noticed his male goats became sexually aroused after eating it. According to research by University of Michigan neurologists, it contains a compound called lacariin, which stimulates nerves and boosts testosterone levels.

Recommended Dose - 200mg 90 minutes before sex

Maca -  According to the journal Urology, the root extract contains ‘macamides’ and ‘macaenes’ – unique photochemicals, which restore hormone levels and boost energy in both sexes. “For men, it’s one of the most potent aphrodisiacs available – it not only helps maintain erections but also increases seminal volume, sperm count and sperm motility,” says Sarah Dobbyn, author of The Fertility Diet.

Recommended Dose - 500mg Twice Daily

Healthy Eating - Perfect Food Combinations

Perfect Food Combinations, with Huge Health Benefits

Having looked around at various healthy foods and their benefits over recent times, I came across a great article, which listed foods which were beneficial being consumed together, as well as having their own individual benefits. Below, I have listed some of the food-combinations and their benefits.

Salmon & Broccoli Pasta Bake

Salmon and Broccoli - Eat these together to fight against ageing. Sulforaphane, an antioxidant found in broccoli, is 13 times more effective of fighting the free radicals responsible for your skin losing its elasticity when combined with the selenium in fish.
Broccoli is high in vitamin C and magnesium, helping to process toxins much quicker. 
Wild salmon is beneficial for lowering cholesterol and protecting your heart. It also fights liver damage due to the omega 3 fats in the fish. 

Tomatoes and Olive Oil - Cooking your tomatoes in olive oil enhances the body's absorption of the flavanols. The skin contains 98% of it, so don't peel them. 
Flavonols shield your heart against disease and guard against infection.

Grapes and Apples - Enjoy these together to improve circulation. Barry Halliwell, a professor of nutrition at the National University of Singapore, says that the combination of the quercetin in apples and the catechin in grapes has an anticoagulant effect. The compounds fuse to make blood platelets less sticky, improving circulation.

And there you have it, a few food combos to try together, and to get healthy at the same time.

Legal-Highs Can Kill

The number of UK deaths linked to so-called "legal highs" has risen in recent years - from 10 in 2009 to at least 68 in 2012, figures show.

Legal-high Gogaine

Researchers compiled post-mortem test results for the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths. 

Designed to mimic the effects of illegal drugs, "legal highs" are chemically different enough to not be covered by the law. They are on sale openly on websites and high streets across the UK.

The chemicals - known as New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) - are made on an industrial scale in countries like China and India and then packaged and distributed throughout Europe. Suppliers can sell many of them legally as long as they write "not for human consumption" on the packets. They are often sold as plant food or bath salts.

The government says it is leading the way globally by banning new drugs quickly.

But often new versions are then cooked up and come on sale almost immediately after a ban comes into place. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction identified 73 new substances in 2012 alone.

Read more on this story, and the devastating effects it's had on one family, on the BBC news website. 

Healthy Snacks

Now, we all like a snack, or 3, during the day, and below I've listed a couple of the healthy snacking choices, and the benefits they bring to our bodies.

UNSALTED PEANUTS - Stronger Muscle - The most protein-rich nuts on the shelves. 1.8g of protein is needed per kg of body weight, in order to build muscle. A handful of peanuts will give you 20% of your RDA. 


OATCAKES - Lower Cholesterol - These can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol and even reduce your risk of heart disease. Rich in fibre. 25% of your RDA of fibre per 4 oatcakes.


APPLES - Sharper Mind - Hydration is vital for staying alert mentally, and apples contain 95% water-content. Studies in the US also show they help prevent age-related memory decline. 

Shoulder Exercises

Food For Muscle!

Next time you're out shopping, make sure to get your cupboards filled with these power foods!

SEA BASS - One fillet of phosphorus-rich sea bass contains 25% of your RDA. Research completed by The Journal of Clinical Investigation, showed that it produced nucleotide ATP, which reduces lactic acid build-up in muscles.


PINEAPPLE - Pineapple contains bromelain which breaks down protein. Research has proven that bromelain is as effective as iburofen for combating DOMS. 


MACKEREL - The Journal of Atherosclerosis Research found that mackerel slashes blood pressure due to potent anti-inflammatories, which also reduce post-workout muscle aches.

Chest Exercises

Coffee Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk

A 20-year study of around 50,000 men, completed in the US, claims that drinking 3-6 cups of coffee a day can greatly reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer, which is one of the most prolific UK man-killers. The study also claimed to reduce your risk of dying by up to 60%. And even small amounts, 1-2 cups a day, lowered your risk of developing prostate cancer by 30%.
Decaff is said to do the same as regular coffee, as it's the antioxidants and plant chemicals that help you, not the caffeine. 

Measles Global Death-Rate Down By 78%

Measles Global Death-Rates Down By 78%

The World Health Organization has estimated that global death-rates from measles dropped 78% between 2000-2012. 
New figures show that around 13.8 million deaths were prevented during this time period. Campaigns to vaccinate children, and good routine immunisation levels are said to be the reasons for such good figures. 
According to the World Health Organization, around 84% of the worlds infants receive the first dose of measles vaccine before their first birthday. 
It also says that, 145 countries have also introduced a routine second dose of measles vaccine to ensure immunity and prevent outbreaks.

Despite the great news, there are still concerns that measles remains a worldwide threat. The regions of Africa, South-East Asia, and Europe all suffered large outbreaks in 2012. 


In other latest news......

Health Experts Back Car Smoking Ban; More than 700 doctors and health experts have put their names to a letter urging MP's to back a ban in England, on smoking in a car, while children are present. 
The issue is due to be voted on in parliament on Monday.
These signatories include nurses, surgeons and doctors working for the NHS.



High Increase In UK Insulin Use; The number of people using insulin in the UK, to treat diabetes has trebled between 1991 - 2010, according to researchers from Cardiff and Bristol Universities. 
They say the increase is due to a large rise in the number of people with type 2 diabetes, using the drug.
It found that, UK insulin users increased from 136,800 to 421.300, while people with any type of diabetes rose from 1.4 million, to 2.8 million users. 

Health Benefits of Bananas

News In Brief - New Strain Of Deadly Bird Flu

Experts are said to be concerned about a new deadly strain of bird flu, that has already claimed the life of one woman in China. The 73-year old caught the H10N8 virus after visiting a live poultry market. 
Scientists who have studied the new H10N8 virus say it has evolved some genetic characteristics that may allow it replicate efficiently in humans. The concern being that it could ultimately pass from person to person, although experts say there is no evidence of this as yet.


The World Health Organisation say the globe is facing a huge 'tidal wave' of cancer, and restrictions on alcohol and sugar need to be considered. The prediction is that, by 2035, there will be 24 million people diagnosed with cancer, compared to current levels of 14 million. 
The World Cancer Research Fund there was an 'alarming' level of naivety about diet's role in cancer.


Eating too many sugary sweets, desserts and drinks can lead to increased risk in having a heart attack, according to experts in the US. 
In the study, which looked at data on sugar consumption amongst tens of thousands of people in the US, as well as death rates from heart related problems, there was a significant link to the amount of sugar consumed and heart risk. 


Check back soon for more news, and also great tips and advice on healthy living and healthy foods.