The Benefits Of Seaweed: Its Vitamins And Importance To Your Overall Health

Today, many of us have eaten seaweed in one form or another. However, you might be surprised to find out how many vitamins it offers and how vital they are for our general health. Seaweed also has an abundance of minerals, but I'll cover that in another article. For now, lets see what vitamins seaweed offers us and the impact it has on our overall health.

Vitamin A

• Cell Growth, Repair, and Immunity - Helps your body fight illness from viruses and bacteria. It strengthens areas of your body which are vulnerable to them such as the mucous membranes near the eyes and nose which is how viruses and bacteria can enter your body which can lead to illness.
• Vision and Eye Health - Helps fight against glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts, along with other illnesses of the eyes which you may become vulnerable to as you get older.
• Cancer - Is considered to be a strong antioxidant and is thought to prevent development of certain varieties of cancer and pulmonary diseases.
• Bones - Since Vitamin A plays a significant part in the growth of new cell tissue, it also helps ensure bone health by replacing damaged tissue. It also helps the formation of dentin on your teeth.
• Prevention of Urinary Stones - Vitamin A creates a mineral called calcium phosphate that prevents solid particles from forming within your body. These particles can form stones and can cause vomiting and pain.
• Helps to Maintain Healthy Skin - Vitamin A is an antioxidant. Free radicals damage the skin, which is why antioxidants are important in maintaining healthy skin. It will protect it from wrinkling, pimples, dryness, and psoriasis.

Vitamin B1

Is also commonly known as Thiamine or Thiamin. B1 is important for maintaining a healthy nervous system. In addition it will help to convert the food you eat everyday into energy your body uses to function.

Vitamin B2

Also known as Riboflavin. Vitamin B2 also helps convert food into energy. As a matter of fact, every B vitamin aids in the conversion of food into energy. However, B2 is also responsible for breaking down fats and proteins. In addition it helps in the production of hormones and helps red blood cells to stay healthy.

Vitamin B3

Is typically known as Niacin. It also helps in converting food into energy like all the B vitamins. It's also responsible for helping your nervous system to continue functioning properly, assists in maintaining a healthy digestive system and assists in blood circulation.

Vitamin B6

Helps prevent heart disease, aids in the production of antibodies to fight infection, viruses and bacteria. Like B3, it assists in the maintenance of your nervous system. It also assists in keeping red blood cells healthy. Similar to many of the B vitamins, it also converts food to energy.

Vitamin B-12

Is also known as Cobalamin. B-12 is known to assist in preventing heart disease, strengthen the immune system, keep red blood cells healthy and like all the B vitamins we've mentioned, it assists in converting food to energy.

Vitamin C

Is another vitamin that has a host of positive affects on your health. There's also evidence that it helps to raise good cholesterol generally known as HDL. HDL helps to eliminate fatty deposits from arteries, which reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. It's also an antioxidant like Vitamin A. It also promotes strong teeth and bones, healthy skin and gums, helps wounds to heal and strengthens blood vessels.

Vitamin D

Aids in bone growth, strength and also helps to strengthen teeth. It also boosts the activity of the natural killer cells in your body. These cells are responsible for targeting other cells that are infected by viruses. Vitamin D also plays a role in the rejection of tumors. It also helps lower cholesterol. Low levels of Vitamin D can lead to increased blood pressure and increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin E

Is known as an antioxidant like Vitamins A and C. It protects cells from the negative affects of free radicals. It can help to strengthen the immune system. It also helps create red blood cells. In addition it widens blood vessels, which prevent blood clots.

We take vitamins for granted, but they're vital to the proper functioning of our bodies. As you can see, seaweed has an abundance of them. Maybe it's time you thought about including it in your diet more often?

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Simple Tuna Salad Recipe You Can Make Before Work

Not only is this a simple tuna salad Mediterranean style, but it is also an extremely healthy one. No processed ingredients are used and best of all, the top stays firmly on the mayo jar! This recipe will provide enough for several large plate servings where it is the main attraction or for many more where it is part of a larger catering operation such as a buffet. Of course if it is just for yourself then scale back accordingly. This salad is best made before going to work as the flavors really intensify while it is stored.

Photo: Taste.com.au

To make the dressing:

• 4 Tb good olive oil.
•  Juice of 1 whole lemon.
• 1 Tb Dijon mustard. 
• A few finely chopped tarragon or basil leaves, to taste, or 1 ½ tsp dried tarragon or 1 tsp dried basil.
• Fresh ground pepper & Kosher salt to taste.

Then Stir dressing into a salad mix made up of:

• 2 finely shredded medium sized carrots. 
• 24 oz canned tuna, drained and crumbled. 
• ½ bell pepper, chopped. 
• ½ small onion, chopped. 
• ½ c pitted and chopped olives. 
• 2-4 oz crumbled Feta cheese. 

The salad can be eaten immediately after preparing but the combining of all the different flavors is the thing that really makes this dish work. Admittedly it is a little bit more involved than just slapping some mayo and the contents of a tin of tuna into a bowl and stirring in some chopped onion but your taste buds will really thank you for the small amount of extra effort. Serve on a bed of crisp lettuce or with cut tomatoes. 

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Sage Herb Benefits And Information

Herbs were widely used by our ancestors long time ago and now, they still hold the same value as before. Herbs are very popular especially in the kitchen. They are used for various reasons. Mostly, they are added to dishes to make them more flavorful and aromatic. Some like to grow herbs indoor because of their beautiful foliage and fragrance. In addition, herbs contain properties that make them excellent remedies for common ailments.

Sage herb is one of the most popular herbs around. Herb lovers prefer using sage and growing them at home.

Here are some information that make sage herb one of the most favorite herbs around:

It has a unique history
It symbolizes domestic virtue, wisdom, skill, self esteem, longevity, and good health. It is also believed to possess some magical powers that can help protect those who grew them in their homes. People of long ago planted sage herb to ward off evil spirits with its strong scent.

It is easy to grow
Sage herb is one of those herbs that thrive in warm climates. You can grow them in your backyard garden where they can have lots of sun. Just make sure you keep the soil moist to help your sage grow faster and healthier.

It can be used fresh or dried
Nothing can be more delicious than having fresh sage added into your recipe. Sage has a strong pungent odor that can tickle your taste buds. On the other hand, sage still retains its aroma and flavor even if it is dried.

Benefits of Sage Herb:

It has culinary value
One of the main reasons why people love sage herb is that it can be used to add flavor to your favorite dishes. It can be sprinkled over your dishes or add in your chicken or turkey stuffing. It also gives off a wonderful aroma that can make mouths water.

It has aesthetic value
If you want to have a purposeful plant in your house, you should consider growing sage herb. It comes in various colors of pink, fuchsia, purple, blue, white, and red foliage. The attractive colors of sage herb can add color to your kitchen and yards. Placing them in pots of different colors, shapes and sizes can surely make them beautiful ornaments in your home.

It has medicinal properties
Studies proved that it contains antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties which make it an excellent remedy for some common illnesses. Long before the production of toothpastes and gargles, sage herb was used to clean the teeth and keep the mouth fresh and protected against harmful bacteria that can cause sore throat or inflammation of the gums. It is also used to treat upset stomach, excessive sweating, and colds.

Knowing the important information and benefits of the sage herb will help you realize just how useful it is. It has a rich history, it can be grown easily, and can be used fresh or dried. It can also be used to decorate the house, enhance the flavor of food, and of course, as medicine for some common ailments.

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The World Of Vegan Protein Sources

In today's world, Vegan is getting to be a very popular word. We hear more and more people around us using it, and turning into vegans. This surprises a lot of people, since the vegan lifestyle is very restrictive, and many vegans struggle to get the right amount of protein. With the limited vegan protein sources out there, are vegans able to get all of the nutrients required for a healthy diet?

Vegans are people who do not eat meat, or any other animal byproducts. This includes eggs and dairy. While it can be very difficult, it is possible for vegans to get enough protein in their diet. They just need to find the right combination of foods. The problem is that most sources of vegan protein are not complete proteins. The body requires a variety of amino acids to function properly, and that means that you need to be consuming complete proteins. The opinions out there are mixed, but most nutritionists today are saying that it is OK to get the various amino acids from a variety of sources, spread throughout the day. It is ideal to get them all together, but as long as you are getting them, your body will get what it needs. This is why it is very important to make the right food choices, especially if you have the restrictive diet of a vegan. Some good amounts of protein can be found in certain fruits and vegetables. Be sure that you are consuming a variety of green vegetables, beans, lentils, grains and nuts.

Here are 3 of the most popular foods that are a great vegan protein source, as well as delicious.

1. Beans and Lentils: These foods are an excellent source of vegan protein. Black beans, kidney beans, chick peas, vegetarian chili and lentils can give you grams of protein when eaten in the right amounts. A cup of kidney beans would approximately contain 13 grams of protein.

2. Grains: Whole grains are packed with protein. Many vegans go with brown rice, barley, oats or even whole grain breads, but the one that tops it is quinoa. Quinoa is a complete protein, and if included in ones diet makes an excellent vegan protein source. A cup of cooked Quinoa may contain around 18 grams of protein.

3. Soy products: Soy can be consumed in various different ways including, soy milk, soy nuts, soy ice-cream, soy yogurt, soy cheese and the list can go on. Tofu is easily available in grocery stores, is very inexpensive, and is a valuable vegan protein source. Tofu can be eaten just the way it is or incorporated with any seasoning to make a delicious healthy meal. It also contains calcium and iron. Half a cup of tofu might have up to 10 grams of protein and a whole cup of soy milk contains 7 grams.

Even with the various sources of vegan protein out there, many vegans really struggle to create a truly healthy diet. While there are many different vegan protein sources out there, most of them do not provide you with the complete proteins that you need for your body to work it's best.

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7 Ways To Beat High Cholesterol Safely

The term high cholesterol refers to a high concentration of cholesterol, a waxy fatty substance, and other lipids (fats) in the bloodstream. This condition is a known risk factor for heart disease.

The most common doctor-recommended treatment for high cholesterol is a statin drug. Statin drugs are accompanied by numerous side effects. There is no research proving the drugs are beneficial for people who do not have ongoing heart disease.

However, normalizing your cholesterol will definitely improve your health. Fats in the blood make the blood thicker which raises blood pressure and puts stress on the arteries, as well as the heart. Here, you can learn more about why high cholesterol happens and how it can be helped.

Why High Cholesterol Happens

High cholesterol results from a combination of factors including unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity. Excessive alcohol intake and smoking cigarettes also increases cholesterol levels.

When it comes to diet, dietary cholesterol such as that found in eggs and shrimp, has less of an effect on blood cholesterol levels than saturated and trans-fats. Trans-fats are man-made fats found primarily in processed foods. They are listed as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils on ingredient labels. Efforts are being made to eliminate trans-fats from processed foods but currently they are still present in many foods. Diets high in trans-fats are a separate risk factor for heart disease.

Cholesterol is also produced by the liver because it is an essential component of the body's cells. This means that cholesterol, itself, is not bad. Excessive cholesterol is the problem.

When there is too much cholesterol in the bloodstream, it is taken back to the liver for reprocessing. The liver may attempts to "dump" some of it through the digestive system. But this dumped cholesterol can get reabsorbed into the bloodstream. So, there are multiple pathways for cholesterol to get in your blood.

You may have seen commercials for statins saying that high cholesterol happens because of your family history. There is a condition called familial hypercholesterolemia that must be treated with drugs. In the condition, the liver produces excess cholesterol for unknown reasons. But the condition is rare. You probably don't have it.

How High Cholesterol Can Be Helped

It has been proven without a doubt that high cholesterol can be helped without drugs. The methods for lowering cholesterol that work safely include:

1. Increased physical activity - exercise raises good HDL levels which in turn lowers bad LDL levels and total cholesterol counts
2. Eliminating trans-fats from the diet
3. Reduced intake of saturated fats and total fats - a low-fat diet
4. Quitting smoking - smoking affects the liver and causes it to produce more cholesterol
5. Limit alcoholic beverages
6. Eat more fiber-rich foods such as oatmeal and whole grains - fiber absorbs and carries cholesterol out of the body
7. Take a good dietary supplement to maintain healthy cholesterol levels naturally

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