Studies done at Harvard and Cornell Universities on these polyphenols have shown a marked decline in carcinogen activity (up to 60% blocking reduction in oxidation capabilities) and even a biocide or antiseptic quality (hence the current research on green tea polyphenols and tooth and gum disease). Green tea has shown and evidenced antibacterial properties and more research in this area is needed.

Green tea polyphenols inhibit and retard cancer growth in every study and form of cancer from liver cancer to uterine and breast cancer. It is important to note, that although no cancer in these studies was completely cured, duration of survival and quality of life were increased in every circumstance. EGCG, due to its abilities to retard cancer with no known side effects is currently being researched to see if higher concentrations and / or more powerful synthetic derivatives could be used as a replacement for the current highly toxic chemotherapy.

Study after study shows a vast reduction in onset and risk of various cancers and disease. Other green tea findings included a study of smokers at the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson showing that four cups of decaffeinated green tea every day for four months provided some protection against potentially carcinogenic damage to DNA, as measured by the amount of an enzyme in the urine. Many studies have linked green tea to lower risk for breast, pancreatic, colon, esophageal, and lung cancers. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol. The polyphenols inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract, which actually helps lower the amount of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Basically, to sum this up, green tea has been proven to reduce the risk of cancer and retard the growth of cancer cells in every case and for this reason alone should be incorporated into every diet. Just 4 cups of green tea per day has been found to slow and retard breast cancer in women (Japanese scientists at the Saitama Cancer Research Institute). 4 cups of green tea daily gives the optimal amount of polyphenols for the best results.

David Maillie is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical research and can be reached at http://www.bestskinpeel.com

Your body functions in a manner similar to a car assembly plant. At that plant, a steady stream of new parts, the correct parts and parts in the right ratios to each other are absolutely necessary in order to keep that plant open for business and running smoothly.

What would happen if someone in purchasing forgot to provide that plant with steering wheels? The cars would be almost functional. But because of a single part deficiency, that car would not be able to carry out its intended function.

If this only happened to a few cars, it probably wouldn’t be a big deal. You wouldn’t see any symptoms of a parts deficiency. But what if that plant had no steering wheels for an entire month? How about year? First the plant would probably close, the community would fail. Good people would move away and the “bad elements” would most likely take over the town. The lack of balanced parts would eventually lead to dire conditions.

What happens when the cells of your body are missing parts?

You eat to provide your cells with nourishment. It’s not just about calories. That nourishment is the collection of parts every cell in your body needs to function properly. You provide your cells with parts and those parts are assembled according to instructions in your DNA to create a variety of finished products. That could include new cells, of which there are many kinds, anti bodies to fight disease, neurotransmitters to carry signals between nerves, and hormones to regulate your body.

So again, there are beneficial raw materials in foods, which our bodies use, and need, to carry out vital cellular functions.

These functions keep us alive.

These functions combat disease.

These functions allow us to heal.

These functions allow our cells to build new cells and all of the other finished materials that are necessary for normal life and optimal health.

And these raw materials are called nutrients.

We eat to give our body access to nutrients.

Sadly, our food does not contain the nutrients it once had in abundance, so it is necessary to supplement a good diet with quality nutritional supplementation to ensure that our cells do not suffer from a parts deficiency. We should still strive to have a good diet, from as many whole foods as possible, with supplementation being a means to supplement, not substitute, the benefits of a good diet.

Dave Saunders is a certified nutritional educator, wellness coach,
member of the American International Association of Nutritional Education (AIANE) and author. He is also the host of a weekly, nation-wide telephone lecture on health and nutrition.

For additional information, please visit http://www.glycoboy.com or http://www.glycowellness.com or email Dave at dave@glycoboy.com>

The researchers involved in the new study, published in Neurology (2005;64:2040-2045), wanted to build on this knowledge by determining whether a high intake of unsaturated fatty acids might be associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Monounsaturated (MUFAs) fatty acids have been shown to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol when substituted for saturated fat. Sources of MUFAs include olive, canola oils, avocados, peanuts, nuts and seeds.

One of the main forms of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is omega-3, commonly derived from fish, which have been shown to deliver considerable benefits for cardiovascular health and cognitive function. Omega-6 is also essential for human health, found in grains, most plant-based oils, poultry, and eggs.

However the modern diet is more heavily weighted towards omega-6 consumption than omega-3, an imbalance that has led to the growing popularity of the latter in fortified and functional foods and in supplement form.

The new study may give further weight to arguments in favor of the Mediterranean diet, which typically consists of foods rich in both MUFAs and PUFAs since it is based as it is on olive oil, nuts, fresh fish, fruits and vegetables. Three separate studies published this year have highlighted the heart health benefits of this diet, in lowering cholesterol levels, lowering the risk factors for heart disease and boosting longevity.

The new prospective population-based cohort study involved 5,289 people aged 55 or over, all of whom were free of dementia and Parkinson’s disease at baseline.

At the start of the trial the participants underwent complete dietary assessment, and the incidence of Parkinson’s disease was assessed through repeated in-person examination and continuous monitoring by computer linkage to medical records.

The mean duration of the study was six years, during which time 51 patients were diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Higher intakes of total fat, MUFAs, and PUFAs were “significantly associated” with a lower risk of developing the disease, but no associations were found for dietary saturated fat, cholesterol, or trans-fat.

“These findings suggest that high intake of unsaturated fatty acids might protect against Parkinson’s disease,” concluded the researchers.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects around 6.3 million people worldwide. One in ten cases are diagnosed before the age of 50.

The cause is not understood but it is thought to result from the combined effects of factors including aging, genetic predisposition, and environmental exposures. Symptoms include tremors, stiffness, slow movement and poor coordination and balance.

A study published in the Archives of Neurology (59, pp 1541-1550) in 2002 linking coenzyme-Q10 to a slowing of the progressive disability caused by Parkinson’s is thought to have been at least partly responsible for a surge in consumer demand for CoQ10, usually sourced from Japan, in the past three years. Prices are high, however, and supply is short, so the new research may present a viable alternative method of prevention.

A meta-analysis published in this month’s issue of the Lancet Neurology (issue 4, pp362-5) underlines evidence that diets rich in vitamin E could also protect against the development of Parkinson’s disease.

Mike Freije
http://www.health-shop.com

http://www.health-shop.info

Perhaps you are trying to help your child lose weight, or you feel he or she may be in danger of becoming overweight or unhealthy because of their eating and exercise habits.

If so, it is important that you consider the impact of your child’s time at school as you think about what you need to change.

As the U.S. government has studied obesity, many of their agencies have produced reports and established guidelines to help parents and school systems understand how to make important changes.

These guidelines are designed to encourage our children to eat healthy foods and get plenty of exercise.

Across the country, schools are beginning to offer more good food choices, and look at their physical education and extra curricular activities to ensure that they encourage good habits.

Of course your involvement and understanding is important if your child is going to get the right support while she or he is in school during the day.

And, you need to ensure that your child understands the importance of CHOOSING the healthy foods and participating in exercise programs, but the first step is to make sure these choices are AVAILABLE to your child.

Working with medical organizations, the USDA published a ‘Prescription for Change’, and ‘Healthy School Nutrition Environments’.

These reports were meant to be used by schools to improve their nutritional program.

Here are some of the recommendations included in those reports.

** The Serving and Dining Environment
** The Federal, State and local government must provide adequate funding for food and eating environs to support healthy eating.

** Dining space will be adequate, pleasant and socially accommodating, and will accommodate all students and staff scheduled to eat at a certain time of day.

** Serving areas will be sufficient to ensure that every student has access to meals with a minimum of waiting time, so that they have plenty of time to eat before their next class.

** The staff and administration of the school, AND the students and parents will analyze the current environment, working together to create a space that matches the needs of all parties.

Nutritional Concerns Regarding Meals and Foods

** Meals should comply with USDA nutritional standards and guidelines, and students should have plenty of food choices, with new foods introduced to keep the menu interesting and healthy.

** Food preparation and preferences should be varied enough to comply with various tastes and ethnic preferences or religious requirements.

** Additional food and drink offered, over and above meals served, e.g. vending machines and packaged ’snacks’, will represent the 5 major food groups in the Food Guide Pyramid.

**Students must have designated lunch periods, long enough for them to get their food and eat at a healthy pace.

** Lunch periods should be as close to the middle of the day as possible and should allow time for socialization and a relaxed eating pace.

** All decisions made by the school system regarding the type, variety and quantity of food and drink to be sold in the school will be based on nutritional goals and sound guidelines, NOT on the profit the school can make.

Nutrition and Health Focused Curriculum

** Kindergarten through Grade 12 classes should include education and information on healthy eating habits and the types of foods a child should eat to stay healthy and help them grow.

Now that you understand the concerns and recommendations of the USDA and the national medical organizations, go to a school board meeting and talk to the board members about what they are doing to comply with these guidelines.

If you don’t know what your child’s eating environment and food choices are, visit the school and find out. Get involved with the PTA or PTO in your school system and get to work!

Victor K. Pryles is the publisher of “Child Obesity”-What It Is & How To Cope at www.paupertravel.com/childobesity/obesity.html You can join The Puaper Book Club be sending a blank e-mail to: ilovebooks@prosender.com

So that’s the picture I painted, however, there were some facts that I was unaware of at the time, which I felt you might be interested in if you’re researching bitter orange.

In order to lay these out, I want to answer four questions:

1. What Is Bitter Orange Really ?

2. So does Bitter Orange act similarly to ephedrine ?

3. What about the reports of adverse ill effects of bitter orange ?

4. Is bitter orange safe to use and does it work ?

It’s a bit long, but what the heck !

What Is Bitter Orange Really ?:

The Bitter Orange extract found in popular fat burners, is made from the unripe fruit of the citrus aurantium tree. The fruit is picked when they are a dark green in color, halved, dried and then milled into a powder. This makes the herb Zhi Shi1. Bitter orange is the western name for Zhi Shi.

The bitter orange herb contains five alkaloids (see alkaloid definition5), the most dominant of which is Synephrine (the compound I referred to in my last article), structurally similar to ephedrine. However, while they are similar, they’re not the same.

Both synephrine and ephedrine stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and at a cellular level, affect alpha cell receptors, and to a lesser extent, beta cell receptors6. Ephedrine will affect beta(1), beta(2) and beta(3) cell receptors, however, of the beta-cell receptors, synephrine appears to only affect beta(3) cells, those believed to be responsible for thermogenesis or fat burning affects7. Beta(1) and beta(2) receptors are believed to be responsible for cardiac and pulmonary functions.

So does Bitter Orange act similarly to ephedrine ?

Does it ? While previously, I’ve presented a very black and white view of whether it acts similarly to ephedrine, I am now not so sure.

There is some confusion as to how synephrine affects heart rates and blood pressure. Intravenously injected synephrine will cause increased heart rates and blood pressure, however, orally taken synephrine does not, and synephrine contained in most herbal weight loss supplements are taken orally.

Generally speaking because synephrine stimulates beta(3) cells but not beta(2) and beta(1) cells, it can provide the thermogenic effects without the undesirable cardiac side effects that ephedrine did.

What about the reports of adverse ill effects of bitter orange ?

The American Herbal Products Association has found that there were errors in the reported adverse event reports attributed to the use of bitter orange in September 20043. The association found that numbers reported in the media were in fact duplicates for adverse event reports for ephedrine, and when all was said and done, there was really only one report of an adverse reaction attributed to a bitter orange supplement, where no other ingredient was included in the supplement. In this particular case, it involved a 74 year old woman had been taking prescription medication and two other herbal preparations simultaneously. This one case occurred more than five years ago3.

What about the 55 year old woman reported by Nykamp DL, Fackih MN, Compton AL (2004), who experienced chest pain after consuming a supplement containing bitter orange. Researchers in this case study had commented “Based on the Naranjo probability scale, C. aurantium is possibly associated with this cardiovascular event”4, however, as bitter orange was not the only ingredient in the supplement, it cannot be known whether in this case, that bitter orange was the herb responsible.

Is bitter orange safe to use and does it work ?

Now there are many others, who felt as I did, that bitter orange is another Ephedra waiting to happen, and will have the same consequences. However, when bitter orange is taken in isolation, it does not have adverse side effects.

In fact, when it is combined with other selected herbs, it may have benefits for health and weight loss. Research performed with 20 individuals over six weeks found no adverse reactions occurred when citrus aurantium was combined with caffeine and St. Johns Wort2. They also found that the individuals who were given the supplement (group A) lost an average of 2.9% body fat. “In terms of actual fat loss, group A lost a significant amount (3.1 kg), whereas the control group demonstrated a tendency toward fat loss.” So, this study has demonstrated that there are weight loss benefits involved here, but also the control group who received nothing exhibited a tendency towards fat loss, suggesting that if the study had been extended beyond 6 weeks, the control group would have lost body fat as well.

Conclusions:

2004 was not a great year for bitter orange in the media. It has successfully battled reports of adverse events alleged to be a result of consuming bitter orange. These numbers proved to be incorrect.

While synephrine the main alkaloid of bitter orange, is chemically similar to ephedrine, it is not the same as ephedrine and differs in the way it reacts pharmacologically within the human body.

Although at first look at the research, bitter orange presented with dangers that I wanted to warn against, a more in-depth look has revealed that bitter orange by itself is not dangerous. The citrus aurantium extract standardized for synephrine (3-6%) is accepted as safe7.

But hang on, before you click off this page, to go and find a fat burner with citrus aurantium in it, I do also want to say, that they can’t be used as an alternative to good food and exercise.

Herbal supplements such as those containing bitter orange can be helpful but only when used within a weight loss strategy of balanced eating and exercise, and while they may benefit some, it may not benefit others and only your doctor will be able to make that decision for you6. The results may be slower, but a balanced diet and exercise are the keys to permanent and healthy weight loss. So while bitter orange may be helpful, you can obtain the same results without it. What-ever stage you are at with your health and fitness, diet and exercise are the two most important aspects.

If you do decide you’d like to try a supplement containing bitter orange, please consult your doctor before purchasing a bitter orange product.

Essentially if you consult your doctor about bitter orange, as we say in Australia – you can’t go wrong, mate. Your doctor will be able to refer you to your nearest dietician and will recommend the best weight loss strategy for your situation.

References:

1. Jones, D., “Bitter Orange or Citrus Aurantium: same difference ?”

2. Colker et. al., (1999) Effects of Citrus Aurantium extract, caffeine, and St. John’s Work on body fat loss, lipid levels, and mood states in overweight healthy adults. Curr. Ther. Res. 60, 145 – 153.

3. American Herbal Products (2004) “FDA Spins Numbers on Bitter Orange AERs” Press Release

4. Nykamp DL, Fackih MN, Compton AL. Possible association of acute lateral-wall myocardial infarction and bitter orange supplement. Ann Pharmacother. 2004 May;38(5):812-6. Epub 2004 Mar 16.

5. Definition of Alkaloids – any of hundreds of compounds found in plants with a nitrogen atom connected to two carbon atoms, and often formed in a ring structure. Many commonly known chemicals and drugs are alkaloids, including nicotine, cocaine, quinine, morphine, and ephedrine.

6. Dharmananda, S., SYNEPHRINE:Is Chih-shih (Zhishi) Toxic? Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon. See the schematic diagram for synephrine at the bottom of the page.

7. Supplement Watch on Synephrine

Other Sites of Interest:

Supplement Watch Newsletter

About The Author

Copyright © 2004 Jenny Mathers All Rights Reserved.

Research resource for fat burning foods and supplements. Fat burning food research information allowing you to take the guess work out of fat burning.

If you are really serious about treating acne and really eliminating it at it’s source (ie the hormones that cause acne), then you owe it to yourself to try a natural acne hormone treatment which is specifically designed to equalize hormone imbalance and purify the skin from the inside out using special blends of herbs, botanicals, and/or natural compounds such as Vitamin E and Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Why Go Natural?

Because many people who have not been responsive to conventional acne treatments, or their effectiveness has worn off due to long term use, experience superior results with natural acne treatments.

Acne can actually be caused by two different hormones in women. It’s usually an overabundance of androgens (male hormones) or estrogens (female hormones). In men, it can also be caused by imbalances in male and female hormones. This hormonal imbalance triggers the breakouts by over-stimulating the oil glands on acne prone areas of the body, which then results in a clogging of the pore, hence that thing we all know and love – the pimple.

Antioxidants are also very potent as hormonal equalizers, as well as “blood purifiers”, and their properties foster an environment for mending skin eruptions as well as preventing new breakouts and promoting a healthy glow and skin tone.

Most natural acne treatments are designed to do two things:

1.) Help correct hormonal imbalances related to acne breakouts.

2.) Reduce inflammation and swelling, and pave the way for fast skin repair where breakouts have recently occurred.

Some other tips you can follow to help prevent unsightly breakouts are:

1.) Drink plenty of water. This helps to cleanse the system, and results in clearer, more hydrated skin.

2.) Avoid caffeine and caffeine-containing products like chocolate or supplements containing caffeine or other stimulants.

3.) Relax. Try a calming exercise for when you get stressed out. Stress triggers breakouts for many individuals.

4.) Avoid harsh cleansers or toners – these can only aggravate acne and cause further irritation and redness.

5.) Use a light, non-comedogenic (non pore-clogging) sunscreen. While it is true a suntan may camouflage breakouts, it mostly aggravates them by forcing further oil production due to its drying effects. Try using a good facial self tanner instead.

If you follow these few simple skincare principles, and combine them with a high quality acne treatment targeted to balance hormones and internally “cleanse”, you really can’t lose. Your complexion will thank you!

Danna Schneider is the webmaster and founder of CosmeticsGalore.com. Visit Natural Acne Pills , for more information on a very powerful natural acne remedy that has cleared hundreds of faces.

In point of fact, merely taking any old multi-vitamin or similar type of combination nutritional supplement may not be in your best interest. Rather, it is important for a person who is serious about his or her health to understand precisely how different types of vitamins, minerals and related nutritional supplement products can interact with one another.

For example, there are certain types of vitamins and minerals that enhance one another when they are taken together. On the other hand, there are other vitamins and minerals that can degrade the effectiveness of other products when taken at the time same time.

The fact that different vitamins and minerals do work together differently underscores the necessity of consulting with a doctor or qualified, certified nutritionist before you embark on a program of taking vitamins and minerals and before utilizing certain nutritional supplements. By meeting with an appropriate professional, you will be able to identify your own dietary needs. In addition, these professionals can work closely with you to determine what combination of products can best be utilized to meet your nutritional goals and objectives. These professionals can now be found in nearly any community in many places around the world. The Internet can be a useful resource in assisting you to track down a bona fide professional who can assist you with your dietary decisions and planning.

There are also some helpful resource books on the market that can assist you in determining what combination of vitamin, mineral and nutritional supplement products can best be utilized to further your own healthy living and dietary goals. These books now are readily available at most major booksellers in the brick and mortar world as well as at a wide array of different types of venues on the Internet and World Wide Web.

Regardless of the prevalence of these resource materials in both the brick and mortar world and on the Net, it remains very important for you to connect with a doctor or nutritionist in order to develop what truly is a healthy, meaningful and lasting dietary program that will enhance your life today and tomorrow.

Linda Polansky writes about Amino Acids and Chromium Vitamins

So how do you make healthy food choices, when you only have fifteen minutes to prepare your meals? Well, the first thing you should realize is that quite often, healthy choices do not necessarily equate to two hour meals. You can make healthy food choices that are as quick to prepare or pickup as the unhealthy ones.

For example, sub sandwiches are a healthier alternative than pizza or burger and fries, but do not really take any longer to pickup. Salads can be prepared in just a few short minutes, and provide for the necessary vegetable daily requirement. Don’ care for the usual salad? Make a Waldorf or fruit salad, either way you’ve changed it up a bit, and still provided a health choice. As for the dressing, oil based or vinegar based dressings are much better for you than the cream based, and are really more tasteful.

Okay, suppose salads aren’t what your kids like. What about other prepared foods that are also healthy foods? Healthy Choice is a brand of frozen entrees or meals that take only a few minutes in the microwave to prepare, and are still healthy alternatives. Baked rather than fried is always a better choice, and many supermarkets today offer baked products fresh from their bakery, ready to go.

Still aren’t satisfied? You want a place to go and actually sit down and eat. There are still many healthy alternatives for a family when going to eat at a restaurant. Restaurants that offer buffet style meals are great choices. Thanks to many of the health conscious consumers out there, buffets have added baked, broiled, and fresh food choices to the display.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are usually always available on food bars, along with broiled or steamed vegetables. Meats are just about as varied, with many of the choices being offered in a fried and baked option. And if you’re up for dessert, watermelons and grapes are just as satisfying as the Boston cream pie.

You can always throw up objections when it comes to healthy eating, the real trick is in realizing it’s your body that will suffer. Or your children that will suffer from the unhealthy choices you make. Why not start with healthy options, set the right example, and you will have children that make health conscious intelligent decisions about their eating.

Okay, now back to our Thursday afternoon juggling act. You’ve dropped Heath at baseball practice, picked Jamie up from basketball, and you have exactly fifteen minutes to make a decision about dinner. As you sit at the red-light contemplating your options, there is a Subway, a Pizza Hut, and a grocery store with a deli in the same shopping center. How can this still be a difficult choice to make?

For more great information visit Gabae Weight Loss the premiere resource for weight loss, diets, nutrition and living a great healthy life style!

Also if you’re looking for more informative articles check out Gabae Weight Loss Articles.

The coral calcium is designated to increase the immune system to be able to
fight the bacteria that can be the cause of having diseases or sickness.

Do you know what a coral is? The Coral is the oldest organism that is living
in the earth. Coral reefs and corals sands are all related to coral. Coral
calcium is definitely sourced from the shed of these reefs. There are a
number of divers that go and get some reefs in order to make dietary
supplements.

The corals have different kinds and varieties. However the most complete
coral that contains the exact composition of calcium, magnesium, potassium
and sodium is the Sango which can be located in the skeleton of a human.

Coral calcium’s main uses are to supplement the diet of a person with an
absorbable form of calcium that will protect the body from illness and
diseases as well as strengthen the body. It also increases a person’s energy
level.

A lot of individuals are just walking around having low levels of calcium
and they are not even aware of it. Until the time has come that there are
symptoms and deficiency that are already seen. Some of these deficiencies
and symptoms are white spots in the nails, fatigue, cramps, high blood
pressure, acne, arthritis, abundant cavities, and a lot more.

There are already different ways on how to intake enough supplement of coral
calcium in the body. They can be in the form of capsules, pills, powder or
liquid that can give the body absorbable calcium which will help to fight
away health problems.

The benefits of the coral calcium is that it strengthen the immune system,
allows the body to fight back all forms of infections, viruses, parasites,
and soon it will fight back cancer as researches continues. On the other
hand, the benefit that you can get in coral calcium is that you free
yourself from getting sick and infected by diseases and that is the very
first in the list.

There are still other uses of coral calcium. This is to reverse the signs
and symptoms of osteoporosis. Always put in mind that refined sugars and
foods have high oxalic acids and as a result it lessens the amount of
calcium inside the body.

People who undergo training must have a higher amount of coral calcium
supplement in their body. Most especially those people who has vices like
drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking.

Coral calcium has a perfect ratio of magnesium and calcium. This is very
effective for the maximum amount of absorption into the bloodstream. Coral
calcium is very in demand in the market today because of the benefits it
offers to the people most especially to those who are conscious about their
health. Popping a pill or capsule is not much compared to the benefits it
will provide your body.

http://www.for-your-vitamins.com/CoralCalcium.html

Many people go through various efforts to stay fit, maintain good health, and ensure their longevity. Examples of these practices include engaging in rigorous physical fitness training, eating a balanced and healthy diet, maintaining ideal weight, and employing an effective stress management procedure. It is also important to stop smoking, reduce alcohol intake, and avoid the use of prohibited substances.

Poor health can be caused by a host of different factors, such as poor eating habits, lack of exercise, stress, and excessive smoking and alcohol intake. Unbalanced intake of nutrients, for one, may cause excessive or deficient nutrient intake, which will definitely affect the body’s normal functions. These nutrients are necessary for a person’s growth, metabolism, and other functions. There are about six nutrients, which are needed by the human body in different amounts to perform its various processes. These are: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, or nutrients that are known to provide energy to the body; and minerals, vitamins, and water, or those nutrients that support the body’s metabolism.

Water, the last nutrient in the list, is sometimes called the forgotten nutrient, but it is considered as the most important. Water is necessary for the body’s growth and metabolic processes. It runs through the blood and lymphatic system, carries oxygen and distributes nutrients to the cells, and rids the body of toxins and wastes in the form of urine and sweat. If water and its other liquid substitutes are not present in the human diet, food digestion, nutrient absorption, and waste excretion would be impossible.

The human body is made up of two-thirds water. It needs eight to ten glasses of water or caffeine- and alcohol-free liquids to replace the water it loses during the day. The body’s need for water is satisfied by the intake of other drinking liquids free from caffeine and alcohol, such as juices; fruits and vegetables, which are made of 80 to 95% water; meat products, which are made of 50% water; and cereals like rice and oats, which can contain as much as 35% water.

Fruit juices, on the other hand, have been scientifically proven to give certain health benefits, provided that they are taken in moderation. Nutritionists also suggest that fruit juices should be taken in their pure state, and people should only drink 100% fruit juice. Cranberry juice is believed to prevent urinary tract infections; grape juice is believed to lower the chances of blood clots in the heart; and orange juice is believed to prevent stroke and reduce the risk of heart attacks.

Though these popular beliefs have no scientific basis to their therapeutic claims, most scientists say that many fruit juices are indeed healthy to drink. Pure orange juice, for example, is very rich in Vitamin C, potassium, and folic acid. Other fruit juices that are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and anthocynanins (water soluble pigments found in plants which act as antioxidants) include grape juice (purple), pomegranate juice, and cranberry juice. It is believed that juices that are made from fruits with rich colors such as grapes, pomegranates, cranberries, and blueberries are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. New juices from black currants and Tahitian noni have also found their way in the international market.

Recent scientific studies have also claimed that the antioxidants found in most fruits and vegetable juices can help lower a person’s risks of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances found in most plants and have the potential to help combat heart diseases and fight cancer.

Freshly squeezed juices from fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of minerals and vitamins which catalyze chemical reactions occurring in the body. These enzymes also produce the energy needed for digestion, absorption, and conversion of food into body tissues. An increased intake of fruit and vegetable juices ensures that the body will efficiently absorb more minerals and vitamins.

Another helpful benefit of fruits and fruit juices is their ability to promote detoxification in the human body. Fruits help to cleanse the body, especially those with high acid levels. Tomatoes, pineapples, and citruses such as oranges, red grapefruits, and lemons are known for their detoxifying properties. While these fruits promote cleansing, they still provide the body with a high boost of Vitamin C!

D. David Dugan is a supporter of http://health.divinfo.com, a site devoted to promoting good health, and http://retirement.divinfo.com, a site designed to provide people of all ages helpful retirement information.