Herbal Groups

Will travel for food…..vegan food!

admin — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:40:21 +0000

We’ve stumbled upon an interesting tale of a woman named Kristin that is travelling the US, purely on donations, in search of vegan restaurants. She has taken to the road in August 2011 and plans on wrapping up the cross country tour in May 2013. Her blog is filled with interesting tales from numerous locations around the US.

An excerpt from her site:
“This journey is so much more than food and travel. While these two elements are the outlying forces surrounding my desire to bound across the country, what I really want to accomplish is a lifestyle of self-discovery and nonconformity.

‎Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they have been told to. —Alan Keightley

I’m ready to shift to an ‘unconventional lifestyle,’ if you will. One that enables me to live and work anywhere in the world, take risks for the sake of risk taking, follow my whims, chase and accomplish my dreams, and ultimately live a life worth living (to me, not to anyone else).”

You can follow her at wftveganfood.com and read up on her story.

Eat More Fruits And Vegetables For Your Health

admin — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 22:20:26 +0000

A recent study noted by the Huffington Post – Healthy Living states eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can significantly improve your chances of not having a heart attack or stroke. Medications can relieve symptoms of high blood pressure and cholesterol but eating a healthy diet is the key to successfully maintaining good health. Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/03/fruits-vegetables-heart-attack-stroke_n_2232806.html

Flaming Hot Cheetos Banned!

admin — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 18:28:59 +0000

School districts across the country are banning these items from vending machines after a scourge of trips to the emergency room for kids that consumed these addictive snacks. “It’s something that has been engineered so that it is fattier and saltier and more novel to the point where our body, brain and pleasure centers react to it more strongly than if we were eating, say, a handful of nuts,” Ashley Gearhardt, an assistant professor of clinical psychology at the University of Mich., told the Chicago Tribune of junk food. “Going along with that, we are seeing those classic signs of addiction, the cravings and loss of control and preoccupation with it.”

Chemicals, it’s what’s for dinner!

admin — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:34:16 +0000

Wen you’re sitting down to dinner tonight ask yourself if any of the following chemicals seem appetizing:

propylene glycol
ammonia
azodiacarbonamide
ammonium sulfate
fumaric acid
polysorbate 80
astaxanthin

This isn’t a list of chemicals for cleaning products, propylene glycol is used for de-icing airplanes wings in cold weather, rather its a list of chemicals that are added to food or used in the production of food. Eating processed food puts these ingredients into your body on a daily basis.
Manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to save on the bottom line. Using these additives can actually make their products look edible when in reality they are nothing more than blends of chemicals to mimic real foods. Read up on the myriad uses of these products and then consider the potential for life threatening disease and health problems such as kidney tumors, chromosomal damage, artery blockage, obesity, cancer, and allergic reactions when these products are consumed.

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Is the Paleo Diet a legitimate nutritional alternative?

admin — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 22:33:29 +0000

Over the past few years a new diet has emerged that is gaining adherents and also getting detractors. It’s called the Paleo Diet and it’s based on the diet habits that are thought to have been part of the paleolithic lifestyle. The paleolithic era began 2.5 million years ago and ended 20,000 years ago. It’s thought that the humans that lived during this time transformed their hunting and gathering, and improved their tool making abilities which in turn led to larger societies and greater longevity.
The paleo diet of modern men takes what is generally thought to be how primitive man ate. Vegetables & roots, fruits, and animal meat, with a notable absence of grain are the basis of the diet. Processed foods are out. How many cavemen ate artificially sweetened candy bars? All humor aside, the paleo diet does appear to work for many people. Numerous sites detail the modern paleo diet with several twists that make it fit within our American lifestyle. We’ve reviewed many and these two stand out:

One controversial component of paleo is a lack of grain in the diet. It’s thought that primitive men didn’t start cultivating and eating grain until rather recent times on the world timeline. Scientists have discovered evidence of grain in several european diets as long as 30,000 years ago which adds a point of contention to the argument. Please review “Did cavemen eat bread?” Discover Magazine 10/2010 for a long article with arguments from both sides of the debate.
This may be a passing fad in the US or it may gain more traction and become a way of life for more and more people. Time will tell if this, and other radical diets, have a place in our society that is filled with a growing population of obese members that are looking to improve their health with food.

Prop 37 Opponents and Proponents are gaining steam

admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 22:15:06 +0000

In California Proposition 37 is heating up detractors and getting lots of coverage in the news. The nature of the proposition is to require labeling of food that contains GMO ingredients. GMO or ‘genetically modified organisms’ are food products that have been scientically modified to gain new characteristics including pesticide resistance and longer shelf live. Sounds like an easy solution to a common problem however the genetic changes are irreversable and can cause unwanted damage. We’ve rounded up a few top stories for you to inform yourself of the issues associated with Prop 37.

BPA is everywhere, even in you!

admin — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 21:21:46 +0000

Bispenol-A (BPA) is a plastic additive that is found in food storage devices. Controversy is growing over this product and it’s potential negative effects on humans. BPA is commonly found in children’s toys, and canned food. We’ve found two articles that go over potential issues with BPA:

If you’re carrying extra belly fat you could be at risk

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 21:18:35 +0000

Many men, and women, in America are carrying extra pounds in their midsection. These people can be increasing their risk for disease but not in the way you think. It’s a common misconception that extra pounds mean bad health. It is entirely possible to be considered skinny but to have too much fat. How is this possible? Visceral fat. This is the fat that is stored around organs in the body. Doctors believe this type of fat may cause irritation to the organs resulting in problems. However, large stores of belly fat are normally below the skin and not in the organs. A recent LA Times article written by Chris Woolston details several studies that show that subcutaneous fat, fat stored under the skin, is not necessarily a health risk.
Dr. Steven Grinspoon of Harvard Medical School says,”Visceral fat is linked to diabetes and cardiovascular problems even more than BMI.” So how does this compare with subcutaneous fat as a health risk? Woolston notes that people with large amounts of subcutaneous fat have large amounts of visceral fat, and vice-versa.
Reducing weight and living a healthy lifestyle is key to preventing many weight-related diseases. A low-fat, high fiber diet may help you to maintain and control your weight. Benefits of healthy living include lower blood pressure, better cholesterol numbers, and a boost in overall wellness. Make a positive change in your life today.
Herbal Groups offers an amazing natural diet aid designed to help curb the appetite of people that need more control over their eating. Click here for more details on Body Sculpt Rx and losing weight.

Woolston, C. (2012, August 25). When belly fat is a worry. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-belly-fat-20120825,0,3085657.story

Study shows organic food is not more nutritious

admin — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 22:21:10 +0000

A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Annals.org challenges the popular belief that organic food is healthier and more nutritious that conventional food. Many consumers of organics buy and use these products with the hope of achieving good health and well-being. While this is a noble pursuit it may not be the only way to go. The authors of the study state: “The published literature lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more nutritious than conventional foods. Consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.” Non-natural ingredients in food should be researched and checked carefully by the consumer before using products that contain these chemicals. Two studies mentioned in the report at Annals.org concluded lower pesticide levels in the urine of children that consume organic diets.
Exposure to pesticides and chemicals in the production process of conventional food can cause many problems including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. There have been numerous studies conducted that show the dangers of pesticides in food. Get informed and make the best decision for you. Remember, a proper well-balanced diet with a regular exercise program is the key to living a long healthy life.

Testosterone Is Vital To Men’s Health

admin — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 22:45:49 +0000

Testosterone. If you’re a male you have it flowing throughout your body. It helps you stay strong, grow facial hair, and is responsible for your sexual performance. As men age their libido may dip and their partner may question the lack of desire. Could it be Low T or Man-o-pause? It could be, or there could be an underlying cause to the low testosterone. Consider the following causes of low testosterone and see if you’re in need of help:

Injury to the testicles can cause a decrease in testosterone production.
Age – if you’re over 40 you are a prime candidate for low T.
Cancer treatments and radiation therapy.

While all of these problems can be solved to one degree or another there is one rare issue that could be the cause of your problem. Klinefelter syndrome. Dr. Henry Klinefelter was the first doctor to detail traits and characteristics of the male that contained an extra X chromosome. Often known as the XXY pattern specific symptoms can occur in some men that have the extra X chromosome. According to the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development there are “three main areas of development” that can be negatively affected by the XXY condition:

Physical Development
Language Development
Social Development

Each developmental range has several symptoms that result from low testosterone. Read the complete report here: Klinefelter Syndrome
Or visit: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/klinefelter_syndrome.cfm