Author Archives: Lily Kiswani

About Lily Kiswani

I am an Integrative medicine practitioner. I transitioned into Integrative medicine after three decades of Gynecology practice and Endoscopic surgery. I was the first female Laparoscopic surgeon in India. I have co-authored a textbook, Endoscopic Gynecologic Surgery, available on Amazon. Now, after all these years, with the realisation that I can help people regain their lost health, I find myself inordinately excited and blessed to have this opportunity.

6 Daily Gratitude Habits That Will Attract More Abundance and Joy into Your Life

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gratitude-rock

6 Daily Gratitude Habits That Will Attract More Abundance and Joy into Your Life

“There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”
– Mother Teresa, Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to experience  joy, love, and appreciation every day of the year? How would it change your life if you did?

Gratitude attracts more good things to be grateful for

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
– Oprah Winfrey

Appreciation is one of the highest emotional states you can experience. When you cultivate gratitude, you’re able to feel true joy and contentment, no matter what you have or don’t have in your life. And since the Law of Attraction states that like attracts like, when you’re grateful for what you already have, you will naturally attract more for which you can be grateful.

However, many people find that it requires great diligence to cultivate a persistent attitude of appreciation. That’s because we’ve been culturally conditioned to focus on what we don’t have, rather than appreciating what we’ve already received or achieved.

To help you combat this conditioning, here are 6 simple tips on how to make gratitude a natural part of your daily routine, so you can attract more joy and abundance into your life all year long:

1. Take 7 minutes each morning to write down everything you appreciate in life

Starting your day this way primes you to be receptive and grateful for everything your day will bring. It also helps you cultivate an air of positivity that makes you naturally more attractive to other positive people – and inspires them to want to help you achieve your goals.

2. Make a conscious effort to appreciate at least 3 people every day

By letting people know how much you appreciate them, you increase their own sense of appreciation and self-worth, and encourage them to pay this positive energy forward to other people.

While most people enjoy receiving verbal appreciation, written notes are also nice because they can be saved and re-read.

3. Play the Appreciation Game

Set a specific time each day to consciously appreciate everything you encounter. An ideal time to do this is on your way to or from work. Appreciate the people you pass, the road you walk on, the cars that let you merge into a different lane, the street signs that make it easy for you to know where you’re going, the rain that’s nourishing the plants and trees, and so on.

Look for the good in all situations – even those you would normally view as negative. As the saying goes, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” For example, when my wife was in a car accident a few years ago, she could have chosen to berate herself or question her judgment. Instead, she focused on her gratitude for suffering only minor injuries and for the help she received from other drivers.

4.  Carry a physical token of gratitude in your pocket, such as a heart-shaped stone, crystal, or some other small item

A physical reminder can bring you back to your practice of gratitude when your mind has drifted elsewhere. As you reach into your pocket throughout the day and feel the token, use it as a reminder to stop, breathe and take a moment to fully experience the emotion of gratitude. The more conscious effort you put into seeking it out, the easier it will be to find it – and the more powerful your experience will be.

5. Remember to appreciate the smallest blessings

The best way to activate your gratitude is by acknowledging the gifts most people take for granted. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes in your closet and a roof over your head, you are better off than 75 percent of the world’s population.

If you eat three meals a day, you are far better off than the 1 billion people on the planet who eat once a day at most.

Do you have a phone?  How about a car that allows you to travel to work or to explore the country? Is your family healthy? Do you have a computer and Internet access to stay in touch with the world, get access to education, and perform work for which you are paid? Do you have clean water to drink?

Celebrate these simple blessings. These daily conveniences are gifts that most people in the world do not enjoy.

6. Appreciate yourself

Finally, don’t forget to appreciate your OWN positive qualities and accomplishments. In addition to celebrating your big successes, acknowledge your small daily successes too. We all need acknowledgement, but the most important acknowledgement is that which we give ourselves.

One of the most powerful ways to acknowledge and appreciate yourself is by doing the Mirror Exercise. This powerful exercise requires you to appreciate yourself for the day’s accomplishments while talking to yourself in a mirror.

It may not feel natural at first to focus on appreciating what you already have, but by faithfully practicing the Daily Appreciation Habits outlined in this article, you’ll begin to change your conditioning.

To kick-start your daily gratitude practice, take a few moments to share at least three things for which you’re grateful for in the comments. Even the smallest act of gratitude will have a positive impact on your life.

Thanksgiving challenge: Tell me what you’re grateful for right now!

I look forward to reading what you share!

 

Deskercise! 33 Smart Ways to Exercise at Work

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EMILY MILAM

Recent research suggests that the recommended 30 minutes of cardio five times per week may not undo the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle .

So what’s a worker chained to his or her desk to do? Luckily short bouts of aerobics, strength exercises, and stretching in between conference calls and Gchats can help improve fitness levels and heart health . While these deskercises, or desk exercises for the cubicle-bound, won’t promise Olympic mile times or six-pack abs, they might just improve strength and burn a few extra calories to boot.

Cardio

1. The Twinkle Toe: Tap into your inner Fred Astaire by speedily tapping those toes on the floor under your desk. Or graduate to a harder (and less inconspicuous) move: Stand in front of a small trashcan and lift up those legs to tap the toes on its edge, alternating feet, in soccer-drill fashion.

2. The Stair Master: Want to avoid elevator small talk in favor of elevating the heart rate? Take the stairs! Accelerate on the straight-aways and take two at a time every other flight for a real leg burn.

3. The Slog, Then Jog:  Pop up from your chair  and jog in place. Willing to huff and puff a little more? Pick up those knees! Continue for one minute, return to spreadsheets, and repeat.

4. The Celebratory Split Squat Jumps: With feet hip-width apart, step the left leg back two feet and balance on the ball of the foot. Next, lower into a lunge, and then accelerate upwards in an explosion of celebration. While in the air, switch feet so that the left foot is planted firmly in front and the right leg is now behind. Repeat 10-12 times on each side.

5. The Cubicle Wanderer: Walking during work is totally underrated . Take a stroll down the hall to catch up with coworkers or welcome a new employee.

6. The Mover and Shaker: Release stress and spark some energy with a quick bout of seated dancing when no one is looking!

 

Butt and Legs

7. The Wall (Street) Sit: Wall sits are great for building strength and endurance. Standing with your back against the wall, bend the knees and slide your back down the wall until the thighs are parallel to the floor. Sit and hold for 30-60 seconds. For some extra burn, try crossing the right ankle over the left knee, hold for 15 seconds, then switch!

8. The Last Man Standing: Sure, standing around isn’t exactly traditional exercise, but research shows it’s got more than a leg up on sitting. After all, long periods of sitting are linked to increased risk for diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease, whereas standing significantly increases your daily caloric expenditure . Stand whenever you can, and consider roping in other coworkers to have standing meetings too!

9. The Patient Printer: Why lackadaisically stand by the printing pages when you could be sculpting your calves with calf raises? Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, press up onto the tippy toes, pause at the top, then lower back down. Repeat for three sets of 12-15 reps, or until the printing, faxing, or scanning is done. Ready to level up? Try raising only one leg at a time.

10. The Silent Seat Squeeze: Believe it or not, some deskercises can be kept under wraps, and this isometric glutes exercise is one of them. To start toning, simply squeeze the buttocks, hold for 5-10 seconds, and release. Repeat until the agenda wraps up or the glutes tire. The results will be uplifting in more ways than one.

11. The Seated Leg Raiser: When pay raises are nowhere to be seen, consider the leg raise. (Bonus: they’re hardly noticeable underneath the desk!) While seated, straighten one or both legs and hold in place for five or more seconds. Then lower the leg(s) back to the ground without letting the feet touch the floor. Repeat (alternating legs if raising them separately) for 15 reps. Underwhelmed? Loop a purse or briefcase strap over the ankle for added weight, or for more of an abs workout, add a crunch.

12. The Desk Squat: Mastered the art of standing around? Add a squat! Start standing with feet together (and the desk chair pushed out of the way). Bend the knees slightly so the thighs are almost parallel to the ground, as if sitting in a chair. As you bend, raise the arms straight up or towards the computer screen. Keep the knees together and aligned. Hold for 15 seconds and release. Repeat for 4-6 reps.

13. The Lunch Break Hammy: Strengthen the hamstrings with this standing leg curl. Stand behind your chair and hold onto it for support. Gently kick one foot back, aiming the heel for the top of your thigh. Lower the foot back down and repeat exercise with the other leg. Do 10 reps, take a bite of your lunch, and then do 10 more.

14. The Grim Reamer: Scope out the office for a ream of paper, or a sealed package of printing paper. While seated, place the stack in between the knees and press legs inward, engaging the inner thighs. Continue squeezing the paper ream in place for 30-60 seconds while sorting through the morning’s flood of emails. (Now that’s multitasking!)

 

Shoulders and Arms

15. The Cubicle Dip: Triceps dips can be done almost anywhere, including a cubicle. Using a sturdy desk or a non-rolling chair, sit at the very edge and place hands on either side of the body while gripping the chair’s edge. With the feet planted on the floor a step or two away from the desk or chair, straighten up the arms to lift up the body. Next, bend the arms to reach a 90-degree angle so that your body dips down, hold, and re-straighten while keeping the body raised above the chair. Complete 8-10 reps.

16. The Stapler Curl: Trusty staplers are always guarded closely, especially the red ones. Seated or standing, take the stapler in one hand with the palm facing upwards. Starting at the thighs, bend the elbow and curl the arm up towards the chest, just like a regular dumbbell biceps curl. Pause momentarily and then lower the stapler back down. Continue for 12-15 reps, then switch. Don’t have a weighty stapler? Try using a filled water bottle or a heavy change purse (the vending machine can wait!).

17. The Namaste:  Seated upright with feet flat on the floor, bring the palms together in front of the chest and push both hands together powerfully until you feel the arm muscles contract. Hold the prayer hands pushed together for 20 seconds. Release and repeat the sequence until you feel a little more zen.

18. The Secret Handshake: Let’s make a deal. Sitting up and with feet flat on the floor, clasp hands together as if giving yourself a handshake (with one hand’s thumb pointing to the floor and the other pointing to the ceiling). Then pull! Resist the motion of both arms (you should definitely feel this in those biceps). Hold for 10 seconds or more, release, and repeat.

19. The Fist Pump: Received approval from the head honcho for extra vacation days? Time to rock out to that Bruce Springsteen playlist while simultaneously toning the arms. Fist punch into the air like a champ (alternating arms, of course), and continue for 60 seconds or more—or until you realize the boss is right behind you.

20. The Knuckle Sandwich: So the big cheese said no to the promotion and returned your project covered in red ink. To relieve frustration and get a fab arm fix, try shadow boxing to the perfect boxing playlist. Stand (if you can) and throw out a few jabs, hooks, and uppercuts in rapid succession (just watch out for computers and coworkers!). Continue for a minute or longer to blow off steam and tone the arms, chest, and core.

21. The Flapper:  Standing with arms by your sides and palms facing behind, pulse the arms backward for 5 seconds. Release and repeat for 12-15 reps. For best results, make sure to keep the arms long and straight!

22. The Casual Lean: Waiting in the hall for a meeting to start? Perfect time to nonchalantly work out the upper arms! Casually lean against the nearest wall, supporting your body with the forearm only. Now lean into the wall until the upper arm almost touches it, and then push back out. Repeat for 15 reps or until the meeting gets underway.

23. The Lumberjack: Stand and clasp the hands together, resting them on the right shoulder as if holding an axe. Gently swing the imaginary “axe” by straightening the elbows and moving the hands toward the left thigh. Next, bring the clasped hands to the left shoulder followed by a swing to right thigh. Repeat 15 times on each side, or until all office plants have been hacked down.

24. The Office Genie: Want to add a little magic to the workday? Raise the legs into a criss-cross applesauce position while seated in a chair. With your hands on the armrests, push upwards to raise the body off the seat and remain floating for 10-20 seconds. After granting a few wishes, release back down to the chair, rest for a minute, and repeat. Craving more magic? Try this balancing act while in a chair that spins.

Chest, Back, and Neck

25. The Pencil Pinch: Roll back the shoulders until the shoulder blades are pinched together. Pretend you’re holding a pencil between the scapulas (or try it for real!). Hold for 5-10 seconds, release, and repeat for 12-15 reps.

26. The Shoulder Shrug: Simply raise both shoulders up toward the ears, hold for 5 seconds, then relax. Repeat for 15 reps. Feeling unstoppable? Try advanced shoulder shrugs while standing and holding a paper ream in each hand.

27. The Pinstripe Push-Up: This slightly modified wall push-up is more suitable for suits. Standing one to two feet from a sturdy wall (not a cubicle divider!), lean forward until palms are flush against the wall, with arms straight and parallel to the ground. Next, bend the elbows to bring the body towards the wall, hold for two seconds, then push back to the starting position. Complete 12-15 reps.

28. The Nape Shaper: Turtleneck season is over—it’s time to tone that neck! For the first isometric neck strengthening trick, put your head in your hands as if exasperated by the workday (you may already be in this position), and press your palms into your forehead as if trying to push the head backward. Resist the motion by engaging the neck muscles. Next, clasp the hands behind the back of the head and try to push the head backward, resisting the motion with your hands. Hold each deskercise for 5 seconds, or until The Evolution of Ryan Gosling has finally loaded. Slowly release, rest, and repeat 5 times each.

Core

29. The Desk Chair Swivel: Lucky enough to have a fun swivel chair? Use its twirl to your advantage with this oblique abs fix. Sitting upright and with the feet hovering over the floor, hold the edge of your desk with your fingers and thumb. Next, use the core to swivel the chair from side to side. Swish back and forth for 15 rounds.

30. The “Weeee” Desk Chair Wheel: Go ahead, play with your wheelie chair (everyone wants to!). While seated in a chair with wheels, position yourself at arm’s length from a desk or table and grasp its edge with your hands. Next, engage the core, raise the feet slightly off the ground, and pull with your arms until the chair slowly rolls forward and your chest touches the desk’s edge. Then roll back by pushing away, with the feet still raised. Repeat 20 times, or until you burn holes into the carpet.

31. The Posture Perfecter: Perfect posture is a must for long days at the desk. Practice safe desk ergonomics by adjusting the chair height to make sure the feet, hips, and arms are at 90-degree angles to the floor. Engage the core to keep the back straight throughout the day. No slouching allowed!

32. The Fab Abs Squeeze: Another silent deskercise, this one can be covertly executed when walking down the hall or seated during a call. Simply take a deep breath and tighten the abdominal muscles, bringing them in towards the spine as you exhale. Stay squeezed for 5-10 seconds and release. Repeat for 12-15 reps.

33. The “Crunch Time” Crunch: The deadlines are looming, as are hopes for a six-pack by summer. (And maybe a six-pack of Corona, too.) While most jobs don’t condone in-office boozing, you can get the other six-pack with some seated isometric crunches. With both elbows on the thighs, try to curl the chest in towards the legs while resisting the movement with the arms. Hold for 10 seconds, release, and repeat times 10.

Also Check Out: 50 Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Keep forgetting to do your deskercises at work? We know you’re a Microsoft Outlook pro! Make a calendar reminder or apply sticky notes around the workstation. Embarrassed? Seek out an empty conference room on a lunch break. We bet our biceps that coworkers will not only enjoy your deskercise routine, but admire it.

Stay Healthy anywhere. There’s no excuse not to. 

Proven Benefits of Quercetin

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Quercetin - Dr. Ax

Have you ever wondered what makes a “superfood” super? Or what key superfoods like red wine, green tea, kale and blueberries all have in common? The answer is quercetin, a natural compound tied to what all of us seek: better longevity, heart health, endurance, immune system and more.

Research even shows that quercetin displays anticancer properties. In fact, there isn’t much this powerful antioxidant compound can’t do, especially when combined with the health benefits of bromelain, an anti-inflammatory enzyme.

All this explains why I strongly recommend consuming food sources that contain quercetin regularly. But what are those foods? And how much should you consume? Let’s explore.

Considered one of the most abundant antioxidants in the human diet, quercetin plays an important part in fighting free radical damage, the effects of aging and inflammation.  While you can get plenty of quercetin from eating a healthy diet, some people also take quercetin supplements for their strong anti-inflammatory effects.

 

Quercetin benefits - Dr. Axe

Benefits of Quercetin

1. Lowers Inflammation

At this time, practitioners and patients report using quercetin to effectively fight conditions related to inflammation, including (6):

  • “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis)
  • high cholesterol
  • heart disease and circulation problems
  • insulin resistance and diabetes
  • eye-related disorders, including cataracts
  • allergies, asthma and hay fever
  • stomach ulcers
  • cognitive impairment
  • gout
  • viral infections
  • inflammation of the prostate, bladder and ovaries
  • chronic fatigue syndrome
  • cancer
  • chronic infections of the prostate
  • skin disorders, including dermatitis and hives

2. Fights Allergies

Quercetin is a natural antihistamine and an anti-inflammatory, making it effective for naturally lowering the effects of season and food allergies, plus asthma and skin reactions.

Quercetin can help stabilize the release of histamines from certain immune cells, which results in decreased symptoms like coughs, watery eyes, runny noses, hives, swollen lips or tongue, and indigestion. In fact, it’s so effective that quercetin is used in ancient Chinese herbal formulas created to block allergies to certain foods (such as peanuts), known as food allergy herbal formulas. Studies show that quercetin, a natural medicine and phytochemical, is equivalent at fighting allergies as some prescription medications, all with little to no side effects.

3. Supports Heart Health

Because of its ability to lower inflammation and oxidative stress, quercetin seems to be beneficial for people with heart and blood vessel-related disorders.  For example, eating lots of deeply colored fruits and veggies that contain flavonoids is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular diease, and even death, in older adults.

Studies done in animal and some human populations show that various types of flavonoids (quercetin, resveratrol and catechins, for example) can help reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, which is a dangerous condition caused by plaque building up within the arteries. Cut-off blood flow in the arteries is one of the primary risk factors for experiencing a heart attack or stroke, which is why cardiac arrest is less likely among people who eat a nutrient-packed diet.

Antioxidants also seem to protect the body from experiencing increases in LDL “bad” cholesterol and can help regulate blood pressure levels. Certain studies show that quercetin prevents damage to LDL cholesterol particles, and it seems that people who eat the most flavonoid-rich foods typically have healthier and lower cholesterol levels, plus less incidence of hypertension. In fact, if you’ve ever heard that red wine is good for your heart, that’s because it’s a natural source of quercetin. It’s one of the main active ingredients in red wine extract, which is associated with healthier heart function.

4. Helps Fight Pain

Taking quercetin supplements can help lower pain associated with autoimmune conditions, such as arthritis, as well as infections, including those of the prostate and respiratory tract. That’s because quercetin reduces inflammatory pain. There’s some evidence from several small studies that people experiencing bladder pains from infections (causing an urgent need to urinate, swelling and burning) have fewer symptoms when taking quercetin supplements.

Flavonoids are also linked to reduced symptoms of prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). There’s evidence that when patients with RA switch from eating a “typical Western diet” to one higher in antioxidant-rich foods (like uncooked berries, fruits, vegetables, nuts, roots, seeds and sprouts), they experience less pain and reoccurring symptoms, making quercetin a natural arthritis treatment.

5. Might Help Improve Endurance

Quercetin is added to some athletic supplements because it’s believed to help increase athletic performance and endurance, likely because of its positive effects on blood flow. Antioxidants like quercetin could boost physical performance since they help increase the health of blood vessels, which carry oxygen and nutrients to muscle and joint tissue.

Other studies also show that quercetin helps increase immune function and prevents susceptibility to illnesses that can occur when someone trains intensely and experiences exhaustion. One study found evidence that taking 500 milligrams of quercetin twice daily helped protect cyclers from developing exercise-induced respiratory infections following periods of heavy exercise.

6. Might Help Fight Cancer

A Boston University School of Medicine study published in the Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents shows a link between a nutrient-dense diet rich in quercetin plus other antioxidants and a lowered risk of cancer.  Quercetin seems to have potential chemo-preventive activity and might have a unique antiproliferative effect on cancerous cells, making it an effective addition to any natural cancer treatment approach.

Flavonoids can help stop the processes involved in cell mutation, the growth of tumors and symptoms related to typical cancer treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy.

Quercetin is considered a safe treatment approach for stopping cancer, and in the future, we might see it used as a natural therapy instead of, or in conjunction with, conventional methods.

7. Helps Protect Skin Health

Capable of blocking “mast cells,” which are immune cells critical in triggering allergic reactions, inflammatory disease and autoimmune disease, quercetin helps protect skin from the effects of disorders like dermatitis and photosensitivity.

Top Natural Sources of Quercetin

All types of tasty red, green and purple-pigmented plants come packed with quercetin — for example, red wine, blueberries, apples, red onion and even green tea are some of the best sources of quercetin. The amount of quercetin found in plant foods can vary a lot depending on where they’re grown, how fresh they are, how they’re prepared and so on.

Some of the top sources of quercetin to add to your diet include:

Quercetin foods - Dr. Axe

Are There Any Side Effects of Quercetin Supplements?

Because it’s derived naturally from foods, quercetin seems to be safe for almost everyone and poses little risks. Most studies have found little to no side effects in people eating nutrient-dense diets high in quercetin or taking supplements by mouth short term. Amounts up to 500 milligrams taken twice daily for 12 weeks appear to be very safe.

For women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, quercetin doesn’t seem to have any negative effects, although there hasn’t been much research done in this population so it’s always a good idea to talk it over with your doctor first.

It’s always simple to Stay Healthy!

Great Garlic

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Dr. Mercola

garlic-benefits

Garlic is one of the most important culinary herbs there is, but it’s also one that’s a proven health tonic. Eating a clove or two of garlic a day really might keep the doctor away, as it benefits health on multiple levels.

It is more accurate to call garlic a vegetable than an herb, and, in fact, it belongs to the allium family of vegetables, along with onions and leeks.

This is where its health benefits begin, because allium vegetables are known for their stink (and garlic is sometimes referred to as “the stinking rose”). That unique scent comes from sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin, that have many health-promoting effects.

Garlic Fights 160 Diseases, Including Cancer

Studies have demonstrated garlic’s effects for more than 160 different diseases.1 In general, its benefits fall into four main categories:

Reducing inflammation (reduces risk of osteoarthritis and other diseases associated with inflammation)
Boosting immune function (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties)
Improving cardiovascular health and circulation (protects against clotting, retards plaque, improves lipids, and reduces blood pressure)
Toxic to 14 kinds of cancer cells (including brain, lung, breast, gastric, and pancreatic)
In terms of cancer, garlic has been shown to kill cancer cells in laboratory studies, as well as shown promise when consumed via your diet. One study showed that women who regularly ate garlic (along with fruits and vegetables) had a 35 percent lower risk of colon cancer.

Those who consume high amounts of raw garlic also appear to have a lower risk of stomach and colorectal cancers.

Furthermore, among people with inoperable forms of colorectal, liver, or pancreatic cancer, taking an extract of aged garlic for six months helped to improve immune function, which suggests it may be useful for helping your immune system during times of stress or illness.

Also worth noting, diallyl sulfide (DAS), a sulfur-containing compound in garlic, has been found to inhibit the formation of carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which form when meat is cooked at high temperatures.

DAS prevents a specific type of HCA from transforming into DNA-damaging compounds by decreasing the production of certain liver enzymes required for this transformation.

What this means is that adding chopped garlic to your burgers, meat loaf, and possibly to your steak via a marinade may help cut down on cancer-causing cooking byproducts.

Immune-Boosting Effects to Fight Infectious Disease (Even Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria)

Garlic is known for its powerful antibacterial and antiviral properties. It also helps fight infection from yeasts/fungi and worms.

The combination of biochemicals in garlic, including tannins, saponins, phenols, flavonoids, and essential oils, has even been found to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Some of the superbugs killed by garlic were resistant to more than 10 different antibiotics.

Even more intriguing, the garlic used in the study was whole, simply ground with a mortar and pestle, and the researchers recommended adding garlic to your diet as a way to help prevent infections. According to researchers:

“…use of spices (garlic/ginger) in diet can reduce the risk of food contamination, protect the consumer from different foodborne diseases, improve their health status and combat with the foodborne diseases by using small quantity of spices (garlic/ginger) in diet

…it is recommended to use garlic …in different raw forms like pickle, garlic/ginger bread, curry powder, sauces, raw juices and without extensive cooking.

In conclusion, the results of present study have provided the justification for therapeutic potential of spices. The practice of using spices as supplementary or alternative medicine… will not reduce only the clinical burden of drug resistance development but also the side effects and cost of the treatment with allopathic medicine.”

Eating garlic can also help fight off infections from colds and flu. According to one study, those who consumed garlic daily for three months had fewer colds than those who took a placebo.

When they did come down with a cold, the duration of illness was shorter – an average of 4.5 days compared to 5.5 days for the placebo group.

While this may not seem overly impressive, it’s still better than the results achieved by the much-advertised flu drug Tamiflu. If taken within 48 hours of onset of illness, Tamiflu might reduce the duration of flu symptoms by about a day to a day and a half – similar to eating garlic daily.

Antioxidants, Vitamins, and Minerals for a Potent Health Elixir

Like many natural foods, it’s difficult to confine garlic to just one or two benefits, as it appears to offer benefits throughout your body. Garlic is rich in manganese, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamins B6 and C, so it’s beneficial for your bones as well as your thyroid.

Other health-promoting compounds include oligosaccharides, arginine-rich proteins, selenium, and flavonoids.9 The University of Maryland Medical Center summed up some of its most promising uses:10

“…garlic is used to help prevent heart disease, including atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries (plaque buildup in the arteries that can block the flow of blood and may lead to heart attack or stroke), high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and to boost the immune system.

Eating garlic regularly may also help protect against cancer.

Garlic is rich in antioxidants. In your body, harmful particles called free radicals build up as you age, and may contribute to heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Antioxidants like those found in garlic fight off free radicals, and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage caused over time.”

Sprouted Garlic Might Be Even Healthier

Have you ever let a head of garlic sit on your counter too long, only to find it had sprouted green shoots? You don’t need to throw it away! Sprouted garlic is not only safe to eat… it may be even healthier than non-sprouted garlic.

In an article published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, garlic sprouted for five days was found to have higher antioxidant activity than fresher, younger bulbs, and it had different metabolites, suggesting it also makes different substances.

Researchers concluded that sprouting your garlic might be a useful way to improve its antioxidant potential. Extracts from this garlic even protected cells in a laboratory dish from certain types of damage.12 This isn’t really surprising when you consider the nutritional changes that typically occur in plants when they sprout.

When seedlings grow into green plants, they make many new compounds, including those that protect the young plant against pathogens. The same thing is likely happening when green shoots grow from old heads of garlic. According to study author Jong-Sang Kim, PhD:

“Plants are very susceptible to attack from bacteria, viruses, and insects during sprouting… This causes them to produce a variety of chemicals called phytoalexins to defend themselves. Most of these are toxic to microorganisms and insects, but beneficial to human health.”

Have You Heard of Fermented Black Garlic?

Black garlic, which is basically fermented garlic, may be even healthier than other forms. In a 2009 mouse study, Japanese researchers found that black garlic was more effective than fresh garlic in reducing the size of tumors, for instance.

The study was published in the journal Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Science and Technology.14 In another study, black garlic was found to have twice the antioxidant levels as fresh—the aging/fermenting process appears to double the antioxidants.

Black garlic is packed with high concentrations of sulfurous compounds, especially one in particular: s-allylcycteine (SAC). Science has shown a number of health benefits from SAC, including inhibition of cholesterol synthesis. Perhaps this is why Mandarin oil painter Choo Keng Kwang experienced a complete reversal of his psoriasis after just four days of eating half a bulb of black garlic a day—this, after trying countless medically prescribed skin creams that were all complete failures.

An advantage of SAC is that it is well-absorbed and much more stable than allicin and 100 percent bioavailable. Researchers are confident it plays a significant role in garlic’s overall health benefits.15 Unfortunately, fermenting garlic is a lengthy process that requires a room with controlled humidity and heat for about a month. Most people don’t have access to such equipment to ferment garlic at home, but you can find it from reliable sources online (in whole bulb form, which tastes surprisingly sweet) or in supplement form.

As an aside, I strongly recommend you include raw garlic in your diet as well, but when you do the fresh clove must be crushed or chopped in order to stimulate the release of an enzyme called alliinase, which in turn catalyzes the formation of allicin. Allicin, in turn, rapidly breaks down to form a number of different organosulfur compounds. So to “activate” garlic’s medicinal properties, compress a fresh clove with a spoon prior to swallowing it, chop it finely to add to a salad, or put it through your juicer to add to your vegetable juice.

What Happens to Your Body When You Eat a McDonald’s Hamburger

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 Dr. Mercola

When talking about fast food giants, nothing can be bigger – and more infamous – than McDonald’s. Those two “golden arches” sign are so abundant and so well-known all over the world, that some toddlers can even recognize it even before they are able to speak full sentences.

In 2014, over 36,258 McDonald’s restaurants operate worldwide,1 serving over 69 million people every day. From its humble beginnings in the 1940s, the brand has now grown to be a multi-billion dollar company with an estimated value of over $85 billion.

And the fast food’s most popular menu item? The burgers.

According to The Fiscal Times, McDonald’s sells 75 burgers every second.2That amounts to over 2.36 billion burgers per year – roughly the equivalent of eating a million cows.3

For many people, nothing seems wrong with eating a McDonald’s hamburger. After all, it looks and tastes the same as other burger patties, and the added convenience makes it a much sought-after meal for busy people, those who are on-the-go, or those who simply do not have time to cook food at home.

But considering just how much burger patties are sold per day, haven’t you ever wondered just how McDonald’s hamburgers are made and, more importantly, what they’re made of?

Even more disturbing are the reports of McDonald’s burgers that do not decompose or rot for weeks, months, or even years after they’ve been cooked.

McDonald’s Hamburger Shows No Signs of Decomposition – Even After a Decade

There have been multiple stories going viral about McDonald’s hamburgers that show no signs of rotting or molding. One example is that of David Whipple, a man from Utah, who came forward in 2013, claiming that he had a McDonald’s hamburger that dates back to 1999 – but is yet to show any sign of decomposition.4

Whipple initially bought the burger to keep for two weeks and show to his friends, but then forgot about it. Two years later, he found it in his coat pocket, with the original receipt, with no signs of rotting or mold. He decided to keep it to see how long it will disintegrate. According to ABC News website:5

“‘The patty feels like concrete,’ Whipple said of the burger he has held onto for 14 years, first on purpose, then by accident, and then for a good laugh. Whipple… was living in Logan, Utah, and trying to lose weight when he first purchased the hamburger to prove to his friends that fast food was not real food.

‘It was nothing real scientific,’ Whipple said. ‘We were talking about enzymes and we knew what a good food like a banana would do but weren’t sure what a hamburger would do.’

Two weeks later, Whipple got his answer. The burger’s pickles and onion toppings had begun to shrink but the bun and hamburger ‘looked exactly the same,’ he said.

Whipple was invited to guest on the TV show The Doctors to talk about his experience. He said he uses the burger to encourage his grandkids to eat healthy and avoid fast food.

I’ve featured stories about these “everlasting McDonald’s burgers” on my site many years ago, like that of Manhattan artist Sally Davies’ “The Happy Meal Project,” where she photographed a McDonald’s Happy Meal every day for six months. (You can view the full photostream6 on her website.)

Karen Hanrahan, a wellness educator and nutrition consultant, also claimed to have kept a McDonald’s hamburger since 1996. It still looks as fresh as a newly bought one.

A Closer Look at a McDonald’s Hamburger Ingredients

According to McDonald’s website,7 the only ingredient in its hamburger is 100 percent pure USDA-Inspected beef, prepared with grill seasoning (salt and black pepper) and without fillers and extenders.

The fast food chain also refutes speculations that an “unknown” preservative is among their McDonald’s hamburger ingredients, and says that their burgers and buns do not decompose simply because they “become very dry in the cooking and toasting process.” According to a Business Insider article:8

“…the patty loses water in the form of steam during the cooking process. The bun, of course, is made out of bread. Toasting it reduces the amount of moisture. This means that after preparation, the hamburger is fairly dry. When left out open in the room, there is further water loss as the humidity within most buildings is around 40%. So in the absence of moisture or high humidity, the hamburger simply dries out, rather than rot.”

Indeed, part of the embalmed-like feature of the meat patty can be because of its high-sodium content. Salt is a natural preservative that has been used throughout history.

But you have to admit that something that does not decompose, or even show signs of decomposing after days, months, or years seems very, very suspicious. After all, the hallmark of live food is that it wilts and decomposes – something that, apparently, does not occur in these burgers.

In 2014, McDonald’s attempted to clear its name by releasing a video,9 which starred former MythBusters co-host Grant Imahara and filmed in a Cargill facility in Fresno, California, that shows just how McDonald’s hamburger patties are made.10 It aims to debunk the myth that McDonald’s uses fillers, additives, and preservatives in their meat – showing instead large beef chunks on a conveyor belt going through a machine that forms them into patties.

They also asserted that they do not use pink slime in their meat. Pink slime is a sludge-like ingredient made of ground-up beef “trimmings” – various beef scraps and cow connective tissues – and ammonium hydroxide, which gives the mixture its pink hue. McDonald’s has admitted to using pink slime in their hamburgers before, but had discontinued it in 2011.

McDonald’s Plans to Make the ‘Big Switch’ to Antibiotic-Free Chicken

In March 2015, McDonald’s announced that they are going to be buying only chicken raised without antibiotics important to human medicine – a change that would take place in over the next two years. They also claimed that they would begin using milk from cows that have not been treated with the artificial growth hormone rBST.

While this is positive news, I believe that McDonald’s only made the decision to help improve their slumping US sales. Many restaurants like Panera Bread, Chipotle, and Shake Shack have already switched to antibiotic-free poultry and meat, causing their former customers to flock to these competitors.

This change means that not only will suppliers be scrambling to meet the demand, but other fastfood chains will also be considering a similar move.

But although going antibiotic-free on their poultry is a step in the right direction, I don’t think we should be celebrating any time soon, because McDonald’s is yet to make any changes to its meat – which is actually loaded with a whole different host of problems…

McDonald’s Beef Comes from Factory Farms

Even if it is true that McDonald’s burgers do not contain preservatives or additives (which I seriously doubt), this does not excuse the fact that McDonald’s meat actually comes from confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

Not only are cows and other livestock in these factory farms made to live in unsanitary and inhumane conditions, but they are also given antibiotics and growth hormones to make them grow faster and more resistant to disease. In fact, nearly 25 million pounds of antibiotics are administered to livestock in the US every year.

These antibiotics, along with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, are transferred to you every time you eat CAFO meat – and sometimes even through the animal manure used as crop fertilizer. Two million Americans become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria every year, causing at least 23,000 deaths.11

What’s worse, antibiotic-resistant disease is not the only danger brought on by CAFOs. Excessive exposure to antibiotics and regularly eating antibiotic-laced CAFO meats also harms your gastrointestinal health, predisposing you to virtually anydisease.

But it’s not just the hamburger meat that’s really problematic…

Here’s Why McDonald’s Bun Stays Mold-Free for Years

McDonald’s patty’s long life may be because of its sodium content, but what about the bun? Bread typically stays fresh for several days, but have you ever heard of one that stays mold-free for years? Yet that’s exactly what happened with the McDonald’s bun.

I believe that this is because McDonald’s bun is lightyears away from freshly baked bread you make at home – in fact, it is a “bread-like” concoction that bears no actual resemblance to natural bread (except for its appearance, obviously). Just take a look at the ingredients used in McDonald’s buns:

“Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Yeast, Soybean Oil, Contains 2% or Less: Salt, Wheat Gluten, Leavening (Calcium Sulfate, Ammonium Sulfate), May Contain One or More Dough Conditioners (Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, DATEM, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide, Mono and Diglycerides, Monocalcium Phosphate, Enzymes, Calcium Peroxide), Calcium Propionate (Preservative).”

These ingredients should clearly offer clues as to why the burgers stay blemish-free and “fresh” for years. But what’s more alarming is that they can also open your eyes to the potential health ramifications you may experience if you eat a McDonald’s hamburger. For example, calcium sulfate, also known as plaster of Paris, can possibly cause digestive problems. Meanwhile, ammonium sulfate is known to cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea due to gastrointestinal irritation.

Watch Out for These McDonald’s Menu Items, Too

Just like its hamburgers, McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets also came under fire after it was found that only 50 percent of the nuggets is actually chicken. The other 50 percent is a mixture of corn derivatives, leavening agents, sugars, and completely synthetic ingredients that no sane person would ever think of cooking with.

Its seasonal offering, the McRib pork sandwich, was also closely scrutinized. Apparently, one of its ingredients is azodicarbonamide, a chemical used to bleach the flour bread… but is also used in making gym shoes and yoga mats. And underneath the “tasty, tangy barbecue sauce,” the researchers found that the pork was nothing more than restructured meat product – made from all the cheap innards and cast-offs of a pig. Not so appetizing anymore, is it?

Even their fries, particularly those sold in the US, was also found to contain toxic ingredients. While French fries in the UK only are simply potatoes fried in sunflower or rapeseed oil, the fries that Americans get contain TBHQ; antifoaming agents, color stabilizers, and preservatives. They also contain beef flavor that’s made with wheat and milk derivatives. This is why they carry an allergy warning for those with wheat and dairy sensitivities.

What Happens When You Eat an All-McDonald’s Diet?

You’ve probably heard of “SuperSize Me,” a documentary where filmmaker Morgan Spurlock documented the consequences of eating a strictly McDonald’s diet. After just four weeks of eating nothing but fast food, Spurlock’s health had badly deteriorated to the point that his physician warned him to stop the experiment or he’ll be putting his life in grave danger.

Just recently, Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College, London, wanted to learn what happens to your gut if you ate only McDonald’s for 10 straight days. His son, Tom, agreed to do the experiment and sent stool samples to different labs throughout the 10-day period.

The results were astounding. After just 10 days of eating fast food, his stool samples revealed that his gut microbes were “devastated” – about 40 percent of his bacteria species, amounting to over 1,400 different types, were lost. This severe loss of microbial diversity is a risk factor to obesity and diabetes.

Your gut is your second brain, and it is actually where 80 percent of your immune system lies. There are nearly 100 trillion bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microorganisms, good and bad, that compose your body’s microflora. These organisms play a crucial role in your mental and physical health, and if you upset this delicate balance, you become predisposed to a wide range of health problems.

Processed Foods Are a Bane to Your Health

As I’ve often stressed in my articles, processed foods and fast foods can absolutely wreak havoc on your health. Yes, they may be cheaper and more convenient, but they are excessively high in sugars, grains, and factory farmed meats – a recipe for chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

I advise you to stop glorifying processed foods and fast foods because of their taste and convenience. Instead, keep in mind ALL of the cons that they bring to your health, such as:

  • Loads your body with extra calories that do nothing for your body
  • Expose you to a toxic concoction of foreign chemicals and artificial flavors
  • Are a waste of money – in fact, they may even lead to increased healthcare bills for you and your loved ones
  • Can severely harm your children, whose bodies are still developing and are in greater need of nutrients

I also recommend your diet to be composed of at least 90 percent non-processed, organic whole foods. Not only will you enjoy the health benefits, but you’ll also be at peace as you know exactly what you’re putting in your body.

Eat Healthy, Homemade Foods and Watch Your Health Soar

I honestly believe that if you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail. Indeed, the secret to following a wholesome diet is learning to prepare your grocery list so you can plan your meals. Make it an essential part of your lifestyle. This would ideally involve scouting local farmers markets or food co-ops to buy in-season produce. Find a trustworthy source of grass-fed meats, raw dairy, and free-range chicken and eggs.

Finally, appoint a person in your family to cook the meals. This should be someone who is willing to invest time in the kitchen.